#Three Yes 3 Days of Free Time & Fun

[givemethedamnflowers]

.

[kianamaiart]

Hello your magical girl story looks really intriguing, the premise feels very creative, the art style is simple but good with its own identity, and the characters seem to be fleshed out with depth, personality, and backstory. In short, I love it, and I do have a few questions.

One: Is the story character driven, story driven, or something else

Two: Is the story rated G, PG, PG-13, or something else

Three: Would the story be a web comic, web show, or something else

Four: Will there be a lot of lore and world building, yes or no

Five: what other inspirations did you have for the story's characters, plot, and art style

Six: What humor do you use for the story

I'm only asking these questions out of curiosity. This is just because I love your story, and would like to know more about.

So please be free to not answer all the questions if you want. I'm also fine if you ignore this ask. so please, no pressure.

At the end of the day, please have fun, relax, work hard, take your time, and have a nice day.

I'm so glad! Thanks so much for your interest <3

Character driven (always)

PG/PG-13

Dunno! I've been reached out to already for a few opportunities but right now, I'm just trying to have fun with it and keep it mine until I feel like the idea is fully realized and ready for something bigger. Right now, I'm shooting to make a lil pilot animatic mostly on my own with help from a few friends

Depends on what you mean by a lot but I'd say a soft yes

For Aika, just generally other anime protagonists from shoujo and shonen. I feel like when you're doing a spin on something you do have to rely on the tropes from the genre at least a little bit. For Zira, Toko Fukawa was the jumping off point but they're very different. They're also both based off of aspects of myself (I feel like most artists do this with their ocs tho). Style and story-wise, I was definitely looking at Doremi and Panty&Stocking. That chunky cute look that's distinctly anime but takes some notes from Western cartoons. But mine's flipped where it's more based on my own style from working in Western animation but then having anime influence. And story-wise I like how they're more episodic with an underlying story. The magical girl stuff is more a backdrop that helps the story move forward and enhances the slice of life stuff that's being focused on.

I'm not sure what kind of humor to say other than my own? But my sense of humor has been shaped by Big City Greens (obviously) Adventure Time, Jimmy Neutron, Bob's Burgers, Smiling Friends and many other things but hopefully that gives you the gist

[neuvistar]

HONKAI STAR RAIL MEN AS FATHERS! pt one.

— featuring ┊jing yuan, blade, dan heng, gepard x fem!reader (all separate)

— warnings / content warnings ┊hsr men as fathers !! mostly fluff ! SPOILERS ON BLADE’S (?) PART, not proofread i think, you r married to them here, a little angst on blade’s but it’s nothing much, mentions of pregnancy, blade referred to as “ren”, them being absolute sweethearts </3 overall just fluff! | pt two. (luocha, welt, sampo) pt three. (aventurine, dr ratio, argenti, boothill, sunday gallagher)

— a/n ┊oh my days i’m sooo obsessed w these, i love thinking abt them too like okayyy.. strong jing yuan + gepard best father believer !! I ALREADY MADE A SEPARATE TAG 4 THIS TOO SO I CAN RAMBLE ABT IT W MY PRECIOUS FOLLOWERS, ANONS N MOOTS !! </3 you could tell i had fun writing gepards (i rlly did)

best papa #1. jing yuan (DILF DILF DILF!)

- JING YUAN would be such an amazing father, it’s like it’s natural to him, he’s one of the sweetest n most supportive ones !! when he found out about your pregnancy he would spin you around in his arms, kissing the temple of your forehead whispering “i love you”s under his breath. hes such a dilf too jesus fuck

- JING YUAN would have three kids (jesus christ) two girls n one boy, HE WOULD BE SUCH A GOOD DAD N I KNOW IT! he’s so patient and gentle with you during your pregnancy, and he was even more patient n gentle w his own kids, he loves them very much. he would be willing to teach his children everything, he would help them with their swordsmanship skills and even help out with other things, he’s such a good papa it hurts, he’s so gentle with your children, he’s an absolute natural! it’s like he was meant to be a dad almost

- JING YUAN who would be protective over his kids but not too protective, he loves seeing them all free, especially when they were just little cute babies. his eldest daughter loved running around his office, tugging at his clothes and asking him to play with her.

“dadddd! play with me noww! brother and sister wants to play too, we’ve been waiting for ten minutes like you said, but it already passed!”

“not now, princess.” his lips melted into a soft grin, giving his daughter a small pat on the head. “how about this, how about you and your siblings accompany daddy while he works, ‘that sound good?”

- JING YUAN who tries his best to make his children happy, i bet he’s the type to sing small little lullabies for them to help them sleep, rocking his little son in his arms as he has his small little fingers around his. he’s great with animals as well, he would take his children to a little adventure one day and have them hold and feed the birds that are always around him, nibbling on their tiny hands as he guides them, helping them try and feed it.

“go on, try and feed him. he doesn’t bite, he’s not scary either right? dad’s here to protect you, remember?

- JING YUAN who would talk to his children when they were still in your womb, telling them stories about his life, his adventures and telling them how beautiful their mommy was. jing yuan would consider this as his daily routine, he loved talking to his little ones even before they were born!

“hey princess. daddy loves you so much, y’know that?”

“daddy is excited to meet you too sweetheart, yes he is. but try not to give your mother a hard time, okay?“

best papa #2. blade

- BLADE who never thought he’d ever become a dad because of the life he lives, so much regret and grief in his heart so therefore he would start off a bit rocky, he was a bit unsure and didn’t quite understand the aspects of being a father and that worried him so much. he was terrified of not fulfilling his duties and responsibilities as a father but you always reassured him that he’s doing the best he can and that’s what truly matters.

“ren honey, she can’t support the weight of her own head, you know?”

“.. she can’t?”

oh boy.. he had a lot to learn.

- BLADE would probably have one kid! HE WOULD HAVE A DAUGHTER IM CONFIRMING THAT RN. your little princess is almost bound to look like him! she’s like a mini version of blade as she has the same hair, same eyes, etc! aaa it’s so cute! he thinks so too, he just doesn’t have the balls to actually admit it. his little princess would think of her papa as the strongest person in the world! it’s adorable honestly, she wants to be just like him, big and strong!

- BLADE who would be extremely overprotective over his daughter, he would have a very soft spot for her too. he would give everything his all to secure her knowledge about the current life he was living right now as a stellaron hunter, he knew he wasn’t the best, but he was willing to change for you and his child. yet, it still worried him. it still worried him that maybe one day his daughter will eventually find out about his past and follow his exact footsteps, everyday he prays nothing like that happens, he wants her to do good, not bad. he doesn’t want her to fall in the same path he went before.

- BLADE who honestly didn’t expect to have a child himself, so when he was caught right handed carrying a small little child in his arms, kafka and silver wolf would doubt him at first, asking him if this was just another child he found in the middle of the streets, shocked to find out he was acc a father n he wasn’t messing w their heads again skull emoji

“that’s.. that’s your kid?!”

“yeah.”

“she looks just like you..”

“are you sure you aren’t messing with us? you actually had sex?!”

“.. could you have worded that a better way?”

- BLADE who would find comfort in his own family, making a promise to himself that he would absolutely devote his love to you and his little princess, he would do everything to protect you and her, even if it means risking his everything for the both of you. but yet.. he still thinks about how he’ll eventually watch you and his little princess die while he lives on, for eternity. he wants to bask in the presence of his beloveds for as long as he could, he would break the curse of his immortality if he could, just so he see his loved ones die, no.. not again. he can’t afford to see the two most important people of his life die, once again. but he knew, his fear would come true eventually.

best papa #3. dan heng

- DAN HENG is a SWEETHEART. tbh hes a a lil confused but he’s trying + he’s learning! he also never expected he would ever have a child of his own, he doubted his own abilities at first but he got the hang of it as it flows through, he’s an outstanding father too! he’s just a lil confused but he’s got the spirit

- DAN HENG would probably have multiple kids, about two! one girl and one boy. when his first child was born, he felt a wave of happiness and relief wash through his body as he was finally taking in one of the biggest responsibilities there is, he promised himself he would do his best for you and his kids, and he really kept his promise! he does try his best and tries his hardest to give them the utmost care and support, he loves his pretty wife and his kids sm and it shows

- DAN HENG would have good hearing! when his young ones were still little babies, he would usually be the first one to aid them whenever they wake up in the middle of the night crying, gently rocking them in his arms until they fall asleep in his arms, their small hands on his shirt. so cute <3

- DAN HENG who would help his kids fall asleep by sitting or laying by their side and watch them sleep, maybe he would hum a tone or two.. he just can’t comprehend the fact that he was the father of these kids, he treasures them sm and you notice it, he’s just so so sweet to you and your kids

“dan heng?” you would call, entering the room of your kids before seeing your husband laying on the edge of the bed, arm over the two young ones as a gentle grin forms on your face as you shut the door, god. you married the right man.

- DAN HENG who just wants the best for his kids, he would come off as too overprotective sometimes and it might look like he was angry but in reality he just wants the best for them and wants to keep them safe.

“i thought i told the both of you not to go there.”

“.. but daddy you didn’t say that! that’s no fair!”

dan heng crouched down to his daughter’s level, eyeing her and his son down. “daddy doesn’t want you both to get into trouble. plus, you could easily get hurt or stepped on from some big monster.”

“dan heng, stop scaring the kids.” you crossed your arms, before a tug on your shirt was made,

“no no mommy, it’s not scary! because we know that daddy is always gonna be there to save us!” dan heng grinned, pulling his two younglings in a tight hug. he really does hope he can fulfill that, he wants to be there for them after all.

best papa #4. gepard landau

- GEPARD is such a girl dad, he would have three little princesses! gepard is surprisingly a good dad, like i said he’s a such a girl dad he would cherish and love his princesses (including you <3) until the end of time, he’s such a good dad it makes my heart melt, he would probably ramble about the fact he has three daughters to serval, HES SOOO SWEET ABT IT TOO. “mhm mhm. i have three princesses in my household!” is what he would say, he loves his daughters smmm HES A GIRL DAD U CANNOT TRLL ME OTHERWISE. speaking of serval, she would be an amazing aunt i know it!

- GEPARD is such a loving and doting father! when his first daughter was born he probably thanked every star in the whole universe for this amazing gift that was brought upon him and you, HE LOVES YOU AND HIS DAUGHTERS SM BRO. he can be a bit overprotective and it might lead him to seem a bit controlling but he doesn’t mean to be or sound controlling in the first place, it’s only because he wants his daughters to be safe, he knows how bad the world can be and he doesn’t want anything to happen to them.

- GEPARD who is willing to style his daughters’ hair, honestly you wondered where he inherited his skills from since he’s such a natural at it! (he got it from serval) sometimes you’ll even see one of your daughters in cute little pigtails held up in cute little pink bows, it’s so adorable to you!

“who did your hair baby? it looks great today.”

“daddy did!” when she said that, gepard would probably be eavesdropping from the kitchen, a huge stupid smile on his face <3

- GEPARD who does his best to protect his wife and his children, sometimes you would tell stories to your kids about how amazing gepard really is, and how he’s the captain of the silvermane guards! i bet if they still had fears over little things like monsters under their beds etc your daughters would always go to gepard so he can “fight” the monsters off, gepard finds it so adorable how go to him whenever they’re scared, because he knows he can protect them from anything <3

- GEPARD probably has a daughter that looks up to him a lot, trying to follow in his footsteps. when his little daughter was little, she would sometimes sneak out from her room and sometimes catch him training, doing weird motions with his hands she didn’t quite get and copy him! she views gepard as “the strongest hero in the whole universe”

“daddy daddy! look look, it’s a drawing of me in your armour! one day i’ll be just like you, brave and strong!”

the blonde’s gaze softened, a low chuckle leaving his chest as he picked her up from the ground planting a quick kiss on her nose. “you’re already brave and strong, princess. you’re just as brave and strong as daddy is”

he’s such a girl dad ugh i love those men

[bamfkeeper]

Kurt teaching you German numbers, his methods are very encouraging. 18+ under cut. MDNI.

This crossed my mind, and I think it's super hot. But maybe it's just meee idk 😖 It's all for fun anyway. I have trouble retaining information so I figured Kurt would come up with something to help you remember if you have the same issue. <3

Warnings: More dominant Kurt bc I wanna see more this side of him, it's not too crazy. Afab reader, sex toys, praise, orgasm denial, slight overstimulation, oral (reader giving), he uses his tail~ Not edited, please ignore grammar mistakes!

WC: 1.8k

You didn't speak German, when you met Kurt you vowed you'd try to learn. You asked him to help you from time to time, and he gladly did. He always praised you for words you got write, and gently corrected you or helped you when you got something wrong or simply couldn't remember. But even if you missed a day, you forgot everything. It was frustrating for you, how you couldn't retain something so simple. Kurt knew how you felt, so he thought he might change up the lessons to make them a bit more...interactive.

"We will start off easy, liebling." he hummed and sat in front of you, looking down at you on the floor. You were trembling and looking up with anticipation, biting your lip, squirming slightly on the vibe he had on your cunt. "Numbers. One through ten, ja?" he turned the vibe on a low setting, enough to jerk you up slightly, but not enough for you to reach your peak.

"Okay..." you rasped, crawling to be more sat between his legs. He chuckled and watched you fondle his growing bulge in his underwear. "Naughty liebchen..." he cooed, "Wait."

With a reluctant whine, you stopped and looked up at him again. Your cheeks were much hotter from the situation, he hadn't ever been this way before, but you weren't complaining.

"One." he said calmly, his tail curled up at the end as he watched you.

"Eins." you replied softly, your legs trembling. You could feel your core dampening, your clit throbbed against the dull vibration from the vibe. He grinned down at you, nodding. "Good. That's correct..." a press on the remote made the vibrator increase a notch, which in turn made you feel more pleasure.

"And what's two?" he asked, slowly pulling himself free, his cock slowly hardening as his hand stroked it. Your eyes were glued to his pretty cock, the tip beading already and you wanted to taste him.

"Zwei," you said back, hoping he'd let you suck him now. He saw your wants, but he didn't give in just yet. You were only on two after all, you needed to remember more than that first.

"Ah, good...three." he continued, hitting the next button to increase the vibrations. The second setting felt good, but not enough for you. You wanted more, and he saw your hips squirming. He smiled at you, he was unbelievably hot right now, it wasn't fair.

"Three." he whispered, "Make it to five and I'll let you cum." he promised, his hand steadily stroking himself. The promise of your climax made you feel more motivated, you were pretty confident so far. "Drei," your answer came out with a slight whine, and the vibe increased again, the third setting beginning to make a louder hum and your legs shook more.

"Das ist gut...you are doing so good." he whispered, "How about four and five? Can you remember four and five?" he asked, his hand moving a little faster on his cock. You bit your lip, spreading your legs slightly as you practically made a pool under you with how much you were leaking. "Ah...a-ah...v-vier...and....fünf..." you moaned loudly as he hit the button twice and the vibrations increased two notches.

He hummed and his tail tapped your back, urging you to scoot closer. "You did well, how about I let you reach your first orgasm? You remembered one through five, you deserve it don't you?" he reached down and cupped your face, his cock almost touching your lips but not close enough.

"Y-yes...." you whined, his finger pushed into your mouth gently and he tsked, so you corrected yourself. "Ja..." a bit muffled with his finger but...he got the gist. He nodded, his tail trailed your spine and moved between your legs. His spade cupped your pussy, feeling how wet you were and his eyes glistened.

"What a naughty girl. You are so turned on by this, hm? I had no idea this is what would get you to remember. I suppose we shall do this anytime you need a German lesson, won't we?" he pulled his thumb out of your mouth and held your chin, pulling you closer to his cock. It throbbed slightly, the head dripping sticky precum for you.

"Do you like when I am like this? You probably didn't expect it from me...but I assure you liebling...I can be however you want me to be." Kurt hummed and rubbed his cock on your lips. "Not yet..." he teased, his tail gently pressing your soaked entrance. "Tell me one through five again, sweetheart."

You were dizzy, you never thought Kurt could act like this, but hell, you weren't going to tell him to stop. You shifted, your back arching slightly, trying to get more of him to poke into you, but he anticipated this and withdrew his tail. "Kurt," you whined, pouting before reciting the numbers in German.

"Was that so hard?" he questioned, a playing smirk on his lips as his tail pushed back against you. Between his tail toying with you and the vibe, you weren't far from your orgasm. He worked you for a bit, until he felt you push your face into his thigh, moaning loudly as you felt your orgasm hit you. Your entire body shook with the shocks of it, the vibe was right on your swelling clit and it felt so intense that you swear the vibrations went straight to your toes.

"Ah...that's it...let yourself go, liebe...you're so good." he praised and groaned to himself, seeing you reach your peak almost got him to his own, his hand stroking himself hastily. When your orgasm was over, you whined and panted from the intense sensation still humming on your clit. He chuckled seeing your blissed out face, though slightly wincing from the overstimulation. "You are so beautiful...you feel so wet on my tail, liebe...can you get to ten?"

"A-aah...nngh, Kurt..." you whimpered, "S-s'too much..." you panted and held his legs. He shook his head and smiled, "Get to ten...then I'll give you a break."

He continued the slow count to ten, when he got to eight, you couldn't remember what it was. "Nngh...I-I don't remember..." you whined, your second orgasm right there....so, so close! You were right on the edge and about to teeter off when he cut the vibe's power. Your throat caught a strangled cry and you looked up at him. Your eyes held betrayal and he laughed softly.

"You know our deal, schatz...each number you get correct increases the power...for one you get wrong, you cannot come." he said calmly, explaining it in a teasing manner. His head tilted slightly, his hair curling at the ends and falling over his forehead. "Let's try again...from one."

You groaned and pouted, your forehead pressing against his leg. "Fine..." you muttered, feeling a little stubborn but obliging. One look up at him and your resolve melted away. You leaned up and kissed his tip before he could say anything in response. "Eins, zwei, drei." You said quickly, "Vier, fünf, sechs." your tongue dashed out and licked over his tip, tasting him. Your tongue took its time, slowly rolling over his head and pressing against the slit to get more of his precum.

"Sieben..." you trailed off and thought about what eight was, you had forgotten before. "Er..." you frowned, your brow furrowing in thought. His cock head came into view, you kissed the tip and suckled. "Oh! Acht!" you said proudly, making Kurt smile widely.

"Ja! Ja, das war gut!" he laughed and held the remote up a bit, turning the vibe back on. The vibrations weren't as strong as they were but they were slowly building back up. "Now what about nine and ten...?"

You moaned loudly, your already sensitive clit being stimulated raw like this made you more ready to cum a second time. The intensity of right before your climax overwhelmed you and the sensation continued. You felt like you were balancing on the rope right before free falling to pleasure, the vibrations just needed to be slightly more powerful...

"N-Neun...." you rasped, hot breath hitting his hard dick and he had to hold everything back, maintaining his composure so you completed the exercise. "A...and...zehn!" you weren't sure on that last one, but spat it out anyway.

Kurt was relieved too, he needed more from you just as you needed more from him. "Ja, good, you got them!" he turned the vibe up and he cradled the back of your head, pulling you to his cock and pushing past your lips. He bobbed your head and he groaned, "Ja...so gut...I know you've wanted this." he grunted out of a clenched jaw, his tail continuing to caress your pussy.

"More, liebling...I'm close." he warned, guiding you to bob your head quicker. Your hand reached down and fondled his balls, rolling them gently and earning louder groans from him. Each noise he made shot pleasure straight to your core. "Mmn, mmf!" you looked up at him as you tried to take more of him than you were used to.

You gagged slightly, but that didn't stop your determination. He watched with half lidded eyes as you tried your best to deepthroat him while your orgasm hit you. Your nose buried into his pubic hair, saliva dripped down his balls as your tongue pressed against his cock and protected the underside of him from your teeth. You muffled a cry as your body shook from the force of your climax rushed through you.

His eyes roll back and he jerks his hips up slightly, soon hot ropes of cum shoot out into your throat, coating your tongue as he pulls back so you don't choke. The sticky fluid fills your mouth and you eagerly drink it down. He feels you swallowing and he waits until you get it all, then he pulls himself out of your mouth.

"Oh, liebling...c'mere." he pulled you up, your poor legs trembled as you stood. He turned the vibe off and removed it from you, looking at your swollen and reddened clit. "Poor little button," he smirked and leaned down, laying a kiss against it. You moaned loudly when his lips touched your throbbing bud and he pulled back before it became too much.

He gave you that charming smile, and your exhausted face couldn't help but smile back. He would be the death of you, you swore. He pulled you into his lap and held you, kissing your neck and cheeks in a loving manner. He adored you more than anything else, and he loved how the two of you could have fun and explore these kinds of things together.

"You know...if you ever want to learn German colors..." he trailed off, flashing a mischievous grin. Maybe you could go for another lesson.

Thanks for reading.

*BAMF*

dividers by @/adornedwithlight

Cover images: Immortal X-Men #7 (2022)

[lunartuness]

Spoilers for Book of Bill

Thoughts on Bill talking about Ford

I was not prepared for canon Billford in the year 2024 and yet here we are.

But seriously, I'm kinda surprised how much Bill actually liked and valued Ford? Obviously it's in a horrible, toxic, never come within the same continent as them kind of way but it's just, I always kind of figured their relationship (while obviously adoring from Ford's end due to Journal 3) was mainly just Bill humoring Ford long enough until he no longer needs him. Like, 'yeah, sure, of course you're special, I definitely believe in you' sort of nonsense.

But in Bill's book it's implied multiple times he had as close to a crush on Ford as he's probably capable of. I mean, the whole 'love cage' section is literally verbatim what he did to Ford (and just wait until they're mentally broken enough to confess their true feelings! Fear and love are basically the same thing!) And in the valentine's section he talks about leaving mice, which again, he did for Ford's birthday, and then when he wasn't happy about that, got him drunk enough to have a good time (implied kinda forcibly? since Ford declined beforehand). Then there's the fact he literally calls Fiddleford a third wheel (also coincidentally after we just learn Fiddleford spent hours on handmade gifts for Ford and forgot to get his wife anything).

And when Ford finally does catch on and things go bad? Bill tries first to talk with Ford through the zombies (to manipulate him, of course, but also Admit it, you'd miss me. I have missed you, and Bill actually smiles.) And then leaves little sticky notes asking nicely to talk. When he finally gets mad enough to escalate, he still does so in a very not-violent-for-Bill-way. Sure, killing Ford wouldn't help him but we know how messed up Bill can get. And yet what does he do? He leaves Ford's body to almost freeze, only to have a warm fire and a love song playing when he wakes up. He causes mild public disturbances and gives him an obnoxious tattoo. When he finally, finally snaps is when we start to see more of the Bill we got in the show when he tortures Ford a bit. But even that is mild?

Like, Bill rearranged a man's face for fun and takes joy in destroying the Nightmare Realm. But after threating Ford he leaves him unharmed. Very mentally scarred, yes, but safe and intact. He even gives him three days to get his life together. And then treats it like a messy breakup when Ford finally breaks free. Hell, it seems like he was more upset about losing Ford than losing the portal.

All this is to say that I think from Bill's point of view he was being genuinely kind to Ford. He gave him gifts, complimented him, and tried to work things out peacefully when Ford started pulling away (again, his very messed up version of peaceful, but the point still stands).

So when they do finally meet again? Bill still offers Ford a spot next to him. Again, I originally thought this was more playing into Ford's ego while taking a cheap shot at him (i.e. you'll fit in great with the freaks!), but by now it's obvious he wants Ford. He's petty and cruel and horribly abusive about it, but in his own twisted way he likes Ford. A lot. Enough to show mercy (or at least not be as violent as he could be) and to try and give him multiple chances to come back, no apology needed!

And the worst part is Bill knows this. Bill's trying to make this relationship work. He feels connected to Ford in a way he quite possibly hasn't felt with anyone else. And he knows its doomed to fail. In his mind he has to destroy everything he touches and everything he cares about. Any other connections he has are either superficial or dead to him (usually literally). This relationship will end the same way, it's just in Bill's nature. To him, that's all his relationships are capable of being.

All this just makes me sad and adds so much depth and I'm obsessed. There's just something about self-destructive and truly cruel characters having moments where they wish they weren't that way. Where they'll come the closest they ever can to apologizing for how they are.

(Also Bill literally wanted Ford to get a tattoo saying 'If lost return to Bill' like we cannot just ignore that oh my god)

[dirtyvulture]

Envy and Venom - Part 3

Heiress!Natasha Romanoff x CEO!Beefy!Fem!Reader

18+ only, read at your own risk

Summary: You are the notorious playboy who just inherited one of the biggest tech companies in the world. Your first move? Sleeping with the heiress of your rival company.

Word count: 4990

AN: Y'all are getting fed with this one. Have fun. :)

Click here for Part 2!

Thanks to @mostlymarvelsstuff for helping with some Russian translations lol.

DAY 34

“Do you have everything ready? Your presentation, your notes?” your dad asks.

“Yes, yes,” you tell him for what feels like the thousandth time. 

“This is where the comeback starts,” your dad says, and sometimes you wish he would just claim back his title. You were sick and tired of his coaching, even if you needed it a little bit. But if Envy Industries had gotten into this mess because of you, then you were the only person who could get them out of it. “I know I can’t be there in person–”

“I know, I know,” you dismiss. You were well aware of his vacation plans to the Maldives with his new girlfriend. Besides Envy, it was the only thing he wanted to talk about nowadays. But you still didn’t even know her name, and were certain he’d find a new one before the end of his trip.

“Tony will be there with you, right? He’ll keep you on track,” your dad continues, inching into sensitive territory now. Even though he denied it every time you confronted him, you knew he was always worried about you stepping into the CEO role because you were a woman. Hearing the doubts from the public and the competition hardly bothered you, but from your own father, it was like a punch to the face. Especially when you were not exactly proving him wrong given how things had played out since your first day.

“Who cares if Tony is there or not?” you snap, losing your patience. “He’s not the one giving the presentation. He’ll just be standing behind the curtain, stealing all the free merch, and–”

“Okay, that’s enough,” your dad cuts you off. “I want you to call me again tomorrow. We’ll run over your presentation again–”

“I’ll think about it.” You slam the handset on the receiver, a satisfying motion that could not be accomplished with modern telephonic devices. You try not to give the upcoming presentation any more thought–it was already stressing you out enough. Maybe an hour in the gym would take your mind off things. 

Your decision made, you step away from your desk to your private walk-in closet, rifling through the selection of workout clothes hanging there. All of them were custom-cut to your exact body dimensions to ensure the best fit and look. Although you were no professional athlete, you treated yourself as if you were one (and you certainly looked the part). 

But right now, you couldn’t care less what you looked like or what you were wearing as you grabbed the first set of clothes you could reach, slipping them on and grabbing your Louis Vuitton gym bag, monogrammed with your initials. You lightly jog out of your office, moving fast enough that people will think you’re in a rush and not stop you. The gym is on the tenth floor of the building, and because it’s just after lunch, most people are back at their desks. But you set your own schedule, so you’re happy to find that it isn’t too crowded and you quickly get warmed up before you start lifting.

In between sets, you check your phone, a bad habit that doesn’t exist when you’re with your training coach, but he’s not around to scold you, so you can do as you please. In the tracking app, Natasha’s red dot blinks in the Upper West Side of Manhattan, hardly three miles away from your current location in Envy Industries. 

She was hanging out at Black Widow Corporation headquarters, just where you expected her to be. She had an unsurprisingly predictable schedule, splitting her time just between work and home, which you discovered was in an apartment just a few blocks down the street from yours. You wonder if she lived on her own or with her father, who was likely paying for her housing either way. 

Natasha was not quite the self-made woman that you were. Her work was significantly more behind the scenes, which was one reason why you had never heard of her before. Alexei Shostakov was the only name you associated with Black Widow Corp. But you had done your own digging on her and her family the past few days. There was frustratingly little about Natasha and you were ready to hire a private investigator due to your lack of results. 

All you had learned was that she had graduated magna cum laude from Virginia Tech with a degree in economics, where she also held a brief internship at the university’s infamous Gamma Lab before it was shut down after the sudden death of its lead researcher. You assumed she had gone immediately to work for Black Widow Corp after her graduation; there was no other work history for her anywhere. No social media, no public interviews. This woman fascinated you more and more. 

After a final set of deadlifts, you re-rack all the weights because you’re not that much of a heathen and check your phone again. Natasha is no longer at Black Widow Corp, her red dot moving steadily through 86th Street that cut through Central Park. Your heart rate jumps, and not because of your workout. You sit down on a bench to steady yourself, watching as the red dot continues through Central Park. When she turns right on Park Avenue, you know exactly where she’s heading.

Hopefully you could intercept her first.

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

“Where are you going?” 

Natasha curses under her breath as she turns around to see Yelena standing in the lobby, her arms crossed over her chest like a scorned mother catching her child sneaking out of the house.

“What?” Natasha rounds on her sister, annoyed that she’s been watching her like a hawk.

“The board of directors meeting starts in seven minutes,” Yelena says, and Natasha curses under her breath because she forgot all about that.

“Dad can handle it without me,” Natasha replies, eager to get the heat off of her as soon as she can.

“They’ll be talking about CES,” Yelena reminds her, referencing the important annual show where the biggest tech companies came together in Vegas to reveal their newest inventions and products.

“You’re not going to CES,” Natasha points out, surprised her sister even knows its proper name. Since the company was going to fall on her shoulders once their father stepped down, Natasha had spent almost the entirety of her adult life learning, training, and breathing business and technology. Yelena had been able to pursue her own hopes and dreams, starting in the private security field until she had enough experience (and enough of Dad’s money) to start her own company. She was happy and thriving, something Natasha was endlessly jealous of.

Yelena had never experienced the pressure of managing billions of dollars in and out the door. She didn’t know what it was like to fight off every insecure man who couldn’t bear to do a business deal with a woman. She hadn’t spent hundreds of hours trying to learn coding languages and complicated mathematics and equations on her own. Yelena didn’t understand what Natasha had spared her from, and Natasha was afraid she would never be grateful for it.

“Yes, but you’re going to CES,” Yelena says.

“You’re not my babysitter,” Natasha snaps, turning away and marching towards the door. 

“You’re going to see her again, aren’t you?”

“What?” Natasha stops. “Who the hell are you talking about?”

“That CEO you’re in love with.”

“Excuse me?” But Natasha’s face is flaming red as she struts over to confront her sister. “I am not in love with anyone. You know that.”

“You seem to be spending an awful lot of time with that CEO.”

“No, I’m not.”

Yelena smirks. “I own a private security company, sestra. You don’t think I know my own sister’s whereabouts and who she’s with?”

Natasha’s heart sinks, but she tries not to let it show. “Why can’t you ever just mind your own fucking business?” she growls, immediately regretting the harshness of her words when she sees her sister’s face fall. But she’s too proud to take it back.

“I don’t think it’s safe if you keep seeing her,” Yelena says. “And you don’t know what it could do for the company–”

“Why do you care about the company so much all of a sudden?” Natasha counters. “Dad’s not giving it to you when he steps down.”

“I don’t want it,” Yelena replies, although she looks hurt. “But to be quite honest, I don’t like what it’s turning you into.”

“Which is what?”

“This!” Yelena waves her arms at Natasha frantically. “It’s always ‘Black Widow this, Black Widow that.’ You don’t have any hobbies anymore. You never eat dinner with the rest of the family. You don’t go out unless it’s to see that CEO–”

Natasha interrupts her with a huff. “You wouldn’t understand, Yelena,” she says, trying a different approach and maintaining complete calm. “You can just stay holed up in your one-windowed office to spy on people and let the real adults go out in the real world and handle real shit.” With that, she spins on her heel and storms out of the building. 

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

“Why are you into shooting all of a sudden? Have you ever even held a gun before?” Tony asks, staring at you with a dropped jaw.

You shrug. “I need some new hobbies,” you lie.

“You’re not going to shoot someone with it, are you?” he half-jokes, his chuckle quickly dying up when you don’t laugh with him.

“No, of course not,” you mumble unconvincingly.

“Okay, well, when do you need the gun by?” he asks.

“How fast does Bucky work?”

Tony shrugs. “If I call him now, he can have one to me by the end of the day.”

“Okay.” The sooner the better, because it gave you less time to back out of your plan. “That works.”

“So, are we going big-game hunting in Africa this summer?” Tony asks, giving you a sharp nudge before starting his car.

“Maybe, maybe…” But you have a different target in mind.

The gun is surprisingly heavy, oily, and unfamiliar in your palm. Bucky had gone over the four “rules” of gun handling, which shocked you that he even knew:

Treat every gun like it was loaded

Don’t point it at something you aren’t willing to shoot.

Keep your finger off the trigger until you’re ready to shoot.

Be mindful of your target and what’s around it.

He had given you a full box of ammo for “good luck” too, before jumping back into his car and driving away faster than you could read his license plate.

Currently, you sit in the darkness of your apartment, weighing the gun in your hand. Your heart is beating so hard against your ribcage you swear you can hear it. 

You check your phone. Natasha’s just parked her car in the parking garage. It should only take her a few minutes to ride the elevator up. You hadn’t even bothered to change out of your workout clothes, worried that she would arrive at your apartment before you did, but you had just barely made it on time.

Her red dot blinks in place on your screen. She’s in the elevator.

Your eyes flit to the front door, the gun feeling even heavier in your hand. 

The seconds drag on. 

You hold your breath for as long as you can between inhalations, heart pounding, ears straining for any sound of movement outside your apartment door.

Beep, beep.

A key card–yours–registers at the door lock. The handle pushes down from the outside and you snap to attention. 

Don’t miss, you tell yourself.

The door parts open, almost hesitantly, like your uninvited intruder is suddenly unsure of themselves. In the darkness, you see a figure slip through the door and close it behind her. Her body shape gives her away immediately. The thick thighs in black jeans, the curve of her hips leading up to her narrow waist, the fullness of her bosom stretching out the tight shirt she’s wearing.

When Natasha steps into the light, she freezes when she sees you sitting at the kitchen table, gun cocked in her direction.

“It’s about time you showed up,” you greet. “Building security didn’t question you when you used my key card to get in?”

“Clearly not,” Natasha says, her stance tense and wary.

“Come sit down. We should talk,” you invite, gesturing with the gun and breaking Bucky’s rule number one. Natasha stiffly walks towards you, her face an impassive shadow. You’ve never seen her genuinely scared before and it delights you that for once, you have the upper hand on her. You kick out a chair and she sits next to you. 

“Didn’t expect this, did you?” you ask. “Probably thought you could just waltz right in here and steal more of my shit?”

“Y/N–”

“Shut the fuck up.” You’re tired of listening to her excuses. You rest the gun on the table. “Is Black Widow going to CES?”

“Yes,” she says. “Like we do every year–”

“Well, there’s going to be some changes this year,” you interrupt. “Get your phone out. Call your dad. Black Widow Corp is going to be a no-show this year.”

Natasha balks. “That…That won’t be possible.”

You pick the gun back up and point it at her, breaking rule number two. “Then make it possible.”

“You won’t shoot me.”

“You don’t think this is real?” You point the gun at the table. Rule number three. You pull the trigger. Rule number four. The gun bucks in your hand, the blast reverberating around your apartment with enough power to rattle your teeth. Natasha flinches even though you hadn’t aimed anywhere near her. “No one can hear us,” you say with a chuckle. “I had the apartment soundproofed years ago to stop the neighbors from complaining.” 

She stares at the gun.

“Take your phone out now. And call your dad.” You hope you don’t have to ask again.

With shaking hands, she finally obeys, placing her phone on the table. “Put it on speakerphone,” you demand. Natasha presses a few buttons and you hear the dial-up tone.

“Privet, doch',” Alexei booms.

“English,” you hiss.

“Hi, Dad,” Natasha says, side-eyeing you uncertainly. “We, uh…We need to talk about CES.”

“Good, I just got out of the meeting with the board–”

“Black Widow can’t show up this year.”

Alexei’s surprise is palpable. “What, Natasha? What are you talking about?”

“We need to call off our appearance,” she says, her voice shaking. “Just for this year. We’ll go again next year like we normally do–”

“What’s wrong with this year?” Alexei asks.

Natasha looks at you, her eyes begging. You shake the gun to remind her you’re serious. “I…uh…I don’t think our tech is ready for the show,” she says. “You know how disastrous it can be if we unveil something that isn’t completely ready.”

“But we’ve been working on Project Transformer for months, Natasha. It’s plenty ready–”

“No. Dad, please.” She grits her teeth. “I was looking through the code last night with the engineers. There’s a bug in the programming. It’s going to take at least a few weeks to smooth out. We can’t debut right now, Dad.”

Alexei curses in Russian. “Shit. The board really liked our presentation.”

“I know.”

“I wish you would have told me earlier.”

“I know,” Natasha repeats. “But we only just discovered it this week.” 

There is more silence, punctuated by Russian grumblings from Alexei. “Okay, okay. I’ll make a few calls. Too bad we’ll be losing out on our reservation fee too.”

“It’s a small price to pay.” Natasha’s eyes dart to you again. “Sorry for all the trouble, Dad.”

“Where are you?” Alexei asks. “We missed you at the meeting.”

“I’m out.”

“Will you come to dinner tonight?”

“Yes.”

“Good, good. Proshchay, dorogaya.”

“Bye, Dad.” Alexei hangs up first.

You slowly clap your hands. “Good girl. Was that so hard?” Your chest swells with pride at your achievement. Maybe now she would have more respect for you. You know she only saw you as a piece of meat. But you were much, much more than that.

“Fuck you,” Natasha spits.

“Oh, are we still doing that?” You put the gun down on the table, this time facing it away from her. You part your legs slightly, inviting her between them. Natasha glares at you with emerald daggered eyes. “Don’t be shy, baby,” you say, your voice deepening. “I got what I wanted today. It’s only fair you don’t leave here empty-handed too.”

Natasha shoots up and marches over to you. For a second, you think she’s going to hit you, but instead she straddles your lap and kisses you so hard you’re sure she’s bruised your lips. The ferocity is both frightening and arousing as she tears off your workout shirt and shorts. She palms at your left breast roughly, sinking her nails into your abs and dragging them down to your belly button. You groan into her mouth when she bites your bottom lip. She’s never been this aggressive with you before, but you know she’s taking out her frustration on you.

And you absolutely love it.

“Now that I’m done fucking with your company, you want me to fuck you until you can’t walk?” you whisper, shoving your bare thigh between her legs. The friction from her jeans burns your skin, but you hardly register the pain. 

“You’ll have to carry me out,” Natasha says, trailing her fingers down the vein on your bicep.

“Deal.” You kiss her again, slipping your muscular arms under her thighs and standing up with her. You carry her to your bed, leaving her to undress while you grab your strap from its drawer and slip it over your legs. When you turn back, she’s shimmying off her lacy black panties and the feral urge to keep your promise overrides all your senses. 

You pick her back up and she hooks her legs around your waist, her arms circling your neck. She presses her naked chest against yours, both of you moaning in unison when your nipples brush together. You walk with her until Natasha’s back bumps into the wall, shifting her weight off your arms to the wall. You maneuver your right hand to grab onto your strap, lining it up with Natasha’s center. 

“Are you ready for me?” you ask, rubbing the tip of your cock over her soaking entrance. Natasha’s whines at your teasing, her fingers tangling in your hair and jerking at your roots painfully. 

“Fucking ruin me,” she begs.

You slam your hips forward, burying your entire cock in her in one move. Natasha screams, tearing her nails down your back. Your big hands grip onto her waist to hold her in place as you thrust into her tight heat, your abs flexing and tensing. Natasha’s body rolls with yours, her head falling back against the wall, exposing the perfect column of her neck to you. You lean forward to decorate it with your marks, so every time she undresses for the next week, she’ll be reminded of you.

The only item of “clothing” she still wears is a thin silver necklace with a rectangular charm hanging from the chain. It bounces in the hollow of her throat every time you thrust into her.

“Y/N, oh, Y/N,” Natasha chants, music to your ears as you keep your relentless pace. Your thighs, already spent from your gym session, are absolutely on fire now, so you need her to finish quickly before you drop her. You shift the angle of your hips, bumping the top of your cock against her clit with every stroke. Natasha squirms and moans, trying to find a rhythm with you, but she’s so close she can’t match you at all. 

“Tell me when you’re gonna cum, baby,” you pant. 

“Soon,” she moans. “Go harder. Don’t stop.”

You’re afraid you’re going to break her with how hard you’re thrusting into her. But finally, her body tenses in your hands and you know she’s finished all over your cock. You’re grateful to slow your thrusts as she comes down from her high, your entire body sweaty and buzzing with adrenaline. You slip your arms under her quivering thighs and stumble back to the bed, collapsing onto it with your legs hanging off the edge, Natasha panting on top of you. 

You’re not sure who’s more exhausted, you or her. You lay there unmoving, trying to catch your breath, which Natasha does before you. She sits up, slowly pulling your cock out of her and crawling up your body to kiss you messily. Her tongue slips into your mouth, but you’re too tired to return her fervor very much. 

“What’s wrong, sweetheart? Am I too much for you?” she teases, cupping your chest and pinching your nipples. 

“No, just give me a minute,” you grumble. It was rare to meet someone with stamina like hers. And as much as you prided yourself on yours, you feel like you may have met your match with Natasha Romanoff. Your arms and chest are covered in her scratch marks, and your back still stings a little. Natasha traces the scratches gently.

“Mine,” she murmurs.

“Hmm?” you grunt, not sure if you heard her correctly.

