#and thats exactly why i clicked on it in the first place

[sturnsdarling]

it’s so obvious

the boys’ best friend joins them for a stream, and fans notice a vibe between her and Matt

vibe check: best friends that don't realise they like each other etc you get the vibe

1k words

A/N: for the anon that wanted best friends with tension <3 this is super super simple but i kinda like it? lmk what you guys think. im gonna post my drafts here and there so you guys don’t forget about me whilst im being an academic weapon. LOVE U

love and cigs, merc

Matt and Chris had been streaming everyday this week, and today wasn't any different. You'd been hanging out at theirs all day, showing up unannounced as you always did and making yourself at home in whatever room they were hanging out in.

Today, it was Matts room, and you were lounging on his bed, mindlessly scrolling on your phone as the boys sat at Matts desk, talking about nothing important into their camera. They were about half an hour in, and the comments were flooded with your name from the moment they went live.

"chat wants you to come sit up here with us, girlie" Chris said, turning round to you and pulling his headphones off to rest on his neck.

"me? why? I'm so boring" You chuckled, loving doing exactly what you were; nothing

"thats what I tried to tell them but, the people want what they want" Matt replied with a shrug, turning to face you just as Chris was.

You chuckled once more, shooting Matt a sarcastic smile and lazily throwing your phone down on the bed just before padding over to the desk. The boys turned back to face the camera in unison, Matt turning slightly less than Chris, as if he could read your mind. You sandwiched yourself between them, perching on the arm of Matts gaming chair, resting on the back with your arm laid comfortably over his shoulder for balance.

Matt visibly relaxed into your touch, turning the chair to fully face the camera once you were comfortable.

"hi chat" you smiled, waving slightly, "how's everyone doing"

The chat was going off, everyone losing their minds over the, although standard to the two of you, interaction between you and Matt.

You and Matt had always been the closest out of the four of you as a group. Since you met you knew that you were the same person in different bodies and you clicked instantly. You obviously loved all three of them and would sooner die than be separated from any of them, but you and Matt had something different. You were best friends, in every sense of the word.

"everyone is losing their minds that you're here, jesus chris" Chris said, watching as the rapid text sped across the screen.

"what can I say, the people love me" you shrugged, putting on your best smug persona that did nothing to hide your giggles.

Matt chuckled along with you, subtly watching your face on the screen and trying to make it look as if he was reading the chat.

"so, what do you guys want us to do?" Matt said

You all waited for a second, reading everyones ideas. Matt was leant into you slightly, arm perched on your leg as he used his palm as a rest for his head. Chris was leant fully forward, trying to read the screen.

"they want us to play dress to impress" Chris said, turning back to face you both, paying no mind to your closeness.

"can I go first?" you squealed, excitement filling your body as you looked between both Matt and Chris like a little kid.

Matt chuckled and shook his head slightly, "go for it", he got up, gesturing for you to take his seat.

You slipped into the chair, settling into the warmth that Matt had left behind and let him tuck you under the desk. He took his headphones off from round his neck and placed them on your head from behind, moving the stray strands of hair out the way as he did.

Chris was on his phone, paying no attention to the way chat was blowing up about Matts actions, how kind and attentive he was towards you without even realising it. You and Matt weren't paying any attention either, both of you fixated on the DTI screen loading in front of you.

Matt was stood behind the chair, arms on either side of you as one hand rested on the edge of his desk and the other worked the mouse by the side of his key board. He was fully concentrated, leaning on the top of your head slightly as his scent wrapped around you. His frame was trapping you in, biceps on either side of your head as a comfortable warmth washed over you whilst he mumbled to himself about it taking 'so fuckin' long to load'.

the casual closeness of the two of you was sending the chat into overdrive, and they were adamant that the two of you had something going on. Chris looked up from his phone to see the explosion of theories rushing down the screen and chuckled to himself.

"they think you two are together" Chris scoffed, "trust me y'all, they're not, me and nick have been sayin' this for years"

"what are you talking about, kid" Matt said, eyes not leaving the screen but his face flooding with annoyance at his brothers words.

"that you two act like an old married couple" Chris said, reaching for his cup and taking a swig of his drink, lifting his leg up lazily and perching it on the arm rest of the chair you were sitting in.

you chuckled, looking to Chris, "you're ridiculous"

Chris said nothing, only stuck his tongue out like a little kid. Just at the moment that he did, Matt had finished sorting out the game for you and stood up from where he was, shifting so he was facing Chris and flicked him on the tongue.

You laughed, a sound that was relished in by Matt and then echoed by him. Chris was making over reacting hurt nosies beside you, playing it up for the cameras, like always.

"m'goin to get a drink, you want anything?" Matt said, pointing towards the door and looking directly at you.

"i'm good, thanks" you shook your head with a smile

"can you get me a-" Chris began to speak

"I was talkin' to her" Matt cut him off with a smug smile.

Chris flipped him off and Matt returned the favour before walking out the room.

taglist: @sturniozalt@mattslolita@shaquilles-0atmeal@blahbel668@sleepysturniolo@le4hsblog @sarosfilms @joemamaaa42069 @2muchofaslvt @seluky10 @cherib3lla @jetaimevous @witchofthehour @sofieeeeex @ncm9696 @lovesturni0l0s @pepsicola-pussy @ifwdominicfike @dani-sturn @stupendousjellyfishpost @aesthetixhoe @sturn-rose @mattsnronebitch @chriscorqutte @elizasturn @ribread03 @st7rnioioss @maggieflms

[cherryite]

barkeep

summary. as a bartender at one of the sketchiest bars in gotham and a med student, you and red hood aka jason todd have a symbiotic relationship. you give him free drinks and patch him up and he makes sure you don't get murdered walking home. at least, thats all you two say it is. (word count. 3.8k)

content. jason todd x reader, gn!reader, bartender!reader, yearning, friends?? (kinda but not really) to lovers, pining, idiots in LOVE ???

warnings. blood and injuries, mentions of alcohol, not proof read oopsie

author's note. why this took me 5 million years to write i don't know, but i'm excited to write more for jason because thats my shawty fr

Working at the sketchiest bar on Park Row, more locally referred to as Crime Alley, hadn’t exactly been your dream gig. But as a med student with a brutal class schedule and rent breathing down your neck like a wild animal, options were slim. And unfortunately, this place paid — mostly in cash, always on time. As much as you wanted out of this part of town, it always had a way of pulling you back in, like an addiction you couldn’t quit.

The bar’s nearly closed now. The lights are dimmed low, casting long, flickering shadows against the walls, and the red glow of the liquor store sign across the street bleeds through the grimy front window like blood out of a wound. All customers and staff besides you have left, leaving the bar quiet — almost eerily so. You’re hunched over the register, thumbing through crumpled bills, when you hear it: the soft click of the front door, followed by the heavy thud of boots against the old floorboards.

You don’t even have to look. You know who it is. Your eyes flick sideways, catching a glimpse of him in your peripheral as you finish counting the ones.

“Trying to sneak up on me, Hood?” you call out, voice dry as you click the register shut and turn around, a small smile tugging at the corners of your lips. 

He’s already slumped at the bar, a heavy silhouette of exhaustion wrapped in blood splattered leather. His cargo pants are scuffed and torn in places, the usual overkill of weapons strapped haphazardly across his frame. Classic Red Hood. Classic Jason. The low, rasping chuckle that rolls out of him is muffled beneath the red helmet, but it still manages to sound amused. His head tilts back, the movement slow and deliberate, his neck craning as he looks at you. Even with the helmet on, you can feel the weight of his gaze, sharp and unwavering.

“Key word tryin’,” he says, voice thick with static from the modulator. 

You scoff, rolling your eyes, and duck behind the bar. You retrieve the emergency med kit you started keeping there after the second time he stumbled in bleeding all over the bar floor. Sometimes you can’t stop thinking about how lucky he is — to have stumbled into an empty bar, conveniently being manned by a tired bartender who just so happens to be a medical student.

“Rough night?” you ask, circling around the bar and sliding into the seat beside him as you snap the kit open. Without a word, he shrugs off the jacket, grumbling under his breath as if his bones ache from the inside out.

“When isn’t it a rough night in Crime Alley?” he mutters, a tired edge making its way into the corners of his voice.

You wonder—do all of Gotham’s finest have it this bad? But you already know the answer. Crime Alley is his turf, and it chews him up more often than not. You’ve — unfortunately — lived in the Alley your whole life. Not that many places in Gotham are good places to grow up, but the Alley specifically was awful. You can remember nights when you wouldn’t sleep, the sounds of gunshots ringing in your ears, sirens haunting your dreams like lullabies from hell.

He lifts the helmet off and sets it gently on the bar’s freshly wiped surface. You almost scold him for dirtying the bar again but you don’t, you just glance at him. You still remember the first time you saw his face, just a few months ago. He’d come in the same way, trailing blood, a bullet having kissed too close to his jugular. Could have killed him if it had been just an inch closer. You’d needed to remove the helmet to keep him alive, keep him breathing. He’d let you see him. Really see him for the first time. 

After profusely apologizing and praying you wouldn’t ever say anything, he assured you — probably delirious from blood loss— that it was fine. He even tried to make a joke about knowing where you worked and lived if you talked.. You swear you nearly fainted and he had to quickly reassure you that he was joking.

Now, as you glance over, you catch the dark curls damp with sweat, the lone white streak stark against the rest, curling messily against his forehead. He’s handsome, annoyingly so in your opinion, with broad shoulders, a boyish face, and a sharp jaw. There's a crook in his nose, from having it broken one too many times and a thin scar on his left cheek, faded and pale from age. You turn back to the kit before you stare too long, but not before you catch the way his eyes linger on you. They’re blue with tinges of a stormy grey-green, and startling in their clarity. But you don’t have time to be distracted.

“What hurts?” you murmur, fingers sifting through gauze and bandage wraps, already prepping for the worst. He exhales slowly, the sound almost like a sigh, but heavier. You can feel the tension radiating off him in waves, like his muscles haven’t stopped bracing for a fight, even now that he’s sitting here with you.

“Side,” he mutters, gesturing vaguely to his ribs. “Took a hit. Might’ve cracked somethin’.”

You wince sympathetically, tugging your stool closer. “And yet you came here instead of a hospital.”

He huffs another half laugh, dry and rasping. “Hospitals ask questions. You don’t. It’s good practice for med school anyway.” 

The silent ‘I’m also legally dead’ hangs in the air between you, so you don't argue. You just reach for the dark fabric of his undershirt, peeling it back to reveal the bruising underneath. It’s already a deep, angry color, shades of violet and black blooming across his side like a storm cloud under his swelling skin. Blood has started crusting over a shallow gash in his side just under it. 

Your hands hover a moment over the worst of it, instinctively gentle, and his breath catches just slightly when you touch him. You press gently, only to assess the damage, he groans when you press near a middle rib. The sound causes you to draw your hands back instinctively.

“Definitely bruised,” you murmur. “Maybe fractured at worst. I can’t feel any cracks and you’re not breathing as bad as someone with broken ribs would be. You got lucky.”

“‘M always lucky,” he says, voice dipped in sarcasm.

You glance up at him, raising an eyebrow. “You? Lucky?”

His lips twitch, and just for a second, “Always.” 

You think about how he can’t be that lucky, especially since he’s previously died. You try to not to bring that up, honestly it was an accident you even found out, like most things you learn about him. He had been bleeding profusely from a stab wound in his abdomen, and when you’d lifted his shirt, you saw it. A very real autopsy scar on a very not dead man. 

Maybe it’s the bartender in you that gets people to open up, to spill their secrets. Maybe it was also the high amount of pain meds coursing through his veins. He explained, very vaguely. You didn’t press more after he told you, didn’t ask how it was possible. Yust patched him up, like it was the most normal thing in the world. He doesn’t like talking about it, so you don’t.

You shake your head, grabbing a portable cold pack, cracking it to activate the cooling agent and pressing it against the worst of the swelling. He flinches, not much, but enough to betray how much pain he’s hiding..

“We should wrap this,” you say, nodding toward the gauze. “And you need rest. Like, actual rest. Sleep. More than three hours on a cardboard box somewhere.”

“You offering a bed?” he teases lightly, and the way he says it, soft, laced with something fragile beneath his typical aloofness, makes your stomach flip. 

You look at him fully, something warm curling in your chest as you finally push the words past the knot in your throat. “I’m offering my couch. Don’t push it.”

He chuckles again, and this time it sounds just a little more real. You wrap the gauze carefully around his ribs, your fingers brushing skin, and despite yourself, you notice the way his breathing hitches every time you get too close. When you’re done, you seal the kit shut and lean back a bit, observing your handiwork. 

“You’ll live.” You meet his gaze again, meeting his eyes as they stare down at you, just letting your words soak in. Just him. Just you. Just the quiet thrum of a city that never sleeps, and the two of you stealing a moment of peace in the shittiest part of it.

“Someone’s gotta look out for you,” you say softly, breaking the silence. “I’m serious. You can sleep on my couch tonight. Rib injuries make it hard to sleep, so you should really be resting somewhere safe. And semi-comfortable.”

He opens his mouth like he's about to argue, but ultimately he decides not to fight you on it.

You make sure the kit is fully secure, placing it back behind the bar in its hiding spot. You can feel his eyes tracking you as you move about the bar, going through the motions of closing. He doesn’t ask for a drink tonight. Usually you offer him your shift beer — the one drink you get free per shift — half out of gratitude for walking you home, half because the alcohol helps take the edge off whatever he endured that night.

Trying to ignore the shiver that runs down your spine, you wipe down the final surfaces, flip off the neon sign that flashes in the window, and lock up the register. You try not to let your mind wander, try not to peek at the tired man still slumped at the bar as he gingerly attempts to pull his leather jacket back on with a grimace. You hover a bit, watching him to make sure he doesn’t need any help, even if he would never ask for it. He struggles a bit as he slides off the barstool, and he doesn’t stop you when you quietly nudge your shoulder under his arm, easing his weight across you to steady him. Once he’s steady, you slip away from him as you both make your way out of the bar. You lock it behind you, hitching your your bag over your shoulder

“Come on,” you say, your voice has a gentler tone to it now. He doesn’t argue, he just gives a nod quietly and falls into step beside you as you walk. This in itself isn’t new. He always walks you home after stopping at the bar. It’s part of the unspoken arrangement between the two of you: you fix him up and sometimes give him a beer, he makes sure you get home in one piece.

The streets are half asleep, half alive at this hour of the night. The buzz of faulty streetlights and the distant buzz of sirens are the only noise that fills the air, aside from your footsteps. The night air is cold and it bites at the skin of your face as your breath fogs around your lips. Jason’s walking a little slower than usual beside you, his stride careful but still steady, probably favoring his side so as to not agitate his ribs further. His broad shoulder brushes yours now and then as you walk beside each other, close enough that you can feel the rough leather of his jacket where it touches your sleeve.

“Thanks again,” he murmurs as he breaks the silence, eyes on the ground. “For patching me up.”

“You don’t have to thank me,” you reply, the corner of your mouth tugging up a bit. “It’s the least I can do.”

“But I do have to —,” he stumbles a bit over his words, his voice partially strained. “Thank you. I mean.”

There’s a beat of silence. He glances over at you, his bright eyes catch the light of the street lights overhead. “And for offering the couch. Thank you— again,” he adds. It’s quieter this time, and you can feel the uncomfortable thump in your chest when you realize he sounds vulnerable.

You look at him, and something in your chest aches a little. He isn’t one for showing his emotions, at least not around you. On occasion you catch him, flushing embarrassedly after he says something a bit awkward, but he manages to mask it well around you at least.

“It’s not a big deal,” you say. “Figured I should keep you overnight for supervision.”

He huffs a tired laugh, but there’s something in his eyes when he looks at you as it lingers—it looks soft. You wonder if anyone’s ever looked out for him like this before. You wonder if he’d even let them. You wonder why he’s letting you.

By the time you reach your building, he’s drifted a little closer. Not quite touching, but the space between you feels smaller somehow, like he’s a shadow attached to your back. He follows you up the steps, like he always does when he drops you off. You can feel his eyes in the back of your head and he just watches your back like he always does. But tonight’s different, because he always leaves you at the door, by the time you’re safely inside he vanishes like he was never even there. 

But tonight he won’t vanish, at least not right away.

You slide your key into the keyhole, trying to ignore his presence behind you. You unlock the front door to your apartment, shoving it open with the usual force because the door catches weirdly sometimes. You leave a mental note to yourself to text your landlord about it (again). The apartment is quiet as you lead him in, moonlight shines through the window in your kitchen, illuminating the small space. 

Your apartment is modest but yours and you’ve found ways to make it comfortable with your limited funds. A plush beige couch takes up most of the space in the living room, a large dark wood bookshelf that overflows onto the floor finds its home on the wall, and a coffee table that’s covered in medical textbooks. Various plants adorn the space, pots and planters scattered over nearly every surface that they would allow. Kicking off your shoes, you hang your jacket on a hook on the wall, turning to look behind you. Jason stands in the doorway, his gaze fixated on the deadbolt of your front door. 

“You should get this fixed,” he comments, opening and closing your door a few times to test the lock, twisting it a few times to investigate. “It’s not safe.” His eyebrows are pinched together, eyes fixated on the latch before he breaches the threshold of your apartment, closing the door behind him.

“I’ve texted my landlord about it like, three times,” you say with a sigh, dropping your keys into a ceramic dish by the door. “Scumlord’s ghosting me.”

Jason doesn’t say anything for a moment, dropping his helmet on the floor with a soft thud, his frown deepening. He shifts on his feet, like he’s weighing if he should say something. You think he mumbles something under his breath as you search for an extra blanket for him, but you opt to ignore it.

Jason almost immediately collapses on your couch once his boots are off, groaning a bit as he makes contact with the plush cushions. The sound is caught somewhere between exhaustion and relief. You have to suppress the small smile that curls at your lips as he sighs, shifting until he finds a comfortable spot. 

