#bonded pair // sabrina

[purposefully-lost]

Charlie stared down at his phone, his leg bouncing as he sat at the kitchen counter and considered what he was about to do. He already had Sabrina's number pulled up; he'd saved him simply as Bri, left the contact favorited so he'd still see his messages when he turned on the Do Not Disturb settings to avoid work calls at night. It'd only been a couple of days since the night they'd reunited, but he was near desperate to see him again.

Maybe it was the loneliness. The empty house, the empty garage, the fact that he still hadn't gone back to class and was halfway convinced he should just go ahead and drop out. It certainly had something to do with the fact that he'd already missed years of his life that could've been better spent by Sabrina's side. And maybe because he'd known him all his life, or maybe because they'd met again outside the funeral home, but he was thinking more about limited time, and he didn't want to waste any more of it without him.

He could, he knew, just ask him to hang out again. That would be the easiest thing to do. But he also couldn't forget kissing him, and he wanted to know if Sabrina thought about it, too. It was selfish and stupid and he couldn't help it. His face already warm and his heart stuttering, he pressed the button to call.

"Hey!" He started, maybe a little too quickly when Sabrina answered. Charlie stared down at the countertop and scratched idly at a stain with his free hand, trying to conjure up the words he'd prepared for this. "I, uh.. I- I was wonderin' if you might wanna... go out? With me? Sometime this week, if you're free.."

@unwillingprince

[sehunniepotwrites]

RISK IT ALL | L.HC

SYNOPSIS. In theory, playing a card game called Risk It or Drink It during your holiday kickback sounded fun. In reality, it was your group’s wild plot scheme for you and your close friend, Donghyuck, to finally get yourselves together in more ways than one. 

PAIRING. Lee Donghyuck x fem!Reader WORD COUNT. 14.4k GENRE. Friends-to-Lovers!AU, Holiday!AU, Christmas!AU, Party!AU, mutual pining, smut (minors dni!), comedy/humor, a tiny bit of fluff

WARNINGS. language (crude sexual jokes, talks about sex positions, and profanities), alcohol and food consumption, adult drinking games with dares, haechan is heavy on consent, body shots, brief vouyerism, explicit content (needy!haechan, possessive!haechan, fingering, oral–male and female receiving, nipple play, praise kink, penetrative, missionary, etc.), nicknames (hers: princess, baby | his: baby)

PLAYLIST. Up to You - PRETTYMUCH feat. NCT Dream | Look at Me - George | A Nonsesne Christmas - Sabrina Carpenter | santa doesn’t know you like i do - Sabrina Carpenter | Yours (Live feat. Winter and Mark) - Chanyeol and Raiden

DISCLAIMER. This is work of fiction. I do not own the people/characters or concepts I have written about. You cannot translate or copy my work. © sehunniepotwrites, 2023

As people say, Saturday nights are for the boys. 

To you, the boys refer to your group of best friends formed early in your college years. The bond strengthened even after graduation. Two years after leaving your university adventures behind, your Saturday nights still belonged to your small close knit group. What started as dressing up in your best clothes and club hopping hours into the night turned into wearing comfy clothes and hosting weekly kickbacks in your respective apartments. You exchanged drunkenly shouting over loud music with drunkenly shouting over party games. Sometimes, you drink and others, you abstain from consuming alcohol to just bask in your hilarious company.

As you grew older, the clubbing and party scene seemed too exhausting with your nine-to-fives taking up most of your energy. Why would you want to socialize with stupid drunk strangers in a crowded room when you could just do that with your tight circle of friends?

Donghyuck and Mark hosted the kickback at their place this week–this one a little fancier than others due to it being the Saturday before Christmas. You loved it when they did. It gave you the excuse to drink to your heart’s content, knowing you could just crash in Donghyuck’s bed at the end of the night. You never did drink past your limit though–too afraid of your darkest secrets slipping through your loose lips–secrets only Jaemin and his girlfriend Ari knew. 

Ari was a great secret keeper. She never revealed your secret crush on Donghyuck to her lover. You did that yourself one semester when you bursted into her room, complaining about how attractive your best friend looked in his leather jacket to the point of wanting to kiss his pretty confident smirk off his face.  Jaemin heard it all while waiting for his girlfriend to get out of the shower. But as loyal as a friend could be, he kept the slip to your tiny little trio. That, however, did not stop the occasional teasing that happened here and there in full group settings. 

It seemed like Jaemin and Ari always had something up their sleeves when you found yourselves hanging out with them and Donghyuck. They would find tiny little ways to get you and your crush in positions where you had no choice but to be near him. For example, setting up days where the hang outs seemed more like double dates and then pretending to get lost just to guarantee you some alone time with him. Their plans, though obvious to you, worked in many ways. Jaemin and Ari often returned to you with matching grins on their pretty faces when they saw your hands linked together or with Donghyuck’s arm comfortably draped around your shoulder, his free hand carrying your purse. 

You honestly weren’t sure how Donghyuck never caught on to their schemes. 

Maybe he did but refused to say anything on the topic. 

Nevertheless, the devil worked hard but Ari and Jaemin worked even harder.

Although you asked the two to stop fueling the delusions floating in your mind, they insisted Donghyuck liked you too. “His feelings for you were undeniable,” they said,  “just look at the way he treated you versus everyone else.” 

Your best friend—with his gentle touches, sweet smiles, and teasing tones—dropped anything for you. He’d walk you to class even if his classes were on the other side of campus, protect you from creeps that gave you the ick, and have food delivered to your job when you had a rough day. When your dates with men went awry, Donghyuck arrived in seconds. According to the couple, the possibilities were endless for Donghyuck but only when it came to you. And tonight, apparently, was going to show you how endless the possibilities were. 

You were a bit sad Mark was missing out on this round of drinking at his place but as Jaemin slammed the box of cards down on the dining table, maybe it was for the best that the eldest of the group missed it. He’d miss the chaos happening at his apartment but at least, he’d earn money while doing it. 

Stealing a quick glance at Donghyuck, he looked so cute in his oversized knit sweater. The Santa hat resting on top of his long, wavy hair made him appear cozier than usual. Your outfits coincidentally matched–your sweaters in a similar shade and a Santa hat headband resting on top of your scalp. 

“Alright, bitches,” Jaemin smirked while opening the box, “tonight’s game is called Risk It or Drink It. You better not be pussies now.” You missed the gamemaster giving Donghyuck a pointed look as you handed out Ari’s soju cocktails to all the people in attendance. Donghyuck stealthily flipped him off. 

“He means you, babes,” Ari nudged you as she poured the two of you a shot. “We’re doing this for you.”

You grabbed it, the liquid spilling from the top, as you raised it for a toast. “No shit, Sherlock.”

Ari striked her glass with yours, “Well, Watson. Bottom’s up.” 

“Merry fucking Christmas!” The two of you downed the shot, not wincing in the slightest. The dangerous thing about flavored soju was that it tasted sweet, didn’t burn, and snuck up on you when you least expected it.

Everyone gathered around the kitchen island, some choosing to stand or lean against the countertop, while others took a seat on the barstools. You all watched as Jaemin set the game up with ease, placing a thick stack of cards in the middle of the table. 

“The rules are simple. We all take turns getting a card, reading it out loud, and doing what the card says, which is either doing a dare or answering a question. If you can do it, you earn the points at the bottom of the card and keep the card. If you can’t, take a shot or a swig of your drink. First to ten points wins. The player with the least point drinks out of”–the gamemaster pointed to a disgusting concoction next to the cards–“finishes the king’s cup. Got it?”

A chorus of agreement circled around the room and so the game began.

The first round was an easy one. You suspected the deck wasn’t shuffled well enough.

 Jeno’s card asked him to show off how much money was in his account, causing Yeri to jokingly ask him if he needed a sugar baby. He retaliated by telling her to ask Mark when he came home, making her take a big swig of her cocktail to draw attention away from her reddening face. Giselle had to name the worst dressed in the room, which led to Renjun’s cute outburst. Jaemin faked a proposal to his girlfriend and had to chug his drink when she said “no.” 

It was all fun and games until it came to you. That was when the party truly began.

You drew your card, skimmed through the words silently with a puzzled look, and then made a face. On your right, Donghyuck threw his arm over your shoulder to pull you closer to his side. He looked at the card as well, his face slightly dropping as he processed the task. 

“What does it say?” Karina yelled from the other side of the circle. 

Clearing your throat, you read aloud, “Lick the person on your left’s earlobe for five seconds or drink.” 

Jaemin was to the left of you and as much as you thought your friend was attractive, no amount of drinks in the world would result in you doing that.

“Damn, if only it said person to your right,” Jaemin whistled, reaching over to pat Donghyuck’s knee. Then, a mischievous glint in his eye appeared. “Hey, Donghyuck! Wanna switch sides for this card?”

“Jaem, what the fuck?!”

Donghyuck immediately shot up and the rest of the group hollered at the suggestion, urging him to move. Shoving Jaemin aside, your best friend beamed at you. He made a show out of it, pretending to tuck strands of his hair behind his ear. “Ready when you are, Princess.” 

