#and just spent a few hours playing games w/ family and friends

[edenthebat]

OOWWWWWWW

[neiptune]

I think there's been a glitch

c/w: 6k wc, wedding date trope, friends to (possible) lovers, mentions of alcohol, mentions of cheating, levi's smoothness has your brain short circuiting

Just as expected: you’re hating every second of it.

You love your family, you really do. Doesn’t matter how loud and overexcited and nosy they are, it’s always nice to take a few days off to travel back home. Sometimes it’s for birthdays, minor special occasions, surprise visits. Nothing was spontaneous about this specific occasion, though. Train tickets were bought months in advance, your dress picked facetiming your mom (she insisted), your arrival highly anticipated by aunts and uncles and cousins and old friends all coming together for the most significant event of the century: your little brother’s wedding.

To be absolutely honest, the day had a good start. Waking up at dawn didn’t bother you, not with the nutritious breakfast your mom had prepared and the excitement stirring behind your brother’s tense smile. The wedding was agreed to have a mix of traditional shinto-style (to please the bride’s family) and more laid back, western-style influences, something your family has always been accustomed to, given your dad’s roots.

The ceremony held at the shrine was emotional even for you. Hiromi looked gorgeous in her uchikake, gold threads and foil with motifs of waves and cranes standing out on a bright crimson base. You watched them drink the sake and exchange cups first, then vows and wedding rings. It was so hard to process than the man getting married was the same kid who once pooped himself in his crib at daycare and then proceeded to take off his diaper to play with the poop like it was play-doh. Sweet, sweet memories.

Everything started going downhill at the fancy hotel where the reception was set to be held.

The convention room is blinding in its beauty: white pillars, draping fabrics, pretty fairy lights and elegant floral arrangements compliment the venue and the minimalist but luxurious style your families decided to go with. You’re not foreign to wealth, your parents have worked hard to grant you and your sibling a comfortable life and you’re grateful for them. What you don’t like about your family, is how for your aunts and uncles and cousins, everything should constantly be tied to money and profit. Which is why they all turn up their noses when you reply to the dreaded “what’s your job again?” question. Which is why, at every family reunion, you’re forced to sit with your younger cousins and take part in the salary conversation (they could literally compare and brag for hours about raises and bonuses and working overtime and paid vacations). Which is why Aiko, already CEO of a join-stock company at her young age, had first introduced you to one of the employees from the financial department.

Floch Forster was certainly attractive, a real gentleman who’d take you out for fancy dinners, casual dates and fun rides on his flashy, red porsche cayenne. You liked him but your family had always liked him more, your brother going out for drinks with him, your dad inviting him over more and more frequently to watch baseball games or ask for help for the restoration of his old kawasaki ninja, a project he’d been working on for a while.

In the end, the relationship simply didn’t work out and you broke up with him in the most amicable way possible, the time spent together still worth cherishing. You were just too different from each other: his interests not matching yours, his friends way too stuck-up, his parents looking at you like you were some kind of gold digger.

But that’s when he became petty, cruel even, mocking your dreams, deriding your aspirations, sharp edged phrases and words thrown your way so harshly they still dance around your brain from time to time.

Are you surprised by his presence at your brother’s wedding? No. You knew he’d be invited, they’re still friends and you never really told your sibling how the separation actually went down. Is it shocking that he’s here with a pretty brunette anchored to his arm? Also no. He might be an asshole but he’s hot and rich, two qualities weighing pretty damn heavily on the bachelor scale. He’s also the main reason why you’d asked your painfully stoic, blasé friend to accompany you to the reception.

Yes, it was both a childish and desperate move, but you were willing to take drastic measures to save face before your very much extended very much elitist very much expectant family after the fatal phone call with your mom where you’d suddenly blurted out that you’d bring a special someone with you to the wedding.

Your love life (aka currently a big big void made of emotional unavailability & crippling loneliness) was yet another topic open to be attentively scrutinized by those around you. Normally you don’t mind, you really don’t, but just this one time you wanted it to be different. As much as you try not to let it get to you, the facts are that your younger brother is now married, your hot rich ex boyfriend has probably already proposed to his new girlfriend, you still haven’t been given the raise you were expecting and it plainly just sucks to be alone at weddings. It’s the fourth one you have attended on your own now and you can tell by your aunt’s sympathetic gaze and your cousins’ knowing giggles that you’re not gonna be able to push the he had to attend an emergency meeting with external partners lie any longer.

Frustration makes your stomach churn. Why couldn’t he have indulged you just this once?

“Oh, come on”

“No”

“Please!”

“Still no”

“I can beg”

“You’ve been begging for the past ten minutes”

“I can beg better?”

Levi’s resolute glare didn’t soften like it did on the rare occasions when he accommodated your requests.

“Why do you even need this?”

You heaved a deep sigh over his obstinacy, index finger lazily tracing the edge of the steaming cup in front of you. You’ve always been a coffee person but his is the only tea you’ll drink.

“D’you want the honest answer or the pathetic, moping one?”

He raised an eyebrow with a far too evident interest that had you rolling your eyes.

“Both”

“Well, if you must know, it’s because I’m a lame, lonely, disappointment of an adult who’s scared of facing her family’s overcritical comments and knowing glances at her younger sibling’s wedding” you paused to take a deep breath “that and the fact that I already lied and said I was gonna bring someone and my perfect ex everyone loves so much is gonna be there”

Levi slowly took a sip from his own cup, the classic bergamot flavor notes lingering with tantalizing velvety softness on his tongue.

“They both sound pathethic and moping to me”

You shrugged with a weak smile.

“They’re both honest, too”

“You’re gonna be fine” he pushed the little plate of shortbreads towards you.

“Did you hear the part about my perfect ex?” nevertheless, you accepted the cookie offer and, much to your friend’s horrified expression, dipped one into your tea prior to taking a bite.

“Give him my love” Levi ignores your frown and, more importantly, the annoyance he felt listening to you belittling yourself so blatantly.

“Okay” a defeated sigh leaves your lips as you take another cookie “not sure why I thought you’d get it”

“The fuck is that supposed to mean?”

Mouth still full, you gestured vaguely with your hands, tiny crumbs attached to your fingertips catching his attention for a split second before you speak again.

“Why would you? You’re a functioning adult. Should’ve asked someone as fucked up as me, maybe Reiner from the marketing department will—”

“A functioning adult?” Levi cut in, tone oozing with skepticism “that’s new. You usually refer to me as the clean freak with a stick up his ass”

“Which you are” your clarification is met with another glare “but you wouldn’t understand what being lame means”

“How so?” he challenged, eyes narrowed and some sort of weird warmth in the pit of his stomach he didn’t know how to shake off.

“You have your shit together, Levi. M’sure your family wouldn’t shoot sympathetic gazes your way if you showed up to your brother’s wedding on your own”

“I don’t have a brother”

“Not the point” you let out an obnoxious groan as you slightly pushed the empty cup away and dropped your head to rest on your overlapped arms, forehead pressing on the soft fabric of your sleeve. Levi sat still, grey eyes fixed on you.

“You’re not lame, idiot” no one else would’ve been able to tell that his tone had gone softer “I’m not dating anyone either and you still think I’m a functioning adult”

Exasperated, you turn your head so that your cheek is now pressed to your wrist as you glare at him.

“But that’s your choice. You don’t like anyone. While I had three of my coworkers come to my desk just to ask who the handsome dude passing by to bring me a homemade bento box was”

Half a smile dripping with smugness tugged at his lips, one that caused you to roll your eyes again.

“Don’t even” you warn, already gagging at the idea of him considering to visit you at work more often “forget I said anything. I’ll handle it”

As Levi inched across the table to flick your forehead and then got up to collect your cups, you had to quickly whisk away the thought of how much your family would have genuinely liked someone like him too.

On second thought, it’s not really fair to blame him. You might not be a greatly functioning one, but you’re still an adult. You can face something as trivial as the disappointment of multiple generations of your family, right? Either way, it would’ve felt wrong. It would’ve been awkward. Levi is stiff, way too cold, the opposite of cordial. He would hardly be credible as the good friend he actually is, let alone pass for a boyfriend. Has he ever even dated someone? You’re sure he has, given how weirdly popular he is. Yeah, there was one girl, what was her name again? Petra? Ugh, he hardly shares anything truly personal with you anyway. Sure, you can guess he’s a good partner. Handsome, kind, talented enough to cook killer meals, maybe even good in bed. It just wouldn’t hurt him to be a little more… amicable. But maybe that’s what women find attractive? The fact that he’s like this weird, interesting secret thing to continuously discover and unwrap until it suddenly turns into the perfect, passionate lover any woman wants to end up with?

The champagne you’re downing at the hotel bar is proving to be a wonderful ally, although your mind currently seems to be wandering a little. Or it was, at least until a familiar, awfully close and quite frankly unsettling voice causes a harsh return to the pathetic reality you’re trying to escape.

“Drowning your sorrows in alcohol? You haven’t changed at all” the venomous smile on his face is so painfully familiar it has your insides twisting right away.

“I’m really not in the mood, leave me alone” you mutter, not even sparing him a glance as you stubbornly focus on the golden bubbles popping in your freshly filled flute.

But Floch takes a seat right next to you and elegantly orders two martinis.

“Shaken, not stirred” he adds, to live up to yet another clichè. You can hardly suppress a snort.

“I would argue you already are. Alone, I mean” the rhythmic drumming of his fingers on the mahogany counter distracts you for a few seconds. When your gaze finally meets his, the fake sympathy glistening mischievously in his amber eyes almost has you barfing on the spot.

“Where’s your trophy wife? Is she even legal?”

Unperturbed, Floch smiles sweetly at you.

“She reminds you of yourself, doesn’t she? A young dove in need of rescue, held captive by the wrong guy” he inches closer, smile growing wider “but she’s nothing like you. You’re too exhausting to love, no one in their right mind would choose that”

And just like that, memories that cut as deep as razors make their way back to you right then and there.

If you really want to lose weight you shouldn’t eat the free bread at restaurants.

I feel like you’re faking this just to make me feel guilty.

You’re not that attractive anymore, you know that?

I’m sorry you feel that way.

Could’ve done so much better than you all this time.

Now I don’t feel so bad about having cheated.

The flute in your hand might very well shatter from how tightly you’re holding it, knuckles white as two drinks gracefully slide in front of you. This is exactly what you wanted to avoid, not him entirely but letting him know that he can still get under your skin.

“Fuck you” in a final, desperate attempt at playing off your discomfort as indifference, you hold him level in your gaze, a boldness so weak it has him chuckling.

“Am I interrupting something?”

You both turn to your right, the shock laced into your features comical enough to be met with a patient, slight smile.

Levi looks nothing less than dashing in his black suit, hands buried in the pockets of pants you wouldn’t even think he’d own. Since you’re pretty sure the alcohol has you hallucinating at this point, you open your mouth to voice your surprise, Floch’s presence long forgotten and filed away at the back of your mind. But right before you can sabotage yourself with dumb, unnecessary inquiries, Levi takes a step forward and with one, swift motion, cradles your cheek in his hand to gently press his lips to your forehead.

“Sorry I’m late” he murmurs, fighting back another smile before the dumbstruck way you keep looking at him.

“We haven’t met” Levi’s eyes follow the voice and flicker to the person sitting next to you. That’s when you snap back to reality once again. Goddamn, maybe the champagne wasn’t that good of an ally after all.

“We haven’t” he replies and Floch introduces himself, offering a hand that never gets shaken. Levi gives him a nod instead, a silvery gaze cold as steel you’ve never seen him direct to anyone. Perhaps that’s why it makes you shiver.

“Should we go? I’d like to meet your parents” his voice is kind as he looks at you again and you accept the support of his hand to hop down from the barstool. He doesn’t let go as he guides you away from the hotel bar and lightly squeezes your hand even if it’s cold and clammy.

“How are you here? When… why?” you whisper, still unable to shake off the shock of his sudden, unexpected presence.

“Stop asking dumb questions and play your part”

That’s more like it, you think. Thank god for the infuriating, irritating tone and impatient glare. Their familiarity will certainly be enough to ground you despite the warmth you can still feel on your forehead, right where his lips were pressed a few seconds earlier.

But then he looks at you again, head slightly tilted to the side, eyes slowly taking in your figure so blatantly, in a way so uncommon for him, it has the same warmth from before exploding in your chest as well.

“You look very nice, by the way”

Fuck being grounded, apparently.

The champagne is no longer buzzing in your veins but it might as well be since your mind feels all over the place and you haven’t had a single second to collect your thoughts. Not in the middle of so many introductions, your mother’s obnoxious questions, your very much tipsy aunt’s inappropriate jokes, the microphone you had to approach and the speech you had to give in front of hundreds of people, one of them always focused on you with such intensity you won’t have to rewatch the videotape at family reunions to know that words came out ungraceful and wrong.

To be honest, the most unsettling thing is how smoothly the whole thing is going. It’s not weird, it’s definitely not awkward and he seems to be in complete control. Staggered, you’re left watching with wonder floating in incredulous eyes, a Levi you don’t think you’ve ever met before. It’s so effortless, the way he speaks to people he’s never met before and manages to come off as interesting, witty, charming. He’s smiling, he’s even respectfully offering elegant chuckles to uncomfortably personal questions and stories you just know he doesn’t actually think are funny.

As you dine at the table filled with curious old friends and noisy cousins, for the first time able to stay silent as all the attention is directed towards someone other than yourself, a weird thought crosses your mind. Levi, your friend Levi, fits so well. He’s perfectly at ease around chatty strangers, bold roses, tea lights and candles in clear metallic holders. How’s that even possible? The Levi you know, your Levi, curses under his breath if his usual barista tries to make small talk. He grunts if the cashier at the cinema chirps an overly excited hope you enjoy the movie, sir. You literally know he’s once replied to one of his clients’ email with please stop hoping your email finds me well, it never does.

So who’s the person sitting next to you, warm knee flush against yours underneath the table, features relaxed, pink tinted cheeks, courtesy of the cabernet sauvignon you’ve been served? It has your head spinning, the thought of him enduring a 4-hour train trip (he hates trains) to reach a town he’s never been to (he hates Kobe and its humid, subtropical climate) to attend a wedding (he hates social gatherings) as your date. What had him changing his mind? When did he change it? How is he so good at coming off as this bundle of… of… confidence and magnetism and graciousness?

He’s been impeccable so far, going as far as to bring a shugi-bukuro envelope with 50.000 JPY inside as a wedding gift.

Isn’t that what they’d expect from the groom’s sister’s partner?

Clearly, you have every intention of giving him that money back. As soon as you recover from the sudden and absolutely unexplainable embarrassment you feel every time his eyes flicker to you during a conversation or the shudder that runs down your spine when his hand gently presses on the small of your back to guide you from one table to the other, as different family members and friends of yours excitedly motion you to approach them.

It doesn’t have anything to do with him specifically, you tell yourself. It’s just the shame you must be feeling at carrying out such a pathetic act in front of everyone, it’s the awkwardness of having forced one of your closest friends to go out of his way to support your stupid, childish plan that now has you feeling all weird and vulnerable. Levi is not being his usual self and that makes you uncomfortable because you’re not allowed to be your usual self in turn. No sarcastic remarks, no witty comebacks, not a drop of the usual teasing you enjoy annoying him with.

It’s not him, it’s the whole setting. That’s what you tell yourself when Levi asks you to dance.

“Why?” you come off as defensive and he furrows his brows, confused.

“Because it’s what couples do at weddings?”

“We don’t have to” you’re not sure what you’re doing at this point “you can’t even dance”

He huffs at that, inching a little closer to casually lift the strap of your cocktail dress, cool fingertips barely brushing the skin of your arm as they guide the thin length of fabric up to your shoulder. The simple, intimate gesture stirs something in you.

“Are you coming or not? He’s watching”

You follow his gaze and meet Floch’s, three tables to the left. At this point the thought of him seems so worthless, so distant in time, you don’t even care about his judgmental glare anymore. But you don’t have the chance to make that clear, because your date whispers a soft “come on” so close to your ear his voice seems to trickle down your spine just to make you shiver and then offers his arm as an invitation for you to get up.

Regular you would’ve mocked the gesture, called him a victorian ghost or something. Current you, on the other hand? Apparently she’s accepting the support of his arm and can barely register Aiko’s excited squeal as she follows him all the way to the different couples already filling up the middle of the convention room, too disoriented to even remember she is the one who can’t dance. Still, the upbeat rhythm of the song being played is familiar enough to give you a false sense of security: you can wing it. Until you can’t. Because right as you position yourself in front of your friend with a tense smile, the familiar beat is abruptly taken from you. The music doesn’t stop, it just has the audacity to change into an excessively romantic, exceptionally slow, sappy track.

But Levi doesn’t look as dazed as you. He doesn’t waver as he pulls you close with one swift motion, right hand warm on your back while you barely have the time to balance yourself, fingers tightening around the fabric of his jacket, right above the shoulder.

“You’re being weird” he clasps your other hand, one eyebrow raised in that overcritical way of his.

“You’re being weird” you parrot back.

“What d’you mea—fuck” he curses as quietly as possible when you stomp on his foot, looking down for the first time to notice how weirdly and out of step you’re actually moving.

“Shit, sorry!” you, on the other hand, are not as quiet and attract the unwanted attention of the couple dancing nearby.

“What exactly are you doing?” Levi’s tone is familiarly mocking, which takes some of the weird awkwardness away.

“I’m not really good at this, okay?” you retort, praying your harsh reply remains private this time. Amused, he hums.

“No way”

“Shut up” you whine and accidentally step on his expensive leather shoe again, hard enough to make him hiss.

“Just follow my lead” Levi gives your left hand an impatient squeeze and you scoff with a theatrical ugh.

“Sexist”

He rolls his eyes but says nothing because you comply and honestly try to keep track of how he’s moving, intensely focused on not trampling on his foot again.

“Hey” his voice is dangerously soft once again “eyes on me”

Reluctantly, you look up from your feet and take a deep breath.

“Why are you this tense?”

“M’not a good dancer” you blurt the words out, as if to convince yourself. He’s noticed, of course he’s noticed. Idiot.

“Okay” Levi stops for a moment and gently grabs your wrists to guide your arms around his neck. He then positions his hands on your hips and applies the slightest pressure to guide your movements. “Better?” he asks and you know he’s just wondering if this is easier for you, but the dryness of your throat seems to be taking over your ability to speak. You resort to a simple nod as he sways to the beat, feet barely lifting while stepping from side to side. You get accustomed to the movement after a while and manage to move your body slowly back and forth, the comfort of not feeling like a wooden block allowing you to relax a little.

“How are you so good at this?” it almost sounds like you’re accusing him, must be why he cracks a smile.

“Took a few classes with Hange, they were obsessed and had no one else to go with”

You’re finally able to let out a genuine, incredulous laugh.

“I’m sorry, what? So you just joined? Goodness of your heart?”

Levi shrugs.

“They had to buy me lunch for a month. Totally worth it”

There’s mirth glistening in his eyes when the pressure of his hands changes slightly, the left one tightening on your waist to subtly guide you in the opposite direction. Has he danced like this with Hange as well? If yes, did they feel as flustered and ridiculous as you’re feeling? Probably not, because they’re friends and friends should not experience the weird body reactions you seem to be having at the moment, goosebumps blossoming underneath his fingertips, the staccato of your heartbeat, blood wooshing in your ears. Fuck.

“Tense again” his eyes are narrowed now, but not in his usual, threatening way. He’s studying you, looking for something he can’t seem to pinpoint amidst your dazed expression and sweaty hand. He would’ve been grossed out by anybody else’s palm but this is you, so Levi can’t really bring himself to give a shit.

“I’m sorry” you murmur and the sudden, sheepish route catches him off guard. You’re avoiding his gaze, eyes focused on something, somewhere over his shoulder.

“For what?”

“This whole charade” you whisper the last word, head hanging low just an excuse not to look at him “I’m so pathetic you felt bad enough to drop all your plans, come all the way here, be perfect and nice to everyone, spend so much money and I can’t even dance…” you sniffle, horrified by the sensation of being on the verge of bursting into tears in the middle of the dance floor.

Levi is silent long enough to prompt you to timidly look up from your shoes again. You’re worried he’s gonna be mad because what the hell, this is what you wanted. You asked him to do this for you and now it’s too late to whine about how sorry you are. But he doesn’t look mad. His features are unreadable as you return his gaze, which stirs a whole new kind of nervousness in you.

“I’m going to twirl you” the gentle warning takes you by surprise as Levi takes your hand from behind his neck, steps back a little and lifts your arm above your head. A bit stiffly, you turn around under it.

“Again” he prompts, arm already guiding you through another twirl. You comply, so clumsily a chuckle slips past your lips and Levi cracks another smile as you balance yourself against him, arms around his neck once again.

“See? You can dance” he mutters with a tone so soft it makes your heart squeeze.

“Please” you scoff, voice still a little broken that just won’t. Do.

Levi hums to himself, like he does whenever he’s trying to come to a decision.

“Let’s dip”

Your eyes comically grow in size.

“Let’s not?”

“I’ll do all the work” he playfully gives your hip a light squeeze to emphasize his words “you just have to let go”

“I’m not exactly good at letting go” you hope he can sense the warning in your tone but all you get is another eye roll.

“Yeah, I noticed” his tone, unlike yours, is weirdly serious “d’you trust me?”

Oh, well, putting it that way surely isn’t fair.

“Unfortunately, you’ve given me a reason or two to do that” you heave another sigh, defeated. Another smile tugs at his lips.

“I’m gonna do it slowly” he reaches behind his neck to grab your hand again, while his fingertips rise from your hip to your upper back.

“Twirl” Levi gently spins you again and his touch is featherlike when it glides down your side, grazes your stomach and settles on your lower back as you turn around, warm palm pressing firmly against it. The hand holding yours anchors your arm around his neck, then finds place on the nape of yours.

“Now, relax” it’s barely a whisper, so close you can’t hold back a shudder he pretends not to notice.

You soften your knees and then, with a movement so swift and natural, you’re turned to the side and pressed flush against him for a second, nestled in his embrace before you shut your eyes and Levi gently dips you, one of his strong arms secured around your waist to support your weight, the hand sustaining your neck tightening around your hair for a moment so brief you think you’ve imagined it.

He pauses as if you weigh nothing, then slowly brings you up again and you open your eyes, brows furrowing right as he lets completely go of you and the warmth of his arms is taken away so abruptly.

“You okay?” you didn’t think you’d be the one asking the question but something seems to be bothering him as he returns your confused gaze.

“Yeah. Can we take a break?” still weirdly well mannered, you find yourself thinking as you agree to make your way to your table again. Only he stops you right before you can take a seat next to Aiko, who’s blatantly gushing over you’re not sure what, precisely. Is it him? Or the weird dance that had you looking like a complete fool in front of everyone?

“How long before the cake?” he politely asks your cousin and she shrugs, not even attempting to hide the wide grin stretching her lips.

“Maybe around ten minutes”

“Permission to steal the groom’s sister for around ten minutes?”

Aiko’s chuckle isn’t enough to distract you from the tightening of your chest, something not entirely unpleasant swarming around in your stomach when he slips his fingers in between yours.

