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ashes-2-ashes57cba · 2 months ago

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The Bad Batch: Valkyrie

Episode 10: Metamorphosis

*osi'kyr: "shit", Mando'a

He walked carefully—methodically—down the dim hallway; commando guards lined the wall, surrounding the only active cell. He stepped up to it, looking down on the Kaminoan holed up inside.

“It’s been a long time, Mistress Se,” he said. Part of him reminisced about the times they shared working together.

“Indeed, Doctor Hemlock. Not since the project,” Nala Se mused, tilting her head. He ignored the remark.

“How it pains me to see you like this,” Hemlock said instead. “Why does someone so talented prefer to rot in a cell instead of using their gifts to better the galaxy?”

“I am not especially motivated to continue my work after the Empire destroyed my civilization,” said Nala Se, narrowing her eyes at the man.

“What was done on Kamino was unfortunate,” he said without remorse, “but know that your research remains intact. It’ll now serve a higher purpose. The Emperor’s purpose. Don’t you wish to be a part of such a scientific achievement again? After our previous failure?”

“I know what Emperor Palpatine seeks to accomplish, and he will not have my cooperation,” Nala Se vowed. Hemlock quietly seethed.

“Perhaps you require the right incentive. Know that I’ll be taking over operations here on Tantiss, and I can do far worse than confine you to a cell,” he threatened. “I’ll let you think on that.”

“Doctor,” one of his assistants, Emerie Karr, approached. Hemlock stepped aside with her. “We lost communication with transport 904,” she carefully reported. The doctor slowly sighed, considering their options.

“Have the recovery teams begin a search. We need that asset contained,” he ordered. “And, Emerie, were there any other Kaminoans taken off-world prior to the destruction of Tipoca City?”

“Their prime minister. He remains in Imperial custody on Coruscant,” she answered.

“Have him brought here. I wish to speak to him personally.”

“Of course,” Emerie nodded. “Anything else, sir?” Hemlock thought carefully. Nala Se had reminded him of their previous failure… he theorized for a good reason.

“Pull up everything we have left on Project Valkyrie brought directly to my office.”

“Not sure what’s got you all twisted up in knots.”

“Try being hot and hungry for almost a day, then being almost killed by an egomaniac in an ipsium mine!” Specter snapped at the hologram of Cid.

“We were stranded on that planet, Cid. We needed you, and you left us,” added Omega, calmer than Specter but just as angry.

“You’re fine now, aren’t you? And you got your ship back!” said Cid. Specter scoffed and pinched the bridge of her nose, Hunter placed a hand on her shoulder.

“Yeah, with no help from you,” grumbled Wrecker.

“Do you wanna mope or make more money? Because I got a tip on a downed ship, which means cargo ripe for the taking. I’ll even give you 30% of the cut,” Cid offered.

“That is our standard percentage,” Tech reminded.

“Alright. This one time, let’s say 35%.” Specter raised a brow, still not enticed. “Okay, 40!” Still no response. “Fine, 50% as a token of my goodwill, that you seem to have forgotten! I’m sending you the intel now. Don’t come back unless you scavenge something valuable,” Cid threatened.

“What makes you think we’d come back at all?” Hunter questioned, crossing his arms. Specter glanced at him.

“Don’t test me, Bandana. Just get it done,” Cid narrowed her eyes before signing off. Specter sighed, moving to sit in the chair behind Tech.

“Severing ties with Cid could be problematic, considering what she knows about us. Perhaps we choose a diplomatic solution and complete this one last mission for her,” Tech suggested, handing the data pad to Hunter.

“Cid only sent coordinates. No ship transponder code or indication of what caused it to crash,” he said.

“Limited intel. Heh, there’s a surprise,” said Wrecker, taking a bit of his rations.

“How hard could scavenging cargo be?” Omega wondered. Specter said nothing, considering every possibility; Hunter noticed her apprehension.

“Let’s set a course. Spec?” he stood up and instructed before looking at Specter and nodding towards the hold. She wordlessly followed him, still mulling things over. “What’s wrong?” he asked quietly.

“I’m just worried,” she said. “Not only about the job, but about Cid. I don’t know if she’ll let us go after this.” Hunter hummed, allowing her to continue. “Why don’t we just leave now? She doesn’t know where we are so she can’t send people after us; we could find some quiet land and settle down and put all of this behind us,” she said, growing increasingly panicked. Hunter pulled her close and embraced her, calming her down.

“I thought about it too, starlight. But we have to do this right; after this I promise you, we will stop working for Cid, alright?” he said, pulling away a little. She took a breath and nodded, meeting his eyes. He smiled, tucking a strand of hair out of her face. “We’ll be okay.”

“I know,” she whispered, before leaning up to quickly kiss him. “I trust you.”

The Marauder dropped out of hyperspace, Hunter piloted their approach toward the coordinates while the others prepared themselves in the hold. Specter checked the blade on her axe.

“Any chips on that yet?” asked Wrecker.

“Actually, no. Whatever this material is, it’s strong and forged well,” she said, flicking the metal and letting it resonate.

“Hey, there’s a village here,” Omega observed from the tail gun.

“That would explain how the wreckage was reported so quickly,” Tech said from the console, analyzing the landscape data. “The crashed vessel appears mostly intact. The cargo aboard should be in fair enough condition to transport.”

“We’re coming up to the site,” Hunter announced from the cockpit. Tech got up to land the ship while the others got ready and donned their helmets, exiting into the night with only their flashlights to light the way. Hunter nodded the group forward, leading them to the downed ship. Specter ran her hand along the hull.

“What kind of ship is this?” asked Wrecker.

“Don’t know. No hull markings,” Hunter answered.

“Based on the severity of the impact and the lack of communication signals, the crew aboard most likely perished,” Tech theorized.

“We don’t know for sure. They could be trapped inside! Come on,” Omega insisted, leading them inside. Specter went to follow, but hesitated in the doorway, gazing into the darkness inside, and turning to face the dark woods behind her.

“What is it?” Hunter asked.

“You don’t feel that?”

“Feel what?” Hunter shrugged. Specter looked around again but decided to shake it off, quietly following behind the sergeant.

Darkness seemed to engulf the inside of the ship; Hunter cautiously led the team while Specter guarded the rear.

She couldn’t explain it, but she felt something in the air. Like a bolt of lighting struck the halls and left the area electrified. Specter deemed it a Valkyrie sense.

“Where is everyone?” Omega whispered as they continued down a hallway. There were no signs of bodies or violence. She flinched at the sound of a metallic clang and electric sizzle: Wrecker tripped over something.

“Check it out! High-volt electrostaff,” he picked up the weapon and ogled at it.

“Hey, you take that, and then me with my axe; we’ll be unstoppable,” Specter mused before catching sight of the something on the wall.

“Something… unfortunate happened here,” said Tech as he shone his light. There were deep scratches and claw marks on the wall. Omega didn’t catch it, but Specter noticed a bloodied handprint.

“Whatever did this wasn’t human,” said Hunter. Specter shivered as she traced the claw marks.

“I will get the power restored and check data logs on the bridge,” Tech set out the other way.

“By yourself?” Omega asked after him.

“At least let me come with you,” Specter added.

“Your concern is not warranted. I will be fine,” Tech headed off to the bridge. They watched him disappear around the corner before Hunter broke the silence.

“Spec, you wanna get on that?”

“On it.”

Through the darkness, he found his way to the room; it was a mess, panels and wires were undone and control stations were toppled over. He found a terminal and plugged his datapad in, getting to work.

He dropped it and reached for his pistol, aiming at the entryway, only to find-

“Specter. I told you I would be fine.”

“You did. I didn’t listen,” she teased. He sighed, nodding his head for her to join him. “Perhaps I could-” she stopped, they both pointed their blasters at the doorway upon hearing the sound of shifting metal. Nothing. They slowly lowered their weapons, still cautious of whatever lurked in the shadows. “See? You need me to watch your back.”

“...You do have a better eye for detail than I do,” Tech slowly admitted, returning to his work. “This shouldn’t take long.”

“Oh, don’t say that,” Specter grumbled.

“Why? Feeling superstitious? That is unlike you,” he commented. She shrugged.

“I don’t know. Maybe I am, but this place…” she glanced around the room, “there’s something about it. There’s something here that just isn’t right, I can feel it.”

“‘Feel’? Like Hunter’s senses?”

“Like Valkyrie senses,” she corrected. Tech only hummed in response.

“Tech, Specter, find anything on the bridge?” Hunter came in over the comm.

“Not yet. Still rerouting the reserve power,” Tech reported, signaling Specter to be ready at an upright console. “Stand by. The grid should be restored momentarily.” She fiddled with the controls, managing to get the system to recognize that it needed to restart and power up.

“Got it. Just needs to cycle through,” she confirmed with a thumbs up.

Shifting metal down the hall caught their attention. The pair shared a glance before moving to investigate. Looking down the hall, they found nothing in the darkness, until a panel came loose and a mangled droid fell out of the alcove.

“Danger. Danger,” it repeated. Specter knelt down to cradle its head and hold it upright.

“What happened? What attacked this ship?” Tech questioned. The droid only repeated its phrase before its power cells gave out. Specter laid it on the ground and stood up.

“I really don’t like this,” she whispered.

“Perhaps we should regroup with the others,” Tech suggested. “Although I do have a theory…”

They both perked up at the sound of rumbling metal. Something was awake and on the move. Adrenaline started pumping through Specter’s veins, preparing her for whatever came next.

“Theorize on the way. Let’s go,” Specter nodded toward the exit. Tech followed, starting to do a scan on his data pad. “I recognize some of this design. I think this is a Kaminoan vessel; but maybe from a different sect.”

“I agree. But I cannot fathom how it could possibly have gotten into this situation,” he replied. They paused as the hum of the ship’s power grid filled the air.

“But I think we can both agree on its purpose…” Tech silently agreed with her. He knew she was smart, he even theorized that one of her genetically modified traits included accelerated learning; having taught her himself, Tech trusted her the most with the Marauder’s maintenance, along with other skills. “Hey, you alright, Tech?”

“Of course. I am just thinking.”

“Tech, Specter, we’ve got a problem. Get off the ship. Now!” Hunter suddenly ordered on the comm.

“I suspect this is some type of research vessel,” Tech reported, picking up the pace and lightly jogging in tandem with Specter, tracking a heat and energy signature on his data pad.

“A Kaminoan one,” she added, glancing at the data.

“We know! And whatever they were researching just got loose,” said Hunter, “and it’s headed your way.”

The pair ran down the corridors, jumping over debris until the sound of crackling energy grew louder and louder. They heard a monstrous shriek as they turned a corner, finding a creature absorbing electricity from a power cell like a full meal.

“Fascinating,” Tech breathed in awe.

“Yeah, what a fascinating way to die,” Specter hissed, gripping Tech’s arm and guiding him a few steps back from the creature. She blinked and she swore in that second it grew bigger.

Something disturbed it from the other side of the hall; Specter caught a glimpse of Wrecker, Hunter, and Omega with her energy bow. They fired at the beast, attempting to neutralize it, but merely gained its attention. With its back to them, Tech found a way they could all escape.

“Take cover!” he shouted. In a split second he grabbed Specter’s arm and pulled her upwind of him before firing a single shot at the power cell. It exploded in a burst of light and flame, punching a hole through the ship. Specter waved away smoke as the creature scampered away; the Batch regrouped and caught a glimpse of it heading into the woods. “The creature appears to be headed in the direction of the village,” said Tech, tracking its path through his visor.

“We’re the ones who let it out. We have to neutralize it before it hurts anyone,” said Hunter.

“How? Our blasters are useless on it,” questioned Wrecker.

“My axe won’t do much at this point,” added Specter.

“Given the fact that the crew was most likely eaten by the creature, I doubt it is currently hungry,” theorized Tech. Omega flinched.

“It ate the crew?” she gasped, clutching her bow and backing up into Wrecker.

“How is that helping, Tech?” he scolded, putting a hand on the girl’s shoulder. Specter jutted her elbow into Tech’s side, shaking her head at his brazen and graphic description.

“It ate the crew…” Omega whispered again.

“Access the lab files and find out what species we’re dealing with and how to stop it,” Hunter instructed.

“I can help,” Omega stepped forward, “I know my way around Kaminoan tech.”

“Go. Wrecker, Specter, with me.” The team split up; Tech and Omega headed back inside the crashed ship while the others made their way to the Marauder. Specter tossed aside her helmet and hopped in the pilot’s seat, Hunter sat next to her while Wrecker went to man the tail gun; they took off in search of the creature, using their searchlight to light up the dark woods.

“See anything?” Wrecker shouted from the back. Specter stood up in her seat a little as Hunter checked the thermal scopes.

“Zero, two five,” he reported. Specter adjusted her course, bringing them just ahead of the creature’s trajectory so Wrecker could fire at it. She heard blaster shots, followed by a thud.

“What is he doing back there?” she questioned.

“Did you get it?” Hunter asked.

“No,” Wrecker groaned.

“And we just lost it on our scopes,” Specter hissed.

“It should still be heading to the village. Let’s see if we can catch up with it,” Hunter suggested. Specter flew onward, trying to comb through her memory. “What is it?”

“It just feels familiar…” she muttered. “I remember reading reports about it and just thinking how it could have ended up so much worse.” Hunter only hummed in response; he was already regretting taking this mission and dreading the aftermath.

“Hunter,” Tech came in over the comm, “the creature is the same species that attacked Coruscant during the war.”

“Ha! I knew it!” Specter cheered as they flew closer to the edge of the village.

“You must not let it get near the power grid, or it will increase exponentially in size,” Tech finished.

“Too late,” said Hunter.

“Osi’kyr,” Specter exhaled at the sight. The beast was huge, climbing up the spire of the power grid with bolts of electricity crackling around its body; it roared and bent over to swing its spiked tail.

“Specter. Specter! Turn!” Hunter frantically cried. Specter snapped out of it and turned the steering yoke hard. The spiked tail barely brushed against their hull.

“That was close,” she sighed. “I’ll circle around for another pass. Wrecker, get ready to lay heavy fire!”

“On it!” They watched the creature roar again, facing them with narrowed yellow eyes. Specter made her approach, Wrecker blasted it but it made no difference.

“Stop it before it gets any larger!’ Hunter urged.

“Too late, it absorbed all the power from the grid, look,” said Specter, pointing up at the village where all the lights sparked before going dark.

“We’ve got ships on our tail,” Hunter announced, tracking them in their scopes. Specter pulled up, just barely avoiding the blasterfire that followed.

“Where’d they come from?” Wrecker questioned.

“Imperial cruisers,” said Hunter, pointing up through the viewport where three gray triangles floated above the atmosphere.

“Hold on,” Specter warned, powering the thrusters and launching them faster through the clouds to avoid the ships.

“Tech, Omega, you’ve got Imperials inbound. Get out of there!” Hunter warned over the comms. Specter maneuvered the ship by the site, dodging the Imperial’s attacks.

“They’re not killing it. They’re taking it!” she heard Wrecker exclaim. And indeed, another transport vessel flew into view, pinpointing electrical rays on the beast until it went down. A claw from the belly of the ship emerged and brought it inside.

“Let’s not be next,” said Specter, brushing it off and flying the ship upward in a steep climb. “Hang on to something, boys,” she warned. Just before breaking through the atmosphere, Specter cut the thrusters, using what momentum they had to angle the ship nose down. As the attacking ships grew closer and zero-gravity began to give way, she activated the thrusters and punched it, zooming past the ships before they could even turn to follow. Diving toward the ground, she pulled up just before hitting the treeline, leveling out. Wrecker groaned from the rear gun; Hunter relaxed in his seat.

“Hunter, we are clear of the vessel and heading to the landing zone,” reported Tech.

“Copy that,” Hunter relayed. Specter adjusted their path and headed toward their coordinates, just as the Imperial fighters caught up to them and fired; Wrecker laid cover fire, finally destroying the three ships as they approached the landing zone. Specter lowered the ramp, only allowing enough time for Tech and Omega to jump on before speeding off and entering hyperspace.

“The crashed vessel was part of an Imperial cloning operation,” said Tech.

“The Empire cloned the Zillo Beast?” Hunter questioned, leaning up against Tech’s chair at the inner console.

“Yes and no. The directive came straight from the Supreme Chancellor before he became Emperor,” he explained.

“What’s he want with it?” asked Wrecker.

“The creature’s genetic material has the potential to be weaponized in the hands of the right scientist.” Specter shivered at the thought, not just at the idea of the Zillo Beast becoming even more dangerous, but if the Valkyries had come into full fruition. Perhaps their—her—DNA alone wasn’t the most deadly, but her creator intended for them to be weapons; she couldn’t bear to think of the terrible deeds they would have been ordered to do, or the experiments conducted on them.