You shoved his side at his flirty tactics, quickly looking away from the pair of eyes you couldn’t resist. “You would be the type to like this shit,” you attempted to play off, ignoring the increasing heartbeats the more he looked at you. 

“I’m into anything as long as you’re the one doing it,” he threw back, quickly placing a kiss right next to your earlobe. You inhaled sharply at the touch. You could almost feel the smirk spreading across his lips as he pulled away.

The screams that followed that line reminded you that you were not alone–you were in a room filled with people that you loved and were now watching you grow even more flustered than you already were. Heaven knows you were not drunk enough for this. Shaking your head out of the thoughts that followed Donghyuck’s words, you reached for your glass and said, “I’m drinking.”

Vocalized disappointment circled around the room and you ignored it, taking three large gulps of your cocktail. You slammed the glass down and felt the alcohol run through your body. If the dares were anything like that one, it would take you a lot more to actually do something. 

Donghyuck didn’t vocalize anything after your choice was made but you did catch his smirk drop the second your lips touched the rim of your glass. The large hand he had around your waist acted as a sign for you to put your drink down. Without words, he placed an opened water bottle in front of you and gestured to it with his chin–he wanted you to take a sip. You did as you were told as the second round of dares continued.

You all had trouble holding in your laughter when Karina called a friend, put them on speakerphone, and asked them to pick her up from the station after being detained for having car sex in a public area. The cackles were harder to contain when the friend pressed for details instead of immediately coming to her aid. When the insistence failed to cease, Karina spit out the first name that came to her head and ended up unmasking the flame she carried for Jeno. You grinned at the unfolding, taking note of how Jeno’s body perked up the minute Karina’s friend screamed, “Finally!” 

Ari confidently revealed her body count, Yeri had to endure being tickled by everyone for thirty seconds, and Renjun took two shots instead of calling his ex-girlfriend.

“List three sex positions in ten seconds or drink,” Donghyuck read his card aloud. Before he could even process the task, the group started counting down, adding pressure onto the boy. “Oh shit! Umm, missionary, doggy–oh what the fuck, what else is there?!”

His time was up before he could think of a third and Giselle shoved a shot in his hand. “You better drink, Hyuck!” 

Donghyuck accepted his fate, groaning after he took the shot. As he nuzzled his head into your neck, you could tell he was disappointed at his failure.

“Aww, baby, couldn’t think fast enough with your little pea brain?” you teased, running your fingers through his messy hair. 

He looked up at you with a playful sneer and pursed his lips. “Like you could do any better in ten seconds.”

Looking Donghyuck dead in the eye, you listed three off the bat with a deadpan face, “Cowgirl, 69, doggy. It’s not that hard, Hyuckie.”

With no other context, your best friend dropped his head back into place and said, “You will be the death of me one day, you know that, right?” His plush lips, now wet with the remnants of alcohol, brushed against the junction of your neck and exposed shoulder. The sudden touch made you shiver.

“And why’s that?”

Donghyuk breathed out, the air making  goosebumps appear on your skin, and deflected the question. “It’s your turn. Draw.”

The moment you pulled the card, Donghyuck shifted his head to read the card with you. His body began to shake with laughter as the rest of your crew rushed you to reveal the dare. 

God, you were not drunk enough for this. He grabbed the paper out of your fingers and took the liberties of saying the dare, “Hold a piece of food in your mouth and have the person on your right,” he paused, grazing his soft fingers on your bare knee, “that’s me, princess—”

“Yes, I know my rights from lefts, Hyuck.”

“—and have them take it from you.”

“I’m picking the piece of food you use and don’t you dare complain!” Ari yelled before anyone else could claim the job. 

Everyone watched as she stifled through a plate of French fries. Her playful grin expanded across her pretty face when she found the perfect fry—a thin, crispy piece that was around an inch long. The group exploded with excitement as she held it up. 

“That,” you pointed to the fry in your friend’s hand, “cannot be legal. That has to be against the rules!”

Jaemin pretended to examine the fry his girlfriend was holding. “Hmm, looks fine to me.”

“You’re a menace, Jaem,” you hissed at him.

Jaemin came right back, “Just doing what has to be done to take us out of our misery.”

“What misery?!”

With everything already set, you resigned to your friend’s wishes and begrudgingly accepted the dare. Ari handed you the tiny piece of food. You sighed dramatically before placing it between your teeth. It barely extended past your top and bottom lip. Shooting Donghyuck a widened look, you told him to hurry. If you were to prolong this dare any longer, you were afraid of the fry breaking before he’d get to it. 

You stood still as Donghyuck approached with a smug look. It disappeared as soon as his eyes dropped to the french fry you held, lingering at the sight of your parted mouth. When he looked back up at you, there was a sort of look in the brown irises you were so attracted to. Hunger. Anticipation. 

“Lean in,” someone shouted but your body froze in its place.

Swallowing back your nervousness, his two warm hands touched your face, both molding to your cheeks. Shutting your eyes as he grew closer, the last thing you saw was his handsome face tilting to get a better angle. Donghyuck’s actions were lightning quick and sudden, making your heart beat skyrocket towards the moon. 

His breath tickled your skin and then, his lips brushed ever so gently against yours. It didn’t last too long; after all, his goal was to retrieve the french fry. You did your best to focus on that, remembering not to bite down to break the crunchy strip of food–the task at hand was hard but not impossible.

Then, there was a slight pressure, the plushness of his lips pushing into you as Donghyuck bit, tugging the food out of your mouth. 

Still frozen in your spot, you sensed Donghyuck pulling back. You exhaled through your nostrils and slowly opened your eyes. Your best friend was right in front of you, wearing a smirk as he chewed on the fry. He licked around his mouth, gathering the tiny dusts of salt before humming. 

“Salty,” was all he said while everyone surrounding  you laughed at his antics.

Ignoring the hammering of your heart as he continued to stare at your lips, you cleared your throat. As much as you tried to shove all feelings of attraction aside, Donghyuck kept his sultry gaze fixated on you. You watched as it dipped back down to your lips again, his fingers coming up to brush away the little specks of salt that stuck your mouth. 

Everything was too much for you–the warmth of his touch, the intensity of his stare, the looks the others were giving you–it was time to direct everyone’s attention elsewhere.

 “Next dare,” you called out, facing away from Donghyuck.

 You did the honors of drawing the card for the next person, reading it out loud and keeping the game going. Despite everyone else’s attention following your distraction, you could still detect your crush’s unwavering stare from your side. You were hyper-aware of his arm circling your waist, tugging you closer to his body heat, and the way his palm curved so perfectly into your side. It sent tingles down your spine, goosebumps forming in your flesh, and heat rising up from the tips of your extremities to the middle of your body.

Looking at the depleting stack as the game continued, you thought it couldn’t get any worse than this. Turns out, you were dead wrong.

Donghyuck plucked the next card at the top of the deck, read it to himself, and let out a low chuckle. Squeezing your side, fingers tickling the sliver of exposed skin, he said, “Looks like it’s you and me again, Princess.”

 The  reaction kept the group of friends on the edge of their seats, curiosity getting the better of them. “Read it!” Giselle yelled from the other side of the island bar. 

Hating the way Donghyuck dragged things out, it was time to take matters into your own hands. Snatching the card out of his hand, you relayed the message aloud, “Hold a staring contest for thirty seconds with the person on your left or drink. The two participants must be within two inches of each other.”

Oh shit. 

If there was one thing that made you weak, it was the way Donghyuck stared at you. You barely survived him stealing the fry. There was a mission to complete despite his impenetrable gaze, which kept your center of interest. But for this particular dare, nothing would be in the way but the air you both breathed. Could you be able to maintain your cool or would you fold the minute your eyes locked with his?

“Oh, this is going to be good,” Jeno whispered to Karina, the two now seemingly closer after the phone call scandal. She giggled, turning her head towards him to hide her laugh. Traitors, you thought to yourself, the both of them. 

Faking nonchalance, you shifted towards an eager looking Donghyuck. “Thirty seconds is nothing. Let’s get this over with.”

“Whatever you say, princess,” he replied, swiveling in his chair to face you. 

The arm holding you close to him slid down your shoulder to rest on your waist, his hand making its way under your sweater and palm now resting on the small of your back. Your body arched at his touch before you fully processed what happened, your grip instantly shooting to his take hold of his upper arms to maintain balance. You ignored the way his muscles flexed under your palms. 

Donghyuck chuckled again, “We didn’t even start and you’re already like this. How cute.”

Despite how his words and tone made you melt on the inside, how they made you sink a little more into his touch, the snark came bubbling out of your mouth. “Shut up.”

Donghyuck did the exact opposite of what you demanded. “Why don’t you make me?”

“Oh my god, Donghyuck,” you groaned.

“Is the timer ready?” he asked no one in particular while keeping you in his line of sight. It never wavered even as someone in the crowd announced they had pulled one up and were waiting for his cue. 

“Start it,” your best friend commanded and then began the longest thirty seconds of your life.

