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Sana's Web Chapter 5: Working for Your Meals

Reader x Jihyo Words: 10k

You didn't stay too much longer over at Tzuyu's house afterwards. Despite the intense moment the two of you shared, her straightforwardness reared its head again when she had asked you to take your leave after cleaning up and resting a little bit. She had explained it was because Dahyun wouldn't take much longer to arrive at their place, and Dahyun had made it clear how disapproving she was of you after Sana's house party. You didn't mind complying, you didn't need to be up to an ungodly hour every day. Getting home in time sounds nice for a change.

It was getting pretty late, and you hadn't eaten much tonight yet. Tzuyu's place was pretty far away from yours by foot but too close for public transit, and you hadn't arrived by car. You decided you might as well head down a little detour, grab some take-out, and walk home to eat there. You couldn't decide between fried chicken and Chinese food, but since you were eating alone, a decision had to be made. No use in wasting food ordering two meals just for yourself. You settled on Chinese food, and made your way back home.

When you arrived home, you couldn't help but notice the lights were on inside. Strange, you thought, since you didn't remember leaving them on when you left. Then again, who does? If you remember, you'd have turned them off, you rationalized, calming yourself down. You unlocked the front door, walking in, when a strong smell hit your nose like a blow to the face. It was the smell of fried chicken, wafting in from the kitchen. Now this was cause for alarm, because you did for a fact know you didn't leave any fried chicken out to rest before you left. You prepared yourself for whatever could be beyond your hallway, making your way into your living room, before being met with a shock and subsequently calming down. (edited)

Sana was sitting on your couch, getting ready to eat and clearly not having taken notice of your presence, a fresh portion of delivery fried chicken resting on your table. She was wearing a dark blue button up sweater with some black slacks, black socks and as well as her glasses. It wasn't often she wore those over her contacts, usually only after getting comfortable somewhere.

"Ahem?!" You coughed out loud, startling worlds cutest home invader, who shrieked out a yelp before turning to you, seeing you standing there with your arms crossed. She immediately started giggling, the brightest smile at your little surprise before standing up to come and hug you.

"I didn't think you'd be home today anymore! Welcome home, baby~" She talked, turning up her charm to eleven, making you instantly forget and forgive her transgressions. "I ordered some fried chicken to eat. I only have one portion, since I didn't think you'd be back today, but we can share if you want." She went on, playing innocent and avoiding explaining to you why exactly she was here. Nevertheless, her charm cracked your shell.

"Actually, I brought some take-out of my own. I have chinese food though." You replied, you yourself forgetting to ask why she was here. Sana's eyes grew wide in surprise, her mouth agape as she covered it with both her hands.

"No way! I couldn't decide between Chinese or fried chicken! Wanna go half and half?" she squealed, glee in her voice as if she just got the best news in the world.

"You know, I was having the exact same dilemma when I was deciding what to get..." You replied, chuckling and nodding your head in disbelief. "Yeah, let's split!" You agreed to her request, motioning her back to the couch as you followed her closely before sitting down, unpacking your food and setting up in a way you both could share. "So what are we watching?" You asked Sana, her clearly having made herself comfortable at yours already.

"Nothing now! Oh, and before I forgot, Nayeon asked for your number. Do you mind if I give it to her?" She smiled, her eyes closed, glee radiating off of her face, throwing in a question towards you. You smiled back at her,  replied with a "That's fine, go ahead." to her question, and looked towards her, curious to what she meant with her first comment but happy to indulge nonetheless. Sana took her plate, and sat herself across from you on the table instead of next to you, her back towards the TV, cross-legged sitting on the floor. "Let's talk about our days! Isn't that more fun, hmm?" She continued, looking at you, her eyes giving the smallest glint of a smirk but her smile still masking it. Something told you she wasn't just randomly asking this question. You couldn't help but think she must have already somehow learned what you did today. Today had filled you with confidence though, so you were down to tango with Sana.

"Sure! Let's talk, how was your day, Sana?" You indulged her, taking the initiative to ask her the question first. If she really knew anything and was forcing your hand to talk about it, stalling by asking her first was sure to at least give you some time to consider the situation. It's not like you didn't want Sana to know or was trying to hide it, you just didn't feel the instant need to tell her about it. You'd also prefer to not know if and who Sana's other sexual partners are if she had any. She was free to, you'd just prefer to not know.

Sana seemed to not mind. She smiled, and actually started casually talking about her day. Apparently, her day was filled with work. She was asked to come to the JYP building and go over all of the outfits she was expected to wear for their next world tour. Apparently, it was pretty custom for them to do a test run of all their outfits once decided, and see if they can swap between them fast enough to not miss their cue for a next performance. If any problems occurred, they knew to change some parts of their outfits to make them easier to swap in and out of.

"I've got some pictures from the outfits, do you want to see them?" She asked, sincerely eager for your response. You nodded yes, and letting out a small vocalization of a "yeah", to which she flipped her phone, showing you a picture of herself in white boots that came right below her knees, a green tube top and miniskirt overlayed by green fishnet-like fabric tied together using lots of string. It was enthralling, her exposed midriff looking like the perfect canvas for you to work with. She noticed you drooling over her, laughed a little in a high pitched voice and turned the phone back towards her. "I knew you'd like that! I even brought it with me here today." She teased you, throwing a wink your way before giggling the cutest giggle you'd ever seen a girl make.

"Wow, I would LOVE to see what that looks like with my own eyes." You flirted back, shooting your shot at her. The corner of her lips went up, as she seemed to expect this response. She replied with a short but resolute "Sure." Before getting up from the floor and moving towards your bedroom. You started to get up as well, thinking this was your cue to go and get her, but she stopped that idea right in its tracks.

"Sit back down, I'll come back when I'm ready~" She taunted you, her head slightly turned to show her side profile which was carrying a cheeky smile to you as she walked away, closing the door behind her. You sat back down, and not two minutes later, just enough time to have eaten but one piece of fried chicken, she'd walked back out of your bedroom, completely dressed in the previously shown garments. She looked enthralling, causing you to have trouble swallowing your food as she stepped over towards you, her hips swaying from one side to the other as she was clearly taking her time. She stepped up to right in front of you, who was just regularly sitting on the couch, leaning back a little with your feet off of the couch. She looked down on you a little, raised both her eyebrows once as if to ask "What do you think?", and confidently straddled your lap with her hands on your shoulders to stabilize her.

"So how was your day~?" She asked you, a little "oop" coming out of her mouth right after asking the question before you could answer, as your body reacted to her provocations, and your cock was pressing against her crotch.

"Only getting better." You replied, trying to match her flirt. You placed your hands on the side of her stomach, grasping her firmly the way you knew she loved, before pulling her in ever so slightly and moving in for a kiss. Sana stopped you before you could reach her lips, her right hand finding its way to your forehead and pushing you back into her seat.

"No no no, big boy. You don't get to unwrap this present until you've made good on your promise." She said, putting you back in your place. She riled you up, only to shoot you down, and you got so flustered you couldn't hide the shock on your face.

"Promise? What promise?" You inquired hastily, needing a memory jog after everything that had happened today. Sana looked a little upset at you asking for clarification, sighed, but told you anyway.

"You promised you'd find me a member we could have a threesome with, remember?" She explained what she meant, causing you to remember what she  was talking about. You thought it wasn't as urgent as she made it out to be now, and just something you'd eventually have happen. Clearly, you misread the importance of this for Sana, and steel your resolve to make it a reality sooner rather than later.

"Actually... maybe I did make some progress on that..." You replied, piquing Sana's interest as you were about to spill the beans on what you did today. Sana's face turned to curiosity, her face turning slightly sideways, asking you to continue. "I kind of... fucked Tzuyu... today?" You explained further, your intonation almost as if you were asking a question, your tone slightly apprehensive. You weren't sure how to explain what happened today, and after seeing how competitive she got with Mina at her party, you weren't quite sure how to breach the topic

"Kind of? How do you kind of fuck someone?" Sana challenged your choice of words, before letting you continue.

"Well, we hit it off at that party of yours, and apparently she had some hang ups on her past experiences, which she apparently thought me fit to help with." You explained. You expected Sana to be more shocked at this, but her shock was barely visible through the glee and joy painted on her face as you told her this. You continued to explain how you found each other, her chuckling at you mentioning what a crazy coincidence it was, and you finishing with telling Sana that your fling with Tzuyu was supposed to be a recurring thing.

"Soo Tzuyu already agreed to a threesome then? That's why you're telling me this?"  Sana probed, measuring the validity of your answer as she had her doubts about your assertiveness in bringing Tzuyu up. Her excitement for what you were suggesting was clearly palpable though, as she seemed to be rewarding you already, her hips moving back and forth over your lap, grinding against your most sensitive spot.

"Well, no, not yet.." You began to explain, but were interrupted by Sana standing up straight, and getting off of your lap. "I guess you're not getting this tonight then! I'm still staying over to sleep though, it's way too late for me to head home looking this great." She declared, instantly crushing any hope you had of striking a new record on how many different girls you'd fucked in one day.

"I already knew you went to see Tzuyu though, so thanks for not lying! Chaeyoung texted me, she saw you enter her place as she was leaving. You really ought to be more aware of cameras for a guy who makes his living with them." Sana continued berating you, mixing in some weird praise which you couldn't help but feel slightly bitter about. You never were going to lie to her, you had no reason, but her baiting this info out of you got you thirsty for revenge. Her slutty waist in that outfit didn't help with how rough you wanted to be to her in return. Still, if Sana wants to play hard to get and rile you up, you aren't going to lose to her.

Sana moved back to her original eating place, continuing with her food where she left off, as you two furthered your conversation about your days. Sana showed some more pictures of outfits she tried on, and in turn you told her bits about your experience with Tzuyu. You went to bed horny that evening, but not willing to lose to Sana. She made it incredibly hard on you however, as she declared any guest futon or couch you proposed to sleep in or in apart from her was too cold or scary, and absolutely needed to sleep in the same bed as you. It was no accident either then, that on multiple occasions that night, you felt her ass grind against your crotch any time you thought you'd finally cooled down. 

You vowed to yourself that night that the first thing you would do in the morning would be to contact Tzuyu, and get this threesome ready to go. Preferably even before Sana leaves your apartment, to maybe get her as far to wrap herself up again. You could only dream.

—

The next morning you'd wake up to your bed emptier than when you fell asleep. Sana had already gotten up and dressed, and you soon did too. You weren't sure if she'd already left your place yet, but were hoping to still catch her before she left. You'd made your way to your living room, where she was seated, getting up the moment you walked in and heading over to put her dirty breakfast plate and utensils in the sink.

"Oh good, you haven't left yet." You noted, wiping some sleep crust from your eyes. Sana looked up at you, a tempered smile turning towards you as she finished cleaning up.

"I'm glad you're excited but as long as you haven't-" Sana began speaking, her tone clear that the next words out of her mouth were going to tease you. Before she had the chance, however, you cut her off, getting straight to the case.

"Hey, yeah, look, about that. I was wondering if you'd give me Tzuyu's number." You appealed to Sana, sticking to your vow from last night. You stared her down, showing how serious you were about this request. You didn't blink or break eye contact, this wasn't just to exchange some horny pics. You were standing on business. Sana was a little taken aback, taking a couple of seconds to collect herself, figuring out what to respond to you.

"If you think I'm going to do your work for you, you're severely mistaken. So no, I won't. Especially not without getting her permission." She replied curtly, pulling up her nose as she made sure you were going to do all the work she needed from you. When it came to treating this princess, there was no cutting corners. You sighed, muttered a still half-asleep "Okay, fine." accepting her response. "Besides, you know where she lives and sleeps now, so you can ask her yourself." She continued, her face turning away from you, a blunt "hmph!" following her explanation, as she walked past you, grabbing her bag from the couch which she already filled with all her belongings before eating and heading out.

"I'll fulfill my promise to you!" You shouted after her. You couldn't see it anymore, but she smirked at your shouted response, a little giggle escaping that you barely managed to catch as she left, leaving you assured she wasn't storming out enraged with you. This was more of a challenge, and you were ready to accept.

Getting into it with Sana today wasn't an option anymore, and as much as you'd like to march over to Tzuyu's house right now and get her geared up for a threesome, there were two things stopping you from doing just that. One, you don't know whether or not she'd be home by the time you'd arrived or if any of her housemates you'd better avoid for now were home. And two, you had work today. You couldn't just take every day off, fucking your worries away.

You did your usual morning routine, getting ready for work, and headed out. Today was a full schedule, shooting an advertisement for a popular underwear brand. As exciting as that sounded, you weren't too thrilled about the models, considering it was male underwear. But whatever, work was work and this paid well. You couldn't help yourself from daydreaming about how you'd handle your request of Tzuyu in between shots, getting more distracted than you'd normally allow yourself to be. You always had your phone on silent during shoots, like a true professional. Wasn't usually a problem, your phone wasn't known to be burning all the time. Today however, you'd face a surprise.

After your work was done, you thanked everyone for their hard work, packed your stuff and checked your phone. You had a couple of messages from an unknown number.

???, 13:52 PM: Hiii~~

???, 13:54 PM: Whatcha dooooin'?

???, 14:06 PM: Don't I just look the cutest in this picture? 

???, 16:47 PM: This is Y/N, right?? 

Attached to the second message was a picture. It was a selfie from Nayeon, in the back of a car wearing a cute pink sweater. She was looking away from the camera, one finger on her chin, a pouty look on her visage. You checked the current time, 17:11. You had left her unresponsive for more than three hours, and in a flurry typed up a response to not keeping her waiting another second.

Y/N: Yes, this is Y/N, and yes, you look very cute!

It wasn't very long before the phone showed your message as read, and you could see her typing up a response. 

NY: "I look very cute"? You're a professional photographer and it took you 3 and a half hours just to say I 'look cute'?

You thought your response was fine, but maybe it would have been better to type up a more thought out answer instead of a fast one... You internalized her message, thinking about how to redeem yourself next. Give her feedback on how to take a better selfie? No, you'd definitely get on her bad side if you criticized her now. You thought back to how she was acting with you at Sana's party, maybe her behavior from back then could give you a clue to the proper way forward.

Sana's words rang in your ears.  "Nayeon loves the hunt. If she catches you on the first try, you were a boring hunt, and she'd never look your way, ever again." It doesn't look like just acting uninterested is what she would like either. So you'd need to devise a response that is simultaneously playful, flirty, and clearly still showing you don't need her.

Y/N: You look like you want me to kiss you.

Your message was read almost instantly again, and you saw the icon showing she was typing a response pop-up. And then disappear. And then pop-up again, and disappear once more. Was she typing up a response and constantly deleting it? She doesn't know what to say? You weren't sure if this was a good or a bad sign, until eventually, a good 10 minutes later, you finally heard a ding.

NY: Hahaha, and what if I do~~

You breathed a big sigh of relief. Your response was better this time, thank god. If this was the pattern you were supposed to keep up, you think you could somehow manage.

Y/N: Then you'll have to try a little harder, I seem to be in high demand lately and I'm intending on abusing that~

You felt pretty confident in that response, thinking you were locked in on the vibe. You put your phone away, giving her some breathing room to respond this time. After waiting for about 15 minutes without a response, you started to wonder if your message failed to be sent. You checked the chat, and sure enough, it was sent, and she'd already seen it as well. No response however. Did you go too far? You feared your message had turned her off, but decided you couldn't do anything to change that now, and sending a message right now to try and remedy the situation would only serve to make you look desperate. You decided it best to finish packing up and to head home. She'll respond when she wants to.

You had a pretty standard evening, nobody reaching out to you anymore as you finished eating your dinner and sat in front of the tv, thinking about how you were going to solve your predicament with Tzuyu. The sun was already down, so a surprise visit to her house might not be as charming as the dramas on tv might have led you to believe. Before you could really get lost in devising a new strategy, your phone buzzed again. You didn't expect anyone to contact you at this hour, so that only left one person in mind this could be from. You were hoping it was Nayeon. As you unlocked your phone to check, sure enough, you saw you had  a new message from Nayeon. Attached was a picture of Nayeon, A selfie taken from a high angle from the waist up, looking like she was lying on a couch at her home. She was wearing a dark blue adidas tracksuit, the zipper ever so slightly open, looking straight into the lens with her lips perched in a kissy face.

NY: How about this then? What do I look like I want from you here? I'll give you a hint, it's very sticky~~

The implication of her message had your body reacting fiercely, but you managed to calm down before unzipping your pants and sending her a dick pic. You couldn't afford to just jump her way now, you had to continue playing the game. You contemplated not responding to her message instantly, but you already viewed it, and she would have surely seen that. If you wanted to make that play, you should have waited to view the message a little longer. You had to think of a good response here, and you had to think fast.

Y/N: How about you wait till you see what you're working with before acting like you can handle it, noona. 😉

Before you could even stow your phone in your pants, it buzzed again, another notification from Nayeon.

NY: Ehhhh? Then show me!

Wasn't that a bit too brazen of her, you thought to yourself. You weren't against the idea, but turning her down now would seem counterintuitive to the flirty part, but you couldn't just show her a picture of your dick like that. That'd be too hasty you felt. Let's throw the ball back into her court, she seems to like setting the pace for now.

Y/N: Hmmmm, nah. You first if you're that into me!

Her response was even faster this time, almost as if she predicted what you were gonna say and was just waiting to hit send.

NY: Okay, now you! Show me what I'm working with~~😘

Attached was a picture, a selfie she must have taken earlier, on a set for a music video they shot. She was visible from the waist up, staring down into the camera, wearing red framed glasses and nothing else. Her tits were exposed, bare for you to feast on. Her smirk was devious, knowing that whoever got to see this picture would devour it. You could no longer hold yourself back, as you rushed to your bathroom mirror, stripped from all clothes, and took a picture for her. You were fully naked, gripping your erect cock by holding the base uptight and staring your lens down. You sent just the picture, getting so lost in your frenzy you didn't type a response to go with it.

You started jerking your cock, in anticipation of what would come next, expecting an evening full of back and forth. Nayeon's response came in, and you eagerly popped open the message, hoping it would motivate you closer to completion.

NY: Wooow, if you were her right now I'd show you that I can handle that. Too bad you're not here~~  

No picture attached, but what she wrote might have implied something better. She liked what she saw, and even extended an invitation to you. You put a pair of gray sweatpants on you had laying around, still showing the clear outline of your bulging cock. You wanted to keep sending her pictures of you to rile her up like she riled you up, and took another picture of yourself, flexing your core as hard as you could. You decided a cowboy shot was the play here, just to show her the outline of your cock but that you'd stuffed it away again. You took some time to try out a couple of poses, landed on one you were happy with, and sent it her way with a message attached this time.

Y/N: Don't get too carried away window shopping, I haven't sold you anything yet  

Trying to keep her in check, make sure you didn't come over as desperate and too easy to fuck. Maybe you got too carried away with your dick pick, but oh well. Unfortunately, despite reading your message, no further response came that evening. Your conversation with Nayeon fell silent, and you were unsure if you fucked up, or if she just got busy. You shrugged it off, used the polaroid of Sana you'd made to relieve yourself of your pent up frustration, and just ended up going to bed early for once.

—

Another morning came, and right as you were about to sit down and formulate a plan on how to contact Tzuyu without looking like an absolute stalker, your phone rang once more. It seems you've grown quite popular. After yesterday, you decided it was best to not expect anything. You still couldn't help but be a little surprised when you picked up your phone and had a new message from Mina.

MN: We should talk. Update on your job prospects at JYP. Come by the building today at 3 PM.

That sound ominous you dreaded. You felt a wave of cold sweat form on your body. You spent too much time fucking around, literally, instead of focusing your time on leaving a good impression on all the girls. A whole week went by and all you did was get dirty with Tzuyu and text inappropriately with Nayeon. Whatever, time to face those consequences. You recollected yourself and typed up a response.

Y/N: Okay, I'll be there!

The rest of your day until you left was spent mentally languishing over what to wear, what to say and what to expect. You dressed up quite nicely, and ended up leaving half an hour early. If traffic ended up being a hassle, you'd have some wiggle room to still be on time. No way in hell you'd be late today. You ended up needing some of your time budget, as finding a parking spot turned out to be quite the challenge. You still managed to make it about 15 minutes early. You went inside, and just waited in the lobby for Mina to come find you. Without an employee ID, you had no chance of going any further and finding her yourself, so you might as well get comfortable. Not even 5 minutes after sitting down, you'd heard a familiar voice addressing you.

"You're early, that's good! Shows you care." It was Mina, who had crept up to you from behind and stood with her arms crossed. She was as stunning as always, wearing a patterned pencil skirt, with a white shirt tucked into it. Baggy socks were stuffed into her white flat shoes, and she tied the outfit together with a dark navy jeans jacket.

"On time is too late!" You responded with confidence, wanting to cement how serious you were about going for this gig full time. Mina chuckled a bit at this remark before giving you another response.

"Hehe, I like that. I'm going to hold all men in my life to that standard from now on." She responded approvingly. You smiled proudly at her remark, glad you could impress. "Follow me, let's talk for a bit?" Mina sort of meekly propositioned, turning halfway towards going deeper into the building, to which you nodded and beckoned her to lead the way. You started walking deeper into the halls, and Mina continued.  "Let's get straight to the point. We held a vote today on whether or not you should get the job." She started explaining, and you felt your heart drop, expecting the worst. "It was a tie. Four of us voted in favor of you, and four of us voted against. One vote ended chickening out and hasn't voted yet. She's been given three days to decide, at which point the decision will be final." You weren't sure if you should feel relieved or if you should feel even more stressed out. If a conclusion was made right now, that would have been the end of it and you could have moved on with your life. But now you know there are three days for this life impacting decision to take hold? This would be the difference between a cozy, well-paying, secure job and shooting uninspired commercial shoots erratically for the next ten years. In any case, you'd been given a chance, and steeled your resolve.

"I see. I'll have to do whatever I can to convince the doubter then." You replied resolutely, your eyes as sharp as ever. Mina admired your determination. She had decided before you arrived that based on your response whether or not she'd help you. Safe to say, you convinced her. She replied to your statements with a final question to check your sincerity.

"You think you have what it takes?" The same fierce, piercing gaze you only saw on her when she wanted to devour you appeared here, showing how serious this was to her. You nodded back to her, and didn't break eye contact for a single second. You were determined. "Good." Mina responded, a small sigh escaping her as she closed her eyes, smirked and determined herself to help you as well.

