#and i already love his voice and love listening to him talk

[cheapshrimpysheep]

Yuutsum 3

SUMMARY: What if you also have a Tsum? Then your Tsum and the Tsum of the person you like keep giving signs that they like each other?

CHARACTERS: Twisted Tsumderland 3 Tsumsitters (Ace; Trey; Ruggie; Jamil; Vil; Idia; Malleus; Silver)

TAGS: Fluff; GN Reader 

WARNING: Spoilers for the Twisted Tsumderland 3 Event and the Tsumsitter cards Vignettes.

WORD COUNT: An average of 810 words per character.

COMMENTS: This was originally a request from @taruruchi for my 1k celebration. Which you can read here. And since so many readers liked it, I decided to do what I normally do when this happens: Do this for ALL the characters! Grouped by event in this case.

The request also includes Jamil's and Silver's tsums, but I wrote them before part 3 was even announced on the JP server. In other words, I had to pretty much guess what their tsums would be like, but now I could write them more accurately.

And I ended up get carried away writing Vil's and Idia's parts. 😅

I hope you enjoy 😉

Yuutsum 1 (Riddle; Cater; Leona; Jack; Floyd; Epel; Sebek)

Yuutsum 2 (Deuce; Azul; Jade; Kalim; Rook; Ortho; Lilia)

CONTEXT: Like the original Twisted Tsumderland 3 event, this takes place after the events of the first and second Twisted Tsumderland. And, surprise, your Tsum is back! But it’s the only one, all the other Tsums that came with it are completely new visitors.

Just like the other times, your Tsum seemed restless and wanted to leave Ramshackle Dorm, probably to go look for the other tsums. You decide to take a walk around the school building first and you notice a gathering in the cafeteria.

“If you give it devoted, loving care, I'm sure it'd be willing to show its gratitude!” You hear Ace's voice say from behind a wall of other students.

You come closer, with your tsum in your arms.

“So... Who wants to look after the tsum?!”

“I'll do it!” a Scarabia student offers.

“What are you talking about?” A Pomefiore student counterposes. “That's gonna be me!”

And an argue begins. You stand on your tiptoes and crane your neck to look over some students' shoulders and see an Ace-tsum on the table.

“Okay, easy, guys. You can all take turns trying your hand at looking after it.” Ace interrupts. “If things go well, you might get to see more tricks. And hey, if they don't do any, you can just return it tonight.”

Even though you know this is about Ace and his tsum, you can't help but feel a little sorry for the things Ace is saying. It's like he just wants to get rid of his tsum. Poor little guy. And your tsum agrees.

“I can take care of it!” Your voice rings out, Ace and Deuce recognizing it immediately.

The students in front of you turn and see that you have another tsum in your arms. They make way for you while commenting on how cute it is.

“(Y/N)?!” Ace and Deuce say in unison.

You lean over to look at Ace-tsum who is looking at you with bright, surprised eyes. You say you can take care of it since Ace doesn't want to. Your tsum jumps from your arms to Ace-tsum's side. You add that you have your tsum to help you supervise it and that you already have some experience with an Ace. He blushes a little.

“Wait (Y/N)!” Deuce says.“This is supposed to be Ace and my task. And you already have your tsum to take care of.”

“Don't worry, Deuce. We both can take care of it. Right, Tsum?” Your Tsum agrees and rubs its cheek against Ace-Tsum's cheek. “Better us than someone who treats it like a burden.” But Ace-tsum moves away from your tsum and Ace grabs your arm to pull you with him to talk to you alone.

“You dummy!” He tells you in a lower voice. “Listen, I'm not just trying to get rid of my tsum, okay?! I'm trying to find someone who adores it so much that they would love to fawn over it and take care of it. This will be better than being with someone who is only taking care of it out of obligation.”

You ask, then, why can't you take care of his tsum.

“Because I was trying to get some idiot to do it, not you!”

Then you hear and see that more students have joined the group that fawns over Ace-tsum. And it seemed like they were finding something cute?

You two go back to the table and see your tsums having fun with each other. Ace-tsum was showing magic tricks to your Tsum and seemed happier with your Tsum's surprised reaction than with the students' applause. Your tsum approached Ace-tsum and began to rub their cheeks against each other, like cuddling. Ace blushed again.

“Fine...” Ace gives up. “It seems like it wants to be with your tsum anyway.”

“Why don't we all take care of the tsums together again?” Deuce suggests, “Like we did when mine was here.”

You and your tsum agree.

“Yeah, I guess we can do that.” Ace says, then smirks. “At least now I can split the work between three.”

Surprisingly, Ace's Tsum is much calmer when it's around your Tsum. In addition to being extremely affectionate with your Tsum, it also seems to really enjoy impressing it with magic tricks and things like that. As if it loved having your tsum's attention and affection back, completely ignoring Ace's embarrassment.

Your tsum wanted to go somewhere, so you pick it up and let it guide you out of Ramshackle Dorm. You pass the Botanical Garden and the Alchemy Workshop and arrive at the Hall of Mirrors. Your tsum wants you to cross the mirror to Heartslabyul.

You do so, enter the building and you end up crossing paths with Trey in the hallway. He was carrying a cake container. You feel your tsum move slightly in your arms when it sees him.

“Hello (Y/N).” Trey greets you. “I see your tsum is back.” He smiles at it and you feel it move again. “This time one similar to me showed up too, so I'm also tsumsitting. I assume you're here to see it.” He chuckles seeing you and your tsum nodding. “It is in the lounge. But before that.” He opens the cake container revealing a beautiful cake with icing and grapes decorating it, and some slices already missing. “Do you want to try a slice? Tsum decorated it.”

If you like grapes, he will be happy to see you eating a slice. If you don't like them and are sad because you would like to try the cake, He will suggest that you go to the kitchen and take out just one piece that doesn't have grapes for you to taste.

“Here.” He says taking just a forkful of the icing cake. “This one doesn't have grapes.” He holds out the fork with the piece of cake in your direction.

You can take the fork and eat it yourself or you can eat it while he holds the fork. If you do this last one, he will laugh and then smirk slightly. Independently of what you do, you'll feel your tsum moving in your arms again, but not enthusiastically.

Trey asks if everything is okay with your tsum and you answer that it might be sad because it can't taste the cake, after all tsum don't eat.

“Oh, don't worry.” He says to your tsum with a sweet smile. “You liking the way it looks is good enough already.”

Your tsum makes that happy tsum sound and suddenly jumps out of your arms towards Trey who catches it and you see it nestling in his arms.

“Ha ha ha. Your tsum is more cheeky than mine. No, that's not a bad thing. I find it quite cute actually.”

If you are more outgoing, your tsum will make that happy sound again and smile at him with its eyes. If you are shy, your tsum will shrink a little and hide its face in his arms.

He will, happily, carry your Tsum in his arms to the lounge where his Tsum and other students are, but when the three of you get there...

“Is everyone done? I'll get the dishes - uh...” Trey and you see what appears to be his tsum attacking students with a toothbrush. “What’s going on here?”

Cater explains the whole madness with Tsum wanting everyone to brush their teeth. Trey ends up taking his Tsum's side and the students run to brush their teeth. Cater tries to apologize by saying that it took him longer to eat and even tries to say that he wanted to spend some time with your tsum. But it's no use, both Treys look at him with a menacing smile.

“Ah, I'm sorry! I swear I'll brush therm! Don't come near me with that smile on your face!” And he leaves the lounge as well.

Only Riddle, you, Trey and your two tsums remain. Trey-tsum points his toothbrush at you with that smile.

“Let's give (Y/N) a pass this time.” Trey defends you. “They are from another dorm so their toothbrush and toothpaste are not here.”

Trey-tsum lowers the toothbrush in agreement. Your Tsum jumps out of Trey's arms and lands next to his Tsum. They both make a happy sound and the two begin to rub their cheeks against each other as if cuddling.

“Your tsum is very affectionate, isn't it?” Trey comments with a smile.

Trey-tsum jumps onto your shoulder, presses its face against your cheek as if it were giving you a kiss, and jumps back to your tsum’s side. Then the two jump onto one of the sofas and snuggle up together as if they were nesting.

“How cute.” Riddle comments with a slightly mocking smile seeing Trey blush.

You were taking a walk around the school campus with your tsum in your arms when you heard Jack's voice calling you.

“Hey (Y/N), glad I found you.” Jack says. You turn around and he sees your Tsum in your arms who greets him smiling with its eyes. “Your tsum is back? So you should already know that other tsums have appeared too.”

You say you had already assumed that and ask if he was looking for you.

“More or less. The truth is that I was looking for someone who could help Ruggie with his tsum.”

You feel your tsum move in your arms when it hears Ruggie's name. Jack tells you that everything seemed to be going well between them until they started arguing, or rather fighting over the money they earned. Your tsum has the same reaction as you, probably an unsurprised sigh.

You agree to help and go with Jack to Savanaclaw. You find Ruggie and his tsum in the lounge fighting with each other. Riggie has an envelope in his outstretched hand trying to get it away from the tsum, while the tsum jumps at Ruggie to try to get to the envelope while hitting him.

Your tsum jumps out of your arms and sneaks up on them while they are focused on fighting each other. When it is close enough, it prepares itself and as soon as it sees an opening, it jumps and takes the envelope from Ruggie's hands. Then it runs to you with the envelope where its mouth would be and jumps back into your arms, handing you the envelope.

Ruggie looked at your tsum and you with the most threatening look you've ever seen on him, until he realized it was you and his expression changed drastically and his ears went down. His Tsum's reaction was the same. He even stutters your name in surprise.

“And h-hey, your tsum is back!” He tries to divert the conversation and ease the situation.

You don't fall for that and ask why they were fighting over the money. Ruggie explained to you that he still tried to give 20% to his Tsum since it doesn't need money to eat or things like that and that's why it seemed fair to him. But his tsum didn't like the idea and was trying to keep most of the money.

You ask your own tsum if that money is the same as in the tsum world, basically asking if it would be of any use to Ruggie-tsum, and your tsum shakes its head no.

“See?! It's not even any use to you. And I would be generous enough to give you twenty percent.”

Ruggie's tsum turns against him again, your tsum jumps out of your arms and throws itself at Ruggie-stum, hitting it. But it doesn't hit your tsum to retaliate, instead it tucks its tail between its legs and lowers its ears while your tsum seems to scold it.

Ruggie laughs at that situation and approaches you asking, also with his ears down and his tail between his legs, if you could give him back the envelope. But you reveal that, knowing him, you knew that he was not taking care of the tsum, but rather taking advantage of it to earn more money with its work.

“Hey, The tsum was the one who wanted to work for m- I mean with me. We earned that money by working together by choice.”

“So why not split it fifty-fifty?” You suggest.

“WHAT?! Are you cra-”

“If one of you worked as hard as the other then you deserve the same amount, don't you?”

He tries to bargain by reiterating that Tsums don't need to eat, but you continue the discussion saying that if it's not like that they won't stop fighting and it will never be resolved. If Ruggie keeps rejecting ot, your tsum will throw itself at his head to hit him. And then he will finally give in and split the money 50-50.

After that your tsum will convince Ruggie-tsum to just rest with it, trying to push it onto one of the lounge chairs. But instead Ruggie-tsum seemed to want to play with your tsum and the two of them started play fighting like two cubs. Which ends up looking more like they are hugging and cuddling.

Ruggie comments that despite what happened they seem to really like each other. After playing with each other for a while, Ruggie-tsum will come over to you to see if it can get some petting from you for being so cute. And if so, it'll turn over on its back so you can give it belly rubs. Ruggie will tell you that you're spoiling his tsum while trying not to show that he's jealous.

You find out that a Tsum similar to Jamil has appeared and is with him in Scarabia by crossing paths with Kalim while you were taking a walk with your Tsum around the school campus. Needless to say, Kalim was super happy to see your tsum again.

On the way to Scarabia you could feel the enthusiasm of your tsum. When you arrive, Jamil and his tsum are in the lounge playing a card game.

The two Jamils realize that someone has entered the lounge. They look at whoever has entered just to greet them, but as soon as they see that it is you, they both smile.

“Hello (Y/N). I see your tsum is back.”

Your tsum jumps from your arms and approaches Jamil's tsum. When it gets close enough, they brush each other's cheeks. Jamil blushes and pulls his hood a little tighter.

They will finish the game they were playing and then invite you and your tsum to play with them. You will play against your tsum, Jamil will teach you and his tsum will teach your tsum while you both play. Jamil will try to make you win, while Jamil-tsum is trying to make your tsum win. And perhaps for this reason, he teaches you by whispering in your ear so that the tsums don't hear your plays. Even if you don't win, Jamil will say that you played well and will be happy that you understood how to play.

You play two or three more times. Whenever you or your tsum win, it's because Jamil and his tsum agreed to lose to see you both happy. But in the last round Jamil-tsum climbs onto your lap while your tsum goes onto Jamil's lap. Thus forming pairs for the last round.

While Jamil-tsum helps you with the best moves, Jamil asks your tsum for its opinion with a cute smile. They both know that your tsum can't help him win, but he enjoys interacting with it in the same way he enjoys interacting with you.

The two teams end up tied. There is a good chance that the bouth Jamils planned this result.

You were going to get up so Jamil could prepare something for the two of you to have a snack, when you heard something. The sound of an insect coming in and cetting closer to you. Jamil jumps and runs to the door leaving your tsum behind while his tsum uses you to hide. You feel it trembling against you. The insect lands on one of your cards and you see that it is a... little ladybug.

If your reaction is something like, ‘Aww, a cute ladybug.’ Jamil will complain, outraged.

You ask Jamil to bring you some jar with a lid with holes and leaves inside. When he asks you what for, you say that you're going to put the ladybug inside and release it in Ramshackle Dorm's garden. He thinks you're crazy but that's okay as long as you lock that thing up and take it away. He brings you an empty spice jar with two leaves inside. You ask if they are poisonous plants, he sighs and says no. You smell the leaves and they seem normal.

The ladybug was on your finger, you open the jar to put it inside but it flies back towards Jamil who screams and runs away again. When the ladybug returns, it goes after Jamil-tsum, who also starts to run away through the lounge. The ladybug finally lands on your tsum's head and the two of you put the insect in the jar and close it. You tell Jamil it's done.

When he comes back, you try your best to contain your laughter as you remember him running away from a ladybug, but he notices your little smile and looks at you sullenly, despite thanking you.

Something similar seems to happen with the tsums, but your tsum dosen't contain its laughter and Jamil-tsum attacks it with what appears to be tickles. After your tsum surrenders the two seem to start cuddling each other.

Jamil is embarrassed by this and pulls his hood even further to hide his blushing face.

You were walking around the school campus with your tsum in your arms when you arrived at the Courtyard. A group of Pomefiore students focused on photographing something separated you from Vil and Rook on the other side. You and your tsum noticed that they were photographing Vil's tsum, and it seemed to be enjoying the photoshoot itself.

Your tsum jumps from your arms to the ground and tries to pass between the feet of some students to get closer to Vil-tsum. But those students notice something moving near them and look down at your tsum.

“Aw, it's another tsum.” One of the students says.

“Yeah, but this one doesn't look like anything special.” Another student comments.

“In fact, it looks so ordinary.” A third student agrees. “Could you please not interfere with Vil's Tsum photos?”

Your tsum still tried to advance a little further, but the students stopped it by putting their feet in its way. And even if you were complaining, they didn't care, they were in the middle of a photo shoot, the staff and spectators shouldn't interfere.

“Listen, if your tsum was half as beautiful as Vil's tsum we might still consider it, but I don't believe his tsum would even want to be seen with yours.”

With this, your tsum becomes too sad to keep trying and returns depressed to you. It doesn't even jump into your arms, you have to bend down and pick it up.

Meanwhile, the photo shoot stops abruptly and you hear some students say: “What's wrong?”, “Why do you want to stop suddenly?”, “Did we do something wrong?”, “Have we crossed boundaries?”

You see the students in front of you make way for Vil's tsum. When it sees you, its eyes shine, but when it sees your tsum, sad and curled up in your arms it gets upset and turns aggressively towards the students.

They realize that the tsum is upset with them for insulting your tsum, but it doesn't know which one was and they start saying it was the other one.

“You're the one who said it didn't look like anything special!”

“’In fact, it looks so ordinary.’ that's what YOU said”

“And who said their tsum wasn't even half as beautiful as Vil's tsum?”

“At least have the decency to admit your rudeness.” Vil appears, also unpleased, and with Rook beside him. “None of you have the right to decide who can or cannot approach the tsum. It is the one who decides who deserves such a privilege.”

“What a disappointment to have dormmates with such little tolerance for other unique types of beauty.” Rook says sadly. “And so insensitive too. ‘I don't believe his tsum would even want to be seen with yours.’ Which of you has the courage to claim such a phrase?” Rook looks at the three main suspects with an amused smile but a menacing look.

Both Vil and his tsum got angry upon hearing this.

“It was him!” The other two pointed to the culprit.

“It is also quite ugly to denounce someone so shamelessly.” Vil rebuked them and clapped his hands decisively twice. “The photo shoot is over. Go back to your duties. And the three of you have a meeting scheduled with me later in the Pomefiore dorm. Do I make myself clear?”

“Y-yes Housewarden. We regret our words.”

“I sure hope you do. But that won't lessen your punishment. You may go now.”

As the Pomefiore students leave, the others glaring at the three who insulted your tsum, Vil-tsum turns back to you and jumps into your arms, knowing that you would catch it. It cuddles up to your tsum as if it were comforting it, rubbing their cheeks and giving it kisses, or at least that's what it seemed like since tsum don't have mouths.

“How can they belittle such a demonstration of love and such a beautiful couple!” Rook says dramatically. “Je suis choqué!”

When you start having trouble holding two tsums at once, Vil approaches you and puts his arms around yours to help you.

“I am deeply sorry for the atrocities you heard.” He tells you in a soft voice but then smiled smugly. “You can help me think of an appropriate punishment if you like.”

Knowing that you were having difficulty holding them, your tsums end up jumping from your embrace to the ground. Your tsum still looks a little sad and Vil's tsum doesn't take its attention away from your tsum.

“Don't listen to them.” Vil says to your tsum. “Just because you don't fit their standards doesn't mean you're not beautiful. You should only care about the opinion of those who you really care about and who care about you.” He looks at you. “They are right about one thing, you two look ordinary.” He will smile in amusement if you look at him sulkily. “But who said that was ugly? The beauty of the ordinary is the most difficult to perceive, only those who truly recognize it deserve to appreciate it. And if you want to know my opinion, two extraordinary things become flashy, but one common thing brings balance and harmony. The kind of thing whose value and importance you only realize when it disappears.” He looks back at your tsum. “Don't listen to the opinions of ignorant people.”

Rook was crying with emotion and murmured how beautiful that moment had been. Your tsum, also moved by his words, jumps into Vil's arms. He almost got a fright, but he caught your tsum.

“*sigh* How cheeky.” Vil said, smiling softly. He holds your tsum as if he were holding a beloved baby.

Vil-tsum approaches you calmly, with an aura of dignity and sophistication. You lower yourself, kneeling on the ground and it climbs onto your lap. Like a cat demanding in the way you pet it.

Vil-tsum won't let anyone else take a picture of it unless they want to take a picture of it and your tsum together. If your tsum is too shy and doesn't want to take pictures, then Vil-tsum will also refuse.

Vil's tsum will try to convince him to give you and your tsum a beauty treatment. And if it doesn't succeed the first time, he'll steal Vil's cosmetics for your tsum. But since it's you, Vil ends up accepting.

Vil will have to keep an eye on Rook because he will become obsessed with your tsums together.

Your tsum was restless in Ramshackle Dorm and seemed to want to go somewhere. You picked it up and let it lead you out of the dorm. Your tsum made you pass through the Botanical Garden and the Alchemy Workshop until you reached the Hall of Mirrors, where it made you pass through the mirror that lead to Ignihyde. Once inside it doesn't take long for Ortho to appear to greet you.

“Hi (Y/N)!” He looks at the tsum in your arms. “Oh! You're back too. It's great to see you again! Are you here because of my big brother's tsum?”

And now you know why your tsum wanted to go there. Your tsum nods its little head. Ortho doesn't even bother to tell you where they are because they can only be in one place, but he says he'll have to leave because of the meeting with the Film Research Club and wishes you luck in dealing with his brother and his tsum. You go to Idia's room and knock on the door.

“Ortho? Did you forget something?” Idea asks instead of opening the door.

“No. It's me, (Y/N).”

He stammers your name in surprise. “W-w-w-what are you doing here?!”

You explain that your tsum was the one who took you to Ignihyde and that Ortho told you that an Idia lookalike had also appeared. Suddenly you hear a commotion inside the room and Idia asking in panic what it was doing.

The bedroom door opens. You see Idia lying on the floor in the middle of the room and in front of you an Idia-tsum staring at you. When your eyes meet his, his own sparkle and the blue in his hair takes on pink hues at the tips.

Your tsum jumps out of your arms and lands right on top of Idia-tsum. What no one expected, not even your tsum, was that Idia-tsum's reflex would be to take advantage of this to take your tsum, as if kidnapping it, to a kind of fortress made of cardboard boxes in the corner of the room.

“Welcome to the club.” Idia tells you as he stands up. “It also kidnapped my tablet. Now it has two captives.”

As soon as you enter, the door closes behind you again. You go to the cardboard boxes, kneel down and look inside. You see, through a gap in the boxes, the two tsums very close together playing a co-op game on the tablet.

“S-sorry about that.” Idia tells you embarrassed. “I can't get along with this tsum. I've been trying to get my tablet back for hours but it is so stubborn. ...What? Why are you looking at me like that?”

You think about it and say that if they stay calm like that until it's time for them to go back to their world, there shouldn't be any problems, right?

“OF COURSE THERE IS! MY LOGIN BONUSES! Why do you think I'm trying to get my tablet back?! Listen, I don't care what the tsums do as long as they don't cause me any problems or interfere with my games. And this tsum manages to do both. My room wasn't this disorganized before, but it keeps fighting me. You're good with delinquents, help me!”

If your tsum is really like you, it wants to get Idia-tsum out of those cardboard boxes like you want to get Idia out of his room. Which means if you have an idea you know your tsum will help you. You think about that co-op games and how Idia can be competitive when he believes he have a good chance of winning. Aka: in video games.

So you have an idea, but to do so you have to whisper the idea in the Idia's ear so the tsums don't hear. When you get closer he gets flustered. You suggest playing a 2 vs 2 game and invite the tsums to play, and encourages him to be as provocative as possible to ensure that his tsum accepts the challenge.

“And then what?" He whispers back to you "We'll have to entertain it while I get the tablet back.”

“I can handle that part.” you guarantee him.

You both follow the plan, luckily Idia has 4 controllers, probably because they are all different models. At first, Idia-tsum doesn't fall into the trap, but soon Idia's smugness kicks in

“Of course you don't accept the challenge. You don't even have opposing thumbs, how could you beat us?” The boxes move. “Or is it because you're a noob?” The boxes move again and it looks like Idia has an idea for the ultimate strike. “Oh, I see, it’s because your teammate is a normie who sucks at games.”

One of the boxes jumps like a spring and almost hits Idia in the face, as if whatever was underneath it had exploded. Idia-tsum jumps towards one of the controls with an irritated look and his hair completely red. Idia himself gives one of those scared YEPs, but for some reason he smiles when he sees that reaction from his tsum.

Your tsum jumps to the other controller next to Idia-tsum who looks at it and waves like a true duo preparing for battle. Idia gets prepered beside you and gives you a similar determined smile before he starts the game.

During the fighting game, it was as if Idia had forgotten about his tablet and whenever it seemed like you were having trouble he would get upset on your behalf and defend your character with his. His tsum did the same to your tsum.

It was only at the end of the round that Idia suddenly remembered the tablet and jumped out of his chair to pick it up from the floor next to the cardboard boxes. His tsum did the same thing, but you managed to catch it in time and held it in your arms with a strong hug. It struggled at first, but when it remembered that it was you who was grabbing it, its hair turned completely pink and it covered its eyes with its little hands.

“I collected...”  Idia raises the tablet in his hands. “The Tablet!”

He looks at you with a triumphant smile, but if you are giving his tsum affection and kisses because it’s so cute, the tips of Idia's hair will also turn pink and he will be flustered.

Your tsum will jump right up to his face and give him some affection too, like rubbing its little face against his cheek.

“H-h-h-h-have you never heard of personal space?!”

You were walking with your tsum in your arms around the school campus when Lilia suddenly appeared.

“You're back!” Lilia surprises you and your tsum by appearing upside down in front of you. “Hi (Y/N)-tsum. It's so good to see you again. This is actually perfect.” He turns around and puts his feet on the ground. “You see, a Malleus-like tsum also appeared.” You feel your tsum move happily in your arms. “And Malleus decided to throw a party for it. I was looking for you to invite you, but now that I see that your tsum is back I know that both Malleus would love to have both of you at the party.

Your tsum gets so excited that it almost falls out of your arms.

“Good thing you're excited, because we're already late. Come with me. The party has already started.”

Lilia accompanies you and your tsum to Diasomnia. The lounge is full of Diasomnia students paying attention to Malleus and his tsum. Lilia asks you to follow him down the stairs and when you reach the last step the students in front of you look at you and respectfully make way between you and the two Malleus. Like soldiers taking positions on both sides of the road.

The two Malleus look confused to see what the students were doing and when the two tsums' eyes meet your tsum jumps out of your arms and hops towards Malleus-tsum very quickly. Some of the students (Sebek included) took one step forward to stop your tsum from "attacking" Malleus' tsum, but stop immediately at Lilia's signal.

Malleus-tsum did not move, excitedly waiting for your tsum to reach it. Your tsum did indeed attack Malleus' tsum, but with love and affection. Your tsum gave it a lot of affection and Malleus' tsum simply accepted it with smiling eyes, only occasionally reciprocating the affection. Malleus also looked at your tsum with a special affection in his eyes.