“Where were they taking the creature?” Hunter asked.

“Unknown. The ship did not have a destination logged.” Tech paused, finding his words and adjusting his goggles. “Hunter, there is far more to this than we realized. From what I have gathered, I suspect the Empire did not destroy the cities on Kamino to end cloning. They merely wanted to control it.”

“That makes sense. Especially if the Emperor has a history with the Zillo Beast, there’s no doubt he’d want to experiment on it more. They’ve already got the infrastructure,” Specter added. Hunter stepped away, considering the information and what they’d seen.

“Send the data to Echo and Rex,” he instructed. “See what they can find out.”

Royce Hemlock strolled down the hall, becoming more and more acquainted with his new facility. He had great confidence that he would be successful with his upcoming projects, but he was still determined to acquire Nala Se’s expertise.

“Doctor,” Emerie called from an adjoining hall. “The creature has been recovered and is now safely secured below,” she reported.

“Good. And our other guest?” he inquired.

“The shuttle is arriving now.” Hemlock nodded and went to step away before Emerie stopped him. “There’s something else too. About Project Valkyrie.”

“Can it wait until I reach my office?” he asked, wanting to move on with his task.

“See for yourself, sir,” she handed him her data pad. He took it, eyes wide at the images pulled up.

She was real.

He scrolled through the gallery of images, spanning all the way from her training days on Kamino, to her most recent sighting on Serenno. Hemlock stared, he could feel a simmering excitement course through his veins, only to quench the rush by handing the data pad back to Emerie and massaging his gloved hand.

“So the Valkyrie lives...”

#f!oc #star wars #star wars oc #tbb hunter #tbb hunter x oc #the bad batch #sw tbb #tbb crosshair #tbb oc #tbb tech #tbb wrecker #tbb omega #tbb hemlock

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weirdlypersonalrpmemes · 1 year ago

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» as dusk falls sentence starters tw: alcohol, mental health. feel free to change pronouns and/or phrasing to suit your muse!

❝ not so long ago, i wanted to be a journalist. ❞

❝ i tell ya, the only thing worse than feeding a dog fast food is smelling it again on the way out. ❞

❝ that’s a lot of stuff for just two men. ❞

❝ what do bank robbers eat for dessert? heist cream. you get it? ❞

❝ you lost the — no you didn't. ❞

❝ take a minute. get your shit together. ❞

❝ country kids. or the desert version. lucky we’re still in one piece. ❞

❝ this your work? you've done a good job fuckin' it up i see. ❞

❝ why weren't you keepin' an eye out, huh? ❞

❝ all right, big-man, you've got until seven to get this apartment ship-shape and ready to go. ❞

❝ learn how to drive, asshole! ❞

❝ don’t talk about him. this is all his dumb fault anyway. ❞

❝ jesus christ. i swear i never come so close to shittin' myself. ❞

❝ [NAME], no. we can't go from strangers to roommates. ❞

❝ you're trying to kidnap my WIFE, man. you think i'm gonna stand here and let that happen?. ❞

❝ so what’s next? license plate game? another round of row-row-row your boat? ❞

❝ i hope he didn’t see our license plate. ❞

❝ relax! it ain’t personal. ❞

❝ family? we’re just your fucking babysitters. ❞

❝ police, open up! ❞

❝ police, open up! or maybe... it's the big bad wolf. ❞

❝ jesus, [NAME], this isn't die hard. ❞

❝ you think you're bruce willis, huh? undercover, fighting off bad guys? ❞

❝ maybe you need a cold shower. ❞

❝ eyyy, let’s party. ❞

❝ shut the fuck up. ❞

❝ girls, booze, that fancy purple car of yours... i don't know, it doesn't sound like the worst. ❞

❝ gonna miss your sweet little smile, cupcake. one last drink? ❞

❝ you wanna hear my pitch? i say we rob the bank. ❞

❝ no offense... but i think you're just hot wind. ❞

❝ well you got a better plan? cause i don't. ❞

❝ these houses all look the same to me. ❞

❝ you're always out skulkin' in the woods, climbin' trees and all that. we all know you're good at it. ❞

❝ don't screw this up, kid. ❞

❝ i need you focused, or none of us are getting out of here. ❞

❝ no — no — STOP. YOU listen to ME. ❞

❝ you and i are goin' for a stroll. ❞

❝ she's tough. she'll make it. ❞

❝ it's not the walls. it's what happened within them. ❞

❝ you touch my things again, you won’t be happy. ❞

❝ he came back early, i don’t know what happened! ❞

❝ s'alright. i put my big boy pants on today. ❞

❝ get rid of the cop. you hear me? ❞

❝ you know what this means? shooting a hostage? ❞

❝ all i asked, was that you not do anything stupid. but stupid is all you do, isn’t it? ❞

❝ are you about to give me marriage advice? because if i recall, you walked out on yours. ❞

❝ take that stupid smirk off your face. you look like a fuckin' halfwit. ❞

❝ look, you got away. can you let me go now? ❞

❝ you’re coming with me. ❞

❝ you know you're going to jail after this, and when you finally die there, you're going straight to fuckin' hell. ❞

❝ newsflash — THIS is hell. and we've been here a lot longer than you have. ❞

❝ this is a toughie... ❞

❝ you know something? i don’t like you. ❞

❝ knew we shouldn’t have brung him. ❞

❝ you do that, i promise you’ll regret it. ❞

❝ wanna get high? ❞

❝ i'm scared, [NAME]. i don't want to be alone. ❞

❝ hey, my heart's practically thumping out of my chest. but at least it's still

beating, right? ❞

❝ i'm sorry about what i did. i was selfish, and i hurt you... ❞

❝ easy now, let’s just — ❞

❝ wait. you need a hostage? take me. ❞

❝ sorry to lock you up like this. ❞

❝ ON THE GROUND! NOW! ❞

❝ i think it’s time to put this whole thing behind us. ❞

❝ you joke when you're hurt, you always have. but i can see through it. ❞

❝ don't speak. don't make a sound. ❞

❝ it'll be over when we win. ❞

❝ i shot him! we gotta run! ❞

❝ now, i can help ya, but you gotta relax those nerves first, all right? ❞

❝ we all have things that scare us — like the dark, and that's okay. i guess we just learn to live with it until maybe one day we won't be afraid anymore. ❞

❝ it was a mistake. i'm sorry. i'm sorry. ❞

❝ oh god, i was right? ❞

❝ was he good in bed? was it worth it? ❞

❝ i'll always be here for you. that won't change. ❞

❝ come on, man. just share the food. ❞

❝ you are testing my patience here, man. ❞

❝ how the hell do you climb so fast? ❞

❝ please write back, [NAME]. i need to hear from you. ❞

❝ do you think i'm bad? am i... am i broken? ❞

❝ you know the world thought you were dead. after you jumped off that cliff. ❞

❝ you'll be fine. you have my word. ❞

❝ aw, fuck! ❞

❝ spare me the lecture. can you do it? ❞

❝ i think the only real job i ever had was convincing people i was someone else. ❞

❝ wasn’t taking the scenic route your idea? i wanted to do this trip at 30,000 feet. ❞

❝ look, this is our only chance. we have a kid in the back of the car, ain’t no way the cops’ll shoot. ❞

❝ i got your back, you know that, right? ❞

❝ i'll always look out for this family. no matter what. ❞

❝ come on now. you're just being dramatic. ❞

❝ look, forget what i said, okay? of course i'm your brother. ❞

❝ it isn't working. it never does. ❞

❝ i don't remember you having a scar before. ❞

❝ family means sacrifice. ❞

❝ we don’t know that for sure. it’s a huge risk. ❞

❝ hop that fence and find a way in. ❞

❝ be there tomorrow. please. let me die looking at someone who knows me. ❞

❝ look, you said you see my face in your dreams? well, i see your face too. i can't explain why. ❞

❝ you deserve a friend, you really do. it just isn't me. ❞

❝ i hope you’re happy. ❞

❝ let me just have one last look around. ❞

#sentence starters #ask meme #ask memes #rp meme #rp memes #inbox meme #inbox memes #mine #adf anniversary second post!#there are a whole ton of really good quotes in this game so i might make a part 2 one day. we'll see!

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ratstorm · 2 years ago

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𝔀𝓪𝓷𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓹𝓵𝓸𝓽𝓼

*Always willing to hear your plots. If you have a craving or something you are looking for let me know!

𝐀𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐨𝐤 ⤥ rich bitch ⤥ possessive male energy ⤥ sugar daddy ⤥ multiple partners / characters/ mumus ⤥ age gap ⤥ fuck buddies ⤥ playing a mute girl ⤥ toxic/ abusive relationship/ exes ⤥ friends with benefits / full blown relationship ⤥ your ideas! Let me know em~ 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐢 𝐑𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 ⭮o1: i misunderstood our date as a one night stand so I greeted you in my underwear but you brought…flowers?

⭮o2: we live in the same building but you keep ordering sexy lingerie online and writing my apartment number instead of yours so your packages keep arriving at my door again and again so i have to go upstairs to give them to you all flustered because now i know what underwear you’re wearing and maybe i wanna see you wearing it bc you’re actually really cute ???”

⭮o3: “i slept with you the other day and I didn't know we had a mutual friend and now we’re sitting across each other for brunch and it’s awkward because i ran out when you were asleep

⭮o4: "If were single at a certain age then we marry each other" But the catch is he keeps sabotaging her relationships cause he's always loved her but would never admit it out loud.

⭮o5: Muse a just finished his jail sentence. He lost contact with most of the people in his life. On the day of his release the gate pulls back and his high school sweetheart who he lost contact with years ago is in the parking lot.

𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬 ⭮o1: making up any excuse to spend time with the other. example: ‘’i don’t need a new ceiling lamp in my kitchen! my lamp works fine!’’ ‘’i know but let me just make sure’’ followed by the character letting themselves in ⭮o2:“lets just kiss and see what it's like '' followed by the characters pulling away, eyes still closed, lingering…and then go in for the second kiss. ⭮o3: going somewhere and there is only one bed. Waking up the next morning entangled with each other. One of them wants to pull away, making the other snuggle even closer so they have to stay in bed. They decided to accept this and just cuddle. ⭮o4: muse a got stood up on a date and so called muse b to pick them from said date. Muse b shows up and instead of just taking them home continues the date with muse a.

𝐎𝐜𝐜𝐮𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 ⭮o1: OK SO what about a plot where muse a is a waitress or something and she’s working a shift one night and like this group of super hot cops come in and she has to be their waitress and she’s trying to not act weird but she can’t help it and they notice it and are teasing her about it, but muse b is doing it a lot more than the other too and like maybe the diner requires her to wear skates and maybe she like stumbles and ends up spilling like soda, water, etc. on muse b’s crotch and she’s like ‘omigod omigod omigod’ and he just thinks it’s cute and funny and so he leaves her his number on a napkin and maybe she panics and doesn’t text him because she thinks he’s intimidating AND THEN MAYBE THE NIGHT DAY SHE LIKE LOST A BET OR SOMETHING AND HER FRIENDS MAKE HER GO SKINNY DIPPING IN THE LAKE EVEN THOUGH IT’S TRESPASSING AND THEN THE POLICE COME AND HER FRIENDS DITCH HER AND OH SHIT IT’S MUSE B AND SHE LIKE COMES OUT OF THE WATER TO SEE HIM STANDING ON THE DOCK AND HE’S LIKE ‘why didn’t you text me

⭮o2: a gang enforcer (muse a) who is sent to take care of a civilian (muse b) who saw something they shouldn’t have but can’t go through with it — maybe muse b is someone from muse a’s past, maybe muse a breaks in in the middle of the night and realizes muse b is a single parent, maybe muse b manages to strike a deal with muse a and barter for their life — but now they’re caught in this lie together and it’s going to catch up to them eventually when muse a’s superiors realize what they’ve done

⭮o3: hella cute plot of a pop star and her backup guitarist/tour manager/opening act/some sort of somebody that would be on tour. cute flirtation during rehearsals. tour bus antics. late night kisses on the balcony of a hotel room under the moonlight. paparazzi catching the loving gazes. rumors starting to swirl. just yes.

⭮o3: Are you telling me the idea of a big intimidating scary guy having an obsessive crush with an adorable lady that runs a tiny bakery and banging the soul from her body on the counter while they’re both covered in flour and fuckery isn’t something the world needs?

⭮o4: An unusual celeb plot where he's famous and she is not even a fan. They meet one night a a club and she flat out tells him she is uninterested. He's unwilling to take no for an answer however and spends the rest of the night trying to get her attention. Reluctantly she gives him her number just to get him to leave her alone. He sends her flirty texts, cute gifts, even sends her plane tickets to come see him. Deciding she has nothing to lose she decides to just enjoy the attention. Its DEFINETLY NOT because she is having feelings for him!

𝐅𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲/ 𝐒𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭

⭮o1: "You left in the middle of the night 3 years ago without even a goodbye letter and now you're standing on my doorstep with a kid that kind of looks like me. ⭮o2: “You had a one night stand with the super hot guy. You don't know his name. Somehow by luck you have stumbled upon his social media account and so you reach out to say surprise your a dad! But unknown to you the hot guy had died months prior and so their sibling is setting up the meeting. Little do you know they wanna be in your life and take over for where their sibling would go.

⭮o3: A one night stand where she snuck out before he woke up and he tried looking her up but he didn’t even know her full name, so he moved on. Move on years down the road and he’s just gotten engaged and at the engagement part he’s introduced to her sister that’s been living overseas for the past few days, but who is it, that girl from all those years ago. Better yet, meet her child, wait, why do they his eyes ⭮o4: can someone please give me a plot where muse a is a young college student in a small town who just so happens to work at the local coffee shop all the while trying to be the best parent to her baby girl and oh yeah there's also this boy/girl who keeps coming into her shop after class and occupying her daughter while she gets her job done and when she asks how she can repay muse b they just push her money aside saying ‘let me take you out on a date instead.

#wanted plots

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hime-memes · 2 years ago

Text

• Shania Twain Lyric Starters •

Unfortunately, I am country at heart -- so, we have some starters from the lyrics of one of the most celebrated country singing queens on the planet ! ( Second only to Dolly Parton ! ) I’m talking about Shania Twain ! ( I mostly went with the greatest hits, with a few of my lesser known faves sprinkled in, and there is a vast variety of lyrics under the cut to choose from ! )

As always: These have been modified for cohesive and sensical use for the general RPC. Feel free to change anything within these that you see fit to make it work for your muse & the receiver’s muse !

Recommended For: Any muses/plots/timelines.