She props herself up on your chest to look at you. “I can give you a minute,” she purrs, her voice becoming husky and seductive. Natasha slides down your body, resting her knees on the floor and tugging the harness of your strap down your legs. You can hardly lift your hips high enough off the bed to help her, embarrassed by how tired you are. Natasha grabs your calves to lift your feet up one at a time to remove the harness and throw it to the side. She rubs her hand  across your defined abdomen, stoking the fire in your belly again.

“Don’t move, baby,” she says. “I’ll take care of you.”

“Huh?” You lift your head high enough to see Natasha’s head between your legs, her mouth lowering onto you. It’s like a lightning bolt of pleasure that shoots through your core and you moan loudly in appreciation. Natasha makes eye contact with you as she slips her tongue into you, smiling as you pant and squirm. 

“Oh, God. Fuck me,” you gasp, dropping your head back on the bed. Your hands claw at the sheets as her tongue explores your walls. Natasha pushes apart your muscular thighs to make more room for her, pushing so deep into you her nose bumps against you. Your chest heaves as you struggle to breathe evenly, arching your lower back off the bed in a silent plea for more. 

Natasha eats you out like she’d been starving for a week, her tongue alternating between swirling around your throbbing clit and pushing through your clenching walls.

You finally find the strength to lift your right leg, twisting it sideways at the knee and hooking it around the back of Natasha’s head, pressing your calf against her scalp and dragging her closer. You reach down with your hand to tangle it in Natasha’s flaming red hair, pushing her down so she isn’t tempted to pull away right when you reach the edge of release. 

“Nat,” you whine. “Please, baby. You’re gonna make me cum.”

Natasha hums against you, the vibrations finally causing you to lose control. Your entire body goes limp as Natasha cleans up all the slick between your legs, then climbs back up to rest on you like you’re her personal pillow.

“Gimme a kiss,” you mumble and Natasha presses her lips to yours obediently. She tucks her head in the crook of your collarbone and you stroke her hair absently. “If I fall asleep, are you gonna leave again before I wake up?” you ask, your voice sounding small. 

“Only if you want me to,” Natasha murmurs. 

“I know I’m supposed to hate you, but I don’t know if I can,” you admit.

“Then don’t,” Natasha says. “Because I was thinking about it too, and…I think we should go public.”

“Public? Like us being…” You can’t even finish your own sentence.

“Mhmm.” Natasha nods against your chest.

“You can’t be fucking serious,” you scoff.

“No, I’m fucking you.”

“And you’re done. Right?” Your eyebrows scrunch together at the dual meaning of your words. Natasha doesn’t say anything. “At the very least, you owe me fifteen-billion-dollars before we can go public about anything,” you say, referencing the amount your company lost in the last month when Black Widow Corp pulled the rug out from under your feet.  

“Done.” Natasha searches around your bed for her phone. “What’s your bank account number?” 

“What are you doing? Seriously.” You’re a little lost now. 

“Well, our dads spent all their time fighting each other,” she says.

“Not fucking?” you joke.

“I can’t confirm that,” she says with a smirk. “But I was thinking about it. And I know Envy hasn’t been doing so well lately–”

“Because you sabotaged our contracts and stole our ideas,” you remind her.

Again, Natasha does not confirm nor deny this fact. “But what if instead of competing, we…helped each other out?”

“Like a collaboration?” you ask. Your father had specifically warned you against any kind of “collaboration” work with another company. You weren’t running a YouTube channel. You had a multibillion-dollar business. It was your responsibility to look out for the well-being of your company and your company only, damn philanthropic endeavors, personal favors, and relationships.

“We can work something out,” Natasha insists.

“Did you go through all of this just to ask me that?” you ask.

“No.” Now, Natasha looks away from you. “I mean, at first, yes. I thought you would just be a hot one-night stand. And yes, you were–” You raise an eyebrow. “–But you’re also a lot more than that.” Validation burns through your veins to hear this. “You’re smart, you know the tech, and you know how to run a business. And you’re the hottest CEO in the country and the best person who’s ever taken me to bed,” Natasha says. You think you’re going to combust at the praise. “I can’t stop thinking about you. I can’t stop thinking about us. And what we could accomplish together.”

It takes a few seconds to let her words process. “I don’t know how this could work,” you say, the logical side of you taking over for once. “We’re not regular people, Nat. The future of this country is literally in our hands. The public watches our every move and criticizes every decision we make. People like us need whole PR teams to manage their relationships.”

“Fuck the PR teams,” Natasha says. “If we like each other, then why can’t we be together?”

It had been years since you had publicly been in a relationship with someone. After all, it was so much simpler to cycle through partners and not have to worry about commitment or any long-term decisions. But deep down, you were cripplingly lonely and terrified you wouldn’t be able to find someone who would settle with you. 

Because truth be told, your lifestyle was not for many. Most people couldn’t handle the pressure you were subjected to every day. The never-ending torrents of judgment. The borderline-criminal way you were stalked by reporters and paparazzi. The unreal expectations you were held to by people you’d never even met.

But out of all the people you had ever been with, Natasha Romanoff was the one with the best chance of understanding all that. She knew what she was getting herself into, because your life would be her reality the day her father passed on the company. Of course it wouldn’t hurt her to get some practice beforehand.

“I want you to be mine,” Natasha says suddenly. She reaches up to her neck, her fingers brushing the hickeys you left there, before unclipping the silver necklace. She puts it around yours, flipping the charm around so you can see that it reads “Natasha.”

“Baby…” You didn’t even care what your dad’s reaction to hearing the news would be. How would the public react? The consumers? The shareholders? At your level, it was unavoidable crossing the line between professional and personal interests. People would either cheer you on or vow to never use another Envy product again.

But Envy had been tanking ever since you took the helm. Maybe this was what you needed to bounce back…courtesy of the same woman who ruined you in the first place. The math seemed to add up–Natasha would cancel out herself, wouldn’t she?

Natasha interlaces her fingers with yours, distracting your thinking. “We could be the most powerful couple in the tech industry. In the world,” she says. “Isn’t that what you always wanted?”

“Yes,” you sigh, although that’s not really the truth. There was one thing you wanted more than power, money, and fame.

“Then don’t be afraid, sweetheart.” She squeezes your fingers. “With me, you’ll have everything you want and more.”

A rush of emotions suddenly overwhelms you–fear, annoyance, love, envy, and venom. You would kick yourself in the head if you missed out on the chance to be with Natasha, but you also weren’t entirely convinced this was the right move. 

“Y/N.” The way she says your voice is desperate and pleading, like she too can’t be without you.

“Okay.” You make up your mind in an instant. “Okay, baby. Let’s do it.”

Natasha beams, snuggling closer to you. The two of you say nothing further, and her steady breathing quickly lulls you to sleep. Natasha holds onto you even as she feels your body relax under her. She turns her head to look at the gun you left on the table, wondering what it would feel like in her hand, to hold against your head.

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

AN: These two are for real going to be the death of me. 😩

Please like, reblog, and comment! Follow for more content. 🥰

[imaginespazzi]

Part 8: The Toxic In Intoxication

Masterlist - Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 - Part 6 - Part 7 - Part 9 - Part 10 - Part 11

Your mouth is poison (your mouth is wine)

(In which an all over the place writer, writes something that's a little bit all over the place)

Pairing: Paige Bueckers X Azzi Fudd

Themes: Angst, Fluff, Jealousy,

Words: 9.0K

TW: Swearing, a little bit of violence, mentions of blood, men being men

A/N: Hi lovelies :) Unfortunately, as I've been warning y'all for a while, the deadline did finally slip through my fingers. However I'm hoping y'all will forgive me for it because I am only one day late and this chapter is quite long. I do wanna warn y'all in advance that there won't be a chapter next week because I am going on vacation and my laptop is staying very, very far away from me. There's a lot going on in this chapter and I'm not sure how I feel about the whole thing but I'm hoping y'all will enjoy it anyways. I did actually edit this time but who knows how successful that was, so please let me know about typos/mistakes. As always, feel free to tell me about what you liked, what you disliked and anything you'd like to see going forward. Have a lovely rest of your weeks my loves <3

August 2025

Azzi Fudd is a spectacular liar. She excels at keeping up a façade of yes everything is perfectly fine in front of her friends and family. She’s quite good at tricking people she can barely stand into thinking oh yes i’m totally enjoying this conversation. But the person Azzi lies the most to, is without a doubt herself. As she steps out of the car into the hot Indiana air, bustling with noises from the growing crowd inside, Azzi internally repeats a lie to herself again: she did not show up to all-star weekend for a glimpse of her ex girlfriend. She’s here, as per Colleen’s managerial advice, to build connections, to further her career and to expand on opportunities in the basketball world. The fact that Paige Bueckers, who Azzi hasn’t seen in three months -the longest period of time they’d spent apart since she’d started at UConn- is definitely also going to be attending tonight’s party, is merely a happenstance. 

Taking a deep breath, Azzi puts one kitten heeled foot in front of the other, trying to ignore her heightened nerves. This isn’t her preferred scene by any means. She’d much rather be back in her hotel room, curled on her couch with a book and a pint of ice cream. It’s not that Azzi doesn’t like parties; she has her fair share of fun at Ted’s, but it’s the unfamiliarity of the environment and the lack of that once ever present comforting hand that used to tap out i’m here for you against the back of her own at big events like these, that has her yearning to crawl back into the car and hide away. 

“Azzi?” a familiar voice calls from behind her and Azzi lets out a sigh of relief as she sees Aaliyah walking towards her with a large welcoming grin, “Azeray!”

“Li-Li. Thank god you’re here,” Azzi reaches up to hug her former teammate, mentally thanking whatever god was looking out for her. She’d dreaded walking in by herself and now she wouldn’t have to. Really she probably should probably send Coach a ‘thank you’ text for having so many alumni in the league that there was bound to be a Husky she could attach herself to for the night. 

“I’m glad to see you too Az,” Aaliyah says, pulling away and looking at Azzi with a semi-concerned look, “but you seem a little extra relieved to see me? You good dude?”

“Just- just a little nervous,” Azzi admits, shuffling her feet uneasily. 

Realization dawns on Aaliyah’s face, “cause of Paige?”

“No you know I don’t like big unfamiliar places,” Azzi sighs when Aaliayh gives her a pointed look, “but I guess maybe- maybe a little cause of Paige.”

The Mystics forward shakes her head before linking her arms through Azzi’s, “I swear, I leave y’all for one year and everything implodes-," she bites her tongue, "shit was that insensitive?”

“No,” Azzi grimaces, “that’s pretty much exactly what happened.”

Something hard coils in her stomach at Aaliyah’s words. The truth is they’d been fine. Better than fine even. And then suddenly Azzi was lighting a box of matches she hadn’t even known she was holding and her whole world was on fire; an implosion of everything Azzi had once thought inflammable. She’d burned her hands trying to rescue them and all she has to show for it are invisible red hot pustules that refuse to heal. But perhaps, she thinks, that’s what a pyromaniac like her had deserved. 

Azzi cowers under the flashing lights of the cameras, clinging tighter to Aaliyah’s arm as the two of them make their way onto the orange carpet, the cameramen immediately swinging their devices to capture the college basketball player more than likely to be the number one pick in next year’s WNBA draft. She feels herself tense under their piercing gaze, anchored only by Aaliyah's strong and steady presence next to her. And as they pose for the cameras, she’s thankful for her former teammate’s company but she can’t shake the feeling that it should have been someone else. 

“And look who we have here,” Lexie Brown says excitedly as the two of them approach the interviewer, “y’all Huskies clean up nice.”

“We try, we try,” Aaliyah answers charismatically, doing a little hair flip to match her tone. 

“Aaliyah, it's your first all-star nod, how are you feeling?” 

“I feel great, you know it’s always good to see yourself being acknowledged and being an all-star has always been a goal of mine. So, I hope it’s the first of many and I’m just hoping my team gets the W tomorrow,” Aaliyah answers diplomatically.

Lexie turns to Azzi, “I bet you’re really proud of her. I mean you’ve got a couple of teammates who are first-time all stars between Aaliyah and Paige. You’ve gotta be feeling pretty proud of them”

“Y-yeah I mean,” Azzi clears her throat, trying not to flinch at the mention of Paige’s name, “It’s been- it’s been really exciting to watch them and I’m extremely proud-”

She’s cut off by the sound of excited chatter filling up the air and Azzi doesn’t have to turn around to know who’s just entered the premises. Not when she has a whole separate sensory system that flares up just for her. Azzi’s skin prickles as she registers the sound of familiar peals of laughter echoing from the orange carpet. She digs her nails into the palm of her hand, forcing herself not to turn around. 

“Speak of the devil,” Lexie says goodnaturedly, getting her hand ready to beckon the blonde over and Azzi feels panic suffocate her lungs, not quite ready to face Paige yet. 

“Oh I don’t think-” Aaliyah tries to cut in, glancing worriedly at her friend but it’s too late. 

“Paige,” Lexie calls out, beaming over Azzi’s head at the Dallas Wings’ newest star point guard. 

The world seems to move in slow motion as Azzi feels Paige getting closer and closer to her. She smells the faint scent of fresh mint weaved with a hint of citrus first. Then she hears the sound of Paige’s breathing, perfectly even to anybody else but Azzi can hear the staggered harshness hidden beneath it. And as the blonde passes over her to settle on Lexi’s other side, she feels Paige’s arm brush against her own and it hurts to breathe. The contact lasts for a second but Azzi swears it’ll last forever, tattooing itself on her bicep as a wretched reminder of a touch she’s no longer allowed to crave. 

It’s funny, there’s a hurricane swirling between them and Paige can barely look at Azzi, keeping her eyes firmly on Lexie and Aaliyah as she greets the trio. And yet, there’s a sense of calm -of peace- that seems to wash over Azzi just by having Paige near her again. The older woman seems to possess some sort of magical power that weaves itself into Azzi’s nervous system, soothing away her frazzled nerves with an unspoken promise of and if you give me the chance i’ll make it all okay. 

Despite the hectic transition from a full college season to a frantic W season, Paige looks ethereal as always. Her two piece cropped vest top and straight fitted pants match the color of her eyes and a silver chain dangles across her chest. Two strands of blonde hair hide her signature diamond studs, the rest of it pulled back into a slightly messy bun. Azzi gulps at the way the vest top parts right above her midriff, Paige’s toned abs playing peek-a-boo behind it. She lets her eyes roam over Paige’s exposed arms, trying to ignore memories of how they used to go taut under her touch, down to the blonde’s bare fingers and she feels her heart constrict. No rings. It feels wrong. But then again, nothing has felt right for three months. 

“Azzi,” Aaliyah hisses and Azzi snaps out of her thoughts, realizing she’d been asked a question. 

“Sorry,” she laughs nervously, moving a strand of her hair out of her face; Paige’s eyes intently following the movement, “what was the question.”

Lexie smiles, “I was just asking about your thoughts on Paige’s amazing rookie year so far?”

“Oh um-” Azzi hesitates, shivers inching up her spine as she feels Paige drinking in the sight of the her body like she's a woman parched, “I’m just-” their eyes lock with each other’s and everything else seems to vanish until it feels like it’s just the two of them floating in between remnants of what they used to be, “I’m just really proud of her. I always knew she’d be amazing. She’s just doing what she always does. Being the best player she can be. So yeah I’m just- I’m just really proud of her.”

And Azzi doesn’t know how they got to this point where Paige seems almost shocked that Azzi could be proud of her, to this point where there’s droplets threatening to spill over both of their water lines and they no longer have the right to wipe each other’s tears away. 

“Aww,” Lexie coos, oblivious to the tension, “well on that sweet note, off y’all go and we’ll see y’all later.”

The walk into the party is kept alive with Aaliyah’s attempt at keeping a conversation going. While Paige tries to at least entertain some of, Azzi finds herself completely zoning out until they finally make their way inside into the cacophony of music and laughter. 

“Y’all wanna get-” Aaliyah begins.

“I see Jewell and Téa,” Paige cuts her off immediately, her legs already moving in a rush, “I’ll see y’all later.”

She gives Aaliyah a tentative grin but barely looks at Azzi as she practically trips over her pant-sleeves trying to get away. It feels like something’s biting against her skin, sharp teeth indenting you did this to yourself as Azzi watches Paige walk away. She watches as the tension slowly leaves the blonde’s muscles as she’s pulled into a hug by Jewell and then by Téa. The fake smile that she’d politely kept on her face the last couple of minutes for the sake of the cameras and reporters is replaced by something far more genuine. Azzi watches as Paige is absorbed into the warmth of the growing crowd, embraced by a league that adores her, and she feels the ice cold pinch of she belongs somewhere without you now start to freeze her own heart. 

***

Azzi’s doing fine. She’s gotten through the night with Aaliyah by her side, making small talk with a bunch of different players and she’s managed to keep a friendly smile the whole time. She’d even danced for a little bit, letting loose with some of the other college basketball players that had made the trip to Indianapolis. Sure, she’d occasionally been distracted by her eyes flickering over to the bar and finding a new pretty influencer batting their fake eyelashes at Paige but really she’s doing fine. Her head’s a little dizzy and maybe the third shot of tequila, influenced by a one leggy brunette that had gotten a little too handsy, wasn’t her brightest decision of the night but really, Azzi’s doing fine. 

Until she’s not. 

And it’s Paige's fault. She had to know that it would be Azzi’s last straw. She had to know that Azzi could live with watching a thousand girls flirt with Paige as long as the blonde in question stood rigidly by the bar doing nothing but smiling politely at them. She had to know that Azzi, after having spent most of their college life watching girls fawn over her girlfriend, could deal with the flirty hands that lingered just a little too long on Paige’s bicep. But it’s when Paige leans into this one girl -whose dark curls and tanned caramel skin are just a little too reminiscent of her own- when Paige’s lips graze just a little to close this one girl’s ear, that Azzi realizes she’s decidedly not fine. 

“I need some air,” she manages to bite out, ignoring Aaliyah’s concerned look as she marches out the back door, heading towards the deck. 

Azzi buries her face in her hands as she leans back against the brick wall. She knows she’s being unfair; knows she has absolutely no right to feel this way but something burns within her anyways and the light breeze does nothing to cool it down. 

“I’m not cheating on you,” a harsh voice interrupts her pity party and Azzi sucks in a sharp breath, “We’re not together and I can flirt or kiss or fuck-” she flinches, “anyone if I want to.”

“I know.”

“Do you?” Paige’s voice is laced with accusation, “because the way you just stormed out says otherwise.”

Azzi continues to keep her head in her palms, refusing to look at the blonde, “it’s hot and stuffy in there. I just needed some fresh air.”

“Don’t you ever get tired of lying,” Paige spits out. 

“Well what do you want me to say instead?” Azzi finally looks up, her even cadence in stark contrast to Paige’s fiery tone, “I know we’re not together-”

“Because that’s what you wanted-”

“I know,” Azzi yells, and then quieter, “I know. I know I- I know I did this. But that- that doesn’t make it any easier to see you with someone else,” she swallows, “doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt. Doesn’t mean I don’t miss you.”

Paige scoffs, rubbing her face as she begins to pace, “you miss me? I was at Mohegan when y’all had summer camp. The whole team showed up to the game except for you and you want me to believe that you miss me?”

“I didn’t think you’d want me there,” Azzi confesses in a whisper, “you were so mad at me after-after everything- and I just- I didn’t want to ruin coming back to Connecticut for you.”

“For me,” Paige lets out a laugh devoid of any emotion, “god Azzi there you go again with this fake ‘selfless’ bullshit.”

A thousand and one retorts die on the tip of Azzi’s tongue as she shakes her head and pushes herself off the wall. She can smell the alcohol on Paige, can tell the blonde is itching for an argument but all she feels is pure exhaustion. 

 “I don’t wanna fight Paige. I’m tired and I just-” she bites her lip, fighting the urge to caress Paige’s cheek, “believe it or don’t but- I really do miss you.”

Sparks of electricity dance their way through Azzi’s veins when Paige curls a hand around her wrist, stopping her in her tracks from going inside. And suddenly she doesn’t feel so cold anymore. 

“Dance with me,” Paige whispers. 

“What?” 

Paige shrugs, tugging on Azzi’s hand to pull her closer, “you said you don’t wanna fight and I- I don’t want you to go,” the confession hangs between them as Paige’s hands fall to Azzi’s waist, “so- let’s just- let’s pretend.”

“What are we pretending?” Azzi asks quietly and despite the warnings ringing in her head, she wraps her arms around Paige’s neck. It feels like coming home. 

“We’re pretending that we’re okay,” Paige says softly, holding Azzi’s hips as she begins to sway them gently, “we’re pretending that three months ago you said yes.”

“Paige-”

“Close your eyes Azzi,” the blond waves her hand gently across Azzi’s face, willing both of their eyelids to flutter shut, “we’re pretending that we’re not here- we’re in Minnesota or DC or I don’t know just- anywhere. And our families are here, laughing and talking and some sappy romantic song is playing. It's the best day of our lives and we’re both- we're both dressed in white-”

“Paige,” Azzi lets out a sob, as she begins to understand the picture Paige is painting for them; a picture drawn on a canvas that Azzi had torn up before any color could touch it

“Sshhhh just- let me have this okay,” Paige’s voice trembles as she leans her forehead against Azzi’s, “if I can’t have it for real, please just let me pretend.”

If they were both just a little bit more sober, maybe Azzi would fight Paige’s tightening grip. If they were both just a little bit more sober, maybe Paige would let go. Instead Azzi lets Paige play pretend, lets them keep their bodies pressed against each other, moving from side to side in rhythm with the wind. 

It isn’t until she hears footsteps approaching them that Azzi hurriedly moves away first and she can see the betrayal of if only you’d just let me hold you in front of the world written all over Paige’s face. They’re both quick to swap their tears for smiles that don’t reach their eyes as they turn to face the intruders. And Azzi wonders if Paige wishes she’d drank a little bit more too. Because maybe if they were both just a little more drunk, then tomorrow they wouldn’t have to remember just how right it had felt to play pretend tonight. 

April 2033 

“You look so pretty Mama,” Stephie gushes from where she’s perched on the bed as she watches Azzi put the finishing touches to her makeup

“Thanks baby,” Azzi smiles, blowing a kiss in the mirror. 

“Miss Buecks,” Stephie flips the running facetime call, skipping over to her mother with the phone in her hand, “doesn’t Mama look beautiful?”

Sixteen years later, and maybe it’s because of all the time they’d missed in between, but Azzi can’t help the bout of shyness that flushes across her features when Stephie places the phone, Paige’s face illuminated all over it, against the mirror so the blonde can get a proper look at Azzi’s outfit.

“You look-” Paige clears her throat, eyes dilated as they rake over Azzi’s whole body, “you look phenomenal.”

“Big word Bueckers,” Azzi teases, trying to disguise her blush, “did you just learn it?”

Paige rolls her eyes, “can’t even give you a compliment without an insult Fudd.”

“You guys argue too much,” Stephie says exasperatedly, shaking her head at the two adults who laugh. The younger girl sometimes seems far wise beyond her age. 

“We’re not arguing Stephie, we’re just-” Azzi struggles to think of a word. 

“Foreplaying,” Paige mutters under her breath and Azzi immediately glares at her. 

“Paige!”

Stephie scrunches up her nose at the screen, “what does that mean?”

“Nothing,” Azzi says shrilly, “Miss Buecks is just making up words.”

“Why would Miss Buecks do that?” Stephie asks, looking back and forth between her mother and the screen. 

“Why does Miss Buecks do anything,” Azzi babbles, as she begins to usher Stephie out of her room, “go grab your things Stephie-bean. Mama’s almost ready to drop you off at Nana and Pop’s house.”

Stephie pouts, “I wanna go to the party with you and Miss Buecks. It’s no fair you both get to go and I don’t,” she picks up the phone, looking at Paige with wide guilt-tripping eyes, “don’t you love me Miss Buecks?”

Azzi has to hand it to her daughter. She’s a smart one to choose Paige as the victim of her emotional blackmail, knowing her wiles had long stopped working on her mother. 

“You know I’d take you with me if I could Stephie,” Paige says, “but I’ll make it up to you tomorrow I swear.”

Stephie smiles and Azzi shakes her head at how quickly the five-year old’s plan had worked, “you’ll take me to the park and then we’ll get fries and then get ice cream?”

“That’s a lot of junk food Steph-”

“Ssshh Mama,” Stephie chides, “this is between me and Miss Buecks.”

“The park, then fries, then ice cream it is,” Paige concedes and Azzi rolls her eyes. 

Stephie grins brightly, puckering her lips to kiss Paige through the phone and eliciting a laugh from the older woman when she cheers, “you’re the best-est-est Miss Buecks. See you in a little bit. Don’t hang up without saying goodnight.”

“I promise I won’t,” Paige calls out after the little girl as Stepehie hands the phone back to Azzi and starts skipping towards her room. 

Azzi gives the blonde a look, “we have got to have a conversation about you learning to say no to her.”

Paige shrugs unhelpfully, “I don’t want to learn how to say no to her.”

“You’re a lost cause,” Azzi remarks, hands on hips, “and foreplay? Seriously? Us bickering is not foreplay.”

“Well it could be if you’d just let me fuck you after,” Paige grumbles and Azzi’s mouth falls open at the bluntness of it. 

“You say the most romantic things to me Paige Bueckers.”

They’re both quiet for a second as Azzi moves around her room, collecting her wallet and keys and to put into her purse. 

“You know there’s still time for me to come pick you up,” Paige says finally.

“Paige,” Azzi sighs, not wanting a rerun of the same argument they’ve been having for the last week. She knows it’s a touchy subject for Paige; that it veers a little too close to insecurities that stem from their past but she’s not quite ready to take this step yet. There isn’t quite any rhyme or reason to her logic except well, she’s haunted by memories of the last time they’d let the personal mix with the professional. Her phone still holds invitations to countless team reunions that she’d actively avoided and a group chat that she’s long muted. Azzi hasn’t stepped foot in the state of Connecticut since she’d entered the draft; she refuses to lose California too. 

“Teammates can carpool,” Paige explains vehemently, “it’s easily explainable.’

“I know-”

“Is this about Clémence?” bitterness tinges the edge of Paige’s voice as she chews her bottom lip. And there it is, the other subject they’d been tip-toeing around since it had been brought up at breakfast a week ago. Paige and Azzi are both excellent at avoiding talking about the harder topics but they’ve never quite managed to let anything go forever. 

“Why would this be about Clémence?” 

Paige narrows her eyes, sitting up from where she’d previously been lounging against her pillow, “maybe you don’t want her to see us together? Maybe you’re trying to spare her feelings I don’t know.”

“Paige-”

“You know what it’s fine,” Paige huffs, “I’ll see you at the bar Azzi.”

She hangs up before Azzi can say anything and the brunette lets out a litany of curses under her breath, annoyed with Paige’s ability to go from A to Z by skipping everything in between. There’s a part of her that knows Paige deserves an explanation about Clémence, a chance to have her lingering doubts confirmed or denied, but amidst the egoistic thoughts of well she married someone else and the self preservationist urge to prevent a potential fight, she hadn’t been brave enough to approach the topic just quite yet. Azzi’s about to step out of the room, when her phone pings with a facetime call from Paige again. 

“Are you calling to apologize for hanging up?” Azzi asks with a frown. 

“No,” Paige replies stubbornly, “I called because I hung up without saying goodnight to Stephie and just because I’m mad at you doesn’t mean I’m gonna miss saying goodnight to her.”

Something wonderful and warm blooms in Azzi’s chest as she silently walks over to Stephie’s room. This is a new chapter in Paige’s storybook that she’s slowly beginning to read; one scribbled with the blonde’s devotion to Azzi’s baby girl. Azzi still has every other chapter memorized; had thought nothing could be more beautiful than the words within the one that had been dedicated to her. But she’d been wrong. Because every day that she watches Paige and Stephie fall more and more in love with each other, she finds herself falling in love with how much they love each other. 

“Miss Buecks,” Stephie squeals, practically snatching the phone from her mother’s hand as she goofily grins at the screen, “you didn’t hang up.”

“I promised I wouldn’t,” Paige says, the hardness that had existed in her voice while talking to Azzi, dissolving into adulation, “you be good for Nana and Pops okay?”

“I’m always good,” Stephie says matter-of-factly, “can you come over really, really, early tomorrow?”

Paige laughs, “I’ll be there as soon as I wake up.”

“Good,” Stephie claps contentedly as she grabs Azzi’s hand to start walking towards the car, “good night Miss Buecks.”

“Good night Stephie-bean,” Paige echoes, blowing a kiss through the screen. 

“Paige,” Azzi says urgently, trying to stop the older woman from hanging up, “can you just hold on a second while I buckle Stephie in.”

“Az-”

“Please.”

“Fine,” Paige says, averting Azzi’s gaze as she sulks. 

Azzi lifts Stephie onto the car seat, fastening her seatbelt and pressing a kiss to her daughter’s cheek, before she closes the car door and uses it as a stabilizing structure to lean on as she pulls her phone back in front of her. 

“Hey,” she whispers. 

“Hi,” Paige says back begrudgingly, “you wanted to say something?”

“I-” Azzi swallows, “don’t go the bar-”

“Oh fantastic,” Paige cuts her off, her voice furious as she glares daggers at Azzi through the phone, “not only do you not want to go to the bar together, you don’t want me to go at all. Fine. Okay. Whatever. I won’t go. You have the time of your life with fucking Clementine or whatever-”

“Yet,” Azzi says loudly, trying to speak over Paige’s angry rant, “don’t go to the bar yet.”

“What?” 

Azzi licks her lips, “don’t go yet. I’m gonna drop Stephie off at my parents-”

“What does that have to-”

“Will you just let me fucking finish?” Azzi almost bangs her fist on the car in frustration and she’s glad to see that it makes Paige look just a little bit sheepish, “as I was saying. I’m gonna drop Stephie off at my parents and uh- your house- it’s um- it’s on the way to the bar so I thought,” she shrugs with fake nonchalance, the edge of her mouth turning upwards, “I thought maybe- maybe I could pick you up on the way.”

Paige stares blankly at the screen, eyes blinking as Azzi’s words slowly register, “you- you wanna go to the bar together?”

“I didn’t say that,” Azzi teases, eyes twinkling as she basks in the thrill of eliciting that Azzi smile from Paige’s lips, “teammates carpool right?”

“Teammates definitely carpool.”

April 2029 

“You invited Clémence to our movie night?” Jana asks in a whisper, as she walks into the kitchen where Azzi’s making popcorn. Her Saturday nights have gotten rather boring since she’s had Stephie, consisting of alternating between movie nights with Jana and dinner with her parents. It wasn’t the most thrilling of times but she looked forward to them all week, excited to not have to spend a night in solitude.

“She asked what I was doing tonight and I told her we were having a movie night and then she asked if she could join and well I couldn’t just say no,” Azzi explains, sticking the bag into the microwave. 

Jana cocks an eyebrow, “do you want me to leave?”

“Why would I want you to leave?” Azzi asks, crinkling her nose as she juts out an ear just in case the baby monitor goes off. 

“C’mon Az,” Jana says pointedly, leaning on her elbows against the kitchen counter, “you’re telling me there’s nothing going on between the two of you?”

Azzi grimaces uneasily, not quite wanting to answer the question, “nothing that would require you to leave.”

“If that’s the way you want to play it,” Jana relents, grabbing a soda from the fridge on her way back to the living room, before she pauses in the doorway to look back at Azzi, “but I know what it looks like when somebody’s in love with you. And that girl out there,” she nods her head towards where Clémence is daintily sitting on the couch, “she’s definitely getting there.”

Jana’s a rather observant person but Azzi knows that she’s at least a little bit wrong this time. Because Clémence might be a little bit in love with -even if that’s not a fact Azzi particularly wants to acknowledge- but it's impossible for her to look at Azzi the way Jana remembers someone else looking at her. That had been something completely different; a gaze that saw all the little chinks in her armor, all the imperfections carved against her walls and loved her inspite of them, maybe even because of them. Clémence might love her, but Azzi doesn’t think anyone can be in love with her the way the person she’d been hopelessly in love with, had. 

When she walks back into the living room with the popcorn in hand, still plagued by her younger teammate’s words, Azzi’s deliberate to sit on the couch next to Jana instead of the open space next to the francophone. The flash of hurt in Clémence’s eye causes guilt to trickle down her spine but Azzi thinks a flash is better than the tsunami of pain she could cause if she doesn’t start to ease herself out of this right now. There’s a selfish part of her that doesn’t want to, that’s going to miss having somebody who hangs onto her every word. Azzi likes this feeling of being wanted, even if it’s not by the person she wants. But that person isn’t hers to want anymore and she won’t torture Clémence by barricading her in the same jail that has held Azzi’s soul captive for the last four years. 

They’re about half way through the movie, awkward tension eased by Jana’s incessant chatter, when Azzi’s phone buzzes. Already confused at the timing of the call, she’s even more perplexed to see Ice’s name flashing on the screen. 

“Oooh Iceyyy,” Jana’s eyes light up when she catches a glimpse of the CallerID, “put her on speaker. Ice is one of our UConn teammates,” she explains, turning to Clémence who nods in recognition, “she probably did something dumb as fuck and need Azzi’s advice.”

“Don’t be mean,” Azzi scolds with a grin, knowing that Jana’s probably right as she picks up the call, “hello-”

“I hate you,” Azzi freezes at the sound of the familiar voice, laced with unfamiliar malice. Next to her Jana stiffens immediately while Clémence observes the scene in front of her with a guarded frown. 

“Paige who the fuck are you calling?” Ice’s voice is muffled in the background, “oh shit, Paige give me back my phone.”

“No. She needs to hear this,” Paige grits out, her pitch wavering with the effects of alcohol, “she needs to hear how much I fucking hate her. Azzi do you hear me? I can hear you breathing. I know you’re there. Did you hear what I said?”

“Paige,” Ice hisses again. 

Azzi swallows the lump in her throat, fingers digging into her bare thighs as she grips her phone so hard, she half-expects it to break into pieces in a reflection of her heart, “I heard you Paige.”

“Good. Because I do. I really fucking hate you,” Paige repeats again and Azzi flinches, “you ruined me Azzi. And now you’re ruining my marriage. My wife is perfect. She loves me. She loves being seen with me. She loves being known as my wife. Everything I ever wanted from you, she’s willing to give me. But she saw that damn hug at the Olympics and she- she’s upset with me. She thinks- she thinks I’m not over you.”

“Az maybe you should-” Jana says softly but Azzi immediately raises a hand to stop her. Maybe she’s a masochist but she can hear the hurt laced underneath the anger in Paige's voice. And if what Paige needs to get rid of her pain is a target to aim all her arrows at, then Azzi’s willing to sacrifice her heart, or at least what little is still left of it. 

“And the worst thing about it,” Paige’s voice breaks, “is that she's probably right. I have the perfect fucking woman at home and I can’t seem to get over the one who broke my heart and never looked back. Isn’t that pathetic?”

“Paige,” Ice pleads again and Azzi can hear her former teammate trying her best to wrangle the phone out of Paige’s firm grasp. 

“I’m not done yet Ice. I need to talk to her and I need to talk to her now because if I don’t, I’ll never get the courage to say any of this again,” Paige is sobbing now, and her broken whimpers pierce Azzi’s heart deeper than any words could,  “why couldn’t you just have said yes Az? I know- I know your reasons but why- why couldn’t you have just loved me enough to look past them? How do you do it Azzi? How do you live without me because it’s been four years and I- I still don’t think I know how to live without you and I hate you, I hate you because you do.”

No, Azzi thinks, I really don’t. But she doesn’t say anything, rapidly blinking back tears as she avoids both Jana’s concerned look and Clémence’s more thoughtful gaze. 

“I wish I could just feel nothing towards you Azzi,” Paige confesses, heaving as she struggles to breathe through her tears, “I don’t want to hate you. I don’t want to miss you and I really- I really, really don’t want to love you. Please just make it stop. I’m so tired of this Azzi. I’m so tired of hurting. How do I make it go away? Please tell me how I make it go away? How did you make it go away?”

“I didn’t,” Azzi whispers, so soft she’s not sure Paige heard it; she’s not sure if she wants Paige to have heard it. It’s the kind of pain, she thinks, she’s destined to feel forever. It’s weaved itself into every crevice of body and now it exists as just another innate part of her. Paige thinks Azzi’s learned to live without her but really all Azzi’s learned is how to live with these permanent scars of i think i’ll miss you forever. 

“That’s enough Paige,” Ice’s voice is clearer now, having finally snatched the phone out of her teammate’s grip, “Azzi-” she begins apologetically, “she’s just drunk. She didn’t mean-”

“She did,” Azzi clears her throat, sinking into the way Jana's arms wrap around her, “she’s um- she’s gonna be really hungover in the morning. Make sure she- make sure you give her water but don’t- don’t give her coffee. She’ll want it but it’ll only make it worse because she uh- she- when she drinks too much, her stomach hurts and the caffeine- it just- it makes it worse so- don’t let her drink coffee tomorrow morning okay? And make sure- make sure she eats something before she takes painkillers. And Ice?’

“Yeah Azzi.”

“If she doesn’t remember any of this tomorrow morning, please don’t remind her.”

***

April 2033

The bar is buzzing with noise by the time Paige and Azzi finally arrive. It’s an exclusive enough place that they won’t be too bothered by fans asking for pictures and autographs but the size of the crowd still puts Azzi a little bit on edge. She can’t help the small smile that flitters across her face when she feels Paige’s hand resting on her lower back as the blonde guides the two of them through the crowd in search of their teammates. For the last eight years, Azzi has been her own protector and she’s learned to guard herself but it’s nice -it feels right- to have someone else ready to be her shield too. 

“You know Bueckers,” Joyce says as the two of them finally approach the table that had been reserved for the Valkyries, “some might say that one should be on time when meeting their new teammates. Just a thought.”

“And some might say Edwards that being fashionably late is being on time,” Paige quips back. 

Joyce grins, “alright time for introductions.”

“I’m pretty sure I know-”

“Shut up,” Joyce reprimands, throwing an arm around Paige’s shoulders, “let me introduce these brand new people to you.”

“They’re not-”

“Sssshhh. Let me have my fun. We’ll start over here with Westbeld and Booker. You might know them, their teams kicked your ass during the 23-24 season,” Joyce says with a smirk. 

“Oh I do remember that,” Paige says thoughtfully, eyes twinkling with mirth, “what happened the season after?”

“Don’t be cocky Bueckers. It’s unbecoming,” Madison chides as she rises from the table to give Paige a hug. 

“Yeah I try not to remember that Elite Eight game thanks,” Laila says, making a disgusted face. 

Joyce glares at her, “did I introduce you yet Miss Phelia?”

Laila raises her hands in surrender as Joyce continues to give Paige a tour of the Valkyrie team. Azzi had known that Paige would fit in well with her teammate -really the blonde had the uncanny ability to fit in anywhere- but seeing it realized in front of her, it seems even clearer. Paige feels like the last mosaic piece, slotting in right where she belongs. 

“Those two over there are our babies,” Joyce points to Haylen and Jayla, “they’re like five years old but we love them anyways.”

“I’m almost 25,” Haylen protests. 

“See,” Joyce remarks, “literally children. And that one,” she points to Jana who beams at Paige, “well you already know her even if you sometimes wish you didn’t probably-”

“Hey!”

“Oh shush Jana,” Joyce says airily, “and I supposed there’s no point in introducing Azzi to you since y’all came together,” she pauses to look between them, “y’all don’t live that close to each other. Why didn’t you just carpool with Jana? I’m pretty sure she lives closer to you.”

Paige opens and closes her mouth a couple of times as Azzi feels her own cheeks heat up at the innocent enough question, “we um- well it's just- you see- my house is on the way from her parents and she had to drop off Stephie so it just- it just made sense you know? For efficiency’s sake.”

“Oh yeah for efficiency’s sake. They’re both very efficient,” Jana smirks, “makes a lot of sense.”

Joyce gives all three of them a weird look, “y’all Huskies are strange. It was just a question but anyways,” she grins as she finally steers Paige towards the blonde in the corner and Azzi stiffens at the way Paige’s body immediately tenses, “a couple of our teammates aren’t here but we do have a former teammate. Paige meet Clémence.”

“We’ve met,” Paige says, attempting to school her features to resemble anything but the discomfort she’s feeling within, “during the Olympics that is. We’ve beat France a couple of times.”

It’s a purposeful word choice, beat instead of played and Azzi's fingers fidget with the hem of her top as she tries to avoid looking at either of the two women. 

“Yes. It is good to see you again,” Clémence says tersely, her French accent stronger than the last time Azzi had spoken to her. She shakes Paige’s hand rather formally before her eyes focus on Azzi and she determinedly walks towards the brunette, “and it is really good to see you Azzi. I have missed you.”

“I-” Azzi stutters at the French woman pulls her into a hug; over her shoulder she can practically see steam coming out of Paige’s ears as she hyper focuses on how Clémence makes it a point rub her thumb down Azzi’s back, “it’s um- it’s good to see you too.”

She pulls away and she can feel the disappointment reverberating from Clémence’s body as Azzi practically flings herself on the chair next to Jana, wondering what she’d done to deserve this moment as a punishment for her sins. 

“Save me,” she pleads as Clémence and Paige sit as far away from each other as possible, occasionally shooting glares when they think the other isn’t looking. 

“Save you from having two hot women fighting over you?” the center teases, “you truly have such first world problems Azzi Fudd.”

“They’re not fighting over me-”

“Azzi you will have your usual rum and coke no?” Clémence asks and Azzi looks over to where the francophone is intently staring at her, “I will go-”

“Oh there’s no need,” Paige says immediately, “you sit Clémence. You already have a drink. I was gonna go get one for myself and I’ll get Azzi’s too. Besides, Azzi's more of a fruity drink girl. Az I’ll get you a piña colada-”

Clémence narrows her eyes, “maybe she liked that when she was in college but Azzi likes something different now.”