You hand him a blanket, before padding over to the small armchair across from him. you curl into the cushions, tucking your knees against your chest. Your fingers play idly with the hem of your sleeve as you observe him quietly. He tilts his head toward you, a few strands of his dark hair fall over his forehead. When he sees you’re already looking at him, his gaze falters. He quickly drops his eyes to the coffee table, like being caught under your attention makes him nervous. Something on the table catches his eye as he reaches out to pick up a book that rests there.

“You read these?” He says, inspecting your worn copy of The Hunger Games. 

“Yeah,” you say, your voice soft as the day starts to catch up to you. “I’ve read all of them. Started rereading them a few weeks ago.”

Jason thumbs through the worn pages with a surprising gentleness. You can’t help the way your eyes drag to his knuckles, bruised and scabbed over as he brushes through the first few pages, inspecting it.

“I’ve been meaning to read them,” he murmurs, absentmindedly flipping through pages. “Just— haven't had time.”

You nod, stretching your arms up over your head as a yawn escapes you. The motion pulls your shirt slightly at the hem, the fabric soft from too many washes as it exposed your midriff. Jason’s eyes flit to the movement—quick and fleeting—but when he meets your gaze again, he averts his eyes back to the pages in front of him.

“You can borrow mine if you want,” you offer, blinking sleep from your eyes.

His face expression changes a bit, vague disbelief tugs at his brows. “You sure?” he asks, his voice is tentative as his eyes flicker up to meet yours. 

You brush some of your hair out of your eyes sleepily and nod, your gaze steadily trained on him. “Of course. I have all of the trilogy. It’s no problem, really,” you insist. 

Jason’s eyes once again travel down to the book in his hands. His thumb runs down the crease of the spine, his expression muddled. 

“Thanks,” he mutters, though you barely hear it. You hum lightly in response to his thanks. The silence you two sit in isn’t uncomfortable, just peaceful and calm. The city hums faintly outside of your window, muffled now and more distant, like it knows better than to intrude on the moment. 

A yawn draws itself from your throat again, and this time you don’t fight it as you shudder a bit. The warmth of the room has made your limbs heavy, and the comfortable silence only deepens the tired pull of your eyelids.

Jason notices the noise, his eyes immediately finding your form. “You— You should sleep,” he says, gently, and the tone of his voice makes your skin tingle.

“So should you,” you murmur in response, already uncurling from the chair.

He doesn’t argue with you, but there’s a hint of hesitation in his eyes as you move to the short hallway that leads to your bedroom. You find yourself hesitating in the doorway of your room, your fingers brushing against the frame as you glance back at him over your shoulder. He’s watching you again, not bothering to hide it this time and it makes your stomach flip. He hasn’t moved yet—still perched on the edge of the couch, the book clasped loosely in one hand. The soft lamplight brushes over his features, highlighting the purpling bruise on his cheekbone.

“You can take my bed if you want,” you say quietly without really thinking of the implications, your fingers twitch from where they grasp the doorframe. "I feel bad making you stay on the couch."

Jason shakes his head almost immediately, and you think you should actually go to sleep because you swear you see a flush on his cheeks. God, you really should go to bed. “I’m good here. Couch is fine.”

You nod, trying not to let the twinge of disappointment show on your face, but what else would you have expected him to say. Of course he would say no. Still, a part of you wants to insist. Wants to say that he doesn’t have to sleep like a stranger on your couch. Wants to hold him close and protect him from whatever haunts his dreams. But you don’t. You just linger there for a moment longer before speaking softly.

“Goodnight, Jason.”

He looks up at you like he wants to say something more, his eyes searching your face but you aren’t sure what he’s looking for. He looks like there’s something lodged in his throat that he can’t quite swallow down, catching whatever he wants to say. Despite this, all he says is a quiet, “Night.”

You retreat into your bedroom quickly after that, the door left ajar behind you. You lie in bed longer than you mean to as you pull the cool sheets up to your chin, listening for the sound of movement from the living room. Your mind wanders as you allow your mind to drift to Jason, probably thumbing through the book in his hands still. A deep part of you wonders if he’s thinking of you. You wonder if he knows you’re thinking of him, or if he even cares.

For a fleeting moment as you fall asleep, you wish he’s followed you in— not for anything else than to bathe in the feeling of his presence.

When you regain consciousness in the morning, your eyes nearly snap open as you take in the sunlight spilling through your curtains, pale and golden. Immediately thinking of last night's events, you throw the covers to the side. You find yourself quickly padding into the living room, your bare feet slapping gently against the hardwood of your floors.

The couch is empty. There’s a thump of disappointment in your chest as your heart rate slows.

The blanket you’d left out for him is folded neatly on the back of the couch. The spot where he’d laid last night is faintly indented, like a ghost of him lingers in the cushions. The books you lent him are gone, and you can’t help the grin that tugs at your lips.

And when you check the front door out of habit, peering out into the halls of your apartment, as if you will catch a hint of red disappearing from view. Your gaze catches on the lock as you close it, because the deadbolt doesn’t catch like normal.

It’s been fixed.

The lock, the one that’s been broken for weeks, now clicks cleanly into place when you shut your door. The deadbolt slides smoothly, no catch. You stare at it for a long moment, blinking against the sudden tightness in your chest. You don’t have long to bask in the feeling, because your eyes are now drawn to a small pink sticky note that clings to the door. Unsure how you missed it earlier, you pluck it off the wood of the door, examining the neat, small words.

Fixed your lock and thank you again for the books. Hope you sleep better knowing it’s fixed. Someone’s gotta look out for you. - J

[starkeymeow]

lover of mine ₍₉₎

drew starkey x actress!reader au

— in which drew and y/n, secretly exes, must fake date in order to keep the peace at a mutual friend’s wedding, but the forced proximity makes them question whether they ever truly moved on.

warnings: FLASHBACK TIME !!!!!

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authors note: guys ive lowkey been picturing things as i would direct them in a film or music video so 😭 if my writing angle feels off then thats why. but i hoped u enjoyed anyway !! if u still arent on the tag list, feel free to let me know thru replies, anons, or dms !! notifications are always on <33

you stepped out of the sleek black car, your heels clicking against the pavement as you’re greeted by a wall of flashing lights and the low hum of the press. the red carpet at the love, simon premiere was buzzing with excitement, packed with celebrities and industry professionals.

this wasn’t your first time walking a carpet, but it was different tonight—there was something in the air, an energy you couldn’t quite place, but it felt like just another event to get through.

you paused in front of the photographers, striking a few effortless poses. to everyone else, you looked like you were in your element—smiling, waving, and giving the cameras exactly what they wanted.

but inside, you were already thinking about when you could leave. you were there because the director was an old colleague from your recent work on tempest, your breakout role. it was your agent’s idea to make an appearance, to be seen and keep your name in the buzz, but you hadn’t really planned to stay long. just the premiere, maybe the afterparty, and then home.

as you moved down the carpet, a journalist caught your attention. “y/n, over here! a quick word?”

you nodded, stepping toward the microphone with a gracious smile. the flashing bulbs intensified as you answered questions about your latest projects, your outfit for the night, and how excited you were to see the film.

“you’ve been busy with tempest—how’s that going?” one interviewer asked.

you offered a polite smile. “it’s been great. we’re still filming season two, so it’s been pretty nonstop, but i’m thrilled to be here tonight to support this movie. i’ve heard such good things about love, simon.”

you kept your responses short but engaging, giving just enough without going too deep. after a few more quick exchanges, you excused yourself, nodding to your team as you made your way inside.

the grand theater lobby was filled with more celebrities and industry insiders, everyone dressed to the nines and mingling, but you were already scanning the room for a drink. maybe a glass of champagne woule make the night pass quicker.

your mind was preoccupied, already drifting toward the idea of heading inside early, when you felt yourself bump into someone. you glanced up, ready to offer a quick apology, but the words froze in your throat the second your eyes locked with his.

he was tall—taller than you expected—with broad shoulders, and his hair was just slightly tousled like he’d been running his hands through it all night. he’s startled at first, like he wasn’t paying attention either, but the moment his gaze met yours, there’s a flicker of something you couldn’t quite place. maybe recognition. maybe awe.

his lips parted slightly, as if he’s about to say something, but he didn’t. instead, he just stared, clearly a little stunned. for a second, you felt like the noise of the room faded into the background, like it was just the two of you standing there.

“sorry about that,” you said first, stepping aside to give him room, your voice casual despite the strange pull you felt from his gaze.

he blinked, shaking his head quickly. “no, no, it’s my fault. wasn’t paying attention.” he rubbed the back of his neck, clearly flustered, and then finally added, “i’m drew, by the way. starkey— drew starkey.”

there was something familiar about the name, but it didn’f immediately click. “nice to meet you, drew,” you replied with a small smile. you glanced past him, ready to move on, but he didn’t make it easy. he was still looking at you, like he was trying to memorize your face, like he’d just seen something—someone—he didn’t want to forget.

“you’re—” he began, but then cut himself off, a little embarrassed. “i mean, i know who you are.”

you raised an eyebrow, curious now. “oh yeah?”

he nodded quickly. “yeah, you’re amazing on tempest. my sisters are obsessed with the show, but i started watching it, too, and— yeah, you’re great.”

his words tumbled out fast and you couldn’t help but be a little charmed by how genuine he sounded. he wasn’t smooth like some of the other people you’d met that night—he wasn’t trying to impress you with industry talk or big names. he was just . . . honest.

“well, thank you,” you said, feeling your cheeks warm a little. “that means a lot.”

there was a brief pause, and you could see him struggling for what to say next. the thing was, it wasn’t awkward—it was kind of endearing. finally, he let out a nervous laugh, rubbing the back of his neck again. “sorry, i didn’t mean to fangirl or anything.”

you laughed softly, shaking your head. “don’t worry, you’re fine.”

he was still standing there, not moving away, and for some reason, you didn’t feel like walking off either. maybe it was the way he was looking at you, like he couldn’t believe he was even talking to you. it’s a look you’d seen before, but it felt different coming from him. there’s no agenda behind it. just . . . admiration.

“so,” you started, trying to keep the conversation going, “what brings you to the premiere?”

he blinked, like he’d forgotten why he was even there. “oh, uh, i’m actually in the movie.”

and that was when it clicked. drew starkey. you heard the name before, seen it in casting lists, but seeing him in person, you hadn’t put it together until now.

“right,” you said, nodding slowly. “that’s why you looked familiar.”

he chuckled softly, but there was still that slight blush on his cheeks. “yeah, that’s me.”

the conversation flowed a little easier after that. you asked him about the movie, and he asked you more about tempest, genuinely interested in your work, not just going through the motions like so many others do at those events. he was funny, too, in a shy, unassuming way that caught you off guard.

as the crowd around you thickened, his eyes never left yours, like he was completely captivated. you weren’t sure how long you stood there talking, but it was long enough for you to forget about slipping out early.

and then, before you knew it, the lights were dimming, signaling that the movie was about to start. he glanced toward the theater doors, then back at you, almost hesitant.

“well, i guess we should head in,” he said, sounding a little disappointed that your conversation was being cut short.

“yeah,” you agreed, though part of you didn’t want the night to end either. as you both moved toward the entrance, something pulled at you to say more, to affirm the spark that had ignited between you. you abruptly stopped in your tracks. he turned to face you, curiosity sparking in his eyes.

“i’ll catch you at the afterparty?” you told him, your voice light and teasing. you watched his face break into a genuine smile, the kind that made his entire demeanor shift from nervous to gleeful.

with that, you turned and headed toward the theater doors, the buzz of chatter and laughter enveloping you. you could feel drew’s gaze lingering on you as you walked away.

you knew you weren’t on the cast so it would have been unexpected if you showed up. but you knew that he’d be there.

as you navigated through the crowd, you couldn’t help but glance back one last time, and in that instant, you caught drew watching you, his expression soft and hopeful. a faint smile tugged at your lips, and finally, you disappeared into the crowds of guests entering the theater, but the memory of his gaze stayed with you.

the afterparty was a vibrant swirl of lights and laughter, complete opposite to the behavior of the premiere just hours ago. you stood with leila, theo, and gia, the four of you navigating the home.

after a few minutes, you spotted him across the room, laughter dancing in his eyes as he talked to a small group. you excused yourself from your own conversation, weaving through the crowd until you found yourself standing beside him.

and soon, time seemed to slip away as you both dived into deeper conversations about your lives, your careers, and the dreams you’d harbored since childhood. drew opened up about his recent experiences filming, and you found yourself sharing the struggles and triumphs of your own journey in the film industry. every moment spent together felt natural, as if you’d known each other for much longer than just a few hours.

by the end of the night, the party winder down and guests began to trickle out. you exchanged numbers, both of you eager to see each other again. and you did. time and time again.

you paced around your apartment as you gestured animatedly. throwing your hands in the air, your eyes widened with passion, as if you were trying to grasp an idea that was just out of reach. drew leaned back against the counter, arms crossed, watching you intently with a soft smile playing on his lips.

“i just wanna have some time to go out there and have some fun,” you were telling him, “be there in the moment, explore la. not with any paparazzi there to demand photos of me or take them when i have my guard down. just me and the city.”

as you spoke, your gaze shifted toward the window, where the sun peeked through the window across your living room. you imagined yourself outside, feeling the sun on your skin, surrounded by the pulse of los angeles.

spinning around quickly, your face lit up like you’d just had a revelation. “like starstruck!”

“starstruck?” drew echoed as he squinted his eyes, trying to grasp your idea.

“yeah, you know that one movie on disney? christopher and jessica are running around los angeles in that one scene—” you continued.

“—before they get their car caught in that mud and christopher ditches her at the beach,” he interjected with furrowed brows, knowing full well how the scene played out.

you stopped abruptly, narrowing your eyes at him. you tilted your head, “you wouldn’t ditch me, would you, star?”

drew shook his head, “no way.”

satisfied with his answer, your expression brightened again, and you nodded vigorously. “good. then come on.”

you grabbed your keys from the table and practically dragged him out of your apartment. the door clicked shut behind you, and you led the way down the corridor.

as you made your way into the parking garage, your laughter rung out, echoing off the concrete walls. when you reached your car, you slid in and grabbed your sunglasses from its compartment to slide them on.

drew chuckled as he put his seatbelt on, shaking his head in disbelief. “you really have a plan for everything, don’t you?”

“only when it comes to having fun,” you replied, your grin widening as you pulled the hood of his sweatshirt over his head to shield his face. “don’t worry, they’ll never see us coming,” you assured him, your laughter infectious as you started the engine and pulled out of the parking garage.

and over the course of a year, you and drew became inseparable. what started as stolen moments during movie premieres and secret hangouts morphed into a deep, unshakeable friendship.

laughter echoed in your shared memories—late-night talks sprawled on the floor of your apartment, spontaneous adventures through the streets of los angeles, and lazy mornings spent in bed, wrapped up in each other's warmth.

as the seasons shifted, so did the nature of your connection. the boundaries blurred, and your heart raced at the thought of what could be. but you both chose to keep it light, enjoying each moment without the weight of labels.

then one evening, everything changed. it was a night like any other. the winter air was crisp as you and drew strolled through the twinkling streets of los angeles. you were coming back from a cozy evening out, the laughter still lingering between you as you recounted the highlights of the night.

as you walked, the sound of distant pops drawed your attention. you paused mid-sentence, eyes widening as bursts of color lit up the night sky. fireworks!

the brilliant reds, blues, whites, and purples filled the air. a smile spread across your face as you turned to him, the shared excitement pulling you closer together.

“this is so cute,” you said, leaning into drew’s side to admire the display. you were momentarily lost in the beauty, the chaos of colors exploding above you like confetti.

but then you spotted something in the midst of the fireworks—words began to form in the night sky, each letter crafted from the brilliant light.

‘will you be my girlfriend?’ the phrase appeared among the colors, messy yet somehow legible.

you read it, confusion washing over you at first. someone was asking someone else through fireworks? but as you turned to drew, you noticed his gaze, expectant and hopeful. the realization quickly sunk in.

your mouth gaped open in shock, your heart pounding as you processed what was happening. you looked back up at the sky, needing to confirm that this moment was real, that the words were genuinely meant for you.

but you turned back to drew, and without thinking, you nodded. before you knee it, you were jumping into his arms, wrapping your arms around his neck, and holding him tightly. he caught you effortlessly, and you could feel his warmth seep into you as he hugged you back, pulling you close.

you could feel the happiness reflected there, and for the first time, it felt official—no more questions, no more uncertainty. you were exactly where you wanted to be.

and just two years later, you and drew found yourselves on the set of hellraiser, a project neither of you anticipated becoming a part of when you first met. it’s actually funny how it all unfolded.

initially, you weren’t even considering taking the role. after all, you were still knee-deep in filming tempest. the thought of juggling both projects seemed overwhelming, and you were ready to prioritize your current work over anything new.

when drew secured his role in some film, he kept the details to himself, not wanting to distract you from your current commitments. he didn’t mention the movie by name, and you didn’t press him for details; you respected his space and didn’t want to add to your own frustration about whether to accept the new opportunity.