Trigger Warnings For: Cheating, alcohol mentions, innuendo, light swearing

‘ From This Moment On ‘ “ From this moment; life has begun. “ “ From this moment; you are the one. “ “ Right beside you is where I belong ... from this moment on. “ “ I live only for your happiness. “ “ ... And for your love ? I'd give my last breath. “ “ I give my hand to you with all my heart ! “ “ I can't wait to live my life with you; I can't wait to start. “ “ You and I will never be apart. “ “ ... My dreams came true because of you ... “ “ As long as I live: I will love you, I promise you this. “ “ There is nothing I wouldn't give from this moment on. “ “ You're the reason I believe in love. “ “ ... You're the answer to my prayers from up above. “ “ All we need is just the two of us. “ ‘ You’re Still The One ‘ “ Looks like we made it ! “ “ Look how far we've come, [ insert petname ]. “ “ We mighta took the long way, but we knew we'd get there someday. “ “ They said, ‘ I bet they'll never make it ! ‘ ... “ “ Just look at us holding on. We're still together; still going strong ! “ “ You're still the one I run to. “ “ You’re the one that I belong to. “ “ You're still the one I want for life ! “ “ You're still the one that I love ... the only one I dream of. “ “ ... You're still the one I kiss goodnight. “ “ Ain't nothin' better; we beat the odds together. “ “ I'm glad we didn't listen: Look at what we would be missin' ! “ ‘ Man ! I Feel Like A Woman ! ‘ “ Let's go, girls ! “ “ I'm goin' out tonight, and gonna let it all hang out. “ “ I wanna make some noise: really raise my voice ! “ “ Yeah, I wanna scream and shout ! “ “ No inhibitions, make no conditions & get a little outta line ... “ “ I ain't gonna act politically correct: I only wanna have a good time ! “ “ The best thing about bein' a woman ? Is the prerogative to have a little fun ! “ " Oh yeah, go totally crazy ... forget I'm a lady ... “ “ Men's shirts, short skirts -- really go wild & ( yeah ), doin' it in style ! “ " I’ll get in on the action, maybe feel the attraction ... “ “ I’ll color my hair, do what I dare -- I wanna be free to feel the way I feel. “ “ Man, I feel like a woman ! “ “ The girls need a break. Tonight, we're gonna take the chance to get out on the town. “ “ We don't need romance. “ “ We only wanna dance. “ “ We're gonna let our hair hang down. “ ‘ Honey, I’m Home ‘ “ The car won't start, it's falling apart ! “ “ I was late for work and the boss got smart ... “ “ My pantyline shows; I got a run in my hose ... My hair went flat ! ( Man, I hate that ! “ “Just when I thought things couldn't get worse: I realized I forgot my purse ! “ “ With all this stress I must confess, this could be worse than PMS. “ “ This job ain't worth the pay ! “ “ Can't wait till the end of the day ... “ “ Hey, honey, I'm on my way ! “ “ Honey, I'm home and I had a hard day ... “ “ Pour me a cold one -- and oh, by the way ... ! “ “ Rub my feet, gimme something to eat ... Fix me up my favorite treat ! “ “ Honey, I'm back: my head's killing me ! I need to relax and watch TV. “ “ Get off the phone an’ give the dog a bone ! “ “ I broke a nail opening the mail -- I cursed out loud 'cause it hurt like hell. “ “ This job's a pain, it's so mundane: it sure don't stimulate my brain ... “ “ Oh, rub my neck will you ? “ “ Oh, that feels much better ! “ ‘ That Don’t Impress Me Much ‘ “ I've known a few guys who thought they were pretty smart, but you've got being right down to an art. “ “ You think you're a genius: you drive me up the wall ! “ “ You're a regular original, a know-it-all ... “ " You think you're special ... oh, you think you're something else ! “ “ ... OK, so you're a rocket scientist ? “ “ That don't impress me much. “ “ So you got the brains, but have you got the touch ? “ “ Now, don't get me wrong, I think you're alright -- but that won't keep me warm in the middle of the night. “ “ I never knew a guy who carried a mirror in his pocket & a comb up his sleeve, ‘just in case‘ ! “ “ ... And all that extra-hold gel in your hair oughtta lock it; 'Cause Heaven forbid, it should fall outta place ... “ “ OK, so you're Brad Pitt ? “ “ So you got the looks, but have you got the touch ? “ “ You're one of those guys who likes to shine his machine ... “ “ You make me take off my shoes before you let me get in ! “ “ I can't believe you kiss your car good night ! Now, c'mon, baby, tell me ? ... You must be jokin', right ? “ “ OK, so you've got a car ? That don't impress me much. “ “ So you got the moves, but have you got the touch ? “ " That won't keep me warm on a long, cold, lonely night ... “ “ OK. So, what do you think ? You're Elvis or something ? “ “ Whatever ... That don't impress me. “ ‘ Love Gets Me Every Time ‘ “ Life was going great ! “ “ Love was gonna have to wait -- I was in no hurry, had no worries. “ “ Staying single was the plan, I didn't need a steady man. “ “ I had it covered, 'til I discovered ... that love gets me every time ! “ “ My heart changed my mind. “ “ And I gol' darn gone and done it ! “ “ I guess I fell in love. “ “ Must've been the way he walked ... or his sweet, sweet talk. ” “ I was quite content; Just a-payin' my own rent. “ “ It was my place: I needed my space ! “ “ I was free to shop around, in no rush to settle down. “ “ It's in the way he calls my name ... “ “ -- And I know I'll never be the same ! “ ‘ Don’t Be Stupid, ( You Know I Love You ) ‘ “ You're so complicated ! “ “ You hang over my shoulder when I read my mail ... I don't appreciate it ! “ “ When I talk to other guys, you think they're on my tail. “ “ I get so aggravated when I get off the phone & I get the third degree ! “ “ I'm really feelin' frustrated ! “ “ Why don't you take a pill & put a little trust in me ? ... And you'll see ! “ “ Don't freak out until you know the facts, relax. “ “ Don't be stupid, you know I love you ! “ “ Don't be ridiculous, you know I need you ! “ “ Don't be absurd, you know I want you ! ” “ ... Don't be impossible ... “ “ I'm mad about you ! “ “ I can't live without you ! “ “ I'm crazy 'bout you ... “ “ Stop overreacting ! “ “ You even get suspicious when I paint my nails ! “ “ It's definitely distracting the way you dramatize every little small detail. “ ‘ Up ! ‘ “ It's 'bout as bad as it could be ! “ “ Seems everybody's buggin' me. “ “ Nothing wants to go my way, it just ain't been my day -- nothin's comin' easily ! “ “ -- Even my skin is acting weird ! “ “ I wish that I could grow a beard ... “ “ Then, I could cover up my spots: Not play connect the dots ... I just want to disappear ! “ “ It can only go up from here ! “ “ Even something as simple as forgettin' to fill up on gas ... there ain't no explanation why things like that can make you cry. “ “ Just gotta learn to have a laugh. “ “ When everything is goin' wrong: don't worry, it won't last for long ! “ “ Yeah, it's all gonna come around. Don't go let it get you down ! “ “ You gotta keep on holding on ! “ ‘ I’m Gonna Getcha Good ‘ “ I don't wantcha for the weekend ... don't wantcha for a night. I'm only interested if I can have you for life ... “ “ I know I sound serious -- & baby, I am. “ “ You're a fine piece of real estate, and I'm gonna get me some land ... “ “ So, don't try to run, honey ! “ “ Love can be fun ! There's no need to be alone when you find that someone. “ “ I'm gonna getcha while I gotcha in sight. “ “ I'm gonna getcha if it takes all night ! “ “ You can betcha by the time I say ‘ Go ! ‘, you'll never say ‘ No ’. “ I'm gonna getcha, it's a matter of fact. “ “ I'm gonna getcha, don't you worry 'bout that ! “ “ You can bet your bottom dollar in time, you're gonna be mine ! “ “ Just like I should, I'll getcha good ! “ “ I've already planned it. Here's how it's gonna be: I'm gonna love you & you're gonna fall in love with me. “ “ I'm gonna knock on wood -- I'm gonna getcha somehow, honey ... Yeah, I'm gonna make it good ! “ ‘ Forever & For Always ‘ “ I can hear your heartbeat -- I can hear it beating now. “ “ In your arms: I can still feel the way you want me when you hold me. “ “ I can still hear the words you whispered when you told me: ‘ I can stay right here forever in your arms ‘ ... “ " There ain't no way I'm lettin' you go now. “ “ I'll never see that day. “ “ 'Cause I'm keepin' you forever and for always ! “ “ We will be together all of our days. I wanna wake up every mornin' to your sweet face, always ! “ “ In your heart: I can still hear a beat for every time you kiss me. “ “ ... And when we're apart, I know how much you miss me ! “ “ I can feel your love for me in your heart. “ “ In your eyes, I can still see the look of the one who really loves me ... “ “ The one who wouldn't put anythin' else in the world above me ... “ “ I can still see your love for me in your eyes ! “ ‘ Ka - Ching ! ‘ “ We live in a greedy little world, that teaches every little boy and girl to earn as much as they can possibly, then turn around and spend it foolishly ! “ “ We've created us a credit card mess. We spend the money that we don't possess ! “ “ Our religion is to go and blow it all ! So, it's shopping every Sunday at the mall ... “ “ All we ever want is more ! ( A lot more than we had before ) ... “ “ So, take me to the nearest store ? “ “ Can you hear it ring ? “ “ It makes you want to sing ! “ “ It's such a beautiful thing, ‘ ka-ching ‘ ! “ “ Lots of diamond rings -- the happiness it brings ? “ “ ... You'll live like a king with lots of money and things. “ “ When you're broke, go and get a loan: take out another mortgage on your home. “ “ Consolidate so you can afford to go and spend some more when you get bored. “ “ Dig deeper in your pocket -- Come on, I know you've got it -- Just dig deeper in your wallet ! “ ‘ It Only Hurts When I’m Breathing ‘ “ Hope life's been good to you since you've been gone ? “ “ I'm doin' fine now; I've finally moved on. “ “ It's not so bad, I'm not that sad ... I'm not surprised just how well I survived. “ “ I'm over the worst & I feel so alive ! “ “ I can't complain ... I'm free again. “ “ ... And it only hurts when I'm breathing. “ “ My heart only breaks when it's beating. “ “ My dreams only die when I'm dreaming. “ “ ... Don't think I'm lyin' 'round, cryin' at night ... “ “ There's no need to worry, I'm really alright ! “ “ I've never looked back as a matter of fact ... “ ‘ Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under ? ‘ “ Whose bed have your boots been under ? ” “ Whose heart did you steal I wonder ? “ “ This time did it feel like thunder, baby ? “ “ Don't look so lonely & don't act so blue -- I know I'm not the only girl you run to ! “ “ I know about your ‘ little Spanish flame ‘. “ “ I've seen you around with the redhead down the lane. “ “ Who did you run to & whose lips have you been kissin' ?! “ “ ... And whose ear did you make a wish in ? “ “ Is she the one that you've been missin', baby ? “ “ I heard you've been sneakin' around with [ NAME ] ... “ “ ... and what about that weekend with Miss Beverly Hills ? “ “ And I've seen you walkin' with long legs Louise ... “ “ ... And you weren't just talkin' last night with [ NAME ] ! “ “ So next time you're lonely don't call on me ! ( Try the operator, maybe she'll be free ! ) “ “ You better start talkin', or you better start walkin' ! “ ‘ Any Man of Mine ‘ “ This is what a woman wants ! “ “ Any man of mine better be proud of me & even when I'm ugly, he still better love me ! “ “ -- And I can be late for a date, that's fine ! ( But, he better be on time ! ) “ “ Any man of mine'll say it fits just right when last year's dress is just a little too tight. “ “ -- And anything I do or say better be okay when I have a bad hair day. “ “ If I change my mind, a million times: I want to hear him say ‘ yeah, I like it that way ’ ! “ “ Any man of mine better walk the line ... and better show me a teasin' squeezin' pleasin' kinda time ! “ “ I need a man who knows how the story goes ! “ “ He's gotta be a heartbeatin', fine treatin', Breathtakin', earthquakin' kind ! “ “ Well any man of mine better disagree when I say another woman's lookin' better than me ! “ “ -- And when I cook him dinner & I burn it black, He better say: ‘ Mmm, I like it like that ! ‘ “ “ Any man of mine, wooLet me hear you say yeah (yeah), yeah (yeah) “ You gotta shimmy, shake, make the earth quake -- kick, turn, stomp, stomp, then you jump heel to toe, then do si do ! “ “ 'Til your boots want to break, 'til your feet and your back ache -- Keep it movin' 'til you just can't take anymore ... “ “ Come on everybody on the floor ! “

‘ Come On Over ‘ “ Get a life ! Get a grip ! Get away somewhere, take a trip ! “ “ Take a break ! Take control ! Take advice from someone you know ! “ “ Pull up a seat & take a load off your feet ! “ “ You can unwind & take a load off your mind ... “ “ Make a Wish ! Make a move ! Make up your mind: you can choose ! “ “ When you're up, or when you're down -- when you need a laugh come around ! “ “ Be a winner ! Be a star ! Yeah, be happy to be who you are ! “ “ Gotta be yourself ! Gotta make a plan ! Gotta go for it while you can ... “ “ Come on over & come on in ! “ ‘ ( If You’re Not In It For Love ) I’m Outta Here ‘ “ Mind if I sit down ? “ “ Can I buy you a round ? “ “ Haven't seen your face before are you new in town ? “ “ It's the same old line ... every time. “ “ Are you here alone ? “ “ Can I take you home ? “ “ Now every woman sees with every ‘ pretty please ‘ -- There's a pair of lyin' eyes & a set of keys. “ “ He says come be a star, ( in the back seat of my car ) ! “ “ Oh, but, baby slow down -- you're goin' way too far ... “ “ If you're not willin' to give it all you got ... ? “ “ If you're not in it for life ... ? ” “ If you're not in it for love ... ? “ Let me make it clear to you my dear: If you're not in it for love, I'm outta here ... “ “ Babe, I can change your world; make you a cover girl ! “ “ Yeah, you could be a beauty queen in a magazine. “ “ ‘ Now tell me, what's your sign ? ‘, oh, why always the same old line ? “ “ I'll be in number 409 if you change your mind ... “ ‘ No One Needs To Know ‘ “ Am I dreamin' or stupid ? -- I think I've been hit by cupid ! “ “ ... But, no one needs to know right now. “ “ I met a tall, dark and handsome man & I've been busy makin' big plans ! “ " I got my heart set, my feet wet -- But, he don't even know it yet. “ " I'll tell him someday, some way, somehow ! “ “ -- But, I'm gonna keep it a secret for now ... “ “ I want bells to ring, a choir to sing, the white dress, the guests, the cake, the car, the whole darn thing ! “ “ We'll have a little girl, a little boy, a little Benji -- we call Leroy ! “ “ ... And I'm not lonely anymore at night, & he don't know that only he can make it right ... “ “ I'm not dreamin' or stupid -- But, boy have I been hit by cupid ! “ ‘ You Win My Love ‘ “ I'm lookin' for a lover who can rev his little engine up ... “ “ He can have a '55 Chevy or a fancy little pick-up truck ! “ “ If he's got a cool Cadillac with a jacuzzi in the back -- I'm in ! “ “ 'Cause I'm a classy little chassis who's a-huntin' for a heart to win ! “ “ Oh, but if you want to win it -- there's no speed limit. Just go faster, faster, don't be slow ! Rev it up, rev it up 'til your engine blows ... ! “ “ You win my love ! “ “ You win my soul ! “ “ You win my heart ! “ “ Yeah, you get it all ... “ “ You make my motor run ! “ “ Yeah, you're number one. “ “ Oh, I'm a crazy little lady -- yeah, the kind you just can't slow down. “ “ I need a '65 cylinder racy little run around town ! “ “ I want a heartbreak Harley ... A full of steam dream machine ... Or just a little late night sexy long stretch limousine ! “

‘ Don’t ‘ “ Don't ! “ “ Don't you wish we tried ? “ “ Do you feel what I feel inside ? “ “ You know our love is stronger than pride ! “ “ Oh no, don't ... don't let your anger grow. “ “ Just tell me what you need me to know ... “ “ Please talk to me ! Don't close the door ! “ “ 'Cause I wanna hear you ... I wanna be near you. “ “ Don't fight, don't argue ! “ “ Give me the chance to say that I'm sorry ... “ “ Just let me love you: don't turn me away, don't tell me to go ! “ “ Don't give up on trust; don't give up on me ... on us ! “ “ If we could just hold on long enough -- ! “ “ We can do it ! We'll get through it ... “ “ Don't pretend that it's okay. We both know things won't get better that way ... “ “ Don't do something you might regret someday. “ ‘ Party For Two ‘ “ I'm having me a party ! “ “ I don't think I can come ... “ “ Uh, uh, this ain't just any kind of party ... ! “ “ Nah, I think I'll stay at home. “ “ Uh, oh, no - It's gonna be really, really hot ... “ “ Startin' to sound good ... “ “ I'm gonna put you on the spot ! “ “ Baby, maybe I should ? “ “ Yeah, there'll be lots of one - on - one ! “ “ Guess I could be there ... “ “ Come on and join the fun ! “ “ What should I wear ? “ “ I'll tell you that it: it doesn't matter what you wear, 'cause it's only gonna be you and me there ! “ “ I'm having a party, a party for two ! “ “ I ain’t invitin' nobody ... Nobody but you ! “ “ You'll be sexy in your socks ... ! “ “ We can polish the floors ... “ “ In case anybody knocks ? “ “ Let's lock all the doors ... “ “ Yeah ? All the things I'm gonna do ! I'm gonna do with you ... “ “ I want to try something new ! “ “ I want to try it, too ! “ “ That's all we really need. “ “ We're gonna party hearty - Just you and me ! “ “ Don't think about it now, don't even doubt it now ! “ “ It’s just you and me there ... “ “ That was great ! // Let's do it again ! “

#lyric sentence starters #song lyric meme #rp meme #roleplay sentence starters #sentence starters

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kitsoa · 1 month ago

Note

Thank you for answering the personal writing question. I was curious and wanted to ask a fellow writer their thoughts on the matter.

For me it does act as a method of catharsis and journaling, in a roundabout way. Angry with something someone did but don’t wanna confront them? Write an angry scene with me and a character vaguely based on them! Pining for someone and not sure if it’ll be reciprocated? Write a scene with characters loosely based on me and this person and just kinda see what happens!

But it also is a slight point of frustration cause right now, it’s like the only thing I CAN write with any sort of skill (or so I feel). I tried to write some actual fiction the other day, and it just felt like a slog and a struggle. It took me forever to just write a page and It didn’t flow, it didn’t click, and I didn’t like reading it.