With Donghyuck barely two inches away from your face, his brown eyes dug deep into your soul. Unable to look away, you took note of how his pupils dilated as Donghyuck continued to stare. The way he looked at you was breathtaking, so focused, like you were the only thing that mattered in the moment. 

The boy’s stare, although flattering, was almost too intimidating for you to take. The intensity of it all made you want to withdraw, the upper half of your body drawing away from him. No matter how much you wanted to escape, he didn’t let you. Every time you pulled back, he pushed forward until the tip of your nose grazed against his. The hand underneath your sweater found its way up to support your upper back, his other arm extending out to grip the counter top. Donghyuck now had you pinned in between the island bar and his body and it was too damn hot in the room for this. 

Just as Donghyuck broke the connection to steal a glance at your lips for the second (or third time) that night, the timer alarmed to signal the end of your dare. You lightly shoved your hands against your crush’s chest, ignoring how firm the muscles below you were, to make more room. Once you deemed him far enough, you reached for your cocktail and took a long swig to cool your overheating body down.

Everyone had their own reactions to the stunt: Giselle and Yeri giggling in the corner, Renjun scrolling through the pictures he snuck of the interaction, Jeno and Karina whispering to another about what just transpired. While downing your drink, you made eye contact with Jaemin, who wiggled his eyebrows annoyingly. You were so close to using his pretty face as your punching bag. Ari simply winked at you. You flipped her off in reply.

Even as everyone else moved on, Donghyuck was still stuck on the dare that occurred. 

While taking one too many sips of your drink, you spilled a bit of it, liquid sticking to part of your skin. With no hesitation, Donghyuck used a part of his sleeve to wipe it away. The fingers still tucked into your knit sweater rose up to graze the back of your neck. You shuddered as he pulled his hand away, the warmth leaving with him. Just when you thought it was over, his nimble fingers reached out to fix the Santa headband that was slipping. Your breath hitched  and your crush promptly picked up on it. 

“Do I make you nervous?” he whispered, tacking your name to the end of his question. His voice was lower than usual, the cheerful and bright cadence long gone. The difference in his tone caused your heart to drop to the floor, as if it was free falling from an amusement park’s drop tower at the highest speed. There was no way to pick it back up.

“You wish.”

Donghyuck had the honors of having the last word this time. “I really do.”

No matter how hard you denied it, your best friend did make you nervous. It was apparent when he took the french fry from your mouth and when you had a staring contest. It was even more evident during your next turn, when you were tasked to spin a bottle and kiss whoever it landed on. 

There was no point in even spinning the bottle; you knew your mischievous friends would make you re-spin until you landed on the person they (i.e. you) wanted. You twirled the bottle a total of three times. The first time, it landed in between Jaemin and Ari and the next, it pointed to Renjun who quickly shifted from its path. On the last try, it stopped in the middle of you and Donghyuck. 

Ari’s manicured hand quickly flicked the bottle just enough so the opened end was aimed right at your best friend. “Well, would you look at that?” she giggled. “It landed on Hyuckie.” 

That girl was a devil in disguise, just like her damned partner.

You rolled your eyes. Sarcasm dripped through your words,“Who would’ve thought?” 

“Damn. Is the thought of kissing me that dreadful to you?” Donghyuck asked, lifting his Santa hat to run through his hair. His long fingers pushed back the curled bangs covering his eyes, holding them in place as he awaited your reply. 

The thought was far from dreadful. Nerve wracking was a far better word to describe how you were feeling. Thrilling was another one you could throw into your word bank. 

You ignored the question, too busy handling the butterflies hovering about in your stomach. One almost got caught in your throat when he swiveled your bar stool to face him. You gulped, shoving it back down. 

 “Is it?” Donghyuck insisted you answer him. You couldn’t lie so you abstained from replying. “Oh, you want me to kiss you so bad, don’t you, princess?”

Avoiding his eyes, you muttered, “Let’s get this over with.” 

“Gladly.” 

The next thing you knew, Donghyuck’s rough hands found their way back to your cheeks and tugged you closer. Seizing the opportunity, your best friend closed the distance with no hesitation. His plush lips crashed against yours and the years of tension between the two of  you ultimately snapped. 

As soon as he felt you kiss him back, your body melting right into his grasp, Donghyuck circled an arm around your waist to lock you in his hold. His other hand sneakily traced a path up your arm, creating gooseflesh on your skin, until finding purchase at the back of your head. He cupped your neck to keep you in place and went back for seconds. The first kiss ended and you parted for a mere moment to catch the tiniest breath before you went back at it. 

Donghyuck didn’t care about the crowd and quite frankly, you forgot about the audience. He kissed you hard and you couldn’t stop reciprocating even if you tried. The taste of him was addicting, it was impossible to break away.  

It was official; you were drunk on him within the first kiss. When Donghyuck tightened his grip, you let out a quiet yet pleasured sound. You latched onto his wavy, brown locks only to tug on them. If you went on for any longer, you were sure to have found your way onto his spread out thighs but you were stopped before you could carry on.

Renjun whistled, pulling your attention from Donghyuck’s kiss and back to the real world. 

You slowly opened your eyes, dazed for a moment in time, until you realized what just occurred. Withdrawing the hands tangled in your crush’s hair, you took in your best friend’s appearance–lips red and swollen, hair messy, and eyes half-lidded and completely fixated on your mouth. His chest rose and fell with each breath he took and once his gaze met yours, you swore his pupils grew in size. 

“God damn,” Jeno coughed, clearly flustered by the public display of affection. “Hyuck, you need a moment or?”

“Hmmm?” Donghyuck hummed, his stare unfaltering. He tracked every minuscule move you made, from the way you drew yourself back to create some much needed distance to how your mouth let out little pants to slow down your heart rate. He watched you press the back of your hands against your burning cheeks in a failed attempt to cool down. “No, no, I think I’m good.”

“I honestly think they both need a moment,” Yeri muttered under her breath. 

“Under the mistletoe maybe,” Ari whispered back. 

“The bedroom’s more like it. The card said kiss, not make out for the whole fucking world to see,” Renjun scolded, rubbing his eyes to erase the vision. You probably scarred the poor boy for life. He was most likely debating on whether or not he had to burn his eyes. 

“I think that looked hot,” Jaemin commented, giving you a wink. The heat in your cheeks turned up a notch. “Enjoyed it a little too much, yeah?”

“Of course, you enjoyed it, Jaem. You’re a freak,” Giselle said.

“Hey, no kink shaming here! This is a safe space! I’m going to make you take a shot for that!”

Only then did Donghyuck snap out of whatever trance you had him under. He gave you this enchanting smile that looked even prettier with his puffy lips. You did that to him. A swell of pride coursed through you–you ruined him even if it was just for a moment.

One of his hands dropped to your mid thigh while the side arguments continued. It traced a path to your knee, his thumb stroking your skin back and forth. “Was that okay?”

It was more than okay. Fantastic. Exciting. Stimulating even, judging by the damp feeling in your underwear. Worthy enough for an encore performance. “Yes.”

“Good,” Donghyuck gulped, suddenly shy and less confident than he usually is. “Are we okay?”

The look of a siren took over your features, your eyes flickering to his lips for a short second. Chin pointed down, your eyes then widened when rising up to meet his stare. Your hand settled on top of his, grounding it on your bare thigh. He squeezed your flesh as you answered with a breathless, “yeah.” 

“It wasn’t too much?” Donghyuck asked, leaning into you. 

He always did this–made sure that you were comfortable when put in awkward or unusual situations. Even when he stole your breath away with a kiss or two, the first thing he thought of was you. 

The only response you could give was a shake of your head, causing the headband to fall back yet again. With his light touch, Donghyuck fixed it right up and combed back the stray hairs stuck to your face.

“Good,” he repeated with a satisfied nod. 

He pressed against your thigh once more and you squeezed his hand back. When your hand refused to move, Donghyuck took it as a sign to keep it there for as long as you accepted his touch. As the game went on and the dares entertained the rest of the crowd, you kept yourself amused by running your fingers against his knuckles. It tickled your crush to no end, his hand squirming underneath yours, trying to break free from your crutches but you didn’t let up. 

To prevent it any further, Donghyuck swiftly turned his hand around and tangled his fingers with yours. He kept you in a tight but not squeezing grasp and it took your attention away from your friend group’s shenanigans. 

You missed Giselle refusing to take another shot and reluctantly taking off Renjun’s sweater vest with her mouth, then Yeri answering a “fuck, marry, kill” question, all because of how Donghyuck’s hand molded so perfectly with yours. Your eyes were glued to your intertwined fingers under the countertop, hidden from everyone else’s sight, but so crystal clear for yours. 

Your heart was going crazy, even crazier than when he kissed you in front of everyone. Those were all done for the public but this little moment was meant for you alone. Donghyuck didn’t have to hold your hand. He stood next to you now, his own seat long forgotten, just to be closer to you. You tested something, trying to pull away but his grip around your hand strengthened, as if he never wanted to let you go. 

With a smile on your face, you allowed yourself to lean against him, your arm pressing against his. As you did this, Donghyuck released the hand he held, only to sling over your shoulder. He shifted to hug you from behind, his back bent slightly so he could reach back down to connect your hands again. 