“She might like something different now,” Paige counters, standing up aggressively so she towers over the table, “but she’s always gonna love a piña colada right Azzi?”

All eyes turn to look at Azzi who wants nothing more than to cower under the table- or hit Jana who seems to find this very unamusinging situation rather entertaining, “I um-” she swallows, “I think tonight calls for something stronger. Round of shots for the table? On me?”

It placates the situation for a while as the rest of the team cheers on the idea, beckoning over one of the bartenders to orders a round of tequila shots for the table. For a moment, Azzi tricks herself into thinking maybe that’ll be the end of ridiculous situations for the night as the team downs shots to Jana yelling “to the Valkyries” but she should have known it was wishful thinking.

Half the team ends up on the dance floor, swaying to the mixed rhythm of the music and the newly minted alcohol coursing through their bloodstreams. Azzi watches with a smile as despite her protests, Joyce manages to drag Paige onto the dance floor with her, engaging her in some eccentric dance moves as they try to outdo each other on who can look the silliest. And as the rest of the girls cheer the blonde on, it feels like Paige is chiseling out a place for herself in another part of Azzi’s world. 

“She is easy to love,” Clémence’s hot breath fans Azzi’s ear as the francophone takes Jana’s empty seat next to the brunette. 

“Clém-” Azzi sighs. 

“She fits in well with the team,” Clémence continues, something wistful in her voice, “I have seen her play. She will fit in well on the court with you guys as well. She will fit in well next to you.”

“That’s the hope,” Azzi says softly as she tilts her head to look at the other woman, “you fit in well too. I mean it Clém. We’ll miss you at GSV.”

Clémence smiles bitterly, “I would have liked to stay but they needed the cap space so they could sign her. She- she’s quite expensive. I mean considering she is casually wearing swarovski crystals on her neck in a bar on a random Saturday night, I am not surprised.”

The two of them laugh despite the gravity that looms heavily over them. Azzi and Clémence haven’t been anything in a long time but she’d never quite shut the possibility of a potential future done. She can hear the lock ready to click now. It’s bittersweet doing the right thing but as Paige glances over from the dancefloor, eyes darting cautiously between the two of them, Azzi knows that she doesn’t want to keep any other doors open. Not when the one with Paige’s name etched on the door handle, leads to home. 

“One last dance?” Clémence asks softly, holding out her hand. 

Azzi hesitates, knowing that it would irritate Paige but she thinks she probably owes Clémence this and so she smiles and takes the francophone’s outstretched hand as they join their other teammates. It’s nothing beyond friendly and they both keep their hands to themselves as they sway to the music, but Azzi can feel the annoyance radiating off of Paige from across the dancefloor. She would never admit it, perhaps it’s a little toxic of her, but there’s a certain thrill to making Paige jealous. There’s something about the way the blonde’s blue eyes flare with ice cold envy, the way her jaw hardens as she grinds her teeth. The way she looks at Azzi like if she had her way she’d drag the brunette out of the bar and mark her with a possessive you’re mine you’re mine youre mine. It makes Azzi clench her thighs together as she tries to focus on Clémence. 

“I understand now,” the francophone says thoughtfully as Azzi’s peers up at her in confusion, “when you told me that you could not be with me. I get it.”

“I don’t-”

“You are here with me but you aren’t actually. You will always be with her,” Clémence tilts her head towards Paige, “you always have been. I understand now,” she says again simply before her face hardens, “even after all those words she said to you on the phone that night.”

Azzi’s stomach curls at the reminder. She knows exactly what night Clémence is referring to. Sometimes when she closes her eyes, it’s those words, coated in anger and malice, that shower around her like acid rain, seeping into her skin and infecting her bloodstream.

“I told you, you deserved better,” Clémence says and Azzi gulps, “but you said- you said you deserved worse. I hope you don’t believe that anymore Azzi. Just because you hurt her doesn’t mean you need to let her hurt you too.”

“I-” Azzi’s cut off by a hard body ramming into her own and she feels herself going stumbling back into the unwanted arms of a random man, “I’m sorry,” she says tersely, struggling to get out his grip. 

“No worries pretty girl,” he says toothily, the heavy stench of alcohol in his breath making Azzi feel nauseous, “but now that you’re here, how about I buy you a drink.”

“No thank you,” Azzi says sternly, trying to push the man away but he’s relentless. 

“Aw c’mon don’t be like that sweetheart,” the term of endearment sounds like an insult falling from his lips and Azzi loses her patience, stomping her heel into the man’s foot to finally free herself from his grip and he yelps in surprise.

“I said no thank you.”

“What the fuck,” the man spits out, standing up as Azzi takes a step back. He’s got some muscle and although, despite his bravado, she knows she’s strong enough to take him, she’d rather not create a scene. Her plan is to walk away. Paige seems to have other ideas, suddenly materializing in between Azzi and the man, a furious look on her face as she squares him up. 

“Do we have a problem?” the blonde asks menacingly. 

“Nothing other than your little friend here being a fucking bitch.”

Paige’s eyes darken as she takes a threatening step towards him, prevented from going further only by the way Azzi immediately laces a hand around her wrist, “what the fuck did you call her?”

“I called her a-”

“It doesn’t matter,” Azzi cuts in, stepping in between a glaring Paige and a man who’s clearly underestimating her strength, “let it go Paige.”

“Yeah,” the man mocks, “let it go Paige.”

“You fucking-” Paige tries to lunge at him but Azzi’s quick to shove her back gently. 

“Don’t cause a scene,” she warns. 

“Azzi-”

“Paige please.”

“Holy shit,” the man wolf-whistles, “y’all play for the Valks. You’re Azzi Fudd. I know you.”

“Good for you,” Azzi spits out at him before turning her attention back to Paige, who looks like she could kill the man if given the chance, “c’mon let's go back to our tab-”

“It’s funny you’re acting like such a fucking prude when you have a bastard chi-”

An unmistakable crunch rings out through the bar as the man goes flying backwards. Azzi’s knuckles are bleeding as her breath comes out in ragged huffs. She hadn’t wanted to cause a scene; could have walked away from a man being a drunken idiot, could have walked away from being called a bitch or hell, even something worse. But the man had attacked the one part of her that she’d always be ready to go to war for. He’d brought up Stephie and she’d seen red. Her fist had moved of it's own accord.

Paige doesn’t say anything and Azzi can feel the anger still vibrating from the older woman’s body as she roughly grabs Azzi’s unhurt hand.

“Let’s go,” the blonde’s voice is eerily low, “we’re going home.”

***

It’s a subconscious choice to let Paige drive Azzi’s car even though they’ve both sobered up considerably, not that one shot had done much in the first place. It’s a subconscious choice that Azzi reaches over to lace her fingers through Paige’s free hand, resting it on her lap, as the blonde use her other hand to grip the steering wheel. It’s a subconscious choice that they end up driving to Azzi’s house in complete silence. She’s not sure who’s mad at who, if they’re even mad at each other or that man or just the world but she can feel the fury suffocating the air. 

“Where’s your first-aid kit?” Paige says gruffly as Azzi unlocks the door. 

“Bathroom,” Azzi says quietly and Paige is off towards it before the word has even fully left the brunette’s mouth. Azzi scrambles after her, pausing in the doorway as Paige rummages through drawers, knowing better than to interrupt to help when Paige looks livid like this.

“Sit,” Paige points to the sink once she’s finally found the sanitizer and gauze to clean up dried up blood staining Azzi’s knuckles. 

“I can do it my-”

Paige glares at her, “just sit on the fucking sink Azzi.”

Putting away her own irritation at being told what to do, Azzi lifts herself onto the flat surface of the sink, opening her legs slightly so that Paige can stand between them. Despite still quivering with barely concealed rage, Paige’s touch is gentle as she dabs at the remnants of red liquid on Azzi’s hand. 

“You should’ve just let me punch him when I wanted to,” she says finally. 

“So you could be the one bleeding?” Azzi raises an eyebrow. 

“No because he would’ve never gotten the courage to say shit about Stephie if you’d just let me kill him when he called you a bitch,” Paige bites out venomously. 

“And let you go to jail? I couldn’t do that to Stephie,” Azzi tries to lighten the tension in the room, “she’d miss you too much. 

“This isn’t funny, Azzi,” Paige seethes as she begins to wrap the white gauze around the wound. 

“I know,” the younger woman says, trailing her other hand down Paige’s arms trying to soothe her anger, “but it’s fine-”

“It’s not fucking fine,” Paige yells. 

“Baby-” the word slips out from Azzi’s lips before she can catch it. She hasn’t used it for someone other than Stephie in so long that it feels foreign on her lips and yet, it fits exactly right. 

“Did you call Clémence that too?” and there it is, the real reason behind the volcano erupting as Paige decidedly looks away from Azzi. 

Azzi narrows her eyes, “I don’t know Paige. Did you call Olivia that?”

“That’s different,” Paige grits out, “Olivia was my wife.”

Azzi flinches at the word; hates that somebody else had ever had the honor of being called that even if she knows it’s unfair of her to feel that way when she’s the one that had turned it down first. 

“Exactly,” she says slowly, “you married someone else-” she holds up a hand when Paige protests, “I know. I know I said no but you married someone else Paige. So you don’t get to be mad at me for having something with someone else too.”

Paige is quiet for a moment and Azzi sees the exact moment the fight leaves her body as she lets out a sigh, leaning her head against Azzi’s shoulder. 

“You’re right,” Paige whispers into Azzi’s neck, hands moving to rest against the brunette’s thighs. 

Azzi runs her hand through Paige’s hair, brushing it in tandem with the harmony of her breathing, “we can’t keep throwing the past in each other’s face, Paige.”

“I know,” Paige breath tickles against Azzi’s skin and she shivers in spite of the tense moment,“I just-” the blonde lifts her head to look at Azzi, “I need to know who Clémence was to you. You- you know what Olivia was to me and I- I just need to know the same about Clémence.”

“She-” Azzi hesitates, “we hooked up a couple of times,” she squeezes Paige’s hand when the blonde flinches, “but then she- she wanted more but I couldn’t- I couldn’t do that. Partly because I didn’t- I didn’t feel the same- don’t look so smug,” Azzi chides when a small grin forms on Paige’s face, “and partly because we were on the same team. I didn’t want to complicate things, not like last time. Feel like I should probably have a rule not to date teammates.”

“Right.”

Azzi watches the cogs turning in Paige’s brain and she reaches out a hand to ease the creases forming on her forehead, “what are you thinking Bueckers?”

“I just-” Paige bites her lip, “what about me?”

“What about you?”

“I mean we’re gonna be- I mean we are- we’re on the same team too,” Paige says and Azzi can hear the insecurity of will you leave me again weaved through her voice. 

“You don’t get it yet do you,” Azzi whispers, reaching up to cup Paige’s face, “baby you are the exception to all of my rules.”

[beomiracles]

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋 𝐖𝐇𝐎 𝐂𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐃 𝐖𝐎𝐋𝐅 kinktober day 31

DREAM RECALL “Do you know what happened to the boy who cried wolf?” He asks, letting the question linger on his lips, moving in and out of you slowly as he awaits your response. You shake your head, slowly swallowing. — Yeonjun smirks, a smirk so wide that his sharp fangs dug into his bottom lip.  “The wolf eats him.”

wc -> 8.7k (horribly proofread, means not proofread at all)

pairings supernatural!txt x fem!reader warnings um. everything. dark content, and I mean it. multiple threesomes, heavy dub con/coercion, multiple creampies, unprotected sex, biting, marking, rough manhandling, prey/predator dynamics, anal (f.rec), very little prep at times, throatfucking, facial, reader gets passed around, beomgyu is mean and a menace, softdom!taehyun, softdom!kai, dom!soobin, mean/hard dom!beomgyu, softdom!yeonjun, major character death, implied cannibalism? (sort of, I mean they're not really human but..) hair pulling, reader is lowkey terrefied for half this fic, also half of this is pure filth, um yes dark content cough.

#serene adds ✎ good evening. LMFAO. no. seriously. I um, have been working in this all day because it was at a solid 2k this morning and um, here we are. but I got it out on the 31st (for me) so that's a win in my books, seriously didn't think I was gonna make it. this isn't proofread, I wrote it and I posted, catch a spelling mistake and you close your goddamn eyes. I don't want to know about stuff like that. um is the story its based on obvious or not? let me know !! and also, read the warnings carefully please and thank you, if I've missed anything feel free to let me know :3 now I am declaring celibacy and I won't ever write smut again ! #kinktober killed me

EVENT POST

“And then, she ventured to the dwarves' house disguised as a peddler.” You lean in, the warm fire caressing your face and illuminating the sinister grin on your lips. “But not just any peddler, no, she sold lace, lace corsets.” Your eyes flicker over the confused expressions of your friends, some having frowns dented into their foreheads, but they were all listening keenly. 

“Of course, as a naive and young girl, Snow White let her inside.” You lean back, hands clasping together over your knees. Around you, darkness lingers. It creeps around the edges of the fire you’d ignited, desperately trying to get closer, to swallow you whole. “Snow White lets the Evil Queen wrap her in lace, and the Evil Queen wraps it tight.” You point to your own torso, portraying the tight corset, clawing at your ribs. 

“Snow White can’t breathe, in fact she can barely move.” Your voice turns from dramatic to gloomy, “She can only watch, watch as the Evil Queen steps out, leaving her for dead.” — “That’s not how the story goes!” One of your friends interrupts, and you turn to him with a grimace. “Well, if you’d let me finish Brian, you would’ve known that the dwarves brought her back to life when they found her, by undoing the tight corset”, you sneer. 

“But that wasn’t in the book?” Lily suddenly quips from your left, her lips pursed in the same annoyingly know-it-all manner. With the small roll of your eyes, you reach for a stick, using it to poke at the slowly dying fire. “Well, that���s because you’ve only read the children's version”, you mutter, a bitter taste in your mouth, “in the real story, the Evil Queen tries to kill Snow White three times.” 

Brian interrupts once more, the frown on his face nearly permanent now. “But that doesn’t make any sense, why would Snow White fall for the same tricks over and over?” — “Besides, it would only drag out the entire story telling”, he states as a matter-of-factly. You groan, running a tired hand over your face. “That’s because you don’t know how to build tension, it’s no fun if she only tries to kill her once, you have to amplify it by including multiple attempts.” 

Lily huffs, shaking her head like she’d heard enough. Then she rises to her feet, announcing that she was heading to bed. — “Careful”, you say, causing her to freeze in her tracks as she turns to you with a questioning look. “Don’t you know that there are wolves in these woods?” You grin, eyes trailing her with a humorous glint. She scoffs, waving a dismissing hand as she brushes you off, “I’m sure they’re starving.” 

With that, she ventures off to her own tent, leaving the rest of you to watch the weakening fire as the darkness around you crept closer. 

⸝⸝ 

“Do you really think that there are wolves here?” Kian asks as the two of you scour the thick forest in search of more branches for the fire. The question doesn’t come as a surprise. He’d been walking on needles practically all evening. You knew that he was a coward, so it surprised you when he agreed on joining in for this trip. — “Sure, why wouldn’t there be?” You shrug, trying your hardest to conceal your amusement when he audibly swallows, eyes darting around the dark tree stems. 

“Yeah but they.. They don’t eat people? Right?” He wonders, hands nervously fiddling with flashlight, causing its light to bounce off the claw-like arms of the trees. “Don’t be an idiot, Kian”, you huff, gathering as much firewood as possible in your arms. — “R-Right, sorry”, he murmurs, his cheeks tinted a light pink as he clears his throat. “And even if they did, I’m sure you don’t rank high on their list”, you say, the teasing edge to your voice managing to lighten the mood somewhat. 

You continue to gather materials in silence. Working to get done as fast as possible, eager to return to the warm and inviting fire. The scattered branches crack under your weight, but besides that, nothing. It’s quiet, far too quiet, the sounds of nature seemingly muted. Almost like there was something out there, something even nature itself feared, and so it hid in silence. The thought makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand, and you desperately try to shake it off. 

Your attention turns to Kian, who seems just as miserable, if not worse. A sly smirk tugs at your lips. 

“Wait.” Your voice rings out, piercing the heavy air and your friend immediately freezes. “What?” His head snaps in your direction, fear clouding his eyes and you have to bite back a chuckle. Instead, you swallow, bottom lip stuck out into a pout as you glance around. “Did you hear that?” — “Hear what?” Kian sounds panicked now, the flashlight in his hand trembling as he frantically searches for any evident danger. 

Your gaze drifts to somewhere behind him. There’s only darkness, an eternal and dreadful darkness. But he doesn’t have to know that. — With a nearly ear piercing shriek, you stumble backward. “Oh my god! Behind you!” You point a shaking finger in that very direction and Kian pathetically falls to the ground with a loud scream. He keeps yelling for help as he tears his way through the mud and dirt, running from a faceless monster. 

The sight makes you double over in laughter as you drop half the branches you’d gathered. And only when he’s calmed down enough to make out your excitement over his own fear, does he realize his mistake. — “That was not funny!” He shouts, and his voice trembles just as much as he does. You shake your head, wiping away imaginary tears as you watch him gingerly get up. “Oh but it was!” You exclaim, “You should’ve seen your face!” 

Kian huffs out a frustrated breath, dusting off his jeans as he picks up the flashlight he’d dropped. He turns to you with a small scowl, but it does nothing to simmer down the laughter bubbling within you. 

“I hope those wolves get you next”, he seethes, before turning on his heel and walking off, leaving you in the dark. 

⸝⸝

It’s far into the cold and dark night when the final participants of your small group head for their tents. Unlike Lily, joined by Brian who’d turned in early, the remainder of you had stayed by the fire, taking turns telling chilling tales, none of which were real, of course. Though you’d given your best in trying to scare the others by mentioning the supposed wolves stalking the gloomy forest. Because if there was anything scarier than horror stories, it was the real dangers of the outside world. 

Kian, on the other hand, hadn’t spoken a word to you since you returned to camp. You figured he might still be upset over your small and harmless prank. Though far too tired to deal with it tonight, you decide to confront it in the morning. — To your fortune, you were to share a tent with Lei, who at least seemed willing to talk to you. 

As the two of you settle inside your warm sleeping bags, she turns to you. “Do you really think we’re safe in here?” The question catches you off guard, sure why wouldn’t you be? People camped in this forest all the time. Right? — “Why, did those children’s stories scare you?” You can’t help the teasing tone of your voice, wiggling your eyebrows in a taunting manner as you watch her face scrunch up in disgust. 

“Of course not”, she huffs, pulling the blanket over her chest, “It’s just…The nearest town is an hour away, what if something happens?” — It’s with a bitter taste in your mouth that you consider the fact that she might be right. Help was far away, should anything happen. But who says it would? 

“We’ll be fine”, you shrug, flopping down onto your pillow as you get comfortable. “You think?” Lei whispers as she, too, prepares to sleep. You yawn, breathing out a low, “mhm.” 

A brief silence follows after that, the sounds of your friends, shuffling about in their own tents slowly dying out. All that’s left is the quiet sounds of night, leaves rustling followed by the occasional creek of tree branches as they give way to the wind. — You think Lei might have fallen asleep, but the erratic pattern of her breathing gives her away. 

“I mean, any kind of danger is unlikely to show up at our doorstep”, you then add in a sleepy voice. “Unless…” You trail off, seemingly lost in thought, but the word is left hanging in the air and you soon hear Lei shifting in her sleeping bag as she turns to you. — “Unless what?” She whispers, sounding almost urgent. In the dim light, she’s unable to catch the menacing grin on your lips as you say: 

“Unless you go looking for it.” 

⸝⸝ 

You’d always considered yourself a heavy sleeper. And most nights would pass you by without a single disturbance. You rarely dreamt either. — So when you’re suddenly jolted awake, sweat clinging to your entire body and your breathing labored, you knew that something was wrong. It takes you a moment to regain your bearings, fingers curling against the flimsy material of your sleeping bag as your head whips in the direction of Lei. She’s still sleeping soundly, like there wasn’t a single fault in the world. 

Confused, you glance around the small tent. But everything seemed to be in order. Weird. Oh come on, were you seriously acting paranoid right now? That was Kian’s job. With a small, half-hearted huff, you prepare to lie back down, when suddenly, a voice, somewhere outside, calls for you. — You know that it’s you it calls for, because why else would it use your name. Your mind works overtime as you try and pair the low and almost animalistic drawl of their tongue with one of your friends. But you couldn’t. 

Maybe, you were hearing things, maybe you’d finally gone crazy. No, you shake your head, eyes drifting to your fingers as they twiddle with the zipper of your sleeping bag. But the voice doesn’t give up, and when it calls for you a third time, you finally get up. — You don’t feel fear, only anger. Which one of your idiot friends decided that it was a good idea to pull a prank such as this, at such an hour. 

Yanking the tent open, you crawl out. The night is chilly against your down-dressed body, and the thin undershirt and pants you wore suddenly did little to warm you. With your arms around your chest, you stumble past the other closed tents. There was no one here. You frown, peering out into the dark as you search for whoever had called you. Then your mind suddenly pieces together the evening’s events. Kian. 

With gritted teeth you storm toward his tent. But as your fingers clasp around the zipper to the opening, the voice calls out once more. This time it’s louder, still raspy, and almost…inhumane, but you can clearly make out the syllables of your name. — It’s coming from the forest. Alright, that’s it. If Kian wanted to get back at you, then you’d let him. 

After scurrying back to your own tent and fetching a flashlight, you turn to the dark and gloomy forest. And with only one thing in mind, you cross the barrier taking you into the eerie woods. 

“Kian!” 

Your voice echoes off the tree branches, and the leaves crunch beneath the sole of your shoes with each step you take. The flashlight provides a narrow and minimal view, but you follow it thoroughly, intent on not getting lost. — “Kian, I swear to god, you could’ve done this in the morning!” But there’s never a response. Your empty threats of beheading your friend linger in the thick and quiet air. 

It’s only when you stop, taking a moment to check your surroundings with the use of your shit piece of light, that you realize just how quiet it actually is. Apart from the heavy steps of your own feet, there was nothing. The menacing hurl of the wind, gone. The rustle of leaves, vanished. Wildlife, nonexistent. — You were all alone, and when that realization dawned on you, it became clear that Kian had never come out here in the first place. 

So who called you? 

There’s a slight shift in the air, it grows from thick and dense, heavy with anticipation, to loud and almost dangerous, as if the very forest was trying to alert you of something. And in the distance, in the dark, almost blended together with the trees. A pair of red eyes linger. — Your heart sinks all the way down to your stomach. Something was out there, and that something knew that you were there too. 

An animal of some sort, it must be. But what? You didn’t want to find out. Instead, you take a small step back, the crackling of leaves is deafening and you swallow a small cry. You can’t tell if those red eyes are coming closer, the uncertainty puts you on edge. But a rustle to your left garners your attention. Your head jerks in its direction only to be met by the exact same sight. 

Another pair of red eyes. 

Two? You shake your head, that was impossible, and what kind of animal had red eyes? You were seeing things, you must be. Another rustle, and another pair of eyes, this time to your right. Three? 

This time you can tell they’re creeping closer, slowly, as if sizing you up. You point your flashlight in their direction, swinging it like a sword, as if you stood any chance against whatever lurked in these woods. You take another step back, and soon the eyes are given a materialized form. 

Your jaw slacks, and if you thought that fear was about to consume you before, it was nothing against the bucket of ice cold water just poured over you. — Wolves. Actual and real wolves. But that was… “Impossible”, you breathe, “there are no wolves in these woods.” You blink, shaking your head, praying that this was all a bad dream. 

They were big, bigger than any you’d ever seen before. Their fur is dark and ruffled, torn in places, roughed up from living out in such harsh conditions. The one up front, a dark gray, bares its sharp teeth, a low growl rumbling from its chest as it creeps forward. Their ears are pointed back, and they move with slow and calculated steps, as if circling their prey. The brown ones either side of you draw in closer as well. 

You shout for them to stay back, desperately flashing the light in the bright and fiery eyes. But nothing seems to work. Terrified, you stumble backward, only to trip over a snare and lose balance. — You hit the ground with a loud thud, but before you can get up, a warm puff of air hits the back of your head. You don’t have to turn around, you already know what’s waiting behind you. A fourth. Another one, just like the ones before you. 

There must be a way out. After all, they’re just animals. There had to be a way to outsmart them, to get ahead. Remaining frozen for a few seconds, you find that the wolf behind you makes no move to attack. Why? Why did it hesitate? — You didn’t care, you saw your opportunity and took it. 

Leaves fly everywhere as you scramble to your feet, pointing the bright light in the eyes of the wolf before you. It’s so close that the flashlight momentarily blinds it, opening up your escape route. — From there, you run. You run until your legs feel as if they are about to bend in half, you run until your thighs ache, until your calves burn and until your chest physically hurts. 

You can’t see, even with the light gripped tightly in one hand, your field of vision is limited. You scream, yell, cry out for help. “Wolves!” — “There’s wolves!” Your faint pleas are disregarded by the menacing forest, and its darkness seems eternal. Branches whip at your face, thorns cutting the thin layer of clothes you wore, your shoes drenched in a thick layer of mud. 

How long have you been running for? Shouldn’t you be back at camp by now? Had it not been for the sounds of leaves rustling behind you, indicating that the wolves were still following, you’d probably been on the ground long ago. But you had to keep going. There was no way you could give up now. 

Then you see it. Light, warm and inviting, a flicker of hope. You cling to it, upping your pace as you call out once more. “Help! Please help me!” The closer you get, the brighter the light shines, and the bigger your hopes grow. You can make out a figure, it’s dark shadow standing in stark contrast to the warm fire burning. 

As you approach, you realize that it’s…a cave. Hesitation clouds you, but only for a moment. Then the terrifying dangers of your situation all come crashing down on you. With a final call for help, you burst into the cave. — “Please help me..” You don’t even realize you’re crying, heavy tears flowing down your cheeks as you cling to the stranger, face buried in their chest. 

The feeling of strong arms around you sends a wave of relief through your trembling body as the person holds you tight. “O-Oh my god…You have to help me.. There w-wolves out there!” You sob, fingers clawing at their shirt. Just as the words leave your lips, do you hear it, the sounds of their approach. They were coming. You quickly grow desperate as you cling to the figure, a man, a tall man. “Please, please, we have to go!” 

Your head jerks toward the opening of the cave just in time to see the four wolves entering, and they look ready to eat you whole. “Oh my god we’re going to die, we…” Your words get caught in your throat as you catch the soft chuckle, rumbling deep within the man's chest.  

“There are indeed wolves in these woods”, he then says, his voice is a low, almost animalistic drawl, and you immediately recognize it. It was the voice who’d called for you. Finally you look up, only to be met with a pair of equally red eyes, though these belonged to a human. His dark and ruffled hair reminds you of the fur of those wolves, and the small cut along his chin seems far too uncanny. 

“But you already knew that didn’t you? Isn’t that what you’ve been telling your friends all night.” He says, lips tugging into a sinister smirk as he watches the color drain from your face. “Say, where are they now?” — It was as if all air had been sucked from your chest, your whole body going rigid as you remained frozen in place. 

The man laughs, a cruel and raspy laugh. He shakes his head, “Are you familiar with the saying ‘to cry wolf’?” He then asks, tongue darting out to drag across his bottom lip, and in the warm glow of the fire, you catch the sharp fangs resting in his mouth. Whatever this man was, it was not human. — Quietly you shake your head, the phrase sounded familiar but your mind was far too scrambled to ever make a connection. 

He doesn’t seem bothered by this, in fact he seems to enjoy the process of dragging your inevitable fate out even longer. — His breath is warm against your face as he leans down, and his arms around your body no longer feel safe, but like they could kill you. “Means one too many lies might seal your fate”, he drawls, the sentence hanging in the thick and heavy air. 

You don’t have time to ponder his words, for another voice shatters the brief silence. “Alright, that’s enough. You’ve had your fun Yeonjun, let us have a go now.” — Your head immediately jerks in the direction of the four wolves…except, they weren’t wolves anymore. The one who’d previously spoken up, approaches, the dark brown hair on his head falling down his neck and the sides of his face in an uneven mess. 

Yeonjun scoffs, his arms around you tightening their hold as he shoves you against his chest. “I’ve barely gotten started”, he snaps, “You’ll get your turn, Beomgyu.” — Beomgyu rolls his eyes, seemingly displeased with the other’s answer as he takes another step forward, only to be stopped by a much taller one. His hair was as black as the night sky itself, and the red in his eyes seemed a lot cooler than the fiery one of his friend. “Don’t be an idiot”, he sneers, “as if you’re getting a taste before me.” 

Beomgyu gives the taller a harsh shove, a scowl crossing his features. “Fuck off”, he spits. Next to you, Yeonjun chuckles, “Listen to Soobin, won’t you? Don’t you know that the elders eat first?” — Their conversation made your stomach draw into knots, you had walked right into their trap, without even knowing it. Everything had been planned, down to the very, detail, and you had just let it happen. 

“That’s not fair!” The gray haired one objects as he takes a step forward. “I found her.” — “So what?” Beomgyu turns to him with a grimace, “You wanna play finders keepers? Because that’s fucking childish, Taehyun.” — The frown on Taehyun’s face morphs into one of pure rage as he takes a charging step forward, and he would’ve collided with Beomgyu, had it not been for the fifth one who cut in between the two. 

“At this rate, the sun will rise before we’ve even come to a decision”, he growls, easily shoving them apart as his red eyes flicker over to you. — Yeonjun hums, his fingers splayed across the back of your head as he keeps you close. “Then let’s hear Kai’s suggestion”, he says, his voice laced with a fabricated hint of intrigue.  

Kai shrugs, an almost apathetic look striking his features, the soft brown on his hair made him look far more approachable than his peers. “I say we share.” His simple statement is followed by groans and complaints from the others, all but Yeonjun, who quietly hums to himself. — “I’ve heard humans are quite flexible”, he then adds as he takes another step forward, eyes sizing you up as his hand reaches for you. 

But he never manages to touch you, for Yeonjun pulls back with a small hiss. The once nonchalant and almost soft look of his eyes immediately vanishes as Kai’s entire demeanor changes. “Come on, don’t be greedy”, he huffs, taking another step forward and this time, he’s followed by the others. 

It doesn’t take long for Yeonjun to realize that he’s outnumbered and with a frustrated groan, he loosens his grip on you. Your legs feel as though they might give out any second now, but you remain standing. Eyes darting around the cave, you search for a way out, you didn’t know what these creatures were, and you didn’t care to find out either, all you knew was that you had to get away. And with Yeonjun letting you go, you saw an opportunity. 

Your footsteps echo off the damp cave walls as you tear yourself from his loose grasp, sprinting toward the opening. You don’t make it far until something hard crashes into you from behind, another person. — Groaning you blink as you spit the dirt from your mouth, fingers helplessly clawing at the ground as you will yourself to move forward. But the weight of someone else on top of you makes it impossible. 

Long hair tickles the sides of your face and you shiver as you feel a hot tongue slide against the shell of your ear. Beomgyu’s voice comes out a breathless laugh as he says: “Got you.” — Your scream fills the cave as he flips you over, caging you against the cold and hard stoned surface. His hands move feverishly along your sides, pushing your already torn undershirt up above your stomach, causing goosebumps to ripple across your skin. 

But before he can get any further, he’s stopped by Taehyun as he shoves him off of you. “Sorry about that”, he flashes you an apologetic smile, sharp fangs glinting in the warm light of the fire. The second scream about to rip from your throat gets caught there as he scoops you into his arms, barely managing to dodge Beomgyu as he launches after him. 

He sets you down near the fire, ignoring the complaints of both Kai and Soobin as they argue on taking you deeper into the dark and cold cave. Taehyun shakes his head, “She’ll freeze if we do that”, he mutters, “Don’t you know that human bodies are weak?” — “What so you’re saying we should attend to her every need now?” Beomgyu snarls as he joins Taehyun next to you. “She’s going to end up as dinner anyway, I don’t see the big deal”, he huffs. 

Taehyun rolls his eyes as his hands caress the sides of your arms, the movement is surprisingly gentle and he quickly manages to warm your frozen body up. You gulp as your eyes flicker between their small exchange. — “It’s more a respect kind of thing”, Taehyun explains, “besides, it’ll feel better this way.” His red eyes snap over to yours, desire swirling in the depths of crimson. “You want us to make you feel good, don’t you?” He then asks, fingers hovering above the hem of your thin pants. 

Confused, your lips part, and your nervous gaze darts across the cave. Yeonjun and Soobin linger by the shadows, and had it not been for their glowing eyes, you probably would’ve missed them. Kai on the other hand, sits not far from Beomgyu as he watches you with an almost clouded expression. — Your heart rams against your chest, your whole body has been on high alert for so long that you were bound to collapse at any given moment. 

Shouldn't they have killed you already? Torn you to pieces, buried you alive? Who are these creatures and what did they want from you? The question in itself is hardly up for debate and you swallow thickly, hands digging into the uneven layer of dirt and stone beneath you. Make you feel good? What did that mean? — In any case, it couldn’t be much worse than death, could it? 

Slowly, you nod. And the smirk that stretches across Taehyun’s lips makes a chill slither up your spine. The grip around your arms suddenly becomes firm, but not enough to hurt. “You’ll help us, won’t you?” He drawls, gaze flitting down your sparsely dressed body. “We’ll make you feel good in return.” You didn’t know what his words meant, but you didn’t want to find out what gruesome fate might await you, should you deny them. So you nod once more, uttering a meek, “yes.” 

The smirk plastered on his face only widens as Taehyun presses his warm lips against your cold neck. Your eyes shoot open, hands coming to rest atop his shoulders as you try to push him back, but it was to no use. And soon you feel a warm body joining him as Beomgyu snuck up behind you, his hungry fingers sliding across your sides as Taehyun tugs your leggings down. 

“W-Wait, what’s going…going on?” You stammer, thighs clamping shut around Taehyun’s hand as it slithers between them, fingers insistently pushing against your panties. Were they not about to kill you? Tear your limbs apart and rip your chest open? Why were they.. Your train of thought is interrupted by Taehyun who shoves your panties to the side, pushing two slender fingers inside your unprepared cunt. 

The shrill whine you emit, echoes off the cavern walls and your back arches off of Beomgyu’s chest as his hands, locked over your hips, keep you in place. His breath is warm against your neck, long hair tickling you as he presses wet kisses to your shoulder, fervently tugging your shirt down. 

Taehyun has leaned back enough to where he can clearly watch as his fingers slide between your folds. His thumb on your clit sends a small jolt through your body and your stomach flutters. “More?” He suddenly asks, the question coming out as a low growl and before you can consider his next words, you find yourself nodding. 

Without hesitating, he adds a third finger, shoving them as far as they would go, intent on pulling as many lewd sounds from you as possible. — Behind you, Beomgyu groans, his hands digging into the bone of your hips with a force that was bound to bruise. The outline of his hard cock brushes against your lower back and you shudder as your eyes screw shut. “You’re too slow”, he snarls to which Taehyun shoots him a hateful glare. 

Your head weakly turns in the direction of the others. Soobin and Yeonjun remain hidden in the shadows, the sight of their red eyes piercing through the dark. You can hear them talking, and though you can’t pick up on the conversation taking place, it wasn’t particularly hard to guess as their glowing eyes trailed every inch of your body. — Kai had shifted even closer, his jaw clenched as his gaze strayed by Taehyun’s fingers working your soft cunt open. 

You yelp when Beomgyu suddenly shifts behind you, the sounds of fabric being torn filling the dark space as he tears your panties off. “Enough”, he growls, finally making Taehyun back off as he withdraws his now soaked fingers from your throbbing core. — Confused, you turn to look at him, only to be stopped by Taehyun as his hand clasps around your chin. “Forget about him”, he jeers, nudging your thighs open to make room for himself between them. 

“Give her here”, he barks, arm snaking around your waist as he tugs you from Beomgyu’s grasp. You barely manage to process what’s happening until you’re seated on his lap, your leggings discarded in the process. The cool air makes you shiver, the fire next to you doing little to ease the biting chill of the night. — You find Taehyun already looking at you, one arm possessively wrapped around your torso whilst the other one works on undoing the pants he wore. 

Another pair of hands join in, Beomgyu, you think to yourself, as he lifts you enough for Taehyun to slide the head of his cock against your dripping cunt. You whimper, fingers digging into his broad shoulders as you bite your tongue. Embarrassment and shame creeps up your neck, painting your face a bright read as you force yourself to look away from the prying eyes around you. The others don’t seem to mind, as if this was normal to them. 

With one deliberate thrust, Taehyun eases himself inside of you, groaning when you immediately clench down around him. — “How is she?” Kai’s voice suddenly breaks the momenteral silence, and Taehyun cracks an eye open, though not bothering to even glance in the direction of his friend. “Perfect. Fucking perfect”, he states, eyes hungirly roaming your exposed neck before leaning in to drag his sharp teeth against the skin there. 

“Bet she’s just as perfect from behind”, Beomgyu comments, and the words make you go cold. Craning your head to peer his way, you find him already jerking himself off, thick cock sliding between his fingers as he coats himself in his own arousal. — Your eyes widen when you realize just exactly what he’s planning, quickly shaking your head as you turn back to Taehyun with a pleading expression. 

He returns your helpless call with a small grin, not bothering to tear himself from your neck as he assaults it with his lips, leaving all kinds of red hues in his wake. “You said you’d help us, didn’t you?” He murmurs, as if reminding you of an oath you’d pledged to. You didn’t know what would happen if you refused, the thought in itself scared you more than the creature behind you as he aligned himself with your ass. 

Letting your head fall to his shoulder, you screw your eyes shut, fingers tearing Taehyun’s shirt apart when Beomgyu pushed inside your tight hole without warning. — “Fuck”, he exhales, the warmth of his breath sliding down the side of your face before he presses a kiss to your cheek. “She really is perfect”, he muses, large hands feeling up your chest before he slowly begins to move. 

Their thrusts were uncoordinated and unsynced. When paired with the blaring pain Beomgyu caused, and the nearly unbearably stretch of Taehyun’s cock inside your cunt; you weren’t sure of how long you were going to last. — Above their heavy panting, you catch the soft groan Kai emits as he, too, jerks himself off to the sight before him. 

You whimper when Beomgyu’s fingers pinch your nipples through the thin fabric of your shirt, moaning as Taehyun applies pressure to your fluttering clit. They’re both kissing and biting at your neck, making sure to not leave a single spot unharmed. It felt almost as if you were being torn in half as Beomgyu yanked you backward with each thrust up your ass, meanwhile Taehyun tugged you forward as his cock twitched deep inside of your cunt. 

“Quit being greedy”, Beomgyu snarls as his arm wraps around your abdomen, pulling you flush against his chest. Taehyun huffs out a short breath as his hips jerk forward, hands grabbing at your hips to keep you close. — With one final thrust he releases  inside of your already sore cunt, making sure to fuck his cum back into you deliberately as the soft his of a curse passes his lips. His grip on your waist becomes momentarily weakened and Beomgyu seizes the opportunity as he pulls you into his own lap, slamming your ass down on his thick cock. 

You practically scream at the burning intrusion as your thighs twitch on top of his. Taehyun runs a lazy hand through his hair as he tucks himself back into his pants, eyes trained to the way your tits bounced beneath the fabric of his shirt. — The feeling of sharp fangs, prodding against the already bruised skin of your neck, makes you spiral as Beomgyu threatens to pierce right through your beating arteries. 

You’ve stopped caring for the others, their gloomy and watchful gazes mean nothing when all you can think about is the pleasurable burn, spreading through your body like wildfire. Beomgyu’s touches were nothing like Taehyun’s, there was not an ounce of tenderness, for he didn’t seem to hold that trait. 

He stills inside of you, the warmth of his release spreading inside of you as he cums with a strangled groan. Unlike Taehyun, he makes no move to preserve it further, instead he pulls out, and before you know it, you’re back where you started, on the cold and dirty ground. — Your whole body aches, it feels like you’ve run a marathon, perhaps such a thing would’ve been easier. But before you can get up, Taehyun’s by your side again. 

His slender fingers are gentle as he hoists you into his arms, sending a small glare in the direction of Beomgyu. “She won’t last if you treat her like that”, he argues, cradling your nearly limp body to his chest. When he doesn’t receive a reply, Taehyun’s attention returns to you as he brushes a few strands of hair from your face. “You’re perfect”, he whispers, and though his words were likely meant to reassure you, it gave an opposite effect. But you liked Taehyun, he wasn’t as rough as the others had been. 

Though your peace was short lived, because only moments later, another set of hands came grabbing at you. “My turn”, Kai’s voice is eager, bubbling with excitement as Taehyun hesitantly hands you over, like you were a piece of meat, and Kai accepts you with open arms. — His embrace is…surprisingly warm, soft. When peering up at him through your lashes, you find him smiling down at you, but there was something slightly off about the way his lips pulled into a grin. Something you couldn’t quite place. 

He kisses your forehead, the action just as sweet as the rest of his demeanor. Only when the sounds of approaching footsteps reach your ears, do you tense, and so does he. The looming presence of someone else makes you shiver, and you don’t dare turn your head to see who it was, clinging to Kai as your last string of hope. — “What?” He huffs, but receives no answer from the newcomer as they crouch down next to him. 

“Weren’t you the one to suggest that we share?” Soobin’s gloomy voice echoes off the damp cave walls and you watch as Kai’s expression morphs into a small scowl. “Or did that not apply to you?” He then continues, a large hand reaching up to caress the back of your head. — Kai mutters a few short sentences of incoherent murmur before finally budging. 