"Sana, Tzuyu, Momo and I voted in favor of you. I'm not sure how you convinced Tzuyu, but why Sana and I are in your corner should be obvious. Momo ended up just following her gut and trusting in Sana in me. The ones who voted against you were Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Dahyun and Chaeyoung. You know what that means, right?"

"I have three days to convince Jihyo..." You muttered out, already thinking about a way to manifest that. "I'll do it, but I must say, I didn't expect that result." You replied, your eyes inquisitively searching for clues on this turnout from Mina.

"Don't look at me! You've had little over a week to convince everyone. It's your job to show you know how to go above and beyond, Twice won't settle for ordinary. For now, you're barely scraping by. The only reason Jihyo is doubting and didn't vote against you is because Tzuyu was so resolute in voting in favor of you!" Mina explained, teasing your failure at impressing the other girls the way you impressed her.

"Yeah no, that's fair. I won't ask for anything else Mina, since you've already helped me this much, but could you please tell me where to find Jihyo today?" You pleaded with Mina, clasping her both hands in between your palms, causing her usually soft-spoken self to come out once more and blush visibly, causing her to avert her gaze from you.

"She's in a meeting right now... She said she would go work out here once she's done to properly think it over..." She answered your question, her volume having lowered drastically. Your laser-focus on the task at hand made it so you caught all that without a problem anyways.

"Thank you so much! Wait, I have no idea where she works out... and I can't bother her in a meeting. Alright, I'll start planning out the fastest route in between all gyms in a 2 kilometer radius and continuously visit each one until I eventually stumble into her! I got this!" You started rambling, trying your crazy best to maximize what little time you had. You started walking away, as you were already planning everything out on your phone before Mina's volume was raised behind you, addressing you once more.

 "Stop, you dummy!" She shouted in a volume you could barely call shouting. Her fists were clenched beside her body, and her eyes closed, slowly opening up to look at you turning around again. "You'll never find her that way. She's going to work out in the gym in this building." She continued to explain as you walked back to her, letting her finish. You only now realized how insane your ramblings must have sounded. At least you showed real spirit! "I'll help, so don't go acting all crazy. I'll let you into the gym after she enters, okay?" Your eyes sparkled with gratitude, excitement and thankfulness to Mina's assistance, and you were quick to respond in kind.

"You are the best, Mina! How can I ever make it up to you?!" You almost shouted throughout the hallway you were in, trumping her volume with ease.

"Come pick me up after you've finished talking with Jihyo..." She responded, meekly, unable to meet your eager gaze. You heard her fine, but you still had to wonder if you heard her correctly. It's not like you didn't want to do that for her, but you hardly thought the exchange was fair. You owed her so much more!

"Come pick you up? Is that all, are you sure?" You questioned her, making sure you really did catch everything.

"Yeah... Come pick me up and take me to your place tonight, we haven't been alone together for a while now..." She mumbled, gathering all her courage to get those words out. You understood what she was saying, and promised her you would. You swore you'd spend as much time with her as she wanted, before she ushered you away to go get a fitting outfit for entering a gym. You were too far from home to go there and come back to get your gym clothes, so you just decided to sprint out the JYPe building and visit the nearest shop you could find that sold gym clothes, bought whatever looked best they had there and rushed back over to Mina who once more allowed you access to their building.

You followed Mina into an elevator, where she ushered you into, until you reached the floor on which the company gym was located. Man, an entire private gym inside of this building really is nuts... passed your mind. If you perform well enough now, you might be enjoying those benefits soon as well. You kept following Mina, in a silence that was anything but awkward. Rather, you were being so introspective on how to tackle what was about to happen, and Mina had no intention of disrupting your focus.

"Alright, these are the changing rooms. That door over there leads to the gym. Good luck?" She finally spoke up, unsure on what else to say but the bare minimum. You took in all the information she so graciously gave you, gave her a determined nod and pulled her in tightly for a strong hug. The scent of jasmine filled your nose as your bodies got closer to each other. The floral notes were a pleasant touch, and you came to expect nothing less from a woman like Mina.

"Thank you, really. This means a lot to me!" You further explained. She gasped a little on your sudden embrace, but she didn't fight back or resist it. Rather, she got quite comfortable in your arms, before your hands found their way to her arms, pushing her back again, giving her a confident smile and leaving into a changing room. Right before stepping into the room, you remembered to ask: "Wait! When I'm done, where will I find you?"

"Ah, right. I'll be waiting in the artist lounge, it's on floor 9." She responded, a little shy from your brazen actions, so much so she forgot to tell you this in advance. If it wasn't for you remembering, she would've forgotten to tell you as well.

You went into the changing room, got dressed, took a deep breath and walked out. The hall here was empty now, just you and a door behind which you could find Jihyo. You took another deep breath, calming yourself down, before opening the door and stepping in. The lights were very bright, as they tended to be in gyms, and despite the size of the gym, there was nobody there, apart from Jihyo. You spotted her way before she spotted you. She was wearing a dark pink, sporty crop top, and some incredibly tight, form-fitting yoga pants, color matching her black sneakers.

She was doing some bench presses, repping an impressive 60kg weight, from what you could tell. You approached, and already cleared your throat to make her aware of your presence. Jihyo didn't respond to your noises, the wireless earbuds in her ears you happened to notice probably to blame for that. You kept making your way to the head of her bench, and assumed a spotters position in front of the sweating beauty. She was in the middle of a rep when you assumed your position and as she opened her eyes on the upwards press, she couldn't help but be surprised by your sudden appearance. She let out a loud yelp, as her grip weakened on the bar and she could feel it slipping down. You expected something like that to happen though, and caught the bar before anything bad could happened. Jihyo calmed down, you put the bar back in it's restraints, and she took out both of her earbuds.

"You're the last person I wanted to see right now, do you know that?" Jihyo sneered at you, but not forcefully. There was no malice in her tone, more of an exhausted resignation to your presence here. You couldn't help but throw up an awkward smile in response. Hard to blame her feeling that way, causing her to be put in this stressful position and then showing up just when you wanted to take her mind off of things.

"Yeah, well, I figured as much, but surely you understand why I showed up right?" You plead your case, already resolved to not wasting anymore time. Jihyo scoffed at what you said as she sat up straight on the bench, turning around to face you.

"Before I let you plead your case, how about you tell me about how you even got in here." Jihyo retorted. She was going to hear you out, but she was making sure you knew she wasn't going to let anything slide. Clearly she was not sold on you, and you had better make a good case.

You were used to sweating in a gym, but this was the first time it was cold. "Truth be told, I'm just as surprised as you are..." You respond in a quiet voice, as if you were trying to untangle a mess of knotted threads inside your own head. You thought you'd gotten used to speaking to these idols by now, but clearly her presence was different. She raised an eyebrow at your comment, her gaze beckoning you to continue.

"All I know is that Mina called me over literally just now, and told me that the fate of my career was hanging in your hands." you went on to explain, your hands frantically following your voice in an attempt to convince Jihyo of your sincerity.

"So she is the one that let you in here?" Jihyo questioned, almost as if she was asking you who to punish. You immediately retreated. Mina gave you this chance, and asked so little for it, no way you were going to throw her under the bus.

"Wait, it's not her fault, I asked her to let me know where you are! I basically convinced her to give me a chance, she just told me to find a way to convince you, I assured her this was my only play." Both your hands clasped around Jihyo's hands, pleading with her for kindness. She was taken aback, but she didn't seem upset at your forwardness. In fact, she was rather impressed by your willingness to stick your neck out for her, but she wasn't about to let you in on that.

"Riiiight... Well, for better or worse, you're here now." She acknowledged, taking her hands back and crossing her arms over each other. You gave her a bit of an awkward smile, one you could liken to an oaf who knew he was out of his element. She released her right arm, motioning for you to finally start making your case.

"Oh yeah, exactly! First of all, thank you for not immediately voting no." You started off explaining, not really sure where this was going yourself, but just hoping your thoughts came across.

"Yeah, well, don't get your hopes up just yet. What's your second-of-all?" Jihyo continued pressing you, still not convinced of your grand entrance.

"And, second of all, I came to beat you." You smirked, posing an enigmatic challenge. 

"Beat me? Like physically hurting me?" She taunted back, clearly making fun of the weird phrasing you used.

"No! Of course not! I was talking about that conversation we had at the party. I can definitely beat you in a gym competition." You clarified, but now unmistakably posing the challenge. Jihyo smirked back at you, clearly intrigued by what you were suggesting, her original hostility dissipating as a fire seemed to have been lit under her.

You look at her with such confidence and determination, you almost intimidate her, her mind backing away from this challenge for a fraction of a second before she pushes back and takes you head on. You could tell from just one look. She was in.

"Alright, how do you wanna do this? And I'm assuming we're both putting something on the line, correct?" Jihyo questioned, trying to set the terms of this little agreement you came to suggest. Her eyes were burning a hole through your skull as she was hungrily awaiting the route she'd have to take to destroy you. You weren't shaken, however, confident in your body and its finely honed muscles.

"How about this? We'll go for three rounds, each round betting something that the winner gets. We each suggest one exercise we do, which will be round 1 and 2. For round 3, we'll settle with an endurance contest, whoever can plank the longest wins." You laid out your plan, meticulously thought out to get her to agree but also allow you to obtain all your objectives. The obvious one was getting her to change her vote to a yes. But before that, you had a new, more important objective to achieve. Getting her to not go after Mina for letting you in here in the first place. Jihyo thought about your proposal for a little while. Her eyes drifted upwards, thinking about all the different things your game would imply. She stopped to contemplate for half a second to think if this was worth it or not, before throwing caution to the wind and agreeing anyway, because she just thought this would be fun.

"Sounds good! I'll choose squatting as my exercise." She accepted. The game was on. You shot back without missing a beat. "And I'll choose pull-ups." The game was set. A quick match of rock paper scissors decided the order. Pull-ups, then squats, and then planking. You slapped both of your cheeks, getting yourself and your blood pumping, ready to take this challenge.

You both shook hands on fair play. Her grip was tight, but her skin was as soft as a cloud. Your fighting spirit almost got diminished, drowned in the perverted thought of how good her velvety touch would feel on your cock. You quickly snapped out of it, but maybe stayed in that trance long enough to want to make that idea become a reality if you won 3 games in a row.

Jihyo's playful demeanor turned vicious, a cold stare piercing your entire being. The game was on, and despite her being committed to playing fair, she wasn't going to play nice. "If I win this round, you will never contact any of my members, ever again. That sounds like a fair trade-off for you asking for my yes vote, right?" If she was being honest with herself, Jihyo knew that this first round was as good as yours; however, she wanted to see how you'd react to such an ultimatum. Would you try to talk her out of it? Would you call the whole thing off?

Her demand was stunning. It hit you like a truck. A big loss to take if you lost this round, but you pretty much already bought in at this point. Whatever, you just had to win in that case. You continued, making your demand. "I'm not gonna ask for your yes vote just yet. If I win this round, you'll not go after Mina for letting me in here." Jihyo recoiled, clearly shocked at your request. You could read it on her face, clear as day. She fully expected you to go for the yes vote here, as this was your round, and had your highest chance of yielding positive results. But instead, you chose to cover for Mina. She couldn't help but be impressed.

Truth be told, this was your best exercise, so you did think about just asking for the yes vote here. But you just couldn't get it over your heart to screw Mina like that. You were going to take this win to first make sure Mina didn't get in trouble, and then win that yes vote, fair and square. Jihyo agreed to your request, as you did to hers, and the two of you competed in the first round.

Jihyo went first, you two taking turns, so you could judge each other's forms for no foul play. She jumped up, arms hanging on the bar, and she looked right at home. Her muscles glistened with the sweat she had already worked up before you got here. Her abs had beads of sweat piled up in the crevices, and it took everything you had to not just gawk at her body. You persevered, your conviction for winning this competition strong enough to pull through. She flexed her arms, and pulled her entire body up, chin above the bar. First one done, and her form was immaculate. There were no cracks or slip ups, you might even stand to learn a thing or two. If she was taking this so seriously, you had no chance of not matching her explosive energy. She went at it for a little while, her form never crumbling, only growing slower. It took her a full 14 pull ups before she lost the strength to go for another one.

You stepped up to the plate. You stretched a little before jumping up to the bar, taking in a deep breath, and doing it like you always do. Inhale going up, exhale going down. First one done. Inhale going up, exhale going down. Jihyo's intense gaze was hyper focused on you. Nothing strange about it, she was judging your form for flaws. Inhale going up, exhale going down. You sneaked a peek at her, her eyes matching you, raising her eyebrow inquisitively at your sudden eye contact. Did you have time to flirt during this? She felt taunted, and would go on to get you back for this perceived slight, but you were just having your trouble ignoring a beautiful woman right in front of you. Inhale going up, exhale going down. You're at 12 now. You could do 20 of these with no worries, inhale going up, exhale going down. 15th pullup done, and you had officially won, but you were so focused on not staring at Jihyo, you just kept going. 

"Okay, you won, you can come down now." Jihyo lamented, urging you to release the bar. You didn't hear any of it though. Inhale going up, exhale going down. "No need to brag, you can stop now." She continued. Inhale going up, exhale going down. You're at 19 now, but you weren't counting. If you were looking at Jihyo's face, you'd have noticed her getting annoyed at how you weren't listening. In her mind, she was searching for ways to make you listen, when suddenly, it hit her. You were halfway up on your 20th pullup, when a sudden breeze caused you to snap out of your trance. Jihyo had pulled your pants down, getting her revenge for your multiple bragging offenses. Your entire package was on full display, and it was not your fault you were kind of erect. Jihyo's physique mixed with the fact that working out always made you horny got you like this. You wasted no time releasing the bar, and pulling your pants back up.

You scowled at Jihyo over this. You weren't upset she saw your dick, hell, part of you was kind of happy she did, but you, lost in your trance, thought she cheated to make you lose. "At least I get why Sana is coming back to you now." Jihyo remarked, her hand covering her mouth to hide her smile.

Unbeknownst to both of you, Sana had gotten wind of what you were up to. She had snuck in, peeping through the cracks of the door of the gym to see how you were doing. She wasn't going to let you know, but she was cheering you on. She also hadn't ever had the chance to see you working out, so she decided to snap a picture of you trying your very best. She'd make up for the creepiness to you personally at some point later. Her timing couldn't be any better though, as to her own surprise, she caught the exact moment your cock flopped out of your pants, halfway in a pullup, with Jihyo's hands still attached to your pants. She left quickly after this, much preferring hearing the rest of the details personally from you than witnessing them here and now.

Cutting back to you and Jihyo, you were in the middle of belting out a big "What the hell?!" at Jihyo for her little prank. She got flustered at your anger, thinking you'd take it better. You couldn't help it though, you thought she just threw her fair play away and cheated you out of your win. "You were the one taunting me and bragging excessively after your win! Honestly, you brought this on yourself. And besides, now we are even for what happened at Sana's party!" Jihyo crackled back at you, like fireworks exploding in your face. The realization of your win had only now begun to set in, calming you down. It also helped that Jihyo bringing back the memory of her perfect, bare-naked chest got you to mellow out as well.

"So that means you're not going to hold Mina accountable, right?" You confirmed, your loud voice shrinking to a more appropriate indoor volume. Jihyo nodded her head and confirmed your question.

"Yep. You have my word. Are you ready for the squats?" She hurried along, as if ready to humiliate you the way you humiliated her. You took this round, but she was confident she would take the next. 

"I am. And this time I will take that yes vote if I win." Your demand was clear. You got your good deed out of the way, now it's time to take what you came for. "Are you still going to force me to cut all contact?" You questioned. You figured she would, and that you just had to squat like your life depended on it. Her response was a welcome one, however.

"Nope. I'm changing my stake." She clarified. This time a sly smirk on her face, in stark contrast to her winter cold visage from earlier. "If I win, you will become my gym buddy for an entire year. You'll stay my gym buddy until I can beat you in every body weight exercise there is. And if I call you up to come work out, you can't say no, even if you're balls deep in Sana. Or Mina." Your face scrunched up. This didn't sound too bad? Yeah, you could handle this. It's way better than her first stake. She looked a lot more amicable, but no less feisty than when you first proposed this challenge. But wait. "You know about me and Mina?" You appealed, certain that the only three people who knew were you, Sana and Mina herself.

"I had my suspicions since Sana's party, but thanks for confirming them. We can open that can of worms if you manage to get a yes vote out of me, but for now I'll not interfere because they seem more content and docile, making my job easier." Jihyo elucidated, exposing the fact that you had walked right into her trap. You berated yourself internally for exposing yourself like this, and vowed to watch out for this girl. She wasn't just pretty and strong, she had the brains to match. 

"Fuck." You let slip out. She giggled at your honest reaction, but the time for the next round was upon you. You shook on your stakes, and you both took position in front of the mirror wall. Side by side, so you could spectate each other for mistakes, while you both vied for the win.

The non-existing starting shot went off in both of your heads, and sweat started flying the brows of you both. It didn't take long for you to already read the results of this round. You were getting slaughtered. It hadn't been 30 squats yet, and you already felt your legs cramping up. Jihyo, on the other hand, looked like she hadn't even begun yet. Her form never crumbling, and her perfectly trained media smile just taunting you, as she caught on to your desperate staring. Searching for any clues of imperfection proved fruitless. 

"You can just quit and we can move on to the last game!" She jeered joyfully, taking incredible delight in the fact that she was smoking you. You'd be lying if you said you didn't consider it, but you had other plans. It might have been a little dirty, but you were betting on the fact that Jihyo had been working out for a little while before you got here. You weren't gonna win this round, but you could tire her out this round. Push her stamina to its limit, and then just hold on longer during the planking. Your core, contrary to your legs, was a part of you you had the utmost of faith in.

"Heh, yeah right." You pushed out in between laborious breaths, accompanied by a forced chuckle. You hadn't been spending too much time with Jihyo, but you could tell by now. She cocked her head to the side, shrugged her shoulders a little and focused up, almost as if to say she respected your grit.

Despite your greatest of efforts, by consecutive squat 80 you had to throw in the towel. "I'm going to enjoy working you to the bone, gym buddy!" Jihyo jabbed, her hand giving a light push against your shoulder as you stood there, bent over, hands on your knees. You were a bit of a sore loser at this point. It would have been nice to get that yes vote, so you decided to snap back.

"You only mentioned having to come even when balls deep in Sana or Mina, right? So it's cool to ignore you while I'm having some fun with Tzuyu?" You ran your mouth off. Partly out of competitive spirit, partly because exhaustion was beginning to take its toll on you. Jihyo went agape, jaw on the floor, like she just saw a ghost.

"You're shitting me! You got that far with her? I thought you just walked her dogs or something!" Jihyo almost yelled, the disbelief of your reveal coupled with her exhaustion stopping her from holding back. You gave a sly smirk back to her, as if proud of your conquest.

"You don't know what you're missing out on." You quipped back, showing you hadn't lost your confidence after this defeat. You were still in it to win it. You had picked up on a couple of Jihyo's tells, but you didn't know what this one meant yet. She had her tongue slightly protruding out between both her lips, and her eyes went just that tiniest bit wider. She was attracted to you, but you had no way of knowing it just yet. "Anyways, I still want the same thing for round 3. What's your ask?" You told the girl, calming down from your little back and forth.

"Alright then, big guy. Let's see you put your money where your mouth is." Jihyo started off, giving a rebuttal to your taunts. "If I win, I get the rights to your dick for a month. If I end up doing something with that or leave you horny will depend on your future performance, gym buddy" She declared, making the final stake of the game clear. She was like a monster, her tiny stature appearing larger than was physically possible. The idea of her controlling your dick was appealing, but dangerous. Fail to push past 100 squats, and who knows, she might just force you into celibacy for a month. Losing this round might feel worse than dying... But you had come this far.

"I can't back out now." You resigned, brimming with determination.

"Alright, but don't come begging to me when you feel like you're going to explode!" She playfully wisecracked back, joking for the last time before taking a deep breath and gaining a deadly look in her eyes. She was done joking, and ready to win this thing. You felt kind of flattered that she looked like she was going to try this hard to win your dick, but equally frightened that she might have wanted to render it useless.

You both got down on the floor, forearms pressed into the floor as your toes kept you upright. By this point, you were both exhausted, but too deep in to not finish this fight.

It was over before you realized it. It took over 3 and a half minutes for Jihyo to crack and drop to the floor. You got close too. You considered quitting, but even if your abs turned blue from bruises caused by overexertion, you would get this win.

Jihyo rolled over onto her back, her face towards the ceiling with a wide smile adorned onto her sweaty visage. You couldn't help but drop to the floor as well, but in contrast to the beauty next to you, you ended quickly regaining posture and sitting cross-legged, facing her. She had lost, but she was smiling. If you weren't in so much pain, you'd have diverted all your energy into hitting on her right here, and right now. That's how attractive she looked to you. But you won, so you would not risk upsetting her with unnecessary advances and cause your win to be meaningless.

"I am going to..." she began to speak, her own puffing and panting interrupting her speech. "Enjoy training with you, y/n..." She's rubbing her second round win in your face again. Unbelievable. "As well as..." She continued, with labored breaths. "Having you work for us." Your face lit up. She acknowledged your win, and basically softly confirmed which way she would vote. You were in! A short scream for joy left your body, as you pulled your fist into the sides of your body, celebrating the pay off of your hard work. 

You were so lost in your elation, you barely noticed Jihyo working herself up. She'd gotten herself to sit in front of you, sharing your joy as she sat on her knees. You instantly snapped out of it, focusing on what was happening around you the second you felt a tingling sensation on your dick. You've always known that exercising got you horny, and the sight of Jihyo only enhanced that. It didn't take an eagle's eye to spot your erection, all it took was Jihyo's perceptive gaze.

She had begun leaning forward, her left hand posed upon your right thigh, supporting her body as she inched closer,  and her right hand had found its way, palmed around the bulge in your pants. "It's a shame I lost though, you and I could have had a lot of fun." Jihyo smirked, a sly grin taunting your victory as she offered a different destiny.

