#and he was like oh hell yeah my bad we got of lot of those here

[locke-esque-monster]

Oh yeah! We did finish the last 3 episodes. It was 2 weeks after the first post. But it was with how late we finished: her reactions were more mellowed, I was tired when I got home, and life was crazy in November so I never made post number 2. But from what I recall there was a lot of bafflement on her part. Both at the idea of Five x Lila. And the ending as a whole, where everyone died.

I do think I remember asking her if she hated Five x Lila more than Luther x Allison. And I think she hated them as a couple more, but that it wasn't by a large margin. And that speaks to how much she disliked them as a couple, that they'd rank as worse. But the lack of a large margin between the couples is also telling because of her bone-deep hatred of Luther x Allison.

But with how late it was, she was mostly like "Go us! We finished a thing! I'm sad this show is over." And a lot of me ranting about how frustrated I was with the season that she generally agreed with as we decompressed afterwards.

Luther did really grow on me by season 2. Your description of him as a loveable himbo is spot on. But my friend and I have sort of learned to agree to disagree on things like that. She's more gut reactions, "does this character or arc spark joy" and if it bugs her (and himbos are not usually her jam), it's a hard "nope". I'm an English major at heart. If I can defend a character or a arc even if I don't like them, as long as I can make sense of it (like why the character would do that, it's worthwhile to the narrative even if frustrating, etc.). But if what's happening on the screen doesn't make sense to me, like 80% of season 4, then I'm more likely to be all up in arms than she is about the big picture.

I will also add that she has a long-running theory that people we'd be friends with (generally neurodivergent) are drawn to the more colorful (side) characters in every show, while neurotypicals are drawn to the more classic leads and this conversation started with TUA. TUA has less of a main lead than most shows, but Luther and Allison best fill that typical lead type, while Diego, Five, and Klaus have more in common with the side characters on other shows. Overall, she's the type to dislike the leads, I lean more baffled whenever that lead is someone's favorite character.

And I like all the Brellies in some way, Luther is no exception. Diego is pretty great - he's definitely in my top 3 siblings (though I think his writing was at it's best in season 1 - I have some notes on later seasons). Five has always been my favorite though - this was to zero percent surprise of my friend upon her discovery, just like Klaus being hers' is deeply on brand for her.

I couldn't agree more on the dance scene. In a season with 10 episodes, sure, maybe we could do that. But with such an abbreviated season, it seemed like a waste of time, other than to give a reason G&J weren't paying attention to Jennifer's breakout. I'd argue most of this season was breaking traditions, which is why it was so bad. Like how the hell do you both do a half a decade time jump with all the characters are acting wildly differently because of the last 5 years? And then break tradition of doing any flashbacks to explain literally any of those character changes? And I truly couldn't tell you a genuine arc anyone had with a beginning, middle, and an end. Stuff happened and then they died. (God, I made so many posts ranting about things issues like this after I watched season 4.) But yeah, nearly everything in season 4 can go. But I will say I don't hate the core concept of the Baby Shark van incident. Like yes, put all these characters in a pressure cooker while they feel miserable and have that figuratively blow up - that tracks. But have it crescendo with something else. Like they finally get fed up, pull onto the side of the road and physically fight. Except they all feel like death and are so out of practice with their powers it's a comedic disaster. The vomiting we got, it's not just 100% disgusting and unnecessary - it's a cheap gag and lazy writing. @sweetness-and-the-sour TL;DR I'm glad you enjoyed my post enough to ask for a follow up. Though you may be regretting that now - give me the option for saying 20 words or 200, and I'll always pick 200.

One of my dearest friends and I are going to start watching the last season of TUA tonight.

I've seen it. She hasn't. She has no spoilers, other than knowing there's one mystery "arc" I hated (read: Five x Lila).

She's told me before she doesn't want to know if a show is bad. She initially convinced me to watch season 1. I (re)watched 2 & 3 with her, as her first time she watched either, so this is the norm.

I said watching 4 with her would be "cathartic" when she suggested it as our next show.

Pray for me. Pray for her. To the higher power of your choice. We'll need it.

[moeblob]

Terrified by this customer I helped today holy moly why would you say that while reading my name tag and saying my name please don't REPORT me for any behavior, good or bad. Just don't.

[unamused-boss]

Lipstick Stains

Billy Hargrove x Harrington FemReader

Summary: There has been some new gossip floating through Hawkins High. The gossip being that Billy has a lipstick stain that just so happens to match a certain girl's iconic shade.

....................................................................

You were a Harrington. You had a certain standing that you had to keep cause of the expectations of your parents. One of those expectations were not making out with Billy Hargrove in his car in the back of the school parking lot during lunch. But your parents were never home so you didn't really give a damn.

"Billy we have to go back into the school at some point." You said releasing your lips from his. As you tried to pull back he pulled you in for another quick kiss.

"Oh come on, we don't have to." He smirked to you.

"Listen Mr. Bad Boy, I know you don't like school but I have a test." You said to him. He gave you a small pout at your response to which you just laughed at him. "You also messed up my lipstick." You said as you flipped the visor down to use the mirror to reapply your dark red lipstick.

"That's not the only thing I can mess up." He joked. You just gave him the look, he knew the look. It didn't need a name.

"Well Hargrove I have to get going." You brought yourself close to kiss his neck then up to the apple of his freckled cheeks. You collected you things to go back into the school before the bell. Before you shut the door you look back at Billy to see the two kiss marks that you left on him. You just smiled at him.

"Love ya, see you later." You said then shut the door to go to the school.

Billy continued with his day like usual. Thinking that nothing would go out of the ordinary. He knew he was hot shit so people were staring at him as perusal but he didn't know what they were staring at. In each class he had stares his way, to which he had to tell some off for looking too long.

"Nice job man." Tommy Hagan laughed as he patted his back. Billy was just confused about what he was talking about but he continued as nothing was wrong. The bell rang through the halls to signal that the school day was over. Billy made his way to the doors top the parking lot to leave when he saw a certain Steve Harrington staring him down from his locker.

"You got a problem Harrington?" He asked.

"Yeah, not with you though." Steve replied slamming his locker shut to go find a certain sister of his. Billy didn't know that, he was just confused and thought nothing of it. He finally was able to make it to his Camaro to wait for Max. Students around him were still looking at him. Some girls looking in distaste, not at him but at the kiss marks on his cheeks. Some guys were just laugh in congrats to him. Billy just wanted to get the hell out and get Max home so he can go see his girlfriend. Billy looked over to see a certain red head making her way over to his car.

"Get in shit-bird, I got places to be." He said as he got in the drivers seat while Max got in the passenger seat. She just stared at him, more than she would usually. Which is not at all. Billy glanced at her a few times.

"What?" He asked annoyed with her staring.

"What's on your face?" She asked. Billy was confused until he thought back to lunch. He grabbed his sun visor to look himself in the mirror to see the two kiss marks on him. Just as he thought, one on his cheek and the other on his neck. He just laughed what he was looking at.

"Well that explains a Lot." He sighed starting his car to drive away.

Later that day Billy was able to make it to the Harrington house hold. Instead of parking down the street, he parked in the driveway. Instead of climbing through the window of his girlfriends bedroom, he simply knocked the front door of her house. Which, unfortunately, the other Harrington answered. He and Steve just stared at one another for a moment.

"Hargrove."

"Harrington."

"What are you doing here?"

"I think you know why exactly I'm here, or you don't."

"I do know why you're here." Steve stated sternly.

"Then tell me, why am I here?" Billy gabbed at him with a smirk playing on his face.

"Can you guys stop having a dick measuring contest for once." Your voice was heard in a very much over it tone. "Get out of here Steve."

"But-" You stopped him from continuing.

"Eh, I don't wanna hear any more then I already have. You're being a Buttface." You sassed at him. "Now I would like to talk to my boyfriend."

Steve just rolled his eyes and sighed. Walking away from his enemy and his sister in the same door way. You turn your head back to Billy with a grin on your face.

"So what are you doing here, handsome."

"Well, I am here to see my girlfriend that I have to have a small chat about." His voice going a slight octave lower. Something that you loved.

"And what do you have to chat about?" You stilled teased at him.

"Well I made out with this gorgeous woman at lunch, and after I thought my day would go by like usual. But I had people staring at me all day. I didn't know why until I looked into the mirror to find that the exact pretty girl I was kissing left some marks on me." He explained to you. "Now I am at said pretty girls house to get a reason why she did that."

"Well I think she just wanted to have a bit of fun with you, if you ask me."

"Well as much as I love that, I think I would love to have some fun with her right now."

"Well you'er gonna have to wait on that, handsome." You said." Big Bro ain't to happy with me, I've been getting an ear full for the past hour."

"I can wait." He reassured. "I will always wait for you, gorgeous." You just smiled at him and dragged him into your house.

"Is he staying long?" Steve's distant voice was heard.

"Shut up Steve." You yelled out to him. "Like I said, ear full all day."

You and Billy just laughed at the situation. But at least you both can enjoy each others company in the end.

...................................................................

I hope y'all enjoyed this. Sorry if it is short. I know I haven't been to active, writing wise, lately. I'm trying to get through school right now.

I will try to get more out for Boots and Trumpets, and Practically Magic later.

Thank you for reading.

[inthelibrarybtw]

you want me to pretend? | ten

SERIES MASTERLIST

pairing: college!basketball!captain!rafe x college!student!reader content: fluff, college au, smau/irl, jealousy, jordan, rafe crash out, cursing

summary: You were trying to make one problem disappear. You were tired, so you lied. That small lie led you to contact the last person you wanted to ask for help. It wasn’t that you didn’t like Rafe; only that you didn’t want to deal with his constant teasing more than you already did. Also, you two weren't that close, but this one lie was going to bring you two closer and maybe help some truths come to light.

word count: 1.1k

authors note: ten? when did this happen? I'm really thankful for all the love that you guys have given to my blind children. Enjoy another flashback 😚 I intended to post yesterday but I got a fever and went to sleep it off.

09 | 10 | 11

Sophomore Year - October 2022

Sophomore Year - November 2022

Thanksgiving had been the perfect opportunity to finally get together with Angie and fully discuss the topic of Jordan. Ever since the day you two had met, you had been consistently talking to each other. While he had initially caught your attention, now it was a whole different story. You talked all day, every day—well, almost every day. 

“So you really like him right now?” Angie asked as she sat down on your bed. 

“I feel like we’re becoming really close; we talk almost all the time,” you said with a small smile. 

“Almost is not always.” 

“Yeah, on weekends he just disappears, but he’s with his family and doing a lot of schoolwork, so that’s why.” 

“Wait, so he just doesn’t answer on weekends?” 

“We talk, but it's very little on weekends. He reappears on Sunday afternoon, and we talk again. It’s a lot of voice notes, and I like that.” 

“Oh, he’s a voice note guy… Huh, he didn’t give me those vibes.” 

“Yeah, I like that because I feel it’s more real. You hear the actual tone in which he is speaking, and it’s just really nice to hear him.” 

“Maybe at first I wasn’t really sure about him, but I guess he’s not that bad.” 

“He is really sweet; we can talk about a lot of stuff,” you smile again. 

“You think it’s going to get deeper? Like are you and him, and me and Ethan, going to be having double dates soon?” she teases, and you chuckle. 

“Oh, we are already talking about that?”

“Yeah, why not? Ethan and I have been talking for two months, and I think he is going to be my boyfriend,” Angie says, smiling.  

“I’m so happy for you; he better treat you right.”  

“Same goes for Jordan; he better treat you right. But from the audio you have sent me, he does sound nice, and he was very unexpected, so…” She wiggles her eyebrows.  

“Yes, it could be something good. I don’t want to get too ahead of myself. We have been talking for just a month, so I don’t know where this is really going.”  

“So, Rafe…?” You shake your head softly, “like at all?”  

“I…” you stutter for a second.  

“Ha!” She pointed at you, “I knew it.”  

“I don’t like Rafe; I never liked him.”  

“Then why the hell is this on your bed?” She grabbed the jellycat he had given you for your birthday.  

“It was a gift; what was I supposed to do? Throw it away? It’s cute; I like it.”  

“So, no emotional attachment to that or the person who gave it to you?” You shook your head, not realizing your face was saying quite the opposite.  

“Right, so really, really nothing for Rafe?”  

“Yeah,” your voice faltered, “nothing at all.” You smiled, but Angie knew better than to believe you.  

“Zero? Nada? Nothing? Not even physically?”  

“Finding someone attractive doesn’t mean you like them; I told you.”  

“Ah, right, yeah.”  

“Angie, stop it; I don’t like Rafe.” She lifted her hands in defeat.  

“Fine, fine, you don’t like him.” 

Sophomore Year - December 2022

Rafe sat down on the living room couch. The house was anything but quiet, but at least the living room was now clean and free of a screaming Emily. His sister had gotten far too excited about her Christmas presents, and with every single one, she had screamed. He understood it, but he was also not in the mood. They all had helped her get her new toys into her playroom. Wheezie stayed with Emily, so that was why he had gone back to the living room. His loneliness didn’t last long.

“What’s that face for?” Sarah asked, sitting next to him.

“What do you mean?” he replied.

“You look all annoyed. I have a wild guess as to why, but I don’t want to get ahead of myself.”

“The thing is, I feel like I shouldn’t feel this way. It's not like she’s my ex, you know.”

“Yeah, but you like her.”

“Yes, that much was obvious; thanks for stating it again.”

“I’m just saying it's normal to feel this way. She likes someone else, and you still like her.”

“Are you sure she likes him?”

“I haven’t talked about it much, but she has mentioned it sometimes; not a lot, though.” He sighed.

“Well, according to Kelce, he has gone MIA for weeks, then goes back to talk to her like nothing happened, and he claims it’s just because he’s busy, but no one can be that busy.”

“I feel like your jealousy is making everything way worse than it actually is.”

“Yeah, well.”

“It’s okay, though; I understand it, but I do have to say that you need to eventually move on.”

“I know. I decided that a few days ago, but Kelce told me he thought she liked me, and that threw me off. I just started thinking about that.”

“And you didn’t talk to him about this?”

“Why would I?”

“Right, you don’t talk about feelings with the boys,” Sarah said, rolling her eyes.

“I have you for that; I don’t need them,” he nudged her with his elbow.

“Aw, look, you are nice,” she chuckled.  

“Shut up,” he chuckled back.  

“Back to the Y/N thing… I know this is not what you want to hear, but try to meet someone just for the fun of it.”  

“If you think I’m gonna get over her by dating someone else, you’re wrong. Before I say this, I know how cheesy and stupid it sounds, but that's just how things are.”  

“I’m gonna let you finish.”  

“I promise, the second I saw her, it was like the rest of the girls were nothing. I have tried, BELIEVE ME, I have tried talking to other girls and flirting with them, but they are all so… uninteresting, or maybe it is just because I really, really like her. I don’t even know why I like her so much,” he exhales and groans, “I’m so messed up.”  

“Wow,” Sarah said, looking at him. “Yeah… you are messed up, but hopefully you will eventually get over her, right?”  

“I hope you are right because this is embarrassing. Not even Topper got this down bad for you, and that man did some questionable things when he was trying to date you,” Sarah chuckled.  

“Yeah, well, it worked, so…”  

“For him. I’m not gonna embarrass myself, even if I wanted to. This problem is so easy to fix.”  

“Okay, now you lost me.”  

“Jordan. He is my problem. I could literally just kiss her, and voilà, problem solved.”  

“Oh geez…” Sarah sighed. “First things first, you would create more problems by doing that.”  

“Yeah, but he would go bye-bye.”  

“You spend too much time with Emily.”  

“She’s the coolest 4-year-old I know.”  

“Yeah, because she’s your sister.”  

As they started talking about Emily, Jordan and you got forgotten in the conversation, but not from Rafe’s mind. Much to his dislike, he was going to keep being annoyed and jealous about that for a few more months until he eventually called it a day.

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INTHELIBRARYBTW ✧.

[armxnh]

the first time he's ever been provoked to hit a child.

synopsis: he's jealous... jealous of a child.

characters: bakugo katsuki, denki kaminari, eijiro kirishima.

genre: fluff

warnings: fluff, jealousy( ? ).

masterlist.

bakugo katsuki

bakugo katsuki never saw himself as the jealous type.

he was top of his class—hell, probably top of the entire school. perfect grades, unmatched combat scores, and a sports festival champion. even as a third-year, he'd already built a reputation most pro heroes would kill for.

so no, jealousy wasn't something he thought he'd ever deal with. why should he? everyone knew you were his. and anyone with half a brain wouldn't dare look your way for more than five seconds—because they knew they didn't stand a chance. not when your boyfriend was him.

or at least... that's what he believed.

until today.

"god, villains really don't know when to quit, huh?" you groaned, stretching your arms over your head as your joints popped loudly in protest.

you and bakugo stood beside the police car as the cops made the villains enter the car—ignoring their protest about how 'they didn't do anything wrong'.

"yeah, well maybe if they had two brain cells to run together, they'd realize getting their asses kicked again isn't a fun hobby," your boyfriend muttered, handing you a bottle of water, before taking a sip of his.

you took the water gratefully, shooting him a tired smile, "thanks, kats"

bakugo just grunted in response, subtly brushing your shoulder with his as the villains were finally carted off. for a moment, things we're quiet. just another day of kicking villain ass walking away like the power couple you were.

and then it happened.

"(y/n)!" a small voice called out.

you turned just in time to catch a blur of energy as a kid—eight or nine maybe—came sprinting across the parking lot, weaving between police officers and tape like it was an obstacle course built for him.

"riku!" you laughed as the boy tackled your legs, "what are you doing here?"

riku looked up with the kind of sparkle in his eyes bakugo instantly recognized—and hated, "i saw the fight on the news and told my mom we had to come! you were so cool! you punched that villain through a wall!"

you crouched down to ruffle his hair. "it was more of a gentle wall-crash, but thanks sweetheart."

bakugo glared. sweetheart?

riku's face turned red as he rocked on his heels, fiddling with the sleeves of his shirt, "u-um... i-i made something for you!"

he fished in his backpack and pulled out a crayon drawing—poorly shaded and mostly stick figures, but it was you in your hero costume, fighting a bad guy, with hearts drawn all around the border.

you took it with a touched smile, "awe riku. this is amazing! i love it."

bakugo, behind you, looked like he was witnessing a crime. his eye twitched, "... are those hearts? around her head?"

riku turned around, "oh! i drew them 'cause she's my future wife!"

bakugo choked on his water.

you stared at the kid, caught between laughing and panicking. "riku- what?!"

the boy puffed out his chest proudly, "when i grow up, i'm gonna be a hero too. then i'm gonna ask (y/n) to marry me!"

bakugo took one long, slow step forward.

you recognized that face. it was the calm before the explosion.

"hey, little man," he said, voice low, "you know she's got a boyfriend, right?"

riku blinked, confused, "oh... you?"

"yeah. me." bakugo crossed his arms. "the guy who just blew up half a building and walked away without a scratch? ring a bell?"

riku frowned, then shrugged, "i'm not scared. heroes are supposed to be brave, right?"

bakugo's mouth fell open for half a second before he clamped it shut, visibly malfunctioning. "brave?"

you stepped in before katsuki declared war on a child. "okay! okay! time for riku to go back to his mom—who is very kindly waving and trying not to look horrified right now."

"but—!"

you gently pushed riku back toward the crowd, "thank you for the picture sweetheart. i'll hang it on the wall."

riku beamed at that, "i'll train really hard! you'll see!"

bakugo waited until the kid was well out of earshot before muttering, "i'm gonna buy you a diamond the size of your damn head. see how he likes that."

you laughed, slipping your hand into his, "you're not seriously jealous of a child, are you?"

"tch- i'm not jealous," he muttered.

you raised an eyebrow.

"...okay, maybe i am. a little."

"you do realize he still thinks girls have cooties, right?"

"he also thinks you're wife material," bakugo huffed, "which he's right about. but still."

you leaned into him, laughing. "don't worry, babe. you'll always be my number one hero."

he smirked, tightening his grip on your hand, "damn right i will."

denki kaminari

"c'mon, pretty—just one last game" denki pleaded, eyes glued to the glowing arcade screen.

you couldn't help but laugh. he'd been at it for nearly an hour now, completely hooked. according to him, beating the high score was way more important than studying with bakugo—who, in his words, was "an actual migraine in combat boots."

with a sigh, you crossed your arms, "alright... but don't come whining to me when you're up all night cramming for exam."

his face lit up like a kid on christmas morning, "you're the best," he grinned, pressing a quick kiss on your lips, "swear this is the last one. for real this time."

you just raised an eyebrow.

he did not, in fact, mean for real this time.

denki dove back into the game like his life depended on it, fingers flying across the buttons as neon lights flashed across the screen. you leaned against the machine next to him, sipping your drink and watching with an amused smile.

everything was peaceful.

until it wasn't.

"hey," came a tiny, confident voice from below.

you glanced down—and there he was. maybe eight years old, decked out in a gamer hoodie three sizes too big, and a pair of cartoon-printed sunglasses perched on his head like he was born to be a problem.

"are you with him?" the kid asked, jerking a thumb at denki.

you blinked, "yeah?"

he squinted at denki, unimpressed, "he doesn't look like a winner."

denki froze mid-jump, "...excuse me?"

the kid grinned up at you, "you're really pretty. you should ditch the loser and come hang out with me. i've got v-bucks."

you chocked on your drink, eyes wide, "what—?"

denki spun away from the arcade screen, "alright, little man. pipe down. she's mine."

the kid crossed his arms, "that's not how it works. if you're really her boyfriend, then prove it."

denki raised an eyebrow, "prove it how?"

the kid pointed to the screen, "final round. me versus you. winner gets the girl."

you looked between them, half-mortised, half hysterical.

"denki, he's a child."

denki was already cracking his knuckles, "doesn't matter. no kid's gonna flirt with my girl while i'm still holding a controller."

the machine blinked. player two joined.

the child took position.

you sighed, but couldn't stop the smile growing on your lips, "okay, but you're buying him ice cream if you make him cry."

denki smirked, eyes locked on the screen, "he started this. i'm just finishing it."

FIGHT!

the match was absurd. denki picked the flashiest character possible, spamming electric attacks like a man possessed. the kid? way to good for his age. thumb tapping like a professional, dodging and countering with perfectly timed combos.

a small crowd started gathering. a few people even started cheering. you stood back, arms crossed, watching your boyfriend and an eight-year-old battle like it was the fate of the world at stake.

"YEAH! TAKE THAT, PIKACHU MAN!" the kid yelled.

denki grinned. "big words for someone losing 3—1."

thee final round was neck-and-neck.

one bar of health each.

denki made the first move—risky—and landed a critical hit.

K.O

victory screen flashed.

denki dropped the controller with a dramatic sigh of relief and turned to the kid, "stay in school."

the kid pouted, "hmph. rematch when i'm ten."

he stomped off. denki turned to you, smug as ever. "so... still think i'm waisting time at the arcade?"

you wrapped your arms around his waist, "you just defended my honour in a video game death match against a third grader. i think that's marriage material."

he wiggled his eyebrows, "you say that now. wait until i beat someone in Dance Dance Revolution."

eijiro kirishima

eijiro sat on your bed, staring down at the phone in his hands—your phone. his gaze was fixed, as if he was trying to make sense of something that refused to make sense at all.

you two had been together for just over six months, and for eijiro, they'd been the happiest months of his life. he trusted you more than anyone he'd ever known. if you asked his to jump off a bridge, he probably would—because you'd only ask if you had a good reason—that's how much he trusts you.

not once in those six months had he felt the need to check your phone or asked for your location. his trust was solid. unbreakable.

until today.

when you stepped outside the room and your phone wouldn't stop buzzing, so he reached for it without thinking—just to make sure everything was okay. maybe it was your parents, or something urgent. he didn't meant to snoop.

but what he found knocked the air out of him.

over twenty messages. all from someone named yuki.

yuki: are you still coming over tonight???????? hellooooooo (y/nnnnnnnnn) i miss you i wanna play with you the same as yesterday!

and it kept going.

messages after message, filled with some kind of rope-related game and references to having done it every night this week.

and then it hit him.

you'd told him you needed to visit your parents because of family issues. was that a lie? had you used them as a cover to meet him?

the thought alone made his stomach twist.

his mind raced, spiralling, he didn't even hear the dorm door open. not until your voice broke the silence.

