#and i've been writing so many rare pairs lately
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thanks for answering!
so the question is (and feel free not to answer at all if you consider it too strange): what could be the relationship dynamic between kavinsky and andrew minyard if they just happened to meet in the multiverse? they both are amazing characters in themselves, dark and bright, and catastrophic and mind-blowing. and given that you have already dove into the depth of kavinsky and know him so well i feel like youâd know the answer â would they hate each other? like/love each other? develop some mutual understanding? would they have a connection that could highlight the best in both of them? or drag each other into total destruction?
iâd love to hear your thoughts on the matter! does kavinsky have his magical powers in this situation or not â iâll leave it to your liking!
Ooooooohhhhh I am obsessed with this question, and as the self-appointed resident expert on all things Kavinsky, Iâm so honored you asked me đ I would love to write a fic at some point where I could explore their relationship in depth, from beginning to end (and I think it would have a very bitter painful end) It would be a hell of a journey.
They would have a love/hate relationship of epic proportionsâ mostly hate. I feel like Andrew would despise Kavinsky at first. Heâs annoying and brash and loud and touchy and he doesnât take anything seriously, but heâs also loyal and sarcastic and self-destructive and violentâ all positive things in Andrewâs opinion. So while Andrew wouldnât like or trust Kavinsky at first, thereâs definitely room for a mutually antagonizing friendship to bloom because Kavinsky is like a Chihuahua; he has an impeccable ability to clock the one person in the room who Does Not like him and that's who he decides to befriend. I think Kavinsky would see Andrew Minyard pull a knife on 1 (one) person and fall in love with that bastard in an instant.
Oh, I donât know if you meant romantic relationship when you asked this question, but thatâs immediately where my mind went and thereâs no going back. Theyâre boyfriends in this hypothetical scenario.
Anyway. Theyâre the kind of couple who you look at and think âwhy the fuck are they together, they donât even like each otherâ because they are always bickering about something and complaining about each other, but the second someone else says something bad about the other, they are ready to throw hands (or, in Andrewâs case, knives.) I wouldnât say they bring out the best in each other; in fact Andrew and Kavinsky constantly see the worst in each other, but they decide that maybe their worst isnât all that bad. I think Andrew would love Kavinskyâs fierceness, his recklessness, the way heâs an asshole to everyone. And Kavinsky would love Andrewâs blase attitude, his dullness, the way he is unimpressed with everything, that heâs protective to a fault.
Do I think they would drive each other to self-destruction? Maybe. Or maybe theyâre already both headed that direction anyway and theyâll just enjoy the company on the way down.
The rest of this is going to talk about their physical intimacy and I'm gonna touch on NSFW topics as well as sexual abuse and child abuse. This is your warning.
I don't think it's any secret that one of the most controversial aspects of Kavinskyâs character comes when he says "consent is overrated." And I usually avoid this topic because people interpret it how they want and there is no right or wrong way to read this line. But "consent is overrated" sounds, to me, like a boy who has been sexually abused in the past, probably by a figure of authority, most likely a family member: chances are high it was his dad, which could be the reason he killed Kavinsky Senior. Kavinsky got sick of just letting things happen to him and took control in the only way he knew how.
And I'm going to follow a train of thought here and assume that's why he killed the OG Propopenko, too, and then dreamed a version of him that does whatever Kavinsky saysâ such as when Kavinsky says no, he listens.
And I think that this is something that Kavinsky and Andrew both have in common, but they cope with it in very different ways, which makes sex between them a complicated thing and I think it probably takes them awhile to figure out how to be together in a way that works for both of them. But Kavinsky, as much of an asshole as he is, likes to be told what to do. He likes it when a man takes control. Specifically, he likes it when Andrew tells him to keep his hands to himself, when he ties him up, when he tells Kavinsky to be vocal about what he likes/wants.
Iâve always interpreted Kavinsky to be a tactile person (which could be related to the fact that he has to touch things in his dreams to bring them back with him, he likes to feel things in order to make sure theyâre real) and we all know that Andrew is not. Itâs something they struggle with at first, but eventually find a good balance ofâ permission and consent, touch and comfort, trust and love.
I feel like this is just barely scratching the surface and given the time, I would absolutely love to put the two of them in so many situations together. I think they would be insufferable assholes in the best way possible <3
#i seriously cannot thank you enough for this question#and i've been writing so many rare pairs lately#maybe i should write a kavinsky/andrew fic#aftg#trc#kavinsky#andrew minyard
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High Rise ft. IVE Wonyoung
Pairing: IVE Wonyoung x Male Reader Rating: Explicit Word Count: 2.4k Tags: Daddy kink, Exhibitionism, Choking A/N: i said i would didn't i? probably the fastest i've made a fic recently which also means please excuse any grammar or spelling mistakes you find. might not be my best work but it sure was fun to write o7 Disclaimer: this is a work of fiction/parody
Dating a k-pop idol wasnât easy. Especially when you were a so-called commoner. There were the obvious reasons, like you had to keep your relationship a secret until they reached their thirties, if you made it that long.And the not-so-obvious reasons; like watching your girlfriend parade around in sexy stage outfits and having to contain your desire to fuck her in them.
Or maybe that was just you.
When your girlfriend was Jang Wonyoung, a hyper-popular It girl â you cringed at even thinking those words aloud â the restrictions were even worse. Like that one time you had wanted to bring her flowers at her group's concert in Seoul and had to be snuck backstage with a bag over your head. Or the time someone had caught the two of you flirting candidly and Wonyoung blurted out that you were her cousin to save face. Embarrassing but somehow also cute when it came from her.
All this was to say it wasnât easy.
But it certainly wasnât without its benefits.
âFuck, that one looks so good, princess,â you praised.
You snapped another photo as Wonyoung posed, biting her bottom lips and giving the camera a smoldering look. She hooked her fingers into her hip-hugging jeans, tugging them slightly as you quickly snapped another series of photos.
Honestly, you were somewhat shocked when Wonyoung told you her idea. It had felt provocative, mature even, and thus far each photo had proved that assumption right. But you rarely, if ever said no to her, even if her motivations were somewhat questionable. In fact, you wondered if this was all your fault.
âYou left a like on Yuna-nimâs photo,â Wonyoung had said at the time. Her tone carried an accusatory hint.
âDid I?â you had stammered, trying to play naive. âI was just scrolling my feed and mustâve double tapped.â
âSo you follow them?â
âThem?â
âOther girl groups,â Wonyoung clarified.
One thing you had learned about the IVE princess was that while she was sweet as a button on most days, she carried a jealous streak that verged on volatile. Sharing was not in her programming, least of all when it came to you.
You had recognized the trap forming but it had been too late. âWell, I mean, just to keep up. You know you do challenges sometimes and appear on their feeds.â
Her arms crossed over her chest, hip cocked to the side and slight pout was all the answer you needed.
That week you had gone without any physical contact from your girlfriend. Though she made sure to send you the filthiest selfies possible throughout. Which, oddly, worked. Because no matter how much you touched yourself to the photos she sent, it didnât compare to the real thing.
It had seemed like the incident was over and in the past but as you snapped a few more photos of Wonyoung by the windowsill, you briefly wondered if this stemmed from it as well.
âAre you sure youâre going to post these on Instagram?â you asked, after a particularly racy photo.
âMhm,â Wonyoung nodded. âItâs nothing I havenât done before. Remember the bathroom?â
âOh, I remember.â
You also remembered the ones that hadnât made it to social media and were sent directly to you. But this still felt even more daring than this.
âHow many likes do you think this will get?â she asked, coolly, giving the camera a sultry look. An innocent question. At least on the surface. But you remembered her comment one night as you two relaxed together.
âBesides, itâs to promote the sponsor, thatâs all. This will get the most engagements,â she added. Her gaze dropped and a small smirk formed on her lips, âIn fact, Iâd say itâs already working.â
You followed her gaze, looking down to see a rather obvious tent had formed in your sweatpants. You laughed, a flush coloring your cheeks. âWell, shit. Can you blame me?â
âI guess I canât,â Wonyoung said coolly.
The way she unbuttoned the top button of her jeans, spoke to more mischief however.
âWony,â you wet your dry lips, âAre we still doing the shoot?â
âMhm â she nodded cutely, âOf course.â
She did another pose, pushing the waist of the jeans down to expose the lace underwear she had on underneath.
âYou know, I love it up here. Itâs perfect,â Wonyoung said. âDonât you agree?â
âYeahâŠâ you muttered, more focused on the sight of her exposed abs and smooth skin than her question.
By here she was referring to the penthouse you were using for the photoshoot. Funny enough, she could easily afford a place like this on her own. Though that would only spur on more talk about inequality among the rookie group.
âBeing so high upâŠâ she turned her head to look out the window. Your breath caught as you watched delicate fingers slip inside of her jeans. âWe can see everything but no one can see us. Even if we were naked against this window theyâd never knowâŠâ
Now you werenât the smartest bulb in the room. In fact, sometimes you wondered if it was your self-proclaimed himbo status that Wonyoung liked most about you. But even you could put two and two together. And Wonyoungâs words combined with the side-eyed glance she was giving you were all screaming one thing.
âI could show my naked body to all of Seoul and no one. would. know.â
Her tongue pronounced every syllable while she locked eyes with you. As sweet and kind as Wonyoung could be she had an undeniable minx side to her. You were also fairly certain your girlfriend got off on the power high of being such a desired person but you had never actually confirmed that.
If you were starting to get hard when she pointed it out earlier, you were practically aching now. You tossed your phone onto the couch and made your way over to where Wonyoung was by the window. She let out a delighted squeal as you pushed her up against the glass, kissing her passionately.
Your hands moved against her stomach, feeling her toned abs that were shown off by the outfit she was wearing. Honestly, you should send a bouquet to whatever designer sent this to her to promote. You nipped at Wonyoung's bottom lip, your hands sliding into her unbuttoned pants to squeeze her ass.
"It took you long enough," Wonyoung gasped, mischief gleaming in her eyes. "I thought was going to have to beg you to fuck me."
Your cock twitched, straining painfully against your jeans, "You still could you know."
She must have been in a good mood because the idol looked at you with large eyes, biting on her bottom lip. "Please fuck me against the window, daddy."
Oh.
You see, it had taken some time but you learned that your girlfriend had two modes. The arrogant queen who knew all of Seoul was her playground and made you worship at her feet. Then there was the submissive princess who begged to be pleased until she was satisfied. Often her mood was some mixture of the two but neither one left you unsatisfied.
"If that's what the Princess wants," you growled.
A delighted smile crossed the idol's features followed by another joyful squeal when you spun her around to face the window. Her hands rose, catching herself as she turned her head to look over her shoulder. You could see the aroused flush creeping up her neck and coloring her round cheeks.
"Didn't you say something about showing everyone your tits?" you whispered in her ear.
Not waiting for a response, you pulled her top down, exposing her tits to the cool glass of the window earning a gasp from Wonyoung in response. You pressed further against her, the bulge in your pants pushing against her ass.
"This whole shoot was just to rile me up, wasn't it?" you said, your breath hot against the shell of her ear. Your hands moved quickly to yank the jean pants she was wearing, exposing the white lace panties that she had teased you with a peek of earlier.
"Maybe," Wonyoung mewled, arching her back perfectly.
Your hands hooked into the waistband of her panties, sliding them down to reveal her bare ass to your hungry gaze, "Bullshit. You knew what you were doing."
"Maybe I just wanted to remind you of what's right in front of you," she said.
There it was. That switch up she was capable of. It also confirmed your theory that your girlfriend hadn't exactly forgiven and forgotten about the Instagram incident. Well, there was no time better than now to put the matter to bed. You gripped your cock, slipping it between her legs to get it slick from her dripping sex.
"Oh, I'm well aware of what's in front of me," you started. Slowly you began to slip your thick cock inside of her, inch by inch with each syllable. "The most beautiful." More. "Talented." More. "Gorgeous." More. "Perfect." More. "Princess."
"Fuck!" Wonyoung moaned, her forehead bracing against the window.
"Is the princess feeling full?"
"So, so fullâŠ" she cooed.
"And I didn't even get to mention how good a girlfriend you are," you teased.
You could feel her pussy quivering around your length, stretching to accommodate the familiar intrusion of your cock. Wonyoung's hands were splayed against the windows of the high-rise, her ass pushed out and into you. She was on full display and only you were lucky enough to see it.
You could take it slow with steady, languid strokes, gently fucking your girlfriend against the window. But something told you that wasn't what she nor you wanted at that moment. Your fingers flexed around her waist, pulling out your cock until just the tip remained inside of her before thrusting your entire length back inside of her. Wonyoung's body jolted with pleasure as she braced her nude body against the window.
"This is what you wanted isn't it?" Harder. "To know how much you turn me on." Faster. "To see how fucking hard you get me." Deeper. "No one else makes me like this." Repeat.
A mixture of mewls and moans fell from the idol's mouth at your relentless rhythm. Her head fell forward, her cheek pressed up against the glass. Perspiration was starting to form across her flawless skin and you had to resist the urge to lean forward and lick it up. You wanted to prove a point, to fuck Wonyoung to the point of exhaustion for the whole city to see. After that maybe you'd enjoy the little perversions.
"You probably say that to every - fuck - every girl," Wonyoung panted, glancing at you from over her shoulder. "You're probably just waiting to move onto the next idol you're drooling over."
She didn't say it with enough conviction for you to believe she truly felt that way. For starters, while Wonyoung may get jealous, she was not insecure. At least, not enough to ever think another idol was above her. It was more often a toxic possessive kind of jealousy. But nonetheless, in the heat of the moment you'd take the bait.
"Is that what you think?" he said, your breathing growing heavy with your harsh thrust. Conversation wasn't exactly easy at this pace. "Did you miss what I said earlier, huh?"
One hand moved from her waist to slip around Wonyoung's throat. She inhaled sharply, her breath catching in her throat as you squeezed. For a passing second there was no sound save for the repeated slaps of skin against skin as your hips were flush against Wonyoung's ass each time you entered her.
"I only want you," you finally gasp. "Always you."
Rather than another vulgar display to go along with your words, you merely lean over her, capturing her lips in a sideways kiss. It's messy and imperfect but it's also loving and passionate. Your tongues dance together all while your bodies remain intertwined. You can feel Wonyoung pussy quivering around your cock intensely as she moans into your mouth. When you pull back, you look at your girlfriend with a raised eyebrow.
"Did you just cum from that?" you asked.
"S-shut up," Wonyoung retorted. You noticed a bright red hue of embarrassment coloring her cheeks before she hid her face, "Don't stop until you finish inside of me,"
It was always adorable when she continued trying to be dominant after her own orgasm. However, her words had an undeniable effect on you. "If that's what the princess wants."
You returned to the task at hand, focusing your efforts solely on chasing your first release and Wonyoung's second orgasm.
"Daddy," Wonyoung mewled, finding her voice. "I want you to cum, daddy. I want you to cum deep inside my tight pussy.""
You had a sinking suspicion that her words were payback for causing her embarrassing moments earlier. Her attempt at provoking you to blow your load sooner than you had intended to.
Regardless it worked to immediate effect. Your hips jerked, slamming against hers from behind. Your sweat-drenched body pressed flush against Wonyoung, pushing her up against the high-rise window. Your cock twitched, ropes of your sticky seed shooting inside of her womb as her walls convulsed around your length.
Of course the two things that pushed her over the edge would be you saying how you loved her and her revelling the power she had to make you cum on the spot. Truly a representative of her duality.
After a moment had passed and you began to regain your bearings you pressed a kiss to Wonyoung's shoulder.
"That was incredible, Wony," you muttered.
"I know," she said, her form practically radiating. "You weren't bad either."
You let out a chuckle, placing another lazy kiss to her skin, "Maybe we should've included that in the photoshoot."
Wonyoung smiled but didn't immediately respond. After a moment of delay she turned in your arms to look at you.
"Did you mean all those things you said?" she asked.
Her wide eyes looked at you and you reached up to brush aside a strand of sweat soaked hair. There was no hesitation in your response when you answered her.
"Absolutely. And don't you think otherwise for a second."
A smile beamed across the idol's face and she leaned forward, burying her face into your neck. Your arms wrapped around her and quietly you wondered if you weren't the luckiest man in the world.
BUY ME A COFFEE - if you enjoy my stories considering buying me a coffee! always appreciated, never required.
#wonyoung smut#ive smut#girl group smut#ive imagines#wonyoung imagines#ive x reader#male reader#wonyoung x male reader
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hoju (home)
pairing: bang chan x female reader
summary: even though chan has been living in korea for so many years, he still considers australia to be home. when he finally has the opportunity to go back and visit, he can't wait to bring you along and introduce you to the people and places that he grew up with.
word count: 4.3k
warnings: none :)
a/n: hoju (ížìŁŒ) is the korean word for australia.
this was a request from my sweet 𩩠anon! thank you for the inspiration, i had fun writing this and i hope that it meets your expectations. sorry that i did not write this in chan's pov đ
as usual, please let me know if there are any typos or mistakes because i didn't have the chance to proofread đ„Č
read it on ao3 | masterlist
Chan has been acting strange lately. Not enough that you're worried, just a little bit suspicious. He's never tried to hide what tabs he has open on his phone before and he's looked deep in thought quite a few times, but when you ask what he's thinking of, he changes the topic quickly. You're curious, but trust that Chan will talk to you when he's ready. Still, you can't quite ignore all of the changes in behaviour.
It's the same tonight. When you look up during dinner, Chan's just stirring around the noodles in his plate, only taking a bite every so often. You frown, trying to think of if you've done anything differently to prepare the food in a way that he doesn't like, but it tastes the same to you as usual. You rule out a lack of appetite, as he had just commented that he was starving while you were cooking.
âIs everything okay?â you ask hesitantly, after a few more minutes have passed.
âWhat?â Chan looks up, startled by the sound of your voice. âOh no, everything's fine! Just⊠thinking.â
âIs it about work? Did something happen?â You know that Chan has been busier than usual this month, the boys have some time off in a few weeks and everybody is scrambling to get things finished in the meantime. You've also requested vacation at work, although so far you and Chan haven't planned anything. In fact, he's been a little bit cagey when you've brought up the topic. You try not to think much of it and really, it's just nice to be able to spend extra time together.
Honestly, you wouldn't be surprised if Chan has found out that his break has been cut short or even cancelled. It's rare that theyâre able to have more than a few days off at a time which is why you had been so shocked when Chan had let you know that they didn't have schedules for a period of almost three weeks.
It would provide an explanation to everything that you've observed the past few days, you know that he would try his best to fix things before he had to tell you the bad news.
âWell-â
âIt's okay if you found out you can't take time off,â you reassure him. âI understand that it's all up to the company and sometimes they change their mind at the last minute. I can just let my work know and take my vacation another time, I'm sure they might even be happy if I'm still around next month.â
âNo!â Chan says, his eyes wide in panic. âWe still have time off! Don't worry about that. It's actually- How would you feel about visiting Australia with me?â
It's your turn to stare at Chan in shock.
âAustralia?â
âYeah, it's been a while since I went back and-â Chan breaks eye contact, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. âI thought it'd be nice if I could introduce you to my family, in person.â
âYou want me to meet your family? In Australia?â you repeat, dumbly.
âOnly if you feel comfortable!â Chan says hurriedly. âI looked into tickets, but didn't book anything yet so it's totally up to you. I also wanted to check if my family was available beforehand and it's pretty good timing actually. If you don't want to, then it's totally fine, I'll probably go for either way and I think Felix is also considering it. It's just that we've been together for a while now and I've met your family and I know that my mom basically considers you to be her daughter-â
âI want to go,â you interrupt, not wanting Chan to spiral further. âI was just surprised, I guess, but of course I want to accompany you.â
Chan brightens at that, then grabs his computer, unlocking it and opening up a spreadsheet. As it loads, he reaches for his chopsticks and takes a huge bite of food. You can't help but smile fondly at the sight of his cheeks bulging with food as he chews, relieved that his appetite is back.
âI didnât want to get too far ahead of myself, but I was looking at flights, and I think that if we leave on a Tuesday, it might be best. It means we can enjoy the weekend here and still have time to pack everything,â he explains excitedly. âIt'll be less busy at the airport too, which will be nice, and it works out well with my parentsâ schedules anyway.â
You hum in acknowledgement, content to follow along and take mental notes as Chan reads out everything else that he's thought of so far. He continues planning for the rest of the evening, trailing behind you as you clean up and do your nightly routine, only stopping to help you when you do the dishes and put away the laundry. It's cute how animated he becomes, putting together a long list of all the sites and restaurants that he wants to show you.
You can tell that he's still thinking of it as the two of you curl up in bed that night, every so often you feel him jolt behind you and turn to reach for the little pad of paper and pencil that he often keeps on his nightstand.
Eventually, you turn over and squint at him. He doesn't even pretend to be asleep.
âHi,â he whispers. âSorry if I'm keeping you awake.â
âSleep,â you murmur tiredly. âWe have lots of time to plan, get some rest for now and we can talk more tomorrow.â
Chan starts to protest, but you just nuzzle closer, pulling his hands to wrap around you. As you drift off to sleep, you can feel that Chan has finally relaxed too.
â
The two of you spend the first day of break slowly, sleeping in and having a lazy meal of bibimbap from all the banchan taking up space in your fridge. You only venture out of the apartment for dinner, going to your favourite local restaurant that you visit so often that the owner starts making your meals the second that the two of you step through the door. The next couple of days are also easygoing, consisting of shopping, watching dramas, and eventually preparing for your trip.
Throughout the drive to the airport and making your way through security and to your gate, you can tell Chan's a bit on edge even though you and Felix try to assure him that everything will be fine. The three of you are in incognito mode, wearing hats, face masks, and plain clothes but Chanâs still scanning your surroundings the whole time. You, on the other hand, can't help but be excited, bouncing at his side so much that he loops his arm over your shoulders to try and calm you down. Felix is more relaxed and laughs at the stark contrast between the both of you, even filming parts of it since heâs getting footage for a vlog. Luckily you know that any content with you in it is likely to be edited out and donât bother to hide your eagerness.
While Chan is used to travelling often for concerts and other overseas schedules, you've rarely visited places outside of Korea and have certainly never flown business class. You squeeze Chan's hand when you see your seats, thrilled at the idea of having so much leg room and a divider between the two of you that can also be fully lowered. It keeps you entertained for the whole time before the plane takes off, taking pictures together and reclining your seat up and down until the seatbelt sign turns on.
The flight is over 10 hours, so it doesn't take long before you move your attention to browsing the menu that's available and scrolling through all of the movies on the in-flight entertainment system. Shortly after the dinner meal is served, you start to doze off. Wanting to make the most of the experience, you insist to Chan that you'll be able to stay awake to watch another movie with him, but only make it through the first 30 minutes before you wake up to a dark screen.
You blink up blearily as a flight attendant starts making their way through the aisles, handing out customs forms for everyone to fill out. When you receive yours, you stare at it for a few seconds before realising the problem is not the fact that you're still adjusting to being awake.
âOh no,â you whisper in horror, causing Chan to glance over at you, concerned.
âWhat happened?â he asks.
âI didnât think about practising English before this trip,â you reply, distress leaking into your voice. âThe last time that I wrote anything in English was when I was in secondary school⊠I'm not going to survive in Australia!â
âHey, it's not an issue, I'll be with you the whole time! You don't have to worry about any of that. And you know enough conversational English to get by, I know you do,â Chan says soothingly.
You refuse to be comforted, burying your face into your hands.
âHow am I going to face your parents when I barely know anything other than âhi, how are you?ââ you moan. âI'm not even going to make it through customs! They're going to arrest me when I can't answer any of their questions!â
You know that you're exaggerating, but it makes Chan laugh so hard that tears gather in the corners of his eyes. You try to keep up your act, but end up dissolving into laughter too at the way that Chan is trying so hard to stay quiet, not wanting to bring attention to you two.
Contrary to your fears, you manage to deplane, get through customs, and collect your luggage without any major issues. You had a moment of anxiety when Chan and Felix split up from you since you have to go into the lineup for foreign passports, but you are somehow able to fumble your way through the conversation with the border officer without being detained.
Felix splits up with you shortly after, you see that his tiredness from the long flight melts away the second that he sees his family. He gives you and Chan both a quick hug to say goodbye before running out to meet them.
Chan lights up in a similar way when he finally spots his parents. They're waiting in the pick-up zone and waves the two of you over quickly. You barely get the chance to say hi before Chanâs mother is enveloping you into a hug.
âItâs so nice to finally meet you,â she says warmly. âCome on, letâs take you home.â
The drive is fairly short and it feels like no time at all before youâre approaching the house. The second that the front door opens, you hear a distinctive scrabble of claws against hardwood before Berry shoots towards Chan, tail wagging furiously. Chan immediately kneels down to give her better access, laughing when she stands on her hind legs to lick at his face.
Once sheâs finished with that, she turns to you, barking curiously before moving closer. You stick out a hand for her to get an idea of your scent and try not to jump when you feel the cool, damp press of her nose against your palm. Whatever Berry smells, she approves of, giving you a few quick licks before running back to Chan.
âSheâs so cute!â you exclaim, pulling out your phone so that you can take a picture of the reunion. You don't think that Chan even hears you, caught up in talking to Berry, giving her kisses and allowing her to do the same.
âI'll help you with your bags,â Chan's father says from beside you, easily lifting them out of your hands and motioning for you to enter the house. You exchange greetings with both of Chan's siblings as you remove your shoes, familiar with them through video calls and the one time that you met Hannah when she was travelling in Korea.
Chanâs family recently moved so this was also Chanâs first time seeing the house in person, the two of you trailing behind Chanâs father as he gave you a brief tour of the first floor before leading you upstairs. When you get to the guest room that you'll be staying in, Hannah pops her head in.
âChris doesnât spend enough time in Australia to have his own room in this house, so you guys are in this room.â She eyes you for a moment and based on the mischievous smile thatâs growing, you can guess what sheâs about to say. âY/n, if you get sick of him, then feel free to stay with me instead!â
âHey!â Chan complains, not even looking up from where heâs unpacking his bag. He grabs onto one of his shirts and chucks it at Hannah, but she easily dodges, throwing one of her slippers at him in retaliation. It hits Chan right in the chest and he looks at her in disbelief. He abandons his task in favour of chasing her throughout the house. You don't follow after, but you hear as their yelling and laughter echoes through the halls.
Itâs refreshing to see Chan at home, no matter how comfortable Chan is with the rest of the kids, heâs still the leader of the group and the oldest member and the dynamic of their relationship reflects that. Even though it has barely been a few hours, youâre relieved to find that Chan has left behind the stresses of being an idol and can instead just be a son and an older brother.
His parents are hilarious and kind, itâs easy to see how Chanâs personality is a reflection of the environment that he was raised in. During dinner, you laugh at the way Chan pouts dramatically when Chanâs father pretends to forget about Chan when serving the food and how he groans in pleasure when he finally gets to taste his mother's cooking after so long. Hannah and Lucas continually crack jokes as you eat, especially if they're at Chan's expense and he pretends that he doesn't find them funny.
â
One afternoon you find Chan fiddling with the camera that heâs brought with him. You step up behind him, resting your chin on his shoulder and wrapping your arms around his waist.
âAre you planning on filming tonight?â you ask, knowing that Chan was always careful to alert everyone in the house beforehand.
âNot today,â he replies. âProbably tomorrow, when I take out Berry for her morning walk. Did you want to join?â
âOf course!â
âI was thinking of going right after breakfast, before it gets too hot out,â he says as he pulls out the camera battery and fits it into the charger.
âAnywhere in particular you wanted to go?â
âMmm, maybe by the water? There's a path that's not too far away. I don't want anything that's too close to the house, you know?â
âGood idea.â
âAre you planning on putting it into a vlog?â you ask curiously. "You haven't been filming much.â
"ActuallyâŠâ
âWhat? You're making me nervous.â
âI was hoping to use it for a music video,â Chan says sheepishly.
âWhat?! I'm not qualified for that!! I can't- you need to find someone else-â
âNo no, it's going to be fine! It's for a record, not like, an actual music video.â
âI don't know,â you say, still feeling hesitant.
âI promise, I'm going for the casual vibes and it's either you or like, my eomma, and I guarantee that you would do a better job.â
âOkay,â you say reluctantly. âBut I can't guarantee it'll come out well.â
âThank you! I know it'll be great,â Chan says, showering you with kisses in gratitude until you're squirming away.
â
The next morning, Chanâs parents are out, leaving all the kids to prepare food on their own. It's a little chaotic, but you manage to cobble together a decent meal. It's a lot of fun to see how Chan and his siblings interact without their parents around to mediate. You're amazed by how similar the three are, not only in appearance but also the way they behave.
Although much younger, Lucas shares a strong resemblance to Chan, especially once he smiles and shows off matching dimples. They quickly disappear once Chan reaches out and musses up his hair playfully as youâre all cleaning up.
âChris, stop it,â he complains, pushing his older brother away before trying to fix the strands that are all over the place. It only encourages Chan to move closer, wrapping his arms around his brother and lifting him into the air. When trying to wiggle free doesnât work, he turns pleading eyes to you, knowing Hannah wouldn't step in to help. âNoona! Get him to let me down!â
The two of you had been awkward the first time you had been left alone, it hadnât helped that Lucasâ Korean could be considered conversational at best and your English was significantly worse, but you had quickly grown close through attempts to tease Chan. Now, itâs easy to treat him like the little brother you never had.
You approach quickly, trying to avoid Lucasâ flailing limbs, and reach out to poke at Chanâs waist. He twitches away from your touch and when you persist in prodding at all his ticklish spots, unwinds one of his arms to swat at your hand.