“you should really consider it,” he urged, his voice filled with genuine belief in your talent. “this could be a great chance for you, babe, and imagine how much fun you could have! you’re almost done finishing tempest this month. after that, you’ll have plenty of time for your new project.”

you weighed his words, feeling torn. you loved the idea of the role, but the reality of juggling two major projects felt daunting.

yet, after a long talk about chasing new opportunities and taking risks, you found yourself swayed by his excitement and your own desire for growth. finally, you decided to go for it, officially signing on for the project.

what you didn’t realize, until the casting announcements were made, was that you and drew would be filming in the same movie. when you heard the news, you actually went insane. you felt like the universe was rewarding you for taking that leap of faith. the two of you would not only be working together but doing so on a film that promised to be both challenging and thrilling.

as filming began, the reality of being on set with drew hit you both like a wave. the two of you were navigating the intricate dance of being both co-stars and romantic partners, which brought its own set of challenges.

you found joy in the little things—the shared lunches, the whispered jokes during scenes, and the late-night talks about the original film. every day, you felt grateful to have him by your side, knowing that while the world outside the set may have been chaotic, your little bubble was filled with warmth, support, and your boyfriend. not everyone was able to be in your position.

but it wasn’t the same anymore. at least a year later. you were in another city, staying in yet another hotel room, the kind where the silence hung heavy in the air, almost suffocating. the glow of the city lights outside filtered through the curtains, casting a soft haze over everything.

you rested your back against the cool surface of the wall as you stared out into the city through the window. it was strange—the city was vibrant, loud, yet all you felt was isolation. your reflection stared back at you, tired eyes searching for something, anything, to hold on to.

you let yourself imagine drew standing beside you, his arm slipping around your waist, the warmth of his presence easing the ache that had settled deep inside.

but it was just a fantasy. he wasn’t there. not really. not the way you needed him to be.

he was somewhere else, in another city, on another set. networking. working. living his own life. you both were—careers that had taken off in opposite directions, always moving, always busy, always apart. your schedules were like puzzle pieces that didn’t quite fit together anymore, no matter how hard you tried to force them.

sometimes he would surprise you, show up in whatever city you were in, standing at your door with that smile that used to make your heart race. but even then, it wasn’t enough. when he was there, it felt like you were lying next to a stranger, like everything you shared before felt like a distant memory.

your mind wandered as you stared out the window, trying to remember what it used to be like. the way you used to laugh together, the way he used to look at you like you were the only person in the world. but those moments felt so far away now, like they belonged to another lifetime. your careers were taking off, yes, but your relationship was falling apart.

you tried everything to get him to spend more time with you. it wasn’t just the long phone calls or the quiet hopes you'd whisper when he promised he’d visit, but you actually took action.

you started reaching out to his manager, a move that felt so cold, so far removed from the days when it was just you and him figuring things out together. now, it was emails and calls, hoping to align your schedules like some kind of business transaction.

you’d ask if there was a window, any gap at all, where you could see each other, trying to make sense of his packed days and your own commitments. it felt impersonal, like you were just another appointment penciled into his calendar, waiting to be confirmed.

there were weeks when you’d sit down with your team, trying to move things around, freeing up your time in the hope that his manager would find a slot that worked. you bent over backward, squeezing your own projects tighter so maybe, just maybe, you’d have a few days together. but it always ended the same.

another ‘maybe next time’ or a polite suggestion from his side to ‘keep him updated’—as if he wasn’t even aware of how much you were trying to hold everything together.

what shattered you was seeing him with his costars. scrolling through social media and seeing him hanging out with them after long days on set. grabbing dinner with them, laughing with them, being the drew you used to know—but never like that with you anymore.

he made time for them, he’d pay them visits, go out for drinks, be himself. but not with you. why not with you?

you couldn’t understand it. and that was the worst part. you weren’t jealous of his work or his friends, but it hurt seeing him give them what you so desperately wanted. time. effort. attention. those small moments of connection.

you tried bringing other people into the mix, hoping it would be less pressure for him. leila and theo became your go-to when you were feeling desperate. you’d invite them out, framing it like a casual group hang, knowing that maybe if drew wasn’t faced with just you, he’d be more likely to show up.

you thought maybe he'd feel less cornered, less pressured. and so you'd reach out, asking leila to join you and casually suggesting that maybe drew could come along too. a movie, dinner, anything. you tried to make it seem easy, no big deal.

but he never gave a direct answer. it was always a dance—drew would respond with something vague, something about being busy, or how he’d love to but he wasn’t sure, and he’d get back to you. he’d redirect the conversation, shifting topics before you even realized what had happened. it wasn’t malicious, but it left you feeling hollow, like he wasn’t even aware of how long he’d been doing it, how much he’d been dodging your efforts to pull him closer.

and you couldn’t help but feel bad, feel like you were trying so hard for someone who wasn’t even putting in half as much as you were. it wasn’t like he didn’t care—he was just so wrapped up in his own world, his work, that he didn’t see how hard you were fighting to keep your relationship alive.

you were trying to reach him, but it felt like he was always just out of reach, just beyond the point where you could hold on.

it wasn’t anger you felt toward him, but this deep, aching sadness. because no matter what you tried, it felt like you were the only one trying at all—did he even like you anymore?

and then suddenly, it snapped.

like a taut string pulled too tight for too long, it finally gave way. all the moments you fought so hard for, the endless nights spent hoping, came crashing down in an instant. his words weren’t loud or angry; they were quiet, almost too calm. it was like the end had been sitting between you both for months, waiting to be spoken into existence.

“what?”

your voice was small, a cracked whisper filled with disbelief. you’d heard him—of course, you’d heard him—but it felt so unreal. your heart ached, like it was physically breaking apart, but your mind couldn’t fully process it. it felt like you were standing outside of yourself, watching this unfold, wondering if this was really happening.

“why?” you managed, your voice barely holding together as your eyes searched his face for something, anything that would make sense of this. you saw his regret, the sadness behind his eyes, but there was no answer that would make this hurt any less. his lips parted like he wanted to explain, but there were no words to fix this.

he reached for you, like he thought he could make it better somehow, but you took a step back, your hand instinctively wiping away the tear you didn’t even realize had fallen.

all the effort, all the time you had spent trying to make things work, fighting for what you thought was love—it felt like it had all been wasted. your chest tightened as you stared at him, the silence between you thick and unbearable.

“get away from me,” you whispered, your voice stronger now, though your heart was shattering inside. you waved him off, refusing to let him touch you, refusing to let him see you break any more than you already had.

he hesitated, his hands dropping to his sides as the distance between you widened, both physically and emotionally. it wasn’t just the breakup that hurt—it was everything. all the time you’d given, all the compromises, all the moments you’d spent wishing for more.

you turned around, not wanting him to see the fresh tears that blurred your vision, not wanting him to see how deeply this cut. it wasn’t just about losing him; it was about losing the version of yourself that had believed, that had hoped for something different. something better.

“good luck on everything, drew.”

the words left your mouth before you could stop them, bitter and sharp. it felt like a punch to your own chest, but you had to say it. you had to remind yourself that maybe his career was the priority now, not you. and you needed to remind him of that, too.

even as your throat tightened, and your body threatened to break down entirely, you forced yourself to keep walking.

you didn’t look back. not when the tears started falling faster, not when your hands shook as you unlocked your car door, not even when you could feel his eyes on you, burning into your back like a weight you didn’t want to carry anymore.

the sobs finally broke free once you were inside, gripping the steering wheel so hard your knuckles turned white. he didn’t chase after you, didn’t say another word. he just watched you leave, and that somehow hurt more than anything else.

as you drove away, tears streaming down your face, the weight of it all finally settled in. you didn’t want to hear his excuses, didn’t want to hear whatever reason he thought justified this. you just wanted to go home, to get away from the pain that now felt too familiar, and to leave behind the pieces of your heart that had shattered at his feet.

and just like that, the year of silence between you began.

@rubixgsworld @itgirlbrina @thepopcultureaddict @icaqttt @samsmelodrama @kissfinalgirl @itsamegazaddysworld @willowpains @toterry @wearemadeofstardust0 @cl4uus @maybankslover @itneverendshere @httpsdrewstarkey @ilyrafe @sunny1616 @pillowprincess4him @yootvi @matthewswifeeee @uwuemlwlrld @l4venderia @chenslucy @darkreymbow @congratsloserr @skyslowalking @ivy-34 @behindviolettwrites @allthoughtsmindfull @lovelylupin04 @ecstqzy @dasguccier

[sugarverse]

𝙲𝚑𝚎𝚌𝚔𝚎𝚍 𝙾𝚞𝚝, 𝚃𝚠𝚘 📖 📕

word count: 6.1k

mentions of: reader crying during sex, vulgar words like cunt lol, smut, calls the reader angel, baby, slut, other pet names I think. kinda dub-con? reader says stop in an overwhelmed way but not a genuine "get off me" way

authors note: the smut is right after the date finishes,  I'm sure no one needs reasoning on why he's a little ooc but heres it anyway. I like to believe as he gets older he has a degradation thing for others. yk you get bullied for fucking ever you'd like to be in control, and for christ sakes he's 25 in this, he's not gonna be the same stuttering beginner deku. kay thats all lmfao

part one! moodboard for the fic by @fizziedoodle

“Welcome back, Mr. Midoryia!” The older brunette said happily, she looked to be in her early 40s, standing tall as her eyes roamed down his body before searching down the list. “You brought a woman this time, Finally not a business deal?” She joked, smiling at you happily. “Your dress looks stunning,” She says to you before meeting eyes with Izuku. He was obviously flustered, a big hand going to rub his neck once more.

“Its for 6:30, Miss Jacklynn.” She waved him off, “Don’t get all proper because you have a cute date. You know the deal,” She grabbed two menus and silverware, walking you both around the corner where a live band had been playing. Music and echoes of laughter filled the dining room. It must have been muffled by the walls near the hostess stand because it seemed way louder than before. You squint slightly as you adjust to the noise, watching the hostess set the table accordingly. “Your waitress will be here shortly,” Izuku let you sit first, sitting across from you with a big grin on his face. “Hope you enjoy!” Jacklynn chirped, winking at the two of you before walking back to the hostess stand.

“Who’s that?” You ask, looking around and smiling under the bright lights. You were trying to hide the annoyed look you wanted to keep on your face, it was unnecessary for that chick to keep babbling after Izuku already looked flustered. But you knew not to overreact right away. You scooch into the booth, sitting onto the comfy red seats. You traced the designs in the dark wood table with your nail, looking up to see him again.

“She normally helps me get deals whenever we have big hero galas here.. She’s always helping my table and stopping by extra to help. She's a really good friend!” He opened  and closed the menu slightly, hearing the click noise it made. Your eyes trailed back to him, nodding and opening your own menu. You kept your thoughts to yourself, looking for the drink options. 

He already knew exactly what he wanted, opening his menu to the drink page and placing it next to you. "Do you like wine?“ He pointed to the list of wine bottles, then moved to the other side of the page. "They have good margaritas too, if that’s more your thing?”

You close your own menu, leaning over his slightly to read the top. “I.. don't know,” You looked over the drink sections some more. There was so much to try, it was hard to see anything new to try. Maybe you just wanted a fruit cocktail or something? You were tired of trying something new and not liking it. There had just been words to describe the drinks which really doesn't help, No pictures. It just seems easier to look at a drink and say you want that instead. You bite your cheek, trying to decide. 

“I was going to get a Cadillac Margarita.. Kacchan comes in and gets the fanciest he can- But the first few times we went drinking, he told me to try it and I havent tried anything else since. If you want, I can buy two and you can get whatever else you want if you don’t like it? If that sounds good?” He stared down at you, grinning ear to ear. 

You hummed softly in agreement, watching your nails as they tapped against the wood. “I was going to say a more confident yes, But I don’t like lime like that. I’m not gonna waste an entire drink because I'm picky.. I found a pineapple one I can drink!” You pointed to the menu, seeing the small description read something about it tasting like a fancier pina colada. “You get your fancy ass drink and I’ll take a sip. You can try mine too!” 

“I get sugar around the rim. You okay with that?” He asks, he hadn’t broken eye contact yet, watching you look at his lips then back to his eyes. You hummed a soft agreement once again, smirking a bit at his seemingly still flustered state. “Good Evening you two!”

A voice interrupted, causing you both to look over at the woman. “My name is Emilie, Do you know what you want to drink tonight?”

Izuku nodded, showing off that pro-hero smile he wore mostly for cameras. “Yes Ma’am! I wanted a Cadillac Margarita with sugar around the rim, In a fishbowl glass if you have it, Thank you!” The waitress looked at you, smiling and quickly scribbling down what Izuku had ordered.

“And for you miss?” You smiled. “A pineapple margarita on the rocks with salt around the rim,” You shot Izuku a teasing glance. “A regular glass is fine with me.” 

She nodded, writing that down as well. “Any appetizers for you two?” He chuckled, moving pages of the menu back and forth. “We’re still looking, But I’m assuming yes.”

“Perfect! I’ll be back with your drinks!” She left, looking down at her notepad. You open your menu to look as well, trying to find the section that looked the most appealing. It seemed like the menu went on for ages. 

“You wanna try the calamari?” Izuku suggests as he finally leans back into his seat to relax.

You rolled your eyes. “You know this stupid thing like the back of your hand. We can get.. Whatever that is. Don’t tell me until I eat it!” You finally found genuine entrees, hearing him laugh loudly at your statement.

“I wont, I wont. You want filet mignon? I know you said you like steak.. I wanted to get some Nigiri and Maki. So you can try both if you want?” Your eyes grew wide, nodding. 

“Of course I want filet mignon!” You said happily, shutting the menu. You already knew your sides were going to be asparagus and mashed potatoes. Nothing too complicated and food you know is hard to fuck up.

“I’ll order everything when she gets back. What else would you like?” He chirped, shutting his menu and setting it on the edge of the table next to you. You crossed your arms. “What makes you think I can’t do it myself?”

He laughed, knowing you were kidding. It didn’t take away from the dark look in his eyes. “Don’t be a brat, Tell me what you want to eat y/n..” Your eyes widened, going to retort to his comment before the waitress placed your drinks down. Izuku began telling her what you both had wanted to eat, glancing at you to see how you wanted it cooked. You were sorta still in shock, mouthing the way you wanted it cooked and your sides to him as he ordered. You sipped your drink, squinting at him and setting it down. He took a sip of his own before reaching over to take yours. 

The comment still rang in your ears, a smirk resting on your face as you grazed your tongue over your teeth. “You wanna swap spit with me already?” You joke, taking his glass with both hands. It looked like a genuine fish bowl with a stem.. There was no way he was finishing this whole thing. You licked a small part of the rim, taking a sip as your face scrunched up. You pushed the glass towards him, laughing and shaking your head a few times. “That’s fuckin’ strong Izuku- Oh my god-” You laughed, covering your cough before listening to your nails tapping at the glass.

The words fell from his mouth quicker than he could correct them, “I would gladly swap more than just spit with you.” You felt your face heat up, staring at him for a moment. He thought he had mumbled it, standing slightly to swap your drinks. He watched your manicured hand grab his tie loosely before he could sit back down. Your gaze stayed on his lips, hearing both hands be placed onto the table with small taps of your nails. He leaned forward, giving you a small kiss on your lips. It felt right. Was a kiss what you wanted?

You smile, kissing back and tugging his tie closer to you before he could pull away to give some lame peck. He felt his face burn, pulling away slowly and sitting down with a happy, almost woozy, grin on his face. He looked down at his drink, picking the glass up between his fingers and bringing it up to his lips. “You kiss like an angel. I thought I was in trouble at first..” He laughed to himself, bringing his drink to his lips once more.

You watched his facial expression change as he felt your heel creep up his leg and to his thigh. He didn't say anything, taking another big sip before setting the glass back onto the table. You watched his face turn cherry red, looking at you like he needed to speak. He opened his legs a bit more, feeling the tip of your heel rub against his inner thigh. You scoot down in your seat, heel now against his bulge. “The opposite of trouble, ‘zuku..” You flash an innocent smile, moving your foot side to side against him slightly.

He groaned, covering it with a small cough and another drink. A big hand suddenly grabs your ankle, yanking it towards his stomach so you slip downward in your seat. “You're playing with fire, honey.. Too many people around.” He leaned over the table to speak in a low voice, rubbing the soft skin of your calf before setting your foot back onto the ground. You smile, the tip of your heel slipping into his pant leg slightly as you rubbed against him.  

Malachite eyes watching your pretty lips sip at your straw, long eyelashes batting up at him. He couldn't wait to get out of here. The calamari came to the table, along with a few plates by someone other than your waitress just to scurry off. “I say try it with the sauce and then without..” He scooted closer to the table, adjusting himself in his pants as discreetly as he could.

“Ill try both just for you..” You tease, trying the calamari. It wasn’t half bad! I mean, It was fried but it was still kinda… squishy? You looked up from the plate to see him already munching on a piece. “What is it?” You grabbed your fork, poking around the plate to see if you could determine for yourself what it was.

“Squid.” He ate another piece, watching your face scrunch up. He let out a loud laugh, covering his mouth with one hand so he hadn’t spat everywhere. “You didn’t look like it was that bad!” He couldn’t help it, your face was very expressive and he knew you didn't like the sound of that.

“Squid makes it so much more.. gross.” You tried another small piece with your fork, watching the waitress visit the table. You looked over at her, seeing Izuku from the corner of your eye straighten up.

“You guys like it?” She asked with a smile, looking back and forth between the two of you. Izuku nodded, answering for the both of you. He knew you didn’t really like it. But he didn’t want to say no. Maybe he’ll finish it off later? “I’m glad! I checked on your food and it will be out in no time!” You smiled, nodding as she walked to visit another one of her tables.

“You can bring it home.. I don’t know if this shit warms up well- I’ll pay for it.” You grabbed your bag, huffing and feeling his scarred hand reach across the table to lay against yours.

“Don’t, it’s okay. I told you I got it, angel.” He pulled your hand up to his lips for a kiss. He didn’t mind whatsoever, it was good! You smiled, messing with the cloth napkin that your silverware laid upon. He is so sweet..

“I could get used to being called angel..” You murmured, pulling out your phone. “We should at least take a picture! First dates are important!” You smile up at the hero before earning a smile back. You quickly got up, plopping right next to him. You extend your arm out, taking the picture as the two of you shined your teeth at the camera. You then took another, this one had just been you kissing him on the cheek. His face turned a bit red, not expecting it, but not minding. 

You sent the two photos to him, going to get up until he slid an arm tightly around your waist. You then see a hot plate of food being placed in front of the two of you. You giggled, staying tightly against him and watching the steam rise from your food before he got his sushi and lobster. 

You beamed, thanking the person who had brought you the food before grabbing your silverware and setting it next to you once more on his side of the table. Izuku chirped in a thank you as well before digging into his food. He cut off a small bite off of what he had just to put it to your lips. “Try it, I bet you’ll love it.” You huffed, opening your mouth slowly. It looked.. wet. Slimy even. Although it looked like it wouldn’t taste as good as it did.. You liked it!

You begin cutting your steak, “It’s good! You want a bite of my food?” You hold the fork out in case he said yes. He thought for a moment, finishing whatever he was chewing on to lean down and eat the bite you had given him. Steak wasn’t his favorite, but it was good too! You two shared a few more bites back and forth, finishing your own food of course. You both were stuffed! It was delicious and you were glad you were having such a good time.