"i know you said you already ate, but i thought we could watch that new show together and—"

you stopped mid-sentence. you arms, full of snacks, lowered slightly as you took in the look on your boyfriend's face. his head was down, his grip on your phone so tight his knuckles were white.

you dropped the snacks onto the desk without a second look and rushed to him, cupping his face gently with your hands, "eiji? are you okay?'

he didn't respond right away. his eyes were a storm—hurt, anger, confusion, and something else you couldn't quite name.

eiji swallowed. his voice barely above a whisper, "do you... do you love me?"

"what?" you blind stunned. "of course i love you, eijiro! why would you even—wait... is this about those fans who started shipping me with izuku again? because you know that's just stupid—"

he reached up and took your wrist, gently lowering your hand then, he placed your phone in your palm.

"i need you to be honest with me..." he said quietly. "have i not been good to you? please tell me this is just some weird misunderstanding and not that you've found someone else—"

you looked down at your phone. the screen still showed yuki's texts.

"pffft"

eijiro's brows furrowed, hurt flashing in his eyes, "did you just... laugh?"

you bit your lip, trying to hold back the grin that was already tugging at your lips. "i—i'm sorry, it's just—you're so cute when you're jealous!" you leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to the tip of his nose.

he instinctively leaned into your touch, but quickly pulled back, still confused, "i don't get it..."

you stood up, tugging him up by the hand, "come on, big guy. there's someone i want you to meet."

thanks to your quirk—spacial manipulation—you snapped the two of you through a portal in a blink. one second you were in your dorm room; the next, you stood outside a house—your neighbours' house.

eijiro looked around, confused, "wait... why are we—"

"(y/n)!!"

a voice interrupted him—small, high-pitched, full of excitement.

"hey there, yuki!" you called back.

eijiro turned toward the voice. a child—no more than 10 years old—ran up to you, throwing his arms around your waist with a big grin.

a kid.

a ten years old kid.

and in that moment, eijiro felt his soul leave his body.

he'd been jealous... of this?

you ruffled his hair as he beamed up at you, completely oblivious to the emotional torment eijiro was hit with.

"yuki, this is eijiro," you said tugging him gently forward by the hand, "the boyfriend i was telling you about."

yuki's eyes lit up wide with excitement, "red riot?! woah—you didn't tell me he was that cool!"

you chuckled, "yeah, sorry, he gets shy when people fangirl."

eijiro blinked. once. twice. and then, the puzzle pieces clicked together.

"you... this is the yuki?" h asked, voice cracking slightly as the color rushed to his cheeks. "the one from the texts?"

yuki nodded proudly, "yup! we've been playing spy games every night this week! she ties me up, and i try to escape, and then she catches men again—like a ninja!"

your boyfriend scrubbed a hand over his face, groaning, "oh my god. i thought—i mean, i really thought—"

"that i was cheating on you with someone whose idea of flirting is pretending to be kidnapped and yelling 'no fair, i almost had it this time' while covered in couch cushions?" you teased gently.

he chuckled despite himself, dragging a hand through his hair, "i feel like the biggest idiot in japan right now."

you stepped closer, wrapping your arms around his waist, "hey, no. you're not an idiot. you just... overthink a lot. maybe a little too much for your own good."

eijiro melted into the hug with a sheepish smile, "i should've trusted you."

"you do trust me. that was just a moment." you leaned back, pressing a small kiss on his jaw, before meeting his eyes, "next time, just ask me. no silent suffering, okay?"

he nodded, "i love you... so so much."

you felt your face warm up at the way he looked at you, "i love you, too."

as yuki raced inside, yelling something about showing 'red riot his secret base,' you and eijiro followed slowly behind, fingers intertwined.

"so... you still wanna watch that show tonight?" you asked.

eijiro smiled, "only if you promise not to tie me up afterward."

you looked your boyfriend up and down, a smirk on your face, "no promises."

ⓒarmxnh

[thebearer]

follow me |carmen berzatto x reader|

prompt: the bear needs a social media rebrand. sydney hired you, and carmen gets more than just followers after meeting you.

an: bad descript i'm sorry lol. basically you're a social media manager and carmen likes you lol or how you and carmen meet <3 also thinking this will be a part 1???? lmk if you want a part 2!!!

contains: reader is a social media manager. language. carmen denying himself happiness ofc. mentions of mikey. fluff, fluff, fluff!!!

“What the hell is this?” Sydney’s voice raised, brow raised even higher to heighten her suspicions. Maybe her disgust. 

After Carmen looked at the snarl on her face, he decided it was definitely disgust. 

“What?” Carmen shrugged, looking at the screen in front of him. “It’s the, uh, The Beef’s old Instagram.” 

“Right.” Sydney said slowly, blinking at Carmen obviously. “The Beef, and we are not that anymore. We are The Bear.” She scrolled for a moment. “They also haven’t posted since twenty-twenty, which is-” 

“-Well, Mikey ran it, alright?” Carmen huffed, glaring at Sydney with annoyance. “I just found the fuckin’ password on a fucking gum wrapper in a folder labeled ‘important shit’ so I don’t know what to tell you.” 

Sydney nodded slowly, looking back at the phone, before sighing deeply. “I know what you should do.” She said, typing on her phone. Carmen grunted, still looking at the piles of order forms for produce in front of him. “You need a social media manager, because Carm, this? It's not gonna work.” 

“Social media what?” Carmen’s brows creased, shaking his head. “I don’t- no, I don’t need to do that. I’ll just, I’ll get Gary or fuckin’ Sweeps or Fak to run-”

“No, no, Carmen, seriously? Look at this. There’s- oh my God- there’s a thing here that says bring your own plate and you’ll get a free drink, Carmen… What the fuck?” Sydney sighed, shaking her head at him. 

Carmen nodded, running a hand through his hair. “Yeah, I-I’m thinking that was a, uh, a Mikey special.” He muttered, pinching his eyes shut. “I can’t afford to hire someone on the payroll for that long, ok? Not when I could hire another hostess or-or a runner.” 

“They only come in to revamp and get it started. Just a little kick start for now. To get us started.” Sydney explained, clicking on her screen. “Look, I have a mutual friend with this girl who’s really fuckin’ good, ok? She did Lobo’s that pizza place? Got them from two hundred to eighteen thousand followers in like two or three months.” 

Carmen’s eyes flashed, looking at Sydney with a raised brow. “Seriously? Fuck…” Carmen looked at the screen, the crisp photos, videos, fun and trendy- vibrant and alluring. He hated to admit it, but it was good. 

“Look, Carm, it’s free advertising, ok? You catch the influencers if it goes viral. Could really put this place out there.” Sydney countered. “It’d be a lot cheaper than paying for some shitty advertisement on the news that no one watches anyways. Could bring in a lot of business and attention.” 

Carmen’s fingers drummed against the counter, sighing sharply. “Fine, whatever, see if you can get her in and just… Just tell me how much I need to put aside, alright? I’ll push the new glasses until then.” 

Sydney smiled triumphantly, nodding at Carmen. “Yes, Chef.” She saluted, walking out of the office. 

Three days later, you were standing outside of The Bear, newly opened, freshly renovated, and steady but not booming. “Uh, excuse me?” You waved through the window at the man in the beanie, looking at you carefully. 

“Hey, we’re closed until dinner, alright? But you can-” 

“Oh, no. I, uh, I’m not here for eating.” You cringed, shaking your head. “I’m looking for Sydney? Or Carmen? I’m the new social media person?” 

“Social media?” The man repeated, pushing the door open further. “Oh, shit! You’re the girl who does the, uh, Lobo and Avec!” 

“Yeah, I am.” You blushed, walking into the restaurant. 

“I love watching those reels of the asmr cutting the bread. Ugh, I watch it every night before going to bed.” The guy laughed, locking the door behind you. “Oh, I’m Marcus by the way.” 

You took his extended hand, introducing yourself, while you took in the fixtures on the wall, the art, the overall ambiance. “I am going to get Carmen, but you can stay right here if you want.” Marcus grinned, pushing the sliding doors open. 

You set your things down, pulling out your notebook, and looking around the restaurant. You knew that this was once The Beef, Sydney had sent you a few things about Carmen’s credentials and you looked up the rest. Impressed was an understatement, a guy your age that had ran the best restaurant in the world? Quite possibly was the best chef in the world or at least Chicago and needed your help? You were nervous, to say the least. 

Marcus called your name, making you jump slightly as you turned around. “Uh, so this is Carmen. He’s the owner, the head chef.” 

“Hi,” You were met with piercing blue eyes, hidden under a stray blonde lock of hair. Carmen’s hand reached for yours. “Nice to meet you. Sydney, uh, she couldn’t stop tellin’ me about your work. Thank you for helpin’ us out.” 

“No, no, thank you.” You reached for his hand, strong, a little rough, trying not to stare at his inked fingers. “It’s a pleasure to work with you. She told me a little about you, about the restaurant. It’s very impressive. Surprised you needed me.” You grinned. 

Carmen bit back a smile, looking down to hide his blush. Fuck, Sydney said you were good at your job, she failed to mention that you were so fuckin’ pretty too. Carmen could feel his heart fluttering in his chest, taking flight like he was a middle schooler again with a school yard crush. 

“So, if you have time, I want to go over some goals with you?” You say, gripping your notebook tightly. 

“Goals. Right, uh,” Carmen looked through the back doors. “Sydney is on her break, and-and my sister, Sugar- well, her name is Natalie, she’s like our manager. Richie too, uh, shit- I’m sorry that’s a lot of people, I know.” Carmen shook his head, an anxious laugh pealing out from his lips. “Those are the people you need to talk to, basically. I can grab them, just-” 

“-But you’re the owner, right?” You asked, lifting a brow gently. 

“No, I mean, yeah, I am.” Carmen stuttered. 

“Then I need to talk to you, too.” You gave him a small smile. “I mean, you know this place better than anyone, right? All the ins and outs? And from what Sydney told me, you redid this entire place. Right?” 

“Yeah, I did.” Carmen nodded. Fuck, he kept staring at your lips, he didn’t mean to, he was just… he was distracted. 

“So, we can all meet if you want, or I can do it one at a time.” You pulled your pen out of your notebook, looking at him with a gentle smile. It had Carmen’s heart racing. “I just have a few questions about the vision.” 

“The vision?” Carmen repeated, swallowing around the growing lump in his throat. 

“Yeah, the vision.” You smiled. “Just… tell me about this place. Tell me about you.” You slid into the chair across from him. 

Carmen wiped his hands on his pants, turning to look at the doors, hoping someone would come to his rescue. He wasn’t good at talking, especially not to pretty girls, especially about himself. Still, he couldn’t leave you sitting there. He’d hired you after all, and you were here to help him. So he sat down across from you, hoping you didn’t see the way his knee bounced under the table, hoping you couldn’t hear how his heart pounded. 

“So, Carmen Berzatto,” You grinned, every syllable of his name rolling off your tongue so sweetly, Carmen was sure he was going to faint. “Tell me about The Bear. Why did you start it?”

“Well, it was The Beef before. And-And my parents owned it, then my brother Mikey did…” Carmen started, watching the way you scribbled, eyes flickering to him with a small smile.

“Hello!” You called, pushing through the back door. They’d given you the code a week ago, so you didn’t have to wait or pound on the front door until someone took mercy and let you in. “It’s content day!” You sang, cheery and bright. 

Carmen could hear the pretty trill of your voice, trickling down the hall and into the kitchen. Tina smirked, watching the way he stopped, turning to look at you, blush rising under his white shirt. “Hey, Jeff,” Tina smirked, his head snapping to her. “Your girl’s here.” 

The staff had been teasing Carmen relentlessly about how smitten he was with you. Something he’d been so reluctant to do, he now looked forward to. Carmen swore it was because of your work. You had taken them from the measly six hundred followers they’d had since they started the account in twenty-eleven to six thousand, strategic posts and tags and tagging a few buzz accounts that were Chicago foodies. Business had gone up, reservations filling slowly. Followers poured in from TikTok, from the reels, from the posts. One tag from a micro Chicago influencer had brought in a good chunk and was still, all because of a photo with the pretty light features and the dessert. 

“Where’s the Bear?” You grinned, passing Sydney, camera in hand, bag slung over your shoulder. You pushed open Carmen’s office, dropping your bag in there. He’d told you that you could keep your things in there, since you didn’t have a locker, of course- and not at all because that meant he’d see you before you left. 

“He’s in here, baby!” Tina called, smirking at Carmen. 

“C’mon,” Carmen shook his head, a deep breath to keep him from looking so flushed. It worked for a moment, of course, until you rounded the corner. All bright smiles and fuck, you smelled so good. Camren wanted to drown himself in your perfume. “Good morning, Bear.” You beamed. 

Carmen grinned, cheeks heating with every step you took forward. “Mornin’.” He muttered, looking at the clock. 

“It’s content day.” You grinned, shaking your camera lightly. “Tell me you got something good for me, Chef. What's the special this week?” 

“A lamb tenderloin with a gorgonzola sauce served over pasta- house made, of course.” Carmen answered. 

“Of course.” You repeated with a tiny grin. You turned on your camera, taking a test shot, before you looked at Carmen carefully. “Ready whenever you are, Chef.” 

Carmen bit back his own grin, clearing his throat lightly. “How do I start it? The same as last time?” 

“Yep.” You nodded, pressing the camera to your eyes. “Tell me your name, name of the restaurant, and then just this week's special.” 

“On your mark.” Carmen nodded, picking up his clean utensil. 

“On yours.” You laughed. “I’m already recording.” 

Carmen spoke to the camera easily, trying to stay trained on the lens and not at you. How you’d grin and nod encouragingly at him, zooming in closer as he chopped, seasoned, pulled the already prepared and finished product out of the oven. 

Richie crossed his arms, leaning against the wall next to Sugar, lips pursed knowingly. “I know you’re thinkin’ the same shit as me.” 

Sugar hummed. “That Carmen’s into her?” 

“Way fuckin’ into her.” Richie grinned, watching as Carmen blushed, grinning back at you, genuine and a little shy at your compliment. 

“Fifty bucks says he doesn’t make a move.” Sugar looked at Richie. 

Richie snorted, scoffing with a shake of his head. “Alright. I’ll take your bet. I say he does.” 

“Get ready to be out of fifty dollars, Cousin.” Sugar said smugly. “This is Carmy we’re talking about. Not Mikey. Carmen’s not gonna make a move on her.” 

“Eh, not so quick, my dear, Natalie. Carmen’s changed a little since this place.” Since the horrendous freezer incident with Claire. “He really likes her too, look at ‘em.” Richie nodded, watching as Carmen held the spoon out for you, blushing when your hand touched his to take it, groaning before smothering him in compliments. Tina looked at Richie, amused and grinning from across the room. 

“Carmen will seal the deal. It’ll be last fuckin’ minute and it will be a mess, because it’s fuckin’ Carmen, but… I believe in him.” Richie nodded. 

Natalie snorted. “I genuinely hope you’re right, Cousin.” She looked at Carmen with a small smile, watching the way he looked at you, eyes cutting like he was being so cool about keeping his feelings underwraps. “I really do.” 

That night, Carmen lied in bed, scrolling through his footage from the day, seeing the video pop up from @/thebearchicago. Set to classical music, snobby and dramatic, the cuts, Carmen’s voice laid over describing the meal for the week, and a particularly good close up of his hands cutting the onions fiercely. Carmen was shocked to see the number of likes… the number of comments flooding in. 

“the cameraman knew exactly what they were doing lmao”

“New necklace available!!!” 

“I will give you my vital organs and let you chop them up like that if you let me watch chef please” 

“What the fuck?” Carmen snorted lightly, shaking his head, scrolling through the comments. He clicked to the main page of the restaurant, seeing you were just a few away from ten thousand followers. Fuck… Sydney was fucking right. You were good. 

Carmen’s face fell, mind racing and screaming with the reminder that you were only there for a few more days. He’d only hired your for two months- two glorious fucking months. You seemed… permanent now. Like he couldn’t imagine you not coming in on Tuesdays and Thursdays and after three on Fridays. You were a staple there. The staff loved you, you were good, and-

And Carmen really liked you. Liked having you around. Looked forward to talking to you. To get the chance to lean over your shoulder as an excuse to touch you when you showed him a preview of a post. Or when you’d send him cute text messages, a funny comment attached, your text reading: “you’re a hit, bear! they love you!” 

It was like you could read his mind, your contact flashing across the screen at him. 

To: Carmen 

‘told you this would be a good one! the fans love you berzatto!!!’ 

Carmen grinned, the faint twinge of a blush on his face. He could feel his heart racing, fingers dancing over the keyboard, and worst of all- he could hear Mikey’s fucking voice in the back of his head. A nagging tone repeating over and over and over, “Let it rip, Bear! Don’t be such a pussy! Ask her out!” 

Carmen looked at his screen, fingers typing out the message, a short, less than smooth invite to make you a special thank you dinner and his place- a date. He hoped you picked up on it. Heat hammering in his chest, he could feel his chest tighten, ribs knitting together uncomfortably, stomach twisting in the worst way. 

So, Carmen did what he always did. 

From: Carmen 

‘Never doubted you. Thank you. The video was great.’ 

He watched as the blue sent, the delivered turning into seen, and followed by your thumbs up over the text. Carmen put his phone on the table, lying back on his pillow, but he couldn’t sleep. His stomach still turned, unsettled with regret. 

“Oh! Marcus stop!” You gasped, Carmen’s head turning at the sound of your voice. “You didn’t need to do all of this!” 

“Yeah, I did.” Marcus beamed. Carmen turned the corner, seeing a beautifully piped cake there, candles and icing cursive that read “thank you!” in the middle of the buttercream. “You’re cool and you got us on the map, girl. Plus, we’re gonna miss you.” 

“Yeah,” Sydney nodded, holding a small balloon that said that exact phrase on it. “We will miss you.” 

“I’ll miss you guys.” You grinned, hugging them both tightly. “This has been my favorite job so far. You guys have been so nice. Way nicer than a lot of these assholes around here.” You grinned. 

Richie stood on the wall, foot tapping, eyes darting back from you to Carmen. He could see his cousin’s stuttering movements, hesitant and careful, before retreating back into himself. C’mon, Carm, fuckin’ do it, Richie thought, shaking his head. Carmen wouldn’t though, wouldn’t let himself be happy. Richie took a deep breath, head shaking with annoyance. 

“Goddammit, Berzatto,” Richie muttered, pushing off the wall. “You know, sweetheart, it’s been so great having you. Seriously, you blew us all away.” Richie said, walking towards you. 

You smiled. “Thanks, Richie. I really appreciate it.” 

“And you know what, we want to really show how much we appreciate you.” Richie’s eyes cut to Natalie, a silent plea to help him out. “I had a cancellation for this evening, and I would love for you to come instead. Let us really cook for you, give you the whole experience. No bill, of course. All on the house, for you, my dear.” 

“Oh, I-I couldn’t let you guys do that.” You shook your head politely, eyes cutting to Carmen’s. 

“No-No, please.” Carmen nodded, finally speaking. Richie sighed silently in relief. “It would be great actually. Please?” 

You felt your heart melt, nodding softly. Before you could even reply, Richie was stepping up again. “And you know what? You gotta do one last post for us, right? The big chef spotlight one. The, uh, c’mon, Sydney what am I lookin’ for here?” 

“Oh, the one about the staff spotlights?” Sydney asked. 

“That’s the one. See, that’s it. And you’ve done everyone except the big boss.” Richie pointed at Carmen, ignoring the way the younger man’s face fell. 

“I didn’t get one-” Fak started, Richie shoving him out of the way. 

“You gotta end with Carmy, and it's funny because it’s gonna be real slow tonight anyways. Wednesday, ya know? And I think what better way to experience the night, really craft that staff spotlight thing, than with Carmen. The two of you, have dinner and get to talk.” Richie knew it was rocky, not at all smooth, but it was the best he could do. 

“What? Cousin, what are you-” 

“-No, you’re right, Richie.” Sugar added, stepping towards Carmen, and cutting him off. “And Carm, you were saying you wanted to see everything in action for yourself. You do the customer experience so you make sure everything’s good, and we’ll serve you both dinner. All the stops.” 

“How’s that sound?” Richie clapped his hands together, nodding at Tina, who grinned. 

“Jeff, it would be really nice to make sure we can work without your instructions. A good night for it too.” Tina added. 

“Yeah, and Sydney’s got it.” Richie nudged the girl beside him. 

“Totally, Carm- uh, Chef. I’ve got it.” Sydney nodded, catching on to Richie’s glare at her. 

Carmen felt like he could melt into the floor, face red and palms sweaty. His ears were ringing, tongue swelled thick in his mouth. You looked over at him with a small smile. “I mean, that does sound really nice. If-If it’s ok with you guys, you don’t have to-” 

“-Oh no,” Richie shook his head, walking over to Carmen to clap him on the shoulders. “We insist, don’t we, cousin?” Richie laughed, leaning down to Carmen. “Don’t fuckin’ stand there like a jagoff, say somethin’.” He whispered. 

“Yeah.” Carmen said, swallowing thickly around the lump in his throat. “It’s, uh, yeah. That-That sounds great.” 

“Wonderful.” Richie beamed. “Six o’clock sounds good for you kids? Give you enough time to get it together.” Richie looked from you to Carmen. “Maybe for some of us to take a shower.” 

Carmen could feel the heat rise from his neck to his cheeks, covering him in a furious blush. You giggled. “Definitely gives me time to get a blow out.” You laugh. “See you at six then?” 

“It’s a date.” Natalie added, practically bouncing on her toes behind Carmen. 

Carmen glared at her, before turning back to you. “Yeah, I-I’ll see you then.” 

[witchygagirlwrites]

Let Me Decide

Hank Voight x Reader

You're a lot younger than Hank, hell you should've never looked his way considering you work at firehouse 51 and yet you couldn't resist the sergeant of the intelligence unit. When a bad day happens you take your back and forth with him into your own hands.

You hopped out of the ambulance, grabbing your med bag and looking over at Sylvie. You hated responding to a shooting because you never knew just what the hell you were walking into.  Especially when intelligence was involved.

The two of you met the patrolman that was covering the outside of the house “Well I hope no one is dying considering none of you seem to be in a god awful rush” you told him and saw Sylvie smirk slightly. He shook his head “No ma'am. Sergeant Voight just wanted one of his detectives checked out along with the perp before rolling out”

You rolled your eyes “Always a pleasure to act as his personal rolling clinic” “Well if it isn't my favorite Paramedic” You glanced up the steps to see Voight himself standing in the threshold of the house. 

You hated how damn attracted you were to him. He was quite a bit older than you, his son Justin was just a couple years behind you in high school. He had a hell of a reputation in Chicago and around your station house. He did things his own way and sometimes, well  most of the time those ways were less than morally north.

But he also ran the most successful unit in the CPD. The men and women under him were your friends. He worked non-stop no matter the case and no matter the background of the victim. He may be a little more on the grey side of the moral scale but the results spoke for themselves. He went at every one the same. Brown eyes, that damn gravel filled voice that went straight through you and that fucking smirk that drove you bat shit every time you had to respond to a call he was at.  

“Hello to you too Voight. I see you're fine so which of your detectives got hurt?” You asked, walking up to meet him. He held open the door, letting Sylvie in first then his eyes trailed over you “Ruzek rolled his ass up chasing the perp. I need to see if a trip to med is needed”

You shook your head “Ok then, show us to them”

You were sitting at the bar in Mollys eyeing the most recent concoction Herrman had sat in front of you, Cruz, Jay and Adam. “Boys, I don't think this is a case of ladies first. Besides if either of you go down don't you want me still standing to render aid?” You asked, looking between them.

Adam shrugged and tipped the green liquid back, grimacing slightly but then he shrugged “Not that bad actually” 

You watched him for a second before saying “Fuck it” and tipped back your own shot. You saw why he grimaced. It was very limey but for one of Herrmans mixes it was good. “Not bad” you nodded so Jay and Cruz followed after you.