Her elbows pushed together, her tits squeezed in between the tiny space she left them, looking absolutely divine, inviting you in. "I would have done things to you that you can't even imagine with the other girls..." Her words sizzled and cooked your mind, as her arms squeezed her tits even tighter. You couldn't help it. No man could. You looked down, stealing a peek at her chest, instantly looking back up at Jihyo, but way too obvious. She knew, she saw. But all she did to acknowledge it, was lift both her eyebrows up and down rapidly, before giving you a wink as if to ask: "How about it? Want to change your ask?"

You considered it for a tenth of a second. "As enticing as that is... I am more than happy with the current outcome." Your reply was defiant and resolute, causing Jihyo to pull back and giggle behind her hand. "Good answer. I like a man who doesn't falter." She commended you, and you couldn't shake the feeling like you just passed a test. "The vote is yours. I'll vouch for you." Jihyo finished up, standing up right and turning away from you. Her walk away from you was like your final little reward, her ass swaying from left to right as you couldn’t help but stare. She raised her hand as if waving at you without turning back to address you, speaking her last words before leaving the gym.

“I’ll see you the day after tomorrow in this gym. I’ll get your number from Sana and text you the hour you need to be here. Don’t be late!” And with that, she was gone. You achieved your goal, but sacrifices had to be made. No matter, truth be told, you kind of looked forward to it. It gave you a chance to get to know Jihyo better.

You cherished the victory for the little while you had, before also getting up, and leaving the gym as well. You made a promise to Mina, and it was time to live up to that.

[munsonthings86]

sunshine

pairing: steve harrington x fem!reader

summary: a love-struck steve cooks you dinner for the first time

warnings: cursing, alcohol, bit of backstory, oversimplified summary, steve's parents kinda suck (when do they not), best friends to lovers, mutual pining, fluff, soft!steve

an: i think this is my favorite thing i’ve ever written. i'm so in love with these two. i hope you all enjoy this one as much as i do. * don’t copy my work * (also pretend there's a big city near hawkins for the sake of this pls)

wc: 6.0k

“Ow!” Steve hissed, nicking his finger yet again as he made his best effort to dice pesky onions. The knife was razor-sharp as it was fresh out of its packaging, having never been used yet. Frustrated, he squeezed the band-aid he'd spent a solid ten minutes looking for, tighter on his finger, earning a harsh sting.

"Goddamned knife," he whispered, tightlipped, but as soon as the complaint left his lips he wished to yank it back in. It was the chef's knife you'd bought him along with many other thoughtful housewarming gifts to celebrate Steve moving into his first apartment. Steve had insisted that you return some of the gifts, noting that "one gift was more than he could ever ask for".

In spite of his pleas, you didn't return a single gift. Of course, you didn't. You had bought items you knew Steve would need but would ultimately forget to buy for himself. Just to name a few, you'd gotten him a trash bin for his bathroom, a record player, and the best utensil set that the rest of your Family Video paycheck could buy.

Peering at the odd assortment of household objects you'd lugged into his barren apartment with a bright smile pulling at the corners of your lips, an expression of gratitude and bewilderment claimed his face. Steve's round, chestnut-brown eyes ogled yours as you ranted and raved, explaining your thought process behind each purchase.

The record player was for nights like these. Peaceful nights indoors, simply enjoying each other's company without the tense presence of his parents who would shout for him to turn that damn music down if he even thought about letting the needle hit the groove of the record.

"Now we can play music as loud and as much as we want to," he remembered you saying, blushing at your use of the word "we". Though you two were only best friends and have been since grade school, Steve couldn't help but fantasize about a life with you. You, drowning in one of his bigger-than-you t-shirts, prancing around the apartment as you listened to some your favorite records.

He'd begun pondering on how he would rearrange the bit of furniture he had, that'd allow for space for your belongings as well, before you lured him out of his thoughts, defending the bin.

From what he gathered, you bought the garbage bin due to his burning inability to keep his bathroom clean. Steve was someone who took great care of his appearance, always well-kempt and attentive to even the smallest of details.

His bathroom did not reflect this, whatsoever. He had a bad habit of harboring empty cans and bottles of Farrah Fawcett spray that littered the already limited counter space he had in his en suite bathroom.

Steve was such a boy when it came to tidiness.

Everyone knew that about Steve, though. What they didn’t know, however, was how skilled he was in a kitchen. After being left to his lonesome whenever his parents would venture off to one of their many business trips, Steve spent his nights learning to cook after his allowance dwindled and he couldn't afford pizza delivery anymore. The second he'd clock in for his shift at Family Video, he'd make a beeline to where you stood, stocking VHS tapes, and instantly began buzzing and bustling about the new recipe he tried the night before.

You had begged him to let you come over one night to taste one of his home-cooked meals, but his response was always the same. "You can't rush perfection, sweets. But I promise, when I'm ready to grace the world with my master chef skills, you'll be the first to know."

You would roll your eyes dramatically at him but admittedly, you felt a sense of pride wash over you whenever Steve would tell you about his cooking endeavors. It may not seem like a big deal to others, but you knew how much his parents being so negligent, so often, bothered him.

Though they were never the most warm and affectionate, there seemed to be a colder chill and heavier sense of loneliness in the house when they were gone. That's why you never denied Steve whenever he'd call late at night asking if it was okay to spend the night at your house.

He always felt at home there.

Steve learning to cook for himself meant that his parents' absence was finally beginning to help him grow; no longer craving validation and tenderness from his family. He got that when he was with you. That's what the utensil set was for. A silent sign saying that though his parents weren't there, you were.

"Don't get me wrong, sunshine, I love the gift, but why's this knife so funny looking?" Steve asked, squinting his eyes at the sharp object that looked like it was from some alien universe. It had three square-like holes infiltrating the blade, and the tip came to an up-turned point that split in two. The handle was the only average looking part about it.

"That, my friend, is a cheese knife," you answered matter-of-factly, gazing at the box that had all of the included utensils neatly labeled.

"They make knives specifically for cheese?"

"Apparently, yeah," you snorted, tossing the empty box off to the side of the room with the other discarded cardboard that you made a mental note to move to the recycling bin on your way out. Steve never recycled. Bad habit he picked up from his parents, you figured.

"Well, I can't wait to use my weird new knife. Thank you. Seriously," Steve smiled softly as he watched you with those big brown eyes that voiced his gratitude and sentiment louder than his words ever could.

"The best weird chef has to have the best weird equipment. You're welcome," you grinned, toying with the loose thread dangling from your distressed band tee, as your eyes collided with Steve’s.

Looking at Steve was hard.

In the midst of quiet and almost intimate moments like these, the nerves bolting through your body screamed at you to look anywhere else, but the greed of your heart yearned for you to keep drinking in the deep chocolate pools that were Steve Harrington's eyes.

The two of you gazed at each other for another second, though it felt identical to a blissful eternity, until Steve furrowed his eyebrows after registering what you'd just uttered. "Did you just call me weird?" He asked, hand on his hip as if he's offended, though he truthfully isn't because he's positive you're infinitely weirder than he is, and he's more than willing to debate with you for hours on that topic.

"Nooo," you sang, quickly turning away to distract yourself with some unpacking that Steve had called you over to help him with, which you happily agreed to. A little extra time with him was time well spent.

"Yeah, okay," he rolled his eyes. He happily tucked away the flashy silverware he'd poached from his parent's kitchen into the darkest corner of the drawer, leaving the less flashy but much more appreciated utensils you bought him, front and center, ready to be shown off.

"Oh those? My best friend got them for me. Aren't they nice? Did you know they make knives for cheese?" He imagined himself saying, hoping he'd get the opportunity to boast about them to his guests some time soon.

Steve smiled to himself at the memory, angling the cutting board that harbored a pile of diced onions that he'd at last conquered, into a bowl, sliding them off with the blade of a knife that was a lot less odd shaped compared to his trusty cheese knife. It didn't even have to be that specific memory. It could've been any imagery of you being the effortlessly sarcastic, intelligent, breath-taking person that you were, and it would be the warm light to inevitably guide him out of whatever dark mood that dared to plague him.

Steve was so helplessly in love with you.

April 14, 1978, he could never forget the day, was particularly dreary. So dreary it made Steve begin to question why the spring time was thought to be such a radiant, pleasant season when all it ever did was bring rain and provoke people with allergies. Steve slammed his blaring alarm off with a groan, never bothering to pry open his tired eyes.

The sky was dark and dreadful, concealing the golden rays of the sun he yearned to see. As he trudged through the house, reluctantly gearing himself up for yet another torturous day of middle school, Steve silently prayed for some unorthodox happenstance that would call for the canceling of school.

But much to his dismay, that wasn't the case.

When the bell pierced through the classroom speakers, alerting the beginning of Steve's favorite class, P.E., he rushed to the locker room, jumping into his gym uniform, as he was determined to continue his unfaltering streak of dodgeball victories.

Steve was in the zone, taking out his opponents left and right as if it was nothing. If dodgeball was an Olympic sport, there was no doubt in anyone's mind that he could've won multiple gold medals.

Then you came.

Sauntering into sixth grade gym class, adorning a lengthy, bright yellow dress with your hair done up, looking as anxious as can be. It was your first day at Hawkins Middle and you'd just transferred halfway into the semester, all thanks to your parents decision to move to the small town, leaving New York City and all your friends behind.

Everyone turned their curious heads to peer at you, whispering amongst each other, prompting you to clutch your books tighter to your chest as if to shield yourself. Your soft smile as you looked around at your new classmates instantly made Steve's chest and stomach warm and gooey inside, making him want nothing more than to walk up to you and convince you to be his friend. Steve hated how gossipy his classmates were, as it clearly made you uncomfortable, but he couldn't bring himself to look away either.

The way the illuminous medallion hue complimented your skin tone was nothing short of art. To him, you were the sun personified. The sun he was so eager to see.

Due to your lack of sports attire, Coach Daniels had you sit on the bleachers, watching as the other kids resumed their game of dodgeball after mumbling a "warm" welcome to you, per Coach's request.

Steve lost his first game of dodgeball that day. He just couldn't seem to focus when you were perched just a few feet away, thumbing through your withered book, looking like one of the prettiest girls he'd ever laid his adolescent eyes on. Steve, or the boy with the hella good hair as you dubbed him in your diary later on that night, was too enamored with you to be bothered by the taunts coming from his friends. He jogged over to you, offering to keep you company until fourth period began, which you happily accepted.

And ever since then, the two of you have been as thick as thieves.

"Hawkins PD, open up!" Steve recognized your muffled voice, though you deepened it, to imitate a police officer. Your signature three knocks followed, urging butterflies to erupt throughout his stomach, as he longed to see you. It couldn't have been more than twenty-four hours since the two of you had last seen each other, but even one hour without you was an hour way too long for poor Steve.

"It's open", Steve called, tossing a hand towel over his shoulder, setting the stove ablaze, planting a pot over the flame. Right on time, he thought.

"Hey, Harrington," you smiled as you struggled to enter, cradling two bottles of rosé wine and your purse in your arms, pushing the door open with the help of your hip.

"Hey, sunshine. Lemme get those for ya," Steve offered, stowing your bearings on the counter gently, while you kicked your shoes off, mumbling a "thanks".

A warm amber light casted from the ceiling of the kitchen spilled into the shadowy living room a few feet away, like a neglected can of paint. The only thing that remained un-melted by the darkness was the quiet record player, as if the generous light knew you'd be looking for it the minute you walked in.

"How was your day?" Steve smirked as he watched you rush over to the object he swore was the only reason you liked to come over, sifting through the vinyl's searching for your favorite one. What’s Love Got To Do With It by Tina Turner. Steve spotted it before you did. Absentmindedly, you responded, “Not too shabby, ya know? How was yours?”

“Yeah, it was alright.”

You crouched down to the two tier storage table, running a finger across the spines of the records, searching for your beloved song. It quickly became the song you most adored when you'd bought the tape for your Walkman a few years prior. Your days weren't complete unless you played the song at least twice, so much so that Steve found himself quietly humming the song to himself whenever he'd miss you. He even caught himself doing that dumb little finger dance you normally did whenever you listened to a song you really liked. He'd never tell you that, though.

Much to your dismay, you couldn't seem to spy that sneaky record. You dropped your hand disappointedly, faintly fearsome that it'd been misplaced. Steve's apartment wasn't huge, but it wasn't exactly tidy either. “It’s right there, sweets. To your left.” So you diverted your attention to the left. No Tina Turner. “No, your other left.”

“Here?” you pointed. Steve hummed in confirmation.

“Well, that’s not the left, Steve. That’s the right,” was your response that you punctuated with a roll of your tired eyes. Apart from knowing how to get to Skull Rock with his eyes closed, the boy had zero sense of direction. It was something you found both endearing and infuriating. It depended on the day, really.

“Potato, potahto.” Oh, Steve. Melting butter into the burning pan in front of him that he almost completely forgot about, all thanks to your beautiful presence, he began sautéing his diced onions along with some fresh garlic. "Well, speaking of 'potahtoes' you need to be cooking some, 'cause you promised me dinner tonight," you smiled tight-lipped, cocking your head at an angle.

You felt the unpleasant sensation of your stomach growling, cursing you, at the heavenly thought of food as your shift at Family Video earlier today was unforgiving to your non-existent breakfast. You fumbled with the vinyl a bit as the mouthwatering aroma of home cooking stormed your senses and Steve spoke once more. "Feisty today, aren't we?"

"Just a tad," you laughed quietly.

"Well, I hate to disappoint you but tonight we're not having potatoes. I'm making your favorite," he pointed, shuffling the pan to give it a gentle stir. He made sure to turn to face you in time to see your hopefully delighted reaction. "Alfredo?!" you spun around with a glittering grin, almost knocking over Steve's plant. A fake one, of course. A real plant was a bit too much responsibility for him.

At the nod of his head, your cheesy smile soften to a smaller, less toothy one as you watched Steve while he resumed cooking. What you failed to share with your best friend was that the last phrase you'd actually use to describe your day was "not too shabby". Besides waking up almost an entire hour past the start of your shift (Keith made sure to give you an earful about that) and everyone and their mother in town deciding to be at Family Video today, it seemed like your day was never-ending. The only thing keeping your mood from turning stink to sour was the idea of going to see Steve.

Steve was kind of magical in that way. Anger, sadness, anxiety, you name it, it was no match for Steve. Though he was no poet, he had this way with words that would never fail to make you feel so comforted. So safe. Any instance where Steve had to talk you out of whatever mental turmoil you were enduring, it felt you were being endlessly wrapped in a cozy, tight blanket, sheltering you from all the darkness.

How Steve knew you were having a shit day and needed your favorite meal along with your favorite boy? Lord knows. His ability to read you without even needing to be near you was nothing short of wizardry. But like you said. Steve was magical.

"You're the best," you proclaimed, prompting a mumbled sly remark from your chef for the evening, before the music began. Being here, along with the divine sound of Tina's ethereal voice and pasta boiling in water, was more than enough to make you feel like you were right at home, though your true address was miles away. When the time to depart would make its cursed arrival, it was never easy to leave, especially with the way Steve begged for you to stay, using those unfairly adorable puppy dog eyes that paired beautifully with his lengthy lashes, against you.

And it always worked. Well, not always. You had some degree of self-control. But more times than not, you couldn't help but to cave in to his protests. How could you resist? It was Steve.

With a satisfied grin that carved deep smile lines into his blushing cheeks, he'd tuck his sheets snug around your body, repeatedly asking you if you were comfortable enough. His bed was cloud-like, plush and doughy and his pillows smelled like his shampoo and conditioner, a hint of cologne on his comforter. It was like you were trapped in a cocoon of Steve. You wanted to tell him you were beyond comfortable, that there, in his bed, you were in just about your favorite place on Earth but, habitually, you concluded that a simple nod would suffice.

Crawling onto the empty space beside you, he made sure to face you, leaving a soft squeeze on your shoulder before humming "G'night, sunshine," closing his eyes and tucking his hands under his head. And like always, Steve was a perfect gentleman, dead set on never getting under the covers himself when you'd sleep over.

Guilt would disrupt your relaxation at the sight of the brisk night chill building little hills on his freckled arms, though you selfishly loved the way he'd cuddle up to steal some of your body heat. His plump lips would part as he drifted into a peaceful slumber, light snores and chirping crickets being your lullaby.

You hoped to have another night like that soon.

In the midst of times like those, storms of wonder and doubt raged on. Was Steve like this with everyone else? Were you being silly thinking that you and Steve could be more than friends? Being Steve's best friend for nearly a decade, you knew he wasn't exactly a prude. His King Steve era was honestly one of your least favorites. Though he reserved his usual tenderness and affection all for you, you've witnessed a whole slew of girls enter and leave Steve's life, and none of them looked like you.

You wanted nothing more than to be one of the girls he'd have leaned up against his locker, arm resting next to their head, cheeks fanned by his minty breath as he whispered honeyed words. You craved dates at the drive-in theater in Steve's burgundy 1983 BMW only to neglect the movie and end up making out, like he did with other girls.

When Steve would bring his latest lover around, desperately, you did your damnedest to bury your jealousy and and fill its grave with merriment for him, because if anyone deserved to be happy, it was Steve. But the girls at school only wanted to be with Steve because of his status and all the flashy things he could buy them.

The flashy things were dull to you, though.

You wanted to be with Steve because you wanted to hold his hand and press soft kisses to his cheek. To hug him a little tighter and little longer than a best friend normally would. To run your fingers through his fluffy hair whenever he would grow stressed because you knew it calmed him down. To make him breakfast in bed when he was sick and even when he wasn't. To love him your fullest potential.

But you had to settle for this. Calves tucked under your thighs with a blanket draped over your legs as you stared off into space, longing for someone you thought you couldn't have, not knowing he was stealing glances of you wondering what was running through your pretty little head.

Resting your arm against the back of the sofa, holding your head up, your lips were downturned in a pout, eyebrows pulled together as you studied the throw pillow a few inches away from you. A little pillow can't be that interesting, something has to be bothering you, he thought. He was unapologetically curious to know if pressing his lips against your own would make that frown melt into that sweet smirk you usually had.

Steve hated when you were unhappy. It made his mind race. Did someone say something to you? Did someone do something to you? Did you eat today? How was your shift? Why did you lie when you said your day "wasn't too shabby"? Obviously it was shabby. Look at your face. That tired and troubled, cute little face. What can he do to fix it? You were his sunshine, you deserved to be happy, always.

Giving the pot a final stir and turning the flame off, Steve carelessly tossed the grease-stained hand towel flopped over his shoulder, down by the sink, strolling over to where he'd earlier set down the two bottles of wine. White Zinfandel. Neither you or Steve were wine connoisseurs, but when you called Nancy panicking about how extensive the selection at the liquor store was, she swore by it.

Balancing two glasses and a single bottle of the rose-tinted alcohol, Steve took an extra glance at your face, deciding to scoop up the second bottle into his arms. By the looks of it, it was gonna be one of those nights.

You tried to hide your smile as you noticed he was coming over, a slight grin on his face as he set the glasses down. You and him both knew he was only coming to cause trouble. He set the delicate haul down on to the thrifted wooden coffee table in front of you, slipping you one of those comforting 'Steve smiles' he usually did.

Like the forgotten towel, he threw himself down on the couch next to you, warm hand having a much softer landing on the plush of your thigh; a familiar and welcomed touch. Habitually, you curled up closer to him, no longer able to hide your smile.

"Why so glum, chum?" He tilted his chin down, slightly poking his bottom lip out, as he looked at you through batting eyelashes.

Laughing through your nose and subsequently parading a grin that displayed nothing but teeth and hollow happiness, you remarked, "What do you mean? Don't you see me smiling?"

You were fooling absolutely no one. Steve knew you were sad. And, goddamn it, he was gonna get it out of you.

"You know exactly what I mean, you weren't smiling just a few seconds ago until I came over. You're welcome, by the way, I'm flattered that I have such an effect on you," he smirked, placing a hand on his chest in gratitude.

"Okay, now I'm glum again," you roll your eyes at his not-so discreet cockiness. You hid your face in your hands, resting your forehead on Steve's shoulder. It was hard with muscle, but soft with tenderness and safety. "I was smiling at the wine, for your information."

The palm of your hand that pressed against your face muffled your words, but Steve could still understand what you said, it was evident in the way your tone was laced with satire.

"Ah, yes, that makes way more sense" Steve replied, monotone. His thumb began coasting along your skin as he urged you, "Alright, jokes aside. How are you really feeling?"

Hoisting your head up, you almost answered before he continued, "And don't give me that 'not too shabby' crap 'cause that frown you had going on earlier already snitched on ya."

When the hell did he get so observant? Steve was no idiot, but sometimes things needed to be spelled out for him. But come to think of it, you never had to spell things out for Steve whenever it came to you. He just always had a way of knowing.

"I don't know, Steve. Honestly. Some days are just a bit tougher than others. Today was one of those days," you murmured, avoiding the attentive gaze he was burning into your shifty eyes.

He slowly nodded as he processed your words, head falling on top of yours as you again found comfort on his shoulder. His eyes fluttered shut as you began mimicking the affection he was giving you on your thigh, rubbing his arm through the creamy cotton material of his crewneck. You hadn't seen it before. This one was new. So were the jeans he'd paired with it.

"Why're you dressed so nice, Harrington?"

He laughed more to himself than to you. "Well, the food can't be the only thing that looks good, you know? Wanted to look nice too. It's our first dinner together, after all," he mumbled the last bit.

Steve felt the skin around your eyes tighten against his shoulder as your eyebrows scrunched together. "We've had dinner together before, though."

"This one's different," he replied, almost instantly. You'd hoped Steve's eyes were still closed so that he wouldn't see the bashfulness you were weathering, plucking the corners of your lips into a soft smile.

A silence fell between the two of you. Not unusual. Not awkward. Never unusual or awkward. There was a mutual cherishment of moments like these. Shamelessly invading each other's personal space on the couch as if it was made to only fit one person, music playing lowly the distance, but preferring to listen to the sound of the other's breathing.

"How can I make you feel better, sunshine?" Steve questioned, voice still hushed. The volume of your voice wasn't much louder as you responded, thoughtlessly, "You don't have to ask me that. You make me feel better without even trying."

"Oh yeah?" He craned his neck so that his head was impossibly closer to yours, awaiting your confirmation. Steve knew that you enjoyed his company, as he did yours, but he was only joking earlier when he gushed about having such an effect on you. It was now his turn to hide his blush, when you hum, nodding your head fervently.

