#another day of two lovers flooded by true love

[teathattast]

timeless emotion

i lay in bed and feel my heartbeat flutter

it's like it's telling me that something's a matter

and in my dreams, i feel it carry over

[supercutszns]

Luke x reader where a girl, daughter of Aphrodite, flirts with him and insults the reader, causing her to avoid Luke, but later he manages to find her and confesses that he actually likes them... I don't know if they should already be together or not, but I believe in you!!! you write very well :ooo

Sorry if the idea is bad or you wouldn't want to write something like that, if that's the case please pretend you never read this 🤡🤡🫶

true colours; luke castellan

wc + pairing: 3.6k, luke castellan x child of iris! reader

synopsis: everyone wants luke castellan, including you. curse your mother for getting your hopes up.

warnings: friends to lovers, reader is very insecure, bullying, lee fletcher & will solace cameo!! some angst with a fluffy ending

notes: thank you for the request!! as always this is longer than i anticipated but hope you like it :) i also combined it with another request for a child of iris reader (i also identify as a child of iris sometimes so i lovee writing for them) also i’m pretty sure lee + a lot of parts of this are ooc sorry but i havent read the books in about a year so hopefully everything’s fairly accurate!🌈

You knew this summer would be different because your mother sent her wishes twice as much. On the first day of July, when children flood into Camp Half-Blood like a hive of wild bees, a rainbow always lights up the sky. 

This year, there were two. 

As a child of Iris you’re technically supposed to be in the Hermes cabin. But your love for art, for music, for fun, has made you a particular favourite of the Apollo cabin. Most of your friends are there. They tolerate you singing in your soft, often unsure voice. They love when you catch sunlight and filter it into prisms of colour on their cabin walls. 

You’d probably move in there permanently if it weren’t for Hermes. Or rather, his son.

Over the last few months, in the sticky summer heat, your mother knew you would fall in love. 

It's not any surprise you love Luke. Everyone loves Luke. A fact that's becoming more obvious every passing day. 

It used to bother you less. You’ve always been his meagre, hopeless friend, never any real competition to these girls. You’d basically taken yourself out of the running and instead decided to pine after him in the very back of your mind. A safe, deluded fantasy that would never happen. 

Until recently, where it seems less like a fantasy and more like a terrifying possibility. 

Over the past few weeks Luke has gone out of his way to be sweet to you. Or at least you think so. He’s spent extra time talking to you at lunch, laughing at your half-formed jokes almost in earnest. At bonfires he saves you a seat, grabs you a marshmallow on occasion. You even made him a friendship bracelet of sorts—admittedly a little ugly—but he’s never taken it off. Not since the day you gave it to him. 

Not to mention helping you last week before the archery competition. His hands lingering over yours as he steadied your bow, the curls of his breath on the back of your neck when he stood behind you. 

“Don’t be nervous,” he says, a tinge of mirth in his voice. “You just steady your aim and first is as good as yours.”

(You came in fifteenth.)

You don’t want to say that it’s him weakening your aim, making your pulse beat out of your neck. His nose brushes against the back of your jaw as he leans forward and you smell the pine on his skin. Is this friendly? Is he this close on purpose? Are you delusional?

It’s all you’ve been thinking about these past few days. So when Luke Castellan’s endless admirers come to the forefront of your mind, you feel like all those moments of potential buildup have been ripped away. 

“You alright there, sunshine?” 

He takes you out of your spiral with a teasing lilt you love. When you look at him, his face is a shimmering warmth, complete with boyish smile. 

“Yep,” you reply, trying to ignore the nickname making your insides flutter even though you know he’s saying it ironically.

You’ve always had a gift for identifying colour. It’s the thing you pay attention to most. Something inherited from your mother, you suppose. So you’ve memorized the way Luke’s eyes melt in the sunlight. How his scar blends with his pinking cheeks when it’s hot outside. You never told him, and you probably never will, but you’ve painted him from memory quite a few times in the Apollo cabin—always with the excuse that you were practicing. It's so blatantly obvious you're in love with him there's no point in your friends bringing it up.  

The two of you are meandering around camp before dinner, a tradition Luke started early on in the summer. You talk about high points of your day (mostly you) or share nuggets of gossip you’ve heard around camp (mostly him). It's the thing you looked forward to every morning. A time when his words are just for you. 

Idle chatter flows as you keep walking. Sometimes your arm brushes his and you have the embarrassing urge to tug yours away. You do your best not to stare at him too long or laugh too loud at his jokes. 

“Hey, Castellan!” Someone calls. 

Luke’s head turns. Your heart plummets. A beautiful girl, Aphrodite cabin, you think, is heading towards you. She’s all honey-spun hair and dazzling pink lips, and it’s obvious she knows it. You don’t know her name. But Luke does. 

They fall into conversation the second she arrives. It’s just greetings, pleasantries, but there’s a coy smile on the girl’s face that betrays any sense of disinterest. “Heard you’re not too keen on pairing up with us for the Chariot Race next week. What gives?” Her tone is pouty and playful as she taps Luke’s shoulder. She side-eyes you, lips curling imperceptibly. “I’m sure you’ll have a better chance with us.”

He lets out a strained chuckle. “Dunno, just thought it was fine to switch it up.”

Just like that, you’re out of the loop again. More of her friends flock after her, and soon Luke is tangled in a whole other world. They’re all glowing with a kind of righteousness you only get when you’re popular. You know Luke has friends, tons of them. He's the leader of the cabin with the most campers. Not to mention assertive and gorgeous. His presence is so inviting it’s a challenge not to fall in love with him. 

So you can’t blame this girl, the one that keeps touching his arm and giggling. It’s not like you’ve staked your claim on Luke—no one even knows you exist. As much as you want him to be yours, you know you’ll never stop someone from taking him first. It’s your fatal flaw, you think. Cowardice. 

You end up sidelined completely. Watching him swathed in people more charismatic than you plants an ache deep inside you. All your wishful thinking feels sour now, a pipe dream, a bedtime story to help you sleep better. Somehow it hurts more knowing that it’s nobody’s fault but yours. These people can’t be doing this on purpose. It’s just who they are. It’s who you are—always a step behind, always daydreaming. You are your mother’s daughter, after all. Just a prism reflecting everyone around you. 

Eventually, one of the boys in the group takes notice of you. He’s not nearly as captivating as Luke is—you don’t find the colours of his eyes hold as much depth. There’s also a haughtiness when he looks at you. He sneers, “What the hell do you have on your face?”

It draws the attention of others in the group. You feel like a naked sculpture in an art gallery. “Uh, what?” You stammer. 

Some of them purse their lips. The girl with Luke lets a laugh slip. You’re pretty sure you look like an idiot, waiting there with your brows wrinkled in a daze. Their gazes keep flicking over to your cheek, so your hand flies up there before you can delay any more. When you press your fingers to the side of your face, they come away tacky and pink. Mortification constricts you.

Paint. It’s leftover, half-dried paint. The colour of Luke’s cheeks in the sun. 

“Oh,” you say dumbly. It’s drowned by snickers. All you can do is find Luke, the only face you know, and ask, “Why didn’t you tell me?” without sounding too hurt. 

You know you failed when your voice comes out wrong and his ebony brows push together. “I thought it looked—”

He never gets to finish because the golden girl laughs a little louder, the pink tones in her face a little darker. “Oh my Gods, you’re that Iris kid that’s always singing, right?” She giggles sharply, cornflower eyes darting between her friends. There’s something in there you can’t quite pick up on, until it flushes the pupils of all her friends, and they all grin with a secret knowledge they want you to see. “You’re, like, really good!” The girl simpers, but her bottom lip pulls between her teeth to soften another laugh. 

“Oh, so good!” Another friend piles on. 

Their passive-aggressive chuckles start to sound like hail on a window. You shift further away from them. Dirt slides beneath your shoe, and you long to kick up more of it, displace yourself, disappear. 

You don’t look at Luke. The giggly, flaxen girl has already turned back to him, and you’re sure he’s enthralled once more. You try to stir up the image of Luke’s closeness during archery practice, the lilac bruise on his knuckles when he angled your bow, but it doesn’t take. Now, it feels like you’ve dreamed it. 

Out of the corner of your eye, you see Luke leaning down to catch a whisper from the Aphrodite girl’s ear. The boy that first commented on your cheek leans closer to you again. He’s suffocatingly smug when he grins, “Why are you still here? Shouldn’t you go … wash that off? You don’t want to look like that at dinner.” He snorts. “For an Iris kid, you really aren’t good at taking a message.” 

If you were a more confident person, maybe you’d point out how that didn’t really make sense, or how stupid it sounded coming out of his mouth. But the sentiment of it wounds you, and you’re weak enough as is. 

"Guess you're right," you mumble. You wipe your face of paint as you leave. The memory of Luke’s skin stains you until you wash your hands off in the sink. 

You haven’t talked to him since. 

It’s been a few days of you avoiding him, and it’s hard to explain to anyone why you’ve been doing it. How do you tell the truth? Luke Castellan is a work of art and you are … a weird doodle, or something. Despite your adoration, you know there’s no reason he should feel the same for you. Everyone loves him for a reason. Everyone must ignore you for one, too. 

“Why haven’t you been talking to Luke?”

The question breaks your concentrated silence in the Apollo cabin. You’ve been sitting here for a while now, humming to yourself over a mostly blank canvas. The cabin is dusted with a lilac haze, thanks to your manipulation of the light streaming through the windows. Helps you feel less like you’re at camp and more like you’re in a fairytale. 

“Helloooo, lady, I asked you a question.”

You begrudgingly look up. Lee Fletcher, head of the Apollo cabin, is at the mouth of the cabin, gazing at all your supplies strewn about the floor like they’re a bunch of unsavoury substances. “It looks like a hurricane came in here. Now why aren’t you talking to Luke?”

“How do you know I’m not talking to him?” You mutter as Lee sits beside you. 

“Uh, because you’ve been sleeping here multiple nights in a row and you never do that. And you don’t sit with him at dinner. And whenever we see him you drag me in the other direction—”

“Lee!”

“I’m just saying, you should probably talk about it. My beautiful voice can heal wounds, yes, but not of the heart.” He splays a hand across his chest in mock theatrics.

You don’t say anything. The familiar weight of the brush against your fingertips is far more comforting than trying to talk, so you busy yourself with your canvas again. “He waits for you, you know,” Lee continues, quieter. “In the morning. And before dinner. He always asks if you’re here.”

“Oh,” you say, and your wavering voice betrays your expression. But you think of everyone else at camp, their gleaming smiles and their celebrated parents, their own cabins and friends and dreams, how you don’t seem to have any of those. You think of the girl whispering in Luke’s ear. All her shades of beauty. You know it’s wrong to compare yourself, to be jealous. You’re just … sad.

The cabin darkens from a lilac to an imperceptibly gloomier shade. A blue sort of longing gets caught in your throat, blurring the colours on your canvas. But you keep your brush steady, focused on the scratch of its bristles so you don’t have to hear what you say next. 

“I think I love him, Lee.” And then, “But I don’t think he loves me.”

There’s no sound except the scraping of your brush when it’s run out of paint, and a sniffle when a tear rolls down your cheek. 

“Oh,” Lee fills the silence the way you did just moments before. Then he says your name, laced with pity, and hugs you on the floor of his lavender cabin. 

“You want to help me lead the bonfire song tonight?” He asks after a minute. “Or at least … come to the bonfire song?” 

“No to the first, yes to the second.”

You wish you said no to both. 

The spot you choose after dinner is right next to the fire so you can distract yourself with the golden flecks of flame. Fire is so fluid, so complex, from a colour perspective. But no matter how close you get, the searing warmth can’t hide Luke’s gaze peering over the embers. 

He will not. Stop. Looking at you. 

The singing from the Apollo kids usually soothes you but tonight it’s just making you anxious. All this attention so close to you. Will Solace has been sitting next to you this whole time, your unofficial assigned companion for the night thanks to Lee. One of his siblings beckons him over, and he shoots you an apologetic look, hesitating. "Just go," you wave off kindly. "It's all good." He's not entirely convinced, and you aren't either, but he squeezes your shoulder with thanks and leaves you anyway.

Now you’re acutely aware the space next to you is wide open. And so is Luke, it seems. There’s an awkward moment where your gazes slide over each other and he weaves out of his current crowd towards you. So you do the most mature, sound thing you could possibly do in this situation:

You say you have to go to the bathroom to no one in particular and get out of there. 

It’s dark, but you’ve got sharper eyes than most. Soon the noise of the campfire is behind you. You traipse through the camp towards the bathroom,but you don’t get far before you hear something that makes your stomach drop in the worst and best way. 

Luke, calling your name. 

At first you think you can get away with not hearing him. Then he calls a second, a third, a fourth time, punctuated with, “Come on, I know you can hear me, can you just turn around?”

He’s got longer legs than you so the next time he speaks it’s practically in your ear. “Hey, just look at me. Please. I want to talk to you.”

There’s something so tender in his voice that it makes you cave immediately. But you already feel so fragile, you can feel the tears behind your eyes. You know you won’t have the strength to talk to him. 

His hand curls gently around your wrist and it sends warmth all the way up your arm. He says your name again, softer, and you love the way it sounds. You can’t meet his eyes, but you already know what he looks like. Even in the dark you picture him crystal clear. 

“Look at me,” he repeats. “I just—I need to know what I did wrong.”

His dark eyes are full and apprehensive when you heed him. You notice how much you’ve missed studying his face—the slight bunch of his brows, the tensing in his jaw. And you almost delude yourself that he’s missed you just as much, the way he squeezes your wrist and rakes over your expression.

“Why are you ignoring me?” He asks. 

“I’m not—”

“You are. I know you. Just tell me why.” 

He looks so sweet, so earnest, and it kills you. You think of the way he looked when all his friends made fun of you. It all comes up before you can help it. 

“Do you always let me walk around looking like an idiot?” You ask bitingly, staring at the floor. “The thing, with the paint on my cheek—why didn’t you tell me? I looked so stupid and all your friends just laughed at me!” 

His face falls. “I tried to tell you, I thought—”

“It’s okay to say you don’t like me, or that you’re embarrassed, or whatever, but I …” You swallow, tears thick on your lower lashes. “Everyone makes fun of me. I don’t know why you don’t.”

“Because I do like you,” he states, hand moving up to your forearm. 

“Don’t say that,” you whisper. “You’re so much … better, you know you are, and I don’t want your pity, or your spare time. I just—I made something up in my head that wasn’t there and I only noticed it the other day after you talked to that girl and that guy made fun of me and I’m really, really sorry—”

“It looked cute. I was trying to say I didn’t tell you about the paint because I thought it was cute.”

There’s a lull.

“What?” You blink stupidly. 

“I know I should’ve told you about it, but I swear I was going to before dinner, I didn’t think we’d run into anyone before then.” His cheeks tinge red. “I had this whole dumb thing planned out where I’d wipe it off your cheek and tell you how cute it was once you got embarassed. I was waiting to tell you. I was thinking about it the whole time.”

His hand on your arm is a frighteningly grounding thing. You're dumbstruck by that alone. Your lips part, but all that comes out is, “Why?”

A gentle laugh tumbles out of his throat. “Why do you think?”

His other hand comes up to brush your cheekbone, where the paint had been, and you can imagine him doing it to you on that day. How you'd probably react just the way he said you would, the way you are now. A warm orange glow blooming in your chest. “But the girl—”

“She tried whispering to me how much she liked my bracelet,” he smiles fondly. “Told her you made it for me. It shut her up. I don’t know what that guy said to you but I chewed ‘em all out the second you left. They knew I wasn’t happy. I tried looking for you but you were gone. I don't like them, you know."

You don’t know what to say. It’s too difficult, too uncertain for you to jump the gun on this. So you just stare at all the shifting colours on his face as he moves closer to you. All this time going over his every detail, and there's still more to be enthralled by.

“I found the paintings,” he says, voice so close you can feel it brushing your skin. “The ones of me. I was looking for you in the Apollo cabin a week ago and you left one out. I knew it was yours because ... I mean, there’s no one in the world that can make me look that … beautiful.” 

The last word is apprehensive but it’s spoken with an unimaginable tenderness. He looks a little teary himself. You think you’re dreaming. “I knew I had to tell you after that. I’ve been trying to tell you. But you started pulling away from me so I thought I was making it all up.”

“Tell me what?” It’s a ghost of a question between you, an impossible thing, but the hand on your arm slips around to your back and he presses it there with such certainty. 

“You’re really gonna make me say it?” He cocks his head, but you nod. “I’m in love with you, I think.”

The words cascade over you in ribbons of warmth. Your brain feels fuzzy, seperate from the rest of your body. Your mouth opens multiple times but you can’t seem to control what comes out. “Luke, are you joking?”

“Not even a little.”

“But you’ve got so many other—”

“I want you.”

“I am literally the most incompetent person alive; I can’t sing, I can’t talk to people, I have a weird knee—”

"Your knee is fine!"

"I'm just saying, this makes no sense from an outsider perspective, it's—"

“Okay, clearly the telling thing isn’t working so I guess I’m just gonna have to kiss you.”

It happens so quickly you don’t have any time to think (probably for the better). You let out a surprised “oh” before his mouth silences you, stopping every other thought. He’s gentle, thumb still rubbing your cheekbone, other hand still firm at your waist. You want to panic—where should you put your hands? How do you know you’re doing this right? But he steadies you, the way he always does, and you give in. 

He starts to smile against your lips. You’re almost positive the intensity of your heartbeat could summon a storm. When he pulls away, he kisses the corners of your mouth and you think you’re going to evaporate. “I don’t think I’m very good at this,” you whisper.

“You’re perfect.” He grins a little when your hands tentatively tug at a curl on the nape of his neck. “And none of that stuff you say is true. I mean, you’re definitely a better singer than me.”

Leaning close to your ear, he warbles out a song you know but gets the words horribly wrong anyways. You can’t help but laugh. “Okay, maybe you have a point.”

He hums and chuckles with you. You swear the moon gets brighter when he wraps his arms around your waist to kiss the side of your face. “Next time you paint me, I want to be there when you do it.”

You blush harder than you ever have in your life. “Only if you try painting me,” you say quietly.

“Of course. You’re very pretty, so I’m sure my horrible artistic skills won’t even make you look bad.”

Luke lets you press your face into the crook of his neck. You soak it up for all it’s worth. 

In the morning, you wake up in the same position. Your nose tucked against his collarbone, the shade of pink you love freckled across his cheeks. You can't wait to paint him again.

When you look out the window, you say a silent, grateful prayer to your mother.

She's given you two more rainbows.

[hannieehaee]

I know your request are closed but I just wanna send this before I forget 😓 (sorry if you’re already being flooded with requests) but could you do Jun x actress!reader? Maybe a costars to lovers plot? They act in a romance drama and the on screen chemistry is perfect because they genuinely like each other in a romantic way.

THANK YOU SM I LOVE YOUR WORK!! ❤️

18+ / mdi

content: actor!jun, some small rivalry between jun and reader, smut, afab reader, semi-public sex, penetrative sex, etc.

wc: 1710

a/n: thank you so much!!! i hope you enjoy what i came up with<33

masterlist

"are you here to practice lines again?", you asked as you opened your dressing room door to welcome jun into your private area yet again.

he gave you sheepish smile as he walked in and took a seat on the couch the two of you would usually lounge on in between shoots, "already annoyed of me?", he asked as he settled in.

you followed him, taking a seat next to him as you handed him a drink, "just rethinking how good your acting skills could be if you need to go over the lines so often," you responded in jest.

"oh, is that how it is?", he gaped at you, giving you that big smile he always reserved for you.

it had only been a few months since you'd met jun. after being cast as the leading couple in a long-awaited chinese drama, you quickly became good friends. you were already well known for your good chemistry with one another, leading the drama to a renewal halfway through the first season.

being jun's costar was the easiest thing you'd ever done. he was an easygoing guy (easy on the eyes too), and just overall extremely likable. you didn't want to get your hopes up, but you liked to believe that he found you just as likable, considering how often he sought you out.

jun had grown a tendency of stopping by your dressing room every day after filming with the excuse of going over lines for the following day. this usually meant staying on set a little later than anyone else, but you enjoyed the company too much to ever even think of complaining. the overtime was completely worth it if it meant spending a little extra alone time with wen junhui.

there was a slight huge chance that the romance you'd been portraying on screen had begun making its way onto real life. you didnt want to get your hopes up, but if jun's flirtatious demeanor was anything to go by, you were pretty sure the feeling was mutual.

there was truly no need for jun to stop by and go over his lines with you outside of official rehearsal hours — especially considering that he had been acting since infancy. you liked to believe that he simply liked the alone time with you and wanted to keep you to himself for as long as he could. you only hoped he would eventually ask you out for real, or else you'd have to take matters into your own hands.

"show me your acting skills, then, wen," you challenged, gesturing at him to get closer to you on the couch.

with a smirk, he scoot over, taking hold of the stacked up pile of papers on the coffee table in front of you which contained the script.

"what do you want to start with?," he asked, "the confession scene from the twelfth episode?", he began listing off scenes, "the big conflict on episode ten?", then his grin grew bigger, "or the sex scene for the season finale?"

"please," you scoffed, "no way you can start with the sex scene. you've never done any sex scenes before, wen. i have," you challenged.

it was true. despite his history as an actor, he had never engaged in any explicit roles before. this did not diminish him as an actor, nor did you actually believe he'd have any trouble getting the mood right for the scene, but riling him up was just far too enticing. it was also one of the only areas where you had more experience than him, having done roles that involved such scenes a few times already.

"what, you think i can't make a convincing sex scene?", he fake gasped, "people always say our chemistry's unmatched, and we both know why," he smirked by the end of his statement, chuckling at your scowl.

"oh? why's that?", you challenged him.

"i exude sex appeal," he claimed, "i'd be the best sex scene you'd ever shot," he leaned towards you with a challenging look in his eyes.

"show me," you dared him, "if you're that good, show me. no script."

he swallowed a scoff, both shocked at at the defiant look in your eyes and the very sudden change of atmosphere in the room.