“Permission granted” she winks and you still, for the life of you, cannot understand why your heart flutters as you follow him outside the room, away from the party and the music and the chatter and all those happy, proud glances you’re no longer able to return because of how embarrassed you are by your own lie.

“Where are we going?” you bring yourself to ask, finding it exceptionally odd that he’s waiting for the elevator.

“My room”

“What? Why?”

Levi turns his head to look at you, eyebrows furrowing at your strangled tone.

“I forgot the wedding gift on the nightstand”

“Oh” you let out a nervous chuckle “right. And why d’you need me for that?”

“You look like you’re about to throw up, thought you could use a few minutes away from the crowd”

Well, he’s not wrong. But that doesn’t mean he gets to know.

“Dunno what you’re talking about” you flash him a fake smile and he skeptically hums as the doors open and you step inside.

Of course his room is located at the top floor of the building, where all the suites are. One thing about Levi is that he likes treating himself: whether it’s shopping from brands that produce top quality loose leaf teas, selecting premium suiting fabrics or always ordering the most expensive red wine at a restaurant, his taste is impeccable. He travels first class and only stays at 5-star hotels, so you really shouldn’t feel the guilt pangs stinging like needles in your throat when he swipes the key card through the magnetic reader and swings the door open. You shouldn’t feel so bad while taking in the king size bed, the LCD tv, the additional area with armchairs and a whole sofa, the private balcony. But you do. And when he turns to look at you, still standing by the door with a heartbreaking, bashful expression taking over your features, Levi clenches his jaw.

“What are you doing?” you ask as you watch him slide the balcony glass door.

“So many questions” he prompts you to precede him with a slight tilt of his head.

“What about the gift?”

Levi hates seeing you so defensive, so upset. He’s not used to that weird self-consciousness, not when you’re with him at least. Didn’t he come to obtain the exact opposite of what he’s getting? Isn’t he here to shield you from embarrassment, uneasiness? Why are you persisting in your stubborn shame?

“I get around ten minutes, remember?” he attempts a smile your tense features choose not to mirror. You sigh softly instead and, still uncertain, accept his invitation.

Outside the air is cool, a balm for your feverish skin. The balcony furniture includes two wooden armchairs, one small coffee table and a small couch. You plop down on the latter, not even having the energy to properly appreciate the beauty of a sparkly Kobe right at your feet, silhouettes of skyscrapers standing out against the night sky, the flickering lights of the harbor shining in the distance, tower so familiar you’d recognize it from a mile away. It’s home.

“So” Levi makes himself comfortable next to you, the breeze gently combing his hair back “wanna tell me what’s wrong?”

Plenty is wrong, the most urgent matter being the overpowering attraction you’re feeling for one of your closest friends. It’s fine, no use lying to yourself any longer. Maybe it’s always been there, underneath all the teasing and the jokes and his rare smiles that always felt like small victories you got to collect and preserve in your memory at the end of each day, when  you’d often replay the hours spent together as pretty movie frames in your mind right before drifing off to sleep. But it’s easy, playing weird feelings off as regular familiarity that comes with friendship. You just didn’t think this night would make things feel so different, so good.

He’d be a great actual date, a wonderful actual boyfriend too, probably. He’s already a wonderful, actual friend. One that dropped everything to rush to the rescue of annoying, silly you, seemingly an adult but really a scared excuse of a grown up who can’t confront her family on a matter as trivial as not being in a relationship. It’s mortifying, really. You wouldn’t think it’d feel that humiliating, especially not in his presence.

Slender fingers delicately close on the fist you don’t realize you’re clenching. They’re warm as they try to make their way underneath yours, a silent plea for you to let go of the fabric clutched in your hand.

“I already told you” your hand lets go at last and slips easily from underneath his touch, the silk of your carefully picked cocktail dress wrinkled already.

“You feel guilty about me dropping all my plans, coming all the way here, beng perfect and nice to everyone, spending so much money…” he’s being playful but the teasing doesn’t elicit the eye roll or chuckle he was hoping he’d get. Your head just hangs lower, chin almost pressing to your chest, as if you’re trying to curl into yourself.

“About that, you’re gonna accept a complete refund. Train tickets, this room, wedding gift, everyth—”

Levi cuts you off by grabbing your jaw and turning your head towards him, eyes narrowed in a familiarly impatient gaze. He can’t believe the nonsense you’re sputtering out, the weird formality of it all.

“Stop that” his voice vibrates with determination and words are forced to die in your throat as he inches closer, grip loosening ever so slightly “you keep looking at things and seeing the opposite of what they are”

“So what, you didn’t spend a fortune to be here?” you challenge and he sighs, as done as a person can humanly be.

He lets go of your jaw but you don’t pull back.

“You asked me to be here”

“And I’m trying to apologize for it!”

God, you’re wearing him out.

You get up from the couch and, out of frustration, rest your back against the railing, palms behind you pressed on the cold, metal edge. Levi is looking at you so intensely you’re tempted to turn around and just take the view in to calm yourself because this is going downhill enough to become a fight and fights with Levi are never pretty. You should know.

“Remember the reasons you put forward to try and convince me to come?” his calm tone is such a sharp contrast to his hardened features, it takes you by surprise.

“Pretty sure I called myself lame and pathetic quite a few times” you shoot him a frown.

“Yeah” he gets up as well “then I end up actually getting here and guess what I found?”

You let out a dry laugh, one with not an ounce of humor embedded in it.

“A version of me worse enough to be brought in your room to hide?”

Two well measured steps and Levi is in front of you right as you cross your arms in defense.

“The version of you I already know” he retorts, exasperated “beautiful, intelligent, clumsy. A functional adult with a family that loves her very much”

“You’re drunk” you breathe out but it’s yours the head that’s spinning. Somehow, Levi knows. At least that’s what you guess when he steps closer, arms effectivey caging you against the railing as he slightly leans forward.

“Hardly” he mutters, pensive, and you swear his eyes flicker to your lips for a second “you don’t see things for what they are. I didn’t see a perfect ex, just a self entitled asshole. Didn’t meet hypercritical family members, just old-school people who are unyielding in their affection for you. I could’ve stayed home, honestly, you seem to be bothered by me the most”

“I’m not bothered by you, don’t be fucking stupid” you blurt out, saliva levels down to zero at this point. What is he even doing? Why is he so close, why does he smell so nice and where the fuck is that wedding gift?

“Ah, there she is” Levi offers a soft smile “had me missing her all night”

He then moves a strand of hair away from your forehead and the pads of his fingers linger on your temple, then barely graze your skin as they travel all the way down to your cheek and along your jaw.

You’re unfamiliar with this version of him. It’s a version that compliments the one that’s met your family and friends, the wedding date you’ve been lucky enough to score. This version knocks the wind out of your lungs and has your knees weak.

But then something happens, the snap of invisible fingers and, just like that, the magic wears out. Your skin is left burning and his arms set you free as he takes a step back and shoves his hands in his pockets.

“I had a good time so enough with your guilt-ridden bullshit”

You’re barely able to catch your breath, still dizzy from the change of the overall mood. Perhaps he’s right and you’re the drunk, hallucinating one.

Levi slides the balcony door again but goes back inside first this time, leaving you little to no time to pull yourself together or calm the pounding of your heart. He collects no envelope from the nightstand before you both leave the room, a burning sensation churning in your stomach as you follow him down the hallway, feeling utterly boneless when you stop in front of the elevator. Maybe that Petra girl did have a point.

“There’s still one thing you probably haven’t noticed about me” right as a ding echoes in the empty hallway he turns his head to look at you, standing a few feet behind “I’m a terrible fucking liar. Wouldn’t convince anyone if I tried”

[loot-loottee]

Unwinding Adventures: My Semestral Break

February 07 2024, by: Charlotte Jean Almazan

This is my sembreak journey. The semestral break provides a priceless chance for students to rejuvenate their fatigued bodies and brains. Students frequently experience exhaustion due to the unrelenting demands of their studies, exams, and extracurricular activities. But, students can take advantage of this time off from school to relax and get much-needed rest. The semestral break enables people to refill their exhausted energy levels, ensuring they return to their studies refreshed and revitalized. This might involve anything from relaxing with a good book to traveling to exotic locales.

During my sembreak, I discovered a lot of things, and spent my quality time with my friends and family. I personally enjoyed every small time I spent with someone I adore. Sharing the stories I had experienced, making friendship bracelets together, learning skills I wanted to learn like: playing a guitar, drawing and writing. I enjoyed a lot during my sembreak by committing the things I love to do, especially wandering! Travelling is like therapy for me because I can discover a lot of things by exploring. I went to the Bambanti festival Ilagan not just once but twice. Every light I see there is very colorful, the fragrance of the foods, the circumstances happening there, and watching the fireworks exploding noisily up in the high sky. The happiness I've felt was over the roof. I personally watched some pageants where different municipalities came from, watched different band concerts like Sunkissed Lola etc. I also tried new foods, and took pictures while exploring the area.

In addition, I personally tried to challenge myself by cooking various dishes, this experience didn't just make me feel happy and enthusiastic but also improved my cooking skills.Another skill I learned when my sister taught me how to crochet and sew. We made crochet plushies together. I will not forget all the moments I've spent my time with my family or someone I adore. It's really the happiest moment. I have ever experienced visited my friends to have a bonding or reunion. We went for a movie marathon, went to Amusement park, rode some rides like, ferris wheel, vikings, etc. After the fun we had in the Amusement park, we went to the famous cafe called "Apayao Brew". We talked about how we have been doing at school and even interesting stories. After all the traveling around Ilagan, we rested for a few hours at home and after which, we decided to go to Camp Samal Viewdeck near my school. We stayed there for a few hours and also took pictures. I really cherish all the things happening in my life. I could never forget. It's the most important thing in myself. Another thing I did during the break, was attending a mass to connect and communicate with God. I prayed all the things I did bad. After the mass we went for a Jollibee. I really love it when little moments are already precious to me, it makes me; feel joy and fulfilled. In addition, I've also read a lot of romance books, and sweet romance books. I really love reading books because it can make my vocabulary knowledge bigger and have big imaginations, sweet romance books like: Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez and more. I and my cousins and friends also went biking, it was really tiring but it's a good exercise for me. There's also the time when me and my grandparents went to the farm along with my best friend, we went on star gazing, it's honestly so beautiful and It's like a galaxy or milky way, stars shining so so bright I could break my neck just to stare at it. My friends and I also made "Do It Yourself" (DIY) paper flowers, paper stars, paper rings, and even decorations. I love the way it turned out because it's so so cute. My best friend visited me and helped me reorganize my room and it was unexpected to have that much trash. After we reorganized my room, I asked him to play board games and video games with me like chess, monopoly and genshin impact. It was honestly so fun.

[terriblesportsimagines]

Thanks for letting me send my asks ! Highly appreciated ! Can we please have more sfw and nsfw headcanons about Musashi, Hiruma and female s/o in a ménage à trois please ?? I really loved it !!

Absolutely, it’s a fun dynamic to write.  Just a word of warning, this gets very lemony

Takekura “Musashi” Gen x Hiruma Yoichi

SFW

You never explicitly announce your relationship, none of you feel the need, since it’s no one’s business but yours.  Even your friends have to figure it out themselves.

It takes them a while.  For a long time they think just you and Musashi are dating, and that Hiruma tags along sometimes out of boredom.  As I said in the earlier ask, Musashi doesn’t care about others’ opinion about his pda.  He kisses you whenever and wherever he wants when the urge strikes him.

At first this doesn’t bother Hiruma, but it starts to needle him as everyone starts considering you Musashi’s, and mutters about it being weird that Hiruma hangs out with you all the time, even on dates.

Their friends figure it out when Musashi has to go away for a few weeks with his family and it’s just you and Hiruma so you turn all your attention and affection on the blond.  By this point, he’s annoyed enough that he lets you, even reaching back when you were near him.  You never spent more time in his lap and in his space than you did in those two weeks.

Sometimes Hiruma feels distanced or left out.  Won’t admit it though, but one of you always realizes it quickly.  The blond complains about being interrupted and about the increased attention, but really, he’s soaking it up.  He likes to be reminded that he’s loved on occasion.

Domestic tasks inspire some squabbling, because Hiruma is OCD about cleaning, and the other two never do it ‘right’ according to him.  Musashi is the best cook, but often works long hours in hard labor, so feeding the three of you falls on you and Hiruma more often.  Hiruma is fussy though, so will take over cooking, even if it’s your night, leading to fights.

They aren’t serious though, and mostly, you both just like to have something to yell about.  Arguing is challenging and it becomes a game to see who can trip the other up.  Much to Musashi’s despair, since he’s the one that has to listen to it.

NSFW

There are times when both men just want to be alone with you, without the other one.  At first, you were worried about possible jealousy, but that worry flees quickly.  Neither begrudge the other for it, and they never seem to need to talk about it.  They just know and its never taken personally.

They don’t sleep together without you.  It’s not that they have a problem having sex with each other, it’s just that both would rather you be the focus.

They are different kinds of lovers and give you different things.  They don’t compete either.  Hiruma’s teasing and slow, he wants you to beg and plead with him for your pleasure and the man has the patience and stamina to back it up.  You are always covered in bites and tiny bruises after a night with just him, and you are exhausted the next day.  He overstims you so much that you could probably go weeks without sex after, not that you do, of course.

Musashi is more affectionate, but has the tendency to be rougher.  He always sighs at Hiruma’s marks, and kisses each one of them as if his kisses could wash them away.  His touch is bold and firm, and he spends extra time on your breasts sucking, licking and pinching because he loves them.  Loves to take handfuls of your ass and lift you about, but especially onto his cock where he can bounce you until you come shivering in his arms.

Together they work like a team on you.  There are so many hands and fingers that you are blissed out pretty quickly and its never any work for them to make you come over and over.  Hiruma’s better at clit play, but Musashi’s fingering game is on point.  When they touch you at the same time?  You’ll have to beg them to stop.

DP is something that takes a long time to try.  Hiruma is satisfied with the way things are, and Musashi doesn’t want to hurt you.  The experiment comes during one of the times that Hiruma feels distanced.  He’s been busy and Musashi and you had vacation at the same time.  He’s demanding with both of you, but takes his ire out on Musashi.  When his fingers probe your backside gently, he hisses what he wants in your ear.  You’re pretty relaxed at this point, so you agree to try and though Musashi frowns, he doesn’t deny.

Hiruma is thorough and meticulous, so you are ready when he pushes you onto Musashi’s cock before encouraging you to lean forward and let Musashi handle you.  His penetration is much slower, and he actually growls once he’s fully inside you and can feel his other lover.

You’re along for the ride as they figure out a pace that works for them, but there is something magical about being pressed between them.

[eshbaal]

T/W - Loss, Grief, Death There's no easy way to share the news I got yesterday, so that's why I state it plainly in the title and will state it just as plainly now.

My dear friend Markus Ekedahl, known here on tumblr as @lordsmaf, is dead.

He had stopped responding to me altogether on Discord about a week ago, which I naturally thought was odd since he and I have spoken practically at least once a day for the better part of a decade.

I tried to tell myself to not be silly and assume the worst. But still I wrote him every day and recieved no responses even when I said I was worried. So, yesterday, on my way home from another obligation, I started online sleuthing to find contact info on his family, and got ahold of his sister, who he has mentioned to me many times before.

She'd been wanting to get ahold of me, but was unsure how and well, she unfortunately confirmed my darkest fears.

From what she knows, it was sudden. Possibly a result of some underlying health issue. Nobody knows exactly what went on just yet.

I'm gutted, naturally. Markus and I knew eachother well. We were even on birthday and christmas gift basis even though we have only ever actually met a handful of times in real life.

He would have turned 35 on August 1st. I was pondering what I should get him "once he got back". I had practically started rehearsing how to tell him that I didn't care how long he was gone as long as he came back fine and well, in case he was sick or something.

I spent a good half hour looking at his icon hoping for a little red notification to pop up.

Frankly, I'd much rather be furious at him for some kind of sick joke than not have him here with me at all.

---

My thoughts keep going to content and media.

Brav and I shot the shit about media we both liked all the time, and he was as much of a #1 Fan and supporter of my content as he was a friend, always willing to take a look at my videos to try and spot errors before I uploaded them, and showing up for basically every stream I ever did, clipping anything remotely amusing from it. I always knew I was doing a good job if he was clipping up a storm on Twitch.

It was hard enough not seeing his name in chat a few days ago when I was unsure what had happened. It's going to be even harder now, even if I know he'd want me to keep having fun, even with the games I largely played because I knew he'd be amused to see how I reacted to them.

My last interaction with him was me telling him I was finally watching Caddyshack and finding it hilarious, and him responding "Oh yeah."

It probably seems silly that these are the things I worry about since in some way, they probably shouldn't matter. But at the same time, I really regret never getting around to watching some of his favorite stuff now - like JoJo, Gundam or Transformers.

I still plan to keep going on all of this when I can. Even finish the stuff I mostly did because I knew he'd enjoy it. I just need to be able to say it's for his sake without cracking first.

---

For those wondering, I did all the "right" steps almost immediately. I've visited my parents. I've told a few other friends. I've ugly sobbed, I've been angry at the injustice of losing friends at the way-too-early age of barely-34.

I've also had IRL friends who have dealt with their own losses this past year the phone, and one is coming to check on me tomorrow. I have several friends coming over for my own birthday next weekend, and I don't plan to cancel that.

Hell, I've even been able to laugh at other little silly things just a few hours after the bad news. Not that the sadness doesn't settle right back in shortly after.

But today is hard. Really hard. I keep swinging between pure lethargy and crying at random.

I just hope Markus knew that I loved him very much, somewhere between the avalanche of silly clips of terrible game and anime voice acting, the ridiculous tweets we'd both laugh at, or the cool little moments in comics we liked to share.

[potatotalksculture]

The brave new world of keyboard gaming

It's been something over 2 years since I got into video games. Most of the games I've played since, I've played with a controller.

My partner got me into games. We played a few highly frustrating hours of Octodad. I tried my hand at Magicka till we've reached the boss my partner couldn't fight alone and I wasn't of much help because I was still struggling to remember which button does what and where is it on the controller. Then some day he showed me The Stanley Parable and I have lost my mind, played it through a couple of times, revived my love for ontology, got the Ultra Deluxe on his Steam account, played through the Ultra Deluxe, showed it to all my friends and family, got a gaming PC, my own Steam and Humble Bundle account. And there I was. Still only using a controller.

Portal? Controller.

Portal 2? Controller, till I got to this one chamber where I was trying to get a pixel perfect jump for two days and then I switched to mouse and keyboard to spent another two day in the same chamber until I made the jump. And according to the internet there is no glitch there, it's just an asshole of a chamber.

Hades? 200+ hours and counting, controller only.

Fez? Controller.

Antichamber? Controller.

And so on until I watched my partner play Control. It is a beautiful game with an interesting story. And it's not too scary for me. (I quit playing Soma at the easy mode cuz the screen distortions freaked me out too much.) It also helps my easily frightened little soul to know how the games looks like from the beginning to the end, and if there are any jump scares. And Control we kind of played in coop: My partner was playing and I was watching and googling walkthroughs for the parts we couldn't figure out together. It was fun few days. And now I know what to expect.

I started playing it with a controller and it was miserable. So I switched to keyboard and kept pressing E instead of W and got frustrated pretty quickly. So I've decided to use the controller for walking and exploring, but then the fights were impossible to get through even with aim assist. Nothing can aim like a mouse. So I decided to use this game to learn how to play with keyboard and mouse only. Was it a good idea? No. I've reached the final boss and after losing to him for a few days, even with the aim assist on, I gave up. For now...

Disco Elysium helped me in getting the gist of making my character walk without using a game pad. The slow pacing helped, of course. (And oh, the trumpets...)

So we arrive in today's world. A friend told me about Tiny Tina's Wonderlands and how it could be great game we can all play together without leaving the comfort of one own home. Sounds great to me! I got the game, I got overwhelmed by the stats in character creation, I got over it, I did a trial run cooping with my partner only. It was fun!

Now I'm a Lvl 8 spore warden with a shroomy companion following me everywhere and hurting the enemies with its farts. I'm in. Brave new world of keyboard and mouse, here I come!

[teatalkblog]

What happened with Ruben and Natayl ? I’ve only started following Ruben during Euros. TY

It is said that N@taly has tried it before with basketball players Th0mas W@lkup, K4rlo M@tkovic & Sylv3n L4ndersberg. While I don't have much to back up the first two, I do have a curious exchange of comments between her & the latter below one of her IG posts back in December.

My understanding is that they used to follow each other and exchange likes, but after a while they both unfollowed each other.

Now, Rub3n is known to follow the entire female population on Instagram, so it wasn't really surprising to know that they both followed each other. Although we've never seen them together, they often liked each other's pictures. We can't see her likes anymore because she's removed them (I'll explain why in a minute). Bear in mind that she keeps archiving and un-archiving posts, so there may be other posts he liked that we can't see.

A few weeks ago, Jud3 liked one of her posts (he later removed the like). He had already liked two of her posts, one last July & another in March. After the gossip pages reported his like, her post started getting more likes & comments, some of which mentioned Jud3. After that, she started to behave a little strangely on her profile, archiving and unarchiving posts, pinning the one Jud3 liked and then unpinning it, deleting stories and restoring them.

After a few days, she posted a story saying she'd spent a weekend in Germany, just before the games between France and Portugal and England and Switzerland. Later, she posted pictures of herself and her cousin at the stadium for the France-Portugal game and later added a video of Rub3n on the pitch. The next day, she posted herself in a bar in Berlin watching England play against Switzerland. The day after, she posted herself wearing the England shirt (now deleted). People started "accusing" her of not being casual at all by wearing the shirt and posting herself in it after Jud3 liked her post a week earlier. Also, deleting her stories in the stadium the day before led people to believe that she didn't want to be associated with Rub3n, but with Jud3. After a few hours, she and Rub3n unfollowed each other, but people were sure that she had actually unfollowed him and removed him from her followers, also because while she has removed her likes from his posts, his are still visible.

After Germany, she flew to Athens, where she said she'd stayed for three months. A person started harassing her in the DMs - which I think is wrong, let's be clear about that - to which she replied privately (the person shared it later) that she & Rub3n are good friends and that's why they unfollowed each other, adding that Ruben doesn't do hookups. As for Jud3, who she called "Jud3 guy", she said that he just liked her picture and that she was in Germany watching football with her family.

However, people have pointed out that saying Rub3n doesn't do hookups - when no one has asked her - is funny when it is known that he follows the entire female population and is linked/seen with a different girl almost every day, so it was more like she was trying to defend herself. It was also pointed out that calling Jud3 "Jud3 guy" was funny because she liked 2 or 3 of his posts in the past without following him, so she must know who he is.