Cruz motioned to Herrman for another round. Adam cut his eyes at Jay who shook his head. “Ok detectives. What was that about?” You asked, seeing Jay shoot Adam a glare before Adam turned to face you, leaning one arm on the bar “What's with you and Voight?”

“What do you mean?” You asked, looking between him and Jay. Cruz laughed “She's a little oblivious fellas” you spun around to face him and he threw his hands up “I think I just heard Kelly call me…from the other side of the bar” 

“Coward” you called after him before leveling Jay with a look “Halstead” he punched Adam's arm before saying “You and him flirt…like a lot.”

“I do not flirt with Voight” you argued, feeling your face warm. Adam nodded slowly “Yeah, Sure ya don't. And he doesn't get pissy when we have to roll an ambo any time it's not your shift so that means he hasn't gotten to see you”

“What?” You laughed and Jay shrugged “Just an observation” “about what?” Kevin asked as him, Hailey and Kim joined the three of you. “Voight's thing for her”

Your mouth fell open at Adam's answer but then Kevin nodded “Oh yeah. It's hilarious when we work a scene with fifty one. Ain't never seen Voight get dog walked before then” 

“Oh my god. I do not!” You gasped and Kim patted your back “Honey, ya kinda do” 

You shook your head “For fucks sake. You six are like kids trying to get your dad a date” Hailey shrugged “Maybe he'd get in a better mood” and all of you busted out laughing.

A week passed and you didn't give much more thought to their teasing. Hell Hank Voight struck you as the type of man that if he wanted something he'd go after it.

A call rang out summoning an ambulance to the north side. Sylvie slapped your foot where you’d had it propped up on the chair in front of you, currently beating Kelly at a game of poker “C’mon partner. We gotta go” you tossed your cards down and pointed at Kelly “I’ll get you later Severide” 

The two of you headed out to the bays and climbed into the rig with you driving. She shot you a smile as you pulled out onto the road. At least it was a nice day, winter was finally breaking and the roads weren’t iced over. 

“I’ll buy lunch since you bought breakfast” she offered and you grinned “You just want an excuse to hide from Matt” she raised an eyebrow “Says the lady who literally hid behind Chief the last time we worked a scene with PD so you wouldn’t have to talk to Voight!” 

You opened your mouth to argue but knew that would only push her point further. When you clamped your mouth closed she giggled, honest to god giggled. “I knew it! You have a thing for him! Hello daddy issues” your mouth fell open “Sylvie Brett!”

She shrugged “If it makes you happy and he treats you good” you shook your head “He doesn’t treat me anyway. Now no more teasing, we’re to the address”

___________

Hank was in his office when Adam walked to the open door and knocked on it “Hey, um boss” he cut his eyes up from the file in his hands “What is it Ruzek?”

“We got a call about a hostage situation. Three civilians and two medics from fifty one” he was on his feet and grabbing his jacket before Adam could finish talking. “Gear up, now!”

__________

Your eyes were glued to the gun in the man’s hand. Unconsciously you moved one hand to push Sylvie behind you. You couldn’t get your partner out of this situation but you’d be damned before you stood there and didn’t try to protect her. 

“What’s the end game here? I mean you have to know SWAT is gonna come through that door” you motioned to the door at the far end of the store. There were a total of five hostages including yourself and Sylvie.  He nodded “Oh, I know” he took a step towards you, close enough the gun brushed against your chest “But luckily for me I got a pretty little paramedic with a big mouth who wants to protect everyone else in here”

You glared at him, keeping one hand on Sylvie. You had to keep him calm until SWAT could respond. That meant staying calm yourself, despite the fear coursing through you. “Whatever you need me to do to get everyone out of here alive” you whispered, feeling your hands tremble. 

The sounds of sirens hit your ears and he smirked at you “Lets see what happens next”

________

He’d had to order the shot. There was no other way to get you out of the situation. When they’d breached you were held against the man’s chest, the barrel of his gun pushed into your temple. Your eyes had widened slightly when you saw Hank but your shoulders had loosened just a bit.

“Listen, you let her go..you got a chance of walking out of here” he tried to offer a way out but when the son of a bitch had the nerve to look him in the eye and smirk before saying “What if I wanna walk out of here with her” he gave the signal to Jay. 

You flinched when the blood splattered across your face but the moment you were free instead of running to Sylvie like he’d expected or to a member of his unit that he knew you were friends with, you ran straight to him. You wrapped both arms around his neck, your muscles fully relaxing once he pulled you to his chest “Thank you. Fuck, thank you. I was so damn scared until I saw it was you. I knew you’d get me out”

____________

You and Sylvie were on the couch in Hank’s office. She had one of Kevin’s spare jackets wrapped around her while Hank had taken the jacket off his back to put around you when a crime scene tech had been forced to take yours for evidence.

For the last couple hours you’d given your statements and both of you had fallen asleep when the adrenaline crashed down. The entire time no one dared to cross the threshold. Hank had told them in no uncertain terms to “Stay the hell out of my office and let them catch their breath”

You curled further into the jacket, the scent of Hank’s cologne comforting you despite everything that happened that day.You’d never been so fucking scared. Your job was insane enough but staring down a barrel of a gun? Having to offer yourself up to get her and innocent people to safety? 

The moment you knew it was Hank..you knew you’d be ok. You knew he’d get you out. You knew he wouldn’t let anything happen to you. Why were you waiting on him to make a move? You knew he was single, knew he had a thing for you as well. Why hadn’t you asked him out? 

 A knock at the door drew your attention and you smiled when Hank walked in, followed by Stella. “Your ride’s here” he teased with a smile. You grinned “Oh thank god, I thought I may have to deal with your driving again” Sylvie shook her head with a small smile “We can go?”

“You’re free to go” he agreed so she walked over to Stella. You started to walk after her and made it halfway into the bullpen before you realized you were still wearing Hank’s jacket. “Let me give his jacket back” you told Stella who nodded “Take your time” 

___________

You walked back to his office and tapped on the open door. He cut his eyes up and smiled when he saw you “Hey sweetheart, you forget something?” you motioned to the jacket “Well sergeant I was stealing this” he shook his head “Keep it. Looks better on you”

You felt your face warm “Hank Voight. Never would have pegged you for a flirt” he shrugged “Only when you’re around apparently” you rolled your lip between your teeth. After the day you had, you weren’t letting an opportunity go by “In that case, you have my number on my statement. Why don’t you use it and come pick me up Friday night?”

He raised an eyebrow “Excuse me?” you grinned “Come on Old man do I gotta spell it out” you stepped further into the office, leaning against the wall not far from his desk “I like you, you’re a pretty good man and damn good looking. I think you like me. So, do you want to go out friday night?”

He stared at you for a moment before shaking his head “You’re damn near young enough to be my kid” you couldn’t have stopped the smirk that slipped onto your face if you’d tried before you asked “Is that your way of telling me you want me to call you daddy? Because damn, at least wait until then”

He laughed “You’re something else you know that?” you nodded “I’ve been told. So, friday?” he smiled “Friday sweetheart”

__________

When you walked out of the office you heard Adam whisper to Hailey “I think we got her” you cut your eyes at him and smirked “I’ll see ya around Ruzek” he grinned “So does this mean I can call you when he’s mean to me?”

You shook your head “Ruz, let me go out on the date first before you want me to protect you. Damn!”

[thevoicefromanotherworld]

"WHAT ARE YOU WEARING BABY?"

I WROTE ANOTHER FIC WITH BUCKY

When I saw this photo on the internet I inmediatly thought about THIS IDEA WITH HIM (I need him so bad guys, and the long hair? and the metal arm? and the fucking white tank? and the way he holds the phone I'M GOING TO PASS OUT)

I hope you like it! ☝🖤😊

WARNING: EXPLICIT SMUT UNDER THE CUT

Bucky had been gone for several days on a mission with the Red Guardian.

You didn't know what the hell they were doing since the soldier had insisted on keeping you out of it, but what you did know was that the two of them got along really well, what with the whole thing about them both having super-soldier serum in their systems and all that.

Every time they spoke, Alexei made a point of reminding Buck that he'd been given the "cool" serum, according to him, and that he'd been given the "real" one.

If Bucky were still the Winter Soldier, and he'd uttered those same words in his presence, he would have lasted five seconds, but since he wasn't anymore, he just laughed with him, as if he'd been told the funniest joke in the world.

Needless to say, you missed him a lot.

A lot was an understatement; you missed him SO MUCH.

Not just his presence and his raspy, masculine voice, but all of him. It had been several days since your fingers had helped you relieve the pleasure you were feeling, so you decided to call him.

He did it every day around that time, so this time you decided to turn things around.

You curled up in bed and waited for him to pick up the phone.

"Hey, doll," he answered. You smiled at the cheerful tone of his voice.

"Hey, Buck," you greeted. "Am I catching you at a bad time?"

"No, we just got back from dinner," he said as you heard him sit up in bed. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, it's just that I needed to hear your voice," you whispered. "I miss you so much."

"And I miss you, precious," he murmured. "This is the first time we've spent so much time apart, and just the fact that tomorrow morning I won't be able to wake up next to you with your hair tickling my nose and my arms around you is driving me crazy."

"Oh yeah?" "You tempted him. Tell me more."

His husky laugh filled the line for a few moments.

"I see where you're going with this, doll." You couldn't see him, but you knew he was smiling. "I want to hold you in my arms again like we were the day before I left, in our bed, our bodies tangled and sweaty after I made you cum more than three times," he explained. "I want to kiss you, fuck you with my fingers, and rest my metal hand on your throat like I know you like," he whispered, causing you to let out a low sigh. "What are you wearing, baby?"

"Just my underwear," you replied, causing him to swear softly.

"Doll…" he growled. "Do you have any idea what you're doing to me?" he questioned. "You make me want to get on a damn plane to get back to you and satisfy you like you deserve," he blurted out. "But for now, that'll have to do." He laughed. "It's better than nothing, don't you think?"

"Yes," you sighed, biting your lower lip as you remembered the feel of his. "Buck, please…"

"Please. What, darling?" he demanded. "Tell me."

"Keep talking," you gasped, shifting against the blankets, causing the super-soldier to hear the rustling through the line.

"I can picture you absolutely clearly in my mind," he continued, "with your white lace underwear and your eyes shining with desire," he whispered. "Tell me, is this what you look like right now?"

"Yes," you affirmed, looking at your reflection in the mirror of your bedroom closet, which Bucky had decided to place there for obvious reasons.

"Touch yourself for me, doll," he whispered. "Imagine it's my fingers opening and stretching that beautiful pussy of yours, stimulating your clit, making you squirm in search of your pleasure."

Your fingers had already slipped in a while ago, sliding them inside you, stimulating you just as he had said.

Bucky heard the wet sounds that crossed the line, which made him smile.

"Good girl," he whispered. "So good for me, so… obedient," he murmured. "Maybe I should give you a reward when I get home."

"Yes, please, Bucky…" you gasped as you hit your clit with your fingertips.

"I need you to be a good girl for me now, princess. Can you do it?" "He asked."

"Yes," you answered with difficulty, trying to contain your moans. "Whatever it is, I'll do it, Buck."

"As desperate as ever," he laughed. "I need you to cum, baby," he murmured. "Cum for me."

"I've never done this before, Buck," you gasped. "What if I can't get you to cum?"

"You will," he affirmed. "I trust you, doll. Listen to my voice," he whispered. You nodded. "I love you baby, you know that, right?"

"I know," you moaned. "I love you too, Buck." You gasped. "I think I'm going to… I'm going to cum."

"Do it, princess, cum for me."

Moments later, you talked a little more, and when you went to sleep, you felt calm and happy.

You had never slept so well in your entire life.

[juice-ortiz-soa]

Friends?

Female reader x Jax Teller

Some language

A request for @secretlysamcro I feel like I went in a little bit of a different direction than what you wanted but nonetheless, I hope you enjoy!🫶🏻

There was a knock at your front door, you groaned not wanting any visitor’s. You had just put on your comfy pj’s for the night. Granted it was only 6pm on a Saturday, but you had earned a lazy night after going non-stop this week. You pulled your feet off the coffee table and reluctantly got up. You shuffled your way over to the door to see who would dare interrupt your only night of relaxation.

“Y/n, what the hell are you wearing.” Jax said pushing past you, headed straight for the fridge. “Oh yeah, hi Jax, come on in.” You say to yourself, closing the door. Secretly you loved that Jax felt comfortable enough to just come on in. You met him the kitchen, “What are you doing here?”

“Wanted to see what you were up to tonight. Clearly you’ve got a whole lot going on.” Jax grinned at you. “For your information, Jackson, I’ve got plenty going on.” You say, crossing your arms over your chest. “Right. Anyways go get dressed. Club party, and I need ya there.” Jax said, finally popping the tab on his beer.

You and Jax had been friends for quite some time now. You had met him at the shop, after your car had broken down. It wasn’t going to get fixed before the next morning and he offered to give you a ride home. The conversation on the car ride over had been very natural. You two had gotten along right away. The next day, he dropped off your car and invited you to a club party. The two of you ended up sitting outside most of that night talking and getting to know one another. And from then on, you had been damn near inseparable. What he didn’t know though, was that you had started catching feelings for him. But that was something you would never admit. Sure the both of you could be flirty now and then but who wasn’t Jax flirty with? You were never the kind of girl he would end up with.

“Do I have too?” You groaned, really wanting to continue your lazy night. “Yes y/n, I’m not letting you sit home alone on a Saturday night.” Jax replied. If there’s one thing you knew about Jax, it was that he was not going to take no for an answer. “Fine, but I’m not wearing jeans.” You say turning towards the hall. “You know I love those black leggings you wear, sweetheart.” Jax called after you, with that classic damn grin he wears. “Shut up, Jackson!” You yelled back to him.

You put on those exact black leggings he was talking about though. In his defense, your ass did look great in them. You changed into an Aerosmith sweatshirt, and started to look at yourself in the mirror. A whistle caught you off guard. “Did you just catcall me?” You ask, cocking an eyebrow at him. “Sure did. You ready to go?” Jax said, smiling at you. “Yeah, but can we take my car? You know how I feel about riding the bike.” You say, turning towards face him.

“Nope, tonight is a night of firsts y/n.” Jax replies, turning to walk out of your room. You let out another groan and follow him. It’s not that you disliked bikes, you actually always thought they were cool. And secretly, it did something to you every time you saw Jax on his. But riding one yourself, it made you nervous.

“There is no reason to be nervous y/n. It’s perfectly safe.” Jax said, handing you his helmet. You take it, but your feet are firmly planted on the ground. “Jax, I don’t distrust that it’s safe. It’s the other people on the road that make me nervous.” You sighed. Jax takes the helmet back out of your hands, putting it on your head for you. “I promise it will be fine. Club is only 3 miles away, besides you know I would never let anything bad happen to you.” “Fine but if anything-“ Jax cuts you off, “Nothing will happen, now get on please.”

You throw your leg over the seat, settling behind him. The closeness making you nervous too for some reason. You’d been this close to Jax before, you decide to chalk it up to it being your first ride. Jax’s touch makes you snap out of your thoughts. “Hold on, darlin’.” He says, taking your arms, wrapping them around his body. He starts the engine, and starts out of the driveway.

The ride over was surprisingly fun. The nervousness had left your body by the time you had reached the end of your road. Jax could feel it too. The way you had loosened your grip around his waist, and leaned into him. He had smiled to himself, liking the feeling of your body pressed against his.

He secretly, couldn’t get you out of his mind since the first time he had met you. The way you had walked into the shop, he couldn’t take his eyes off you. He had walked up to Juice once you had finished talking him. Jax asked about you and what was wrong with your car. Juice had said he didn’t know yet but sure it wasn’t anything that would take to long to fix from the sound of it. Jax had asked Juice to deal with it the following day, and that’s when he walked up to you offering to take you home “because it was gonna take til the next day”. Of course he never let you know that. Jax had settled being friends with you because at least he’d have you around that way. He knew he was never someone you would ever go for.

“See, that wasn’t so bad was it?” Jax said, cutting the engine off. You got off the bike, taking off the helmet, “No, I actually really enjoyed that.” Jax looked up at you and smiled, “So I can take you for rides for often then? Maybe a road trip sometime?” “Easy Teller, let’s start small.” You laugh.

As you got to the club door, Juice started clapping. “That’s something I’d never thought I’d see!” Juice said laughing. You turned to face him, “Oh, kiss my ass!” You said grinning at him. You turn back towards Jax and walk into the club together. Walking towards the couch in the back, you notice a few new faces.

“Who are the new guys here?” You question, sliding into the seat next to Jax. “A couple new prospects.” Jax replies, not offering anything more. Although you were used to Jax not giving you any more details than he had to, you still wished he would. It felt like sometimes he could be so nonchalant, something you weren’t fond of.

You looked back towards the room, meeting the eyes of one of the “new prospects”. He had curly blonde hair, and pretty blue eyes. Not as pretty as Jax’s but pretty non the less. He offered a smile towards you, you returning it. ‘He’s handsome’, you thought to yourself. ‘Maybe he could be somebody to you. Seeing as you had no chance with Jax anyways.’ You felt a bit of sadness at that last thought. Settling for being friends with Jax because you had no chance, something that hurt you more than you would ever let on. You were just a bit different than the ‘normal’ crowd of girls Jax had been with. You weren’t as thin, or pretty. You didn’t dress in clothes that left next to nothing to imagine. Although in the year you had known Jax, you hadn’t seen him with anyone else. Just girls that would come up to you, questioning if you and Jax were a thing because he had blown them off. You truthfully didn’t understand why he was blowing these girls off.

You’re pulled out of your thoughts when Jax cleared his throat. He had been watching you and the prospect. A bit of jealousy swelling in his chest. “Do you want a drink?” Jax asked. “Yeah sure, just a beer.” You smiled.

Jax got up and headed to the bar. He didn’t understand why he couldn’t make a move on you. He was usually a confident guy that could get whatever he wanted. Whoever he wanted. But then again, he wanted more than just nights with you. You weren’t the kind of girl that did one night stands. You were kind, helpful, funny, sweet, caring, great with his boys. Everything he wanted. Deep down he was just scared he wasn’t the kind of man you’d want. The things he’d done, although you didn’t know the full extent of them all, he had come to your house with blood on his hands more than once. But you never asked questions. You would just help him clean up and than watch tv together, laughing. You were the escape to the rest of his world.

Jax got to the bar and ordered the two beers. He turned around to look at you, but what he was met with wasn’t what he’d expect. The balls on the prospect were big, he’d give him that. But unfortunately for the prospect, he was stepping into a world of hurt for talking to you.

The rest of the guys knew you were off limits, hell everyone knew that. Everyone but you. Jax grabbed the beers, and headed back to where you were. “You need something?” Jax asked the prospect harshly, sitting back down next to you. “Jax don’t be rude, we were just talking.” You defended. The prospect stiffened, “No sir, I didn’t realize you and her were together. I thought-“ “You thought wrong.” Jax said sternly, not breaking eye contact with him. The prospect nodded, offered an apology and walked off.

You turned towards Jax, “What in the hell was that Jax? We aren’t together!” You said. Jax silently handed your beer, still not taking his eyes off the prospect. “Jax?” You questioned.

Suddenly, Jax stood up. He reached down grabbing your hand. “C’mon.” He said. He led you through the sea of drunken people, reaching the door, opening it. But he didn’t stop, he kept walking straight to his bike. “Get on.” He demanded. You could tell he was in no mood to talk about what just happened, as confused as it left you. You did what he said, sliding onto the back of his bike. You wrapped your arms around him, sinking your body onto his. The feeling of your weight calmed him. He let out a breath and started the bike.

Thoughts of how he was going to explain why he said what he said ran through his mind. Nothing seemed to be a good enough excuse. A bit angry with himself for letting on that he wanted you. But also happy he did it. Like a weight had lifted off his shoulders.

Thoughts of what the fuck just happened raced through your mind. Why was Jax so upset that you had been talking to the prospect? Why did he tell him that you were his? Jax didn’t want you, or that’s what you had thought for so long. Maybe he did? You pushed the last thought away. There was no way Jax wanted you. He probably had good reason for lying to the prospect.

Jax pulled into your driveway and got off the bike, you followed doing the same. Jax sighed rubbing his face, not sure what to say.

You broke the silence, “Well before you dragged me to the party, which we only stayed at for maybe an hour by the way, I was just gonna have a lazy couch night. Care to join?” Jax smiled at you nodding his head.

You walk in the front door turning towards Jax, “I’m gonna go put my comfy clothes back on, help yourself to the beer in the fridge, and go put something good on the tv.”

By the time you emerged from your room, Jax had a beer in his hand, feet kicked up, flipping through the channels. “Nothing good is really on.” He said looking up at you. “Maybe now would be a good time to talk about what happened back there then?” You ask, staring into his piercing blue eyes. He sighed, looking back at the tv, “I don’t know honestly. I saw the way you were looking at him before I went to the bar, and then when I saw him over there actually talking to you, I just… I don’t know.” “What’d you get jealous?” You smiled, teasing him a bit. He looked back up to you with a look you couldn’t quite pin, “Yeah I guess I did.” You exhaled and sat down next to him.

You were just teasing him, you didn’t expect him to say that he actually had gotten jealous. You felt an arm snake around your waist, pulling you closer. You looked over at him, “Jax, if you have something to say, just say it.” Jax looked into your eyes for a minute before laying it all out to you, “I want you, y/n. And I don’t mean just for tonight. I mean every night. I wanna get home and sleep with you, I wanna wake up next you every morning. You’re my escape. I haven’t been able to get you out of my head since that day you first came to the shop. I settled for being friends because I didn’t think you’d ever go for me. But I’m tired of pretending.” Jax admitted.

You sit there stunned, not knowing what to say. “I- I never knew you felt that way.” “You know how I feel now, how do you feel, y/n?” Jax asked, slightly nervous of your answer. “I’ve wanted you for so long, I was always scared that you never would go for me.” You admitted.

Jax reached his hand up, caressing your face. He pulled you in for a a soft, tender kiss. He sat back, playing with your hair. “So I didn’t really lie to the prospect then. You’re mine now.” Jax says with a hint of possessiveness in his voice.

The words echo in your head as your cheeks heat up. You grin at him, pulling your legs up underneath you. He tucks you under his arm and kisses the top of your head.

You both turn towards the tv, enjoying the new found comfort in one another. “Oh and by the way Y/n, your car would’ve been fixed that same day you brought it in. I just needed an excuse to get to know you.” Jax finally admitted, with a grin. You let out a laugh, lightly hitting his chest, “You’re a hell of a schemer.”

[arbitrarykiwi]

heyyy can i request some nam-gyu fluff…or some maybe angst…😏😏😏

Illumoria

Illumoria- the realization that every person has hidden parts of themselves. a light they rarely share

I DID NAWT FORGET ABOUT YOU ANON! I had this cooking up since you sent it in and it literally just spiraled. This had me struggling in the best way possible. I’ve said before, angst is not my strong suit- I cannot do a cheating trope I’m too much of a ween. I don’t do well writing toxic relationships- again because I’m too much of a ween and a sucker for a happy endings. So getting this, angst to fluff?! Oh yeah we could work with that. 😏😏

I worked so, so hard so I could post this!! Today (30th) is my birthday and I worked mad hard this past week to get this finished so I could celebrate with y’all!! I wanted to give yall a wee gift. So enjoy this long ass request that turned into a full on one shot fic. 🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶

Warnings: 18+ , drug dealing , slow burn , gun violence , physical violence (not committed by NG or reader) , small fight scene (bad drug deal) , more drug dealing , drug usage , did I say slow burn , mentions of sex , drug usage , roommate trope lmao , Nam-Gyu being a dick , Bonnie/clyde like trope , probably more , read at your own risk

Everyday you ask yourself why you answered a random ad on the web for a roommate. You know at the time it was because the rant was cheap and it was a close commute to your work- but now? Now, you doubt those small benefits make up for what you’re dealing with- your fuck ass roommate.