"you're serious?" he almost gulped at the way you reclined against the couch, allowing the angle to show him the heavy breathing that had your chest going up and down, "you want me to-"

"i wanna see if you're all talk. we haven't had any steamy kiss scenes yet, so show me. give me a preview of the season finale."

those were the last words you needed to say before he began invading your space, pushing you slowly until you were laying on the couch while he hovered over you. he was slow yet intentional in his moves, wordless as he adjusted himself on top of you.

he was slow as he lowered his lips onto yours, eyeing them heavily before closing in on you. contrary to what you'd believed, he started at full force, not bothering to build up the kiss and instead giving you all of him immediately.

the original scene involved a very slow build up with a steamy finish, so you knew within seconds that jun had thrown away any intention to actually rehearse the scene but rather prove you wrong about your assertion about his lack of expertise in the area. however, you knew that it was far more than that. the kiss felt like more than just arguing against your assessment.

you mewled into his lips when his hands went to touch you, gripping onto your waist to pull you closer and adjusting himself so he could grind his hips into your own.

"i thought i couldn't do a sex scene? whats with all those noises? i've barely touched you," his breath was warm as he chuckled against you, moving onto your neck to lay kisses there.

"shut up. this is nothing. i could do this in my sleep," you challenged.

it didn't take long for him to begin undressing you, frustrated huffs accompanying his every move. you ended up in mere panties and a bra while he remained in his boxers. far too many illicit touches and kisses were shared in between to count.

"why am i naked, wen? i thought we were just rehearsing."

"im just making sure i get my point across," he lied through his teeth, hovering over you once more in order to get the upper hand again.

"god, you're so pretty. no wonder everyone wants you in their shows," he awe'd at you as he took off your bra, hands softly touching at the uncovered skin.

"or maybe because i'm a great actress."

"yeah, but you already know that," he smiled.

"i already know that," you affirmed with a similar smile before connecting your lips again.

any pretense for rehearsing left you after that point. both your hands itched to get the other closer, finally ending up with him lined up to your cunt and with your hands pulling at his boxers, lowering them just enough to pump at his hardness.

"baby ..."

"thought you were good at this, wen. thought you were gonna show me your skills," you teased.

"shut up. i'll, fuck, i'll show you."

his hands copied your movements, sneaking beneath your panties to tease at your arousal with his fingers. his actions elicited a similar reaction from you, moaning into his mouth as you both played with each other, so close to finally connecting in that carnal way you'd been aching but not close enough.

you worked him with your hand as he did the same to you, only stopping when he huffed what sounded like a painful breath and pleaded at you to stop. you were going to laugh at him once more, tease him for his weakness at your touch, but you needed to feel him now and decided to let it go.

grabbing onto his own cock, he began running up through your swollen lips, further lubricating them with his precum and groaning at the pulse he felt under his touch.

"hmph, f-fuck," he cried into your lips upon beginning to enter you, seeking silent permission to move.

a nod from you and he began pumping into you, groaning at every single move. the stretch made your eyes roll back, making you lose your mind little by little at every thrust.

"you're tighter than i imagined, shit," he groaned.

"o-oh? you imagined this?", you couldn't help stammering when he hammered into you as he did.

"shut up," was all he said before burying his face in the crook of your neck, nose breathing you in and lips pressing onto the skin.

your nails dragged down his back, careless despite knowing you'd both get scolded by your stylists for adding to their workload. it was fine, though, you thought. this was all in the name of working on your on-screen chemistry after all, right?

but it felt like way more. jun may have fucked into you with conviction, but the words of affection murmured into your skin gave a different story.

"beautiful, fuck."

"feel like a fucking dream ..."

"prettiest, tightest cunt ive ever had."

those were some of the many words kissed and bitten against your skin. it made you so dizzy you didn't even register when your orgasm began to approach.

his hand had at some point snuck between you, toying at your swollen clit as his thrusts became erratic. the end was near and he wanted to take you down with him.

"with me? cum with me, baby," he practically pleaded as his lips found yours again.

it was like this that you swallowed each other's moans, keeping your pleasure as a secret between the two of you.

even as he filled you up, he remained inside you. he managed to sit you up, allowing for the two of you to cuddle on the uncomfortably small couch in which he'd just defiled you.

"so, no sex-appeal, huh?"

"shut up, wen. i'd run laps with you on set."

"wanna bet?", his hands began feeling up at your body with a challenging glint in his eye.

and yes. yes, you did.

[heartfullofleeches]

best friend yans partner making reader cry and yan realizes that it’s not their arms that reader runs to for comfort anymore🫢

You're happy for them.

In the beginning, it was just you and them. Growing up, they had always been a quiet kid. Clung to the hip of the first person who gave them the time of day. You didn't regret your decision then and you don't now. The years you had together were some of the best and you could only wish them happiness going forward. You were so proud of them for building the courage to broaden their friend group... You only wish they let new people in without shutting the old out.

You promised yourself you wouldn't cry when you found out you had to share them with someone else. You promised you wouldn't cry when they cancelled plans to focus on their new relationship. You promised you wouldn't cry when they finally replied to all your calls and texts just to put an end to your life long friendship.

You don't blame them for saying goodbye. It'd hurt less if they had done it in person, but you're adults now - friendships and silly promises are secondary when you've found true love. That's what they said this was in their final message to you- and so you believe them. Won't have much time for movie nights and hanging out like you used to while they're building a life with someone else, so you were bound to drift apart anyway. Everyone always said a bond like yours would stand the test of time, but clearly they were wrong. The best thing you can do for them and yourself is keep your chin high and swallow the tears. As much as it hurts, you won't cry. You won't cry.

"Ugh.. are you are stalker now? It's kind of pathetic for you to cling onto someone you never dated When will it get through your thick skull - they don't need you anymore."

You won't cry. It was pure coincidence that you ran into them again. It makes sense after all the time you've spent together the places you frequented would align. Your old best friend and their new lover had taken a trip to the mall on the day your new acquaintance had taken you to your old stomping grounds to cheer you up. Their partner was like a vulture - watching you from afar and awaiting the second you both were alone to strike. Honestly, it seemed like they didn't even notice you which only teared down another layer of your fragile defense. You want to go home, but you had to wait for your companion. Unlike others - you'd never leave anyone behind.

"They told me all about what it was like when you were younger. How you sucked up every minute of their time and made every thought they had all about you. You're honestly disgusting, you know that?"

Your throat tightens as you're backed into a metaphorical corner. That's not true. You tried to be there for them. They're the one that rejected everyone that wasn't you. Is that really how they viewed you? How they felt about you? Sharp intakes of air build up to the first exasperated wail that rips itself from you. It all crumbles from there. Tears pour from your tired eyes and spent heart. You try so hard to keep it in, wiping at your face and muffling your cries with quivering lips - but they only flood harder. Your aggressor attempts to flee from the scene of the crime as two pairs of footsteps quickly approach.

"Y/n?....."

"Y/n!...."

Sneakers squeak along the mall floor as one sprints to your side, going out of their way to jam their elbow in the ribs of your aggressor as they squeeze past them to get to you. The other stands stagnant as their lover nears - watching as you fall weightless into their arms. They draw back the foot pointed in your direction at first witness to your cries.

"Baby, what happened! Are you okay? This is why I told you to come into the store with me. Calm down, breathe. It's okay. I'm here."

Soft fingers brush away your tears. They dry quicker against someone else's skin. Your head falls to their chest, ears tuned to the gentle beat of their heart to calm the frantic beats in your own. Your companion takes their hand in yours, kissing the back of your knuckles as you follow their instruction and breathe in slowly.

"That's it.... I'm right here. I'll always be right here for you."

Their words are like a dagger to those unfortunate to listen. A blade dug deeper by your redden eyes and the small smile that forms as you gently squeeze your savior's hand. Once upon a time, it was their hand you held when at your worse - just as yours had pulled them out of the wreck their life was before they meet you. You used to be each other's shoulder to cry on. Safe houses from a world that never understood you or bothered to care. They long for that moment in time, but in that instance it all felt too perfect. If they hadn't let you go and found comfort elsewhere they'd only hurt you in the end - crush and buried beneath the weight of the ever-changing, conflicting tide of their feelings for you.

Laughter draws them back to the cruel reality they now face as punishment for their selfish decision.

"I'm fine now - I swear!"

"Nope! Since you won't tell me what's wrong, we ain't stopping until you're all smiles. We're going to hit up every store in this mall until it closes and you find something that completely takes your mind off whatever got you down. As your new best friend, it's my duty to make sure your heart is in good shape.... So I can steal it later on."

"You're such a dick...." Nudging their arm with your elbow, you giggle - then sigh. "Well, if you're paying, I guess I can't complain. Best be on our way then."

A passing glances comes not from you, but from the victor of this scenario. Your new best friend locks an arm around your waist, placing a kiss to your hair before mouthing a single word over your shoulder.

"mine."

A hand reaches out as you disappear into the crowd. It's falls not into the grasp of the one its heart truly desires, and instead into the iron grip of the person they chose as a cheap imitation.

"Can you believe those two?"

".... I'm going to fucking kill that bastard."

[justwinginglife]

hii! are u still up for request?cause im back again with another hoshina request 😭 can you do hoshina and childhood friend reader ignoring each other for years because reader thought hoshina hates her existence because she joined the sixth div? (friends to lovers trope with a touch of mutual pinning?)

Well hello again, so glad you rejoined the party! I would be happy to write this for you.

The Hoshina Brothers

You had known the Hoshina brothers your whole life but you never thought that picking between them would cause such a divide.

You hadn't meant to pick between them, you didn't even know there were options. You just thought that when a friend asked you for help, you helped them, like any decent person. So when Soichiro Hoshina, your longtime friend, asked you to join his division to help ease him into his new position as Captain with someone he trusted by his side, you said yes in a heartbeat.

What you didn't realize was that buried underneath that request were his true feelings for you and in his mind, with you so close to him everyday, he'd one day have the nerve to reveal those feelings to you. Adding to the list of things you were oblivious about, his brother, Soshiro Hoshina, was also in love with you and he took your enlistment in the Sixth Division as a sign that his brother had finally won you over after years of what appeared to be an even struggle between the two of them. Again, you had no idea this war between the siblings even existed, you were simply happy to be of help to an old friend.

You really should’ve known better- when you’d agreed to follow Soichiro into the Sixth Division, his reaction should’ve been enough to clue you in. He’d scooped you up in his arms and spun you around and around in circles, exclaiming that you were such a lifesaver. You laughed and thought it was such typical Soichiro behavior. And it was- but only because he was typically head over heels for you, unbeknownst to you.

And you really should’ve known better when you told Soshiro the news and he’d stormed off in anger- you figured it was just a bit of sibling rivalry. And it was, but not for the reason you thought. And that anger, that devastating emotion he must've felt- it led to years of silence between the two of you, years you could never repair, could never get back. Years that took a toll on your heart.

Looking back, there were so many ways you could’ve handled it better but how were you supposed to know that both of your closest childhood friends were equally as enamored with you?

So now, here you are, mouth agape, standing in Soichiro’s office in stunned silence as he confesses his longtime feelings for you and you realize just how badly you’ve misread the situation. How badly you’ve misread the last several years.

You want to give him a fair chance, you feel like you owe his efforts this much at least, so you try to imagine being with him. What would waking up to him look like? You try to picture rolling over to snuggle him, but the person you imagine in your bed gazes back at you with eyes like amethysts. You shake your head, trying not to think too hard about it. You begin to think about coming home to him cooking in the kitchen and when you wrap your arms around him, kissing at his muscled back through his compression shirt, he turns to face you, his dark bangs shifting as he wipes the sweat from his forehead and grins at you warmly. You bite your lip as Soshiro floods your brain yet again.

Either Soichiro knows what you're thinking or your silence is too vast for his comfort because he starts to laugh awkwardly and rub the back of his head. "You know what, just forget it."

Right about now, your heart should be sinking in sympathy for him, feeling guilty for making him retract feelings that were so important to him for so long, but now that your heart knows who it belongs to, it can't help but beat a little louder in your chest, as though Soshiro is sitting smug in its chambers.

You finally find enough of your voice to apologize profusely to Soichiro but he just shakes his head, laughing a little, though the sound comes out somewhat pained. "You should tell him, you know."

You choke on your saliva. "T-tell who what?"

He rolls his eyes but then smiles at you and you're glad you can still make him smile even if you can't give him what he wants. "I mean if you never tell him how you feel, I'd be okay with that, then I might actually have a chance with you one day. But I don't know if you'd be okay with that. So maybe you should tell him, alright?" He ruffles your hair like he always does and then hesitates before finally deciding to plant a gentle kiss on the top of your head. Then he leaves you standing in his office in a daze.

Soichiro Hoshina was many things, but you never thought that he'd actually be right for once. Honestly, the way he handled things was almost always wrong. His crumbling relationship with his brother was one such example, but you wondered if that only made him more qualified to speak on the matter. If maybe he knew what it was like to want to say something and to know the pain of it being too late to say it. You were already years too late. But you hope that maybe some part of Soshiro's brain dreams of you in his bed, in his kitchen too, when he tries to think of anyone else.

And that hope is what finally forces your feet from their rooted position in Soichiro's office and propels you towards the Third Division.

Captain Ashiro greets you at the door. You know her from several meetings you and Soichiro have had with the other Captains and Vice Captains from other divisions, but somehow you've never run into Soshiro at these meetings. He must've gone well out of his way to avoid you and you couldn't blame him.

She leads you to his office where the two of you wait as she pages him. You fidget with your fingers as the minutes go by, staring at the floor because if you looked over at her you'd picture Soshiro's lips on her neck or his hands on her hips. She was taller than you, more slender than you, more powerful than you for sure. You couldn't help but wonder if she was his type, if she was already his girl.

As if right on cue, just to drive that stake deeper into your heart, she says "So what exactly is your relationship with my Vice Captain?"

We don't even have a relationship anymore, you think glumly to yourself. You smile weakly. "Ah, he's an old friend."

"Interesting. He's never mentioned you before."

The stake continues to twist its way through your organs. You think you might just bleed out from the metaphorical damage to your heart.

Then you hear his footsteps in the hallway and your heart, remembering the sweet sound, quiets itself to listen.

"Captain, you called for me-" He steps into the office and the wonderful, rhythmic, nostalgic sound of his shoes against the ground grinds to a halt as his eyes find yours. You think he might just bolt right now.

Oxygen sears your lungs as you draw your next breath painfully, realizing you were right. He does want to bolt. He's already begun to turn around with one foot out the door so you blurt out the only thing you can think of to stop him, "I LOVE YOU DAMNIT!"

He freezes in his tracks.

Captain Ashiro chokes as she hears your words, now understanding the gravity of the situation. "I think I'll be taking my leave now." She passes Soshiro on the way out and shoves him back in the room with you before closing the door. Suddenly all that animosity and jealousy you felt towards her earlier is replaced by immense gratitude at this chance she's given you.

"What the hell kind of a greeting is that??" He hisses at you, turning on you suddenly.

Your cheeks feel like you took a blowtorch to them. "Was trying to get you not to... leave me?" You say uncertainly.

He scoffs. "We don't talk for years and you think a sudden love confession will get my attention?"

You swallow. "Well... you did stop. Why did you stop?"

He looks away. "Cuz anyone would wanna know why you blurted out that crazy shit, don't go turning this around on me." He grumbles, biting his lip.

You take a step towards him and he sucks in a sharp breath but he doesn't back away.

You dare yourself to take another step and then another. You keep taking each aching step, until you're right in front of him.

Then, without thinking, you sink against him, pulling him close. He stiffens but then he leans into your touch too.

"I missed you, damnit. Stupid Soshiro, ignoring me so long." You don't even know when you started crying, you just know that suddenly his shirt is soaked. But he doesn't seem to mind.

He slowly wraps his arms around you. It's a hesitant gesture but it warms your heart all the same.

"Hey, you ignored me too." He complains but his voice is lighter now, almost teasing and affectionate.

"I th-thought you h-hated me." The words come out shaky and pathetic, drenched in a sob.

He runs his fingers through your hair with one hand and rubs up and down your back with the other. "Shh, shh. I didn't hate you- I don't hate you. I could never hate you."

You continue to squeeze him tight and your tears keep pressing themselves against him, like they're seeping into his very being.

He sighs. "Did you... did you mean what you said?"

You peer up at him, confused, still in a daze. "When I said what?"

He flushes suddenly and you wipe away your tears hurriedly, shocked to see his cheeks a color they've never been before and eager to get a better view. "When you... said you... l-lov... fuck, just forget it."

"I do. I love you. Took me a long time to realize it, but I do."

He straightens at that. "You do? You really mean that?"

You laugh against his chest. "You know, typically when someone admits they love someone else, they usually do mean it."

He scoffs but his gaze is softer now. More hopeful.

You take this chance to explain yourself, to explain the last several years.

He's shocked that you were never in love with Soichiro. Then he grins, smugly.

"Yeah, I always knew you were mine." His chin lifts as he holds his head high with a ridiculous sense of superiority.

You roll your eyes, laughing at him. "Oh did you now? And that's why you had to ask again if I meant that I loved you?"

He flushes again and you think to yourself you could get used to that color. You could get used to being the reason for it.

"But you're right though. I'm yours."

Warmth buries itself deeper into his cheeks as he pulls you closer, sighing happily, kissing your forehead over and over again.

"I'll never let you go again. I'll spend my entire life making up for missed time."

And the one thing you know about Soshiro Hoshina from the years you've known him is that he always makes good on his promises.

[avocado-writing]

Kinktober 22

22. True Monsters, Spiritual Possession, Sexual Exhaustion

The thing is.

The thing is, about having two otherworldy lovers.

The thing is about it, is you can do some awfully kinky things.

They have corporeal forms of course, but they aren’t actually mortal beings. Things can get strange and metaphysical and very filthy indeed. 

It’s an odd experience to have another soul in your body. A body is meant to be a singular thing, after all, directed by one mind and one mind only, a consciousness deciding on every movement. You should have total control over your actions. 

That is not the case. Right now you can feel Crowley inside you, and not in the usual way. His existence is pressed up against your own, your very souls rutting against each other, fighting for dominance and utterly entwined. You are one. He’s using your fingers to explore the meat of your cunt. You’ve already come twice and he’s not done with you yet. 

“Such a pretty little clit,” you hear your own voice say, but with Crowley’s cadence. You mewl and try to get his hand to stop but he keeps going. Your slick drips down to your knuckles and you feel yourself reach up and taste yourself, a tang flooding your tongue. 

“You are delicious. If I was you this is all I’d do all day, nightingale. Lie here and fuck myself. You’re so lovely, and your pleasure? Christ, it’s like a drug. Intoxicating.”

You huff a laugh at his ridiculous compliments but feel your skin heating up. 

“Hmm. Well, I wouldn’t get much done, would I?” you answer him. He splays your creamy pussy open and your head turns to your other lover. Aziraphale, for his part, has been watching utterly entranced, rendered speechless at the strange and bewitching pornography before him. He strokes himself as he stares at you, at both of you. 

“Come on, angel. We’re ready,” Crowley breathes. Aziraphale kneels before you, hitching one of your legs over his shoulder, rubbing the blunt head of his cock against your sore centre. 

“Strangest threesome I’ve ever had,” you manage, and the three of you chuckle.

“Hmm, it’s certainly up there, my darling,” Aziraphale agrees as he slides home. Your body bucks and twists and the angel has to pin your hips down to stay sheathed in you. 

“Oh my— how— how does it feel so good?” Crowley drawls from your lips. “You’ve both fucked me hundreds of times and it’s never been…”

“My darling, that’s because you’re in a human body. They’re a little more sensitive than ours. We’re made of starlight, of dust; they’re all flesh and blood and softness and velvet,” Aziraphale muses as he starts to fuck you properly. The slide of his cock is overwhelming for Crowley, you can feel his spirit roil in your ribs and stomach. 

“Oh, oh, I’m going to —”

Your body comes and you’re swept away with it. Aziraphale keeps going, a smile spreading over his face. 

“Angel?” whispers Crowley, blissed out. Aziraphale cocks a brow. 

“The two of us aren’t finished yet, darling,” he hums. 

“You can tap out though,” you tell Crowley with a grin. Inside you, he pouts. 

“Not a chance.”

@bootlmoth @elleofdragons  @angelic-anarchy27 @yeethaw13 @candlewitch-cryptic @kwyn-q @rat-that-writes @buryustogether @letthenightingalessingagain @ltlthetrifecta @angiestopit @purplefrog1sblog @wereallbrokenangels @angelspathway @clarina04 @belilwen @chaospossum @eightsdoctor @oo-delallymrcrow @silcosmoke @climbingivy97 @live-logs-and-proper @project-sad @just-a-beatlemaniac69 @imagination-phantom @anonymously35 @corgis04 @peytonpenguin37 @catlynharper @unabashedgentlemenpirate @wolfe-houler

@darktealrat @mxxny-lupin @willbedecided @detectiveapparatiagreen @shadowluna25 @kaylinelizabeth4004 @xquinn-bartonx @blue-bell22 @foolishprincipalitee @fandomawesomeness @eweweweewewe @latersgaters-steven @llamaproblem @night-affiliate @randompost18 @hunterispunk @jessica-laufeysdottir @uxcaran @bunnymallowo @jae-michael @jelly-terror @larkiesparkie

[averagewriter-inthedark]

Now That We Don’t Talk | Jake Seresin blurb

Takes place during the TGM events

TGM masterlist

Characters & Pairings: Jake ‘Hangman’ Seresin x ex!reader (past romance), the dagger squad (platonic)

Content Warnings: light angst, profanity, slight suggestive content, cheating, breakup | female!reader | wc: 2.2k

Note: I’m obsessed with 1989 TV and I’ll admit I was never a TS fan growing up but her OG 1989 I liked and I fuck with some songs Evermore, Reputation, Lover & Midnights. That being said, I’ve got the vault tracks on repeat and as a fellow directioner….Harry, baby, I thought you’d be safe.

————————

“You went to a party I heard from everybody. You part the crowd like the red sea, don’t even get me started. Did you get anxious though, on the way home? I’ll guess I’ll never ever know. Now that we don’t talk.”

His number had been deleted for well over three years when she stepped foot into the familiar bar she once called a second home. It’d been just as long since they’d seen each other, neither aware they’d be reunited in mere moments. When she did find his face among the crowd of their colleagues, she froze, contemplating running out the door and back to her car. Images of their last night flooded her mind. She could recall the constant pinging of her cell phone. Text messages from mutual friends informing her that he had been seen in an intimate embrace with another woman before disappearing from the party.

When he got home he avoided her like the plague. Anxiety consuming his entire being, making it clear the rumors were not rumors. They were true as the sun brightened the sky in the day and the moon reigned at night.

