#au: mac ever after
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infrunami âź jeon jungkook
summary: youâve made great friends throughout the years but none like jeon jungkook. heâs there for you when you need him and although at times when things get complicated between your feelings and thoughts⊠thereâs one thing for certain. you both have been wasting time acting like thereâs nothing between you.
âź genre/au: friends to lovers. y/n[afab, she/her] x best friend jungkook
âź 18.7k
warnings: smut. f2l. slice of life. besties jk and y/n. slight jealousy vibes. idiots to lovers. lot of sexual tension. everyone knows they like each other. for the smut [no protection sorry yall]. heavy makeout. slight dry humping. grinding. doggy style. soft dom vibes jk. whiny y/n. jk gets jealous but never admits it. they both talk to other people bc theyâre in denial.
song inspo: infrunamiâsteve lacy, my kind of womanâmac de marco, no. 1 party anthemâarctic monkeys, love betweenâkali uchis
Friendships in your twenties, youâve learned, come in various forms.
There were people youâve known since you were a teen and people youâve only just met. Some who know everything about you and some who only get a piece of you. Youâve got the ones you meet up with on a random Thursday to run an errand because you haven't seen each other in so longâand you have the ones who seem to always be knocking on your door. Having people who wanted to be around you was one of the best things youâve ever experienced.
âYouâre late.â
He raised his shoulders in a shrug as he picked up the helmet that was strapped onto the back of a black motorcycle, âIâm here, arenât I?â
Part of you gave up on acting upset as you let him slip the helmet over your head. You took his backpack off his shoulders and shoved your things inside before putting it on your back.
âThanks for the ride,â You hooked a leg over the seat, straddling the bike as you fixed yourself up behind him. The helmet fit snugly around your head and you held him around the waist comfortably, âIâll buy you a meal.â
âYou promise?â Jungkook asked with a teasing smile as he kicked up the stand and brought the engine to life, âIâm craving steak.â
âJust donât break my pocket,â You patted him softly, checking your phone one last time, âI swear if they donât give me my car back Iâm going to throw a fit.â
âMaybe next time donât park in a restricted area,â He said lastly, driving off with youn. Your friendship with Jungkook was different from the others. He was your best friend.
Not in the way Mirae was or even Taehyung but he was up there. Heâs the one youâd have knocking on your door because heâs bored or bothering you during the middle of the night. Heâs also the one you call because you know heâll answer.
You donât remember exactly how you two met but it was some time during college, an after party maybe? Campus? Not likely. He was infamous for never showing up. Whatever, it was beyond the point. The point is that somewhere along the way you made friends with an overly clingy man who spent too much time at the gym or gaming in his bedroom when he wasnât at work.
No, youâre not dating him nor do you want to. Heâs kind of just⊠your overly good looking friend who would do anything for you.
âI forgot my lunch at home so Iâm starving,â Jungkook pushed past you to get inside the small barbecue place he dragged you to. You couldnât help but roll your eyes and follow. Heâs taken his backpack back to set it on the chair next to his and you sat across from him. It was a familiar place to eat and the menus took up an unnecessary amount of space so he took them both without question.
âWhat if I wanted to try something new?â You asked with a slight scoff, pretending to be annoyed but he saw right through it.
âYou donât, youâre too picky. Youâre just going to get the same thing you always get,â Jungkook said with another shrug before giving you a menu back anyway, âBut fine, browse a little.â
âChill on the attitude,â You joked, looking over the menu with disinterest.
âHow do either of you manage to be here at least once a week?â The server grumbled as he approached the table, âAnd thatâs on a good week.â
âHey, I havenât been here in like, four days?â You said, second guessing yourself and looking at your friend, âHeâd live here everyday if he could.â
âTrue, Jin is one of the best cooks I know,â Jungkook confessed, making your server roll his eyes.
âPlease, Jinâs rarely here since the new place opened up but donât worry, Iâll pretend to believe you,â he snatched the menus away from you both, âAnd like you donât get the âFamily & Friendsâ discount. Whatâll it be? The usual?â
Jungkook turned to you with an amused expression, eyebrows raised as he waited to hear your new order. He even had the nerve to rest his chin in the palm of his hand and the server waited with a bored expression.
You sunk into your seat, âThe usual.â
âDamn, we shouldâve bet on it,â Jungkook grimaced as he took his phone out of his pocket to scroll through his socials, âSo how was the meeting? It took a while didnât it?â
âDonât even get me started on it, I can already tell theyâre going to be a handful. I might pass them onto Mirae,â You told him honestly, âShe can handle them better than I could.â
âItâs because youâre hot headed,â he said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. He felt your hard stare and he couldnât help but smirk, âYou know you are.â
âSays the guy who almost got into a fight because of Overwatch,â you threw your straw wrapper at him but he caught it and chucked it back at you.
âFirst of all we were in a tournament and I couldâve won some money,â Jungkook said defensively, âAny sane person would react the same way.â
You raised your brows pretending to be convinced and stared off into space. After your meal and you footed the bill like promised, Jungkook drove you to your apartment.
âLet me know if you need a ride to the garage tomorrow,â Jungkook said as he took the helmet back and you retrieved your things from his backpack.
âWhat are your plans tonight?â You asked curiously as he got back on his bike.
âI donât know, a friend of mine asked me to go have drinks with him so Iâll probably do that,â He told you honestly, âWhy? Wanna watch âLove, Death & Robotsâ again?â
âJust curious, be safe and donât drive,â You reminded him.
A grin widened on his face, âWill you pick me up if I drink too muchâoh right, you donât have a car⊠awkward.â
âAsshole,â you hit him playfully, making him sway but he kept himself steady.
âIâll call for an Uber or something, night.â
Thereâs not a specific moment that made you and Jungkook become good friends. You sort of just clicked right away. In the beginning there mightâve been a slight tinge of attraction but it was the kind you felt for a stranger walking past. It wasnât anything either of you wanted to pursue and ended with a good friendship. You learned a lot from each other and somehow managed to co-exist together.
In the beginning nearly all of his friends thought you were into him. They tried to put it into his head that you had a thing for him but it never went anywhere. Jungkook never made a move on you and after a while everyone just accepted it.
This is what friendship looked like. You didnât have to sleep with each other. You were like one of the guys⊠aside from the obvious. Now everyone just takes you as you are, a good friend of his with no sexual feelings involved.
âYou just got off work?â Yoongi asked as Jungkook finally joined him at the bar, âI thought I was going to have to drink enough for the both of us tonight.â
âDonât you wish,â Jungkook chuckled, taking a seat and the drink his friend ordered for him, âBut no, I was having dinner and had to drive Y/n home.â
âOh, how is she? Havenât seen her in a while,â Yoongi asked.
âHer car got Towed at my apartment for parking in someoneâs spot a couple days ago. Sheâs pissed,â Jungkook answered knowingly, âBut sheâll survive. Whatâd you ask me over here for?â
âOh, Iâm talking to this girl whoâll be here soon and sheâs got a friend with her.â
âź
Two hundred dollars down the drain all because you parked somewhere you werenât supposed to. It puts you in a bad mood for a couple days. You werenât necessarily short on cash but that didnât mean you wanted to waste it to get your car back.
âDonât touch me Iâm sad,â You mumbled into your desk as your coworker hovered a hand over your back ready to comfort you.
âYou didnât get it back?â Jimin asked, opting to sit on the edge of your desk instead.
âI did, thatâs why Iâm sad,â You nearly cried, âIâm never staying at anyoneâs apartment but mine ever again. Itâs too expensive and thereâs never enough parking anywhere.â
âPoor you, I know whatâll cheer you up though,â Jimin said with a scheming smile that had your head raising skeptically, âYou, Mirae and I out for dinner and a couple drinks after work.â
âIâm pretty sure I just said how much money I spent!â You rolled your eyes making him do the same.
âIâll pay, silly,â Jimin said, âYou look like you could use a drink.â
You were a victim of peer pressure, and for pressure you needed very little of it. All it took was both of your friends reminding you how much fun it would be before the FOMO set in and you joined them.
âYouâre so easily persuaded,â Mirae said with a laugh, âMin didnât even have to beg this time.â
âIâm going through a tough time right now,â You said playfully, reaching across the table for another portion of fries, âThanks for taking those clients.â
âYeah yeah, but if I need any favor you better be the first one to grant it,â Mirae pointed a stern finger at you and you nodded eagerly.
âOne Wish coupon with your name written on it, noted,â You tapped your head a couple times before shooting her a Thumbâs Up. Your coworker [turned close friend] rolled her eyes with a smile as she raised her glass, âReady to chug?â
âOh fuck no,â Jimin groaned, staring down his nearly full glass, âAre we drinking-drinking or are we drinking?â
âBaddie Baddie Shot OâClock,â you nudge his arm, âDonât be scared now. You asked for this.â
âWe have work tomorroâfuck it, letâs do it,â Jimin said while you and Mirae began a chant ready to take the drink.
There were a couple⊠a few drinks involved for all of you. It was supposed to be something casual but that never seems to be the case when youâre with your work friends. Theyâre a good time all the time and sometimes a nice break. Aside from Jungkook, they're some of your closest friends. They know you in a different light than he does. With Mirae you can talk to her about anything and with Jimin heâs a good time. He doesnât tease or scold you the way Jungkook does⊠he lets you have fun.
Not to say Jungkook doesnât but itâs different and you donât know how to explain why.
jungkook: hungryyyyyyyyy
jungkook: hungryyyyyyy
jungkook: HUNGRYYYY
you: lower your voice smh
âIs that Jungkook?â Jimin asked, stealing a fry for your plate, âWhatâs he doing? Ask him to meet us.â
âNo, Iâm mad at him,â You said with a huff, thinking about the expensive towing bill. You werenât actually mad at him but more about the price you paid today. Jungkook is the one who told you it was fine to park there and the one night you do, your car gets towed. Itâs never happened before and itâs technically his fault. His stupid landlord is an asshole and therefore youâre never stepping foot at his place again.
you: and actually Iâm mad at you
jungkook: đ€ why
you: 200$ đ
jungkook: :(
you: you better buy me a spot if you want me to come over again
jungkook: hell no
You put your phone face down and looked at your empty glass, wiggling your brows at your two friends, âAnother?â
jungkook: hungrryyyyy
Jimin rolled his eyes even as he let you go to the bar and order more. While you were gone he got on his phone and began to type. Mirae looked over his shoulder, âWho are you calling?â
âJungkook.â
Jungkook knew Jimin well enough to have his number saved. They werenât close but heâs met him around you before and the guyâs cool. When he called Jungkook assumed it had something to do with you and answered.
âHey man, what are you doing?â
âStarving,â Jungkook groaned, staring at his empty fridge, âYou?â
âCome to JJâs, Y/n is here and weâre having a few drinks. Thereâs some food,â Jimin said as he looked up at you.
âJungkookâs on his way,â Jimin told you once the call came to an end but you barely shrugged in response.
When Jungkook arrived you greeted him like normal and he bumped you further into the booth before immediately digging into your plate. He even had the nerve to ask which drink was yours before taking it, âI havenât eaten all day.â
âWhy do I feel like thatâs a lie?â Jimin asked, trying to pass Jungkook the menu so he could order something for himself, âHow are ya, buddy?â
âAlright, busy with work,â Jungkook said with a shrug, âItâs been back to back sessions lately and I think I need a break.â
âHave you been going to the chiropractor?â You asked worriedly. Jungkook sneered, turning to look at you, âI thought you were mad at me.â
Your jaw nearly dropped as you scoffed. Heâs here eating your food and giving you attitude? Itâs obvious heâs joking but itâs annoying. You crossed your arms over your chest and slumped back, âYouâre here eating my food, asshole. Fine I wonât talk to you then.â
âI have been going to the chiro,â Jungkook says to you, âThanks for worrying.â
âI wasnât worrying,â You rolled your eyes looking across the table at Mirae as Jungkook and Jimin talked like they were good friends.
âOkay I know what Iâm using my wish coupon on,â Mirae said suddenly, âYouâre going with me to the movies.â
âYay, what are we watching?â You asked more interested now.
âI donât know. The guys havenât chosen the movie yet,â Mirae said as she got on her phone and went to add you to a groupchat.
âWhat guys?â Jimin asked curiously, making Jungkook turn to look as well.
âMy friendâs boyfriend and his friends,â Mirae explained briefly, âThey've been wanting to go see this horror movie but it always feels awkward when I tag along with her, her man and his friends.â
âSounds like a group date,â Jungkook said to you, watching your excitement slowly turn to dejection and for some reason it made his heart beat faster.
âIt kinda does,â You agreed.
âItâs not like that. Theyâre actually kind of cool but I still want someone to talk to,â Mirae told you, âTheyâre cute.â
âLet me see a picture,â You reached out for her phone.
âAre you seeing anyone?â Jungkook asked Jimin who aggressively shook his head no.
âNot since the last one, I think she broke my heart,â Jimin pretended to sniffle, âYou?â
âNah, kinda? No,â Jungkook shook his head, âWhatever it is, it's nothing serious.â
âItâs never serious,â You corrected, âI donât know how he keeps track of them all.â
âDonât make me out to be a slut,â Jungkook placed his hand over his chest. Easy banter went on for the rest of the night. It was casual and comforting to spend time with those close to you on a random week night. It reminded you of how good things can be and why you liked being with them. Jimin was fun, careless, considerate. Mirae is full of welcomed attitude and charm. Jungkook is comfortable and protective, always around and ready to meet up for anything. They made things feel easy.
When you date a guy you want him to fit in with your friends and that is hard to find.
âź
Jungkook has always been a laid back guy. Despite whatever struggles heâs had, heâs always taken them with a strong head on his shoulders and people to support him. He comes from a loving family and close friends heâs known for years. Heâs been in relationships and talking stages that changed him and did his military service as early as he could. He had a plan for himself and when he decided to go to college he didnât expect to meet you.
Itâs not like you had a huge impact on him or anything but he didnât expect to meet someone he can get along with so easily. He thought he already had his lifelong friends picked out. How did you manage to force your way into his close circle and introduce to people and things he wouldnât have known otherwise.
Youâre his best friend and donât let any of the guys hear him admit that. They already give him too much shit about you.
âAre you going for Y/n?â His friend asked a few days after he met up with you and your friends for dinner. Heâs been up to his usual routine during the week and has barely gotton to see or talk to you.
Jungkook and his friend just had a two hour gym session that left them both jittery and out of breath as they sat in the locker room packing up their belongings. He pulled his helmet out and carried it next to him as he shook his head no, âIâm not driving her around anymore.â
âShe got her car back? Thatâs good,â Taehyung said. You didnât have it for almost a full week and during that time Jungkook was helping you get to and from work. Since then youâve had your car and havenât had a reason to call him upânot that it mattered or anything.
âWanna get on the game later?â He asked.
âSure, Iâll shower and have dinner then hop on.â
The two split ways and Jungkook got on his bike to rush home. His evenings didnât contain much excitement as they did during his college days but they were alright. Heâd do exercises after work, head home and wash up, make dinner or go out, and hang out. If he was seeing someone it would look slightly different but he doesnât usually let it get that far.
Itâs not that heâs scared of commitment or anything, he just doesnât feel the need to be dating at the moment. Heâs perfectly content with the way he lives and if he were to get serious with anyone it would have to be someone who understands him. Yes, he does the occasional hook up or fling but theyâre never more than that. Heâs bad at seriously dating. Heâs got to feel truly comfortable with someone.
After his shower, he stood alone in his kitchen thinking of what to make for dinner when he checked the time on his phone. It was almost nine and heâs yet to hear about how your night has gone. The movie was set at six so you had to rush after work to meet with Mirae and all her people but the movie shouldâve ended by now. Why havenât you told him how it went if itâs over now?
Maybe he should just ask.
jungkook: is the movie over
You probably wonât respond if your phoneâs on âDo Not Disturbâ so he didnât expect a response.
you: yeah
jungkook: was it scary
you: ehhhhhh not really
jungkook: what r u doing now
you: they wanted to get food after
jungkook: and here I am cooking for myself
Without question Jungkook took a picture of it all, sending it right to you with a message that said;
jungkook: ur favorite
you: đ is that an invite
jungkook: depends, r u gonna actually come over or hang out with ur new friends
you: idk one of them is reallllyyyyyy cute
jungkook: stay with them then
You looked at everyone you were with curiously. The movie had ended a bit ago and you were walking to the nearest restaurant talking. Mirae was right, the guys were cool and her friend was nice but it was a lot of effort on your part to be social. One of the guys was particularly cute and he spent a little more time with you than anyone else but did that really mean anything?
âI think Iâm gonna call it a night,â You said, thinking about the early morning you have tomorrow and how everyone seemed ready to grab a few drinks. Mirae looked at you, âReally? Youâre not even hungry?â
âNot really,â You lied with a shrug, âAre you gonna be good?â
âYeah, Iâll see you tomorrow.â
You said goodbye to them all, sharing information with the cute friend and split ways. On your way to Jungkookâs he let you know parking spot 97 was good to use and despite arguing with him about it you took his word.
âIf I get towed again weâre not going to be friends anymore,â You told him once you let yourself into his apartment, immediately being greeted by Bam whose tail whipped back and forth behind him with excitement.
âItâs my spot, Goofy,â Jungkook said, casually throwing on a shirt once you were in. Up until now heâs been cooking shirtless from his shower.
âYour spot is 98,â You reminded him, watching the way he rolled his eyes and turned the stove off.
âDidnât you tell me to rent you one?â Jungkook asked, pulling the pot off the stove and onto a cooling rack, âGrab bowls.â
âYou actually did it?â You asked with a smile, âBless your kind soul.â
He brushed you off as you did what he asked and went straight to the end of the peninsula countertop where you could sit and eat. Jungkook didnât bother sitting down, choosing to eat standing up behind the counter and looking at you with curiosity.
âWhat?â
âHow was the date?â He asked.
âWhat date?â You scoffed, âYou mean the movie? One, it wasnât a date and Two, I told you it was alright.â
âYou didnât drink, did you?â Jungkook asked, ignoring the attitude behind your words. You rolled your eyes, âI wouldnât have driven here if I had been. I left before we made it to the restaurants. Why so curious tonight?â
He shrugged, the plate completely empty and he began to wash it and what he used to cook. When you finished and offered to help he told you no and washed your stuff too.
âIâm so full, have I ever told you how good of a Cook you are,â You said as you threw yourself onto his couch, a grunt leaving your lips when Bam nearly tackled you down.
âI wouldnât mind hearing it again,â Jungkook said, rummaging through his fridge and smiling widely, âWant a drink?â
âIâm driving.â
âYou can just crash on the couch, itâll be fine,â Jungkook shrugged, carrying over a couple glasses and a bottle of Soju.
That was enough convincing for you to sit on the floor beside him as he set things down on the coffee table. You took the remote and played some movie in the background as he poured the small glass.
âYouâre a bad influence,â You joked as you took the first drink like it was a pre-starter and he did the same, âWeâve got work tomorrow.â
âYou only go in for a couple hours, I know your schedule, don't forget that,â Jungkook pointed a teasing finger at you, plopping down on the floor with his legs crossed, âIâve got a beginnerâs session around 10am and a few private classes after. Iâll be the one regretting it tomorrow, not you.â
âYet youâre still the one asking for more,â You said playfully, reaching for the familiar green bottle and pouring a little more in his glass. You didnât notice the way Jungkookâs gaze flickered down to your exposed waist when you leaned over the coffee table to grab it. The waist of your underwear showed just slightly underneath and he was surprised to find out it was black and lacy making his eyebrow quirk with curiosity. When you sat back down he looked away, pretending to be focused on the movie, âYou dressed up for your date?â
âIt wasnât a date,â You said with a groan, sitting back a little closer to him than before and he didnât bother moving away, âAnd look at what Iâm wearing. Does it look like I dressed up?â
A knowing smirk pulled at his lips as he raised the glass to his lips, âI didnât realize you wore lace so casually.â
Your brows furrowed with confusion, realization dawning on you just moments later and without thinking you pushed at him playfully, âHowâd you know?â
Jungkook laughed, hand sliding down your back where your shirt rose and he didnât hesitate to reach for the thin fabric nearly pulling on it just to feel you squirm. You couldnât help but whine, moving away, âFreak.â
âSays you,â Jungkook said, keeping his hand on you, âCome on tell me, how was the date.â
âWhy are you insisting it was a date?â You asked, taking a big gulp and turning to face him, âYou never hear me asking about your little flings or whatever you like to call them nowadays.â
âBut if you asked me Iâd tell you, I wouldnât be all secretive about it like you are,â He said with a shrug of his shoulders, âHurry up and drink more.â
âDonât pressure me,â You rolled your eyes but did as told, âAnd I did tell you. I said one of them were cute over text, remember?â
âHardly,â He shrugged looking away with a bored expression, âCuter than me?â
You didnât say anything making him smile, âIâll take that as a no.â
âHe was alright, pretty cute and nice,â You finally said but Jungkook wasnât listening anymore. His attention had drifted to the way you leaned against him with your side against his fitting perfectly beside him. It was obvious your words fell on deaf ears but you didnât seem to mind either. You turned to face him, convince him that the guy you met was just cute but it wasnât worth it. Youâll probably never see the guy again and if he does want to text, it most likely wonât lead to anything.
âWhat?â He asked, catching your stare.
âYouâre drunk,â You pointed out his red cheeks and ears, âAlready?â
âNo.â
âThen why are you blushing?â You asked with a teasing smile going to poke his flushed cheek when he grabbed your hand suddenly. You both had been casually drinking since you sat down but it isn't until now that you can feel the alcohol take effect over your body. You blamed it for the way you were looking at your friend at the moment.
It was hard to see him as just Jungkook, right now you can only see him for how attractive he was. Heâs gotten way more muscular lately and with the added tattoos itâs hard to ignore it. When you walked into his apartment earlier and found him shirtless it was hard not to look at his abdomen. You donât remember the eight pack or his biceps that big. Without thinking you placed a hand on his chest, taut muscles tense underneath your touch.
Jungkook couldnât help but let his breath hitch when your hand trailed down his rib cage suddenly, âWhat?â
âYouâve gotta get a new hobby, youâre going to get too bulky,â You said jokingly, feeling his muscles. He was taken back to have your hand on him but he didnât back away, âBut you like it.â
Not bothering to wait for a response, he lifted the end of his shirt displaying a smooth trail of muscle down his torso and prominent V-line that you tried not to eye too hard. Your hand slipped down without much thought to your actions and lifted your brows in surprise. His skin felt hot to the touch and part of you wanted to keep running your hand over him but you knew better. It would be weird if you did. Itâs not like heâs just some random guyâŠ
âI need to pee,â You blurted out, rushing to your feet and kicking his leg playfully, âPut your shirt down.â
âMight just take it off for you,â Jungkook teased, biting his lip watching you walk away.
When you were alone looking at yourself in the mirror it was easier to tell how you felt. You were past tipsy and buzzed but not fully drunk. Your vision was slightly blurry and when you stood straight you felt dizzy but it was the good kind of dizzy.
âWhat next?â Jungkook asked when you came out of the bathroom, hair up in a clip now and makeup wiped away with some wet wipe he had in the bathroom. He had to do a double take at your new appearance but he didnât mind the change. You looked comfortable and he can see the clear look of buzz on your face that heâs sure matched his, âOr are you calling it already?â
âCalling what?â You sat back down next to him, stumbling into him a little and he helped you with a hand on your waist guiding you down. Neither of you seemed to care for the fact that you were partially sitting on his lap.
âCalling it a night,â Jungkook said, shifting you closer to his front, âYouâve taken off your makeup, put your hair up⊠you look ready for bed.â
âI thought you wanted to drink,â You said, suddenly aware of how close the two of you were and his lip piercing had a slight shine from the light reflecting off of it.
âNot if your date tired you out,â Jungkook said with a knowing smirk when you rolled your eyes, leaning into him a little more. He didnât care who you met up with tonight but he knows itâs getting on your nerves and sometimes he loves to push your buttons, âYou probably wouldâve preferred to stay out with them since one of them was⊠whatâd you say? Cute? Nice?â
âIf you think that, why'd you ask me to come over?â You asked slightly irritated now.
He shrugged, grinning now when he felt you relax in his hold, almost straddling him, âTechnically, I did say you could stay with them.â
Your eyes narrowed, hands on his chest ready to push yourself off him, âFine, I got his number. Iâll see if theyâre still ouââ
âNo,â He whined, arms tightening around your waist, âNo, youâre already here and youâre drunk now. You canât leave, be a safe driver.â
âAre you trying to manipulate me to stay?â You couldnât help but laugh, arms circling around his neck. He felt your breath tickle his ear and for some reason it made a shiver run down his spine.
âDepends, is it working?â
It was.
It had been since the beginning. Jungkook didnât need to do much to get you to hang out with him and he knew that. Itâs the same way around. It takes little for Jungkook to beg you to spend time with him. Youâre his best friend.
And as his best friend⊠sometimes⊠sometimes he wonders how your lips taste. He doesnât remember when his hand moved from your waist to your neck, or how he moved it to tilt your chin up until your lips were brushing against each other. All he remembers is how close you were to kissing and all he needed was one push, one sign that you want this too and heâll go for it.
You nearly fell into it too. You can blame the alcohol or the fact that Jungkook is incredibly hot despite only seeing him as a friend but you wanted to kiss him too. You wouldâve.
Key words: Would Have.
âOpen the door, you Fuck!â
You practically threw yourself off him as someone pounded on his door and it took you a second to reel in what was about to happen. Jungkook couldnât move for a second, trying to understand why you got off of him so quickly when he heard it again.
âJungkook, I checked your location, open up,â His friend yelled, knocking on the door, âIâm going to piss myself, let me in!â
âComing!â Jungkook shouted, sounding annoyed as he got up to unlock the front door. You pulled yourself onto the couch, fixing your shirt that had risen when his hands had grazed your waist and stared down at the empty bottles of Soju.
âTaeââ He couldnât finish his sentence before his friend was pushing past him and running straight for the bathroom, waving hello to you before disappearing. He stood at the open door trying to wrap his head around what just happened.
The two of you were drinking, messing around and almost kissed? Almost? If Taehyung hadnât come barging in would you have done it? Would you know when to stop? Would you stop anyway?
âFuck, I was in the cab on my way home and he would not pull over,â Taehyung said once he was done with his business, âI was like âListen dude, my friend lives around here so drop me off or Iâm going to puke in your backseatâ.â
âI thought you had to pee,â You chimed in when he sat down next to you, acting like he had been there the whole time.
âI thought so too but it came up the other way instead, what are you guys doing? Drinking?â Taehyung asked looking down at the coffee table, âUgh I canât even think about it, donât play APT with Jin hyung, he talks too fast and wins everytime.â
âMaybe he was just speaking gibberish but you couldnât tell,â Jungkook said, arms crossed over his chest looking unimpressed, âSo⊠is the cab still out there waiting orâŠâ
âNah, Iâm just gonna crash hereââ
âGreat!â Jungkook scoffed, âSleepover at my place, first Y/n⊠now you⊠itâs like weâre in schoolâŠâ
âWell I wouldâve gone home if you didnât ask to drink,â You told him trying to ignore the fact that you almost kissed but it was hard to ignore the way he bit his lip at you, âI could still call an Uber.â
âNah, Taehyung can,â Jungkook said, sitting on the armchair across from you.
âWhoa, youâre the first person I thought of, why kick me out now? Iâm drunk, Kook, be nice to me,â Taehyung pouted, leaning against your shoulder, âWhatâd you do? Whyâs he so grumpy?â
âDonât blame me, youâre the one that came pounding on the door so late at night,â You said playfully, shoving Taehyung off. He was more Jungkookâs friend then yours but youâve hung out around him enough to feel comfortable with him.
âSo? I always do thatâWhy?â Taehyung turned abruptly, âWhat were you guys doing?â
âDrinking,â Jungkook said, âYou wouldnât want to since yknow⊠Jin got you drunk⊠you probably want to call it a nightâŠâ
âNah, I puked a little earlier so Iâm fine now,â Taehyung said, âPlus I havenât seen Y/n in a while, what are we watching?â
âActually, Iâm tired,â You told him with a small yawn, âI think Iâm calling it a night.â
âAre you trying to get rid of me?â Taehyung asked.
You laughed, âNo, Iâm just saying Iâm tired.â
âGo to my room,â Jungkook said with a sigh, thinking about what the two of you were about to do before he stormed in, âIâll stay out here with him.â
When you left, Jungkook threw a pillow at Taehyungâs head, making the other groan, âWhat?â
âNothing,â Jungkook huffed , âNow I gotta sleep on the couch.â
Taehyung smirked, feeling more sober now as he put two and two together, âOr you could go follow your girlfriendâŠâ
âWeâre noâweâre not dating,â Jungkook thought about how you almost kissed and his face flushed red, âFor fuckâs same, go get the extra blankets and pillows. I get the big couchââ
âBut Iâm like a centimeter taller thanââ
âThis is my house!â Jungkook yelled, throwing himself on the couch and covering his face with one of the pillows, âOr get an Uber back to yours.â
âJeez, youâre rude tonight. I always come over when Iâm drunk,â Taehyung laughed knowing how annoyed Jungkook was, âJust say you were going to get freaky with Y/n.â
âI wasnât!â
âź
It took you a full day to come to terms with what happened the other night at Jungkookâs. The two of you had been drinking and almost kissed, almost.
Thereâs no way to deny it. You were close to kissing.
If Taehyung hadnât shown up out of the blue, would you have done it? Would he have slept in the same bed as you? What would you do or say if he asked?
Thereâs always been an underlying sense of tension between you but you tried not to think about it. You told yourself that nothing was ever going to happen. It was just how friendships with someone you found attractive was.
A loud sigh left your lips, dropping your head against your keyboard and letting an endless stream of spaces fill the word document. Soft fingers pulled your head up to slide the keyboard out making you look up at the person who did it. Jimin sat at the end of your desk, âI was just sitting in my office wondering why my friend hasnât gone to distract me today. Whatâs up with you?â
âMorning, canât focus,â You told him.
âHowâd the showing go?â Jimin asked, trying to find something that could get you talking.
âThey liked it, itâs a little over their budget but I think weâll close the deal on it,â You said.
âGood, what about the other night?â
âWhat about the other night?â Your question sounded rushed and made him look at you with peaked interest. He crossed his arms over his chest and smirked.
âWith Mirae and the movie,â Jimin said. He watched you release a breath you werenât aware you were holding and pressed you for more, âDid you talk to any of the guys?â
âYeah⊠um, I did,â You sat back, chair swiveling out as you turned to face him, âHis nameâs Namjoon. I got his number and he texted me yesterday before the showing to wish me luck.â
âSo what? Are you and Mirae gonna ditch me when you guys find someone? Who are going to be my drinking buddies when youâre off with your boyfriends? She told me all about the other guy, Iâm starting to feel pushed aside,â Jimin spoke in a ramble making you roll your eyes.
âRelax, it was the first time I met him. Mirae, yeah she really hit it off with the other guy,â You said.
Jimin just nodded, taking in your words and finally deciding to bring it up, âMirae said you left early though.â
âYeah, they wanted to go out to eat but I wasnât hungryâŠâ You said.
âBullshit, I checked your location, you went to Jungkookâs plaââ
âOkay! Whatâs up with all the stalking lately? First Taehyung, now youâwe share locations so that you know Iâm safe after a night out,â You pointed a finger at him, trying to deflect some of the questions away from you, âAnd yeah, I did go to his place. He made food and I didnât want to go eat with all of them anyway.â
âInteresting excuse, so what? Did you guys fight or something? You know I understand youâre close friends but youâre not close friends like we are.â
âThatâs not truââ You cut yourself off thinking about how you almost kissed Jungkook and as much as you love Jimin, youâll never find yourself kissing him, almost!
A loud groan left your lips as you dropped your head against the keyboard again and Jimin watched the aggressive keyboard smash type out gibberish. This time it was his turn to roll his eyes and he stood up, âWe both know thatâs a lie but fine, Iâll let you be.â
You donât remember how the rest of your day went aside from the fact that you were distracted the entire time. Right now you have three different clients youâre currently helping buy their first home and the last thing you need is to be distracted right now.
Jungkook is your friend and until he makes it clear that he is interested, youâre just going to move on. Well⊠even if he was interested, what does that mean? Does that mean youâre into him? Itâs all so confusing.
He took a deep breath, leg threatening to bounce with anxiety as he counted the reps his current client did between sets.
âKook, man, youâre killing me today,â His client said with a deep huff, nearly collapsing on the floor as he set the weight down, âI thought weâd be taking it easy after the last session.â
âI donât know why you would think that,â Jungkook said, âTake a breather and do another fifteen.â
Even as he said that, he switched places with Hoseok and prepared himself to do a set. His client watched him with his mouth open in confusion, âItâs what you said! You said weâd be taking it easy today since last time was so much. Iâm still a sore man, please donât do this to me.â
âYouâre right, I did say that,â Jungkook huffed, counting in his head as he did bench presses, âNext session weâll take it easy.â
âFuck, I need a new trainer,â Hoseok groaned, chugging back water and pacing back and forth.
âYouâre at my gym! Youâre lucky weâre friends, donât say that,â Jungkook stood up and motioned for Hoseok to go, âNow you're doing twenty.â
âRude,â Hoseok said, âWhatâs up with you anyways? You seem on edge today.â
âIâm fine,â Jungkook said looking down at his gym bag where his phone currently was, âBut uh, just out of curiosity⊠if someone hasnât talked to you in a couple days, what does it mean?â
Hoseok couldnât help but chuckle, âCome on, how old are we? Thatâs what youâre stressing about?â
When Jungkook didnât laugh it off Hoseok got a little more serious, âDepends on the person. Girlfriend? Family member? Stranger?â
âNot girlfriendâjust friend,â Jungkook clarified quickly.
âFriend?â Hoseok looked at him curiously, âFriend with the occasional benefits or Friend youâre currently upset with?â
âNeither, just friend,â Jungkook shook his head, âI mean⊠like actual, genuine friend and⊠fuck, I donât know.â
âWho?â
Jungkook didnât say anything but it wasnât hard for Hoseok to connect the pieces, âY/n?â
To that, Jungkook nodded meekly.
âI mean⊠itâs normal to not talk everyday. We donât talk everyday, I send you like a hundred Instagram reels a day that you donât see me crying about,â Hoseok said, skipping from 15 to 17 and hoping Jungkook didnât catch the reps he didnât do, âWhich by the way, you could at least bother to react to every now and then.â
âSorry, youâre right, Iâm overthinking it,â Jungkook said, âAnd youâre not done, you skipped ahead.â
âFucker,â Hoseok cursed under his breath and hurried to do them properly before he could take a break, âBut honestly, whatâs up with you and Y/n? Arenât you âjust friendsâ?â
âWe are,â Jungkook bit his lip nervously, âI donât know Iâm being weird. Iâll just ask her what shes doing later.â
âBeing weird about what?â
Jungkook looked at him with wide, rounded eyes like heâd just been caught doing something he shouldnât have and the words came out in a shy whisper, âNothing.â
ïżœïżœïżœ
Over the night Jungkook reached out to you. He sent you some stupid text about a new tv show heâs watching that he thinks you could get into. It wasnât anything serious or anything but it brushed past what happened. It was normal.
Things were normal and clearly nothing had happened that night so you were overthinking for no reason.
âYou donât want to go?â Mirae asked, watching you stare at your reflection for the hundredth time trying to find something off about your appearance.
âI do, weâre going, donât worry,â You looked around, âI just need perfume.â
âWhereâs Jungkook?â She asked, standing up for you to give her some too. You checked the ETA on your Uber before answering.
âHuh? Heâs probably already there, I donât know. Letâs go downstairs, the Uberâs pulling up,â You told her as you quickly grabbed your things and began to walk out your room. Your friend followed suit, âAnd then weâre going out with Namjoon and Jisoo, right?â
The only reason Mirae agreed to come with you was so that you could go with her and the guy she likes later. A couple days ago Jungkook let you know that Taehyung was going to have a few friends over to watch some MMA fight on tv and drink. You still felt awkward seeing him in person and he knew you had no reason to say no so there was no point in trying. In the end you asked Mirae to join you and after begging, she agreed. She had plans with one of the guys from last week and found it perfect to have you tag along after.
Youâve been to Taehyungâs place once or twice before â usually with Jungkook â but it was different to walk in without him.
âLook who finally showed up,â Taehyung said with a smile as he opened the door for you and Mirae, âHi Y/n, and Mirae right?â
The two have met before but it was brief and awkward so you were surprised he even remembered her name but they greeted each other politely anyway. You looked around, surprised to see a lot more people than you anticipated, âDoesnât look like a couple friends, Tae.â
âIâm a social being,â Taehyung said with a hand to his chest, âJungkook is somewhere around here. I thought youâd be coming with him and then got stuck waiting around for you to show up.â
âI need a drink first.â
Jungkook was across the room talking with some people you didnât know. It wasnât hard for you to see that the one closest to him was a pretty brunette with a soft smile and big eyes. She talked with him the most and you had no idea who she was. For all you know he couldâve come with her tonight or just met her and really hit it off, youâre not sure, and youâd rather not know.
He barely knew the girl but Yoongi introduced her to him a while before you got to Taehyungâs place. He had been staring at his phone anxiously waiting for a text that never came and the next thing he knew, Yoongi was having him meet Sera. She was pretty and easy to talk to, paid attention to him even when others talked and stood by him wherever he moved to. It was alright, he didnât mind the extra attention but it wasnât⊠that interesting.
Sera said something in his ear that he had to lean down to hear properly but in all honesty he wasnât listening to begin with. If anything it reminded him of when you whispered in his ear but it didnât feel the same. His eyes scanned the people that arrived over time, occasionally drifting to the door and stopping once he saw you walk in. You wore a short black dress that accentuated your legs and it was hard for his eyes to remain on your face. Mirae was dressed similarly and you both looked out of place in a good way.
âHow do you know Taehyung?â He heard Sera ask and he answered with little eagerness, watching you talk with his friend and head for the drinks.
âWe met a few years ago when I first moved to the city,â Jungkook said, looking down at her trying to focus but his mind had gone elsewhere. Turning to Yoongi he said, âIâm gonna go say hi to Y/n.â
Yoongi could try and keep him around but there was no point. Jungkook was walking off before anyone could stop him. He left Sera alone with the others so he can talk to you. Since you last seen each other and had the âAlmost Kissâ he had only texted you. Youâve both had a busy week with work and nerves probably kept you apart.
He didnât like that. He didnât want to overthink anything. He just wanted to talk to his friend.
âWhat are we drinking?â He asked with an overly gracious smile, slipping himself between you and the counter so you were forced to look at him.
âDepends, what have you had?â You asked, immediately feeling yourself tense for a second before you realized who it was.
âNothing too strong just yet,â Jungkook admitted, âIâve been waiting for you all night.â
He greeted your friend quietly before looking back at you and where you stared off at, âReally? Iâve been here for a while, I figured you wouldâve noticed earlier if youâve been waiting all this time.â
He could sense the small sarcastic tone in your voice but there was nothing strange to it. You usually talked this way with him, always sounding close to flirting or jealous or⊠interested in him. It was confusing at first but overtime heâs learned to ignore the tone or offer it back. It works for your friendship.
âI mightâve gotten a little distracted,â He couldnât help but smile, âWhat time did you get home last night?â
âEarly,â You said with a shrug making his brow arch, watching you pour yourself a mix of rum and coke.
âThen why didnât you text me back?â He asked.
âI didâwell, I was going to,â You began to say, feeling yourself on the edge of smiling as you thought up an excuse, âI forgot.â
âRightâŠâ Jungkook rolled his eyes looking over at Mirae instead, âYou both look nice, did you just have dinner or something?â
âNo, weâre meeting up with some guys in a bit,â Mirae said without much thought and you snapped your eyes to her. She looked up, catching the way Jungkookâs smile dropped a fraction lower and shifted her gaze toward you. Your glare was enough to tell her she shouldnât have said anything.
âGuys? The oneâs from the movie? What are you doing? Going out?â He asked, attempting to sound indifferent. Itâs not like he can say anything. He doesnât know why it doesnât sit right with him but it didnât. He didnât even know the guy but he knew you thought he was cute. Jungkook knew you were talking to him at least a little and that you wore a dress for him tonight.
âTake this,â You offered Jungkook the drink, âAnd weâre going out for a little bit but I think itâll be a casual night.â
âSuper casual,â Mirae laughed nervously, looking around, âWhereâs the bathroom? Iâll be back.â
Before you could follow after her, he stood in front of you.
âSo who were you talking to? Have I met her?â You asked, clearing your throat awkwardly. It was an attempt to take some of the heat off of you because this was feeling like an odd interrogation. Anyone passing but might think itâs a loverâs quarrel but it wasnât.
âIâve barely met her,â Jungkook said, âItâs Sora⊠Sua⊠Sera? Something like that, I donât know. A friend of Yoongiâs I met the other night.â
âCool,â You looked back to find her talking with someone else now.
âWhat about the cute and nice guy youâve been going on about? Youâre seeing him again tonight?â Jungkook asked, taking a sip from the cup and leaning against the kitchen counter. He had a good view of you standing a couple feet away and he had to resist the urge to pull you closer.
âI have not been going on about him, thereâs nothing going on,â You told him with an exaggerated sigh, leaning into him absentmindedly and feeling his hand on your side keeping you steady, âI asked Mirae to come with but she had plans with them after and just asked me to tag along.â
âAlright, you donât have to explain it.â Jungkook said, sounding like he was brushing you off but not meaning to. Obviously he was happy you were here and talking to him but he didnât want to hear more. It was beginning to sound like you were explaining yourself to him. Making yourself sound better after he asked you about Namjoon. He doesnât even know why he asked you about that guy, he doesnât care.
âAlright, I wonât,â you crossed your arms over your chest looking away from him, âDonât ask me about anyone then.â
Jungkook had to bite the inside of his cheek to stop himself from responding. He didnât have anything to say because all he wanted was for you to tell him a little more about Namjoon. Why did he act like he didnât care when he did?
Without bothering to ask anything he was scared to know about, he turned away from you and looked back at the people he was standing with before. You walked off to find Mirae, a little annoyed with Jungkook for reasons you couldnât understand and needed to get away. Whatever, you almost kissed and considering he hasn't said anything about it itâs clearly not on his mind. If thatâs the case why does he act like he cares about who you talk to only to stop you when you explain yourself?
When he joined Yoongi and the others again he acted like he didnât care that you wandered off away from him. He didnât seem bothered when you left later that night without saying goodbye and didnât check his phone once for a text from you.
He canât explain why but he doesnât know how to feel about you. For so long now it feels like youâve just been a close friend to him. Youâre someone he calls when heâs bored and thinks of when he finds something funny. You get him like a friend, you donât expect much either. Youâre more like the guys heâs friends with, and youâre not like the girls whoâve tried to get with him. He doesnât know how to explain it but he likes having you around and the last thing he wants to do is complicate things by catching feelings.
Especially when he doesnât know how you feel and heâs too nervous to ask. Itâd be crossing the line. Youâd probably be grossed out if he expresses interest in you. Heâs seen how quick you are to stop being friends with a guy who approaches you like a friend but wants to be with you.
Heâs already done too much by almost kissing you.
âY/n, good to see you and donât you look pretty,â Namjoon said later that night, hugging you in greeting when you met up with him and Jisoo. The club youâd gone to after Taehyungâs was lovely and packed with people everywhere that it was hard to find him in the first place. He brought a surprising smile to your face but youâre not sure how to feel about him just yet.
âThank you, thank you, dressed up just for you,â You told him playfully, leaning against the bar when Jisoo asked for your drink order. Namjoon was attractive and charming but⊠thereâs something holding you back even if you flirted with him absentmindedly. Was there much weight to your actions? Did you actually care to get to know him better?
âI like it, howâs your night been?â Namjoon attempted small talk. It was what your conversations usually consisted of. Even the first night you met you only talked about the movie and when Jungkook texted you, you talked about your friends too.
Heâs told you a little about himself and youâve told about yourself but not enough. Your mind always seemed off somewhere else.
Time passed by without wondering about Jungkook, using Namjoon as a distraction but it didnât work for as long as you hoped. When your night had dulled and your friends dared to call it the end, Namjoon looked at you for an invitation to your apartment that you never gave him. You went your separate ways and left on your own.
It was past 3am and you shouldâve gone to bed, not gotten on your phone to find someone to talk to.
âHello?â
âAre you sleeping?â You asked, falling on your bed and sinking into the pillows.
âWas trying to, whatâs up?â Jungkook asked with a small yawn that had you debating if you should hang up and let him sleep instead.
âNevermind, youâre tired I shouldnât have called,â You began to say, looking around for your phone charger to connect it before you end the call.
He sat up in bed, checking the time and sighing, âBut you did, are you still out with your new friends?â
âJungkook!â You whined, rolling onto your stomach and staring up at your dimly lit ceiling.
âIâm kidding,â He laughed softly, voice a little raspy from being half-asleep but he couldnât help but press you again, âBut are you?â
âI just got home but Iâm not tired. Iâm bored.â You admitted.
âWhat should I do about that?â Jungkook smiled, imagining the way you roll your eyes.
âI donât knowâŠâ You bit your lip in thought. You really werenât tired but that didnât mean you had to drag Jungkook around.
âWant me to come over?â He finally asked.
âItâs late.â
âI think we both know that.â He rolled his eyes, already getting out of bed so he could throw some clothes on, âDo you?â
âWhat would we do?â You asked, leaving your bedroom so you could get the front door unlocked for him.
He put his phone on speaker as he slipped on a pair of sweats and threw a hoodie over his head, âI donât know, we both donât work tomorrow. Maybe watch a movie?â
âAt this hour?â You asked. You could hear Jungkook huff, sitting on the edge of his bed unsure what to do, âYou really want to come over?â
âMaybe, you did ditch me tonightââ Jungkook started, getting cut off by yet another whine.
âNo I didnât! You know what, come over so we can talk,â You told him.
âIâm already getting dressed, chill out.â
It took only around ten minutes for Jungkook to come around and he walked into your apartment with a shake of his head. You mustâve left it unlocked earlier and he didnât like that. What if someone broke in? He locked the door behind himself, kicking his shoes off by the heels you wore tonight. The only light he could find came from your bedroom and he didnât hesitate to let himself in.
âWhat have I told you about leaving your door unlocked?â His words were barely heard over your scream of terror as you walked out of the bathroom dressed in a t-shirt and pajama shorts.
Once the scare wore off you said, âRelax I left it open for you.â
âSure you did, I bet it was for your new friâow!â He groaned dramatically when you hit his arm playfully. He laughed at your annoyance and threw himself on the bed, âIâm kidding. Whatâd you go do anyway? Did your dress leave him swooning?â
âYouâre so annoying,â You sighed jumping down next to him, âJust say youâre jealous.â
âJealous?â A scoff left his lips.
âSounds like it,â You looked for your remote, âWhat do you wanna watch?â
âIâm not jealous. If you want to go hang out with another guy then do what you want,â Jungkook cleared his throat awkwardly, âWeâre just friends, anyway.â
You raised a brow in confusion and surprise by his tone with you, âAnd if I wanted to donât you think I would be doing that right now?
âI mean you did earlier when you left,â Jungkook said annoyingly.
âGo home if youâre going to argue with me,â You told him, rolling your eyes and crossing your arms over your chest with frustration.
âHell no, I drove over at this hour, Iâm sleeping here,â As if to make his point more clear, he made himself comfortable on your bed.
âNot if youâre going to act mean.â
âIâm not!â Jungkook scoffed, leaning up with your pillows, âIâll stop, whatever, fine. Donât kick me out, itâs so late. I drove all the way here for you.â
âItâs like a ten minute drive,â You groaned when he pulled on the end of your hoodie, âWhat?â
âThis is mine,â Jungkook looked at the gray apparel, âI donât remember giving it to you.â
âYou didnât, but you left it in my car,â You tried to pull back but it was no use. Jungkook wasnât letting you move away.
âSo? Doesnât mean itâs yours. I want it backââ
âIâll wash it,â You pulled your covers up to hide yourself underneath but there was no point. A smirk appeared on his face, âI want it now though.â
You didnât say anything as he pulled you closer, falling over him a little. His hand slid down your waist keeping you against him, too close to be appropriate for two friends.
âWhat are you gonna do? Take it off me?â You dared to ask, making yourself comfortable against his chest. Part of you knew you shouldnât be laying in bed like this with your friend.
âShould I?â He asked in a low whisper, fingers slipping up your back just under the hoodie where he could feel your bare skin. You didnât wear anything underneath and it made him want to explore more.
You didnât say anything or bother to push his hand away. You kind of liked his touch, it was gentle but his fingers were rough from all the time he spends at the gym. Your body lay on his, leg nearly hooked around his waist and looking down at him with curiosity.
Jungkook could make out small fragments of makeup you couldnât get all the way off. There was still a small outline of lip gloss and your lashes were dark and long. Your cheeks still had a hint of blush but even in this state you were pretty. He canât get the image of you in that dress earlier out of his mind.
You were oddly close to him and found yourself in the same predicament as last time. Your lips only centimeters apart from his and a need to close that space. Jungkook parted his lips in a breath, catching the way you looked at him and his hand had slowed down its caress until it was tracing a soft line against your spine.
He felt the shift of your upper body when you tried to lean up, almost closing the space but hesitant still.
You wanted to kiss him. He can tell and he wanted to kiss you just as bad. This time around there were no interruptions so what was stopping him from leaning into you too?
âHow much did you drink tonight?â Jungkook found himself asking before he could stop himself. It wasnât the right time to ask but he wanted to know if this was just something that happened when you were drunk or could it happen sober too?
âI donât know, I stopped drinking like a while before I got home,â You leaned back, brows furrowed together, âWhy? You drank tonight too?â
âI went home a little after you left,â he admitted. It was around midnight when you left Taehyungâs to go with Mirae and those guys. Heâd barely managed to survive at the party much long after that and called it an early night. Youâd been out longer than he had.
âOkayâŠâ You pushed off of him, feeling his arm loosen around you, âThat was kind of random.â
Jungkook knew he should have stayed quiet. He shouldâve just kissed you and see where things couldâve gone but he had to ruin it. He had to ask you something that was eating at him.
All heâs been able to think about lately is possibly kissing you and this time around he ruined it all on his own.
âY/n,â He poked your side to get your attention but you had your back to him, turned on your side and tuned him out.
You felt stupid for even attempting to kiss him. He pushed you away after what felt like him flirting with you and it was embarrassing. He just sees you as a friend so you have to stop doing this.
With a huff of frustration, he stretched himself out on his side of your bed and stared at the night landscape on your flatscreen. In a few short moments itâd go into sleep mode on its own and the room would go pitch black.
You mustâve been tired, worked up or even a little buzzed still but you fell asleep long before he did. Youâd been so tired you didnât notice when your cell phone fell onto the bed in the space between you and just as he felt himself close to sleep, the screen lit up the room.
Jungkook planned on ignoring it, not caring who mightâve texted but something in him told him to look. Plus, youâd be mad if you woke up in the morning and your phone wasnât charging. He picked it up, eyes squinting at the bright light and read the notification.
namjoon: did u make it home safe ????
Here he was sleeping in your bed while another guy texted you. How dumb is he?
You flirt with him but you donât want him, simple as that and he doesnât know if he could take it anymore. After some contemplation, he carefully got out of your bed and rounded to your side. He found your charger and connected your phone before he left your bedroom quietly and went home before you could wake up.
âź
Your office felt oddly cold that following Monday. You spent Sunday holed up in your bedroom trying to figure out what happened over the weekend and youâve somewhat come to terms with it when you texted Jungkook and he chose not to respond.
You werenât in the mood to work but there was nothing you could do about it. The clients you were supposed to meet with postponed the lunch meeting to later in the day so really, you could go home for a while but you also didnât want to. It would make you think about how you almost kissed Jungkook and how he pushed you away and left in the middle of the night like you were some one night stand or something.
âIâm not going out anymore,â You told Jimin as you walked into his office, âI make poor decisions when Iâm under the influence and Iâm done.â
âWhy? I thought you went out with Mirae,â Jimin said swiveling his chair out from under his desk top, âWhich by the way, fuck you both for no invite.â
âIt was last minute,â You told him, leaning against a shelf, âAnd I regret it.â
âWhy?â
âStop asking me questions, I canât explain it,â You whined, covering your ears dramatically which only made your friend roll his eyes.