You two were still leaning up against each other when the waitress bought the check. She stopped in her tracks a moment, deciding to give it to you since you sat outside the booth, Just for Izuku to kindly take it from your hands. You attempted to look at the price, but he didn’t even look! He placed his card in and handed the check back.

He looked down at you, staring at those pretty, full lips. He wanted them around his cock. Bad. That wasn't just the liquor talking either. He couldn't stop thinking about in the limo, it had been awhile since he's been with someone intimately and you were just so warm and inviting. “Hey Angel, You wanna watch a movie after this?” He rubbed his hand up your arm, silently asking to play with your hair. You leaned into his touch, watching him twirl the ends of your hair between his fingers.

“Sure, I’d love to..” You tapped the table with your nails. “Your place?” You had been all dolled up, it wasn’t really.. movie theater appropriate? You’d rather go to your/his place to chill out.

He nodded, kissing your cheek softly. “My place. You wanna change at my place too? I’ll give you some of my old clothes. I know you want this dress off fast..”

“Not as fast as you want it off.” You teased, watching the waitress come back. She handed the card and receipt to Izuku who seemed to be trying to keep it together. 

“I hope you two have a good night!” She spoke, attempting to scurry off before Izuku started speaking. He took the receipt and tucked it into his wallet along with his card, pulling out a fifty and handing it to the woman. “Here, I know you’re busy tonight. Thanks for takin’ care of us.” He smiled, watching her squeal and take it. “Thank you so much!” She laughed happily, running off to go tell her friends or.. whatever she was going to do. She’s not relevant to the story anymore-

You scooted out of the booth, putting your hand out for him to help him up. He scooped an arm around yours, walking right out the door. The limo was right outside, waiting for you two to get in. Did he text the driver? Had they been there the whole time? You didn’t give it much thought, watching Izuku open the door for you. You smiled at your reflection, reapplying lip gloss before climbing inside as Izuku followed. 

Almost immediately after he shut the door, he starts to speak. “Can.. Can I kiss you? On the lips again?” You could tell by his face he felt a bit flushed. You nodded, leaning up just for his big frame to pull you up out of your seat by your hips. He sat you on his lap, pressing his lips against yours feverishly. 

You whimpered after feeling how needy he was for just a kiss. It was sloppy.. But it was so passionate at the same time. You began to sit up a bit more, feeling him place a hand onto your thigh. You were still much smaller than him, having to sit on his lap for a proper kiss. He is so fucking strong.. Picking me up like it wasn’t nothin’. You thought to yourself.

He slowly opened his eyes, staring at you with a cloudy, hazy look. He wanted to see if there were any signs of resistance.. But after you hadn’t pulled away, He closed them once more. He couldn’t stop tugging on the silky fabric of your dress, it was so soft.. He wanted to rip it off your body. Would you let him? He’ll buy you a new one. He swears by it.

You began running your hands through those pretty dark green curls. Hearing him letting out soft whimpers before mumbling something against your lips. The next thing you knew, the hero was shoving his tongue down your throat. You made sure to keep him close, feeling your poor clit rubbing against his bulge from his impatient movements. Despite not trying to, you let out a few moans as well. Tugging even harder on his curls. He groaned, letting his eye peak open slightly at the feeling of the limo arriving at his place. 

He pulled away from you, panting quietly as he planted another soft kiss onto your forehead. He had lip gloss smeared on his lips, they glimmered in the low light of the vehicle. “Come on Angel, We’re here.” He let you get out first, kissing your shoulder as he stood behind you. He shut the door and held your waist close to his hip as he walked up the steps to his home.

You stared up at the house, There was enough for himself and at least 3 extra rooms to hold. Why would he have such a big house to himself? You thought for a moment, hearing the door click in front of you. He held the door open, rubbing the small of your back.

“Go ahead angel,” He spoke softly, turning a few lights on as he followed you inside. He took his shoes off, locking the door behind him. He knelt to undo the clasp of your heels, sliding them off of your feet and setting them next to the door. “Are you ready to change now or do you want to wait?” He didn't want to rush you out of your clothes… Well, not yet at least. He wanted to make sure you were comfortable first.

Your eyes flicker to him, still soaking in the smell of apple and cinnamon from his home. It was beautiful.. Marble counters, a leather sofa, a 75in TV.. “Now is fine, You think I'll be able to fit your clothes?” You giggle, holding his hand as he guides you to his bedroom. Picture frames hung upon the walls, His family maybe? Friends and other pro-heros you’d seen on the news posed with him on his beige walls. His bedroom door creaked open, a king-sized mattress with silk pillowcases and a dark gray bedspread sat in the middle of the room next to a dresser. A small nightstand, alarm clock, and lamp sat on the other side of the bed. He had been pretty organized, more than you thought a pro hero would be. 

As you look around the room, he lets your hand go in search of comfy clothes. He found an old shirt from days where he'd train with All Might, the dingy yellow fading out from how much it had been washed. He sets it onto the bed, quickly finding a few pairs of pajama pants to set next to it. “I’ll go change in the bathroom, Let me know when you’re done!” He grabbed his hanger for his suit, looking for his own clothes to wear as he loosened his tie around his neck.

"Thank you, Zuku..” You watched his shoulders tense a bit. Did he not like the nickname? You just said it not too long ago.? You sat on the bed and began to take out your earrings.

“Of.. Of course y/n..” He liked the name, just not used to someone being nice to his name. You get called Deku all your life you forget your real name can be just as sweet. He leaned down to kiss your cheek before walking to the bathroom and shutting the door behind him. He looked at himself in the mirror, flustered and scrambling to keep himself together. You gave him butterflies with that honey-laced voice of yours. He froze for a moment, looking for any wipes so that you would wipe off your make-up. Were you spending the night? Did I even ask?? It might have been rude to assume.. Did you even want to take your makeup off? Was that stupid to assume too? He didn’t want to ask, whatever happens will happen. He’s not going to make you feel obligated to do anything. He looked all over for wipes, sighing when he realized he hadn’t had any. After hanging his suit onto the hanger, he knocked on the door. “If you aren't done, Take your time! I was going to go pop in a mo-”

You opened the door, cutting him off. His pants were too long on you but they fit otherwise! You looked up at him, “What was that sweetheart?” You stood to the side, watching him go to hang up his tux. What you hadn’t noticed was where his eyes went as soon as the door opened.

“Whatever you want. I have Hulu, Netflix, We can watch some movies on HBO or something?” So cute in my clothes.. Were you wearing a bra? God I bet your tits are so fucking pretty.. He thought to himself, feeling his cock twitch in his boxers. You shuffled your feet onto the carpeted floor with a smile, heading towards the couch and sitting down comfortably. He sat next to you, a bigger grin placed on his face as you scooted closer to him. He wrapped an arm around you, flicking through the movies on Netflix first. “Anything certain you wanna watch?” He asked, leaning his head onto yours.

You shrugged, taking the remote from him and looking for yourself. It didn’t really matter what movie was picked, Whatever would be good background noise right? You turned on some comedy movie, leaning over to snatch the blanket that had been thrown onto the arm of the couch. You put it over the both of you, leaning to set the remote onto the glass coffee table. He had little all-might too coasters.. How cute.

He grabbed his phone, using it to dim the lights in the living room before rubbing your shoulder. “y/n?” He asked softly, moving his head from yours to look down at you. He watched your eyes meet, leaning down for another kiss like earlier.

You kissed back without hesitation, cupping his face and letting his scruff lightly scratch at your palm. He wasted no time pulling you onto his lap again. His hungry state had been the most uncaring he’s been all night, shoving his tongue into your mouth and gripping your hips so hard they might bruise. He needed you. Grinding you against him like a hungry animal. Allowing his bulge to bump against your clit, feeling you moan into his mouth. You were intoxicating..

He dragged his wet kisses down to your neck, chuckling as you struggled to catch your breath. Did he make you feel that good? He ran his hands up to your chest, feeling you grind without his force. He bit your neck softly, feeling you lean in before he left a small red hickey on your shoulder. 

Staring down at your chest, his eyes flickered up to ask for permission to continue marking you. You gave a small nod before seeing his eyes light up, He proceeded to leave hickeys and love bites all over your naked torso. You gave a sharp tug at his hair before he lifted you into his arms. He looked up at your slacked jaw, taking a small bite onto your side as he carried you to his room on his broad shoulder. You let out a loud giggle or two as he laid you against his bed, lifting your shirt and swirling a tongue around your nip. He teased for a second, sucking on one and pinching the other between his fingers. He switched sides, wanting to give your entire body his attention.

“You really want me baby? You want me to ruin you?” He stood up properly to take his own clothes off, watching you strip under him.

“Yes, Please Zuku..” You muttered, letting your arms cross upon your face. The feeling his hands moving them away made you whine. He didn’t speak at all, but you got the message and kept your arms above your head. Your eyes traveled down his bare chest, shutting your legs around him in a failed attempt to close them at the sight of his happy trail.

“Can I fuck your tits first? Please?” He gave them a soft squeeze before taking his hard-on out. He tugged off the rest of his clothes for you, not breaking eye contact.

You nodded slowly, feeling him cup your face. You let your eyes drift down at his cock, feeling your jaw drop slowly at the sight before he shut it. “You just sit there and look pretty for me..” He mumbled before sliding his dick through the valley of your breasts. He pushed them together with your hands, letting out soft whimpers into the air. The noises he let out were heavenly.. You couldn’t explain it. You watched his face contort into pleasurable looks, drool pooling in his mouth. You smirked softly before licking his tip each time his head passed all the way through.

He went much faster. You were such a good girl.. You made him feel so fucking good. He already felt as if he’d cum all over your face already. You looked so pretty. Where had you been all his life? He practically had hearts in his eyes as he stared down at you. He imagined creaming inside of you, causing him to spill all over your face without warning. His hips gave a small stutter, pulling away and soaking in the sight of you.

You whimpered, swallowing the bit that got into your mouth before glancing up at Izuku. He had gone to grab a tissue from his bed stand, quickly wiping your face off. “My poor girl, I’m so sorry.. Let me make it up okay?” He slid his hand down, rubbing your clit in circles. Your back arched involuntarily off of the bed, eyes rolling back almost immediately. He had found it so quick. What a pro, Who else had he touched like this? You squeezed your eyes shut at the stupid thought. Who cared? He’s between your legs now, right? No one else mattered.

He hummed, switching to his thumb over your clit and easing a finger in. He knew his fingers had been pretty thick, calloused from all of his hero-work. He listened to you gasp and watched your lips quiver. He loved seeing you fall apart with a few touches.

You whimpered, wrapping your arms around him and pulling his body closer so you could hide the noises you made into his skin. He didn’t mind, shoving another finger in and curling them slowly. It was going to throw you over soon, hearing the wet sounds of your cunt and your gasps filling the room.

He stared at your eyelashes, watching your eyes shut tighter before cumming against his fingers. He kept your legs apart, feeling them start to close. “Its okay, Keep cumming baby..” He smacked your thigh with his free hand, keeping your legs wide open before shoving his fingers as deep as they’d go into your cunt.

You spasmed, scratching at his shoulders as he guided you through it. “Zuku.!” It was more of an oh my type of name call. He didn’t respond, pulling his fingers out of you to clean them with his tongue. You watched his eyes flutter, causing you to close your legs a bit embarrassed.

“We’re not done yet.” He finished sucking on his fingers, his cock twitching against your clit as he leaned your legs up to your ears. “I wanna fuck you. So stay still and take it for me..” He mumbled, looking up at you for any signs of wanting to stop. After he saw your little nod, he eased into you.

You smacked at the sheets, gripping them and shutting your eyes tight. Why was he so fucking big? You pulled your hips away only for him to grab them. He pulled you closer, shoving his cock deeper into you. “Don’t run now, Take it baby.” He growled into your ears, sending butterflies right to your tummy. 

He made sure you were alright, kissing your cheeks and mumbling soft praises as he shoved himself at his halfway point. It wasn’t slow at all. You had been so tight he might split you open. No one else ever made you so.. full. He wanted to try shoving in the other half so it would be quick and less painful, seeing some tears spill from your eyes. “Don’t cry, pretty girl. I'm right here..” He laid his hands next to your head, sighing softly. 

“I’m not cryin’..” You used your finger to wipe off some of your tears, ruining your makeup a bit. You hadn’t even closed your eyes fully before he slammed into you. “Fuck!!” You cried out, clinging onto him quicker than you ever had. You felt tears rush down your cheeks, your chest rising and falling quicker than before.. The full feeling in your tummy was just too overwhelming.

“Watch your mouth, Angel.” He kissed your shoulder, giving you time to adjust. He really was spitting you open. You were too fucking tight and he’d have to move soon. He tried to give you the time you needed, but he couldn’t wait that long. He started slowly dragging himself from your cunt, moving his hand to rest on the head board and the other to lay you down. “Let me take care of you..” He rubbed your clit with his thumb, watching his cock twitch inside of you.

You continued to pant like a dog in heat, letting out moans and leaning into his touch. “Zuku please...” You mumbled, tears starting to glue your lashes together. It felt so good but there wasn’t much to do but beg him to stop. It was too much, you couldn’t do it. You couldn’t hardly handle it.

He didn’t listen, watching you cry and your mascara drip from the first and only thrust so far. “What? Adjust to me.. I know you can do it baby..” He put a bit more pressure on your clit, rubbing it faster. He heard you hiccup and moans get louder, thinking about how bad he wanted to just slam into you. 

You simply nodded, moaning louder as he made you cream once again. Your cunt disobeying you and closing against his cock only made you pull him back in. “It- hah-.. It hurts Izuku..” You mumbled, not that he was listening nor did he care. You let him poke at your cervix again as he really moved. You were seeing stars.

“It hurts baby?” He groaned, letting his chest rise and fall with heavy breaths. “Aw.. It's okay, I’m right here.” He gave long, irritatingly slow, thrusts into you. He watched you smack at the blanket next to you, crying and whimpering even more than before.. He wiped off your tears, chuckling a bit and rutting in roughly. He watched your body flinch, jumping back from the force just to suck him back in again. “Can I move now, Angel? I’ll be gentle..” He lied through his teeth.

“y..yes..” And you believed him. He started slow, but gradually began pounding into you at more than a gentle pace. You could feel your walls cling around his cock, threatening to drain him of all of himself into you. You shivered, hugging your arms around him as you cried louder. The make-up you wore now beautifully ruined by his roughness.

“Am I makin you feel like this? You cryin 'cause of my cock?” He teased, feeling a sense of pride as he went on and on about how much of a slut you were for him. He could feel himself bruising your hips, but he couldn’t stop himself. It felt too good. He was too excited to even put on a condom.. Maybe he’ll trap that pretty pussy along with you. 

He leaned down, kissing down the valley of your breasts as they bounced near his head. He could feel your nails running through his hair and scratching at his scalp. Once you pulled on those green curls? It was over. His hips stuttered, letting out the loudest moan he had kept in his throat all night. He hadn’t stopped either, slamming into you harder as he broke his rhythm. “You’re mmm..mine, Mine, Mine.." 

You nodded as you continued to pull and scream out in bliss. You shivered, creaming onto his cock for the final time before feeling him pull out and make a sticky mess all over your stomach. You hadn’t minded one bit. You let your breath steady out as he went to his bathroom and warmed a rag to clean you off with.

Once he came back, cock clean and covering himself a bit as he wiped your body off. "You want me to wash you up, y/n?” He kissed your forehead, wanting to make sure you felt alright. After earning a nod from you, he carried you to the bathroom. It was huge. 

“Let me down!” You laughed, despite clinging around him. Once he let you down, you shoo’d him out so you could pee before hopping in the bath to start cleaning. He came back a bit later, washing you gently like he said he would. He didn’t want you raising a finger. 

He needed a woman like you all the time.

a/n: this is genuinely a draft before COVID that i posted on my very dead account. I rewrote and tweaked but it is still a very old concept. Idk i know I can write better than this but I felt like this needed more love first? sorry it's butt BAHAHAHA

side a/n: if you can't tell, i am ass at aftercare. mainly because I get too hot to lay together, I need weird me time after I have sex so I guess I've just never,,,learned?

[peterm4rker]

(𐙚⋆.˚) nine years shy

⋆ 𐙚 ⭑.ᐟ [johnny x reader] ...୨♡୧... wc. 3k w. age gap, swearing, very slightly suggestive! fluff ᶻ 𝗓 𐰁 .ᐟ

spending time in bars was never your preferred activity.

sure, it was fun to have some drinks with your friends in a place where you could meet new people. but still, there were a million things you could have been doing instead.

thats what you thought before your eyes settled on the handsome man by the bar, anyways. 

there was a big group, maybe around ten people that sat close to where the drinks were flowing from incessantly. still, even when surrounded by many other attractive men, your eyes could only focus on him. he was tall, his hair brown and his body looked like it was sculpted by the gods themselves. 

“quit staring, you’re drooling,” one of your friends spoke with a small laugh, taking your attention back to the conversation at hand.

“sorry, what were you saying?” you mumbled, trying your hardest to focus once again and ignore the gorgeous man. to no avail, of course. your eyes seemed to naturally gravitate towards him, watching as he spoke and made everyone laugh; how one of the girls that accompanied his group was very clearly trying to seduce him, and how he rejected her so politely and naturally that you almost didn’t feel bad about it.

at some point of the night, two of his friends had approached your table and somehow managed to whisk away two of the girls you were with, and yet he still stayed exactly where he was in the first place. ultimately, he was the only one left on his table, and your chance was presented.

his eyes were piercing as he watched your every move when you approached, one of his eyebrows lifting ever so slightly in curiosity.

“hi, i’m yn,” you greeted, standing by his table and not daring to sit down just yet. “can i buy you a drink?”

he studied you for a couple seconds before speaking up for the first time. “i just got one, but we can pretend you did. i’m johnny, by the way,” he introduced, reaching out to pull a chair out for you.

you let out a small chuckle, sitting down and nodding at his words. “perfect then, nice to meet you.” 

he seemed to be amused by your attitude, judging by how the sides of his lips quirked up the more he looked at you. “nice to meet you too,” he said before taking a slow sip of his drink. “can i ask to what i owe the pleasure to?”

you could feel the nerves begin to form in the pit of your stomach, starting to doubt at what point of the night you thought it was a good idea to approach someone like him. 