“Jake,” her whimper made him freeze, hand on the railing of the steps leading to their bedroom. No response, only a shake of his head before he continued his journey up. Leaving her to cry herself to sleep on the kitchen floor.

It was a domino effect in the days following. The trust was gone, Jake going out more and coming back late at night. Eventually after two weeks of prolonging the inevitable, Jake returned to an empty apartment. All reminisce of their five years together gone in the blink of an eye. She left a simple note, “Hope it was worth it.”

“You grew your hair long, you got new icons. And from the outside it looks like you’re tryin’ lives on. I miss the old ways. You didn’t have to change. But I guess I don’t have a say, Now that we don’t talk.

Natasha was the first to catch her eye in the Hard Deck, putting down her beer to run over and greet the pilot with a quick hug. Careful not to let anyone else see since they were in uniform. “I’m so happy to see you, Blue.”

She returned the smile, though hers was more tense, “It’s great to see you too, Phee. How’ve you been?” Nerves swarmed her belly with each passing minute. Despite being happy to see her old friend, she was unable to ignore the elephant in the room. The man she thought she’d marry and grow old with on a farm after retiring from the Navy with a bunch of kids and animals was several feet from her.

Overall, Jake had not changed much since their breakup. He was tanner for starters, definitely more toned. But he still had that aura of confidence sometimes confused with being cocky and golden blonde hair making him appear like a life-sized Ken doll. Throughout their relationship she noticed the stares they got from men and women alike. Woman looked at him with want and at her with envy. Men did the same but opposite.

It always surprised people when they got together. Complete opposites, they were known to have a rivalry during their time at Top Gun when they were on the path to becoming the Navy’s best fighter pilots. Jake loved to get under her skin, she loved to deflate his ego. Somewhere the dislike and tension turned into complete desire. And before they knew it they were sneaking into each other’s dorms and getting naughty in the locker room showers.

Her body reacted when he was looking at her. He’d spot her in a crowded room and instantly the woman felt heat along her veins. And she felt that fire right then when a sudden rush of jitters sweeped her figure.

Natasha sensed it too, noticing how the woman became tense. Peeking a glance to the side, a glare took over her once soft expression, “We can go somewhere else if you want.”

“No,” she objected with a slight wave, “I’m fine. A little surprised--although I should’ve expected he’d be a candidate as well given the context of this mission. It’s just we haven’t talked since….”

“I understand,” Nat assured, placing a hand on her back and leading her to the bar. “Let’s get you a drink first, then we’ll deal with him.”

“I call my mom, she said that it was for the best. Remind myself, the more I gave you, you’d want me less. I cannot be your friend, so I pay the price of what I lost. And what it cost, now that we don’t talk.”

Her mothers words replayed over and over again with each step as the two approached the group. Jake was leaning over the pool, calculating his next shot when she moved straight past him causing him to lose focus and miss the ball he was aiming for completely.

“Blue!” Javy shouted, picking her up in a big hug and spinning them around. Not caring if superiors saw or the fact his best friend, who happens to be her ex, was right there. “I’ve missed you, Girl. What’s going on?”

“Nothing much, Javy,” she couldn’t help but giggle. Of all the friends Jake had, Javy was the one who still reached out to her from time to time. Plus he ripped Jake a new one when he found out why they broke up. To this day he still gives him hell for it. “Let it be Top Gun, to bring us all under one roof.”

“Don’t you know it,” he clicked his beer with hers. The two taking a swig at the same time. “Have you met these clowns?” he motioned to the three to his left, “This is Payback, Fanboy, and Bob.”

“Nice to meet you guys,” they shook hands, greeting her with the same enthusiasm. When Bradley arrived she was once again scooped up into a hug, although this time she caught sight of Jake’s hardened expression. That shouldn’t have surprised her. Bradley Bradshaw was the one man Jake always butt heads with.

But the blonde quickly shook it off when he realized he got caught. He had no right to be jealous. It’d been three years since they broke up. And it was his fault nonetheless.

“Well I’ll be damn,” Bradley set her down gently, still embracing her. “If it isn’t Miss. Blues Clues.” A playful slap hit his chest when they parted.

“You know I hate that name, Bradshaw.”

The two caught up briefly, sitting on stools at the opposite end of the pool table. At one point Bradley made her laugh that the beer she’d been sipping on spilled off her mouth, causing him to giggle and hand her some napkins. While dabbing the liquid away, she locked eyes with Jake. It only lasted a few seconds, but it felt like a lifetime. Pinning her to her seat with an unreadable gaze.

She nearly broke, feeling a speck of desire to talk to him, but then remembered her mothers words, “the more you gave him, the less he wanted you. While you may forgive him for all the hurt he brought you, you cannot subject yourself to that again. You deserve better.”

“What do you tell your friends, we, shared dinners, long weekends with? Truth is, I can’t pretend it’s platonic, it’s just ended so…”

She made a silent vow to herself, recalling the painful memories, the phone conversation with her mother along with bits and pieces friends have told her over the years of what Jake had relied on as the reason for their breakup. She would not fall again to his charm. There was no string that could be tied up in an attempt to fix what was cut.

Around them were friends they’d spend long weekends with. Javy and Nat were the most frequent, both having witnessed their relationship blossom and die. It made her wonder what others they hung out with knew. Whenever they’d see each other in passing the conversations always felt like they were walking on eggshells around her. And because she wanted to move on, she’d never ask what Jake told them.

For the sake of their jobs she’d be civil. The past was the past and it would stay there, but she’d make sure to remember it whenever those old feelings threatened to surface. From the looks of Jake throughout the night, he felt the same. It was obvious he wanted to find a moment alone with her to talk, but she refused to let that happen.

“I call my mom, she said to get it off my chest (off my chest). Remind myself the way you faded ‘til I left (until I left). I cannot be your friend, so I pay the price of what I lost (what I lost). And what it cost, now that we don’t talk.”

When she arrived at her dorm that would be her home for the next three weeks, the first thing she did was retrieve the letter to herself she wrote all those years ago. It was crumbled, having almost thrown it away several times, but remembering the significance within the words inked on the lines, she always pulled it back.

Parts of the paper were withered. A result from the teardrops that had fallen when she took to her desk after the phone call with her mother to write down everything weighed on her chest. Pouring her heart and soul into the paper. It wasn’t much, only taking up the front of the page, but it was enough to get the message across.

Her past self coming to remind her of those fleeting last months. Where Jake slowly became the ghost of the man she’d once loved. The constant worry and anxiety from hours of radio silence. Dinners that felt like an awkward first date. Not inviting her out with his friends anymore. HIs lingering eyes on women who weren’t her. Excusing it with bullshit remarks to make her think she was being dramatic. Finally, the party that sealed the deal.

To imagine what they would be if she gave him another chance would be an insult to herself. Instead, she thought about all she gained.

“I don’t have to pretend I like acid rock. Or that I’d like to be on a mega yacht. With important men who think important thoughts. Guess maybe I am better off, now that we don’t talk.”

After the breakup, she realized how much she hid herself from the world. There were things she pretended to like in order to please him. Like watching college football every weekend, entertaining mostly his friends and leaving her to sit on the couch with a book in hand only to not be able to concentrate with the loud ruckus they’d cause.

Or having to refrain from the things that made her happy. Singing at the top of her lungs in the car while her favorite songs played for the first time in years felt liberating. Not having to be careful on what she spent her money on now that she didn’t have to save more for rent because Jake started to blow his on going to the bar during the last several months of their relationship.

The worst was having to put on a facade in front of Jake’s superiors. Though stationed at the same base they were part of different squadrons. During the banquets and balls, Jake tended to make comments on what dresses she should wear and how to act when they arrived. He was always the kiss ass type who wanted to get promoted faster than his peers. Even though she praised him constantly, Jake was never satisfied unless one of his bosses complimented him. If she were honest to herself, she hated attending the events. Despite being in the Navy herself. Unless they were mandatory she’d find an excuse to not go. Being around men with egos as tall as the empire state building who only talked in statistics and status was draining.

“And the only way back to my dignity. Was to turn into a shrouded mystery. Just like I had been when you were chasing me.”

For the last three years, the way she carried herself changed. She had to for the sake of not letting her heart rot away. Taking back the self-respect she’d lost, after thinking for so long it was her fault Jake had betrayed her. That she wasn’t enough.

She was more than enough.

He was the one who chose to cheat. He was the one who didn’t try to defend himself or fight for what they had. He let himself go. He let her go.

So, after a good month of wallowing in self-pity and despair, she lifted herself up with poise and elegance. Remembering who she was before him. The woman who carried herself with confidence, never allowing anyone to tear her down. Who fought hard to build her career to what it was, after so many doubting her abilities.

The woman he chased after. Who at the core was strong, daring, resilient.

Sure, Jake taught her a lot. About herself, about what she wanted in a relationship. About love. She’ll never forget what they had.

She lost him, but along the way she found herself. And to her, that was everything.

“Guess this is how it has to be, now that we don’t talk.”

……..

Tag list: @avaleineandafryingpan , @caitsymichelle13 , @poppyalice2001 , @cutelittlepotatofry, @luckyladycreator2 , @americaarse , @elenavampire21 , @back-tooo-black, @wildellaa , @artemissunn , @pinkpantheris , @kmc1989

[biffhofosho]

Hot Girls _____ | Chapter One

Fandom: Monsta X

Genre: Technically a slow-burn romance

Pairing: Changkyun x OC

Chapter Word Count: 7.4k

Trope: Friends to fuckbuddies to lovers

The Vibe: Cute girl who wants to feel hot, fuckboi best friend who wants to help because he’s a loyal bestie, sexuality mentorship lolwut, makeover tropes, booze, parties, jealousy, overprotectiveness, sexting, lots of praise with the intent on corruption (in an empowering way?) eheh, ill-fated friends with benefits agreement, best laid plans falling apart as they do, everyone figuring out their shit for the best

Synopsis: Her whole life, Vi’s been known as the cute one, the cherub-cheeked sweetheart who’s got it all together. She’s a good girl, but that doesn’t mean she wants to be, especially when she keeps losing out to the bad ones.

Vi’s best friend, Changkyun, however, is hardly a saint. He’s a consumer of hot girls, chronically unattached and comfortable that way. If anybody knows how to help Vi step out of her shell and take back her confidence, it’s him. It’s a good thing she can always count on her Kyun to step up to the plate.

A/N: Inadvertently wrote myself into another multichapter fic the second I got the Kyun 1st Lookmagazine in my hands. I'll think about that magazine until the day I die, whew. The fuckboi realness was too strong, and I am far too weak. And we already know I can’t fight the best friends to lovers trope, so here we are again.

I really wanted to get this first chapter out on my birthday, but I've had two terrible weeks in a row that just sucked the life out of me, and it's the high season at work, so it's been crushing. I couldn't even be bothered to make a cute banner for this; however, I was NOT going to put this off anymore.

I'll also be posting the first chapter of something else in the near future (so long as there are no more dastardly interuptions. Hope y'all are getting a chance to see Kyun in concert. I'm too much of a chicken to go, but my friends who have said it was incredible. What a man!

Cvr | 01 | 02 |

Chapter One

It all came down to today.

Vi reapplied her lip gloss, slid her glasses to the bridge of her nose, fluffed out her curly bob, and smoothed the pleats in her skirt one final time. In the company award showcase, she glanced at her ginger complexion dusted liberally with espresso freckles and took a deep breath.

You can do this, Vi. This is what you’ve been working toward for months.

Steeling herself, she turned the corner into Henry’s office. Her coworker looked up from his desk and beamed. “Hey, you. Looking cute today, I see.”

Normally, “cute” was Vi’s most feared word, but coming from Henry, she didn’t mind. “Thanks…”

“I was just thinking about you.”

“You were?” she asked giddily.

“Yeah. Want to go to lunch today?”

“That sounds awesome. When do you want to go?”

Henry glanced at the clock on his monitor and popped an eyebrow. “Five minutes?”

Vi bit her lip to cover her excessive smile. “Yeah, okay, I’ll just get my bag.”

“Meet you downstairs then.”

Despite the fact that Henry hadn’t walked her to her desk, he had asked her to lunch—for the first time ever. Chiseled, square-jawed Henry Williams. Broad, stacked Henry Williams. Tall, honey-voiced Henry Williams. Was. Taking. Viola Flowers. To lunch. She had gone to his office to ask him out, but, miracle of miracles, he had asked her instead. Nothing could touch her now.

Vi grabbed her crocheted cross-body and bounded down the steps to the lobby, where, true to form, Henry waited. His hands were stuffed in his suit pockets, and her brain turned to mush at the sight. She was lucky she remembered how to walk in her platforms because the moment he flashed his cool guy smile at her, the one that rounded out his stubbly jaw, her heart skipped as hard as her toe across the floor.

“You’re fast,” he observed.

“I’m excited.” When her words made it to her ears, heat flooded Vi’s body. “You know me. I love lunch.”

I love lunch? she lamented internally. Gross, Vi. Seriously gross. Ugh.

“Where do you want to go?” she pressed.

Henry craned his head to peer at the sky through the storefront and suggested, “Looks pretty nice out. Want to just walk to the taco truck around the corner?”

She did not. How on earth could she eat a taco and still look attractive? Besides, food trucks didn’t have tables, and she really wanted to share a table with him; staring straight into those deep-as-night eyes would be a dream come true. But Vi said none of that. She couldn’t risk turning him down and losing out on their first-ever lunch, not after investing nearly half a year into her fishing campaign.

“Okay,” she answered.

“Cool. Then we can just grab a seat under a tree or something. Looks like there’s some benches around.”

Vi smiled. Okay, this was better than she’d hoped. Side by side? She could find a way to brush her leg against his. Maybe he’d look down at her bare knee. Maybe he’d accidentally graze it. She was getting ahead of herself, but maybe he’d yank her into the supply closet and pin her up against the door…

Her throat was already closing up at the thought.

“You’re up. Whatever you want, I’m buying,” said Henry with a gentle bump to her shoulder.

Vi didn’t even remember walking to the truck, but it was already her turn to order. On the off chance that the supply closet was in her near future, she ordered a simple quesadilla, though Henry seemed totally unconcerned with such pretenses judging by his extra onions carne asada.

Once they had their lunch, they found a bench under a tree around the corner where the shade was just right to block the noon sun. A few other coworkers buzzed by with waves for them, but Vi was happy to note that she had Henry totally to herself. They chatted through their first bites before he downed his final taco in one big chomp.

“Okay, I can’t wait anymore,” said Henry the second he swallowed. “I know you’re still eating, but I have to ask you something.”

Vi blinked at him, and her oversized eyes had never been bigger.

Henry laughed. “Relax. It’s a good thing—no, a great thing, even.”

She gulped down her bite and smoothed the edges of her skirt as she gnawed on her bottom lip. It took her a second to calm the jumping beans in her stomach, but Vi said, “What’s up?”

“You know, I mean I think you know, that you’re my best friend in the office, right?”

“Oh, um, cool. For sure,” she mumbled as she brushed her buoyant curls forward to hide the nervous expression on her face. “You’re mine, too.”

“Which is why I trust you more than anyone else here. I know you’re a few years younger than I am, but I swear you know more about everything than I do, and you’d never steer me wrong.”

Vi’s excitement fumbled for a minute though she clung as best she could to it. “I try. What’s going on?”

Henry squared up to her then, and at last, her fantasy seemed within her reach. When he swiveled, his knees bumped hers, and he patted the swath of her bare thigh apologetically, sending a rush through her body like someone had blown a huge head of dandelion seeds along her skin. He leaned in a little closer with a dopey grin. He rubbed a hand on the back of his head as his coffee skin glowed in the filtered sunlight.

Here it was, Vi’s favorite trait of his. Henry might be menacingly hot, but he was also a geek at heart, so after he railed into her, she pictured them drifting off to some anime in the background.

Henry cleared his throat. “How soon is too soon to call someone after hooking up?”

What was left of Vi’s quesadilla slipped off her lap and tumbled upside down on the sidewalk. She was too stunned by his question though to pay attention to it.

“What?” she managed through a slack jaw.

Henry glanced at her food and frowned. Since she didn’t make a move for it, he picked it back up and put it between them on the bench. “Uh, Desiree and I hooked up last night, and even though I know you’re not a hook-up kind of girl, you are a girl and I trust you. I’m sure your friends have talked about this kind of stuff before, so you would have the inside track. I mean, I definitely want to hook up again, but isn’t it, like, sending the wrong kind of signal if I ask her to meet up again already? I mean, it’s not like either of us want a relationship, so I don’t want to scare her off.”

“You and Desiree hooked up?” Vi asked hollowly.

She pictured their other coworker, a bombshell of a woman if Vi had ever seen one in real life. Desiree was one of the company’s lawyers on staff, who was very successful at what she did, though Vi was sure that was due at least in part to the fact that she was so attractive, it made people want to give in to her regardless of their legal arguments. Desiree was tall and slender, with sleek ironed hair to the small of her back, which she always flaunted at the exact right moment with a full-body twirl to swing it over her shoulder. She was never without a pair of stilettos, a pencil skirt, and her signature ruby lipstick that made her warm nutmeg skin shimmer.

In one fell swoop, Vi had been ground to a pulp under the other woman’s pointed heel, and she wasn’t even here.

“Yeah, finally,” Henry beamed again, “after, what? The sixth time I asked?”

“I didn’t know you were into her…”

“Isn’t everybody?” he laughed. “She’s crazy hot.”

Vi did her best to keep her voice measured. “But you don’t want to date her?”

Henry shrugged. “I don’t want to date anyone. Too much baggage, I guess. This is so much easier. No feelings, no problems. Just fun, you know?”

She let out a long breath and sagged with it. “Yeah, I know. That’s sort of my best friend’s M.O., too.”

“See? I knew you’d know what to do. So, how soon is too soon?”

Vi pictured Changkyun now. Like Desiree, he was irresistible. With his black hair long enough to tie up in a little ponytail and sharp chin and even sharper cheeks, he cut an imposing figure, especially when he was sporting his favorite leather jacket and cologne. Vi called him catnip for women, and he never argued. He went through them like bottles of wine—savored for a night and tossed aside. The feminist side of her had, at times, wanted to be angry about it, but she’d never met one of his girls who had a complaint. Besides, the girls knew what they would be getting out of their night with him. Vi had always been the perennially out-of-touch one.

She toyed with the hem of her skirt as she answered, “I don’t think he ever repeats hookups honestly, so I don’t think he ever calls any of them back. I guess I’d say wait a few days though because, you’re right, if it were me and you hit me up the next day, I’d think you really liked me.”

Vi couldn’t help the stiffness in her voice, but Henry didn’t seem to notice. He was listening to her words, not to her, and nodding along.

“That’s what I thought. Is it okay if I ask her closer to the weekend? She’s not going to think that’s a date since it’s the weekend, right?”

“I don’t know, Henry. For someone who wanted something simple, you’re sure making this complicated.”

Her coworker did a double take at the barb in Vi’s tone, his full brows raised high. “Whoa, you okay?”

“Fine.”

Henry eyed her but said, “I get it. You’re right. I should just roll with it. Who knows? Maybe she’ll come to me.”

“Maybe.”

Vi stood and walked her quesadilla to the garbage can as he called, “Going in already? We still have twenty minutes?”

“Yeah, my lunch is ruined anyway. Thanks for paying. I’ll get you back someday.”

“You don’t need to—”

But she waved him off. “That’s what friends do. I’ll see you inside?”

Henry nodded slowly. He was obviously confused, but Vi needed to get back to her office before the sun exposed the heartbreak lurking under her skin.

“Sorry, I’m late,” came the cool voice as the door to her apartment opened and shut. “Work ran over, but I stopped by the liquor store to make up for it. How'd it go with Henry?”

Changkyun turned toward the kitchen and sighed.

“Oh shit. The depression hoodie.”

Vi slouched at her breakfast bar, wrapped up in her oversized Eeyore hoodie, the hood itself cinched tightly around her cherub face with its yarn mane fluttering every time the oscillating fan craned its head her way. She looked up at her best friend from under the curtain of her curls and pouted her bottom lip.

“Hey,” she said pitifully.

“Hey. You okay?”

“I’m okay.”

Changkyun pulled out a stool opposite hers and sat down, his eyes trained carefully on her.

“So…” he said. “I'm a little confused.”

Vi rolled her head on her hands to stare at him. “Why are you confused?”

“I thought that you said this guy was smart? Like, some big-time analyst or something.”

“He's both.”

“Well, he can't be that smart if he rejected you.”

“He didn't reject me,” she grumbled. “At least, he didn't know he did. He asked me to lunch just so he could get advice from his ‘cute’ office buddy about his ‘hot’ office hook-up.”

“Come again?” Changkyun said as he glared into space.

Vi sighed. “Seems he’s taking a page out of the Im Changkyun Friday-night playbook—fun and done. Well, maybe not quite. He wanted to know how soon is too soon to make another booty call.”

“Hey, you know that’s not my playbook. Repeats are too complicated. This idiot just wants— You know what? Fuck him.”

Her head sank to the counter, where her forehead rocked against the cold laminate.

That’s what I was trying to do, she grumbled to herself.

“At least I was psychic enough to grab your favorite booze on my way over.” Her best friend thumped a bottle of peach schnapps on the counter and petted the mane on her hoodie encouragingly.

She sighed resignedly. “See? You knew I was doomed to failure.”

“Oh, knock it off, Viola. Now, we're going to drink this together, and we're going to toast to Henry's inevitable STD.”

At this, Vi shot back up. “Kyun!”

Her friend just shrugged a shoulder along with an eyebrow as he rooted through the cabinet over the refrigerator and pulled out two shot glasses. Liquor sloshed in the cups as the smell of boozy peaches tickled their nostrils.

“Down the hatch, Flowers,” he instructed, and together, they tossed back their first shot.

The liquor burned a little though the sweetness dulled that quite a bit, and not a second later, Vi shoved the shot glass across for a refill. The second shot went down even easier than the first, and by the third, it was just like taking shots of juice except she could wallow less.

“In retrospect,” she said as she scrounged through her cupboard for something salty to snack on, “shy librarian was maybe the wrong way to approach a guy these days.”

Changkyun’s brow scrunched. “What’s wrong with a shy librarian?”

“Nothing. She’s just not the girl who catches the attention. We’re living in the era of Instagram models. A guy like you is not taking a girl like me home. I have to face that.”