These were the warm moments that confused you so much more than any subject in school ever did. And unbeknownst to you, it messed with Steve's head too. He'd never been this close with anyone before. Especially not with any of his "girlfriends" in the past. Sure, they'd cuddle and talk about their feelings. But it never felt the way it does with you. Steve was in love with you. It was hopeless.

And he had to make it known. Soon. If not, he swore he'd explode.

"Ready to eat?"

"Mhm," you buzzed, untangling yourself from the envelop of Steve. As he pressed his knuckles into the sofa, willing himself up, you reached for the bottle of wine and a glass, but your hand only made it so far until it felt the sting of a petty swipe from the boy next to you. "Ah ah, missy, dinner first. Lord knows how many hours its been since you last ate."

You snorted, "Relax, it hasn't been that long."

"Oh yeah? When was the last time?" He looked at you with raised eyebrows and an expression that said he already knew your answer was going to be ridiculous. And if there was anything you learned tonight, it was that Steve was highly skilled at knowing when you were lying, so instead, you left him with a goofy smile and giggle that told him he was absolutely right in his assumption.

"Yeah, that's what I thought," the spot where he sat went cold as he left to the kitchen, fixing two plates for the both of you. You moved the drinks and glasses over to the dining table, using a nearby lighter to ignite the accompanying lavender and vanilla scented candles. Tina Turner's vinyl was replaced with Tears for Fears' album Songs from The Big Chair instead, as Steve used his elbow to dim the kitchen lights, hands full with heavy plates of pasta.

"Oh my gosh, this looks so good! Good job, Stevie," you cheered, as he set your plate down in front of you, pouring you a much needed glass of wine. Your hands shook with hunger or excitement, or both, as you picked up your fork, ready to dig in. "Yeah, don't get too psyched yet. Let's hope it tastes as good as it looks."

"I'm sure it does."

His knee rests against yours as he sits adjacent to you, gathering food on his fork, though his eyes are peering at you, awaiting your verdict. The mouthwatering smell of garlic, butter, cheese and other heaven-sent elements overwhelm your nose and you feel like you can't eat it soon enough. You pause for a beat and so does his heart, hand over your messy mouth as you chew. Steve's hand twitches as he contemplates wiping the sauce from the corners of your lips and licking his finger clean.

"Steve," you begin, eyes flickering shut. "I'm gonna need you to cook for me every night. This is so fucking good." The tension in his face eases at your palpable delight, mission well accomplished. He was proud of himself. Very proud. Almost as much as you were of him.

You throw your head back, the purest form of satisfaction consuming you. "I'm glad you like it, I've been trying to nail it for weeks," Steve laughs, finally taking a bite for himself.

"Well, you've succeeded," you beam, washing it down with a sip of wine. Everybody Wants to Rule the World begins playing and you smile at Steve, knowing it was his favorite song at the moment. You nod your head along as Steve hums. A truly peaceful pocket in time.

Through the large windows opening the living room to the rest of Hawkins, you had the perfect view of the bright lights and mountainous buildings from the neighboring city. It was like the sky had flipped on its axis and the stars weren't in the sky anymore, they were among the trees and high rise properties.

"Steve, look how pretty," you point towards the window as his gaze shifts from you to raindrop-riddled glass. "I love being able to see the city so close. Sucks that we can't see the stars, though. I've always wanted to go stargazing."

"Yeah, I remember you mentioning that a while ago. We gotta go one of these days," he replied, shoving a forkful of alfredo into his mouth.

"Oh, did you wanna go too?"

He shrugs his shoulders, chewing before speaking, "Eh, I'm not really a big stars guy. Besides, if I wanna see a pretty little light, all I gotta do is look at you," he says inattentively, going right back to eating as if he hadn't just said the sweetest thing anyone's ever said to you.

"Shut up, Harrington," you roll your eyes, letting out a half-hearted laugh as you take your last bite. How could he flirt with you so easily? So carelessly? Couldn't he see that you loved him and that whenever he says things like that it does something to you? Clueless boy.

"I'm serious. Why do you think I always call you sunshine?" He replies, not a hint of irony in his face.

"Steve," you warn, sitting back in your chair. You didn't know where this conversation was going, and you'd be damned if you got your hopes up for what you always got whenever you did: absolutely nothing.

"It's why I love when you wear yellow. Reminds me of the first time I ever saw you," he pressed. He said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world. Clueless girl.

"Steve," your voice wavered. "What? Why do you keep saying my name like that?" He laughed, dryly.

He grew worried that he was saying too much. Saying things that a person shouldn't say to their best friend. He took a sip of his wine. Then another. Then another. He was considering just downing the whole glass. Maybe he was saying too much.

Screw that, he was in love with you.

"What're you saying to me right now?" You charged, voice a little harsher than what you'd intended, but you demanded an answer. A straightforward one. "I'm saying that I'm done hiding it."

"Hiding what?"

"That I love you."

The revelation yanks your parted lips shut, unsure of what to say next. You had dreamed for what felt like a lifetime for Steve to say those words to you and at last, it was no longer a dream, but instead reality. The rapid pace of your heartbeat could be felt in your chest and ears, and the butterflies in your stomach were more wild and untamed than ever before.

Steve's eyes didn't leave yours, though the stillness from you was killing him. The silence between you two that was once never awkward or unusual, was now painful and nearly unbearable.

Your dilated pupils scanned over his face, relentlessly. The jokey, teasing grin that he often sported when he was messing with you was unaccounted for. Holy shit. The gate to your thoughts opened once more. "You're serious," you whispered.

"How could I not be?" Steve watched you with adoring eyes, the warm light of the candle giving the melted chocolatey pond the sweetest infusion of honey.

"Kiss me."

Forks and butter knives fall to the ground with several, loud unpleasant clanks as Steve leans over the square dining table, hungrily pressing his lips against yours. His lips are garlicky and a little chapped, as yours probably are as well, yet the kiss is nothing short of perfect.

His mouth does a passionate dance against yours as you follow his lead, embracing the plush little pillows with your own. It was both everything you've imagined it'd be and nothing like you'd thought at the same time. You already knew Steve was an amazing kisser. Anyone who went to Hawkins High knew it. But experiencing it for yourself was completely different and new. It was euphoric.

The two of you have to reluctantly pull yourselves off of each other to catch your breaths. This moment was a long time coming.

Steve's hands are still holding onto to either side of your face, unwilling to let you go just yet. Truly savoring every second of the present. His breath fans across your cupid's bow, as he smiles against your lips. "You drive me crazy, you know that?"

Giggling, you wrap your palms and fingers around his wrists, rubbing your nose on his. "Sorry," you shrug, feeling his thumbs caress your warm cheeks.

"Don't be," he shakes his head, engulfing your soft lips into another kiss.

message from jojo: pls comment and reblog if you enjoyed! it means a lot <3

[marleyybluu]

Differences

husband!Rio x f!black!OC ( Toni - no relation to Miss Braxton.)

Word count: 3.2k

Content warning: 18+, smut out the ass, riding, fingering, p in v, creampie, use of the word cock sorry oops, baby-making boogie, doubts about marriage, doubts about kids, fluff, Rio being in love, lot of switching between his names, allusion to food play if you squint hard enough (?). lmk if I missed any.

A/N: this was orginally for... someone else iykyk mind your business, but I switched last minute. Also I gave Rio a middle name lol

(Not my gif, found off Pinterest. but FUCK ME he looks good)

They'd been married for four years. They enjoyed their marital life, going on various trips, spending their money all willy-nilly since it was just the two of them, having parties at their house every holiday but something was missing. At least for Toni. She always wanted to be a mother, children invaded her heart and soul her whole life. Her sisters had children that she loved to babysit, she was even in the delivery room a few times. She'd become a teacher for the sole purpose of spending her days with young ones, making a difference in their lives and loving them wholeheartedly as much as she could.

But it seemed like Rio wasn't in the same boat. Which was stupid because they made sure to have this discussion before they got married and he was on board one hundred percent, Toni wanted to make her husband a father, she wanted to see him cradle a little blanket in his arms, she wanted to see him snuggling next to the chubbiest cheeks and she wanted to see his face light up at their first word but, again, he seemed to not want it for himself.

It was frustrating.

She'd let the four years pass, it was a good time window, they had time to get their lives together and buy a house, fully furnish it, settle into a decent neighbourhood and buy an SUV to fit the little family they dreamed of.

Toni even made sure to let him know when she was ovulating, the perfect opportunity to try and make a child, but he'd shrivel up and disappear when she brought it up. Then she'd spend her nights quietly doubting his interest in kids, his interest in her.

They hadn't spoken in four days, the aftermath of their first real argument, the vibes in the house were heavy and sometimes a bit awkward. She even started staying late at work to avoid him even longer.

They weren't all that selfish, they still said good morning and good night but that was about it. Little to her knowledge it was killing Rio. He hated the silent treatment from her, she was his girl they talked all the time, this had been the best relationship he'd ever been in, he didn't want to fuck it up but it felt like he already did.

He tried sneaking his way back into her heart by leaving little love notes, cooking her favourite meals and turning on her favourite shows in hopes she'd join him on the couch but all he got was the cold shoulder and he understood. He fucked up big time.

"I'm ovulating." She stated plainly. Rio just blinked and shrugged. She groaned. "Christopher, I can't do this anymore, I'm dropping hints that I want to start trying and you... you ignore me."

"I'm not ready."

"When will you be? Because I am."

He chuckled nervously. "Come on, Toni, we cannot be parents. We'll fuck it up."

The look on her face sent his heart into the pit of his stomach, her eyes glossy with tears coming in, and a harsh; "Fuck you, Christopher!"  To follow suit. It stung hearing those words, if she ever said them it was more so in a playful manner but this time she had rage, anger behind her words and rightfully so. But tonight he was determined to make amends, he could not keep living like this.

It was Friday, and Toni decided she'd come home a little earlier. Rio sat up quickly at the sound of her car door slamming and the keys on her keychain jingling as she sifted for the house key. The door opened and he tried his best to keep his cool. "Hi, darlin." He greeted.

"Hey." She said in the most monotone voice he'd ever heard. "Hungry?" He asked. "Nah, I'm cool."

Toni slipped off her shoes and crept up the stairs to their room, she placed her purse on a chair nearby and sighed, just ready to shower and lay down for the rest of the weekend. She walked past their bathroom intending to head to her Vanity but a red spot on the floor caught her eye, and then another... and another. But they weren't spots, they were rose petals, a trail of them leading up to the tub that was already filled with water, the smell of her lavender bath bomb invading her senses. On the counter were a few lit candles and her little speaker so she could play music.

She swallowed her smile and headed back to the room to collect her clothes for the night. Meanwhile, Rio was finishing the final touches on his persuasive dinner downstairs. He made Macaroni just the way she taught him, some rice and chicken, even topped it off with a red velvet cake... okay so he bought the cake but it was the thought that counted right?

He set up the table for both of them to eat together, he set up the forks and knives on the table with a small vase of her favourite flower, pink Dahlia's. His palms were suddenly sweaty, tonight was make or break. If he didn't fix things tonight he had no idea where they would stand after.

Almost an hour later, Toni decided she'd close the distance between them only because she was hungry. Her feet pressed against the carpeted stairs as she descended onto the main floor, the living room was empty, Rio left whatever he was watching on pause. Her head whipped over to the kitchen smelling a lovely fragrance, she followed the trail and stopped in her tracks at the opening to the kitchen. She watched as Rio scrambled to plate their food, she tilted her head and smiled lightly, her eyes slowly forming into hearts. Oh, how she loved him.

"Do you want help?" She asked making her presence known, Rio shook his head. "Just sit and be pretty." She giggled. "I have no problem doing that."

She sat around the table, her eyes landing on the Dahlia's, her smile widened. "You got these for me?"

"Of course," He replied walking with two plates in his hand like a waiter, he put hers down first and then his. "Any drink requests?" He asked. She motioned her finger in a 'come here' motion, his eyebrows knitting with confusion but following her non-verbal instruction, she cupped his face pulling him even closer until their lips, moulding into one. She'd been wanting to kiss him for days, she didn't know if she could ever hold a grudge this long again.

The kiss was quick, just a little show of appreciation. She could see a light shade of pink take over his cheekbones. "Do we have any wine?"

"Went and got two new bottles." He says matter of factly. Toni pecked his lips again before sending him off for her drink. He grabbed two wine glasses and the bottle. "You're going to drink wine?" She asked in utter confusion. He couldn't stand wine, his famous line was 'I don't know how you drink this shit.'

He shrugged sitting down. "I can drink wine."

"Christopher... baby you hate wine."

"I can learn to like it."

She knew he was doing everything to soften her up, but the look on his face when he took a first sip was priceless. "Go and get a beer, leave me and my wine alone." He chuckled and quickly grabbed a bottle from the fridge.

The two sat and actually conversed for the first time in four days. It was nice. They talked without missing a beat, he was making her smile and laugh, she told him about the kids at work and the twinkle in her eye at the smallest mention of them was beautiful. She truly loved her students, they made her day every day with the silly stuff they'd say to her. He was in love with how motherly she could be toward everyone, how forgiving she was of anyone and especially of him. He didn't deserve her and he'd made it known numerous times and in the same amount she'd reassured him that he was just for her.

In the middle of her ramble, she noticed the way he was staring at her and suddenly she became shy. "What?" She asked. "I love you, mama."

"I love you too, Christopher."

He shook his head vigorously. "No, I love you more than you could ever imagine, Toni. And I am so so sorry for what I said."

She sighed. "It's okay."

"No, it's not okay. You will be an amazing mom to our kids and I couldn't picture anyone else having them, shit I couldn't even picture having a family until you came, it wasn't in the cards for me." He confessed. "My whole life has changed and I'm forever grateful for it. I want it to keep changing."

She tugged on her bottom lip, trying her best to swallow her tears. "When I saw how my words affected you, baby, my heart broke. I never want to be the reason you're sad. Never. I've missed you these few days. I need you back. I'm sorry."

Toni was speechless, her lips parted to say something but how do you respond to the sweetest apology ever?

Her eyes darted between his pretty brown ones, she stood up and walked over to him, swinging her leg over his she planted herself comfortably on his lap. His hands instantly rested on her hips. She didn't say anything, just leaned down and kissed him and he could swear that on her lips he could taste his past, his present and his future and she was there for every step, for every second. He wouldn't dare say such foolishness to her again.

Toni could feel a little poke through his sweats, she quietly moaned into his mouth, his hands exploring her warm chestnut skin under her shirt, his fingers trickling down her back. His lips moved to her chin and down to her neck to the spot he knew oh so well, his facial hair tickling her skin only adding to the sensation and a ray of goosebumps formed on her skin. "Christopher...mmm." Was all she could mutter, her hips involuntarily moving back and forth desperately searching for friction to soothe the aching of her clit. He got the message though, firmly splaying his hands under her ample ass, he stood up and she wrapped her legs around him.

He was halfway out of the kitchen when he realized; "Wait, I got you a red velvet cake."

Toni laughed, and she kissed his forehead, god he was so cute. "Boy, forget the cake. Take me upstairs and you can eat a different cake."

Rio raised his eyebrows, didn't have to tell him twice. "That's why I married yo ass girl."

She gladly hung off of him while he carried her up the stairs and once they made it to the room he dropped her on the bed, her sweet laughter filled the room. He settled between her legs, peppering her with kisses and affection. "I can't wait to see you, walking around here with a little belly, carrying around our love." He twitched at the thought and she noticed. A small surprised look on her face. "Is the thought of me pregnant... turning you on?"

"No." He quickly denied it. "Christopher Javier Martínez, yes it does." She teased reaching in between them to cup his hardening erection. "Mm, so you want to fill me up? Hm?" Her voice was so smooth and silky yet seductive, her lips pressing against his only for a moment. "You want to see me carrying your baby around? How swollen and plump my breasts are gonna get? Practically spilling over my tops."

"Toni." He groaned. She giggled but her taunting was cut short when he reached into her (well, his) boxers, his fingers teasing her slit, her wetness coating him. Her back arched as he quickly dipped his fingers inside her heat and back out. "Stop playin' with me." She moaned. "Why?"

Her shirt slid up her torso and past her breasts exposing her erect nipples, his mouth quickly latching onto one, his tongue swirling around her pretty brown areolas, so delicious. His free hand massaged her other one, his thumb and index fingers playing with her nipple. Her back arched and her legs squirm under him.

"Christopher, baby, please." She whined. He chuckled and something about was kind of sinister like his intent was to tease her all night until she begged for what she wanted. He popped her nipple out of his mouth, planting a kiss on it before moving on to the next, his hips grinding into hers pressing his clothed cock on her needy clit. "Yes... oh, I need more, please." She gasped.

He kissed between the valley of her breasts, down her torso and finally reaching his destination above the band of her underwear, he tugs them off in almost a hungry manner, his mouth attaching to her pussy like a magnet. His tongue going to work on her clit, his thumb caressing the rest of her slit. Toni's entire body shivered, her legs slowly closing around his head, he used his free hand to smack her inner thigh, she squealed and spread them out, holding the under of her thighs for support.

Her eyes glided to the back of her head, she squirmed, her back arching just a little bit. "Oh... y-yeah." Her toes cracked while pleasure coursed through her veins. Rio hummed against her sensitive nub, his own hips losing themselves as he hunched against the mattress with neediness. Her thighs trembled as they partially rested on his shoulders. She moaned and whined, whimpered and croaked as he devoured her existence.

"fuck, baby, I'm so close." She warned with her jaw slacked as the hairs on her arm stood, her body stiffened, her nails scratched at his scalp with appreciation and love as he carried her through the tantalizing loops of her orgasm.

She was dripping down his beard and he smiled against her thigh, his teeth gently biting on the flesh. "Oh!... Mr. Martinez." She giggled. He kissed his way back up her body, his lips landing on her chin. "I'm so glad I married you." She hummed running her nails over his skin. "Hm, I love you, ma." He cooed pressing a kiss to her nose. Rio slid off his sweats and boxers, dick sliding between her soaking folds. Her hand reached between them wrapping her fingers around his well-sized shaft.

Their lips connect as she guides him inside her soft walls. She gasped and softly moaned as he eased his way in until she was stuffed. Toni wrapped her legs around his waist. "You good?" Just checking. She nodded, too full to speak. His lips occupied her neck, her mind in the clouds as he fucked her stupid. Mutters and mumbles of "fuck me! Yes!" Or "right there!" As he skillfully worked his hips. He held her close, his face buried in the curve of her neck. His thrusts were hard and slow, he was making her feel every inch, every bit of stretch he provided.

Her high creeping its way into her bones, her moans became louder as he consistently tapped against her g-spot. There was no way he was about to make her nut again in such a short amount of time. He could feel her juicy walls contracting around him, hugging him so tight. "You're so wet for me, huh, my pretty baby?" 

Toni's jaw slacked while he talked to her, nibbling on her ear. "So fucking wet, can feel it dripping down my balls, fuck." 

She whined. "I can't- shit! shit! ooooh!" 

He chuckles as he pulls out, regrettably at that. Toni cried out, her climax so close yet so far. Rio fell onto the bed, slapping her thigh he said, "Get on top." 

She sucked her teeth, in no mood to be on top, still irritated from being denied her needs. Rio pinched her and she yelped. "Ow! You dick!" She laughed slapping his arm. "Hurry up and get on this dick." He urged pulling her arm to help her over. She swung her leg across his body, perching herself on his lap like earlier. His dick resting perfectly against one of her cheeks. She looked down at him and he was so fucking pretty. His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed thickly, her eyes landing on that notorious Eagle tattoo on his throat then down over the rest that he had scattered on his body, she moaned at that alone. 

She leaned forward, raising her hips and skillfully lining him up with her entrance, no hands needed. She watched as his rosy lips parted slightly and a small crease in between his eyebrows formed when they came together. "Fuuuuck." He dragged out feeling his dick be re-enveloped in her velvety walls. Toni moved her hips back and forth with one goal in mind, to get herself off. She used her knees as leverage to lift her hips up and back down, her ass jiggling when colliding with his thighs. With her lip between her teeth, her head tossed back she got to work on him. 

Rio's hands gladly squeezed at her sides, her moans filling the room once again. "You're so fucking pretty on top of me, mama." He encouraged, but he truly meant it, she looked like a fucking angel. "Oh god, oh god... fuck yes, Rio!" He felt himself twitch, his wife rarely called him by his street name, she only did it when she wanted to tease him, loved to do it when they were around others. 

He groaned spanking her. She smiled, a hazy look in her eyes. "What's my name, mama?" 

Toni cried out, her head falling forward as she bounced out her orgasm. "Fu-fuuuck, Rio!" 

"Squeezing this dick so fuckin' tight, come on..." He sat up hooking his arm around her waist, his tongue darting out to the underside of her breast, tasting the saltiness of her sweat. Toni sang out his name, her back arched and her eyes rolled. He grabbed her hips and guided her up and down, her body going limp. "Shit! Oh... Toni, I'm comin' baby." He growled through gritted teeth, he pressed his forehead against her sternum and she softly smiled feeling his warm seed spread inside her. "Fuck... that feels so good." She giggled, she was cock drunk. He kissed her glistening skin. 

They stayed like that for a moment, she kissed the top of his head, her hands on his shoulders as she slowly pushed him onto his back again, she climbed off of him and sighed in satisfaction. "You want something to drink?" He asked, she shook her head. "Nah, you gotta hydrate ma. I'm making sure I put a baby in you tonight." He laughed lightly smacking her thigh. Her cheeks warmed as a smile fell onto her face. 

She watched as Rio, naked and all, left the room to go downstairs. "Bring the cake too!"Toni shouted, he could just hear the smirk in her voice.

"You are so nasty!" He yelled back.

 "You love it though!" 

If you liked this fic free to like this fic, likes, reblogs and comments are appreciated. peace and love, see you in the next one 🤙🏾 If you're interested in reading other fics based on songs just like this one you can find them here in 'The Mixtapes.' playlist.

tags: @darqchilddaydreamz @rio-reid-whoreee @skyesthebomb tags that might be interested: @bigenergy777 @realhotgurlshit @lovedlover

[silverflqmes]

agszc with self care/slice of life comfort?

i've been feeling really down with myself for a bit now & i could use that extra push of feeling a bit better :,) perhaps some ideas could include like: maybe distracting the reader from a failed exam by going shopping together, grocery shopping and cooking a meal together at home, perhaps that one rp with noya where he was kissing insecurities away (hi yes its sky), maybe a pep talk to help with motivation, hmm what else ALSO U DONT HAVE TO DO THESE EXACT THINGS IM JUST GIVING IDEAS... i just want the boys there for me soBS (esp zack and cloud since yk favs.)