But then I started just writing a little bit of stuff based on more personal experiences and then all of a sudden BAM! I had a page written in no time.

I know I should just be happy I’m writing, and I know they sometimes to write what you know, I just wish my imagination and writing skill would actually cooperate to allow me to CREATE something new rather than just feel like I’m writing fanfic about my life.

Anyway- thanks for listening

No problem Anon. I really sympathize and if I can offer the unsolicited opinion or commentary on that matter, everything you've described sounds pretty normal to me? I don't know. Writing isn't supposed to be easy I guess. The laborious part of the writing process is par for the course in my opinion. There's always gonna be aspects that are far from any sort of personal experience that you just have to push through. Mapping things out before a writing session and charging the moments with something that interests you is a helpful way to get through the slog. My philosophy is to 'scream your secrets in the subtext' so you're constantly enjoying a personal joke even through aspects that are emotionally distant from your writing process. Let emotion color every moment so it's not as much a slog but also forgive yourself for the challenging moments. We can only draw from so much life experience after all! Going through thought experiments, consuming a lot of varying types of content, and inspiring your muse are ways we supplement those shortcomings. That way, we are drawing from some kind of personal experience in as many moments as possible. A fanfic about your life is literally just a story. No one else knows what it's like to be you and experience things like you. They are looking for themselves in your work and that's the beautiful connection our craft inspires. Keep pushing yourself, but do appreciate that you are already scratching the stars. I'm wishing you well!

#and this was unsolicited advice from me please forgive my audaciousness #im feeling for u anon #kit ask #anon ask

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ducknotinarow · 1 year ago

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2k3 Raph 2k12 Casey - #

send me “#” for cell phone headcanons about our muses including:

"Man thought this was all over with tired of ya being up in my business here. Whatever jus' the other Casey anyway. Definitely gave my Casey a run for his money when it comes to bein' a whackjob of course. He might have even less brain cells than my Casey dose and 'hats scary. I don't envy mini Raph one bit on havin' ta basically handle 'em."

- what your muse’s name is in mine’s phone 'Nut Case'

"Like I said 'his kid majorly got some screws lose in that head of his. Must taken way more hits to the head. Mini Raoh told me he got a metal plate in his head once when the guy complained about his head hurting, yeah I buy it. So seemed a fitting name sides it would gotten well awkward if I didn' make sure his name was different from Casey's in my phone. They end up next to each other...and I aint always that aware most times when I'm texting Casey. Bad enough the nut case hit me up with a look...and we don't gotta add fuel to the fire there. I know my self so I know mini Raph wouldn't take that well at all."

- what your muse’s picture is in mine’s phone

[Image description] clearly out up on the roof tops, from the look of city lights in the background. You can just about make out the sight of Casey and mini Raph in the background of the photo. The picture cropped so it centered on to the other Casey instead. Dawning his 'gear' the face paint and all. As they seem too be just gazing out there's something about the express he's wear as his hand is positioned to pull down the hockey mask he doubled up on the skull motif he seems to be working with here. Or so to cover his face before Casey or his own Raph notice the expression on his face.

"Wanna know what blows my mind more 'han the fact there are all these other worlds an' such? 'hat in a whole other world, where Case an' I seem ta meet in a whole different way have a whole different relationship nearly even. 'hat Casey is still Casey." Raph states Looking at the photo himself. "When I met my Casey, think he got to a good point of keepin' stuff to himself. Nut Case? I don' think he's learned to do 'hat yet..hope he never dose. I dunno think it's funny this kid to me is far from being anythin' 'ike my Casey yet I can tell from this look alone how much he misses home. I can tell he's acttin' cool under the situation but that look? he worried. Dunno if it's cause i'm Raph I jus' know that junk or if cause he Casey though."

- what your muse’s ringtone is in mine’s phone

A bad Idea by Michelle Creber

You can think that I’m insane But I'm not backing down again Find myself, fulfill my fate Hello, hello

Standing on the edge I'll claim The world will not forget my name Cause I don’t wanna hear you when you say Hello? It's a bad i- Hello? It's a bad idea

"Yeah I really think 'his kids insane but when has a Casey I know ever been sane and have a good idea even?" Theres still a faint smile to his beak when he makes this remark despite his own words though. "Eh Kid might be a nut, and out there even compared to my own Casey, but eh what can I say crazy hot heads who don't back down easy if at all? Eh I got soft spot I guess for 'hat kind person. Sides 'his kid is real good with 'hat hockey stick of his when he ain't fuckin' around maybe he will make a name of his one day. In whatever way 'hat ends up bein' we'll see."

- my muse’s last text to your muse

[text] Tell that jack as of a boy friend of mine if he don' fuckin' answer my call in the next five mintues it aint dragons that are getting thier ass beat tonight!

------

(sent from 12 raphs phone)

[text] he mini Raph distracted helping out my bro Don

[text] might be a while till he can answer ya u-u

[text] the fuck are these face things? 0-0

-----

[text] ya know you an can still got dragon hunting if ya up for it

[text] i'll be there either way so if ya wanna just meet me at the usual spot Case and I showed ya two

-----

[text] see ya kid, mini me really got his hands full with ya

[text] nah i think ya good for him actually, course I can tell

[text] if ya ever need help speaking Raph? well ya got my number

#muse| hamato raphael #madamkezzie #aflockoffeathers #[tags tbd]#ic reply #phone contact meme #meme answers #meme replies #stay queued #((it didn't really make sense to use the same tag XD))#((casey photo is connected to a buried ask XD))#((i dont image raph texted him much even after but dont mean he couldn't still reach out))#((ya know how if you got predicative text it pulls things up since i love that idea 12 raph use them alot I feel like they just pop up XD))

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sysiphus · 11 months ago

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I try to impress the little Him in my head cause it makes me feel like perhaps I’m closer to drawing them, every laugh was a point and in this world were only used to seeing someone follow the laughs toward sex or romance and I can’t blame him for blocking me. But now I’m stuck cause drawing him was my only comfort left back then and it’s so much worse now yet I’m still trying to do it His way. I’ve let go of music and art until I can forget him, any music and art in my life without him is empty anyways. The only thing I want in this world for myself like genuinely desire and wish for every time is to draw him again, it’s my only happy place. So while I wait for it to go away, in my times of weakness, I find myself talking to him when he will never appear before me, cause just the feeling of getting somewhere is just a tiny drop of comfort cause I genuinely do not care about anything else like material things or certain ppl or anything else metaphysical. Nothing will ever feel like doing this one thing and I don’t have it anymore and that’s what’s meant to be BECAUSE it’s what’s happening and I have to accept that. I genuinely don’t even desire to hear music or draw anything or perceive anything beautiful cause it doesnt have the spark. It’s just normal music and art and entertainment, the awe and perspective I had that made life worth living thanks to my muse is gone. For every part of life.

It’s not a person that’s gone, it’s a layer to my life that was thick of the best shit everyone wishes they had like I had it and I could take on ABYTHING with it. I had so much confidence cause I didn’t care cause I thought I’d always have It. I manifested so much before I lost it and my life has been endless tragedy. Our faces aren’t just faces there’s an ultimate secret there I’ve known there was for most of my life and my exploration of it is my purpose here my passion in life and it’s been such a sacrifice to embark on. Endless holes of my life where I hurt so bad for so long cause I can’t protect myself, I MUST stay sensitive and open and I must let them in and trust the universe. I’ve feel like I’ve been so many different ppl, I feel like I’ve been following I Ching all of my life and when I lost faith in it when he came back and left, it came to me as a tangible belief system instead of me feeling like I’m shooting in the dark and doing it wrong, doing something horribly horribly wrong. I think I’m just autistic and instead of moving hyperfixatjons every once in a while there’s something that makes my world go round that I’ll never get bored of. That makes my life worth living and without it I’m nothing. I took it on the chin and I still am, I’m trying to carry if w my hands on the hips the best I can, I am devoted to following exactly what’s meant to be otherwise I’m sure I’ll have some urges to look at his face anyways or listen to a song and feel the fission anyways. It’s not worth it it’s gonna have a flavor of guilt and anxiety about it, it’s gonna be empty cause he’s gone and I have to start emotionally working hard to not indulge in even thinking about it, I’ll always remember it as being this struggle instead of cloud 9 it was. I just want it to stay pure from the endless grief and pain I can’t seem to shake. I can’t seem to forget, it’s been over a year of actively letting it go I’ve done everything everything I can think of. I couldn’t afford therapy for even a month before insurance went too high. I just wanna sleep forever and dream of his presence again. The presence of the thing I want more than anything in this world, I made the person who has it so mad. I wish I knew what I did I miss his possession so much :(

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wrongpublishing · 2 years ago

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BOOK REVIEW: CARSON WINTER'S SOFT TARGETS

by Elizabeth Broadbent, Staff Writer.

You have worked a shit job.

We don’t know each other. We don’t have to, because we’ve all done it. I worked at a hotel in Myrtle Beach which shall remain nameless (it was that really really huge purple one at the end of the strip that has since changed ownership so I can say whatever I want without offending the owner, who I can’t offend any more than I already have anyway because Reasons.) People, mostly Midwesterners, spent a lot of cold, hard cash on this vacay. Pause. Imagine the people that drop cold, hard cash on a very expensive resort vacation . . . in Myrtle Beach. If you don’t understand the meaning of this statement, please watch this video.

I alternately answered phones and took reservations—we were not allowed to get up, speak to one another, read books, etc. in between phone calls—or was roundly abused at the front desk by people who claimed they’d seen a roach on the ninth floor and demanded a free week’s vacation (newsflash: we had no roaches, and anyway, how the fuck would the roaches make it up nine floors, the goddamn elevator?!)

There were days when I prayed for a death that would not come.

Except what if it would?

What if you were working that Target/Wal-Mart/Piggly-Wiggly register and you could make it all end?

And not in, like, a permanent sense. In a temporary way. Maybe even in a blaze of gory glory. Didn’t you always wanna kill that bitch from accounting who ratted you out for reading under the table? Didn’t you always sorta/kinda/maybe wanna kick that customer in the crotch? Truthbomb: if you are the lady who refused to use our keycards and made staff members let you into your room every single time you left, I wanted to punch that hooker-red lipstick off your face (and no offense to sex workers, ‘cause I wear hooker-red lipstick all the time).

Carson Winter’s Soft Targets imagines . . . yeah, you could do all that. Then you could wake up, consequence-free, roll out of bed, and return to that shit job in the morning. What if some days just didn’t count? What if you figured out which they were, and you . . . did whatever?

Sign my ass up.

Our nameless narrator (yeah, he’s nameless; I checked, and Carson says I’m not the first to ask, so I felt like less of a dumbass) has this buddy, Ollie. He and Ollie are the dark-humor type. Y’all read horror, so you have that buddy. You know, the one you sit around with and say something like, “Okay, so when the zombies come/the aliens arrive/the serial killer breaks in, what do you do?” I mean like, hello job description, writers. Except their conversation revolves around workplace shootings, because, well, their data-entry job sucks ass.

Don’t pretend you wouldn’t do it.

Don’t worry it’s too macabre for you, either. I thought it would be—I approached this one with kid gloves, since my husband works in a place where, here in the grand ol’ USA, people execute elaborate shootings, then others offer #thoughtsandprayers. But when our nameless narrator begins musing on shattering windows with staplers, or perhaps a copy machine—would the kneecap break be worth it?—I was in.

These dudes endure the tedium . . . then discover a way to break free. But are there consequences to living without consequences? I just described every F. Scott Fitzgerald story ever, so if you sat through sophomore English, do the math (unless, like me, you failed it, but if you did, you probably know what I’m talking about, anyway._

It reads fast. As usual with Winter, the voice is impeccable (any read him in Split/Scream 1 by Dreadstone Press? Hot damn). His talent with characterization shows not only with the main characters, but the side peeps as well: I know Kayla and Wayne. I wish I didn’t. As for setting: please take me away from your bachelor pads. I’ve seen enough of them. They were very vivid.

He also sticks the landing. He really, really sticks the landing.

I loved this creepy little romp. Yeah, I called it a romp. It’s a wicked little fantasy, this juicy piece of what-if. Definitely worth picking up. I liked it as much as I’ve liked Winter’s other work, which is to say a hell of a lot.

Links:

Carson Winter (Instagram): @ wintercarson

Carson Winter (Twitter): @ CarsonWinter3

Tenebrous Press (Instagram): @ tenebrouspress

Tenebrous Press (Twitter): @ tenebrouspress

#review #fiction #horror novel #horror novels #book review #horror lit #gothic lit #horror fiction #indie horror #indie novel #indie press

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lukehughes43 · 2 years ago

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nye traditions - luke hughes

word count: 2,469

a/n: happy new year everybody! first post in like, ages. so please, enjoy this wholesome lukey content because I love it and him with all my heart🫶🏼

“so you’re telling me if we don’t win today, that i don’t get my new year’s eve kiss?” the shock was evident in luke’s voice, and you couldn’t help but giggle at how worried he had gotten over something as little as the new year’s eve kiss. “that’s just cruel, y/n/n, absolutely cruel,” he then added on as he finished packing up his usa backpack through the phone screen.

shrugging your shoulders you slumped further into the white sheets of your hotel bed. “figured you could use a little more motivation, lukey, that’s all,” you answered with a sweet smile. “plus, if you wanna kiss me for the fifth year in a row you’ve got to work for it, hughes.”

his eyes rolled while he barely glanced back at his phone to see your smiling face. “if i don’t get to kiss you at midnight then i guess that means i have to kiss duker,” the captain then smiled, his blue eyes glancing towards something out of frame.

“absolutely not! you will not be kissing anybody but y/n!” dylan then screeched, his face popping into the screen to glare at you. “y/n m/n l/n, i swear to god if you’re not in our hotel room by eleven fifty tonight i’m going to hunt you down and drag you up here to kiss hughesy, because i will not be doing it.”

humming you just nodded your head softly at the two, “beat finland first and then we’ll talk.”

luke’s former roommate rolled his eyes before disappearing off screen once more. mumbling something to your boyfriend of five years as he went. “yeah, yeah that works,” he spoke, “i’ll just be a couple more minutes and then i’ll meet you down there.”

once his attention was fully back on the phone screen your smile grew even larger on your face, “hi moosey.”

“hi baby,” he mused, hand running through the curls that were beginning to fall on his forehead. “‘ve gotta head out soon, so only couple more minutes with you.”

you let out a blissful sigh while you sat back up against the headboard. “that’s okay, love. i have to start getting ready pretty soon anyway. your mom and i are leaving for lunch in an hour and i haven’t done anything to get ready yet. too busy staring at my boy.”

the red that painted the apples of the nineteen year old’s cheeks was your favorite color of the shade. “oh stop it, honey. there’s no need for flattery when you already broke my heart by saying if we don’t win i don’t get a new year’s eve kiss.” his bottom lip was jutted out just barely as his eyes met yours once more.

your e/c eyes rolled as you stared at the youngest brother who was almost never over dramatic. “lukey, honey, just worry about the game. you’ll get your kiss, i promise you.” your words instantly caused a smile to blossom on his face. “now, i’ll see you after the game, okay? i love you, good luck.”

“i love you too, y/n/n, and thank you,” he answered while reaching forward and grabbing his phone. “i’ll see you there.”

smiling you nodded, “i’ll be the one cheering the loudest in the stands.”

“bye, darling. i love you,” luke promised one final time silently waiting for you to do the same.

there wasn’t even a second of hesitation before you answered:

“i love you too, lukey.” and with that he gave you a half wave and his toothy smile before he ended the call. leaving you waiting not so patiently for four o’clock to see him dressed in his blue usa jersey.

—

there was a frantic knocking on ellen’s hotel door at eleven forty-five. a confused look was shared between the two of you before you pushed yourself off the couch and slowly started making your way to investigate. “i don’t think that i know anybody that would be coming to the door this late,” ellen said while giving you a skeptical look.

“it won’t hurt to look,” you answered while already pressing your upper body against the white wood, eye peeking through the peephole. “it’s dylan?” while you didn’t intend for the statement to come out as a question, your bewilderment was hard to miss.

smiling and shaking her head, ellen got up from her spot on the couch and joined you over at the door. “somebody is clearly eager to get you with luke,” she teased as you pulled the door open to meet the michigan forward face to face.