[joshuasearing]

Wednesday 12th April

Hey journal the past few days have been a mix of emotions. I do apologise for not writing in here the last few days. So on the 9th of april it was my 19th birthday. I started the day by going to work and doing a 6-2 so 8 hours. Work was ok however it was stress like usual. On a positive note they let me leave about 10 minutes early as they knew it was my birthday. I got picked up by my mum and Caitlin was in the car as I was going to be spending the next couple days with her. Anyways we went home and my aunty, uncle and little cousin got to my house at the same time as they were coming to see me for my birthday. Anyways when I got inside I went to pick up my little cousin as a way of saying hello to her however as I did it she balled her eyes out. So I decided to put her straight back down. Bare in mind she is only 1 years old and I do not think she knows who I even am. Anyways after this me and Caitlin went upstairs as I needed to get changed. Also when upstairs I opened my gifts that got me for my birthday. She bought me these nice white and red nike trainers that were really nice. Also her family got me a card with a 20 pound voucher for waterstones which was really nice of them to do. Also my girlfriend got me a toblorone. She also got me this customized card which was really nice for her to do. Anyways after all of this we went downstairs and spent some time with my family. When down their I opened my presents from my parents and from my aunty and uncle. Firstly my aunty and uncle got me a card with £20 pounds in which was nice. Also my mum and dad got me a couple funko pops, some money for this tattoo that I wanted to get, j20s and also some snacks which I was really grateful for. Anyways when I was opening my presents my brother was in a rush to give me my presents and wanted me to open them straight away. He was more excited for my presents then I was. Anyways after this I sat their with the family for a while and I started to feel a little overwhelmed as I already had a busy day and I had no peace at all that day. Anyways for about an hour me and Caitlin went upstairs into my room and relaxed for a bit. Then after this me, caitlin, mum. dad and Kaiden (brother) got into the car to go to spoons and all you can eat buffee. Anyways I enjoyed the buffee although I did start to feel really on edge as my intrusions were really bad and I did not really relax the whole time I was out as I felt on edge the whole time. Anyways after this we went back home and when at home I just relaxed in my room with Caitlin for the rest of the night. We watched some films and tv.

Anyways now for the next day we got up relatively late and just hugged for the first couple hours and went onto are phones. Then after a while alyssa came round mine as we were going out for birthday this day. However when she came round I needed to have a shower and to get ready so I had to be really careful that she did not end up seeing anything she would not want to see. Anyways after a while we left my house and walked to the bus stop. However we did end up getting their literally as the bus was about to get to the stop. This means I had to run to show the bus driver that we wanted the bus and I had to pray that the bus was not just going to drive off. Luckily the bus stopped. We ended up getting the bus into town. When on the bus we all realised there was this weird horrible smell on the bus and it would not go off which was not great. Anyways when on the bus we played some games of 0 or X's on the window of the bus. Once we got into town we went to maccies and I claimed myself my free cheeseburger. Then after this we went to kfc that was basically next to the maccies. In the kfc I got myself a mini wrap and added an hash brown in it as it tastes well nice in the wrap. After this we quickly looked into waterstones then went to the bus station as we were going somewhere else and was meeting up with Daniel which is my friend. Anyways we was waiting about 10 minutes for the bus. Once we got the bus we were on the bus for about 25 minutes. Once we got their the first thing we did was meet up with Daniel. Then we all went to bowling. Daniel paid for an hour for all us which was a really nice thing for him to do. Anyways the first game I came first with 149 points which is the best score I have ever got. I think I got something crazy like 2 strikes and 3 spares out of my 10 goes I had. The 2nd game I came 2nd and Alyssa came 1st I think I was very close to 1st though if I remember. Anyways after bowling we went to play pool however some other people were using the table so we had to leave it and we did not end up doing this. After this we went to JD sports and we looked at shoes we all had to behave ourselves and force ourselves not to buy any shoes. Then after this we went to this hat shop I wanted to go to. When their Daniel told me he would buy me two hats as he felt like he did not get me much for my birthday. After this I looked for some hats and found these two hats I did like however I did not end up getting them as we realised they were only doing cash at the moment however Daniel only had card on him. Anyways whilst in the shop Caitlin asked for an opinion on a hat for her and I said it made her head look weird without thinking how this would make her feel. After this comment I did not think much of it at the time and Caitlin was being really quiet and was barely talking to me so I kept on asking her what was up and she would not tell me at first. Then after a while she caved in and told me and I apologised. Then after this we went to waterstones and I ended up buying two books using my voucher I had. However it cost £7 over the voucher so Daniel paid the extra £7 which was really nice of him to do. Anyways when in here Caitlin was not talking to me and was not coming near me so I went up to her and spoke to her to see what was up. When in their I said that when I was in the hat shop after my comment she said some horrible comments and I said to her in waterstones how I understood that she was upset but digging at me back was not the most mature way of dealing with the issue. Anyways at the time Caitlin took this as me deflecting my mistake and me not wanting to be the only one in the wrong. However I was just trying to tell her what she did and was trying to tell her that I would rather she would tell me what she was upset with rather than making comments back at me. Anyways at this point we were both upset with each other still and after this we went to Primark for an about an hour and when in here we both just walked around following Alyssa and Caitlin whilst they went everywhere they wanted to go and...

[pierofilm]

|ROUTE 1: Heeseung|A Story That Starts With a Text

📃summary: when you installed a dating app to just mess around with random people, not knowing that you were turning your peaceful life into a bloody one the moment you sent that text.

🥀genre: yandere, angst, fluff

🥀warning: cursing, kleptomaniac! reader, alcohol, suggestive content, future non-con w a minor involved! (only in one ep, 18+ only mdni! — this is only for entertainment, I don’t condone this behaviour), in this ep — mentions of suicide and self harming, cuts and bruises, drugs, blood.

🥀pairing: heeseung x fem!reader

🥀word count: 15.8k

🖋️a/n: EP 7 finally done! I'll be quite busy with my studies from now on, so the update for EP 8 would be slower than EP 7 so I hope you'll all be patient, and thank you for reading my story! As always reblogs and comments are highly appreciated, they're the greatest motivation for writers ^^

EDIT: please stop spam liking, it gets me shadowbanned. Seriously read the rules, properly abide by it. If you keep ignoring it, it means you don't care any less of what happens to my blog then I have no choice but to do the same, by blocking you. Please understand.

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| EPISODE 7 : FOOLS |

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And here you are once again, grounded. Mind completely breaking down over the many things that happened today, ruffling your hair between your fists; you were completely dumbfounded. Another day had passed, then a few days, it had felt like an eternity as you lay on the floor.

You opened your eyes as the sunlight poured through the window laying itself on your face. You sat up, you won’t believe this. You’ll have to do something. You won’t believe that everything was fake, that everything was just a hallucination.

You refuse to believe it.

Chaeryeong, yes Chaeryeong. She’s the only one that would prove to you that you weren’t hallucinating. Someone is fooling you, and you know that. There’s no way everything was just a hallucination. Someone was playing a fucking game on you, you don’t know who but you’ll eventually find out.

Next day eventually comes, and you open your window slightly and jump through it. You wince in pain when you get hurt a bit in the process, but you won’t turn back when there’s only one answer left.

You go through many places you and Chaeryeong had spent time together, from the hiding spot to the nearest cafe in the city. With harsh breathing and beads of sweat forming on your forehead because of the scorching sunlight

It went on for hours and hours, and you felt a sudden rush of wave to just give up but you ain't gonna do that when your own best friend was going missing and no one, and by that not even a single person in this whole city was looking for her, not even her own family. If you gave up on her, then who would? And the fact she was the only answer left to all your questions.

Clenching your fists, you took in a new sense of determination to continue looking for her. Opting to go along the streets where it leads to her house once again, you're going to ask her parents again. Knocking hastily on the door was met with no response, it goes on for a while that it seems there was no one in the house. Putting your hands on your knees to take a quick long and deep breath with your eyes on the ground, the door in front of you finally opens.

But the sight made your jaw drop.

"Ch-chaeryeong?"

"Oh. (Name)."

You were hit with a huge relief passing through all your veins and without much thought, you throw yourself on her, embracing her with a tight hug. "You're safe! I'm glad! I'm really glad!

Tears was threatening to come out of your eyes but you pay no attention to it when your bestfriend was clearly here, all safe and well in front of you.

"S-safe? Wh–"

"Are you hurt anywhere? Huh?" You pulled her arm, inspecting any wounds or anything you could find. "What happen!?"

"(Name)! What are you saying?" Chaeryeong chuckles, pulling out from your grasp.

"God. I'm glad you don't even have an ounce of scratch in your skin-" you bend over, and anything inspecting her skin. "Or I swear I'm gonna kill whoever-"

"Oh my god, (name) what's wrong-"

"Huh! Speaking of that, what happened!?"

"What? What happened??"

"Yea! You got kidnapped right!? Who was it??"

"wait what? Slow down- what are you talking about? Kidnap? Jesus Christ."

"What are you saying? You called me right? The other day!" You exclaimed.

"Holy crap, (Name). Didnt I always call you?-"

"No!! You called me! On weekends. You called me for help!"

"Why would I call you for help, goddamnit. Jesus, what did you ate."

"What are you saying!? (name)?"

—

Drifting along the street, and the world seems to go on their way while you were too deep in thought. Completely baffled and dumbfounded over all of the things had happened. Were you dreaming? You let out a dry laugh, was everything just really a hallucination?

Your mind goes back to the time you talked to Chaeryeong again, as you tried to make sense of it.

"But it was you.. it was clearly you.." you said in a low voice.

"Jesus Christ! (Name). Did a ghost haunt you? Okay, okay. Tell me when did I call you and what did I tell you."

"You called for me in the middle of the night, on weekends!! Your voice was sore and l-like you were in p-pain!--" raising both your hands in a manner to try to get your words out, as your best friend listens to you with confusion written on her face. "you were asking for my help and then all of a sudden you cut off the line, as if someone had pulled you or I don't know caught you-"

"Wow, that's a hella detailed story there- you can be a writer." Your best friend jokes but stops when she sees your serious face. "Okay, alright alright, my bad."

"What were you doing when I supposedly called you that night?" she asked, and then the memories of you and your sister fighting came through.

Shaking your head, "it was just after the party-"

"The party!? You're partying?!" She suddenly exclaimed, raising her voice clearly surprised by what you said.

"I followed my sister! Okay?" You defended yourself.

"Oh okay okay." letting out a heavy sigh, your best friend looks up in the air trying to make sense of something. "I don't know if I can say this though.."

"Just say it."

"But even if it was, it couldn't have been that detailed.." your bestfriend smiles awkwardly.

"Just what, just say it."

"Drugs."

"What?" Your eyes widened. "Are you saying!?"

"Okay look! I'm not saying that. But- like I said it might not seem like it, but it's the closest thing I could think of (name)." Your best friend reasoned with you, giving you a concerned look.

—

Still incredibly shocked over what happened. You really had no idea how you can hallucinate such clear and detailed events. You couldn’t be taking drugs!? Chaeryeong’s call, Heeseung’s text, the car accident, and then Chaeryeong herself admitted to having never called you. What’s the actual fuck was happening to you!?

'Am I going insane?' you put your head on your hands as you groaned.

“(NAME!)” the loud angry voice of your father snapped you out of your deep thoughts.

“Shit.” you cursed in a low voice, you were too deep in thought that you didn't realize you were walking back straight to home. Having broken the grounded rules, you know what waits for you is no easy feat. Fixing your hair slightly and regaining your composure, you observe as your mom follows behind your father with an immense concern expression on her face.

“Where have you been!?”

“I’m sorry..” was the only thing you could let out after everything that had happened.

“Why did you do that!?”

“You broke the rules, goddamnit!”

“Go inside! We’re going to talk about this.”

“And, you’re done. I can’t really believe you, (Name).”

Confused, you look up to your mom. “What are you saying?”

“Get inside!”

“Okay i'm going!”

“Okay i get it you’re mad that i broke the rules! But can you listen to my explanation first!? I went to Chaeryeong’s-”

“That is one thing! (Name). But you stole our stuff! The paper and everything!”

“W-what?”

—

All the stuff that your parents had been looking for all this time was laid on the top of the table, scattered with a piece of plastic.

“You see all this shit!? You stole all of this!”

“You promise to us you won’t do it again! (Name). I thought you knew better already!”

“I didnt. I swear mom! Dad!”

“We found it in your room. Inside a plastic bag!”

You felt incredibly helpless at this point. The world in your view began to shatter and everything seems to get lost in void, with your parents screaming and blaming you. Heavy eyes and rough breathing, you couldn’t even cry anymore, you wanted to but you can’t. You’re getting tired. Tired. Everything is fucking tiring.

“No! You’re bullshitting me! I didn’t steal that, I swear! Please trust me!”

Their angry expressions and loud voice irritates you more than it should. It shouldn’t have been that annoying but for some reason, you want to bang your head on the wall and scream at them but you hold on for a little more.

Then you notice your dad pulling out his phone amidst your heavy crying, “Ms. Koo, is it possible if we can bring her now? Ah. yes. Yes.”

“Dad, what are you doing?” Your mouth trembles as you walk over to your dad trying to get the phone away from him.

“You’re meeting Ms. Koo-”

“I don’t want to meet her! What the fuck is wrong with all of you!??”

“Language (name)! Don’t raise your voice over your mom!”

“No! No! Why are you all doing this to me!? Fucking piece of shit!” you saw red. At last, you felt an immense betrayal, anger, and sadness rushing all over your being all mixed together with the throbbing headache, suffocation in your lungs to the point you wanted to vomit. Grabbing the nearest stuff on the table and throwing it on the ground smashing its contents,

“(NAME)!!!” you heard your parent’s angry protests for you to stop, but you wanted nothing but to express your anger and everything you bottled up inside. Smashing every bit of them.

Everything is so fucking tiring. You are tired. Gritting your teeth and clenching your jaw, you wanted to express how angry you were. How mad and how hurt you felt.

“Why! Of all people! I stole, yes! I stole from others! But never did I steal from our family! Maybe I did to Unnie! But that was because! Because! Because!!!” you screamed, smashing another vase. This wasn’t you. The composed and calm you. That thought immediately passed through you, which made you immediately halt your hands from smashing another vase.

What’s wrong with you?

Within a split moment, you felt a huge smash on your head making you fall on the ground, making you pass out.

—

Your eyes fluttered open slowly only to be met with the white ceiling, your heartbeat immediately quickens because the scene was all too familiar with you. You knew where you are. Your body wants to move but you felt so weak, you moved your head slightly and you saw an old woman in, a nurse, with a syringe filled with blood and you observed as she placed it among other syringes. Your breath hitched as you caught on, she must’ve drawn blood from you, you immediately tried to see which arm she took from and you breathed in relief as it was from your right arm. They couldn’t have seen it right?

“You’re awake.” an old lady went in and usher the nurse to continue with her job. You scoffed, you knew her, your same old therapist since you were a child.

The private therapist your family had assigned for you when they found out you had kleptomaniac, she was the one that reported to your family whenever you did something, from the smallest to the biggest ones, she did it. However she once promised you that you will one day be cured from your condition and that she will help you through all of it, never gonna leave your side no matter what happens.

No matter what happens.

You trusted her. But one day, she had brought you with her for a walk to the town, to give you candies and make your day. She excused herself for the restroom, and you find yourself lost in the crowd. As a child, you weren’t aware so when you can't help but do it again; and the consequences were a living nightmare for you. Your parents, your sister, neither your grandparents weren’t there to defend you.

The angry voices of the crowd mocking you, you look for her amongst the crowd and there she was; looking at you with that gaze, the same gaze all of other people had thrown upon you. You cried, just like the small fragile child you were, moving closer to her to take that warm loving embrace she had promised. But she didn’t. She didn’t. She didn’t acknowledge you but instead mock you amongst the crowd as well and so you despised her for it. After many years growing up, you finally realized she had intended to leave you in a place you couldn’t control yourself to steal, to put yourself in a situation where you no one but only you are left alone to defend yourself. It doesn’t really matter now, to be honest. Just seeing her, irks you a bit.

“When I heard from your parents that you have successfully healed from your condition, it was so much to say that I didn't believe it. After all, a kleptomaniac will always be a kleptomaniac..” she walks closer to you, a smile slowly curving up, “And i was right. How silly, sweetheart.”

“Shut up.” you spat out. In which she chuckled.

You frowned, trying to sit up. But you felt as if there was a strong force pulling you down back to the bed, weakness spiraling over you. And then your head aches once again.

“Don’t force yourself, sweetheart..” she chuckled, “your parents had sent you here for me to ‘fix’ your condition again, and i was to say the least, were amused.” she leans towards the window, glancing at your parents and your sister outside the hospital.

“Fix, they said. Wealthy people are all the same..” she let out an exaggerated sigh, now looking at you and as if she had read your mind. “You know why I didn't take you last time? To cradle you like a lost baby when you came to me?”

“It’s because I hate wealthy kids like you. Brats who think they can get anything by crying and an attention seeker. But I guess you’re turning to it now, and even worse. How unfortunate.” you could care any less about what she said, but you were left confused about her last sentence.

She walks closer to you, stroking your arm. “That you had another condition, how amusing.”

“W-what? What are you saying?”

Sighing, “Come in, Mrs. Kim and Sir. Kim.” the door opens, revealing your parents with their faces were nothing but fatigue, and your mom’s puffy eyes, your dad letting out a heavy sigh as he took a quick glance at you before looking at your psychiatrist.

Biting your lips as you look down to your hands, what’s happening?

“What should we do now?” Your dad asked her, taking quick glances at you.

“I suggest that we should take her for further treatment, she should be hospitalized.”

“What are you saying? Why should i go there!?”

“Yeah? Her condition isn't that bad for her to get hospitalized?” your mom asked with concern.

“That’s not what I'm talking about, because unfortunately, I found something else.”

“Wh-what?”

“Pull your sleeve up, your left arm.”

“N-no, why should I?” you instinctively covered your upper left arm covered with the material of your shirt.

“Why not? Show us, sweetheart.” your psychiatrist smirks, “We can’t help you if you don’t show it to us.”

“What’s with her left arm? Is there something with it?” your parents asked.

“N-no, there’s nothing. Forget about it.” you reasoned.

“We can’t forget about it, it’s rather serious that we-”

“It’s been a long time ago! Why are you sticking your fucking nose in my business!? Huh!?” you yelled at the top of your lungs at your psychiatrist.

“No- what? What’s happening?”

“Then I guess I have to take much harsher actions.”

“N-no! Stay away!” you screamed, as she moved closer to you, pulling your left arm. “Don’t touch me!! Get away!”

“Mom! Dad!”

“What are you doing!?” your mom cried out.

“Mam, you have to see what your own daughter was doing to herself all these years.” with so much struggle, she finally pulls your sleeve up. Revealing your bare left arm in front of your parents. And the sight shocks your parents to their core.

“(name)!!” they both exclaimed at the same time, shocked at the sight of the scars on your left arm. Some were fairly old, brownish dots and with some old deep cuts splattering all over your upper left arm.

“See? This is unacceptable, (Name) has been hurting herself, and we can’t let this happen.”

“Why are you doing this!? Since when!?” you kept quiet, mouths trembling as you tried to keep yourself from crying. Arms aching due to your therapist caging you with her arms, while pulling your left arm to the sight of your parents.

“Just why? Why!?” your mom puts her face into the comfort of her hands as she cries into them.

Thus your nightmare had begun, as your parents had agreed to let you stay in the hospital. You could do nothing but stay helpless as you sat on the floor and watched them decide your future, breaking down as you can’t believe that your life was turning into a mess. It was all doing well all this time, you managed to keep it for many years so why? Why do they have to find out about it? Especially now? Why now!?

“I won’t fucking let you keep me in this shitty place!” You screamed at them, pushing your psychiatrist aside, storming out of the room and running as fast as you could before they could catch you.

—

The light rain greeted you as soon as you left through the hospital’s entrance, your clothes soon getting drenched, but you couldn’t care any less as you had only one thing in mind; to run. To run away from all of them, who doesn’t trust you one bit, who doesn’t understand you nor tries to understand you. Not even your sister, who you had thought would trust you. No one. But were you selfish for even asking for that? That’s why you weren’t getting any of the warmth you’ve been hoping for? Was that it?

Just then, you felt a hand suddenly grabbing your arm preventing you from running. You gasped but soon anger came through you as you turned around to see who it was.

“L-let go of me!” you trashed around, trying to break free from Heeseung’s strong grasp.

“No wait! What’s wrong!?’

“Let go! Freak!”

“(Name)! Calm down! What’s wrong!?” you successfully break free from his grasp, running as fast as u can away from the hospital but he managed to hold you by your wrist again, preventing you from running.

“What’s wrong with you!? At Least tell me first!”

“Get the fuck away from me!”

“(Name)!!”

“What the fuck do you want!?” you screamed, “What? Are you here to make fun of me too!? Scream at me and yell at me for something i didn't do!?”

“You’re already ruining my relationship with my sister!! What else do you want!?” you cried out.

“W-what? Ruin? What are you saying?”

“Yea! Not only that, but because of you now! Because of that stupid party! Now i'm going to a freakin 'hospital!”

“Hospital, w-what? Are you sick?” Heeseung’s expression became worried the moment he heard what you said.

Scoffing, “Stop fucking acting! Isn’t that what you want!? You piece of shit!!”

“Why do you hate me so much!?”

You let out an exaggerated sigh, angry tears coming out from your eyes. “Goddamnit, just stay away from me!” you turned around again, but Heeseung was adamant to not letting you go.

“What the fuck!! Let me go!” you warned, “If you don’t let me go, I’ll scream and people will arrest you!”

“Let me go.”

“Then do it.”

“H-huh?”

“I won’t let you go, it’s dangerous out there!”

“Bullshit. Let me go.” you tried to break your hands away from his grasp again. “Let me go!!!”

“Running away from your problems won’t do you any good! (Name)!”

“What do you know!? What do you know about me!?” you cried out, “Nothing! So how do you know running away won’t do me any good!?”

“I know that we don’t know each other that much, but i’ve promised!”

“I’ve promised that i would be your good friend, and that by being good friend. I would protect you and trust you-”

“Don’t ever say that word. Fuck. I don’t believe you.”

“But I trust you.”

“Shut up!”

“I trust you! I know you didn’t steal my sister’s necklace back in the party.”

“Yeah right!? Keep acting like the righteous person you are!”

“I’m not lying! And why do you keep saying that? What did I do?”

“How can you be so sure, huh? With my fucking condition, no one ever trusted me. Not even my parents, not even my sister! Fuck, maybe they did. But- but..” stopping yourself to cry, you mouth trembles.

“(Name)..”

You glared at him, “So how can you!? Huh!?” gritting your teeth, “How!?”

“Because I do! I can feel it!” Heeseung cried, “I just know you won’t steal again, when I see how you love your sister and care for her. I knew at that time. I know you won’t ever steal again so please just believe me!”

“Don’t lie.” you said in a low voice, “Don’t lie!”

“I’m not!” he held both your arms because you were hitting his chest.

“Don’t l-lie!” you finally cried. “No you don’t! You’re just lying!”

“Just shut up for once (name)!” he yells at you, he pulls you into his embrace, your head falling to his chest, and his hands stroking your hair. “I trust you. And I will protect you as long as I'm here.”

“L-let go of me!!” you keep thrashing around but he tightly holds you, not letting you go.