“That’s ridiculous,” he challenged, “and I resent it.”

“I love you, Kyun, and you can resent it all you want, but I have never seen you with a shy librarian on your arm.”

He scowled, but he couldn’t argue because facts were facts. “That’s not because I don’t find them attractive.”

“No, it’s because you assume they all want to tie you down. Sometimes we just want to get railed.”

Changkyun nearly spit his drink across the counter, but instead, he choked it down and finished out a coughing fit. Between wheezes, he managed, “I’m sorry, what?”

“I’m tired of being the cute girl that has to settle for vanilla sex in a long-term relationship. I’ve had plenty of that, and it was fine for a while, but maybe I want some meaningless hot sex, too. Why not? I’m single.”

“No, I know that, but—”

“See? I can tell from that ‘but’ that you would never expect a 'cute' girl like me to want something like that. Cute girls like fuzzy sweaters and stuffed animals and those teeny little pastries that you eat in one bite.”

“Okay, but you do like those things,” Changkyun reminded.

“Yeah, I know, but I also like sex, and I want more of it.”

“Are you seriously trying to tell me that my best friend since second grade, who once invited me to her My Little Pony party, oh, and made me wear matching onesie Christmas pajamas last year, wants a—” The bottom fell out in his voice and, despite his casual appearance and even more casual attitude to relationships, he whispered, “—fuck buddy?”

“Or a few one-night-stands. I’m not picky.”

Changkyun stared blankly across the counter. “I don’t even know what to say.”

“See? This is my point. No guy like you is going to even consider sleeping with me because you assume I’m going to bring the baggage of a relationship. Well, I want a break from that shit, too. This is where you come in.”

“Whoa, Viola, I know that—”

“Shut up for a second, would ya? I’m not trying to guilt you into sex, Kyun, but I do want your help.”

At this, her best friend cocked his head. “My help?”

She leaned across the counter and locked eyes with Changkyun. She could see his nerves in the hard press of his lips, but she knew he was the only guy she could trust with this, so she soldiered on, emboldened by a bad fucking day and good fucking alcohol. “You've done this a lot. This is your wheelhouse. Teach me, sempai. Show me how to be a hot girl.”

He sighed and rolled his head back. “Why do you want to be a quote-unquote hot girl, Viola? They're a dime a dozen.”

“Because hot girls get laid,” she said frankly.

Changkyun scoffed. “You’re not a virgin, and you’re hot as is.”

“You have to say that as my best friend, but also, you’re not trying to sleep with me. You and I are in two different leagues of attractive, Kyun. You’re made up of all kinds of sharp angles—you’re objectively hot. I’m a freaking circle. Don’t say it—don’t say it. I know I’m not ugly, okay, but the fact of the matter is I want to be less Shirley Temple and more Naomi Campbell. You can show me how! All you do is interact with people who ooze sexiness. So, just walk me through the things that clue you in that a girl just wants to sleep with you and we can move on.”

“I don’t think I’m comfortable with this,” he admitted.

“Because you think I’m a hopeless case?”

“Because I think you’ll get hurt.”

Vi’s apartment had never felt so quiet. It was like a vacuum, where all sound and light had been siphoned away. She felt the irrational urge to cry, but she wasn’t exactly sure why, and she pulled her hoodie tightly over her head again.

Changkyun frowned apologetically. “I’m worried you’re only saying this because you’re a little drunk and a lot hurt already. That’s a bad recipe to start making new life choices.”

“Thanks, Dr. Phil. It’s fine. Forget it. You don’t need to say anymore.”

But he refused to leave it at that. He laid his head on the counter so he was back in her sulky line-of-sight, and he smiled reassuringly. “I don’t think you’re a hopeless case, by the way. It’s just that you’re already so beautiful. You deserve more. I want more for you.”

“Okay, but you don’t get to make that decision for me, just like I can’t make you help me with this.”

Changkyun growled. “You're doing all this because of stupid Henry?”

“No!”

“Really? Because you’ve never said any of this stuff before today.”

Vi leapt up from her seat so she could lean back against the sink and stuff her arms across her chest. “Maybe I was embarrassed to, but after the humiliation I suffered this afternoon, I’m done caring about that. If everyone else can just go after what they want, why can’t I?”

“I get it. It’s just… What's so great about hot girls?”

“You tell me. You bed one a week.”

“‘Bed one?’” he laughed.

“You're only making my point. I’m hopeless without you, Kyun, see?” she whined. She darted back to the breakfast bar next to him as she sensed the first hint of caving.

“Viola, is this what you really want? Some guy who just sleeps with you and doesn't call you ever again?”

She ran her fingertip around the rim of her shot glass as she considered Changkyun’s words. “I know you think I’m just saying this because of today, but what do you think today was about in the first place? Yeah, maybe I had a crush on Henry first, and that’s probably the exact wrong way to start something casual, but it wasn’t like I wanted to marry the guy either. You know I've only done the committed thing. What’s so wrong with wanting to explore something new, especially when I see you having an endless good time?”

“It’s really not like that,” he asserted as he took another shot.

She waited for him to finish his thought, but, typical Changkyun, he held back the full breadth of his feelings, and even though Vi knew him better than anyone else, some days it felt like she only knew the tip of the iceberg.

“Yeah, I'm the guy you fuck, but I’m not the one you end up with. Just so we’re both clear, I know jack shit about love.”

“Exactly! You’re perfect. You know what guys like you are looking for. You can be my tutor and my wingman.”

“It’s just a little weird that I’m your best friend. My job has always been to keep you away from guys like me.”

“You’re doing a terrible job then, bestie,” she teased as she nudged his knuckles with her own.

“You know what I mean.”

“I do, so for now, let’s just change our title to friends with benefits, okay?”

Changkyun rolled his eyes. “That’s not what that means.”

“I know. I’m trying to be clever.”

He stood up from the bar and waltzed into the living room, hands in his baggy jean pockets. Vi could tell from the way his iris tattoo flexed on his forearm that he was balling his fists, but at least he seemed to be taking her seriously. He paced behind the back of the couch before he leaned on it. His head whipped toward her as he said firmly, “If I do this, we need ground rules.”

“You got it, teach.”

Vi shucked off the Eeyore hoodie and tossed it on the counter as she raced into the kitchen and started rifling through her junk drawer.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

“Getting a pen and paper?”

Changkyun laughed. “Of course you are.”

“Hey, organization can be hot, too,” she objected. “And everybody likes a good listener, right?”

At this, her friend paused, stone still as he stared at her. Only when she waggled the pen at him did he blink and nod.

“You said I'm the expert,” Changkyun began, “so I expect you to listen to everything I have to say whether you want to hear it or not.”

Vi scrawled a quick note as she said, “You got it.”

“That means I go with you to clubs and bars when you want to meet guys so I can vet them.”

“Makes sense.”

“And if I don't get a good feeling about somebody you’re pursuing, you drop it instantly.”

“Fair enough.”

Changkyun cleared his throat to lift her attention from her notes. “Instantly, Viola. I mean it. I know how headstrong you can be when you think you're right, but I know the players and the game.”

“I know you do, and I’m not arguing, am I? See? Good listener.”

Again, he gave her a funny stare, and she felt that same sense that he was keeping things from her despite their current conversation.

But then he let out a breath and leaned forward, his hands falling to steady him on the back of the couch. “If you're uncomfortable with anything, you tell me. You don't have to do things just because you think it's what you think you should be doing.”

“I get how limits work, Kyun,” Vi said, a little annoyed, but he shook his head.

“I'm not just talking about bedroom stuff. If something doesn't feel like you, then I don't want you to do it.”

“I said okay…”

“I'm serious. Write it down. It’s the only way I'm agreeing to this.” Changkyun stared hard at her notepad until she finally got over her shock at his force and jotted his words down.

“I hear you, I hear you,” she grumbled.

“You trust me, right?” he asked with an intensity that Vi had rarely heard from him.

“Of course I trust you.”

There was a shift in the room now. Somehow, the temperature both seemed to plummet and soar at the same time, and Vi felt very disoriented. She was glad for the wall behind her or she might have tripped over nothing.

“Good. I want you to trust me enough to tell me absolutely everything,” said Changkyun. Despite how intimidating the man’s aura could be, right now, he was drawing her in closer and closer with those black hole eyes and bittersweet chocolatey voice. “I don't want you to be afraid to tell me all the things you want or like. You know me, I'm the last person in the world who would judge you, but that doesn’t mean it might not surprise me.”

“You mean like I already surprised you tonight?” Vi ribbed lightly.

“Yeah, but now that I know this is what you really want, I'm going to make sure you get it all.”

“Ah… Oh…” she fumbled and hoped she didn't give herself away at the unintentional innuendo. If she wanted him to take her seriously, she didn't want to look like a preteen in front of him. “Thanks, Kyunnie.”

He smirked. “You sure you want to give up your whole cute schtick? I’m pretty fond of it.”

“I mean, I don't have to give it up? I just want to shove it aside for a few hours while I get railed.”

That wiped the smirk right off his face. “How can I have known you my whole life and you still manage to have secrets?”

Vi shrugged. “Not going to lie, I kind of love the fact that my international man of mystery still thinks I can surprise him.”

Changkyun pressed his lips tightly and crossed his arms as he stared at her until sweat nearly started to bead at her brow. She had always trusted that he would help her, but the way he was examining her motives felt far too penetrating.

“We’re clear on the rules?” he said at last.

Vi nodded and showed them to him just to reiterate how seriously she was taking him. At this, he relaxed into his usual cool slouch.

“There’s one last thing,” he said.

She brought her pen up to the paper and waited eagerly.

“I don’t want this to come between our friendship.”

Instead of writing it down, Vi looked at Changkyun. He didn’t crack a smile or show even a hint of softness; he just met her gaze for gaze.

“Why would it?” she pressed.

“Things like sex usually do,” he said with a shrug of a shoulder.

“Yeah, but we’re not having sex…”

“I know.”

“So what are you worried about?” she asked.

“You,” replied Changkyun. “I’m always worried about you.”

Vi lowered her notes and came to sit beside her best friend on the back of the couch. Sincerely, she said, “And that’s why I knew I could trust you with this.”

“You can trust me with anything.”

“Because you’ll take care of me,” she finished with a smile.

“Because I’ll always take care of you.”

Changkyun’s words hung before he stood up, stuffed his hands back into his pockets, and headed back to the booze. He poured himself another shot and then one for her and brought it over. With glasses in hands, he raised his and said, “A toast to our unholy alliance.”

“To the new me,” she added. At this, he scowled, and Vi amended, “To a more adventurous me.”

“Better. I’ll drink to that.”

With another shot down, Vi felt the best she had all day. She let out a quick victory squeal before she announced, “I’m going to go get cozy real quick, then we'll dig in.”

“Already? You don't want to sleep on this first?”

“Carpe diem!” she called over her shoulder, and when she came back, she was cocooned in her favorite silk pajamas.

Vi crisscrossed her legs underneath her as she settled onto the sofa, notepad in her lap.

“Okay, since I’ve been thinking about this all afternoon, I’m going to grab the list I already came up with, and then the resident sex expert can chime in, ‘kay?”

Changkyun raised an eyebrow. “If I didn’t know any better, I might think I’ve been played.”

“So, maybe I’ve been thinking about this for a while more than I let on, but since everything went to absolute hell on my own, I had to fess up. And lucky for me, I have the greatest guy in the world for a friend.”

“A better friend would talk you out of this,” he objected.

“No way. You’re supporting me and backing me up? Best friend in the galaxy.”

“You don’t need to keep buttering me up. I already said yes.”

“Nah, I’m being serious, Kyun. Thank you.”

He nodded and emptied the last drops in his glass before he sidled up behind her on the couch and leaned over her shoulder.

Notepad still out, this time on the coffee table, Vi flipped back a page and stared at the list she had been jotting down the past week whenever the thoughts had occurred to her.

Hot girls:

Don't wear underwear

Don't wear glasses unless they're sunglasses

Flaunt their assets (short dresses, body-hugging, glitter???)

Get manicures

“Should I get hair extensions?” she pondered as she studied the bullet points.

“Absolutely not,” Changkyun said firmly.

“All the babes on Instagram have them.”

He sighed. “Long hair doesn't automatically make you hot, nor does any of this insanity you insisted on writing down.”

But her friend’s words barely registered as she scrunched the tips of her curls idly. “I feel like my bob says school girl or Karen or probably, definitely, librarian, and we all know I’m sick of that fate, so maybe?”

“I love your hair on you.”

At this, Vi lowered her pen. “Are you saying that as Kyun my best friend or Kyun the lady killer?”

“I'm saying it as a man to a woman. Don't change it unless you genuinely want to change it.”

“Maybe I should just stop wearing it curly then? Too Shirley Temple. Maybe I should iron it or something.”

Changkyun fell into silence back as he munched on a bag of snacks he’d pilfered from her cupboard. He stared off into space while her brow furrowed deeper and deeper.

“You’re supposed to be helping me,” Vi complained.

“What do you want me to add? You’ve vetoed everything I’ve said so far.”

“Exactly. So what does that tell you?”

Her best friend shot her a stern glare as he said, “That you’re awesome exactly the way you are?”

“I don’t just want to be awesome, Kyun. I want to be hot. I’m just going by the girls I’ve seen you take home. Don’t even try and pretend I’m just making this stuff up either. I do have eyes, sir.” She waggled her list at him, but he didn’t say anything. “Come on! Give me one thing you look for in a girl you just want to sleep with.”

Changkyun pressed his lips together as he considered. After a moment, he said, “The way she looks at me.”

At his first helpful answer, Vi sat forward, elbows on her now-pajamaed knees. “Ooh, how’s that?”

“I guess it’s kind of hard to describe. Each girl has her own way of doing it, but it all translates the same.”

He left it at that, and she growled. “And? What way is that!”

“I don’t know,” he said through a crunch of a cracker. “Like she wants to fuck me.”

Vi choked a little at his frank words, and she thumped her chest with her fist hoping to dislodge the knot there.

“You okay?” he asked.

“Yeah,” she wheezed and held a few deep breaths to right herself. “Just wasn’t expecting you to say it like that.”

“Hey, if you want to try casual sex, you’re going to have to get used to being direct about it.”

“Hm,” Vi considered as the wheels in her brain began to spin again.

This time, she wrote down “Serve sexy eyes” on the page and then tapped the pen against her lips before she added “Talk dirty” underneath.

“You’re pulling your weight at last, Kyun,” she said triumphantly. “Give me one more thing, and I’ll stop twisting your arm.”

Changkyun sighed in relief. “Perfect. Then I’ll say dancing. I narrow down my options from the way she moves her body. That tells me all I need to know.”

“Sexy mating dance, got it,” Vi repeated as she wrote it down.

Her best friend let out an incredulous laugh. “This is going to go over like a lead balloon.”

“Hey!”

“You’re the one who said it like we’re some nature doc or something. Looks like it’s going to be harder to shed your librarian alter ego than you think.”

Vi launched up from the couch and leaned on the counter shoulder-to-shoulder with Changkyun. “That’s why my best friend is going to Cyrano De Bergerac me through it.”

“Nerd.”

“Okay, okay, I’ll stow the literary references for after the sex. I suppose they could be a mood killer in this particular scenario. So, let’s say I give them the right bedroom eyes and do the mating dance and then add the sexy, flirty talk to seal the deal. Do I bring them back here then, or…”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” said Changkyun. “Walk before you run, okay?”

Vi shrugged. “It’s just, wouldn’t it make sense to bring them here? I’m in between roommates anyway, so I have the place to myself, and it wouldn’t bother any—”

This time, his hands clapped against the counter, and it resounded in the tiny living room. “Viola, you’re not bringing a strange guy home to an empty place.”

“Huh… Yeah, I didn’t think about that. So his place?”

“Shit. Okay, you’re already in high gear, and we’re not even out of the garage yet.” Changkyun yanked the notepad toward him and grumbled tightly as he scrawled each word, “Hot girls stay alert.”

Vi popped an eyebrow as she echoed the sentence. “Yeah, I don’t know if that's really a thing.”

“Well, it's about to be this hot girl’s thing,” he insisted. “You need to think with your head and not—”

“Not my downstairs, got it.”

Changkyun chuckled in spite of the serious turn in their planning.

“What about after a couple of hookups?” she asked, but he sighed.

“Again, you need to slow down. I don't think you want to jump headfirst into a fuck buddy relationship.”

“Why not? What if the sex is really good and we want to keep going?”

Changkyun shook his head. “You catch feelings way too easily, Flowers. No. No way. The point is sex, not strings, right?”

“Yeah, but what if it really is just mind-blowing sex with no strings?”

“Look, you said you wanted to feel hot and have fun. I'm going to make sure that happens, but if you're looking for something more to come out of it, I can't help you. The guys we’re looking at aren't going to be the kind of guys that I want you to repeat. My goal is to get you laid, not break your heart.”

“Okay, okay,” she said as she added a new note.

Keep it simple.

Changkyun glanced at it and gave a subtle nod. “Good. That one’s going to be tough for you.”

“You’re so wrong about that,” Vi challenged.

“How’s that? Even your pajamas require a Masters degree to put on or, more importantly, take off.” He gestured toward her two-piece set, the collared top featuring a full row of buttons and the matching bottoms tied with a quaint bow.

“What do you sleep in then, hot shot?”

Changkyun raised an eyebrow. “I sleep naked. Doesn’t get much simpler than that.”

The image hung, and Vi could feel her whole body heating.

“Fine, whatever. I’ll get new jammies, too, if it’ll make you happy.”

“I’m teasing you, Viola. I’m happy so long as you’re happy, Fort Knox pajamas or not,” he added with a hooked grin.

“Moving on!” she sang. “Back to these girls you take home. They probably know a lot of cool tricks and stuff, huh?”

“First of all, we don’t always make it back to a bedroom. Depends on the moment. You’ll get a sense pretty quickly where the night is heading one way or another, so just trust that feeling. Second, they’re not really tricks. It’s just… stuff you pick up from trying new things. If you’re feeling it, you can try it. A man worth your time is going to be open to experiencing them with you. You can just ask, and if he’s a dick about any of it, you can leave. If he gives you shit, you let me know. I’m already on your speed dial.”

Vi didn’t say anything and his eyes narrowed.

“Right?” he pressed.

She laughed. “Of course. You’re my first. Just don’t tell my mom.”

Changkyun softened and nodded once. “Okay, good.”

She smiled gently at her best friend before she turned back to her list to add one last item.

Try new positions in new places

When she was done, she studied it a few times over as she switched to pacing the living room.

“Okay, so looking at this, my plan of attack should be: new wardrobe, makeover, dirty talk lessons, and you should probably show me this fancy mating dance you mentioned. Ooh, do you think I should read the Kama Sutra, too?”

Changkyun laughed even as his head dropped into his hands. “You are going into this exactly like I thought you would. How about we just do a little at a time to ease you into all of this because, otherwise, it’s going to feel like you took a dive headfirst into an empty pool. I want to build your confidence naturally, okay? We’ll do it together like I promised.”

Vi nodded and practically collapsed under the relief she felt. It was overwhelming. Her whole life, despite her careful planning, she had taken everything two steps at a time, like running up stairs, but she’d also wiped out more than a few times that way. At least with her best friend by her side, he could catch her.

“Why don't you go shopping first for some new clothes. Buy something that makes you feel good.”

“Cool, okay. That's actually a really good idea. You can tell me what guys will find hot.”

But Changkyun shook his head. “Take Nijah or Tara.”

“No, Kyun. Come on. Nijah knits her own turtlenecks, and Tara is an actual librarian. I adore them, but they're not the people I want to go to for hot girl fashion advice. You are.” He considered for a moment, and Vi didn’t want to miss out on her chance, so she added with a soft smile, “I know you won't just tell me what I want to hear, but I also know that you'll hype me up better than anyone else could. If you want me to build confidence, I need my best, most trusted friend in the whole world. Besides, didn’t you just say we’d do things together? Pretty please?”

She batted her eyelashes cartoonishly, and, with a roll of his eyes, he caved. “Fine.”

“Ha ha, I knew it. You can never say no to me when I beg,” she gloated.

Changkyun nodded once and dropped his eyes to his lap. “As long as it’s for you and not just these dumb guys.”

“Man, Kyun, if you ever decide to wife up, women everywhere will cry themselves to sleep. They broke the mold with you.”

“You keep this up, and I’m going to get a big head.”

“That’s just another way of saying you like it.” He said nothing, and Vi reveled in her little triumph. “So when can you go shopping with me? Tomorrow after work?”

“Wow, how hard up are you?” he laughed.

She sneered at him, but it was true. It had been months and months since she’d gotten laid and even longer since she’d had an orgasm that wasn’t of her own making; she hadn’t been exaggerating about the boring sex. Someday she would find the guy she could have as much fun with outside of the bedroom as in it, but for now, she needed to break the dam of frustration and self-doubt so she could clear her head enough to focus on the other things.

“The sooner the better, hot shot,” she retorted.

“I can do tomorrow.”

“Sweet! I’ll google some trendy places.”

“Of course you will.”

But as Vi scrolled through search results on her phone, her friend shuffled around her apartment. He stuck his head into the spare room and mumbled, “I would feel better about all of this if you picked a damn roommate already.”

“Yeah, I know, but the last girl I interviewed gave off that party animal vibe, and even if I am looking to loosen up, I’m not losing my deposit. I did really like the guy though, but he said he won’t know if he can move in for a couple more weeks.”

“What guy?”

“You know him. Minhyuk’s cousin.”

Changkyun scowled as he leaned in the bedroom frame. “Isn’t he a lot older?”

Vi shrugged. “Not really. Like, five years. At least it sounds like he has his life together, which is more than I can say, so I think I’ll just wait to see if he can do it. I can afford another month here alone.”

“Are you sure? It’s Vancouver. There’s got to be lots of people looking.”

“Oh, yeah, there are, but I’m not rooming with someone I don’t vibe with.”

“And you vibe with this guy?”

Vi nodded as she jotted down a few store names on her list. “Yeah, he’s about as chill a guy as I’ve ever met, and he gives off that safe, responsible vibe. That’s who you want to room with, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Come to think of it, he might be the perfect roommate for me then. He’s big and sturdy-looking. Maybe he’ll be my bouncer,” she laughed.

Changkyun did not join her.

“If you want, I can ask him to come back and hang with us? It’s probably good anyway that you vibe with him, too, considering how much you’re here.”