“But I want her this time”, he quickly adds, his voice coming out snappy. Soobin raises a dark brow in the younger’s direction. — “It’s only fair”, he whines, “I didn’t get any last time.” His once tender grip on your exhausted body turns into an almost possessive one as Kai tugs you against his chest. 

Soobin seems to be considering his words for a brief moment before giving in with a reluctant sigh, settling back on the ground opposite you as he gets comfortable. Kai on the other hand, wastes no time in pressing his face against the juncture of your neck, inhaling your scent with a satisfied hum. His hands wandered down your body, not caring for the way you flinched as his fingers dipped between your legs. 

Gathering the remnants of your arousal, mixed with the release of both Taehyun and Beomgyu, Kai shoves those very fingers into his mouth, groaning at the taste of you. “More”, he exhales, his free hand already stroking his hard cock, it was flushed a deep red, the tip on the verge of turning purple and you wondered how long he’d edged himself for whilst watching you. 

You whimper in slight protests as he lifts your tired body from his lap, fat cock sliding against your already sensitive cunt, still on the brink of the orgasm you never reached. — Somewhere behind you, Beomgyu and Taehyun shuffled about as they got comfortable by the fire, their red and gloomy eyes never leaving you. Yeonjun remained in the shadows, his lingering presence casting the already dark cave in an eerie glow. 

Soobin on the other hand, is lazily palming himself through the worn out jeans he wore, eyes focused on the way Kai slowly slid inside your fluttering cunt. Your soft moan is swallowed by his lips on your own, and your eyes widen, surprised by the intimacy of him initiating a kiss. — A kiss that was very quickly broken by a hand on the back of your head. Soobin’s fingers curl around your hair as he yanks you back, forcing the two of you apart as Kai whines in disapproval. 

“We don’t do that. Remember?” Soobin grunts, and he’s now looming above you, dark gaze staring you down. — Kai grunts out a short response of “I know”, his attention returning to your neck as he continues to suck at the already red skin, hips stuttering up into your cunt that clenched around him with each thrust. 

You whimper in surprise as large fingers hook around the hem of your shirt. Soobin takes his time, slowly ripping the garment apart as he tears it from your chest. The cool falls across you like a blanket, goosebumps rising on your round tits as your nipples harden under the low temperatures. His hands are on your body within seconds, feeling up every inch of you, squeezing the soft flesh of your chest, rolling your nipples between his fingers. His touches are gentle, nothing at all like Beomgyu’s harsh tugs and you find yourself slowly relaxing. 

But letting your guard down was never a good idea. And soon, Soobin’s hand had traveled all the way to your face, locking around your chin as he tilted your head up. Your eyes widen as they’re met with the sight of his cock, only inches from your already open mouth. — You swallow, trying not to consider the sheer size of it as Soobin shoves his tip against your lips, smearing the pre-cum that had spilled from the slit all over your face. 

You resist a small gag as he slides himself into your hot mouth, your tongue caressing the thick veins pulsing around his shaft as he practically tore your jaw open. — A harsh thrust delivered by Kai makes you whine as you stutter around Soobin’s cock, accidently taking him even deeper, causing him to groan above you as his hand slides down the back of your head. 

“F-Fuck, you really are perfect”, Kai breathes, sweat clinging to his forehead as his hand lays splayed across your stomach, pressing down hard enough to where he can feel the outline of his cock pumping in and out of you. — You can barely see through the tears pooling in your eyes as Soobin continues to fuck your throat, forcing you to take him so deep that you thought you might be sick. 

Yet you find yourself reaching out, searching for something to hold onto, your hands landing on Kai’s shoulders. He groans as he feels your nails digging into his skin, tongue dragging across your collarbones as he sucks red marks on to your chest, continuing the pattern left by Beomgyu and Taehyun. The two were currently watching you intently, Beomgyu lazily stroking himself as he whispers something only for Taehyun to hear, and Taehyun grimaces at whatever was being said though he doesn't make any further comment on it. 

Even though you couldn’t see him, you could feel Yeonjun’s presence, lingering by the outskirts of everything taking place, watching from afar. The mere thought of him made your blood run cold. Instead you try to focus on relaxing, unclenching your jaw as you let Soobin use your throat as he pleases. Every twitch of his large cock on your tongue made you gag, but there was little room for any protests and so you endured. 

His hand in your hair keeps you in place, your neck bent at his will. The erratic rhythm of his hips, once force and harsh, turn sloppy and almost lazy. With a small hiss he pulls back, just enough to where his tip rests on your tongue as thick ropes of cum coats your waiting mouth. Your eyes screw shut as he tilts your head down, coating your cheeks in his release, making the heavy liquid mix with your tears as it slides down your cheeks. 

The salty aftertaste lingers on your tongue as you with a trembling hand wipe your lips. Not bothering to tend to you further, Soobin steps back to join the others by the other side of the fire. Your eyes follow his retreating figure, confused by his sudden dismissal, but Kai’s strained groan as he fucks up into you, quickly snaps your attention back to him. 

His eyes are bleary, glazed over in adoration as he peers up at you. “You’re so pretty”, he sighs, “the prettiest one yet.” You didn’t know what he meant by that, you figured it was best not to ask. You remain silent, biting your tongue as you feel your orgasm approach for a second time that night. — Kai wasn’t late to catch on, his fingers moving down to where your bodies joined, thumb pressing against your throbbing clit. 

The tears you had just managed to stop, resurfaced in an instant as you clung to him. It didn’t take long for you to finally tip over the edge, your mind spiraling as your cunt clenched around Kai’s cock with a newfound vigor. You hear him groan, but the sound is a faint background noise, it gets lost in the deafening and ringing sound, filling your ears. All you can think about is the immense shockwaves of pleasure pulsing through you. 

Your grip on Kai’s shoulders grows weaker by the second, until you’re no longer able to hold yourself up. Your eyes grow heavy as fatigue washes over your drained body. The warmth when he finishes inside of you is faint, not nearly as rough or palpable as the others, and before you know it, everything is dark. 

It’s dark for an eternity, you think it might never end. Was this death? Being cursed to an eternal darkness, unable to feel, unable to think, unable to speak. This couldn’t possibly be it. There had to be more. — You tell yourself that there was something else, something greater waiting for you. This wasn’t where you died. That didn’t even make any sense. 

And slowly, you begin to feel again. The rough and cold texture of stone and dirt, it envelops your body, your body that aches, it aches and burns. You tear your eyes open, thinking that maybe it had all just been a bad dream, a very, very, bad dream. But you’re met with the same cold and dark cavern walls, they’re laughing at you, the walls. They’re looking down on you. 

You feel exposed under their gaze, naked and cold. Afraid. Kai is nowhere to be seen, nor is Soobin, Beomgyu or Taehyun. Your head pounds as you gingerly try to sit up, your arms trembling under the mere weight of your upper body. You collapse against the hard stone once more, feeling as though you’d been drained of life. 

It’s quiet, far too quiet, just as quiet as the forest had been. Something lingered here, something that scared even nature itself. It’s then you hear it, the soft rustle of someone else, moving through the shadows. — Red eyes cutting through the darkness, sharp as daggers. And soon enough, Yeonjun emerges from the dark. He moves slowly, taking his time as he approaches your unmoving figure, sprawled out on the floor. 

The fire wasn’t nearly as strong anymore and a different kind of gloom had settled over the cold and wet cave. — When he reaches you, he crouches, bringing a gentle hand out to brush your hair back. “Poor girl”, he hums, “Should’ve known better than to go out in the woods all by yourself.” His voice comes out as the same low and animalistic drawl he’d used to lure you out in the first place. 

You barely notice it when he flips you over, tugging your lifeless body over, making your naked back scrape across the rough stones. His hands spread your thighs apart, eyes trailing over the bruises left on your hips, on your chest, your neck, your arms. — He sighs, shaking his head, like he was disappointed with what he saw. “This is what I get for letting them go first”, he murmurs to himself, the back of his hand swiping away the remnants of cum that stained your cheeks. 

“But you’ll help me too, won’t you?” He then says, and the tone he uses is one so sweet, your stomach almost flutters. Slowly, you nod, lips parting in a reply you never get to utter as Yeonjun presses the tip of his cock against your overstimulated and bruised cunt. Your soft gasp bounces off the walls of the cave, followed by a wanton moan as Yeonjun slowly slides inside your warm core. You’re the warmth they’ve all been looking for, the only thing that kept the cold out. 

He hovers above you, red eyes boring into yours, but they’re not menacing like Beomgyu’s, not filled with adoration like Kai’s, they’re… It’s like they’re looking right through you, baring you open and dwelling deep into your mind, gauging out the darkest of secrets that you kept there. — Yeonjun moves slowly, with deliberate and drawn out thrusts as he feels you clench around him, thighs twitching with every wave of pleasure. 

“You should know better than this, shouldn’t you?” He drawls, relishing in the way your eyes widen at his words. — “So keen on warning your friends, but you forget to keep yourself safe.” He sounds almost sad, melancholic, as if he was grieving you already. But then his expression turns dark, darker than anything you’d ever seen before, and his hips snap against yours. “Or were you?” 

You shiver, avoiding to look at him as your head falls to the side, eyes drifting over the slowly dying fire, the last sparks of life, slowly descending. You felt oddly connected to that fire. A strange spark of resemblance perhaps. — But Yeonjun’s slender fingers around your chin, pulls you back, forcing your hopeless eyes to meet his. 

“Do you know what happened to the boy who cried wolf?” He asks, letting the question linger on his lips, moving in and out of you slowly as he awaits your response. You shake your head, slowly swallowing. — Yeonjun smirks, a smirk so wide that his sharp fangs dug into his bottom lip. 

“The wolf eats him.”

His statement makes your heart drop, realization slowly clawing its way through your clouded mind. The fear was evident on your face, you could tell by the way Yeonjun’s eyes lit up, a newfound hunger swirling within them. — He leans down, sharp teeth scraping across your neck, just like all the others had, but this time, it’s with a promise of death. 

But despite the dangers of your situation, your body keeps on inviting him in, letting him feed on your fear and arousal as Yeonjun continues to pump his hard cock in and out of your throbbing cunt, and you enjoyed every twisted second of it.

For a moment, you thought about your friends, you thought about them, quietly sleeping in their tents, blissfully unaware of the cruel beings surrounding them. You thought about what might take place the following day, a day you were sure you wouldn’t get to experience. You wondered if they would be looking for you, you wondered if they would care. There was so much you had yet to do, but when you try and think of something, anything, your mind goes blank. 

Perhaps you were done. Perhaps this was it. 

You choke out a sob as Yeonjun bites down on your shoulder, hard enough to draw blood. The stinging sensation is followed by the warm feeling that spreads through your stomach as his hips jerk forward one last time, filling your cunt for the third time that night. This time, it felt like the last. 

And Yeonjun doesn't move after that. He keeps you close, inhaling your sweet scent, clinging to your warm body, listening to your beating heart. He doesn't pull out, not even when he lifts you into his arms, cradling you like you were made out of porcelain. It felt comforting, almost like a goodbye. 

Then you hear it, the sounds of footsteps approaching. And soon, the others re-enter the cave. Four sets of glowing eyes, all peering down at you. It’s impossible to read their expressions in the dark, so you didn’t bother. Your attention remains on Yeonjun, blinking slowly when he brushes your hair back a final time. 

“You’ll help us once more, won’t you?” He says, the request coming out as nothing but a short whisper. In the darkness of the cave, you find yourself nodding once more, giving yourself up one last time. Yeonjun smiles, and it’s as close to a genuine smile as he could ever get. — And as the others approach, the echoes of their steps ringing in your ears. Yeonjun leans down, warm breath ghosting over your face. The last thing you feel are sharp fangs, piercings through the skin of your neck, deep enough to where all air left your lungs. 

It became dark after that. And it was dark for an eternity. 

kinktober taglist (send an ask to be added) — @sweetpotatogyu @aduh0308 @joieouioui @inkigayocamman @bambammtori @hkplushier @gyusoulz @eliluvsjjunie @velvetmoonlght @izzyy-stuff @hwanghyunjinismybae @lunathewritingcat @ninitorih @run4gyu @beestvng @bamgeutsz

© all rights reserved ─ @beomiracles 2024

[svt-luna]

ᡴꪫ ⋆ GAME CATERERS X SVT ࣪ ! ˓ ౨ৎ ࣪˖ ─── episode 3-2.

Game Caterers x SEVENTEEN

synopsis: Episode 3-2! We are finally at the last game of the series! Basketball with a twist that ultimately decides if they can go home or not…

oh my goodness!!! we have finally reached the final episode of the game caterers series!!! i just want to quickly thank you lovely humans for patiently waiting for every episode which took so many weeks btw!! i am super grateful that you guys are continuously waiting and supporting me to this day! i am really happy and proud that we have finally finished the first series in my blog. the stan twitter reactions for episode three will officially be the last post for game caterers… and after that… we are officially off to Italy!!!

╰ ౨ৎ LUNA-VERSE MASTERLIST

╰ ౨ৎ fan reactions ╰ ౨ৎ game caterers masterlist

[added captions are in brackets] ᡣ𐭩

bold dialogues are spoken in english ᡣ𐭩

The cameras shifted position, now angled toward the opposite side of the open field, directing their gaze toward the basketball court. The crew had set up there, capturing the vibrant, warm-toned scene as the SEVENTEEN members began to trickle down from the green room.

[This is the most calm video of all SEVENTEEN's videosin the last 9 years]

Each one wore a bright red basketball jersey with their number in the official order, emblazoned across the back in bold black and white. As they headed toward the basketball court, a mix of chatter and laughter accompanied them.

Hoshi stretched his arms overhead, a determined look on his face. “I’m not good at basketball. I’ll just go with guts,” he declared, eyes fixed on the court as if sheer willpower would guide him through.

Dokyeom grinned, walking beside him with casual confidence. “Hoshi, sports is all about guts,” he replied, giving Hoshi an encouraging pat on the back. As they neared the edge of the court, he added, “Sports bring you closer by making you run into each other.”

“Yes, like ‘Slam Dunk’,” Dokyeom continued, nodding with a theatrical expression of seriousness.

“I’ll be like Hanamichi Sakuragi,” Hoshi told them.

Jeonghan, hands tucked lazily in his pockets as he walked, glanced over at Hoshi, amused. “Okay. Come on, Hanamichi,” he indulged, a hint of a smirk on his face.

“Who else is there aside from Hanamichi Sakuragi? I want to join,” Dokyeom said as they finally stepped onto the court.

Wonwoo, who had been listening to their animated conversation, looked over at him thoughtfully. “Do you want to play Takenori Akagi?” he suggested, his voice low but playful.

Dokyeom nodded immediately, adopting an exaggeratedly serious face. “Okay!”

Around them, members continued filtering onto the court, their laughter filling the air as they warmed up, but Luna and Seungkwan were noticeably absent. Hoshi, energized by the anticipation, suddenly darted across the court and stopped at the free-throw line. He raised his right hand high and imitated a shot, exclaiming with conviction, “The left hand only assists the right!”

Vernon raised an eyebrow, chuckling as he watched Hoshi’s exaggerated form. “What was that?” he asked, a smirk spreading across his face.

S.Coups shook his head with a chuckle, mimicking Hoshi’s earlier movement with his hands. “The left hand only assisted,” he laughed, rolling his eyes as he did so.

The members began lining up one by one, each taking turns shooting the basketball as they waited for everyone to arrive. Mingyu, holding the ball for his shot, grinned. “Nice. One ball is enough to have fun,” he remarked, dribbling a few times before taking his shot.

[Everyone is here except for Seungkwan and Luna]

A few minutes passed, and still no sign of Luna and Seungkwan. Hoshi, now restless with excitement, glanced toward the direction of the green room and called out, his voice carrying across the field. “Seungkwan-ah! Jiyeonie! Hurry up! We’re waiting for you!”

His shout was met with laughter from the members, some shaking their heads in amusement. And then, just over the hill, Luna and Seungkwan appeared, Seungkwan dragging a laughing Luna along by the arm with a dramatic look of exasperation on his face.

[He looks tired already]

As they drew closer, Seungkwan called out, “Noona was taking forever to decide if she wanted her hair down or up,” his tone playful yet mockingly exhausted.

Luna struggled in his hold, laughing as she tried to keep up with his pace. Her hair was down, loose waves framing her face. She wore her red SEVENTEEN basketball jersey in her own unique style— one side tucked up, giving it a cropped look that revealed a hint of her side, paired with a relaxed, white pair of parachute pants that moved with every step.

“I’m sorry,” Luna said, finally reaching the group with an apologetic smile. “It was a genuine problem.”

The members laughed, watching her with fond smiles, each accustomed to her usual dilemmas when it came to fashion and styling choices. For them, it was all part of her charm.

Mingyu walked over to the bleachers, a thoughtful look on his face as he sat down. After a moment, he lifted his hand, gesturing to the group. “Let’s get a group picture,” he announced, his voice carrying with a hint of excitement. “Everyone, this way, please.”

One by one, the members slowly made their way toward the bleachers. Some moved with ease, hands tucked into pockets or slung over shoulders, while others laughed and nudged each other as they picked their spots. They settled in three rows, their jerseys bright red against the muted, natural tones of the field around them.

As he took his seat, Dokyeom’s gaze landed on a small stuffed bunny positioned beside Mingyu. The plush toy sported a tiny SEVENTEEN jersey and even had a pair of glasses perched on its nose. His eyes lit up with recognition.

“Oh, I know this one,” Dokyeom exclaimed, pointing at the bunny. “I drew it,” he added with a proud smile, a hint of nostalgia in his voice as he settled into his spot, admiring his earlier prize from the ‘Super’ Store game segment earlier.

[DK's favorite doll, Torong]

Luna took her place in the middle row, wedging herself between Hoshi and Seungkwan, who made exaggerated gestures to make room for her with playful smiles. She leaned back, catching her breath, then adjusted her jersey, her hair falling around her shoulders.

As they all settled, each member struck a different pose. Some threw peace signs, others leaned forward or back with playful grins, and a few simply folded their arms, attempting a serious look for the picture.

[The photo theme: basketball players]

After a few clicks, Mingyu raised his thumb, directing them all with a smile. “Right thumbs up,” he told them, and the team lifted their right thumbs in unison, matching smiles spreading across their faces as they held the pose.

After the group photo, they made their way down from the bleachers, gathering at the center of the field where the camera crew and production team had set up once again. PD Na, seated comfortably up front with the other writers, smiled as the group assembled in front of him.

“This is the last part,” PD Na started, his tone both serious and playful. “You’re going to play basketball.”

Minghao stood to the side, clutching a small whistle, his expression more reserved. PD Na continued, explaining with a glance in his direction, “Since The8 has a shoulder problem, he’ll be the referee. Luna’s fingers are also injured, so she’ll be the cheerleader.”

Minghao brought the whistle to his lips, letting out a light, somewhat hesitant blow, which was barely audible, earning quiet chuckles from the group. Luna nodded, visibly content with her role on the sidelines, her fingers carefully resting in front of her.

“It’ll be six on six,” PD Na added as he glanced at the group, while Minghao gave another soft whistle.

[Even with two missing, they can still play 6 on 6]

“You’re pretty good,” PD Na complimented, causing Minghao to break into a shy smile.

As the whistle’s sound faded, PD Na resumed, moving on to the team selection. “The two best players will come forward and choose five people each with rock-paper-scissors,” he said, eyes scanning the group as he waited.

[Team selection rules]

With a slight nod, S.Coups stepped forward, a hint of a grin on his face. “Seungkwan and I will do it,” he declared, glancing back with confidence.

Dokyeom, however, was already making his way forward with a mock swagger, a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth, feigning a look of cockiness. PD Na couldn’t contain his laughter at the sight. “DK is coming forward,” he laughed, watching as S.Coups gently nudged Dokyeom back, causing laughter to ripple through the group.

[Takenori Akagi is out]

Meanwhile, Mingyu tilted his head, glancing over at PD Na with a mixture of disbelief and curiosity. “Are we playing real basketball?” he asked, his brow furrowed slightly. “I thought we had to use a scoop to score or something.”

“No, you’re playing real basketball,” PD Na confirmed.

Almost everyone chorused, “Really?” their expressions were a mix of amusement and skepticism, finding it hard to believe that the game wouldn’t come with some sort of twist.

Luna, observing their reactions with a laugh, shook her head. “The catch will come soon, watch.”

Seungkwan chuckled, enthusiasm radiating from him. “I played basketball at Jamwon Han River Park yesterday too.”

Dokyeom chimed in, nodding toward PD Na, “We love basketball.”

[That's why we prepared this game]

[Team selection]

[S.Coups versus Seungkwan]

With that, the rock-paper-scissors showdown began. After a quick match, S.Coups won the first round and wasted no time in selecting his team. “Mingyu,” he called out, gesturing confidently toward him.

“No,” Mingyu replied playfully, though a grin spread across his face.

Jeonghan chuckled, watching the selection with a spark of mischief. “Right. You need someone big,” he commented, earning a laugh from the group.

With the next pick, Seungkwan’s voice rang out with a clear choice. “I choose Jeonghan,” he announced.

[2 ace players team up]

Another round of rock-paper-scissors followed, ending with S.Coups victorious once again. “Joshua,” he called.

Seungkwan countered, glancing around as he chose Vernon with a smile. “I’ll go with Vernon. He’s a zombie defender.”

The two continued their picks, with each choice narrowing down the players until two teams were fully assembled. Finally, the teams stood divided: Team White with S.Coups, Mingyu, Joshua, Dokyeom, Jun, and Dino, while Team Red consisted of Seungkwan, Jeonghan, Hoshi, Wonwoo, Vernon, and Woozi.

[Team White versus Team Red]

With the teams established, the members of Team White moved to change, swapping out their red jerseys for fresh white ones bearing the SEVENTEEN logo, their excitement palpable as they readied for the game ahead.

Once Team White finished changing into their fresh jerseys, they gathered at the center of the field alongside Team Red, eyes turned expectantly toward PD Na. He glanced around to make sure everyone was listening.

“The rule is simple,” he began. “It’s three on three. But each of you must play at least once.” The members nodded, some of them voicing their understanding with murmurs of agreement.

“Another important rule.” But as PD Na took a brief pause, Luna chuckled knowingly, anticipation lighting up her face. “There it is.”

PD Na continued with a mischievous glint in his eyes. “It’ll be Hunminjeongeum basketball.”

The group immediately erupted in groans, knowing exactly what that meant. This wasn’t going to be a normal basketball game.

PD Na raised a hand to explain further. “The moment the players or the audience speak a foreign language, the score resets.”

“Does it really reset?” Dokyeom asked, eyebrows raised.

“To zero,” PD Na confirmed, a smirk playing on his lips.

Woozi crossed his arms, leaning back a bit with a shrug. “That works for me. I can’t play basketball at all.”

Mingyu looked at him, unconvinced. “You know how to pass and shoot.”

Woozi tilted his head, conceding slightly. “I know that much.”

“That’s all English,” Mingyu pointed out.

“You can’t say shoot,” Jun added, glancing pointedly at Woozi.

Hoshi jumped in, breaking out in English with a playful confidence, “Hey. Okay.” He threw himself into an exaggerated re-enactment, pretending he was mid-game, showing the others exactly what they couldn’t do.

Seungkwan turned to PD Na with a thoughtful expression. “Are the names okay?”

PD Na shook his head. “No, not even the names.”

Everyone looked around in surprise, murmurs, and exclamations breaking out all at once, caught off guard by the strictness of the rule.

Luna deadpanned, a serious look crossing her face. “I don’t think we will be going home today.”

Joshua raised a hand, smiling as he posed a question. “What about foreigners?”

PD Na nodded in Luna’s direction as she answered on his behalf, “Everyone will use their Korean names.”

Vernon raised his hand, a slight smile on his face. “Hansol,” he said, pointing at himself.

Jun’s brow furrowed as he looked at PD Na, hesitant. “Does Jun count as English?”

PD Na shrugged. “This is not an official game. So all rules are up to the referee.”

[What the referee says is the law]

Minghao, the appointed referee, tilted his head innocently, a playful glimmer in his eyes. “What if the referee doesn’t know the rules?” he asked, his voice laced with mock innocence.

Everyone burst out laughing, PD Na included. Mingyu echoed the question with a laugh, “What if he doesn’t?”

Luna grinned, reaching over to give Minghao’s shoulder a supportive squeeze. “I’ll help you, Hao,” she said affectionately, finding his comment both adorable and endearing.

[Anyway, it's all up to the referee]

With a smirk, PD Na gave the final directive, “The first team to get twenty-one wins.”

Luna didn’t miss a beat, deadpanning once more as she leaned against Minghao’s side, her face scrunched up in doubt. “I don’t think we’ll reach the tens,” she remarked, earning another round of laughter from the group.

[She has no faith in them whatsoever]

Mingyu, always one to tease, pinched her side playfully, making her jerk back slightly. She shot him a look, sticking her tongue out at him with a grin.

“It’ll be zero the whole time,” Jeonghan added, sharing in Luna’s skepticism.

As the laughs subsided, the players steeled themselves, ready for a game that would clearly be anything but typical.

[Hunminjeongeum basketball begins]

The teams began to disperse, each group huddling together, strategizing with enthusiasm and an eagerness that hinted at their competitive sides. Some members bounced the basketball, others shuffled around, loosening up.

Meanwhile, Luna, lighthearted as ever, skipped over to the sidelines, hand in hand with Minghao, her fingers interlaced with his. “Let’s go, Hao,” she said, her voice full of playful energy as they made their way toward the bleachers to watch from the sidelines.

Jeonghan looked at his team, calm but focused. “Let’s go with Hoshi, Seungkwan, and Vernon,” he instructed, his tone low and clear, suggesting his confidence in their abilities as he glanced between the three members. They nodded in agreement, quickly organizing themselves as the first lineup.

Across from them, Team White finalized their lineup with Mingyu, Joshua, and Dokyeom stepping forward, the three of them preparing with a blend of focus and excitement.

[Big people against big people]

The rest of the members settled themselves on the bleachers, eagerly watching the setup unfold. Minghao stood at the right side of the bleachers, while Luna positioned herself on the left, her stance casual as she waited for the game to begin.

Seated comfortably on the bleachers, Jeonghan reached over, his hand brushing against Luna’s arm with a gentle, almost absentminded touch, inviting her closer. She shifted toward him naturally, her attention still on the game ahead as they stood side by side, shoulders nearly touching. With a slight smirk, Jeonghan called out to the players, “Hoshi, just run to the place with no people.”

Hoshi took off immediately, following the advice, darting toward an empty spot on the court.

[Since Hoshi doesn't know anyway, he just warms up]

Jeonghan nodded his head with approval. “Good,” he murmured quietly, turning back to Luna as he traced gentle circles into her hand, which rested in his.

Just then, a staff member walked over, slowly handing Luna a set of red and white pom-poms. Luna chuckled, her gaze drifting from the vibrant pom-poms to the staff member, amusement evident in her smile. “Is this really necessary?” she asked with a soft laugh, her eyes bright as she accepted the pom-poms with one hand, keeping her other firmly intertwined with Jeonghan’s.

[She’s a cheerleader for today]

From his spot on the bleachers, Wonwoo leaned over, raising an eyebrow at her. “What team are you cheering for?”

Luna shook the pom-poms lightly, fluffing them up with a playful shrug. “Both…” she replied, her voice lilting with humor. She gave the pom-poms a final shake before adding in a softer tone, “Whoever wins,” her casual remark drawing laughs from the group.

Jeonghan looked at her, a knowing smile playing on his lips as he pointed out, “You’re wearing red.”

Luna tilted her head at him, her eyes gleaming with a mischievous spark. “Then win,” she shot back, punctuating her challenge with a wink.

Jeonghan’s grin widened as he looked back at Luna, her wink and confident challenge igniting a spark in his eyes. He leaned in slightly, lowering his voice so that only she could hear. “Alright,” he murmured, his tone soft but filled with determination. His gaze lingered on her, holding her attention for a beat longer, the hint of a competitive glint in his eyes promising he’d give it everything he had.

Minghao stepped forward, his voice clear as he took up his role as referee. “To your positions,” he instructed, gesturing for the players to take their places on the court.

The first three players from each team responded immediately: Seungkwan, Hoshi, and Vernon for Team Red moved to one side of the court, while Mingyu, Joshua, and Dokyeom from Team White positioned themselves on the opposite side. The rest of the members, anticipating the match, gathered on the bleachers, eager to watch the action unfold.

Luna, with a mischievous smile, shook her pom-poms and called out from her spot near the bleachers. “Fighting! I believe in you guys!” Her voice rang cheerfully, bringing a wave of encouragement to both teams.

Seungkwan quickly looked to Vernon, determined to start the game strong. “Hansol, mark Mingyu,” he instructed, emphasizing their focus on strategy and using Vernon’s Korean name to avoid slipping up on the language rule.

Mingyu, sensing Seungkwan’s readiness, chuckled and reassured him with a laid-back attitude. “It’s okay. It’s only 0:0,” he pointed out, nodding towards Seungkwan, already in the spirit of the game and noting the smooth switch to Korean names.

Meanwhile, Dokyeom made his own preparations, eyeing his opponents carefully. “I’ll mark Soonyoung,” he offered, squaring his shoulders.

Hoshi nodded in agreement, glancing back at Dokyeom with a grin. “Okay, Seokmin,” he replied, “I can’t call you DK, can I?” Already aware of the no-English rule, Hoshi’s playful tone underscored the competitive but lighthearted nature of the match.

[DK is okay, but okay is not okay]

From the sidelines, Jeonghan, lounging casually on the bleachers, gave his team a confident signal. “Good. Let’s go. Start.” He declared with a nod, giving them the final encouragement to get going.

[The game begins]

Mingyu took advantage of the moment to remind them of a slight technical loophole, a last-minute suggestion as they shifted into action. “We can speak English until we score,” he pointed out, just loud enough for his teammates. Then, in English, he added, “Can you pass me the ball?” gesturing to Seungkwan, who dribbled carefully, eyes darting for openings as his teammates positioned themselves strategically.

Observing Seungkwan’s movement, S.Coups leaned forward, offering insight from the bleachers. “Hoshi’s turning around,” he called, as Hoshi quickly moved across the court, marking his territory on the other side.

With a quick flick of his wrist, Seungkwan passed the ball to Vernon, who, without missing a beat, caught it smoothly. In a swift, calculated motion, he scanned the court, recognizing Hoshi’s position on the other side, and passed the ball across the court to him. Hoshi received it and seemed poised to shoot, but Dokyeom’s defense was tight. Realizing he had no clear shot, Hoshi pivoted, aiming a precise pass back to Seungkwan instead.

“Seungkwan, come up. Lay up,” Dino’s voice rang out from the sidelines, encouragement evident in his tone. Seungkwan, fueled by the support, moved swiftly toward the basket. He took the shot— a smooth layup— but luck wasn’t on his side, and the ball bounced off the rim.

Joshua, acting on reflex, caught the rebound. He dribbled once, trying to line up for a quick shot. He aimed, but the ball clanged against the rim, missing again.

“Leave the box,” Mingyu’s voice cut through, directing Joshua to back out of the key. Joshua stepped out, positioning himself outside the paint, scanning for a potential three-point shot.

[Joshua got a chance for a 3-pointer]

“He has to leave, right?” Minghao asked, looking toward PD Na for confirmation.

PD Na nodded, confirming, “You need to leave the box.”

Once Joshua was in position, he took a deep breath, braced himself, and launched a three-point attempt. The ball arced toward the basket, everyone holding their breath as it hit the top of the backboard and bounced out of bounds.

[Bounce]

A chorus of groans rose from the bleachers. Woozi’s voice was the first to break through the disappointment. “It’s out,” he called, arms crossed as he leaned back, his face showing a hint of frustration.

Jeonghan shook his head from the sidelines, letting out an amused sigh. “That was a ridiculous shot,” he observed dryly, adding a bit of levity to the moment.

Luna, catching the mood, shook her pom-poms with exaggerated enthusiasm, calling out with a bright tone. “It’s okay! Fighting!” she encouraged with a mock cheerful voice, causing PD Na to laugh and point at her from his spot, clearly entertained by her dramatic cheer.

Mingyu, still focused, checked the scoreboard and shook his head. “It’s still 0:0. No one’s going to score,” he said, hands on his hips, as he looked back at his team with a determined expression.

With that, Seungkwan took control again, dribbling the ball with focused energy as he scanned for an opening. Hoshi, ever the energetic tiger, darted around the court, narrating his moves in a loud, confident voice. “The counterattack of the tiger!” he announced as he circled around, trying to break through Mingyu and Dokyeom’s defense.

[While the tiger jumps around, Seungkwan got a chance]

Seungkwan seized the opportunity and took a sharp shot. The ball flew through the air, finally making its way into the basket.

[He scores easily]

The bleachers erupted in cheers, Luna jumping up and down with enthusiasm as she shook her pom-poms vigorously. “That’s two points,” PD Na announced, finally marking a breakthrough.

“No English from now on,” Mingyu reminded his teammates firmly.

“Good,” Hoshi replied, his tone brimming with excitement as he jogged back.

“He scored,” Wonwoo confirmed, flipping the scoreboard numbers with a grin.

Woozi, ever the strategist, leaned into the red team with a serious expression. “We need to focus from now on,” he instructed, drawing nods of agreement from his teammates.

“Be careful,” Jeonghan added, his voice a steady reminder from the sidelines, signaling the players to stay sharp and avoid mistakes that might reset their hard-earned score.

Seungkwan, breathing heavily but with a triumphant smile, slapped hands with Hoshi and Vernon in a quick team celebration. “Hansol, Hoshi, Seungkwan. Good job,” he told himself and his teammates with a quiet, self-assured nod.

With the briefest pause, Mingyu then gestured toward the Red Team, keeping the game momentum going. “Excuse me. Please start. Please,” he said with an authoritative tone, his words conveying both a tease and a hint of challenge.

Joshua, still in the zone and with his team scoreless, seized the chance to keep things light but competitive, smirking, he added, “Let’s go. Hurry up,” hoping to tease Red Team into losing their focus.

Dino, seated on the bleachers, grinned at his team’s freedom with language for the moment. “Okay, we haven’t scored yet. Good,” he observed aloud, almost in approval of their strategic advantage.

The ball returned to play, this time firmly in Vernon’s hands. He glanced around, calculating the pass, and with a practiced flick, he sent it toward Hoshi. But Hoshi, his focus wavering for a split second, almost missed. He chased after the ball, eyes locked as it bounced closer to the sidelines, only to lose it as it rolled out of bounds toward the production team.

[The tiger finally got the ball for the first time]

“It’s okay,” Seungkwan called out, the reassurance in his tone bringing Hoshi’s frustration down a notch.

With a quick movement, Dokyeom scooped the ball up and lobbed it toward Mingyu, who took position, lining up his shot. He stepped back, squared his shoulders, and, with a measured push, sent the ball arcing toward the basket. It swished cleanly through the net, catching the White Team up to tie the score.

[Team White catches up]

As his teammates celebrated, Mingyu clasped his hand over his mouth, a half-smile creeping in. He raised a finger to his lips, his eyes flicking meaningfully between each teammate as a shushing motion— no more English, no more slip-ups that could jeopardize their points now that they were finally even.

From her spot on the sidelines, Luna couldn’t contain her excitement. She jumped up, pom-poms flying in a flurry of color, and shouted, “Wow! Kim Mingyu!” The admiration in her voice was unmistakable, her cheer earnest as she praised anyone who made a good shot.

Even PD Na joined in, nodding toward Mingyu. “He’s really tall,” he commented, unable to resist noting Mingyu’s natural advantage on the court.

On the bleachers, S.Coups folded his arms, his expression one of measured caution. “You need to be careful from now on,” he warned, his voice carrying across the court like a coach reminding his players of the stakes.

Joshua now had possession, dribbling steadily as he sought an opening. His eyes locked onto Mingyu, who signaled his readiness. Joshua aimed a pass in his direction, but Vernon, quick as ever, sprang forward, intercepting with a well-timed block. The ball ricocheted off his fingers, only for Joshua to recover possession. Pivoting, he squared his shoulders and released a shot— only for it to bounce off the rim, missing the net by inches.

The ball bounced into Dokyeom’s hands, who immediately took advantage of the rebound. He dribbled twice, calculating his next move, before aiming a pass toward Mingyu. But just as he threw it, Seungkwan lunged forward, intercepting the ball with a skillful grab. He dribbled fast, Joshua at his heels, trying to steal it back with quick, agile movements.

From the bleachers, Jeonghan straightened, calling out to him with a calm yet firm tone. “Seungkwan.”

S.Coups followed up, “Joshua, get closer,” his voice steady and strategic, urging Joshua to close the gap.

Hoshi darted in behind Seungkwan, matching his speed and murmuring quietly, “Kwan, I’m right behind you,” a note of encouragement evident in his voice, urging him to pass.

Seungkwan glanced back at Hoshi, who seemed ready to take over. But before he could make a move, Joshua shifted closer, cutting off his line of sight. Seungkwan gritted his teeth, waiting for the right moment, finally breaking free from Joshua’s block. In one smooth motion, he passed the ball to Vernon, who, without hesitation, relayed it to Hoshi with a precise, angled pass.

Hoshi caught the ball, his gaze settling on the basket. He raised an eyebrow, a hint of a grin creeping in. “Do you think I can do it?” he asked, his voice carrying a trace of playful challenge as he adjusted his grip.

Luna, from the sidelines, raised her pom-poms, her voice clear and full of encouragement. “Oppa, you can do it!”

Seungkwan, positioning himself in front of Mingyu to prevent interference, called out, “Give it a shot. Trust yourself.”

“Soonyoung, Shoot!” Jeonghan’s voice rang out in English, the unintentional slip causing his eyes to widen as he caught his own mistake. He clamped a hand his mouth shut, freezing as he realized the consequences.

Luna, her reflexes quick, spun to face him. Her body blocked the camera’s view as she chuckled at his blunder, a hand over her own mouth to stifle her laughter. “Ya!” She whispered under her breath, her voice playful but low, hoping no one else caught the slip.

Oblivious to Jeonghan’s mistake, Hoshi refocused, releasing his shot with a flick of his wrist. The ball sailed toward the net, only to bounce off the rim and back onto the court.

[Soonyoung failed to score]

From the bleachers, Jun’s eyes lit up, a mischievous glint in them as he pointed toward Jeonghan. “Jeonghan spoke English!” he announced gleefully, his tone triumphant as he snitched.

Jeonghan turned, feigning innocence with a casual shrug. “What?” he replied, his tone smooth, as if unaware of any mishap. He glanced at Luna, his eyes searching hers with a playful look. “Did I?”

All eyes turned toward her, expecting confirmation. Her expression froze, her wide eyes betraying her surprise. Realizing the focus was now on her, she slowly turned her head away, her gaze lifting to the sky as if she’d found something fascinating in the clouds. Her lips curved into an innocent smile, trying to hide the fact that looking at Jeonghan any longer might make her burst into laughter.

[Out of sight, out of mind]

From his spot on the bleachers, S.Coups chuckled, crossing his arms and pointing at Jeonghan with amusement. “You clearly did.”

PD Na nodded, clapping his hands once. “It’s back to zero,” he announced, resetting the Red Team’s points with a definitive call.

Jun, unable to contain his satisfaction, grinned widely, pumping a fist in the air. “Gotcha,” he said excitedly, looking straight at Jeonghan, who just shrugged, leaning back on the bench with a lazy, nonchalant air, seemingly unbothered by the setback.

Luna, still shaking with silent laughter, pointed at Jun, a glint of amusement in her eyes. “You’re next,” she muttered with a knowing smile, her tone low enough for only him to hear, fully aware that Jeonghan would surely have a playful comeback waiting for Jun soon.

Hoshi’s voice cut through the chatter as he clapped his hands, rallying the players on the court. “Okay,” he called, a spark of intensity in his tone as he encouraged them, eager to keep the game moving.

“Let’s go, guys!” Luna’s pom-poms flashed as she raised them high, her voice filled with energy.

“We need to continue broadcasting for our friends,” Jeonghan reminded the players with a smile, knowing they had an audience eager to see them give it their all, his eyes scanning his quieter teammates. He gave a pointed look to those who had fallen silent, cautious about slipping into English.

Jun met his gaze with an exaggerated nod as if to confirm his dedication. “Yes. I am,” he replied, his voice calm yet filled with mock solemnity.

On the court, Dokyeom had secured the ball, eyes keenly watching Hoshi, who positioned himself squarely in his path, arms spread to defend. Dokyeom’s gaze darted, analyzing Hoshi’s stance, his movements swift as he shifted to feint. Hoshi mirrored him, moving with agility, staying just close enough to keep Dokyeom from making an easy pass.

[Hoshi is the busiest, but he's not really doing anything]

After a quick fake to his left, Dokyeom took advantage of the narrow gap and pivoted, sending the ball soaring across to Joshua, who stood ready, anticipating the pass. Joshua’s fingers wrapped around the ball in a smooth, practiced catch.

“Let’s go!” Jeonghan cheered from the sidelines, his voice ringing out in support of Hoshi’s tight defense.

“Come on!” S.Coups added, his encouragement directed at Joshua, rooting for his attempt to break through Hoshi’s defense.

Joshua moved with intent, sizing up Hoshi, who met him head-on with a determined gaze. Hoshi shifted his stance, maintaining his stance directly in Joshua’s line. Joshua angled his body, feeling the pressure of Hoshi’s close guard, and with a final glance at his options, passed the ball smoothly back to Dokyeom, who had shifted into an open space.

With fluid movement, Dokyeom redirected the ball, passing it off to Mingyu, who now held control, watching the defenders around him.

“Mingyu, go for it!” S.Coups’s voice rang out in support, his words carrying both urgency and anticipation.