“duker,” you sigh while leaning against the doorframe, “you said i had until eleven fifty! i don’t want to impose on the team more than i’m already going to be.”

with in seconds dylan was shaking his head to disagree with your words. “i don’t care, none of us care! i just need you to come with me. right now or luke’s going to have a fit, and if luke has a fit that means i’m going to have a fit. and if i have a fit gavin and rutger will have a fit. and then suddenly every single michigan hockey boy will be throwing a fit because mom and dad didn’t kiss at midnight on new years eve.”

after the rambling mess also known as dylan duke had subsided, you slowly turned your head to share a look with your future mother-in-law. “i, uh,-”

“well, you better get going, ‘mom,’” ellen teased with a knowing smile, “we can’t have any of our boys throwing fits because my son didn’t get his new year’s eve kiss.” a flush covered your own cheeks as you gently nodded your head to agree with her. “i’ll see you after sweetheart, next year even.”

shaking your head the smile grew on your face once more, “i’ll see you next year, ellen.” you then turned your attention to dylan and pushed yourself off the wall. “alright, duker, let’s go find my boy.”

the elevator ride up to the sixth floor where all the players were lodging, as well as celebrating the new year, probably last about two minutes, but to you it felt like a century. the first reason being because of how excited you were to see luke for more than five minutes after a game. the second reason being dylan’s head was dropped against your shoulder, eyes closed and drool just barely starting to fall from his mouth and to the ntdp sweatshirt you were wearing. when the elevator dinged you shrugged your shoulder to wake the boy up.

“am i going to the left or right, duker?” you asked while he began to rub his eyes with his right hand, and his mouth with his left.

“right, we’re all in some little like conference room thing,” he explained while pushing past you and immediately going to the right. “don’t waste another second, y/n/n, it’s almost eleven fifty-five. i know that luke is having a heart attack right now.” you silently saulted the boy as you followed behind him, thinking about how the entire usa team was about to watch you and luke have your new years eve kiss. “look how i found!” dylan yelled while the two of you broke the threshold of the conference room.

without fail, every pair of eyes had fallen on to you, but the only person you cared about was luke. your body slowly gravitated towards the six foot two curly haired boy, only to be stopped by rutger jumping up from his chair and hugging you: “mom! gavin look! mom made it!”

you hugged the boy back, eyes locking with luke’s as he began to tap on his wrist. “of course i made it, rutger, i wasn’t about to leave my boy hanging after you guys won today. we’ll catch up in a little bit, okay? right now i have to go be with my actual boyfriend.” grumbling under his breath the freshman let go of you just barely enough for you slip out of his arms and right into luke’s.

“hi honey,” he smiled down at you, right hand slipping into your left. “wanna step into the hallway for a couple minutes?” instantly you were nodding your head, already knowing that luke didn’t want to kiss you in front of everybody if he didn’t have to. not that he didn’t want to, because he gladly would, but when he hadn’t been able to spend much time alone with you he wanted to take the chances he could.

“i thought you’d never ask,” you smiled, slowly backing up towards the door you had just walked through, tugging his hand as you went. “did you guys have a nice team dinner, lu?” you asked once you were through the door and looking back at him.

he shrugged his shoulders while leaning back against the wall and pulling you in front of him, and his left hand up to his mouth to give it a gentle kiss. “as good as team dinner can be i guess. food was good, just dead from the game,” he answered, lips just barely brushing against the skin of your hand before he kissed the metal of your promise ring.

“i already kind of assumed that,” you smiled while wrapping your arms around his neck, “dylan fell asleep on my shoulder in the elevator.” luke’s mouth dropped open with a small laugh, his hands finding home on your hip and the small of your back. “he was drooling even.”

“of course he was,” luke mumbled, “i’m sorry, honey. i told him i’d go and get you, or just go down there and be with you but duker had insis-”

luke was cut off by the sound of the countdown that had began to take storm of the makeshift party room:

“ten!”

you couldn’t help the way the blush again to paint your cheeks red. even with this being the fifth year of kissing luke.

“nine!”

luke’s goofy smile was spread across his face ear from ear as he stared down at you. his lips just barely cracked from being chapped.

“eight!”

unbeknown to the both of you, dylan, gavin, and rutger were making their way to the door way.

“seven!”

“i love you.”

“six!”

“i love you too.”

“five!”

your hand just barely started to creep up towards luke’s hair, barely running through it.

“four!”

luke pulled you in closer. your body pressed completely up against his.

“three!”

“nother year with you, y/n/n.”

“two!”

“another year with you, lukey.”

“one!”

you were pulling luke down to meet you halfway, standing on your tip-toes in order to mesh your lips with his. his hand on your hip gave you a gentle squeeze, trying to help steady you, the hand on the small of your back pushing you in closer to him. all while you couldn’t help but start to smile against his lips. the kiss suddenly became clashing teeth as he couldn’t fight the smile on his face either.

“happy new year, darling,” he whispered into your ear as he pulled you into his chest to keep you wrapped in his arms.

humming you pressed a kiss against his clothed chest, “happy new year, love.”

“YES! MOM AND DAD KISSED! MOM AND DAD KISSED!”

the sound of cheering had both you and looking and turning your attention towards the doorway, dylan, gavin, and rutger’s head just peeking out one on top of the other. both gavin’s and dylan’s cheeks were flushed pink, embarrassed rutger had gotten them caught, but he could care less. he was all smiles as he stared happily at the two of you.

pulling away from luke you earned what sounded like a whimper before you slipped your hand into his to walk over to the three. “just because of this little stunt, i do believe it’s bedtime for you and gavin, rutger.”

“but mom,” gavin pouted while fully stepping into the hallway, “how are we supposed to go to sleep when you can’t even tuck us in like you do at school.”

rutger nodded his head to agree, “lukey’s been tucking us in, but he’s not good at it without you. and he doesn’t give us our forehead kisses.”

“you never asked for them!” luke interjected, trying to make sure he didn’t come off as the bad guy in this situation.

you shushed him, your attention back fully on the two freshmen you had taken in this year. “if you guys wanted your forehead kisses all you had to do was ask - but straight to bed after, deal?”

“deal!” gavin and rutger said in perfect unison.

smiling you leaned forward and pressed a kiss first to gavin’s head, as he had been the more patient of the two. “goodnight gavin, i love you. get some sleep tonight, you deserve it after that game.” he happily smiled back at you as you turned your attention to rutger. “rutger, rutger, rutger, what am i going to do with you?”

“pack me up in your suitcase when you and luke move out to new jersey?” he suggested with a sweet smile.

shaking your head you laughed, “i don’t think so buddy.” you then grabbed his cheeks and kissed his forehead. “goodnight rutger, i love you. you had a great game, great goal. i’m so proud of you.”

“did you hear that gavin? y/n said she’s proud of me!” and just like that him and gavin were making the trek towards their shared room, all while dylan shared at you longingly.

“come on duker, get over here for your forehead kiss,” you smiled, already knowing that’s why he was suddenly gloomy. dylan planted himself where rutger was previously standing right in front of you, leaning his forehead towards you for more access. laughing you leaned the rest of the way and pressed a kiss to the crown of his head. “goodnight duker, i love you. you played so good today, now go and get some sleep. put some neosporin on your cuts.”

luke wrapped an arm around your waist, head dropping against your shoulder. “i’ll be in soon, dyl, just gonna walk, y/n/n back to her room first.” nodding his head duker was the last of your children to disappear back down the hallway to his hotel room leaving you and luke alone once more. he pressed a loving kiss against the side of your neck before talking, “you know, when we have kids in the future we’re gonna have the bedtime routine down because of our first three children.”

“bedtime routine, and three babysitters we won’t have to pay a single dime to after having to put up with them for the past year.”

#umich hockey #umich #luke hughes imagine #luke hughes x reader #usa hockey #ntdp #new jersey devils #my works #my writing #dylan duke #gavin brindley #rutger mcgroarty #wjc 2023 #luke hughes

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lcandothisallday · 3 years ago

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Red Carpet Lovers Part 2 - Jack Harlow x f!reader

part 1

“Oh my God!” one of the interviewers exclaimed, a shocked yet excited look appearing on her face, bringing the mic back up to her lips. “Jack Harlow and Y/N L/N just walked back onto the carpet hand in hand!”

The second you and Jack stepped on the red carpet, he grinned down at you and gave your hand a squeeze. “No going back now mamas,” he whispered into your ear. You couldn’t help your smile as you pull your hand out from his to wrap your arms around his neck. “Wouldn't change this for the world J,” you hum, having to lean up to press a light kiss to his lips despite the heels you were wearing.

Instantly the camera flashes began as people called your names from left and right, the fans standing behind the barricades screaming and cheering at the both of you. You pull back and pose next to your boyfriend for a few photos before La La calls out to the both of you.

“C’mere you two!” she exclaims, grinning widely as you and Jack both chuckle and slowly approach her on the platform. Jack, being the gentlemen he is, holds your hand as he assists you up the stairs so you don’t trip. “Hi!” she exclaimed. “This is a surprise!” she laughed, pointing at the two of you.

You can’t help but giggle as you hum and nod, your hand slipping into Jack’s once again. “Um yeah I guess,” you breathe out.

“So how long have you two been dating?” La La asked, wanting to be the first to get the inside scoop. “About half a year,” you confirm with a smile, your response causing La La’s eyes to widen. “Y’all were able to keep it on the down low for that long?! Impressive,” she chuckled.

Jack smirked as he leaned into the mic to speak. “Seeing her in that dress--phew--don’t think I could’ve held up appearances of not dating anymore,” he mused, looking at you with the most adoration, his hands moving to your waist as his taller frame stood slightly behind you. “Can’t keep my hands off of her.”

Your cheeks instantly warm up, having to bite your lip to contain your giddy smile. La La lets out a hearty laugh as she nods, “she does indeed look absolutely stunning! Speaking of-what are the both of you wearing tonight?”

Jack puts his hands up in surrender playfully before he points to you. “Ima let the model speak on it,” he laughed. You giggled before you turned back to La La. “We’re both wearing Givenchy. I love his suit-it’s very sleek and very reminiscent of the time and he just looks undeniably handsome in it,” you grin. “And it’s just a pleasure to work with them again. I love the silhouette of this dress and the cut is stunning with the diamond detailing it--I couldn’t pass it up.”

La La grinned. “Well you two are definitely the it couple right now! You both have a very exciting couple of months ahead of you. Jack with your album coming out and Y/N with next month’s Vogue cover--how do you two manage that?”

Jack licked his lips before taking a moment to contemplate his answer before he leaned in once again. “You know-I think we both obviously wanna work hard and give everything our best but we also kinda have to remember to take a step back at times and just enjoy this journey... but we’ve got each other’s back,” he mused.

“Okay final question...and you know I have to ask...” La La began slowly. “’Come home the kids miss you’... does that allude to anything?” she asked, her eyebrows wiggling as she looked at the both of you suggestively.

Your eyes widened as you let out a laugh, your cheeks heating up. “I can confidently say no,” you giggled, but your statement still firm. Jack couldn’t help but laugh too as he shook his head, his arms snaking around your waist. “I don’t think she’d let me put a baby in her anytime soon,” he confirmed once again. “I think everyone just needs to wait until he album comes out. No speculation.”

“Fineee,” La La groans playfully. “Well it was very nice speaking to you both and I am very excited that the two of you went public because I don’t know how much I needed this,” she gestured to the both of you. “Until I saw it,” she laughed.

“Thank you! Have a good night,” you smile, Jack also bidding her goodbye before he helped you down the steps for you to walk off and take a couple more pictures.

“I love you ma,” Jack hums, peppering a soft kiss to your neck before he posed in front of a camera with you. “I love you too J.”

#jack harlow #jack harlow concepts #jack harlow x reader #jack harlow imagine #jack harlow blurb #jack harlow imagines #jack harlow fluff #jack harlow blurbs #jack harlow request #jackharlow #jackman harlow

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ahundredtimesover · 2 years ago

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The Light of Dead Stars (06) | KSJ

Pairing: Seokjin x (f.) Reader; side Seokjin x (f.) OC; side Reader x Namjoon

Genre/Tags: arranged marriage, fake romance, boss/workmate aus; angst, drama, fluff, smut; slow burn

Chapter Warnings: Foul language, alcohol consumption; sensual jokes; feelings (18+)

Chapter Word count: 12k

Series Masterlist | Muse Moodboard | Setting Moodboard

Status: Complete

Series summary: Your unconventional arranged marriage with your company’s President, Kim Seokjin, is necessary, practical, and simple - both your families benefit, and he minds his own business and so do you. But when a slip-up causes his parents to believe that you and he are in love, you have no choice but to pretend you are, especially with the trip to France for his brother’s wedding coming up. When you get back to Seoul, things start to change, and Seokjin is faced with the most difficult decision he has to make.

A/N: Hmm things are starting to really pick up now!

So all these years–since when?–he had been seeing the light of dead stars, long extinguished, yet seemingly still in their appointed places in the heavens.

You’re greeted with a large bowl of ramyeon when you enter your best friend’s apartment, exciting your senses. For all the Korean ingredients at Jin’s grandparents’ holiday home, instant noodles is what they didn’t have, and you’d been too busy at work since you got back that you hadn’t thought of making it yourself.

You spent yesterday at your parents’ for a day trip and it’s now Sunday, your deserved day for your friends to catch up. You give Jungkook the set of essential oils you got him for his 2 dozen diffusers; Dara gets her fancy wine because she thinks she needs more sophisticated booze in her system; and Jimin is gifted with a pair of earrings that are as pretty as he is.

“Aww, ___. You didn’t have to, but these are so pretty,” he chirps.

“Yah, don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love this but aren’t you saving up to pay off your debts quicker so you can get out of that sham marriage of yours?” Dara asks.

You chuckle, missing her bluntness. “Well, I set aside money for this since I didn’t want to seem pitiful to Jin. Plus, he would’ve spent for me if I didn’t buy anything,” you explain. “Also, it’s not a sham marriage, okay? Just an unconventional one.”

“An unconventional one with feelings,” Jungkook says, slurping his soup.

You glare at him.

“What? You’re not denying it,” he glares back.

“Well, I’m denying it now,” you state.

“That could mean refusal to admit the truth,” he says.

“Or a declaration of untruth,” you arch a brow. “Why are you trying to outsmart me, Kook? Jin and I had 2 weeks in France where we pretended to be in love. Sure, it wasn’t hard; we sort of just had to be our usual comfortable selves with some hand holding and kissing, no big deal.”

“If those plump lips touched any part of me, I’d be in love,” Dara, unsurprisingly, says.

“I’m not you, so there’s that,” you counter.

“Fine, if you don’t wanna talk about Jin, then let’s talk about the other fine ass man in your life, aka Joonie boy,” she says. “How was seeing him? What did you talk about other than him suggesting that you run away with him?”

You sigh, recalling that day. It feels so far away yet the scent and the touch and the sound of him still linger.

“Stuff,” you shrug. “Some things can be said over the phone or written in letters and some, you just have to hear and see them, you know? He’s well, doing lots of amazing things and enjoying every minute of it. He asked if Jin treats me well and I said yes, and he looked pleased. And I just talked about work and mundane things.”

“Wow, years of not seeing each other and you just caught up?” Dara asks, unimpressed.

“I know,” you sigh, leaning on Jimin’s shoulder and hugging the pillow for comfort. “I thought maybe he’d bring up coming home or seeing how he and I could work out. But he waited until the last minute to ask if I wanted to go to Italy with him, start a life there, as if he just thought of it right before we had to part again.”

“God, what is up with that man? Why can’t he just make a decision?” Jimin groans.

“He did,” Jungkook chimes in. “He decided to stay then, and then decided to leave, and he decides every day that whatever his life out there is better than the one he could have next to her.”

“Ooh, that burns,” Dara pouts.

“I keep thinking that maybe that last-second invite to elope meant he’s still holding onto the rope by its edges,” you say, ignoring Jungkook’s statement.

“Yeah, just so he doesn’t lose you completely, but he’s not pulling you back in, either,” he counters.

You release a long sigh and play with your fingers, which is your usual tell that you’re holding back from crying, so Jimin snuggles you - the rare time you let him - and you drown in his embrace. You’ve been trying hard to keep your emotions at bay since you saw Namjoon, not knowing what to think or feel about seeing the man you’ve wanted for so long walk away again.

“Did you ask him to come back? I mean, he asked you to run away with him, but there’s another option, which is him being with you, here,” Dara says.

“I don’t want to be disappointed so I don’t ask, because he’ll just say it’ll be soon like he always does, and I’ll wait because what else is there left to do?”

“Well, it’s a good thing you didn’t ask again. At least then you didn’t give him a chance to make another promise he can’t keep,” Jimin tries to comfort you. “But you gotta be realistic, too, you know? How long will you be waiting? You’ve got a life here, with your husband who's a pretty great guy.”

“A husband who has a girlfriend,” you correct.

“Hmm, let’s see how long that lasts,” Jungkook says, yelping when you throw the pillow on his face.

