#beautifully broken AU

[riddleswhcre]

────۶ৎ 𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐄𝐑 𝟑𝟗𝟒

you were assigned to evaluate the most dangerous prisoner in azkaban. tom riddle was supposed to be nothing more than a case file. a psychological profile. a man stripped of power, locked away, rotting. but then you made a mistake.

warnings: smut, dubcon, knifeplay? (carving initials), pain + pleasure, fingering, overstimulation, possessive, manipulative tom, mind games & control themes.

if any of the above makes you uncomfortable, scroll away. you have been warned.

au more

ʚɞ ⁺˖ ⸝⸝

you should have never pushed him.

it was a game at first. a little power play between you and the most dangerous inmate in azkaban. prisoner 394, tom riddle. the man who ran circles around every other psychologist they'd assigned to him, until they gave up and threw you in the ring.

you were different. you didn’t play by their rules. you let him talk, let him smirk, let him watch you in that way that made lesser people shudder. but you never let him win.

until now.

because last session, you made a mistake.

you mocked him.

—

tom had been particularly smug that day, lounging in his chair like the chains on his wrists were merely decorative, like this prison was nothing more than an inconvenience. you had watched him, lips curling, head tilting in mock contemplation.

"all that power," you mused, voice dripping with condescension. "all that control you used to have. and now look at you."

tom's smirk didn't falter, but his fingers curled slightly against the armrest. you noticed. his jaw had clenched—just for a second. quick. nearly imperceptible. but you caught it. you had rattled him, and the victory had sent a thrill through you.

you should have known better.

—

because today, the door locks behind you. and this time, tom doesn’t sit.

there’s something different in the air, something that prickles against your skin before your mind even fully registers it. tom doesn’t smirk. he doesn’t taunt. he just watches you, dark and unreadable, as he takes a slow, measured step forward.

instinctively, you step back. a mistake. because the flicker of amusement in his gaze tells you he likes it—likes seeing you retreat, likes knowing you’re starting to understand.

"so quiet now, sweetheart," he murmurs. "where’s that sharp tongue of yours?"

his voice is soft, almost teasing, but there’s steel beneath it. control. a dangerous edge that sends a shiver racing down your spine.

another step, and your back meets the desk. you barely have a second to react before his hand finds your waist—firm, possessive, pressing you down as he leans in, breath ghosting over your ear.

"you wanted to play, didn’t you?" he hums. "wanted to test me? remind me of my place?"

his other hand lifts, and you don’t realise what he’s holding until the cool, unexpected press of something sharp meets your thigh.

you freeze.

"shhh, darling," he croons, his free hand splaying over your stomach, keeping you in place. "we’re just getting started."

he drags the tip of his quill over your skin—slow, teasing, letting you feel it before he presses just a little harder. the first cut is shallow, barely more than a scratch, but the sting makes your breath catch.

tom watches you, eyes half-lidded, as he carves.

T.

M.

R.

his name. his claim. the ink mixes with blood, smearing as his thumb drags over it, pressing down just enough to make you whimper. pain blooms hot and sharp, but the moment his palm slides higher, fingers trailing the inside of your thigh, your body betrays you. heat coils in your stomach, the line between agony and pleasure blurring into something intoxicating.

"so beautifully marked."

he leans in, mouth dragging against your throat.

"so utterly mine." he chuckles, breath warm against your cheek. "you're shaking," he murmurs, thumb tracing the fresh carving. "is it from the pain, darling? or something else?"

you don’t get a chance to answer before his fingers press higher, teasing, just barely brushing over the damp fabric between your legs. a broken gasp slips from your lips, and tom hums, pleased.

"already soaked for me," he muses. "and you call me pathetic."

your mind is spinning, but your body knows exactly what it wants. hips tilting, legs parting. tom notices, because of course he does. his fingers press harder, rubbing slow, lazy circles that make your knees tremble.

"that’s it," he murmurs, lips brushing your temple. "let me see how weak you really are."

“you had so much to say last time.” his fingers trail the wood beside you, deceptively casual. “now, nothing?”

your breath stutters.

“p-please—”

he laughs, dark and amused. “oh, no. you don’t get to beg now. you’re gonna take everything i give you. and then you’re gonna thank me.”

the desk digs into your thighs as he presses closer, his body a wall of heat and power. shackles hang loose around his wrists, the chain between them long enough to allow movement. you know he’s done something to them. manipulated the guards, twisted the security measures to suit his whims. because tom riddle never plays fair.

you shudder as his hand finds your throat, not squeezing, just a weight, a reminder.

“you thought you could control me?” he murmurs, dragging his lips along your jaw, your pulse fluttering wildly beneath his touch. “thought you could use that pretty mouth to put me in my place?”

your fingers curl against the desk, nails biting into the wood.

he chuckles, a dark rasp against your skin. “i do love watching you struggle, darling. but we both know how this ends.”

“so sensitive,” he purrs. “wonder how much more you can take.”

“that’s it,” he murmurs, lips brushing your temple. “let me see how weak you really are.”

when he finally pushes the fabric aside and slides a single finger through your slick, you whimper, a sound you barely recognise escaping your lips. his responding groan is filthy, low and pleased.

“fuck, listen to you,” he breathes. “so desperate already.”

he presses the tip of his finger inside you, just enough to tease, to drive you mad. you bite your lip, a useless attempt to stifle the sounds spilling from your mouth. but he’s having none of it.

a sharp nip at your throat makes you gasp, and in that moment, he sinks a second finger in, stretching you open.

“good girl,” he praises, voice dripping with satisfaction. ”taking my fingers so well.”

your head falls back, eyes fluttering shut as he works you open, fingers curling just right, dragging over that spot that makes you tremble. he knows exactly where to press, where to stroke, and he does it with excruciating precision—slow at first, teasing, like he's savouring every moment of your unraveling.

the slick sounds of your arousal mix with the sharp gasps you can’t contain, each one only encouraging him. he pulls his fingers out almost entirely before sinking them back in, deeper this time, dragging against every sensitive nerve until your thighs are trembling with the effort to stay upright.

"feel that?" he whispers, lips brushing against your ear, his voice dark, taunting. "how your body gives in to me so easily? you're dripping, darling. soaking my fingers like you were made for this."

his thumb presses against your clit, a calculated roll that has you gasping, your nails digging into his forearms. he does it again, harder this time, a slow, devastating rhythm that has heat coiling low in your stomach, the tension winding tighter, unbearable.

"come on," he purrs, fingers working faster, thrusting deeper, his thumb relentless against that aching bundle of nerves. "give it to me, love. let me see you fall apart." your hands fly to his arms, gripping hard, but he doesn’t stop. doesn’t slow.

“look at you,” he murmurs, dragging his tongue over the shell of your ear. “falling apart for the man you thought you could control.”

your release builds fast, overwhelming, and he knows. he knows, because his smirk presses against your cheek as he picks up the pace.

“cum for me,” he orders, voice dark and commanding. “cum for the man who owns you now.”

you shatter.

a strangled cry escapes your lips as you arch against him, thighs shaking, body writhing beneath his relentless touch. he doesn’t let up, working you through every pulse, every wave, until you’re gasping, overstimulated, gripping onto him for support.

tom hums in satisfaction, finally withdrawing his fingers. he lifts them to his lips, eyes locked on yours as he licks them clean, a low groan vibrating in his chest.

“sweet as sin,” he murmurs.

your legs barely hold you up, but tom isn’t done. he grips your chin, tilting your head up, forcing you to meet his gaze.

“same time next week, doctor.”

and with that, he steps back, leaving you trembling, ruined, and entirely at his mercy.

ʚɞ ⁺˖ ⸝⸝

thank you for reading. reblogs & feedback appreciated.

[flwrkid14]

Sleeping beauty!Tim au but make it angsty

Red Robin gets hit with a spell that makes him sleep and no one is able to wake him up. The wizard villain of the week disappeared after hitting Tim with it and only by the grace of God and Red Hood's speed was he caught before he tumbled off the damn roof.

The batfam think it'll be an easy fix, Bruce gets Zatanna to show up... Except...

Bruce: Why did it not work?

Zatanna: it's one of those fickle sleep spells that can only be broken by true love's kiss. Luckily, it doesn't have to be a romantic kiss or one on the lips, as long as it's from someone who truly loves Red Robin.

Bruce: So why is he not awake?

Zatanna: The fickle thing about this particular spell is that for it to break, Red Robin has to believe that the person who kissed him truly loves him.

Cue all the angst and heartbreak and self reflection as the batfam realize, after each of them tries to wake Tim, that their brother genuinely thinks they don't love him.

Eventually it's Kon who manages to wake Tim up with a gentle kiss on the forehead.

In the aftermath, Tim doesn't know how to deal with the way the batfam are looking at him like he broke their hearts or the way Bruce looks uncomfortably on the verge of tears.

Thank you so much for the ask!!—this is such a deliciously angsty concept, and I can’t get over how much it says about the Batfamily and their emotional blind spots.

It’s so painfully them, isn’t it? The Batfamily, who love so fiercely but are absolutely terrible at showing it in ways that matter. They’re all so busy with their missions, their duty, their endless fight to keep Gotham and each other safe, that they don’t stop to think about how their love is perceived. They assume it’s obvious in the way they watch each other’s backs or show up when it counts. But Tim? Tim’s spent so long in the shadows, convincing himself he’s just a cog in the machine, that he doesn’t see any of that as love.

And now they’re standing there, one by one, trying and failing to wake him up. It’s not just frustrating—it’s devastating. Because the truth they’ve all been avoiding is staring them in the face: Tim doesn’t believe they love him. And maybe, deep down, they know why. Every harsh word, every time they brushed him off because there was a bigger crisis, every moment they assumed Tim was fine because he didn’t say otherwise—it’s all coming back to haunt them now.

Jason probably storms off first, pretending it doesn’t bother him, but the guilt is eating him alive. Dick, who prides himself on being the emotional glue of the family, is visibly shaken—because how could he miss this? How could he fail Tim like this? And Bruce, oh, Bruce—he’s silent, but you can see the way his hands tremble, the way his jaw tightens. He’s spent years thinking his actions spoke louder than words, and now he’s realizing he might’ve been wrong.

And when Kon finally wakes Tim up? It’s not just a relief—it’s a wake-up call. Kon, who loves Tim so plainly and without hesitation, didn’t have to fight through layers of doubt or miscommunication. His love was clear, and Tim believed it without question. The Batfamily can’t say the same, and it hurts.

But what really gets me is the aftermath. Tim, sitting there, bewildered and uncomfortable as the Batfamily stares at him with those shattered, guilty expressions. To him, it doesn’t make sense—he’s fine, the mission’s done, so why are they acting like he’s the one who needs fixing? And when Bruce finally asks, voice quiet and cracking, “Why didn’t you believe us?” Tim doesn’t know how to answer. Because in his mind, it wasn’t a question of love—it was a question of worth.

It’s such a raw, painful exploration of the Batfamily’s dynamic. They love each other deeply, but they’re so bad at saying it, at showing it in ways that the other person can feel. And Tim? Tim’s just been waiting, quietly, for proof he didn’t think would ever come.

This is such a beautifully tragic setup, and I love how it forces them all to face what they’ve been avoiding. If you—or anyone—writes this, I would absolutely love to read it!! The emotional fallout alone would be worth its weight in tears!

[psychedelic-ink]

ㅤㅤㅤ✦ 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐒𝐓 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐁𝐄𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐘

ㅤㅤjoel miller x plus size!f!reader

genre: romance, flowershop au, jackson era, minors dni

word count: 7k

summary: you own a small flower shop in Jackson, when Ellie comes to visit, your life inevitably becomes tangled with the man who cares for her; joel miller.

warnings: age gap, piv in the middle of a flower field, no one sees, praise kink, some angst because joel, oral (fem receiving)

a/n: hello everyone! it's been a while and honestly, life has been kicking me in the gut lately with everything its got.

This originally was a commission, reader had a name and I've been working at it for months but sadly the person who commissioned be backed out last second saying they weren't interested anymore meaning I'm not getting paid for this work. Again, it's on me. Admittedly I've been slow on commissions due to my living situation and work and I should've taken half the payment upfront but trusting it was a joel fic I didn't really take extra precautions.

I decided to share it anyway, and the person who commissioned me said that I could. Any kind of writing has been hard for me to do lately and I really like how this one turned out. But since now I'm not getting paid for this work I decided to take out readers name and make some changes to the overall plot that I was given.

Sadly, I can't take any more commissions at the moment before finishing the ones I have left, but I'd be grateful for any kind of support you guys can give. I need to move out this summer (if I don't, I don't have a shadow of a doubt that my aunts will tell me to leave anyway) and I've been trying to save up as much as I can. Everything just has been a lot lately and I'm feeling anxious about my decisions and lost.

Again, any kind of support is greatly appreciated even tho I know I don't deserve it at this time:

my kofi

**dividers by @saradika-graphics 💜

You unlock the door to your quaint flower shop, the antique bell that you found and Tommy fixed chiming softly in greeting. Stepping outside, you're immediately embraced by the warmth of the morning sun, its golden rays dancing playfully on your skin. The air carries the unmistakable scent of spring, a delicate blend of fresh blossoms and earthy notes that fills your lungs with every inhale.

Dressed in a flowing dress, you feel perfectly in tune with the season as you begin arranging the colorful array of flowers on display outside your shop. The fabric of your dress sways gently in the breeze, a soft symphony of movement that mirrors the graceful dance of the petals.

Taking a deep breath, you close your eyes and tilt your face towards the sky, basking in the gentle caress of the sun's rays. Above you, the cerulean expanse is dotted with fluffy white clouds, their shapes shifting and morphing with each passing moment.

With practiced hands, you arrange the blooms with care, each stem finding its place in the intricate tapestry of colors and textures. The vibrant hues of the flowers contrast beautifully against the backdrop of the weathered brick walls of your shop, creating a scene that's both inviting and enchanting.

As you work, you can't help but smile at the thought of the joy these flowers will bring to those who pass by. It’s been hard adopting to a new and broken world, but ironically, you have found your passion. Something to make you eager to get up in the morning. Of course your heart still ached for those you had lost, the suffering, but working on flowers, something living and growing and adapting just like you managed to lighten the weight on your heart. Whether it's a simple bouquet to brighten someone's day or a thoughtful arrangement for a special occasion, your creations have a way of spreading happiness and light wherever they go.

With the last of the flowers arranged to perfection, you step back to admire your handiwork, a sense of pride swelling within you. With a contented sigh, you turn to head back inside, ready to greet the day with open arms and a heart full of gratitude.

That is, until, you hear a surprised gasp. 

“Holy shit—” 

Turning around at the sound, you're met with the sight of a familiar face. A young girl you've seen around town quite frequently. You haven’t officially met her yet, but you know her name: Ellie. 

Realizing that the young girl has never visited your flower shop before, you understand the source of her surprise. With a warm smile, you approach her and greet her by name. "You're Ellie, right? Tommy's niece?"

Ellie nods enthusiastically, her eyes bright with excitement. "Yeah, that's me! Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. I've just never been here before. The flowers are... fucking amazing—"

She suddenly claps a hand over her mouth, looking towards you apologetically. The gesture makes you laugh.

"I'm glad you like them," you reply, feeling a sense of satisfaction at her reaction. "Feel free to take a closer look if you'd like."

Her eyes light up at the invitation, and she eagerly follows you inside the cozy flower shop. The atmosphere inside is warm and inviting, with shelves lined with potted plants and bouquets of flowers in various stages of bloom. Sunlight filters through the windows, casting a soft glow over the space and illuminating the vibrant colors of the blooms.

As you lead Ellie further into the shop, you can't help but notice the curious glances she casts around, taking in every detail with a sense of wonder. The air is filled with the subtle fragrance of flowers, a delicate scent that lingers in the air and adds to the charm of the space.

"So, Ellie," you begin, breaking the comfortable silence as you approach a display of freshly cut flowers, "Anything you like? I’d be more than happy to gift you some."

Ellie's eyes sparkle with excitement as she looks around the shop. "Really? But there’s so many, how can I even choose?"

"Well, you're in luck," you reply, gesturing towards the colorful blooms around you. "I can just make you a bouquet of everything. Just pick out your favorites."

Ellie's gaze drifts over the display, her expression thoughtful as she considers your question. "Hmm, that's a tough one, they all look so fucking cool," she muses, her brows furrowing slightly in concentration. "How about sunflowers and. . . daisies? There's just something about them that feels... I don't know, hopeful, I guess."

You nod in understanding, a fond smile tugging at the corners of your lips. "Sunflowers are a wonderful choice. They symbolize warmth, happiness, and positivity. Definitely a fitting choice for someone as vibrant as you, Ellie."

She grins at the compliment, "Thanks,. So, what about you? Do you have a favorite flower?"

“That’s a tough one, but I’d had to say daffodils. They just make me feel right at home. . . even though home has become a difficult word.” 

She doesn’t answer you, at least not in a way that you would expect. She nods and says,

"Let's add some daffodils to the mix too. If that’s okay.”

“If course it is. I said any flower didn’t I?”

With Ellie's choices in mind, you set to work gathering the blooms she selected, expertly arranging them into a vibrant bouquet. Your hands move with practiced precision, the gentle rustle of petals and stems filling the air as you weave the different flowers together.

Each blossom is a work of art in its own right, vibrant hues mingling together in a harmonious dance of colors and textures. Sunflowers, with their golden petals reaching towards the sky, stand tall and proud at the center of the bouquet, symbolizing warmth and happiness. Daisies, with their delicate white petals and cheerful yellow centers, add a touch of innocence and purity to the mix. And finally, the daffodils.

Beside you, Ellie watches with rapt attention, her eyes shining, "It's so pretty," she remarks, her voice filled with awe.

You smile at her words, feeling a sense of pride swell within you at the sight of her delight. "Flowers have a way of bringing joy and beauty into our lives," you reply, your voice soft with reverence. "They remind us to appreciate the simple things and to find beauty in the world around us."

Finally, the bouquet is complete, a stunning masterpiece that radiates warmth and joy. You present it to Ellie with a flourish, a sense of satisfaction washing over you at the sight of her delighted expression.

"It's perfect," Ellie exclaims, her eyes shining with excitement as she admires the bouquet in her hands. "Thank you so much. This is amazing."

"It was my pleasure," you reply, your heart swelling with happiness at her words. "I'm glad you like it. And remember, if you ever want to learn more about flowers or need some help with anything, you know where to find me."

Ellie nods eagerly, her enthusiasm infectious. "Definitely. Thanks again. This means a lot."

As Ellie turns to leave, a sudden thought seems to strike her. She pauses, her hand on the door, before turning back to face you with a mischievous glint in her eye.

"Hey," she begins, a playful smile dancing on her lips, "do you need a flower assistant? I mean, I’d be nice to work here, and you seem really cool."

"Well, Ellie," you reply with a teasing grin, "If you're serious about helping out around here, I'd be more than happy to have you on board."

Ellie's eyes widen,. "Wait, really?" she asks, her voice tinged with disbelief. "You mean it?"

You nod, your smile genuine as you reassure her. "Of course. I could use all the help I can get, especially during busy times. And besides, it'll be fun having you around. Consider yourself officially hired as my flower assistant, Ellie."

A grin spreads across Ellie's face, her eyes sparkling with excitement at the prospect of working alongside you in the flower shop. "Wow, I don't even know what to say," she admits, her voice filled with genuine gratitude. 

"No need to say anything," you grin. "Just don’t be late."

As Ellie nods, a sense of anticipation fills the air, signaling the beginning of a new chapter in both of your lives. With a shared sense of excitement and determination, you and Ellie set to work, ready to take on whatever challenges and adventures the future may hold for your blossoming partnership.

The next day unfolds with a golden hue, promising another beautiful day in Jackson. As you prepare for the day ahead, a sense of excitement tingles in the air knowing that you'll be mentoring Ellie, your newfound flower assistant. Ellie arrives earlier than you expected, her eyes oozing with sleep.

"Good morning, Ellie," you greet her with a warm smile, gesturing for her to come closer. "Ready for your first day?"

Ellie grins back, nodding enthusiastically. "Absolutely. I’m just not used to waking up so early."

With a chuckle, you lead her to the work table, where several potted plants await repotting. However, before diving into the day's tasks, Ellie's curiosity gets the better of her.

"How do you find all these flowers?" she asks. "I mean, with the infected and everything, it must be hard."

"I have a few spots outside of Jackson where I like to go to collect flowers. There's a field not too far from here that's brimming with all sorts of blooms."

Ellie's eyes widen and you can tell she's intrigued by the idea of venturing beyond the safety of the town's walls. "That sounds amazing," she breathes, her voice filled with wonder. "Do you go there often?"

You nod, a fond smile playing on your lips as you recall the countless trips you've taken to the flower field. "Yes, whenever I need to restock or find something special," you reply. "But I've also started growing some flowers myself. It's a work in progress, but it's been rewarding to see them bloom."

"That's so cool," she exclaims. "I'd love to see the field sometime, if you're up for it."

With a grin, you nod, "I'd be happy to take you," you reply. "But for now, let's focus on getting these plants repotted. We'll save the field trip for another day."

As if on cue, the shop door swings open, and a customer steps inside, a worn backpack slung over their shoulder. They approach the counter with a friendly smile, their eyes scanning the colorful array of blooms on display.

"Good morning," you greet them with a smile, your attention shifting to the customer. "How can I help you today?"

The customer returns your smile, reaching into their backpack to retrieve a small item wrapped in cloth. "I have something to trade," they explain, placing the item on the counter before you.

You unwrap the cloth to reveal a delicate piece of jewelry, a handmade necklace adorned with intricate beads and charms. It's a beautiful piece, clearly crafted with care and attention to detail.

Ellie watches with interest as you examine the necklace, her curiosity piqued by the exchange taking place before her eyes. "What are you trading for?" she asks, her voice filled with curiosity.

You glance at Ellie with a smile, impressed by her keen observation. "Well, Ellie, sometimes customers trade items in exchange for flowers," you explain, turning back to the customer. "It's a way for them to get something they need while also supporting the shop. As for how I decide what the flowers are worth, it's based on a few factors—like the rarity of the flowers, the time and effort it took to grow them, and of course, their beauty."

With a nod, you accept the necklace, carefully placing it aside before selecting a beautiful bouquet of flowers to offer in exchange. As the customer leaves the shop, their smile brighter than before, you can't help but feel a sense of satisfaction knowing that you've made another person's day a little bit brighter.

“Ellie, I’m not sure me bargin’ into your new workplace is the best introduction,” Joel says.

“You’ll be fine,” she says, dragging Joel by the arm. “Besides, weren’t you the one grumbling about not liking me spending all my time with a stranger? What else was I fucking supposed to do?”

Joel lets out an elongated sigh. “Language.”

He can’t see it, but he knows she’s rolling her eyes at him. The tiny, rundown flower shop soon comes into view and Joel can’t help but think of all the improvements he could make: the crooked step, the splintered door, the moss growing from the bottom of the woody exterior—

This shop won’t last next winter, he thinks with furrowed brows. And even though he’s been skeptical about Ellie spending all of her time here, he’s seen the improvement in her mood. Things just haven’t been the same since their return from the hospital, he couldn’t shake the distant feeling between him and her no matter how hard he tried. It had become something even he couldn’t fix.

But then, one day, she’d come home with the most beautiful bouquet of flowers he’d ever seen, with a wide smile plastered across her young face. Then she mentioned the keeper of the shop. Ever since then, his interest had been piqued.