໒⦂ 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐓 𝐇𝐂𝐒.

notes. hey queen i did headcanons for this because it seemed better suited, i hope the post helps you feel better at least, you can do it<3

genre. comfort + crack

for @melukonova <3

ft. sephiroth, cloud strife, zack fair, genesis rhapsodos, angeal hewley

gender neutral! reader.

➫ 𝓢𝗘𝗣𝗛𝗜𝗥𝗢𝗧𝗛 ୨୧ ˎˊ˗

⌗ for whatever reason that your day and mood has been sullied, sephiroth is already on it and is doing everything in his power to try and make you feel better.

⌗ he’s not the best with handling emotions, as he has difficulty with understanding his own, but wants to help — it hurts him to see you ache like this and to know he couldn’t prevent your suffering🙁

⌗ offers to masamune whoever brought your pain, even if it’s an inanimate object incapable of fighting back.. it’s sweet of him ( and it becomes difficult to suppress your smile )

⌗ just kidding ( not really. ), he comes to the conclusion that a self care day is likely the best approach to make you feel better — genesis had brought the idea up once before

⌗ sephiroth wasn’t exactly one for worrying for his well being, he didn’t have much time to sit down and do so anyway.. but he figured he might try that out with you

⌗ and so, after getting off work, he made a point to grab some supplies from the store, which included these super cute kitty headbands to push your hair back!!

⌗ self care portion of the day ensues and ends with takeout and some cuddling on the couch to some silly sitcoms. laughter cures the blues right? so that’s just what he’s going for to see you smile again<3

➫ 𝓒𝗟𝗢𝗨𝗗 𝓢𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗙𝗘 ୨୧ ˎˊ˗

⌗ having a bad day? cloud’s been there and is ready to lend an ear to listen. he isn’t the most optimistic person and doesn’t have the best way with words, but he is willing to help!

⌗ he’s a bit awkward with the advice ( he might interest you in a sarcastic comment- kidding, maybe.. ) and words of consolation, but he’s doing his best and is determined to get his words across to you.

⌗ he offers to take you on a delivery with him, a drive can help sometimes with getting out of the house and just getting fresh air — or well.. as fresh as the air can be in midgar / edge..

⌗ part of him thought you would be reluctant and would argue on why and how you should continue to rot in your bed — but you were oddly willing ( maybe because you always have to ask to join.. )

⌗ either way, made his job a hundred times easier and he was glad to see you cooperating with him because he thought he would have needed to drag you by the ankles..

⌗ the drive goes nicely, you can feel yourself begin to calm down as you hold onto him and watch the scenery pass you by; it’s such a simple thing but it’s quelling your nerves and intrusive thoughts, thankfully

⌗ once the package is delivered, cloud spares a little of his time before your scheduled drive back home and takes you out for lunch along with a little stroll around the town🫶

➫ 𝓩𝗔𝗖𝗞 𝓕𝗔𝗜𝗥 ୨୧ ˎˊ˗

⌗ zack is the definition and embodiment of an emotional support animal. whatever, or even whoever, decided to ruin the flow of your day, he’s there to provide comfort!

⌗ has a pretty good grasp on emotions, even if there are some things he might not fully get, but he wants to help in any way he can! seeing you sad is the worst thing ever, how dare, whatever hurt you, steal away that smile of yours??

⌗ his best course of action is to take you out and doodle up a list of activities for you to do to uplift your mood. distraction is temporary, of course, but it works its course and he was going to make it succeed!

⌗ said list includes visiting the arcade, a walk through the mall, buying you flowers, feeding and petting any strays with your leftovers from where you guys ate and maybe even karaoke while the night is still young..

⌗ should the karaoke go as planned, it would be a mission to get zack out of there LMAO he wants to do cheesy romantic duets with you and boyband songs..

⌗ despite your whines and protests, they do not fail to make you grin and wash away whatever ickiness you had felt earlier.

⌗ it’s a full day that ends up getting you tired by the final activity, but it was all part of the plan!!! distraction and getting a good nights sleep! perfect, right?

➫ 𝓖𝗘𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗜𝗦 𝓡𝗛𝗔𝗣��𝗢𝗗𝗢𝗦 ୨୧ ˎˊ˗

⌗ how dare someone or something sour your mood and evening! genesis is completely distraught and is prepared to do whatever means necessary to exact his revenge..

⌗ fires will be set ( not really but it sounds like a really good idea at the moment ESPECIALLY BECAUSE TUMBLR DIDNT SAVE MY SHIT AND I HAVE TO REWRITE THIS — im sorry.. um moving on.. )

⌗ in the end, fires were not set.. he opts for taking you out to dinner and bringing you to loveless avenue because it just works, and he wants to spoil you with gifts<3

⌗ dinner was lovely and like a fairytale — i mean being with genesis in general was like a fairytale, but he somehow always seemed to exceed your expectations..

⌗ you’re feeling slightly better as you exit the vicinity, taking an idle walk down sector eight since he insisted on a stroll — not because he wanted to check the loveless merch, definitely not. of course not.

⌗ he ends up buying you something your gaze lingered on a little longer than you had planned for, which you protested on at first.. but then you gave in, because it was genesis — aaand he also bought it regardless of what you said..

⌗ he walks with you hand in hand on your way home and proposes his idea of setting fires if you were still upset. you of course, say no.. i mean, psh a fire??? yeah, right..

➫ 𝓐𝗡𝗚𝗘𝗔𝗟 𝓗𝗘𝗪𝗟𝗘𝗬 ୨୧ ˎˊ˗

⌗ bad mood? rough day in general? angeal is prepared to do whatever is necessary to help you through your mood — anything to return your happiness to you rather than this funk you’re in.

⌗ his best course of action was to take you to the market to buy the necessary ingredients to prepare your favorite meal! they say food cures any blues, perhaps that applies here as well?

⌗ unwilling as you were to leave the comfort of your bedroom, he managed to get you out with the promise of pushing you in the cart..

⌗ yes you wanted to be pushed in the shopping cart, who wouldn’t want to be pushed in a shopping cart after a shit day?

⌗ the small joyride seems to lift your mood a little and he even bought you some of your favorite snacks to have after the meal he’s preparing<3 what a guy🥰

⌗ arriving home, he immediately gets to work on dinner, and after a few back hugs from you along with a brief sway while he waited on the food to finish, it was finally time to set the table!

⌗ nothing too fancy but you appreciated it nonetheless, as you could taste the love and care in each bite you took. truly angeal was the gift of the goddess!!!

notes. okay uh this is not the best quality because stupid tumblr did not save ( GET AN AUTOSAVE FEATURE PLS I CANT DO THIS ANYMORE ) — but i hope you liked it and that you feel better mami<3

↳ return to main masterlist . request rules . send an ask

[atinystraynstay]

I'd Wait For You - Joshua Hong

Synopsis: Joshua was your best friend, the person who has witnessed you grow and blossom. That includes being front row to watching you fall in and out of love with people. Joshua was convinced he could treat you better. Could you find yourself to let him in?

Pairing: non-idol! Joshua Hong x fem reader

Genre: Angst, childhood friends to lovers, fluff here and there!

Word Count: 2.3k

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When Joshua thought of the person he was, it was because of you. You were the one who helped him pick out clothes so he found his style, you were the one who boosted his confidence he he doubted himself and pushed him to try new things, and you were the one who helped him made bad decisions sometimes in the hopes of making long-lasting memories. You were his person.

It was written by the universe that the two of you would be best friends. With your mothers being so close, there is no denying that you two will always have an important place in each other's lives.

Ever since you were younger, you two didn't go somewhere without the other. You attended the same schools, even the same college. Sure, college led you two to different friend groups, different activities, and different majors. But you always made time for each other even when life got busy. You two would study constantly and promised to have one meal together once a week. And you two never broke that promise.

Anyone who witnessed your friendship always commented there was something more. Joshua saw it too. He easily fell for you. How couldn't he? You accepted every version of himself and were the person who brought him an immense source of comfort. He couldn't imagine life without you.

Unfortunately, he had to imagine what it would be like to be with you.

"Do you think he's worth it?" You sighed.

The two of you were on FaceTime. It was a Tuesday night. While Joshua was at home, waiting for his food delivery, you were busy getting ready for a date.

Part of the reason why Joshua had to imagine what life would be like if you two were together is because you were seeing someone. For the past few months, you've been dating this guy named Ben. Now, Joshua didn't think much of Ben at first. He didn't seem like your type, so he thought he would come and go.

And he has to some extent. Ben and you had this awful habit of breaking up and getting back together. While it pained Joshua to see you with someone else, he loved the moments you confided him about your dating woes. He took mental notes of dos and donts for when you two (hopefully) get together. Ben was striking out left and right, mainly due to his poor communication. What Joshua didn't understand was why you always found yourself going back to him.

"Y/n, I don't know. You guys break up so much, I've lost count," he laughed. "It's only been 3 times," you groaned. "3 times what? This week?" "But he said he's changed this time. I mean, he even sent flowers to my apartment after our argument two nights again. That's got to mean something, right?" Joshua wanted to roll his eyes so much at your rationale. He adored you with every fiber in his being, and he didn't want to come across as dismissive, but he felt frustrated both because of you and for you. Ben was not worth it in his eyes. Nobody is worth it for you except for him. But he was your best friend. That was his role. "Maybe, angel. But there's only so much flowers can do to make up for how he treats you sometimes." Your smile had flattened by Joshua's words. And it pained him. He never wanted to be a source of sadness in your life. I guess that's why Joshua often pushed his feelings for you aside. He didn't want to be selfish and confess because that might cause a bigger mess. He loved you. He has since he was 8 years old. If you only saw him as a best friend, he would proudly take that role.

In a perfect world, you would confess to Joshua your feelings. He was ready to embrace those feelings head-on because he knew how he felt about you. What kept him back was not knowing how you felt towards him. You've always been so prominent in each other's lives. He didn't want to imagine a world without you. He was terrified that if he did ever confess, it would only push you away.

Joshua had found himself as the leading man in a tragic love story. "Just promise me something?" He requested. "Whatever you decide, follow your heart."

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

You had to hang up the phone call in order to get ready for your date. Joshua sighed once you face vanished from his phone. He set the phone on the coffee table before driving his fingers through his hair.

How could this happen? You were supposed to be with him, not with some random guy you met who knows where? Not with someone who doesn't see your value.

The whole situation frustrated him beyond belief. On paper, you guys were a perfect match. You two knew each other like the back of your hand. Even when you did have a disagreement, you guys would not allow it to blow up. You spoke to each other with respect, even if you were both angry because you cared about each other. In some ways, you could say you loved each other. Joshua definitely was in love with you.

He has received relentless teasing from his friends about his lack of making a move on you. His friends thought even pushing might cause him to crack. And it almost did. Yet, he was still afraid of losing you and now he might actually be.

You always saw him as a friend, or at least that's what Joshua believed. You two were best friends, nothing more and nothing less. This wasn't some love story where the childhood best friends fall for each other, no matter how many times he prayed it would happen. This was his reality. If he had to let you go to keep you in his life, he would. And he would be there to pick up the pieces each time.

Suddenly, a buzz brought Joshua out of his mind and back to the present moment. He sat up a little straighter, looking towards the door of his apartment. Did he hear that correctly? He glanced towards the clock on the wall. 8:16pm.

Ding dong. Who could that be?

Joshua pushed himself off of the couch before shuffling towards the door. It was just a short walk towards the front of the apartment. He slowly unlocked the top lock and twisted the doorknob to unlock his front door.

There you were.

"Y/n?! What happened?" "Why didn't you fight for me?"

Your voice was calm, yet your body language screamed rage. You had your hair pulled back in a clip, exposing your bare face to the world. You looked divine, but Joshua didn't have time to compliment you. He noticed how your eyebrows were slightly scrunched up while you stared into him. He thought your gaze was going to burn a hole right through them. You were wearing a zip-up hoodie and sweatpants.

"Answer me, Joshua."

Oh no, I'm in deep shit. He was at a loss for words as he stared at you. His mind racking through all the interactions you had. Did he say something over FaceTime? Did he forget to say something? Did you ask him to do something but he forgot? He was drawing a blank.

"Do you like me yes or no, Joshua? Because everyone is saying you do besides you."

His eyes grew wide at that statement. Who spilled? "Y/n, listen-" "No, Joshua, you listen. How dare you let me go on dates with people who treat me poorly. You're my best friend! We're supposed to tell each other everything." That part you whispered. "How could you not tell me?"

"What a damn minute," Joshua finally said. He had a raised eyebrow before opening the door all the way. He stepped aside to let you in, motioning for you to follow him. "I am not going to argue with you outside of my apartment. Get in." You sighed and nodded, slowly stepping in. Obviously something happened in between from the moment you guys to now. Who did you speak to? Who told you his secret? Why were you angry?

Once you were fully into his apartment, Joshua closed the door. You immediately found a spot on his couch, right beside where he was previously sitting. Your hands were locked in front of you, your one leg bouncing. Your breathing was starting to slow down a bit but you gaze was still locked on him. While not as intense, you still had your eyes trained on him.

"Can I get you a water or something before we continue this conversation?" He asked gently.

"There you go again!" You groaned. Your head leaned until it hit the pillow behind you. Your gaze is now trained on the ceiling above you two. He was surprised, completely speechless as he thought he was doing the right thing. "I'm so sick of you being nice to me."

Joshua raised an eyebrow before shuffling over to you. He took a seat on the couch beside you but kept enough distance. He wasn't sure how to process all that was transpiring, but he needed to understand where you were coming from. And apparently have some explaining to you.

"Y/n, sweet girl, you need to tell me what's going on." "You is what is going on," you confessed.

Slowly, you sat up until you were at eye level with him once again. The room was tense. He was nervous, afraid that what you had been told was going to bring his worst fear to reality - that he might lose you. "Joshua, you've set too high of a standard for me. You're kind without asking for anything in return. You treat me like a fucking princess when I'm only your best friend. I'm angry that we aren't together but you treat me better than any guy I've been with."

Was this actually happening? Were you confessing to him? "Y/n, do you like me?" 'I have liked you since I knew what it meant to have a crush on someone," you admitted. "But."

Not the cursed 'but.' "We're best friends. I didn't eat to be presumptuous and think you like me when we've been friends for so long. But then Seungkwan told me that you had feelings for me yesterday. I didn't think it was true especially not when you pushed me to go out with someone else tonight."

Fuck. "Y/n, look, we are best friends," Joshua began. You looked at him as if you just stabbed him in the heart. "But, I fell in love with my best friend."

Very gently, he took both of your hands in his. You stared up at him with a facial expression he couldn't recognize. This was new for both of you. You were venturing into uncharted territory for the two of you. His thumbs caressed over your knuckles which both soothed your nerves but caused your heart to pound faster. "This was not the way I planned on telling you," he confessed. "I actually wanted to tell you once you were single again because I didn't want to stand in the way of being happy." This time, you reached out to him. Keeping one hand in his, your other hand reached over to run your fingers through his hair, pushing the strands back to expose his face more. You seemed to relax under your touch which made you smile for the first time that evening. "Josh, I'm my happiest when I'm with you. Have I not made that clear in all the years we've known each other?" "Y/n, you know I have too much respect for you and too much invested in this friendship to just assume someone like you could ever be into me." You squeezed his hand gently, unable to stifle the giggle leaving your lips. You moved closer to him, our lips almost right under his. "This is so silly. What are we doing? Why are we keeping ourselves from being our happiest versions of ourselves?" He smirked at your question. With his free hand, he cupped your cheek gently. His thumb caressed over your cheek affectionately as he gazed into your eyes. He always has been mesmerized by the fact that your eyes captured any light in the room. They sparkled like two disco balls. "Let's change that," he murmured.

Time stopped. He leaned in so his lips grazed against yours as if he was testing the waters. He wanted to make sure you were comfortable with what was about to happen, as there was no turning back. When you didn't pull away, he got the green light he's been chasing after. His lips fully pressed against yours.

Your head gently tilted up, leaning to the side so your lips fit against him like two missing puzzle pieces. It felt like tiny sparks were going off against your lips. It was a feeling the two of you would soon be addicted to. And it felt so comfortable, so natural. His lips slowly chased after yours for a moment.

Even though he felt the urge to continue kissing you, to never let this moment pass, he did pull back. His forehead found yours, revealing the wide grin the two of you wore. He couldn't help but chuckle before pecking your lips once more. Joshua was just over the moon. He was eager for whatever may be next for the two of you, especially now that there were no limitations. You were his best friend, but now the girl who knew how he felt.

"I kept my promise you know," you spoke softly.

Joshua raised an eyebrow but kept a warm smile. Now what were you talking about? "You had me promise to follow my heart. And I did. You've been my heart, my love all this time."

[ladysmutwriter]

Morantic: Better luck next time. (1)

Bruce Wayne/Batman x Female Reader.

Inspired by "There is no good or bad, just actions".

⚠️: This chapter does not include anything NSFW, however the next chapters will include graphic content. MDNI, dub-con, violence, stalking, obsessive love disorder, eventual smut.

You stared at the window, seeing your town slowly go tinier and disappear as you went into unknown territory. Your hands nervously played with themselves, picking at your skin as the train softly moved, the occasional sound of someone coughing or someone with their phone wathing videos being the only things distracting you.

Searching in your bag, you took out your printed curriculum, such a simple paper yet it included so much from you: your full name, capacities, where you studied, etc. Your parents had made sure you never missed a single class, even in university. They had made sure to give you the best tutors; without them, you'd never have been as prepared as you were today, and now your biggest test was about to begin. Gotham. A city with no laws, filled by sin and corruption, where the strongest survived and the weakest died with no mercy.

But you were here to make a change—you knew you had it in you.

As you drifted off thinking, you slowly closed your eyes, falling asleep as the day outside became darker 'til night arrived. A few hours later, the train stopped.

(...)

You walked to your new apartment, your low heels clicking against the dirty floor as you struggled to carry your heavy suitcase, filled with clothes and books. Opening the door, you felt the smell of moisture on the walls and dirty feet. You had some work to do; after all, this was your new home. The hours passed as you cleaned, your limbs aching as you made sure that no room smelt like shit, successfully making it look somewhat hygienic; you still had to buy furniture and some food; your stomach aching in hunger—outside the morning was arriving, the first rays of sun coloring the grim city, making you give a small smile—your first day here.

To no one's surprise, getting outside was awful. On your way to a furniture store, you saw homeless people eating rats all the way to someone being stabbed in an alley. But as you bought a simple bed (king-sized; you were a messy sleeper), some stuff for the kitchen, and a couch, you went to buy something to eat. On the way to it, you stopped at a drug store, buying a first aid kit since you never knew when you'd need it.

Going back home with a warm meal in a plastic bag and the other one filled with supplies, you arrived at your apartment. You looked at the hour, 3 PM; the furniture was supposed to arrive at 5 PM, so you had some time to kill.

Sitting down to eat as you watched Youtube on your phone, then you took a nap on the hard floor, the hours of no sleep taking a poll on you, and even if it was short and uncomfortable, that nap helped as you now felt ready to keep cleaning. A few minutes later, your doorbell rang; the furnite had arrived.

As the men let the boxes inside, you began decorating the place with the new stuff—the couch next to the window, the bed in the side room, etc.—and soon enough, it was 9 PM. Feeling your stomach growl as you felt hungry, you called for some Chinese takeout. Probably half an hour passed as you were called by the delivery man, and going down to the first floor, you picked it up, paid, and went up—except you heard something on the fire exit stairs, as if someone had collapsed on them.

Peeking your head out of the window, you saw someone in what seemed like full black armor slumped against the metal stairs outside your room, a puddle of blood running down his armor.

Groaning, you thought of your chances—you had heard something about this "vigilante" everyone called Batman, your guess being that this was him, or perhaps it was some sort of comic villain that once you healed him would gut you like fish. But your morals won the fight, and you decided to climb out of your window and drag him inside your home. It wasn't easy; he weighted a shit ton and was leaving a bloody mess as you dragged him through your floor. You laid him down on your couch, quickly taking off his chest plate to see how deep his wound was. And holy sh*t, were you met with a nice view, a nice, toned torso, pale skin covered by different scars, and soft skin to the touch? You had to take a deep breath as you collected your thoughts and went to heal him up.

It probably took you about an hour and a half to stitch his wound, clean the blood, etc. Your eyes tired as you yawned, feeling proud of your little work. Moving to discard the bloody gloves, you went outside for a smoke break, hoping the stranger would wake up and lean by himself so you'd avoid the uncomfortable moment of being like, "Hey, I sort of practiced my doctor skills on your unconscious body!" Yeah, that'd be too awful.

Thankfully for you, as you were on the metal staircase smoking, the man inside woke up, his senses being on high alert as his last memory was being stabbed on the chest, his eyes frantically moving around the room, only to find first aid kits and some boxes filled with house stuff. Seeing your shape outside the window as you smoked, he took the chance to slip out of the front door without making a single sound.

[finnsbubblegum]

First Birthday (Joel Miller X Reader)

Pairing: no-outbreak!joel miller x f!reader

Warnings: fluff, sweet joel, domestic joel, rom-com

Summary (Series): reader as Joel’s neighbor. Joel’s wife left him so Joel asked his neighbor for help in babysitting Sarah. 

Summary: Pov: You and Joel prepared to celebrate baby Sarah’s first birthday together.

Words count: 1.5k

A/N: I’m trying to make this as a rom-com, hope you like my new series! This is part 6 of Where It All Starts. But it can also be read as a standalone. I'm beyond happy that many of you liked it so I hope you enjoy the next parts. Stay tuned and love you!

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12 Part 13 Part 14 Part 15 Part 16 Part 17 Part 18 Part 19 Part 20

Thank God Joel still treated you the same way before he confessed his love to you that night. You acted like nothing happened and he did the same. 

“Thank you for walking me home, Joel.” Joel always walked you home even though your house was exactly next to his.

“Anytime, darlin’.” This was the second time he called you darling. Your heart jumped.

“I-uh-I forgot to tell you. Sarah’s birthday is coming. I was wondering if we could celebrate together.” He put his hand behind his neck.