âYou storm into my office complaining and Iâm not allowed to ask questions? What happened to a positive work environment?â Jimin asked with a scoff.
âItâs hard to explain, it was great when I was with Mirae and Namjoon and Jisoo butâŠâ You bit your lip nervously.
âBut what?â Jimin waited. He knew how your night went because Mirae filled him in on everything. He had known you went to Jungkookâs friendâs place to pregame and if it wasnât the group you were with that left you stressed it had to be Jungkook. You think youâre so secretive about the trials and tribulations of your ïżœïżœfriendshipâ with him.
âNothing,â you sighed out, checking your phone. Maybe you just needed to give it a few days for the embarrassment to go away and youâll be fine again.
Jimin looked at you expectantly, deciding to take a different route for his questions, âSo how was it with Namjoon? Mirae is all Heart Eyes for Jisoo.â
âHuh? Oh, no itâs nothing like that,â You told him honestly, âWe talked yesterday and I donât know, I think itâs obvious weâre good as friends right now.â
âSo no feelings at all?â Jimin asked, watching you shake your head, so he kept pushing, âReally? Have you actually thought about it though? I thought heâd be someone whoâs your type or something.â
You stayed quiet, not bothering to hear him out as you let your mind run rampant. Namjoon is attractive but heâs just a friend and he knows that. If you were not emotionally available you might have given him a better chance but right now you know you feel something for Jungkook. Itâs stupid considering he clearly doesnât want you but it would be unfair to Namjoon if you used him to get over the other.
âź
It took over a week for Jungkook to get the courage to talk about you. He wanted you, he wanted you so bad but there was something holding him back. Heâs mad that youâre possibly interested in someone else and heâs pissed that he ruined your chance at kissing. Heâs annoyed with himself for many reasons and the only thing he thought to do was distance himself from you.
Thereâs no point in asking to hang out all the time if youâve got someone youâre interested in, you'd probably rather spend time with.
Throughout the week he found himself joining his other friends and whatever they did instead of seeking you out like usual. If they thought it strange no one had the nerve to question it. It was obvious there was something going on between you and considering Jungkookâs been on edge nobody wanted to push him to know more.
On Tuesday he met up with Yoongi for dinner and surprisingly enough some other people showed upâSera (the girl from the party) being one of them. She talked to him the most like last time and it was clear she was very interested in him. He was flattered but that was it. He was too stuck on you even when you werenât talking.
By the time the weekend rolled back around, Jungkook let himself be dragged to another night out. Yoongi and some of his other friends got him out for a couple drinks at a few bars. He didnât mind it, but it was weird when Sera and others showed up. It felt oddly like a set-up and he wasnât sure what to make of it.
âSo you donât think sheâs hot?â Hoseok asked as he waited at the bar with Jungkook for the round of drinks heâd just ordered. Jungkook looked back at the group finding Sera looking at him but he just looked away.
âSheâs⊠sheâs alright,â Jungkook shrugged his shoulders, âI donât know, not really my type though.â
âWhy? Because sheâs not Y/n?â Hoseok asked with a scoff that made Jungkook roll his eyes. Out of everyone Hoseok was always the main one to point out his relationship with you. It all started when Hoseok made a comment months ago about how he thought you were hot and Jungkook was a little too quick to shut it down. It was weird for him to think of two of his friends going out or talking and Hoseok took that as a sign that Jungkook wanted you⊠which wasnât true.
Anyway, the point is, Hoseok always brings you up around him and tonight was no different.
âWhere is she anyway? I feel like I havenât seen her around in a while,â Taehyung said, appearing out of nowhere holding a drink of his own.
âYou saw her last weekend,â Jungkook told him.
âYeah, but I havenât seen her with you,â Taehyung clarified but Jungkook didnât seem to care anymore. Hoseok nudged Jungkook and with a drink, âLetâs go talk with Sera and maybe you can introduce me to her friend.â
Taehyung let the other two leave and without thinking he grabbed his cell phone and dialed your number.
You were hanging out at Jiminâs place after finishing some work with him and Mirae when Taehyung called, âHello.â
âHey Y/n, where are you? What are you doing?â Taehyung asked looking back at Jungkook who looked tortured to be sandwiched between Sera and Hoseok.
âAt a friendâs place, whatâs up?â You asked looking between your friends who looked back at you with curiosity.
âCome to JJâs Bar, weâre all here,â Taehyung kept it simple. In all honesty, he genuinely likes having you around. Youâre funny and like Jungkook in a way. When Jungkook brought you around it was surprisingly easy to befriend you and youâre someone he likes seeing. He thinks you and Jungkook should get together some dayâif you havenât already. He doesnât understand why it hasnât happened yet when you both clearly want to and okay, he mightâve cut in on that first night but he swears he was drunk. He didnât mean to and since then youâve been distant from each other.
Heâs been trying to invite you since Jungkook wants to be too stubborn to admit he wants you around.
âWhoâs we? Yoongi? Jungkook?â You asked, beginning to gnaw on your bottom lip, âLet me think about it.â
When you hung up, Jimin was the first to speak, âI can drive you.â
âI donât know⊠I havenât really been talking to Jungkook this weekend,â You admitted to making Mirae roll her eyes.
âWe know, but itâs obvious you want to. Youâve been depressed all week,â She said, trying to convince you to be honest about your feelings. Neither one of you wants to admit whatâs going on between you so you just keep going around it. Youâve been off for a couple weeks now and everyone can see it but you two.
At the bar Jungkook was bored. He wasnât in the mood to drink or be out with everyone but he dragged himself along because he had nothing better to do. He wasnât going to stay home staring at his phone or getting FOMO because he missed his friends. He doesnât want to be here but he doesnât want to be home.
Frankly, Jungkook knows where and with who he wants to be but heâs too stupid to pick up his phone and call you.
âJungkook, be honest, are you seeing anyone?â Sera finally asked as she noticed him stare at his phone screen. The bar was dark with colorful lights here and there, packed with people and he was more interested on his phone. Sheâs done everything she can to get him to notice her but it feels like she keeps falling shorts. He talks to her, close to flirting but never all the way, yet she canât tell how he feels. Well, no, she can tell heâs thinking about something else but everyone tells her heâs single. She remembers seeing you at Taehyungâs last weekend, it was the most interested he looked in anything but the two of arenât⊠dating [?] so what was his deal?
âWhat?â He turned with surprise written on his face. Sera was blunt and it caught him off guard.
âWell, I think youâre hot and I want to get to know you but I donât know where your head is at,â Sera said loudly over the music. He was flattered butâŠ
âYou actually came!â Taehyung greeted you warmly, wrapping his arms around you in a tight hug as you found him and the others. You hugged him back and looked at everyone, not remembering him mentioning any of the other women hereâor the one Jungkook was talking to.
âY/n,â Yoongi said hello, âDo you want a drink?â
âUmâŠâ
âI uh,â Jungkook blinked in disbelief as he looked at you just a few feet away from him. He didnât know youâd be here, how? âItâs complicated.â
He tried to sit there and focus on Sera but it was hard. He didnât want to just ditch the girl out of the blue but you havenât spared him a single glance. Itâs like youâre here for his friends but not for him and he didnât like that. Youâre supposed to be his friend not theirs.
You stood back, nervous to greet him. You barely know the girl but what if itâs someone heâs interested in? What if youâre just supposed to be someone he calls when heâs bored and flirts with when no oneâs around? What if youâve read too much into it and let your feelings get involved? You debated approaching him or not especially considering how he left you alone in bed after pushing you away from a kiss. Was it a mistake coming here? Whatâd you even hope could happen?
âJungkook,â You waved, hoping you didnât sound too nervous or bothered while also not sounding too enthusiastic in case that was a girl he was after. You just needed to sound friendly. Thatâs it.
Sera looked between you with peaked curiosity. Sheâd notice his attention had left her a while ago but now she sees why. Jungkook didnât bother looking back at her as he stood up, making his way over to where you stood.
âYou didnât tell me you were coming,â He said shifting his eyes around, âWho invited you?â
âI canât hang around your friends anymore?â You asked bluntly, âWhat do you mean who invited me?â
âI just⊠I didnât knoâshould we get a drink?â His voice shook with anxiety as his hand slipped down your back to lead you to the bar. He wasnât doing anything wrong talking to Sera but for some reason he didnât want the two of you around each otherâespecially after she just told him she was interested.
âIâll probably leave, I donât want to be somewhere Iâm not wanted,â You said bitterly, trying to step away from him but he didnât let you get far from his arms.
âI want you here, of course I do. I just wanted to know who texted you,â Jungkook told you looking at his friends and the only one that was smiling, âTaehyung?â
âYeah, he asked me to come but if itâs going to be a problem Iâll just leave,â You kept saying.
âWhy would it be a problem? Iâve been meaning to text you butâyknow, um,â Jungkook cleared his throat awkwardly, leading you away from the group. Itâs not that he didnât want you around them but he was only comfortable with you right now. He didnât need everyone hearing him.
âAlright, you donât have to explain it,â You brushed him off, turning to the bar and debating if you wanted a drink or not. You werenât in the mood to but now that youâve seen Jungkook with another girl, you might.
âKook, Y/n, want a shot?â Taehyung asked, trying to get you both to go back with everyone.
âIâm driving,â Jungkook said. He had a small sip earlier but heâs not here to drink all night then get stuck Ubering--especially not now that youâre here. What if you go home with him [he means take you home].
âY/n?â He turned to you only and you contemplated. Jungkook bit his lip in thought, tempted to say no on your behalf but he wanted to know what youâd do. Taehyung invited you tonight and last weekend too, why? Heâs happy youâre here but why is Taehyung the one making a move?
âIâm good, Iâll get something else,â You lied, turning away from the group. Part of you wanted to leave then and there but Jimin dropped you off and youâd need to call him back.
Jungkook didnât hesitate to follow you to the bar but you didnât try and order anything. He even asked if you wanted something but you didnât, âJungkook just be honest, should I leave? I know you said you want me here but I donât know⊠if you wanna hang out with your friends or, yknow, other girls I donât want them to get the wrong idea. I just came because I wanted to talk but⊠I donât know.â
âIs it because of Sera? Y/n, I donât like her or anything. I want you here, Iâm sorry for not inviting you,â Jungkook tried to reassure you but you werenât really listening.
âThis isnât about her, itâs you. Youâre the one being confusing, Kook,â You admitted.
âMe?â He looked genuinely taken back, âHow?â
You scoffed, crossing your arms over your chest as a shield between you knowing heâd try and pull you closer like he usually did. You werenât the type to argue with someone in public but you were a little annoyed.
âAre we friends? Because if we are donât try and kiss me then ignore me for days and go out with someone elseââ
âAre you serious right now?â He asked, âThatâs what youâre mad about? Youâve been doing that to me for the past few weeks with your friend Namjoon.â
âWhat? Thatâs not true, Iâve told you every time I was gonna hang out with him. You only call me when you think Iâm with someone else,â You told him bitterly.
âYou donât honestly believe that. I call you more than you bother reaching out to me. You only call me when you need a ride or youâre drunk and bored,â Jungkook said, standing a foot away from you so you could hear him better, âYou flirt with me and I think thereâs something there but then you brush me off or go with someone else. Iâve been trying to make things more clear but you make it so hard.â
âI make it hard?â Your jaw nearly dropped, âAlright this is stupid. I donât want to talk about it anymore.â
He knows what youâre doing and he doesnât want to play along. Any time the two of you talk about something a little too complicated you start to backtrack in order to avoid it. No, if you wanted him to be honest you had to let him. After the first night you almost kissed, you didnât message him for a couple days. Heâs the one who reach out to you. This time around heâs the one that left because Namjoon was on your phone and he didnât know what to make of it. He shouldâve asked if anything was serious between the two of you but he was too cowardly to do it and left instead. Maybe you were mad he didnât reach out but why didnât you try? Yes, you came here hopefully looking for him but the second you see him talking to someone else and confront him about it suddenly youâre shutting down?
Whoâs leading who on?
Yoongi saw most of your interaction from across the bar. You werenât full on arguing but itâs obvious the two of you had things you wanted to say but didnât know how. After a while he didnât want to just sit back and ignore it. He at least wanted to know if you were both alright.
When he made his way over he tried asking you again if you wanted a drink or if Jungkook wanted to join him outside. You took that as a sign to make an escape for a moment and rushed to say, âIâm going to the restroom.â
Jungkook was stuck between following and waiting for you or going with Yoongi but his hand trembled with nerves and he needed fresh air. His friend offered him a smoke and he took it reluctantly knowing youâd hate the smell of it on him. Even when heâs sort of upset with you he canât make himself do something you donât like.
âWhat are you guys fighting about?â Yoongi asked taking the cigarette Jungkook rejected and lit one for himself.
âItâs stupid,â Jungkook mumbled under his breath.
âClearly not when you look worked up,â Yoongi said, âTell me.â
âThereâs been a couple times that we almost kissed and I thought she was talking to someone else but now sheâs acting upset with me and I donât know why. Iâm not doing anything, the other night we almost kissed again but I couldnât bring myself to do it and then the guy texts her. I didnât know Taehyung asked her to come and now she thinks I donât want her here and probably thinks Iâm into Sera but Iâm not,â Jungkook began to let it all out, hands running through his hair nervously.
Yoongi couldnât hide the look of surprise on his face over the fact that you guys had never kissed before. It was sort of a running joke between all of them that youâre both secretly hooking up but it appears not to be the case. You both had been good friends until then and all the bottled up emotions are finally begging to be let out. It made him chuckle over how dumb it was.
âDid you bother to ask her about him? Actually ask and not make assumptions like you always do?â Yoongi asked, âBecause honestly, I think youâre both into each other and donât know what to do about it.â
âYou donât get it hyung, I canât just ask Y/n thatâŠâ Jungkook groaned with frustration, âIâm being so pathetic, arenât I?â
âA little. You pay for a parking spot specifically for Y/n and sheâs not even your girlfriend. You want her to be so just talk it out.â
âIâm gonna talk to her,â Jungkook bit his lip, watching Yoongi finish up and ask him if we was ready to go back in. When he did, you were standing there talking to Sera and he wasnât sure what it could be about.
Honestly, it was nothing to worry about. She saw you looking clueless after your restroom break and introduced herself as one of Yoongiâs friends. Although you wanted to ask her about Jungkook she didnât even bring him up. When he went up to you both but placed a dominant hand around your waist.
It answered what Sera already knew, that he was claimed for even if neither of you said it. His heart was with you.
âAre you mad at me?â He asked suddenly, âFor the other night?â
âNo, Iâm confused,â You let him turn you in his arms so that you faced him, âI thought you wanted to kiss but then you stop it and when I wake up youâre gone. Itâs fine if you just want to be friends but donât lead me on like that.â
For a moment he wasnât sure what to say. He didnât think youâd say it so bluntly but you did. Youâve been thinking about those Almost Kisses youâve shared just as much as he has. He just didnât expect you to be thinking he was leading you on. He thought you were leading him on.
âIâm not⊠Can we go and talk somewhere?â He asked, trying to take your hand in his but you rejected his advance. Once again you probably looked like a couple arguing and it was so stupid.
âI just wanna go,â You told him and to keep you from leaving he pushed his keys into your hands.
âLetâs go then,â He said. You looked at him with a small smile, feeling somewhat upset with him but also unsure what to do. Part of you wanted to leave on your own but you also wanted to hear him out.
You pushed them back into his hand with a sigh, âNo, youâre here with your friends, I shouldnât have even bothered.â
âY/n, I donât care I wanna leave with you, letâs go,â He turned to his friends, not bothering to get closer as he began to wave, âIâm gonna call it a night guys, Y/nâs taking me home.â
âKook,â You couldnât help but whine. He just smiled, leading you out the club and you learned he wasnât kidding. He really was making you take him home in his own car, hoping itâd keep you from parting ways with him tonight.
âI didnât know it seemed like I was leading you on,â Jungkook said, almost sounding bitter at the thought of it. He slumped back in the passengerâs seat staring out at the dark city lights trying to process what you time him not too long ago.
You didnât say anything and that made him turn to you, âYouâre the one thatâd ditch me for that Namjoon guy.â
âI didnât ditch you, every single time you asked me about him and I tried telling you how it was, youâd stop me,â You reminded him, thinking back to every time heâd bring up someone else and ignore every time you told him it wasnât anything serious, âAnd how was I not supposed to think you were leading me on? One second you act like you want to kiss and the next youâre pushing me away.â
âIâm not saying youâre wrong about how I acted but it was because I was jealous. You knew I was jealous I just kept acting like I wasnât and look at where we are now. Youâre mad at me,â Jungkook shook his head, âAnd I want to kiss you. I think about kissing you all the time and that nightâthose nights⊠I regret not doing it but sometimes I canât read you.â
âI never know where your headâs at. One second youâre in my arms and I think thereâs something between us but then you⊠I donât know, I feel like you know Iâll always be around,â He admitted, looking out his window to avoid your sudden stare.
The rest of the ride was silent and though Jungkook could tell there was a lot on your mind you werenât saying any of it. He feels more assured now knowing that you felt the same way he did but itâs like going in circles talking about this. He just wants to get you in his arms and act like you both havenât made it more complicated than it needs to be.
When you parked his car in the lot of his apartment, you turned the engine off and turned to face him, confused on what to do now. Do you sleep over or get yourself a ride home? Jungkook had pushed his seat back to get more comfortable but now it felt like you were farther from him than he liked. You looked back to find him already staring at you. His eyes fell to the way you nervously licked your lips and he couldnât take it anymore.
The sound of his belt unbuckling caught you off guard you almost missed how he leant forward so suddenly you nearly pulled back. His lips collided with yours with such need that you met with equal eagerness. He slipped his hand down your hair toward your neckline keeping you from pulling back. Jungkook doesnât know how to describe the kiss.
It was good, better than he imagined but was it the kiss or just you? Was it the fact that was finally getting a taste of you? You leaned forward, bumping into the middle console to kiss him a little harder, tongues meeting in a wet, tender way that had you gasping lightly. If this was what was on your mind for so long, you now knew why. Kissing him felt good, felt different and you didnât want to stop.
âInside,â He tried to say between kisses but he found it hard to pull away. The word just came out in an airy whisper, struggling to find sound.
He pulled back with a small groan, hand in your hair and forehead pressed against yours as he tried to catch his breath, âLetâs go inside, please?â
Your small nod was enough for him to storm out of the car, rounding to your side and helping you out of the car, leading you up. Up the stairs he stopped every now and then to plant a small kiss on your shoulder or neck, arms around your waist.
âDonât like when youâre mad at me,â Jungkook said, unlocking his door and taking you in, âAnd I was jealous about Namjoon, so stupidly jealous because he texted you and I saw it on your phone anââ
âThereâs nothing going on between us,â You assured him, âAnd I was never mad at you. I thought you didnât want meââ
âCrazy, youâre crazy to think that,â Jungkook cupped your face in his hands, âYouâre the only one I want and Iâm sorry I didnât make it more clear.â
You smiled, arms around his neck as he hoisted you up so he could kiss you better and walk toward his living room, âMe too.â
He carried you to the couch, taking a seat and pulling you onto his lap with ease. You didnât hesitate to make yourself comfortable, leaning down to kiss him as his hands moved up your waist. He let you take the lead for a little bit, head tilted to the side when you kissed near his ear making a small smile appear on his face. His ears were sensitive and everyone knew that. Whenever you tried whispering something in his ear, heâd practically have to shove you away or itâd make goosebumps form on his skin. Now youâre kissing up his ear lobe and he was sinking into the couch pulling you with him.
A light frown left his lips when he felt you nip at his lobe with your teeth and his head fell forward, nearly bumping your shoulder making him tug on your neckline to kiss your exposed collarbone. You lifted his chin with a light finger touch and met him with a kiss. His hands slipped under your top, feeling along your smile like heâs done before. He likes to feel how warm you are under his fingertips, like to feel your natural curves. You liked the way his rough hands felt against your sides when he ran his hands up, nearly touching your chest before tracing them back down.
Jungkook couldnât hide his growing erection when you pressed down against his lap. It didnât help that you were licking along his bottom lip tugging on it with your teeth until you were tongue kissing. He sat straighter, hands itching to rip your top off. Heâs seen you in sultry outfits that made his head turn everytime and heâs interested to see what was under.
âKook,â You sighed softly, pulling away from the sloppy kiss to catch your breath. Your lips felt number and swollen and his did too. He was so damn kissable and you canât believe you havenât done this yet. What were you so worried about all this time? He looked at you with these spark in his eyes and lip between his teeth, hands around your waist and bulge pressed against you. You looked down at his lap, shifting back a little before grinding forward again. A deep groan caught in his throat when you did it and he looked at you hopefully.
âYouâre so hot,â Your hands ran along his lean shoulders down toward the bottom of his shirts and helped you yank it off of him without a second thought. Youâve seen him shirtless countless of times, in person and on the phone. Youâve felt his body when heâs rolled over in his sleep to cuddle and it doesnât ever leave your mind how attractive your friend is. You remember when he first started getting his tattoos done and when he first started boxing. He got so much stronger and his tattoos just got so much hotter.
You leaned forward, kissing softly against his neck, hands feeling up his abs and hip bucking into him. His hands guided your hips against him, hard dick feeling constricted in his jeans and when you kissed near his pecs he released a light moan.
âStop, youâre going to drive me insane if you donât,â He groaned, hands pulling on your top.
âYou want me stop?â You asked, grinding down on him. You were starting to feel needy and aroused. If he wanted you to stop, maybe you should before you take it too far.
âNo,â Jungkook finally yanked your top off you, catching your lips with his, tongue searching the inside of your mouth, âDonât want you to.â
His hands wandered south, inching up the small fitted skirt you wore tonight. Last time he saw you in something revealing was when youâd gone off to see Namjoon wearing a dress. He remembered eyeing you closely wishing you werenât leaving and wondering if youâd dressed up for someone else. Now youâre grinding down on him with your skirt bunch around your hips, bucking into him with a thin pair of panties on and it drove him insane. His jeans were in the way of letting him feel your head against him and he couldnât take it. A small squeal left your lips when he swiftly turned you to lie on the couch, trapped underneath him with your legs around his waist.
Jungkook kept his hardened dick in his pants, pressed between your spread legs as he kissed down your neck, leaving love bites behind while his hands began to trace your sides. You breathed heavily in anticipation when he tugged your bra down exposing your breasts over the cups and he didnât hesitate to keep going. His touch was eager as he licked between them, cupping your right boob with his hand while kissing the other. He sucked your hardened nipple into his, humping his erection against your clit. You released a small moan when he ran his tongue around your bud, lost in himself Jungkook groaned when you pulled on his hair softly.
You snuck a hand between your bodies and reached for his belt. The jeans felt rough against your wet panties but it also felt good to have something to bump into. In all honesty, you liked grinding against him but you need more.
Now.
Jungkook lifted his body up slightly, not bothering to break away from worshiping you in kisses and helped you unbuckle his belt.
âYou want it?â Jungkook asked in a husky whisper, throat sore and lust in his eyes. You nodded your head watching him sit back on his haunches, using his skilled fingers to undo it the rest of the way and tug the zipper down. He kicked them off without much or a care for the things on his coffee table and with his other hand, he held your hips, âSay it.â
A soft whine left your lips as you got the hint and turned onto your stomach, your head so close to the armrest of the couch and knees digging into the cushion below you. Youâve been in this living room a hundred times but never thought youâd be in this position. He pulled your panties down with ease, not bothering with the skirt as he pulled it up so it was around your waist and gave him a perfect view of what you looked like bent over. He couldnât help but place a hand on the round of your ass, fingers digging into the soft flesh with his bottom lip pulled between his teeth.
Jungkook was pathetically desperate for you and couldnât find it in himself to pull away enough to pull his briefs all the way down. Instead, he lowered them enough for his hard cock to spring free. You hadnât said anything yet, seemingly stuck in a lust filled daze, arms using the side of the couch for support. He could see the slick lining your pretty cunt and he needed to be closer. He lined his member up with your files, grinding against you and feeling your wetness coat his member in arousal.
You released a moan, arching your back into the couch and ass back on him, âI want it.â
His cock twitched with need when you said it in your usual whiny tone. The tone you use when you call him late at night because youâre bored or annoyed with him. Jungkook nodded his head even though you couldnât see him, he used a hand on your hips and the other in his length to catch the small hook of your entrance. You were so unbelievably wet that his dick was covered, it made guiding the tip of his cock against your wet pussy better.
âYouâre so wet, baby, fuck,â Jungkook groaned, palming your ass as you waited so prettily for him to just fuck you already.
He can tell you were getting impatient by the way you shook your hips side to side and he couldnât help but smile. Feeling warmth burst through his chest he leant over your body, resting his arm next to yours and kissed your neck. Without another word, he pressed his face against your hair and thrusted forward. With just the first thrust, you felt the stretch of your walls around his girth. It hurt for only a few seconds as you took him in and you lifted your head, stopped by how Jungkook hugged you from behind.
âOh,â You gasped turning your head to look at him and he caught your open lips with a tongue kiss that made you relax against him. It took him a moment before he pushed the rest of his length into your tight pussy with a grunt.
Once he felt you relax, he tried to sit back, thrusting into you with care trying to adjust. You pushed back against his length, meeting his thrusts until you caught a steady rhythm and Jungkookâs fingers dug into your hips, watching the way you looked as he fucked you from behind in his living room. You felt so good to him. Your walls tightened around him deliciously making his head tip back losing himself to the feeling. âRight there.â
At this angle with your back down and ass up, his dick felt your innermost walls clench, he felt the curve of your pelvis and your butt felt soft.
âFuck,â your head fell against the arm rest trying to keep up with your pace but he was bigger than you ever couldâve thought of. Youâve felt a hint of it before but to have him inside you making your body shiver with need it was hard to focus on your movements. Jungkook could feel you slow down as you felt the pleasure build up inside you. It brought him back to attention and with more assertive energy, he placed a hand on your ass and the other on your lower back, making sure you stayed in position so he could fuck you.
Your jaw dropped when his strokes changed making him reach deeper inside you. This position always made you feel dirty in a good way and left you a moaning mess, letting him slam his hips into you. Swear beaded his forehead, fucking you chasing his and your pleasure.
âSo good, so fucking good,â He groaned, arm circling around your waist and lowering more of his hips into you. The tip of his cock hit that good spot deep inside that made you want to clench your eyes shut.
âKoo,â You tried to get out more of his name but it was harder to hold yourself together, fucking back onto his dick with eagerness, needy whimpers leaving your lips. You pushed against the armrest trying to stand up a little, itching to be closer to him.
You didnât even need to tell him anything, he pulled your back against his chest until your were nearly sitting back on his dick, grinding against him, taking every inch he gave you. He placed a hand on your navel, keeping you flush to his body, dropping needy kisses on your neck knowing itâd leave love bites in their wake.
Your orgasm began to build up inside you, so close to popping and it made you a little more pliant to take whatever he gave you. You fucked yourself back onto him while his other hand groped your tits, listening to his whispers of need in your ear telling you how good youâre taking it.
âJust like that, cum for me,â Jungkook said with a deep rasp to his usual delicate tone. Itâs like he wanted to walk you through it and fuck, it was working.
The moment your cunt clamped down around his dick leaving him to hiss through gritted teeth, he knew you were going to cum. He let you fuck yourself to release, whining in his arms and legs shaking as he held you up.
He slowed his hips, keeping himself to the hilt inside you feeling the way your orgasm made your body tremble for him. Your pussy was dripping around his length and he was tracing soothing lines against your spine as you fell back to the couch trying to catch your breath, âGood girl.â
His words had a clear effect on you still as your pussy twitched, making him smile. He never took you as the type to like pet names but he knew you liked to be praised. Well, he knew you hated being scolded but usually you listened to him when he did. Now he knows praising you feels a lot better.
Jungkook sucked in a tight breath as he began to pull out his aching member, worried youâd be feel uncomfortable right now. The need to cum was so heavily set into his body but he wasnât stupid. He knew he wasnât wearing any protection and though thereâs a chance youâre taking anything, he wasnât going to risk losing himself inside you. A little whine left your lips as he slipped out and you couldnât help but look back at him with furrowed brows.
âYou good?â He asked with concern, caressing your side lovingly. You didnât say anything, turning to sit up and wrap your arms around him. He groaned when you rubbed against his cock on accident and you looked down at it immediately.
He caught your stare and smiled, âCan we finish this somewhere else? The couch is a little too smallâŠâ
You laughed, âThereâs more?â
You were teasing him and you both knew it which only made him roll his eyes playfully. With a swift move, he lifted you up, carrying you to the bathroom catching you by surprise, âYou didnât think we were done yet did you? What about me?â
âź
A MONTH LATER
âYou guys are so bad at hiding it,â Mirae said as she sat in the packed booth of your friends, all watching you hold hands under the table. You looked at her with feigned innocence, shoving Junhkookâs hand off your thigh.
âHiding what?â You asked, looking at everyone around. Taehyung sat on one end, Yoongi next to him, Jimin there and Mirae too. They all looked equally unimpressed but your act but it was somewhat funny.
Jungkook tried to hide a grin but he was so bad at it. He smiled at you warmly, âTold you.â
âItâs your fault, I bet we couldâve hid it a little longer if you didnât smile,â You tried to say but even you didnât believe yourself. Jungkook didnât even bother to look guilty as he broke out in a laugh. Yoongi chuckled, looking at the way Jungkookâs cheeks flushed red when you looked at him a little too long.
âI knew the second Y/n stopped coming to work all moody because she wasnât talking to Jungkook,â Jimin pointed out and Mirae agreed quickly.
Hoseok sighed, âI knew when Jungkook stopped giving me killer workouts at the gym. I almost broke my shoulder.â
âWhoa, Iâm a great personal trainer,â Jungkook put a hand to his chest, âDonât come at my profession.â
âIâm not, Iâm pointing out the fact that you were always moodier when you didnât see Y/n,â Hoseok argued.
Jungkook couldnât even deny it so he didnât try. Instead he place his hand back down on your thigh and leaned into you to share the dinner menu, âAre you gonna try something new? Youâre picky.â
âI might want to expand my horizons,â You looked over everything with a concentrated expression.
He raised an amused brow at you, surprised when the server came around and you actually did try something new. He let the others go before him and when it came to being his turn, he ordered your usual.
âAre you switching it up too?â The server asked, all too familiar with the two of you and your eating preferences.
âItâs in case she doesnât like it,â He admitted with a sly wink in your direction. You hit his arm playfully and turned toward your friends who glared at you grossly.
âIâm losing my appetite,â Jimin teased, looking at Mirae as she texted away on her phone, âYou?â
âKinda, I donât know, Jisoo just asked what Iâm doing,â Mirae said.
Jungkook looked up with slight interest. He tried not to be the jealous type but⊠Jisoo is friends with Namjoon. Heâs met the guy now and heâs not that bad but heâs also way taller than him with a bulkier physique.
âWhat is he doing? Tell him and his friends join us,â Jungkook said suddenly making her furrow her brows at him.
âHe wants to see Namjoon again, I think heâs got a little crush on him,â You told her, making him shrug.
âThe guy is built,â he said, âI just wanna know what pre-workout he takes.â
âAnd to think you spent all this time not liking him because you didnât like Y/n talking to him,â Taehyung said, feeling the need to bring up the awkward part. You glared at him but he only smiled mischievously.
âHey, letâs move on from that,â You said leaning against Jungkook who pulled you closer, âWeâre all just friends.â
âExcept you two, so can you just say youâre dating already and we can go on with the usual?â Yoongi asked impatiently.
âI thought you said we were bad at hiding it,â your boyfriend sat up, pulling you into his arms giving you a tight hug and looked at his friends, âBut fine, this is my best friend and girlfriend.â
âWhoa, I thought I was your best friend now. Y/n canât have both titles,â Taehyung scoffed, sitting up, âI practically brought you two together. I mean yeah I was fucked up that first night but once I caught on I was the one always inviting Y/n over.â
âIâm the one who told Jungkook to get his head out of the gutters and talk to Y/n,â Yoongi said with a raised finger to state a point.
âNot to join in on the fight but⊠I also tried getting Y/n to talk about Jungkook and drove her to JJâs the other night,â Jimin leaned forward to say and suddenly they were all arguing over who brought the two of you together.
It was stupid but friendly and it made you laugh with amusement.
âIâm not the jealous type, right?â Jungkook asked you as he thought about what Taehyung said earlier instead of their current banter, âI didnât care that you talked to Namjoon⊠I just, y'know I didnât want you to like him, thereâs a difference.â
His face looked confused in a surprisingly cute way for your motorcycle riding, tattoo covered boyfriend and it made you smile. âOf course youâre not the jealous type.â
Jungkook smiled back warmly, leaning into you for a quick kiss.
When your food arrived you regretted ordering it just like he knew you would and he switched you plates like he knew he would. Aside from the obvious displays of affection nothing else changed for the two of you. Or at least you donât think it did.
He still came over whenever he felt like it and you bothered him at any hour of the day. When he wasnât sleeping in your bed trying to keep you from going to work he was checking his phone for a text from you throughout the day.
Youâre not sure if itâs because he was your friend first but your relationship with Jungkook was a perfect mix of love and affection with ease and playfulness.
Your best friend was the one for you and heâd been right in front of you the whole time.
::.
NO PART TWO
two fics in two months??? who do I think I am đ
honestly I kinda liked this friendly little vibe. I wanted more angst but idkkk. they kinda gave toxic but not like super hide red flag toxic. theyâre in their twenties yall đ
Iâm preparing for this angsty yandere fic for Taehyung so I wanted to something a little softer, slice of life vibe
anyways like always, love feedback so tell me what you think!
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Rotten | cowboy!joel x f!reader
Summary: Sharing land with Joel Miller has always been infuriating, but when your bad attitude finally gets his attention...things get messy. Rating: 18+ Explicit MDNI Word Count: 5.2k Warnings: No-Outbreak AU, banter and arguing, explicit language, brat taming, semi dark!joel, dubcon elements, degrading, choking, rough spanking, hair pulling, face slapping, throat fucking, touch of dacryphilia, rope/bondage, rough unprotected piv sex, hint of a subspace moment, orgasm denial, squirting, creampie, no aftercare because joel is an old, grumpy asshole A/N: Y'all probably wouldn't believe me if I told you Apple by Charlie XCX inspired this random fic...but anyway, this one goes out to my sweet bb angel @lotusbxtch <3 thank you for always being my partner in crime in the late hours of the evening ilysm
Part II
Masterlist | Ko-Fi
The Texas sun beat down on your skin as you rode through the acres of landâyour landâ stretching out before you. Passed down from generation to generation, this entire pasture of fields and wild barley was yours. After both of your parents died during a freak accident, you inherited the land and dealt with upkeep and farm animals as if it were your life. And it was your life. Every inch of this farmland was yours, no matter what anyone said.Â
You pressed your heels into the side of your horse, Mac, and urged him further down through the tall grass. The summer hadnât been kind to the fields, the grass yellowing in most places, but what would you do about it? Tell the sun to stop shining? All you could do was take care of the land and ensure nothing went wrong. The animals were taken care of, the wild wheat still grew strong in the outskirts past your tiny farm home, and you had enough money to put dinner on the table for yourself at the end of your night.Â
No trouble at all.Â
What was trouble, though, was Joel Miller riding his ass right down the edge of your land. The sun cast him in a dark silhouette as he rode closer, his broad body sitting tall on the back of his horse. You held back the reigns, shushing Mac gently as you slowed him to a trot, keeping a healthy distance from the insufferable man trespassing onto your fields.Â
âThink yâgot yourself a bit lost out here, Miller,â you hollered.Â
Joel removed the black cowboy hat from his head; the grey hairs streaking through his curls shimmered in the sunlight as he swiped an arm over his sweaty forehead. Every inch of his skin was sunkissed and tan from hours under the sun, his greying beard patchy and well-kept despite his rugged exterior. If he werenât such an asshole, maybe youâd even consider him attractive, but your irritation with him ran deeper than any other emotion.Â
Staring up at you under thick brows, Joel quirked an amused grin and shrugged.Â
âAinât lost at all, darlinâ. Sâmy land out here.â
You steered Mac forward, keeping yourself parallel with Joelâs body. You werenât intimidated by any man, let alone Joel Miller. He may have a few decades on you, but that didnât matter. The Miller family had always been a problem. For generations, they feuded with your family over acres of land that stretched across the horizon, never agreeing on who owned what. Before Joel, his father had caused an uproar in your family, and now he just had to continue causing problems. Would you ever rid yourself of this man and his family?
âI suggest yâtake your ass home âfore I make you leave,â you warned.Â
The wind kicked around you, fanning your hair down around your shoulders. Joel caught how your hair flared under your cowboy hat, and a hint of mischief sparkled inside his dark brown eyes. He was a fucking nuisance and still on your fucking land.Â
âCareful now, darlinâ. Those are some mighty big fightinâ words.â
You straightened your spine, holding firm on the reigns to keep yourself anchored. Mac huffed impatiently as if he knew how sour your mood was turning. The longer you kept yourself around Joel, the quicker your anger grew. The sun would set soon, and you still had miles to cover before you made it home; you wouldnât entertain an old cowboy all night, even if he were staring at you like you were a wild horse to be tamed.Â
âThis is the last time Iâm tellinâ you to stay off my land, Joel. I mean it.â
Joel chuckled lightly as if your words meant nothing. He placed his hat back over the matted curls on his head and began riding past you. You glared over your shoulder, watching his body travel further into the horizon and away from the rolling fields of your land.Â
**
The summer wasnât getting any easier. The sun grew brighter each day, and the air thickened with humidity, making it nearly impossible to continue wearing anything restrictive. With no one else around to pester you, you paraded around the stables in a tight top, a pair of daisy dukes, and your usual worn leather boots. The fewer clothes, the betterâeven if that meant getting bit up by a few mosquitoes here and there.Â
You were deep into cleaning Macâs stall when you heard the sound of hoofs pounding against the dirt ground outside the stables. Your body went rigid; you knew who it was without looking. Who else would it be out here? The horse in the distance bristled as its rider dropped to the ground, his heavy footfall nearing you as you exited the stall with a towel slung over your shoulder.Â
Joel stood tall in the entrance, his broad frame sucking in all of the light as he walked closer. He wore an old denim button-up, and the sleeves pushed up his tan forearms, exposing the thickly corded muscles that ran down to his hands. Without a cowboy hat resting over his eyes, you could see how rich and dark they were as they stared you down. Despite hating him, your body reacted on its own accord. You clenched your thighs, trying to quell the ache growing inside your core. Leaning against the stall, you narrowed your eyes, watching Joel stalking closer. His steps were confidentâcasually, evenâas if he owned the damn place.Â
âNot sure why yâthink itâs okay to come waltzinâ in here,â you scowled, folding your arms over your chest.Â
âAinât you just a ray of sunshine,â Joel smirked.Â
âFuck off, old man,â you snapped, rolling your eyes.Â
âWhat was that, darlin?âÂ
Joel stepped forward, and you mimicked his movements, drawing yourself closer to him. Even with his height towering over you, you were unphased. This man wouldnât get the best of you.Â
âOh, sorry. Should I be speakinâ louder? Ainât sure if yâgot your hearing aids in.â
âNo, I heard yâjust fine. Just wanna hear you say it again.â
The toe of your boot tapped against his as you glared up at him. With a smug grin stretching across your face, you repeated your retort.Â
âFuck off. Old man.â
Joelâs body tensed, his eyes narrowed as he considered your words. You werenât backing down; he was on your property and, quite frankly, pissing you off. He could bitch and moan all he wanted about how this land was his birthright, but he was wrong. Your parents settled the matter generations ago and never once faltered against the Millers. That wouldnât change now. Youâd uphold their wishes and continue fighting for what was yours.Â
âYâgotta damn nasty mouth on such a tiny body. Ainât your parents teach you some manners?â Joel questioned.Â
âThey taught me enough, but it ainât gonna stop me from tellinâ you off. So, get the hell off my property,â you demanded.Â
You glanced down, noticing Joelâs hands clenched into fists at his sides. It was amusing seeing him all riled up. Who knew he had that kind of spark in him? You wondered just how far you could push him until he snapped.Â
âAinât you just spoiled rotten. Is that what it is? Yâthink everythinâ is yours âcause your mommy and daddy said so?â
His voice was taunting, a litany of rhetorical questions to which he didnât care to know the answer. Whatever you said, it wouldnât matter because his mind was made up. Stubborn old man.
âI donât think everythinâ is mine. I know it is,â you objected. âSo, move your old ass back to your side of the pasture and get out of my face.â
Joel crowded your body, walking you back towards the stall door until your body pressed into the wood. You lifted your chin defiantly, watching his eyes clouded with rage.Â
âSpoiled lilâ brat. Should teach you a lesson for the way youâre speakinâ to me,â Joel growled.Â
Letâs see how far we can take this, you thought.Â
âWhatcha gonna do? Spank me?â You laughed, gracing him with a rueful smile.Â
Placing his hands above you on the door, Joel caged you between his body. You had nowhere to run; truthfully, you didnât want to run. The incessant ache between your legs was swelling, your underwear practically soaked with the burning anticipation coursing through your veins.Â
âKeep runninâ your mouth, darlinâ. Sâonly gonna make things worse for you.â
âI ainât scared of you, Joel.â
âYou damn well should be,â he warned.Â
Joelâs hand shot out to grab the base of your neck, yanking you a breath away from his lips. The rich scent of whiskey wafted off his lips as he held you close, his fingers tightening around your throat. You rolled your tongue across your bottom lip, an invitation for whatever threat he had. You could take it.Â
âYâthink itâs cute actinâ this way? Think youâre just tough shit, and no one will put you in your place, hmm?â Joel whispered.Â
âYou gonna be the one to do it, Joel?â You challenged.Â
Joel used his grip on your throat to spin you toward the door, your cheek smashing into the wood as he pinned you against it. The instant sting of his palm radiated through the denim of your shorts, the heat of his hand melting into your skin. You yelped in pain, dragging your nails over the wood that strained against the press of your body. His hand smoothed over the curve of your ass before delivering another jarring smack.Â
âFuck!â You cried, biting back tears.Â
âSpoiled.â Smack. âFuckinâ.â Smack. âBrat.â Smack. Smack.Â
âJoel, please!â You begged.Â
You werenât sure if you were begging for more or begging for him to stop. Either way, he was unrelenting, his handprint leaving welts on your skin. Joelâs grip on your throat tightened, restricting your breathing as he dug his fingers into the supple skin of your ass. ProddingâŠsmoothingâŠspanking. A continuous, viscous cycle you were weak against. Every bite of his hand on your body intensified the throbbing between your legs, your clit swelling with need. Repeating slaps against your other cheek forced tears down your face, their path leading down your neck and onto Joelâs warm hand.Â
âYou cryinâ, darlinâ?â Joel taunted. âGonna beg me to stop?â
âPleaseââ You choked out, your words garbled and strained.Â
Joelâs lips touched your ear, his breath fanning over your skin in waves.Â
âMâfraid I canât. Not tilâ yâlearn your lesson.â
You twisted your head around, your tired eyes connecting with his. There wasnât a hint of brown in his irises as his pupils swallowed them whole, an unsatisfied look washing over his features. He wasnât done, and neither were you.Â
âFuck you,â you snarled.Â
Joel tilted his head, his graying mustache twitching as his lips curved into a smile. An unmistakable hint of desire masked his expression, keeping you reeled in and wanting more. If he could keep going, then so could you.Â
âYou just ainât backinâ down, huh?â Joel questioned.Â
You wagged your head back and forth, his fingers squeezing against your windpipes. Joelâs hand coasted up your waist, tugging at the belt loop on your shorts until your body spun to face his. Even with tears streaming down your cheeks, you grinned at him, clearly unbothered by the onslaught of pain he had inflicted.Â
âThat all yâgot, old man?â You lipped off.Â
âCall me old man one more time, darlinâ,â Joel warned his face inches from yours.Â
âOld. Man.â You punctuated each word through gritted teeth.
Joel cupped your sex through your jeans, no doubt feeling the arousal seeping through the denim fabric. A rouge whimper fell off your lips, and you bit back any more sounds to give away the desperation rolling through your veins.
âFuckinâ brat,â he exhaled, but there was a lightness in his voice.
You were both giving into some carnal need, electrifying the humid air around you. You chased his mouth, wanting to lap up every threat on his whiskey-drenched tongue. Joel pulled back, your lips connecting with nothing as you arched forward. With a slight pout, you huffed in annoyance.Â
âLook whoâs actinâ all desperate now. Just begginâ for this old man to fuck you.â
âBetcha canât even get it up in the first place,â you grumbled.Â
Joelâs hand connected with your cheek, a rough slap sending your face to the side. Dammit, if that wasnât the hottest thing heâd done. The sting of his palm sent a wave of pleasure rolling through your stomach, a burning need just aching to come undone. Thick fingers gripped your jaw, wagging your face side to side.Â
âIâve heard enough of that bratty mouth,â Joel said decisively.Â
His hands brushed over your collarbone, grasping your shoulders and shoving you to your knees. Your legs hit the straw-covered ground with a soft thud, your skin scraping against the dry hay. He wasted no time undoing his large belt buckle, working his cock out of the confines of his jeans, and your mouth went dry at the sight of him. Joel was hung like a fucking horse, his length thick and no short of any girth. Precum dribbled down off the tip, the sticky mess enticing you to move closer. Staring up at him through your lashes, you waited for his next move. He might have you on your knees, but youâd have his cock, and that was power in itself.Â
âMake use of that mouth and suck,â he commanded.Â
You lapped at the precum, his cock twitching against every flick of your tongue. You explored his length, dragging your tongue along the veins running down the underside of his cock. Joel gripped the hair at the crown of your head, guiding your mouth over the tip and down his length. Your nose brushed against the bushy hair at the base, his musky scent flooding your sensesâit was intoxicating.Â
âThere we go,â Joel hummed, his voice gravely and strained. âSo fuckinâ full of me yâcanât talk back.â
His name came out muffled as you tried to speak, your tongue flatted against the base of his cock. He pushed his cock a centimeter further, the tip knocking against the back of your throat. You gagged around him, your hands slapping against his thick thighs.Â
âI donât wanna hear yâsay a damn word,â Joel growled. âYouâre gonna take my fuckinâ cock down your throat and choke on it.â
You clawed at his thighs as tears sprung along your waterline, threatening to spill over the longer he kept himself inside your mouth. His fingers tightened around tiny strands of your hair, anchoring you to his cock as he thrusted himself deeper. You tried to protest and pull away, but his grip on you was unforgiving.Â
âPlease,â you garbled, spit rolling down your chin.Â
âStill actinâ like a spoiled fuckinâ brat, ainât you? Think yâcan get whatever you want?â
He granted you an inch to breathe, pulling you halfway off his cock. You inhaled sharply through your nose, trying to latch onto any control. Joel used his grip on your hair to slide your mouth up and down his length, the sound of your lips around his the only noise aside from his labored breathing. You tapped on his thigh twice, hoping heâd relent and give you a reprieve.Â
âReal fuckinâ cute,â he laughed. âStruggle all yâwant, darlinâ. I ainât stoppinâ.â
The tears flowed freely now, mixing with the saliva pooling down your jaw as you worked him deeper down your throat. Every strained attempt to beg him to stop fell on deaf ears; his cock only pushed further down until you had no choice but to sit there completely disarmed and helpless. The scratches left on his thighs didnât phase him at all, nor did your whimpers as you tried to swallow a breath around him.Â
âKeep cryinâ, darlinâ. Just makes you look prettier when Iâm ruininâ you,â Joel muttered.Â
As your nose pressed against the hair at his navel, Joelâs hand brushed over your cheek, collecting a rogue tear on his thumb. Through blurred eyes and running mascara, you blinked up at him right as he tasted the tear pooling on the pad of his fingertip.Â
âDelicious,â he hummed.
A dangerous grin split across his face, his hips jerking forward one last time before he wrenched you free from his cock. You coughed violently, the air wooshing back into your lungs with each heaving breath. You swiped the back of your hand across your mouth, wiping off the saliva coating your chin and jaw.Â
âYou fuckinâ asshole,â you choked out.Â
Crouching down, Joel met you at eye level, his eyes soulless and dark. You shivered under his heavy gaze and flinched away from his face as he crowded you.Â
âHowâs that attitude of yours now?â He questioned.Â
You reeled back, sending a glob of spit across the bridge of his nose. Joel scrunched his eyes together, jaw clenched as he wiped away your spit. You bared your teeth at him, still refusing to back down. Joel straightened to his full height, working at shoving his cock back in his jeans. Youâd be lying if you said you werenât a bit disappointed; you hated him but wanted more.Â
âGuess I ainât been rough enough,â Joel grumbled, walking down the stable.Â
You watched as he picked a bundle of lead rope off the hook near Macâs stall, weighing it between his hands. A jolt of panic ran through your veins as you saw his eyes light up in mischief. You were so fucked. You half-considered running, but where was the fun in that? Joel would only chase you down, and even that sounded delicious. There was no use in fighting it now; you were in it for the long haul.Â
âNow,â he started, his steps slow as he walked back toward your kneeling body. âIâm gonna give you two options. Yâeither walk your ass outside like a good girl, or I drag you out by your hair. Whatâs it gonna be, darlinâ?â
âIâll walk,â you snapped, rising to your feet.Â
Your knees ached with each step as you walked into the blinding daylight outside the stables. Gnats swarmed around your face as you stood idle by the entrance, glancing over your shoulder at Joel stalking behind you. The rope swung beside his body as he carried it in his hand, the lingering threat lying within the coarse fibers that wound together. His head jerked over to the tie rack beside the barn, his eyes trained on the vacant stall before the expanse of your land.Â
âCâmon, brat.â
He waltzed in front of you, guiding you to the empty platform with a stern look gracing his features. Without a single word, Joel yanked your wrists together, his deft fingers working at knotting the rope around your skin. The fraying pieces bit into your skin, rubbing and burning the longer he twisted it in loops around your hands. He gave the rope a good tug, humming in satisfaction once the binding was tight enough. Guiding your arms upwards, he clipped the lead to the metal loop on one side of the tie rack, keeping your body suspended awkwardly as your wrists ached from the restraint. You refused to say a word, too frustrated even to protest his actions. If you thought you were helpless before, you were utterly powerless now. It was just you, Joel, and the empty stretch of land that went on for miles.Â
Joel pressed his body against your back, the warmth of his touch ignited heat within your core all over again. You squirmed as his hands roamed over your curves, his fingers tracing the outline of your breasts under your sweat-covered shirt. He pinched at your nipples, finding their pebbled indentation hidden within your bra. A desperate whine left your lips as you swayed against the pull of the rope, your feet slipping against the ground.Â
âSee all that land out there,â Joel whispered, his teeth nipping at your earlobe. âThatâs all mine, darlinâ, and Iâm gonna make sure you remember that by the time Iâm through with you.â
âTyinâ me up and fuckinâ me ainât gonna change my mind,â you scoffed.Â
âGuess Iâm just gonna have to fuck some sense into you.â
Joelâs hands worked down your body, making quick work of undoing your shorts and shoving them down to your boots. The hot, sticky summer air breezed over your bare skin, hardly helping to soothe the painful ache between your thighs. Thick, calloused fingers massaged the skin of your hips, kneading your supple curves as you writhed against his touch. You could beg him for more, and oh god, did you want to. You wanted to cave and relinquish everything just to quell the burning pleasure inside your body, but you wouldnât beg. Not for Joel Miller or any other man.Â
Joel swiped a finger through your drenched folds, tutting at your pliancy. The brief touch alone was enough to spark stars behind your eyes, your breath growing shallow.
