#and doing tattoos both on myself and others

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More Than Fate

I was just so sure.  This was the moment Fate had set aside for me.  Everything that had gone wrong today had been on purpose; to have me sitting here the moment she walked through the door.  She was simultaneously the most beautiful and perfect woman I'd ever seen and the most normal, unassuming on the planet.  There was just something about her that made her shine like a supernova, and I couldn't look away no matter what.  Our eyes met and I smiled at her.  She smiled back and gave me a friendly wave.  For a moment we sat in the room in silence.

"Rough day?" I asked, trying to fill the silence, struggling to get past my own nerves and say anything.

"Yeah, that's one way to put it, I guess.". Her voice was angelic.  "Everything that could go wrong did.  I was supposed to be here two hours ago.  I'm hoping they can still fit me in.  I just need them to take a look real quick at my laptop.  It's just keeps rebooting."

A tech walked out and looked over at me, then her.  "Sorry, I got no more free slots today."

"Actually, she's with me.". I lied.  Poorly, if I'm being honest.  "We're both bringing our laptops in together.  She was just parking the car while I came in to sign in."

The tech rolled his eyes.  "Fine.  What's the problem."

I handed over my laptop.  "Charging port is loose on mine.  She's got an endless reboot cycle."

"Ok.  Hand em over.  I'll call you tomorrow when they're ready.". 

I smiled at her, stood and took her laptop, handing them both to the tech.  As we walked away she, in what I thought was the greatest acting job I had ever seen, put her arm around me as we walked out of the repair center.

Outside, she immediately hugged me.  "Thank you, thank you, thank you!  You saved my butt in there, I cannot be without that laptop over the weekend, I have a huge project due."

"Yeah, um, don't mention it.". I was not good at playing it cool, and this girl hugging me was not making it easier.  "I, um, guess I should get your number so I can call you when they call me."

"Oh, right, duh.  Can you imagine?  I'd be out here stalking you.". As she pulled out her phone I saw the tattoo on her wrist.  "Damon". My heart sank.

***

Nobody knows how or why it happens, but as far back as we can find records, we've all been born with a name tattooed on our wrist.  They say it's the name of your soulmate, the one you're meant to be with.  First name only, which could be difficult.  People get around it by giving their children's names unique spellings.

Some people think it's an old superstition or a really dumb tradition, but the numbers seem to back it up.  Marriages between soulmates are almost always successful.  Marriages that ignore fate tend to end badly.

***

"I never even asked your name." She said as we exchanged numbers.  I'll admit, I was tempted to lie.  But unless the universe had a sick sense of humor, that only would complete half of the circle.

"Asher"

"Lily." She said.  She almost sounded sad, but I was fairly sure I was just projecting.  "So, call me tomorrow when you hear from them and let me know what I owe you.  I can probably kick in a little extra as a thank you."

"You don't have to do that."

"Well, I really appreciate it and I'd like to do something nice for you."

"How about," I took a breath, knowing I was setting myself up for failure.  "How about we grab a drink Monday night?  It sounded like you've got a lot of work to do this weekend but maybe after it's done we could hang out and talk?". The words just came spilling out, and as soon as I opened my mouth I regretted it.

Her face lit up.  "I'd like that."

"Ok.". I took a deep breath, trying to compose myself.  "I'll call you tomorrow and then we can sort out Monday when we see each other.". 

She smiled and gave me another hug.  "See you tomorrow, Ash.". I almost stopped her.   I hated that nickname.  Why did it sound different when she called me Ash?

"Bye Lilly."

***

The next day I called her right after I heard from the repair shop..  We met up, paid our bill and I figured that was it for the day.  But Lily had a different thought.

"I know we were talking about hanging out Monday, but I only have one class today and I'll be done at 2.  I was thinking we could grab lunch today.  You know, if you wanted to."

"It's up to you, Lily.  I just figured Monday you wouldn't have to worry about rushing.  You said you had a lot of work to do this weekend.  I thought we'd have a chance to actually hang out and talk on Monday.". Part of me was thrilled, not just at the chance to see her again, but the spontaneity of it left me less time to overthink things.  Of course, part of me also thought, after a night to sleep on it, she just wanted to get this over with.

She smiled.  "I mean,we could still do that too.  I was just hoping to see you sooner."

"Ok, sure.". Deep breaths, I reminded myself.  "Want to meet at the Bell Tower?  There's a few spots we can grab lunch at nearby.". I was trying not to stutter, but I was more nervous than I'd ever felt.

"Sounds great!  I'll see you there." She hugged me and walked off.  Of course, I was on the way to the only class I had today, so I was now faced with several hours of waiting around and trying not to think about all the ways this could go wrong.

***

I'd always hated the idea of being fated to be with someone.  It was a growing sentiment in my generation to hear the news tell it and, in their words, a problem.  The numbers tell a simple story.  Marry the right person, and it really is 'til death do you part.'  Ignore (or outright defy) Fate, and in a few years you'll be sorting through the rubble, trying to figure out how it all went so wrong.  

Of course, part of that was because the stats on failed marriages between the unconnected and successful marriages between Fated didn't tell the whole story.  Fated marriages tended to see a high rate of suicide; people who couldn't fathom the idea of staying with their soulmate but also couldn't follow through with the idea of divorce.  Unfated, meanwhile, could easily rationalize divorce and split up with little backlash from society.  Divorce was almost unheard of among fated couples, and usually the result of much larger issues.

When you're young, it wasn't uncommon to play the field.  Dating was really just something you did until you met your Fated.  They were practice relationships; you were never supposed to get attached to them.

I wasn't sure what lead to me asking Lily out.  There had been plenty of cute girls over the years that I'd had a thing for.  Maybe it was the way she put her arms around me, the way it just felt normal.  Maybe it was her personality.  Maybe it was that damn smile.  At the time all I knew was I was head over heels for this girl and that scared the hell out of me.

***

Lily's class was apparently in the building right across from the Bell Tower.  Seeing her come out and immediately look around until our eyes met, I finally understood what they meant when they say "my heart skipped a beat.". She had gotten changed in the intervening hours, and wore a dark sun dress and had her hair down.  She looked stunning and I knew I was in love.

Feeling a bit underdressed and more nervous than ever, I waved at her.  She smiled and walked over and hugged me again.  I'd learn later that this was normal in her family, hugging people that you liked.  At the time I saw it as a sign she was really into me.  Not that she wasn't, but the hugs weren't part of that.

"You look amazing." I told her as we walked over to one of the small cafes.  She blushed, and I decided to take a chance, and reached over and held her hand.  When she didn't pull away or scream, I figured I was good, but I certainly wasn't expecting the smile I saw on her face.  The walk really wasn't far, but it somehow managed to feel both instantaneous and forever.

As we sat there eating and talking, eventually she asked the obvious question.  "What's her name?"

"Cristina.". I held out my wrist.  "I saw yours when we first met.  I honestly thought about telling you my name was Damon."

"When we started talking, I just felt something click, and I kept trying to see your wrist.  When I asked your name I kept thinking 'please say Damon, please say Damon.'. But honestly, I didn't really care at that point.  I don't know what it's supposed to feel like when you meet your soulmate, but it has to feel like this."

Oddly enough, there are moments from that day I remember crystal clear, but the rest of it was a blur.  She ended up cancelling a study session with her friends and we just walked around campus for hours.  We grabbed dinner to go and ate on the lawn outside the student center.  Eventually, I told her she had to go study, as much as I didn't want her to go.  We made our plans for Monday, a real date this time.  She didn't hug me when she left this time, instead draping her arms around my shoulders and leaning in close.  I took the hint and kissed her.

Our first real date was wonderful, if anticlimactic.  That first day had been everything you want in a date and more.  Still, walking around together, knowing this was actually real, was special.  She told me she woke up on Saturday morning and checked her phone, rereading the exchange we'd had after we went our separate ways, just to be sure it happened.

***

I remember our first major fight so clearly.  It was just about 5 months later.  Fights happen all the time in relationships, and we had plenty throughout the years.  But every time we both drifted back to the same thought; that this was going to be the end for us.  Not because the fight was that big, but because it was just so easy to walk away from each other because of those damn tattoos.  We talked about it at one point; I was shocked that she felt that way too.  In a way, the fact that we weren’t Fated brought us back to work things out.

We weren’t living together yet, but she was spending more and more time at my place.  I even bought a second dresser so she could leave some clothes at my place.  Sometimes I’d see a shirt I thought she'd like, I’d buy it and stick it in with her stuff. Sometimes, I admit, I’d think about buying other things for her to wear.  This time, I pulled the trigger and bought her something: a little black dress.  Something a little sexier than the first dress I’d seen her in.  Something I was hoping she’d wear when we got to our 6 month anniversary and the big night out I was planning.

She didn’t like my pick, to put it mildly.

“What, you want me to dress up like some cheap whore that you can parade around on your arm?”

I tried to plead my case.  I tried to take into account that she was getting absolutely crushed by schoolwork.  I tried to keep my own emotions under control.

“I should have known this was doomed to fail and just walked away from you at the shop.”  It was one of the easiest ways for her to hurt me, and she knew it.  Knew I loved her with all my heart and was insecure that I was going to blow it all.  

Look, I’m no saint.  We had arguments down the road where I said worse things.  If she hadn’t walked out angrily at that moment, I probably would have had the first entry on the list.  When she stormed out, I wanted to sit down on the bed and just die.  But as I heard the front door close, I ran out after her.

I caught her in the parking lot.  My instinct was to reach out and grab her.  If I could just make her stay and listen.  I couldn’t do it.  Couldn’t lay a hand on her.  Couldn't force her to stay.  Just as she had used all the times we had talked about relationships and Fate to learn how insecure I was, I knew how she felt about people who walked away.  I knew if I could just get her to see that she was doing the one thing she said she hated, she would at least give me a chance to speak.  “You’d rather take the easy way out?”

She stopped, dead in her tracks.  “What?”

“We both knew there’d be bad days.  Fated couples have bad days, why wouldn’t we?  But because my name isn’t on your wrist it’s easy to walk away, isn’t it?  Easy to throw away everything we’ve done together, all those nights out on the balcony, just sitting hand in hand and looking at the stars and talking about the future we were going to build.  It meant nothing because my fucking name isn’t on some mystical tattoo on your wrist?  Cristina could walk up to me right now and be the most beautiful, perfect woman on the planet, and I’d still turn her down because I love you.  I won't give up something great just to chase the chance of something better.

"From the moment I laid eyes on you, I wanted to spend my life with you.  Not because you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, but because there was something more when I looked at you.  Your eyes, your smile, your touch, that little laugh of yours, all of it just melted my brain.  It still does to this day.  I bought that dress because you always talked about wanting to go out on a date and be the girl every guy couldn't take their eyes off of and watch necks snap as you walked by.  So I booked the dinner, I rented the car and I planned to make our 6 month anniversary the night you got to feel like a queen.  Maybe I should have asked you before I bought the dress, but I’d never make you wear something you felt uncomfortable in.”

Lily turned around and looked at me, and I could see the tears starting to well up in her eyes.

“I just,” she tried talking and fighting back the tears, but it wasn’t going particularly well.  “Too many times guys have approached me because of my body.  They weren’t looking for their Fated, just a good time until they met them.  I always told you you weren't the first guy I dated.  But you were the first that didn’t seem to always be trying to sleep with me.  That dress, I thought of all the times I got dolled up to look good for guys that cared about nothing else, and to think that you were looking at me that way too…”

“Lily, I think you are the most beautiful, gorgeous, desirable woman walking this planet.  And I’ll admit I’ve had plenty of those kinds of thoughts about you; it’s hard not to sometimes when I see you in some of these outfits.  Honestly, half the time I worry that I'm not affectionate enough, that I should be holding you more, kissing you more.  That you'd think I don't find you attractive.  I do.  I find every aspect of you incredibly alluring.". I walked over to her, seeing the tears on her cheeks.  "I love you." I told her, wiping away a tear.

"I know.  And I love you too.  I'm sorry I screamed at you.  Sorry I immediately said the most hurtful things I could think of."

This time, I was the one hugging her.  "It wouldn't hurt if we didn't care, right?". I took her hand and led her back into the apartment.  "Let me see if I still have the receipt from that dress.  We can go and return it and you can pick out something else."

"No."

I looked at her, a little puzzled.

"I like the dress.  It's a beautiful dress, and I know you put a lot of thought into it.  I want to wear it.  For you.  And for every guy that we pass that night, so they're all jealous of you."

***

That anniversary date went amazingly well.  She turned a lot of heads in that dress, rightfully so.  I spent most of the night trying not to stare at her.  But two interesting things came out of that night.  The first was I asked her to move in with me, full time, with the idea of starting to look for a place of our own.  The second was when we talked about the possibility that this might actually work out.

***

“I’ll be the first to admit, I’m amazed you’ve stayed with me this long.”  I said, between bites of food.  “I figured we’d go on a few dates, the novelty would wear off and eventually you’d dump me.  My friends had a pool going for how many dates we’d go on.  I think Jeff was the most optimistic at 6.”

She giggled.  “Good, supportive friends, huh?  Did you place a bet?”

“Nah, they weren’t giving odds that we’d never get to a second.”  I laughed.  “No, I never did.  You remember Dave’s Fated, Candace? Early on she was my sounding board for a lot of stuff.  She kept telling me I had to live in a positive mindset when it came to us, so I had to not think about how it could all fail spectacularly.  But they’ve all been supportive, which surprised me.  I told them I honestly could see us having a real future together, and nobody laughed or told me it would never work.”

“Well, I’m glad your friends are that way.”

“Your friends weren’t?”

“Most figured you were just another fling, I think.  But even from the beginning I talked about you differently.  Kelly, I don’t know what her deal was.  She’s never made a big deal about relationships with non-Fated before, but I guess this bothered her.  She told me I was playing with fire by flipping off Fate.  We really don’t talk anymore; it’s crazy to think she just cut me out of her life over who I’m dating."

"That's a shame.  It's not like you did anything that would hurt anyone.". We both got quiet, but I had to ask the obvious question.  "Lily, did you think this would work when we started?"

She set her fork down and wiped her face.  "I hoped it would.  I'm not sure why.  You know you're not my first.  But this felt different, from the very start.  When my friends doubted us, I wanted to work even harder to make this work.". She looked at me, and I could see her mulling over a question of her own.  "You never told me why you helped me that day."

"Part of it was very much an attraction to you.  But we had both had pretty lousy days.  We weren't supposed to be there at that moment.  It felt like, well, Fate.  I felt something from the moment our eyes met.  And then you put your arm around me, and I was so damn sure you were Cristina."

"Were you disappointed that I wasn't?"

"Not in the least.  If anything it made it better because I knew my feelings were real.". I smiled and reached across the table and took her hand.  "You didn't have to go along with it that day.  Not to the level you did."

"You were cute.  You were sweet.  There was something about you from that first look.  And then, for you to stand there and lie for me, to help out someone you didn't even know, I figured it was worth the chance.". She reached across the table and took my hand.  "You proved me right too."

"When I did it, I was just trying to help someone who had the same kind of bad day I had just gone through.  I never thought about asking you out, that thought came when we walked out of the store and it felt so nice having your arm around me.  Those words just came out.  I regretted saying them immediately because I felt like I was going to scare you away.  I was just hoping to talk and see if things went anywhere.  Even in my wildest dreams I never imagined we'd get here."

***

While Lily hadn't gotten any support from some of her friends, her family was wonderful.  I mean, her Dad told me they'd never find my body if I hurt her, but that's to be expected for his only daughter.  But neither of them seemed bothered by the fact that she and I were seriously trying to make a relationship work; down the road her Mom helped us get through a few of our inevitable rough patches.

To say things were different with my parents would be an understatement.  I had a feeling things would be rough at the start, but hoped they would come around.

As we got closer to that first get together, I thought a lot about my parents' relationship.  Growing up you tend to be only slightly aware of most of the fights that happen.  I definitely knew that they had their moments.  But reflecting on things I started to wonder if my parents were the type that stayed together simply because they were fated to be together.

So I tried to keep expectations low.  I told them Lily and I were seeing each other, but neglected to mention how serious we were.  My mother, of course, figured things out pretty quickly and stopped me when I went out to grab something to drink.

"What the hell is going on with you?"

"What's your problem?"

"My problem is my son is apparently in a serious relationship with someone he's not Fated to.  Moving in together?  What about Cristina? Can you afford to break the lease on the apartment when she comes along?  You can't make these big decisions without thinking about her."

I took a deep breath.  "Actually, I can.  It's very easy once you stop caring about what it says on your wrist and just start living life.  Lily makes me feel alive.  I don't know where or how our story ends, but I like that.  I like not being tied to one ending.  Not being stuck with someone that makes me miserable."

Yeah, in hindsight, that last part was a mistake.  When I get angry sometimes I think the part of my brain that keeps me from saying things like that just shuts off.  But hearing her talk about how I should be prepared to just throw Lily to the curb, discard her like a toy I didn't want to play with anymore, it hurt.  So I said it, and I learned that I get my temper from my mother.

"You think this is easy, don't you, living with someone?  Sure, it's all sunshine and rainbows at first.  But the bills, and the responsibility of being an adult puts a strain on any relationship.  Maybe that's my fault, not raising a son with an understanding of responsibility.  Your father and I sacrificed to make sure you had a good life, an easy life."

I should have held my tongue.  I should have let her vent her frustration and maybe we could salvage things later.  In the back of my mind I knew the best thing to do was shut up.

But I didn't.

"I'm sure you sacrificed so much for your loving marriage.  You were both always so happy and pleasant to be around.  Please.  You two are proof positive that Fate has a sick sense of humor.  You are the most miserable couple I have ever seen and if it wasn't for some misguided belief you'd have gone separate ways long ago.  And just like marriage, it was some duty the two of you carried out.  Marry your Fated.  Have a kid or two.  That's how the world works.  I guess because Fate never told you to be happy, or enjoy your life you never bothered to do it.  Well fuck all of that bullshit, I'm going to focus on being happy and finding someone that brings out the best in me, Fate be damned."

She smoldered for a moment, and I braced myself.  That's when dad walked in the room and stepped in between us.

"You need to leave."

I wasn't sure if he thought he was saving me, or if he knew no matter how bad I got it, he was going to get worse when we left.  Didn't care much either.  I took Lily's hand and walked to the door.  I stopped, fully prepared to say something I'd regret.  'Don't expect an invitation to the wedding.' was on the tip of my tongue when Lily squeezed my hand and led me out the door.  She brings out the better side of me, brings that balance.

She finally stopped me when we got to the car.  "I've never seen you like this.  What happened?"

I put my arms around her and held her.  "I love you, Lily.  They don't understand it.  And I think it scares them, that happiness is possible without Fate.  She totally dismissed us, told me to build my life so that I could drop you the instant Cristina came along and brace myself for you to do the same to me.  To hear what we have, what we've built together be dismissed so casually, it hurt and it made me angry.  I lashed out, worse than I should have at her.  I had hoped, maybe, if she met you, I could change her mind.  But I always knew this was going to end badly, even if I didn't want to admit it.  I knew what we have, they could never accept.  I knew I might have to make a choice, and I'll always choose you over anyone."

***

Losing my family hurt.  I threw that in Lily's face once during a fight, that choosing her had cost me them.  It was stupid and hurtful and she'd have been right to leave me then and there.  But just like when I had fought to keep her, she fought for me.  We thought we were pretty battle tested and bulletproof.  After graduation, we started making plans for the wedding.  And that's when things went to hell.

***

 We found this beautiful little bed and breakfast in the countryside on a weekend drive.  As we walked up to it, Lily told me that this was the place.  We weren't looking for a place for the wedding at that moment, but I knew she was right.  

The best part was they had done plenty of weddings.  They had someone that handled everything, all the planning.  Lily and I were fine with that, until we met her.  Tall and athletic, with jet black hair, she was every pin-up girl I'd fawned over as a teen.  And when she introduced herself as Cristina, I was ready to run out that door and never come near this place again.

Lily and I had taken to wearing matching wristbands that covered our tattoos in place of engagement rings.  So, thankfully, Cristina couldn't see her name on my wrist.

But Lily definitely noticed mine on hers.

"Ok, then we change venue.". I said to her later that day.  "We ask for someone different.". I was trying to calm Lily down and ignore my own panic.  I had feared this moment for years, feared that I wouldn't be strong enough.  That I'd break my promise.  And when Lily started to cry, I knew what I needed to do.

I went to see Cristina the next day.  She smiled as I walked in the door, alone.  Before I could say a word, she put a hand on my chest.  

"I'm sorry to break you two up.  She seems really sweet.  But we both know this is how it's meant to be."

"Cristina, don't take this the wrong way, but that's not why I'm here.  We're going to do the wedding somewhere else.  I know the deposit we put down before we met with you is non-refundable, and that's fine. If there's anything I need to sign, let's get it over with."

"Asher, that's not how this works.  I have waited my whole life for you to come along and this is what I get?  We finally get a chance to talk and the first thing you say isn't 'I've waited my whole life for this moment'?"

"Look, I'm sorry.  I honestly never thought about how this would affect you.  Selfish as that may be, you weren't ever a consideration, not once I met Lily.  She and I are happy.  We're in love.  Not because of some mystical tattoo, but because we genuinely developed a real relationship."

"I'm not asking you to kill her, for God's sake, Asher.  I'm asking you to be realistic and accept your fate.  You said you didn't think about me then.  Think about it now, about the fact that this affects 4 sets of lives.  Think about the domino affect you're having, destroying other people's lives."

"Because I found someone who makes me happy, someone that I make happy?"

“You were supposed to wait for me!”

“Why?”

“Because we're soulmates.  That's how it works!”

"Yeah but, why?  Why should I have passed up the chance to be happy with her for a chance to be happy with you?”

“Because our relationship will work; yours is destined to fail.  They always do.”

“Because they're supposed to or because people have a way to rationalize walking away from random relationships, but can't be the weirdo who leaves their soulmate?”

“You can't fight fate!”

“So, you're telling me, because you're my soulmate, we'll never have a huge, devastating argument?”

“Yes”

“We're having one right now.”

Cristina threw her hands up in disgust. “How did I end up with an asshole for a soulmate?”. She glared at me.  "Fine.  I'll cancel everything.  It'll be like you guys never were here.  But when she leaves you, don't come crawling back to me, just because there's a tattoo on your wrist with my name on it."

***

"You cancelled it over her?  You could have said something to me about it beforehand, Ash.  That's a lot of money we just threw away."

"I know.  I did the math.  I'm going to pick up some extra shifts and go back to packing lunch like when we first moved in together.  I'll make it work without you having to make any sacrifices."

Lily put her arms around me.  "You don't have to starve yourself, or work yourself to death.  We'll figure it out together.  Like we always have.". She kissed me on the cheek, the way she always did to cheer me up.  "How did she take it?"

"To say poorly would be an understatement.  I probably didn't help matters by being a smart ass."

"You, a smart ass?  I find that hard to imagine."

"Regardless, that bridge is very burned.  I'm 100 percent yours, same as I always was."

"Thank you, Ash.  For choosing me."

"I'll always choose you."

***

I thought, once we got past that we were in the clear.  For a while we were.  We still had our fights and our bad days, especially when money was tight.  But our good days were always amazing, and things kept getting better.  We both got decent jobs out of college.  She was the main bread winner, I had better benefits and things balanced out.  We decided to put marriage on the back burner for a little longer and started looking to buy a house instead.