“Oh really? It’s her first birthday! We should hold a party!” You jumped excitedly.

“A party? I don’t know (y/n). I mean-I don’t have anyone to invite beside my brother.” Joel put his hands in his pocket.

“I can invite my friends from the cafe. Let’s give Sarah the best first birthday ever. She deserves it.” You bumped Joel on the upper arm.

“Yeah, she deserves the best.” Joel nodded.

“So, what should we do?” He crossed his arms.

“I’ll think about it and we can talk about it again tomorrow.” 

“Okay. Thanks. Good night, darlin’.” Joel kissed your cheek.

“Good night, Joel.” You kissed him back.

You shrieked as you closed the door. Joel Miller just called you darling. After what you said to him and he still called you darling? His words made you sway. And the kiss on the cheek felt different. Joel kissed your cheek every night but today definitely felt different. It felt more loving if you had to describe it. Was it because he called you darling? Was it because he was still nice to you even though you broke his heart? Then you remembered you told him that you weren’t ready for a relationship. You were the one who asked him not to fall in love with you but why were you swayed now? You hit your head to get a grip of yourself. You spent your night thinking about how you could make Sarah’s birthday special. You took out your notebook and wrote your ideas about the cake design, colors, decorations and everything. Trying to neglect your thoughts about how perfect Joel was.

It was another day and you prepared dinner at Joel’s house just like usual. You and Joel had dinner together almost every night since you babysat Sarah. Either you cooked for the two of you, ordered deliveries, Joel brought takeouts, or ate out. But tonight you decided to cook. 

“You’re home early.” You turned to look at Joel who just got home from work.

“Today was peaceful.” He chuckled.

“Dinner will be ready in 10. So you can take a shower first, sir.” You bowed, acting like a maid.

“I’ll be back.” Joel chuckled as he shook his head at your joke.

*10 minutes later*

Joel went down the stairs looking fresh after a shower.

“Smells good.” Joel sniffed.

“You always said that.” You scoffed.

“I’m being honest.” Joel glared at you.

“Well, thank you.” You smiled.

You and Joel dug in and ate the meal you cooked.

“So, I’ve got some ideas for Sarah’s first birthday party.” You took out your notebook.

“Uh-huh. What do you got?” 

“I was thinking of a pink themed kind of birthday party. What do you think?” You squinted your eyes.

“Hmm, how about purple? I’m seeing Sarah as a purple girl.” Joel voted purple.

“Yes sir. Purple it is.” You wrote purple on your notebook.

“About the cake, I have talked to my baker and he has this amazing design in mind. You’ll love it.” 

“I’ll leave it to you, miss.” 

Sarah’s Birthday D-1

You and Joel decorated the house with purple flowers and purple balloons. You used helium for the balloon so it could fly to the ceilings. 

"Never meant to cause you any sorrow~"

Joel sang as he held the balloon pumper as a microphone near his mouth. 

You turned your head right away as you heard a high-pitched voice singing. 

"Seriously?" You put your hands to your waist staring at him. 

"Never meant to cause you any pain" Joel closed his eyes and continued singing.

You inhaled some of the helium and jumped to the couch. 

"I only wanted to one time to see you laughing.."  

You sang and Joel stopped because he was impressed by you.

"I only wanted to see you in the purple rain" 

You started to sing like a real singer on the stage but you were just on Joel's couch. 

"Purple rain

Purple rain" 

Joel inhaled another helium and sang with you together. The two of you burst into laughter. You couldn't stop laughing, your stomach hurts.

"Okay, okay. Stop it. My stomach hurts from laughing." You pressed your stomach. 

"I didn't know you like Prince." You bumped Joel's arm.

"Purple rain is like my jam." Joel squinted his eyes.

"Wait, did you choose purple because of the song? Purple as in purple rain?" You furrowed your brows confused as you joined the dots. He shrugged.

"I..may have chosen purple because of purple rain." He admitted. 

"You're sooo predictable." You shook your head and poked his chest with your index finger.

D-day

The birthday cake was big and purple. It was a two tier cake with pearls and sparkly butterflies around it. You thanked your baker for making Sarah a beautiful birthday cake. 

Sarah wore a purple dress with a purple bow tie bandana headband around her head. You and Joel had bought them a few days ago at the mall. 

"Happy birthday, you cute little girl!" One of your employees from the cafe shook her little hand gently. 

"Whoaa, who is this pretty little girl here?" Another friend from your cafe came to her while baby Sarah was in Joel's arms. 

"Happy birthday, purple girl." Flo came and stroked her head. 

"Say thank you, babygirl." Joel bounced Sarah and she babbled. 

"You're welcome." Flo gave you a gift box for Sarah and you put it on the table piled with presents. 

Everyone was happy to celebrate Sarah's birthday. They were like a second family to her. She spent every day with them and you at the cafe. And they loved her too. 

“Hey, you old fucker. And hey there you, babygirl. Happy birthday, my sweet little niece.” An unfamiliar man approached the two of you and kissed baby Sarah’s head.

“Tommy!” Joel hugged his younger brother.

“(y/n), this is Tommy, my younger brother. Tommy this is (y/n). She’s uh-she’s my neighbor. She’s the one who came up with all of these.” Joel introduced you to Tommy and pointed around the house.

“Hi, Tommy. I’m (y/n). Nice to meet you. Joel helped a lot too.” You shook Tommy’s hand.

“So you guys-uh-together?” Tommy asked.

“We’re neighbors.” You answered and Joel nodded.

“Okay. If you want to say it that way. I’m sure you guys are more than that anyways.” Tommy raised both of his opened palms in the air. 

“Okay, now I’m gonna mingle and see if I can talk to that pretty girl.” Tommy walked away and talked to a girl, who was apparently to be Flo. 

“I didn’t know you had a brother.” You chuckled.

“Well, you know about it now.” Joel kissed Sarah’s cheek.

“He seems..” You pouted as you were looking for the right word.

“Friendly. Very much friendly.” You smirked.

“Yep, he is.” 

“Why don’t we gather everyone and sing happy birthday?” You rested your hand at Joel’s shoulder then to Sarah’s head.

"Everyone! Joel here has something to say." You gathered everyone's attention.

"What? I thought you were the one who-" Joel whispered to you and bumped your arm.

"Shh.. come on do the speech." You whispered back to him. 

"I didn't prepare anythin'." He panicked.

"You can do it. Come on." You patted his back. 

"Hi-uh-I'm Joel. I'm sure you all know Sarah. She's turning one today. Thank you for takin' care of her every day at the cafe. I really appreciate it. You are all a second family to her. Why don't we-uh-sing happy birthday to my little girl?" Joel was sweating. You could see it dripping to the back of his neck but you just chuckled. You found him cute this way.

*Everyone started to sing*

Joel sang half way and he stopped singing so you turned to him. His eyes were locked to a woman who just came into the house. She was his ex-wife and her current boyfriend. 

"Joel.." You stroked his upper arm. 

"Hold Sarah for me?" He passed Sarah to your arms. 

"Okay." You took her from his arms and held her, bouncing her a bit. 

Joel sighed as he walked towards his ex-wife. He didn't let her see Sarah. He dragged her outside the house avoiding everyone to see the drama that would happen. 

"Everything's gonna be okay, baby. Your dad got this. Let's just be happy and celebrate your birthday. Today's your special day." You talked to baby Sarah and kissed her forehead.

To be continued…

Taglist:

@lovelyygirl8 @skysmiller @moonlightdivine @crocodiile @angie2274 @pulchritudinousrogers @peqchsoup @msecho19 @happinessinthebeing @nyotamalfoy @nakedmoondiaries @dzaga890 @pa1g3-t0mm0 @prettysbliss @wanniiieeee @one-sweet-gubler @x-ap0llo-x @feministfanboi @ordinarylokix @afterglowsb-tch13 @padgraysonssram8re @tomorrowseverything @hummusxx @iranispunk @mrsyixingunicorn10 @likeanimagepassingby2 @mediocrewallflow3r @pedr0swh0r3 @mxtokko @dorck26 @cascactus28 @cheyxfu @stupidthoughtsinwriting @undermoonlightwalk @bigmoodyjoody @humanbug @sarahhxx03 @krisviciousx @quixscentsposts @dgct2 @dgraysonss @heybabyshae @fluffyspaceprincess @toottmblr @avengersfan25 @xixxala @dianaffddz @onzayhe @violetwitchmcu @welcometomyworldwithoutrules @kelh27

[bisexualbard-writes]

@kimchaybrainrot!! You had a birthday!! sorry it’s a day late BUT I have some soft kimchay headcanons JUST FOR YOU! 

When Chay starts staying at Kim’s place, when he wakes up in the morning he says “I’m hungry what’s for breakfast” and this sends Kim spiraling down through guilt memories. He decides then that he’s never going to ever ask Chay to make them breakfast. 

The problem is he wants to have a nice quiet morning at home cuddling with Chay, but he doesn't keep a lot of food on hand. He usually just grabs a protein bar on his way out the door and orders in for his other meals. So for that first day he orders them coffee and pastries from the cafe down the street, but any breakfast food more substantial than pastries always arrives cold so this isn’t a great long term solution. 

BUT fear not, Kim is a PROBLEM SOLVER. He decides he’s going to learn how to cook breakfast for Chay so that they can spend the mornings cuddling in their pajamas AS IT OUGHT TO BE. 

The problem is, he’s never so much as cracked an egg before. When Chay isn’t around (because gosh, Kim isn’t going to let Chay see him fucking up miserably when they JUST got back together) Kim gets a carton of eggs practices cracking them open and frying them. He’s not a disaster, he has to know how to have a delicate touch for both music and murder, but he still gets some eggshell in the pan and the yolk runs everywhere so he ends up with scrambled eggs. On his second attempt the eggs are burnt on the bottom and raw on the top. On this third attempt he gets it fully cooked, but then the egg is FULLY COOKED and not at all runny in the middle the way chay likes. 

That’s when he realizes okay, huh, this cooking thing might be a bit more of a skill than he anticipated. 

But he is COMMITTED to not CORRUPTING their newly flourishing relationship with BREAKFAST SINS. 

So he cracks his knuckles and loads youtube and gets to work. As it turns out, he has a lot to learn. He’s pretty good at knife skills already, but it turns out there’s a whole different kind of technique to chopping up an onion than there is to twirling a switchblade. And he learned enough chemistry to know what common bathroom cleaners he can weaponize and turn into harmful gaseous clouds, but the chemistry of just making some bread is a whole different level of complex. 

He still orders in breakfast for him and Chay while he’s learning and just deals with slightly cold delivery for now, because he’s not going to serve anything but the BEST for his boy. 

On the morning he finally feels ready, he slips out of bed early and gets cracking. When Chay finally wanders out he’s a little grumpy he didn’t wake up with his cuddle buddy, but then he’s quickly stunned by the feast in front of him. There are pans of sausages and bacon, and crepes loaded with freshly made whipped cream and fruit, and multiple types of freshly squeezes fruit juice, and then Kim is pulling a quiche out of the oven. 

Chay says something like “good morning P’Kim and also what in the world is happening?” and Kim responds “good morning my love I made you breakfast?” 

Chay gapes, and Kim realizes he might have gone a little overboard, but then Chay is kissing him and hoisting him onto the counter because Chay is overwhelmed with so much love, but Kim has to stop him because “i love you chay but I am NOT eating another cold and and soggy breakfast.” 

All the food is delicious and delightful - Chay would have been perfectly happy with a stack of pancakes to be honest, but the big spread of food is super awesome and Chay knows without Kim having to say it that this is another way of helping them move on from their turbulent start, so he extra appreciates all the effort. 

Kim watches Chay eat carefully and glows a little more with each compliment and when they’re done eating Chay pulls him back into the bedroom for more kisses and cuddles and a nap to sleep off all the food. 

( And then later Chay will show kim exactly how appreciative he is by bending him over the kitchen counter and fucking him slowly and thoroughly until kim is begging. ) 

From then on Kim makes them breakfast while Chay sits on the kitchen island still looking rumpled in his pajamas and demanding kisses whenever Kim passes him to use the sink. Kim loves it and despairs because sometimes they get a little too distracted and Kim burns things, but it always makes Chay happy, so its a sacrifice he’s willing to make.

[joshuameals]

Joshua's Meals: Nutrient-rich and oh-so-delicious.

[writingwhimsey]

Married to the Enemy- Shingen Ch. 10

Chapter 10

I spent the next couple of weeks happily working on the commission during the day, putting in my best effort to make the clothes my best work. I really wanted to impress the client and the people of Echigo who would be seeing these clothes at the festival. I finished the order the day before the festival.

“These are of superb quality.” Kanako commended me, as she looked over the finished pieces. “I am sure the customers will greatly appreciate them.”

“I hope so.” I said. “Will they be coming by or do I need to go deliver them?”

“We have a runner who delivers the goods and collects the fees.” Kanako answered. She was then summoning a young boy, he couldn’t have been more than ten.

He bowed to me. “Don’t worry my lady, I will get these delivered.” He was then leaving.

“He’s so young.” I remarked once he had finished.

“Due to the nature of the times, there are many orphaned children.” Kanako said. “Lord Kenshin and Lord Shingen employ many of them for such tasks. It is a way for them to earn some money to keep food in their bellies and a place to stay.”

It broke my heart that children had to have such rough lives. In my time there were more options and children weren’t in danger of being orphaned so easily. Yes some children still lost their parents, but not as often or easily as here. It did warm my heart though, to know that Shingen and Kenshin both did what they could to help these children. “It’s sad that they’ve lost their parents, but I am glad that Shingen and Kenshin are helping them.”

Kanako smiled. “Yes. They are truly kind lords and we are lucky to live under their rule.”

“Is there any other work that needs to be done?” I asked.

Kanako smiled. “Yes, we have plenty of work to go around.”

I spent the rest of the day getting started on another commission. During that time the young boy returned and gave me the news that the nobleman had enjoyed my work and also gave me my portion of the fee. He was then leaving to take more deliveries into town. The seamstresses and I all worked till late in the afternoon before they were leaving to head to their homes. I headed to my room, an extra spring in my step as I went.

I was definitely excited to have earned my first “paycheck” here. Though I knew Shingen was likely to buy me anything I needed, just as I was offered to have anything bought for me by Nobunaga and the others when I was in Azuchi, I still preferred earning my own money. It was a source of pride for me to be able to earn money on my own. Though that wasn’t the only reason I was so happy.

Shingen had made it a habit of coming by my room every night after we had both finished up our days. We would share a meal or sweets together and view the moon. We chatted about things…Shingen flirted with me. Sometimes we would be up late, other times our nights would end a bit early…either way I always looked forward to them and enjoyed my time with Shingen.

The sun was just starting to set when Shingen knocked on my door. “Are you ready for our evening, Ava?” Shingen asked as he poked his head into my room.

I smiled at him. “Yes, come in.”

He smiled as me as he slid the door the rest of the way open. He had a package tucked under his large arm. “You are looking lovely even more radiant tonight.” He said as he came to sit beside me on the tatami mat floor. “You have a glow about you.”

I felt myself flushing as usual from his compliments. “Oh, I guess I’m just excited about having finished my first commission here.” I replied. “Even though I didn’t get to meet my customer… but it does feel nice to have my own money for the festival tomorrow.”

“I see.” Shingen replied. “You know when we attend I will buy you anything you wish.”

“I had a feeling you would say that.” I told him. “But I don’t want to rely on your kindness all the time.”

“You like to be independent.” Shingen stated, observing me.

I nodded. “Yes…when I was young…well my father left. My mother struggled to become independent, but eventually she figured things out and provided for herself and me…in the process she taught me that it was important to have a skill to fall back on and that just because a woman gets married that she didn’t have to give up her independence.”

“It sounds like your mother is a strong woman.” Shingen replied. “Who raised another strong woman.”

I nodded. “Yes, she was.” I replied. I could feel my eyes getting misty so I mentally shook myself. “Anyway, what is that you have there? Did you bring some new sweets?”

Shingen could sense this was a difficult topic for me so he didn’t press further. He smiled as he held out the package. “Actually, a present for you.” He said, holding the package out for me.

“I couldn’t possibly…Shingen you’ve already gifted me so much.”

“Please, accept it?” Shingen asked. “I actually would love to see you wear it to the festival tomorrow.”

I didn’t think it was possible, but Shingen was giving me puppy eyes…and there was no way I could say no. I accepted the package and opened it to find a very familiar yukata. “YOU were my mystery customer?”

Shingen gave me a sheepish smile. “Yes…are you upset with me over it?”

I shook my head. “No…I’m flattered in fact.” I replied, my cheeks reddening. “So…you’ll be wearing…”

“The matching one, yes.” Shingen replied with a smile. 

I flushed further thinking about matching Shingen for the festival. The thought he had put into this…it was so sweet. On impulse, I leaned towards him and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “Thank you, Shingen.”

If I wasn’t mistaken, I thought I might have seen a flush on Shingen’s cheeks as well. “If it earns me kisses, I’ll happily continue to commission your work.”

I giggled and blushed. “You don’t have to do that…”

“Hmm, then what else can I do to earn more of your sweet kisses?” Shingen asked, smiling warmly at me, as he lifted a hand to caress my cheek.

I felt my face heating up beneath his palm. “W-well…I mean you…don’t really have to do anything…I just…I just wanted to…”

It was then that I felt his soft warm lips on my forehead. “You’re far too adorable, Ava.” He murmured.

My heart was a jackhammer in my chest. “Th-the sun is still…setting…why don’t we go watch it together?” I suggested, trying to get the focus off of me.

“Whatever you wish, my goddess.” Shingen replied, standing up and offering his hand to me.

I placed my hand in his and allowed him to help me to my feet. Then we walked out to the veranda and sat down to take in the sunset. My heart was able to calm down by getting to focus on the beautiful colors of the sunset sky.

“I can see why sunset is your favorite color.” Shingen said, calling back to our conversation on our first date.

“I’m surprised you remember that. It feels like that conversation was so long ago now.” I replied.

“I remember every word you tell me, Ava. Especially when it’s something about yourself.” Shingen replied.

I turned to look at him and he was looking right back at me, his gray eyes soft and full of honesty. It seemed he really did want to make this marriage work and make me happy. It made me wonder if he was starting to feel the same way about me as I was about him. “I…I think the same about when you tell me things.” I replied.

Shingen smiled. “I am glad to hear that you find me just as intriguing as I find you.”

We soon fell into a companionable silence as we both turned back to the setting sun. Night was soon falling and we were completely in the dark as the moon shown above and all of the twinkling little stars. The sky was so gorgeous here with no light pollution to block its natural beauty. It was peaceful, sharing the night together with Shingen. I hoped we would be able to enjoy more nights like this together.

The next night…

During the day Shingen had some work he had to finish up before the festival. So I spent the day with Saki getting ready. “So, are you excited?” Saki asked me as she helped me put up my hair.

“Yes.” I answered. “It will be fun to spend the festival with Shingen…and I still can’t believe he was the one to order the yukata from me…and making a matching set for the both of us…”

Saki giggled. “Do you like the fabrics?” She asked.

“Yes, they’re stunning.” I answered.

“He asked me to pick them out.” Saki said as she was pulling my hair up into a braided bun.

“Really? And you didn’t tell me?!”

“I didn’t want to ruin the surprise.” Saki replied. “Besides, I thought it was very sweet and I was happy to help.”

“Well, thank you.” I replied.

Saki was finished with my hair and then moving to sit in front of me and do my makeup. “So, how are things progressing with you two anyways?” She asked. “You think you’ll be inviting Lord Shingen to your bed after the festival tonight?” She asked with a giggle and suggestive wiggle of her eyebrows.

I couldn’t help but to giggle. “I…we haven’t even kissed on the lips yet!”

Saki clucked her tongue at me. “Well then you’ll just have to remedy that. You kiss him at the festival and then invite him back here.”

I felt my cheeks flush. “I…I don’t know about that…”

“Do you not want to kiss him?” Saki asked. “Or go to bed with him?”

“It’s not that.” I replied. “I mean…we’re still getting to know each other…and stuff.”

Saki gave me a look. “What stuff? Come on, we’re friends. Talk to me.”

I sighed. “I just…there’s just no need to rush things.” I replied with a shrug. “And… it’s nice… to be romanced like this.”

Saki smiled. “Well, I can see how that would feel nice…just saying I get the feeling other things would feel nice with Lord Shingen.”

I giggled. “I have no doubts.” I replied. “But I mean…it just feels nice to be romanced, wooed, even.”

“I understand.” Saki said. “And you SHOULD enjoy it. You deserve it.”

“Speaking of romance…you have certainly been spending a lot of time with Yukimura.” I told her, my tone taking on a teasing lilt as I did my best to get the subject off of me.

Saki shook her head. “We just happen to work closely together considering he serves Lord Shingen and I serve you.” She replied. “He is cute…a bit of a moron at times though. He’s fun to argue with…of course ninja boy is cute too.”

“Oh? You like Sasuke?” I asked.

“He’s cute, but he says a lot of strange things I don’t understand, even more than you do.” She replied. “But I don’t see anything happening there other than friendship.”

“Why not?” I asked. “Sasuke is a perfectly good guy.”

“Oh, he is, I agree.” Saki replied as she put some rouge on my lips and at the corners of my eyes. “But I just don’t feel it.” She answered with a shrug. “No spark.”

“That makes sense.” I replied. “What about with Yukimura?”

Saki frowned at me. “No.”

I giggled. “I think you’re lying there.”

“I said he’s fun to argue with.” Saki replied. “There is no way I could be with someone like him. He has ZERO tact. Boy is blunt as an anvil.”

“I’ll give you that.” I replied laughing. “But you know, I think you’re protesting a bit much…”

Saki gave me a look. “Just remember I AM currently applying your makeup. My hand could slip VERY easily.”

I giggled. “Alright, alright.”

Saki finished applying my makeup and helped me into the yukata. By the time she had finished, there was a knock on my door. “Ava, are you ready?”

“Yes.” I answered as I made my way over to the door and slid it open to reveal Shingen standing on the other side. Instantly I regretted not preparing myself for how handsome Shingen was going to look in the clothing I made. Of course, a lot of that had to do with how he wore it… with the top half so open, revealing his perfectly sculpted chest.

