#anyway its getting better. i dont think its visible on my face anymore. it's calming down on my neck and arms but is still very visible

[the-meme-monarch]

i don't want to show pictures of my Skin Affliction bc idk that feels a step too icky. too uh. reverse parasocial? to share that. i showed my x-ray of my teeth bc you couldn't identify me based on that (and also I worry people think I'm lying) but my Skin you Could and preventing getting Stalked irl takes precedence over potentially not being believed over an amoxicillin rash of all things why would I lie about this it sucks . but fun fact I have a birthmark on the back of my head that is just pink blotching and this looks just like that but if it were all over the rest of me

[glitxhwayventeen]

Lonely Together

Jihoon: Chapter 2 (Dark Side)

Characters: Jihoon x female reader

Genre/Warnings: multi-member au (different scenarios), werewolf au, fantasy, angst, fluff, potential blood mentions, genocide, runaways, health issue mentions, weapon mentions, panic attack description? (Though honestly it’s more of an anxiety attack), death mentions, child abandonment mentions. Any others will be put as warnings when future chapters are thought up/written.

Author’s Note: I recommend listening to Dark Side by R5. I thought the actual lyrics to the song gave off a solid vibe that I wanted to transfer to the start of this particular chapter.

Please remember that all of these chapters and the content within them are a work of fiction! They’re just for fun/entertainment!

Bold= Dialogue Italics= Thoughts

🥀 & ☁️

Lonely Together Master List

Chapter 2: Dark Side

When you woke up this morning, you had the sweet scent of Vanilla and honey hit your nose. It was warm and inviting and made you feel safe. You were glad, normally you’d never feel safe in the wild. The pack helped a lot with that issue. But when you woke up today, you noticed that you had woken up to a quiet house. Which was… strange to say the least. There was always some sort of ruckus going on downstairs in the early hours. So you figured you’d go investigate cautiously, in case something had happened. You grabbed your thigh garter belt with your knives attached before you quietly made your way down the stairs. You saw and heard no one. Nothing was wrong or out of place. Everyone was just… gone. But why?

“Boy, you come prepared don’t you?” A male voice said from the stairs, causing you to jolt back in surprise, automatically drawing your knife from its holster on sheer instinct, ready to release it at any given moment.

You relaxed and placed it back to your thigh as you realized it was just Jihoon, one of the less spoken wolves of the pack.

He was only a few inches taller than you, but you were still incredibly intimidated by him. You weren’t sure why all the others were terrified to piss him off, even the alphas, but you were never worried he’d get mad at you. Which was weird, you were always skeptical of everyone, it was just in your nature as a rogue wolf.

However, with him, it wasn’t horror that overtook your veins, it was nervousness. Like you had some sort of school girl crush on him and you were worried you’d mess something up in front of him and die from the embarrassment of it. But why? Why would you care what some rando wolf would think of you when you’d probably be leaving in a bit when your wounds were healed better?

“Jesus Jihoon! You know I could’ve killed you right? Didn’t your parents ever tell you not to fuck with a bitch with knives?” You huffed out in annoyance while slapping you hands over your face, praying that he hadn’t seen your cherry red cheeks yet.

Of course he had though. He never took his eyes off of you whenever you were in a room. You were just too zoned off to notice

“Uh no… Not really. Never had them so they didn’t teach me shit. Not that any of that matters. We both know you’d never hurt anyone if you could help it.” He shrugged, nudging past you to make his way to the fridge for a bite to eat with a small smile pasted on his glorious lips. God he annoyed you.

“You don’t know that. I always come prepared, I could be a serial killer for all any of you know” you cooly threw his way as you let your guard down slightly, for some reason trusting him enough to have a semi civilized conversation alone.

“Yeah yeah you’re a little vicious killer. Whatever you say kid” He laughed out, trying to keep his amusement in check at your quick replies.

You gritted your teeth, “Hey I am not a kid! I’m centuries old! MUCH older than you.” You smugly responded to his bitch ass nickname for you.

Jihoon looked you up and down for a second, making you a bit self conscious and spreading a heat down to your lower belly, “You don’t look older than me. Matter of fact, you look like the youngest one here. So I’m gonna keep calling you kid, kid.” He leaned in close to you and whispered seductively in your ear.