We tried realtors, but most were pushing us to buy cheap fixer upper types, or houses that were far too big for the small family we hoped to start one day.

It was by chance we drove past one of the first houses we looked at.  Or maybe it was Fate.

Detours, one way streets and a spotty cell phone signal had gotten us lost in a small town just north of where we lived.  We drove through the main street all the time, but in all that time we never looked around.  But as we drove around the surrounding neighborhood, we found a beautiful little house with a for sale sign out front and decided to make the best of the opportunity and knocked on the door.

A man answered the door; he was about our age.  And as soon as he walked through the threshold, Lily took a step back.  I didn't think anything of it at the time.

"Can I help you?" He said, smiling at us, his eyes shifting instantly to Lily.  That I noticed, but it wasn't the first time I caught someone checking her out.

"Yeah, we saw the for sale sign out front, but there's no realtor number to call, so we wanted to see what you were asking."

"Hey, Ash, I just realized I forgot my purse at home.  We should probably head back and we can come bother this gentleman another time.". She turned and started to walk away when he spoke up.

"I was kinda hoping we could at least talk this awkward situation over Lily."

As I looked at him, my first thought was that he was an ex.  A fling from before we met.  Until I looked at his arm, leaning against the doorway, and on his wrist I saw her name.

"I'm sorry Damon.  There's nothing to talk about.  I'm engaged, and happily so.  I know that probably hurts, but please, don't do this."

"I just was going to ask you to tell me what happened.  How I missed out on my soul mate."

***

I could hear them talking in the kitchen.  I had feared this day for years, and the meeting with Cristina had compounded my fears.  It had honestly been very difficult to turn her down.  It's why I had reacted the way I did.  I was pushing her as far away as possible in the most blunt, mean spirited away I could.  It wasn't the nicest way to handle things, and I wasn't proud of it, but in my mind it was the only way.  Pushing away anyone that might upset what we had.  But I couldn't push Damon away.  Lilly had to do that.

I gave them space to talk, but I could hear every word.  The house wasn't that big, and with all the windows open the words carried.

“So, why him?” Damon asked, more curious than anything it sounded.  Unlike Cristina, he was taking all of this pretty well.

“What?”

“What made you decide to be with him rather than wait for me?”

“Well, for one thing, I knew him.  I didn't know you.  You were just a name.  He and I went through a lot together.  It brought us closer.  And, honestly, I never believed in all this Fate stuff.  Neither of us did.  He felt like he was my soulmate, despite what my wrist said.”

“And now?”

“I'm not sure.  It's gotten very complicated.”

“I knew the moment I saw you.  I didn't need to see your wrist, I didn't need to know your name.  It was a feeling, like nothing before.  Did you feel it?”

“Honestly?  I felt sick.  Torn.  I think a part of me knew.  A part of me was afraid you might be my soulmate.  That I might have to choose.  Ash isn't perfect, but we've been through so much together.  He's been so good to me, I don't want to leave him.  I can't hurt him like that."

There was an air of inevitability in her voice.  She sounded resigned to her fate.  Defeated.  Still, I sat there.  I would not force her to choose; she needed to make this decision on her own.

"Look, I'm not trying to break things up between you guys.  I mean, you've made it this far and bucked the odds.  If you want to stay with him, I'll understand.  Just, think about it, ok?"

"I will."

I heard the chairs move and stood, walking out of the house and waiting to accept the inevitable.  It was hard to believe this was how it would end.  After everything that had happened, this was what was going to destroy our relationship.  I'll admit, my mind raced with a million thoughts, most of them bad.  But when she walked out the door  and smiled at me, I felt that familiar buzz return.  She was as beautiful as the first time I saw her, maybe more so because I knew every scar that had made her into the woman before me.   And I did something I'd never done before.  I walked over, I grabbed her and I kissed her with every ounce of my being.  The kind of kiss you save for the wedding.  I poured my soul into her.

She stepped back, looking half confused and half excited.  "What brought that on?"

"I love you.  Always have, always will."

Her smile faded.  "I know, Ash.  I love you too.  And we've had a lot of wonderful times together.  I never imagined anyone would make me feel the way you do.  When he opened the door and spoke, I understood what you talked about feeling the first time you saw me.  That's what makes this whole situation so difficult."

"I just-". I stopped myself from saying that I didn't understand.  No, I understood.  I'd felt it when I saw Cristina.  She was like a living fantasy, standing before me ready to be mine.  There had been significant portions of my brain telling me to end things with Lily, to reconcile things with my parents.  To be normal.  "No, that's not it.  Lily, look, you make your decision.  You're not wrong, to want to not have to deal with explaining this to your children, to not want to have to cover up so people don't ask questions.   I understand if you choose normalcy. We chose a difficult path.". I leaned back against the trunk of the car.

Lily settled in next to me and leaned her head against my shoulder.  "We did.  And I don't regret a minute of it.  The arguments, the bad days, the screaming match in the living room of that first apartment.  I slowly realized why I got upset with you, why your words hurt like nobody else's.  Why things felt different with you.

If I go with Damon because of fate, then what's the point of life?  Everything is already planned out, and nothing I do matters.  It's all out of my hands, all preconceived and written in stone.  And yeah, maybe on some primal level we don't yet understand, there's something that makes this automatic connection between two people who are meant to be together.  But that isn't love, not like what we have.  That takes time, struggle, passion and pain.  All the things we've been through, all the times it would have been easy to walk away meant nothing if it ends here, over some cute guy I just met.  If I end it here, then I have been lying to you and to myself for the last few years when I tell you I love you.

I never intended to leave you, but I couldn't just crush him, not like you did with Cristina.  I had to talk with him.  I wanted to know what it felt like to spend your whole life searching for someone.

But in the end,I knew we had something special.  Something more than Fate.  We have true love, and I want us to keep writing our story."

I was almost in tears.  This woman, who meant more to me than anyone ever had (and, save for our kids down the road, more than anyone ever would).  She had stared her fate in the eyes and not blinked, not backed down.  I knew it wasn't an easy thing to do.  That she did it successfully made me love her more.

***

Lily and I had 3 kids; Ada, our oldest girl was the spitting image of her mother and Daddy's little girl.  Eva, our youngest, was a tomboy and a wild child; my mother would have adored her.  Leo was the apple of his mother's eye; he stole her heart with that first look just like his Dad.  When they got to the point they were old enough to date, we told them the truth.  Told them the tattoo on their wrist was a suggestion, but that there was no predestined path.  Life, it turns out, is about the choices you make along the way.  Enjoying the company you keep and the ride you take and making your own decisions.

Life is about more than Fate.

Everyone has the name of their supposed soulmate printed on the inside of your wrist. You, however, are defiant, and begin dating someone that’s not your soulmate. It turns out that not meeting someone with the magic expectation that you’re ‘meant to be for each other and will get married and live happily ever after’ actually made you two get along pretty well, and you’re now deeply in love with them. However, after several years of dating this person, both your and your S.O.’s real 'soulmates’ find you, and they’re both furious that you didn’t wait for them.

[oranberrie]

At least I know my cat will be okay if I get bad again

[crossbackpoke-check]

thank you to @bhagell!! choose and then tag people you want to get to know better <3

coffee or tea | early bird or night owl | chocolate or vanilla | spring or fall | silver or gold | pop or alternative | freckles or dimples | snakes or sharks | mountains or fields | thunder or lightning | egyptian mythology or greek mythology | ivory or scarlet | flute or lyre I opal or diamond | butterflies or honeybees I macarons or eclairs | typewritten or handwritten | secret garden or secret library I rooftop or balcony | spicy or mild | opera or ballet | london or paris | vincent van gogh or claude monet | denim or leather | potions or spells | ocean or desert | mermaids or sirens | masquerade ball or cocktail party

tagging: @whitenikes @catboy-mahura @gordiemeow @songsandswords @2minutes4yeehawing (if y’all haven’t already) and anybody who wants to participate!!

[wetbloodworm]

miranda, george, malachi

[astonmartinii]

the king of monza can do what he wants | charles leclerc social media au

pairing: charles leclerc x fem alonso!reader

the king of monza can win the race, have his relationship exposed and challenge his soon-to-be father-in-law to a duel, he can do what he wants.

MASTERLIST | TIP JAR

oscarpiastri

liked by olliebearman, danielricciardo and 432,095 others

tagged: lilyzneimer, yourusername, charles_leclerc

oscarpiastri: double header means we crashed on my adoptive parents' couch and forced them to cook for me (only y/n, obviously)

view all comments

user1: does he know this isn't his private account?

user2: SHUSH DON'T TELL HIM

user3: we need to enjoy this while it lasts

jackdoohan: oscar, there's still time to delete this

oscarpiastri: why would i delete this?

oscarpiastri: oh

oscarpiastri: oh no

jackdoohan: you might want to warn your kinda dad you've exposed the identity of your kinda mum as your kinda grandad is probably putting out a hit on him as we speak

fernandoalo_oficial: don't call me a grandad 👿🤬😡😠💢😤

jackdoohan: OSCAR QUICK HE'S DISCOVERED EMOJIS HE MUST BE REALLY MAD

user4: fernando, are you okay?

fernandoalo_oficial: i want that frenchies head on a stick

charles_leclerc: i am monegasque!

fernandoalo_oficial: so you do actually want to die?

yourusername: okay let's calm down old man

fernandoalo_oficial: SILENCE I WILL NOT CALM DOWN! THAT'S THE MAN?

yourusername: yes!

fernandoalo_oficial: no.

charles_leclerc: i object!

lancestroll: his eye hasn't stopped twitching since

charles_leclerc: i don't care! he might be crazy but I'M IN LOVE SO BRING IT OLD MAN

user5: wtf have i woken up to this morning

user6: the public execution of the prince of monaco

yourusername: just because he has a samurai tattoo doesn't mean he knows how to use a sword

fernandoalo_oficial: i will tear him apart with my bare hands

user7: i fear this comment section alone has undone all of his funky grandad tiktok PR

user8: he's going to make charles cry in the press conference

yourusername: oh well, charlie is hot when he cries

user9: and how do you know that...

yourusername: that's none of your business 😈

yourusername

liked by oscarpiastri, maxverstappen1 and 2,312,088 others

tagged: charles_leclerc

yourusername: italy has my heart and so do you <3

view all comments

user11: queen got exposed and immediately started flexing her unbelievably sexy bf

yourusername: why wouldn't i? he's so damn FINE

charles_leclerc: teehee (˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶)

user12: you might as well have told me to kill myself

fernandoalo_oficial: enjoy your weekend charles, it will be your last

charles_leclerc: and if i win? i think suspended sentence?

fernandoalo_oficial: @carlossainz55 i have a proposition for you

yourusername: why are we acting like he wouldn't do that for free

carlossainz55: excuse me?

yourusername: i'm calling you a jealous bitch xx

carlossainz55: what is your price nando?

fernandoalo_oficial: i'm not fucking paying you, i was assuming you'd do it in a jealous rage anyway

carlossainz55: ???

user13: the way carlos is being jumped from both sides unprovoked

user14: which ever alonso it is, they choose violence

oscarpiastri: so ... am i off the hook yet?

yourusername: you know we can't say no to you

fernandoalo_oficial: oscar you might actually be my favourite now, thank you for bringing this to my attention

oscarpiastri: sure i'll take it!

charles_leclerc: you can have my heart and everything else for as long as you want

yourusername: looks like you'll never get it back ;)

charles_leclerc: that's fine by me if i get to spend it with you

yourusername: i love you :P

charles_leclerc: i love you more ( > 〰 < )♡

fernandoalo_oficial

liked by jensonbutton, aussiegrit and 1,209,566 others

fernandoalo_oficial: cash prize for anyone who can actually track down this little rat - i just want to talk i swear

view all comments

user15: it's official everyone, he's gone crazy

user16: as crazy as he is at least he's bringing the DRAMA 🤩

yourusername: this isn't very peace and love of you

fernandoalo_oficial: that has never been the way in this family

fernandoalo_oficial: but let me make this clear, i mean in a destroy all of your enemies way rather than a jos verstappen way

maxverstappen1: ???

yourusername: destroying our enemies does not mean you can do your best jos verstappen impression and drive your aston martin into charles

fernandoalo_oficial: don't be stupid y/n, the aston martin is too slow, i'm going to steal his brakes

yourusername: and how will you do that boomer

fernandoalo_oficial: ferrari are stupid they probably still haven't changed the passwords or locks since i left

yourusername: @scuderiaferrari excuse me???

scuderiaferrari: ....

user17: so like this is a genuine hit?

user18: mob boss!fernando alonso you are so special to me

user19: sorry charles but it's so sexy

charles_leclerc: drop the address senor i'm not scared of you

lancestroll: he brought the samurai sword btw

yourusername: @f1 DO YOU PEOPLE HAVE ANY SECURITY MEASURES ???

f1: it made a good tiktok 👍

yourusername: you people are useless

charles_leclerc: no worries my love it's all under control

fernandoalo_oficial: i will carve you like a christmas turkey

yourusername: you go anywhere near charles with that sword we're both going romeo and juliet style

user20: what on earth is going on

user21: just smile and wave i think we're watching collective hysteria

f1

liked by yourusername, oscarpiastri and 3,562,778 others

tagged: charles_leclerc

f1: CHARLES LECLERC WINS FOR FERRARI AT MONZA

view all comments

user23: bro heard fernando was gonna steal his brakes and simply just drove so fast he didn't need them

user24: he was like 'oh you want my head on a stick? TRY AND CATCH ME'

yourusername: pretty boy is so so talented it's not fair

yourusername: who am i kidding

yourusername: STUNT ON THOSE HOES I LOVE YOU BABY

charles_leclerc: thank you baby, i simply had to drive so fast so i could give you a kiss

charles_leclerc: and also so i could tell your dad to SUCK ON THAT OLD MAN

user25: he's had too much champagne and might actually get himself killed

user26: i will throw myself in front of that sword for him

yourusername: you and me too buddy - i'll cover your drinks for this evening

fernandoalo_oficial: i still want him dead

charles_leclerc: what the fuck do you want from me? i just won? did you see that freak of an orange car? i look after your daughter like i looked after those tyres

yourusername: so romantic 🤭

fernandoalo_oficial: he just compared you to tyres? have some standards i raised you better?

yourusername: believe me, i do have standards - he's special xx

fernandoalo_oficial: i also won monza with ferrari he's not that special

user27: at least he's stopped with the samurai sword talk?

user28: he did say he still wants him dead though

maxverstappen1: @yourusername why couldn't you have dated lando? would've made this championship a lot easier

landonorris: HUH?

yourusername: please refer to my previous comment about standards

charles_leclerc: hehehehehe

landonorris: HUH???

charles_leclerc

liked by oscarpiastri, maxverstappen1 and 4,523,099 others

tagged: yourusername

charles_leclerc: grazie mille tifosi !! this is for you and all of your support. i'm glad my family and my love were here to see this win as well. fernando, bring your sword, i'll fight for your daughter's hand.

view all comments

user29: i love this family and i've known them a week

user30: fernando might have to go through me as well at this point

yourusername: i love you so much and you have deserved this and more for so so long xx

charles_leclerc: i couldn't do it without you (and our weird little grid family)

yourusername: you're my favourite person in the world and i just love to see you happy

charles_leclerc: you make me the happiest man in the world

yourusername: i love you

charles_leclerc: i love you too

user31: as cute as all this is ^^ where is this duel

user32: can someone PLEASE STREAM IT !!!!! I WILL PAY

user33: I NEED IT I NEED IT

fernandoalo_oficial: come outside

lancestroll: he spent all of the debrief sharpening the sword btw

charles_leclerc: i'm ready girlypop

fernandoalo_oficial: GIRLYPOP ???

yourusername: PEACE AND LOVE BOZO

maxverstappen1: can we get this show on the road please?

lewishamilton: charles please hurry up i've got some serious cash on this tussle

yourusername: how much we talking?

charles_leclerc: i might die and you're checking the wager?

yourusername: because i have faith in you !!!!

yourusername

liked by maxverstappen1, fernandoalo_oficial and 2,136,344 others

tagged: charles_leclerc

yourusername: he's alive and he's a winner! the king of monza can do what he wants

view all comments

user35: prince of monaco? king of monza? bro is collecting titles

yourusername: my husband next 🤞🏻

charles_leclerc: bet

user36: is ANYONE GOING TO TELL US WHAT HAPPENED IN THE DUEL

georgerussell63: it was extremely unprofessional and there will be an extensive powerpoint covering how this won't happen again

fernandoalo_oficial: i'll fight you next time george

user37: don't go off TOPIC

charles_leclerc: i out strategised him lol

oscarpiastri: what he means is that he surprised fernando from behind and wouldn't stop hugging him until he agreed that he wouldn't skewer him like a kebab

charles_leclerc: and it worked! now look he's on my boat giving me his blessing

user38: you're telling me charles hugged his way out of the conflict?

user39: perhaps the most babygirl he's ever been

user40: we need the pictures SHOW IT TO ME RACHEL

fernandoalo_oficial: fine, i guess he's okay. i'm not calling him the king of monza though

yourusername: i knew you'd come around

fernandoalo_oficial: i love my daughter SORRY

yourusername: don't lie to me you only calmed down and accepted it because i called in the reinforcements

user41: i'm crying she called babysitters for her dad

yourusername: jenson and mark, idk how you deal with him

jensonbutton: the stress of him and his antics keep me skinny

aussiegrit: i think we're all trauma bonded

charles_leclerc: i'll be the king of monza, if you'll be my queen

charles_leclerc: and i will continue to do what i want

yourusername: i'll be your queen anywhere you want

yourusername: and if doing what you want includes fighting my dad... let's turn it down a lil

charles_leclerc: for you, i'll do anything

fin.

note: here yall go - this was in my drafts half done from monza weekend but life got crazy

[mywritersmind]

MARKS ON YOUR BODY - LN4||OP81

summary : In which it starts with strip poker and ends with questions about a specific hidden tattoo and some secret piercings. Or, Lando and Oscar are both hot for you and let you know it.

listen up : zakbrowndaughter!reader 18+ not fully smut but pretty suggestive (at least for me who doesn’t write smut lol) i’m blushing. STRIP POKER PHOTO INSPIRED!! tramp stamp and tits pierced??🙂‍↕️

words : 1425

⋆｡‧˚⋆

“Alright Lan, You wanna stop?” Oscar eyes Lando who’s in pants only. The only way Lando would lose strip poker is if he distracted me too much with his body.

He laughs, “Fuck no!”

“Fuck yes.” I throw down my cards and yawn, “I’m bored of winning.” Oscar had so many pieces of outerwear that he’s lost multiple times but still is wearing jeans and a t-shirt.

Strip poker is my game apparently, maybe the possibility of the guys being naked fueled my fire.

“I swear you’re cheating.” Lando shakes his head.

Oscar’s laughing as I scoff, “I do not cheat! Just accept defeat, Norris.”

He leans against the table, “I’m not losing to you, Brown.”

“I think it’s too late for that, Lando.” Oscar fiddles with a card in his hand as I lean my head back. Apparently, my hair moves with me and Oscar’s brow shoots up, “You have a tattoo?”

I blink, “Uh yeah.”

“What!?” Lando practically screams, “Let’s see.”

I move back my hair to reveal the tattoo that’s behind my ear, it’s a tiny 8 for the number I grew up racing with. “That’s hot.” Lando nods as Oscar hits his arm, “I want to get a tattoo.”

“No you do not!” Oscar argues as Lando sends him a dirty look.

He turns back to me, his arms crossed against the table so his biceps pull my attention, “Did it hurt?”

I shrug, “Yeah, but some of my others hurt more.”

Lando’s jaw drops, “You have more? How did we not know this?”

I laugh again, “I hide them from my dad.”

“Really?” Oscar asks, seemingly surprised at my sneaky nature.

The corner of my mouth pulls upwards, “You wanna see the rest?”

His eyes are deep as he nods and taps the card against the table. “I’m assuming they’re easy to hide.”

I sigh and hook my finger to the bottom of my shirt, pulling it upwards. He's right, of course. All of my tattoos aren’t easily seen by my father.

I pull my shirt until I reach my sternum. Lando’s smile dulls as his eyes zero in on my skin, clearly not wanting to miss anything. I have a star design that goes in a line with little details around it.

Oscar leans his head back against the headrest, biting his lip and checking me out. I don’t think he’s ever looked hotter.

Lando’s hair is a mess but in the sort of attractive way that makes you want to pull it. The two of them are my greatest desire with bright orange caution tape put up by my father.

Zak Brown hates when I'm with the two of them, no matter which, he doesn’t trust me. But coming back from the FIA awards, they offered me a ride since we were all going back to england, so it was only polite to accept.

I drop my shirt and I swear I see Lando’s mouth fall into a frown. “Damn… didn’t know you went against daddy’s orders.”

I smirk, “He hates tattoos…Thinks they’re trashy. Which is ironic because...” I stop myself before I can go on, trailing off and grabbing my water to play it off.

“Because what?” Oscar asks.

“Um…” I don’t really know what to say and I feel quite overwhelmed with these two men staring at me.

“You have one more. Don’t you?” Oscar’s trying to hide his smirk but is shit at it. Lando looks to his teammate, then me.

“Now we have to see.” The curly haired man stretches his arm on the table, his muscles rippling and making me bite my lip.

“Okay.” I situate myself so I'm sitting on my feet. I pause, looking at both of them for a second. The whole thing is so oddly erotic and ridiculously hot.

I turn around in my seat, pulling down the back of my sweats ever so slightly so my tramp stamp is in view. I look over my shoulder to see their reactions because neither of them say a thing.

Oscar is staring, face blank and directed at my lower back. Lando’s mouth is open just the slightest bit, his arm draped over the back of Oscar’s seat. It’s not huge, just thin lines that make up a butterfly and some swirls to compliment it.

“Fuck.” Lando whispers, Oscar looks at him but doesn’t tell him to stop, just mumbles along with his friend. “Yeah.”

“You like it?” I know they do. I’m not blind.

The two are staring at me like i’m fucking edible and the way they look right now, I might be. “I’d be an idiot not to.” Oscar says as I turn back around, my shirt still pulled up and my hair to one side.

“I think this is the first time Lando’s been speechless.” I joke as his eyes meet mine again and his cheeks go pink. “Am I making you nervous, Norris?”

I expect him to roll his eyes or scoff, but he just breathes out and says, “You’re really hot, Y/n.”

“Can’t argue with him there.” Oscar wipes a hand over his mouth before tapping the table, “I wanna see it closer.”

I realize that he means he wants me to sit on the table. “Not even a please?” I tease but I'm already turning and setting myself down on it.

I’m about to adjust my pants but Lando’s hand does it for me. His skin is cold and holds my hip as his fingers dip below my waistband.

“Why a butterfly?” Oscar asks, leaning against the table to get a better look. I lean back and rest against my arms as they look.

“Thought it was cute.”

Oscar laughs a bit, “How often do you mark your body because it’s cute?”

Lando slides out of his seat, moving into mine so I'm facing him. He doesn’t even ask, just slides a hand onto my hip and another on my shirt, pulling it up to see my sternum.

Oscar switches with Lando so he’s now holding the back of my sweats. I let my eyes train down Lando’s chest… his abs… his arms. He’s fit as fuck and the way he was acting during strip poker, he knows it.

I go back to Oscar's question, realizing I got distracted by Lando in front of me. “Very often actually, piercings too.”

This prompts Lando to push my hair behind my ear, admiring my jewelry, “How many do you have?” He sounds almost out of breath.