The distraction is enough for Lucas to break away and he quickly moves out of reach. Instead of chasing after him, Chan turns his focus to you. You back away nervously, but find yourself with nowhere to go. Chan grabs you and easily slings you over your shoulder, ignoring your shrieks of protest.
âBetrayed by my own girlfriend? I should have known that introducing you to my siblings would just be asking for trouble,â he growls in your ear, sending shivers down your spine.
âHey! Where are you taking me?â You look to see if his siblings are going to rescue you, but they must be trying to avoid Chan's wrath as you don't see either of them as Chan brings you up to the guest room.
âI am enlisting your help,â he says casually, as if he wasn't carrying you up a flight of stairs and dropping you on the bed. âI would like your advice on what to wear for Berry's walk.â
âOoh,â you say. âVery important business then, I'm honoured that you would ask me.â
It doesn't actually take much time to get ready, the two of you change into clothes for the heat and you just have to convince Chan that he doesn't have to try to do his hair or makeup. The second that you mention to Berry that you're going for a walk, her tail starts wagging non-stop and she even fetches her leash and drops it in front of you.
Chan doesn't give you much direction for filming, just hands you the camera and tells you to capture whatever you want. The two of you walk hand in hand through the neighbourhood, Berry happily exploring the area. As you get further away from the house, you let go of Chan, motioning for him to continue walking as you turn on the camera and get used to it.
By the time you've reached the waterfront, you're feeling more confident and have a better idea of what you like. You try out different angles, feeling a little bit like paparazzi, and after a few minutes, even try directing Chan too. You let him keep going, wanting to see how far away he'll go before he realises that you're not following. He's almost a block away before he turns back.
âYouâre smiling, did it come out okay?â Chan asks as he jogs back towards you.
âYeah, it was great! I was just thinking that Stay are going to go crazy over this,â you tell him.
âThey do really like it whenever they get to see Berry,â he says thoughtfully, picking her up and scratching her head. You burst out laughing at that and Chan frowns in response and goes as far as to cover Berryâs ears, insulted on her behalf. âWhat? Donât laugh at that, itâs true! Berry is just so cute.â
âIâm not saying that they donât like Berry, of course they do. I was more referring to the fact that the video is⊠domestic. Very boyfriend.â
âOoh you think that's what Stay are interested in?â he asks. âWhat about this?â
He gestures for you to lift up the camera, and once you're recording, grabs your hand to pull you along behind him. You let out a small noise of surprise as he tugs on your arm, struggling slightly to keep everything steady and ensure your hand is out of frame. At your sound, Chan looks back slightly and bursts into laughter.
âSo concentrated, youâre so cute,â he giggles.
âOf course,â you grumble. âI want it to turn out nice.â
âThank you,â Chan says sincerely, no traces of laughter in his voice. âI really do appreciate it a lot that you're helping me with work even though we're on vacation.â
âHmm,â you say, turning away from him. âYou're just glad that you didn't have to ask Hannah, because she would make fun of you the whole time.â
âThat's not true! I mean, it is true that Hannah would do that, but that's not the only reason.â Chan uses your connected hands and pulls you close. âI also wanted to spend time with my favourite person in the whole world.â
âYou're lucky I love you so much,â you sniff, still pretending to be annoyed even though you've practically melted into Chan's hug. âNow stop getting distracted, I thought it would look nice if you walked along the sand and there's nobody there right now.â
â
The rest of your time in Sydney is a whirlwind of activities. Chan is determined to take you to all his favourite places in the city and you eat more food than you thought possible. Chanâs family, and sometimes Felix and his family, accompanies you two for a majority of the outings and your initial hesitance interacting with them is replaced by fondness, eased by the way that they treat you like one of their own.
You even have a chance to meet some of Chanâs childhood friends, ones that he kept close with despite the long distance. It feels strange to eat dinner with them. Although they do their best to make you feel welcome, they have a lot of history together and you find yourself struggling to keep up with their conversation, not just because of the language barrier but due to references to people, places, and events that you're unfamiliar with. Regardless, you're glad to finally know the people that Chan grew up with and you love seeing how happy Chan is to be reunited with them.
Itâs also nice that while you're meeting so many people, you don't have to hide your relationship at all. In Korea, you and Chan are more careful in public. Itâs not totally a secret that youâre dating, but you are more on the cautious side due to the popularity of Stray Kids and inevitable scrutiny from fans. In Australia, Chan has no such reservations, excitedly introducing you as his girlfriend to everyone. It never fails to make you blush, feeling shy, but secretly pleased.
Wherever you go, Chan keeps you close to his side, linking your hands or looping an arm around your shoulders. Throughout the day, he presses kisses to your head or cheek. The first time he does it, you look up at him questioningly. He just shrugs, saying that heâs happy and well, you canât argue with that.
You donât want your vacation to end and you know you're not the only one. You and Chan have both procrastinated packing your luggage until the last possible moment, and when you finally do begin, Berry seems to sense it. She starts hiding all of your things- Chan's family members finding them lodged in one of the couch cushions or in her dog bed- and curling up inside your suitcase, making it practically impossible to continue packing.
When Chan enters your shared room and pauses when he sees you staring into the suitcase helplessly. You wave him over so that he can look inside.
âSheâs too cute! Look at that little face, how could you disturb her?â you ask.
Chan has no such reservations. He reaches in and gently lifts Berry out, cradling her against his chest so that she canât jump back in.
âBerry, do you want to come to Korea with us?â he asks patiently. When she licks at his face in reply, he groans and pretends to lower her back into the suitcase. âAh, I guess we have no choice but to bring you! I think we can sneak you in with the rest of the souvenirs that weâre taking with us.â
Despite Chanâs promises, Berry ends up staying behind, not even joining you on the drive to the airport. Youâre lucky that you decide to leave well before your flight is expected to depart as you end up taking almost half an hour saying goodbye to everybody.
You know that youâre going to treasure these memories for a long time and youâre certain that Chan will too. Itâs amazing that even though you were only in Australia for a couple weeks, it already feels like a second home.
read it on ao3 | masterlist
#hoju (home)#chahnniesroom#skz fanfic#skz fluff#skz fic#skz x reader#stray kids fluff#stray kids fanfic#stray kids x reader#stray kids x y/n#stray kids x you#stray kids x female reader#bang chan x y/n#bang chan x you#bang chan x reader#bang chan fluff#chan x y/n#chan x reader#chan x you#chan fluff#skz imagines#stray kids#chan#bang chan#requests
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Hello!! I was so wondering if you could write Izuku x reader angst? Like they are on a mission and reader gets hurt badly protecting Izuku? Or a pretty heated argument?!
Instead of doing just one or the other I'm doing both and put them togetherđ€Ż
How could you..
Readers quirk is energy based, they can give energy to others and also take energy.
You were on a mission with izuku. It wasn't rare for you two to be paired up with each other but when it came down to hero work the two of you hardly seen each other, you always had to wait until after school or the next day but lately you two just haven't seen much of each other at all.
You were so excited to see him! His messy forest green curls, and those big lucent emerald green puppy dog eyes of his, how could you not be? When you two seen each other you called out to him making him turn to you with a confused face before it instantly lit up. He had a huge smile on that adorable freckled baby face of his.
"y/n!! I've missed you so much!"
"me too, baby!!"
You two hold each other for a while, giggling with your foreheads to one another before Endeavour breaks your two up. You both apologize, glancing at each other trying to hold back your giggles.
Endeavour figured since he already took shoto katsuki and deku on a patrol with him that izuku could take you himself, it was your first time being at Endeavours agency and being on patrol in general so you were really excited to get to do this with tour boyfriend!!
Izuku was just as excited, especially because he knew he could keep you safe. There had already been a petty jewelry thief a couple of blocks away and shoto reported back to izuku that they took care of it so there wasn't any real danger for you to get in! He promised himself he wouldn't let you get in danger.
While you two were walking and talking about whatever came to mind he couldn't help but to just admire you, the way you spoke so passionately about whatever you're talking about. The way you smiled so brightly at him, so blinding. You were truly astounding. Astonishing. There are so many words in this world, yet none of them can even begin to compare how truly perfect you are.
Just as izuku was going to jump into the conversation he was stopped by you. He looked at your horrified face then over to what's in front of you to see shoto on the ground with blood leaking down his face, and katsuki being choked by some muscle filled man.
Obviously it was instinct for the both of you to help. You quickly ran to help aid your two fallen friends who were hurt as izuku went to fight, occasionally glancing at you and your friends to assure you were okay. You helped them up as they both agreed they still wanted to fight.
They both ran to help izuku, he had gotten punched a couple of times causing his nose to break. You ran to him to assure he was okay, he winced as you checked out his nose. You always had some aiding things on your suit for times like these, your quirk wasn't a close range type of thing so you had to learn how to help people from afar.
Izuku smiled as you finished cleaning his wound and placed a fire truck bandaid on it. He rolled his eyes and kissed your forehead before running back off into battle, you had a hard time with your quirk considering it was energy based, if you were tired or not well rested or hungry or just didn't have enough energy your quirk couldn't work.
The man they were fighting was quite strong and definitely not something to take lightly, izuku got roughed up a bit along with your friends but that wasn't going to stop them from fighting. They were all pretty tired and you tried your hardest to aid them with as much energy as you could before your body started tiring out. Izuku sat you down so you could take a breather, a random civilian had called the police who contacted the pro heroes.
No one knew how long it would take for the pros to get there and you were all tired and out of energy, katsuki being the firecracker he is, he wasn't going to stop until his body was spent.
Izuku tried his hardest to get katsuki to reconsider but he just wouldn't, katsuki hadn't seen where the villain had gone so he just stood there panting and out of breath checking his surroundings. Where could the man have possibly gone, he was huge there was no way he could just.. disappear like that. Right?
Deku seen the man appear from behind katsuki and rushed towards him to push katsuki out of the way, you knew something bad would happen if the man caught izuku you just couldn't sit by and let that happen. You pushed shoto away from you, who was trying to help make sure you got rest, and gathered as much energy as you could to rush over to your boyfriend.
It's like time had stopped. Everything was happening before your eyes at such a slow pace, you pushed izuku out of the way and trapped the muscular man in a bubble that used up all of your energy, time had seemed to go back to normal as you collapsed to the ground. Katsuki groaned and instantly got up from being pushed out of the way by izuku. Izuku was confused, what could have possibly happened, he made sure that he pushed katsuki out of the way. So if he was okay and katsuki was okay what happened?
Izuku looked up to his friend to see him looking up at the big strong men moving in slow motion inside of a bubble, it brought a huge smile to izukus face, but then they all seen the bubble starting to crack, izuku instantly realized that was your quirk being in use. He looked down to see you unconscious. Izuku wanted to rush to you before shoto called out to him. The bubble above him popped and the huge man came crashing down, before the man could touch izuku he zoomed past him and grabbed you.
He held you close with tears in his eyes, he was fuming with anger. He let you get hurt even after he told himself he wouldn't, he couldn't believe that you'd gotten hurt.
You woke up in the infirmary, your head throbbing and your body sore. You felt like you couldn't move, you knew it was from the over use of your quirk but even still the only thing on your mind was your boyfriend. You needed to know he was alright. You tried to move but your body cramped horribly, you groaned in pain but tried to push through it. Alas, you couldn't it was too painful to endure, tears threatened to spill from your eyes as you laid back in agony. You wanted your boyfriend and you couldn't have him.
Just as you were about to turn over and lie back down you were scared up by the door opening, you see your boyfriend and the two boys you were on patrol with. Your face lit up as you see your green haired boyfriend walk through the door with a worried face. He rushed to you now that you were awake he could hold you close.
Shoto smiled as katsuki simply groaned and rolled his eyes at the loving display. You heard izuku sniff in the crook of your neck, it broke your heart to hear your love cry like this. He pulled back from the hug and wiped his face with his arm, he couldn't bring himself to even look at you like this, in the state that you were in.
You sat up the best you could, confused why he couldn't bring himself to glance at you. You try to smile at him only for him to inhale and let out a shaky breath before clearing his throat. You could tell he felt guilty, extremely guilty to the point it was so obvious he was beating himself up. He looked dead, tired, hungry. Just completely out of it. You hated when he got into moods like this, he always brang himself down.
"izu--"
"How could you..."
"how.. how could I what, zu..?"
"you- you jumped in front of me. You could've gotten yourself seriously hurt-- you did get seriously hurt. Because of me."
"izuku no it was my choice. I didn't want you getting hurt."
"so what, you got hurt instead? To what.. save me?!"
"yes."
He scoffs and rubs his temples, he couldn't believe you. The fact you'd just willingly admit it and not even try to excuse what you've done. You were hurt because of him. You were stupid and reckless because of him. He couldn't live with himself because of what you've done. You went and got hurt after he promised himself he wouldn't let you.
You sigh heavily, the tension in the room is so thick that a knife couldn't even break it. The two boys behind izuku looked so awkward. Shoto had a hard time understanding most social cues so he just mindlessly blinked and looked between the two of you silently, katsuki was literally drowning in the tension, he cleared his throat only to be interrupted by izuku.
"look. I just.. I love you, and- and you got hurt.. because of me. I can't.. I can't live with myself knowing I'm the reason you got hurt."
He stammered on his words hiding his hand close to his heart, it was beating out of his chest in anger, sadness, and so many more feelings he felt like he could explode.
"izuku. I'm not going to apologize for my actions. I knew the cost and I knew what would come. I was completely in control when I acted."
That only seemed to anger the greenette more, tears falling down his face as he dug his nails into the palms of his hands, sniffling and trying his hardest not to break down right then and there.
"ARE YOU S- SERIOUS?! YOU WERE HURT. BECAUSE OF YOUR SHITTY THINKING."
Izuku spat at you, tears streaming down his face as he sniffled and hiccupped. He tried so hard to hold all of his emotions back but he just couldn't. He was falling apart at the seams because of you. He loved you so much and he felt that he failed to protect you.
"okay.. and what about you, huh? You pushed katsuki out of the way and didn't even think about yourself. You're so busy trying to protect others you never take a minute to think about yourself. It's always hero this and hero that but never what does izuku want. How does izuku feel? So I'm sorry for trying to be a good partner by protecting you. But I will not apologize for protecting you."
Izukus eyes widened at your words. He hadn't even realized that he'd jumped in front of katsuki, he just acted on pure impulse. His eyes were puffy and his cheeks were flushed, he didn't know what to say or even how to react after that. He was just stunned. Katsuki and shoto took it upon themselves to see themselves out.
You were fighting back tears for numerous reasons, but the only one that kept getting louder and louder inside of your head was the one saying izuku was going to break up with you. You felt that it would come. You were afraid, but you were also angry. How could he break up with you for you protecting him after he almost carelessly lost his life? The one thing you seem to be asking yourself.
He looked down towards the ground and tried his hardest to wipe his face with his hands. His face was covered by his hair, you wanted oh so desperately to kiss his tears away. You were just afraid that he didn't want you anymore.
"I'm.. I'm so sorry.."
Izukus voice was low and hoarse, he was shaking and tears were still spilling from his eyes. He was just so emotional that he could see himself stopping anytime soon. You didn't exactly hear his words but guessed along the lines that he was apologizing, you felt so guilty that he even felt the need to apologize.
"come here, izuku."
You say bluntly with your arms held out reaching for him, within an instant he rushed over to you, collapsing in your arms tears rushing down his face even more. You simply chuckled and held him close, kissing his head and burying your nose in his hair. His tears got all over your hospital gown, dampening it with the salty liquid.
This was your first argument like this, but you were positive it wasn't going to be your last.
AN: it's currently 11:26 I was so scared I wasn't gonna get this done on time y'all, I don't plan on missing a single day chatđđœđđœ
#cvnts-post#mha#mha x reader#boku no hero academia#deku x reader#izuku x reader#cvnts-reqs#mha izuku#midoriya izuku#izuku midoriya#midoriya x reader#izuku midoriya x reader#mha midoriya#deku x reader angst#midoriya x reader angst#izuku x reader angst#mha angst#izuku midoriya x reader angst#midoriya izuku x reader angst#midoriya izuku x reader
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mint
pairing: mike schmidt x blackfem!reader summary: youâre abbyâs mint chocolate-loving babysitter. mike takes notice. wc: 1.3k tags: suggestiveness, swearing, fluff. *minor movie spoiler that isnât a spoiler fr but kind of is* a/n: oi. this is my first official piece of fanfic on tumblr and i'm excited but also super nervous. i never knew what characters i wanted to write for as most of my fandoms are obsolete tbh (teen wolf and maze runner, i'm looking at you đ) but after watching the fnaf movie and falling in love with j hutch like i'm 14 again, i wanted to try to write for mike! i'm sorry if this story sucks tbh. i wrote it pretty quickly, did not edit it in any way (watch for grammar and spelling errors!) and i'm still trying to establish characters and plot and do all this silly billy worldbuilding, but i'll get better! i'm also taking requests for both fluff and smut, so if y'all would like to send anything for me to write, i'll def accept! like i said in my last post, i think i'm gonna redo my tumblr layout so i can feel like a true fanfic/misc blog lmao so ignore its under construction phase ((: i hope y'all enjoy this though bc i've been thinking ab mike schmidt all nightÂ
i have sooo many ideas, but between last night and this morning, iâve been thinking of abbyâs babysitter!reader (bc fuck max).Â
youâve been channel surfing in the living room since you put abby down, working with her to lock down a nightly routine. ideally, sheâd bathe, eat dinner (god willingly), brush her teeth, and then youâd be able to get her to lay in bed and doze off. some nights, this required dessert.Â
âyou just brushed your teeth though. itâs gonna taste gross.â
ânot if itâs one of those mint chocolate things you always have.â you straighten up, eyes squinted at the child before you; she meant the small, sometimes melted, squares of Andes mint chocolate you always kept. theyâd always been your favorite, a guilty pleasure in this fucked up world.Â
you hadnât been babysitting abby for long, and you didnât realize that she'd been watching you crush the chocolates like it was light work. they were easy to eat, and once you had one, you found out how easy it was to eat another one, and then another one, and then another one until there was a mountain of crinkled foil next to your phone and chocolate smeared on your face.Â
"please, y/n. just one," you didn't exactly know if it was a lie. abby was convincing, able to break you down with her eyes, pleading and puppy-dog like. "please."Â
you cave, leaning down to brush her hair back from her forehead and place a gentle kiss on the skin. with pursed lips, you whisper, "fine, but tomorrow night. i have to get some more."Â
abby does nothing but smile, eyes fluttering closed. you stay with her for a bit like you always do--watching the way her chest rises and falls, and how her features twitched with slumber. features scarily similar to mike's.Â
of course she'd look like mike. they were siblings, no shit, but the resemblance occupied your brain. there was sweet abby, with her colorful clothes and scribbled drawings and persuasive aura, and then there was mike.Â
you shake your head, giving abby another kiss before exiting her room. you didn't need to think about mike. he wasn't what you were here for. you'd come to abby's school as an aide and after she'd privately confided in you about her home life, you knew you had to help her. you would do anything for her, even if that meant taking care of her while suppressing the overwhelming school girl crush you had on her older brother.
mike was a bit older than you, which didn't scare you at all. guys in their early 20s were rarely mature, doing anything they could just to fuck; but guys in their late 20s, mike specifically, had only ever shown you couth, surprisingly.Â
for nearly two months, five mornings a week, the sound of the door being unlocked would ring out. you'd turn to see sunshine pouring into the living room, enveloping mike's brooding figure in a radiant golden glow.
he'd hang his coat on the wall hooks, drop his bag down to his feet, and give you a small but warm smile. you'd try to not to embarrass yourself as you two made small talk, packing up your things.
you always left unscathed, but recently it'd been hard. you were always thinking about him, dreaming about him even; how his hair would feel between your fingers, how his hands would feel on your face, how his face would feel between your thighs.Â
the thought is washed away, drowned out by the sound effects of a loud infomercial when the door opens, and you're turning and squinting against the wash of pale yellow on your face. mike steps forward with a, "hey, y/n" and you meekly raise your hand to wave.Â
he hangs his hoodie up to reveal his shoulder blades flexing under an uncharacteristically tight navy blue sweater. you can't help but stare.
"just wake up?" his voice is raspy, but he's still facing the wall, rummaging in his bag for something.Â
"um...yeah. brain's still turning on," you lie, tossing the thick blue blanket off your body. you didn't sleep at all, kept up with your thoughts and the last of your Andes mints (though you loved her, you couldn't give abby your last ones).
"hm," he mutters, finally turning to you but keeping his hands behind his back. something crinkles in them and you raise your eyebrow at the tired yet amused expression he takes with you. it's enough to make your body hot and you awkwardly pull at the collar of your shirt, fanning yourself off.
"hot?" the gravelly tone sends you into a giggling fit, shaking your head as you shoot to your feet. you have to leave before you do or say something you regret.Â
"uh, yeah, it was s-super hot under that...um...blanket. i shouldn't have worn sweatpants to s-sleep," you stutter, nodding your head along with mike as he steps closer to you. this couldn't be the moment something happens, right? it'd been so casual between you too, very friendly, and he'd never shown any signs of trying to do anything with you before. why would he choose right now, so spontaneously?Â
he stands before you, the slightest bit taller than you. you're able to see every pore, every freckle, every microscopic detail in his eyes and lips.
you open your mouth, hoping your heart doesn't fall out, to ask what's happening, when he reveals a bag of Andes mints, one bigger than you've ever seen.
your mouth stays open in surprise. "wh-"
"abby's been talking about them. i wondered where she found out about them but--" he nudges his head towards the coffee table, where a small mound of green wrappers lay. you swear under your breath, cursing yourself for not throwing them away like you usually do.Â
"i'm sorry," you whisper, blushing beyond measure as you begin to frantically pack your things. "i should be more careful with that stuff."
"god, y/n, you're saying it like it's coke," mike chuckles. he sets the bag down on the couch and reaches out to you, placing his hand on yours as you shove things into your tote. "hey."Â
his voice forces you to stop and look up. you melt under his stare just like you do with abby. the puppy-dog thing must run in the family.
"i feel bad about not being able to pay you yet, and i really appreciate all you're doing. abby told me that you loved those mints, so..."
"thank you, mike," you say over the sound of your pounding heart. you didn't care about the money, you didn't need it. being appreciated by someone who made your heartbeat resonate throughout your body was payment enough. "this is really sweet."Â
"thank you, y/n. you don't know how much this means to me." You scoff, throwing your tote over your shoulder and looking down at your feet.Â
"i'm always happy to help." you and mike stand facing each other for what feels like hours, the air as thick as molasses between you. his eyes were squinted, low and dark and intriguing.
you wished you could read his mind. what was he thinking? did his heart do the same thing as yours, wacking against his ribcage with no end in sight? did he stay up thinking about you when he was supposed to be sleeping, imagining how you felt, what you sounded like, how you tasted---
"see you later tonight?" his voice rocks you out of your trance. he's not thinking about you. he's tired, wondering when you'll leave so he can fall into his bed and doze off.Â
"yeah. tell abby i said i'll see her tonight." your smile is tight as you exit the house, cursing at yourself as you get into your car.Â
you didn't know how long you could go on like this.Â
ya, i know this sucks and it isn't really anything but we're gonna work our way through these fics and blurbs to really develop a cute relationship (,: i will still be writing other fics for mike, and possibly using another babysitter!reader in a different universe, but as for now, we're gonna be rocking with these two (: (thinking that weâll label her as đ±đ«!reader) all notes are appreciated (: thanks for reading!
#mike schmidt x reader#mike schmidt#fnaf#fnaf movie#mike schmidt fluff#faire is writing stuff#fnaf fic
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Dance With Me Under the Diamonds, See Me Like Breath in the Cold - Astarion x F!Reader
I've been waiting to write this for some time. I'm absolutely thrilled with it and I hope you think it's beautiful.
Reader and Astarion have come a long way since that meeting on the beach. They've made it all the way to their wedding.
âWhere in the hells is Gale?â Astarion fusses while fidgeting with the brocade crimson overcoat heâs wearing. âThat man is always late.â
âHeâll be here Love,â you give him a small kiss on his cheek and take his hand, trying your best to keep things calm. "He's not even actually late yet."
âStill havenât found patience to be a virtue I see,â Shadowheart strolls over to the two of you where you wait under an arbor of night-blooming jasmine, her arm hooked in Laeâzelâs.
âWould you expect any different,â Laeâzel adds a wide smile to her words, an attempt to make it clear sheâs joking. The Githyanki has certainly seen her share of change since you met her, really hadnât you all though?
âWhile Iâm glad you two have finally developed a sense of humor, Iâd rather not be the subject of it.â You can feel his agitation rising and itâs your turn to silently plead with the universe for Gale to hurry up.
âPerhaps heâs nervous,â Laeâzel turns to her partner, pretending Astarion isnât right there fuming.
âI am not!â Before he gets any more worked up, they both pull the pair of you into a sudden embrace, leaving Astarion stuttering and you trying not to giggle at his expense.
âCongratulations you two, weâll go mingle and pray for Galeâs safety if heâs any later,â The two of them join arms again and make their way back over to the crowd greeting an enthusiastic Mol and her gang of children thatâs expanded beyond just the original tieflings. Theyâre becoming quite the criminal enterprise. There are so many people here, lives youâve both touched. Originally youâd planned to just stay at your little house for the event, but when more requests to attend kept coming, you had to choose somewhere else. Duke Ravenguard had graciously offered you private use of Bloomridge Park.
âYou are nervous, arenât you,â you whisper mischievously and watch him try to hide it.
âOf course not, I managed to convince you to come this far, now itâs all formality,â your heart skips a beat when he smiles, the tips of fangs peeking out from under his lip. Smiles like that were all too rare when you first met him.
âI donât recall needing much convincing.â Truthfully, you donât remember what had brought the subject up, but Astarion had reminded you that it wasnât a point, legally speaking, as neither of you technically existed.
âIt doesnât have to be in an official record anywhere, itâs just a promise we would make to one another. And we do know the perfect Cleric for a nighttime ceremony.â The way heâd just stood there for a moment you thought you'd said something wrong. Perhaps it was bringing up a Cleric and making it a sworn oath, he didnât exactly have any love for religion. But then he was dropping to his knees, taking your hands in his, and begging you to be his wife. It was appropriately dramatic for him. And now, here you were, gathered with friends and found family, waiting on a late wizard.
âBrother!â Beside you, Astarion braces and a pale figure collides with him, embracing him tightly
âHello Dal,â he gingerly returns her hug, as you notice Aurelia remaining a respectful distance behind them. âItâs good to see the both of you too,â he nods in Aureliaâs direction. His relationship with his âsiblingsâ is complicated, but the horror they shared bonds them, and some of them have tried to make a family out of what is left to them. Dalyria seems to be the most persistent, she even had the two of you come visit their home in the Underdark.
âIâm so happy for you Astarion,â she finally releases him but leaves a hand on his arm fondly. âYouâll have to come visit again. Iâll even make Petras promise to behave.â
Thereâs turmoil in him only you can see, he would love to forget about anything that reminds him of Cazador, but the sisterly love Dal tries to give him is something heâs missed in his life. âAt least it will be safer for him that way.â
âStop,â she smiles and gives him a peck on the cheek. âWeâll talk more later.â As she walks away, Aurelia gives a stiff wave.
âHis time is up, he's de-â A flash of light interrupts and when it fades two figures are standing amongst the crowd, a wizard you know well and one you briefly met.
âSorry for the wait,â Gale begins awkwardly, trying to ignore Astarionâs considerable glare, âwe were occupied in a bit of an undertakingâŠâ
âBut I am sure you will find the reasons most acceptable,â Elminster takes over, giving your floundering friend a reprieve.
Another flash of light as two more figures appear and you can't believe your eyes. Your heart leaps and you shout inadvertently. "Karlach! Wyll!" Without a second thought, you launch yourself at both of them, Astarion following along more reservedly.
"Steady on there, Soldier," Karlach pulls you into a smothering hug.
"How," you ask, smoothing the cream lace of your dress as she lets you go, still stunned she's outside Avernus without exploding.
"Wizards," Wyll smiles, glancing at Gale and Elminster. "We had to find a way back, there's no way we'd miss this."
"It won't hold forever, but we think we've got a way I can come back for visits. Until we get something permanent. Good news is Zariel's seemed distracted by something lately."
"I suppose overall this is an appropriate excuse for being late," Astarion finally relents.
"Aww, come on Fangs, don't be sour, it's your wedding." Karlach has a wicked gleam in her eye.
"Do not," but it's too late, the tiefling picks him up in a crushing hug. "I missed you too Karlach."
Tears suddenly start to form in your eyes, seeing them all together again, it was something you feared might never be. Wyll gives Asatrion a less brutal greeting and you turn to Elminster. "Thank you. You will stay right," it's the least you can do.
"Gale has assured me there are to be many culinary delights after, and of course, I've never seen a vampire spawn get married. So I believe I shall."
"Ah. I see Father made it," Wyll waves to Duke Ravengaurd who had been waiting a respectful distance away. "Best go see him, we'll catch up more after."
"You both better save a dance for me," Karlach calls over her shoulder, taking his arm, and kissing his temple.
"Tell me you have them," Astarion has fixed his attention back on Gale, and you rush to his side before he can begin another tirade.
"Worried I would eat them?" Gale has recovered himself from Astarionâs initial onslaught and is smiling brightly.
"Yes," your beloved is still in no mood for jokes.
"Honestly Astarion," you give him a look.