“You look even more beautiful in that yukata than I imagined.” Shingen said, smiling at me as he reached for my hand, bringing it to his lips.

I felt my cheeks flushing instantly…he seemed to always reduce me to a blushing mess. “Thank you.” I managed to get out. “You…you look amazing as well.”

“How about I just go ahead to the festival and leave the two of you alone?” Saki suggested. She was then winking at me as she walked by and whispered to me, “I am sure no one will miss you if you miss the festival.”

“You did a splendid job on this.” Shingen told me, gesturing to the jinbei I had madam which matched my yukata. “It is comfortable and fashionable.”

“I am glad you like it.” I replied, smiling from his genuine praise.

“Are you ready to go?” He asked.

I nodded. “Yes.”

Shingen took my hand in his and led me out of my room. “I am looking forward to this festival with you tonight.” He told me as we walked from the castle and headed towards the town.

I smiled. “I am looking forward to it, too.” I replied. “Of course, I think you’re really looking forward to all of the festival sweets.” I teased.

Shingen chuckled. “And hopefully Saki is keeping Yukimura busy enough that he won’t come near me to lecture me.”

I giggled. “Oh, I am sure she will.” I had a feeling we were in for a fun night. I couldn’t help but to feel excitement bubbling up in my chest in anticipation for this night.

[kikizoshi]

Godos Fluff Headcanons I Absolutely Adore

(...and some general lifestyle headcanons thrown in)

-Nikolai likes to cover Fyodor with his cloaks/capes sometimes when they hug (like in those long, rocking hugs). It gives him a feeling of comfort, like Fyodor's safe and nothing can hurt him. Fyodor likes it too; to him it feels like an extra layer of endearment and makes him feel safe, secure and loved (plus it's warm).

-Nikolai is one of the few people Fyodor trusts entirely with his ushanka. This isn't a small thing--he usually doesn't even like to let people touch it, but he even trusts Nikolai to spot clean it for him.

-Nikolai absolutely loves to take care of Fyodor, which works well, because Fyodor likes being taken care of. This extends to cooking (where Nikolai will often ask Fyodor to pick one new dish to try to go with whatever staple meal Nikolai's making that week), making him tea most days and keeping the berry preserves stocked up, and nursing Fyodor when he's sick.

Nikolai doesn't enjoy trying to get Fyodor to remember to eat, or sleep, or shower, sometimes, but he takes Fyodor's health even more seriously than his own most of the time, and so is usually trying out some new method to achieve at least one of these things.

-Nikolai worked as a stage actor before he took up terrorism, and practiced a lot at home. Fyodor would often watch his practicing, occasionally give feedback, and they might talk a bit about the story afterwards. This was a common before-dinner activity for them, which was mostly for fun, but also helped Fyodor get out of his work headspace and into his home headspace, and of course Fyodor's psychology-based feedback often helped Nikolai with his nuances in his delivery.

-Dinner is a very important together time for them. Both make a point of having dinner together as often as possible, so that they're sure to have time together to talk. Though late-night conversations are also common with them, there's always a chance of Fyodor being sucked back into work or Nikolai needing extra time to work something out/rehearsals or shows taking place at night, so they make dinner the designated time together. Also, since their dinner is usually a dish Nikolai made, Nikolai likes to share the food with Fyodor, and Fyodor likes to appreciate the shared food with Nikolai.

-Depending on how late Nikolai's shows ran while he was in a play and what came after, they may have dinner together as late as 1 or 2 in the morning, but still, they always ate together (Fyodor was almost never ready to go to sleep by then anyway, which I'm sure helped, but the idea that he shared his usually alone-time with Nikolai is sweet to me).

-Regarding the dishes: generally the system is that Nikolai cooks and Fyodor cleans. The everyday dishes are usually washed by Fyodor, since he goes to sleep much later than Nikolai and often has several cups of tea and snacks long after Nikolai's gone to bed. Nikolai puts away the clean dishes in the morning, long before Fyodor wakes up.

-Regarding their sleep schedules: Nikolai (according to himself) tends to find his moods and general thought process annoyingly mercurial if he ends up more than an hour off his sleep cycle, and so is fairly regular with going to sleep around 23-24 and getting up around 6-7 (giving up his precious productive night hours was hard on him--the time past 1-ish when your brain lets you be creative--but he soon learned to replace them with alcohol). This of course can be completely thrown out of balance when he has rehearsals/shows, but the rest of the year, he sticks to it religiously.

Fyodor has no such trouble with moods and, like Nikolai, finds his best hours to be in the early morning. So, he generally goes to bed around 3-5 and wakes up at 11. Unlike Nikolai--whose body, like a clock, always keeps him asleep for exactly eight hours--Fyodor relies on alarms and always gets up at 11, unless he has somewhere to be earlier. He doesn't generally go to bed earlier though, so he just tends to be (more) tired on those days.

-Fyodor's usually tired (either from his sleep schedule, physical ailments, or both), and his energy levels tend to range from moderate to low. At first this irritated Nikolai for a bit, I think, but he eventually came to learn what Fyodor's low-energy emotes meant (which can look kind of funny when Nikolai reacts to an emotion that seemingly isn't being expressed).

-Nikolai loves swing dancing, but Fyodor doesn't usually have the stamina for it. So instead, when the dancing itch arrives, they waltz or do some slower dance with a bit of verve. Dancing's difficult in the narrow living room, but they manage (and, when Nikolai's brother and sister-in-law come over, he swing dances with them, which Fyodor enjoys watching).

-There's a park a few roads down from where they live, and they often in the late spring and early summer enjoy playing violin and cello together out in the greenery. Nikolai especially loves when the birds twitter while they're playing.

-Speaking of birds, Nikolai also loves going out with Fyodor and pigeon-spotting. Sometimes he'll take a bag of breadcrumbs to sprinkle for the birds they come by. He does this alone too, but enjoys sharing this activity with Fyodor.

-Nikolai also, when he has more free time, enjoys bird-watching. He keeps a journal of the different birds he sees, how many, etc. When he gets up at about 6, they're really active, and sometimes he'll luxuriate in an hour of peaceful bird-watching and documentation from the kitchen window. (Unfortunately, the window view is onto the street, so he doesn't see as many as he would in a park or garden, but he still sees enough to be somewhat satisfied.)

Fyodor isn't very interested in birds in and of themselves, but he loves listening to Nikolai's enthusiasm, love for and musings about the little creatures, and so will often ask about Nikolai's recent sightings when he knows Nikolai's been bird-watching.

-Fyodor loves to use terms of endearment. 'My Dove' and 'Dear' are his favourites outside of 'Kolya' (and its variants). Nikolai likes to take inspiration from the moment to make pet names, so may say something like 'My Little Red-Nose' (when Fyodor's sick) or 'Drowned Rat' (when Fyodor's wet and upset about it) (I imagine most of them would be animal or food related, but my imagination has a rough time keeping up with Nikolai's), as well as 'Fedya' (and its variants). He might also call Fyodor 'Fedka' if he's feeling derisive enough, though I can't imagine Fyodor would ever call Nikolai 'Kolka'.

-One thing Nikolai loves about Fyodor is that, when Nikolai gets into one of his black moods, where he can't seem to enjoy or appreciate anything, and, in general, just wants to sink into nothingness, Fyodor understands and doesn't judge him, nor expect more. Fyodor will usually take up the cooking (which... his food is usually bland and tasteless, but neither care all that much in those times), keeps the lights dimmer/curtains drawn, and most of all lets Nikolai come to him.

He also doesn't complain about lack of hugs, though they're very important to him. Nikolai finds hugs disturbing in a black mood, because he can't feel anything from them, and so they just distress him. It is harder on Fyodor than I think he usually admits to himself though, not being able to hug or pet or really comfort at all his friend who's in so much pain.

-Fyodor doesn't like being around drunk people, but Nikolai often relies on alcohol to get him into the right headspace to work. To compromise, Nikolai tries not to get more than tipsy around Fyodor, generally going for lightly buzzed, and usually does it while Fyodor's working. (Though this does go out the window sometimes if Nikolai wants badly enough to numb his emotions.)

-Fyodor gets miserably sick relatively frequently (~3-4 times a year), often with the changing of the seasons, which usually knocks him out for a solid two weeks. Nikolai hovers and cares for him with all the terrified devotion of a mother whose baby suffers from scarlet fever. The sheer nervous energy emitted from Nikolai tends to overwhelm and tire Fyodor out, but he still finds Nikolai being there to take care of and be with him to be more comforting than if he was alone (him having to comfort Nikolai tires him out, but also helps him feel more at peace). (Occasionally, maybe a little less than once a year, Fyodor will have a seizure bad enough to keep him in bed for a few days, and the dynamic's about the same as when he's sick.)

-A few times, Nikolai kept vigil over Fyodor's sick body (the first time being after a particularly bad seizure left Fyodor bedridden for five days, a few months into their friendship). It… Well, let's just say it never ended well for Nikolai. Fyodor eventually managed to calm Nikolai down enough about his frailty to get him to compromise on sleeping close together (though Fyodor first tried sending Nikolai away, Nikolai worked himself into an even bigger panic when he couldn't see how Fyodor was doing).

-Nikolai is absolutely terrified of doctors. He's also a borderline hypochondriac. Thankfully, Nikolai's aggressively healthy (except for some minor stomach issues and some major mental issues), so this isn't often a problem. However, the few times it was, and Fyodor genuinely needed Nikolai to go to a doctor, it always took a very long and drawn-out discussion to convince Nikolai that the doctors weren't going to torture him to death (Fyodor never learned what exactly Nikolai was afraid of, but it seemed something along the lines of what you'd expect from a BCE Chinese torture chamber, or Yosano's clinic).

-Needless to say, Fyodor's spent many a night listening to Nikolai's fears and explaining why they're likely not one of The Horrors. He might have gotten tired of it, except Nikolai's fears were usually so creative and obscure that Fyodor actually often found them fascinating.

[moodmother]

They's a Crowd

In between sips of macchiato, Zenith types away furiously. Oh this, this is a good one. The latest post for their blog, They's a Crowd. An invective against the oppressive tyranny of romantic love and family bonds.

"Do you really believe that?"

Zenith never saw the stranger sit down, but there he is on the other side of the table. Meticulous strawberry beard, sharp twinkling eyes. A sudden faint whiff of heather and iron in the air.

"What?"

"All that. That your friends should prioritize you over their lovers and children."

There is no way for the stranger to have seen what Zenith is writing but they are caught up in the righteous heat of their conviction. "It's about economies of care! How am I supposed to survive." In their fervor, Zenith almost spills coffee onto the keys of their MacBook.

"Indeed."

"Last week, I was feeling depressed so I texted my supposed 'best friend' to see if we could hang out. But he had promised his wife that he would take her out to the movies. Well, fair enough. So I asked if I could come along--and he said 'No!' Well, what about my social needs? Just because she's his 'wife,' just because he's bound by the patriarchal institution of marriage, he can treat me like I mean nothing? And just last night, I didn't have the spoons to make myself dinner. I put out a message in the group chat, but of course you know what day it was."

"Mother's Day."

"Right! So nobody would come by and cook me a simple meal, because they were all having dinner with their mothers instead. I had to go hungry, because our heteropatriarchal culture arbitrarily values parent-child relationships over non-biological kinship."

"I see. And you couldn't have just gotten UberEats or something?"

Zenith scoffs. "I'm supposed to pay more to live because I'm single and don't have anyone to care for me? And you know those delivery apps are so exploitive. It's better to order from the restaurant directly. But then I would have to call for delivery, and I have social anxiety."

"Oh, well, of course. So what you're saying is, it's important to the cause of queer liberation that the lives of everyone in your social circle revolve around you."

Zenith's brow furrows. "Well, I--"

"Would you say that you desire that? For your friends to prioritize you above all else? To care for you, feed you, cater to your every need? Do you…wish it?"

"Well, yes! My life is just as--"

But with a Cheshire cat smile and a twinkle of his pale gray eyes, the stranger has vanished.

+++

That evening, Zenith receives a text from their best friend: come over for dinner tonight?

When Zenith obliges, both their friend and his wife are all smiles. "Oh, don't get up Zenith. Let me get that for you. Have some more. You know we really love you, Z. We haven't shown it enough. You mean the world to us, we really need to prioritize you more. Have some more. Let me get you some more."

Zenith goes home grinning, stuffed to the brim with food and love.

+++

The next day, all of Zenith's friends turn up at their door.

"We've all been talking, Z. We wanted to tell you in person: You're the most important thing in our lives. It's time we acted like it."

From then on, Zenith is hardly ever alone--except when they ask for a little time to themself, of course. Someone is always ready to lend an ear, or join them on the couch or on a walk or even in bed when they require some company. Their every need is promptly and lovingly met. Their bed is made, their clothes and linens washed and folded. Their apartment is swept and scrubbed. Appointments are scheduled for them, and they are ferried dutifully to the doctor, the dentist, the store, the cafe, to where-ever they wish. The dishes are done--done often, as there is always a home-cooked spread at mealtime, and always a snack or morsel whenever Zenith feels the slightest bit peckish.

Zenith is never hungry for more than a moment--and this has a dramatic affect on their waistline.

Outgrowing my clothes! they post to their blog. Hot fatty summer!

+++

When Mother's Day comes again the following year, all of Zenith's friends' mothers turn up, smiling and tutting. Each one prepares a dish, her specialty, and insists that a now very fat Zenith accept second and third helpings.

When clothes that fit become very hard to find, Zenith's friends are happy to make some.

When it becomes too difficult to climb the stairs up to their apartment, everyone pitches in to rent a new one. A ground floor unit with nice, wide doorways.

When initimate personal care becomes impossible for Zenith to tend to on their own, there is a rotating roster of volunteers ready to bathe and dress them.

As Zenith steadily expands, caring for them becomes more logistically complex, a full time affair. Spouses, lovers, and relatives are enlisted to join in the work. Always happily, always with a smile. "We love you, Z. Anything for you."

Perhaps things are getting a bit out of hand… Zenith thinks, fleetingly. It is a bit inconvenient, as the wider world is not made for people who are as large as Zenith has become. But then a twinge of hunger distracts them, and they reach for whatever treat--a cookie, a brownie--is always there at hand, piled tidily on a platter, warm from the oven.

+++

In the midst of Thursday night board games, a timer dings.

"Whose turn is it to check Zenith?"

The designated attendant happily jumps up and bounds into the bedroom. "Need anything Z? Some more water?" "Unnh," a thick voice groans in reply.

Propped up on the bed, covering the entire surface from edge to edge, is a huge heap of flesh. Pampered and stuffed day in and day out, Zenith has grown too fat to move under their own power. Their world is confined to the four walls of the bedroom now.

"Thirsty?"

A cup of fresh water is held to their lips so that they can drink. Their friend has to lean close against their side to reach their face where it rests upturned atop the mound of their body. Deep within their immense belly, their stomach growls.

"Ah, hungry!"

Zenith's mind rebels. Their round, useless hands twitch in impotent protest. But their body responds by opening their mouth to welcome the morsels that are gently pushed into it. Because it's true: they are hungry. So very hungry. Their stomach has been stretched to cavernous capacity. Their body has grown accustomed to a constant stream of food, and it has been over an hour since they last ate.

Tears pool atop their great flabby cheeks as they are fed, eating and eating until temporarily sated again. This is their existence now. Washed and petted and lovingly tended to. Fed. Fed and fed and fed, helpless to do anything now except eat and grow.

Once they are finally satiated, for the time being, their friend cleans their teeth and wipes their face. The bedframe creaks ominously.

+++

"Hey, I think Z is lonely in there."

"Hm. Makes sense. I wish they could join us out here, or that we could all fit together around a table."

"They deserve to literally be at the center of a space, since they're the center of our lives. You know? Right in the heart of everything."

"It's definitely something to think about."

From the bedroom comes a CRACK and a thud and a pitiful, muffled yelp. Everyone leaps up and rushes in to soothe and settle their beloved. The bedframe has collapsed beneath the burden of Z's immense and ever-climbing weight.

+++

They've dubbed themselves the Z Crew, and so the new place is called the Z House. A nice big house, with the first floor built on an open plan.

They moved Z into their new, permanent home just in the nick of time. Had they waited much longer, Z would have grown too large to move. As it was, transporting them was an expensive and delicate affair. Hydraulic equipment was needed to lift Z off of the flattened mattress in the old apartment. Walls were removed, a crane and flatbed rented.

But in the end, it all went smoothly. Now, here in the airy, light-filled space, rests their beloved Z. The living heart of the home.

The Z Crew is always happy to chatter and coo at Z while they go about the unceasing work of feeding, washing, and tending their beloved, but Z themself cannot speak anymore. They have swelled into a monstrous blob. By now their weight is unguessable. Their hands and feet and limbs have long since disappeared into their general mass. There is no neck, no discernable head--only eyes, nose, and mouth sunk deep into a mire of flesh, upturned toward the ceiling. Lips always parted, ready to receive the next morsel of food.

The Z Crew has to climb up on top of Z to feed them now. The slopes of Z's body have become a cherished communal space, where friends recline and talk, lovers cuddle, and games and meals are enjoyed. They are all blissfully content, now that Z has crowded out every other care and commitment and become the center of their lives forever.

As for Z, they have forgotten what it was like to be anyone or anything else other than their friends' burgeoning beloved. They know nothing but fleeting hunger and sweet satiety; the shifting warmth of their friends' bodies against their own bulk; and the inescapable sensation of their own unfathomable weight.

[storiesofsvu]

Journey to the Past Ch 26

Bryan Kneef x reader Just a whole lotta fluff at this point friends

You were honestly surprised when it was only a few days later that you came home from work to find the guest room empty, sheets over the smaller furniture that you planned on keeping and painter’s tape framing the walls. After confirming which pieces you agreed on for the nursery Bryan had ordered as many of them as possible, not letting you lift a finger when it came to either paying or talking about setting things up. He reassured you that he’d hire people to take care of everything, after all, what was the point of having money if it wasn’t that?

He was your complete rock and support, having read even more than you at this point about pregnancy and babies. You had to scold and remind him on a few things here and there, things that were outdated (especially when he tried to take away your coffee) but otherwise you were not complaining in the least. If he got home first, he’d always have dinner going, delivery or otherwise, making sure that you had a full healthy meal to eat, and that there’d be leftovers for lunch. If you managed to beat him, he’d check in with you, making sure you weren’t too tired and you’d usually shoo him away, handing him a scotch and pecking his cheek gently.

It was on those days specifically that he always made sure to take care of the cleaning up and dishes, pulling your feet into his lap for a massage once he was done. He was the epitome of perfect father to be, making sure you had absolutely everything you needed to have a healthy, happy pregnancy. Despite still being terrified himself, he was doing his best to be incredibly supportive and reassuring you that everything was going to turn out perfectly. He knew that you were much more prepared to be a parent than he was, but it was more about making it to the finish line that was worrying you. So he was sure to ask every annoying question possible at the doctors and go through the risks and warnings of any procedures suggested. He was at every single appointment, no matter how last minute it was or how much shuffling around at work he had to do. He knew just how important this was for the both of you and he wanted to make sure that you knew just how involved he was going to be for the entire thing. Scared or not, he was ready to be the father of your children, ready for that life that he never thought he would actually get to experience. He was ready to shift from his ways, he’d found a woman he loved, one that he knew he always would, one that he was very willing to settle down with and create a new blended version of life with.

He caught himself daydreaming about the family life more often than not, he’d always thought that a minimum of two kids was ideal, but if there were two of them you’d need to move to a bigger place. An actual house, in a good school district where the kids could live next door to their friends instead of in an apartment building. He managed to shake out of it as his car came to a halt at his destination, remembering that there was an order to do these things in, get through baby number one before thinking about the next one.

As he’d suggested a couple of weeks ago, you’d gone through the Tiffany’s catalogue and selected a few pieces that had caught your eye. You’d also thrown in a nice watch and couple of new pairs of cuff links for Bryan as a little treat for him, even if he was the one footing the bill. Naturally, he put the order in online and had a couple of the pieces customized, altering size or colour of diamond or the like so it took a little bit longer before it was ready for pick up. He easily jogged up the steps and pulled open the door to Tiffany’s, smiling when he was greeting immediately by one of the clerks.

“Mr. Kneef, they told me you’d likely be coming by today.”

“Just here to pick up an online order.” He replied with a grin.

“It’s in the back, have a look around and let me know if I can help you with anything else.”

“Thanks Jessica.” He nodded, watching as she disappeared into the back room, leaving him to wander through the store.

Being that it was the middle of the work day it wasn’t a busy store, a couple over in the corner looking at the housewarming gifts section but that was basically it. A pair of earrings caught his eye that he hadn’t seen in the catalogue, one that matched the original necklace he’d given you after your first date and he made a mental note to add those to the order when Jessica returned. His eyes drifted through the watches but if he was honest he preferred to get his watches elsewhere, the only one that he actually liked was the one you’d already included in the order for him. He did however, stall completely when he got to the engagement rings, his eyes gazing through them as he thought back to your joking conversation that night.

You’d been completely correct with the insistence of no pear shaped, he found himself grimacing at the design of them. Others had too much colour or the design was simply too gawdy, they looked tacky, like knock offs. You deserved better than that, something classy, sophisticated with just the amount of gems to make it known whoever had given you the ring cared about you and about style (and had the money to back it). One of the rings caught the sunbeam coming in through the window perfectly, sparkling toward him right as he was about to move on and he took a step back to examine it further. It was a classic cushion cut, smaller diamonds extending out onto the band and the only thing holding it back from being perfect was the karat size. He made another mental note and continued wandering through the store, unaware that Jessica had already returned from the back as she neatly packaged up the online order.

He'd stumbled into a section of the store he hadn’t even known existed by the time she caught up with him from the other side of the counter.

“We’ve got a further selection of items online for baby showers if that’s what you’re interested in.” She greeted and Bryan nearly jumped at the sound of her voice.

“Uh, any chance you’ve got any stuffed otters?”

“No, bears and elephants is it unfortunately.” She frowned for a moment and Bryan’s eyes returned to the elephant.

“You can add the elephant in, they’re her second favourite.”

“Of course.” Jessica smiled, retrieving one from the case to add into the bag, “anything else catch your eye?”

“The Victoria Diamond Vine Earrings.”

“Silver or rose gold?”

“Rose gold please.”

