#and now I still have 2 hours before work!

[dickgraysonisnothereforthis]

Everybody’s on the Call Line (Jason todd x gn!reader)

Humor, fluff, established relationship. whole batfam gets involved. Reader is a hacker

This happened because I read the latest coffee shop au from @jjenthusee (and you should too!) and I remembered that I can also write cute fluff. So here this fic is, straight from my drafts where it’s been languishing for months. Anyway.

Swearing, as always. No use of y/n. I don’t know how long this is

———

Jason eases himself carefully onto the fire escape, metal creaking beneath his boots. He stifles a groan. He’s taking a risk sneaking into your apartment like this, he knows he is. If you wake up and see Red Hood snooping around outside your window, you’ll probably call the cops. But he’s tired as all hell, patrol was long and stupid, and your apartment was closer. Jason will just slide in while you’re sleeping, stow his gear where you won’t find it, and collapse into your bed. In the morning, he’ll just say he let himself in with the spare key you gave him. Easy. All he has to do is disable the window alarm he’d gotten for you, and then he’s home free.

The alarm trips, and Jason moves to silence it but then realized it doesn’t matter, you’re still up, working at your computer.

He freezes as you glance over your shoulder, then turn around to face him. He still has his gear on. Shit.

“Uh, hi,” you offer, looking at him with a curious glance as he races to figure out an excuse. “I don’t think we’ve met before?”

This throws him for a loop. You’re reacting very well to a vigilante crawling through your window at 2:30 in the fucking morning. But you’ve given him an opening, and he’s going to take it.

“No,” he says shortly, wincing behind the helmet. He’s never spoken to you like this and instantly hates the tone he’s using, but he’s got a persona to keep up. Or something.

You nod, seemingly unfazed. “No worries. Do you work with Red Robin?”

What? Why are you asking about Tim? Do you have some secret Red Robin crush that he’s going to have to push Tim off a building for?

Dumbfounded, Jason answers, “Uh, sometimes?”

You nod again. “Do you think you could give something to him for me?”

What the shit is happening right now?

As if to help tip Jason’s world off its axis, you’re interrupted by a tap at the window. Jason looks to see Red Robin crouched on your fire escape. You wave him inside.

“Hey, Escher,” Tim says. “Hood.” Jason has no idea what the fuck is going on.

“I’ve got the script,” you say, holding out a flash drive to him, but Tim shakes his head. “No good. They updated the security.”

“Well, shit.” You turn and dump the USB stick into a glass of water on your desk. “It’s a paperweight now. Only took me five hours to figure out.”

“I know,” Tim says, clearly frustrated. “They keep outmaneuvering us.”

Wait, wait. Jason’s still three steps behind you. “Escher?” he demands.

Both you and Tim turn to look at him, frowning. “Like, M.C. Escher? But, spelled ‘emcee,’” you say, as if that explains anything. “It’s my screen name.”

“You two know each other?”

“Yeah, we work together.” Tim raises an eyebrow. “You didn’t know that?”

Jason shakes his head, and Tim looks at you for a flash of a moment before turning back to Jason. “Sorry,” he mouths, shrugging. Jason waves him off. He’ll deal with that later.

Tim turns back to your computer screen, but your eyes stay on Jason, narrowing. “What does it matter if we work together? Do I know you from somewhere?”

Shit. You were always too sharp for your own good. Jason’s tongue is glued to the roof of his mouth. “Uhh…”

You fold your arms over your chest. Behind you, out of your field of vision, Tim grins at Jason, delighted. Asshole.

“We don’t normally work with civilians,” Jason says, fishing for an excuse.

You sniff, rolling your eyes. “And yet, here you are. Which, the way, you haven’t explained. What are you doing in my bedroom?”

Fair. What is he doing in your bedroom? Would it freak you out if he said he was a burglar? Too late for that now.

“I told him to meet me here,” Tim says, pulling Jason’s ass out of the fire. “Sorry I didn’t tell you first.”

You shrug. “S’okay,” you say, spinning back around in your desk chair to face the screen.

Over your shoulder, Tim mouths, “you owe me.” Jason gives him the finger.

“Do you have a safe copy of the new security system?” you ask, looking at Tim intently.

He shakes his head. “Not yet, Oracle is working on duplicating it.”

You slump down in your chair. “Drat. I hate waiting.”

“Yeah,” Tim sits on the floor next to your bed, knees to his chest. “She said it’d be ready in a few hours.”

“Balls.” You fidget with a pen on your desk.

“Hold on. How did you start working with Red over here?” Jason asks. He knows you work in tech, that you’re a programmer, but he didn’t realize you were building code for fucking Batman.

Tim laughs. “I found them solving random problems on a Swedish forum.”

Jason blinks. Okay.

“Well, yeah. You found me there. Oracle found me hacking your comm links,” you grin, pleased with yourself.

Holy shit. “You got into the comm links?”

“Yeah,” you nod, satisfied. “I’ve done it twice now,” you add smugly.

“Don’t tell B,” Tim warns. “He doesn’t know. Oracle said she wouldn’t tell.”

Wow. You must be the real deal. He wonders if he can get you to fuck with Bruce’s plans, just to be a shit. "How long have you been working for the Caped Crusader, then?"

"I don't work for Batman," you say primly, as Tim sighs. "I help him out when you guys can't get your shit together."

Jason snickers under his breath. "Sore subject, huh?"

"They don’t like B," Tim confirms from the floor. "If you did it would make everything easier," he grumbles.

"It's stupid," you insist. "Come on, how is this a viable solution to any long-term problem?"

Jason laughs outright as Tim sputters. "He's a detective! He detects!"

"Then why does he have to dress up like that?" you point out. “You can be a detective in normal clothes, you know.”

"He needs armor, he keeps getting shot at!"

"Explain the cape, then," you shoot back. "Justify that monstrosity."

"It's fucking idiotic," Jason adds, piling on gleefully. "It'd be different if he could fly, but he just hops around."

Tim gasps, affronted, while you crack up in your chair. "Thank you. I mean, look at yourself, Red. You're sitting on my bedroom floor in a goddamn cape."

"It looks cool," Tim says defensively.

"No," you counter, "that looks cool." You point your finger in Jason's direction, and he feels his face heat up.

"Oh, come on," Tim scoffs. "You think his costume is cool?"

"Uh, yeah," you say, eyes taking Jason in as you nod. "Very cool. Very hot."

"Oh my god," Tim mutters. "It's tactically stupid. Why are his forearms exposed?"

"So I can see how muscley they are." You stare at them, eyes wide. Jason coughs awkwardly, and your eyes flit back up. "Sorry," you say, not sounding sorry at all. "I like leather."

"Of course you like his costume," Tim mutters under his breath.

"What's that supposed to mean?" you shoot at him, and Tim flusters. "Why do you care if I don't like your costume?"

"Yeah," Jason adds, letting some menace fall into his voice. "Why do you care if they don’t like your costume?"

"I didn't—I wasn't trying to—"

"I have a boyfriend," you interrupt, looking at Tim scornfully.

"They have a boyfriend," Jason parrots, grinning behind the helmet.

"Oh my god. I know you have a boyfriend. Relax," Tim pacifies you. "Relax," he adds, nodding at Jason. Jason grunts.

Before you can argue further, there’s another tap at your window, and Cass slips softly into the room. You light up. “Hello, my love!” you greet her excitedly. Cass raps you on the top of your head, and you beam up at her. Your hands twitch toward her before you stop yourself, folding them in your lap. Cass turns to Jason, placing her hand carefully on his arm. He bumps against her, waiting until she pushes back lightly. She then moves onto Tim, tugging gently on a lock of his hair, before depositing a flash drive on the desk. You snatch it up eagerly.

From Oracle, Cass signs.

“It’s O’s duplicate!” Tim plucks it from your fingers, driving it into your desktop.

“Be nice to her,” you warn, running a hand over your computer as the file loads. Strings of code write themselves across your screen. Jason moves forward to get a better look at you. He can’t help it, he wants to see you in action. Your face is scrunched up, tongue between your teeth as your eyes flash back and forth, following the cursor. “It’s incomplete.” You squint at Tim. “What gives?”

Tim tsks. “I don’t know. Let me get Oracle.” He puts a hand to his ear. “Oracle, come in.”

Barbara’s voice answers in Jason’s ear. “Here. I know, I know, it’s not all there,” she says, annoyed. “Let Escher know that I had to reverse engineer it from what we found.”

“She says she has to reverse engineer it,” Tim repeats.

You drum your fingers on the desk. “Okay, what else does she know?”

“What else do you—”

“Hold on, this is stupid,” you interrupt. “Can you, like, put her on speaker? Actually,” you click over to another screen, enter a command. “You’re broadcasting live, O.” Jason hears Barbara’s sigh through the speakers of your computer. “That’s three times,” you add smugly.

Jason let’s out a low whistle. Damn. You’re really good at this.

“We've got to stop meeting like this, Escher.” Barbara almost sounds amused. “How did you get in this time?”

“Hiya, babe.” You click back to your project. “That’s for me to know and you to never find out. I don’t want you closing your back door.”

Barbara chuckles. “Red and I will shut you out.”

“But for how long? I’m too slippery, baby.” Jason almost blushes underneath his helmet. It always trips him up when you talk like this.

“I had to reverse engineer the code from what it spit out when I tried to get in this time,” Barbara explains. “Can you fill in the gaps?”

“Some of them.” You type quickly, deleting code as you get error messages and retyping just as fast.

“Wait, here…” Tim points to something on the screen.

“Yeah, okay,” you back up to where he’s pointing and add something.

“There’s something about the updated security,” Barbara adds. “I think there’s a pattern somewhere.”

“Where?” you demand.

“I don’t know. Gut feeling. But I think I’m right.”

“Do you think there’s something generating new code?” Tim asks. “Like, a program that’s spitting out new security?”

“Oh.” Your fingers still on the keys, face relaxing. “Yeah. Good call, Red.” You scan the code again, scrolling back to the top. “Okay. This changes things.” You start from the beginning, erasing whole sections of Barbara’s work and typing out new code. “Well, shit,” you laugh under your breath. “This is some sexy-ass code we’re looking at.”

“You can fill in the blanks?” Jason asks.

You glance up at him. “Of course I can. I wrote it.”

“What?” Tim shouts. “This is you?”

“It’s me,” you confirm. “Guilty.” A small smile plays around your lips. “Sorry.” Cass steps forward, pinching your ear until you yelp.

“Fuck, Escher.” Tim rubs the bridge of his nose. “I didn’t know you were a traitor.”

“Chill, bird brain,” you say defensively, leaning out of Cass’ reach. “This was from, like, five years ago. I needed some cash.”

“You could be on B’s payroll,” Tim offers.

You snort as Barbara huffs a laugh over the comm line. “Fat chance, I’ve been trying to convince them for months.”

“I’m not a fucking lapdog. I play by my own rules,” you insist.

“Yeah?” Jason can’t help but push you. “And what rules are those?”

You cock an eye at him warily. “The rule of not tying my kite to some lunatic.”

Jason nods. Can’t argue with that one.

“Anyway,” you turn back to the computer. “Because I wrote it, I can build you the malware.”

“To get past the security or to neutralize the program spitting out new code?” Barbara asks over the line.

“Dealer’s choice,” you say, then stick your tongue between your teeth as you squint at the screen. “I can make both happen.”

The comm crackles in Jason’s ear. “Oracle, come in,” Bruce barks.

Tim whips his head toward you with a crack. “Nothing from you now, Escher,” Barbara warns. “I’m patching him through.”

You grin, eagerly pretending to zip your lips.

“Here,” Barbara answers.

“I heard from one of my informants,” Bruce’s monotone growl fills the room. Jason catches you roll your eyes and almost bursts out laughing. “They’re going to get into the controls for Blackgate prison.”

“This is Black Mask?” Barbara clarifies.

Bruce grunts as your eyebrows shoot up. “This is Black Mask?” you whisper, except you’ve never been very good at whispering. Tim slices a hand over his neck to silence you as Jason moves to your computer. He’s been eyeing the program you’re using to broadcast the comm connection, and he thinks he’s found the mute button. He taps a key and then turns his head toward you. “Off?”

You nod. “Off. Thanks. This is Black Mask’s security?”

“Yeah, he’s making a move against the jail. He’s going to get some of his guys out,” Tim explains.

“Hmm. Hmm hmm hmm.” You tap your fingers against your chin.

“What?” Tim folds his arms over his chest.

“I originally sold it to the Falcones.” You flick your hair out of your face. “Guess they sold me out behind my back.”

A security program that’s making its way through the mob? That’s…really useful, actually.

“Can you get in and stop them?” Bruce asks.

“Maybe,” Oracle hedges. “Hold on, I have to call in reinforcements.” She mutes Bruce’s line. “Escher, you’re up.”

“Wait, you want it now?” you say, aghast. “Christ, how long do I have?”

“Act quickly.” Bruce orders. “My intel says they’re moving at 3:45am.”

Your eyes fly to the clock on your monitor. “What the fuck!” you screech. “That’s in forty minutes! I can’t do it in forty minutes! I have to break through my own walls!”

“Escher,” Barbara starts, just as Tim says “listen, you have to—”

“I can’t, it’s not enough time!” you wail.

“Hey, hey,” Jason cuts in. “Easy. Don’t worry, love. You can do it.”

You look at him fearfully. “You haven’t even told me what to do!”

“Just get past the security,” Jason says patiently. “Don’t worry about shutting down the whole program.”

You nod at him, eyes wide.

“Deep breaths, now,” he instructs. “Come on, in for two, hold, out for four. We’ll do it together. Ready?”

You nod again.

“Okay.” Jason sucks in a breath, loudly so it’ll register over the modulator. You copy him, inhaling, holding, and exhaling on his rhythm. After a few breaths you shake your head, turning back to the computer.

“Alright. I can make it happen.” You resume typing, eyes narrowed as you focus.

“We’re alright, B, I’ve got someone on it,” Oracle says, satisfied.

Tim turns to Jason, clearly impressed. Jason shrugs. You’ve been together for a while now, he knows how to pull you out of a spiral.

He turns back to you. You’re ripping through code at a hundred miles an hour, hunched over the keyboard. Jason grimaces, he’s always trying to get you to sit up straight to help your tech neck. He’ll have to rub out the knots in your shoulders later.

Jason feels Cass’ eyes on him, and he tilts his head toward her. Less than forty minutes, she signs to him. I’ll have to take it back to the Clocktower.

Jason’s thought of that. He evenly points his chin in your direction. You can handle it, he knows you can. Cass nods.

Tim coughs quietly, and Jason raises his head to look at him. “You want the keys to the castle?” he mutters.

He means code you built that generates new security programs. Jason nods. “But that’s just between us, yeah?” It would be loads easier for Jason if he keeps the code out of Bruce’s hands. Black Mask has been operating in Jason’s territory, and Jason has a long string of investigations against him, well-beyond the scope of this Blackgate shit. Bruce needs to keep his nose out of it.

Tim scoffs. “Fine. Seems like you should get first dibs anyway.” He nods towards your desk where you’re still working stubbornly.

The room is silent, all three of them letting you work. After a few minutes, Tim steps toward you. “Here, you need any hel—”

Jason throws an arm out to stop him, just as Cass grabs his wrist and tugs him backwards, shaking her head. He holds up his hands in surrender.

Fifteen minutes later, you rap your knuckles on your desk. “Oi, peanut gallery!” You spin around in your chair, smiling wickedly. “I solved your case for you!”

“It’s not a case,” Tim mutters, and Jason scoffs.

“Don’t be jealous, RR,” Babs says over the line. “You can both be the prettiest.” Tim splutters as you laugh delightedly.

“Nice job,” Jason says, placing a hand on your shoulder. You grin up at him. He catches Cass and Tim share a look, sees her sign something too fast for his eyes to follow.

“Batgirl’s bringing it to you now, Oracle,” Tim says as you unplug the flash drive and hand it to Cass. You wave to her as she slips through the window.

“My backup came through,” Babs reports to Bruce. “They’ll be obsolete in a few minutes.”

“Copy.” The line fizzles as Babs cuts him off.

“Fuck yeah,” you grin in satisfaction. “Nothing like hearing that overgrown Bat say ‘copy.’”

Jason cackles as Tim rolls his eyes. “Oracle,” he says loudly. “Hood was in the dark about our friend here.” His eyes flick to you before he looks at Jason meaningfully.

And just what the fuck does he think he’s doing? Jason all but snarls at him.

“Huh. I could’ve sworn you were smarter than that, Hood,” Barbara admonishes.

“Shut up, O,” he grumbles. Jason glances at you to make sure you haven’t caught on to what they’re talking about, but you don’t seem to be paying attention; you’ve pulled up Steam and are scrolling through your game library.

“Maybe it’s time to clue them in. Take off your party hat,” Barbara says meaningfully. Tim nods forcefully.

“Butt out,” Jason says half-heartedly, but it doesn’t stick. He’s been thinking about telling you about Red Hood anyway; you’ve been together for a year and a half. He’s been…well, he’s scared. But maybe he shouldn’t be.

“We’d have to vote on it,” he says gruffly. Tim pumps his fist in the air. “In person,” he says meaningfully. Comm links aren’t safe, apparently.

“You have my vote,” Babs says confidently. “And Batgirl’s, too, she’s here.” Barbara pauses meaningfully. “I’m happy for you, Hood.”

“Me too!” Tim pipes up immediately.

“Yeah, yeah,” Jason waves them off, like his heart isn’t pounding. “Can you call everyone over?”

“Roger that.” Barbara seems pleased. “Hood is asking us all to meet near him,” she broadcasts aloud. “Sending you coordinates.”

Dick, Steph, Bruce, and Damian all copy. Jason steels himself. “Alright, RR, time to go.”

You glance at him as he moves toward the window. “Heading out?”

“Yeah,” Tim answers. “Got a big family meeting to get to.” He grins at Jason.

“Okay. See you around. Nice meeting you,” you say to Jason, before turning back to your screen.

“Uh, yeah,” he says uncomfortably, while Tim snickers. “See you later.”

The troops have already assembled two rooftops over. “Hood, what’s the situation?” Bruce asks sternly.

“The situation,” Tim starts happily, “is—”

“Hold on,” Jason cuts him off. “Disconnect comm links.” He watches warily as everyone takes them out of their ears.

“Compromised?” Dick asks with concern.

“Uh, yeah.” Jason scratches the back of his neck. “Listen, uh…” he looks at Tim helplessly.

“Jason’s dating Escher.”

“What!” Dick screams as Steph claps her hands together excitedly. “Why didn’t you tell me you were dating anyone?”

“Uh—”

“Fuck, yeah!” Steph interrupts. “This is great! Escher’s the freaking best!”

“Language,” Bruce says as Jason takes off the helmet to glare at Steph accusingly.

“We play Minecraft together,” she explains. “I didn’t know you two were dating!”

“Wait, hold on. I thought you all knew about that.” Jason shifts his glare to Tim.

Tim shrugs. “Only me and Babs knew,” he says.

“Timmy, why didn’t you share!” Dick groans, bounding over to ruffle Jason’s hair.

Jason pushes him away, trying to swipe his feet out from under him. Dick dodges easily, throwing a light right hook in return. “Wasn’t any of your business, now was it?” Jason says gruffly.

Tim looks at Dick, raising his eyebrows. “Didn’t want to get on his bad side.”

“Fair.” Dick grins softly at Jason, bumping shoulders with him. “Nice job, Little Wing.”

Jason blushes. “Yeah, yeah.”

“Congrats, Todd, but why are we all here?” Damian interrupts.

“I’m gonna tell ‘em,” Jason says simply. “About this. If it’s cool.”

“Fine with me,” Steph says instantly.

Tim nods, “seconded. Babs and Cass say it’s fine with them, we asked before we went dark.”

“Well, who am I to stand in their way,” Dick half-jokes, but he’s looking at Bruce with serious eyes. So is Jason.

“I’ll follow Father’s ruling,” Damian says stoutly.

That leaves the big man himself. Bruce smiles gently. “Of course, Jaylad. We’re all happy for you.”

Jason blushes all over again. “Thanks, old man.” He lets out a breath.

“But we have to ask Duke,” Bruce adds meaningfully.

“I texted him, he says it’s fine,” Tim says quickly. “But also, uh—” he holds his hand to his ear.

Warily, Jason puts his comm back in. “Jason, what the fuck!” you shriek. “What the fucking fuck is this!”

“I forgot to disconnect,” Babs says sheepishly.

“Jason, you ass! Why didn’t you tell me you ran around in a fucking costume?” you shout down the line. Steph and Dick keel over laughing. Jason realizes everyone has taken the liberty of putting their comm back in.

“Baby, please,” he says resignedly.

“Baby?” Dick mouths, beaming.

“Don’t you fucking ‘baby’ me!” you holler.

“Babe, you are a hacker,” he points out. “How come you didn’t share that with the class?”

That makes you pause. “Fair fucking point, I guess,” you mutter. Jason sees Bruce try to tug the comm out of Damian’s ear, but Damian dances out of reach.

“Uh, also, can you cool it with the swearing?” Jason asks. “There’s a kid here.”

“…if it’s Robin I am going to throw up.”

“Hello,” Damian says helpfully.

Your end of the line is silent.

“Hey, Escher, it’s Spoiler!” Steph cuts in. “Nice job shacking up with Hood.” She eyes Jason evilly.

“This is a fucking ambush,” you grind out. “Jason, you fucking ambushed me.”

“Language,” Bruce orders gently. Tim just about busts a gut while Jason waves frantically at Bruce, shaking his head rapidly. “Nice to meet you over the phone,” Bruce adds. Dick gives him a thumbs up.

“…likewise,” you say eventually. “I hope you’ll excuse me, but this has been insane, and I’m disconnecting. Jason, get your as— get back here after you’ve finished your family dinner.” Your end goes dead.

“They seem nice,” Bruce says after a moment. “We’ll have to talk about how they got into the comm links,” he looks at Tim reproachfully.

“See you later, Hood,” Dick says easily, nodding at your building.

Jason turns back to your apartment. He can already see you in the window, arms crossed over your chest. You’re trying to scowl at him, but he can see the smile trying to escape.

He shrugs his shoulders, grinning. You throw up your hands but beckon him anyway. Come on, come back.

Don’t worry, Jason’s coming.

[myth1cs]

Obedience Through Discipline (Myoui Mina x M!Reader)

Smut; An officer not listening to their superior is a clear sign of disobedience. Luckily nothing a bit of discipline can't fix. Word Count: 3,021

The hard part was already over. Now that you've finished the training phase now you could finally start doing some actual work. You were assigned to officer Myoui Mina. She was the best officer at the station though many people felt bad for you which you didn't understand why at first.