“Where- where is everyone?” You stuttered out, trying your best not to focus on the minimal contact Jihoon had made with your shoulder while brushing past you moments ago. Curse your dumb instincts. Why did you have to find him attractive? Couldn’t your wolf side ever just stay in check?

“The market? No, to Taeyong’s? Maybe it was to the river? I dont know by the time they left it didn’t seem like they even knew where they were going so I stopped listening.” He answered while taking a bit of an apple he had snagged from the fruit basket on the counter.

“W-why didn’t you go with them?” You questioned him as you tried your best to avoid his piercing gaze.

“Didn’t feel like third wheeling a bunch of mated coupled wolves.” He shrugged once more while sitting himself on the kitchen table you were next to, “Plus, someone needed to stay here and keep an eye on the house.”

“I would’ve been here.” You chimed in, as if he would’ve ever seriously left you alone.

Whether you were a Werewolf or not, he was NOT gonna leave you without some sort of safety net if he could help it. If he had it his way, you wouldn’t even go down to the market with the other mates when supplies were needed. He knew you could handle yourself as a fellow wolf, and he knew you were the best to go because you weren’t marked yet, but he was worried for you.

You definitely had people looking at you because of your different appearance. You were drop dead gorgeous to anyone with eyes, and that greatly concerned him every-time you went out shopping. He may have been more of a lone wolf, but he wanted to protect you at all cost, even if you didn’t realize that’s what he was doing yet.

“Doesn’t count. You’re a FANCY werewolf, remember?” He emphasized the word fancy in a condescending way that irked your nerves all the way to your core.

“We don’t know what you can do yet. Besides, you act like I’d actually want to go watch them make goo goo eyes at each other all day long. Seeing them cuddle and dry hump the whole time we’re doing something isn’t my idea of fun. I’d rather be here and enjoy the peace and quiet while I can.” He said as he tossed the remains of his apple in the garbage can in one swift motion.

“I can do everything you guys can and more!” You defended yourself, getting a bit frustrated at the younger wolf for doubting your abilities.

“Then prove it. Do something… super wolfy” he chuckled out, half jokingly and half seriously in what a normal person would recognize as a flirty manner.

He hadn’t had too many girlfriends. His experience with girls was limited compared to his brothers. So sticking to his sarcastic edgy tone was the only way he knew how to engage with you.

He was curious as to what your powers entailed anyways. They all were, none of them had met a wolf like you before. All the wolves they knew were modern, and the only seriously powerful wolf they knew was from a Chinese pack that had fled to their area who could communicate with heaven, hell, and the nether realms. They had heard stories that had been passed down for some generations about what wolves were like long ago, but none of it was confirmed because nearly all had been killed or died off. So they wanted to see if you could actually do all the things from the legends they heard about your people. For all they knew, you could fly.

You hesitated for a moment, trying your best to think of something, anything that you could do that would shut him up and prove your point. But everything you thought of required you to be much stronger than you currently were. None of the visible powers you had were working right now due to the small amount of silver still running through your system. Even if you were working at full strength and weren’t hurt, you had never been able to use your powers to their full extent do to something having been wrong with you since birth.

“… I- I cant.” You sighed in defeat while bringing your head down to look at your hands.

“Why not?” He wondered aloud, not even really meaning to tease you, he just let the innocent question slip from his lips without thinking.

“Because I got hurt and I have no way to get better! My entire pack is dead! Everyone I love is dead! I don’t have a mate! I need some sort of connection to the people around me to heal faster and I don’t have one anymore! I need one or the other to have my powers come back this quickly after such a traumatic incident and I have neither! I’m fucked up and I’ve been fucked up for a long time okay!” You snapped, your eyes now bleeding and turning emerald green from anger as you yelled at him.

Once you saw his confused and remorseful expression, you quickly closed your eyes and turned around to try and calm down. You didn’t mean to go after him like that, but you were already very worried about your own health not coming back and the taunting tone in his voice just made you break. You could feel the hurt in his heart. It made you want to cry, you didn’t mean to yell at him. You were just a very touchy person who had been asked about a very touchy subject.

“I- I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to get upset. I just- I’m concerned for myself and this conversation… well it made the concerns I already had skyrocket. But that’s not your fault. You would’ve had no way of knowing that. I apologize for getting mad at you over something so childish.” You earnestly said, trying your best to look him in the eyes without blushing from embarrassment.