“Excellent choice.” She smiled softly, a gleam in her eye as she spoke next, “and am I correct that I caught you looking at the engagement rings? Or were you just browsing through that section?”

“Oh. Uh… hmph…” he scratched at his beard for a moment, “can I ask you something?”

“Of course, always here to help, Mr. Kneef.” She replied with a smile and he couldn’t help but laugh. Jessica had been his go to employee at the store for years, helping him make proper choices, there was no doubt she’d picked up on the fact that he’d been steadily seeing someone he cared about through his purchases alone.

“What’s… the timeline protocol on proposing?”

“I think that always depends on the couple.” She answered quickly, nearly cutting him off “I have friends get married after less than a year and friends who were together for a decade before getting engaged.”

“And what if it was about three weeks ago that she found out she was pregnant?” He nearly winced, “obviously a surprise for both of us, but I want to make sure she knows that I was already thinking about it before, and it’s not just because of the baby… kind of situation…”

“Oh.” Jessica’s eyes widened ever so slightly before the smile took back over her cheeks, “well first off, congratulations.” Bryan thanked her quietly, “and…. I’m not too sure in that case, it gets a little mucky doesn’t it?” She laughed softly, “for me personally, I think I’d like my partner to wait until after the baby was born, but obviously not in the delivery room kinda thing. Even if we talked about it before and I knew it was happening, just like, to separate those two milestones and make sure they both have their own special significance in your lives.”

“I knew there was a reason I liked you.” Bryan laughed quietly.

“If you have your eye on something now we can always put it aside for you?”

“The cushion cut double halo.”

“Oh, that’s my favourite one. Great taste as always Mr. Kneef.”

 She swiftly moved back over to the engagement ring display, Bryan following from the other side of the counter watching as she pulled out the ring for him to inspect.

“It’s a little on the small side.” He commented and she chuckled.

“I figured you’d say that.” With a grin she turned around to pull out a customization form, “we only have the sample right now but I can put it on order for you and have you called when it comes in?”

“That’d be great.”

The two of them moved through the order form rather easily as Jessica filled it out and added it to the bill with the earrings and elephant. She was quick to make sure that everything was gift wrapped exactly as he wanted it and that the order info for the engagement ring was tucked away in a separate envelope for him to slide into his suit jacket pocket to keep the element of surprise. As usual, he palmed her a couple of bills for her help and guidance before finally leaving the store and making the trip back to STR to finish out his work day.

*

You got home first that evening, crossing paths with the work crew as they finished packing up their things. The nursery was already complete and part of you really couldn’t believe it, Bryan’s people knew how to work well and work quickly. They went over a few things with you and made sure you were satisfied with how everything looked and where it was placed within the room and you assured them it was all perfect.

Once they were on their way out you wandered down the hallway to change out of your suit, sighing in relief at the cozy material of clothing now against your skin. You would admit, today was a tired day, you’d been incredibly blessed in not having too many bad symptoms of pregnancy, especially through the first trimester (although a few symptoms back then would’ve given you a little bit more warning). You didn’t want to bother with cooking tonight, but you were starving and there was no way in hell you were waiting for Bry to get home, get relaxed and then finish cooking a meal so delivery it was. You scrolled through the app, scowling over the fact that you couldn’t have sushi and finally decided on Mexican, adding in a variety of things for Bryan to choose between when he got home.

Somehow, Bryan had managed to intercept the order between the main door and your apartment, arriving at the same time as the driver. You heard his keys in the lock and the sound of him coming down the entry way before rounding into the kitchen. You’d just pulled the fridge open to grab some sparkling apple juice, an attempt to feel somewhat fancy tonight alongside Bryan’s wine. He placed the bags down on the island and stepped to you, wrapping around your back and you leant into the embrace with a happy hum. Bryan kissed your neck gently, his hand moving down to softly cup your tiny baby bump before he spoke.

“How was your day?”

“Mediocre.” You murmured, turning in his arms to kiss him, “certainly better now.” Your eyes flicked to over his shoulder, seeing the tell tale blue bag beside the take out. “And it looks like you have presents, so things just got even better.”

“Well my plan was just to pick up that online order.”

“You can never resist though.” You teased and he rolled his eyes, pulling out the small box containing the earrings.

“You had to have the matching set.” He then pulled out a second gift wrapped bag, larger than you’d expected, “and I thought this could be something special.”

“Oh?” You raised a brow as you took it from him, fingers slipping into the tissue paper to pull out the elephant, glancing back towards him.

“Little guy needs something to play with.”

“Or girl.” You warned with a grin and he chuckled, leaning in to kiss you, “and I’m sure they’ll love it no matter what.”

“I got an email saying the nursery was done?”

“It is.” You nodded, “and it got my stamp of approval so no nasty emails to contractors please.”

“Promise.” He pulled down a couple of plates as you began to tear into the take out, figuring the rest of the Tiffany’s could wait until later, you were clearly prioritizing food. You dolled out what you wanted and slid containers over to him as the two of you got settled at the island for dinner. “You have any thoughts about weekend plans?” He asked and you nearly froze, having almost forgotten your midmorning run in.

“Uh, I do actually…”

“Ditching me for Kim I assume?” He teased and you laughed.

“No. I actually ran into Nate today…”

“Your senior partner at your first firm here?” He asked and you let out an internal sigh of relief at no sign of jealousy washing over him considering the last time you’d seen Nate, nodding in response. “How is he?”

“Well… not great.” You frowned, “his wife’s sick, they’re in and out of the hospital constantly. They don’t have other family in the State and could really use a hand, so I offered that we… or I… could take the kids on Saturday, maybe Sunday too if they have fun. They’re only six and four, they don’t really understand what’s going on and Nate just wants them to have some kid time not stuck in a hospital room. I figured maybe the zoo, aquarium, might be a nice little test run kinda thing.”

“Sounds like a great idea.” Bryan smiled and you let out a tiny laugh.

“Really?”

“Weather’s supposed to be great, and lord knows I could use the practice.” He chuckled, “have you met the kids before?”

“A couple times here and there, not sure how well they remember me, but I have spent time with them before, they’re great kids.”

“I’m happy to help anyway I can.” Bryan shot you a smile before the conversation dwindled as you ate, small comments about work or legal cases taking over. Though in the back of his brain he couldn’t stop thinking about Nate and their family, how terrifying the world could be even after you’d gotten everything you wanted. The thought crossed his mind of something happening to you leaving him with the baby and no other family in the area.

“Hey…” you suddenly asked, nudging at his foot, “you still there?”

“Sorry.” He shook out of it, casting you a warm smile, “what were you saying?”

“Did you want seconds? Or should I put this in the fridge?” You asked and he realized you were already standing, empty plate in your hands.

“I’m good.” He leant in, kissing your cheek and you raised a brow.

“If you don’t want to babysit, that’s more than okay. I can handle them on my own.”

“No, no.” He laughed, “I uh… it just made me think of something.”

“Okay?” You cocked a brow once again, crossing to the sink to rinse the plates before sliding them into the dishwasher.

“Have you told your parents?”

“About Nate?” Your brow furrowed heavily as you straightened up to look across at him, “they’ve never met him and I don’t talk to them, why would I?” Bryan chuckled, beginning to pack up the leftovers and slide them across the island in your direction.

“I meant about the baby.” He explained, frowning at the way your shoulders sagged before you turned back to him.

“No.” You let out a sigh, picking up a container of tamales to toss in the fridge, “and my plan was to leave them out of it until this little bean is born happy and healthy. I don’t need or want them involved in every step of the way and I don’t want them fucking up my kid’s life the way they fucked up mine.”

“Okay.” He surrendered quickly, sliding you the last container so you could put it in the fridge.

“Do you think I’m in the wrong?” You asked hesitantly, glancing up at him and he instantly shook his head.

“Absolutely not. You have a very different relationship with them than I did with my mom, I was just…”

“Caught up thinking about what would happen if something happened to me?”

“Yeah.” He admitted with a sigh.

“That’s what godparents are for.” You smiled softly, leaning over to press a gentle kiss to his temple, “and Kim has already agreed to that, you’ve got nothing to worry about.”

“Alright.” He let out a small laugh, wrapping an arm around you as he stood from the stool, “now.. I know the nursery is done, but how about we catch up on some tv while we go through the rest of the crap we’re going to need for this.”

“Oh yeah, what’ve you got in mind?” You asked with a chuckle, leaning in to steal a kiss before you let out a small squeak when Bryan tugged you down onto the couch.

“Well you’re gonna need a pregnancy pillow soon, and I figure we should talk midwife vs hospital, natural vs epidural.”

“Oh epidural all the way, I don’t fucking care.”

Bryan laughed softly, his hand coming up to caress at your cheek as he leant in to kiss you softly, his lips moving with ease and grace against yours. Yes, he was scared about a lot of what his future had to come, but he also knew that no matter what, he had you to do it with, and that made him completely and utterly relaxed. You were his rock, his assurance that he was finally doing something with his life that made him worthy, that made him loveable, that made him understand love again. It didn’t matter how worried he was about changing diapers, doing soccer pick up, being in charge of bake sale days, he knew that with you by his side the moment he held your baby girl or boy, he’d feel that burst and know that he was exactly where he was supposed to be. Because no matter where that was, if he was with you, he could accomplish anything.

_______

@detective-giggles @plaidbooks @thatesqcrush @witches-unruly-heart @beccabarba @bisexual-dreamer02 @amelia-song-pond @madamsnape921 @whimsicallymad @mrsrafaelbarba @mysticfalls011 @ssaic-jareau @caracalwithchips @barbasbodaciousbeard @alwaysachorusgirl @beardedbarba @michael-rooker @rafivadafreddy @lustvolle-liebe @anlin2058 @fandom-princess-forevermore @tinyboxxtink @alexusonfire @xovalliegirlxo @somethingimaginative17 @momlifebehard @misscharlielulu @alcabots

[jomiddlemarch]

We share together the incidental shore

The best place in the world was Uncle Laszlo’s kitchen. The walls were painted daffodil yellow and there was an embroidered cloth on the kitchen table. Aunt Ildi cooked most of the meals, a big, striped pinafore apron wrapped around her, because Uncle Laszlo was always busy in the café, but it somehow still felt more like his kitchen than hers, possibly because Petra could easily see how little Aunt Ildi liked cooking and how much Uncle Laszlo did. What Aunt Ildi liked best was to tend the herbs in their clay pots by the window and to linger over her second cup of coffee with the newspaper in front of her. She liked to be quiet and that made her restful to be around. Uncle Laszlo was always humming a little tune, moving about as if he might begin dancing, happy to be home, to be with his family, to set out a dish of milk for his tabby Szilva whom he’d taken in as a stray kitten despite Aunt Ildi’s frown, her lips pursed as if she’d taken a spoonful of the tart csalamádé Petra herself always pushed to the edge of her plate. Uncle Laszlo had never scolded her for it, though her own mother had chided her for wasting good food, a point Petra was willing to argue, especially regarding cabbage. 

Uncle Laszlo rarely scolded Petra at all, nor any of her other cousins. She wasn’t quite the youngest, that was six-year-old Sami who acted like he was a train half the time, but it didn’t matter how old you were, Uncle Laszlo was quick to champion his collection of nieces and nephews in their various causes and ready to soothe any disappointment with some dessert, his special marzipan saved for the greatest disappointments. Petra wasn’t even sure if she had a sweet tooth or only a taste for Uncle Laszlo’s confectionary, mingled as it was with his kindly affection, his boundless encouragement. She and her cousins all counted themselves lucky to have such an uncle, but they knew that Szilva wasn’t the only stray he’d taken it, though most of the people he’d taken an interest in were customers at his café. There was Mr. Osborne, the elderly gentlemen who wore a neatly brushed but much-mended jacket with a yellow pocket square, Muriel Lowe, the busy housecleaner who kept her hair covered beneath a kerchief and indulged once a week in whatever pastry Uncle Laszlo had featured, Davy the lanky delivery boy who’d happily eat whatever was left over, too stale to sell the next day. And most recently, right before the holidays, a young woman who had suddenly appeared one evening at nearly midnight, when he was closing. He’d been too worried about her pale face and trembling hands to turn her away, though he would need to be up early for the morning rush. Aunt Ildi had shaken her head and started to fuss until he’s said If you had seen her, so lost, what is a few hours of sleep and Aunt Ildi had only patted him on the shoulder and then urged him to take a nap when he could.

“Has your miss come back, Uncle?” Petra asked every day. 

There was no other name for her. She paid for her coffee in cash and though she usually spent her time hunched over an untidy stack of papers, Uncle Laszlo had not been able to catch sight of a signature, even when he wore his thick glasses for tallying up accounts. What Petra had heard, that the young woman had a great deal of dark curly hair loosely bundled back from her face with a straining elastic, that she wore the same drab clothes and trainers day in and day out, her hands bare of any ring but stained with ink, made her wonder what she did outside of the café. Who she was when she was not Uncle Laszlo’s customer. Could she be some scientific genius or a frustrated novelist? A university student who’d overspent her stipend? A princess in hiding? A criminal on the run? If there was something Petra was sure of, it was that Uncle Laszlo’s miss must be an orphan and she wasn’t from the neighborhood. No one had ever heard of her and between the two of them, Petra and Uncle Laszlo had asked around. When miss muttered to herself, she sometimes said words no one could understand, a language all her own. Uncle Laszlo was convinced she had no one to look after her and assiduously plied her with sweets to balance the endless cups of coffee she’d order, most overjoyed on the days he could tell Petra the young woman had ordered a slice of rakott palascinta which he cut generously enough to serve two.

“She comes back most days, but she doesn’t talk much, not like some,” Uncle Laszlo said, chucking Petra under the chin in a manner she wouldn’t have tolerated from anyone else.

“Do you think she’s very lonely?” Petra asked. Uncle Laszlo often said he was a student of human nature but Petra thought he was more like a professor, especially when he wore his knitted vest under his best suit coat on Sundays.

“It’s hard to say. Sometimes, she has the look about her of someone who has spent too long in a crowd. And she can get very absorbed with whatever she’s working on. Hours she’ll sit, never noticing who comes in or out, whether her cup is full or empty. It’s lucky for her she doesn’t use a quill and ink—she’d likely dip her feather in her coffee and drink the ink with her marzipan,” Uncle Laszlo said, his smile only partly hidden by his great curled mustache. 

“I think she must be lonely. You said no one ever joins her,” Petra replied.

“Not yet,” he said, shrugging. “Who knows, maybe one day she’ll bring someone with her or have someone come to meet her.”

“Her true love?” Petra said.

“She wants a friend more,” Uncle Laszlo said. “Someone to look after her.”

“Wouldn’t you be her friend? I would, if you would bring her home for dinner,” Petra said. If his miss came home, Petra would have a good reason to ask her what her name was and what she liked to do when she wasn’t writing her papers. If Uncle Laszlo invited her back to his flat, Petra would be obligated by politeness to ask, she wouldn’t be prying. She could ask what the words meant, the ones no one understood, and if Petra herself could learn to speak that mysterious language.

“She doesn’t need someone like me to do anything more than I already am,” Uncle Laszlo said. “She’s not like Szilva, to bring home and make one of us. She needs her own people, I can tell that about her.”

“What if you’re wrong?” Petra said. “You didn’t think she’d eat the marzipan after the first time and she does. Maybe she needs to come sit in a kitchen and have a little cat jump into her lap and drink something besides coffee. Some cocoa, with extra whipped cream.”

“We’ll see,” he said. “If I were a wizard, I could put a spell on the sweets—”

“What kind of spell? What would it make her do?” Petra said. It wasn’t often that Uncle Laszlo gave in to such a flight of fancy and she couldn’t keep herself from interrupting.

“I’d make it so she could have a good night’s sleep,” he said. “She’s got dark circles under her eyes and she drinks more coffee than all my morning regulars combined. But I’m not a wizard, nor a warlock or a sprite.”

“Because wizards and that, witches, magic, that’s not real, right? There aren’t spells and potions,” Petra said. “No one has a magic wand.”

“Not as such. Only hot coffee on a cold night and marzipan fruits and the sound Szilva makes when she has finished her milk and wants a warm lap to sit on,” Uncle Laszlo said. “Though I suppose anything is possible.”

“I bet your miss would know, if anyone would,” Petra said. 

“You may well be right,” Uncle Laszlo said. It was one of the nicest things about him, that he was a grown-up who would say somebody young might know better. 

[sunsetdew0101]

Second Chance

Chapter 3

Ash arranged the clothes scattered around the room. Her backpack was ready on the table for the next day. Her humming bespoke her excitement for the day ahead. Tomorrow was the day.

She and Gary would finally get their licenses, get their starter and go on to become real trainers. They'd been waiting forward to it for years, and now that it was so close, it felt like a dream.

Aisha had prepared herself in the best way possible for the trip, the notebooks full of training notes and recipes, now stored in her backpack, were proof of that. Nothing would pull her out of the blissful cloud she was in.

Not even the feeling of deja vu she felt while shopping for materials and packing her bag.

Espeon had noticed Ash's disturbance, but she didn't make a fuss to alert the other humans. She knew her trainer well enough to realize it wasn't the appropriate time to show her concern.

Despite her infinite energy and delight in learning about every Pokemon and Region, Aisha was very secretive about her thoughts and feelings: Even with her family.

Part of it was her mother's fault. Even though she had good intentions, which no one believed, Delia was a bitter and manipulative woman. Thanks to that, Ash became wary of strangers and careful of what she said.

The deja vu sensations she had, as if she were doing it all over again, didn't help her wanting to expand her horizons. Until now, only Espeon knew about these moments, and Ash intended to keep the information within her team.

Knowing too much was dangerous nowadays, especially with Team Rocket having their fingers in every pie. Ash didn't know where these feelings or vague knowledge came from, but she wouldn't publicize it. She was just another trainer from Pallet looking to try her luck in the big leagues. Nothing more, nothing less.

She pretended she didn't feel the slight chill down her spine, concentrating on talking to Daisy, who had come to wish her good night.

Ash loved Professor Oak. She really did. The man had been a father and grandpa to her and had opened the doors of his home to her and defended her from Delia.

But regardless, he was an idiot. And Ash thought about it with all the esteem possible. The Professor was a genius, and his research and discoveries about new Eeveelutions were proof of that.

But he, after twenty years of being a Regional Professor, still managed to forget to sleep the day before the delivery of licenses and initials. This time, the lack of a healthy sleep schedule in recent months made him forget that he would have four trainers instead of the usual three.

Fortunately, there were still a few houses with lights on in town, so only Ash and Gary were present to observe the chaos. Daisy decided she still hadn't had enough coffee to deal with the current crisis once the Professor cuss. Now she was leaning against a wall sipping with her Sylveon.

"I have an extra Pokemon," he muttered absently. "But he hasn't been tamed yet. And he's more aggressive than I feel comfortable with, to give him to the other coaches. But I don't have an alternate starter either."

"Can we see him, Grandpa?" asked Gary.

Later the Professor would say that he almost denied his grandson's request. After all, having already taken care of a Pokemon or not, that one was too aggressive to show to beginners. But something urged him to agree.

Once he returned with the Pokeball, he released the Pokemon.

He was a little dusty and looked like he could use a few extra meals. And if the flash of cheeks said he would make anyone stupid enough to approach him to pay.

Ash always wanted a Charmander as a starter. But, at that moment, when she looked into Pikachu's eyes, a weight settled inside her. She didn't know how, but something told her that she would regret it for the rest of her life if she left Pikachu for another trainer.

And Ash knew better than to ignore those feelings.

Look, Ash wasn't the most planner out there. But she had made a plan for her trip around the Kanto region: She marked the routes, the cities, and the gyms she desired to challenge to stop by or wanted to take. And she even planned budgets for food, medicine, and bus and boat tickets.

Essentially, she prepared herself for eventualities. Things happen. She just made plan B, in case.

But she hadn't planned to owe a bicycle on her first day of travel! And for a good reason! Bikes cost an arm and a leg. No new trainer could pay the price for one at the snap of a finger. But once she got separated from Gary in lane 1, she accidentally pissed off some Spearows who attacked her and her two Pokemon.

Luckily Espeon got inside the Pokeball, but Pikachu refused to, causing her and the electric mouse to run halfway to Viridian City while being chased by the flock of hell birds. Pikachu was injured, and Aisha tried to defend him with her body. But Pikachu decided she wasn't that bad and fried the Spearows and the 'borrowed' bike.

The only good thing about the story was that they got to see Ho-Oh, and Ash was able to take some pictures of him. Pokedexes were underrated. But the disaster did not stop there. Once at the Viridian Pokemon Center, and after expounding Pikachu's sorry state, she assured Misty that she would see every penny of the bike's price back, the worst happened.

Three members of Team Rocket invaded the Pokemon Center and demanded all the Pokemon present. And as much as Ash wanted to battle them, Pikachu had just come out of surgery, and she doubted Espeon was strong enough to fight them.

Ash and Misty helped Nurse Joy transfer the Pokeballs from the storage room to Pewter while the Rockets searched the Center. Both girls were scared, and although she tried to hide it better, so was Nurse Joy. And it was not for less.

The Rockets were a constant danger, and although their attacks had lessened in tone, their presence was perceptible in both Kanto and Johto. Every year hundreds of trainers, new or veterans, were missing.

At best, they found the corpses of the missing trainers. At worst, they found them alive but so severely injured that death would have been a mercy. Some of the rest willingly joined the Rockets or were forced to.

Luckily only the three of them were at the Pokemon Center that night. Unfortunately, only two were active trainers, and one had been a trainer for less than twenty-four hours. At least Nurse Joy had sounded the emergency alarm for the station, but by the time they arrived, a lot could happen.

When Officer Jenny arrived, the Center had blown up thanks to an electrical surge created by Ash's Pikachu and the others that worked at the Pokemon Center. The Rockets were unconscious and tied up in the wreckage, while Ash and Misty were outside, covered in soot and a few light scratches.

"We will travel," declared Misty. Officer Jenny was taking away the Team Rockets' grunts in front of them. "What?"

"Together," she explained to Ash. "You owe me a bike, and after today's show, I bet the Rockets will keep an eye on you. So, you want some company?"

"I don't have a choice, do I?" asked Ash resignedly. The smirk on the redhead's face was self-explanatory.

Maybe the Rockets would ignore them, and when she finally got the bike paid, they could go on their original routes. After all, what is one new trainer among many?

Ao3

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