You looked up at him. “Comfortable?”

Donghyuck’s melodic voice hummed in reply and you leaned into his chest as he held you tighter. You held your breath as you felt a bit of his strengthened chest pressing into your upper back. 

When you stood to refill your cup ten minutes later, Donghyuck still held you with his arms circling your waist as you bent and reached across the countertop. Something hard grazed against your butt as you wiggled in his embrace, stretching your fingers to grab onto the half-emptied soju bottle. He emitted the quietest groan and gripped your sides to keep you still. Heat rushed throughout your entire body when the realization hit and a wave of arousal crashed against you.

“Please stop moving,” he said, desperation oozed out of his gentle command. 

The boy couldn’t move you himself, needing you to shield the erection that he was desperately trying to hide. He simply let you out of his hold, long enough to pour yourself another drink, before his arms encompassed you once more. His chin dropped to your shoulder as you sipped on your drink. 

“Sorry, can’t help it,” Donghyuck mumbled into your ear, his lips grazing against your earlobe. The slightest brush sent shivers down your spine and you were sure he felt it. It reminded you of the dare card you received earlier and you wondered if your crush would have the same reaction if the roles were reversed.

“It’s ‘kay,” you hushed back. 

“Is it though?” Donghyuck pushed. “I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable.”

“I would push you away if I was,” you reassured him before offering him a sip of your drink. 

If you turned back, you would’ve caught his eyes widening at your reply. It was a little spark of hope for the boy but then, he couldn’t be too sure. He refused the cocktail, saying that he should stop drinking for the night. He stressed that he needed to be sober by the end of the get-together to make sure you were alright. 

A call of your name brought you back to the game. The card you drew was a relatively easy one: post a picture with someone or something to your Instagram feed without editing with the caption, “you are the love of my life.” Patting Donghyuck’s sweater-covered arm, you requested his help, “Take a picture with me?”

“Am I the love of your life now?” He threw back, not denying the request. 

You handed your phone to the group’s respective Instagram boyfriend, Jaemin, and giggled. Maybe you shouldn’t have taken that last sip. You were far from drunk but a little past buzzed. “Why? You like the sound of that?”

“I like being called yours,” he flirted back.

“Shut up,” you scrunched your nose at him before turning your attention to the camera aimed at you. 

Jaemin, as expected, took a cute picture of the two of you. 

Donghuck was still draped over you, hugging you waist from behind with his chin resting on your shoulder. While you grinned happily for the camera, your hands covering his larger ones resting on your belly, your friend kept his soft stare on you. He wore a tender smile, honey dripping from his lips and his eyes. It looked like the perfect print for a couple’s Christmas card instead of a drunken dare and you knew this was a picture you wanted to keep on your feed, dare or not. You could always edit the caption at a later time.

Donghyuck continued to hover over you, watching your fast fingers type out the text. You waited together in silence as you hit post, waiting for the picture to upload. When the photo appeared on your feed, you turned your phone around to show the onlookers. Like the hype crowd they were, all your friends pulled out their own phones to like and comment on the post–the girls writing unhinged comments on your beauty or how Donghyuck stole you away from them while the guys drew attention to how long it took you to get together. You were sure the people who weren’t a part of your usual crowd would believe the caption on your post–after all, many often commented on how cute you looked as a couple. Without context, you were sure Mark would be pissed about how you didn’t tell him shit. 

“Alright, alright. It’s your turn, Hyuck,” you said.

“Let me run to the bathroom real quick and then I’ll draw.” 

Donghyuck finally let you out of his warm embrace, heading down the hallway of his apartment, leaving you with the rest of your friends. As soon as they heard the door shut, the group turned their heads towards you. They looked like predators, ready to pounce on their prey.

“Y’all really went at it,” Ari said, “you didn’t even come up for a breath.”

“I felt like I needed to leave the room,” Yeri added on.

“And I felt like I needed to gouge my eyes out,” Renjun dramatically rolled his eyes. “I wasn’t drunk enough for that.”

“You want to drink more?” Giselle perked up, already reaching for his shot glass. 

“Sit your ass down,” Renjun scolded while reaching for food,“I’m driving you home tonight so I’m tapping out.”

“Party pooper,” she argued.

“I mean I could drink more and we could crash here but do you want to stay with Y/N and Hyuck with all this sexually charged energy in the air?”

“Excuse me, what?” you spat out your drink, eyes enlarged as you processed Renjun’s words.

“You heard what I said,” Renjun snapped before turning back to Giselle, “if you’re fine with that, you’re on your own kid ‘cause I’m going home.”

Giselle gave you a once-over and then a sheepish smile. “Yeah, on second thought, maybe not.”

Not over what Renjun said, you whisper-shouted, “Sexually charged energy?”

“Oh please, if we didn’t stop you, you’d probably end up on Hyuck’s lap,” Karina said as she sat at the dinner table across from the island bar. You glared at her, taking in her current position. She shouldn’t even be the one talking; her bare legs rested on Jeno’s lap, her flesh covered by the fabric of his hoodie. You eyed the slight movement of Jeno’s large hand under the hoodie, how it caressed Karina’s thigh.

“Is he a good kisser?” Jaemin wiggled his eyebrows at you.

“You’re such a gossip,” you rolled your eyes.

“Well, is he?” Ari pushed, ganging up on you with her boyfriend.

Thinking back to the hot kiss you shared made you bite your lip. “No comment.”

“She didn’t deny it so that’s a yes!” Yeri stood up, pointing a finger at you. 

You fought the urge to bite it as a small rebellious act. Jeno tugged the end of Yeri’s sweater dress and yanked her back down to her seat. 

“He so wants you!”

“You say that like it’s new.”

What?  Where they implying that your best friend actually had feelings for you? “What do you mea–”

It was then Donghyuck returned from the bathroom. Your group went quiet as he approached, making the lot of you appear suspicious. “Were you dumb asses talking about me?”

“The world doesn’t revolve around you, Donghyuck,” you said while taking your oversized sweater off. 

Being in the hot seat while he was away got you all fired up–you had to find some way to cool you down. Finishing the game in your cropped bra top and skirt would be just fine. 

“Ouch,” the boy clutched his knit sweater right above his heart, the slight tug lifting the material. You caught a sliver of his gorgeous tanned skin and realized he wasn’t wearing a shirt underneath. You swiftly reverted your eyes to the thin deck of cards on the countertop. 

When Donghyuck returned back to his position of hugging you from behind, you froze in your spot. His arms fell over your shoulders, fingertips grazing the flesh of your upper thigh and you did your best to keep it together. 

“Can you draw my card for me?” he asked you, his low voice directly in your ear. 

His warm breath and long hair tickled your neck and you shut your eyes closed. “Huh?”

“It’s too far and I don’t want to reach over you,” Donghyuck whined, his hands sliding up your arms to massage your shoulders. 

You gave into his wishes and reached for a new card. Donghyuck’s grip skimmed your sides, fingers digging into your hips to keep you steady while you leaned forward. His thumbs rubbed little circles on your back as you read the card aloud. “Take a body shot with a person of your choice or finish your drink,” you projected to the awaiting crowd. Fuck. 

Jaemin and Ari’s lips formed twin smirks, satisfied with their front row seats while you slowly piece together that particular dare. Donghyuck refused to let you out of his sight or grip. All partner tasks he had were done with you. Therefore, you would be his person of choice for this dare as well. Could your heart even take this?

Like clockwork, Donghyuck swiveled your chair to ask for your consent. His brown eyes dug deep into yours to check in on you. “You okay with this, princess?”

You gestured to the strong cocktail Ari made him. “Would you rather finish that strong concoction or take a shot? I know you said you wanted to stop drinking tonight.”

Donghyuck shook his head, his luscious hair flopping along with his movement. “Don’t do this because of what I said. That’s not what I asked. Are you okay with this–yes or no?” 

“I–” You were shy but you weren’t unwilling. This game had gotten you physically closer than any other attempts that were made. It gave you a little confidence when it came to Donghyuck’s physical touch. 

When Jaemin and Ari mentioned they had something up their sleeves, you didn’t think a little card game would get you this far. You couldn’t deny the rising tension between you and Donghyuck, especially how it skyrocketed during the many rounds of dares. Neither could you deny the gentler moments sprinkled in the middle of the more intense scenes of the wild night. If all of those moments were leading up to this, why run away from it? 

“Yeah.”

That was not what Donghyuck was expecting to hear. “Yeah?”

“Let’s do it,” you nodded bashfully. You turned to face your friends, feigning confidence, “We don’t have tequila so hand me some sugar and the apple mango soju.”

Sweet drinks weren’t really Donghyuck’s thing. He was more of a plain soju and beer person but while you were both out at a barbeque place earlier in the year, he mentioned that he liked the taste of apple mango flavor in passing. Months later and you remembered that little fact. Donghyuck bit back a grin. 