Approaching the shop, he notices a figure outside arranging flowers, your silhouette bathed in the warm morning sun. You appear younger than he anticipated, your beauty catching him off guard. The way your dress contours your curves adds to your allure, a sight unexpected yet captivating. A gentle breeze tousles your hair as you work, momentarily leaving him speechless.

Contrasting his hesitation, you bound up to the shop with your usual cheerfulness. "Hey there!" Ellie calls out. The woman turns at her greeting, a genuine smile gracing her lips as she sets down the flowers. "Good morning!" 

He hangs back, observing as Ellie effortlessly initiates a conversation with you. Your interaction flows with ease, suggesting a familiarity beyond your brief acquaintance.

While you chat, an unsettling feeling settles within him. There's an inexplicable pull towards the shop owner, despite his attempts to resist. Watching Ellie interact with you stirs a strange longing within him, leaving him more unsettled than before.

Before he can dwell on his thoughts further, Ellie snaps him out of it. "Joel, don’t be a stranger! Introduce yourself, she's the one I've been telling you about."

With a sigh, he steps forward, his approach cautious. As your eyes meet, a peculiar sense of recognition passes between you, as if you've crossed paths in another life.

"Hi," he manages to say, his voice gruff yet not devoid of warmth. "I'm Joel."

As he clasps your hand, a spark ignites between you, a connection unfurling with each passing moment.

“Joel?” you say slowly, as if tasting his name in your mouth. “Joel as in Tommy Miller’s brother?”

Your hand feels soft and delicate as it clasps his own, and he can't help but notice the subtle tremor in your fingers. It's a small detail, but it speaks volumes, hinting at a vulnerability that he hadn't expected from this beautiful stranger.

"Yeah, that's me," he responds with a nod, offering a friendly smile in return. "Tommy's my brother."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Joel. Ellie speaks very highly of you."

As you exchange pleasantries, he finds himself drawn to the warmth in your gaze, a warmth that seems to seep into his very soul. There's an openness about you, a genuineness that he finds both refreshing and disarming.

While you talk, he can't help but be captivated by the way your lips move, the gentle cadence of your voice. It's a strange sensation, this sudden fascination with a woman he's just met, but he finds himself unable to look away.

Your conversation is interrupted by Ellie's playful interruption, and he reluctantly tears his gaze away from you, feeling a pang of disappointment at the thought of leaving your side. But as they follow Ellie into the shop, he can't shake the feeling that meeting you has stirred something within him, something that he can't quite articulate.

Entering the shop, he can't help but notice even more things wrong– the creaky floorboards, the peeling paint, the flickering lights overhead. It's evident that the place is in dire need of renovations.

Despite the less-than-ideal surroundings, Ellie's excitement is contagious, and he finds himself getting swept up in the moment. She points out various flowers, their vibrant hues and delicate petals bringing a welcome burst of color to the dreary environment.

"These lilies are my absolute favorite," Ellie exclaims, thrusting a handful of flowers towards him with a mischievous grin.

He can't suppress a surprised sneeze as the pollen tickles his nose, and they both dissolve into laughter,and momentarily, all his concerns seem to fade away.

But just as they're catching their breath, you enter the room, your presence once again capturing his attention. There's something about you that intrigues him, a warmth and kindness that draws him in effortlessly.

A sheepish smile spreads across his face as your eyes meet. You return the smile, your gaze gentle and understanding, and for a fleeting moment, it feels as though you're the only two people in the room.

“Who helped you fix the place up?” Joel asks you as Ellie runs off to change the water of the vases. “

"Tommy actually," you explain. "He's been a tremendous help, especially with all the repairs."

Joel’s brows knit together and he ignores the way your smile falters as he speaks, “Well, leave it to my brother to do a shit job. This shop won’t last next winter.”

“O–Oh. . .” you hug yourself, thumbs moving along the contours of your arms. His heart sinks in, leave it to him to make someone feel bad.

“Not to say it can’t be fixed,” he continues abruptly. “I can help you out. Wouldn’t want Ellie’s new favorite spot to get buried under the snow.”

“Really?” you gasp, smile returning. “You would do that?”

“‘Course. Why wouldn’t I?”

“I just. . . I just wasn’t expecting such an offer thank you. It means the world to me.”

Suddenly Joel feels stiff from how deeply you stare at him, and then he realizes how close they are, only a breath away between their lips. He turns his head, grunting, “Don’t mention it,” a stuttered breath leaves him. “Really. Don’t.”

Your growing smile surprises him, as does your not backing away.

“You got it, Mr. Miller.”

Watching Joel work on fixing the roof of the shop, you can't help but feel a flutter of warmth stir within you. His muscles ripple with each movement, his arms bulging with strength as he lifts heavy beams and hammers nails into place. Beads of sweat glisten on his forehead, catching the sunlight and creating a halo of light around him.

You find yourself mesmerized by the sight, unable to tear your gaze away from the sight of him. His white tank top clings to his chest, damp with sweat, and the short-sleeved flannel he wears hangs open, exposing the tank top underneath. Every movement sends a shiver down your spine, and you can't help but feel a flush of heat rise to your cheeks.

The sound of his grunts fills the air, low and guttural, and it sends a thrill through you that you can't quite explain. There's something primal about the way he works, a raw energy that draws you in and leaves you feeling breathless.

You watch as he reaches up to adjust a beam, his muscles flexing with the effort, and you can't help but imagine what it would feel like to run your hands over his warm, sweaty skin. The thought sends a shudder coursing through you, and you quickly look away, feeling flustered and embarrassed by the intensity of your thoughts.

But no matter how hard you try to focus on something else, your gaze keeps drifting back to Joel, drawn to him like a moth to a flame. And as you watch him work, you can't help but feel a strange sense of longing stir within.

But for now, all you can do is watch and admire from afar, content to bask in the warmth of Joel's presence as he works tirelessly to repair the roof of the shop. And as you watch him, you can't help but feel a sense of gratitude wash over you.

You take a deep breath, steeling yourself with determination as you clutch the bowl of freshly picked black mulberries and raspberries in your hands. With a quick glance up at Joel, who is perched precariously on the ladder, you gather your courage and make your way outside.

"Hey, Joel!" you call out, your voice tinged with nervousness as you approach the ladder. "I brought you some fruit and iced tea. Thought you could use a break."

Joel looks down at you with a grateful smile, wiping the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. "Thanks. That sounds great."

As he descends the ladder, you can't help but feel a surge of excitement mingled with nervousness. With each step he takes, you steal glances at him, unable to tear your gaze away from the sight of him.

But it's when he reaches the bottom of the ladder and stretches upwards to take the bowl of fruit from your hands that you feel your breath catch in your throat. The movement causes his tank top to ride up slightly, revealing a sliver of his stomach, and you swallow thickly at the sight.

As Joel settles down to enjoy the fruit and iced tea, you find yourself drawn to the empty spot next to him on the porch. With a nervous glance in his direction, you take a seat beside him.

The warmth of the wooden porch beneath you contrasts with the cool breeze that sweeps through, and you can't help but feel a sense of calm settle over you as you sit beside Joel. The silence between you is comfortable, broken only by the occasional sound of birds chirping in the distance.

“Lovely day, ain’t it,” Joel takes a bite of the freshly picked black mulberries, the deep purple juice stains his lips, a stark contrast against the ruggedness of his features, and you find yourself mesmerized by the sight.

The juice glistens in the fading sunlight, tracing a vivid trail along his lips as he savors the sweetness of the fruit. Each movement of his jaw seems deliberate, each bite a study in pleasure as he indulges in the simple pleasure of the moment.

A soft breeze rustles through the trees, lifting strands of his hair and sending them dancing in the golden light. But your gaze remains fixed on his lips.

The silence and sight makes you light-headed and eager to say anything, no matter how idiotic it might be. 

“Aren't you a little old to be doing this much heavy lifting?” 

“Aren't you a little too young to be lookin’ at me like that?” 

Your shoulders rise, blood rushing to your head as you look down. Your heart thuds loudly in your chest. Butterflies flutter madly within you, the wings tickling the insides of your stomach. You only swallow. “Your lips are stained from the mulberry.” 

“Whatever you say, sweetheart.” 

He takes another one, biting down with his lips, he finds your gaze. You watch a tiny drop go down his chin. The two of you are close. So incredibly close. It’s been like this since he started working on the shop. A pull that is too hard to ignore. 

“Well,” he breaks the silence. “Better finish up before the sun sets.” 

Joel stands and your heart breaks a little. You blink from where you’re sat, staring at him, yearning for him. 

“Yeah. Wouldn’t want you trying to find your way home in the dark.” 

“You know, I could’ve come here on my own. I always do.” 

“I know. Just wanted to make sure you have someone lookin’ after you.” 

“For someone to be known as a grump, you’re quite a softie.” 

“I’m leavin’.” 

“No—!”

Your fingers close around his arm, the warmth of his skin sending a shiver down your spine. For a moment, you find yourself frozen in place, your pulse quickening as you realize just how close you are to him.

Joel's gaze meets yours, and you can see a flicker of something in his eyes, something that makes your heart race even faster. His eyes drop to your lips, lingering there for a moment before snapping back up to meet your gaze. You notice the hints of a fading smile, “You were joking,” you say slowly, letting go of him. 

“That I was, wildflower,” he doesn’t move away and neither do you. Your breath catches within your throat, the moment stretching between your two like rubber. Before you can say anything Joel’s eyes flicker to something behind you and he smiles. “I think we’re here.” 

As you turn around, your heart skips a beat. The field of flowers stretches out endlessly, a sea of color and beauty that seems to go on forever. The grass has grown taller since the last time you were here, swaying gently in the breeze and creating a soft, rhythmic rustle that fills the air.

The sun hangs low in the sky, casting a warm golden light over the landscape and setting the flowers ablaze with color. Reds and yellows, blues and purples, a riot of hues that dance and swirl in the gentle breeze.

You take a step forward, the grass crunching beneath your feet as you walk further into the field. The scent of poppies and blue hyacinths fills your nostrils, sweet and intoxicating, and you can't help but close your eyes and breathe it in.

The wind sweeps across the field, sending waves of grass rippling in its wake. The sound is soothing, a gentle whisper that seems to carry you away on a tide of tranquility.

For a moment, you forget about everything else – the worries and the doubts, the uncertainties and the fears. All that matters is the beauty of this moment, the beauty of this place, and the beauty of being here with Joel. 

With a rush of emotion swirling within you, you turn to Joel, your heart pounding in your chest as you meet his gaze. He's still standing close, his eyes locked on yours with an intensity that takes your breath away.

Without thinking, without hesitating, you lean forward and press your lips to his. At first, Joel is taken aback, his body stiffening in surprise. But then, he caves, his lips moving against yours in a slow, tender rhythm.

His hands come up to cradle your face, his touch gentle yet firm, as if he's afraid you'll disappear if he lets go. You feel his tongue on your bottom lip and open up for him eagerly, the taste of him feels like electricity shooting through you. Heat pools between your legs, Your breasts tingle with the mere thought of having his hands on them, nipples aching and hard. 

Joel breaks away briefly, then closes the distance again. Small hisses against your swollen lips over and over until neither of you can breathe. He hungers for it almost. And so do you. “Joel,” you whisper, eyes cloudy. “Please.” 

“Is that what you want, wildflower?” he drags his nose down the side of your cheek, facial hair scratching delightfully against the sensitive skin of your neck. “For me to fuck you here? Right out in the open?” his voice trembles. “Like animals?” 

“God, yes—” your insides clench. “I would want nothing more. Been thinking about you since the day I met you, your hands, your mouth, you as a whole.” 

His hands drop to your ass and he gives the tender flesh a strong squeeze, “You want me?” 

“I do.” 

You suddenly find yourself on the ground, the grass tickling your exposed legs and arms, the skirt of your dress rolled up to your waist. Joel’s weight is a welcoming comfort on top of you, another gust of warm wind blows. With a groan, he pulls down the sweetheart neckline of your dress, exposing both your breasts. While holding one, he kisses the other, drawing the stiff nipple into his mouth. He sucks harshly, your body jolting with pleasure. The soaking mess between your legs grows. 

“Joel,” you moan, back arching. “Fuck—” 

He swirls the tip of his tongue around the nipple and grazes his teeth against it. Calloused fingers play with the other. Your mind is swimming in pleasure. He brings the skirt of your dress further up and traces his lips down the fabric, when you look down, you see him between your legs, his eyes darker than normal as he stares into your soul. The tips of his fingers dance along the elastic of your panties, asking for permission. 

You breathe out a yes, barely audible, but he nods and tugs the fabric down. When he latches his mouth on to you, the world stops. His mouth feels divine. His tongue delves between your folds, the bridge of his nose rubbing against your clit. You shudder against him and he moans into you. The reverberations of the sound force a gasp out of you and you swear you feel him smiling. 

His fingers trace patterns along your thighs, teasing and stroking as his mouth works wonders between your legs. You're on the edge, the pleasure building up with each flick of his tongue. You reach down and bury your fingers in his hair, pulling him closer, guiding him where you need him the most.

Joel picks up the pace, his tongue moving faster, his fingers slipping inside of you. You can feel your body starting to tighten, the coil in your stomach about to unravel. You grip onto him tighter, your hips bucking against his mouth, and with one final flick of his tongue, you come undone.

You cry out his name, your body shaking with the force of your orgasm. Joel continues to lightly lick and suck, drawing out your pleasure until you're completely spent. He makes his way back up to your lips, kissing you deeply as you both catch your breath.

“That was…” you trail off, unable to find the right words for the mind-blowing experience you just had.

“Amazin’,” Joel finishes for you.

You nod, still a little breathless. You wrap your arms around him, pressing your body against his. Joel's hands roam over your back, his touch sending shivers down your spine. You can feel his erection against your thigh, and you know that he needs release just as much as you do.

“Been so long since I’ve tasted somethin’ this sweet,” he rasps. “Thank you.” 

You hear the blood rushing in your ears, “You’re the sweet one,” you mumble, tenderly touching the scratchy surface of his cheek. “So sweet.” 

He smiles and as he kisses the curve of your palm, shuffles above you, starting to get up. A deep frown forms between your brows. “And where are you going?” you pout, wrapping your arms around him. You feel the outline of his length as he lowers himself once more, the tips of your noses brushing against one another.

“I thought you wanted to gather some flowers.” 

“Not yet,” you murmur, eyes glazed. “At least, not before feeling you inside me.” 

“Fuck, darlin’,” he lets out a whimpering breath, grinding himself against your bare cunt. “You really know how to get a man goin’.” 

“Prove it.” 

His eyes flicker with an emotion you can’t quite describe. His breath stutters, then, without even looking, he unbuckles himself, never breaking eye contact. Joel’s hair ruffles with the wind, yet he doesn’t even blink. The head of his cock catches against your clit, ripping a moan from your throat. He fills you with one sloppy thrust, the length of him stretching you enough to have your eyes rolling to the back of your skull. 

“Joel—Oh my god—” 

“That’s it, good girl, takin’ my cock so well. Feels good?” 

Slack-jawed, you nod. He goes deeper. “Want you to feel me for weeks, wildflower. And I want you to think of me every time you come to this god—” thrust. “—damn” thrust. “—field.” 

You can only moan at his words, his hands grip your lovehandles, squeezing and pulling you closer to him every time he rocks forward. His head falls into the crook of your neck, sinking his teeth into the sensitive skin, he sucks. Your body convulses, shaking against him. 

Sparks ricochet through every limb of your body as you feel the heat pooling in your core. Joel moves his hand from your lower back to cup your breast, his fingers teasing and plucking at your nipple. The pleasure ricochets through your body, making you feel like you're on fire.

“Come for me, darlin’.” Joel growls into your ear, his voice rough and primal. “Come on my cock.”

His words send you over the edge, your body shaking and convulsing beneath him as he continues to thrust into you relentlessly. The world blurs around you, all your senses consumed by the feeling of Joel's body against yours.

"Joel—" you moan, your voice lost in the wind as you reach your peak. 

He groans in response, his thrusts becoming more erratic as he chases his own release. After one final, deep thrust, he pulls out and spills over your stomach, his body shaking against yours. You both ride out the waves of pleasure until finally, you collapse against each other, panting and spent.

You lay in the flower field, a tangled mess of limbs and sweaty bodies. Joel's arms are still wrapped tightly around you, his face buried in your neck as he tries to catch his breath. You run your fingers through his hair, feeling the warmth of his body.

"I've never felt anything like this before," you say quietly, almost to yourself.

Joel lifts his head to look at you, his eyes softening. "Me neither, wildflower. Me neither."

As the sun begins to set, you both lay there, entwined in each other's arms. The field has become a symbol of something more than beauty. And as long as those flowers bloom, you know your love for each other will continue to grow.

A week. 

A week without hearing from him, seeing him, touching him. 

A painful week. 

It’s almost as if he never existed. As if the moment in your favorite field was nothing but your imagination. The only reason why you know it's real is because Ellie still comes by every day, and despite knowing it’s impossible, you still feel him deep inside. It only heightens whenever you have to travel back to the field to gather flowers for the shop. 

You watch as Ellie places more daisies into a vase. She’s been her usual self, joking around, telling you about all the details of her life. It’s hard not to ask her about Joel and how he’s been. 

Some nasty part of your mind whispers words of discouragement, telling you he only wanted you for your body, for your charm, and got what he wanted. Your heart clenches. It might be true. You were young after all, emotional, broken. He’d already gone through all that, killed to stay alive, for loved ones, gone through grief—why would he want to take on another’s problems as well? 

“Hey, Ellie?” 

She turns to you, eyes slightly wide due to the rasp of your voice, “Yeah boss?” 

“Can you watch the shop for a second, I have something I need to do that I forgot about.” 

You don't wait for her nod as you exit the shop. You know he’s home. He has to be. 

Luckily it doesn’t take you long to reach their house, your knock is loud and swift. You know you’ve taken him by surprise by the expression when he opens the door. His mouth is slightly ajar, his brows knit together. 

“What are you—” 

“I came to talk,” you brush past him, heading inside. Joel lingers at the door but soon after follows you inside anyway. 

He sighs, “What do you want to talk about?” 

You take a deep breath, steeling yourself for what's to come. "Us," you reply, your voice steady despite the turmoil raging inside you. "I need to know what happened, Joel. Why you've been avoiding me."

Joel's jaw clenches at your words, his gaze flickering away for a moment before returning to meet yours. "I ain't good for you," he says, his voice rough with emotion. "You deserve better than someone like me."

You feel a surge of anger rising within you at his words, frustration bubbling up to the surface. "That's for me to decide, Joel," you say, your voice tinged with defiance. "I'm not some fragile flower that needs to be protected. I can make my own choices, and right now, I choose you."

Joel's expression softens slightly at your words, but there's still a hint of sadness in his eyes. "You don't know what you're saying," he says, his voice barely above a whisper. "I'm a mess, a broken man with too much blood on his hands. You deserve someone who can give you the world, not someone who can barely keep himself together. You’re young. You still have so much ahead of you—"

“No! That’s not what I want. I want you, you’re the only person who’s made me feel like. . . like myself. . .before. And wanted.” 

Your voice begins to shake, you see the hesitation within his body, hod his hand slightly moves forward to hold you, to touch you, but he doesn’t. 

“I can’t do this to you,” his hands slide into his pockets, he gestures to the door. “Get out.” 

The blood freezes in your veins, your eyes grow wide, your chest constricts, “What?” 

“I said to get out,” he repeats, a little louder this time. “Get out, please.” 

And you do. 

“You need to get your shit together.” 

“Language, Ellie, dammit.” 

She glares at him from across the table. It’s an early morning, earlier than he’d liked. He’s been feeling hallowed out ever since your visit. He could see the hurt in your eyes, the betrayal. He knew that he’d broken something when avoiding you, something tender and not so easily fixable. 

But what was he supposed to do? You were young, he didn’t want to trap you, didn’t want you to throw the best years of your life for an old man like him. 

Briefly, he squeezes his eyes shut. His head hurts. All he can think about is you, your body, how eager it was to take him, the delectable curves he couldn’t get enough of. 

He misses your taste on his tongue. 

“She’s miserable too, you know.” 

Joel’s eye snap wide open. “Who?” 

“You know who,” she shakes her head. “I don’t know what happened between you two, but she’s definitely upset and so are you—Just fix it. Don’t be an asshole” 

He let’s out a sigh, she’s right. He needs to fix this somehow. Joel stares at Ellie, her words hitting him harder than he expected. He hadn't realized just how much his actions had affected not only you but also Ellie. The weight of his own guilt settles heavily on his shoulders, a constant reminder of the mess he's made.

"Yeah," he mutters, his voice rough with emotion. "I know."

He runs a hand through his hair, the tension in his muscles making every movement feel heavy and strained. He knows he needs to make things right, to somehow find a way to mend the rift he's created between you and him.

But how? How could he possibly make things right after everything that's happened?

"I'll talk to her," he says finally, his voice barely above a whisper. "I'll fix it."

Ellie nods in approval, her expression softening slightly as she looks at him. "Good," she says, her tone gentle. "Because I don't want to see either of you hurting anymore."

She was right and he knew it. 

“The shop’s closed today,” Ellie says as he grabbed his jacket. “I don’t know where she is.” 

But he did. He knew exactly where you would be. The place he tasted you, the place he felt your body against him. 

Joel's heart sinks as he approaches the flower field and sees you sitting there, your shoulders hunched over as you hug your knees to your chest. He can hear your sobs from a distance, the sound echoing through the quiet morning air.

For a moment, he hesitates, unsure of what to do or say. But then, with a heavy sigh, he pushes aside his doubts and makes his way towards you.

As he draws closer, he can see your whole body trembling with the force of your emotions. His heart aches at the sight, knowing that he's the cause of your pain. He kneels infront of you, gently touching your wrists.

"Hey," he says softly, his voice barely above a whisper. "It's me, Joel."

You startle at the sound of his voice, lifting your head to look at him with tear-streaked eyes. For a moment, there's a flicker of surprise in your gaze, followed by a wave of raw emotion.

"Joel?" you choke out, your voice thick with tears. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to find you," he says, his voice filled with regret. "I couldn't stand the thought of you hurtin’ like this."

"I thought... I thought you didn't care," You sniffle, wiping away the tears with the back of your hand. 

Joel reaches out to gently brush a strand of hair away from your face, his touch light and tender. "I care more than you know," he says. "I made a mistake, a big one, and I'm so sorry. I never meant to hurt you. I just didn’t want you to. .  .I didn’t think I deserved someone like you."

"I missed you," you admit softly, tears still streaming down your cheeks.

Joel's heart clenches at your words, a rush of emotion flooding through him. Without hesitation, he wraps his arms around you, pulling you close as you bury your face against his chest.

"I missed you too, wildflower," he whispers, his voice thick with emotion. "And I promise, I'll do whatever it takes to make you happy."

He hears the smile in your voice. 

“You already do.” 

[ew-selfish-art]

Dp x Dc AU: Dani has a too many break-ups for Danny’s heart to handle as an older brother- So he gives her a criteria that her next boyfriend needs to fit for Danny to approve of their relationship. 

Dani was really excited about her new boyfriend. He was witty, and charming, knew how to sword fight and was absolutely stunning. He loved his family, was passionate about animals and social justice causes, and he was an artist! She had a thing for green eyes, and hey, he was actually super chill about them having flexible schedules to see each other (she had vigilante shit to do that she couldn’t explain)! It’s been going on for a few months and she’s honestly ready for him to meet Danny & Jazz but... 