“Twelve.” His fingers drift over my earrings, counting.

“You only have five on each, though.” As soon as Lando says it, I hear Oscar shift in his seat.

I don’t even wait for Lando to catch on, I just grab his wrist and have my shirt go up with his hand. Lando lets out a noise, close to a whimper.

He stares at my bare chest, the only thing on me is my jewelry decorating each nipple.

I hear Oscar stand, his hand gripping my hip tighten as he gets closer. He’s looking over my shoulder, I lean back a bit so he has a better view of my tits.

Lando’s hand is resting on my neck, pushing my shirt against my skin, I can feel his pulse beat faster under my fingertips.

Lando’s gaze shifts to Oscar as the brown eyed man stares back at him. I feel like they’re having some telepathic conversation that I can’t understand, until Oscar looks back at me.

His eyes are darker, the air filled with tension. As my eyes flick to Lando, I see his chest rise and fall. I get it now.

My hand slips to Oscar’s face, his jaw and cheek warm against my touch. I hesitate purely to see how his breath hitches, then I kiss him.

Lando swears as Oscar’s tongue dips into my mouth, he freezes between my legs. I break the kiss with Lando, hooking my leg around his waist to pull him in closer.

“Are you still nervous?” I whisper as Oscar moves his lips to my neck. Lando looks like he’s dreaming, his head turning side to side slowly as I smirk.

He kisses me, softer than Oscar at first but he becomes sloppier when I start being affected by Oscar attached to my neck.

The aussie mumbles against my skin, “This your end goal all along? Strip poker… tattoo tour… fuck?”

I lean my head back and laugh, “No. I guess I'm just lucky.”

[limerlove]

nsfw themes, eighteen+

gymrat!vi who frequents the gym every day except for sundays. giving into his wishes to be present for their weekly dinner. any other day? she’s getting her pump in. an absolute given in her world. pink-hued strands stick to her scalp as she pushes for a new personal record on the bench, especially when vi’s bulking. whenever she’s training, she’s so zoned in, nothing can distract — well — it used to be nothing. 

gymrat!vi who secretly enjoys nothing more than working out with jayce. accountability between two best friends turns into a friendly competition. nothing at stake except their egos. seeing who can outdo the other set after set. something to keep them both in line, fit, and violet enjoys the hit to jayce’s ego whenever she can push weight heavier than jayce.

gymrat!vi who isn’t oblivious to the attention thrown her way. with the heatwave of summertime, her muscles are on full display, defined biceps, toned thighs, and god her tattoos are basically a honey-trap. she would be a fucking liar if she acted disgusted by it, part of her likes it a little too much. but hey, everyone likes to be appreciated from time to time and vi is no exception. and she never really saw a problem with it until a one night stand who then not not so subtly stalked her every time she was in the gym, learning her schedule until she had no choice but to leave her favorite gym. silently, she made a vow to not fuck with girls she met at the gym. 

….well, until you. 

gymrat!vi who is a known regular. she knows all the girls at the front desk, flirts with many of them, but to her it’s as platonic as chatting up the barista who brews her dose of caffeine in the morning. it’s ingrained into her morning routine, simply just a part of who she is. so, when she sees you at the front desk she nearly has to do a double take. there’s not a hot chance in hell she’s seen you before — vi would have definitely remembered you.

gymrat!vi who becomes shy for the first time in her life, bringing her membership card up to the scanner and offering a small smile but when looks back you seem to take a second look, eyes locked into her powder-blue eyes. even if just for a moment, you’re veering into her thumping soul. vi can’t help but smile. she reminds herself, you’re just another pretty girl. you’re new, probably won’t even last long. yeah, that’s what vi’s going to let herself believe. it’s not like she’s thinking about your gorgeous lips when she bench presses, or thinking about your gorgeous  eyes taking her breath away — or when vi’s powerlifting she’s so not thinking about lifting you on top of her. 

“if you talk to her, she might actually know your name.”

“w-what, i-i’m not, sh—”

jayce raises his eyebrows at vi, shaking his head as his very questionable friend spots her as she moves the weight the fluidity, her movements only struggling to push through when she reaches the final set.

“she’s the gym owner’s daughter, he’s wanting her to take over the reins, old age and all.” jayce responds as violet places the bar on the rack, her set complete until she moves onto the next one. “your little theory of her not being around for long is kinda crushed. unless you want to find another gym….”

“that’s the whole point of me not talking to her, m’not finding a new gym again. that’s a promise. i can control myself.” 

jayce just laughs. fucking laughs.

“what’s so funny, bro?” vi pouts.

“that you genuinely believe you’re gonna be able to stop yourself and that you think you have a type….and she fits the bill.” 

“oh, fuck off.” vi grunts.  

dropping the fifty pound dumbbells by the bench, lifting up her shirt to wipe some of the sweat off her face only to find you on the other side of the gym, staring directly at her abs like her glistening sweaty skin like it’s a golden ticket to heaven.

“well…fuck.” 

gymrat!vi who notices your presence more and more in the coming weeks. this time not just behind the front counter. you’re with the personal trainers, helping new customers fill out paperwork, and this morning you go wherever vi goes, her eyes can’t seem to stop searching for your figure. especially with those tight leggings you always seem to wear, vi couldn’t stop looking at the fat of your ass if her life depended on it. she managed to squeak out more than a hi to you yesterday, but it’s as far as her pleasantries extend.

gymrat!vi who has her headphones placed on her head, her all black workout set; this time something more modest at her disposable. the black and cotton hoodie covers her head, flares of bright pink wisps shadow from the hood but her shorts reach mid thigh, the overworked muscles in her legs flexing as she lifts the weight. jayce isn’t with her today, which means she basically had to physically restrain herself from talking to you today. even if she can see you sneaking glances at her through her workout, eyeing her legs each time she’s on the leg press. greedy, hot, goddess — vi is so fucked. 

when she walked the following day, you said her name, violet. 

you know her name. 

it’s just the database, it’s the only reason. 

pull yourself together, idiot. 

gymrat!viwho is at the end of her workout, taking her final rest before she does her last set, but here you go again, gawking as you pretend to be readjusting the weight on the racks but you finally stop looking at her, trying to put the last weight, the one-hundred pound bell but you just can’t. even then, vi is trying not to smile with how adorable you look as you struggle. 

before making her way over to you, she slides the black pair of headphones on her tattooed neck, popping the hoodie, seeing if anyone else was going to help you — just her luck — there wasn’t a soul in her at midnight besides her….shocker. 

“stupid, piece of shit, would you just—” 

“need some help there, princess?” vi looks over at you from the workout beach she’s perched on, legs spread wide as her jaw juts out, eyes naturally gleaming with curiosity. 

“i should be able to. i can do this, right? yeah? i definitely can do this.” 

but it only sounds as if you’re trying to convince yourself. the weight of responsibility crushing your spirit by a singular dumbbell. you’re huffing and puffing. life and death here, and all because of a stupid, petty, weight. 

vi stands up, her height towering over your hunched finger. “pick it up with your legs. next time, make it’ll easier.” 

violet doesn’t really use her legs though. the beautifully strong woman kneels on the ground with you, her gloved hand picks the weight up with ease and places it back on the rack. 

“obviously, i know that.” 

violet hums before she offers a hand, helping you stand tall. “of course you do.” 

the sensation bubbling on her fingertips from touching your skin almost seems downright electric — and now vi feels like running ten miles in the other direction for the sole purpose of settling her heartbeat for just a moment. 

“anyways, yeah, sorry to disturb you.” 

“not a problem, princess. never going to say no to a pretty girl in distress.” 

the smile violet offers is adorable, the one she flashes the girls when she comes in for her late work out, from wherever she comes from. but the way she scratches the nape of her neck? that’s just for you. 

gymrat!vi who can’t stop thinking of you, despite her best efforts. constantly, she wonders if you’re seeing someone, but the way you watch her, vi suspects your single as can be. it isn’t until one friday night, just as she’s trying to leave, one of the front girls, rich and pompous, is trying to coax her into meeting her and some friends at the bar tonight. when she’s about to say no for a finale time, growing more uncomfortable by the second, you’ve come up to where she is and, well fuck, violet’s even more embarrassed that one of your employees is hitting on her right in front of you. 

“c’mon! jayce says you haven’t been out in ages. you deserve it, you’re always working out so much. if anyone deserves a treat, it’s you.” 

cursing out the little shit in her mind, she rolls her eyes, trying to contain herself from having an aneurysm. “little shit, divulging all my secrets.” 

sabrina laughs more than she should, tossing her purple hair over her shoulder. carefully, you hover, absentmindedly scrolling on your phone and violet wonders if you stay there for a reason. 

if she’s the reason you’re eavesdropping. 

“so….is that a yes?” 

violet sighs, she hates this. “maybe another time.” 

gymrat!vi who wonders what you thought of the entire time. quiet as a mouse, you hadn’t said a single word to her since you were there to witness the rejection of her employee they still couldn’t seem to just stop. this is what she wants. silence…..right? it’s what she keeps telling herself but now vi can’t stop trying to catch your attention, just an ounce of it is all she craves. today, you only spared her a glance before you talked to jayce. pathetically, she decides to do something to catch your attention, hip thrusts. 

gymrat!vi who looks up as you watch her pelvis lift the weight placed on her abdomen, pushing sturdy hips through the set as you keep sparing glances gawking at her porcelain skin exposed. she can tell you’re at least trying to pay attention to whatever jayce is saying but you’re interest loses focus when she grunts with one final thrust, the bar rolling away from her legs. 

“did you hear that?” vi rolls her eyes at the sound of his chipper voice. 

“what?” violet slips her headphones off, trying to even her labored breaths. not just jayce, but the both of you stand above vi as she tries to catch her breath. 

“i invited her to our brunch with mel on saturday.” 

“oh, is that this saturday?” 

oh, he really is playing fucking dirty. 

“is there a problem, vi?” 

little chicken shit is grinning, goddamn it. she takes another swing from her water bottle, hoping to god you’ll think it’s too forward, too weird, and you’ll just instantly decline. 

“not a problem.” vi grits her teeth as she speaks, jaw clenching as she knows this is surely to be a hole there will be no digging out from. 

or one she so desperately wants to fill.

rayray rants — UM IDK HOW I FEEL ABOUT THIS???? it's kinda different than what i normally post but i might turn it into a little hc series. anyways! hope you like and i have a very special vi post coming soon that i'm really excited about. but yeah! hopefully, i can continue this because vi working out is literally all i can think about. alright, um, see you next time ♡

[kamaluhkhan]

WE DESERVE A SOFT EPILOGUE, MY LOVE.

pairing: vi x firelight!reader word count: 2k summary: after years of thinking her dead, ekko brings vi to the firelight base. you don't really know how to react when the girl you grew up loving is now a woman you know nothing about and still, somehow, feel everything for. warnings: arcane level angst + lesbian yearning. reader is referred to with she/her pronouns. reader has tattoos and a star-shaped birthmark behind her ear (y'all know vi loves a nickname and i thought 'stargirl' was v cute so i had to make it work). fic gets slightly suggestive at the end ;) author's note: happy act iii release day!!! i wrote this instead of working on my thesis oops. in my defense, vi has sparked something in me that i simply cannot ignore. i'm also working on a werewolf! pitfighter!vi x vampire slayer!reader fic (set in the same universe, just with a slight twist) sooo that might be done before part 2 of this fic (which is where the smut happens hehe). anyways, thank you for reading!

inspired by that quote: "i think we deserve a soft epilogue, my love. we are good people and we've suffered enough" by nikka ursula

even after all these years, vi is still the first one to notice you. 

her eyes widen as she hesitates to pull away from ekko, but you clear your throat to catch both of their attentions.

“i thought we were gonna question her together.”

ekko wipes a stray tear from his cheek and stands up a little straighter. 

“you were taking too long,” he shrugs. “don’t worry — she’s clean.”

you trust ekko’s judgement, but you still can’t reckon with the fact that vi is alive. you’d splashed cold water on your face just before to make sure you weren’t dreaming. 

“i don’t know.” you walk closer until you’re standing arms length from vi. “the vi i knew wouldn’t be caught dead with a topsider, let alone an enforcer.” 

you examine her carefully, and you imagine she’s doing the same to you. vi looks more grown up — stronger and sharper. you’d spent so much time in limbo, not knowing if she were alive or dead. you aren’t sure how to react when the girl you grew up loving is now a woman you know nothing about and still, somehow, feel everything for. 

“i guess the shoddy undercut is a pretty clear give away,” you deadpan.

vi quirks an eyebrow at you. “shoddy, huh? you know, your tattoos look like they were drawn by blindfolded children.”

she smiles, all bright and toothy. the scar on her upper lip stretches, achingly familiar, and you decide there’s nothing you want to do more than to bring her into your arms, to bring her closer, so you do. 

her hair tickles your cheek as you whisper:

“i did those tattoos myself.”

vi chuckles, and you feel it vibrate across her body to yours.

“i know. they’re beautiful.” her index finger traces the star-shaped birthmark behind your ear; you shiver. “i was just messing with you, stargirl.”

vi was the only one who ever called you that, said you made her life brighter or some other sweet nothing that would effortlessly fall from her mouth.

gods, she was the first one who even noticed that birthmark on your skin. 

“i was messing with you, too. the hair — you look hot.”

you feel her heart beating faster against your chest as she smiles into your shoulder.

she’s here.

she’s not some ghost from your past.

she’s really here. 

you’re so overwhelmed by how solid she is against you that you start to pull away, but vi catches your hand before you can fully untangle yourself from her. 

“that’s all i get?” she wonders, licking her lips.

you’re tempted, very tempted, to give her more. maybe you would have, until ekko clears his throat behind you.

“should i….give y’all a moment?” ekko asks. “i’ll go get the piltie.”

you then remember who vi came here with; she might not be working for silco, but you stand by your suspicions at her bringing a topsider to the lanes. 

you slip your hand from hers. you roll your shoulders back as if that would really shake away the hold she’s always had on you.

time has passed. things have changed. neither of you are kids anymore, and you don't have the luxury of indulging in a frivolous crush.

“it's fine, e. let’s show them around.”

“still a night owl, i see.”

vi finds you perched on one of the trees highest branches, surrounded by firelights as you sketch something. you close your sketchbook instantly and place it on the other side of you when vi sits down.

“thought you’d be in bed with that enforcer of yours.” 

“her name’s caitlyn.”

“caitlyn,” you scoff, shaking your head. 

the bitterness you try to hide is all too transparent to vi, who has to bite back a laugh at your pettiness. 

“you say her name like you’re gonna hex her. never pegged you as a jealous ex.”

“technically, we never broke up,” you point out. 

a firelight lands on your hand, and you let it crawl up the lines etched on your skin. 

“if that’s the case, i owe you an apology for cheating on you when i was in prison.”

you frown, but say nothing, your eyes following that same firelight as it illuminates your tattoos. 

“don’t worry, i’m kidding!” vi pauses. “mostly.”

the firelight flies away, and you huff out an annoyed breath. 

“whatever. i don’t care who you’ve fucked, or who you’re fucking. and, you don’t owe me anything. it’s not like we’re anything to each other, anymore.”

vi sucks in a sharp breath — she wouldn’t have expected such harsh words from you.

“is that why you can’t even look at me?” she finally asks.

you’d been strictly business since you first reunited hours ago. you expertly distanced yourself from vi all throughout the tour of the firelights’ base, and throughout dinner, too. 

where’s the girl she’d spend hours goofing around with, who always had a witty response to her sarcastic remarks, who smiled at her in such a way that made her chest glow? where’s the girl who brightened vi’s life when it seemed like the darkness would never leave?

“i don’t know,” you admit. “part of me still can’t believe you’re alive. i know that i should be happy that you are, but i keep thinking about everything i could have done to protect you, and powder —”

“hey. it’s my job to worry about everyone, remember?”

“you weren’t here.”

“i am now.”

she gently moves your chin so that you face her, so that you can see that she’s not going anywhere, at least for tonight. 

which is probably more time than either of you thought you’d ever have together again.

vi notices how your eyes flick down to her lips and back up, and she feels something spark in her chest. but then, you shake your head as though trying to wake up from a dream and turn away once more. 

“that enforcer of yours —”

“she’s not my —”

“whoever she is, she talked about how we all need to heal. i just keep thinking about what you’ve been through, what we’ve all been through…. how it never really stops. healing would be nice, but it’s hard when you have to keep fighting every day. you remember what ekko said, about why we chose this place?” 

of course, she remembers. 

“that if even a seed can survive down here, maybe we could, too.”

 “we. who’s ‘we,’ vi?” you laugh, but there’s no joy behind it. “we’ve gotten used to surviving without each other. maybe it was meant to be that way.”

“that’s not fair.” 

“a lot of things aren’t fair.” you gesture around at the base. “this — this community — took blood, sweat, and tears to build and i just know how easy it would be for someone to destroy it all. which is why we fight, obviously, to protect all this and each other, but i’m scared that we can only do so for so long before we burn out.”

you press your knees to your chest and curl into yourself. vi notices then — the slump of your shoulders, the shadows beneath your eyes, and just how deeply exhausted you must feel, down to your bones. 

you let out a shuddery breath. “is it even all worth it?”

vi swallows the tears building in her throat. you had always been the hopeful one, and it makes vi’s chest ache to think about what you must have endured to lose the brightness that had been woven into your being. 

that's part of what got her through these past few years, and there's no way she's going to let it fade.

“i....i think so,” vi starts, trying to find it within her to be inspirational. “maybe it'll make a difference in the long run, even if we don’t see that now. maybe someone, someday in the future, will be able to not just survive, but live in a better world.”

you raise an eyebrow at her, and vi swears there's a slight smile on your face.

"what?" she asks, her cheeks heating up.

"i'm just...surprised. how is it possible that prison made you less cynical?”

there's a glimmer to your eyes that wasn't there before, something playful, and vi decides to lean into it.

"oh, it wasn't prison," vi says, nudging her shoulder against hers. "see, i ran into this pretty girl from my past and she's this totally badass freedom fighter now, so i think there's some hope in the world."

you snort. "good to know you're still an unbearable flirt."

"i thought you loved that about me."

you laugh, a sparkling sound that vi wishes she could carry with her wherever she goes. it’s contagious, too, and vi finds herself giggling along with you. when it dies down, you rest your head on her shoulder, something you did even back when you were only friends.

“i missed you,” she admits. 

“yeah?” your voice is softer than a whisper. 

you lift your head and vi cradles your face in her hands.

vi nods. “so fucking much, and i want to prove it. if you’ll let me. please.”

“vi,” you exhale. she’s so close now that she can feel you breathing against her lips. “i can’t. you’re with that enforcer.”

“we’re not together,” vi assures, bumping her nose against yours. 

she leans in ever so closely to kiss you, but you move away. 

“you’re still with her, though, and you’re leaving in the morning,” you continue. “things are already so….complicated. i just don’t think we should start something we won’t be able to finish.”

with nothing more to say, you gather your sketchbook and pencils. vi’s sure that you’re not going to bed, just off to nestle into another hiding spot for the night, away from her.

maybe you’re still putting up a cold front, protecting yourself because that’s how you've been surviving in this world where the risk of losing everything lingers, and only gets heavier as you grow older.

but, gods, vi really has missed you, the you she remembers so vividly, the you that shone through just moments ago. she knows that glowing heart of yours is hardened by layers of ice, and she’s determined to make them all melt away.

so, vi gets up, heart beating in her throat, and calls after you:

“haven’t we already?” 

you stop in your tracks. you slowly turn around to back at her.

a moment passes, maybe more. the two of you suspended in time. your eyes are telling her a million different things – you’re confused, you’re scared, you’re tempted, you’re tired – and all vi can do is unsuccessfully blink back more tears because it’s true, how your story together never got the happy ending you deserved. 

“please, y/n. if this is our second chance, even just for a night —”

she’s cut off by you crashing your lips against hers.

the two of you were young, really, just girls when you first kissed. it was awkward and messy and though it ignited something in the pit of vi’s stomach, it was nothing compared to this.

she lets you guide her as you please, lets you press your warm body against hers against the trunk of the tree. she lets your lips mold into hers until her lungs are burning. 

your chest is heaving as you pull away slightly; vi bites back a whine, feeling empty. but air isn’t what she needs, she’s sure of it. what she really needs is more of you.

you study her like a work of art, like you're committing her to memory in case she slips away. your thumb wipes away a fallen tear, across the tattoo on her cheek. 

fuck, no one's held vi this tenderly since, well, you.

“you’re so beautiful.”

vi blushes, becoming increasingly flustered. she'd wanted to make this about you, take care of you in all the ways she'd imagined, but the way you're looking at her, touching her....she's not a religious person, but vi thinks she might have stumbled into her own, personal heaven, with you having some divine hold on her, soft and bright and passionate.

you're kissing down her neck, nipping at her collarbone when you repeat: "you're so fucking beautiful."

“yeah, i know. they should build statues of me,” she breathes, closing her eyes and trying to keep upright on weak knees. she squeezes your hips in an attempt to keep herself steady.

you’re the only person vi can recall calling her beautiful. 

sexy? oh, yeah. charming? definitely. hot? often. 

no one else calls her beautiful, though, let alone makes her feel like it the way you do.

“bad at flirting and full of yourself," you tease. "some things really don't change."

by now your lips are travelling lower, and vi doesn't want to miss a second watching you have your way with her. when her eyes flutter open, vi gets a glimpse of something over your shoulder.

“hm, i guess drawings are a good place to start.” 

she gestures with her chin, which she instantly regrets as you pull away to follow her gaze, eyes landing on the sketches of her from your fallen sketchbook.

“you weren’t supposed to see those,” you groan. "they're personal...."

it's cute, how flustered you get after making vi all hot and bothered.

vi smirks. "personal, huh? had some fun picturing me when i was gone? missed me so much you had to draw me back to life?"

"well, no - wait, yes, obviously, i missed you, but --"

vi cuts you off with a searing kiss.

she tugs on one of your belt loops to bring you closer to her. vi presses her thigh between your legs, relishing in how your mouth opens in a perfect gasp. vi takes the opportunity to bite your bottom lip and you whimper.

“don't be embarrassed, baby," vi mumbles against your mouth, thumb rubbing soothing circles into your hips. "you know i missed you, too. 'cept i'm not talented like you, so my creative imagination had to carry me through some long nights."

“is that so….” your hand slips underneath her tank top, and you manage to pull a groan from vi by scratching your nails against her stomach. “maybe you can clue me in to what, exactly, you’ve imagined.”

vi grins triumphantly. she places a kiss on your birthmark before whispering in your ear:

“sure thing, stargirl.”

[lovelytsunoda]

you've got me under your spell | eddie brock and venom

summary: the then's and now's of halloween in the brock household

pairing: eddie brock x wife!reader (and their son!) x venom

warnings: i've turned eddie brock from a swagless loser to a dilf, venom is loaned to a child as a halloween costume, venom is almost like a second child tbh, implied smut, brief mentions of mental illness and pregnancy-related mental health issues. not to spoil anything at the end but the final section is pretty fucking funny if i do say so myself.

author's note: i have a very delayed last minute addition to my halloween fics for 2024! after flying through all three venom movies in about two days (as someone who doesn't watch marvel movies, might i add), i am pleased (and a little concerned) to annoucne that eddie brock is now my favourite marvel character.

yes, dylan brock is a canon character in the venom comics (or so i have been told) but all this dylan had in common with the canon version is his name.