"Ugh, fine, I'll calm down. Once he hands them over." You're lost as to what Gale has that's so important considering the occasion.
"Never change my friend," he laughs and pulls a small box from a pocket on his robes and opens it gently. Inside there are two gold rings with small red stones set in them, you can feel the hum of magic in them.
âSending Stones?â You glance at Astarion as he takes the box from Gale.
For a moment he seems almost shy about it. âI thought it would be nice if we were always able to speak to each other, no matter what. I know itâs not feasible to never be separated.â The two of you had spent almost every moment of the last couple of years in each otherâs presence, but as Astarion continued to heal, he seemed more comfortable with time spent apart.
âYouâre adorable, you know that,â your lips brush the tip of his nose, the gift is an incredibly sweet sentiment, and youâre so proud of how far heâs come.
Under the right circumstances, vampires actually can blush. âI..â he starts, sounding like heâs going to grouse about something, probably being called adorable in front of everyone, but stops. âI donât know if Iâll ever understand why you think that my Love, after everything Iâve done.â
You reach up to brush his cheek and run a finger through his curls. âThat wasnât who you really are.â
âI take it, we're ready.â Isobel joins you under the arbor, eyes already fixed on the moon above, and you both nod in response. âThen let us begin,â her voice carries to the crowd and silence falls. âWe come here, under Our Ladyâs Light, to bless this couple and sanctify their bond.â
You honestly donât remember many of Isobelâs words after that as Astarion takes your hand and you get lost in his soft, crimson eyes. Maybe itâs a bit terrible of you to ask Seluneâs blessing and then not pay attention, but you think she can understand. âThe rings,â Isobel prompts and Astarion retrieves them from his pocket, opening them so the Cleric can bless them. âMay the Moonmaidenâs light ever guide your hearts toward each other.â A nearly imperceptible mote of silver light seems to land on them and lends the jewels in them an unearthly glow.
Astarion tenderly picks one up as you proffer your finger. Isobel had agreed to let you both speak your own vows, as long as they didnât directly offend any of Seluneâs teachings. Youâd reassured Astarion every step of the way that you didnât need it to be a sworn oath in front of clergy, but heâd oddly insisted, saying he wanted to swear himself to you to the fullest. âAs long as itâs Isobel though, sheâs the only trustworthy one.â Shadowheart was still figuring out how much religion she wanted in her life, though it seemed Selune was patient as she continued to have a Cleric's gifts.
The ring slips on your finger perfectly and your heart stutters, your vision getting watery again. You do the same for him in turn and you both entwine your hands, speaking in unison. âUnto thee, I vow, mine heart and home, mine life and love, for now, and all seasons. Let me never from thy side be parted, and unto thee, no evil do. Until, at last, my life shall leave me, this my beloved, is my pledge to you. So I do swear.â
âAnd so sworn before our Lady, I do pronounce thee wed.â The crowd behind you applauds, and you can barely see Astarion through the tears.
Laeâzel and Karlach are shouting raucously, âKiss! Kiss!â
You start to lean forward and notice his eyes are just as wet as yours. âHells, why did I agree to do this in public,â he laughs, dabbing his cheeks with the cuff of his sleeve.
âYou couldnât miss being the center of attention,â your laugh is lost in a happy sob. âDamn it, kiss me before I pass out or something.â
Softly, he pulls you in, lips finding yours. The chaste peck turns deeper, giving the crowd what they want judging by the noise. But then something unexpected happens, thereâs the tinkle of mischievous laughter, as though a woman stands near to you. A voice thatâs both honey-sweet but radiating power whispers in your ear, âcongratulations my dear child,â and you feel a surge of fae-touched magic, reminding you of that day you took a different oath.
The kiss breaks and Astarion is staring at you, surprise clearing away his tears. âI know you.â
Everything goes numb in the rush of terror that follows, heâd learned some of who you were before the Nautiloid, but there was much still to tell. âAstarion Iâm so-â
A slender finger is pressed to your lips. âHush Love, tomorrow. And it changes nothing, I still love you with all my unbeating heart. Now letâs indulge everyone since they came all this way to celebrate us.â
The night is full of feasting, drinking, song, and dancing. The two of you mingle with old friends and those whom you met only briefly, the scents of a delectable feast wafting through the air. When the music starts, you share a waltz under the night sky, Astarion holding you close and whispering in your ear, âlove you Sunlight.â
True to her word, Karlach insists on a dance with both of you, surprising you with her talent for it. âIâve been teaching her,â Wyll looks over at her and Astarion lovingly from where heâs dancing with you. âOnce you find a safe place to rest, Avernus can be a bit boring.â
You stumble across Laeâzel, angrily giving gold to Mol and her crew. âShe lost a bet,â Mol says proudly.
âOh really, and what sort of scam bet did you get her to agree to, my favorite tiny criminalâ Astarion asks fondly. Mol comes to visit you sometimes and youâve decided youâd rather not know what heâs been teaching her.
âShe thought you might light on fire as soon as it got religious,â Mol laughs and scampers off.
Astarion pinches the bridge of his nose. âYouâve seen me in temples before.â
âChk, but never swearing an oath.â
âShe has a point,â you nudge him playfully.
âOh you are going to pay for that later,â he leans in to nip at your neck, causing you to shiver.
Dawn nears much too soon and you can see some of his happiness evaporating. There still was no solution youâd found to let him live in the light. âWe should go,â you whisper in his ear, âwhatâs a wedding without the wedding bed?â Ever so lightly, you let your tongue brush against his ear, a spot of divine torment for him youâve found, and listen as he gasps softly.
âIndeed my Love,â his mood revives and the two of you make your good-byes, your friends having promised to clean up the aftermath of the night. A young woman you think you recognize passes you an open bottle of wine on the way out of the park, âa gift from summerâs best,â she says and it fills you with a strange sensation for a moment before Astarionâs mouth is on yours again.
Your house isnât far from Bloomridge and the two of you stroll the streets in a blissful, dreamy state, wrapped in each otherâs arms, sharing drinks from the wine that tastes of sweet berries and summer rains. Lights dance in the morning mists and everything feels transcendtly perfect as you ascend the steps to your home. Astarion pins against your front door, kissing you hungrily and letting his hands wander your body. âMy wife,â he breathes against your skin as his lips travel down your neck.
Heat sparks inside you, ravenous for him. âMy husband,â you sigh, lost in your love for him.
#astarion x tav#Astarion#astarion x reader#astarion x f!reader#astarion x f!tav#bg3#baldurs gate 3#baldurs gate 3 fanfiction#my fanfic#my writing#x reader
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gone to the dogs {chapter 3}
Pairing: Boston QZ! Joel Miller x F! Reader ; Implied Boston QZ! Joel Miller x Tess Servopoulos
Summary: A person from your past makes you feel the changes that transformed you into what you are today. A meal shared feels like another change is coming.
Word Count: 4.9k
Warnings: canon typical violence, canon typical language, canon typical gore, outbreak fic, age gap (only by about ten years), dark fic, dark joel miller, mean joel miller, joel miller is uptight, degrading language, sexual language, heated interactions, adult language, fighting, argumentative language, mutual disdain, sexual content, implication of sex work, unprotected piv (mentioned), sexual acts, reader is snarky, reader meets joel toe-to-toe with insults and it's amazing both reader and joel pov, lemme know if there are any i missed!
A/N: this honestly came out of nowhere. i haven't been writing lately beyond jotting down scene notes and vague ideas,so i've taken a step back from forming actual chapters for the many wips i have at the moment. but this was a good thing to get down amid all the stress of preparing to move for the second time in three months
ao3 link || series masterlist || joel miller masterlist || ko-fi
You step back a few paces, instincts reminding you of the last time you saw the man. He looked older, older than he should if only seven years went by. But the stresses of the world made each one seem like a lifetime.
But upon closer inspection, as you realize that maybe he looksâŠactually in better shape than when you had seen him last. But not being covered in dirt and grime was an easy difference. No, though, he looked healthy. Far better off than your rumpled and stark appearance.
He says your real name and you feel something soften deep inside. You hadnât heard your actual name sinceâŠno, you cut the thought off, not wanting to think anymore about anything to do with the day you lost your brother. You feel the watching eyes of Joel and Tess as the meeting with strangers turns into anything but. Your connection with one of the men seemingly the last of the outcomes they had anticipated.
âCane.â You correct him. âMy name is- itâs Cane.â
âI can call you that, if you prefer. Iâm just so glad youâre okay. When that raider dragged you off, I thought-â
âI got away.â You cut him off, not wanting to reveal the way you had ended up being a resident of the Boston Quarantine Zone. It wasnât important, it was personal, and it was no oneâs business but your own now, how it had come to be the reality of your life. It hadnât been the first blood you spilled but it had certainly been the beginning of the path you walked and paced and snarled your way around today. He must sense your snub, the way you donât want to dwell on the past. He nods once, eyes glinting as he takes in the two figures behind you. His eyes focus on Tess, a nod to her in greeting as he connects a face to the voice he had been conversing with for a few weeks now.
Frank turns to Bill, his counterpart on the other side of the fence. Allowing you to let out a huff of breath in relief at the passed moment. Or so you thought, Joelâs eyes were heavy on you. Far too weighted and far too vigilant as he no doubt picks up more than the exchange had been.
âLetâs, Bill, letâs get them inside. Get Cane into the shower, you look a little rough around the edges. You didnât run into any trouble did you?â
The feeling of water cascading hot from the shower head and down your aching body was something you thought youâd never get to experience again. It was such a rare occurrence to get even lukewarm water in the zone, the water pressure weak.
A soft knock sounded through the hush of water, followed by Frank asking if you were comfortable with him coming into the bathroom. You call out a muffled affirmative, body beginning to ache from the way you had trudged through the night to get to the cordoned off city, especially after the way large hands had roughly pushed and pulled at you atop Joelâs shared bed.
âI justâŠwanted a second alone with you.â The man broke the heavy silence as he settled on a small bench in the room, opposite the vanity. He was worried, you could sense that much.
âThatâs okay, itâs your house and I donât mind.â
ââŠit could be your house tooâŠ.if you wanted.â
On the other side of the door, Joel tries to keep his breathing light as he listens in on the conversation. A feeling of protectiveness hard to squash as he saw the other man slink off in search of you. There was something between you two, a shared past. A worry the other man felt entitled to have over you, the utterance of a name foreign to him but meant something to you. Joel wasnât sure what to think, the way Tess had described him had been all positive and hopeful, a potential trading partner for things they couldnât find in the rubble of the city remains or within the walls of the zone.
A connection to you was the last thing he had expected out of this trip. And he was on high alert for any issues that might bring to light. He keeps his eyes trained on the end of the upstairs hall, instincts telling him that Bill knows he hadnât really been in search of a restroom for himself. Another dog with something to protect, with something to defend and fight for. The two men far more alike than they would want to admit and they had only just met. Your voice is quiet, something he had only ever experienced when he walked in on you and Tess alone. So used to you projecting it, to speaking loudly to ensure people heard you and understood the intent behind them.
The vulnerability with a man you obviously knew isnât lost on him.
âDonât think Bill would like that.â Cutting under his offer, you want him to realize that it would never work, his life is set up here due to the other man. Even if you were to be minimally evasive and keep to yourself, it was a life you werenât sure you deserved let alone were worthy of being offered. It would be a disturbance to their way of life, from the gardens they tended to the house they obviously shared as their own.
âYeah, but even so. We could convince him, if thatâs something youâd be interested in. I donâtâŠI donât like the thought of you all alone in the zone, fighting everyday for things you deserve to haveâŠâ
âI found my brother, Iâll be fine, I promise.â
âDidâŠI justâŠIâm sorry to ask but are you- okay after-â
âYes.â
âItâs okay if youâre not, you know. That kind of thing, that violence changes people.â
âI amâŠokay, for the most part. Change or no change.â
âYou donâtâŠI just want you to know you have a place here. If youâreâŠresorting to certain things.â His words are hesitant, but firm. He knows you, had known you through your college years. He had been an artist of local renown, in Baltimore. Where you had moved to go to college and stayed after you graduated. You worked with him in his own studio, helped him to organize classes for those interested in the arts and helped to manage his small gallery. But that was a lifetime ago, a paintbrush traded for the butt of a gun in your palm. A flash of teeth in a gummy smile you had offered too easily exchanged for the snarling of teeth as you bared them for anyone who threatened you.
It was a lifetime ago, the turn of your age into the next decade of your life bringing endless and adaptive change. If it was for the better you werenât sure, but your survival was dependent on it and thatâs all that mattered.
Joel feels a tightness in his chest, the inference of the manâs words of violence that had been acted out on a younger version of yourself not settling well, violence that ripped you from the one person who you had been with at the end of the world. The weight of the realization like rocks in his stomach, churning around in his middle. More weight is added as he hears the admittance of youâre the activities he had caught you in the act of doing to earn ration cards, of the activities he had been all too willing to indulge in with you just the night before.
âI donât like doing it, but itâs kind of a âuse what ya gotâ kinda world now.â
âCaneâŠâ
âItâs fine, Iâm notâŠIâm not bothered by it.â
âHoney, of course you are. Anybody would be. We used to- we used to spend our days painting and setting up gallery shows and that- thatâs gone from the world now. There is no more art, there is no more humanity, there is only-â
âIâm not anybody.â You feel your lips part in a show of teeth, hissing the words out as anger flares and memories of a time passed cross your mind. You were so naĂŻve, to think the world would allow you to be who you wanted. For anyone to be who they wanted, but now it molds you into something inhumane, weather you find yourself infected or not. âIâm a survivor and I have power in the zone, with or without those I traveled with here today.â
âOkayâŠ.Iâll let you finish washing up and Iâll get you a change of clothes, that sound alright?â
ââŠ.thank you, Frankie.â
âOf course, anything for you. Always.â
Thoughts of a younger you set in front of a large canvas atop an easel flashes before Joelâs eyes as he quietly descends the stairs. A paintbrush replacing the commonality of a gun in your grip, light in your eyes instead of a dark threat. It was an uncomfortable one, to find out just how much you had been altered. He knew the pain of being transformed beyond recognition and he hated for the knowledge of your past as it burrowed into his brain and refused to leave.
A table is set up outside, Frank insisting on enjoying the gentle breeze that graced the day. A lace trimmed white tablecloth atop it for dishes and wine glasses and cloth napkins to be set atop. A meal to try and tide the churning waters of an agreement, the combining of two factions. Everyone is seated at one of the four sides of the small table, an extra chair beside Frank for you two to share one.
Billâs back is to the house, to allow him a full view of the street and surrounding area within the gate of his land. Joel is opposite him and to your right, Tess is across from you. Itâs all so close an imitation of family dinners you used to have before you left to embark on your own life. Though the people surrounding you couldnât be any different.
The four of them had fallen silent at your appearance once you came down the steps. Hands itching to run over and smooth down the flowing fabric of the dress Frank had gifted you to change into. A white, floral-patterned fabric you wouldâve once fawned over. But now it feels like some sick, twisted joke even if you knew the man hadnât intended for it to be taken that way. He had been working off memories of your preferences, not knowing who you were now.
Tessâs lips had lifted at the corners, though she hid it well at the way your eyes had cut through her when you heard the small chuckle she had tamped down on. Joelâs eyes had roved over you, an expression unreadable and far too harsh in the daylight back outside. Frank had been elated, praising how well it fit you and he was so glad it was the right size, that the pattern looked lovely and you cleaned up nicely. Bill had nodded along, most likely warned by his partner to be nice to you, though he hadnât looked to thrilled that you had been left alone inside his home. He seemed so much like Joel, though there was no worry for him to reach out and grab you by the throat.
âWell, this really is just- it- itâs amazing.â You keep your eyes downcast at your place setting, the way Tess stumbled over her words unfamiliar. She was trying so hard to keep her own tendency to come off as threatening out of her demeanor and you wondered if it was closer to the that of the woman she had once been. Shirking herself back into that mindset in order to appeal to the men whose trade you admittedly, desperately needed.
The city is getting more dangerous to scavenge as time continues on. Supplies and even everyday items so scarce it doesnât justify the risk of sneaking out of the zone much. You worry for the future, as things only seem to be getting more dire. As the hangings increase, as the Fireflies gain traction and power among the unrest.
âRight?â Frank smiles so openly and brightly at her across from you, reaching for the bottle of wine in the middle of the table. He reaches over to fill the half-empty crystal glass before her, the scent of it strong as it catches in the wind. You take the final sip of your own glass, catching Joelâs gaze out of the corner of your eye. You feel more than see the way his eyes trace the stain of the dark wine on your lips, how it dampens them as it clings to the plush of your bottom lip. How he shifts in his seat as you swipe your tongue over it to collect the errant drops.
âMhm.â
âCan you not, please?â Joelâs eyes shift to the gun gripped tightly in Billâs hand atop the table. Frankâs as well, an exasperated edge in his voice. The roll of his eyes he tries to fight making warmth flare in your chest for being able to recall it so clearly and aimed at you in the past. Heâs much the same man he was when you knew him, but almostâŠhappier now despite the fall of the world. Heâs found his person and that does change people, you can see it in his boosted confidence and comfortability. Heâs protected here, until he wishes not to be.
âIâm the same way.â Joel offers, to bridge the gap and mind the tension in the air.
âOh, youâre a paranoid schizophrenic too?â Frank chuckles, shoulder bumping yours but you donât join him in the banter. You feel wildly out of place, aside from having to share an edge of the table. It had been so long since you sat down at a clean table, a dressed table laden down with crystal glasses and fine ceramic. A meal made from scratch, hot and actually tasting like food.
âIâm not schizophrenic.â
âSure.â Frank moves to fill your glass at the nod of your head, he knows you favored red once upon a time, the perfect paring for the meal Bill had been kind enough to offer you all.
Tess clears her throat and it strikes something in you. Sheâs acting more like she does when sheâs alone with you, letting the glimpse of who she is shine amongst the pair. Itâs easy to see now why Joel is by her side, sheâs much better spoken than you. Sheâs good at knowing what to do and when. But then again she does have a decade on you much like he does. More experience in a world that had been whole and allowed for different skills.
âWell, can I just say, uh, gun aside, which I get, by the way.â A nod to Bill, to let him know heâs seen and understood. âHow nice this is to have a civilized meal in such a, a beautiful place. Itâs been so long.â
The unspoken but very loud âcanât get these two to stay in the same room long enough to even eat rations without an argument breaking outâ sentiment hits you like a brick wall. She knows, is the first thought you have, and it freezes the blood in your veins. She knows what you and Joel did but she hadnât voiced it or confronted you about it. Perhaps she confronted him or had just known the second she walked into the apartment last night but either way, you know you have to be honest when she approaches you.
âI just wanna say, uh, thank you. Even if we donât end up working together. Which I wouldnât fault you, these two tend to rub some people the wrong way. I really needed this.â
âWe are working together.â Frank raises his own glass to mirror hers, his other hand reaching for yours atop the table to shake it gently and reassuringly. âWe are. Even if Cane hadnât turned out to be the third party of your group. Though it was such a pleasant surprise.â
They clink their glasses together, urging you to do so as well. Your glass now full for a second time as well.
âYou know what? Letâs go inside. Tess, I wanna show you something.â
âActually I have beenâŠwaiting to see inside.â
âNo. Not inside.â Bill tries to reign them in but neither are paying much attention to the table anymore, already getting up from their seats, full wine glasses in hand.
âDarling, do you want to join us?â Frank offers, reaching for your hand to help you up. But you shake your head, not wanting to go back inside so soon.
âOh, um, no thank you. The fresh air isâŠâ
âOf course,â He slides a hand over your shoulder, comforting and grounding.
Bill calls out his name once, then again with more force as they begin to walk away from the table, leaving the controlled setting. Both parties are laughing as they disappear inside the house with their wine glasses. He huffs as he looks from you to Joel, not having anticipated this course of events.
âI understand.â Joel speaks up across from him. Heâs chewing a bite he had just taken, a second helping taken when offered still on his plate. He doesnât even look in your direction, his attention solely on the other man at the table. âIf my, uhâŠif mineâŠbrought strangers into our situation, I wouldnât be happy either.â
âThought this one was yours.â Bill tips his head in your direction, genuine curiosity thinly veiled in his tone.
âNo. This one is on her own.â His voice hardens, giving away his distaste for the insinuation.
âIâm no ones, certainly not his.â You feel the need to speak up, not willing to let them both talk about you as if you werenât right there. It was not only insulting, but to insinuate that you could be anybodyâs was more than aggravating. Joel ignores you, but Billâs eyes meet yours briefly, gauging you silently.
âBut of all the people he couldâve found on the radio, weâre actually decent people just tryinâ to get by.â
âOh, well arenât I the lucky one.â Bill scoffs, eyes trained back on Joel and remaining.
âThereâs stuff we have in the zone that you donât have here. Books, medicine, machine parts. We can help each other and get that gun outta my face.â Thereâs a hint of the man he is in the zone as his voice pitches low, a threat that he would act on in a heartbeat with the slightest inclination. Bill heeds the threat, knowing he would meet it head on. Both aware of the fragility of the situation, both aware of their people inside the house alone with each other and getting along. Bill concedes and the gun is locked before placed back in its holster.
âSo, what, you were aâŠprepper or somethinâ?â
ââSurvivalistâ.â Bill doesnât continue eating, like Joel does. Ever the picture of controlled ease as he chews bite after bite on his plate. But the language of his body is obvious to you, heâs primed and ready to lunge, ready to fight, to kill. Something you had washed off in the shower with the appearance of someone you once thought long dead. âMaybe you are decent people, Frank vehemently vouches for her. But maybe you arenât and maybe sheâs changed. Doesnât matter. Weâre self-sufficient here. I donât need you or your friend, or her complicating our lives. Is that clear?â
Even if you arenât focused on one of them for more than a moment, eyes flitting between them evenly, you see the way Joel glances at the perimeter fence. Seeing something you donât or canât, had seen since first approaching it, keeping it to himself and only revealing it with his next words.
âThat fence has got a year on it, tops. The galvanized wire already started to corrode. I can get you ten spools of high-tensile aluminum. Last you the rest of your life.â He seems to think better of his words and with another swallow of chewed food, remedies it. âLives.â
The realization that Joel could be polite, he could be cordial, and he could assert himself in a nonviolent way to appeal to someone and get what he wants without shedding blood, breaking bones, or slinging harsh words is a hard realization. All youâve known from him is backhanded comments about your skills, about your willingness to let them into the world you had helped shape in the zone. Someone who had come in with the intention of asserting his dominance over those already in charge had faltered only when you showed your own teeth. And he never let you forget the way you had showed your belly to allow them to be a part of it, no matter how mutually beneficial the situation was.
He saw you as weak and itâs glaringly apparent in the way that he tries to appeal to the man across from him now. A man who has things Joel has set his sights on, wants to get his hands on. But itâs much more than them both being men, itâs much more than them both being so similar in nature. Itâs about the respect they have for each other, itâs as plain as day. The commonality of a kinder and gentler handler of a partner at their sides. Someone to protect that have bonded with each other.
It further proves how alone you truly are. The wine sours in your stomach, the food spoils and you excuse yourself from the table. Billâs hand is back over the gun holstered to his side but pushes up out of his chair and follows you. Joel watches until as the man follows you to where you had sought space on the curb of the street, his brow furrowing and his mouth turning down as he thinks youâve just ruined any hope of finding agreement.
âSave it, neither of you have even considered what I have-â
âLook, Iâm not much for being honest these days. The world doesnât care anymore and I never did even before it fell. But,â Heâs sitting down beside you, a grunt at the low level nearly flush with the ground. A few feet separate you, but you understand the meaning of him doing so. Willingly putting himself beside you and at a disadvantage should you be brave enough to try something.
âI wasnât willing to even entertain the thought of reaching out on the radio. But Frank was determined to wade through the signals. And he did all of it in search of you. Heâs devoted so much time to finding you, alive or dead. And when he couldnât find word, he didnât leave the bed for weeks. Heâs been haunted by your ghost since the day he stumbled onto my land. And yet, God delivered you to him alongside two people offering trade. You say I think of you as fodder, but you donât know me. I may not really know you, but I know what you mean to Frank. That makes this worth the trouble and the risk. Not some one trying to appeal to me across the table, not some woman who Frank is set on impressing. Itâs you. I can see through the act of that one back at the table a mile away, heâs behaving though he doesnât want to. But you havenât tried to hide you who are, what you are.â
âI didnât feel the need to, not here, not with Frankie.â
âI know you may not be the same person he remembers and share stories with, but heâs gone through all the efforts to set this up. He was going to ask them if they had any word of you, he never gave up hope that somehow you had survived that raider tearing you out if his grip as you both ran from the ambush of their group. Something tells me you have the sway the two with you think they have, have become accustomed to because you allow them to reap the rewards of it.â
âItâs a partnership. Protection for equal shares of everything. I provide the knowledge. One person alone canât hold their own any longer, certainly not in the zone.â
âYou have the knowledge.â He agrees quietly, his eyes locking with yours as you look over at him.
âWeâre you runninâ off to?â Joelâs voice doesnât startle you, but itâs unexpected in the doorway of the back porch. You had slipped out of your room the second you were sure everyone had been settled long enough to sleep, or at least resolve themselves to trying to rest for the night. It canât be easy for either Joel or Bill to rest knowing the other doesnât trust them, but you hadnât anticipated anyone leaving their rooms at the late hour. Stars twinkle above in the sky, visible through the windows unobstructed by screens. You had just wanted to come out and see them, get some fresh air.
âDidnât want to impose.â Your voice is quiet, though not in meekness, itâs swathed in the worry of waking a house full of people.
âWe were offered rooms for the night, wouldnât call that imposing.â He exhales heavily as he moves to stand beside where you are before one of the large panes of glass, looking out. âBesides, Frank seems to be easy on you, doubt he would say no to anything you needed.â
âYeah, well, roomâs too big, house is too big.â He watches you, catching the sight of your eyes tracing the landscape bathed in night and shadows. You absently wonder if he can smell the body wash you had used earlier, different from your own back in the zone but had washed the lingering scent of him on your skin all the same.
âCanât get outta the gate on your own.â
âNo, but itâs better than being stuck in that house.â
âIt bothers you.â
âI donât know what youâre talking about.â Truly, you donât. Thereâs no way heâs privy to the feelings and desperation to push down memories of the past that have endlessly bubbled up today, trying to drown you as they reach for the surface.
âDonât play dumb, we both know youâre not.â His hands rest on his hips, the clinking of his belt buckle ever present loud in the silence of the night. Of the open land just beyond the enclosed porch. âYouâre uncomfortable because theyâre in a room and me ân Tess are in one.â
âI couldnât care less about the sleeping arrangements.â
âThen what is it?â
âIt doesnât matter.â You think to tell him of how suffocating it was in that room, not because you were alone but because of how much it reminds you of where you used to live. But Joel isnât one for you to be open with, to share honestly with. Heâs been nothing but demeaning when it comes to any humanity you dare to show, conversations with Tess cut short the second he opens the door to wherever you are. The reason you donât linger or share meals, the reason you donât know why he had allowed for last nightâs activities to happen and now they feel heavy, like a mistake you had let yourself fall into that never should have happened.
âCane.â When you donât respond, he voices the name Frank had called from behind the fence when he recognized you. Itâs like an arrow to the heart, striking true and killing that part of you all over again. A name you had never expected to be called again, let alone by Joel Miller as he tries to get you to speak plainly with him. For once and never likely again.
âDrop it.â Your voice rasps, the scream you feel building in your chest desperately trying to break free.
âNot until you tell me.â
âJust because your mouthâs been on me-â
âThatâs not what this- Jesus, fine, be difficult like you always are. Iâm goinâ back inside.â Heâs turning away, stepping toward the back steps. You hear the sound of his boots on the wood but only the first step before heâs whipping back around with a glare. âIf this falls through, itâs on you. Not me and not Tess, you. And if thatâs the case, maybe you should begin to consider that offer to stay here. And if that doesnât pan out, donât come crawling back to us.â
You donât look at him or think of telling him the deal has been made because of you, and his steps take him further away from you, leaving you to sit on the outdoor furniture that reminds you too much of your old home. Of the one you once shared with family, of the one you had shared with Franke. Both more than likely just rubble or overtaken by twisted and decayed cordyceps. You feel the scream thicken your throat, swelling it up to make you try to gasp out for air to release it but it comes out as a harsh prattling sob. Your resolve to be strong cracking for the first time in years.
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not going anywhere - christian pulisic
summary: after Christian (and several others) notice how Y/N hasn't been herself for the last few weeks, he finally decides to confront her about how she's feeling
pairing: Christian Pulisic x reader
word count: 2.3k
warnings/tags: established relationship, angst, discussions of mental health and illness, mentions of meds, supportive Christian, hastily proofread
requested: no
notes: Hey there!! This has been sitting in my draft for probably 6 months and I wanted to put something out, so I tried to finish it and make it at least decent for y'all! I promise I'm trying to work on your requests and I have several halfway written, but I've just been struggling in the writing department all summer. Thanks for being patient with me! If this fic is a steaming pile of garbage... pretend you didn't read it
x
It hadnât gone unnoticed by Christian that you hadnât been yourself lately.
Your relationship was fairly new, having only been together for a few months, but as attentive as Christian was, he recognized the little things that had shifted in your personality.
He noticed how when you smiled at someone, it never quite reached your eyesâthe little wrinkles that usually appeared in the corners were absent. He noticed how when you laughed, as soon as you thought no one was looking, the grin on your face quickly faded, replaced by the absent and distant look that adorned your face so often recently.