His name was Nam-Gyu. You didn’t accept the offer blindly, you looked him up to make sure he wasn’t some serial killer. You found his social media. He didn’t post a lot but you found out he was a club promoter at some club, enjoyed weed (based on the many pictures of it in his feed), and was friends with some purple haired rapper. He also wasn’t bad looking, he had strong features, longer hair and dark eyes.

So with all that combined and the looming threat of higher rent- you weighed your options and took your chances and responded to the ad.

It started out okay, you would hardly talk to each other. Your days seemed to work out to where when he was leaving for work, you were coming home; you two hardly crossed paths. Every so often when you’d be out late, your schedule shifting, you’d catch him in the kitchen or in the hallway- exchanging nods and glances of acknowledgment.

It started as little things, dishes in the sink that you knew you didn’t place or loud music that he’d play when he’d come home from work to shower at 4am- things that drove you mad but you gave him grace, working as a club promoter couldn’t be easy.

He also found himself getting irritated by you. He really hoped some laid back dude would answer his ad for a roommate- not some office working princess. You seemed so put together, like you had your life in order. You left at the same time, 6:15am to go to work, at your (what he presumed to be) an office job, and came home around 12am. And from the glimpses he’s caught of your room, you were organized. Maybe he shouldn’t hate you for redeeming qualities but the face you were so much better than him pissed him off.

He hated that he could smell your shampoo and body wash hours after you had ended your shower. He loathed how he could hear the switch in your ‘professional’ voice and your ‘regular’ voice through the walls when you’d switch from a work call to some other call. He despised how sometimes when you would cook he could smell it from his room (it smelled so fucking good but he would never admit it).

But as the months passed you two were the worst possible roommates. You and him never got along, always butted heads, and seemingly hated each other. You two couldn’t be more different from each other. Well…he seemed to hate you. He began to make your life a living hell (so in turn you had to hate him).

When you’d turn the heat down, waking up covered in sweat, he’d bust out of his room-some how hearing you click the thermostat and come out to yell at you about how he pays the most of the utilities (because he’s the one that racks it up the most). You not being a docile person always fought back. And he hated that.

When he would cook in the kitchen he would banish you from not only the kitchen but from the whole common area of the house. He’d say he hated that you’d watch him like some begging puppy. You could stay out in the living room but he would make it known he hated it with annoying, childish huffs and whispered insults under his breath. So you just resorted to going to your room.

When you would shower he would make it a habit to run his dirty clothes in the laundry, making sure that the shower water would run cold during your time in the bathroom. Nothing could replace the joy the sound of your squeak of surprise from down the hall would bring him when the washer would start- the water in the bathroom turning ice cold.

He hated how your music would clash with his through the walls as you did whatever you did in your room. You hated how he seemed to NEVER put his shoes by the front door where the shoe rack was but drop them somewhere in the middle of the apartment. He despised how you would come home making so much noise, those stupid fucking keychains jingling obnoxiously against your bag as you walked to your room. You hated how him and his stupid friends would stay up till 4-5am blasting shitty rap and railing lines.

It took a couple months for things to bubble over…but eventually you guys would argue. A snide comment on Nam-Gyu’s end here, a bitchy remark on your end there- and suddenly it ends with both your bedroom doors slamming.

There was also one time he stumbled into the apartment on something, what it was you never found out, but, he busted through the door- damn near taking it off the hinges. You remembered you nearly jumped out of your skin at the time, practically choking on the cup noodles you were eating in the kitchen. “You know how to use a door right?” You harmlessly joke, it was lighthearted…okay, maybe it was definitely sarcastic and ended with a scoff but it wasn’t hostile!

“Who the fuck are you talking to, bitch?” He snarls at you from the door as he slams it shut. The force vibrates the apartment, you can hear the dishes clanking in the cabinets. Your eyebrows furrow, immediately you’re shifting into a person that he’s never seen- if he was the tiniest bit more sober he might have been thrown off.

“The fuck is your issue?!” You’re seething, putting your noodles down and coming out of the kitchen striding across the living room to face him properly. When you’re closer to him you realize that he’s fucked up, not just drunk or weed high….no he’s on harder shit. You knew he smoked weed, hell on the rare occasion you two were docile and cordial, you’ve even smoked on the balcony together. You also knew he wasn’t impartial to pills or even doing lines, you’ve seen the remnants though you’ve never seen him do it. But this- this was something different.

“My issues is I have to come home to a raging cunt of a roommate every god damn night.” He says lowly, throwing his keys down onto the coffee table and kicking off his shoes. He kicks them off so hard he’s denting the wall by the floor.

“Woah, woah.” You’re hissing lowly, stalking up to him. He’s so far gone but he’s surprised you’re standing up to him, getting in his face and not shying away. For some reason that pisses him off more. “You’re the one who put the fucking ad out because you needed help with rent.” You growl, pointing an accusatory finger in his direction.

Maybe if he was the least bit fucking blitzed he would have asked you about your split eyebrow and bruised knuckles but he genuinely couldn’t see straight. “Okay and? Didn’t expect to get a smartass girl answering the ad.” He says shoving his way past you and into the kitchen. When he passes by you can see a bright red spot on his inner arm, near his elbow. Your suspicious are confirmed. Your eyes are widening, and your mouth hangs open a bit. Sure he was not the best person, but you knew his job and you knew the shit he had to do to keep it and even make rent (as much as he tried to act mysterious and keep his life hidden).

You watch as he opens the fridge and pulls out a beer. “You sure you need that? Maybe you should get some sleep..” you say, your tone lighter- you’re not even trying to continue the argument- just trying to make sure he’s okay. You have no time to react before he’s throwing the bottle to the ground in a fit of rage. It shatters on the tile of the kitchen, the foamy liquid spreading across the laminate.

You jump, the action startling you. It was nowhere near you, you’re across the house still, near the entrance, but you have never seen him like this. “I am I grown fucking man. I don’t need my roommate being my fucking mommy.”

You look at him for a moment, just shocked and unsure of what to say. When you finally find your words, all you can muster is a “Go fuck yourself.” You’re throwing your hands up and walking to your room. Your door slams behind you, rattling the dishes in the cabinets like they did when he entered the apartment. This time he jumps, the sound and vibration somewhat snapping him out of his drug induced haze.

When you wake up in the morning to go to work, his room door is closed, signaling he’s home and likely asleep. You want to be angry and just leave, walk out the front door and just go to work- but you can’t. You have to at least check on him. So you tip toe over to his door and turn the knob, pushing it open.

He’s sprawled out on his bed, still in the clothes that he came home in- but he’s snoring. He’s breathing. He’s alive. You notice how his face twitches and he turns away from the door, the extra light from the hallway flooding into his room and annoying his sleeping self. Content with seeing he’s at least alive, you slowly close the door back.

You let out a breath you didn’t realize you were holding and continue down the hallway to the kitchen. The beer bottle shards and the beer was cleaned up on the floor, the evidence of his outburst nowhere to be found. At least he cleaned up after himself.

When he was certain you left for your little office job for the day, Nam-gyu snuck out of his bedroom. He felt like death personified. His head hurt, the room was spinning every time he took a step and he was certain that if he looked in one place for too long whatever he was looking at would start to move….whatever fucking drug he did he was not doing it again.

He admittedly didn’t want to do it…but his job was riding on it. The look of his boss, the one telling him to take the offer from the VIP or else his position would be cut, was enough to make him do it. The ‘bonus’ was not only a surprise (he hardly ever got something ‘extra’…he guessed his boss became more generous on whatever the fuck he took) it wasn’t nearly enough compensation for what he went through….

For what he made you go through.

It was just enough to cover his rent for the month, barely and it kept him his job…that’s how much it cost him to do some drug he had no idea what it was. Wow, stand up person he was. Stumbling, he makes it to the kitchen, hands slamming against the cabinets desperately to open it and get a glass for water. When he grabs the glass and slumps over the kitchen sink the trash can is in his direction field of view. He can see the shards of the bottle he broke. The amber stained glass hard to miss against the black plastic of the trash bag.

He groans, his brain pounding has memories of the night prior rush back to memory. He hardly remembers coming back out late in the middle of the night, rather early in the day- before you even got up for work- to clean up the mess. He knew he wasn’t the best roommate, hell…he wasn’t the best person…but whatever came over him that night; you didn’t deserve that.

And who could forget the time, not even a week after the huge fight you two had- a knock sounds at your closed bedroom door late at night. You know only Nam-gyu could be the one knocking at this hour, the apartment is locked up and he definitely didn’t have anyone over, but, it confuses you as to why. He never comes to you for anything.

It’s three soft knocks, like Nam-Gyu is testing to see if you’re awake. You never slept good, always in and out of sleep. So when your half-asleep body focuses in on the soft sound, you’re awake immediately. You sit up in bed and look towards your door. Maybe you dreamt it? Fuck, maybe that goodnight blunt kicked your ass more than you thought it did.

One more soft knock- like he’s testing to really make sure you were asleep if you weren’t going to answer. Nam-Gyu sighs. He’s so glad you didn’t answer- you were asleep. He begins to turn on his heels about to get on with his scheduled meeting.

The creak of the door knob makes his body turn to ice. He freezes awkwardly, half turned away from the door. He’s so still, like a kid that thinks if they are completely frozen, they’re invisible.

“Nam-gyu?” Your tired voice cuts through the still air of the apartment like a knife. Okay….so looks like freezing in place didn’t work.

Nam-gyu turns on his heels to face you again, an almost bashful look on his face as his dark eyes meet yours in the hallway. He coughs, trying to fix his dry throat to no avail, “h-hey…uh…thought you were asleep…”

His words fumble out of his mouth in choked, embarrassed syllables. His tone is hushed, maybe if he talks low enough you’ll think you’re dreaming. He wants to kick himself when he realizes how pathetic his words come out. He can even see the way your eyebrows knit together in confusion and shock as you try and wake yourself up more.

“I…well I was.” Nam-Gyu cringes at your response. Of course he ruined your sleep by knocking. He made his situation so much harder. “Yeah…sorry about that…” He drawls out.

Nam-gyu coughs awkwardly “So…um…I’m gonna have someone over-“ You immediately scoff, “Dude, I don’t care…get your dick wet. You don’t have to tell me about it.” You say surprised, that’s the only reason you can think he’s coming to tell you that, a ‘hey stay the fuck in your room I’m trying to get laid’ thing. You’ve lived with him for months and he’s never done this…come to think about it you’re not sure if he’s ever brought a girl home…but this is strange.

Nam-gyu seems to falter and look at you dumbly. He shakes his head violently, hands thrown up dismissively, “N-no it’s not like that. Just…stay in your room and try not to make too much noise m’kay?”

His voice is jittery and anxious but it’s also eerily calm- like whatever he was about to deal with was something he’s done time and time again. “Uhhh….yeah…sure…” You nod, still half asleep and delirious. “Wha…what is going on?” You mumble, eyebrows knitted together as you try to stare at him in the dark hallway.

He seems to realize how anxious he appears, he fixes his posture and changes his tone. Clearing his throat he speaks, “None of your business, just stay the fuck in your room okay.” He spits, glaring at you. His hand brushes past your waist, nudging you out of the way of the door. He grabs your door knob and slams the door shut.

Fumbling backwards into your room you stare at your closed door. Did he seriously just slam your door? Slam it backwards?! What the fuck was going on.

You obviously end up staying awake, ear pressed to your closed door as you try your best to hear anything that happens outside your room. You can hear a knock at the door and Nam-Gyu walking down the hallway, away from your door.

You hear the telltale sound of the deadbolt on the front door unlocking, the creak of the door opening, and muffled introductions being made and then the door shutting.

“Yeah man…I told you that I was getting the money I swear, just a couple hundred behind.” Nam-gyu’s voice is hushed and uneasy- you can tell he’s trying to keep whatever was going on, on the down low. He didn’t want you to hear.

You’re nosy though.

You shift more, nearly trying to make your face melt through the wood of your bedroom door. “You sure didn’t seem so scared when you were borrowing the 6 bands.”

The voice that answers Nam-Gyu is rough, it’s louder, obviously not caring of the idea of ‘quiet’. “I’m fucking serious, if you don’t have the money I’m going to fucking-“

“Okay okay! Jesus fucking Christ, just be quiet will you. I have a fucking-“ Nam-Gyu cuts himself off, he doesn’t want to tell this loan shark he has a roommate- just someone else to get involved with his bullshit. Nam-gyu chocks it up to him being strategic, he doesn’t need anyone else meddling in his affairs- but deep down he knows it’s to protect you. The last thing he needs to see is your pretty face hung over him while he gets the shit beat out of him.

“I have fucking neighbors. Walls are thin. You wouldn’t want them hearing this would you.” Nam-Gyu awkwardly corrects himself, hoping, praying, that this intruder wouldn’t question him further about his awkward grammar.

“You said you would have the money” this time, the unknown voice is matching Nam-gyu’s in volume.

Nam-gyu’s hushed panicked voice cuts off the other, unfamiliar voice, “I don’t have the money okay…” a sharp breath rings through the apartment, like he’s waiting to get hit for saying the truth. Moments pass with no sign of altercation, Nam-gyu lets out a breath, “I promise I will get it to you end of the month, with interest even!” He says, pleading with the stranger in your home.

“End of the month. 40% interest. All paid in cash.”

You assume Nam-Gyu gives some kind of nod of affirmation or something silent to show he agreed because the stranger scoffs and lets out a gruff ‘good’.

“But you’re also so fucking stupid if you think I’m leaving empty handed.”

Your breath hitches, it all happens so fast- you hear a sharp smack, a large thud against the wall then the telltale sign of a gun cocking.

Your hand hovers over the door, getting ready to say fuck it and deal with whatever the fuck was going on inside the apartment you paid rent for, but the scuffle subsides just as soon as it started. You hear footsteps stomping away. Presumably Nam-gyu’s footsteps following. Then the front door closing and locking. Stepping back from your bedroom door you let out a shaky breath, hand still hovering over the door knob as if going out there would do anything.

Nam-gyu’s bedroom door slamming shut, vibrating your bedroom walls answers any conflicting thoughts you had- he’s in his room so it only made sense for you to stay in yours.

The day after, you could see Nam-gyu had a busted lip. You wanted to say nothing about it- you’ve lived with him for long enough, you know he was not the type to want to be ‘checked on’. You really did try, but the really sketchy random man that Nam-Gyu let into your apartment, with a gun, had seemingly beat him up- you had to ask.

At an odd time in the week, when both of you happened to cross paths in the kitchen, you genuinely had no ability to stop yourself. Up close you could see not only was his lip busted, his cheek and temple were bruised.

“Did you get fucking pistol whipped!?” The words fall out of your mouth before you can even stop yourself. You’re slamming your cup noodles on the counter and gawking at his face.

Nam-gyu’s eye visibly twitches at your words, his hands that were washing the bowl he just used, clench around the cheap plastic- warping and bending the material. “Mind your fucking business.” He shakes his head, the hair that was once tucked behind his ears falls over his face, shielding the bruises from your point of view.

His response comes through clenched teeth, like he’s holding himself back- giving you the benefit of the doubt- maybe you’ll listen and mind your own like he wanted.

“Mind my business?!?” You scoff, whipping your head to the side to face him. “You have any idea how fucking sketchy that was last night?! You coming to tell me to stay in my room like some scared deer? I fucking heard a pistol cocking, and now I see you messed up and bruised?!”

The comparison of him to a scared deer makes Nam-Gyu practically throw the dish back into the sink, hands coming to grasp at the counter. “I told you to mind your business. Seriously, I don’t need you up my ass. It’s my fucking job. I don’t need you worrying about me.” When he finishes speaking, he furrows his eyebrows, how the hell did you know the distinct sound of a gun cocking?

“Okay, your busted fucking face aside,” Nam-Gyu cringes at your words, you can see the insult he’s getting ready to throw back at you but you speak again, “I pay rent here too, and you let in some stranger who very obviously had a gun and who may or may not have pistol whipped you.”

That seemed to be all Nam-Gyu could take, and it wasn’t even much, you just seemed to set him off. “You answered the fucking ad. You don’t like it? Move the fuck out, I genuinely don’t care, it would be better with you not here. You have no idea what it’s like to do what I do, keep your mouth shut and let me do my damn job or pack your shit.”

With that he’s storming away. You’re left there in the kitchen, mouth hung open as you’re trying to process the interaction you just had.

Neither of you mentioned that night in the days and months to come, you both acted like it never happened.

The tension between you two didn’t change one bit. Since then his view on you seemed to change. He seemed to hate you more than he did before- so in turn you hated him more.

He seemed to think you were some prissy ‘better than you’ girl. He remembered he came to that conclusion rather quick after that one night. It all happened one day after you came home from work. It was the first time he got any idea of your work life. Your schedules often differed so he hardly ever saw you. And when he did you pissed him off too much for him to care about your intricacies.

You worked a boring office job that had you practically pulling your hair out but you had to dress all formal. It was probably fancy and paid well. Hell, you probably have gone on company vacations all expenses paid on the regular….that’s what Nam-Gyu believed you did.

There was one night, you came home late, talking on the phone with your boss about some analytics and statistics for the company, getting rather annoyed that you still have to deal with his even on your off time. You’re spouting words he can’t even conceptualize a definition of and practically throwing your winter jacket on the hook. It was hard enough that the metal of the rack vibrates and makes a ringing sound.

He watched as you kicked off your heels in the entry way and shrugged off your blazer off. You didn’t even realize Nam-Gyu was in the living room right in front of the door, frozen with his nose hovering over a fresh line of white powder that laid on the coffee table. You end the phone call and turn around. When you see him you both look at each other wide eyed. You could see the way his eyes narrowed even so slightly. You didn’t have the capacity to deal with this situation so recent into your tenure as roommates and you’re far too tired. Also, who were you to judge- you weren’t a saint yourself. So you quickly saunter off to your room like an uneasy fawn in your dress pants and silk blouse, blazer hungover your shoulder.

You’re running off to your room to avoid a fight with him like normal, you never stay to talk with him anyways! Quite frankly, he was miserable to be around. He was a dick and had little to no people skills. But when you got off the horrendous phone call with your boss and walk into your apartment to see your roommate railing blow off your coffee table….you just want to go to bed and crack open the fresh pack of weed gummies you got- hoping to relax after a long day.

But he takes your hasty and awkward departure as you thought you were better than him. Such a pretty, innocent thing all dressed up in expensive clothes (they were thrifted) and heels- coming back to the apartment from a cute office job where you’re probably the heartthrob of the office making a comfortable living (you weren’t and you were barely scraping by)- to see him, a lowlife club promoter who gets paid minimum wage, who can hardly pay his share of the rent, railing lines off the coffee table you bought for the living room. You also saw him come home that one night when he tried the new injectable drug for a bit of extra cash at the club….Yeah, you definitely think you’re so much better than him. You had one over him, he knew little to nothing about you and yet you just saw him dealing with a huge vice of his on more than one occasion….yeah, no, he didn’t like that. It just made him hate you more.

The thing was, you weren’t the overly perfect, prissy, princess image that he crafted his mind- you were far from it. Admittedly the office job was a front, it paid like shit and it was at some sleazy loan shark firm, you were just forced to dress in overly formal attire to look more ‘inviting and appealing’ to the unsuspecting souls who walked in the door…it was a front for your real source of income. Drug dealing. That was what you hid from him. He seemed to have no idea about your side hustle, no matter how many times you’ve come home beat up and bruised after you were jumped or were involved in a deal gone bad- he was none the wiser.

You weren’t proud of it and you never intended to get involved with that scene but one too many months of not having enough rent or getting evicted when you were too behind on payments; you had to do something. The opportunity fell in your hand when you went out one night with a group of friends to some shady club.

Admittedly, you were the odd one of the group, you weren’t too keen on dancing on random men like your friends were, you were side eyeing any man that tried to get near you and you looked annoyed you were even there (you were, you wanted to go home), and you didn’t buy any of the overpriced drinks from the bar, and you had a neon ‘guest’ band meaning you didn’t even pay the cover to get in; someone else did- so maybe that’s why your boss scouted you out. You seemed like you could handle your own- you could. You weren’t a violent person but you were always down to fight if it got down to it. You’d protect your friends and throw a strategic punch square in a grown mans jaw if you needed to. And you were down on your luck, you needed money.

So when you left the bar, your friend’s long gone; he approached you. Of course, at first you were uneasy by a grown man who appeared to be in his 50’s approaching you. But with some slick talk, speaking to you like a wise Italian grandfather with a fortune to pass down to you, and a rough estimate of what you could be making- you accepted the job. Making drug runs for this man and his ring, dealing to people that he didn’t feel like going to or dealing with. Of course it was shitty, dangerous work…but you were desperate. You wanted to get enough to allow you to quit your other job, get enough to keep you steady for a bit while you find better work…..that was also 4 years ago.

Nam-gyu knew none of that though, it wasn’t exactly something you were proud of. You most certainly weren’t going to tell him either. Doing the drugs and being the dealer are two different things…as much as you despised what you were doing, you made enough money to keep you afloat and that’s all that you cared about for the time being. You knew the guys you worked for weren’t lacing the stuff you sold so it made you feel a little better…you still didn’t like doing it. But..It was better than where you were. So you continued to do it.

Nam-Gyu was always far too drunk, high, sleep deprived, or a combination of all three to ever notice the black eye you had spontaneously gotten or the bruised and split knuckles you came home with far too often. It was not an easy job. You were intertwined with some shady people, directed to go off to bad places late at night by yourself- you had to defend yourself. And you knew how to do it well! That’s what kept you alive and kept you in business.

It was a side of you that you only felt shame for, a dirty secret that was quite literally the only thing that could keep you afloat in this economy. That should say something in itself, insight some sort of worldwide change to make it where you weren’t driven to do this, it wasn’t some dream land though; it was real life.

Recently, your boss had given you the details on a couple deals that could set you up for a long while. Two deals that could even get you out of the drug dealing ring for good! Of course, the bigger the deal the more dangerous and the more risky….however, the higher reward was far too perfect to pass up.

When your boss texted you with a location and a time- you responded promptly. After putting on some jeans, a tight fitted top and a jacket, you’re headed out the door and hauling a taxi to get to where you were told to be. Club Pentagon.

You were directed by your boss through text message to use a fake name once in the club, walk to the back of the club to the VIP rooms, give the fake name and you would be led to the buyer. Off rip, you were warned to keep your sarcasm to a minimum, to be polite and kiss ass- this was a big deal that your boss could not lose. The price of the product was firm, it always has been, but you knew the game- make them think they can bargain or are already get a bargain to get in good with the clientele.

Wanting the pay out, the money that could get you out of this job and the shitty office job you have- you comply, enter into the club, and maneuver your way to the back of the club. The VIP area was lit up by a bright neon sign that nearly made you have a headache. You walk over to the attendant standing at the lux velvet ropes that separated you from a dimly lit hallway lined with multiple doors on either side.

“Name?” The attendant says looking down at you with a skeptical look. You’re thankful you took the couple minutes to remember the fake name your boss gave you because the man behind the velvet ropes that held the list of names was a hulking older man who was downright terrifying to look at. You relay the fake name expertly like it was the name you were given at birth.

The bouncer looks over the list he has in his hands, finds the name you relayed and nods. “Alright, you can follow me.” The bouncer’s demeanor changed, he’s more serious- scrutinizing you and looking you up and down with a threatening stare. When he turns to lead you down the dim hallway he makes a show of lifting his shirt up on his hip to flash the shiny gun that’s holstered there.

You swallow thickly, it’s nothing you haven’t done before but the proper place of the deal makes you uneasy. It isn’t an open area in the middle of the street, it isn’t some rundown house where you know the individuals who live there have nothing but shitty knives- this is the big deal.

Step after step down the hallway, more armed men join you in a makeshift entourage that escorts you down this back hallway of the club. You begin to wonder if you’re even in the same building- turn after turn you’re believing that there’s no way this hallway could possibly be attached to the club.

Even if you wanted to stop- to turn back now the group of armed club workers prevent you from turning around, they’re so close to you that even if you side step a centimeter off, you’re bumping into one of them and being shoulder checked back in line.