âWell, would yaâ look at that,â Joel tutted. âYouâre soakinâ my fingers, darlinâ.â
You refused to say a word, too afraid youâd succumb to your own devices. You wouldnât ask him to fuck you, but Jesus Christ, you fucking needed it. Every fiber of your being cried for release, and if it meant you had to be tied up and fucked in front of the yellow fields in front of you, then thatâs what youâd do.Â
âIâll give you one last chance,â Joel offered. âSay this land is mine and Iâll let you go.â
You glanced over your shoulder at him, no doubt a mess after being on your knees before him. There was a cruelty in his eyes that alarmed you, but you were too focused on what you needed, even to feel afraid.Â
âThis is my land,â you stated, your chin held high. âSâmy familyâs land and itâs gonna stay that way âtil Iâm in my grave.â
âWrong fuckinâ answer.â
Joel knocked your legs apart, the denim of his jeans dragging against your slick arousal. There was a moment where there was absolutely nothing, a vacancy of sound or touch that deprived your senses. Maybe you were teetering on the edge of delirium, too far gone to know what he was doing behind you, but then you felt everything. The thick head of his cock brushed against your entrance, rubbing between your silken folds in tantalizing strokes. That was the only warning he gave before pushing himself deeper, splitting you open inch by inch. You cried out as your body worked to stretch around his length, and your vision blackened as the sharp pain of the sensation jolted through your veins.Â
âFuck!â You screamed.Â
The adjustment to his size was agonizing despite how wet you were. Nothing could have prepared you for the way Joel broke you open, nor was there anything that could have prepared you for how brutal he would become. Thrust after thrust, he assaulted you, completely breaking you and molding you to his cock. The pull of the rope burnt the skin of your wrists as he took you harder, your body lurching against the restraints with each snap of his hips. Joel tugged your body backward, shifting your legs until you were forced to bend at the waist. Words wouldnât form on your lips, and you dissolved into a heap of wailing cries as he plunged deeper into you.Â
âWhereâs all that loudmouthinâ now?â Joel grunted, his fingers bruising your hips. âSo fuckinâ cock drunk yâcanât even speak?â
Your silence only drove him crazier, his speed quickening mercilessly. The ache inside your core was all-consuming, a burning wildfire inside your stomach. You dropped your head between your shoulders and dug your nails into your palms, keeping yourself grounded.Â
âJoel,â you gasped. âPlease.â
You failed in your attempts not to beg this man, throwing everything to the wayside as you succumbed to the pulsing ache between your legs.Â
âShut up, brat,â he snapped.Â
âJoel!â You sobbed. âIâm gonnaâfuckâplease. I need toâtoâŠâ
The words turned to ash on your tongue as he snaked a hand around your body, his fingers drawing circles over your swollen clit. You yelped at the roughness of his fingers, the sensation alone nearly causing your legs to buckle beneath you. If it werenât for the ropes holding you firmly in place, you would have fallen to the ground.Â
âPoor thing,â he crooned in your ear. âYâwanna cum? Is that what you want?â
Another drive of his hips. Another draw of his fingers. Tormenting movements that kept you on the edge of ecstasy and suffering. Your arousal pooled down your inner thighs, mixing with the sticky sweat that clung to every inch of your skin.Â
âI need it, Joel,â you gasped. âChrist, please!â
âYâgonna change your mind?â
âNâ.â
Joel pinched your clit between his fingers, and your words drowned out under a helpless wail falling from your lips. He pulled you back by your hair, winding it around his fist as he drew his lips down your neck. The sweltering touch of his mouth on your skin and his rough fingers on your sensitive bud were enough to topple you closer to the edge. The furnace igniting inside your stomach wouldnât stop any time soon, but you still wouldnât give up. He was always going to be wrong, and youâd rather die than give him the satisfaction.Â
âSay it, darlinâ. Say the words, and yâcan cum all over my cock.â
âNever,â you panted. âNever gonnaâ.â
He pistoned into you, his cock spearing deeper and deeper, completely paralyzing you. Sobs wracked through your body as you took every thrust, and your mind began to float off into a blissed-out haze that drowned out the noise behind you.Â
âGonna own all this fuckinâ land,â Joel gritted out. âOwn it just like I own this fuckinâ pussy.â
Please. Please. You werenât sure if you repeated the words inside your mind or aloud; either way, Joel only huffed a laugh and continued with his repetitive assaults on your body. Your orgasm began barreling toward you, your core fluttering around him as it sparked beneath your skin. Everything inside you tensed up, and your jaw went slack with an outward cry as you slipped under the rapid release coursing inside your body.Â
âOh fuck!â You sobbed. âFuck⊠fuck⊠fuck!â
Your sex clenched around Joel so hard he choked on a breath, his body rigid against yours as you spasmed beneath his hold. Hot, wet streams of your orgasm drenched his cock as he tore through your orgasm with shallow thrusts. Jole rammed into you over and over again until another wave of pleasure slammed into your body.Â
âFuckinâ brat,â he hissed. âNever said yâcould cum, did I?â
His hand vanished from your waist and returned to the welted skin of your ass with a resounding smack. There wasnât enough air in your lungs to cry out, nor any more tears to shed. You hung against the ropes, limp and pliant, as he took you with abandon.Â
With another snap of his hips against yours, Joel spilled into you, his release filling you to the brim as he released a carnal groan. You could barely lift your head to look back at him as he untangled his fingers from your hair and pulled away.Â
Every atom inside your body was pulsing with overstimulation, your ass welted and bruised, and your throat raw from screaming. The constant thrum of your heartbeat in your ears smothered the sound of Joelâs belt buckle clanging together, the warmth of his body far removed from yours as you stood on tired legs. Moments passed without a single touch, and you wondered if Joel would leave you there tied to the rack and dripping with cum.Â
âThink yâlearned your lesson now?â He asked, his voice sounding far away.Â
All you could do was wag your head in protest, your eyes pinned down to the floor, fixated on the pool of saliva that had fallen from your lips. Joel appeared beside you, his grey hair dissolved and face red from exertion. He worked at unclasping the rope from the hook, unbinding your wrists until your arms fell limp to your sides. Your body was weightless without the stability of the rope, and you fell forward, anticipating the impact against the cement. Joel was quicker, though, winding a strong arm around your front and holding you up.Â
âEasy now, darlinâ,â he whispered softly. âEasy.â
Your fingers wrapped around his arm, clinging to anything to escape the impending collapse of your entire body. Your boots scruffed against the cement of the stall, kicking dust into the air around you. With his arm still braced around your chest, he used the other to guide your shorts back up your legs and onto your hips. You hissed as the denim rubbed against your ass, the swell of your skin still prickling with pain no matter how brief the touch was.Â
âCan yâstand on your own?â He asked.Â
âMhmm,â you mumbled.
âAttagirl.â
Yet as he released your body, you staggered forward, grasping onto the tie rack for support. Joel waited until you found your balance and offered a hand. You were hesitant but relented silently. He took your wrists in one large hand and began massaging at the reddened skin, working out any tension left from the rope. You stared blankly at him, watching a crease burrow between his eyebrows. You still hated him, right? Right? Something so minimal shouldnât make your heart pound against your chest, but there you were, speechless as you watched this rough man touch your skin with a tenderness he had yet shown.Â
âSuns goinâ down soon,â he muttered, nodding to the sky.Â
You peered over your shoulder, surprised to see the sun dipping over the horizon. You hadnât noticed the pinky hue of the sunset while he fucked you, but now you stared at it in wonderment.Â
âGuess it is,â you sighed. âYâshould get your ass off my property âfore it gets too late.â
Joel snorted, glancing up at you through thick lashes. In the dwindling sunlight, his eyes had dissolved from onyx back into a glistening amber color, the flecks of rich brown dancing as he looked at you.Â
âStubborn lilâ thing,â he huffed.Â
He dropped your hands and straightened to his full height. Perspiration coated his button-up, staining it in dark spots as excess beats of sweat still rolled down his muscular neck. You tamed the flyaways of your hair, trying to minimize the obscenity of your look the longer he stood before you. It was no use after what he had done.Â
âYâainât changinâ your mind, huh?â
âNope,â you shook your head.Â
Joel rolled his eyes and shoved a hand into his front pocket. Leaning close, he brought his other hand to your face, tucking a loose strand of hair behind your ear, letting his fingers brush over your cheek before pulling away.Â
âGuess Iâll just come back tomorrow and try again.â
âYâcome back here tomorrow, and Iâll shoot you dead, Miller.â
He cracked a grin and began to retreat toward his horse beside the stable. You stood motionless as he mounted the brown mare, slipping the reigns between his hands. Joel gave you a farewell wave before taking off across the flowing fields, his broad figure dissolving into the sunset. You slumped against the wall of the stables, letting your body fall to the ground. A smile slid across your face, taking in the open land before you.Â
You didnât give up. It was all still yours.
#joel miller#joel miller fanfic#joel miller x f!reader#joel miller x reader#joel x f!reader#joel x reader#tlou#cowboy!joel#no outbreak!joel miller#no outbreak au#oneshot#smut#joel miller smut#joel miller tlou
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kiss it off me | uchinaga aeri
â could you love me instead of all the boyfriends you get? â
synopsis: you're the one constant in giselle's life, the one she leans on in between flings and late night calls. stuck in the bittersweet space of wondering if she'll ever see you the way you see her, you can't help but wish that it could be your name she calls next.
pairing: fuckgirl!giselle x fem!reader
genre: mini social media au (est. 10-15 chapters), wlw, friends to lovers, angst, fluff, humour
warnings: explicit language, death/suggestive jokes, miscommunication :(
playlist: kiss it off me, cigarettes after sex / only ones who know, arctic monkeys / somebody else, the 1975 / sugar for the pill, slowdive / heavenly, cigarettes after sex / you seemed so happy, the japanese house / you say i'm in love, banes world / saint ivy, beach fossils / she's really all i need, mac demarco / sweet to me, summer salt
authors note: for all my giselle yearners (me basically)
status: ongoing
taglist: open!
MASTERLIST
profiles
01 | gigi's roster
02 |
reblogs, likes and replies are appreciated! feel free to send constructive feedback/thoughts in my asks (áŽÍËŹáŽÍ)ê€.ïŸ
#aespa#aespa x reader#aespa smau#aespa social media au#giselle#giselle x reader#giselle smau#aespa giselle#giselle aespa#aeri uchinaga#uchinaga aeri x reader#giselle uchinaga#giselle imagines#aespa imagines#aespa fake texts#giselle fake texts#giselle angst#aespa angst#giselle fluff#aespa fluff
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night terror
đ staring. Seungcheol x afab!Reader
đź preview. As much as you love being a mother, you think some of your favorite moments might just happen when the kids are asleep. Seeing Seungcheol with Hana and Daehyun is one of the great joys of your life, but you have needs too, and after a long day, you really need something to help you relax.
tw/cw. unprotected sex, bathroom sex, mirror sex, dirty talk, praise, fingering, blow job, deep throating, mentions of masochism, loud sex, your kid hearing you scream during sex and then your husband lies to her and says it's night terrors when really it's him - he's the night terror, etc⊠I pet names: (hers) princess.
đč rating.18+ explicit I wc. 4.2k
đ aus. rich businessman cheol, husband cheol, established relationship, father cheol, stay at home mom reader, etcâŠ
âïžÂ mlist + an. i need a rich husband sugar daddy and i need him now
There had been a time in his life when Seungcheol had thought he might never settle down. As a busy businessman, heâd never been able to comprehend how it would be possible to factor a wife - let alone children - into his schedule. But then, one summer afternoon, heâd met you, and all his fears had vanished.
His previous relationships had been marred with accusations about his lack of making time, and heâd been ready to repeat the same issues with you. However, the conflicts never came. You were a strong, capable, young woman, and as the first months of you flew by blissfully, Seungcheol had realized you accepted him for him, work and all. If anything, distance made the heart grow fonder, and when you were together, you both gave each other your complete attention, nurturing the relationship in a way that heâd never had a relationship truly nurtured before.Â
Six months in, heâd asked you to marry him, and it was the most confident heâd ever been with a decision in his entire life. When youâd gotten pregnant, only a short while after your honeymoon, the two of you had sat down to discuss what being parents would look like. Youâd both been committed to giving your children the best lives possible going forward, and - knowing heâd be around less than a dad with a different, less demanding job - Seungcheol had asked if youâd be interested in the stay-at-home life.
Itâs been five years since then, and there hasnât been a day thatâs gone by where Seungcheol has questioned his decisions with you. He comes home at erratic times in the evening, but he always finds you excelling at motherhood.Â
He truly doesnât know how you do it and make it look easy. You have such a gentle way with not only the kids, but him as well, and he almost feels as if you were meant for this role. Youâre a caregiver, through and through, and Seungcheol thinks he must be one of the luckiest men in the whole world to be able to fulfill the provider counterpart.Â
Itâs a Monday evening, and heâs managed to get off work early. When he arrives at your large family home, he follows the sound of giggles to the kitchen. This room has been the heart of your house ever since the kids were old enough to follow you around it like ducklings, watching you cook with eyes full of wonder - he thinks they must get that trait from him at least.Â
He leans against the wall while he watches you, taking in the vision in front of him. Itâs mac and cheese night, a long-held tradition in your household, wherein you help the kids make the base, and allow them to choose their favorite toppings to go in the ramekins before oven baking.Â
The elder of your children, Daehyun, is more adventurous, and it looks like youâre helping him saute a pan of mushrooms on the gas stove top. Even while dealing with the hot element, and a little boy grabbing at your apron while teetering on his cooking step stool, youâre giving just as much attention to your youngest.Â
Hana is the apple of Seungcheolâs eye, and - bless her heart - sheâs a cheese fiend. There must be five different kinds of cheese on the counter, and youâre softly talking to her while she struggles to grate a small block of what looks to be gruyere.Â
âYouâre doing so well,â you tell your daughter. âGive mommy just a moment and sheâll help you grate the last of it. I donât want you hurting your hands.â
âOkay, mama,â Hana nods, setting the cheese down before leaning over to watch you stir the pan.Â
âDo you want to try a mushroom, sweetheart?â you ask, picking one out of the pan to taste for yourself. âTheyâre very good.â
Hanaâs always been better at trying new things if you or Seungcheol go first, and the businessman finds himself smiling while he watches the soft moment.
âOkay,â Hana says, but she doesnât sound too sure.Â
âItâs a little hot, so Iâm going to put it on the cutting board to cool before either of you taste it, okay?â You lift a few mushrooms from the sizzling pan, setting them down and gently blowing away the steam. âLet me know if these are good, Daehyun, or if youâd like me to cook them a little longer to make them more crispy.â
The three of you are so wrapped up in your own little world, and Seungcheol supposes the soft classical music in the background had drowned out the sound of his footfalls as heâd approached. He decides itâs a good time to make his presence known, so he moves into the room, coming to stand on the other side of the island countertop.
âLook at you three chefs,â he muses.
âDaddy!â His children scream, with Daehyun jumping from his stool to run around the table and hug Seungcheol around the waist. Hana, meanwhile, still needs help getting down from the steps, and Seungcheol watches you lift the small child to set her on the floor so she can join her brother on the other side of Seungcheol.Â
âIt smells good,â Seungcheol tells you, smiling at you as he rubs the backs of his children.
âWe were just trying mushrooms!â Daehyun announces, releasing Seungcheol in favour of running to you to grab the food before dashing back to his dad, holding his hand out.Â
Seungcheol accepts the mushroom, and he tries it, letting out an embellished groan. âThese are great,â he says, which prompts both children to try them too.
âPerfect!â Daehyun agrees.
Seungcheol watches you turn off the heat under the pan, moving to finish grating the gruyere for Hana. âHow was work, my love?â you ask.
âFine,â he sighs, not wanting to think about his job in a moment like this. âI couldnât miss mac and cheese night. How were things around here?â
âHana, why donât you tell daddy about preschool?â you suggest, moving a pan of preprepared pasta bake ramekins on a tray to the island counter.Â
âWe did art!â Hana says proudly. âMade something for you.â
âReally?â Seungcheol loves receiving drawings from his kids. âWant to go grab it for me?â
Youâre two steps ahead of him, even while cooking, and you reach behind yourself to grab a piece of paper from the fridge. You hold it out to Seungcheol, and he takes it from you, smiling widely as he looks at the image.
âItâs our family,â Hana explains, although, with the dad character holding a briefcase and dressed in a suit, Seungcheol thinks it would be impossible for him to think itâs anything else.
âI love it, youâre going to be an artist one day,â he tells her, reaching down to pick her up, tucking her by his hip. âAnd how about you, Daehyun? How was soccer practice?â
âMommy picked me up after school and she had veggie snacks which werenât that good but I ate them anyways, and we did practice and I scored goals-â Seungcheol loves how his son rambles, and he listens patiently while Daehyun describes finding a coin on the field that he can add to his collection of treasures heâs picked up throughout his life.
By the time the story is finished, youâve already put the mac and cheese in the oven, and youâre standing with your palms on the counter, watching Seungcheol interact with his children. Thereâs a gentle smile on your face, your eyes lit up with affection.
Seungcheol is drawn to you, and he walks around the island, Hana still tucked on his hip. âHi,â he says softly, leaning forward to press a chaste kiss to your lips. âHow was mommyâs day?â
âGood,â you respond. âHana and I went to a greenery after preschool to get some new plants for the garden.â
âOh yeah?â Seungcheol looks down at his daughter. âDid you two find anything nice?â
âMommy got me a bouquet of tulips,â Hana confirms.Â
âWe also got a few more lavender bushes and some rosemary,â you add. âShe played with bubbles while I planted them, and then we went to get Daehyun for soccer. A few of his friends came over with their moms after that to play in the pool, and then we started mac and cheese.â
âSounds like a full day,â Seungcheol nods. Heâs constantly in awe of how you juggle both kids, house maintenance, a social life, and cooking.Â
âThe kids are tuckered out,â you say, reaching out to brush some hair from Hanaâs face. âThey were thinking we could watch some Disney movies after dinner before bed.â
âWell we canât say no to that, can we,â Seungcheol smiles.Â
âNo, we canât,â you agree. âDaehyun, the mac and cheese is in the oven, should we start on a salad?â
âDo we have to?â he asks.
âGreens are an important part of a healthy diet,â you remind the little boy whoâs always had problems with his veggies. âHow about you help me choose what type of salad to make?â
âCan we have the one with lots of cheese?â Hana questions.
Seungcheol loves his little cheese fiend, he loves his family, and most of all, he loves that he gets to share it with you every day.
After being filled up with hot mac and cheese, the kids had fallen asleep less than thirty minutes into their movie. Seungcheol had carried them to bed, double checking to make sure they were tucked in all right, and now, he heads into your shared room, closing the soundproof doors behind him.
âIâve said it already, but Iâll say it again, dinner was great,â he tells you, as he heads to his closet to begin removing his button-up shirt. âEven the salad was good, I havenât seen Daehyun eat that many greens in months.âÂ
âHeâs warming up to them,â you smile, coming up behind your husband to give him a hug from behind, your cheek pressed to his back. âWe were all happy you were there to eat with us. I know work has been busy, so I wasnât sure if youâd make it.â
âAnd miss mac and cheese night?â Seungcheol scoffs. âNot even Jeon Wonwoo himself could keep me from that.â
You laugh at the mention of his business partner. âHe can join next time, if he has the time. Hana misses Uncle Woo.â
âThat's because he dotes on her.â
âAs if you donât.âÂ
âWe all do, sheâs a special kid, that one.â
âThey both are,â you muse. âDaehyun downplayed it, but he was doing really well in practice. Coach says he has some real talent. Apparently he canât shut up about the way that you take him to games twice a month in box seats. I think itâs making a huge difference.â
âThatâs good to hear,â Seungcheol smiles.Â
âAnyways, enough about our days,â you sigh. âDo you need a shower?â
âWhy? Do I smell?â Seungcheol canât help but chuckle.
âNo, I was just thinking I might have one, and maybe youâd like to join me.â
Seungcheol groans. âWell, now I definitely need a shower.â
âPerfect.â You pull away from his back, reaching down to take off your shirt as you head to the bathroom. âIâll see you in there, daddy.âÂ
As much as you love being a mother, you think some of your favorite moments might just happen when the kids are asleep. Seeing Seungcheol with Hana and Daehyun is one of the great joys of your life, but you have needs too, and after a long day, you really need something to help you relax.Â
You turn the shower on, and as the spa-like bathroom fills with steam, you undo your pants. Youâre slipping out of the fabric when Seungcheol joins you. His large form gently presses against your back, and his lips find your shoulder. His hands smooth down your arms softly, and he presses his crotch against your bum, showing you how turned on he is.
âYou look so beautiful today,â he tells you.
âAnd you look as sexy as ever,â you respond, smiling while leaning back against his bare chest.Â
âI do, do I?â You feel him grin where heâs kissing your neck, and you rest the back of your head against his shoulder, closing your eyes and enjoying the feeling of him. âGuess this means weâre a match made in heaven.â
You love when he sweet-talks you like this, and when his hand slips down your abdomen to cup your pussy, you let out a groan of pleasure. âShould we go in the shower?â
âThe shower can wait,â Seungcheol states, âand these panties have to come off.â
âYou got it, daddy.â You hook your fingers in the waistband, pushing them down so his eager fingers can touch you directly. The contact has you shivering, and he begins to circle your clit.Â
âHow did I ever get so lucky with you?â he asks, teasing you while he grinds against your ass.
âI ask myself the same question every day,â you confess, whimpering when one of his large fingers slips into your core.Â
âI think Iâm the lucky one,â Seungcheol tells you, sucking on the sweet spot on your throat that always makes your entire body react.Â
âAgree to disagree,â you whisper, consumed by the feeling of his fingers as he adds a second one, working you open.Â
âItâs torture spending a whole day without being able to touch you,â your husband confesses, as he applies pressure to your clit with his palm.
You know exactly how he feels, and although youâre leaning into his touch, allowing him to be the one exploring your form, you know your patience will run dry soon. You need his cock, more than youâve ever needed anything in your life.
Itâs tantalizing, having his large bulge rubbing against your ass while he finger fucks you closer and closer to a release thatâs always much too easy for him to earn.Â
You turn your head to the side, reaching behind yourself to tangle your fingers in his hair, bringing his lips to your own.Â
After all these years, Seungcheol knows your body inside and out. There are no words that need to be spoken as he gets you closer and closer to your high, only whimpered moans and groans of pleasure as you remain lip-locked.
Your first orgasm overtakes you, and you gasp into the kiss, wiggling your hips for more stimulation while he helps you through it. His free hand is on your waist, and he aids in your motions, which only adds to your pleasure.
âCheol-â you whisper.
âI know, darling, I know,â he presses his forehead to yours, finishing you off before removing his hand from between your legs. He quickly sucks your juices off his digits before working on your bra, which falls off to join your clothes on the floor.
You turn in his embrace, palms flat to his chest so you can push him back until his bum hits the edge of the sink. âI wanna suck you off,â you tell him, feeling confident and as needy as ever.
âFuck, I love it when you use that sweet, pretty mouth of yours to say the dirtiest things,â Seungcheol groans, large hands moving down to work on his belt while you sink to your knees on the tiled floor.
âYou had a long day,â you tell him, knowing every day is long for the successful businessman, âI just want to make you feel good.â
âYou always make me feel good,â he smiles, pushing his pants down so his cock can be released.Â
Wasting no time, you wrap your hand around the base, taking one last look up at him to muse, âWell, I want to make you feel great,â before your mouth finds his large cock.Â
The sounds he makes during sex have always been a huge turn-on for you, and the groans he lets out as you suckle on the head of his cock are like angels singing. You close your eyes, leaning into the act of pleasuring the man you love most in the world.Â
His gentle hand finds your head, and he helps you blow him, taking more of him into your mouth while your hand pumps the base.
âYouâre so good,â he whispers. âSo fucking good for me.âÂ
You groan at the praise, and it makes his hips twitch, cock slipping into the back of your throat.
When youâd first been together, you hadnât been used to the sensation, but after all this time together, youâve become accustomed to it. In fact, you even kind of enjoy it when he throat-fuckes you, in some odd masochistic kind of way.
Heâs slow with it, and you know heâs watching you carefully for any signs that he should let up on you. With you focused on your breathing and relaxing your throat, he never has to actually pull away. You listen to his sounds of pleasure grow, his grip tightening in your hair.Â
âFuck,â he groans, gently pulling you off his cock. âI need you.âÂ
He helps you to your feet and in one motion, he lifts you up and sets you on the sink, slotting between your legs. Your hands find his strong shoulders while he guides his cock to your pussy. His lip is caught between his teeth in concentration, and your heart swells with love for your husband.
The head of his cock slips into you and you both groan.Â
âYouâre wound up, darling,â he muses as he sinks a few more inches into you, test thrusting so your wet juices can cover his length and make it easier for you both. âAre you sure you donât need some more of my fingers?â
âNo,â you hold his strong shoulders tighter, âI just need you.â
âYeah?â he leans in, pressing his lips to yours while his hands find your hips, one slipping to gently cup the small of your back. âAre you still my needy princess?â
It had been the first true pet name that stuck when youâd started dating, and even after all these years, it still makes a tingle run up your spine.
âYes, Cheol, you feel so good-â
His thrusts have his cock sinking fully inside of you now, and you canât help the way your eyes roll into the back of your head. Your body is alight with pleasure, and you truly can't help the sounds that are escaping past your lips.
You try your best to be quiet with Cheol most nights, but your kids are asleep. On top of that, thereâs a soundproof bedroom door, a bathroom door and a shower running to muffle your noises, so you figure now is as good a time as any to let loose a little.
âGod, I love it when you get loud for me,â Seungcheol groans, leaning forward to pepper your throat in kisses while you lace your fingers through his soft hair.Â
Each thrust has his cock hitting a spot deep inside of you, and you can feel tension building in your abdomen, a sign of another orgasm on its way.
âYou look so perfect like this,â your husband muses. Suddenly, heâs pulling away from you. âI want you to see.âÂ
You moan in annoyance as he pulls out of you, dragging you off the countertop so he can turn you around, facing the steamed mirror. You bend over the sink, letting out a whine when he slips inside of you again, leaning forward with his chest pressed to your back while he wipes a hand along the reflective surface.Â
You can see yourself now, and you look completely fucked out.Â
Cheol grins behind you, and you love how the reflection showcases how much larger than you he is. With your smaller form in front of him, his shoulders are visible on either side of your own, and his height makes your pussy clench around him.
âTold you it was sexy,â Seungcheol muses, leaning forward again to press his lips to your shoulder. âI want you to watch as I make you cum.â
Youâre not entirely sure youâll be able to keep your eyes open, but you nod all the same, eager to please him as he begins to fuck you again. Each thrust has your hips pressing to the marble sink top, and it hurts a little, but the pain is pleasure.
You groan, panting as you watch Seungcheol fuck you from behind through the mirror.
He truly is a vision. each slap of his hips against your ass has your breasts bouncing too-
Steam is quickly covering the mirror again, and you reach out a shaky hand to wipe it away, intent on doing your best to follow through with his command.
âCheol,â you whimper, his thrusts getting faster, harder-Â
âThatâs it,â he groans. âLet me hear you.âÂ
Your sounds are getting louder and louder as the tension in your stomach builds- and when Seungcheol licks two fingers, slipping his hand down your front to play with your clit, the noises of pleasure become uncontrollable.Â
âGonna cum for me, princess?â he asks, breath hot against your throat.
Everything feels so intense, the steam in the room adding to your heightened senses, and you nod quickly. You canât find it in yourself to speak, you can only grab the sink as an anchor while your husband works you to the edge-
âIâm there too,â Seungcheol assures you. âCum with me.âÂ
The sound that escapes you as your pussy clamps down on his cock is almost inhuman, and you struggle to keep your eyes open, gazing at your own fucked out expression through the mirror while Seungcheol rides out your highs.
His head is thrown back, throat all gorgeous and on display-Â
You love him a stupid amount, and it only makes your core throb harder around his cock while he fills you up with his cum.Â
It doesnât help that his fingers are still on your clit, and you twitch from oversensitivity, letting out another loud cry. Seungcheolâs eyes open, as if he hadnât even realized what he was still doing, too lost in the feeling of your throbbing cunt- heâs quick to pull his hand away, resting it on your hip as his thrusts begin to slow.
âFuck,â he groans, âthat was good.âÂ
His lips find your shoulder, and you both do your best to slow your heavy breathing.Â
âNow I really need that shower,â you joke, earning a chuckle from the man still inside of you.
âLet's do it,â he says, giving you one last kiss before he pulls out of you.
He grabs your hand, helping you to the shower-
âShit, did you hear that?â His head turns towards the closed door.
âI didnât hear anything,â you tell him.
âNo, listen, there it is again-â Seungcheol lets go of your hand, and he quickly grabs his robe, wrapping it around his naked body. He opens the bathroom door. âShit, we woke up one of the kids. Iâll be right back.â
He exits the bathroom, shutting you inside behind him as he tightens his robe, rushing to the large soundproof bedroom doors. When he opens them, he finds Hana standing there, her stuffed teddy in her arms.
âIs Mama okay?â she asks, looking up at him like sheâs on the verge of tears.
âYes, sweetheart,â Seungcheol is quick to sink to his knees, wrapping his daughter in a hug. âYou know she gets night terrors sometimes. It was just a bad dream, but I got a shower started for her and she should be okay.â
âAre you sure?â Hana asks, wiping at her eyes.
Seungcheol releases her, taking a look at her face and helping her clear the tear tracks with his thumb. âYes, love, mama is fine. Here, let me get you back to bed.â
He picks up his daughter, carrying her back to her room. She settles in alright, and with a quick kiss to her forehead and a goodnight, Seungcheol leaves her be. Heâs in a rush to get back to you, and as he enters your room and ensuite bathroom, shrugging off his robe, he finds you in the shower.
âI swear that kid has super hearing,â he muses softly, joining you under the water spray and pulling your body tight to his own.
âMaybe our soundproof bedroom door isnât as soundproof as we thought,â you suggest. âDid you tell her it was night terrors again?â
âThat seems to be the company line, doesnât it?â Seungcheol canât help but chuckle. He feels a little bad that the lie has gone on for two years already, but what else is he supposed to say to a kid who just heard her mother screaming?
âHey, Night Terror,â you tug him closer, âyou look lost in thought. Whatâs on your mind?â
Seungcheol sighs. âJust that maybe we need to invest in some good earplugs for the kids.â
You laugh, snuggling close to his chest while he wraps you in his arms. âDarling, I love the way you think.â
âïžÂ mlist + an. thank you for reading! sometimes we all just need a short, sweet, established relationship sugar daddy/ A+ actual dad Cheol in our lives, you know?
đ support me by. sending a tip here or here - or become a patron to access monthly bonus content and extensions for fics like this one :) find the Patreon teaser below!Â
đź preview.  âFuck the house, I want you here. Now.â You donât waste another second, grabbing his face and crashing your lips against his. His own hands find your hips, and within moments heâs pulling you onto his lap, growling into the kiss. Itâs clear from the way that heâs touching you that he has no objections to fucking in the hot tub.
cw/ tw. Unprotected sex, exhibitionism, fucking in a hot tub, dry/wet humping, multiple reader orgasms, sensory stuff with the hot tub and heat, breast worship, fingering, cheol using her like a fleshlight, manhandling, some dirty talk, praise, breeding kink, finger sucking,. I petnames. (hers) princess.
đč rating. 18+ explicit I wc. 2.9k I teaser wc. 300
đ staring.Cheol x afab!Reader
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âUncle Woo!â Hana lights up as one of her favorite people enters the house, and Wonwoo returns her smile, dropping onto one knee to embrace her.
âHey, Hana,â he grins.
âThey told us we were sleeping over with you but I almost didnât believe it!â Hana raves.
âI got the guest room all set up for you two,â Wonwoo says, standing up while holding your daughter to his chest. His gaze shifts to Daehyun. âUncle Mingyu and Uncle Vernon are going to pop by for a bit too, theyâve been missing watching soccer with you. Iâve got the game from earlier recorded, you could have some boys' time while I play princesses with Hana.â
God. You love Wonwoo. Heâs the best uncle you could have asked for concerning your kids. Itâs clear Seungcheol thinks the same, his grip tightening around you while his smile widens. You all watch Hana joyfully rant about playing princesses, and Daehyun is even smiling at the thought of spending time with his favorite uncles.
âDo you two have any special plans for tonight?â Wonwoo asks when thereâs a lull in the conversation.Â
Itâs your anniversary tonight, and you definitely have special plans, but none you can discuss in front of the kids.
âMostly just taking her out for dinner,â Seungcheol says, which is only half a lie as he turns to gaze at you with hearts in his eyes.
âNothing too extreme,â you agree, patting his chest.Â
Wonwoo gives you a look that tells you he sees through your bluff, but your kids are none the wiser, and - as it is with your ânight terrorsâ - at the end of the day, a few white lies to protect their innocence doesnât hurt anybody.
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how to be a latin lover ⥠h.js (m)
âĄÂ synopsis: the dreadful semester has started â meaning your summer vacation has come to end, and so has your summer flingâŠor has it? âĄÂ genre: summer fling au ; big dummy dumb idiots to lovers ; ta x student dynamics. âĄÂ pairing: spanish ta!joshua hong x chaebol!fem!reader | side pairings: lee chan x jung haerim (weki meki) ; wen junhui x lee saerom (fromis_9) âĄÂ word count: 26.8k âĄÂ rating: 18+. minors do not interact, i beg. âĄÂ warnings: honestly, a little toxic if you squint. lots of pining. hella slow burn. lots of suggestive commentary but no smut because i'm ass at it (sorry if you wanted some, maybe during the lore drops for this fic later this year i'll add some) and very, very toxic mother-daughter dynamics [official warnings: joshua and y/n are absolute idiots. iâm talking the dumbest mfs youâve ever encountered, youâll want to scream at them through the screen.] âĄÂ what to listen to: otro atardecer - bad bunny, the marĂas ; get to you - mac ayres ; sky full of stars - coldplay ; brave enough - leehi ; quĂ© locura enamorarme de ti - eddie santiago ⥠a/n: it's finally here! thank you to @camandemstudios for allowing me to be a part of such a wonderful collab (and i promise hoshi will be out by next week!) thank you to @tomodachiii , @wqnwoos and @highvern for betaing this stupid behemoth and telling me to stop being a little bitch (no one said that). hopefully i will see everyone soon with the hoshi version! thanks for reading!
Monday, August 29th.
Summer is over.
A sad fate deemed inescapable, despite your sunkissed glow and endless array of swimsuits begging you to stay on the beach â you were forced to return to reality after spending six weeks in Mexico, away from the shackles of your mother's constant nagging and the fall semester of impending doom. Your trip was all-expenses paid, of course â thanks to daddy's big, fat wallet.
You had no worries â your skin was clear, your hair was bouncy, your belly was full of delicious food as you pranced the streets of Puerto Vallarta with your best friend, Lee Saerom. Your father didn't even know he'd footed the bill for her, too. He didn't check the credit card report after you booked your trip â just nodded absentmindedly and waved you off, his voice echoing the walls of the office. "Have fun, honey."
Well? The fun you hadâŠis now here to bite you in your sweet, sunkissed ass.
Summer flings have been your thing since you were eighteen â so since your parents finally let you out of their grasp to 'explore.' Whatever the hell that meant, you didn't know, but you gladly took the plane tickets and went off to wherever they sent you. One year, it was Greece, and your summer sweetheart grew a bit too obsessed with you â leading you to change your number and start using burner phones for vacations.
You covered all your tracks. You didn't even give this guy your social media accounts, you gave him your burner numberâŠyou didn't even tell him your last name. Yet, you are so undeniably screwed.
"Hello, everyone!" He scans the room as he takes a sip of his coffee, glancing at the door. "I'm unsure if you all received the email, but Professor Lee won't be in today." He's still scouring faces, taking in new ones and recognizing old ones. He hasn't seen you, and you're sure if you just sink a bit further down, he won't. "I'm Joshua Hong, and I'm Professor Lee's teaching assistant this year. She asked me to review the syllabus with you, in lieu of her absence." He taps the stack of papers on the large oak desk, clicking his tongue. "I'm gonna put the digital copy up on the projector, and you guys can just pick one of these up on your way out. Sounds good?" The class seemingly nods simultaneously, and you find yourself sliding down your chair as he walks to dim the lights. "That being said, welcome to Beginning Spanish Conversation! I took this course last year, and Professor Lee is super nice so you won't have to worry about getting into any scuffles with her."
He's speaking to himself as he connects everything, the home screen of his laptop popping onto the projector screen. It's him and two other guys dressed as the Powerpuff Girls. He giggles to himself before using the laser pointer. "Not that you guys care, but these are my friends." He points to the one dressed as Buttercup, tied to a moving dolly with a sour expression on his face.
"This is Jeonghan. He's another TA on the East Campus, and the secretary of my fraternity! If you ever see me off campus, I'm likely with him and this guy." He points at the one dressed as Bubbles with a tiara on, a guy you recognize but can't seem to place. "This is Seungcheol. He's President of Beta Tau Omega, in case you're wondering where you've probably seen him before." You freeze as he opens his Safari, hoping that comment wasn't directed at you. It opens to the syllabus, and you feel your lips twitch at how cute Professor Lee made it. There is a floral border surrounding the page, and he points the laser on the screen again.
"Okay, so. Again, I'm Joshua Hong and your professor is Lee Hyori. This is Beginning Spanish Conversation, so we'll be learning a lot of vocabulary and common phrases. Enough to get you by in case you're ever stranded in the middle of Guadalajara with no phone and no money." He smiles, and someone raises their hand in the front.
"Are you speaking from personal experience?" It's Jung Haerim, a girl from your World Cultures class last semester.
His smile only grows slightly wider as he shakes his head. "No, and yes. I got lost in Denmark. Copenhagen, to be exact, and I had to flirt my way onto the train. Not as fun as it sounds, trust me." He returns to the screen, carefully going over what the students could expect in the coming weeks. He reiterated that Professor Lee loves pop quizzes, so stay prepared. It was only then when he finally stopped speaking, flashing yet another award-winning smile.Â
"Any questions?"
Your hand is crawling to cover your face as people start asking questions, further prolonging your suffering â when you feel eyes on you. Peeking through your fingers, you see him peering at you over the rim of his tumbler. They hold a mischievous glint, and he casually continues answering questions.
Where are you from?
"Los Angeles. I moved here when I was aboutâŠnineteen? Yeah." You already knew this.
How was your summer?
"Pretty good, I spent eight weeks in Puerto Vallarta. I got back maybe three days ago, and only then did I find out I got this position." You knew this, too. He probably remembers you.
What's your major?
"I'm a Music major, with a minor in Jazz Studies." He told you this on your third night together, over an IPA and a shared basket of chips and salsa. You burned your tongue on your food that night, you couldn't taste for days.
Oh? Why that?
"I've always been passionate about it. Funny, I took Spanish to broaden my horizons for it. I'll hopefully be a producer after graduation."
Your impatience begins to show as you bounce your leg irritably, and it's almost like he can hear your thoughts. "Alright, alright. I'll literally be here every time you guys are, so save your questions about me. Or, find me after! We can hang, I'm usually at the frat anyway." He shrugs, gesturing to the pile of papers on the desk.
"Syllabus, take one!" His smile is bright as you scramble down the steps, snatching the piece of paper off the desk and just about sprint to the door. You can feel your cheeks heating in embarrassment as you barrel down the hallway, deciding to skip your next class in hopes of drowning in your shame.
You spot Saerom a few feet down the hall, smiling and talking to one of your other friends, Chan. He was rushing that stupid fraternity this year, so if your math was right â you wouldn't be able to avoid Joshua at all this year.
"Saerom, I'm so fucked." You call, and she immediately spins around, a look of discernment on her face.
"Y/N, what are you on about this time? The last time you said that, it was because you left your Dior lip oil in Morocco." She deadpans, and you scoff. "Maybe it's about her classes." Chan reminds her coolly, and you sigh as you slump your forehead against his chest, earning a pat on the back from him.
"For once, the twink is right." Groaning, you bury your face further into Chan's chest. "I've got to transfer out of Spanish, or the University. I cannot be on this campus."
Your words are muffled against Chan's shirt, earning a sigh from Saerom as she places her hands on your shoulders. "Get a grip, Y/N! It's the first day of your last year, it's not the end of the world. You will not see any of these people next semester, trust me."
She's not understanding the severity of your issue, and only when you hear someone stop behind you, do you attempt to explain. "Saerom, you're not listeningâ"
"Saerom, is that you?"Â
She looks up, her eyes lighting up as she gently gestures for you to hang on, pushing past to envelop whoever it was in a hug. You look over your shoulder, eyes wide as you see him looking down at your best friend.
"Shua! Oh my God, it's been so long! How's your mom?!" Shua. Oh, you feel sick.
Your breath hitches in your throat, before Chan's amused face comes into your line of vision as he drapes his arm over your shoulder â effectively hiding you from Joshua. "We'll let you guys catch up. See you later, Saerom?"
He tugs you away without getting an answer from her, and you almost make it out of the hall when you hear your name slip from Saerom's lips. "Oh, Y/N is my best friend! I'll have to introduce you sometime, you'd love her."
You barely catch Joshua's response as Chan makes a left out of the hall.
"I'm sure I will."
Friday, September 2nd.
"SoâŠanything you want to tell me?"Â
Saerom is standing next to you, placing forks next to slices of cake. The two of you had missed three birthdays on your trip, and you'd invited said birthday buddies over for a celebratory movie night to make up for it. You'd bought a cake on your way home from your first Organic Chemistry lab, and Saerom had set up the apartment with the small gifts you'd brought back from Puerto Vallarta.
To your luck, Saerom had pulled you aside while you were cutting the cake to talk to you.
"Uh, no? I skipped Spanish today? I used the last of my face wash?"
She rolls her eyes, crossing her arms as she turns to face you. "You were never gonna tell me that you slept with someone this summer?"Â
"I don't know what you're talking about? Obviously, you knew I'd find someone."Â
You try to hold in the heat of embarrassment, but Saerom's like a dog with a bone. "Right, of course. How would I, your best friend, not know that you, my best friend, slept with a guy over the summer?" Soonyoung, Junhui and Nagyung were playing Mario Kart on your television, and couldn't hear the conversation being had in the kitchen. You felt your cheeks warm as you stared into the cake, a bit of chocolate frosting smeared on your knuckles. "Sae, it was just some random guy I met when you slept in. Why does this matter?" "It mattersâŠ" She huffs, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear, and you give her a look of get on with it. "It matters because he's my cousin, Y/N."
Your grip on the spatula tightens. You can feel your stomach drop, eyes wide as you look back at her. "He's your what?"
"I'm not mad at you, if that's what you're thinking. I'd never be mad at you for thatâŠeven if it is weird for me." She says quietly, and sighs as you feel panic set into your skin. "I justâŠWhy didn't you tell me? I transferred to this university for you, I tell you about all my hookups, and I had to find out through him that you guys were sleeping together for the last three weeks of our vacation?"
"How could I have possibly known the two of you were related? Better yet, why does it matter? It was just a stupid fling, Sae. I'm not trying to marry into your family, God." You mumble, placing the spatula in the sink and covering the rest of the cake with the plastic lid. "If it makes you feel any better, I didn't think it would come back to bite me in the ass." "It doesn't. I thought you already considered me family, Y/N. It seems I've been under the wrong impression for a while." Her eyes are cold as she moves the cake slices onto a tray, and you feel taken aback. "What the hell does that mean?" "What the hell did you mean? As if marrying into my family would be so fucking bad? We're a great family. We're loving, open, and honest. Nothing like you, it seems!"Â
You gape at her, before you feel a bit of anger claw at your throat. "Saerom, I didn't think I'd ever see him again! Of course I'm going to hope he doesn't expect anything more from me, because I can't handle that. I want a career, I want to own my parents' businesses after graduation. I can't let a guy tie me down, no matter who he is to my friends. You have to get that." Her eyes are hurt, contrary to the furious tug on her brows. She knows what you want out of life, she always had â at least, what you would let her believe. Your parents had expectations, and you, as their only daughter, had to fulfill everything. Taking over your father's companies, inheriting your mother's properties, continuing the bloodline. It was all on you.
God forbid a girl have a little fun on vacation.
"It's always about you and your career, isn't it?" She mutters, grabbing the tray and walking towards the living room. She stops in front of the doorway, looking over her shoulder. "I thought I could trust you, Y/N. It seems that being a Risk Analyst may not be my perfect fit, after all."
You kind of hate that this is happening.
No, scratch that. You hate that this is happening. You don't even really understand what just happened, or how Saerom could have possibly interpreted what you said as something bad. Despite these horrible circumstances, you knew that Joshua couldn't possibly be a bad guy. Granted, you'd skipped your Spanish class twice now, doing everything in your power to convince Chan to enroll into it so you wouldn't have to face Joshua alone. You even said you'd pay his stupid fraternity dues if he got in, no matter how bad you hated Beta Tau Omega.
Joshua was sweet on vacation, but everyone has their vacation persona, and their normal life characteristics. At home, you were serious, studious, and even slightly uptight.
On vacation, you wereâŠflirtatious, unhinged, a bit wild. You took shots from strangers and stayed out in clubs and bars until the wee hours of the morning. You'd play games of chicken with cute guys, letting them kiss you in bathrooms and put their hands up your skirt.
Joshua did none of that, he didn't indulge your behavior. At least, not right off the bat.
He'd caught your eye at a restaurant, speaking perfect Spanish to the waitress. He lookedâŠrefreshing. Sweet, different from your past romances. He looked like someone you'd actually date, but you were on vacation and you weren't looking for a long-term, potentially long-distance boyfriend. A quick fuck, a cum-and-go, if you will.
You'd bought him a mimosa, ignoring his line of vision as you befriended a few girls you'd met at the pool of your hotel. Saerom decided to sleep in that morning, and almost every other time you managed to catch Joshua alone â she wasn't in your presence. Maybe that was the universe protecting the both of them, while scorning you.
He'd sent a glass of white wine to your table, also avoiding your gaze and continuing his breakfast conversation with his friends. Jeonghan and Seungcheol, now that you can put a name to the faces. You didn't bother then, it didn't matter.
Not until now, of course.
You remember walking past his table on your way to close out your check, slipping your name and burner number on a napkin. You remember his friends teasing him, even hearing one of them give a low whistle. You remember said burner phone buzzing in your pocket less than an hour later, and meeting up with him that night at a salsa club down the beach.
You also remember cuddling on a hammock with him, pointing out stars you'd memorized as a kid because you wanted to be an astronaut. You remember him kissing your fingertips as you talked about your life back home, leaving out details of where you lived, where you went to school and who your parents were. You remember his eyes scanning your face, lingering on your lips as you sighed, voicing your unhappiness.
You had truly opened up to a stranger faster than you had anyone else. Even Saerom didn't know you felt this way about your life. How could she? She was under the impression that you loved it, you loved feeling important, you loved the money your lifestyle was funded by. That you didn't care about your parents' emotional absence, and the overwhelming amount of nannies being rotated in and out of your childhood in place of them.
Some things are better left unsaid, you remind yourself. You have to remind yourself that this façade needs to be upheld. You have to make your parents proud. You have to.
Right?
You're still standing in the kitchen when Nagyung appears in the doorway, her voice soft as she calls out to you. "Y/N?" You jump, a hand to your chest as you look up. She apologizes, "Sorry! It's justâŠthe movie is starting. Are you coming?" "Yeah, sorry. I'll be right there." You gesture at the mess of cake crumbs and frosting, and she gives you a quick smile before scurrying back to the living room. You turn to wash the spatula, your mind just reminiscing as you grab the soapy sponge.
"So you're going to take over your father's business?""Yeah, I'm an only child, so I don't have much of a choice. If I don't take it, it just goes to the highest bidder. In my mind, it wouldn't be the end of the world if that happened, I'd get to pursue my own path."
"If you think that, why are you taking it over? Why not tell your parents that you have dreams you want to pursue? I know it's easier said than done, but office jobs are not good for the soul in my opinion." He spoke confidently, his fingers twirling your hair.
"I'd be ungrateful, I'd be throwing away hundreds of properties and investors. I'd be throwing away this lavish life I live, funded by my father's money. I'd be throwing away a secure futureâŠand I'd be letting them down."
You didn't want to be an astronaut anymore. You'd long let that dream go, along with an eight-year-old you that had posters of Yi Soyeon and constellations plastered all over your room. You remember your mother standing in the doorway of your bedroom when you got your first poster of a supernova, a glass of Merlot in her hand as she sighed. "You'll never be like them, you know? Going into spaceâŠeating peanut butter on crackers and floating. It's not possible." She had been right, anyway. You had put all of those posters up in your attic, along with your rocket models when you moved for college. The only thing you kept and brought with you to University was the orrery your last nanny gifted you for your fifteenth birthday. It sat pretty on your desk in your room, mocking your every move.
You were getting a business degree. You were majoring in Marketing. You're taking Spanish for the same reason Joshua did, to broaden your horizons, and make business boom. To feed the greed that festered in your parents, and give them what they want.
ButâŠunbeknownst to them, you were also majoring in Physics. You wanted to give yourself the sliver of hope that they wouldn't actually want you to take over the firms, that you'd get to continue your education and get your doctorate. That you'd be a plasma physicist and watch everything happen in real time for space research, without having to leave Earth's surface.
Delusions, all of it.
"Welcome. You missed the first fifteen minutes." Soonyoung scoots over, offering you the lit joint between his fingers as you sigh. Taking it, you plop down on the couch cushion, your leg draped over the armrest. "Takes time to have a clean house, Hoshi." Saerom glances at you from her spot on the floor, her eyes unreadable as she blinks. She frowns slightly, returning her attention to the television. You can tell she feels uneasy about the entire situation. She's probably asking herself how she didn't catch on, or why she didn't ask.
And the truth is, you're kind of glad she didn't. Had she done so, you probably wouldn't have slept with him. You probably would've found out they were family and completely ghosted him, or at least told him that you were her friend. You would've let him down much more easily, instead of leaving Puerto Vallarta without saying goodbye and throwing your burner phone in the garbage at the airport.
Everything would have been different, you would have acted differently.
Nonetheless, you can't dwell on the past. You can't keep skipping Spanish, and you can't let your grades slip over some stupid summer hookup. What you can do is pretend it didn't happen. Pretend you've never seen him in the nude, pretend you don't know what his lips feel like. Pretend like he didn't affect you deeper than he did, because it wasn't just sex.
And you hate that it wasn't.
Monday, September 5th.
"You love me, Lee Chan!" You'd done it. You'd convinced him to join your class so you wouldn't be subjected to Joshua's nonexistent wrath alone. Seeing Chan leaning on the wall next to the door was a sight for sore eyes â even if he was trying to subtly flirt with Haerim.
"Y/N, you're going to scare the hoes!" He speaks through gritted teeth, allowing you to envelope him in a tight hug. "Ugh, you've saved me from a world of misery." "You're so needy." He mutters into your hair, making you pull away with a smug look on your face. "Well? Why is everyone out here?" "Professor Lee isn't here today. We're waiting for Joshua to get the door open." Haerim speaks as she locks her phone, shoving it into her pocket. She eyes you up and down, noticing the slight frown on your lips. "Why did you skip twice already? The semester just started." Grimacing, you make up a lie. "Prior commitments. Couldn't miss 'em." "RightâŠ" She gives you a look of discernment before fishing her phone back out of her pocket. "I'm gonna skip, actually. You still have my number, right? Can you forward what you guys do today?" Upon seeing your nod, she gives you a lazy smile and worms her way through the crowd of students forming around the door. Everyone is whining and complaining, but you're now searching the hall to see if you can also make a run for itâŠ
"Hey! So sorry, guys. Professor Lee just called me." A slightly disheveled Joshua appears behind a group of girls, holding up a set of keys. You look away, meeting eyes with Chan â who is squinting at Joshua as if he knew him. "Is thatâŠIsn't he the Vice President of Beta Tau Omega?"nk
"Leave it up to one of my best friends to befriend the enemy." You scowl, before looping your arm in his to tug him into the classroom. The front few rows are already filling out, with Joshua regaining his composure at Professor Lee's desk. You and Chan make a beeline for the back of the classroom, taking the last two seats in the third row.
"I'm rushing this year, I need to know my higher ups." Chan whispers back, and the two of you whip your heads towards the front of the room at the sound of Joshua clearing his throat. "Sorry again, everyone. Unfortunately, a late start will be followed by a quiz." He winces as a collective groan follows his announcement, and you feel your stomach flip. You don't know enough Spanish to pass this class by the seat of your pants. You barely retained how to introduce yourself from high school. "Don't worry, since this is the first quiz of the semester, I'll go easy on you. Just some general conjugation, and it's to see where you fall on the scale." Joshua speaks confidently as he walks around the room, handing stacks of the quiz to the first person in the row. You feel your eyes glued to the floor as he holds the stack out for you to take, and you hate how your hand shakes as you do so.
What you hate even more?
"Nice to see you in class, Miss Y/N." He whispers, before crossing his arms behind his back and walking down the steps. Chan snickers next to you, earning a smack. "Not funny!" You grit, whacking him again with the stack of quizzes.