But instead of attempting the shot himself, Mingyu spotted Dokyeom near the basket and made a quick decision. With a swift pivot, he sent the ball to Dokyeom, who caught it, turned, and jumped, releasing the ball in a clean, practiced shot. The ball soared through the air and sank into the net with a satisfying swish.

[DK scores again]

A cheer erupted from the White Team, who clapped in celebration as they witnessed Dokyeom’s successful shot.

[Perfect teamwork of boys born in '97]

“Nice!” S.Coups shouted, his enthusiasm overriding his caution, as he stood up in a burst of excitement. But realization dawned immediately as his hand flew to his mouth, his eyes widening in shock at the English word that had slipped out.

[Slip of the tongue]

Luna turned to S.Coups with a chuckle, her tone teasing as she said, “The members on the bleachers are the ones messing up.” She let out a laugh, shaking her head as she looked at him.

Jeonghan’s hand shot up with the speed of a kid eager to answer in class. “Producer Na!” he called out, his finger already pointing at S.Coups as expected, wasting no time. His voice was filled with mock righteousness, almost as if he’d been waiting for the opportunity to call out someone else.

[Snitch]

“S.Coups said ‘nice.’ The score resets.” PD Na nodded in agreement, his tone final as he announced, “The score resets,” loud enough for everyone on the court to hear.

Confusion flashed across Dokyeom’s face as he turned to Mingyu. “Who said ‘nice’?” he asked, his brows furrowed.

“He did.” Mingyu pointed toward S.Coups, who was already making his way to the court as the teams prepared to switch members. Team White rotated, with Dokyeom, Mingyu, and Joshua heading to the bleachers, while S.Coups, Dino, and Jun took their places on the court.

“Why did you say ‘nice’?” Dokyeom’s voice carried a hint of mock disapproval, his expression exaggeratedly serious as he questioned S.Coups.

Luna chimed in, her tone playfully scolding, though laced with amusement, “No fighting, guys. You’re both tied at zero now anyway.” She swayed the words in a sing-song tone, knowing neither of them were genuinely upset.

Jeonghan gave a firm nod, his expression one of comical agreement. “No, we must compliment,” he added, his voice feigning the utmost seriousness.

“Good job,” Wonwoo piped in from his seat, keeping the spirit of praise going with a casual nod toward his teammates.

PD Na chuckled, his eyes narrowing with playful suspicion as he addressed the commentators. “The commentators are speaking too much English. We better watch them,” he said, motioning to his team. He and the two other producers and writers moved to sit behind SEVENTEEN, clearly prepared to monitor the situation more closely.

Jeonghan glanced back, a mischievous glint in his eyes. “Why don’t we let it slide if the producers don’t notice?” he suggested, raising a brow, his voice carrying a note of sly humor.

“But we point it out. We tell them,” Mingyu replied, holding a straight face as he held Jeonghan’s gaze.

“Let’s not tell them,” Jeonghan countered, his tone casual, enough to draw laughter from Mingyu and Luna.

Luna turned to Jeonghan, her voice filled with playful accusation. “You snitched earlier. So fast, in fact,” she teased, giving him a gentle bump with her hip.

Jeonghan’s grin widened as he looked down at her, unbothered. “Ey, that was just one time,” he replied, his voice a mixture of self-assurance and playfulness.

Luna chuckled, nodding toward PD Na and the writers seated behind them. “Plus, why didn’t you think of that earlier? PD Na is right behind us.”

Mingyu turned to S.Coups, his face filled with mock disappointment. “We were playing nice and quiet. Why did you have to say ‘nice’?” His voice carried an air of exasperation, though the smile that tugged at his lips gave him away.

Dokyeom followed suit, shaking his head. “Seriously, Park Bo Gum,” he muttered, the nickname still in play from S.Coups’s earlier blunder.

S.Coups shrugged, meeting their looks with a challenging grin. “Hey, S.Coups. Do it right,” Mingyu warned him with a teasing tone, pointing in mock admonishment.

“I’ll be watching you,” S.Coups replied, his finger aimed back in defiance.

“Come on!” Seungkwan, now holding the ball, shouted, his eyes lit with determination as he cheered his team forward.

“Let’s go!” Luna and Wonwoo chorused, their voices blending as they encouraged their teammates from the sidelines.

Dino, adrenaline rushing, started to cheer for his team, “My team—” he stopped, catching himself mid-sentence as the realization hit him that he’d spoken in English.

S.Coups, still lighthearted, reassured him, “It’s okay. We’re at zero.” He eyed Dino with a grin, calming any concerns.

[No points to lose]

Mingyu, always quick to keep things entertaining, stood up with a dramatic flair. “Calm down, calm down,” he repeated in English, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he continued, “Not yet, not yet.”

“That’s okay, bro,” Dokyeom followed, his words slipping into English as he added his own brand of encouragement.

“Just do, just do,” Mingyu chimed in again, his laughter evident as he sat back down.

Luna, her laughter bubbling over, pointed at Mingyu, her voice filled with affection as she teased, “Gyu-gyu and Kyeomie are so cute.”

As the whistle blew, signaling the start of the new round, the atmosphere crackled with renewed energy. Minghao stood with an air of official authority, the whistle still dangling from his fingers as he took his place on the sidelines.

[The game resumes]

Team Red remained steady with Seungkwan, Hoshi, and Vernon, ready to secure their lead. Across from them, Team White shuffled in fresh players: Jun, S.Coups, and Dino stepped onto the court, each visibly focused intensity.

Seungkwan gripped the ball, his eyes darting between Vernon and Hoshi, who was already breaking into motion, weaving around Team White like synchronized dancers. He smirked, shaking his head in amusement at their fervor. “You don’t have to run around so much, or you’ll be tired,” he teased, loud enough for both teams to hear, drawing hearty laughter from everyone on the court and the sidelines.

After a beat, Seungkwan lobbed the ball towards Vernon, who leaped and caught it, instantly setting up for a shot. He lined up his aim and released, but the ball arced just shy of the hoop, bouncing off the rim before Dino lunged forward, catching it in both hands with impressive speed.

[Failed to score]

“Good job. I’m proud of you,” Seungkwan said with mock solemnity, pointing at Vernon. On the sidelines, Wonwoo chuckled, commenting dryly, “They had a chance.”

Dino took over possession, dribbling with agility as he searched for an opening. He maneuvered with quick, nimble steps, clearly aiming to get closer to the hoop. As he neared the basket, he attempted a layup with an air of confidence— only for the ball to slip from his hands, veering behind the backboard in a surprising misfire.

Mingyu’s gaze tracked Dino’s movement, and he muttered, “The way he dances…” His words trailed off, his appreciation lost in hesitation. Dokyeom, seated beside him, couldn’t resist intervening. “Think before you speak,” he advised, patting Mingyu on the shoulder with a wise expression.

“Okay,” Mingyu replied, resigning himself with a sheepish grin, while PD Na chuckled loudly behind them, clearly enjoying the banter.

[They're funny]

The game resumed, and Seungkwan took the ball again, launching it from across the court to Vernon, who was positioned near the hoop. “Nice attack,” Woozi observed approvingly as Vernon caught the pass, his eyes narrowing in concentration as he set up for a layup. But to everyone’s disbelief, the ball once again veered off course, sailing past the hoop and landing behind the backboard, leaving the members in a chorus of laughter and groans.

“Come on. That was a bad attack,” Jeonghan commented dryly from the sidelines.

“Not a good attack,” Woozi added, his tone flat as he shared a knowing look with Jeonghan.

On the sidelines, Luna, pom-poms in hand, stood with her hands on her waist, her expression frozen in disbelief. “Wow, that was really… what was… it was right there,” she muttered, genuinely baffled. The members quickly turned towards her, pointing and laughing at her reaction, clearly delighted by her unfiltered commentary.

[Our cheerleader is in disbelief]

PD Na, noticing Luna’s stunned expression, chimed in with a laugh. “Luna, you’re the cheerleader. You’re supposed to be cheering them on.”

Mock realization flashed across Luna’s face, and she spun around to face the players, waving her pom-poms with exaggerated enthusiasm. “Wow! Good job, Hansolie! It’s okay, that was amazing!” she declared, her voice dripping with faux sincerity, which only set off another wave of laughter. Vernon laughed, pointing at her with an exaggerated shake of his head.

“You need to relax,” Seungkwan told Vernon, who made an “okay” sign with his fingers and replied, “I’ll relax. Sorry.”

“Soonyoung, keep it up,” Jeonghan called out from the sidelines, sending an encouraging nod toward Hoshi, who grinned, looking a bit flustered. “Okay.”

“Cute,” Luna muttered under her breath as she took in Hoshi’s smile, her own lips twitching with amusement.

“Why don’t you find the man you need to mark?” Seungkwan instructed Hoshi, his tone deadpan.

“Sure,” Hoshi agreed, scanning the court cluelessly. “Who is it?”

Jeonghan chuckled from the sidelines. “Seungkwan, don’t get mad.”

Meanwhile, S.Coups took possession of the ball, expertly maneuvering it across the court before passing to Dino, who, without hesitation, took the shot. The ball swooshed cleanly through the hoop, and Team White broke into cheers.

[Dino of Team White scores]

Mingyu leaped to his feet, raising a finger to his lips as he looked around at his teammates. “Hey,” he murmured, gesturing for everyone to stay quiet.

“Hey, hey,” Dokyeom echoed, rising with him in a show of support. But just then, Luna, standing nearby, caught the English phrase, and her head snapped towards them, eyes widening before she burst into laughter, doubling over at their unintentional slip-up.

“The game has only begun,” Mingyu added, missing the irony of his words, still gesturing for silence.

PD Na’s voice cut through the laughter, amusement laced in his tone. “‘Hey’? Did you just say ‘hey’?” His teasing made the sideline erupt, the team members doubling over as the realization dawned on them.

Mingyu’s face froze in disbelief as he looked over at Dokyeom, who couldn’t contain his own laughter. PD Na held up a hand, grinning triumphantly. “DK said ‘hey.’ The score resets,” he announced, his tone definitive. Team Red’s members burst into gleeful laughter, their cheers echoing through the place as they celebrated their stroke of luck.

“Why did you have to speak English?” Dokyeom muttered to Mingyu, pretending to be frustrated, though his grin showed he was far from genuinely upset.

[He started it]

S.Coups, watching with a mixture of exasperation and humor, shook his head. “DK, you deserve it,” he called out, a mock-serious tone undercutting his smirk.

Dokyeom didn’t miss a beat, looking at S.Coups and nodding with a solemn expression. “Same, same,” he responded in English, earning another bout of laughter from the sidelines. “We do speak a lot of English,” he admitted to Mingyu as they finally sat back down, the air between them still crackling with energy.

Mingyu sighed, deadpan as ever. “But why aren’t we good at it?”

Dokyeom’s laughter caught him mid-sip from his water bottle, causing him to choke slightly as he set the bottle down, his shoulders shaking. The rest of the team, still laughing and recovering, looked on in amusement, clearly enjoying the unintentional comedy show.

As the game continued, all eyes were on S.Coups as he clutched the ball, strategizing his next move. His eyes scanned the court, and in one swift motion, he passed the ball to Jun, who moved with agile precision— only for Vernon to intercept, arms outstretched as he blocked Jun’s shot with ease.

[Vernon's nice block]

“Good job, Hansol,” Woozi encouraged, his tone calm but approving. Vernon offered a quick nod in acknowledgment, already refocusing as the ball bounced back to S.Coups. Seizing the opportunity, S.Coups passed it to Dino, who took a breath and attempted a shot toward the basket. The ball, however, bounced off the rim, narrowly missing its target.

“Dino’s bad throw,” Woozi observed dryly from the sidelines.

Jeonghan chuckled, watching Dino fumble slightly. “He’s not playing basketball. He’s just playing with the ball.”

Laughter rippled through the spectators, and Dino threw them a sheepish grin as the ball found its way back to Jun’s hands. This time, he passed it back to Dino, who saw his chance and shot with determination. The ball arced perfectly, swishing through the net.

[He is playing basketball. He scored!]

“Good!” Joshua clapped, rising from his seat alongside the cheering Team White members. “Very nice,” he repeated, as both Dokyeom and Mingyu stood, mouths shut as they silently applauded.

Luna, from the sidelines, waved her pom-poms excitedly. “Good job, Chan-ah!”

“Hey, Dino,” Wonwoo called out with a teasing smile, “are you an ace?”

Jeonghan, catching the energy in the air, turned toward the production crew, his tone suddenly serious. “You need to listen carefully now,” he warned since Team White already had a score to lose.

The game resumed with intensity, and this time, S.Coups received the ball again. Determined, he took his shot from beyond the three-point line. The ball flew through the air, heading for the basket, only to bounce off the rim.

[The ball bounced off]

“That was close, Cheollie,” Luna encouraged, her eyes tracking the ball’s rebound.

“He tried… he threw a three-pointer,” Dokyeom said, his voice hesitant as he picked his words carefully.

Mingyu, next to him, waved his hand, signaling silence, both of them wary of another reset due to a slip-up. PD Na’s laughter rumbled from behind them, amused at their cautious commentary.

[Be careful]

“We still need to broadcast it,” Dokyeom reminded him, almost as if convincing himself.

“We do,” Mingyu agreed with a nod, taking the responsibility seriously.

Jeonghan joined in, adding, “We need to keep talking.”

[Professional]

The game continued, and the ball was now with Seungkwan, who held it with an intense look. “Go inside. Get in there,” he instructed, his eyes set on Hoshi, who was running close to the hoop.

“Seungkwan, don’t take it too seriously,” Dino chuckled from nearby, sharing a grin with Hoshi.

“No, not at all,” Seungkwan replied with a smirk, just as S.Coups swooped in and stole the ball from him, dribbling it down the court with newfound energy. Seungkwan shook his head, laughing. “We’re doing great.”

On the bleachers, the other members watched the match with focused interest, and Dokyeom leaned forward, a question hovering on his lips. “Are you not broadcasting?” he asked, his gaze fixed on Jeonghan, who stood, hands in his pockets, absorbed in the game.

Jeonghan glanced over, replying calmly, “We’re worried that the audio will overlap.”

But before he could say more, Dokyeom’s finger shot up, pointing at Jeonghan, his expression caught between surprise and triumph. Jeonghan beat him to it, though, chuckling. “We’re at zero,” he said, and Dokyeom laughed in defeat.

[He got tricked big time]

As the ball moved back into play, Vernon seized his chance, attempting another shot. But as the ball ricocheted off the rim once more, Seungkwan was ready, catching it mid-bounce.

Jeonghan’s voice called out from the sidelines. “Be careful.”

“Seungkwan, I’m here,” Hoshi called out from behind, raising his hands, ready for a pass. But Seungkwan, perhaps caught up in the moment, passed it back to Vernon. Vernon took the shot once more, but luck wasn’t on his side, and the ball missed, bouncing back to Seungkwan.

“Nice attack,” Jeonghan said encouragingly, watching as Seungkwan, with a determined look, took the shot himself. The ball sailed through the air and, finally, sank into the hoop with a satisfying swish.

“Nice attack,” Jeonghan repeated, his tone appreciative as Team Red cheered, now tied with Team White at two points each.

[His practice in Jamwon Han River Parkpays off]

Luna’s voice rang out in excitement, pom-poms held high. “Let’s go, Kwanie!”

“Good job, Seungkwan,” Hoshi added with a clap on the back.

“It’s one all,” Dokyeom said, nodding with the air of a seasoned commentator.

Mingyu nudged him, correcting him with a grin, “It’s two all.”

Dokyeom blinked, a sheepish look on his face. “Two all?” he asked, checking.

“Yes,” Mingyu confirmed, his tone half-amused, half-serious.

“Thank you,” Dokyeom replied, slipping back into his “commentator” voice as the game continued, both teams locked in their friendly yet fierce competition.

[Hunminjeongeum game makes you say only the important stuff]

[It's two all]

Seungkwan dribbled the basketball with precision. His movements were sharp and calculated, weaving through the defense like a seasoned player. The opposing team scrambled to block him, but Seungkwan was relentless, his body twisting and turning as he dodged each attempt to steal the ball.

[Everyone on Team White marks Seungkwan]

“Seungkwan!” voices called from his team, but his focus was unyielding.

A chorus of cheers and shouts filled the air as Seungkwan made his way to the hoop. The gym echoed with the rhythmic chanting of his name. “Seungkwan! Seungkwan!” The members leaned forward, anticipation etched on their faces.

Luna’s pom-poms swayed furiously as she called out, “Go, Kwanie!”

Seungkwan leaped for a layup, his body extending toward the basket. The ball arced gracefully, only to graze the backboard and miss the hoop entirely. Gasps and laughs filled the room, but Seungkwan remained undeterred. He caught the rebound, landing firmly on the court as his teammates shouted encouragement.

Dodging an advancing block from Dino, Seungkwan maneuvered around the perimeter, his quick footwork leaving the defenders scrambling.

“So it’s true that he practiced in Jamwon,” PD Na remarked, leaning forward with visible interest.

“Seungkwan, Hoshi’s behind you,” Hoshi called out, positioning himself near the hoop. Without hesitation, Seungkwan passed the ball to Hoshi, who caught it mid-air. But before Hoshi could make a move, Dino appeared beside him. In a moment of camaraderie and humor, Hoshi handed the ball back to Seungkwan, their laughter ringing through the court.

[Not so confident here]

[Returning after touching it for a second]

Seungkwan, amused but focused, resumed dribbling. The ball bounced rhythmically as he faked out an opponent and swerved around another. With a deep breath, he stepped forward and took a clean shot. The ball soared through the air, its trajectory perfect. It swished through the net, the sound eliciting an eruption of cheers from the Red Team.

[And he scores]

“That was so cool, Boo Seungkwan!” Luna cheered from the sidelines, her voice rising above the noise. The Red Team gathered around Seungkwan, their excitement was palpable.

The scoreboard now read 2:4 in their favor.

“I loved how you returned it back to me,” Seungkwan said, laughing as he patted Hoshi on the shoulder.

“Thank you,” Hoshi replied with a grin, pulling Seungkwan into a hug.

“I’m so proud of you,” Seungkwan said, squeezing him with a hug before they separated.

“Score one more, and let’s change teams,” Mingyu suggested from the sidelines, his eagerness to play again evident.

“Mingyu said ‘team,’” one of the writers announced, their voice cutting through the commotion.

A wave of disbelief swept through the court, especially among Team White. Mingyu’s face twisted in confusion. “Me? When?” he asked, genuinely perplexed.

“Why did you do that?” Dokyeom asked, a mix of amusement and exasperation in his tone.

“I didn’t,” Mingyu insisted, still oblivious.

“Don’t you know how to speak Korean?” Jun teased, shaking his head in mock disappointment.

Laughter erupted as the scoreboard reset, now reading 0:4.

Seungkwan made his way to the bleachers, his face glowing with satisfaction despite the penalty. “When do you want to switch?” he asked his team, glancing around for opinions.

“It’s up to you,” Woozi replied nonchalantly, leaning back against the bleachers.

“Do you want to switch now?” Jeonghan chimed in, his voice calm but ready.

“I’m in,” Hoshi agreed, raising his hand.

“Shall we?” Seungkwan prompted, looking to the referee.

“Okay. Switch,” Minghao said, signaling the change.

[Hoshi of Team Red is out, and Jeonghan's in]

With that, Hoshi was replaced by Jeonghan, who strolled onto the court with the ease of someone who had been watching and waiting for his moment.

Luna, standing at the sidelines, couldn’t help the smile spreading across her face. She loved watching Jeonghan play sports; there was something captivating about his casual confidence and smooth movements.

“Wah! Yoon Jeonghan! Show them!” she cheered, her enthusiasm drawing his attention. Jeonghan turned to her with a lazy grin, nodding in acknowledgment before stepping up to play.

On the bench, Dokyeom and Mingyu leaned into each other, their hands shielding their mouths as they mock-whispered conspiratorially. Their fingers pointed at Luna, who immediately noticed their antics.

“What?” she asked, crossing her arms as she approached them.

“You really have favorites,” Dokyeom teased, his grin widening.

“I’m hurt,” Mingyu added, pretending to glare at her.

Luna laughed out loud, her head tilting back as she waved them off. But she played along, raising her pom-poms. “Wah! Kim Mingyu! Lee Seokmin! Show them!” she shouted enthusiastically, earning laughs from the two.

Still laughing, she returned to her post at the front, her eyes fixed on Jeonghan as the game resumed.

Luna’s voice rang out in a cheerful sing-song tone, cutting through the sound of the constant buzz of conversation. “Guys, remember: safety first, safety second,” she announced, shaking her pom-poms with exaggerated enthusiasm.

[Bunny’s safety announcement]

A chorus of loud and playful “Yes!” erupted from all the members, their responses unified and energetic. Luna grinned, clearly satisfied with their reaction.

“She only said that now that Jeonghan is playing,” Mingyu whispered to Dokyeom, loud enough to ensure Luna could hear him, his tone dripping with mock suspicion.

“You’re right,” Dokyeom agreed, nodding sagely as if Mingyu’s observation was groundbreaking.

Luna chuckled a mischievous sparkle in her eyes, not denying nor confirming their claims. She turned to them with an amused yet commanding expression and said simply, “Shut it.”

Being the oldest among the 97-line— Dokyeom, Mingyu, and Minghao— Luna naturally fell into the role of their designated mother or older sister. In response, both Dokyeom and Mingyu mock-pouted, their exaggerated expressions earning a playful roll of her eyes.

On the court, Seungkwan glanced at Jeonghan, his concern showing as he called out, “Jeonghan, don’t push yourself.”

Jeonghan gave him a reassuring nod, acknowledging the worry. Seungkwan, just as concerned as Luna, patted his own elbow— a subtle but clear reminder of Jeonghan’s past elbow injury.

Jeonghan nodded again, his movements careful as he positioned himself for the next play.

[Team Red's other ace Jeonghan appears]

The whistle blew, signaling the beginning of the next round. Dino quickly dribbled the ball past the halfway line, his eyes scanning for an opportunity. Jeonghan raised a hand, signaling for a pass. Dino hesitated for a fraction of a second, then lobbed the ball toward him with precision.

As Jeonghan caught the ball, the atmosphere shifted noticeably. The casual, lazy demeanor he had carried up until now was gone. With a sudden burst of energy, he dribbled the ball with sharp, controlled movements, weaving through the opposing players with practiced ease. His feet moved with agility, the ball bouncing rhythmically as he dodged each attempted block with finesse.

Just as he reached the edge of the key, Jeonghan spotted Seungkwan open near the basket. Without breaking stride, he passed the ball with a quick flick of his wrist.

[Perfect pass from Jeonghan to Seungkwan]

“Good, Jeonghan,” Woozi called out from the sidelines, his tone neutral but encouraging. “Go, Seungkwan!”

Seungkwan caught the ball, adjusted his position, and jumped for a layup. The ball rolled off his fingers with perfect backspin, hitting the backboard and sinking smoothly into the net.

The Red Team erupted in cheers, Luna among them. She waved her pom-poms enthusiastically, her voice rising above the noise. “Nice pass,” Seungkwan said to Jeonghan as they regrouped.

Jeonghan’s response was immediate and wordless—a dramatic, exaggerated face that drew laughs from everyone.

“‘Nice,’” PD Na repeated the English word, his tone deadpan.

Seungkwan groaned, his energy draining in mock defeat as he dramatically lay down on the court, covering his face with his hands. Laughter rippled through the gym as the scoreboard reset to zero once again, much to Team White’s delight.

[The score resets]

Team White celebrated their victory loudly, Dino and S.Coups high-fiving as they jogged to the sidelines to swap out with Dokyeom and Mingyu.

“‘Nice!’” S.Coups mocked playfully as he passed by Seungkwan, mimicking his choice of words with an exaggerated tone.

“Seungkwan, very nice,” Dino chimed in, grinning.

Still sprawled out on the court, Seungkwan groaned louder.

“Still, you did well,” Hoshi added, his words genuine as he gave Seungkwan’s shoulder a supportive pat.

“What’s the point?” Minghao asked from his referee position, his tone carrying the weight of exasperation. “The score is at zero.”

Luna couldn’t help but laugh, her earlier prediction about the game’s slow pace coming true. None of the teams had even broken into double digits, and yet the energy in the field was electric.

The ball found its way back into Jeonghan’s hands, his grip firm as he turned his gaze down the court, searching for his next move. His stance was relaxed, shoulders loose, yet there was a sharpness in his eyes that hinted at his focus. With an effortless rhythm, he dribbled, bouncing the ball in steady, controlled beats, switching it smoothly between his hands. With each step, he shifted his weight, weaving the ball skillfully in a figure-eight pattern between his legs, his movements sharp, yet fluid.

[Excellent dribble]

Joshua, tasked with blocking him, moved in closer, face set in concentration. Basketball wasn’t his strength, but he did his best to match Jeonghan’s energy, his body pressing forward until they were almost chest-to-chest. The members watched as the two closed in, Joshua’s determination painted clear in his eyes. But as he moved to intercept, Joshua pushed against Jeonghan a little too forcefully. Jeonghan stumbled, losing his balance as he was pushed outside the boundary line.

“Out!” Mingyu called out immediately, his voice firm, as he pointed to the line where Jeonghan’s foot had stepped.

Jeonghan’s brows furrowed as he straightened, the ball still tucked securely under his arm. “He pushed me,” he said, his tone laced with both amusement and mild exasperation.

“Joshua, that’s a foul,” Minghao clarified the slightest hint of a grin on his face.

Joshua blinked, looking at his teammates, his confusion evident. “Really?”

Wonwoo, who was watching the interaction closely, leaned toward PD Na standing nearby. “They’re serious when it comes to sports,” he explained, a touch of humor in his tone as if to explain the playful intensity each member brought to the game.

With a deadpan expression, Hoshi called out, “Manners makes man, man,” in a low, practiced accent, earning a few chuckles.

The game restarted, and the ball found its way back to Jeonghan’s hands. This time, his gaze was sharp, brows drawn as he scanned the court with a calculating look. He dribbled again, his movements crisp and precise, weaving the ball through his legs with ease as he danced past his defenders. A quick dodge here, a sidestep there— Jeonghan moved as if he were gliding, each step purposeful and smooth, skillfully slipping past Mingyu’s and S.Coups’ attempts to intercept him.

He glanced at his teammates, his eyes flicking briefly to the left where Seungkwan was open. But then his gaze landed on Vernon, stationed far across the court, his stance ready. Jeonghan’s lips curled into a chuckle. “That far?” he murmured, his voice barely audible but laced with quiet confidence.

Luna’s voice called out from the sidelines, urging him on. “Seungkwanie is free, Han,” she said, her tone encouraging, her pom-poms raised as she bounced slightly on her toes.

“Get in there,” Hoshi’s voice joined from next to her.

And then, as Seungkwan moved forward, Hoshi shouted out an additional bit of advice, his voice rising in excitement. “Seungkwan, the left hand only assists the right!” he said, emphasizing the importance of the lay-up technique.

Seungkwan took the shot, attempting a layup, but the ball missed, bouncing off the rim. For a moment, the area was filled with the sounds of scuffling and the members hustling as they fought for control. The ball bobbled in the air before landing right in Mingyu’s hands.

“That’s right,” Hoshi commented, narrating from the sidelines, “One more time.”

Mingyu’s fingers closed around the ball, his eyes narrowing as he looked for a teammate to pass to. But before he could make a move, S.Coups called out, “Mingyu!” in an attempt to gain his attention.

Suddenly, in the scramble, the ball slipped from Mingyu’s grasp, bouncing away and leaving them both crouched low, struggling to reclaim it. Joshua dove forward, managing to get his hand on it just before anyone else, but with a misjudged throw, he sent it rolling away from them, right at Mingyu’s feet.

The ball bounced, rolling slowly across the court, leaving both teams frozen for a brief, absurd moment before they burst into laughter.

“What is happening?” Luna clapped her hands, laughing as she watched the chaotic scene unfold, her eyes sparkling with delight.

“This is no basketball,” S.Coups muttered from the bleachers, his voice carrying a mix of amusement and frustration.

Wonwoo nodded, his tone completely deadpan. “It’s pretty messy.”

[A combination of dodge ball, foot volleyball and basketball]

From somewhere in the group, Woozi’s voice cut through, his tone a mix of dry wit and resignation. “We’re not going home today, are we?”

“No,” S.Coups confirmed, shaking his head with an air of resignation.

“We can never go home like this,” Minghao announced, his tone dripping with humor and a sense of defeat as everyone broke into laughter once again.

[0:0 for 15 minutes]

Joshua grabbed the ball with a renewed determination, his stance firm as he scanned the court for an opening. With a decisive movement, he pivoted slightly and launched the ball across the court to Dokyeom, who was stationed near the basket. Dokyeom caught it effortlessly, his grip sure as he assessed his options. Without hesitation, he passed it to Mingyu, who was better positioned in the paint. The ball zipped between them, Mingyu catching it securely. However, instead of taking the shot, Mingyu passed it back to Joshua.

[Team White keeps passing]

Joshua planted his feet, bent his knees, and shot. The ball soared through the air, spinning perfectly before it swished through the net. The white team erupted in cheers.

“Hong Jisoo!” Luna’s voice rang out, her excitement palpable as she clapped from the sidelines.

“Nice!” Dokyeom yelled in English, his enthusiasm getting the better of him. The realization hit him instantly, his face falling into mock regret as he turned to Joshua. He moved toward him, wrapping him in an apologetic hug as Mingyu’s head snapped toward him, eyes wide with betrayal.

[They won a point, but it's gone]

It might have gone unnoticed by the production team, but Jeonghan wasn’t about to let it slide. He pointed at Dokyeom, his grin mischievous as he announced loudly, “‘Nice’ as soon as he scored.”

The members burst into laughter, Mingyu collapsing to his knees, unable to contain his amusement.

“Why?” S.Coups asked, his brows knitting in confusion.

“Who was it?” PD Na inquired, leaning forward in curiosity.

“Yes, it’s zero,” Mingyu admitted through chuckles, “DK said ‘nice.’”

“Why did you blame me?” Dokyeom protested, feigning innocence as he broke into their signature chorus. “Very nice,” he sang, his voice exaggerated, drawing even more laughter from the group.

[Anyway, it's back to 0:0]

The game resumed, and Joshua once again gained possession of the ball. With a quick glance over his shoulder, he threw a no-look pass to Dokyeom. Dokyeom caught it with ease, deftly dodging Jeonghan, who lunged to block him. In a fluid motion, Dokyeom passed it back to Joshua, who scanned the court before spotting Mingyu on the move. Joshua’s pass reached Mingyu in stride, who surged forward for a layup attempt.

The ball hit the backboard and bounced off the rim, sending the players into a frenzy as they jumped to grab the rebound.

[He missed, but it was a good move]

Amidst the chaos, Jeonghan snatched the ball, pulling it close as he pivoted away from his defenders. With quick, deliberate movements, he began dribbling, weaving through the opposing team with a finesse that had become second nature.

“Jeonghan, leave the box,” Hoshi called out, his tone half-serious, half-exasperated.

“They’re serious about basketball,” PD Na observed, his voice tinged with both surprise and amusement.

Jeonghan ignored the commentary, his focus unwavering as he passed the ball to Seungkwan, who had managed to maneuver into an open position.

“Seungkwan! Kwan, where are you going?” Woozi’s voice carried across the court, his tone laced with both confusion and amusement.

“The thing about him is that he’s good at dodging,” Hoshi chimed in, his voice tinged with admiration as Seungkwan deftly avoided two defenders.

Seungkwan glanced at Jeonghan, who had moved closer to the basket, and passed the ball back to him.

[He dodges and passes to Jeonghan]

Jeonghan caught it, dribbling with precision as he navigated the defensive line.

“Jeonghan, shoot!” Hoshi yelled, his voice rising in urgency. Jeonghan aimed, but the ball bounced off the rim.

As it ricocheted, Seungkwan leaped mid-air, catching it before anyone else could react. With an effortless motion, he shot it back toward the hoop. This time, the ball sailed cleanly through the net.

[Seungkwan shoots again]

The members erupted in cheers, their voices mingling through the place.

“That was amazing, Boo Seungkwan!” Luna shouted, her face lit up with excitement.

“He’s a weasel,” Dokyeom remarked, shaking his head in mock disbelief.

“He scored!” Hoshi exclaimed, jumping to his feet, his energy infectious. The red team was now on the board with two points.

“It’s only the beginning,” Jeonghan said carefully, his tone calm yet laced with confidence.

“It’s very nice,” Hoshi added, nodding approvingly.

“Nice score,” Woozi agreed, his voice steady as he gave two thumbs up.

“Retrieve the ball and repeat,” Wonwoo instructed, his tone practical as always.

Jeonghan, his gaze sharp, turned to Vernon. “Hansol, why don’t you switch?”

Vernon nodded in agreement, standing up to tag out with Wonwoo, who removed his jacket before stepping onto the court.

[Vernon of Team Red is out, and Wonwoo is in]

“Okay, change,” Minghao confirmed, signaling the adjustment as the players repositioned themselves for the next play.

[The man in glasses is in]

[The game resumes]

Luna clapped her hands together, a teasing glint in her eyes as she raised her voice over the noise of the court. “Keep it up, guys, so we can go home!” she called, her words playful but charged with enough encouragement to draw the players’ attention.

PD Na chuckled at her from the sidelines, adjusting on his seat as he shook his head in amusement. “You’re excited to go home,” he remarked, his tone lighthearted.

Without even a hint of denial, Luna nodded firmly. “I didn’t have that much confidence at first,” she said, her mock-serious expression drawing laughs from the members in the bleachers, “but I can feel that they’ve gotten the momentum.”

[She wants to go home the most]

Her dramatic delivery had PD Na and the writers doubling over in amusement, while the SEVENTEEN members exchanged grins.

“You can do it, guys!” Luna cheered, cupping her hands around her mouth for emphasis. “Whoever scores the most… will officially be my favorite, and I will love you forever!”

The players on the field burst into laughter, her cheeky incentive setting a competitive fire alight.

With that said, the ball was in Jeonghan’s hands. His fingers curled around the leather as he dribbled it with precision, the sound of his shoes shuffling filled their ears. His stance was focused, his gaze locked on the basket ahead. He accelerated, his movements fluid and determined, weaving between defenders as Joshua stepped forward to block him.

Jeonghan didn’t falter. Dribbling outside the three-point line, he shifted his weight, guiding the ball smoothly between his legs. Each bounce was calculated, his body moving in sync with the ball as his hair swayed with his movements.

“Jeonghan, nice move,” Woozi observed, his voice filled with quiet admiration.

“Nice move,” Hoshi echoed, leaning forward in his seat. “His hands never let go of the ball.”

Jeonghan paused, his sharp eyes scanning the court as he calculated his next move. His opponents crowded the area near the basket, leaving little room for an easy shot. Without warning, he lifted the ball in his hand slightly and threw the ball underhand from beyond the three-point line.

[He threw it lightly]

The ball arced gracefully through the air, spinning perfectly before it swished cleanly through the net.

For a moment, there was silence— then chaos erupted.

[He scores a 3-pointer]

Jeonghan’s teammates on the bleachers jumped to their feet in unison, their cheers reverberating around the court. Even the opposing team stood in stunned disbelief, their mouths slightly agape.

[Standing up]

“What?” PD Na exclaimed, standing up from his seat as he stared at the basket in shock.

“That’s three,” Vernon said simply, his tone as disbelieving as the others’.

Jeonghan remained composed, his expression cool as he dapped up Seungkwan, who was still wide-eyed with surprise.

[Mitsui Hisashi and surprised Miyagi Ryota]

Turning casually, Jeonghan’s gaze landed on Luna. She was standing frozen, her eyes widened in amazement— she was so amazed that she forgot to do her assigned job and cheer. Though she fought valiantly to suppress it, the corners of her lips quirked upward, threatening to break into a full smile.

Their eyes met, and Jeonghan’s smirk deepened. He raised three fingers, holding them up deliberately. Then, one by one, he dropped each finger, mouthing, “I. Love. You.”

Luna’s face turned a deep shade of red as the realization hit her— Jeonghan had taken her earlier incentive seriously. So seriously, in fact, that he’d shot a perfect three-pointer.

Dokyeom, ever the mischief-maker, walked towards her, his grin wicked. “Well, what else is new?” he muttered, throwing her a teasing wink. He gestured toward Jeonghan, his tone dripping with playful sarcasm as he added, “He’s your favorite now, right? As if he wasn’t already.”

“Shut up.” Luna let out an embarrassed laugh, her hand flying to her face as she tried to compose herself.

“That was a wonderful shot,” Minghao chimed in, his voice calm but clearly impressed.

“That was amazing,” Wonwoo added, nodding in approval.

“It’s 0:5,” Minghao noted, his tone matter-of-fact as he glanced at the scoreboard. “You scored three minutes… what was it? You scored a three-pointer.”

Jeonghan, as always, played it off coolly, his smirk lingering as he casually walked back to his side of the court, the game continuing with a renewed energy and excitement.

Jeonghan caught the ball again, his movements were fluid and graceful as he surveyed the court. The game felt electrified, each pass, dribble, and shot loaded with a heightened sense of competition. Without wasting a second, he passed the ball to Wonwoo, the spin and speed of the ball precise as it reached his teammate’s hands.

Wonwoo steadied himself, gripping the ball tightly as he pivoted to position for a shot.

[The man in glasses throws for the first time]

Wonwoo aimed for the basket, his release was clean, the ball sailing through the air, but it hit the rim and bounced out.

“That was close,” Woozi commented, his tone measured but encouraging.

“Still, good job,” Hoshi added, patting Wonwoo on the back as the latter retrieved the ball.

“Nice try?” Wonwoo asked, his expression half-serious, half-hopeful as he glanced at his teammates for reassurance.

Luna finally snapped out of the trance she had been in since Jeonghan’s earlier performance. “It was so good,” she said with a sincere smile, her voice loud enough to reach Wonwoo.

“Better than me,” Hoshi chimed in with a laugh, earning a round of lighthearted chuckles.

As the game continued, the ball found its way into Joshua’s hands. He maneuvered it skillfully, dribbling down the court with an easy confidence. A swift pass sent it to Dokyeom, who caught it mid-stride.

“Wonwoo, defend!” Seungkwan’s voice cut through the action, sharp and commanding.

Wonwoo sprang into action, his long strides carrying him toward Dokyeom, who was readying for a pass. Seeing Wonwoo closing in, Dokyeom redirected the ball to Mingyu.

Mingyu bolted forward, his towering frame giving him an advantage as he aimed to secure the pass. But before he could reach it, Wonwoo threw himself into the fray, stretching his arms wide and blocking Mingyu from intercepting the ball.

[He's clearly better than Hoshi]

“Good job, Woo!” Luna cheered, her pom-poms shaking enthusiastically.

“You have long arms,” Hoshi observed, dramatically extending his own arms to emphasize his point.

“Team Red is playing for real,” S.Coups remarked, his tone filled with a mix of amusement and admiration as he watched the intensity ramp up on the court.

Dokyeom, undeterred, recovered the ball and sent it flying back to Mingyu. This time, Mingyu caught it cleanly, pivoted, and charged toward the hoop. With a powerful leap, he shot the ball, and it sailed smoothly into the net.

[Throwing using his height]

[Team White is playing for real too]

“Nice!” Dino cheered from the sidelines, pumping his fists into the air.

“Wah! Kim Mingyu!” Luna exclaimed, her pom-poms shaking furiously as she joined the cheers.

The scoreboard updated to 2:5.

The game resumed, with Seungkwan now in possession of the ball. He dribbled with precision, each bounces purposeful as he dodged opposing players attempting to block him. His quick footwork allowed him to slip past their defenses, and with a well-timed pass, he sent the ball to Jeonghan, who was positioned strategically near the hoop.

Mingyu, seeing the opportunity, moved swiftly to block Jeonghan. But Jeonghan, ever the strategist, anticipated the move. With a sharp pivot and a burst of speed, he dodged Mingyu, his movements fluid and controlled.

Jeonghan shifted the ball between his hands, the rapid motion disorienting his defender. With a graceful leap, he executed a layup, the ball arcing beautifully before swishing through the net. His hair swayed with the motion, catching the light as he landed effortlessly.

[Receives the ball from Seungkwan and scores]

“Jeonghan scored!” Woozi announced, his voice filled with awe.

“Good job,” Hoshi added, clapping enthusiastically.

[Jeonghan and Seungkwan are leading the team]

Luna, ready to do her job to jump in and cheer, froze when Jeonghan turned toward her. His back was to the cameras, shielding his next move from the public eye.

He raised seven fingers this time since their current score is 2:7, a cheeky smile playing on his lips. One by one, he lowered each finger, mouthing, “I. Love. You. So. Much. It. Hurts.”

Luna’s face turned crimson, her heartbeat quickening as she processed his words. A smile broke across her face, so wide she was momentarily shocked it didn’t split her cheeks.

“Yoon Jeonghan… really…” she muttered under her breath, her voice barely audible as she stuttered.

Unable to contain her giddiness, she turned away, walking briskly toward the bleachers. Reaching Hoshi, she wrapped her arms tightly around him, hiding her flushed face against his shoulder.

“Why?” Hoshi asked, laughing softly as he patted her back, his other arm wrapping around her in a comforting gesture.

Luna didn’t respond immediately, her smile growing impossibly larger as a zoo of emotions surged through her chest. She covered the small mic pinned to her top and reached for Hoshi’s mic, ensuring no one could hear her next words.

Leaning in close, she whispered, “Yoon Jeonghan is driving me fucking insane. What do I do?”