You approached the tsums to get a better look at Malleus’s. It approached you with that dignity that Malleus himself also has, looked at you for a few seconds and bowed. All the other students at Diasmonia suddenly did the same. Even Sebek, although he did so a little reluctantly.

You bowed back and asked if you could pet it. The other students looked at you again with extreme attention and some held their breath. Malleus-tsum pondered, creating suspense in the lounge, but then it made that happy tsum sound and jumped into your arms, super happy. It accepts any and all affection coming from you and it doesn't matter how strong your hug is, just like Malleus his tsum is also extremely strong and resistant.

Meanwhile, your tsum also jumps into Malleus' arms without warning. Hence the students' gasps echoing through the lounge.

“So fearless, jumping towards me like that.” Malleus smiled smugly. “You really don't fear that I might crush you?”

The other students were wary, but your tsum didn't seem to care what he was saying and jumped onto the top of his head, nestling between his two horns. Once again the students gasped in fear. Only Lilia and Silver were calm. Lilia was laughing.

“My liege, please forgive this insulting-” Sebek said, but was quickly interrupted by Malleus's good-natured laughter.

“How cheeky. I wonder who gave you permission to go up there.” He raises his arm to bring his hand closer to your Tsum in his head, touching its little nose affectionately before patting its head.

While you were hugging Malleus-tsum, one of its horns stung your cheek. It immediately stopped and looked at you worriedly when it heard you say ‘ouch’. When it realized it had hurt you, its little eyes watered. You said it was okay, that it hadn't really hurt you, it was just a little sting, you were fine, you hadn't even gotten a mark. But even so, you had to keep comforting it.

After that, Malleus-tsum wanted to dance with you and Malleus with your tsum. You did so. And the next one, the two tsums wanted to dance together. Following this same logic, Malleus invited you to dance.

At the end of the party, when your tsum gets tired, Malleus-tsum will accompany it to you and Malleus who are sitting together. But your tsum will lie on Malleus' lap, and he will pet it lovingly. Likewise, Malleus-tsum will lie down on your lap, even if it is not tired. It is extremely happy for you to pet it.

Malleus laughs happily when your tsum turns over onto its back so he can give it belly rubs.

Malleus-tsum looks at you and Malleus and thinks you're not close enough. It jumps from your lap to your side and gives you a little nudge on the leg with one of its little horns. You jump and lean against Malleus. You apologize, but Malleus still puts an arm around you. And now satisfied, his tsum returns to your lap, which is so close to Malleus' lap that the two tsums can nestle together too.

You were walking around the school campus with your tsum, but it got tired of always walking in your arms and now it was jumping around by your side.

You were crossing the bridge that led to the Mystery Shop grounds when your tsum, who was jumping on the edge of the bridge, slipped and fell into the water below you. The current took your tsum to the lake in front of the Hall of Mirrors building, you followed it running. Your tsum managed to grab onto a ledge in the rocks very close to the waterfall.

You didn't know what to do. You couldn't get down there and there was nothing to help you.

But at that moment something jumped into the water near your Tsum, grabbed onto it and grew so big that it was blocking the passage to the waterfall. It was Silver's tsum!

And speaking of him, Silver appears right after and uses his magic to make your tsum levitate and fly back into your arms. But what about his tsum? The water coming from the lake was accumulating and creating more pressure on the tsum.

But the two Silvers seemed to understand each other well and the Tsum quickly returned to its normal size and let itself fall down the waterfall, but Silver managed to use his magic to catch it in the middle of the fall and bring it back to land safe and sound.

Your tsum jumped out of your arms to hug Silver-tsum, who hugged it back, or at least the tsum version of a strong and affectionate hug.

If you do the same to Silver to thank him, he will be surprised at first, but will hug you back gently with a smile on his face.

“I'm glad you and your tsum are safe now.” Silver tells you. “My tsum and I fell asleep nearby. We both woke up to the sound of something falling into the water and your fright.”

Neither your tsum nor silver's tsum wanted to let go of each other.

“Were you heading back to your dorm? We will accompany you.”

He used his magic to dry your tsum and you for grabbing it right after it came out of the water. Your tsums seemed to agree on something and then your tsum jumped into Silver's arms while Silver-tsum jumped into yours. Your tsum was nestling in Silver's arms, while his tsum was on guard and alert to your surroundings.

“I think they want me to protect your tsum while my lookalike protects you.” Silver assumes, placing his arms protectively around your tsum.

You go to Ramshackle Dorm together and as soon as you arrive in the lounge, your two tsums go to the sofa and snuggle up very close. And now in a safe place and next to your tsum, Silver-tsum falls asleep very soundly. Both you and your tsum find it funny how soft he looks when he sleeps so deeply.

“There goes another attempt to stay awake for as long as possible.” Silver says smiling, also finding it funny. “But I can't blame it. I also feel very relaxed around you.”

You stay with your tsums in the lounge. There's a good chance Silver will fall asleep next to you. Or on your lap if you let him.

If you would like to read more from me, you can find it in my pinned post: INDEX

[tojipie]

I love your writing soon much!!! I'd love to see one where megumi calls you while you're receiving tojis back shots and you have to keep your composure😭🙏

there’s a special warm little place in my heart just for dilf toji who simply can’t stop fucking his son’s college friends

content: drabble, smut, more porn than plot, fem reader

˚ ✧ ───────────

“Aww c’mon,” Toji teases, holding the receiver to your ear with a laugh. “He’s not gonna stop calling.”

To say you were frustrated would be a flat out lie. You were pissed. The call couldn’t have come at a worser time, effectively putting a pin in what was supposed to be a much needed fuck.

You rock back onto Toji’s dick in earnest, trying to distract him from the task at hand.

“Keep fucking me,” you whine, batting at the arm currently holding your buzzing phone to the side of your face.

“Hmm? Should I?” He asks fondly, laughing at the scowl on your face.

“Just fucking hang up—” your blood runs cold as you hear your best friend’s voice on the other line.

“Hey! Are you busy?” megumi asks, patiently waiting for your reply. The smug little grin on his father’s face pisses you off more than it should.

“No.. why?” You grit, swatting behind you in frustration. Toji catches your hand as it collides with what you think is his stomach, twisting your arm behind your back and rendering you powerless. You’re ashamed to admit you clamp down on him at the show of dominance, rendering yourself speechless as he begins to rut into you again.

“Nobara and I were going to hit the library if you’re down, we miss you so much.” Toji scoffs behind you, laying the phone flat with the receiver next to your mouth.

“I miss you guys too,” you muster, wincing as his father’s hand squeezes the back of your neck, a silent warning.

“Oh, do you now?” Toji grumbles in your ear, squeezing the fat of your ass and dealing a stinging slap to the tender flesh. The squeal that escapes you only spurs him on, the pliant skin of your neck now under his searing hit tongue as he sucks a violet mark under your jugular.

You loved when he got like this, flamingly possessive at even the slightest show of affection from hisb son. Toji could handle you two being friends, but he’d be damned before he lets you sweet talk another man on his cock.

“I don’t think I can make it today though, family plans,” you say cautiously, gasping as Toji’s slow rut morphs into a merciless assault on your soaking wet walls.

“The hell was that?” Megumi laughs, clearly not catching onto what was currently happening.

You quickly shove your face into the pillow to muffle the moans that follow suit, whimpering as your head is wrenched back by your hair and held in front of the phone by a thick hand.

“Answer him, pretty,” His father whispers, easing up on you and slowing his thrusts.

You’re too far gone to respond now, feeling your orgasm creeping closer by the second.

“Listen, c-can we come back to this later? I—” you’re already clamping down hard on Toji’s dick before you can get the rest of your sentence out, soaking the both of you as your body explodes in every sense of the word.

You don’t even have it in you to panic when you feel him snatch the phone off the pillow and put it on speaker, still pummeling into your sopping wet entrance as he speaks.

“Hey, I think she’ll have to call you back kiddo.” he says, hanging up as the other line erupts in chaos.

[rafesthroatbaby]

That bodyguard of yours…” …. “I haven’t seen him in a minute.”

„Let’s talk about good decisions, Rafe. Her? I'm questioning you and your fuckin’ taste level.“

i swear she is me ?!! cause that’s what I’d throw at him as well 😭😭 look at her than look at ME?!! the fuckkkkk go bleach your eyes Loool

„Keep talkin��� back and see what the fuck happens.”

„Next time you try this shit, just know I’ll chase you down. Next time you roll your fuckin’ eyes at me, I’ll pin you where you stand. You can’t keep doin’ this shit without consequences.”

„I’ll let you cum tonight. But I swear if this shit happens again. M’not… Not until you’re at my hotel door beggin’ and cryin’ for my dick like a whore.”

„Completely mocking you and the mess he made of his favorite girl. “You’re kiddin’ me?” He teases as he rests his hands on the bed, lowering himself to your ear, his chest brushing against your bare back. “Safeword?”

ok this action alone would send me over the edge all over 😵‍💫😮‍💨 him mocking you ? Different level of HOTTTT & no safeword daddy 😌 yours however to use

“I said ‘spread your shit,’” he shouts, making you flinch. “What’s it gonna take for you to listen? Huh?”

„I’m sorry, baby. I’m so fuckin’ sorry, Daddy,” he mocks your fucked-out voice again. “Tell me somethin’ I don’t know,”

Omggg another one 😋 like don’t stop lolll 🥲 the way I would beg him is unreal

if y’all haven’t read this already- start y’all day right with some bodyguard!rafe 💦 first of all I love their dynamic SO MUCH !! he became one of my favs 🤤 need him fucking bad, he’s so sexy 🤭 like I’d have the exact same bratty behavior, prob even worse cause look at the outcome.. DELICIOUS. the way he put her in place is everything & that gun work hellooo 🪦 and also… look at my baby doing the devils work 👅 ended 24‘ with a loud bang 👏🏼 I’m so proud of you cause you’ve been eating it up since the day I came across your page, couldn’t be more grateful 💕

ℕ𝕖𝕨 𝕐𝕖𝕒𝕣’𝕤 ℝ𝕠𝕔𝕜𝕚𝕟’ 𝔼𝕧𝕖 - ℝ𝕒𝕗𝕖 ℂ𝕒𝕞𝕖𝕣𝕠𝕟 𝕆𝕟𝕖 𝕊𝕙𝕠𝕥

+18 𝓜𝓲𝓷𝓸𝓻 𝓓𝓝𝓘

𝙱𝚘𝚍𝚢𝚐𝚞𝚊𝚛𝚍!𝚁𝚊𝚏𝚎 𝚡 𝙿𝚘𝚙𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛!𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚛

warnings: pet names, swearing, angst, fighting, rough touch, kissing, degradation, name calling, possessive!rafe, jealous!reader, protective!rafe, rough oral male receiving, gunplay, spanking, overstim, cum licking (floor), choking, fingering, pussy slapping, dirty talk, teasing, orgasm denial, multiple orgasms, creampie, ownership kink, brat taming, no safe words

from this au if you want to read about the night they got together 🌹

📖 the reader has been secretly dating her bodyguard. During her NYE performance, she learned she’s not the only one he crossed the line with.

⭐ unedited ⭐

Reader's POV:

The backstage area is a whirlwind of costumes, stagehands, producers, and backup dancers. You eye yourself in the mirror, body hugged in a glittering black bodysuit with thousands of sequins that catch every stray light beam.

You should be basking in the excitement of a childhood dream come true—after all, millions of viewers are about to watch you perform a duet on New Year's Rockin’ Eve. But the second she walked inside, any excitement you might have felt went out the window.

Bella Dean.

She's the diva you're supposed to share the big closing number with: petite, curvy, absolutely stunning. Her talent is almost as big as her ego.

Bella’s voice snaps you out of your thoughts. “Look at you, baby,” she coos, sashaying up to you, flashing a smile that makes your stomach flip. “You okay? You look a little sick?” She asks, pouting her lip, her tone almost demeaning; clearly commenting on your appearance and not the state of your health–just being a fuckin’ bitch.

You fake a smile as your pulse spikes. “Sick?” You ask through a breathy laugh as you raise an eyebrow at her.

“Ill? Not feeling well? Under the weather? You don’t know what sick is?” She asks, returning a nasty laugh.

“I feel just fine. Thanks for your concern,” you reply, your face twisting slightly.

"Of course," she purrs. "I think my makeup girl’s around here somewhere… Maybe it’s just because you look a little dull. I’m sure she has some highlighter or something to add a little sparkle,” she adds a little extra sweetness to her voice at the end, her cruelty making you feel like you could lose your mind as you try to remain professional. Your fingers tighten around your microphone as you try to focus on what’s coming next instead of the 5’2” nightmare beside you.

She steps out just before your cue, hitting the stage first, looking back at you with a wink and a smug smile you wish you could hurl your mic at her face.

You take a calming breath, reminding yourself that this will be a few minutes. You have a whole night ahead of you to look forward to. A night with him… Rafe stands off to the side, looking devilishly handsome in his all-black suit. He folds his arms over his broad chest, looking into the crowd, eyes trailing the space as usual.

You turn back to Bella, your eyes finding hers, her ruby-red lips curling into a wicked smile, making a knot of unease tighten in your belly. She quirks her eyebrow, stepping closer; too close for your liking. “That bodyguard of yours…” she says, tipping her head toward Rafe, making her platinum blonde curls bounce. “I haven’t seen him in a minute.”

You fiddle with your microphone, trying to seem as unbothered as possible, but she sees right through you.

“Rafe?” She chirps, making your eyebrows shoot up as his name leaves her lips effortlessly. “Mhmm… Rafey. Ugh, don’t tell me he didn’t mention me,” she tosses her hair to the side. “I’m sure he had an interview. That wasn’t brought up?”

You purse your lips, look out toward the crowd, and try to distract yourself.

“Don’t tell anyone, but we did get a little cozy on my last tour,” she leans in, giddily gossiping like she’s talking to a friend, but we both know what she’s doing. How unprofessional of me, right?” she chides as she smiles out to the crowd, giving them her million-dollar smile before blowing them a kiss.

You feel your body tremble as the adrenaline of the night and this admittance courses through your veins. Rafe did mention he’d once made a mistake by getting involved with a past client, but he never mentioned a name–her name. You swallow hard, clearing the lump in your throat as your mind starts spinning out, thinking of what the two must have done behind closed doors.

“That doesn’t sound like Rafe,” you assure.

“So you didn’t know. Ouch.” She flicks her gaze toward him again. “Doesn’t sound like you’re working the man to his full potential.”

You bite your cheek, lips tightening as you try to hold back your outburst. “Well, if you are and you don’t kiss and tell, just know he has a habit of getting too close. I just want you to be careful,” she pouts again, her voice like nails on a fucking chalkboard as the band starts to play around you.

And with that, she glides away, leaving you breathless and seething as she walks to the front of the stage. Your cheeks burn as you glance at Rafe from the wings. He catches your eyes with a concerned expression–the man no doubt reading your emotion like a book. Even though he has no idea what the fuck just happened, he knows something’s off with you. His eyebrows pinch together, beautiful features hardening.

Bella and Rafe? I can’t fuckin’ handle this right now.

The crowd roars excitedly as Bella’s voice pours out of the speakers. Your heart bangs with the opening beats of the song. You look toward the camera as it pans to you, forcing a smile. Your voice wavers as your anxiety gets the better of you–Bella looking toward the wings at Rafe as well, painting a picture of what their exchanges might have looked like in the past, her stealing little glances at him from center stage instead of you.

The lights sweep over you, and the first note leaves your lips. Your muscles tighten as the pitch wavers, just a hair off, but it’s enough for Bella to shoot a look back at you. Your stomach aches, heartbreaking, as you feel yourself starting to fumble while Bella shines. You push harder–the melodies leaving your lips sounding anything but natural.

Bella steps forward, delivering her verse perfectly, making the crowd scream. Her eyes twinkle as she passes you, making your blood boil. You lose track of the music for a split second, coming in a beat too late, making the blonde smirk in your peripheral vision. Fucking cunt.

You take a deep breath with the guitar break, straining to gather your emotions, trying to remind yourself of the night and how you’ll hate yourself if you let her ruin it for you. You turn toward her, melting your voices together in perfect harmony. The tension between you is thick, but it doesn’t read that way–the crowd, eating up every second of the duet.

The music cuts and the crowd goes wild. Bella moves toward you for the planned hug, but you step away and wave to the crowd. As she waves, you feel her arm wrap around your waist, pulling you in for a half-hug. Bella leans in, looking up at you, feigning concern. “You were a bit shaky. Are you okay?”

“Fuck off,” you hiss through a gritted smile to the crowd.

She gasps surprisedly before resting her head on your shoulder. “Don’t be upset, babes. Let me know if you are ever in the market for a new bodyguard. I always find the best ones,” she winks. “Have a happy New Year.”

You resist the urge to run, walking off the stage gracefully before storming toward your manager, taking your purse off her hands before snapping your focus to Rafe. “Why the hell didn’t you tell me it was Bella you messed around with, huh?” You hiss, quiet enough to meet his ears only as you glare at him.

“This isn’t the right place,” he warns as he looks through you even still, eyes scanning the crowd.

“No, Rafe,” you snap. “This is the perfect fucking place. I just found out about your little fling from Bella. Are you fucking kidding me right now?”

Rafe steps closer, looking you in the eyes, making you draw a little breath. “Not now.”

“Forget it,” you scoff, and before he can stop you, you flee the scene, disappearing into the thick crowd of backstage traffic. You walk through the double doors, looking to the left at the long line of dressing rooms before taking a risk, pushing through the side door.

The winter wind whips as you walk through the tight, dark alley, heels clicking against the asphalt with each step as you head toward the main street. Fans and paparazzi push in around you, yelling your name, but you keep your head down, pushing ahead.

You look down the block, knowing your hotel is close, but how close? You shove through the thick crowd, still waiting to get into the venue. The middle of the road is packed, too, with a barrage of people gathered, waiting for the ball to drop. You lift your eyes for a moment. Halfway there… You cross your arms tighter around your waist, trying to keep warm while holding yourself back from answering the phone vibrating like crazy in your purse.

Silence.

You sigh in relief as you walk into the swanky downtown hotel. The noise behind you falls away. The lobby's hush and glamor starkly contrast what’s happening on the other side of the revolving door—velvet chairs, marble floors, and the soft golden glow of chandeliers hanging overhead.

You draw a deep breath and blow it out slowly, looking to your left. Your head hangs with mental exhaustion as you step toward the hotel bar, pushing through the door before heading toward the rail.

You order your drink, asking for a double, hearing your voice tremble with anger and stress. You stare at your reflection in the barback's mirror, your makeup perfectly done, stage outfit on; your hairstyle to perfection, but that was just a facade. You felt far from perfect underneath–completely broken.

Rafe seems so poised and professional. It was so hard to break his icy exterior…

As childish as it sounds, you felt special. He seemed so untouchable that when you were able to break through, you felt like maybe there was something different about you.

He didn’t seem like someone who would sleep with his clients, and now you can’t help but think just how many people he had took care of like he was taking care of you.

Bella… What if it wasn’t special, though? What if it was just a one-time thing–a fling, and Bella was trying to get in your head? You grab your drink, lifting it to your lips, downing half of it fast, letting it sear your throat, trying to numb your thoughts.

She wanted this to happen. You hated yourself for letting her affect you the way she did. The truth is, she saw you fall apart in front of her, catching every missed step and note; each misstep was a win for her.

The bar is quiet, the low roar of the New Year’s celebration humming outside. The soft jazz piano swells in the background, paired with the soft conversations of the guests dressed to the nines. No one bats an eye at your arrival; no one asks for anything from you, letting you sit for a moment and breathe.

“Sir!” You hear the shrill call of someone from the lobby. A sudden commotion on the other side of the door pulls you out of your peace as Rafe storms in. He looks down at his phone, eyes scanning from left to right. Your heart falls as he zeros in on you, his nostrils flaring with anger, contrasting with the look of relief in his striking blue eyes.

He sucks his teeth, holding himself back from cursing you out on sight. His Gucci suit jacket is half undone, his toffee-colored hair mussed, and his sharp jaw is set in a straight line. He looks fuckin’ angry, completely winded, like he's been fighting through thick crowds, going to Hell and back to get to you. Good. Let him be angry. Why should I have to suffer alone?

Rafe makes a beeline for you, his long legs crossing the room in a few strides. The bartender walks over, asking how he can serve him, his voice quickly fading as he sees the look in Rafe’s eyes. Your bodyguard thumbs through his wallet, slapping $100 on the counter before grabbing your arm.

“We’re leaving,” he hisses, tugging you off the barstool. You gasp, your unfinished drink sloshing onto the floor as he steers you back toward the exit.

You yank your arm back, disregarding the curious glances around you, shooting daggers at your brooding bodyguard. “You don’t get to boss me around right now,” you hiss as you fight him off, but it only makes his fingers twist a little tighter around your arm.

“Once wasn’t enough?” He snarls.

“Spare me the lecture,” you sass. “M’not in the mood for you —fuckin’ drama queen.”

Rafe leans in, his warm breath hitting your skin as he pulls you toward the elevator. “Do you have any fucking idea how reckless that was? Runnin’ out there alone on the busiest night of the year? In the busiest city? Are you insane? And you’re alone-”

“Did I look alone?” You snap as you lift what’s left of your drink. “Didn’t pour this shit myself,” you laugh tauntingly before shooting it back.

He scoffs annoyedly as his grip on you tightens even more. “So you’d rather run away and have somethin’ awful happen to you, risk my whole fuckin’ career than talk to me about what you found out?”

“Correct,” you clip. “Now, let go of me.”

“Let’s make a deal, tough girl. You can get outta my fuckin’ grip, then you can go. I happen to like you... I’m not some insane stalker who wants to wear your fuckin’ skin. Aight? It ain’t safe out there for you, and for some reason, you think that your best option is to run,” he hisses as he bangs his fist against the up button.

The elevator door glides shut, leaving the two of you alone. You both stand next to each other, seething for different reasons. Rafe tosses your arm away when you fight against him one last time, making you push out an exaggerated breath.

Elevator music fills the space around you, so light and cheery it’s almost satirical at the moment. You stand side to side with your bodyguard, arms crossed over your chests, both of you waiting for the other to break.

“You have no right-”

“Run off again, and I swear to fuckin’ Christ,” he cuts you off.

“You wouldn't be mad? Really?”

“‘Course I would be. I'd be fuckin’ irritate, but I’d wait ‘til I got back to the hotel to say somethin’ like a fuckin’ adult. Not run away like a goddamn child-”

“I’m not-”

“A child,” he cuts you short, finishing your sentence as he turns toward you, his voice low and lethal. “You’re not a fuckin’ kid. Aight? You’re a grown-ass woman. Start actin’ like it before you get yourself hurt.”

You turn toward his chest, too, and look up into his eyes, not backing down. “You told me you once crossed a line with a client but never said it was her. She wasn't even mentioned on your resume, Rafe. Why was that?” You ask breathily, letting your defiance and disgust bleed through.

“That shit doesn't change the fact that that was a bad decision, princess,” he returns your same tone, that term of endearment he loves to use coming out as anything but endearing.

“Let’s talk about good decisions, Rafe. Her? I'm questioning you and your fuckin’ taste level. Bella is a cunt. It would have been nice to know this before sharing the stage with her so I could have been prepared for her bullshit instead of being blindsided and ruining that moment for myself.”

“Ruining your moment? What the hell are you talking about?” He asks in disbelief. “Your performance was perfect.”

“The fuck it was, Rafe,” you scoff as you step out of the elevator without him. “Your performance was perfect,” you mock him. “Bella’s performance was perfect, Rafe… And tomorrow, when there’s a review on Rolling Stone, maybe you’ll get it through your thick fuckin’ head.”

Rafe runs his fingers through his hair; frustration etched into every line on his handsome face. “Baby,” he mumbles as he softens his tone and closes the space between you and him. “I screwed up by not tellin’ you before tonight. M’sorry. But you can’t keep runnin’ off when you’re mad. I’m your bodyguard; I have to protect you whether you like me or not.”

You wave your keycard in front of the door handle, rolling your eyes at his apology, if you could even call it that. “Well, Rafe… Maybe you should be better at protecting your secrets,” you grumble, going to shut the door behind you, but Rafe clutches it tight, pushing against you with minimal effort, making you growl in frustration. You toss your clutch onto the sofa, kick off your heels in protest, and rip off your earrings for dramatic effect.

"You lied by omission, Rafe. You said you 'made a mistake' once with a client but never told me it was Bella. Did you honestly think I wouldn’t find out?”

He sighs as he strips himself of his jacket, tossing it off before loosening his tie. “Jesus Christ, baby. I was gonna tell you. Just not right before you had to perform with her."

"How considerate,” you breathe, your sarcasm palpable, making his cheeks flush with anger.

“Bella is toxic-”

“No shit,” you laugh.

“She'll do anythin’ to get under your skin-” he starts.

“Jesus, Rafe! Tell me something I don’t fuckin’ know!”

“I screwed up with her, yes… But do you know how long ago that was? That was at the start of my career. I was still tryin’ to figure shit out. I was young-”

“So, is this a serial thing for you, Cameron? Or am I an exception?” You ask, with a lifted brow as you pop open a bottle of De Venoge Louis, eyes shifting over to him. “Just another one of your favorite pop stars?”

“Enough,” he groans tiredly, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration as he paces the room. “You know that's not how I see you… You gotta stop.”

“And how do you see me?” You ask. “I know how I see you…” You mutter, foregoing the glasses altogether, lifting the bottle to your lips instead.

“Not gonna tell you how I feel right now.”

“What the hell does that mean,” you laugh, dribbling champagne on your chin as you look up at him, fluttering your lashes in confusion.

“Because you’re actin’ irrational. This is not the time.”