“well, i wanted to ask you if you would like to go out sometime… assuming you’re not taken?” you said, putting aside the fear and masking your shaky voice with taking a sip of your own drink.

“i’m not taken,” johnny shook his head, the amusement still twinkling in his eyes as he noticed your nervousness. “may i ask how old you are, though?” the question took you by surprise. it was a little odd, but nothing bad.

“i’m twenty three, why?” you asked, tilting your head curiously.

a scoff escaped his lips, once again taking you by surprise. 

he watched as your eyebrows furrowed in confusion rather adorably, and he almost felt bad for the words that left his mouth next. “i’m nine years older than you.”

he expected you to grimace, to give him some type of sign of discomfort at the newfound information. “okay, and?”

a small laugh of disbelief escaped him as he studied your face and looked for his next words. “nothing,” he settled for something simple. “mind telling me what a very attractive twenty year old is doing here with me instead of with the other attractive twenty year olds that were very clearly hitting on her?” his words seemed to start clicking in your head, a small smile making its way to your perfectly glossed lips as you shrugged. “twenty three year-old,” you corrected, “and to be honest, i already know them and i figured you’re far more interesting.”

“yeah? how come?” he asked, his deep voice making the simple question sound millions of times hotter than it should have.

“well, i’ve been watching you for a little while,” you admitted, crossing one of your legs over the other, “you didn’t talk much but everyone laughed when you did, you haven’t really drunk that much and you’ve rejected every girl that has tried to approach you.”

he let out an impressed whistle, leaning back on his chair and taking the opportunity to give you a once over. your clothes hugged your curves beautifully, and you carried yourself with incredible confidence for someone your age.

“you sure are observant, i’ll give you that,” he muttered, amused, “you must be really confident if you thought you could be different.”

he expected you to falter, but you chose to surprise him for a second time that night.

“that, and i’ve also been talking myself up to this and getting courage for the last two hours.”

your sincerity caught him off guard, it was honestly refreshing after a night of dealing with fake smiles and high pitched voices.

“how much courage did you need, exactly?” he asked, his eyes travelling to your glass for an instant. “i’m not drunk, if that’s what you’re wondering,” you assured, setting the glass aside for his sake, “but it’s nice of you to check.” he smiled again, nodding softly. “how confident are you feeling?”

you thought about it for a couple seconds. “pretty confident.”

he raised an eyebrow at you, his smirk still present on his lips. “and why is that?”

“well, i’ve made you smile quite a few times, you’ve called me attractive and you were clearly paying enough attention to me to know that i was getting hit on before i walked over.” you listed, smile still confident as your gaze didn’t falter once.

johnny had to admit he was impressed by how observant you were, but there was still something that didn't sit right with him. “i was a legal adult when you were nine,” he noted.

“and now we are both legal adults, it's funny how time works,” you joked, looking at his reaction before you stood up from your seat. “but i can see that it bothers you, so i’ll get going.”

he thought about asking you to stay, he really did, but his words betrayed him. “thanks for the drink.” you chuckled as he lifted the drink you hadn’t bought him towards you, mirroring him with your own. “you’re very welcome.”

with that, you walked back to your own table. your mood didn’t falter, the sour taste of his rejection fading with one swing of your bitter drink and your friends loud laughs. johnny watched you from his own seat, admiring the way you laughed and continued your night like nothing had happened. after a couple minutes of admiring the back of your head, he decided he was going to leave. his body had another idea, though, and it always seemed to win.

so really, he wasn’t half surprised at himself when he realised he was tapping on your shoulder. you turned back to him with a stunned expression. “hi?”

“hi,” he greeted shortly, giving you a smile that could’ve easily knocked all the wind out of your lungs if you hadn’t been staring at him for the past couple hours, “mind if i ask you some questions?”

the request was odd, but the way his eyes twinkled was completely overshadowing. “sure, shoot.”

“what's your favorite drink?”

“i don't know… margarita?” you asked, a little confused about the whole ordeal.

“okay… what do you do?” his arms now rested on the back of the booth you were sitting at.

“i study fashion and i’m currently working at ralph lauren.”

“oh shit, very rachel green of you.” he smiled, genuinely impressed by your accomplishment.

“i actually get that a lot,” you chuckled, now invested in his questions.

“do you have siblings?” he asked, back to whatever game he was playing.

“yeah, two, both older,”

“what’s your relationship with your dad like?”

and well, that kind of explained where he was trying to get to.

“great, actually.” 

“yeah? what does he look like?”

“the complete opposite to you.”

“perfect, can i buy you a drink?”

“of course,” you smiled, completely satisfied at how the conversation had gone.

“i’ll be right back with your margarita,” johnny assured, winking at you before moving to go to the bar, leaving you to turn back to your friends and let out a small, completely silent squeal at what had happened.

you didn’t have much time to continue your celebration before he slipped into the booth, handing you your drink and very slickly placing his arm over your shoulders on the booth. “hi ladies, i’m johnny,” he introduced himself to your friends with a polite smile.

both of the girls greeted him back, not missing a beat after checking their phones a second later. “oh, would you look at that? it’s time to go.” chaewon smiled, showing you the screen. 

“is it really?” you asked, masking a glare at her direction at how obvious she was being. 

“yep, i’m so tired,” she faked a yawn and you resisted the urge to hit her.

meanwhile, johnny was clearly not stupid and very, very amused at the entire situation. “do you guys have a safe way to get home?”

“yeah, the boys are here to pick us up,” she nodded, giving him a small smile before waving one last time. “okay bye, enjoy your night!”

just like that, you were abandoned by your friends in a bar with the most handsome man you had ever seen.

“i assume ‘the boys’ are the rest of your friends?” he asked, his attention now fully focused on you.

“yeah, the boyfriends,” you nodded with a small smile.

“either of them yours?” he raised an eyebrow, amused.

“nope, i’m free as a bird,” you smiled.

“good.”

...୨♡୧...

johnny’s lips felt entirely too good as they danced with your own.

they were on you the moment that you got to the door of his house, immediately pulling your focus to him as he pressed you onto the door while juggling with his keys to open it. it had been long overdue, and so much better than you thought it would be to have him pressed up against you. his hands travelled to the underside of your thighs to pick you up, closing the door with his foot and walking with you until he set you on the kitchen counter. his body settled between your legs, his hands pressed against the cold surface as he almost devoured your mouth in the most delicious way.

the moment continued when his hands travelled under your shirt to rub gently at the skin of your waist, pulling you even closer as you arched towards him. his lips began moving down your jaw all the way to your neck, leaving gentle nibbles on the skin.

your breath was labored once he moved away, his eyes hooded as he watched the faint marks beginning to form. “so pretty,” he mumbled, stealing another kiss from your lips.

you felt like you were positively going to explode when his hand slowly made its way under the fabric of your skirt, dangerously close to where you needed him the most. 

as the night progressed, you realized that feeling was constant when being with him.

...୨♡୧...

“so… i’m guessing i should call an uber now?” you spoke up softly after some minutes of comfortable silence. your head laid on johnny’s shoulder, his fingers running up and down your arm gently.

“no, i’ll drive you if you want to leave,” he said, his voice sounding almost offended that you thought he’d make you take an uber at such an unholy hour. “but you don’t have to.”

his words almost made you gasp in disbelief. a man that actually didn’t mind you staying after having sex with you? that was new.

“i’ll stay if that’s okay,” you answered, your voice small as if you were scared to say that.

“alright then,” he sat up a little, giving you time to move away before he stood up. you watched him as he moved, going to the adjacent door for a few seconds before coming back with a damp towel. he sat back down next to you and tapped your thigh gently to tell you to open your legs. you did as he asked you, utterly bewildered by the way he cleaned you up. “how about a drink? i’m an incredible bartender.”

oh, he had already ruined every other guy for the rest of your life.

“yeah, that sounds good,” you nodded, still a little in disbelief. he nodded and went back to what you assumed was the bathroom, returning seconds later and pulling out some clothes from the closet. he slipped into a pair of gray shorts and handed you a white cotton shirt which you put on wordlessly.

he watched you attentively when you stood up, your legs a little wobbly still when you walked towards him. 

“already sore?” he asked, his voice laced with amusement.

“shut up and make me a drink, come on,” you rolled your eyes and fake annoyance as you made your way back into the kitchen.

you heard his laugh behind you as you settled onto a stool, watching him do his magic while he prepared a cocktail with alcohol that looked far too expensive to be used in a drink for a hookup.

“so, ralph lauren then?” he asked as he handed you the glass, looking at you with interested eyes.

“yeah,” you nodded, feeling oddly happy at the fact that he remembered. “what do you do?”

“i work in music, production mostly,” he smiled, leaning forward over the counter. “nothing too interesting.”

you chuckled at his humbleness, shaking your head. “that’s really interesting, actually.”

“meh, if you say so,” he shrugged, an amused  expression on his face. “it gives me enough free time to do other stuff, so that’s fun.”

you took the moment to really look at him, eyes running down the skin of his arms. you had already proven he was quite strong, and it made butterflies erupt in your stomach.

“i’m guessing you go to the gym a lot?” you raised an eyebrow, looking up at his eyes again.

“yeah, how did you know?” the man asked, tilting his head in mocked curiosity.

“well, apart from the past experience,” you began, following his little game. “you look like you could lift me up like in dirty dancing.”

it was a joke, of course.

except apparently it wasn’t.

“man, do i have a surprise for you.” he set his glass down, watching amused how your jaw almost fell to the floor.

“you’re kidding,” you said in complete disbelief.

“try me,” he dared, already having surrounded the kitchen island until he was standing in front of you.

“oh, i definitely will,” you set your glass down and stood up, eliciting a small laugh from him.

he moved a couple meters away, making sure you had enough time to get some impulse before he showed you his stunt.

“ready?” you asked, the anxious feeling in the pit of your stomach being overshadowed by the excitement.

“ready, go,” he nodded, putting his arms out for you. you couldn’t help the giggle that left your lips as you ran towards a perfect stranger you had just had sex with, trusting him with literally hauling you up in the air.

his hands wrapped around your waist before moving you into the air, having you hovering above his head as he looked up at you. you did your best to keep your body firm when he moved in slow, deliberate circles for a couple seconds before pulling you back down and safely on the floor.

“holy shit, you can actually do it,” you breathed out.

“told you,” he smiled, his arms still wrapped around your body. you looked up at his handsome face for a couple seconds before standing on your tiptoes and joining your lips together again, which he welcomed more than gladly.

“is that some type of move you do to get laid?” you asked as you sat on johnny’s lap on the couch, his hands rubbing the skin of your hips under his shirt.

he shook his head with a small chuckle, “surprisingly enough, no girls ever ask if i can lift them up like in dirty dancing,” he said, mocking your earlier words.

“so you’re telling me you had never done that before?” you asked, growing apart from his torso to look at him properly.

“no, but now i know i can,” he smirked, amused by your fake offense.

“i could’ve fallen,” you complained, hitting his chest playfully.

“but you didn’t,” he answered, wrapping his arms tighter around your waist and bringing you closer. “besides, it worked.”

“what worked?” you asked, trying your hardest to bite back the smile on your lips.

“i have a pretty girl sat on my lap right now,” he gestured at your position. “that’s a successful move if you ask me.”

you rolled your eyes with an amused scoff. “you’re terrible.”

“sure i am,” he nodded, looking down at your lips before capturing them again.

...୨♡୧...

“i can see your eyes closing,” johnny interrupted himself mid sentence, smiling at your sleepy figure.

“no you can’t, i’m listening,” you shook your head, adamant to ignore how much your body was screaming for sleep. you didn’t want the night to be over, even when you could see the sun beginning to rise behind the curtains of his room.

“sure, what was i saying?” he questioned you, feeling an unfamiliar tug in his chest as he watched you trying to stay awake rather adorably.

“something about jackson's party, you found a dog there?” you tried, clearly making stuff up from the small fragments you hadn’t missed.

“hmh, sure,” he laughed ever so softly, wrapping his arms around your waist and pulling you into him until your head laid on his chest. “you can sleep, i’ll tell you the story in the morning.”

his words made your heart swell with hope.

in the morning.

“ugh, okay,” you groaned, cuddling further into his chest. “but just because you insisted.”

johnny couldn’t make himself stop smiling as his hand went to your hair, scratching it ever so softly.

“yeah, it’s not like you’re-” he nodded, stopping as he realized you were already completely asleep.

maybe a couple years didn’t have to be an issue when it came to you.

𐙚 blue's corner ;; hi there ! soooo, this was originally written as mark tuan fic but since i dont post got7 i adapted it to be for johnny bc i LOVE that man thank you 𐙚 taglist ;; @neozon3nha @winwintea @spacejip @dudekiss3r @yizhrt @lyvhie @mae3xoxo @taroddori @hollxe1 + let me know if you want to join the permanent tl ! 𐙚 back to the masterlist. 𐙚 please do not copy, adapt or steal any of the content !!!

© peterm4rker, 2025

[burrythebusy]

Hello hrkg nation...

So, I was on the htk tag (as one is) and someone posted this screenshot from the novel when Kagiura is saying the room feels a lot emptier without Hirano and... shout out to OP because that literally changed my brain chemistry. Idk why but it literally clicked a switch in my head despite me reading the novel before and that specific part numerous times.

Not to overanalyze but this brings up a greater point in my years of being obsessed with HtK that reminds me that these two already destroyed one of the obligatory boundaries of being in a senpai/kouhai arrangement, moreso hirano though, by foregoing the expectation of "im supposed to help my kouhai become acclimated and fostering a friendly environment between us so that you can rely on me when needed (while also maintaining a respectable distance between he and I so that he can grow independently and do the same thing to a kouhai next year)" by becoming addicted to the feeling of spoiling him and being spoiled in return with honesty, genuine gratitude and happiness.

And what makes me bring this up is, its not unusual to become close to someone in a semester or to even begin to really like someone in that time. What always gets me though is that the level of sincerity never wavered. The feelings were never surface level. They have a deep and crucial understanding of each other that I wouldn't hesitate to call love. This doesn't apply to just Kagiura though, but Hirano. Now I might be reaching HEAVY and im not sure exactly what I might be saying with this, and this is gonna be a hashtag Flaming Hot Take bc some people dont see it this way and that is A-Okay 0 hard feelings. But im so convinced (and almost always have been) that Hirano has been in love with Kagiura for just as long as Kagiura has veen in love with him. Let me preface that it is no more meaningful if this is the case but this is just something I've been sitting on for literal years and I fear it only took me this sentence to decide to believe it wholeheartedly.

(Screenshot from my e-novel)

Kagiura saying the dorm feels empty without Hirano (affectionate), and this being Hirano's (equally affectionate) reaction.

So, I've actually noticed this pattern with Hirano: when affection is expressed between him and Kagiura, his verbal reaction is something along the lines of "tiredness". As in, Hirano will give or receive affection to/from Kagiura and tiredness is deemed the reason. Now, i dont recall this ever being done with his friends so thats why im extrapolating this phenomenon to hirakagi only (if im wrong lmk). Anyway, here are the examples, other than the one listed. And there are actually more than i thought

Exhibit A: Volume 6 Extra

I think this is the first one we see at all, and its comedic and hes being kind of aggressive about it PLUS we wouldn't think much of it at all because Kagiura literally did NOT sleep since Hirano accidentally slept in his bed. But just note that Kagiura is basically getting a kick out of seeing Hirano embarrassed (which to me. Is affection because. This is Hirano and Kagiura) and Hirano is just like "get your ass to bed." This example is probably less of one than the next ones but 100% worth talking about since this is post Kagiura confession (not sure where in the timeline though) and it still follows the theme of affection/tiredness, as Hirano is recognizing it and deeming tiredness to be the factor making him say what hes saying. Just like in the screenshot.

Exhibit B: Volume 9 Extra (1)

(Definitely in a relationship here LOLLL) And for some reason Kagiura decides that Hirano is acting spacey, and Hirano AGREES. Like, to be fair, Hirano was acting pretty gay this whole extra but its interesting to me that Kagiura is all abashed by Hirano being all suave and congratulating him and his first reaction is, "So... you really ARE tired" (re: Hirano using him as a pick-me-up in the first place). Why. Is it because Hirano is being affectionate? I MEAN, YEAH kagiura clearly took it as such hence the blushing and acting all embarrassed and then proceeding to be like "you must be tired. Anyway youre not being confessed to are you."

What stumps me more is how Hirano agrees with him. We know Hirano will get defensive at stuff Kagiura says (throwback to "them's fightin' words, asshole") and idk the exact wording in japanese but the idea that Hirano just casually agrees to kagiura ascribing his behavior to being spacey and he has nothing to say to it... interesting.

Exhibit C: Volume 9 Extra (2)

Mere moments later on the train when Hirano says "you can be stinky with me bae 😍", Kagiura is embarrassed by this clear sign of affection and what does Hirano say? "Man, am I tired" Okay we GET it. Again hes making a point to emphasize his tiredness and for what? To excuse that hes saying crazy shit? Mkay

Exhibit D: Whatever the hell this is

This... this whole page. Man i don't even know where to begin. Hirano is straight up unabashedly giving Kagiura googoo eyes. I had a violent reaction to seeing this extra. The point here is that Kagiura looked at him, got caught off guard by this absolutely unmistakable "im gonna take a bite out of you in the next ten seconds" look and his question is "are you sleepy". And its like. Okay sure hirano looks a little drunk (in love) yes but. He also looks wide awake. But he does say "a little".