"Once you are done with your quiz, I will grade it. You may then leave for the day, because I really do not have the energy to think of anything else to be done." He's rubbing his temples, and you hear a few people sigh in relief.
"Easy money." Chan whispers to himself, before clicking his pen and beginning the quiz. You glance down at it, your lip tucked behind your teeth. The quiz seems standard â a few conjugations, a few multiple choice. One short answer at the bottom, asking you to describe what you did over the summer in Spanish.
"Fuck." You mumble.
You can't lie to yourself, you probably fucked yourself over by skipping those last two classes. They probably reviewed, took notes. Maybe even engaged in actual conversation with each other, with Professor LeeâŠwith Joshua.
Nonetheless, you feel your skin crawl when you notice that you've spent so much time agonizing over this, that you're one of the last students left. Chan finished at some point and you didn't notice, because now he's waiting by the door for you. You feel your throat tighten, forcing you to zero in and just scribble an answer at the bottom of your quiz.
Grabbing your backpack, you fling it over your shoulder before trekking the steps, noticing Joshua giving you a warm smile.
"Miss Y/N." He greets, taking your paper. You give him a tight nod, before spinning on your heel to leave. You're barely two steps in the right direction when you hear him again. "Ah, ah, ah! We need to speak, Miss Y/N. Turn around." You're semi-grateful that the classroom is nearly empty, because you know you look embarrassed as you turn back around. "Yes, sir?" His smile drops as you stand in front of him, and he taps his pen on your quiz. "You missed two classes consecutively. Per the syllabus, you can only miss six classes per semester, and we don't accept late work. You can't excel in this course if you're not physically here, you know." He's not being a douche. You know he's not, but you can't help and slightly bristle.
"I had other matters to attend to, sir. I'll be on time for the remainder of the semester."
This doesn't seem to satisfy him, and his brows furrow slightly before he shakes his head, sighing. He turns your quiz over, the capital C minus grade in red ink.Â
"I know you don't want to be here, it's clear in your attitude. However, if you intend to pass this class, you have to show up. My tutoring hours are on the syllabus, revisit them and send me an email when you get a chance so we can get you back on track."
Your mouth opens slightly, and Joshua gives you a rather stern look. "Don't. I'm trying to help you." "Yes, sir." You mutter. He tilts his head towards the door. "You can leave." Huffing, you storm out of the room and nearly shove Chan out of the way when you reach the door. "Woah, hey! Don't kill me, Y/N!" He grabs your elbow, and you groan loudly. "Dude, what's your deal?" Chan asks, taking hold of both your shoulders as the two of you round the corner out of the hallway.Â
"My deal, Chan, is that I fucking slept with the TA over the summer! That's my deal, dude!" You throw your arms up in exasperation, and a lightbulb seems to go off in Chan's head as his mouth forms an O-shape. You lean against the brick wall of the building, slowly sliding down and covering your face with your hands.Â
"You..fucked Joshua Hong." He speaks, and you let out another groan, similar to that of a goat. "Yes, Chan. I fucked Joshua Hong in Puerto Vallarta in a random villa on the beach." "Spare me the details, will you?" He grimaces, running a hand through his hair. He squats next to you, making you look up at him with his hand. He gives your look of defeat a laugh, a concerned smile remaining on his lips as he touches his head to yours. "Don't worry, Y/N. He won't be anything but professional, I promise you."
"How do you know?" You whine, Chan's smile of concern turning into one of reassurance. "He clearly takes his job seriously, and he could've told the entire frat by now. Joshua Hong banged the biggest chaebol on campus, Kang Y/N. Crazy." You can tell he's trying to make you feel better, but you already knew Joshua wasn't the type to kiss and tell. Tell anyone other than Saerom, of course â but the two of you didn't speak much over the weekend so you felt a bit down in the dumps anyway. You didn't have dinner together or even go on a morning coffee run like you usually did â choosing to rot in your own rooms until hunger forced you out.
"He's Saerom's cousin, Channie." You pout, allowing him to tug you up off the wall and fling his arm over your shoulders. He sighs, resting his head against yours before he speaks. "Well, it can't get any worse than this, can it?"
â â âÂ
You scribble a reminder on a sticky note to kill Lee Chan for his earlier words â it has gotten worse.
You had forced yourself to review the syllabus upon returning home, especially after your Organic Chemistry professor informed everyone twenty minutes before class started that it was canceled. You then forced yourself to type out a concise and polite email to Joshua Hong, and you forced yourself to press send.Â
Ten minutes later, you forced yourself to read his reply.
And now, fifteen minutes after reading it, you were parked in the lot, your head resting against your steering wheel as you repeated some positive affirmations. "I can do this, I can do this. He's gonna be professional, I'm going to fix my hours, and I'll be on my way home."
Hopping out, you make sure to press your keyfob twice to hear it lock. Breathing in deeply, you made your way towards the hallway, seeing a few stragglers still on campus. It was nearly six in the evening, so they were probably also in office hours. Seeing the small office come into view, you stare at the names on the bronze plaques. Wow, you think. How important.
Kim NamjoonâŠWED. 3PM-7PM.
Jennie KimâŠTHURS. 4PM-8PM
Joshua HongâŠMON/TUES/FRI. 2PM-6PM
Jeon SoyeonâŠMON-FRI. 10AM-1PM, OCHEM II ONLY.
Sighing, you grabbed the doorknob and twisted, pushing it open to reveal Joshua speaking on the phone. His eyes dart to you, a hand to his chest before gesturing to the table in the corner. You roll your eyes, before shutting the door and flipping the sign that reads In Session.
"Yes ma'amâŠmhmâŠI will get that done." Joshua is pinching the bridge of his nose, making you snort to yourself as you sink into the surprisingly comfortable chair in the corner of the room. You set your backpack on the floor, pulling your laptop out and a notepad. Clicking a pen, you fold your hands in your lap, waiting for him to finish.
"Yes, I will see you on Monday, Professor. Alright, take care." He hangs up, taking a moment to process. He blinks twice, before shaking it off and opening one of the drawers. "Good to see you, Miss Y/N. This is the review that you missed on Wednesday, and you missed an oral introduction on Friday." Standing, he holds up a packet. "This is just verb conjugation. I was originally going to use this for extra credit, but seeing as you got the highest grade out of anyone in the morning session, I think it's safe to say you probably won't need it." You're silent as he hands it to you.
"You will have to make up for lost time here, so you can stay forâŠan hour today, and then you can make up the other two on Friday." He's checking the calendar by the door, taking a pen from his pocket to write it in. "Sounds good?" You don't answer, just nodding your head. He raises his brow at you, "Cat got your tongue?" Grimacing, you glance up at him. "Sounds fine, sir." He smiles a bit, before clicking his tongue. "Actually, just take it. You can go, Miss Y/N."Â
He walks to the desk, shutting his laptop. Confused, you look at him. "You want me to go?" "I don't want you to be anywhere you don't want to be, even if it's for your own benefit. You can leave." He nods, sliding his laptop into his bag, zipping it up and hiking it over his shoulder. "I have a prior commitment I can't miss, so consider this a favor." Snorting, you just shake your head as you put your things away. "I don't need any favors from you." You mutter to yourself, and Joshua smiles brightly as he holds the door open for you. "Whatever helps you sleep at night, Miss Y/N. Have a good night." "You too." You grumble, pushing past him to see Jeonghan and Seungcheol leaning against the wall. Seungcheol is holding an extra cup in his hand, and Joshua just lets out a sigh before greeting them warmly. Unfortunately, they're walking in the same direction as you, so you reach into your hoodie pocket for your headphones â but not before you hear a low whistle. "She looks familiar."
You just shove your other hand in your pocket, wondering if they'll keep talking. Does the other one remember you? Do they know you slept with Joshua? Did he tell them? "It's funny to think you'd remember anyone, when you're one of the biggest whores on campus." One of them speaks, and you can hear Joshua laugh lightly. "She's my student, so shut up. Anyway, how'd things go with the new OChem professor? I heard he's a mess, canceling classes back to back." You decide to tune them out as you reach the end of the hallway, not wanting to entertain them as the parking lot comes into view. You can see from where you're standing that there is a ticket stuck under your windshield wiper, and you groan. "Son of a bitch."
Jogging over, you take it off and see that it's not actually a ticket, but a note from someone saying they hit your car. Gasping, you round your car and see a huge dent in your bumper, black paint scraped off and your tail light broken. "Motherfucker!"Â
You can hear the trio of men getting closer, hearing the beep of the car next to yours as it unlocks. Scowling to yourself, you take your phone out to call your father. He should know what to do..right? His assistant picks up on the second ring. "Kang Enterprises, Gyuri speaking."
Sighing, you speak to her for a moment. She tells you he's in a meeting, and can't come to the phone at the moment. It's nearly seven at this point, what could he possibly have a meeting about? She says she doesn't know, but that your mother is also at the office and she's available. You reluctantly agree to speak to her, leaning your forehead against your rear windshield.
"Y/N? Why are you calling?" She sounds disinterested in whatever matters you may have, and you feel Jeonghan skirt past you as he rounds to the driver's side. "Sorry," He mumbles, and you scoff before moving out of the way. He grimaces before hopping in, and you can hear Joshua speaking to Seungcheol as he also rounds to the driver's side.Â
"Hello, Mother. Someone hit the beamerâ" You barely get the words out before she starts responding. Yelling, actually â and so loud you have to pull the phone away from your ear. Joshua is unfortunately hopping into the passenger seat, and he can see the look of defeat on your face. He gives you a sympathetic smile, and you frown before turning away.
You're still standing there as they pull out, but you've put her on speaker now. She's yelling about how irresponsible you are (and let's not forget you weren't the one who hit a car here) and that she can't believe you expect them to send you another. "I don't want another, I just want Daddy's advice on where to take it to get it fixed." "I don't care, Y/N. We'll get another one down there tomorrow. JustâŠbe more responsible, will you?!"Â
She hangs up, and you tongue your cheek so as to not cry in frustration. You don't want to drive the car home in this condition, you could get pulled over and then it's worse. Pulling up your messages, you scour who you could call. Chan is at a stupid pledge thing, you're not speaking to Saerom. Sighing, you quickly shoot Soonyoung a text, before calling the local towing company. They towed Chan's car last year when the two of you accidentally swerved into a fire hydrant trying to teach Nagyung how to drive.
Msg From: Soonyoung đŻ
[7:01PM] tf you mean someone hit ur car
[7:01PM] your PARKED car??? i'm literally in the shower, y/n
[7:03PM] ok uhh i think jun is on his way, if you wanna wait for him? if not i can finish up here in like 10 mins
Great.
Wednesday, September 7th.
"Shua." You hear Haerim speak from the front of the room. Your mother had angrily called you last night and said Gyuri would be dropping off your replacement vehicle today, so you were anything but focused until you heard the nickname slip from her lips.
"Haerim." He speaks, not taking his attention away from the corkboard he's putting up on the wall. It has Polaroids of all the students in your class and a few others you don't recognize. They probably took those on the days you weren't here.
"If you don't mind me asking, are you single? My friend drops me off on her way to French with Professor Bae and she thinks you're cute." Haerim is very casual with her conversation, making Joshua laugh lightly as he turns, holding a few thumbtacks between his fingers. "I am single, but I am unfortunately not on the market. Sorry to your friend, Haerim." She shakes her head, about to speak when you hear another person pipe up â Kim Myungjun, a guy you hooked up with at a sorority stoplight party your sophomore year. "How come? Did you get your heart broken or something?" Joshua smiles gently, sticking another Polaroid onto the board. He sighs, before turning back to face the room. "Something like that. I met a girl over the summer. Didn't end very well."
You can't believe your ears, and you can feel your eyes narrow as Chan shifts uncomfortably in his seat. You're willing to ignore it, until you hear Myungjun speak up. "Man, don't let that deter you from finding your soulmate! Love is everywhere, if we let one person dictate our confidence, we give their opinion value. I read that somewhere." Joshua nods, his smile never wavering, when he meets your eyes. His head tilts to the side, but he speaks while looking at you anyway. "I dunno, man. Something about that girlâŠshe was different." Chan coughs awkwardly next to you, and you welcome the distraction as you tear your angry eyes away from Joshua's mischievous ones. You pat Chan's back, offering him a sip of your water bottle when Joshua returns to his conversation with Haerim (and apparently, Myungjun.) "AnywayâŠyeah. I'm alright for now." You spend the rest of the class with your face hidden behind your hair, studying the stupid Quizlet link Joshua had sent out last night. Professor Lee would finally be in this Friday, and she was expecting all A's across the board that day. You watch the clock on your phone, willing time to go faster with your mind.
The moment the clock strikes noon, you're out of your seat â only to hear Joshua call after you.
"Chan, Y/N, if the two of you could hang back for just a second." He says, as the students shuffle out. You glance at Chan, who has an unsettled look on his face. The two of you take the steps down quietly, waiting for everyone to file out when Joshua holds up the pink Instax camera. "You guys weren't here for class photos, so I just wanted to get those out of the way. Professor Lee uses them to remember names." Chan engages quickly, and you feel your phone buzz in your pocket.
Msg From: Jang Gyuri (K. Ent.)
[12:05PM] Miss Y/N, I am outside with your new vehicle. It seems I am on the West Campus.
Shit.
The panicked look on your face doesn't go unnoticed by Chan, even as he's blinking away the effects of the camera flash. "Are you okay?" "Gyuri is here, and she has my keys." You respond, clicking away on your phone when Chan covers the screen, wiggling his eyebrows at you. "I'll get them for you! Please, please, pleaseâ" "You're only asking because you think she's pretty." You roll your eyes, and Chan flashes you a mischievous smile. "Correction, I think she's beautiful. C'mon, I literally do everything for you!" "Fine, fine. Only because you make me feel guilty." Chan beams at you as he hitches his bag over his shoulder, the both of you completely forgetting this meant you'd be alone with Joshua. He calls over his shoulder that he'll wait for you in your new car, making you snort.
"You can stand right here." Joshua points at the small piece of tape on the floor. You grimace, sliding your bag onto Professor Lee's desk and fixing your shirt. "Your necklace is twisted," He speaks again, and you feel around for it.
"HereâŠcan I?" He sets the camera down, and you give him a rather sour look before agreeing. "Fine." "No need to act like this, Y/N." His breath is minty, and it's softly hitting your skin as he works the clasp to the back of your neck. Your grandmother gave you this necklace. He knows, you told him about it tipsy off a mango margarita.
"She got me this on my tenth birthday. I have never taken it off.""She believed in you.""What a shame, right?"
His fingers linger on the glittering pendant, before centering it on your blouse. "Ready?" "What did you mean by different?" You blurt, and his eyes widen as he reaches for the camera. "What?" "You said IâŠnevermind. Just take the picture, I have somewhere to be." You force a smile, and Joshua gives you a questioning look. He positions the camera, but sighs. "Too forced. Just relax, Y/N."
Huffing, you soften your face, letting your cheeks reach your eyes as you smile gently. "Much better." He whispers, taking the photo quickly. You blink a few times, before reaching for your bag. "And Y/N?" "What!?" You gripe, and he smiles. "Not everything is about you, pretty." Rolling your eyes at the slight lurch in your stomach. Pulling your bag over your shoulder, you stop as he huffs. "Wait, it came out wrong. Can you stand here again?"
He flicks the faulty picture onto the desk, and you quickly position yourself in front of him again. You clear your throat, smiling again as you move your hair to your face â when you see him smiling tenderly behind the camera. "Why are you looking at me like that?" "Hm?" He snaps the photo, taking it as it prints and covering it with his hand from the light. "Nothing, you look a lot nicer when you smile." You don't reply, waiting silently to see if the photo develops nicely. He doesn't speak either, before flipping the photo. You're smiling back at him, and he holds it up. "Satisfied?"
"Yeah, whatever." You shrug, and he nods. He hands you your bag, and gives you a warm look. "Have a good day, Y/N." You hesitate, but take your bag. "You too."
â â âÂ
"Hey, Shua."
He looks up to see Saerom standing in the doorway of his bedroom, her arms crossed as she drags the tip of her shoe against the hardwood.
"Hey! What are you doing here? And if you say you're here to see any of these perverts, I'm going to escort you out myself." She just laughs, shaking her head as she enters his bedroom. It's a bit larger than the others, and she flops onto his bed. "Why did you tell me you slept with Y/N?" Joshua chokes on his spit, coughing harshly in his desk chair. Saerom looks slightly amused as he regains his composure. "Just right out with it, huh?" "Well, she's my best friend. I don't know how I didn't know you were in Mexico, too. I literally watch your Instagram stories." Saerom pouts, and Joshua laughs. "Maybe because I like to live in the moment? I don't document every part of my life, Rom." "I mean, yeah, but still. And how did you guys even have time to meet? I was with her all the time." Saerom wails, making Joshua just shake his head. "She did mention she was on vacation with her best friend. She never mentioned your name, and we also hung out mostly at night. I'm assuming if you guys didn't share a room, you wouldn't have been able to notice, anyway." "We never share a room when we go on vacation together. We like our privacy." She rolls her eyes, and Joshua smiles knowingly. "I know, I was there with Cheol and Han, and I practically begged the front desk to get me one of the beach villas. I did not want to share a room with them, or whatever girl they managed to tag team."
"As your cousin, this is a weird conversation to have. As Y/N's friend, I feel awkward. We fought a bit, and I can't really talk to her knowing that you guysâŠdid it."
"You're soâŠOkay." He snorts at her theatrics, before opening his laptop. He sees the photo he took of you in the corner of it, your smiling face peeking out at him. He shuts it quickly, having forgotten he took it with him. The photo developed after you left, so it's not like he lied.
"Anyway, she's such a cold person normally. It's hard to get in there." Saerom sighs, and he feels a pang in his chest. You'd opened up very quickly with him, but Saerom didn't know that â nor did she need to. "I guess it works, though, she can be personable when she wants to. Can't believe she wants to own that big ass company her father has. I'd cry myself to sleep if I had that much pressure on my shoulders." You're living such a double life and your best friend doesn't even know it. How can you hide those things from her? Do you fear being judged, or being seen as less than? Someone who can't handle the pressure of being the golden child, someone who can't hold a candle to her parents? Someone who disappoints.
"Yeah, me too."
Saerom keeps talking about you, but he can barely hear her. His phone is open in his lap, and he's staring at the message thread with your burner number.
Msg To: Y/N (PV)
[06/29] hey, this is joshua. [06/29] you left your number at my table.
Msg From: Y/N (PV)
[06/29] hi handsome ;) [06/29] are you free tonight?
He had been free.
He remembers the stupid white dress you wore when you met him at the salsa club. He remembers the confidence radiating off you when you asked the bartender for your drink. You made it evident you didn't need him, that you weren't looking for anything serious â but you slowly dropped the act. You let him in just a bit, you danced with him and you let him walk you down the beach to your hotel room.
You were the one who asked to sit on one of the hammocks on the beach. You were the one who asked him about himself, wondering what his own life was like. You encouraged him to dig deep and tell you his darkest secrets, assuring him you'd share your own as well.
Your life was much more intense than his. He was studying music, he was living it, breathing it, enjoying it. He wanted that, more than anything, and nothing was going to get in his way. But youâŠyou wanted so much more than what you were told you could have.
You wanted to be more than your parents. You wanted to explore, you wanted to live. He remembers how sweet you were when he told you his dreams. how gentle you were when you voiced your opinion on them. He appreciated your honesty and your kindness, and he enjoyed your presence. YouâŠwere more than just the intimacy. More than just the makeout sessions you initiated, including that night in the hammock. More than the way you made him chase you just enough. About as much as one can for a vacation fling, anyway.
"...And she makes the best bolognese, Shua. You'd love it." Saerom sighs, making him nod quickly. "I'm sure." "Anyway, I gotta go. I was supposed to pick up dinner, so I can extend the olive branch." She chuckles, getting off the bed. "I'll see you around, Shua." "Bye, Rom. Be safe, let me know when you get home." "Will do." Saerom exits his room, closing the door behind her. He opens his laptop, fishing the photo of you out of the corner and shoving it into his wallet. He should feel weird about keeping it, but that means a perfectly good photo is going to waste! It'll be safe in his wallet.
Unlocking his laptop, he sighs as he sees his email pinging him.
From: [email protected]
Subject: Office Hours
Sent: 10:32PM
Hello. I hope this email finds you well.
I am not able to attend Friday's office hours. I will also not be able to attend office hours next week, as I have prior commitments I must tend to. I know it is rather unorthodox, but would you be available tomorrow? I do not have classes after 1PM and I frankly don't need a language class to tarnish my perfect record.
Let me know if this works for you. Thanks.
Best,
Kang Y/N
010-1230-1995
Thursday, September 8th.
From: [email protected]
RE:Subject: Office Hours
Sent: 11:21PM
Thank you for reaching out. I understand prior commitments can make attending office hours difficult.Â
I am not able to promise availability for Thursday. Jennie Kim has the office, she is the TA for Professor Lee Chaerin in French II. This being said, I can accommodate in two ways.
I can give you an assignment to be turned in on Friday. You will have to come by the classroom to retrieve it. Or, you can get a study room in the library and I can offer two hours of my time for your use. Please email me back before 10AM if the latter is your choice.
Best,
Joshua Hong
010-9999-8212
Bad idea, Y/N.
Very, very bad idea.
You should have gone to pick up the stupid assignment. You should have picked up the stupid, fat packet he was going to torture you with to make you regret being a douche to him despite basically making the guy fall in love with you over the summer.
Instead, you suffer here. You suffer inside these four walls, with a freshly showered Joshua Hong standing in the doorway, his friends bidding him goodbye. Jeonghan and Seungcheol peer in, their eyes twinkling with something devious â making Joshua roll his eyes as he shut the door with his foot.
"Sorry about that, they're nosey." He's holding a basketball under his arm, backpack hiked over his shoulder as he walks around the room to settle at the table.You haven't spoken yet, just eyeing him down. "Your hair is wet." "Damp, not wet." He corrects you, opening his bag for his sweatshirt. "It's freezing in here, Jesus Christ." "Maybe wear a proper shirt next time." You roll your eyes, opening your laptop to see the digitals you had developed from your vacation. Saerom took a lot of them â you drinking out of a fresh coconut, you wearing a pretty pink dress to the beach, you in a new swimsuit you bought specifically for the trip. There were photos of the two of you together â one a little girl took of you having a picnic on the beach, another of the two of you getting matching tattoos on your ankles.
And one you took of Joshua.
You were sitting on him, right after the two of you woke up in your hotel room. The photo was taken from an odd over-head angle, but his smile was wide and so natural. You were making him laugh, you remember.
"Come on, just one picture!"
"You literally just pinched my leg to wake me up, give me a second!""God forbid a girl wants to wake you up. Come on, I leave in two days!"
You'd lied, you left that night. You dumped your burner in the airport trashcan, not bothering to read the few texts he'd sent you only moments earlier to your arrival there. They were gone forever â and you hadn't felt guilty then, not really. You knew you'd miss him a bit, you knew yourself that much.
You wouldn't have missed him at all if you knew that you'd see him againâŠfor sixteen consecutive weeks. And possibly for the rest of your time on this campus. And possibly, the rest of your life, since you were best friends with Saerom.
The pictures haunt you a bit, you notice.
You're staring at them in silence, feeling a bit of anxiety crawl up your throat when you hear Joshua clear his own. "I brought a few assignments, in case you don't want to doâŠthis." He gestures to the room, and you just shake your head.
"Paying for the class, I might as well try and get along with you." You mutter, clicking your tongue when the photo of Joshua comes back into circulation. "I'm going to the vending machine, do you want anything?" You abruptly get up, grabbing your wallet out of your bag and stalking to the door. He looks up at you, a soft look in his eyes as he shakes his head. "I'm okay." Nodding, you retreat to the vending machine down the hall. You're staring at the ground as you walk, fully expecting to have an uneventful trip not even ten feet away.
However, it seems that even that can't go right for you.
"Hey. You're Y/N, right?" Your head snaps up, seeing Seungcheol and Jeonghan at the vending machine. Your eye twitches a bit, and you clear your throat before nodding. "And you are?" Jeonghan gives you a knowing look, but entertains you. "I'm Jeonghan. This is Seungcheol." With pursed lips, you nod. "Uh, nice to meet you. You guys are inâŠBeta Tau, right? My friend is rushing it." You stand awkwardly, and Jeonghan gives you a slight smirk. "Yeah? Good luck to your friend, Y/N.' "Yah, don't be like that. Did you want the vending machine? We're still deciding." Seungcheol tugs Jeonghan back a bit, and you quickly feed in your change, pressing the buttons to get what you want. In your frenzy, you get two bottles of jasmine tea.
"Say, Y/N. How was your summer?" Jeonghan asks gently, and you feel your shoulders tense before you glance over with a scowl. "Is it really on your mind that much? I fucked your friend, so what?" "Wow, no need to get so feisty! Kitty has claws." He smiles, elbowing Seungcheol, who just pinches the bridge of his nose. "Whatever, man. God forbid a girl has fun on her summer vacation." You turn on your heel, walking back down the corridor and hearing Seungcheol scold Jeonghan behind you. You nearly rip the handle off the door of the study room, seeing Joshua standing in front of the whiteboard with a textbook draped open in his hand. He looks back to see your furrowed brows, and the two teas in your hand.
"Are you alright?" "Did you have to tell all your friends that we slept together? Because I didn't tell anyone. I didn't even tell my best friend, you told her. I'd appreciate if you would stop ruining my fucking reputation." You slam the bottles on the table, and Joshua gives you a surprised look. "What the hell are you talking about, Y/N?" "You know exactly what I'm talking about, Joshua. Your stupid friend just cornered me at the vending machine, asking me all these stupid questions like he knows something about me. Newsflash! He doesn't, and neither do you!" You sit with a huff, and Joshua's ears are slightly red as he tongues his cheek. He glances down at the textbook in his hand, closing it and sliding it onto the table. You don't bother looking up at him, hearing the jingling of the door before he speaks. "Excuse me."
The door shuts behind him, and you look up to see that he didn't take any of his things. Meaning that he'd be back, after doing God knows what, and you'd have to deal with it. Sighing to yourself, you rub your temples, wondering how things got like this.
The semester just started. You didn't have time for this.
Silently, you begin to pack up your things. Your laptop goes in the designated slot, your extra tea gets packed snugly into the front pocket. You click your tongue, about to get up when the door opens and Joshua emerges with Jeonghan in tow, looking like a kicked puppy.
Your brows nearly reach your hairline as Jeonghan shuffles forward. Joshua gives him a hard look. "Apologize."
Sucking his teeth, Jeonghan gives you a once over before speaking quietly. "I'm sorry that my assumptions and behavior made you uncomfortable, and it won't happen again." The hand gripping your backpack loosens a bit, and Seungcheol pops up from behind Joshua with a sheepish look on his face. "I'm also sorry, Y/N. I know this is an odd situation for the two of you, and our instigation doesn't make it any better." Your jaw is a bit slack, and Jeonghan looks at Joshua. "Can I go now?" "Did you hear her accept your apology?" He asks, and Jeonghan sighs. "I guess not." Blinking, you just give Jeonghan a thumbs up. "You'reâŠyou're good, yeah. Uh, don't worry about it. You either, Seungcheol." You look over Joshua's shoulder to the older man, who smiles in response.
"We'll get going, then. We've got a party to plan." Seungcheol says warmly, and Jeonghan turns on his heel to exit the room. "I don't want to hear this shit from you guys again." Joshua mutters, all but slamming the door after them.
"You didn't have to do that." You mumble, and he looks at you with a scoff.
"Yes, I did. Whether we slept together or not is none of their business, and the only reason they know is because they were there. I don't need that being spread around campus or them being douchebags to you." He grabs the textbook again, uncapping the dry-erase marker before glancing at you. "Sit down, you've got me for two hours." You don't like the slight flutter in your stomach, or that your body involuntarily does as he says. You silently unpack your bag again, and he finishes writing example problems on the whiteboard. Feeling your stomach a bit uneasy, you uncap the tea to take a sip.
"Conjugation is very important. When I was grading your quiz, I noticed that was your biggest problem. I don't know how you got a B, really, when most of that quiz was conjugations, but I digress. Can you do these for me?" He holds out the marker, an expectant look in his eyes.
"Sure."
Friday, September 16th.
It'd been a little more than a week since you met with Joshua in the library.
And since the two of you officially acknowledged that you'd slept together. What you didn't know was, while he was having his own feelings about the history that weighed the two of you down, he wasn't going to force you to return his affections. In factâŠhe even felt a bit silly, liking you so much off of three weeks of getting the full experience ofâŠwell, you.
Better yet, he wasn't even going to tell you there are any residual feelings on his end. If he knew anything, it was you and your type. If he came off too strong â flowers, a date, chocolates and the like, he'd scare you off even more. You were skittish, like a deer, and he had to either slowly gain your trustâŠ
Or irritate the living hell out of you every chance he got.
Subtle flirting, double entendres, maybe the occasional lingering look. He knew that if he wanted a chance, and man did he want it â he was going to have to work for it. No problem, though. You were definitely worth the wait.
"So, as you can see, the proper conjugation is hablar, not hablando." His laser pointer is steady at the bottom of the projector screen, and he looks up to see half of the class staring intently and the other half jotting down notes. You were neither of the two â your head was resting on Chan's shoulder, eyes low. He cleared his throat, your head jumping up and a wince crossing your features.
Joshua knew Chan was really no threat. The fraternity really liked him, and he was set to move in this weekend. According to Chan's Instagram story, you'd been at his dorm the night before helping him pack up. Saerom had also been there, and Soonyoung â another Beta Tau member. You had been holding a can of Red Bull and in one of the following videos, you were shotgunning another.
"Any questions?" He calls out, and Haerim shoots her hand up. "Yes, Haerim?" "Since this is a conversational class, how would we ask someone out? Or, for their number?"
The classroom fills with childish snickering, and Joshua just smiles as he shakes his head. "Well, I-" "I don't think this is an appropriate question, to be honest." Your voice is heard from the back of the classroom, and Haerim turns in her chair, a wicked smile crossing her lips as Joshua rounds the desk, perched on the edge of it. "And why not, Y/N?" She asks, and Joshua can see you shift uncomfortably in your chair.
"This is Beginner Spanish Conversation, not Coffee Meets Bagel. Flirt on your own time, at your own pace." You scoff, and Haerim's smile only grows wider. It's like she knows something about you, and Joshua notices you begin to bristle slightly. "Why are you so uptight about it, Y/N? It's just a question." "I'm paying for this class, as is everyone else. I think I'd like to appreciate my money's worth by learning something I'll actually use." "Alright, ladies. Honestly, Miss Y/N is partially correct. This is not CafĂ© y Rosquilla, but I do think that this isâŠa learning moment. Asking someone out does involve conversation, you know." Joshua attempts to diffuse, but he can see your subtle annoyance at his siding with Haerim. "So, for example, if I wanted to ask outâŠ" He looks around the room, before a flash of diablerie crosses his eyes. "If I wanted to ask out Miss Y/N, I'd have to make conversation. I'd sayâŠeres muy bonita." "Yeah?! What else?!" You hear Myungjun shout from the far left side of the room, and you can feel Chan's knee bumping yours. You scowl at him, earning a smile as he hides in his hoodie. "I'd sayâŠ" Joshua scans your face, and he knows you're probably embarrassed. Embarrassed, but enjoying his subtle attention. He pushes off the desk, pacing in front of the students. "Hm, I'd probably say I like her dress, or me gusta tu vestido."
He watches you cross your legs, tucking the extra fabric of your black dress under your thighs. "Okay, but how do you ask her out!?" Haerim interrupts excitedly, and Joshua is on the first step of the stairs before he catches your eyes again.
"You don't just ask someone out flat out like that. You build repertoire, you make conversation." He rolls his eyes playfully, and you think you're about to get off without any further embarrassment when you hear Chan speak up next to you. "How much repertoire can you even build at this point? Psychology says it only takes two minutes to decide if you like someone." Joshua sees you gape at Chan, before pinching his bicep. Chan pouts in your direction, rubbing his arm as Joshua holds back a laugh. "Psychology also says that there are five components to figuring out if we will have a crush on someone. Physical attraction, proximity, similarity, reciprocity and familiarity. Miss Y/N is very pretty, so physical attraction is checked off. Proximity is also checked, as we see each other three times a week for this class." "What about similarity?" Myungjun pipes up again, making you sink lower in your seat. Joshua is enjoying making you squirm a bit, and he steps up a few more. "Hm, I think that's something I'd have to figure out. Tell me, Miss Y/N, do you enjoyâŠlong walks on the beach?" Your eyes are full of fire, and you'd be almost scary if he didn't notice the way your lip wanted to twitch into a smile. Haerim shouts for you to answer the question, making you send her a scornful look â and she just sticks her tongue out at you like a child. "I doâŠenjoy long walks on the beach."
"What a coincidence, so do I! Now, we have a similarity. Miss Y/N is familiar, because again, I do see her quite often. Now, it's about reciprocation. This is when you ask the question, this is when you try and make a move." "Shua, how do we make the move!?" Chan asks, and you kick his shin, about to tell him to shut up when Joshua finally reaches your row. He's looking you dead in the eyes, his hand gently wrapping around the edge of your desk. He leans forward, and you can hear the stupid woo-ing of your classmates. "Señorita Y/N, Âżle gustarĂa salir conmigo?"
Somehow, this all feels like some stupid romcom for the both of you. The class is egging you both on, and Chan is next to you with the most idiotic smile you'd ever seen. You huff, the class is now chanting for you to agree to saidâŠ"fake" date.
"No." You say quietly, and Joshua feigns pain. He holds his hand to his heart, a pained expression on his face. "You wound me, Miss Y/N."
He turns to the class, all of which are giving you the dirtiest look ever. "Now, now. This was just an example, don't look at her like that." He scolds, and the class turns back to face the front as he barrels down the steps, checking his watch.Â
"Shit, it's already ten past noon. You guys are free to go, and if any of you are taking Psych with Professor Seo Jungkwon, tell him I fulfilled his lecture for the day." This earns a laugh from the class, except you. You're angrily stuffing your laptop into your bag, the class eagerly exiting the room. Chan is holding your arm, apologizing most likely, but you don't seem like you want to hear any of it. By this point, Chan looks a bit like a kicked puppy as he quickly takes the steps down, with you following slowly behind him.
Chan is out the door by the time you make it to the last step, and the classroom is empty.
You arms are crossed as you approach the desk, where Joshua is quietly shutting down the projector. His eyes don't meet yours as he disconnects the machine from the wall, winding the cord up to tie together. "Y/N." He calls gently, and you huff angrily. He bites back a smile.
"Why do you insist on embarrassing me? The first week, it was you running your mouth to my best friend. Last week, you practically held Jeonghan at gunpoint to apologize to me. Today, it's putting me on blast in front of an entire classroom with people I will continue to see for the rest of the year."
"Oh? Was it embarrassing?" He's nonchalant as he looks up, tucking the wrapped cables behind the projector. Your eyes are narrowed, and it seems you've caught onto his little game. "Do you get off on this or something? Knowing you fucked one of your students?" "Hm, not necessarily. And none of what was done was done to embarrass you, per say. It's just decent honesty, and we both know you deserved an apology for Jeonghan's behavior." He states matter-of-factly, making you purse your lips. "What about your behavior? You asked me out in front of all these people!" You gesture to the empty room, and Joshua gives you a small smile. "And you rejected me in front of all of those people. The way I see it, it's a teaching moment."
He's on the same side of the desk as you now, resting against it as you complain. HIs smile seems to be getting under your skin, because you grab his shirt by the collar, pulling his face close to yours before you speak through gritted teeth. "Use someone else as your stupid guinea pig. I don't want to be with you, Hong." You're holding him so close, your lips just barely brushing his. He can't help but scan your face quickly, his hand reaching to brush a stray curl off your face. Your eyes follow his fingers, feeling them tuck the hair behind your ear before he swallows carefully. You can feel your stomach flip slightly as his hand drops, ghosting over your hip as he pushes off the desk, making you slightly stumble back. His fingers grab you gently, pulling you flush to him before his nose is touching yours. "Tell me you don't want me," He whispers, his breath hitting your lips making your lashes flutter closed as you press your lips to his. A whimper escapes his throat as he kisses you back, his grip tightening as your hand lets go of his shirt, your palm resting against his stomach as your other hand holds his waist. The kiss is slow but desperate, your tongue licking into his mouth in the way that drove him crazy over the summer.Â
He can't help himself, his hand moving to tangle in your hair, moving his lips down your jaw and exposed neck. A sharp inhale from you as he reaches one of the many sweet spots he'd discovered, a soft whine sounding in his ears making him feel dizzy as he nips at your skin. Pulling back, he holds your face close to his as he speaks again. "Tell me you don't want me, and we can stop this right now. I'll be nothing but professional for the rest of the semester."
He can tell that wasn't what you were expecting. Your eyes are wide and full of mixed emotions, but overall, they flash with a bit of fear. "IâŠ" Your hands move to rest on his hips, a frown on your lips as you let go, and he does the same. His arms cross with an expectant look on his face, and you grimace.
"Stop embarrassing me in front of people, and if you don't have a good reason to talk to me or be near me, don't engage at all."Â
He gives you a nod, his smile reappearing as he reaches to wipe your lip gloss from his lips. "That being said, I'm guessing you will not be attending office hours tonight?" Huffing, you look away. "No. I have to help Chan move into the frat house with you and your hooligan friends."
"So I'll see you tonight anyway." He speaks with a grin, and you tongue your cheek. "Leave me alone, Joshua."
You spin on your heel, but his arm is on your elbow before you can walk away. He pulls you back, pulling you into a hug, pressing his lips to your hairline as you hesitantly wrap your arms around him. He speaks against your hair, "One more. For the road."
"Joshua." You groan, trying to hide the giddy feeling spreading in your stomach. He smiles at you, planting a kiss to the tip of your nose. "Just one, and I'll let you slam out of here like we were arguing."
You roll your eyes, but let him slot his lips with yours, the minty taste of him still lingering from the previous kiss. This one is much gentler, the warmth of his body against yours comforting as he pulls away with a chaste kiss. And another. And another.
"You said one." You grumble, swatting at his side to make him let you go. He smiles, his thumb coming to wipe at your lips. Your lipgloss is gone entirely, just glitter remaining. "Mmh. I'll see you later." "Whatever." You pull away from him, and he watches as you slam your way out of the classroom, a few students from your class still lingering in the hallway catching his eye. They look questioning, but he just shrugs as the door closes. He sighs as he looks around the empty lecture hall, a glimmer on the third step up calling his eyes.Â
Making his way towards the steps, he sees the gold plating of a seven-pointed star, a message engraved in the back.Â
For my brightest star, Y/N.
Picking it up, the diamonds mock him.
He feels slightly stupid to think this is fate, while knowing that once you realize it's gone, you'll be panicking. It seems nothing is really going right for you these days â your car being hit, fighting with Saerom, not being able to stand your ground against himâŠand now your necklace is 'gone'. He wants to be selfish and say it's because you're being a bit of a jerk to him.
So he'll believe that.
â â â
"Chan! It's not here!"
Your hands feel disgustingly dry, having practically ripped apart every cardboard box you helped him pack. You'd managed to haul everything from his dorm to the fraternity house a few blocks down, having begged Saerom and Soonyoung to help you steal a flatbed from the construction majors. The three of you were helping Chan unpack a box of his underwear when you swiped your hair back from your neck, not feeling the chain of your necklace on your skin.
The four of you had stopped unpacking the moment you started panickedly patting yourself all over, and even standing up to shake off your shirt and hair. Now surrounded by a few of Chan's blankets, you were doing all but ripping up the carpet in the bedroom to find your cherished gift.
"It's not in the hallway! Going downstairs!" You hear Saerom call, and Chan is emerging from the bathroom with his flashlight on. "I swear you had it on when we fought earlier."
"Fuck, what if it fell off there?" You squeeze your eyes shut, trying to remember if you felt anything off after leaving the room. People stared at you as you barreled out of the language hall, you kissed JoshuaâŠ
You kissed Joshua.
"I'm pretty sure I had it on when I left! Remember, I even changed clothes when I got home so I wouldn't dirty my dress helping you move. I swear I felt it!"
At this point, you're shaking your hair out once more and Chan is throwing ripped cardboard into the hallway, hitting a passing Joshua. "Ouch!"
"Shit, sorry!" Chan winces, and Joshua scours the room, before his eyes land on you. Your hand is gently patting at your chest, where your necklace would usually sit as you shake out your sweater. He gives Chan a look, making him look back at you. Joshua glances at the cardboard boxes on the floor, and Chan gets the hint.
He clears his throat, garnering your anxious attention, "I'm going to take these down to recycling, and I'll check outside, okay? Just keep looking in here, it's gotta be somewhere."
Your eyes are slightly wild, and you just nod as you begin to shake Chan's blankets. A pair of underwear falls out, making you huff as Chan exits his room. Joshua leans on the doorframe, watching as you move around calculatedly. "What's got you so frantic?" You look over your shoulder, now squatted over a pile of shirts. "Why is it any of your business?"
He sucks his teeth, hands resting in his hoodie pocket. "Maybe I can help you? Ever think that I'm not out to get you like some sort of Boogeyman?" Your shoulders sag in defeat, and you just beckon him into the room. "Shut the door." You mutter, and he does just that before squatting in front of you, his ringed fingers splayed across the shirts in your hands.Â
"Shake these off."Â
"For?" He asks, but takes the first one and does as you ask. You feel a tear threaten to escape, but blink rapidly as he takes the next shirt. "Just do it." He does, but by the fifth shirt, he looks up at you. "You knowâŠif you tell me what you're looking for, I may be able to help further." He says it like he knows something, and you just roll your eyes as you move onto the stack of Chan's sweatpants. "I lost my necklace, okay? I can't find it."
Stopping his movements, he smiles at you. "Hm, any idea where?" "No." You sigh, shaking off another pair of pants. A dollar bill floats out of the pocket, but neither of you bother to touch it as it floats down to the carpet. "I think you're wasting your time looking in here, actually." You look at Joshua, who is now moving to stand up. Scanning his face, your eyes narrow. "Where is it?" Stretching, he extends a hand to help you up. You scowl, getting up on your own as he shrugs. "Come on." He walks towards the door, flinging it open as two of the members run past with a basket full of eggs. "You better not be throwing those in here!" He barks, and their giggles only get louder as they barrel down the stairs.
He leads you to his bedroom, leaving the door ajar for you to close as you enter.Â
Your eyes scan the bedroom â it's veryâŠserene. It's bigger than Chan's, and the bed is right under the window. There is sheet music pinned up to a corkboard above his desk, a few guitars propped up against the wall. His walls are covered in photos of him and his friends, and you spot one of him and Saerom as kids pinned higher on the wall than the rest. There is a small bookshelf, with a Bible and a few candles on top of it.
You're standing at the foot of this bed when you feel his hands on your neck, making you jump slightly. "Relax." He murmurs, the cool metal of your necklace making you shiver slightly.
"I found it on the steps in the classroom. Your clasp broke, so I took it to my friend in town. She's a jeweler, and she fixed it. I have the original clasp, in case you wanted to keep it." He holds up a plastic baggie, no bigger than the palm of his hand. You turn to look at him, your hand ghosting around for the star that hands in the middle of your chest.
"I should have texted, or emailed, at the very least. I just figured, I'd see you anywayâ" "Thank you." You interrupt, your arms instinctively enveloping him into an embrace. You squeeze slightly, his own hands hovering over your back before touching you gently. "You're welcome." Without moving away, you speak into his sweater. "I'm sorry I've been such a douche to you lately."
He laughs a bit, his chest moving against your cheek. "YeahâŠyou have been. I'll send your parents an invoice for emotional damage." His fingers are rubbing circles in your back, and you hate that he knows you joke about your parents' emotional unavailability. Biting back a laugh, you push off him. Your hands linger at his sides, and he tilts his head.
"I meant what I said, you know." He states, and you glance up at him with a quizzical look on your face. "What?"
"That if you don't want to doâŠwhatever this is, I'll leave you alone. I'll be professional for the rest of the semester." He gestures between the two of you. You don't look as taken aback as you did in the classroom, but a scoff does escape your lips as your arms fold across your chest.Â
"Okay? What does that have to do with now?" He steps a bit closer, making the back of your knees hit his bed. You sit out of instinct, watching as he runs his hand through his hair. He's so handsome.
"It has everything to do with you, and your general existence. Your best friend is my cousin. You're friends with Soonyoung, Jun and Chan, and they're all members of my fraternity. You're a student in a class I assist, we're going to be around each other no matter our feelings about each other." He's not really giving you an out of this conversation.
"I know you don't like that I told Saerom about what happened between us during the summer, and I want to apologize for telling her in the first place. It just slipped out, and I am sorry." He speaks sincerely, and you blink up at him before scooting slightly back on his bed, crossing your legs. He takes this as a sign to continue.
"I also want to say that what happened between us doesn't have to mean anything to you, at all." He shifts uncomfortably, making your eyes narrow. "I know it was just a fling, and I'm probably just confused about my feelings."Â
You hate the way tears prick at your eyes, before he spins his desk chair out, sitting down and leaning forward.
"I wanted to ask if you want to be transferred out. I have the transfer form ready, there is a spot in Professor Yoon Mirae's class. She said she'd gladly take you if that was the case." Your head snaps up at this, his eyes boring a hole into the pictures on the wall. "YouâŠwant to transfer me out?"
He stares at his fingers, toying with one of his rings as he replies. "I think it would be best for you. It only meets twice a week, and you'd probably get along better with Somin." He looks up at you, and you don't know what expression is on your face for him to immediately soften. "You don't want to?" "I think youâŠ" You swallow thickly, scooting towards the edge of his bed, moving to stand up. "I think we need to forget that anything even happened between us." You whisper, and you can see hurt lace his eyes before he clears his throat, looking away from you as he nods. "Right." "I don't want to hurt you, Joshua." You fake confidence, noting the way he blinks rapidly, before standing up. "You're not hurting me, Y/N. We fucked over the summer. It's not like we dated."
You wince at his use of words. "Yeah, butâ" HIs hand pushes the baggie with your clasp in it into your hand, "Don't worry about it, Y/N. I'll see you in class on Monday." Your fingers instinctively close around his, moving to squeeze his hand before he pulls it away. You stare up at him, feeling your face slightly burn in humiliation. You know that he's sensitive, and that the kiss earlier today probably meant a lot to him. Why is he acting like this? Like you didn't open up to him and tell him everything you couldn't even tell your best friend, like you didn't sleep with him for three weeks straight before leaving Puerto Vallarta.
You remember Chan's wordsâŠsomething something forming a crush in two minutes.Â
What can happen in three weeks?
"Was that all it was for you?" You ask gently, watching as he turns away from you. "I really don't want to have this conversation right now." He mumbles, pinching the bridge of his nose and walking towards the door. He tugs his hoodie off, the white muscle tank showing off his broad shoulders. Shoulders you dug your nails into that summer, and you can see the remaining faint lines from you trailing down his back.Â
"Was it just sex?" You ask again, and he sighs. "No. It wasn't."
He hangs the hoodie up on the hook behind the door, and you take a step to him. "Then why are you acting like this?" He turns to look at you, eyes wide with incredulity. "Me?! Why are you acting like this? For almost a month you couldn't keep your hands off me, you couldn't stop talking about hating your life here, and suddenly, through whatever force of the universe, we're both stuck in this life that you dread. Excuse me if my best effort isn't enough for you." Eyes narrowed, you can feel your stomach bubble with a bit of anger. "There's no way you're the same guy I fucked for three weeks, Joshua. We were on vacation in a foreign country. I was telling you everything about me because I wasn't worried about ever seeing you again." "No, you did that because you're a liar." He mutters, making you suddenly feel a lot smaller than usual. "I am the exact same person I was then, Y/N! I'm not like you, I can't just flip-flop between two personalities. I can't lie to everyone that I care about just because I'm too afraid to stand up to my parents. You're doing yourself a disservice."Â
He's breathing heavily, and you can feel the tears threatening to spill from your eyes. Your pride is stronger, though, and you let out a humorless laugh. "I'll see you on Monday."
You shove past him, throwing his door open and slipping out before you slam it with all your might. You see Jeonghan carrying a basket with Chan's name on it down the hall, his eyes wide as you storm past him.
"Are you o-" "Fuck off." You spit, not bothering to swing back into Chan's room for your stuff. Saerom could bring it home, or leave it there, you don't really care. All you really know is that this place has got to be the most suffocating you've ever felt.
Wednesday, October 12th.
It'd been almost a month since you'd last spoken to Joshua.
You weren't in class the following Monday, having instead driven out to one of your mother's properties. You stayed the weekend there, and only drove back in the middle of the night on Tuesday. Professor Lee emailed you, and so did Joshua â though his was very much a copy-paste email. You didn't seek him out, you didn't speak to him. He didn't even attempt to make eye contact, almost always being the first to exit the classroom. You didn't even really talk to Chan or Saerom since you'd helped him move into the frat house, and you could tell they were growing worried about you.
Especially Saerom, as she heard Wherever You Will Go by The Calling play through your speakers almost everyday since. You played this song the first time the two of you went on vacation together, you were nineteen and your grandmother had just passed away that past November.
You didn't have time to worry about their feelings, though, as you parked your car in the lot, Chan silently unbuckled his seatbelt. It was nine-forty-six in the morning, and the two of you sighed simultaneously. "Want to take the long way? We've got fifteen minutes." You check your watch, and Chan gives you a slight nod. "Sure." The long way was walking around the language building into the technology hall â and Chan decided now would be a good time to update you on how Jeonghan and Seungcheol had an ongoing prank war with Mingyu and Wonwoo. It apparently wasn't going to end this weekend, and the reason? Beta Tau Omega was notorious for holding the best Halloween ragers. They held the largest one every year, with the other frats on campus stumbling to be pre-game parties and sororities simply giving up and going to the parties instead of hosting. The problem here was sourcing â Seungcheol, Jeonghan and Joshua planned the party every year, including the random Jell-O wrestling and drinking contests. The liquor was never-ending, and the clean-up after was a mess (and at the hands of the newest members.)
This year, Mingyu insisted that he and Wonwoo could plan an even better party than the trio â hence, facing the wrath of practical jokesters Seungcheol and Jeonghan. Joshua insisted he wasn't involved in this, and would help either duo with the planning if necessary. Â
"Are you even listening?" You hear Chan snap his fingers in your face, and you blink at him. "Yeah, sorry. Planning?" He begins to speak again, allowing you to loop your arm with his and rest your head on his shoulder when you look up â and see Joshua leaning against the wall, twirling a strand of Baek Hyejin's hair. She was the Organic Chemistry TA, you got your labs graded by her. She was always very sweet.
You can feel eyes on you as you and Chan walk in lockstep down the stairs, and you see Joshua staring at you as Hyejin speaks to him. Nodding along as if he's listening, as if he cares. You scoff inwardly, shaking your head as you force your eyes forward, ignoring the sinking feeling in your stomach.
It doesn't even matter. You don't like Joshua, and you wouldn't date him, either. You had too much to lose.
Seeing as you drove down to one of the properties, you met with your mother, as well. Your Saturday was spent in your mother's office, designing a new building with her to place on one of her newest properties down south. "You're going to manage this one first. The other tenants don't know you yet, and you'll have to ease into getting them to like you."Your father wasn't around the entire weekend. Your mother sighed repeatedly over dinner, before ultimately abandoning her plate at the table and whisking herself away with a bottle of Merlot. You didn't ask many questions, but you do remember walking by her study before going to the guest bedroom and hearing her on the phone, presumably with her sister.
"I wonder when she's going to get married. He can't be some random guyâŠdo you still keep in touch with the Mins? Maybe Yoongi is willing this time." You hadn't even graduated yet, and she was already trying to pawn you off. Your father had stated strictly that he didn't want you to marry until you were firmly situated within the companies he owned, and your mother constantly bickered against it. No one ever asked you what you wanted.
Not that it mattered, anyway.
"...And so, Mingyu had to wash flour out of all his bedsheets. I think we'll have to get a new washing machine." Chan sighs as the two of you turn into the language hall, and you grimace. "You probably will, that shit sticks like glue." "Yum, gluten patterns." Chan laughs as you shiver, walking into the classroom. Somehow, Joshua is already there, making your grip on Chan's arm tighten a bit. He gives you a concerned look, but allows you to pull him slightly closer to you as you climb the steps to your regular seats in the corner.