He quickly moved his head down to look at his lap. He understood your pain. He could feel it everyday. You were his mate, he already did have a connection to you. He knew when you were sad or hurt or worried. He knew that you weren’t just in physical pain, but emotional pain as well. He wished he could take it all away from you so you never felt a negative feeling again. But he just couldn’t. Though, he was upset at himself for making it worse for you. Why did he always have to try and stir the pot? Couldn’t he just leave well enough alone? Couldn’t he just be cool around you and know when to stop?

“It’s okay. I… I understand what it’s like. To not have anyone I mean. I didn’t realize that you actually had to have those things in order to heal better though. With wolves now, we don’t necessarily have to have those things. I mean having them helps, but we get better eventually anyways as long as we get the wound cleaned properly. I didn’t know it was different for you...” He bit his lip as he continued, “But you know, our pack can be your pack, if you want anyway. There’s an opening for another ticking time bomb now that Chan’s found a mate. You’d be perfect for the job” he joked, though you could tell he was serious at the offer for you to join the pack.

“Yeah… how much does it pay an hour?” You played along, trying to lighten the mood from the tension you had made appear due to your little anger outburst.

You hurriedly propped yourself up on the table next to Jihoon, who gave you a small smile in return. It gave you goosebumps all over your skin. So you were thankful you had grabbed a large sweater the pack had given you before you went downstairs this morning.

You were given a bunch of them. They made you feel safe, and you loved the way they smelt. So when the other mates apologized and said they didn’t have many ‘girly clothing items’ to give you as getting clothing was sparse at the moment, you didn’t complain. You were perfectly content with your bigger clothing.

When you sat up on the table, you smelt the same scent of vanilla and honeysuckle that you nostrils had been absorbing from the clothing given to you…

“Not a lot.” Jihoon confessed, “we only offer housing, protection, and being around people who would do anything for you. But honestly, you could do a lot worse in terms of a career.” He bit his lip once more, the action drawing a small pur from your chest, which you tried to cover with a small cough. Of course he still caught the sound though. You weren’t even sure why looking at him made you that happy. The sound made Jihoon swoon, he loved that he already had such an impact on you.

“Of course there’s also some downside like with all jobs… like having to constantly break up fights, having a complete jackass for a mate, and well… you know… sharing bathrooms…” he trailed on, rubbing his neck while he attempted to make it seem like the middle part was casual.

“Wait! A complete WHAT for a WHO and WHERE was I???” You all but yell out in shock, making Jihoon wince.

He couldn’t tell if you were upset that he’d just burst it out like that. He honestly couldn’t even tell if you knew you were his mate or not. He didn’t know if you WANTED a mate or not. From what he knew of you, you usually stayed away from people unless you had to be around them. You told the others that staying alone is how you’d survived all these centuries. But Would you make an exception to your rules for survival to stay with him?

“Uh… yeah. A mate. That would- that would be me. I’m your mate…” He whispered, attempting as best as he could to regain control of his heartbeat that was now almost pounding out of his chest.

That’s when it all clicked in your head. Why they let you eat first with the mates, with the OTHER mates. You were one of them. It’s why they found you when you needed help, he must’ve felt you were in danger. It’s why you didn’t die that day even though your wounds would’ve been normally fatal even to you, because he was near you and never left your side. It’s why you weren’t scared of him like everyone else, you knew he’d never hurt you because he loved you. It’s why the pack always giggled anytime you and Jihoon would get near each other. It’s why the smell on your sweaters and his smell were so familiar, he gave them to you because you were his. You two were mates. It all made sense.

“We’re- we’re mates?” You reaffirmed out loud, but you started to feel dizzy. You weren’t sure what was happening.

Everything was going too fast, it felt like you were moving in slow motion but the entire world was spinning as fast as it could around you. The edges of your vision started becoming fuzzy and dark. You started to feel like you were going to pass out, but before you could fall flat on your face to the floor, Jihoon caught your fragile body in his arms.

“Yes. We are. I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you earlier, but I wanted to give you some time to adjust to being around normal people before I told you.” He assured you as he started moving towards the stairs, bringing you to his room and setting you down on his bed. He was incredibly worried for you, he could hear your heart rate slowing by the second.

“You might need to lay down. You don’t look well” he spoke softly as he held the back of one of his larger hands to your clammy forehead.

“Yeah… okay… rest… that makes sense… I’m sorry I- I just wasn’t expecting-” You tried to say as you start to give into the panicking darkness, not wanting to fight the urge to black out anymore.