Her friend shrugged a shoulder. “That’s okay. You’re right, I already know him.”

“Okay, cool then. I’ll give him the greenlight if he’s down. Man, I’m feeling doubly productive now. Checking all the things off my list! The next time Henry sees me, he’s not going to know what hit him.”

At this, Changkyun’s brow furrowed. “We’re not doing this because of that dickweed.”

“No! No way,” Vi assured. “But there’s nothing wrong with seeing a guy regret ignoring me, right?”

“Mm,” was all her friend said.

“So we’re on for tomorrow?”

“We are.”

“You staying the night tonight?” she asked.

Changkyun’s eyes darted to the spare room, but when he looked back, they were uncharacteristically flat. “I’ve got practice early. My show’s in just a couple weeks, and we can only meet a few times between now and then.”

“Okay,” Vi said cheerfully over her shoulder as she reviewed her notes. “So, you just tell me when you’re free.”

He was quiet for so long that she had to turn around to be sure he hadn’t left, but he was still there, leaning against the wall and staring out the window.

“Kyun?”

His eyes shifted to hers, and that weird little light he had inside switched back on. “I’ll call you before lunch. We’ll figure it out.”

“Cool. Then I’ll take you to dinner after to say thanks.”

From behind the soft, Changkyun leaned over and kissed the crown of her head. “Sounds good. I’m taking the booze, so you can’t get any ideas.”

“I don’t need it now. I have you.”

“Always,” he assured. “Lock the door behind me, all right?”

“Hot girls stay alert!” Vi shouted with a thumbs up, and her friend left a moment later.

When she got up to lock the door as promised, she caught a shadow through the peephole. Changkyun was still there, waiting in the middle of the hallway, though as soon as the click of the deadbolt thundered, he disappeared.

Vi smiled. They really had broken the mold with him.

[holdupjack]

In That Moment, My Heart Died With You

——————

Pairing: Hermione Granger x Fem!Reader

WARNING: Angst to Fluff

——————

Third Person P.O.V:

Hermione stood in the crowd as they watched the army of death-eaters walk across the bridge. Hagrid stood before them cradling two bodies in his arms, Ginny cried out in horror as she realized who he was holding in his left arm, while Hermione just stared at the body in his right.

Her Y/n.

She looked as though the was sleeping, only needed her shoulder to be shaken to open her eyes.

Hermione felt as though her knees would buckle, and her heart would crawl out of her chest to Y/n.

The argument from earlier in the day replayed in her mind, causing the blood in her body to boil and scream at her past self for not stopping her.

Y/n and Harry had agreed to meet with Voldemort in the woods, just in the hopes that could save a few of their friends. When they had told Hermione and Ron their plan, almost immediately did Hermione stand up and calmly told the boys to leave the room.

Y/n stared at the ground, afraid to meet her lover's harsh gaze. She knew this would be the end of their relationship, whether she left with a girlfriend or not.

"What the hell are you two thinking?" Hermione asks in disbelief as she towered over her girlfriend's shrinking form.

"Harry thinks that we-"

"Screw what Harry thinks! I know you two are siblings, but that doesn't mean you have to follow him blindly into these things!" She states as the Potter stood up and met her gaze finally.

"It's because of us that our friends are dying out there!" Y/n yells as she gestures in the direction of the castle.

"That's not true! This was going to happen whether you two lived that night or not!" Hermione yells back as her eyes darted around her girlfriend's face.

Y/n sighed and ran her fingers through her hair, she knew Hermione was right, but she wasn't going to let her brother go alone.

"I'm going, Hermione. That's final." Y/n replies as she grabbed her coat from the chair beside her, but Hermione quickly grabbed her wrist.

"Don't. Go." She pleaded through gritted teeth, trying her best to hold back the emotions that wanted to burst out of her.

Y/n stared at her hand around her wrist, trying to think of any words that would ease the pain in her favorite girl's soul.

"When we first met, you told me that you didn't plan on falling in love, since it would deviate you from your studies" Y/n starts as her eyes began to trail up Hermione's arm.

"Then in the fourth year, we found ourselves in a secluded corner of the Gryffindor common room, where I admitted that my mind whispers your name like is desperately asking for air" she continues as they found their sights on one another again, Hermione's lip quivered only for a moment, but Y/n caught it.

"That was the moment I knew you'd be the one to wound me more than any Curse would be able to procure" Hermione replies as she pulled her girlfriend towards her, the coat dropping to their feet.

Their arms wrapped around each other in such desperate and pleading motions, that it almost seemed like they were posing for a renaissance painting.

Hermione felt dread and paranoia flood her body as her mind told her that this was the last time she would see her beautiful Y/n alive.

Little did she know, that she was right.

"THE POTTERS ARE DEAD!"

Voldemort words broke Hermione out of her mind and made her blink back onto her lover's unmoving body.

The Gryffindor's ears began to ring as she never broke her eye contact with Y/n's corpse. She felt Ron next to her, either trying to comfort her or get her attention, she didn't care to know.

Angry wasn't the right word or any different literature form that every language has given this feeling.

Hermione felt as though someone had dug their fingers into her chest and began pulling her rib cage away from her body. She could almost hear the metaphorical cracks of her bones as her fingers twitched around her wand.

Kill him.

Her eyes darted over towards Voldemort as he gave a speech, time seemed to slow as her grip tightened around her weapon.

We haven't gotten all the Horcruxes.

Kill him.

The ringing in her ears was now sirens in comparison to before, as she raised her wand to the wizard.

For Y/n.

Before she could act, Harry darted out of Hagrid's arms, running to cover and back into the castle as the war finally broke out.

Hermione stood still amongst the chaos as she shifted her eyes to Hagrid's retreating form into the castle.

Y/n still wasn't moving.

Life finally resumed at normal speed as she chased after him, the bells in her ears disappearing as she pushed her way back into the school.

Cries of pain and casts of spells filled her ears as she jumped/tripped over corpses on the ground.

She even shoulder-checked one of the Death Eaters, which gave an opening to another student to kill him.

(A/N: *linebacker Hermione*: MOVE! MY WIFE NEEDS ME)

Hermione stumbled into a hallway leading towards the Great Hall, she saw the man quickly walk into it.

The makeshift morgue was in there.

"Y/n" Hermione whispered in fear as she ran towards the entrance, people held each other in horror as the walls shook and screams echoed around the school.

When the Gryffindor broke her way into the Great Hall, Hagrid stood with Madam Promfrey as she covered a boy's body with a white sheet.

"Where is she?" Hermione asks quietly as she got closer to the adults.

The groundskeeper was surprised to see Ms.Granger away from battle already, but at the same time, he wasn't that surprised.

"She ran off towards her brother, I have the slightest idea of where they are headed" Hagrid replies as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Ran?" Hermione breathed out in relief as she felt her heart gasp for air and come back to life, pounding steadily in her chest.

"Yes, she seemed to have taken a little longer to come back than her brother," he says as he placed a giant hand on her shoulder.

"Thank Merlin" Hermione cried out as she hunched over and let her emotions run free before she ran back out into battle.

Oh, you're going to get your head chewed off if you both survive this.

——————

War Over

Y/n stood in the library, it was one of the few rooms that were still intact after everything and one of the few that didn't have bodies in it.

Her body ached, and her mind was tired from the anxiety she had been experiencing for the last seven years.

She hadn't seen Hermione at all during Harry's showdown with Voldemort, she was too busy dealing with Bellatrix.

"This is for Hermione"

The door suddenly slammed open, which sparked fear in Y/n as she pointed her wand at the intruder.

Hermione stared at her with a heaving chest as the Potter quickly stood down her weapon. They both had; dirt, cuts, and ash covering their bodies, but they have never looked so beautiful to each other.

"My love-" Y/n starts, but she was quickly cut off by Hermione running towards her and engulfing her body in a bone-crushing hug.

Y/n found her fingers in Hermione's hair, now that it was free from the hairstyle she had in it earlier.

"You're bleeding" Hermione whispers as she felt a sticky wet substance staining her finger as she grasps her shirt.

"It's not mine" Y/n whispered back as she pulled her closer, and kissed her head comfortingly in an attempt to calm them both.

Yet, Hermione pushed herself away and slapped her across the face. Y/n stared at her with wide eyes as she touched her cheek, the Gryffindor started to angrily sob.

"I thought you were dead! Why would you do that to me?!" Hermione yells as she shoved Y/n away, which made her stumble.

"I'm okay now-"

"You weren't breathing! You made my worst fears come true and you think that I'll just forgive you now?!" She continues to rant as she pushed her again, Y/n fell against the table behind her.

"You left me!" Hermione cries out as she hit Y/n's chest with the side of her fists, tears falling down her face as she let out her anger.

"I felt my heart stop beating when I saw you in Hagrid's arms, every logical thought left my mind as I was about to get myself killed to avenge you!" She yells as her hands grasp the front of Y/n's shirt and pushed her onto the table, their eyes finally meeting again.

Hermione loomed over her with such sorrow and anger that it frightened the Potter slightly.

"You hurt me"

Silence floated between them for a while, to which Hermione scoffed, and began to back away.

Y/n quickly wrapped her arms back around Hermione, trapping her hands between them as she struggled.

"Let me go!" She yells in protest but soon went limp as her girlfriend began to whisper apologies and sweet nothings.

Maybe it was the haste that she and her brother shared, but Y/n hadn't realized how much she had hurt Hermione with their quick decisions.

Her wails vibrated Y/n's ears.

She had thought of her friends' lives, but not her girlfriends, and now seeing her falling apart because of it, shattered Y/n in ways she didn't think possible.

"You've broken me, just like I knew you would!" Hermione choked out as Y/n nuzzled her face into the crook of the girl's neck.

"I'll fix you, I promise" Y/n whispers as Hermione broke her hands free and pulled her girlfriend in for a sought-after kiss.

"Never again will you break me Y/n, I mean it" Hermione whispers in between the kiss, to which Y/n hummed in agreement.

"I swear"

...

Thankfully, Y/n kept her promises, giving Hermione the life she wanted and deserved after everything they went through.

They spent life together with smiles and laughs, but some tears when night terrors or sudden flashbacks plagued them.

Hermione was prone to throw herself into her work to distract herself from the memories, which Y/n would always break her away from with a promise of a delicious dinner and the new book she was looking at.

Y/n was more of a daydreamer, where she would stare off into the corner of the room when she had nothing to do. She'd be there for hours, just thinking back on the terrors she saw and done. Hermione would just walk over and begin to pepper her favorite girl in kisses, which easily brought her back into reality.

They had each other's backs, and that's all they needed to the end.

"Thank you for 'fixing' me, my love"

"And thank you for keeping me sane"

[meabh-mcinness]

Memories (Balam Shichirou x AFAB!OC) Comm

Summary: Today is a very special day for Lee Kai. After all, she's finally getting married to her one true love. As she readies for the big event, she can't help but be overcome by memories of the times they spent together.

This was a piece commissioned by a friend for a mutual friend of ours, @shichirolover666! She gets the lovely joy of marrying our best boy Shichirou

Check out my other works on my masterlist!

The day had finally arrived.

Kai was preparing for her wedding. As she stood in front of the mirror, gently manoeuvring her obsidian black curls into just the right positions, memories of her high school days flooded her mind, each intertwined with the presence of Balam Shichirou, her lover and soon-to-be husband. Turning slightly, she leaned over and picked up the crown woven from flowers picked from their shared garden. Lightly plucking one from the crown and bringing it up to her nose she sniffed, a giddy smile lit up her face as the familiar floral notes flooded her brain, an echo of a time long past joining it.

It had been the first day of high school. Her first time far away from home and it was to attend the prestigious school of Babyls, headed by Lord Sullivan himself. It was an honour, and an anxiety fest because of it. A new school meant new rules and new demons to learn about while trying to survive. Kai was well aware she wasn't the strongest of demons, her family, the Lee's, rarely ever even earned rank Vav, but they were well regarded regardless due to their bloodline ability.

Manisfesto. The ability to project anything they pictured in their head onto a piece of paper. On its own, it didn't sound like a much-needed ability unless you were an artist but with a bit of creativity, the ability was incredibly useful. Especially when you worked as an informant or spy and could create layouts of homes and compounds just by seeing them and then copying them down on maps. This made the Lee's a nice family to have on your side in times of skirmishes, but in general, they much preferred hanging out in the background and painting their days away, and Kai was no exception to this.

This is why when the first day of class came around and she entered her new homeroom, she had made an immediate bee-line for the quietest part of the room where only two other demons sat, avoided by everyone else. The one on the left was nearly a head taller with short black hair and curled back horns combined with a grimace on his face that made him seem like a permanently snarling dog, and she had to lightly bite her lip to keep from laughing at the image. The one on the right however seemed to be their polar opposite, far shorter (even shorter than her and what a surprise that was to a 4'9" lamb!) with fluffy white hair falling to their narrow shoulders and a gleaming metal mask covering their lower face, leaving only wide circular eyes staring at their desk partner.

Kai gently plopped into the seat next to the tinier demon, catching only the tail end of their conversation, "-was the quietest seat. I can't stand the other seats, they're noisy. You can move if you don't like it," the dark-haired one growled out, black eyes quickly flickering to her before going back to looking at their book.

"I agree," she added as casually as could, placing her sketchbook on the table, flipping it to an empty page, once more trying not to laugh as the smaller demon visibly startled at the addition of her voice, white hair whipping with their head as they turned their wide eyes onto her.

"Ah no..." his voice came out softly and almost awed sounding as his eye flicked back and forth between the two demons he was now surrounded by, "It's fine. I'm...Balam Shichirou."

The dark-haired demon flicked another look in their direction, a considering look in his eyes, "...Naberius Kalego," he finally said, almost causing Kai to squeak in alarm knowing very well how infamous the Naberius family was, before turning his dark gaze solely onto her with a raised eyebrow.

"Lee Kai," she said with a smile, "It's a pleasure to meet the both of you."

A sigh left herand she placed the flower back into its right spot in the crown before resting it gently above her head, being careful to avoid the sharp horns poking out from her forehead.The bright colours of the flowers shone brightly in stark contrast to her black hair. Clawed pale hands reached out from behind her head and carefully lifted the top portion of her hair up so that the back half of the crown settled beneath the flowing locks, before separating and braiding them around the crown so that the curls were nearly inseparable from the flowers from behind. 

Kai glanced up into the mirror as the demoness behind her got to work, the taller figure's own silky blonde locks were done up in an intricatebraided bun of her own. Leaves and wildflowers twirled in and out of the hair strands as if they had grown there naturally, a show of talent no doubt from the third member of this little bridal party. The feathered wings on her back were a green so dark they looked black until they moved just right under the lights, and the showing couldn't help but remind Kai of Shichirou's own set of similar but far larger wings. Even when they had been kids, she couldn't help but be fascinated by his wings, so uniquely different from all of the other demons she had met at the time, and even now, she knew of only a few who shared that similar trait, and all of them were members of his family. Even the one currently doing her hair was.

Lyra Northman, a member of an off-shoot branch of the Balam family. They not only had similar looks, with their deep green feathered wings and varying levels of blonde hair, but they even had a similar blood-line magic. Whereas the Balam family had 'Buzzer', which could tell whether or not you were lying, the Northman family had 'TruthSeer,' an ability to detect the intentions behind why you were doing something. It came in quite handy on several occasions but had also led Lyra to pick many fights while in school, both as a student and a teacher's aid, much to several people's discernment. Even now, as a bonafide teacher themselves, while having calmed down, they still picked fights.

Most notoriously were the fights between Opera-senpai, Lyra, and her partner Kalego. Though really, it was Opera and Lyra picking on Kalego who then usually started the fight.

Kai could still remember the first time she had met both Opera and Lyra.

Bam!

Kai and Shichirou jumped in surprise from where they had sat at the cafe table looking over one another's drawings, a squeak even leaving her mouth at the suddenness of it. Kai stared wide-eyed at Kalego who slumped down into his seat with a snarl. "This is the eighth time!"

Now that she recognized that it was merely Kalego and his usual surliness, she simply sighed and put her sketchbook away, mentally praying that she wasn't about to be drawn into something before asking, "Eighth time?"

Another snarl from him was her answer before devolving into a rant, "This is the eight time I've been pestered by upperclasman! I've only been enrolled here for a month, and I don't know why the keep picking fights with me! What bad luck! How awful! It's also getting pretty annoying..!" He devolved into growls, harsh vibrations escaping his throat as his body visibly jittered with it. Kai and Shichirou simply exchanged a glance, more than use to their classmates surly attitude by now.

"You draw a lot of attention Kalego-kun," Shichirou commented, crossing his bird-like feet over one another under the table, "and you look menacing." he continued on looking away and ignoring Kalego's shout of hey.

"Well," Kai pipped in before Kalego jumped over the table, "Do you have any idea why they might be pestering you?"

"Maybe you bit them in a fit of rage?" Shichirou said, taking a sip of his drink.

"I don't," Kalego replied, "I'm not some feral dog. I wouldn't attack first unless I had to. In other words..." he trailed off leaning forward, folding his hands together and resting his chin on them as he stared at them intently. "They mistook me for someone else. Dark curly hair...wears both a male and female uniform...has two horns-"

"That's you." Shichirou and Kai deadpanned together.

"Listen! I'm telling you two that's not me!! I'm not foolish enough to go around beating anyone up that I see! That 'Top Dog' halfwit, I will definetely find them!"

"And what are you going to do after that?" Shichirou asked. Kai leaned forward slightly, lamb ears twitching in curiosity at the answer. They had been listening to Kalego complain about this person for weeks, whaevert revenge he had dreamed up had to have been interesting.

"Strip them down and shave their head." Kai blinked at the response, well she hadn't been wrong at least but still-

"That's worse than just beating them up." Shichirou voiced her thoughts and Kai nodded to show her agreement.

"Why not change your hair?" She asked, internally holding the giggle that wanted to erupt at the sudden picture of a blond Kalego.

"Why should I have to give in?" He snapped at her, seeming to sense that she was laughing at him. "Once the foolish 'Top Dog' stops their foolish fighting spree, the fools who are pestering me will cease and I'll return to a life of peace and quiet."

"Quiet huh..." Shichirou mumbled seeming to stare off in the distance, before shaking himself out of it and laying his head down on the table, " I think you tend to get yourself involved in troublesome situations, though."

"What?"  Kai hummed in question.

"Nothing, just talking to myself." Shichirou replied.

Suddenly Kalego slammed his hand on the table causing a loud banging noise to ring out through the cafeteria and causing Kaitlin to jump at the sound as he stood up. "Anyway, we're going to investigate! I'm definitely going to catch the 'Top Dog' by the tail, and make them pay."

Kati and Shichirou both let out a sigh but dutiful got up to follow him. They were definitely getting dragged into something and she could already tell it wasn't going to go the way Kalego wanted it to.

After spending several hours, just trying to find even a glimpse of information not already

known to them, from searching the library to asking both the teachers and students, Kai had definitely gotten confirmation that nothing was going to go to Kalego's plan.  After all, how could he do anything to this "Top Dog" when they couldn't even figure out what they fully looked like? Collapsing onto a bench out in the courtyard, leaning onto Shichirou and even using his head to rest hers on she watched as the little gargoyle demon produced a picture of what looked like an angry ball of fur with two horns to show to Kalego.

"And so, based on our research we can conclude that the identity of the 'Top Dog' is this." Shichirou concluded proudly. Kai started to lean over and coo over the cute drawing before falling over with a startled bleat when Kalego's hand appeared and gripped Shichirou's face, barely missing her own.

"Tell. Me. Which part of that exactly looks like me!?" Kalego snarled out, tightening the grip he held on Shichirou.

"The eyes," he replied at the same time Kai muttered, 'Your surly attitude,' as she righted herself and sat back up properly with a sniff, ignoring Kalego's shout of 'hey!' "Everyone just gave us vague descriptions!" Shichirou continue, unbothered by their fighting, "Doesn't help that the witnesses are all in the hospital. This is what they look like when we combine all of the rumours."

"...So we're stuck," Kai piped in, before sinking further into her seat, legs stretched out before her as she slumped down. "If only there was someone who knew everything about all of the students." Kalego visibly flinched at her words, eyes darting away from her and she raised an eye at the reaction.

"Hey, Kalego-kun," Shichirou called while leaning forward, "Isn't it about time? You should ask him." Him? Kai sat up, ears perked in interest at who this him was that could cause such a reaction in Kalego.

"I...don't want to," Kalego muttered, still looking anywhere but the two of them.

Shichirou took advantage of Kalego looking away and hopped down from the bench gingerly before pushing Kalego in the direction of the school, ignoring his Kalego's struggles and indignant squawking. "Don't be so selfish, it's for the sake of our research! Come on!"

Curiosity piqued even further Kai also hopped down from the bench and followed them back into the school and down several hallways before ending up....in front of the teacher's lounge? She blinked several times in confusion as Kalego struggled even harder against Shichirou's grip before her curiosity roused even higher and she opened the door for all of them. Taking advantage of it Shichirou gripped Kalego slightly harder and raised him off the ground slightly before depositing him into the room and quickly shutting the door again behind him.

Kai's ears lowered in disappointment at not being able to know who was causing that reaction in Kalego before Shichirou gestured her over from where he was leaning against the wall. "You're not going to want to be in front of the door when he comes back out." Obidiently Kai walked over to where he stood and leaned agaisnt the wall too before sliding down to sit on the floor.

"Who is he?" Kai asked after a few minutes of silence. At Shichirou's confused look she clarified, "the one that Kalego doesn't want to talk to, who is he?"

"The guard dog of Bablys, also known as his uncle."

"Oh, ok."....wait what?

Before she could ask further questions the door slammed open and Kalego raced out with a loud shout of, "The rooftop!" Without even thinking Kai and Shichirou's feet pounded after him, following him down the halls towards where Kai could only assume the rooftop was. "That shitty uncle!" Kalego complained as they ran, "He was stalling on purpose, this is why I hate him. And I even had to use my brother as an excuse!"

"The rooftop...can we even make it in time?" Shichirou asked.

"We just have to try, there's no other choice!" Kalego answered as they raced up the stairs. Kai's ears twitched as the sounds of grunts and shouts filtered down. So there really was a fight up there, and if Kalego's uncle was to believed, than the 'Top Dog' they had been hunting all day was up there.

A loud bang echoed through the stairs, followed by a started squeak from Kai as the three first years barely had enough time to dodge as a door flew down the stairs followed by a large student who landed uncounscious behind them.