He reached out a hand towards you and you carefully placed your hand in his. Donghyuck helped you off your high stool, looking for a place to set you down. The island bar was filled with the food, drinks, and the card game so that wasn’t in the running. The dining table had all the white elephant gifts piled on top, so that wasn’t a choice either. 

His eyes landed on the low coffee table in front of the couch and led you to it, your hand clasped tightly with his. Your free hand held the bottle of soju, the sugar, and the shot glass. When no one was looking, you took a quick swig before seating yourself on the cold, glass surface. Donghyuck kneeled in front of you, wedged between your thighs. 

Your friends followed, jittery with excitement over what was going to unfold. They planted themselves behind the couch, keeping their distance. 

Handing him the sugar shaker, you braced yourself as his tongue licked a spot on your neck.  Fingers and toes curling at the sensation, you cocked your head to the side while he sprinkled a bit of sugar on your skin. You didn’t dare open your eyes until you felt him more than a breath away. Avoiding any sort of eye contact with your friends, you fixed your gaze on the person in front of you, pouring the alcohol into the glass. When Donghyuck finished, he looked up at you with parted lips and a glazed over stare. 

“Ready?”

Unable to spit out words, you felt your head move up and down. With your approval, Donghyuck placed one hand on your upper back, the other on your thigh, as he guided you down. You winced when the freezing glass met your skin. A gasp followed when the bottom of the shot glass rested on your bare stomach. 

The room was silent as Donghyuck placed his arms behind his back. You stared at the ceiling as he descended. Struggling to keep your inhales shallow to keep the shot glass upright, you dug your nails into the heel of your palm. Panic and arousal flooded your brain when you snuck a peek of his head in between your legs. First came the tickle of his long hair, then the puff of his breath. The sensations they caused ignited the fire within you and a wetness to leak into fabric, the one that was fueled by another person’s touch.

Donghyuck paused for a moment, peering up at you. Eyes locked onto his target, he kept a steady gaze as his mouth wrapped around the rim of the glass. The sight of him was too sensual, too debauched for your heart to take, you broke the connection and rested your head back on the glass table. A bit of the soju spilled on your stomach when he threw his head back to take the shot. You wanted to wipe the cold liquid with the hem of your skirt; however, Donghyuck beat you to it, his wet lips thoroughly slurping up the remainder. 

To end the dare, your best friend trapped you under him, his arms planted on either side of you. You instantly turned your head to give him more access. One of Donghyuck’s strong hands cupped your jaw to keep you in place as his tongue thoroughly traced the stripe of sugar until it was all gone. He started from where your shoulder met your neck, ghosting all the way up until his nose nudged your earlobe. Donghyuck caught the sharp gasp that escaped you, felt how your hand left crescent moons on his wrist.

One, two, three beats passed until Donghyuck retreated, the scent of his strong cologne whiffing past you as he pulled back. You released a trapped breath and grabbed hold of the hand he offered. Using his strength to bring you back up, your widened eyes met his. 

Unbeknownst to the two of you, your friends had already moved on from the dare and deemed their roles as matchmakers a job well done. They moved from their spots behind the couch and began clean up duty. Renjun placed all the used kitchenware and rinsed them in the sink. Giselle and Yeri threw away all the trash and clutter around the kitchen and dining room area. Jeno and Karina moved like two peas in a pod, working together to put away all the leftovers in the fridge. Jaemin and Ari gathered all the cards, disregarding the points earned, and placed them back in the box. No matter who earned the most points, it was clear who the winners were–you and Donghuck won the game and your prizes were each other. 

Even with the hustle and bustle happening throughout Donghyuck’s apartment, neither of you noticed, too entranced by each other. Donghyuck was completely under a spellbinding haze–the glazed over expression on your face, paired with your heavy breaths and your parted lips–that he just couldn’t help himself. Hidden by the back of your couch, no one witnessed how your crush broke himself out of his trance just to kiss you one more time. 

His lips, still damp with the alcohol that spilled from his messy drinking method, connected with yours. This kiss was slower than the one that took place earlier in the night. Slower but needier. You tasted the sweet soju as your tongues converged. Even with others in the room, who could catch you at any second, Donghyuck never increased the pace. He kept you there with him, warm hands holding your face, thumbs caressing your cheek and the back of your neck, as he lightly bit your bottom lip. 

Unable to control yourself, a quiet sigh broke free when his touch ran up to grab a handful of your hair. You instantly felt Donghyuck react to it. With that boost in confidence, his mouth formed a smirk and let out a breathless chuckle that left you desiring more of him. His hips rocked forward just once, something hard swiftly brushing against your privates, and it was enough for you to release a high-pitched mewl at the contact. When Donghyuck pulled away, his deep gaze was still locked on your puffy lips, now swollen from all the damage he’d done to you. Drawing back again, he took in the whole sight of you from his current spot, kneeling in between your spread legs. 

You were so breathless, chest heaving and body flushed with warmth. The stain on your lips was almost completely gone, what was left of it messily blotched around your mouth. Even if you reapplied it thirty minutes prior,  Donghyuck was almost one hundred percent sure it disappeared because it was smudged on him.

So breathless. So taken. So ruined. 

That was the word. You looked ruined and it was all thanks to him. 

Lee Donghyuck did that to you and he was damned proud of it. Even if nothing else stemmed from whatever this moment–this night–was, Donghyuck would take the overwhelming pride he felt to his grave. No other kiss, no other makeout session, and whatever followed would ever top this exact moment for him. 

You released a quiet giggle and swiped your thumb against his lips. He kissed it as you continued your ministrations, attempting to clean off the bright color that now painted his face. 

Would it be so bad of him if he told you to stop? Would it be okay for him to keep those stains, those little specks of you, on his skin? Was it shameless of him to ask? If it was too brazen, he’d do it anyway–Donghyuck would do anything to be at your mercy. 

“Hey, lovebirds, we’re heading out!” Jaemin called from behind the couch with Ari snuggled up at his side.

The two of you spun towards them and spotted all your friends gathered by the door. Yeri and Giselle were slipping on their shoes, using Renjun as balance as they stood on one foot. Jeno held Karina’s coat, fighting the blush that warmed his face while the girl of his dreams clung onto his arm. If you were in your right mindset, you would’ve commented on that but you were far from it. You were far from sober, too intoxicated not by the many drinks you consumed, but by all the kisses Donghyuck gave you. They were addicting in their own type of way–with his little suckles, licks, and nips. 

“You’re sleeping over, right?” Ari asked, “No need for us to take you home?”

In normal circumstances, you would sleep over with no other questions asked. It was an unspoken rule that you had every time Donghyuck and Mark hosted but this was different than the other times. You just kissed your best friend–the one you usually share a bed with–on multiple occasions throughout the night and there was some sort of invisible string drawing you back to him every single time you pulled away. Ari, as a faithful girl’s girl, was giving you a way out, an option if you didn’t want to take it any further. 

As you debated the choice that was given, Donghyuck continued to breathe you in. Although he had a certain look to him, with all the flirtatious methods he had under his belt, the boy was a one girl sort of guy and that girl would always be you. You didn’t know it but he was saving himself for you. 

To him, you were not another girl he could have a one-night stand with. You were the person he wanted to wine and dine, to take care of at the end of a long day. He wanted to shower you with his love, undying devotion, and kisses so sweet that could rival the taste of your favorite dessert. And yes, this was a risk–possibly the biggest one in his short lifetime–but out of all the risks he took tonight, this was the one Donghyuck was most willing to take. 

You faced Donghyuck, a silent inquiry in your features, as you thought it through. He cocked his head at you, “It’s up to you, princess. It’s okay if you don’t want to sleep over this time.” There was a sense of finality in his low tone, ready to accept whatever answer you were willing to give. 

There was the Donghyuck you knew and loved–always putting your comfort before his own. Even when his hardened state was centimeters away from the place it craved the most, Donghyuck maintained his distance out of respect for you. That alone made you want to stay with him, to explore where else the night could take you. 

You leaned forward and pressed your body against his. Resting your chin on his shoulder, you leaned your head on his and Donghyuck immediately coiled his arms around your exposed waist. 

“I’m gonna stay,” you notified the crowd. Turning so that your lips brushed against his sensitive ear, you whispered just for him to hear, “that’s okay, yeah?”

Donghyuck slammed his eyes shut at your whisper, tightening his limbs that settled around your middle. With his body still in between your legs, you locked him in place by crossing your calves against his back. Your core was now in direct contact with the cold metal of his belt and you shuddered. You sensed the contrasting warmth right below it as you shifted. “Yeah, yeah, it’s okay.”

You could barely maintain eye contact as your friends made their way out the door, “Get home safe, you guys! Text the chat when you get home!”

“Why should we? You’ll be too preoccupied to check,” Yeri yelled back as the front door flung shut.

“You think they’ll finally do it?” Giselle laughed as they all bolted down the stairs.

Karina turned back to face her friend, “Do what–fuck? Yeah.”

“Thank fucking God,” Renjun sighed, “I’m tired of seeing them look at each other like lovesick puppies.”

“They better get together after this or all our hard work was for nothing,” Jaemin scoffed. Ari, still stitched to his side as they stepped outside the complex, nodded in agreement.