2010.

she watched fondly from the doorway as eddie picked up the infant, who was currently trying to crawl towards the white pumpkin in the bay window. dylan laughed in his father's arms as eddie spun around before cradling the infant against his chest. he caught his wife's eyes from the doorway, a cheeky grin on his face as he looked down at dylan.

"hey kiddo, i think mommy's looking at us."

dylan smiled, wide and toothless, letting out the baby equivalent of a cheer as he looked over at his mother.

"are you guys ready to make the rounds? i promised mrs. chen some baby time." y/n laughed, reaching out to hold her son's small hand in hers.

the streets outside were lit up with fog machines and smiling skeletons, filled with the sounds of kids milling about. it was baby brock's first halloween, and he was dressed appropriately for it in his little pumpkin costume. after attempting to suck on y/n's finger, dylan dropped her hand and busied himself with attempting to trace the tattoos visible on eddie's forearm.

eddie beamed, kissing his wife softly before answering. "we're ready if you are. lead the way, mamas."

y/n had never pictured herself as a mother. in her twenties, when it seemed like settling down was the only thing people her age wanted to do, she was paralyzed with fear, insecurity and a little bit of self-loathing. being inside of her head was a nightmare, and she wasn't even sure she'd make it to thirty.

things had started to change when she met eddie brock.

slowly, she came alive again. she started to want things that she had thought were out of reach. she wanted to get married, have that house and that family and the white picket fence. to know that everything she had done had added up to this moment, and that everything had been worth it.

but she hated being pregnant. for her, growing another human being had been an arduous, terrifying experience. the eight hours of labour she had gone through on the day dylan was born was enough for her to decide that she didn't want more kids, and that she could still have the family she dreamed of with only one child.

she kissed dylan's forehead softly, brushing back his thin baby hair before tucking the small pumpkin hat onto his little head, and over his small ears.

the couple walked down the front steps of their bungalow, one of eddies arms around his wife, and the other holding his son (which was quite the feat, considering that the infant so desperately wanted out of his father's arms. dylan was an active baby, but he was allowed to crawl down the residential street, he would do so at such a pace that the brocks would never get him back.)

at every house they went to there was someone to coo over the littlest brock. eventually, eddie had to drop that arm around his wife so that he could use both hands to hold his son. dylan smiled that wide, gummy smile and laughed and babbled at all of the people that they passed, y/n clutching an almost-full orange bag of candy (she was convinced that some of their neighbours gave out extra candy to the couple, simply to reward them with the hit of caffeine found in chocolate that the new parents would so crave).

as they walked towards mrs. chen's house, dylan finally settled in his fathers arms, eddie looked over at his wife with nothing but reverence and love in his eyes. even carrying a little bit of extra weight around her hips and stomach, her breasts a little fuller and her arms a little chubbier, she was as radiant as she was the day that they got married. he would do anything for her, for his son. his little family.

"eddie, darling." she laughed, turning to face him. "you're staring."

eddie blushed, the rose in his cheeks barely visible in the dark. "uh, no i'm not."

"yes you are." she giggled. "i love you, eddie brock."

"i love you more." eddie beamed, leaning over to kiss her. "i think the little guy is worn out." he spoke softly, nodding towards the baby in his arms. "he's asleep."

"awe." y/n cooed, gently stroking her son's arm with her pointer finger. the sight of eddie holding their son in his arms would never grow old. she was starting a folder of pictures on her laptop of this very thing, as she knew dylan would soon be too big for his father to hold. "he's just like his father. he can go to sleep any time, any where and in any condition."

eddie laughed. "i feel like there was an insult buried in there somewhere."

"i still married you, didn't i?"

2024.

"dylan, if you want to get to eric's on time, you've gotta get going now! his mom's on the way!"

y/n knocked on her son's door, waiting until she heard the disgruntled teenage groan from the other side. satisfied that dylan had been served enough warning, she headed back out into the living room.

she had put eddie in charge of moving the halloween candy from the massive carboard costco boxes to the festive plastic bowls, and he was doing a surprisingly okay job at it.

their life had changed drastically in the years since her husband had begun to share his body with a symbiote. the symbiote had once given dylan nightmares, and she had fielded one too many concerned calls from the school after he had gone around and told all of the other kids that his father was an alien and would eat anybody who was mean to him (although, once eddie and venom had bonded, venom was steadfast in his commitment to eating any bullies that dylan may face) it had taken time, and a lot of home repairs to get used to, but alas, venom now felt like one of the family.

well, more like the cousin you don't want any of your friends to meet. or the alien that your husband is in a strangely homeorotic relationship with.

"i thought venom would have eaten half of those by now." she remarked, leaning over the back of the sofa to rest her head on her husband's shoulder, hands on his chest.

"i made him promise to behave today. i don't want him scaring the little kids." eddie shrugged, turning his had to kiss his wife softly.

"what did you have to give him?"

eddie paused, waiting a beat in order to formulate an answer that wouldn't send his wife into a spiral. in the distance, he heard dylan's bedroom door open and close, and then the fourteen-year-old came bounding into the living room.

"eric's mom is like five minutes away. is it okay if i wait outside?"

keeping her hands on eddie shoulders, y/n straightened, looking over at her son. "no costume?'

she didn't miss the way that eddie's muscles tensed up under her hands, or the way dylan's pinkie finger twitched. neither of them said a word, and when her eyes zeroed in on the full boxes of nestle chocolates, she got her answer.

"edward brock, please tell me that you did not lend your symbiote to our son as a halloween costume!"

dylan's shoulder rippled black over the top of his hunter-green sweatshirt, venom's inky head materializing next to a defeated looking dylan.

"okay, we won't tell you." the symbiote said , turning to face eddie. "you told me that this was okay with mrs. b."

eddie got up from the couch, pointing a finger at the symbiote. "i said no such thing. i said we were never supposed to tell y/n under any circumstances."

"mom, it's only for the night. you let dad have venom year-round!" dylan protested, stuffing his hands in his sweater pockets. "how is this any different?"

y/n stopped and counted to twenty, eyes closed before she breathed deeply and opened them again.

"that's because your father is the one who brought venom into this house in the first place, and i didn't get a say in the matter. also, your father is an adult, and venom actually listens to him."

"i listen to nobody!"

eddie coughed. "actually, he doesn't listen to me at all. he does what he wants half of the time."

"not the point, eddie! hosting venom almost killed you."

"actually- "

"not now vee!" eddie and y/n shouted together.

eddie reached for his wife's hand, knowing that she needed something to ground her, something tangible that she could hold on to. his hand was warm and calloused, comforting. she ran her thumb over eddie's knuckles as he stepped closer, dropping his voice in the hopes that dylan and venom wouldn't be able to eavesdrop.

"y/n, you know that i wouldn't let dylan take venom out if i didn't think he could handle it. its just one night."

"eddie, venom eats people. i don't want to get calls from parents stating that their sons hung out with my son, and then they came back headless."

"he has sworn to be on his best behavior tonight." eddie insisted. "and besides, when was the last time we had a night that was just the two of us? no dylan, no venom."

she paused, trying to think, the calm was starting to ease back into her body, the initial panic subsiding. her husband was right, she knew. while nights without dylan had become more common the older he got, with the boy staying over at friend's houses or going out late with his buddies, having a husband who hosted an alien sometimes put a damper on date night.

for the past five years, she had felt like she was in a never-ending threesome. don't get her wrong, the sex was absolutely phenomenal, but she missed her husband. she missed the days when it was just the two of them, curled up in bed on a sunday afternoon, with reruns of a bad sitcom playing in the background as they made love without a care in the world.

she realized that she was excited at the idea of having sex with her husband without an alien tentacle trying to slip into her ass (which felt absolutely incredible, by the way. after the first time venom did that, she downloaded all the monsterfucking books she could find on kindle unlimited. trying to explain the plot of ice planet barbarians to eddie had been quite the spectacle).

a honk in the front driveway snapped her out of her thoughts. dylan was looking at her expectantly, venom's head still hovering in the air next to him. if it were possible for symbiotes to give puppy dog eyes, she was sure that venom would be doing so. she looked at eddie, and then back at dylan, weighing her options.

"fine. dylan, you can take venom with you."

venom and dylan gave a cheer, the teen high-fiving one of venom's slinky tentacles.

"i promise not to eat any of the children, mrs. b. only gourmet chocolate. dylan says tonight is the best night for it."

"go on." y/n laughed. "don't keep eric waiting. and be careful!"

eddie and y/n stood by the front window, eddie's hand in her back pocket as they watched dylan run down the driveway and jump into the back of eric's mom's nissan. he had grown up so fast. it felt like just yesterday he was an infant in a pumpkin costume, cradled in eddie's strong arms. now he was almost as tall as his father.

y/n let out a small yelp as she felt herself become weightless, her husband's strong, beefy arms wrapped around her thighs.

"baby, be careful! you aren't as strong without venom! i don't want you to hurt your back!"

"i'll be fine! we have a heating pad for a reason!"

the headed down the hallway in a cloud of giggles, eddie kicking the bedroom door closed behind them with a cheeky grin on his face.

oh yeah, they were going to enjoy every second of having the house to themselves.

____

it was nearing midnight when dylan brock came home, shocked to find his father in the living room, sitting on the sofa in the dark and wincing every time he moved.

"dad? what are you doing? where's mom?"

eddie groaned, trying not to move too much. the heating pad rested against his lower back, and any movement sent a sharp pain up his spine. "she's asleep. tired out."

dylan made a face, dropping his backpack next to the couch. "god damn it, dad! i don't need to know that!"

eddie chuckled. "not like that." well, sort of like that. "this week has been hard on her. between you, me and venom, she's got her hands full."

"what's the heating pad for?" dylan crossed his arms over his chest, staring his father down.

"i hurt my back. it's nothing, not important."

"oh my god! you hurt your back banging mom!"

"dylan, keep your voice down! your mother is sleeping!" eddie scolded, screwing his eyes shut. "and she doesn't know. there is nothing less sexy than pinching something in your back while-"

"stop. please. i don't want to know."

"anyways, i waited until she fell asleep to put some muscle spray on it, and that didn't help, so here i am with the heating pad. how was your night?"

"it was good. venom's fun. we went trick-or-treating around eric's neigbourhood, where all the fancy houses are. also, i think i know what possum brain tastes like." dylan scrunched up his face. "venom decided he'd eaten enough snickers bars."

"snickers are for the weak." venom grunted. "real men eat brains."

eddie laughed. "now you know what the inside of my head is like. at least venom didn't try to eat any people. i wish i never knew what grey matter tasted like."

dylan extended his hand. "it's been fun, but i think he wants his host back."

eddie took dylan's hand in his, inhaling as he felt venom fill his veins once more, the familiar voice he'd come to tolerate returning to the back of his mind. slowly, the stinging pain in his lower back started to subside, the symbiote healing him from the inside out.

"thanks buddy. i needed that." he sighed. "and thanks for looking after dylan."

"no problem, eddie. you know, you'd get hurt less around the house if you stopped doing silly things when i'm not here."

"hey dylan, do you want the symbiote back?"

dylan laughed, heading to his room. "not a chance, dad. you're the only person in the world who could handle him."

[gigiwritess]

LIKE THE STAR? BRIGHTER.

dr. jack abbott x f!resident!reader "vega" aka "wildcard"

wc: 2,205 synopsis: just another normal day at the pitt—except it's not. for the first time in a long time, jack might have found an equal in every sense. tl;dr: dr. abbott meets a new resident for the first time.

contents: 20-year age gap (vega is 26, jack is 46), usual pitt dynamics. probably lots of medical inaccuracies that im not gonna apologize for. very quick mentions of mental health issues. this is totally self-inserted and vega is totally based in lots of aspects of myself. gonna probably update this list when i have more creativity.

gigi's note: this man and the pitt have been consuming my every waking thought so of course it culminated in the fastest fic i've ever written. i have a whole little series planned for these two, but im gonna try to write at least some of them in a manner where you dont necessarily need to read the others. read the end notes for more info!!! enjoy!!!!

PLAYLIST | NAVIGATION | MASTERLIST

NEXT

It had already become a habit—more often than not, Jack’s days off ended up being spent at the Pitt. Not that he minded; the Pitt’s chaos was better than the chaos inside his head that ran free when he was alone at home. At home, the silence was suffocating—he had too much time to think. Here, every beep and shout gave him a reason not to listen to the thoughts clawing at the inside of his skull. Here, he knew exactly what he was doing. And he was damn good at it.

To Vega, being in the Pitt made her feel more alive than she’d ever felt. She didn’t mind the chaos—she thrived in it. Being surrounded by it sharpened her focus, made everything else—the endless voice in her head, the black monster inside her chest threatening day by day to swallow her whole—fade into nothing but background static.

Today was no different. The Pitt was, like usual, a chaotic hellscape; machines humming, monitors beeping, medical staff shouting orders, the scent of antiseptic filling everyone’s nostrils. The kind of place that felt both alive and dead at the same time. Jack had just arrived after a few hours of sleep after his night shift, clutching a cup of coffee in his hand, when he first spotted her across the ER in trauma two—a woman who didn’t seem to belong here, but did. Jack had barely any time to take a proper look at her before she was on the move again.

She moved fast, braid whipping against her back as she called for suction, adjusting doses, her hands slick with blood. The Pitt demanded everything and she gladly gave it. Without hesitation, without pause. It was what she lived for.

“Push another 20 of epi. I need suction—no, hold it, go with 50 cc,” she called out, her voice cutting through the chaos as she worked. Controlled. Sharp. The team moved, almost grateful for the authority in her voice. She didn’t miss the way Santos’ hands trembled, or how Whitaker clung to her words like a lifeline.

Jack hadn’t seen her before—not that he was keeping track; new faces came and went. But something about this one made him look twice. He caught sight of her again—tall, dark hair, sharp, moving fast between patients. She was a calm center, a fixed point in the storm. She worked with precision, her hands a blur as she gave orders, her focus unwavering as she moved around and directed the team with an ease that made it look effortless, a mixture of experienced residents and interns following her every instruction without hesitation. She moved around the room like she owned it. She was focused.

“Who’s that?” Jack asked, voice neutral.

“That is my star resident,” Robby said with a hint of amusement in his voice, noticing his curious gaze. “Wildcard.”

Then, still working on the patient, she felt it. His stare. She was used to people’s eyes on her all the time in this place—curious glances, usually directed at her tattoos whenever they poked out; interns sizing her up, sometimes with grudging respect, sometimes openly doubting her abilities to handle the weight of the Pitt. But this wasn’t that. This wasn’t the usual ER gawkers or old surgeons with smug superiority. This was different. Something else.

Jack raised an eyebrow. He had seen his fair share of capable residents, but something about the way she moved—almost like she was born for this—caught his attention. She was completely in her element, cutting through the chaos with a level of focus that suggested she’d been there before. Not that Jack expected anything less, but there was something about her that piqued his interest.

She felt the weight of his gaze, analyzing, unapologetic. She recognized that old, instinctive prickle at the back of her neck—the kind of awareness she only felt around people who could do damage. Not the loud, blustering types, no. The quiet ones. The wolves pretending to be men.

But she was no sheep.

Vega didn’t look up, focused solely on the person in front of her. She let him look. Let him think he was unnoticed, but she felt the scrape of it against her nerves.

“Wildcard?” Jack asked, nodding toward the scene, his tone cool but intrigued.

Robby grinned, stepping back slightly to give Jack a better view. “Yeah. Earned it on her first shift. Handled a mass casualty like it was nothing. Nerves of steel.”

Jack didn’t reply. Instead, he just watched her as she worked. There was a quiet intensity to the way she moved. She wasn’t loud or flashy, didn’t seek attention; instead, she commanded the room with a quiet authority, in a way that spoke volumes about her ability to take charge when things went south. It was a quality Jack respected, even if he wasn’t willing to admit it out loud. She wasn’t just surviving in the chaos—she was thriving in it. Something he did, too.

When the patient was finally stable, able to wait for the OR, Robby called her name. She peeled the paper gown off and turned towards them, tugging off the gloves with a sharp pull, and met Jack’s gaze head-on.

“Wildcard,” Robby said, “this is Dr. Jack Abbott. Jack, this is Dr. Vega, also known as Wildcard.”

She barely heard his voice—she already knew who he was.

Dr. Jack Abbott. The ER’s storm cloud, a man with a reputation for being as sharp as he was reckless. She’d heard plenty—everyone had. Stories traded in break rooms, warnings half-uttered with a mixture of respect and almost fear. A doctor built out of sharp things and bad habits, all jagged edges and rough temper. A man people either followed or avoided. And now here he was, giving her that look like he was trying to decide if she was worth his time.

Their gazes locked—not an awkward glance. She didn’t look away as most people did when meeting him for the first time, usually too nervous to look him in the eye. No. There was a beat of silence, a brief exchange of recognition, as if both of them could feel something shift in the air between them. Subtle, but undeniable. She sized him up in a fraction of a second, eyes sharp and unreadable, but he knew what that look was. For the first time in months, Jack felt something in his chest unclench, some flicker of recognition that made the blood in his veins hum with something dangerously close to life.

None of the stories she’d heard did him justice. He wasn’t the washed-up, better-than-everyone asshole she expected. For a second, the ER didn’t exist; the screaming monitors, the sharp tang of blood and bleach—gone. It was just him. Dark eyes, sharp jaw, slight tilt of his head, the heavy kind of presence you could feel in your teeth. The way he looked at her—not polite, not exactly curious. He looked at her like a man who was curious to see what would happen if he pushed. Good. She was tired of polite. She was tired of fake pleasantries.

She looked younger than he expected. But there was something else in her eyes that made her feel older than she probably was. Experienced.

Her lips twitched—barely a smile, but the kind that dared him to make the first move.

“Dr. Vega.” His voice was low, neutral, but her stomach did a dangerous twist.

There was a familiarity in the way he looked at her—not exactly recognition, but that kind of animal instinct of like recognizes like. The people who knew what it was to thrive in the places others avoided. The people who thrived in the chaos.

She couldn’t help the slight curve of her mouth, barely there, but enough to be noticed by him.

“Heard things about you, Dr. Abbott,” she said, her voice even, threading a fine line between professional and personal. “Thought you’d be scarier.”

Her words were like a soft challenge, the ghost of a smile on her lips, and it was Jack’s time to quirk an eyebrow, his eyes darkening, a flicker of something dangerous and amused sliding into place. Was she mocking him? Or was she just testing the waters? He couldn’t quite decide.

Jack tilted his head slightly, a slow, crooked smirk pulling at the corner of his mouth. She met his eyes head-on, unblinking. No one held her gaze for long—too sharp, too cold—but he didn’t flinch. Didn’t even try to hide the way his gaze dropped, assessing. Not leering. Calculating. Like a predator working out if she was worth the risk.

“Stick around, Doc,” he replied. “You’ll get there.”

Oh, she fucking liked that.

Robby snorted, glancing between them with an amused look in his eyes. Jack wasn’t the type to be rattled easily, but there was a palpable tension now between the two of them, something that felt familiar yet almost… uncomfortable. Different. Jack didn’t show it, of course, but Robby knew him better than everyone.

Vega had had a lot of first meetings since walking into this ER not more than four weeks ago. Most were forgettable, most faded by the next shift. But there was weight to this one. The air around them felt tight, stretched thin in a way she recognized from old fights and late-night emergencies. The kind of moment where you either stepped up or stepped aside, where you either fought the wave headfirst or let it wash over you, carry you with it.

“How’s day shift treating you?” Abbott asked, and Robby’s eyebrow went up, already seeing where Jack’s head was going.

Vega realized—these two men knew each other better than everyone else.

“The coffee could be better,” she replied, finishing what she was typing on the computer.

Jack’s lips quirked, a flicker of dry amusement in his otherwise unreadable expression. “Night shift coffee’s better,” he replied smoothly, taking a sip from his cup, the steam rising from it like he was making a point of something, just for her.

Robby’s eyes gleamed with amusement as he watched the interaction with newfound interest, like a new TV show that was starting to catch his attention. He shook his head. “Don’t you even think about stealing her from me, Abbott.”

Jack’s eyes found hers again, and neither looked away. “Yeah, yeah. Wouldn’t dream of it.”

But the way he said it—quiet, edged—suggested otherwise.

Robby drifted off to take care of another matter, and she half-expected him to do the same, say something smug or look away. He didn’t. Neither did she. She raised her eyebrows and smirked at him, almost as if she was daring him to do something about it.

“You’re welcome to try, Dr. Abbott,” Vega said, her voice smooth, low, carrying a spark of challenge that showed itself in the way his jaw tightened slightly.

It was brief, but it was there. The smallest tell that he was just a little thrown by her, caught off guard. She liked that. She liked that a lot. Probably more than she should’ve.

He wasn’t used to being challenged quite like that. There was something about her—something too familiar in the way she carried herself that made him pause, that made him stop in his tracks.

“Noted,” he replied, five simple letters carrying more weight than normal. It felt like a promise. Or a threat—she couldn’t tell.

Both excited her, both made her heart skip a beat and made her skin prickle with something she couldn’t decipher yet. The air between them tightened, thickened. That kind of electric stillness you only get before a bad decision—the kind you’d make twice just to feel something. The kind she was built for.

He held her gaze, and she held his, never once faltering, up until she turned her back to see another patient. Jack was rattled—it’d been a while since someone managed to do that. She pulled a chart off the rack and moved on to the next patient with effortless grace. As he stared at her back, he felt an inexplicable pull, one he’d be lying if he said he didn’t feel. For the first time in a long time, something in Jack’s chest pulled tight. Not enough to show, but enough for him to feel it.

Even as she walked away, she still felt it—a tug in her chest, his gaze burning between her shoulder blades, the awareness of his eyes on her as she crossed the room.

Jack didn’t move. Not yet. As she was about to disappear behind a curtain, his voice called after her.

“Vega,” he said.

Not Wildcard. Not yet. He said her name like a question. Or a challenge—she couldn’t decide. She paused. A beat. Half a heartbeat. Let the silence hang there, heavy and thick and hungry. Then she turned her head, one eyebrow raised in silent question.

“Like the star?” he asked, voice low, rough, unreadable, his eyes full of things she couldn’t decipher.

For the first time since clocking in that morning, a real smile spread across her face.

“Brighter,” she said softly and went back on her way.

She didn’t need to look back to know he was still watching her.

Good.

gigi's note: PLEASE tell me your opinions on this and what you think of the series!!!! the future pieces are gonna dive deep into vega's mental issues (which are my own). not gonna be exactly a slow burn because i hate slow burns, i just prefer the burning head-on lol comments and reblogs are most welcome!!!

my inbox is always open and i would loooooooove to yap about this man. xoxo <3

NEXT

[k-aemi]

kaiser michael ˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ handle me however you want.

smut-ish, cum.

divider: kodaswrld

thinking about prisoner!kaiser who got caught by the police.

hes very aggressive, not even the police could handle him his vigorous behavior. to be honest, hes probably the most handsome prisoner you met so far, but you have no time to be thinking of such silly thoughts.

as the warden, you think this is a huge success because youve been trying to capture him for about six months already. just tracking him down was hard enough.

he stands in front of you with cuffs, a blue rose tattoo that trailed from his neck to his left hand, hair, blonde to blue, a red eyeliner that made his eyes sharp and piercings that enhanced his features a lot.

“lets get this over with. all piercings must be removed.” he smirked as you prepared yourself with some gloves.