After what seems like forever, you’re brought to a room- on either side of the closed door another guard. You’re led into the small room, it was very obviously a room used for private dances.

You weren’t graced with a stripper, you were met with multiple men seated on a sofa with even more bodyguards around them. Seated in the middle of the couch was a man who looked to be the buyer- expensive suit, gaudy chains and rings layered with diamond and gemstones that are worth more than 6 months rent for one crystal that inlays the jewelry.

Straightening your posture and putting on a brave face, wanting nothing more than to get this deal over with so you can get your cut of the money, you nod politely to the man.

“Didn’t think you’d be the one he’d send.” The man says, eyeing you up and down like you’re a meal ready to be eaten- you hate it.

“You told him to send his best man for the deal, here I am.” You say simply, keeping your hands stuffed in your jacket pocket to hide your trembling fingers. You’ve done hundreds of deals, thousands even, but this was so much different. This was the big league. This was large amounts of high priced substances going from one kingpin to another.

With a scoff, the man motions to a brief case laid on the table, one of the guards opens the case with a click. Bundles of money sit in the briefcase, pressed and pristine. The client, the man who quite literally holds your life in his hands at the moment, nods to you.

Taking a step forward, you eye the cash, “that’s not what was agreed upon.” It’s easy to tell, you know what this large amount is supposed to look like, and what was in this small briefcase was not it. You look back up to the man, eyes narrowing suspiciously.

“Ahhh, smart one.” He says mockingly, talking down on you with an evil undertone. “Who would have thought.” He jokes, elbowing the people next to him to try and get them in on the shitty joke he was making. “The rest of the money should be coming shortly…what kind of man would have this much money readily available, darling.”

The name makes you cringe, the whole interaction is making you feel more uneasy by the second.

The room shifts when the door opens, everyone standing to attention, “here’s the money boss.”

Your eyes widen, you can only see the back of the person as they walk in that room- but you know that voice. And when the person who entered turns, backpack slung over the shoulder. You know you’re fucked.

Nam-Gyu.

He seems just as shocked, if not more than you to see you out of all people standing in the room for one of the biggest drug deals his boss was about to complete. He honestly thinks he’s hallucinating.

The views you two had of each other collapse in on themselves like exploding stars. It’s so fast and violent that you feel like you might throw up. Sure you knew Nam-Gyu wasn’t the greatest guy, you knew he had to work somewhere that was open overnights- but you would have never thought he would be working at the club and for the sleazy, shitty, man you’re doing business with. And Nam-Gyu? Well he was fucking dumbfounded. He saw you as some holier than thou office worker who was early to rise early to bed. He thought you were some good girl who would never end up in a place like this.

Yet here you both were.

“Is there a problem?” The boss says, glaring at Nam-Gyu who was paused by the doorway eyeing you. He shakes his head, it’s sporadic and anxious like he’s shaking his own surprise out of his head. “Uh no, sorry not at all.” Nam-Gyu responds, hand anxiously gripping at the strap of the backpack that was slung over his shoulder.

The big boss laughs, motioning Nam-Gyu over and taking the backpack from him. “Just partied too hard, hm?! That’s what I like to hear!”

Nam-Gyu laughs, it’s so uneasy and awkward, no one but you seems to notice. His wide eyes stay trained on you as he moves within the room. Like he was told prior to the deal, he takes his place behind the couch.

He tries hard to get rid of the pit that’s forming in his stomach. There’s no fucking way that you were the dealer in this big deal that his boss was talking about for months. The one he knows was a set-up, he was part of the planning!!

Take the backpack, you check the money, and while you’re busy- head down in the cheap bag to count your earnings, the one guard in the back left corner was supposed to take you out. Clean and simple. Something Nam-Gyu had been involved in countless of times, something he had no issue with doing. Fuck, he was the one that was tasked with getting rid of the fucking corpses! He should be completely fine and locked in as Thanos would say.

He oddly starts thinking of Thanos then, about the many times he’s come over and asked about Nam-Gyu’s ‘sexy lil roommate’. He hated when Thanos would call you that, he told himself that it was just him being respectful- Thanos shouldn’t be talking to you like that….but then again when has Nam-Gyu ever cared about being respectful. Thanos would always tell Nam-Gyu that he should make a move, that he obviously has a crush on you. Nam-Gyu would always deny it, brushing him off and inevitably insulting you to make his point.

But now….Thanos assertions were starting to make sense…the longer he spends in this room, knowing that you would take the place of whatever unknown corpse…yeah, he’s going to fucking throw up.

It probably wasn’t a good idea for him to take a bunch of drugs before this either- to his defense he didn’t fucking think it was going to be you in this deal!! He normally could go into this crossfaded and be completely fine but now the sweat on his forehead gets worse and he’s genuinely trying to not vomit.

“Well alright then,” Nam-Gyu’s boss’s voice brings him out from the memory riddled haze he was in, his worried eyes look over to you then to his boss, “As you can see, here’s the rest of the money.” Nam-Gyu’s boss finishes, grabbing the backpack and tossing is unceremoniously to your feet.

You quirk up an eyebrow and scoff, “you’re going to treat me like a dog? I have the deal of a life time for you and you’re treating me like this?” You look back down at the bag, making a show of not moving an inch to pick it up. “Your mother ever teach you manners?”

Nam-Gyu doesn’t know whether to be turned on at your boldness in such a situation or fear for your life- he knows the people he works for all too well. They don’t take kindly to people talking back.

“Oooohh~ feisty. Seems like he picked a good one.”

Nam-Gyu lets out a shuddering breath, thankful that his boss seemed to enjoy your attitude and are getting some sort of praise from his boss. He knows what’s coming, the inevitable plan that will sour the deal but leave the boss of the club with money back in his pocket and some free drugs.

With a raise of one singular finger, the boss motions for one of the guards to pick up the backpack. The large man crosses the room and with an outstretched hand, holds the bag out to you.

You take it, nodding in thanks with a small smirk quirked up at the corners of your lips. “Much better, thank you.” Your fingers fiddle with the zippers of the backpack. Placing a strap of the backpack over one arm, you slide the duffle bag you had off your shoulder and drop it to the table.

You zip it open effortlessly, hovering close by it as you show off the copious amounts of drugs inside. “All here, like you ordered. If you sell this without issue then my boss said he has no problem continuing business.”

Nam-Gyu’s boss inspects the substances packaged in various bags and nods. “Looks good to me, why don’t ya make sure that’s a good enough payout for ya boss there sweetheart.”

When you scoff and go to open the zipper of the bag, Nam-Gyu decides he can’t watch what was to come. He can’t watch you die over some fuck ass drug deal.

He moves quickly, shoulder checking the guard, his coworker, that stood next to him and on holsters the gun hanging on the man’s thigh. With one fluid moment, he’s raising his arm and aiming at the guard in the room that he knew was tasked to kill you.

A crack rips through the room, everyone ducking and beginning to become frantic. Nam-Gyu’s intended target is struck in the leg and drops to the ground.

Instantly the room turns into chaos, the men on the couch hold up right and unholster their weapons. You get pulled into a headlock, gun to your temple as they try to keep you as some sort of hostage for negotiation. Who they’d negotiate with? All you knew was whoever it was on the receiving end of that bargain would most likely let you die over some drugs.

With fluidity that takes your captor off guard, you’re showing his stomach, forcing him back and yanking his own fire arm from his hand. You have no time to celebrate, you’re running back and trying to figure out what the fuck went wrong. Nam-Gyu shot one of his own men? Why the fuck would he do that?!! You genuinely have no time to figure it out in this moment.

Bodies are clashing together, fists are flying, there’s definitely blood on the floor and bullets are ricocheting off the walls. At this point it’s so chaotic you’re almost 100% positive some of the guards in the room got confused and have started fighting people on their side. Your eyes land on the door you walked into the room from, you could absolutely make it if you booked it hard enough. But then you see the money that litters the floor- spilled from the backpack that lays on the ground- lost to the chaos of the room.

Sucking in a sharp breath, you bolt to the bag. Sliding on the floor you’re quickly scooping up stray bills into the bag and hauling it over your shoulder. Whipping your head to the door, you plot your escape. Moving to a squatting position you’re propelling yourself upwards and breaking into a sprint.

One stride. Two. Three. You’re nearly there, you can almost reach out to the doorknob.

Pain erupts from the side of your skull, you’re plummeting down to the floor before you can even look at whatever, or rather whoever just hit you. A large weight crushes your stomach, making it hard to breathe. Your vision is hazy and it burns to open your eyes but you have to keep going.

The boss, Nam-Gyu’s boss, the big wig who was supposed to receive the drugs you were ordered to sell is on top of you, one hand on your sternum and the other raised in a fist. You struggle, wiggling your body to try and get him off of you but the weight of a grown man is much more than you hoped for.

The first hit comes down hard, you immediately taste blood and your mind is filled with static. Oddly enough, the only thought that forms is one of Nam-Gyu. He was in the room, started the gunfire and is still probably fighting. You hoped that he got out, you didn’t know why…he was a complete dick to you most times, but you just hoped he was out of this shit show- alive.

You think you may have passed out, maybe gotten a few more hits from the man who had you pinned, you’re not too sure. Your eyes are forced open when someone is practically ripping you from the ground.

“Nuh-uh, you’re not dying on me.” The second Nam-Gyu’s voice fills your ears, you feel like you’ve gotten a second win. You laugh weakly and fall into his arms, gunshots still ringing out in the room. “C’mon!” Nam-Gyu taps lightly at your cheek, waking you up more. “You can fall on me and be all weak later, we gotta get the fuck on!”

“‘M not weak.” You mumble out, standing up straight and wiping the blood from your lip. Nam-Gyu groans and yanks you by your wrist, “Yeah, I know. You definitely aren’t,” he says, voice laced with a weird admiration. He yanks you quickly, you fall instep with him as he ducks and weaves you through people jumping to get you.

You two practically fall through the door, the wood splintering as you barrel out into the dimly lit hallway.

Nam-Gyu has your wrist in an iron grip as he’s pulling you out of the room and down the corridors you came from. He knows if he can at least get you two to the main part of the club- they’ll have to stop shooting. He hopes.

You fumble over your steps as you try to get a hold of the situation, but the way Nam-Gyu is pulling you, you have no option but to keep up with him. Bullets are whizzing past you and each one that flys by, you’re thanking whatever part of the universe that is listing for your pursuers shitty aim.

“C’mon, keep the fuck up.” Nam-Gyu shouts back to you, his voice laced with an anger he truly had no reason to harbor, “they’ve fucking leveled business for less than a shitty drug deal, we’ve got to fucking go!”

“Motherfucker! I’m trying! It’s not my fault you’re 80% legs. I’m well aware that if we stop running we’re going to get shot!” You yell back, way too sarcastic given your situation. If this wasn’t life or death, Nam-Gyu was sure that he would have laughed at your insult.

You’re so lucky he is guiding you, the more you turn down identical hallways, the more you’re not sure where you even are. You’re about to ask if he has any sort of plan when you feel a burning sensation blooming across your shoulder, “Shit-!”

Trying the best you can, you turn to look, blood has started to stain your skin but you can tell it’s not deep, a graze at best- but too close for your liking. “Nam-Gyu! You gotta plan?! They’re fuckin’ gaining on us here…and oh my fucking god!! Are those fucking attack dogs?!”

Your words turn into a desperate tone when you turn back to see some of the men on your trail stop and begin to mess with large collars on three large dogs. The canines were growling and snarling, foaming at the mouth and already jumping at the chance to chase you two like prey.

“Fuckfuckfuck!” Nam-Gyu mutters to himself, this really couldn’t get any worse. They’ve nearly almost hit you, he knows he’s been grazed by the hot metal of a bullet too, and now the fucking dogs- he’s not even sure if you two could make it.

He’s quickly shaking his head of the thought, “Just keep fucking running!”

And you do.

After what seems like too long you and Nam-Gyu practically barrel onto the dance floor of the club. Almost immediately as your feet hit the floor of the main area, the gunfire in your direction ceases. With you two no longer in line of sight and meddling in a sea of club goers, your pursuers also don’t release the attack dogs. There’s no way you’re out of the clear though, they still had bouncers on your ass. You don’t falter, Nam-gyu keeps pulling you through the sea of people.

Nam-Gyu practically shoulder checks the front door open, hand still gripped tight around your wrist and pulling you along with him.

When the night breeze hits you, you’re taking the biggest breath in possible. You want to stop running, your feet are so sore and your body is so tired. Without the threat of being shot, you’re realizing just how bad you got injured within the fight in the room the deal was in. Your head is spinning and your vision is starting to get blurry the longer you keep running.

He doesn’t know why he does it, he should just leave you there on the sidewalk, but he can’t. Something in him is screaming at him to protect you, to take care of you. It’s a split second decision, one that would definitely help both of you in the clear- he yanks you by the wrist closer to him and hauls your tired form onto his back.

You have no energy to protest, the second your feet leave the concrete and you’re weightless, your head is dropping to his shoulder and your eyes are squeezing shut to try and fight off the migraine that’s beginning to form.

You’re woken up from a micro-sleep that you didn’t even realize you had taken when you’re placed down into the seat of a car. You’re jolting awake instantly, not even realizing where you were or who you were with before you fell asleep. You’re waking up about to fight whoever it was that had you in their car.

“Hey, easy! Just trying to get you buckled in…”

Nam-Gyu’s voice makes you settle, your head turning to look outside the door to the individual who was now leaning over and buckling you in the car. Your throat is far too dry to speak, you’re blinking at him like a deer caught in headlights. It’s cute he thinks. He wants to admire you for a moment but he soon hears the back door of the club slam open.

Not taking any chances, he slams the passenger door and is hopping into the drivers seat in under 10 seconds. A shrill screech comes from the tires as you two peel out of the parking lot.

The ride home is silent, yet you could cut the tension with a knife. It’s so tangible you’re afraid it might suffocate you. You try your best not to look over into the drivers seat where you know Nam-Gyu was seated, probably white-knuckling the steering wheel. Your throat is dry, your body is sore, and you’re positive you can taste blood.

The drive back to your shared apartment was horrible, your anxiety stayed through the roof and neither of you spoke a single word. The only sound that resounded throughout the car was the dull hum of the AC and Nam-Gyu gritting his teeth.

He practically spins out when he pulls into the driveway; wheels skidding on the concrete of the driveway in a shrill screech. You want to at least thank him for giving you a ride back (even if he or the situation yall were in didn’t give you much of an option), but Nam-gyu is shifting the car into park and exiting the vehicle quickly. You jump when he slams the door, walking up to the front door without so much as looking back at you.

You scramble to follow him, barely catching the front door with your palm as he walks inside. Quickly, you close and lock the door behind you- dead bolting all the locks and checking them over and over- out of habit or anxiety about one of the people you two just beat and robbed blind coming after you- you weren’t sure. Swallowing thickly, back against the front door as if it was about to be kicked in, you open your mouth to speak. “Look I didn’t mean-“

“Shut up. Just sit down.”

You shut your mouth and glare at Nam-Gyu’s back as he walks to a cabinet in your kitchen, where the first aid kit was. “We need to talk-“

“Not right now we don’t. Sit the fuck down.” Nam-gyu whips his head back to face you, leaning over the counter with a disheveled look across his bruised face. “You’re fucking bleeding.”

Nam-gyu simply states, walking back over to where you stood speechless. He harshly shoves your shoulder, snapping you out of your stupefied trance and pushing you down to a seating position onto the couch behind you.

He doesn’t give you a moment to protest or even a moment to breathe, he’s hovering over you and grabbing your chin in his hand. Tilting your face every which way possible, he examines the extent of your injuries with a dejected look.

“You don’t look any better.”

He can’t help it, your statement makes him let out a dry laugh, it’s quiet and quick, but a laugh not the less. “You don’t know when to stop talking.” Nam-gyu says gruffly as he begins to clean up your wounds.

“I didn’t need your help I had it covered…I’ve done shit like this before you know.” Nam-gyu pauses, looking at you like you have three heads and just told him the sky was green- you have done something like that before?!

It made sense now that he thought about it, you wouldn’t have even been the one to come on behalf of the drug seller if you didn’t have some sort of credibility. The longer he thinks about it, the more he’s pissed. How did he miss this seemingly huge thing about you?! You, out of all people, a fucking drug dealer?! You willingly got into the business when you could have had other options (you didn’t) and put yourself into this danger.

He didn’t know why but the thought made him physically ill- and in change it made him even madder. Why the fuck did he even care?!? He shouldn’t care, you were just his pretty roommate he used to get a break on the rent. You were the prissy girl who would come home and glare at him for smoking in the apartment (you were never glaring, you were just coming home high yourself).

Yet, here he was, just fucking lost his job to save you like some story book hero and now patching you up. This wasn’t like him and that alone made him uneasy. But each time his hand brushed the cool rag against your split lip with you looking up at him with a cute little glare, his heart felt like it was going to explode.

He scoffs, a pathetic attempt of a response as he breaks himself out of the haze he was in. His fingers work quickly, as if touching you was physically burning him. Nam-gyu throws the cool rag down and reaches to the first aid kit, fishing out a few bandages.

When his fingers graze against your scalp, where you know you’re bleeding from, you suck in a sharp breath. Yes, it stings, but it’s nothing you haven’t dealt with before. It’s his closeness.

Nam-Gyu is leaned over you, one hand holding the top of your head- keeping you still- fingers threaded into your hair to part it away from the wound. The other hand dances along the gash and works diligently to clean you up. It’s the softness of his touches, the way he’s so careful with you.

And when you look up finally, catching the way he looks- you’re a goner. He looks at the wound like it’s all his fault, like he had some obligation to protect you and he failed. It was odd, you never had someone dote on you like this, it made it all the more weird to have Nam-Gyu out of all people show you this kindness.

Feeling your intense stare on him, Nam-gyu looks down. When he sees you looking up at him, he begins to over heat. Was it this hot when you two first got back?! Fuck, you do look so pretty like this..

You watch as he bites the corner of his bottom lip, ripping his dark eyes away from you and hurriedly finishes his work on your injury. Soon, he’s closing the lid on the first aid kit and pulling away from you.

“Don’t do anything stupid, you’ll open it up and you’ll really have to get stitches.” Nam-gyu scolds in a low, monotone voice. He’s throwing away the wrappers and bloody gauze and coming right back to the couch, sitting next to you.

You want to say something, thank him maybe, but you can’t form any words. From fumbling the deal, nearly getting killed, having Nam-Gyu save you and patch you up like a knight in shining armor- it was all so much. Your mind was spinning and the tension within the room grew thicker the longer you two sat in silence.

“You really didn’t have to-“ your pathetic attempt at breaking the silence is cut off by Nam-Gyu. “I didn’t have to but I did. Enough about it.” His voice is rough, cracking with his terse words. “I could have taken care of it myself, ive been doing this for-“

“Shut the fuck up and quit whining about it. It happened it’s over with” Again, he’s cutting you off, “I don’t give a fuck how long you’ve been ‘in the business’ I wasn’t going to let you get your ass beat over some drugs.” When he says it, he feels like he’s dreaming. There was no way you were drug dealing this whole time. Your pretty little office-working self getting involved in one of the most fucked up and dangerous side gigs possible?! It made him sick.

He was never a good roommate. Hell, he was not even a good person to you most the time- but the idea of you having been so down bad on your luck, so beaten down by life and forced into the line of work solely to make sure you survived- it made him want to throw up. Nam-gyu didn’t find himself around great company either but that was normal for him. He was antisocial and a jackass, working at a sleazy club, doing sleazy shit for a quick buck; it was normal for someone like him. It shouldn’t have been normal for someone like you.

Nam-gyu runs his hands through his hair, drained and exhausted from the altercation, the silence fills the living room awkwardly yet again. His dark eyes flick over to the side of the couch you sat in, your mouth closing as if you decided against saying anything else. You look like a kicked puppy, shrinking into the couch as if you’re being scolded. Bruises are blooming over your face, a horrid reminder that Nam-Gyu didn’t make it out of the VIP room with you quick enough.

The last thing you need is for him to be mad at you. Your life was dangled in front of your eyes like some sick prize to be won at a fair- an occasion that had happened to you one too many times while you worked dealing. He knows that this wasn’t something new to you, you weren’t some soft sheltered girl that needed to be scolded for getting involved with the big bad boys.

“I’m…” Nam-gyu breaks the silence, sighing deeply as he tries to find the words he wants to say. He wasn’t good at this. Comforting was never a word that could be used to describe him. “I know you could have handled yourself.”

His words make you release a breath you didn’t know you were holding. You try to relax, try to relax your shoulders and straighten your back, to sit like an adult and not a child who was in trouble. “But I wasn’t going to sit there and just let you get your ass killed.”

“You’re stupid as shit for getting involved in the line of work and you’re dumb as fuck for even thinking I wouldn’t help you.” Nam-gyu seethes, he can’t even make eye contact with you. He’s leaned forward on his knees, eyes trained on the carpet, legs bouncing anxiously. You can even see, damn near hear, the gritting of his teeth as he clenches his jaw.

He hates this. Part of him wished he didn’t jump in and pull you out of there. It would mean he didn’t have to confront the feelings he’s been ignoring.

Nam-Gyu was for one, not a great person. He usually didn’t give a fuck about anyone but himself. That’s how the world worked! If he wasn’t number one in his world he wouldn’t be here. Everything he did was only to benefit himself. Putting up the ad for a roommate that you answered to? Yeah, he only did that so he could have a bit of extra cash to spend on drugs….that was another fault of his- he could be strapped for cash and barely make rent but he always made sure he had his fix of whatever substance he could find and here he was bitching you out for dealing the drugs he did on a regular. How hypocritical.

He was painfully aware of how hypocritical he was. You would have made this so much easier if you were the pretty little office girl he thought you were this whole time. But you weren’t, you were some badass drug dealer who could throw a punch. Who knows how many drug houses you’ve been to, how many fights you’ve been in or how many times you almost lost your life. He almost hates you for deceiving him in such a way….almost.

You cringe at his words, they make your gut ache and heart drop. You felt stupid for arguing with him, you know if you were in his situation- you would have done the same thing. It’s human nature. “Yeah but your job….” You say in a soft sigh, settling back into the old couch you two sat in. “There’s no way they’re going to let you back…I made you lose your job.”

“You didn’t make me do anything. I did the shit on my own.” He grumbles, his leg bouncing anxiously. He looks forward, at the ground, staring at seemingly nothing as he tries everything in his ability to not look at you. “Okay, smartass.” You respond, rubbing a hand against your forehead. “What I’m trying to say is because you fought your own fucking boss for my sake you lost your job and now don’t have anyway to make rent.”

It pissed him off how you were right, how did you know how much money he did or didn’t have?! Was he really that much of an open book.

“It’s fine. I nearly killed your boss. We’re even.” He grumbles, you can only sigh in response. In the fight you both had somehow attacked the other’s boss. Nam-gyu did throw the first punch, that was a fact. He effectively ended the deal before it even started. “So now I’m assuming you don’t have rent either right?” He adds.

“Nope. Broke as fuck since I didn’t finish the deal.”

After your response you sit in silence, it’s awkward but something seems to stir in both of you. Both of you are oddly calm for just admitting to not having any rent money for the month and effectively becoming black listed from the club / drug scene. Neither of you had a good source of income now.

After what felt like ages, you both speak at the same time.

“I robbed your boss at the club”

“I stole the drugs you were supposed to sell.”

Both of you turn, looking at each other incredulously.

“You lying fuck! Oh my god I thought I was going to be the reason you were evicted.” You say looking at the mass amounts of the drugs that you were supposed to sell. “Yeah…figured we could flip it…make rent and then some, y’know.” Nam-gyu says sheepishly.

“Wait.. you robbed my fucking boss!?” Nam-gyu immediately shouts looking at you like you have grown a second head. The man he has hated for years- the one who paid him below minimum wage just so he could pocket the money- you robbed him?! Nam-Gyu has wanted to rob that fucker blind for years! But with all the security and his need for a job, he never tried it.