It didn't take long for you to figure out why. She was always someone who was very stuck up about following the rules. Every mistake you made was followed by a scolding by Mina on why what you did was wrong. While yes you did believe that this line of work didn't have room for mistakes you still felt like she was being too harsh on you.

Things only got worse when she became a sheriff only after a few months since you were partnered with her. Even though time after time she had clearly expressed her disdain for you she never made an attempt to get you fired. In fact ever since she became sheriff it felt like she was keeping a closer eye on you. And you'd be lying if you said it wasn't making you nervous.

During your break you were sitting in your patrol car alone since your partner Nayeon decided to have her break inside. While you were eating your lunch you heard a knocking on your window. You looked up and saw that it was none other than sheriff Mina.

You rolled down your window and greeted her. "Hello sheriff Mina. Can I help you with anything?"

"You know about the parade happening downtown next week right?"

"Of course, what about it?"

"Well Ryujin got injured in the line of duty yesterday and the doctor said she wouldn't be fit to come into work for the next 2 months. So now I need someone to replace her for patrolling the area around the parade. I'm guessing you can see where I'm going with this."

This was a surprise to you. Why was she asking you anyway? There were officers who have been serving longer in the police force which she respected more that would be available to take over Ryujin's shift.

"With all due respect sheriff I believe others may be more qualified than me. Why not try asking officer Kyujin or-"

"I don't think you understand Y/N. This isn't a request, it's an order. You WILL be the one patrolling the area during next week's parade."

You let out a sigh knowing that there was no debating this with her. Once Mina makes up her mind her decision is final.

"Alright sheriff."

You rolled back up your window and Mina walked back towards the station. "Damn brat, who does he think he is trying to tell me how to do my job? Tsk, it's my fault for letting his disobedience go on for too long. I'll have to do something about that."

Breathing a sigh of relief you were glad that the encounter went rather well. Usually she would scold you for trying to talk back for at least half an hour but this time she didn't. Though you wondered if this truly was a good thing or if there was another reason behind Mina's actions. But you didn't ponder on that idea for too long. It was silly to think otherwise... or so you thought.

The week flew by in a blink of an eye. Before you knew it it was the day before the parade. You had to attend a meeting about where everyone would be stationed at the parade and what protocols to follow. You weren't really paying attention to Mina's speech though. Not like your role was rather complicated. Just simply patrolling the perimeter, if you see anything suspicious you were to report it.

"Y/N! Y/N!"

Mina's yelling took you out of your thoughts.

"Wh- what happened?"

The whole room had gone silent. Everyone simply stared at you without saying a word. Mina walked towards you and you felt your heartbeat fasten. You felt like your heart was going to explode or that you would faint from nervousness at any moment.

"You think you're too smart for this huh?" Mina said with a mocking tone.

"N- no I would never-"

"Meet me at my office."

Mina walked back to the front of the room. The tension was thick in the air. Everyone paid attention to Mina, everyone was too scared to look away from Mina.

The meeting wasn't supposed to go on for too long. But it felt like it went by in just a few seconds while also feeling like it went on for 5 hours. Everyone avoided you as they left the room. You followed Mina to her office, hands sweating, and your heart was beating so loud you thought everyone in the building could hear it.

Mina unlocked her office door and walked in. Your legs didn't want to move forward. Was it fear? But what were you afraid of? Losing your job or was it something else?

"What are you waiting for Y/N?"

"Pardon me."

You walked in. Mina closed the door behind you and locked it which made you more nervous. "Sit down." Mina commanded as she pointed at a chair. You obeyed and sat down.

"You know what you did wrong?"

"I uhm-"

Mina sat down on her desk crossing her legs. She reached down to grab your chin and lifted it up to make you look at her.

"Look into my eyes as you say it."

"I wasn't listening."

"Say it with your full chest Y/N. I can't hear you."

"I wasn't listening!"

"Not listening to your superior are you Y/N? How troublesome indeed, will I have to punish you for this?"

"No sheriff, I'll behave from now on."

"Good to hear Y/N."

Mina's voice suddenly dropped.

"Cause this is your last warning."

Mina got off her table and went to sit down on her chair behind her desk. "Now get out."

Without hesitation you got up from your chair and made your way out of her office. As you left her office you breathed out a sigh of relief.

You went to your car to drive home but you suddenly bumped into your partner, Nayeon, in the parking lot.

"So Y/N were you fired?"

"What kind of question is that?! No I wasn't fired!"

"Relax Y/N I just had to know. So what did Mina talk to you about?"

"She just told me that this was my last warning."

"Well if that's all then I guess that's rather tame then."

"What do you mean?"

"Come on Y/N I don't think I need to spell it out for you. Mina doesn't take things like this very lightly. If it was anyone else I'm sure she would've fired them already. And don't you think that she's been scolding you less recently?"

"Yeah I kinda picked up on it. Maybe this is a sign that she's turning over a new leaf."

"We can only hope so. Still the aura I get from even being in the same room as her is terrifying. I swear she gives off nothing but "Look at me the wrong way and I'll kill you" vibes."

"I swear she's knocked a few years off my life already."

"I feel that, anyways good luck with patrol duty tomorrow."

"Good luck to you to Nayeon."

-

The day of the parade came and you, along with a few other officers, were assigned to patrol the parameter and told to report anything deemed suspicious.

The area you were currently paroling didn't have many people. A few people passed by but nothing suspicious was happening in particular.

As you were walking you saw two people in an ally way. It seemed like they were committing an act of vandalism. While you were ordered to report things this wasn't any suspicious activity it was just people being stupid so you decided to just quickly deal with the situation.

Vandalism isn't something that you would arrest someone for in all honesty it was just a small misdemeanor but realized these were the same people you've had run-ins with these people before. At this point they were just begging for a prison sentence. The sentence for something like this was only up to a year so you didn't feel too bad.

-

Mina put Hwi in charge while she went on her break. For some reason she couldn't shake off the feeling that even though she told you that you were on your last warning you would still not listen to her. She made her way to where you were stationed.

"What the- I give him ONE job and he can't even follow that."

She pulled out her phone and called you. It only rang a few times before you picked up.

"Yes Mina?"

"Where are you?!"

"I'm driving these two people to the station-"

"Damn it you're supposed to report things! Do you even listen to me when I speak to you?!"

"Mina I-"

"I don't want to hear it! Meet me at my office the minute you're off the clock."

"But-" Before you could rebuttal Mina had already hung up.

You knew you were about to lose your job.

-

Once you got back to the parade Mina assigned someone else to stay by your side to make sure that you wouldn't deviate from your job.

The rest of the parade went fine. Nothing major happened that was worth noting. But you couldn't help but wish that it wouldn't end. You weren't prepared to be yelled at by Mina and get fired.

To your dismay the parade ended and so did your shift. You got a good look at yourself in your uniform before you walked to Mina's office knowing this was the last time you would be wearing it.

You had to pull yourself together and muster all your strength and courage to walk to Mina's office. Now you were standing in front of her door and you prepared for the worst.

Putting your hand on the handle and turning it you fully opened the door. Mina was sitting behind her desk sorting some paperwork.

Unsure what to do, you stood at the doorway simply staring at Mina. After a few minutes she looked up and made eye contact with you.

"Are you just going to stand there or are you going to come in and take a seat in front of me?"

Without saying a word you walked in and closed the door before you went to sit down in front of Mina not daring to make any sort of eye contact with her.

She looked at you for a few seconds before she went to type something on her computer. It seemed like she was just doing work for the sake of it but you couldn't tell.

Eventually she got up and walked up to her board where she had pinned a few documents. You glanced at the clock and saw that it was about time where most people were headed home. Most officers working at this hour were patrolling the downtown area.

Mina sighed and turned to face you. "It's impossible for you to listen. So what should I do with you?"

Was it a rhetorical question?

"I'd much prefer if I could keep my job, sheriff."

"You're almost at your one year mark. And this marks my third month of having to deal with you as sgeriff. So..."

"Please don't fire me."

"That's not what I asked so I'll ask again, What should I do with you?"

"Uhm"

"Ran out of excuses have you?"

"I never made excuses sheriff."

Mina took a deep breath.

"Do you know why I'm stringent with the rules Y/N?"

"Because this line of work doesn't have room for failure?"

"Well that's not my main reason. Do you know the main reason?"

"I don't, sheriff."

"It's because I don't want to see people hurt." Mina walked over to you towering over you. "Or maybe I should be more specific. I don't want to see you hurt."

Mina reached behind her back and grabbed handcuffs. She danged them in front of you. "But I can't just let this slip by. I'm going to punish you."

The situation seemed to develop so fast you didn't register what Mina just said until she was handcuffing you.

"Sorry I leave the fuzzy handcuffs at home so we'll have to make do with these."

Part of you was hoping she was joking. Was this really happening, were you about to do it with Mina?!

"Don't do this Mina. Th- this isn't right!"

"Don't speak back to me you filthy brat!"

Mina's sudden outburst scared you and made you quickly shut up not daring to try to speak out of term.

"Now be a good boy for my Y/N. Just sit here and accept your punishment."

Mina got down on her knees and started to undo your pants. There wasn't anything you could do but simply watch. Once she took off your pants she ran her fingers along your thigh.

"P- please stop."

"You want me to stop darling? But your body is reacting so eagerly to my touch. Are you sure you want me to stop?"

She wasn't lying, you were yearning for her touch as much as you wanted to deny it. Before you could respond Mina smacked your thigh. It wasn't too harsh but it stung a little.

"But darling, I thought I told you not to speak out. Don't make me remind you again okay?"

"Ow fuck-"

She smacked you again.

"Drop the language."

"Y- yes ma'am."

Mina kissed your thighs while her fingers were rubbing against your clothed aching cock. You wanted this to continue but you knew this was wrong. It's not like this is standard protocol and she didn't even ask if you were okay with it. Yet you still couldn't help but be turned on by the given situation.

Even though you denied it your body knew what it really wanted. Shivering every time she ran her finger on your body to your cock hardening it was all too obvious.

She could tell you wanted to say something. "If you want to say something then I'm granting you this opportunity to say it."

"Please"

"Please what darling? Use your big boy words now."

"Suck me off Mina please I'm begging you."

"Begging now are we? Well I'm not entirely convinced yet, maybe you should beg me some more and I'll consider listening to you."

"Mina please, I really want you to fuck me until I can't walk. I want to lose all senses and be at your mercy."

Mina giggled at your statement. "Oh darling if you think that's enough to get me to listen to you you're going to have to try a little harder than that I'm afraid."

"Please fuck me Mina! I only crave your touch, I swear I'll listen to every order you give me!"

Mina rubbed her nose against your clothed cock. "That's more like it darling. However since you've been so disobedient then you'll have to make me cum before I give you any pleasure."

She proceeded to stand up and take off her clothes. Mina made sure to take her sweet time taking off her clothes. She knew it was driving you crazy and you wanted to get up and take her clothes off for her but your hands were handcuffed to each other.

Eventually she stripped down to her bra and underwear. Both were the same colour of pink. Mina sat up on her desk and started to rub her pussy using one of her fingers.

Low moans fell out of her mouth as she pleasured herself. You couldn't do anything but watch. You felt yourself get turned on by watching the scene unfold in front of you.

"What are you waiting for darling? Come and make me cum!"

"My hands are tied."

Mina laughed at your comment "Of course you are darling. But I didn't put a gag on you did I?"

When you realized what Mina wanted you leaned forward and used your mouth to take off her underwear.

"Just like that darling, make this a learning experience!"

You buried your face onto Mina's pussy and shoved your tongue deep into her. Mina wrapped her legs around you tightly cutting off your air supply. "If you want to breathe then make me cum. Or else you'll suffocate between my thighs. Though I'm guessing you'd be okay with that wouldn't you darling?"

Fastening your pace you licked every inch of Mina's delicious pussy. Part of you wished your hands weren't tied so you could grab her boobs. But the current situation would do.

Though you tried desperately you felt yourself losing consciousness and before you knew it everything went black. "Aw did you pass out already?"

Mina unwrapped her thighs that were around your head and started to finger herself. Wet sounds filled the room as she shoved her fingers in and out of herself while her other hand was on her clit.

You were suddenly woken up by the feeling of something splashing on your face. When your eyes adjusted you realized it must've been Mina's cum.

"Oh your awake again darling?"

"Mina what-"

Another smack was given to you.

"What did I say about speaking out of term? And to think I thought about letting you cum. Since you seem to suck at making me cum and suck at listening to orders then I'll let you sit here and think about your actions."

Mina got up and put her clothes back on and you didn't do anything but watch as she started to leave the room.

"Don't worry darling I'll come and get you early in the morning. Till then think about your actions and I might let you cum first thing in the morning!" Mina said as she left the room closing the door behind her leaving you handcuffed to the chair to think about your actions that lead you to this moment.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sorry for not uploading even though I said I would get back on schedule. In my defense I've been reading a really good Lux/Jinx fanfic.

Starring: You Mina, Nayeon (TWICE) Ryujin (ITZY) Kyujin (NMIXX) Hwi (TNX)

[joeybsversion]

Stress

Joe Burrow x Reader

Joe and reader plan their wedding together

“I feel like I’m losing my damn mind.” You huff as Joe walks into the room, a protein shake in his hand.

“What’s wrong baby?” He takes a seat at the table next to you, turning your laptop screen towards him.

You place your head in your hands and take a deep breath, “Wedding stuff.”

He turns the screen back towards you, “Let’s take a break.”

“Joe.” You sigh. “We can’t. There’s only 5 Sundays between now and the wedding… and you have games on 4 of them.”

“But that means we should still have one Sunday, right?”

“Wishful thinking,” you tease. “You play Monday night in Arrowhead which means you’ll be out of town.”

“Damn it.” He shakes his head, trying to come up with another solution. “What are you the most stressed about right now?” He questions, taking a sip of his shake.

“All of it. I mean we need to figure out music. And what if people don’t like the venue? What if the bar runs out of drinks? How long do we want the ceremony to be? How many appetizers should we serve during cocktail hour? And are we having an after party? What if we have too many people and not enough space on the dance floor? Is grandma gonna like the dessert? And -“

Joe cuts you off “woah, woah, woah. You can’t be worried about all the ‘what-if’s’ and pleasing everyone.”

“But I am.” You feel tears build pressure behind your eyes.

“This day is about us. Not pleasing everyone else.”

“Joe. This isn’t just an ordinary wedding, we’re entertaining hundreds of -“

“I know. I understand what you’re saying. But if we sit here and think about what can go wrong, we won’t have time to plan the things that will go right.” He pulls the computer over in front of himself. “What is the thing you’re the most stressed about?”

“Joey.” You laugh. “I’m stressed about stress before there’s even stress to stress about.”

The tall handsome quarterback erupts into laughter and shakes his head. “Let’s start from the beginning. Didn’t you say something about music?”

“Yeah. We need to make a ‘don’t play’ and ‘please play’ list for the DJ.”

“That’s a good starting point!” He reassures you. “What’s on our ‘please play’ side?”

“What gets everyone up and moving?”

“I’m not overly picky.” He shrugs, “we listen to some oldies at practice and warmups.” He adds a few of the teams favorite songs to the spreadsheet in front of him. “You pick the rest.”

“Joey.” You giggle, “You only added 2 songs.”

“I want you to pick.”

“You always make me pick the music.” You wine.

“I do.”

“Why?”

He smiles. “You get so excited when you pick it and a song you love comes on. Your body starts swaying and you get a huge smile.”

You giggle to yourself. He’s not wrong. “What if people don’t like my music?”

“Baby. You have to stop worrying about pleasing everyone.”

“I know but -“

He takes your hand. “I know this is stressful, and you want it to be perfect for everyone, but let’s have fun with it. Think about it, we get to spend a whole day together, with all of our friends and family, and it ends with a fun trip to Hawaii. 7 beautiful days under the sun. The wedding will be perfect, but I know we’ll love the honeymoon more. Just us. No crowds. No one to greet or please.”

“You’re right.” You smile at him.

He closes the laptop.

“Joe, we-“

“Shhhh.” He puts a finger to your lips. “I actually just thought of one thing we can work on.”

“What’s that?” You sigh, peeling yourself away from the laptop.

“The kiss.” He smirks. “We should practice.”

“We should.” You agree, pretending as if you guys hadn’t shared thousands of kisses before.

“Kissing?” He questions.

“Kissing.” You confirm.

“I’m a whole 8 inches taller than you. There’s a lot that could go wrong.” He teases.

“You stand here,” you position him, “and I’ll be right across from you over here.” You stand in your spot.

He takes both of your hands in his. “They’ll say something like, ‘I now pronounce you Mr. And Mrs. Burrow. You may now kiss the bride!” He announces, chin high and proud before leaning down to envelope you in a passionate kiss.

You giggle, pulling away, a huge smile on both of your faces.

“How did that go? Can we mark it off our list, Mrs. Burrow?” He laughs.

“I’m not Mrs. Burrow yet.” You remind him. “There’s still time for me to live out my runaway bride dreams.” You smirk.

“Not funny.”

“What?” You giggle, slowing backing away. “I’ve always loved a good chase!” You take off, running laps around the kitchen island and through the house until Joe finally catches you, tackling you on the couch.

Eye to eye, nose to nose, the room was filled with tension and stress from wedding planning which quickly melted away as your lips met again for a breathless kiss.

“I can’t wait to marry you, Joey.”

[anixvl]

BITTER || Y.J

pairing: boxer!jungwon x detective!fem!reader

synopsis: Months after learning the truth of the real mastermind, you and Jungwon are left standing in the aftermath—scarred and unable to pretend that things will go back to what they once were. Just as you both begin to navigate your fragile connection, a new case arises—one that ties directly to your past. A series of brutal murders mimicking your late partner’s case resurface. The deeper you dig, the more it becomes clear: the original mastermind wasn’t working alone. Now, you are once again forced into each other’s lives, uncovering dark secrets while confronting the bitter unspoken emotions that still linger between you both. But trust isn’t easily rebuilt, and love doesn’t erase betrayal. (pt 2 of BITTERSWEET)

genre: Romance, LOTS OF ANGST, enemies-to-lovers-to-enemies trope, thriller, suspense

warnings: smut MDNI, oral f!receiving, d in p, lots of arguing/profanity, mentions of guns & blood, tears tears tears!

wc: 9k (under review)

a/n: hi!! there may be a pt 3, “sweet,” to finish off the series! but it’s still undecided, stay tuned <3

The rain fell in thin sheets, casting a silver haze over the city skyline. You tightened your grip on the steering wheel, your jaw clenched as you forced yourself to focus on the road ahead. The familiar weight of exhaustion pressed against your bones, but it wasn’t just from the late hours or the endless cases piling up on your desk.

It was him.

Jungwon sat in the passenger seat, silent. He hadn’t spoken in the last twenty minutes, not since you begrudgingly agreed to let him come with you. His presence filled the space between you like a loaded gun—dangerous, tense, and ready to explode at any moment.

you hated that he was here.

you hated that you still cared.

"We don’t have to talk, but you can at least stop pretending I don’t exist,” His voice was quieter than you expected, carrying none of the cocky arrogance he used to wear like armor.

You exhaled through your nose, your fingers tightening around the wheel, “I’m not pretending. I just have nothing to say to you."

Jungwon let out a soft laugh—bitter, edged with something unreadable, “That’s worse."

You didn’t respond.

Because what were you supposed to say?

That you haven’t stopped thinking about him in months since that day at your house?

That every time you closed your eyes, you could still feel the way his hands had held you, the way he had whispered your name like it meant something?

No. You wouldn’t give him that.

Not after what happened.

Not after shattering your heart.

The GPS beeped, signaling the destination. You turned off the ignition and reached for the case file in the back seat, ignoring the way Jungwon watched you. He was waiting for something—for a sign, a crack in your walls, anything to prove that you weren’t as indifferent as you pretended to be.

But you wouldn’t give him that, either.

you stepped out of the car, rain misting against your skin.

The warehouse loomed ahead, abandoned and rotting at the edges. The call had come in this morning—a body found inside, the method eerily similar to the one that had haunted you for the past year. Your partner’s murder.

Your stomach twisted.

Someone was playing with you.

And you weren’t sure you were ready to face it, but ready or not, you didn’t have much of a choice.

It all started on that day. The day at your house, when you first found out the sickening truth.

The tension in the room was suffocating. Seokjin sat behind his desk, his usual smirk absent, his sharp eyes locked onto you. The air between you was thick with months of bad blood, with every accusation you had ever thrown his way.

"You’ve got five minutes before I throw you out," Seokjin said coolly, swirling a glass of whiskey in his hand.

You pulled the flash drive from your pocket and tossed it onto the table.

"Play it."

Seokjin arched an eyebrow but picked up the drive, inserting it into his laptop. The moment your partner’s voice filled the air, his expression shifted—just slightly.

By the time the recording ended, Seokjin exhaled through his nose, closing his eyes briefly.

"He tried to tell you," he muttered.

Your jaw clenched, “I didn’t know."

Seokjin let out a humorless laugh, shaking his head, "No, you didn’t. Because you were too busy trying to kill me."

You didn’t react. He wasn’t wrong.

You had let your grief blind you. Let the pain make you reckless. And in doing so, you had been chasing the wrong enemy this entire time.

"I need your help," you admitted.

The words felt foreign on your tongue, but you forced them out, "I don’t know how deep this goes, but I know my partner died trying to bring it to light. And if they find out I know the truth, I’ll be next."

Seokjin leaned back in his chair, studying you. Then, after a long moment, he let out a slow sigh.

"So. The detective finally realizes she’s been hunting the wrong man."

You clenched your fists, “I don’t need a speech, Seokjin. I need to finish what my partner started. He was our friend. Help me take down the people who really did this."

A tense silence stretched between you both. Then, to your surprise, Seokjin chuckled.

"You’re lucky I don’t hold grudges, detective."

You arched an eyebrow, “That’s funny, considering you spent months trying to kill me and even locked me up."

Seokjin smirked, standing up, “Fair enough."

Then, his expression darkened, “But you’re right about one thing. Whoever’s behind this? They’re not just coming for you. They’ll come for me. They’ll come for Jungwon, too. Which means…" He extended a glass of alcohol for you to take, "We’re in this together."

You hesitated—but only for a moment. Then you grasped the glass from his hand, swallowing it down—sealing the deal.

Because this time, you knew exactly who the real enemy was.

And you weren’t going to stop till you were satisfied.