"gib dein bestes (do your best)." he stuck his tongue out, thats the first piercing. you took it out with ease. taking out the other visible ones, on his ears or eyebrows.

your detector scanning through him, on his body, where it went off where his chest was at. you lift his shirt and damn was he built so well. he can see the way you froze to admire the way his abs fluttered.

you shake your thoughts, seeing another piecing on his nipples. you take both of them off, then seeing another one on his belly button.

"just how many do you have?" you furrowed your eyebrows, scanning through again. so far nothing, until you went down to his lower region. it hit his crotch.

you slowly shift your gaze up at him and all you see is that smirk of his. "alles von dir, schöne (all yours beautiful)." you swear he was teasing you judging by that tone even when you didnt know what he said.

you cleared your throat before crouching down your knees, unbuckling the pants, releasing his pants that displayed his cock, with at least three fucking piercings. seriously, who needs that much!?

and why was he huge even soft? theres no way these german folks were like this. your hand takes hold of his cock, that you can feel stiffening by the second. carefully taking off one from his tip, but you can feel the way his cock twitched under your touched and it made you flinch.

you were slightly irritated but you musnt let that stop you. you removed one. two more to go.

your hand glides upwards a bit for a better leverage. the next piercing a bit thicker, making it hard to try and remove it carefully without harming him.

you grumbled, finally removing it with ease.

"noch einer (one more)." he chuckled and your eyebrows furrowed at his teasing. you can tell he was making fun of you at the position youre in right now despite being the warden.

you exhale a breath. "just one more and then youll lock him up!" you thought to yourself.

your thumb glazes against his tip to remove the final one. his mean red tip was twitching like hell right now, but you didnt bothered. you just needed to get this over with.

you can hear the ragged breaths he let out, it was normal, i mean after touching his most sensitive places, you dont blame him. actually you do, who has this much piercings.

taking out his last one, you finally sigh in relief. but your moments of joy were interrupted with him releasing his sticky white hot lava on you. you yelp from the sudden burst as he lets out little grunts before grinning at the facial he gave you.

"sah zu hübsch aus, ich konnte nicht anders (looked too pretty, i couldn't help myself)." you were so going to give him the worst treatment.

ive been thinking about this so why not write :P

tags ✎: @rinrinniebaby @kaiserpussy

[rainydayathogwarts]

Have a taste - Emily Prentiss

Summary: when you explain to emily how one of your exes loved giving you head, she decided that she needs to have a taste warnings: SMUT, oral (r!receiving), face sitting, fwb(?) 1.5k+ wc

Girl's night was missing two crucial members this week, leaving you alone with Emily in her vast living room, staring out her window wall and peering into the night skyline with twin glasses of wine. You were perched on her cloud white sofa, a comfortable silence between you as you delved into each other's personal lives. Clad in soft hello kitty shorts and a mismatching graphic tee, you glanced at Emily, who wore a similarly styled outfit to you, as you asked her the next question.

Somehow, girl's night always found a path towards sex-related conversations, whether is be the dimmed lights in Emily's apartment or your chronic nosiness. Tonight was no different. "Do you prefer sex with men or women?" You inquired, leaning closer to her. To nobody's surprise, Emily had dabbled with both, and would continue to do so for as long as she liked. "Depends on the mood I'm in. Sometimes I want a masculine man to pound into me until sunrise-" She paused at your tipsy giggle, grinning widely before continuing "But otherwise I think I mostly gravitate towards women. They're hot." Another laugh bubbled in your chest at her statement, muttering a joking "Thank you" with a shrug of your shoulders.

Emily downed the rest of her glass of wine before reaching for the bottle again. "Okay, best head you ever got?" She asked blatantly. You hummed, leaning down to put your glass of wine on her coffee table, clapping your hands together. "I dated a guy who was in a band for a while." Emily 'Ooh'ed, tucking her legs under her to make herself more comfortable. "He had this whole look with the messy hair, like nose ring and tattoos going up arms and on the back of his neck. He had an obsession, I think. Could literally wake up on his days off, roll over, and spend hours between my legs. Cooking dinner? Put me on the counter and spread my legs wide open. Checking myself out in the mirror? Got down on his knees behind me and got to work."

"You're lying to me." Emily's reaction was priceless, with her jaw slack, hand frozen around the bottle of wine as she listened to you talk about your ex. When you shook your head with a smile, eyes glinting with mischief, she added

"Well I've got to have me a taste of that pussy."

"Go for it honestly."

She'd meant it as a joke, she really did. A 'oh watch out I like women' type of thing, referring to the straight girls deathly afraid of their queer friends. But now, watching as you shrugged your shoulders carelessly with a chuckle, offering for her to get between your legs and taste what you had to offer, she completely froze.

"I thought you were straight."

"I don't really discriminate between men and women."

"I thought you've never gotten with a girl before."

"I haven't. Doesn't mean I won't."

"So... you'd let me eat you out?"

"Yeah, I don't see why not."

"Are you fucking with me?"

At the shake of your head, Emily put the bottle of wine on the table alongside your glass, crawling over to where you sat on the end of the couch. Emily only stopped when your knees were touching, watching as you consciously straightened up, eyes staring into hers as you worriedly bit down on your bottom lip. "Can I kiss you first?" You nodded, hands falling to Emily's waist as hers went to cup your jaw, leaning in until her lips were grazing yours. She finally pulled you closer so her lips pressed against yours, your mouth falling open to let her slither her tongue in, meeting yours in a passionate dance. Emily expertly took over the kiss, her tongue dominating yours so she could explore your mouth, one hand moving to the nape of your neck to keep you close to her.

Both your hands came up to Emily's chest, pushing her away softly so you could catch your breath, panting softly. If Emily wanted to ease into the act by kissing you, you didn't have a problem with it. You just weren't expecting that. "Okay, let me have a taste then." She spoke again, eyes running over your body. Your nipples were hard, harder than they had been mere moments ago, but she assumed that she just hadn't noticed it before, her senses heightened by her arousal. She had to resist the urge to reach out to pinch them, instead helping you pull your shorts and panties off when you lifted your hips up for her.

"It's probably nothing special." You mumbled, letting Emily guide you so you were leaning back against some pillows, still allowing you a clear view of the woman's movements. Emily scoffed in amusement, laying down in front of you before shuffling forwards until she was close enough to lick your awaiting cunt. She couldn't believe how one question had led to this. The dim lights of her penthouse almost hid the shine of arousal against your skin, but she ran a finger up your slit, collecting your juices before cockily saying "I'll be the judge of that." Emily inhaled deeply, taking in your scent before finally delving into your pussy, arms hooking around your thighs to control their movement.

A moan was immediately heard when Emily ran her tongue up your slit, pushing your puffy lips apart from each other due to the pressure she was applying. You think the moan came from the both of you. "Fuck me." You heard Emily whisper, the movement of her lips against your skin tickling you slightly. Then, she was back to licking, tasting your juices and pressing hard against your clit with her tongue. Your toes curled slightly, hips bucking when your clit sent little shocks of pleasure up your body. Emily grunted, pushing your thighs apart to get more space between them, separating from you slightly so she could spit directly onto your pussy, emitting a loud gasp from you.

Her fingers were on you then, massaging her saliva onto your clit before she latched on again, this time sucking on the sensitive nub. You keened loudly, hands instantly securing in her brown hair as your thighs instinctively tried shutting around her head. Emily allowed it this time, nails making little crescents on the skin at the top of your thighs as she tried getting impossibly closer to your cunt, messily making out with it as she alternated between sucking on your clit and thrusting her tongue into your entrance.

You were convinced she would suffocate just then.

Alas, Emily suddenly pulled away from you, her mouth and chin wet from your arousal as she begged. "I need more. Sit on my face." Your eyes widened at her suggestion, beginning to shake your head as you mutter "I've never-" But she was already frantically tugging your t-shirt off and laying down on her back, hands on your thighs guiding you to mount her. You found yourself letting her direct you over her face, grabbing at the arm of the couch as you tried slowly lowering yourself onto her. Emily wasn't having any of that though, hands on your hips aggressively pulling you down on her face so her nose instantly hit your clit, making you cry out in pleasure.

Changing her technique, Emily thrusted her tongue into your hole repeatedly, hands dragging you back and forth on her face, encouraging you to grind down on her. That's what you did, letting the woman sloppily tongue at your cunt while she reached up for your tits, immediately tweaking your nipples between your fingers. She groped your tits with purpose, alternating between massaging the fat of your breasts and pinching and twisting at your sensitive nipples until you were panting, eyebrows scrunching up while telling her "'M so close. So close Em." Your words encouraged her to go faster, one hand falling from your breast to your hip so she could drag you where she wanted you, lips immediately closing around your clit to suck harshly.

Emily's hand immediately returned to groping your tit, and paired with the aggressive pleasure on your clit, she immediately had you coming, legs closing around her head while you came down from your high. Emily continued lapping at your pussy, hands dropping to rest on your ass where she rubbed your skin gently until you were bucking your hips away from her, whispering "Em, 's too much."

The girl finally stopped, slowly helping you un-straddle her face. She sat up next to you on the couch, arm wrapping around your waist while she leaned in close to you, asking delicately "Was that okay for you?" You nodded, turning your head before leaning into her slightly, staring at her lips. Emily grinned, pecking your lips gingerly before stating "I am a whole mess over here." You chuckled, grabbing tissues from the table to start wiping your juices off her face when she stopped you, adding playfully "And by the way, sweetest pussy I've ever tasted."

[gdinthehouseee]

224: KWON JI-YONG x READER

summary: after being indecisive on the design, you finally get a matching tattoo with ji-yong

word count: 2504

tags: fluff, flirting, smau bonus - (if you have tattoos we'll pretend this was your first ever tattoo, for the plot ofc) also your usernames are within the images :pp

“You know,” Ji-yong muses, tracing lazy circles on your arm as you lay tangled together on the couch, “I still think we should get matching tattoos.”

You roll your eyes with a small laugh. “You’ve been saying that for months.”

“Because I mean it.” He props himself up on his elbow, watching you with that signature smirk—the one that always spells trouble. “I’m covered in them, and you still don’t have a single one. It’s kind of unfair.”

“You say that like I haven’t wanted one,” you argue, nudging his chest. “I’m just… picky. If I’m going to have something on my body forever, it has to be perfect.”

He hums, nodding like he understands, but then his lips curl mischievously. “Oh, I know you’re picky. That’s why I’m mentally preparing myself for the five-hour deliberation when we finally go.”

You scoff. “It won’t take five hours.”

“Mm. No, you’re right. Six hours at least.”

You swat at him, and he laughs, catching your wrist before lacing your fingers together. “I’m just saying,” he murmurs, his thumb brushing over your knuckles, “you overthink things, and I think this is one of those times you don’t have to. It’s about meaning, not just aesthetics.”

You exhale slowly, your fingers idly playing with the chain around his neck. “That’s the thing, though. I want it to mean something. If I get a tattoo, I don’t want to regret it in ten years.”

He studies you for a moment, his expression shifting from playful to soft. “I get that,” he says, voice quieter now. “That’s why I want to get something with you. Because I know I’d never regret it.”

You and Ji-yong have never needed grand gestures to prove what you already know—you're in this for life. It’s something you’ve both made clear, in whispered confessions late at night, in the way his fingers always find yours in a crowded room, in the unshakable certainty that no matter what, you’d always choose each other. Marriage is definitely in the cards, something you’ve talked about more than once, not as a distant "what if" but as an inevitable when. But a tattoo? That’s something different. Something permanent in a way that even rings aren’t, ink pressed into skin as a quiet, unwavering promise. If you were going to do this—if—you wanted it to be right. You wanted it to truly mean something. 

Your heart clenches at the sincerity in his tone, but before you can dwell on it too much, he smirks again. “But since you’re the most indecisive person on the planet, I might have to take matters into my own hands.”

You raise a brow, already suspicious. “And what exactly does that mean?”

“I was thinking... tiny cartoon dragons.”

A groan slips from your lips as you shove his face away, making him laugh. “Ji-yong, no. If I’m getting my first tattoo, it’s not going to be a cartoon dragon.”

“Okay, okay, how about this?” He shifts, pulling out his phone. “We could get something cool—like a symbol, maybe. Or lyrics from a song.” He scrolls through images for a moment before holding up a picture of a delicate script tattoo. “Something simple, like this?”

You tilt your head, considering it. “I like that, but… I don’t know.”

“See?” He grins, nudging your cheek with his nose. “Picky.”

“Thoughtful,” you correct, flicking his forehead.

He chuckles, tucking his face against your shoulder. “Yeah, yeah. Same thing.”

You smile softly, the idea still floating in your mind. You do want a tattoo, but you want it to be right. Something that matters, something that’s yours. And knowing Ji-yong, he’ll wait as long as you need.

“Alright,” he murmurs, pressing a lingering kiss just below your jaw. “I’ll be patient—for now. But the second you figure it out, I’m taking you straight to the shop. No second-guessing.”

You shake your head, amused. “We’ll see about that.”

His lips brush against your skin again, warm and teasing. “Mark my words, jagiya. One day, you’ll be the one begging me to go first.”

You scoff, but the thought lingers in your mind long after the conversation ends. Maybe he’s right. Maybe one day will be sooner than you think. For the entire week following said conversation, you were kept awake by all the different design possibilities—including everything wrong with them, critiquing every Pinterest board you came across, analysing them like you were a professional. 

Like the previous few nights: it’s late—one of those nights where the world outside feels distant, the only sounds in the room are the slow hum of the air conditioning and Ji-yong’s steady breathing beside you. You should be sleeping, but instead, you’re lying on your back, phone in hand, scrolling through tattoo ideas for what feels like the hundredth time.

Ji-yong shifts, his arm tightening around your waist as he buries his face against your shoulder. “You’re thinking too hard again,” he mumbles, voice thick with sleep. “I can hear it.”

You let out a breathy laugh, locking your phone and setting it aside. “You can hear me thinking?”

“Yes,” he groans, shifting onto his elbow to squint at you through heavy-lidded eyes. “It’s loud. Annoyingly loud.”

You roll onto your side to face him, resting your cheek against the pillow. “Well, I can’t help it. This is permanent—I want to get it right.”

He sighs dramatically, dragging a hand down his face. “This is worse than when you take an hour to pick a restaurant.”

“Excuse me, that’s an important decision,” you argue. “I need to weigh all my options.”

“It’s food.”

“It’s life or death.”

He huffed a laugh, then pokes your forehead lightly. “See? This is exactly what I mean. You’re gonna think yourself into oblivion if you don’t chill.” He drags you closer until your head is against his chest, his fingers absentmindedly tracing shapes along your back. “We could get anything, and it wouldn’t change a thing. You and me? We’re already forever. Today, tomorrow, and every day after that.”

That’s it! Something clicks in your mind, the way puzzle pieces snap into place. You sit up slightly, your fingers gripping his shirt. “Ji-yong.”

He hums, eyes half-closed. “Mm?”

“What about 224?”

His brows furrow. “224?”

You nod, heartbeat picking up. “Today, tomorrow, forever.”

There’s a beat of silence. Then—his eyes widen slightly, like the meaning is settling in, like it’s really hitting him. He blinks. “Wait.” A slow, almost disbelieving smile tugs at his lips. “You came up with this?”

“Hey! What’s that supposed to mean?”

He grins, propping himself up on one elbow. “I mean, I’ve been watching you spiral for days over this, and now you suddenly come up with something perfect? My words finally got through to you, huh?”

You roll your eyes. “I hate that you’re right.”

He chuckles, shaking his head as he repeats the numbers under his breath. “224… today, tomorrow, forever...” Then, suddenly, his expression shifts—his brows lift slightly, his lips parting as if something just hit him. He shoots up, sitting fully upright now, eyes wide.

“Oh my god.”

You blink, startled. “What?”

Ji-yong grabs your hands, his excitement bubbling over. “Two plus two plus four!”

“What?”

“It adds up to eight!” His grip tightens as he shakes your hands a little, like he can’t contain himself. “Eight!”

You blink again. “And?”

He looks borderline offended. “Aein. Eight is my number.”

Realization washes over you. You’ve known about his obsession with the number for years—the symbol of his recent comeback. And now, your number ties into it.

Ji-yong laughs, running a hand through his hair as he stares at you, looking completely smitten. “This is fate. You—” He cuts himself off, then groans dramatically. “You’re gonna make me fall in love with you all over again.”

You laugh. “Now you’re being dramatic.”

“I’m serious!” He cups your face, tilting it up so you can see just how much he means it. “224. Eight. You and me, forever.”

You grin, warmth spreading through your chest. “So we’re doing it?”

“Oh, we’re definitely doing it.” His hands slide down to your waist, pulling you onto his lap in one swift motion. “And I’m making sure everyone knows you came up with it, but I made it iconic.”

You snort, swatting at his chest. “You are unbearable.”

Ji-yong smirks, leaning in to kiss you—slow, deep, certain. But he doesn’t stop at just one kiss. The moment he has you in his lap, his lips are everywhere—pressing soft, lingering kisses to your cheeks, your jaw, the tip of your nose. He hums against your skin, grinning between each press of his lips, murmuring little praises like, "My smart girl," and "how did I get so lucky?" Before capturing your lips again. His hands keep you close, fingers tracing absentminded patterns along your back, as if he can’t bear to let go. When he pulls away just enough to catch his breath, he takes one look at your dazed expression and dives back in, peppering kisses along your collarbone, your shoulder, up the curve of your neck, until you're giggling, overwhelmed by the sheer warmth of his affection.

The excitement lingers between you both for days, the decision feeling more perfect with each passing moment. When the appointment finally arrives, Ji-yong insists on making a whole day out of it—because, of course, he does.

You find yourselves at a sleek, upscale tattoo studio, the kind that feels both exclusive and effortlessly cool, much like him. Ji-yong has been here before—he greets the artist like an old friend, all easy smiles and playful banter, while you stand there, heart pounding just a little. He catches your hesitation immediately. His fingers brush against yours before lacing them together, giving your hand a light squeeze. “Nervous?” he asks, tilting his head with that knowing smirk.

You sigh, shifting slightly on your feet. “Maybe a little. I mean, it’s my first tattoo.”

He grins. “And I get to be part of it. I get to be your first.” He leans in, voice dipping playfully. “You sure you can handle that, jagiya?”

You roll your eyes, shoving at his shoulder. “You make everything sound suggestive.”

He laughs, pulling you closer. “I’m just saying, it’s a big deal.” He presses a quick kiss to your temple before nudging you toward the tattoo chair. “Come on, let’s make history.”

The artist preps everything, and before long, the stencil of 224 is placed on your skin, just beneath your wrist. You stare at it, taking in the simple yet meaningful numbers. It already feels like a part of you.

Ji-yong watches you carefully, his thumb rubbing slow circles against your other wrist. “Looks good?”

You nod, exhaling. “Yeah. More than good.”

He grins, looking genuinely proud. “Then let’s do this.”

When the needle touches your skin, you brace yourself—but Ji-yong is right there, his hand never leaving yours, his voice low and reassuring. “You’re doing so good,” he murmurs, squeezing your fingers lightly. “Told you it wouldn’t be that bad.”

“Says the guy covered in tattoos.”

“Fair.”

When it’s his turn, he barely even flinches, watching with an easy, satisfied smile as the same numbers are inked into his skin. When it’s done, he lifts his arm beside yours, comparing the matching tattoos with a pleased hum.

“Perfect,” he says simply. Then, he turns to you, eyes softening. “Just like us.”

Your heart swells. And when he kisses you right there in the chair, not caring about the artist’s amused snort, you know there’s no one else you’d rather have by your side—today, tomorrow, forever.

The buzz of adrenaline from getting the tattoo still lingers as you step out of the shop, his fingers laced with yours once again, his grip warm and steady. He swings your joined hands between you as he smirks down at your fresh ink. “We did it. Matching tattoos. No going back now, baby.”

You glance up at him with a teasing glint in your eye. “Oh, I don’t know… I hear laser removal is pretty advanced these days.”

His mouth drops open in exaggerated offense. “Excuse me?”

You bite back a smile, shrugging. “I mean, if you ever get sick of me—”

He cuts you off immediately, tugging you flush against him. “Not a damn chance,” he murmurs, voice low and certain. “You’re stuck with me now. Today, tomorrow, forever, remember?”

Your heart flips, but you refuse to let him have the upper hand that easily. Smirking, you trace your fingers along the collar of his jacket. “Guess I should start thinking about what other permanent marks I wanna leave on you, then.”

His eyes darken just slightly, a slow grin spreading across his face. “Oh, now we’re talking.”

Dinner is at one of your favorite spots, a place tucked away from prying eyes, where dim lighting and soft music make everything feel intimate. Ji-yong insists on ordering for both of you, leaning across the table with his usual confidence. “Trust me, I know exactly what you need.”

And, annoyingly, he’s right. The food is perfect.

Midway through the meal, you glance down at your hand resting on the table, the fresh tattoo peeking out from under your sleeve. The sight of it still feels surreal—permanent proof of something that was never in question. You reach for your phone, snapping a quick picture before turning to Ji-yong. “Should I post it?”

His eyes light up instantly. “You want to?”

You shrug, smirking. “Well, I mean… it’d be kind of cruel not to let everyone lose their minds over it.”

He grins, leaning forward with clear excitement. “Oh, I love when you’re the troublemaker.”

Laughing, you tap out a caption, keeping it simple but meaningful.

As soon as you hit post, your phone explodes with notifications. Fans are already freaking out, but the real fun starts when you notice familiar names popping up in the comments.

Ji-yong, who has been watching you with amusement, leans over slightly. “Alright, who’s losing it the most?”

You scroll through, grinning. “Let’s see…”

Daesung: I knew it. You two are disgusting. (Also, congrats 😭❤️)

CL: Finally. My favorite power couple stays winning.

ROSE: 224… I’m emotional. This is beautiful.

Seunghyun: A timeless commitment. Very fitting.

Minzy: Love is real 😭💜

Taeyang: Ok but who cried first? Be honest.

Ji-yong snorts at that last one. “Should I comment back and expose you?”

You shoot him a look. “Me? Don’t even try it. You were the one getting all sentimental about forever first.”

“That’s because I meant it.”

Your heart does that annoying little flip again, and before he can tease you for it, you shake your head, grinning as you type a response to Taeyang:

You already know it was him.

“Wow. Betrayal.”

You just laugh, sliding your phone across the table. “Here, go defend your honor.”

Instead of taking it, he leans in, pressing a slow, lingering kiss to your lips. “Nah,” he murmurs. “I’ve got better things to do.”

taglist: @thanosscrossmain @maskedcrawford @mirahyun @riddlerloveb0t @onyxmango @sherrayyyyy @seunghyunwifey @petersasteria @allthoughtsmindfull

[im-not-a-ghost]

You through their eyes

This reading is written in first person / from the POV of the person you’re enquiring about. I tried to keep the text as neutral as possible so that anyone could relate to it. This can apply to any type of romantic connection, whether you are in contact with this person or not. It can be a past person or a future person.