“I just feel sorry for Mark,” Yeri winced as they made their way to their respective cars. She pulled out her phone to text the group chat—Mark wouldn’t see it until after his shift at the bar but at least it would act as fair warning. 

“Same,” Jeno agreed. He opened the door for Karina, allowing the girl to slide inside the passenger seat before shutting the door and making his way to the driver’s side. 

“He’ll live,” Jaemin laughed with no remorse whatsoever,“see y’all later.”

With their friends gone, they were truly alone. No one was left to bother them and the only thing to fill the silence was the Christmas playlist in the background. Donghyuck released out a deep exhale and nuzzled his way into the crook of your neck. His hands were splayed against your thighs, caressing all the bare skin he had direct access to. The feeling of his warmth was contradicting–it heightened your mood but also made you feel so incredibly safe. 

Deep in your heart, you knew that Donghyuck would accept whatever you had to offer. If that meant taking things one step further, then he would pursue the heartracing chase that has been going on all night, running you down with kisses and ministrations that would leave you weak in his clutches. But on the other hand, if it meant that you changed your pretty little mind and didn’t want anything to occur, he would take it like a champ and accept that too. 

Donghyuck’s subtle touches were light and sensual but never broke the barrier. He just held you, his touch sliding up from your knees to the top of your thighs, fingers skirting around the seams of your bottoms to the curve of your ass. His caress didn’t break through any layers, they just lingered as he continued to keep you in his hold. 

You were the one who crashed through the walls that were made. You were the one who called his name, making him turn his chin to face you. You were the one who looked at him so intensely before dipping down to steal another taste of his addicting mouth. And Donghyuck, with all his might, matched  your level of desire perfectly.

When your limbs encased him in your embrace, arms around his broad shoulders and legs locking around his hips, Donghyuck let out a miniscule noise and you took the chance to lick around his split lips. Your tongue snaked its way in, stroking the tip of his for a second, before teasingly pulling away. He prevented you from completely ending the kiss, his hand firmly gripping the back of your head. 

You sighed out his name, falling more and more into him, and that was it for Donghyuck. He stood up and carried you down the hall. When he stopped kissing you in the middle of the hallway, your brows furrowed and you pulled back in confusion. He wore a sneaky smile on his face as he gestured up with his eyes. 

“Mistletoe,” he chuckled.

“You’re impossible,” you said, turning away to smile. He was so impossibly cute. 

“What’s so wrong about wanting to kiss you under the mistletoe?” Donghyuck asked, cocking his head to meet your gaze again.

“Nothing.”

“Well then, if it’s nothing, then give me another kiss.”

The sweet and light touch quickly turned into something heavier, doused with all the longing you kept locked up deep in your heart. Donghyuck, with the same degree of desperation to love you, matched your intensity. Your back roughly hit the wall as he raised his knee to apply pressure on your center. The slight pain and the definite pleasure blended so well, you moaned loudly. He lifted his knee again to rip another noise out of you and your whimpers were almost too much for him to process.

“Hyuck?”

“Hmmm?” he hummed as he suckled at your neck.

You were practically sinking down the wall, immersing yourself in his kisses. “Room.”

“What?”

You pried him away from your bruising skin from all his nips and kisses to say, “Your room.” Dropping a kiss to his lips, you begged, “Please.”

Completely in sync, you reached for each other again for another round of urgent kisses. It was the blind leading the blind as Donghyuck stumbled through the narrow walkway to find his room. It would have been easier just to let up for a minute or two but the act of kissing him while desperately searching for his space was so incredibly hot. You were sure it was every girl’s dream to be so carnally wanted by someone to the point of never letting go. You were still processing that you were truly wanted this way by the guy who took up permanent residence in your brain.

You faintly heard the door open and close before you were dropped onto his mattress. You let out a surprise squeal at the unexpected action and he laughed as he slowly crawled over you.

Donghyuck always left his LED lights on even when he was out of the room. You scolded him each time he did it, lecturing him about saving energy, but this was the one time you didn’t. You were glad he left his purple lights on because now you were able to see how truly taken he was by you. 

The lights created a halo around his body and yours. Each of you took a moment to soak up your appearances–Donghyuck with purple lights outlining his lean body, light shadows not enough to hide the affection written all over his face and you with your hair spread across his bedsheets, chest heaving in anticipation, and dilated eyes looking up at him.

Your hands snaked up to the hem of his sweater, tugging at it. It was an unspoken question and Donghyuck answered it instantly, stripping himself of the one layer he had on. Unable to resist, your fingers danced across his bare skin, tracing the lines of his lean muscles. You’d seen him shirtless many times before but never like this. You never had him hovering over you with the feeling of desire coursing through your bloodstream.

Sliding your hands up, you tugged at his long hair to bring him closer to you and his arms faltered for a second. Donghyuck collapsed, dropping so that he rested on his knees and arms. The strands that you played with dangled across your forehead and you reached up to close the distance. 

“I’m going to ask you one more time before I can’t stop myself anymore,” Donghyuck whispered against your lips. “Do you want this?”

No hesitation. “Yes.”

He kissed your breath away, his hands resting against your ribs. Dogghyuck squeezed hushed sounds out of you as he stripped you of your crop top and bra all at once. His hands grasped your breasts, fondled them, while the open-mouthed kisses continued. They drifted from your mouth, his lips marking a path down your neck to your cleavage. Donghyuck teased your nipples with his hand and tongue, watching you writhe with each action he made. Your manicured nails scratched at his back as his licks and pinches quickened.

“God, you’re so–” Donghyuck lost his train of thought when your palm added pressure to the growing need in his pants. 

You struggled to get his belt off in between all his distractions. As soon as you did, your nimble fingers unbuttoned his pants and began to shove his tight jeans down his meaty thighs.

Donghyuck reluctantly ripped himself away from you to do the rest of the work. He did a sloppy job of it all, hopping here and there to wiggle out of his jeans but you didn’t care. You kept your eyes on him, your gaze raking from his head all the way down to the apparent tent in his boxer briefs. Crawling your way to the edge of the bed, you looked up at him while you tugged on the waistband of his last remaining layer.

“Don’t look at me like that, princess,” he groaned while you pulled him back towards you. Donghyuck was beyond ready to risk it all for you, no matter the consequences. Logic and friendship be damned.

“Like what?” You blinked slowly.

His hands went to your hair, tugging you up until you were at eye level with each other. The other arm coiled around your waist and pressed your bare, heaving chests together.“God, do you want to be kissed until you can’t breathe?” 

“By you? Please,” you pleaded again. Donghyuck gave in to you, protecting your head as the two of you fell back. He kissed you as your back hit the bed a second time, his tongue passing over every crevice in your mouth. He met his need to be closer to you by grinding his hips, an action you promptly followed. His hands and yours were in absolute synchronization as they tugged the remaining layers off. 

It seemed like all Donghyuck wanted to do was shower your entire body with his undying devotion, to show you how much he loved you. His lips skipped over the apex between your legs, kissed down your extremities, until he was off the bed with your garments in hand and haphazardly tossed them to the side. 

His hand wrapped around your ankle and dragged your body to the end of the bed. Your heavy breathing increased when you realized exactly what Donghyuck was up to. He shot you an animalistic grin as he dived in with a long lick to your velvet skin.

“Hyuck, oh my god,” you cried.

He sucked on one of your lips and then the other with the same amount of pressure. “Again.”

“What?”

“Say my name again.” This time, he swirled his tongue around your clit then added pressure with the tip. 

It pushed another winded call of his name out of you and you felt him smirk against you. Donghyuck traced your folds with one finger with a featherlight touch before it ventured inside your aching need. His digit slid right in and out, showing just how much you craved him. His eyes tracked how they eased into you, the sight never boring him in the slightest. 

Adding another finger made you even more vocal, as did his tongue playing with your clit. Donghyuck never let up. Even when your fingers tugged a little too tightly on his hair, or when you trapped his head in between your legs, he refused to surrender. Not when your sugary sweet voice kept calling for him. 

You grew hot, sweat forming on your skin, as he continued to drive three fingers into you with a speed and depth you could never replicate. The noises you made became more incoherent with each second that passed, Donghyuck couldn’t even process that you were calling his name. He was too into you, eyes rolled to the back of his head, moans buried into your skin. 

“Wait, wait–” you screamed, forcefully tugging his head away from you, even though you were teetering the edge.

Donghyuck was dazed, lips and chin drenched by your juices, as you commanded his attention. “D’you want to stop?”

Tears gathered around your waterline, threatening to fall, as you gathered yourself. “N-no but,” you gleaned at the clock on his wall, “Mark–”

Donghyuck possessively growled when his roommate’s name left your lips. He didn’t want to hear anyone else’s name when you looked so disheveled except his. “What about him?”

“He’s coming home soon. He can’t–” Hear us was what you wanted to say. 

Donghyuck, however, did not give you time to finish that statement. 

Shoving his three fingers back into you with determination, you heard the embarrassingly loud squelching noises over your whimpers. Donghyuck seemed into it, a madden and driven expression taking over his face, as he snarled back, “I’ve waited too fucking long to have you like this. I don’t care if he hears you–let him hear you. I don’t care as long as you’re mine.”