"Good morning, everyone!" Joshua calls with a smile, and you hear the majority return the greeting as you and Chan situate yourselves. Crossing your legs, you face forward to see Joshua holding up a three-page packet. "There is a quiz!" A collective groan echoes the room, and Joshua gives a sorry grin. "I know, I know. However, it is an open-note quiz! Feel free to use your notes, and there is no time limit, even if you go over the noon end of the class. Take your time, and you can leave right after you're done." The class just fills with murmurs as everyone begins fishing through their bags for their notebooks, but you made no effort to do so as Joshua began walking around to distribute the papers. He hands two to Chan, who passes you yours and you notice the way Joshua's eyes linger to Chan's jacket on your shoulders before going back down the steps.
"I'll be grading these tests over the next two days, and I'll submit your grades by Thursday night. That way, we can review on Friday and you can attend office hours later that day if you're not satisfied with your grade or just feel like you need a little more help. Sounds good?" He asks, and earns a resounding yes from the class.
Time seems to be dragging on as you carefully read and re-read every question, hoping that your lack of notes won't fuck you over. You remember Chan giving you shit last week for only taking notes on your laptop â and you probably should have listened to him when he told you. Why? Because now you're without notes and you're possibly a little more than screwed, you've only been studying for your other classes.
Your 'how hard can it be?' mindset was now biting you in the ass.
You glanced up to the clock, seeing that there was fifteen minutes to noon â and three students remained aside from you and Chan. Clearing his throat, Chan inched his notes closer to the edge of his desk, making you kick his foot to move them back. He huffed, closing the notebook and standing. He tucks it into his backpack before hiking it over his shoulder, whispering that he'd meet you at the cafe as you'd planned last night. You nod, blowing him a joking kiss before hearing Joshua clear his throat.
The two of you look up, seeing the assistant with a raised brow, beckoning Chan towards the front. Chan gives you a small smile, before making his way to the front. You can hear them whispering at each other, and another two students stand up. You can feel a bit of nervousness sinking into your stomach as the last student stands as well, her bag on her shoulder as she drops her test on Joshua's desk. They chat for a bit, and you hate how you can hear his smile.
"B plus, way to go, Jiwoo. Keep this up, you'll get an A on the final!" He cheers, and she gives him a thumbs up before prancing out of the room. You feel small in the giant room, and Joshua sighs as he leans back in his chair. His laptop is out, and you assume he's going to start inputting grades.
Instead, you hear soft music flowing from the laptop as he starts moving around, grabbing the broom from the corner of the room. "Let me know if it bothers you, I'll turn it down." He speaks, and you just wave him off without looking at him.
You're staring at the stupid question for five minutes before huffing, not knowing why the difference between the subjunctive and the indicative mood even matters for this class. (Yes, you do. You're just being stubborn because you don't know the answer and it bothers you.) "Having trouble?" Joshua calls from the front, a smile on his face as he texts someone back on this phone. Probably Hyejin.
Probably planning a stupid date at a stupid restaurant where they'll order stupid dishes. Probably staring at each other like idiots and liking each other so much that nothing seems to satisfy their carnal needsâ
You stop scribbling on your paper, blinking at your sudden train of thought. Why do you even care? Why does it even matter who he's texting, and what he's doing after this? Why? "Y/N?" He calls gently, and you look up to see a worried look on his face. "You okay? Thinking kind of hard, aren't you?" You huff, grabbing your bag by the strap and slightly crumpling your paper as you grab it. Your anger seems to radiate off you as you rush down the steps, nearing the desk with a sour look on your face. "So much for taking my time, huh?" He gives you a small frown, holding his hand out for your quiz. "I wasn't rushing you, just asking if you're alright. Your face was scrunched for twenty minutes." You know it was. You can still feel the tension between your brows as you rub it gently, a pout on your lips as you hand him the paper. "Yeah, wellâŠyour job isn't to stare at me. See ya."
"Hmm, but I like staring at you." He hums, uncapping his pen with his teeth as you make your way to the door. "Have a good day, Y/N." You hate the sing-song of his voice.
â â â
The cafe had been super packed, so you and Chan decided to take your drinks to go. Unfortunately, Saerom was holding a study group at the apartment, so your only option was Chan's room at the frat house. You begrudgingly let him try to cheer you up as you sulked up the stairs to his room, holding your drink as Chan carries your bag for you.
"You know, one of the brothers thought we were dating? They asked me after I left Spanish earlier." He ponders aloud, and you snort. "Yeah, I can see why. I do getâŠpretty affectionate." You reply sarcastically, taking his hand in yours for extra emphasis.
He rolls his eyes as the two of you reach the top floor, and he fishes his keys out as you continue to tease him. "I'd never date you, you're a snotty-nosed brat. I bet you don't even know how to kiss." He sticks his tongue out at you, making you gape.
"I may be a snotty-nosed brat, but I'm a great kisser. Not that you would know, you've never felt the touch of a woman." You bite back, making him gasp. "I have too felt the touch of a woman! You literally took my-" He cuts himself off, looking over your shoulder down the hallway. You furrow your brows, looking over to see Joshua whispering sweet nothings in Hyejin's ear as he hugs her, and her giggles as she brushes her nose against his.
"I'll see you later?" He mumbles, eyes low as he nearly kisses her. She giggles again, before placing her manicured nail on his chest. "Bye, Joshie." "Bye." He smiles, letting her spin out of his arms, watching as she walks down the hall to the stairs. Only then does he notice that you and Chan are standing there, and his face flushes lightly. "Hey, guys. Sorry you had to see that." "Don't be." Chan nods awkwardly, his hand finding your hip to pull you into his bedroom. You grimace in Joshua's direction, before skirting into Chan's room. Chan lingers at the door, before sighing, and entering his room.
"Don't be upset, Y/N." He murmurs as you kick your shoes off, setting your drink down on his desk and shrugging off his jacket. "I'm not upset." You mutter, grabbing your bookbag and pulling out your laptop.
"I can tell you are." He sighs, slipping his shirt over his head, and opening his drawer to reach for a new one. "He's just our TA for a little longer, then we'll both pass the class and get the hell out of there." You look over your shoulder as he pulls a new shirt over his head, rolling your eyes. "It doesn't matter. He's gonna fuck who he wants to, so all I can do is the same." "Y/N, I am only a man." He gives you a warning look, and you snort. "Not you, you rabid dog." "Hey! I've gotten better! I even invented a stroke, I call it the helicopter." He moves his hips in a circular motion, making you shriek out a laugh. "You're a fucking freak."
"I'm just saying, I'm available. If not, I heard that Myungjun is still into you." He shrugs, taking a sip of his drink. You wrinkle your nose, taking a seat on his bed. "Hell no. He likes to talk about his hookups, I don't like blabbermouths." "Then you're fucked, Y/N." He smiles, taking a seat at his desk. "But, I have a proposition." "Chan, if it involves your dick anywhere near me, I'm going to kill you." "You liked it the first time!" He throws an eraser at you, and you snicker. "I didn't know any better then. Anyway, I see the way you look at Haerim. You're not slick." You wag your finger at him, and he flushes lightly.
"So my plan is, I let you act a fool in here and make it seem like we're fucking, and you have to help me get Haerim. Tit for tat." He points his pen at you, and you scoff. "That is so not tit for tat! Haerim is a distinguished young woman, she'd never go for a gremlin like you." "Hurtful!?" He slumps in his chair, making you snicker. "I appreciate your help, Channie. But really, I don't care. It's his life." You shrug, and Chan knows you're lying. "I'm gonna get some water, I'll be back."
You hop off the bed, smoothing your skirt as you open the door. "Can I also steal snacks?" You ask, and Chan nods. "Go for it, Seungcheol buys them." He snorts, and you give him a grin as you close the door behind you.Â
You take a deep breath as you brace the stairs, hearing a few of the frat brothers speaking quietly in the den. Peering over the banister, you see a card game strewn on the coffee table, with Jeonghan, Seungcheol and Joshua holding cards. They're all dressed comfortably, and Seungcheol has an ice pack on his knee. He looks up, seeing you peering over the banister. He doesn't speak as you smile at him, only returning it as you continue down the steps. You make it back down to the first floor, giving them a curt nod as you walk past them into the kitchen. "Gentlemen." "M'Lady." Jeonghan replies without looking up, and you look over his shoulder to see that he's got a dirty deck of cards, and he's about to win. "Don't mind me." You skirt into the kitchen, grabbing two cups out of the cupboard and helping yourself to the ice machine. You mind your business as you move around, grabbing a bag of chips and a packet of Gushers, before you see a woven basket on the counter with an assorted amount of condoms. You grab a rope of them, holding it between your teeth as you tuck the chips under your arm and the glasses in your hands. You move back across the den, once more greeting the men. "Gentlemen."Â
Joshua looks up to see why your voice is different, seeing the blue foil packet reflecting the light. Seungcheol snorts, "Have fun, don't be too loud. Minghao is sleeping across the hall from you." "Will do, Cheol." You reply, carefully trekking the stairs. You can hear a soft Ow! What'd you do that for!? as you reach the top floor, hearing the front door slam. You put the cups down on the windowsill next to the stairs, and look over the banister to see Seungcheol and Jeonghan snickering. "Did he leave?" You call, and Jeonghan gives you a thumbs up. You rip the top condom off the thread before tossing down the rest. "Thank you, Beta Tau Sluts!"Â
"You're welcome!" Seungcheol calls back, catching the condoms before they land in his drink. You grab your drinks again, carefully opening the door with your elbow and Chan looks up to see you. You set the glasses down on his desk, holding up the condom between your fingers.
"Use this with a really special girl, I just pissed off the Vice President of your frat with it." You snicker, and Chan just shakes his head. "Get in here, idiot. We need to study, or OChem is going to eat us for breakfast." "Oh, me first!"
Friday, October 14th.
Joshua put in grades the night before, and you were one point shy of a B minus.
You pretend it doesn't bother you.
Chan was sick, so he'd texted you that morning asking to take notes for him. You took the opportunity to invite Haerim to sit with you â and talk him up. Luckily, there wasn't much talking to do â she already thought he was very cute, but didn't make a move because she thought the two of you were together. You were honest about the past between you, and she just snorted, admitting she'd done the same with a friend of hers.
Msg To: Channie âĄ
[10:33AM] mission haerim x chan is a go! [10:33AM] i gave her ur number soâŠdon't fumble.
"Hello, everybody." Joshua calls from the front, and you and Haerim snap your heads up. He starts setting up the projector after everyone replies to his greeting, and she glances at you. "I wonder who broke his heart over the summer." She sighs, and you nod.
"I don't think she meant to." You shrug, your heart warming a bit at the memories. You really regretted it, of course â and it bothered you that it didn't bother him more. You'd been spending a lot of your nights just thinking about it, about him, about opening up to him.
"Well, I hope he heals. She definitely messed up, I've heard he's an absolute sweetheart." She nods, and you smile tightly. "Yeah, he is. His cousin is my best friend. Saerom?" She nods again, "I have Psych with her." "Alright, we're reviewing today." He sighs, and you notice how tired he looks. Eyes are a little swollen. Maybe Hyejin dumped him.
You don't like the giddy feeling you get at that thought.
The review goes by quietly, with Joshua's voice growing more and more tired as he speaks, and he wraps the class up with almost thirty minutes to go. Students walk by and say they hope he feels better, and he just nods at them. You linger, telling Haerim you need to talk to Joshua about office hours, and she leaves without a second thought.
The door closes behind her, and you clear your throat.
"Sick?" You ask, holding out a bag of cough drops. You'd bought them that morning, after Saerom complained of sore throat. He glances at you, and the bag, before shaking his head. "I'm good." Frowning, you step closer to him as he puts his laptop in his bag. "Then what's wrong?" Your voice is gentle, and he stiffens at the sound of it. "Nothing is wrong, Y/N. Thank you for worrying, but I'm fine."
He looks up at you, his eyes lightly rimmed red. You go to speak, but he pulls his bag over his shoulder, moving away from you. "I'll be at the house today, Chan is sick. If you need to talk." You say, before spinning on your heel to leave.
He doesn't respond, only turning away with a frown. "Have a good day, Joshua." "You too, Y/N."
â â â
You were standing in front of the Beta Tau house, waiting for someone to come open the door. Jun was at a study session with Saerom and Soonyoung was out teaching a class, so you were at the house alone. Hearing the doorknob jingle, you look up to see a sleepy Seungcheol opening the door.
"Hey, Y/N. Come in, Chan is in his room." He yawns as he opens the door wider, and you just shake your head in amusement. He and Jeonghan had stopped being a problem after Joshua called them out, and it wasn't long for you to figure out they were friendly based on their treatment of Chan. Very brotherlyâŠveryâŠteasing.
"Hey, Y/N." Jeonghan gives you a curt nod as he stands in front of the mirror by the stairs, giving himself a once over before turning to Seungcheol. "I look okay?" "Yeah." He nods, and you look at Jeonghan over your shoulder. There is a silver packet sticking out of his pocket, "Might wanna tuck that in a little further." You call, before turning back around and trekking the stairs.
"Thanks!" He calls, shoving his hand in his pocket with wide eyes. Seungcheol laughs as you reach the top, before you hear the door open and close with Jeonghan's departure. "Boys." You roll your eyes, before reaching Chan's door. You carefully open the door, trying not to let too much light in.
Chan is draped across his mattress, a fever patch plastered on his forehead. There are half empty bottles of electrolyte drinks all over the floor, and a bowl with Jeonghan's name printed across it. You look inside, seeing broth lingering.Â
They're taking care of him.
"Y/N?" You hear him croak, and you almost coo. "Oh, Chan. You're a mess." You set the bag of goodies down on his desk, fishing the thermometer out. "Open." You command, peeling the patch off his forehead and sticking the thermometer in his mouth.
You pick up a bit before the thermometer beeps, and you stare at the numbers. "Pretty mild, you've got a 101° fever." You grimace, shaking the thermometer off before skirting around to unpack the bag.
"I'm going downstairs to make you some tea, okay? I'll be right back." You mumble, before peeling the plastic off another fever patch and sticking it to the back of his neck. He shivers a bit, but nods as he closes his eyes.
Exiting the room just as carefully, you sigh. Taking the stairs quickly, you spot Seungcheol on the couch, "Hey." "Hey. He took some Advil a bit ago, and we've been alternating." He informs, and you can feel warmth spread across your chest. "Aw, you guys really care about the pipsqueak." "He's a good kid." Seungcheol nods, taking a sip of his water before eyeing the ginger root in your hand. "Cutting board is in the bottom cabinet, to the left." "Thanks." You smile, making your way to the kitchen. You see Joshua standing against the dishwasher, arms crossed and eyes closed. There is a popcorn bag in the microwave, likely his. You don't bother to say anything, just quietly opening the cabinet and retrieving the stone cutting board, rinsing it with water.
"He's also thrown up everything we've given him the past twelve hours." Joshua murmurs, his eyes still shut as he nods. "Oh. Sounds like viral gastroenteritis." You sigh, opening the drawer for a knife as the microwave beeps. He doesn't move towards it, but fills a pot with water for you and puts it on the stove. He watches silently as you slice up the ginger root, your shoulders tense.
The water starts to heat up, and you move to find a mug and honey. "Here." Joshua pulls one out from behind him, water droplets still on it from being freshly washed. You take it, "Thank you." "Can we talk when you're done? I'll be in my room." He murmurs, and you nod slowly. "Yeah, sure. I just need to feed him, something is something." He nods, opening the microwave to pull out the bag. He turns, opening a cabinet to retrieve a bowl and pour the popcorn in. He gives you a tired nod before exiting, and you peek around the corner to see him hand the bowl to Seungcheol, who thanks him quietly.
You sigh, forcing yourself to focus on the task at hand. You strain the boiled ginger tea, pouring it over three cubes of ice and a hefty amount of honey. You clean up quickly, and organize things in the kitchen before exiting again, a spoon in your hand in case they didn't give you one for the porridge you bought.
"Good luck." Seungcheol smiles at you, and you give him a soft laugh. "Thanks, I'll need it."Â
Trying to get Chan awake proves to be most difficult once you get back to his room. He rolls over lazily, and you have to prop him up so he can drink the tea. You also carefully prepare his porridge, even going as far as spoon feeding him.
"It's so bland." He whines, and you just shake your head at him. "It's supposed to help your stomach, Channie. Just eat." He gets halfway through the bowl before he decides he doesn't want anymore, asking you to just leave it. You nod, putting the lid back over the top and choosing to clean up the mess in his room. Bottles, plates, cups, all in your arms as you exit the room once more, carefully walking down the stairs.
Seungcheol sees you, and quickly gets up to take them from you. "Woah, I didn't realize it accumulated so fast. Here, I got it, pretty." He grabs everything in one hand, before taking it to the kitchen. You follow, rolling up your sweater sleeves when he waves you off. "You're a guest. I got it, go." You find yourself floating back into Chan's room one last time, just peeking in to make sure he's sleeping. You call out, telling him to call you if he needs anything, that you'll be here for a bit. He just gives you a thumbs up. You take a deep breath, seeing Joshua's door slightly ajar. You walk over slowly, knocking on the door gently and poking your head in. He looks up from his desk, his laptop open to six different tabs and a drafted email. "Come in."
"Hi." You greet, closing the door behind you. He sighs, rubbing his palms on the fabric of his sweatpants. You inch toward him, looking at his screen. It's full of drafted projects, and the email is addressed to a certain Kwon Jiyong, DMA. You reach over and gently close the laptop, his tired eyes watching you do so.
"What's wrong?" "I'm sorry." He confessed, and you tilt your head. "Hm?"
"I was a jerk to you, the other day." He blinks up at you, and you stand for a moment, thinking back. "You mean when you called me a liar?" You smile, a soft laugh escaping. "I'm not mad anymore, you're weren't wrong. I am a liar." Shrugging, you point to the bed. He nods, and you take a seat. "Whether or not you are oneâŠdoesn't give me the right to treat you the way I did. I blew up on you, and I never do that, and it's frankly been eating away at me." He admits, and you nod, trying not to let your eyes go too wide. "Losing sleep?" "Unfortunately." Muttering, he opens the laptop again, typing in his password for the tabs to pop up again. "This isn't helping, either." he spins the mouse all over the screen, and you nod.
"Maybe you should take a breather. Go for a walk, find a muse." You offer, and he looks at you with a pained expression. You think this is the smoothest conversation you've had since your reunion. "Come on, let's go on a walk." You stand, offering your hand. He looks at it, and you wiggle your fingers.
He stands, taking it cautiously as you walk forward, grabbing his sweater off the hook and handing it to him. You open the door, seeing Haerim in the hallway with a bag in her hand.
"Haerim?" You call, your hand tightening around Joshua's, and she jumps. "Shit, Y/N. You scared me." She holds her hand to her chest, before holding up the bag. "I bought him some stew, Mingyu told me he's been really sick." Joshua peers over your head, making Haerim's eyes widen like saucers. "Shua?" "Hey, Haerim." He nods, and only then does she see the tight hold you have on Joshua's fingers. "I can explainâ" You start, and she just smiles widely. "Damn, I didn't recognize your game. Respect." She nods, holding her hand over her mouth. You wince as he shrugs, tugging you slightly forward.Â
"Text me." She whispers as he walks past you, and you nod quickly. The two of you walk down the stairs, and Seungcheol is now sitting on the couch again â and he gives you a lazy smile. "Damn, Y/N. You've got hella game." You laugh embarrassedly, as Joshua fixes the way your hands are intertwined. He slots his fingers between yours, grabbing his keys off the hook by the door and opening it. "Ladies first." He murmurs, and you wave goodbye to Seungcheol before stepping out into the cool October air.
"Where to?" He asks, closing the door behind himself. You shrug, shivering slightly as you start down the path. "Wherever you need to."Â
The two of you walk aimlessly, before you spot the hill you used to visit during your sophomore year, before you finally convinced Saerom to transfer to your university. You'd lay on this hill with Jun, staring at the sky and talking to him about the stars. He was always surprised about how much you knew, but was kept in the dark like everyone else.
Everyone but Joshua.
"Here. I used to come here all the time." You point at the lavender-covered hill, and he lets you lead him up, before standing amongst all the flowers. "Look at the sky."Â
You tilt your head up, watching as the evening sunset looms overhead. He does the same, before speaking quietly. "I'm not dating Hyejin." Your head lolls to the side, a knowing look on your face. "I know." You lie, shrugging nonchalantly as you turn back to the sky. "How?" "You like me. Hard to move on so fast." You hesitate, and he inches closer. "Yeah?" "Yeah." You breathe, feeling the warmth of his body radiating onto you. You shiver a bit, and he sighs, tucking you into him. His sweater is open, and he lets go of your hand to wrap your arms around him. He does the same, wincing lightly at the cold feeling of your hands on his back.
"I'm still very sorry, you know." He laments, and you give him a tight smile. "I shouldn't have said any of it, especially not about your parents." He looks down at you, your eyes peering up at him already.
"My parents suck, don't take back what you say about them." You shrug, scanning his face. "I am confused about the Hyejin thing." "Right, that." He sucks his teeth lightly, a slight blush coating his cheeks. "SheâŠasked for my help, and I have a really hard time saying no." "Of what nature was this 'help?'" You make air quotes, and Joshua can see a glint of the green-eyed monster in your demeanor. He smiles, moving to card his fingers through your hair gently. "Making an ex-boyfriend jealous kind of help." "Doesn't explain why you two were about to kiss when Chan and I got up the stairs." You say pointedly, his fingers toying gently with your earring. Another gift from your grandmother, he remembers these, too. A sun and a moon. "Let's just say I could recognize your voice from a mile away." You quirk a brow at him, before scoffing. "You're obsessed with me." "Since I saw you in that white dress." He nods, making you roll your eyes. You bite back your smile, "Can I kiss you?" "You're asking?" He tilts his head, and you snort. "Some of us don't like to assume things." You say with a tinge, and he shrugs. "I know when someone wants me." "I don't want you." You shake your head, a frown on your lips as you run your own hands through his mussed hair, peering over his shoulder to see an empty campus. Odd, for this hour. "Oh, you don't?" He entertains your shenanigans, before tilting your chin up to look in your eyes. "Nope." You pop the 'p', nuzzling your nose with his. His fingers are gently tracing your jaw before he presses his lips to yours. You melt into his touch carefully, his other hand softly holding your hip, squeezing before he pulls away, touching his forehead to yours. You blink up at him, "I don't want you. I need you."
"Did you sleep with Chan?" He asks, a bit roughly as he adjusts his hold on you. His hands move to rest on your back, and you shake your head. "Not recently, no." "Recently?" His eyes widen, and you snort. "Once, three years ago." You roll your eyes, and he nods. "No plans of sleeping with him soon?" "None." You murmur, and he bites his lip, a smile threatening to take over. "Plans of sleeping with anyone else?" "Don't know, there is this one guy." You pretend to think, pulling his hands to the front and lacing your fingers with one, taking him further down the hill slowly. The flower field comes into view, and you look up at the sky to see it's darkened remarkably. "Do you know the story of Altair and Vega?" "The story of Altair and Vega?" He echoes, allowing you to sit him down, plopping down next to him before clearing your throat. You nod, placing his hand on your inner thigh. "For warmth." You roll your eyes, before leaning back on your hands. "It's an old Chinese legend. Altair is the brightest star in the Aquila constellation." You search the sky for it, before spotting it overhead. "There." You point, and he nods.Â
"You told me about those three stars over the summer. Vega, Altair and Deneb." He recalls, and you feel your smile take over your face. "You remember that?"
"We can talk about that later." He shrugs, pressing a kiss to your cheek as you nod carefully. "RightâŠso, out of the three, Vega is the brightest. In their story, Altair is nothing but a shepherd. He herds cows after being abandoned by his family, and he yearns for love. His only love is music, and he plays lovely melodies on the flute."
Turning slightly to face him, you shrug. "Vega was said to be a goddess, from the Heavens that was forbidden from interacting with mortals, but she heard his song and it was love at first sight. She would leave the Heavens at sunrise and sunset to be with him. They even had children together. Her mother grew suspicious, and demanded she return to the Heavens. She did so."
"The shepherd had a beautiful ox with thick skin. Seeing the way his owner yearned for the love of the goddess, he offered his skin as a sacrifice to reunite them. It didn't work."Â
"Why?" Joshua asks gently, his eyes still staring up at the stars overhead. "Her mother was enraged. She created a band of stars to separate them. Their love can't be, not the way they want it." You sigh, and he glances at you.
"So what are you saying?" His voice holds no malice, only curiosity. You feel his hand tighten around your thigh slightly, prompting you to remove it and swing your leg over his lap, adjusting yourself to sit on his thighs. He gives you a look of confusion, but you just lace your fingers with his before taking a deep breath. "I'm saying that I'm a coward." You admit with a mutter, not able to look him in the eyes as you blink back the sting of tears. "I'm saying thatâŠI want to, you know. I want to be brave, I want to tell my parents that I'm not their puppet, I want to pursue my own dreams." "What's stopping you?" He murmurs, his thumb rubbing small circles into your skin. "Fear." You sigh. "Fear of failing. Fear ofâŠnot being good enough." "Good enough for what? You're smart, you're passionate. You love this." He gestures at the sky, and you look into his eyes, his face blurry behind tears as you whisper just loud enough for him to hear you. "Good enough for you."
He sighs at this, reaching his fingers up to wipe at a few fallen tears. "There is another story in your legend, but in Greek mythology." Your head tilts to the side, and he smiles. "Lyra, means lyre. Orpheus was a musician in mythology, and a renowned poet. He even went down to Hades' hell to try and save his wife." "Eurydice." You murmur, and he nods. "He loved her more than anything, alongside his music. The story of how Lyra came to be, is that Eurydice died. She was bitten by a venomous snake and had long died by the time Orpheus found her. He was so heartbroken, he played the saddest melodies known to man and it affected everyone else just as much as it did him. He loved her so much, he went to the depths of Hades' hell to beg for her back, to live her full life, to enjoy her time."
He scans your face, feeling your fingers trace shapes into his abdomen. "Hades broke the rule, one time. He sympathized with Orpheus, and since they were both mortals, he knew they'd eventually return to him once their lives were over. The catch?" He took a piece of your hair between his fingers, twirling it through nimble fingers.
"Eurydice had to follow him out, and he wasn't allowed to look back at her until they got back to Earth, lest he'd send her right back." He said with a hum, watching as your lips pursed in discontent. "He turned back, didn't he?" "He feared she'd get lost in the dark. Just before they got back, just before they made it, he looked back and the gates to Hades' darkness were shut. He wept for her, for seven days and seven nights outside of those gates, but he never saw her again." He sighed, tucking the strand of hair behind your ear. "He was beaten to death by drunk women four years later, during a celebration for Dionysus. He never moved on, and was deemed a woman hater because he consistently rejected any and every woman for his Eurydice. His lyre was thrown in the river, and Zeus sent an eagle for it. That's how you got Lyra."Â
Pointing at the sky, the two of you watch how the sky slowly turns.Â
Without looking back at him, you whisper, "What are you saying?" "I'm sayingâŠI don't want you to be Eurydice. Lost forever because I can't let you go." He splays his large hands across your thighs, the cold of his fingertips making you look back down at him. "But, I know that Orpheus and Eurydice deserved a happy ending. And I know that three weeks is a very short time to get to know someone, but I thinkâŠI know you better than almost anyone in your life." You stifle a laugh, nodding. "Nobody knows me like you, Joshua. Saerom doesn't even know I'm a double major." "Bad girl, very bad." He scolds you teasingly, before his thumbs press lightly into your thighs. "I want you to be happy. And if it means that thisâŠwhatever, we areâŠis a secret for a while, I'm okay with that." He shrugs, and you glance down at him.
"You know you deserve better, right?" You murmur, and he sighs. "It's either you or that lunch lady from my freshman year that's been after me for ages. Please, please save me." His tone is joking, but the look in his eyes is serious, solemn.
"Are you sure?" Your thumb pads his slight under eye bags, and he leans into it. "Yes, but don't give in to me so easily. I like the little mind games you play."
Snorting, you flick his nose gently. "What, so you want me to keep being defiant?"
"It's kind of hot." He crinkles his nose at the admission, and you let out a laugh. A genuine laugh, unlike your normal ones. "You're soâŠ" He trails off, tilting his head to the side before sighing.
"I'm so what? Annoying? Stubborn? A snotty-nosed brat?" You prod, and he just smiles. "Yes, all of that. ButâŠI don't know. You're soâŠeasy to love."
"YouâŠlove me?" The confusion in your voice makes his chest ache. "I can't, uhm, I can't say I'm super well versed in the topic." He clears his throat, seeing your eyes become slightly glossy. "I justâŠI know that you feel right. I know that seeing you makes me less stressed. Nobody has been able to pull me away from my desk all week, Cheol had to physically drag me out earlier to eat something. I keep thinking back to our first night together, because the stress of some deadlines I have coming up is just driving me mad. But closing my eyes and just thinking about you, and knowing that you're not really this person you've painted for ages, I know. I think I feel closer to you, knowing that you've confided in me to keep this secret of yours, and I'm honored. I want to make you feelâŠwanted, needed. I want you to know that you are so much more than 'good enough.' If anything, I will never be enough for you, and I could spend the rest of my life working to earn you and your love." You're silent for a moment, taking in his words as your hands ghost over his. You give him a small smile, toying with the ring on his finger. "I should get you home." You murmur, and he smiles as he straightens, placing his hands on your back so you don't topple. "Anywhere you are is home, Y/N."
You don't respond, choosing to give him a chaste kiss. "We really need to get you home, I have to check on Chan." You speak against his lips, and he nods. "Fine, fine." The two of you get up, and Joshua files your lack of response into the back of his mind. Was it too much? Did he cross a line?Â
The walk is quiet, but you're holding his hand tighter than you had on the stroll earlier. You're holding him closer, even holding onto his arm with your opposite hand and resting your head slightly on his shoulder. When you reach the frat, he unlocks the door to see Seungcheol and Jeonghan debriefing about Jeonghan's date on the couch. Jeonghan almost calls him over when he sees you float in after him, a loud whoo! from his mouth.
"Shut up!" You groan, gesturing up the stairs. "Chan is sleeping!" "Woo!" Jeonghan cheers again, albeit quieter, and you roll your eyes. Joshua takes your sweater off your shoulders, and you allow him to do so as he hangs them on the rack by the door. "How was your date, Jeonghan?" "Good! She was very sweet, good taste in music." He smiles softly, before glancing between you and Joshua. "Did youâŠtalk?" He clears his throat, and you feel Joshua's hand on your back, his eyes looking up the stairs.
"We can debrief what happened between usâŠat a later date." You smile, and Jeonghan gives you a knowing look. Seungcheol sips his beer with a smirk, shaking his head as the two of you climb the stairs gingerly. "Check on Chan." Joshua whispers, kissing the back of your neck before turning to his room.
Knocking gently, you open the door to see Haerim watching him carefully. She's holding the thermometer in her hand, shaking it as she sighs. She doesn't startle when she sees you, a warm smile on her face as she holds it up. "Still mild fever." "No vomit, right?" You ask, closing the door behind you. She shakes her head, pointing at the empty stew bowl she brought. "He practically inhaled it." "Traitor, he didn't want to eat the porridge I brought him." You scoff, and she laughs. "How wasâŠyou know." She gestures in the direction of Joshua's room, and you feel yourself get a little giddy. She notices the wry smile on your lips, giving your arm a soft smack before nagging you. "What happened!" "He likes me." You shrug, biting back your squeal as she bounces on her toes with a toothy grin. "He likes you?!"
"Yes!" You giggle, bouncing with her, and Chan groans behind the two of you. You both clench your teeth shut, lowering your voices. "I'll update you some other time, okay? I'll be at his beck and call, so don't worry about Chan." Haerim nods, not bothering to probe before she hikes her knapsack over her shoulder. She leans, pressing a soft kiss to Chan's hairline, telling him she's leaving. He nods weakly, squeezing her hand before she pulls away. "Should I get one of the guys to walk you home?" You ask, and she shakes her head. "My roommate's been waiting for ages for me to call her. I'll see you on Monday?"
She walks towards the stairs, and you nod. "See you, Haerim."Â
"Chan, I'm going home. Call me, or have one of the guys call me if you need anything." You call into the room, and he groans in response. You snort, grabbing your purse off his desk and carefully shutting the door, sighing as you take a few steps down the hall to Joshua's room. You knock lightly, opening the door when you hear him hum.
He's sitting in front of his laptop again, a frustrated look on his face as he connects a soundboard to his laptop, before feeling your presence. You smile at him, arms crossed before you speak, perching on the edge of his desk. "I'm going home."
"I know, I asked Cheol to walk you because I really need to focus." He says, a bit of sadness peeking through. You nod, "Thank you." "Can you text me when you get home?" His question is more of a demand, but you can see he's not trying to push it. "Yes, sir." You push off the desk, reaching to wrap your arms around his neck as he leans into his computer.
"Don't work yourself too hard, lover." You whisper in his ear, pressing a kiss to his temple before feeling his hand on your wrist, twisting his head to look at you. There's a soft blush coating his cheeks. "What'd you say?" "I said I'm going home." You change your expression to a stoic one, and he almost chokes on his laugh. "I'll see you on Monday."Â
"Yeah, for sure." He gives your wrist a gentle squeeze, "Let me walk you out, at least." "Don't kiss me in front of your friends." You warn, and he snorts. Standing, he watches as your arms drape to your sides before you clasp your hands in front of you before walking out into the hallway. You both barrel down the stairs, and hear Jeonghan whining over a bottle of tequila about his date. "She's so hot, Cheol, you don't get it." "I get it, I get it." Seungcheol replies distractedly, his eyes flickering up to you and Joshua reaching the foyer. "Ready to go, Y/N?" He stands, going to the closet to rummage for a jacket. "Yeah, thanks for doing this." You smile sheepishly, and Jeonghan looks up. "Oh, you're going home?" "Yeah, Chan's sleeping andâŠ" You clear your throat, giving Joshua a quick glance. He catches on, "I'm busy. Doing shit. Important, you know."
"Tell us more about how you wouldn't be able to control yourselves, why don't you?" Jeonghan grimaces, and you snort. "This is why you're here, yearning for your date instead of being back at her apartment." "The hell is that supposed to mean!" He pouts, and Joshua snorts as he helps you pull your jacket on. "It means you're a bitch, Han."
"Don't make me tell Y/N all your dirty little secrets, Hong." Jeonghan tilts the shot glass in his direction, making you go wide eyed as Seungcheol returns, a blue and white varsity jacket draped over his shoulders. "Alright, let's scoot. The night is young." He stretches, and you smile at Jeonghan.
"Hope you get the girl, Hannie." You say softly, and his eyes soften. "Thanks, Y/N." "Bye, Joshua." You murmur as Seungcheol steps outside, muttering about the cold under his breath. Joshua looks to Jeonghan, who has his eyes closed, before pulling you into him. "One for the road?" You roll your eyes, "One for the road."
Thursday, December 29th.
The past two months had been a mess. Your parents had continuously dropped by randomly (and they dropped by the night of the Beta Tau Halloween rager), making both you and Saerom annoyed. She'd recently started seeing Jun (which kind of makes you grateful you're not in the apartment for their study sessions, who knows what freak shit they're on) and neither of you could study or rest in peace without feeling like they'd drop by.
Missing the party was the least of your worries, because you knew Joshua wasn't going to be involved in it anyway. He sent you a text from his desk, his guitar needing to be restrung because he couldn't pull himself away from his work. You'd told him to go for a walk.
Message From: Joshua Hong (TA) [11/03] What use is a walk if you're not there to kiss my worries away? You hadn't replied, opting to choose to scream into your pillow like a giddy teenaged girl.
In this time, you'd also managed to sit Saerom down and really speak to her about yourself. You told her that you didn't feel like yourself, and when she asked why, you broke out a bottle of wine and the two of you broke down the last few years of your lives. You admitted that you didn't want any part of your family's business, and Saerom had only given you a softened look.
"Don't pity me, Rom. You know I hate that shit.""I don't, my love. I don't pity you at all."
You'd cried quite a bit, and she'd just watched quietly and wiped your tears as they came. She understood, and she voiced that she thinks she would also do the same â the lying, the escapism, the misunderstandings. She apologized, saying she was sorry that she ever made you feel like you couldn't confide in her â smiling slightly when you said that she was never the problem, it was knowing that you'd be admitting to failure. She understood that, too.
The apartment felt more homey after that â Saerom took the time to go out and buy a few things she thought you'd like â a few constellation posters, a Lego set for you to build together of the Milky Way. She built the astronaut and NASA shuttle herself, placing those in your room when you texted her a few days after she bought them saying you'd had a rough day. She heard you crying in your room, only entering to comfort you when she heard you call her name.
These weeks were also particularly difficult because you'd seen less and less of Joshua. You never considered yourself the clingy type, and the Beta Tau brothers were definitely becoming more familiar with you as the days passed. You saw Joshua outside of class maybe twice, and it was once during office hours and once by going to the house to check on Chan right after Joshua admitted his feelings for you. He'd gotten a lot better, but you'd picked up his assignments from classes you didn't share so he wouldn't fall behind. He'd asked you what was going on between you and Joshua, and you just shrugged.
"We're taking it slow."
"Please don't fuck while I'm still sick, I don't want to hear it."
You and Joshua seemed to have no plans of doing so, it seems. Your schedules did not line up, and you could see him become slightly more stressed every time you saw him. Your classmates noticed something different about him, and you and Haerim just giggled in the back when he'd steal a glance at you. She never said anything to anyone, either.
Once school let out for the winter break (and you disappointedly passed Spanish with a B minus), you did everything in your power to avoid going home. You told your parents any lie you could grapple at â Saerom was sick, you were sick and didn't want to get them sick.
The truth? You just wanted to ring in the New Year with yourâŠboyfriend? You didn't know what the two of you were, and you weren't afraid to admit that to yourself. He was graduating soon, and possibly taking a gap year before continuing his studies. You knew this much through texts â the one thing the two of you did have time for. He sent you voice notes on his way to anywhere, he'd send you pictures of the night sky before going to bed â asking if you could point out any constellations for him.Â
Message From: Shua <3 [11:32pm] Are you home? [11:33pm] Before you answer this, is Saerom home? I don't feel like explaining myself, I just want to lay the fuck down.
You snort at his message, giggling to yourself at his new contact name. You don't know if you'll ever get used to it.
Message To: Shua <3 [11:33pm] Saerom went home for the break. Something about introducing Jun to her mom.
His reply is almost instant. Message From: Shua <3 [11:34pm] Open the door, I'm freezing.
From your seat on the couch, you hear Joshua groan behind the door and you laugh. Tossing your phone to the side, you quickly get up and unlock the door. You see a pouty Joshua holding a bag of takeout, eyelashes lightly coated in snow as he enters the apartment. "You hate me." He whines, and you snort.
"I can make you go back out in the cold, if you'd like." You shrug, making him scoff as you carefully unravel his scarf. He closes his eyes as you take his jacket, and yank his beanie off his head with no care. "When do I get my kiss? I haven't seen you since finals, I deserve a kiss."
"It's like, twenty minutes until your birthday. You can't wait?" You roll your eyes, feeling a ball of fabric hit your back. You look down to see his pink glove on the floor, making you scoff out a laugh. "Now you're definitely not getting a kiss." "Oh my Goooood, you hate me!" He pouts, grabbing your arm and pulling you close to him. You shake your head, gently nuzzling your nose to his cold one. "Not one bit." You still hadn't told Joshua you loved him. Granted, the two of you were not dating and hadn't properly seen each other in literal ages â as much as 'ages' can be for two idiots in love.Â
"Why are you dressed like this? And why have I never been here before? This place is cool." He looks around, spotting the astronomy figurines Saerom had started getting for you, the walls covered in photos of you together and he spots the photo of you and your parents gathering dust on one of the shelves. He doesn't mention it.
"Dressed like what? My pajamas?" You look down, and he tugs at the seam of your shorts. "RatherâŠprovocative." "Shut the fuck up, it's almost bed time." You roll your eyes, swatting his hand away from the bare skin of your thighs. He smiles amusedly, planting a soft kiss to the tip of your nose, before peppering them all over your face. His lips meet yours lightly, a chaste taste of his strawberry lip balm lingering on your plush lips as he pulls away.
"The bag is just mochi. I already had dinner." He says sheepishly, and you shrug. "I did, too. To be honest, I wasn't expecting company." "I didn't think you'd stayed on campus." He nods, and you sigh with a sad smile. "Don't wanna see my parents." "Right. How's that going?" He asks, pulling you to the couch with one hand. You let him lay down, pulling you on top of him. Your knees hug his hips as you straddle him, his hands resting high on your thighs. "It'sâŠgoing. I should call them, but I really don't want toâ" You hear the doorknob wiggle, tensing in Joshua's hold as you turn. The lock turns, and your muttered whisper of fuck makes all the alarms in Joshua's mind go off. You climb off of him as the door is pushed open, and you can feel your skin heat in embarrassment as your mother scoffs, stepping into the apartment. Joshua carefully slides off the couch, stepping next to you.
"Jesus, she keeps this place a mess." She groans, looking at the bag of takeout on your dinner table. She hasn't seen you yet, placing her giant designer bag on a chair as your father comes in behind her. "All you do is judge the girl, no wonder she doesn't want to come home." He rolls his eyes, but they land on you â standing with beet red cheeks and an equally embarrassed Joshua by your side. Your father's eyes dart to the link between you â Joshua's hand gingerly interlocking your fingers. You don't speak, and he looks at Joshua's eyes filled with slight worry.
"Can you go get her? She's probably holed up in her room, looking at those stupid moâ Who the fuck are you?" Your mother has turned now, her narrowed eyes on Joshua before landing on you. "Who the fuck is that? You said you were sick, and you have company over?" Your throat is dry, and you feel frozen when Joshua steps in front of you, shielding you from your parents' view. "You must be Y/N's parents. I've heard a lot about you, I'm Joshua."
He extends his hand, and your father eyes it before taking it, shaking it firmly. "Nice grip you got there, son." Your mother scoffs, tugging her scarf off her neck with a visceral anger. Joshua can feel you cower behind him, your fingers gripping onto the back of his shirt. "Joshua what? What do you do for a living?" He clears his throat, watching as your mother walks around the apartment without taking her shoes off, taking down stuff from the walls. "Joshua Hong. I'm a producer." He lies through his teeth, and your mother scowls as she sees the Lego version of the Milky Way hung right by your bathroom. She takes it down, tossing it carelessly on the couch.
"A producer? You won't make much money."Â
"That's enough." Your father speaks up, and sees you peer at him from behind Joshua. "What are you to Y/N? Boyfriend?" "Not allowed!" Your mother announces, her hands now occupied by your opened mail. Bills, bills, a credit card statement, billsâŠand your summer internship at the Korea Astronomy and Space Institute.
"I amâŠher boyfriend." Joshua whispers, losing a bit of confidence as your mother angrily walks back to your foyer. "What's this?" She holds the acceptance letter up, your eyes shutting closed as you see it in her hand. "Fuck." You murmur behind Joshua, and your mother begins to read it aloud.
"Esteemed Miss Kang, it is with great pride that we award you with the July KASI internship studying plasma physics." She crumples the paper slightly in her fist, and your father pries it from her hold as you step out from behind Joshua, and she really lays it on you.
"We told you from the start that these silly little dreams about space and stars were not going to happen. You are the sole heir to the companies, the properties, you have to continue the family business. Don't you care about that? Don't you care about paying us back for everything we've given you, and continue to supply you with? Don't you get that this is not an option?" She's not yelling, but her words cut deep as you nod slowly, the words tumbling out before you can stop to think about them properly. "I don't care." Your mother looks taken aback, and you feel your stomach flip as you clear your throat. "I don't care about properties, or companies. I don't care about money, or marrying for wealth. IâŠ" You breathe in shakily, and Joshua instinctively puts his hands on your shoulders, an act not unseen by your mother's beady eyes.
"I don't care about being part of a family that is fueled by greed. I can't do it anymore. I hope thatâŠyou find another fit." The last part comes out as a bit of a sob, and you cover your mouth quickly. Your mother is fuming, and she turns to your father, who is silently reading the letter in his hands.
"I didn't know you liked plasma physics." He murmurs, and you feel Joshua's fingers squeeze your shoulders lightly. "I didn't even know what you were studying, if I'm being honest." Your father admits sheepishly, smoothing the crumpled edge of the sheet carefully.Â
"This is a very hard program to get into. I would know," Your father holds the letter out to you, and you reach to take it, holding the corner gingerly in your fingers. "You would know?" Joshua echoes, and your father nods.
"I applied. I got the June internship for aerospace engineering, my best friend was so jealous." You don't know the last time you saw your father smile. "I'mâŠproud of you. I know it's a little late in saying that, I've been quite the absent father.I guess, I can't even really say father."
Your mother is tapping her foot, garnering your attention again. "Whatever rebel strike you're on isn't cute, Y/N. I've got investors waiting to meet you, wanting to draw up contracts, to build new properties with your name across the front." Your father sighs, shaking his head as he looks at the two of you again. "Joshua, could you give us a moment?"Â
You turn to look at him, your eyes pleading him not to leave. He gives you a sorry smile, squeezing your shoulders before kissing your hairline. "I'll be in your room." He murmurs, and you nod, watching as he walks away, slipping into the only open door in the hallway. He shuts it behind him.Â
Your father sighs, leaning against the door frame. "Your mother and I are getting a divorce."
You can feel your eyes widen as far as they go, your mother flushing furiously. "Can I ask why?" "It's none of your business." She grits, and your father scoffs. "I'm selling the company. I'm tired, Y/N. Being in business is not what I want to do." He shakes his head, and you try to bite back a smile.
"It's not?"
"No. I'm donating the money to the Aerospace Engineering program here, actually." He gestures around you, indicating the University. You feel your lips tug into a smile, your father's warm eyes matching yours. "I don't understand why you can't just leave the company in Y/N's name so she can take over when we're both dead and gone. At least it sets up a stable future for her!" "She won't be happy, Bora! That's why I can't do that. Nothing in this life means anything if we're not happy." He groans frustratedly, and you feel almost taken aback by your father's words. He'd always been a silent man â a bit cold, with two friends and love for one thing: baseball.Â
And space, you now know.
"This is fucking ridiculous. I cannot leave my investors hanging, and I refuse to hand over my properties to someone I don't even know!" Your mother is exasperated, and you almost want to laugh at how you and your father shrug simultaneously.Â
"Whatever." She grumbles, snatching her purse off the chair, pulling it over her shoulder. She gives you a nasty look, "I assume this means you will also bail on meeting the Mins' youngest son? Yoongi has been waiting to meet you."Â
"Yoongi can shove it." You shrug, and she just shakes her head in disappointment â but for onceâŠyou don't care. She slams out of your apartment, her scarf flung over the back of your couch. Your father gives you a gentle smile, and you return it.Â
"I'm sorry for not being a better father to you, Y/N. I should have tried harder." He laments, and you see his eyes begin to gloss over with tears. You step forward, enveloping him in a loose hug. "I thinkâŠstanding up for me and what you believe in, is a step in the right direction. I haven't been a very present daughter, either."
He laughs shakily, giving you a tight squeeze. "How about you and I get dinner in the next few days? You can even bring Joshua, I kind of like that kid." He mumbles, and you feel your stomach flutter at the mention of yourâŠboyfriend's name. "I'll check our calendars and shoot you a text, okay?" "For sure, kid." He pulls away, softly patting your head. "I'll see you, okay?" "Yeah. See you." You nod, opening the door for him. He leaves with another word, your mother's scarf in his hand as he exits your apartment. You feel a wave of relief wash over you, but bite back your tears as you lock the door and march to your bedroom. Opening the door, you see Joshua flopped diagonally across your bed, phone in his hand.
It's twenty minutes past midnight, and the date reads December 30th.
"Hey, you." He looks over his shoulder, and watches as you pin the acceptance letter to the corkboard above your dresser. You put your hands on your hips, staring at it with a bit more content in your heart.Â
"Hey, boyfriend." You say, turning to face him. His ears turn pink, and he sits up. "It just came out, okay? I'm sorry, I know I haven't even taken you out to dinner or anything but I really, reallyâ" You crash your lips to his, pushing him back onto your bed as you straddle him. "Yeah, yeah. No need for explanations." You peel your shirt off, tossing it to the side as he looks at you with wide eyes. "Are you sure?"
"Happy birthday, lover."
Saturday, May 6th.
"Joshua Hong."Â
You cheer loudly from the stands as he crosses the stage, watching his cheeks tinge pink as he hears you over the clapping and yelling from his fraternity. He smiles as the photographer takes his picture, before looking up at the stands to find you. You wave excitedly, and his eyes brighten all the more. I love you, he mouths.
I'm proud of you, you mouth back. Wimp.
â â â
"Hey, gorgeous. You a tourist?" You're standing at the bar of the same salsa club you and Joshua danced at last summer when you hear Joshua's voice behind you, and you struggle not to roll your eyes. The two of you only stayed at the graduation long enough to watch Jeonghan cross the stage, before Cheol texted the group and said he was sneaking out.Â
The three of them had booked a last-minute tripâŠback to Puerto Vallarta.
"The city where you fell in love!" Cheol teased as the group loaded into the car, with you sitting on Joshua's lap in the backseat. Saerom was sitting next to you, and Junhui was giggling at the redness of your cheeks as the pair of douchebags teased you to no end. It didn't matter though â you felt Joshua smile into your shoulder as the group pulled into the airport.
"Yeah, I am. Are you?" You played his game, waiting until he finally came into your line of vision with the same baby blue guayabera you first saw him in. Your stomach flutters lightly as his hand ghosts your back. "Nah, I've been here before. Got my heart broken by a cute thing, she looked a little like you." "Alright, that's enough roleplay you weirdo." You scoff, shoving his hand away from you as he laughed, He stepped slightly closer, ignoring your faux annoyance. "Right, rightâŠI know some cool places here, if you'd care to join me." His eyes twinkle something mischievous as the bartender slides you your drink. You take it with a thank you, before sighing and linking your arm with Joshua's. "Do you, now?" "I do. There's some pretty hammocks down the beach, you can see all the stars right now." He glances up at the sky as the two of you leave the club, your shoes clutched in his hand as your toes sink into the warm sand. You smile up at him, "What do you know about stars?" "Someone very special once told me a story about two lovers who couldn't beâŠand they reside in these very stars." He points at the sky, and you nod. "You know, I once heard a story like that, but they were involved in Greek mythology." You stare up at the sky, when you reach the hammock the two of you shared that first night.
"Really? Was it about Orpheus and Eurydice? I love that one." He smiles as he helps you on, fixing the skirt of your dress to cover your legs more. "Your star-crossed lovers, were they Altair and Vega?"
"So you do know stars." He slides in, and you rest your head on his chest. "I do. Love them, actually." "You're my brightest star." He murmurs, kissing your forehead lightly as his hand maps out the Lyra constellation. "It's so pretty, isn't it?" Looking back down at you, he sees the gloss over your eyes and sits up. "Babe! Don't cry, oh my Godâ" "I love you." You blurt, watching as his brows raise, his ears tinging pink in the low light of the moon. He lays back down slowly, and you scrunch your face before sitting up and looking down at him. "Hello? Big moment here, asswipe?" "Just a second." He smiles painfully, and your brows only furrow more. "What the hell is wrong with you?"Â
"I'm hard." He whispers, making you glance down. "Don't look at it! What's wrong with you!" He pouts as you burst into laughter, your hand resting on his stomach as you muffle your laughter with his shoulder. "It's not funny."
"You're such a LOSER!"
Pulling back, you wipe at your eyes, catching your breath.
"But you love me too, right?" You ask, peering down at him as he rolls his eyes, smiling widely. He brings you closer to him, his lips ghosting over yours as he speaks softly.
"I love you so much, I'd bring down the stars if you asked me to."
haologram © 2024 || no translations, reposting or modifications are allowed. do not claim as your own. viewer discretion is advised. your media consumption is your responsibility.
#seventeenTAcollab#joshua x reader#svt x reader#seventeen x reader#joshua imagines#svt imagines#seventeen imagines#joshua x you#svt x you#seventeen x you#joshua scenarios#svt scenarios#seventeen scenarios#joshua fluff#joshua angst#svt fluff#svt angst#seventeen fluff#seventeen angst#joshua fanfic#svt fanfic#seventeen fanfic#joshua hong#kvanity
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đžSorry for the long ass absent guys đ« family and holidays have been crazyđźâđš
I recently came across this short monkie kid wild West AU fanfic
It's short but it's really good, And it sort of got me in the mood to sketch or at least redraw the two mystic monkeys cowboy outfits again
I really wasn't sure whether to give Mac, purple boots or just black boots you can kind of see it in the first pick faded Mac.