The warehouse smelled of rust and decay. The air was thick with something else, too—something heavier, something familiar.

You stepped inside, your boots barely making a sound against the cracked concrete. The body lay in the center of the room, partially covered with a tarp. Red pooled beneath it, dark and glistening, seeping into the floor like a stain that would never wash away.

Jungwon moved beside you, silent. He watched you carefully as you looked at the scene before you. He wanted to be there for you, despite your barriers. He wasn’t supposed to be here—you didn’t want him here—but somehow, he had a way of inserting himself into things you wanted to keep far, far away from him.

"Same MO?"His voice was steady, but you knew him well enough to hear the tension beneath it.

You crouched beside the body, your fingers ghosting over the cold edge of the tarp before you pulled it back. The sight sent ice through your veins.

A clean shot to the chest. A knife wound to the abdomen. The precision of it was deliberate, almost surgical.

Exactly like your partner.

your stomach twisted.

"This isn’t a coincidence," you muttered, "Someone’s sending a message."

Jungwon was quiet for a moment before he asked the question you didn’t want to answer, "You think it’s connected to his murder?"

You exhaled, standing, “I don’t think. I know.”

You turned to face him, and for the first time since you let him come with you, you let yourself meet his gaze fully. There was something in his eyes—something unreadable, a storm brewing beneath the surface.

It irked you how, despite everything, your body never failed to react to him. You hated how your heart skips a beat at the sight of him. Your shortness of breath near him. And the stupid, stupid, feeling of wanting his touch. You looked away.

"This isn’t over," you said, your voice steady.

Jungwon nodded, his jaw tight, “Then let’s end it."

The words should have been comforting. They weren’t.

Because ending it meant reopening wounds that had never fully healed. It meant severing ties that bounded you both together. And you weren’t sure either of you were ready for that.

The night was thick with silence as you walked back to the car, the dim light from the streetlamps flickering over the rain-slick pavement. Your steps were quick, purposeful, though your mind was miles away. Every instinct told you to push him away—push him far away—but there he was, walking beside you like nothing had changed.

And everything had changed.

Jungwon was supposed to be a ghost in your life, an ex you had buried with the pain and regret of your past. Yet, somehow, he kept finding his way back. Every time you thought you had moved on, every time you thought you could lock away the pieces of yourself you had given him, he tore through the walls again, leaving you wide open.

You tried not to look at him as you fumbled with the keys to the car.

"You don’t have to come with me," you said quietly, your voice betraying none of the turbulence inside you.

Jungwon didn't respond immediately, and for a moment, you thought he might listen, that maybe he was starting to understand the depth of your walls. But then he spoke, his voice softer than you expected.

"You know I’m not going anywhere."

The rain had finally stopped, leaving behind a heavy mist that clung to the streets, distorting the neon glow of the city like a mirage. You leaned against the hood of the car, staring at the warehouse in front of you.

Jungwon was beside you, his presence like an anchor—his silence louder than any words he could’ve spoken. He hadn’t said much since you got in the car. He wasn’t the same cocky, reckless fighter you had once known. He was different, quieter, broken in a way you couldn’t understand. And yet, here he was, once again dragged into your mess, whether he liked it or not.

"You can’t keep chasing this, Y/n," Jungwon said, suddenly closer, his voice firm, bordering on pleading, “Whatever this is, it’s going to end up destroying you."

“You think I don’t know that?" You turned to face him, your fists clenched by your sides.

“I don’t care if this is bigger than us. My partner died without receiving justice. The murderer is still out there.”

"And you think you can fix it? By yourself?" Jungwon’s tone was almost incredulous, but there was a quiet fear in his eyes now—a fear that you hadn’t seen before.

"I don’t need your help, Jungwon,” Your words were cold, sharp.

But they weren’t the truth. You did need him. You needed him more than you cared to admit.

Jungwon’s face hardened, and for a moment, it felt like you were standing on the edge of a precipice—one wrong move and everything would crumble. He stepped back, his hands shoved deep into his pockets as he stared at you with a mixture of frustration and something else.

Something you hadn’t seen in a while.

He was always putting effort in trying to gain your forgiveness. Always supportive, taking care of you, sweet gestures, affectionate phrases, he’s tried doing it all.

This was his breaking point.

"Fine," he said after a long pause, his voice low, “Do it on your own then."

But just as he turned to leave, something in you snapped. The frustration, the years of pain, the endless cycle of not being able to fix the past—it all came crashing down.

And suddenly, for a split second, you were the girl from months ago who was head over heels for Jungwon. Before the betrayal, before the lies, before the pain.

You grabbed him by the arm, spinning him back around.

"I need you, Jungwon,” Your voice broke slightly, but you refused to let it show.

"I need you to help me fix this. Because if you don’t, I’ll do it myself. And I don’t care what happens to me in the process,” your eyes glossed as tears begin to form.

You didn’t understand it yourself, you hated him being around but hate it worse when he’s away from you.

Deep down, you must’ve known, you’ve gotten to the point in which you can’t be without him. Not even if you wanted to.

For the first time in what felt like forever, Jungwon’s guard lowered. He looked at you—really looked at you—like he was seeing you for the first time. Your eyes were full of desperation, yes, but also something darker, something you’d buried deep inside for far too long.

Love.

"You’re not alone," he whispered, his voice quieter and softer now, filled with something that almost sounded like regret.

He took his hands out from his pockets, cupping your face tenderly. You instantly melt into his touch, feeling your anger almost wash away. He looked into your eyes, searching for the girl you once were.

Back when you loved him so wholeheartedly.

"I’ll help you. But you have to promise me one thing,” he said, drawing soft circle on your cheek with his thumb.

Your brows furrowed, "What?"

"Promise me you won’t destroy yourself in the process."

The words hung between you, heavy with meaning. For a moment, you were quiet, the weight of everything pressing down on your shoulders. You didn’t know how to answer—didn’t know if you could promise him that. But in the end, you nodded.

"Fine," you said, your voice barely above a whisper. "I’ll try."

Jungwon didn’t speak again, but his kiss on your forehead was all the confirmation you needed. You were in this together, whether you wanted it or not.

The morning after was nothing like you imagined. Inside your bedroom, the light through the blinds was dim, casting long shadows over the space. You stood by the window, staring out at nothing in particular, your mind far away, racing over the events that had brought you to this point.

Jungwon was still asleep, sprawled across the bed with his face to you. The sight of him, so vulnerable in sleep, made something twist inside of you. He had become a person you could barely recognize, and yet, something about the way he protected you—no matter how messy it got—still made you believe there was something worth saving.

But you couldn’t forget how you had gotten here. The anger. The betrayal. It all still felt raw.

You had been fighting this case alone for so long. And in the back of your mind, you knew—no matter how hard you tried, you couldn’t do it without him. But that didn’t mean you would let your guard down. You couldn’t afford to.

When you turned to look at him again, Jungwon was shifting in his sleep, a low groan escaping his lips. You hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to even approach him. You had so many questions, but none of them felt like they mattered. Not yet.

You walked over to the desk, grabbing the file that had caused everything to spiral. Your fingers skimmed the pages, still looking for something that could tie all the loose ends together. There was too much at stake. Too many pieces missing.

"You really can’t sleep, huh?"

His voice was rough, but it was familiar, and it made you freeze in place. You didn’t turn around immediately. Instead, you stood there, still clutching the file, wondering how to fix everything.

"You still thinking about last night?" he continued, his voice softer this time, like he knew exactly what you were feeling.

You finally turned around, meeting his gaze. His dark eyes were intense, but there was something unreadable in them. You couldn’t tell if he was angry, frustrated, or just tired.

"Yeah." The word came out sharper than you intended. "I need answers, Jungwon."

His gaze softened for a moment, and then his mouth twisted into a half-smile, “I know you do."

He sat up and opened his arms to you. The room felt smaller now, the space between you both charged with the tension that had been building ever since you decided to work together. He wasn’t who he used to be. But Neither were you. But in some ways, that was what made everything feel more real. You slowly made your way inside his arms. Your body instantly melted against him, feeling a soft, heavy, sigh escape your lips.

"You’re not gonna let it go, are you?" he asked quietly, holding you tightly, "You think I don’t see it in your eyes?"

You shook your head slowly, “I can’t. Not when I’m this close to finding out who did it."

He was silent for a long moment, and the only sound in the room was the hum of the air conditioner. You weren’t sure if he was contemplating something or just frustrated, but when he finally spoke again, it was with a weariness that didn’t match his usual bravado.

"You know, sometimes, there’s no closure."

The words hit you harder than you expected, and you could feel the sting in your chest. You knew that. You knew it better than anyone. But that didn’t mean you were willing to accept it.

"You’re wrong," you whispered, turning to face him, "I can’t just walk away from this. If I do, I’ll never be able to look at myself the same way again."

There was a long pause. Then you felt Jungwon tenderly caress the top of your head, gazing at you with such intensity. You could feel the weight of his touch, warm and familiar, and it made your heart race in a way you weren’t prepared for.

"I get it," he said, his voice gentle now. "But you promised me something."

You turned to face him, your breath catching in your throat.

"You won’t lose yourself in all of this. You can’t let it destroy you. You can’t let it be your whole world."

You swallowed hard, the weight of his words hitting you like a punch to the gut. How could you promise him that? How could you promise him you wouldn’t burn yourself out chasing after a ghost when you weren’t sure if you could handle the truth?

But in that moment, you realized something. You didn’t know how to let go. And you didn’t know how to trust again. But maybe—just maybe—he was right. Maybe you needed to find a way to let the case be part of your life, not your entire existence.

You nodded slowly, meeting his eyes, "I know."

And just like that, the air between you shifted. There was still so much left unsaid, but for the first time in a long time, you both knew you were on the same side. Together, for better or worse.

The investigation had hit a dead end. Every lead you chased only seemed to open more questions, but none of the answers ever brought you closer to the truth. Every night, you lay awake, staring at the ceiling of your bedroom, wondering if you were wasting your time, wondering if you had already missed something important.

Jungwon had been quieter since that night—still here, still present, but something had shifted. It was like a wall had gone up between the two of you, even though you were both stuck in the same place, in the same mess.

He could feel the distance growing. And that hurt more than anything.

Jungwon had spent the last few months trying to earn back your trust, be worthy of your love again. To go back to how things were, how much you loved each other despite the mess you both were in.

The touches, the gazes, the affection, the laughs, the nights you spent entangled in each other’s arms. He wanted it all back. More than anything. But it seemed the more he reached for you, the more you seemed far away. So close yet so far. Oceans apart.

He was done with it.

You pushed yourself up from the bed, throwing on your jacket and grabbing your keys. Your room was suffocating, its stale air mixing with the heavy tension in the room. You needed space, needed to think.

When you stepped outside, the cool air hit your face, a welcome relief from the suffocating silence inside. The world outside your room was just as empty as it felt in your mind. You walked down the street with no clear destination in mind, your thoughts swirling, trying to make sense of everything.

“Y/n."

Jungwon’s voice cut through the silence, and you stopped in your tracks, turning slowly. He stood a few feet behind you, his hands in his pockets, his frantic breath vaporizing into the cold air.

He had ran to follow you.

You didn’t say anything. Instead, you just met his gaze, your eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"You’re pushing yourself too hard,” His voice was low, his concern hidden beneath layers of uncertainty, "We need to step back, rethink the case. There’s something we’re missing."

You shook your head, “No. I’m close. I can feel it. I just need to find the right piece."

"You’ve been saying that for weeks!” he bursted, frustration creeping into his tone, “…But we’ve been chasing shadows, y/n. We need a new approach."

You were silent for a long time. The anger that had been simmering beneath the surface was bubbling up again, but this time, it was mixed with something else. Something raw. Something you didn’t want to face.

"You don’t get it, Jungwon," you finally snapped.

"You don’t know what it’s like to feel like you’re losing everything, and you can’t fix it. You don’t know what it’s like to be constantly looking over your shoulder, wondering if you’re going to lose another person you care about!”

Jungwon’s expression softened, and he stepped closer to you, his eyes locking onto yours with a tenderness that made your breath catch. He didn’t say anything at first—just let the words hang in the air between you.

And for a moment, you thought you might crack. You thought you might let the anger go and let him in.

But then the weight of everything came crashing back. You weren’t ready to let him back in, not when you still didn’t trust yourself.

You took a step back, your heart pounding in your chest.

"Don’t. Don’t say anything—Don’t do anything,” you stated, your voice trembling. Your eyes watered.

The words came out harsher than you intended, and you saw the flash of hurt in his eyes. But before he could respond, you turned away, walking quickly down the street, trying to outrun the suffocating feeling of being trapped.

You didn’t want to hurt him. You didn’t want to push him away. But you couldn’t help yourself. You were scared. Scared of losing him.

Scared of what would happen if you let him too close again.

You didn’t realize how far you’d gone until you found yourself standing in front of the alleyway, the one where your partner had died. The sight of it made your stomach turn. Memories flooded back—his laughter, his promise that everything would be okay. The days he would accompany you to your parent’s graveyard. Your birthdays he’d make sure to celebrate, knowing you were too busy to remember. He might not have been blood, but your connection went further than that. You had failed him.

And finally, you let go. You squat to the ground, soft and frustrated sobs escaping your mouth.

So close, yet so far. It’s never enough. Why?

"You’re not alone."

Jungwon’s voice echoed in your mind, and you felt the weight of his words like a rope pulling you back.

You were so focused on the past that you hadn’t even realized Jungwon had followed you. You turned, startled, only to see him standing a few feet behind you. He wasn’t angry anymore. He was just... there.

He met your glistening eyes. His face softened. You got up, wiping away your endless tears. You looked away.

"I know you’re scared," he said quietly, "But pushing me away won’t help you. You don’t have to carry this burden alone."

You stared at him, your heart aching. You wanted to fight it. You wanted to tell him to leave, that you didn’t need anyone. But the truth was, you did need him.

You needed him more than you were willing to admit.

You took a step closer to him, your voice trembling as you spoke in broken sobs.

"I’m scared, Jungwon. Scared that if I get too close to anyone again, I’ll lose them. And I don’t know if I can survive that again,” you cried, slightly losing your balance from exhaustion.

He reached out instantly, gripping onto your arm. He pulled you close. The touch was soft, comforting. He didn’t say anything at first. He didn’t need to. You could feel the understanding between you, the shared pain, the shared fear.

"I love you," he breathed out, his voice firm but gentle, "so ardently."

And for once, you allowed yourself to believe that. You didn’t have all the answers. You didn’t know how everything would turn out. But with Jungwon by your side, you felt like maybe—just maybe—you could find a way through the darkness.

And that was enough for now.

Before you knew it, his lips connected with yours. Your hands gripped onto his jacket, the force of his kiss pushing against you. Your lips instantly melted into his. He kissed you with such longing and relief. He sighed against your lips, placing his warm hand onto your cheek. He tilted your head back slightly, deepening the kiss. Your eyes shuttered close, allowing yourself to get lost into him.

your heart fluttered, a familiar feeling that brought you joy.

He pulled away, looking into your eyes in desperation.

“Let’s go back home,” he said.

Home.

Yes, that’s where you longed to be. That’s where you are meant to be. A place where you share a space and affection with Jungwon, Home.

You were too busy to notice it before. You had it there all along. You were never alone. He was there. Every second and step of the journey. He is home.

You nod, a genuine smile plastered across your face. He flashed you a dimpled smile, one you haven’t seen in a while. He grabbed your hand, interlocking his fingers with yours. He led the way back to your home, tightly gripped onto your hand.

As if savoring the moment, to make sure it’s real. Scared of letting go, as if you were to disintegrate with the wind. As if he was a threat of losing you any second.

You close the door behind you. When you turn around, Jungwon cups your face again, smashing his lips onto yours. You softly yelp against his lips, startled. You grip onto him tightly, closing your eyes. Despite being outside in the cold, you can’t help but to feel like you’re burning up.

Jungwon picks you up and you immediately wrap your legs around his torso, refusing to break the kiss. He leads you to your room, softly dropping you onto the bed. You both rush off your clothes, desperate and hungry for each other.

He hovers over you, kissing you passionately. Your eyes shuttered clothes, your arms wandering around his bare back and chest.

You needed this, badly. His touch, his warmth, his closeness to you. It had been a long time since you both last were ever this close, let alone this intimate.

“Missed this so much,” he murmured against the kiss, “missed you so much.”

His hand travelled down to your pantie lining, pulling it down slowly by its hem. You let him. His lips trailed down to your neck, sucking softly onto your skin, marking and leaving trails of him on you behind.

He unclasped your bra, sucking in the bud of your breasts. You moaned softly, closing your eyes in pleasure. He sucked onto the soft skin around your breasts, leaving more love bites. He rubs his fingers onto your wet cunt, plastering your wetness around his fingers. He inserts one finger in, slowly and almost punishingly.

“F-Fuck, Jungwon,” you breathed out, gripping onto him.

Then, he inserts another. He slowly pumps his fingers in and out of you, causing your mouth to fall agape in pleasure. He watched your lewd reactions to him, fascinated by your mesmerizing beauty and pleasure given to you. His dick became hard at the sight of you and the feeling of you clenching around his fingers.

“Yeah? you want me to continue, pretty?” he teased, kissing you sloppily in order to muffle your broken moans.

“Can you take my cock now, baby?” he said, kissing your neck softly.

You nodded, a moan in response, “mhm..”

He took his fingers out, sucking onto them. He took his boxers off, his cock begging to be released from the tightness of it. He aligned himself with your entrance, teasing you with his tip.

“You’re so fucking wet,” he breathed out, “so ready for me.”

And with that, he pushed himself into you. He groaned, as you clenched around his cock tightly. You instantly feel full. He starts to move slowly, waiting till you get adjusted to him.

“You’re so beautiful,” he gazed down at you under him, so defenseless and in pleasurable daze.

He picked up his pace, his cock glistening from your wetness. You whimpered, gripping onto the bed sheets.

He leaned over you once again, using his arms to prop himself up. He kisses you as he thrusts his hips deep against yours. You struggle to kiss him back, causing a sly smirk on his lips against the kiss. He breaks the kiss, quickening his pace mercilessly. whines and soft groans come from the both of you, in a rhythmic sync, deepening the intimacy shared between each other.

It’s just as you remembered. Connected, interlinked, as if no one has touched you quite the way Jungwon has. No one else compares.

The soft moans of his name drove him crazy. It was like a melody, an addictive tune he could never get tired of. All he wanted was to continue hearing it, pleasuring you. Loving you. Consuming you.

He pounded relentlessly into you, his cock twitching as he approached his orgasm. You gripped onto his back tightly, your nails digging into his skin.

“I love you,” he breathed, “I love you so much.”

Your body arched into him, feeling the tight knot in your stomach threatening to undo.

You wanted to say it back, but your mind was so fucked-out to build coherent words.

Instead, you just held him, tightly. You held his tender gaze, exchanging meaningful messages beyond words.

‘I know. I love you, too.’

His head rested on the crook of your neck, inhaling the scent of your skin and hair. The scent of both of your bodies interlinked. The scent of him on you.

You wrapped your legs around his hips, crying out in pleasure.

“Yes, oh, just like that,” you whined, “m’cumming.”

Jungwon thrusted his hips harder into you, hitting your spot with no fail. Your eyes shut close, mouth agape, as you reach your orgasm hard.

“Fuck, pretty, cum on my cock,” he grunted, thrusting slowly but hard, riding out your high.

His cock twitched as he released his load into you. Your legs quivered, feeling yourself recover from your hard orgasm. Jungwon kissed your cheek softly before plopping next to you, exhausted. You were both sweaty, tired, and still panting. His bare chest glistened in sweat yet he seems so attractive. You reach out to cup his face, he grabs your hand and plants a tender kiss on your palm. You smile.

“Do you want to take a bath or get some sleep?” he asked, moving away a strand of your hair from your face.

“To be honest, I don’t think I can walk right now,” you laughed.

He chuckles, “I’ll carry you.”

You nod, flashing him a soft smile. He gets up, sweeping you off the bed and into his arms. You hold onto him tightly, as he takes you to the bathroom. He places you gently onto the counter, capturing your lips softly. The kiss is softer this time, tender, and sweet. With a wet sound of the kiss, he breaks away. He turns around to prepare the bath for you. Dipping his hands into the bathtub, he looks over at you.

“It’s ready, pretty,” he said, walking over to you.

You climb off the counter, he holds you for support. You slowly get into the bathtub, Jungwon following. A soft sigh of relief escapes your lips at the feeling of the warm bubbly water. Jungwon holds you from behind, leaving soft kisses on your shoulder. You melt into him, allowing yourself to rest against his chest.

“Better?” he asks, kissing the side of your head.

You smile, “Much better. Thank you.”

The tension in the air had lessened in the days that followed. It was easier to breathe, to speak, and to be in each other’s company. It wasn’t exactly like how it used to be, but it was a step closer to it.

Every step you took seemed to lead you further into the web of lies, but none of the pieces fit. It wasn’t just about your partner’s death anymore. It was about a deeper conspiracy, something that reached far beyond what you had ever imagined.

Jungwon had been quieter, more thoughtful, his sharp eyes noticing things you missed. The two of you had spent hours combing through records, analyzing evidence, and following up on any leads that seemed even remotely promising. But nothing had connected. Nothing made sense.

Not until now.

You sat at the table in the dining room, your mind running through the reports in front of you. The scattered photos of your partner, the witness statements, the security footage that seemed to repeat the same things over and over again—until something caught your eye.

"Wait a second," you muttered, your finger tracing a line on the page. Jungwon, who had been sitting across from you, leaned in, his curiosity piqued.

"What is it?" He asked, a faint edge of urgency in his voice.

You flipped the page to a new report, showing the names of officers involved in the initial investigation. Most of the names were familiar—colleagues you had worked with, trusted for years. But one name stood out to you, circled in red ink by a source you hadn’t recognized.

"This guy," you said, tapping the name with your finger, “Officer Han Joon."

Jungwon frowned, “I don’t know him. Should I?"

"He’s one of the officers who was first on the scene after my partner was killed," you explained, your mind beginning to race, “But what I didn’t realize at the time was that he’s also been involved in a number of other high-profile cases that were later marked as unsolved or closed for ‘lack of evidence.’"

You paused, staring at the report, your pulse quickening.

"It doesn’t make sense. What if the rat is closer than we thought? What if it’s him, ‘someone inside the department,’ just as Hyunjin said?"

Jungwon leaned back in his chair, his eyes narrowing as he processed what you had said, "If Officer Han’s involved… that means someone in the department’s been helping the mastermind all along. Giving him the inside info, covering his tracks."