Group 1 - Deer

Cards : 4 of wands, King of pentacles, 9 of pentacles, ace of wands, 2 of swords, 6 of swords

Right from the moment our eyes met, I knew. I knew that you had my heart wrapped around your finger. I knew that you were the one. As soon as I saw you, I felt the urge to ask for your hand. To claim you as my forever person. My ride or die. I knew that I wanted to have a home with you. That I wanted to build a legacy with you. I knew that you were the one. That you had it all. The good looks, the brains, the strength to keep up with me through thick and thin. I knew that I couldn’t get rid of you even if I wanted to. That no matter how hard I’d try I could never forget you nor get you out of my system. You were just engraved in me like a tattoo on my skin meant to remind me of my truth : that I was meant to be yours just as much as you were meant to be mine. That true love is real and is in the shape of you. I knew that I had to have you right away. And by God did I want you. I craved you more than I could ever fathom and it scared me. I never wanted anyone so bad. The reactions you birthed in me my love, were so sweet and addictive I feared I couldn’t hold myself back if I were to cross the line. I didn’t want you to hate me. It’s just visceral. The way you get me. The way you come under my skin and tease me. The way you look at me with those innocent eyes of yours. Those beautiful orbs that I drowned myself in. How your lips tremble at the vulnerability of your unexpressed emotions. How your tongue slips through your lips when you get nervous. How soft your tone is whenever you are around me. God, you make me crazy. Right from the start I was stuck in a dilemma. Fighting with my head and my heart, trying to figure out which way to go, what the hell to do to get to you without hurting nor scaring you. How to live on knowing that I couldn’t have you. Knowing that I would have to stay away from you. The moment our gazes embraced each other, you had my fate in your hands and my heart held hostage. And I wouldn’t have had it any other way. I tried to move on and shield both of us from the hurt this could provoke. But being away from you is nearly impossible. You’re as essential to me as the air I breathe. Every minute I am reminded of you. When I met you, I knew I had to do right by you or you wouldn’t let me in. It was obvious that you were well educated and mature enough to cut me off if I ever tried anything you deemed as wrong. It was obvious that you didn’t need me and were doing very well on your own. That you could have anything and anyone you wanted at the snap of your fingers. But I just couldn’t ignore you. Something about you called to me and made me want to pursue you like no other, no matter how you could have perceived me, no matter if people thought I was a fool. I wanted to take the risk and chase you because a part of me was convinced I would never get the chance to see you again if I didn’t.

Confirmation signs : Taurus, Aries, Gemini, rainbows, important bodies of water such as rivers and seas, long distance connections, feeling like you’re the yin to the other’s yang, number 14, Sagittarius, Jupiter, travels, sunsets and sunrises ✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨

Group 2 Tree

Cards : ace of pentacles, tower, 10 of cups, 6 of cups, knight of cups, king of swords

You came into my life at the perfect timing. Like a breath of fresh air in the middle of a storm I didn’t realise I was stuck in until you arrived. And boy did you make some noise. You were like thunder. I was immediately electrified. You uprooted everything and anything I thought I knew. You completely changed the course of my life and to this days I still believe that is for the better. Ever since I met you I have never felt so happy and fulfilled. My life feels like a dream. You were so beautiful and pure it was impossible not to love you. You took my hand ever so gently, offered your help and guidance without expecting anything in return. You kept giving and giving, surrounding me with your warm and loving embrace I just felt so good. You are an angel, a miracle that I still can’t believe I met. I feel so lucky to have you by my side love. So happy. My love for you was already strong and kept growing as I got to know you. I was in awe with your soft demeanour, your tender touch, your caring approach and empathy for others. You were like royalty. So radiant and calm that for a mere second I thought I was in Heaven. Such a wonderful being like you surely cannot be real, I thought. But you are as real as the coin in my pocket and I was the one lucky enough to have you in my life. Can you believe that? To me you were like a life line. I didn’t know I was drowning until you took my hand and pulled me out of the mess I was in. I don’t know how you did it nor how you saw so clearly what I couldn’t but I am so grateful you did. Never once did you judge me nor hurt me. Never once did you question me nor doubt my essence. You kept supporting me and loving me even at my worst. When I couldn’t give you what you wanted you looked for it out on your own and patiently waited for me to catch up. When my heart was guarded and in pain, you cautiously weaved your way through the cracks of my armour and helped me heal. You soothed my fears and mended my wounds with such grace and humbleness that I fell in love harder than before. Your tender heart got the best of my reserved nature. The more time goes by and the more I think God sent you to lift me up. You are Heavensent. You are my other half the one I’ve been missing for so long. With you by my side I feel at peace, finally. I fell in love with your romantic side and your pure good willed heart. With your little dances whenever you’re happy and how you hum to our favorite songs to make yourself comfortable. How you bake in the kitchen with that little smile on your face, thinking I don’t see you. How you so effortlessly get me every time, even though I try my best to shut you out. You never give up on me though I am hard on you sometimes.

Confirmation signs : water signs especially Scorpio, letter K, meeting by the river, love at first sight, believing in soulmates, late night conversations, spiritual ramblings, water lilies and butterflies

✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨

Group 3 - Daisies

Cards : The World, 7 of swords, 7 of cups, page of wands, 4 of wands, Death

You were so different than me that at first I felt like we were miles away from each other and had nothing in common. You seemed like the world was laying at your feet yet you wanted none of it. You seemed dangerous and so bad for my health and peace of mind. Yet, I couldn’t help but feel drawn to you. You were so mysterious, so intense that I had to dig further, dive deeper. You were so intriguing and in your presence it felt like the world was opening before me and my options were suddenly much better. I felt braver, more optimistic, successful. It felt like with you by my side I could conquer the world. You were so smooth, so supportive. So sensual and strong I felt so little next to you. There was a depth to you I couldn’t explain. An air of someone that was wiser than what they let on. Someone that had been through hell and rose out of it without a scratch. You were so precious and powerful. I had to have you. I thought my minds were playing tricks on me when you told me “I love you”. I didn’t think someone like you would want someone like me. I felt like a scam. However you didn’t seem to care. You kept moving on expecting for me to follow you and I did. You never once looked back because you knew. You knew I wouldn’t let you down. It’s like you could predict my every move and saw right through me. I was mesmerised by you. Bewitched. I felt like a clown but I couldn’t help but to love the feeling. You made me want to be more and expand in ways I never thought possible. You triggered a passion I didn’t know I possessed. Suddenly I was getting jealous imagining that someone else could have you and that made me furious. I would have done anything for you. I still would. God you make me crazy with how much I want you. I desired you so strongly I thought I was possessed. At some point I even thought you were manipulating me. I felt trapped and like I had no other option but to be yours. And then I gave in and realised there was no point in fighting this feeling. The more I fought and tried to repress my desire the harder I fell. You were so beau and I felt like a frog trying to hang out with a Queen. I felt so ridiculous. But in my heart I knew that I would spend the rest of my life with you, until my last breath. Because at the end of the day, that’s what I wanted and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I would chase you around the Earth if I had to if that meant being by your side. You are my muse.

Confirmation signs : fixed signs especially Scorpio, number 7, letter S, song All of me, cultural differences, beauty and the beast trope, red roses, ennemies to lovers trope

[yeonzzzn]

I'm in a spooky vibe rn and I've been thinking about one of the enha members (hyung line) with a scream mask ( y'know from the movie sjshsj) about to m*rder reader but idk they get turned on and both got freaky 🫦

fffuuuuccccckkkk anon your brain is 😍 love this idea so much (fun fact scream is my favorite slasher movie and I even have a ghost face tattoo) I hope this is exactly what you’re looking for🤭 it’s funny because I also main ghost face in dead by daylight so when I saw this request I got SOOOO happy ~ I also made this a lot longer than I expected to but oops🤭🤭

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chill & kill: sim jaeyun

part one of chilling & killing 🔪 | spotify playlist

pairing: jake x afab!reader word count: 6.4k

You sit up on the couch, eyes widening as you grab the TV remote and turn up the volume. 

“The mysterious ghost face kill strikes again, killing two more college students in the library this morning. The bodies were discovered by…”

You quickly shot to your feet, grabbing your jacket and camera and slipping your feet into your boots tying them quickly as you slipped out your dorm door. 

You never were so happy to live on campus as you ran from the dorm building and across campus to the library. Students surrounded the main entrance and you pushed your way through finally seeing the inside of the library. 

“Hey!” a police officer yelled at you when you slipped under the caution tape, “You can’t be back here!” 

You eyed him, pulling out your student journaling ID, “I have every right to be here.” 

The officer tried to protest, but you kept your stride, making your way to the bodies ignoring the yelling officer behind you. 

The closer you got, the more the smell of blood filled your senses, making your skin crawl. Your journaling partner was already on the scene, standing at the edge of the other caution tape marking off the two bodies. 

You stood beside him, your heart sinking as you took in the bodies of the two females lying dead in front of you. They were just freshmen. Barely made it into college and fully started their lives. 

From what you could see, they were stabbed multiple times in the chest and abdomen. One of their necks was slit, and the other looked like they were stabbed through their throat. They suffered, for sure. 

“Who found them?” you asked him, taking your eyes off the dead bodies and turning to your partner. He had one arm crossed over his chest and gripped his elbow as his other arm was reached up and fingers gripping his chin. 

He slowly tilted his head to look at you, streaks of his black hair fell into his eyes, “Funny enough,” he sighs, “Sunghoon and myself.” 

You completely turned your whole body to him, “That’s why you’re here before me?! Jake, what happened?!” 

Jake chucked, “You're more worried that I was here before you?” you narrowed your eyes at him, and he sighed again, completely wrapping his arms over his chest, looking back at the bodies. You could have sworn you saw a sparkle glint in his eyes. Jake has always been excited to be on the scene, same as you. But he enjoyed it a little bit more than you. He’ll make one damn good detective one day for sure, “Wanted to check out a book and saw the door already unlocked for the campus not even fully being opened yet. And that's when we found the bodies.” 

“Where is Sunghoon now?” you asked, looking around the library, spotting him with the librarian and being questioned by a detective. 

You went to walk over, to ask him questions, but Jake stopped you, putting a hand on your shoulder and pulling you towards him, his arm wrapping around over your chest, “Don’t question him, he’s really shaken up,” You wanted to protest, only for Jake to squeeze you tightly against him, your back pressing further into his chest, “Please, YN, he’s my best friend. I’ll take care of it. I promise.” 

You sigh and nod. Letting Jake take the lead with this one. 

But you still had a job to do. So you pulled out your camera, taking a few photos. Once you finished with the photos, you pulled your journal from your back pocket, asked Jake a few questions, and took his account down then turned back to the bodies and took your own notes. 

You circled the area, taking in every inch and piece of information you could. Jotting down everything in your little notebook. 

Jake kept his eyes on you, watching you do your thing. His eyes sparkled more the longer his eyes lingered on you. He eventually dropped his gaze and went back to looking at his best friend, watching as he sat at one of the tables, knees pressed to his chest and hands curled into his hair. The small smile Jake had fell at the sight of his best friend and—

“Jake!” You called for him, bringing his attention back to you, “I think I found something.” 

“Oh?” He walks over to you and kneels down on the floor beside you, your camera resting on your knees as you point your finger toward one of the dead girls, “What am I looking at honey?” 

You groaned and rolled your eyes, “Under her body, there’s a black glove,” you looked at Jake. His jaw clenched tightly, “The killer must have accidentally lost it, dropped it, or whatever. Maybe she fought them or something. I don’t know. But I want to figure it out.” 

You took a few close-up photos of the glove and turned back around to show Jake, noticing a scratch mark sliding down the left side of his neck. You hadn’t seen it before since you were standing on his right side, but it looked deep and irritated, “What happened there?” You reached up to touch it, but he grabbed your hand quickly and set it down at your side. 

“Hoon and I were wrestling earlier at our apartment and I hit the side of our entertainment center, I am fine.” 

You thinned your lips into a line, boys will be boys you guess. Their apartment was a lot smaller than the dorms on campus, they must have been fucking around at a good spot to have knocked Jake into their entertainment center. 

Eventually, the police shooed you and Jake off the scene. Forcing you two to head to the journaling office. You printed off the photos you took and made copies of your notes, passing them to Jake. 

You glanced at the clock, it was now ten thirty am and classes would be resuming like normal, so you and Jake went your separate ways. 

Jake was still new to being a journalist. You were a club of two, consisting of just you and another girl who helped write the articles for you while you took care of the rest. She wrote her own things, mostly on the sports or other small crimes that happen on campus, but with the ghost face killer making his rounds, you took up the role of this case with her helping on the side. At first, you took it all on yourself, but as the body count started piling up, you needed the help. So you let her help and put out an application for an extra set of hands, which Jake answered. 

You’ve seen him around campus before he joined you. Was born and raised in this town. Being the town's sweetheart and golden puppy boy. You did some research on him before allowing him into your club, can’t have the killer join you, right?

He was the captain of his soccer team in middle and high school. Has taken his school’s team to the championships multiple times and was the heartthrob of the school. He donated to charity when he could and volunteered at the police station on the weekends in hopes of landing a good detective job there after graduation. He was the whole definition of a straight-A good boy student. Perfect for your team. He became your partner and you taught him everything you knew. When Jake joined, the body count from this ghost face killer was only three. But with the two bodies that were found today, it was now at fifteen. 

In between your classes, you found yourself back at the club office, pinning the new photos to the corkboard in the back of the room, wrapping red string between the pushpins and possible suspects. After staring at the corkboard for what felt like hours, the other female club member came in and you helped her write the article. Give her your notes and advising as she writes. 

Jake popped in and out of the office as well, brainstorming with you about the suspects and the time of events that happened. You both spun in circles that led to nowhere. You ask Jake again about speaking to Sunghoon, and he shoots you down, “Give him some time. I’ll get the police report soon and it’ll help, I am sure.” 

A week has gone by since the murder in the library. You ended up shifting the corkboard from the office and into the corner of your kitchen, using the fluorescent light of the kitchen bulbs to light the board more. You leaned against the back of your couch, it being the furthest you could step away from the board. Biting at your nails as your eyes scanned every murder case. Every newspaper article and police report on the board. 

Nothing made sense. Nothing connected. Whoever this killer was, they were good. Covered their tracks without so much as a piece of hair at any scene of their crimes. Until the glove. 

You ran your hands into your long hair, scratching at the back of your head. You needed that police report that Jake still has yet to give you. Needed to speak to Sunghoon. There were missing pieces and those two things were important. You looked over to the clock above the kitchen sink. It was almost one thirty in the morning. But you still got up and slid into your sneakers, pulled your jacket on, and bounced out the door. 

Finding yourself in front of Jake and Sunghoon’s front door, knocking loudly. There was no answer. So you did the next best thing and called Jake’s cell phone. 

There was some shuffling on the other end of the door and a groan. The door opened and you find a half-awake Jake before you, his hair a mess and spreading in every direction, wearing a plain white tee shirt and a pair of black and blue checkered boxers, “YN,” he sleepily growled and then yawned, “It’s almost two am, what is it?” 

“Can I have the police report?” 

Jake blinked at you, “Huh?” 

You crossed your arms, “The police report. Can I have it?” 

Jake let out another yawn, “It’s at the school, in the office.” 

Of course, it was. And the campus is closed and if you get caught sneaking in just to get a piece of paper…You sigh, “Thanks anyway,” you softly say, and turn around to walk down the stairs but stop, “Can I talk to Sunghoon?”

Jake scoffs, leaning against the doorframe, “It’s almost two am,” he repeats, “Why are you out here so late? There’s a literal killer running around here.” 

You knew that. And still took that risk to come out here. The killer had to be a student at your college. Every murder had been college kids. It had to be another student. That’s what made being out here so dangerous. 

“I know,” you shrugged, “But I can’t stand by and do nothing.” 

Jake frowned, “You know you’re allowed to actually be a college student right? Live a normal life too?” you shrugged again, and he just scoffed again, “YN, go home and rest. Let the detectives with actual badges handle it. We can only do so much.” 

You narrow your eyes at him, “Let me speak to Sunghoon.” 

Jake stands his ground, “No. Go. Home. Before you get yourself killed.” 

You roll your eyes, “See you tomorrow then.” 

Jake mimicked your words and watched as you walked down the steps before walking back inside and going back to sleep. 

You didn’t understand why Jake was so against you speaking to Sunghoon. Maybe he was being protective? Sunghoon didn’t look the best after finding the bodies. He was probably so shaken up. But it only made you want to speak to him more. And that need only grew more when you noticed Sunghoon’s car wasn’t in its normal parking spot beside Jake’s. 

Meaning he wasn’t home. 

You’ve respected Jake’s wishes on not to talk to Sunghoon, but this matter was getting serious and Sunghoon just might be the big break you needed. So you quickly walked off the apartment complex, glancing back to make sure Jake was outside, and pulled your phone from your pocket as you kept walking and dialed a number. 

“Hello?” 

“Sunghoon, where are you right now?” 

—

You found him atop the bleachers of the soccer field just like he said he would be. A soccer ball sat between his feet, grass scuff marks were at the ends of his jeans, and sleeves of his hoodie rolled up to his elbows and sweat dripped down the side of his face. It didn’t take a genius to figure out he came here to kick the ball around. Probably as a distraction. 

You sat down beside him, “How are you holding up?” 

Sunghoon scoffs, “Holding up as in a week ago I found two dead bodies in the middle of the library or holding up because I’ve been questioned left and right by everyone or my best friend/roommate has smothered me to stay home and take time.” 

You felt bad for him, mostly for what you’re about to ask him. He wanted to obviously forget what he saw, who could blame him? It takes special people to see a dead body and not be fazed by it. 

“I’m sorry for asking you to do this again…” 

Sunghoon just shrugs, “If I am being honest, I’ve wanted to talk to you for a while now.” 

You raised your brow, “Yeah?” 

He nodded, “Jake was against it,” he took a deep breath, “Something was off that day…with him.” 

“What do you mean?” You placed a hand on his knee, “You can tell me anything. Start with the beginning.” 

Sunghoon looked you in your eyes, then looked off into the distance at the field, “He told me that morning he was meeting our coach, for a one-on-one coaching session. At first, I didn’t think anything about it, being he was a soccer prodigy or whatever.” You nodded, remembering how much of the soccer star Jake was back in high school, “So you could probably understand my surprise when I got a call from our coach saying he tried to get ahold of Jake and then he confirmed with me that they did in fact not have a meeting that day.” 

You sat back against the bleacher seat behind you, staring off onto the field, letting the gears in your brain slowly turn, waiting for Sunghoon to continue. 

“I got scared, rushing out of the apartment and searching everywhere for him. Scared and thinking I was going to find my best friend murdered somewhere, ya know?” You understood, with this killer on the loose everyone was watching their backs and afraid. Who would be next? Who is next? “But I found him, lingering around the library building, digging through his soccer duffle bag. My heart almost stopped when I saw him…alive,” he took a deep breath, “So I confronted him, and he played it off that he did have a practice, but was with his coach from high school.” 

You looked back at him, to read his face. Seeing how pale his skin was becoming, “I believed him at first, thinking maybe I misheard that morning. So we started walking back, but he kept digging through the duffle bag, looking frantic. He wasn’t acting himself. Said something about needing to go to the library, about finding a book or something, and then took off. But I followed after him. I didn’t want to leave him alone, not with ghost face running around. But when I got to the library, I…couldn’t find him. I saw him go through the back door instead of the front. But once I walked in and noticed all the doors were already unlocked…then I found the bodies.” 

You squeezed his knee, “It’s okay.” 

He nodded, swallowing and looking down at the soccer ball, “I smelt the blood first and then noticed their bodies. And then…then there were footsteps behind me and I knew that I was next. But the library walked in through the front entrance and started screaming, her eyes darting to me, saying we did it. I turned around to see Jake standing behind me. His skin was pale and sweaty. Eyes wide as he stared back at me and then at the bodies and the librarian. He’s never been surprised to see the bodies. He’s been working with you for over half a year. So when I saw the look on his face…the surprise that was there.” 

You opened your mouth to speak, but Sunghoon kept going, “The weirdest thing is his duffle bag was missing from his shoulder,” Sunghoon scoffs, “How did it just disappear.” It was a good question. A very good one. “He hasn’t been the same since then.” 

You tried to lighten the mood, “Maybe you knocked something loose in his head when the two of you wrestled the other day.” Sunghoon gave you a confused look, “You know? He said you two got too close to your TV stand and he got scuffed up by the edge of it. Making a scratch on his neck,” you pointed to the right side, tracing a finger down the side of your neck to mimic where Jake has his slowly fading scar now, “It’s right here.” 

Sunghoon raised a brow, “I don’t know what you’re talking about. We haven’t wrestled inside the apartment.” Your smile faded. Sunghoon’s phone started vibrating and he pulled it from his pocket, seeing Jake’s caller ID on the screen, “Guess he noticed I wasn’t home.” Sunghoon locked his phone, ignoring the call, “I haven’t been telling him when I’ve left the apartment. So I better prepare myself with a talk when I get back.” He stood up and started walking down the bleachers, “Thank you for listening to me, I don’t want to suspect my best friend, and it probably isn’t even him. He’s just weird, I guess.” 

You watched as he disappeared before standing up and finally finding yourself back at your dorm and in bed. Replaying Sunghoon’s story over and over, trying to piece it all together. It still didn’t make sense. None of it did. Nevertheless, it didn’t stop you from texting Jake, asking him to meet you at your dorm as soon as he could tomorrow, and him responding he had soccer practice but would be here right after. 

—

“You should really keep your front door locked, YN, there’s a killer out there.” Jake teased you as he made himself at home, dropping his duffle bag into a chair at your kitchen table, his eyes going to the corkboard, “Make any progress yet?” 

You stared down at the duffle bag quickly before looking up at him, then back to the board, “No I haven’t. I left my door unlocked on purpose. Knew you’d be coming here.” 

Jake smiled at you and stood beside you at the back of your couch, looking at the board, “We’ll catch him, don’t worry honey.” 

You glanced at him slightly, your heart winced at the nickname he’d given you. You looked to his neck, seeing the scratch still healing but faded, being nothing more than a pink line. 

Jake looked down at you, giving a smile, “Can I freshen up in your bathroom? I bet I don’t smell the greatest from practice.” 

You scrunch your nose, “Yes, please. You smell.” 

Jake just rolls his eyes playfully and slides his hand up and down your back quickly before leaving your side, “I’m stealing your deodorant.” 

You waited until you saw him turn the corner and heard the bathroom door close and lock before slowly walking to his duffle bag. 

You didn’t want to suspect Jake anymore than Sunghoon did. But his story last night didn’t add up. No part of it did. Jake’s actions didn’t add up. Jake’s story he gave you didn’t match Sunghoon’s or the librarian's. None of the pieces were adding up no matter how much you tried to force the pieces together. 

You looked down the hallway, then back at the bag, and slowly unzipped it, your hand flying to your mouth quickly to stop any noise from coming out. You took a couple of deep breaths and continued looking into the bag. 

The police report you asked for along with the glove from the scene of the crime was in the bag in a ziplock bag. Along with the other matching glove and the ghost face mask and the black suit. You pulled the mask out of the bag with shaky hands. Why did Jake have these items? You knew. You knew why and still tried to find another explanation. But after seeing the contents of his bag…the pieces of the puzzle fit. Everything clicked and made sense. 

“Don’t you know it’s rude to go through people’s things, honey?” before you could move, a knife was pressed to your neck and his other arm was wrapped around your waist, “I expected better from you than to snoop around.” 

Jake’s hot breath was hitting your ear, sending chills down your spine. Any doubts you had were now out the window. Jake is ghost face. Jake is the killer. 

“Keeping secrets is very rude too,” you retorted back, dropping the mask back into his bag, “But I figured you already knew that I found out, hint why you leave your bag so easily for me to look through.” 

Jake chuckles, squeezing his arm around you and pressing the knife further against your skin, “Can’t get anything past you, can I?” 

“Why?” you asked, tilting your head at the movement of him brushing the side of his face to yours. 

“Why did I do it?” he nuzzled his nose on the shell of your ear, “You’ll need to be specific, honey.” 