—

And now here you are, standing behind Heeseung as he reasoned with your parents to how they could keep you here and not even try to listen to what you said. You could only keep quiet as you were already so tired, tired of everything. It goes on for what seems like eternity before your psychiatrist eventually suggests to cast a vote, a vote to decide whether you’ll stay here or not. To your relief, your mom doesn’t actually agree with your dad to keep you here but she doesn’t have a choice but to go along with his decision earlier. But now, along with Heeseung’s word, she voted to keep you out of this place, saying that this hospital won’t do you any good. It would be so much better if you were just at home, for her to take care of you.

However, your psychiatrist and your dad voted otherwise. You had expected that from them so you weren’t that really surprised despite your broken heart. Heeseung voted to keep you out from here, making you really feel grateful upon hearing that. For some reason, you weren’t allowed to vote since in fact, it was about you so now it’s 2 votes against 2.

It was a tie.

“Now get me out of here. It’s a fucking tie, you can’t keep me here.” You spat out behind Heeseung’s back to your psychiatrist. Silence ensues as your psychiatrist was deep in thought, thinking of what to do.

“Just stop thinking, god.” Heeseung sighed, “Let’s go, (Name).” he took your hands in his.

“She should stay here.” you turned to look around to see your sister standing at the doorway.

“Unnie?”

“After all that happens, are you still going to let her out there?” Chaewon spat out, glaring at you. You can’t believe it. You can’t believe what you’re hearing from her right now. Your mouths trembling, tears threatening to come out from your eyes again.. She can’t be?

“Are you saying it’s better for (Name) to stay here?” your psychiatrist asked her.

“Yeah, you should get treated and get better. (Name).”

“But I'm not sick!’” You yelled at the top of your lungs, gritting your teeth.

“I fucking doubt that. Do you really think you deserve to be out there after what you did?”

“So it’s 3 votes against 2.” Your psychiatrist fixes her glasses, straightening her posture as she calls for the nurses.

“You can’t do this to me..” you shook your head in desperation, falling to the ground in which Heeseung immediately held you. “How can you do this to me!?”

“I’m the one who should be asking you that. Why are you doing this to us?” Chaewon asked calmly, raising her eyebrows at you with that same gaze. That gaze. That fucking gaze.

“Chaewon! You can’t do this to her!” Heeseung protested, which immediately made Chaewon glare at him.

“She’s been insulting and accusing you all this time, and even Heemin!? Heeseung, for fuck’s sake. You’re too kind, but for once please don’t meddle with our family’s business.” Chaewon clasp her hands together, then she looks down at you, “You don’t know just what kind of girl she is.”

“Chaewon! She’s still your sister!” Your mom cried out, walking to your side.

“That’s the reason! She’s my sister that’s why we should let her get treated and not let her out there with her fucking condition! See? She’s also hurting herself! Isn’t that what insanes do?”

Insane?

“Watch your mouth, Chaewon!” Your mom yelled at her, whilst your dad stayed silent. You immediately caught on that your dad was siding your sister.. He, too, was looking at you with that same gaze.

“God, mom! Just look at her! She fucking lied, not just once but alot of times! Heeseung, Chaeryeong and that fucking necklace! You’re fucking insane.” she glares at you.

Your heart broke. Shattered to pieces as you couldn’t believe, you could’t fucking believe that she called you that. Why? What had happened for her to change so drastically like this? What happened? What is happening to your sister? You were both just fine all along this time, so why? Why was she so upset? It shouldn’t have gone so worse like this.

“Honey? You can’t let this happen!” your mom cried out, “Even if she stole a thousand times, we’re still her family! And can’t you see it!?” she gestures towards your arm.

Shaking her head, as she looks up to your dad, “This isn’t right.”

However your dad still stayed silent, and your psychiatrist spoke, “It has been decided, mam. We can’t do anything about it, but rest assured, we will do our best to treat your daughter-”

“I’m not insane..” you talk to yourself, eyes welling up in tears. “I’m not insane!

You cried out as the nurses came in, pulling you up and away from them. Heeseung couldn’t do anything too but stood silent, because it wasn’t his business in the first place.

“Mom! Dad!” you cried out so loud, it echoed through the hallway. “Unnie!”

—

Ever since then, you've been stuck in this hellhole called ‘hospital’. And apparently your sister had despised seeing you and refused to visit along with your parents which had entirely broken your heart.

Empty.

Empty, was what you felt when you laid on the hospital bed every fucking single day, staring at the white ceiling. You don’t even know if you can call it a feeling, but it felt like your heart has been stomped on countless times that it had this big hole in it. Clenching your fists as you remembered all the things your sister said to you. How could she? Pressing your lips tight as you tried to suppress crying again. You were tired, tired with all the shitty things that happened. It was all doing fine, you were doing just fine all this time so why? Why has it come to this?

Raising your arms up to your eyes to prevent the tears from coming out was useless, as it eventually finds its way out, wetting your arms as it flows down your cheeks. Your mouth trembles as you bite your lip, stopping yourself from crying out loud.

Sad, sad.

As the faint smell of the medicines lingers on the air, and the cold floor of the hospital, the nurses coming in to give you meds; all of it was hell. And along with it, another faint smell of food came.

Heeseung.

Yes, Heeseung. Amidst all the chaos, trouble and emptiness you had went through in this hospital, there was this comfort that had been by your side all this time, and that was him; Heeseung. He comforted you with his words, telling you that all will be fine and well. That your parents will eventually take you back and that they actually didn’t plan to keep you here for much longer and that he had told you that your sister still cares about you, she was just busy with college and stuff. Yes, Heeseung. The person who had been accompanying you through this hellhole all this time. If it wasn't because of him, you'd turn into a living corpse with no one beside you. Since the rain incident, you didn’t expect for one bit that he would do all what he said under the rain..

But he did, he promised and he did exactly what he said.

And so here you are in the hospital, you will be here for a few weeks to undergo your treatment. Just like what Heeseung said, it won’t take long and they just have to do a few tests and your mom assured you that you just needed some time to rest.

You heard a knock from the door, revealing Heeseung with a box of food in his hands.

“What are you now, my nanny?”

“Maybe,” Heeseung chuckled.

If you had told the you three weeks ago that you and Heeseung would have gotten this close, she wouldn’t believe it all. In fact she would laugh at you to death and wouldn’t even believe a single word you said. But here you are now, joking with Heeseung and spending a lot of time with him. He had been visiting you along with your parents, and then coming back secretly at night to spend time with you with the reason that he doesn’t want you to be alone. At first, you were wary around him however you eventually ease up around him in which he jokingly mentions about it in one of your conversations.

"Here a flower for you," Heeseung playfully picks a flower from the garden and puts it beside your ear. "You look so pretty." He whispered to himself but you managed to hear it.

"Are you flirting? Because if you are, I'm going to tell unnie about it."

"Jeez, what's so bad about calling you pretty. Even Chaewon would say the same." He frowned, in which you chuckled about how adorable he looks.

"I doubt that." you look at your reflection on the window, "Unnie doesn't even want to look at me now. Because of my stupid arm, stupid condition and my stupid hallucinations."

"Don't let it get through you,"

"Hm?"

"Your sister might be mad and all but she still cares for you, I can see that. That's why I'm here to take care of you, for her."

"So you must get well soon, I really don't know what's happening between you and your sister. However, if you really love her then you must try."

"I don't know.. Heeseung." you shook your head slowly.

"It's okay, I'm here right?" he strokes your cheek with his fingers, "I'll be right here beside you unlike that old woman, but you just have to prove it to them. Just show it to them, take your meds and all those treatment."

"Your sister would see how hard you're trying to get better, and with that, she'll no longer be upset with you."

"Really?"

He hummed in response, pulling you into his embrace, "and everything will be go back to the way it was soon, and I promise you that."

And you listened to him, you don't know where are you getting those hallucinations but if you are getting it then, there must just be something wrong with you. So you have to get better, for the sake of your sister.

He would continue on visiting you with your family, with or without them, he’ll come back bringing extra foods, some ornaments, and book stories for him to read for you. In which you protested that you are not a kid, but he insisted since it will calm you down and won’t make your days in the hospital boring as hell.

—

The door to your room opens quite loud, making you roll your eyes as to who doesn’t have the basic manners to knock first.

“(Name)!” but your eyes widened when you realized who the voice came from, your smile grew so wide when you finally turned around to see who it was.

“Chaeryeong!” she run to you in small hops and pulled you in a hug.

“How have you been? I miss you so much!!” Chaeryeong pouted with her eyebrows knitted together, as she sat beside you.

“I miss you more..” you exclaimed, hugging her again.

“Yah, what’s wrong with your face? You look like a corpse.” She cupped your cheeks with her hands as her cheerful face was replaced with concern.

“Really?”

“Yeah, look. Bish, why aren’t you looking after yourself?” She pulled out her phone, using the camera app for you to look at yourself, and she was right. You somehow look sick, with your face pale and your lips dry.

“Tch, you never know if there’s a hot nurse here so at least make yourself look presentable, duh.” she sighs exaggeratingly, making you laugh.

“Not everything has to be about boys!” you flick her forehead making her wince in pain.

“Yeah, yeah. Oh- here.” she pulled out a box of chocolate bars from her bag, “Ta-da! I bought this for you!”

“Chocolates!” you exclaimed, taking one chocolate bar and munching it happily.

“What’s wrong?” you asked through your mouthful of chocolates after noticing a change of Chaeryeong’s expression. “Is my mouth dirty?”

“N-no! You just really look like a corpse, duh.” she chuckled, “You should really take care of yourself, (Name).”

“I am, don’t worry.” you smiled happily.

Words can’t express how your heart feels so happy to see your best friend, after all she was your only friend. The friend who was by your side as you grew up even when she never really took actions to those people who bullied you in school, but you can’t really blame her because they might target her and bully her too, and you don’t want that to happen so you once told her to stay away from you but she didn’t. You still remember when she would come secretly to your house, and spend time with you doing stupid but fun things, bringing you everywhere with her and you were really grateful for that. Because of her, you knew how it feels like to have a friend.

A true friend.

—

“Oh, did someone visit?” Heeseung asked, bringing a tray of food.

“Yea, my bestie. She just left, didn’t you see her?”

“No I didn't.” he shrugged, placing the tray of food on your desk.

“Weird. Shouldn’t she have passed the other way-?”

“Prob an invisible person like you,”

“Huh?”

“Yeah, your bestie right? Must be a crackhead like you too.” he jokes.

“Shut up!” laughter filled the room, along with the sunlight creeping in and the fresh air of the garden coming in. The door to your room opens, revealing an old nurse holding a tray of syringes. You immediately caught on that it was for the blood test. Heeseung excused himself saying he'll come back again, and you nodded in response.

“It’s going to hurt a bit.” the old nurse gave you a sweet smile, in which you also smile in return,

“It’s okay.” you observed as the needle was pushed into your skin, drawing blood from it as the syringe quickly filled up.

—

Finally, today was the day. You can finally go back home.

Home.

Packing your bags, your heart were jumping in excitement but with a lingering sadness that you will soon meet your sister again, everything she said and everything she did all was coming back to you again. Shaking your head, you decided not to dwell on it. After all, everything was just a misunderstanding, right? You will come back home, meet your sister and explain everything, and everything will be fine again. It has been a few weeks now, so your sister must be no longer upset right?

Right?

Forcing yourself to smile, reassuring yourself that everything will be okay. Even with fear lingering in your heart, it’s best to stay positive. Yes, stay positive. You gaze out of the window, the clear blue sky making you remember all the happy memories you had with your sister, you look down, touching the necklace she had given to you which you are wearing right now.

Now with your smile being genuine, a new sense of hope filled you up.

The door to your room opens, you turn around happy that your parents were finally here but to your surprise, it wasn’t them. Instead, it was your psychiatrist.

“What.. are you doing here?” you raised your eyebrows, curious with her amused expression.

“Going home?” she chuckles, “I fear it won’t happen, my sweetheart.”

“W-what are you saying?”

“Ah..” she let out a heavy sigh. “It's no doubt you’re a kleptomaniac, but..?” letting out a giggle.

“W-what?”

“I can’t believe you were taking drugs, sweetheart. A kleptomaniac and a druggie? What a perfect combination.” she giggled.

“What the fuck are you saying?” you cried out. A thousand times you had asked the same thing. And all of them were outside your knowledge. Things you didn’t do, they all accused you. And every time they asked that, it buries the hole inside your heart more way bigger than it was before.

“Are you taking drugs or what?” Chaeryeong giggled.

Memories of Chaeryeong instantly flashes through you, it can’t be true. You’ve never taken drugs, not even once. So how?

You saw your parents go in through the door with disappointment and anger written on their face, along with your sister following behind them. Your mom immediately walks closer to you, slapping your arm, weeping in disappointment.

“When!? When did you do it!?” she cried out, with tears in her eyes. You remain silent, still shocked over what was revealed. You look over at your dad and your sister, you had expected a series of questions from your dad and your sister, but they didn’t. They were silent. Disappointment painted on their face.

“(Name)!! When? When did you start doing that? (Name)!!” your mom asked, with tears in her eyes, completely disappointed over the ‘truth’.

“I didn’t!!” you exclaimed. “When can I even get a drug!?”

“Stop lying! Is this how we raise you!?” your mom yelled.

“M-mom!!” you cried out so hard,

“Why the hell do you keep believing what they say!? Why not me!?” you yelled at them at the top of your lungs, tears welling up in your eyes once again.

“I told you I never took drugs!”

“Then why is it in your blood!?”

“I dont know!!” you cried out.

“Enough, honey.” your dad sighed, the disappointment was evident in his eyes as he gazed coldly at you, making your soul run cold. The last time he ever looked at you that way was back in the hospital, when you were the sole reason for what happened to your sister.

“What should we do now?” Your dad asked your therapist.

“I suggest she should stay here for a bit more..”

“W-what? .. No!” your eyes widened, yelling at her.

“It’s necessary since (Name)’s condition is really getting serious.”

“Mom! Dad!” you walked closer to them, “You can’t!”

“Kleptomaniac, self harming, and not to mention the drugs. It’s dangerous.”

“Shut the fuck up!!” you turned around, attacking her.

“You’re lying! I never took drugs, bitch!! You’re bullshitting me!!” you screamed at the top of your lungs as emotions completely took over you.

“Are you all fools!? What’s happening to all of you?” clenching your jaw as you glared at them.

Few nurses came in, pulling you away from your psychiatrist. But you fought, you won’t stop, your parents were horrified to see your maniac state.

“No! I wanna go home! Mom, Dad!” you cried out, “Why wouldn’t you trust me!? They’re all lying!!”

Home.

You just wanna go home. That’s all you wanted. But instead of home and warmth, it was replaced with fear and betrayal. Your hope shattered to pieces. You no longer felt safe. Trust was completely gone in your parent’s eyes as you tried to reach out your arms to them, even your mom who had initially told you that she would be there for you had turned her eyes away, ignoring you as you were being pulled out from the room by the nurses.

“I trust you, (Name).” memory of Heeseung flashes to you as tears fall down to your cheeks, “Heeseung..”

“Where is he?” you looked around, searching for him. And then through the door, your sister appeared with Heeseung. You would’ve been safe when it was your sister but no, you knew she doesn’t trust you and so your gaze fell on him; the him who appeared like an angel.

“What are you doing!? Get off of her!” he yelled at them, pushing all of them away from you. And just like you when you were a child, looking for a warm embrace from your psychiatrist.

“Please hug me!” your little self cried out, raising both your arms to look for that warm embrace. But you were left standing there all alone by yourself, as the one who had promised to be by your side, was just standing there staring at you with a blank expression.

“Apologize right now!” a woman scolded you, “Where’s your parents!?”

“Stop lying! If you keep that shitty attitude, just what kind of girl are you growing up to someday!?”

You raise both your arms, in which he took it pulling you in a hug. A soft, warm, and home-like embrace.

“You’re hurting her! Are you fucking serious right now!?” you cried in his arms.

“I wanna go home!” you cried out, gripping Heeseung’s cardigan.

“Shh, it’s okay.” Heeseung comforts you who were shaking in fear. His warmth was the only thing that’s keeping you sane right now.

Then you watched as your sister, your parents were talking with your psychiatrist. You couldn’t hear anything, as your head grew dizzy and your vision getting blurry. But even with all of that, you could still see their face, disappointment clearly written on their face.

And just like that. . .

You could only watch as everything had completely fallen apart in front of you. Your parents, your sister, your life; everything was falling apart. Today was supposed to be the day you should’ve went home, back to your home and the coziness of your bed, to make things better again with your sister and apologize to her for everything. Go to school again and hang out with Chaeryeong, for things to be the way they used to be. But how funny it was when you can only watch as they walk out from the door, leaving you, again. Why were you even surprised? Nothing seems to change after all, you thought.

“I’ll be back..” Heeseung whispered into your ears, your grip started to loosen on his arms as he stood up and let go of you slowly.

Hanging your head low slightly, biting your lips to stop yourself from crying even more. With your hands clenching the material of your pants, and your body was shaking. You were helpless, unable to do anything as your family had decided to keep you in the hospital for god knows how long.

—

You cried, you cried and cried for how long god knows. All alone in your room with only the bright moonlight accompanying you, you hugged yourself trying to search for warmth. The same warmth that came from Heeseung. You looked up, getting up from your bed and went glancing outside your window to look for any signs of Heeseung but he wasn’t anywhere to be seen. Heart sinking in disappointment, you went back to bed. He should've come around this hour like he always did, so where was he? Doesn’t he trust you anymore? Did they change his mind? Has his view on you changed the moment he walked out the door?

Then you heard hasty footsteps approaching, and you immediately knew who it was. Your eyes lit up observing as the door pulled open with Heeseung going in. And you immediately ran towards him, hugging him. His arms wrapped around your waist as he leans into your neck, telling you it's okay. His soft voice instantly soothes you like a mother’s voice to her child, feeling his warmth on yours, you sighed in contentment.

“I’m sorry, I was late wasn't i?” you cried in his arms, not saying anything. “I’m sorry, i’m sorry.”

“I thought you don’t trust me anymore. That’s why you’re not coming.”

“Hush, don’t say that.”

“But it’s true, no one trusted me. Not even Mom, dad. Not even Unnie.”

“They’re probably just shocked to hear about it.”

“But still they didn’t trust me..” you cried again.

“It’s okay, i’m here. I trust you. I won’t leave you.” he hugged you even tighter, now sitting on the floor with you on his chest like a child would to its mother.

—

“If it’s okay to ask, how did you get that?” you notice that he was actually mentioning about the scars on your upper left arm.

You kept silent, a bit hesitant to tell the truth. Noticing your hesitation, he stroked your hand giving you a small smile, “You know you don’t have to tell me right? It’s okay.”

“I did it.”

“It was because of my sickness.”

“Growing up, I always felt the urge to steal. To take something that I don't own, I never wanted to do it but I couldn't. I wanted to stop. But I couldn't. It wasn’t easy, no. It was never easy. It was hard, very hard. They took me to the psychiatrist, to cure my condition. At first, my parents were hopeful. All of them. But then, i don’t know when, when i caught them with that gaze, my heart dropped. I thought at that time, have they given up on me? Are they embarrassed about me? That it embarrassed my sister about it, not only her. My entire family. But really was it my fault? That I was born with this condition?” you cried out, “Because of something i can’t control, they don’t like me at all.”

“And because of my condition, no one really wanted to be my friend. They call me a thief. But it was fine, it was fine. It was okay, I could live through it. It doesn’t matter at all, maybe.”

“But then, something happened that really made me feel angry. For once, I wanted to show them that I'm angry. That if they want to treat me like that, then so be it. I wanted to ruin something and so I did.”

“However, I never expected that my sister would hurt herself. I swear. They blamed me, they told me that I was the reason, and I feel really guilty. I hated myself for stealing, I hated the fact that I had this condition in the very first place, no. I hated that I was even born in the first place!”

“You never change,' my dad told me that. It was because of you. It’s you, it was you. Mom said that. It hurts. Okay. Let’s say it was my fault, but have they ever think how hurt I felt when they blamed me for something I can't control!? That guy. Unnie. Everyone. They made me hate myself. It’s not like I wanted it! I also wanted to stop!”

“I tried everything! I go to my therapist! I searched for many ways to stop stealing. But it never works! And I feel really helpless at that point.”

“When I got the urge to steal again. I hated that. And so I did it. I took a pen and stabbed my arm. Whenever I felt the urge to steal, I did it. Whenever I find myself staring at someone’s stuff, I stab my arm with it. When I tried to touch someone’s stuff, I did it again. I do it again, over and over again. Reminding myself that this was the pain my sister felt, this was the pain my family had felt all because of my condition, all because of me.”

“But it hurts!” you cried out, Heeseung immediately pulled you into his chest, warming you with his embrace as you struggled to talk, trying to take out the words. The pain you felt in your chest.

“I-i r-remind myself that this pain was what they felt over and over again because of me. And if I want this to st-stop, then I should stop myself from st-stealing.”

“And it works. I finally did it. I was happy. But the wound never goes away. But it was fine, I told myself. Everyone was happy that I was cured. They were happy, I was happy that they finally saw me as someone, someone who doesn’t steal. But you know, some of them still look at me the same way..”

“But it's okay!” you sniffed, shaking your head. “It doesn’t matter! I have my sister! I have my family. They believed me now! So it’s okay!”

Gritting your teeth as your lips tremble, “But what now!? All of those bullshit things. That fucking necklace, drugs and this fucking wounds! This!”

“I was afraid that if they saw it. Something worse could happen. Even if I told them, it’s not like they would understand! And guess what? They really didn’t.”

“It’s okay, shh. It’s okay.” Heeseung cried alongside with you, the moonlight shine on you two as you cried in each other’s arms.

“I’m tired..” you sighed in Heeseung’s arms, “It’s so tiring.. Everything.”

And with that, you finally dozed off on Heeseung’s arms with tears in your eyes falling down to your cheeks. Heeseung raised his other hand to your hair, softly stroking it with his fingers till it reached your cheek, wiping off the tears.

“It’s okay..” he softly says, resting his chin on your head, “It will end soon..”

—

Starting from that day on, your parents rarely visited. Heeseung told you that they were completely disappointed in you that they couldn’t just bring themselves to look at you, he can’t help but tell you that because he doesn’t want you to keep thinking why they weren’t visiting. As much as it hurts, you were grateful that he told you the truth.

It’s better that you weren’t fooling yourself.

Reading the book Heeseung gave you, was the very last thing that made you sane in this hospital. You don’t know how long you would stay here, however you wish it would pass soon. Ever since that day, you and Heeseung grew more and more closer. You had trusted him and grew to love him for he was always there by your side.

Yes. You’ve started to love him and you don’t know how and when. But somewhere along in those days, you started to look at him in a different way.

You really didn’t expect that it could turn out like this but for once, you didn’t regret it. However, even though you loved him, you still won’t betray your sister because of him. You were just grateful that he was there by your side, and that he did as he promised. He didn’t break it, and you appreciated that. Who could think that the boy you were planning to mess around with through a dating app turns out to be the person who will defend you from everything? Upon realizing that, you felt a sense of guilt towards him that you even accused him of something that he didn’t do, and that you insulted him and possibly could’ve hurted him over it. Because of your stupid hallucinations, you almost ruined their relationship. Sighing, how could you even be able to take drugs? When and how?