“Stop telling me that it’s not the time, Rafe. Oh my god,” you whine, voice brimming with frustration.

“I get that you’re upset,” he scolds. “But runnin’ off into the city alone after a show and putting yourself at risk like that over Bella Dean was fuckin’ stupid, regardless, and you know that. Come back here… And lose your shit. Hell, you’re yellin’ at me right fuckin’ now. Only difference is you’re safe.”

“Sorry for makin’ you do your job, Rafe.”

He nods his head, a look in his eyes like he’s going absolutely insane. He crosses his arms over his chest, his biceps flexed, looking like it could tear the fabric apart. “N’to be clear. Chasin’ you is my job?”

“Dunno. Wasn’t at the job interview… Not quite sure what your scope of work was, but I assume the details of your job didn’t include sleepin’ with me either-”

“You’re begging for trouble, you know that?” He shouts, his loud voice hitting your chest hard, making the hair on the back of your neck stand straight.

“M’Terrified,” you giggle, trying to hide your nervousness as your heart rate starts to climb. His eyes narrow on yours–a mix of anger and something darker.

He walks over, looking down at you perched on the velvet lounge chair. You gasp as his hand comes around your throat, his grip tightening and tightening. He lifts you to your feet, pulling you chest to chest. “Keep talkin’ back and see what the fuck happens.”

You look at him with dead eyes, seemingly unimpressed by his threats, letting your eyes roll in the back of your head. Rafe tightens his grip a little more, making you sputter out a breath.

“Keep rollin’ those eyes at me, too, while we’re at it,” he growls. “You think I won’t give you a lesson?”

Adam's apple bobs in his throat, lip snarling as you refuse to submit. Rafe yanks you forward, crushing his lips against yours in a deep, desperate kiss. You go to shove him away, but his fingers find your hair, twisting into the strands, tugging you closer, forcing you in place. The air leaves your lungs as he shoves you into the wall, never breaking your kiss.

When he finally tears his lips away, you’re both breathless, chests heaving, longing for more.

“You’re fuckin’ impossible,” he rasps, blue eyes blazing with lust, his rasp voice taut and hoarse. “Run off, you don’t fuckin’ listen, and then you come back here and pick stupid fuckin’ fights, spoutin’ off shit we both know ain’t true.”

“Maybe you deserve it, Rafe. Did you ever think about that-” Rafe silences you with another kiss–more longing and possessive than the last. You wrap your arms around his broad shoulders, pulling him into your lips.

Rafe breaks away again, leaving you chasing his lips. He rests his forehead against yours, the two of you panting into each other, desperate for more.

“I’m gonna teach you a lesson,” he whispers, voice vibrating with tension. “Next time you try this shit, just know I’ll chase you down. Next time you roll your fuckin’ eyes at me, I’ll pin you where you stand. You can’t keep doin’ this shit without consequences.”

Your heart pounds in your ears, pussy pulsing as you listen to all of his threats– his words honestly having the opposite effect. Looks like he’s the one begging for trouble.

“Fuckin’ do it, Rafe,” you dare him, smiling against his lips, “you think I'm scared of you?"

“Think you're braver than you should be, sweetheart.”

“Yeah, Rafey? You gonna punish me?” You ask.

“That’s exactly what I’m gonna do,” he says, firm and cold, making goosebumps spread across your body. He leans in, pinning you against the wall, pressing his big body into you. Rafe kisses along your neck, teeth scraping your ear. “Don’t even think we have a safe word. Do you?” He asks, and you can hear that crooked smile in his voice.

“N-No,” you whisper, trying to recall, but you honestly don’t think you could at this moment, the way his body surrounds you, his rich cologne clouding your senses completely.

“Shit, baby… Guess you’re outta luck.” You gasp as he picks you up off your feet, slinging your body over his shoulder. “Maybe if you start behaving-” Crack! He slaps your upper thigh harshly, making you scream. “Maybe we can think of one together, hmm?”

Rafe throws you down on the bed, making the last bit of air in your lungs escape. He strips himself out of his button-down shirt, quickly working himself out of his pants before tossing his belt and gun onto the bed.

“Wh-What are you gonna do with those?” You ask, hearing your voice tremble.

Rafe clears the space between you, lowering his hands on the mattress as you look wide-eyed at him.

“Aww, princess… You know me. I love leavin’ out little details,” he smiles wickedly.

Rafe grabs the front of your bodysuit, tearing the delicate material open effortlessly, sending rhinestones and beads flying onto the bed and the hardwood floor as he tears away the custom piece without batting an eye. He pulls the material down your thighs, tossing it to the floor before grabbing your hips, manhandling you to your belly on the bed, your ass in the air, and your feet on the floor.

“FUCK!” You scream as his big hand comes down, slapping your bare ass, leaving behind a tingling sensation. Before you can even react, he does it a second time, then a third, making tears pool in your eyes and wetting the mattress. “I’m sorry,” you whisper.

“The fuck was that, tough girl?” He asks through a breathless laugh.

“I-I… Fuck you,” you whimper, trying to stand strong. Rafe grabs a fistful of hair, yanking you back, his head lowered to match your eyes.

“Fuck me? You told me to do this shit, baby girl… You’re the boss. I’m just doin’ my job.” Rafe uses his hold on your hair to push your face into the mattress, pushing two thick fingers into your soaked core. “Listen up, princess,” Rafe huffs. “You deserve this. I’m not gonna put up with this shit, aight? You’re lucky I’m even fuckin’ touchin’ you.” Rafe pumps his fingers in your pussy, finger-fucking you mercilessly as you try your best to wiggle away. “Stop squirmin’,” he chides. “Hands behind your fuckin’ back.”

The second you do, Rafe grips the against your lower back, the palm of his hand clapping against your ass as he fingers stroke your G-spot. Your thighs start to tremble, pussy tightening around his big fingers. “Fuck, Rafe,” you moan.

“Yeah? You wanna cum?” He taunts.

“Please,” you whisper.

“Think it’ll fix that little attitude of yours?”

“Yes, fuck!” You cry.

“I’m not sure it will…” Rafe sighs sadly. “I’ll let you cum tonight. But I swear if this shit happens again. M’not… Not until you’re at my hotel door beggin’ and cryin’ for my dick like a whore.” Rafe pulls his hands out of your soaked cunt, slapping your pussy fast and tough, making you cum hard, sobbing as your pussy flutters around nothing, your hands still pinned tightly against your back. Rafe fucks his fingers into your cunt, darting them inside you at an insane pace, and seconds later, you’re coming again, pussy gushing around his hand, landing on the floor with a little splash.

And even then, he doesn’t stop, his fingers just sopping through the mess as you fight against him, crying in overstimulation and pleasure. “Rafe, please. Please. Please.”

“What?” He spits.

“I-I… Mphff… Safe… Safeword,” you hiccup.

He booms out a laugh. Drawing both his hands back in surrender. Completely mocking you and the mess he made of his favorite girl. “You’re kiddin’ me?” He teases as he rests his hands on the bed, lowering himself to your ear, his chest brushing against your bare back. “Safeword?”

“I’m sorry, Daddy,” you pant. “I’m so, so sorry.”

“Jeopardizing my job, your life, our fuckin’ relationship over a bitch then means nothin’ to me. That’s the least you should be,” Rafe scolds as he grabs your hips, rolling you to your back.

You look between your thighs, eyes following Rafe as he reaches for his gun. He lifts it, making a show of it, eyeing the weapon in his hand. Your eyes fall down his body, watching his muscular chest rise and fall with his rapid breathing, his gold chain glinting in the dim. The ridges of his abs deepen with every level breath, his hard cock tenting out the fabric of his white Calvins, leaving you craving him even more.

He clicks on the safety, lifting the gun, pointing it at your pussy, slapping the piece against your inner thighs. “Spread your shit,” he mumbles. You widen your thighs on the mattress, your glossy cunt dripping with your arousal. Rafe presses the cool muzzle against your pulsing clit, making your muscles jump and your thighs drawn in. “I said ‘spread your shit,’” he shouts, making you flinch. “What’s it gonna take for you to listen? Huh?”

“I’m sorry, baby. I-”

“I’m sorry, baby. I’m so fuckin’ sorry, Daddy,” he mocks your fucked-out voice again. “Tell me somethin’ I don’t know,” Rafe repeats your words from the fight as he starts to rub little figure eights on your clit. Your body trembles with adrenaline as he continues to work you over with his handgun. The knot in your stomach starts to tighten as you feel yourself getting closer and closer to your peak. “You gonna cum… off a gun? You that big of a slut, princess? You don’t even need a dick?” Rafe mumbles, and right when you’re about to fall apart below him, he pulls it away, leaving you whimpering and fussing for more, your bottom lip wobbling as you look up into your boyfriend’s beautiful, cruel eyes.

“Rafe, you’re being mean…” You whisper, your voice barely above a hush. “I said, ‘I was sorry’.”

“And, I told you not to run away again… N’look what happened. Get on your knees.”

You climb off the bed, stumbling slightly from your weak knees. You land on the floor, crawling the rest of the way to Rafe, glassy-eyed and pouty-lipped. You kneel before him, watching as Rafe lifts the gun slightly, mirroring his dick, the tip of it coated with your slick.

“Suck it.”

Your heart starts to race as you look down the barrel of the gun. You look up at Rafe as you wrap your lips around the end of it, feeling your heart bang in your chest.

You take the cold metal to the back of your throat, taking as much as you can get, gagging around his weapon, sucking it clean, bobbing back and forth with your eyes on him. Rafe looks down at you hungrily, desperately wanting your lips on him and giving him the same service.

“Take ‘em off,” Rafe mumbles, and you slide your wet lips off the gun, racing to pull down his boxers fast. And without warning, he shoves himself in your mouth, pushing as far as his dick would go making you sputter and gag. You reach out, grabbing his tights, squeezing tightly, losing all vision as your eyes fill with tears.

You blink your tears away as he slides in and out of your swollen lips, grunting and moaning, using your mouth like a toy. The sounds around you were downright pornographic, making your pussy weep down your thighs. Your mouth leaked as well, saliva and precum dripping out of the seam.

Rafe finally pulls you off his cock, leaving you gasping for a breath. Before he can give you a command, you wrap your lips around him again in a desperate attempt for mercy, swirling and sucking him off just like he loves. You cradle his heavy balls in your hand, and he throats his hand back to the ceiling, a broad smile spreading on his perfect lips. “Atta girl… Fuck, that’s my good girl,” he praises.

You bob your head back and forth, stroking where your mouth won’t reach, trying desperately to please him. You can feel his cock throb and swell on your tongue, his breathing quickening by the second.

“Better swallow it all, princess, or we’re gonna be back at square one,” he mumbles, only half-kidding. He looks down at you, watching you throat him with all you have, his plump bottom lip tucked between his teeth.

Rafe pulls out of your mouth, jerking his cock in your face as you lay out your tongue. His warm cum shoots out of his tip, coating your lips and tongue. Your eyes flutter open as you swallow it all, licking your lips to clean up the rest of the mess as you look up at him.

He clicks his tongue, letting his gaze fall, eyeing a few loose pearls of cum decorating the floor. You rest your hands on the hardwood, lowering yourself to lick it up.

“Fuck, princess,” he moans as he looks down at you in lust and adoration. Rafe reaches for you, pulling you off the floor and into his strong arms. You wrap yourself in his, dressing your arms around his neck as his lips press against yours for a tender kiss.

“I’m sorry, baby,” you whisper.

“I’m sorry, princess,” he soothes. “No more punishments. Alright? You took that shit like a good girl. Let me take care of you, yeah?” He mumbles against your lips.

“Yeah,” you whisper. “Thank you…”

“Don’t thank me… This right here—this is what I’ve been wantin’ to do all night.”

“Yeah?” You ask breathily, pecking at his lips.

“You kiddin’ me?” He chuckles as he lays you down on the bed, burying himself in his neck before kissing his way up to your ear. “Just wanted to take care of you. Make you feel good. Hard to think about much else when I see you up there. Can barely focus on keepin’ you safe when I’m just thinkin’ about fuckin’ this perfect pussy,” he mumbles as he slaps his tip against your clit.

Rafe slides his cock between your drenched folds, swirling his head around your hole before sinking in deep, bottoming you out with his long, thick dick. You grab two fistfuls of sheets as he grabs your hips in his big ringed hands, pulling out almost entirely before slamming back in.

“So good, baby… Fuck. Damn, you look so good takin’ my cock,” he moans as he starts rutting in and out. You couldn’t even get a word out with the way his dick was slamming in and out of your pussy.

Your eyes roll back in your head, boobs bouncing with each thrust of his hips as you go absolutely dumb on his dick. Rafe speeds up the pace, making your body tremble uncontrollably. Tears of pleasure stream down your cheeks, wetting the pillow below. Rafe reaches down, brushing them away with his thumbs, slipping one between your lips to let you suck yourself numb as he drills into you.

“Come on, princess,” Rafe hums as he feels your body start to tighten around him. “Cream all over my cock. Show me what a good girl does, huh? Let me fill you up. Been so good for me,” he groans as he reaches down, rubbing circles on your throbbing clit as the coil in your belly gets tighter and tighter.

You scream his name, cumming all over his big cock as he fucks you through your orgasm. Rafe gives you a few more rough thrusts, emptying his load deep inside as his hungry lips devour yours, swallowing your whimpers and cries.

“You okay, baby?” He asks sweetly against your lips.

“M’perfect, Rafe,” you coo.

“You are,” he whispers, pressing his forehead against yours. “You mad at me still?” Rafe asks as he presses a gentle kiss on your lips.

“No,” you whisper. “Can’t stay mad at you, baby.”

“Mhmm… I know the feelin’,” he laughs. Buzz. Buzz. Buzz. Buzz. You snag your phone out of your nightstand, pulling out your phone, seeing back-to-back messages from your manager.

Claire Baby: Rafe said you were ok. Stop running away. Thnx.

Claire Baby: Rafe mentioned that there was a history between him and Bella

Claire Baby: I told him to save it til after the show so it didn’t fuck with your chemistry

Claire Baby: I had no idea she was such a bitch. I’m sorry. Pls Forgive me.

“Rafe Cameron,” you sigh.

“Mhmm…” He asks as he pulls out of your pussy nice and slow, watching his warm cum leak out of your puffy hole, swirling his fingers around before stuffing it back inside.

“Rafe…”

“What?” He asks as he tilts his head slightly, lifting his fingers for you to suck them clean. You wrap your lips around his fingers, looking in his beautiful blue eyes.

“Why didn’t you tell me you tried to say something?” You ask softly as you look back up at him.

“‘Cause I deserved it… Shoulda told you from the start,” he answers. “No more secrets…”

“No more running,” you whisper.

You roll your head to the side, catching the time on the clock. 11:58 PM… Rafe kisses your cheek lovingly, wrapping his big body in yours. “How do you see me, Rafe,” you ask softly, pulling his focus back to your eyes. He brushes your hair off your face, cupping your cheek in his hand.

“Well, when I see you, I see the future. I see my dream girl. I see the only thing I want to see.”

You bite your lips, fluttering your lashes, the night's emotions getting the better of you.

“I see the woman that I love, princess.”

“You love me?” You whisper, voice laced with tears.

Rafe pulls you into his lips as the world outside the window roars with the new year, the clock striking midnight as your lips meet, your bodies tangled in sheets.

“Of course I love you, baby,” he mumbles.

“I love you too.”

[mimipolo]

hi darling, how are you?

genuinely thank you so much for writing about Nam-gyu, I love him and it's kind of disappointing to see that there are almost no fics or headcanons about him :(

I am honestly in love with your way of writing (⁠◍⁠•⁠ᴗ⁠•⁠◍⁠)⁠✧⁠*⁠。

I would love and be very grateful if you could write something about Nam-gyu dating a girl who is more shy and quiet

thank you so so nuch

have a great day/night 🤍

Nam-gyu x shy!reader

|HIII I'm doing good tysm for asking‼️

|You gave me the opportunity to listen to one of my softer playlists while writing this so kudos to u

He's tries his best to be gentle with you, almost too much. Sometimes he mistakes your meekness for also being weak. Yes weak willed but not necessarily a complete push over. You just prefer to keep to your thoughts to yourself. He genuinely admires you for it because he could never tolerate someone talking shit to his face.

Speaking of he's super quick to defend you, any word he believes could offend you( it offended him more) is immediately being damned to hell. He's holding you close to his side as he shouts at the supposed perpetrator.

We all know he's a super yapper when given the chance so he loves being in your company and talking to you, or well, talking at you. More often than not he's being spoken over or whatever he's saying isn't being received but it's so much more different with you. You're happy to sit and do whatever you're doing as he talks your ear off. Sometimes when he says something especially interesting you ask a question and he's already giddy and ready to explain in unnecessary amounts of detail.

Feels like he's the chosen one because you chose him out of all the loud bastards out there to be with. He wants to brag and show you off so badly but he has to physically restrain himself because he knows how much you'd hate having so many people you didn't know have so much information about you. Sometimes slips in a comment or two...or more to Thanos, nothing too crazy.

You understand him better than anyone else, when he's about to go from frustration to anger, then anger to violence. You're that voice of reason just behind him urging him to reconsider what he's about to say or do. At some point he realises he hears your soothing voice coaxing him to calm down when you're not there. Genuinely shudders at the thought because you have that much of an affect on him?? Terrifying.

Sometimes he likes to sit in silence with you, the windows open and it chills the already cool room as his head lays in your lap. You're humming quietly to yourself as you make a mess of his hair and he's content on staring up at you blissfully as you do so.

Takes into consideration you don't usually like PDA so keeps most of it at home. But any threat of someone even hinting at hitting on you he's softly grabbing your hand to pull you away, mean mugging the person the whole time. You hate confrontation at all costs, remembering how you jumped in shock at him just shouting at someone haunts him endlessly. Avoids doing so unless very much called for.

One thing you'll always acknowledge is how much he tries to remember all the little things about you, the effort he puts into making sure you're comfortable noticeable in every interaction. Even if it looks unnatural on him, he swears he's trying.

Guiltiest pleasure is purposefully making you flustered. Loves turning your head up to meet his eyes just for you to snap your head away as you shrink under his gaze. Thinks it's the cutest thing ever. Especially if you take hold of his wrists and tell him to stop it but don't actually push him away.

One thing he always makes sure of is keeping Thanos in check when he's around. It'd honestly be easier just to avoid him all together but the man is anywhere and everywhere. Has elbowed his stomach roughly when he was halfway calling you Senorita. Would do it again gladly. Got teased a lot after for being so protective you, Thanos clapped his back like some proud father as if he wasn't the main culprit.

He's your number one defender. If you have no fans he's legally dead. Supports every small hobby you do, and insists you make something big with it. Just wants to see you excited about something.

He's a snappy guy with a smart mouth so he has to tripple check himself every time he's slightly upset at you. It's not that he means to hurt you with his words he's just a little too creative. But due to your lax nature conflicts occur very rarely, a sense of peace only you could provide him with. Even if you did argue he'd be folding immediately after he's cooled down.

"Don't hate me kay? I didn't mean it."

"Speak to me pretty, ya know I said sorry."

Doesn't let up until you give out a short laugh, signalling his success.

[zzbubblegumbitchzz]

thighs. thighs. thighs.

**repost from my original blog**

CW: thigh riding cause i'm a whore, quickly written smut, fem!reader, Quinn's a yap, this has been in my head all day

NSFW under the cut

"c'mon," he's patting his thigh, "wanna feel your needy cunt leak all over my thigh." his voice is stern, and his eyes never leave yours as you step closer to him.

his hands are quick to grip your hips, rubbing soft circles on the skin. "missed you a lot today."

"missed yo-" your voice dies off when he bounces his leg. causing your head to fall to his shoulder, hiding the flush of your cheeks.

he's moving your hips against him, smiling to himself listening to you hold in your soft whines.

"atta girl, just like that. take what you need, baby. let me see how desperate you are for me."

your pace beginning to slow, his hands coming down to your lower back, pushing you forward a bit.

"why are you slowing down, baby?" his other hand reaching up to bury his hand in your hair and pulling back gently. seeing your eyes filling with tears, lips shaking. "oh you poor baby. you're tired, already? you just need me to do everything for you. i spoiled you too much huh?"

he smiles at you, watching you nod your head.

his hands gripped your hips again, pressing you harder against his clothed thigh giving your clit a little more pressure before moving his leg again.

he's quick to notice your eyes screw shut. "gonna cum already? doesn't take much with you, does it? bet i could just talk to ya and you'd make a mess. go ahead, pretty. let me have it, wanna feel you."

he knows your body, he knows that little shake your shoulders did mean you're close. he knows all he has to do is grip your hip a little mean, and you'd let go.

"oh, there we go." his voice drags out. "that's a good girl. love this so much, love you so much."youre huffing, trying to catch your breath. "thank you, Quinny."

"did so good babe. come here, lemme hold you a minute and then we'll go lay down okay?".

[snowysosturn]

Fire & Desire - Matt Sturniolo Part 6

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6

Pairing: Y/n x Matt Sturniolo

Summary: Y/n has always clashed with Matt. Despite working for Chris’s clothing brand and being close with Nick, her relationship with Matt has always been tense at best. While being forced to be around each other more, their animosity turns into something deeper. Can they overcome their differences, or will their fiery emotions tear them apart?

Warnings: MDNI, angst, tension, arguing, flirting

As I was laying on my bed, mulling over the disaster downstairs, I listened to the voices carrying up the stairs. The walls might be thin, but the way Nick was laying into Matt, it didn’t matter.

“You had no right to speak to her like that” Nick said, his voice sharp. “She’s already dealing with enough, and you just throw more shit her way? Real classy.”

"She started it" Matt snapped back.

Nick wasn’t letting up. “And you just had to escalate it? What’s your deal with her anyway? You act so weird around her all the time.”

There was a pause, a moment of tense silence. I tried my best to hear an answer, my curiosity fighting my frustration.

"Drop it, Nick." Matt muttered finally.

"Whatever, keep being a dick if it makes you feel better. But you better not come between mine and Chris’ relationship with her."

I heard footsteps, followed by a slam of a door closing, Matt’s bedroom door, I guessed. A moment later, another door shut. The front door. Madi must’ve left too.

The house fell quiet again, except for the faint murmur of Nate’s voice, likely making his way to Chris’s room.

I barely had time to gather my thoughts by the time I heard Nick running up the stairs.

“Y/n?” Nick’s voice came through, hesitantly. I sat up, trying to mask the mix of emotions on my face.

Nick stepped inside, looking at me for a moment. “Hey, I just wanted to check on you..” he said. “After everything that just happened. Are you okay?”

I let out a bitter laugh. “Which part? The argument with Matt or Ethan showing up.. Now that you know about that.”

Nick winced. “Both, honestly. I mean, Ethan’s a piece of shit, and if he shows up here again, you let me know. I’ll handle it.”

I nodded, appreciating the sentiment even though I doubted Ethan would come back anytime soon. “Thanks, Nick.”

He hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck. “And about Matt.. Look, I don’t know what’s going on between you two, but he had no right to talk to you like that. I told him as much.”

I sighed, the anger from earlier simmering down into exhaustion. “I just don’t know what I did to make him hate me so much.. and I don’t want to impact your living situation, honestly Nick I can get a hotel until I figure something out.”

Nick frowned, his eyes narrowing slightly. “You’re absolutely not going anywhere Y/n. You’re my bestfriend I love having you here and I know Chris does too... And Matt? I don’t think he hates you, I just think he needs to get over himself.” 

I tilted my head, confused. “Then what is it?”

Nick opened his mouth as if to say something but then closed it again, shaking his head. “That’s not for me to say. But don’t let him get under your skin. He’s.. complicated, but he’s not a bad guy.”

I wanted to press him further, to demand an explanation, but I could tell he wasn’t going to spill anything.

“Thanks for checking on me.” I said instead. “And for sticking up for me earlier.. And giving me a place to live.. It means a lot.”

Nick grinned, his easy going nature returning. “You never need to thank me. But seriously, though, if you need anything, or if Ethan tries anything else, you come to me, okay?”

“Okay” I promised, managing a small smile.

Nick nodded and left, closing the door to his room softly behind him.

I laid back down, staring at the ceiling, my thoughts swirling. Between Ethan, Matt, and everything else, my head felt like a war zone. After a while of tossing and turning, I finally fell asleep.

-

The sound of Chris’s voice echoing through the house woke me up. He wasn’t just talking, he was freaking out. I groggily glanced at the time on my phone. 7.18am. Not exactly the ideal start to the morning.

I threw on a hoodie over my pyjamas before heading downstairs, rubbing the sleep from my eyes as Chris’s voice got louder.

When I reached the bottom of the stairs, Chris was running his hands through his hair, his phone in one hand. His frustration was palpable, his face clearly agitated.

“Hey..” I said, trying to catch his attention. “What’s going on?”

Chris turned to me, his expression a mix of annoyance and panic. “Matt’s gone. He’s not answering his phone, and we’re supposed to leave for the airport soon.”

I frowned, looking around. “Did he take the car?”

Chris nodded, holding up his phone. “Yeah, but I can’t even get through to him. My phone signal keeps cutting out, and he’s not picking up anyway. I swear, if we miss our flight-”

“Here” I said, offering him my phone. “Try calling him on mine.”

Chris hesitated for a moment before taking it. “Thanks” he muttered, already dialing Matt’s number.

I watched as he held the phone to his ear, his jaw tightening with every passing second of silence before exhaling sharply. “Straight to voicemail. Unbelievable.”

Before I could respond, the sound of a car pulling into the garage caught both our attention. A moment later, we heard footsteps marching up the staircase to the living area.

Chris’s expression immediately shifted to one of relief with an essence of irritation. “Where the fuck have you been?” he demanded, crossing the room toward Matt. “You know we have a flight to catch!”

“Relax. I needed a bigger suitcase, so I went to grab one. We’ve still got time.” Matt said as he set the suitcase down and shrugged.