“What! I’m just saying. You spend 2 weeks in France with your husband being all lovey-dovey and you can’t tell me that neither of you are looking for that same intimacy you had there. It’s not like he could get that from her daily now that you’re both back,” he continues. “Which brings me to my question - how have you guys been since you got back?”

“Hmm, the same I guess? We've been so busy at work, we barely see each other. We haven’t had dinner for the past 3 days since he’s always in meetings or probably seeing Seri and then I went to see my parents yesterday.”

“And now you’re here with us,” Dara cocks an eyebrow.

“I miss you guys,” you flutter your eyes.

“Yeah, whatever. But Kook’s onto something, though. You went through college faking smiles at me so I know when it’s genuine. And those photos with Jin tell me just how much fun you had with him. Who knows what he’s thinking, too?” She adds. “But just to remind you, there’s wedding ceremony #2 coming up. Are you ready for another night of faking? If that’s still what it is?”

You disregard her last question but agree with being ready. Honestly, Jin is the one who feels quite far away from you. After 2 weeks of sleeping next to him and waking up to his soft smile, the past few days feel different.

It’s not that you miss him. You definitely don’t because that’s just insane, but it’s like reality truly hit you - you’re back to living under the same roof but separately; he still has a girlfriend and there’s still a man who chooses everyday to not be with you. Jin has barely spoken to you since you both got back, and there’s that part of you that wonders if those 2 weeks had just been a dream, and you hate that it suddenly matters; you hate that you wish it didn’t.

Jin isn’t avoiding you. Or more like, he convinces himself that he isn’t avoiding you.

The night you both got back, he didn’t get a wink of sleep. He tossed and turned in bed when he’s usually a stiff sleeper. He kept shifting to his side, telling himself he didn’t wish that it was your snoring that he was met with.

It felt like he’d just closed his eyes and then his alarm was going off, which was also rare since he always woke up before it. It was obvious that he didn’t sleep and he knew you’d notice and he wouldn’t know what to say so he rushed to work and didn’t wait for you. He was filled with meetings that next day until the late evening and had Yoongi look for a nice restaurant that was still open at 11PM. Jin did the same thing the next day.

He woke up late that Saturday to a text of you saying that you’d be taking the train to Gwangju, and he completely forgot about it because if he actually spoke to you, you’d remind him, but he’d been chickening out even just texting you so he wasn’t able to have Mr. Lim drive you there, so he spent that day worrying about you instead.

Yesterday, you went out with your friends. He figured that you were trying to spend time with others after those 2 weeks with him and he doesn’t blame you. Maybe if he took up Seri’s invitation to meet up that weekend, he’d have something to do, but it didn’t feel right being with her. That, and he really had to sleep, so he spent it playing games the whole day and then passing out in bed after.

It’s now Monday and he feels like he’d just run a marathon. He’s still exhausted, and while he psyched himself up to see you in the morning, you’re the one who was out early to attend a food expo just outside the city.

He’s about to snap at Yoongi for chiding him for avoiding you when you suddenly call, and Jin almost drops his phone in surprise but then lets it ring thrice before he picks up.

“Hey, ___. Everything okay? How is it there?” He asks, trying to sound calm.

“Yeah I’m fine, and it’s nice here. I’m getting a few ideas but I’ve mostly been eating,” you chuckle. “And you?”

“Good, just running through some things with Yoongi,” he replies. “It’s midday but I feel like I’ve barely done much.”

“Well, you’ve been so busy. I checked on you last night to see if you wanted to have dinner with me but you were passed out in bed. Please tell me you’ve at least been eating,” you sigh.

You went to check up on him last night? Damn it.

“Yeah, don’t worry. Eating is something I cannot miss,” he says.

“Okay, good. So, uh, will you be free tonight? I’m craving pizza. I’ve been thinking about the one we had in one of the alleys in Grasse,” you reply dreamily. “So maybe we can have that, if you’re not too busy?”

“Tonight?” Jin asks, checking his tablet after Yoongi makes an “X” sign to see what he’s gonna have to reschedule. It’s a late afternoon meeting with one of their Asian distributors and that usually lasts hours.

“Sure, I can see you tonight,” Jin says to Yoongi’s dismay, who merely shakes his head because he really doesn’t like talking to that man’s secretary. “Will you still drop by here or I’ll meet you at the restaurant instead?

“I can meet you at the restaurant; it’ll be a while before I get to leave here.”

“Alright, I’ll see you then,” he says, hanging up after you say your goodbye.

Yoongi’s arched eyebrow is what meets him as he looks up.

“Didn’t you just postpone dinner with Seri because you wanted tonight’s meeting to be done with?”

“Uh, well. ___ is my wife,” he says. “I’ve barely seen her since we got back.”

“Yeah, from your 2-week vacation together,” Yoongi reminds him. “Looked like you enjoyed your time there, then.”

There’s no malice in the secretary’s voice or any hint of something suggestive. It’s merely a statement of an observation, one that Jin immediately confirms.

“I’m glad you did,” Yoongi mumbles. “You deserved that break and at least you spent it with someone you like being with.”

Jin can’t help the smile that graces his face until he catches himself. Thinking about you the past few days has been giving him stress, but hearing you again after what feels so long and finding out that you checked up on him in his room - which you barely do - makes him feel better, like all is right again in the world.

Almost.

“I can’t believe I’m saying this but just… don’t forget to schedule that dinner with Seri, okay?” Yoongi states. “I saw her this morning and she told me to make sure you’re eating and taking your vitamins since she assumes you’re stressed and busy.”

“Yah! Of course I am!” Jin scowls. “When am I not?”

“You are today but you’re rescheduling a meeting for dinner with your wife.” Yoongi walks closer and faces the phone lying on the desk with 3 unread messages from Seri towards Jin. “I’m just saying, if things are changing, you’re gonna have to make a decision soon. You can’t do this to either of them, even to yourself.”

You anxiously wait at the Italian restaurant that you told Jin about earlier, somehow counting the minutes until he arrives.

After your talk with your best friends yesterday, you knew you had to stop avoiding him, too, because in a way, you were. For one, you weren’t bugging him like you usually do, and you weren’t texting him either.

As your longest friend, Jungkook had been firing from all cylinders, pretty much since the beginning of this whole ordeal; he’s just doing it less subtly this time. But he hugged you before you left his apartment last night and reminded you that choosing yourself doesn’t always mean hanging onto the only things that are familiar, that the next person who could love you may just be right around the corner. Dara and Jimin had been the ones to suggest to just try to go back to how things were before the trip - you and Jin minded your own business but still had nights or days that you’d spend together.

You thought it would be last night but he was fast asleep in bed. Mrs. Kang had said that he spent the entire day playing his games and you wondered, for the briefest moment, why he chose not to spend it with Seri, since you heard from Mrs. Kang that he was also just at home but that Seri wasn’t there. But you remind yourself it’s nothing you should worry or even think about.

You didn’t want to go on being strangers or ghosts living under the same roof because it would be more awkward once you have to pretend being in love again this Saturday. The thought makes you dizzy, especially since there will be more people around, including her, and you do need to strategize with your husband. The last thing you want is to make it seem like you’re rubbing in her face that he’s legally with you, even if deep inside you know that it’s only on paper. He’s hung onto Seri long enough.

“Hey, did I make you wait too long?” Jin’s low voice shakes you out of your thoughts.

“Oh, no, not at all,” you say, standing up, and you look at each other awkwardly.

“Are we supposed to hug?” He chuckles.

“Uh, yeah sure,” you respond, leaning forward to lightly wrap your arms around his waist while his wrap around your shoulders, taking in his spicy scent that you’ve been without these past few days. “Sorry, I thought we’re gonna have to get used to it again.”

Jin’s smile falls a little but he doesn’t think you notice. “Of course. Tae and Hyun-a are coming back on Wednesday and it’s last minute preps for Saturday. Mother and Father are the ones stressed about it since there are 600 guests.”

“Oh goodness. Do you think we can just say hi one time and then be done with it?” You ask, worrying about how you’re going to handle socializing with that many people because as Jin’s mother had told you before, your husband is now just as much the head of the family as his father is, and that extends to you, as his wife.

“Well, wouldn’t that be ideal,” he sighs. “It’s my brother’s wedding but I have to engage with guests as much as he does.”

“Speaking of which,” you mumble, “Seri’s gonna be there, right? How are we, uh… how are we supposed to, uh…”

“Act?”

“Yeah? I mean, she’s your girlfriend and–”

“And you’re my wife, that I’m supposed to be in love with,” he says much too sharply.

“Yeah, but you aren’t, and the woman you’re actually into, who got to you first, is gonna be there,” you point out. “It was okay before because she wasn’t around but now she will be and I don’t want to make her feel bad. I know you say she’s fine with the whole situation but she’s never had to see us be sweet or affectionate before, and after France, I’m pretty sure your family’s gonna be expecting the same or more.”

“I know,” he sighs. “I’ll give her a heads up and maybe caution her, ask her to not let it affect her too much. I’ll see her before Saturday.

“Okay,” you smile, somewhat feeling lighter now that you’re assured. “Now on to dinner.”

Your initial worry of things being weird quickly melts away. After those first few minutes have gone, it’s as if you and Jin didn’t spend the last 4 days unintentionally dodging each other.

You get 2 orders of pizza and pasta because you couldn’t decide, and then finish the rest of it over wine when you get back home, laughing and talking like you both don’t have work in the morning. But you both hold your liquor well and are only a tad bit tipsy when you decide to end the night.

It feels nice being this way again, being this comfortable and secure in this odd relationship with him, and despite the act you have to put on, you admit that there’s a tiny part of you that truly believes in the sincerity in all this, that somehow, it was meant to be like this. And you’ll take it, if only not to lose him as a friend.

Seri excitedly opens her door and waits for Jin to be inside her apartment before she wraps her arms around his waist.

“I miss you so much,” she sighs, feeling as if all is right in the world again.

It’s been too long, she thinks, from that 2-week trip to France to another week of him being busy with all the work that definitely greeted him when he got back. She didn’t expect that he’d ask to have dinner at her apartment, though, as she’d somehow gotten used to the guesthouse at his place that he shares with you, but she’ll take it. This isn’t the longest that they’ve been apart; there was a time when they were completely broken up, she reminds herself, and after they got back together again, she’d gotten used to whatever time that he could spend with her, knowing that she can’t really demand anything, especially since she isn’t the type of person to do that.

“Hey,” Jin responds, pulling away and smiling at her. “How have you been?”

“Good,” she beams, taking the bag of takeout from him and setting the table. “I mean, nothing new nor exciting. What about you? How was your trip, by the way?”

Jin looks visibly nervous, so she takes his hand and motions for him to look at her. “Hey, it’s okay. I’ve thought of all the possibilities of what could’ve happened there so you don’t have to worry. All I ever asked of you was to be honest with me.”

Seri has always been kind. It’s one of the things that stood out to him when he first met her as part of his management team. She’s bubbly and bright, easy to get along with, and incredibly charming. She’s caring and understanding, and he doesn’t recall a time when she ever frowned or got angry; even their rare little arguments from before never cracked her, neither have the 5 years of being his secret.

So he tells her everything - the one bed, the dances, the kisses, the fake couple photos, the food explorations.

“It wasn’t hard now, was it?” She giggles. “I remember you worrying how it was going to be since you and ___ aren’t that close or comfortable. But it seems like it worked out well. I’m glad you didn’t stress out too much about it.”

“Well, I had to be the calm one for her. She was worried about you,” Jin shares, “worried about what you’d think or feel.”

“Five years is a long time, Jin, you should tell her that,” she smiles, the irony unmistakable for him. “I’m still here with you, and nothing has changed that. She’s why I still get to be with you, anyway.”

Jin takes in Seri’s features - there’s innocence and maturity and care bursting from her entire being, from her eyes and her smile and the way she holds his hand like she understands everything that he says and doesn’t say, like she accepts everything that’s happened and is happening.

“But, uh, my whole family bought the act,” he continues. “And it’s the second celebration on Saturday. ___ and I will, uh–”

“Oh, I know. Don’t think I haven’t thought about that. There’s going to be a bigger audience there, and I totally understand. I’ll look away if I need to, but I’ll be fine.”

He nods, feeling a bit of weight has gone off his back, but the rest of it is still there.

There’s something different being here this time, after all that time with you where you both held hands and hugged and kissed out in the open, where you both got to enjoy amazing food and saw stunning views in paradise. A few times before he’d imagined doing that with Seri, but something else always blurred the vision, and he honestly doesn’t remember when the last time was that he thought about all those with her.

He realizes it when she kisses him goodbye, her soft lips that he used to look for no longer giving him that sensation, that pleasure, that excitement. He’d held onto those feelings of exhilaration and eagerness for years, and he realizes those are all it was for him - that high, that elation, that fleeting emotion that he could escape to.

He wonders, on the way home, if this is really it, if the feeling for her had faded just because he’d come back from something totally amazing and felt the alternative, or if the feeling had waned some time ago, and he’d just been holding on to what was left, hoping it would be enough to revive what once was.

Checking his phone, he sighs at his reality. Yoongi had texted: Thanks for the lobster risotto. I’m just going to pretend that I don’t know that Seri’s allergic to seafood, but I will point out that I’m only able to eat this because you made the wrong order; this is ___’s favorite, after all.

You look at yourself in the full-body mirror of the bedroom in the suite you’ve checked into for the wedding and you still can’t believe you could look this good, and you have the gown mostly to thank for that.

“Hey, Jin,” you call out to your husband who’s dressing up in the living room. “I’ve got my hair and make-up done and I look pretty amazing.”

“Oh yeah? That’s new,” he teasingly chuckles.

“Just letting you know in case I catch the eye of one of the celebrities there.”

“Ah, well you might catch their eye, but talking to them is altogether different,” he reminds you. “But I’ll give you the push you need, if you want. I heard Hyun Bin will be there.”

“Yah! He’s married,” you yell.

“Yeah, so are you.”

“Son Yejin in exchange for me; you win,” you laugh, opening the door and feeling the air knocked out of you. Of course, your husband always has to look more beautiful than you.

He’s wearing a textured charcoal suit with his hair pushed back, exposing his entire forehead. You’d think you’d be immune to him since you see him on a daily basis in fancy suits for work, parted hair and all. But he looks even more sophisticated and classy this time, and you didn’t think that was possible.

“Son Yejin gets me, so yeah, she wins, too,” he winks, knowing just how much he’d affected you.

“I concede, then,” you smile, letting yourself marvel at his beauty. Maybe when the socializing gets too much, you can just look at him and all will be okay.

“So, shall we, Mrs. Kim,” he takes out his hand.

“We shall, Mr. Kim. Let’s get this over with.”

You and Jin pass by the holding room, where Taehyung and Hyun-a are taking photos, before heading to the venue.

“You’re already married. Why are you still crying?” Seokjin nudges his brother.

“Because I’m even more in love with her!” Taehyung states. “Plus, we’re declaring our love in front of hundreds of people. It’s pretty special being able to do that, you know?”

The words hit Seokjin more than he expected, and if he knows any better, his brother is probably telling him something.

“What a romantic,” you remark, smiling at the lovely couple who look just as gorgeous as they were when they got married in the chateau a few weeks ago.

“Not like him, I know,” Taehyung motions towards his brother. “Sorry about that.”

“Not like I mind,” you shrug.

Their parents and grandparents arrive for family portraits and it takes a while for all the photos to be taken. You and Jin make sure there are those without you, too. When everyone is satisfied, you and your husband are the first to exit the room and head to the ballroom for the ceremony.

There are so many people, as the guest list is in the hundreds and it’s open to the public as well. Jin’s hand searches yours, and you get a firm grip so as not to lose him in the sea of people.

You hear your name being called and you turn to see your best friends there. Jimin is dashing in a black suit; Jungkook is wearing a navy blue one and is already turning heads; and Dara, in her body-hugging blush gown, looks so beautiful.

“You’re stunning,” Jungkook says as he hugs you.

Jimin says the same, in awe at how well you carry yourself with so much confidence, and Dara declares she’s officially crushing on you.

“Wow, did I really need to get all dolled up for you to compliment me like this?” You tease them.

“Nah. You don’t like being complimented so we don’t say it but your husband is here and we don’t want him to think that we find you unattractive,” Dara explains.

Jin chuckles next to you and you reintroduce him to your friends.

“Hi, nice to see both of you again,” he shakes Jungkook’s and Dara’s hands and nods at Jimin. “I know we don’t see each other much but ___ talks about you a fair bit.”

“Yeah, not enough I’m sure since she’s probably embarrassed,” Jungkook states, earning him an eager nod from you.