"Wha..." Kai muttered turning back to look at Shichirou and Kalego before her eyes darted up to stare at the now open door, daylight streaming through and almost blinding her. The idenity of the 'Top Dog' was right behind that entranceway. Carefully climbing up the rest of the stairs, Kai's ears stayed up and alert in case there were anymore flying objects headed her way, but everything seemed quiet now. Had the fight ended?

Crossing through the archway Kai blinked to let her eyes adjust to the sudden brightness before gasping in shock. Standing before her was a large pile of what she could only assume were fellow students, and sitting on top of the pile, as casual as could be, was a single demon with-

"Dark curly hair, wears both the male and female uniforms..." she muttered out loud.

"You!" Kalego interrupted, " So you're the one!!"

"...Oh my," they said before hoping down effortlessly, gracefully even. Every nerve in Kai's body was singing that this demon in front of them was dangerous and it only rose as they gave a small smile, "You three...got a problem?" "Oh," a voice cooed from behind the pile of defeated students. Kai's eyes whipped over to where a head with blonde hair popped out casually, followed by a body obviously belonging to an older student and a large pair of feathered wings so dark the green almost looked black except when they hit the light just right. "Have more little mice decided to try and...Shichirou?" The voice ended bewildered, eyes wide as they finally caught onto the smallest member of their little trio.

"Lyra?" Shichiriou questioned in return, obviously just as confused at this new person's appearance, as Kalego snapped something at the first demon who had appeared, not as easily distracted or deterred in his mission to stop the 'Top Dog'. Though perhaps it should be 'top cat' Kai mused to herself, noting the feline features before focusing back in on the other conversation, following Shichirou as he wandered closer to Lyra. Kai would much prefer being near what was obviously a reunion of some sort rather than being dragged into the fight that was most definitely about to occur between the other two as they argued.

"Look at you! I had forgotten you were starting this year. How are you finding it so far? Let me know if you need anything and - oh!" Lyra's eyes finally moved to Kai tilting her head and staring in such a way that Kai felt like a mouse being watched by a bird of prey before Lyra suddenly grinned, eyebrows waggling at Shichirou. "Who's this cutie? Did you get a girlfriend already baby bird?"

Fierce blushes covered both Shichirou and Kai's faces at the question, a startled bleat even squeaking out of Kai as Shichirou spluttered out denials. This went on for a few seconds before Lyra let out a laugh, enjoying their reactions immensely, waving their words away. "You're both far too easy to tease," She said with a wide grin.

Shichriou sighed before gesturing to the blonde, "Kai this is Lyra, my older cousin from my mom's side of the family. Lyra this is Kai, my....ally?" He ended hesitantly. Technically, even though they had been chatting and hanging out for over a month now, they had never actually confirmed whether they were just acquaintances or if they enjoyed each other's company enough to be allies. 

Kai sent a smile and slight nod at the tinier gargoyle before bowing at Lyra. "It's a pleasure to meet my ally's family. My name is Lee Kai, a first-year--"  a loud crackling noise rang out and Kai barely even paused, though she was certain that meant Cerberion had been summoned "and that grumpy dog over there is Naberius Kalego, also a first-year." 

"Northman Lyra, older cousin of the baby bird here and a fifth year. Mr. Top Dog over there," her grin widened, clearly amused at the misnomer as well, "is Opera, a second year." Lyra's eyes flickered over to where Kalego and Opera were, letting out a low whistle at the sight of the large dog made of electricity that Kalego had surely let out by now.

Shichirou whirled around, just now registering that Kalego and Opera actually intended to fight on the rooftop, "Wait, Kalego-kun, calm down!" 

"This is your last chance," Kalego said ignoring him, " Are you going to quit fighting?" 

"No," was Opera's simple reply. "I mean if you want to try and stop me by force go ahead and try. I was planning on silencing you by doing the same anyway. I can't have you going around revealing my identity can I?"  A shiver of fear ran down Kai's back and she involuntarily took a step back, the pile of bodies next to her an awful reminder of what this Opera was capable of, and was apparently ready to do to all three of them. Suddenly her view of the fight was slightly blocked by a large green wing curling around her as Lyra stepped closer to her and Shichirou, ready to protect the both of them.

"These two are off-limits kitty-cat, keep your claws off of them,"  Lyra called over to them, getting the slightest nod of acknowledgement in return.

"I prefer this method of talking," Opera claimed as they got into a fighting stance, ready to take Kalego and his magic on barehanded, now that they knew Lyra wouldn't be stepping in.

"Don't mock me!" Kalego snarled, whipping his arm out to send Cerberion charging towards Opera. Kai's eyes widened and her hands flew to her mouth as she watched Cerberion's claws come crashing down onto Opera's figure. Kai's arm flew up to protect her eyes from the wave of dust that came flying at them at the impact, once the flow of wind came to a stop, she dared a peak and let out a gasp at the sight.

Where there should have been a flattened student, instead stood Opera, barely slouchy as their hands gripped the far larger claws of Cerberion, looking all for the world as if they were blocking a puppy rather than an electric dog that was close to the size of a small home. All three of them watched in shock as Opera readjusted their grip before throwing Cerberion over their shoulder -- right towards where Kai and the other two were standing.

Kai let out a bleat of distress at the sight of the incoming dog and barely had the thought to me before a wall of crystal appeared, blocking the canine's descent on top of them.

Lyra's shout, "Give a girl a warning you stupid cat!" and Shichirou's exclaim "A shoulder throw!?"   sounded as if it was miles away, barely heard over the blood rushing and heart beating rapidly in her ears as Kai watched Opera dart forward before landing a solid punch into Kalego's gut. She couldn't help but wince as Kalego was visibly lifted off of the ground from the force before falling to the ground, certain that he was blacking out -

Until Kalego's feet caught the ground and he whipped forward with a snarl, fangs flashing as he bit down harshly onto Opera's tail. Spitting it out he growled, "I couldn't possibly care any less about whatever reason your hunting is, but stop using that stupid 'Top Dog' title..." he paused staring directly into Opera's eyes, "because the guard dog of this school is me!"

Silence descended upon the rooftop at that declaration.

Opera blinked slowly, "Guard dog?" they muttered, before deadpanning, "You look more like an underdog to me..." Lyra snorted in amusement and even Kai couldn't help a startled laugh at the statement. "I see, you're quite --"

A startled scream from Shichirou interrupted whatever Opera intended to say and had everyone whipping their heads towards the small gargoyle. Kai's eyes widened at seeing him lifted off the ground by one of three students she had assumed was as knocked out as the rest of the pile. Had they simply been biding their time? 

Did it really matter what they had been doing though, when what she could only assume was the head of the group, had his arm wrapped securely around Shichirou's neck.

"Don't move!" The leader shouted, brandishing his bat at them.

"Oh my," Opera commented as Lyra simply raised an eyebrow at the group.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," she said.

"Ya hear me, don't you dare a move a muscle," a crazed grin lit up the leader's face, "Heh, you let down your guard ya morons."

Shichirou grunted as the arm squeezed tighter, his fingers curling around the arm just that much tighter so that it wouldn't choke him, "It'll...it'll break."

"Really," Lyra said, "you should let him go or it will break."

"That's right! Try to fight us and I'll break this kid's ne..." He paused and Kai pulled at her ears, worry coursing through her veins at what was about to happen when she noticed that the leader was tilting. "ne...ee..." A loud crack resounded throughout the rooftop and before Kai could blink the leader was on the floor screeching in pain as Shichirou stood above him, arm still clutched in his hand as he fretted.

"I'm so sorry! I'm really bad at controlling my strength so...I might break your..." Shichirou trailed off, quickly letting go before he did further damage.

Lyra sighed, placing her forehead in her hand, "I tried to warn you it was going to break. Honestly, how is it you can hold a newborn devikitten but the second it's another demon all control flies away." 

'Ah,' Kai thought, her eyes refusing to leave where there was a significant dent where Shichirou's fingers had connected with the leader's arm, 'so this is why Shichirou refused to ever touch her or Kalego.' To be fair, if she had the same problem, she would probably never touch another being again. 

Her thoughts were interrupted as the leader did his best to get up, wondering to himself about what they all were. "Damn it! We'll retreat for now." He shouted as he ran past Kalego and Opera towards the exit. Privately Kai wondered why they didn't fly away rather than risk getting closer to the one who had beat them initially, though if she was in their position she might not have been thinking rationally either.

"Those who can still move report back to the Ethos Battler!" Another one shouted as he also ran past, and soon it was only the five of them left. Well the five of them left who was still conscious at least.

"Lyra! Opera! What in the Demon King do you two think you're doing!" A feminine-sounding voice screeched out from behind Kai, startling all of them. "You better not have been the cause of all this or I swear I'm going to-"

"There," Lyra said dragging Kai out of the memory, "your hair is all done and you're looking like a proper demon king if I say so myself." Kai's hand immediately flew up to touch and admire how the top of her black locks had been drawn up into an artful braid around the flower crown, woven into the vines and looking almost natural despite it being two different materials. The lower half had been left down but curled into a wavy mess that flowed behind her back, with tiny braids filled with flowers throughout it.

"The demon king?" A new voice popped in amused, sounding far nicer than when Kai had first heard it, "She's looking more like one of the goddesses above themselves. Could even give that adorable little princess a run for her money." Slowly appearing into the frame of the mirror, Kai met the gold eyes of the new demoness and blushed at the compliment. Kagetsu was always heaping compliments onto her and others, her succubae training always apparent in this manner, though according to Lyra, Kagetsu had always been the one people go to feel better, even before she had been dragged into the Succubi battler.

"Hardly," Kai replied, "but...do you think he will like it?" Her hands fiddled with the thick fabric of the slightly off-white gown she wore, being careful that her long claws didn't rip the delicate upper layer of thin lace above the main fabric. Out of the corner of her eyes, she could see Lyra and Kagetsu exchange a look before Kagetsu came closer and wrapped her arms around the lamb demoness. Kai could feel the warmth of the older demon's body as her breast pressed against Kai's back, Kagetsu's larger hands lightly gripped Kai's own forcing them to hold still before a hole could be worn through as Kagetsu's face nuzzled into the side of Kai's head, careful to not ruin Lyra's handiwork.

Two large pairs of black bat-like wings flowed out of Kagetsu's back, one pair slightly smaller than the other, and wrapped around them both, effectively hiding them from the view of the world, even from the view of the mirror so that all Kaitlin saw was the leathery blackness of Kagetsu's wings. "Oh, darling little Kai, he adores the ground you walk on and the sky you fly in. He would like it if you appeared in a potato sack or one of those overdone crystal ballgowns. This allows your true beauty to shine and the second he sees you he'll be praising Derkila and the gods themselves for letting him have even a chance at courting much less to marry you."

Kai's eyes teared up slightly at her adoptive parents' words and she nodded with a light laugh. With that Kagetsu's wings were gone, once more tucked neatly into her back, and she walked around the chair so that she was in front of the tinier demon. Placing a clawed finger underneath Kai's chin, Kagetsu gently tipped it up and tilted it from side to side, nodding softly to herself before waving her other hand, several palettes and a couple of bottles floated over leisurely, filled with what Kai could only assume was a multitude of makeup products.

"Besides," Kagetsu continued casually as she grabbed one of the bottles filled with a thick, viscous liquid, eyeing it carefully then opening the lid and pouring some onto the back of her other hand, before looking Kai in the eye with a feral grin, "should he be anything less than courteous and respectful to you I will personally rip out his wings and shove them down his throat before taking his tail and strangling him with it. Now tilt your head up and keep looking at me." Kai merely sighed at the threat, more than used to Kagetsu's darker side at this point, as Lyra nodded along and offered more colourful threats should Shichirou displease her in any way. Being essentially adopted by the older demonesses in her first year meant also having two bloodthirsty females who would go to war for her.

Kai didn't really mind it in the least now. In the beginning, it had been slightly horrifying, always terrified that their bellicose ways would turn on her somehow, but it never did. Not once. Oh, there were definitely times they argued and snapped at one another, you couldn't have three inherently territorial creatures in one space for ages on end without them, but never had Kai felt truly scared of them when it happened. There were, in fact, times when they had made Kai feel stronger and more empowered when it happened. Kagestu always twists and manipulates words so that even when she wins the fight, Kai feels like she has also won and is all the more confident about it. Still, it was probably for the best that she never mentioned the few times Shichirou had actually made her cry, otherwise there wouldn't be a demon left for her to marry today.

Or she'll end up a widow before the night is over, and as she would really like to avoid that it was probably best to avoid mentioning anything. It was really no wonder that the two allies kept the Naberius brothers well in line.

Kai laughed at her thoughts and shook her head slightly, mindful not to disturb Kagetsu's careful handiwork. Lyra, catching her movement, raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

"What's amusing you, Kai?" she asked, her voice as gentle as the brush strokes against Kai's face.

"Oh, nothing much," Kai replied, her smile widening. "Just thinking about how far we've come. If someone had told me back then that I'd be here, getting married to Shichirou, with you both by my side, I wouldn't have believed them."

Kagetsu and Lyra exchanged a look before breaking into matching smiles.

"Life has a funny way of surprising us," Kagetsu said, her tone softening. "But I, for one, am not surprised. You and Shichirou are perfect for each other. You balance each other out in ways that not many mated pairs can claim. I bet even Lilith herself would be jealous of you upon this day."

Lyra nodded in agreement. "And you've always had a knack for finding your way, even when the path seemed unclear."

Kai's heart swelled with affection for her friends. They had been through so much together, from the early days of school to the trials and triumphs that had followed. Their bond had been forged in the fires of adolescence, with her often heavily leaning on the two for parental advice, and it had only grown stronger with time.

"Thank you," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "I couldn't have done this without you."

"Nonsense," Kagetsu said, brushing off the sentiment with a wave of her hand. "You've always had the strength within you. We just helped you see it."

As they finished the final touches, Kai took one last look in the mirror. She barely recognized the radiant demoness staring back at her. Her gown fit perfectly, and the intricate lace, embroidered vines that trailed up from the hem, and oversized sleeves highlighted her slender frame. The flowers in her hair added a touch of natural beauty, making her look like she had stepped out of a fairy tale. A far cry from the little first year who hadn't even known what a menstrual cycle was and had to have her, then ally's, mother explain it to her.

Kai lay curled up in Shichirou's nest, wings tightly curled around her as she lay clutching her stomach, waves of pain coursing through her body. She had come to visit him during their winter vacation, looking forward to a week of relaxation and fun. But instead, she had been struck by a mysterious and agonizing pain that left her weak and trembling.

Shichirou sat beside her, his face etched with worry. "Kai, what's wrong? What can I do?" he asked, his voice tinged with desperation. Kai could only shake her head, unable to speak through the pain.

"I don't know, Shichirou," she managed to gasp out. "It just... it hurts so much."

Panic flashed in Shichirou's eyes, and he quickly got up, rushing out of the room. He knew he needed help, but he didn't know what to do. Bursting into his mother's study, he found her reading a book, her green wings draped gracefully over the back of her chair.

"Mom! Something's wrong with Kai!" he blurted out, his voice high with anxiety. "She's in so much pain, and I don't know what to do!"

His mother, Althea Balam, looked up quickly at her youngling's panic before gripping his shoulders and kneeling before him. "Take a deep breath, Shichirou," she said gently. "Tell me what's wrong."

As Shichirou explained, Althea's expression softened with understanding. "It sounds like Kai is having her first period," she said, a slight laugh in her voice as relief gripped her. "It's a natural part of growing up, though it can be very painful and confusing, especially for the first time."

Shichirou's eyes widened. "Her...period? But, what do I do?"

Althea stood up, placing a comforting hand on her son's shoulder. "I'll help you. First, we need to make her comfortable. I'll get some tea and pain medication. You go back to her and just be there. Let her know she's not alone."

Shichirou nodded, his heart still pounding with worry but now bolstered by his mother's guidance. He returned to his room, finding Kai still curled up on the bed. He gently climbed in beside her, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close.

"It's going to be okay, Kai," he whispered, his voice soothing. "My mom's getting some tea and medicine. I'm here with you."

Kai buried her face in his chest, finding comfort in his warmth and the steady beat of his heart. "Thank you, Shichirou," she murmured, her voice trembling.

A few minutes later, Althea entered the room, carrying a tray with a steaming cup of tea and a small bottle of pain medication. She set it down on the bedside table and smiled reassuringly at Kai.

"Here you go, dear," she said, handing the cup to Shichirou to give to Kai. "This should help with the pain. Just sip it slowly, and take these as well." She handed Shichirou the bottle, and he carefully measured out the proper dose before giving it to Kai.

"Thank you, Mrs. Balam," Kai said, managing a weak but grateful smile.

Althea nodded and gave her son a gentle pat on the back. "Just let her rest, Shichirou. She needs comfort and warmth right now. You're both doing great."

With that, Althea quietly left the room, closing the door behind her. Shichirou adjusted the blankets around them, creating a makeshift nest that enveloped them both in warmth. He held Kai close, stroking her hair and whispering soothing words until the tea and medication began to take effect.

As the pain gradually subsided, Kai felt herself relax in Shichirou's arms. The warmth of his body and the gentle rhythm of his breathing lulled her into a state of calm. She nuzzled closer, finding solace in his presence.

"Thank you, Shichirou," she whispered again, her voice barely audible.

"Anything for you, Kai," he replied softly, resisting the urge to kiss the top of her head. "Just rest now. I'm here."

Kai closed her eyes, the pain fading away as she drifted into a peaceful sleep, secure in the knowledge that Shichirou would be there to take care of her.

"Ready to go?" Kagetsu asked, her voice filled with anticipation.

Kai took a deep breath clearing the latest memory away and nodded, carefully flipping her veil down to cover her face without messing anything up. "Ready."

With that, Lyra and Kagetsu led her out of the room and towards the grand hall where the ceremony would take place. As they walked, memories of her journey flashed through Kai's mind, each step bringing her closer to the moment she had been dreaming of.

The doors to the hall swung open, and Kai's breath caught in her throat. The room was filled with friends and family, all gathered to witness this special day. At the end of the aisle stood Shichirou, his eyes locked onto hers with a mixture of love and awe.

As Kai made her way down the aisle, she felt a sense of peace wash over her. This was where she was meant to be, with the people she loved most by her side and the demon she adored waiting for her.

When she finally reached Shichirou, he took her hands in his, his touch sending a shiver down her spine.

As Kai stood hand-in-hand with Shichirou, her mind drifted back to the first fight they had ever had. It was a memory she rarely revisited, but today, on their wedding day, it seemed important to remember how far they had come.

It had been a stressful week at Babyls. Exams were approaching, and the pressure was getting to everyone, especially the third years, as this marked whether or not they would be able to continue their next three years of final schooling at Babyls. Kai had been working tirelessly, balancing her studies with her familial duties. Her sketches, studies, and plans fill her every waking moment. Shichirou had been equally busy, his responsibilities as a student and his own family obligations leaving him exhausted.

The tension between them had been building for days. Little things that normally wouldn’t have bothered them became sources of irritation. They hadn’t had much time to spend together, and when they did, their conversations were strained and filled with misunderstandings.

The breaking point came one evening in the library. Kai had been hunched over a particularly challenging assignment, her frustration mounting with each passing minute. Shichirou had arrived late, looking worn out and distracted.

“Could you please keep it down?” she snapped, not even looking up from her work.

“I’m not making any noise,” Shichirou replied, his voice equally sharp.

Kai glanced up, her eyes narrowing. “I could hear your talons clicking from a mile away, and you’re fidgeting. It’s distracting.”

Shichirou sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I’m just trying to get comfortable. Can we not do this right now?”

“Do what?” Kai shot back. “All I’m asking is for a little bit of consideration. Is that too much?”

Shichirou’s eyes flashed with irritation. “Consideration? You’re the one who’s been snapping at me all week. Maybe if you weren’t so wrapped up in your work, you’d notice how stressed I am too.”

Kai felt her anger flare. “Oh, so it’s my fault now? I’m doing the best I can, Shichirou. I’m sorry if that’s not good enough for you.”

They stared at each other, the tension between them thick and palpable. The library felt suddenly too small, too quiet. Shichirou’s wings twitched in agitation, and Kai’s ears flattened against her head in anger before snarling at him. Her usually hidden fangs bared and Shichirou startled, eyes wide in his surprise and tensing in case she snapped and tried to attack him, a low warning growl in his throat.

Without another word, she gathered her things and stormed out of the library, leaving Shichirou standing there, his expression a mix of surprise and worry at what had just happened. He had never felt so out of place in her company before, and he didn't like the feeling.

It wasn’t until a week later, during a particularly quiet evening in the garden, that Kai finally found herself in his presence again.  She found him in their garden, sitting on a bench, looking lost in thought as he worriedly picked at the scales on his arms. Gathering her courage, she approached him, her heart pounding in her chest.

“Shichirou,” she said softly.

He looked up, surprise and relief flashing in his eyes. “Kai.”

She sat down beside him, her hands trembling slightly. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have snapped at you. I’ve been so stressed that I ended up pushing myself into an evil cycle and I took it out on you. That wasn’t fair.”

Shichirou sighed, his shoulders relaxing slightly. “I’m sorry too. I should have been more understanding. We’ve both been under a lot of pressure.”

They sat in silence for a moment, the tension between them slowly melting away.

“I don’t want to fight with you,” Kai said finally. “You mean too much to me.”

Shichirou reached out and took her hand, his grip warm and reassuring. “I don’t want to fight either. Let’s not let this happen again. Next time let me help you, okay?”

Kai nodded, a sense of relief washing over her. “Okay.”

As Kai stood at the altar, she squeezed Shichirou’s hand, her heart filled with love for the gargoyle before he. That fight had been a turning point for them, a reminder that their relationship was worth fighting for. And today, as they stood together, ready to face the future as partners, she knew that no matter what challenges lay ahead, they would face them together.

"You look beautiful," he whispered, his voice filled with emotion.

"And you look handsome," she replied, her smile matching his.

As the ceremony began, Kai felt a sense of completeness she had never known before. Surrounded by love and supported by her friends, she knew that whatever challenges lay ahead, she would face them with courage and strength.

What few clouds there were moved and the sun bathed the garden in a warm, golden light as Kai and Shichirou stood before their gathered friends and family. The air was filled with the scent of blooming flowers and the gentle murmur of the assembled guests. Shichirou's white hair, for once properly brushed and pulled back into a high ponytail, shimmered softly in the sunlight and Kai's eyes sparkled with emotion.