“Well yeah…” you shrug, hand rubbing the back of your neck. “It was easy really…he had the cash laid out in gaudy fucking stacks on the table and he broke his ring when he hit me sooo…” you laugh awkwardly, “when shit hit the fan and they were distracted…” You turn and grab your bag you had been carrying, dumping it out onto the couch.

Wads of cash tumble out the bag, some falling to the couch cushions, some bouncing off the plush seat to settle on the floor. After what was too many bundles of cash and crumpled single bills fall out of your bag, a broken, diamond incrusted falls out like a perfect cherry on top.

“…I took what I could get when you grabbed me.” You finish, smiling proudly at him.

Nam-Gyu looks at you bewildered, mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. It’s like his whole idea he had of you in his head had been shattered- it had.

He moves before he can even realize what he’s doing, he’s launching over the couch and grabbing your face in his hands, cupping both of your cheeks.

A wide, proud, almost grateful smile stretches across his lips, “You have no fucking idea how amazing you are- oh my fucking god- so fucking smart! So perfect!”

Your eyes widen when he speaks, each word that you hear makes your heart hammer into your chest more and more, you’re not even sure what to respond. He’s so close you’re breathing in each other’s air.

“I-“ your words pathetically fall into a cracked sound that is somewhat of a squeak. You can’t even form a response, you were certain praise like that would never have fallen from Nam-gyu’s mouth, let alone be directed at you.

Your surprise makes him realize exactly what he said. His eyes dart around nervously, trying to think of anything he could say to act nonchalant- there literally is nothing. Not with what he said, not with the position you two were in.

A moment of silence washes over you both, the air thick with a tension neither of you had noticed until now. You’re not sure who moved first but after a long moment, you two are leaning in and closing the distance.

Your lips mold with his, admittedly it’s a bit tense and awkward at first, both of you unsure and nervous. It takes a few seconds but both of you ease into it, lips moving slowly and meticulously against one another, melting into the feeling. It was so gentle, tender even. Something neither of you had experienced.

You raise a shaky hand, placing it on his cheek and pulling him closer, feeling an innate need to deepen the kiss. He seems to reciprocate, his shaky hands hovering over your waist- unsure and scared- before he’s gripping at you and pulling you closer to him on the couch.

Months and months of pent up feelings of anger, desperation, and pure need are translated through the kiss. He can’t get over how you taste, so sweet, your lips are so soft. Nam-gyu has never felt anything like this, it’s a kiss that makes him feel like it’s his first one ever. It’s not, far from it but this isn’t a lustful kiss that is spur of the moment while he fucks you- it’s a slow, strategic kiss that molds your lips so perfectly with his like both of you are trying to memorize the individual lines on the others lips. He was never one for romantic shit, he always said he didn’t do relationships. You were different though.

Nam-gyu could slap himself, really, he feels so cheesy to even think something like that. You made him feel things he would never even dream of, you made him feel vulnerable in the best way.

He kisses you as if you’re the oxygen he needs to breathe, hands gripping at your waist and pulling you onto his lap. The movement makes you let out a surprised gasp, Nam-gyu swallows it down effortlessly, settling you onto his lap with ease like you’ve been there before.

When you pull back for air, he’s chasing your lips like this would be the only time he will ever get to kiss you. With a smile on your lips, you’re kissing him once again, hands threading themselves into the dark hair at the back of his neck. Nam-gyu’s hands hastily shove up the shirt you had on. He’s placing his palms on your ribcage, thumbs just under your breasts, and pulling you into him.

When he needs air, despite depriving himself of it for far too long, he’s slumping into the couch bonelessly, eyes fluttering open to look at you sat so prettily on his lap. Despite being bruised and still covered in dried blood, he thinks you’re the most picturesque thing to have graced his field of view.

“I’m sorry I was….am…such a dick..” Nam-Gyu mumbles, eyes trailing over your body trying to memorize every intricacy. “You don’t deserve it..I was a horrible roommate, I was-“

“Annndd~ I literally was literally dealing drugs and tried to kill your boss in front of you- I’m not a saint either.” You say, one of your hands releasing his hair to cup his cheek, thumb brushing over the skin.

Nam-Gyu, much to your surprise, doesn’t shy away from your touch, he’s turning his face into your hand and nuzzling your palm. “Still…” he huffs, lips brushing against your palm. He pouts like a dejected kid, mind racing through every single time he had argued with you or was more than an unsavory roommate.

You let out a yelp when he nips at your skin, “What the fuck was that for?!”

“That’s for not fucking telling me you were some badass drug dealer, here I was thinking you were some prissy office siren who never did drugs- you gave me more than one glare when I was railing lines off the coffee table.” Nam-gyu chuckles, dark eyes roaming your face.

“I was fucked up high!” You laugh, pushing at his chest, “I wasn’t glaring, I can’t judge you for doing that shit, you’re a grown man- I was so fucking high my eyes were about to shut on their own while I was standing.”

Both of you begin to laugh, short chuckles and soft giggles turning into full on, boisterous laughter. It was so cheesy, both of you too caught up in your own emotions and insecurities that neither of you thought of what could be if you both just sat down and talked like adults.

“Well then, now that I know you are down for some substances~” He says, catching his breath.

“Ew, don’t say it like that”

Nam-Gyu laughs once more, shifting slightly to reach into his back pocket. He pulls out a small ziplock bag, brightly colored with a trippy design, immediately you can smell the dank aroma of weed, “Why don’t you let me roll for you, and tomorrow I can take you out properly.”

You smile, nodding, taking the bag from his hand to inspect the green flower, “you wanna take me out while I look like this?” You say lifting your free hand to point at your bruised and cut face.

“Oh hell yeah, you look tough as shit.” Nam-Gyu nods, hand dropping from your waist to tap playfully on your ass a couple times. “If you wanna heal and settle before I take you out, by all means….but I’m taking you out as soon as the bruise is gone.”

When he finishes his sentence Nam-Gyu leans in, his lips pressing a soft kiss against your bruised flesh. “I’m done being stupid, bein’ a dick…” His words trail off as he repeats every time he was an ass to you over and over in his head.

When he would turn on the washer to make she shower go cold- it wasn’t to piss you off, it was really so he could hear the cute squeal you let out and hear how you sounded yelling his name. He learned quickly he liked the way his name sounded coming out of your mouth.

When he would banish you from the kitchen while he was cooking, it wasn’t because he found you annoying. It was because he was distracted by your perfume. The second you walked into the kitchen, or even the living room, he could smell you. It was a scent that comforted him in the strangest way- that unfamiliarity scared him.

Nam-Gyu was a loner through and through, he loved his alone time. Hell, he hated the club scene- he’s not even sure how he does the job, it’s like the second he’s clocked in a switch is flipped and he’s on autopilot until he clocks out. All that to say, that is why he lived alone.

But, with rent too high, he needed a roommate despite how much he did not want one. And as much as he’s lied to himself, saying you were possibly the worst roommate to have- he found himself enjoying coming home to evidence of you being there. Your hair ties left on the ground, lipgloss near the front door, the various pairs of shoes that overcrowd his singular pair in the entryway- he loved it.

“You are fucking terrifying.”

“I’m sorry?!” You say with a laugh, looking down at him with your eyebrows furrowed. Your hands fall to his shoulders, pushing yourself back the slightest bit to look at him better.

He shakes his head violently, “no! Not like a bad thing…” he mumbles sheepishly, looking at you through thick lashes, “you just…make me feel things, things I don’t know if I want to feel.”

“Is that a good thing…?” You ask, uneasy, feeling like maybe the kiss you two shared was too much.

“I think.” Nam-Gyu says, his hands grip your waist harder, anchoring you to him as if he was scared he fucked this all up and you’d leave. “The more I’m around you the weirder I feel but I crave more of it…”

You laugh softly, reaching a hand up to caress his cheek, thumb brushing over the bruised skin gently. “Well then, I’d like to help you explore those weird feelings, give you what you crave..”

Nam-Gyu’s heart feels like it skips a beat, his breath is caught in his throat but he’s grinning up at you like the biggest idiot. Leaning into your touch, nuzzling his cheek into your palm, he nods.

“Good.” He responds, his arms wrapping around your back and pulling you into him. Chest to chest he buries his head in the crook of your neck, nose running along your pulse point. “You can start by sleeping in my bed with me tonight.”

He’s up off the couch, carrying you down the hallway before you can even protest. In a fit of giggles you cling to him, wrapping your arms and legs around him. When he feels you tighten around him, his whole body feels warm- he could never get enough of it. And now that he has it, he’s positive that he could never be without it.

[evilminji]

Weird/Unusual Crossover time?

Weird/unusual crossover time! ദ്ദി(˵ •̀ ᴗ - ˵ ) ✧ (oh shit~! She's back on her billshit!) (That's RIGHT! Nothing is sacred and NO ONE IS SAFE!)

ANYWAYS~

Danny Phantom. Cultivation Novels (my current obsession). A match made in hell? Or an exciting new adventure‽ Cause like... the Zone DOES go EVERYWHERE, right? Infinite means Infinite means "Literally Without End" Infinite.

As in, Forever.

You COULD, in fact, pick a direction and just... keep going. Forever. For always. Without end or limits. The Zone is not just "really, REALLY big and we need a word your mind could comprehend." Not "as big as a galaxy or the known universe". It is? On a scale that even GODS can not comprehend.

The place GODS go to die. A place they are BORN from. The great primordial soup where universe end and begin anew. Where the cracks are glued backed together, and the souls of the living flow in and out. Endless scraps of fabric, realities, atop a churning sea of green. Keeping everything even.

After all... you can't CREATE a soul. They got to come from SOMEWHERE. Where do you THINK they arrive from? When populations grow? Thin air‽

But... ah~, there in lays the rub, doesn't it? Would knowing the Zone? Knowing SOME of it's mysteries and machinations (for NO ONE, not even all the Ancients COMBINED, can ever claim to understand even a fraction of them all.) mean that Danny??? Was powerful in a Cultivation reality?

He's certainly a powerful GHOST.

But?? They FIGHT ghosts all the time. Wouldn't he be WEAKER and more in danger? As they try to hell the restless spirit move on? Not knowing he is balanced between life and death? They could very well kill him.

Which, given the moral standards of the Realm? Would NOT be viewed as a bad thing.

But! On the OTHER hand?

He is a ZONE ghost. Not a simple spirit. Far beyond what they are used to dealing with. Arguably? ASCENDANT. From a higher plane of existence. A lower one. Several steps to the side. He is, for all intents and purposes, shrimp colors to the human eye. The color blue to a blind man. An orb to the two dimensional.

CAN he even interact with the world's cultivation systems? Does it recognize him as a god? A dead man? Some sort of ascendant dead god?

Something... Not Right™

Yet still utterly natural? Clearly not meant to be here. Yet... not wicked. Granted, not, perhaps, benevolent. But...

Because what IS he? Is he a boy? A man? A corpse? Immortal, perhaps? Is this creature a demon? The resentful dead? They DONT KNOW! It... probably scares a lot of them. Makes some of them think he is a test. Probably makes OTHERS wanna fight (friend? Hey! New friend!).

And like? Why would Danny even BE there? He's already immortal. The swords are pretty cool... but he has Fenton tech.

So, WHY?

I propose?

His well know Anger Issues. His fear of becoming Dan. He's heard meditation is good for shit like that, right? Mindfulness and stuff. Sam recommended it. And? They were watching Fantasy Kung-fu 17, "bamboo monks of vengeance" (now with more slow motion aerial battles). So he was like? Hmmmm... those misty valleys and mountains shots DO looks relaxing... I could go camping...

Maybe find a mysterious old kung-fu monk? Is that what they are? Tucker. Tucker! What's the name of this genre again? Xanxia. Yeah. That! I'll do the whole "live, laugh, love. Hot girl, cultivation summer" thing! That'll fix my shit! This is a GREAT idea!

Thus? Danny. Terrorizing some poor Xanxia Cultivation world with his Zone Ghostiness. Pretending to be a human... very, VERY badly. Yes, hello Fellow Locals! It is him! Average Human Man! Take me to your *checks notes* Cultivation Sect! *smiles with far too many teeth*

#nailedit he's gonna get SUCH a good job at blending in! A thing that is both real and possible to achieve!

@babbling-babull @legitimatesatanspawn @mayfay @hdgnj @spidori @the-witchhunter @leftnotright @lolottes

[notiddygothgf]

SEX IS FREE (her)

★ pairings: nanami kento x f! reader

★ synopsis: In the search for solace, Nanami stumbles right into the arms of an exotic dancer. In the search for money, an exotic dancer finds more than she bargained for. In the heat of the moment, a contractual relationship turns into something more. (or; the one where sugar daddy!nanami is sweet on his girl)

★ c.w.: nanami being sexy asf, suggestive content, mentions of sex (more content warnings and tags)

★ a/n: HIIIIII omg so i can explain the hiatus lol.... it was totally unintentional. i wound up getting super depressed over school and then fell into a chainsaw man hyperfixation (read shameless, its an aki ff i wrote youll love it). I FINALLY PICKED THIS STORY UP AGAIN because for some reason it's been getting a lot of attention recently??? lol anyway! your comments inspired me to continue writing it (though i cant promise that i'll update quickly, i AM a full time student so #bepatientwithme).

I was salivating over Nanami in this chapter if you couldnt tell lol.... but enjoy!!! keep those comments coming! who knows, maybe i have another chapter stored away and will update a little earlier....... x

★ w.c.; 5.6k

my kinda love; chapter index

‘AND I’M BAD LIKE THE BARBIE. I’m a doll, but I still wanna party,’

“Donnie, baby, you in there?”

“Yeah!” You called back, loud enough for your coworker to hear through the door. You pressed the tube of red lipstick against your bottom lip, peering into the mirror, filling in the outline you had done in black. When you didn’t receive an immediate answer, you continued humming along to the song playing quietly from your phone. “Pink vette like I’m ready to bend. ‘Imma ten so I’m pullin a ken, likeee.”

Your coworker entered the dressing room – you were the only one there. Most of the other girls from the afternoon shift had gone home already. 

“Some dude wants to rent you,” She told you. 

“No. I don’t do private rooms,” You replied without even looking back. You knew who she was. You weren’t the biggest fan. “I’m good, Mandy.”

“He asked specifically for you,” She added. “Offered a lotta money, too. Helluva lot more than we normally charge.”

You froze up at that. Initially, your first thought was to send her off a second time. Then, you thought of her running off with your money. 

“Is he one of them greasy, sleazy old guys?” You asked. It was wild, how quickly you perked up when you heard that. “Last guy was throwin’ himself onto me. I should’ve filed a police report.”

“Oh, stop your ‘bitchin,” The girl sighed. “He’s paying 200 just to see your ass.”

If you had a tail, it would have started wagging. 

What? A girl had bills to pay. “So he is a greasy old pervert.”

“No, actually. He’s a fine, young thing. Well, not young, but younger than most of the guys we usually get back here,” She trailed off in thought. You watched her body move in the corner of the mirror. “Sexy as hell. Serious, businessman type. Tall, blond, handsome, a jawline that could cut paper,” here, she bent over, leaning over you and muttering the next words into your ear, “I could always take him off your hands, y’know.”

“As if,” You replied. Spinning the chair back around, you got up. “Better not be expecting nothing extravagant. I’m considering this overtime.”

With a deep breath, standing in front of the cherry red door, your heart began to pound against you chest. It was some strange mixture of nerves and excitement you felt as you raised your hand to knock. 

Here goes nothing. You reached for the doorknob and entered the private room, turning back only to lock it behind you. 

“Special delivery!” you crooned, trying to embody a playful tone to mask the jittery feeling within. When you turned around to face the client, you were caught by surprise. 

Your wide eyes traced over a familiar silhouette – broad shoulders, perfectly-fitted, navy blue two-piece suit that clung to his large arms, and matching slacks that clung to his legs – his widespread, casual position hinted at sophistication. A pretty, sharp, angular face framed by neatly-cropped blond hair. A tasteful timepiece on his wrist caught your eye. 

Narrow eyes obscured by peculiar glasses, chiseled cheekbones and jawline. His blond hair – framing his apricot skin – was done up carefully, perfectly, sweeping over his head like a ray of sunlight. You recognized him by his signature scowl.

He came back for more?

You liked your lips, trying to play it cool (like you hadn’t been waiting for him to come back). “Oh, hey, it’s you again,” you said with a smirk. Strutting over to him, you cooed, “Couldn’t stay away?”

He’s so fucking hot.

Though his response wasn’t verbal, the pink hue that dusted his face was not lost on you. You swayed your hips from side to side. “Can you give me somethin’ to work with? I don’t usually do these rooms, you know.”

The devastatingly handsome man swallowed, fixing his gaze on the door – the one you had locked on the way in. As you worked your way between his legs, teasingly dragging your hands up and down your body, his gaze wandered back to you. Shamelessly, you reveled in the attention – studying his reaction.

You could smell his cologne from here – again – and, shit, it made your head spin all over again. The warm notes lingered beneath the collar of his dress shirt. Amber. Wood. Musk. Something dark?

“So I’ve heard,” The man replied, finally breaking his silence. His voice was a revelation – deep, mellow, and smooth, carrying a certain tone of weariness that seemed to add to his enigmatic charm. Charm? Yes, you supposed he charmed you.

He loosened his tie and undid the top button on his shirt to let some fresh air in. The action drew your attention to his neck, provoking you to take a moment to appreciate the details your coworker had emphasized: Tall, blond, with a jawline that could indeed cut paper.

You were wretched. You had to have been. This is so wrong.

“You seem tense,” You remark, making your second attempt at breaking the ice. “You’re new to the scene, aren’t you?”

The handsome stranger – Nanami, if you remembered correctly – licked his lips, drawing mindless shapes over the deep-toned fabric that covered his knee. “Is it that obvious?” he asks, a faint smile playing on his lips.

The movement did not go unnoticed.

“A little,” You huffed out a quiet laugh. “Do you want a dance? We could just sit and chat, too, if you want. I don’t mind. I know your type tend’ta like talking.”

You couldn’t control the way your eyes flitted down over his toned thighs – mind hazy with unwelcome thoughts. The temptation to crawl into his lap a second time was strong, but you reminded yourself of the situation – he was your roommate’s teacher, for fuck’s sake. Your roommate’s handsome… muscular… expensive-looking teacher… with a deep, sexy voice that you could hardly resist.

You must have been ovulating. That was the only excuse.

“I won’t make you put on a show for me,” Nobara’s professor trailed off, eyes distant, clearly lost in thought. He seemed to snap out of it after a moment, pretty brown eyes peering into yours – they looked so dark up close. “As crazy as it sounds, I only wanted to speak to you.”

Your sultry facade cracked a bit at that, surprised by the sudden turn of the conversation. From your experience, men usually came here with only one thing in mind. He wanted to talk… to you. Oh my god.

You nearly squealed. Clearing your throat and pressing your legs together, you turned to hide your flustered face from the older man. “Alright,” you said. “You have 30 minutes.”  Plopping down on the couch next to him, you threw your legs over his lap. “What’s your name, handsome stranger?”

You already knew his name. Still, to keep up appearances, you played coy with him. You knew that, reasonably, there was no reason you should be continuing to entertain him — financial commpensation aside, though you could always reimburse him. You should have turned back the moment you realized it was him.

Then again… he had come to see you. It wasn’t like he knew you were his student’s roommate, but that was besides the point. That alone was moral justification enough for you.

The stiff man had his eyes trained on the spot where your legs had been thrown haphazardly over his. Then, nervously, he answered, “Nanami. Kento.”

Kento. You liked that name. It rolled off the tongue real easy — a buttery smooth name for a man as composed as him.

“Nice to meet you Nanami… Kento,” You chipped, mimicking his prose. “Donetta DiVine. I’m sure you already knew that, though. Do you wanna start, or should I?”

Nanami Kento knitted his brows. “Start…?”

You rolled your eyes rather playfully, giving his leg a nudge with your heel. You had ditched the stage platforms for a smaller pair of stilettos. “What do you do for a living?” 

He licked his lips. After a brief pause, he answered, “I can’t really say, but I teach on the side.”

“Ooh— mysterious…” You grinned. Leaning into the couch, you braced your chin on your hand, staring into his eyes. It didn’t take much effort to play the role of the ‘interested’ siren like it normally did. Not with him. “You already know what I do,” You added, “You look tired.”

His brown eyes widened with surprise.

Shit, I overstepped.

You took your statement back quickly, “Sorry, sorry, I didn’t mean it like that.”

“No, it’s not—“ He trailed off. Something in his harsh expression softened. “You’re right. Just the first person to notice.”

If your attraction to the man had been any more obvious, you would’ve been waving a sign around with his name on it.

“Really? You’ve got such tired eyes,” You continued anyway. You figured you would at least try to make the most of this half hour with him. “Wanna talk about it?”

He sighed, “Where would I even begin?”

“Your week?” You answered, making a rolling gesture with your spare hand. “How… how was it?”

He looked equal parts confused and intrigued by you, quirking a perfecftly arched brow before clearing his throat. “My week was alright. I started work again after taking a leave of absence for a few months.”

“No kidding…” You trailed off. It didn’t take much to make your interested tone seem real, as you felt nothing but the most genuine sense of interest while listening to him drone on in that deep, raspy voice of his. You could have listened to it for hours. “What happened?”

Something flashed in his eyes. It was quick, fleeting – you almost missed it. “Workplace injury,” He sighed. “If it’s alright, I’d rather not go into detail about it.”

This guy’s like a brick wall.

“Did you heal up okay?” You asked, eyes wide and prying.

He didn’t seem to mind you much. That was a good sign.

“Had to undergo some minor surgery but, yes, I’m fine. Thank you for asking,” He smiled, actually smiled, and it made your chest stir with something unfamiliar. He was devastatingly handsome – the kind of handsome you kept in a little locket in your pocket when you went to war, or something like that. “My bosses have been pressuring me to come back ever since I left. One superior of mine in particular… has been a nuisance. I was under the impression that sick leave was supposed to be a period of peace… but I guess I thought wrong.”

You laughed at his attempt at humor. It came easily to you. Too easily. “I know how you feel. I busted my ass a few months ago. Twisted my ankle real bad,” You raised your leg off of his lap, twirling your stiletto heel around in the air, cutting through it like a knife. “These things are deadly. Boss gave me a solid two days before he started blowing up my phone asking when I was going to be back. It’s like… can you let me live?”

He laughed, then – really laughed, the kind that made his chest rumble, head thrown back against the cushiony couch. And as he released the melodious sound that made your head spin, his eyes creased at the corners. The experience gap between the two you couldn’t have been more apparent. He was a grown man, hardened by years of trials and tribulations – a mysterious one, at that. And there you were, a naive little dancer with your legs strewn over his lap like he was a partner and not a client. He seemed so wise beyond his years, something only accentuated by the tiredness in his eyes. You longed to hear him drone on about his life a little longer, 30 minutes be damned.

“My superior and I actually went to highschool together. He’s been up my ass as long as I can remember,” He hummed, licking his lips, and you followed the path of his tongue as it wet the skin like a hungry feline.

“Which superior?” You asked, mindlessly picking at the fabric of the velour couch beneath you. “The one you were here with last time? With the white hair?”

When the man knit his brows together, you froze up. Shit. I just gave myself away.

There was a brief, tense pause, during which you tried to focus on the music playing from the speakers, the jazzy tune, the faint remnants of a song playing in the showroom outside and up the hall, the wallpaper – anything but him. 

“Yes, that would be him,” He answered, finally. He seemed to be… intrigued by you. Yes, that’s what it was – his half-lidded amber gaze lingered on your face for a moment too long. “You’re very perceptive.”

You cleared your throat. “So, this job of yours… do you like it?”

“I despise it,” He sighed, like he had been waiting his entire life to confess those words. “But, at least, I figure I’m doing something meaningful with my life. You could say I’m a professor on the side.”

I already know that, You thought. Still, he didn’t have to know you knew.

“It’s a demanding job, but I enjoy feeling like I’ve made a difference,” He continued on. “Unfortunately, after the incident, I had to take some time away from the kids to recover.”

“You seem to enjoy teaching,” You answered back, perching your chin on your hand against the back of the couch. 