His fingers combined with his god-send of a tongue worked endlessly, never faltering, as they brought you higher and higher. Worries worlds away, all you could center on was the immense pleasure coursing through your entire being. Fingers curled around his hair and played with your breast while Donghyuck coerced more noises out of you. Your insistent jerking at his hair and squirming alerted him that you were almost there, you just needed a little more encouragement.

“Be a good girl and cum for me, baby,” he said before his tongue flicked tirelessly. 

The soft order mixed with the new nicknames and his brazen desire to make you come undone was too overwhelming, you had no chance of warning before it all came crashing down. Stars in your eyes, cries bubbling out of your mouth, and hands gripping onto anything within your reach, your whole body reaction was good but not enough to satisfy the greed Donghyuck had in him.

“You sound so pretty, so so pretty,” he whispered as he kissed your pulsing bundle. He stroked himself with a painstakingly slow pace, feasting on the way you lost yourself.

When you came to, you rushed to stake your claim on him. If he had his way with you, then you needed your time and space to do the same. Leading him onto the bed, you positioned him to lean against the bedrest and seated yourself on his thighs. His fingers sank into your ass, kneading your flesh until you rocked in time with his movements. And just when he thought it couldn’t get any better than that, your fingers gripped his lengthening cock and began to move. 

Paired with the hickeys you planted on his chest and neck, Donghyuck was at your complete and absolute mercy. When your tongue circled a nipple, he released a weak noise. Picking up on how much he liked it, you repeated the action on the neglected partner then kissed your way down to his hardened cock. When you held his gaze captive with your siren eyes, you descended, tongue running along the side of him. Your lips ghosted against the area, never engulfing him, to prolong the teasing. 

“Want you to sound pretty, too,” you said as you licked the cum off his tip. “Can you do that for me? Sound pretty?”

Donghyuck let out a small noise that you struggled to hear. 

Withdrawing your mouth, you allowed your hands to do the work. They bobbed up and down at a slow, menacing pace, twisting at the right times. When he grew louder, more desperate, you nosed and smirked against his length before giving him what he wanted. Hollowing your cheeks, you sucked lightly on the end before deep-throating him. Saliva dripped from your lips as you relax your jaw, his tip hitting the back of your throat.

The action shocked Donghyuck, overloading his nerves, heart, and brain that he almost lost all sense of self. The strong charisma he held while taking care of you disappeared, reduced to pathetic little moans and uncoordinated jerks of his hips. 

You heard through the grapevine that he was a verbal lover but you didn’t think he was that noisy. You didn’t mind it though, you took his whimpers and babbles as incoherent praises. Desperate mumbles of your name fired out of his lips and his hands yanked you away before he finished.  

“Sorry, sorry,” he said when his hands tugged harshly on your hair. His eyes were still closed as his lips covered yours. He lapped at your mouth, tasting himself, as he placed you on your back again. He nibbled at your earlobe, so near that he could hear your strained puffs. “Dreamed about this for years, waited too damn long. Can’t end like that.”’

“For years, baby?” You scratched his scalp.

His brown eyes rolled back. “Fuck, I love it when you call me that.”

“Baby?”

“Yeah,” Donghyuck exhaled. “Again?”

A begging and pliant Donghyuck was a rare sight, you wondered how hard you could push.

“No,” you said firmly, a hint of a smile breaking through when you caught onto his frustration. 

When he bucked his hips, you clenched and resisted the urge to grind back. “Why not?”

“You’re cute when you beg.”

Donghyuck let out the loudest whine, grinding again. You coiled your legs around his hips, tightening them to lock him in place. Desperation leaking out of him, he continued his actions.  The friction caused by his cock rubbing against your folds was so delicious, you almost gave in. 

“You’re a tease,” he groaned deeply.

“No, that’s you.”

“Please,” Donghyuck’s voice sounded so strained. “I want to hear it again.”

Positioning your lips right by his ear, you gave into his request. “Baby.”

Donghyuck showed you just how much he loved that name by bringing your lips back together. His lower body pressed you against the mattress, hasty ruts making his cock slide against your folds. He blindly reached for his drawers, hand crashing against every surface to search for a condom. In his rush, things scattered about, making the task much harder than it should’ve been. He unwillingly separated from you to retrieve the wanted package and slid it on his fully hardened state.

Hushed, nervous giggles took over when Donghyuck inched towards you. He brushed your loose strands sticking to your cheeks away just so he could see your whole face, all flushed because of him. Placing a gentle peck on your lips, he positioned himself and pushed past the barrier of your folds. Donghyuck took his sweet, sweet time sinking deeper into you and your annoyance grew faster than his pacing.

“Hyuck,” you whined, your mind and body obsessing over the way he felt. His cock was girthy, definitely thicker than his three fingers, but just as long. Just one little thrust by him and he’d hit your spot and you were positive it would feel like heaven. You dug your heels into his back and he keeled. 

“Yeah?” He stilled when he was fully sheathed, breathing heavily at how your body clung onto him.

“Move,” you harshly whispered, pressing your heels again. The stretch he caused wasn’t an overbearing one, it was one you were more than ready to handle. You needed Donghyuck in all definitions of the word but he wasn’t budging. 

“I can’t,” Donghyuck choked when you clenched. You were so tight, affecting him too strongly with the tiniest movements, his mind was conflicted on what to do. A part of him wanted to linger and soak it all in, while the other wanted to lose all sense of control. “You feel so good.”

When you clenched around him again, Donghyuck folded. He never had a chance when it came to resisting you. In the past, he struggled whenever you batted your eyelashes at him or gave him the devilishly innocent puppy dog eyes. How was he supposed to resist your requests when he filled you up to the brim, skin pressed against skin, lips just breaths away from each other? He was at your beck-and-call to the greatest degree and this was the ideal situation to prove it to you. 

His first thrust was sudden, interrupting another request spilling out of your mouth. You choked out an elongated groan and it died in your mouth as he moved again. His pacing may have been slow but it was purposeful. You truly felt every little thing–from the way he drew back to the way your body sucked him back in. A part of you wished to get rid of the condom, so you could make out how the ridges and veins swept your walls, but you knew this was the safer, more logical option. (Plus, there was always the next time.)

Your matched rhythm increased as time passed, sounds of skin slapping and pathetic whines echoing within his room’s four walls. His deep plunges hit the target every-time, his cock directly adding a divine pressure to your g-spot and in response, your nails created dents and scratches on his beautifully tanned skin. Your hands explored every crevice of his body, dragging trails down his chest, arms, and abs. His lips traversed the expanse of your neck and collarbone, before coming back to capture yours in messy kisses.

And when you broke away from his kisses to let out neverending whimpers, Donghyuck knew that you were close. His hand lifted one of your legs over his broad shoulder and that new angle alone made you grip and thrash around the sheets. Your motions were frantic at this point, his hips operating at a relentless pace that you could barely chase. His hands on your hips alleviated you of most of the work, your body too spent in the blaring white, starry-eyed high he was providing. 

His fingers reaching down to pinch your pulsing clit was the final move before you came crashing down. Ecstasy rippled through you and once again, he milked out your cum until your body trembled with aftershocks. He pulled out then, his large hand rushing to finish himself off. 

As you were slowly descending from your high, your one thought was to return the generous favor. Donghyuck jerking himself off to completion didn’t sit right with you. Hazingly, you crawled over to him and swatted his hands aside. The boy was lost in confusion at your actions but it all became crystal clear to him when your face plummeted to his now bare cock, the condom disregarded somewhere on his bed. 

Donghyuck’s tip quickly hit the back of your throat as your hands fondled whatever could not fit. He didn’t last much longer, his groans reaching new heights in volume and his once flourished moves turning into an uncoordinated state of frenzy. Donghyuck, with his tight grip loosening through your hair, said your name once more. His mouth slackened and the long-awaited bliss ultimately reached its peak. 

A familiar room welcomed you as you opened your eyes the following morning. You blinked away the sleepiness, adjusting to the light that peeked through the blinds. The clock on the wall read eight thirty in the morning, otherwise known as too early to be awake after drinking the night away. Slumber was calling your name but so was your stupid bladder. You unwillingly wiggled out of his embrace, watching and giggling as his body adjusted to the empty space beside him. 

You muttered complaints about the cold in your head as you trudged to the bathroom, picking up Donghyuck’s knit sweater as another layer of heat on the way. While you were up, you took care of your usual morning routine–washing your face with Donghyuck’s skin care products, drying your skin with the towel set he always left for you, and brushing your teeth with the toothbrush that stood right next to his. 

The domesticity of it hit differently the morning after you were intimate with your best friend. Something in the air had changed and you hoped it was for the better. A small part of your heart, the one that was so incredibly smitten with him,  worried Donghyuck would view their night together as a one-time thing. Another part of you, however, believed the words he uttered last night. After all, he said he waited too damn long for this. That had to mean something, right? 