“It’s okay. It’s a lot to take in. Just try and sleep okay?” He shushed you as he moved his blankets over your petite form, hesitant to touch you as he didn’t want to make matters worse. But his inner wolf was screaming at him to hold you and rock you to help you.

Everything you had heard about Jihoon told you he wasn’t someone who could have a relationship. All the others always talked about him wanting no one around him ever. They called him a grumpy old rogue wolf who miraculously got stuck in their pack. They said that He did things his own way. He did things alone. So did you.

“Jihoon, how the hell are we supposed to be together when we’re both lone wolves?” You whimpered out to him before everything went dark.

Another Author’s Note: alright so you guys know the drill. I wrote this close to midnight and I’m too tired to care about revising rn. So i shall look at it and fix any mistakes tomorrow when I get the time. Tomorrow I don’t think I’ll be praying more than once. Sorry, I’m working a doubt shift. But Wednesday I’m hoping to post three times! Here’s to hoping!

(Updated 9/6)

[the-writing-dump-bin]

Jotaro dating a city pop idol s/o! She trying to keep her dating life hidden from the public so she won't get in trouble & apologize to all her fans publicly & will get hated on. She's so scared that while laying in the bed talking about their future together, she starts to cry about the whole "she shouldn't be dating because she's an idol" situation. She's also really terrified about what would happen to jotaro if she gets caught. (Sorry if this confusing kkkkkk don't really know english)

Aye, all good! I'm not gonna lie, this was a challenge for me. I'm very thankful for your request to give me something new to write about! I really hope this was okay. I'm sorry its short, its all I could come up with. If you dont like it, I could try again for you.

You thought you had everything you wanted; living your dream and being adored by many fans around the country. But that was before you met Jotaro Kujo.

Six months ago, you were headlining a special event put on by the city and were to perform in front of thousands at your feet. The event went all day, and earlier, before you were to appear on stage, another act played a set of jazz music.

Standing off to the side, behind a curtain, you watched them play their set. They were really good and without you knowing, your body started swinging to the beat.

"You like their music?" A growly voice said behind you.

Freezing from being caught, you turned your head to look behind you. He was tall, very tall. His turquoise eyes looked down at you, face neutral from any expression. "Erm... Um... Yeah. It's really catchy." He loomed behind you quietly as he watched as well. Getting uncomfortable by the silence, you asked if he liked the band as well.

He shurgged. "Yeah. They're alright. One of the members is my father. I dont usually go to his shows but I had nothing better to do today."

That would explain how he was backstage. "Oh, that's cool."

For the rest of the day until you had to prepare for your show, you spent time with him; chatting and getting to know one another. Eventually, that started to become something a little bit more.

For months, you and Jotaro had been skirting around with your relationship. Hiding it from the public eye of your fans and managers. It had seemed to be going good, dispite Jotaro complaining every so often on how you shouldn't hide everything about yourself. But that changed when the two of you were cuddling on the couch one afternoon and a tabloid tv show came on.

IS Y/N DATING?!

The headline said under a picture of you.

It felt like you had been hit by a bus; the air completely taken out of your lungs. You couldn't speak as you stared at the tv and listened to what they had to say.

"Does Y/N, a beloved idol, have a boyfriend? Signs are pointing to 'yes' after this picture of her and this strange man had surface a few days ago."

Posting the picture on the screen, you seen it was from the other day when the two of you were shopping in a little town, away from everybody; or so you thought. Starting to cry, you rushed to your room and slammed the door.

---

Twenty minutes later, Jotaro slowly pushed the door open to see you laying on the bed with your face buried into the pillow. The bed springs creaked under his weight as he laid next to you. He didn't say anything.

Until you calmed a little, you pulled your head up so half of your face was visible. "Was this a mistake, Jotaro?" You sniffed back tears. "I was told I couldn't date, let alone fall in love, but I did it anyway."

Jotaro crossed his arms. "Do you really think that the last six months were a mistake? You're going to let something like this ruin your life?"

Although he was supportive in your profession, he wasn't happy about hiding the love you two shared. He cared and thought about you every single day and wanted more time to spend with you.

Crying again, you asked "And what would happen to you? I'm scared of what could happen to you if we keep seeing each other."

"I highly doubt anything will happen to me. If anything, whoever tries to come between you and me should be scared of what I'll do to them." He rolled onto his side to face you, stroking your head in a calming way. "I want to be with you for who you are. But if your status is what's more important... Then I understand."