“Holy shit, you’re unreal,” Dara exclaims. “You look even hotter than the last time I saw you, which was during your wedding and you were already so hot then.” She turns to you, and you already know she’s gonna say something incredibly embarrassing, but at least she doesn’t yell it. “___, why the fuck aren’t you in love with this guy?”

“Oh, Dara. Never change,” Jimin chuckles. “Apologies for our friend, Mr. Kim. She’s, uh, she’s a very honest person.”

“It’s fine,” Jin smiles, glancing at you. “It’s quite refreshing, actually.”

“Do you have hot friends you can introduce me to?” She continues.

“I can introduce you to my secretary, Yoongi. He’s cool and he takes care of me well. I think we’re each other’s only friends,” Jin chuckles, gesturing towards one of the tables where the man sits on his own.

“Ooh, uninterested sexy man with a soft heart, I can tell, totally my type,” Dara swoons.

“Please, don’t traumatize him. Jimin can help you find others to pounce on but both of you behave,” you warn. “And Kook, please don’t be awkward when someone tries to flirt with you, okay? Jin and I have to go around and greet guests and I’ll get back to you all after.”

“Yes, maam,” they all salute and laugh at you while you roll your eyes.

“Go do your wifey duties and don’t forget to act like a couple,” Jungkook winks.

You pull Jin away and apologize for your friends. “They like messing with me and there’s no filter even when you’re around.”

“Ah, I’d rather they don’t. I like messing with you, too,” he teases.

“No, you’re supposed to protect me,” you pout, and Jin has to stop himself from pulling you in a hug because of how adorable you look.

“Fine, you brat,” he pinches your nose, and you realize that it’s been a while since he last did that.

You’re about to squish his cheeks when a group of people greet both of you, and you and Jin turn to them and bow. Your smiles briefly fade at the sight of a familiar face who greets you with her soft, wide eyes.

“Mr. and Mrs. Kim,” Seri bows after everyone does. “Please send our congratulations to the Vice President and his wife.”

She sounds so formal, so distant, and somehow your heart breaks for her, and you can only smile and nod, following her eyes which briefly look at your hand engulfed in Jin’s. You quickly pull away, something your husband notices.

“Thank you, Ms. Wong, everyone,” Jin bows. “I’m sure they’re happy that his entire team is here. Taehyung did mention treating you guys out after all the wedding celebrations are over. He owes you a lot for all the weeks he missed at work.”

They all chuckle and agree, and even you can tell that Taehyung is loved by his team - Jin’s former team - as well. They bid their goodbye and Seri bows to you and Jin once more, sharing a lingering look with your husband.

You can’t imagine how it must be like for them, and for her especially, seeing the man she loves be open and affectionate with another woman, something he couldn’t do with her. You turn to Jin who looks visibly upset, so you nudge his arm to look at you.

“I’m so sorry, Jin,” you try to comfort him, though you don’t really know what to say.

“It’s okay. She and I have talked about it,” he feigns a smile.

It’s harder than you think, not so much because you think it hurts him not being the way he is with you with Seri, but because being the way he is with you is what’s starting to feel right, it’s what’s starting to make him happy.

The rest of the afternoon was as tiring as you expected. It literally took 2 hours for the guests to be completed and to get settled and that meant you and Jin had to spend that time greeting them on behalf of his parents and grandparents. It’s one of the “President roles,” you were told.

But you clung onto Jin the whole time - commending him whenever someone praises him for how well he’s been handling the company and smiling at him whenever someone congratulates both of you for your marriage.

It got a little awkward when the CEO of Song Corporation said how good you both looked together. You were at least appeased when she said that she’s heard you speak in a conference and was impressed with you, and such competence is “a good match to the Kim Foods Inc. President,” that is, until you saw Seri standing nearby, and you could tell she heard everything. There was that faraway look in her eyes, and she turned to you specifically with a smile before she walked away.

You hate feeling like you’re taking someone’s man, and sometimes you wished she was a cruel, jealous person so at least it didn’t feel this bad. But she’s nothing like that and somehow it makes it worse. You tried your best to brush off the thought and focus on your role for today.

The ceremony was beautiful. It was still emotional, as Taehyung really took his time in saying his vows, sharing bits about their honeymoon and how those 2 weeks just solidified how much he loves her. Hyun-a was a lot more candid, sharing how much of a whiny baby her husband could be, but that he’d made her feel so loved during that trip and she can’t wait for how the rest of their lives are going to be.

You were, again, starstruck by all the celebrities you saw. They were all dazzling and gorgeous, as you expected, and Jin had been the encouraging husband who said “you look more amazing” every time you commented how stunning they looked. He made sure to look into your eyes whenever he said them so you’d know he meant it, but somehow, that made you feel nervous more than anything, especially as you could tell that he wasn’t saying them just because.

But despite the exhaustion of walking around and greeting and bowing and conversing with hundreds of people, which carried over to the reception, it was a fun one, as you and Jin found ways to entertain yourselves in between, laughing and teasing and making jokes.

You were seated on the table with Sejeong and Hyo-seop, and from a few tables away, your best friends were seated together with Yoongi who seemed quite happy being with other people who weren't your husband.

“Make that Dara-Yoongi thing happen,” Jin had said, and you commented that your friend might scare him away.

“Well, let’s give them time to get to know each other, then, in a calmer and casual environment,” he suggested, and that’s why you’re currently here - at your suite’s living room, having drinks with your best friends with light music in the background.

There was a bit of music and dance at the reception after dinner and the program, and the hotel bar was rented out for the after-party. You all stayed there for half an hour before you and Jin decided that it’s really not your scene, and you proposed staying at one of the lounges instead.

But Dara complained that her feet were aching and honestly, so were yours, so Jin said it was okay to stay at your suite since it’s big enough to hold all of you anyway. Yoongi seemed to have warmed up to your friends so he joined you, and now you’re all enjoying the fancy champagne, charcuterie board, and platter of desserts that your husband ordered.

Dara’s shoes are off and so are yours, and your gown is loose enough for you to still wear it, despite all the food you’d consumed tonight. The men have removed their coats and are seated comfortably on the couch. Jin is next to you, polo sleeves now rolled up to his elbows and tie loosened, looking comfortable and at ease.

You’re all talking about how you and Jungkook met when you were kids because your parents were friends, and how you’d taken care of a drunk Dara in freshman year of college and how you became inseparable after, and how Jimin tried to set you up with one of your co-workers during your first year at the company but you and he ended up getting close instead.

Yoongi talks about being Jin’s secretary for years and turning down a higher position offer at another company because he liked working for the Kim family and well, both introverts seem to get along just fine. You’re laughing and sharing stories when Jin nudges your arm, alerting you that your phone is ringing.

You look at the table where it is and your photo with Namjoon fills up the screen, and your face lights up as you pick up the device, excusing yourself, and then heading to the balcony for the call.

“Who was it?” Jungkook asks.

“Namjoon,” Jin says dryly.

“How does that make you feel?” The younger man follows up.

“That they talk? Uh, nothing, really,” Jin shrugs. “I mean, they’re obviously something more than best friends and that’s good for ___, having someone who cares for her the way Namjoon does.”

“Yeah, well caring and not fulfilling a promise are two different things. It’s not enough to just say things and then not act on them,” Jungkook states bitterly.

“Do you… not like Namjoon? I heard you and him were the ones there for her during those tough years in college, and yeah, Dara, too,” Jin asks.

“I like him as a friend, sure. I owed him big time during ___’s toughest years because I couldn’t be there for her as often as I wanted but after everything and after all this time, he’s still a distant being who’ll continue to be far away, and it’s just calls and letters that make her feel close to him,” Jungkook says. “Is that a way to love someone?”

“But she still does, doesn’t she?” Jin asks nervously, unsure if he’s ready to hear the answer or not.

“Well, she hasn’t said it in a while. She hasn’t really talked about it much since you two got married,” Jimin answers this time. “And I was honestly surprised that she didn’t make seeing him in France as big a deal as I expected. But I guess it’s just how it is when so much time has passed and both people just get used to the monotony of the relationship, you know? Especially when it’s the same distance, the same act of hoping, of wishing things would change. Maybe the love just fades away and withers without them realizing that they have.”

“Yeah, I get that,” Jin mindlessly says, causing the 4 other people to look at him curiously, the tinge of surprise painting their faces because how could he get it unless it’s something he’s felt - or feels - too?

“You do, huh?” Yoongi arches his brow.

“I mean, it’s a universal feeling, right?” Jin shrugs, trying to get out of it.

Your friends decide to let it go, opting to talk about something else but Yoongi doesn’t want to let it go just yet.

“Does it maybe have anything to do with your girl of 5 years whom you’ve been distancing yourself from since you got back from France?” He whispers next to his boss. “Perhaps the feelings have faded and you’re now realizing that they have.”

Jin looks at his colleague, his friend who’s had his back for years and who perhaps knows him more than anyone. It’s a realization he doesn’t want to acknowledge or fully admit, primarily because he doesn’t want to face all the consequences of such thought and feeling. His sullen, guilty eyes say enough, and Yoongi just knows.

You get back inside before either man could say anything, and you smile at all of them and ask what you’ve missed. No one dares bring up the call, knowing you’d talk about it when you’re ready.

The conversation gets back to sharing embarrassing moments from your college days, Jin’s university life in SNU and post-grad in London, and all the office gossip from the past as filled in by Jimin.

It’s all laughter and new discoveries, and you like seeing this side of your husband - carefree, intrigued, and a little unfiltered. With all the stress he’s under, you enjoy seeing him be a little bit ordinary in a sense, enjoying drinks with people his age, talking about things that aren’t work or business related.

With the food and drinks wiped out and your friends having sobered up after getting drunk, you all say your goodbyes. It’s past 2AM and you’re exhausted, and Jin lets you get ready for bed while he cleans up in the living room.

You’re dozing off by the time he gets to your shared bed, but you wake up a little when he scoots closer and pulls the covers over your body.

“Hey,” you say sleepily. “Thanks for cleaning up.”

“Don’t worry about it. I know it took a lot from you to socialize tonight. Thank you for being next to me,” he smiles, affectionately pinching your nose.

“Of course, Jin. Where else would I be?”

His heart jumps at the sight of your tender smile, and he wants nothing more than to see that every day.

“Nowhere else,” he whispers, but you hear it and choose not to respond.

“The celebrations are over. We did it,” you say, pulling out his heart now and reminding him what all this is - fleeting, temporary, unreal. “Thanks for not making it hard for me. I appreciate it.”

Your eyes flutter close and he’s glad that you don’t hear the thundering of his heart.

“I don’t ever want it to be hard for you, even if it means it’s hard for me.” He whispers, caressing your cheek as his form of goodnight. “Sleep well, ___. I’ll see you in the morning.”

You get a good night’s sleep and wake up the next day with hangover soup that Jin prepared for you, and then spend the rest of the day in the bedroom resting again.

The days after that feel like a blur. You go back to your normal routine with Jin - going to the office together, waiting for each other if you’re able and then going home to dinner that Mrs. Kang had made. You still cook him breakfast that weekend while he cooks your dinner, and you spend those 2 days together doing the grocery, going to Taehyung and Hyun-a’s new apartment for a welcome dinner, and then watching a cooking documentary about Italy on Netflix.

On Monday morning, Jin leaves for a business trip to Qatar. The next 2 days feel a little lonely but he messages you photos of his meals and to talk about how the conference is going and how Doha is like, saying that it’s a place you should definitely visit.

You’re excited that he seems excited, but what’s striking is how this time, he’s expressive in how he can’t wait to get home, mostly to cook you this new recipe he discovered, and partly because he says that Yoongi hasn’t been the best companion. His secretary is always on his phone with Dara during post-work hours, leaving a lonely Jin to drink in the hotel bar by himself.

You choose to dwell on the fact that your best friend and Yoongi - quite an unlikely pair, if you’re being honest - are hitting it off.

But you focus on your own thing while your husband is away. There are a few reports you have to review and a trip to one of the farms to make.

It’s Thursday by the time you feel it.

You’d gone to the farm and then the production site last Tuesday and ate a few things there and on the way, so it was probably something spoiled or contaminated that’s causing your stomach pain and severe headache.

You somewhat managed on Wednesday, going to the washroom a few times and feeling a little dehydrated. But by the next day, it had gotten too much. You decided to work at home instead and got a bit of work done, but you were too tired and dozed off instead.

The next morning, you wake up to several messages from your husband asking if you’re okay. You say you’re feeling under the weather after you call him, not wanting him to worry since he’s got a few important meetings lined up, but you spend the rest of it walking from the bathroom to the bed, feeling like you’re not improving despite the ginger tea you’ve been drinking and the hot pads all over your body.

It’s that same Friday in the early afternoon when Jin arrives, exhausted from the trip and the flight where he still had to work while on the way back. It’s the longest he’s been away from you since France, and that sinking feeling of what he’s feeling lays heavy on him.

There’s much to analyze and assess, as he’d told Yoongi during the night he finally got his friend to join him for drinks and the younger man had stated the obvious that of course he noticed that something has changed. But Jin didn’t want to dive into it yet, afraid of making a premature assumption or decision about what he needs to do.

It’s possible that those 2 weeks in France and the affection he felt towards you were meant to be fleeting, perhaps brought about by the romantic nature of the trip. It could be that you were close and Seri was far away, and maybe he was just missing affection and you were there, willing to give it to him, too. Maybe he’s just a stupid guy who doesn’t know shit and can’t understand what he’s feeling or can’t own up to it, but either one is just as bad.

But when he exits the plane, waits for almost an hour for Mr. Lim, and then gets informed on why the chauffeur was late, all those things don’t seem to matter as much, because all he can think of is you.

“I had to rush Mrs. Kim to the hospital,” Mr. Lim had said. “She hasn’t been feeling well for days and Mrs. Kang thought it would be best if she went to get checked already.”

“Take me there now,” Jin had told the driver. “And cancel the rest of my day,” he’d instructed Yoongi.

Jin arrives at the hospital, demanding you to be moved to the VIP room despite the nurse telling him that you insisted on staying at a private room because you’re just there for monitoring.

“I don’t care, she’s still sick. Move her there, now,” Jin demands.

You’re a little groggy when you feel the bed moving and hear chatter nearby. You also feel like you’re dreaming when you hear Jin’s low-tone voice asking the doctor some things. When you feel like you’ve stopped moving, you decide to open your eyes.

“Hey, who are you fighting?” You ask sleepily.

“The nurse who kept you in a private room,” he groans.

“Fight me instead,” you mumble. “I said I didn’t want a VIP room. Too big for me; you weren’t there anyway.”

“I’m here now. I’m sorry I didn’t come sooner,” he says.

“That’s stupid,” you manage to chuckle. “You had a work trip. But you’re here now though.”

“Yeah, and I’ll stay here, okay? Let’s talk when you don’t sound like an inebriated old man.”

“Ugh, you annoy me sometimes, Kim Seokjin,” you giggle. “Now stop being angry and wait for me to wake up again.”

You wake up 2 hours later, feeling not much better than you did some time ago, but there’s still an improvement somehow. You turn to your side and find Jin with one hand clasping yours and another, typing away on his tablet.

“Looks like you need your other hand,” you say, letting him go, but he doesn’t let you.

“How are you feeling?” He asks worriedly, sitting on the edge of the bed.

“Still terrible. Did they say where I got it?”

“Hopefully something you ate on the way there because the farm and production site is going to hear it from me if they served you contaminated food,” he frowns. “Though I had those places checked already and so far, everyone is okay.”

“Relax, I’m still alive,” you chuckle.

“Bacterial infection can get severe, okay?” He frowns again. “And you should’ve gone to the hospital the first day you started feeling unwell.”

“I had so much work to do. Plus, I thought the hot packs and tea were enough,” you shrug. “Do you know what they’re doing to cure me?”

“Antibiotics and some other medicines.”

“Great, so I can leave tonight?”

“No. I asked for another test to make sure this is all we have to worry about,” he responds. “And I’m not comfortable having you stay at home when I can’t be there to look after you.”

“I’m not a baby,” you pout. “And hospital food isn’t all that great. I want Mrs. Kang’s cooking, or yours. Take me home, please?”

“Just spend another day here, okay? Just to be sure. And then I’ll take you home.”

“Fine,” you smile. It’s a soft one, and this makes Jin feel a little more at ease. “Will you stay the night, then?”

“Of course, ___. I’m not going anywhere.”

Jin spends that Friday night with you. He instructs Mrs. Kang to send over both of your clothes and dinner as well. Your best friends visit and tell your husband that you can get a little stubborn when you’re sick so it’s best to follow what you want instead of you doing things on your own. There was one time you left the hospital and freaked everyone out just because you hated the food and you wanted to eat something delicious.