Okay hold on I have to add that I'm genuinely tweaking out over this extra like YES I've seen it before but after volume five and just. Everything i am genuinely aghast at how obvious this is. Like oh my god. Hes practically drooling. Im loosing the plot so bad. What i would do to have this voice acted. Yoshitsugu Matsuoka you absolute legend i KNOW you'd cook for this

Anyway so yeah. I also noticed with two of these examples that its Kagiura mentioning the tiredness and its Hirano agreeing, and with one its Hirano saying it himself, and with two its Hirano saying it to Kagiura. Idk if what im saying makes sense but here's kinda what im getting at (again this extra genuinely made me lose my train of thought happy pride i guess damn): for Hirano, maybe its some sort of code, or something hes experienced from someone else, or maybe its just embarrassment covered up that has become an inside joke, im genuinely not sure, but Hirano will disguse affection as him being tired, or Kagiura's affection as him being tired, and Kagiura recognizes this too.

Why this stuck out to me with the novel is that, so early on, so soon in their relationship with each other, Hirano is already recognizing this affection hes receiving from his roommate, one that is in the general sense no different than his usual honesty and sincerity when it comes to Hirano, and Kagiura himself at this point hasnt quite come to terms with being in love with Hirano at all, just that he HAS deep affection for him. And yet Hirano picks up this DISTINCT affection in a way we've so far only ever seen referenced post-confession AND when theyre in a relationship, that makes him say, "You must be tired".

In other words, we see Hirano, far before Kagiura admits his own feelings or even realizes the extent of them and far before Hirano can even consider his own feelings LOVE, use a phrase that we've only so far seen used in contexts in which the two are being obviously romantic in their affection (the only POSSIBLE exception being Exhibit A but the whole reason that whole thing happened the way it did was because of the romantic context to this otherwise embarrassing but negligible occurrence) and he doesnt even REALIZE it. Even if Kagiura was actually sleepy (and he was), and even if hes just being a little shy, the idea that Hirano's first thought was "dodge" and that dodging is something we see come up in such a specific, familiar way in such specific circumstances following what we would brush off as insignificant in the scheme of things just has me tapping my chin and then going EUREKA! Because Hirano loves him and has and its that simple. Hirano has always associated whatever feeling he had at that moment from receiving a particular flavor of affection with tiredness, with sleepiness, with someone saying those things because theyre not all there right now, they wouldnt USUALLY do that because if they did, it wouldnt make me feel this way, so here is a reasonable explanation. That same principle is then applied to himself; if im saying things that make me feel this way, that are a reflection of how i feel, in such a way that i would never actually do but here it is, just slipping out of me, I must be tired, I must not be all there, otherwise this wouldn't happen, I wouldnt say it.

Hirano loves him, and even if it’s not as AGGRESSIVELY as current Hirano, I think this was at LEAST the beginning of it. Hirano already killed the boundaries of their relationship in order to achieve a comfortable dorm life for both of them, and by doing so he created this situation between the two of them in which there is a very unique sense of closeness and understanding, and bond brought about because they are who they are individually and then with each other. Kagiura is honest about how he feels and before now he wasnt necessarily hiding his affection for Hirano, not in a way that matters. And then he tells Hirano that "Without you, it felt lonely" (with you, things feel whole, and right. if i had to choose, i would rather be with you (i wanna be with you (more than anyone in the world))) and Hirano feels this affection in such a way that creates a pattern in his behavior that he repeats in the future when he knows too that Kagiura is the person he wants to be with more than anyone in the world, where he gets to have that spot beside him, right where he wants to be, right where Kagiura wants him to be, and he says it now. "You must be sleepy." (Because it must be you, Kagiura—so earnest and honest, so much more so when you're tired that you would say such embarrassing things that no one would ever say to me—and not me, who feels each syllable in my chest and remembers the feeling each moment I spend with you in a future I do not yet know I had been wanting).

Also ignore every typo i am so sleepy and im gonna reread this tomorrow and go "burry was onto nothing 🔥🔥" but for right now we will Pretend

[itsrlymine]

HIIII i would like to be 🐩 anon. First, I want to say that I absolutely love ur account, many of ur posts have been like a kind of wake-up call (???) cause I finish reading them (or halfway through) and stop bc I finally understand and its so simple 😭😭😭 I already had some knowledge of the Law in the past, but I have learned so much more about it. However, about a month ago, I realized that I wasnt doing it with the intention of learning but cause I thought I needed to do more or that I wasnt "enough." But the Law was always easy, and I complicated it 😭😭

Since that moment, I decided to step back a bit from social media, and thats when I realized with my own eyes how easy the Law really is omfg. I just imagine that anything (whether material or not) is mine and in my present, and Ive managed to manifest so many things that in the past I would have considered big, but it doesnt matter because thats the past!!! Things like moving to my desired home; I made a vision board where I placed the house I "wanted," but I didnt check it all the time (at ALL) cause I just kept in mind that it was already there and all that, and guess where I live nowwww🤭🤭🤭🤭

I also manifested a group of 6 friends. Im still a bit shy in some ways, but thats not an issue. I had detailed in my mind how these people would be (people I had never seen before), and on instagram, they sent me a request. In fact, when I manifested becoming close to a schoolmate (we’re now bffs), her friends also started talking to me. I even managed to have someone talk to me again!!! The context is long, but due to misunderstandings, she and the group that used to be my friends got stuck in lies that people said about me there, and I distanced myself (in 2023). This year, about a month ago, I remembered her (special one from that group) and thought, "if i miss her so much, why not manifest that she have my number... oh righttt she already have it." I even knew what messages they would send me, and thats exactly what happened, word for word

Hello babe!!!

I actually love that you read through my posts and stopped eventually bc they clicked 😭😭 That’s incredible. It’s also beautiful that you’ve realized you can have anything that you want bc everything is the same and yours anyways!

I love that you manifested your desired home just by knowing it’s yours. I love vision boards as well but they only work when you acknowledge that what you want has manifested already.

I’ve manifested new friends by doing the same thing and ofc they just made their way to you!!! You are a magician. You are magic itself!!! Thank you so much for sharing and I know this will inspire others!!!!💖💖

[hwa-stars]

Passenger Princess

Genre: fluff

Pairing: idol Choi Jongho x fem named reader

Summary: Since your boyfriend has his own car, why don't he help you drive?

Word count: 1.5k

Jongho sat sprawled out on the couch, flipping through channels on the TV, while Minseo paced back and forth in front of him. Her arms were crossed, eyes narrowing as they landed on him.

She had been trying to convince him to give her driving lessons weeks ago, and now, she was determined to break him down.

"Jongho." She said, her tone edging on a whine. "You’ve had that car for months now, and you still haven’t let me drive or teach me more. What’s the deal?"

He glanced up at her, already knowing where this conversation was headed. “I told you. It’s brand new, and I want to keep it that way.”

"It’s a car, not a museum exhibit! Cars are meant to be driven, you know?" Minseo threw her hands up hands up in frustration.

Jongho sighed, shifting uncomfortably. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust her—he trusted her with pretty much everything.

But his car? The one he had saved for and just recently purchased? The thought of something happening to it, even a tiny scratch, made his stomach churn.

“I trust you, but anything could happen." He said cautiously, trying not to provoke her further.

Minseo rolled her eyes, clearly unimpressed with his reasoning. "You’re being dramatic. You've seen how much effort I have made. What’s the worst that could happen? You don’t trust me to drive?"

“No, it’s not that—”

“Then what?” She interrupted, her hands on her hips. "Come on baby, how am I supposed to get better at driving if you never let me practice? You can sit right next to me and guide me when you think I'm doing something wrong but I’ll be careful, I promise."

She had a point, and Jongho knew it. For weeks, she’d been bringing it up, and for weeks, he had been putting her off, giving her the same excuses.

Minseo wasn’t the type to give up easily, and the way she was standing now, staring him down with a determined gleam in her eyes, made it clear that he was running out of time. He either had to give in or face her endless pestering.

"Although, if you don't want, I can't force you." She sighed, looking at him. "I can ask Wooyoung, Yunho, or Hongjoong if they can teach me in their cars. If you don't feel comfortable, you don't have to worry."

Jongho rubbed the back of his neck, knowing he was about to lose this battle. "Alright, that's enough." He sighed, defeated. "Fine. I’ll teach you how to drive thats what boyfriends are.”

Minseo’s face lit up instantly, her lips curving into a wide smile. “Really?”

“Yes." He muttered, standing up from the couch. “But if anything happens to my car, I’m holding you responsible.” Minseo laughed, already grabbing her jacket.

“Don’t worry, nothing’s going to happen. I’ll be extra careful, you’ll see.”

Jongho grabbed the keys with a sigh, his heart already racing at the thought of Minseo behind the wheel of his beloved car. But the excitement in her eyes softened his worries just a bit. After all, he had promised to her girlfriend.

☆☆☆☆☆

The sun was low in the sky when they arrived at an empty parking lot, casting a warm, golden glow over the space. Minseo stood by the driver’s side door, bouncing slightly on the balls of her feet as Jongho handed her the keys. His fingers lingered for a moment, and he cleared his throat, letting go reluctantly.

“Alright, first things first,” Jongho said, sliding into the passenger seat and buckling his seatbelt with a firm click. “Adjust your seat and mirrors. Make sure you’re comfortable and can reach everything easily.”

Minseo’s hands shook slightly as she adjusted the seat and mirrors. She glanced over at him, searching for reassurance.

“You’re doing great." He said softly. “Take your time.”

With a deep breath, Minseo placed her hands on the steering wheel, positioning them just as she had read in the manual.

“Like this?” She asked, glancing at Jongho.

“Exactly.” He said, his voice even and calm. “Now, remember to press the brake before you shift into drive.”

She did as instructed, and the car purred softly as it shifted into gear. The silence hung between them, and for a moment, Jongho’s grip on the edge of his seat tightened. Minseo noticed and smirked.

“Relax.” Minseo said with a grin as she chuckled at her boyfriend's face. “You look like you’re about to have a heart attack.”

“Maybe a little.” He admitted with a chuckle. “But I trust you. Just take it slow.”

Minseo nodded, focusing as she gently pressed the gas pedal. The car rolled forward smoothly, and her eyes lit up with excitement. They made slow laps around the lot, with Jongho giving pointers here and there—“Check your mirrors,” “Ease into the turn,” “Brake a little earlier next time.”

At one point, she miscalculated a turn and the car jolted slightly.

“Oh!” She gasped, her face immediately going red as she lifted her foot off the pedal. “I’m so sorry.” Jongho reached out, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

“Hey, it’s okay. Mistakes happen. Just breathe and try again.” His tone was steady, warmth evident in his eyes.

Minseo took a shaky breath, her nerves calming as she felt the gentle weight of his hand.

“Thanks.” She whispered, regaining her composure. She took the turn again, this time more smoothly, and Jongho’s smile widened.

“See? You’re already improving.” He said, pride lacing his voice.

They spent the next hour driving around the lot, practicing turns, braking, and even a few parking attempts. Each small mistake was met with encouragement, and Jongho never once raised his voice or showed impatience.

If anything, he seemed to grow more relaxed as Minseo gained confidence, and by the end, he was sitting back with a content smile.

“Alright." He finally said as she parked the car and turned off the engine. “I think you’re ready for more than just parking lots.”

☆☆☆☆☆

The lessons continued over the next few weeks, moving to quiet neighborhood streets and eventually to more bustling areas. Jongho guided her through parallel parking, three-point turns, and navigating intersections.

There were moments of doubt, like when she stopped too suddenly at a light or hesitated before making a turn, but Jongho was always there to reassure her.

“Remember." He said say low and soothing. “You’ve got this. Trust yourself as much as I trust you.”

And slowly, Minseo did.

One afternoon, Jongho turned to her with a proud smile after she executed a flawless turn.

“You’re ready for your driving test.” Minseo’s eyes widened, her mouth falling open.

“Do you really think so?”

“I know so.” He replied, squeezing her hand.

The day of the test came, and Minseo was fidgeting as they waited for her turn. Jongho sat beside her, calm and confident, and gave her a playful nudge.

“Nervous?”

“A little." She admitted, eyes darting to the door where the instructor would appear any minute.

“Don’t be." He said, his voice a quiet anchor. “You’re ready.”

The test itself felt like an eternity, but when she returned with the instructor and a beaming smile, Jongho’s heart swelled with pride.

“I passed!” She shouted, running to him.

He laughed, catching her as she threw her arms around him.

“I knew you would,” he whispered, pressing a quick kiss to her lips.

☆☆☆☆☆

Months later, Jongho tossed his car keys to Minseo without a second thought. They were heading out to the KQ building, and he didn’t even blink as she caught the keys and slid into the driver’s seat.

“You’re letting me drive again?” Minseo asked with a smirk, starting the car. “You’ve really changed, Jongho.” He shrugged, getting comfortable in the passenger seat.

“You’re licensed now, aren’t you? Besides, you’re a better driver than I am.”

“I think that’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.” Minseo grinned as she pulled out of the driveway. “I’m putting that on record.”

Whenever the other members of Ateez found out, they couldn’t help but tease Jongho.

“Minseo drives your car now?” Wooyoung had said one day, eyes wide with mock disbelief. “You don’t even let me drive it!”

“Looks like someone’s the passenger princess now.” San added, winking.

Minseo never let him live that down. Each time they set off, she’d grin and say. “Ready, passenger princess?”

Jongho would roll his eyes, but the playful banter made him smile. Sitting in the passenger seat and watching her laugh, with the wind blowing through her hair and that familiar look of confidence on her face, Jongho felt something deeper than pride.

It was happiness, pure and simple, seeing Minseo shine, feeling her joy, made every teasing comment worth it.

As they drove through the city that evening, with the glow of streetlights casting a warm hue over everything and quite music in the background.

“I like having you as my passenger.” She reached over and squeezed his hand as Jongho chuckled.

“As long as you’re happy, I’m happy.” He take his hand and kissed the back of it and laced with his.

And he really mean it.

[allgremlinyaps]

The Most Underrated Line In All Of ATLA/TLOK And Its Many Worldbuilding Implications - A Ramble

In S2E7 of TLOK we get this dialogue from Wan and The Aye-Aye Spirit: "There are other Lion Turtles?" "Of course there are - dozens of them!" [timestamp 3:38 in this video]

It's such a quick line it's easy to miss, but there's one thing about it that made a LOT of things click into place for me about the Avatar universe's worldbuilding; the fact that there are (or were) dozens of Lion Turtles. NOT four, with one for each element, like you would assume. Dozens.

What does this mean in terms of the Four Nations? What connections might this have with other previously established lore? Well uhm follow me on this journey. I guess.

Pre-Unifications - A Global Warring States Era?

A warring states era on a wouldn't be nearly as compelling if there were only four Lion Turtles. If this were the case, everything would be perfectly balanced; why would there be disarray, violence, cultural disparity and struggles for power within each elemental group if the world was already perfectly divided into four solid groups? Why would a national identity be in question at all?

But the fact that there are more than one Lion Turtle per element... that means different groups of people being isolated from one another for long periods of time. This means different bodies of identity, regardless of element. Different city states, regional Kings, Queens, fiefdoms, dynastic power struggle, etc etc, before any sort of inherent loyalty the ones element as a national and cultural identity was established.

We know the Avatar world was not always divided into Four Nations. In Chapter 21 of The Rise Of Kyoshi we learn that Guru Laghima - a name you'll recognize from TLOK S3 - was from an era when the Four Nations had not yet been formed. We also know from Zaheer that he lived about 4,000 years before the events of TLOK (for context, thats about 6,000 years after Wan became the first Avatar).

There's further confirmation of this in Smoke And Shadow, where we learn about the first Firelord and the Fire Nation's unification wars.

However there's implications of this even in the original series; it's not some sloppy ret-con from the books and comics, it fits. Think Omashu:

In S2E2 of ATLA we get the story of Oma and Shu - and we learn that they come from "warring villages." Now why exactly would their villages be warring if The Earth Kingdom already existed? Why the need for a power struggle? Why is it not presented as a civil insurrection or civil war, but as a conflict between two distinct groups of people? The answer is that the "Earth Kingdom" as we conceptualize it did not exist. I'd go further and say that we can assume that after Omashu was established it became a powerful regional kingdom, and created strong sphere of cultural influence. Think about it - Bumi is King Of Omashu. King. NOT the Earth King, King Of The Earth Kingdom, but still King Of Omashu.

[Now there's some debate about where Omashu's founding sits on the timeline but to me it HAS to be post-Wan, probably very nearly immediately post-Wan. The line that calls them the "first earthbenders" and that they "learned earthbending from the badger moles" has caused some to question if they fit in with the "Lion Turtles bestowed bending" lore, but to me it fits pretty easily. The Lion Turtles may have bestowed the power but the actual technique was learned from the badger moles and dragons and blah blah blah.]

I also find this line from Jianzhu in The Rise Of Kyoshi very illuminating:

VINDICATION !! And Jianzhu's moaning over the cultural diversity within his country brings me to the second part of this post...

FC Yee And Gene Luen Yang Accidentally (?) Make Avatar's Cultural Mish Mash Make More Sense

Avatar's cultural gumbo of visuals has always been a little hard to parse. If you follow @atlaculture then you know it'd be kind of fruitless to try and apply any one single ethnicity/culture to one nation. A common, and very valid, criticism of Avatar is the pan-asian approach it takes to worldbuilding. I'm not here to defend that lol. I think people who dislike Avatar on that basis are well within their rights to do so, and I also think it's important to enjoy things critically.

HOWEVER, from a worldbuilding perspective, the mish mash becomes easier to swallow when you think of it in terms of multiple groups of people being unified into different nation states over a very long period of time and slowly intertwining their cultures into a single(ish) identity.

Take the Fire Nation for example: in FC Yee's The Shadow Of Kyoshi we learn that the government was much more decentralized and the country was controlled by different clans, like the Saowon and Keosho, who had individual spheres of influence and strong senses of identity. It makes me think about Mai and Ty Lee

They're both Fire Nation nobles and they both live in the Fire Nation capital - but their styles/clothes are completely different. Now, obviously that can be boiled down to personality-based character design but. There's a wide discrepancy between Mai's Edo Japan inspired hair and Ty Lee's Thai inspired performance outfit, and a little retroactive canon about them being part of different but powerful clans .. ? Yeah. That'd be fun, at the very least.