Your head shot up when you heard the break in his voice. He was prepared to let you go for the sake of your career. Heart breaking, you moved and wrapped your arms around his large, muscular frame. "Jotaro... I want to be with you. I love you so much. I thought I had always wanted this lifestyle, but that was before I met you. You've shown me true happiness since we've been together and I-I want to keep that happiness."

Steeling your nerves, you knew what you had to do.

---

"Shocking entertainment news today!" The lady on the tv said. "After rumors and photos had surfaced of famous idol, Y/N, with what seemed to be her boyfriend, has announced that she is leaving the idol lifestyle!"

The decision to quit being an idol was bitter sweet. It was something you had thought about being since you were a little girl. You worked hard day in and day out, thinking it was the way you wanted to live your life. But after finding love with Jotaro, you knew you couldn't live that way anymore.

You had sent out a letter to your fans, apologizing to those who were loyal and could understand your decision. With that, came some hatred towards you. There were a lot that had commented saying really hurtful things towards you and Jotaro.

But they didn't understand. How could they? They didn't know what you went through throughout your career. And they didn't know how happy you were now that you had a wonderful man in your life. If you didn't do this, your future with Jotaro Kujo would vanish into thin air and you would be left with wondering 'what if'.

"Hey, Y/N!" Jotaro called you.

Looking up from your phone, you saw Jotaro smile and wave you to come over. Smiling yourself, you pushed your way through the crowd of people to him.

"Are you ready to go?"

Taking a deep breath, you nodded and followed him to board an airplane; the two of you were heading out of the country. You had been on small, secret dates the last few months. But now that you were free, he wanted to take you somewhere special and give you a real date.

"Jotaro..." You grabbed his hand and leaned against his arm, a tear fell from your eye. "Thank you."

[robertisbisexual]

horita prompt: will gets his memory, paul gets scared, will chooses him anyway

It’s on a otherwise boring Tuesday that Paul’s world falls apart. He probably should have known better than to be hopeful - even if the last couple months had been some of the best of his life - and he certainly knows he shouldn’t have let himself go and fall in love again. He most definitely knew he shouldn’t have fallen in love with Will Horton but Paul tended to lead with his heart and not his head and so it happened anyways.

But even knowing all of that none of it makes hearing Adrienne excitedly telling Justin how wonderful it is that Will’s got his memory back any easier and it certainly doesn’t make the view through the window of Sonny and Will kissing hurt less. But Paul’s already begged someone to love him once and he doesn’t think he can do it a second time. So he leaves the roses, gas station bought and a running joke between them, on a table in the square. Maybe someone else will find a use for them, he doesn’t seem to need them anymore.

It’s an pretty uneventful walk back to their - well his apartment. They’d unofficially officially moved into Paul’s room a month or so back but he didn’t imagine that would be a thing anymore. He’s grateful he doesn’t run into anyone though, he’s not really sure he could have handle the conversation this soon.

Stepping into the room though he’s knocked off balance at just how much it actually hurts to see the vivid reminders that he’s lost everything again, that Salem has taken another thing from him.

He thinks maybe he should leave it.

He packs together a quick overnight bag, figures he’ll stay in his car. Maybe rummage through the case files back at work see if he can find something or someone to stakeout, anything to keep him out of the building. He knows himself well enough to know he won’t be able to handle Will’s big sad eyes as he attempts to explain why they can’t be.

A small part of Paul had at least hoped when this day came that Will would dump him first but .. well perhaps he was naive to think they wouldn’t hurt him this way. It’s not as if Sonny had really give a shit about his feelings for the last six months anyways. At the door he pauses to look back at the orchid, still pride of place on his bedside table, and feels something crack opening inside his chest. It’s cold and it’s miserable and it’s almost funny to Paul - in a perverse way - but he thinks this might hurt more than when Sonny dumped him to go find apparently not actually dead Will.

Maybe this is his punishment for keeping Will to himself for those two weeks after he found him.

Maybe Salem just hates him.

The problem with a place like Salem is that no matter where he goes, he can’t seem to find a private or quiet moment. Everyone’s heard the great news and wants to celebrate.

And it is great news. Will being happy? Will remembering his family? It’s fantastic news. All he wants is for Will to feel loved, happy, and safe. It would just be nice if someone could be bothered to remember that Paul’s entire world just got shattered again. He’s not surprised by any means that they don’t but it would have still been nice.