Hoshi chuckled, his hand lightly patting her shoulder.

“Are you okay?” Woozi’s calm voice came from the seat next to Hoshi, his brows furrowed in mild concern.

Luna shook her head, letting out a soft laugh. “No… I think I’m going insane,” she admitted, her voice laced with a mix of exasperation and delight.

The three of them shared a quiet moment before turning their attention back to the game, where the action continued to unfold with no less intensity.

The ball was with Joshua, his movements sharp and calculated as he dribbled down the court. He sidestepped a defender, feinting a pass to Mingyu before taking a decisive leap. His form was textbook perfect as he released the ball in a clean arc. It soared through the air, kissed the rim, and fell neatly into the net, earning two points for his team.

[Followed by Joshua's score]

“Cool,” S.Coups said, his tone calm but laced with genuine admiration.

“That was cool,” Jun echoed as he stood up from his seat, clapping enthusiastically. “Jisoo, that was cool,” he repeated, emphasizing his words.

“Hong Jisoo good job!” Luna cheered from her place in the bleachers, her voice bright and encouraging.

S.Coups glanced at Dokyeom. “DK, do you want to switch?” he asked, his voice casual but expectant.

Dokyeom nodded in agreement, stepping onto the sidelines while S.Coups moved to the court.

[DK out, S.Coups in]

“All the ace players are playing,” Minghao observed from his seat, his tone thoughtful as he watched the dynamic on the court shift.

[Aces are playing in both teams]

“All the members are playing,” Hoshi added, his voice carrying a hint of pride as he surveyed the scene.

Luna, seated next to Hoshi, turned to him, her lips twitching as she suppressed a laugh.

Hoshi frowned in confusion, his eyes narrowing slightly as he tried to understand the source of her amusement.

A beat later, realization dawned on him. His eyes widened as he murmured, “Wow,” before covering his mouth in embarrassment.

“Did I—” He cut himself off, dropping to his knees dramatically, clearly mortified.

[Apologizing]

“It’s okay,” Luna said quickly, patting his back in a comforting gesture. “It’s okay.”

Seeing Hoshi’s guilty expression, Wonwoo and Seungkwan joined in reassuring him. “It’s okay.”

“Let’s be careful from now on,” Mingyu reminded his team, his tone firm but lighthearted as he glanced over at the court.

Minghao, who had been monitoring the scoreboard, made an announcement. “It’s changed to zero from seven,” he said, pointing to the scoreboard with an amused expression.

“It’s okay,” Luna said again, this time chuckling as she leaned over to hug Hoshi, who still looked remorseful.

Nearby, PD Na turned to the writer seated next to him. “We could reduce it to eleven points,” he suggested, his tone contemplative as they considered a change in the game’s goal.

Back on the court, the game resumed with Joshua once again taking possession of the ball. His movements were precise as he dribbled, scanning for an opening. Spotting one, he moved toward the hoop, only to be blocked mid-shot. Undeterred, he reclaimed the ball, pivoting swiftly and regaining his rhythm.

“Keep calm,” Dino said from the sidelines, his voice steady and encouraging. “Okay,” he added, almost automatically, before freezing as the realization hit him.

[In vain]

Dokyeom, seated next to him, clamped his mouth shut, side-eyeing Dino as if to say, Did you really just say that?

[He needs time alone]

PD Na, who had been standing right behind Dino, didn’t miss a beat. “Dino said ‘okay,’” he announced, his tone teasing as he pointed out the slip.

Dokyeom burst into laughter, his head tilting back as he tried and failed to contain himself. The rest of the members followed suit, their laughter echoing through the field as Dino sat frozen in place, his expression a mix of embarrassment and disbelief.

Luna, now seated back in the bleachers, sighed dramatically. “I retract my previous statement… I don’t think they have found the momentum at all,” she deadpanned, her tone so dry it made the members laugh even harder despite themselves.

“Who?” Mingyu asked, looking at her in confusion.

“Dino,” Luna replied with a chuckle, pointing toward the younger member, who still hadn’t moved.

“This is never going to end. What are we going to do?” Dokyeom asked, his voice slightly high-pitched as he gestured toward the scoreboard.

PD Na stood up, making his way toward Minghao, who had been monitoring the score. “Referee, I’m sorry, but we’ll reduce it to fifteen points. Twenty-one points are too much,” he said decisively.

“Let’s go for fifteen points,” PD Na added, nodding at Minghao.

[They're more fluent in foreign languages than expected]

“We haven’t even reached two digits,” Luna pointed out, her tone light but teasing as she leaned back in her seat. Her comment earned another round of laughter from the members.

[Not even close]

“We can’t even reach ten points,” Vernon said, agreeing with her as he shook his head.

“Then let’s go with eleven,” PD Na concluded.

[Score 11 points first to win]

[The current score 0:0]

“Let’s score eleven points,” Woozi said, his voice calm but resolute as the new goal was set.

The members nodded in agreement, refocusing their energy as the game continued.

[The game resumes]

Seungkwan gripped the ball with determination, his fingers finding the familiar grooves of its surface as he bounced it against the court. Each dribble was controlled, a steady rhythm as he scanned the opposing team’s defense. His eyes darted, analyzing potential openings, before he darted left, faking out the nearest defender with a quick crossover. The ball moved seamlessly from one hand to the other, and Seungkwan surged forward.

As he neared the basket, his pace quickened, his movements fluid and deliberate. With a slight hop, he launched himself into the air for a layup. The ball left his hand in a smooth arc, aiming for the backboard—but before it could reach its mark, S.Coups’ hand shot up like a spring. The older member’s timing was impeccable; his palm met the ball mid-air with a satisfying smack, redirecting its trajectory. In one swift motion, S.Coups caught the ball, cradling it close to his chest as he landed.

[Nice defense by S.Coups]

“That was good defense,” Dokyeom called out from the bleachers, his voice cheerful as he munched on a bag of snacks.

S.Coups nodded, his lips curving into a brief smile before he pivoted on one foot, protecting the ball as he began dribbling. His movements were measured yet aggressive. Wonwoo moved in quickly, his arms outstretched as he shadowed S.Coups, his fingers flexing in anticipation.

With a sudden lunge, Wonwoo swiped at the ball, his hand grazing its surface just enough to send it rolling away. S.Coups scrambled to regain control, his sneakers skidding slightly as he chased after it. But the ball rolled just beyond his reach, crossing the boundary line and forcing a turnover.

[Out]

“Seungcheol, that was a shame,” Jun called out from his seat, his tone both teasing and encouraging.

“Praise for your tenacity,” Dino added solemnly, his comment earning a chuckle from the sidelines.

The ball was now in Jeonghan’s hands. The court seemed to hum with anticipation as the members shifted positions, their focus zeroing in on the new play.

“Here comes Jisoo and Jeonghan,” Woozi narrated from the sidelines, his voice calm but laced with intrigue.

Joshua stood between Jeonghan and the basket, his posture firm as he prepared to block his teammate’s advance. Jeonghan feinted left, his body dipping slightly as if to sprint past Joshua’s right side. The sudden movement caused Joshua to shift his weight, but Jeonghan pivoted at the last second, slipping past on the opposite side with a burst of speed.

“He breaks through,” Woozi observed, his tone rising with excitement.

Jeonghan’s steps were quick and calculated as he weaved through the remaining defenders, his dribbling precise and unrelenting. Nearing the basket, he leaped gracefully, releasing the ball with a flick of his wrist. It arced beautifully through the air before sinking cleanly into the net.

[Jeonghan scores]

The red team erupted into cheers, their voices overlapping in excitement. The scoreboard was changed with the updated tally of 0:2.

On the sidelines, Luna leaned over toward the white team’s bench, her curiosity piqued by the sound of crunching. “Kyeomie, can I have some of that please?” she asked, eyeing the snack in his hands.

[Focused on something else entirely]

Dokyeom wordlessly passed her the bag, his focus still on the court. Luna took a handful, but her attention snapped back to the game as the cheers reached a crescendo. She turned just in time to see Jeonghan’s shot go in, her mouth still full.

“Wah! Yoon Jeonghan MVP!” Luna cheered through a mouthful of biscuit, raising her snack triumphantly instead of her pom-poms. Her impromptu gesture sent the members into fits of laughter.

[She still cheers]

The game resumed the ball once again in Jeonghan’s hands. He maneuvered down the court with ease, his dribbling smooth and practiced. But as he approached the basket, the white team closed in, their arms raised in a wall of defense. Realizing his path was blocked, Jeonghan made a split-second decision, tossing the ball blindly over his shoulder.

“There are so many people,” Hoshi commented from the sidelines, his voice tinged with disbelief.

The ball arced toward Mingyu, who caught it effortlessly. Scanning the court, Mingyu spotted Joshua and aimed a sharp pass in his direction. But before the ball could reach its target, Jeonghan intercepted it mid-flight, slapping it away. The ball skidded across the floor, rolling dangerously close to the boundary line.

Joshua didn’t hesitate. He dove forward, his body hitting the ground as he scooped the ball back into play.

[Joshua saves it]

“Joshua, that was a nice touch,” Hoshi said instinctively, his words earning an immediate reaction.

Luna turned sharply, smacking Hoshi on the arm. “Ya, you…” she muttered, her voice dripping with exasperation.

Realizing his mistake, Hoshi clamped a hand over his mouth, his eyes wide with regret.

“Hoshi said ‘Joshua,’” PD Na announced, his tone teasing but firm.

“Sorry. I’m really sorry. I’ll keep my mouth shut from now on,” Hoshi said hurriedly, his voice muffled behind his hand. Turning to his teammates, he added, “I’m sorry. I won’t say anything from now on.”

[He becomes a hamster from guilt]

“Hoshi is the villain in that team,” Dokyeom said, pointing an accusatory finger at Hoshi.

“Mafia. He’s the other mafia,” Luna deadpanned, her focus back on her snack as if completely over the chaos.

“It’s okay,” Wonwoo reassured from his position on the court, though his words were ironic given the beads of sweat on his brow.

[Panting]

“I think this might go on until tomorrow,” Minghao remarked from his referee seat, his expression neutral as he leaned back.

His comment elicited laughter from PD Na, who was sitting next to him.

[He finds it funny]

“I’m very happy to watch you. You make me happy,” Minghao added, his voice so dry it bordered on comedic.

The game, chaotic yet entertaining, showed no signs of slowing down.

[Both teams switch after the score resets]

The game momentarily paused as there was switches in players.

Team White rotated Dino, Dokyeom, and S.Coups into the game, while Mingyu, Jun, and Joshua made their way to the bench. Similarly, Team Red had Seungkwan, Vernon, and Woozi, giving Wonwoo, Hoshi, and Jeonghan a chance to rest.

[Mingyu, Joshua, Jeonghan, Wonwoo out]

[Dino, DK, Woozi, Vernon in]

Jeonghan, as casual as ever, strolled over to the bench. With his characteristic cool demeanor, he sat himself between Hoshi and Luna.

Seungkwan, now on the court, turned toward the bench and quipped with a grin, “Jeonghan, you could cover Hoshi’s mouth.”

The words elicited a chorus of laughter, with Hoshi dramatically clasping his hands over his mouth as if preemptively preventing another slip.

[Covering it himself]

Jeonghan raised an eyebrow at the comment, amusement flickering in his eyes. He leaned back slightly, stretching his arms behind the bench, his calm aura contrasting with the game’s chaotic energy.

As the laughter subsided, Luna reached down without a word, her fingers curling around a water bottle. She straightened and handed it to Jeonghan, her gaze flicking to his briefly.

Jeonghan accepted the bottle without hesitation, a faint smile playing on his lips. He unscrewed the cap and took a long drink, the cool water easing his exertion from the earlier plays.

“I feel so bad,” Hoshi murmured from Jeonghan’s other side, his voice tinged with genuine remorse.

Jeonghan shook his head lightly, his expression soft yet reassuring. “It’s okay,” he said, his tone gentle as if absolving Hoshi of his guilt.

Turning his attention to PD Na, Jeonghan asked with subtle curiosity, “What’s the prize?”

Luna, now watching him with a playful smirk, interjected, “It’s the only thing keeping him going right now.”

[Motivated]

The bench chuckled at her comment. Jeonghan, unbothered, leaned forward slightly as Luna wrapped her arms around his, resting her head on his shoulder. He let her settle there, his demeanor entirely nonchalant as if her affection was the most natural thing in the world.

PD Na grinned mischievously. “Oh, I haven’t told you. There’s a huge prize. You’d want to win.”

Luna, still nestled against Jeonghan, tilted her head slightly, her attention drifting to his hands resting on his lap. She noted their slight stiffness and how they seemed paler than usual in the chilly open field. Without a word, she reached down, enveloping both of his larger hands in hers. Her small hands tried their best to cover his, her palms pressing against the cold surface of his skin.

Jeonghan glanced down at her, his gaze softening as he watched her efforts. She yawned then, her head tilting against his shoulder.

“You tired?” he asked softly, his voice a gentle murmur.

“Mmm… sleepy,” Luna replied, yawning again as her eyes fluttered closed momentarily.

“Aigo,” Jeonghan whispered, his voice barely audible as he leaned his head down against hers. The moment was brief but tender, a silent acknowledgment of their shared closeness.

The tranquility of their moment was shattered by a sudden outburst from Mingyu, who was sitting further down the bench.

“S.h.o.t. Shoot!” Mingyu shouted toward the players on the court, his enthusiasm causing heads to turn.

From beside him, Joshua leaned towards him and corrected, “S.h.o.o.t.”

“Really?” Mingyu asked, visibly surprised, his eyes wide as he processed the correction.

Luna, unable to contain her amusement, pointed at Mingyu with a laugh. “Cute,” she said, her voice tinged with playful affection.

Mingyu’s confused but endearing expression earned a round of chuckles from the bench, lightening the mood before the game resumed.

The ball was with Woozi, who dribbled it carefully, his small but quick hands controlling the orange sphere as he scanned for an opening. He faked a pass to Vernon on his right but instead launched the ball towards Seungkwan with precision. Seungkwan caught it effortlessly, quickly pivoting as S.Coups stepped in to block.

“Now it’s getting real,” PD Na commented, his tone tinged with anticipation.

“I’m going to play seriously,” Seungkwan declared, a determined glint in his eyes as he began dribbling with renewed vigor.

From the sidelines, Wonwoo observed the intensity building. “Seungkwan looks tired,” he remarked, his sharp eye noticing the slight lag in Seungkwan’s footwork as he backed up on S.Coups.

“Seungkwan needs to keep playing,” Hoshi said, leaning forward with interest, his excitement palpable.

Seungkwan, undeterred by S.Coups’ towering frame, dribbled to the right, then swiftly crossed over to his left, the ball nearly invisible as it passed between his legs. S.Coups stepped forward to block, but Seungkwan spun around, slipping past him with remarkable agility.

With a clear lane to the hoop, Seungkwan charged forward. S.Coups lunged to recover, but Seungkwan executed a clean layup, the ball kissing the backboard before sinking into the net.

[He scores again]

Cheers erupted from Team Red, the sound claps mingling together. Even Team White couldn’t help but clap at the impressive play.

“That was so cool, Boo Seungkwan!” Luna said enthusiastically, her voice carrying from the bench as she stayed nestled beside Jeonghan.

“I approve,” Jun added, his applause sincere.

“You deserve an applause,” Minghao chimed in, nodding appreciatively.

“I’ll keep my mouth shut,” Hoshi muttered, not wanting to mess up again.

“Good. Good job, team,” Jeonghan said nonchalantly, leaning back as if Seungkwan’s effort was exactly what he expected.

The ball was now in Vernon’s hands. He moved cautiously, dribbling down the court while keeping his eyes on his teammates. Spotting an opportunity, he attempted a jump shot from mid-range, but Dokyeom and Dino closed in swiftly, their combined height blocking the ball.

The rebound fell back into Vernon’s hands. Wasting no time, he passed it to Woozi, who looked ready to shoot.

“Go for it. Shoot,” Luna encouraged, her voice light but supportive.

Woozi hesitated for a moment before returning the ball to Vernon.

“Shoot,” Jeonghan added lazily.

Vernon looked determined but chose to pass back to Woozi, who finally took the shot. The ball arced beautifully through the air, but it bounced off the rim, missing by inches.

“I thought he scored,” Joshua said, her voice tinged with shock as everyone’s eyes followed the rebound.

Seungkwan grabbed the loose ball, dribbling quickly as he maneuvered around defenders. He tossed it up toward the hoop, aiming for another layup, but S.Coups intercepted mid-air with a perfectly timed block.

Stealing the ball, S.Coups sprinted out of the three-point line, dribbling with precision as he planned his next move.

“Just shoot,” Mingyu called from the sidelines, his voice impatient yet supportive.

S.Coups feinted a shot, drawing two defenders toward him, then passed the ball to Dokyeom, who quickly tossed it back after seeing the Red team crowd around him.

“Three-pointer. Go. Three-pointer,” Mingyu urged, standing now as he clapped.

With a confident flick of his wrist, S.Coups launched the ball from beyond the arc. The members fell silent as the ball soared, swishing cleanly through the net.

[3-pointer by S.Coups]

The members erupted in cheers, Team White celebrating their first three-pointer. The score now stood at 3-2.

“Nice,” Mingyu said, the word slipping out in English as he clapped and stood up, caught in the excitement.

Luna, still leaning against Jeonghan, tilted her head, her sharp ears catching the English slip. She chuckled but didn’t comment, her focus shifting back to the game.

“He just said it,” Wonwoo said suddenly, his calm voice cutting through the cheers as he pointed at Mingyu.

“Who said what? We said nothing,” Mingyu replied, visibly confused as he looked around.

“After I said it, he scored a goal,” Mingyu explained, his tone earnest as if he didn’t realize his mistake.

“‘Goal’?” PD Na repeated, turning toward Mingyu with a raised brow.

[Dang it]

Luna doubled over, laughter spilling from her as she threw herself onto Jeonghan’s lap. Tears streamed from her eyes as she tried to catch her breath.

“He scored a ‘goal’?” PD Na repeated, his confusion evident.

“‘Gong,’” Joshua interjected, attempting to cover for Mingyu.

“I said ‘gong.’” Mingyu played along.

“In what context will you need to use the word ‘gong’ in that sentence?” Jeonghan asked, his deadpan delivery earning another burst of laughter from Luna, who clung to his arm as her shoulders shook.

“I said ‘gong,’” Mingyu insisted weakly, his face flushing as he tried to salvage the situation.

“What does it matter? You said ‘nice’ seconds before that anyway,” Luna chuckled, pointing at Mingyu as she wiped the tears from her eyes.

[She’s crying]

“She’s right. You did,” Wonwoo added, nodding toward Luna in agreement considering only the two of them noticed Mingyu’s earlier slip-up.

“Gosh,” Mingyu sighed in defeat, his shoulders slumping as the laughter continued.

“Gyu-gyu is so funny,” Luna said as she stood up, her voice still shaky from laughing. “He was quick with it, too. Cheollie didn’t even get to celebrate and feel himself for his three-pointer.”

Her comment sent them into another wave of laughter, including S.Coups, who walked over and hugged her around the waist in mock exasperation.

“How long is this gonna take?” Luna sniffled dramatically, her tone playful as she turned toward Jeonghan. Gently, she pushed him toward the court. “Go over there and play, hurry,” she said, her mock urgency making everyone laugh again.

Jeonghan chuckled, shaking his head as he stood before making his way to switch with Woozi.

“Always watch what you say,” Minghao advised the group, his voice laced with humor.

“What do I do? Should I try to be funny for the show or…” Mingyu asked PD Na, his tone both genuine and exasperated.

[Fundamental question]

“Be careful, yet still be funny,” Jun replied, his voice full of mock wisdom.

“That’s right. That’s the answer,” PD Na added, laughing.

“You learned Korean when you were young, didn’t you? You didn’t learn English,” Jun scolded teasingly.

“Right. That’s true,” Mingyu agreed, his tone resigned.

“Or we can all shut up altogether,” Luna deadpanned as she sat back down, earning another round of laughter as PD Na pointed at her.

“Our cheerleader…” PD Na trailed off, shaking his head with a grin.

Luna pretended to suddenly remember her role, shaking her pom-poms. “Let’s go, guys! I believe in you guys, really!” she cheered, her exaggerated enthusiasm drawing more laughter as the game resumed.

[Jeonghan of Team Red goes back in]

“The game resumes,” Minghao said, his calm voice cutting through the ambient noise.

Seungkwan took control of the ball, dribbling it purposefully as he moved forward. His left hand guided the ball with precision while his eyes scanned the court, reading the defensive setup. His movements were steady, keeping the ball close to his body to avoid turnovers.

“Keep calm,” Seungkwan murmured, his tone both encouraging and firm as he directed Vernon with a sharp nod.

Vernon darted into an open spot near the right wing, ready to receive the ball. Seungkwan quickly transferred the ball with a crisp chest pass, the orange leather spinning slightly as it traveled straight into Vernon’s waiting hands.

Without hesitation, Vernon pivoted on his right foot to face the basket. He briefly considered a shot but noticed Jeonghan cutting to the top of the key. Vernon flicked the ball to Jeonghan with a clean bounce pass.

Jeonghan caught it effortlessly, his body fluid as he adjusted his stance. With a quick dribble, he squared up and took the shot. The ball arced high, spinning in perfect backspin as it descended toward the rim.

“It’s a perfect team,” Woozi commented, his voice low but filled with pride.

“My team is great,” Hoshi said quickly, his excitement bubbling over.

“My team is amazing,” Woozi added with a small smirk, eliciting a chuckle from those nearby.

The ball hit the rim and spun around in a near-perfect circle, causing everyone to hold their breaths collectively. It teetered on the edge before bouncing out, narrowly missing the basket.

Seungkwan wasted no time. He dashed to recover the ball, his speed and agility unmatched as he secured the rebound near the baseline. With the White team scrambling to reorganize, he sprinted back into the paint, weaving between defenders.

He leaped for a layup, but the ball slipped out of his hand mid-air, sailing out of bounds. Gasps filled the area, but Seungkwan remained composed, quickly turning to chase after it.

Recovering the ball just before it crossed the sideline, he pivoted sharply, planting his left foot while his right swung around. With a powerful jump, he launched the ball toward the hoop once again. This time, it swished cleanly through the net.

[Seungkwan scores]

“Seungkwan’s really good,” PD Na commented as Team Red erupted into cheers, their voices echoing across the open field.

The scoreboard updated: 0:4.

“Nice!” Luna exclaimed, her voice full of enthusiasm as she clapped.

“Yay!” Wonwoo said softly, raising a hand in quiet celebration.

“The game will end soon,” Woozi remarked, his tone matter-of-fact.

“I’ll keep my mouth shut,” Hoshi muttered, a sheepish grin on his face.

“Go score, Mingyu!” Dokyeom called out, his voice filled with encouragement as he clapped his teammate on the back. The two quickly switched positions, with Dokyeom retreating to defend while Mingyu moved into an offensive role.

[Mingyu of Team White also goes in]

All eyes turned to S.Coups as he caught the inbound pass. His dribbling was steady but purposeful as he made his way across the half-court line, his eyes locked on the basket.

“Seungcheol… Cheol?” Hoshi’s voice wavered, trailing off as he gulped audibly.

“I get nervous every time I speak,” Hoshi admitted, earning a chuckle from the sideline.

[His heart is about to explode]

“It’s okay,” Luna reassured him, her voice light with amusement.

“I feel so bad for them,” Hoshi said, glancing at the White team’s frustrated expressions.

“Mingyu, break through. You’re good at it,” Dokyeom encouraged, gesturing for Mingyu to move into position.

Meanwhile, Jeonghan intercepted a pass meant for S.Coups and quickly took possession of the ball. Dribbling in place for a moment, Jeonghan assessed his options, his expression cool and unreadable.

With a sudden burst of speed, he sidestepped Mingyu’s attempted block, his movements smooth and calculated. His shoulder dipped slightly as if to feint a pass, but he held on, cutting through the defense with ease.

Reaching the free-throw line, Jeonghan rose into the air, his form impeccable as he released the ball. The gym went silent as the ball soared toward the basket, spinning perfectly. It hit the backboard and dropped through the hoop with a satisfying swish.

[Jeonghan scores]

“That’s it! Nice!” Luna cheered, leaping to her feet with her pom-poms in hand.

“A point!” Woozi announced, clapping briefly.

“Good job,” Hoshi said, nodding in approval.

“Jeonghan, that was so cool,” Dokyeom added, his tone filled with admiration.

The scoreboard updated: 0:6.

“Five more points and Team Red wins,” Minghao noted, his tone even as he gestured toward the scoreboard.

Seungkwan was back in control of the ball, dribbling confidently as he weaved through White’s defense. He faked a pass to Vernon before pulling up for a mid-range jumper. The ball arced beautifully, hitting nothing but the net.

[Team Red is on a roll]

“Nice,” Woozi said with a small smile, his quiet approval carrying weight.

“Good! We’re almost there!” Luna said, standing again to cheer, her pom-poms shaking enthusiastically.

[Almost home]

“Very nice,” Wonwoo said, raising his hand in a subtle gesture of celebration.

The scoreboard updated: 0:8.

“Three more to go,” Luna said confidently, her gaze shifting toward the court.

“They’re on a roll now,” Minghao observed, his tone calm but impressed.

Sensing the pressure, the White team huddled briefly, their expressions serious as they discussed their next play. Mingyu, ever the jokester, decided to shift the mood.

“Can you just be funny and say ‘nice’?” he called out, his voice laced with mischief as he turned toward the Red team.

Seungkwan, who was standing near the half-court line, kept his lips tightly pressed together, refusing to take the bait.

“We’re SEVENTEEN. What’s the name of your team?” Mingyu added, his playful smirk widening.

“We need to cheer up, especially in times like this,” Woozi said, his voice steady as he reminded his teammates to stay focused.

Luna chuckled softly from the sidelines, shaking her head at Mingyu’s antics.

“Let’s make it funny,” Mingyu continued, his persistence unwavering.

“Very nice,” Jeonghan said, his tone calm and deliberate as he tried to steady his team’s nerves.

“Say ‘very nice’ for once,” Mingyu quipped, trying one last time to provoke a reaction.

“Is it our ball or your ball?” he asked, his tone feigning innocence.

Seungkwan didn’t respond verbally, instead pointing to himself to indicate that it was Team Red’s ball.

[Our ball]

“Team White better watch out. Even if you do, you’re at zero,” Minghao reminded, his delivery sharp and matter-of-fact.

Seungkwan held the basketball tightly in his hands, his eyes laser-focused as he surveyed the court. Dino was positioned in front of him, his arms spread wide, his feet shifting rapidly to match Seungkwan’s every move.

Seungkwan feinted to the left, his shoulders dipping subtly as if preparing to drive past Dino. Dino, quick on his feet, mirrored the movement, his body low and centered, ready to block any advancement. But Seungkwan had anticipated this. In an instant, he spun on his pivot foot, his body twisting fluidly as he changed direction, the ball moving seamlessly from his left hand to his right.

Dino lunged, attempting to close the gap, but Seungkwan was already a step ahead. Using his body to shield the ball, Seungkwan shifted his momentum forward, his dribble tight and controlled. As Dino reached out, trying to disrupt the play, Seungkwan expertly bounced the ball behind his back, switching hands and slipping past his defender.

Seungkwan’s gaze darted across the court, spotting Vernon positioned just outside the three-point line, his hands ready. Without breaking stride, Seungkwan executed a crisp chest pass, the ball zipping through the air in a perfect arc.

Vernon caught it effortlessly, his hands absorbing the ball’s momentum. He squared his shoulders to the hoop, his knees bending slightly as he prepared to shoot. And as Vernon released the ball, his shooting form was textbook perfect. The ball spun in a flawless backspin, soaring through the air before swishing cleanly through the net.

[Vernon of Team Red scores]

“Chwe Hansol, good job!” Luna’s voice rang out, her excitement evident as she clapped enthusiastically. “The game is almost over!”

The scoreboard updated to: 0:10.

“It’s awesome,” Wonwoo said, his soft voice tinged with admiration.

“The game will end soon,” Woozi observed, his tone calm yet anticipatory.

Hoshi, unable to contain his nervous energy, stood up from his seat, covering his mouth with both hands as he watched the action unfold.

“One more point,” Luna said, her eyes darting toward Jeonghan, who was now facing Hoshi. Jeonghan, ever the composed strategist, raised a hand and made a subtle “calm down” motion, silently reminding Hoshi to stay focused and avoid any accidental slip-ups in English.

[One more and Team Red wins]

Luna approached Hoshi, her expression gentle but firm. She reached out, taking his hand in hers as if to ground him. “Hold back,” her gesture seemed to say, her silent encouragement calming his nervous fidgeting.

Back on the court, Seungkwan had regained possession of the ball. He dribbled with purpose, his eyes scanning the court. His gaze landed on Jeonghan, who had positioned himself near the basket, his stance relaxed yet poised for action.

With a swift and calculated move, Seungkwan lobbed the ball toward Jeonghan. The pass was precise, arcing gracefully through the air. Jeonghan caught it smoothly, his hands moving instinctively to secure the ball.

Without hesitation, he turned on his heel, his movements fluid and deliberate. He jumped, his body extending fully as he released the ball with perfect form. They fell silent as the ball soared toward the hoop, spinning in a controlled backspin. It hit the backboard and dropped through the net with a satisfying swish.

“It’s over!” Luna cheered, her voice rising above the noise as the scoreboard updated: 0:12.

Team Red erupted into cheers, their voices a mix of excitement and relief. “It’s over!” Seungkwan exclaimed, his grin wide as he high-fived Vernon and Jeonghan.

The team huddled together, their arms wrapping around each other as they jumped up and down in celebration, their energy infectious.

Meanwhile, Team White sighed collectively, their shoulders slumping in exaggerated defeat. Despite their loss, they clapped good-naturedly, their smiles showing they had enjoyed the game.

Luna, unable to contain her excitement, jumped up and down on the bleachers, her pom-poms shaking wildly as she cheered.

“Good job, team!” Jeonghan said, his tone calm but proud.

“It was amazing,” Hoshi added, his eyes wide as he demonstrated how he had covered his mouth in nervous anticipation. “I was like this the whole time because I felt so bad!”

“Good job. It’s okay,” Seungkwan reassured him with a pat on the back.

“Good game. We did our best,” Joshua told Mingyu, his tone warm and encouraging.

“Is it over now? No more?” Dokyeom asked, looking around with mock disbelief.

“I guess so,” Mingyu said, his lips forming a pout as he crossed his arms.

[Please drive Mingyu to Jamwon Han River Park]

From her spot on the bleachers, Luna noticed Mingyu’s exaggerated expression. Her face lit up as she skipped toward him, her steps light and playful. “Aigo, Gyu-gyu. You did a good job,” she said, her voice sweet as she threw herself into his arms.

Mingyu caught her easily, wrapping his arms around her waist and lifting her off her feet with a grin. He spun her slightly before placing her back down gently.

“Seungkwan, your dribble,” Dokyeom said, turning to his teammate as the group began gathering near the bleachers.

“It was crazy,” Seungkwan admitted, shaking his head with a small laugh.

[They haven't played basketball together for a long time]

“Seungkwan’s good,” Jeonghan said, his tone approving.

“He is. You did great too,” Luna chimed in, her gaze shifting to Jeonghan as she smiled. Jeonghan responded by casually throwing an arm around her shoulders, his demeanor effortlessly cool.

“You’re good at laying up,” Joshua told Seungkwan, his voice filled with genuine admiration.

“Jeonghan and Seungkwan are good,” Minghao noted, his calm voice carrying a hint of pride.

[Satisfactory game]

“Hunminjeongeum game is fun,” Jeonghan remarked as they all settled onto the bleachers, their laughter and chatter filling the field.

[Hunminjeongeum basketball is over]

“Good job.” He started, his tone measured and approving. The members’ attention turned to him immediately, their expressions expectant. “Come forward, please.”

The instruction had them shifting in their seats, exchanging brief glances before standing up one by one. Minghao, ever the calm and observant one, softly encouraged the group as he rose. “Please come to the front,” he said, gesturing toward the center of the field.

Jun, with his signature wry humor, added as he followed Minghao’s lead, “Now we can speak English.”

The light remark drew a ripple of laughter from the group as they filed off the bleachers. “Nice game,” Mingyu said, his voice warm and genuine as he clapped lightly.

“Good game. Good game,” Joshua added, nodding appreciatively toward his teammates and opponents alike.

As they assembled at the front, facing both the cameras and PD Na, their movements were fluid, their postures reflecting the energy and camaraderie still fresh from the game.

“Well done. For Hunminjeongeum basketball, Team Red won,” PD Na announced, his voice steady but tinged with amusement.

A cheer erupted from Team Red— Seungkwan, Vernon, Jeonghan, Wonwoo, Hoshi, and Woozi —punctuated by exuberant clapping. The rest of the members, joined in the applause, their smiles a mix of pride and acknowledgment.

“Well done, everyone,” Luna chimed in, her tone bright and encouraging as she clapped along, her pom-poms now resting at her sides.

“Good game, Team Red,” Dokyeom said, his voice carrying a blend of sportsmanship and lighthearted banter.

PD Na waited for the applause to settle before adding, “I said there’s a huge prize.”

That single statement reignited the members’ energy, their expressions shifting from satisfied to intrigued anticipation.

[Time to meet the huge prize]

“Is it a huge prize? Literally?” Mingyu asked, his eyes narrowing slightly in playful skepticism as he leaned forward, his hands resting on his hips.

“It is a huge prize,” Wonwoo said, his usually understated demeanor breaking into a soft laugh as his gaze shifted toward the staff members moving at the court’s edge.

“It really is a huge prize,” Jun confirmed, his head tilting slightly as he squinted at the approaching figure.

“What is that? It’s huge,” Luna said, her laughter bubbling up as she pointed toward the object being carried in by a staff member.

“Wow,” Dino and Seungkwan echoed almost simultaneously, their tones filled with genuine amazement.

“That’s a really huge prize,” Minghao remarked, his tone flat but his eyes betraying his amusement.

[Prize: Very huge trophy]

A collective gasp rippled through the group as the staff member finally came into full view, revealing an oversized trophy made up of multiple smaller trophies intricately stacked and bolted together. The gleaming monstrosity stood nearly as tall as some of the members, its absurdity matched only by its undeniable presence.

“That’s huge,” Wonwoo repeated, his tone slightly awed as he adjusted his glasses for a better look.

Seungkwan stepped forward, a mix of pride and incredulity on his face as he reached for the trophy. He gripped it carefully, his muscles tensing as he adjusted to its awkward weight and height.

PD Na chuckled lightly at the sight before addressing the group again. “I’m sorry, but you need to place it at home… Take a picture of it and post it on social media.”

The members broke into laughter, their amusement blending seamlessly with their agreement.

“Anyone wants to take it home?” Jeonghan asked, his tone casual as he glanced around, a faint smirk playing on his lips.

After a beat of collective hesitation, they all turned toward Seungkwan, who was still holding the massive trophy.

“Let Seungkwan have it,” Mingyu declared, earning a chorus of nods and murmurs of agreement.

“We’re giving you this prize, so you can get an even bigger prize. Congratulations,” PD Na concluded, his voice carrying a mix of humor and sincerity.

“Thank you!” the members chorused, their voices overlapping as they clapped once more, their spirits high despite the exhaustion lingering from the game.

[Review]

“Before we wrap up, let’s hear some final thoughts. Anyone want to start?” His gaze naturally shifted to S.Coups, the leader, who stepped forward slightly.

“It’s a shame that it’s over,” S.Coups began, his voice carrying a note of wistfulness, “but we have ‘Youth Over Flowers’.” The mention of the upcoming show made PD Na chuckle knowingly, his amusement was contagious as a few of the members laughed softly.

“That’s the fact,” Woozi affirmed with his usual matter-of-fact tone, nodding at S.Coups as if sealing the statement with finality.

S.Coups smiled and looked at the camera. “We’ll come back later. It’s coming. Trust Producer Na and wait.”

The group nodded in unison, their agreement punctuated by light laughter. Dokyeom, always the energetic spark, took this opportunity to speak next. He raised his hand slowly, dramatically, earning curious looks from the rest.

“A round of applause to this hand that picked ‘Youth Over Flowers’,” he declared, holding his hand out like a trophy as they erupted into cheers and claps.

[DK played a big role today]

“The true winner. The true lucky guy,” Dino quipped, giving Dokyeom a hearty pat on the back as the group clapped louder.

Dokyeom, basking in the moment, grinned wide. “I had so much fun today. We’ll have fun again on ‘Youth Over Flowers’. Please look forward to it. See you next time!” He waved enthusiastically, his energy infecting the group as a few mimicked his wave.

When Dino stepped forward, his youthful energy matched Dokyeom’s but with a tinge of sincerity. “I had so much fun today—”

He was abruptly cut off by Mingyu, who couldn’t help but laugh as he gestured toward Dino’s sleeveless basketball jersey. “Aren’t you cold?”

The members echoed with laughter as Dino glanced at himself and chuckled, clearly unfazed. Meanwhile, the camera panned to the rest of the group, most of whom were wearing long-sleeved shirts under their jerseys or jackets over them.

[Dino likes sleeveless shirts]

“Lulu too,” Mingyu added, pointing toward Luna, who was also sleeveless in a red jersey.

The group’s attention shifted to her, and they broke into laughter again.

“I’m cold even in these. Aren’t you two cold?” Woozi asked, tugging at his jacket for emphasis.

“I like the cold,” Luna replied simply, her hair catching the light as a breeze swept through the gym, brushing it back elegantly. The casual grace of her response made the members laugh again, nodding in amused agreement.

[Luna likes the cold]

Jeonghan, standing beside her, shook his head with a fond smile. Without a word, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and began rubbing her arms briskly with his palms to warm her up.

“It’s pretty cold,” Dino admitted, now slightly subdued. He looked around the group, his sincerity returning. “Anyway, it was fun today. I made a lot of good memories with them. It was a meaningful day.”

PD Na glanced around, waiting for someone else to step forward and speak, before pointing at Luna. “Our cheerleader,” he called out, prompting the group tolook at her.

“Our Ice Princess,” S.Coups teased, grinning as Luna scrunched her nose playfully and chuckled.

Luna stepped forward gracefully, adjusting her hair away from her face. “I just want to thank PD Na and the rest of the Game Caterers staff and crew for making us feel welcome and taking care of us,” she began, her voice steady and warm as she addressed both the group and the cameras. “We had a lot of fun, and I know CARATs will too once they watch this. I am also really excited for ‘Youth Over Flowers’, which will be coming soon.” She ended with a bright smile, her sincerity evident.

Seungkwan, still clutching the oversized trophy, decided to finish things off. He stepped forward, holding the trophy like a prized possession.

“Thank you for making good memories for us and for CARAT,” he said, his voice earnest and filled with gratitude. “I’m not tired at all. It was so much fun.”

“It couldn’t get any better.” Dokyeom raised two thumbs up.

The members murmured their agreement, nodding as the cameras captured their warm smiles and the camaraderie that radiated from the group.

Mingyu stepped forward, patting S.Coups on the back with a grin. “Go, leader,” he said, his voice playful but encouraging, signaling the leader to take charge of their final team goodbye. S.Coups gave a small nod, straightening up as he prepared to rally the group for their trademark farewell.

“We’re SEVENTEEN. Say the name…” S.Coups began, his tone commanding but warm, as he raised his hand in the familiar team gesture.

“SEVENTEEN!” the group chorused, their voices harmonizing as they completed the hand sign together. It was a moment of unity, their energy radiating as they all bowed in unison to the cameras.

“Thank you!” the members echoed, their voices overlapping as they began waving enthusiastically to the crew, staff, and cameras.

As if on cue, the chorus of ‘Very Nice’ burst through the speakers, instantly reigniting the playful atmosphere. Some of the members immediately broke into the iconic choreography, moving to the beat with exaggerated enthusiasm.

['VERY NICE' ending]

[Automatic reaction]

Luna, standing slightly to the side, couldn’t help but bounce along to the music, her steps lazy but rhythmic as she swayed in time with the beat. Her movements were lighthearted, her smile growing as she watched the chaos unfold.

Meanwhile, a few of the others— like Joshua— began revisiting the meme-worthy dance moves he had displayed earlier during the game. Mingyu and Dokyeom gleefully copied his exaggerated arm movements, adding their own flair, as the rest of the group either danced or clapped along.

The chorus of ‘Very Nice’ reached its peak, the members’ energy infectious, before the song faded out. As the final notes ended, PD Na leaned forward with a look of amusement in his face.

“Thank you,” he said sincerely, his words simple but filled with gratitude.

Another chorus of “Thank you!” rang out from the members, accompanied by bows and waves as they expressed their appreciation to the staff and cameras one last time. Their voices mingled with laughter and cheerful goodbyes, the atmosphere light and celebratory as the filming officially came to an end.

[Their quick meet ended]

['Super' Challenge]

[April 27, 2023, SEVENTEEN's comeback week,CJ ENM in Sangam-dong]

The energy at CJ ENM was palpable, the staff bustling as SEVENTEEN’s comeback week hit full stride. The dressing room was filled with the faint buzz of conversation and last-minute touch-ups as the members prepared for their upcoming performance of Super.

The room was bathed in a mix of gold and deep blue— a reflection of the modern hanbok outfits they wore. Each piece was tailored to perfection, embodying a fusion of tradition and modernity.

[They're here for 'Super' Challenge]

Luna stood by the far wall, her back leaning casually against it. She wore a dark blue hanbok-inspired ensemble trimmed with gold accents. The modern twist came through in the short, pleated skirt and fitted bodice, which was adorned with delicate patterns reminiscent of celestial constellations. The sleeves were sheer, billowing lightly at the wrists, adding an ethereal touch to the look.