Was it possible that someone could’ve drugged you? But who?

“Miss?” you got snapped out of your thoughts when a male nurse waved his hand through your face, “You have to take your meds.”

“Oh, right.” you smiled, and swallowed your meds along with the water. “Thank you.”

Then you notice him blushing, in which you tilted your head which he immediately caught on raising his hand to his cheeks covering it,

“Ah, it’s nothing, sorry!”

“You’re just so pretty, I'm sorry if that sounds weird.” curving his lips up in an awkward manner, as you laugh it off finding it cute.

“It’s fine!” you smiled. You then heard a knock on the door, with Heeseung leaning against it. The nurse then immediately took his leave, bowing his head slightly to you with a smile on his face. You observed as Heeseung walked past the nurse, and somehow you saw something on his expression that you can’t seem to guess but it was immediately replaced with a cheerful smile when his eyes fell on you, making your heart flutter.

“I see, you got an admirer?” Heeseung asked, with a grin on his face.

“It’s none of your business.” You rolled your eyes, in which he shrugged in response.

“Where have you been by the way?” you asked.

“From your house, I actually have a date with Chaewon today so I fear I can't really accompany you today, (Name).”

“Oh..” your shoulder fell, a bit disappointed over what you heard.

“I’m sorry, I’ll make it up to you next time okay?”

“N-no! Why would you? I told you right, treat my sister well. That’s all I’m asking.”

“Are you sure? Won’t you feel alone?”

“God, it’s not like I'm a child. Just go!”

“Alright, but I promise I’ll really make it up to you.” He raised his hand, stroking your cheek. For some reason, you loved it. You loved his touch, leaning in to feel his warm hands more.

—

Gazing out of the window, you let out a heavy sigh as it feels too lonely. You were really lonely, Heeseung was in fact, the only one who had spent his time talking with you and comforting you.

The lights from all the buildings weren’t enough to make you feel better, after all Heeseung was always here to accompany you and read bed stories to you. Even though you hated it, the fact that he read bed stories to you makes you feel like you’re a child. It actually helps you feel better, and also when he sings a lullaby for you. You grew to love his voice, it was soothing and heavenly-like. Suddenly, you hear a knock from your door, immediately turning your head happy that Heeseung is finally here.

But your shoulder fell in disappointment, as it was only the female nurse who often brings you meds during her nightly shift. She bowed her head slightly upon meeting your gaze, in which you nodded in response. She quietly walks over to you, bringing a tray of a glass of water and a bottle of meds.

“Is.. um, Heeseung here?” you asked without much thought, mentally cursing yourself for even asking that. How could she have possibly known? You held the need to roll your eyes.

“Heeseung?” the nurse tilted her head in confusion, “Ah! That guy? Heeseung?”

You nodded your head, still delighted that she caught up quick.

“Unfortunately I can’t see him anywhere, miss. It’s a bit late now.”

You sighed upon hearing that, a bit disappointed over the fact that Heeseung’s really not going to come today. But why were you even surprised? Heck, why were you even disappointed? For what? You scoffed with your own thoughts.

The nurse then places the tray on your small desk, handing you a glass of water and a pill in which you obliged. Sighing as you stare at the meds on your palm, you’re getting crazy aren’t you?

“Is he your boyfriend?”

The words snapped you out from your deep thought as you turned to look at the nurse, “Huh? Who?”

“The guy Heeseung.”

Upon hearing the words, you immediately let out a soft laugh. “N-no! He’s just a friend.”

“Ah.. I see.”

“Why are you asking?” you smiled, “Do you like him?”

“No! Of course not!” you let out a chuckle as the nurse raised both her hands as if to defend herself. “Not with that attitude..”

“Hm?”

“Um, I'm not so sure if I could say it.”

“Nah, it’s okay. You can tell me anything.”

—

After the conversation with the nurse, you went to the hospital’s garden. Your mind was still lingering on what she said, about Heeseung and the way he acts around the people in the hospital. She told you that Heeseung was a completely different person when she accidentally bumped into him the other day, and just like what every person should do, she apologized. However, the response she received surprised her.

“Fucking annoying.” was what she heard from Heeseung who was glaring at her, ignoring her apologies and went on his way.

You were actually hesitant to believe what she said, even when she told you that the rest of the nurses also said the same. His cold, and somewhat rude attitude that really surprises them even with how good-looking he looks, his attitude just wasn’t it. However, you still find it hard to believe. You couldn’t. Not when he did all those things for you. Being by your side, accompanying you when you need someone, and defending you when no one does. You had expected that from your sister, but instead Heeseung took the responsibility. You pass it off as a misunderstanding, sure the nurse wasn’t lying, but Heeseung must’ve been in a bad mood at that time. It just happens at the wrong time, you thought.

Gazing at the dark sky, you sighed as there were no stars to be found on them. You’ve always loved to gaze at the stars whenever you feel bored, alone or just for the sake of watching them. However, the stars weren’t there to accompany you. Today was really lonely, isn't it?

Letting out another heavy sigh, you stood up getting ready to go back inside the hospital. But your breath hitched when you saw someone standing from your peripheral view, instantly turning your head to see the person. But the stranger immediately left as if to avoid being caught by you, making your eyes widen in fractions. Who was that?

Without much thought, you followed the stranger, silently catching up to them. You peek at the edge of the wall, and the stranger’s back facing you. By the figure, you caught on that it was a guy wearing a black hoodie and long black pants. Then it hit you.

The one who was stalking you on that day. On the day of the party, after you fought with your sister. When you got that text. When you sense it. That was him. A whole new courage fills you up as you wanted to know who it was, and since this was the hospital. It won’t be much trouble to ask for help. Within a split second, you immediately sprint towards the stranger, launching yourself on him and kicking him on his back.

Hovering upon him, “Yah! Who the fuck are you!? What are you doing here!?” you tried to pull off his hoodie to see his face but he pulled it back trying to keep it to it’s place.

“Show your face! Goddamnit!” You kicked him on his back again, resulting in him groaning. Then he instantly pushes himself up with his hands making you fall backwards, and the stranger immediately runs away from you sprinting inside the hospital. “For fuck’s sake!!

And of course, you chase after him going inside the hospital going past the long hallway that was almost completely empty since it was already past midnight. The hallway was dark and only the lights from the slightly opened doors of each room shine through the hospital’s floor. You halt your steps, catching a breath, you lose him. Mentally cursing yourself, you can’t let him go.

But then you saw a dark silhouette passing a bit farther from you, “You!”

You chase after him inside one of the dark rooms he went into, silently walking inside. To your dismay, you tried to turn on the lights but it wasn’t working. Only the moonlight was bright enough to lighten the room just enough for you to see the medical stuff on the huge desk. Just then you hear footsteps slowly walking behind you, your heartbeat suddenly quickens after you realize just what kind of situation you put yourself into.

Hands shaking as you swallow into your throat, you immediately take the nearest object behind you; a metal tray, to smash to the stranger's head, twisting your torso to land the impact on him but to your dismay, he quickly dodges it and kicks the tray off your hands. Strong pair of arms immediately pulled your arms, your back coming into contact with his chest, he caged you in between his arms.

Adrenaline quickly fills your body as you trashed around, trying to escape from the stranger’s grasp but he was too strong, now with his right hand on your mouth preventing you from screaming. Only muffled screams can be heard amidst the silence inside the room you were both in.

‘Heeseung!’ you pressed your eyes shut, you felt nothing but fear, hoping for Heeseung to appear and save you.

“C-calm down! I’m not trying to hurt you!” the stranger spoke behind you, your eyes shoots open as soon as you heard it, his voice. It was familiar.

“Stop moving!”

“Trust me! Please! Just stop moving and I'll release you!” you immediately complied, in which he actually releases you from his grip. But you scoffed, taking another glass bottle and hitting him on his head, completely shattering it to pieces.

“Fuck! Why did you hit me!” he groaned in pain.

“Freak! Stalker!”

“Huh!?”

“Why were you stalking me!?” you yelled at the top of your lungs, in which his eyes grew wide, clearly shocked over what you said.

“I can explain!”

“Explain what? What is there left to explain!?” you grit your teeth, feeling nothing but anger. “You’re insane!”

“No! Push that away! It’s dangerous!”

“Now you know, huh!? Scared? I was scared too when you fucking chase me the other day!”

“I had a reason for that! Please, hear me out!”’

Silence.

“Please. . .” he kneeled down on the floor, clasping his hands together.

It was silence for quite a moment, trying to think of what to do with him.

“Fine. Let’s see what you got.” You lowered the shattered bottle, still gripping it tightly in case he ever plans something funny.

“Lee Heeseung.”

“What?”

“Don’t trust that guy, he’s fooling you and your sister.”

“What the fuck are you saying!?” you spat out, eyes widened.

—

“Yo, earth to (Name)?” you were immediately pulled out from your daydream when Heeseung suddenly appeared in front of you, sitting on the bed just a few inches away. With an amused expression on his goddamn handsome face, he leans in. “What were you thinking about, huh?”

“N-nothing, since when were you here?”

A low chuckle left his mouth, giving you sudden chills, “Gosh, (Name). I have been here since a few minutes ago, you just didn’t hear me.”

You swallowed your throat, as you let out “Ah.. sorry, I didn’t realize.”

“It’s fine, at least I got the chance to see your pretty face.” a sweet smile adorns his face as he said that, making you blush slightly.

“Why are you here then?” you asked.

“Why? Can’t I?” he raised his eyebrow, in which your breath hitched.

“N-nothing, you weren’t this early before. Don’t you have any class today?”

“I do, but of course I have to check up on you. I feel guilty, y’know?” his eyes were filled with guilt as he looked at you.

“I told you, you don’t have to.” you looked down to your hands, avoiding his gaze. You don't know what to believe.

"That guy you've been spending time with all this time-"

"Here, I bought this for you!" Heeseung sat beside you, bringing a box of chocolates.

"—Is a liar."

"(Name)?" you look up to Heeseung, immediately extending your hand in which he happily places the box on your palm. Your heart fluttering as you see his cheerful smile.

"And you wanna know why you got that blood results where it says you've taken drugs?"

"Because that guy, Lee Heeseung.."

You pull the cover of the box on your hand, opening the cover which had delicious chocolate bars sprinkled with toppings on it.

"Was drugging you all this time, and you have no single idea about it.”

“Bullshit.” you spat out, “Why should I believe you?”

“I knew you would say that..'' the boy let out a small chuckle, as if he had really expected for you to say that, “They always give you meds right? What if I tell you those meds weren't to cure you?”

“W-what?”

“What if I tell you those meds you were taking all this time.. Was drugs?”

—

You immediately turned your head at the door after hearing the knock, and to your surprise, the new male nurse who had given you meds wasn’t here, instead it’s the old female nurse. The same nurse who had drawn blood from you before, but now she was bringing the meds for you.

“Um.. Where’s the nurse from yesterday?”

“Oh, he had taken a leave for the day. And so I was here to fill in the empty spot.” She smiled warmly at you, handing you the glass water along with the pill.

“Don’t take those, I’m telling you. Those are drugs.”

You stared at the pills for what seemed like a few minutes, when the nurse immediately called for you, snapping you out of your thoughts. Nodding in response, you took the pill while drinking it along with the water. But unbeknownst to the nurse, you only swallowed the pill to some extent.

After she left, you put your finger inside your mouth, spitting it out in the process. You don’t know why you were even believing that stalker, however because of the drugs you knew you never took, you couldn’t help but believe him.

—

“Why are you helping me?” you asked without much thought, when EJ finally appeared again sitting against the door with his hands on his pockets, and his head slightly hanging low as if to avoid your gaze.

You observed how hesitant he was to answer your question at first, knitting your eyebrows as you waited for him to reply. He sighed, finally opening his mouth.

Your jaw dropped when he told you that the first time he had seen you was at Heeseung’s party. That he was there among the students, seeing the entire commotion you had with the Lee siblings. That ever since that incident you had with the Lee siblings, he had watched over you. He saw everything, the fight you had with your sister after the party, the hallucinations you got, and even the drug incident, he saw everything. He told you that he actually doesn’t believe the entire ordeal, and when they accused you of stealing Heemin’s necklace. It just didn’t sit well with him, but he could only watch as it wasn’t his business in the first place.

“If it wasn’t your business in the first place, then why are you here?”

“Because you’re Chaewon’s sister..”

“Huh?”

“I.. like her.” your jaw dropped again when you heard his confession, “And I can’t let her get fooled by that piece of shit.”

“How?”

“Heeseung, that guy.. Has a petty game with his friends, and their target was Chaewon. The dare was to ..” He paused for a moment, as if he couldn't let the word out, “To do something to Chaewon and get a pic of it..”

Your heart sank the moment those words left his mouth, rage started to fill in your veins.

“How the fuck did you know about it?”

“..I accidentally heard it from Heeseung’s friends when I passed them.”

“And how the hell can I trust you about it?” you raised your head, looking up to him. “That you weren’t fooling me or some shit?”

"How do I know that you're not accusing H-heeseung?" You stuttered,

“I wouldn't lie about this. I swear. Because I care for her!” EJ yelled, “I care for Chaewon."

You went silent, not knowing what to say. Your lack of response made him feel uneasy,

"The moment I knew about what they were doing, I couldn’t just let that happen to her. And so I went to the party, to watch over her so nothing can happen. But instead..-” He paused after seeing your expression.

“I’m telling you, I knew you didn’t steal it.”

‘How the fuck?” you scoffed in disbelief. This guy who’s a complete stranger, believes you? What a joke, not even your beloved sister believes a word you said. So how could he?

“Because I went through the same thing too when I was a kid,” a low scoff left his mouth. “It wasn’t a good memory. And I’m telling you, I know how you feel. But don’t let it get through you, you know? I saw how you went through all of it for the past few weeks ago-”

Your eyes widened upon hearing what he said, “W-what do you mean?”

“To be honest, I don’t know what you were doing, I assumed you were looking for someone? but I was just checking on you after the incident.. It just didn’t feel right to leave you all alone after what happened.. And I was right, you randomly passed out on the street-”

“Wait, you were there!?”

“Yeah, and I had to carry you all the way to the shop which was.. A bit tiring-”

“Shut up.” You spat out, in which he chuckled.

“Although I have to admit, you really got that determination, don't you? You still got up even after you got sick on the street.”

“Wait, was that you?” your mouth hangs slightly low, surprised that it was him. Then you quickly look at his wrist, that watch. The same watch, it was him.

“Was it that surprising?” He chuckles, “You shouldn’t really push yourself that hard though, Chaewon won’t be really happy with it.”

“I don’t know..” you said in a low voice, gazing out of the window.

“If you really wanted to help then why don’t you tell her yourself?”

Then he scoffed, "You think I didn't? Of course I did. But she won't believe me! She completely believes that guy."

"She told me I was lying and that I was trying to ruin their relationship.".... “That’s why I’m also here, because you’re Chaewon’s sister and I have to tell you about it-”

“So you want me to tell her instead?” you gestured towards yourself.

“Yeah-”

You scoffed, “Then you’re so wrong, even my sister doesn’t believe me so it’s all pointless.”

“But are you really going to let her get fooled by them?”

“Of course not!” You glared at him, he smiled in response, taking a deep breath.

““And you know what?” he looked at you again, “It didn’t really sit well with me that Heeseung was defending you over everything.

"Just be very careful around him."

“How can I be sure that this is a drug and that he was drugging me?” you showed him the pill on your palm.

“Since I was curious about where you might’ve been, like I didn’t really see you anywhere,I found out that you got admitted here. But then I saw him, with that old lady. That nurse-” it suddenly hits you when flashbacks of the nurse who drew blood from you for the blood tests. Eyes wide as you look at him, “He gave something to the nurse, at first it didn’t really bother me.. But then I keep seeing them once in a while, doing the same thing over and over again.”

You gulped, unable to believe what you had just heard. “But why would he do that?”

“I don’t know.. But whatever he’s planning, it’s clearly not good.”

"I really don't know if I can trust you about that.." a part of you refuses to believe that Heeseung was doing that to you. Not when he had already been by your side, protecting you from everything. It can't be.

"Wait, do you like him?" Your eyes widened when you heard that from him.

"No, I don't." EJ hummed in response, believing you so fast. Cause afterall,

"Okay, I know this is hard to believe. But really, I swear if I'm lying. You'll know. So please believe me."

"If your hallucinations and everything still doesn’t stop even when you no longer take those meds, then I'll leave. So please.." EJ begging you with his eyes, his jaw clenching as he looks for any response from you.

Believe me. That sentence echoes through your mind. The same sentence that you often say but were ignored. Looking at EJ's eyes, what could go possibly wrong in believing him? You'll eventually find out whether he's lying about the drugs or not. “So what are we going to do now?” you asked.

“I’ll help you.”

“How?”

“I’ll help you get out of this place, as soon as I can. It will take awhile, but after we get you out. We have to take your sister as well, and then we’ll tell her everything.”

“That’s gonna take a hell lot of work.” You scoffed, you just knew what would happen again once you meet your sister. She is far too lovesick with Heeseung for her to even believe you, but..

“But we can’t give up so easily, right?” he raised his eyebrow, waiting for your response. You stare at him for a while and then nodded in response, in which he smiled.

"What's your name by the way?" you asked suddenly.

"Me?" He pointed at himself, you nodded again. "god, how did I even forget that. EJ, just call me EJ."

"EJ.." you said it in a low voice, taking his name in.

—

Since then, EJ has been visiting you secretly. And you tried your best to avoid eating the ‘meds’ the nurse has been giving you. It goes on for about a few days like this, and what he said was true. Your headaches, and everything was gone. Looking at yourself in the mirror, you notice how you look so much better than before. Was it really true? Was Heeseung really drugging you?

You wanted to believe EJ,

But the hardest part was Heeseung himself, even when he visits sometimes because he’s getting busy with his studies, the fact that you still have to pretend like you know nothing while talking with him hurts you. You wanted to ask, why? Why was he doing it? And for some reason, you wanted to ask him yourself if it was true or not, you wanted to hear it from his own mouth, and that he’ll say no. Your heart and your mind were in chaos as you felt both anger and sadness.

Anger because of that fucking deal he had with his friends, clenching your fists as to how he were capable to plan such thing to your sister.

But then came your sadness, your heart broken that all his cheerful smiles and all the things he did for you was all fake. Because you were still in denial, unable to accept it.

You don’t know what to do. The complete difference of how ‘innocent’ he looks sometimes makes you doubt EJ, just how can Heeseung do that to you? Why would he? For what?

You stare at Heeseung’s back as he was fixing the flower pots on the window, the sunlight shines over his face making him look so ethereal and angelic, you couldn’t believe that he was even capable of doing such a thing. You really don’t want to.

“Heeseung?” you finally let out, after a moment of hesitance.

“Hm?” he hummed in response, turning his head to look at you. Your heart immediately stops, after seeing those innocent eyes.

‘Is it true?’ you pressed your lips tight, asking the question in your head as he stares at you, waiting for you to say something. ‘That you were drugging me?’

“Is there something wrong?” his soft voice snaps you out from your dilemma, tilting his head as his eyebrows were knit together along with his concern expression.

“N-nothing!” you blurted out, smiling wide.

“Are you sure?”

You nodded with a cheerful smile on your face, assuring him that it was nothing. He lets out a small ‘okay’, smiling sweetly to you in return, turning his attention back to the flower pots. Your face falls, the smile leaving your face, when you realize just what you had initially thought to ask him.

—

You gaze out of the window once again, sighing heavily because you were still in a dilemma. Today was finally the day EJ would come and take you out of the hospital, and you were supposed to be happy about it, happy that you were no longer stuck in this hell, however you feel guilty that you’re going to leave without Heeseung knowing about it. Biting your lips, you mentally cursed yourself as to why you were still thinking about him? Why won’t you still believe the fact that he was doing all those stuffs behind you and your sister?

Why? Why? Why?

“(Name)?” you were immediately snapped out of your deep thoughts when EJ appears beside you. “We have to go now.”

Extending his hand for you to grab it, you hesitated for a moment in which he notices but he patiently waits. Clearing your throat, you nodded, taking his hands as he guided you out of the door and all the way till you finally exited the hospital. The cold air greeting you along with the night sky, you somehow felt uneasy, afraid that something soon might happen.

“I know you’re worried, but it’s okay. You can trust me.” EJ grips your hand just slightly, enough to warm your hand. “After this, we’ll meet your sister, ok?”

You nodded, reassuring yourself with his words. You’re doing this for your sister, yes. You were doing it for her, you can’t let her get fooled and fall into that hellhole. You can’t, so you have to stay strong and get rid of this feelings, and-

“(Name)?”

As if there was a strong force that immediately pulls you back to its world, you halt your steps, heart beating so fast the moment you hear him. You knew it was him.

“Where are you g- .. You?" unable to turn yourself to look at him in fear that you might end up getting soft-hearted again was eating you, however you still manage to caught on his voice surprised to see EJ. “What the fuck are you doing here?”

“(Name), let’s just go.” he ignores Heeseung, pulling you with him as he continues to walk to the street again.

“(Name)! Where are you going!?” he immediately rushes in, grabbing your hand preventing you EJ from pulling you with him any further. “What the fuck you doing here!?”

“Well I don't know, why don’t you ask her?”

“(Name), where are you going with this guy?”

“It’s none of your business, Heeseung. Now please let go.” you lowered your eyes, not wanting to see his face.

“No! Why would i? Let you go? With this guy?” Heeseung exclaimed, “You haven’t known him that long, he could be dangerous for god knows how!”

“And how about you!?”

“W-what?” he knitted his eyebrows together, confused.

“Stop pretending, I knew you were fooling us. Me and my sister!” you scoffed, “I can’t believe it!”

“What are you saying? I don’t understand..”

“Oh god! Stop pretending! We already know!”

“I-i don't understand what you’re saying!”

“For fuck’s sake, stop lying.” EJ spat out.

“Why were you doing that to me?” you cried out, your heart breaking as he looked at you with that innocent eyes.

“What did I do?” … “What else could I be doing!?” Heeseung exclaimed.

“Y-you were drugging me..” you almost want to vomit when you let out those words, and Heeseung’s eyes widened in fraction.

“W-what are you talking about? Drug you? Why would I do that!?” he exclaimed in surprise.

“Ask yourself!” you cried out, “You’re the only one who knows why you were doing such a thing to me!”

“God! (Name)! Why would I even think to do that to you in the first place!? How!? Drug you!?” Heeseung exclaimed, “Who told you that?”

Then he snaps his head into EJ’s direction, “This guy?”

“Why would that even matter? Why? Was it true?’

“I swear to god! No! Why would I drug you? For what?” Heeseung grabs both your arms, pulling you closer to him, “Tell me! You couldn’t possibly believe him, could you?” he looked into your eyes, and your heart felt a hit of pang when you saw how his innocent eyes were breaking in front of you. He seems so innocent. You’ve reminded yourself that he was lying, he’s definitely lying., but why did you feel something that was pulling you towards him? This stupid feelings. And along with all of that, you feel guilty for him.

You couldn’t say anything, as he looked at you with that expression, “(Name), say something.”

“Man, stop with all that bullshit.” EJ finally speaks up, trying to release you from Heeseung’s grasp.