Abby and Chad are the first people he runs into or more accurately run into him. He’d been carrying a beer back to a corner table in the pub onto to collide with Chad halfway there. They’re full of laughter and excitement, apologetic for the mess. He tries to wave it off. Tries to just keep going to his spot but their joy for their friends storybook ending outweighs their ability to see he’s hurting.

Chad even offers to buy him a drink in celebration and Paul figures it’s the look of absolute disbelief on his face that finally clues them both in.

“Paul - we’re sorry..”

It’s Abby who breaks the awkward tension and Paul feels whatever cracked open in his chest earlier twist inside him, eroding away and all the parts of Paul that would usually just accept this. It turns ugly.

“No, I imagine you’re actually probably not.”

He doesn’t bother to wait, just sets his empty glass on the table and weaves his way between tables and to the front door. He can heard Chad say something behind him but he doesn’t pay it any attention.

He tries the club next and in hindsight that’s a rookie mistake on his part. Lucas had been there gushing to Chloe about finally having his son back. That things can finally go back to how they’re supposed to be. It’s yet another reminder that Paul’s the anomaly. The interloper that ruined the epic romance that is Sonny and Will.

It takes them a few moments to realize they have a customer at the counter and Paul’s almost impressed at how little Lucas seems bothered that it’s Paul. Found his son and his girlfriend and he can’t even look sorry for Paul.

That thing inside Paul rears its head again. “You’ve had your son back for months.”

“l -”

He shrugs off whatever Lucas was about to say and gives up on finding somewhere in this hellhole of a town to drink.

He’s queued in line, wanting a coffee to take with him on the stakeout.

“Now they can finally be happy again. They can put all the bad behind them and look forward to the future, they deserve this more than anyone after everything they’ve been through.” Hope’s voice, she’s standing at the counter with Rafe and Ciara.

Her comments are met by a murmur of agreement and Paul manages to slip back out of the cafe without being seen.

It’s hours later when he finally finds himself back in front of the flower shop eyes tracing the closed sign on the front door. He’d been a dozen places today and it all ended the same way. Everyone celebrating for the happy couple and no one sparing even a single second of their time to him. He’d long since stopped interjecting though, what was the point?

“Son?”

He closes his eyes against the voice, and against the building that had meant more to him than he realized, before sighing and eventually turning around to face Marlena and his father.

“Are you alright?” John says gently.

“What.” its flat, less a question and more a statement of disbelief.

“You look upset” Marlena explains. Her smile tinged with sadness and Paul figures a bit of pity.

The hurt and the anger that had been trying to claw its way free all day is rattling around again and this time Paul doesn’t fight against it.

"You dont say.”

“Pa-”

“No.” Its louder than he meant, cutting his dad off. His pain breaking out in that one word. His shout draws the attention of other people in the square. Jennifer and Eric by the pub entrance. Hope and Ciara holding coffees and chatting. Gabi and Ari further back on the bench. They’re all looking at him now and he finds he doesn’t care. He’s tired of all of it.

“I don’t want anyone’s pity and I don’t want your fake sympathy. Everyone gets what they want right? What they’ve wanted for months now? So don’t - don’t offer words you don’t mean”  

He trails off, drags a hand through his hair, and takes a step back from his family, needing the space like some sort of barrier against everything. His unhappiness on display for everyone to see.

“You’re meant to be my stepmom and you’ve never cared about my feelings over Sonny’s in this once. You’ve never cared about my feelings at all.” He turns his attention to the rest of them, his gaze flitting across from one to the next. “None of you did. Not even now. All anyone could talk about was the return of the epic love story and you couldn’t be bothered to shut up about even when I was in the room… if you even bothered to notice me at all. Because I don’t belong here so I? I’ll never truly be a part of this town and frankly? I don’t want to be anymore.”

He turned his gaze away and found himself looking at the flower shop again and felt his heart fracture again. It was nice, while it lasted, to have someone care back.

“Paul.”

He flinches at his name this time because it’s not Marlena and it’s not his father. In fact it’s not any of the people who stood and watched him start to lose it. This is worse because this time it’s Will.

He spares a glance and feels whatever small sliver of hope he had left wither at the sight of Sonny over Will’s shoulder. So he turns his attention back to his dad even as he starts walking backwards “I took a case from the pile. “

“Paul wait.”