He noticed that you would zone out far more often than usual, eyes unfocused as you stared at a distant point. When he caught you in this state, Christian would tangle his fingers with yours or gently place his hand on your thigh, drumming his fingers in an attempt to pull you back from wherever it was that you would drift off to.
He was concerned, to say the very least, but each time he tried to bring it up to you, you dismissed his concern with a wave of your hand, chalking it up to being tired or overworked.
It didnât take long for others to notice the change, too. As a prominent member of the media department at Chelsea, you had a friendly relationship with many of the players. You were often on the training pitch or on the sidelines at games, snapping photos of the boys as they played. Often, you would mess around with them, cracking jokes and laughing along with them, but not recently.
The joking had been cut to a bare minimum, and you rarely interacted with them at all. You spent just enough time on the training fields to get the content you needed before leaving to work in your office, unseen for the rest of the day. Several of the boys had asked Christian about you. They missed you. But Christian didnât know what to tell them.
Finally, Christian decided enough was enough. He would have to âcornerâ you in some way and get you to talk to him. He had wanted to let you have your space and respect your desire to not talk about the matter, but he could see the whole situation physically weighing on you, and he knew that if he continued to let you bottle it up inside, you were going to explode. He resolved that by the end of the day, heâd talk to you.
That night, you had come over so that the two of you could have dinner together. Most of the dinner was spent in silence, you lost in your own thoughts, and Christian trying to work up the nerve to ask what he needed to. He wasnât sure how to approach this kind of conversation with youâthe two of you hadnât dealt with a situation like this yet in your relationship.
Once your plates were cleared, you stood in his kitchen, washing the dishes, despite Christianâs protest that he could do it later that night. He sat on the counter, wanting to still be in close proximity with you. His heart broke a little when he noticed that you werenât humming like you always did when you cleaned.
You rinsed off the last dish, placing it on the drying rack with the others, and you were rinsing the leftover suds from the sink when you felt Christianâs arms slide around your waist. He pressed his chest to your back and rested his chin on your shoulder as you turned the sink off, drying your hands on a towel.
âCan we talk?â He spoke softly and placed a kiss onto your shoulder.
You felt your heart sink in your chest. You knew this conversation was coming, but you were hoping to postpone it as long as you possibly could. âYeah, whatâs up?â you tried to speak casually, downplaying the nervous feeling that had settled in your stomach.
âCâmere,â he whispered. You dropped the towel on the counter next to the sink as Christian pulled you to the side where he had been sitting before and turned you around in his arms. He placed his hand on your hips, lifting you to sit on the countertop.
For a moment, the two of you remained in silence. Christian stood between your legs, unsure of what to say first. He rested his hands on your thighs, rubbing the bare skin below your shorts soothingly. Your heart pounded so quickly in your chest that you swore he could hear it as he stood in front of you. You desperately tried to calm yourself, still determined to play things off if you could manage it.
âSo⊠um, you⊠you havenât really been yourself lately,â he stumbled over his words and mentally cursed himself for starting so poorly. âI just⊠Iâve noticed a lot of little things that seem different, and you donât really seem⊠happy.â He glanced up at your face, trying to gauge your response. He felt a little guilty for being so direct with the situation, but he didnât want to keep dancing around the problem.
You drew in a breath, but Christian spoke again before you could. âAnd please donât tell me that youâve been tired, because you keep saying that, but I think it goes beyond that.â The nervousness you felt only intensified, and now you felt slightly nauseous, knowing there was no easy way out of this conversation.
You brought one of your hands up to your mouth, biting at the skin by your nails. Christian recognized the nervous habit of yours and he saw how you used it to try to put space between you and him as a form of defense. He reached up and took your hand in his. With a gentle but firm tug, he pulled your hand back into your lap and looked at your face with earnest concern.
You hesitated a moment longer, looking anywhere but at his face. Â Sitting in front of him, your hands held in his, resting on your thighs, you had never felt so vulnerable and exposed. He stroked his thumb over your knuckles, squeezing your fingers in an attempt to pull you out of your thoughts and back to him.
The silence between the two of you was long and overwhelming as your head spun with wild thoughts. Did you continue trying to put a wall between you and tell him nothing was actually wrong? Or did you open up to him, tell him what was really happening, and run the risk of scaring him off?
âCome on, I can practically see you getting lost in there.â He poked your forehead gently with his free hand, laughing softly to try to relieve some of the tension in the air.
You glanced up at Christianâs face, and his gentle, reassuring smile brought tears to your eyes instantly. Looking back down at your lap so he couldnât see you beginning to cry, you settled on trying your best to explain the thoughts that had been swimming around in your mind for the last couple of weeks.
âI donât know, Christian, I just⊠kinda get this way sometimes.â You shrugged your shoulders. It didnât make sense to most people, but it was the reality. âNothing really happened. Everything is fine. You didnât do anything. I just⊠I feel kinda hollow.â
Christian was relieved to hear that your pain hadnât been cause by something he had done, having toyed with the idea as he wracked his brain for the last weeks, trying to think of what could have gone wrong to make you feel this way. But he still wasnât sure he understood exactly what you were saying.
âI used to take meds for it, but I stopped taking them a little while after I graduated high school. They made me feel like I wasnât really myself, and I didnât want that anymore.â Your still fidgeted nervously as you opened up to him, but at the same time, the weight on your shoulders felt the tiniest bit lighter as you let Christian bear some of it with you.
Christian remained silent for a moment after you stopped talking, processing the things you had just told him He thought he was beginning to understand what you were saying, though your vague description left several questions swirling in his mind. He was happy, though, that you finally felt comfortable opening up to him, and he figured the finer details could wait until another day.
His silence, however, did nothing to calm your racing heart.
âSo, I guess this is the part where you leave?â you whispered before you could even think about it, uneasy with how quiet the room had gotten. Your eyes were glued to your lap, and Christianâs hands froze at your words, where they had been smoothing over your knuckles, trying to soothe you.
âW-what?â he stuttered in surprise, heart sinking at the thought that you might be breaking up with him. When you finally looked up to his face, his eyes were wide, eyebrows knitted together in confusion. He looked so hurt that you almost felt bad for saying it in the first place.
You took your hands from his as you began to pull away from him, picking at the edges of your fingernails, fixing your gaze downward again. âIâve done this before, Christian,â you mumbled. âI get weird, you ask about it, and then once you find out that I canât be fixed⊠you leave.â You sigh, having resigned yourself to the outcome that had played out in your life before. You sat there, feeling defeated, with your shoulders slumped.
A sniffle coming from him causes you to dart your eyes up to his face, and his eyes are misty as he fights back the tears that he can feel welling up in them.
âYou really think that?â his voice quivers.
All you can muster is shrugging your shoulders. âThatâs what everyone else did. Iâm not worth the trouble.â
Your words shatter his heart into a million pieces. The pain of thinking you were ending your relationship vanished quickly, replaced with a new kind of pain at the realization of how you had been treated in your past.
As the first tears slipped down his cheeks, Christian pulled you into a tight hug, holing you as close to his body as he could muster as he buried his face in your neck. You felt the warm tears against your skin as you slowly returned the hug, caught off-guard by his actions.
Christian felt a bit silly. Here he was, crying on your shoulder after the things that you had just revealed to him, experiences that youâd had in your own life. He just couldnât fathom that anyone could possibly treat you in such a way. You were the kindest, most gentle and caring woman he had ever known, and he truly believed that you deserved the world. Sure, it had been hard to see you in the state you had been in for the last few weeks, but he knew what he was feeling was nothing compared to what you were. And it never would have even occurred to him to think of you as burdensomeâto think that he needed to âfixâ you in some way.
Christian drew back from the embrace, quickly wiping his eyes while he still held onto your waist with the other. You were caught a bit off-guard by his behavior, never having experienced this reaction before, and you werenât entirely sure what it meant.
Christian breathed a soft âIâm sorryâ before he looked back up at you, cradling your jaw in one of his hands, and you couldnât help but lean into his comforting touch.
âY/N, you are absolutely worth everything. Itâs not a burden to be with you. You know that right?â
Tears quickly sprung to your own eyes at his words, and you cast your eyes back down to your lap. In an honest answer, you shook your head ânoâ. This was how you had always thought of yourself, and you constantly felt like you needed to be compensating your partner in some way for the things they had to put up with for your sake.
Christianâs other hand came to your cheek, holding your face gently so that you would look him in the eye.
âYouâre not a burden Y/N,â he spoke softly, his eyes flicking over your face. His expression held a sort of desperationâaching to show you that he truly believed what he was saying. âYouâre not, I promise. And Iâll spend every day for the rest of my life telling you that until you believe it. Iâm not going anywhere.â
Your heart fluttered at his words.
ââŠevery day for the rest of my lifeâŠâ
He wanted to spend the rest of his life with you?
Marriage wasnât something the two of you had really talked about yet, because your relationship was so new. But any time you thought about your future, you knew you wanted Christian to be in it. And knowing he felt the same way meant the world.
You felt Christianâs thumb brush across your cheek, wiping away the tear that had fallen. You could only stare at him, wondering to yourself how you had managed to find someone as perfect as him.
âIâll always be here for you. Anything you need,â he smiled at you, feeling that he was finally getting through to you.
The only response you could muster was a soft, âokay.â
âYeah?â
You nodded.
The relief Christian felt that he finally had some understanding of why you hadnât been yourself over the last few weeks was nearly overwhelming. He pulled you toward him, pressing a firm kiss onto your forehead.
âI love you so much, Y/N. Never doubt that.â
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#christian pulisic#christian pulisic x reader#christian pulisic imagines#christian pulisic imagine#christian pulisic fics#footballer fic#footballer imagine#christian pulisic fluff#christian pulisic one shot#christian pulisic blurb
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under the night | one
summary: joel miller is a grump, but he likes to think old dogs can be taught new tricks pairing: joel miller x f!reader, set in jackson after the end of tlou part I warnings/tags: [18+ only, minors dni] language, nightmares, discussions of sex, slow-ish burn, age gap [20ish years], grumpy!joel, potential jealousy word count: 7.3k series masterlist | main masterlist a/n: first time i've posted any of my own stuff in ages, but i've been loving writing for joel so thought i'd share!
Wyoming was a state you had never visited before the outbreak, so it was strange that 22 years on, it had become your home. It was Summer when you and Cal arrived in Jackson, and six months on, you could feel Winterâs grip steadily descending upon the town. The area seemed to be cloudy year-round, but the way the air had begun to chill as of late was something youâd not quite experienced before. Cold as it was, living there was quiet, and peaceful.
The settlement was led by a strong woman named Maria, and her husband Tommy, who had welcomed you and Cal with a wary kindness. Offered you safety, and a place to live, in exchange for hard work and your dedication to supporting the community. After so many years travelling the barren, infected country alone, the pair of you were awkward, and fumbled your way through meeting so many new people.
Jackson wasnât the first place youâd tried to settle down in. Over the span of a decade, youâd crossed the country what felt like twice over, relying solely on each other, but never quite feeling like anywhere was home except for when you were alone together. This place proved you wrong though â the people proved you wrong. They were self-sufficient here, a working community, where everyone was equal, and the leaders were kind, and trustworthy; two characteristics that you and Cal hadnât encountered in other people in a long time.
The home Maria and Tommy provided you was modest, and a fixer-upper if you had ever seen one. God, the day theyâd arrived, youâd let out an exhausted laugh when Tommy pulled on the knob of the front door, and it cracked off its hinges.
âNothing a good screw wonât fix,â Cal had chuckled, wanting to appear optimistic in front of Tommy.
Regardless of the state of the place, you and Cal made it your home in quick work. Cal made friends quickly, the way he always had. He was tall and gangly; all long limbs and sandy blonde hair, and he had a crooked toothed smile that endeared people to him almost instantly. You, on the other hand, were blunt, your body lean and strong as a result of years of physical exertion, and you were always the more stubborn of the two. You were a perfect dichotomy beside each other; sweet and salty. Stony, and withdrawn, you had always used your closest friend as a crutch during rare social interactions. You were familiar with all of the violence, and pain that came with the world, and as you grew up, had become so delightfully unsure when it came to being shown warmth.
Maria took you under her wing, introducing you to the people at the stables you would be working alongside, and encouraging you to find solace in the group of warriors that made up the women of Jackson. For the most part, people were kind and welcoming. With time, they didnât pause and stare when you walked along the street, unsure of the newcomers.
People shared stories about others who had come through Jackson before you and Cal, and about the histories of those who still lived there. Sometimes, as you sat on the porch of the house, youâd watch people walk by, share a polite wave, and try to pin the stories to the faces you were seeing.
âI met Tommyâs brother today,â Cal started one evening. âBit of a prick.â
Your eyebrow raised slightly, amused that someone could piss off one of the more jovial people youâd ever known. âWhatâs wrong with him, was he wearing double denim?â
Cal lifted his bowl of soup to his mouth and slurped down the last few drops. Wiping his mouth messily, he shook his head. âI donât know about that guy. Remember Tommy told us about him?â You did remember Tommy vaguely mentioning that his brother had arrived on the settlement a year or so before you and Cal arrived.
âHe keeps to himself for the most part,â Tommy had jested, his eyes glazing over for a moment as he thought of his brother. âBut heâs a goodin, does good work for this town.â
âWhatever,â Cal changed his tune. âI shouldnât let it bother me, he was just rude is all. Called me newbie twice, even though he knows my name. Seems to like being a big dog around here.â
You hummed to show you were still listening, tearing off a piece of bread and stuffing it in your mouth. âSeems only fair that if Tommy is kind, his brother wouldâve turned out an ass. Isnât that how we work?â He snorted out a laugh, and that was the last you spoke of it.
It wasnât for another week or so until you met the man yourself. Itâd been a long day spent at the stables, basking in the beating sun while working alongside a few others. The horses were huge creatures, and it took you a while to get used to their nature. Itâd been so long since an animal hadnât been a threat to you, but a few weeks on, and youâd found yourself ending the workdays by taking a ride around on your favourite mare Dot.
You and Calâs home was on the opposite side of town, and on your walk through you passed faces that had become familiar. You small talked and smiled until your jaw ached, and by the time you bumped into him, youâd already reached your pleasantry quota for the day.
He had a bag of vegetables hung over his shoulder in a linen sack, and was making quiet conversation with his brother, when you walked by.
Tommy called out your name, waving you over to them. Your feet and shoulders ached, but you slapped a half smile on your face as you sidled up to the pair. âIâd been hoping to catch you, Mariaâs wondering when youâre free for dinner this week.â
âOh, whenever she wants me,â you nodded, chest warming in an odd way at the invitation. Your gaze flitted curiously to the tall man standing beside Tommy. Youâd seem him around before, many times actually, but never realised he was the infamous brother.
Oftentimes, youâd noticed him because, 7 times out of 10, the same young girl would be plodding along beside him, chattering away incessantly. You had assumed they were a father and daughter on those occasions, but now understanding this was Joel, you knew better. Cal had explained it to you when he found out, about how Tommyâs brother had a kid living with him, but it wasnât his. The idea of it didnât seem too strange to you, considering most of the people living in Jackson were found families, not blood.Â
He was tall, taller than Tommy, with a more wrinkled and tanned face. Dark hair with streaks of grey, and a short beard. Obviously. the older brother. Thicker than Tommy too, the invasive thought flashed through your mind, as your eyes glanced over his arms.
Ignorant to your curious eyeballing, Joel jerked his head in your direction, and asked, âThe other newbie?â He had a distinctly husky Texan drawl, and his voice was deep, as if he spoke from the very depths of his stomach.
âYeah,â Tommy nodded, and introduced the two of you with a smile. âSheâs doing some great work for us round the stables, the horses have taken a good liking to her already.â
You shared a polite nod and held out your hand for greeting. Joel barely met your eyes, before gripping your hand once. One firm shake, before dropping it like it stung him. You thought you noticed him even wipe his hand off on his jeans. Rude motherfucker.
He didnât say anymore, and seemed to just wait for you to go so he could continue his conversation from before you showed up.
âWell,â you said. âIâll get out of your hair boys. Be good.â A short laugh fell from Tommyâs mouth, and you thought you caught a surprised expression on Joelâs face as you turned and continued walking in the direction of home.
You crossed paths a few more times that Summer, but always briefly. He constantly had somewhere to be, or a job he was on his way to completing â never without an excuse to cut a conversation with you short. You didnât particularly mind his disinterest in small talk. In fact, you found it somewhat refreshing after a few interactions with him. Finally, one other person in this town who wasnât friendly, or willing to fake interest in you just because you were new in town.
One day you and Cal went on a ride along with Tommy as he patrolled the area surrounding the settlement. Nothing serious, just him showing you both around the area, telling you about what abnormalities he kept an eye out for when he went out of the safety of the gates.
The trio had been out for an hour or so before a rustle in the woods a hundred metres back caught their attention. Your hackles rose, and you reached for the gun strapped to your hip instinctively, prepared to see an infected emerge from the brush. But Joel Miller rode up to your group quickly, a deep scowl settling on his face when he spotted his brotherâs company.
âWhatâs wrong?â Tommy asked his brother.
âMaria wants you back home,â he said gruffly. âSaid itâs getting late; said if youâre not back in time for dinner sheâll lock your ass out.â His gaze twitched quickly over to you and Cal, who were watching him curiously. âWhy are the newbies with you?â
Joel wasnât afraid to talk about you two as if you werenât there, didnât care how it came across, and you understood this was probably why some people in Jackson werenât very fond of him.
âJust showing them the area, they oughta know what we get up to out here every day,â Tommy said amiably. âThe real question is, why are you doinâ my wifeâs bidding?â
He huffed in response, shaking his head ever so slightly. âMariaâs the boss,â is all he said, before gripping the reins and encouraging his horse to take off in the direction he came from. When it was just the three of you again, you felt your shoulders sag, and let out a low whistle, as if to say, jeez, lighten up.
Not a week later, Cal told you, âHis face has the same thing yours has, you know.â You were sharing lunch outside the stables, when Joel had shown up to take one of the horses for a patrol.
âWhat the fuck does that mean?â youâd asked incredulously. He held his hands up in defence, coughing lightly around his mouthful of food.
âNo, no, donât bed mad,â he paused, laughing more. âBut⊠câmon, I couldnât help but noticeâŠâ
âNotice what? Why the fuck canât you finish your sentence.â You were impatient, and the sun was beating down on you, and Joel was only 10 metres away, saddling up.
âYou both have this set of wrinkles in between your eyebrows,â he finally admitted, smirking. âIâd say itâs because youâve both been frowning for the past twenty years straight, if I had to guess.â You relaxed the frown on your face instantly, making Cal laugh harder. A warmth rose in your face as you realised youâd attracted Joelâs attention, and he was glancing at you from across the grass.
âI donât frown all the time,â you muttered under your breath, giving Joel a courteous nod goodbye as he rode out on the horse.
âOf course you donât, sunshine, my mistake,â Cal had agreed sarcastically, waving a hand at Joel in farewell.
After that, whenever you saw him, your lips twitched as you noticed the wrinkle in the middle of his forehead, and you reminded yourself to relax your own. Not enough room in Jackson for two permanent frowns, you thought to yourself, and his takes the cake. âGrumpyâ was a good descriptor for him. On the rare occasion you saw him smile or laugh, it was when the girl was around.
You had noticed the way sheâd tell him a joke and a begrudging smile would grace his face, only for him to cough, or reach up and place a hand over his mouth, to avoid anyone else taking notice. Of course, you would notice the girl grinning with glee at making her companion laugh. It was sweet. The fondness between them was palpable, and you had to fight the curiosity inside you that wondered what had brought them together.
When, at long last, you finally met Ellie, it all made sense. The girl was insufferably chatty with some precocious snark to boot, and she had an impressive attention to detail; a 5â4â spitfire with a mess of mousy brain hair. She was no bullshit, and you trusted her instantly.
âI was wondering when Iâd meet the newbie Iâd been hearing about,â Ellie had smirked, holding out a sweaty hand in greeting.  Â
âSorry it took so long, everyone wants a piece of the me these days,â you feigned a sigh, smiling when the young girl laughed.
âDo you like it here?â she asked inquisitively, and you nodded. âIâve seen you a few times, but you always seemed busy, or were with that other guy.â âJackson is great, me and Cal are happy to be here,â you confided. âIâve seen you round a lot too, with your-â you cut yourself off before the word âfatherâ came out. âWith Joel.â
âOh, you know Joel!â
âNo, not really,â you clarified quickly. âHe pops up here and there⊠what a laugh that guy is.â For a moment you were worried the joke wouldnât land, but when a squeaky laugh pealed out of Ellieâs mouth you relaxed, and laughed with her.
âYouâre telling me!â the girl barked, shaking her head.
Through those first six months in Jackson, life slowly started to make sense again for you. For the first time since the outbreak happened all of those years ago, you found yourself with a proper home, and a community of people around you who you had come to know and respect.
But even with newfound light in your life, the darkness inside of you wasnât going away quickly. Even a friendly place like Jackson couldnât stop the nightmares that plagued you. After spending over a decade traversing the United States with Cal, seeing death and decay and infection firsthand, you had to train yourself to focus on the good.
When you passed by a group of kids on the street, you urged yourself not to see the faces of Calâs late brothers, whom you grew up with. Had to fight the memories of the settlement not unlike Jackson that you spent years in, only to watch it burn to the ground. Not everything ends badly, you would whisper to yourself. People can be trusted.
As insistent as you were with opening yourself up to the light, the nightmares still came fast and hard. It was the same one, most nights. The same memory. In time, Cal had begun to sleep through you crying out for help in your sleep, after learning years ago that being woken up by him sometimes scared you just as much as the dream itself. Sometimes, solitude after an awful night was the only remedy.
You woke slick with sweat, your shirt sticking uncomfortably to your skin. Heart racing, you stumbled out of bed and gulped down some water in the kitchen. Through the light fog outside, a warm orange glow lit the street, as the sun rose slowly over the town. Thank god, you thought. Early, but not too early to rise without worrying Cal. You dressed slowly, limbs heavy with fatigue, and walked numbly toward the stables. Winter had crept into Jackson like a thief, and the morningâs icy cold breath licked at your hands and face, stealing all the warmth you had to offer.
A few of the horses startled awake when you arrived, and you soothed them quietly, your voice hoarse from crying only an hour prior.
âItâs just me,â you murmured, kissing Dotâs speckled nose.
A morning ride seemed a good way to wake up all of your senses, so you set to saddling up. But only a short while after your arrival at the stables, a sound outside made you start. A flash of the nightmare shot through your brain, and your heart stuttered. Footsteps, padding softly through the grass outside, could clearly be heard. Dotâs ears pricked up, and her large head swung toward the stable doors to watch. Although you had been sure you heard someone approaching, when he stepped into view, you still let out a yell of surprise.Â
âWoah,â Joel held his hands out in alarm, eyes wide. âI didnât expect anyone to be here.â His arms lowered as he recognised you, warily noting your defensive stance, positioned half behind Dot with tensed fists.
You didnât say anything immediately, breathing heavily out of your mouth, and still trying to calm your racing heart. You watched each other from across the space, and he took a few slow steps inside. âIâm sorry I scared you,â he apologised genuinely, in a tone gentler than youâd ever heard him use.
You ignored his apology. âWhatâre you doing out here so early? The sunâs hardly up.â
An eyeroll. âI could ask you the same question.â
You contemplated lying, but exhaustion wore on you heavily, and you found yourself unable to think of a fib worthy of his time. âBad dreams,â you settled on, not caring how childish it made you sound.
He nodded slowly, looking unsurprised by your admission. After a measured pause, he offered, âI get those too, sometimes.â
Your heart, which had only just slowed down, found itself beating out of time again, although you werenât sure why. This was the longest conversation you and Joel had ever had, and by far the most private one â if you didnât count the horses listening in. When you didnât answer him quickly, his hand raised to scratch awkwardly against his beard. Not for the first time, you were hit with an unwelcome thought about how handsome he was.
âYou look cold,â he changed the subject quickly, and with a down turned mouth. He was wearing a thick brown jacket, which made the thin jumper you were wearing look like a sheet of paper in comparison.
âCalâs been borrowing my good jacket these days, since itâs gotten cold.â
Joel watched you speak, and it seemed like he didnât how to respond. His hands settled on his hips, and he mumbled something under his breath that you missed. When you prompted him to repeat it, he just said, âYou spend a lot of time with Dot.â You were happy to finally shift the topic of conversation away from yourself, and agreed.Â
âYeah well, Percy over there isnât too fond of me,â you gestured behind you to a tall grey horse, who you had discovered months earlier would huff loudly and rear his head up whenever you stepped near him. In that respect, Percy reminded you somewhat of Joel when the two of you first met.
âPercyâs old, heâll warm up to you with time,â he advised.
âI thought the saying goes that you canât teach an old dog new tricks?â
A small huff of air escaped his mouth, and if you werenât so sleepy, you wouldâve sworn it was the start of a laugh. Quietly, he said, âIâd like to think thatâs not true.â
It was the next morning, after youâd awoken from another nightmare, and stepped outside to head to the stables again, that you saw it. A gift, or maybe a token of understanding.
A large black jacket, folded neatly on your doormat.
Winter kicked in like a punch in the gut, but you decided you liked the festivities that the cold weather inspired in Jackson. Suddenly every morning your windows had a delicate layer of frost over them, hiding the view of the street, making every day a new surprise, waiting for you to discover when you finally stepped outside. It didnât rain often, but you could sense how the clouds seemed to sag, and knew that snow wouldnât be far around the corner. You wore Joelâs jacket most days, and appreciated how the cold made your face tinge red, so that when he spotted you in it, he wouldnât notice you were blushing.
To celebrate the changing of the season, Maria had organised a bonfire night to bring the town together. She enticed you to come along with promises of mulled wine and live music, but the truth was that you had already promised Cal youâd go along.
âShe is going to be theeeere,â Cal had sung dreamily from the kitchen, a week before. You had been lounging on the chair in your living space, drowsy from an impromptu afternoon nap, and it took you a moment to understand who he was talking about.
âLuisa?â
âLuisa,â he confirmed wistfully, sipping a cup of tea as he stepped into the room. âShe invited us, and you have to come along, you know. I canât go without my wingman.â
âIf she invited you, you probably donât need a wingman,â you laughed, but agreed to go nonetheless. It was sweet watching Cal talk about Luisa over the past few weeks, and watching his crush develop more every day that they spent time together. Not for a long time had either of you been romantically involved with someone, and it made your heart sing for him. Of course, you would go. For Cal, youâd probably go anywhere.Â
Jackson was a hub of excitement when the day finally rolled around. During your shift at the stables, the women you worked with chatted keenly about wanting to dance to live music, and it caused a bubble of excitement to form in your own chest. It had been so long since youâd seen a musical instrument, let alone seen someone play one with any skill. On your walk home, people were toting around decorations, headed towards a big open dirt field, where you knew a set up effort had already begun. You passed Joelâs place halfway through town and smiled upon spotting him on his porch, rugged up and chatting away with Tommy and Ellie.
Since that morning in the barn, you and Joel had settled into a sort of comfortable ease with one another. There was less rigidity when you spoke; less apprehension when it came to sharing things about yourselves, and your days. Being around him became a source of calm, rather than tension. You never sought him out for conversation, but you found yourself quietly elated when he appeared on one of your aimless walks, or passed by the stables unexpectedly and chatted to you while you worked.
The more you came to learn about him in those quiet moments, the more you appreciated him. You felt that you had formed a kind of mutual understanding between you; that you wanted the same things. A shared desire to enjoy this quiet life that neither of you felt you deserved, but were both lucky enough to have fall into your laps. It was true that you hadnât made friends there the way Cal had â people gravitated towards his energy naturally. But with Joel, you felt understood.
âWell donât you lot look cosy,â you called from the street, and were met with a round of friendly waves. âWhatâs on the menu?â you pointed at the mugs they all gripped, eyeing the hot steam that rose out of them.
âJust a second.â Joel disappeared inside for a few minutes, before returning with a cup of coffee for you. You leaned against the banister and sipped at the hot liquid greedily, nodding in appreciation.
âHow are you doing?â Tommy asked you genuinely. You liked the sweet crowâs feet that appeared next to his eyes when he smiled. You chatted absently about work and patrols, and how one of the families in town were expecting a new baby in a few months, before finally the topic of the bonfire came up.
âOh, youâre coming right?â Ellie pondered eagerly, sitting up in her chair.
âOnly if youâll be there, kid.â Her face lit up at this, grinning smugly at Joel and Tommy. You could feel Joelâs eyes on you, but held your gaze steadfast on Ellie. It felt like your skin burned a little when he was looking at you â you could always sense his stare.
âAnd Cal too?â Ellie asked. She always asked you about Cal, and youâd just come to understand that she liked to be in the loop about most things. She held that teenage curiosity to know about everyone, and all their comings and goings.
âYes,â you smirked conspiratorially. âHe mentioned wanting to see Luisa.â The younger girl raised her eyebrows suggestively, garnering a chuckle from even Tommy.
âCan you believe,â Ellie suddenly chuckled out, sticking out a hand and placing it on Joelâs shoulder. âThat Joel thought you and Cal were married or something?â
As you and Tommy laughed, you thought you noticed Joel gently kick his boot against Ellieâs shin, as if to say, shut the hell up kid. He didnât quite meet your eye when you looked at him, and appeared somewhat embarrassed as he turned to glare at Ellie.
âWell, he wouldnât be the first to think that,â you conceded. âWith the amount of years weâve known each other, we might as well be married at this point.â
Joel looked at you properly then, his curiosity getting the better of him. Tommy asked the question that seemed to be on his lips.