Chris stared at him like he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “You went to buy a suitcase? At 7 in the morning? You could’ve at least told me where you were going!”

Matt rolled his eyes. “I didn’t think it was a big deal. I was gone for 45 minutes, tops.”

Chris shook his head, muttering something under his breath. He handed my phone back to me, his frustration still evident but slightly subdued. “Thanks for letting me use this” he said, managing a small, apologetic smile.

“No problem” I replied. 

As I spoke, Matt disappeared into his room without a word, pushing his new suitcase infront of him. The air between us felt thicker than ever, and I could tell by the way he avoided looking at me that things weren’t going to improve anytime soon.

Chris, completely oblivious to the tension, lingered in the living room, checking through his phone. “Alright, I think we’re good” he said, mostly to himself. “I’ve got everything sorted, flight details, car rental, hotel confirmations. I just need Matt to finish packing, and we’re out of here.”

I forced a polite smile. “Sounds like you’ll have fun.”

He glanced up at me, his expression softening. “Yeah we should..Oh! If any of the samples come in while I’m gone, just shoot me a message, yeah?”

“Dont worry I’ll keep you posted.” I replied, nodding.

Chris smiled, the kind that made you feel like everything was fine even when it wasn’t. “Alright, well.. guess I’ll see you when I’m back. Hopefully, I don't lose a load of money out here!”

I couldn’t help but chuckle at that, though it felt forced. “Safe flight, Chris.”

“Thanks” he said, slinging his duffel bag over his shoulder.

As Chris headed toward the garage, I lingered in the hallway for a moment, letting the faint sound of Matt moving around in his room fade into the quiet. Part of me wanted to confront him, to clear the air, but I knew it would only end in another argument.

Instead, I turned and walked back upstairs to my room. The tension from the morning still lingered in my chest, but I tried to push it aside. Chris and Matt were leaving for a few days, and maybe the distance would give me time to figure out how to deal with all of this.

For now, I just needed to focus on anything but Matt.

I spent most of the day tucked away in my “room,” trying to stay out of the way and keep to myself. The quiet was only broken by Nick, who passed through several times as he moved in and out of his own room next door. Each time, he made a point to stop and check in with me, leaning against the doorframe or flopping onto the edge of the bed.

“You good in here? Need anything?” he asked during one of his trips, holding a half eaten protein bar in one hand and a coffee in the other.

“I’m fine” I said, managing a small smile. “Just having a lazy day.”

“You? Lazy? In the same sentence? Never thought I’d see the day” he teased. “Well, let me know if you want food or whatever. I’m gonna order take out later.”

“Yep will do” I replied, laughing as he left the room.

Later in the afternoon, he came back, this time with a sandwich and a bag of chips. “I figured you’d need fuel” he said, leaving it on the dresser next to me.

“You’re too kind” I said, opening the bag and offering him some.

“What can I say? I’m the best” he said with a grin, snatching a handful.

-

As the evening crept in, I heard a knock against the thin wall that separated my room from Nick’s. Before I could respond, Nate stepped inside, looking curious.

“Hope I’m not interrupting” he said, leaning casually against the doorframe.

I shook my head. “Not at all. What’s up?”

Nate glanced around the room, his eyes taking in the setup, the bed, the flat pack dresser, the small touches I’d added to make it feel like home. “I gotta say, this is impressive. Didn’t expect to see this room looking like an actual bedroom.” He smirked. “They’ve never done anything like this for me.”

I laughed, shrugging. “Well, I guess I’m just lucky.”

“Lucky, yeah” Nate said with a teasing tone as he sat down on the edge of the bed. “Seriously though, are you okay after last night?” He voice softer.

“Yeah I’m fine. It’s not the first time Matt’s acted like that toward me.” I say, shrugging my shoulders.

“Still, it was out of line for him to talk to you like that. I don’t get why he’s so.. tense around you, you’re fun to be around.”

His words caught me off guard, and I felt a small smile tug at my lips. “Thanks, Nate. That means a lot.. Honestly, I don’t know why he’s like that. He’s just never taken a liking to me for some reason.” I sighed, shaking my head

Nate chuckled softly, his eyes sparkling with mischief. “Well, his loss, I guess. If I were Matt, I’d be finding every excuse to hang around you.” He winked, slightly making my cheeks heat up.

I rolled my eyes playfully, trying to hide the flustered smile trying to creep across my face. “Right, because I’m just that amazing.”

He tilted his head, his grin widening. “You’re finally catching on.” Nate straightened up, his voice turning more serious but no less charming. What do you say, we have some fun tonight?”

I raised an eyebrow, intrigued by what he had in mind. “Fun? What kind of fun are we talking about?”

“I know this spot” he said, leaning closer like he was sharing a secret. “They’ve got great food, and then later, it turns into this club. Good vibes, good music, it could be just what we need to shake off the tension from last night.”

I tilted my head, smirking.

Nate grinned, his gaze steady as he replied smoothly, “What? It's just two incredibly attractive people having a good time together.”

The warmth in my cheeks was impossible to ignore now. “Incredibly attractive, huh? Big words, Nate.”

“Just calling it like I see it” he said, his tone dripping with confidence. “Be ready by 7, alright? I’ll take care of the rest.”

As he turned to leave, he glanced back over his shoulder. “Oh, and wear something that’ll make me look good standing next to you. Not that it’ll be hard for you.”

I laughed, shaking my head. “You’re ridiculous.”

“And you secretly love it” he called back, his laughter echoing down the stairs.

As I sat on the edge of my bed, I found myself smiling. A night out with Nate was bound to be fun, especially with how effortlessly charming he was.

Before I could fully process the gravity of Nate’s idea, Nick popped his head out of his room, leaning casually against the doorframe.

“What was that all about?” he asked, his eyebrows raised, a sly smirk playing on his lips.

I crossed my arms, trying to act nonchalant. “Nothing. Just Nate being.. Nate.”

Nick stepped fully into my room, folding his arms and grinning. “Uh huh.. Nate being Nate? That sounded a lot like Nate asking you out on a date.”

I rolled my eyes, though I couldn’t stop the small smile tugging at my lips. “It’s not a date. It’s just dinner and a club. That’s it.”

Nick gave me a look that screamed disbelief. “Oh, sure. Dinner and a club. Totally casual.”

“Nick!” I exclaimed, feeling my cheeks heat up. “You’re being so extra right now.”

He chuckled, leaning against the wall. “Hey, I’m just saying, you’re his type, and he’s definitely laying it on thick. But.. if you’re cool with it, I say go for it. You deserve a little fun after everything you’re going through.”

I tilted my head, narrowing my eyes at him. “Since when are you the voice of encouragement?”

Nick grinned. “Since you’re my best friend and I like to see you happy. Plus, if Nate gets out of line, I can kick his ass. Right?”

I laughed at how ridiculous he was being. “I think I can handle Nate just fine.”

Nick shrugged, his smile softening. “I know you can. Just remember, you’ve got backup if you need it. And.. you should wear something nice. I’ve seen the way Nate’s been looking at you.”

I rolled my eyes again, pushing him gently back toward his room. “Go away, Nick.”

He laughed as he retreated, “Have fun on your ‘not a date’’ date!”

I stood there as he shut his door, shaking my head with a smile. 

-

As I finished getting ready, I stood in front of the mirror, taking a picture of myself. I felt good in how I looked, the dress I chose hugged my figure perfectly, and my makeup was the best it's been in weeks.

Downstairs, I heard Nate’s voice calling up. “You ready, Y/n?”

“Coming!” I grabbed my bag, took a final glance in the mirror, and headed out.

As we slid into the backseat of the Uber, I found myself scrolling through my phone, staring at the photo I had taken just before leaving. I was happy with it, the angles were perfect and the lighting hitting just right. I was going to post it to my Instagram story, I was just stuck on what caption to put on it.

Nate, sitting beside me with his usual relaxed confidence, glanced over at my screen. “You should post that” he said casually, leaning back against the seat.

“I’m trying to think of what to write on it” I replied, still fixated on the photo, overanalyzing every word I could possibly pair with it.

 “Caption it ‘date night’ ” he smirked.

I froze, my thumb hovering over the screen, and turned to look at him. “What?”

“Date night” he repeated with a grin, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. His tone was playful, but his eyes held that teasing look that made it hard to tell how serious he actually was.

I raised an eyebrow at him. “Is that what this is?”

He shrugged, a mischievous smile showing across his face. “It can be whatever you want it to be. But let’s be real, it wouldn’t be the worst thing, would it?”

I laughed, shaking my head. “You’re funny.”

“Hey, I just call it like I see it,” he said, flashing that boyish grin that made him so effortlessly charming. “Plus, think of the reactions.”

I rolled my eyes but couldn’t help the smile creeping onto my face. “Fine. Maybe I’ll use your suggestion..”

I looked back at my phone, the typing words date night as my thumb hovered over the "post" button. His confidence was intriguing , but he wasn’t wrong, it would get some reactions. 

“Whatever you decide” Nate said, his voice softer now, “you look great in that photo. Just post it already.”

I smiled to myself, ignoring the flutter of butterflies in my stomach as I hit post. Nate leaned back with a satisfied smirk, and I was curious to see how this night panned out.

Matt’s POV

There was a loud thud as the plane landed on the runway in Vegas but it wasn’t enough to pull me out of my thoughts. I leaned back in my seat, arms crossed, staring out the window at skyline for the entire hour flight. Chris was beside me, yapping non stop about the plans for this trip, casino visits, dinner reservations, and the little free time we might squeeze in. I nodded along, but my mind was miles away. Back in LA.

Last night was a disaster, and I knew it was my fault. I’d pushed it too far with Y/n. She didn’t deserve the way I’d spoken to her, the stupid digs I’d thrown her way during the games. I wasn’t even sure why I kept doing it, why I always seemed to make things more difficult between us. But it was eating away at me now, knowing I’d crossed a line.

“You good, man?” Chris’s voice cut through my thoughts.

I turned to him, trying to mask the storm in my head. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

Chris gave me a skeptical look, the kind only a best friend can manage. “You’ve been moody as hell since this morning. You sure you’re not dragging something with you from back home?”

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. “It’s nothing.”

Chris leaned back, crossing his arms. “Hmm yeah.. You’ve been staring out that window like it’s gonna tell you all the secrets of the universe.”

I shot him a look, but he just smirked. “It’s Y/n, isn’t it?”

Of course, he’d figure it out. Chris knew me too well. “Maybe” I muttered, shifting uncomfortably in my seat. “I just.. I said some things last night I shouldn’t have.”

Chris raised an eyebrow. “You? Say something you shouldn’t? Shocking.”

“Can you not?” I snapped, but the annoyance was more at myself than at him.

Chris chuckled. “Alright, sorry. But seriously, you need to fix whatever it is when we get back. Y/n’s a good person.”

He was right, of course. I hated to admit it, but he was. For now, I had to focus on the trip. Vegas wasn’t exactly the place for self reflection. 

We grabbed our bags and deboarded the plane as Chris organised an Uber to the hotel. It was one of those prestige hotels with gold accents everywhere and a lobby bigger than some mansions. The kind of spot Chris lived for.

“Man, look at this place!” Chris said, spinning around to take it all in. “This room better have a view.”

When we got to our suite, it was exactly what I expected, huge, with large windows the size of the room overlooking the Strip. There was even a hot tub in the corner, and Chris immediately claimed the bigger bedroom with the better view.

I tossed my bag on the other bed and flopped down, trying to relax. I opted for a nap, since I barely found sleep last night.

5 hours later I woke to the sound of Chris’ music filling the hotel room. He poked his head into my room. “We gotta get ready man, you good?”

“Yeah” I said, forcing myself to get up.

“Cool. We’re hitting the casino first.”

I couldn’t match his enthusiasm. The only thing on my mind was Y/n. I knew I had the perfect way to make it up to her. I just needed the right moment. But maybe I could do something small in the meantime, something to show her I regretted last night. I pulled out my phone, the time reading 7:30pm. If I acted fast, I could place a delivery before it got too late.

Scrolling through a florist’s website, I picked out a bouquet of red roses. Classic and meaningful. As I typed out the message to attach to the card, my thumbs hovered over the screen, hesitant for a second before I settled on:

Y/n, I’m sorry for last night. I went too far, and you didn’t deserve that. - Matt

I finalized the order and paid for the flowers to be delivered within the next hour. It wasn’t much, but it was a start. Something to begin mending the open wound I’d created.

I showered quickly and threw on dark jeans and a fitted button down shirt. Chris emerged from his room looking slick as ever. Black slacks, a crisp white shirt, and a smirk that showed his confidence.

He ran a hand through his hair and checked his reflection in the window. “This is the night, kid. I’m feeling lucky.”

Chris walked out of his room just as I received a confirmation text: Your flowers have been delivered. The florist even included a picture of the bouquet sitting outside the front door. Relief washed over me, knowing I’d done something to begin setting things right.

Chris, oblivious as ever, turned toward me with a wide grin. “So, Rachel and Christina are meeting us at the casino tonight” he announced casually.

I shrugged. “Cool. Whatever.” I hooked up with Christina the last time we were in Vegas, and Chris with Rachel. We’d been talking on and off since then.

“Oh, and I seen Y/n’s on a date tonight?”

My head snapped toward him, my chest tightening. “What?”

Chris gave me a look like I’d missed something obvious. “Her story. Saw it while I was getting ready. She’s all dressed up, and it says ‘date night’ on it. Wonder who with.”

There was no way. Was she on a date with him? Ethan? After everything that's gone on? It sent a rage inside me, making me feel like a complete fool.

I pulled out my phone, the picture of the flowers still on my screen. Without thinking, I shot off a quick text to Nick:

"There’s a delivery outside the front door. Can you just put it straight in the trash?"

a/n: nate is the BIGGEST flirt

taglist : @mattybearnard @sturn-33 @ncm9696 @yourfavsturniologirl @crazy4jewel @sodakid1234 @stupendoustreewinner @lovealwayssturniolos @matthewsturniolosss @m4ttsmunch @loveexxx @ilusa @starkeyszn @wonnieeluvvr @dylnblue @valxrieq @maggot3647 @cigarettecemetary @ribread03 @chrisstvrns @bandasaruswrx @noplaceissafeanymore @amexiass @witchofthehour @mattssgf @jetaimevous @v33angel  @ivysturnss @urmom69lol @ashlishes @watercolorskyy @sturnioloshottiekay @amelia-sturniolo3 @imjusthereforthesturniolosmut @pvssychicken @alizestvrnss @chrisstxrnsaxe @sophand4n4 @vickytaa @marrykisskilled @bxtchboy69 @yourfavsturniologirl @julisturn @sydneyylainn @sophia-77n @trevorsgodmother @sturnslutz @yourmother29 @girl24cherry @astronea @pinkdyit

[itendtothinkalot]

the checklist

summary: beomgyu swore he'd never get into a relationship. it’s cringe, it’s stupid. but when he starts getting nervous and flustered around you, his best friend huening kai creates a checklist to figure out if he’s into you.

genre: fluff

characters: beomgyu x f!reader

words: 5.1k

warnings:

a/n: im glad txt's hvg rest but oh i do miss them <3<33

Beomgyu was baffled. Relationships? Love? Please. He’d never been in one, much less fallen for anyone before. The whole concept of being in love sounded like a scam to him—a nightmare wrapped in pink ribbons. The idea of dating someone was even worse. What, he’s supposed to shower them with constant attention? What is this? A puppy adoption program? A full-time babysitting gig? No, thanks.

Every time his friends gushed about their latest romantic escapades—"Oh, we’re going to this cute little café together!" or "We stayed up all night just talking!"—Beomgyu would roll his eyes so hard it was a miracle they didn’t get stuck in the back of his head. He didn’t get it. Why would anyone willingly sign up for this chaos?

But then, you happened. And suddenly, Beomgyu found himself staring at his reflection, wondering when the hell he became one of those people.

“Kai.” Beomgyu tapped his friend's shoulder insistently, desperate for some sort of wisdom. “Kai!” He repeated, louder this time, when his friend blatantly ignored him.

Kai sighed dramatically, pulling off his headphones with the kind of irritation reserved for someone whose game was going so well. “Beomgyu, I’m literally in the middle of a match. Can this wait?”

“Sure,” Beomgyu replied with an unusually calm nod, flopping onto Kai’s bed and staring at the ceiling like he’d just been hit by an existential crisis.

That’s when Kai froze. Something wasn’t right. Beomgyu wasn’t whining, nagging, or hovering over his screen like a bratty sibling waiting for their turn to play. This was weird. Alarm bells went off in Kai’s head.

“Wait…” Kai spun around, yanking his headphones off completely. “You’re not being annoying? You’re not rushing me? What the hell happened?” He plopped down next to Beomgyu, who looked suspiciously… deflated. “Okay, who hurt you?”

“No one.” Beomgyu sighed dramatically, staring at the ceiling as if it held all the answers. “I was just… thinking.”

Kai raised an eyebrow, already suspicious. “You think?”

Beomgyu rolled his eyes and flicked Kai’s forehead without hesitation. “Occasionally. Yes. Shocking, I know.”

“Sorry, sorry,” Kai said, rubbing his forehead with a smirk. “Continue.”

Beomgyu hesitated, then sat up slightly, his voice quieter now. “It’s just… you see… there’s this girl.”

Kai’s eyes lit up, his tone immediately shifting from curious to obnoxiously teasing. “Ooooh, a girl, huh?”

“Shut up.” Beomgyu groaned, shoving him lightly. “It’s not even like that. I don’t like her like that. Or vice versa. Or—whatever. It’s complicated.” He sighed again, the weight of his confusion palpable.

Kai leaned back, crossing his arms with an amused grin. “You sound real upset for someone who doesn’t care.”

“Can you just listen to me for once? Please!” Beomgyu groaned, throwing his hands up in frustration.

“Okay, fine! I’m sorry!” Kai held his hands up defensively. “I’m listening now. Go ahead, Romeo.”

“Thank you.” Beomgyu sighed, running a hand through his hair. “So… there’s this girl.”

Kai smirked. “Yeah, I got that part.”

Beomgyu shot him a warning glare before continuing. “She’s new at the café. Yeonjun told me to, y’know, mentor her on the drinks. So, I’ve been doing that. It’s been a couple of weeks, and, well… she’s just this normal girl. She’s studying at the same school as us, but I think she’s in a different building.”

Kai tilted his head, squinting. “Right. A totally normal girl who you’ve been thinking about so much, she’s made you think.”

Beomgyu let out a long, exaggerated sigh. “And lately… I don’t know. Yeonjun’s been putting our schedules together, and I… I don’t know how to feel about it. Like, all I know is I like working with her. I enjoy being around her. But I hate what this feeling is doing to me. It’s like—what’s the word—annoying.”

Kai raised an eyebrow, leaning back smugly. “Not gonna lie, Beomgyu, it sounds a lot like you kinda… like her.”

“That’s impossible.” Beomgyu threw his hands up in exasperation. “I don’t like anyone. I don’t want to be in a relationship. You know me! I couldn't care less about dating, romance, or whatever nonsense everyone seems obsessed with.”

——

One Month Ago

“And of course, this is Beomgyu,” Yeonjun said with a teasing smirk as he gestured to the tall, ridiculously attractive guy standing in front of you. “Do not be charmed by his good looks—he’s not interested in anyone. Except himself, of course.”

You blinked, gulping down the sudden lump in your throat. Okay, Yeonjun wasn’t lying—this guy was good-looking. Too good-looking. Like, unfairly good-looking. But "off-limits"? Perfect. You weren’t exactly in the market for romance anyway, not with your recent breakup looming over your head like a bad rom-com cliché.

This job was supposed to be your escape—a way to distract yourself from your ex and maybe stop scraping together couch change for instant ramen. A few shifts, some good times, and some side cash—easy, right? Except now, you were standing face-to-face with someone who looked like he belonged on a billboard instead of behind a café counter.

It would be fine. Totally fine. You weren’t interested in him. And according to Yeonjun, he wasn’t interested in anyone. Which meant you had nothing to worry about. Right?

“Hey!” you said with a small smile, offering it to the brooding guy standing before you. But instead of the moody half-nod you were expecting, he returned your smile—a sweet, disarming one that completely threw you off.

Well. Scratch “emo” off your presumptuous first impressions.

“Y’know,” you said, tilting your head curiously, “you look super familiar. Are you from the university across the street?”

Beomgyu’s eyes widened slightly, caught off guard by your question. He nodded quickly. “Uh, yeah! Have you seen me around?”

“No,” you said, grinning as you delivered the punchline, “but I’ve seen the posters…”

Ah, the posters. A wave of embarrassment immediately washed over Beomgyu. Back in his first year, he’d been strong-armed recruited by the university’s marketing team to pose for promotional posters plastered around campus. At the time, the promise of a couple hundred bucks had been too tempting for a broke freshman to pass up. But now? Those same posters felt like his own personal humiliation tour.

“Oh. Those posters,” he mumbled, cheeks reddening as he scratched the back of his neck. “Right. Darn things…”

You laughed—a sweet, melodic sound that tugged at something unfamiliar in his chest. “It’s okay! They turned out great.”

And just like that, you walked away, following Yeonjun into the staff pantry, completely unaware of the tiny earthquake you’d just triggered in Beomgyu’s world.

He stood frozen in place, replaying the interaction in his head. The way your eyes lit up when you spoke to him, like you’d known each other forever. The way your laugh lingered in his ears, soft and warm. The way your hair bounced as you walked, catching the light in a way that felt almost cinematic.

Beautiful. That was the only word his brain could come up with. You were beautiful—too much for him to process, let alone admit. And it wasn’t just how you looked. It was the ease, the effortless charm you carried, like you’d just walked into his life to flip it upside down.

It hit him like a punch to the gut: if he did have a type, you would be it. Except…

He didn’t have a type. He didn’t want a type. He didn’t want to date anyone. Absolutely not.

So why was his heart doing cartwheels in his chest?

——

Present

“You literally like her,” Huening Kai groaned, rolling his eyes so hard it looked like they might stay that way. “Dude, you’re just in denial at this point.”

“I don’t like her!” Beomgyu shot back, glaring daggers at his best friend, hands clenched, this close to shoving Kai off the bed.

“Okay,” Kai said, raising his hands in mock surrender. “Then let’s do a quick little checklist, shall we?”

Beomgyu narrowed his eyes but said nothing.

“How do you feel when she’s this—” Kai leaned in obnoxiously close, practically nose-to-nose with Beomgyu, “—close to you?”

“Uh…” Beomgyu faltered, his face heating up faster than he could come up with a retort.

——

2 Weeks Ago

“Beom, can you pass me the sugar, please?” you asked, glancing up at him.

Standing almost two heads taller than you, Beomgyu had become your unofficial ladder. Need something on a high shelf? Just call Beomgyu. And honestly? He didn’t seem to mind.

Working with him was surprisingly easy. Too easy, actually. Everyone said earning money was tough, but when Beomgyu was around, the shifts flew by, lighthearted banter here and there, and the occasional spilled drink, it was just like kindergarten. 

“Beom?” Beomgyu blinked at the nickname, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. You’d only started calling him that a few days ago, but hearing it felt… weirdly nice.

“Here,” he said, reaching for the sugar. “Just don’t drop it like last time.”

“Hey!” You protested, pouting. “That’s unfair. If I recall correctly, you made me laugh, and that’s why I dropped it. So technically, it was your fault.”

“Oh, so now being charming and funny is my fault?” Beomgyu quipped, a teasing smirk dancing on his face.

“Yes,” you said with a playful nod. “But also, thank you for taking the blame for me.”

“It’s nothing,” he said, handing the sugar container to you. “It's not like Yeonjun can fire me. He needs me more than he thinks.”

Just as you reached for the sugar, your hand brushed against his. It was brief—barely a second—but it sent a jolt through Beomgyu like he’d grabbed a live wire. His grip faltered, and the container slipped from his hands.

“Beomgyu!” you laughed, not realizing that the simple touch had completely short-circuited him.

He mumbled an apology, crouching to pick up the container, but his mind was still reeling. Why was his heart suddenly pounding? Why couldn’t he stop staring at the way your smile lit up the entire room?

You. Your hands brushing against his. Your laugh ringing in his ears. Your eyes meeting his and holding his gaze just a second longer than necessary.

Perfection.

And he hated it. Absolutely hated it. Because it made him feel things he swore he’d never feel. But no matter how much he tried to ignore it, the truth was painfully obvious.

He was in trouble.

——

Present

“It feels… funny,” Beomgyu muttered, struggling to find the right word. But even as he said it, he knew "funny" didn’t even come close to describing what you did to him.

“Funny?” Huening Kai snorted with laughter. “That’s the best you can do? Alright, let’s get into the details. Do you ever... get nervous around her?”

“Does the feeling of needing to take a shit every time she’s near me count?” Beomgyu asked, his brain still scrambling for the right words.

Kai slapped his forehead, groaning. “You’re hopeless.”

——

1.5 Weeks Ago

For the past week, Beomgyu had been stuck opening the café. Normally, Yeonjun handled mornings, but some emergency had left Beomgyu in charge. He hated the added responsibility. But if he was being honest—though he’d never admit it—it also gave him an excuse to tweak the schedule so that your shifts overlapped with his. Taehyun would be okay with working late shifts for 2 weeks, right?

This morning, he found himself nervously fidgeting in front of the shiny coffee machine, using its reflection as a makeshift mirror. Was his hair okay? Maybe the little bit of gel he’d added was too much. Should he spritz on more cologne? No, too obvious.

The café was quiet, only a handful of early-morning customers scattered across tables. The clock ticked toward 9 a.m., and Beomgyu felt his heart rate pick up. Any second now.

And then the door chimed.

“Morning, Beomie!” you called cheerfully, your voice like sunshine cutting through the morning haze.