Jeonghan stood in front of her, one hand braced against the wall just above her head, his posture effortlessly casual. His long hair, framed his face as he leaned closer to speak. His voice was low, carrying a softness that only she could hear, while the corners of his lips curled into a smile. It was a sight that had become second nature to them— a stolen moment of their own amidst the chaos.

Their private bubble was abruptly pierced by a commotion of greetings from the hallway. A chorus of polite “Hello!” and excited murmurs filled the air.

Joshua, ever the observant one, peeked out of the doorway to investigate. His sharp eyes caught sight of PD Na and his crew approaching with their cameras already rolling. Without a word, Joshua turned back into the room and swiftly tapped Jeonghan and Luna on their shoulders, the urgency in his gesture clear.

Jeonghan immediately stepped back, his hand falling to his side as Luna straightened her posture. Their movements were seamless, and practiced. Though their relationship was known to their members, it remained a well-kept secret from the public. They both knew how to switch gears in an instant, their professionalism taking over.

Mingyu and Joshua were the first to step into the hallway, their smiles bright and their bows respectful. “Hello,” they greeted warmly.

“I can’t do it,” was the first thing PD Na said, his tone tinged with mock defeat. “I’ve seen it. Even singers can’t do it. How am I going to do it?”

[Whining]

Mingyu clapped wordlessly, his large hands creating a sound that echoed through the hallway, while Joshua chuckled, shaking his head in amusement.

[Only the deities can do 'Super' challenge]

One by one, the members began filing out of the dressing room. S.Coups and Dino appeared next, their strides confident but relaxed.

“Did anyone do it?” PD Na asked, his curiosity genuine.

“Only one… Taeyang,” S.Coups replied, his tone matter-of-fact, earning a groan from PD Na.

[Na will be on the same level as Taeyang after this]

As Jun, Woozi, and Hoshi joined the gathering, PD Na’s shoulders slumped dramatically. “I’ll look forward to it,” Hoshi said, his tone teasing.

“It won’t be possible,” PD Na countered, shaking his head before grabbing Hoshi’s hands in genuine desperation. “Isn’t there an easy version?”

[Desperate look + Holding hands]

The hallway was now bustling, and most of the members already gathered to watch the challenge unfold. The atmosphere was light, filled with laughter and anticipation.

“Hello!” Luna stepped out next, her presence drawing immediate attention— not just because of her striking outfit but also because of the aura she carried. Jeonghan was right behind her, his gaze flickering briefly to ensure she was comfortable before he joined the others.

Jeonghan chuckled, glancing at Hoshi. “Hoshi, you should teach him.”

The members collectively moved closer, forming a loose semi-circle around the impromptu dance lesson. Dino leaned against the wall beside Luna, his arms crossed, observing the unfolding scene with a faint smirk. “Are you really going to teach him?” he asked skeptically.

“It’s a challenge, after all,” Hoshi replied with confidence, already rolling up the sleeves of his modern hanbok.

Hoshi stepped into the open space, his movements precise yet relaxed, demonstrating his mastery of the choreography.

He positioned himself, and with a deep breath, began. “‘Sono…’” Hoshi started, his voice carrying the iconic line from the song ‘Super’ as he stepped forward, demonstrating the first move.

PD Na mirrored the movement with hesitant precision, echoing, “‘Sono…’” His voice cracked slightly, drawing immediate cheers from the members watching.

“Oooohhh!” they chorused in unison, their exaggerated enthusiasm filling the hallway. The sound was loud enough to echo, making PD Na freeze mid-step. He turned to glare at the group, his expression caught between annoyance and amusement.

[SEVENTEEN cheers at Yung Suk's dance]

“Be quiet, for goodness’ sake,” he scolded them, though his tone lacked true bite. “Are you trying to lure people?”

[They're loud enough to draw everyone in the company]

The members erupted into laughter, clapping for him. Luna, resting her weight casually against the wall, grinned but said nothing, her eyes sparkling with mirth.

“Are you sure about this? We should find a way,” Mingyu interjected as they watched Hoshi teach PD Na, his tall frame towering over some of the others as he spoke. “Let’s all stand in a line and let him appear as he shakes.”

[Worried]

“That’s not a bad idea,” Wonwoo added thoughtfully, his arms folded across his chest.

[Or record each move separately and combine them]

Hoshi raised an eyebrow, pausing mid-step. “Should I record one at a time and edit it out?” he asked, the suggestion tinged with practicality.

“No. PD Na is a good dancer,” Luna said suddenly, her voice calm yet definitive. She had shifted to lean against the wall, her eyes fixed on the ongoing practice.

“He’s pretty good at it.” Mingyu chimed in, nodding in agreement.

“Left hand. Right hand. Gather. Stretch. Bam,” Hoshi instructed as he continued breaking down the choreography. His movements were slow and deliberate, ensuring PD Na could follow. PD Na tried again, his brows furrowed in concentration as he mimicked the steps.

From the sidelines, Wonwoo and S.Coups began shadowing the moves, their bodies swaying slightly as they followed Hoshi’s lead.

It wasn’t long before PD Na sighed, breaking the rhythm. “I won’t be able to memorize it,” he admitted, his voice tinged with resignation.

“But… you look like you can do it,” Joshua said encouragingly, earning a burst of laughter from PD Na.

“The song is too fast,” Wonwoo chuckled sympathetically, his tone almost apologetic.

“There’s a slow version, right?” Hoshi asked, glancing at the group as he paused to consider how to make things easier.

“Really?” PD Na perked up, hope flashing across his face. “Let’s use that. You should’ve told me earlier.”

[Smiling]

“That’s the happiest I’ve seen him today,” Luna deadpanned, her chin now resting lightly on Dino’s shoulder as she watched the scene unfold. Her dry remark sent another ripple of laughter through the group.

“You can fast forward it later,” PD Na quipped, shaking his head but smiling nonetheless.

[He sees hope in 'Super' Challenge]

The group soon realized that their activity was drawing attention in the busy hallway. With SEVENTEEN members, their staff, and PD Na all gathered together, they were occupying an inconvenient amount of space. One of the managers gestured for them to move inside, and the group began filing back into their dressing room.

The room was bustling with energy as they entered, with costumes and makeup tools scattered around, and water bottles and snacks sitting on the tables. The warm, slightly chaotic environment made the transition seamless.

Once inside, the members naturally dispersed into smaller groups. Some settled into chairs, a few stood near the mirrors fixing their outfits, while others lingered near the snack table. Luna found a seat beside Mingyu at the long table where they often sat to eat or rest. She pulled out her phone, her attention immediately consumed by something on her screen. Mingyu, meanwhile, sat with a plate of food in front of him, chewing as he observed the ongoing commotion with quiet amusement.

In the center of the room, Hoshi stood ready to resume the lesson, his energy unflagging. PD Na stood opposite him, looking slightly frazzled but game to continue.

“Look at Mingyu’s face. He has no faith in me,” PD Na suddenly said, pointing toward Mingyu. His tone was half-serious, half-teasing, and it immediately drew laughter from the room.

Mingyu, mid-bite, glanced up at the accusation. His chewing slowed, and he raised an eyebrow in mock offense.

[Eating]

Jeonghan, standing nearby, chimed in teasingly, “That’s disappointing.” He gestured toward Mingyu, his expression feigning disapproval.

“You look mean,” Mingyu shot back at Jeonghan, his words slightly muffled by the food in his mouth. He paused, then continued with exaggerated seriousness, “Jeonghan is smiling, but he has a bad intention behind his smile.”

The observation earned a laugh from Jeonghan, who couldn’t help the mischievous glint in his eye. His shoulders shook as he leaned back, clearly amused.

PD Na shifted his gaze, suddenly aware of the time crunch. “When does M Countdown begin?” he asked, his tone shifting to something more urgent.

“They have to be on standby in five,” one of the staff members answered promptly.

PD Na pulled out his phone, checking the time for himself. “We only have five minutes left,” he muttered, his expression growing slightly panicked.

Realizing the need to hurry, Hoshi and Jeonghan wordlessly teamed up, their natural camaraderie making the transition seamless. Hoshi gestured for PD Na to watch closely as he demonstrated the move again.

“‘I feel like Sonogong’,” Jeonghan and Hoshi sang the first line of the chorus of ‘Super’, his movements sharp and fluid. Jeonghan immediately mirrored him, harmonizing the line in perfect sync. Together, they moved through the choreography, their voices blending as they repeated the steps. “Left hand. Right hand. Gather. Stretch. Bam.”

PD Na mimicked their moves with increasing confidence, though his motions lacked the precision of the two seasoned performers. “One more time,” Hoshi said, his tone patient but firm.

They repeated the sequence, with Jeonghan stepping in closer to correct PD Na’s posture, while Hoshi slowed the tempo slightly to make it easier.

From the sidelines, S.Coups burst into laughter. He clapped his hands together, his body doubling over as he leaned into Luna and Mingyu, wrapping an arm around each of them for support.

“I can’t believe it works,” Dino commented from where he stood, his voice tinged with surprise.

“Good. Good,” S.Coups chuckled, still draped over Luna and Mingyu, his amusement infectious.

Just as the atmosphere hit its peak, one of the SEVENTEEN staff members entered the room, their voice cutting through the chatter. “Vocal team, standby!” they announced, their tone brisk and authoritative.

[Vocal Team has to go]

The mention of standby immediately set the vocal unit into motion. Joshua, Woozi, Seungkwan, Dokyeom, Jeonghan, and Luna moved toward the door with practiced efficiency, their casual demeanor never betraying the professionalism they exuded on stage.

[Time is getting near]

Dokyeom turned back just before leaving, offering a warm smile and a quick, “Good luck,” to PD Na. Jeonghan and Luna both paused to bow politely in his direction, their gestures respectful yet swift.

“Fighting!” Luna added her voice light but encouraging as she stepped out alongside the others. The door closed behind them, leaving the rest of the group to resume their antics inside.

[They're running out of time]

[They proceed before other teams go]

The group transitioned smoothly to the next segment of filming— the dance challenge.

SEVENTEEN’s staff was already setting up, a camera in hand, adjusting its angle to focus on PD Na, who stood at the forefront with Hoshi and Vernon. The rest of the members lingered toward the back, casually chatting and watching the preparations unfold. The room buzzed with anticipation, the energy lively but focused.

The camera operator stepped into position, holding the lens steady in front of PD Na. “Here we go. Producer Na, smile please,” the staff member directed cheerfully, their tone lighthearted yet professional. PD Na’s lips twitched into a nervous, awkward smile that immediately drew quiet laughter from the observing members.

[His debut is near]

[The original 'Super' challenge video]

“Oh, this is so much fun. I’m so happy,” PD Na muttered dryly, his tone dripping with sarcasm, which only made the group laugh harder.

Hoshi, ever the performer, clapped his hands together once. “Okay. We’re ready,” he announced confidently, his enthusiasm practically infectious.

From the back of the room, Mingyu’s voice cut through the chatter, a touch of playful encouragement in his tone. “Let’s go,” he said, his eyes on the small group preparing to dance.

The camera operator gave the signal, and the recording began. The room fell silent except for the faint sound of the music cueing up in the background. The slowed version of ‘Super’ started to play, the opening beats recognizable and immediately captivating.

“‘I feel like Sonogong,’” Hoshi sang softly in sync with the music, his voice steady as he led the opening line. He immediately transitioned into the dance, his movements sharp but slowed for PD Na to follow. “Left hand. Right hand. Gather. Stretch. Bam,” Hoshi directed patiently, his voice clear as he guided each step. Vernon mirrored Hoshi’s movements, his casual energy balancing Hoshi’s intensity, while PD Na tried his best to keep up. His steps were a bit offbeat, but the earnest effort was enough to keep the room entertained.

[Even you can do 'Super' challenge]

From the back, the other members watched with amusement, their faces alight with pride and humor as PD Na fumbled through the steps. Dino and Seungkwan exchanged grins, while S.Coups subtly mimicked the dance in his spot, his movements exaggerated for comedic effect. The playful energy radiating from the group was infectious.

As the song reached its conclusion, Hoshi called out, “Everyone, gather for the ending.” His voice carried over the music, and the rest of the members jumped into action, stepping into the frame with practiced ease. They surrounded PD Na, forming a loose circle as they struck playful poses, waving and smiling toward the camera.

“Bye!” they all chorused, their voices overlapping as they waved enthusiastically. The final shot captured their bright expressions, the harmony of their personalities blending seamlessly into a single moment of lighthearted fun.

[Nice wrap up]

When the camera stopped rolling, applause erupted from the group. The members clapped for PD Na, their cheers loud and encouraging. The producer grinned sheepishly, clearly relieved that the challenge had concluded successfully.

“I’ll be out of town for a while,” PD Na said, straightening up and adjusting his jacket. “Call me when you’re done performing. Bye now.” He waved as he turned to leave, the members bidding him farewell with warm smiles and cheerful gestures.

['Super' Challenge is over]

As the door closed behind him, the room seemed to exhale collectively, the energy shifting back into a more relaxed rhythm as the group prepared for the next activity.

[Let's meet again one day]

[The Game Caterers]

ೃ⁀➷ comment or message me to be added to the tag list :)

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ SUBMIT A REQUEST AND ASK ME ANYTHING!

: ̗̀➛ requests are always open ♡ - lunaఌ

Taglist: @yeoberryx @minminghao @angie-x3 @jennwonwoo @k13endall @heeseungthel0ml @chisskaa @megumi2020 @yoonzzziino @lllucere @smh-anon @yveclipse @randomworker @bunnystrm @iamawkwardandshy @gratefulbunny1 @bmo-bri @syren-ash @megseungmin @multiplums @unlikelysublimekryptonite @night-storm7 @cookiearmy @seokqt @btskzfav @billboard-singer @junhuisworld @caturdayvibe @coralbatlampzonk @sof1eya @lyraea @jihoonsbbygirl @cocopuff2424 @okoknotco

[deadghosy]

🌊⛰️🔥🌪️

MODERN! READER WITH GAANG

𖤓PROMPT: you fell inside your comfort show.

✧ ೃ༄*ੈ✩it was during book 2, you were happy to see toph show her father that she can take care of herself. You had wished to see it in person. And booom! You were suddenly in the show where you can see Aang get busted free from the metal cage.

✧ ೃ༄*ੈ✩after the whole fight scene, toph noticed you and pointed you out. You knew there was no chance in running, so you outed yourself out. By calmly saying you are from another world. As much as you sounded crazy, they laughed while Toph knew you weren’t lying by your heart rate. You showed them your phone and that’s when the main Trio stops laughing and got curious

✧ ೃ༄*ੈ✩Sokka most definitely will ask if the ladies back in your time era are attractive, you said yes and this boy was asking to see what they look like on your phone 😭

✧ ೃ༄*ੈ✩and that’s how you got into the gaang. You were the therapist of the group, always listening to their troubles and helping them with all the knowledge you knew about their characters.

✧ ೃ༄*ੈ✩katara always likes to rant about her day to you, and you don’t mind which makes her feels comfortable around her. Book 1 katara was very open on making friends. Book 2, I’ll say the same. If you had meet book 3 katara, YOU BETTER HAD PRAY FOR MERCY LMAO.

✧ ೃ༄*ੈ✩aang likes to play with you with his airbending, and you enjoy the hell out of it. Literally you would smile with the brightest smile, and Aang smiles with you along. Just two sunshines having fun.

✧ ೃ༄*ੈ✩toph likes how you taught her swear words. You and toph curse like sailors😈 lmao. Aang accidentally got influenced and that make katara step in and shut shit down 😭😭.

✧ ೃ༄*ੈ✩you love appa and momo! These furry cuties love you too as appa always licks your face when you show up. Momo sometimes leaps on your shoulders, maybe even trying to share a fruit with you.

✧ ೃ༄*ੈ✩Aang steals your big shirts, and you would try to match with him which makes him even like you more as a friend. You turn into his best friend right there and now.

✧ ೃ༄*ੈ✩with you being a non-bender..protectiveness is to the roof! Literally even if you can fight. There’s still bending that can take you down without a single thought. The people who at your body guards are Aang, toph, Katara, and Zuko. The four powerful benders. But the ones who stick the most are Zuko and toph. Toph because she likes how fierce your personality is. Zuko, Zuko is just himself. Plus he needs more friends.

✧ ೃ༄*ੈ✩Zuko awkwardly ask you a lot of questions from your generation. Like a lot to the point you grabbed his lips shut. That’s when Zuko knew, you weren’t playing games.

✧ ೃ༄*ੈ✩headcannon on zuko and you just being awkward teens not knowing how to start the conversation so all he starts off is, “so, is war a thing in your world?” The way you gave him a wild side glance.

✧ ೃ༄*ੈ✩I can see you making the gaang learn slangs LMAO. You made katara understand the wordings of “What you being messy for?” And she started to use on toph and Sokka 😭😭 you’d probably give Aang a short ass but wholesome slang.

✧ ೃ༄*ੈ✩if you had curly hair, and not some katara curly hair iykwim. I mean like 4c ass hair that I possibly have 😭. I can see katara just amazed and ask in g to comb it which you quickly say no to. Toph, just stands there but probably does touch it when bored. People who ask to touch it is suki, Zuko, and Aang. Those three are people who I can see ask before doing it. Sokka will ask, but will touch it as it ask after 🧍🏾

✧ ೃ༄*ੈ✩big headcannon Sokka training you on sword fighting, but then Zuko comes in because Sokka is apparently “showing” you the wrong way lol.

✧ ೃ༄*ੈ✩suki most definitely would love to teach you her ways of fighting. Plus chi blocking. Once you mastered it, she would take it up a notch and have you spar with her. In honor of her teaching, you agree. You had the upper hand until she practically cheated by distracting you. Making you lose your focus, she nailed you down. But in all warfare, it was full of laughter and friendship.

✧ ೃ༄*ੈ✩imainge you showing them that “car” comercial..(of course toph can’t see it lmao) 😭 ZUKO PROBABLY BURNT YOUR PHONE 😨 ALL BECAUSE HE GOT SCARED

[togrowoldinv]

Time

Natasha Romanoff x Female Reader

When you visit the Bartons with your family, you and Natasha spend some quality time reconnecting

Warnings: Smut! 18+ please! Kissing, cursing, fingering (R receiving), oral (N and R receiving), being needy, some fluff too

Note: Enjoy this hehe

Natasha Masterlist 1, Natasha Masterlist 2, Natasha Masterlist 3, Main Masterlist

“Are we there yet?” Your youngest daughter asks from the backseat of the car.

You’ve been driving for hours to reach the Barton farm. Natasha wants to visit while the kids are on spring break.

“The answer is still no, sweetheart,” Natasha answers patiently.

“We’ll tell you when we get there, Taylor,” Ali, your oldest, jumps in. She’s annoyed by the constant question and her tone doesn’t hide that.

“Be nice,” you remind her.

“Yeah be nice, Al,” your oldest son says. The two oldest kids start arguing, but Nat stops it quickly.

“Hey, none of that,” she says, expertly parenting. “This is a family trip. We will be kind to each other and we will have fun. Understood?”

A few nods follow.

“Understood?” Nat repeats.

That gets her the answers she was waiting for. A chorus of yes ma’am’s resound from the backseat. You turn up the radio and try to make the last hour of the trip enjoyable.

When you pull in the driveway, you look back at Taylor.

“Ask the question again, baby,” you say.

“Are we there yet?”

“We are here,” you reply. “Come on let’s go have some fun.”

You all unload from the car. Nat refused to be a minivan family, so you settled for a three row suv. The Bartons come outside to help.

“Hi Nat,” Laura greets your wife. She hugs her tight. There’s only a handful of people in the world that Natasha trusts as much as she does Laura and Clint.

“And hi y/n,” she greets you as well.

You’re corralling the babies at the moment and can’t hug her, but the warm smile on her face feels like a hug.

“Go see Auntie Laura,” you say to Belle and Taylor, the two littlest girls.

The girls run to her and hug her tight. Ali is catching up with Lila while Ivan, Jack, and Cooper reconnect.

“Well, I guess it’s just us to unload,” Nat comments. She walks around to meet you at the back of the car.

“What’s new?” You joke.

“Hey, while we have a second alone,” Nat begins. She presses you against the back of the car, running her hands over your shoulders and arms down to your hands. “Thank you for coming. And I love you.”

“I love you too, Natasha,” you say, feeling your face flush from how close she is. You can smell her perfume and her fresh hair.

She’s so close to you that it hurts. You want to devour her.

“I’ll show you later just how much I love you, okay?” Her voice is low, sexy as it could be.

Nat leans in and steals a quick but deep kiss, leaving you wanting more.

You pout when she pulls away, but she just laughs. You’re too easy.

Later that day, Clint drives everyone out to the field where he’s got a new pig pin. The kids love chasing the pigs around and playing with them.

Natasha shares a look with you about an hour into the fun that tells you she wants to get back to the house and have her own type of fun with you.

“Clint, we’re going to head back,” she tells him.

“But Mama we’re having fun!” Belle says.

“They can stay out here with us. I know you two are exhausted from the drive in,” Laura says. She winks at you. Maybe you weren’t so slick earlier behind the car.

“Thanks Laur,” Natasha says. “Be good, babies.”

You both kiss each kid before you start walking back to the house with Natasha. You’re hand in hand as you walk through the field. You love seeing Nat like this. So free. So happy.

Your smile must reveal that to her. She stops and turns to you.

“What is it?” Nat asks.

“Hm?”

“You’re looking at me differently,” she replies.

“You’re so beautiful,” you say. “And you’re even more beautiful out here.”

Natasha kisses you softly. She is so in love.

“We better get back to the house before I take you right here in this field,” Nat says.

“What would be so wrong with that?” You say, surprised by your own boldness.

“Oh,” Nat remarks. “Did my wife, my sweet, sweet, innocent wife just say that she wants me to fuck her right here outside where anyone could see us?”

You know she can see the way she’s making you feel. An absolute puddle for her.

“Come on,” Nat says, grabbing your hand again and pulling towards the house again.

By the time you make it to the porch, you’re tripping over each other as you try to make out while walking.

“Upstairs now,” Nat says.

You move as fast you can into your bedroom, shutting the door behind you. Natasha pulls you to her and turns you to back you into the bed. You fall back a little harshly, but Natasha’s lips connecting with yours distracts you from the slight pain.

“Fuck,” you moan into her mouth.

Nat’s strong hands pull your shirt over your head. You barely have time to process it before you’re entirely naked underneath her.

“Are you going to be good for me?” Nat asks.

“Yes,” you say. She takes a nipple in her mouth while her fingers slip between your legs. “Fuck.”

“You’re so fucking hot,” Natasha says.

Her fingers enter you quickly. She swallows your moan with her kiss. You want her to be as undressed as you are. You reach for her shirt hem, but she pushes your hand away.

“Just you right now,” Natasha says. “Okay?”

“Okay,” you say.

Her fingers continue to pump in and out of you at a fast pace. You can feel yourself slipping into a blissful state.

“Natasha,” you mumble. It’s all you can say right now.

“I love you,” Natasha says. “Be a good girl and come for me.”

You let yourself come and come hard for your wife. It’s the best sex you’ve had in months, maybe years.

“That’s right, baby. You’re so good,” Nat says as she works you down. “So good for me.”

Natasha drops a kiss to your forehead and lies beside you. You come back to reality at the feeling of her hand circling yours.

“God, I have missed that,” you say.

Nat chuckles. She has too.

“Shower with me?” She asks.

“Gladly,” you agree.

Nat helps you out of bed and essentially carries you to the bathroom. You start the shower.

“May I?” You ask, gesturing to her clothes. You want to be the one to take them off.

“Please,” Nat says.

You lift her shirt over her head. It never ceases to amaze you how beautiful she is. You unclasp her bra and kiss her shoulder softly.

“Gorgeous,” you whisper, placing your head in the crook of her neck.

You move your hands down her abs and to her waist. Slipping your hands down the jeans she’s wearing, you find her dripping wet for you.

“Getting me off really turns you on, doesn’t it, sweetheart?” You ask her.

“Mhm,” she says. “But I’m in control here.”

Nat takes a step back and pulls her own pants down. She takes your hand and leads you into the shower.

“Why deny yourself, Nat? You know I’d kneel for you right here and now.” You ask her.

Natasha smirks. This was exactly her plan. To have you begging to make her feel good.

“Then kneel,” Natasha says after a long pause. She presses on your shoulders just enough to make you feel the pressure.

Grinning, you drop to your knees. You can’t even remember the last time you were in this position with her. God, you love farm Natasha.

“Right there, detka,” she says. “Yes.”

You hum in pleasure at the taste of her. You’re the luckiest person in the world to be here with her like this.

“Yes! Fuck, y/n, yes!” Natasha groans out. You can’t see her but you know she’s biting her lip. She’s close. It doesn’t take much longer for Natasha to be trembling at the feeling of your mouth all over her.

“I’m coming,” Nat says. “Fuck, fuck, fuck.”

You help her ride her high and lick her until she’s pushing you away. You stand back up and she kisses you immediately.

Her tongue mingles with yours. The taste of her orgasm on your tongue turns her on even more.

“How long do we have?” She asks you.

“Not long I’d bet,” you say. “It’s almost dinner time.”

“I’ll make it quick,” Nat says.

She pushes you to the edge of the shower and you sit down, spreading your legs for her.

“All for me,” Natasha says. “Look at this.”

“All for you, Nat. Only you,” you reply.

She buries her face between your legs. You can’t help but lift your hips up at the feeling. Natasha holds your hips and helps you move them. Soon enough, you’re riding her face.

“Natasha,” you say over and over like it’s a prayer. “Natasha!”

You hold her head with one hand and keep yourself steady with the other. She eats you out like it’s the only place in the world she wants to be.

You come hard against her tongue. Nat moans successfully and pulls away to let you come down.

She grins at your blissed out face. She loves making you feel so good.

“I love you,” she says softly. It’s a sharp contrast to what you were just doing. “I hope you know how much I love you.”

“I do, baby,” you say, caressing her cheek. “I love you exactly the same.”

You kiss each other gently. Nat helps you stand back up and you actually shower. The water isn’t hot anymore, so you hurry up.

Once you get out, you get dressed and go downstairs. The family is just getting back from being outside. Perfect timing.

“Enjoy your alone time?” Laura asks.

“We sure did,” Natasha replies. She wraps an arm around your waist. You share a soft smile.

For the rest of the trip, you and Natasha soak up every moment with each other and with your family. It’s absolutely an amazing week.

[heehoonieluvs]

Work up a sweat

Sunghoon x reader

Smut

The way that the members are depicted in this story has nothing to do with how they really are or how I feel they are. It is all solely for the storyline so please bear that in mind 🫶

Summary: Your friends got a free tryout with a personal trainer at the gym that they just started at. The handsome PT was VERY hands on with his work and let’s just say, he could make your legs shake from more than just exercising

Warnings: MDNI, Y/N’s friends are low-key pick me’s 🙃, cursing, french kissing, exhibition?, dry humping, oral (f & m receiving), 69, unprotected sex, ass play (f receiving), squirting, use of pet names, just straight up porn (please do let me know if I need to add more warnings 🤍)

Series masterlist

Masterlist

You don’t know what came over you when you agreed to join your friends Amy and Lily for a free tryout with a personal trainer. There was a moment before you all got ready to leave where you considered dropping out, but it would’ve be almost impossible to considering that your friends had been pestering you about doing it for weeks. And also, you didn’t have to pay for this one time session so what’s the harm?

At the moment, you were all waiting for your PT to show up so Amy suggested to warm up on the treadmill for a few minutes. The two of them were busy checking their reflections and taking selfies but you weren’t interested being a part of that. Amy and Lily were the type to use the gym as an opportunity to attract their gym crush of the day. You didn’t blame them though, they were gorgeous (you are too ofc) but it did mean that they kind of use you as leverage to flirt with guys.

Since you were a lot more shy and insecure compared to them, it was easy for them take advantage so you were guessing that they brought you along to feel better about themselves.

“Hey ladies, are you here for a private session?”

The 3 of you turned around and saw quite literally a wet dream in a human form. He wore a white tank top that showed off defined muscles and his black joggers made you all wonder how much he was packing underneath. His gorgeous smile supported with his dimple made you thank the heavens that you decided to join your friends.

“I’m Sunghoon and I’ll be your PT for today”

The three of you gave your names and he shook your hands. However you couldn’t help but notice that when he got to you, he held your hand for a bit longer and sent you a wink. Oh this session is going to be fun.

As you all followed him to the private gym on the second floor, your friends couldn’t help themselves and whispered about how hot he was and what they wanted to do with him. You never would’ve admitted it out loud but you most definitely agreed with what they had to say.

You entered the room and Sunghoon went to the corner to set up the speakers and blasted some upbeat music

“So Sunghoon, are you single?” Lily asked

Sunghoon just smiled and replied “Yes”

And obviously Amy had to pry further “Are you seeing anyone or looking for a partner?”

“No I’m not seeing or looking for anyone. Ok so let’s start with a few stretches” you were so glad he diverted the conversation. You’d rather the ground swallow you whole than listen to you friends’ unbearable flirting.

The 3 of you followed his directions behind him and reached down towards the floor. And when you thought it wasn’t over, your friends started again

“Hey Sunghoon. Could you help me stretch a bit more? I need a bit of a push” the two of them snickered and Lily added

“Me too. I love a good stretch and need you to stretch me more”

You thought to yourself “Omg have I just landed myself in some cringey storyline at the start of a porno???”

Sunghoon, being the professional that he was, turned around and just slightly pushed down on their backs before returning to his previous position in front of you.

Lily then looked in your direction. You weren’t the most flexible person so it was a bit difficult for you to keep your hands planted on the floor

“What is that Y/N? You’re not very flexible are you? You should stretch more” she laughed

If that wasn’t embarrassing enough, Amy had to add on “Sunghoon you should’ve seen her when we tried yoga. It was like watching a grandma haha. Lily and I go often though, we can show you after if you’d like”

Well didn’t you just feel on top of the world right now. You felt like a tomato and it was not because of the stretching

“Please refrain from talking about anything outside of this session. I am just doing my job as your trainer and I would appreciate if we could keep things professional thank you.” You could sense from his response that you weren’t the only one getting annoyed by your friends thank god.

“Ok so we’re going to reach down again but push further and hold it there. To make things easier, close your eyes and it will help you level your breathing”

Both Amy and Lily bent down to stretch but you took a moment to shake off your legs when you saw Sunghoon turn around and walk towards you. He came behind and placed his hands on your waist.

“Let me help you stretch a bit further pretty” he whispered in your ear and lightly rubbed your waist.

You felt the hairs on your neck prick up from his breath fanning again your neck. He then pushed your shoulders down and dragged them down your spine the further down you bent. As he pushed down on your lower back, you felt him slightly grind onto your heat.

It seemed like the other two didn’t notice anything since they weren’t making any noise. You never felt so alert but you could help it when you pushed back onto his crotch. The two of you carried on slightly grinding on each other for the entire stretch until till he brought his hand back to you waist and left to go back to his mat.

“Now we’re all stretched and can get onto the workout”

Damn it already felt like you had a whole work out with how heavy you were breathing. Obviously, Amy had to point out

“Damn Y/N how are you already out of breath. I don’t know how you’re gonna survive whatever Sunghoon’s gonna make you do”

You didn’t say anything back but you saw in the mirror in front a slight smirk on Sunghoon’s face. Oh if only you knew Amy

Throughout the whole session, it seemed like Sunghoon couldn’t keep his hands off you. If anyone was to walk in, they would’ve thought it was just the two of you working out together. Because he made the 3 of you do a circuit, the other two weren’t able to pay attention to Sunghoon feeling you up for each exercise. You didn’t know how much more you could take before you’d say fuck it (quite literally) and just jump his bones. Even if your friends were present.

To your relief, Sunghoon announced that the workout session was over and it was time to cool down. You thought that this would be your time to actually relax your muscles and focus on getting your heartbeat steady again. But instead it started to speed up again when Sunghoon spoke up again

“So the next stretch, you’re going to spread your legs apart and reach forward to put you hands and forehead on the floor”

He got up and added “I don’t want you to injure yourself so I’ll help you with this one”

Oh god

Once again your friend proceeded to stretch and Sunghoon made himself comfortable behind you again and mumbled so quietly that you could barely hear him

“Don’t make any noise princess”

He used his left arm to pull you back and hold you against his chest while his other hand dragged down your front and cupped your heat. You almost let out a gasp but quickly bit your lip to stop yourself. He carried on rubbing his middle finger up and down between your legs and when he dragged it to your clit, he brought his middle three fingers to put pressure onto it and rub circles before repeating the process again.

The view in the mirror in front of the both of you was so dirty yet so arousing. The thought that there was a chance that one of your friends could just look up and witness your act made you feel a bubble of excitement in your stomach

Sunghoon remembered that the two of you still had some company to he quickly ordered “Now keep your heads down and reach over to stretch on your left side”

It was getting more difficult for you to not moan out loud so you moved your head back to lean on his left shoulder and lightly panted into his ear. He turned towards you and leaned in for a kiss. It was so wet and sloppy and made you gush even more. If it wasn’t for the loud music playing, you were sure that your friends would’ve picked up on the lip smacking as you carried on swapping saliva. With a wet smack he pulled away from you lips.

“Ok remember to keep your heads down and now stretch on your right side”

When he went back in, the both of you stuck your tongues out and he started sucking you tongue in and out of his mouth. You needed to feel more so you bent your knees and planted your feet on the ground to start grinding into him palm even more as you both wiggled your tongues together. You felt the heat build up in your stomach and whispered to him

“I think I’m gonna cum”

He pressed your foreheads together and said with a smirk “Not yet baby”

You nearly let out a whine and he reluctantly removed himself from you

“Now slowly lift yourselves back up and slowly stand up”

Although you weren’t the one who had been stretching, you got up with a slight wobble from the uncomfortable feeling of wetness in your panties along with your denied orgasm. The other two didn’t question anything since it had been a hard workout.

Sunghoon clapped his hands together “That’s it for the session! Thank you for your hard work” and bowed

You and your friends thanked him back and went to gather your belongings.

“Wait Y/N, I know you struggle a bit more with your flexibility. Would you be able to stay back for a bit so I can help you out? I would feel terrible if you didn’t feel properly stretched after a workout and you don’t want to pull anything” Sunghoon said to you with a smile. And who were you to turn down such an opportunity

“Oh ok! You guys don’t have to wait up for me if you want to go home and shower?” You really hoped they would leave and not question anything since it was quite sudden. Fortunately they agreed and left, leaving you alone with the hot trainer that hadn’t taking his eyes off your ass.

Once the doors closed he grabbed you by the waist to spin you around and immediately attacked your lips with his in a wet kiss. Both of you tongues fought till he stuck his tongue all the way out into your mouth. He licked all around the inside your mouth and slightly moved back to suck your tongue all the way into his. His hands snaked down to grab a handful of your ass and you finally let out a moan. He took the opportunity to slot his thigh between yours and moved you back an forth over his solid muscles. All of a sudden he stopped everything and panted out

“Ok baby, let’s stretch you. Be a good doll and lie on your back for me” he slapped your ass and went over to lock the doors

When he returned to you, he kneeled at your head and moved you so that your head was on his crotch and you could feel his hard dick “Such a good girl. You take orders well don’t you sweet thing”

You were breathing so hard with anticipation that your squeaked out a small “yes”

He then started to rub his arms down your body, starting from you shoulders, slowly rubbing small circles over your clothed breasts and moving them down to your thighs. He took his time rubbing the creases where your thighs met your crotch and smoothed over the outside of your pussy.

Your breathing was slightly shaky and he could see from the way your chest moved rapidly so he chuckled “Are you nervous baby? You don’t need to be nervous. Daddy will take great care of you. Just take deep breaths for me princess”

As you deeply inhaled, you felt his hands grab the sides of your thighs and pulled your legs up towards your chest. You carried on focusing on your breathing as he stretched your legs so that you were bent in half and he slightly leaned forward to place your feet on his broad shoulders

“God baby what a beautiful sight. Look how much you can stretch pretty. Maybe you were faking it when we were warming up huh?” He teased

When he looked in the mirror, all he could think of was how he could easily he could shove his hard dick down your throat. If he wasn’t already rock hard, he most definitely was now

He then let out a growl and slowly bent down towards your centre “Fuck babygirl, with the way you’re stretching, you make it so easy for me to just… eat… you… up”

Without any warning, you felt his hot tongue run from your clit and all the way down the seam of your leggings and he shook his head side to side, addicted to the smell of your arousal. You could feel him take a deep intake through his nose where your clit was and he carried on licking your clothed core. But he wanted more, so he lifted your hips back off the floor and pulled the back of your leggings and panties all the way past your ass. He was too needy to pull your leggings and underwear off your legs so he bunched them at your knees and used his upper arms to press the back of your thighs down till you were bent in half.

Your head had moved so it was on the mat and his hard dick was almost pressed against your face. You could feel his breath against your exposed pussy as he brought his fingers to spread your glistening lips.

“I’m telling you, this has got to be the prettiest pussy I’ve ever seen baby. You’re so creamy and look so tasty”

He took another whiff before saying “Ah daddy’s gonna drink up your juices so well princess”

And with that he dove in tongue first to lap up at your entrance. He tongue fucked your pussy and sucked at your clit harshly. God he thought at this moment that your pussy would be his new addiction and he need to taste it everyday for the rest of his life.

The music playing from the speakers did absolutely nothing to cover the pornographic sounds that came out of your mouth. Even with Sunghoon eating your pussy so deliciously while holding you down so you can’t escape, the sight of his dick on top of you was absolutely mouth watering. You brought your hand up to his hard cock and gave it a squeeze before moving you hand up and down.

Finally, Sunghoon detached himself from your pussy to let out the most delicious moan you’ve ever heard and started to grind into your hand. His moans alone would’ve probably made you cum right there.

“Oh yeah that’s right baby squeeze daddy’s cock. You wanna suck on it too? Lick it like a lollipop my gorgeous girl”

He reached down to his joggers and pulled them down just enough to release his dick. It sprung out and slapped your cheek before resting by your face.

“Suck daddy’s dick princess while daddy eats up your creamy pussy” he growled before eating you out again

You lifted your head off the ground to take his hard, warm dick into your mouth and sucked as hard as you could. The suction made him moan so loud that the vibrations felt more intense than any vibrator you had ever used. You almost wanted to scream from how good his tongue felt. You both carried on making each other feel the most pleasure either of you had ever felt. And the vibrations from your moans only intensified that pleasure.

You were so concentrated on making him feel good that it took you a moment to realise that Sunghoon started to bend your legs further back. Without any warning, his tongue flickered across your clit a few times before it ran all the way down to your asshole. It was the first time anyone had touched your other entrance and it felt so good.

“Oh fuck daddy please do that again. That feels so good” you moaned out and took his cock back into your hot mouth.

“You like it? Such a greedy baby. But daddy will give you whatever you want” he said smugly

He used your ass as leverage to pull you back and forth. His flattened tongue stroked up and down your crotch from your puffy clit to your winking rim.

“Oh shit baby I can’t get enough with your taste. This is the most delicious pussy and ass and it’s all MINE”

The slurping and moaning was so hot and the both of you could feel your orgasms building up. Sunghoon started to rut into your throat and groaned into your pussy. He so desperately wanted to moan out load and let you know how well you were sucking him off, but he wanted you to come as well so he started to suck and vibrate his moan onto your clit.

If it wasn’t for him grinding on your face, you would’ve screamed from the overwhelming pleasure. You needed to cum right now or you’d explode. So you brought your hands to the back of his head and pressed him further into your pussy. He loved the feeling of you using his face to get off that he started to thrust in your face even more. At this point you didn’t care if it was desperate, you just needed to cum, so as you pressed his face in your centre, you started humping vigorously into his mouth. The both of you were getting closer and closer. You wouldn’t stop humping each other’s faces and it was so hot.

All of a sudden, Sunghoon’s thighs started shaking and you sucked so hard as his cum spurted into your throat. It turned you on so much how YOU make his legs shake and how YOU got him to release the most beautiful moans.

He carried on twitching but he still needed to make you cum. He was craving for it. So he returned his mouth back onto your clit and created a vacuum whilst moaning from his own pleasure

“Yes. Yes. Cream in my mouth princess. Daddy wants to squirt all over his face. Drown me in your juices omg. Use daddy’s face. Hump me baby hump me”

So you carried on grinding on his face and quickened your hips when you felt an overwhelming amount of pleasure wash over you.

You screamed so loud as you squirted hard into Sunghoon’s mouth. He was completely obsessed with your taste and drank up everything you had to offer. He held your shaking leg back from closing as he slurped at your entrance.

You laughed and tried to push him away from your overstimulated pussy

“Sunghoon I’m sensitive”

“Uh uh let me drink you up baby. I’m not done cleaning you” you felt him smiling against you

At last, he slowly lowered you legs and moved so he could hover over you and kiss you.

“You did so well baby. Can you taste yourself?” he mumbled against your lips and stroked your hair

The way he looked down at you made your heart skip. This all felt so… natural

“I know this is all fast and probably a weird time, but I’d really like to get to know you. Would you like to go out for dinner with me some time soon? Of course you don’t have to say yes, I completely understand” he started to ramble with a slight tint in his cheeks

How could one be so cute after giving you the best head?