You take the test that Jin asked for the next day, and you spend the rest of it in the hospital to appease him. You’ve experienced way worse than this and never had to go to the hospital; even your parents agree, as you video call them and your mom says that if she lived nearby, she could just send you some soup and tea because those always worked.

“Aish, what would the doctors do but prescribe you things that cost thousands when my love doesn’t cost anything,” your mom says. “They’re just making money off of you, sweetie.”

You see Jin purse his lips and keep himself from saying anything.

He doesn’t get your attitude when it comes to health issues like this and you point out that some things can be resolved by home remedies. Your parents’ care has always been enough to cure you, but living the life that Jin does, you suppose every little thing needs to be taken care of immediately, and money gets you anything. So you follow, if only not to get him even more stressed out, as you see him take multiple work and non work-related calls.

It’s Sunday when you’re finally discharged and being off a hospital gown feels like a breath of fresh air. Jin carries your bags and takes note of all the medicines you have to take and the things you aren’t supposed to do.

“No work for the next few days,” he orders, as he pulls down the covers and gestures for you to lie down, but you remain standing with furrowed eyebrows and a pout on your face.

“What, you can’t make me do that! You’re not the boss of me,” you cross your arms.

“Uh, ___, I kinda am.”

“Rude,” you frown even harder.

“___, these are doctor’s orders,” he says, walking over to where you are. “If you wanna get back to work as soon as possible, then you follow them, and that means taking your medications and resting, and I mean resting.”

“Fine, I’ll follow. No need to talk to me like a kid.”

“I’m sorry, but I just wanted to get ahead of you before you argue with me again.”

“Excuse me, I don’t argue with you!” You gasp, earning you a chuckle.

“Come on, go rest first. I’ll see what I can make you for lunch,” he says, pinching your nose. “And I’m telling you as your boss and your husband - I need you well, okay? So get better soon.”

You survive your first day back at home without any more bickering with Jin. He makes you noodles for lunch and then stew for dinner. Your appetite still isn’t back to normal, and that’s become his indicator for your recovery. He said he wouldn’t believe you’re fully well until you’re able to finish a 3-course meal, and you know he’s got you backed in a corner; you can barely finish a 1/3 cup of rice.

That first night, Jin could barely sleep as he constantly worried about you. He’s not used to it, thinking about someone other than himself. Sure, he’d worried about Seri, but not the same way he’s worrying about you, and that’s just added to his stress about all the things he’s feeling.

He even snuck in your room at 2AM just to make sure you were okay, and there you were, sleeping soundly with your loud snores. He hates to admit that he’s missed that terribly more than anything.

It’s Monday morning and you’d just woken up from the incessant ringing of your phone. You’re about to pick it up when it stops, and you turn to the side to see Jin holding your phone.

“Yes, this is Mr. Kim. I’ve informed ___’s team that she’ll be off for a few days due to health concerns. I believe this can wait, yes?”

He turns to you and is greeted with your wide eyes. Surely, you’ve never heard of him taking work calls that aren’t his.

“I understand, I’ll let her know but expect a response next week. Thank you.”

He hangs up and greets you good morning.

“Uh, who was that?” You ask.

“Someone from Marketing, but it’s okay, I’ve handled it.”

“Sure,” you arch a brow. “And what are you doing here? You should be at work.”

“I am. Or, I will be. I’ll just get a desk in here unless it’s okay if I use yours?”

“Uh, why?”

“Uh… right, why would I be working in my wife’s bedroom. I’ll just go back to my room and work the—”

“Did you want to work here so you can look after me and make sure I don’t work?”

“Not really. I just, uh… I barely slept last night because I kept thinking you were still having your stomach ache and stuff, and I just… you know what, never mind. I’ll just—”

“Stay, please,” you say, knowing that the soft, closeted sweetheart side of him can’t bear knowing you’re still in pain, and you want to show him there’s nothing he should worry about. It’s just an infection, after all, and you already know that the medication’s working.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. Just take calls elsewhere, but you can use my desk over there. I’ll put the TV on mute, don’t worry. I’m not in the mood to process anything, anyway,” you assure him.

“Okay then,” he smiles, feeling satisfied.

And that’s how your day is spent - watching a hotel reality TV show on mute, reading a book, and eating whatever Mrs. Kang has prepared. Jin works mostly on reports and other things and takes calls outside. He constantly checks in on you and eats his meals next to you while you both talk about random things.

Later that night, he tucks you in bed. You have medicine that makes you drowsy but you don’t really want to sleep yet. There’s a show you want to watch later on so you ask Jin to stay next to you.

“Wake me up when I doze off,” you say groggily.

“Why would I do that? I want you to sleep already,” he says, though he slides in next to you under the covers.

“So you can rest a bit, too,” you say, leaning on his shoulder that’s leveled with your head. “You kept working today while making sure I was fine. Watch with me.”

There’s a hockey game on and you’ve put it on mute. You know he likes watching sports this way.

You’re softly snoring not long after, and Jin shifts further down so you’re both lying more comfortably. He wants to stay here with you, with his arm wrapped around you in an effort to protect you from anything and everything. But he doesn’t want to scare you, seeing as how close you both are right now; he could basically hear the beating of your heart and he’s afraid you’d wake up and hear the beating of his - fast, erratic, and screaming for you.

So he sneaks out after and softly kisses the top of your head before he leaves, an affectionate act he’s surprised himself he did. There’s so much he wants to say but he doesn’t know how to, and the more he spends time with you like this, the clearer things get. And he’s never been more scared.

The next few days are painfully slow. You’re better by Wednesday but the doctor advised you to work from home for the rest of the week since the medicines would still make you feel weak and sleepy. Jin finally goes to work to attend meetings but he always comes home early and eats dinner with you downstairs.

It’s finally the end of the week and you convinced Jin to go out to see the Han River with you. You’ve been stuck at home, in your room for a whole week and you just want to breathe the air outside and look at the sky and watch strangers walking about. He agrees and picks you up at home after an evening meeting.

He takes you to one of your favorite Southeast Asian restaurants and he talks about work while you talk about the series that you binge-watched today. You go to one of the parks you liked to frequent when you still had the time, something that Jin isn’t that much familiar with.

“I’m into the outdoors in so much as fishing or golfing goes,” he shrugs, earning him a chuckle. “But going to the park or a river and just people watch like this? Not really my thing.”

“So do you go fishing or golfing when you want to think?”

“I fly somewhere and just walk around and find places to eat by myself,” he smiles. “Rich people things, I know,” he chuckles, “but eating alone helps me be in tune with myself, you know? Like, I don’t have to converse with anyone. If I do, it’s with a stranger who gives me something new to think about. But other than that, it’s just a foreign city and its food and me. That’s what I do to think.”

“Hmm, I like that,” you grin. “For some people, food is just sustenance. To some, it’s a form of love and service. And then there’s people like you, where food helps you discover yourself. It’s pretty amazing what food can mean to people.”

He drowns in your eyes and your smile and waits for a bit before he asks. “Is this what you do when you want to think?”

You nod.

“So what are you thinking about?”

You’re now both seated at a bench in a more elevated and secluded area. You can see the river against the buildings and the night sky, which is shining a little brighter than usual. You think it waited for you to be like this.

“Do you know much about astronomy?” You answer him with a question.

“Not really,” he responds, adjusting his position so he could see a bit more of the view. “Just the basics, you know, the ones we learn at school? I mean, the sky’s pretty, especially at night but it’s so permanent that I just don’t mind it much. I heard that the stars we see are dead, though. That one’s pretty mind-boggling.”

“Interesting,” you hum. “I think it’s that permanence that makes it intriguing to me because for all that it is and the fact that it’s always been there, the human mind just can’t seem to fully grasp it. Like the stars that we see - which aren’t actually dead because it takes about a billion years for them to die - are light years away. And we’re looking at what they were before.”

“Huh, I thought they were dead,” Jin frowns.

“It seems quite poetic and dramatic to believe that they’re all dead, isn’t it?” You chuckle. “But they’re very much alive, though they’ll still die. But the idea remains - they could be dead and people would still be looking at them when they were still alive, because it’s technically the past we’re looking at, like the star during its glory days.”

Is this what you think about every time you’re looking at the sky? He wonders.

“Hmm, isn’t that a nice thought though?” He says. “Something could be gone but we still get to see and appreciate the beauty of it as if it’s still alive.”

“You’re an optimist, Jin. And I like that about you,” you smile at him. “And while I do agree to an extent, I still think it’s more sad than anything. We get to see and appreciate it for what it was, thinking that it’s still how it is. And they may all still be alive but the generations after us who’ll see them will only get to see what’s left of the stars, and not the stars themselves. They’ll think that there’s something still there when there really isn’t anymore.”

The thought lingers in the air. It’s been floating in your mind for weeks, or maybe months and you just hadn’t realized it. There’s something hopeful about an entity that used to exist but now only does so in your mind or your memory - it was real at least, and that’s enough for anyone to appreciate its beauty.

But you can’t help but feel like the butt of life’s joke sometimes - that the beauty only exists in your mind when in reality, it’s long gone. You wonder if you’d just chosen to believe it still exists for your sake, or for the other person.

“You know what makes it all better?” Jin takes you away from your thoughts.

“What?”

“Accepting that fact, that what we’re seeing is how it was before but appreciating it either way. Then maybe finding something else that’s beautiful but closer. Like the moon. Sure, it doesn’t twinkle or shoot up or fall or whatever but just think - how many stars does it take to light up the sky? But all you need is one moon.”

A smile creeps up your face. How many years have you been loving the same man and hoping for him to come back for you? Those years have gone - maybe the love, too? You don’t want to think about it that way, though - and they’ll continue to shine brightly but all you’re remembering are what used to be. What - or who - is your moon now?

Beautiful but closer. Perhaps they’re much closer than you think.

“Hmm, didn’t know you’re a poet, Kim Seokjin,” you giggle.

“I’m not, actually. It’s just a thought that crossed my mind. I get why you like to come here and watch the sky to think. The vibe helps.”

He turns to you, your eyes still lost in the stars that are perhaps millions of years in existence and have millions more in them. You seem so far away, like there’s more you’re thinking about, like there’s more to say.

“Is this all you’re thinking about? Seeing the stars in their glory days?” He wonders.

“Joon called me the other night, after the wedding,” you say after a beat of silence.

I know, Jin thinks, but he lets you continue.

“He’s in Senegal right now, then he’ll go to Ghana in a few days, and then Uganda later in the month. He’ll be staying in Africa for a while to write about the contemporary art scene,” you share. “It’s an amazing opportunity and he’s so excited. And I’m really happy for him.”

“So that’s what the call was about? It was a pretty long one,” Jin says, cursing himself for sounding bitter, and he’s thankful that you don’t seem bothered.

“Mostly, yeah,” you smile, recalling how excited Namjoon sounded when he got the call from an art foundation about the opportunity. “The world is huge; he’ll never run out of things to do. And knowing he gets to do so many things he’s always wanted and explore what else is out there - it makes me really happy for him, like, I’m ecstatic. I just think, this is what it means to truly care for someone, it’s what it means to love.”

The lump in Jin’s throat gets bigger at the word, at the thought - of your love and care for someone who isn’t him, but he powers through, knowing you need a friend more than anything. Perhaps it’s why you asked him here in the first place.

“Where does that leave you, then?” He hates asking this, because he doesn’t want to seem like he’s forcing himself in your life that you’d imagined spending with someone else.

“Somewhere,” you chuckle. “Still in his life, that’s for sure. I always will be, he assured me that. That’s another thing he said during the call, that he regrets not being able to say more when we met up in France, that he wished he was able to spend the rest of the day with me. Missing me so much after reminded him that he’ll always want me to be part of his life; in what way, that’s something he didn’t clarify.”

“I’m sorry,” Jin mumbles. “I’m sure you were expecting more.”

“I’m not really sure. I guess I expected this again but I’m not as heartbroken as I thought I’d be,” you turn to him and take his hand, something you find yourself doing a lot, especially when you’re looking at the starry night sky. “Namjoon and I are up in the air. There are things we need to talk about when we’re together but I think we just missed each other too much in France that’s why we didn’t. But we agreed that if we see each other again, we will talk about it, about us, what we feel and what we’ll do - maybe close the book of our story that never really took off, or continue writing it, whether as friends or something more. I don’t know.”

“So, uh, you’ll see him again soon?”

“I will. I’ll have to.”

He squeezes your hand to let you know that whatever it is you decide to do, he’ll be there for you. And he means it wholeheartedly, regardless of what he’s feeling.

“I’m glad you’re feeling good enough to be out tonight. It was a miserable week for you, I could tell by the multiple text and voice messages I was getting everyday,” Jin chuckles.

“Yeah, well, there’s this man who’s babying me and wouldn’t let me work until I was better,” you nudge his arm. “But in hindsight, I’m glad he did. I feel so much better. And uh, it’s nice to be with you tonight, Jin, finally eating normally again and being out here to watch the sky. You’re really the best husband any woman could ask for,” you laugh, the irony hitting you and him in different ways you’re both unaware of.

Jin is unable to sleep again that night. All he could think about was the faraway look in your eyes and if he didn’t sound too hopeful, he’d say there was sadness in there, too.

He doesn’t want to take advantage of whatever it is you’re going through but he also knew at that moment when you were talking about Namjoon, all Jin could think about was how he wanted that place in your life - the one you’ll care for, the one you’ll love.

The fact that he’s been nothing but worried all week, wanting nothing more than to have you be well so you could eat all the delicious dishes you’re used to and watch food shows until the late nights with him; the fact that every night he’d been wishing to lay next to you and hold you in his arms and hug and kiss the pain away, tell him enough about how he feels.

The next day, you say that your brother is home for a quick trip and you’ll be going home to your parents’ for the weekend, and Jin takes the opportunity to go out, too. He invites Yoongi and Taehyung to a resort outside of the city to play golf, and calling both men on a weekend like this isn’t something that normally happens.

“So, uh, what are we here for?” Taehyung asks. “I did some golfing in Argentina, you know? I’m pretty great at it already so get ready to lose.”

“Your brother’s not here to compete,” Yoongi says as Jin walks back to their seat. “He’s here because he’s finally got the stick out of his ass and decided to actually make a decision. Right, Jin?”

Jin has always appreciated that his secretary is perceptive; it’s always helped the older man make good decisions at work. But as a friend, sometimes he hates it. Yoongi has known all this time and has been saying the right things but Jin tends to be stubborn, especially when he knows this is all on him.

“Okay, I feel like I should know but maybe I don’t,” Taehyung arches a brow. “Does this maybe have something to do with a woman whom you’ve kept around for years just because it was easy and also another woman who came out of nowhere but is making you realize that love can sometimes be hard and that’s how you know?”

It’s an oversimplification of the situation, Jin thinks. He’d kept Seri around for many reasons. Sure, it was easy and convenient. He never had to make excuses for whatever he’s lacking because she knew his duties and responsibilities. Despite it being a secret, he didn’t have to put in that much effort, he didn’t have to put in that much thought, there weren’t any expectations. It was easy and convenient and it worked. He thought that’s all it was, that what he and Seri had was all it could be.

And then there’s you, the woman he’s married to who’s suddenly making him see all the possibilities of what love could be; you with your infectious smile and silly laughter and your passion for food and your job and how comfortable everything is when he’s with you. You’re what makes him better, happy, free.

“It is,” Jin sighs. He feels like he doesn’t have to say much - as his brother and closest companion, he feels like Taehyung and Yoongi just know. “I’m falling in love with my wife and I don’t know what to do.”

“You do,” Yoongi says. “It’s just hard and we get it. But you see what happens when it’s easy? You get blinded by it that you think it’s what you care about, that it’s what you want when it isn’t. You’ve known it for a while, Jin. It stopped being Seri for a long time, if it even was her. You know what to do; she deserves more than this.”

“She’s deserved more than you all this time, hyung,” Taehyung says.

“I know,” Jin replies. “I’ve been incredibly unfair to her.”

“Just be honest with her, hyung. I’m sure she’ll at least appreciate that.”

It’s almost poetic, the way the rain just pours when Jin enters the neighborhood. He used to come here a lot at random hours of the night - after a long day at work, after a particularly stressful meeting, after a business trip that barely gave him time to unwind. It’s 9PM, probably one of the earliest hours he’d ever come, that’s why when she opens the door, Seri’s wide eyes get even wider.

“Jin, I didn’t expect you,” she smiles, letting him in as the rain is getting even harsher.

“Yeah, I, uh… We need to talk… about us,” Jin manages to say. “I haven’t been fair to you, Seri. I’m so sorry, but we can’t do this anymore.”

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