You swallowed, “Everything.” 

Jake chuckles again, “Because it’s fun.” It was such a simple yet spine-chilling answer, “You think I played this fucking good boy persona because I actually wanted to? No, no. I had to play that persona. To hide my secret. This is all a game to me, YN.” 

“It’s why you joined our club,” you swallowed again, “To make it harder for us to figure you out.” 

Jake shrugs, gently biting at the shell of your ear then rubbing his nose against it again, “I thought it would add to the fun, honestly. Yeah having an inside made it so much easier. It covered my tracks well. Until you started picking up on every. Fucking. Thing.” he hissed, tightening his grip, “You made it harder to cover up my tracks. Picking apart every smallest thing with each murder. I was lucky you didn’t suspect me, that was until you started poking your nose more into my business, you don’t think I didn’t know you tore the office apart looking for the police report before coming to my apartment? That you talked to Sunghoon even after I told you not to?” 

“You have our phones and the office bugged,” this should surprise you, but it doesn’t. It made sense. 

He pressed his lips to your ear, “Smart girl. Think I wouldn’t bug your phone? Or my best friends?” 

“Jake, you were going to kill him, weren’t you.” 

Another low chuckle, “Yes,” your body stilled, feeling cold, “It would have been a pity, really, to kill off my best friend all because he also stuck his nose where he shouldn’t have.” 

You looked down at his bag, seeing the bag gloved, “You went back to the library for the glove, you fucked up.” 

He growled in your ear, “Shut up! That bitch fought me instead of taking it. I didn’t even realize my glove was gone until after I murdered them both and fled the scene. That’s when Sunghoon showed up. I knew I had to go back and find where the fuck my glove went before someone else did. I didn’t know he was following me until I went to go back and check the bodies after tearing apart the other side of the library and saw him standing there. I quietly set my bag in one of the reading rooms and locked the door, slipping my knife into the back of my jeans. Preparing myself to kill my best friend.”

“All to keep your fucking secret,” you snapped at him, his hands on your body getting tighter.

“Watch it, honey,” he hissed, “You do have a knife to your throat right now.” 

“She fought you right? Probably knocked off your mask too. She saw your face, and you acted quickly and sliced her throat. Not before she left her own scratch on your neck.” 

Jake nodded, a wide smile on his face, “Nothing gets past you. You’d make a great detective someday, honey.” 

You needed to turn him in. Needed to get out of here and turn him in before he could kill anyone else. Fifteen. He’s murdered fifteen people. Probably more before he took up the ghost face mantle.

Jake pressed his chest to your back, “You know,” he whispers, “I’ve dreamed about doing this with you, my knife to your throat,” he rocked his hips against your ass, “It’s so fucking hot.” 

It was now or never. You tilted your head to the side, taking the skin of his forearm between your teeth and biting hard. 

“Fuck!” he shouted, his hand flexing and dropping the knife to the floor and his grip on you loosening. 

You pushed him back with your back and sent him falling to his ass. You barely made it two steps away from him before both of his hands were on your ankles, tripping you to the floor and pulling you towards him. 

You kicked your legs but not getting out of his strong grip. Jake worked fast to flip you over onto your back, his hands now at your wrists and holding them up and above your hand, pinning them to the floor. He straddled you, locking his legs around yours to keep you from wiggling them. 

“Stop fighting me!” he growled, using all his weight to pin you to the floor. 

You stopped, chest rising and falling as you stared up at his beautiful killing face. 

He held your wrists down with one hand and reached for his knife with the other, chuckling as he once again held the knife to your throat, “You look so pretty like this baby, all underneath me like this.” 

Jake was so turned on by this. He’s only dreamed of having you pinned underneath him with his favorite weapon against your skin. Dreamed what you’d sound and look like. This passed his expectations. It went even further than that. His cock twitched in his pants seeing the look of anger all over your face. 

“You get horny every time you kill someone?” you spat out at him, the fire in your eyes burning. 

Jake cocked his head, “You’re not afraid of me?” 

“Why would I be afraid of a horn dog who likes killing people?” 

Jake laughs, adjusting his legs from yours, using his knees to spread your legs apart, sliding himself between them, “Baby, you’re the only one I’ve ever got horny over. The others were just killings to kill. But you? You do something to me.” 

From the moment Jake first saw you on campus he wanted to be buried balls deep in your cunt. Wanted to fuck you so hard as he softly made cuts on your arms to watch you bleed as your moans of pain and pleasure filled his ear holes. Wanted to cum so deep within you and make you his. 

He had more than just joined the club to hide his killings as his reason. He wanted to get closer to you, get to know you. Then kill you after he got his dick wet. But what he didn’t expect was you figuring him out so soon. His plans got pushed up. He wanted you afraid of him as he killed you. He didn’t expect you to look at him with fury, so unafraid. 

Jake leaned down, being inches away from your face, the knife pressing harder against your neck, “You get me so hard,” he rocked his hips between you, his hard cock rubbing against your clothed cunt. You tried to not whimper, to keep your firm face, but the effect he was having on you down south was obvious. He wasn’t stupid, you knew that. 

You’d be lying if you said you haven’t been crushing on Jake since he walked into the club for the first time. How couldn’t you? He was perfect. Still was as he sat atop you with a knife to your neck. 

You relaxed your body, “If you’re going to kill me, then do it.” 

Jake smiled, “Want me to?” He released your hands from his grip and slid the knife from your neck and down to your shirt, his free hand looping his fingers at the collar, using the knife to cut a line, tearing the fabric and exposing your laced bra and skin. Jake tucked his lip between his teeth. Fuck you looked so much better than what you did in his dreams. So much better than he imagined. He slid the tip of the knife down your chest, rounding it around your breast and down your sternum, “Where should I start?” He placed both hands at the sides of your head and bent down, lips brushing against yours, “Tell me, baby.” 

You lifted your head, connecting your lips to his. Taking in the taste of his cherry chapstick and the softness of his lips. He rocked his hips against yours, moaning into your mouth, “Start by taking the rest of my clothes off.” 

He laughs against your lips and then pulls away, setting the knife down at your side to pull his famous white tee shirt off his body, “Yeah?” you nodded, eyes darting to his bare chest and abs, “So fucking dirty,” he cooed, “Should have known you were into killers.” 

You sat up on your elbows, ready to reach for the button of his jeans, but found the knife back in his hand and the tip pointing at your chest, “Lay back down, baby, no need to be so impatient.” 

His free hand touched your shoulder and gently pressed you back to the floor. You kept your eyes on him as he unbuttoned his jeans, the knife still in hand as he wiggled out of his jeans and boxers, leaving him bare to you. 

You watched as he took his length between his fingers, slowly pumping himself, him biting his lips. You were growing too impatient. Needing to feel him against you, in you, “Jake,” 

“Shhh, honey,” he whispers, dropping his hands to your shorts, “I know.” 

The cool metal of the knife brushed your skin as he pulled your shorts and panties down your thighs. Goosebumps formed on your skin and making Jake chuckle, enjoying this more than he’d thought, “You love the way my knife feels against you?” He tossed your clothing somewhere off into the void of the room, settling himself back between your legs, his tip prodding your entrance, “love the way it feels to glide against your skin?” He sent the knife sliding up your tummy, his hips pushing his cock in your pussy, slowly stretching you. 

Jake bottomed out, the tip of his cock kissing your cervix. He hissed out in pure pleasure of finally being buried so deep inside you, the pleasure of how fucking good you felt wrapped around him, “fuck baby,” he smiles, sliding the knife to your waist, wanting to cut open your skin and see how pretty your blood would look pooling out, “feel so good and I’m not even moving.” 

You bucked your hips up against him, wanting to feel any kind of friction. Jake drops the knife to the floor, his hands pinning your arms above your head again, “I told you to stop being so impatient.” 

“Jae, please,” you begged, wrapping your legs around his waist, “I need you.” 

Hearing you beg for him had him gone and all he cared about now was fucking you. To make you feel so good until you’re cumming around his dick. 

Jake started out slow, burying his face in your neck, “Why aren’t you afraid, hmm? I could kill you right now.” 

You leaned into him, squeezing your legs tighter on him to push him even further into you, “Because I have secrets of my own.” 

Jake chuckled, bucking his hips harder and faster into yours, his lips pressing to yours. Tongue sliding down your throat and exploring your mouth. One hand leaving yours to cup your breast, his thumb and index finger pinching your nipple, “Tell me your secrets.” 

“You already seem to know them all, stalker,” you hissed, throwing your head back against the floor at him pinching your nipple harder in the same movement of him pushing his dick hard against your cervix, pressing so hard to break whatever barrier that was stopping him from completely filling you whole as his hip bones knocked against yours. 

“Tell me anyway,” he whispers between kisses, now sliding his mouth down to your ear, licking the shell of it, “I don’t know what you haven’t texted or physically talked about.” 

“I have feelings for you,” you felt insane saying it out loud. Felt crazy that you even admitted it to him. To the person who was fucking you into pure bliss. To a murderer, “I’m obsessed with you, Jake.” 

Jake bit down into your neck, both of his hands sliding underneath you to wrap at your shoulders, fucking his hips against you faster. His teeth sank into your skin tearing it slightly, a small sprinkle of blood escaping. 

“Fuckkkk,” he moans, tasting the brassy liquid on his tongue, “Even your blood tastes good.” 

He was fucking crazy. You knew he was. But everything about him drew you to him. Made you want him more. 

And him hearing how obsessed you were with him made him even crazier about you. 

“Such a good girl,” he cooed, “Letting me fuck you like this, looking so pretty for me this way.” He bucked his hips faster, adjusting his legs on the floor to spread yours even wider, giving him more access to hit your weak spots and to hit them just right. 

You pulled at his hair, “Jake!” you moaned out his name, the knot in your stomach threatening to snap, “I’m going…fuck…I’m going to cum.” 

“Please,” he groaned, “Cum for me baby,” he sticks his tongue out, flattening it against the bite he left on your shoulder, licking up the new blood that pooled out, “fucking cum around my cock for me, honey.” 

A few more thrusts and you came around him. Tingles spread throughout your body at the feeling of your release. Jake moans at feeling the mess you’ve made on his cock, him working his dick faster in your cunt to chase out the release he wants. The one he’s dreamed about having with you. His hand only did so much for him with his thoughts while back at his apartment. But now he was balls deep in your sweet pussy, having you right where he wanted you. 

“Gonna cum soon,” he panted, hands squeezing your shoulders, “fuck I want to cum in this cunt so bad.”

You pulled at his hair harder, the overstimulation hitting you hard, “Jae, I can’t—“

“I know, baby,” he pressed his forehead against yours, his brows furrowing and eyes shut tightly, “Going to fill this pussy to the brim, understand? This pussy is mine.” 

Jake pressed a kiss to your lips and lifted up, taking your legs and pressing them to your chest, pistoning into you faster but sloppy, “Shit,” he hissed, “Fixing to cum—fuck—I’m cumming, honey, I’m cum—“ one final thrust, and his white ropes spilled into you. He pressed his hips against you and held them there, making sure every last drop of his cum made it deep within, none to be wasted. 

“Fuck,” he cursed, slowly lifting himself back up and dropping your legs back to the floor, “Sex with you was so much better than in my head. I only dreamt how good this pussy would feel. How good it’d feel to cum in you.” 

Jake was definitely more obsessed with you than you were with him. And he honestly didn’t care how obvious it was. 

“Fuck I am in love with you.” he chuckles, his hands rubbing up and down your thighs. 

You tilted your head to the side, seeing the knife sitting there idle. Jake clocked where your eyes landed, but he wasn’t fast enough as you quickly grabbed it, being the one who now held the knife to his throat, the fire in your eyes back. 

Jake might have just came, but his dick twitched and hardened again between the walls of your fuck hole. His crazy smile is so wide and his eyes so lustful. Seeing you so ready to end him right here and now made him crazier. Made him crave you even more. 

He wouldn’t kill you now. No, no. How could he kill the love of his life? How could he slide that knife into your skin and cut you open? You were precious to him, more than what he thought before. Maybe the sex drew him in, but you weren’t getting away from him that easily. 

“Awe, babe,” he cooed, taking your wrist in his hand and slowly removing the knife from your hand, “This is how this will go now,” he tossed the knife across the room and out of reach, pinning your arms back to the floor, slowly rocking his hips, “You will keep your fucking mouth shut, got it? Close this ghost face case and if anyone asks you don’t know anything about it. Give it up. All for me, okay baby?” 

You nodded, not being able to say no to those brown eyes. It was toxic, whatever relationship you just found yourself in. You became that girl in books and movies who fell for the killer. It surprises you at how fast you were willing to drop everything for him. To keep his secret. 

He kisses you gently and fucked you on the floor until you both came again and again and again. 

What did you get yourself into?

— perm taglist: @alvojake @ikeuverse @woniebae @shawnyle @kangnina @jwnghyuns @in-somnias-world @zyvlxqht @aaa-sia @wonniethepoo @addictedtohobi @eneiyri @sparklovespink @skzenhalove @fakeuwus @cherry-park @vousty @ladyartemesia @psh9 @cmoundiamante @enhaverse713586 @wondipity @lhsvibez

[aquarius-johnny]

“tats & tulips” | johnny suh

𝜗𝜚 genre: fluff, soft smut/suggestive | wc: 7k | au: strangers to lovers 𝜗𝜚 pairing: tattoo artist! johnny x afab florist! reader 𝜗𝜚 warnings: mutual masturbation (like quick mention), other names included for writing purposes, other members mentioned (yuta), full sleeve tatted johnny, he’s also shy and slightly awkward and artistic 𝜗𝜚 summary: a love story between an ‘intimidating’ tattoo artist and the ‘preppy’ florist who just so happens to have their shops next to each other. 𝜗𝜚 aimee's thoughts 💭 : i’m fully aware of johnny having tattoos, but i imagine him to be fully tattooed in this fic. requested by @lovesuhng 𐙚

check out my other work here! → m.list navi

When your family business got passed down to you to run, a part of you couldn’t be happier. Sure, you ventured off to do other things in the time being, but to come back and be part of the floral shop your late grandmother graciously raised you in, it truly felt like your life had come full circle. 

Adjusting the vases to your liking, your employee, Hana, makes her way to the display window — something you notice she does at the same time, every day. “Looking for someone?” You playfully tease as you make your way to her, scanning the outside of your shop. 

“You haven’t met the tattooists next door, have you?” She smirks. 

“No, I have not. Why?” You look at her suspiciously.

She smiles. “There’s this specific artist. I see him every morning and it brightens my day even when he’s quite the opposite,” she jokingly retorts. “He’s intimidating, like really intimidating. He’s tall, tattoos all over his arms from what I can see, definitely seems like the brooding bad boy type of guy, rarely seen him smile, but he’s oh so cute.”

“Ah, so we have a brewing crush don’t we?” You giggle, before gently pulling her away from the window to which she gladly follows you.

“Not a crush,” she shakes her head. “He’s more like eye candy. I don’t see myself dating someone so brooding like him. But seeing him made coming to work a little easier…before you came, obviously.” She nudges your arm. 

“And yet, you’re still searching for him?” You chuckle as you watch Hana’s cheeks blush in embarrassment. 

“Force of habit.” She giggles. “You’re single, right? He seems to be around your age.” Hana smirks.

“Alright that’s enough from you. Go and get ready for opening,” you playfully scold with a gentle tap to her arm.

Hana scurries off to the back room while you set out more pottery displays near the front entrance. As you stand near the display window, you feel the warmth of the sun shine through before disappearing behind a temporary cloud. 

You see a car drive into an empty parking spot across the street. A tall man, dressed in head to toe black clothing, steps out of the driver’s seat. He throws a backpack over a shoulder and pushes the sleeves of his black cardigan up to his elbows, exposing his heavily tattooed forearms. When he makes it to the edge of the sidewalk, you both make eye contact with each other before he turns his attention away — eyes refocusing on the tattoo shop he was entering.

Hana meets you by the window and lets out a disappointed groan. “Dammit, I missed him.” She pouts. “Did you see him?”

You nod, clearing your throat. “Yeah. I can definitely see what you mean when you say seeing him makes your day.” 

Hana stifles her laughter. “Come on,” she nudges you. “It’s time to open.”

The first few weeks of business went extremely well as the profits slowly made up for the loss from previous management. 

As you and Hana, along with another new employee you hired named Wren, get ready for the day, you allow Hana to take the new employee under her wing for training while you water the white tulips in its planter outside the display window. Wren and Hana join you, finishing everything needed inside. 

“There he is,” Hana harshly whispers, pulling Wren’s arm. You turn in the direction she’s looking in to find the mysterious tattooed man emerging out of his car. “He opens today and tomorrow.” She giddily remarks.

“I see she’s told you about her little dose of serotonin every morning, huh?” You look at Wren who giggles. 

“She kept telling me I needed to see how attractive he is,” Wren rolls her eyes. 

You turn your back towards the tattoo shop, reaching over to water the flowers behind the two younger girls. 

“What do you think?” Hana whispers, careful not to let him hear or notice they were talking about him. 

“He looks scary,” Wren replies. “Like he looks like he’d break your heart if you gave him a chance. But he is attractive for sure. I can see why you look forward to seeing him.” 

“Not your type?” Hana asks Wren, who glances over towards the direction of the tattoo shop where the tall man is near the  front entrance. 

“Not my type,” Wren replies. “But it seems like our boss might be his.” She whispers quickly before turning around as Hana looks at him.

You’re too busy and preoccupied to notice how the mystery tattoo artist fiddles with his keys a little longer than usual. He quickly steals glances at your attire, eyes wandering up and down your body before he notices your hair is done up into a new hairstyle. When he finally opens up the front door to the tattoo shop, he shuts it behind him before letting out a small sigh. 

When you’re done watering your pride and joy, Hana begins to tap you on your shoulder. You look at her to see a wide smile on her face.

“He was totally checking you out.” Hana gushes. 

“You’re just seeing things,” you rationalize, heading back into your shop to put away the watering can. Both Wren and Hana follow closely behind you.

“Oh come on! Whenever he goes for lunch, he always passes by and I see him try to hide the fact he’s looking in.”

You open your mouth to defend him, but she shushes you.

“He’s never done that before. The past five years I’ve been here, he’s never been this interested in the shop but he suddenly is when he sees who our new boss is?” Hana reports. “Can’t be a coincidence.”

Wren nods her head, approving of Hana’s observations before giggling.

“Maybe he’s surprised with how much the shop has changed?” You move from behind the counter where Hana moves toward you. She opens her mouth to say something before you stop her. “Anyway, it’s time to open,” you smile. “I’ll be in my office!”

You take a deep breath, grab your belongings, and step out of your car. Closing the distance between you and the tattoo shop, you feel your nerves heighten when you step into the space.

The buzzing of needles and laughter fill the room. Another tattooed man greets you from behind the counter, recognizing you from the shop next door. 

“Hey, you work next door right?” He asks with a smile. You feel eyes on you, seeing a few employees lift their heads to get a look at you. 

“Mhm,” you nod.

“You work for…” He snaps his fingers, trying to remember the old manager’s name before you swiftly cut him off.

“No. It’s my shop, actually. Family business and all that stuff,” you smile.

“Nice!” He grins. “Thank god the guy isn’t there anymore, he was a massive dick.”

You can’t help but giggle at his comment. 

The tall, good looking, and mysterious tattoo artist emerges from a back room, quickly catching your attention. When you catch his, his brows lift in surprise before quickly turning his back to you — refocusing his attention on the needed items for his next client.

“I’m Yuta, by the way. Thought I’d introduce myself since we’re neighbors.” He turns to name the other employees working before he lands on the tall man who caught your attention. “And that’s Johnny. He owns the shop.” 

You smile at his kindness, easing your nerves a little before you tell him your name. 

“You have an appointment, right? I think I saw your name in our system.” His eyes quickly scan the computer screen in front of him, searching for your name. “Okay, yeah, I found it. Johnny will be working on you today.” 

You quickly thank him before taking a seat on the black sofa against the wall. You see Yuta playfully nudge the guy you’ve been checking out for the past few months before your tattooed crush nudges him back, seeing a glimpse of a smile dance on his lips.

Looking at the full length mirror on the opposite wall from you, you realize how much you stand out against the darker walls. You scan your white tennis shoes that’s paired with your light green pleated mini skirt and white camisole top that’s under your light green cardigan. 

You hear your name and you look up at your tattoo artist standing behind the counter. “Come on back,” he smiles, tilting his head towards his work area. 

Your heart pounds against your chest as you get up. You follow him, scanning his tall frame up and down before he turns around to face you.

“Have a seat,” he gestures. He sits on a rolling stool and places himself in front of you. “I’m Johnny, by the way. You work next door, right? I don’t think we ever met.” He extends his hand for you to shake.

You grab his hand, giving him a soft smile. “Yeah, I do.” Your hold lingers a little longer than it usually would before you pull back. “It’s nice to finally put a name to a face.”

Johnny shyly looks down, chuckling at your comment. Grabbing his iPad, he pulls up the reference photo you sent in. 

You both discuss the intricacies of your tattoo, adjusting the image to your liking before he walks you through the process and has you sign consent forms.

“Where do you want it?” Johnny asks, his eye contact causing heat to flush against your cheeks. 

You quickly remove your cardigan and point to your inner forearm. 

He quickly stencils the medium sized design that starts at your wrist and runs up your entire forearm. He gets your approval of the placement before beginning the fairly lengthy process. 

“Let me know if you need a break,” he softly says before the vibrations of the needle is heard — adding to the other noises that filled the room. 

As the needle punctures your skin, your mind strays away from the pain and instead notices the way Johnny’s gloved fingers press against your soft skin and how you could feel his breath as he moves closer to your body. You feel your heart race being so close to him. 

When the needle moves over tender spots, Johnny notices the way your body tenses. 

“Try to relax,” he softly, but sternly instructs. “You’re doing a great job so far.”

You feel your stomach do backflips at his words.

“Sorry,” you mumble. 

“So, tell me.” Johnny clears his throat, eyes still fixed on the lines of the stencil. “What made you want to work at a flower shop? I’m assuming you love flowers?” He questions, referring to the intricate design that includes flowers.

“My grandma opened up the flower shop next door, so I grew up in it while my parents were at work. She taught me about different flowers and even taught me how to customize a bouquet,” you giggle, seeing the corner of Johnny’s mouth lift into a smile after hearing your laugh. “My grandma told me that flowers make people better and happier, like it’s medicine for the soul and it stuck with me. I saw flowers differently growing up and I wanted to do something that genuinely makes me happy, hence becoming a florist. When she passed, my mom couldn’t run the shop with her job so she hired someone else to do it and that new manager took what my grandma built and ruined it. So, I finished up getting my business degree and my mom passed the shop down to me.”

Johnny lifts his head to quickly look at you. “I think your grandma was right.” He nods. “You’re also doing great keeping your grandma’s legacy intact.”

“Thank you,” you shyly reply. “So tell me, what made you want to open your own shop instead of working for someone else?”

Johnny gives you a chuckle. “Honestly?” He smiles before returning to your design.

“Yes, honestly.”

“It was a compromise I made with my mom. She wasn’t the biggest fan of me becoming a tattoo artist, so she said that if I major in business while in university, then she’ll get off my back.”

“Did she?”

“No,” Johnny laughs. “She then said to put my degree to use. She probably meant to get into some boring corporate job, but I opened this shop instead.”

“Has she finally gotten off your back?” You giggle.