The last time she was home it was for a broken heart and Danny was beside himself with worry over her. He made the guys recently deceased ancestors come forward to speak on his behalf and it was Mortifying- Danny was ready to throw down. And Dani had to admit, it was super sweet that her big brother cared so much. He’d happily given a shovel talk to each of her partners when she brought them home and he’d happily tried to bond with them and integrate into their lives. Danny always allowed her to make mistakes but respected her choices to only ever ask two questions when a new partner came into the picture: Do they make you happy? Do they treat you well? 

This last time he made a simple request, just could they please fit this one criteria? 

The thought comes to her unfortunately when she’s making out with her perfect match, her soul mate, this beautifully stabby man Damian Wayne, that she should bring up the deal breaker. Her brother gave her literally one request for her next partner, and by the ancients she didn’t want to disappoint Danny. 

Pulling away from her boyfriends kiss for just a moment, Dani quickly asks “Sorry, Sorry, it’s just...Have you ever died before?” 

Damian’s look of confusion and then concern grew on his normally collected face, which told her more than enough. 

“Okay great!” And she leaned back in, only to realize that he’s pulled back. 

“Would... Would you care to explain why you just asked me that?” Damian was doing his best to not jump to conclusions.

“Sorry, I just got in my head a bit about how you’re like, the light of my life and I want you to meet my family and then my brain wandered, before you did that thing with your teeth, to the fact that my brother kind of requested... um, well, he just asked that my next partner be, uh, don’t freak out if this sounds weird, but uh, be dead.” 

“He...He wants your partner to be dead.” 

“Well, Dead adjacent is perfectly normal in my family! It’s not like a whole thing! You’ve died before, so he’ll absolutely love you! And he’ll love you even more because you love me!” She smiles as brilliantly as the stars.

Damian isn’t sure for a second, but eventually asks: “Your family is ‘dead adjacent’ and you want me to meet them?” to which she happily confirms. 

“Do you... Wish to know how I-” Damian begins but she cuts him off “No! Never, I would never ask that of you. He won’t ask either! He actually has a better vision for these things so it probably won’t even come up! How does next Tuesday work?” 

“That should be fine, however, well...On the subject of family expectations ... Is it even possible that you might be a vigilante?” Damian’s worries melt away when his girlfriend smiles and lunges forward to kiss him. 

Families could have such weird expectations, you know? 

[victoriandrama]

NEWTMAS FANFICS RECOMMENDATIONS

instead of studying for my upcoming exam, i made a list of my favourite newtmas fics..

🫧i only included fics that i’ve read and really enjoyed, with more than around 10k+ words, along with links, word counts, ratings, and some important tags. i didn’t add summaries because the post would be too long

this post will be updated as i read more newtmas fics (feel free to recommend me some🌼) and soon (i hope), i’ll make another part with newtmas one-shots instead🫶

here’s the list: enjoy!!!

The Blood Culmination - persnickett or @persnickett

Words:250,000 R:Explicit

fix-it, post the death cure, hurt/comfort, newt lives

🩵

Call My Name series - KathSilver or @kathsilver

Words:170,992 R:Explicit

fix-it, time travel, tmr rewrite, newt lives

🩵

can't turn back [I'm haunted] - beardyswrites

Words:49,713 R:Teen

canon divergence au, the scorch trials, evil!thomas (!!!!), work in progress

🩵

Look After You - draronoliver

Words:141,772 R:Explicit

fix-it, post the death cure, hurt/comfort, newt lives but…

🩵

All Too Well - Sanctum_Sanctorum

Words:70,522 R:Mature

fix-it, post the death cure, canon divergence au, Newt lives and Thomas not (or so everyone thinks), happy ending

🩵

Iridescence - FilisMaze or @fili-is-gone

Words:34,942 R:Explicit

canon divergence au, happyhead au, post the maze trails, hurt/comfort, work in progress

🩵

I Don't Want to Watch the World End With Someone Else - FilisMaze or @fili-is-gone

Words:12,837 R:Mature

the last of us au, protective!newt, a lot of hurt, crank!newt

🩵

Good Luck, Babe! - ssseashell or @ssseashell

Words:46,366

college au, roommates, thomas is painfully oblivious, but that’s okay, beautifully written, they’re so cute it hurts, newt is in love

🩵

Fuck You But Also Fuck Me - Mad__Lad or @sadgalwrites

Words:13,455 R:Teen

college au, academic rivals, unresolved sexual tension, they’re dumb, work in progress

🩵

We're just young, dumb and broke, but we still got love to give. - hexxed

Words:8,127 R:General

chat-fic, Newt is an exchange student, work in progress

🩵

all we do is drive. - newtedison or @newtedison

Words:49,008 R:Teen

college au, road trip au, pining, painfully in love and painfully oblivious

🩵

a reason to bleed. - katified or @koolwhipped

Words:48,710 R:Teen

college au, Thomas loves Newt, writer!Newt, hurt/comfort

🩵

Fireworks & Team Spirit - sesquipedalia

Words:65,907 R:Mature

high school au, Thomas is popular, nerd!newt, a lot of fluff

🩵

The Diary of a Broken Kid - FreckledDragon or @freckleddragon

Words:68,143 R:Mature

high school au, thomas finds newt’s diary, then falls in love, hurt/comfort, newt needs a hug

🩵

Therapy Dogs and Comic Books - newtedison or @newtedison

Words:85,028 R:General

modern setting au, high school au, falling in love, newt needs a hug, fluff

🩵

Take My Left With Your Right. - ermdotorg or @ermdotorg

Words:39,220 R:Teen

modern setting au, newt needs a hug right now, thomas is a sunshine, they’re very cute, hurt/comfort

🩵

What is it about you that has commandeered my brain? - stilessstilinskii or @newtsmas

Words:20,297 R:Mature

coffee shop au, barista!thomas, minor brenda/teresa

🩵

Staying Up - lokidiabolus or @lokidiabolus

Words:60,115 R:Teen

Modern setting au, writer!Thomas, editor!Newt, Thomas is IN LOVE, Newt is sassy

🩵

i was the only one who was looking at you - astralpenguin or @astralpenguin

Words:137,896 R:Teen

modern setting au, time travel, slow burn, thomas wants to save everyone (as always), murder and kidnapping, serial killer

🩵

Misplaced Mistakes (You’re the Best Kind) - draronoliver

Words:53,438 R:Mature

modern setting au, FLUFF!, they’re so in love, newt needs a hug, sonya and newt are twins

🩵

No Better Version of Me Than When I'm With You - Introvertedintellect350 or @book-and-music-lover

Words:60,230 R:Explicit

modern setting au, fake marriage, or so they think, Marriage of Convenience, fluff, domestic fluff

🩵

Five Days Until Christmas - ssseashell or @ssseashell

Words:9,175 R:General

modern setting au, christmas time, they’re both in love, beautifully written

🩵

Groundhog Day - lemonjelloarts or @lemonjelloarts

Words:14,496 R:Teen

Soulmates au, they’re so cute

🩵

Nicknames and Coffee Cups

Words:54,073 R:Teen

modern setting au, office au, Thomas is dumb

🩵

break up with your girlfriend, i’m bored - ava_kay

Words:24,723 R:Mature

modern setting au, thomas cheats with newt, newt is stupid, thomas is a mess

🩵

"thanks, hope to see you again" - newtedison or @newtedison

Words:16,890 R:General

modern setting au, pizza and fast food place au, + teresa/brenda, very cute!!

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Seems to Be Our Only Way - RurouniHime or @thegertie

Words:22,368 R:Explicit

modern setting au, second chance, they’re both architects, post-break up, friends with benefits

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Fame, Glory and Baked goods of all kind. - Kestis_21 or @kestis-advent

Words:23,638 R:Teen

bakery au, moviestar!newt, baker!thomas, Thomas is adorable, fluff

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Bitter Yet Bound - ermdotorg or @ermdotorg

Words:198,975 R:Mature

modern setting au, everyone needs a hug (literally), Thomas is crazy in love, angst

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west side - ava_kay

Words:97,511

modern setting au, actor!newt, student!thomas, newt needs a hug (like, really), Thomas is in love, angst

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Are Those Your Webs, Or Are You Just Excited To See Me? - stilessstilinskii or @newtsmas

Words:97,482 R:Mature

spideypool au, deadpool!thomas spiderman!newt, a lot of humour, work in progress

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Trust me one more time - wannabe_holmes

Words:113,088 R:Teen

assassin au, assassin!thomas, wicked is not good, newt needs a hug (now)

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Hangover - IydenKnight

Words:122,282 R:Explicit

hangover au, bachelor!thomas, stripper!newt, janson hate club, a lot of fluff

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Hard Rock - singtome

Words:80,034 R:Mature

Sci Fi au, they’re young and in love, magic rocks

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to our happily ever after - indiffrntnewt

Words:93,346 R:Mature

Royalty au, Prince!Thomas, Newt teaches him sword fighting, very cute!!!

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An Unsinkable Love - beardyswrites

Words:63,287 R:Mature

Titanic au, Thomas is like Rose, Newt is like Jack - but he lives, Teresa is amazing, hurt/comfort

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Love for Blood and Metal - yetanothersimp or @zennedy

Words:10,384 R:Teen

detroit: become human au, android!thomas, detective!newt, + minho and teresa POV, + gally/minho, work in progress

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The Maze Games. - mcfwright1

Words:199,168 R:Explicit

the hunger games crossover, Newt is from one, Thomas is from twelve, jealous!Newt, work in progress 

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update:

kismet. - sesquipedalia

Words:92,912

modern setting au, singlefather!thomas, newt is thomas’ daughter kindergarten teacher, FLUFF!! they’re so adorable, thomas’ daughter is the sweetest

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[keferon]

Alright, just hear me out real quick. MechaJazz AU + EmpurataProwl AU. Now, hold onto your socks cuz I'm not done.

What if, after Jazz returns to Earth, Prowl ends up getting captured. The folks in charge of the Mecha program realize that Prowl is something different, something insanely high tech and useful, so they start to tear him apart and modify him. Prowl never gets the chance to scan Jazz's mecha because the scientists and engineers have already made him into one! His helm is removed and replaced with one that has the video relays needed to send visual feeds to the pilot. The beautifully articulate face that Jazz so admired is gone. His servos are removed, turned into weapons to better fight the quintessons and their pet monsters. The engineers tear into Prowls chassis, rerouting cables and energon lines around Prowls spark so that a pilots seat could be installed. That's where the engineers run into a problem. Prowls spark emits radiation, it's not safe for a human to be in close proximity to this glowing ball of energy for long periods of time. So what do they do? They put it in a box. They wall off Prowls spark in thick metal lined with a material designed to prevent radiation from penetrating it. Prowls EM field goes silent. Finally, when the scientists go to integrate the neural connections between Mecha and pilot, it doesn't play nice with the tac net. Prowl crashes, and keeps crashing, until the scientists are able to create a work around. By the time they've completed the work around Prowl isn't Prowl anymore. Something inside of him is broken. He doesn't remember, doesn't understand why he's in pain. He doesn't know where he is, he doesn't know what's happening around him, to him. He flickers in and out of consciousness. He can't move and he's in terrible endless pain.

Imagine Jazz's reaction to how brutally his own people mutilated Prowl. Jazz gathers up everyone he knows he can trust, and breaks into the lab Prowls being held in. Hot Rod and Blurr are causing a distraction, while Vortex and Aid kick down the door to the Lab to let Jazz in. Jazz is mortified at what he sees, staring at what's left of Prowl on the slab in front of him. Jazz bundles up his Prowler in his Mechas arms and bolts for it. The gang makes their way to Ratchets little hidey hole in hopes that he might be able to help Prowl, but there's only so much he can do. Imagine little human Jazz looking up at his Prowl and realizing that he doesn't recognize him. His Prowler doesn't recognize him! Jazz will never be able to forgive himself for bringing Prowl to Earth. He'll never get to sleep in the palm of Prowls servos ever again. He'll never be able to make Prowls stoic face break out in that cute little grin that he loves ever again.

The angst is REAL!!!

.............FUCKING HELL ANON.

.....may I suggest you also hear me out?

How about aaaall this, but with Jazz? How about after Jazz got himself transferred into Cybertronian body..he returns to Earth at some point....and gets captured? Because when he helped Prowl to eskape he basically became a traitor in the eyes of government?

Just. You kbow. Hypothetically. How about that

[alernun]

5 of my Favorite Devil's Minion/Armandaniel Fic Authors and Why (In No Particular Order)

I read (and write) an unhealthy amount of Devil's Minion/Armandaniel fic, so I thought this little list was long overdue. These are the authors I find myself returning to again and again, or who are writing some of my fave WIPs right now. 1. Author: Tei on AO3 ~ @bloodripelives here on tumblr Favorite Fic by Them: Acts of Collusion Why I'm Obsessed: Some of the best BDSM I have ever read, and some of the only believable tertiary Danlou I've seen in the fandom. The atmosphere is deeply erotic, almost cloying, and you get the sense that when Louis punishes Armand, it's a healing thing for both of them - a real shot at redemption and cleaning the slate. 2. Author: AnimalCeramics on AO3 - @animalceramics here on tumblr Favorite Fic by Them: Blanket of Night Why I'm Obsessed: Too few people write true horror between these two. This is some of the best psychological horror/suspense horror AND erotica I've ever read full stop. *SNL Guy* It has everything!

3. Author: Thunder_Puss on AO3 - @pickingbelovedoffthesofa here on tumblr Favorite Fic by Them: Lie Back and Let Me Unlock You Why I'm Obsessed: I gotta admit. Cannibal mafia human AU was a hard sell in the summary. But I was IMMEDIATELY sucked in by the BEST scummy young Daniel I have ever read, and a truly insane, vulnerable, beautifully broken Armand. Plus she SHATTERS the Overton Window like you NEVER know what's gonna happen and I love that. 4. Author: Nikocat on AO3 - @nile-the-empathy-cleric here on tumblr Favorite Fic by Them: Ego Death Why I'm Obsessed: Quite simply, this 'Armand goes to art therapy' fic is literature. It has helped me process my own trauma and think about things I experienced in new ways. The world of it is expansive, and Nile NEVER takes the easy way out narratively. 5. Author: GrayGiantess on AO3 - @graygiantess here on tumblr Favorite Fic by Them: Camboy Molloy Why I'm Obsessed: Usually when you see an escort fic in this pairing it's hot young Armand being the escort. I LOVE that it's Old Maniel, and the beautiful details of their budding romance/crackling chemistry in this fic have me consuming every new chapter like fat lines of Louis's coke. Obviously not an exhaustive list. I'll do more of these little listicles as I have time. What are some of your faves?

[lilmisssona]

⋆⁺❅ A Second Chance ⋆⁺❅

⋆⁺❅ Pairing - Changbin × Fem Reader

⋆⁺❅ Plot - Dating Changbin means constantly competing with his busy schedule for time together. However, it pushes you to your limit when he fails to come home on time for Christmas. As frustration builds, you start questioning where you truly stand in his priorities.

⋆⁺❅ Genre - Angst, Hurt, Comfort, Fluff

⋆⁺❅ Warnings - Pretty angsty, abandonment, Hurt to comfort, Idol au

⋆⁺❅ Word Count - 8.4K ⋆⁺❅ Screenshot Count - 4

⋆⁺❅ A/N - Episode 3 of Staymas is here! Dating a K-pop idol might seem like a dream, but what lies behind the spotlight tells a different story. This episode explores the struggles, heartbreak, and reality behind the fantasy. Hope it speaks to you all! Just slightly proofread so apologies for any mistake 🙂‍↕️

⋆⁺❅ SKZ Masterlist ⋆⁺❅ Staymas Masterlist

Snow fell in thick, soft flurries outside the apartment window, painting the world in a pristine white blanket. It should have felt magical...it was Christmas Eve, after all..but inside, your heart felt heavy, weighed down by a familiar ache.

It was your third Christmas with Changbin, and you had been so excited this time. For months, you’d clung to the promise he’d made -

This Christmas would be different.

He’d assured you that after the relentless tours, promotions, and schedules that had kept him away for the past eight months, he’d finally spend it by your side.

Being with someone like Changbin came with challenges, and you knew that better than anyone. He was part of 3RACHA and Stray Kids, a group that had taken the world by storm. Every sleepless night, every grueling choreography, every chart-topping success, it all made you so proud of him. But pride didn’t quiet the loneliness that echoed through your days and nights. You understood his dreams, you admired his passion, but sometimes, understanding didn’t make it hurt any less.

Still, tonight was supposed to be different. You’d convinced yourself of that. Pushing aside the nagging doubts, you poured your energy into decorating the apartment. A silver Christmas tree stood in the corner, its shimmering ornaments carefully arranged. The table was set like something out of a storybook:candles glowing softly amidst dishes you had spent the whole day preparing. Even the gifts you’d wrapped with such care sat neatly beneath the tree, waiting for him.

“Maybe tonight, it’ll finally feel like Christmas,”

you whispered to yourself as you looked around at your work. Satisfied, you sank into the couch, pulling a blanket over yourself. With a smile, you grabbed , your phone and sent him a text.

But as the hours crept by, the apartment remained eerily quiet. The candles burned low, casting shadows across the untouched dishes. The tree’s lights blinked cheerfully, mocking the emptiness that surrounded you.

You glanced at your phone again, the screen still void of any reply. The clock struck nine. Then ten. Your stomach twisted as doubt settled in. Maybe he’s on his way, you thought, desperately clinging to hope. Maybe he got caught up in traffic.

But then the phone buzzed, and for a fleeting moment, your heart soared. You scrambled to unlock it, only to feel that fragile hope shatter.

The words blurred as tears welled up in your eyes. A bitter laugh slipped past your lips.....hollow and cold. Merry Christmas? That was all? No apology. No acknowledgment of the effort you’d put into tonight. Just two sentences, as if you were an afterthought.

Your chest ached as the realization sunk in. This wasn’t new. He’d done this before-broken promises that left you waiting, hoping for a moment of connection that never came. You had told yourself things would change, that this time he meant it. But here you were again, sitting in a beautifully decorated apartment, surrounded by cold food and a tree that felt more lonely than festive.

“Why do I even bother?” you whispered into the silence, the weight of your disappointment crushing you. You wanted to scream, to cry, to demand why he couldn’t make space for you in his busy world. But all you did was sit there, staring at the flickering candles, wondering how much more your heart could take.

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

Across town, Changbin leaned against the cold studio wall, exhaustion etched into every line of his face. The set buzzed with relentless energy...directors shouting, assistants rushing with equipment, and lights glaring harshly above him. The festive decorations, draped in fake snow and oversized ornaments, felt like a cruel parody of joy, mocking him with every twinkle.

This shoot wasn’t supposed to happen. It had been a last-minute addition, labeled “urgent” and impossible to decline. His schedule, already unforgiving, had swallowed his days whole.....grueling dance practices, back-to-back interviews, rehearsals, and midnight studio sessions. Changbin had always prided himself on his dedication, but tonight, that commitment felt more like a chain than a choice.

The set, designed to exude holiday magic, only amplified the ache in his chest. The sparkling lights and oversized Christmas trees weren’t festive to him; they were reminders of what he’d promised you and failed to deliver.

He could see you in his mind’s eye, your face lighting up when you’d told him about your Christmas plans. He remembered the way your voice had bubbled with excitement as you described the dishes you’d cook, the decorations you’d hung, and the gifts you’d wrapped just for him.

“Are you sure you’ll be home on time?” you’d asked, your eyes searching his for reassurance.

“Of course,” he’d said with a smile, ruffling your hair. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

Now those words felt like a cruel lie.

When the director finally called for a break, Changbin sank into a chair, his body heavy with fatigue. His phone buzzed in his pocket, and for a fleeting moment, he hesitated. When he finally pulled it out, your message greeted him:

YN💞: Dinner’s ready!

YN💞: Everything’s set!

YN💞: I can’t wait for you to come home Binnie 🫶🥰

Your excitement leapt from the screen, twisting the guilt in his chest into something unbearable. He could picture you waiting, the table set perfectly, the apartment glowing with the warmth of your efforts. You believed in him....trusted him to keep his promise.

But what could he say? Another excuse? Another hollow apology? His fingers hovered over the screen before he shoved the phone back into his pocket, the weight of it heavier than ever.

“I’ll text her later,” he muttered to himself, though he knew it was a lie.

The hours dragged mercilessly. Retakes turned into more retakes, delays stacked upon delays, and by the time the shoot finally wrapped, it was well past midnight. His body felt like it might collapse, his mind too fogged with exhaustion to think clearly.

Sitting in the back of the van, Changbin stared at his phone, his heart heavy. He typed the message quickly, as if rushing it would dull the sting.

Binnie🫶💕: Schedule Ran Late

Binnie🫶💕: Don’t Wait Up

Binnie🫶💕: Merry Christmas Love ❤️

Hitting send, he leaned back against the seat, closing his eyes. The thought of you sitting alone, surrounded by cold food and untouched decorations, tore at him, but the exhaustion pulling him under was stronger.

“Take me back to the dorm,” he told the driver quietly.

As the van sped through the city, he let his mind drift to a different version of the night - a version where he walked through the door of your apartment, pulled you into his arms, and sat down to share the meal you’d prepared with so much care. He imagined your laughter, the way your eyes would light up when he handed you the gift he’d hidden in his bag, and the warmth of your smile as you teased him for being late.

But that wasn’t reality.

Instead, he stumbled into the dorm, his legs heavy, his heart heavier. Dropping his bag by the door, he collapsed onto his bed without even changing.

In the dark, guilt whispered to him, soft but unrelenting. His last thought before exhaustion claimed him was a quiet, desperate promise:

I’ll make it up to her. I have to.

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

The apartment was silent, save for the faint crackle of candles burning low on the dining table. You sat at the edge of your seat, staring at the untouched plates of food you’d spent hours preparing. Each dish was a labor of love - Changbin’s favorites, perfected through trial and error. Tonight, you had wanted everything to be flawless.

The table was a vision of warmth and care. Gold-rimmed glasses reflected the soft glow of fairy lights strung across the room. A delicate Christmas centerpiece, sprinkled with pinecones and holly, stood proudly at the center. Everything screamed holiday magic, but it all felt hollow without him there.

You’d imagined it so differently. Changbin walking through the door, exhausted but smiling, pulling you into a hug. Dinner would be filled with laughter, stolen glances, and shared stories. Later, you’d cuddle on the couch, the sound of Christmas carols mingling with his quiet whispers as the world outside faded into irrelevance.

But that fantasy shattered the moment his message buzzed onto your screen.

Binnie🫶💕: Schedule Ran Late

Binnie🫶💕: Don’t Wait Up

Binnie🫶💕: Merry Christmas love ❤️

You’d stared at it, willing the words to change, hoping there was some mistake. But there wasn’t. He wasn’t coming home.

The carefully built walls of understanding and patience you’d maintained for months began to crack. You told yourself you shouldn’t be upset. He was busy. His life wasn’t easy. You knew this when you fell in love with him. But the excuses you repeated in your mind did nothing to stop the sting.

Midnight came with his message and went. The food, once steaming and inviting, grew cold. The candles melted down to stubs, their soft flicker dimming with time. Still, you waited, staring at the clock as if it could rewind the hours and bring him back to you.