The weight of his words hit you hard. The realization that the danger you were facing wasn’t just coming from the outside—it really was also already inside the walls you had trusted.

"We need to get to him," you said, your voice low, determined, “We need to find out what he knows."

Jungwon nodded, standing up. He was already slipping on his jacket, his expression set, “We’ll need to be careful. We don’t know who’s watching us."

You nodded, the familiar chill of danger settling in. But this time, it didn’t feel like something you could run from. You couldn’t back down now—not when you were so close to the truth.

The two of you moved quickly, gathering the evidence you had and heading toward the police precinct where Officer Han worked. The building was busy with activity, the hum of officers and detectives moving between desks and filing cabinets. But despite the seeming normalcy, you couldn’t shake the feeling that something was watching you. Every time you passed an officer, you felt their gaze linger just a little too long, a little too knowingly. It was almost as if they could tell you were onto something.

You and Jungwon split up, each of you taking different routes to avoid drawing suspicion. You knew Han’s schedule—he usually worked the late shift, spending hours at his desk. You made your way to the back of the department, where the file room was kept, the one that was usually off-limits to anyone except senior officers.

It wasn’t hard to find a way in. You had the right credentials—though they felt fake now, like you were wearing a mask you didn’t quite recognize. You slipped past the guarded door, heading straight for the row of locked cabinets where sensitive files were kept.

Jungwon had already hacked into the system, disabling the security cameras for the moment. You were in, but the clock was ticking. If Han showed up early, you would be trapped, exposed, and most likely caught. But you were running out of time.

You pulled out the files, your heart racing as you rifled through the papers, skimming over each one, looking for any clue that would tie Han Joon to the mastermind. You weren’t sure how long you had before the others would catch on, but you weren’t about to let that stop you. Not when you were so close.

"Found something," Jungwon’s voice echoed through the comms in your ear, and you froze. His tone was low, cautious.

"What is it?" you whispered, still flipping through the papers in front of you.

"Han’s phone records. He’s been in contact with someone outside the city. Someone with a criminal background. They’re scheduled to meet next week, at a warehouse on the outskirts of town."

Your heart skipped a beat. This was it. This was the break you had been waiting for.

"We need to go," you said, quickly grabbing the most relevant files. You didn’t hesitate.

"We’ll confront him. We take him down then, for now we need to make a plan."

As you and Jungwon raced to your car, your mind was already working through the next steps. This was the moment you’d been working toward, but with it came a sense of dread. Officer Han was one piece of the puzzle, alongside with other newly discovered suspects to investigate. But if you were right, it meant the mastermind was still out there, still pulling the strings. And now, you had a target on your back.

"Y/n," Jungwon said as you slid into the passenger’s seat, his voice low but steady, “We don’t know how deep this goes. We’ll need to be careful."

You nodded, bringing your hand to caress his cheek, “Of course.”

Tonight, you weren’t just chasing for the truth. You were fighting for your life. One you have found worth living for: Him.

Once you both returned home, you immediately went into inspecting all the files you took. Jungwon joined, as always, by your side. A few hours later, you had a list of prime suspects to investigate. Exhausted and evidently stressed, you slumped into your chair. You dropped the piles of paperwork onto the table, calling it a night.

Jungwon looked over at your tense expression. He got up from his seat, walking over behind you. He took a look at the paperwork you had. His hands gently massaged your shoulders, causing you to close your eyes in satisfaction.

“You need to relax, pretty,” he said, “you’re so tense.”

You keep your eyes closed, enjoying every bit of the massage. You softly moaned in satisfaction, a signal for him to continue. His mouth curled into a sly smirk. He leaned over to your neck, placing soft kisses from behind. Slow, sensual, deliberate.

“Jungwon,” you breathed out.

“yes, baby?” he whispered, walking over to lift you onto the table.

You open your eyes, startled. Before you can question him, he positions himself between your legs, his hands resting onto your waist. He kisses you, gently. You kiss him back, lazily, your exhaustion getting the best of you.

“Let me take care of you,” he offered, “just relax, okay?”

You don’t protest, instead you just nod. His hands pull onto the hem of your pants, pulling them off. He plays with the hem of your panties, before taking those off, too.

Too sleepy and in daze, you didn’t realize what was happening till your panties were on the floor. Your eyes widen slightly in realization. But it was already too late.

“Jungwon, wait—”

He takes a few long, slow, wet licks onto your cunt. You bit back a moan, gripping onto the table. He pushed open your legs apart, opening you up on display on the dining table like a meal. Then, he enfolds your cunt into his mouth. You moan, gripping onto his hair. Wet slurping sounds and the sound of your whines fill the room.

“ngh…jungwon,” you moaned.

He looked up at you, meeting your sultry expression. He swears he could cum at the sight of you like this. His tongue sloppily glides onto your cunt, sucking and flicking your bean. Your legs tremble, your breath is rigid.

“Feels so good,” you whimpered.

Jungwon stuffed his face deeper, savoring and devouring all your juices like a starved man. He needed more of you. All of you.

He pushed you onto your back, forcing you to lay on top of all the paperwork. Now propped open on the dining table, Jungwon ate you out passionately.

Your legs shifted uncontrollably, your hands laced within his hair. Insistent moans slipped from your mouth, instinctively pushing his head further into your cunt.

Jungwon wrapped his arms around your thighs, deepening his tongue into your cunt. Wetness dripped from his chin from his sloppy mess on your cunt.

“I’m—ngh,” you fisted his hair, pushing him closer as you approached your orgasm.

Your back arched into him, no longer caring a bit about the time you spent organizing the paperwork on the table.

And then, finally, with a loud gasp the knot in your stomach came undone. Your breathing was rigid, your body trembling from the ecstasy.

Jungwon smirked, wiping away the wetness from his chin.

“Let’s get you to bed, yeah?” he whispered, grabbing you from the table and tossing you over his shoulder.

You yelped in surprise, holding onto him. He gently dropped you onto the bed sheets, in which he tucked you into. It wasn’t long before he got under the covers, enfolding you into his arms. You melted in his arms, the rhythm of his heartbeat bringing a sense of calming to you. You inhaled his scent, as if memorizing it by heart. You both drifted off to sleep, entangled into each other’s arms. And even during the night, when you would quietly jerk awake from nightmares, you couldn’t help but to think.

‘I don’t want this to end,’ you thought.

‘I want to be selfish. I want to pursue this stupid dream with just the both of us.’

You could feel it in your bones, with every breath you took: the guilt. Could it really work out?

Could you really be happy, be selfish for once and have it all?

The past still crept up on you, even when you told yourself it was time to let go. Jungwon had started to repair your broken heart, putting back the pieces. Slowly, but surely.

You wanted to be selfish. You wanted to let your guard down. You deserved it.

But despite it all; it was only a matter of time before it all came crashing down.

it started with a lie.

Or maybe it started long before that—with the wounds they never let heal, with the trust you both never fully rebuilt. Either way, by the time you found out, it was already too late.

You stormed into your apartment, slamming the door hard enough to rattle the walls. Jungwon barely had time to react before you threw a crumpled piece of paper onto the table between you both.

"What the hell is this?" you demanded.

Jungwon frowned, picking it up. His chest tightened the second he saw what it was—a file, fresh off the precinct database, detailing an anonymous payment wired to a key witness in their case. One that was meant to be there at the meeting spot you figured out. But, now that Jungwon approached him, the key witness must’ve snitched on you and fled with the money by now. It was a dumb mistake: a fatal one.

Blood drained from his face.

You saw it.

"You bribed him?" you spat, your voice laced with disbelief and something far painful, “Do you have any idea what you’ve done?"

Jungwon exhaled, running a hand through his hair, "It wasn’t a bribe, y/n. You needed answers, and you were slowly becoming miserable without them. I couldn’t see you like that. And he wasn’t going to talk unless he had a reason to."

"So you threw money at him?" You let out a humorless laugh, "Great. That’s real reliable evidence."

‘Just an arrogant rich boy,’ you thought. You hated the selfish actions of him, which he carelessly does because he knows he can do them. With no worry, no thought. Because he has people to protect him, money to support him, and higher-ups to keep him out of trouble. You hated how low he stooped.

Doesn’t that make him equal to who you’re going after?

Jungwon’s jaw clenched, “I did what I had to do."

"No," you shot back, stepping closer, your eyes burning with rage, "You did what you wanted to do, without telling me. Without even thinking about the consequences."

Jungwon’s patience snapped, “And what the hell have you been doing, y/n? Losing yourself over this?You put a gun to my fucking head to force me into this shit, but now you’re acting like you’re the only one allowed to make choices?"

Your eyes narrowed at him, "I didn’t blackmail you for fun, Jungwon. I needed help—I needed someone I could trust."

Your voice broke slightly on the last word.

And that was what did it.

Because you had trusted him. And now, here you both were, in the same cycle of betrayal, the same aching disappointment.

Jungwon felt his pulse hammering in his skull. He wanted to explain. He wanted to tell you that it hadn’t been about secrecy, or control, or hurting you. He just wanted to end this war before it destroyed you both. But most importantly, you.

It’s always been about you.

But instead, the words that left his mouth were the wrong ones.

"Maybe I never should have come back."

And just like that, whatever fragile thread had been holding you both together—snapped.

Silence crashed over the room like a violent wave, drowning everything in it.

You stared at him, your breath catching in your throat. For a second, just a split second, he saw something in your eyes—something that almost looked like hurt. But then it was gone, replaced by cold, hard indifference.

You let out a short, humorless laugh, “Then go."

Jungwon clenched his jaw, running a hand through his hair as he exhaled sharply. He hadn’t meant it. Not like that. But the damage was already done, and you…

you weren’t the type to let a wound fester without striking back.

"You know what’s funny?" you said, stepping closer, her voice smooth, lethal.

“I used to think i needed you,” you said.

Jungwon’s heart slammed against his ribs.

"Y/n—"

"I thought that maybe—just maybe—you could make up for the way you left, for the way you let me fall apart alone,” your lips curled into something cold, something sharp, “But I should’ve known better. You were always good at running, weren’t you?"

His fists tightened, “You think I wanted to leave you?!" His voice came out raw, splintered.

“you think it was easy for me?” he stated.

"I don’t give a damn if it was easy," you snapped, "You still did it."

Jungwon let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head, "And you haven’t forgiven me since."

"Why should I?" you shot back, eyes burning with something dangerously close to fury, "You don’t deserve my forgiveness, Jungwon."

His breath caught.

And then, softer—deadlier— "You never did."

He didn’t know why it hurt so much. Maybe because deep down, he had been clinging to the idea that if he fought hard enough, you would let him back in. That if he proved himself, if he stayed this time, you would finally let yourself forgive him.

But maybe that had never been an option.

Maybe, he had been chasing your ghost this entire time.

Maybe, he had been a fool to think he still had a chance.

Jungwon exhaled slowly, his expression hardening,

"Then maybe I should stop trying."

Something flickered in your gaze, but before he could figure out what it was, he turned away, walking toward the door.

He didn’t stop.

He didn’t look back.

Your hands instinctively reached out for him, yet no words could come out of your mouth. Your hand fell back to your side at the sound of the front door slam. A unspoken sign of goodbye. And before you knew it, tears spilled from your eyes. It was a piercing feeling, a suffocating one. And before you knew it, you were sobbing on the living room floor. Where he had left you.

And for the first time since he came back into your life, You finally let yourself wonder—

Maybe you really had lost him for good.

He didn’t show up at your house anymore. The house was void, uncomfortably silent, and suffocating. The bedroom in which you would once walk in to find him already sprawled onto your bed, was empty. Intact, just as you left it. The bedroom was tidy, just as you had done it in the morning—a painful reminder that he was no longer here.

Only the smell of him lingered in the air. Along with his soothing voice, the one that hummed you to sleep when you were tormented at night.

But things didn’t stop there.

After many days had passed and the day of the secret meeting approached, you wondered if Jungwon would come find you at all. To accompany you, like he always would. You quickly resigned the idea, forcing yourself to grasp that he’s gone. Permanently.

But as you made your way out of your bedroom, you heard the sound of the front door open.

And then, somehow, it started all over again.

"…You’re not even thinking straight!" Jungwon’s voice echoed through the living room, raw with frustration.

“You’re so desperate to chase ghosts, you don’t even care if it gets you killed!" He continued.

You slammed the case file onto the table, papers scattering across the surface, “Don’t act like you give a shit, Jungwon. You didn’t care when you walked away the first time, so don’t pretend now."

His jaw clenched, his fists tightening at his sides, "You think I didn’t care? You think leaving didn’t fucking kill me?"

"You still did it.”

The words cut deep, sharper than any knife, and you saw the way they hit him—the way they hurt. But you didn’t stop. You couldn’t stop. The anger was still fresh, the resentment of his betrayal.

"You had a choice, Jungwon," you continued, voice laced with anger and something dangerously close to heartbreak, "And you chose to walk away. So don’t stand here and act like you have a right to tell me what to do now."

He ran a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply, “y/n, I didn’t—" He stopped, shaking his head, as if even he didn’t know how to explain himself.

“You wanted me to stay, but for what? To watch you destroy yourself over something you couldn’t fix?"

"It wasn’t your decision to make,” you retaliated.

Jungwon let out a bitter laugh, stepping closer—too close, “And this?"

His voice dropped lower, "Dragging me back into your war? This was my decision to make?"

You felt the heat between them, thick and suffocating.

"You owe me," you said, your voice dangerously sharp, laced with pain and rage.

Jungwon’s eyes darkened, “I owe you?"

You lifted your chin, refusing to back down, "You let me believe I was alone. You gave me over, locked me up in your basement! You lied to me! You left me with nothing but questions, and now that I have the answers, you want me to stop? You want me to just let it go?"

He was so close now, close enough that you could see the way his chest rose and fell with uneven breaths, “I want you to stop throwing yourself into the fire like you have nothing left to lose."

"I don’t."

Silence.

Something shifted in his expression—something dangerous, something almost desperate.

"That’s bullshit,” he narrowed his eyes at you, “and you know it.”

You swallowed hard, refusing to let the weight of his words settle, “You don’t know me anymore, Jungwon."

His gaze dropped to your lips for just a second, before flicking back up to your eyes, "Yeah?"

“Then why do you still look at me like you wish I never left?"

your breath hitched.

Because he was right.

And that was the worst part of all.

You stared at him in silence, in disbelief. The tears rushing into your eyes like a hit of a merciless wave. You hold back a sob from your mouth with your trembling hands, forcing yourself to look away.

Standing only a few steps away, Jungwon instinctively reaches out for you.

His fingertips burn on your skin. You move, facing him once more with rage.

“Go right now!” you shouted, pushing him away, “go now!”

“Go!” You broke out into another painful sob, your harsh words now sounding like a desperate plea, a broken, pained one.

You didn’t know what else to do, grief crashing down on you at once.

You didn’t want to hurt him; You were terrified of what would happen if he was to stay around. In your own way, you wanted to protect him from you. Despite it all.

He could see it.

He shook his head, reaching out for you once again.

You rejected him. You pushed his hands away.

He tried again, taking a grip onto your arms, “Y/n, listen to me, baby…”

“No!” you moved frantically, trying to get out of his grip, “No! Let go of me!”

You hit him repeatedly in his chest, hot tears streaming down your distressed face.

He took every hit, gazing at you with such tenderness.

It broke you even more.

Your blows decreased. They became weaker and your voice trembled, “please…go home, Jungwon.”

Finally still, Jungwon pulled you into a warm and tight embrace.

You didn’t fight it this time. Maybe because you didn’t have the strength, or maybe simply because you wanted this. You needed it.

“I’m already where i’m supposed to be, y/n.”

You sobbed gently against his chest, melting into his arms. You gripped desperately onto him, every sensorial part of you obsessed with him. He caressed your head soothingly.

“I didn’t mean what i said the last time. I’m so sorry, I know it’s my fault. I don’t deserve you, nor your trust or your love. I know that,” he explained, “but i choose to continue trying. Even if you push me away. Hit me, curse at me, fuck—tell me you hate me. Anything. Just as long as it gives me your forgiveness.”

He brought his hands to cup your face, bringing your softened face towards his.

“And you know why?” he looked into your eyes, “because I love you, y/n.”

Your eyes flickered. He slowly lowers himself before you, his hands holding yours, getting on his knees.

“I truly don’t think I can be without you, y/n. I love you so much it hurts. So please…please, baby…if you can find it in you to love me one more time, i’ll spend the rest of my life in proving it to you. Just one,” he begged, “please love me one more time.”

And even though he tried to stabilize himself, you could hear the small tremble in his voice and the glistening in his eyes.

He so desperately wanted it to be you.

You stood there, lost at words. Many thoughts rushing through your mind. You weren’t sure what to do. You didn’t want to think.

“Okay…” you breathed out.

His face softened immediately, his shoulders relaxing. He kissed your hand, standing up once again. He cups your cheek, bringing you into a soft kiss. He left soft pepper kisses around your face, whispering ‘I love you’s in between.

“You don’t have to say it now,” he said, “this is enough for me.”

And then, he reconnected your lips tenderly. Your eyes flickered close, gripping onto his arms. He cocked your head back slightly, deepening the kiss. Close wasn’t close enough for him.

“Should we…go to my room?” you said, quietly.

He flashed you a dimpled smile, “Is that what you want? Are you sure? I don’t want to rush you—”

you cut him off with a kiss. He took the message, scooping you up in his arms. He led the way into the bedroom, sitting onto it with you on top of his lap.

And before you knew it, you were holding onto him, taking every single inch of him. He sat against the headboard of your bed, while you bounced on his cock. He wrapped his arms around your waist, his face snuggled into the crook of your neck. He left bite marks, kisses, and love bites all over your skin. Worshiping every part of you, honored to breathe the same air you breathe, let alone to have the privilege to touch you. He whispered a few affectionate words into your ear, gripping onto your ass to slam it back down on his cock. He guided your hips, rocking you. A few whines and groans left his mouth, thrusting further into your tight cunt.

you moaned, making a mess of his hair as you fisted it.

There weren’t many words exchanged, letting your body and small whispers exchange the message. You could feel it in every touch, every kiss, every gaze—the love he had for you.

Your body’s felt interlinked, your heart fulfilled with every inhale you took of his bare skin.

You took time to take in his touch, the way his warm, big, arms wrapped around you perfectly. In a protective stance, assertive, yet so tender.

It was a form of ecstasy only he could bring you.

Body and soul.

And it didn’t stop there. Jungwon took you the entire day, round after round without much of a break. He was a madman, deeply entranced and bewitched by his love for you. He wanted you, every part of you, he wanted to satisfy you. And he did his part, too well. He knew that.

He pleasured you all day, overstimulating you in the best way, till tears formed into your eyes and your eyes rolled back. Orgasm after orgasm.

By the time you both were done, you both laid entangled in each others arms. His chin rested on top of your head, while you laid against his chest. The sound of his breathing, soothing you. You woke up in the middle of the night, realizing your position. You stared at him, watching the way his chest rose and went down. His handsome face, his pretty features, every curve on his face.

You didn’t want to admit it, but you were far too in love with him than you let yourself think.

You smiled, planting a very gently and soft kiss onto his lips. He softly stirred, instinctively pulling you closer. You let him, closing your eyes to fall asleep once again.

And finally, the day had came in a blink of an eye.

The night air was thick with tension, the city lights fading behind you as you and Jungwon sped toward the warehouse on the outskirts of town. The roads were mostly empty, except for a few passing cars, but every shadow felt like a threat.

His grip on the steering wheel was tight, knuckles white as he saw the way you fought the unease creeping up your spine. You had spent years working inside the system, believing in the justice you served. But now, that same system had betrayed you. Someone on the inside had been feeding information to the mastermind all along. And if Han Joon was the rat, then confronting him wasn’t just about exposing the truth—it was about survival.

"If this goes sideways," he finally spoke, his voice quiet but firm, "you get out. You understand?"

Your eyebrows furrowed, you shot him a glare, “What are you talking about? Not happening."

"Y/n—"

"Don’t start," you cut him off, "We’re in this together. I’m not leaving without you. You don’t get to make that call."

Jungwon exhaled sharply, muttering something under his breath, but he didn’t argue further. He knew you too well. Knew that you weren’t the type to run.

As the warehouse came into view, he slowed the car, pulling into the shadows of an abandoned loading dock across the street. The building itself was old, its metal siding rusted and covered in graffiti. A single dim light flickered above the entrance, casting eerie shadows against the walls.

You scanned the perimeter. No guards. No backup. That was suspicious in itself.

"Too quiet," Jungwon murmured, voicing your exact thoughts.

"Han wouldn’t come here alone," you said, reaching for your gun, “He’s either already inside, or we’re walking into a setup."

Jungwon reached into his jacket, checking his own weapon, “Then let’s make sure we’re not the ones getting trapped."

He leaned over to the passengers seat to place a soft kiss onto your lips before getting out the car. You froze, blankly, before a small smile crept onto your face.

You moved together, keeping low as you approached the side entrance. The door was slightly ajar, a dark gap in the metal frame.

You glanced at Jungwon. He nodded once.

With careful steps, you pushed the door open just enough to slip inside. The warehouse was dark, save for a few overhead lights illuminating the main floor. Rows of crates and shipping containers lined the space, providing plenty of places to hide. The air smelled of dust and old metal, the silence heavy, almost suffocating.

Then, the sound of footsteps.

You pressed yourself against a metal beam, your breath steady as you peeked around the corner. Han Joon stood near the center of the warehouse, his back turned to you. He was talking to someone on his phone, his voice low but urgent.

"No, listen—this isn’t what we agreed on."

A pause.

"I told you I’d handle it. But if we move too soon, they’ll figure it out."

Another pause.

"Yes. I know. I’ll take care of it."

He hung up, shoving his phone into his pocket. His posture was tense, his fingers twitching like a man in over his head.

You exchanged a glance with Jungwon. This was it.

Gun raised, you stepped out from the shadows. "Put your hands where I can see them, Han."

He stiffened at the sound of your voice but didn’t turn immediately. Instead, he let out a slow, almost resigned sigh, “You’re persistent. I’ll give you that."

Jungwon moved beside you, his own gun trained on Han, “Who were you talking to?"

Han finally turned, his face unreadable, “Does it matter? You’re already too late."

A chill ran down your spine.

"Too late for what?" you demanded.

Han’s lips curled into a humorless smirk, “You still don’t get it, do you? This isn’t just about your partner. It never was. You think you’re solving one case, but you’re playing in a much bigger game. And the people pulling the strings?" He let out a low chuckle.