I could go on about this... was there a Water Lion Turtle at the north AND the south? How did the airbenders transition from relatively sedentary life on a Lion Turtle to nomadism? etc etc etc BUT in conclusion: TLOK and the comics have some very fun worldbuilding implications snuck in there !! Which makes up for a lot in my opinion. Personally I'd KILL for an Avatar series set in the warring states/unification period... I think that could be insanely cool...idk. The End. For Now.

[ilovedwardfpe]

Hey it’s your favorite non-binary hoe :3, can you write for Kaiser and he takes us out on dates and shi (but the nga is a shitty ass bf) and he kinda gives off “YOU WISH THAT WAS YOURS BUT THATS MINEJAJSH” typa energy :3

( ◠ ◠ ｡ Oh look a request!

—————————————

GUYS EVERYONE POINT ITS MY NOT ACTUAL JS MY BSF WIFE!

Anyways ignore how quick I am to shi but here we go!

Warnings: Cursing,Kaiser being a BRAT (or js kaiser)

—————————————

It was the middle of the day,Exactly 4:40pm at the mall is where you and kaiser were located on for a date because he had picked soccer training over you guys last date and that pissed you off to the core,so you did eventually go to the mall as said and BOY did a jewelry store just so happen to catch a glare out of you,Once you stared a little harder you realized…gee isn’t that super pretty and shiny! Not like you were a gold digger…but you squeezed the blonde and blue haired boys hand,Once he turns and looks up to what you are also looking at,He smirks at you and slides his hands to your waist

“Well what are you waiting for? Let’s go let’s go.”

You looked around,You both had Separated inside of the store as you went left and he went right but your glad you went left because something seems to catch your eye…it wasn’t anything you had seen before..Nothing you’ve seen on TV nothing Kaiser has ever given you…A real gold rimming with a gleaming diamond heart that had you looking my surprised then a kid with candy at a train station who’s never had candy ever. The guy at the counter walks up to you,looking down at what you had been staring at for a few hours now,he starts speaking to you but his voice was slurring..

“Hey pretty bitch… that rings quite expensive,If you can pay for that-“

“Gee just give her the ring why don’t you? Quit ruining our time please.”

Aw that such a voice! Kaiser! So said boyfriend! You had already turned to looked at him and was now giggling at his reaction and his wording towards the guy,The grumbled words under his breath as he grabs the wring gently from under the table and placed it on the table,your boyfriend slightly pushes your back to the side.

“Shoo shoo I’ve got this.”

You cackle at him shooing you away,You walk outside the door of the shop,smelling more of fresh foods and less of polish,You inhale a sweet food…Chocolate kind of but not exactly! Clicking your heel shoes your oh so wonderful boyfriend bought you,bored out of your mind! Why would he kick you out?should you check on him? Could’ve he possibly had done something to the guy,you turn to check but then Kaiser already steps in-front of you!

“And where do you think YOU are going?” He pulls out 3 rings and shows one of them to you up close,OF COURSE thinking it’s for you,you’d attempt to grab it but he swiped it away! He laughs as if it’s funny.

“You think this is yours? You wish it was yours! But that’s actually mine Mien libeling.”

He laughs,it’s continuous…he really thinks that’s funny! But then…oh what’s that he swipes from his back,another ring! He opens it,it was the one you wanted but with not one but 2 DIAMOND HEARTS! Oh what’s a sweetheart! He gently grabs your hand and applies the ring onto your finger,That cheeky smile on your face had grew. He brings up your hand and kisses it

“My Silly little Schatz.”

————————————

OKAY GUYS THIS IS MY FIRST…..IM ABT TO DO MY NEXT IN A FEW HOURS!…

[words-etched-in-her-skin]

Hi!! Can i request the re8 women with an s/o thats really insecure of her big thighs (smut and fluff) please!! thank you in advance!!! :))

Hello, dear! ♥️ I hope you don't mind that I went with our dear Countess on this one 👀😌

Alcina looked at you incredulously, almost offended at your words as you stood in front of the mirror, half clothed.

"What.. did you just say?" She asked, narrowing her eyes.

"They're too big, my lady! Just look at them!"

You smacked the outer part of your thigh, making them jiggle. An act that only made the Countess' eyes narrow in an entirely different way.

"Draga, your thighs are exquisite. A feast for the eyes, among.. other things."

She stood, slowly circling your body before coming to stand beside you in the mirror.

"Why, it'd be nothing but an honor to mark over every inch of that supple flesh of yours, pet."

You pouted, pulling the shirt you wore down a little lower in a poor attempt to cover your exposed skin.

"You're just saying that."

The Lady sighed and placed her cigarette onto it's holder on the dresser. A single fluid movement of her fingers and the back of her dress was unbuttoned, the soft fabric willowing to the floor beneath her. You instantly blushed - not that you hadn't seen Alcina's naked before - but you honestly didn't think you'd ever not blush at such a sinful sight.

"Now, my dear.. tell me, what do you see?"

"Fucking beauty."

Alcina chuckled. "Language."

"Ah.. sorry.. I mean.. you're beautiful, my lady."

"Mh.. and how much larger would you say my thighs are than yours?"

You bit your bottom lip, eyes grazing over the ashen landscape that was the lower part of her body.

"Quite.. quite a bit."

"Exactly.. and does that make them any less beautiful?"

"What!? No! But you're.. you! I'm just-"

She leaned down low, taking your chin between two fingers.

"Just what? Careful with your words, draga."

You huffed slightly. "I mean.. I'm just.. you know.. me-"

Before you could fully finish your sentence you were lifted into the air and tossed onto the Countess' bed - rough enough to pull a small amount of air from your lungs but still placed with the upmost of care. Your body instantly overcome with a fevered heat as she moved in a little closer, removing your underwear with a single swish of her claws.

Clicking her tongue in disappointment, Alcina leaned down.

"We have talked about this, pet, have we not?"

You nodded, cheeks already flushed in a deep crimson.

"Y-yes, my lady."

"And what did we discuss, hm?"

"That.. that there's nothing.. just.."

A pause - followed by a moan when her hand came down against your thighs in response, marking it with a delicious red welt.

"Mmph-! That there's n-nothing just about me! My lady."

"Mh.. better."

Alcina rose to her full height before coming to join you on the bed, her large frame positioned directly in front of where your body lay.

"Now, draga.. lie back while I take my time marking this pretty flesh of yours."

Your eyes closed at the first touch - as her lips came to your skin, quickly followed the graze of her teeth and the sweet sting of her claws. And oh, how the juices pooled within the heated space between your legs, building with each imprint of her claim on you - with each drop of blood that trickled down the inner and outer parts of your thighs from the deeper ones. Your breath catching in your throat as the warmth of her breath moved even closer to your core.

"Such a stunning pet. So perfect."

Another kiss, and then another, only stopping after she finally placed one to your clit.

"And all mine." She growled.

Her tongue swept generously over your core and you nearly lost control, hips immediately bucking into her. The Castle air, cool - soothing against the heated marks on your skin and exposing the full measure of your arousal.

"Yes, all yours." You gasped.

A moan mixed with a growl muffled into the wet folds that enveloped the lower part of her face - vibrating against your entrance and making you even needier, desperate.

"M-more." You pleaded.

The Lady obliged, lifting your hips with one hand as the other came to your core - a single tease over the slit of you before her finger slid in, filling your core almost instantly.

You moaned, embarrassingly loud and with zero inhibitions.

"Someone's greedy." The Lady smirked.

"Y'yes."

The next few moments were but a blur, with the Lady's finger driving relentlessly in and out of you. Forcing one wave of pleasure over you after another as your whole body convulsed in pleasure - time and time again. And even if you'd wanted to, there was no voice for which to protest with - not to tell her you've had enough as each word in your body was swallowed by a cry.. a moan.. an endless scream into the night as your desire continuously soaked her bed sheets below you.

By the time your body had fallen breathless to the bed you could barely think, barely breathe. Panting as a thick fog of bliss took residence in your mind and aftershocks of pleasure rolled warmly over you.

"Alcina-"

"Hush, pet. Reserve your energy."

You nodded, allowing your breath to slowly begin to return to normal. A few moments and one or two glasses of water later and Alcina came to sit beside you, fingers gently tracing over some of the marks she gave you.

"Now.. draga.. the next time you have these unsavory thoughts about yourself, I want you to take a look at these marks and remind yourself of exactly what I think of you."

You looked at her sheepishly, blushing even harder when you saw the full lengths of what she'd done to you.

"I .. I will, my lady."

"Good. Good, pet."

[octoberautumnbox]

Do you have any adult, non-sexual related fantasies involving K-pop idols?

hi anon! thats quite a venn diagram of a concept u've put me up to LMAO

~~~

The door shuts behind you with a satisfying click, and both you and Yuri make your way to the car. Leaving the porch exposes you both to the early Saturday sun, and the crisp morning breeze fills your lungs and spreads through your body like some sort of infectious positivity.

You buckle in, same as she does, and the key goes into the ignition before the car hums to life. All systems go: gear in reverse, steering wheel primed, your hand on the brake, when all of a sudden, Yuri chimes in with, "Can I see the list again?"

It stops you in your tracks, "Don't you have it?" as your thumb lingers over the button that releases the brake. "No, you took it off the fridge door, next to the keys."

"Why would my keys be on the fridge door?"

~~~

You're off, admittedly, five minutes and a trip to the kitchen and back later than you should have. Yuri pulls down the sun visor as the light gets harsher, brighter, and returns her attention to her phone to sort out her other plans for the day.

"So tailor first, for the kids' uniforms," she lists out loud, "save the cash for the grocery store. I'm paying with my card." She taps a few buttons and continues, "Then we do groceries? Is that right?"

"No, we're getting ice cream. Market first." Your eyes are focused on the road, taking advantage of the quietness of the hour to drive wide around any squirrels that have yet to get off the asphalt.

"Okay, so we get ground pork and veggies," she mutters as she rearranges her notes. "And then we also need toilet paper." She continues out loud for a few more minutes, adjusting her to-do list as she goes, and you chime in when needed or when you feel she starts getting overwhelmed.

"Is it a hard no on the succulents?" The stoplight glows red as the display beneath it counts down from 90. You look over and find her glancing back at you, and what little you can see on her screen shows you this is the last thing on her list.

"You know what, sure. As long as you can find space for it." A well-placed hand on her head puts a smile on her face, and she turns back to her phone and types a few last things out.

~~~

The grocery bags thump and crinkle onto the countertop, "Careful of the eggs, Dad," she calls from the other room, and you go through the motion of wiping imaginary sweat from your brow. Pull out the contents of each and lay them out: eggs, meats, vegetables, snacks, cups of ramyeon, toilet paper, laundry detergents, what have you.

"Good morning, Dad," your little girl mumbles from the doorway. "Morning, Chief. Take a seat," you reply, still focused on sorting out your various items. She makes her way over to the stool on the other side of the counter, rubbing the sleep out her eyes, and as she settles onto the seat, she lets out a yawn.

"Haejoon was telling me about his dream," she says, "about playing his computer game against spiders that were cheating."

"Sounds wild. Your brother can be weird like that, huh?"

"Yeah, really weird." She yawns again and rests her head on the cool tile of the countertop.

~~~

You finally pull your son's arms through the holes in his uniform. "You're gonna have to button these yourself, Champ."

"But Mom buttons Haein's for her!"

"It's because I'm younger," his sister teases, a pompous grin on her lips.

"Only by a couple minutes!"

"Settle down, you two," Yuri interrupts, perfectly timed and exactly as loud as she needs to be. "Haein, do your own buttons," Your wife's voice is loving but firm, and her daughter lets out a whine, but ultimately she does them anyway.

The two finish putting on their uniforms, and after a couple twirls to show you how they fit, both you and Yuri clap before carefully taking them off again, trying not to crease them.

~~~

With the twins fast asleep, you turn off the light behind you and shut their bedroom door. You take careful steps down the not-so-well lit stairs, remind yourself to get lights for these sometime, and join your wife on the couch.

"Is Notting Hill okay?" she asks. The cursor hovers over the movie, and the synopsis fades into the screen. She hands you a spoon and offers you the bowl of rocky road and double dutch, and you watch as her eyes scan across the tiny words.

"Sure. Are you in the mood to cry?" You take a spoonful of ice cream, and immediately the fatigue of the day disappears.

"Eh, why not. I have you here, anyway," Yuri says, and she presses the button. The screen dims and buffers, and the movie starts.

You feel a little tug and a snuggle on your sleeve, so you bring your arm around her. Plant a kiss on her hair, and watch as she brings a marshmallow to her lips. The Universal Pictures splash reflects in her eyes, and at that moment you do two things: first, brace yourself for when the tears come, and second, thank your lucky stars it's you that gets to sit here with her.

~~~

[eee-isat-au-blog]

yo guys its me

the tuse

ive come to make an announcement

encore et encore, as it is now, is more than likely cancelled*

now now calm down dont worry this is fine actually

the problem with this au is that it boils down to "ISAT but with x minor changes"

as of yet, these changes have not really, well, changed anything, ive spent 2 of the first 3 chapters just re writing isat act 1, instead of focusing on the distinctions

below the cut is the full planned story, and i shall be making art/writing of the different, important parts (indicated with *). if you want to be surprised for that, thats understandable, just dont click the cut

i do wanna thank all yall who liked this lil thing, and i assure you, this is for the best, no one wants to wait 4 more months for another retread of a chapter, right?

Ahem:

Act 1

Chapter 1: Terminal Velocity (Loop/Deloop Intro) *

You've seen this before.

Chapter 2: Hour Time Together (Dormont Day)

You've. seen this. before.

Chapter 3: Earth’s Beating Heart (Dinner - Rock)

You've. seen. this. before.

Act 2

Chapter 4: Um, What The Stars? (Loops Intro) *

EEE Siffrin (hereafter refered to as just Siffrin) meets Loop and Deloop, who explain the loops, bickering a bit amongst themselves.

Chapter 5: Night’s Fall (Floor 1)

Floor One, the final loop after making all the mistakes.

Chapter 6: In The Middle (Floor 2)

Floor Two, the final loop after making all the mistakes.

Chapter 7: Vaugarde’s Vanguard (Floor 3)

Floor Three, the final loop after making all the mistakes.

Chapter 8: Eventuality Horizon (King Loss)

The party faces and fails against the king in one hit.

Chapter 9: Regicide By Side (King Win)

The party recoups and defeats the king.

Chapter 10: Synchronistic Soliloquies (Loop Deloop Town) *

Loop and Deloop spend some time walking around Dormont as the King is being fought, the townsfolk are accepting of their presence. the two don't know how to feel about that.

Chapter 11: Euphobia (Euphrasie 1)

The play starts again.

ACT 3

Chapter 12: Love Withstands (Friend Quests)

Siffrin goes through the friend quests.

Chapter 13: Even Now (FQ House)

The family goes through the house.

Chapter 14: All For What? What For All? (Euphrasie 2)

The play starts again.

Chapter 15: Deicide By Side (King Quest Pt1)

Siffrin learns of The King's past and attempts to reason with him.

Chapter 16: Shadow Of The Sun (King Quest Pt2) *

...The King concedes. He gives up on his wish and crushes his crown in his fist, he does not deserve the name anymore. Siffrin feels a tug on their stomach. Cut to The Universe.

INTERMISSION

Planned to be a series of asks to The Universe directly (with 17 and 18 being the start and ending), wingmanning It to get out of Its "project" and hang out with The Change God, who It seems to have some feelings for.

Chapter 17: Word of Mouth, Word of God

Introduction to The Universe outside of Its duty, shows Change God inviting It to the regular "God Meetings", with It turning them down. Change God makes a little teasing comment about how much she'd like to see It. It doesn't know how It feels.

Chapter 18: Endless Ending

The Universe has a full on talk with Change God, who had been nicknamed Gigi between chapters in the ask section. It explains that It feels bound to Its duty, to Its wish, as It caused this to happen, this is Its mess to clean up, and Its alone. Gigi says that he'd be happy to help It with Its work, it clearly needs the break. The Universe thinks on this. It mentions how this whole time, every loop has been Siffrins naming Siffrins. Siffrin named himself, Loop named themself, Loop nicknamed Siffrin "Stardust". Meanwhile, It is just. A title. A being to carry a burden. Gigi thinks for a moment, and nicknames them Eve Ruins (anagram of Universe). A gift from her to It. (YURI!!!!)

ACT 4

Chapter 19: Change Of Plans (LoopQuest) *

Loop and Deloop are BEYOND pissed that the King turned nice, but they can't exactly place their finger on why. They (figuratively) grit their teeth as they invite Siffrin to a loop in the tree, to see what makes him tick. To see how they'd react to... the moment.

Chapter 20: After Before (Wish Craft Info)

Siffrin storms off from the two and starts learning about wish craft, planning on telling it to Euphrasie.

Chapter 21: Nigh Infinitum (Euphrasie 3)

The Play. Starts. Again.

ACT 5

Chapter 22: On The Brink Of Teetering (Sif & Loops argue) *

Siffrin confronts the Loop duo and says they don't care about him, they never did, they've done nothing but heckle him. He storms off to go do the friendquests and kingquest, because he wants to spend time with his REAL family. The two bicker about themselves after he leaves, exclaiming that the other is trying to live through him, and that they never should've done this again, they knew they both couldn't handle it. A dark cloaked figure appears to the two of them.

Chapter 23: Now, Even (Sif FQ & KQ) *

Siffrin does the quests, and when they reach Euphrasie with the former king, he lets out a sigh. He explains how much he cares about them all, and how he hopes they can continue traveling together after this is over. Somewhere, a tug snaps.

Chapter 24: LoopDeLoop (Déjà Vu/C'est La Vie Fight) *

The Universe speaks to the two loops, explaining Its distaste for their failure to do the job they volunteered for.

"You chose this. You chose to help the traveler, and yet you both are awful at it. You heard what he said. He doesn’t need you. You don’t need each other. You don’t even need yourself. You toy with him, play with him. And shirk responsibility. I’m starting to think you both chose to help to relive your old lives, with your old family. But that will never happen. You are very different."

The figure finally looks up, revealing It to actually be Mal du Pays.

"Siffrin is loved."