Finally, you stood and began clearing the plates. The sound of dishes clinking in the sink echoed through the apartment, sharp and unforgiving. Your hands scrubbed the plates with a force that made your knuckles ache. Tears slipped down your cheeks, unbidden and unstoppable.

Why do I always come second?

The thought hit you like a punch to the gut. You’d spent months convincing yourself that this was what it meant to love someone like Changbin, someone whose passion and dedication burned so brightly it often eclipsed everything else. You’d told yourself his absence didn’t mean he cared any less, that it was enough to support him from the sidelines.

But tonight, it didn’t feel like enough.

After cleaning up, you shuffled into the living room. The Christmas movie you’d put on earlier played on the screen, its cheerful music and heartwarming scenes mocking the ache in your chest. You curled up on the couch, pulling a blanket tightly around your shoulders, desperate for any kind of comfort.

The festive scenes on the TV blurred as fresh tears filled your eyes. You’d chosen this movie for him...another small gesture to make tonight special. Now, it was nothing more than background noise in an apartment that felt emptier than ever.

Your gaze flicked to the table. The centerpiece sat untouched, its once-vivid greenery now muted in the dim light. The image of the meal you’d prepared, the effort you’d poured into every detail, haunted you.

“Why can’t I be enough?” you whispered into the stillness, the words trembling with pain.

You knew he worked hard. You knew he was chasing dreams that required sacrifice. But was it wrong to want him to choose you, even for one night? To make you feel like you were more than just another responsibility on his endless list?

The tears came faster now, your body shaking as you buried your face in your hands. You hated this...hated feeling so vulnerable, so small. But the loneliness that settled in your chest was suffocating, and no amount of rationalizing could ease it.

The movie played on, oblivious to your pain. Its happy endings felt like a cruel reminder of what you didn’t have tonight. The love you’d poured into your relationship seemed to hang in the air, unanswered and unreciprocated.

You stretched out on the couch, exhaustion from the day and the crying weighing heavily on you. The room was quiet except for the faint hum of the TV, and the soft shadows of the fairy lights danced on the walls.

“I just wanted to spend tonight with you,” you murmured, your voice barely audible over the sound of the film.

Sleep crept in slowly, pulling you under despite the heaviness in your chest. But even in sleep, there was no peace. Your dreams were fragmented, filled with fleeting images of Changbin...his warm smile, his comforting presence, the promises he’d made and broken.

And so, you lay there on the couch, bathed in the dim light of the TV, your cheeks still damp with tears, the weight of your heartbreak settling into the quiet of the night.

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

The dorm was dark when Changbin arrived, and for once, the quiet didn’t bring him peace. His body ached with exhaustion, but it was the kind that settled in his chest, not his muscles. He dropped his bag near the door, barely making it to his bed before collapsing. His mind swirled with thoughts of you,your message, your disappointment, but sleep claimed him too quickly for guilt to take root.

Morning didn’t offer mercy. The moment he opened his eyes, the heaviness hit him like a freight train. He reached for his phone, rereading your message until the words blurred. The sharpness of your pain seeped through every syllable, making it harder to breathe. He typed and deleted replies, each one feeling more hollow than the last.

He thought about calling you but couldn’t bring himself to dial. What could he possibly say? “I’m sorry” felt inadequate. So instead, he clung to the hope that he could make it right. After practice, after the chaos, he would fix this.

When he finally stood outside your door, the weight of his hesitation nearly crushed him. In one hand, he clutched a bouquet of your favorite flowers, their petals trembling as he fidgeted with them. In the other, a bag of carefully chosen gifts - a futile attempt to bridge the gap between you. He had planned this moment in his head, rehearsing his apology a thousand times. But now, standing in front of the door, he realized he was terrified.

The guilt was suffocating, gnawing at him with every passing second. Finally, he forced himself to knock lightly, his heart pounding as the seconds stretched into what felt like hours.

When he stepped inside, the silence struck him first. It was the kind of silence that wasn’t empty but heavy, laden with unspoken words and shattered expectations. Then, he saw you. You were on the couch, arms crossed, eyes fixed on the blank TV screen. The way you sat...so stiff, so distant...made him want to shrink into nothingness.

“Hey,” he tried, his voice barely above a whisper.

You didn’t acknowledge him at first, the air between you stretching unbearably thin. Finally, you turned your head, and when your eyes met his, his heart cracked. They were tired, swollen, and red-rimmed, a clear reflection of the tears you’d shed. Tears he had caused.

“You’re late,” you said, your voice flat, stripped of any warmth.

“I know,” he started, shifting uncomfortably. “I’m sorry. The shoot ran late, and I....”

“And you what?” you cut him off sharply, your tone biting. “Decided I wasn’t worth the effort? Decided it was easier to ignore me than to try?”

He flinched, the venom in your words hitting harder than he expected. “It’s not like that,” he said, a defensive edge creeping into his voice. “You don’t understand...”

“Oh, I don’t understand?” You stood up suddenly, the force of your pain radiating in every word. “I don’t understand what it’s like to spend hours cooking your favorite meals, setting up a table, waiting by the door for you, only for you not to bother showing up? You didn’t even call, Changbin.”

“I was exhausted!” he snapped, his frustration boiling over. “Do you think I wanted to miss it? Do you think I don’t care?”

“If you cared, you would’ve been here!” you shot back, your voice breaking as tears welled in your eyes. “I don’t need flowers, or gifts, or apologies. I needed you. Just you. But you couldn’t even give me that.”

His defenses crumbled as he saw you breaking in front of him, your tears spilling over despite your efforts to hold them back. “I didn’t want to ruin everything by coming home like that,” he said weakly. “I didn’t want you to see me like....”

“You ruined it anyway!” you screamed, your voice raw. “You don’t get it, do you? Last night wasn’t just about Christmas. It was about us. About me sitting alone at a table set for two, wondering if I even matter to you anymore.”

“You matter to me more than anything,” he pleaded, stepping closer, his voice cracking. “I was thinking about you the whole time...”

“Then why weren’t you here?” you interrupted, your voice trembling with the weight of your anguish. “Why is it so easy for you to put everything else before me? Why do I have to keep convincing myself that I’m enough when your actions scream otherwise?”

He had no answer. Every excuse he had felt hollow, every apology meaningless. The flowers in his hand suddenly felt ridiculous, a cheap token compared to the love you’d given him without hesitation.

You grabbed your coat, your movements sharp and decisive.

“Where are you going?” he asked, his voice barely audible.

“Out,” you said, not sparing him a glance.

“Y/N, please,” he begged, reaching for your arm, but you pulled away.

“Just stop, Changbin,” you said, your voice quiet but firm. “You’ve already let me down enough.”

And then you were gone, the door slamming shut behind you, leaving him in a silence so oppressive it felt like it might swallow him whole.

He stood there, frozen, his heart in his throat. The flowers slipped from his hand, landing forgotten on the floor. Slowly, he sank onto the couch, burying his face in his hands.

Your words echoed in his mind, relentless and unforgiving.

"Why weren’t you here?"

"You didn’t even try."

He sat there for what felt like hours, replaying every moment, every choice that had led to this. The guilt was a living thing, wrapping itself around him and squeezing until he couldn’t breathe.

He had thought he was tired last night, but now he realized exhaustion was nothing compared to the weight of losing you. And he was terrified it might already be too late to make things right.

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

You stepped out into the streets, the cold afternoon breeze brushing against your skin. Yet, it barely registered. The chill was nothing compared to the numbness inside you. It was strange how the ache of love could seep so deeply into your bones, leaving behind only a hollow shell of what once was. They were right - Love that gives you joy can just as easily bring unbearable pain.

And today, it had broken you.

You wandered aimlessly, your feet carrying you to a nearby park. The quiet rustle of the trees and the distant laughter of children did little to soothe the storm raging in your chest. You sank onto a bench, your arms wrapped tightly around yourself as if to hold the pieces of your heart together.

The argument replayed in your mind like a broken record, each word sharper than the last. The sound of your voice trembling with anger, his frustration bleeding into his tone...it all echoed in your head, relentless and unyielding.

Around you, happy couples strolled hand in hand, their smiles and laughter only deepening the ache in your chest. Tears spilled freely now, streaking down your face as you let yourself feel the weight of it all.

"Should I break up with him?"

The thought was terrifying, but it lingered, stubborn and insistent. Could you keep going like this? Loving someone who made you feel so small, so invisible? The hours passed as you sat there, lost in the labyrinth of your own pain, searching for an answer that didn’t seem to exist.

When the sun began to dip below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of orange and pink, you finally rose from the bench. Your limbs felt heavy, your heart even more so. Heading back to your apartment...the place that once felt warm and safe...now felt like walking into a stranger’s house. The walls that once held your happiest moments now felt cold and distant.

You hesitated at the entrance, the weight of the earlier fight pressing down on you. You couldn’t bear to face him, not yet. The thought of his apologies, his explanations, his guilt-filled eyes...it was too much.

Instead, you turned on your heel and headed toward YFN’s place. Maybe talking to her would help. Maybe spilling the pain you’d been holding in would ease the tightness in your chest. You needed someone to remind you who you were, to tell you that you deserved more than this suffocating love.

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

Changbin sat alone in the apartment long after you had stormed out. The silence felt heavier than anything he'd ever experienced, pressing against his chest like a weight he couldn’t shake off. The soft glow of the Christmas lights, once warm and festive, now felt mocking, cruel reminders of a night that was supposed to be magical but ended in disaster. His eyes darted to the table you had so lovingly set the night before. The untouched food, now cold and forgotten, felt like a metaphor for your relationship...something once vibrant and full of warmth, now abandoned and left to wither.

He buried his face in his hands, guilt clawing at his insides with a ferocity that refused to let up. Each passing second without you felt like a lifetime. He reached for his phone when it buzzed, his heart leaping at the thought that maybe...just maybe..it was you. But it wasn’t. It was his manager, reminding him about tomorrow’s schedule. The triviality of it all hit him like a slap in the face. None of it mattered. Not the schedules, not the shoots, not the rehearsals. What good was it all if he couldn’t keep the one thing that made it all bearable?

He tossed the phone onto the couch, a single tear sliding down his cheek as the weight of his failures settled over him like a suffocating blanket. How had it come to this? How had he let things spiral so far out of control? He thought back to the look in your eyes before you left—the pain, the betrayal, the disappointment. It was a look he’d never forget, one that would haunt him for as long as he lived.

The next morning was no better. He woke up late, the weight of his guilt still heavy on his chest. The ache in his body was nothing compared to the torment in his heart. The walls of the practice room felt like they were closing in on him as he went through the motions, his usual energy replaced by a hollow, lifeless shell of himself.

Han was the first to notice. He always noticed.

“Hyung,” Han said softly, pulling Changbin aside. “What’s going on? You look like you haven’t slept in weeks.”

Changbin didn’t know how to answer. The weight of his actions, of his failure to show up for you, weighed so heavily on his heart that he could barely speak about it. But Han wasn’t letting him off that easy.

“You look like you’ve been through a storm,” Han continued, his voice softer now. “What happened?”

Han quietly motioned for Changbin to sit. Once they were both settled on the couch, the silence between them hung heavy, thick with unspoken tension. Changbin’s head was lowered, and for a moment, Han wondered if his friend would say anything at all. The weight of the silence stretched, suffocating, until finally, the dam broke.

“I didn’t go home last night,” Changbin admitted, his voice cracking under the weight of his guilt. “Y/N spent all day preparing for Christmas Eve. She cooked. She made everything look perfect. And I… I stayed at the dorms. I didn’t even go back to her.”

Han’s eyebrows furrowed, his disbelief clear. “Why? Did something happen? Did she… understand?”

Changbin hesitated, his defenses creeping up even as his guilt overwhelmed him. “I was exhausted,” he began, though the words felt hollow even to him. “I had this shoot, and it ran late, and I just… I didn’t have it in me to go home and face her.”

Han leaned forward, his gaze sharp but not unkind. “So, you’re telling me you left her alone on Christmas Eve? Changbin Hyung, come on. You know better than that.”

Changbin’s voice cracked as he tried to explain, desperation bleeding into his words. “I thought it was the better option. I thought… showing up like that, completely drained, would ruin everything she worked so hard for. But now… now I realize I hurt her even more by not going at all.”

Han let out a long sigh, shaking his head slowly. “You’re right. You messed up. Big time.”

Changbin swallowed hard, his throat dry, his chest tightening with shame. “How do I fix it, Hannie?” he asked, his voice trembling as he leaned back against the practice room wall. He dropped his head into his hands, as though searching for answers in the quiet darkness behind his closed eyes.

Han watched him closely, his own heart aching for his friend. The usually composed, confident Changbin looked utterly defeated, like a man who had just realized how deeply he had wounded the one person he couldn’t bear to lose.

“Will she even take me back after all this?” Changbin whispered, his voice barely audible, yet thick with emotion. The thought of losing you completely was unbearable, and the weight of that fear pressed down on him like a storm.

Han’s gaze softened, but he didn’t let up. He leaned closer, his tone gentle but firm. “I don’t know if she’ll take you back, Hyung. I can’t promise you that. But what I do know is this: you can’t just sit here and hope she’ll forgive you. You have to try. You have to show her you want this—you have to prove it. Not with words, but with actions.”

Changbin’s shoulders sagged, Han’s words hitting him like a punch to the gut. But in the midst of the sting, there was something else: clarity. Han wasn’t offering him false reassurances or easy solutions. He was challenging him to take responsibility, to step up, to fight for what he’d almost let slip away.

“But how?” Changbin’s voice was raw, stripped of all the bravado he usually carried. “What if it’s too late? What if I’ve already ruined everything?”

Han exhaled slowly, his gaze steady. He understood that fear, that self-doubt, better than most. But he also knew it couldn’t be an excuse. “I can’t tell you exactly how to fix it,” he said honestly. “But I do know that if you love her...really love her....you’ll find a way. You’ll make sacrifices. You’ll show her, not just tell her, that you understand what you did wrong and that you’re willing to change.”

Changbin’s hands clenched into fists, his mind racing. Every word Han said felt like a spark igniting something deep within him. He thought of you....your laugh, your warmth, the way you had looked at him with so much hope and love, even as he took it for granted.

“I need to fix this,” he whispered, more to himself than to Han. “I need to make it right.”

Han nodded, a small but encouraging smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “Then go. Go to her. Don’t let her walk away....not without knowing how hard you’re willing to fight for her.”

Changbin’s fists tightened, his heart hammering in his chest as his mind raced. Thoughts of you flooded his consciousness...of all the promises he had made, of everything he had taken for granted. His breath hitched as the weight of his mistakes pressed down on him.

“I need to fix this,” he murmured, more to himself than to Han. “I need to make it right.”

Han nodded slowly, a faint, encouraging smile on his face. “Then go. Go to her. Be there for her. Don’t let her walk away without knowing you fought for her, that you’re willing to fight for this.”

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

After practice, Changbin didn’t waste a single second. His mind had been spinning throughout the session, but now that the final notes had been struck and the lights had dimmed, there was no more time for hesitation. He could feel the crushing weight of his decision, but there was no turning back. The past few days had been nothing but regret, and he couldn’t bear another second without trying to make things right.

He pulled his phone from his pocket, his fingers trembling just slightly as he dialed his manager’s number.

“I need to cancel my schedule for tonight,” Changbin said, his voice sharp, cutting through the tension that had settled deep in his chest. His tone was firm, resolute...there was no room for negotiation. Tonight, this mattered more than any shoot, more than any event. He had made a promise to himself, and he was determined to keep it.

There was a brief, pregnant pause. Then the manager’s voice crackled through the line, sharp and incredulous.

“Changbin, this is important!” his manager began, clearly not ready to give in so easily.

“I’ll make it up later,” Changbin interrupted, his patience running thin. “It’s not negotiable. Cancel it.”

He could practically feel the manager’s frustration on the other end, the disbelief at his refusal to budge. But tonight, Changbin wasn’t backing down.

Another tense silence filled the space between them. Changbin’s heart pounded louder with each passing second, the minutes ticking by, taking him further from his regrets and closer to you. Finally, the manager let out a defeated sigh.

“Fine. But you owe me one,” the manager grumbled.

Changbin didn’t care about the debt. He didn’t care about anything else in that moment. He was done with the excuses, done with letting work consume every ounce of his life. You needed him, and he had ignored that for far too long. Without another word, he ended the call. The phone’s screen went dark, and for the first time in what felt like forever, a sense of clarity settled over him. No more distractions. No more excuses. There was only one thing left to do.

The car screeched to a halt outside your building, and before the driver could even fully park, Changbin was already out of the vehicle. His mind was set, his resolve unshakable. He didn’t look back as he marched toward the entrance, his fingers fumbling for his phone. He quickly sent you a message, letting you know he was on his way, though words couldn’t fully capture the urgency in his heart.

But when the message failed to send, his heart sank.

“Fuck!” he shouted into the emptiness, his frustration echoing in the silence. You had blocked him, and now there was no way to find you. Panic surged through him. He dialed your number again, his fingers trembling as the call went straight to voicemail. He tried again. And again. Desperation clawed at him with each failed attempt.

After what felt like an eternity, his phone buzzed, a fleeting hope rising in his chest. He snatched it up, praying it was you. But it wasn’t. It was a message from your friend.

He immediately got to work, knowing how much Christmas meant to you. You had talked about it so many times....the magic of the season, the small, intimate moments shared with someone you cared about. Changbin decided that if he was going to prove his commitment to you, it had to be meaningful, personal.

The whole afternoon was spent transforming the apartment. He rearranged the furniture, finished decorating the half-done Christmas tree, and hung the lights carefully, making sure the room felt warm and inviting—just like you always imagined it would. He even found the candles you loved, setting them around the apartment to create a soft, intimate glow.

But it wasn’t just the decorations that mattere....it was the food. Changbin knew you loved a particular dish, a comfort food that reminded you of your family. He’d never made it himself before, but he spent hours in the kitchen, making sure it was perfect. The pressure to get it right was overwhelming, but he didn’t care. This was for you. This was his way of showing you that he was willing to fight for your trust. Finally, after hours of frantic work, the apartment was ready. The smell of your favorite dishes filled the air, and the tree sparkled in the corner, casting a warm, inviting glow.

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

When you stood in front of the door, your hands were sweating with anticipation, your heart pounding in your chest. The cool air felt thick around you, as if the world itself was holding its breath. Part of you didn’t want to believe the texts he had sent YFN, promising he’d change, that he was going to make things right.

You had heard all these words before....sweet nothings meant to soothe, promises made in the heat of guilt that never amounted to anything. You knew him better than anyone. His words had always been a comfort, but they had never been enough to back up the actions. You had fallen for that before.

But then, there was this sliver of hope that you couldn’t quite shake. A tiny part of you, despite all the hurt, the frustration, the disappointment...wanted to believe. You wanted to believe that he had finally realized the weight of his mistakes, that he had truly changed. You wanted to believe that he would show you, not just tell you, that he was ready to be the person you needed him to be.

Still, doubts gnawed at you. Could he really change? Was it possible for him to be different, to be there for you the way you had always hoped? Or were you just setting yourself up for more heartbreak? The questions spiraled in your mind, each one louder than the last.

And yet, despite all the fear and uncertainty, you couldn’t stop yourself. Maybe it was the last shred of hope, the desperate desire for things to be different, that made you raise your hand and knock on the door. The sound of the knock echoed in the stillness, and for a moment, you stood there, frozen, bracing yourself for whatever came next.

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

When Changbin opened the door, you stood frozen for a moment. Your hands trembled as they hovered at your sides, your heart thudding painfully in your chest. As you looked up at him, your eyes were guarded, distant, shielded behind a mask you had perfected over the past days. The hurt, the anger, everything that had been weighing you down was there, hiding just beneath the surface. But despite everything, despite how much you tried to keep him at arm’s length, he saw the vulnerability there. It was fleeting, but it was enough for him to know that you weren’t entirely closed off to him.

You stepped into the apartment, your breath catching in your throat. The moment you crossed the threshold, something felt different. The atmosphere in the room was unlike anything you had expected. The warm glow of candles flickered in the dim light, casting soft, dancing shadows on the walls. The scent of your favorite dishes, the ones that always comforted you, wafted through the air, pulling at your senses and making you feel a little lighter, despite everything. It was as if you had stepped into another world - a world where the pain, the confusion, the distance didn’t exist. For a split second, you felt suspended in time, caught between disbelief and a longing you didn’t want to acknowledge.

You stood there, frozen, taking it all in. Changbin had rearranged the apartment, changed the entire atmosphere with his efforts. It was as though he had taken the same care and dedication he poured into his music and channeled it into this moment, this space. The decorations were thoughtful, intimate...a soft, gentle reminder of the warmth he had once promised to share with you. And as you stood there, you couldn’t help but be stunned by the sight of it all. You hadn’t expected this. You didn’t know what you expected, but it certainly wasn’t this.

Changbin stood by the couch, his expression nervous, his eyes searching yours for any sign of what you were thinking. His heart raced as you took in the room...the lights, the decorations, everything he had done. There was a mix of hope and anxiety in his eyes, and you could feel it as he silently waited for your response.

"Changbin..." Your voice was barely a whisper, filled with disbelief, as though you couldn't quite fathom that this was real. "You did all this?"

His voice trembled slightly as he stepped closer to you. "Y/N... I'm so sorry. I messed up. I know I don’t deserve you, but I need to fix this. Please, let me show you that I’m willing to try."

The silence between you both was heavy, thick with the unspoken words, with the weight of everything that had happened in the past few days. It felt like the space itself was holding its breath, waiting for you to speak, to react.

Finally, your voice broke, raw with emotion. "You don’t even know how much it hurt when you didn’t come back that night, Changbin. I spent the entire day preparing everything, waiting for you… Christmas Eve, a day we were supposed to share. I waited for hours, and you didn’t even care enough to show up. Do you have any idea what that felt like?"

Changbin felt the sharp sting of your words, each one cutting deeper than he could have imagined. He could hear the tremor in your voice, the vulnerability in your words, and it shattered his heart. But he didn’t argue. He didn’t try to defend himself because he knew you were right. He had left you when you needed him the most. And nothing he could say would take that pain away.

"I wasn’t thinking," he admitted quietly, his voice thick with regret. "I was selfish. I thought I could push through everything....work, the shoot, the schedule....but I ignored you. I ignored us. And I hate that I hurt you like this. I’m so sorry, Y/N."

You stood there, arms tightly crossed in front of you, your gaze turned away from him, as though you couldn’t bear to look at him just yet. "I don’t know if I can forget this, Changbin. You hurt me so much. You didn’t even think about what I needed, what I was feeling. It’s like I didn’t matter."

Changbin’s chest tightened at your words. The last thing he ever wanted was for you to feel like you didn’t matter. He wanted so badly to reach out, to hold you, to tell you everything would be okay, but he knew that words alone wouldn’t be enough this time. He had to show you. He had to prove to you that he was truly sorry, that he could be better.

"I know I don’t deserve your forgiveness," he said softly, the words heavy with sincerity. "But I need you to know that I’m willing to do whatever it takes. I won’t make excuses anymore. I’ll show you how much you mean to me if you’ll let me."

You stayed silent for what felt like an eternity, and Changbin could feel his heart race. Was he too late? Had he ruined everything? Was there any way to repair the damage he had caused?

Finally, you sighed, your voice soft but uncertain. "I just... I don’t know. I’m so confused, Changbin. The loneliness, the waiting... I feel like I’ve been pushed aside. Like I didn’t matter."