âRemind me how many years youâve been together? I canât remember what you told me all those months ago.â
âWeâve known each other for something like two or three decades.â
Ellie let out a low whistle, eyes wide just thinking about that many years. She was so young, and you felt a quick pang in your heart to remember it.
You drained the last of your coffee, and placed the mug softly into Joelâs outstretched hand before stepping off the porch. âSpeaking of the old ball and chain, Iâd better get home to make sure he hasnât burned the place down in my absence.â
âSee you tonight,â Joel shared a half smile, and you nodded, before turning and heading in the direction of home. As you walked, you listened to their conversation start back up again. âOh kiddo, I almost forgot. Tommy told me this joke yesterday that reminded me of you. Youâre gonna love thisâŠâ And then you were too far gone to hear the rest.
After giving Cal advice on which shirt to wear, the pair of you made your way toward the field where the party was being held. He was adamant you had to arrive casually late, so that he didnât seem too eager. You went along with his ideas amiably, happy to please him. And although you didnât tell Cal, you could admit to yourself that you werenât going just for his benefit anymore â there were other people looking forward to seeing you. You couldnât help but wonder if you would get to spend any time talking to Joel, and your heart squeezed in a way you chose to ignore.
The sun had set hours ago, and the party was in full swing when you arrived at the gathering. Flames blazed high into the air from two huge bonfires, crackling loudly and lighting the wide-open space with a warm orange glow. Small twinkling lights had been strung up through the surrounding trees, providing more light. A small group of musicians stood off to the side, playing soft folk music that flowed beautifully into your ears.
Busy marvelling at your beautiful surroundings, you were shocked back to reality by Cal thrusting a warm mug into your hands.
âLiquid courage,â he winked, taking a swig. You stared at the deep red steaming liquid in your own cup, and sipped it tentatively. Soft notes of cinnamon and star anise hit your tongue, mixing with the tart red wine, and you hummed happily. âOh, there she is!â
Cal bid you a quick farewell and wandered across the field to sit beside Luisa on a thick log. You watched as the pair embraced, but averted your eyes quickly when Luisa leaned in and pressed a kiss against Calâs cheek. He would tell you these things in his own time, and deserved his privacy. Allowing your eyes to flicker over the rest of the crowd. It seemed everyone in Jackson was there. Families talking and laughing, couples and friends swaying together near the band. A feeling of intense loneliness hit you in a sudden wave, but as quick as it came it was gone, as you spotted Joel sitting alone, staring into the fire.
Before you could convince yourself not to, you found your legs meandering in his direction, as if out of your own control. You half hoped someone would stop you for a conversation along the way, but everyone was distracted, and you seemed to blend into the crowd without drawing much attention. Ellie could be seen watching the band play with some other people around her age and hadnât noticed your arrival. In less than a minute, your black boots were stopping a metre behind where Joel sat.
He wasnât aware of your presence yet, leaving you with a moment to take him in. Although you couldnât see his face yet, you admired his broad strong back, and thought absently that either all his clothes were too tight, or he mustâve been built like a brick house underneath them.
Unsure of yourself, and feeling awkward in your own skin, you hesitated for a moment too long. A quiet crack sounded as you adjusted your footing, and crunched onto a wayward twig, making Joelâs head tick ever so slightly to the side.
âHey there,â you rushed, not wanting to spook him, and he turned fully to see you. He looked handsome, wearing his normal brown jacket, and holding his own mug of ruby red liquid courage. The corner of his mouth quirked up and those earthy brown eyes took her in quickly, flicking from her head to her feet, and back up again in an instant.
âYou gonna sit down or just stand there all night?â You were torn abruptly from your reverie when he spoke, and you hoped that the darkness hid your blush. Stepping over the log he was on, you sat down beside him heavily, holding out your free hand to feel the warmth of the bonfire. You were close. Not enough to touch, but enough that the sleeves of you jackets brushed ever so slightly when one of you moved your arm.
âYou havinâ a good time?â you enquired quietly, realising that from this vantage point, you could actually see Cal and Luisa, on the other side of the fire.
âBetter now, Iâll admit.â You turned her head to look at him, surprised by his forthrightness, and he held your gaze evenly, still doing that half smile that put you at ease. âThe people in this town are so friendly, but you run out of things to talk about after knowing them all for a year and a half.â
âWell lucky for us,â you suggested. âIâve only been here 7 months. We havenât exhausted all avenues of conversation yet, have we Joel?â
From behind the rim of his mug he chuckled quietly, his eyes shining with the fireâs reflection. âIâd say we havenât, no.â Considering his height and broad stature, he always held himself in a naturally authoritative manor. But sitting there beside him, you enjoyed seeing him look so relaxed, lounging comfortably, with a few drinks in his system. It was a version of him that you hadnât met before, and you liked it.
âHow is he?â Joel asked, nodding in Calâs direction. You looked over to see him and Luisa chatting together, their foreheads knocking together as they leaned into one another. You smiled.
âHeâs good. Fitting in like no oneâs business,â you snorted, shaking your head in a sort of wonderment. âDoesnât surprise me though. People always liked Cal, everywhere we went.â
âAnd they didnât like you?â His tone was disbelieving. A prickling heat tickled across your face, and you knew he was staring.
âNot that they didnât like me, Iâm justâŠâ you trailed off, trying to choose your words carefully. âMore of an acquired taste, I suppose.â
âAn acquired taste.â He repeated gruffly, and made a scoffing noise from deep in his throat.
âAh, you know what I mean.â
âI donât think I do.â
âWell, even then, I suppose the saying goes... about acquired tastes getting better with age⊠or something like that.â You looked at him out of the corner of your eye and relished in seeing his large frame shaking with silent laughter.
âWe can agree to disagree on this one, but Iâm happy to let you chop together sayings to fit your idea of not being likable.â
You stared at him a little longer, enjoying the tight-lipped smile on his face. Gaze locked onto his mouth, your brain suddenly filled with ideas about his lips, and what they would feel like. He was so rough, so brawny, but you liked to imagine theyâd be soft, like he was now that you had gotten to know him more. His tongue darted out to wet his lower lip and your eyes drifted up, to find heâd caught you staring. Joel exhaled heavily and reached up to scratch at the little scar on the bridge of his nose. You wondered how heâd gotten it.
Youâd noticed plenty of scars along his arms, during the warmer months in Jackson. It seemed he had a long history of violence that you knew nothing about, but you certainly wasnât surprised by it. Even as you grew closer to him, and to Ellie, nothing was ever revealed about how they came together, or what led them to Jackson. It almost made you want to keep your own history private, until he shared more with you. But then he smiled at you, and your heart did that skipping a beat thing it was always doing these days around him, and your defences would lower again.
Across the fire, your attention was caught by the sound of Luisa laughing loudly at something Cal whispered to her. You and Joel watched them silently for a moment, both entranced by the giggling couple across the field.
Joel raked a hand through his hair and cleared his throat quietly. âYou and CalâŠâ
âMe and Cal what?â you prompted.
âYou two, did anything everâŠâ he seemed to hesitate; his eyes boring into the dirt in front of you while he struggled to articulate himself. It was bizarre to see such a strong man seem so unsure. âYou never⊠anything more than friendship?â
A beat of silence. you wondered how much to tell him. Certain memories of you and Cal ran through your mind and you shivered a little. It had been a long few years since youâd thought about that time in your lives.
âItâs complicated,â you spoke slowly, not wanting to lie to Joel. âWe were alone for so long. Sometimes there would be other people with us while we travelled around, or when we lived in other settlements, butâŠâ
âBut they were temporary?â
âTemporary,â you nodded. The band were playing an upbeat song, and you were momentarily distracted by the contrast between the group of people lively dancing a few metres away, and you and Joel sitting there talking in hushed tones. Â
âThey would get themselves killed, or infected, orâŠâ you paused, feeling your eyebrow twitch at the thought of some of you and Calâs past acquaintances. Of one in particular, whom you was still plagued with visions of while asleep.
Embers from the fire were floating through the foggy air, and you inhaled a deep breathe, watching as they disappeared into the night sky. Little pieces of crackling sparks, shooting up and evaporating. The smoke from the fire burned your eyes and throat. Donât think about it.
âOrâŠâ he pressed. He might as well have poked you with a stick to bring your attention back to the conversation; his curiosity rolling off him in waves. Joel with a few drinks in him proved far nosier than sober Joel.Â
Your gaze stayed on the sky. âOr prove themselves untrustworthy.â
Joel was smart enough to read between the lines, and not push any further on the matter. You observed fondly that when you were speaking to him, Joel angled his head ever so slightly to have his left ear closer to you. Upon noticing, you remembered it was true that whenever heâd approached you in the past few weeks, heâd position himself on your right side. You figured the hearing on his right side was a little shoddy.Â
For a few moments you just sat and watched the people around you. Some of the families started to leave, herding little ones away from the band, and in the direction of town.
âSo?â Joel prompted, with a deep wrinkle in his forehead that let you know he wasnât happy about having to ask again.
âYou really want to know?â
You couldnât read the expression on his face. He fiddled with the mug in his hands and nodded once. You didnât like the way heâd gone from relaxed and boozy, back to his regular grouchy countenance.
Your tongue clicked against the roof of your mouth in acquiescence.
âWeâd been friends for twenty years before it, and weâve been friends for a decade after it. It happened twice, or⊠or maybe three times. It gets a bit hazy in my memory. We figured we knew each other so well, and after so many years alone, it had started to seem like there would never be anyone else toâŠâ you trailed off, uncertain of how much to reveal. Joel waited.
âAs much as we wished it was more it just wasnât. It never could be.â It was impossible not to picture those times, as you talked about them. Your stomach rolled remembering the way you and Cal had stood awkwardly together, skimming stones over a lake youâd stumbled across, agreeing to never do it again. It was one of the worst moments of your friendship; both fearing you were about to break your only friendâs heart. âWe love each other but⊠thereâs a barrier there, in our heads. All the memories of us as kids, of playing soccer on the weekend with him and his brothers, of watching each other grow up and become the people we were going to beâŠâ You rubbed the itchy corner of your eye with grimy fingers, taking a breath. Joelâs eyes flicked over to see Cal and Luisa standing up, and the pair began walking away from the bonfire hand in hand.
âWhen we fucked, the first time, it was just a tension release, I suppose.â
Joel flinched beside you, his shoulders tenser than they had been a moment before. A twinge of regret tickled in your chest, for using such matter-of-fact language. You werenât trying to push him away, but it felt sneaky if you were to lie about your past with Cal. There was no denying what had happened; not if you wanted Joel to know you, truly. It was a part of your story, and neither of you could afford to be ashamed of it.Â
âAnd after that, we tried again but it just⊠didnât work. We couldnât be together that way, as much as we longed for the connection. He may as well be my brother. Thankfully, the sibling sentiment was mutual.â
You turned to watch Joelâs face. His stoic expression was hard to read, but the wrinkles around his mouth were made prominent by how he clenched his jaw, and you could sense an undercurrent of thoughts and emotions clearly rolling under his skin. Yet he stayed silent, brooding. Jealous? You shook the invasive thought off. No.
âI donât say it lightly, that I would die for Cal,â you said quietly, your voice as firm and wary as the day you arrived in Jackson, eyes glancing away for a moment to watch Calâs back as he disappeared out of the field. âHim being here, happy and safe⊠itâs all Iâve ever wanted for him.â
Silence swelled around you, heavy with the weight of all that you had revealed. Goosebumps rippled over your skin as the band started to play a song you recognised. One from before outbreak day, that your mother used to sing to you on the settlement, in those early years after everything changed. If Joel noticed your demeanour shift, you didnât care, letting your eyes fall closed as you gently sang along to the opening of the old song.
Oh, Kentucky, I miss you
Your night sky, black and tired
But wild like a live wire
The horse is never leaving the pond on its own
You got to open the gate and let it loose to run
Faster than the clouds on a windblown dawn Faster than you left me alone to long
You trailed off slowly and reached up to wipe a stray tear from your cheek. An image of your motherâs face flashed through your memory, but you shoved it down, unsure if it was even an accurate idea of what she had looked like. After a decade and a half without her, you couldnât be sure your memories were trustworthy. Â
âAnd what do you want now?â Joel finally spoke, his voice hoarse. âNow that heâs happy, and safe. What do you want?â
âFor myself?â you whispered, voice thick with emotion. âI havenât let myself want anything in a long time now. Thereâs no use; nothing good comes from it.â
Your cheeks were warm and red, and little bits of ash were dotted through your hair. Joelâs mug had been abandoned to the ground, and his fingers fiddled together in his lap, the way they always did when he was trying his best to actively listen. He was present, and this way his way of showing it. No messing around, no object or weapon in his hands to put a barrier between himself and another person. Just his hands, scratching and tracing each other, to calm himself. It made your heart beat out of time for a second, whenever you noticed him doing it. Until one of his hands lifted and held in the air for a second, and then he reached over to place it gently on your knee. Your heart stuttered as he gave it a gentle squeeze, and left it to rest there.
âI felt the same way for a long time. Thought there was no use in hoping, or wanting anything good, or feeling like I deserved to be happy.â
âAnd now?â you asked, staring down at his large hand on you. You wished you had the confidence to reach down and take it in your own. âDo you still feel like that?â
His thumb made one slow stroking movement along your knee, making the skin underneath your jeans tingle sharply.
âJackson changed things. Ellie⊠Ellie changed things. AndâŠâ He paused, and his forehead finally relaxed. You pursed your chapped lips and didnât look away from him, urging him to continue. âJackson continues to change things.â Is all he said.
And itâs all he needed to. You understood.Â
Take me to the track, I want to lose all my cash
This beating in my chest is all I need to stash
And why shouldnât I?
Cause when Iâm alone
Weâre still looking at the same moon
Under the night
Are we two people never getting together?
I will follow your roads
As wide as the air, as wild as a storm.
part two
#joel miller#tlou#the last of us#the last of us hbo#joel miller fanfiction#ellie williams#joel miller fic#joel miller fanfic#tlou fanfiction#tlou fanfic#joel miller angst#joel miller smut#joel miller series#joel miller x reader#joel miller x you#my writing#under the night
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Hello! I was wondering if you could write some form of our Captain coming home unannounced after a long stint in the field? (Take creative liberties). Reader doesn't know that he's coming back, but she's been on tenterhooks the entire time throughout, wondering when he will, so it's a massive surprise when he does (dare I say it's mostly horny Price?)
If this doesn't work for you, please let me know! Thank you :) đ§Ą
OMG my first ask đ„č this literally means the world to me you don't understand, I appreciate you so much for being here đ«¶
I know I've said i'm an NSFW blog, but just incase anybody here just wants to read good ol' fluff, I did label in this fic where it becomes NSFW! The last thing I want to do is make anyone uncomfortable or left out because they don't care to read smut! Reader has female anatomy but I did my best to not include pronouns just incase! I really hope you like it đ«¶
Pairings: Husband!John Price x AFAB!Reader
Summary: After a long, dreadful period of time awaiting your husband's return from deployment, he shows up when you least expect it.
Warnings: Blood mentioned, non-severe injuries, afab, p in v, unprotected sex, just your casual smutty fic!
Thick, whitish-grayish clouds blanketed the sky, rain falling heavily from the base, an ombre effect forming as you viewed farther into the distance, watching the sky go from a shade of slate to a hue of black. The sound of the rain against the window caused you to curl up on the couch, a movie on in the background with the volume low enough to the point that you can hear the chatter of voices, but not enough to make out what is going on, and your favorite book seated comfortably in your hands. Next to you on the coffee table stands a hot mug, filled to the top, with only a quarter of an inch of space left to avoid any overflowing, of earl grey. A comforting blend that you find yourself pouring on rainy days like this. Adjacent to the mug was a picture frame, of you and your husband on your wedding day. Picking it up, you start to reminisce on the memories of your beloved, who is somewhere a thousand miles away right now.
He's been gone for what felt like years, but has really only been 4 months. The marriage was hard, to say the least. Drawn out periods of time where you aren't sure if he's even going to come home to you anymore, late nights arguing about how he's never here to spend time with you, thoughts of separation swarming your head at the lowest of points during your relationship. But every time he sees the doubt in your eyes, the realization that his work takes priority, he manages to ground you, tell you that one day he'll be home for good, and that he's never leaving again. The words start to feel empty after hearing them one too many times, now simply used as a way to comfort you; an empty promise. At least, that's what you've concluded as shortly after you make up from said arguments he's leaving you again. Missed birthdays, anniversaries, valentines day, Christmas, any calendar holiday you could think of, were rarely ever spent with your partner.
Snapping out of your thoughts, you put your book down, running your thumb across the glass of the picture frame where the polaroid of you in his arms, a white gown adorning your body, his ceremonial dress uniform on his, your lips attached together, just like your souls. A warmth overcomes you, a fuzzy feeling when you think of everything you've been through together. The late nights slow dancing in the kitchen, baking pastries together in the morning, attacking each other with the dry ingredients, making a mess of the floor and counters, as well as each other, everything now coated in flour. The small moments like this is what makes every argument and make-up worth it, knowing that the love you harbor for each other is inseparable, no matter the distance between you two.
Glancing at the clock, it reads 1406, 24-hour time becoming a usual part of your life, living with a military man. Taking out your grocery list, you figure now is a good time to knock out some errands to prepare for the upcoming week. After getting dressed and applying some of your make-up, you slip your shoes on and head out the door. The drive to the store is calm, the rain pattering against the roof of the car, the refraction caused by the rain water making the headlights in the distance slightly blurred.
Walking through the store, shopping cart in front of you, list in your left hand, your pen in the other, you slowly make your way through each aisle, scratching a line through each word in the list as the corresponding item makes its way into your cart. Strolling the cart to the front of the store and making your way through the checkout line, you grab your bags, pay the amount ringed out by the cashier, and make your way out. Upon placing all of your grocery bags in the car, you make your way towards the cart return. Glancing down to your phone to recheck the time, you feel a change in the texture of the ground below you, before you get the chance to process the difference, you feel a sharp pain in your ankle, jolting up your calf into your hip, and then a wave of agony hits you when your head eventually makes its way onto the pavement as well. Sitting up on your knees, you grab your nose. Blood. A lot of it. Pouring out as your eyes tear up and your ankle becomes numb.
Slowly making your way back into your car, you assess the damage. One, you're now soaking wet, and so is your car seat now, two, you seem to have sprained your ankle and broke your nose. Great. Right when you need your husband to take care of you, he's nowhere near to take action. Though your head feels dizzy, and you probably shouldn't be driving in your state, you realize that you need to get home to patch yourself up. As you start the ignition to your car, a check light comes up. Of course it does, you think. Low tire pressure. Just what you need right now on top of everything else. Taking a deep breath, you pull out of the parking lot and pray you make it home safe.
Limping your way into the house, not caring about the groceries now sitting in the car, an overwhelming feeling of dread and pain comes over you. Now that the adrenaline has worn off, everything hits you at once. The searing pain in your lower leg makes it hard to stand, and the dizziness in your head makes it hard to fight the pain off to at least limp your way to the couch. Letting your back hit the- now closed- front door, you sink to the ground, a fit of tears and sobs erupting from your body.
"Y/n?" A familiar gruff voice echos off the walls of the house. At first, you think it might just be your delusions from the injury and yearning, and then you feel a pair of warm hands on both sides of your face. Shooting your eyes open, you see the face of your husband, kneeling down to your level to look directly into your eyes. "Sweetheart, what happened?" John calmly spoke, wrapping his arms around you as to not panic you even more. A sentence of broken words and mumbles leaving your mouth, the struggle to breath growing. John doesn't speak, rather he comforts you by increasing the strength of the embrace, running his hands through your hair, soft "shhh's" leave his lips. Finally catching your breath, you feel your heart rate slowing down, but the pounding in your head getting more prominent. You look up to him, a defeated look in your eyes that breaks his heart into pieces, "I didn't think you were coming home." Your broken, hoarse voice breaks the silence. He feels his heart drop again at those words. "I'll always come home to you. You know that." He gives you a soft smile, kissing your forehead. "Now, why don't you explain to me what happened while I patch you up, yeah?" A soft smile forms on your lips, slowly nodding as to not aggravate your headache even more.
Picking you up, Price sets you down on the kitchen counter to grab some medical supplies, as well as pain medicine to soothe the pounding in your leg and your head. Filling up a small glass of water, he lifts you up once again and takes you to the bathroom to get some better lighting to patch you up.
-NSFW below-
Soft laughter fills the bathroom as Price listens to the day you've had. "So you're gonna tell me you let a puddle of mud ruin your day?" He chuckles lowly. You glare at him before sending him a cheeky smirk. Lifting you up carefully as to avoid hurting you, he lays you down on the bed. "You wait here while I go get everything from the car. Why don't you get yourself ready for me, love?" He finished his sentence with a wink that made your abdomen flutter. Months of being away from him, months without the ache in your nether regions being resolved, only relying on a couple videos shot by the two of you while you had the chance. Nothing you've tried could compare to him, though. Stripping down to nothing but your panties, you hear his loud, heavy footsteps booming through the hallway. Nervousness fills your body, the hairs on the nape of your neck standing at attention due to the anticipation of what was to come next.
You feel your clit throb, your subconscious becoming aware of the situation. His tall, broad figure enters through the doorway. Flicking the light switch down, the only light in the room coming from the storm still going outside, the gray tones flooding into the room and making your body look euphoric. The little light that is reflected into the room makes your eyes appear darker, the curves in your body more defined, the perkiness of your tits more delicious. Price feels his body relax at the site of you, his bright blue eyes turn into a shade of navy, making him appear more dominant and full of lust. Stripping his shirt off and disregarding it on the hardwood below him, you take in the sight of his hardened body, extra buff from the recent deployment, demanding strength for months on end. Stopping at the edge of the bed, above where you lay, you can make out the bulge in his jeans more clearly, your pussy throbbing with need as you realize just how long it's been since he's been inside of you.
"You're more gorgeous than the last time I saw you, you know that? You just keep getting prettier and prettier with time, darling." His voice laced with desire and need, thick like honey, his accent more prominent. You sit up, shifting your weight on your arm, as he leans down, meeting you in the middle to connect your lips together. The feeling of your tongues dancing together, the mixture of your saliva, his hand hard around your throat, it feels better than ever. Your sure your panties are soaked, you can feel your inner thighs get coated with your slick, your body preparing for him. Disconnecting your lips, you lean back down, mouthing his cock through his jeans, running your teeth across the outline. He groans, tangling his fingers through your hair with just enough pressure that you can feel it, but not enough to bring back any pain from earlier. After a long, hot make-out session, Price pulls away from you, a trail of saliva leaving the two of you connected.
Untangling his hand from your hair, he slowly repositions himself on top of you, kissing your neck, down your body until he reaches the elastic of your panties. He takes the band in his mouth, his teeth slowly taking them off of your body. You stare at him, your mouth agape in shock and need. After discarding your undergarments to somewhere on the floor, he spreads your legs, leaving a trail of kisses on your calf, up to your inner knee, when he reaches your inner thigh he becomes more rough, sucking and biting at the skin there, leaving purple bruises along your flesh. Keeping eye contact with you, he lays a light, feather-like kiss on your clit, making you gasp with pleasure, but not enough. Interlacing your fingers in his hair, you push his head down, an unspoken way of asking for more. "Greedy, are we love?" Price chuckles, now licking your clit. Rolling your eyes with a small giggle, "It's been 4 months, John, can you blame me?" Your voice is laced with desire and impatience as you speak. After what felt like an eternity of teasing, Price brings up two of his thick fingers, circling your entrance with them, his middle finger catching on your labia. Inserting them in, the stretch making you arch your back in pleasure and slight discomfort, "You're so tight baby, seems you haven't been takin' care of yourself down here." His fingers start moving in and out at a slightly faster pace, but not too much to make you fall apart already. He moves his mouth back to your clit, continuing his actions from earlier. With a loud moan and your back arching even more, you cover Price's fingers in your come, making him groan at the sight, his cock growing even harder.
Sitting up, the unbuckling of his jeans sparks a nervousness and excitement in your lower abdomen, a feeling you haven't felt in a long time. You stare as he unzips his jeans, taking them off along with his boxers. His thick cock bounces as it's freed from confinement, the heaviness of it making it droop down. You take it into your hand, slowly stroking him before taking it to your entrance. Price looks into your eyes as he slips it into your hole, making the both of you gasp at the intrusion. As he buries himself as deep as he can go, John waits for a moment to take in the feeling of you after such a long time, and to stop himself from coming too soon. The feeling of him stretching you open and the tip of his cock pressed against your cervix puts you in a state of nirvana. Circling your hips a little to create some sort of pleasure on your end, Price decides he won't make you wait any longer.
Slowly pulling his cock out until just the tip is inside, he smiles at you before slamming his length all the way back in. The feeling catching you off guard, you roll your eyes to the back of your head, letting out a loud moan "Oh my- fuckk." "You didn't think I was gonna be gentle did you?" Price lets out a low chuckle before repeating the same action. Lifting your legs up so your ankles are adjacent to his head, he goes faster, pounding into the back of your pussy like his life depends on it, hitting the same soft spot that you're convinced nobody else could reach. Reaching his hand down, John starts to rub your clit at the same pace as his hips, making you moan louder and louder. "Oh fuck, oh fuck, don't stop doing that" you whine out, making Price's lips curl up in a cheeky smile. "Yeah, you like that? Am I gonna make you come, baby?" He teases you, letting out a low groan. Nodding your head, Price feels your walls tighten around him, making his hips stutter and his moans slightly louder. "Oh shit baby, fuck you're so tight. You like coming 'round my cock, love?" You don't respond- you can't- not in the state you're in right now. You just hold eye contact with him while nodding your head.
Price's hips falter as you feel something warm inside of you all of a sudden. He stays there, his cock acting like a plug to keep his come pushed inside of you. Coming down towards you, Price leaves a kiss on your forehead before slowly pulling out, watching some of his come leak out of you. Looking up at your worn-out figure, he gets up to start a bath for you. Slowly unwrapping the bandage he skillfully placed on your ankle to prevent any unwanted movement, he places you in the warm body of water, making your eyes slowly close. The smell of lavender and vanilla fills your senses, the only light in the bathroom being from your favorite candle. Price cleans you up, making sure to be careful around your nose and your ankle, before picking you up gently to wrap your body in a towel.
He takes you back to the bed, which is now covered in a fresh pair of sheets, he lays you down gently before getting you dressed. Going to the bathroom to clean himself up, he decides now is a good time to tell you the news. Moments later he comes out, preparing himself for any reaction that may come out of you. Before he can speak, he hears your soft snores and sees your eyes glued shut, overtaken by a deep sleep. His lips form a soft smile, a feeling of warmth filling his body, feeling his heart skip a beat. He guesses he'll just have to tell you about his retirement in the morning.
#captain john price#john price#captain price#price x reader#captain price x reader#john price x you#call of duty#call of duty fanfic#call of duty fandom
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I've been in such a James mood recently so hear me out
Modern!james listening to your favorite music with you (Taylor swift bc im a sucker for her) and it's js so cute and fluffy and like dancing together and omg
i know i said i wasn't gonna write this week but this came in and its so cute and i cant get it out of my head because james is so taylor swift coded and UGH I AM OBSESSED WITH THIS WEE VARIATION OF MODERN!JAMES!!! anyways thank you for requesting!đ€
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It wasnât unusual to find James wandering around your shared apartment, listening to music.
He was an early riser, always out of bed before you and the first thing he would do would connect his phone to the speaker for his morning shower. The speaker would follow him into the kitchen where he would make you both breakfast. His drive to work would be filled with whatever playlist he had been loving at the moment, just like his drive back. He had little set playlists to hype him up when he would go to the gym or go out for runs.
He would always make small, mini playlists for you, sending the link from the other room and waiting a solid five minutes before he ran into the room you were in and asked what you thought. He would always get giddy when he found a new song he thought you would like, or when he knew one of his favourite artists was in town and he could persuade you to join him at the concert.Â
Your boyfriend had many love languages, but music was undoubtedly one of them and you adored it.Â
You had been lucky enough to cop a short shift in the morning, meaning the rest of your Sunday was available to enjoy how you pleased. It was one of the rare days where you woke up before James, pressing a kiss to his forehead before you left the house and headed out to work.Â
It was nearing noon by the time you arrived home, the jingle of the keys usually enough to catch your boyfriendâs attention and having him run towards you like an excited golden retriever as he muttered how much he missed you between kisses.Â
Except, it didnât happen this time.
You would have been alarmed if you didnât hear the undeniable sound of music blasting from one of the other roomsâyou were assuming it was the kitchen where he would be cooking you both a sort of late breakfast. So, you shrugged off your shoes and hung up your jacket before you made your way towards the kitchen, a smile on your face to see what James was listening to this morning.Â
You hadnât even clocked the familiar tune until you were standing in the doorway of the kitchen, taking in the scene in front of you.
James was dressed only in a pair of sweatpants that rested low on his hips, leaving his toned chest and thick arms on display. His hair was still a little messy like he hadnât styled it yet, stray curls falling in front of his lenses. He had a spatula in his hand with what you assumed were some fried eggs he was making in the pan on the stove, the sight of two plates with avocado toast plated on them made you grin a little.Â
But the thing that really made your heart swell was the song your boyfriend was singing along to.
It didnât take long for James to notice you standing by the door and your chest tightened at the way a grin spread across his face, the stove turned off and the spatula abandoned as he reached his hand out towards you as he pulled you further into the kitchen.