Cracking under the pressure, the two give into their emotions and become a gigantic form of sadness and wishcraft, the dual stars.

Déjà Vu and C'est La Vie.

The party rushes over to the now destroyed Favor Tree to see the hulking beast. They cry and cry, their tears forming sadnesses in the form of the party.

♦Réticence♦

♥Lâcheté♥

♠Aliénation♠

♣Inutilité♣

and finally

★Mal Du Pays★

Chapter 25: You Could Cut The Tension With A Knife (Make Amends) *

The party, former king, and head housemaiden all attempt to speak to the Wish-Made-Sadness, but they are inconsolable. Until siffrin speaks up.

"...I know you're clearly hurting, it must be why you've been so standoffish this whole time. You both are clearly bearing a burden of a secret, one I KNOW you want to let spill.

Tell us who you are."

The two continue to deny, before eventually admiting their true selves, and that they were just there to try and live through Siffrin. As the form shrinks and shrinks onto the stump of the Favor Tree, they let out sobs and apologies. Siffrin walks up to them. and gives them a hug. He forgives them.

ACT 6

Each episode focuses on a new* character not in the party.

Chapter 26: Finally Finality (Post Story) *

Everyone settles down, the moment of fear passes, and they start thinking about what happens next. The Loops are insistant they leave, to not try and manipulate Siffrin again, but he encourages they stay, to get through this together.

Chapter 27: Overbearing (Petronille) *

Petronille is hesitant to the Loops. But on Siffrin's word, they start to warm up to her.

Chapter 28: Landromeda (Roy) *

King finally picks out a new name and identity for himself, Roy. Some are still hesitant.

Chapter 29: Listening and Silenting (Howie) *

The Siffrins have therapy sessions.

Chapter 30: One And (Non) Only (PPC Fight Start) *

A crash in the meadow. Something has fallen from the sky. Everyone gathers around it. A singular orb rises up from the crater, forming a hat and cloak from itself. it raises its head, revealing one eye, where Siffrin's would be. And then another. This is Porter Plusieurs Chapeaux. Or as they are more commonly refered to as, Comicfrin. They demand to see Siffrin and the Loops (who are currently in a session with Howie), shouting nonsense about how "this line of understudies shall go no further", that they are "ending the universe's faults here and now". Siffrin and the Loops approach the meadow and are immidietly charged by Porter, but something blocks their attack. No, someONE.

Eve Ruins looks back at the 3 Siffrins and the others. It explains that this is the remnants of what It once was. While Eve was the first Siffrin, Porter was the second. And in all that time, they were never able to break their own loops, an understudy trapped in a repetitive script. Porter slams their foot on the ground and hands erupt from starlike and starlight cracks in the world. The Siffrins left to rot.

One goes for Bonnie, Roy without hesitation takes the hit. Eve looks back at him with a look of... sorrow, and apology. Then both of them tell Petronille and Howie to evacuate Dormont, including Bonnie. Eve gives another look, and Roy rounds up the rest of the party and helps evacuate.

Now, its just Siffrin left here. 5 of a kind.

Chapter 31: Wearing Many Hats (PPC Fight End) *

With assist by the askers, who are revealed to be the people who escaped the loops and are living on the island, Porter is subdued by Siffrin and the Loops. As they're holding them down, Eve walks up to them. and apologizes. truly, sincerely, apologizes.

"i know what you are feeling. i dont know how you managed to stay stagnant so long, but it doesnt matter. i messed up my duty, and you are suffering for it. and for that i am truly sorry. you need not forgive me. but i just wanted to say it."

Porter writhes in their grip, furious that It would dare disrespect them like that. They scream in fury that the only justice It could do would be to have every Siffrin die, to free them from the wretched cycle It cast upon them.

Eve sighs. It places Its hand on Porter's form. It whispers once, twice, three times, and as Porter shrinks in Its closing hands, It opens them back up, and sets them free, as nothing left but stardust.

Siffrin is concerned, considering The Universe is here and it just killed another version of him, but It assures them that It knows what they wanted. If they wanted death, then they are dead. If they wanted freedom, then they are free. The hands retract from the cracks in reality as Eve begins to disappear. It apologizes to the 3, saying that this system It has forced Itself to make clearly cannot sustain. It will soon attempt to fix everything, with a little help.

Siffrin, Loop, and Deloop are speechless. They return to the others, confused.

Ok so i know the endings a little iffy but its being workshopped, but all in all, thats it, thats the story of Encore Et Encore.

I hope yall enjoyed it, even though the presentation wasn't the best

this account will live on, with art, writing, and asks relating to the new things of the au, and i hope to see you there!

oh also i designed entirely new sadnesses for this au so get ready for those coming soon maybe at some point probably

also, fun fact, the chapters spell out THE UNIVERSE LEADS WE CAN ONLY FOLLOW

[hvstias]

Do you happen to have any Deadlock&Sova sibling shenanigan HCs

Asking for my dogs distantly related cousins twice removed great uncles friend

well kudos to ur dogs distantly related cousins twice removed great uncle's friend bc they have a good taste!! here u go:

u know those duos that just click? yeah. that's them.

especially after sova investigated the place she lost her arm (from her cinematic but i cant remember the name blame it on my low b12 ok)

moving on so after some interrogation they just. clicked. call it trauma bonding or blond ppl telepathy they just did

they don't remember exactly who started it but now everytime they're standing together SOMEONE'S (bonus points if a dualist) always gotta make that sibling joke

they're both nature lovers but she thinks he's kinda insane for hiking for 4 miles at 7 am

okay including tremorbolt here because why not so do u remember that hc about deadlock and breach having movie nights? they also invited sova, deadlock nearly refused to watch the movie with them because she didn't want to third wheel those homos

BUT somehow breach ended up third wheeling them because they were going feral over the details of a fucking 90s horror movie while he tried not to die from too much laughing

her arm sometimes ache like an open wound, not that it's not healed wrong or something but phantom pain is a real pain in the ass and sova tries to help her w his grandmas home remedies and meds

ppl often confuse them as real siblings in public and its so hilarious to sova while deadlock just rolls her eyes but u can see a lil smile if u look closely thats her pocked sized himbo

sova is a good storyteller but he talks about gore so casually she's like ??? sometimes but still listens because this mf has interesting stories

like breach and viper, they also have their own bets but instead of winning they always end up losing bc they let everyone know what they bet on with their bickering lol

she thinks he uses too many hair products and he's just offended like?? do u think its easy to take care of this fabulous hair??

deadlock only cooks practical meals because she doesn't really have time to think about food (her words) and sova's horrified by her eating habits. like girl how are u even alive

sova can handle hot temperatures unless it's TOO hot but deadlock. oh boy. her nordic ass can't handle hot places unless there's an AC like she'd act like she's okay but you know how someone looks like when they're on the verge of dying from heat

they're both tea ppl but sova prefers black tea and deadlock finds those herbal teas relaxing after a long day at work

they smoked pot after a rough mission w breach once but that was the first and last time they listened him about his relaxing tactics because the headache in the morning? not worth it gals and guys and my nb children do not smoke pot if u wanna relax go take a shower or smth listen to me (definitely not speaking from experience)

ps: this is kinda short bc i've been busy these days BUT might make a part two soo i hope u enjoyed!

[lyraeon]

how do you deal with feeling like you're being ditched for a better offer by a friend? it feels like that might be happening and it hurts a lot

it feels like since this friend got involved with a new group of people, they've been slowly ditching me.

i paid them for a sketch commission back in January and they said it was taking a while but was close to being done in February. it was more of an informal thing but thats beside the point. it's also making me feel messed about by them

Gah. I keep forgetting I have this ask. I just haven't been in a place where I felt like I could give advice in general, and barely been on Tumblr. so, sorry about that, first of all.

A lot of times if someone really clicks with a new person or group, they'll spend extra time with them cuz it's new and exciting. So, if your friend's been hanging out with others more, but still talking to you, I would just give it some time. but since you're talking about a commission from months back, I'm guessing it's been a while.

It sucks when friends move on, but it's also a natural part of life whether we like it or not. people change and grow, one way or another, and that includes friendships waxing and waning. There's likely something they're looking for that they're getting more from the new group than you, for better or for worse.

As far as the commission goes though, if you gave them money for a commission it doesn't really matter if it was informal or not, as long as they knew that's why they were getting the money then they're obliged to deliver. So you're going to have to decide if it's worth it to you to check in on it, or you just want to write the money off as lost.

To be honest, if you're sure they know about the commission, there's a chance they're (at least subconsciously) avoiding you out of guilt about owing you. So that might be something hanging out there too.

I would probably not want to stay friends with someone who took my money and didn't deliver, unless I knew exactly why, and even then I'd expect a direct apology about it. I don't know how close you two were before this so I don't know how committed you are to keeping them as a friend.

Personally in your situation, I'd make pros and cons of keeping them as a friend first, then confront them if I felt it was worth it. I would confront them specifically saying that hey, I don't know if you remember this but I'm still frustrated you never delivered, and at this point I'm ok with just putting this behind us but I would appreciate an apology for taking my money and not keeping up your end of the bargain first (but I also would have written it off several months ago). It's a major breech of trust to do that, so wanting an apology, or even wanting them to still deliver or give you your money back, as a condition of continued friendship feels reasonable.

But like I said, is what I'd do. Doesn't have to be what you do. But definitely know that you're worth it and there will be other friends out there, likely that respect you more too.

If anyone else has extra advice, please feel free to add!

[akirameta84]

do you have any scenes in mind for the hk bugdragon au that you cant get out of your head but havent shared yet?

oho the answer is yes, there are so SO many. but the majority would be a hassle to share because of format and needing context

however i do have a scene in easily shareable format, as i wrote a short oneshot for the latest rendition of the au!! never really planned to share it outside of the friends i already shared it with haha, so its your lucky day

enjoy. hopefully. takes place some vague time after a battle with the radiance but before hollow has officially been proclaimed to the kingdom as child of the monarchs, but the palace staff are aware that the vessel role is no more and theyre supposed to be treated with the same respect as their king and queen

warnings for dehumanization, but it focuses on thk. so thats to be expected. around 1.8k words

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They hadn’t even managed to fully emerge from their room into the gleaming hall of the palace before a voice caught their attention with a startling fashion.

“Ah, there you are! I was beginning to think you’d sleep all day!”

Considering they were still blinking off the last few dregs of sleep combined with some rather strong painkillers, Hollow flinched back in surprise as they jerked their head towards the speaker- a lone palace retainer standing beside their doorway at…not that far after sunrise, to be honest. They spoke as if Hollow had slept for an inordinate amount of time, though before, this would have been a very late time for the vessel to awaken.

The blasted tail attached to its body twitched with the first pang of confusion through its mind- their mind. As far as Hollow knew, they had not been assigned a personal retainer like a few bugs who resided in the palace had. They did not know if that would change, for that was up to their parents, though they did not particularly care for one. Movement impeded by a missing forelimb or not, they could take care of themselves just fine alone.

Regardless, they spread their mandibles wide enough so that they clicked when brought back to strike against their jaw, carefully spelling out the words they wanted to say. They had only begun learning deepspeech a few days ago, and so far did not know many actual words, merely the alphabet. But, while slow, it allowed for some communication.

The native tongue of Deepnest was picked for their communication for its focus on clicking and tapping out words, something easy to accomplish for a creature both mute and quadrupedal (and missing a forelimb to boot, making most forms of sign language barely accessible).

(They felt something warm that could have been happiness when they considered the topic of learning the native language of their baby sister. It was hers and now it was theirs).

“Hi. W-h-a-t-”

“Anyways, now that you’re here, I want you to sit for me, vessel,” The retainer interrupted, talking as if they didn’t even realize Hollow was trying to communicate in the first place (…Which wasn’t that far out of the question considering deepspeech wasn’t exactly commonly spoken in Hallownest, and was only being taught to residents of the palace to allow them to communicate with Hollow, specifically).

But-

It- They-

What?

Their body remained perfectly still even as their mind stumbled and struggled to process what it had heard, paying no mind the actual clarity with which the words had been registered by their senses.

They were not supposed to be the vessel anymore. They did not want to be. They were told that was okay, even. The light the vessel was supposed to contain was now dead and left to be forgotten, their wounds a testament to that, so there was not even a need for a Pure Vessel anymore. Yet-

Had something changed? Had they missed something in the short frame they had slumbered? Why-?

“You must not have heard me properly. Pure Vessel, I command you to sit.”

Its haunches lowered to the ground and it found itself sitting only moments after the words were spoken, staring attentively at the retainer.

Their breath hitched slightly once they realized how readily they’d obeyed. Not even a split second hesitation like they endured before speaking most times. Gods, was it any wonder their brief time as an actual person, as their father’s child, had abruptly come to an end? They were better suited for their old purpose.

…No, they needed to cut that train of thought off now. They weren’t the Hollow Knight anymore, just Hollow who happened to be receiving a long overdue knighting ceremony. Just Hollow, now a wyrm just like their father and technically heir proper (Not a true heir; their parents would have to die for that to mean anything, and gods with strong health and many followers did not tend to die unless they wanted to).

Just-

“Good, you haven’t lost your obedience the way you lost that much more convenient body.”

The words of the palace retainer forced their thoughts to halt and their head to bow as a fresh wave of shamed anxiety shot through their body.

But it did not let itself get lost in thought again. It sat still and merely stared at the retainer, waiting for its next set of directions.

The bug clad in pristine white robes stepped over to where it sat in the entrance of its room, humming as they reached to grab onto the risen hood of its strikingly vibrant, red cloak in their hands. A cloak so big that it draped enough to cover the large wings on its back, and yet they decided to use a part right next to its head instead of anywhere else for examination, tugging against the buttons that kept it fastened around its horns.

The pulsing urge to snap its terribly fanged jaws to the side and rip that arm right off was strong enough to cause its head to twitch slightly. That was their gifted cloak, their possession, their cloak, made just for them by Queen Herrah-

But it did not. It did not even turn its head to look. It sat still and listened.

“I think I’ll keep the cloak on you. Not nearly as regal as your armor and cape used to be, but anything is better than those unsightly injuries beneath!” The retainer chuckled as they backed away, gaze bordering on something like disapproval.

Disapproval that made it want to skitter back into its room and sit behind the door so that no bug could enter.

But it did not. It sat still.

“Come with me now. I am in need of a guard for myself and a few others for a function in the capital, and what better guard for a bug of my status than the Pure Vessel itself, changed or no?”

The vessel watched as the retainer walked off into the hallway, and when it first attempted to follow, its body jerked forward but failed to get up.

It did not make the same mistake twice. Its next attempt left it successfully lumbering after the retainer as it was led down a staircase to presumably exit the palace.

It almost lost its footing only a few steps in; this was only the fifth time it had used stairs since its most recent…molt left it no longer bipedal. This was only the third time time since it had lost what would have been an arm had this change not occurred.

This was the first time it did not once actually lose its footing and tumble painfully down. It made it to the bottom, albeit slowly and trembling more than before when it reached the floor.

…Why was it trembling? It was just following orders like it was supposed to.

No matter. It was to focus on the retainer leading it to where they needed it to go. That was its only priority.

Light brighter than the persistent glow of the palace already had in the corner of the eye it could still see out of immediately became its priority seconds later, and it was unable to stop itself from snapping its head over to the source.

That was the King. That was their father-

It snapped its attention back to the retainer fast enough that it could only pray its slip up had not been noticed by either party (Pray to whom? The god it was praying to have avoided in the first place?).

The sound of his numerous footfalls halted not a beat later, though, and the vessel knew its own limping stride was not capable of drowning it out to that degree. He had stopped.

He had noticed.

“Hollow, would you come with me? I have something to show you,” Came his unexpected voice, forcing their head to twist right back to his direction.

In what could only be described as an undignified, desperate scramble, it swiftly made its way to its fathers side, quivering as it fought to avoid its gaze for reasons it could not place. Unlike before, this lack of hesitation brought forward a traitorous feeling of relief.

“I do hope that you did not need them for anything important, for they will be unavailable for the next while,” He addressed to the retainer, and though their head was bowed, they were far taller than him even like this and could easily see how he shifted to face them.

“A-ah! No, no worries, it wasn’t! I just asked if they’d be willing to help me move some heavy furniture, but I can find someone else!”

…They were lying straight to the face of the Pale King. Hollow couldn’t stop the flood of sheer indignance on his behalf at their audacity. Why would they not tell the truth? Did-

Did that mean that they weren’t the vessel again? Was the King not supposed to know they had been ordered such? He…

…was facing them now. They met his gaze, resisting the urge to flee back to their room as his eyes narrowed in…contemplation? Anger? Disappointment? They had hardly learned how to read their own emotions, let alone others-

“I see. Hollow, is that what they asked you to do?”

…He was asking them for what happened. The prospect, let alone actually being asked as much, broke the slight reverie they’d fallen into. Evidently, things had not reverted back to before.

They flicked their gaze at the retainer, who was fidgeting with the sleeves of their robe.

They flicked it back to their father, who was watching expectantly.

And then they opened their jaws to click out the needed words.

“Go-to p-a-r-t-y. O-r-d-e-r-e-d f-o-l-l-o-w. G-u-a-r-d.”

Despite merely explaining the actual, truthful story, they still shook as if they had just lied as egregiously as the other bug…though maybe that was also because their remaining forelimb was beginning to ache as painfully as the one that wasn’t there somehow did.

Their father sighed and immediately faced the retainer, who Hollow didn’t dare glance at as they waited for the tense moment of silence to pass. Their tail threatened to break the silence with how it twitched against the floor, annoyingly, though.

“Right. Why don’t you go find your mother in the palace’s gardens and take your breakfast with her? Tell her I will be preoccupied for the next while,” Was what he settled on saying at last, and Hollow didn’t spare a second glance before turning to leave with his permission.

Breakfast sounded nice. Being anywhere else sounded even nicer.

“Come with me. Clearly, you have ignored some of the recent changes within the White Palace, and I take pleasure in properly enlightening you on them.”

The words they heard from their father as they left had them feeling warm again, though. It left them believing they truly could be more than just a vessel someday, no matter how much that fact was sometimes a struggle to accept.