“Kinda,” he smiles, slightly shaking his head. “She still isn’t used to me being covered in tattoos, but she understands how much I love what I do, so that’s enough.”

After a few hours, the studio was cleared out of clients. During your session, Johnny’s employees let him know they were leaving, eventually leaving you two alone in the shop.

He finishes up, reminding you of the aftercare process, and you both walk over to the front counter. 

“Sorry I made you stay past closing,” you apologize, preparing your payment method. 

“You’re good, sometimes it happens.” Johnny grins, presenting you with the service amount, causing you to question how low the payment amount is. 

“I expected to pay more,” you furrow your brows a bit, looking up at Johnny who raises his eyebrows in surprise. “Oh, uh,” he chuckles. “Think of it as a discount for other shop owners.” 

“You don’t need to do that.” Your eyes soften at his words, unknowingly making his knees weak.

“Perks of being the owner,” he shyly smiles, biting his bottom lip nervously.

“Thank you.” You tap your card against the card reader. “Are you leaving after this?”

“Gotta close up first. Probably gonna grab dinner then head home. You?” He pauses, realizing you are in fact going to leave after this. “I mean, do you have any plans after this?” You see his cheeks burn a rosy pink flush.

“Probably just grab dinner and head home too,” you nod. Your mind races as you debate on whether or not to invite him to get dinner with you. “Actually, there’s a restaurant a few stores down. If you want, we can get something to eat, my treat. A way for me to make up for making you stay here so late.” You suddenly feel heat run under your skin. “If not, I totally understand.” You stammer over your words. “It’s late and you probably already had a really long day.” 

“I don’t mind,” Johnny chuckled, lifting his hand to the back of his neck. “Give me like 15 minutes to clean and close up.” 

“Take your time,” you nod. “I’m gonna go quickly check on my employees next door. I’ll meet you outside?”

Johnny nods. He nearly stumbles over a chair behind him when he walks backward before he catches himself, shyly turning away from you to cover his embarrassment only to be betrayed by the way his ears flush a red tint. 

You quietly laugh to yourself and quickly disappear into your shop, your employees shocked to see you. 

“Hey, I knew that was your car I saw when I came back from lunch,” Hana says, wiping down the clear glass table and closing up for the night. 

Wren emerges from the back room and greets you with the same shock as Hana did. 

“I got my tattoo done next door,” you share, trying to keep your excitement contained. “Your eye candy has a name and it’s Johnny. He’s the owner of the shop.”

“Was he the one who did your tattoo?” Wren questions, restocking some of the pottery items that sold out during the day.

You nod, earning a squeal from both of them. “I’m actually going to that restaurant a few stores down for dinner with him.” You share. “But it is not a date.” You playfully point at Hana who you could already see going on and on about it being a date.

Before they can respond, a knock on the entrance door is heard. You turn to see Johnny wave at you with a kind smile, letting you know he was ready to go.

“That’s the first time I saw him smile!” Hana shares through clenched teeth, thankful for the four walls that made Johnny blissfully unaware that you were all talking about him. 

“I gotta go.” You make your way to the door, opening it, and turning to wave the girls goodbye.

“Have fun!” Hana and Wren shouts, earning a small wave from Johnny who is silently thanking them for letting him steal you away from the conversation.

“That was fast. Must be really hungry, huh?” You playfully comment that earns another shy smile from him. 

He sticks his hands into the pockets of his black cardigan. “Yuta actually did everything else, I just had to clean and lock up.” You feel his arm brush against yours, realizing you both were a lot closer to each other than you thought you were. “I’m sorry if I interrupted the conversation you were having. I didn’t mind waiting.”

“You’re fine,” you smile up at him. “Just wanted to see how the day went, that’s all.”

Johnny holds the door open for you when you both reach the restaurant. You’re greeted by a hostess who quickly seats both of you. 

You grab a menu that’s laid on the table before watching Johnny push up the sleeves of his cardigan, exposing his sleeve of tattoos on his forearms before picking up the menu for himself.

“Any tattoos you have that you’ve done yourself?” You ask, eyeing his arms. 

He looks down, smiling to himself. Setting down the menu. “There’s this one,” he says, showing you a simple ace of spades card tattoo. “And this one.” He points to another small tattoo of a ramen bowl with noodles and chopsticks. 

“Cute,” you giggle. “Your girlfriend must really love your tattoos, huh?”

Johnny picks up the menu again, scanning through it. “I’d hope so,” he pauses.

Your heart quickly falls to the pit of your stomach, suddenly feeling foolish for thinking he was single.

“If I had one.” He continues, one finger tapping against the menu before he closes it, assuming he’s finally decided on what to order. “I don’t date much.” 

“Oh?” Your surprised tone makes Johnny lift his gaze to meet yours. “By choice?”

“I guess you can say that,” he softly chuckles. “I’ve been told that I’m unapproachable, so I guess women don’t come up to me a lot.”

When you finally decide on what to order, you stack your menu on top of his. “You don’t ever make the first move?” You question before taking a sip of water.

“No, not really.” He clears his throat. “I guess if I really like someone, then yeah I’ll make the effort, but if I’m being completely honest with you, I’m really shy when it comes to things like that.”

The surprised look on your face catches his attention.

“Does my shyness surprise you?”Johnny chuckles in amusement, slightly cocking his head to the side, leaning into the backrest of his chair.

“Yeah, kind of? You’re just really intimidating,” you softly let out, leaning onto the table, elbows and arms resting on the table top. “I don’t think you being shy would be my first thought when looking at you.”

“What were your first thoughts of me?” He asks curiously.

You shake your head, a cheeky grin appearing. You definitely aren’t sharing the thoughts you had when you first saw him, so instead you keep it general. “I mistook your shyness for aloofness,” you share. 

He smiles, looking down at his fingers before  mimicking your body language. “I should probably fix all of that, right? If I want to get a girlfriend.”

“I don’t think so,” you shake your head. “It’s not a problem, you just have to find someone who can get through that tough looking facade. I have a feeling you’re gentle and sweet, so I don’t think it’ll be hard for you to get a girlfriend just by being you.”

The waitress stops by to take your order, pausing your conversation for a moment. When she walks away, you catch Johnny looking at you.

“You think your boyfriend is gonna like your tattoo?” He asks, glancing down at your index finger tapping against the table top. 

“I’m sure he would,” you pause, taking a sip of water. “If he existed. Like yourself, I don’t date much either.”

“Why not?” Johnny questions, attempting to hide his shock.

“Honestly? People don’t really ask me out.” You chuckle, pushing the sleeves up to your elbows. “I don’t think I catch people’s attention,” you giggle. 

“I’m sure you catch people’s attention.” He gives you a bashful smile. “Maybe they’re just too shy to say anything.”

Since dinner, you and Johnny have been more friendly when you see each other. 

You find yourself near the display window whenever it’s near Johnny’s lunch break just so you catch his attention, making him give you a small smile and wave when he sees you. While Johnny always makes sure to grab something to eat at the bakery that is a few stores down from your shop, so he could see you even if just for a moment when he passes by. 

“I’m going on break,” you tell Hana who nods as she greets a customer who regularly comes by the shop.

You walk over a few stores down to the bakery you always go to. The aroma of freshly baked goods makes your mouth water. As you’re waiting in line, you feel a presence behind you. 

“Hey,” the familiar voice says, bending forward towards your ear.

You turn to see your tattoo artist, sporting him wearing the black cardigan he loves to wear but this time with a white t-shirt underneath. “Hey Johnny,” you smile, turning your attention back to the moving line.

“What’re you getting?” He asks, standing next to you. He looks at the menu above the workers, deciding on what to get. 

You tell him your go-to order before you watch him nod his head. 

“How’s your tattoo healing, by the way?”

“Really well,” you proudly smile, lifting your cardigan sleeve to show him your forearm. “See?”

“Yeah, looks good.” He smiles down at you, but you’re too busy admiring your tattoo.

You both step forward as the line moves and the cashier greets both of you. 

Johnny orders for you and him, swiftly pulling his phone out to pay for the pastries. “Could you bag those separately, please?” He asks the woman in front of him who simply nods. 

“You didn’t have to,” you nudged his arm with yours. “But thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” he smiles, nudging your arm back. “Are you heading back after this?” He asks, waiting for the baked goods.

“I was actually going to stay for a bit. What about you?”

“I was planning on staying, too.” He grins, extending his hand out to grab the paper bags filled with pastries and iced coffees he ordered. “Can I join you?” 

“Of course,” you giggle, leading him to an empty table. He takes a look into the bags, giving you the pastries that you ordered along with the iced coffee you wanted.

You both talk about your day before laughing and giggling when one of your pastries is almost stolen by a passing baby in a stroller. The child’s mother profusely apologizes for her child’s curiosity, only to have the toddler give you a gummy smile. 

You don’t notice how Johnny looks at your interaction with the child. His eyes sparkle when he smiles, admiring your playful demeanor around the kid and the calm demeanor with the mom. He watches you wave goodbye to the child who squeals in excitement as they leave the bakery. You miss the opportunity to see him admiring you — this time, right in front of him.

You both finish eating before walking back to your respective shops together. You stop in front of yours. Before you could thank him for paying for your lunch again, he asks if he could ask you something.

“Sure,” you nod. “What is it?”

“I know you're busy and I probably should’ve asked sooner, but do you think you could make me a bouquet of flowers? It’s my mom’s birthday today.”

“Ah! This is why you bought me lunch today,” you playfully remark. “Butter me up before asking me for a favor.” 

“Damn, you read me like a book.” Johnny giggles, playing along.

“Yeah, I can definitely make one for your mom.” You smile. “Any flowers in particular she likes?” 

“Sunflowers and tulips.” 

“When do you want to pick it up?”

“Think it can be done by 4? I’m leaving a little before the shop closes for the day.”

“Yeah, for sure.” You smile. “I’ll see you around 4. Thanks for the treats, again.” You wave him goodbye and head into the store.

“Pretty,” Hana smiles as she looks at the vase of flowers, meeting you behind the counter.

“Thank you,” you smile. “Johnny asked if I could make it for his mom’s birthday.” 

Hana playfully gushes, nudging you in the arm with her elbow. “Speak of the devil.” She smirks, eyeing the entrance where Johnny walks in. 

The colors of your shop's wall contrast heavily against the dark clothes Johnny wears. 

He radiates a bright smile upon seeing you as he makes his way to the front counter. 

“Wow,” he grins. “So pretty.” 

Hana glances over at your interaction with Johnny. She quickly notes the way he looks at you when he compliments you only to notice that you were looking at the flowers — her heart screaming out in frustration that you missed his compliment.

“Here, write a quick note to your mom.” You slide a small card with a pen in his direction. He pushes his sleeves up his arms before writing a quick note. 

Pulling out an already prepped gift bag from under the counter, you place it next to the vase. 

Johnny slides you the note and you carefully place it between the plastic card holder that’s in the middle of the bouquet. 

“I also added one of our best selling ceramic cups for her as a little gift from us.” You smile, sliding the items towards him.

“That’s very kind of you.” He smiles, watching as you fiddle with your register. 

You show him his total cost, watching him knit his eyebrows together in confusion. “I expected to pay more,” he giggles, repeating the same comment you made when you got your tattoo.

“Think of it as a discount for other shop owners,” you tease.

“I can pay for it in full. I made you do it last min-”

You cut him off. “Perks of being the owner, right?” You giggle.

Johnny quickly accepts defeat and pays. He grabs the vase and gift bag, then proceeds to walk away only to stop in his tracks. He hesitates for a moment before turning to face you again. 

“There’s another thing I want to ask you,” he softly lets out, setting down the items back onto the counter.

“Need another bouquet?”

He softly giggles and shakes his head. “Are you free Friday night?” He nervously bites down on his bottom lip. 

“Yeah.” You slowly nod your head. 

“Do you maybe wanna go see a movie with me?” He pauses. “Like on a date?”

Your brows lift in surprise. “Yeah, I’d love to,” you smile, feeling your heart swell tenfold. You watch a sense of relief wash over his face, confidence quickly returning to his tall frame.

“Great,” he grins. “Can I get your number?” He pulls his phone out and hands it to you to input your number. 

You hand his phone back to him after saving your number in his contacts before leading him out, opening the door for him. 

“Thanks,” he grins. “I’ll call you.”

During the movie, you watch Johnny’s fingers tap against his dark colored jeans as he bounces his knee. 

“Nervous?” You lean over to whisper in his ear.

“Maybe a little,” he weakly grins. He sharply inhales, trying to calm his nerves. “Sorry, I’m distracting you.”

You reach over, gently grabbing his hand and interlocking your fingers between his. “Better?” You smile, shifting your body to rest your head on his broad shoulder.

He quickly relaxes, tightening his grip on your hand. “Much better.” He gently rests his cheek against you.

You stroke your thumb over his hand as you refocus on the big screen. A few minutes later, your attention is pulled away when Johnny softly whispers your name. 

“Hm?” You lift your head to look at him. You could feel the air thicken around the two of you.

Tension builds when his hand gently cups the side of your neck and your lips part at his touch. Your heart thumps hard against your chest. He leans into you and his lips gently press against yours. A spark in your stomach ignites and you feel nothing but pure bliss. You move your soft lips with his, feeling him deepening the kiss before slowly pulling away. 

Johnny tucks a strand of hair behind your ear before kissing you again, this time, slowly delving his tongue into your mouth and gently rolling it over yours. Your hands grip onto his shirt, pulling on it to keep him close to you. He tugs on your bottom lip as he pulls away, causing your stomach to flutter immensely and leaving you breathless.

“Do you still wanna watch the movie?” He whispers, stroking his thumb against your cheek, his lips just centimeters away from yours. “We can grab something to eat and head back to my place instead.”

“After you,” you quickly reply.

Johnny chuckles. He quickly finds your hand, leading you out of the theater and back to his car.

You unbuckle your seatbelt when you arrive at his apartment building after grabbing a pizza of your choice. Your hand reaches to open the passenger car door until Johnny gently grabs your hand.

“Just so you know, we don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do. Please don’t feel like we need to do anything other than hang out.” His reassurance lifts a weight off your shoulders. 

“Thank you for saying that,” you smile. 

You follow him up to his apartment. Settling in his living room, he places the pizza box onto the coffee table and grabs paper plates from his kitchen cabinet while you wash up in his bathroom. You join him on the sofa, grabbing the plate with a slice of pizza on it that Johnny hands you. 

“Can I ask you something?” You ask Johnny, who leans his back against the sofa’s armrest with his legs pressed against his chest. You mimic his seating position on the opposite end of the sofa. 

“Sure,” he takes a bite of his pizza. 

“So, what made you want to ask me out?” 

He nearly chokes on his food before washing it down with his drink, clearly finding your question unexpected. 

You give him a moment to recollect himself while giggling at his reaction. 

“I, um,” he stammers. “I enjoyed our conversation we had over dinner that day you got your tattoo.” He shyly smiles. 

“Oh?” You grin. “Why did it take you so long? It’s been like two months since then.” 

“I wasn’t sure if you were interested. Like I told you that night, I don’t usually ask people out.” He blushes at you. “Speaking of that day, can I admit something?” 

You nod, taking a bite of your food. 

“I was surprised you came into the shop when you did.” He bites back a laugh before swallowing. 

Your brows shoot up in shock. “Why’s that?” You cock your head to the side, a smile lifting from the corners of your mouth.

“You don’t look like someone who would get a tattoo.”

“There’s a specific look?” You tease.

“No, no,” he giggles. “You just look like someone who wouldn’t want one or didn’t care to get one. I guess I didn’t expect you to see you and talk to you that day either.” 

“But you’re glad I came in?” 

“Definitely,” he lightly chuckles before taking a sip of his drink. 

“I’m glad I did too,” you take another bite. “I’m able to get to know you and I got the tattoo I’ve always wanted. It’s a win-win situation for me, really.” 

“Any more questions you wanna ask?” He teases.

You ponder his question, thinking of something to ask. You nod your head when you finally think of a question. “Can I see your sketchbook?” You ask, sweetly.

“How do you know I have a sketchbook?”

“Before I got my tattoo, I would see you at the bakery on your lunch breaks with it. I’ve always wanted to see it.”

“Oh? So you’ve been watching me?” He teases, placing his slice of pizza onto his plate on the coffee table. “Let me go grab it.” He disappears into another room and returns with a black sketchbook in his hand.

You extend your hand out as Johnny hands it to you. You reposition yourself so you’re leaning your back on the backrest of the sofa. 

Opening up the sketchbook, you excitedly flip through the pages in awe. Johnny takes a seat next to you, sinking into the sofa.

His sketchbook is full of potential tattoo designs and little doodles that he drew that you recognize he has tattooed on his arms. You lightly graze the coffee stains that paint some corners of the pages, knowing he probably spilled some of his coffee on it while he was on break. You eventually come across portraits he’s drawn of random people. 

“I didn’t know you drew portraits,” you look up at him who shyly looks away when you catch him staring at you. You wrap your arm around his bicep, resting your head onto his shoulder, finding it adorable when he gets shy around you.

“It’s not something I’m super confident in, so I don’t tell people.” He clears his throat, rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand.

“These are really good though,” you praise. “Do you just draw random people you see?”

“Only ones that spark some emotion.” 

He points to his drawing of an old man having coffee by himself and holding a letter in his hand. “He used to come to a cafe with an old lady every weekend and one weekend, he came alone.” Then he points to a drawing of a little boy with tears brimming his eyes. “He fell and ran to his dad because he scraped his elbow.” And points again to a drawing of the side profile of a girl. “I just thought she looked lonely.” 

“These are all sad pictures,” you let out. 

“It was all I really noticed at the time,” he shrugged.

You flip the page and scan more beautiful drawings. As you’re about to turn the page again, Johnny tugs on the book, swiftly pulling it away from you.

“I think that’s enough,” he nervously chuckles, getting up from his seat.

“Wait,” you pout. “But I wanted to see more. They’re really good.” 

Johnny hesitates. 

“I’m not here to judge it, I find your work incredible.” You tug on his arm, urging him to sit back down. “Please?”

He slowly sits back down and gives it back and you flip back to the page you were on. “Thank you,” you smile, repositioning your arm around his bicep again. 

Turning the page, you find portraits of you that fill two pages. One of them is a drawing of you holding a bouquet of flowers behind what looks like your store’s display window — presumably the same day you first saw Johnny. There’s another portrait of you watering flowers with sketches of tulips next to it. 

“Have you been a secret admirer of mine?” You tease playfully, feeling his body move as he chuckled. 

Your fingers brush over another drawing of you sipping on your iced coffee as you look at your phone. You flip the page again and see another drawing of you eating a bowl of ramen with the same outfit you wore the night you had dinner with Johnny. 

You continue flipping the pages before eventually coming to a blank page. Closing the sketchbook, you carefully hand it back to him who places it on the coffee table in front of you. 

He turns his entire body to face you. 

“You’re really talented,” you smile. “But I’m just a little confused.” 

“About?”

“You said you draw portraits that ignite some kind of emotion right? The drawings of me didn’t look like it invoked any emotions, it’s just things that I do like drink coffee or watering plants.” You laugh, holding Johnny’s hand in yours. 

“It might not seem like it, but it does.” He lifts your hand to his lips, giving the back of your hand a tender kiss. “I haven’t felt this way about anyone in a really long time.” 

“Felt what?” You smirk, fully knowing what he was talking about. 

Johnny shakes his head, biting his bottom lip with a smile across his face. “I like you.” He admits. “I hope that’s okay. I’m not entirely sure if I’m your type b-” 

You cleanly cut him off. “You’re exactly my type,” you grin. “And for what it’s worth, I like you, too.” 

Johnny leans in to give you a soft kiss on your forehead. Silence falls between you for a moment. “It’s getting late,” he lets out. “I should get you home.” He cups your cheek with his hand and strokes your skin with his thumb. You give his palm a gentle kiss. 

“I don’t wanna go home,” you wearily let out. 

Johnny’s eyes widened ever so slightly in surprise at your words — you would miss it if you weren’t looking right at him. “Do you wanna stay the night?” He asks, heart beating against his chest, nervously awaiting your answer. 

“Yes.”

You both lay in Johnny’s bed, lips moving in sync with each other’s as his hand explores your body. His lips move to the crook of your neck, swiping his tongue against your skin before sucking it into his mouth. 

“Remember when you said we didn’t have to do anything I didn’t want to do?” You question. 

He lifts his head and nods.

“Would it still be okay if I did want to do something?” 

“Only if it’s something you really want to do,” he clarifies, tucking a strand of your hair behind your ear. “There’s no rush, really.” 

“I want to,” you shyly let out, feeling a hint of embarrassment. “Do you?”

He nods and begins peppering kisses against your heated cheek before capturing your lips once again. Smoothly removing his shirt, your eyes scan the tattoos inked onto his right side of his chest as he hovers over you. 

Your hands cup the sides of his neck, pulling him down to your lips. A low groan is heard from Johnny before he removes his sweatpants, kicking the fabric to the side. 

Quickly sitting up, you lift your arms as he helps you remove your top, allowing the fabric to fall onto the bedroom floor as Johnny presses his soft lips against your collarbone, causing you to fall onto your back again. You undo your jeans and Johnny helps you remove them, throwing it to the side. 

“You’re sure about this?” Johnny questions. 

“More than sure,” you smile, stroking his cheek with your thumb.

Johnny carefully removes the fabric covering your core, leaving you completely naked underneath him. He gently strokes your slit, feeling your body tingle under his touch as he coats his finger with your arousal. A quiet moan parts your lips, earning a little smile from him. 

Dipping into his underwear, you gently tug on his shaft. He quickly removes the only fabric he has on, his erection more prominent than ever. Licking your hand, you slowly stroke his length, watching him bite back a moan — his jaw falls open when you rub your thumb over his sensitive tip.

“I want you now,” you softly beg. 

He leans over to his nightstand, pulling a condom out of the drawer before sliding it on. Aligning himself with your entrance, you feel his tip slowly dip inside of you. 

You bite down on your bottom lip as you feel the stretch. Your fingers dig crescent shaped indents into his biceps as he sinks deeper into you. 

Johnny gently moves deeper with every stroke until he’s completely inside of you. He keeps his sights on you, watching your body move up and down with every deep, slow, and sensual thrust. 

You’re inched closer and closer to your climax as Johnny’s tip hits that sensitive spot in you. He swallows your moans as he kisses you before you wrap your arms around his neck and press the heel of your feet against his lower back, keeping him as close to him as possible. 

He’s timing his orgasm with yours, wanting to make sure you reach your climax before he does. 

Your nails dig into his shoulders, your back arches, and sweet melodic moans fill his room when your orgasm overtakes your body. Johnny releases into the condom right after you — helping you through your ecstasy as his thick ropes fill up the latex. 

He kisses you, hard. “Are you okay?” He asks, concerned. The weight of his body on top of you warms your naked body as he tries to catch his breath for a moment before slowly pulling himself out of you. 

“I’m great,” you weakly grin. “Are you okay?”

He chuckles, sharply inhaling before another soft laugh leaves his lips. “I’m good.” He removes the condom and tosses it into his trash bin. “Should we wash up before calling it a night?” Johnny stands at the edge of his bed, extending his hand out for you to grab.

You take his hand and he leads you to his bathroom, helping you wash up before heading to bed. You’re cuddled next to him and feel his large hand stroke your back. You lay your head on his chest with your eyes closed, slowly falling asleep to his heartbeats.

Johnny kisses your forehead tenderly. “Good night, baby. See you in the morning.”