Heeseung aggressively hits his hands away, “What are you trying to do? Why were you spreading lies about me?”

“Lies? So was it a lie that I heard from you back there?” EJ clenched his jaw, approaching him.

“What’s your plan, huh?” Heeseung spat out. Hitting EJ on his chest repeatedly,

“P-plan? I might as well ask you that, what’s your plan? Certainly not something good right?” EJ asked.

“Heeseung, stop!!”

“How could you believe him instead of me!?” “He could be lying for all god knows!” he turned to you again, surprise etched all over his face as he grabbed your arms once again.

“Don’t touch me, I really can’t believe it. You’re a liar. You were fooling us!” you slapped his arms away.

“(name)!” Heeseung exclaimed, tears welling up in his eyes which surprised you. “You can’t do this to me, you just met him and you already believe all that he said!?”

“Just why were you spreading lies about me?” he glares at EJ. “What could I possibly have done to you!”

“Tell me!” Heeseung cried out.

You were shocked to see him cry, it was something new. You’ve never seen him cried, and it breaks your heart to see him that way.

“Don’t you trust me!?” tears keeps flooding down to his cheeks as he looked up to you, you shook your head.

“No..” your heart broke, approaching Heeseung in small steps.

“How could you do this to me? (Name)?” he cried with his hands on his face.

“Don’t! He’s using your words against you.” EJ grabs you from behind, shaking his head. “You should know better! He’s lying!”

“B-but..” you hesitated, looking back and forth to Heeseung and then to EJ.

“Tell me! EJ! I really can’t believe you, just because Chaewon rejects you.. I can’t believe you are trying to get it back on her sister and me!”

“Shut the fuck up, don’t try to make this about that when it’s clearly not.”

“Wait, w-what?” your ears perked up to what Heeseung said.

“You didn’t know? He confessed to Chaewon in front of the public, but she rejected him so bad that we all pity him..” said Heeseung while tears flow down to his cheeks. “But what I wouldn't expect was you were capable of doing something like this! How can you do this to us!?”

“Shut the fuck up!” EJ yelled.

“---So you’re going all over the way here and trying to fool her sister? To fool (Name)? To get back on Chaewon for humiliating you?” Heeseung tilted his head.

“Shut up! Lee Heeseung!”

“W-what? What are you saying?” you look up to EJ, pulling your hand out of his grasp.

“This is not about that!” EJ yelled. “(Name)!”

“Is it true!?” you asked.

He fell silent, and you took a few steps backwards, shocked over the revelation.

“But it was fine for me! Please believe me! That doesn’t change the fact that I still like her or that I want to pay back for what she did, please trust me!”

“(Name)! Don’t believe him! He’s lying. You know better.” Heeseung cried out to you.

You were in a serious dilemma. Who the fuck is lying? Which one? Should you choose the guy who has defended you and trust you all this time? Or the guy who had taken care of you from behind the curtains? Who was lying!? You stood still, as your head started to grow dizzy again, unable to decide.

“God! Don’t believe him, he’s trying to fool you into staying with him!” EJ exclaimed in desperation as he noticed your hesitance,

EJ pulls your arm, "let's go! (name)!"

But Heeseung stops you both, grabbing your hand which EJ was holding too. "You're not going anywhere."

"Let go of her, who are you trying to fool here, huh?" Heeseung aggressively pulls you out from EJ’s grasp, making you wince in pain.

“I should be the one who’s asking you that!” EJ spats out, “You’re obviously turning it all about me, you bastard! (Name), don’t believe what he said! This is not about that!”

Heeseung shakes his head, "I can't believe you're doing this to me, EJ."

“Shut the fuck up! Stop acting so fucking innocent even when you're not!" ” EJ yelled at the top of his lungs, “That’s not what I'm here for! I’m protecting her! From you!”

“Protect her? Who even are you? Her brother? And what would Chaewon think that you’re here? Talking with her sister, and then taking her somewhere.” Heeseung asked, “Fuck, even she would ask you what the fuck you were doing around with (Name).”

“You.” EJ exclaimed, pointing his fingers at Heeseung. “You’re obviously turning things around-”

“(Name)! He’s obviously manipulating you! The more you talk with him, the more-” he approaches you, trying to take your arms. You were in a dilemma. You don’t know who to trust.

“I told you to stay the fuck away!” Heeseung roughly pushed him by his chest, making him take a few steps backwards.

“You stay the fuck away, son of a bitch!” EJ spat out, “I’m not letting (Name) stay with a guy like you!” growing desperate, EJ approaches you again trying to take your arm.

“(Name)! Get back on your senses! We have to go!”

“When i say stay the fuck away, stay the fuck away from her!” Heeseung delivers a strong punch towards EJ’s face, resulting in you screaming.

“Heeseung, stop!”

EJ hissed in pain, wiping off the blood of his mouth

“You’re not going to take her anywhere.” Heeseung spat out, standing in front of EJ. “I can’t believe you, after all we had done for you, you’re doing this!? To Chaewon?”

“I’m doing all of this to protect her from you! You and your stupid deal with your shitty friends!” EJ pointed at him as he stood up again.

“Why are you making up lies about me? What deal? What are you saying? What are you getting from this!?” Heeseung cried out.

“Ah, fuck. Im fucking done with you spewing nonsense shit. Talking won’t get this done-” EJ was so pissed, that he saw nothing but red. He punches Heeseung resulting in him falling on the ground.

“Guys, stop!” you screamed as you approached them both, trying to pull EJ away from Heeseung. “EJ! Stop! Please!”

“Chaewon would be so disappointed in you, that you have to go this far just to get back on her." Heeseung hissed, "EJ! This is not you, you can't betray us like this." Heeseung cries.

"Stop mentioning her name!" He hit him again.

"We thought you change, I really did.. but why?"

"You're such a manipulative piece of shit-" EJ pulls away from your grasp, making you fall backwards on the ground.

He pulls Heeseung by his collar, forcing him to stand up, “I get if you’re mad at Chaewon but you should’t bring her sister over this!”

“Talk to yourself, you piece of shit! I saw everything! I heard everything!” EJ gripped his collar so tight, it starts to choke Heeseung.

"Stop! EJ! Please!" You exclaimed ,your heart aching to see Heeseung get beaten up so badly, why aren't you defending yourself!?

“Okay if you won’t trust me! But (Name), don’t trust this guy either!” EJ exclaimed and turned to look at you, “He’s obviously drugging you! Remember?”

“I can’t believe you..” Heeseung shakes his head upon hearing that , making EJ punch him in the face resulting in him falling on the ground.

You tried to stop them but it seems anything you do or say were left to deaf ears. Things had heated up so much between them and you really don't know what to do already. Your head grows dizzy again, as you knelt to your chest bringing your hands to your head clasping them. Not wanting to hear anything more, you groaned in pain.

“Just please stop..” your vision was growing blurry only being able to see the hazy figure of EJ punching Heeseung on the ground. “It hurts. .”

“(Name)?” They start to notice your horrible state with you on sitting on the floor while putting your hands on your head, as EJ finally pushes Heeseung on the ground, making his way to you.

“(Name)? What’s wrong!?” EJ exclaimed in concern as he slowly approached you, leaving Heeseung on the ground, beaten up quite badly. However he immediately halted his steps when he heard a low chuckle from behind him.

"Ah fuck, piece of shit.. you're really irritating me." Heeseung chuckles through his cries, scratching his neck as his expression was replaced with amusement while his mouth was bleeding due to EJ’s constant punches. Raising his head slowly, looking up with tears in his eyes, "Just why are you sticking your nose in other people’s business, you bastard?"

EJ’s eyes widened, turning his torso to look at Heeseung who was now, staring at him back but with a completely different demeanor. “What?”

“Aren’t you such a fucking fool trying to act like the shining knight in his armor?” Heeseung tilted his head, with his expression clearly amused.

“You know, it’s really amusing that you even approached Chaewon in the first place, but–” his eyes darkened, “Why the fuck did you even think to get close to (Name)?”

“You’re really digging your own grave, aren’t you?”

“So you’re already showing your true nature, you son of a bitch.” EJ spat out approaching him, and pulling him up on his feet by tugging his collar again. “Do you still think (Name) will believe you after I tell her about this?”

A chilling laugh escaped from Heeseung’s mouth, “Yah, you bastard. Wanna bet?”

“H-huh?”

“Do you actually think you'll get out of this alive?”

“What? What are you saying?”

“Just where do you think we are now, you fool?” Heeseung chuckled.

—

You watched them as everything seemed to go in slow motion, with them gripping each other's collars, they were saying something to each other but your ears can’t hear anything but muffled sounds. But what you can’t seem to understand was..

EJ’s expression. Fear was what you can see on his face. Why?

“Y-you… let.. Go-” you can’t hear what he was saying, the more you try to make sense of what he said, the more it makes your head grow more painful. Closing your eyes tightly amidst all the chaos, you can hear your own breathing and your heartbeat, along with the loud ticks that you can’t seem to know where you’re hearing it from, and along with it you then hear something.

A loud crash.

You then heard an ear-piercing scream from other people, immediately covering your ears again with your hands.

Silence.

With your eyes slowly looking up, you're met with a horrifying sight of blood pooling out on the ground, dripping from them..

Blood.

Face contorting into disgust and fear, with your heartbeat quickening so loud you can hear within your ears. Breathing slowly growing rush and stuffy, you wanted to scream as you looked at their body—

NO!

'This is a dream!'

'I must be hallucinating.'

'This must be the drugs. Yes! This must be the drugs!'

'Yes! It must be the drugs. It has happened before!"

'I'm hallucinating, I'm hallucinating, I'm hallucinating.'

You covered your ears with your hands, slowly moving them over to your eyes, pressing it firmly.

'please go away, please go away, go away!' you repeatedly prayed in your mind, for your hallucinations to stop.

"Oh my god!"

"Call the ambulance!"

"Help!"

"Someone help! Please!"

Your heart sank hearing those words. Slowly lowering your hands from your eyes, the bright light your eyes making you squint. You blinked repeatedly to fix your blurry vision and you are met with the exact same horrifyingly sickening sight again making your heart sink.

It wasn’t a hallucination. You weren’t hallucinating. It was real.

The realization finally dawns on you as you start to feel a growing pool inside your stomach, making you nauseous. Tears welling up in your eyes, mouth trembling as you finally lifted your feet away from the ground you've been frozen on for what seems like eternity.

Loud and rush steps grow even louder behind you as people start to approach the two unconscious bodies laying on the floor, multiple sounds ringing in your ears with the murmurs and calls of help from people around you.

Quick breaths along with sniffles, you finally let out a gut-wrenching scream,

"No!!"

.

.

- to be continued -

🖋️a/n: comment or ask me if you want to be added in the permanent taglist!

🥀TAGLIST: @heeseungie77 , @lyzzie8 , @nyfwyeonjun

|> YANDERE SERIES: ENHYPEN (PT. 1)

|> secondary blog: @llyzblog

[c4llezz]

GAME NIGHT

Requested: No

MINA X GN!READER

TW: None I think

Genre: Fluff

Word count: 800

A/N: Happy pride month!!

Gif made by me!

Expect mistakes, happy reading!

Dahyun, your best friend, asked you to a game night at Twice’s dorm, you haven’t spent time together in a long time so you accepted. You met Dahyun at church. She used to make weird performances, like her famous eagle dance, that gave you second-hand embarrassment, you have to admit. But you were also impressed by it, so one day you approached her. “That thing you did was super weird, how do you do it?” You asked her, she didn’t want to talk to you, she thought you were making fun of her. Seeing her distrusted face, you added “I don’t mean to offend you, I think is an unusual talent to have” Dahyun didn’t take it as a compliment like you intended to and left you there standing. After a few days, you apologized to her and try to explain what you had meant. She forgave you and then you started hanging out. The rest is history.

Now almost 10 years later, you were about to knock on her door when it flew open. In front of you stood Dahyun, with one of the biggest smiles you had ever seen. She took you by the arm and pulled you inside.

There was a lot of talking and shouting, and you didn’t understand what was being said, you looked around the room and made eye contact with Tzuyu. She smiled at you and you smiled back, you had met Tzuyu and Chaeyoung before when Dahyun went to visit her family with them.

“Girls! This is Y/N, my best friend” Dahyun introduced you and then move around the room “This is Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Momo, Sana” then she moved to the other side “Jihyo, and you already know Chaeyoung and Tzuyu” At that moment Mina entered the room “And that one is Mina”

“Hello everyone,” You said then you held up one hand “I bought some snacks” All the girls, but Mina who was too busy staring at you, cheered at what you had said.

You’ve been playing UNO for an hour and your friendship with Dahyun was on a thin rope. “Dahyun, I swear, if you throw a +4, I’m going to kill you” She looked at you with an apologetic smile before throwing a +4 and shouting UNO “Oh come on!” She laughed at your face “I don’t find it funny, I was about to win” After Momo surprisingly won two times in a row, you decided to change games to Pictionary “Ok let’s team up for this one” Jihyo said “I’ll write some numbers, the ones who have the same are a team” You ended up teaming up with Mina. You made a good team actually, ending up in second place just behind Nayeon and Chaeyoung.

“You guys really have chemistry,” Sana said, Mina's cheeks reddened a little.

“Kind of ironic” Jeongyeon commented “I mean isn’t Y/N majoring in chemical engineering?” You laughed nodding your head, you should've been surprised she knew that, but knowing Dahyun she probably has told them all your life by now.

You had been playing for a few hours now, it was almost 1 am. “I think we should watch a movie, these games are getting boring” Tzuyu suggested.

“You are only saying that because you have been losing in every single one,” Chaeyoung said but agreed anyway.

After an hour or so all the girls were sound asleep. You and Mina were the only ones awake, at first you were watching the movie but then you stopped after Nayeon started talking in her sleep about someone stealing her turtle?

“Dahyun told me you play Minecraft” You told her after talking about which type of kimchi was the best.

Mina looked at you surprised; unlike you, she did not expect Dahyun to talk about her with other people. “I do. Do you?” You nodded “Do you want to play? I'm sure you can use Dahyun's computer”

“Sure” you both turned on the computers and opened the game and enter on a multiplayer server. “What's your username? I'll send you a friend request”

“It's Pinguinari37”

“No way! I've been playing with you for a long time”

“Really? What's your username?”

“Dubus_chemistfriend” she looked at you with wide eyes, she couldn't believe the person she has been playing with for almost 3 months was you all along.

You played some bedwars games, and then after winning one of them you said “Hey, remember that time I asked you on a Minecraft date and you left?” She blushed at the memory; she was too stunned by your question that time so she just closed the game and turned off her computer. The next time you played together she avoided the topic, so you decided to never ask again. Until today it seems.

After she nodded you asked, “Do you want to go on a real one this time?”

[lale-txt]

🍭 sharing a dessert w/ Perona & gn!reader

a/n: for my darling @sugxrslushy <3 this was my first time ever writing Perona, i hope i did her justice ;w; but i enjoyed it a lot! i was very looking forward to writing this because she was the only gal that got requested and also bc i looove writing my friends‘ favs hehe.

word count: 977

„You‘re not on breakfast duty, what are you doing that early in the kitchen?“

Perona yawns and wraps her arms around you from behind, burying her tired face in the crook of your neck. Her lips kiss your bare skin softly, sending a warm shiver down your spine. You can‘t help but smile, taking her hands in yours and closing your eyes for a bit, enjoying the sleepy kitchen cuddles. Earlier you were careful not to wake her up as you sneaked out your shared, cozy bed but apparently she had noticed your absence immediately.

„It was supposed to be a surprise… but since you‘re here, let‘s do it together?“, you suggest and hand her a whisk. She looks curious over your shoulder, trying to catch a glimpse of the recipe.

„Flan? Oh, I‘ve heard of that, you told me all about it!“

She shuffles to the other end of the kitchen (the tiredness from ten seconds ago completely forgotten) and comes back with two aprons. She sewed them herself for your first anniversary. After you had spent many date nights together in the kitchen, it was just fitting. Hers was black with lavender frills and a little pocket to keep a tiny plushie, yours was in your favorite colors and had her jolly roger on it.

You help each other tying the aprons behind your backs, paired with lots of kisses on the cheek and forehead, both of you giggling like the fools in love that you were. Not a day has passed where you didn‘t feel like the luckiest person walking on earth with her by your side. With a gentle kiss on the lips you take the two scrunchies from her wrist, carefully tying her messy bed hair in two ponytails so it doesn‘t get in her way.

With one of your favorite vinyl playing softly in the background, the two of you finally get to work. You knew this recipe by heart, how could you not? It has been passed down for generations through your family and something that always reminded you of home, just like she did. Carefully you instruct her step by step. She was eager to learn more, it was a delight to watch her in the kitchen. Perona knew what she was doing when she prepared the caramel and also watched you carefully when you explained how to do the filling. During the time the flan was baking in the oven, you worked together to clean the kitchen again, feeding each other the sweet leftovers.

„Is it ready to eat yet?“, Perona asked eagerly as she watched you take the flan out of the oven, tiptoeing around you in anticipation. You shake your head and smile apologetically. „We need to cool it down in a waterbath first and then put it in the refrigerator for a few more hours.“

The disappointment from her face vanishes when you suggest making a few sandwiches together and play some video games meanwhile. This girl was easy to motivate and was happy as long as you could spend time together— but so were you. Hand in hand you run back to your shared room, greeting Mihawk and Zoro cheerfully as you pass them in the long hallway, letting them know that you left them a few sandwiches ready to eat in the kitchen. None of them were questioning where you were running off to — probably your usual Kuraigana Island shenanigans.

Time flew by, you spent hours playing and napping together and as the sun started to set outside, you snuggled closer together under the warm blanket. If only you could lay like this forever, with all the worries being shut out, just pure bliss and a love that was as soft as cotton candy.

„Do you want to do something forbidden?“, you whisper into Perona‘s ear, your thumb drawing small circles on her hand that lay in yours. She gives you a look and instantly knows.

„Food in bed?“

You nod and let her pull you into a sweet kiss, her excitement almost spilling over like that big strawberry milkshake once did that led to the food ban in bed in the first place. But tonight, you didn‘t care.

You pick a handful of flowers through the open kitchen window and put them in a small vase on the tablet, next to the finished flan. Carefully you balance the whole thing back to your shared room where Perona was already waiting eagerly with the biggest smile on her face. Her eyes widen when she sees the flan gently wobbling from side to side with every step you take and your heart feels so full and warm. That was all you ever wanted. By now, the memory of her big smile had burned itself in your heart forever.

„It‘s so cute, I don‘t want to eat it!“, she exclaims, giving the dessert a small jiggle with her spoon, grinning from ear to ear.

„But the first bite is the best. Here…“

You dig in with the silver spoon in your hands, taking a small piece from the side and turn to Perona, smiling when you see her open her mouth to let you feed her. She takes her time to taste it, overexaggerating in her gestures until she dramatically flops back to the bed, yelling out loud that it was the best damn thing she had ever tasted and that she demanded more. You spend the night feeding each other, cuddling and kissing in between until you fall asleep next to the almost eaten flan, waking up in the morning and remembering why you had that food ban in bed in the first place… but it was all worth it, because once again you were reminded that your love tasted sweeter than caramel, melting your heart as if it was made out of sugar.

[rey-is-not-a-skywalker]

Gladiolus Amicita SFW alphabet.

Warnings: none.

Felt like doing another one, so here we go! Remember to leave requests for any characters you would like to see next!

Enjoy! ❤

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A - Affection (How affectionate are they? How do they show affection?)

Gladio doesn't care where you are, he'll always show affection to you. He loves to be affectionate towards you in many ways- be it grabbing your waist and pulling you in, or something like head rubs and messing your hair up a little- he does love seeing you like that.

B - Best Friend (What would they be like as a best friend? Where does the friendship start?)

He's the motivational friend, but not the 'you can do it', kind of motivational, oh no. It's more... 'Get your head outta your ass and pull yourself together' kind of motivation.

C - Cuddles (Do they like to cuddle? How would they cuddle?)

He will happily let you cuddle up to him. He loves laying on the sofa and having you rest on his chest. Usually he will put an arm around you as you both lay there with blankets keeping you both warm.

D - Domestic (Do they want to settle down? How are they at cooking, cleaning, ect?)

Though he doesn't usually show it, he is actually an amazing cook, especially when it comes to meat, egg, and fish. He tends to steer away from cooking a meal though, and will instead make you both a lovely cup noodle with only the freshest ingredients. Cleaning wise, he isn't the best at cleaning, but he will do so from time to time.

E - Ending (If they had to break up with their partner, how would they do it?)

He would only break up with a partner if he had a very good reason to. For example, if you were being purposely rude, or if his royal duties prevented him from being with you. In the first scenario, he would be straight to the point, and wouldn't show much emotion. In the second one, he'd also be straight to the point, but he'd show some emotion. He knows you would understand though, and he hopes you can be together again someday.

F - Fiance(e) (How do they feel about commitment? Do they wanna get married?)

Honestly, I cannot see Gladio getting married. I think he'd be too caught up in his royal duties to want to commit to anything, especially something that would last as long as a marriage. He would also have to make sure you were 'the one' before even considering a full commitment.

G - Gentle (How gentle are they both physically and emotionally?)

Physically, he tries to be as gentle as he can. He does try, really he does, but his chunky body makes it difficult sometimes. Emotionally, he won't be very gentle if you're sulking like a baby- he'll most likely tell you to snap back to reality, but if you really are struggling, he might give you a hug or two. He's not the greatest at advice, but he will give you an amazing pep talk.

H - Hugs (Do they like hugs? How often do they do it, and what are they like?)

He loves them. He will do it whenever, wherever, as long as you are okay with it. His hugs are usually warm, and he's able to properly embrace you- his large self makes sure of that.

I - I Love You (How fast do they say the “love” word?)

Slowly. He doesn't want to commit to anything too quickly, and these words are only really words he uses with his very close family, and even then, it's on very rare occasions.

J - Jealousy (How jealous do they get? What are they like when jealous?)

Gladio doesn't get openly jealous. Yes, he will get jealous, but he doesn't show it. If you're flirting with another, he'll silently observe you until you're alone, or until he can't take it anymore, in which case he'll drag you away and have a word with you.

K - Kisses (What are their kisses like? Where do they like to kiss you? Where do they like to be kissed?)

Gladio likes to be explorative about his kisses- particularly where he kisses you. He'll sometimes go for the fingers, maybe the cheek, but his absolute favorite thing to do, is lift you up and kiss your forehead.

L - Little Ones (How are they around kids?)

This man is amazing around kids. He'll make sure that they're always happy, and if they're not, he'll try and cheer them up. He acts like an older sibling to children... though, he's not at all prepared to have his own kids.

M - Morning (What are mornings like with them?)

Mornings with Gladio are usually non-existent. The truth is, he wakes up at the early hours in the morning to train, so unless you're willing to wake up at 4am and go on a run, you don't see him in the morning until breakfast time.

N - Nights (How are nights spent with them?)

Usually very slow. Gladio stays awake at night not only to kill some daemons, but also... to play games on his phone. He loves it when you're able to stay up late too and play some games with him.

O - Open (When do they open up about themselves?)