You shut his rambling up with a peck and responded “I would love to get dinner with you Sunghoon”

His precious smile just made you want to squeeze his cheeks! He gave you more pecks and leaned down to suck on your neck

“I’m still so hard baby” he groaned

“Oh yea? You wanna fuck my pussy baby?” You teased back at him

He moaned and begged “Yes please doll. Let me fuck you so hard”

“Ok then Hoonie”

After hearing that nickname and your approval, he quickly stripped you from your clothes and ripped his off himself. His well-sculpted body was everything you had fantasised about in your wet dreams. And the fact that is was paired with the gorgeous face of a perfect man written by females themselves, was just icing on the cake.

He spread your legs and spat onto your pussy (not like you needed it) before easing his way into your heat. His girth stretched you so deliciously that you felt like drooling. It was the most perfect dick ever. And it felt perfect inside you as well.

He rutted into you and stared into your eyes, leaving his mouth hanging open. The sweet melody of your moans together and skip clapping was something that people would pay to get off to. The mirrors were fogging up from the panting and intensity.

“Baby please ride me” Sunghoon panted. He did want to carry of fucking you at his own pace but he was so close to cumming and he really wanted to watch your bare tits bounce in front of him when he came.

You both flipped over and you quickly started to grind on his dick. Now that he had helped you to stretch, your hips were rapid and you angled your clit to drag along his pubic hair. It feels so good omg

Sunghoon looked down at your pussy and the way your juices coated his pubes and pelvis, he moaned out so loud

“You’re so hot oh my fucking god princess. Yes! Ride my dick like that. Can I cum inside you baby?” as he held you up and thrusted up into you, angling his hips to hit your g spot

“Oh fuck yes daddy cum in me! You’re gonna make my cum again”

“Cum with me baby. That’s it”

And just like that, you both came hard. He filled you up so full that it started to leak out of your pussy

You were both shaking so hard that you collapsed and layed on top of him.

You were both trying to catch your breath as you snuggled up together. You could feel him press sweet kisses to your hairline and he dragged his fingertips up and down your spine.

“You good princess?”

“Yea” you respond with a happy sigh and lift yourself up to sit on him

He looked up at you with such fond eyes and stroked you waist. There was a fainted mischievous smile as he brought his fingers down to where your were both connected to gather his cum that spilled out

“It’s taking all of the strength in me to not make you sit on my face and have you drip in my mouth” he groaned whilst staring at your soaking pussy. “If you’re free after this, maybe we should continue this at mine and we can find out how many times I can make you cum?”

You slowly lifted yourself off his semi hard member and situated yourself on his lower stomach. You still wanted tease him a bit more so you started to grind on his abs. Sunghoon moaned at the warm feeling and layed his head back down to try and control himself.

“I guess I’m free to do that. But only if you let me cum on your abs and suck you off in the shower” you flirted back

He bit his lip with a smile “Deal”

Oh weren’t you glad that your friends dragged you for a workout

Author’s note: Well… I did not expect for this to be that long but sleeveless Sunghoon just makes me go feral 😅 Thank you so much to those who voted for this fic and waited so patiently for it, I hope it was worth the wait 🫶 And thank you for taking the time to read my work 🩵

[rogersideup]

One shot request: the reader from nice to be kneaded and Steve have a baby. Creative control is all yours. I just need a baby in that man’s arms.

Nice to be Kneaded

More Fun Stuff

Just Between Us

Can be read as a one shot, or in conjunction with Nice to be Kneaded.

Series Masterlist More Fun Stuff Masterlist

Post Endgame Steve x Baker reader

Word Count: 1,564

Some things are best kept a secret <3

Getting home from a long day at work at the bakery felt like a billion pounds falling off your shoulders. It had been a long, chaotic day of fulfilling unusually large orders all while trying to appease the masses that never slowed down since the blip.

Unlocking the door and stepping inside, the view in the living room immediately put a smile on your face, and took the weight of the world off your back.

"Dada" Steve spoke to the now almost one year old.

He was splayed out on the living room rug, your little daughter in front of him, belly laughing right in his face.

"Mama!" She responded, laughing even harder at Steve's immediate response.

"No, Dada!" He shook his head, smiling at the sound of her giggles.

Your smile widened as you kicked off your shoes and put your bag down.

"Say dada!" Steve encouraged. "Da-Da"

"Mama!" She responded.

"Dada" He tried again.

"Mama."

The closer you got to the adorable scene, the more you could tell Steve was exhausted and probably losing his mind a bit. He was wearing no pants and a shirt, and he had yet to even brush his hair. But, your daughter looked freshly bathed, fed, dressed, and happy as a clam.

Moments like these always warmed your heart, and you were endlessly thankful to have a husband who was so supportive of not only you, but his own daughter.

You could've never been running two bakeries and raising a kid if it weren't for his wild blonde hair and lack of pants.

"Okay, sound it out." He changed methods. "Start with D. Duh duh duh."

"Duh" She babbled back.

"Now dah! Dah dah dah."

"Dah dah dah"

"Now Dada!" Steve was so hopeful.

"Mama!" Her cheeky smile widened and pointed to you, putting her arms in the air hopeful you would pick her up.

"Hi baby! I missed you!" You enthused, happy to scoop up your little cinnamon roll off the plush rug. "Oh my goodness, did Dada put you in this cute little outfit?! What a cutie!"

"Dada also gave her a bath, because she was a bit stinky." Steve told you, the superhero nearly struggling to get up off the floor, a testament to how tightly she has him wrapped around her teeny baby fingers.

"Do you have the best Dad in the whole world?!" You asked her, she smiled and giggled in response. "Say Yes! Yeessss"

"Yes!" She responded with ease.

"Yay!!" You celebrated.

Teaching a baby how to talk meant every conversation was now grounds for teaching, and you would happily teach her that Steve, was in fact, the best dad in the world.

Steve finally made it up off the floor, which excited her even more.

"Mama!" She squeaked happily, pointing to Steve.

"No, Dada." You pointed to him, trying to help Steve out.

He's been trying for three days now to get her to call her anything close to Dad. She's had Mama down for a week now and you were starting to feel Steve's pain.

"Hi, Captain Underpants" You smiled at him, it was impossible to not be happy and completely enchanted by the sight of him. "I missed you."

He gave you a kiss, and you wrapped your free arm around him to hug him the best you could.

"Hi, Sweetheart. I missed you too" He happily snuggled up to you. "How was work?"

"Chaotic." You stated simply. "How was your morning?"

"It was good, we went on a nice long walk, had breakfast, lots of snacks, a bath, but no nap yet." He told you.

"You look like you could use a nap." You grinned sympathetically, reaching your arm up and running your fingers through his hair a few times. "I've got her, you go get some sleep, baby."

"You just got home, I think you should nap first." He denied.

You shook your head. "I'm not tired, and you do a lot for us. You got up with her like three times last night. I know you didn't sleep well."

"I think I need a shower more than sleep, much like her, I'm also I bit stinky" Steve stated.

"Go take a shower and a nap." You sympathized.

"You're sure?" He questioned.

"Positive." You nodded, giving him another kiss. "Because even the best dad ever needs sleep, too. Huh, Cinny?"

The two of you have been calling her Cinny more than her real name, short for Cinnamon Roll of course.

"Yes!" She used the new word she learned a whole minute ago.

"Best dad ever?" You asked her, pointing to Steve. He raised his eyebrow in anticipation.

"Yes!"

"Who's this?" You asked her, still pointing to Steve.

"Mama!" She stated proudly.

Steve's shoulders deflated. "She'll get it soon." You comforted him. "Go relax, I love you."

"I love you too." Steve told you before playfully and gently smacking your butt and waking off.

You brought Cinny into her room and sat down with her on the glider chair. There was a lot of one sided conversation about how much you missed her and how much you loved her before reading her some books to get her to wind down for her nap.

It took about 45 minutes, but she eventually knocked out snuggled into your chest and neck. You took a very selfish 20 minutes to appreciate the baby cuddles and get your fix since you really did miss her at work today.

After a successful transfer into her crib, you turned the baby monitor on and quickly went upstairs to change out of your work clothes and into something far more comfortable.

Then you were right back downstairs to the other not-so-little human you missed all day too. Steve was asleep on the couch, but this time he had sweatpants on and no shirt.

Maybe one day he could find it within himself to be fully clothed, but for now, you definitely weren't complaining.

You leaned over and gave him a kiss to his temple before sitting next to his head and massaging it.

Being a stay home Dad looked really good on him. You'll admit, after his retirement he seemed a bit lost for a while. Like he had gone so long being Captain America or on the run from the government that he didn't even know who Steve was anymore. But the second he became a Dad, it was like he immediately knew exactly who he was supposed to be.

You thought that having kids would change things. Through your whole life you heard stories of exhausted mothers not having time for life anymore, slightly miserable, never talking fondly of their husbands, or even how their husbands found them less attractive after having their kids. There was a lot of silent fear that maybe that would happen to you, maybe the two of you would be under so much stress you'd start to resent each other, or maybe you'd be less attractive to Steve after your body changed in the process of growing baby Cinny.

But that couldn't be further from the truth. You'd never been more attracted to or in love than you were right now with a happy sleepy baby, and a happy sleeping husband. He took such amazing care of you and in turn, all you ever wanted to do was take care of him.

Even if he was sleeping, you wanted him to know how much you loved and appreciated him, and his crazy blonde hair. In true Steve fashion, even in his sleep he snuggled into you.

He dug his face into your stomach, and his arm held you close. Cuddles from Steve lasted a solid hour before you were nearly dosing off to sleep yourself.

Not all things could be a fairytale, and you knew that because you could hear Cinny start to fuss on the monitor. Small little cries let you know she was awake and ready to be done with nap time.

So you carefully slipped out underneath Steve, and he was so exhausted that you managed to stand up again without waking him.

"Mama" Your daughter pouted and wiped small tears off her face when she saw you enter her room.

"Good morning, honey." You said quietly matching her tiny pout, and cradling her in your arms. "It's okay, baby, you're okay."

You snuggled her and swayed her as her tears slowly came to an end with quiet promises of playtime and more snacks, you even asked her very politely if she could keep her babbles and voice to a reasonable level as to not wake up Dad.

Did she understand? No. Did you try anyways? Absolutely.

Once she was fully awake and a lot less grumpy, you tip toed back into the living room to set her up with her favorite little aquarium toy.

When she spotted Steve dead asleep on the couch, her whole face lit up with yet another cheeky smile.

She pointed at him. "Dada!"

Your eyes squeezed shut and your head lulled back, so immensely disappointed that Steve missed that moment. But, you were proud of her.

"Yes! That's Dada!" You confirmed enthusiastically but quietly. "This stays between us, kid."

You were now fully prepared to pretend like the next time she called him Dad was her first, because really, you loved Steve that much.

[kynizen]

☆ drst hcs ~ in denial

prompt. him being heavily in denial about his feelings for you and if/when he’d finally realize it. split into three sections — him & you (how & why the denial starts) + him & co. (another character’s reaction to his denial) + feelings realization. gender neutral reader.

ft. hyoga, tsukasa, & ukyo

warning. spoilers for most recent eps. ahead , angst

a/n — I think this concept is fun! less characters bc there’s 3 sections per character! enjoy this fun little game of denial! also, i will say that hyoga’s characterization is largely based on his later manga appearances! there are no spoilers, but you don’t get to see a lot of good hyoga until the manga <//3 anyway! enjoy!

☁️ hyoga akatsuki ;;

him & you ~ how it starts

• Given his nature, Hyoga would be in denial for quite some time before ever realizing that he actually likes you. After all, in his mission to build a world where only the strong and proper are revived, is there really any room for romance?

• The answer, of course, happens to be yes, even if he didn’t mean to fall for you.

• Usually, Hyoga would view kindness as yours as limiting and weak. How can anyone survive in a battle of survival of the fittest if they refuse to be ruthless?

• However… your kindness does something to him. He’s used to being treated with respect, reverence, or fear. Experiencing genuine kindness from you— kindness from one person to another— is an entirely new experience. He’s never been treated with warmth and smiles without an ulterior motive.

• Pacifist or not, your kindness is only further enhanced by your other skills. Witnessing you in your element further grows Hyoga’s affection for you. Your warmth got his eyes on you, and your skills kept him watching.

• But… surely he’s only watching you because you’re a proper ally, right? He’s merely surprised by how capable you turned out to be behind that soft heart. That’s why you’ve caught his attention.

• Hyoga treats you noticeably kinder than others. Even when he’s around people he respects— like Homura or Tsukasa— he maintains distance. With you, he’s a little warmer— more willing to entail conversation he’d see as nonsensical otherwise.

• On top of that, Hyoga is adamant on keeping you away from trouble. When he starts to suspect Gen’s loyalty, he tries his best to keep you far from the mentalist. What if Gen pulled you to the other side? How would he keep you safe then?

• He keeps trying to reason with himself that he merely feels this way because you’re a proper ally, and it’d be a shame to lose skills like yours. He’ll ignore his fluttering heart and the smiles behind his mask if it means keeping you at a distance and never admitting how he feels.

• Because if he admits it and he loses you, he’s certain he’ll risk becoming much weaker. And that’s not something he can afford.

him & co. ~ another character’s reaction — asagiri gen

• Hyoga, though he acts subtle about his favoritism toward you, isn't as discreet as he likely thought he was. Then again, it’s hard to hide things from a mentalist, even if Hyoga wears a mask.

• Gen notices a change in Hyoga’s demeanor a few weeks after you’re revived. Before you were around, Hyoga would make himself scarce— training in solitude— if no one needed him or he had no duties for the day.

• Beforehand, Tsukasa and Homura were the only people Hyoga gave the time of day. He’d hardly ever entertain conversation with another soul unless absolutely necessary. All to say, he was something of a lone wolf.

• Then, you’re revived. And suddenly, Gen sees a lot more of Hyoga around and hears him talking a lot more than he used to.

• Hyoga still trains, but he makes it a point to idle around and wait for you to also be free before walking off with you so you can keep him company while he trains.

• You’re the only one Hyoga actively talks with, and from what Gen has overheard, it’s hardly a business talk. Your conversation topics with Hyoga always include life, family, and who Hyoga is. Surprisingly, Hyoga doesn’t brush you off— diligently answering your questions and even asking some of his own.

• Gen also notices that when Hyoga isn’t around, you’re also notably absent. Gen once thought it was you clinging to Hyoga… but soon realizes it’s quite the opposite. Actually, he overheard Hyoga asking to be assigned to the same work with you when he’s able, or he merely finishes his own duties before seeking you out.

• Gen is quick to realize what it is. However, when he musters up the courage to ask Hyoga about it, he’s not shocked to hear the man vehemently deny it— going as far as calling it foolish and weak.

• However, Gen notices the way his shoulders relax, the way his brow unfurrows, and the smiles Hyoga tries to hide when you’re mentioned. Gen notices the way Hyoga straightens up a bit and softens around the edges when he’s with you.

• Gen knows for a fact that Hyoga is smitten with you. Now… whether or not he’d ever come to admit that is a whole new question. He’s so deep in denial and in his own worldview that he’s almost certain Hyoga would deny it until the day he dies.

• Well… not that it matters to Gen. If he can leverage Hyoga’s crush against him, then he will. Maybe then Hyoga would actually admit that he doesn’t just see you as a normal ally.

feelings realization ~ finally. . .

• After his betrayal against Tsukasa and the Kingdom of Science, Hyoga believes he’ll only feel regret that he didn’t best Senku. However… as time passes while he’s locked up, he feels more regret that he betrayed you and your trust.

• He doesn’t remember how everyone else reacted to his betrayal, but he does remember the hurt and disappointment on your face. In that moment, in fully losing, he felt like he lost something more than his ideal world— the person he wanted to share that world with.

• Hyoga fully suspects you to want nothing to do with him or Homura ever again. He suspects that he’s lost you forever— that he’ll never feel your warmth again. And the mere thought makes his heart hurt.

• In that moment, when he’s locked up and questioning why he cares so much, he finally comes to the realization that he wouldn’t care if you were just a proper ally in his eyes. He wouldn’t care so much unless he cared about you deeply.

• Part of him is disappointed— part of him blames you for bringing out a weakness in him. Surely, that weakness is the reason he lost. But… then you start visiting him.

• It starts with you bringing his food on a daily basis. Then, you bring your own food and stick around to eat with him. You engage Homura in conversation, and soon enough, him, too.

• Hyoga warms up to you all over again. You’re stronger than he ever was. He wants to call you stupid for being so willing to forgive him even though he was your enemy. However, he knows that you’ve fully considered the weight of your decision and still chose forgiveness anyway.

• He knows he could never be that way— which is why he has to admire that trait in you. Sure, perhaps kindness can be a foolish weakness… but that kindness of yours allowed you to give him a second chance.

• In its own way, that’s quite proper, isn’t it?

• Either way, he can’t help but accept that, yes. He loves you more than anything. And if there isn’t a place for romance in the Stone World, he’ll just have to carve one out himself.

• All he hopes is that, one day, you’ll be able to love him just as much. Though, he’d be unable to blame you for feeling otherwise. It’d be foolish for him to engage in such wishful thinking without facing reality.

• But… he certainly does love you. And that won’t change for a long time.

☁️ tsukasa shishio ;;

him & you ~ how it starts

• When his attention first falls on you, Tsukasa assumes it’s because you’re especially pure-hearted. You’re someone his sister would’ve loved. After all, what else could it possibly be?

• He isn’t fully sure when that viewpoint changes. All he knows is that you change from someone his sister would’ve loved to someone he wishes could’ve met her. You become someone he knows he likes to be around, and he isn’t sure why.

• He vehemently denies that it could be love because, well, it was that same emotion that was Senku, Taiju, and Yuzuriha’s downfall. Senku’s care for his friend and knowing that Taiju loved Yuzuriha is precisely why he was able to best them.

• Emotions like that were sure to become a weakness, and he’d never let that happen, so it couldn’t be that. It’s precisely why he’s never searched for Mirai. Because even if she couldn’t be revived, he couldn’t bear to see her statue come to harm.

• So what he feels for you couldn’t be that. The desire to be in your presence— the desire to confide in you and spend quiet moments with you— it isn’t love. Admiration, perhaps? Maybe friendship? With each passing day he becomes more uncertain of the answer.

• What he does know is that he makes it a point to check in on you quite a bit. He revived you for your skills and kindness… but each time he meets you it’s never about anything related to the Empire.

• Your conversations with him are notably familiar. They’re never about work like with the others he talks with. When he approaches you, he does so to check in on your well-being— to ask if there’s anything you feel you’re lacking.

• You’re the only one he walks along the beach quietly with, reminiscing about his sister and his past. Tsukasa feels inclined to tell you things he hasn’t told another.

• But it isn’t love. When he tells you about himself— hoping to show you the reasons behind his morals— it isn’t love. When he’s had a rough day plagued with regrets and he seeks you out— that isn’t love.

• Because if it is, he’s certain you’d never be happy with where his morals align. He’s certain that you hide how troubled you are beneath a kind smile.

• If he falls for you, he knows it’d kill him that you’d never agree to be by his side. So he refuses— he can’t. He’ll call the extra kindness he shows you, the leniency he takes with you, anything but what it likely is if it means saving himself the weakness that comes with that warmth.

him & co. ~ another character’s reaction — yuzuriha & taiju

• While Tsukasa is relatively good about being subtle about how he feels about you, the person that notices it first is Yuzuriha, followed closely by Taiju.

• When he’s around you, Taiju recognizes the initial upstanding guy he thought Tsukasa was. He sees no hint of hostility or distrust that he’d seen in him before. All he sees is kindness. Tsukasa never regards you with anything but a smile, and it’s enough for Taiju to firmly believe that, yeah, Tsukasa is a good guy— probably just on the wrong path.

• It’s entirely different for Yuzuriha. The reason she recognizes Tsukasa’s fondness for you so quickly is because she recognizes the way the man looks at you. It’s the same way Taiju looks at her. Fondness, warmth, love— an unspoken desire to be by someone’s side no matter what may happen.

• They both see that… but they also hear how Tsukasa talks about you. He has nothing but good things to say. Even if you’re someone who doesn’t agree with Tsukasa’s morals, he’s never expressed anything but understanding. And if someone dares disrespect you, he’s quick to shut it down.

• However, they also hear him insist that you’re just a friend— someone pure-hearted that needs to be protected. Taiju mentions to Yuzuriha that he feels like Tsukasa looks a little sad when he calls you just a friend. She sees it, too.

• When he thinks you aren’t looking, the two notice that Tsukasa’s eyes always seem to drift to you. He always has a faraway look in his eyes. Then, they see his eyes glimmer a bit with hope when you happen to catch his gaze.

• Truth be told, it makes both Taiju and Yuzuriha a little sad. If Tsukasa was honest with himself— if he wasn’t so adamant on his ways— then there’d be nothing stopping him from being happy with you. Tsukasa’s biggest obstacle is himself.

• They hope that if they eventually beat Tsukasa in this war… maybe then he’ll allow himself to be happy with you. Maybe he’ll be allowed a happy ending with you.

• Because at the end of the day, Tsukasa is a good guy, isn’t he?

feelings realization ~ finally. . .

• Tsukasa finally realizes that he loves you when it’s a little too late. He finally realizes it… but his time with you gets cut terribly short.

• At the end of the war against the Kingdom of Science, you remain by his side. You share his excitement in reviving Mirai, and you never blame him for anything that happened. You stayed by him despite everything— despite all the fighting.

• The moment he realizes that you being there is just… natural to him, he accepts that he loves you dearly. You’d stay beside him through thick and thin, you’d be an amazing role model to Mirai, and your kindness knows no end.

• He loves you and wants to protect you. If the entirety of humanity is going to be revived, he’ll protect your pure heart from any corrupt adults himself. He wants to stay by your side and love you at your best and your worst as you did for him. He wants to be your support— a quiet and safe place to retreat to.

• He just… wants to be someone that deserves the kindness you’ve shown him. He wants to be worthy of the warm love you’ve always shown. He loves you and wants to treat you in the way you deserve.

• But… his happiness is short-lived. When Mirai is revived, he tells her about his affection for you. He tells her he wants to confess— but then Hyoga fatally wounds him.

• Tsukasa realizes it’d be selfish to ask you to wait for him. When Senku chooses to freeze him, they both have no clue when he’ll be able to come back— if he’ll ever come back. Tsukasa doesn’t want you to wait for him— for the slim chance he’ll return.

• It’s then that Tsukasa decides to take it with him to the grave. If he happens to revive… if Senku somehow finds a way to petrify him… then he’ll tell you. If you still haven’t found anyone by the time he returns, he makes a promise to himself, and to Mirai, that he'll finally tell you how he feels.

• Before he’s frozen, you make a promise to him in a hushed whisper that you’ll watch over Mirai for him— that you know he’ll return one day and that you’ll be patiently waiting for him to come home.

• In those final moments before cold sleep, Tsukasa’s heart feels reassured. He should’ve realized— you’d wait for him regardless of what he said.

• Now… he just hopes he’ll be able to awaken and meet you again— to love you as you deserve.

☁️ ukyo saionji ;;

him & you ~ how it starts

• Ukyo recognizes your kindness almost immediately after you’re revived and become acclimated into the Tsukasa Empire. It’s hard for him not to stick by your side— relieved that he isn’t the only one who doesn’t agree with Tsukasa’s ideology and feels some guilt toward being unable to do a thing about it.

• Being around you so much leads him to start recognizing things beyond just an alignment of morals. You’re truly kind and caring— extending that same warmth to Tsukasa and even Hyoga. You reason that they must have their own experiences that led to having such ideals— that it isn’t an excuse not to care for them.

• You have the same idea as Ukyo for different reasons. You won’t leave the Tsukasa Empire not for reasons involving power or which side might win. It’s merely because you care for the people you revived with— you care for him.

• Ukyo wants to protect that kindness— wants to keep a war from happening in hopes that it’ll save you from ever looking sad over a lost friend. But… it isn’t love.

• No, Ukyo is certain that it’s merely a desire to protect you. After all, the world needs more people like you, so he can’t risk you getting in harm’s way. That’s it. It’s nothing beyond a desire to protect, right?

• And yet, you’re the only one that Ukyo has gotten close to in the Tsukasa Empire. He keeps everyone else at a professional distance, refusing to disclose anything about himself. When he’s with you, it seems much easier to open up. He doesn’t feel like he has to hide.

• You’re the only person he goes out of his way to check in on. When he knows you had an especially busy day or had a lot on your plate, he’ll seek you out immediately when he’s relieved of his duties. He’ll comfort you when you need it and keep you company when you desire it.

• However, he refuses to call it anything but friendship. Even if he wants to be closer to you— wants to soothe the fluttering in his heart— he can’t. Because Ukyo is continuously questioning his loyalty to Tsukasa.

• If he said anything, he’s certain you’d be used against him. If you happened to want to turncoat and leave, he knows he’d be used against you. That’s the last thing he wants.

• Because if a war is waged against the Kingdom of Science, Ukyo wants to be certain that you won’t come to harm. And something like love would become a glaring weakness— one that could be fatal.

• And this world needs more people like you.

him & co. ~ another character’s reaction — ishigami senku

• When Ukyo first defects to the Kingdom of Science, Senku immediately notices a level of hesitance for him— as if something is still holding him back. Considering how adamant Ukyo is that absolutely no one dies, Senku assumes that it isn’t just fueled by his morals.

• Then, Gen mentions seeing you and Ukyo together a while ago— and Senku can immediately tell that you’re the reason he’s so adamant on a peaceful end.

• At first, Senku assumes that maybe you’re a really good friend, perhaps a sibling? However, when he’s able to hear more from Taiju and Yuzuriha’s perspective, he can immediately tell it’s romantic, even if Ukyo himself is in denial about that fact.

• In all honesty, he isn’t one to care for romance himself, but he does care about the happiness of others. He can tell Ukyo’s seriously anxious about something happening to you— and though Senku is absolutely certain he won’t let anyone die, he knows that love can be a little illogical.

• Besides, you have your own assets that Senku could utilize. If you have the trust of a man like Ukyo, he’s certain it’s because you’re a good person. He isn’t one to push anyone into confessing— he never did with Taiju— but he will do his best to accommodate, even if he sees it as senseless.

• Because Senku does know what it’s like to lose someone— what it’s like to worry and to not want to be alone. If your presence makes Ukyo a little more confident, so be it. That’s why he’s the one who suggests looping you in and bringing you to their side.

• Hearing and later seeing how comfortable Ukyo is with you by his side is enough to confirm without a doubt that Ukyo loves you. Senku remembers seeding Ukyo when he’s serious— when he’s in the zone. It’s the complete opposite of what the man is like with you.

• With you, Ukyo is softer and much more laid back— more himself, if anything. And frankly, Senku thinks it’s illogical for Ukyo to keep hiding how he feels when it’s clear you feel the same.

• Then again, he won’t push. He’s certain Ukyo will want to make a move himself. He has faith it’ll happen one day, and Ukyo will be better for it.

feelings realization ~ finally. . .

• Given how adamant Ukyo is on protecting you, it isn’t exactly shocking that he’s the one who ends up hurt during the final battle of the war against the Tsukasa Empire.

• What does shock him is just how much it affects you. Of course, you’re kindhearted and have a loving personality— but he didn’t expect you to show so much concern for him in particular. However, the moment he gets injured, you put yourself at risk to get him to safety— spending time patching his wounds before running back to the battle.

• Your bravery paired with the care and consideration you show— add on top of that his neat brush with death— all of it causes him to truly accept that he loves you. He loves you and he doesn’t want to lose you— he doesn’t want to regret the things he never said.

• When the dust finally settles— when Tsukasa is defeated, Hyoga imprisoned, and the Kingdom of Science reigns victorious— he decides to tell you how he honestly feels.

• Because you’re sure to face dangers in the future— ones he might not be there for. There may come a time where he gets hurt or otherwise incapacitated again and he won’t be able to protect you like he wants. All he wants is to be certain that, no matter what you face, you know that he loves you and is supporting you whether he’s there physically or not.

• Of course, he hesitates a bit at first. But when he starts his confession speech and hears your heart quicken— hears the way your breath hitches a bit— he knows it’s mutual and he becomes far more confident in his words.

• Finally, he can accept that he’s always loved you— that there’s no longer a reason to deny it any longer. While he knows there might come a time in the future where someone could use your love against him… he thinks the risk is worth the reward.

• Because in no world are you Ukyo’s weakness. You’re his biggest strength— and you make him strive to be better. And he’s certain that if someone tried to use you two against each other, you and him would find a way to come out on top.

tags.

[2jinbi]

hi everyone :3 this is my first time ever writing anything. i’ve never written anything before but i have really bad jjk brainrot right now so i created this account to dump this stuff on. please ignore any spelling mistakes! english is not my strongest suite. im good at it but yk, im not an experienced writer. please feel free to give me criticism. i also dont know if this is formatted right because, well, refer to what i said before lol.

warnings: aged up chars, fluff, slightly ooc, uncle yuuji n auntie nobara 🥹, baby’s name is fumiko (fumi for short), just something fun and short and silly

“no, you can’t eat that!” nobara takes the rubix cube from the infant’s hand. she throws the rubix cube somewhere else as she goes back to filing her nails. she’s left wide-eyed, and you can already tell by the look alone she’s about to start crying. you never understood. yes, she was a baby, but even so, questions are questions. you stop what you’re doing and kneel down next to fumi.

“shh, come here,” your voice is a barely above a whisper. she bursts into tears and starts crying loudly as you place her on your hip and bounce her gently.

“somebody shut that damn baby up, please. focus is key.” yuuji says without sparing a glance at you. he’s too focused on his chess game—you can tell by his body language and posture. yuuji had picked up the hobby literally out of nowhere. you went over to his apartment one day and saw a huge chess board spread across his coffee table. “i learned chess three days ago. todo taught me. he beat my ass really bad. i learned to win against him, and just out of spite,” he chuckles.

“watch it. that’s my kid,” megumi warns. yuuji eyerolls to that—he knew he could never say anything bad about fumi in his presence. it’s not like he did, anyway. he loved fumi like his own; she was everything to him. he wanted to crack a joke but forgot megumi doesn’t joke about his kid. he heaves a sigh and blinks. “well, your kid is distracting me. i can’t focus with the crying.”

“shut up, yuuji. she’s just a baby!” nobara quickwits. fumi had settled down now, but only because she got tired of crying. you know she’d begin again anytime. “she’s right. babies will do baby things. plus, fumi’s teething now, and she’s in constant pain, so she’s bound to throw fits.” megumi defends. it brings a smile to your face.

“you’re not a very good uncle, ‘y’know,” you said amused. you opened your mouth to speak, but nobara got to it first. “beefing with a baby is crazy to me,” nobara raises her brows and whistles. “no way you guys are ganging up on me.”

fumi starts fussing again, and you can see her trying to escape your arms. she’s reaching her father. you frown slightly but walk over to megumi and hand her to him. he smiles warmly at her and kisses the top of her head. “hi baby,” he says softly. yuuji already accepted defeat. he knew megumi wouldn’t finish the game like this. “you’re so cute, baby. so cute,” he cradles his baby. you’re in awe at the sight. megumi never spoke like this to anyone—his voice was never this soft spoken unless it came to you or his daughter. you notice fumi’s eyes flutter, and she yawns. in a matter of minutes, she’s sleeping. megumi walks to your room and places her in the crib.

“she’s sleeping now. don’t worry,” he walks over to you and places a chaste kiss on your lips. “you’re so gorgeous. i love you so much.” you feel your cheeks heat up intensely. nobara audibly retches, and yuuji looks away, embarrassed. “ew. please get a room.” “agreed!”

megumi’s face twitches. “shut up!”

[moralesluvr]

Y.D.L.R | MILES MORALES

♡ pairings & aus: earth 42!miles morales x barista!black!fem!reader (they are 19 in this for the plot's sake), exes 2 lovers au. ♡ summary: it's been three months since you broke up with miles. it took you those three months to get over him-- and now you finally have, until he unexpectedly ‘bumps’ into you as you wait for your new man at a restaurant. and boy, does he have so much to tell you. ♡ warnings: cursing, arguing, mentions of sex i think? ♡ a/n: whew chile...my first e42 actual FIC FIC im screaming!! this lovely fic was inspired by my bae bae @luvjunie and her WONDERFUL PLAYLIST XOXO!! i love u endlessly <3 ♡ got a request? | masterlist ♡ ♪ - Y.D.L.R by Tory Lanez

There's something enigmatic about going on a date after a break-up.

Maybe it's the way your stomach flutters when plans are set in stone, or the way your lips inevitably curl upwards when you swipe your makeup onto your face to the beat of your getting-ready tunes.

Or maybe, it's just because it's not with Miles.

Your heart twists within itself at the very mention of his name, or at the mere thought of it— that's for sure. Anything that had to do with him in the slightest had your stomachs in knots, the bitter taste of acid playing on your tongue when you dwelled on the past of your former relationship.

It was his fault, that’s what you had settled on. Mostly to deny the fact that your chest locked whenever you saw him in public, or whenever he would come into your job during the morning time, ordering the same chocolate muffin and coffee that he always bought.

And you had to act like it didn’t bother you, although it did, for a while. You always called him “Mr.” when you saw him in person because the hurt restricted your mouth to even fix itself to say his name.

But months passed, and you were sick of coming home from work and falling asleep to the sound of your own tears hitting the pillow, accompanied by constant rewatching of old videos and pictures that you and Miles had accumulated over the past two years.

As long as your relationship was, you knew that it would be hard to get over him if you just sat around and sulked all day for the rest of your life. You caught yourself opening up the App Store and downloading multitudes of dating apps, at first— just for fun and games, until one guy that you matched with came into your work.

Sebastian was extremely different in relation to Miles. He was taller, buffer, and owned the deepest of emerald eyes, which seemed to always sparkle when he was under the opiate of light. He was kind-hearted and tender and often told you how beautiful you were when he had the chance.

He had the thickest of caramel curls and was two years older, as well, which definitely appealed to you because you assumed he would be more mature then your former lover. He introduced himself one day when you were working, sliding a twenty across the old oak counters as a “tip for your excellent service.”

Ever since he had became a regular at the shop, you would often go out with him after your shifts would end, which halted the amount of times you would see Miles at work, which you used to your advantage.

As completely horrible as it sounds, you didn’t really have a strong intention to fall for Sebastian. He was cute and you were pretty and he liked taking you out, especially to lunch, which you viewed as free meals with a close friend. Until he started to hug you and place his hands on the curve of your waist when you walked down the street, thick and veiny hands kneading at the doughy flesh of your sides from time to time.

You didn’t intend to fall for him until he kissed you on the cheek that night that he took you on a picnic and asked you to be his girlfriend. And when he looked at you with his deep, viridescent eyes, you couldn’t say no. You had fell for him, so you nodded your head and whispered a ‘Yes’ as he pressed his lips onto yours softly, so gentle and tender, like he was afraid to hurt you.

Eventually, time stretched to today, where you were celebrating your one-month with Sebastian. You were surprised you held out this long, but day by day, the mere memories of Miles had faded from your knowledge and you liked to keep it that way.

In current time, you tapped your phone with a freshly manicured acrylic, your other hand occupied with brushing away your setting powder that brightened up your under eyes. It was nearly six-thirty, and your date was at seven ‘o clock.

Sebastian claimed that he couldn’t pick you up because it would ruin an alleged surprise, but you just shrugged it off as you finished off your look with a pair of lashes and red lipstick.

You carefully smacked your lips and smiled in the mirror as you grabbed your purse and phone, swiping it open and texting Sebastian that you were on your way.

As you walked out of your house and got into your car, some unknown emotion was crawling through your veins that made you anxious. Something was going to happen— you were sure of it, but you couldn’t quite place your finger on it. So you just set the feeling aside and sped over to the steakhouse that your date was being held at, paying for a valet parking spot and taking a seat at your table.

And that’s when you got the text.

[from] seb <3: Hey sweetheart. I’m running a little late, is that okay with you?

You felt a sigh tumble past your lips. There wasn’t really much you could do other than just deal with it, so you informed him that it was all alright and that you would just order an appetizer to hold you over.

You were doing fine until you saw a figure outside the large glass windows that faced the front of the restaurant. It was someone in an all black suit, with two braids running down their back. And you would’ve suspected it was someone else until you look at the shoes that they were wearing— that being a pair of limited edition Jordan’s.

It was Miles.

Chambering up from your slumped position in your chair, y you watched as he spoke to some waitress about something, expressing his feelings through his hands. You felt a scoff hitch in your throat— he’s never that expressive, so clearly something was up.

Wait.

Why should you care?

You have a boyfriend.

But something was still wrong, you could feel it.

Your eyes fixated on him as he walked towards your table, and your blood immediately ran cold when you saw him smirk at you, pulling out the reserved chair in front of yours, taking a seat on it. He folded his hands on top of the table, cocking his head to the side, “Nice to see you again, mi vida.”

“Don’t.” You warned shakily, shifting in your seat in full discomfort, “Leave. I won’t ask you again.”

“This chair was a lil’ empty before I got here, don’t you think, ma?” He questioned you, picking up a menu as his eye scanned the contents of it. “What you gon’ order? I’ll have whatever you have.”

“Morales.” You spat, venom laced within the mention of his name as your bracelet-clad wrist slammed against the table. It doesn’t phase Miles, though— his stoic expression still remaining, playing on his strong facial features.

Miles scoffs, a sarcastic and playful grin residing on his lips, “¿Que pasa, mami? You ain’ miss me?”

“Why are you doing this?” You questioned, but your inquiry is provided with no answer. Instead, Miles sets the menu down and looks at you with intense eyes, fire reigning in their irises as he speaks.

“I’m not gon’ sit here and front, Y/N, but that new, shitty excuse for a man you call yo’ boyfriend?” He tuts, “He not the one for you.”

You give him a disgusted look, “I can’t believe you would say that.”

“It’s just the truth. I’ve seen all the pictures on Instagram and whatnot, and sure, y’all cute. I’m not even tight about it- but y’all just don’t look right together. And he prolly not who you think he is-“

You immediately stand to your feet, hands grasping either sides of the table as you lean in close to the man in front of you— so close that your noses are practically touching. “You shut the hell up.” You hiss, “You have no right to come here and give me a piece of your mind on somethin’ that don’t even effect you. So you get up, and go home, or I’ll make it happen my own damn self.”

There’s a pause of silence for a moment before Miles chuckles at you, leaning back in your seat. Your teeth sink into your bottom lip so hard that it ought to draw blood, but you’re doing it to prevent the provoking of you screaming across the restaurant at him. He looks up at you with hard eyes, licking his lips, “Aight. I’mma let that slide, because you prolly hurt, and I understand. But I’m tellin’ you that he ain’t no good. I’ve seen it. I know. I ain’t come here to win you back or nun- I came here because I actually care, but you can’t seem to get that through your thick skull.”

Something about the way that his sentences roll of his tongue push you to believe that he isn’t lying. You back off, crossing your arms, “If you claim to know all this, then what is he hiding?”

“Come outside with me.” He says, standing up and heading for the door, just like that. And you follow him, because you know that his statement was much more of an order then a question.

It’s late now, the moon shining over the sidewalk that you and Miles both walk on. He grabs your shoulders and moves you to the inside, switching so that he’s now walking closest to the cars. Your heart pumps with anxiety and your mind is swirling with questions that your mouth can’t seem to form. All you can muster up is, “Why are you here?”

“I’m not tryna hurt you, hermosa,” he starts, exhaling before he continues on, “But I just can’t see you with him. I knew I made you upset and shit and that’s on me, I know, but after you left, everything you do seems to make me so sad. And I can promise you that that lil’ Sebastian dude is not gon’ treat you right.”

“You don’t know that.” You speak, continuing to walk until you realize that Miles has stopped. He’s standing in front of a window to another restaurant, and when you peek inside, your heart shatters at the view that awaits you.

It’s Sebastian, sitting with another woman who looks quite older than you are. There’s some sort of ring on the table and you assume it’s a promise ring, because it’s just in a simple box that’s from Pandora. You immediately tear up, and Miles opens his arms and engulfs you in his embrace, although it’s unwanted from you at first, he still does it anyway. You’re crying in his coat as he soothingly rubs circles on your exposed back, “I told you. I wanted to beat his ass but I knew if I did it without seeing you, you would be pissed off.” He then tucks his index finger underneath your chin, “I’m sorry, mami.”

You know he means it because it’s something that he rarely says. It’s always ‘his bad’ and ‘his fault’, but when he tells you that he’s sorry, there’s not a hint of untruthfulness in his statement.

“Why do you do this to me?” You sniffled, looking up at Miles with soft, reddened eyes, “Why are you the only one that seems to treat me right? I can’t get away from you no matter how hard I try.”

Miles’ hand trails up from your waist to your cheek, where he leans in closer to you, “Because you’re mine forever. Do you not realize that? Do you not realize that I would kill for you? I would burn down this entire planet if it meant that no one else could touch you. But you’re so hellbent on thinking that your somebody is some random on the Internet. And it’s not. It’s me, Y/N. I’m here.” His voice gets quieter as his eyes soften, “Don’t go. Please.”

“Fuck,” you cursed, sniffling with a small chuckle as you looked at him, “I left because you never told me the truth. You were always sneaking around and I thought you were with some other girl.”

“I wasn’t, mi princesa, I promise that to you.” He starts, “We’ll talk about it later, but I was only looking out for you. Drop this piece of shit and come back to me, mama? Please?”

You’re shocked at Miles’ demeanor. Usually he’s so nonchalant and laidback, but now here he is, begging for you to take him back in the middle of the moonlight. There’s not a bone in your body that even pondered about saying no, though, and the smooth kiss that follows his statement is more than enough confirmation that you belong to him, that you were his.

And if you were speaking truthfully, you always were.

𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦 ☻ thank you for reading!

𝐓𝐀𝐆𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓: @enj4i // @chrissytalia // @chaoticevilbakugo // @motheroffae

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