âOur song is the slamming screen door, sneaking out late, tapping on your window,â he sang and you could only snort at the thick southern accent he put on as he sang. âWhen weâre on the phone and you talk real slow, cause itâs late and your mama donât know!â
You let out a giggle as he twirled you around in a circle, letting you get far enough before he could tug you back in and grip your hips as you practically fell into his embrace.
âOur song is the way you laugh, first date, man, I didnât kiss her and I should have,â he continued, his eyes never leaving yours as he sang, enjoying the way you smiled up at him. âAnd when I got home, before I said amen, asking God if he could play it again.â
You snorted as the boy continued to prance around the kitchen with you, the breakfast forgotten as James pulled you close once the song had ended and dipped his head down to press his lips against yours.Â
âMorning, baby,â he murmured in between kisses, the smile on his face never once faltering. âHow was work?â
âGood,â you grinned back at him, leaning back enough to lift a hand to push back his curls. âI really enjoyed coming back to that little performance though.â
âI missed you this morning so I put on your playlist,â he said with a shrug of his shoulders, like it was the most casual thing in the world and didnât make your heart swoon. âNot to brag but I think I may be a bigger swiftie than you.â
You snorted. âSure, baby, sure.â
âIâm not lying, babe, I am,â he said and puffed his chest out a little. âFine then, whatâs her best album?âÂ
âFolklore,â you answered without any hesitation.Â
âWrong, itâs 1989,â he grinned, giving you ass a soft slap before he turned back to finish the breakfast he was cooking.
.
#james potter#marauders#harry potter#hp#james potter x reader#james potter x you#james potter x y/n#james potter fic#james potter oneshot#marauders x reader#marauders x you#marauders x y/n#marauders fic#marauders one shot#harry potter x reader#harry potter x you#harry potter x y/n#harry potter fic#harry potter oneshot#hp x reader#hp x you#hp x y/n#hp fic#hp one shot
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"The Mushroom Mine" sign by @shantismurf, with assistance from @tickles-ivory
As part of the celebration of the one year anniversary of the Bagginshield Book Club, we asked the lovely @chrononautintraining a few questions about this wonderful work.
June 2024 Author Q&A with Chrononautical
Q1. What name would you like us to use and what are your pronouns?
A1. Chrononautical or Chrono, She/Her
Q2. How many years have you been writing?Â
A2. Most of my life, but posting publicly for about 15 years.
Q3. What do you think of as your writing style - are you a plotter or pantster?
A3. Pantster, primarily, though I've learned my lessons and do like to know where a story is going to end when I start it these days so I try to plot.Â
Q4. Whatâs your favorite genre/trope to write?Â
A4. Speculative fiction: stories about magic or science fiction, primarily.Â
Q5. Is there a genre/trope you haven't written as much of yet that you're excited about for future writing?
A5. I'd like to do more comedy.
Q6. Was there an idea or scene that inspired A Passion for Mushrooms?
A6. Passion for Mushrooms is one hundred percent inspired by the quote I used for an epigraph: "Hobbits have a passion for mushrooms, surpassing even the greediest likings of Big People." - The Fellowship of the Ring, J.R.R. Tolkien.Â
When I decided to write it, the fandom already had more than a few stories about Bilbo planting gardens and deciding to stay in Erebor with a miraculously alive Thorin. I was completely here for all of that, of course, but I wanted a story where the garden wasn't special because of gold or rare plants bought with gold. I wanted there to be a treasure that Bilbo could appreciate with the Baggins half of his heart, as well as the Tookish bit. And I know next to nothing about mountains, but I do know mushrooms do okay in caves, so...Â
Q7. Did you do any special research before writing the work?
A7. If you're asking this because I go deep on How To Pluck A Chicken In A Medieval Kitchen during the cooking scenes, you're right and you should say it. I am a middling cook, but all of my ingredients come from grocery stores. I had to do a fair bit of research on the cooking aspects of the story that were furthest from my own experience. Fortunately, the professor already put tomatoes and potatoes in Middle-earth, so I didn't have to go Full Historical.Â
Q8. Did the story change from how you originally envisioned it? Were there scenes or plot elements you had to cut out?
A8. It absolutely did. Because I am, as previously said, a pantster. I wanted a bigger bang for the ending of the story than I was set up to get. I could have stopped with Bilbo and Thorin getting together and had some simple falling action, but that didn't perfectly tie the subplot of Dis and Tauriel back to the main pairing, which I knew I wanted. Having Doron try to poison Bilbo was actually a late in the game choice. If I'd planned that from the start, I would have threaded him into more of the middle sections of the novel.Â
As for cutting things out, the additional stories in the series started as deleted scenes/reader requests that I couldn't find use for. So most of what I cut didn't end up in the rubbish bin. Anything that wound up there really wasn't worth posting.Â
Q9. Do you have a favorite moment from the entire series?
A9. I still really like "A Spy In The Shire" a lot. I know it's so self-indulgent to say that about a story focusing on an OC, but if the point of the Battle of Five Armies is to reclaim Erebor for the dwarves, then I want that to mean something. I want the average dwarf to be in a bad place. I want the average dwarf to need Erebor the way Thorin needs Erebor, to be willing to do anything to get back to the Lonely Mountain. Because if that's the case, then all the sacrifice means something. When I talk about this one luckless dwarf on the world's silliest quest to figure out how to help the king hook up with a hobbit, I'm talking about hope for the future. I'm talking about all the people who long for and dream of the home that Thorin was willing to die to reclaim. I think about them going back there and living better lives. It brings me peace.
#bagginshield#the hobbit#the hobbit fanfiction#thilbo#thorin x bilbo#bilbo baggins#thorin oakenshield#fanfic#tolkien#bagginshield book club#Chrononautical#A Passion for Mushrooms#The Mushroom Mine#Author Q&A
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pretty please (stay with me) || c.sc | 3
âAfter being assigned a fashion show for your big senior project, you set off to find volunteers to make it successful. However, when you meet Choi Seungcheol and his unfriendly clique through your volunteers, you realize theyâre an unwanted package deal you canât escape from. Can you handle Seungcheolâs obnoxious friends, and can he handle your brash behavior?â
đ Pairing: businessMajor!Seungcheol x fashionMajor!Reader (f)
đ Rating/Genres/AUs: M(18+); Slice of life (!!!), slow burn, drama, fluff, angst; Unrequited enemies to lovers, strangers to lovers, college au
đ Warnings: General tws + mention of death, mention of divorce, sugar daddy seungcheol (we love to see it)
đ WC: 12.6k
đ Betas: Sarah, Indi, Kelly, Freya đ
đ Authorâs Note: Already halfway through the series! Thank you for all the support I've gotten so far! (no I won't stop saying thanks bc I'm grateful for you all!). I'm really relieved people like it since I enjoyed writing it a lot â„ïž
also read here: AO3 | Wattpad
seventeen masterlist | main masterlist
previous chapter \\ series masterpost // next chapter
You sit on the edge of your bed, legs bouncing with anticipation.
He will be here any minute, and like before, youâre suddenly self-conscious of your outfit. You didnât change it as many times as you did last time, but you still thought hard about it. You end up donning a black faux fur tube top, high-waisted black pants, and black heels.Â
Your red pumps are an option, but you think theyâre too muchâa little too dressed up for a simple dinner⊠But then again you are wearing a top that resembles a fuzzy rug, so the outfit is already borderline âtoo much.â
And Seungcheol likes red.
Your eyes dart to the discarded shoes in the corner. Does it matter that he likes redâon you, to be more specific? If you wear those, will he think you wore them for him? Do you want to wear them for him?
As the questions tumble into your mind, you barely register your door opening.
âHoney?â your father asks gently.
Your head pops up to see him entering your room. âYeah?â
âHow late are you going to stay out?â he wonders.
You give him a quizzical look. He rarely questions you on your outings, let alone the duration.
âIâm not sure. I can bring home some food for you and Seoah,â you offer, thinking he needs you to bring back dinner since you will be gone.
âNo need. Iâm going to take her out once you go,â he replies.
Youâre never good at hiding your reactions. Your eyes widen slightly before narrowing. This is odd coming from your dad.
âWhatâs the special occasion?â you wonder. You canât recall the last time he took you both for food or just out in general.
âThereâs none,â he says. You stare at him in silence as you take in his appearance. His usual eye bags are still present, but he looks more freshened up than youâve seen in a while. It also looks like he put some effort into his outfit.
âAre you dying?â you ask, thinking he is trying to leave a positive impression before he leaves this earth.
Your dadâs eyes enlarge. âNo, no, Iâm healthy. I just,â he sighs. âSeeing your mother again made me realize I havenât been very attentive to you and your sister.â
âThis isnât the first time sheâs come back though,â you reply, confused as to why this time is different.
âI know. I canât really explain it right now,â he says. âAre you going out with Dae?â
âYeahââ a buzz from your phone ââsheâs here.â
You stand up from your bed. âWe can talk later, if you have time.â
âIâll find some time,â he says. You arenât sure if that is really going to happen, but you donât want to ponder on that now. âCome back safe.â
âThanks,â you murmur. Talking to a caring dad has your mind-boggling. You want to feel like your father is actually going to be in your life, but heâs been out of it for years, so itâs hard to imagine that changing.
Your father nods and makes his way out of your room.Â
A knock at your door startles you from your daze. Before you can overthink the decision, you hastily kick off your heels and replace them with the red pumps. You apply a layer of matching lipstick, then toss the stick in your purse while you jog to the front door. Though what you see isnât ideal.
âItâs a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Ln,â Seungcheol greets respectfully.
âYou as well, Seungcheol,â replies your father. You canât see his face from where you are, but he sounds friendly. Not that he shouldnât be. He has no reason to be hostile. You just arenât sure if heâll try to play the tough dad or not.
Plus, a part of you worries Seungcheol will be able to see past the âperfect familyâ facade and see all your imperfections.
You gently push your way in front of your dad, turning to face him with your back to Seungcheol.
âIâll see you later,â you tell him and nudge him inside so you can close the door better.
âNow, just wait a minute, Yn,â he says and looks over your shoulder to Seungcheol. Your body tenses. He is not about to give the whole get-her-home-byâ
ââby eleven oâclock. I trust youâll keep her safe.â
Seungcheol doesnât appear to be bothered by your fatherâs little protective speech. Instead, he gives him a reassuring smile. One that a gentleman would wear and one you arenât used to seeing from him. Normally you get teasing grins.
âHer safety is my top priority,â Seungcheol says earnestly.
Oh God, now youâre stuck between a rom-com conversation.
âGreat. Now that youâre both done going through your lines, can we go?â
âLines?â your dad questions. You arenât about to waste any more time explaining your lame reference to common daughter-father-date discussions. Not that Seungcheol is your date.
âIs that Seungcheol?!â Seoahâs voice rings behind your dad. Not her, too.
âYup, itâs slang, bye Dad!â you quickly say, and instead of shoving him back inside as you planned, you turn and shove Seungcheol down the stairs.
âHey, wait!â Seoah calls out and zips past you to Seungcheol. Seungcheol stands at the bottom of the steps, eyeing you with confusion at your strange behavior. He looks at Seoah when she stands at the top of the stairs.
âHey, Seoah,â he waves at her.Â
What did she do to deserve one of his dimple-inducing smiles?
âItâs good to see you back,â she beams, a grin on her face.
âYou too,â he chuckles.
âBack?â your father asks.
Your attention zooms in on Seoah, and you hope the silent glare you give her is recognized by her. Her mouth drops open at the realization.
âI mean, itâs good to see your back! Itâs nice,â she corrects quickly, gesturing around his body. âItâs, erm, wide and cool.â
âHis back is wide and cool?â echoes your father slowly in puzzlement.
Thatâs enough.
Seungcheol laughs, his obnoxious little deep âhaâsâ ringing in your ears. You quickly grab his arm and start to drag him away.Â
âHave fun at dinner,â you say to your family while you briskly walk away.
Despite Seungcheol being strong enough to pull himself out of your grasp, he lets you lead him to his car.
âDo you think my back is wide and cool too?â he teases.
You whip around to look at him, pausing in your trek. Youâre standing a little too close than you intended. âNo, I think itâs mediocre and dull.â
He laughs again at your response. You flicker your eyes to the sky as you take a deep breath.
âNot another word,â you warn before guiding him to his car.
Your hand is on the passengerâs side handle, ready to pull it open, but Seungcheol stops you. He gently pushes your hand off before placing his own on the handle.
âIâm perfectly capable of opening your car door myself,â you grumble, arms crossing over your chest.
The corner of one of his lips raises. His eyes drop to your lips briefly.
âI know, Cherry,â he says, then averts his gaze back to your eyes, âbut Iâm chivalrous, remember?â
He pulls the door open and nods to get in. You narrow your gaze at that, wanting to challenge him on if he truly is.
âCan you guys stop flirting and get inside? Iâm hungry,â Daeâs voice pulls you from your staring contest. You forgot she will be in the car already.
âYou heard the lady,â Seungcheol murmurs to you.
âYouâre going to get this heel stuck so far up your ass, Choi Seungcheol.â
He chuckles and leans in closer, voice dropping so only you can hear, âSounds kinky, baby.â
You push down the fluttering of your heart at the pet name because you refuse to let him get away with that cocky reply.
âIf you both donât get in now, Iâm leaving you guys and taking the car,â Dae threatens.
You glare at Seungcheol for a second longer before lowering yourself in the seat.
âFinally,â Dae mumbles when Seungcheol climbs in.
âSorry, there was an⊠incident that delayed us,â you say and set your purse in your lap. Dae leans forward, placing a hand on your arm to turn you toward her.
âYou donât look sick,â she observes to herself. You scoff and brush her hand off you.
âBecause Iâm not,â you say.
Seungcheol starts driving as you speak with Dae.
âAre you sure?â she wonders.
âWhy would you think Iâm sick?â
âBecause you apologized.â
You peer back at her, unamused. Dae just smiles.
âShe also says please now,â Seungcheol chimes in. You groan at his addition and press your back into the seat. Your feet almost kick like a kid throwing a tantrum, but you hold back that urge.
âWell, now, sheâs always done thatâŠsort of. Have you been saying please more? Iâm shocked. What about your âthank yousâ? You havenât forgotten those right?â Dae asks as if speaking to a child.
You sigh loudly, making it as audible as you can so they know how annoyed you are. Apparently, all Seungcheolâs outings result in your misery one way or another. âIâm not agreeing to any more of your invitations, Seungcheol.â
âI doubt that. You like my company too much to refuse,â he replies. He doesnât appear to be bothered one bit by your statement.
âDoes she now?â Dae wonders aloud. You donât like where her mind is wandering to.
âHush it, you two. The only tolerable one here is Yejun,â you huff, having seen him for a second when you glanced at Dae. He was on his phone then, but now heâs sitting back enjoying the bantering between you all.
âIâm honored to hear that, Yn,â he teases.
Even though the car ride consists of Seungcheol and Dae teasing you and Yejun, youâre grateful to get your mind off the troubles youâve been having lately.
When you arrive, you quickly open the door and step out before Seungcheol can open it for you.
âI beat you this time,â you gloat as Seungcheol comes to stand by you, locking his car once the others are out.
Thereâs a small bounce to your step when you exit that causes Seungcheol to give you a warm smile, eyes staring at you with tenderness.Â
âThat you did, Cherry.â
Your elevated shoulders deflate while a pout takes over your features. His reply is too casual. You had expected something more witty.
âWhile you two do a round two of flirting, Yejun and I are going to go inside,â Dae says before wrapping her arm in Yejunâs and leaving you both by the car.
She walks away too fast for you to reply, so you turn to Seungcheol. He wears a red turtleneck, black pants, and a black leather jacket slung over his arm. The shirt hugs his body nicely; it outlines his muscular chest ever so slightly and makes you yearn to see more. His hair is styled a little to still look natural but gives it a different appearance. Heâs really handsome tonight. Red seems to be his color as well.
âYouâre not going to wear that?â you wonder while pointing to his jacket.
He shakes his head. âItâs too hot right now.â
âThen why did you bring it?â you ask, eyebrows coming together.
Shrugging, he takes your hand in his. Your first instinct is to pull awayâstartled at his sudden touch. Youâve never held his hand before. The act seems a little too intimate⊠Makes you feel a little too warm.
Nevertheless, you keep your hand in his. The feeling is rather nice if youâre being honest with yourself. His grip is firm to make the grasp feel secure but not too tight to be suffocating. Itâs as if heâs just naturally used to having a strong grip on things.
âWe donât want to keep them waiting,â he says before making his way to the restaurant. You stay silent as you walk next to him.
âIâm glad you listened to me,â he comments when you are near the entrance.
âHuh?â you ask, glancing up at him.
He gives you another smile and reaches past you to hold the door open.
âRed still looks good on you. Even if thereâs only a little of it.â
So he did notice.
You tear your gaze from him at his compliment, heart beating quicker. You canât keep it steady even if you try. You feel a little proud you decided to go with the shoes after all.Â
You mumble a âthanksâ before walking inside. He follows behind you, greeting the host. The host gestures to where your friends are all seated before wishing you a good dinner. It almost looks like they are a group of people celebrating something, but you know they arenât. There are just a lot of you. And of course, the two empty seats happen to be next to each other at the end.
âHi, Yn! Hey Cheol,â Joshua greets. When everyone notices you, there is a chorus of hellos. The large welcome has you smiling, not used to the friendly attention.Â
All the people who are helping you with your project are here, plus a few others. They make you promise not to talk about the show before sitting down, claiming you need a break from it. You want to protest as you can talk about whatever you want, but they have a point. You probably do need a mental breather. Thus, you agree to their conditions.
You sit between Seungcheol and Wonwoo, who you just met. Heâs a film production student and like Vernon, keeps mostly to himself. Despite that, he isn't shy to engage wholeheartedly in the conversation if he is passionate about the topic. You also meet Jun and Seungkwan for the first timeâSeungkwan being the more outgoing of the two.
Seungcheolâs friends are a lively bunch, and although his business friends can get rowdy as well, their energy just doesn't match this group. Itâs more relaxing, carefree, and so easy to slip into. However, a part of that can be because you donât feel like youâre on defense the entire time.
For the first time in years, you are surrounded by people you thoroughly enjoyâwithout the stress of being the best, viewed as being the enemy, and the pressure of keeping your family together with tattered strings. Itâs all so⊠alleviating. Comforting.
Seungcheol keeps his arm hung over the back of your chair as you attentively listen to his friends. Sometimes you would feel his hand on your back and would turn to see if he needed something. He always shook his head and nodded back to who was speakingâsometimes it was multiple, and you just picked the closest conversation you could hear.
Youâre so used to hearing Seungcheolâs voice that you donât realize how quiet he can get. At first, youâre concerned, but you realize heâs enjoying sitting back and watching his friends have fun. You donât know how long heâs known these people, but from the fond look in his eyes, you know the duration doesnât matter. They mean a lot to him.
You wonder if heâll ever look at you like that in the future. Like you are someone he cherishes and adores. Suddenly, you want to try everything in your power to achieve that.
Once the food arrives, you figure the noise will quiet down. That isnât the case. The table is still chatty even though it should be filled with munching. You suppose this is the pros of being with a large group.
Seungcheol had moved this arm so he could eat, but he put it back when he was done. When his fingers graze your back for the nth time, you finally peer behind you to see his hand. You giggle as you realize heâs been playing with the fuzz of your top the entire time.
âSorry,â he sheepishly apologizes and retracts his arm from your chair. You grab his wrist, guiding it back to where it was.
âItâs fine. Itâs nice,â you murmur.
âAnd cool?â he taunts, referring to Seoahâs attempt to hide the fact that Seungcheol had been to your house before.
You scowl at him half-heartedly before turning away. In spite of the loud environment, your ears still catch his low chuckle behind you.
Not once this night did Seungcheol put on his jacket. He never came close to needing it. Nevertheless, he didnât hesitate to drape the material over your shoulders when he saw you shiver for the third time. Thereâs a tiny part of you that wonders if he brought it just for you. Though thatâs a reach as he wouldnât have known what you were wearing. You could have brought your own.
Despite feeling warmer, you miss his hand touching your back. Sometimes it would tickle your bare skin whenever you moved a certain way; it had shivers running down your spine. It couldâve been because of his cold hands, but you knew it was more because of his skin touching yours. Youâre tempted to remove his jacket just so you can feel his touch again.
âHey Yn,â comes a voice behind you suddenly. You glance up to see Jeonghan. He leans on the back of Seungcheolâs chair to look at you.
âHi,â you greet. Heâs sitting on the other side of the table, so you wonder what brings him over.
Jeonghan glances down at Seungcheol, one hand on his shoulder. âSeungcheol.â
âJeonghan,â answers Seungcheol suspiciously.
âSo, I heard youâre paying for some peopleâs dinner,â Jeonghan trails off.
Seungcheol leans forward to move away from the man.
âEmphasis on some,â he replies.
âOne more wonât hurt, right?â Jeonghan asks with an innocent smile on his face; however, you know that grin is more devious than it appears. It means trouble.
âHm, youâre right,â Seungcheol answers, then glances past you. âIâm sure Wonwoo would love a free meal.â
Jeonghan whines at his reply. âNot him! Me! Pay for mine, buddy?â
âNo,â Seungcheol says with a small laugh.
âSeungcheolâs paying?â Soonyoungâs voice rings out from across the table. Their conversation, albeit not loud, catches his attention. Or perhaps Soonyoung just has a keen ear for the words âpay,â âSeungcheol,â and âfreeâ.
âNo!â Seungcheol says, louder than before.
âSeungcheolâs paying?â More voices resound this time, all heads turning toward Seungcheol.
âNo, Iâm not,â the man in the center of attention declines. He sends a glare to Jeonghan.
âIsnât he so generous?â Jeonghan says, disregarding Seungcheolâs answer, and goes to wrap his arms around Seungcheol. The latter man has no choice but to accept the hug as he is trapped due to the table.
Whoops, hollers, and thanks reverberate from the group.
Your eyes scan the table. Itâs covered in plates. Sure, a few meals arenât too bad, but paying for a table of sixteen is absurd. Perhaps theyâre all joking with him. Though, when they all begin to file out of the building without opening their wallets, you know theyâre serious.
Seungcheol stays seated as they leave, informing you both theyâll wait outside.Â
You stare at Seungcheol in shock. You figure heâd be infuriated, but he looks relaxed still. Almost as if this isnât the first time itâs happened.
You grab your wallet from your purse, plucking out your card and holding it out to him.
âI can help pay,â you say. Seungcheol glances at your offering. He smiles at you and pushes your hand back.
âI appreciate that, but donât worry about it, Cherry.â He sounds amused as if you just offered him a popsicle rather than money.
âBut this is way too much for you to pay alone,â you argue.
Seungcheol doesnât let you see the bill and pays for the meal swiftly. However, you donât need to see the total to know itâs a lot of money.
âSeungcheol,â you scold when he doesnât listen to you.
He chuckles and slides his card back into his wallet. âPut that away, and letâs go, baby.â
He gestures to your card still in your hand before standing up and adjusting his clothes. It takes you a few seconds to move, still dumbfounded by him actually paying for it all and affording it, and him calling you baby. Despite him only calling you that three times, it still has the same effect it always has.
Not that you are counting.
He takes your hand in his again as he walks out, thanking the host once more.
âThereâs the man!â Seokmin greets him with open arms when he sees Seungcheol.
Seungcheol shakes his head in disapproval, but he has a smile on his face. âYou all owe me now.â
âYou say that every time,â Seungkwan calls out.
âExactly. You all have a tab open,â he says.
âWe were thinking of getting some ice cream, you guys want to come?â Chan asks.
Seungcheol glances at you before saying, âIâve got to get her home, sorry.â
âWhat?â you ask. âNo, you donât.â
âItâs almost eleven,â he answers. You sigh and shift your weight.
âYou donât actually have to get me home by then,â you say, remembering your fatherâs words.
âYes I do,â he argues. He looks at Dae and Yejun before you can reply. âDo you both want a ride back?â
âNah,â Dae says. âWeâre going to get another one.â
âAlright. See you all later,â Seungcheol raises a hand in farewell.
âThanks for paying!â Mingyu exclaims, a bright smile directed toward Seungcheol.
âIt was nice to meet you, Yn,â Wonwoo says.
âGet back safely,â Jun adds.
âThanks,â you answer and then peer at Seungcheol. Heâs giving his last byes. Dae catches your gaze, giving you a big grin and a few eyebrow wiggles. You roll your eyes at that and send her a small wave as Seungcheol starts to lead you to his car.
When your friends start driving past, waving and shouting goodbyes while they leave the parking lot, you slow to a stop.
âWhy donât we go with them?â you ask.
Seungcheol raises a brow. âYou want to go?â
âI donât see why not,â you shrug. Truthfully, you donât want the night to end.
âYou like hanging out with them that much?â he teases.
âTheyâre not that bad,â you mutter, âand ice cream sounds nice.â
He lets out a breath as if in realization. He slides his hand from yours, which you are about to protest, and then drapes it around your shoulders.
âIâll get you ice cream on the way back, okay?â he replies and continues to his car.
Seungcheol keeps his promise, stopping by a place to get you both a double-scoop cone for the drive. Compared to the last time you were in his car, this ride is a lot more relaxing. Itâs quieter since Dae and Yejun are absent, but the music on the stereo fills the small space.
At a stop light, Seungcheol fishes his phone from his pocket.
âCome âere,â he says, lifting the phone up at an angle.
You peep up while licking your ice cream. âHm?â
âSmile,â he instructs and puts his cone in the frame.
Your gaze drifts to his phone, a puzzled look on your face just in time for him to capture a photo. Youâre a second too late to understand what heâs doing.
Seungcheol laughs at your unreadiness.
âHey! Thatâs not fair,â you whine and nudge him.
âThatâs not my fault. I told you to smile,â he says. He sets the device in the cup holder when the light changes.
âBut you didnât give me enough time to do that,â you grumble.
Not wanting him to have the upper hand, you retrieve your own phone. You lift the device, both your faces on the screen but only you are looking at the camera. Seungcheol is focused on the road, so you quickly take a photo.
âDid youâ? Okay, thatâs not fair. At least I told you to smile,â he laughs when he hears a click, taking a quick peek at you.
âWeâre even now,â you smile as you click on the picture in your gallery. Seungcheolâs side profile can be seen in the background. His tongue is poking out to take a lick of his ice cream. That part was unintentionally taken, but you find the candid photo endearing.
âFor now,â he replies, lips in a wide grin.
Your hands are sticky after youâre done with your treat, so you dig out the hand sanitizer in your purse. Seungcheol gives you his palm upon seeing the item. You laugh softly and place some in his hand as well.
Everything feels so normal. It doesnât help that he places a hand on your thigh so naturally that you canât find an excuse to move it. At some point in the drive, you start playing with his hand, running your fingertips across his skin and toying with the ring he wears. You donât even realize you are doing it until he slowly pulls away to put the car in park.
âDid you have fun?â he asks quietly.
For once, you donât shy from the truth with a sarcastic answer. âI did. Thank you for inviting me.â
âAgain, it wasnât just me. They wanted you there,â he reassures with a kind smile.
Thatâs weird for you to hear, and you arenât sure how to respond. You still canât wrap your mind around the fact multiple people wanted to be in your presence. You mean, it wasnât just yours, but normally people give you side-eyes when youâre near. Or perhaps you just feel like they do.
âIâm glad you came,â he says before turning off his car. âNow, wait while I open your door.â
You watch as he walks around the car and comes to your side. You want to disobey him, just to rile him up, but you decide to let him have this win. In all his chivalrous glory, he holds out his hand when he opens the door.
âThank you,â you giggle as you take it and climb out of his car. He keeps his hand in yours leading you to your house.
âYou donât always have to walk me to the door,â you say.
âI canât see the door from where I park,â he replies.
âYou donât need to?â you answer, but it comes out more as a question due to your puzzlement.
He chuckles and squeezes your hand. âOf course I do. I wonât know if you made it inside safely.â
âThatâs kind of you, butââ
He turns around to face you, stopping you in your tracks
âI meant what I said earlier. Your safety is important to me,â he says, eyes locking onto yours so you can see his seriousness. Heat rises to your cheeks. You try to bite back the smile though itâs no use.
Seungcheol stares at you with gentle eyes.
âI like seeing you hapââ he starts.
A loud noise startles both of you, forcing you to move away from one another. You expect to see Seoah or your dad watching from the windows, but you donât see any faces hiding behind the blinds.
What was that?
Another loud crash.
You donât like the doom that creeps into your mind. Worried about your family, you rush to the doorâonly to find it slightly ajar. That doesnât seem good.
âSeoah? Dad?!â you call out as you push open the door.
âYn, stop!â Seungcheol urges and runs after you. He grabs you before you can get farther in. He moves you quickly so you are behind him.
âGet out of my way, Seungââ
âWhoâs that?!â
You peer around Seungcheol to see your mother, a random knickknack you have around the house in her hand. Your eyes shoot down to the floor to see shattered glass.
âAre you out of your mind?â your father shouts and snatches the item from her hand before she can presumably throw it.
You shove Seungcheol out of the way. Well, you try to shove him. He stands firm in his stance. You try again, and although he still doesnât move away, he leans slightly over so you can see better.
âWhat are you doing back?â you question your mother. She turns to you, eyes puffy and lips curled in a snarl. She looks like she hasnât slept for a few days.
âYn, dear. Hi sweetie,â she greets, voice softer than before.
Seungcheol watches her with hawk eyes, but when you push him for the third time, he relents. Though he still keeps close.
âDad?â you ask, hoping to get an explanation.