“I’ll be back in a few days.”

He’s nearly to edge of the square, if he can make the park he can literally sprint away from his troubles.

So he does exactly that.

He’s gone for eight days. He’d solved the case in two, sent his dad the information, and then stayed gone. Will had called one a day, every day he was gone. Paul had ignored every call and deleted every voicemail without listening to it. He didn’t want apologies. He didn’t want explanations. He just wanted to forget everything about it. He’d known better, he had, and that was the worst part. No one was more to blame for the current situation that Paul himself.

He’d known anything to do with Will would have the potential for heartbreak. That it was messy and a stupid idea and he’d done it anyways. But there had just been something about Will so he’d let it happen.  Running away in front of everyone like that had been melodramatic, especially when they’d never even said I love you, but facing it all head on has been too big a task in the moment.

So he’d been gone for eight days and come to the decision that he couldn’t stay in Salem anymore. Which was why he’d quietly come back to the town and quickly packed up the most important stuff he had into a suitcase and was making his way back across the square hoping no one would stop him. He almost made it too when the door to New Beginnings flew open and his name was shouted across the Square.

“Paul Narita if you take one more step so help me god.”

Pursing his lips he took a calming breath before turning around to look across the square at a visibly angry Will standing in the shops doorway.

“You disappear for eight days and then skulk back in and out of town? Ignore my calls? I don’t get the decency of a response?”

Will seemed to be offended and Paul wasn’t sure if the urge to laugh was general amusement of the edges of hysteria.

“We don’t have anything to talk about.”

“Liar.” Will snapped.

Paul could feel eyes on him. Knew they were causing a scene. So be it then.

“You kissed him.”

“So that’s it. You just give up? Superhero Paul rolls over and plays dead?”

Paul was almost always calm. Almost always controlled and the few times he wasn’t it wasn’t any big display of temper. It was a quiet fury he would exude on most days but not this time. This time it was loud and showy and he didn’t give a damn.

“Give up? Give up!? Why is it always up to me? Why do I always have to beg someone to pick me?” He slammed his suitcase to the ground and pointed a finger across the square at Will. “You can fuck off Will Horton. You made me trust you. You made me care about you and then you didn’t even have the decency to dump me before kissing him"

Will was already stalking across the square before Paul had even finished speaking only to pull up short at Paul’s accusation.

“I didn’t kiss him.”

“I saw it.” Paul shouted, his voice cracking slightly. “I stood there and I watched it happen through the window while listening to people gush about you two. I’m not going to beg for your affection. I’m tired of fighting for people who don’t want me.”

Paul hardened himself against the sadness Will practically radiated, the other man had made his choice. Snatching up his suitcase again he turned and started to storm off.

“I love you, you stubborn stupid idiot.”

It froze him in his tracks. He could hear the murmur of voice around his as the people watching them reacted to Will’s shouted confusion.

“He kissed me. He showed up so excited because he’d heard I remembered everything and I had but I’d been looking for you at the store and before I could explain that he’d kissed me. I told him no and we argued and I just wanted to find you but I couldn’t.  I tried your room and the office and then I finally found you here and you just… left. Without a word.”

Paul turned back slowly, eyes wide, and a face of confusion.

“I tried calling you, I wanted to explain.”

“You told him no?”

The incredulous look on Will’s face was almost funny. “That’s your only take away? That’s all you have to say? You’re an asshole,you know that?”

“You really picked me?” For the first time in eight days Paul smiled. A smile so big and so pure it lit his whole face up. “You love me?”

Will’s irritation with him melted away instantly and he took a hesitant step towards Paul only for Paul to close the gap between them and wrap his arms tightly around Will’s waist. Will’s arms went around Paul’s neck as Paul buried his face in the crook of Will’s.

“I’m sorry I’m an asshole.”

"It’s okay, we all have bad days.”

Paul laughed happily before pulling back slightly so he could brush a light kiss across Will’s lips.  “I’m sorry I didn’t let you explain.”

“I’m sorry you thought I didn’t want you.” Will leaned in and Paul took the hint kissing him him again, this time with more force.

Paul let himself be pulled back towards the flower shop unable to stop smiling as warmth chased away all the hurt he’d had for the past week. “Will.”

“Yeah?” he glanced back over his shoulder

“I love you.”

Will’s answering smile is beautiful.