Never. He doesn't see a need for such sob stories, and he especially doesn't want to upset you. If anything ever comes up with everyone else opening up or telling people anything, he'll just remain silent.

P - Patience (How easily angered are they?)

Very easily. I mean, only a few things anger him, but those few things are... well, quite common. First of all, Noct can be infuriating from time to time. Another thing that tends to anger him is people that try to hurt Noctis. They try to hurt him? Oh well, he's expendable. But Noctis...? He will not be having that today, no siree.

Q - Quizzes (How much do they remember about you?)

E V E R Y T H I N G. You can tell this man anything, and he will remember it. Sometimes he even remembers word for word what you rant about. It's not like this man has a good memory, it's just... he's very observant of you.

R - Remember (Favorite memory with you?)

When you went to Galdin Quay and sat on the beaches... with a pot of cup noodles in both of your hands. In his eyes, there's nothing better than the sea breeze as you eat, and the way your hair was flowing in the wind was just magnificent to him. After you finished your noodles, the two of you had a mini water fight in the shallows of the sea water.

S - Security (How protective are they?)

There's not a word to describe how protective he is. He will stick by your side, 24/7, and his reflexes are the best you ever did see. If someone was shooting at you, he'd take all the bullets for you. If someone was out to assassinate you, likelihood is, he'd spy the assassin and kill them before they had the chance to even touch you.

T - Tears (Do they ever cry? Are they open about it, and why do they cry?)

Very rarely. In fact, the only time Gladio cries is when he loses a loved one, or a dear friend. Even then, it's not a lot of tears, and he will pull himself together after a while, and keep pushing forward. He only wants to impress you, even in the afterlife.

U - Ugly (What are their bad habits?)

His sarcasm. This may not seem bad at first, but when he's making a sarcastic remark every two sentences, it does become a bit of a problem, especially at times where he's supposed to be serious.

V - Vanity (How concerned are they with their looks?)

For the most part, Gladio doesn't care much how he looks, but he will do little things, like making sure his hair and beard is well groomed, and presentable.

W - Whole (Would they feel incomplete without you?)

Short awnser- yes. Long awnser... Gladio would indeed feel incomplete without you, but he wouldn't show it. He wouldn't say anything. He'd just suffer without you, but he'd always keep fighting.

X - Xtra (Random HC)

He teaches you how to forage. This man loves nothing more than to go out into the woods with absolutely nothing with him, and just... survive. A big part of this is foraging, and he will teach you what all the best things to eat and pick are.

Y - Yuck (Things they don’t like either in general or a partner?)

Gladio doesn't like people who nitpick at every little detail. He wants to be who he is and do what be wants, without having anyone criticise him for being the way he is.

Z - Zzz (Sleep habits)

His sleep habits are all over the place. Sometimes, he'll stay up late, and wake up late, sometimes he'll stay up late and wake up early, or sometimes he might not just sleep at all. The man has no sleep pattern.

[arlertwifey]

snk cast x gn!reader + cute summertime romance

18+ ONLY, MINORS DO NOT INTERACT, PLEASE!

☼ — ft. Eren, Armin, Mikasa, Jean, Levi, Hanji, & Erwin (all characters are 18+)

☼ — genre: pure fluff + gn!reader x character, warnings: mentions of vandalism/petty crime, alcohol mentions 

☼ — a/n: please enjoy my first snk x reader content :)

E R E N

Fills his time with a weird mix of volunteering around the city and committing blatant acts of vandalism

He spends his days helping out at the youth shelter and nights scribbling graffiti anywhere he can find a spot. Takes you to spray-paint every underpass you come across

Unnaturally good at arcade games and wins you lots of little random plushies from the claw machines. Your favorite is an angry-looking brown bear that you can’t help but think resembles him

Loves to stay up late and discover new parts of the city with you. Has a bad habit of falling asleep on your shoulder wherever you are though, when he finally runs out of energy

Even though he tries to play it off like he’s too cool for them, insists that you two take cute photobooth pictures together and keeps his favorite of them in his wallet

A R M I N 

Practically lives at the beach during the summer. The two of you plan out your days there in advance so your able to visit the different tide pools and see various sea creatures.

Has a strong sweet tooth. He’s a huge fan of any type of frozen treat, but is extremely partial to slushies. In at least half the pictures you get of your summertime adventures, his mouth is stained teal from the blue-raspberry flavor he always buys.   

Gets surprisingly tan during the summer, due to the fact that he’s outside whenever possible. Even when studying, he prefers to do so at parks around where he lives rather than indoors. His hair bleaches out a little further as well.

Willing to go to parties with you when the two of you are invited by mutual friends, but tends to slip outside to the porch after the first hour. More often than not, the two of you wind up ditching all together and heading off to find someplace to get late night food. 

He brings you to visit his grandfather during the summertime and the two of you help him out with repairs around the house. Being around the two people he loves the most brings out Armin’s talkative side and the three of you spend your vacation days swapping stories over glasses of iced tea.

M I K A S A 

Busy during the summer, so you can’t meet as much as would like

Part of her gym’s regional kickboxing team and helps teach part time. You go to all her matches and cheer till your voice gives out. She tells you that you don’t have to come, but secretly is so, so grateful that you do

On days when you’re both free, you try out all the best brunch places in the city. Mikasa prefers small family-owned businesses. The two of you quickly become regulars at your favorite spots

Sends you voice messages when you are apart ever since you said that you liked to hear her voice. She’s adorably awkward in them, usually just telling you about whatever she’s doing at the time and how much she misses you

Gets misty-eyed when you show up at the airport with flowers for her when she gets back home. Squeezes you till your out of breath and lifts off the ground a little bit when you hug again after your time apart.

J E A N

The actual best at planning a fun day full of activities

Busts his ass working at a couple part time jobs most days, but makes up for how busy is by making sure you two have the best possible time and do the most when you’re together

The type to have a bucket list for all the different activities he thinks you guys should do together. He puts a lot of effort into creating it with you. The two of you decorate two matching posters so that each of you has a copy. 

A little bit of a sucker for cliches: ice cream dates and visiting waterparks. He’s a romantic at heart and with you he feels like he can finally participate in all the classic lovey-dovey activities couples do.

One of those people who acts like an influencer despite the fact that he’s only followed by family and friends. Takes super high quality pics of you so he can brag about how great his s/o is. Took a few photography classes in college and it shows. Every photo he takes of you looks amazing because you can tell just how enamored he is with you.

King of matching couple fits. Loves when the two of you wear coordinating colors or even just similar accessories.

L E V I 

Not a fan of hot weather, so prefers to hang out in the evenings or early mornings when it’s cooler (which works well with the fact that he has to work most days). 

Has no clue what to do during the summer, besides what you two always do, but does his best

You two go for early morning runs at his suggestion and then get breakfast afterwards. There’s a smoothie place down the block from the park that you frequent, with different local fruit specials each week. 

He brings you to his favorite tea shop and you two slowly drink your way through their summer refresher menu throughout the season. You learn

Is willing to go to the beach, but be prepared to cover the man with sunscreen, because he burns. Since he knows that he won’t encounter anyone from work, he sometimes wears a large sunhat for extra UV protection.

When your vacation time finally lines up, the two of you get out of the city and head to the charming town where his mother lives. You get to help Kuchel in her garden and listen to her stories about adorable young Levi.

While he’s not extremely enthusiastic about summer as a season, he does find it far more enjoyable when he gets to spend it with you

H A N J I

Lives for traveling during the summer months, half for fun and half for their work as part of an anthropological research team. Whenever they can’t bring you along, expect lots of silly, cheesy postcards and many late night phone calls.

Thinks that camping is an absolute must. You two go on hikes together to find the best places to camp. Teaches you all sorts of cool facts about the different areas you are in. Likes when the two of you get “lost” and have to navigate back with a compass (and a park map as backup).

Makes their own homemade juice blends (some better than others) and freezes them into popsicles. Brings you them and other snacks when you’re working.

Stays up late with you and points out different constellations while you drink hot cocoa on the rooftop of their apartment building. While you don’t understand everything they are explaining to you, you love to watch their excited expression and enthusiasm as they tell you all about the world.

E R W I N

Glamorous cultural events are Erwin’s favorite part of the summertime 
Expect to to be brought to opening ceremonies, christenings of cruise ships, and wine tastings

Despite the fancy events, Erwin makes sure you don’t feel too out of place by spending the evenings shit talking the other guests with you, and trying to guess who is sleeping with who and who is going to get drunk and ruin the evening

Insists that you get out of the city as often as possible, so expect a lot of weekend getaways

As much as he likes to do things with you, he can also appreciate an afternoon spent drinking sangria and reading by the poolside (a private pool, of course. He can’t resist asking you to put sunblock on his back (half because he actually needs the help, half just to see you blush at the request).

Owns a sleek vintage convertible that he’s only able to drive in the warmer months. Likes to pick you up from work in it while still dressed in his impeccably sharp suit from the office, just to see the looks on your coworkers faces

[sleeping-on-cracking-ice]

SFW Alphabet | Ryohei Arisu

{Alice In Borderland Masterlist}

Character: Ryohei Alice

Genre: fluff

Author’s Note: I’m trying to write a lot of AiB x reader content because there’s not a lot of it on tumblr and I’m sure you guys want more. The only thing is I want it to be well-written and not rushed so it’s actually enjoyable to read, so I’m so sorry if some take longer than expected! 😓 Please request something if you want to! 

*This based in the real world, not in the Borderland

A - Affection

(How affectionate are they? How do they show affection?)

Alice would be rather shy with physical affection I feel

If he’s new into a relationship, he would probably ask before making any sort of physical contact with you

He respects boundaries like a true gentleman

As the relationship progresses, he would become more confident in his actions, showing his love for you more often

He wouldn’t be overly affectionate or unaffectionate, just somewhere in the middle

I think he would enjoy just quality time with you more than constantly feeling the need to touch you

B - Best Friend

(What would they be like as a best friend?)

Alice as a best friend would be so much fun

He seems like such a laid back and chill person, being open-minded and nonjudgmental

You and him would probably play video-games together all the time, being incredibly competitive and bantering the whole time

You and him would go out late at night just to go get food together and play games at a local arcade

There wouldn’t be a day when you’re not together, sticking by each others sides through thick and thin

You would probably have friendly arguments every time you are together, teasing and mocking each other in a harmless matter

As a group of four, Alice, Chota, Karube and you would be like peas in a pod

C - Cuddles

(Do they like to cuddle? How would they cuddle?)

Alice would adore cuddles, but would be so shy to ask for them

You would have to be the one to initiate a cuddling session, probably by sitting on his lap, taking him by surprise

He would probably rest his head on your shoulder while you were on a long train or bus ride together, eventually falling asleep next to you

If you and him were cuddling on the couch, Alice wouldn’t let you leave

“Alice. I need to pee, let me go.” “But I just got comfy!”

He’d act offended when you eventually escape the cage that is his limbs

His favourite cuddling position would be him lying on his back while you’re spread out on top of him, head resting on his chest

He likes this position because he can kiss the top of your hair and stay warm underneath your body

D - Domestic

(Do they want to settle down? How are they at cooking and cleaning?)

It would take a few years of dating for Alice and you to move in together

He loves the fantasy of a teen love situation where you two would sneak out together and go on late night dates

He would be afraid that when you move in together eventually, you would lose that thrill between you too

But after giving in and buying an apartment with you, he wouldn’t regret it at all

In a living situation, Alice would try to help you around the house as much as possible

You would have different chores assigned to each of you, making it fair

I feel like he wouldn’t be able to cook, like at all

Better he sticks to cleaning and laundry whilst you handle cooking meals for both of you

E - Ending

(If they had to break up with their partner, how would they do it?)

If you were to break it off with him, it would honestly break him

But of course, he would hate to show that it gets to him, his sadness would come out in anger

He would overthink for weeks, wondering where he went wrong

Would probably get drunk at some bars a few nights and drunk text you, saying how much he misses you

If he was to break it off with you, he would feel incredibly guilty

Even if he had wanted to do it for a while, he would feel so bad after seeing tears running down your face

He would probably cry too and would have to fight the urge to scoop you into his arms and hold you as you cry

F - Fiancé(e)

(How do they feel about commitment? How quick would they want to get married?)

Wouldn’t want to rush into things, preferring to take things slow

He likes to live in the moment without worrying about the past or future

I think having someone who would want to get married quickly would scare him off

Don’t get me wrong, he would be completely committed to you, it would just take time for him to get to that point

Never has the biggest urge to get married, honestly doesn’t see it as incredibly important

He would want to get married later in his life, as long as it’s with the right person

G - Gentle

(How gentle are they, both physically and emotionally?)

He is such a gentlemen, no one can convince me otherwise

He would be so gentle with you, treating you like a piece of art

Wouldn’t even grab your arm or try to cheekily jump-scare you, in fear that he would accidentally hurt you

If you guys were having a heated moment, he would hesitate before placing his hands on you

You would have to tell him that it’s okay and place his hands on you yourself

Emotionally, he would try his absolute best to understand you

Although he would be a bit awkward when it comes to deep emotions, he would be so cautious in his words and actions when you’re in a emotionally vulnerable situation

So considerate and gentle, never wanting to make you uncomfortable in any way

H - Hugs

(Do they like hugs? How often do they do it? What are their hugs like?)

He would honestly give the best hugs

I think he would prefer hugs over kisses, because he loves the close feeling of having you snuggled up against him

He would always do the running hug every time he met up with you, always having the same level of excitement from seeing your face

He would also love walking down the street with your arms around each other

The small simple gesture makes him so comforted and warm inside

I - I Love You

(How fast do they say the L-word?)

Would be so shy to say it

He would probably say it when he thinks your asleep, whispering it into your ear while brushing your hair out of your face

When you open your eyes and respond, he looks like he’s seen a ghost

“What did you say Alice?” “Uh... nothing. It doesn’t matter.”

He would roll his body to face the other way, trying to fall asleep

You would lean over his shoulder and say you love him too while he’s just about to fall unconscious

He would snap awake, looking up at you in surprise with his wide eyes

You’d spend the night tucked so close to each other then, giving each other sweet kisses and shy compliments

J - Jealousy

(How jealous do they get? What do they do when they’re jealous?)

I actually can see him getting jealous very easily

Like even if you hung out with one of your male best friends, Alice would ask everything about the guy

It would come from a good place though, he would be scared of you finding someone better than him

When he gets jealous, he would become really quiet and passive aggressive

Would never admit that he’s jealous, no matter how hard you try to get him to confess

But it would be pretty easy to tell, even your friends would notice

If you were out together with Karube and Chota, Alice would feel a bit upset if you spent most of the time talking to one of them instead of him

When this happens, he’ll wrap an arm around your waist and press you to his side, just to remind you he’s there as well

K- Kisses

(What are their kisses like? Where do they like to kiss you? Where do they like to be kissed?)

He would have random clingy moments where he would beg you for endless kisses

He would purse his lips and close his eyes playfully waiting for you kiss him

It would always make him blush, no matter how long you’ve been together

His favourite place to kiss you would be your nose

He loves the way your face scrunches up when he does it, always making him fall just a little bit more in love

His favourite place to be kissed would simply be his lips

He loves the intimacy of it and would love it when you surprise him with a sudden kiss to his lips

L - Little Ones

(How are they around children?)

Would actually really like kids

I feel like he would like babies more than toddlers though

He would find them so adorable, but the thought of babysitting or having a kid of his own makes him nervous

He would like them, but wouldn’t be able to look after them well

If you two had to babysit for a family member, I think he’d really enjoy watching you interacting with the kid

If in the future you two had children of your own, he would want to wait quite a while, probably until after marriage if you planned to get married

M - Morning

(How are mornings spent with them?)

You both would always wake up late, no matter the day

Would probably be from playing video-games together all night or just staying awake for hours and talking / cuddling

If he woke up before you, he would tuck you under the covers again if they fell during the night and leave the room, wanting to leave you sleeping peacefully

But some mornings if he wants you to wake up with him, he would lay his entire body across you and whine for you to wake up

“Y/N... babyyy-” “What?” “Wake up, I’m bored.” “No.” “pLeAsE!”

He would be impossible to wake up though

You could throw stuff at him, yell in his ears, jump on top of him, but he would not open his eyes

It’s like as if someone knocked him out

You would have to resort to dragging him off the bed by his legs

N - Night

(How are nights spent with them?)

You would always go to sleep late, there was never a night where you would go to sleep before 12:00am

Even if you fell asleep, Alice would wake you up again because he would want to spend more time with you

You would talk and play video-games together until you either passed out on the bed on top of each other

If you fell asleep on the couch, Alice and you would be complaining the whole day tomorrow about your back pains

Sometimes, but very rarely, you would have deep conversations, then afterwards fall asleep with your limbs wrapped around each other tightly

O - Open

(When would they start revealing things about themselves?)

It would take time for him to open up

I feel like with Alice you’d have to earn his trust, he doesn’t just give it out for free

He would rarely talk about his feelings on a deep level

Even after years of being together, he’d still be a bit reserved

It wouldn’t be personal, I just think Alice would prefer to keep his strong emotions inside

Although, if something really got to him, he would probably break his walls a bit

He would hold things inside until they got too hard to handle

He’d have a big cry with you comforting him, then be fine again

It would mean the world to him if you sat and listened to him for hours and valued his emotions

P - Patience

(How easily angered are they?)

Honestly, quite easily

Depends really what it’s about

Fights between you too wouldn’t happen often, but he would get in bad moods a few times a week

He gets quite frustrated with minor things though, like if his phone or computer wasn’t working properly

He’d get over it really quick though

If he was to become mad at you, he would tell you straight up why he’s upset

He would despise it if you walked away and didn’t face the issue

When he’s really upset, he may say things that he doesn’t really mean in the heat of the moment

But he would always apologize after he’s calmed down, giving hugs and kisses for the rest of the day endlessly

Q - Quizzes

(How much would they remember about their partner?)

I feel like he’d actually be kind of bad at this

He would keep a few common things memorized, like your favourite movie or place

But sometimes he would forget minor things

He would feel awful about it though

It’s not that he doesn’t care enough, he just has a bad memory

After a while, he would begin to keep notes in his phone about things you like so he has ideas for birthday presents and anniversary gifts

Always has the best intentions, he’s just a little slow

R - Remember

(What is their favourite moment in their relationship?)

His most favourite moment would be a date you guys went on together during the first few months of dating

He had come over to your house and invited you to go for a walk with him around town

After buying late night takeaway snacks at a restaurant, he brought you to a quiet building and climbed the stairs all the way to the top

You two sat there for hours, eating your food and laughing until you couldn’t breath while looking out over the city’s fluorescent lights

He loved this night with you especially, because he thinks you looked gorgeous with the city lights dancing across your skin

I think this was the night he realized that he was in love with you, watching you smile and laugh with hearts in his eyes

S - Security

(How protective are they of their partner? How would they protect their partner? How would they like to be protected?)

Would try to hide it, but he would secretly be so cautious about your safety

He’s knows that he’s not the strongest or fittest person, but he still tries his best to make you feel safe

When you’re out in public at night, he always has his arm around your shoulder or your waist, just to make sure you stay close to him

If someone you didn’t know approached you and was acting a little too friendly, Alice would glare at them over your shoulder and distract you

If someone was to say something rude or offensive towards you, oh no

Alice would go OFF

He would swear and yell at them before you even get the chance to defend yourself

There would be times where you would have to physically drag him away because you were afraid he would throw a punch

T - Try

(How much effort would they put into dates, anniversaries, gifts, everyday tasks?)

Would try his best for special events

He’d be very bad at keeping secrets or surprises, you would most of the time find out what he has planned

But you wouldn’t tell him that you know so you don’t upset him when he gets really excited about surprising you

He would do the usual on your anniversary, flowers and chocolates with a cute date planned

He would love buying you cute little gadgets and books that he’s read that he think you would like

He would prefer simple, movie dates most of the time, but maybe once every two months you would go out for a cliché romantic dinner

U - Ugly

(What would be some bad habits of theirs?)

Definitely his gaming

Sometimes he would play it for hours on end, not giving you much attention

I mean most the time you would join him or watch him play, but after a while it would get a little old

The only way to distract him enough to get him off the game is to sit on his lap facing him and kiss his neck

He would freeze up and drop the game immediately

“Okay fine! I’ll give you attention!”

V - Vanity

(How concerned are they with their looks?)

Wouldn’t be his priority

Obviously because of his overgrown hair, he doesn’t care hugely for his looks

I mean if you guys were going out together, he would put in his best effort to look decent for you

But if it’s just a day at home, he wouldn’t give less of a toss what he looks like

He doesn’t get insecure about himself often, he knows you love him no matter what he looks like

W - Whole

(Would they feel incomplete without their partner?)

He would value his partner over most things in his life

I mean, I do see him as a independent personality, so if he dated someone who was super clingy, I think he would find them irritating

He loves you so much, but he does need his time alone

He doesn’t think you constantly need to be all over someone and always be beside them to love them with your whole heart

So, he would love you more than anything, but he wouldn’t feel the need to depend on you for everything

X - Xtra

(A random headcanon for them)

He would love if you were best friends with Karube and Chota

Seeing his most favourite people in the world all get along would make him so happy

I think it would bring him a sense of security if you’re close to them as well, because he can trust them to take care of you if you need it when he’s not there

They would tease you and Alice all the time just to mess with you

Chota would love to have intelligent conversations with you like the lil’ nerd he is

And Karube would love to drink and banter with you

They would honestly be such a fun group of friends to hang out with

You would never be bored with them

Y - Yuck

(What are some things they wouldn’t like, either in general or in a partner?)

I mentioned before briefly, but he would hate a really clingy and possessive partner

He is independent and an introvert, so he would like his time alone with no one else every now and then

Having a partner that constantly has to be touching him or talking to him would be so annoying

He finds it really obnoxious, so he would prefer someone with a personality that is logical, reasonable and holds good morals

Z - Zzz

(What is a sleep habit of theirs?)

He definitely snores

Not incredibly loud, but little snorts would leave him every now and then during the night

Sometimes if he does it for a while, you would nudge him with your leg to wake him up

Of course, he denies it, not believing that he snores

It’s not until you record his snores on your phone would he realize it

“There’s no way. That’s so embarrassing oh my god.”

SFW Alphabet Template

[tojismaiden]

SNK Male Characters as Yandere's (Modern AU)

WARNING: will contain dark themes.

Eren the Violent

It's a known fact that Eren doesn't have the best temper in the world.

But for you, he'd try his best to be patient. Key word: Try.

When Eren saw you, you were like the light at the end of the tunnel. The rainbow after the rain. The finish line. The trophy. The angel that every devil sought after.

You were kind to almost everybody but you were also fearless when you need to be. You helped everyone that you could and that included Eren. He got into another fight? You'd patch him up. He's lashing out on someone again? You'd calm him down. Everytime he needed someone, you were there.

So who could possibly blame him for falling for you? For wanting you?

At first, it was just an innocent crush he had on you. But days passed and he found himself growing more agitated. You were just too good, too pure. Eren knew that deep down, he had to have you. He's lost so much in his life, he can't lose you too.

So when the time came that he confessed, imagine his surprised and embarrassment when you told him you were with someone else. Of course, Eren being Eren, he'd pretend it's nothing and carry on with his day.