âShe came wanting her stuff back. I told her we had to sell some of it to afford things, and she wasnât happy about it.â
âAm I supposed to be glad?â your mother growls as she turns back to your father. âYou had no right to do that without my permission!â
âYou werenât here,â you say. Her gaze on you is one of surprise as if youâre supposed to be on her side.
âI was coming back,â she says, shoulders sagging.
âAnd then leave after a few days. This isnât your home anymore.â
âYouâre my home, baby girl,â she replies and starts to come closer. Seungcheol takes a step forward.
You put a hand on his arm to stop him, telling him quietly, âThis isnât your problem.â
This doesnât make him move, and you sigh. This is exactly what you wanted to hide from Seungcheol. To hide from the world.
âWho is this? Youâre letting our daughter see this disrespectful man?â your mother questions your father.Â
âHeâs a nice young man,â your dad defends. Thereâs an annoyed spark in you that wants to ask how he could know that. He met him for five minutes or less, and suddenly he knows Seungcheol? However, you donât want to ignite another argument.
âYn, take Seoah with you and go book a hotel room. You can take my wallet,â your father instructs.
At Seoahâs name, you realize sheâs been home while all this has been happening. Youâre used to her being somewhere else when fights like these occur.Â
Without another word, you nod and start toward her room. You donât get far before you remember Seungcheol. You stop to peer at him.Â
Youâve never seen him so mad yet worried.
âThanks for the meal. Iâll talk to you later,â you dismiss, hoping he will turn around and leave so you can focus on Seoah. You shouldâve known he wouldnât do that.
âYn,â he says.
âBoy, get out of this house right now,â your mother declares.
âYouâre the one that needs to leave,â your father exclaims.
Sighing, you grab Seungcheolâs hand and pull him down the hall. You knock on Seoahâs door. Your parents fighting can still be heard.
âItâs me,â you say. The door creaks open.
âWhat do yâOh, Seungcheol!â Her eyes widen when she sees him.
You move in front of him more so sheâs focused on you. âEyes on me. Pack a bag. Weâre going to a hotel.â
âAgain?â she sighs. âI donât want to. I can just put my headphones in.â
âIt doesnât matter. Pack. Weâre leaving in fifteen.â
âI said I donât want to!â she huffs.
âI donât caââ you hiss, only stopping when Seungcheol places a hand on your hip.
âYou can stay at mine.â
Seoahâs eyes light up at this.
âReally?!â
âAbsolutely not.â
You and your sister say in unison.
âWhy not?â Seoah whines.
âWe donât need his help.â
Seoah stares at Seungcheol for a moment and then at you. Finally, she nods solemnly. âAlright, I'll be ready soon.â
âGood,â you reply, then walk to your room. Seungcheol follows you.
âYou shouldnât have said that in front of her,â you scold as you grab a bag, not bothering to look at him. He quietly closes your door to block out the noise outside, though you donât hear it shut fully.
âMaybe not, but I meant what I said,â he replies.
âAnd I meant what I said,â you pause while putting a shirt in the bag, eyes glancing at him. He leans against the wall near your door; his arms are crossed. âWe donât need your help.â
You go back to tossing clothes in the bag in a rush. You kick off your heels and trade them for socks and tennis shoes. You donât hear Seungcheol move until a hand is gently placed on yours.
âJust stop for a minute, Yn,â he says.
âI donât have time.â You brush his hand off and go back to your closet. Seungcheol grabs your reaching hands and turns you to face him. He leans in so you can see his face easier.
âStop,â he instructs, using that firm tone of his. It has you relenting. âItâll be faster to just stay over. You wonât need to deal with a hotel. They may not even have an empty room.â
âYou shouldnât have to deal with us,â you reply, chest jumbling with overwhelming emotions. You were happy with him just minutes ago. Now, you feel embarrassed and frustrated.
He shakes his head. âI want you to come. You wonât be bothering me.â
âDo you have a roommate? What would they say?â you question, thinking back to how some of his friends are rooming with each other.
âI live alone. I have a spare room Seoah can sleep in. Itâll be more comfortable there.â
âWhat about me?â
âYou can have my room.â
âIâm not going to kick you out of your own room, Cheol.â
He smiles, yet it doesnât reach his eyes. âItâs nice to know you care about me.â
âI donât,â you huff. âI just donât want you to give me a hospital bill from the back pains youâd get from sleeping on the couch or floor or wherever.â
Seungcheol chuckles softly and watches as you take a deep breath. The playful moment disappears as quickly as it came.
You bow your head; wrists still clutched in his hold as you ponder his offer.
Staying at his place rather than a hotel does sound nicer, and he has a point there may not be any openings. Not to mention, itâs the cheaper option. But will this be crossing into territory that you arenât ready for? Youâve hung out with him enough times to consider him your friend, but even then, thatâs new to you. Friendship doesnât come easy to you. Despite you clashing heads with his business peers, you feel Seungcheol has slid into your life too readily. Like itâs too good to be true, and he isnât going to stick around permanently. Something in you doesnât like that thought, but thatâs an issue for another day.
Seungcheol places your hands on his chest before moving his own to cup your face. He gently lifts your head up to see you. Your eyes are glossy, not yet crying but can easily if one more thing goes wrong.
For the first time, your veil of confidence lifts.
âStay with me,â he whispers.
Heâs talking about going over to his place to get away from your parents. You know this. Thatâs what this whole discussion is about. But why does your heart tell you he means something else?
Thereâs a knock at your door, and you move away reluctantly. Seoah shuffles inside with a backpack on her back.
âHeâs still here,â she says, surprised at Seungcheolâs appearance.
You clear your throat. âYeah, weâre,â you pause as you do one final debate in your head, âweâre going to his place for the night.â
From your peripheral, you see Seungcheolâs lips lift in a faint smile.
Seoahâs sad face brightens at the news. You arenât too sure why sheâs so excited to go to his place, but you figure itâs similar to your reasonâit isnât a stuffy hotel room.
âYou convinced her! Youâre so clever!â she exclaims to Seungcheol.
âI am, huh?â he agrees to which you nudge him.
âSeoah, will you go grab my toiletries, please?â you ask.
âHm, fine, but only because I forgot mine,â she replies and hurries to your shared bathroom.
âIâm clever, did you hear?â Seungcheol gloats while you finish packing.
âIâm pretending I didnât,â you mumble.Â
You zip the bag and toss it over your shoulder. As you expect, it doesnât stay there for long. Seungcheol carefully slides it off your body before putting it on his a few minutes later. You had opened your mouth to protest, but he shook his head to tell you not to argue. Sighing, you nodded because frankly, youâre done having and hearing arguments for now.
You meet Seoah in the bathroom, and you all walk to the door.Â
The yelling has stopped.Â
Your mom is sitting with her head in her hands, and you can hear her sobs filling the room. Your dad is cleaning the mess she made from tossing things around. They are talking, but you donât stay long enough to hear the topic. The few words you do hear make it sound like theyâre talking about their marriage, which is a conversation long overdue.
Seungcheol ends up carrying all the bags to the car. While he sets them in the trunk, you and Seoah sit inside.
âWoah! This is fancy,â Seoah admires, eyes scanning the small space.
âThanks,â Seungcheol laughs lightly as he drives away.
Seoah talks for a while before eventually falling asleep. You arenât surprised as itâs late, and she probably doesnât realize how much the drama took a toll on her.
âYou can sleep too,â Seungcheol offers quietly. He keeps his hand to himself this time, and you wonder if itâs because of Seoah or because he wants to distance himself from you. You canât blame him if he did. Who wants to deal with other peopleâs problems? He only offered for you to come over out of courtesy.
âIâm okay,â you reply, gaze cast out the window.
As if sensing your thoughts, his hand comes to rest on your thigh again. His thumb brushes against the material of your pants, offering some comfort and reassurance. You place a hand on top of his gently. He flips his over so he can curl his fingers around your hand. You both gaze at each other with a small smile before turning away, hands still clasping in each other.
Seungcheol carries Seoah and her bag once you arrive. He offers to carry your bag too, but youâre stern in your refusal. Heâs helping enough. He directs you quietly to his apartment number. After retrieving the keys, you open the door.
His apartment is spacious.
The interior is polished and decorated nicely. Similar to his car, itâs enough to tell you itâs luxurious but not obnoxious to shove it in your face. And man, is he wealthy. From his car, his clothes, the dinner bill, and now his apartment? His pockets are definitely not empty. Youâre sure he could rent or buy a house, so why he decided to live in an apartment is unknown.Â
Seungcheol leaves to put Seoah in the guest bedroom while you lock the door. You place the keys in a bowl near the entrance. Some of his shoes are left by the door, so you take off yours before walking any farther.
âCherry?â he calls out. A small smile forms on his lips when you respond to the name. He nods for you to come over, and you follow carefully as if you could break his flooring. You donât think you can afford the repairs if you do.
âYou act like youâre walking on glass,â he chuckles. He watches you with amusement.
âI donât want to break anything,â you explain.
Seungcheol glances around where you are. The path you take is pretty much empty, but you still act as if you are going through a maze of porcelain vases.
âYouâll be fine. Now walk a little faster, please,â he says.
You donât listen to him and keep your pace. Seungcheol eyes you as he leans his back against a wall. His head is tilted and his arms are crossed while he waits.
âYouâre cute,â he comments when you come closer.
âBe quiet,â you hiss and take a few more steps before stopping in front of him.
âNo,â he says defiantly, then guides you to another room. Although you donât see the room he put Seoah in, youâre positive you have just stepped into his room.
You were so caught up with your family drama that you didnât think twice about Seungcheol being in your bedroom. Now that you are in his, it dawns on you how much of your life he has seen in a short period of time.
It isnât a big deal. At least, it shouldnât be; however, bedrooms are personal. They often described the resident, and you and Seungcheol have seen each other's spaces in the span of an hour.
âThe bathroom is over there,â he points out. âYou can set your bag anywhere. Iâll be out there on the couch.â
âI should take the couch,â you say.
âCherry, donât argue. Not tonight. Youâre sleeping here.â His words make it seem like he is tired of your complaints, but he talks so softly that it doesnât feel like that.
âFine,â you comply.
Seungcheol rewards you with a smile. âGoodnight then. Iâll see you in the morning,â he says and starts for the door.
âCheol,â you murmur, reaching out when he comes by.
He stops as soon as he feels your hand grazing his arm. âHm?â
Your eyes rise to meet his, and the look on his face has you needing to catch your breath. He is worried. Worried about your well-being. Worried about what would happen tomorrow. You donât want him to stress over you.
âThank you,â you speak softly, âfor a lot of things.â
He chuckles and raises a hand to the nape of your neck, thumb caressing your cheek. âCare to be specific?â
âFor dinner. For this. For not⊠leaving me.â Yet.
âI donât think I would if I could,â he murmurs.
âYou can, though?â you say, skepticism evident in your head tilt.
Seungcheolâs mouth curves into a small smile, eyes searching yours for something you donât know. âYouâll know one day.â
That doesnât help your puzzled state, but that doesnât seem to affect him. Slowly, he leans in. His lips press against your forehead tenderly, lingering there long enough for you to close your eyes for a second. Itâs gentle and sweet. You wish it was on your lips instead.
âSweet dreams, Cherry.â
He leaves without another word, and youâre in such a stupor that you donât have time to say anything before he shuts the door behind him.
Using Seungcheolâs bathroom and changing in his room is strange. Yet whatâs more strange is that it doesnât feel all that⊠weird? Not like you thought it would be.Â
Is it another illusion you cast upon yourself?Â
Seungcheol would stroll through the door, dressed in sweats and a loose shirt⊠or maybe not one at all. He would kiss your mouth in greeting. His broad body would press against yours, and heâd smile that smile that had you wanting to do anything to keep it there. Heâd slide next to you in bed, whispering teases in your ear that would annoy you, yet you wouldnât want him to stop.
Oh, hell. What is wrong with you?
Irritated at the mini story you conjured in your head, you kick at the jacket on the floor. However, you recall you didnât bring a jacket tonight. Seungcheol had let you borrow his. You just kicked his jacket.
Oh no.
But itâs just a jacket. Why are you getting upset over it? You can kick it again. It isnât going to come alive and bite you. Seungcheol will never know you fought with it, but something in you feels guilty about the action. Perhaps because it belongs to him, and you feel responsible for it since itâs under your care.
Shaking your head, you grab the item and hang it over his dresser. Youâre losing it. Your marbles? All gone. Rolled off to another dimension, never to be seen again.
You move to his bed, carefully pulling back the covers to climb in. Your body sinks into the mattress, and a sigh leaves your lips at how good it feels under you. Itâs comfortable, soft, and way too big for just you. You feel like royalty.
Leaning over, you switch off the night light, snuggling deeper in the covers and taking a deep breath.
Sleeping in his bed is surely a bad idea. His expensive cologne is lingering on his sheets and is a strong reminder of where you are. Nevertheless, you pull the covers closer to you as you close your eyes. You need a break from your tiring thoughts.
The morning comes sooner than youâd like.
You open your eyes expecting to see your pegboard of sewing supplies and instead see a black dresser. It has you jolting up and frantically glancing around. When you spot the black jacket on the dresser, you remember you arenât home. Youâre at Seungcheolâs.
You reach over and flip your phone to view the screen. Itâs nearly ten.
You linger in bed, mindlessly scrolling through social media until Dae texts for a favor. Youâll fill her in on what happened later, for now, youâre forced to go to your gallery to send a reference of something she needs. The act has you stumbling upon the picture you took last night.
The stretch of your lips happens involuntarily as you stare at Seungcheol through your screen. Even though the night ended poorly, at least you have something to remember about the good times.
Having caught yourself staring at the photo for too long, you quickly exit the app and send Dae what she needs. Thatâs enough phone usage for now.
Reluctantly, you haul yourself from Seungcheolâs (beyond) comfortable mattress, fix the bed, and then go to the bathroom. After a quick change, you carefully open the door and pad out to the living room. You anticipate seeing Seungcheol sipping on something warm on the couch, but what you see instead has your heart tightening.
Seungcheol lays on his back, one arm resting across his eyes and the other across his chest. Some of his hair is trapped against his forehead due to his arm, and the rest dangles off the side. His lips are slightly ajar due to the position of his head. The blanket that was once over his body is now situated half on the floor.
You recognize his clothes from last night, and a pang of guilt hits your heart. He couldâve knocked on yourâhisâdoor and asked to get a spare of clothes, yet he left you alone. It was a selfless act, and you stare at him with newfound affection.
You shuffle in your spot, unsure of what to do. A part of you wants to be a creep and stare at Seungcheol longerâhe looks too cute not toâand another wants to go back to his room until you hear some movement. Neither of these happens when you hear Seoahâs voice.
âAre you plotting his murder?â she whispers, though itâs louder than one.
You snap your eyes to her, feet moving farther from the sleeping man. You scoff, muttering, âNo!â
âThen why were you staring at him like that?â
âI was not staring,â you argue. Seoahâs eyes narrow, unbelieving you.
âWere to! You werenât even blinking.â
âYouâre exaggerating.â
âAnd youâre lying.â
You both eye each other down from across the room, sending invisible daggers each way.
âGo get dressed,â you finally say.
âWhy?â she questions. âWeâre going now?â
âSoon, yes.â
âBut itâs so nice here. Donât you think we should, I donât know, cook him breakfast for letting us stay here?â
âWe can give him a granola bar when we get home,â you sigh. Just once, can she listen to you?
âA granola bar? I didnât think you hated him that much,â she gasps, overexaggerating her expression.
âYouâre right. I donât. Iâll give you the granola bar instead,â you threaten.
She giggles, and a frown sets on your lips at the sound. âYou canât. Theyâre all gone. I gave them to Dad.â
Thereâs a small puff of air somewhere in the room that doesnât come from you or Seoah. The only other person in the room is⊠Your eyes go to Seungcheol. Sometime during your bickering, Seungcheol had woken up. He doesnât have his eyes open or has even moved his body, but his lips were definitely not in a smile a few minutes ago.
âDid you hear that, Seungcheol?â Seoah asks. âYnâs trying to kill you with granola bars.â
âHm, I heard,â he chuckles softly, still a little sleepy. He peels his eyes open and leans his head to the side to look at you. The arm that was once over his eyes has shifted to rest on his forehead.Â
âThatâs not very nice of you.â
You should be irked at being ganged up on. Theyâre teasing you, yet your mind gets foggy from hearing Seungcheolâs deep timbre. He already has a deep voice, and youâve heard it go deeper when heâs teased you, but this is different.Â
And goodness, do you find it attractive.
âI think we won,â Seungcheol continues playfully and looks at Seoah with a smile.
âI think so too! She doesnât have anything to say,â she giggles.
You blink a few times and then look at Seoah. âWhy arenât you getting changed?â
âThis is why you donât get invited to parties. You ruin the fun,â she huffs, smile dipping into a frown at your words.
âParties arenât fun in general,â you counter.
âSpeak for your own parties!â she says.
âWhat do you even know about them?â you question. Seoah opens her mouth to answer but stops when Seungcheol speaks.
âSeoah, go get dressed, and we can get some breakfast. One that doesnât include granola bars,â he chuckled.
âOh?! Okay! Sounds good,â Seoah replies excitedly and turns to go back to her room.
âYou listen to him and not me?â you scoff.
She stops in her tracks. âHeâs nicer.â
âIâm your sister,â you answer as if that holds more weight.
âRight,â she drags out. âI revoke that privilege!â
She hurries inside the room and shuts the door.
âPrivilege,â you repeat with a scoff and cross your arms over your chest.
âYou shouldâve been a lawyer,â Seungcheol says as he stands from the couch. You focus your attention on him, almost forgetting heâs there with how quiet he is being. His hair is sticking in different directions, and you have to force down a giggle.
âWhat? Why?â you question.
âBecause you like to argue.â
âHmph!â you sound and give him your back. A childish move, but Seoah isnât here to mock you for it later.
Seungcheol laughs and comes up behind you. He places his hands on your hips, leaning his head to your ear. Your heart begins to race at how close he is. His breath tickles your ear, and you squirm at the sensation. Seungcheol holds you tighter.
âI think you wouldâve been a good one,â he murmurs, voice still deep from his sleep. You want to listen to him more.
âReally?â you hum.
Seunghceolâs hair brushes against your cheek when he shakes his head.
âNo,â he teases before slowly slipping his hands from you. You whip around to look at him.
âWhere are you going?â you ask. Why do you sound so desperate? You donât need to be near him. It doesnât matter heâs leaving.
He smiles as he walks back toward his room.
âTo get ready. Donât miss me too much,â he replies, sending a playful wink and shutting his door.
Seungcheol comes back dressed in a simple black short-sleeved shirt and jeans. Itâs not a combination you havenât seen before. In fact, itâs really common, yet your eyes canât tear away from him.
âIs it stained or something?â Seungcheol questions, glancing down at his outfit as he walks to you.
âN-no,â you reply and avert your eyes from him.
âYou know you can tell me when I look nice, right? My ego will only inflate a little,â he says.
He plops down next to you on the couch, swinging an arm behind you and spreading his legs a bit. Your gaze drifts down to his thighs. Theyâre thick, and you wonder if they will be soft or firm under your touch. Your body instinctively inches closer to him like the temptation is too strong to ignore.
You hear Seungcheol try to stifle his laugh, causing your eyes to move away.
âA little?â you echo when you recall the active conversation. âIâm sure thatâs not true.â
He smiles and shrugs. âWell, what can I say? A pretty girl giving me compliments makes my ego grow bigger than usual.â
âCheol,â you whine, glancing away, wishing he wouldnât say things that make your heart do somersaults. You had put those thoughts under lock and key because you are definitely not developing an infatuation with Choi Seungcheol.
Seungcheol tucks a finger under your chin and turns you to face him, so he can see your flustered expression clearly.
âMy pretty girl,â he murmurs so low you have to strain to hear it.
Silence looms over you both. You swear he can hear your thudding heart. His hand glides from your chin to your upper thigh.
âYou gonnaâ give me that compliment now, baby?â he prompts lowly while his hand gently massages you.
âYou look good,â you reply quietly, fighting to stay calm.
âOnly good?â he hums.
âReally good.â
Seungcheol chuckles. âI guess thatâll do for now.â
Your lips tug down when he pulls away from you, making Seungcheol pause and smile.
âDonât be sad, Cherry. You can compliment me more later,â he says. You have a feeling he knows the true reason for your pout but decides not to mention it.
Youâll have to work on hiding your expressions better. For now, you focus on making sure you and Seoah donât leave anything before heading out the door. You donât fight with Seungcheol when he takes your bags again. Itâs just easier not to.
As promised, Seungcheol drives you all to a local breakfast diner. Itâs livelyâfilled with all different walks of life. You see couples, friends, families, and some loners who donât actually look alone. They seem content.
Seungcheol must come here often as most of the workers recognize him. Theyâre happy to see him with new people this time. You think you catch sight of one of them giving him a thumbs up, but it couldâve been directed to another patron.
âThis tastes amazing!â Seoah exclaims, another fork full of pancakes entering her mouth.
âDonât eat so fast,â you scold when you see her cheeks full.
She brushes you off with a wave of a hand but waits until she swallows whatâs in her mouth before taking another bite.
âIs yours okay?â Seungcheol asks from across the table.
You had wanted to sit next to him, but Seoah had pushed you inside the booth and slid in after before you could have a say. Though Seungcheol doesnât let the distance stop him from giving you affectionate touches. He has been brushing his leg against yours slowly under the table for the past ten minutes.
You glance at him and nod. âItâs great,â you say.
âIâm glad,â he responds before taking another bite as well.
The rest of the meal isnât anything exciting. You all eat well, and when it comes time for payment, Seungcheol beats you to it. You try to pay, even going as far as trying to distract him, but he remains adamant. You reason he just paid for a hearty meal last time, and the least you can do is pay as a thank you for spending the night. He only shakes his head.
Seoah is much more awake on this car ride. Her mouth almost never stops running. She gives Seungcheol so many compliments on his apartment you figure his ego is bursting at the seams. Heâll be full of them for days. Then Seoah talks about youâwell, tries to. You shush her every time she attempts to tell an embarrassing story.
âBut he should know how you canât eat more than three egg rolls before throwing upââ Seoah says from the backseat.
âSeoah!â you huff for the umpteenth time.
âSeriously, Seungcheol, she ate so much one time that her body canât eat a lot anymore,â she continues. You rest your head against the headrest with a groan. You donât want to go to jail. Deep breaths.
Seungcheol laughs, taking a quick glance at you. âFully noted,â he replies.
âGood! You should know this stuff since youâre her boyfriend,â she says. âWell, not yet, anyway. Youâre going to ask her out, though, right?â
The question has you holding your breath. You donât expect him to answer as it isnât any of her business, but there is still some hope that heâll respond.
Seungcheol makes a small choking noise while he tightens his hold on the steering wheel, obviously startled by the sudden question. His face becomes flushed, and his ears turn a light shade of red. It isnât often you see this side of Seungcheol, and you almost let Seoah continue. Almost.
âIââ Seungcheol starts.
âYouâre five seconds away from being kicked out of this car,â you threaten Seoah as you turn in your seat to glare at her.
âSeungcheol wouldnât do that to me,â she protests defiantly.
âThereâs always a first for everything,â you smirk at her. âPlus, itâll build your character.â
She gives you a shove on the arm and pouts.
âDonât worry, Seoah. Youâre safe with me,â Seungcheol says after he collects himself.
Seoah straightens at that, sticking her tongue out at you. âTold you so!â
You mutter a âyeahâ at her as you shake your head and glance at Seungcheol. He gives you a lopsided smile before looking back at the road.
That night your mom and dad discussed their relationship.
Itâs been delayed long enough, and all that pent-up anger finally bubbled over, resulting in your mom becoming the Hulk for five minutes. You had never seen her so mad, but youâre grateful she was throwing the objects on the floor rather than at your dad or Seoah.
They agreed to break up officially. Itâs always been a cloudy subject with them. You didnât really know where they stood, but itâs clear to you now. Whatever hopes of getting your family back wonât come true. Your parents have some money and plan to file for divorce papers soon. You arenât sure how custody will work, but you figure Seoah will stay with your dad. Your mother is too busy traveling to take care of your sister. Despite your dad also being busy, at least heâll be home more. Though, you get the feeling youâll still have to look after her.Â
As promised, your father put aside some time to talk to you. It wasnât a lengthy conversation, but it was⊠nice, regardless. He apologized again for not being there for you and Seoah and said heâll try to be better. Heâs honest in that he tells you it will take some time, but youâre grateful he wasnât feeding you fairytales.Â
Two weeks pass by with the same scheduleâwake up, homework, class, homework, dinner, sleep. You meet with Dae a few times to work on your project, but thatâs all. You have a quarter of your outfits completed for the show, which feels good, but you still have more to finish. Youâre on track with your own deadlines, but barely.
You havenât seen Seungcheol much during the weeks. If you do, itâs only through passing. Texts with him have also been minimal due to your schedules. You should be fine with that. Youâve seen and talked with him plenty that weekend to last weeks, yet you canât get him out of your mind.Â
Youâre not sure when youâd grown so attached to the man, and that makes you worry. Youâve only known him for nearly three months. Itâs too soon to feel this strongly. To feel like you need him. You need to focus more on something else. Anything but him. You have repeated this in your mind, trying to make it stick.Â
Though it isnât too successful, considering you are sitting on your bedroom floor with Seoah stringing beads as a thank-you gift for Seungcheol. You want to blame this on Seoah, but you had come up with the idea. Seoah is here because you know she has been wanting to do something. However, if you are being honest, the main reason is you need an excuse for why you are making a bracelet for him. The idea is silly, but you found a bunch of beads in your room and needed to do something with them. Maybe this is too childish for someone like Seungcheol. You were going to back out of the plan, though Seoah was over the moon at the suggestion. Needless to say, you couldnât change your idea even if you wanted to.
âThese beads are too small,â you grumble as you try to pick up a bead for the third time.
âYou just want to complain,â Seoah replies, having no issue with plucking beads from the container. You glance at her work. She used pink and blue beads only, alternating between the two. Thereâs also an âSâ dangling in the middle.
ââSâ for Seungcheol?â you wonder. Seoah glances at the letter and then at you.
âNo. âSâ for Seoah. I want him to know itâs from me,â she explains. You laugh a little. A two-for-one use.
She tilts her head at yours. âWhy the cherries?â
Your body warms at the question. Itâs simple. Innocent. Nothing inappropriate or difficult to comprehend. Though the answer is more complicated, or at least, itâs too personal to share.
âThey matched my colors,â you shrug, acting as if it has no significant meaning, but you know otherwise.Â
You want him to be reminded of you any time he sees it. You want to be on his mind as much as he is on yours. Itâs only fair. Plus, in a weirdly possessive way, you want to feel like heâs yours. Even if that isnât true.
âThere are strawberries, too,â she points out.
âI just grabbed the first charm I saw.â
âAh,â she examines the unfinished bracelet. The beads are alternated in a different pattern than Seoahâs. It consists of mainly white beads, a few red and green ones scattered between. âItâs nice.â
As you tie the string, you consider the chance of him not wearing it at all. Is yours too much? Too cheesy? Should you just have given him money and left it at that? Why did you spend an hour planning a design and ensuring the beads you picked werenât scratched or chipped? Seoah had finished hers minutes ago but stayed watching you.
Itâs been a while since you hung out with Seoah alone. You hung out more when your mother was here, but even then, it wasnât too often. You arenât as close as you feel you should be. You glance at her once you are done. Sheâs been growing fast, slowly discovering her personality and interests. You know you will never win the Best Sister Award, but you can try to be an honorable mention.
âSeoah?â you call, fingers toying with the finished bracelet.
Sheâs staring at your hands, but you can tell she isnât really registering what is happening around her. Somewhere lost in her thoughts.
Still, she answers and looks up. âYeah?â
âDo you,â a pause, âwant to sleep over in my room tonight?â
It isnât a big deal. You donât plan to have a pillow fight and do each other's nails, but you would have company.
She looks happy for a split second and then narrows her eyes. âWhatâs the catch?â
âThereâs none,â you shake your head.
âThen why did you ask?â
You bite the inside of your cheek. Not quite ready to fight through the awkwardness of a sappy conversation.
âI thought itâd be nice to have some company, but you donât have to,â you answer and grab her bracelet. You slide them inside a sheer bag you found, pulling the strings to close the opening. You stand up and place it in your purse. Youâll give it to him tomorrow.
âI want to!â Seoah says quickly when she feels like youâre changing your mind. âLet me go get changed.â
âIt wonât be like the sleepovers you have,â you warn when she gets to your door. You donât want her to get false ideas. She smiles at you.
âI know, but I donât care.â
After you both are ready for bed, you lay staring at your ceiling. She talks about her classes, friends, and even a few crushes she has. Sheâs a social butterfly; unlike you, people enjoy talking to her. She is quirky enough to put some fun in conversations, but not excessive to come off rude or overbearing. Youâre not sure how she grew to be such a good person because she sure as hell didnât learn that from you or your dad. Whoever it was, though, youâre grateful. Youâve stopped feeling close to your family, so you quit putting effort into getting to know them more.Â
Maybe you should change that.
This feels like walking in a tigerâs cage.
You are surrounded by people dressed up in suits and others in plain jeans and a shirt. The majority have neutral colors on, and itâs different from what youâre used to. At least in your building, there are more colors.
Thereâs no way youâre going to be able to camouflage yourself in your all-pink plaid outfit, so why try?Â
You keep your chin high as you try to find the study room, ignoring the many stares you receive on the way. You texted Seungcheol earlier and asked for his location. When he asked you why, you simply said it was a surprise.