đžđđŽâšBut I don't think I've seen anyone draw them with horses or write something about it, so I'm going to be the first one to do it! (I don't know how to draw them sitting on horses, so bear with me here.)đđŠ I know I put the scar on the wrong side of the Smokey Horse. My bad, let's just pretend it's on the right side.LOLđ
đȘ·
đœđI headCannon that when those two summon their horses together, they get really affectionate. The sheriff's horse is more like a big old golden retriever, playful and mischievous, and rarely ever listens to its owner. While over here, Mac's is more well-behaved and obedient, and they can get quite sassy sometimes. I'm not sure what to call it. It's hard to separate those two, so they try not to summon them at the same time.
They're also very affectionate to the monkeys especially the opposite ones.đ¶đâšđ
đI want a scenario where they let the horses stay instead of just poofing them out of existence so MK/MEI can play with the horses just a bit longer since they were begging them by giving them the puppy dog eyes (especially on Mei's side; she's a horse girl fan), and after a long while, the sheriff notices that his horse Nimbus was acting a little more strange and protective over the Smokey horse, letting them eat first, and just never leaving their side. All sorts of strange behavior on the Nimbus side. All he ever notices from the shadow horse is that they were a little sluggish, but he doesn't think too much of it.đđ€ đ”
đUntil one day, BAM! This little cutie came into the world as a precious, adorable little cinnamon roll, prancing around like it owns the world.đ§đœđâš
đThere's stupidly protective over this little guy.đżđĄđŠđŽâïžđđ
đŽAnd there's a huge problem. This little guy is clumsy as heck. He's new and everything, so of course he is, but he likes to adventure out without his horsey parents knowing or anyone else, and he loves playing games like tag his favorite, but because he's so clumsy, he causes damage that MK or his mentors have to fix, so everyone has to be on high alert and watch over the little rascal. LMAO đđŒđ„đâš
đžI hope you enjoyed this, I certainly had fun drawing this I wish there was more wild West monkeys fics there's some freaking cuteđâš
đ„Aaaah! I love these freaking cow monkeys đđ
#monkie kid#lego monkie kid#lmk#sun wukong#six eared macaque#doodle#monkey king#macaque#mk#wild west au#monkie kid au#shadowpeach#horsey Shadowpeach#scenario / headcanon#cowboy monkeys#Journey to the wild west AU#cinnamon roll horsey âš
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áŻâ
Cat Lovers | ëìŹëŻŒ ËËË
"Who expected the owner of a cat you found near your house to be the hottest man you've ever laid your eyes on?"
â pairing: na jaemin x afab! reader â genre: fluff, smut. 18+ mdni. â au: strangers to lovers â word count: 5.5k
â a/n: my nct writer debut !! i've finally dived into ncity and now i wanna write for them too. i'm so excited to share this.. i love jaemin sm (i can see him being the dream member i write the most tbh) sorry if this is a little corny. i can't not be lovey-dovey when it comes to na jaemin :(
â nsfw warnings under the cut
âđ§: pretty boy the neighbourhood, kingston faye webster, no other heart mac demarco, show me how men i trust, freak lana del rey, positions ariana grande
â warnings: not proofread! outdoor sex, exhibitionism, fingering, oral (m! receiving), unprotected sex (do not do this), pet names like âbaby, princess, good girlâ, theyâre very in love
  Your daily commute to the convenience store was nothing out of the ordinary. Except this time, today, there was.
  You weren't paying attention to your surroundings, your body running on autopilot. You walked towards the next aisle, a few items in your hands, thenâ CRASH!
  Before you knew it, you ran straight into a very warm, hard wall...? The items you held clattered to the floor and when you looked up, you realised it wasn't a wall. It was a man. A very attractive man.
  "Shit! I'm so sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going." You quickly apologised. You didn't notice his hand was supported on your lower back until you both stepped away from each other.
  "No worries, are you okay?" He asks before you both crouch down to pick your dropped items up, his hand accidentally brushing yours. "Y-Yeah, I'm okay, thank you..." You blush as you both stand back up, and he helps you take the items to the checkout.
  Searching for an opportunity to ask him for his number, your mind was racing. The two of you walked out of the store together, and the man hands you your bag of items. "Get home safely." He smiles, waving, before he turns his back to you and walks the opposite direction.
  It dawned on you as you watched him walk away into the distance that neither of you told each other your names. Idiot.
  It's ridiculous how such a short, insubstantial interaction with an attractive guy put such a big smile on your face during your walk home. What an odd day.
  · · âââââââ · ·
  When you were close to your house, you heard a meow from around the corner. Stopping in your tracks, you listened closer.
  Meow.
  You decided to see if your ears were playing tricks on you. When you turned the corner, you spotted a white rag doll cat with matted, filthy fur, that seemed to be starving. You cautiously approached it, but when you held your hand out, it immediately came to you.
  "Hi little one," You call in a sweet voice. It lets you pet it whilst you take the time to study the collar around it's neck, reading what was engraved on it. "Ah, so your name is Luna." You contemplate aloud.
 You scoop the cat up and make your way to your house just down the road. "Come on Luna, I'll get you something to eat."
  Stepping into your home, you go straight to your kitchen. "There you go, I'll be right back with food." You call to the cat while setting her down on the floor. You get a bowl and fill it with cat food, placing it on the floor.
  After you ensured the cat was fully fed, you took the time to run it a bath. You expected the process of washing her to be hard, but Luna was one of the most docile cats you've ever met. When you placed her into the bath, she literally just stood there and allowed you to clean her with no troubles.
  "All done!" Calling in a sing-songy voice, you gently lift the drenched cat from the bathtub and pat her dry with a towel. "I should really give your owner a call now."
  You sat in the living room watching over Luna as you dialed the numbers that were on her collar into your phone. You felt guilty that you desperately wanted to keep the cat, but this was the right thing to do.
  The phone rings several times until it's finally picked up, a males voice speaking over it. "Hello?"
  "Hi, sorry if you're busy but I've got your cat, Luna, in my apartment, I found her outside." You explain and you hear the man gasp. "Oh my God, you found her?! She's been missing for almost two weeks!" The owner exclaims.
  "Are you able to come pick her up now?" You ask, waiting for the owner to answer. A few moments pass, you assume he's looking at the time or something. "Maybe, may I ask for your address to see how close it is? I have some errands to run but those can wait."
  You give him your address and apartment number, and luckily you lived only a few blocks away from him. "I'll be there in 15 minutes!" The owner says before hanging up the phone. You look across the room and see Luna playing with a cat toy you had. You really wanted to keep her.
  · · âââââââ · ·
  After fifteen minutes exactly, your doorbell rung. You buzz him up, and a few moments more a you hear a soft knock on your door. You grab Luna and open the door.
  It was him! The guy from the convenience store earlier that day was Luna's owner. Maybe it was fate to meet again.
  "Oh, hello there again." He greets first, a sheepish smile adorned his face, seemingly taken aback that it's you. "H-Hi, here's your cat." You hand Luna over.
  Luna's owner immediately engulfs the cat in a hug. "Oh my baby, I missed you!" He dramatically sighs and you can't help but giggle. "Don't ever run away again." He scolds the cat with a pout.
  He looks back at you for a moment. "Um, I should give you some money or something for finding her." He fumbles with his pant pocket, about to pull out his wallet. "No! It's fine, you don't need to do that."
  The man nods in understanding, putting his wallet back in his pocket. "I'm Jaemin, by the way." He introduces himself.
  The name strangely suited him. "I'm Y/N. Nice to meet you, again..." You mutter the last part and he laughs. "I really love your cat by the way, she's so well behaved!"
  "Yes, she's a dream. Except when she decides to go on little adventures around the neighbourhood," Jaemin smiles and coos at the cat in his arms.
  A few moments pass in silence as you study the man. He seemed lost in thought, until he finally looked up at you with a grin and opened his mouth. "Hey, instead of me paying you, maybe you could come visit Luna and my other cats every now and then?"
  The proposition sounded very tempting. But you hardly knew the guy... Your survival instincts were screaming red flag! But deep down you knew Jaemin was harmless.
  This could be the perfect opportunity to get to know him. "Sure, I'd love that."
  "Great! I'll give you my number."
  · · âââââââ · ·
  You and Jaemin had been texting non-stop since. Mostly because he would spam you to play pool with him on iMessage but that's besides the point. Every time you'd get a notification from him, you'd start giggling and kicking your feet. You were down bad for a man you hardly knew.
  Jaemin hadn't asked you to come over yet. He was scared you'd misunderstand his intentions. You expected that, so you initiated first.
  When the conversation you were currently having with him died down, you decided to finally bring it up.
                           so... when do i finally get                            to see luna again?
    I'm free tomorrow,     you? :)
                           sounds like a plan!!
  Squealing over the message like you were a teenager texting your crush, you immediately stood up to pick out an outfit while you texted back.
  You turned your phone off and threw it on your bed as you looked through your closet. Jaemin had a good fashion sense, â You definitely didn't stalk his Instagram â so, what you picked had to be something that wasn't too much, but also give a good impression.
  You decided on wearing a baby blue sweater with a white skirt to match. The skirt wasn't too short, but you did decide to wear it on purpose. Whether that purpose was good or bad, you didn't know.
  You could hardly fall asleep, excited for what was to come tomorrow.
  · · âââââââ · ·
  When you approached Jaemin's apartment building, you started feeling anxious. What if he ends up hating me?
  Those kinds of self destructive thoughts are what would always hold you back from things. But this time you refused to listen to them.
  You took the elevator to his floor, double checking the room number he sent you. Knocking on the door that had the numbers 24 on it, you heard clattering inside and quick footsteps approaching the door.
  Your anxiety bubbled down when the door swung open and you were met with Jaemin's smile that beamed down onto you like the sun. He looked a little disheveled, his hair messy and his face flushed. Why was he out of breath?
  "Hey Y/N. Come on in," Jaemin steps aside and lets you pass him, stepping into the small hallway. "Um, ignore the mess please. Luna and Lucy were fighting just before you came, and I had to break them up. Very strenuous work." He explains with a chuckle, gesturing towards the knocked over items on the floor that you assumed was the decor on his coffee table.
  "No worries. Where is Luna?" You ask, looking around and only seeing a male cat you've never seen before. "That's Luke. Luna's probably hiding under the couch. I've put Lucy in timeout since she was the one that started the fight."
  Jaemin continued to tell you about his cats. You loved how proud he was to be a cat father. As you sat on his couch together, a white furball in the corner of your eye nudges your leg. "Luna, there you are!"
  You coo as you grab the cat and pull her into a hug. "My other cats will be jealous," Jaemin chuckles. "Luna seems to love you."
  "I have to admit, I almost kept her when I found her." You smile guiltily, but Jaemin just laughs. "You know, Luna's the only one of my cats that don't warm up to other people besides me. You're special."
  Your heart races at Jaemin's words, heat creeping up your neck. "I just have that effect, I guess." You smile sheepishly.
  Jaemin just nods, silence filling the room. You continued to play with Luna, not noticing the gaze the man had on you. You only turn to look at him when he clears his throat.
  "Do you want to get something to eat?" Jaemin asks. Your eyes widen a little, caught off guard. "There's a cafe close by. We could walk." He adds.
  You can't help but smile. "Why not?"
  · · âââââââ · ·
  Was this a date? Those thoughts ran through your head during the walk to the cafe. You and Jaemin walked side by side, close enough that your hands would brush every couple of steps. You noticed he was a bit shy, and so were you.
  The two of you now sat side by side in a booth. You thought that a table where you faced each other was too 'date-like', so you gravitated towards a booth and it seemed Jaemin understood and slid beside you.
  Since it was midday, you ordered bacon and eggs with an iced tea as brunch, Jaemin the same. "So Jaemin, what do you do?"
  "I'm in my last year of college. I'm majoring in graphic design and photography. I'd like to make it into my career some day." Jaemin explains, and you stare at him in awe. "What about you?"
  "I never went to college, so I've been kind of aimlessly working different retail jobs. It's enough for me, I never really had a dream career." You explain, the words tumbling out of your mouth before you could stop. "Sorry, I overshared a bit there."
  Jaemin just shakes his head. "No, I want to learn more about you. Overshare all you want!"
  You just nod and smile, about to ask another question but were interrupted by the waitress placing your food and drinks down in front of you.
  "Thank you," You say as the waitress walks off. "Um, so what made you get three cats?"
  Jaemin laughs. "I don't really know, to be honest. I started with one, then I ended up adopting the other two. They're siblings, I couldn't bear the fact they'd be separated."
  "Awe, that's so cute. You're so admirable." You compliment and you don't miss how he shyly smiles.
  The conversation went smoothly, the two of you learning things about one another. You even told him stuff some of your friends don't even know about. Jaemin felt like a safe space, like you could confide in anything with him.
  Finishing your meal, the question of if this was something more than just a hangout plagued your mind, so you decided to just ask. "Jaemin, is this a date?"
  You just had to ask him when he was taking a sip of his drink. He choked, coughing. You pat his back to help him out, making sure he was okay before speaking again. "Sorry, is it not?"
  "It originally wasn't, but if that's what you want it to be, then sure." Jaemin smiles at you. His eye contact was magnetic, you couldn't stop yourself from looking at him.
  "Okay..." You replied meekly, not expecting that reply. Your face was burning at this point.
  Your body jolts when Jaemin's hand covers your own hand, that was placed on the booth seat. "However, I would like to take you on a proper date. What do you say?"
  Your heart jumped into your throat, not able to speak at his forwardness despite his outwardly shy demeanor. You melt at the way his eyes crinkle when he laughs. "It's okay, Y/N. Don't be anxious."
  It's like he knew you already. "That'd be lovely, I-I mean, I'd like that." You stumble over your words, making you both chuckle in amusement.
  After a few more conversations, you both decide it's time to leave. "I'll walk you home." Jaemin offers.
  "No! You don't have to do that," You shake your head. "But I want to." Jaemin insists.
  "I don't want to trouble you..." You sigh. Jaemin pouts but nods in understanding. "Okay, fine. Just make sure to text me when you get home so I know you're safe!"
  "Fine, dad," You groan, rolling your eyes jokingly. "See ya!" Jaemin just grins, waving like how he did when you first met. "Bye, Y/N!" He calls as the two of you part ways.
  · · âââââââ · ·
  It was the night of your and Jaemin's proper date and you were shaking with anxiety. He was taking you to the movies, so it was going to be a chill, fun date Putting your outfit on, you admired yourself in the mirror.
  You decided on a simple white long sleeved crop-top and a light blue pleated denim skirt. Along with some sheer tights underneath since it was getting colder.
  It was just a casual outfit, but something about it made you look hot. You checked the time and saw you only had 45 minutes until Jaemin arrives, so you scramble to do your hair and makeup.
  Luckily you finished right on time, putting on your perfume as the last step before you heard a knock on the door. Grabbing your bag and putting your shoes on, you open the door.
  "Jaemin!" You exclaim, engulfing him in a hug. You could still feel the lingering touch of his hand on your waist when you pulled away. "You look amazing," Jaemin smirks, eyeing your figure. You couldn't help but feel small in his gaze.
  You took the time to drink him in. His hair was styled in the way he usually does but this time he looks different. Sexy. He wore a simple white t-shirt with a black leather jacket paired with a pair of jeans. "I could say the same to you." You smile.
  "Shall we go?" He asks as he jokingly lifts his arm up for you to link yours with his, and you nod with a laugh. Jaemin opens the passenger door to his car for you and you can't help but tease him for how chivalrous he was being.
  "So, what movie are you taking me to?" You ask, looking over at the man now focused on the road ahead. "It's a secret." He hums and you roll your eyes.
  "If it's a horror movie I might kill you, I swear." You mutter and Jaemin laughs. "I can tell you it's not horror. Don't worry, you'll love it."
  When Jaemin pulled into an outdoor parking lot, you were confused. Where was the movie theatre? But then you realised it was an outdoor cinema, and you squealed. "I've never been to one of these before!"
  Jaemin smiles as he parks his car in a spot that had a clear view of the screen. "And, guess what?" He replies. "It's a showing of your favourite movie!"
  You gasped. He remembered your favourite movie? You both talked about all your favourite things with each other over text but you didn't expect this at all. It may have been the bare minimum, but your heart swelled with love nonetheless.
  Jaemin got a blanket and a few pillows from his backseat and you helped him spread them into the trunk of his car, creating a nice seating area for the two of you to watch the movie comfortably.
  "This is so lovely, thank you Jaem." The nickname rolled of your tongue. "I like that, 'Jaem'." He murmurs, mimicking the nickname. "Call me that more often, baby."
  Your knees almost buckled at the pet name he gave you. His words laced with honey had you wrapped around his finger, and you wouldn't have it any other way.
  After back and forth flirting, you settled into the trunk of Jaemin's car. The movie started playing and you were immediately enthralled, not realising how close you were laying next to Jaemin until you felt his hand rest your thigh.
  You shyly peeked at him, he was fully focused on the movie. You lean in closer to him as the night air was getting colder, and he wrapped his arm around your waist.
  You basked in the feeling of his touch, not wanting it to end. Sadly, it ended as soon as it started, because Jaemin moved his arm to pull a blanket up on the two of you. His touch was quickly replaced by his hand on your thigh again.
  He started tracing circles on the inside of your thigh and you shivered. The seemingly innocent action quickly making you think impure thoughts.
  Swallowing, you looked away out of shame. "What's wrong, princess?" Jaemin asks in a whisper, and you jump at how close he is to your face when you whip your head back around. "Why're you so jumpy?"
  "I-I'm sorry," you stutter, trying not to make a fool of yourself. Jaemin smirks when you look down at his lips, not breaking the distance between you. "Can I kiss you?" You whisper.
  Jaemin doesn't answer as he closes the distance between you, and you melt into the kiss almost instantly. It was sweet and gentle, like he was being cautious. But you got impatient, swiping your tongue against his lips.
  He lets you in, sucking on his tongue as your hand toys at the hair on the nape of his neck. He groans softly onto your lips, enamoured by you.
  You can feel the hand he has on your thigh creep up dangerously close to your growing arousal, his other hand cupping your cheek. When you pull away, he grips your inner thigh roughly. "Wanna make you feel good, can I?" He whispers seductively into your ear.
  You nod your head but Jaemin shakes his in response. "Nuh-uh, I need to hear you say it."
  "Please, Jaem... Want you." You mewl and he grins. "I'll take care of you."
  He pulls you into his lap while still keeping the blanket on you, his hand cups your clothed core from under your skirt, which was now raised up past your upper thigh. You sigh, your head falling into his shoulder as he slips your underwear out of the way.
  "You know, I never hook up on the first date, but you..." Jaemin whispers lowly into your ear, you squirm under his touch when his fingertips just brush your clit, it's not enough. "You make me crazy, I can't keep my hands off of you."
  Whimpers spill out of your mouth when Jaemin's thumb finally rubs your clit, slow and tantalising. The movie was loud enough and the car was far away from others that you doubt anyone would hear you unless you started screaming, so you let out any pretty noises that Jaemin forced out of you.
  His fingers rub up and down your vulva with his thumb still on your clit. "So wet for me, you're adorable." Jaemin cooed, his deep voice so close to your ear. You watch as he moves his hand that was on your pussy up to his mouth, his lips wrapping around his digits.
  He hums in delight, not breaking eye contact with you as he licks them clean of your slick. "Fuck..." You moan softly at his ministrations, your eyelids heavy with lust.
  "Can't wait to taste you properly. But that'll have to wait." Jaemin pouts, the enticing tone of his voice making you insatiable. "Jaem, need more. The movie's almost finished."
  He listens, his fingers dipping into your entrance, but only giving you just a taste of them. He was doing it on purpose.
  You groan in frustration, and he just chuckles while finally putting two fingers inside you. He shows no mercy as he fucks his fingers quickly into you straight away, making you pant and writhe against him.
  You were so wound up already, and he didn't even touch you that much. Maybe it was just his aura, but it felt like Jaemin had cast a spell on you. You were love drunk on him. It was only your first date, you remind yourself.
  When you throw your head back into his shoulder out of desperation, his lips swallow your moans, you could barely breathe with how long he kissed you but you loved it. Then, he added a third finger, then a fourth. You were gone.
  You were already wound up tight but once he added pressure on your clit with his thumb, and you felt his other hand press down on your lower abdomen harshly, it was over.
  "Fuckâ fuck, Jaemin!" You choke out, your orgasm washing over you like a tidal wave. "Shit, you came fast." Jaemin chuckles in your ear, and you feel like crying when you feel him pull his hand away. You were about to protest, tell him to get over himself, but he puts his fingers in your mouth right as you opened your mouth.
  You lick your cum off of them, not breaking eye contact despite the fact that his eyes on you doing something so lewd made you want to crawl into a hole. "You look so pretty." He smiles.
  How could he sound and look so sweet during such an impure moment? "Can I do something to help you out too?" You ask when you shift your body and feel his rock hard cock on your ass. "It's okay, the movies about to finish anyway. I like pleasing you." He shakes his head.
  You hum, turning your attention back to the ending scene of the movie. "I can't wait to sink my dick in that pretty pussy of yours, though." Jaemin whispers into your ear when the credits start rolling, his voice deep and laced with sin.
  "My place or yours?" You ask, pulling your panties back in place and your skirt down before you help Jaemin pack up the blankets and pillows. "Mine."
  When you were in the car on the way back to Jaemin's apartment, a sense of dread suddenly came over you. It wasn't because you were scared of him, it was how he thought of you right now.
  What if he thought you were a slut for hooking up on the first date? What if he just wanted to fuck and nothing more? Your leg started bouncing anxiously as you sat in the passenger seat next to Jaemin.
  "Are you having second thoughts? I can take you home if you are," Jaemin speaks up, worry in his voice. "No, no it's not that... I just..." You trail off, unable to get your words out.
  "It's okay. Let it out." Jaemin reassures, placing his hand on your thigh and squeezing lightly. "Are you just doing this for the fuck, or do you actually want this to go somewhere? Because I do." You speak after moments of hesitation.
  Jaemin stays silent for a moment, before finally opening his mouth. "I gave you my number originally because I had an interest in you since the convenience store, if I'm being honest. This is not just to hook up."
  You let out an exhale you didn't even know you were holding. You stay silent as Jaemin parks his car in front of his apartment building, you could tell he wanted to say more.
  "I do want this to go somewhere. I don't care where, I'd just like to be with you in any way I can. I really like you, Y/N." Jaemin confesses.
  "I know we have just gotten to know each other, but my heart pounds every time I see you, even when I get a notification from you on my phone." He continues and you can't wipe the grin on your face.
  "God, I believe we're fated to meet because why are you so perfect?" You utter and he laughs. "I just poured my heart out to you and that's how you reply?"
  You giggle and playfully shove him. "Sorry, I can't take this seriously. But I'm grateful you can be so emotional with me, because I'm not great at telling people how I feel." You say before giving him a long, passionate kiss that had him melting under your touch. "D-Did you want to come in?" He stutters.
  "Yes, you being romantic really turned me on." You mumble and he rolls his eyes with a grin before grabbing your hand and pulling you out of the car.
  · · âââââââ · ·
  It was no surprise he had you on naked, on his bed in the matter of minutes as soon as you entered his apartment.
  But when he unbuckles his belt, you sink to your knees and move his hands out of the way, doing it yourself and pulling his pants and boxers down in a rush.
  "Jeez, you're that hungry for it?" Jaemin teases but you ignore him as you stare at his cock once it springs free and hits stomach. It was pretty and veiny, the tip flushed from the blood rushing to it. "You're drooling." He says.
  "Shut the fuck up or I won't suck you off." You deadpan and he stops talking. You smirk as he lets out a small moan as soon as his tip enters your mouth.
  "Who's drooling now?" You challenge, looking up at his blissed face. "S-Shut up, I just haven't done this in a while..."
  You giggle and keep sinking down on his cock, your hands taking the space you couldn't fit in your throat without gagging. You start off slow, thrusting his cock in and out of your mouth and jerking the base of it off, Jaemin's soft groans spurring you on.
  His hand in your hair tightens when you remove your hands and try to deepthroat him, but your gag reflex stops you so you pull away. "Sorry, fuck... I also haven't done this in a while." You shyly admit while Jaemin strokes your hair to comfort you. "Baby, you're doing amazing. Don't stress, just do what you're comfortable with."
  Why couldn't every man act like him? You smile and take him in your mouth again, but this time his cock slips past your gag reflex and you cheer internally. "Ah, fuck. Good girl," Jaemin praises and you whimper around his shaft, the vibrations sending shivers down his spine.
  "Mhmm, just like that." Jaemin moans, hand in your hair getting tighter as you take him in your mouth deeply. You started playing with his balls, and that was when his moans started getting breathier.
  You could feel him twitch, but as you were getting ready to swallow his cum, he pulls you off of him. You pant, catching your breath as he wipes the spit and drool off of your face. "Wanna cum somewhere else."
  Jaemin helps you up off your knees and lays you down on his bed. âYouâre so beautiful, Y/N.â
 Embarrassment blooms through you, looking away. âDonât hide from me.â Jaeminâs hand moves your head to face him.
 He then pulls away and looks through his bedside table. âShit, I donât have any condomsâŠâ He mutters. âItâs okay.. Iâm clean and on birth control.â
 He hesitates. âWhen was the last time you got tested?â
 âSix months ago. But I havenât fucked anyone since.â You answer. âYou?â
 âLast week. Iâm clean too.â He smiles sheepishly and you chuckle. âIt feels better raw, anyway.â
 Jaeminâs face flushes but he closes his drawer and positions himself between your legs anyway. âYou sure?â He asks one more time.
 âYes, Jaem. Fuck me already.â You groan, sexual frustration washing over you when you have a hot, naked man who is interested in you right in front of you.
 He finally sinks his tip inside of your entrance, his cock going inside bit by bit until he finally bottoms out. You both moan together in relief.
 âYou can move.â You reassure, your hands on his shoulder as he hovers above you before thrusting once or twice, experimenting.
 He wasnât huge so you didnât feel any pain. You werenât sure if it was just because itâs attached to him, but his dick felt good.
 His thrusts started to speed up, his hands holding your hips tightly as your hands scratched down his back.
 âAh- Ah, god,â You whimper as he hits the spot that made you feel stars in only a matter of minutes. âJaeminâŠâ His name leaves your lips drawn out and whiny, just how he likes it.
 âWill you be my boyfriend?â It comes out of your mouth without you realising until Jaemin stills his hips, his dick twitching inside of you. He laughs in disbelief.
 âYou ask me that while Iâm balls deep inside of you?â He teases and you hide your face with your arms, embarrassed.
 âLook at me, Y/N.â He orders and you listen. âYes, Iâll be your boyfriend.â
 He pulls you up for a kiss, this time it was filled with something you couldnât point out but it felt amazing. Then, he snaps his hips up inside of you and goes back to his pace he had before. âFuck!â
 âBaby, youâre gonna drive me crazy⊠Swallowing my dick so tightly, like I was made for your pussy.â Jaemin rambles, too lost in the pleasure to care if he sounded insane, but you ate up every word he said to you like it was your last meal.
 âIâm close.â He whispers, his thrusts getting faster and he snakes a hand to your clit, trying to get you over the edge too. âCome with me?â
 âY-Yeah,â You slur, his relentless pace making you dumb. You felt his dick twitch inside of you before he pulled out, jerking himself off while rubbing at your clit.
 You came at the sight of him alone â all sweaty, moaning and fucked out for you. Your body convulsed and you felt his warm cum on your stomach before he collapsed beside you, pulling you into an embrace.
 You gave yourselves a few minutes to come back to Earth. âLetâs get cleaned upâŠâ Jaemin mutters, helping you to his bathroom.
  · · âââââââ · ·
 You and Jaemin had been dating for a month now, and you basically became his catsâ mother. You were over at his apartment any time he wasnât busy with college or work. You fucked like rabbits too.
 Youâd suck him off when heâs trying to write his papers, heâd eat you out when you were chilling on your phone. You made love almost every night⊠You were content.
 After not dating anyone for almost four years, Jaemin coming into your life was the best thing that could have happened to you, and you couldnât help but thank Luna for coming to your apartment building that day when she escaped Jaeminâs.
 âHey baby, you finished?â Jaemin knocks on the doorframe to get your attention. âAlmost, give me a second.â
 You type the last sentence onto your laptop, closing it with a smile. âFinished!â You exclaim.
 âFinally, Iâve been waiting all day to touch you.â Jaemin groans. You giggle as he picks you up, wrapping your legs around his waist as he carries you to the bedroom.
 âWell now you have all night.â
#na jaemin#jaemin#jaemin smut#nct dream#nct#nct dream smut#nct smut#i love jaemin sm#jaemin fluff#fluff#smut
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Mr. Know It All
Pairing: Taehyun x Reader
Summary: When you finally find yourself sleeping over at Taehyunâs dorm, you start to wonder if you and him could ever be something more serious.
Tropes: friends with benefits, mutual pining, angst, fluff, college AU, tutor!taehyun
Word Count: 1.2k
Warnings: mentions of sex (mdni), LOTS of overthinking
A/N: This is unedited and I wrote it all in one go lol <3
"And the songbirds are singing Like they know the score And I love you, I love you, I love you Like never before" âSongbird, Fleetwood Mac
Taehyun doesnât know how to tell you that things aren't and never have been casual between the two of you.
It started one rainy afternoon after a study session in the library. The two of you had run through the deluge into the safety of his dorm room, and when he peeled off his wet clothes to change, you didnât look away.
So, one semester later, right after youâve finished moaning his name, he struggles to find the words to ask you to stay the night.
He hates watching you gather up your things and leave, refusing to be held by him for even a moment after both of you have finished what you came here for.
âY/N,â he manages to get out, his voice barely above a whisper. You turn away from the door, your hair still messy, eyeliner smudged. âItâs raining.â
Itâs code for âI love you. Please donât leave.â
âRight,â you say, glancing out the window. Lightning flashes throughout the small dorm, with the crash of thunder following shortly after. Only a fool would leave in this weather. âI donât have an umbrella.â
âYou can stay,â Taehyun says, patting the bed beside him. You nod, crossing over and settling under the warm blanket. Despite how often youâre here in this position, itâs never under these circumstances.
âIt seems like the rain is always bringing us together,â you laugh. Youâre careful not to say anything loud enough for his roommate to hear through the walls, although in retrospect, youâve never considered your volume when in bed with Taehyun before.
Itâs awkward. Before any of this started, he was just the guy who helped you out with your math problem sets. Add in the perfect distraction from actually sitting down and having a conversation with each other, and you barely knew anything about him.
âI can sleep on the floor,â he offers, already sliding off of the twin sized mattress with a pillow in his arms. âI donât want to bother you.â
You note how between sleeping next to you and on the floor, heâs decided that the latter is more bearable.Â
Usually, the two of you are in perfect sync. He knows how to please you better than any other guy youâve been with, making sure to do things the exact way that you like. Sometimes, you worry that he doesnât think the same of you.
Are there other girls? You donât see him as often as youâd like to, but maybe heâs just busy with other things. Kang Taehyun, the chronic overachiever and golden boy of SNU. What would he even want with a girl like you?
Surely, he spends all of his free time studying and going to band practice, you tell yourself.
At this point, your racing thoughts are never going to let you fall asleep.
âTaehyun,â you say, hoping you arenât waking him up. You havenât taken your eyes off the ceiling since he moved to the floor, half out of guilt that heâs even down there, and half worried youâll catch yourself staring at him while he sleeps.
âYeah?â he answers, his voice low. You wonder what it sounds like when he sings with his band. Maybe, if he asks you to, youâll go to one of his concerts soon.
You hesitate, wondering whether or not heâll say yes. âCan you come back up here?â
When you hear him gather his things and stand up, you finally let out the breath that you've been holding. Within seconds, heâs climbing in next to you, his body warm and strong.
âAre you cold?â he asks, pulling the covers up over your collarbone. âSorry. I think the heater is broken and I havenât had time to call maintenance.â
âYeah, itâs a little chilly,â you confirm, although the temperature is fine. In fact, it might even be a little too hot.
âI can, uh,â Taehyun starts. Youâve never heard him stutter before. âI can hold you, if you want. That might help.â
âThat would be nice,â you say, mentally cringing at how formal the exchange is. He positions himself behind you, snaking his arm around your waist and pressing his chest against your back.
âIs this better?â he asks, his voice still shaky. You worry that this level of intimacy is making him uncomfortable, but he nestles his head over your shoulder in a way that makes you finally stop overthinking. Maybe, just maybe, he feels the same way you do.
âYes,â is all you manage to squeak out. He lets out a quiet laugh in relief before pressing a kiss into your shoulder blade. The small gesture sends a shockwave through your body.
âYouâre cute,â he says, snuggling into you further. Is this really what things would be like if you didnât run away after every hook up? It seems like second nature to him, making you question whether it actually means anything.
Still, he doesnât bother to touch you now like heâs always dying to after you show up to class in a short skirt or send him a risky text when you know heâs running office hours.Â
âI can hear you thinking,â he mutters, startling you. You break away from his grasp to turn and face him, his piercing eyes already fixed on you. âIs something wrong, Y/N?â
âNo,â you attempt to lie, although your face says otherwise. Taehyun feels you stiffen in his arms, your gaze locked on his.
âWe donât have to talk about it if you donât want to,â he concedes, his voice icy and monotone. âBut I know something is wrong.â
How could he know that? What could Taehyun possibly know about you besides what you look like with your clothes off?
When he first got assigned to tutor you, he had scolded you for being late, and again for being unorganized. If you donât open up to him now, he might actually revert to the same cold demeanor as before.Â
Even worse, he might stop meeting up with you. With the school year ending next month, youâll have no excuse to see each other anymore. The thought of being alone again brings you to tears.
Taehyunâs expression softens at the sight of you breaking down. âIâm sorry,â you cry, burying your face into his chest. His hand reaches up to stroke your hair, the other gently rubbing your back. âI donât know whatâs gotten into me tonight.â
âI do,â he sighs. You pull back just enough to look up at him through teary eyes. âI pushed things between us too far. I shouldâve known that you wanted to keep things casual. Iâm sorry, Y/N.â
You stare at him, awestruck at how wrong he is. You want nothing more than to know anything and everything about him.
Still, when you search for the right words to explain this, your brain draws a blank. The only thing you can do is cup his face and kiss him, your nerves finally settling when he melts into you.
Youâve kissed him hundreds of times by now, but this one feels like the first time.
It feels like forever before he pulls away from you, a wide grin on his face. âPlease, please, please let me take you out to dinner.â
âOkay,â you smile back, unable to contain your giddiness. âIâd like that very much.â
âTomorrow night?â he proposes. His eagerness makes you giggle. He might be the busiest person on campus, but heâll clear his entire schedule if it means he gets to spend time with you.
âSure,â you agree. âItâs a date. If we ever manage to get out of bed, that is.â
Taehyun laughs a little before pulling you into another kiss. By now, the rain has stopped, but you arenât going anywhere.
âââââ-
Taglist: @orangesodafoam @deezbutz28 @ur-mother-realnotclickbait @iyeeeverydee @internet-folks @darlingz99 @foxyjun @stardustmooncakes @giaalorine @beomgyubabybear @niningtori @goquokka @csbenthusiast @moarmyjkhk @lizdevorak @sooberryworld @lonelybutterflytae @midnight-mochii @theresawtf @nowadays56 @jjklvr9 @baekberrie
P.S.: Please shoot me an ask or a reply if youâd like to be added to (or removed from) the taglist! Also, I struggle to keep up with different lists for individual members, but if you really don't want to be tagged on all of my works, just let me know and I will do my best to make a note <3
#txt#tomorrow x together#txt imagines#txt fic#txt x reader#taehyun x reader#taehyun#kang taehyun#txt taehyun#taehyun fluff#taehyun smut#taehyun angst#txt fluff#txt angst#txt smut#taehyun imagines
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a lil bit of lore: Princess Luna had to banish her sister on the Sun for 1000 years Luna doesn't have enough power to hold the sun on the sky for long enough because Celestia being in her nightmare form (it's not a Day Breaker but I don't have a name for her yet eeeee like Supernova or smth???) weakens Luna's connection with the sun (and also Luna holds less magic power than Celestia in general) what's more Nightmare Celestia cursed Luna's ponies to be "the creatures of the darkness where you belong", turning them into Bat Ponies. most of the ponies in Equestria are bat ponies. Pegasy Unicorns and Earth ponies only comes from ancient pure blood families like Apples, Pies, Glimmers, etc some as Rainbow and Rarity mostly look as regular pegasys and unicorn but they can hold trates of the bat ponies (fangs, ears, sometimes wings) Bat ponies and the hybrids don't feel good enough during daytime (their eyes works so much better in the dark, they flies faster during night time and prefer lower temperature) and that's another reason why Princess Luna has to hold moon at the sky longer than sun Apple Jack
- She puts flowers in her mane in the memory of her mother. In this AU Pear Butter is a very cool genetic. She died when Apple Bloom turns 5 and Apple Jack (who just turned 15) left absolutely heart broken. However this tragedy made Apple siblings much stronger and they've become closer than ever. That's when Apple Jack finally gets her cutie mark, representing her bond with apple family (three apples represent Apple Bloom, Apple Jack and Big Mac) - Apple Jack is one of the ponies who doesn't really enjoy Luna's reign mostly because she is a farmer and it's hard for her to take care of the various apple trees during longer night time. - The Apple family is VERY conservative they are one of the very few families in Equestria who still grows original sorts apples (and other crops), including a super rare Zap Apples and that need extra care due the lack of sunlight. - one of the Apple family ancestors happened to be the leader of the earth ponies rebellion that happened in the first years of Luna's reign. Luna's spirit was broken after she had to banish her sister and things didn't go very well in her kingdom. Hundred of angered ponies led by the "iron mare" Red Delicious broke into the Castle of the two Sisters. The guards didn't even try to stop them. When ponies entered the throne room they saw The Princess of darkness, crying over her sister's broken throne. The room was filled with blooming Sunflowers, favorite flowers of Celestia. Then Luna turned to them and she spoke to them as a princess and they saw the power she holds and they realized she can destroy them all with a single spell. But she didn't. Red Delicious who was determined to fight "the princess of darkness" till the end finally saw the real Luna and she wasn't scared or angry anymore but started to feel the compassion for her. - Red Delicious herself helped Luna to make a plan on defeating hunger. Ponies were starving due the lack of crops and Red Delicious worked hard alongside with Luna to invent plants that would be able to grow effectively in the dark on the shortest time. Ponyville became the first night farmers city (very close to the Castle of the two sisters).Â
Rainbow Dash - Her full name is Rainbow Stormcloud Dash. - Her mother and father are both pegasy and her grand grand father is a hybrid bat pony (she likes him sooo much he is super cool) However, she doesn't have any trates of bat pony except of the ability to see in the dark and flying at night. - Rainbow mane in different varieties is a very rare gene that only exists in her blood line a very long time ago one of her ancestors tried to save his friend from a dragon and flied so fast he broke the laws of physics and a Sonic Rainboom happened.  After that his mane turned rainbow colored. Pegasus with a rainbow mane was born once in a generation since then but a very few of them were able to perform a Sonic Rainboom. - Rainbow Dash is the first pegasus in Equestria history who was able to perform the Nocturnal Rainboom. - Her dream is to become a Shadow Bolt. They are the best flyers in Equestria!!! And most of them are bat ponies because it's hard for a pegasus to perform bat's tricks. Not for Rainbow though!Â
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Double the trouble | Switch Up | n romanoff
Double the trouble AU
Summary: Yelena is back, the twins are older, and her scheming ways do nothing but backfire. a mother always knowsâŠ
Age: 8
Warnings: none
wc: 3.3k
note: hello! Iâm back with another little oneshot for DTT. Iâve missed writing tbh and although this isnât the best, Iâm pleased to finally write. Iâm sorry for keeping you waiting!
-â§-
Leaving the twins with Yelena was either the best idea or the worst idea Natasha had ever had. But with Wanda away visiting her brother, Natasha didnât really have much of a choice. Work didnât allow her to take time off like this, so she turned to the next best thing.
The blonde was as grumpy as anything until she was faced with the two bundles of joy that were her nieces. She hated kids, but Isla and Y/n were an exception. She opened the door with a huge grin as the twins came barreling towards her, crouching barely over the threshold to collect them in a hug.
Natasha hovered back by the stairs with a soft smile tugging at her lips. Despite having a rocky patch, she truly loved Yelena with all her heart. And seeing her girls happy was all that mattered. She wished she could stay, but with new development plans happening at the studio, she had to oversee the final meeting.
âAre you staying all day?â Isla asked, peering round to look at Yelenaâs truck parked in the driveway. âWhereâs Fanny?â
âIâll get her out in a minute, and yes I am, lucky duck.â The twins cheered at her response, their chatter tumbling over the top of each other as they bombarded their aunt with questions. Natasha quickly stepped in, taking them by the hand so Yelena could finally enter the house. After sending her girls over to the couch, Natasha pulled Yelena to one side, whispering in hushed voices.
âIt shouldnât take long, but in case Iâm held back, thereâs boxed mac and cheese in the cupboard and the girls made cookies last night so theyâre in the green jar.â
âMac and cheese, green jar, got it.â
âPlease donât give them too much sugar,â Natasha warned, knowing her sisterâs tendencies, âand they have been arguing a lot, so good luck.â She didnât really need to tell Yelena what to do, sheâd babysat since they were really little, but it gave Natasha a piece of mind to know they were well looked after.
âNatasha, theyâll be fine. Donât you trust me? Yelena asked with a grin.
âAbsolutely not.â
Yelena rolled her eyes, stuffing her hands into her pockets. âSo whoâs the troublemaker this time?â
âY/n has been in a mood for the past few days, so itâs currently her. Apparently Isla's existence annoys her.â As if on cue, a yell sounded from the living room and Natasha inwardly groaned. A moment of peace was never on the cards.
As she went to sort out whatever argument was occurring with her eight year olds, Yelena let Fanny out of the car and watched the Akita bound up the front steps, her tail wagging frantically. Any normal person would feel bad about the amount of hair she shed, but it only made Yelena laugh. She truly made every place her home.
The scene in the living room was absurd even for Yelena. Natasha was scolding a pouting Y/n whilst Isla cried in her arms, clutching something hidden behind her hair. Yelena hovered awkwardly, unsure how to approach, and Fanny did the same. It was almost like she could read the room.
Natasha, breathing a sigh of relief, gestured for Yelena to approach, to which she did. A sniffly Isla was pushed in her direction and the young girl lunged at her aunt, clinging to her waist with a sob.
âWhat happened?â Yelena mouthed, her eyebrows shooting up as Natasha held up what looked like a barbie doll. âWhereâs the hair?â
âThis one got scissor happy,â Natasha said exasperatedly, jabbing her thumb in Y/nâs direction.
âShe stole my barbie!â Y/n protested, folding her arms across her chest in a huff.
âNo!â Isla burst out,â thatâs mine!â
âWell I donât care, I was playing with it!â
âGet your own!â
Above their heads, Natasha gave Yelena a look. This is what she had been dealing with since Wanda left and although she hated leaving her kids, the bickering was starting to wear her down. It was Yelenaâs turn to handle it for once. She just hoped the house would still be standing when she got back.
âGirls, please,â Natasha sighed, standing up with the barbie in her hand. âMama has to go in a minute, and Iâm not having you acting up for Yelena.â She used her stern mom voice and Y/n paled, hating being told off. âY/n, can you apologise to Isla please.â
âNo.â
Natasha may have a soft spot for her youngest but the glare that crossed her features made the little girlâs eyes well up and she hung her head in shame. âY/nâŠâ Natasha warned, knowing what came next if she didnât start behaving.
âSorry,â Y/n mumbled, suddenly very interested in the sleeve of her pink sweater.
âGood,â Natasha stated, brushing off the dog hair from her sleek black suit trousers. âI want you two on your best behaviour, and Yelena will tell me everything that happens. If I find out that youâve been disrespectful and naughty, I will tell Mama. Okay?â
The girls mumbled in chorus, with Isla still clinging on to Yelena and Y/n standing by herself. It was just a phase, Natasha had to keep reminding herself that, but it certainly felt as though it was going to last forever. She wasnât the bad mom, but Y/nâs behaviour had been so bad lately that not a day went by where she wasnât being told off. It hurt her to see her daughter so upset, but Natasha stood strong. It was her own kindred spirit that she saw in Y/n, and now she understood why she was such a difficult child sometimes.
âWeâre going to have fun, right guys?â Yelena asked with extravagant enthusiasm, although the responses she got were far from it. âYou can go and do your boring adult stuff whilst the cool kids do⊠cool kid stuff.â
Natasha anxiously glanced at her kids, a wave of doubt washing over her. âAre you sure youâll be okay? I can cancel-â
âNatasha, go, Iâll be fine. Theyâre angels with me and Iâve got Fanny with me if it all goes wrong.â
The dog in question gave a small woof and Natasha eyed her warily, far more a cat person than a dog person. She wasnât totally convinced, but motherhood had made her anxious so she straightened out her jacket and nodded, psyching herself up.
âIâll be back by 5, 6 at the latest.â
âHave a good day Mama,â Y/n said quietly, trying desperately to get back on her good side. Having Wanda mad at her was bad enough, but having Natasha was the worst thing she could think of. And when her Mama crouched down and opened her arms, Y/n took her chance to get to the hug first, muttering another âsorryâ to try and make amends.
âBe good, girls. Iâll be home soon.â
âAunty Lena, does Mama hate me?â Y/n asked as the door closed. The blonde frowned and turned to her niece, her large green eyes piercing into the Russianâs soul.
âOf course not, little bug. But you have to start being nice to Isla, okay?â
âI know,â Y/n replied. âShe just really makes me mad.â
âThatâs what sisters do. Your mama and I used to fight all the time.â
Y/nâs eyes lit up. âYou did?â
âItâs totally normal, little bug. When your mama had blue hair, I used to tease her about it all the time.â
Islaâs head perked up at that. âMama had blue hair?â
âHas she never shown you pictures?â Yelena asked in disbelief. Both girls shook their heads and Yelena grinned. âIâll make some hot chocolate and I can show you. Your grandma put all our photos as kids in an album.â
The twins cheered loudly and ran to the kitchen, laughing with each other. It was such a stark contrast to earlier that Yelena had to do a double take at what she was witnessing.
âIâm glad youâre not this much work,â she muttered to Fanny, who barked happily at the noise. Kids really were hard work.
~~~
âLena, kick it!â Isla yelled across the garden, dancing around the goal whilst her aunt really took her time. She was doing it purely to mess with her niece, and it was working perfectly. With another yell, Isla sprinted out of the goal in an attempt to tackle, but Yelena took her chance and sent the ball flying into the goal with a thud.
âThatâs not fair!â She cried, running over to retrieve it.
âAnother point to Aunt Lena!â Y/n announced from her place at the side before launching into another back walkover. Sheâd only recently learned the skill at dance and was more than happy to do acro tricks whilst they played. As long as she kept score as promised.
âNo! That doesnât count,â Isla protested, one foot propped up on the ball. âShe cheated.â
âI didnât cheat, you just have no patience,â Yelena said sassily, propping a hand up on her hip. âYouâre not going to make a very good goal keeper.â
âI hate soccer anyway,â Isla grumbled, kicking the ball as hard as she could in Yelenaâs direction. âIt sucks.â
âItâs only because youâre bad at it,â Y/n piped up, now sitting on the porch steps after exhausting herself from cartwheels.
âYouâre worse!â Typical comeback but Yelena had had enough. With a roll of her eyes, she marched towards the goal, giving Isla a bump with her elbow as she walked past.
âNew game, Iâll be in goal and you have to work together to score. Deal?â
Isla shook her head. âIâm not playing with her, she canât even kick a ball!â
âI can too!â Y/n protested, sprinting up to her sister. âIâm better than you and I donât even have lessons.â
âThatâs so not true. You-â
âGuys!â Yelena shouted, her Russian accent thickly coating her words. âDo you ever stop this fighting? Itâs so annoying!â
The twins went silent, an uncommon phenomenon. Y/n muttered something under her breath but Yelena didnât have it in her to care anymore. Every time she babysat it made her more and more impressed at how Natasha did it. A true saint.
âNew rules. You have to pass it to each other before trying to score. If you donât, the point goes to me. Okay?â
âFine!â
Surprisingly, very few fights broke out over the course of the game. Isla did most of the scoring after Y/n well and truly botched her tries. But in her defence, her legs werenât made for kicking the shit out of a soccer ball.They were made for cartwheels, which Isla soon got fed up with.
After far too long outside, Yelena rounded them up and herded them back inside after teeth started chattering and Y/nâs soaked trouser legs from falling over were turning her lips slightly blue.
After a quick bath she sat them both on Islaâs bed and dug through her closet for some comfier clothes. After a few minutes she sat back on her knees, her mind racing.
âDo you guys match anymore?â
âEw,â Isla said, her nose scrunching. âNever. All Y/n wears is pink, and I hate pink.â
âYou also hate dresses too.â
Yelena was quiet for a moment, the cogs in her head turning. She turned around with a sheepish smile, almost shaking with excitement.
âI have an idea, but you need to cooperate⊠okay?â
~~~
Natasha sighed as she stepped out of her car, her breath forming a small cloud in front of her. It was far too cold for October and she rushed up the front steps to get inside. The building work was looking amazing and she knew Y/n was itching to get back to the studio just as much as she was (there was only so much kitchen ballet they could do).
It was eerily quiet as the front door opened, only her heels sounding on the wooden floor as she approached the kitchen. She wasnât met with a pile of bodies throwing themselves at her, which was probably more strange than the silence. Had she trusted Yelena too much and her sister had kidnapped her children and ran off to Russia? Honestly it wasnât such a surprising theory.
Empty kitchen⊠empty living room⊠this was weird. But the sound of giggles couldnât be hidden and Natasha kicked off her heels at the bottom of the stairs and took the stairs two at a time, her trousers straining around her thigh muscles. Islaâs laugh was the most distinguishable and she pushed the door open slowly, trying not to startle anyone.
The wholesome sight of the three of them sitting on the floor surrounded by stuffed animals was enough to melt Natashaâs heart and she smiled softly, leaning on the doorframe waiting for someone to notice her. And strangely it wasnât Y/n but Isla who jumped up first, almost stumbling over Fanny to get to her Mama with a shriek.
Natasha caught her daughter in her arms and pressed kisses all over her face, warmth flooding her body. She would never feel complete when she was away from her girls.
Y/n quickly joined in, wanting the same cuddles. Natasha crouched down and stroked their cheeks before pausing slightly, squinting. Something wasnât right and Yelenaâs overly wide grin didnât help her suspicions either. She stroked Islaâs hair with a chuckle and straightened up, her back aching from bending down so much.
âDid you girls have a good day?â She asked, watching as Y/n settled back on the floor beside Fanny. âYou both look happier than when I left.â
âWe played soccer and beat Aunt Lena!â Y/n piped up. âI scored all the goals.â
âNo, I helped too!â
Natasha didnât miss the way Yelena nudged her nieces or how their eyes went as wide as saucers. But the redhead just chuckled and took a seat on Islaâs bed, her legs slightly aching from standing all day.
Isla stood in front of her, clearly torn with where to go. Natasha knew she wanted to sit on her knee but watched as she settled beside Yelena again. It was impressive, Natasha gave her that much. Very dedicated to the cause.
âYou did? Well done baby. Have you behaved today?â
âTheyâve been angels, sestra, as usual. Itâs only you they are bad for.â Yelena had a shit eating grin and it took everything in Natasha not to launch a pillow at her head. But she could not condone aggression around her violent children anyway before Y/n got any more ideas.
âIs that right?â
âMama you had blue hair!â
If looks could kill, Yelena would be well and truly dead. If there was one thing Natasha hated, it was pictures of her younger self. She made far too many questionable decisions and went through one too many boxes of hair dye, so seeing pictures was a no no. Not even Wanda had seen many. And now her daughters had seen the worst ones which she was never going to live down.