“Sometimes,” He replied. “Other times, the work can be unbearable,” He looked up, then, pretty brown eyes on yours in a way that had your heart skipping more than a couple of beats. You could practically feel the way they burned right through your extroverted facade, saw past the layers of glitter and scanty clothes and deep into the abyss in your chest. See who you really were. 

It was him who turned to you, then, asking you, “What about you?”

“Me?” You asked, just to make sure you’d heard him correctly. A client? Caring about your experience at work? That was… dizzyingly rare. 

“Yes, you,” He reiterated with the faintest hint of a smile on his lips. “Do you enjoy working here?”

Do I…? You took a moment to consider your answer. You could lie to him – preserve the perfect, sexual image the women in your company were expected to uphold. That was always an option. But, the moment you peered into those all-knowing, tired eyes of his, you found that you didn’t have it in you to lie to him. No, not when he had been so honest with you.

No one’s ever asked me that before.

Before you could catch yourself, the words were already leaving your lips. “Not really, but it pays the bills.”

His eyes softened at that. He didn’t look the least bit upset by your words. If anything, he looked as if he had grown suddenly tender with a sense of understanding. Women didn’t often join your line of work. Not unless they were desperate for money. He seemed mature enough to realize that – to see right past the fantasy you were supposed to paint for him and peer into your eyes like windows into your soul. One look at him, and you knew he didn’t see you as a dancer.

He saw you as a person. As a woman.

You broke the moment with a hum, “Why don’t you keep telling me about your week?” You asked, changing the subject, shifting the conversation back into comfortable territory.

The rest of the half-hour with Nanami flew by like a fleeting dream. He spoke with a quiet ease, his voice low and steady, yet somehow captivating. He complained about the inefficiencies at work—endless meetings that led nowhere, piles of paperwork that seemed to multiply overnight, and colleagues who turned simple tasks into impossible challenges. Yet, when he talked about his students, something in his tone softened, revealing a warmth that made your chest ache. You found yourself asking questions, small ones at first, but each answer drew him out more. The way he spoke—measured, thoughtful, with just the faintest edge of weariness—made you want to listen forever. For someone who seemed so guarded, he had a surprising amount to say, and you realized how much you liked hearing him talk.

You didn’t even notice how much time had passed until a sharp knock interrupted the quiet cocoon of your conversation.

“Donnie? You okay in there? Your 30 was up ten minutes ago.” 

It was your coworker.

“I’m good!” You called back, swinging your legs off of Nanami’s lap, turning to him with an apologetic smile. “Sorry, I completely lost track of time.”

“No, it’s alright. I should have been checking my watch,” He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, long fingers combing through the buzzed, blonde strands of his undercut like wind blowing through a field of wheat. Then, after glancing down at his watch, he stood up, cleared his throat, and straightened out his suit jacket. “Thank you for your time.”

You hadn’t moved from your spot on the couch, brows furrowed. “That’s it?”

You had half expected him to extend the time. The conversation was going so well, you had silently found yourself hoping that he would lean over and do something – place his strong hand on your thigh, brush his fingers up your arm, anything. No-touching policy be damned.

You would make an exception for him. Men that fine don’t just grow on trees.

So, trying your best to lure him back in, you kicked one leg over the other, crawling into a sexy pose on the couch. In the most sultry tone you could manage, you breathed, “Is that really all you wanted?”

Please ask me for a lapdance, You found yourself wishing internally. 

He paused, looking back at you like he wasn’t the least bit phased by the sexy pose or the outfit or… well, anything. “Yes, why?”

“Nothing, I don’t know, I just… You spent so much money tonight to be here,” You uttered, suddenly bashful when he was peering down at you like that – he was so much taller than you, a height gap that was only emphasized by your seated position on the couch below him. You imagined you would have to stand on the tips of your toes to be at eye level with his neck, maybe his chin. Mindlessly, you caressed the couch. “I figured you would have at least wanted a lap dance, or something.”

“I’m not going to make you do something that neither of us are interested in doing,” He said, sliding his hands down over his slacks to straighten out the creases that had formed in them where your legs had been resting only a moment earlier. “Sex is free. It’s rare to find someone who’s willing to listen.”

You sat there, stunned into silence, still in that sexy pose on the couch, your body frozen in the aftermath of his words. His calm, unbothered demeanor completely threw you off balance, leaving you scrambling to make sense of what had just happened. Men like him didn’t come in here looking for conversation. They came in here for fantasies, for attention, for touch. But not him. 

“Thank you for everything,” he said softly, bowing his head slightly in a gesture so gentlemanly it made your stomach twist. Then, without another word, he moved to the door, unlocking it with smooth precision. 

You didn’t even have time to gather yourself before he slipped out, leaving you sitting there in your sultry pose, legs crossed, mouth slightly open. The sound of the door closing behind him echoed in the room, final and undeniable.

You blinked, your mind racing, the moment replaying over and over in your head. Did I just get… emotionally blue-balled? 

The thought hit you like a ton of bricks, both incredulous and a little amused at how absurdly fitting it was. You flopped back against the couch, your sultry act forgotten, staring up at the ceiling as the jazzy tune from the speakers drifted lazily through the air.

For the first time, a client had left you feeling something you couldn’t quite put into words. You couldn’t decide if you were more annoyed, intrigued, or just completely thrown off your game.

All you knew was that you wanted more.

DARREN: Hey imu.

DARREN: U busy tn?

YOU: I’m working but I get out early. Y.

DARREN: let me pick u up after work

DARREN: maybe i can help you ease some of that stress.

Darren rolled off of you with a huff and an exhale, proud of himself. He wiped the sweat from his forehead with the backside of his elbow, sighing, “That was great. Did you cum?”

“Yeah,” You liked straight through your teeth. Feeling vulnerable, you reached for your shirt and slipped it back on. There was a point in time where the two of you would sleep skin-to-skin after sex. A point in time long ago, of course, but you couldn’t help but reflect. Now, all that was left was a feeling of discomfort where the intimacy used to be. 

He flopped down onto the bed next to you, throwing his arm around your waist. Not moving a muscle, you trained your gaze on the ceiling above, hoping that maybe, if you spent enough time counting the dots in his popcorn ceiling, he would see that you did not, in fact, enjoy the experience. You doubted he would do anything to fix it even if he did know.

52, 53, 54.

You had been counting for the past five minutes – thirty seconds after he had grunted the words, “Let’s do missionary” into your ear before flipping you over. Truthfully, you hadn’t wanted to do missionary. That would mean that he could see you and, more importantly, that you had to look at him. So, to pass time and to avoid his gaze, you looked up at the ceiling, allowing yourself to be carried away by the tides of pleasure that his strokes gave you.

55, 56, 57.

He buried his nose in the crook of your neck, inhaling. “You smell like a man’s cologne.”

Your heart skipped a beat. “I work at a strip club.”

With a groan, Darren rolled onto his back, finally putting a comfortable distance between you and him. “Don’t remind me. I’ve been telling you that you’re wasting your talents at a place like that.”

Your jaw tightened. There it was, the same old Darren: judgment wrapped in concern, but laced with the unspoken assumption that he knew what was best for you.

You slipped off the bed, grabbing your phone from the nightstand. The cool floor against your bare feet helped ground you.

Unlocking your phone, you typed a message to Nobara, your roommate: 

Can you come get me? I’m at my ex’s.

The response came almost instantly: 

Girl, r u srs?

Your fingers hovered over the keyboard before you replied: 

I’ll explain later, ik, just pls… I wanna gtfo of here.

Sliding the phone into the pocket of your hoodie, you turned back to Darren. He was staring at the ceiling now, one arm slung across his chest, his fingers idly tapping against his bicep. For a moment, you hesitated. The familiarity of this scene—him in his sweatpants, you in one of his old T-shirts—was a cruel reminder of how things used to be. But you weren’t that girl anymore.

“I think I should go,” you said, breaking the silence.

Darren’s head snapped toward you. “No, wait,” he said, sitting up. His hair was tousled, his expression almost pleading. “Please… I really want you to stay.”

You crossed your arms, keeping your distance. “Why?”

“Because…” He raked a hand through his hair, his voice quieter now. “I don’t know. I thought things were going good between us.”

You blinked, then let out a short, humorless laugh. “Things? Darren, I come here, we have sex, and then I leave. That’s it. That’s all this is.”

“Is that all I am to you?” His voice carried a tinge of desperation, his eyes searching yours.

You tilted your head, studying him. “Or maybe,” you said slowly, “you’re asking if there’s any chance of us getting back together.”

“Yeah.” His voice cracked slightly, and he swallowed hard. “Is there?”

You laughed again, colder this time, shaking your head. “No. There isn’t.”

His jaw clenched, and he looked away for a moment. When he spoke again, his voice was sharp. “That’s not fair. I’ve done so much for you—”

“Done so much?” Your voice rose, and you stepped closer, anger bubbling to the surface. “You don’t give me shit but dick and attitude, Darren.”

He flinched, but you didn’t stop. “You wanna know what’s not fair? The fact that you went and knocked me up and then forced me to have an abortion. Where the hell were you during that, huh? Seeing as you’ve done so much for me?”

He sat frozen, his lips parting as if to speak, but no words came out. His eyes darted toward the floor, guilt pooling in their depths.

“And you wanna know what’s really unfair?” Your voice cracked, but you didn’t care. The words spilled out like a flood you couldn’t contain. “The fact that you fucking cheated on me when I needed you the most. That’s what’s not fair, Darren.”

Darren stared at you, his face contorted with frustration. “That’s not fucking fair,” he snapped, his voice rising.  

“Oh, fuck you, Darren,” you shot back, your hands trembling as you pointed at him. “What else do I have to do to show you I’m done? What else do I have to say?”  

“I’m trying!” he yelled, stepping closer. “I’ve been fucking trying! But nothing I do is ever good enough for you, is it? You’re so goddamn impossible!”  

You laughed bitterly, shaking your head. “You call this trying? You call cheating, lying, and gaslighting me trying?”  

“God, you’re such a fucking idiot,” he spat, his words sharp enough to cut. “You act like you’re perfect, like you’ve never made a mistake in your goddamn life.”  

“I’m not perfect, Darren,” you hissed, stepping forward, your voice shaking with anger. “But at least I own my shit. At least I don’t treat the people I love like they’re disposable!”  

“Oh?” he scoffed, throwing his hands in the air. “You think you’re so much better than me? You’re the one who keeps coming back. So what does that make you, huh?”  

The room was thick with tension, and for a moment, neither of you moved. Then he muttered under his breath, “Pathetic.”  

Your blood boiled. “What did you just say?”  

“You heard me,” he said, his tone dripping with venom.  

“Fuck you, Darren!” you screamed, shoving him hard against the chest.  

His expression darkened. “You don’t get to do that,” he snarled.  

Before you could react, he grabbed your wrist and pushed you away. The force of it sent you stumbling back, and you hit the edge of the dresser, pain shooting up your arm as you fell to the floor.  

“Wait, I…” His face shifted, panic flickering in his eyes. He took a step toward you, his hand outstretched.  

You scrambled to your feet, holding your arm where it throbbed. “You know what? I’m done.” Your voice was quieter now, but no less firm. “I’m done, Darren.”  

“Wait—”  

“No!” you shouted, cutting him off. “Go fuck yourself!”  

“Please,” he said, his voice cracking. “Don’t let us go. We had something special. You know that.”  

You stared at him, disbelief flooding your chest. Then you laughed—a cruel, hollow sound. “If you thought this was anything more than sex, then you’re the fucking idiot.”  

He opened his mouth to argue, but you were already grabbing your stiletto boots from the floor.  

“We can make it work,” he said desperately, following you as you stormed out of his apartment.  

“Make it work?” you echoed, spinning around to face him as you reached his car. “Make it work?” You hefted one of your boots in your hand. “Make this fucking work!”  

Before he could respond, you hurled the boot at his car window. The glass shattered on impact, the sound ringing out like a scream in the still night.  

The car alarm blared, its shrill wailing cutting through the silence. Darren stood frozen, his mouth agape.  

“Shit,” he muttered, rushing toward the car.  

You grabbed your other boot and slung it over your shoulder. “Fix that, asshole!” you yelled as you walked away, the sound of the alarm trailing behind you.  

“Her!” Darren called after you, but you didn’t turn around.  

You kept walking, the cold air biting at your skin, the adrenaline coursing through you keeping you upright. Your arm throbbed where you’d hit it, but you didn’t stop. You didn’t look back.  

You made it about halfway home before the exhaustion hit you like a freight train. Your legs wobbled, and you collapsed onto the curb, cradling your arm as the tears you’d been holding back finally spilled over.  

Your phone buzzed weakly in your pocket. Nobara’s name lit up the screen.  

“Where the hell are you?” she demanded as you answered, her voice sharp but tinged with worry.  

You gave her your location, your words slurred with exhaustion and pain. “I can’t— I just can’t walk anymore.”  

“Stay put,” she said firmly. “I’m coming to get you.”  

By the time her car pulled up, you were slumped against a lamppost, your eyes half-closed. Nobara jumped out, wrapping her jacket around your shoulders as she helped you to your feet.  

“What the hell happened?” she asked, her tone softer now.  

You shook your head, too drained to explain. “I’m hungry. I’ll tell you later.”  

“Let’s stop and get you something to eat,” She didn’t press further, guiding you into the car. As the city lights blurred past, you stared out the window, the events of the night replaying in your mind like a bad dream.  

The car was warm, the quiet hum of the heater and the golden glow of streetlights spilling through the windshield easing the tension in your chest. You cradled your injured arm as Nobara maneuvered through the drive-thru, shooting you occasional glances.  

“You want the usual?” she asked as she pulled up to the intercom.  

“Yeah. Large fries, nuggets, and a Coke,” you murmured, leaning your head back against the seat.  

She placed the order, and soon you were pulling into a parking spot under the dim glow of the lot’s overhead lights. The smell of greasy goodness filled the car as she handed you the bag, cracking open a box of nuggets for herself.  

“So,” she said, dipping a nugget into a cup of barbecue sauce. “You gonna tell me what the hell happened back there, or do I just have to assume you went full-on ‘Carrie’ at prom?”  

You snorted, the first genuine laugh you’d had all night. “Something like that.”  

“Well, shit.” She popped the nugget into her mouth. “Guess I missed a show.”  

You sighed, staring at the fries in your lap. “It’s over. For real this time.”  

“Good,” Nobara said firmly. “That guy was a walking red flag.”  

“Yeah, yeah,” you said, rolling your eyes. “Speaking of red flags…” You smirked as an idea popped into your head. “You’ll never believe what happened at work today.”  

Her eyes narrowed as she dunked another nugget. “Oh, this should be good. Spill.”  

You leaned back, a grin playing on your lips. “I got booked for a private room.”  

Nobara froze mid-bite. “I thought you didn’t do those?”  

“I don’t,” you said, shrugging. “But they offered me a shit ton of money. Guess who it was.”  

Her brows furrowed in confusion. “Who?”  

You couldn’t help but draw it out for dramatic effect. “Your teacher.”  

Her jaw dropped, and the nugget in her hand fell back into the box. “No way, Bitch.”  

You nodded, trying to keep a straight face.  

“What did he want? Is he, like, a total pervert or something?”  

You laughed, shaking your head. “No, actually. He just wanted someone to talk to.”  

Nobara blinked, clearly baffled. “Huh.”  

“I know, right?” you said, grabbing a nugget. “Easiest money I’ve ever made.”  

“Damn,” she muttered, chewing thoughtfully. “I never took him as the emotional type.”  

“Don’t go telling your friends, though,” you warned, wagging a finger at her. “He told me some pretty heavy shit.”  

Nobara tensed, her expression flickering with something you didn’t catch as you reached for your Coke. “Like what?”  

You laughed, shaking your head. “Like hell if I’d tell you.”  

“Oh, come on!” she said, pouting dramatically. “I won’t tell anyone!”  

You smirked, leaning back in your seat. “I’m not risking it. Client confidentiality or whatever.”  

“Ugh, you’re no fun,” she groaned, but there was a smile tugging at her lips.  

You both sat in comfortable silence for a moment, the car filled with the sound of crinkling wrappers and occasional laughter.  

“Hey,” Nobara said suddenly, looking at you out of the corner of her eye. “You’re okay, right?”  

You hesitated, then nodded. “Yeah. I think I will be.”  

She smiled, a small, genuine one. “Good. ‘Cause if you ever go back to that asshole, I’m slashing his tires.”  

You laughed, the sound bubbling up before you could stop it. “Deal.”  

As you both dug into the last of the nuggets, the weight of the night seemed to lift, replaced by the warmth of greasy food and a friend who always had your back.

a/n: and there she is! my first update in like a year lol. lmk what you thought! tell me what you would like to see in the story, who knows, i might be able to incorporate it in! Thank you all for your lovely comments. I loveee reading them.

comments + reblogs are greatly appreciated!!

I obviously do not own jjk or anything related to it. I can't find the artist, but if you know them pls dm for credits!!! please do not reproduce, copy, or translate my works anywhere. dont fk w me im a bruja.

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wanna join the taglist? | my kinda love; chapter index

[arc-misadventures]

Friends AU: Still want to know how the other specialists react to pictures of Jaune's nephew, and whether or not Winter is now planning on calling Saphron for Jaune's baby pictures

Sorry, I would have answered these sooner, just couldn't make it work. Until now!

///

I Regret That Now

Marrow: Oh gods... it's in my tail?!

Jaune: I thought, Grimm didn't have guts!?

Vine: They don't.

Harriet: Then why the hell am I covered in Grimm guts?!

Winter: Because, you destroyed, Vilbiofactor's creep sack, after you threw a gernade down it's throat, and it exploded. It's filled with biowaste that the, Grimm produces. It fires these as a bioweapon, granted when it get's vomited it is there where it is actually dangerous, so you should be happy you didn't get covered in that.

Harriet: Oooo, listen to misses fancy pants rich Mcgee over here! Fuck you!

Winter: E-Excuse me?!

Jaune: Please forgive her; She's just upset that we're covered in, Grimm guts, and you're not.

Winter: Very well, I'll let it slide...