Beomgyu froze, his breath hitching as he turned to see you. You were radiant. Effortlessly glowing, even in your simple two-piece outfit that hugged you just right. Your smile was enough to knock the wind out of him.

“M-Morning!” he stammered, barely able to string two words together.

You cocked your head at him, a giggle escaping your lips. “You alright there?”

Walking over to the counter, you placed your bag down and grabbed the apron you’d left the night before. Without hesitation, you slipped it on and turned toward him, pulling the strings into your hands.

“Can you help me tie this?”

Beomgyu nodded stiffly, stepping closer. His fingers fumbled with the strings, brushing against the soft skin of your lower back. His heart skipped a beat. Why did she have to wear a crop top today? he thought miserably, trying not to combust on the spot. The warmth of your skin sent shivers racing up his spine.

“Thanks!” you chirped, spinning around to face him. But your brows furrowed as you studied him more closely.

“Gosh, Beomie, are you sure you’re okay?” you asked, leaning in and placing your hands gently on his forehead as if checking for a fever.

The sudden closeness made Beomgyu’s brain short-circuit. His knees felt weak, and his entire body betrayed him, a blush creeping up his neck.

“I—uh—I gotta use the washroom,” he blurted, stepping back awkwardly. “Be right back.”

And before you could respond, he was gone, leaving you to shake your head with an amused smile. Meanwhile, in the restroom, Beomgyu leaned against the sink, staring at his reflection.

“What the hell is happening to me?” he whispered to himself, running a hand through his hair. But deep down, he already knew the answer.

——

Present

“I hate to break it to you,” Huening Kai said, deadpan, “but that literally sounds like you’re in love with her.”

“No! It can’t be that. I’m probably just… sick,” Beomgyu stammered, shaking his head as if that would banish the thought.

Kai raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. “Oh, so you’re only ‘sick’ when she’s around? Sure, Beomgyu. Totally normal. You’re absolutely fine.” He rolled his eyes so hard it was a wonder they didn’t get stuck.

“I shouldn’t have asked you,” Beomgyu muttered. “Should’ve gone to Soobin. He’s less… devilish.”

Kai smirked, leaning back against the wall. “Oh yeah, Soobin. Because he’d totally never make fun of you. Not at all.”

“You’re right. I need to make new friends.” Beomgyu stood up abruptly, pretending to walk away.

Kai grabbed his arm and pulled him back. “Aww, come on! Don’t be like that. I’m serious. I’m here to help. I can do this, I swear.”

“Kai,” Beomgyu groaned, “I think we should just call it a day.”

“No!” Kai exclaimed, holding up a finger like he’d just cracked the Da Vinci Code. “We’re this close. Once you admit whatever it is you’re avoiding, life will be so much easier. Trust me. I can see the future.”

Beomgyu rolled his eyes. “Don’t be an idiot.”

“Okay, okay, fine. Just answer me one last final question.”

“What?”

“Does your heart… race? When you’re with her?”

——

2 Days Ago

“Choi Yeonjun, you stupid little shit,” Beomgyu muttered under his breath, blowing into his hands to keep warm. Sending him and you to run errands in the middle of winter felt like some kind of cruel prank.

Next to him, you were bundled up in a cozy puffer jacket, scarf, and beanie, your nose red from the cold. Beomgyu had to bite back a grin. You looked like the cutest Pop Mart figurine he’d ever seen.

You pouted, your breath visible in the freezing air. “Why couldn’t Yeonjun be more accurate with the timing? I’m freezing my ass off.”

Beomgyu crossed his arms, scowling. “I’m killing him later.”

You shook your head, a mischievous glint in your eyes. “Or… we could always take revenge.”

Beomgyu’s brows lifted. “Oh, my sweet genius. How?”

You grinned, leaning in conspiratorially. “We can replace all the coffee beans in the grinder with decaf tomorrow morning. Let’s see how Yeonjun functions without caffeine.”

Beomgyu blinked, then burst out laughing. “You’re dangerous. I didn’t realize you were as devious as you are adorable.”

The words slipped out before he could stop them, but you didn’t seem to notice. You just smiled, giggling. “I got it from my mom.”

He laughed along with you, his heart feeling lighter despite the cold.

“Gosh, is it coming yet?” you sighed, your voice trembling. The icy air seemed to suck all the energy from your words.

“Yeonjun said it’ll be here around 3:15,” Beomgyu replied, glancing at his watch. “So… about ten more minutes.”

You groaned, shivering as you wrapped your arms around yourself. “O-okay.”

“Hold on.”

You blinked, watching as Beomgyu walked away without explanation. Confused but not wanting to leave in case the truck arrived, you stayed put, hopping in place to keep warm.

A few minutes later, Beomgyu returned, holding two steaming, foil-wrapped sweet potatoes.

“Here,” he said, handing one to you.

Your face lit up, your smile bright despite the cold. You pressed the warm sweet potato to your face, sighing in relief. “I can’t feel my face.”

Beomgyu chuckled, stepping closer. “Here.” He pressed his own sweet potatoes against your cheeks, squishing them gently. “Better?”

You blinked up at him, your cheeks squished in his hands, making you look even more adorable.

For a brief moment, time seemed to stop. Beomgyu’s heart pounded in his chest as the warmth of your skin and the softness of your smile hit him like a freight train.

Then you reached up, stopping him from pulling his hands away. “Aw, no, come on. Keep them there. I’m freezing.”

Beomgyu’s cheeks burned, and for once, he was grateful for the cold air, it gave him an excuse. But even as he tried to steady his breathing, he could feel it. His heart was racing faster than ever.

——

Present

“I have feelings for her, don’t I?”

Huening popped a chip into his mouth, “I hate to say it but I told you so.”

“Well, what do I do now?”

“You’ve gotta tell her. And after you do, let Soobin know that I’ve officially won the title of Beomgyu’s top best friend this month.”

“And how am I supposed to ask her?”

“Well, just a suggestion, but you could text her?”

“That’s not romantic!” Beomgyu deadpanned.

“Oh, sorry for trying to help. You’re the same guy who once swore he’d never, in a million years, tell a girl she looks pretty because apparently, that’s basically signing up to be chained to a cage like a love-struck animal.”

“That was the old me.”

Huening smirked, popping another chip into his mouth. “Sure, that’s the ‘old you,’ but the new you is in love with her.”

Beomgyu ran a hand through his hair, pacing around the room. “I don’t even know how to start.”

Huening leaned back, watching his best friend spiral. “Well, look at it this way: if you’re already thinking of telling her, you're in the right direction.”

“I want something memorable, you know?” Beomgyu muttered. “Something more… romantic. Something she won’t forget.”

Huening raised an eyebrow. “And you think a dramatic speech in the middle of the cafe is the answer?”

Beomgyu froze. “That... actually might work.”

“Wow, you really are whipped,” Huening said, sarcastically.

“I’m serious! I’ll walk in, tell her how I feel, and let her know how much she means to me. I’m going all in, no holding back,” Beomgyu said, determination lighting up his face.

Huening sighed, shaking his head dramatically. “Alright, but just so you know, you asked me for help. And when she swoons, don’t forget to tell Soobin I won the ‘Best Friend of the Month’ award.”

Beomgyu shot him a deadpan look. “I’ll make it happen. Thanks, Best Friend.”

“Could I get that in writing? You know, so Soobin doesn’t think I’m just making stuff up.”

Beomgyu’s heart pounded in his chest as he thought about it. Texting was out of the question. He’d have to make his feelings known the right way—face-to-face, just like in the movies. He was ready for this.

——

"Okay. You’ve got this, Beomgyu," he muttered to himself, giving himself a thumbs-up. "Just say something smooth... something charming. You’re Beomgyu, the irresistible coffee god. You can do this."

He looked around, making sure no one was watching, then smiled at his reflection in the window.

“Hey, I think you’re really cool, and I like you. Wait—no, that’s too casual. Let me try again.”

He put a hand to his chin dramatically, thinking for a moment.

"How about… ‘I think you're the most beautiful person I’ve ever met and I can’t stop thinking about you.’" He immediately cringed. "Nope, nope. That sounds fucking disgusting."

Just as he was about to try again, a voice from behind him interrupted.

“Dude, just go in,” Yeonjun said, raising an eyebrow as he walked up. He'd been watching from across the street for the past ten minutes, taking in Beomgyu's solo performance with mild amusement (and taking a couple of short videos to fill his stories with).

“Yeonjun! What the hell? You scared me!” Beomgyu jumped, heart leaping into his throat.

“Stop talking to yourself like a loser and just go in already. You’re getting weird looks from the store across us," Yeonjun scoffed. “Also, I’m pretty sure the entire neighborhood has seen your failed rehearsals by now.”

Beomgyu grimaced. “I just don’t want to mess it up, okay? I need to make it perfect.”

Yeonjun rolled his eyes. “You’ve been here for 20 minutes and the only thing you’ve perfected is looking like a robber who's about to rob MY café. Get it together. It’s just a confession. You’re fine, she’s into you. Go!”

Beomgyu shot him a glare. “I’m not a robber, Yeonjun. I’m a man with feelings... and a very fragile ego.”

“Oh, please,” Yeonjun chuckled, pushing him toward the door. “If I had a dollar for every time someone said they were ‘fragile’ before a confession, I could buy this entire block. Just go in there and stop making it a bigger deal than it is.

Beomgyu hesitated for a moment, then turned to face the door of Junnie’s, which was now just a few steps away. He took a deep breath and shot Yeonjun a look that screamed ‘I’m regretting this already.’

“You’re really doing this,” Yeonjun said, an exaggerated smirk on his face. “Alright, Beomie, go make history.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Beomgyu sighed, taking a step toward the door. “I’m going... but if I faint in there, you’re taking the blame.”

With a last nervous glance at Yeonjun, Beomgyu shoved the door open. The bell above it jingled as he walked in, looking like a deer caught in the headlights, and that's when he found you behind the counter, waiting.

“Welcome to Junnie’s! How may I help you—Beomgyu? What are you doing here today?” you laughed, wiping your hands on your apron as you looked up from behind the counter.

Beomgyu leaned against the counter with a grin that could melt the coldest of hearts. “I came here to see you.”

You blinked, trying to process his words. “Me?”

“Yeah, you,” he said, suddenly looking everywhere except at you. His hands were twitching like he was about to do a dance routine.

“Should I be on my break for this?” you asked, genuinely puzzled.

Beomgyu shook his head quickly, as if trying to shake off his nerves. “No, no. It’ll be quick. I think. Probably.”

You chuckled, unable to hide your confusion. “Okay, you’re acting like you’re about to tell me you robbed a bank or something. Is everything alright?”

Beomgyu froze for a second, his eyes wide. “I'm getting rid of this stupid black beanie tomorrow,” he muttered to himself, sighing.

Getting called a robber for the second time today wasn’t exactly on his to-do list.

“Then why are you sweating?” you asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I’m not sweating!” he replied, wiping his hands on his pants—clearly in denial. “Okay, maybe I'm a little nervous.”

“Why are you nervous?” You genuinely didn’t understand, your head tilting to the side in bewilderment. “You’ve literally seen me like... a hundred times.”

“I just—” Beomgyu paused, and the silence between you two felt like forever. “Okay, maybe more than a hundred... but—”

“So, you’ve been nervous about seeing me a hundred times?” you asked, trying to piece it together.

“Definitely not,” Beomgyu said quickly, then muttered, “Well, kind of...”

“Okay, I’m lost,” you said, eyes wide, still trying to figure out why he was so flustered.

Beomgyu nodded, “Well…this is gonna be awkward, and I’m not really sure how to do this or what I’m supposed to say because I don’t want to ruin things between us—but, well, here it is.”

You immediately put your hands up, practically begging for mercy. “Oh, no, please don’t say it. Don’t say you’re not interested in me or anything like that, please.”

Beomgyu froze, looking absolutely panicked. “Huh?”

“Listen,” you said, starting to pace behind the counter like you were preparing for some dramatic monologue. “If you’re going to let me down easy, you don’t have to say anything. I know you’re not really into relationships, and I totally get it, okay? You’re the independent type. I respect that. Honestly, I wasn’t planning on doing anything crazy with my feelings. It’s all good, you don’t have to worry about me.”

Beomgyu’s face went from confused to deeply distressed. His eyes were wide, and his shoulders slumped as if someone had just stolen his favorite hoodie. “Wait, what? No! No, that’s not what I came here to say! I—”

You sighed dramatically, crossing your arms. “I mean, it’s okay. Yeonjun told me you weren’t interested in relationships. And hey, it’s fine. I’ll just stay in my lane and respect that you want to focus on… I don’t know… life, or being a free spirit or whatever. Like, I get it. I’m totally cool.”

Beomgyu blinked, frozen in place for a second, like you’d just dropped a bombshell on him. He quickly stepped forward, eyes wide with determination. “Hold on! That’s not— I’m not saying what you think!”

You narrowed your eyes, trying to suppress a smile. “Really? Because I’m getting the vibe you’re not, you know, in the relationship market. Like, at all.”

He inhaled deeply, as if trying to muster all his courage to say the right thing. “I swear, I came all the way down here to tell you something completely different. Look, if I’m being honest, I… I really like you. Like, really, really like you.”

Your jaw dropped. You were completely taken aback. “You… You like me?” you stammered, suddenly feeling all kinds of flustered.

Beomgyu nodded, looking at you like you were the most beautiful person in the entire world. “Yeah. I do. A lot. Like, so much that it’s kinda scary sometimes, but also really exciting. I’m not great with words and I’ve never been good at this, but… I want to try. I know I said that I’m not interested in relationships but I don’t know…with you it just seems easy. I like you. And I want to figure out whatever this is with you, if you’ll let me.”

There was a moment of silence, your heart racing from the sheer intensity of his words. And then, like a switch flipped, you couldn’t help but laugh, shaking your head in disbelief. “Wow, so all this time I was thinking I had to keep my feelings to myself..”

Beomgyu flushed red, looking both nervous and utterly adorable. “Well…you’re different.”

You leaned across the counter, smiling, as you finally met his eyes. “So, wait… does this mean you’re actually asking me out? Like, for real?”

Beomgyu’s face lit up, nodding expectantly, “ Yes. I want to take you out. If you’ll let me.”

You grinned, your heart doing little flips. “Well, that’s a relief, because you’ve been driving me crazy. And I was starting to think I was gonna have to ask you out first. But of course, I wouldn’t, y’know, the whole off-the-market thing did catch me off guard at first.”

Beomgyu raised an eyebrow, smirking. “Oh? And why’s that?”

“Well, a cute guy like you—who’s charming and funny—charms my ass off and apparently is off the market. Huge bummer, no?” You leaned forward slightly, making your playful tone even more obvious, but a hint of real affection crept through.

Beomgyu chuckled, his smile wide and warm. “Well, you’re in luck, because I’m officially back on the market.”

Your smile widened even more. “Hopefully not for long,” you teased, winking at him. “I’m a go-getter.”

“Oh really?” Beomgyu’s grin was teasing as he leaned just a little bit closer, eyes locked with yours. “Weren’t you the one who just said you’d respect it if I wanted to be independent?”

Your chest tightened, the playful back-and-forth somehow turning into something more serious. “Do you?”

He took another step forward, practically in your personal space now. His voice softened, but the warmth in his eyes was undeniable. “Not if it means I can’t go out with you.” 

You felt the space between you both shrink with every second. He was so close now that you could feel the heat radiating off him, his breath just barely brushing your skin. The intensity of the moment wrapped around you both as your eyes flickered between his lips and his eyes, unsure whether it was the right moment to do what he wanted to.

Then, just as Beomgyu’s hand was hovering almost instinctively near your arm, his head slightly tilting to get a better angle, the door to the café swung open with a sharp "ding!" and Yeonjun walked in, looking around casually until his eyes landed on the scene unfolding in front of him.

“Oh no, no, no,” Yeonjun groaned loudly, immediately striding over. “Beomgyu, you’re not even supposed to be here. It’s not your shift. You’re killing the vibe. Like, really killing it.” He grabbed Beomgyu by the shoulder and pulled him away, literally lifting him off the ground as if he were a rag doll. “C’mon, man. Move it. You’re ruining the whole romantic café ambiance with all this sexual tension. Get outta here.”

Beomgyu sputtered, his face going bright red. “I wasn’t— I mean, we were—”

“Yeah, I know exactly what you were doing,” Yeonjun interrupted, giving him a smirk. “And I’m putting an end to it before things get too heated in here. Don’t think I didn’t see those looks. You two are about two seconds away from having an impromptu makeout session right in front of all the customers.” He turned to you with a grin. “No offense, but you’re about to turn this café into something disgusting, and I can’t handle that right now.”

“There’s only one customer!” 

“And he has two eyes!” 

You tried to hide your grin but failed miserably as you watched Beomgyu attempt to protest while being dragged out. “Fine, fine, I’ll go,” Beomgyu grumbled. “But you’re not getting rid of me for good.” He shot you one last flirty smile before Yeonjun practically shoved him out the door.

You stood there, stunned and flustered, trying to regain your composure as the moment you thought might just happen slipped away. As Beomgyu’s laughter faded down the street, you couldn’t help but feel a flutter in your chest. Yeonjun shot you an apologetic look. “I know, I know, I’m a buzzkill. But don’t worry. Knowing how annoying he is, he’ll probably be back in a couple of minutes.”

You shook your head, grinning despite yourself. “He’s lucky you stopped him, or I’d have kissed him right there.”

Yeonjun’s grin was full of mischief. “Why do you think I stopped the both of you?”

[mattscoquette]

𝑨 𝑪𝑯𝑨𝑵𝑮𝑬 𝑶𝑭 𝑯𝑬𝑨𝑹𝑻 | 𝑴𝑨𝑻𝑻 𝑺𝑻𝑼𝑹𝑵𝑰𝑶𝑳𝑶

𝒊𝒏 𝒘𝒉𝒊𝒄𝒉.. you slowly notice your boyfriend is falling out of love with you

angst !! cursing, mentions of weed, smoking, arguing, glass breaking, kinda toxic!matt, breaking up

2.3k words

are we awake? am i too old to be this stoned?

the small sliver of sunlight that peered through your curtain danced across your face, causing you to stir awake slowly. a hand reached out, only to find the other side of the mattress cold. typical.

it wasn’t long before the strong reek of matt’s weed filled your apartment, a soft sigh escaping your lips as you peered at the clock next to you, the numbers 6:37 a.m. staring back at you.

slowly, you made your way out of bed and out to the balcony, where matt resided, still clad in his pajamas. a rolled joint was held between his pointer and thumb, dark smoke swirling around him.

“are you seriously high already?” you mumbled, sleep still coaxing your voice as you wrapped your arms around your middle as a means to stay warm.

matt simply looked back at you, his usual blue eyes red and bleary. he gave you a small shrug before holding the joint to his lips, inhaling deeply.

“i guess so.”

for goodness sake, i wasn't told you'd be this cold.

it wasn’t out of the ordinary for you to question if matt still loved you. you’d been together for a year and a half now, and it felt as though he’d only loved you for the first year.

it started small. little remarks you would tend to just brush off.

“you should wear this, it looks better on you.”

“why are you always in a bad mood whenever i’m around?”

but they never bothered you much. matt loved you. and you loved him. that was the way it always was, and you never seemed to think any different.

and matt was so sweet in the beginning. flowers were delivered to your door every week, along with a handwritten letter from him. your meals were always paid for, and you were almost certain you hadn’t touched a door handle for nearly half of the relationship. now, things couldn’t be more different.

when matt started being mean, you never questioned if he still loved you. he was probably having a bad day, or something heavy was weighing on him he just didn’t feel like talking about. it was never a question if he loved you or not.

but lately, you weren’t so sure anymore. it was rare for matt to be kind. he was also so angry and upset, and you couldn’t just seem to understand why. he acted like you were just an afterthought in his mind, a footnote in the story of his life. like you weren’t his girlfriend, like you weren’t his everything, like he always promised you.

you smashed a glass into pieces

that's around the time i left.

you lost count of how many argument you and matt had this week. there was always something. nothing could ever be okay with you both.

it was beginning to feel like matt wasn’t fighting for you relationship anymore. yet here you were, fighting tooth and nail, just for things to be even a little bit like how they used to be. it was an uphill battle, and you were losing.

you were angrily clearing off the table, not caring if neither you nor matt were done eating dinner. you weren’t even sure what this argument was about. something along the lines of matt bending over backwards for you, when you reciprocate nothing in return. although that couldn’t be further from the truth, you tried to listen. you tried to piece together what exactly it was that you did that made your relationship crumble.

“i just don’t get it y/n,” matt retorted as he stood up abruptly, bringing his dishes to the sink and dropping them in with a loud clank, “why is it that i’m doing everything for you, but the second i need something, it’s a big issue?”

you glared at him from you spot by the table, tears threatening to well up in your eyes. you didn’t want to argue anymore. you just wanted your boyfriend back.

he just scoffed as he turned back around, clearly not impressed with your lack of an answer. matt began to scrub the dishes bitterly, almost as if the plate had done something wrong and he was mad at it, as opposed to you.

“i do so much for you, matt.” you mumbled, keeping your head low as you wiped off the table. no matter how much you two argued, you never wanted him to see you cry. “i feel like sometimes you’re the one who can’t be pleased.”

that set him off.

“are you serious-” he began, throwing the plate down in the sink angrily as he turned around to look at you. the glass shattered, the sound piercing through the kitchen as you two fell silent.

it was an accident, you knew it, but it didn’t stop you from crying more.

you turned to face matt, your eyes red and cheeks blotchy as tears streamed down them. before he could get a word out, you were already announcing that you were going back home.

you said i'm full of diseases

your eyes were full of regret.

it had been a week and a half since matt broke the plate, and things hadn’t gotten any better. if anything, that was the first crack in the glass. matt seemed to be picking an argument all day, looking for anything to make a comment on. no matter what you did, you just couldn’t make him happy.

“can you stop hogging the damn blanket?” matt murmured as he sat next to you on the couch, his arms crossed. he tugged the fabric from your lap to his, shuffling even further away than he was before, his focus returning to the movie playing on the tv.

you looked at his side profile, his demeanor so cold and off putting. where you both used to be cuddled up together under one blanket when watching a movie, now you couldn’t so much as sit too close to him without starting something.

“sorry.” you mumbled faintly. that was starting to become a repeat word in your vocabulary. sorry. you had decided instead of arguing back, you could just be sorry. if matt felt like he was always right, he was sure to love you again the way he used to. how couldn’t he be?

“god, you’re just so annoying sometimes.” he muttered, fixing the blanket once more as his eyes bore holes through you. he watched the way your face fell, a knot twisting in his stomach.

how could he say something so mean to girl he loved so much?

in return, you sighed quietly and shakily, returning your eyes to the tv screen. you’d rather have matt be angry at you everyday than not have him at all.

you used to have a face straight out of a magazine

now you just look like anyone.

for a change, matt suggested you two go out. it was a breath of fresh air for you both. there was almost an unspoken agreement that you two couldn’t be fighting if you were in public. you could each play the part of the happy couple you once were.

you made every effort to look your best. your hair and makeup were done, your outfit perfectly put together after countless hours spent curating it. you took a step back from the mirror, smiling at your reflection. you felt really, really pretty. a small sense of optimism lingered in the air as you made your way down to matt’s car when he said he was at your apartment. he couldn’t possibly ignore you, not when you looked like this.

a small smile played on your glossed lips as you climbed into the car, your floral perfume strong. he offered the faintest of smiles, followed with a small kiss hello. to most girls, they’d be upset if their boyfriend reacted how matt did. they’d want him to compliment them, ruin their makeup. but to you, it was a start. you can’t remember the last time he made you feel how he just did.

the ride to the mall was peaceful. it was filled with small talk, the radio playing softly in the background. the day was just getting started, but you felt hopeful. you felt like today would be a really good day for you and matt, and your relationship was in desperate need of one.

and it was great. it felt almost like what you called “the good times,” the part of your relationship where matt actually felt like your boyfriend. when he actually acted like your boyfriend. he held your hand the entire time you walked through the mall, and carried every single bag for you. at the cash registers, his wallet was out before the total was even displayed on the card reader. the day was almost perfect. almost. the only thing missing was the compliments you craved from matt so badly.

in the good times, it seemed as if every other sentence coming from matt was a compliment. he loved to tell you how much he loved you. at one point, you had even wondered if matt remembered your actual name, because he was always calling you his pretty girl. his.

but today, that seemed to be the only thing lacking. instead, matt’s gaze seemed very preoccupied with the other girls in the mall. his eyes lingered at all of their bodies, the way they would show a little cleavage or expose their midriff. it didn’t take you long to realize the only reason matt was being so kind today was because he could distract himself with other girls who weren’t you.

i just sat in self-pity and cried in the car.

although you and matt had been having problems for as long as you had, you didn’t dare tell anyone. because when you were around friends, you and matt were good at pretending. nobody dared to question your relationship, because there was nothing to question. he seemed to love you the way he always had. it was only behind closed doors when you had problems.

but even though you accepted this was your relationship now, you couldn’t help but remember the good times. it would just hit you out of nowhere, the longing for something that didn’t exist anymore. something that could never be as it was. it was a crushing feeling, really, and the only thing you could do was let it consume you. it would eat at you for days, taking away your appetite and replacing it with a sinking feeling inside of you.

you often found yourself looking back at old pictures and videos, notes from matt and dead flower petals you saved. if you closed your eyes and focused hard enough, sometimes you could still feel the way you used to. you’d be lost in your thoughts, living in a deluded world where you and matt were still happy. one where he had eyes for only you, and made you feel like the most special person in the universe. you could still remember how tight he would hold you every night, how he’d look at you like you hung every star in the sky.

then, the reality would dawn on you that it wasn’t like that anymore. you were mourning a relationship that wasn’t even dead yet.

you played a part, this is how it starts.

as the days, weeks, months passed, you felt more and more detached from your relationship. you were waking up everyday next to someone you couldn’t recognize anymore. the spark you two shared was now put out, embers on the ground dying. he wasn’t the matt you fell in love with anymore.

you had stopped trying. maybe if matt noticed you were slowly fading away, he’d do something. but he didn’t. he never did. the two of you had no energy for anything anymore, your relationship on it’s last limbs.

oh, i just had a change of heart.

matt’s couch was something you’d grown accustom to over the last two years. it was your saving grace when he would push you to the point of no return, when you couldn’t even lay next to him to sleep. as the ceiling stared back at you, you heard small creaks in the floorboard as matt creeped into the living room. he looked a mess, his hair tousled in all different directions, the dark spots under his eyes more prominent than ever.