"I understand," he said quietly, his voice gentle but filled with determination. "And I’m so sorry. You should never have felt that way. I should’ve been there for you. But I’m here now. I’m not going anywhere. Please, let me show you how much you mean to me."

"How?" you asked, your voice trembling, barely a whisper.

Changbin could feel the weight of your question, the gravity of it, and he knew there was no going back. He had to be completely honest with you, to show you how committed he was to making things right. "I want to show you something," he said, his voice steady despite the turmoil inside. "I know I’ve let you down, and I can’t undo that. But tonight, I want to make it up to you. I’ve cleared my schedule for the next two days. No work, no distractions. Just you and me. I’m not going to let this slip away."

You searched his face for any sign of insincerity, any hint of him just saying what he thought you wanted to hear. But there was nothing...only the raw vulnerability in his eyes, the quiet sincerity in his voice. For a moment, he held his breath, waiting for your response.

"You don’t have to do all this, Changbin," you said softly, your voice carrying a mixture of sadness and doubt. "I’m not sure anything will change just because you... cancel your schedule."

He nodded, understanding the skepticism in your voice. "I know. But I want to show you that I can be better. That I will be better for you. I’m not asking for forgiveness right away, but just... let me prove it."

You didn’t respond immediately. Instead, you turned away, and he motioned for you to follow him. As you walked into the shared room, the soft glow of Christmas lights bathed the space, casting gentle shadows across the walls. The familiar scent of something delicious filled the air, pulling at your senses. You followed him into the room, and that’s when you saw it...on the table, a beautifully set spread of food. The sight took you by surprise. There, amid the candles and the warm, inviting glow, was the comfort food you had always described as a childhood memory. The dish you always loved, the one that never failed to make you feel at home.

"I made dinner," Changbin said quietly, his voice full of nervous excitement. "I know it’s not much, but I thought it might help."

You looked at the table, taking in the sight of the food: the sweet potato noodles, the tteok guk, the roasted vegetables, and of course, the dish you always cherished. Changbin had even prepared a dessert, and you could see the care he had put into every detail. It wasn’t just the food, though. It was the fact that he had taken the time, the effort, to make this night special for you. He had given you something that mattered to him: his time, his undivided attention.

"You did all this for me?" you asked softly, your voice barely audible, a small sense of disbelief in your words.

Changbin smiled softly, his eyes never leaving yours. "I did. Because I want you to know that you matter. That I’m not going to make the same mistakes again."

You bit your lip, torn between the pain of the past and the small, flickering hope that maybe...just maybe...things could be different. You didn’t know how to trust him again. The hurt was still fresh, but the sincerity in his eyes made you want to try.

"I don’t know how to trust you again," you said quietly, the vulnerability in your voice making his chest tighten.

"I understand," he replied gently, his voice full of determination. "And I’m not asking you to trust me right away. But I’m here, Y/N. I’m not going anywhere. I’ll prove it to you. Slowly, if I have to."

You stood there, your heart heavy with emotions you hadn’t been able to process before. Slowly, you nodded, a small, uncertain smile tugging at the corners of your lips.

"Fine," you said quietly, the words carrying more weight than you intended. "I’m giving you one last chance. Don’t disappoint me."

Changbin’s heart soared with a feeling he hadn’t dared to expect. It wasn’t perfect...far from it...but it was enough to breathe life back into his hope. That small, fragile thread of connection, once torn and frayed, was beginning to weave itself back together. There was still a long way to go, but the fact that you were here, sharing this moment, was more than he could have hoped for......

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

As the evening unfolded, the two of you sat at the table, surrounded by the warmth of the flickering candles and the delicious scent of food filling the air. The silence between you was no longer heavy or awkward; it was a comfortable quiet, a space where the two of you could just be, without the weight of everything that had happened before. Changbin had worked tirelessly to clear his schedule, to create a space that would help you feel safe again. And slowly, you began to feel it, the effort, the thought, the care that he had poured into this night. It wasn’t just the meal he had prepared; it was the time, the attention, the honesty.

The food was incredible! far better than anything Changbin had anticipated. You could taste the care he had put into every dish, and something about that made the meal feel even more meaningful. The flavors were rich and comforting, each bite an affirmation of the effort he had put into making this evening about more than just an apology. It was about rebuilding, piece by piece. You couldn’t help but appreciate how much he had given of himself to make this moment special.

Changbin watched you closely, his eyes never straying far from your face. There was a nervousness there, of course...he had made so many mistakes before, and he wasn’t sure if this would be enough to fix things...but there was something else, too. A quiet determination. This wasn’t about erasing the past; it wasn’t about expecting forgiveness on the spot. It was about showing you that he was here, that he was present, and that he was willing to put in the work.

“You’ve really been thinking about this, haven’t you?” you asked after a moment, your voice filled with a mix of surprise and appreciation. Your eyes met his, and for the first time in a while, you saw something different in his gaze. Something real.

Changbin nodded, his expression softening. “Every day. I’m not just sorry for what I did. I’m sorry for making you feel like you weren’t important. I know I’ve hurt you, and I hate that. But I’m here now, and I promise...I’m not going to make the same mistake again.”

There was a long pause as his words settled between you. For the first time in days, you felt a small, tentative shift. It wasn’t a magical fix, and there was still so much hurt to process, but there was something undeniable in the way he was looking at you now. A sincerity that hadn’t been there before. It was a moment that didn’t erase the past but made the future feel a little less uncertain...

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

Over the next two days, Changbin kept his word. He had cleared his schedule completely, no distractions, no work, no practice. Just the two of you. Every moment was spent together, whether it was quietly reading side by side, making breakfast together, or simply talking about anything and everything. As the hours passed, you felt something you hadn’t felt in weeks: peace. Slowly, bit by bit, the anger and doubt that had clung to you like a weight began to fade. It wasn’t gone entirely, but it was lighter now. You began to see that, maybe, this wasn’t the end of something broken. Maybe it was the beginning of something new.

You weren’t sure what the future would bring, but for the first time in a long while, you could feel the space between you and Changbin beginning to fill with warmth again. A warmth that hadn’t been there in weeks, maybe longer. It was subtle at first, a soft shift in the way you interacted, but it was there...gradually rebuilding itself.

On the third morning, you awoke to the soft light of dawn filtering through the curtains, casting a gentle glow across the room. You stirred from sleep, feeling the comforting warmth of Changbin’s body pressed against yours. His arms were around you, pulling you close, and his face was buried in your hair, his breath soft and steady against the back of your neck. You could feel the rise and fall of his chest against yours, the quiet reassurance that came with his presence. For the first time in a while, the weight of the past didn’t feel quite as heavy.

“Morning,” he mumbled, his voice thick with sleep, his words muffled as he nuzzled closer to you.

A soft smile tugged at your lips as you turned your head just slightly to plant a gentle kiss on the top of his messy hair. He groaned quietly, his lips curving into a sleepy smile as he lazily shifted closer to you, as though not wanting to break the quiet, peaceful bubble you had created over the past few days.

His lips brushed against your skin as he kissed your neck, his breath warm and comforting against your skin. “Mmm, don’t leave yet,” he whispered, his voice thick with the remnants of sleep. He tightened his hold on you just a little, as though he was afraid the moment would slip away if he let go.

As you lay there, listening to the steady rhythm of his breathing, something deep inside you shifted. The ache from the past few weeks was still there, still lingering, but it felt distant now. Lighter. The reassurance in his touch was something you hadn’t realized you’d been craving. This wasn’t about him being perfect. It wasn’t about fixing everything overnight. It wasn’t about erasing the past...it was about something else. It was about this moment. This peace. This effort.

Changbin had made an effort. He had cleared his schedule. He had shown up when it mattered most. And somehow, in all of that, he had made you feel like you were the priority again. It hadn’t been easy for him, and it hadn’t been easy for you either, but the fact that he had tried...had kept trying...meant something. It wasn’t perfect, but it was real.

You shifted just slightly, glancing down at him as he lazily pulled you closer, his lips still pressed against your skin. His hair was messy, his face still soft with sleep, but there was something new in his expression now. A warmth that hadn’t been there before. A softness, a vulnerability. You could feel the sincerity in his touch, in the way he made sure to be present for you, to show up every day since he had apologized.

You didn’t say anything for a moment. The air around you felt different...almost sacred. Safe. Slowly, Changbin looked up at you, his dark eyes still sleepy but now holding something deeper. Something you could trust. Something that felt real.

“Thank you for giving me a chance,” he murmured quietly, his voice hoarse from sleep, but there was an undeniable sincerity behind every word.

You smiled gently, brushing a lock of hair from his forehead. “It’s not about ‘thank you,’” you replied softly. “It’s about showing up. And you’ve been showing up.”

His expression softened, and a silent understanding passed between you both. It was unspoken, but it was there. You weren’t there yet. There was still a long way to go. But you were both working on it, together. Slowly, you were rebuilding something that had once seemed irreparably broken.

Changbin shifted again, kissing your cheek gently before murmuring, “I’ll keep showing up, Y/N. I promise.”

And in that moment, you realized something...perhaps you had been too afraid to admit it before, but now you understood: this was just the beginning. Not the perfect beginning, but a real one. And that was all either of you needed right now. With patience, with effort, and with time, everything else would fall into place. Together, slowly, you would make it through....

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⋆⁺❅ ENDNOTE - Everything Here is a work of fiction and my own imagination. This does not represent the real life characteristics of Stray Kids. Make sure to like, reblog comment, and follow me for new updates!

[windixie]

the perfect pair ⟢ ch. 1 broken cd

satoru gojo x reader ꒰18+꒱ smut, angst, fluff

⟡ pairing . college au soccer player! gojo x alt! reader

› summary . in which opposites actually attract. you're not the kind of girl who seeks validation from anyone as your world is surrounded by indie films, music, and clothing. meanwhile, satoru lives in a completely different world from you. the campus soccer star who practically radiates confidence and popularity. but that doesn't stop satoru from attempting to throw himself at you, with his playful grins and teasing but loving comments. but before you can accept his advances, a certain party exposes who he truly is and now he is left determined to change himself for you.

› warnings ⓘ tags . 18+, fem! reader, smut, angst, fluff, college au (have syracuse university in mind), friends to lovers (reader hates him, he thinks otherwise), slow burn, jealousy, some suguru x reader because he doesn't respect bro code or wtv.

› wc . 1.1k

⟡ taglist . @unreleasedlana11

cd's are actually expensive.

well at least for you actually, only because you happen to listen to artists that are no longer active and have to buy discontinued cd's through sketchy websites that definitely overcharge. you couldn't judge though, easy money for the seller. your bank account disagrees.

you promise yourself that this will be the last cd you buy - till you're financially stable again. the disc nearly cost you 60 bucks plus taxes and shipping, 80.99. that greedy seller. regardless you were happy especially when you got the notification from the app telling you that your order has arrived.

at your college you had to walk all the way towards the front where the school mailboxes were located. the second you stepped foot outside your dorm, which, thankfully you had all to yourself because for some reason you weren't assigned a roommate, you are hit with the sound of cheering. the soccer team has just returned from a tournament.

including satoru gojo.

you knew of the boy. you knew he was the most known player in the school. and i'm not just talking about soccer. in each frat party he has to get in at least two bodies. he has a whole line of girls patiently waiting for their turn to warm up the white haired boys bed.

he's everything.. you hated in a guy.

how do girls go crazy over him? he's deadass the most basic boy you are sure each college in the state has. but you couldn't help but stay a bit to watch as all the boys make their way through the applauding crowd. a new face emerged from the bus, all looking proud. they must've won.

you were pulled away from your thoughts when his face appeared. suguru. he was best friends with gojo. you can't help but stare. his piercings, long hair, style that was different from the rest, just like you. it's hard to not notice him.

you almost don't realize who's looking at you instead. your eyes meet with satoru for a brief moment before you continue making your way to the central mail room, not allowing your brain to even process the eye contact.

as he made his way out the busy, satoru is met with a crowd of students cheering. he smirks as he kept the conversation going with his friends. he knows how attractive he is. not every one is 'blessed' to have a body count of half the schools girl population.

he knows how good he is. so why is it that when his eyes land on you, his heart skips a beat. he's never seen you before, why now? why does he like the way your hair frames your face so beautifully and the way your outfit compliments your body so well?

he felt his world stop for just a second when your eyes finally met his. a split second.

you unlocked your assigned mailbox after reaching the central. other students were there as well looking at letters from their family back at home or the same reason as you, a package. your eyes lit up as you took out the perfectly wrapped cd. .

not wasting one more second, you carefully unwrap it. here it is, finally in your hands after a month of waiting and two days worth of hard labor. the light reflected like heaven itself shining upon you from the glossy surface. you flipped it over, reading through the track list as you locked your mailbox once again not even bothering to check if there's any other letters in your box.

right as you turned, you bumped into something hard, causing your cd to slip from your hands, the sound of it hitting the floor haunting you.

it broke.

and so did your heart.

no. no way.

a month of waiting. money wasted. just for the cd to slip right out your hands.

okay you're being dramatic, it obviously didn't break. but the impact caused the case to open once it fell on the floor. the cd might just have a few scratches. one scratch is one scratch too many though.

"shit, sorry about that."

you lifted up your head to look at the one responsible for this.

satoru.

the satoru himself was in front of you giving you another reason to dislike him. he looked at you with his eyes widening a bit. its you. the girl he saw from earlier. he crouched down, placing his bag on the ground next to his feet to pick up your disc, carefully placing it back in the case. definitely not a band he was familiar with.

he handed it back to you, his hand touching yours slightly.

"here pretty, am sorry again."

your eyes narrowed. "It’s fine," you said, trying to keep your cool. "Not like you can fix it."

his eyes watched you push past him and they trailed past you until you were out of his view.

he finally got the chance to talk to you which he's been wanting to do since he's know you which was only like 20 minutes.

he couldn't help but smile to himself as he opened up his own mailbox, stuffed with fan mail.

a few scratches as you suspected. it shouldn't affect your listening experience.

you placed the now damaged disc in your cd player which was gifted to you by your parents on your sixteenth birthday. the music filled up your room in a nice and warm space.

you sank down on your mattress closing your eyes to enjoy the listening experience. no amount of scratched could ruin this.

they did.

your eyes shot open as the cd started to tweak out not even three minutes into the track list. guess the damage really was done. its all his fault. satoru gojo.

"no..please.." you begged taking out the cd to look at it again seeing that you missed a crack running right through it.

it was all his fault. you barely knew him but now that you had your first ever encounter you had all the reason to despise him. there's no way you will be able to listen to your 80.99 worth cd with there being glitching every other song.

you couldn’t shake the image of satoru standing there, his awkward attempt at helping, the way his gaze had softened for a brief moment. you'd make him buy you a new one, that being if the discontinued cd was even out there anymore.

what if you bought the last one ever?

you groaned into your pillow.

that's it you're throwing a bf.

a bitch fit.

[lawsbbygirl]

LAWLULAW FIC RECS PART 2

Link to part 1: here I finally got around to making a part two. I've read many fics since, and down below I'll link some of my favorites. There's a massive amount of incredibly talented writers in this fandom, and every day I feel so grateful to be a part of it, so please, don't take my recs as gospel, and look for fics yourself too. There are many amazing works that I've definitely missed adding, or that I haven't even read yet. I trust you all to shower the authors in kudos and positive comments! As a side note, I also write fics for this ship, so if you want to read my works, you can do that here!

Completed works:

Sating Hunger by xairylle 5,336 words, M "At the end of the day, even with all the major blunders that almost cost him his life, Law decided that this alliance had been worth it. Until he fucked it up by not being able to hold himself back from kissing Monkey D. Luffy." i will follow you into the dark by koudai 14,822 words, T "In the aftermath of Luffy’s and Blackbeard’s fight at Laugh Tale, Law dies as he performs the Perennial Youth Operation, to save Luffy’s life.

we've got blood and honey (getting high and getting some) by Trashgalore 11,158 words, E LawLu. Wound fucking, blood play, masochism... need I say more? Absolutely delicious. Easy Come, Easy Go by traszka 3,312 words, Gen "So, not-ally," Straw Hat strikes up again, "are you gonna kiss me, or what?" i’m a saint living in sin by corasonrie 4,340 words, M Human!Law, vampire!Luffy. Beautiful prose in this one.

Broken Hearts by Dragon_Falls 33,943 words, M Canon spoilers. "After retreating from Blackbeard, Bepo takes Law to the Thousand Sunny for help. Law is so broken that he doesn't even realize that the virus from the battle has returned. He now has to deal with his grief and a new body that he hates." Here Cums Peter Cottontail by Alte 13,802 words, E LuLaw. Ridiculously horny encounter between bunny hybrid Law and a hungry Luffy. Read the tags! Ice Ice Baby by killyhawk 9,265 words, E Hockey AU of my dreams. Fireflies by Martilla 63,531 words, E LuLaw. Old man yaoi AU. Absolutely adore this one. on every candle (i wish for you) by Minniaa 6,941 words, E LawLu. Luffy makes Law's birthday a million times better. So hot! Fog by Oh_Whoa 9,244 words, E LawLu. "Zoology professor Law hitches a ride on the Thousand Sunny." This one is so effortlessly hilarious and delicious. Obsessed with it! hanabi by quackquackcey 4,840 words, E LuLaw. "A lazy sunset at the beach, a stroll through the summer festival, a dash amidst hanabi—their feelings finally connect." Beautifully written omegaverse. Pirates Don't Have Love Stories by Kyrathel 19,617 words, E LawLu. Mpreg. "Luffy gathers a crew and battles with his gender identity." I love this fic so much and have reread it several times. Read the tags! We Should Get Rid of our Innocence Together by vomsa 44,109 words, E Switch. This one is such a fun story of our boys losing their virginities to each other. Humor, delicious smut, and just a great read! ᚴᚱᚢᛘᛘᛁ by MisuAnonimasu 10,589 words, E LawLu. Viking!AU of my dreams! The whole series is a fantastic read. like sunshine and marigolds by fallflowers 42,182 words, E LawLu. The perfect childhood friends to lovers fic. you're not just a human being (you are art) by orphan_account 3,127 words, E LuLaw. Law grows his hair out and Luffy has a crisis. So cute! The Doctor is Snowed In by Anonymous 35,867 words, E LawLu. "Wherein Luffy learns a little more about his anatomy and tests the patience and bond of his newly formed alliance while stuck in a cave on Punk Hazard." I love this fic SO much. and we'll have a spring wedding by Killyhawk 4,895 words, M "A 40-year-old Luffy appears on the Thousand Sunny with unexpected news." AMAZING READ. One of my faves for sure. Logistics by ST_Osmanthus 4,241 words, E LawLu. "The alliance succeeded. The mission is over. It’s time to go." This one is so fun! A Good Man Is Hard To Find by Masked Deuce 29,566, E DEAD DOVE: DO NOT EAT. Serial killer!Law and cannibal!Luffy. Read the tags. Love this one so much. Tea'sing All The Way Through by Camafeu 274,600 words, E Modern AU. One of those fics that left a mark on me. It made me cry, laugh, scream, and I'll never forget it EVER. Definitely in my top five of all time. Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response by DidntThinkofAName 9,302 words, E LawLu. "Luffy sees Nami fiddling with a pair of tiny transponder snails and begs her to let him try them out. Things get out of hand.

Or, the one where Law does ASMR." I'm so obsessed with this fic, I could read it a thousand times. I shine only with the light you gave me by bokkuroo 5,766 words, E LawLu. God of Death Law and God of the Sun Luffy. Very sweet and spicy. Treats by Rainy_atw 6,124 words, E LawLu. "Luffy gets golden-retrieverd." This is so fun and hot, OBSESSED.

Ongoing works:

After the Fall by Minniaa 4/? chapters, E LuLaw. Beautiful AU based on the Icarus myth. Sun King by Newmoondust 1/? chapters, E Roman empire AU where Luffy is a gladiator, and Law is a priest. Gorgeously written and I'm so invested only one chapter in! a scripted empathy by lances 2/8 chapters, E Law is a serial killer and Luffy is an underground fighter, but that's not enough to explain how riveting this fic is. Unique and captivating! Hold My Heart, it's Beating for You Anyway by 7raffy_law 5/? chapters, E LawLu. My absolute favorite vampire fic. Beautifully written with an engrossing plot, and fantastic characterization. shadow rises (and you are here) by shishiswordsman 8/11 chapters, E This author is one of my absolute favorites, and this fic makes you feel despair, sorrow, pain, but also flickers of hope masterfully weaved inbetween. The angst is spectacular, and the bond between Law and Luffy and how it's written takes my breath away. Of fans and filmstars by N_Moonbreeze 6/? chapters, E Switch. Pornstar!AU that hits the spot. Love this author's writing style and this fic in particular has me in a chokehold.

Don't Assume by Kyrathel 14/? chapters, E LuLaw. Fem!Law. This fic is so much fun to read, with delicious smut as well. "Luffy meets Law online playing a game. He isn't really what he thought she was..." Curiosity Killed The Cat... But The Hot Wolf Doctor Brought Him Back by vomsa 15/? chapters, E Such a fun and yummy omegaverse fic. Absolutely adore it!

[saphirafoxgirlspost1]

(Open Rp) Nezha Reborn in "Lady Fox"

Long Ago After the Battles Against heavens and Journey to the west, Sun wukong and saphira are happily Together Once more after Sun wukong Woke her from her Deathly Sleep curse.. But when they comes out Nezha Challenge him for a battle..but During the battle, She Begged Nezha because She doesn't want to lose him again so nezha spared him but then the Dragon king of the eastern sea was Having none of it and Sent his Son Name "Ao Bing" to Kill sun wukong, but he was Killed by Nezha who is protecting Sun Wukong and Saphira By ripping Ao Bings spine out. Two Lovers Head out to Safety at Sakutopia but Sun wukong Knows That Saphira will be in grave Danger again and the Dragon king will put her a terrible curse again, So he told her that He must go and Fight to protect Her but Saphira begged him not to go and then He Said that he Promise to sent her gifts every day to let her know that He's alright. After he Left, Saphira was Devastated and heartbroken While the Dragon king Had Saw it and Made a Devious plan to keep Sun wukong and Saphira Separate By Making a Letter of Sun wukongs death and immortality been taken away.. Then one day, Saphira receive That letter and her heart is broken after she read that her beloved Monkey king was dead, She collapsed on the ground and crying Out of her broken heart but every day she receive gifts every day and she thought his ghost brought it.. As 30 years has passed in the celestial world and Saphira was Sent by her Father to the City called "Donghai" where She lives in Luxury and perform beautifully at the Palace of Happiness.. That night, when she sings She sees the strange person with a mask watching her out from the window. After the Performance, She was Invited to Meet with Au Guang the Dragon king of east sea, She founded it out that sun Wukong is alive.. Then That Morning, She meet with Au guang and his Son and she said,

Saphira: "You've got some nerve Invited me here after everything you put me Through, and I was Wondering. What brings me here to your Lovely Kingdom?"

Au Guang: "Ah Princess Saphira, I am aware of what I did to you and your Beloved one. So as For that Question, I have a Proposal for you to marry my son.. I was thinking that You've been Mourn your beloved Monkey King For too Long so I was thinking that It's time to be married someone else, Right Son?"

Ao Bing comes to her and looking at her up and down while Saphira made a disgust look and she said,

Saphira: "What Made you think that I will Marry Your Son After YOU sent him to kill my Love before His ass was Killed by Nezha?"