You thought none of it of course and kept treating Eren as how you saw him as; a friend.

Eren isn't the most patient man in the world, and neither is he the most calm one.

So please don't be surprised if you find your s/o brutally murdered.

"Oh, Y/N. I'm so sorry about your partner. I heard what happened. Such a shame, really."

"It's okay, Eren... I just— I just don't understand. Who would do something like this?"

"I don't know. But whoever it was, the person may not have liked your partner at all. In fact, that person might have hated them."

Your partner's death saddened you immensely but you were thankful that Eren was with you as you grieved. However, the more you spent time with Eren, the more concerned your friends got. They had bad vibes with him.

And Eren felt they don't particularly like him.

So the next time you see a news about an unknown killer going around?

Ignore it.

Your friends falling as victims of the said killer? Ignore it.

After all, Eren did it for you. So you could be together.

Forever.

Armin the Manipulative

There's no denying that Armin is smart. Way too fucking smart.

He would top in his classes and everyone came to him whenever they needed help with their homework.

But what exactly did Armin like about you? Simple. It's your sincerity.

Sure, he has friends and sure, his classmates would thank him whenever he helped them but with you, Armin could really feel like you learned something from him. It wasn't like the usual where the other would get the answers to their questions but obtained nothing from his explanation.

With you, you really applied what he taught you.

And Armin felt... appreciated. Like he wasn't being used to people's advantages.

So ever since then, Armin would willingly help you. Even offering to tutor you privately, free of charge! And each time you two spent time together, Armin's feelings for you grew stronger. The stronger they got, the more he got slightly too infatuated with you.

Weekly tutors turned into everyday tutors to the point where Armin would even tutor you during the weekend!

But who were you to say no? You were so thankful. If it weren't for Armin, you might have backloaded a subject or worse, repeated a grade!

You barely had time for your friends anymore but Armin assured you that it's better this way. That it's better if you prioritized your study sessions with him because your friends would just distract you.

And hey, come to think of it. Weren't they the reason you slept so late the last few weeks and almost made you miss an exam?

However, as busy as you are, you somehow found yourself in a situation where you got into a date with someone. An upperclassmen one of your friends introduced you to back then.

And when Armin found out, he was livid. But he loves you so much that he couldn't possibly bear to hurt you, no. Instead, he saved you from the inevitable torment.

"Y/N, you did this portion wrong, do it again." "Y/N! Didn't I tell you to replace this number with this? Do it again." "We're not stopping until you get it right."

Sure, Armin can be strict, but it's for your own good.

"Y/N, I apologize if I was harsh today. I just want to see you do good. And I'm so proud of you. I really believe you'll ace this test this week."

"I-It's okay, Armin. And thank you for helping me again. I promise I'll—"

"Say, Y/N, you should really stop seeing that person. I heard you were going out on a date with (Your crush's name). I suggest you don't. I heard they're going out with a friend of yours. (You friend's name) is their name, I think?"

"W-What? Where did you heard that?"

"Everyone's been talking about it. Plus, I think the reason you're doing pretty bad today is because of them. So please, Y/N, we worked really hard for you to get such good scores. Wouldn't you wanna make your senpai proud?"

You're so thankful for Armin. And you really don't want to disappoint him after all of what he's done for you.

So what better way to repay him than be obedient?

Jean the Stalker

It's not rocket science that Jean is a handsome young man.

But when he saw you? Oh, boy. He felt as if everything in the world felt right. You were just so fucking beautiful. The first time he saw you, he just couldn't look away. It felt as if his breath got knocked out of him.

He was sure you were a God/Goddess walking on Earth. Never had he seen someone so ethereal.

But the thing is, you were just so out of his league. While everyone kept talking to you, made friends with you, flirted with you, Jean stood from afar and watched you from the distance.

Sure, he follows your social media accounts. But he couldn't help but make dummy accounts and followed your accounts as well. He didn't want to take the risk of accidentally liking a picture of yours from years back with his personal account.

He didn't want you to think of him as a weird stalker or something because Jean is definitely not a stalker, no. Just no chance of him being that.

What Jean didn't know, is that you never noticed him at all. It's not your fault though, he was usually quiet and blended in the background. If you ever did see him around, you'd forget about him soon after. A shame, really.

But don't let Jean know that.

What started as him following your social media accounts turned into him just simply following you around.

He took note of you always stopping by at this convenient store right after class to buy your favorite drink and favorite sandwich almost everyday before you go home.

It happened so frequently, him walking with his hoodie on, head hung low as he walked a few steps behind you and somehow watching you buy the exact same thing everyday.

But everytime, Jean would only stop by at the convenient store. Once you were done, he would walk home. He didn't want to follow you home. Well, it's not that he didn't want to, it's just that he doesn't have the courage yet.

However, curiosity got the best of him and at night, when you were going home late, he followed you on your way home and you swore you could feel as if someone was follow you.

"Who's there?" Nothing.

When Jean successfully followed you home, it was like something inside him flicked open. And every night, he would stop by outside your home for an hour or so and every night he would see your silhouette as you took off your clothes and changed into comfier ones, and Jean had thoughts where he'd imagine just how you looked underneath them.

With each passing day, you felt as if you were continuously being watched. Being followed.

Maybe next time, you should really learn how to close your window.

Say, do you remember where your favorite underwear went?

Erwin the Blackmailer

You could never really ask for a better boyfriend. Erwin has it all.

At least, that's what you thought in the first few years of your relationship.

Erwin was everything you wanted and more. And he loved you so much... way too much.

And truthfully, you loved Erwin too. But there's no denying he's gotten so unbearable.

Back then, you would have done everything for Erwin. But every bit of love that you had for this man was now replaced with fear.

When Erwin began to openly express his obsession with you and his primary goal of making you all to himself, you had run away from him, far too scared of the lengths he'd go through just to satisfy this... obsession of his.

You noticed it little by little. But never had you thought it would come to this.

It started small at first. He would stop you from spending time with your friends little by little until you could no longer see them.

He would say something about them being bad influences. Going as far as to make up convincing lies that you, stupidly fell for.

After that, he stopped you from seeing your own family. Cut ties with those who are important to you. Deprived you your freedom. For he thought that you, going outside meant that you would meet someone else other than him.

And the thought of someone even merely looking at you made his blood boil.

But everytime you ran away from him, he would find you. Doesn't matter if you hid from him for weeks, months. He would end up finding you each and everytime.

At first, Erwin liked the cat and mouse game that you played. He thought it was thrilling. But then he slowly realized you were gaining this new profound strength. As if you thought that he wouldn't do anything except to find you and drag you back with him.

"I'm not going with you anymore, Erwin! I'm sick of this shit. You're all bark but no bite. Well, guess what? I'm done. And I'm not coming back!"

"Bark but no bite, eh? I wish you hadn't said that, Y/N. Say, your best friend doesn't live too far from here. You wouldn't mind if I pay them a visit, right? I'm sure they're worried about you, doll."

Ever since then, Erwin would blackmail you by threatening to hurt your loved ones if you didn't do as you were told.

This made your fear for him to go back and one time where you did disobey him despite his threats, you received a news where your bestfriend was found badly beaten in a dark alley and the perpetrator was nowhere to be found. Your bestfriend almost died if the suspect hadn't stopped.

And deep down, you knew this was Erwin's doing. It served as a warning that he wasn't afraid to kill for you so long as you stayed with him.

"I'm doing this for us, doll. Why can't you see how much I love you?"

"They don't deserve you, Y/N. They aren't willing to go for miles for you. But me, I would do anything to keep you by my side. Isn't that what you wanted? You said you didn't want to lose me, right?"

Erwin loved you so much. He wouldn't want to risk losing you ever again.

Maybe he should try going after your family this time the next time you try and run away from him.

Levi the Possessive

Levi had lost more people than he could count. So the moment he saw you?

He didn't want to let go.

What's scary about Levi is that you don't know what he's thinking of. He would never let you know what it is that runs through his mind.

He knows, however, that you're just like him. You lost your family and you barely had any friends. And you worked as a waiter/waitresss at this local diner to earn money for your tuition fee.

Levi understands. He's been through that struggle and he could see it on your face. He took note of everything you did. And he made a habit of coming in for tea even though the tea in the diner tasted like shit. But if you made it, he would make sure to leave an extra tip.

Levi made sure that it was you who would serve him everytime. If it were someone else, he would request for you immediately.

You never really noticed Levi, in all honesty. It wasn't his fault. It's not that he's not attractive. It's just that you were too far in your head to even look or strike a conversation with him.

You were quiet and obedient and somehow Levi liked that about you. It just means you would put up a less of a fight. Means it would be easier to convince you. Means that you would always say yes.

Though Levi hoped that underneath that submissive nature to you, you would somehow have a backbone there. Being too compliant would bore him to death.

And he witnessed that when you suddenly snapped at a customer for being perverted. You were almost fired on the spot if it weren't for the fact that Levi testified for you.

That was the first time you truly noticed him.

Ever since then, you made sure that you would be the one to serve Levi everytime he came by. And you made his tea extra special, which he appreciated. It was the least you could do after he helped you out the other day.

Days passed and Levi had successfully scored a date with you. The first time he saw your apartment, he was really glad to see it clean and organized despite its dinginess and small size. It was all you could afford.

Levi suggested a stay-in date at your place, just so he could see if you were fit to live with him. Once he saw how great of a cook you are, how tidy you are and everything, he knew it was time to eventually convince you.

Sex with Levi meant that he would top you. All of the fucking time. And everytime it happened, he would always mutter the same thing to you:

"You're mine. All fucking mine."

Of course, you treated it as simple dirty talk. Men say that all the time, right?

Eventually, Levi brought up the idea of you living with him. At first, you declined. You couldn't possibly do that. But Levi having a silver-tongue meant he eventually convinced you.

Living with Levi was a walk in a park. You'd help him clean and would tell him that you would help out with the bills but you were surprised when he told you that you didn't have to worry about that.

"Just sit down and look pretty for me, brat. That's all you need to do. You don't have to worry about the money."

You didn't like that Levi didn't want you to help with the bills but you couldn't possibly retort something back. He let you live in a nice home with a nice bathroom. Who were you to have a say in things?

Days passed, and Levi somehow brought up the topic of you quitting your job.

"What? But I like—"

"Like being a waiter/waitress? Come on, Y/N. Your colleagues are absolute assholes and don't get me started on your manager. I see how he looks at you."

"I'm sure that's not true, Levi..."

"Are you doubting me?"

"W-What? N-No, I—"

"That's a good girl. You know I'd hate it if those dingy dickwads were to look at what's mine, right?"

You quit your job.

Levi knew you'd be bored inside the house so in return, he let you sign up in one of those online courses to keep you busy.

It was all coming into plan. Finally, he got the partner for life he always dreamed of. The one that would cook him dinner everytime he came home from work. Would pleasure him in bed when he's stressed. Would clean without him having to ask you.

You were so perfect.

People hadn't heard from you for months. But Levi convinced you that there's no need if people heard from you or not. Eventually, they would forget about you. You had no family, you had no friends, all you had was Levi.

And if you found out that Levi would lock you inside the house everytime he left for work, you would choose to stay silent.

And if he were to ask you to wear a chain around your ankle, who were you to say No?

After all, Levi gave you everything.

Levi was your everything.

And you were everything to Levi.

How could he ever share something so precious to the world?

[pirate-au]

A Pirate's Life for a Prince (Part 5)

Summary: Roman was a dashing Captain, content with his exciting life out at sea, diving head first into adventure both on and off land. He wouldn't give up his life for anything, and yet he found himself...lacking something. He was never sure what.

When he meets Virgil, a seemingly common traveler in an old tavern, that lacking feeling in his chest goes away for the first time in a long while. So surely there's no harm in offering the stranger and his friend a ride, right?

Notes: TW for Remus being Remus, threats of violence

thank you again to @cheshirevalentine for editing! Check out their spinoff @actorau it's going to be so cool

part 1 part 2 part 3 part 4 part 6

The throne room was quiet, the guards stationed around the golden walls silent and motionless, the air just as heavy as it had been since news of the missing Prince had made it to the King.

Janus’s eyes were on the blue skies outside glass stained windows, the guards around him staring straight ahead, backs straight, unmoving for hours.

He leaned against the back of the throne with a sigh. The golden throne was grand and elegant, but also old and uncomfortable. It was honestly more for show than for furniture, and his back always protested the hours upon hours he spent in the throne room. He was always staring at the door, waiting for the same boring pointless people to come in with their same boring pointless demands.

It had been a bit more frantic since Virgil had disappeared along with his advisor, but with over a week of no new leads, no way to track down the missing Prince, things had settled back into routine, just coupled with a rising sense of uncertainty and dread.

Janus could barely even remember the last time he’d had a proper conversation with Virgil. They saw each other in meetings, Virgil quiet and nervous, out of place in a room full of adult royals, but that was about it.

He’d stopped by to congratulate the young Prince on achieving adulthood on his 18th birthday, as well as to praise Patton for his success, but that had been almost a year ago now, and they’d barely said a word to each other since.

Janus had never bothered to get to know the boy- too many bad memories, too much responsibility on top of the crown that had been thrust upon him after the death of the Queen.

He’d been given the throne to the kingdom he was never meant to rule, expected to ignore his own grief and confusion in favor of piecing things back together. He couldn’t raise a child on top of that.

Virgil had his mother’s mismatched eyes. Janus still couldn’t bring himself to look at the Prince without a simple glance being accompanied by waves of unwanted memories.

Patton had raised him well in place of any real family, and Janus had paid him enough to support the young advisor for decades.

And now both Virgil and Patton were gone, vanished without a trace in the middle of the night, and Janus didn’t know what to do.

Virgil was the only heir, set to be King in less than a year’s time now. The boy was a wreck. Anxious, timid, unprepared, and unsociable. So Janus had managed to push back the crowning until he was twenty, rather than eighteen like originally planned.

Patton had done his best, but he and Janus both knew that boy wasn’t fit to be King. Not yet, at least. Probably not for a long while.

But there was nothing Janus could do about that. He was never meant to be King, he was simply a placeholder until the late Queen’s son came of age.

He'd been able to keep Virgil from being crowned as an unprepared teenager like Janus had been, but he couldn't keep the crown off his head forever.

But now the late Queen’s son was gone, and Janus was still on the throne, his back still protesting the long, uneventful hours.

He’d been King for nearly a decade. He’d built his kingdom, built a reputation, placed his spies, made sure he had eyes and ears on every corner. The people knew him, respected him (more out of fear than anything, he suspected). The King was always the first to hear anything.

And yet there hadn’t been a word about the missing Prince. Nobody was sure when he left, if he was still in the city, if he’d left on a ship or was just hiding right under their noses. Nobody knew if he’d left willingly or if someone had stolen him.

It had been over a week, and still nothing.

Janus was pulled from his thoughts when the double doors at the end of the hall swung open without any warning or announcement, loud heels clicking against the floor, the guards startling to attention.

“Hell of a place you got here,” the intruder called, weaving around the two guards stationed at the door, expertly avoiding their grasps. “Did you decorate in puke yellow on purpose?”

Janus leaned forward, watching with his one good eye as the man pushed his way into the throne room, grinning as he surveyed the area, avoiding the apparently incompetent guards.

Janus raised a hand, stopping the rest of his men from rushing forward, weapons raised. The day had been never ending and dull, he might as well see how this played out.

Janus kept his eye on the intruder, eyebrow raised. “And who might you be?”

“That’s not important right now,” the man said, finally spinning around to face the throne. “What is important is… holy shit. What happened to your face? It looks like it was on fire and someone tried to put it out with a fork! Like, in a good way. It works.”

He sounded almost awestruck, staring shamelessly at the marred side of Janus’s face, and for the first time in years the King felt uneasy up on his throne, tensing under the gaze.

Nobody looked at his scar. It was common courtesy to pretend it wasn’t there, an unspoken agreement among the people.

“Tell me who you are and what you want before I have you arrested.”

The man gave a dramatic, woeful sigh, crossing his arms over his chest. “You have a kid, yeah? Short, big mop of black hair, crown prince and heir to the throne of Naither?”

That piqued Janus’s interest much more than the bizarre show the nameless man seemed intent on putting on. “My nephew is the heir, and the city is aware there is a reward for his return. If you have information you should have scheduled an appointment.”

“Appointments aren’t really my thing,” he said, looking up with a bright, crooked grin, one hand moving up to brush over his mustache. “The point is, I know where your kid is.”

“Wonderful,” Janus said. “Where?”

The man merely shrugged. “That depends. How much are you paying?”

He kept his voice disinterested and bored, picking at chipped, painted nails. Well, two could play that game.

Janus leaned back in the throne and examined his gloves, black and gold rings glittering in what little sunlight managed to filter in. He saw the man’s gaze fall on the jewels, his eyes brightening hungrily. “I’m sure we could get you a handsome reward for helping to bring the Prince home. If your information is authentic.”

“Well I’m not offering information,” he said, tilting his head to look at Janus. “I’m offering to collect him myself. There are very few people you could trust with the job, you know. You can’t just pick up any rando’ off the streets.”

“I have plenty of people who are more than capable of bringing the heir back home. You’re expecting me to entrust his return to a stranger?”

The man shrugged again. “I won’t share the information with just anyone.”

“You’ll share the information if there’s a knife to your throat.”

The man actually grinned at that, brown eyes brightening dangerously. There was a scar across the left side of his face, that eye a bit glossy, parallel to Janus’s own injury. “Any fool willing to attack the ship he’s on will die. I can guarantee that. Except myself, of course!”

“Is that so?” Janus drawled. “Care to explain why?”

Remus hummed, rocking forward onto the balls of his feet, smug grin only growing. “You’ve not heard of the Calypso? She’s mighty notorious, especially about these parts. And I’d simply not let anyone near her. There’s precious cargo on that ship, you know.”

Janus had heard of the ship, but only vaguely. He tended to ignore rumors of pirates, busying himself with more important things than following those stories. Especially when such stories didn’t often involve the land he was ruling.

Well, he couldn’t exactly ignore the pirates when they were kidnapping the kingdom’s only heir, could he?

“How do I know you’re right about Virgil being aboard?”

“Why, I have written proof from the Captain, of course!” The man bounced a bit on the balls of his feet, leaning forward. “He’s been on board for… nearly two weeks now? They’ll stop in Gladena in about a day's time, and from there be off to Deigh. You can check any record you please, the first mate is absolutely meticulous about it all.”

Janus drummed his fingers along the throne, studying the intruder carefully. He should have this man arrested for daring to barge into the throne room, whether he was telling the truth or not.

He could send someone he trusted after Virgil, but… the Prince and his advisor would be on the lookout for someone they recognized. And despite himself, Janus was achingly curious. "And how long would it take you to get my heir back to me?"

“Well, considering it took the Captain two weeks to get to Gladena,” the man mused, dropping his arms to fold his hands behind his back, swaying slightly. “I could cut them off at Deigh and be back in less than two months.”

It wasn’t… ideal. The kingdom needed it’s Prince back as soon as possible, especially when he was so close to taking the throne. Janus couldn’t keep the fear and uncertainty at bay forever.

But Deigh was a decent way away. Assuming this man would actually do what he said he would, two months was the best they could hope for. It wasn’t a bad offer.

“Very well,” Janus relented with a heavy sigh. “Every day over two months you’re gone, I reduce your pay. I expect Virgil to be returned unharmed.”

“Yeah, yeah. You’re no fun.”

“And I’ll need your name,” Janus said. “I’d like to know who I’m trusting my nephew’s safe return with.”

The man brightened, toothy grin spreading across his face as he put a hand to his chest and bent forward in a mock bow.

“Remus of Lucoria. At your service, your majesty.”

Janus sighed, and some of the guards at the foot of the throne shifted anxiously, no doubt waiting for the order to attack.

As it turned out, there was one pirate Janus couldn’t ignore the rumors about. No one could, with how they seemed to spread with viscosity like no other.

“Ah,” Janus said. He wondered briefly how Remus had managed to dock without word getting to the King, making a mental note to fire his head naval officer. “Wonderful.”

“There we go.” Remus straightened, his grin never faltering. “Now you know who you’re dealing with.”

“And now I trust you to deliver Virgil safely even less.”

“Oh come off it,” Remus said, rolling his eyes. “It’s not like I’m incompetent.”

“You do have a reputation,” Janus pointed out. “And I’d like my nephew back. Not his corpse.”

“I’m ruthless, not stupid. He’ll be alive.”

“He needs to be unharmed.”

“Unharmed is… such a big request these days,” Remus said, turning back to examining his nails. “Should I kiss his booboo if he gets a splinter?”

Janus set his jaw, staring down at Remus from his vantage point up on the throne. He couldn’t remember the last time someone had talked back to him like this, especially in his own throne room. “You should deliver the Crown Prince without injuring him. He’s royalty.”

“Yes, and as am I,” Remus said. “He’s not special.”

“You’re not royalty anymore.”

Remus rolled his eyes once again, turning back to Janus with a smile. “It’s a mindset.”

“Of course it is,” Janus drawled, leaning forward in his throne. “Royalty is power. If I wanted you dead today, your head would be at my feet in seconds.”

Remus laughed then, the sound short and humorless. “I had no problem getting in here, did I? If I wanted you dead today, you would be.”

“Not if you wanted to escape with your life,” Janus said. “But you’re welcome to try.”

“I did say if, sweetheart. I’m not here for that today.”

“Good,” Janus said, keeping his voice cold and sharp. “I still need the Prince back in one piece.”

“Yeah yeah,” Remus agreed, waving him off. “I heard you.”

“Completely unharmed, Remus.”

“Yes,” Remus growled. “I heard you. I’ll kiss all his booboos.”

“Good,” the King said again. “And I trust you’re aware of the reward for Virgil’s return?”

“Oh, I am,” Remus said. “And it’s not enough. I want 3,000. To start.”

Janus scoffed, raising an eyebrow. “To start, huh?”

“I’ve got to be compensated for my time, don’t I?”

“Sure,” Janus agreed. “But I’ll remind you I do have an army at my disposal. I don’t need you for one job. You’ve given me all the information I need to send my own men.”

“The Calypso’s Captain won’t let him go so easily,” Remus said. “And much less to anyone but me. So either I go get him, or he makes it to Deigh and is never heard from again. Your choice.” He said with another infuriating shrug.

There were countless eyes on Janus, the guards watching and waiting, ready to move at the King’s word. Remus was smiling, smug and knowing, and Janus took a steadying, resigned breath.

“Fine,” Janus relented. “I’ll give you 1,500 before you depart, and 1,500 when you return with Virgil.”

“Plus the pre-existing reward.”

The King sighed. He’d pay just about anything to get Remus out of his castle. “Fine. 3,000 on top of the reward.”

Remus smiled again, giving one more fake, flashy bow before sending the King a wink Janus would have anyone else killed for.

He started towards the double doors before pausing and turning back to the King. “How ‘bout a kiss, too?”

“Get out of my throne room.”

Remus cackled, striding past the bewildered guards and pushing past the double doors, the clicking of his heels echoing against the walls. He disappeared and the doors closed behind him, leaving Janus perched on his throne in silence like nothing had even happened.

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