The officiant, a respected elder from their community, nodded to Kai to begin her vows.

Kai took a deep breath, her heart pounding with the weight of the moment. She looked into Shichirou's eyes, finding strength in the love she saw reflected there.

"Shichirou," she began, her voice steady, "from the moment we met, you have been my anchor, my confidant, and my greatest challenge. We’ve faced countless obstacles together, and every trial has only made my love for you stronger. I promise to stand by your side, to support you in all your dreams, and to cherish every moment we share. You are my heart, my home, and I am honoured to become your partner for life."

A soft murmur of appreciation rippled through the guests as Shichirou squeezed Kai's hand gently. He took a moment, collecting his thoughts before speaking.

"Kai," he said, his voice filled with warmth and sincerity, "you have brought light and joy into my life in ways I never imagined. Your strength, your passion, and your unwavering dedication inspire me every day. I promise to be your protector, your supporter, and your friend. Together, we will face whatever challenges come our way, and I will love you with all that I am, for all of my days."

The officiant smiled and nodded, signalling for the next part of the ceremony. He raised his hands, signalling the completion of the ceremony. "By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you bound in love and life. You may seal your union with a kiss."

Kai and Shichirou turned to face each other fully, Shichirou carefully lifting the front of the veil so that her face was exposed. They both held out their out their left hands to the other’s face. Kai felt a mix of excitement and nervousness as she gently took Shichirou’s hand, bringing it to her lips. She met his eyes, silently asking for permission one last time. He nodded, a small, reassuring smile on his face.

With careful precision, Kai bit down gently on Shichirou's ring finger, leaving a small, neat mark. She felt a strange sense of connection flow through her as she did as if this act truly bound their souls together. Shichirou then took her hand and did the same, his bite firm but tender, and Kai was quite proud to have held in the wince at the pain that hit her.

Kai and Shichirou leaned in, their lips meeting in a kiss that was soft, yet filled with all the passion and promise of their vows. The guests erupted into applause, celebrating the union of two souls who had found their perfect match in each other.

As they pulled apart, Shichirou whispered in Kai’s ear, "You’re finally mine.”

Kai smiled, her heart swelling with happiness. "I always was.”

Yes the day had finally arrived.

And it was perfect.

[wavypotatochips]

𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘒𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘓𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘐𝘵 | 𝘕𝘦𝘺𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘑𝘳 [ENEMIES TO LOVERS SORT OF VIBE]   SUGGESTIVE MINORS DNI

𝘗𝘢𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴: NeymarJr x Female Reader

𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘊𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵: 4.4k

𝘚𝘶𝘮𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘺: You have been hired as a model to appear in a promotional photo session for a lingerie company. You don't find out who your companion is until you arrive at the shoot and encounter Neymar, a boy you despise as he once played with your heart.

𝘈𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘴 𝘕𝘰𝘵𝘦:  I have been working on this in-between request and it is finally completed c': I Love writing about Neymar so its no surprise all of the NeyNey imagines I've written are so long LOL. MORE NEYMAR JR RECOGNITION RAAAAAAHHHH!!!!!

Song that inspired this : You Know You Like It by DJ Snake, AlunaGeorge

[TRANSLATOR IS USED SO DIRECT TRANSLATION MAY BE WRONG]

(っ◔◡◔)っ ♥ REQUESTS ARE OPEN ♥

Your hands are firmly holding the cup of coffee as you lean against the kitchen counter. Taking a short sip, you pay attention to Riley, your manager, as she speaks. "The next shoot will begin in around two hours. Together with another male model, you'll be modeling for a company named Super Dry. The company is seeking a sexual-romantic mood, therefore you two will be very close. While Olivia and Justin work on you, I'll head out to grab everyone Chinese," she says, looking down at her wristwatch. You think to yourself- Ugh, I hate late shoots so much.. Why the hell would they want to start a shoot at 10pm?  "Wait- Do you know who my partner will be?" you ask. "Not yet," she shrugs. 

"Y/N we are ready," Olivia calls out from a room down the hall. You hurriedly drink the remaining coffee since you will need it. “Coming!” You enter the room and immediately sit down in the chair as the process of getting ready begins. When Justin, your hairdresser, starts with your hair, Olivia, your makeup artist, starts with your face. Although they aim to achieve a "natural look," getting dressed shouldn't take too long considering this is just an undergarment shot. Justin starts to say, "Y/N, you are lucky I love you so much because it is past my bedtime,” he sprays some water on your hair to make it easier to brush. You reply, "Your bedtime is 8 o'clock," while laughing. He says, "Of course," and nods. “How else am I supposed to look this handsome?” 

Olivia glares at him and points the makeup brush towards his direction, saying, "By not getting her to talk! I'm making her foundation appear nonexistent at the moment so I need her to remain still,” She then looks down at you and winks, “ Your face will resemble a baby's butt in smoothness once I'm finished.” "Are you saying my child doesn't have a smooth face?" Justin gasps. She threatens him with the brush, making him jump. You laugh at the sight of the two of them bickering, which makes Olivia glare at you as well. You hurriedly close your eyes and stop laughing so she can go on. She murmurs, "That's what I thought." and goes on. You love your team, and the fact that you're all best friends just makes it better. A model will undoubtedly be friends with her crew, with whom she spends all of her time, but you guys are unique in that you have known each other since your first year of college. You are all the same age as you were born in the same year. 

Your desire of becoming a model was something you always had as a child, and in your second year of college, it finally came true in the most unexpected way. You offered to walk the runway in the fashion show that your college was presenting for students majoring in fashion design. A day after the runway show, your phone was flooded with notifications, and you were collecting dozens of followers by the minute. It turns out that some of the footage that students in the crowd recorded of you went viral. And after a week, you received calls from a lot of modeling agencies. You decide to sign up with one of the modeling agencies, but you only agreed to a 3-year contract because you thought it would be sufficient time for you to truly establish your reputation. And boy, did it work even though it was a long shot. As the contract expired, you made the decision that it would be best to start freelancing so you wouldn't have to worry about any hidden agendas. Fast forward to the present, and everything is still going great. And throughout the process you were able to hire your best friends, who have supported you through everything. 

Riley is delivering what she promised—food for everyone—while you are getting your hair done. As you entered the room to get ready, Riley placed an internet order because she knew what everyone would want and is now currently en route to pick it up. Her phone begins to ring as she enters the restaurant,

 “Hello, this is Riley speaking.”

“Hey Riley, it's Clark the photographer for SuperDry! I just wanted to call you to let you know that we changed the room where the shoot will be held, it will be on floor 50 room 202 instead of 48 room 102.” She makes a mental note of the new information.

“Okay thank you… Also, is there any word who the male model will be? Y/N was wondering.” She asks as she takes a seat close to the pickup area.

“Oh yeah! The male model will be Neymar Jr, you know him right?” Her mouth fell open at the sound of his name, and she silently vowed that you are going to kill her. 

She chuckles softly and says, "Well, of course! I'll let Y/N know about this. We will see you later.” She says goodbye and hangs up the phone after that.

There is a very tangled history between you and Neymar Jr., but only in secret. Of course, your closest friends Olivia, Justin, and Riley are the only ones who are aware of what transpired between you two. Until you learned through the paparazzi that Neymar was making out with another female, you and Neymar had been in the "talking stage" for approximately a month and had even discussed starting a relationship. Even though this incident occurred more than five years ago, it still lingers in your memory. You wouldn't describe your feelings as heartbroken; rather, you would describe them as disappointed that the rumors about his reputation as a "playboy" were accurate. Riley debates whether or not to be honest with you because she knows that if you find out who you will be with, you will decline going to the photoshoot, however she also knows that this partnership will be a great benefit to your career. "Riley, pick-up order!" She is pulled from her thoughts by the worker's call. She approaches, smiles and says "thanks" to the employee before hurriedly leaving the restaurant with the food bags in hand.  Y/N please forgive me for what i'm about to do, she thinks to herself.

"All right, that's finished." As you turn to face the mirror, Olivia says, turning the chair. Your hair was naturally down, but the materials he used to style it gave it a "wet" appearance. "Thanks guys, what would I do without you," you say with a smile. Riley's voice can be heard saying, "Foods here!" just as Justin was about to speak. “Ooooooo food!” Justin quickly exits the room, you and Olivia trailing behind him. Riley places the plastic bag on the kitchen counter as the three of you are moving down the hallway. "Y/N I got you veggie lo mein so you can have something light in your stomach, Justin sesame chicken with white rice, Olivia orange chicken with white rice.” Riley hands you your food with a set of chopsticks while Justin and Olivia eagerly take theirs. You thank her and take a seat.Everyone settles down and eats together like a big happy family, chit-chatting here and there until the moment comes when you and Riley have to depart. "You two can stay the night here if you don't want to go home," you tell Oliva and Justin because you don't want them driving home late. They both shake their heads, ”Dont worry about us Y/N, Justin and I don't live too far from here. We will text you when we make it home.” Olivia says as everyone starts gathering their belongings so that you can all depart together. Olivia and Justin merely need to take their personal items and leftover meals as your studio area is where you always get ready. They don't need to grab any of their makeup or hair products. "Just remember to put on additional lip gloss before the shot because it just brings everything together," Olivia advises as everyone walks out of your condo. Indeed, I definitely won't forget. While you lock the door with your other hand, you show her the lipgloss to indicate that you still have it. Together, you all descend the stairs, say your goodbyes, and split ways. You get into Riley's car and she drives to the location of the photoshoot. While you scroll through Instagram on your phone, you ask, "So, did they tell you who I am shooting with?". “Apparently it is going to be a surprise,” she casually says. As you stare out the window, you nod your head without giving it much thought. After a short while of traveling, you arrive at your destination and find a parking space in the garage. You two exit the vehicle and enter the building, Riley leading the way as she's aware of the location of the appropriate floor and room. 

Riley curses silently as she walks down the corridor, looking at her phone. You ask, "Everything okay?," as she sighs. "I forgot to deliver my mom a cake I picked up for her earlier today and she needs it by tomorrow morning for a fundraiser event," "I'll just wake up at 4am to bring it," she says while running her hand through her hair. "4 a.m.?" you ask, shaking your head. “I don’t have any issue with you bringing it to her now… I can handle the shoot by myself, I'm a big girl.”  Also, don't worry about how I'm going to get home- I got it.” She casts a worried glance your way as the two of you approach the door because she's unsure of what you meant by your words. “Just call me when you are done and I can send over a driver.” She hugs you tightly, which you happily return. You tease her, "Sure Mom," and she laughs. You take your lip gloss out of your pocket and spread a layer of it on your lips as she turns to leave. You then knock on the door, only to have someone answer a minute later."Welcome, Y/N! You're as stunning as ever!" You assume that the man speaking is the photographer because he is holding a camera. Currently, the moonlight is perfect, so if you don't mind rapidly changing, that'll be fantastic. "Percilla takes her to the changing room to change," he says, snapping his fingers. He quickly vanishes, leaving you perplexed as you enter the condo. Several models are roaming around, and every few minutes, you can see the flashing lights of a camera snapping pictures. You had expected to have the place to yourself for your photo session, but it appears to be much more crowded than you had anticipated.

"Follow me," a girl says as she rushes to your side. You follow her and when strolling by, you notice that the majority of the staff are packing up their equipment. You figured that the models you saw must have been their final shoot of the day. The young woman motions for you to enter as she opens what appears to be a guest bedroom. A lingerie robe and undergarments are spread out on top of the bed. “The red set will be used for the photos first, followed by the gray and the black. As your manager has most likely informed you, we are seeking for a romantic attraction, therefore your bodies will be intimate. We also apologize for the noise and crowdedness of the living room when you first walked in as we fell a bit behind schedule with our shots, but most of the employees are currently packing up their belongings to go home. The master bedroom, which is the room next to his one, will be the location of the first shot.” Before she shuts the door, she says, "Go to that room after you're changed.” After seeing the door close, you let out a small breath, “Alright, let's get this show on the road.” Of course you love your modeling job, but what no one tells you is that modeling is all theatrical. Right now, for example, you have to act as if you are in a loving relationship with some random person. Maybe you should give acting a try next. You take off your clothing and put on the matching crimson red push-up bra and thong on. You then put on the lingerie robe, which is a see-through, sheer gown with a red feather on the lining to give it a more seductive appearance. "Damn I look nice," you say as you spin around a little in the mirror and take a look at yourself.

Then, as directed, you exit the bedroom and enter the room to the right. You enter the room with confidence. You recognize the photographer who previously answered the door for you, and you hear him yell, "Y/N!" as he approaches you. "We are so happy to have you here! I am deeply sorry about not being able to properly greet myself earlier,” He extends his hand for you to shake, "My name is Maxwell, and I am the head photographer for Super Dry Corporation." You shake his hand and give him your iconic smile, you say, "No worries! I am aware that things happen in life. Nice to formally meet you!” He responds, “Thank you so much for understanding. Now let's get started shall we?” As he approaches the bed, he gestures with his arm, "We can perform your solo shoot now while your partner changes so he can match you. We have already finished the male solo shoots." You climb to the top of the king-sized bed, its white silk sheets remarkably different from what you are wearing. As more moonlight enters the room through the balcony doors, you see Maxwell move over to his studio light and turn it to low so that the light reflecting off of you appears more natural. Right now, there is only you and Maxwell in the room.  “Alright, baby show me something sexy!” He leans slightly over you while standing on a short stool step, bringing the camera up to his eye to achieve a bird's eye perspective. You start slowly removing your robe while hearing the camera click. When the robe is open, you slowly bend your knee up while biting your lower lip and staring straight at the camera. “Perfect!,” Maxwell says, hyping you up. Laying there, you continue to strike various stances until rising to your knees and closing your eyes while running your hands through your hair. This would have been extremely uncomfortable for you if you weren't a model, but fortunately, this isn't your first time in this situation. Once some more time has passed, Maxwell takes the camera off his face, gets off the stool, and browses the pictures he has taken. “These shots are golden… we are definitely ready for Neymar now…” As soon as you heard him say Neymar's name, the smile that had been on your face instantly turned into confusion.  What name did he say? I hope I heard him wrong, you think to yourself. On cue, the woman who had earlier taken you to your room enters holding a box, followed by Neymar, who is just wearing a pair of red boxers.

Oh, youve got to be kidding me.

Neymar was engaging with her at the time and was not paying attention to you. He winks at her, and you cringe as you see her blush and smile. “Neymar you're just in time! I'm ready for you and Y/N to get some close ups.” Until your name is spoken, he doesn't even turn to look at Maxwell. For a split second, he fixes his gaze on Maxwell before turning to face you. His eyes briefly open when he recognizes your face, but as soon as he notices what you are wearing, his eyes quickly narrow and his lips curl into a smirk. Neymar had no idea you were going to be his shooting partner, but he can't say he's upset about it. Even though the two of you had a history, Neymar feels like you were the best partner he's ever had. Personality-wise and sexually-wise. The conclusion that you didn't like him was obvious given that you blocked him from all of your social media accounts. But, the fact that you were there gave him the opportunity to irritate you, and oh, did that idea thrill him. As you get up from the bed and start to move towards Neymar, you give him a fake smile. “Nice to meet you, Neymar.” You reach out your hand as if this is your first time meeting. Neymar participates in the act by reaching out to grab your hand and saying, "The pleasure is all mine, bonita (pretty)," as he elevates your hand to kiss the back of your palm.

You continue to smile at Neymar before turning your gaze to the girl walking over to Maxwell, both of them starting to talk about something. As you see they are not observing you two, you quickly yank your hand away from him and rub your hand against the robe to wipe away his germs. "I'd rather not feel the lips of someone who has kissed millions of people," you say in distaste. He replies, "But you were one of those millions of individuals, so what's the problem," with a slight chuckle. You mumble angrily, "Shut up, I don't even want to talk to you," and then stare at him, "We don't know one other. Play along.” "But my love, how can I forget how those lips felt around me?" he asks, gazing down at your lips. The steam pouring from your head would be visible in a cartoon version of this situation. Before you can react, Maxwell starts to approach you both and says, “Alright now that you two have been able to chat for a little bit- let's continue on shall we?” "Ladies first," Neymar says, winking at you. Seeing how phony your smile was toward him, he couldn't help but smile. You smile, "Oh such a gentleman," and turn to walk to the balcony. While walking, you could feel Neymar's eyes on your rear, so you move one hand behind your back and stick up your middle finger. 

Let the games begin, Neymar thinks to himself.

You and Neymar begin with straightforward poses while switching between several hues of the garments you were to market for the brand. Ney is first asked to sit on the edge of the bed by the photographer, who then instructs you to stand in front of him with one hand on his shoulder and the other reaching for the camera. Neymar gently places his hands on your waist as you two exchange confident looks. The photographer then instructs you both to lie down on the bed side by side with your knees crossed at the ankles and your heads supported by your hands. Ney comes out to shake your hand, and you do so while giving him a loving and secure expression. Of course you snuck in a few looks of displeasure here and there, and Neymar never took his smug expression off his face. 

The photographer also wanted pictures from the balcony. You are currently dressed in black underwear with a lace garter, and you can almost feel Neymar's eyes fixated on you.

The photographer instructs you to strike a pose outside on the balcony, with the lovely night sky and city lights behind you. You start with a basic standing pose, with one foot slightly in front of the other, and your arms resting gently at your sides.

Neymar approaches and stands behind you, and the photographer instructs you both to turn towards each other, one hand on your lower back and the other on Neymar's chest. Neymar grins down at you as you bite your lower lip. Neymar leans down to whisper in your ear as the camera starts to take pictures. You look at the camera and wink to make it seem like another natural pose so the photographer didn't speculate. “How could I not crave someone as gorgeous as you when you look at me like that?” You would be lying if you said you did not feel anything at that moment, and you hated that. You could feel your body temperature rising despite the minimal clothing you are wearing. As the photographer removes the camera from his eye to look at the pictures, you glare at Ney, “Can't you just be quiet?” Neymar's eyes are filled with amusement, “Can you make me?” As soon as you are about to respond, the photographer says, “Okay let's take a few more shots! I need you two to look seductive, you two can look at eachother or the camera.” He explains causing you to nod your head. It's time for you to trade roles because Neymar wants to tease you all the time. You push Neymar down so he can sit in the balcony chair and bend over so you're eye level with him, peering seductively into his eyes. You scan him up and down, almost as if you're examining him. Neymar's jaw tightens as he examines your body, his eyes now able to catch more of your cleavage. “Perfect Y/N!,” the photographer yells as shots are taken. Neymar smirks as he realizes what you are doing. He stands up and moves closer to you after a few more camera flashes. As you put your palm on his chest and fix your gaze on his green eyes, you are entranced by the scene in front of you. You couldn't help but feel aggravated by the situation you find yourself in right now. Only a few inches separate you two, which makes you heat up more. It's difficult to determine if you are burning up out of desire or just from the heat. You know the answer to that though.  You want him to give in and completely fill the space between you two. You want to caress his lips, stroke his hair with your palm, and breathe in his fragrance.

You feel tension between you and just want to give in. You do something you would never have imagined wanting to do again as the camera flashes, surprising not just Neymar but also the photographer. 

You kiss him.

Although surprised, Neymar gives you a kiss right away. As soon as you understand what you've done, you swiftly move away from him and ask, "Are we done for the night now?," behaving as if nothing had occurred. The photographer nods enthusiastically while gazing at his camera and enjoying the image he just captured. Who wouldn't, really? You recently received a picture of a notorious futebol player and a well-known model kissing while displaying your logo. Neymar is ready to speak, reaching out to hold your hand, but you hurriedly leave the balcony and enter the guest room you were in before the transformation.

Once you enter the room and lift your hands over your head, still in shock at what you just accomplished. Why on earth would you kiss someone so attractive? He is a jerk who messed with your heart in the past…….he has grown into  a very attractive jerk who is very kissable though. 

You grumble as you realize that your mind is tricking you and that you are not in control of the situation. You sigh and start to gather the clothes you were wearing when you arrived at the shoot. You hear a knock at the door as you are gathering your clothing. You don't give it much thought because you assume it is either the assistant or the photographer. You shout "Come in!" so they can hear you. You assume that the door is locked because no one enters the space after you said they could. When you have your clothes in your possession, you go to the door to open it, but the person behind it opens it before you get to the door. When Neymar emerges from the door, you give him a confused expression. e closes the door and moves towards you, "Neymar wha-," your sentence is cut short as he takes you by the waist and pulls you in for another kiss. As his tongue prods your mouth, he grunts against your lips. You want to feel his body heat against yours, so you pull him closer to you by wrapping your arms around his neck- dropping your clothes. Only the sounds of the two of you kissing each other and labored breathing can be heard. After pulling away, you ask him, "Why do you do this to me?" while panting heavily. Neymar licks his lips and quietly pant, ”Y/N. I want to get into contact with you again.” You continue gazing mesmerized into his eyes, unsure of how to respond, so you remain silent. “I'll think about it..” You mumble because you are unsure about the solution. Neymar gives you a lovely smile while starting to sing horribly knowing that Bad Bunny is your favorite artist, "As Bad Bunny said,

Contigo tengo que apretar  (I need to be careful with you)

Y en la calle ando suelto    (And in the streets I run free)

Pero por ti me quito          (But for you I stay in)

Si tú me lo pide'              (If you ask for it)

Yo me porto bonito            (I'll behave myself)”

"Sai do meu quarto, Neymar (Get out of my room, Neymar,)" you say, laughing at his ridiculous attempt to serenade you. "Would you unblock me so I don't have to constantly check your profiles from my private account?," he asks, causing your eyebrows to raise, "What?" 

"Nothing just unblock me Bonita (Beautiful), ," he says, smiling and waving as he walks out of the room.

You sigh as you see him leave the room. You can't let yourself be caught in his trap once more. You can't believe he even got you to laugh and that you kissed him twice tonight. You start mentally reciting a list of 100 reasons why you should despise him in order to avoid unblocking him and maintain your distance.

Later that night, you eventually unblocked him.

[dakukabi]

Sir Palomides, Knight of the Round Table

Lancer Class, 4*

While the story of Tristan and Iseult is often seen purely as Tristan having an affair with his uncle, King Mark's, wife, there was but another party involved in this romantic scandal. That was Palomides, Iseult's original lover - although perhaps these feelings were one-sided from the very beginning. While Palomides was flooding her with gifts and singing her songs, Iseult's eyes turned towards the man she rescued from the cruel clutches of her uncle's poison... a mysterious individual known as Ramtrist. So began Palomides's eternal love-hate relationship with this man, who came to be revealed as none other than Tristan, the slayer of Iseult's uncle.