Au Guang: went stern, expression harden "My dear That was a Long time ago, Time has changed and all heh.. My dear Your Grief needs to let go I-"

Saphira began to cut off

Saphira: "Then Why did you Lie to me about Sun Wukongs death?!"

Au Gaung, Ao bing and His Minion froze as Saphira realized That Au Guang DID Lie to her about Sun wukongs Death and She knew it.

Saphira: "If Sun Wukong was dead as you Claim, then Why did I receive Gifts Every day For 30,000 years, 30 years in my Celestial realm! YOU KNEW HE'S ALIVE, WHERE IS HE!? Where's Sun wukong!?"

Saphira Shouted in Defiance..as She heard the Sound of Cane Slammed by Au Guang and She Froze, her breathing is Steady and then Au Guang Use the Enchanted red ribbon and Holds her down as she screams, Struggling to break free but then Au guang use his mechanical hand began to place saphira a Curse and he told her that This time Only he will be dead and No true loves kiss can break this time and he said that Saphira Will become a little White Fox by day and a beautiful Woman By Night..Then The black smoke went around her and Change her into a beautiful Little White Fox as His Minions laugh about it And before Au Guang Say anything, Saphira made a Hasty Escape and runs out of the Building as Au guang told his Boys to after that White Fox but Saphira was So swift as She runs to the Poverty Area where She sees alot of poor people and all, She felt heart broken and all they needed was water and all.. When she made it to the warehouse area, She accidentally Bumped into A young Motor Biker name "Li Yunxiang", in her eyes she saw Nezha in him But then one of His Buddies picked Her up by the scruff and said…

[sparklypinkflightsuit]

The Island: Entry 1

Bradley Bradshaw x Reader

A Lost AU

Mood Board

Warnings: Smut, Fluff, Angst, Gore, Violence, Swearing, Death, Alcohol, Plane Crash, Various Inaccuracies

Authors note and TW: This story does depict a plane crash in quite a lot of it so please be aware 💛 especially now with all of the recent accidents worldwide, just wanting to put an extra precaution out there so as not to surprise or upset anyone!

——————————

18+ Only

——————————




A roaring sound roused Bradley from a dream, a dream where he was souring through the air in his favourite F/A-18, the sunset beautifully cast along the ocean below, someone behind him lovingly squeezing his shoulder, someone he longed for but whom didn’t know yet.




The roaring sound blared loudly even from far away, and Bradley strained to open his eyes, the bright light burning his sensitive retina. He covered his eyes as he sat up, his bed hard and lumpy, and he blinked several times to adjust.




Suddenly he realised his bed wasn’t a bed after all, but a stony jungle floor, matted with rotting leaves and sand and soil.




Bradley looked around, confused and dazed and trying to find the source of the horrible noise. He was surrounded by trees and the stark stench of leaf rot, the faint smell of the sea and… jet fuel.




He realised suddenly that the roaring wasn’t even that, it was a whirring, the sound of a jet engine struggling to keep itself in the air. But was it in the air?




By the volume and steadiness of the sound Bradley could only think the engine was no longer in the sky, and he scrambled to his feet as vague memories began to come back to him.




His leg was badly bruised and he thought he may have a broken rib or two, but he scrambled through the jungle as fast as his body would take him, the noise growing louder.




As he neared, he began to hear screaming, so much screaming, now just audible over the jet roar as the thick of the jungle turned to sparse bush, and Bradley fought to keep himself composed, braving himself for what he might see.




The beach was long and windy, blue ocean stretched on for what seemed like forever, and Bradley quickly realised he wasn’t on any sort of mainland. Bodies littered the white sand and the front of the plane, pinned onto its side by a boulder, sat ablaze, towering, the engine angrily trying to keep itself alive.




Bradley took but a split second to take in the damage, panic so close to taking hold, when he spotted Jake Seresin crawling out of the sea, coughing and spluttering as he collapsed to the sand.




He ran over to him, quickly helping his friend further up onto the sand and away from the water.




“Hangman…” was all Bradley could get out.




Jake coughed again, taking deep, painful breaths as he lay on his back. “Where’s…” another cough, “where’s everyone else?” He just barely murmured over the noise.




Bradley knew he meant the rest of the boys they had been travelling with.




Bob, Javy, Reuben and Mickey.




“I don’t know… I’ll be back.” Bradley left Jake to gain his strength as he stumbled to his feet, wincing at the pain in his side.




He took a second to watch the chaos, people screaming over lost loved ones, running to get as far from the wreckage as they could before it inevitably exploded, others helping the injured, or rescuing suitcases from inside the burning hull.




He walked closer to the plane, hoping to recognise someone, anyone, when the sun glinted against a familiar pair of glasses.




“Bob!” Bradley cried hoarsely.




Bob couldn’t hear him, too close to the engine, helping a woman free her leg from a heavy metal beam.




“Bob!” Bradley called louder this time, “You gotta move!”




Bob lifted his head and relief washed over him as his eyes landed on Bradley.




“Help me move her!” Bob called, and Bradley hesitantly eyed up the wing of the plane that hovered and bowed treacherously over Bob’s head.




“Fuck.” Bradley mumbled to himself as he limped quickly towards Bob, dropping to his knees with a wince once by his side.




After a quick assessment of the situation, the leg pinned and pierced to the ground, Bradley grabbed Bob’s shoulder.




“We gotta dig her out, and we gotta do it quick, this thing’s about to collapse.”




Bob nodded and the pair began to dig into the sand beneath the woman’s injured thigh, little by little lowering her leg out of the bar that pierced through it.




The wing groaned under its own weight and the breeze that tormented it, threatening to snap off at any second, the sound mingling with the woman’s agonising cries.




“Faster!” Bradley grunted as he cupped the sand and threw it to the side with a speed that left him dizzy, the movements worsening the pain he was in.




The woman screamed as her leg slid off the bar and blood sprayed out, covering Bob and Bradley. They hooked their arms in hers quickly, shuffling backwards in the sand to pull her to safety.




Barely out from beneath the shadow of the wing, a large creak and snap echoed across the beach as the wing buckled under its own weight, plummeting with a deafening crash onto the ground below.




Bob and Bradley watched in horror mere feet away. Even a couple of seconds more and they would have met their untimely end.




Bradley was having a hard time coming to to grips with the situation, barely even able to remember what had happened before the crash, and he felt dazed.




“Rooster, Bob!” Another familiar voice rang out, Reuben.




The pair sighed with some sort of relief as the tall man helped them to their feet, pulling them in for a hug.




“Shit guys, I thought you were gone.” Reuben’s voice cracked, audible even over the chaos.




“We… we need to move her to the shade, see if there are any doctors or…” Bob stopped to wipe blood from his face, staring at his hand in shock.




“Yeah, help me move her.” Bradley winced as he bent down to hook his arms under the unconscious woman’s armpits. Bob carefully hooked his arms under her good leg and they haphazardly carried her to the trees.




Placing her gently down, Bradley left Bob with her so he could try and find someone who could help.




Bob was already prepping a tourniquet with some fabric and a stick, and he spotted Jake and Reuben by the shore, turning bodies over and trying to separate the dead from the living, helping where they could.




Javy and Mickey were nowhere to be seen, but there were so many people, dead and alive, scattered across the sand, that it would be difficult to differentiate faces, especially in the state he was in.




People screamed through the pain of broken limbs and burns and cuts and his eyes drew him across the beach, scanning over as many faces as he could, and that’s when he spotted you, down in the distance.




You were beautiful but frantic, hair a mess and clothes bloodied, as you tied a piece of ripped fabric carefully around a little boys arm to stop him from bleeding.




You winced as the boy cried, Bradley couldn’t hear you but he could see you apologising, telling the boy you had to tie it tight for just a little while.




Without realising he was moving, Bradley began to stumble over to you, stepping over discarded suitcases and debris, the deafening sound of the engine mangled painfully with the agony in the voices of people crying for help in the jungle and at the shore.




“You’re gonna be okay… you’re gonna be okay.” You mumbled, unsure of yourself, as you stroked the little boys head, “I’m gonna find your mom, you just need to stay here. Okay? By this tree.”




The boy wailed inconsolably, dirty face streaked with tears.




Bradley winced as he knelt down next to you, forcing a smile at the little boy, “Wow, look at you! You’re so brave, you’re gonna have a cool scar to show off to your friends real soon.”




The little boy slowly stopped crying and looked up at Bradley curiously. You did the same, taking a second to breathe as he spoke.




“You can tell people you fought off a tiger.” Bradley winked, and the little boy began to giggle.




You eyed Bradley up suspiciously but we’re also relieved to have some help.




“Hey, you stay here, I just gotta borrow your friend for a moment okay?” The boy nodded and Bradley struggled to his feet, clutching briefly at his side. You looked at the blood on his t-shirt, wondering how badly he was injured.




“Oh… it’s… it’s not me.” He winced again, one eye closed as he fought through a wave of pain, “There’s a lady up there with a through-and-through pole wound to her leg, there’s a lot of blood but one of my guys has got her in a makeshift tourniquet. I guess I was hoping you’re a doctor?” He asked anxiously.




You nodded, “Well… not a people doctor, I’m a Veterinarian.” You had been in practice for 5 years, but you were still always unsure of yourself.




“That will be fine, we just need someone with more experience than we do.” Bradley nodded, hands on his hips. In the chaos, you and Bradley stood just staring at one another for a moment, almost relishing in the brief peace it brought.




“Well… I’m gonna need to find a sewing kit, I reckon a lot of these people will need it.” You made a start towards the blazing hull where the scattered suitcases lay a strewn. He followed you, hoping you’d give him instructions or tell him to do anything that would make him feel less lost.




“Anything else?” Bradley rose his voice as you and him got closer to the whirring engine.




“Any medicine you can find, even if it belongs to someone, we can divvy out important meds later, but we need a stockpile of antibiotics and anti-inflammatories.” You were using your logical brain now. You knew even if you were going to be rescued, it would likely be a few days, if not longer before anyone came, and people were going to get sick or infected. “And alcohol… lots of it.”




“Okay… Wait, what’s your name?” Bradley called out as you walked away.




You turned and gave him a soft smile, something steady in the chaos, “Y/N, but you can just call me Doc. What’s yours?”




Bradley grinned through the pain, “Bradley, but my friends call me Rooster.”




You chuckled, “I won’t ask.” And with that you turned to find a sewing kit amongst the debris.




Bradley was sure his heart was racing because of the agony he was in, not because of you… he was sure of it.




—————————




*Flashback*




“Sorry, excuse me.” You pardoned yourself as you shuffled past rows of seats with your clunky carryon, trying to make your way through the busy airplane isle to stow your bag above your seat.




You had gotten an earlier flight home from Sydney than expected, the job interview you had been so excited for having not gone to plan. You were frustrated and irritable but in a way you were glad to be going home.




You stowed your carryon above you seat, and plonked down heavily, a deep sigh as you relaxed into the cheap fabric. You hadn’t had much sleep since arriving in Australia, which you wanted to chalk up to jet lag, but surely that would make you want to sleep more? It was likely the anxiety of the looming interview, and that if you got the job you’d be uprooting your entire life to move, but it would have meant big things for your career.




You were beyond disappointed when you showed up and the owner of the practise turned out to be a pervert. You had never felt like you’d wanted to crawl out of your own skin until that day, when he implied on several occasions during your interview that you’d need to keep him happy to get anywhere in his workplace, and to put the icing on the cake, his hand found your rear end shamelessly as he showed you out.




“I do hope you’ll accept our offer and join us, sweetheart.” He’d winked at you as you left, his beady eyes grotesquely eyeing up your behind.




You’d immediately booked your flight home, feeling as though you’d wasted a trip but desperately wanting to get out of there, despite how beautiful the country was and how you longed to spend the week on a beach.




You closed your eyes as the flight took off, hoping for sleep to find you.




You must have dozed off, because before you knew it you blinked your eyes open and the plane was darker, cosy ambient lighting dowsing the whole cabin in soft orange. You closed your eyes again, body stiff but eyes heavy, keen on getting a few more hours sleep.




Your throat tickled, and you coughed softly into your arm to clear it, settling back and stretching, trying to find a comfortable position.




The scratchy feeling continued, and you tried to discreetly clear your throat without making too much noise, but you couldn’t, so you opened your eyes and took a sip of water from your bottle.




A few others coughed, and your first thought was that someone had brought a cold onto the plane and you groaned internally. You swallowed to try and coat your dry throat, but you began to cough more, alongside almost everyone on the plane.


Suddenly there was a commotion at the front of your section and someone jumped out of their seat.




“Fire! There’s a fire!” The man shouted.




You realised with horror that the soft orange lighting was not ambient LED strips but rather a fire in the hostess kitchen, and you coughed on the smoke that began to fill the cabin.




You unbuckled your seatbelt quickly, standing at your seat and readying yourself to help extinguish the flames if it came to it, blanket at hand.




The air hostess’ rushed to the kitchen and were quick to put the fire out, apologising to the passengers as they passed by and wafted the thick smoke towards the vents in the ceiling.




A few seconds later, interrupting the distressed murmurs of the stressed out passengers, the beep of the intercom sounded and the captains voice echoed throughout the cabin.




“Sorry folks, it appears there may have been a small fire in the hold caused by a faulty wire, which had spread to one of the hostess kitchens, but the fire has been put out and there does not appear to be anything other than superficial damage. Complimentary drinks will now be served as an apology. Please rest assured everything is-“




Before he could finish his sentence, the plane jerked violently, sending several hostess’ into the laps of passengers and a collective yelp sounded.




You quickly sat back into your seat, your heart in your throat as you fumbled with the buckle. “Shit, come on.” You mumbled as the buckle kept slipping out, refusing to click into place.




Another violent bout of turbulence sent bags flying out of the stow holds, knocking some unconscious in their seats. People began to scream and you continued to fumble with your seatbelt.




“Everyone please get back to your seats!” An air hostess tried to instruct calmly, “It’s just a bit of turbulence as we go over the pacific-“




Another big bump and she went crashing backwards, hitting her head on the wall and she fell unconscious to the ground. It was now full blown chaos, people screaming and clambering over seats, buckling in unconscious loved ones, trying not to fall over as the turbulence grew more and more violent.




Your seat belt was not playing nicely, it had finally clipped in, but now the tightening buckle wasn’t holding in place, causing the belt to slip. You pulled the belt tight and held it in your hand as best as you could, hoping it would be enough to pin you to your seat.




You could feel the plane plummeting, and your bum lifting off of the seat as you squeezed your eyes shut, trying to drown out the screams of panicked passengers.




Suddenly there was deafening snap and your breath was sucked out of you, as the side of plane tore off. Your eyes shot open in terror and you caught a brief glimpse of blue and then green before you blacked out completely.




—————————

- Entry 2 Here -

Taglist:

@randomfangirlof @scarletseresin @halflifejess @bradshawbaby

[pandora-writes-one-piece]

The Meet-Cute - Zoro's Story - 3

Source for pic

Trouble 3

Word Count: 4959

Tags For The Whole Story: Fem!Reader; Protective!Zoro; Soft!Zoro; Sexual Tension; Teasing; Flirting; Mature Audiences (I'll always tag the NSFW chapters); Modern Day AU; Reader is being stalked; Fear; Paranoia; Angst; Rom-Com Vibes; Mild Gore-like Descriptions; Blood; Dead Animals Mentioned; Reader in a terror-like state; Fluff; Romance; Banter; Manipulation; Miscommunication; Frustration; Reader is very clumsy;

Special Warning: English is not my first language, I apologise for any possible spelling or grammar mistakes.

Summary: After moving away from the hustle and bustle of Grand Line City to help your father around the property following a horse-riding accident - and in the hopes of healing your broken heart after your asshole ex-fiancé cheated - you settle into the country calmness of the Calm Belt. You and Zoro are slowly returning to your easy friendship filled with banter and flirting and you actually begin to glimpse a future with the green-haired cop. But then you start to receive weird gifts. They quickly escalate to manipulative texts. And now you're stuck in a spiral of terror and there's no way to get help because the Stalker, whoever he is, is threatening something other than just your life.

Notes: I should have chapter 4 already finished... but it's not completed yet... I haven't written almost anything this week! I know with the hollidays it will be hectic around here, but I have a few days where the office is going to be closed, so maybe I can write a bit more! Fingers crossed! Until then, please enjoy the calmness before the storm!

Masterlist

“Morning, Bug.” Shanks fills a mug of coffee for you and sets it down on the table near your plate of bacon and eggs, beside a bouquet of wildflowers. 

“Morning, Dad. Thanks for the coffee, but aren't the flowers a bit too much? It's not my birthday…” You mumble between yawns. 

“They're not from me…” Shanks smirks and nods at a note that's tucked in with the silk ribbon. 

Brow rising, your fingers brush the petals of a deep crimson poppy before they catch the note between them. ‘Wild and beautiful, just like you.’

What? Who? 

Despite the lovely gesture, you can't shake the slightest feeling of unease, it tugs at your stomach, leaving you queasy and suspicious. 

“Who's it from?” Shanks tries to hide his curiosity but falls short when he reaches over your shoulder to glimpse the note. 

“I have no idea.”

“Come on! Not even the slightest hint?” You shake your head while your mind conjures up images of a slightly not-safe-for-work dream you had with a certain green-haired cop, and you blush unintentionally. 

Obviously. Shanks picks it up. 

“You and Zoro seemed pretty cosy when I arrived yesterday…”

“It's not from him… I think.” You deflect the implications, not wanting to read too much into it yourself. “He’s not the type for grand gestures.”

Shanks hums in agreement while placing his coffee cup in the sink. “I see what you mean.” But then he places his hand on your shoulder, forcing you to look at his unbearable smirk. “Though do not underestimate a man in love.”

“Dad!” You feel your ears getting hot as you get up suddenly, looking for a vase to set the flowers on. 

“I’m just saying.” He shrugs. 

“He’s not… we… we’re just friends! I just got back.” You fuss with the flowers until they’re all spread beautifully on the vase and then set them at the centre of the table.

Shanks pouts and stares at you through the flowers, across from you. “Friends.” He air quotes with two fingers. “I’ve been there, Bug.”

“Agh! You’re impossible, Dad.”

But he might also be right. Because if last night was any indication, you and Zoro might be crossing the ‘just friends’ barrier soon. 

And, honestly, there’s nothing wrong with that. 

-*-

Shanks tells you to put a hold on your job hunt because he’ll be gone for about three weeks to a month for a horse show on an island in the South Blue and he’ll need you to take care of the animals and manage the farm chores. 

So you spend the next week getting reacquainted with most of your father’s tasks in addition to the ones you had taken over ever since coming back. 

The gifts keep coming. 

Every morning there are chocolates, or flowers, or stuffed animals, little trinkets… The notes are rather simple, always evoking your beauty, but short and nondescript. You are no closer to knowing who they’re from now than you were on the first day you got them.

Shanks keeps hinting that it might be Zoro, but you doubt that very much. Besides the fact that he’s not one for romantic gestures, he would’ve said something about the gifts after six straight days.

And it’s not like you haven’t been chatting… not in person, since you’ve been busy at the farm and he’s been pulling double shifts to have the Saturday off again, but you text every day.

Short texts, to the point, much like Zoro is, but he always asks how you are and if you need anything. 

And knowing he’s trying to take care of you leaves a very warm feeling in your chest. Especially because your clumsiness almost brought you to the clinic twice just this week. You have to thank whichever deity is watching over you because, even though you hurt yourself, it’s never serious enough to send you to the hospital. 

“When are you leaving?” You ask Shanks while packing beverages, muffins and a cake you’ve baked for today’s chosen group activity. 

“Let’s see, today’s Saturday, Beckman says his helper will arrive Monday morning to keep in charge of his farm, so sometime Monday afternoon, Bug. Why? Missing your Daddy already?”

You are.

“No! I just want to make sure you carry all of your medicine and that you have Dr. Law’s emergency contact with you, in case you need it–”

“I’m not going to drag Law all the way to the South Blue just because–”

“I called him and he said you should call anytime, so you’re going to call if you need him!”

“Fine!”

“Fine!” Shanks has got to be the most stubborn man you’ve ever met. 

“Where are you going?” He hisses when you swat his hand away as he tries to steal a salty bacon muffin you’re storing in a container. Then you relent and let him have it.

“Just one, Dad! We’re going on a picnic in the park.” You say with a grin. “Nami organised it, of course. We’re going to spend the day hanging out, playing games, and socializing.” 

Shanks nods, never breaking your gaze, while trying to surreptitiously steal another muffin. This time you slap his hand with the lid of the container, and he yelps. His pout is quickly replaced by a smirk. “Is Officer Zoro going?”

You’re sure your nonchalant look can’t disguise the crimson blush tainting your cheeks, but you try to pay it no mind.  “Yes. And Luffy, and Usopp, Chopper, Sanji–”

“I was going to tell you to be careful, but I’m sure Officer Zoro is going to keep you safe from all harm.” Shanks taunts and you seethe, hands flying to your hips. 

“What are you, Dad, ten?” He guffaws as he successfully manages to distract you and steals another muffin before sprinting away from you and the kitchen.

“Be safe, Bug! Have fun!”

Seriously. How is this man a father?

-*-

Nami swings by your house with Vivi to pick you up for the picnic. You notice Robin’s absence in the car, and both girls giggle.

“Sabo’s picking Robin up. They’ll meet us there.” Vivi answers, and your mouth hangs open.

“Are they a thing?”

“Not yet, but it shouldn’t be long.” Nami laughs as she fixes her hair in the rearview mirror while waiting for the light to turn green. “Much like you and Zoro, I think.”

You choke on your own saliva, and it takes you a good minute to regain proper breathing functions, all while Nami and Vivi erupt into cackles and giggles. 

“We’re just friends!” You say after you’ve caught your breath.

“Sure, honey. We all believe that.” Vivi turns on the front seat to pat your knee in a condescending manner while you blush. 

“There’s so much heat coming off you two whenever you’re close that I don’t know how you still haven’t spontaneously combusted.” Nami quips, and you purse your lips. She’s not wrong there. “I mean, you’ve always sort of clicked, but now… daaaaamn!”

You sigh and bite your lip, trying to contain a giggle from erupting. “Who else is going to meet us there?” You ask, changing the subject and Nami shakes her head, knowing all too well what you’re doing, but not pressing on the matter. 

-*-

It’s a beautiful day for a picnic, and the park is the perfect setting for the beginning of a wonderful midday. There are rows and rows of trees, shade galore, small cobblestone pathways for long walks, and even a small creek providing a soft lull alongside the soft giggles of children. 

You and the girls are setting up rows of blankets on the grass, by the shade of the tall trees, when the group begins to arrive. You lift your head, hand sheltering your eyes from the sun, and scan the crowd. Luffy, Barto, Usopp, Kaya, and Chopper are approaching the treeline. They probably rode together.

A slight breeze dishevels your hair as your eyes linger behind, but there’s no green mane of hair in sight yet. An absent sigh leaves your lips before you spy Nami’s knowing smirk aimed your way.

She doesn’t say anything, but you blush anyway. Her unspoken words linger around you like a thick fog. You are eager to see Zoro. She knows it, you know it, hell, anyone who saw you two interact lately knows it. 

But you vow to retain some semblance of dignity and pretend to fuss over the blankets and small folding chairs. You’re so absorbed in your task that you don’t even see him approach.

“Hey there, Troublemaker, making trouble?”