“can i lay with you?” his voice whispered in the darkness as he stood above you. he clambered in beneath the blankets when you gave a small nod, exhaustion falling over you fast.

he rustled around a bit, finally finding a comfortable position facing you. he studied your face, taking in every detail.

“it’s not working out anymore, is it?” he asked, his voice quiet.

you looked back at him. you watched the way his chest rose and fell, the way his chapped lips parted and breathing hitched.

“it’s not.”

you both remained quiet, as if you were soaking in the last moments of your relationship. the same way you try to remember everything about your hotel room when you’re leaving vacation, committing every last minute thing to memory.

you stared back at matt, waiting for him to speak. he opened his mouth to speak, closing it when no words came out. he tried again.

“are we done then?”

you inhaled shakily, your eyes fluttering shut. you nodded, feeling the weight of the world come crashing down on you. two years of your life, over like that. before you could even think about getting up, matt’s voice broke you from your thoughts.

“can…can you just stay with me one more night?” he asked. “i don’t want it to be over just yet.”

you peeled your eyes open, being met with matt’s sad ones. you nodded your head yes, feeling him instantly wrap his arms around your middle, pulling you into his chest. just like how he used to. his head rested atop yours, the rhythmic sound of each other’s breathing lulling you both to sleep.

you would both deal with it tomorrow. you would feel the unbearable feeling of heartbreak in the morning. but for now, you could still both be with one another the way you used to. just one last time.

© mattscoquette | taglist

𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬. ⋆˚꩜｡ i know i was yapping sm ab needing a break but i wrote this in one sitting yesterday…. also a fanfic to the 1975 is sooo tumblr. pls lmk ur thoughts bc this is very different from what id normally write:) and thank u for 5.1k ! i love u all

[curlysfist]

Dutiful Husband

Synopsis: Curly cares for you deeply. Everything he does is for your sake, always. (tw: physical abuse aftermath, manipulation, unwarranted guilt. Minors DNI.)

Word count: 0.7k

Notes: unironically has been YEARS since I've written fics so forgive me if the writing is sloppy. Because. ts is also unedited and held together by duct tape and shaky hands hehe

The tears didn't cease.

Face buried in Curly’s pillow, you tried to calm yourself, chest shuddering with every breath you took, each inhale filled with the smell of stale cologne. It did little to soothe you.

Heaving, you tried to quiet yourself as Curly neared the room, hesitant footsteps closing in to march through the door after a few minutes of “giving you some time to reflect.”

It was routine. He upset you in some sort of way, you’d argue, he’d hit you, you cried, and he’d come back to talk sense into you after deciding you’d reflected enough.

If he felt fancy, he’d ask what you did wrong. You often blanked at that question.

He wouldn’t hit you, though—not now—merely a gentle pet on your head and a sad smile. As if he failed in some way. But not for the reason you would hope he had.

Curly paused outside the room, listening for a moment as you sobbed into his pillow. It didn’t take long for his patience to wane before finally barging in, taking in the scene.

In some vain attempt at dignity, you buried your face deeper into the pillow, body wracking as you focused on trying to breathe.

You could hear the creak of floorboards as he neared, ultimately sitting on the edge of the bed and stroking the unbruised part of your back, thumb pressing gently along the length of your spine. Big and warm, his hand pierced the thin fabric of your nightgown, leaving warmth in its trail. A kindling rather than the strike of red iron.

“I’m doing this for you,” he murmured softly.

“That’s what…” You hiccupped, trying to choke out the words. “That’s what my dad used to say.”

“He’s a very wise man, then.” He chuckled, his hand pausing as the other reached over to nudge your shoulder back. “C’mon, it’s rude to talk to me with your back facing me. Yes, good girl, there we go…” His fingers nudged at the flesh of your damp cheek, wiping the remaining droplets.

You stared at him, and his eyes flitted from your cheeks to your eyes.

You couldn’t snuff the sniffling, and he tsked softly. “Hey, I’m not angry anymore. You learned your lesson, right?”

Lesson, lesson..?

You nodded warily. You’d already forgotten what had pissed him off this time.

“I only do this because you remember easier this way, okay?”

“Because you care about me,” you mumbled.

“Exactly. See? Doing so good already. It hurts me more than it does you, I promise.” He gently tugged your wrists. “I love you so much.”

The words were no lie. You could see it clearly in the earnestness of his expression, the subdued warmth of his voice.

It always made you pause. Affectionate, warm, caring. You were making this guy hit you. A stone weighed down the pit of your stomach, and your bottom lip trembled despite your efforts.

You hadn’t listened properly. It’s an issue you’d had since childhood. You just never fucking listened.

After all, didn’t he always know better? His love for you was real—anyone could see it—and yet here you were, ruining things again.

The tears welled fresh as his thumb brushed over your cheek. He smiled faintly, as though forgiving you before you even spoke.

“It’s okay,” he murmured. “I know you don’t mean to make these mistakes. That’s why I’m here—to set you on the right path. That’s my job, right?”

You nodded again, slower this time, even as the stone twisted into an overwhelming boulder. The part of you that wanted to resist, that wanted to question, drowned beneath the sound of his voice, the softness of his touch, the way he always made it feel like it was for your own good.

And maybe it really was. It’s not like it hurt that bad. Bruises were kind of rare.

“Good girl,” he whispered, pulling you gently against him. “I knew you’d understand. That’s what I love about you—you’re so good when you want to be.”

The warmth of his words spread through you, and with it came a bitter relief. You were good. You could be good, couldn’t you? If only you tried harder, if only you listened better… maybe then you wouldn’t have to cry like this anymore.

Maybe then he wouldn’t have to hurt you so much, either.

Just listen.

[nightunite]

I know we’re not there yet, but I was struck with the idea of Konig having this secret project that he won’t tell reader about once he’s proposed, and reader is starting to get anxious again because maybe she likes Konig just a little. But anyways. The surprise? Is a nursery Konig was putting together because he knew the wedding planning stuff was stressing reader out.

Listen I love this version of Konig the honorable good he is.

🕵️‍♀️

He truly is a good man isn't he? This took me a while to come up with, and my search results look weird now (we love getting ads that don't apply to us), but I'm hoping this turns out good! @beloveds-embrace COME GET YA FOOD

Konig spent a lot of time outdoors recently. She knows this is common, that between hunting season and visiting his lumber yards and his general avoidance of people, he spends more time camped under the stars than his own roof. It's why his return to the barony had stirred up the townsfolk in the first place, carrying rumors of a potential job on the breeze. His staying inside was unusual, owing to the winter being wetter than expected, freezing anything edible in the earth. However, she notes with a bit of guilt as she bites her lip, if anything that would free him to spend more time away from the town as a whole. He should have left to visit the various woods he lay claim to, overseeing and inspecting the lumberyards to ensure there was no decrease in quality as harvesting ramped up with trees long since dormant. No, he stuck around because a doe had wandered in from those very woods, carrying a fawn he intended to claim as his own. Since that night in the cellar roughly two months ago, Konig (Xander, she reminded herself, he will be your husband, call him by his first name) remained firmly at her side, only parting when necessary or to retire to their rooms for the evening, a gentle kiss pressed to her forehead before they both retreat red-faced. Thankfully he took to doing it only when no one else was present, lest one of the others playfully leer and tease them. The first time that happened Xander had pivoted on his heel so quickly he'd collided with a short table, knocking it and the vase atop it to the floor. She couldn't help her giggle at the sight of him, nervously fidgeting as he righted the table and had the workers clean up the shards of porcelain. Such a large man being so cute truly was a sight to see. Yet in the past fortnight, after Duke MacTavish's unexpected visit, he spent copious amounts of time in his workshop, a large shed of sorts set apart from the rest of the home. The sounds of machinery could be heard buzzing to life at the strangest of hours, dim light aglow from one of the windows in the dark of night. He snuck off to it during the day when she was resting or busy finalizing plans for the wedding as well, citing that he had no preferences one way or another for flowers or food, that it was her day. When she voiced her concerns of how the other nobility would critique her choices, he shrugged. "As I said before, mein ricke, let them talk. They have no say in our home, and if they come to our door I will send them away much like Duke MacTavish." Thankfully the ladies of the house had strong opinions on things, from who would walk her down the aisle (Felix would be honored to), to the type of bouquet (Edelweiss, Magnolia, Queen Anne's Lace, an all-white bouquet), to the desserts served (Kennedy would be handling those, already having her taste test during lunches; she was partial to chocolate, though that could be the baby's preference). It helped, having companions who could help her wade through the choice fatigue. Though, it would be nice if Xander showed some preferences of his own, a sign that he wasn't getting cold feet over this union. Can you get cold feet when you never had fiery passion to start? "Madame? The Baron requests your presence in the nursery." She jolts from her thoughts, sitting up from where she lounges on her bed. She follows dutifully after the young man, one of the gardeners, as he leads her up the stairs and to where her fiancé awaits.

Something else that keeps them preoccupied, preparing the nursery for the new arrival. Word had spread beyond the barony of the heir to arrive in the cradle of summer, the shocking news of the wedding rippling through the community only a week prior. While she focuses on the upcoming ceremony, he and Felix took to the renovations of a spare storage room. Xander requested her not to set foot in the nursery the past week for hers and the baby’s safety, fresh coats of paint applied and needing to properly air out. Stepping inside she sees him first, silhouetted by the evening sun streaming in from the wide bay windows, soft cream curtains pulled aside. The golden light wrapping around him a contrast to the gentle periwinkle walls, painting him like a heroic figure from one of those romance novels Emily giggles about. Her heart squeezes a little; he remembered her favorite color, despite her only mentioning it in passing once on a stroll through the garden. Yet what brings tears to her eyes, mouth covered by a shaking hand, is the sight of the furniture in the room.

They hadn’t yet picked any out, choosing to wait until the walls and flooring were finished before heading into town to browse and possibly commission some pieces. They discussed it frequently though when they were together, Xander gently massaging whatever part of her ached as they spoke in low tones. What color should the wood be for the crib, how high the changing station should stand, what type of chairs and how many. Xander walked her through her opinions on all of it, and she thought it was simply to have some idea of what to look for when they finally made their way to buy furniture.

Instead, every bit of what she told him had been carefully incorporated in the furniture already in the room. The two chairs with cushioned seats like those in his study, a dark-stained changing station set at perfect height so she wouldn’t be forced to bend down, thick circular rug under her feet to keep back the chill of the winter through the hardwood. But the masterpiece was by far the crib and she can’t resist stepping closer and stroking a hand along the top of it.

Perfectly crafted from birch wood, edges sanded down into gentle curves and sealed so as to prevent splinters. She traces along the curves, admiring the carpentry on the ornate designs, edelweiss and magnolia blossoms lining the headboard, amaryllis and sunflowers at the baseboard. No awkward edges, every piece seamlessly connected, as though simply carved as a single piece from a birch log. Hanging from it is a small wooden mobile, charms of various animals dangling below, gently spinning when she rotates it with her hand.

“I-“ She turns to look at Xander, finding him standing beside her, rubbing at his fingers.

“This is beautiful. All of it. Where did you-“ She cuts herself off, connecting the dots.

Birch wood, his main export from the lumberyards.

The questions about every possible detail, as though he were trying to pluck her idea and bring it to life.

The late nights in the shed, machinery whirring, creating all the artistry on display before her now.

“You cradle them for so long. I thought I should do the same.” He’s bashful, scratching at his neck and nipping his lip, ears aflame even in the evening glow. Saying it so simply, as though he hadn’t poured hours of time and years of experience into this. As though he hadn’t spent what little free time he had between the suit fittings and wedding invitations and still running a barony working his hands through splinters and cramping to ensure it was finished well before the baby was due. It's worth it though, for how she stares up at him, teary eyed and grateful, sniffling as she thanks him.

It's when he hunches over that she catches sight of something set atop the table. She steps around him, reaching down to poke at the little figures and almost immediately bursts into tears again. There, carefully set on a round crochet cloth, were the wooden figures of three animals. A stag with mighty antlers gently pressing his nose to a doe, with a little spotted fawn curled up beside her, a replica of their little family made by Xander’s own hands. She picks up the fawn, thumb sliding over the smooth wood, the little white spots a stark contrast to the rich brown of the wood.

“Do you like it?” He asks her, hovering once more. He worried over whether it was too much, too presumptuous of him to make them, crossing an unspoken boundary like when he implored she call him by his first name.

She gently sets the fawn down, turning to him and swiftly tugging his head down. He lets out a small noise when their lips connect before he gently cradles the side of her face, stepping as closely as her bump will allow. Her own hands settle on his chest, the rabbit-fast beating of his heart echoing in her own. All things considered, it’s a chaste kiss, no more than a few seconds, yet when she pulls back she’s slightly dazed, lips tingling and eyes opening despite her not recalling closing them. It takes a moment for her to realize what she’s done but it sets her nerves alight when it clicks.

“I’m so sorry Xander, I just-this was all so sweet and I wasn’t-“ She’s cut off when he gently runs a thumb over her bottom lip, tilting her head up from where she’d ducked down in embarrassment. There’s a simmering sensation in her stomach when she stares into his eyes, half lidded and pupils wider, the usual icy blue darkened as though melting under the heat. She can’t help but look at his mouth, think of how it felt against her own.

“You worry too much.” He tells her, settling his free hand on her hip.

“May I kiss you again?” He’s leaning in again, eyes on her mouth, wanting to see how red he can paint it with his own.

“Please” She whispers against his mouth.

So he does.

Over, and over, and over.

[natsuminmin]

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆ CHATBOX LOVE -> kenma kozume !!!

�� 𝗓 𐰁 .ᐟ NEVER MET! by CMTEN , glitch gum

synopsis; in which kenma is sent into a spiral after seeing a familiar username cw: deff slight angst, discord type-love , usage of baby , erm exes trope , kenma crash out , unproofread + lowercase , implied f!reader but can be interpreted as gn!reader , idk if its ooc but prob eek,

"and even though it's been a week, i still think of your face"

already? wow, a week since you had ended things with kenma. to him, it felt like months. years, even, which was why he decided to stop counting the days.

so imagine his surprise when he had randomly matched up with you in roblox.

he swears it was you, had all the the same numbers in your user, all the same accessories in your avatar.

he just had to type in the chatbox, he didn't care how desperate he sounded, he wants you back:

kod5uken : [baby? baby thats u right? its kenma]

skibidi1234 : [uhhh no sorry dude idk you]

ah. and then skibidi1234 left, probably weirded out. damn it, he was hallucinating now. on top of that, he was stupid enough to say his real name online.

he left the game himself too, closing roblox in a rage. he wanted to sleep, but his puffy eyes and stuffy nose made it hard to do so.

─── ˚ʚ♡ɞ˚ ───

barbie : [kenma we need to talk ]

kennie : [what is it]

barbie : [lets break up]

kennie : [oh]

kennie : [okay]

barbie : [im sorry, i cant juggle you and studies]

─── ˚ʚ♡ɞ˚ ───

that was the last he's heard from you because you've blocked him on everything. hell, you even blocked him on spotify. he should've listened when everyone told him e-dating was going to ruin him.

but how could he resist? he had fallen in love with you already. you were his perfect partner; games with him (somewhat bad, but you both managed), funny, attractive, his type. it's just unfortunate that you had to live miles away from him.

kenma's done sooo much impulsive things just for you: blew all his money on the latest 2-player game from steam so he could play with you, vc'ed until the latest hours of night just so he could keep talking to you, he even skipped some volleyball practices so he could come home earlier just to see you in a video chat.

ugh, he can't count all the times he's lost his dignity either. he had called you "his barbie" and he called himself ken. oh god, that was probably one of the cringiest things he's said in his life.

and don't even remind him about online karaoke, god knows how much screen records you have of his voice breaking mid-song.

speaking of records, he can't bear to delete all the adorable pictures you sent while updating him about your day. he's always liked seeing what weird and interesting things you've done. but worst of all, he's kept screenshots of every loving and tender message from you that had flustered him (spoiler alert: anything you said made his ears red.)

he opened the album he had moved the screenshots to, scrolling through it until his eyes settled on a certain one:

─── ˚ʚ♡ɞ˚ ───

barbie : [baby u live in japan right?]

kennie : [mhm]

barbie : [nice]

barbie : [just wait, im gonna buy tickets to fly there soon]

kennie : [ur crazy]

barbie : [sure yes whatever... i luv u ken :P]

kennie : [i love you too]

─── ˚ʚ♡ɞ˚ ───

oh, dear. he can feel tears running down his cheek again. yep, there it was. his recently cleared sinus was blocking up again. damn it, he thought, as he wrapped himself tighter in the sheet. he can't even enjoy playing his games anymore.

kenma still misses you, from the very day you left him. you were his perfect partner, even though you had heartlessly shattered his heart and he would probably never entrust someone with it.

you know what, he'll never respond to some random dm ever again.

unless it was from you, of course.

"it'd be better if we had just never met"

a/n: was a request from two of my dearest friends who suprisingly are kenma luvrs LOL hi guys @rahhhr @terrariumaura also this was a nod to his 2020-self ik this was so cliche and someone has probably done this but i hoped you like my own (short) spin on it guys do uu know the genius that thought of their chat names BECAUSE BECAUSE THE SONG GOES LIKE "REMEMBER WHEN I CALLED YOU MY BARBIE AND I WAS KEN" IT FITS SO WELL BECAUSE KEN-MA okay bye

[mssishipi]

CHAPTER 2: mr. panties stealer - enhypen! heesung

PAIRING: broke! rookie panty stealer! heesung x reader, senior panty stealer! jake x reader

SYNOPSIS: When Heesung discovers his roommate Beomgyu's bizarre side hustle-stealing panties for cash in a campus-wide competition-he's appalled. But after hearing about the insane prize money, his moral compass wavers.

Overwhelmed by deadlines and broke from juggling classes and a café job, Heesung finally snaps. Armed with Beomgyu's tips and a growing desperation, Heesung sets out to grab the bag-and maybe a shred of dignity along the way.

chapter includes: profanities, beomgyu and jake being an asshole and a creep, heesung's love for noodles, boys thinks they are smart but reader is smarter, heesung is a softie, "boys will be boys".

chapter 1 - chapter 3

Heesung woke up to the combination of Beomgyu's loud scream and his entire body being shaken like a ragdoll.

"Fuck off!" Heesung groaned, instinctively kicking Beomgyu, who tumbled off the bed with an exaggerated yelp. Heesung buried his face under a pillow, hoping for peace.

"Dude, you need to wake up! It's registration day!" Beomgyu yelled from the floor, climbing back up and shaking Heesung's shoulder.

"Don't care," Heesung grumbled, voice muffled by the pillow. "Let me die in peace."

"Come on, man! Get up! I'm gonna teach you some ways to make bank!" Beomgyu's voice hit a pitch so high that Heesung finally sat up, squinting at him.

Business plans, endless research, and shifts at the café had worn him down. All he wanted was sleep—or maybe a massage that didn't cost an arm and a leg.

"Get up!" Beomgyu practically dragged Heesung out of bed, pulling him by the arm with a strength that shouldn't exist in someone so lean. Heesung, too tired to resist, stumbled along behind him until they reached the bathroom.

"You need to get ready. There's only limited slots," Beomgyu said, practically vibrating with excitement.

Heesung growled something unintelligible and slammed the bathroom door shut. He sat under the shower, staring blankly at the tiles while the water dripped over his head. He debated just going back to bed, but Beomgyu's yelling outside the door made that impossible.

Ten minutes later, Heesung emerged looking dead inside, wearing jeans and a wrinkled sweater he'd found on the floor.

Beomgyu clapped his hands. "Let's go! We gotta catch the bus!"

Too exhausted to argue, Heesung followed. Beomgyu talked nonstop during the ride, but Heesung tuned him out, nodding occasionally to make it seem like he was listening.

When they arrived at their destination—a nondescript building—Heesung's curiosity piqued slightly. But it wasn't until they reached the designated floor that his eyes truly widened.

There was a long line of men, all chatting excitedly, some looking oddly determined. It felt like an unspoken energy of competition lingered in the air.

"Yo, Beomgyu!" A guy with glasses and a buzzcut called out, waving them over. Heesung immediately recognized him—Hyunjin, one of the 00 Liners notorious for hosting wild campus parties.

"Hyunjin! Nice buzzcut, man," Beomgyu greeted, holding out a fist for a bump.

Hyunjin grinned and bumped fists. "Thanks, bro." Hyunjin eyes looked at him. "And you are?"

Beomgyu threw an arm around Heesung's shoulders, pulling him closer. "This is Heesung. I recruited him. He's my rookie!"

"Rookie, huh?" Hyunjin grinned, extending his hand toward Heesung. "I'm Hyunjin, one of the organizers of the game. Welcome to the chaos."

Heesung shook his hand reluctantly, already regretting this.

"So, two weeks from now is the 28th, huh? I'm guessing things are going to get tougher this time?" Hyunjin smirked. "The stakes are higher, and everyone's upping their strategies. Hope you're ready for a challenge."

Beomgyu groaned dramatically. "Pfft, don't listen to him. I'm gonna teach you the ropes. I work smarter, not harder. That's why I ranked so high last month."

"May the odds be in your favor," Hyunjin said with a mock bow, quoting The Hunger Games before turning to greet someone else.

Beomgyu tugged Heesung's arm. "Come on, I'll show you my Upper Ranking from last month. We need to secure our slot."

Heesung sighed but followed him, sidestepping the long line of participants before entering a small, plain room. Inside, he noticed a wooden table, a single chair, and a few guys hunched over laptops, typing furiously.

"All this effort... for a panty competition?" Heesung muttered under his breath, struggling to comprehend what he'd gotten himself into.

His gaze wandered to a cabinet in the corner with rows of labeled drawers, each one featuring a girl's name on a neatly printed sticker.

"What the hell is this?" Heesung asked, frowning.

"That," Beomgyu said, suddenly popping up behind him, "is the owner database. We don't just steal panties at random, rookie. This game is about finesse. We investigate the owner first—get to know their routines, habits, and laundry schedules. It's all about strategy."

Heesung stared at him, mouth slightly open. "You're stalking them?"

"Whoa, whoa. Not stalking. Researching. Big difference," Beomgyu said, wagging a finger like a scolding teacher.

"Right..." Heesung muttered, his gaze drifting back to the cabinet. His eyes locked on a familiar name stuck to one of the drawers.

"Come on," Beomgyu said, yanking his sleeve. "I already registered our names. Pay for registration fee. Let me show you my ways." He winked before dragging Heesung out of the room.

"You know, as a seasoned three-month veteran," Beomgyu started dramatically, gesturing as if he were delivering a TED Talk, "my advice? Be mindful. Don't trust anybody in this game. Not even me! Keep your guard up, because once the game begins..."

He paused for effect, his voice dropping. "It's like a bloodbath."

Heesung blinked at him, unimpressed. "A bloodbath? Dude, we're talking about stealing panties, not battling for some shit."

"Same energy," Beomgyu shot back, pointing at him.

As they walked, Beomgyu continued his overly enthusiastic tutorial. "There are terms and conditions you'll get three days before the event, so I won't bother explaining all that. But let me tell you why guys love targeting the laundry shop. Used panties—those are worth extra points."

Heesung nearly tripped over his own feet. "Used panties? Extra points?!"

"Yup," Beomgyu said, nodding solemnly as if he were explaining a universal truth. "Not-used panties are worth 5 points each, but used panties? Those bad boys are worth 10 points. It's the gold standard of the competition."

"What the actual fuck?" Heesung scoffed, half-laughing and half-gagging. "They have a point system for this?!"

"Of course!" Beomgyu replied cheerfully. "You think we're just running around stealing random undies for no reason? There's strategy, my dude. Artistry."

Heesung stared at him in disbelief, torn between laughing hysterically and calling security at his own. "This is the dumbest—and creepiest—thing I've ever heard."

Beomgyu shrugged, unfazed. "Welcome to the game, rookie."

They ended up at the entrance of the girls' dormitory. Heesung's jaw practically hit the floor as he watched Beomgyu smirking, casually typing on his phone like this was his second home.

"What are we doing here?" Heesung whispered harshly, glancing around nervously.

"Relax, rookie," Beomgyu said, pocketing his phone as they walked down the hallway. "You're about to witness the master's strategy."

Heesung barely had time to respond before Beomgyu stopped in front of door 708 and knocked softly.

The door opened, revealing a girl with long, shiny hair and a pout that could probably get her whatever she wanted.

"Karina! How are you, sweetie?" Beomgyu cooed, opening his arms.

Karina's face lit up, and she threw herself into his embrace, hugging him tightly. "Beomgyu! My panties are missing again!"

Heesung froze mid-step, his brain stuttering to process the scene in front of him. Beomgyu hugged her back, his hand gently patting her shoulder, even leaning down to kiss the top of her head like some doting boyfriend.

"Oh no," Beomgyu said, his voice dripping with concern. "That's awful! I told you to use the laundry service with better security, didn't I?"

Karina buried her face further into his chest, her voice muffled as she cried, "I did! We all did! I told the other girls too, but they just keep disappearing! It's like they're targeting us!"

Beomgyu sighed, holding her a little tighter. "Don't worry, sweetie. I'll help you figure it out, okay? We'll get to the bottom of this."