But that's a story for another day.

This Palomides has manifested imbued more so with his heroic side than his romantic one. While he may fight mostly for worship, he never forgets his kind side, helping those who are unable to help themselves. He's deeply loyal to those who have assisted him in the past, being willing to even lay down his own life for them. Yet, his smug attitude and overly competitive nature are off putting for some.

Another thing Palomides can never forget is his mission, one that extends far beyond his knighthood - he must slay the Questing Beast, as it was foretold. Only he can put a stop to it for good. This duty, too, extends to the Questing Beast - it must eternally do battle with Palomides, until it's stopped for good. Thus, it has broken out from its icy prison, bearing the scars from the battles it has been through with many great knights in the past, and roams the land once more.

These two fated enemies, however, cannot bring themselves to hate one another, to truly thirst for the other's demise. The Questing Beast accompanies Palomides in his manifestation, providing support in battle. Its ever-changing form makes it difficult to grasp its true nature, and according to Palomides, who can see under its fleshy disguise...

"You don't want to know what it actually looks like."

[michidafantasy]

Unrequited - Halsin x Tav x Astarion

My boyfriend gave me some major inspiration for a fluffy/angsty fic amongst Halsin, Tav, and Astarion. There is no pain quite worse than the feeling of an unrequited love.

I recommend listening to “I Can’t Make You Love Me” by Bonnie Raitt and “Landslide” by Fleetwood Mac for the extra feels.

She had been his savior in the gravest of times. The moment he laid eyes upon her, the Oak Father couldn’t save his heart from running towards her embracing grace.  Everything about this woman was an unstoppable force that stirred his still heart. No other woman had managed to have such an effect, despite the many adorned lovers that crossed his door.

Rescuing him, the Grove, the refugees…it sealed an ever-burning affection within his matured chest. He watched her as she danced and drank with her companions at the celebration, smiling to himself to see such innocence could still exist within even the most traumatized beings. Hope. She was the embodiment of pure, fascinating hope. An angel, if there ever was one.

She had approached him back then, a slight hint of flirtation within her tone as she took his overwhelmingly large palm to hers and spun in circles. The sparks he felt when those soft, rose-petal like fingers grazed his calloused hands sealed his fate. He wanted to take her into his arms, seal her away and protect her from the world. He had only met her, but his entire being screamed how she was everything he needed. He could envision them in a future of bliss.

He swore an oath to her that night, gently caressing her frame as the most delicate treasure he had. He would stay in her camp, guide and help her. Nothing, not even the hells clawing their way to the surface or the heavens crashing down, would stop him from protecting her.

Days turned into weeks. They shared many jokes as well as vulnerable moments. She was the purest form of ecstasy. Her kind nature laced with bits of sassiness when the time called for it. Her beauty was that to truly behold, and it didn’t go unnoticed.

Campire nights, Halsin found the saving grace of his world resting by the Pale Elf, his crimson eyes staring at her the exact same way he would stare at her when she had her head turned. The woman was oblivious to everyone’s affections towards her, but with Astarion, it was like gravity pulling her to him.  The crushing weight of it all was too hefty to not notice.

This man, completely the opposite from him, had something he could give her. Naturally, Halsin could do that as well, but there was something about the way the two looked at one another that was simply different.  She gave Astarion a look that she never gave him. A look of bliss, being at home.  There was a bond, an unbreakable one. This was something Halsin longed for, ached for. True love.

He fought desperately against his selfish urges for so long, biting onto his tongue. One night, he could hear the sweet sounds he wished so much to be of his name from her tongue, but it wasn’t. Astarion. He would never have her. She was never his.

Of course, the feeling of love still flooded his chest. Spilling over, he couldn’t contain it anymore. He had to tell her.

He was going to her tent, when he had noticed her holding her hands in Astarion’s. He could overhear the love confession. Invisible daggers pierced a core part of him that he didn’t even know had existed until her. As painful as the scene was to witness, his heart still yearned for her. Nothing she could ever do would make him turn from her, and this was solidified.

He simply made his was back to his tent, hopeful that maybe she would grant him a visit. Fortune be told, she did. Her smile beamed brighter than ever before. The flicker of love, hope circling within them churned his stomach in both dedication and pain. His smile faltered. She had noticed.

“Halsin?” Soft, breathy tones echoed in his ears. He could only gaze up at her, “You seem upset. Are you hurt?”

His lips curved into a half hearted smile, “One…could say that. Not physically. But- I do feel a sense of sorrow deep within my soul.”

Her head tilted as she sat before him, hands grasping his just as softly as ever. She never had to say many words, he could just simply tell what she wanted to say.

He continued on, softly speaking to her, tredding his words carefully, “I have taken many lovers in my time, my heart does not stir lightly…but now it does.”

The woman’s bright eyes formed surprise.

His words pushed forward with the unrequited confession, “However, I have seen the way Astarion has watched you. You are the most precious being that nature could ever bestow on this forsaken world, and he sees that just as much, if not more than I do. I see how you smile at his banter. Far be it from me to intrude on such a beautiful union. Nature had intended you both to find one another. As much as I cherish your companionship, and long for more than laughs by the fireside, I understand that your heart and soul belong to him.”

The words so moving that the young woman found herself shedding tears to which he quickly wiped away, “I do not say these things to persuade you from your true love, but I do think it’s fair for you to know my true heart for you. I will always, always have this feeling, and I will always stick by my oath to you. You’re too special to let this die. I just want you to have the best the world can offer.”

No words were exchanged further.  She had left his tent, making her way back to her love. A love he couldn’t be. Halsin watched longingly as he would build his walls back up. There truly wasn’t a worse pain than the unrequited love he now would call all too familiar.

[thewizardprincessau]

The Lover pauses, leaning on the curtain to stare at the princess in bemusement. “..Pardon?”

“Huh?” The princess seems confused at their own earlier statement and shakes their head as if trying to retract it. “What did I say? Ah, I didn’t mean to.. I mean, I meant it, but not like that–?! Er..” They draw their legs closer to themself and place a hand on their face in shame.

“You just..” they gesticulate awkwardly, gazing at the town so far below them. “...look.. Really happy. Talking about him, your.. Life. Together..” They let out a strained laugh as they gesture outwards with their hands. “Then– Marriage? Me? Hah, that’s… well, you did it, right? Against all odds. And– congratulations, by the way. Have I said that yet? It’s just.. ahh, you’re not me, so.. Well, you are.. um…”

The Lover lets out a small hum listening to the poor princess spiral into their own thoughts. “You’re only 24, darling. It isn’t impossible. A lot can happen in six years, you know.”

The princess brings their hands down to wring them together absentmindedly, not sure how to retort that. “I.. suppose that’s true…”

The two sit together in heavy silence. The Lover watches as the princess fidgets with their scarred hands, and they think about what made them so similar that The Lover couldn’t help but feel their heart ache for the young royal. Here they were, a dancer and a princess both doomed to eternal hunger. They’ve lived their lives under public scrutiny, flowing through society with expertly crafted words and smiles. But while they themself never lost hope for love, the princess seems to already be resigned to their loveless fate. Something about that frustrates The Lover, but they don’t let it show.

But who could blame the princess, really? When you know destiny has fated you with someone across worlds, how could you ever love another? Who could say that the two will even meet in this life? Will they just have to watch this poor royal force themself into a union they don’t want? To appease this world that’s done nothing but hurt them? Perhaps that was what they were trying to communicate earlier. What a damning predicament. As romantic as the premise of having a “soulmate” is, being hyper-aware of the fact is extremely soul-crushing. And not knowing where they are, or if you'll ever even cross paths.. no, it pains them too much to think about.

The princess pipes up again, soft enough that The Lover would have missed it if they weren’t staring at their pitiful solemn face. “It’d just be nice to, to.. To look like you. One day. Maybe.”

The Lover directs their gaze to the kingdom below them. Little lights pour out of little houses, sheltering the little people the princess has devoted their life to. They don’t quite understand their altruism; of course, it is their responsibility to care for their subjects, but to this extent? To permanently scar the only body they have, to sacrifice their happiness for a world that doesn’t care? There’s a twitch in their heart. A strange melancholic understanding that gnaws at their chest, leaving a gaping nothing and everything in its place.

Be selfish, just this once, they want to beg. But they sigh instead.

“You live in the reality you choose to create, princess.”

“The one I choose to create..” 

That seems to have struck a chord with them. Their face lights up a bit as they start to sit with better posture, the way they’re about to open their mouth indicating another flood of excited rambles and ideas to come. The Lover exhales a breath through their nose, endeared by how easily the princess jumps from one thought to another. 

“Do you think I’ll ever meet him?”

“I hope so.”

“Ooh, what if he’s actually a noble, too! That would be perfect, huh?”

“It would be.”

“What do you think he’ll be like? Nice, sweet..”

The Lover fidgets with their locket. “He always is.”

“Always? Really?” The princess smiles brightly, pressing a hand to their chest. “Then I’ll be even sweeter! To sweep him off his feet! Do you think he’ll like that?”

“Being swept off your feet by a princess would be anyone’s dream, dear. Noble or not.”

“Ahh, that’s true, isn’t it…” A bashfulness overcomes the princess’ face as they rest some fingers on their cheek, getting lost in their own daydreams. The Lover can’t help the gentle smile that spreads across their face seeing the princess’ mood improve. They’ve had strange bouts of sadness and doubt before, but The Lover was never the one around to deal with those. It felt strangely comforting to have been the one to catch them tonight. They don’t mean to degrade the other inhabitants of the princess’ mind, but they really are the most well-equipped to be able to handle this topic. They’re dressed like this for a reason, right?

They’re snapped out of their thoughts when they see the princess smiling at them silently. Did they start making some kind of embarrassing face? How humiliating.. They’re about to avoid their gaze when they notice just how the princess is staring at them. They’re still lost in their own head, taking in the appearance of this alternate version of themself in full. Admiring the little details of their gown, watching the way their veil flows in the evening wind, trying to catch a glimpse of the ring on The Lover’s obscured hand. Their earlier smile fades into a more neutral, contemplative expression. There was a lot going on in their head, The Lover could tell. They’re used to dealing with and easing a busy mind; they married one, after all. But what do you do when the mind is so much like your own?

The Lover reaches their left hand out to them, and the princess takes it without thought. They can feel every nick and scar on the royal’s hand, the same roughness in their palms meeting. The princess looks to be deep in thought, watching their joined hands without making a single sound as one of their fingers rests on the gold ring on The Lover’s finger. They slowly trace over its smallest of details with a somber, yearning, yet hopeful look in their eyes. Without uttering a single word, The Lover understands the princess.

Breaking from the contact, The Lover brings another hand up to slide the ring off their finger, placing it in the princess’ still open palm. They gaze up at them, caring eyes meeting confused ones. They gently push the royal’s fingers inward, securing the jewelry in their closed hand. They can feel the princess tightening their grip on it ever so slightly as The Lover encases their hand in both of theirs delicately. The words that fall out of their mouth do so without second thought, but they mean every word of it.

“Please.. Never give up on your own happiness, too.”

And the princess wakes up alone, in bed, and with a curled fist.

[nonobadcat]

Afo on valentine with pregnant reader maybe if your ok with requests 🥺

Whoot! Finally had time to sit down and work on this! ❤️

I think the answer of how AFO would be with a pregnant lover depends on which country's Valentines Day we're talking about. In western style countries I'm sure there would be wining and dining but, since BNHA is set in Japan, I decided to go with a Japanese style holiday.

In Japan, women are expected to be the predominate provided of the holiday. This turns around on White Day in March when the men return the favor with gifts. There are several types of chocolate for Valentine's day: Giri (obligation), Honmei (true love: sounds suspiciously like homemade), Tomo (friends), Jibun (I bought for myself), and Fami (family). There are also reports of Gyaku (man to woman gifted) chocolate, but I get the impression most guys just wait for White Day.

All For One x Pregnant Reader Valentine's Day

Puffy coat lapels clutched tight to your neck, you dodged past yet another line snaking out from the tidy, pink and red mottled store fronts of the Roppongi Hills shopping center. Banners and LED adverts flashed limited edition everything from gold foiled chocolate truffles to "lovey dovey" rice crackers. Even Kitty Diamond, the slick, luxury pet shop, had swapped their usual clean, white window display for a flood pastels hearts. The mournful amber eyes of the plush Persian kittens for sale looked like a glowing sunset against their coral colored collars.

Squinting against the ferocious February wind, you stuffed the straps of your canvas bag into your armpit and braced the package tight against your chest. Out past the rose garden, you trudged down the sloping sidewalks towards the south entrance of Roppongi Station. As you passed L'Atelier du Pain, the French bakery, the odor of buttery baked goods made your bulging belly flutter. You groaned and patted your stomach.

"I told you at the first store, it's no good. I'm pretty sure that anything that smells that nice isn't on that troll doctor's 'recommended diet' list." You rolled your eyes. "Though I think his obsessing over my nutrient balance is going to give me higher blood pressure than any amount of potato chips."

When you reached the sparkling glass and rosy brass front of the luxury high rise, the doorman nearly tripped over himself to greet you. A nervously mumbled "welcome back" accompanied by averted eyes left you scowling. Clearly, someone had gotten short with the staff for "looking too long", again.

Honestly. You assumed, at first, that being visibly pregnant with his child would make the ever possessive Shigaraki feel more secure. However, even since seeing those two pink lines, your husband seemed more territorial than ever. Seeing the security guard's face almost made you want to extend your outing just to get away from the stifling apartment a little while longer. However, the throb of your swollen feet reminded you what a stupid idea that was.

Knowing that any further contact would make things worse, you strolled past the man and headed straight to the elevator. The sound of your annoyed toe tapping on the glossy, granite was your only companion. The glowing numbers crawled up floor by floor until they halted at the penthouse suite. With the tinny ding, you waddled off the lift and leaned against the creamy canvas wallpaper just beside your sumptuous, high rise flat.

Setting your purchase on polished, glittering tiles, you finished deep into your purse for your key. Your bag caught the edge the limited release vase on the hall table. You gasped. Lunging forward, your grabbed its lip before it could tumble to the floor. Heart pounding, you straightened the fresh flowers. Looking at the hasty arrangement made you purse your lips. No good. Compared to the perfectly crafted ikebana that usually sat outside the door, your efforts were a mess.

"Oh well," you sighed, turning back to the task at hand. "Not like it matters."

After all, one of his followers put a fresh arrangement in it every day.

You pressed your finger to the biometric scanner before turning the tumblers. The door slipped open on smooth hinges. As you balanced the load against your hip, a pink and white tag, decorated with a rolly polly infant, danged from your purse. Just as you leaned for the other bag, a large hand grasped your shoulder.

"I'll get that."

Without looking up, you shook your head at the owner of the smooth baritone and groped for your purchase "You're fussing again."

Shigaraki's pale fingers plucked the bag from the floor, hoisting it high over your head with a grin one tooth too wide to be kind. "You enjoy a little fussing," he teased, letting the goods swing from his pointer.

You reached out, snatching at your purchase. He sneered before raising it five centimeters beyond your finger tips. As you rocked onto the balls of your feet, straining for the handles, he leaned back, letting the bag bounce off his massive shoulder.

"Give it back!"

He chuckled, rocking it back and forth in the hanging air. "Why? It's for me isn't it?"

"For tonight! Not now!" Carefully shuffling sore breasts aside, you crossed your arms and grumbled. "Patience is not your virtue, is it?"

A massive palm engulfed your head, patting it twice before rubbing small circles at the edge of your scalp. "And following instructions is not yours." He nodded to the window at the end of the hall. A gust of wind rattled the pane. "I distinctly recall The Doctor telling you not to strain yourself this late in the pregnancy."

You pried his hand off your head and huffed. "A few block walk is hardly straining myself."

"In the cold and up hill?"

"It's 10C and I'm wearing a down jacket."

Red eyes narrowed. "With the zipper open."

You rolled your eyes. "...and who's fault is it that I've gained 10kgs?"

As a thick tongue darted out to wet his lips, your husband rested his hand on the shelf of your stomach. "It looks good on you."

Embarrassed heat flushed your cheeks. "Pervert," you spat, shouldering past him.

Planting your purse on the wall hook, you peeled off your coat and dropped it along side your bag. Braced one arm against the wall, you curled your finger inside your heel before tugged off your shoes. As you stepped from the gekkan onto the main floor, thick arms shoved themselves under your knees. Wide eyes looked up into a blinding, fanged grin.

"What sweets did my darling Valentine bring me?"

You gulped. "M-malted chocolate whiskey cake."

"Whiskey?" Crimson delight danced below long white lashes as he kicked the front door shut. "Not planning to share with me then?"

You raised an eye brow. "The All For One? Sharing with others?" With a shrug, you laid your head upon his shoulder and prodded his chest. "Seems a bit out of character for you."

Warm breath fanned across your neck. "Then what were you hoping for, my dear?" the devil whispered in your ear.

You faked a pout, but it was tainted by the coy grin tugging at your cheeks. Sultry promise coiling into every word, you loosened the next button from his open oxford. Chiseled pecs drifted into view as your stroked one finger down his sternum. His skin burned like hellfire.

"Have your cake and eat it too?"

Your heart fluttered as a low chuckle reverberated in his chest. You yelped at naughty nip at your ear lobe as his hands slide slowly up your thighs. Long fingers found the hem of your pants, tugging at the button.

"Oh," he groaned, nuzzling your scalp with his tall nose. "I think I can manage that."

Fun fact: That cake did exist Valentine's day 2023: Bricolage Bread & Co - ¥5,200

[nuntia]

I would really love to see Papa II's letter to his departed love in your performance... You do it so delightfully...

Secondo, having been retired for a long time, writes another letter to his beloved, with whom he spent quite a long period of his life. But, she left him and this world before he did. And he will never send this letter, again. But it's okay, it's okay, Secondo is already old, and the new Papa is coping well with his duties. They will be together again.

Wait for me

His Eminente Papa Emeritus II & Sibling of Sin (reader)

Preface: Papa Secondo loved. Loved madly, even when all he had left was nostalgia and the eagerness to one day see again who had taken his heart.

[SECRETS FROM THE CLERGY]

His Eminence had a lover with whom he shared decades of his life in a relationship of mutual respect, support and admiration. Fate was not kind, however, and the letters that never left his bedroom were the only ways he expressed his feelings for this late love.

It was also in the chaotic mess of the Ministry's refurbishments that I found this letter coming from His Eminence Papa Secondo II's bedroom. Fortunately, I found this before everything is packed into crates that will be stored in the basement of the abbey!

Get the tissues.

----

My dear, eternal love,

I'm writing to you once again because I feel that only you can help me. Remind me: on what day did I see Reina stand up in front of me? I ask you because that day never leaves my mind: it was on that day that I knew for sure that my love for you was destined to last forever, she told me so herself: "You have a love like mine..." ¹

I don't remember the day because there's something that occupies my ability to go back far enough in time for the exact numbers: to have a love like hers. At the time, I thought her words referred to a fiery, resilient, against-the-rules, persistent and true love like the one she had with il Re ² in life, which only proved to be more honest and mad after death and two hearts in bloody fists.

However, she knew something I didn't and couldn't know until the day that consumes all my sleep, that took part of me so far away that the life I lead sometimes no longer makes sense.

You left me without warning. You left this world without your lovely and irreplaceable presence, without the knowledge that they would be the last words, the last look, the last touch.

The worst part of all this, mistress of my heart, body, mind and soul, is the memory of the moment I felt my chest tighten when I let you go from my arms.

You smiled at me, squeezed my biceps through the sleeves of my shirt, gave my lips a kiss that tore into another wide smile as you said you loved me with the movement of your lips so close to mine, and pulled away. An inexplicable anguish seized my chest, flooded my eyes with tears.

You looked at me again with that beautiful smile of yours and I just wanted to cry.

When you stepped back to pick up your suitcase, your features so delicate and smooth in their movement, I felt the urge to hug you once more.

I didn't, because goodbyes had already happened dozens of times and this would be just one more. I had work to be done as a cardinal, and so did you. But if you only knew how much I regret not holding you and never letting go...

I'm not a king to make you queen. Nor am I His Majesty Papa Emeritus to make you Most Reverend Prime Mover of Emeritus II. And I'm no longer His Eminence Papa Emeritus II—a title we dreamt of together, but you never even got to see me ascend—to keep your name in the Dark Masses as a whisper amongst everyone.

And nobody will know about this letter, like so many others, which will be so well guarded that only when this imposing stone crumbles will they be unveiled.

Perhaps it's just as well. Our love remains between us, between those who saw us love, those who heard us love and the confidences of black ink letters smeared in tears and blood.

"You will love for no long time," said the Queen. But she also said that I had a love like hers. Her love will last until eternity. And so will ours.

I'm old. My brother has taken on the Papacy with devotion and dedication, winning hearts all over the world, raising our name to important appointments in the world of music.

Soon I'll be with you again, my love. I'll meet you with open arms. Embrace you, ravish you with my lips and merge us into one. I'll listen to everything you have to tell me, what have taken you from me; and then I'll tell you my life, but in time, we'll have a whole eternity to ourselves.

Wait for me, please. Wait for me. Wait for me. I'm on my way.

Whose heart, body and soul you have,

Second Emeritus

— Letter dated February 2018, written by His Eminence Papa Emeritus II to a Sibling of Sin

° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° °

¹ Part of a Journal from around 80's/90's. You can find it in here

² Ignez de Castro, allegedly the birth name of Her Majesty Zombie Queen, was mistress of the Portuguese king D. Pedro I. They secretly got married in 1554. You can read more about it in here

I apologize for the delay in responding to the request, life has been busy.

I do not have much information about the Sibling of Sin Papa wrote to, Years passed and the only thing known is that they had an admirable romance until the 90s, when tragedy struck and Sibling never returned to His Eminence's arms.

He was also never open about talking about the loss. Little is known about the melancholy that led him to leave Emeritus Abbey for a few months. I think it was through the letters that he expressed his true feelings, but these were never sent nor, apparently, read by anyone.

One thing is certain that now His Eminence and his beloved are together once again. May they have the love they desire.

May the Lord Below guide you into the night,

Nuntia