âYelena Belova⊠what did you do.â
The blonde just shrugged and jumped up, causing Fanny to do the same. The queen of avoiding things. âWho wants Aunt Yelenaâs special mac and cheese?â
The twins both cheered and raced out of the room after their aunt, leaving Natasha slightly bewildered in the blue and white room. There were times where Natasha convinced herself that Yelena wasnât all that bad, and then she pulled stunts like this and put herself back on top of Natashaâs hit list. But that was never going to change.
âWhat else did you show my kids, Yelena?â
No reply. Typical.
Natasha truly was outnumbered when her sister was around. But then she remembered what was really going on and a small laugh escaped Natashaâs mouth. Adorable, really.
Y/n and Isla helped as much as they could to make dinner, including standing on a chair to stir the boiling noodles and dumping the cheese packets in when instructed. Natasha was banished to setting the table after Isla gave her a lecture about her inability to cook, clearly something else sheâd picked up from Yelena. But Natasha yielded, setting the cutlery down with a shake of her head. The longer it went on for, the more she tried not to laugh. And the more slip ups she noticed.
Like how Isla wouldnât stand on the chair because she was scared of heights, even though yesterday she climbed the largest tree in the backyard. And how Y/n stood still when waiting for her turn, when sheâd usually be twirling around with her apron. Natasha could only watch as Yelena heavily emphasised their names and the twins burst into giggles whenever they answered her. It was adorable to see and she couldnât wait to tell Wanda.
They ate in silence, which was usually the case when mac and cheese was involved. And the girls did very well, Natasha gave them that, until she pulled an admittedly evil move.
âHow about cookies?â Yelena asked once plates were cleared and the table was wiped down.
âIt sounds good to me,â Natasha agreed, grabbing the tin and sitting back at the table. âOne each, you too Yelena. And Y/n, you know the rules. You got in trouble today so you donât get a cookie.â
She slid the tin to Isla who happily reached in until a protest sounded from the girl next to her.
âThatâs not fair! Thatâs my cookie!â
Isla had already shoved her cookie in her mouth at this point, the crumbs sticking to her cheeks and the front of her shirt. She grinned happily, thankful she agreed to Yelenaâs scheming plot.
âMama! Thatâs mine!â
Natasha shook her head. âNo Y/n, those arenât the rules, you know that.â
Isla smacked her palm against the tabletop. âIâm not Y/n! She is!â She pointed at her sister harshly, who was licking the crumbs from her fingertips. âWe switched!â
âIsla!â Y/n whined, âYou werenât supposed to spoil it!â
âIâm not losing my cookie, give it to me!â
âNo,â Y/n said with a grin. âMama said you canât have one, so you canât.â
âI hate you!â
Natasha watched the scene unfold, with Yelena looking more and more concerned. The blonde turned to her sister for help, but was met with only a smirk and a raised eyebrow.
âDo something!â Yelena hissed, but Natasha shook her head.
âAbsolutely not,â Natasha said, leaning back in her chair. âItâs your mess, you fix it.â
âTell her Aunt Lena!â Isla cried, tears threatening to spill. âTell her Iâm Isla! Iâm not Y/n.â
Whilst Isla was nearing a breakdown, Y/nâs mean streak thickened. âThese cookies really are good.â
âMama please!â
Natasha rounded the table and placed a kiss on Islaâs forehead before passing her the biggest cookie from the tin. âHere baby, youâre okay,â she soothed, gently wiping her tears. âBut your Aunt is an idiot. I did know it was you all along Islâs, Iâm sorry baby.â She picked her daughter up and set her on her lap, holding her close as she ate her cookie.
Yelenaâs mouth fell open. âYou knew?â
âFrom the moment âIslaâ ran to me first.â Yelena hit the table, muttering âdammitâ under her breath. âA mother always know, Yel. Always.â
#double the trouble au#natasha romanoff#marvel#fanfic#natasha romanoff x reader#black widow#natasha romanoff fanfic#natasha romanoff imagine#natasha romanoff fic#natasha romanoff daughter#natasha romanoff x daughter!reader#wandanat x daughter!reader#wanda maximoff x daughter!reader#wanda maximoff#yelena belova
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Listen, I know itâs not my usual thing, but I just re-read Dark Matter by mysterycyclone (iconic, so good, incredible, Iâve reread this at least ten times) and this newer work, Help Me, I Donât Feel Like Myself Anymore by Astra_Nova_Kat (itâs off to a really good and fleshed out, very long start- itâs like 20k for the first chapter omg).
I just. Love?? Them??? Theyâre both, urg, so good. The writing style, the way the story moves, the natural progression of plot and their usage of tropes are so well done that rarely does it feel awkward. Amazing. Anyways, they inspired me to put my two cents into the proverbial offering hat and while this might not ever be a realized fanfic, here it is? This will have multiple parts.
Uh, Iâm basing Peterâs personality off of the really tired millennial energy Tobey Maguire gives, the awkward but well meaning disaster vibes of Andrew Garfield, and the sassy acrobatic chaos gremlin of Tom Holland. All kind of mushed together with the hyper competence and maturity of both the PS4 spidey and pretty much most spider people. Heâs 22, or something but that doesnât really matter?? Background doesnât really matter because Iâm basically making my own spider-verse. Spider⊠past? Eh. New Peter!
Spider in Gotham AU- Pt.1
[Pt.2]
ââ
Spider-Man swung through the skyscrapers of his city, enjoying the winds and sounds of New York as he kept a sharp eye out for crime.
He remembered doing this without any of the fancy tech his suit had now, when he was dressed in less protective clothing. God, 100% cotton while crime fighting? The spandex was better but god ugly.
His spider-sense blared. Spider-man quickly shot a web to the top of the building, going towards the danger instead of away from it.
He goes in feet first, years of knocking common thugs to legitimate gods to the ground making short work of the people on the roof top. He flips out of the way, dodging a blast of crackling green energy.
âHeyyyy, common robbers! Whatâs up with shiny lasers, huh? Breaking and entering not doing enough for ya?â
Spider-Man dodges a couple more shots, flipping again to knee a guy in the face, gently. The man goes down in one shot.
âStay still, you motherfucker!â
âDoes that actually work for you guys?? Like Iâm down to get killed but, man, Iâm not gonna stay still to get downed by some two bit thugs?â Spider-Man kept his words light and mocking, webbing up a laser gun and yanking it out of the womanâs hands. He punches her in the face and knocks her out, using the laser gun like a mildly bulky baton.
âEat shit, Spider-bitch!â
âOuch! Oh no, my feelings! Youâve hurt them!â Spider-Man shoots a web at the lady whoâd shouted and yanked, before smacking her straight down to the concrete of the rooftop. His hearing picked up two people coming up the stairway and Spider-Man tossed two web bombs, the metal mechanism attached itself to the wall, waiting for their unknowing victims.
Spider-Man ducked and weaved, downing goons as they piled on him while shooting bullets, lasers, and just charging at him with a bat or a crowbar. After eight years of pretty much this exact thing, Spider-Man had gotten the science of breaking up goon dog piles without hurting them too much to an exact measurement. He quipped at them until they got annoyed, which made them sloppy. Spider-Man sighed as another guy came at him with a crow bar and a gun that he was pretty sure was still stuck on safety. He crouched, kicking out their legs and dodging a swipe of a bat where his ribs would have been and webbed the guy to the floor. Yeah, heâll wrap this up and end patrol. Maybe he still had Mac nâ Cheese at home, or he could stop by Angeloâs for a sub?
Huh. His options for dinner was limited.
âTake this!â
Even without the forewarning of his spidey-sense, Spider-Man would have ducked out of the way regardless.
âShouting your sneak attacks isnât actually all that sneaky, you know!â Spider-Man kept his voice cheery and mocking.
âGet him!â
God, why were there so many people trying to break into an insurance company? This definitely doesnât smell like a regular B&E. With the shit heâs seen in New York, if it smells like a plot, acts like a plot, then itâs probably a villain with a tragic backstory with big, annoying plans.
Great.
Oh, speak of the devil!
âSpider-Man.â His senses blared.
He couldnât move out of the way fast enough, not without risking the life of the goon he was currently fighting, so Spider-Man took the blast the punched the breath out of his lungs. The wide eyes of the goon made up for some of the pain.
âUgh!â Spider-Man slammed into an HVAC, denting the metal. His suit, made special polymer blend from Wakanda that he saved for months to get, absorbed some of the shock. Shit, he hoped it didnât tear. It would be a bitch and a half to dip into the back up stock he had in his hammer space.
The goons left standing quickly rushed him and held him down to face the new boss.
âYouâve been getting on my nerves, Spider.â
âYeah,â Spider-Man coughed out, letting the two goons think they could hold him down on his knees as he recovered his breath. âI have that effect on people.â
âBut you could be an asset, if youâd join me?â
âUh, I donât join or sign things without knowing what Iâm joining or signing, my guy. My lawyer said so.â
The villain paused, helmeted head cocking to the side.
âYou have a lawyer?â
âYeah. Kind of? He does pro-bono work for the helpless cases. You know, like, a well meaning, crime fighting vigilante?â
ââŠDoes he do cases against insurance companies?â
âOh man, you too? Dude, this place sucks,â Spider-Man sighed.
âYouâve had trouble too? Then you must see why Iâm doing this!â
This was a bit weird, but if thereâs anything that brings people together, itâd be corrupt insurance companies. Heâs almost tempted to let them break in, just to be extra petty.
âNah, my neighbor? Sweet old lady. Theyâre screwing her out of her entire place. I totally get it, man. Hey, if you need a referral, you can tell my lawyer that Spider sent you. Heâs real good.â
âHow good?â The goons release him and Spider-Man stood up, stretching his limbs.
âLike, Dare Devil good.â
âYou know Matt Murdock??â
âSure do.â
âHe⊠heâll take on our cases?â
âDang, all of you?â
âYes. We can pool enough money to pay him for one or two.â
âNah, Iâm pretty sure heâll take you guys on for free. But it wouldnât hurt if you all went to meet him, just so he can decide which one of you has a higher chance to win in court?â
âWe will. Uh.â The villain paused sheepishly. Well, not a villain, more like an unfortunately angry and poor decision making citizen. âSorry about⊠you know, the blast.â
âItâs cool. I mean,â Spider-Man gestured to the rooftop, the bodies of unconscious people kind of laying around where he knocked them down. âYou guys might wanna check on them, yeah? Iâll let you go for now, but if you commit a B&E again, Iâll leave you webbed up for GCPD to find.â
âGot it. Sorry.â
Feeling good about himself, and plotting corporate espionage, Spider-Man went to help pry some people from his webs.
And of course, because Parker Luck kicks in only when Spider-Man felt like life was looking up for himself, Spider-Manâs senses blared once more as he knelt down to pull at some webbing.
âOh, shit!â He heard, right before a cold blast of something slammed right into his head, knocking him out.
And Spider-Man
F
E
L
L.
ââ
Larry looked at the the empty space where Spider-Man, the guy who took a hit from his bossâ blaster so he wouldnât get hurt, used to be.
He twisted.
âBoss, what the fuck?!â
âShit! That was accident!â Boss pulled herself up from the concrete, where she just ate dirt.
âWhere did he go?â
âI donât know, Larry! That was the experimental warped mode! Crap!â His boss scrambled with the controls, desperately trying to see if the magic gun her magician friend had handed her years ago had a reverse button. It didnât.
âWhy would you bring a test weapon into the field?!â
âI gave you all of my other ones!â She threw up her hands. âFuck, I feel so bad.â
Larry paled. âDude, Dare Devilâs gonna kill us.â
âHe doesnât kill!â His boss hesitated. âI think.â
Larry pointed to the empty space. âYeah? He might start with us. Spidey was a cool guy and you just disappeared him!â
âI know!â
Larry buried his head into his hands and tried not to hate himself for the entire situation.
ââ
Spider-man woke up, laid flat on the grimy ground of an alleyway.
âUgh. Just my luck.â He kept his eyes closed for just a beat longer to allow himself time before having to pull his shit together. Why was his voice high? And a bit squeaky? He pulled himself together.
âOkay.â He whispered to himself, before sitting up and taking stock of the situation.
First thing that hit him was that it stunk to high heavens. Gagging, Spider-Man looked to the right and- yeah, thatâll do it. He stood up on wobbly legs to try to move away from the overflowing dumpster.
Thatâs when the second, more important and decidedly more troublesome, observation hit him.
Heâs short. Shorter. And his suit was hanging off of him.
He could tell he still had his normal by now physiology, with the speeding heartbeat and the feeling of super strength. But heâs shorter. With a mounting sense of equal parts dread and resignation, he pulled at the hidden seam by his nape, relying on his both his enhanced senses and spidey-sense to tell if anyone was nearby or looking at him. He pulled the Spider-Man suit off, blankly folding it neatly as he stared dumbly at his hands. Theyâre small too. Shit. He stumbled to a nearby mud puddle and stared down, seeing his younger face in the contaminated water. Double shit.
Heâs starting to loose his composure. Heâd gone through a lot of bizarre things over the last eight years. But getting accidentally Detective Conanâed by a person he just helped was a new low.
The black under layer of his suit, a slash proof and fire resistant polymer Peter had designed himself in MITâs lab, was in a similar state.
With one hand, Peter Parker numbly rolled up his sleeves and pant hems. Great. Okay. Now what?
Ah. Shoes. He did not want to walk around in his too-big Spider-Man boots. He looked around. Well, thereâs the laces of what looked to be like a pair of dumpster shoes. âYeah, no.â
Shit. Does he still have access to his hammer space?
Peter reached into his pocket, and tried to reach for a pair of normal sneakers. His shoulder slumped as he produced a pair. Fuck yes. He still has access! And shoes! Theyâre ones he took off of a power line for a well off kid who didnât want it anymore. He was going to donate them to F. E. A. S. T. but heâs thanking the stars he procrastinated a bit on swinging by the center. He put them on. Theyâre a bit big, but itâs better than the giant-in-comparison ones he normally wears. You know, as an adult.
He hesitated with his mask. He should at least figure out where he is. He hoped it was still in the states. His mask blinked, the HUD in his lenses informing him that it was trying to find a connection. âThatâs weird.â He paused, grimacing at the sound of his voice. But it is weird, because he had his mask automatically connected to the world wide satellites Tony Stark had sent circling the globe for citizens without internet access as a back up option. So either he was somewhere even the Stark Satellites couldnât reach orâŠ
Peter swallowed, his mask pinging as it found a connection to piggy back on. He clicked his tongue twice to activate the voice controls.
âConnect to the local maps. Where am I?â
His masked followed the order. [Gotham. New Jersey.]
Peter stared at the words, gut churning.
Good news, he was still in the States. Bad news? Heâs shrunk, in a totally different state, and possibly in a different world because heâs not connected to the Stark Satellites he knew operated in New Jersey.
Peter Parker tilted his head back and allowed himself one verbal, panic level six and up, curse word.
âFuck.â
He took off his mask and leaned against a slightly cleaner part of the wall before hyperventilating.
ââ
Half an hour later, Peter smacked himself on the cheeks and pulled himself together.
âYouâre Spider-Man,â he hissed to himself. âHave a mental breakdown somewhere warm, you dumbass.â
Peter Parker was a champion, world class expert at compartmentalization.
He slipped his mask back on, and pulled up his âSo Youâre Stuck in an Alternate Universeâ list he had made with Ned so many years ago when they were high school kids and going through comic books to make contingencies because Peter was a little idiot vigilante hero.
âI didnât think Iâd actually ever need this kind of thing.â Peter muttered. He slipped his black back up gloves on to connect to his maskâs display in order to type.
âOkay,â he glanced at the side by side screens in his lenses. âMoney.â
Five things.
1) The emergency cash heâd stashed on him thankfull matched the pictures of cash heâd found on this worldâs internet. Yay!
2) He had $1000 tucked away. Not yay. Not if this might be a long term stay before he got back to his own dimension. Not if he wanted a place to sleep.
3) Luckily, thanks to his earlier search of where the hell he was, Peter figured out that due to the high crime rates- âDang, thatâs worse than New York on New Yearâs Eve,â he had marveled- Gotham was dirt cheap and that that meant 1k dollars could actually last him a while and he could afford a room for a month on $250. A whole ass apartment for $550. Peter seriously considered staying in this universe just for the rent prices. So what if thereâs rampant crimes? Heâd deal with it if the rent was that cheap.
4) Problem? Heâs fucking tiny. Who would rent to a person that looked like child? Not anyone upstanding, thatâs for sure. Heâs more likely to get mugged. Counterpoint: heâs in a city where apparently shady people are all around. Also? He doesnât have an identity.
5) If the fact that he couldnât connect to the Stark Satellites didnât convince him he was either in another universe or an alternate dimension, the visual graphics of the websites he visited would. It was like looking at Windows in the early way before Stark Co. bought them out and improved the design. Nauseating.
Okay, so, moneyâs not too urgent of an issue. Next on Nedâs list: Places of Interest.
Namely, libraries, homeless shelters, crime hotspots, and the like.
Peter snorted when he came across an opinions article talking about how Park Row became Crime Alley. And then he frowned, because that story was not painting this place to be even remotely nice. Then again, considering the crime rates and the various Rogues this place seemed to have in spades, that wasnât much of a surprise. Peter marks the place in his new mental map of Gotham as a potential area he could either disappear to or get a new identity at. He then marked the libraries, Gotham City Public Library and its many branches all funded by generous donations from a Bruce Wayne, the Martha Wayne foundationsâ shelters and charities, two supermarkets near the library, and a coffee shop he thought looked warm and cozy from the shitty pictures they have uploaded online. He needed coffee, dammit, and he needed it hours ago. Alas, he probably wouldnât get to go to one until he secured his finances.
Well, itâs not like he doesnât have practice being poor.
3) Which brings him up to Nedâs next, surprisingly reasonable for a teenager hoped up on a mountain load of sugar, point. Level of Tech.
Peter hid next to the dumpster, melding in with the shadows, as he continued his research.
Tech here was⊠well, he probably wouldnât have to worry. The thought of not having a Starkphone, even his older model, was painful considering the new versions of these WaynePhones were really⊠behind. Peter doesnât remember the last time he had buttons on his phone or let alone a touch screen that didnât use facial tracking and biometrics or even have a holographic display mode.
âUgh. Okay. Not the end of the world, Parker.â Peter muttered.
Now⊠People of Interest.
This was underlined three times with Nedâs red pens, with extensive subcategories.
Subcategory A? Villains, because âwhat if they put out a warning for a known villain and you get your butt kicked because you didnât know about them, Peter? Wouldnât that be embarrassing?â
He had replied, half focused on the list and the other on savoring the Millennium Falcon Lego set May had saved up for months to get him for his birthday, âI feel like if I was getting my butt kicked by a villain, Iâd probably have better things to worry about than my utter humiliation, Ned.â
âTrue that,â Ned had snicked and jotted it down anyways.
And⊠well, Gotham had a lot of villains. The Joker (ew, thatâs a crusty man in crustier face paint. This guy could learn so much from the cool mimes busking in Central Park. Like, how to do face paint. Or how not to be a massive murderous jerk. Thereâs Clayface, Two-Face, a bald guy in âMetropolisâ (a name Peter couldnât help but snort at because a city named city? Thatâs like naâan bread being bread bread. Or chai tea being tea tea) named Lex Luthor, and Scarecrow. He tabbed all of them and marked them for further perusal at a later date. From experience, he knew villains with a prominent M.O. and themes usually did more damage. Case in point: Rhino, and the million dollars of property damage the guy did everytime he escaped the Raft. Peter was seriously considering petitioning for the Raft to be placed further out just so he could have more warning the next time some assholes decided to free the prisoners and helped them escape.
He narrowed his eyes at the screen, his maskâs lenses following the movement. Heâll have to pick up a gas mask. Apparently bio-weapons are just a regular thing here and he really didnât want to get dosed with this âfear toxin.â Itâd be dangerous for everyone involved. Maybe if he gets his hands on a sample, he could build up tolerance and see how his immune system and metabolic rates affected the normal progression of the toxin. Ah, off topic. Heâs gotta focus.
Subcategory B: Local celebrities.
âWhy would I need to know local celebrities?â Heâd asked.
âIf someone came up to you and asked âWhoâs Tony Stark?â, wouldnât you clock that as super weird? You gotta blend in, Peter. Plus, you gotta keep up with the pop culture, dude. Itâs important.â
âYou just want alternate universe memes,â Peter grinned.
âThat too. If you ever go to an alternate universe and come back, youâd better bring me a truckload of memes or Iâll never forgive you.â
Yeah. So. Wayne? Super important. Like Tony Stark levels of important. He found threads about them and the local vigilantes and their charity works. Peterâs brain instantly catalogued the info, all but memorizing the deluge of pictures he found of Bruce Wayne and his kids. Maybe the man had an adoption problem? Conspiracy threads and memes popped up alongside his research. He tabbed one on secret societies, because as Spiderman, he had fought a disturbing amount of secret societies that, on hindsight, had been theorized about on threads heâs read on his free time. Somehow, somewhere, somewhen, a conspiracy theorist could be right. Peterâs not about to dismiss that. He also saved like thirty different memes to send to Ned when he got back. If he got back.
Peter smacked that thought away. Heâll get back to his city or die trying.
Subcategory C, underlined and starred: Other Superheroes and Vigilantes.
Yeah, Peterâs excited about this one too. After Matt stopped being Dare Devil (but did he actually ever stop?) and Wade dipping in and out of NY, Peterâs gotten lonely as Spider-Man. He missed training with them. Of course, the fantastic four were still operating, but he doesnât actually interact with them or the Avengers at all. Miles hasnât been cleared (by his mom) to go out as Spiderman with near as many hours as Peter cleared a night. Peter stood behind that because he remembered how horrible it was to work as Spiderman and try to balance school on top of it. Also, he was terrified of Mrs. Morales and would never endanger her son more than he already does. He did wave to Black Widow from a rooftop once, spider to spider, and that was pretty much the coolest moment of his life.
So. Uh. The amount of vigilantes and heroes in this world? Amazing. In Gotham? Thereâs like, a whole team of them.
Batman, Nightwing (who, Username: Draken Draken had theorized, was the first iteration of Batmanâs sidekick Robin), Red Hood, Black Canary, Huntress, Red Robin, Spoiler, the âday vigilanteâ Signal, the current Robin, and whispers of a âBlack Bat.â
And their unfortunate âNo Metaâ rule with the singular exception of Signal. Peter figured their term of Meta was essentially the same thing as his worldâs mutants. Heâs not sure which term he liked more. Eh, heâll worry about that later.
And thereâs a Justice League! Which, to Peter, is just a bigger Avengers. Thereâs aliens on this world too. Superman. Martian Manhunter.
Peter grinned from his place crouched next to the dumpster. Yeah, this is awesome. He quickly memorized everything he could find, cross referencing posts and picking out the nuggets of truth or at least popular truth from the posts he viewed. Like, Red Hood operated in Crime Alley and was a crime boss with morals. Cool.
Heâll go down the spiral later. He mentally thanked Ned who was the best guy in the chair a teenage vigilante could ask for. He should really text his friend when he got back.
For now, heâll head to the library and see if he could use their computers. He might need a card though⊠Peter quickly pulled up the search engine and found an Internet cafe. Ah, 24 hour internet cafes, the savior of his college days. There first, and then library, Peter decided. He memorized the instructions and pulled his mask off, tucking it away in the hammer space.
He walked out the alley and turned left, only to double take at his reflection in a shop window that was partially boarded up. Holy shit, heâs a baby. Heâs like. 10!
Oh my god.
Peter twitched, tearing himself away from the window before the shop owner decided he was less curious and more potential mugger before promptly remembering that he looked less of a threat than ever. Mixed feelings.
Peter hurried his way to the internet cafe, paying the guy at the front a little extra so heâd ignore the obvious minor without a guardian thing Peter hasnât gotten used to. Ugh. That was going to be annoying. He only paid for two hours and pulled up as many listings for a room as possible. By the end of it, he came out with $1 worth of fliers printed out and having funneled some billionaireâs offshore accounts into a new bank account heâd made by hacking into the bank servers. Does he feel bad about stealing? Yeah. But Peterâs a vigilante. Heâs done worse than nabbing a monthly sum of a couple of hundreds from Lex Luthorâs off shore accounts. Heâs not gonna get caught, and considering the guyâs rants on meta humans, Peterâs not feeling particularly guilty about it. Heâll do something good later to make up for it. Once he gets his footholds and can prepare his way back, heâll even return to the rest of the money. Probably.
Peter left the cafe with his sheaf of flyers, stopping by an informational stand with free tourist maps and plucked one quickly from its plastic holder. Heâll pick something up from the food vendors on his way to the apartments. Peter began walking, taking in the sights of the gargoyles and-
âNope!â He caught the wrist of a pickpocket. Itâs a kid and he immediately felt bad.
âLemme go. I ainât done nothing to ya, ya Yorker tourist.â
âOkay,â Peter shrugged. âDonât get caught the next time?â
The kid gaped at him. âShiâ, you must be really good at it. Iâve never been caught before.â
Peter wisely refrained from telling the kid it was due to his spidey-sense. He let go of the kidâs wrist and let a bit more of his accent out. âWhyâd you need money anyways?â
âFood, duh.â
âDude, Iâm starving. Tell you what. You show me the best sub shop nearby and Iâll pay for your food. Deal?â
The kid stared at him, wide eyed. âYouâre fuckinâ nuts. Whyâre you being nice?â
âIâm hungry? Do we have a deal, kid?â
â⊠Fuck it. Fine. And donât call me kid, shrimp. Youâre like what, eight?â
Oh. Yeah. Peterâs a kid now. He shrugged.
âIâm older than you. Iâm twelve.â
Peter blinked, frowning at how thin the kidâs wrists were.
âIâm Peter!â
â⊠Frank.â
He let Frank lead the way. Stranger danger doesnât apply to him, heâs a grown ass man. In the body of a ten year old him, but still. A couple of minutes, four sandwiches and a load of chips later, Frank was watching wide eyed as he demolished three four dollar subs.
âHoly shit. Where are you packing that away? Youâre a stick!â
Peter took a big bite of the sandwich as an answer. Frank looked down at his meal.
âUh. Hey.â
Peter made a muffled noise of question, mouth stuffed full of steak and cheese.
âSorry about. Uh. Trynna nick from ya.â
Peter chewed faster.
Frank continued, looking like he hated himself. âI wouldnât⊠normally steal from shrimps like you but I was desperate and⊠really hungry, so. My bad.â
Peter finished chewing. âAll good, dude. Eat your sandwich.â
Peter had the sudden urge to adopt Frank. Unlike Wayne, heâs not a billionaire, so he smacked that urge down. He could use a friend though. Now⊠how to be friends with a literal child!
âIf you feel that bad about it, you could⊠be my friend?â
Peter took in the wide eyed gaze from the twelve year old in front of him. Abort! Abort! That was too direct!
âYouâre fucking weird. But⊠okay.â
âThat was easy.â
Frank scowled, kicking Peterâs shin.
âOw!â
âWhatever, shrimp.â
Peter scowled. On his baby face, it came out as a pout.
Do not start beef with a twelve year old, Peter. Youâre a grown ass adult.
âHey, you know Iâm new here, right?â
âDuh.â Frank took a bite of his food.
âCan you tell me which one of these are legit?â Peter handed Frank the flyers. He took them, an odd look passing his face.
âYouâre looking for a place?â
âYeah? Why?â
Frank stared at him. Looked back down. He instantly got rid of four listings out of the ten. âThese are too close to the Alley. Theyâre probably traffickers.â
Peter hummed in agreement. Frank paused.
âYouâre just gonna trust me on that?â
âYeah? I can tell when people are lying.â Well, his spidey sense could, when he cared enough about the subject.
âWhat the fuck.â Frank shoved the rest the papers at him and guiltily munched on his food. âAre Yorkers all just like you?â
âDunno? Probably not.â
â⊠Whatever. The rest of the places should work. They probably wonât ask questions.â Frank flapped a hand at Peterâs new situation. Yeah, the shortness was getting to him too.
Peter nodded. Obviously, they were the more expensive places, but considering the new found resources heâd⊠acquired during his time at the cafe, it doesnât really matter.
âCool! Wanna go see it with me?â
Frank immediately took on a suspicious glare. âWhy?â
âI dunno? You donât have to if you donât want to. I just thought since you know your way aroundâŠâ
âUgh. Fine. But if thereâs anything shady, Iâm fucking dipping out.â
âOkay!â Peter grinned for the first time the couple of hours heâd been trapped in this new world.
ââ
Theyâd found an apartment with a landlord that got a weird, sad face when she was talking to them about the apartment. After like, an hour of walking around and Peterâs spidey sense screaming at him not to even go near the places Frank had left in the pile of maybeâs.
âWe walked all the way here. Ya not even gonna go in?â
âThe vibes are off. Itâs a no.â
And because Peterâs a genius idiot with no self preservation, heâd marked the places to investigate later.
Frank had blinked at him, mildly offended and nonplussed. After a while of spluttering, he just gave up. Eventually, they got here.
âI donât normally rent to kids,â the landlord lady said. Peter immediately liked her. âBut Iâll make an exception if youâve got the cash.â
âIâd like to see the unit first, pleaseâ Peter said. Heâs not stupid, and Gothamâs renting scene is both easier and harder than New York.
They toured it. Peter? Heâd seen worse. Heâd lived worse. Also, it had two bedroom and was $620. Yeah, Peter was really considering just staying here full time and commuting to his New York when he wanted to be a vigilante.
âIâll take it, maâam.â The landlord and Frank both snorted, sharing a Gothamite look.
âItâs Georgie, to you, brat. You just need the first monthâs rent, since Iâll wave the deposit for you shrimps. Utilities included. Your friend stayinâ?â
âNo-â Frank had started.
âYep!â Peter beamed, interrupting his new friend.
âWhat?â Frank turned, gaping again at this weird little kid who had enough money to rent a place and then invited a whole ass street kid he just met to live with him. âAre you stupid?! What if I rob you? Huh? I donât need charity!â
Peter slowly looked around the empty unit.
âUh.â
âNo, thatâs not the point!â Frank pointed a finger at Peter. âThatâs how you get yourself killed!â
âBut thatâs why you should stay! I donât know my way around Gotham soâŠâ
Peter looked up at Frank, using his shortness for maximum devastation. âPlease?â
Georgie leaned back on the heels of her feet, silently laughing. Itâs not every day she sees a Gothamite street kid get out stubborned by an outsider, but she knows better than anyone that Gotham is weak to genuine kindness. And this Peter kid, the one that reminds her so much of her own? Heâs practically filled with it.
âYeah, kid,â she said to Frank, snickering. âLook at him. Heâs gonna get mugged two steps into the Alley. Or anywhere.â
Frank flailed, but eventually, Peter handed over the money to an amused Georgie who gave them two keys in return and a move in gift of a pot pie.
âI gotta. Uh. Go get my stuff.â Frank had mumbled, dazed at whatever the hell just happened.
âOkay! Iâll see if I can go get furniture!â
âAnd lift them with your shrimpy arm? You wish.â
âI can use a cart.â
And really, he could, because Gotham had a lot of abandoned carts laying around. Like a concerning amount.
âCan you even reach the handle?â
âIâm not that short!â
Frank snorted, Georgieâs own chuckles following a beat after. Peter scowled at them.
âBe right back,â Frank promised, holding the key like it was treasure. He had been homeless for two and a half years now, so in his eyes, that key was as good as gold. He had somewhere warm to stay. Trying to pickpocket Peter was the best mistake heâs ever made in his short life. But he didnât want to take advantage of that, well, no, he did want to, but he doesnât want to take the genuine kindness for granted so heâll see if thereâs any street furniture he could haul back on his way.
âOkay!â
Georgie watched him go and turned to Peter.
âIf you need stuff, thereâs a thrift store and a grocery store that way.â She gave him the directions.
ââ
As soon as Frank and Georgie left, Peter immediately left his new place (and holy shit, he really didnât expect things to be this easy. In New York, he had to spend at least a week checking out places because he had to figure out whether the problem that cause subtle twinges with his spider sense was worth living with. Here? Itâs too obvious.) to buy supplies. He had $400. Until his new card came in, at least. Heâd put his new address into that bank account addressed to a âAnthony Benjaminâ before ordering a âreplacement card.â
Peter ran to the thrift store, hurrying before the last traces of the sun dipped below the smog of Gotham. A frankly absurd amount of blankets, towels, pillows, clothes, packaged boxers, socks and shoes around his size went into the cart. To his chagrin, Peter couldnât actually see much over the cart. Why the hell was he such a short ten year old? He blasted through the store, also guesstimating Frankâs sizes. He tossed in curtains, a used set of glow in the dark stars, and a lamp.
He also grabbed mismatched mugs, bowls, a bundle of cutlery, and a dented microwave he casually pretended to struggle getting onto the bottom part of the cart. Itâs like lifting grapes for him, but he looks like a ten year old soâŠ
He, guiltily, bought a mildly fancy camera in a set, with two separate lenses, even if one was cracked.
Not bad, for $150 total. Peter is going to definitely seriously consider commuting to New York. They didnât even care when he walked out with the cart! Well, that might be because of the cashier who gave him a pitying glance.
He stopped by a general store on the way back, parking his cart in a rapidly shadowy alleyway. He swung by the new section of the store that reminded him of a Dollar Tree and got cleaning supplies, toiletries, and two pans and a pot. He grabbed some canned food and a couple of frozen meals in the back. Seasonings, ramen, general pantry staples went in. A role of paper towel. Nice. Venom would have loved this store. With half of his budget blown for essentials, Peter quickly cut his spending off and
He quickly gathered his stuff and went back to the apartment, using his strength a bit to lift the full cart up the stairs at the front doors and into the elevator. It creaked like the first time they used it to go see the apartment, but it worked. Peter set everything up in the living room, pillow and blanket wise, and put everything in its proper place. The lamp was put up, giving more light than the old bulb in the ceiling light.
All Peter wanted to do was pass out, but since his dumbass took in a child, he couldnât sleep until this place was relatively fit for a kid to live in. He also wanted to wait for
So, thatâs what he did. Taking a sponge and the cleaning supplies heâd picked up earlier, Peter tackled the living room, scrubbing away at old stains and spraying mildew. He marked trouble spots- like that splinter worthy piece of floor next to the doorway leading to the hall between the bedrooms. Then the kitchen. By the time Frank cautiously peeked his head in from the front door, Peter had already finished scrubbing the over.
âHey.â
Peter turned, grime on his face but grinning. âHey!â I bought some stuff!â
Frank snorted at his face before glancing around the living room, eyeing the cart parked neatly on the side.
âSo you did. Didnât get mugged, did ya?â
âRude. No, of course not.â
Frank gave him a⊠frankly⊠unimpressed look and dumped his bag next to the pile of blankets and pillows Peter had piled onto the floor. Sue hiâ, they didnât have beds yet.
âGot somethinâ for ya,â Frank said neutrally before dragging inâŠ
âA coffee table!â Peter bounced towards Frank, hugging him before lugging in the heavy wooden table in. âYouâre the best! Whereâd you find it?!â
The tension, anxiety about Peterâs reaction, in Frankâs shoulders relaxed and the kid grinned. âAlley. Some asshole just left it there for anyone to hit with their car so I took it.â
âNice! We can eat on this!â
ââ
When they were getting ready for bed, Peter insisting on showers for both of them, Frank had reared up at the clothes Peter bought for him. Peter pretended like he didnât see anything and shove a whole tube of toothpaste and a new toothbrush at him.
âEw. Do I have to?â Frank asked, wrinkling his nose but taking the items anyways.
âYeah.â Peter said seriously. Frank gave a moment to wonder why he was taking orders from an eight year old before shrugging. He could brush his teeth in exchange for a roof over his head, food, and clothes. Itâs not even a fair trade, for Peter, anyways. Frank was enough of an alley rat to take advantage of that.
ââ
When Frank passed out, Peter couldnât sleep. Heâs exhausted, but he couldnât sleep.
So he took his new camera and climbed the fire escape to the roof top.
An hour later, he met his first vigilante.
âHey, kiddo. Iâm gonna need you to back away from the edge.â
âWoah!â Peter startled, jolting slightly off of the ledge he was balanced on. He twisted around to see Red Robin, hand outstretched and panicked look in his eyes.
âDude. Warn a guy!â Peter said, even though his spider sense warned him of an approaching person that was actively watching him.
Red Robin held his hands up. âMy bad. Would you- uh, not be on that ledge?â
âYeah, sure. My bad, bro.â Peter obligingly stood up and stepped away from the ledge. Red Robin relaxed then did a double take. Peter frowned. Is there something on his face?
âWhat are you doing up here, kiddo? Itâs late.â
Peter decided to scope out the vigilante. âCouldnât sleep,â he held up his camera. âIâm taking pictures.â
âOh. Thatâs cool! Can I see?â Red Robin approached warily, but relaxed when Peter didnât spook and try to take a shortcut to ground floor.
âSure! Itâs a new, well, not new but new to me, camera so I havenât had all that time to mess with the specs but the pictures turned out pretty good-â
âOh, woah. This oneâs great. That composition? Amazing. You caught the light perfectly,â Red Robin complimented. Peter brightened, knowing a photography fan when he hears one.
âPhotography buddy!â He cheered.
They talked for an hour after that, but Red Robin quickly sent him to bed once he remembered the time.
âAh, shi- crap. Itâs like 2AM. Youâve gotta go to bed.â
âOh, yeah. Sorry if I interrupted your patrol, Mr. Red Robin!â
âNo problem, kid.â Peter slipped back down the fire escape, not caring if the vigilante saw where he lived.
ââ
Up on the rooftop, Red Robin pressed a hand to his comm.
âRed Robin to Nightwing.â
âWhatâs up, Red?â
âDo you have a kid you donât know about?â Tim said, bluntly.
â⊠What?â
âOracle, can you share my cowl footage?â
âCopy. Oh, that kidâŠâ
âLooks exactly like Wing?â Tim said, peering down at the empty fire escape. âYeah. Talked like him too.â
âOh my god, heâs adorable.â Oracle said. Tim agreed. That curly hair? Baby face? Adorable. A bean. âDid you get DNA?â
âAh, shit, I knew I forgot something.â
âDo not break into his place and nab a hair,â Nightwing reprimanded, but his voice sounded distracted.
âHoly shit, you guys nerded out about camera placement and lighting for an hour?â Hood piped up.
âGet some rest, Red Robin. Youâve been working too hard,â Batman grunted through the comms. Awkward⊠but heâs been getting better at communicating his worry for his kids.
âSure thing, B. Heading back to the main cave. Red Robin out.
ââ
Peter: lay low and get home
Also Peter: talks to a vigilante
None of them think Peterâs Nightwingâs yet. Peter will know before them⊠eventually. Once this worldâs version of him gives up his memories to be absorbed by AU Peter.
#batman#peter parker#dc x marvel#Peter Parker gets yeeted into Gotham#spiderman#oc#red robin#dark matter#inspidered by the fic dark matter#yes thatâs a pun#dick Grayson#nightwing#dick grayson is Richard Parker#richard parker#Oracle#Jason Todd#red hood#tfw you get conanâed#Peter: making friends one roof top at a time#Spider in Gotham AU
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Masterlist
WandaNat x Reader
Sugar, Sugar AU
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 (ongoing)
summary: After losing your job, you are desperate to come up with some money. Your best friend Kate signs you up for a sugar baby app where you meet Wanda and Natasha, who eventually become your sugar mommies.
Wanda x Reader
Lovers, Vampires, Strangers Part 1 Part 2 (ongoing)
summary: this story starts in the year 1850. You and your girlfriend Wanda are happy together. You have everything you could ever want, until she secretly turns you into a vampire. After a horrible accident, you leave her and that life behind. Now 173 years later, she's come to ask you for help.
While You Were Sleeping
summary: You work for the transit authority as an attendant in NYC where you see glimpses of Natasha everyday as she waits for the subway. You slowly gain a crush on the woman and fantasize about crazy things like marrying her or being in love with her, but you know realistically that would never happen. Itâs just a way for you to pass the time. One day while waiting for the subway Natasha is mugged and left unconscious, which leads to a case of mistaken identity at the hospital where they assume that you are Natashaâs fiancĂ©e. You become caught up in everything and become too scared to tell the truth. Pretty soon you're hanging out with Natasha's family, but the longer you hang out with them, the more you fall in love with them, and especially one person in particular.
Right Where You Left Me
summary: Wanda is your maid who you fall head over heels for. But like all good things, you knew it wouldn't last. You knew your life was already decided for you, but that didn't mean you couldn't enjoy your time with her while it lasts.
Why Won't You Love Me
summary: You can tell your relationship is falling apart, but maybe there's still some hope for it.
Pray and I Shall Answer Thee Part 1 Part 2 (complete)
summary: Night after night you pray to the goddess of love with no response. After years of doing so with no answer, you become an unbeliever. Only after you have forsaken her does she make you a believer again.
Family Lines
summary: Your relationship with your family has never been good, but after Wanda insists on going to see them you can't say no. You watch as she falls for their charm until their façade cracks.
Mommy's Milk
summary: Wanda tricks you into sucking on her boobs and you get a shocking surprise
Natasha x Reader
Scream
summary: After the gruesome murder of your fellow classmates, Jean and Charles, everyone is on high alert. The police tell everyone to stay inside, but your friends decide a party is just what you all need. It's not like the killer will be there, right?
If You're Gonna Lie
summary: you know she's cheating, but you'd rather hear her lies than leave her
Drunk and Needy
summary: after a night of drinking you cling to your girlfriend Natasha
Do You Like Me Baby?
summary: Natasha teases you after you lie and tell her you donât like her
I Can Fix Her (No Really I Can)
summary: Your girlfriend catches you talking about how soft she has gotten in front of her gang members. She has a reputation to protect, so sheâs determined to prove you wrong
Kate Bishop x Reader
Taking Care of Her
summary: Kate comes home after a rough mission and you take care of her
Just a Little Bit of Your Heart part 1 part 2 (complete)
summary: You know you're not her only lover, but as long as she stays with you you're content with ignoring her infidelity.
You Donât Go To Parties Anymore
summary: Kate looks for you at her birthday party and then remembers she ruined the relationship the two of you once had
Yelena Belova x Reader
Mac and Cheese
summary: After eating mac and cheese for the past few nights, you get sick of it. Your girlfriend, however, does not.
Villanelle x Reader
Date Night & Murder
summary: What a date night between two assassins looks like
#wandanat x reader#marvel#mcu#masterlist#wanda x reader#natasha x reader#wanda maximoff x reader#scarlet witch x reader#natasha romanoff x reader#black widow x reader#villanelle x reader#killing Eve
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like rain, we fell (in love)
Characters: idol!Jaehyun & female reader
Setting & genre: idol au with simpism and loserism, an attempt at comedy, very heavily inspired by Lovely Runner
Summary: Jaehyun met you on a rainy day before debut. Almost 5 years later he is an established name in the industry, the nationâs puppy boyfriend. When he meets you again, idol image be damned he wonât miss this chance.
Warnings: birth names are used, mentions of uncertainty, dieting, stress, exhaustion, sasaengs and similar things idol life can bring; idol life and dating culture is still taken a lot lighter than reality to spare the angst. there is one drunk man threatening the mc at one point but nothing physical happens. after the time skip, the boys are aged up because weâre fast forwarding to 2027 which also means there are a bunch of made up things about bndâs future. even though i tried my best to research predebut things, this fic in no way tries to depict real lives. all characters are fictional and not actual representation of the boys.
Words: 9.7k
Authorâs note: ever since i finished the drama i had the idea written down with an idol mentioning his first love on live just like how Ryu Sunjae did. initially it wasnât for Jaehyun but then he dropped his Sonaki cover and he gives off the vibes, doesnât he? when the MAC advertisement is mentioned, imagine something like this
@restlessmaknae at this point, i'm not even saying anything... just enjoy <3
3 MONTHS BEFORE DEBUT
It was raining on the day Myung Jaehyun met you.
It was a particularly exhausting day, the bad kind. Normally he didnât mind the ache in his muscles, proof of their hard work nor being so damn tired after getting back to the dorms past midnight that he could barely remember to wash up before falling to bed. But there were these kinds of days when dragging themselves home from the practice room felt like something they were undeserving of, when doubts were too loud as their dance teacherâs words about still not being synchronized enough rang in their ears. He could tell it was affecting all of them.
The car ride back to the dorms was often quiet so late at night as they tried to catch every bit of sleep they could but it was often filled with snacking, watching videos and small talk too. It was rarely this tense, so thick that it lingered in the air. Jaehyun could tell that nobody could sleep this time even if Dongmin pretended to with his eyes closed, hoodie up and headphones over his ears. Woonhak looked like he was one more scolding word away from tearing up and usually Jaehyun would have been the one who tried to lighten up the mode, who joked around, who poked and teased and babbled until the tension broke and they laughed. But that day, it was too much, he couldnât think of anything to say, nothing that could have cheered them up so close to the final evaluation, so close to messing up their chance for debut.
When the car halted in front of their dorm building, everybody scurried out of the van with half-hearted goodbyes to the staff member who gave them the ride. Jaehyun was the last one to get out of the car, his sports bag felt heavy on his shoulder and his still damp fringe hung into his eyes. He felt uneasy going back to the dorm, knowing he wouldnât sleep anyways, so his steps slowed down, unsure, even after the van left. It was Sungho after having patted the othersâ back, wishing them good night, who had noticed him stalling.
âYou good?â He asked quietly, dark spots under his eyes showing that he didnât fare any better than any of them, yet he tried. Jaehyun wasnât sure whether it had something to do with the responsibility he felt as the oldest or it was just his personality but he was really grateful to have him with them. He was even more grateful that the elder boy didnât show any kind of grudge against him being voted as their future leader despite joining KOZ only at the end of last year. At times like this, Jaehyun doubted he could do a good job at leading a team. He wasnât made to do so. He was loud and messy. They should have chosen Sungho with his easy smiles and orderliness, since they had already often relied on him.
âI will catch up with you soon,â Jaehyun promised before turning down the road. He wasnât sure where he was headed but he knew he needed to clear his head.
Even though he only knew the other boys for a few months, he could easily imagine their different ways of coping. Donghyun and Sanghyeok talking in the darkness of their room, Sungho stress-cleaning their kitchen, Taesan already working on his next cool song about beating allegations of not being good enough while Woonhak forcing himself to go to sleep because poor kid had to go to school in less than 6 hours. And him? Out at night swinging at a playground because he wanted to scream but couldnât. He felt worn out like he wasnât made for this but at the same time he couldnât imagine any other life. Especially when after sacrificing his youth on the altar of training, after wasting years at YG watching all of his friends debut, he was finally so close. They were so close to turning their dream into reality.
Eventually he ended up at a 24/7 convenience store a few corners from their dorms. They had other ones closer, ones they were regulars at but he had already come so far, so it only made sense. He mumbled a greeting under his breath, his hoodie engulfing his figure, as he headed towards the snacks section. He momentarily faltered as he passed by the alcoholic drinks, the idea of getting drunk and forgetting about his problems a tad bit too tempting for a moment. But after heâd had way too much makgeolli during Christmas, he hadn't really been keen on revisiting that hungover. It was a stupid idea anyways, he had vocal practice in the morning and what about his pre-debut image?
He grabbed a bag of gummies, some overly sweet candies, chocolate bars and the kimchi flavored chips he had seen in the kitchen before and headed to the checkout area.
âWould you like a bag?â The cashier asked in an all too cheerful voice despite the time nearing 1AM and that there was a textbook open on the counter.
âYes, please,â Jaehyun muttered, fishing out his worn wallet he had gotten from his father when he had moved out to chase his dreams.
Items were scanned then put into a black plastic bag, card swiped, receipt ignored, it was all monotonous and robotic and Jaehyun was too tired to actually pay attention to anything. He didnât even notice the heavy rain that started up until he approached the storeâs automatically opening door and the wind hit him. Oh, just his luck. As if he needed something to make his day worse.
Jaehyun sighed, bracing himself against the cold and getting soaking wet until he reached the dorm. He could only hope he wouldnât get a sore throat by tomorrow morning. But before he could have stepped outside, he heard movement behind him and felt gentle taps on his shoulder.
âHere, take it,â you held out a transparent colored umbrella towards him when he turned around and Jaehyun blinked dumbfounded. You had still worn the storeâs uniform just like you had done behind the cash register and your voice was just as melodious as before but now that he looked at you properly he couldnât unsee it: the beauty in your smile and the kindness in your eyes.
It sounded too good to be true to not get rained on and save the poor excuse of treats he bought for the boys to cheer them up from getting wet but he wasn't sure he could accept it from a stranger just like that. Wouldnât you get in trouble for that? How would you get home in this weather?
âButâŠâ
âWe have plenty more left behind. You can bring it back anytime,â you smiled at him brightly like the Sun in the gloomy dark weather that embraced the two of you. Jaehyun was mesmerized then by your sparkling eyes and soft smile. He was sure he stared at you a tad bit long before catching himself.
âThank you,â he grinned sheepishly as he took the umbrella from you. Your lips curled further up as you stepped back.
âTake care,â you wished like an angel sent from above to make his shitty day better before turning around and going back to the register while humming a mainstream kpop song.
Later when Jaehyun was back in the dorm freshly showered and tucked in his bed, all he could think about was you instead of the self-doubt that had been eating him away. You were like a miracle.
It took Jaehyun an embarrassingly long time to figure out how to take the umbrella back. Not to mention, he was quite protective of the cheap piece, he even shrieked a tiny bit dramatically and made Woonhak swear he would take care of it when he saw the younger mindlessly grab it from by the door on a cloudy day.
Sure, he could have simply taken the umbrella back, given it to you and said thank you again but come on, that was too⊠anticlimactic. He needed a better excuse to keep talking to you, to hear that cheery voice and see your soft smile.
The perfect opportunity came when he heard Sungho complain about running out of dishwashing liquid and even though they didnât even share the same dorm and they could have just asked the cleaning lady who visited weekly, Jaehyun took it upon himself to get some. He had no idea about dishwashing things after all. All of them were the same yellow liquid to him and he didnât really care about degreasing agents or traits for sensitive hands, so it was something he could have asked you about and maybe casually slipping into a conversation about your lives? He had already drafted three lyrics about the different scenarios playing in his head and because he wasnât the most subtle person ever, Dongmin obviously noticed.
âDo I wanna know?â He quirked an eyebrow knowingly before turning back to the studio's computer at Jaehyunâs sigh.
âItâs nothing,â the elder brushed it off because he might have been shameless and loud about most things, but he wanted to keep you just for himself for a while. So he let out another exaggerated sigh and pointed at the screen. âLetâs go over the track you showed me two days ago, I might have lyrics for it.â
Dongmin hummed and let it slide, but Jaehyun was sure that he couldnât avoid the confrontation much longer. He hoped that the temporary ignorance meant that the younger knew that he would have never done anything to jeopardize their debut.
He was merely embarrassing himself apparently.
Because the next time he visited the convenience store on a clear sky night with zero chances of rain, he stood at the door of the store, umbrella in one hand, staring dumbfoundedly at the guy playing on his phone behind the counter. No sight of you or your pretty smiles. So he stood there, dumbfounded, gaping like one of Donghyunâs fish, wondering whether he mistook the day you had met but there was absolutely no way he could have, not with the amount of times he thought about it. It was exactly two weeks before, at the same time, at the exact same place. He couldnât have mistaken it.
âAre you coming in or what?â The cashier looked up, bored and a bit annoyed at this late hour, so Jaehyun tried his best to appear nonchalant despite his heart breaking. He knew he was dramatic but he couldnât help it, like he even dressed up nicely! And there was no smiley cashier greeting him? No you?
âYeah,â he coughed, hurrying down one random aisle and spending too much time to find the dishwasher section to grab one bottle without looking at it too much.
The âtake the umbrella back and talk with youâ mission was a failure but at least Sungho was happy about his surprise purchase, even complimenting him on the nice scent he chose as if Jaehyun would have ever bought cherry blossom ones on purpose.
Jaehyun thought he was doing a fair job of not moping but out of all people it had to be Woonhak who called him out on it. The maknae was surprisingly insightful for his age, unfortunately so.
âHyung, if itâs still about the last donut I ate last week, we can get some later,â Woonhak nudged his arm while Jaehyun was busy zoning out, trying to come up with a less pathetic idea than camping outside of the convenience store just to bump into you.
âWhat?â He blinked at the younger, confused.
âYou are sighing so much,â Woonhak furrowed his eyebrows, visibly worried. Probably because it wasnât Jaehyunâs default behavior.