"They don’t lose,” Before you could react, Han moved.

His hand shot toward his waist, reaching for a weapon. Instinct took over—you fired.

The gunshot echoed through the warehouse as Han staggered backward, clutching his shoulder. He gritted his teeth in pain, but even then, there was something almost smug in his expression.

"You think this ends with me?" he panted, blood seeping through his fingers. "You’re chasing ghosts, y/n. And you have no idea who you’re really up against."

A sick feeling twisted in your stomach.

Jungwon stepped forward, grabbing Han by the collar and slamming him against the nearest crate, "Start talking. Now."

Han let out a low, pained laugh, “I’d love to, really. But I don’t think my boss would like that very much."

Then, the sound of a phone vibrating.

Han’s eyes flickered downward, and you followed his gaze—to his jacket pocket.

Jungwon yanked the phone out, glancing at the screen. An unknown number.

Your heart pounded. Whoever was calling, they were watching.

Jungwon answered without hesitation, “Who is this?"

Silence.

Then, a voice distorted by a voice modulator.

"You should have stayed out of this, detective."

The line went dead.

And then, the warehouse lights cut out.

Everything plunged into darkness.

Then—footsteps. Fast. Closing in.

"It’s a setup!" Jungwon shouted.

Gunfire erupted, the sharp cracks splitting through the silence. You barely had time to duck behind the crates before bullets ricocheted off the metal walls. Han slumped to the floor, his wound making him an easy target.

Shadows moved in the darkness. More than one. More than two.

You and Jungwon were outnumbered.

And the real mastermind was still out there, watching. Waiting. Smiling in the dark.

"They knew we were coming," you whispered, pressing your back against the crate.

Jungwon exhaled sharply, “Of course they did. Han was stalling—he led us right into this trap."

Han’s barely conscious body laid on the floor. He wasn’t your priority anymore. The real threat was closing in.

Another round of bullets tore through the air, forcing you and Jungwon to shift positions. You caught a brief silhouette moving in the distance—at least four shooters, maybe more. Well-trained. Tactical.

"We need to move," Jungwon muttered, “Sitting here makes us easy targets."

You nodded. There was no choice. You counted down in your head—three, two, one—then broke into a sprint, dodging between crates as more bullets chased your shadow. Jungwon was right behind you, firing precise shots that forced the gunmen into momentary cover.

As you weaved through the maze of containers, you spotted something—a narrow metal staircase leading up to a catwalk. Higher ground. An advantage.

"Up there!" you called out, and Jungwon followed your gaze.

You darted toward the staircase, your heart pounding, adrenaline surging through your veins. Gunfire rang out again, a bullet grazing your arm, but you bit down the pain and kept moving. Jungwon returned fire, covering you as you scrambled up the stairs.

From the catwalk, you finally got a better view of your attackers. Four men, all dressed in black, all moving in coordinated patterns. But then your stomach twisted.

One of them wasn’t just a man.

It was an officer.

Your blood ran cold.

"Jungwon," you said through gritted teeth, your voice barely above a whisper, “They’re not just hired guns. They’re cops."

Jungwon’s expression darkened, “That explains why we’ve been one step behind this whole time."

Your worst fears had been confirmed. The mastermind wasn’t just using a single rat inside the department—he had an entire network. People who had sworn the same oath you had. People willing to kill to protect their secret.

You took a slow breath, leveling your gun, “If the department’s compromised, we can’t trust anyone."

Jungwon nodded, his gaze sharp, “Then we take them out ourselves."

He moved first, a single shot taking out the closest shooter below. The man dropped before he could react. That left three.

You spotted the officer—the traitor—and aimed. But before you could fire, he shouted something into his radio.

"They’re here! Move now!"

Your gut twisted.

Move now?

Something was wrong.

Then, in the distance, you heard it—sirens.

Jungwon cursed, “They’re bringing reinforcements."

Your mind raced. If backup arrived, they wouldn’t be there to help you. They’d be here to clean up the mess—to silence you permanently.

"We have to get to Han," you said.

Jungwon glanced at you like you were insane, “Han? He’s dead weight. We need to get out of—”

"No," you cut in, "he knows something. And if we let them take him, we lose our last chance to expose them."

Jungwon hesitated—but then nodded. He trusted you.

With no time to waste, the two of you leaped down from the catwalk, landing hard on the concrete floor below. The remaining gunmen fired, but you ducked and rolled behind a metal crate. Jungwon grabbed Han, who was barely conscious, dragging him up.

The warehouse doors burst open, more figures flooding in. Too many.

You looked at Jungwon, He looked at you.

No words were needed.

This was it. It was all or nothing.

You took a breath, steadied your gun, and charged straight into the fire.

The warehouse was collapsing into chaos. Sirens wailed in the distance, gunfire echoed through the massive steel structure, and the acrid scent of smoke and blood filled the air. You and Jungwon moved as one, dodging bullets, returning fire, pushing forward through the swarm of corrupt officers determined to silence you.

Han Joon was slumped between you, barely able to stand as Jungwon dragged him along. He was your key—your last chance to expose the mastermind behind everything. But getting out alive was another story.

The loading dock was ahead, a massive set of double doors that led outside. Your car was parked just beyond them, a possible escape—if you could make it there.

"We need cover!" Jungwon shouted as more bullets rained down from the catwalk above.

You spotted a forklift and an overturned stack of crates, “There!"

Together, you moved swiftly, taking down one of the gunmen in your path. Blood splattered across the concrete as he crumpled. You had no time to hesitate. Every shot you fired, every step you took, was life or death.

Then, a voice cut through the chaos.

"Drop your weapons."

Everything stopped.

From the shadows, a man emerged. Dressed in a sleek black suit, calm despite the bloodbath surrounding him. His dark eyes met yours, and the moment they did, your breath caught.

Commissioner Park.

Your superior. Your mentor. The man who trained and watched you and Hyunjin grow into the detectives you once were.

The mastermind.

Your grip on your gun tightened, rage curling in your stomach, “It was you."

Park smiled, "It had to be me."

Jungwon stepped forward, his gun raised, “You killed Hana’s partner. You framed Kang. You let innocent people die just to keep your operation alive."

Park tilted his head, as if amused, “And yet, here we are. With you making the same mistake he did—getting too close to the truth."

At his signal, more officers surrounded you, guns drawn. You and Jungwon were outnumbered, outgunned. Even if you fought, it would be a massacre.

Han Joon coughed weakly, lifting his head, “You… bastard…" he rasped, his voice barely audible.

Park barely acknowledged him. Instead, he sighed. "I told you before, y/n. There are forces bigger than you at play. This city? It belongs to us. And you…?" His expression darkened, “You should’ve learned to stay in line."

Your mind raced. If you were arrested, you'd never see a courtroom. They’d kill you before you even had the chance to testify.

Jungwon must have realized the same thing. His grip on his gun shifted slightly, his muscles tensing. Ready to fight. He instinctively stepped in front of you, protectively.

And that’s when you saw it—Han Joon’s fingers twitching, slowly reaching into his jacket.

A grenade.

Your eyes widened, “Han, don’t—"

But it was too late.

With the last of his strength, Han pulled the pin.

"Run!"

The explosion was deafening. The shockwave sent you flying backward, crashing against a stack of metal pipes. The entire warehouse trembled as flames erupted from the blast site, smoke billowing into the air.

Dazed, ears ringing, you forced yourself to move. Jungwon was already pulling you to your feet, his face streaked with soot and blood. He cupped your face, worriedly. Although it was muffled, you could hear him ask, “are you okay?”

you nodded, signaling to move quick.

Park was still alive, thrown back by the explosion but struggling to stand. His men were scattered, some dead, others too disoriented to react.

This was your chance.

You staggered forward, gun in hand, leveling it at Park’s chest. His eyes locked onto yours, and for the first time, you saw something in them—fear.

"This is for my partner."

You pulled the trigger.

The shot rang out. Park staggered, a red bloom spreading across his suit. His body crumpled to the floor, lifeless.

It was over.

Jungwon grabbed your hand, tugging you toward the exit. "Come on, before the whole damn building collapses!"

With smoke filling your lungs and fire raging behind you, the two of you ran.

Justice had been served, But at what cost?

The morning air was crisp, a stark contrast to the chaos of that night. It had been a few days since then. You stood on the rooftop of the precinct, watching as the city slowly came to life beneath you.

Park’s corruption had been exposed. Every officer on his payroll was being investigated, and arrests were happening by the hour. The department was in shambles, but for the first time in a long time, it felt like real change was coming.

But the victory felt… hollow. Though it brought you peace, it wouldn’t bring back Hyunjin.

You watched Jungwon get out the car from your view, making his way to your apartment. He looked up, catching you looking at him. He smiled, waving at you enthusiastically. You smiled back, signaling him to quickly come up. He had a cake box in his hand, your favorite cake to celebrate for the victory.

Then, your eyes flickered over to the loud motorcycle speeding down the road.

Your smile faded. Your heart dropped to your stomach.

As if time was moving slowly, the motorcyclist took out a gun from their pocket, pointing it at Jungwon.

You looked over at Jungwon, “Jungwon, watch out!”

Jungwon followed your gaze, confused, but it was too late.

Then, you heard the gun fire. You screamed, instinctively reaching out for him as if you could safe him.

Your eyes widen, your body trembling and going cold.

Jungwon stumbled to the ground, the motorcyclist rushing off but crashing into a large truck. The force impact causing him to fall off his bike, taking hard blows. He fell unconscious.

You ran out of your apartment, tears falling out of your eyes. You took the emergency stairs, impatient to get down there. You were bare foot, still in your home clothes—nothing could prepare you for this.

By the time you made it out, people gathered around, watching. You dropped beside Jungwon, reaching out to him. You hands trembled terribly, hovered over him. Unsure of what to do, still in shock. You sobbed, holding onto his face.

“Oh my God,” you choked out, “please. Please hold on a little longer—jesus, someone call the police please!”

you sobbed frantically, looking around to the others for help. You placed your hands over his bloody wound on his lower stomach, your hands coated in his blood. As if you could stop it from flowing, but it was no use. He looked at you, trying to maintain a reassured expression. He cupped your cheek with one hand.

“Y/n—”

“No,” you cut him off, “don’t talk. Don’t use your energy. Everything is going to be okay, just wait till later—”

“Y/n, listen to me,” he continued, “I need you to promise me something.”

You shook your head, broken sobs escaping your lips, “No…no! for what? You’re going to be okay, I promise…”

He wiped away your tears with his thumb, his complexion looking worser by the second.

“Why aren’t they here yet,” You shouted, frustrated and desperate.

“Promise me,” his soft gaze lingered on you, “that you’ll live in peace now. That you won’t stress yourself out for things out of your control.”

You watched him, words becoming futile devices. You nodded, your breath rigid from the sobs. Your hands were dripping in his blood, his face flinched in pain.

“Please, hold on a little longer,” you sobbed quietly, caressing his head and cheek in desperation.

As if to memorize his face. His touch. His warmth. Of what was left of him, at least.

He tried to laugh but choked on it, grimacing. "Guess I’m not as invincible as I thought."

You pressed down on the wound, your heart hammering, “Stay with me. You hear me? You’re not going anywhere. You can’t leave me. You owe me, don’t forget that!”

His eyelids fluttered, his breathing ragged, “You’re bossy, you know that?"

"Shut up,” your voice trembled.

The sirens were distant, help on the way, but time felt slow. Too slow. You couldn’t lose him. Not now. Not after everything.

His fingers found yours, weak but firm, “I worry I may not have told you this as much as I wished to, I love you, y/n."

"Don’t say that,” Your voice broke.

“Promise me one more thing,” he brought his bloody hand to your cheek.

“w-what?”

“In some universe, if by some miracle we cross paths, fall in love with me,” his loving gaze softened, “but If one day you find yourself in the position to love someone again after i’m gone, allow yourself.”

Jungwon smiled faintly, but his grip was slipping.

Then, in the distance, the sirens grew louder. Help was coming.

You didn’t know if it would be enough. A few sobs escaped your lips at his words.

“No—”

“Yes. Promise me,” he replied.

“No!” you shouted, “If this is about my happiness, take it, I don’t want it without you!”

His eye lids grew heavy, he coughed a few times.

“Please, promise me…” a tear slipped from the corner of his eyes.

You felt sick to your stomach. You swallowed down, hard. You nodded.

“I promise,” you cried, “but that won’t need to happen. Because you’ll be okay, just hold on a bit more, help is on the way.”

Your attention was caught by the ambulances turning the corner. You felt hope. But as you turned to face Jungwon, you felt his hand slip down your face. His blood smudging against your cheek.

Your blood went cold.

His eyes were flickering close, his chest not rising fully.

You jerked forward, tapping his face.

“Jungwon, no, no, listen to me,” you said, “do you hear me?”

It hit you again, a wave of tears. Worse than what it was before. You held him in your arms.

“I love you,” you whispered, “did you hear me? I’m ready. I love you, Jungwon. So much.”

You sobbed loudly, your piercing screams for help breaking through the cold air. You planted soft kisses onto his lips.

“I love you. Did you hear? I said I love you!” you laid your forehead against his, “Please. Wake up. I forgive you, okay? You can’t leave me. You said you’d never leave…”

The ambulance responders rushed out the vehicle, checking him. The time felt like it went slow, everything sounded muffled, watching them take him from your arms. You watched as his hands separated from yours, dropping to his side. A harsh reminder that this was real, along with other things.

That he never got to hear you tell him you loved him.

And that he’ll never know you forgave him.

You sat there, watching as they took him from you. His blood all over you, becoming cold. You stared off into the air, the shock crashing down on you. As memories of him flashed through your mind, the many things you still had to say, the things there was still left to do.

You were left with a bitter taste in your mouth, and the pain of losing him forever.

[solspina]

We Should Stick Together (2)

sanguinius ⋆˙⟡

hello! remember this that i wrote like 3 months ago? flooding my inbox worked, and i gift you all the part 2 that you harassed me for (affectionate). i hope you enjoy, and please feel free to drop more writing ideas in my inbox if you have them!! i have work in 6 hours so i am very sorry for spelling or grammar mistakes :)

as the race to the imperial palace comes to an abrupt end, sanguinius confronts his greatest fear, and finally discovers whether this is a battle he wins or loses to his perfect phoenician brother.

word count: 1.5k

warnings: n/a

(part 1)

Sanguinius turned back, ensuring that Fulgrim had become a mere speck in the distance, even to the sharp and trained eyes of the avian mutant.

Five minutes… He had five minutes at most before the Phoenician stormed into the imperial palace and attempted to track down the woman he knew was his brother’s desired bride. Although much slower than the angel, Fulgrim was still a primarch, and therefore incomprehensibly faster on foot than the average human. The duo had only ventured about three miles away from the palace to begin with, and though Sanguinius could cover that distance in half the time his brother could, he still worried for the little time he had.

The angel landed rather clumsily, his feet failing to obtain a proper stance on the floor before his wings had folded in upon his back. He stumbled, unable to catch himself before his clothes and feathers were covered in the dusts of holy Terra just as his hands had been.

In flight, his appearance had become quite disheveled, and was now accompanied by the filth of the ground. His hair had become frizzy from the abuse upon it by the wind, and his loose feathers stood on his wings in a way that made them rather itchy. He would deal with that later. No time to lose right now.

His stagger to his feet was near immediate. One moment of hesitation meant one moment Fulgrim would inch closer to the imperial place.

Sanguinius was most concerned with finding her before the phonecian ever even got the opportunity, but the thought that he had not prepared a speech lingered in the back of his head like a quickly spreading disease. The great angel was and always had been an artist of impeccable detail, a poet of unimaginably beautiful words, a man who spoke to inspire the masses. And yet despite all of this, so was his brother, whom no doubt had much more time to prepare for the exact upcoming moment.

Pale white wings trembled ever so slightly at the thought, yet they caused the angel to more hastily sprint through every room that a baseline could possibly hide in. What if, even if he had been here first, Fulgrim’s speech was more captivating and practiced? What if she cared more about the display and grandeur than the intentions of her suitor? Did she know that Fulgrim had been married before? That he would have infinitely more experience when it was time to bed he-

Not the time to think about that.

Sanguinius turned another corner as he searched for the person he so desired, but again he found nothing. Thus began his endless chase of navigating this imperial labyrinth. He turned another, and another, and another, and another, until he finally found himself gazing into one of the imperial palace's many greenhouses.

There he saw his dearest beloved sitting elegantly by a pond filled with fish of many species. Greenery, a lovely assortment of flowers and, golden sunset light adorned her body in an impossibly perfect halo. The water that poured from the elaborate fountains complimented the melody in her voice like a song made only by nature's most beautiful things, meant to cleanse his very soul.

The scene would have been a dream if not made a nightmare by the pompous and flamboyant voice of Fulgrim, drowning out what should have been Sanguinius' idealized solace.

The Phoenician let out a pretentious laugh at something the baseline said, and the angel physically cringed at the way she placed her hands over her stomach to ease her own mirth. The sight should have been something glorious, enchanting to the eyes of the ninth. It had been so many times before, yet he only felt his blood begin to boil.

only I should make you laugh that way.

He did not know what emotion flooded his heart the most. Envy? Or perhaps sorrow? rage? resentment for his silver haired brother?

What he did know, however, was that he had lost.

Somewhere amongst an incredibly confusing concoction of emotions, the angel was beyond certain that a searing heartache was included in the most prevalent of them.

He may have been able to disguise his current visage as nervousness, were anyone of importance to ask why his mood had become morose. Social interaction with a passing custodian or serf had become the least of his worries. He did not care much, at this point, if someone saw him sulking in the doorway to the garden, grieving a baseline as if he had - for lack of a better comparison - lost his lover.

Not that a soul would come through to the conservatory anyway.

"Brother!" The palatine phoenix called. His voice was loud, deafening almost. High and mighty as ever, and calling upon all eyes that could see to face the angel in his horrent state of embarrassment. "Come! We have awaited your presence."

The smile of the third was hideously genuine. The stretch of his lips when his eyes met those of the human was so sweet it was sickening to Sanguinius - so much so that it sent a chill up his spine that caused his feathers to fluff and clatter against each other when he reacted to the sensation.

"We were just discussing you." The Phoenician beamed as the angel mournfully walked forward.

"Ah." Sanguinius replied. His cheerful personality had become lost somewhere deep in his chest, and what little of his voice he displayed had become somber and quiet. Quite truthfully, he was not in the mood for any type of social affair. He especially did not want to take part in the type of conversation that had likely already seen his would-be espouse become betrothed to his perfect, handsome, non-mutant brother.

"I was just about to ask this lovely baseline of ours a very important question~"

Oh?

About to?

Fulgrim hadn't asked yet?

The angel swore he saw the third wink at him before he started to begin speaking again. Something in those shiny violet eyes beckoned the angel as they stared deep into his ruby red gaze. An opportunity, he thought, a wordless promise. - "ask her now. last chance."

Before the phoenix could fall gracefully onto one knee, the golden primarch hastily plucked the red-diamond ring - a gem color choice Sanguinius found ironic - and fell to both knees. He firmly grabbed both of the human's small hands with his own and placed them gently to his forehead, unmistakably in a position of prayer.

"Please!" He cried. His voice rang almost in protest, if not for the tears forming in his eyes alongside the exasperation in his breath and the sobs in his voice. "Listen not to a word Fulgrim says! You should marry me! Me!" He paused, only to take one pathetic gasp of air and look up into her eyes.

"Brother..."

"You have not one idea how long I have waited, how hard I have worked to find the perfect gift! And now I am rushed! I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"

"Sanguinius!" The phoenician shouted. "I was going to ask her if she had eaten yet today. So you could have done this over dinner."

The angel paused; his crying ceased. "What...?" Two crimson eyes both widened, and then dulled in embarrassment as he looked back up at the baseline. She looked at him in complete and utter stupor.

"W-wait. I can explain." He stuttered out.

She sighed in response, but followed the fading of her shock with a grin and gentle laugh.

Sanguinius did not know how he felt, regardless of her pleasant reaction. She gently removed her hands from his, taking her hand and wiping away tears from his pathetic, wet face. "Ask me again over dinner."

Her smile did not fade. Not even for a moment.

The ninth shared a sigh of his own, before giving a nod and a kind smile of his own in approval. He hoped he hadn't looked as bad as he thought, despite his disheveled hair, wings browned from terran dust, and now burning red cheeks.

"I will clean myself up, and do this properly." He promised. He bowed slightly to her, taking her hand and giving the back of it a soft and proper kiss. "Wear your nicest clothing. I will treat you to whatever you wish, as an apology."

"To tonight, then." She gracefully returned his bow. Her face was covered in a gentle blush of its own, her eyes just as upturned and full of joy as they had been earlier. Perhaps now even more so.

The angel turned to search for Fulgrim, hoping to give him a gaze that asked whether or not this was a good thing.

When his eyes finally found his brother, though, he was already making his way out of the greenhouse. Shaking his head and indulging in some giggles of his own.

Solspina's Scribellum✎ (❁ᴗ͈ˬᴗ͈) ༉‧ ♡*.✧

@astrohymn @moodymisty @undeaddream

@lemon-russ @kit-williams @nereidof40k

@jackalwolfsoul @beckyninja @verylazykiwi

(please comment to be added/removed from my taglist !!)

[justastraymoa]

Yet Unnamed

Chapter 11

Masterlist

Warnings for Yet Unnamed: Kidnapping, cuffs, injuries, drugging by injection, mentions of needles, lots of swearing, kissing, fluff, angst, idiots in love all around.

That night after showering, Felix crawled into bed with you. He seemed unsure of his welcome and without a word you turned onto your side and pulled on him until he was situated in little spoon position against your front. You hooked one leg over his hip and sighed as you nuzzled into his long hair.

Felix shifted slightly to get comfortable and pulled your hand up to his chest. You felt a soft warm touch to your fingers as he kissed them. “Are you okay?” He asked hushed in the darkness of the room.

He was, of course, referring to the reactions to your video and the overall reveal. Starting tomorrow you will need to be treated like your soul mates. You would need security and escorts, and you would have absolutely no privacy. You finally deleted your social media so that was at least one less thing to worry about. All the changes on top of the general hate from fans was a lot to handle.

You had successfully hidden in 3rachas music room and buried yourself in work all afternoon and well into the evening. As such, you were able to ignore the whole thing until now.

You also didn’t know how to properly explain how you felt. How to communicate all the jumbled feelings you had going on inside you.

“I don’t know.” You finally settled on several seconds later.

“Don’t worry. You have all of us. We will always be on your side. Nothing will happen to you.” He promised.