Jaune: Now then, everyone hit the showers!

~~~

Jaune: Bleh... I swear I got some of that in my mouth... tasted like black licorice.

Marrow: Oww... my tail hurts from all the scrubbing... can you top off my aura, Jaune?

Jaune: Yeah sure.

Marrow: Ahh, hahaha! That's the stuff.

Jaune: Oi! What did I say about weird noises when I top off your aura?!

Marrow: Nothing sexual?

Jaune: No! Don't say anything at all!

Marrow: Sorry...

Jaune: Haa whatever... I gotta grab my spare officers uniform now... I need to send all of my stuff to the cleaners. As well as my armour at that! That blasted, Grimm gunk has caked itself onto my armour!

Clover: Hey, relax, Jaune it won't take that long to get rid of it.

Jaune: Oh, stuff it, Lucky Charms!

Clover: What did I do?

Vine: I think he's angry that you didn't get covered in, Grimm guts, even though you were in the blast zone.

Jaune: Very much so.

Clover: Hey?!

Harriet: Ahh~! That's better... you guys doing better?

Jaune: No, only if I can shove, Clover into a mud pit!

Clover: Hey?!

Elm: Good luck with tha...? Hey, Jaune, what are those photos in your locker?

Jaune: These? Oh. they're just photos of my family.

Winter: You put family photos in your locker?

Jaune: Yeah, is there a problem with that?

Vine: Of course it's fine, it's just... There is ten people in that photo alone.

Jaune: Oh yeah, that's my mom, and dad, and my seven sisters.

Elm: Seven sisters?!

Jaune: Yeah, my sisters, and I like to think my parents were really trying for a boy. But, we all know that they just have high libidos... very high libidos... and, loud...

Clover: Ouch.

Harriet: Uhh... Jaune, who's that pair with the kid?

Jaune: Hmm? Oh, that's a photo of my sister, Saphron, and her wife, Terra, and my nephew, Adrian.

Harriet: Nephew...?

Winter: You're... you're an uncle, Jaune...?

Jaune: Yeah.

Harriet: Oh he look adorable!

Winter: He'll be a heartbreaker when he grows up!

Jaune: Uhh, yeah...?

Marrow: You two interested in babies?

Winter: Well...

Harriet: I wouldn't put it like that.

Vine: What, Marrow meant is, are you interested in starting a family one day?

Elm: Oh, you made it sound like you meant something else entirely, Marrow.

Marrow: My bad, I've just seen a lot of woman act weird around babies. Baby fever, and all of that stuff. But, my question still stands, are you two interested in retiring from the, Specialists, and starting a faily?

Winter: Well... I admit... I am interested in having a family some day. With a loving husband, and a few kids running around. But, only with someone special~!

Jaune: Uhh...?

Elm: What about you, Harriet?

Harriet: Oh, I'm in the same boat as, Winter. I hope to have a family one day too, with... with a special someone~!

Clover: Uh oh...

Vine: What about you, Elm?

Elm: Only if they're okay with adoption.

Jaune: Are you okay explaining that?

Harriet: Why are you asking if she's, 'okay' saying she wants to adopt?

Elm: Because, Jaune has a highly analytical mind, and from that one word he figured out that I'm infertile.

Jaune: Damn, I was hopping my guess was wrong...

Harriet: Wait, what?!

Vine: Is that true, Elm?

Elm: Yeah. I was basically born infertile, nothing major, that's just how it is sometimes.

Jaune: I'm sorry to hear that, Elm. I hope I didn't make you upset asking you that.

Elm: It's alright. Like I said, maybe I'll adopt some kid someday. But, at the very least, I can be the cool aunt when you two have kids!

Winter: Well, I'd hold my breath if I was you, I don't know when that will happen. Hopefully, soon though~!

Jaune: Uh oh...

Harriet: Same, but who knows... maybe I'll get 'lucky' some day~!

Clover: Oh shit...

Harriet: Well, I've got to get going, I've got some paperwork I need to catch up on. I'll see you guys later.

Marrow: Yeah, I've got some paperwork to catch up on too.

Winter: Good luck you two. I need to go to the training grounds to check up on some equipment. If you have time to spare, can you help me with them, Elm?

Elm: Sure, lead the way, Winter.

Vine: Well, I'm going to go rest, I am tired from that mission. I'll see you later everyone.

Winter: Goodbye.

Elm: See ya!

Vine: Good luck.

Harriet: Have fun.

Marrow: See you tomorrow!

And, with that; Everyone soon left, leaving the leader, and the rookie of the, Specialists all alone.

Jaune: ...

Clover: ...

Clover: Whelp... we're boned.

Jaune: Pretty much...

Clover: What should we do now?

Jaune: Hmmm...

Jaune: Squeaky Cog?

Clover: Oh gods yes! I really need a drink after hearing what, Harriet hinted at.

Jaune: Same. The way, Winter looked at me... (Shudder!)

Clover: I'm so glad you told me to buy those condoms... Otherwise...

Jaune: Otherwise, I'd be holding you at gun point threatening to fill you full of lead if you didn't marry her. That's if, Winter, or gods forbid, Elm didn't get to you first...

Clover: ...

Clover: N-N-Noted...

Jaune: Good. Now come on, drinks are on me. And, we're going to need it...

Clover: Yeah... We're going to need it...

[sandflakedraws]

Okay I’m not even into trolls or anything, but that height analysis was pretty cool and interesting lol

Any more things you analyzed? (Or even a fun fact, idk, just wanna see people talk about things they like)

i've analyzed quite a lot but one thing i haven't seen other folks fully explore is the horrific living conditions in that bottle.

i know why it's not covered in film, cause again, this story is a silly musical comedy for kids! and if it were given it's full appraisal, the tone of the movie would be absolutely shot.

...

but like,,,, it's so dang bad in there my dude. it's SO bad.

like, in it's upright position, the diamond's base isn't big enough for floyd to lay down on, without cricking his neck severely.

so even when we see him drifting to sleep, he's sitting. minimum 2 months of trying to sleep sitting up. (against a cold/hard surface no less)

(he's also got an instant-wake response to . someone lightly tapping on the door. . .)

oh and also! the air in there has gotta be super thin, as there is but a single breathing hole at the top of it, not even as wide as a troll finger.

and that's ! when it's not capped off ! most of the time, it's got the spritz cap on, making it even harder for any air to circulate in there.

while we're at it ; since that's the only opening (no clasps, no grooves, no visual indicators that it can open via any other method at all, hence the film's conceit that the brothers need to hit the PFH to free him), i'm inclined to believe that it's also the only way to get food to him...

... which is to say you can have your pick of many terrible options for that. whether velvet & veneer tried to mash something through there, or have him sip from the world's worst gerbil feeder,

or they just. didn't feed him at all. and he's only alive because it's a magic world.

wHICH IS STILL SAYING NOTHING ABOUT HOW THEY ACTUALLY HANDLE HIM

plugging those excerpts cause. y. yeah... they're not gentle with him at all. bro is Bruised to all hell.

.... and none of this has to do with the actual core threat in the movie, which is having his core forcefully ripped from his body, leading to the whiteness and crystallization we see goin on.

in conclusion i need way more art/fics covering floyd's recovery okay? okay.

[darealsaltysam]

I JUST GOT BACK FROM SEEING DUNE PART 2 AND HOLY FUCK OH MY GOD HOLY SHIT HOLY FUUUUCK I NEED TO. I NEED TO. I NEED TO TALK SO BAD HOLY SHIT

below the cut because oh boy do i have a lot to say and i dont want my poor followers to suffer when i post this

oh my god okay okay where do i even start

opening with irulan's narration to mirror her notes in the openings of the chapters of the book. oh yeah baby. i ate that right up

watching paul get close with the fremen,,,,, fucking hell that hurts. dune really is a tragedy at the end of the day huh. they go from reluctant allies to friends but the whole time you know the switch will happen any moment now and they will be devotees and he will be messiah and that gap between them will never be as small as it is out in the sand. huddled in those tents. sharing drinks and laughs. im not doing ok

this especially hurts with chani. their love is so genuine and pure and she wears blue for him (which by the way sticks out so much more with how muted the colors of the rest of the movie are... i could talk about this all day) but she can see what he is becoming and he's trying to avoid it for her so hard but there's no avoiding fate. LORD ABOVE!!!!

i loveeee jessica being the manipulator thats pulling all the strings, urging paul towards becoming messiah. rebecca ferguson is such a talented actress she really understands the character so well. also as a hashtag certified alia atreides enjoyer her scheming with her unborn fetus might be the most unhinged thing ever but thats also so fucking funny aka its as dune as it gets. dune is WEIRD and im glad theyre not shying away from that. thank u denis

arrakis looks so much more beautiful in this movie like theres defo been some changes with how its framed and presented it feels so much grander and idk just ??? what it makes me think is that we're not seeing arrakis, we're finally seeing dune. we're seeing the land as the fremen see it as paul becomes one of them. i might be looking too much into it but who cares. god i love this movie

but yes more on the fremen in the first section of the movie. i like how there's this cluster of non-believers almost?? its a nice breath of fresh air. its hard to believe every single person would be just devoted to the prophecy and it adds some depth.

i will say the one thing i didnt like is the way stilgar is characterized?? i dont think he was so blindly devoted to paul in the books, and definitely not alia and leto ii after him as the atreides line went on. he's always been a source of small doubt towards paul but i think they're moving that element of him onto chani, so i think i can let it slide. i'd like to see him question alia more in the future though.

the scene where paul was named muad'dib and usul??? god it was so cute which made it so heart wrenching. all the fremen coming together and welcoming him into their lives. as a brother. as a friend. only for him to turn around and make them all bow before him. ohhhhh i cant do this

OH BOY THE WORMS THE WORMS AND THE WORM RIDING AND THE AHHHHHHHHH OH LORD

jesus christ. what the fuck. how is this allowed on cinema screens how is something so amazing allowed

the tension. the effects. the sound design. the sand rushing past the wind the worm moving forward paul struggling to hold on the fremen all watching and then cheering him on HOLY FUCKKKK HOLY FUCK I WAS HOLDING MY BREATH

all the worm riding scenes were so intense and so well done like. when i first read that stuff in the books i didnt think anything could ever capture how i imagined it exactly and yet. AND YET. DENIS!!!!!!!!

once more dune hits the idea of scale SO well everything is HUGE and they MAKE YOU FEEL IT. that shows especially with geidi prime but ill talk about that in a bit. but yes this applies to the worms too lord above them WORMSSSS ARE HUGEEEE AND I LOVE THEMMMM

rebecca ferguson put her heart and soul into that water of life scene and we all need to thank her for it

the way jessica is so quick to switch up and go all in on the prophecy. it makes me think of leto's "im not asking his mother, im asking the bene gesserit" like. the bene gesserit really come first for jessica and she takes her opportunity to fulfill her duties. to be the reverend mother. to rub it all in the faces of the other bene gesserit. she is the mother of the messiah and by god will she make everyone well aware of that

okay. okay okay. i think i said my peace on the early fremen stuff. i think. okay fuck okay SHIT fuck SHIT

FEYD FUCKING RAUTHA LADIES AND GENTLEMEN

oh my god okay. okay ill admit it. i doubted austin butler. i saw the cast list and i was unsure(tm). i saw him in the trailers and my faith was restored. and holy fucking shit did he DELIVER

stellan skarsgård's baron harkonnen is already such a threatening figure it feels like it would be impossible to make someone even more terrifying and yet. AND YET

just the way he's introduced. killing servants with zero remorse. LICKING THAT KNIFE THE WAY HE DID??? OKAY WHORE. I SEE YOU. GO RIGHT AHEAD. MAKE IT SLUTTY IN HOUSE HARKONNEN. I RESPECT IT

when the arena doors open and that loud ass fucking music BOOMS. makes the room fucking SHAKE. thats a PRESENCE right there. THATS how you introduce your antagonist.

the music playing as he fights being as fucking deranged as he is. chaotic and weird and unsettling. just. oh my god feyd had such a presence from the moment he showed up and he did not lose it for a single second. you could feel him LOOMING over the movie the whole time just as he looms over the whole book from his very first scene. oh my goddddd oh my godd

GEIDI PRIME. THE ARENA. THAT MASSIVE HARKONNEN PALACE. oh my god. once more. that sense of scale. the harkonnens love to flaunt their wealth so ofc they have huge fuck off arenas and castles where everything and everyone feels so SMALL in comparison.

dont even get me started on the black and white. the way it accents those coal black teeth and mouths. the way it makes everything look so much more inhuman and clinical and PERFECT because harkonnen power is so absolute and ruthless.

and the way the baron sits so so high above watching the fighting. literally impossible to picture his elevation above his people above the rest of the universe. the way feyd looks to him for approval after every movement. even as his uncle is trying to kill him they exchange those little looks and feyd knows hes getting his chance to show off while the baron gives him his "gift" what a fucked up family what the hell

speaking of fucked up family! wow! they are SO fucked up! there is something seriously strange being hinted at with feyd and the baron! feyd making his own brother bow and kiss his boot! those constant threats of death against rabban as if theyre nothing! this family is capital f FUCKED up. they hurt each other as much as they hurt everyone around them. theyre made of violence and blood and they could never show each other kindness because they dont know such a thing

what can i say about the feyd/margot scenes that hasnt been said already. like wow just unpack the boy's trauma like that. use him and then throw him to the wolves. once again the bene gesserit make it so clear this is THEIR empire and THEIR bloodlines and THEIR messiah. too bad jessica doesnt see that collective "ours" and instead settles for "mine" when it comes to the messiah

special shout out to dave bautista before i move on. just cause. his rabban doesnt get enough love. he really sells that balance of ruthless power but also incompetency compared to his brother so well. can you guys tell i REALLY like this cast

WE ACTUALLY GOT TO SEE GURNEY PLAYING THE BALISET WE FUCKING WIN Y'ALL

the paul/gurney reunion being the last shred of the old paul. how he gets so happy "i recognized your footsteps, old man" shoot me in the fucking brain stem it would HURT LESS

a bit off topic and it happened earlier (sorry my thoughts are so all over the place) but i like how they actually showed the process of how the water of life is made. it was actually exactly like how i imagined it when i read the books so thats neat !!

anyway. back to the horrors.

i already talked so much about feyd's presence so just another small note. that scene in sietch tabr. he is a MONSTER and i am EATING IT UP

i cant even begin to explain. how much it fucked me up. when paul took the water of life. i knew thats where we were going. i knew it was unavoidable. and yet still. when chani bent over him and screamed at everyone for making him follow this prophecy. when she was forced to shed tears to save his life. when she got him back only to realize she lost him and he wasnt the person she loved anymore. it broke me

chani's utter hatred for the prophecy and what paul is becoming added to it so much. i know some people are unhappy with how much shes been changed from the books but i think its elevated her character and all these scenes so much. and oh my god does zendaya DELIVER when the spotlight is on her. i never doubted her for a moment but all those changes to chani really allowed to let her shine. thats that euphoria acting coming out baby !!!!

SPEAKING OF GOOD ACTING

TIMOTHEE

FUCKING

CHALAMET

listen i hate the fact that he gets cast in everything these days as much as everyone but hes such a talented actor and i cant deny this anymore. the water of life scene really sold it for me.

he was such a perfect paul already in the first movie but this was the moment it really came out. the way he wakes up so calm and collected. lifeless. monotone. theres nothing theres literally nothing

paul atreides the boy who became duke far too young is dead usul who was the lover of chani is dead muad'dib the fedaykin fighter is dead only the kwisatz haderach remains and thats what the prophecy was always leading us to and yet the moment it happens its so haunting

like i cannot say this enough. that complete switch is so sudden but so subtle at the same time. its still paul technically but hes so different

what makes dune's weird concepts so easy to take in once you get into the book is all that internal monologue that really leads you through these complex concepts slowly. and yet in a few shots and a few lines of dialogue timothee chalamet somehow manages to express the idea of "i just learned the secrets of the fucking universe and im about to start a holy war" ???? HOW DO YOU EVEN DO THIS???? HOW ARE YOU THIS TALENTED???? OH MY GOD!!!!!!!! IT WAS A FEW LOOKS A FEW MOVENTS JUST THE RIGHT TONE OF VOICE AND THATS HIM!!! THATS HIM BABY!!!! THATS THE KWISATZ HADERACH AND THE UNIVERSE IS FUCKED !!!!!!!!!

also. anya taylor joy alia. we only had you for a split second but i cannot wait for you. im sure youre going to completely slay the third movie. give us our beloved tragic meow meow. alia is my fave character so i will be JUDGING HEAVILY. she better bring her a-game istg

when paul storms the war council and just completely takes control of the room so easily. thats the bene gesserit conditioning giving him his pedestal and he is making the most of it. he knows exactly what the fuck hes doing. and once more oh my goddddd all that shouting all that emotion and yet a complete lack of it. timothee spare a crumb of talent for the rest of us

also the way in that scene gurney is hesitant about it all until paul proclaims himself the duke of arrakis. and suddenly gurney has house atreides again and he doesnt care what chani does anymore. hes a follower to paul just as everyone else in that room. nothing changes. fuck me man i cant do this anymore

have i mentioned yet im so excited for chani in the next movie. her arc is so interesting. children of dune is defo not happening with the way chani has been set up so i doubt we'll see leto ii and ghanima but. lets hope we still get all the cool stuff wit alia at least. and maybe chani can be the one who leads the charge against her

okay i need to really fucking. get along with it im dragging this post on im so sorry this movie is eating my brain alive

chani still wearing blue during the final fight. im not saying more than that i might cry if i think about it too much

THAT. FINAL. FIGHT. OH MY GODDD OH MY GOD

IT ALL CAME TOGETHER SO SO WELL

THE WORMS

THE SENSE OF SCALE

THE FIGHT CHOREOGRAPHY

THE MUSIC HOLY FUCK THE MUSIC HANS ZIMMER YOU OUTDO YOURSELF EVERY TIME

THE SOUND

EVERYTHING FLOWING TOGETHER SO WELL

the way the fremen fight for their messiah but still fly the atreides banner. the way paul leads them as their messiah and as a "fremen" but always proclaims himself duke of house atreides first. oh lorddd im unwell

every time paul menacingly emerged from fog/sand/smoke my life was extended by like 10 years thank u denis

gurney killing rabban with as much ease as he did cleared my skin and watered my crops <3

the way the baron was literally dying and still crawling towards the throne.......... the way at the same time feyd ignored him completely and looked towards the doors reveling in the fight ahead..... if that doesnt tell u everything you need to know about house harkonnen idk what will yall

i also love how no one intervenes as paul walks in and kills the baron. not even feyd. feyd looks like he was a little TOO into it as paul killed him tbh. feyd u little freak. austin butler you talented talented man. im unwell

i AM sad we didnt get to see baby alia stab him but ah well. we got a bunch of other weird dune shit so ill let this one slide. the psychic toddler may be too much even for denis and everything he did give us. we'll always have our 1984 alia <3

OHOHOHOHOHOHOH. OH. HERE WE GO

HERE WE GO YALL

THE SCENE IVE BEEN WAITING FOR SINCE READING THE BOOK

THE SCENE THEY SHOWED BITS OF IN THE TRAILER AND THE SCENE IVE BEEN NON STOP YEARNING FOR SINCE!!!

THE DUEL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

oh my god oh my god oh my goddddd where do i even start

okay so. the way theres no music. no fancy cuts no slow mo no over the top effects. its just the slashing of the blades and those BEAUTIFUL shadowed shots with the setting sun in the background. this really is the sun setting on the peaceful universe. just pain and suffering ahead marked with the blood spilled from the two who were meant to produce the messiah but who both got thrown off this path by the greed and selfishness of their forefathers. guys im normal about paul and feyd. definitely. i definitely have very normal thoughts about how they are foils and yet two sides of the same coin. yes guys

paul making the emperor kiss his ring is already such an insane fucking scene and it translated to the screen so well. amazing performances all around

i didnt talk much about florence pugh's irulan but she really didnt have much time to shine. im excited to see where she goes next and i definitely think shes a great fit but i need to see more of her to really be able to say more

i will say this. the way chani, irulan and jessica are the only ones who dont kneel for paul. the three most important women in his life who give him his power, everything he has. jessica made him and she made him the messiah. chani opened her life up to him, helped him become and in turn control the fremen, and she shed her tears for him and fulfilled her role in the prophecy against her wishes. irulan is his path to the throne, his key to being emperor. and none of them bow before him because why would they bow before a power they are responsible for, a power they own, a power they gave?

but for chani its different ofc. she also refuses to bow because she despises everything paul stands for.

oh my god i could say so much about the last scene being chani. not paul reveling in his victory. paul leaves for his next bloodshed and chani is left behind crying for the person she loves who she knows is gone. crying for her people, again enslaved. crying those same tears that brought the messiah back into this world.

theres a lot to be said about the role of gender in dune and how it hangs over every facet of this world but thats a whole separate analysis post to be had so ill just throw it down here in this little point

another thing chani does very well in the movies is she really makes paul's villainy explicitly clear. SO many people read dune and completely misunderstand it and walk away from it concluding its a "white savior narrative" and nothing more which. yes!! yes it is!!!! but thats not a good thing!!!! its never stated to be a good thing!!!!

this movie is not gonna let you misunderstand the message of the story no matter how blind you try to be to it. paul is not a good guy. hes never been the good guy. hes the protagonist, but hes not the hero. and chani allows that to translate from book to movie very well. have i mentioned yet i love movie chani

chani fills in the holes left behind by the narration and internal monologues of the book and, bonus points, she holds the people who dont understand what dune is about by the hand and tells them explicitly "PAUL IS A BAD GUY!!! DONT IDOLIZE PAUL!!!! DONT WALK AWAY FROM DUNE THINKING ITS PRAISING PAUL'S ACTIONS!!!"

i think thats pretty much all i had to say. i might reblog with additions as they hit me but yeah i. i enjoyed the movie. so so much. i think i might watch it again sometime soon while its still in cinemas.

sorry for being unhinged hope u enjoyed my rants. kiss kiss night night <3

[thatgirlthatwritessmut]

weird rq but likeeee? oh well here we go ! so basically rafe and yn are dating but then she finds out about the sheriff peterkin thing from ju and when rafe comes home she is PACING. she and rafe have a conversation and she goes to call the police but then rafe doesn't want to go to jail and tries to say it's because JJ doesn't like him and she obviously doesn't believe it so he like thinks about killing her but then ends up locking her in the thingy majigy I forgot what it's called til she changes her mind

idea honestly came from this song so !

calm down.

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rafe cameron x female reader

𝒮𝓊𝓂𝓂𝒶𝓇𝓎 ~ your boyfriend rafe locks you in a room until you calm down after finding out about him killing sheriff peterkin.

𝒲𝒶𝓇𝓃𝒾𝓃𝑔𝓈 ~ dark!rafe, violence, toxic behaviors, unhealthy relationship, emotional outbursts, kisses, crying.

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your friends and lover never got along. there was always something coming up. your pogue friends would always tell you that you should break up with rafe but you simply wouldn’t. even though you were pretty sure he was a psychopath you couldn’t stop yourself from loving him.

rafe didn't make it easy though. he was short tempered and ill mannered. sometimes you wanted to smack him across the face for the words that spilled from it. at times you did let your feelings get the best of you and the shape of your handprint would take over the pale flesh of his cheek. he would soon grab a hold of you and the two of you would tussle around but it wouldn't be long till your lips crashed on his inhaling his toxicity.

you knew this relationship was bad for you but you were blinded by love and desire which made the recent information that you were given hard to swallow.

you're taking your family boat out enjoying the air from the sea before you get a text from your friend jj.

jj: y/n I need you to meet me at my place. we need to talk. now.

confusion corses through your body as you quickly reply back.

y/n: jj what's going on?

jj: just hurry and get here fast.

you immediately put your phone aside as you grab a hold of the steering wheel on the boat and head for the dock. once you arrive you tie it up. as you finish you dash towards your car, hitting the gas. its not long till you're on jj front porch knocking on the door filled with worry. jj quickly opens the door and pulls you in without a word. "jj...whats going on?!" you say breaking the silence. he stares at you calculating his words. "you won't believe me.". "how could you know that?" you say slightly annoyed. "because its involving your boy toy...". your body freezes suddenly becoming breathless. "r-....rafe?- what the fuck did he do now?". "something bad. something he's not going to come back from...well he might because he's blaming everything he did on john b.". "what?!...why the hell is he doing that?". jj goes silent again. 'WHAT THE FUCK DID HE DO JJ?!" you finally shout.

“HE SHOT SHERIFF PETERKIN!”

as you hear those words you step back not believing what's been said. "no....NO! that can't be true. he's done his fair share of fucked up things but he would never go as far as....as far as...murder.". 'oh yeah? that's funny because I saw him with my own eyes. me, kie, pope, john b, and even sarah. she'll tell you what he did and that's her own blood!".

you shake your head, tears beginning to blur your vision. you try to speak through your tightened throat. "whe-...when did this happen?". "recently....I wanted to let you know sooner but a LOT as been going on. I wasn't sure if you were at his place or not so i texted you as soon as i could. you're not safe around him y/n!". you stare at the wall choked up before making your way to the door.

"hey! where are you going?". jj quickly foots behind you not letting you out of his sight. as you walk outside you run to your car not looking back. "y/n don't do this! you hear me? don't!". you ignore jj's commands entering your car and slamming the door behind you. "I'm getting to the bottom of this! don't follow me!". with that said you put your car in reverse and make your way to the cameron house.

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you’re pacing at the front door as rafe arrives home. he glances at you surprised by your presence. as he locks the door he greets you. “hey baby. you didn’t tell me you were stopping by-”. “did you kill sheriff peterkin?”. he face stiffens as he looks up from the lock and stares at the door back facing you. silence takes over the house as your movements stop as well, eyes burning a hole into his neck. you repeat your question. “DID YOU KILL-”. “who told you that?” he snaps, turning around now stepping towards you with speed. “don’t worry about who. answer my damn question rafe!”. his jaw clenches as he stares at you then looks away trying to come up with a lie. “no. john b did.”. you immediately strike back. “liar….i know you’re not telling the truth i can see it in your face!”. you point your finger at him disgusted that he has put you in this position.

rafe begins to shake his head. “not here. not while wheezy and rose is at home okay? lets-”. “NO! no! you will not push me away rafe! why not tell the truth why not tell them that you KILLED SHERIFF PETE-”. rafe grabs you and takes his hand to your mouth silencing your words. “i really wish you wouldn’t do that.” he says, his strength besting you. “get off of me!” you say muffled as you push him away only being able to break free because he allowed you. the two of you stare at each other silently before you speak once again. “rafe…i’m going to ask you one last time. did. you. kill. sheriff. peterkin?”.

he narrows his eyes at you before shaking his head once again. you force a smile as you nod. “…okay…well i guess i’ll find out once the police hears about this won’t i?”. you make your way to the door and he blocks your path. “what does that mean?”. “oh you know what it means.”. his icey glare slightly scares you but you don’t let it show. you inch closer to him. “what now rafe?…are you going to shoot me too?”. you see the gears start to turn in his head, like he was actually considering the idea.

you try to push past him again but now you’re met with his hand to your neck. “r- rafe?” you stutter gripping his wrist. he starts backing you to a door glaring at you with every step. when your back hits the door you yell. “let me go!”. he doesn’t listen pulling you to the side by your neck as he opens the room and throws you inside of it. you fall to the ground wincing in pain. as you look back you watch him swiftly close the door. as you lay on the ground you start to hear a locking sound. you eyes widen and you panick. “no..NO! RAFE!”. you get up from the floor, pacing to the door and begin pounding it. “LET ME OUT!” you scream, beginning to kick. “i’m not letting you out, y/n. not until you calm down, okay?”. “screw you!” you shout through the door. “i’m trying to be civil here, and you’re freaking out right now.”. as your face turns with anger you suddenly hear a familiar voice coming down the stairs.

“rafe what the hell is going on? who is that?”. “r- rose?” you say thankful that she was here. “is- is that y/n?” rose says confused. “yeah.” rafe admits. “why is she locked in there?”. you immediately answer. “rafe locked me in!”. “she’s locked in there because sometimes you have to make the hard choice, right? she just didn’t get that.”. he then turns to the door so he can make sure you hear him. “you fail to understand that constantly, don’t you? huh? DONT YOU?”. he brings his fist up to punch the door. “shut the hell up!” you scream as you push your shoulder into the wood standing between you two hoping to break the lock. “you need to CALM DOWN!” he yells back at you. “what do you mean calm down?!” you reply. but then the other side of the door goes quiet. as a little time goes by you hear something again.

“y/n…what is it going to be?”. your pounding stops as you hear rafe’s voice again. “where is rose?”. “she went upstairs okay? i told her you’re fine which you are.”. “RAFE! stop it now! let me out!”. “i’ll only let you out once you promise me that you won’t go to the cops. so i’ll say it again...what is it going to be?”. you stop responding. soon rafe presses his ear to the door confused but quickly hears a glass shattering against the door. “LET ME OUT ASSHOLE!”. “okay. I’ll give you some time to come to your senses.”. as you hear his steps grow distant you punch harder. “let me out!” you insist. “i really wanna help you, but i need you to help me too okay?” rafe says as he walks up the stairs. you begin to repeat the word “no” over and over again not wanting to stay in the room another minute. “rafe? rafe?…please don’t leave!” you say softly as you give up on breaking the door. you slowly fall to the floor backing up into a corner bringing your knees to your chest. you cover your face as tears fill your eyes. you couldn’t believe what was happening.

after a while you hear the lock turning. you lift yourself from the floor watching as rafe opens the door. “y/n? have you calmed down?”. you nod your head repeatedly slowly walking towards him. as you walk out the door he grabs a hold of your waist. “i hope you can forgive me. i never want you to have to see me like that but you gave me no choice.” he says wiping your tears away with his thumb. your head nods as you sniffle. he then plants a kiss on your cheek then temple as he pull you into a hug. as he locks you into his warm embrace your mind fills with one thought.

should you protect your friends or your lover?

writers note ~ sorry if this feels rushed. lots have been going on in my life. i hope you still enjoyed !! :)