Karina sniffled, nodding against his chest. "You're always so helpful, Beomgyu..."

He shot a quick wink over her shoulder at Heesung, whose mouth was still hanging open.

Heesung finally snapped out of his daze, glaring at him. This was the strategy he was talking about?

"Oh, who's this, baby?" Karina asked, pulling away from Beomgyu and pointing at Heesung.

"This is Heesung, my roommate I told you about," Beomgyu said smoothly. "We were supposed to go to the grocery store, but then I thought of you since your dorm is so close by."

Karina pouted, leaning her head back against Beomgyu's chest. "Beomgyu, you're so sweet! I definitely needed some comfort right now."

Heesung cringed, his lips pressing into a thin line as he avoided making eye contact.

"Come in! I'm actually making nachos!" Karina said cheerfully, waving them toward the door.

Beomgyu and Heesung exchanged a quick glance. Beomgyu grinned and raised his eyebrows, wiggling them playfully before stepping inside.

"Observe the surroundings," Beomgyu whispered to Heesung as they followed Karina in. "Look for spots where you could enter later."

Heesung's stomach churned, guilt bubbling to the surface. He hesitated near the doorway but reluctantly stepped in.

Karina's dorm room was cozy, adorned with fairy lights and pastel-colored decor. The smell of melted cheese and spices filled the air as she headed toward a small kitchen counter.

"Make yourselves comfortable," Karina said, grabbing a plate of half-assembled nachos. "I'll grab some drinks. Beomgyu, you want soda, right?"

"Yeah, thanks, sweetie," Beomgyu replied, sitting on the couch and gesturing for Heesung to join him.

Heesung plopped down stiffly, his eyes darting around the room. He couldn't help but notice the small basket of laundry in the corner, a few bright fabrics peeking out.

"Don't stare too hard, rookie," Beomgyu muttered under his breath, nudging him with his elbow.

"I feel like a criminal," Heesung whispered back.

"You are a criminal now," Beomgyu said with a smirk, leaning back casually. "Relax. This is part of the game."

Before Heesung could respond, Karina returned, balancing a tray with drinks and a bowl of salsa. She set it on the coffee table and sat down beside Beomgyu, curling up against him.

"Beomgyu, you're so comforting to have around," she said, resting her head on his shoulder.

Heesung shifted his gaze away from the nauseatingly cozy sight of Karina snuggling against Beomgyu and focused on a picture frame sitting on a nearby table. The photo was of Karina and another girl, both smiling brightly.

"Where's your roommate, babe? Haven't seen her around lately," Beomgyu asked casually,

"Oh, she's probably at her man's dorm," Karina said, popping a nacho into her mouth. "I'm here, though, planning some strategy to catch those perverts stealing our panties!"

Heesung stiffened, gripping the soda can in his hand tighter as his eyes flicked toward Beomgyu.

Beomgyu's smirk widened slightly, his voice dropping into an amused tone. "Really? What's the plan, babe?"

Karina leaned forward eagerly, her face lighting up. "Okay, so, I was thinking we could set up decoy panties—like, really cute ones—and then install hidden cameras in like every room. When they try to steal them, BAM! We'll have proof!"

Heesung's heart skipped a beat, his eyes darting to Beomgyu, who remained alarmingly calm.

"Wow, babe, that's genius," Beomgyu said smoothly, reaching out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. "You're so smart. I bet those perverts won't stand a chance."

Karina beamed, leaning closer to him. "Right? And once we catch them, we'll turn the footage over to the dorm committee! Those losers will never show their faces again."

Heesung gulped, his stomach twisting into knots as Karina cheerfully detailed her plan. Beomgyu, however, seemed completely unbothered, even chuckling softly.

Before Karina could respond, a voice called from the door. "Karina, I bought some ramen from the store."

All three of them turned sharply, eyes wide as you entered the room, holding a plastic bag.

Heesung gulped, his Adam's apple bobbing as he stared at you.

You were stunning. The red tank top clung perfectly to your frame, paired with a black leather jacket and denim shorts that showed off long, toned legs. Your hair was tied into a messy bun, and his eyes couldn't help but trail down to the love bites scattered along your neck, disappearing beneath the curve of your collarbone.

Pretty.

"Oh! You're back early," Karina said brightly, hopping up to grab the bag from you. "I thought you were staying over at your boyfriend's dorm?"

Heesung glanced at you, feeling an unfamiliar twinge of jealousy bubbling in his chest.

"Fuck buddy," you corrected casually, striding further into the room. Behind you, a tall man followed, closing the door behind him with a loud click.

"Ouch, babe," the man said, clutching his chest dramatically, his thick accent making the words sound even more exaggerated.

Beomgyu's jaw dropped, his eyes going wide. "Jake?!" he shouted, springing to his feet and pointing directly at the man.

Jake froze mid-step, his expression just as shocked. "Beomgyu?!" he yelled back, pointing at him with equal intensity.

"Man!" They both broke into grins, walking toward each other and exchanging a loud fist bump, jumping around, laughing too loud. 

"You guys know each other?" you asked, raising a perfectly shaped eyebrow as you watched them.

Your movement drew Heesung's attention again, and he immediately felt his face heat up. Worse, he became painfully aware of the uncomfortable twitch in his pants. 

"Yeah," Jake said, throwing an arm around Beomgyu's shoulder. "We kinda run in the same circle." He winked at Beomgyu, who immediately winked back, a silent acknowledgment passing between them.

Heesung squinted, noticing the subtle exchange. It didn't take much to figure out what they were implying—they had the same strategy.

"This is Heesung, by the way," Karina chirped, pointing toward him. "Beomgyu's roommate. Heesung, that's Y/N!"

Heesung smiled nervously, lifting a hand in a half-wave. "Uh, hey."

You nodded, your piercing gaze briefly locking with his before walking over to join the group. Your confident stride only made him shift his weight more awkwardly, trying to appear calm.

"I was just talking to them about our strategy to catch those perverts," Karina said suddenly, breaking the silence.

Both Jake and Beomgyu froze for a split second before exchanging quick glances. Beomgyu recovered first, plastering an easy smile across his face.

"Oh yeah? What's the plan, Karina?" you asked, crossing your arms and leaning against the counter.

Karina lit up, clapping her hands. "Finally, you're interested! You just need some fucking to get motivated!"

Jake coughed to cover a laugh, while Beomgyu smirked at the comment. Heesung, on the other hand, looked like he wanted to sink into the floor.

Karina launched into her explanation, detailing her idea about decoy panties and hidden cameras with unrelenting enthusiasm. Jake leaned casually against the wall, nodding along as if it were the most genius idea ever. Heesung, however, caught him subtly nudging Beomgyu with his elbow every so often, as if silently communicating.

Heesung barely processed Karina's words. His mind was spinning with the implications of what he'd just witnessed—Jake and Beomgyu, both participants in the panty-stealing competition, both employing their own "strategies," and now standing in the same room with the very girls they were stealing from.

Guilt gnawed at him. Anxiety weighed heavy on his chest. He shifted his gaze to you again, your uninterested sharp eyes and smirk only making him more uneasy. He couldn't help but wonder: Did you know?

-----

You don't trust Jake. Hell, you don't trust that Beomgyu guy either.

Heading to the kitchen, you grab a pot and place it on the stove, filling it with water before turning on the heat.

From the corner of your eye, you see Beomgyu's hand resting on Karina's waist as they laugh at something Jake said. His jokes are lame—he's always been like that—but Karina giggles anyway, leaning into Beomgyu.

Then there's this Heesung guy. He's just nodding along, smiling awkwardly.

Your foot starts tapping against the tiled floor, the rhythm matching the growing tension in your chest. You glance back at the water, watching it begin to steam, but your thoughts are elsewhere.

You want to trust Jake. You've known him since high school, and while he's been a flirt and a bit of a show-off, this? A panty-stealing competition? It feels... beneath him. Or at least you hope it is. If he's really involved, you'll be beyond disappointed.

Karina called your name, making you snap out of your thoughts. You turn to see her looking at you from the couch. "You okay, girl? Need some help?"

You force a smile, shaking your head. "Nah, it's just ramen!" you call back, waving her off.

But even as you stir the pot, your eyes keep drifting to the boys. Something about them feels off. Jake is too relaxed, his laughter too easy. Beomgyu seems confident, maybe a little too confident, and Heesung—well, Heesung is okay. He's quiet, reserved, but you can't tell if it's because he's shy or because he's hiding something.

You tell yourself you're just being cautious, that it's not bad to keep your guard up. After all, with everything happening lately, who could blame you?

What even is this competition? What do they do with the panties they steal? And how the hell do they know how to pick locks so easily?

You shake your head, frustration bubbling inside you. Overthinking is only pissing you off more, but how can you not? 

Chaewon's tearful face flashes in your mind. She'd been terrified after spotting three men lurking near the dorm at 3 AM. When you reviewed the CCTV footage, it was blank. Not a single guy had been caught on camera.

They're smart. Smart enough to avoid the cameras, to know the blind spots, to stay ahead of every security measure you've tried.

"Need a hand?" a soft voice asks behind you, startling you out of your thoughts.

You spin around to see Heesung standing there, staring at you with those wide, innocent doe eyes.

"Uh... sure," you reply, a little flustered. He steps closer, standing beside you as both of you watch the water bubble in the pot.

"You put a lot of water," he points out, reaching for the pot handle. He carefully lifts it off the stove, tips a bit of the water into the sink, and sets it back down.

"I wanted more soup, though," you say, crossing your arms and giving him a look.

He flicks the seasoning packet with ease, tearing it open and pouring it into the pot. "The soup is enough," he says, stirring the broth with care. "If you add more water, it'll taste bland. Trust me."

You raise an eyebrow. "What are you, a ramen expert now?"

He lets out a soft laugh. "Hmm, maybe. You could say that."

As he stirs, you find yourself watching him closely. His eyes glimmer when he talks about something so simple, like making ramen, and it's oddly endearing.

"This brand changed the formulation of their seasoning," he says, holding up the packaging and studying it.

"Oh really?" you reply, quirking a brow. "It tastes the same to me."

His eyes widen slightly at your response, a mix of disbelief and disappointment. "The previous one was better. Still good now, but it had more flavor before."

He continues stirring the noodles, and the faint aroma wafts through the kitchen, making your stomach growl. You glance at the pot and can't help but think how perfectly he's making it. The broth looks rich, the noodles cooked just right.

"You want egg?" he asks, glancing at you.

You nod, watching as he grabs an egg and cracks it into a bowl. The way he whisks it with chopsticks is a little bit funny.

"Watch this," he says with a hint of excitement, pushing the noodles aside in the pot to pour the egg. "It's a cloud egg."

You suppress a laugh at his enthusiasm, but the way he looks at you—so eager to impress—makes your chest feel warm. What a cutie.

"You must really love ramen," you say, leaning against the counter.

He half-smiles, stirring the noodles slowly. "Yeah, ever since I was a kid. And, you know, my college life is broke as hell. Ramen's cheap, but it's comfort food for me."

The way he talks about it makes you smile. "You're really passionate about this, huh? That's so cute."

He glances at you, his ears turning slightly red as he focuses back on the stove.  "It's one of the few things I can make perfectly."

He turns off the stove and ladles the noodles and soup into a bowl, handing it to you. "Try it."

You take the bowl, the steam wafting into your face. Bringing it closer, you take a sip, the rich flavor hitting your tongue immediately.

"Wow," you murmur, slurping some noodles. "This is so good."

Heesung laughs softly, leaning back against the counter. His eyes linger on your face, drawn to the way your lips curl into a faint smile, the way the light catches the curve of your cheek. The longer he stares, the more beautiful you seem to him, as if he's noticing every little detail for the first time.

You glance at him over the rim of the bowl, catching his gaze. "Not bad for an expert," you tease, your grin playful.

"What's your major?" you ask, setting the bowl down for a moment.

"Business Management," he replies with a chuckle. "Expensive as hell. Feels like I'm working just to survive the tuition."

You nod thoughtfully, blowing on your soup before taking another sip. "What about you? Tuition? Course?" he asks, leaning slightly forward, genuinely curious.

"Psychology," you say casually, slurping some noodles. "But I'm a scholar, so tuition's covered."

Heesung freezes for a moment, staring at you as though you've just said something extraordinary. "Scholar?" he echoes, his voice quieter. "Full?"

"Full," you confirm, not thinking much of it as you focus on the soup, savoring the warmth.

Heesung's lips part slightly in awe, his head tilting as he studies you. "That's... amazing," he says softly, his tone filled with genuine admiration.

You glance up, noticing his expression. "What? It's not that big of a deal," you say with a shrug, brushing it off.

But to Heesung, it is a big deal. You're smart, hardworking, and effortlessly pretty—and the more he watches you, the more he feels a pang of jealousy. Not at you, but at the ease with which you seem to carry yourself, so far from his own struggles. He can't help but think about the shameful panty-stealing competition he's about to join just to make ends meet.

He watches you eat noodles, the way you enjoy something so simple with genuine contentment. He's lost in his thoughts when Jake suddenly appears behind you, his arms circling your waist.

"Baby, what took you so long?" Jake asks softly, kissing the top of your head.

Heesung stiffens, quickly straightening his posture. His stomach twists as Jake's dark eyes lock onto his for a split second, a silent challenge glinting in them.

Jake's hand moves to your hair, brushing it gently. "I missed you."

You laugh lightly, holding up the bowl toward him. "Heesung makes the best ramen. You should try it."

Jake's gaze flickers back to Heesung briefly, his jaw tightening before he focuses on you again. "I thought I made the best ramen," he pouts, clearly fishing for reassurance.

You raise an eyebrow at his random comment. "Try it, babe. You'll see," you insist.

Reluctantly, Jake takes the bowl from your hands and sips the soup. His expression remains neutral, though his eye twitches slightly when you glance back at Heesung.

"It's good," Jake mutters, but there's an edge to his voice.

"See? Told you." You grin, clearly unbothered by the awkward tension in the air.

Jake wraps his arm around you tighter, leaning in close. "I still think mine's better," he mumbles, loud enough for Heesung to hear.

You roll your eyes and grab the pot holder, picking up the remaining bowl. "Come on, let's offer this to the others," you say, making your way to the living room.

Jake lingers for a moment, his gaze fixed on Heesung, arms loosely crossed. The room feels heavier as Jake leans slightly closer, his voice low but sharp.

"I know you're in the competition," he says, his tone dripping with warning. "But don't even think about touching her panties, or we'll have a problem."

Heesung stiffens, caught off guard. He nods quickly, unsure how else to respond. "I—I wouldn't," he mumbles, his voice barely audible.

Jake smirks, the expression cold and smug. "Good. Let's keep it that way."

Heesung stays quiet, his stomach twisting. How dare Jake act so possessive while hiding his own motives? Heesung's chest burns with frustration, but he doesn't dare say anything.

The tension between them hangs thick, unspoken words lingering in the air, before Jake finally straightens up.

"Baby, you need help carrying that?" he calls out casually, his tone light and sweet, making Heesung almost rolled his eyes.

You glance over your shoulder, balancing the bowl in your hands. "I've got it!" you reply with a small smile.

Jake turns back to Heesung, his gaze piercing. "Remember what I said," he mutters, his voice just loud enough for Heesung to hear.

You place the bowl onto the table and settle beside Karina, while Jake and Heesung follow from the kitchen. The sofa is too small for everyone, so Jake gently tugs you to your feet. Before you can protest, he takes your spot and pulls you onto his lap, wrapping his arms around your waist possessively.

Heesung shifts awkwardly, coughing softly as he stands nearby, the only one without a partner. His gaze flickers toward you as you sit on Jake's lap, cracking open a soda and taking a sip.

"So, guys," you begin casually, pointing at Karina and Beomgyu with your soda can. "How long have you two been dating?"

Karina's cheeks flush, and she lets out a shy giggle. "Oh, we're not really dating," she says, glancing at Beomgyu, who gives her a sheepish smile. "Just, you know... getting to know each other. Probably two months now?"

You roll your eyes playfully, sipping your soda. "That's sweet," you say, though your mind is elsewhere.

Think, think, think.

Your panties have been missing for six months straight—buckets of them. Most of them used. It's been eating at you, and now, sitting here with Jake, Heesung, Karina, and Beomgyu all together, you can't help but feel the pieces of the puzzle shifting into place.

You tap your fingertips lightly on the can, a rhythmic sound that seems to amplify your thoughts. Then, without warning, you turn to Karina.

"Karina, how many of your panties go missing every month?"

Karina pouts, tilting her head and staring at the ceiling, clearly thinking hard. "I don't know," she says finally. "They started disappearing, like... four months ago? At first, maybe five or six pairs. I bought a lot of new sets since I shower twice a day, but they're still gone so fast. If we're talking now? Probably twenty pairs, at least."

Your eyes flick to Beomgyu for just a moment, and you don't miss the way his expression tightens before he quickly masks it with a casual laugh.

"Twenty?" you echo, pretending to sound surprised, though your suspicions are growing.

Karina nods. "Yeah. Beomgyu even told me to just leave them at the laundry, said it'd be safer there. Isn't that what you said, Beomgyu? Because Sunoo's working there?"

All eyes turn to Beomgyu, and he scratches the back of his neck awkwardly, "Yeah, uh, sorry about that. I really thought the laundry would be safer since my friend Sunoo's working there. Their locks seemed good, you know?"

Heesung stiffens in his seat, his chopsticks pausing midair as he watches the exchange. He notices how your grip on the soda can tightens slightly, but your face betrays nothing.

You hum, biting your lip lightly as your brain pieces things together, but you make no move to show your conclusions. "Hmm, interesting," you say, your tone neutral.

Heesung swallows hard, his heart starting to race. He's not sure if it's the tension or just his nerves as a rookie in the game, but your questioning feels a little too sharp. You seem far too calm, far too observant, and it's making him uneasy.

"So, Sunoo works at the laundry?" you ask Beomgyu, your tone light but probing.

"Yeah," Beomgyu says quickly, nodding. "He's been there for months now. Great guy. Very reliable."

"Reliable?" you echo, tilting your head. "If he's so reliable, why do the panties keep going missing?"

Beomgyu stammers for a second, clearly caught off guard. "Well, uh, maybe the other staff? Or—I don't know—thieves who sneak in late at night?" 

Karina frowns, clearly thinking. "But aren't the cameras at the laundry supposed to catch anyone doing that?"

"Not if they know where the cameras are," you thought , sipping your soda, your eyes flicking briefly to Heesung.

Heesung nearly chokes on his noodles as you stared him, quickly looking down at his bowl. His hand shakes slightly as he continues eating, trying to look as inconspicuous as possible.

You smile faintly, leaning back against Jake's chest, feeling his arms tighten protectively around you. "You know, Karina, maybe we should start locking our dorm closets too. Just in case."

Karina nods thoughtfully. "That's a good idea. I've been meaning to do that anyway."

Beomgyu looked at Karina, "Yeah, safety first, right?"

You glance at him, your smile soft, sipping on your soda. "Exactly."

You're good at hiding your emotions. Even now, as the pieces click into place, you keep your face neutral. But inside, you're 75% sure you've figured it out.

The game.

It's probably made up of men. Men who target panties, specifically the used ones. You replay the scenarios in your head, each one adding to your suspicions. Buckets of panties, mostly used, gone without a trace.

You glance around the room. Jake, your best friend since Year 7, laughing and leaning into you like nothing's amiss. Beomgyu, Karina's "not really" boyfriend, grinning at her like he's the most harmless guy alive. Then there's Heesung, quietly sipping ramen, his soft features making him look innocent and adorably clueless.

And Sunoo. Sweet, smiley Sunoo, who's always been so helpful at the laundry, cheerfully chatting while folding your clothes.

They all seem so nice. But now?

You don't trust them. Not a single one.

You force yourself into casual conversation, watching their reactions closely. Your gaze flickers to Heesung, who nods and smiles at everything without adding much. His obliviousness makes him seem too soft, too cute to be involved in something shady. But you're not letting anyone off the hook.

When 6 PM rolls around, the dorm curfew kicks in. The boys get up to leave, grumbling about the no-sleepover rule. Jake whines your name like a child, wrapping his arms around you and peppering kisses along your neck and face.

"I'll see you next time we hang," you say, laughing as you push him toward the door.

Outside, Beomgyu and Heesung wait for Jake, the three of them exchanging glances like they're in on some private joke.

"I'll miss you," Jake whispers, pulling you closer for a lingering kiss.

You glance over his shoulder, catching sight of Heesung biting his lips and looking away, his shoulders stiff.

"Go, before the dorm committee catches you," you say, nudging Jake out the door.

Karina kisses Beomgyu goodbye, and you follow suit with Jake before casually hugging the others.

When you hug Heesung, he freezes, his entire body going rigid as you brush your cheek against his. The faint scent of your perfume makes his breath hitch, and he barely suppresses a groan. God, when was the last time he'd been hugged like this? He's so touch-starved it's almost embarrassing.

"Take care, Heesung," you say softly, your voice warm.

He stammers something incoherent before you pull back, laughing lightly. You and Karina wave goodbye as the boys walk away, their laughter fading as they disappear down the hall.

The smile slips from your face the moment the door shuts. You lock it, your expression sharpening as you grab your phone.

"Karina," you say firmly, turning to her. "Set a meeting right now in the lobby. 8 PM. Tell the girls not to mention it to anyone outside the dorm. Not even their boyfriend or closest guy friends."

Karina blinks, confused. "W-what? Why so sudden? What's going on?"

"Just do it," you reply, already typing on your phone.

Karina hesitates but nods, pulling out her own phone to start calling the girls from each room.

You walk to the window, pulling back the curtain slightly to peek outside. From your second-floor vantage point, you spot Jake, Beomgyu, and Heesung standing near the building's entrance, their heads close together as they laugh and talk.

Your gaze sharpens. Their body language seems too comfortable, too knowing.

You let the curtain fall back into place.

"We're being infiltrated," you mutter under your breath, your jaw tightening. 

[annerly-san]

Caleb's Split Personality with Light

First off: OMG YAYYY! CALEB'S BACK!!! MY APPLE BOI HAS RETURNED HOMEEEE! <3

secondly: DOES THIS MAN HAVE SPLIT PERSONALITIES?!?!? HOLY MOLY IVE BEEN HYPER ANALYZING EVERY LAST BIT OF DETAIL IN THE CONTENT RELEASED

Not only do I think he has this split personality (Astrology girlies, Caleb is a Gemini, so help me out in the comments lol), but I think that his personalities are also triggered/toggled via light.

In the trailer and teasers, we see a lot of the dichotomy between his "old/nice/restrained" self and this "darker/possessive" self. In some screenshots of the Homecoming Wings Trailer, we can see how his character model sometimes is shown with two separate halves, overlaid with different images, etc.

Caleb with Different Personalities/Halves:

This is an AMAZING shot where you can see one side of his face and his eyes glimmering brightly and the other one is a bit darker and obscured in shadow - showcasing the duality of this manlight and dark caleb in the teaser live stream, set up via the video transition and composition

The way that the video and scene is set up is very intentional to show us that this is the boy we did know (he's in there somewhere) but he's also different and a lot darker. Or there's also the duality in which Caleb has a side where he's restraining and holding back and then a side where he's let go and is just super possessive and controlling. The trailer has him saying things like: "I've always held myself back and endured" and then "It was suffocating"

Look at this one from his Farspace Bloomfall card too!

Voice Fluctuations:

This is very apparent in his voice lines as well! I personally really like his English VA; he does a really good job in differentiating between the more upbeat/easy going tones and the darker and more raspy tones when Caleb "switches" between personas.

If you listen to the trailers and even the 5-star memories, the VA sounds different depending on the context and who you're talking to. He sounds more soft spoken when saying things like "I'm back." or "Let's go home" vs "In the Farspace Fleet, there are only soldiers and officers"

(ya girl fell in love with Caleb chapter 1 during the phone call so Im a big fan of his english VA)

Light Trigger:

His personality/motive/etc seems to switch depending on light as well.The scene right before he says "I'm back" and is more kindFarspace bloomfall memory 1/2 where he's cold at first and then you see the light shiningFarspace Bloomfall memory 2/2 where he then softens after that light appearanceIn chapter 4 where Caleb's trying to be more protective of MC and then like holds back/gives up after the light shines by

Light is definitely symbolic or something that switches Caleb's personality/motive around since we see it CONSTANTLY in the main story, teasers, memories, etc. I think that this was something that was already a part of him (perhaps trained in or done as a child) but the extremity of his personality got more severe after the explosion happened.

Breakdown of these instances lol:

Chapter 4: Caleb was angry/possessive because MC got hurt (light happens) -> Caleb tells her to forget it and is clearly holding back after the light shines

Interrogation/Test in Farspace Fleet base: Really cold and stern; telling her to not get into trouble and obey orders (overhead light)-> Smiles at her after the lights above flickers and holds her hand, saying "It's me, I'm back"

Farspace Bloomfall Card: Cold: "If I don't show concern as someone close to you, it doesn't count as being genuine?" (light again) -> Soft and sad: "You can't convince yourself to hate me"

Conclusion:

SO in conclusion, this poor apple boi has some severe personality switching going on that's triggered by light and it's not something that happened as a result of Ever experimenting on him post-chapter 4. I think that it just got more severe after whatever happened to him on skyhaven in the farspace fleet.