You didn’t respond. There was nothing really to say. You both knew there was only so much they could do. They weren’t with you 24/7, and it was impossible for them to be.

So instead, you nuzzled into him once more and settled in to sleep, falling into dreamland easily with Felix breathing a peaceful lullaby and his thumbs rubbing your hand soothingly.

~

Early the next morning you saw everyone off before getting to work. You were at home today, several hours on video call with Binnie, Lino, and Ayen for today’s interview just seemed easier from home. And in between them you were cleaning up the shorts the boys had filmed yesterday and getting them queued to the socials. And then approving more of the boys’ replies and new posts. Now that you were officially revealed they all seemed to want to post about you, using pictures you didn’t even know they had.

Luckily even though you needed to be on video call for 2 hours, their interview went smoothly, without surprises. And the people you dealt with were friendly and respectful. Exactly the kind of people you needed to deal with after yesterday.

The hate was more prominent on the socials today as more people saw the video and it was meme, clipped, and gifed thousands of times. You were all over Tumblr and X.

Stray Kids, and your name, were top searches and hashtags on nearly everything. Stray Kids 9th member was a trending topic. Someone had even gone as far as hunting down where you grew up and posting childhood photos.

You were on the video call with your three traveling soulmates when you found a picture of your grandfather and you posted to someone’s blog. It froze you in your tracks.

Seeing the picture unexpectedly knocked the wind out of you. Your eyes immediately start to burn, and your breath turns uneven. Your shoulders tighten so much they start to hurt.

“What’s wrong, Y/n?” Ayen asked, noticing the change almost immediately.

His question got the attention of Bin and Lino who leaned forward.

Taking a deep breath, you shake your head and get yourself back under control, shaking your shoulders out. “Nothing. Don’t worry about it. STAY just unearthed something I hadn’t expected to see.”

Lino squinted into the screen, scrutinizing you. “What did STAY find?”

You cleared your throat. “A picture of my grandfather and i. I didn’t know it still existed. Nothing to worry about, I promise.” You clicked out of the photo and to the replies instead, morbidly curious what people had to say.

The comments were pleasantly neutral for the most part. Mostly about how strict he looked and the words ‘Tiger Grandpa’ were used a lot. You could tell the Korean natives from the nonnatives as natives tended to be more respectful of your grandfather, but harshly judgmental of me and my Korean-ness. It seems they didn’t think you were Korean enough to be in Stray Kids soul group.

Since two members were Australian Korean, it didn’t make a whole lot of sense to say you weren’t Korean enough because you didn’t grow up here. And your grandfather made sure you knew and followed your heritage and traditions. It was very important to him.

“What are they saying?” Bin asked after a minute, correctly guessing what you were doing. Ayen was back on his phone, typing.

You shrugged. “The usual, nothing I wasn’t expecting going into this.”

“Y/n-“

A door opened behind their end of the video call, interrupting whatever Bin was about to say and a tech announced that they were ready for them, officially bringing the conversation to an end. Lino grabbed the phone as they walked out.

You were set on a stand near the main camera to watch and listen to what was going on. The boys looked like they were having a lot of fun during the interview. It was one that played out kind of like a game of truth or dare with challenges and punishments. For sure you had a great time. Most of the call you were trying not to laugh so you could make proper notes. You mostly failed.

When it ended Ayen grabbed the phone and they all went back to their ready room. “Your laugh is so cute, Y/n!” He gushed with a wide, dimpled smile.

You blush. “You could not hear me! I was not that loud!” You protest.

Lino held up his pointer and thumb close together. “Just a little bit. Promise.”

You were so embarrassed. Everyone there could hear you being extremely unprofessional! How were you going to get people to take you seriously if you do stupid shit like this! “Dammit! I’m sorry, guys.”

Bin snorted. “It's not like you were alone. I'm pretty sure one of the assistants wet themselves.”

That information didn’t make you feel any better, but you didn’t feel so alone in your unprofessional behavior, that was something at least.

Your notifications chimed again, grabbing your attention. “That was your last item to do until your flight. For now, get changed and relax.”

“Bye Y/n! Thank you!” Ayen cheered from off camera.

You waved. “Bye loves! See you soon!” You ended the call and immediately started dialing for another meeting with a potential new ambassadorship offer.

Bin, Ayen, and Lino were on track to get home just before midnight. And you wanted to be done with work for the day so you could sit out in the living room and wait for them. They hadn’t been gone long, but you were anxious to see them again. And you had worked hard all day with very little time for breaks, so an early night was called for.

So about two hours before they were set to land you were curled up on the couch in some fuzzy pajamas, a soft blanket over your legs and a comfort movie playing softly on the TV so you didn’t bother anyone trying to sleep. They had all gone to bed already, it was just you awake. They needed to rest for a full day of learning new choreo tomorrow.

It was a full day of choreo for you too. You were bringing back the original dance practice videos and adding a bit more ‘human’ to them. A right from the beginning video where everyone got to see – carefully chosen and edited – mistakes. You would be in the practice room with the boys all day filming from multiple angles. Taking more shorts for social media, and getting clips and photos for insta as well. You had the easy job. And you got to spend all day with your soulmates.

Now that you were settled and comfortable you opened the photo of your grandfather again. You had saved it to your phone and personal drive on your computer now. You weren’t sure if you wanted to keep it there or frame a physical copy and hang it up. There are mixed feelings, and you weren’t sure if this photo made you happy or sad or even angry.

You loved your grandfather, of course, but he was a difficult and strict man. Tough but fair, very stern. Not known for bending. Even so, you loved him, and you are grateful he was so insistent on you learning your culture. Especially now.

“That your grandfather?” Chan asked from over your shoulder making you jump and almost throw your phone. He almost got an elbow to the face out of instinct.

You glare at him as you click off the picture. “Don’t scare me like that. And it's rude to read over someone's shoulder.”

He smiled, not even a little apologetic. “Thats the picture STAY found?”

Signing you turned back around. “Seems like they already tattled on me, why bother asking.”

“They were concerned. You were upset and they wanted to make sure you were alright.”

The explanation was completely reasonable, of course, but you were still annoyed knowing that they were talking about you behind your back. Even when you specifically said that it was nothing.

“I'm fine. Thanks for the concern.”

“See. You are upset.” He pointed out. He circled the couch to sit next to you, crushing your feet under him.

“What about those words said that I am upset? I am not upset about the picture! I don't know how to feel about it, if you must know.”

Chan, being the annoying pest he is, poked your thigh repeatedly, trying to get a reaction out of you. “Then what are you upset about?”

The irritation built in your chest with each poke. It was actually starting to hurt a bit too. Growling you swat his hand away. “Go to bed, you big annoying freak!”

“You know I can't sleep. Might as well find out why you are upset. Kill some time.”

“I am not upset!” You snap.

Chan just blinked at you silently, waiting for you to realize. Waiting for you to give in.

He is a stubborn, annoying, pestering, stinking, MAN! You give in. “I’m unjustly annoyed that you guys were talking about me behind my back.” You look away when you say this, avoiding his triumphant look as he won the standoff by being annoying. His persistent ass would just keep going until you told him. Fucking manchild.

He jerked away slightly, confused. “It's not like we are saying bad things about you. Mostly we just talk about how adorable you are and share pictures of you.” He paused and shrugged his shoulders. “And occasionally share worries when we notice something.”

He reached into his pj pants and pulled out his phone, tapping at it a few times before handing it back to you with the group chat ‘Unapologetic Y/n simp support group’ pulled up. “You can do what you want. None of us would mind. We have nothing to hide. Not from you.

Your mouth was open in shock. You looked at the phone in your hands. The few messages you could see without scrolling already had you blushing. They were hopeless. There was a picture of you on the couch yesterday with Felix and Minnie both sleeping on you. You were running your hand through Minnies hair with a look of pure unhidden peace.

You immediately hand the phone back without scrolling further. “Thats okay. I don't think I would be able to handle it.”

Chan chuckled. “We do get pretty bad. Especially if we don't get to see you all day.”

“Ugh! You are all horrible! Go to bed!” You freed a foot and pushed at his thigh with it, trying and failing to push him off the couch.

He laughed and stood anyway. “Okay, okay. You are sure you're okay?”

Smiling toothily, you nod. “I promise. The picture only caught me off guard.”

He got serious again, looking at you with a strange unnamable look. “I know this is all very difficult. It was for us too, in the beginning, and sometimes even now. You can lean on us. We can handle a little extra weight.”

You nod, feeling a swell of affection in your chest. Behind you the soft sound of a door opening reached your ears and you looked over.

A super soft, sleep rumbled, half asleep Han came around the corner, rubbing his half open eyes like a kid. You really wanted to coo and swaddle him up.

“Hyung, are you coming to bed?” He mumbled, big eyes finding Chan, glassy with sleep.

“Go. Your baby needs you.” You told Chan.

“You’re my baby too. Find us if you need us.” Chan leaned in and kissed your forehead.

You watch as he went over to Hannie, picking him up from under his armpits like a toddler and cradling him close. Hannie locked his ankles around Chan's waist and rested his head on his shoulder. Then they both disappeared into Hannies room.

You snuggled back under your blanket to wait for the others to get home. If they were still running on time, they would be home in just over an hour, and you hoped you could stay up that long to greet them properly.

Unfortunately, you didn't manage to do that. A soft brush of wind and strong arms scooping you up under your shoulders and knees woke you gently. You immediately recognized Bin by smell and the feel of his chest under your cheek.

“M’elcome bck.” You mumble opening your eyes just a slit.

“Hello Angel. Did you wait up for us?” This was Lino from your other side.

“Obviously not.”

“It's the thought that counts.”

You snort, still half asleep and blinking slowly. Your sluggish brain picked up on someone missing. “Ayennie?”

“In the kitchen. He slept through the in-flight meal and is starving.” Binnie answered, chest vibrating with his words.

Blindly you reach up to pat Bins cheek, getting his ear instead but going for it anyways. “Glad you're all home. Missed you.”

“We missed you too.” You could feel Bins cheeks lift with a smile as he spoke.

There was a crunching sound. “Oh, hey Y/n!” Ayen sounded way too awake and chipper for the hour.

You wiggle your fingers in his direction while simultaneously realizing Bin was still holding you. For a long time now actually. You had to be really heavy.

You twisted to stand up and release him of your weight, but he just moved with you, gasping in panic. “Yah! Careful, babe, you're going to fall!” He complained.

“I’m heavy.”

At this Bin outright laughed. “Trust me, heavy is the last word I would use to describe you. Ever.”

“Thats a nice lie, Bin”

“For once I agree with him.” Ayen put in between mouthfuls of whatever he had found to snack on. You just hope it wasn't the veggie chips you had stashed in the cabinet.

You gave up, too tired to argue with them. “Whatever. Bed time.” To prove this, you snuggled further into Bins chest and let out a deep, slow breath.

There were a couple of ‘nights’ and you felt Bin begin to walk. You expected him to take you to your room, but was surprised to feel unfamiliar sheets under your skin. Not the soft cotton you had on your bed. You opened your eyes in confusion, disoriented. You were in Bins room, laying on his bed.

“Hope you don't mind. I've just really missed my bed.” He tucked his blankets around you.

Instead of verbally responding you freed your arms and made grabby hands at him, wanting to cuddle.

He gently took your hands. “Give me a few minutes. I want to shower off the flight.” You pout but let him leave with little fuss, watching as he left the door open a crack.

This was actually the first time you had slept in any other member's bed. You weren't against it. It was more intimate, private. You felt like you needed an invitation. It felt invasive to just plop into someone's bed without permission. It made you really happy that Bin had given you this honor.

You know you dozed off waiting for him to get cleaned up, but you still managed to wake up when the door softly squeaked open again. Bin immediately climbed into the bed, radiating wet warmth from his shower and smelling softly of the same soap you had used that first day here.

You vaguely note that he had placed himself between you and the door, now firmly shut. Odd observation, but you had a teacher once who told the class that men tended to sleep on the side of the bed closest to the door. Most of the time they didn't even realize they were doing it. Just some ingrained need to be between what was important to them and any possible threats. You had always thought that it sounded romantic and wanted a man who would do that for you. Protect you without even thinking about it. Without consciously realizing that he was even doing such a thing.

Bin wrapped himself completely around you, pulling you as close to himself as humanly possible. You kissed the bit of bare chest that peeked out from the collar of his sleep shirt, about the only part you could get to so firmly secure in his arms like this. Then, without another word, you both fell asleep.

~

Hyunjin woke you up in the morning by forcing himself in between you and Bin. He was fully dressed and ready for the day, the rough texture of his pants unpleasant against your skin, you curled away from it. Groaning in protest, you roll over and cover your head with the blanket.

“You two are going to be late.” Hyune sing-songed patting at your butt in time with his words.

“I'm quitting. Effective immediately.” You grumble, far too tired.

Bin hadn't even twitched the whole time, still completely conked out. One hundred percent in dreamland and two hundred percent a-fucking-dorable!

“Resignation not accepted. Get moving!” Hyune was kicking at Bin now to wake him up. Bin woke up far less forgiving than you did and Hyune ended up on the floor with a thump.

You chose a practice room that had ample space so you didn't get in the way of any of their work. You also chose one with no windows and far away from where anyone else was working for the day, just in case. It was darker walled and sparsely decorated, not one of the fancier made up ones, but good for what needed to be done today. And the dark walls would be a good backdrop.

You immediately started setting up the cameras, expertly avoiding getting the other cameras in the shots, while your soulmates changed and warmed up around you. They occasionally brushed against you or flicked at your hair and clothes.

As you attempted to adjust the lighting with everyone moving around Chan called over to you. “What's the plan, Hun? What do you need us to do?”

“Face the camera so I can check the lighting. And stop moving!" You ordered studying the screen. The 8 of them immediately obeyed, lining up and staying mostly still. You had to make sure it was right. You didn't want to wash anyone out. That would just give you hours more work that you could have avoided with just a few minutes of double checking now.

“What else?” He asked when you were satisfied.

You looked around. “Nothing. Let me adjust the rest. Then do your thing. I'll try and stay out of your way.” You stepped to the next camera and they turned to keep facing you helpfully.

“Nothing?” Seungmin double checked.

Were you supposed to have them do something? “Yeah. Just learn the choreo. The video and pictures are my job, I'll worry about angles and editing.”

They all seemed stunned by this. “There isn't a skit or lines or anything?” Chan had to make sure.

“You are missing the point of a dance practice video. All you need to do is dance. Don't worry about looking good, either.” You moved to the next camera to check the lighting again. They followed, like flowers following the sunlight. “I will make you look good during editing.”

“Have I mentioned how much I love that you are in charge of all this now? Because I do. You can never leave.” Felix stated firmly. Everyone looked strangely happy, relieved.

You smiled up at Felix, moving to yet the next camera. You were very glad they liked the way you did things. Even with Chans assurances the other day, you couldn't stop the nagging doubt. That was just your nature and would probably never truly go away.

From what you knew of dance practices – admittedly very little - this one seemed to go very smoothly. You bounced from camera to camera, constantly adjusting them. In between you were on the floor or on top of a chair you found, finding good angles for photos of each member.

When they took a lunch break you decided to skip eating in favor of taking a nap. You were exhausted and you hadn't even been dancing all morning! You curled up in the corner of the dance room, using someone's hoodie as a pillow. You could eat later.

Hyunjin again woke you when break was over. “You keep waking me up and imma start hating you on principle.” You yawned, taking his offered hand up.

He kissed your temple in apology and wiped some drool from the corner of your mouth. You wiped your mouth with the back of your hand, embarrassed. “You are too cute when you just wake up though. All soft, sleepy, and pouty.” Hyune said as he fluffed up your sleep matted hair for you. You couldn't even be mad at him now, damn it.

Now that they knew the basic steps of the choreography, they were having more fun with it. Testing it out and tweaking it to fit more their style as a group. It was interesting to watch them experiment and throw out ideas. They worked really well together, though they were all tired. Even when they got frustrated messing up or not figuring out a move they wanted.

The backup dancers would be added in and it would start to be blocked out tomorrow. So, you would all be right back in here to do this all over again.

Near the end, when you had been done with taking pictures and were focusing solely on the video now, Ayen ran over and pulled on your arm. “Come dance with us!”

You laughed nervously and stayed planted where you were. “Ah, no. I'm not a dancer.” You were not about to embarrass yourself in front of all them. You were so bad you didn't even classify as having two left feet – you were worse than that!

“So? It's just for fun! Please, please, please!” He was starting to attract the others' attention.

“Ayen, no. I'm still working. The video!”

In response he pouted at you, eyes big and lower lip jutted. You really wanted to melt and give in, but resisted. The thought of showing them just how horrible you really were kept you from letting the look sway you.

“Oh, please come dance! I bet you are better than you say.” Felix added in, joining in and pulling gently on the arm Ayen wasn't.

“I’ll only tease you a little bit. Promise.” Lino joked, smile far too mischievous to be truthful. He would never let you live it down and you knew it.

“Bin smiled, waggling his eyebrows and shook his hips to entice you. The whole picture made you crack up in loud laughter. He is such a Babygirl, and he owned it!

You were beginning to feel outnumbered and you knew this would only get worse, so you gave in with a sigh and a roll of your eyes. Unplanting your feet and letting Felix and Ayen pull you forward to the middle of the room with the others.

Because you watched them practice and learn the dance all day long, you knew the moves, in theory. But knowing them and doing them are two very, very different things.

Shaking off the feeling of self-conscious embarrassment, you tried to just let yourself have fun with it. This was just for fun. Just fooling around with your soulmates. No big deal.

On the second 8 count you tripped over your own foot and landed hard on your butt, laughing at yourself even as the dull pain subsided from the landing.

“You weren't kidding when you said you couldn't dance.” Lino joked with a smirk. Still laughing you kicked out at his shin.

Channie lifted you to your feet from behind easily. “Honestly it was pretty bad. But not horrible. Try again.”

Why were they taking this so seriously? “I’m not stretched, warmed up, or dressed for this, guys.” You whined getting back into position.

"GUYS! Are we just guys to you! You wound me, Y/n!" Hyune gasped from his spot, you smiled and rolled your eyes at his dramatics as he clutched dramatically at his chest and swooned in on Han who caught him.

“You have been twisted in unnatural angles all day long to get good shots. You are stretched and in good clothes.” Chan ignored the theatrics going on behind him, used to his kids and now a master at selective hearing.

The music started again and you let your head fall back, but began on que. This time you stayed on your feet, but missed a step or messed it up several times. Twice you went one way while the others went the other.

For whatever reason they actually started to seriously teach you the dance. Stopping to help or reposition you several times when you needed it. Lino especially seemed to really be enjoying teaching you and watching as you struggled before eventually getting it right.

You, however, were not having a good time. You were panting and dripping sweat. Disgusting.

“How long have we been doing this?” You asked, accepting a bottle of water from Minnie.

“45 minutes.” He deadpanned.

“45 minutes! How in the hell have you been doing this all day! I’m dying!” You gasped out in a shout in between your panting breaths.

This got you a chorus of chuckles. “Lots and lots of practice.”

“God I’m not going to be able to move tomorrow!” You complained sprawling out on the floor face down.

Someone smacked your ass lightly and then sat on it, crushing your pelvis almost painfully into the floor.

“I know where you sleep, Lino.” You warned the floor.

“You are welcome in my bed anytime, Jagi.” Lino teased, voice not coming from where you expected it to. “But I am not sitting on you. I am nowhere near you.”

You strain your neck to see it was actually Channie sitting on your butt. He was playing on his phone without a care in the world. “Why are you sitting on me?” You ask.

“Why are you laying on the ground?” He countered.

“I’m lying on the ground because my soulmates tried to kill me. I'm tired!”

“You would have more energy if you hadn't skipped lunch.”

“Pretty sure my nap gave me just as much energy as food would have. And I enjoyed it more.”

“You two argue like an old married couple.” Seungmin pointed out.

“We are married.”

There was a spitting sound and you felt a fine wet mist settle over you.

“Did you just fucking spit on me!” Your voice was high pitched as you rolled over to look at Minnie in disgust, knocking Chan off you in the process.

Minne was staring at you, mouth hanging open, still dripping water. You furrowed your brows confused about his reaction. What was he so shocked about? You knew JYP said on that first day that he had you sign the soul bond marriage certificates when you were drugged. Did Minnie somehow not know? Did he forget? Maybe he just didn't believe it.

“You're freaking married?!” Hyunes voice was high as well in disbelief.

Looking around the room it quickly became apparent that the only ones who knew about the marriages were the 4 of you that were in the office that first day.

“You didn't know?” You breathe. Your heart was racing. How could they not have been told? Surely it had come up before now. It had to have been mentioned at least in passing!

“A lot happened that day.” Chan seemed stunned.

“It just...slipped my mind.” Felix actually looked a little sick.

“You knew too?” Bin was a mixture of angry and ready to cry.

“We didn't not tell you on purpose! There were just more important things going on at the time!” Han tried to defend all of you.

Bin scoffed and turned away from the room, hand going to his mouth.

“More important than telling us Chan and Y/n are married?” Lino had a hurt look on his face that made your heart hurt even as it still raced.

“She is married to all of us. JYP had her sign when she was drugged.” Chan corrected.

You stood up and dusted yourself off. “Not helping, Channie.” Chan looked over at you with a shrug and gestured to the others with both hands, eyes begging for help. “Look, point is, we didn't keep it from you on purpose. It was an honest mistake.” This situation was getting tense and you all had to remember you were in public. Ears and eyes were everywhere.

“Is it even legal? You were drugged and forced to sign, after all.” Ayen asked. Bin made an angry noise from where he faced away from everyone, shaking his head.

You move to turn off the cameras and pack up. They were still recording, catching this whole disaster. “We can talk about this at home.” You warned them, quickly shoving your things into their bags.

Chan stood with a grunt and a few cracks. “Y/n is right. This is not the place to discuss things like this.”

No one argued with him, moving to gather their own things and get ready to go home. It had been a long day, and this evening promised to be even longer

🎹🎹🎹🎹🎹🎹🎹🎹🎹🎹🎹🎹🎹🎹🎹🎹🎹🎹Yet Unnamed Taglist: @fackeraccount @velvetmoonlght @hyunjinstolemyheart @vampkittenb82 @happy-jj @estella-novella @demigoddreamon-blog @tiana-maxivar @ms-flowergirl @jennibahng @whatdoyouwanttocallmefor @mimimiloomeelomi @simpforskz143148 @xxeiraxx @lil-bear08 @brbwritingfanfic @jisungs-iced-americano @zofia515 @malyxsoulpersonal @silentreadersthings @pixie0627

General Taglist @stellasays45 @beebee18 @weird-bookworm @velvetmoonlght

[mynameismckenziemae]

I Love You Two

Part 11

(previous part here, next part here)

Bradley Bradshaw x OFC x Jake Seresin.