Room 526.
Thereâs a window in the door, and you peer in to see if heâs there. He is. Though he isnât alone. Hajun, Hana, and Doyun are there as well. Theyâre silent, heads bowed, as they all work on something in front of them. Seungcheol seems deep in thought.
That is until Hajun makes a comment while glancing at Seungcheol. He smiles, chuckling at whatever she said before they both go back to their work.Â
Itâs odd to see him in this environment. He acts so casually with the very same people who only spit insults at you. You know Seungcheol has never stopped talking to them. You didnât tell him to, and they were his friends before you. Yet, there is still a twinge of disappointment that he remained friends with them.Â
Daeâs words ring in your ear from weeks agoâhe could have left you. Then there is the devil on your shoulder telling you he should have. However, you tried that already. You made that decision for him, but he came back. And you let him.
âYn?â says a male voice behind you. You jump, turning on your heel quickly and moving from the door.
Vernon stands with his backpack hanging off one shoulder.
âVernon,â you say, startled. âWhat are you doing here?â
He smiles shyly. âIâm late for a study group.â
âI thought you were changing majors?â you question.
âI am, but I figured Iâd stick it out for the classes I have. Donât want to waste any more money than I already have by withdrawing,â he chuckles sadly.
âItâll be worth it once you find something you like,â you reassure.
âThanks,â he replies and gives you a toothy smile. He looks so young with that grin. âI should go in before they text me again.â
You step aside as Vernon moves.
âHey, can you tell Seungcheol to come out?â you ask quickly before he opens the door.
âSure,â he replies.
âYou took your time,â Hana teases when the door opens.
âItâs not my fault my phone died overnight. I didnât hear my alarm,â he pouts. There are a few chuckles that echo in the room.
âOh, Cheol?â Vernon says. Thereâs silence for a second. âYouâre needed outside.â
âWhy?â Seungcheol asks; he sounds distracted.
âYnâs here.â
âYn?â Hajun questions, surprised. âWhat is she doing here?â
âIâll be right back,â Seungcheol says as you hear the sound of a chair scraping the floor.
âSheâs probably just here to recruit you for her stupid project. You donât need to help her. Letâs just get back to work,â Hajun reasons. âVernonâs here so we can get done faster.â
âIâm sure you can wait five more minutes,â he says. You listen carefully as his footsteps become louder. The door squeaks when itâs pushed open more.
You look up at the noise and meet Seungcheolâs eyes.Â
Your breath gets caught in your throat.Â
His hair is pushed off his face, a few pieces hanging down deviantly. He wears black slacks and a tucked-in white button-down. The tie around his neck is loosened and the first few buttons of his shirt are undone.Â
His once-stressed face soon brightens as he lets the door shut. He moves closer.
âHey, Cherry,â he smiles.
âHey,â you reply, a little breathless from having held your breath.
âItâs good to see you,â he murmurs, leaning a forearm against the wall. You notice heâs keeping his distance, and youâre unsure if itâs purposeful. Perhaps youâre just overthinking again.
âYou too,â you reply. Your eyes take one more quick sweep of his attire. How he makes a simple fit look so remarkable is beyond you.
âI can tell you want to give me another compliment,â he haughtily says.
You huff, trying to disguise your panicked expression with faux annoyance. âNot when you tell me that.â
âI can wait,â he says and disregards your comment. He lays his head against the arm thatâs on the wall as if heâs taking a rest. You want to wipe that smug smile off his lips.
âYouâre insufferable,â you whine.
âNo, baby, Iâm patient.â He speaks slowly as if to emphasize his statement.
You glare up at him but soon relent with a huff. âYou look good.â
âOh, come on, you used that last time. Donât you have another adjective? Maybe one that rhymes with pot?â he smirks, an eyebrow rising in challenge.
He wants you to call him hot.
You arenât going to at first, but then you decide youâre done with him having the upper hand. You recall his shocked and reddened face at Seoahâs question in the car. It would be nice to see that again.
You close the space between you, hand grabbing the end of his tie. Slowly, you wrap the material around your palm. His smug smile slowly disappears with each inch you tug him closer. He pushes his forearm off the wall and sprawls his hand on it instead. His other hand grabs your hip so he canât tumble forward.
âIâll say something even better,â you purr lowly. Your faces are so close to each other that you can faintly feel his breath. âYou look very sexy, Seungcheol.â
The hand on your hip squeezes you, and you can see his Adamâs apple bob from his harsh swallow. It feels good to put him on the other side for a change. You smile triumphantly at his reaction before letting his tie unravel from your hand.
Taking a step back, his hand slips from your body, and you dig into your purse for the jewelry bag.
âHere, I came to give you this,â you explain and hold the bag up. His eyes drop from yours to the item. He still looks a little dazed.
âItâs a thank you for letting me and Seoah stay the night.â
Seungcheol takes the bag, flipping it over in his hand. He brings it closer and examines it through the sheer material. His lips slowly tug up. Before he can say anything, you hastily continue.
âIt was Seoahâs idea. You donât have to actually wear them, weâshe just wanted to give you something.â
Seungcheol starts opening the bag, and you swiftly put a hand out as if to stop him. âYou donât have to open it now, you can do that laââ
He takes out the two bracelets, twisting them until both charms are facing him. You drop your hand and start playing with the strap of your purse, resisting the urge to tap your foot as you stand in silence watching him.
âT-the âSâ is for Seoah, not Seungcheol,â you explain. Youâre not sure why you do it in the first place. It doesnât really matter what the âSâ really stands for.
âAnd the cherries? What do they represent?â he questions, eyes flickering to you with a faint smile.
Your heart hammers in your chest. He doesnât need to ask that. He knows what they represent.
âTheyâre just cherries. Donât think too mucââ
âThatâs not true and you know it,â he scolds gently. Your eyes focus on his hands as he carefully slips both bracelets on his wrist. They fit around him perfectly. They arenât too tight to dig into his skin, but they are loose enough to allow a finger or two to slip through.
His gaze moves back to yours. When he notices your averted gaze, he leans in to catch your attention.
âWhat do they represent?â he repeats, a hint of sternness to his voice.
You meet his eyes reluctantly. âMe. They r-represent me.â
âYes, they do,â he says, finally letting his smile show more. Seungcheol slips the bag into his pocket. âTheyâre nice. Tell Seoah thank you.â
âI will,â you answer, clearing your throat. âIâll let you get back to studying.â
âDonât you want your thank you?â Seungcheol chuckles and takes a small step forward.
Your body freezes in place. âI donât need one.â
âHm,â he says. He takes a quick glance at the study roomâs door before cupping the back of your neck gently. Warmth spreads from that area to the rest of your body. You stare at him with wide eyes.
âThank you, Cherry. Really,â he murmurs and then kisses your forehead for the third time since you met him.
You truly arenât keeping track. Definitely not.
âIâll text you later?â he says, though it sounds like a suggestion.
âOkay,â you agree with a small nod.
âYou going home?â he asks and slowly walks back to the door, hand grazing your skin as he leaves.
âNo, I have a class. Do you have a test or something?â you wonder, recalling how serious he looked earlier.
âA presentation,â he says. That explains his attire.
âAh. Good luck,â you wish.
Youâre not sure what comes over you, but you quickly added, âOh, and Seungcheol?â
His hand is pressed down on the door handle when you call. He turns his head to you, waiting for your reply before he goes inside.
âYou do look sexy.â
Seungcheol laughs, less flabbergasted about your compliment this time.
âThanks, Cherry. You look beautiful.â
He says it as if itâs as easy as breathing. Thereâs no hesitation or delay in his comment. You wonder how long heâs been thinking that.
Seungcheol pulls the door open before you can reply and slips inside. As the door is closing, you hear Hajun ask, âGoodness, was she trying to get in your pants? You took forever!â
âEnough, letâs just...â
The door clicks close as Seungcheol speaks. Youâre tempted to press your ear against it to hear the rest of the sentence, but you remember youâre in public. You inhale slowly, pausing for a few seconds before exhaling gradually.Â
Why does every conversation with Seungcheol leave your heart racing?
previous chapter \\ series masterpost // next chapter
A/N: brb swooning đȘ also if i knew how to draw well enough, i would def conjure up the pic mc took of cheol bc in my head it's just SAUR CUTE D:<
For my âshy/silentâ readers, Iâve created a feedback form where you can share your thoughts on my fics in a more anonymous and private way. ^-^
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#svt fanfic#svt angst#svt fluff#scoups fanfic#scoups angst#scoups fluff#scoups x reader#svt series#seungcheol fanfic#seungcheol angst#seungcheol fluff#svt slice of life#seungcheol x reader#scoups x you#s coups fluff#s coups angst#s coups fanfic#seventeen fanfic#scoups x y/n#seungcheol x y/n#scoups series#kvanity#kdiarynet
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Broken Prism
Chapter 13
Fandom: Red Hood
Pairing: Jason Toddxfemale!Reader
Warnings: violence, villain death, poison
Summary: Jason hears about something that puts YN in danger and springs into action
Notes: I found a flower that is poisonous and is used in blow darts for the flower in this chapter. I am by no means a botanist or a scientist so please forgive my ignorance if my information is way off. Also, realized I've been spelling Iceberg wrong for years because I, someone who writes a lot, cannot spell nor do I care about spellcheck apparently. I am a liar and a fraud. Very sorry. Thank you!
Jason sat in one of his safehouses in the Bowery cleaning his guns, again. He couldn't stop his mind running and the only things he could think to do was make sure all his weapons were pristine to keep his thoughts at least distracted by the task of not accidentally shooting himself. He didn't know what to do. It was the night Bruce said YN would be at the Iceberg Lounge getting information about Penguin. She was probably there right now. Should he go? He wanted to go, but he wasn't sure if it was safe. What if she got hurt because he showed up? What if she didn't want to see him? So many thoughts all against the soundtrack of a clown faced madman. He was just finishing his one of his sniper rifles when he got a call from his second in the Narrows. Mac was a reformed drug dealer who now just dealt exclusively in dirty money and he knew almost as much about Gotham as Jason did. He was great when the Red Hood needed to know underground information about some of the normally quieter villains. While he was watching Penguin's dealings at the moment, Mac was watching everyone else. He answered, making sure his voice modulating phone app was working.
"Ya?" he said. He heard someone laughing in the background and had to shake himself to drown out the constant Joker laugh that played in his mind. He had to concentrate.
"Hood, got some interesting information for you," Mac said, then fell silent, waiting to hear what he would get out of it. Jason almost told him he didn't care that night, but something made him curious. He didn't know why but he felt whatever this info was it was going to be life or death.
"You get a bonus for it my friend, 5k," he said. He heard a satisfied grunt from the other end of the phone and then the background was a little quieter as Mac went somewhere private.
"I heard that Poison Ivy is pissed at Penguin for trying to buy up that big ass park in New Gotham," he said. Jason remembered seeing about Penguin trying to make a deal with Bruce Wayne to buy the park that Bruce paid for and carefully curated as a rare flower sanctuary. You could go to any of a dozen greenhouses and see rare flowers from all over the world. It didn't surprise Jason that Ivy would want to keep that. "She's heading over to the Lounge right now, right when it's busiest, she wants to make an example of Penguin and anyone who supports him." Jason stilled, color draining from his face. "Hood?" Jason coughed, mind scrambling.
"Thanks Mac, you'll get that 5k tomorrow," he said before hanging up. He needed to get across town fast. If YN was still in the Lounge...if she...he stopped his mind from racing and looked at his gear. He grabbed his helmet, shoulder holster, and his jacket. The rest would take too long to get on, and he ran out of the safehouse, getting on his bike and breaking every speeding law in the city to get to the Lounge before it was too late.
You weren't sure why you stayed at the Iceberg Lounge after you had talked to your contact. You had what you needed. They had let you into a server room that doubled as an illegal organ theft cooler, taken your pictures and made copies of the digital ledgers that were kept there. If you were smart you would leave before someone either stole your purse or realized you weren't exactly dressed for clubbing and got suspicious. You had planned to sneak out amongst the crowd of dancers at the club, but something about the rough music, it seemed edged in anger that night, kept you on the floor. You danced by yourself, letting months of annoyance, worry, and stress out in a way you hadn't been able to. Sure you threw yourself into work once you realized that Jason wasn't coming back. You left his book on your nightstand, note still attached, but other than that you tried to push him from your mind, stop feeling his hand in yours or seeing that smile or hearing his laugh. You started just working. You got Two-Face caught, and even had given some interesting info on Joker that had him on the run again, you were doing so much that Jim, your friends, even Bruce, were starting to worry you were careening towards a cliff face and if you didn't stop you would fall over the edge. Maybe you would, but at this point you just wanted to feel like you were in control. Somewhere in the back of your mind you thought if you could get all the villains that Jason wanted off the streets, get him his territory, get rid of Joker, maybe he would come back. But right now the music was loud, your body was barely functional, and your mind was starting to feel like something good was coming, so you danced near the edge of the floor, ignoring anyone who came up to dance with you, sometimes sending them away with a glare. You wanted to be alone. That was a lie, you wanted to be with Jason, but you couldn't have that. It didn't help that Red Hood had become a costume just like Batman, people walked around the clubs and streets wearing helmets from costume shops, some of them getting into fights with the idiots donning the cowl. It was like a constant reminder.
A guy approached you with a drink, offering it to you. He said he had something cool for you to see. You rolled your eyes but when you saw the cheap looking way too red helmet you threw the drink in his face. He called you a cunt and walked off and you took a shaky breath. It was time to go. You turned and crashed headlong into the person behind you. You grunted, almost falling, but were caught by a familiar arm around your waist. Your eyes shot up and looked at the very real helmet of Red Hood. You noticed he lacked the body armor, instead just in his undershirt and his leather jacket. You glared and shoved him back.
"Fine, you can be pissed but you have to go now, I have to get you out of here," he said. You barely could understand him above the music but you heard and felt the urgency in him. He grabbed your hand and you allowed him to drag you to an emergency exit door. Just as you got to it the music cut out and the wall opposite crashed in and vines started growing through the opening. "Go!" Jason said, pushing you out the door and closing it behind him. You banged on it, trying to get it opened from it locked from the outside. You screamed for him. He didn't have his armor, what was he doing there without it? You ran to the front entrance where people were desperately trying to get out. The blacked out windows broke as people tried to escape that way. Anyway to get in was blocked by terrified party goers trying to get out. You could hear screaming and gunshots. Finally people started to slow and you found a broken window that no one was currently coming out of. You grabbed a discarded jacket in the alley and put it over the shards, climbing inside, staying to the outside of the room, hiding behind upended tables.
Jason was still facing off against Ivy, guns aimed for her as she towered above him, her precious plants holding her aloft. She seemed to be entertained by him. Several of Penguins men were dead around her and Penguin himself was probably locked away in his office or had already ran to avoid meeting the woman face to face.
"Red Hood, you impress me, why don't we become allies? You get your territory but make sure they leave my precious parks alone," she was saying. Her voice sounded sweet and for a moment you were almost drawn in by it. She must be pumping some kind of pheromone into the room. You saw Jason take a couple steps forward and you almost cried out, but didn't want to distract him. What was he doing?
"That doesn't sound like a half bad idea," he said, lowering his guns. Ivy lowered herself to the ground, walking over to him. He didn't raise his weapons, they hung loose, almost like he was in a trance. You took a breath, scared that maybe he was infected by whatever toxin she was pushing to him. You moved trying to get a better look and fell, making plenty of noise. Ivy looked over and snarled, a vine grabbing you by the wrist and pulling you out onto the floor. You grabbed your switchblade and cut the vine, making her scream. Jason just stood there, but you noticed the hold on his gun tighten again. Shit, he had been luring her in and you had ruined it, stupid. A large white flower appeared in front of you.
"Stay put until I'm finished with my new friend here and then I'll deal with you. I hope you like a slow death," Ivy snarled before turning back to Jason, smiling again. "Now, how about that deal?" She came even closer. "We can seal it with a kiss?" He stood still until she was within arm's reach, then his gun pointed to her head.
"How about no?" he said and fired point blank into her head. You dropped down as the flower fired a poison dart before dropping itself. The vines around you died as their matriarch dropped, eyes staring lifeless. You got up from the ground and turned to see Jason on the ground, the flower dart sticking out of Jason's arm. He grunted, falling to his knees.
"Red Hood!" you yelled, running over, surprised you had kept yourself from calling his actual name. He was on his knees, breathing deep. He pulled the dart out and looked around. He grabbed a stack of napkins and wrapped the dart in them.
"I need...Alfred..." he got out, voice rasping even through the modulator. "Ivy...poison..." You nodded.
"I have a car out back," you said, sliding his arm around your shoulder and standing, staggering a little. Even without his armor he was solid muscle and that wasn't light. "You need to help me or I'm going to fall." He took a haggard breath and stood on his own, still leaning to you. "How much time do we have?"
"Twenty minutes maybe," he said. He let out an agonized cry. You reached over and grabbed his gun from him, keeping it ready in case anybody gave you trouble as you walked into the alley. You saw the line of parked cars belonging to the currently dead Penguin henchmen and picked the closest one, putting Jason in the back. You climbed in and got to hot wiring it. "Thought you said you had a car?"
"I do, I have any car I want," you said. "Now shut up and rest." Your voice was severe because even in this horrible situation you were still mad at him. He disappears for six months, comes back to get you safely away from an attack by Poison Ivy and then goes and gets poisoned? How dare he put you through this roller coaster of emotions. You got the car going and then, safety be damned, sped to Wayne manor. You crashed right through the gate and stopped by the door. Alfred was out the door, gun in his hand, dropping it only when he saw it was you.
"Miss YN, what..." he started until you threw open the back door and dragged the now unconscious Jason from the back. Alfred jumped into action, grabbing him with you and pulling him into the front hall. He locked the door and turned to you.
"What happened?" he asked as you removed Jason's helmet. He looked terrible, pale, lips barely having any pink to them. You told Alfred about the attack, about the poison. "What did the flower look like?" You were glad it had been aimed at you first, in your fear you had memorized its features.
"It was white, with red like tendrils and yellow inside," you said, closing your eyes to remember better. You knew that wasn't how it worked but right now you weren't thinking straight seeing Jason like this. You needed to stop seeing him before you lost control entirely. Alfred nodded.
"Her modified Medusa Flower, find the point of contact" he mumbled, getting up and running towards the kitchen where he kept the antidotes to several of Ivy's poisons. Luckily this was a common poison she used, having modified the flower to actually shoot the poison and the effects to be quick. He got the syringe ready, going to back and knelt down. You had found the puncture and torn off his sleeve so Alfred could get to it, displaying the frightening spread of the black poison through his veins. He injected the antidote directly into the wound. You wondered how long it would take to help him. Alfred frowned when he didn't open his eyes. "Sit him up." You did as asked, sitting him up. Alfred pulled his shirt up and over his head and you set him down, seeing poison. It was still moving, but much slower. "Do you have the dart?"
"Yes," you went through his pockets, careful not to sting yourself. You handed Alfred the dart and he frowned.
"She has continued modifying her poisons," he grumbled. "What I gave him has slowed the poison, let me get into the lab with Master Tim, we will be able to fix this. You nodded. Alfred touched a pin on his lapel and not even five minutes passed before Bruce, Dick, and Tim were all there in the hallway, asking a million questions. Bruce picked up Jason and you followed him upstairs to his old bedroom as Alfred and Tim went down to the cave. Dick followed, arm going around you as you finally started to cry.
#jason todd x y/n#jason todd x you#jason todd x reader#jasontodd#jason todd#red hood x you#red hood x reader#redhood#red hood#red hood x y/n#brokenprism
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Hawkins University : The Munson Edition
64.media.tumblr.com
AN: Hey, y'all. So this is it. I took 5ever to finish it, I know, but it's been a crazy ride. I wanted to give these two a sweet ending and plenty of room for any future blurbs if I decide to write them. Truth be told, I think I will step away from series writing for now. I will be uploading blurbs, but not as regularly as I used to. Please know I'm here tho and always willing to answer messages.
In an effort to not be corny, I won't blab too much but thank you all for reading my writing. It means the world to me. I've been through a lot while writing this fanfic, and Hawkins Uni has been my own little world that I share with you all. Your interactions, love, and reading mean the world to me. Thank you all so much.
â cliches: friends to lovers, heavy use of nicknames instead of Y/N, we're all just struggling college kids, Music Tutor! Eddie, Resident Assistant! Reader, good girl x bad boy, instant connections, 'I don't trust most people but I trust you', 'are we friends or more?', and 'I can't believe you're such a slut that you have a special dtf drawer...'
â warnings: mature topics, insecurity, hurt and comfort, drinking and drug usage, strong language, bullying, mental health, discussion of suicide and self harm, mature thoughts, eventual smut, minors dni
â pairing: modern!college!eddie x college!fem!reader
<Previous Masterlist
Epilogue
Bug's POV
You stood anxiously, fiddling with your clothes, nerves swirling in your stomach. Youâd passed your finals and managed to make it through the semester without a huge hiccup, even passing your Beginnerâs Guitar with flying colors. Afterwards, Eddie asked you to accompany him on a date, teasing that the two of you rarely got a moment alone without Robin and Steve third-wheeling. You agreed, despite your apprehension at being seen out in public. Youâd not gotten as many glares or dirty looks lately (no doubt due to the Munson boy glaring down anyone who even huffed in your direction.), but you still felt uneasy.Â
You and Eddie were going to Frostyâs per your old rituals, then snuggling in bed and watching movies. But something was off. Eddie was smiling lately like he had a secret, and it made you a bit on edge. You shook your head, shaking off bad thoughts and anxiety as best as you could.Â
You headed down to the parking lot, only to see Eddie looking as gorgeous as ever in a leather jacket, leaning against a motorbike. His head was tilted back, smoke billowing into the air up above him. He rarely smoked unless stressed. Your stomach tightened further.Â
Maybe he wants to break up with youâŠ
I meanâŠHe is a catchâŠand way out of your league.Â
You should just let him get it over with, heâs probably tired of youâŠ
Your brain swirled with anxiety, thoughts drowning out all reason.Â
Eddie turned his head over to you, smile blindingly bright.Â
âHey. Ready for our hot date?,â He teased, winking at you, brown eyes glimmering with mischief.Â
You smiled as convincingly as you could, your stomach churning.Â
âSure. Letâs go.â
You sat in the furthest booth, the dim area in the usually bright burger joint giving an illusion of privacy. Eddie was sharing his fries with you, flirting blatantly and telling silly stories about his childhood years, how much of a pain heâd been for Wayne to hassle with.Â
You tried to calm your nerves, seeing as he wasnât breaking up with you. At least so far.Â
Then, towards the end of the meal, soda watered down and bellies full, Eddieâs face got solemn.Â
Your heart squeezed, stomach churning while your hands trembled.Â
You never even got to tell him you loved him.
It was silly to think it would last anywayâŠ
You steeled your nerves, trying to brace yourself, using all it took to keep your lip from tremblings, hands shaky and eyes stinging.Â
âLookâŠY/N,â He started, the use of your name and not some sweet pet name or Bug turning your nerves to ice.Â
âI donât know how to say thisâŠIâve been wanting to say it for a while. Since I helped you with the whole bullying incident,â He clenched his fists a bit, as if angered by the memory. Your heart was pounding. He held off from a breakup for this long? Why?
He looked up, brown eyes raw and full of emotion, brows furrowed softly.Â
âYou mean everything to me. You make me want to be a better person. The way youâre absolutely selfless and patient and caringâŠitâs like a beam of light. I know you always go on and on about how Iâm a starâŠBut in reality, Iâm the moon reflecting the bright light of you,â Eddies voice was thick with emotion, eyes blinking back tears.Â
Your head swam with confusion. You were still tense, readying yourself for the killing blow but loosening up a bit, brows furrowed as you stared at Eddie.Â
He reached into his pocket, pulling out a small velvet box and sliding it across to you, his hands a bit shaky.Â
You reached out cautiously to it, heart skipping a beat, grabbing for the box. You gingerly opened it, brow furrowing in confusion. Inside was a brand new key, the bronze twinkling up at you in the light. You grabbed at the key, turning it over in your palm.Â
âEddie..What is this?â
He fiddled with his rings, a nervous habit of his that you knew from time spent with him. His eyes darted down to the table avoiding your gaze.Â
âItâs a key. To my placeâŠItâs kinda my corny way of asking if you want to move in with me next year,â He smiled crookedly at you, cheeks pink and expression bashful.Â
Your heart soared, your eyes beginning to water as you shook softly.Â
Eddieâs brows furrowed, getting up quickly to sit next to you in the seat, placing his arm around you.Â
âBug⊠Whatâs wrong? Is it too soon? Iâm sorry, I just-âÂ
You shook your head, laughing a bit while tears flowed, leaning into him and hugging him.Â
âNo, you doofus, I thought you were gonna break up with me!,â You sniffed, heart overflowing with emotions.Â
Eddie pulled away looking into your eyes, expression worried and sympathetic. âWhat? Baby, no. I love you. I would never do that, especially not in a place so important to us.âÂ
Your heart skipped a beat as you felt everything stop. You blinked away stray tears, looking into Eddieâs warm eyes, feeling your emotions overflow.Â
âYouâŠyou love me?âÂ
He nodded, smiling gently, caressing the side of your face. âOf course I do,â He murmured to you, eyes softening.Â
You felt your heart soar as you smiled, tears continuing to roll down your cheeks, pulling Eddie in by the shirt for a bruising kiss, his soft gasp making your stomach flutter. You pulled away, smiling, eyes focused on him.Â
âI love you tooâŠof course Iâll move in with you.â
Eddieâs grin beamed as he attacked your face with kisses, causing you to squeal as he rambled on between playful pecks.Â
âWeâll get you your own mug-âÂ
â-and start moving your stuff in-â
â-and I can build you a PC-â
You giggled the night away as Eddie continued on his excited planning, even after stopping his attack of kisses, his demeanor even brighter than before.Â
That night, when the apartment was quiet and it was almost time for sleep, you and Eddie laid down, whispering promises of shopping sprees and domesticity. You felt like you were on cloud nine, your body relaxing and your heart floating above all your anxieties for the time being.Â
Sure you still had issues with insecurity, and anxiety, and life was far from perfect.Â
But youâd learned something.Â
Maybe life didnât necessarily have happy endings, but it sure as hell had joy, and you would savor every last drop of it.Â
Taglist: @josephquinnsfreckles @corrodedcoffincumslut @kirisuteg0men @bebe07011 @amira0303 @vintagehellfire @lottie-90 @animechick555
#eddie munson#stranger things#eddie munson x reader#stranger things 4#eddie munson smut#eddie munson fluff#eddie munson fanfic#eddie munson x you#eddie munson/reader#eddie munson angst#eddie munson au#stranger things au#stranger things au fanfic#modern! eddie munson#modern! college! eddie munson#stranger things college au#eddie munson college au#platonic steddie#platonic stobin#bisexual eddie munson#eddie munson x fem!reader smut#eddie munson x female!reader#eddie munson x fem! reader#eddie munson x female reader#eddie munson x y/n
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Heyaa~! To aleviate the bus boredom! 5. Whatâs a fic idea youâve had that you will never write? 6. Are there any fics from others you reread all the time? 21. Have you ever deleted an entire scene after spending hours laboring over it? If so, why? Thank you and have a safe trip!
Hiii! Thanks for the ask!
5. What's a fic idea you've had that you will never write?
Alright, so, I've had this idea a while ago, that I've been kind of obsessed with ever since, and I kinda want to write it but, uuuuh, I'm not sure I'm brave enough to do it? đ«Łđ«Ł
Basically, it starts as an obikin meet cute fluffy fic, until they discover that they're actually father and son (my idea was a shmi/obi-wan teen pregnancy, but shmi was forced to change school before she could tell him she was pregnant, and maybe he went as Ben in high school or something so she couldn't find him again later so he never knew he was a dad) Of course they angst over it for a while, but then decide that they don't actually care (and maybe are even a bit a lot into it).
I'm already embarrassed just sharing the vaguest idea of it, I think I'd spontaneously combust if I actually wrote and published the fic đ«
(but if someone is into it too and hype me up enough I might actually do it, soooo, never say never, right?) (also i say that i'm embarrassed but the fic I'm writing for the rare pair exchange (not obikin) is even worse than that lmao)
6. Are there any fics from others you reread all the time?
There isn't a specific one that comes to my mind right now, but basically all of my ao3 bookmarks. I love rereading fics (and books), so sometimes I'll go through my bookmarks and re-read whatever strikes my fancy, or sometimes I'll randomly think about a scene from a fic and want to re-read it. Lately I've been thinking about 'The Case of Republic v. Skywalker' by shatou so I might re-read it soon-ish? And I'll definitely re-read a bunch of christmas fic soon (I'm looking at you @grapenehifics and your folgers fic đ (if anyone is seeing a pattern between this and the previous question no you don't))
21. Have you ever deleted an entire scene after spending hours laboring over it? If so, why?
I don't think so? At least not hours. I don't delete a lot of stuff, mostly because I already have a hard time writing many words in the first place so if i deleted whole scenes I wouldn't be left with much lol, but i did deleted an entire scene of I wish you with me always (my obikin qpr fic), because at first i was going to write Anakin and Padmé's meeting and romance, but then I realised that 1) I did not have time to write all of it before the deadline, and 2) the entire point of the fic was the obikin bit and I didn't actually need to write the anidala romance for that so it got scrapped.
More asks here for whoever wants!
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