The smile that graces your lips is instant and unstoppable. You turn slightly and bite your lower lip when your eyes meet his. Why does every shirt he wears seem so tight against his muscles?

“Hardly! I’m just setting up chairs!” But as you deliver the words, the chair you were opening snaps shut, almost catching your fingers, and you yelp. 

“You’re a menace.” His tone is both amused and resigned, almost as if he knew something of the kind would happen, was expecting it, even. 

“It attacked me!” You defend yourself weakly, a giggle bubbling up in your chest because he is right. You are a menace.

Zoro ends up helping you set the chairs, and you don’t even try to stop him. Both because you’re very likely to end up either hurting yourself or breaking a chair, and because he keeps brushing his shoulders and hands with yours, and the touch is welcomed. 

Robin and Sabo arrive with flushed cheeks - you can almost see Nami registering that fact for later probing - and soon after, Franky and Brook, two older men you still haven’t met but Luffy quickly introduces you to, saying they’re also part of the gang. 

You see Sanji already setting up food on the blankets, and he greets you warmly. “Hi, Sanji. You rode with Mosshead?”

“Oi?” Zoro snaps, and you ignore him.

“I did, Madame, and it was the most unpleasant ride of my life. Please remind me not to do it again.”

You giggle when Zoro’s brows knit together, his hands clenched into fists. “Tch, shitty cook, next time you ride with me, it will be in my patrol car and I’ll be dragging you straight to prison.”

Sanji starts to fume, his pursed lips crumpling the cigarette dangling from his lips, and you grimace. “Hey, hey, boys, it was just a joke!”

Nami sighs as they butt heads and continue arguing. “Never mind that.” She tells you. “Any chance they get to get up close and personal, they take it. They have a weird bromance thing going on.” She raises her hands defensively in the air. “I swear, for a moment there I thought they were going to be a thing, but Sanji loves women too much and Zoro is a man with a goal-oriented mind. Even if it’s someone he set his sights on a lifetime ago.”

Your brow raises at her as she smirks that all-knowing smirk. But she leaves it at that and stands in the middle of the boys, dragging Sanji by the scruff of his dress shirt, telling him the girls are hungry, which promptly sets him back to the task of setting up the food. 

“Shitty cook…” You hear Zoro mumble as he sets his hands in his pockets and kicks a blade of grass. It’s cute how flustered he gets. Then his eye sets on you and he frowns with a low grumble. “Oi, I didn’t forget you called me Mosshead.”

You set a hand on your heart, feigning repentance. “Oh, do forgive me, Mr. Mosshead. I forgot your title.”

“Trouble…” He lowers his tone in mock warning, and you smile, taking a step back, hands in a defensive stance. 

“Lord Moss, Knight–” Your antics are cut short by a piercing yelp when Zoro jumps and tries to catch you, but somehow, you swerve away from his grasp and start to run, an unbridled laugh filling your lungs. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I was just joking!”

“Repentance doesn’t dissolve the crime! Come here, Trouble!” He sprints, though you suspect he’s hardly even trying, and you cackle, running faster, the voices of the group fading into the distance. 

“You’ll have to catch me first!” Maybe you should’ve measured your words, because as soon as he hears the challenging tone in your voice, he sprints faster, and you barely have time to breathe before his arm wraps around your waist and he swirls you in the air, making you scream and laugh before he pulls your back against his chest.

Heart pounding against your ribs, cheeks flushed from running and breath catching in your throat, you feel your legs shaking when Zoro’s warm breath tickles your neck. “Gotcha.” He whispers, and you notice he’s not even out of breath while you look like you ran a marathon. 

The world dissolves into just this moment. The chirping of the birds and the rustling of the trees are nothing but background noise to the deafening pounding in your chest and the buzzing in your ears. 

Turning your head slightly to the side, you catch Zoro’s eye fixed on you, a wild smirk on his lips. “What now, officer? Are you going to arrest me?”

Damn. That was supposed to come out playfully, not sultrily. Right?

“Depends.” Did his voice get huskier? “Are you going to resist arrest, Trouble?”

You feel your throat bobbing up and down at all the wild fantasies running through your mind. The way he uses that nickname manages to send shivers down your spine and heat straight into your core. 

“Obviously.” You sound breathless, and it's a good thing you can blame that sorry state on the run, or you wouldn't know how to explain it. 

“Figures.” He chuckles low, and you feel it rumbling in his chest. Then, with a swift movement, he turns you, bends his knees, and hoists you up, slinging you over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. 

“Wha–”

“Let's go.” Your flush deepens as you feel his strong hand against the back of your thighs, holding you in place. “The humiliation will teach you not to call me Mosshead.”

“Come on, Zo, I said I was sorry!” You whine, and he stiffens, his pace slowing for a beat, and you feel his shoulders shake slightly. Then he resumes his pace. 

“I like that.”

You stop pounding your fists against his back and raise your brow. “What? Me apologizing?”

He grunts and keeps walking, the blanket and your laughing friends nearly in sight. “That nickname. Way better than Mosshead.”

Oh! Zo! Another small blush creeps into your cheeks, but before you can reply, Nami whistles. “What you got there, Zoro?”

You hear your friends laughing and bury your face in your hands, feeling mortified. “Someone’s been naughty.” Zoro replies with a smirk and an edge of amusement in his tone. 

“Seriously?” You grumble, pushing against his back to try and wiggle out of his embrace, though it’s all for naught because he has an iron grip on your legs. 

“Well, either set her down so we can all eat or take her to naughty jail and punish her. Away from our sight, please.” 

“Nami!” You yell, exasperated, but Zoro merely chuckles, swerving right as if changing directions. 

“Naughty jail it is, then.”

“No, no!” You whimper. “I’m sorry!” Chopper stares at both of you, not sure if you’re being serious, so you try to take advantage of him and stretch your hand. “Help me, Chopper!”

He reaches his hand out before Nami swats it away. “Let them be, Chopper. They need some alone time.”

You seethe at Nami, a pout on your lips. “Traitor.”

Zoro lets out a low chuckle before settling you down at the edge of the blanket. “Learned your lesson, Troublemaker?”

You steady yourself, hands against his chest, and a permanent blush tattooed on your cheeks. “Damn you. I’m never calling you Mosshead again. You won.”

“I see you’re a fast learner.” His smirk is impossibly smug. “Zo’s fine, though.” Then he turns his back on you, opens the small cooler, and takes out a beer, cracking it open with one hand and chugging at it without another look back at you. 

And, damn it, if that doesn’t mess with your heart.

-*-

“Who wants another drink?” You ask and count the raised hands before getting up, heading towards the cooler to satiate your friends’ thirst. Zoro moves his hand before you reach it, and smooths the blanket before you can trip on its raised edge.

You smile at him, but he’s not even looking at you. His eye is shut, one arm behind his neck as he leans against the tree, though you know very well he’s attentive to everything. You pass the drinks around, then return to get your own.

“Watch your head.” Zoro mumbles, and you raise your brow but don’t heed his advice and, therefore, hit a low branch of the tree, releasing a string of curses while rubbing your forehead. “When are you going to start listening to me, Trouble?”

“When you stop sounding like a smug jerk.” You mouth, annoyed at his attentiveness and at how he seems to perceive danger before you even realise it’s there. He chuckles and you retrieve your drink, returning to your seat.

After a while of relaxing in the shade, Luffy drags everyone to a frisbee game. The boys are all down to play, but the girls just sit by a bench near the open space the boys chose to throw the frisbee and tackle each other. 

You sit on the back of the bench, a case of water bottles by your feet because you know the boys will be thirsty soon. Vivi sits on the grass in front of Nami’s legs, and Robin and Kaya are on the bench. 

After a small chit-chat about meaningless stuff, you decide to bring up something that’s been bothering you. “So I’ve been getting a lot of gifts lately…”

Four heads whip your way, and you sigh, already expecting that reaction and the bombardment of questions that follow. So you raise your hands, and they stop to let you continue. Though you decide to focus on the game in front of you instead of the way they’re all staring at you.

You especially focus on a very athletic green-haired man who constantly gazes up to where you are before focusing back on the game. 

“It’s flowers, chocolates, stuffed animals… It started last weekend, after the party at Luffy’s. They have notes, but nothing personal. No name, no nothing… I don’t know who they’re from, and I don’t even know if I should be flattered or freaked out by them.”

“How do they make you feel?” Robin asks, and you shrug, not quite knowing how to answer that question.

“The first ones made me feel good. I thought they were from– I thought I might know who they were from. But since he didn’t say anything about it, I doubt they're from him. So now they just feel weird…”

“Honey, we all know you’re talking about Zoro.” Nami says in a very condescending manner, and all the girls agree.

You sigh and bury your face in your hands. You’re so obvious it hurts. 

“Fine, yes. I thought they might’ve come from him, at first. But he’s not one for romantic gestures.”

“I wouldn’t say that, exactly.” Nami quipped back, a smirk tugging her lips as her eyes fell back on the game. Sure enough, Zoro’s eyes are back on the bench - on you, to be more specific. “I think it’s quite romantic the way he’s always checking to see if you’re safe. Keeping you away from trouble and making sure you don’t hurt yourself.”

A small blush creeps its way into your cheeks. It is quite romantic. “That’s just Zoro being Zoro. He’s a cop. He protects and serves.” You roll your eyes.

“Oh, I’m sure he would like to serve you.” Nami giggles and all the girls try to stifle their own laughs. “But you’re wrong about that. Sure, he’s always attentive to any kind of threats, but it’s different with you.”

“What do you mean?” You can’t stop the way your heart pounds maddeningly against your sternum. 

“She means that Zoro doesn’t usually go out of his way to keep people from tripping on stuff or from bumping their head. And with you, he’s always extra careful.” Robin finishes with a small smile. 

“Like the way he’s playing now, but keeps looking at you to see if you’re still in one piece. It’s like he’s expecting you to spontaneously combust or something.” Kaya adds with a giggle. 

“It’s very endearing.” Vivi finishes, and your blush deepens, so you bury your head back into your hands, stifling a loud groan. 

“But you’re still right.” Nami continues as if you’re not breaking down in front of them. “I don’t think he’s the one leaving the gifts…” She laughs suddenly. “But there’s one way to tell for sure.”

You raise your head from your hand cocoon to tell her to keep her mouth shut, but Zoro is already halfway to the bench and you squeak. “Nami…”

“Hey, Zoro!” She starts with a wave of her hand. You see Zoro raise his eyebrow at her, his long strides bringing him closer to the bench. 

Shit.

He’s sweaty all over. Fat droplets of perspiration drop from his temples to his perfect jawline and neck, and you gulp, feeling hot and bothered. So, it comes as no surprise that when he reaches his hand to grab a bottle between your legs, you lose your balance and fall back on the bench.

Yelping, you expect to hit the floor with a dry thud, air escaping your lungs and sharp pain blinding you. Instead, you feel a strong hand wrap around your forearm and tug hard, then your face being squished against a muscular, sweaty chest.

Zoro saved you from an ugly fall. Again.

“Seriously, Trouble? Why?” His voice is gravelly and rough, but with an edge of exasperation lacing it. “I’m starting to feel like I have to be with you 24/7 or you’re going to end up in the hospital.”

Your breath is still leaving your lips in ragged gasps because of the slight scare of facing an inevitable fall, and your face is still pressed against Zoro’s chest. You feel the girls’ gaze on both of you and Zoro seems completely unfazed by it, while saying you’re embarrassed would be the understatement of the year.

So you disentangle yourself from the predicament that is Zoro’s muscles and laugh it off, a hand scratching the back of your neck. “Ah, thank you. I got… distracted.”

“By what?” He asks while taking a sip of water.

“Well, Zoro,” Nami begins, and he shifts his focus to her, “we were discussing who could be her secret admirer, and then you showed up. Curious.”

“Secret admirer?” Zoro’s gaze falls back on you, his brow scrunched.

“Ah, no. It’s nothing like that. It’s just–”

“She’s been getting gifts. Flowers, chocolates, love declarations…” Why is Nami exaggerating? Is she trying to fish for information or make Zoro jealous? “You wouldn’t happen to have anything to do with it, would you?”

He drinks the water in three long gulps before answering, his scowl now permanently etched on his lips. “Do I look like the kind of guy who would do that?”

You look down and bite your lower lip. You knew it wasn’t him, but maybe, secretly, there was still a little part of you that hoped he could be showering you with that kind of attention. 

“Well, I just thought–” Nami begins, but she’s swiftly interrupted by Zoro, whose eyes can’t seem to leave your figure.

“When I want someone, I make it clear I’m interested. You’ll know.” He finishes drinking the water just as your eyes meet his, and the fire burning there scalds and melts. Was he telling you he’s interested? Was he saying he’s about to make a move?

With a smirk, he turns his back, grunts a gruff ‘try not to fall again, Trouble’, and gets back to the game, leaving you more confused than ever. 

“Did he–” Nami starts.

“Nobody says anything. We’re going to act like nothing happened.” You mumble before getting up and chugging down an entire bottle of water yourself to try and calm your nerves.

It doesn’t work.

-*-

The frisbee game makes everyone tired - and hungry - so, after all the bellies are filled again, the crew is relaxing in the blanket, enjoying the warmth of the late afternoon and the lulling sounds of the park. 

Chopper, Usopp, Luffy, and Barto are enjoying a card game. Franky seems interested, but he’s only overseeing and throwing advice that only seems to make Usopp lose the game. Robin has a book in her hands and Sabo’s head on her lap, his eyes closed with a blissful smile on his lips. 

You have serious doubts that she's paying attention to the book, especially since she seems to be stuck on the same page for over ten minutes, but you don’t say anything. Kaya is braiding Vivi’s hair and Nami is snapping photos of the crew, taking little candid shots with her cellphone. Brook is gracing everyone with a nice, mellow song on his violin - he's a wonderful musician - and Zoro seems to be sleeping peacefully, leaning against the tree.

Everything seems peaceful, quiet, and idyllic. 

But you can’t seem to shake the feeling of unease in the pit of your stomach. It’s like someone is watching you, but you can’t quite pinpoint who or where. It’s a prickling on your neck, something you’re already growing so used to that you start to think you should have this checked out by a doctor. 

With a heavy sigh, you stand up, stretching your arms to justify that action. “I’ll be back soon.” You say softly to Nami, who’s closer to you and she nods. Then, you look around before taking a step. The park is one big open space - with the exception of some trees here and there - except for the dense treeline behind you. 

So that’s where you’re headed. 

-*-

Zoro senses you getting up and opens his eye slowly, following you with his gaze and scowling when you don’t see the tree root sticking out and stumble a little before steadying your pace. 

You’re such a damn klutz.

And damn it, if he doesn’t want to be there to catch you and protect you from everything. 

His heart constricts slightly at the thought, and he sighs softly. He thought absence had made him forget how he felt about you. He even had some ‘relationships’ while you were away. Wait… can he really call something that never went past three months a real relationship? He never truly bonded with those women. Never truly cared.

No one ever made him feel the way you did.

The way you do.

But time and distance did nothing but make him pine harder for you. When Nami told him casually that you were returning, he almost didn’t believe her. You didn’t even come back for any of the holidays or to say ‘hi’, let alone come back for good after experiencing life in the big city. 

But you returned.

And then he thought he wouldn’t quite forgive you for having literally abandoned them. No text, no email, no letter, nothing. He would be salty, at least. Grumpy and upset, at most.

But he forgave you instantly. 

One look at your dishevelled form, chasing a goddamned tire with dirt all over your clothes and face, and he was a lovestruck teenager again. 

Fucking heart, what a useless organ. 

All those thoughts forgotten, he simply reached out. And you reached back, almost like no time had passed between you, and you could basically continue your story where you left off. 

And he was willing to try.

Though he didn’t want to rush too fast - damn Nami should just stop intruding and let you two figure things out yourselves. He’d get there. He almost kissed you already, so the feeling is mutual. 

He’s got time.

Sitting up, he watches as you peek behind trees, a cautious demeanour to your posture making him raise his brow. What the hell are you doing?

“Just go to her, dumbass.”

“Shut up, Witch. Mind your own business.”

Nami sticks her tongue out at him and snaps a picture of his grouchy face before turning her phone towards you and snapping another candid shot. 

“You look like a lost puppy in love. It’s cute, you know? The way you keep looking out for her.” Zoro feels his ears heat up and leans back again, trying to close his eye and return to a state of relaxation, but he can’t very well do that when you’re doing God-knows-what near the trees, looking creepily at everywhere and everything. “Just make sure you make your move soon… or maybe that secret admirer will one-up you and poof!” She makes an exploding gesture with her hand, and Zoro scowls at her. 

“You’re insufferable.” He quips before getting up and dusting his jeans.

“Word of the day? How smart of you, Zoro.” She giggles when Zoro passes by her and messes up her hair with his hand, earning an indignant gasp from the orange-haired girl. “I just went to the salon, you brute!”

Zoro smirks at her reaction and starts pacing towards you, Nami’s antics behind him. Well… all except one…

‘Make sure you make your move soon…’

Perhaps he should. He doesn’t want to lose you before even having the chance to have you.

Tag list: @rosidaze @beachaddict48 @armiliadawn @jintaka-hane @sprinkklz @baby5555 @hopelesslover06 @mars-mizuko @sleepykittycx @nerium-lil @eustasscapitankid @ren-ni @jqperi @lycoriskalmia @daydreamer-in-training @iloveyoushanks

|Chapter 4|

[2hightocare]

LOVE WAGER! 02

Synopsis: The concept of love resurfaces as you both agree to center your psychology project on the premise that love is a choice. You propose an intriguing idea to Jungkook: he must exert every effort to make you fall in love with him within a month, to back up his belief.

Pairings: jungkook x fem!reader

Genre: college au. strangers to friends to lovers. angst/romantic comedy.

Warnings: mentions of divorce parents, neglectful parents, mentions of depression, banter, cussing, ex girlfriends, flashbacks, jungkook low key being super mean and discarding people’s feelings, jungkook hard-key depressed, implications of sex.

a/n: hai… this is so long overdue— exams month is coming and I had the biggest writers block fr but here’s my beloved babies. Song of the chapter— “love is embarrassing” by Olivia Rodrigo.

prev chapter! series masterlist!

Love.

Love is an intricate subject in its own right. Scientists elucidate it through the interplay of three cerebral chemicals: noradrenaline, dopamine, and phenylethylamine.

That's how Jungkook perceived love. He didn't subscribe to the notion of butterflies in the stomach or the fluttering heartbeat as justifications for love. To him, love was a scientific phenomenon, a complex emotion akin to sadness or jealousy-if he could evade such feelings, he would spare no effort.

But why did his stomach churn as if his organs were performing tiny somersaults whenever he gazed at you a tad too long? You were engrossed in the menu, pondering whether to get a burger or a slice of pizza.

Seated beautifully in your loose red Formula One shirt, Jungkook couldn't fathom how you managed to make that oversized shirt look so good.

Jungkook's eyes dropped to the ribbon in your hair, wondering why someone who was a full-on adult looked pretty, adorable even-with a red ribbon tied into a beautiful bow contrasting your skin and eyes. Your long eyelashes entranced him. He felt his stomach do something, a turn? Maybe his stomach was upset-he thought to himself.

Jungkook couldn't believe he found himself willingly sharing a table with you at the same dinner two years ago, he almost killed you at. He had moved to Emberhill U two years ago, ever since he moved out from his mom's house. Jungkook's life had gone to hell, which is exactly what his mind would tell him ever since his mom got a boyfriend. To make matters worse, he now had step-siblings.

He hated every bit of it. He wasn't jealous whatsoever.

It was the fact that his mom seemed to forget he even existed in the first place. Jungkook was hurt. He tried not to dwell or cry about it since he was a big boy-that's what he told himself now, pushing twenty-two, but still, part of his already broken heart shattered more.

How could your mom forget about her child? How could she not care about her only flesh and blood? He never told her that ever. Talking about his feelings with his mom was like talking to a brick wall that nothing could pass through. Plus, Jungkook wasn't good at communicating or talking about his feelings anyway. He found it embarrassing to lay yourself out there for someone to be able to discard you at any given moment.

Jungkook's dad wasn't any different as wellbeing too busy with work to even call him to ask his son if he was okay or how school is going. But the calls or text messages never came. Jungkook was used to it. It was his everyday. It was more shocking when he did call, but he wouldn't know what that would feel like since he never called ever since the divorce. Jungkook knew the divorce wasn't his fault whatsoever. His therapist—that his high school counselor made him go to—basically talked his ear off about how anything that happened wasn't his fault, but still, it felt like it was.

Ever since everything went down, his parents seemed to forget they had a child, who still needed them.

One advantage of his situation was the freedom to do as he pleased without his parents' interference. However, the downside was their lack of concern for his activities or just him in general. Jungkook was certain: if his parents didn't love him, who else in the world would? So, he didn't believe in love. When the two people meant to demonstrate unconditional love failed to do so, he doubted anyone else would. He would like to say that it didn't affect him and it's been years since everything, but deep down it still did.

Jungkook experiences a pang of guilt every time he looks at you. Perhaps it's the way he behaved when he first met you, the influence of the romantic comedy in your hands causing him to lash out at you.

Something about your ribbons makes him feel that you’re too innocent and naive for this world—part of him wants to shield you from its harsh realities, while another part wants to disillusion you about the cruelty of the world and the disparity between love in fairy tales and reality.

"Are you done daydreaming?" You say, interrupting his thoughts. Jungkook shakes his head, attempting to banish his thoughts before raising an eyebrow at your curious doe eyes. "I wasn't daydreaming," he states proudly, prompting a scoff from you, a grin tugging at Jungkook's lips.

"It was either daydreaming or checking me out since you were staring at me for a hot minute, but I decided otherwise since you have a girlfriend," you quip nonchalantly before calling the waiter to take your order.

"First of all, I don’t have a girlfriend, and second of all, what if I was checking you out?" Jungkook challenges. He didn’t know why he enjoyed getting on your nerves—any other person he would probably flip off and never give them the time of day, but instead, here he was with you doing the complete opposite.

"What happened to the girl from the dinner?" You question, your eyes finally meeting his brown ones. A glint of something passes over his eyes before disappearing as quickly as you saw it—so you thought maybe you had imagined it.

"Who?" Jungkook says, tilting his head to the side as he leans forward, his elbows propped on the table. "the one you mentioned to me two years ago? The one you discussed intimately," you mimic his voice. Jungkook's smile widens, amused by your jest.

"If you want to know so badly, we broke up—well, she broke up with me," Jungkook clicks his tongue, observing your expressions closely. He notices the creases of your forehead whenever you are thinking or the way you bite your lower lip to contain a smile that’s threatening to come out, each time Jungkook says something dumb.

"Oh, let me guess, she wanted love letters and sweet words whispered into her ear," you mock him, knowing he said that he didn’t need to do any of that to keep a girl. "You’re annoying, Ribbons," Jungkook shakes his head with a low soft chuckle.

You watch him pick up the menu and start scanning the items as you observe him. You notice how his jaw clenches momentarily before relaxing, his tongue poking on the inside of his cheek, making you wonder if you angered him—and if you did, maybe you should do it more often since he looked hot—

Record scratch.

Your mind was playing games with you the more you watched the raven-haired boy. The more you realized he was the epitome of the boy you imagined whenever you were reading a book, the dimples on his cheeks, the scar right above his cheekbone, and the mole underneath his bottom lip had you wanting to ask him for his whole life story.