Summary: You start your weekend getaway off with a bang.

Warnings: Adults (18+) only! MDNI! Exhibitionism, masturbation (f), teasing, humiliation, objectification, spanking, ass play, toy use.

.•.•*•.•.•*•.•.•*•.•*•.•.•*•.•.•*•.•.•*•.•.•*•.•.•*•.•.

The holidays come and go and due to the somewhat new, still under wraps status of your relationship, you don’t get to spend them with both Bradley and Jake. Paired with yours and their busy schedules, you barely get any time with the two of them together over the next few months.

“You think we should do something for Valentine’s Day?” You ask Bradley over lunch in your office as you unwrap the chocolate heart Jake had placed on your desk this morning. Who again, was ordered to work through his break.

“I know, I know. It’s just a stupid Hallmark holiday,” you repeat the words he’s always said about the holiday and laugh at the look he gives you, “but I think Jake would like it.”

While he hasn’t actually said it, there have been signs that the holiday is at least somewhat important to him. For example, the chocolates he’s been leaving for you and Bradley.

Bradley gives an exasperated sigh as he unwraps a chocolate of his own, but agrees, “Fine.”

“Yes!” You grin, pulling out your phone and sliding it across your desk, “I found this little place two hours from here. It’s got a private hot tub and there’s…”

Bradley just shakes his head as you ramble on, but can’t hide the quirk of his mustache. “Whatever works. Book it and I’ll make sure we both are off.”

“Will do,” you smile, rising when he does and risking a quick kiss, “I can’t fucking wait, Roo.”

His eyes heat at the husky turn of your voice as if he can see all the dirty ideas that are churning around your mind.

“I suddenly can’t either,” he murmurs, leaning back in to brush his lips over yours.

But the sound of footsteps coming down the hallway outside your office has him pulling back.

“See ya tonight,” you sigh, sitting back in your chair, disappointed. “Tell Jake I say hi.”

“Will do,” he replies as he walks out the door.

.•.•*•.•.•*•.•.•*•.•*•.•.•*•.•.•*•.•.•*•.•.•*•.•.•*•.•.

“Can I at least pick the music since I was banished to sit in the back?” You tease as Jake pulls his truck onto the highway.

Bradley was planning on being a gentleman and letting you ride shotgun, but no way were you going to let his long legs be cramped in the backseat for over 2 hours. So when he ran back inside his apartment to grab his forgotten wallet, you got in the backseat and locked the doors.

Jake laughs. “You are such a pain in the ass.”

“I’m going to give her a pain in the ass later,” Bradley mutters under his breath, handing you Jake’s phone before he slips his fingers through Jake’s on the center console.

“Promises, promises,” you whisper, kissing his cheek before sitting back to scroll Jake’s Spotify.

.•.•*•.•.•*•.•.•*•.•*•.•.•*•.•.•*•.•.•*•.•.•*•.•.•*•.•.

An hour or so later, you wake to the truck braking quickly. The steady flow of traffic and your boy's soft murmurs had lulled you to sleep.

“What’s going on?” You yawn, leaning forward to see.

“I think something flew off a trailer,” Jake replies as the vehicle rolls to a stop.

“Yeah,” Bradley confirms, able to see around the side of the semi in front of the truck, “looks like we’ll be here for a bit.”

“Now what?” You sigh, never one to be patient.

“We could play I Spy?” Bradley offers, “Or the license plate game?”

“Sure. There’s California, California, California, and…” you reply dryly, turning to look at the car behind you, “shocker. Another California.”

Jake snorts while Bradley shakes his head.

“Patience has never been a strong suit of hers,” Bradley tells Jake, bringing their still joined hands to place an absent-minded kiss on the back of Jake’s.

“Patience has never been a strong suit of hers,” you mock his words as you sit back with a huff.

15 long minutes pass. Bradley pulls out his phone and Jake hums along to the song playing, thrumming his fingers on the wheel.

It’s been too long since Bradley took you apart like when he took you over his knee and you’re craving to relinquish all control.

He’ll gladly do it if you so ask.

But what’s the fun in that?

“What are you doing back there?” Jake asks when he hears the sounds of you squirming.

You answer with a wink when you catch his eye in the rearview while sliding your panties down your thighs.

Bradley pauses his scrolling when the lace thong lands on the center console where their hands had earlier been joined.

“Liv,” Bradley warns.

“What?” You snap as your fingers trail back up your inner thigh, “I’m bored.”

“We’ll be there in,” Jake checks his phone, “a little over an hour.”

“You can wait an hour,” Bradley states like it’s final.

Your reply is a soft sigh as your fingers slide through your arousal, wetting the tips to ease the circles over your clit.

“Olivia,” Bradley puts his phone down and Jake straightens instinctively at the tone. “You can wait an hour.”

“I,” the shudder running down your spine makes you pause, “don’t want to wait.”

A muscle twitches in Bradley’s jaw when he clenches it.

Jake flushes as he shifts in his seat, turned on by the tension filling the cab.

You kick off your sandals before leaning back, placing a foot on each of their seats.

“Fuck,” you breathe as you dip your fingers inside, “can you hear how wet I am?”

Bradley turns to look at you but you turn his face back to the front with your painted toes, “Ah-ah,” you tsk, “eyes front, Roo.”

He curses under his breath, cheeks turning ruddy but he doesn’t try to look back again. You clench around your fingers, knowing he’s letting you continue…and knowing he’s going to make you pay for it too.

“I can hear it,” Jake murmurs, lust-blown eyes meeting yours in the mirror, “wish I could taste it.”

“Why can’t you?” You ask, slipping your fingers from inside and leaning forward, “here.”

He opens his mouth eagerly, sucking your middle and index fingers into his mouth with a soft groan.

“Good boy,” you murmur. His long eyelashes flutter when you slowly pump them in and out.

A strangled sound escapes Bradley but he covers it up by clearing his throat, looking out the window when you glance his way.

“So good,” you whisper against the shell of his ear before sitting back and resuming where you left off, thoroughly enjoying the way goosebumps rise from your words.

As the traffic continues to crawl, you draw it out, teasing yourself and therefore teasing them.

Jake can’t stop fidgeting and Bradley’s curls are a mess from his hands running through.

“I’m so fucking hard,” Jake admits when you allow yourself to get close, “fuck, Liv. You’re so hot.”

“Why don’t you suck him off, Roo?” You goad him, “Hmm? I know you want to.”

Jake’s head falls back against the rest with a groan and Bradley’s knuckles turn white on his bouncing knee.

“I-he can’t”, Jake whines as the truck creeps ahead, “we’re coming up on a semi here.”

The tinted windows and your dress were keeping you covered from unwanted attention thankfully. But they weren’t that lucky in the front seat.

“I’ll suck you off,” you continue, the lewd, wet sounds of your fingers fucking your pussy all you can hear, “as soon as we get there? Please, Jake? Can I?”

“I-ye-it’s up to Roo,” Jake replies, glancing at the road once more before turning Bradley towards him, meeting in a heated, hungry kiss.

Bradley’s hand comes up to find the hinge of Jake’s jaw as he finds Bradley’s curls, mussing them further. There’s teeth, tongue and so much tension it has you toeing the edge.

Your back arches as the pleasure crests and your soft cry doesn’t drown out the sound of the car horn from behind, making them jump apart as if they were burned.

Jake hits the gas with a frustrated sigh and Bradley’s eyes meet yours before he turns around. He doesn’t have to say a word; you already know.

You’re in so much trouble.

.•.•*•.•.•*•.•.•*•.•*•.•.•*•.•.•*•.•.•*•.•.•*•.•.•*•.•.

“Thought we weren’t doing gifts,” Jake says from behind you.

“Couldn’t resist,” Bradley replies as Jake rips the paper, “besides, it’s just as much for me as it is for you two.”

The urge to turn around and look is killing you, but you’re already in hot water.

“What are you doing?” You asked when Bradley tugged your dress down as soon as Jake closed the door to your room.

“No bra,” Bradley ignored your question, scoffing when your bare breasts were revealed, “why am I not surprised?”

“I-“ you hissed when he pinched a hardened nipple but it turned to a sigh when Jake sucked the other into his mouth.

It only lasted a moment before Bradley pulled him off by his hair and into another heated kiss.

“Not yet,” Bradley murmured, nipping Jake’s lower lip after breaking the kiss, “she’s being punished, remember?”

“Yeah,” Jake breathed, eyes flicking to Roo’s lips, obviously not listening to a word he said, “Okay.”

You almost laughed but Bradley’s attention was back on you. He reached for your arm before you could pull away and yanked you to the corner of the room.

“What-“

You jumped as your question was cut off by the sound of his hand meeting your ass, quickly followed by the burn.

“If you’re going to act like a naughty little girl,” Bradley tugs your arms behind you, crossing them at the elbows, “then I’m going to treat you like one. You’re going to stay right here in this corner until I’m ready for you to come out.”

The burn of humiliation hasn’t waned and your arousal has only intensified since he left you in the corner nearly a half hour ago.

You positively ache, wetness is now coating your inner thighs as you shift your weight from foot to foot, growing antsier by the second.

Jake’s shuddery inhale when the contents of the gift are revealed only makes it worse.

“The pink one is Liv’s,” Bradley says, the smile in his voice evident.

Your eyes narrow but you don’t say a word. Bradley knows you fucking hate the color pink.

“Can we…” Jake trails off, “now?”

“Yeah,” Bradley answers a little smugly, making goosebumps rise along your body. “Liv?”

“Yes sir?” Your voice sounds so loud as it echoes against the walls inches from your face.

“Come here.”

.•.•*•.•.•*•.•.•*•.•*•.•.•*•.•.•*•.•.•*•.•.•*•.•.•*•.•.

“I’m sor-“ your third-or is it fourth? attempt at an apology gets cut off by another harsh slap to your ass.

You give up with a strangled sound, burying your face in the comforter and letting the tears welling in your eyes finally fall. You refuse to let him see you cry.

Your gaze had been on the floor in faux remorse when you'd approached him, but Bradley saw right through your act. He wasted no time bending you over the bed and showing how sorry you weren’t, taking your breath away with quick, harsh spanks. Jake watched with rapt attention, occasionally running a soothing hand down your back and giving you a swat of his own.

Arousal is coating your trembling thighs when Bradley pauses to knead to knead your reddened flesh. “Have you had enough?”

“Why?” You reply shakily, looking over your shoulder with watery eyes, “Is your hand tired?”

Bradley quirks a brow and Jake snorts as he returns from the bathroom, holding a bottle of lube in one hand and something pink in the other. He left a few minutes earlier after a hushed conversation with Roo.

“I was going to let you sit on Jake’s face while I put this in,” Bradley holds up the pink butt plug that Jake must’ve just washed, “but only good girls get their pussy eaten.”

You fight the urge to gulp. While it’s not as big as Bradley or Jake, it’s bigger than a finger.

“I hate pink,” is what you say instead, trying not to wince at how bratty you sound.

“I know,” Bradley grins, opening the lube.

You roll your eyes before resting your head on your crossed arms, refusing to show that you’re a little nervous.

The cold lube hitting your heated skin makes you jolt.

“Jake’s going to get you ready for the plug. Yeah,” Bradley observes as Jake spreads it over his fingers before sliding between your cheeks, “just like that, baby. Get her hole nice and slick.”

“Oh God,” you whimper.

“This okay?” Jake asks, slowly circling your rim as Bradley brushes the hair off your forehead.

“Yeah,” you reply truthfully, knowing they’ll stop at your slightest hesitation, “it’s okay.”

“You’ll tell us if it’s not?” Bradley asks, tilting your chin to look at him.

“I will-oh,” your eyes flutter as Jake gently starts to press a fingertip in. It’s different with no stimulation to your pussy or clit like the few times Bradley’s fingered you in the middle of sex.

“That’s good,” Bradley stands behind him, kissing his neck as his finger slowly pumps in and out. “She’s ready for another.”

You tense up instinctively when he presses a second finger to your hole and Jake hesitates.

“It’s okay,” Bradley says, trailing his fingers down Jake’s arm before dipping down to slide through the wetness on your thighs before ghosting over your clit. A whine escapes as you tighten for only a moment before relaxing, and letting Jake’s fingers in. “See?”

“Fuck,” Jake breathes, letting you get used to the intrusion before gently pumping them in and out.

“Yeah,” Bradley chuckles, nudging your clit every so often to keep you on edge. “How’s it feel?”

“Hot,” Jake murmurs, “tight, just as perfect as her pussy.”

“Mmm,” Bradley agrees, watching as you start pushing back to meet his fingers. “She’s ready for the plug.”

A shiver wracks your body as Jake pulls his fingers from you and he places a kiss on your back in apology before heading to the bathroom to wash his hands. Your breath quickens at the sound of the lube opening again.

“Spread her open for me,” Bradley instructs when Jake returns. His warm, damp hands squeeze your hip reassuringly before stands beside Bradley and he does as he’s told.

Mortification races through you at the gesture; added to the fact that they’re both dressed while you’re naked and so exposed mixed with your pulsing arousal is a heady combination.

“Fuck,” you breathe at the first touch of cool, hard silicone.

“Now touch her clit,” Bradley says, letting you get used to the feel, “but don’t let her cum.”

“Yes sir,” Jake murmurs, sounding farther gone than you as he sneaks his hand between your thighs to give the same sweet, but fleeting traces as Roo.

“That’s it,” Bradley coos, softly pressing the toy in as you whimper from Jake’s touch, “good, Jake. Good.”

Jake’s head falls back at the praise.

The praise you should be getting.

A complaint gets lodged in your throat when Bradley pulls back before pushing it in again; further this time.

“Watch, sweetheart,” Bradley says, “watch her take the widest part.”

Your toes curl as your hole stretches around it and you let go of the breath you didn’t realize you were holding once it’s in.

“You good?” Bradley whispers, leaning forward to press kisses down the knobs of your spine.

All you can do is nod, feeling like an open, exposed nerve.

He smiles against your back and straightens.

“Can’t wait to play with this while I fuck you,” Bradley toys with it, making you gasp. Jake’s fingers are still teasing your clit while your poor, neglected cunt clenches around nothing. “Here Jake, give me your hand.”

Bradley brings Jake’s hand to the plug, guiding it in and out. Your trembling legs nearly give out when he pauses on the widest part, “See how her greedy hole tries to pull it back in?”

“Yeah,” is all he can manage as he pushes it in one last time before finding Roo’s lips for a hot, tension-fueled kiss.

As you muster the strength to lift off from the bed, more than ready to be fucked, they pull apart, breathing hard.

“Ready for your turn?” Bradley asks him, pulling a plug matching yours from his back pocket, only this one is in blue.

.•.•*•.•.•*•.•.•*•.•*•.•.•*•.•.•*•.•.•*•.•.•*•.•.•*•.•.

A/N: I’m so sorry for the delay since the last update. Life is crazy. I hope this is the end of my hiatus, but no guarantees. I really hope you like it. Also, just a little disclaimer that I finished this and edited it while exhausted so I hope it’s not shitty. Also 👇🏻

As always, any interaction is appreciated but I LOVE hearing what you think in the comments/reblogs! Seriously, feedback helps me more than anything.

Tagging:

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@dizzybee03

@shanimallina87

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[i-m-snek]

I can't believe just how far Sweetpea has come!

She's still looking for her forever home, she is always going to have some issues in general from her MBD, and may never fill out to look 'normal weight'. She can't be on any loose substrates due to a weaker digestive system, again, due to MBD/prior starvation. I am looking for someone fairly close (Arizona, United States. I will not be shipping her due to her size, even in a large box if it's flipped over she wouldn't be able to get herself back upright.) Who has a lot of prior experience with bearded dragons. *I will not make exceptions on that, she is not a starter reptile* She also struggles to balance on branches, so any climbing apparatus needs to be low to the enclosure floor. Personality: She loves basking in the sun outside, her favorite food is red bell pepper, but she will eat the heck out of different types of squash as well. Zuchinni and yellow squash are her main foods currently, she'll also eat collard greens, just less enthusiastically. She hasn't turned her nose up at any bugs at all, she'll eat crickets, hornworms, dubia roaches, BSFL, etc. She's a cuddle bug, as her name implies. If you set her on your lap she'll nap for hours! She's slowly starting to be more active and use her legs more, and I'll often watch her march around her enclosure before settling for a nap. History: Sweetpea was bought as a subadult by a 16 year old kid, who swore to his mom that he'd care for her. Well, as it goes in these situations, the kid cared for a month before losing interest and feeding her -maybe- once a month. She didn't have proper UVB lighting, which made it impossible for her to metabolize her food and she slowly declined over time. Eventually the mom went into his room and found her, nearly on deaths door. Genuinely thought she had starved to death, but noticed her eye movement. She posted in a panic on facebook and someone saw it and contacted me. I almost didn't go get her because I thought it was a case of the dragon being in brumation and the owner not knowing they brumate. Beardies are a lot of work and I didn't want to add to my plate unless absolutely necessary. But I am so glad I did go get her. I had never seen such an emaciated bearded dragon in person before, and took her in as a foster immediately. The first two weeks I was scared I'd wake up to her dead, she refused all offers of food, I had to blend her food and syringe feed her very slowly every day as to not overload her organs. She wouldn't even look twice at live bugs, she had no appetite. Not only that, but she had 'rubber jaw', where after so long without UVB or calcium supplements their jaw just. Turns rubbery and flexible, so she couldn't chew at all. After about two weeks of syringe feeding, being under uvb, and carefully measured calcium supplements, her jaw strengthened enough that I was comfortable offering her solids. I had to put it directly into her mouth, but she started eating solid veggies. From there I taught her to once again eat on her own, and it's been uphill since then! Requirements: You -have- to have experience with bearded dragons, at least a couple years of owning an adult. She is a special needs dragon, and will likely never be a fully healthy dragon again. You have to have at least a 4 x 2 x 2 enclosure ready to go. She has to be kept on solid substrate (Sadly) such as tile or paper towel, as said earlier she cannot metabolize any swallowed substrate due to her weakened digestive system. I know its a lot, but she is a special needs dragon who has suffered so, so much. She deserves to have a happy, healthy life from now on with someone who knows what they're doing. Because of my requirements, I am not asking a rehoming fee. But I -am- requiring video or photo proof that you have experience with dragons, and proof of enclosure.

[sweetprfct]

Please Please Please

Aaron Taylor-Johnson x Fem!Reader

Summary: An unexpected coffee accident turned your life upside down into a world full of glamour and flashing cameras everywhere you turned. You thought with Aaron by your side, it was going to be easy to navigate, but it turns out life in front of the flashing cameras isn't so effortless after all.

Author's Note: I've been looking at my notes and it seems like this plot needed more chapters, so I added some more. Here's chapter 2. Comments and likes are always welcome :) Let me know if you'd like to get tagged!

Wordcount: 4K

Disclaimer: 18+

chapter one - chapter two - chapter three - chapter four - chapter five - chapter six - chapter seven - chapter eight - chapter nine - chapter ten - chapter eleven - chapter twelve - epilogue

You watched the temperature of the reaction you were making reach at 25 degree celsius before sitting back on your desk chair. You sighed and recorded your steps on your report. Sometimes you couldn’t help but wonder if you would have been happier if you had decided to do academia instead of working in an industry. Though, the thought of having to find financial support for your research seemed like a stressful thing to do also. 

Besides some of the toxic coworkers that you have, you didn’t hate your job.

But there was always that what if.

Your eyes glanced at your phone that was sitting on your desk and saw Sara’s name appeared on the screen. 

Sara: So, do you think my boss will notice if I decide to leave early for today? 👹

You chuckled softly at your phone and started typing a response. 

You: LMAO! Probably since they can’t seem to work well without you there.

Sara: I’m so bored 😩 I finished most of my work. Just waiting on some approvals but everyone is busy with meetings. 

You: Come save me too. I’m currently doing a reaction, and they need this rush apparently 🥲

Sara: Ew. 🥴 Oh, btw, Luca texted me asking if we’re down for dinner tonight. 

You looked up from your phone and couldn’t find Luca anywhere. Luca was one of your best friends from CalTech and now, he worked with you and Asher too. Ivy, who was also part of your friend group, worked with Sara in NASA. It was weird how life still threw all of you together. Either way, you were just glad that they were still in your life. 

Even though you were debating about Asher’s presence lately.

You: Yes, he asked me this morning. I’m down if you are. 

Sara: Yeah, sounds good. No promises I won’t say shit to Asher though

You: LMAO I wanna see that! 🤭

Sara: I haven’t seen Ivy all day. Not sure if she’s part of the meetings. She’s the only one who actually entertains me here.

You: Told you to get out of Pasadena 😂

Sara: Yeah, okay. I’ll get right on that! 👍

You glanced up from your phone when you heard the lab doors opened and saw Luca pushing a cart full of succinates. His thick salt and pepper curly hair that ends just right past the nape of his neck was covering his forehead and the top of his goggles. He paused in front of your desk and sighed, pushing a strand of hair away from his face.

“Never. Again.” He said, out of breath. 

“What happened?” You got up from your chair, walked around your desk and studied the succinates that were sitting on the cart. 

“These bitches were so far up the rack.” Luca explained. “I’m tall but not that tall. I swear to god, Max is getting on my nerves. He could have grabbed these himself.”

He was right. Luca was tall. 

He was a lanky, tall guy but those racks they stored the chemicals in were very high up. Sometimes some of those chemicals were in heavy gallons of plastic jars. You wondered if that was even safe for the team. Max had been too lazy to get it himself even though he was a lot stronger than any of you in the team.

You shook your head and said, “You know how he is. Do you need help? I can help. I’m done starting my reaction. I don’t have to take care of it after four hours.”

“No, I’m good.” Luca set a hand on his hip, still trying to catch his breath. “I just need to weigh these.”

“Okay, let me know if you do.” You said. “Oh, and I talked to Sara. We’re down for dinner tonight.”

“Ugh, good!” Luca set his hand on his stomach. “Just thinking about it makes me hungry already. I already told Asher about it too.”

You walked back around your desk and saw your screen light up again with a new text message. 

“Mhm. I’m sure he was quick to say yes.” You murmured, your eyes focusing on the message. 

“With you coming along? Of course.” Luca teased as he pushed the cart next to his desk. 