Thanks for coming to my super analysis of Caleb content: i am dying in anticipation of the 22nd (literally have been crying nonstop since the livestream lol)

[citystain]

an/cw: self sabotaging behavior? idk this is a weird vent-y hurt comfort piece Read At Ur Own Risk although it really isnt that bad, uuuhh per usual i dont want to know if you notice any grammatical errors n enjoy

wc: 742

there's not a single thing more terrifying than love. no monster, no prophecy, no clash of swords could ever match the primal fear it instilled in you.

percy is... something. he's been romancing you for the past few weeks and you've been letting him. it was fun. the banter, the feigned ignorance of what was happening between the two of you—it was all shiny and new and most importantly, your brain hadn't caught up to it yet.

before, anyway. now, it had its destructive hands all over it. the thought of percy no longer gave you butterflies but an unsettling feeling in your gut. the kind a deer got before running. now, he felt more like a wound you couldn't stitch up rather than a boy.

you hadn't seen him in a week (officially, now— you'd been counting.) and no, it wasn't avoidance. you were just... busy. the life of a demigod is a very hard one. you didn't have time for romance—not now, at least.

up until the fifth day, it had been bearable. now, you can hardly sleep without him haunting you in the quiet of the night. the memories of the two of you were painful to think about in any context: how he used to cradle your name so gently on his tongue, how every time you thought of him, you used the past tense, how you were currently ruining any sort of bond the two of you might have had.

when you're alone, loving him is horrific. it's choking on something too big to swallow.

percy was always too observant when it came to you. he noticed all your little pieces, ones you didn't even know existed. the smaller things, like how you took bigger breaths in the cold (so he could drape his sweater over your shoulders), and the bigger ones, like how you were throwing yourself into any activity to keep yourself away from him.

...

"are you avoiding me?" his voice startles you out of your daze. you hadn't even noticed him walk up, but he's there, standing in front of you, and it makes you want to bolt.

"i've been busy." you lie, not meeting his eyes.

"with what?"

you hate the way his voice still holds the warmth it always has with you. how he hasn't started hating you for your blatant disregard for his feelings with your behavior.

"stuff." you try to sound irritated, but it comes out flat.

there's silence. you glance at him finally, and know it's a mistake the second you do. his gaze is steady, unwavering, and so full of something you can't (or rather, won't) name that it makes your throat tighten. he's foolish to think, of all people, he could love you.

"listen.. i know we've been fooling around or whatever, but i know his ends, and it's not good, so consider this a favor." this is how it always goes. someone is naïve enough to keep trying with you, not knowing you crush all hope of love between your fingers with vengeance, and everyone gets hurt in the end.

despite the cold, fake-casual mood you've set, he sits next to you. "we haven't even got to the start and you're already talking about the end?" hes good at casual. certainly better than you.

"well- i'm just warning you." you look away, hugging your knees to your chest.

he nods, looking at you with a stupidly sweet smile. "alright, duly noted. now will you stop being dramatic and start talking to me again?"

your chest aches at how willing he is to fall into normalcy with you again, after the way you've been acting. you frown, though it's half-hearted. "i'm serious. i don't want to hurt you."

he laughs, and it aggravates you in a way that makes the pit in your stomach ease up a bit. he holds eye contact as he pulls your hand into his. "you won't hurt me. i promise."

you stare at him, eyebrows pulled together seriously. "you don't know—"

"how could i? how could i know anything when you keep running away before i can find out." he says with his signature, stupid, stupid, boyish charming laugh. you're too caught up in your own head and next rebuttal to put up a fight when he pulls you into his side. "please, will you at least try before you throw in the towel?"

you don't have the heart to deny him.

[emsdevs]

Bear and Bug 3: The Distance

a/n: Here is the much-awaited pt 3!! We have a feature from Jack and a glimpse into his friendship with Bug!! Enjoy :)

It didn’t take Quinn long to get back in your good graces, and soon, it was like nothing had happened between you two at all, well, not exactly nothing. Calls between the two of you were significantly more lovey-dovey, and they always ended with a soft “I love you” from each of you, which would have never happened before. The biggest difference, though, was the intense longing you now had to see Quinn. He was right about you only spending time with Jack until it was basically too late, and now you feel like you wasted a lot of time that you could have spent with your new boyfriend. Quinn often assured you that it was okay. He’d promise that summer would come soon enough, and you could spend plenty of time together then. 

You couldn’t really believe him, though, because that directly conflicts with the most difficult part of your relationship. Neither of you have spoken a word about it to Quinn’s family, or yours for that matter, and Jack was at the top of the “not telling” list. You and Quinn had decided it was best to keep your romance to yourselves for the moment, not wanting to cause any drama if the distance didn’t work, so you’ve been biting your tongue on every phone call with Jack, trying to keep your mouth shut about it. If you were being honest, the guilt was starting to creep in. He was already having a really tough season, what would he think if he found out his best friend was dating his older brother behind his back? How much worse will it be if he finds out months from now? You weren’t really keen on keeping this secret from Jack in the first place. You two tell each other everything, so you knew he’d be hurt when he eventually found out. However, it was that fear of hurting him that kept you from letting him in. You didn’t want to add to the emotional turmoil he was already in. He had been calling you almost nightly at this point, crying and telling you that he wasn’t even sure he enjoyed hockey anymore. People had been calling him a bust all season, and it was getting to his head, making him wonder why New Jersey would draft him in the first place. After hearing how distraught he’s been all season, you knew you couldn’t add to that.

“I just don’t know what to do,” Jack sighed into the phone one night. “Am I even right for this team? Would I be right for any team?” his voice began to break.

“Jack, no,” you let out a breath, shocked that your confident, easy-going best friend was feeling down enough to doubt his talent, his skill. “I’ve known since we were kids that you were destined for the NHL. The skill that you have is amazing, not to mention the hockey knowledge you have and the way you can read a play. You just have to get adjusted. It’s a big thing to deal with, and the people who know you, the people who matter, aren’t blaming you or getting mad at you. It’ll come. I promise.”

“I guess,” he trailed off a little, still sounding kind of broken. “Can you just get my mind off of it, please? What’s going on with you? You talked to Quinner recently?”

Your eyes widen, grateful that he can’t see your face, “Uhh, yeah, we talked a couple days ago I guess. Why, um, why do you ask?”

“You guys just seemed close at the beginning of summer, and he mentioned something last year about you guys talking quite a bit while you were both at school,” his statement almost sounded like a question, curious as to why you sounded a little panicked. 

“Oh yeah,” you chuckled trying to sound more casual, “we did get kind of close then.”

“Yeah,” he dragged the word out a little, “so, um, anyway, how are your classes going?” Jack changed the topic, assuming you were acting weird because of stress or something similar. The phone carried on as they usually did, you spilling nonsense to distract Jack from his NHL stress and Jack gladly listening to whatever stories you have for him, grateful for the distraction.

Your calls with Quinn, however, weren’t always that happy anymore. It suddenly seemed like the calls weren’t enough, that neither of you could keep going on two-hour phone calls every other day. 

“Bug, I know it’s difficult, but you could at least act like you’re happy to talk to me,” Quinn was trying, really he was, but he needed you to put in a little effort too.

“I am excited to talk to you. I promise, Bear. I just,” you pause, knowing you’ve had this conversation too many times to count at this point, “I just really wish I could see you.”

Quinn sighs, knowing exactly how you feel, “I get that, I swear because I’m dying to see you again too, but I have no clue when that could happen until summer.”

“What’s your schedule like in December? I could come to Vancouver on my Christmas break,” you had been thinking this for a while, too scared to bring it up until right now.

“Well, we have a home stand right before Christmas. Could that work?” you already knew it could.

“I think so, yeah,” you breathed out a sigh of relief, happy Quinn agreed so easily.

“Okay, I’ll get you a plane ticket for the 16th.”

“Bear, no, I can get my own ticket,” you argued.

“Nonsense. I finally have an excuse to spend my money on my girlfriend. I’m gonna use it. I am wondering though, how are we gonna deal with Jack?” 

“I’ll just tell him I’m on a girls’ trip to Vancouver, so I won’t be able to Facetime, only call or text,” you answered, probably a little too quickly. You really already had all of this completely thought out.

“Okay yeah, and I can just keep you out of the screen if anyone Facetimes me,” Quinn agrees, already sounding happier knowing he’d get to see you in just a few weeks.

Two and a half weeks later, Quinn was picking you up from the airport in Vancouver. When you both got back to his apartment, it was like everything fell into place. After a much-needed reunion, and an even more needed nap, you helped Quinn make dinner. Before you knew it, your week with Quinn was almost up, and you’d be leaving the next day. The two of you were spending your last night together curled up on the couch watching cheesy romcoms. Halfway through “10 Things I Hate About You”, your thoughts got the better of you. 

“Bear?” you question softly, awaiting Quinn’s response. 

“Yeah, Bug?”

“We’ll be okay, right? Like we’ll be able to handle the distance and the secret?” you can’t help but let the doubts creep in. 

“Of course we will,” Quinn starts. “We just gotta remember the times like this when we can’t be in the same place. We can’t let the distance get to us, so we have to look forward to when we can be together. If we focus too much on how sad we are when we’re apart, we’ll never be able to be happy together. Does that make sense?”

“Yeah, it does. I don’t know why I was worried anyway. As long as I’ve got you I’m good,” you lean up to place a kiss on his jawline. 

“Yeah, I’m good with you too, Bug,” he returned the action, kissing your forehead. 

It would all work out, eventually.

[thecranberriesslut]

Californication, Pt. 3

Summary: The last part of my mini 'series', it's your last night of vacation and you've got only one thing on your mind, doing Joel.

Pairing: No-outbreak! Joel Miller x Fem!Reader 'Cara'

Wc: 4k

Warnings: Big age gap, but still very much legal, (Joel is 40-something, referred to as 'old man', reader is 18, referred to as 'little girl'), dirty themes, dirty talk, smut.

Notes: Last part of this, enjoy... I wrote this for some closure on the story bc apparently you horny tumblrinas need them to fuck. Jk love you all, more fanfics coming stay tuned.

Suntanned legs, a nose that's a little burnt—just right, so that it looks like you're wearing blush all the time. The smell of nature, heat, and chlorine. You were on your third day of vacation in Palm Springs, California. Everything was right—except for the fact that Joel hadn't spoken to you since your little late-night rendezvous a couple of nights ago. You thought you had finally done it; you'd gotten the man that you had fantasized about every single day since the 7th grade. But no—Joel had left you satisfied, but ultimately, alone.

Palm Springs had still been a blast for you and Sarah. You had tanned, listened to music, explored the area—you even found a couple of cute guys, a few years older than you. But after that night with Joel, you had a gnawing feeling that a boy your age was never going to cut it again. Sure, boys your age could sometimes be sweet, caring, fun… but the thing you had with Joel—it was downright animalistic. The pure desire that had led you to lay down on his bed, pantless, listening to his every instruction like a lost puppy—it was something else. Indescribable urge.

It's not like you didn't try to seduce him. The past three days, you had tried every trick in the book. You'd worn the shortest shorts you owned, dropped things just to bend over to pick them up in front of him, and even pretended to accidentally pour something on your shirt in the kitchen. So, you'd have to take off your shirt and reveal the tiny black bikini top underneath. But regardless of all these borderline pathetic tries, Joel's attitude towards you was more Catholic priest with sworn celibacy than anything else. Although he had had no problem showing off his abs at the pool, asking you to put sunscreen on his back, or walking around the vacation house in nothing but gray sweats that left absolutely nothing to the imagination.

You were fed up.

Despite Joel's apathetic attitude towards you, it still felt like a fucked-up game of cat and mouse—to make matters worse, you weren't entirely sure which one you were supposed to be. Tonight was your last night in Palm Springs before you had to go back to your ordinary, boring life. No more casual flirting with Joel. After tonight, he would go back to being your old neighbor and your best friend's father, and eventually, he would just fade out of your life.

But you needed him.

Something inside you had gotten its claws on him, and they were not about to let go. You had a visceral feeling that if you didn't sleep with Joel tonight, you would regret it for the rest of your life. Be it teenage hormones or the Californian heat… but you had made up your mind.

Now, you were lying on one of the tanning beds by the pool. The sun was scorching down on you, making your skin hot to the touch. You could almost feel the sun lightening your hair even more. Sarah was lying right next to you, drinking a coconut water and reading some book you hadn’t bothered to find out about. Your parents had gone to see some old tree somewhere—you couldn’t care less. Joel was swimming laps in the pool. He already looked like he had been sculpted by a Greek god, but here he was, working out on vacation, occasionally splashing water on you two to cool you down.

“Doesn’t it suck that it’s our last day?” Sarah said, her voice whiny. She sipped her drink loudly and looked at you from under her big brown Gucci sunglasses. You threw your head back in agony. Being reminded of your limited time in this paradise brought all your thoughts about Joel bubbling right back to the top of your mind.

“Don’t remind me. Back home, we have school and work to deal with. Here, we only have to worry about our tans,” you said, pretending to cry for dramatic effect.

“I mean, at least you look tanned as fuck,” Sarah pointed out, a big smile on her face. You held your arm up to investigate. It was true—you were very tanned. You could smell the carrot tanning oil on your skin and see the water droplets dripping off, almost sizzling away. You decided to play a little.

“Hey, Joel!” You yelled loud enough for him to hear you over the splashing of the water. Sarah wasn’t even paying attention anymore—she was headfirst in her book. Joel stopped swimming and popped his head up, giving you a confused look.

“Do you think I look tanned?” You asked, feigning innocence. You sat up so he could “see your tan better,” but truthfully—it was your almost-naked body you wanted him to see. Furthermore, you smiled at him, a sheepish smile. He looked at you knowingly, a tiny smirk painting his face.

“I dunno. Why don’t ya’ come closer?” You got up slowly and walked closer to the edge of the pool. Simultaneously, Joel swam closer to you. He stopped right at the edge, only inches from you.

You were about to ask him again about your tan—but you were cut off by his hand grabbing your ankle and pulling you into the pool. You let out a scream-laugh as you were pulled in. His hand covered your entire ankle easily, with a little room to spare. It didn’t take him much force to pull you in. Your body made a big splash as you fell into the pool, and you could feel your tanning oil dissolving into the water.

“Joel! Now I have to reapply my tanning oil!” You screamed at him, not as much angry as in shock. He just laughed a hearty laugh, insinuating that he didn’t care much about your tanning oil at all. You swam to the pool stairs, leaving behind a slight layer of oil on top of the pool water. You splashed water with your feet, aiming at Joel, annoyed at him for getting you wet.

“Look what your dad did!” You playfully yelled at Sarah, who was still preoccupied with her book. She looked up and laughed at your mad face, covered in wet hair. It was at that moment that you heard the similarity in her and Joel's laughs. It sort of freaked you out, but you brushed it off as you went back to lay on the sunbed.

“Will you try not to kill my dad if I go cut up some fruit?” Sarah asked, jokingly.

“Can’t make any promises.” You furrowed your brows at Joel and gave a quick look of approval to Sarah, who left the patio and went into the kitchen with a sense of urgency. The fact that she left worked out perfectly for you—because now it was time for plan two. You changed position so you were lying on your stomach, and you shouted out to Joel.

“Can you put some tanning oil on my back? It’s your fault I need more!” To your surprise, you heard Joel get up from the pool. You heard water dripping quietly onto the stone patio as he made his way closer to you. You couldn’t see him, but you could feel his presence looming over you as he reached down for the tanning oil bottle and squeezed some into his hands. Furthermore, you braced for impact as his big, warm hands made contact with your back—they felt like they were supposed to be there. He started out rubbing the oil on your upper back, almost carefully. But after you let out a small moan of approval, his skillful hands began massaging the oil onto your back firmly. It felt like one of those massages at your mom’s spa she took you to sometimes. Except now your masseuse was a hot, strong man instead of that old German lady who usually massaged you.

You felt Joel’s hands leave your back, and you groaned in annoyance.

“Hey, if ya’ want a long massage, it ain’t gon’ be free,” he joked.

“Can I get a happy ending if I give you 2 dollars?” He didn’t answer. He only chuckled slightly and gave your back a friendly tap as he got up and left you all alone at the pool.

So much for that plan.

The rest of the day went by fast, just lying by the pool. You and Sarah had ordered some Taco Bell and watched Love Island, but ultimately, it was quite the chill day with not much on the agenda. You had already gone through the shopping, sightseeing, and other vacation activities, so today, you could all use the downtime.

Now it was 7 p.m., the sun was starting to set slowly behind the mountains, and the smell of sunshine and sweat had transformed into the scent of flowers and smoke from nearby houses grilling. Since it was your last night, you had all decided it would be nice to hold a movie night at the villa. Your parents had made nachos, and Joel had made margaritas for everyone. Now you were all sitting on the couch, looking for a movie to watch. You were sitting between Sarah and Joel, and your parents were sitting on the smaller sofa by themselves.

“Can we not just watch Mean Girls?” You and Sarah whined, which didn’t warrant good reactions from the older crowd.

“We ain’t watchin’ some chick flick,” Joel pitched in, sipping his drink and adjusting himself on the black leather sofa.

“Yeah, girls, we’re watching a classic,” your mom said firmly. She rarely left room for debate.

After a while of scrolling through Netflix, you finally landed on a movie. Joel pressed play after getting a few encouraging nods from the “old people,” who apparently knew everything about cinema.

“Dirty Dancing?” You challenged, nudging Sarah, who didn’t seem to have an opinion about the movie choice.

“Yeah? And what about it?” Joel lifted his eyebrow, challenging you to say anything bad about a classic like Dirty Dancing.

You just moaned. You were so used to getting what you wanted that it annoyed you when it came to movies—your parents thought they knew way more than you or Sarah.

“Joel, shut her up!” Your parents joked. They had gone all in with the “fun parent” act. Joel smiled at them and hooked his hand around your head, pulling you into him in a joking way to stop you from whining.

Everybody laughed when he let you go, but you couldn’t decide what feeling you were going to let take control—anger or arousal. So, you decided to shut up and watch the movie.

The nachos were all gone, all the margaritas had been drunk, Sarah had already gone to bed one hour into the movie, and now it was just you, Joel, and your parents. The comforting glow of the television made you sleepy, and you felt safe next to Joel. At some point, he’d put on a blanket, and at some point, you had crawled under it. You were almost half asleep when the ending credits rolled, and you heard your parents get up.

“Well, we’re going to bed. He’s half asleep, so if we stay down here any longer, I’ll have to carry him up,” your mom pointed out with a hoarse, tired voice.

You all said your goodnight wishes, and the TV started automatically playing some random movie. You looked up at Joel, who was already looking at you, his eyes hooded and his face relaxed. The air felt heavy, a lingering tension left from your previous attempts at flirtation—it felt like he could sense another attempt coming his way. But you were tired of this. He’d made the margaritas too strong, and you felt tipsy. The night felt almost unreal, like the strange timelessness you sometimes feel at the airport, where there’s no sense of time or space—just that one moment, stretching endlessly.

“Ya know, it ain’t like I don’t like ya, Cara,” Joel broke the silence. He sounded almost sorry—about what, you didn’t know.

His hand found its way to your arm, and he began drawing slow, random patterns on your skin, gently. He looked lost in thought, as though he were fighting an inner battle.

“Well, if you like me, you sure do a good job of hiding it,” you replied, trying to sound angry or frustrated. It was hard when your head felt so light, for more reasons than one. You weren’t sure if it was Joel or the tequila making you drunk—maybe both.

Joel laughed, so sure of himself. He adjusted himself so he was facing you, looking right into your eyes. The room was dark, but even then, the light in his eyes was almost blinding. You couldn’t explain the feeling of looking into his eyes, even if you tried. It made you forget about everything—it was hypnotic.

“I think you’re great, sweetheart. But you’re so very young,” he said, his eyes now exuding sympathy above all else.

“I’m not that young,” you countered. Of course, you were aware of the age gap—you knew you were young. But did it really matter when it came to you and Joel? Those moments of looking into each other’s eyes seemed to exceed all time, all age… you were one.

Joel smiled. It was the kind of smile older people give when they think about their childhood, or when your grandma tells you that her cat died but is in a better place. That all-knowing smile that’s supposed to comfort you—but you were a stubborn girl. Since you were small, that’s all you’d ever been told. You knew Joel would give in—or, at least, you hoped he would.

In a small moment, you were on top of Joel. Your lips pressed against his, and your hands rested on his chest—you wanted to hold him down, to keep him that close to you forever. This kiss was different from your first one—it felt real.

After a few breathless seconds, Joel lifted you off him. He didn’t do it harshly; he did it slowly, carefully, as if every movement was calculated.

“Oh, darlin’, just don’t go startin’ something that you can’t finish.”

“Joel—I need you.”

“You don't need me, ya just want me.” Joel pointed out, knowing that it was a lie. He knew that you needed him just as much as he needed you, the pull between you two was more than he had ever felt with anyone. The animalistic urge he had towards you, was nothing short of biological, it was meant to be in every sense of the phrase. It was written in the stars, it was purely physical, it was spiritual— it was all-consuming.

“No, Joel… I need you.” The way you said that, was more than convincing for Joel. Truth be told, it had been torture for him to avoid you these past couple of days. Every single time you pranced around him in the house, or at the pool, he was fighting every instinct in his body that told him to have you. But tonight, there was something in the air that made him weak to his own desires. He snapped.

He pounced on top of you, like a hungry lion, ready to devour its victim— but he didn't want to devour you… he wanted to have you slowly, like a 5-course meal. Not only that, but he wanted to make you wait for it, he wanted to make himself wait for it. If this was the only time you ever did this, he was going to make it feel like eternity.

You breathed out heavily, as his hands found your wrists and held them on either sides of your head. He stared at you, he saw you, every part of you, there… for him. He slowly licked the length of your neck, he wanted to taste you— it felt like hours, but when he got to the bottom of your chin… he began sucking on your neck in a sloppy, uncoordinated manner. He found it hard to control himself.

“Fuck… Joel.” You said in a breathy, low voice. You weren't trying to get him to slow down, or speed up— you just found it impossible to control your body anymore, not to mention the sounds that came out of it.

“Shh— darlin', I'm not gon' be able to control myself if I hear you speak like that again.” Joel stated, his voice low and determined. He sounded dead serious, but you didn't have much time to think about it when Joel continued his sloppy kisses all the way down to your chest, and ripped your button-up shirt open, like you were a meal. He was a man starved. He placed his hand on your neck, gently at first— but as he made his way to your lower stomach in a trail of sloppy kisses, with every inch down, his hand tightened. Your head felt lighter than ever, you were gone, off somewhere else, somewhere that only pleasure existed.

“Say no, honey— please.” Joel pleaded to you, wanting you to help him control his sick desires. He loosened the hand on your neck, and eyed your pants, and then your eyes. He squeezed your thigh, to bring you back from wherever you had gone.

You remained completely silent, this was the only thing in you had been this sure of. To you, there was no other option but to give in to your desires, you mouthed a silent 'please' almost undetectable… but Joel saw it, he heard it— he felt it.

He pulled your pants down with urgency, his hands moved in a sloppy, but strong and self-assured way, there was no question in his mind anymore— there was only you. He lowered himself to your level and his mouth found your lower stomach once again, he left soft kisses on your stomach, but to you, they felt electric. Before you were too far gone again in your own land of pleasure, he brought you back. He bit your thigh, not incredibly hard, but so hard that it left a mark. The contrast between pain and pleasure felt so amazing, you could feel your underwear dripping with arousal. You lifted your head to look at Joel, and he was smiling at you devilishly, eyes dark as night.

He moved onto taking off your pink cotton panties, he took the waistline of the panties into his mouth and pulled them down to your ankles with his teeth. When you tried to kick them off completely, he stopped you, he took them into his hands and brought them up to your hands. You looked at him, confused, but you forgot about it when his lips hit yours and his tongue fought its way into your mouth, like he was trying to prove his dominance. He put the panties around your wrists and bound them together, using the panties as a makeshift rope. After he had bound your wrists, he stopped kissing you. He smirked at you enigmatically, before making his way to your slick folds.

“Now be quiet, if your dad finds out, he will kill me.” He said, half serious, half joking. Before his tongue found your most sensitive spot in seconds. You almost let out a moan, but bit your lower lip to stop it— the way Joel's tongue moved on your clit, you had to bite your lip to the point of drawing blood. It wasn't long before you felt a mind-numbing orgasm wash over you, it almost made you lose your head and forget your own name.

Joel kissed your inner thigh tenderly, before returning to your wrists. He released them from the panties, and grabbed your waist, pulling you up and on top of him. You felt woozy, you weren't sure you knew where you were anymore after that orgasm, you thought Joel would've fucked you senseless, him on top, you on the bottom— but his next words exuded so much confidence, you had no room to argue.

“Use me.” Your mouth widened at his words, it seemed like you were in control… but you could feel Joel dominating the situation, manipulating the dynamics between you. But he had given you your chance, and you were going to take it.

Quickly, you pulled his sweats down, with a sense of utter urgency, you removed his shirt, like it was on fire. You could see sweat, glistening on his stomach and chest, as he patiently waited for your next move. You were almost scared to take off his boxers, you could see his bulge through them, and it looked way too big. You looked into his eyes for further confirmation, he was getting impatient.

“Jus' be a good girl, and take 'em off…” He said, his voice low— the kind of voice you'd use to manipulate someone. You bit your lip and freed him of his boxers. He was huge, and evidently, rock hard. He guided you on top of him, letting you take charge quickly after. You lowered yourself on top of his length slowly, inch by inch. Joel sensed that you were going to let out a sound, so he quickly covered your mouth with his hand, and used his other hand to cover his own mouth. Your confidence only grew, you began pumping your body on top of him, the best you could, despite being in a complete haze of pleasure.

Joel couldn't take it anymore, he grabbed your lower waist with force, and guided your body, pumping on top of him, no concern for the sounds that were almost out of your mouth. You had to stop yourself somehow, so you bit down on his shoulder, hard. He let out a guttural growl, that made your orgasm fast approach. You leaned your head back completely, arching your back as the orgasm came flooding through your entire body like you were struck by lightning. Joel came at the same time, his head rolled back and his Adams apple, glistening with sweat, was so prominent, it looked like it was going to rip out of his neck. He let out a quiet, but animalistic moan— and with that, you stopped moving as you both gathered your breath. The room was spinning, time had stood still, you didn't care anymore— not one bit.

“I love you.”