âOh,â he cleared his throat but then forced himself to process the youngerâs previous words. âWait! Was it you? We are so gonna get those donuts now. Youâre paying.â
Woonhak whined, pretending to be annoyed when he was pulled out of his seat, towards the door but he laughed anyway when his pout managed to convince Jaehyun not only to let him choose the flavors but to pay as the older as well. Pretending to be fine mission: success.
Another week passed and Jaehyun was high on energy this time because after his newfound inspiration and determination, all of their hard work seemed to finally pay off: it was officially confirmed that they would debut. At the end of May, their dreams would finally come true. A new life would begin.
If being a trainee getting ready for monthly evaluations was hard, preparing for a debut was twice as tiring. They had photoshoots, video shoots, concept meetings, stage name discussions, album recordings, dance practices with their songs. It was everything Jaehyun had ever wanted and more, it was overwhelming but in a good way, so in the midst of it all, he kind of forgot about the whole umbrella ordeal. He treasured the memory of meeting you and kept it as something to keep him going on bad days.
But of course, it had to be a day when he went out for an evening run (which he hated but Sungho and their choreographer nagged him about to build up stamina), so he was sweaty and panting when he ended up at the store again afraid of dying out of dehydration if he kept going without water. He jogged to the fridges in the back and grabbed the first cold bottle he saw before heading to the checkout area only to freeze a few steps away when he saw you behind the register. Your hair was up this time too, only a few locks falling into your eyes that sparkled like stars in the sky.
âIs everything okay?â you asked in that kind voice that he thought he would only hear in his dreams again and Jaehyun had to remind himself to act normal.
âUhm, yeah, fine. More than fine actually,â he fumbled with his words and wanted to slap himself for it. Who the hell was more than fine when he was sweating bucks and could barely gulp with how dry his mouth was? He crossed that two meters between you and put the water bottle on the counter, watching you scan the item, more hair falling into your face as they slipped from behind your ears. Jaehyunâs fingers itched to fix it but that would have been creepy and rude as hell so he closed his fingers into fists next to his side.
âSorry, I forgot to bring back the umbrella,â he muttered sheepishly and you looked back at him with a little confused frown on your forehead, then you chuckled. It was music for the boyâs ears, the prettiest symphony.
âAh, itâs okay, thereâs no rush,â you waved it off and asked if it was everything else before activating the card reader terminal. âYou didnât catch a cold, right?â
âNo.â
âGood, then Iâm glad I could help,â you smiled like it was normal, like you would have done it for everyone which was sweet but also made Jaehyunâs chest ache.
âI just wasnât sure it would come off wrong if I gave it to somebody else. So I wanted to make sure it was you but you werenât here last week when I came, soâŠâ Jaehyun knew that he rumbled but he couldnât stop. He hoped that you found him more cute than weird though because he wanted to keep your eyes on him a little longer.
âAh, I switched with Daehyeong because he had an exam earlier that day. I work three night shifts and two afternoon ones usually,â you said, listing the days for each which engraved themselves into Jaehyunâs mind as he took the receipt and the bottle from you.
âI will make sure to bring it back one of these days,â he promised enthusiastically to which you smiled and showed him an okay sign formed from your hand so cute Jaehyun swore he almost melted right then and there. You werenât even trying and it was cuter than Woonhakâs aegyo!
âCareful!â You called after him when he almost walked into the automatically opening door because he was too busy looking back on you. But then you both laughed, him nervously and embarrassed, you a little bit amused and endeared and suddenly, Jaehyunâs lung having a hard time breathing had nothing to do with running.
Sungho was the first person Jaehyun told about you. He thought about going to Sanghyeok or Donghyun for advice but the eldest was the one he could trust to keep his secret even among them and who had a girlfriend before, so he seemed like the most promising option. Not that Jaehyun was going to ask you out on a date! He knew that would have been stupid of him to do so, especially so close to debut but his thoughts kept gravitating back to you. He just wanted to talk to you and he had no experience with other chromosomes other than his own due to the all boys school he attended and the bunch of dudes he spent his teens with in small practice rooms. Company training lessons on how to charm fans didnât count as experience, so he needed some advice on how to not embarrass himself in front of you or come off too strong. Who knew Sunghoâs advice would be so useless?
âJust be yourself.â
âThatâs the most clichĂ© thing you could have told me,â Jaehyun deadpanned with a black look.
âWell, itâs a common advice for a reason,â Sungho crossed his arms in front of his chest which made the other boy sigh. Always so logical, he should have known not to come here. Too much T energy for his F to handle.
âWhich part of not embarrassing myself did you not get?â
The older boy rolled his eyes.
âCome on, Jaehyun, you have an excited puppy energy, girls love that.â
Oh no, now Sunghoâs voice was soft like when he talked to Woonhak when he got a bad grade on a test he actually studied for. It was time to make a joke out of it.
âWell, I will blame you if I pee myself in excitement when our hands touch,â he snorted before mulling over his own words. âDo you think it would be weird as a lyrics?â
Sungho sighed, unimpressed, and didnât even hesitate.
âYes.â
Damn Park Sungho and his stupid advice, Jaehyun didnât feel more prepared (if at all) when he decided to bring the umbrella back. However, it would have been awkward if he waited too long after your last encounter, so he decided to bite the bullet and just go. You recognized him right away and smiled at him widely. Jaehyun really didnât understand how you could be so bright all the time when it was so late.
âThanks,â you bobbed your head when he reached the umbrella over and your fingers brushed his when you took it, sending electricity down Jaehyunâs back.
âI should be the one thanking you,â he said, fidgeting with his fingers in front of himself.
âIt really wasnât anything special,â you tried to reassure him but it made the boy pout.
âAh, so you would have done this for everybody,â he blurted out, sounding more disappointed than he would have admitted, his heart beating loud in his ears.
âNah, just the cute ones,â you replied while you put the umbrella behind the counter and Jaehyun was sure he misheard you because what? Thereâs no way you called him cute.
âWhat?!â He echoed his thoughts and if he looked closer he would have seen your red ears.
âI said not everybody,â you lied after clearing your throat, avoiding his eyes. Gosh, when did it turn awkward? So the boy tried to salvage the situation.
âIâm Jaehyun by the way,â he spoke up as casually as he could manage and he probably did a good job because you didnât look weirded out. Not until you introduced yourself and he blurted out that he knew. âI mean, itâs on your name tag,â he explained hastily with a relieved giggle when you laughed it off too.
And it somehow became a habit: Jaehyun came by once or twice a week, buying small things like snacks or drinks and he chatted with you. Nothing special, just a bit about your days (your university classes and his newest story about his roommates that made you smile), snack flavor preference (you liked veggie chips while he preferred barbeque flavor), the weather (you liked clear nights the best because the moon was so pretty) and music (he might have fanboyed a bit too hard when you said you were waiting for Jungkookâs next single to drop because same!). Not to mention that you listening to kpop meant you wouldnât find his career path offputting, so Jaehyun became a bit more sure that he would tell you about it one of these days.
For a while he thought that his most awkward visit was that one time when Dongmin dragged him to the convenience store for a late night snack and he tried very hard not to make it obvious in front of his group mate that he was crushing on you but failed miserably because when he went to get chopsticks for themselves, you smiled at him and he almost tripped. He thought he managed to recover quickly enough for the other boy to not notice but the youngerâs shiteating grin was enough to dash his hopes.
âSo sheâs your sudden muse, huh?â Dongmin raised a brow teasingly and Jaehyun hissed at him to shut up, an unexpected change in their usual dynamics.
However, his next visit topped the most awkward encounter ever. This time when he went back, there was only silence greeting him instead of your usual cheerfulness and it took the boy no longer than two seconds to realize that it was because you were soundlessly sleeping over the counter next to the cash register.
It certainly didnât look like the most comfortable position for your back and Jaehyun was sure there was some kind of rule against being asleep on the clock but he couldnât make himself wake you up. You looked so peaceful and so pretty. Your cheeks rounded as they were squished against the desk, pink lips in a pout, eyelashes fluttering slightly like butterfly wings. Jaehyun was mesmerized, writing a song about your sleeping beauty in his head already.Â
Then the idyll was broken when the automatic door opened revealing a tired university student and you blinked your eyes open. You probably noticed him creepily staring, so Jaehyun panicked and grabbed the first thing from the display next to him that he could reach and dropped in front of you without looking, trying to act cool while not making you feel bad for taking a nap.
You cleared your throat, straightened your back, looking at him sheepishly with big doe eyes and an apologetic smile which he reciprocated⊠only for it to drop when his gaze followed yours and settled on the item on the counter between the two of you.
A box of extra large condoms.
Jaehyun never wanted Earth to open up and shallow him more than in that moment, he might have as well just died of embarrassment, but before he could have snatched it back and fumble over his words to try to find a believable excuse how he could grab it instead of for example a pack of chewing gum, you had already scanned it with a forced smile as the professional you were.
The boyâs body acted on its own entity, detached from his currently cursed soul and he paid, leaving the shop with 10000 won shorter and condoms he wasnât going to use. Like have you seen his chronically single ass? He couldnât even hold a conversation with a girl he liked, not to mention getting laid. Jaehyun wanted to bang his head into a wall. He didnât know how he was going to look you into the eyes after this.
To Donghyunâs credit, he at least tried not to laugh when Jaehyun caved and told the younger about his dilemma. If it was Sungho with his ijbolism he would have already been on the floor barely catching his breath. Especially because it was him being himself after his oh so great advice!
âYou know you could be just honest. Maybe she will find it cute that you were too distracted by her beauty to check what you were getting,â Donghyun said with a little hum, his mouth curled up in a smile but his attention back on his fish.
âNope. No way. It might make her uncomfortable,â Jaehyun shook his head, not risking it. He didnât want to burden you with his feelings when he knew he wasnât in the position to pursue them even if you gave him a chance.
âThen just tell her it was a prank gift if it comes up,â the younger shrugged and while it sounded like an actual reasonable idea, it still required Jaehyun to discuss the topic with you, so needless to say he concluded that the best thing he could do was to avoid you forever. It wasnât ideal per se but nor was the timing and dramatic situations called for drastic measures (or something like that).
So he didnât plan to go back to the convenience store ever but what was he supposed to do when during one of his night runs (he was now torturing himself without Sunghoâs prompting too) he saw a quite drunk looking man enter the building? He had to make sure you were okay.
Still, he hoped that his gut feeling was wrong and that he was in for another embarrassing encounter instead of you being cornered by a stranger but when he stepped inside the store only to see you pulled away from the counter as much as you could while the drunkard swung a soju bottle in the air, he knew he made the right call.
âHey, leave her alone!â Jaehyun raised his voice without thinking it through. He just wanted the dude to get away from you because he looked threatening enough but the moment the manâs attention turned to him, he internally panicked because heck, he had a music video shooting in two days, the makeup artist noonas would kill him if he got punched. Or worse, what if Dispatch finds out that he got into a fight before debut? He would ruin everything. Zico PD would be so disappointed. He was supposed to be the leader after all.
âStay out of it, kid,â the man slurred and your big doe eyes were on him too, wary and partly relieved. It gave Jaehyun the boost he needed.
âI saw you pocket drinks. Iâm calling the police,â he found his voice again enough to bluff seeing the stuffed coat on the other but he was either right or the man was drunk enough not to care.
âMind your own business,â he muttered but with big bravado he stumbled out of the store, bumping his shoulder into Jaehyunâs most likely on purpose.
âGosh, thank you so much,â you let out a long breath and finally your tensed shoulders relaxed.
âAre you okay?â Jaehyun asked, worried because even though you seemed physically okay, it must have been scary. Like even he almost shat himself while trying to assert dominance with eye contact. If Dongmin ever heard about it, he would have surely suggested to him to bark next time with how keen he was on teasing him for his usual puppy-like behavior. But look at him now winning an alpha staredown! He was definitely a wolf!
âYes, itâs just⊠he wanted cigarettes too and got angry when I asked him to pay for the drinks first,â you said, still a bit shaken up but much calmer now.
Jaehyun wished he could see your lovely smile again and suddenly his last visitâs embarrassing outcome was the least of his worries. He decided to stick around, so he bought cup noodles and prepared it in the storeâs self-catering corner while stealing glances at you. It was a quiet late night like usual, so you didnât have much to do behind the register but still he was quite taken aback (and his heart started beating like a drum) when you decided to leave your post and sit beside him on one of those plastic chairs.
You talked about sweet little nothings like the passing cherry blossom season, favorite movies, your annoying professors and as cliche as it is, time flew by. You only realized how much when the guy for the next shift arrived. You excused yourself to get changed and grab your things while Jaehyun cleaned up the table where he had his late night meal. When you emerged from the staff room, saying goodbye to the other employee, you seemed a bit surprised to see the boy still there which made him scratch the back of his neck bashfully.
âI will walk you to the bus stop. He might be still out there,â he explained himself and could only hope it didnât sound as lame as he thought so. It was clearly an excuse but you let him get away with it with an easy smile.
Jaehyunâs heart couldnât catch a breath as you were walking side by side, arms brushing from time to time, chattering about the constellations above, asking for his zodiac, pointing out stars he could only see reflected in your eyes. He had never been so enamored by anybody and he wished to keep this feeling forever fluttering in his chest.
âAre you okay?â Your voice pulled him out of his thoughts which made him stumble upon his words.
âUh, yeah, sure,â he smiled, not wanting to worry you, swinging his intertwined finger behind him because he didnât know what to do with them. He had to keep himself occupied otherwise he would have done something stupid like reaching out to hold your hand with the excuse of dark, late night.
Your bus came just on time and for once, Jaehyun would have liked for it to be late because he could have listened to you talk about the sagittarius constellation until dusk but he didnât want to keep you up either and the reasonable part of his brain also knew that he would regret staying up so late.
âThank you again for earlier. And for keeping me company. I had fun,â you smiled at him, waving him goodbye which he could only reciprocate, starstruck.
The debut date was on the corner and with that, all of them got even busier, not to mention, the six boys crammed in a small place were supposed to move dorms too. Jaehyun should have been happy and donât get him wrong, he was! This was what he had been waiting for, why he spent years in smelly training rooms until his muscles ached. This was what he wanted but a part of him couldnât move past the fact that moving meant that your workplace wouldnât be in the vicinity anymore, so he told himself that it was now or never. He would tell you about his well-kept secret and hope for the best. For what exactly he wasnât sure but still.
He went back to the convenience store at the usual time since he had known your schedule by heart by then and there was no way he would have forgotten. But when he walked inside the store with his signature smile, you were nowhere to be found. There was another girl with bright dyed hair behind the counter flipping a magazine.
âSorry, did Y/N change her schedule?â Jaehyun found himself asking, this time knowing better than to succumb to moping without questioning first.
âOh, she resigned, wants to focus on studying more,â the girl replied after popping out the chewing gum in her mouth. Then after a pause, she asked: âAre you Jaehyun?â
The boy was taken aback. Knowing that you had told your coworker about him turned his ears red as he nodded slowly.
âShe said to give you this if you come around,â the cashier said and handed over a familiar transparent umbrella with a pink post-it note saying âmonsoon season is coming. take care :)â and while it was sweet and maybe it was for the better this way with his debut on the corner, Jaehyun had no idea a heart could be broken so gently.
4.5 YEARS AFTER DEBUT
The crisp of cold pinched Jaehyunâs cheeks as he exited the black van immediately blinded by the flash of cameras. He bowed and smiled towards the fans, waving and posing until a hand on his back reminded him to move forward.
Inside the broadcasting station there was a different kind of chaos: staff members running around, makeup artists touching up his face, professional cameras set up around, his manager reminding him to promote the upcoming concert as if he could forget. They sold out the Olympic Stadium after all, Jaehyun was still giddy (and nervous and awestruck) about the fact.
He greeted the veteran host of the radio show with a practiced, professional smile. He had gotten used to solo schedules early thanks to his MCountdown MC days, so he didnât find it as nerve wracking as others did. He still remembered seeing the ever so (seemingly) all cool and aloof Dongmin shake with nerves before he left for his first meeting as a producer. These days, with their groupâs reputation secured after hits that won Song of the Year awards dusting on their companyâs shelf, they had more of these solo jobs, each of them doing their own thing: Sungho trying out acting, Sanghyuk choreographing for rookies and helping trainees, Dongmin writing songs for names even bigger than theirs, Donghyun narrating a wildlife documentary series, Woonhak having his own show while Jaehyun was busy with variety shows. Just to list a few of the things they were doing between comebacks and group schedules. Fans and the general public loved them, Jaehyun for example was dubbed as the nation's puppy boyfriend after he was deemed very boyfriend material on a Running Man episode simply for being more considerate than competitive.
It was exactly how the radio show host introduced him as too right after the greeting segment of the morning radio broadcast.
âJaehyun-ssi, itâs so nice to have you here,â the woman turned to him and the idol grinned, boyish charm still clear on his face.
âThe pleasureâs all mine.â
âOh, I heard you would be a sweet talker,â the lady chuckled and Jaehyun joined in, used to the Butter Myung allegations since his own members liked to call him out on it too. It had become a thing early on.
âOnly for noona⊠and Onedoors,â he winked into the camera because it came easy and because the reactions were good. The host seemed to enjoy his presence as well or was just as professional at her job as he was. They talked a bit in general about the dayâs topic a bit and Jaehyun answered a few viewerâs questions in-between played songs. He talked about preparing for the Stadium concert and an upcoming album as well as what he had been up to lately.
âSo tell us about the OST you wrote for MBCâs new hit drama. Itâs been charting high ever since its release, right?â The lady grabbed this chance to inquire about In every lifetime, itâs you.
Jaehyun wasn't the first one who had a solo OST deal (it was Sungho for one of the first dramas he acted in as a support character) but he was the first one who was involved in the production, even allowed to write the lyrics in the concept of first love. The idolâs fingers twitched in his lap with the urge to scratch the back of his neck as he thought back on the dozen songs he had written about you and then kept in a hidden folder on his computer because they all sounded too real, too close to what he felt. Pouring his feelings into an OST for a drama was different because there was less promotion period if any and it was less unlikely that his members called him out on his sappiness every time they had to perform it. So he talked about the production, how quick it went and how taken aback he was by the immensely positive response.
âIs it inspired by real events? Based on your own first love perhaps?â The host inquired, curious, and Jaehyun could already tell that it will be the most rewatched part of the show. They werenât rookies anymore, they could talk about things like it, past crushes or even exes. Sure, some might get upset but most fans moved on quickly and such things couldnât ruin their career anymore.
âYou can say so, but my first love was just a one sided crush. She gave me an umbrella on a rainy day, that inspired the song. I still have it, although the second time I got it as a goodbye,â Jaehyun admitted with a nostalgic smile, hoping that it would be enough to satisfy the hostâs curiosity. If not, he had the perfect comeback. âMy second love for Onedoor remains strong to this day though and I hope itâs mutual.â
âAh, Jaehyun-ssi, Iâm sure it is,â the lady chuckled and added a few words about the drama itself before playing the OST itself. It started with the sound of rain and it made the boy smile because as the lyrics unfolded, the instrumental became livelier and happier too like a rainbow after a sudden storm. Just how your smile and kindness had turned his awful day not so bad.
A few more fan questions were answered, Jaehyun thanked them for their continuous support and mentioned seeing them at the upcoming concert. All went well and Jaehyun felt giddy as he exited the venue like always when he could interact with fans.
He had no idea that on the other side of the city you were listening to the radio show, fingers freezing over the keyboard.
Their schedules were usually tight but Jaehyun enjoyed the buzz of it all. Sure, he liked to laze around in bed but there was nothing like being booked and busy because it really showed just how far they had come. There were times when they were exhausted but after being in the industry for a while they learned how to recognize the signs of burnout or being overwhelmed and they were lucky enough to have Zico PD-nim on their side. Their hyung might have been serious about music but he prioritized their health over profit enough to stand by them against shareholders who were in it for the money and not the music. He also reminded them to just have fun⊠within reasonable limits. Being an idol wasnât sunshine and rainbows, there was dieting, being followed by Dispatch and sasaengs breaking into their hotel rooms or mobbing them at the airport. But at those times Jaehyun reminded himself that he had his best friends with him and they were doing what they loved. What more could he ask for?
So Jaehyun didnât complain even if he spent long hours at the studio yesterday night but had to wake up at the crack of dawn to make it to the filming studio for their new MAC lipstick ad. Four hours of individual and group shots but at least they only had one set of clothes this time, an elegant black and white suit and tie combo for all of them. Jaehyun teased Woonhak about looking like a real adult now as if he hadnât seen a boy in a similar attire three weeks ago at an award ceremony. But their maknae was way too cute when he pouted, so he couldnât miss this chance.
âWeâre starting off with the group shots. Are all of you ready?â An employee from the filming crew came up to them and the group members nodded, following him to the set with black background.
Once they took their place and turned around, they bowed to the staff: cameramen, photographer, stylists who would touch their makeup up, concept director, marketing and PR people from MAC next to their manager. For a moment â a moment too long â Jaehyunâs gaze got stuck on a figure on her phone, hair up with claw clips, voice like happy little chimes at Christmas, a vaguely familiar sound that knocked the air out of his chest.
âJaehyun?â Sungho hissed, nudging him in the side when the silence stretched too far and everybody looked at them expectedly. Jaehyun cleared his throat.
âWhoâs there? Boynextdoor! Hello, weâre Boynextdoor, please take care of us,â he bowed again and the others followed his lead like always. No matter how much they (especially Dongmin) teased him, they always followed him with unconditional trust. Jaehyun loved them like brothers.
The leader was out of it now though, so he had to blink to regain focus. It wasnât the first time he imagined seeing you again. He had imagined (and written out) a bunch of different scenarios how it would play out but nothing ever happened. Korea wasnât a small country after all, hell even Seoul was too big to just stumble upon you. He needed to get it together.
The photoshoot started with the group shots and Jaehyun managed to collect himself enough to follow instructions and channel through his inner model that he developed over the years. The photographer seemed satisfied with their work as well because everything went smoothly and they didnât have to do many retakes. Once it was done, the individual shots followed. They played rock, paper, scissors (the ultimate solution for everything) earlier to decide the order and since Sanghyuk won, he was the first one to go. This way, once he was gone he could have done anything he wanted â sleep, play, hold a live, whatever â until the others were on.
Jaehyun was the third, which wasnât bad but wasnât really good either. He didnât have enough time for a nap but he had more time to kill than just to wait around, so he decided to get drinks from the food support trucks their fan clubs had sent for their schedule. He asked the others if they wanted anything before taking off. First, he took pictures with the trucks to upload to social media later then got an iced americano for himself and another for Woonhak as if the youngest didnât have enough energy without the caffeine.
Going back to the building, he literally tripped when he saw you.
Again. And this time there was no mistaking, no questions about it. It wasnât a hallucination. It was you right then and right there, in front of him, talking with another staff member animatedly. After all these years you still looked like you were in his returning daydreams: all kind smiles and refreshing aura. Except that this wasnât a dream. You might have lost the baby fat in your cheeks and your hair might have gotten longer, your smile was still dimpled. Instead of the convenience store uniform you had worn over your casual jeans-tee combo back then, now you dressed business casual and it was funny, really, because he went from sweatpants and hoodies to suit and tie as well. At least for now.
It was Woonhak who pulled him out of his reverie, waving a hand in front of his face before taking his coffee. (Luckily years of dance practices gave Jaehyun a good enough balance to upright himself before spilling coffee all over the ground and himself.)
âHyung, come on⊠be at least a bit more subtle,â the boy sighed, rolling his eyes as if saying he couldnât believe that Jaehyun was older than him and still acted like this. However, the leader couldnât care less about the fact that he was acting embarrassing or not. He tugged on Woonhakâs jacket while still staring at you.
âItâs her,â he whispered as if he wasnât already terribly obvious while the younger one was casually sipping on his drink.
âHuh?â
âThe umbrella girl,â Jaehyun clarified, which made the youngestâs eyes turn into big saucers before turning towards you.
More or less, the group knew about you and about Jaehyunâs hopeless crush. It was hard not to with how treasured that umbrella was that he always carried with himself as a lucky charm or how many songs he had written with you in his thoughts.
No wonder Woonhak started slapping him on the shoulder out of excitement but he did his best at not saying anything out loud which in itself was already a relief. Him shuffling towards the others to relay the news or Jaehyun tapping his feet out of nervousness before his turn not so much. The thought of you watching him work made him super aware of every tiny detail and he wanted it to be perfect. He wanted you to see him and remember and see how far he had come. But he never caught you watching in-between takes when he could look away from the camera. You were either on the phone or talking with somebody.
Little did he know that you looked whenever he looked away.
He couldnât find you after the shooting was done. Actually the entire MAC staff seemed to leave early but it still felt unfair. Having seen you and you slipping through his fingers again drove Jaehyun crazy. Especially because the photos came out well. He looked good enough to impress. It was such a wasted chance.
Should he send flowers to your workplace? Would that be too much? Too random?
There he was back with his overthinking and moping.
However, the next day, his phone buzzed with a message from their manager saying that he canât pick them up to take them to the studio because he has to swing by at the MAC headquarters for some promotional products and the idol immediately perked up because wait! That was your workplace!
âGuys, guys, guys!â He shrieked, jumping up on his feet, startling Sanghyuk who was dozing off next to him on the couch. âI think I just got a sign from the universe telling me to go for it.â
With their individual activities and single rooms in their newest dorm, it was a rare occurrence that all of them were together but most of them still hung out in shared spaces like the living room when they had nothing to do. That was how Jaehyun got Sanghyuk and Dongmin there to witness his reaction and he pushed his phone into their faces. Luckily the guys looked interested enough in his sudden love life to listen to his ramble whether it had been weird if he went too and what he should have done if you werenât there despite all his efforts. Oh gosh, maybe he shouldnât go after all, because what if you were there? He could make a fool of himself.
âJeez, hyung, and regret it for years again? You are not a trainee anymore with an uncertain future. You are one of the biggest names of our generation,â Dongmin huffed, then after a short pause and a bite of his snack, he added: âBy the way I will deny it if anyone asks if I said that.â
It didnât tamper Jaehyunâs hyped up mood though because that was true, things were really different from what they had been like five years ago.
âThanks, Dongmin-ah, you are right,â he nodded to himself with his eyes lit up. He scrambled to get up from the couch quickly. He needed to decide on his outfit! He couldnât go to MAC looking the same way (comfort over fashion) as he planned to lock himself into his studio.
âIâm always right,â Dongmin mumbled under his nose just as Jaehyun disappeared into his room after he shot a casual enough âcan i tag along?â message to their manager. Even if the man was surprised about his sudden interest in marketing procedures, he didnât protest, just told him the time to be ready by if he wanted to come along.
Once they arrived at the office building and their manager was busy with paperwork and the gift bags, Jaehyun tried to hold himself back but even he was aware that he was perching over cubicle walls like an eager puppy waiting for its owner to take him out on a walk. He heard whispers following him, some employees asking another if it was The Myung Jaehyun or they were just seeing things. Jaehyun smiled at them with his most charming smile instead of confirming with words.
Was it considered stalking? He was just at your workplace and it wasn't without reason, so it wouldnât have been a lie either if you asked about it. Jeez, why was he so nervous? He had performed in front of thousands and was used to live TV appearances. Worst case scenario you didnât remember him and he only embarrassed himself in front of you which wouldnât have been the first time nor the second. He could do it!
Jaehyun was in the middle of giving himself a pep talk when he saw a woman he had seen you talk to at the shooting and he did his best to subtly follow her to the print room.
âExcuse meâŠâ
âOh, Jaehyun-ssi, what are you doing here?â The woman blinked in surprise when she recognized him and the idol had no choice but to use his smoldering smile that often managed to get people to do exactly how he wanted. As casually as he could to not get follow-up questions, he asked if you were still in the office at which the lady furrowed her brows, asking back to confirm that she heard your name correctly.
âShe just left actually. I saw her by the elevators a minute ago. You might catch up to her if itâs really urgent or I can try to help ifââ
âThank you, youâve been a great help already!â Jaehyun cut her off as politely as he could with a bow before bolting towards the elevators in a totally idol-like sprint. Maybe he should have participated in the running category for the next ISAC.
It was déjà vu really, but only when the automatic doors of the office building opened did he notice that it had started snowing while he was inside. The scenery was breathtaking with petal-like snowflakes dressing the night cityscape whiter. Or was breathing difficult because of his heart beating too fast in his chest? He couldn't have missed you again, right?
Frantic, he looked around in the square in front of the building, looking for your figure while snow was slowly accessorizing his dark hair in big, fluffy flakes and the cold bit into his cheeks. He slid his reddened hands into his pockets because he forgot his gloves, not expecting snow that day.
âDo you still not bring an umbrella with you?â A familiar yet new, sweet voice asked him, amused and Jaehyun blinked the snow out of his eyes to focus on you.
Your cheeks were flushed from the cold, the bottom of your face hidden behind your fluffy scarf but he could tell from your eyes that you were smiling as you held an umbrella over both of you.Â
So you remembered! Jaehyun could barely contain his relieved giggle.
âItâs been a while,â he noted instead, not wanting to miss the chance or seeming weird by just staring at you in awe. Gosh, you were so cute. How could you have gotten cuter with age?
âYeah,â you nodded but didnât elaborate and Jaehyun couldnât leave it like that, he couldnât let it turn awkward.
âHave you been well?â He asked and heck, it was so clichĂ©, so much like small talk between strangers, but he was actually interested in what you had been up to all these years. You didnât seem to mind, not with the corner of your mouth curling into one of the smiles he loved on you.
It turned out that you managed to graduate with flying colors and eventually get a job as a marketing assistant at MAC which you liked after some not too good experience in the beauty industry. He was happy for you because you deserved only the best. He was also selfish and he wanted more time with you, more privately, so he wouldnât have those regrets Dongmin mentioned burdening him for not even trying.
âDo you want to, I donât know, get a coffee? Tea? Dinner?â He found himself asking hastily and gosh, he was a stuttering mess. So much about his cool idol image. Not that you hadnât seen him at worse but still, it was a new chance to impress you and he was failing terribly.
And maybe he messed up everything because you went awfully quiet at his question, your hand gripping tighter on the umbrellaâs handle as you cast your eyes down. Jaehyun prepared himself for rejection even before the words left your mouth.
âI donât think thatâs a wise idea,â you mumbled and he gulped.
Of course it wasnât.
âRight,â he nodded, a forced, polite smile tight on his lips even though he could practically feel his heart shattering into small pieces all over again.
He knew dating an idol wasnât ideal, it could be daunting or heck, you might have a boyfriend already. Maybe meeting him made you uncomfortable because you didnât keep the memories so fondly of him as he did about you.
âBut it was nice seeing you again,â you added a bit belatedly and apologetically, turning to leave, to leave him stranded alone in the snowfall. At least it would make another beautiful, tragic love song, Jaehyun thought with his cold lips wobbling.
He let out a quiet sigh or so he thought but you must have heard him because then you stopped on your tracks, stilling, becoming a part of the picturesque view for a long moment before looking back, calling his name.
âJaehyun⊠That song about the rain,â you started, quiet and unsure, and the singer could feel his heartâs loud thuds echo in his ears. He held his breath back, waiting for another stab in the heart. âIt wasnât a one sided crush.â
Jaehyun stopped breathing altogether. What?
He must have misheard you, there was no way you said that. It should have been the part where you told him not to write about you because it made you feel uncomfortable.
âYou mean you did⊠That you⊠You too?â Jaehyun tripped all over his words. Really, for somebody who had songwriting credits on the majority of their award winning hits, it was a new low. He couldnât even pierce together a sentence.
You closed your eyes for a bit as if to brace yourself before looking him in the eye again and Jaehyun felt the world resume spinning when you nodded. Yet, it only made him even more confused.
âThen⊠why?â He blurted out and you looked so confused at his question, he had to clarify. âWhy isnât it a good idea?â
A coffee, a tea, a dinner⊠A date or however you wanted to call it. At his straightforward question though, you looked more flustered than ever.
âI⊠I donât know. Shouldnât you know better? Donât you have a dating ban or something?â You asked, blinking rapidly, cheeks redder than before and Jaehyun would have liked to think that it was because you blushed and not because of the cold. Especially because it was you who brought up dating!
âOh, that. No, we donât have a dating ban,â he cleared his throat, trying to play it off cool but a quiet chuckle still slipped past his lips.
One of the advantages of having an idol as your boss was that he knew exactly what it was like to be in their shoes. Zico himself told them that even with the ban they had found ways to make it work in secret, the risk of getting caught twice as big, so he didnât want to impose such rules on them. He didnât encourage it, telling them how unwise it was but still, the company couldn't have done much about it. But they all knew the risk and they were as busy as it got, not really having time for relationships anyway, so Jaehyun didnât have to worry about it before. Not until you came back into his life.
âSo? What do you say about that dinner?â He asked again, hopeful, practically feeling the awkwardness melt around you when you let out a chuckle as melodic as he remembered.
âI could eat,â you admitted and Jaehyun beamed at you, his eyes turning into crescents.
It would have been a perfect moment, a dream coming true, framed by snowflakes gliding in the air⊠except that his phone started buzzing with a call in his pocket at that moment and the singer swore under his breath when he saw his managerâs contact information on the screen. His disappearance surely got discovered.
âHey, hyung, something came up, so I left early, but donât worry, everythingâs okay. More than okay actually,â he quickly took the call and ended it immediately, not giving the man a chance to ask questions but hopefully not giving him a heart attack either. Then he turned to you with a wide smile. âLetâs go.â
You chuckled as the two of you synced your steps, walking into a random direction without any concrete destination plans. You even let him take the umbrella from your hand and hold it above your duo himself, your smile shy but genuine when your fingers brushed.
Jaehyun knew that this evening would make an even better love song than the last one.
#stories#boynextdoor x reader#bnd fluff#boynextdoor fluff#bnd x reader#myung jaehyun x reader#myung jaehyun fluff
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Daylight
Part:Â 7/?
Pairing:Â Charles Leclerc x Reader
Category:Â Social Media au
Summary: Follow the love story of a global pop icon and a monegasque F1 driver
Face claim:Â Taylor Swift (Singing) + others
Masterlist
2022
theathletesgala
liked by yourusername, ellenpompeo and 645 943 others
theathletesgala:
Musical guest and award presenter Y/N L/N is in the building. She's wearing a stunning Versace gown and a killer cat eye.
view comments:
yourusername: đ«¶đ«¶
y/nenjoyer: she looks STUNNING!!
girlypopy/n: Dare I say... Revenge dress?
vintagel/n: Oh, definitely!
holyleclerc: It's giving Princess Diana
lonely4lifer: Charles, look at what you lost
havemyleclerc: She is the one who fumbled
summery/n: Y/N lost a second tier F1 driver, Charles lost global pop icon, highest streamed female artist, the woman, the myth, the legend Y/N L/N
leclerctingzz: He's not a second tier F1 driver, he's the future of Ferrari
ubery/n: How many WDC?
childofdivorce: Auntie Blake pick me up I'm scared
lewishamilton: @/donatella_versace you outdid yourself with this dress
donatella_versace: Donatella VERSACEđ
theathletesgala:
liked by lewishamilton, simonebiles and 426 392 others
theathletesgala:
It's a star-studded event here tonight. Multiple athletes have now made their way onto the red carpet including:
Formula 1 drivers Charles Leclerc, Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton, Footballers Neymar and Alex Morgan, Gymnast Simone Biles, Figure-skater Tessa Virtue and NFL Quarterback Joe Burrow
Keep your eyes open for your favorite athlete to arrive!
view comments:
joeyb_9: Such a well organized event!
lewishamilton: Blessed to be heređ
charles_leclerc: Happy to be includedâ€ïž
alexmorgan13: This will be so much fun
moreleclerc: Putting Neymar and Charles beside each other is CRAZY
lilttley/n: Okay but can we talk about how both Lewis Hamilton AND Joe Burrow interacted on the post about Y/N earlier??
gemmal/n: Y/N now has the chance to do the funniest thing ever and get with Max Verstappen
home4l/n: STOP- that would be too iconic
justleclerc: The world is not ready for that sort of chaos
theathletesgala
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theathletesgala:
Miss Y/N L/N what a performance!đđ
view comments:
heavenlyy/n: Mother did not come to play tonight!
realy/nfan: fr! She saw that both of her exes were in attendance and said "hold my wine glass"
unifiedy/n: Singing ATW and you're loosing me back to back while STARING at table number 12 (Charles and Neymar's table) is absolutely FOUL!
justl/nthingz: She's so cunty, I love it!
l/ny/nfavorite: Okay but why is no one talking about how she literally sang silver springs by Fleetwood Mac and in true Stevie Nicks fashion was glaring daggers into Charles while doing so!!!!!???
bluey/n: next level balls frfr!
bobbiey/n: Okay but that outfit??? Mother ATE!đ„
holyl/n: Ass out and everything for Charles to seeđ€
justy/nfans: I just know that that man will go home and cry himself to sleep tonight
celebritynews
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celebritynews:
After receiving an anonymous tip from a reliable source, it seems as if Y/N L/N left the athletes gala after party with one of the guests of the night. Who it was is still unclear but stay tuned on celebritynews for more information!
view comments:
summery/n: This girl is a wag at heart
flowersbyl/n: That's so true! She does love her athletesđ
y/nleftpinkynail: Honestly she's so real for thatđ
l/nbyy/n: Just like me fr!
chad.larsen: She's such a slut!đ
leclerc_l/n: Bro GTFO with your musty ass comments!!đ€ą
brianyoung: Watch out whoever it is. She's gonna write a song about youđ”âđ«
littley/n: It's almost like THAT'S HER FUCKING JOB???đ€Ż
greenflowers: misogynyâïž
l/nhouse: Okay but who was it???!!!!
justagirl: I think it was Joe Burrow, did you see how he was looking at her while she was performing??đ
godlyy/n: I hope with my entire being that it's Max Verstappenđ
slayvettel: That would be too iconic!!
icemanfan: Y'all tripping, it's gotta be Lewis!
heavenlyy/n: HOLD UP! What if it was Neymar??
yourusername
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yourusername:
cellphone on silentđ±â
comments are disabled:
Tag-list: @mindflay3r @karmabyfernando @lightdragonrayne @ilove-tswizzle @sadg3 @sassyheroneckgiant @c-losur3 @spideybv28 @boiohboii @charizznorizz @amel1ee @loloekie @sunny44 @janeholt3 @berrnuu
#charles leclerc#charles leclerc x reader#charles leclerc social media au#charles leclerc fanfic#charles leclerc smau#charles leclerc x y/n#charles leclerc x you#charles leclerc fic#charles leclerc x female reader#f1#f1 fanfic#f1 x reader#formula 1#formula one#formula 1 social media au#f1 social media au#f1 fic#f1 imagine
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not so bad
college!rafe cameron x reader au
â in which rafe and y/n absolutely despise each other in public but crush in secret. rafe is failing his humanities class & is assigned y/n as his tutor . . . maybe all it took for this relationship to form was just a bit of forced proximity and some time.
warning(s): nothing much, just rafe and y/n being cuteness, but there is a little bit of a serious talk !! omg rafe being kind ?? this is insane
authors note: this is NOT the end of the series of course. theyre just starting to become friends but obvi theyre gna become lovers with time. am i rushing this ?? idk cs theyve been frenemies since kids n now theyre js officially friends in part 4 like okay u guys move fast. mayb its my fault
one | two | three | four | five | six | seven | eight | nine
you knock upon his door, your heartbeat thudding with each pulse as you anxiously wait outside his dorm. rafe had gotten back to you just hours after you sent him the message about the second tutor session, seeming to be just fine with having to spend more time with you after ignoring each other all week.
it just worries you a little about how this is going to go.
the door opens, revealing the blond boy himself. his tongue is pressed against the side of his mouth as he leans out between the crack in the door. his eyes are right on you, and he strands up straight, pulling the door open completely to let you in.
heâs standing there in some forest green crewneck with a white shirt underneath and some pants. in his hand is a small glass container full of what looks like mac and cheese and what you guess are steak bites with a spoon sticking out of it. he eats so much actual food instead of cafeteria food that you know that heâs gonna get his own place after freshman year and invest mostly in his kitchen for some gourmet shit that reminds him of home and some gym preps. thatâs just so rafe.
youâre not surprised though that he doesnât share any of his food with those in the dorm building with you guys, even just to sell them and make money. even though you know a ton of students would pay and kill to get away from the same rotation of food theyâre usually served here. âcause itâs not like he needs the extra money anyway. his familyâs loaded. so that is so not rafe.
thereâs also a small smile on his face when he lets you in, but also like thereâs just absolutely no thought behind his eyes. he looks stupid. but you think he looks stupid every time you see him.
you hesitantly step inside, still not completely comfortable in his space. or comfortable at all. it almost feels like your first time inside his dorm again, only with more tension than before everything. a month ago, you didnât even think that was possible.
âso youâre failing english,â youâre the first to say something. you walk over to his desk like last time and carefully set your ipad on its surface.
âenglish isnât for everyone.â
âsurprised it isnât for you after that little showdown in class,â you point out, turning to him.
he shuts the door behind him and locks it, then walks to his bed to sit on the edge, facing you. digging into his mac, he nods, âthat was fun by the way.â
you raise an eyebrow at him. what is going on? one moment heâs not even paying you any mind but now heâs able to have a normal conversation with you. even say something kind of nice.
but then, youâve been the same way in the switch from neglect to willingness.
âshow me your notes,â you tell him, and he pushes himself off the edge of the bed to stand and walk to you. you watch him as he approaches his desk, controlling his laptop through his track pad.
he navigates through chrome and opens his documents like last time. he pulls up his most recent notes, which are in a folder with the title being the dates of this past week.
âsince our first ever session, i started organizing my notes for class for every lecture per week,â he says, stepping away from the laptop to let you take a look at it. you go to sit in his chair to inspect his new notes, noticing the huge difference in how he takes notes now. âthese five have been from this week for this class. so . . .â
as he trails off you can hear him eat spoonfuls and spoonfuls of his food, in which you glance back at him at the sounds of. but your focus is still on the notes, to tutor him.
youâre surprised that heâs gone to no notes to notes at all, let alone organized ones with folders, headings, dates, actual information, the whole shabang. has he been doing this for all of his classes too?
âthatâs . . . impressive,â you say honestly, looking back at him. âbut i donât get it. if youâve been writing down the lecture material then why are you almost failing the class?â
he shrugs, finishing his bite before swallowing it down to speak. âenglish isnât for everyone,â he repeats himself, and you raise an eyebrow at his words.
youâre a little lost because literally none of this makes sense. âwâ wait, so you . . . you take your english notes for about three weeks and whether or not you absorb the material, you boil it down to: at the end of the day youâll fail because âenglish isnât for everyoneâ? rafe.â
ây/n,â he says.
âwhy are you even in university?â you ask him, and you see his expression falter when he realizes youâre serious. âi mean like actually. we both left the outer banks to attend here but youâre failing your classes whether you do the work for them or not. it seems like you arenât even trying. whatâs the point?â
âyou know, college isn't just about classes,â he tells you, and you cock your head in question. âitâs about the whole experienceâmaking connections, networking, discovering yourself. itâs what i wanted to do from the start. plus, there are plenty of other ways to learn besides sitting in a lecture hall.â
you stare at him in silence. that doesnât answer your question at all. âokay, but you arenât learning, period. like lectures apparently go in one ear and out the other,â you say, and rafe only smiles as he looks down at his food, picking at it as he makes his way over to the edge of his bed again.
âi mean isnât the whole point of college to get an education?â you ask him, your tone skeptical. âseems like a waste of time and money if you're not even going to try to pass all your classes.â
he gives you a knowing look when you mention money, but itâs almost like he doesnât want to talk about about that. or need to. âto each their own, y/n,â he replies cryptically, and his expression is unreadable. âwe all have our reasons for being here.â
a part of you understands where heâs coming from completely, yet another part insists that thereâs still a way to balance both. you know heâs capable. he just needs some motivation.
âi think . . . you should have no reason to be failing right now, especially because of your improvement from last time,â you tell him honestly. âyou should be making the most out of your already-paid-for classes anyway! youâve written the work, youâve been able to pass your exams, you said you needed to study last time i was here, you read a book assigned to the class and were able to debate with me on it. youâre fully capable. you just need a little push maybe.â
he grimaces. âare you gonna spend your time here to teach me how to learn?â
âno.â you shake your head at him, âiâm gonna spend my time here to just motivate you. youâve spent all your time investing a great amount of energy and effort into your other classes. why not this one? thompson doesnât need me to tutor you; he just wants me to help you in any way that i can.â
rafe is silent as you spin around in his chair to face him fully.
âwe can work on our assignment together if you want,â you offer, but your voice comes out in a mumble, unsure if heâll take it or feel off about the idea. âi havenât finished it yet. this way, we can be in each others presence here, but not with me teaching you, but us working together at the same level.â
for once you can see in his face that thereâs a little glint in his eyes. and he looks . . . hopeful. he nods. and you feel good about this, in some weird wayâjust working out things between you and him when for years itâs been nothing but tension. itâs almost like a weight off your back to know that you both are okay with each other enough to be friends. or kind of friends. or tolerate each other.
you twist your body and take his laptop into your hands, then stand from the chair to hand rafe his laptop while simultaneously taking his container from him. you set it down on his desk and cover it up for him.
âprepare for the worst few hours of your life,â you tell him as you pull up your class assignment, and you donât need to look up to see the smile on rafeâs face. you can tell heâs holding back from it but itâs there. and thereâs one on yours too.
after just an hour and a half of discussing, writing, deleting, a lot of questions, yelling, and finally completing all of your english work for the week, you get ready to head back to your dorm. itâs definitely late and rafe mentioned that lorenzo should be coming back soon and will wanna go to sleep right away.
with your ipad tucked underneath your armpit you push rafeâs chair in under his desk, then head for the door. rafe has once again offered you more water like before but this time the offer came with snacks from the whole drawer that rafe had organized in his bedspace. that guy has great taste in snacks.
âthanks for helping me out by the way,â rafe mumbles under his breath as he treads behind you, walking you out. you open the door and look back at him, in which his hand finds the door above your head. âyou didnât have to do it a second time but you did. i really, uh . . . i really appreciate it.â
âliterally no problem at all,â you say as he pulls out some cash from his back pocket like he prepared it for you. you raise your eyebrows. âno itâs fine. i didnât even tutor you today. you can keep it.â
âyou still took time out of your day and helped me out so unfortunately it does,â he insists, then slaps the money in your palm.
you roll your eyes, stuffing it in your pocket as you turn around to leave.
âhey wait,â he says, reaching out to stop you but pulling away before he could make contact. heâs a little anxious as he goes to scratch his temple, closing one of his eyes as he thinks about it for a second. you stop and wait patiently, curious. âsorry for being so weird the other day,â he starts to say, but youâre already waving your hand to tell him itâs okay.
ârafe really, itâs okaââ
âitâs not,â he cuts you off, and youâre silenced from the look on his face. he looks almost defeated, or rather disappointed in himself. he canât even look at you like heâs embarrassed of what heâs said and done.
he takes a moment to build the courage to communicate his thoughts, and eventually he knows exactly what to say.
âi was just having a rough day âcause i was just overwhelmed,â he says. you furrow your eyebrows, wondering what he means. it seems personal that you step back inside his room and shut the door behind you.
âthen when i saw you here with enzo, it didnât even cross my mind to think that you were actually here for me. since i wasnât even in the room, i thought âwhy would she just be here?â . . . it was just a lot of fresh feelings and everything was setting me off, including that. and iâm . . . iâm sorry, it shouldnât have happened,â
âand iâm sorry for ignoring you for a week too. i thought we were just back to how things have always been, and to be honest, that made me upset too. âcause youâre really cool to be around. i guess.â
you frown at him. âi think youâre pretty cool too,â you tell him. âeven though you piss me off. it feels kind of nice being able to talk to you like weâre . . .â
âfriends,â he finishes for you, and you nod. heâs smiling. âthat whole feud just to become friends after two hours of tutoring huh?â
your smile turns into a laugh as you nod. you had the same thought. âmaybe it just means that since we became friends so easily, we were meant to become that in the first place instead of whatever we were,â you suggest, and rafe grins at you. your smile fades slowly as you stare up at him, âso friends?â
âwhatever,â he says with his grin still, and he goes to shake your hand on it. you chuckle, pulling away from the handshake to push his chest, and you head for the door again. âiâll see you?â he asks, following you again.
âiâll see you,â you say as you walk down toward your dorm. when you take out your key, you look to the side and see rafeâs head peeking out from his door. heâs beaming, his smile open with his tongue pressed to the side. âgoodnight,â you say, unlocking your door as you head inside.
âgoodnight,â you can hear him respond as you shut the door behind you, and you spot aria sleeping in her bed already.
you place your ipad on your desk and approach your dresser to retrieve some new clothes. you plan on heading to the showers really quick to get ready for bed.
as you collect your clothes, towels, and shower caddy, you feel your phone buzz in your pocket. you slip out of your room to head for the showers, swiping up on your screen to see whatâs going on. itâs a message from rafe.
â ik u just left like 15 minutes ago but my friends and i wanna go see this new coffee shop tmw and they play live music. just wanted to know if u would wanna come? â
before you can reply, he sends another message:
â totally fine if not idk what our boundaries are â
â u would like elara and lorenzo. theyâre really cool â
â iâll pay for your coffee â
you jump at the opportunity to reply back instantly.
â iâll see u there !! â
@svnsetcrve @sublimepenguinpeach-blog @lalalalala33 @darkcolorexpert @babyflockaaaa @lifeofleasaasa @ilyrafe @mkiverd @wxn-drlst
#rafe#rafe cameron#rafe cameron blurb#rafe cameron fanfic#rafe cameron fanfiction#rafe cameron fic#rafe cameron imagine#rafe cameron smut#rafe cameron x you#drew#drew starkey#drew starkey concept#drew starkey blurb#drew starkey fanfiction#drew starkey fanfic#drew starkey smut#drew starkey imagine
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I'm sorry, I just realized something while I was reading your post about Banthena (I hope that's okay? If not, I'll stop using it) trying to fight the suitors & not having an easy time of it.
How she was upset over it due to her being the goddess of war, but then I remembered that she's not simply the goddess of war. She's the goddess of war strategy & wisdom.
It's possible that she may have somewhat forgotten that due to her previously natural goddess endowed strength & may need to be reminded.
(And as I was typing that, I imagined Ody or Mac or both possibly, singing a reprise of "Warrior of the Mind" to do so, which could be so flippin' cool!!)
Actually... this could be an opportunity for her to actually refine this aspect of herself because she can't rely on her deity strength anymore... In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if she was used to fighting like a man. I wonder, would she need to learn how to do physical things as a woman? Like, by focusing more on the strength in her lower body; legs, hips, core. So, things like dodging, flexibility, kicking, quick reaction. It's like how guys can muscle through climbing, but women climb best by using their legs & core strength.
So, if one were to put that together with her having to work on her mind, including on-the-fly strategizing... if she were to turn back into a goddess... Man, wouldn't it be ironic is becoming a mortal ended up making her a better at her roles as a goddess, in the end? Like, actually being a goddess her whole life had actually been holding her back from her full potential?
Can you imagine that it eventually led to her overthrowing Zeus like he'd been afraid of happening with Metis? "One often meets their destiny on the road to avoid it," right?
(Some other things I also remembered reading about her lore is that she's also the goddess of justice & suffers of a chronic headache so long as injustice exists. But, as a mortal, that is no longer her domain, so imagine that she gets to a point in her recovery where she realizes that she'd been in so much pain all over before, that she hadn't realized that she suddenly didn't have a headache anymore &... she just can't... How do you even describe not being in pain after only ever knowing pain? But I imagine that it must be odd. Another thing I remember of her is that she's also the goddess of handicrafts, things like weaving, pottery, I imagine painting & sculpting are on that list too. So, if she insists on paying her way, then perhaps she could do so that way? Whether it be by selling them or just helping Penelope around the house.)
Sorry for chattering so much. I tend to do that when I find a REALLY good thing with a lot of potential. ^^;
HI I TOOK EONS TO ANSWER THIS BECAUSE YOU MAKE SUCH A GOOD POINT AND MY BRAIN CANT MAKE ANY POINTS TO ADD ONTO THIS, so I'm eating your thoughts now, please continue to ramble in my asks anon <3
Also, teehee banthena is allowed indeed, and it's now the tag for if you want to make fan posts of the au :3!
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