Your attention wasn’t with him anymore though as you saw Hannah’s name on your notifications. You were afraid to open the message. Last month, she had dragged you to that after party where you embarrassed yourself in front of Jen, and you knew Hannah only texted you when she needed something. 

It wasn’t as if you disliked her. Hannah just went into her own path after high school. You and Hannah were neighbors back in San Francisco since you were kids, but she had her own dreams. 

Bigger dreams than yours. 

Ever since you were children, she always wanted to be on TV. Now, she had booked multiple acting roles and had connections with Hollywood. She tends to drag you around after parties and movie premieres. You didn’t seem to mind it often, but you felt like you didn’t fit in with her crowd. It went the same with her. She didn’t fit in with your new group of friends. 

Luca and Ivy didn’t like her much. They said she was “too stuck up” even though sometimes, Luca wanted to get invited to these events. Sara didn’t mind much, but you knew Hannah could get on her nerves too. Besides you, Asher was the only one who got along well with her. It was because Asher wanted to be part of her glamorous world even if he tried to put a facade on it. 

Hannah: Hey! You got plans for tomorrow night?

You: Not sure. Why?

Hannah: There’s this after party for this movie I was on. Please please please come with me!

You: Um… Idk.

Hannah: Please? 🙏 I really need someone there, and I know you support me a lot.

You sighed and ran your fingers through your hair. You have the urge to bite your nails at the moment, but you stopped yourself from having your nails between your teeth. Not only have you been handling chemicals, but you have told yourself to stop this bad habit. Instead, your leg shook anxiously underneath your desk. 

You: I don’t know, Hannah. 

Hannah: I swear, I won’t leave your side. Please?

Fuck. 

You knew if you didn’t say yes, she was going to keep bothering you. You wondered why you were the one she wanted to come to this event. Last time you checked, she had a boyfriend now. 

An actor too. 

You: Fine. 

Hannah: Ah! Thank you! You’re a lifesaver! ❤️

Great. 

Now, you have to go shopping for a new dress. 

When you found yourself in your car at the end of your work day, you contemplated whether to go park on the street near the restaurant and wait for an hour for your friends to get there, or you could go do a pit stop at The Insomniacs. 

As always, the latter won. 

A few minutes later, you found yourself waiting in line to buy your favorite blended coffee. Sometimes you wonder if this was just your body craving it at this point, or if you actually needed the caffeine because it seemed like you could sleep perfectly fine with it. 

Scrolling through Instagram, you took a step forward in the line. The shop was a little busy today, but you had time to kill, so you didn’t mind waiting. 

“Is this going to be our meeting place?” The British accent was so thick through the man’s familiar voice, your phone almost slipped out from your hands.

You looked up from your phone, your eyes following where the voice came from. You thought he was standing in front of you, and you just didn’t notice it when you had joined the line, but he was nowhere to be found. 

You froze for a moment, your eyes studying the shop before landing on him. He was standing at the end of the counter, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed in front of him. He was wearing that smolder look on his face, his mouth tugged into a small smile. You swallowed your emotions that were surfacing as you slipped your phone on your back pocket. 

He wasn’t wearing his costume this time. He was in his casual clothes. Black shirt, black trousers, and gray coat. His long curly hair was messy. It was still pushed back, but it looked mussed. 

You wondered if what he was wearing was actually his casual clothes or another movie costume. You wondered what kind of role he was playing in the movie, and why was he in this coffee shop for two days in a row now?

“Are you stalking me?” You asked but immediately regretted the words that slipped out of your lips. 

That came out a little rude too. 

See, this is why Hannah shouldn’t be dragging you to an after party tomorrow night. You act so stupid in front of celebrities. 

Aaron chuckled at your comment, tilting his head at you like he was challenged by what you just said. 

“How do I know you’re not stalking me, darling?” His voice was calm and gentle.

But that nickname. 

It sent shivers down your spine. 

You looked around the shop and wondered how everyone was acting so normal that a celebrity was in here. They were probably used to seeing famous people in this shop. It was across Warner Brothers Studios after all.

Your turn in line came, and you ordered your usual. Even if Aaron was standing at the end of the counter, you could feel his eyes burning your side. 

Walking towards him after paying for your drink, you said, “Because I’ve come to this place several times the last couple years and I don’t remember you being here much.” 

Immediately, you saw a proud grin tugged on his lips as he said, “Touché, love.”

You couldn’t help but smirk at him. Your eyes studied the current situation of his look. He looked like he just finished a long day of filming. There were dark circles under his eyes, but it still made him look so attractive.

“Is mocha blended coffee your usual?” Aaron asked, interrupting your thoughts. 

He must have noticed you were checking him out because he was smirking at you. Your cheeks turned into a shade of pink as you quickly looked away and focused your attention towards the counter.

“Look who’s the stalker.” You teased him. “Are you listening to my order?”

He laughed softly, which sent shivers down your spine again. 

“This place isn’t that big, love. I can hear that man’s order right now.” He nodded his head towards the man that was ordering his drink at the register.

That new nickname. 

Where’s a hole on the floor for you to fall in when you need one?

You sank your teeth into your bottom lip and glanced up at him. He was so tall, and he took up a lot of space. You have to literally crane your neck just to look at his face. 

“Since you love to eavesdrop so much, then yes it is.” You answered. “Is cappuccino your usual order too?”

Aaron’s lips tugged into a big grin as he lowered his lips close to your ear and whispered, “And you accused me of eavesdropping?”

You could hear your heart drumming in your ears as you bit your lower lip harder. You could almost taste metal in your mouth. 

Where the fuck was that comet, Sara? Because it might as well just disintegrate this Earth right now. 

Or maybe it could just hit you. Just you. 

You could feel his warm breath and warm presence on your side, making your legs feel like jelly. He was so close to you, and it felt like an eternity before he straightened his body back and smirked at you. Again. 

Before you could retort something back to him, you heard the barista both call your names and set both of your coffees on the counter.

Thank fucking god.

“Well, it’s nice to see you again, stalker.” You said before grabbing your cup and walking out of the doors immediately. 

Were you in some kind of a movie or something? There were so many questions lingering in your mind as you sipped your coffee, letting the cold liquid cool your body down. You kept questioning why he kept making conversations with you and from all people, he kept trying to get your attention and teasing you? 

You shook your head to clear out all these delusions that were lingering in your mind. 

You were being stupid. 

You drove towards West Hollywood, driving around to find yourself a parking spot. In this city, you could barely find one, especially on the side streets. Opting out for the street parking, you decided to park in the public parking garage and walked your way towards the restaurant where Sara and Ivy were waiting outside. 

“Hey.” You smiled, pulling Ivy into a hug. “How are you, Ivy?”

“Good. How are you?”

Ivy’s brown curls were up in a ponytail, her brown eyes glinting brightly at you. She looked tanner from the summer days that she spent at the beach all the time. Freckles were dusted on top of her nose and cheeks, and she looked a lot happier and more relaxed than the last time you saw her. You barely saw Ivy because she was always busy taking care of her family. Sara was the only one who saw her often because they worked together. 

“I’m good. How’s your parents?” You asked, knowing she has been struggling with them lately.

Ivy shrugged, “They’re good. They’re moving to Boston, so I’ve been helping them pack up the house.”

Now, it makes more sense why she seemed more relaxed.

“Oh, nice. I’m guessing you found a place of your own then?”

Ivy nodded excitedly, her ponytail swaying behind her. “Yeah, I found one in Glendale, so I’ll be closer to you guys.”

“Thank god! I get to see you more!” 

“Hey guys!” Luca greeted, running a hand through his curls. 

Next to him was Asher who also greeted all of you. He was a bit quieter than usual, and you wondered if it was because he felt guilty for his behavior from yesterday. You gave him a small wave and followed your friends inside the restaurant. Settling in your seat as soon as the hostess led you to your table, you focused your attention on the menu in front of you. 

Sara and Ivy were murmuring to each other about the menu, while Luca and Asher were arguing about the meat choices that were better for Luca’s taco. You settled for three tacos and a margarita as soon as the server came and took your orders. 

“Oh!” Sara called everyone’s attention once the server walked away. She nudged you with her elbow and said, “Ask her who she bumped into yesterday.”

Jesus fucking Christ. 

Not Sara too! 

“Oh my god.” You mumbled under your breath, shaking your head. 

The server came by with your drinks and you immediately took a sip of your margarita, letting the alcohol burn your throat. 

“I swear to god if you bumped into Paul Mescal, I’m going to lose my shit.” Luca commented, taking a sip of his cocktail.

You laughed with Sara and Ivy. Luca’s celebrity crush was Paul Mescal, and he has been waiting to bump into him one of these days. You would support it, but you doubt he lived in LA since he was Irish, and he probably preferred to live in Europe. That didn’t stop Luca from hoping though. 

“No, Luca.” You chuckled. “It was ATJ.”

Luca and Ivy choked on their drinks, both of them gasped loudly and looked at you with wide eyes. Asher was rolling his eyes in the corner, while Sara was giggling softly next to you. 

“Shut the fuck up!” Luca exclaimed. “That’s even worse!”

“Aaron fucking Taylor-Johnson?!” Ivy whisper-yelled, her eyes looking like they were about to fall out of her sockets.

“Fuck Paul Mescal.” Luca shook his head in disbelief. “I’ll take ATJ.”

“Yeah, well, I saw him again today.” You mumbled through the edge of your glass before sipping your drink again.

You watched as your friends, including Sara this time, dropped their jaws to the floor and widened their eyes even more. Asher on the corner was shaking his head as if he hated this subject that you all were talking about.

That was such a lie.

You knew Asher would literally throw a party if he ever got accepted into that world.

“Wait, what?!” Sara exclaimed.

“Woah, woah. Wait!” Ivy held up her hands to pause the conversation. “Are you sure this second meeting is a coincidence?”

A line appeared between your brows as you stared at your friend like her theory was the most absurd thing on Earth. You understood that they were all in shock, but that idea in her head for a moment was not… reality. 

“Don’t be ridiculous, Ivy. I’m literally no one.” You argued. “Besides, the coffee shop is across from Warner Brothers. He’s probably filming a movie or something.” 

Luca held up his hands this time, swaying it in front of him to shut everyone up. “Wait! What happened yesterday?”

Sara laughed at the memory as you side-eyed her. She was the one who opened up this conversation. Now, look at the position you were put into.. 

You explained to your friends the whole incident, and Luca’s mouth was hanging open the whole time. It wasn’t long until Ivy joined him the moment she heard the words “I wiped his clothes with a bunch of napkins” left your mouth. 

“Ugh!” Luca stomped his foot under the table. “You’re so lucky! You got to touch him!” 

Asher threw his head back and groaned softly. The table immediately went silent, and you all turned your heads towards him. 

“Are we just going to talk about celebrities all night?” Asher complained. 

You hated the subject of this conversation, but your patience with Asher was hanging by a thread. Luca leaned back against his chair, crossing his legs underneath the table and crossing his arms on his chest. He lifted his brow at Asher, and an annoyed look was plastered on his face.

“Okay, Mr. KillJoy, what’s going on with your life?” Luca asked sarcastically. 

You rolled your eyes as soon as Asher started complaining about the extra production that Keith was planning for the team. You wanted to tell him that you couldn’t believe he still wasn’t over this, but it was Asher. He was never going to be over this, especially the way Keith had embarrassed him in front of you in that meeting. 

“I mean come on! More production and less people?” Asher whined.

“Actually, Keith’s hiring more people, so I don’t know why you’re complaining about this.” You argued. “Did you not hear that sentence coming out of his mouth from that meeting?”

Asher didn’t say anything as Sara leaned forward, her elbows resting at the edge of the table. Fire sparked behind her eyes as she looked at Asher. You didn’t even need to be a mind reader for what Sara was about to say in the next ten seconds. She already warned you this morning. 

You weren’t going to lie. You sort of wanted to hear this.

“Oh, and didn’t you lose your shit?” Sara asked, her voice sharp.

There it was. 

You turned to Sara, nudging her gently on her side. You gave her a look to make sure she wasn’t going to push it too much on Asher. However, you didn’t have to worry about Sara because you saw Ivy and Luca exchanging looks and immediately, Luca leaned forward against the table also with a curious expression.

“What did you do now, Asher?” Luca asked. 

Asher’s eyes darted between his friends. You could tell that he was even more embarrassed because now, he has to explain to his friends the behavior that he projected onto you yesterday. You rolled your teeth over your lower lip and leaned back against your chair, playing with the glass in your hand. There was no saving him from this. As much as he was your friend, you were also irritated with the way he reacted yesterday. 

No, you weren’t just irritated.

You were furious about his accusation. 

“In my defense…” Asher muttered, and you could hear Sara’s low scowl next to you. “I… I admitted I was wrong, okay? And I apologized for it.”

“What the fuck did you do?” Ivy asked, ignoring his stupid introduction.

Asher stuttered for a moment. His panicked eyes were shifting back and forth towards everyone. He let out a long breath and slumped down on his chair. 

“I accused her of having a crush on Keith.” He murmured under his breath. 

Even just hearing those words, it made you want to throw up the tacos you just ate. Luca’s eyes immediately sparked with anger, while Ivy shook her head in disappointment.

“Seriously, Asher. You need a fucking therapist.” Luca barked. “Seriously? Keith? That man is older, married, and has kids! Why the fuck would you accuse her of that? Or is it because he always gives you a cold shoulder?”

“Or because a man was being nice to her.” Ivy mumbled through the edge of her glass before sipping her drink. 

Ivy was right. 

Asher always acted out whenever a random man was being nice to you. It could be a stranger smiling at you, and he would immediately roll his eyes. He would make up some excuse that he only acted that way because he was being protective towards you, but everyone in this table knew the real reason why. 

“I said I was sorry!” Asher said. “It was a mistake, and I wasn’t thinking right.”

Your friends continued to call out Asher’s behavior, but you were done with this conversation. You didn’t even want to think about it. You felt your phone vibrate in your back pocket, and you slipped it out to check who was texting you. 

Hannah: Got you a dress for tomorrow night! No need to worry!

You sighed and slipped your phone back in your pocket, drinking the rest of your margarita. Luca’s eyes shifted towards you when he saw your distressed expression.

“Who was that? ATJ bothering you?” He teased, making Ivy chuckle.

“No,” You rolled your eyes. “Hannah invited me to this after party, and she was letting me know that she has an extra dress for me to wear.”

“Ugh,” Luca said dramatically, tucking a hair behind his ear. “I swear, Hannah needs to invite me to one of these parties.”

You laughed softly, “I thought you didn’t like Hannah? You said she was too stuck up.”

“She can be.” Luca said, rolling his eyes. “But I have needs.”

“Like Paul Mescal?” Ivy teased him.

Luca ripped a piece of his tortilla and threw it at her, making you and Sara laugh. Ivy stuck her tongue out to him as Luca rolled his eyes again. Out of all of you, Luca was the most dramatic and sometimes, he was more girlier than the girls. Though, you always tell others to never underestimate Luca because he could put you in your place in an instant, and he never liked anyone who was whiny and toxic.

You were surprised Luca hasn’t ripped a hair out of Asher’s perfect golden hair. 

Maybe he was close to doing it. You knew you were. 

As Sara asked for the paycheck, the five of you split the bill and left the restaurant after paying. You and Sara said your goodbyes to your friends and told each other that you would see each other at home. 

Driving back to your apartment building that night, your mind resurfaced the events of the coffee shop again. Ivy’s voice echoing in your mind.

Are you sure this second meeting is a coincidence? 

You quickly dismissed it because the more you think about it, the more comical it sounded.

You were just tired. It had been a long day. 

That was all. 

__________________________________________________________

Taglist:

@acourtofpenandpaper, @metal-redcherries, @n0rdicmaiden, @galadoesart, @dare-writes

[xoweathervane]

just came home and i'm bored so i'm gonna yap about the communications rewrites and why they all fucking suck like actually they're horrific except for case two

tldr the best summary i can give is this image i made at like 2 am last week while thoroughly tired and about to go sleep for only like 4 hours

okay now for the actual yap fest. ahem

a lot more people would love the storytellers if they were actually given a fucking purpose other than just existing to take the pressure of snapping off the characters at their worst. like the entire story of communications (imo anyway) is supposed to be good people doing bad things while stuck in bad places in their lives. that is NOT what the storytellers do. if you're gonna completely change the theme then at least give them a tad more dimension

case one being the only finished case (with every perspective touched on) SHOULD mean that its storyteller would be just as fleshed out as the rest of the cast. what the fuck is ray even here for???? he literally serves no purpose other than to take the guilt, grief, and denial towards killing henry off nancy... which also completely derails the themes of the later half of the story. it would be a lot nicer if he had a REASON at the very least instead of just being the crazy neighbor killing people for fun. he could've been like a colleague who was jealous of how far henry had come or something. fuckin hell man he didn't have to be there in the first place if he wasn't gonna do shit

case three is just case three. moving on

okay but all i have to say about case three is that nathan being there does not make it make any more sense than it already does(n't). i still think ghost should've worked on the original more and made it add up better before adding a storyteller because what the hell is happening. okay NOW moving on

i still heavily prefer the original case two story to the rewrite but at least evelynn DOES SOMETHING. she still comes out of nowhere like ray but she actually uses the lore to her advantage instead of just pulling a great big stunt for no reason. her decision to get close to someone who was wary of people as a defense mechanism just to manipulate him and reinforce his belief that nobody could be trusted sounds evil on paper, silly when you think about it, and then absolutely shitty when you think about it some more. evelynn is the only storyteller i despise not because she's fucking useless but because i've known my fair share of people like her. congratulations to evelynn jacot for being the first and only storyteller with a purpose

also i'm a firm believer that if the story for case two was a bit different, evelynn probably could've been a character from the very beginning. seriously i can't stand her but at the same time she's the only one whose existence i can accept

[transfemme-shelterdog]

Kind of just a small ("small" lmfao) vent 'cause I dont have anywhere else to share it and you're like the only person I've found that's been talking about it consistently, but I'm also one of the few trans men that want to get pregnant and have my own kids. But because of how trans people are viewed, I also want to be 100% stealth. I just want to be viewed as and treated as your average man. But obviously those two things aren't going to work together so I'm at a huge fucking loss on what to do. If trans people were treated like normal people and respected, and pregnant men were part of the norm, I wouldn't even worry about the stealth shit. I wouldn't be screaming that I'm trans from the rooftops, but I wouldn't be looking over my shoulder and overcompensating with my masculinity either. I'd just be a person, y'know? I just want a husband and a kid (or three) and a decent house and a job that won't fire me when they find out I'm trans and/or pregnant (and before anyone says "that's illegal!", I'm in America. The current government doesn't care what's illegal, they don't even care what's unconstitutional).

I'm just so fucking tired. The way things are now, when I get pregnant (if I decide it's even worth the risk despite how much I want it), I'm going to have to uproot my entire life. Or just quit my job once I can no longer hide my bump, but that's still gonna be fucking me over. I've also still gotta deal with doctors and shit and ugh... I've literally been considering becoming a nurse and learning some labor & delivery shit so I can just do it all myself at home. And then maybe go to a hospital like 1-2 hours away for (very limited) ultrasounds and doctor appointments and shit. It's unfortunately safer at this point.

Hell, doing it all myself with no ultrasounds or doctor appointments and with the knowledge I have right now is still safer. And that's bullshit. That shouldn't be how it is.

It really is an absolute shame that this has to be as big of an issue as it is. Trans men/mascs should be granted the right by default to have kids, or choose not to, as they wish. Equal access to healthcare to allow, along with access to surgery/meds to prevent pregnancy, should be granted by default.

Unfortunately, I doubt it'll ever change. Not only because most trans men/mascs are perisex afab, but also because, y'know being trans comes with being treated like living garbage.

Maybe in the future, but I doubt it. Even to this day, disabled and gay people have limited (if any) access to adoption and conception, so I am not gonna hold my breath.

[cleolinda]

So while I'm working on the writeups and corrections and such, I took a couple hours yesterday to play ahead, you know, do a "how long will this take when I do a commentary" timing run, "what things will I want to talk about," as I do.

"Don't save over your commentary run with all the achievements and collectibles," I said.

"Don't save over the 2/24 saves," I said.

I think you can imagine what happened next.

I don't know when or how I did it! I was being so careful! All I have now is my 2/17 timing run when I missed several collectibles!! I was BESIDE myself. Like the kind of mad @ self where you just sit there laughing. It's not like the power went out or my laptop melted and this just happened; I DID IT TO MYSELF.

So I have now discovered that you can play a section of Silent Hill 2 that took you four and a half hours to commentate, in ninety minutes if you hustle. (I still killed everything.) I am honestly so good at basic combat now, you will be so proud of me.

I also managed to find a few environmental details I'd never noticed before, and I want to mention those in the second commentary. The first one's almost ready; I'm just at that point when you're in the weeds at the end of a project, the parts that aren't fun but they're the loose ends you need to tie up. Ian's not doing his second stream until next week, so I don't really mind it not being up this hot second. But I would like to put the first two installments to bed. It's just that they're really information-dense compared to later levels of the game, so it's taking a minute.

SILENT HILL 2 UPDATE: I have now recorded the second installment of the gameplay commentary, in which I Went to the Record Store and Forgot to Pick Up the Quest Items Which Were the Reason I Was at the Record Store, which I just decided was a "sad lol" situation and everyone could laugh at me running back to get them. I'm a very positive person.

I've also decided that I'll record two short "sidebar" videos, because I messed up/left out some major information on the first installment, and I think it'll be fun to make lemonade out of those lemons.

The text writeup/timestamp outline for the first one is nearly done, and once it is, I'll post the video here. I felt INCREDIBLY jittery and I tripped over words in a way I usually don't, but Ian swears it sounds very chill, and "chill hangout" and shrieking is what I like in the playthroughs I watch from other streamers, so I'll take it.

[lizlemondyke]

woke up in a steaming awful mood but then carol texted to say she’s actually in town today, my coworker agreed to close for me so I can get out earlier, I ate a delicious egg with my lovely roommate who keeps going to bed before I get home so I never see her, and I did all the sewing projects i’ve been putting off for lack of thread

[heartorbit]

i want to know everything that makes you happy! 💫🪐🎇

[protagonist-art]

"Uh- I'm Arnold. Bennett. It's profoundly difficult to get your lifes works and studies accepted if your name isn't... yes, oh! Are you a fan of moths, sir?"

NEW RDR2 OC!! a reclusive, clumsy entomologist and bug collector; cooped up in his study of uniformed clutter

[icewindandboringhorror]

Some (late) holiday photos of the boye~!