He also looks like those cute love song playlists that had all your favorite songs in them, but you knew from the way he acts around you, it was definitely a hard no and maybe you were delusional after all. So you try hard to shove those ideas into the back of your brain as far as you could.

"I knew that you couldn’t keep a girlfriend," you shrug, prompting a gasp from him as he jokingly places a hand on his heart, as if you had just dealt him a mortal blow.

"Wow, YN doesn’t think I’m boyfriend material?" Jungkook gasps dramatically, shaking his head.

"You’re literally everything that's not boyfriend material," you throw your head back with a laugh, observing his widened eyes with amusement evident on his face. "Ouch," Jungkook scoffs dramatically.

"What makes you say I’m not boyfriend material?" he says, scanning the room for a waiter but finding none, before redirecting his attention to you.

"You don’t believe in love, that's one way to start," you point out, eliciting a hum of agreement from him. "What's that got to do with being a good boyfriend? I assure you that a good boyfriend isn’t necessarily head over heels in love," Jungkook says, as if imparting a valuable lesson, while your facial expression betrays you.

"The fuck? You literally hate everything related to love. Being a good boyfriend means doing cliche shit you hate doing so much, how could you possibly be boyfriend material?" you assert proudly, prompting an eye-roll from him.

"All that stuff is just superficial shit that everyone collectively agreed on. It’s just embarrassing how people put themselves go through all that just to make someone lik—“

"Love," you interject, earning yourself a glare from across the table.

"Like I was saying, I stand by the fact all those stupid romantic gestures are pointless. Society basically romanticized love and set up unrealistic expectations— everything just leads to heartbreak and disappointment," Jungkook continues, you watch how the hard expression on his face wavers to something more… sad, like he was talking from experience.

"Have you ever experienced love?" you inquire, not sure why since you guys weren’t even friends in the first place—the only reason you found yourself sitting with him willingly was because of psychology class.

"What?" Jungkook is caught off guard by the sudden question.

"Have you ever been in love?" you reiterate, observing his expression harden once more. "No, never, and I don’t plan to," Jungkook shrugs, going back to his usual cocky self in a blink of an eye, prompting yet another eye-roll from you, marking thirty-eighth.

You didn’t get the chance to reply since a waiter came to your table, apologizing for taking so long to get to us before taking our orders.

You and Jungkook decided on sharing a pizza, and you obviously ordered a coke, which got Jungkook joking about how he isn’t trying to make you choke again, which had the waiter shifting uncomfortably beside you both while Jungkook had an eating-shit grin on his face.

“That’s not what he meant!” You chuckled nervously, your face reddening, matching your shirt from how embarrassed you are.

“No, it’s okay, you don't have to explain,” the waiter said before excusing himself.

The moment the waiter was out of your line of vision, you turned your head to the boy who’s sucking in his lips, trying not to laugh.

“What the fuck was that?” You glared, your eyebrows scrunching. “What, you both just have a dirty mind,” Jungkook shrugged, the grin on his face making you shift in your chair.

Jungkook's aura was unlike anything you’d ever stumbled upon, and you hated it. It made you want to know more about him than you should, the way he carried himself and talked had you questioning why? He wasn’t so different from other boys you had met, besides the fact that he spoke his mind as if no one was around, not caring if he hurt your feelings or offended you. It was refreshing in some way, but it still made you want to pull your hair out.

“Alright… let’s change topics, Mr. Anti-Romantic,” you say, watching his smile widen.

“What?” You stared at him, trying to think what could possibly make him smile that much. You were sure your face would hurt if you possibly smiled that much.

“Nothing, I just find it extremely hot when you call me that, it turns me on,” Jungkook said, leaning forward.

Okay, that’s not exactly what you were imagining him saying. Your eyes widened momentarily, feeling your heartbeat rise. The smile not leaving his face had you feeling hot, as if the room temperature suddenly increased.

“Uh… so, project,” you blinked rapidly.

“Yeah, project,” Jungkook agreed, smile still on his face as he saw your cheeks flush with a reddish color.

“So, any ideas about what our project can be about?” You said, grabbing the hair tie around your wrist and using it to make a ponytail, taking the ribbons out before tying your hair.

Two small strands fell from your face, tempting Jungkook's fingers to reach out and tuck them behind your ear. He wanted to slap himself back to reality since he never in his life thought those thoughts, not even with Haneul, whom he dated for five months, setting a record. He still remembered the reason she gave him for breaking up. It was laughable.

“Jungkook, you don’t even look at me with love, and I know you said when we first met that it was only attraction, but I thought you would change over time the more we hung out,” Haneul whimpered, tears gathering around her eyes as Jungkook just stared at her, not knowing what to say. Because yes, he did tell her it was all attraction, and it’s still only attraction to this day for him.

“You don’t hold my hand or give me kisses, you don’t even give me flowers,” Haneul cried, her voice cracking with each word she said.

“I told you, I don’t do that stuff,” Jungkook said. He felt bad for her since he knew she deserved better, but he didn’t feel bad about not doing those things for her since he told her he wouldn’t and never would do them. And she agreed, so why was she crying about it now when she agreed to it five months ago?

“I know you did, but I thought you just… fuck, you haven’t even introduced me to your family,” a crack is heard from Jungkook's heart, but not for the girl in front of him crying her heart out, but for himself, because yeah, he had no family he could take a girl home to, since he had no home at all. He had a house, but it was as empty as he was.

“Haneul, I told you—“

“Yeah, that you will never do that! I get it, okay? I get it, but fuck, how can you not care? Do you not feel anything when it comes to me?” The girl wept more, which had Jungkook sighing.

“I like you, Haneul,” Jungkook replied. “I love you, Jungkook, can’t you tell…” she whispered, a choked sob leaving her lips as she looked up at the man who’s just standing in front of her like nothing.

“I’m sorry,” that's all Jungkook said… because what else could he say? It was either that or that he didn’t love her, but to not take it personally since he didn’t love anything?

So instead, he said the only thing he could muster without his voice cracking.

“Love,” Jungkook finally says, his statement catching you off guard, widening your eyes in surprise.

“Love? I thought you hated love,” you raise an eyebrow, perplexed by his sudden declaration.

“I do, but love is psychological. We can discuss how we, as humans, have the ability to choose whether we fall in love or not,” Jungkook articulates.

“That’s not how love works, Jungkook,” you retort, to which he responds with a disapproving nod. “It does, though,” Jungkook rebuts.

“It doesn’t. Love is not something we can choose and pick, it just happens,” you try to explain.

“You believe love just happens, but I disagree, respectfully,” Jungkook adds, causing you to tilt your head curiously, intrigued by his perspective. “I’ve held on for too long without being in love since I said I wouldn’t fall in love,” he concludes.

“That’s because you haven’t met anyone you actually want to try with… maybe you just haven’t met your soulmate,” you suggest, annoyance evident on Jungkook’s face the moment you mention the concept of soulmates.

“Soulmates don’t exist, ribbons,” Jungkook snickers.

“I beg to differ,” you cross your arms, adamant in your belief. “I don’t know what fantasy lovey-dovey world you live in, but soulmates are just made up,” Jungkook shrugs casually.

“Maybe you are right about the fact that you get to choose who you fall in love with since I know for a fact I would never fall in love with you,” you spitefully state.

Jungkook nods, feeling a bitter taste in his mouth that catches him off guard. Perhaps it was the fact that someone had just openly admitted they wouldn’t want to love him—reminding him of the kid he once was, desperately begging his parents to love him. But wasn’t this what he was trying to prove in the first place, that love was a choice? Then why did it hurt to hear you say those words out loud?

“Atta girl, finally got it huh,” Jungkook smirks, ignoring the pang of hurt in his chest. “Alright then, if we did do that for our project, let’s say we argued that love is a choice and it doesn’t happen. How do we prove that?” you question.

Silence fills the table as you both brainstorm ideas, trying to back up this argument.

“I got it,” you say, as if a light bulb just appeared on top of your head. Jungkook nods, encouraging you to continue.

“What if we spend a month with you doing absolutely everything to make me fall in love with you? And I mean do all that cliché, romantic shit I love that you hate so much. Since I know for a fact that I choose not to fall in love with you, we can discuss how, even if a person does everything right, you still get to choose who you love,” you explain carefully, ensuring he understands your proposal.

“It’s a good idea for the project; we could use ourselves to illustrate how we pick and choose who we love, like you said,” you try to convince him, giving him the benefit of the doubt after he convinced you of his beliefs. You knew you would never fall for him, even if he did everything you ever read in books and saw in movies.

“We can call it the Love Wager,” you finish, scanning his face as he contemplates the idea.

Jungkook’s mind races, unsure if he likes the idea or absolutely hates it. On one hand, it could earn him a good grade, given the strong rationale behind it, using yourselves as an experiment to support your argument. But on the other hand, the thought of spending a month doing everything he had vocally despised for the past five years gave him the heebie-jeebies.

“Alright then, the Love Wager operation starts,” Jungkook agrees instead, while you clap happily. “Oh my god yay, this might give me an A plus,” you celebrate, giggling as Jungkook raises an eyebrow.

“It’s a long story; I just hate psychology,” you say, to which he nods in response.

“Well, we have a month together, so start explaining why you hate it so much,” Jungkook says nonchalantly, and before you could reply, the waiter hurriedly returns to your table, apologizing for the wait, mentioning the kitchen’s struggle with the influx of orders. But you keep your eyes on the boy in front of you, who looks at the waiter, reassuring him it’s okay.

The smell of fresh, hot pizza fills your nostrils as you finally snap out of your trance, looking down at the pizza the waiter is sliding onto the table, cautioning you both that it is extremely hot. The waiter continues to place all the food you ordered on the table before leaving with a bow.

“I’m starving, oh my god,” Jungkook moans as he picks up a slice of pizza and takes a bite, ignoring the steam.

“How is that not burning your tongue, oh my…” you begin to say, but you’re interrupted as you take a bite of your own slice, immediately regretting it as you burn your tongue. “Ah, ah, ha,” you drop the pizza onto your plate, sticking your tongue out and fanning your mouth with your hand. A small laugh escapes from Jungkook as you shoot him a snarky glare.

“He literally just told you it was hot, ribbons,” Jungkook says, grabbing a napkin from the container and reaching over to wipe some sauce off your lips and face. The fanning from your hand halts as you stare at his focused face, feeling yourself heat up again, but this time it’s not your mouth—it’s your cheeks.

“Why did you just do that?” you ask before you can stop yourself, as he sits back down properly. “I’m starting my boyfriend material journey, you know, since the project?” Jungkook says casually, taking another bite of pizza, watching you in surprise as you shockingly observe him not being fazed by the burning food in his mouth, chewing happily.

“Oh… we’re starting right now?” you gesture to the table between you both, indicating ‘right now’. “Yeah, we only have one month, let’s make it worth it,” he says, diving back into his food.

God, this month was definitely going to be a roller coaster.

💌taglist— @brune77e @cherryfragrancx @inlovewithharutoo @jcnggukie @vkjmjjk @seokjinspinkslipper @jayjahni @mxrecg @suciedad-divina @peterstarkchrishiddleston @aiiselle90210 @lovingkoalaface @httpjeonlicious @thekookiedealer @somehowukook @taiwan0618 @gwsjungkookie @chxrrybangtan @seokout @junecat18 @joonsanswer @ahgasegotarmy116recs @jkmylove97 @letjungcoook7 @skzthinker @whoa-jo @ziyaexe @kooloveys @sneezedonthebeat @parkinglot-nights @btsffreader92 @jjeonjjk7 (lmk if you wanna get taken off)

[aethon-recs]

Thank you for your recs, there've been so many fics I would have never come across without your recs! The Lost and Found series by Aquaphobe is now one of my favorites, it is truly one-of-a-kind and so underrated, so thank you for surfacing that one.

As a result, I am now craving fics with an older Tom Riddle, magical or muggle setting, in other words, Tomarry but with their canon age gap. Would you be able to rec some? Thank you greatly

Thank you so much! And yes, lost and found by @honbug is a beautifully written series featuring a Mafia AU setting; I will link it here so that everyone can hopefully read it 🤍

I love a good age gap fic! Please see below for a rec list featuring older Tom, and I’ll combine this with another ask I received recently requesting silver fox Tom Riddle recs. I tried to find fics where it’s mentioned that Tom has a bit of grey at the temples; otherwise, these fics all feature Harry and Tom at their canon age gap (or close to it). 

lost & found (Series) by @honbug (E, 183k, WIP) 

(Part 1) Sometimes, Harry gets lost. (Part 2) For as long as he can recall, Harry's felt that the world is not as it should be… (Part 3) Tom knows from the beginning that he is destined for greatness. Nothing and no one will stop him from achieving his goals. (And then, of course, there are the dreams.)

*

Canon Age Gap Recs

A Special Day by @vdoshu (E, 3k, complete)

“I think a fresh start is important. I’d like one, and I think this can be it.” “It’s a bit late for a fresh start for me, don’t you think?” he retorts snidely.

An afternoon's delight by @loneamaryllis (E, 2k, complete) 

"I want you to fuck my throat." Voldemort was a hard man to surprise, and yet those seven words knocked the wind out of him. He lifted an eyebrow, lips parting slightly. 

aurora polaris by @aglassroseneverfades (E, 217k, complete)

Harry does not give up the Horcrux when he dies. Moved by compassion, he embraces it instead. The world Harry wakes up to is not like the one he remembers. And his captor is neither the same as he was, nor as different as he would like.

Everything Green Is Gold by anonymous (E, 24k, complete)

Prior to Hogwarts, Harry had stayed mostly invisible to the teachers and adults around him his whole life. But Tom Riddle, the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, looked at Harry like he was something to be wanted.

Everything We Dream Can Be Real by @vdoshu  (E, 52k, complete)

Harry had a life after Voldemort. He had a family. He had a career. And then one day it was all ripped away when he woke up at Number 4 Privet Drive. Or: Where Harry doesn’t exactly get that chance to do it over again. And things are Not Okay.

Fault Lines by @vestiges-of-light (M, 151k, complete)

After the world believes that Voldemort has died on that Halloween night, Tom Riddle returns to Hogwarts to claim the Defense post at last. Hogwarts will be a sanctuary, while he waits to find out more about Harry Potter and the prophecy that connects them. But when Grindelwald is broken out of prison, perhaps the magical world needs Voldemort to be publicly resurrected after all.

hook, line, and sinker by @purplemineralwater (E, 41k, WIP)

Harry asks Professor Riddle for help in killing Voldemort, Riddle is endlessly amused.)

James Potter Does Not Approve by Lytri (T, 4k, complete) 

James had never liked Gaunt, and that wasn’t about to change anytime soon.

Let's talk sugar by @being-luminous (T, 2k, complete) 

In which Harry Potter may or may not be a sugar baby. 

Memories of a Killer by @chemfreak89 (M, 47k, complete)

Age catches up with everyone. The infamous serial killer Voldemort now spends his time reading newspapers and making trips to the local library in search of a new crime novel. But one day he makes an interesting new acquaintance that shakes his quiet life and rekindles old flames and unknown desires.

Ministry: A Christmas Special by @milkandmoon-103 (M, 4k, complete) 

Rumours are circulating within the Ministry that Senior Undersecretary Tom Riddle is sleeping with his assistant.

One slap, two slaps, three slaps by @albondiguilla007 (E, 4k, complete)

Minister Tom Riddle turns seventy.

One Year In Every Ten by @saintsenara (E, 207k, WIP)

A decade after the final battle, a serial killer emerges, with a message that proclaims the Dark Lord has risen again. Harry is assigned to the case.

Resonating Souls by @endlessburningdarkness (E, 4k, complete)

Minister Riddle has an unusually dream filled night.

Revolution of Configured Stars by @tollingreminiscentbells (E, 162k, WIP)

In another world, Harry Potter was spared. Raised in Lord Voldemort's Britain, he enters his seventh year wanting to keep his head down. But after a chance encounter with ‘Marvolo Gaunt’, it looks like it may not be so simple.

Terms and Conditions May Apply by @duplicitywrites (T, 17k, WIP)

Lord Voldemort gets one chance at a new life. This new chance comes with a lot of conditions.

The Betrayal (And Boon) of One's Own Biology by @riverxsong-ao3 (E, 7k, complete)

Tom Riddle had always known he was destined for greatness. As a young wizard, he was certain he would present one day as an Alpha - strong, powerful, in charge. When he did not, he came to accept that he must, in fact, be a Beta.

The Dinner by @moontearpensfic (T, 3k, complete) 

Voldemort takes Harry to meet his parents.

The Rigmarole Dance by cannibalinc (T, 8k, complete) 

Harry is nine years old when he points at Lord Thomas Marvolo Slytherin, High Warlock of England, and declares "You're my soulmate, and we're going to be married."

Unwinding the Minister (Hypothetically) by @ramabear (E, 4k, complete)

It's the end of December and Head Auror Harry Potter finds himself in the Minister's office once more and he can't help but wonder, how much the young, uptight Minister really just needs to unwind for a night. And how much he'd be happy to help.

Until Midnight Comes by @dividawrites (E, 26k, complete)

A few years after the war Harry reluctantly attends a party at Malfoy Manor. He drinks a few too many and runs into a handsome man called Tom. What happens after is definitely not a drunken error in judgement—it’s love at first, blurry sight instead.

*

[amatun28]

My Top best BTS members fic in my whole fanfic reading journey. ( ao3, YT, Wattpad, tumblr) [Part:01]

🌸These fanfics have my whole heart. The amount of happiness,emotion,nostalgia i felt its beyond unimaginable. I will cherise those fics until the end of my life. Thank you of all those writer who britten my day with their incredible talent and creativity. 🌸

🌺Long thread ( please read the review with patience)🌺

💐Author💐

1. Rafae's fiction on YT

My fanfic journey started with YT. I know many of us doesn't read yt fanfic, although we have solid reason not to do. Some of us also think yt fanfic means cringy type of fic. But trust me Rafae is a gem. Like she is truly exceptional. She has a strong aura that anyone can be captivated.

🍁Her stories🍁

◼Throne [ Taehyung fanfic ] by Rafae on YT

Genre: Royal au, arranged marriage, Angst (so much angst), smut, romance, fluff, happy ending. [completed]

Summary : A story of Royalty. A Periodic tale of three kingdoms. A tale of kings and Queens. " Throne" Is a story that had everything; Love, loyalty, friendship, betrayal, evilness, partition, pain, suffering, development, empowerment and devotion. A tale that takes the Romance to different level after passing through the stages of love. A tale of a Queen, more than a King. A tale of woman who proved that there is nothing stronger in this world than a broken woman. The Queen who teaches us to look in the eyes of demons and say Here I am standing, come and try to break me.

-Review:

[Must read] : The first thing I will say is it's not the typical type of fanfic people usually read, where the female lead is always weak or submitted to the male lead. This fanfic will change someone's perspective on women. And about the male lead, he is so caring and soft-spoken when it comes to his woman, sweet, with a strong moral compass and leadership like a full package. His character is so beautifully written that you will feel pain in your heart thinking, In real life, why do these kinds of men not exist? This story also has many different side characters, and each character has a different story, and each of them is so painfully beautiful. This series has 100 episodes. I had never seen any YT fanfic this long. Even the epi time is also very long, about 25-30 mins. Some of you will think that its 100-episode series might be boring, but trust me, not a single episode of this series is boring. Every episode is packed with suspense, emotion, and breathtaking plot twists that will leave you on the edge of your seat. And the best part? The storytelling is so vivid that it feels like watching a historical K-drama unfold right before your eyes. If you read the story, you will see the mention of 3 kingdoms that were actually from the Korean map that ruled ancient time Korea during the Three Kingdoms Period. So just go give it a chance; I must say you won't regret it. Also, the BGM of this series is like a full chef's kiss. 🤌

[Note: There are some grammatical mistakes in this series. The author had to upload one EP every Tuesday of the week. On YT after uploading the EP, she couldn't even edit the episode. Otherwise, all of the things are so perfect, so just dig in. ☺]

▪🍁[Jungkook fanfic]🍁

◼ [Reading between the lines] by anonymous on (ao3)

Genre: kinda enemies to lovers au,University au, slow burn, fluff, Smut, also jungkook is so sweet:( [completed ]

Summary: You're an art student beginning your final year at university, and the assigned partner for thesis project? Much to your dismay, it's Jeon Jungkook. You don't like him — he doesn't seem to try very hard, and besides, he's on the soccer team, and you don't really get along with athletes.

Thanks to a lack of available models and a shortage of studio space, you end up spending a large portion of your semester locked in a tiny closet with Jungkook, where you eventually discover he's nothing at all like you originally thought.

-Review:

Plz this is so good. Like so so so good.😭 you have to read this. The slow burn, the tension, the way their relationship grows. This kind of books will make your chest hurt (in a good way). And about Jungkook, i hopelessly inlove with his character. Also the pace of love-story was perfect like PERFECT. I will never forget the emotion and butterfly i felt reading this. Also the smut 👌💋. So just go and read this. A must read.

◼ Phycho by @moonchiiild_ on wattpad

Genre: Personality disorder au (reader), established relationship, romance, angst, happy ending [ completed]

Summary: You are wounded and broken. Laughing at scars was your habit, but tending your wounds was his speciality. Some may call Jeon Jungkook a perfect man to exist, but you knew your husband better than that; if you were his Bonnie, he is your Clyde. Psycho, maniac, insane. World called you many names, but your husband calls you his wife and stands beside you when no one dares. Jungkook is your possession, your medicine. The world may have rejected a bitch like you, but it takes only one person to snatch the monster out of you.

-Review:

Masterpiece the only word go to this series. This book is mix of suspense, romance. The first chapter of this book got me chokehold and there was no way escape of this. I just can't stop thinking about this. The characters are so good specially jungkook, this man is embodiment of all my fantasies here. After reading this story the only thing you will say that if i can't find any man like Jungkook in this book then i dont want any man. Like He is the STANDARD. Also there was so much angst on this book. But in the end its all worth it :(((

▪🍁[Taehyung fanfic]🍁

◼ Perpetual Rain by @NovainRose_ on wattpad

Genre: Slow brun, some fluff, angst, Smut, Reaper au, kinda time travel au?? [ completed ]

Summary: A troubled - soon to be - college girl is ravaged by uncontrollable hallucinations that she can't explain. Making an unexpected friendship with a stranger she met on the street but, he has secrets of his own. "Seriously, you've got me worried." His hands pressed into the tables brim, ready to get up at any second. "You barely even know me, why are you so worried?" You stared at him, irritated and confused. He was so persistent! "Is it bad for someone to care? Even if it's for a stranger?" Dark brown eyes narrowing and chest-nut hair cast to the side with a tilt of his head. "Just trust me." But, could she?

-Review:

I am whipped; I am just WHIPPED. It's such a beautifully written, deeply emotional journey filled with longing, love, and pain that lingers like the scent of the rain on a stormy night. This book still haunts me like a nightmare. The writing is so mesmerizing. Also, this book is kind of atmospheric. There is also a 2nd part of this book called" Timeless Snow". But this book is really a slow burn, like really, really slow burn. So don't get frustrated. Just go and read; trust me, you will love it. This book is one of my the must-read books.

This is my first time posting on tumblr. And these fanfics are very close to my heart. If you love these stories then plz show lot of love to the original author of these stories. At the end of the day, fanfic writers rely on positive reviews from readers. Its make the original author happy. Also, if you love the recommendation, then please tell me also.😌 So that maybe i will also make the part 2 of my favourite fanfics. 👀