You quickly nestled back into the sheets, shifting until the blankets were up to your shoulders. The shirt Donghyuck dressed you in was big and comfortable but the thin fabric wasn’t enough to keep warm throughout the night. Neither was the sweater you threw on. Your preferred source of heat was inches away, his body scorching despite being shirtless. 

Donghyuck groaned as you attempted to make yourself comfortable. His arms snaked around your middle, spooning you just like he did the night before. His face dug into the back of your neck, his nose prodding the sliver of skin not covered by your bedridden hair. His low morning voice, the complete opposite of the higher pitch he used around the group, made your heart plummet.“Why did you leave me?” 

“I was gone for five minutes.”

“Five minutes too long, princess,” he whined, his fingers skimming up and down your thighs.

“You’re so needy.”

This touch rose at a snail’s pace. He brushed your underwear then moved underneath your clothes to rest his palms on your stomach. “No, I just missed you.”

“Yeah, needy,” you retorted playfully, turning to face him. 

The fond smile on your face matched the expression on his and you kissed him softly. He gave you a second kiss and then a third that allowed you to get lost in him. You noticed and enjoyed every little thing he did–his hands dragging your hips to meet him, the sound caught in his throat when your leg wraps around his middle, his tongue lovingly caressing yours. 

Donghyuck reluctantly broke away from you, trying to create some distance. He grew a little self-conscious upon tasting the fresh mint on your lips. Covering his mouth, he said, “Wait, shit. Morning breath. Let me just—”

“Don’t care,” you muttered, straddling him so he couldn’t escape your clutches. You pulled him back in, smothering your best friend with all the kisses he deserved. You left one on each of his eyes, the pretty beauty marks sprinkled across his face, and over the hickeys you littered across his golden skin. 

He chuckled in between kisses, “Who’s the needy one now?”

“Shut up, you loser,” you rolled your eyes with fake annoyance.

“I thought I was your baaaaaby,” he teased, palms running up and down your sides. You paused at that and Donghyuck noticed. “Hey, what is it? Did I say something wrong?”

“No, it’s just–” 

You released a drawn out breath. 

“You’re thinking a little loud,” Donghyuck’s voice let up, his concern slipping through his words. He cupped your cheek and your eyes met. “But not loud enough for me to hear your thoughts. Wanna let me into that pretty mind of yours?” 

You basked in the way his thumb strokes your cheek so gently and the stars that were shining in his eyes. Lee Donghyuck was many things—a hard worker, a flirt, intelligent, caring, hilarious, a pain-in-the-ass, a brave soul. The list went on and on. He wore many crowns and carried many titles but the one title he did not claim was being yours. 

Donghyuck was your best friend but he wasn’t officially yours. And you wanted him to be. 

In your bright and rose-colored eyes, Donghyuck was a risk-taker. He took the risks he wanted to last night to get you in his bed. But was that all there was to it? The part of your heart that doubted his actions and feelings took over your thoughts, the questions picking at you with no avail.

If Donghyuck could take risks, then why couldn’t you? Channeling the confidence your best friend usually carried, you asked, “Do you need me the way I need you, Hyuck?” 

You reached for the hand resting on your cheek and brought it back down to his bare chest. Fingers interlacing, the back of your hand picked up on his heart pulsating rapidly against his chest. 

As if sensing the doubt in your head, he tasked himself to send the negative musings away. Donghyuck didn’t answer your question directly but the words spilling out of his mouth were more than enough for you. “You are the only dream that fills my head—nothing else but you.” He said your name so tenderly, your heart grew three times—no, a million times—too big. At this point, the muscle and the smile that you wore bursted at the seams. 

Donghyuck laid out his cards in this game of love and it was time to reveal your hand. You squeezed his hand tightly as an act of courage and then took the leap of faith. “I like you,” you blurted out, “so much. Sometimes too much that it hurts.” 

Amused and overjoyed by your confession, Donghyuck rushed up to kiss you. His lips pressing against you so suddenly caught you off guard, you lost your balance in the act. “You are so fucking cute, I don’t know what to do with you,” he muttered in between pecks that made you laugh aloud. 

“Date me?” you suggested with a shy smile. 

“Princess, I’m going to date the hell out of you, just you wait.” 

His kisses eventually subdued and you found yourselves laying on your sides facing each other. No words were exchanged as your heads rested on their respective pillows. You were happy when his words never stopped flowing and when you stared in silence with matching grins. 

You watched Donghyuck’s face contort into one of concentration, his fingers rising above his head to count something, before he turned back to you. “We’ve spent seven Christmases together—”

“Oh yeah?”

“—and this one is definitely my favorite.” 

His confession was beyond sweet, it’s honey dripping out of his mouth. Over the years, Donghyuck wiggled his way into your holiday traditions. There was a lot you’d done over the years, from ice skating to gingerbread houses to movie marathons and impromptu snowball fights. Many of those moments were core memories you kept dear to your heart. Donghyuck admitting this meant a great deal to you and the space your heart had for him increased tenfold. Your heart was now completely his. 

Although they drove you insane with their obvious scheme, you thanked the meddling kids you called friends and their stupid game in your head. After all, they were the ones who encouraged you to risk it all in an extremely unserious and unconventional way.

With that being said, the risks the game of life had to offer were terrifying. They were difficult. If you never took them, they would forever leave you pondering about the road not taken. But when you did take them, risks big or small, they were always worth it. 

Kissing Donghyuck sweetly on the lips, you replied, “It’s my favorite too.” 

(01:27) Yeri: i’m so sorry marky  (01:29) Jeno: ditto (01:29) Jeno: f’s in the chat for mark (01:30) Karina: f (01:30) Renjun: f (01:30) Yeri: f (01:30) Ari: f (01:31) Giselle: fffffff (01:32) Jaemin: shut up, he’ll be fine (01:45) Yeri: I’ll leave my extra key under my mat if you wanna crash somewhere else, just got home (01:50) Giselle: home, gnite everyone (01:51) Ari: we just got home too, night night <3 (01:55) Jeno: home, rina’s here too (01:56) Yeri: oh??? (01:56) Karina: shut up (02:35) Mark: wtf i just got home, why are you sorry (02:35) Mark: what happened (02:36) Mark: bro hold up i hear noises from hyuck’s room, who else did you invite?? (02:36) Mark: did y/n get sexiled??? where is she??  (02:36) Mark: she’s not in my room, i thought she was sleeping over?? (02:37) Mark: wait—OH MY GOD YOOOO WTF IS THAT Y/N IN HIS ROOM  (02:37) Mark: …oh my god that’s her let’s GOOOOOO (02:38) Mark: omf they’re so loudddddd dude wtfffff (02:38) Mark: fml yeri im coming over 

AUTHOR'S NOTE. I know it's past Christmas now but I hope you enjoy this holiday fic. It ended up being longer than I thought it was going to be but it's done! My first full fic in quite a bit. The games and hilarity that ensue in this fic are based on one of my drunk game nights with friends. Every time I hang out with this group, something inspires me--we're like sitcom worthy at times lol. Fic worthy even. I hope you all enjoy it and let me know what you think.

Happy Holidays and Happy 2024! <3

TAGLIST. @nctsworld @johtenrecs @emmybyeakitty @sokkigarden @hyuckworld @baekhyuns-lipchain @yutaholic-main @moonctzeny @suhnnyskiess @smileysuh @everloving-avenue @justalildumpling @tywritesstuff @mikalovesicecream @carelessshootanonymous @emvrd @taelme @fairyiene @dreamy-carat @smwhrinthehaze

© sehunniepotwrites, 2023

[boxofbonesfic]

Title: E-Vite 4/20 [A New Hire interlude]

Series Masterlist

Pairing: Alpha!Mob!Ari Levinson x Naive!Omega!Reader

Word Count: 4,382

Summary: Ari’s mate finds herself invited to a brunch featuring more than just bottomless mimosas. 

Warnings: 18+ Only, Drugs, Recreational Drug Use,  Mob AU, Age Gap, A/B/O Dynamics, Alpha!Ari, Darkfic, Breeding, Smut, MINORS DNI, Dead dove: Do not eat

A/N: i’m so sorry this is so late! but (i hope) it’s worth it! takes place roughly a week or so before reader and Ari leave for Paris. a little character development i think you’ll all enjoy. divider by @firefly-graphics​. dedicated to @cocobutterqwueen​, who prompted this work ❤️

This work is entirely unbeta’d, and unedited. Though I don’t own any of Marvel’s characters, this work and the plot contained inside are entirely mine. I do not consent for this work to be posted anywhere else by anyone but me. Enjoy 😘

You purse your lips, your brows drawing together critically as you stare at yourself in the mirror. You heave a dissatisfied sigh, brushing imaginary dirt from the hem of your white tennis skirt. 

 “Too much?” You mutter, rocking back and forth on the heels of your matching ivory sneakers. “It’s too much, isn’t it?” The silver charms on your bracelet jingle softly as you begin wiggling out of your skirt, trying to undo the hook-eye closure on the back. You aren’t expecting to see your mate there, leaned in the doorway of the walk-in closet with an amused smile playing at the edges of his full lips. 

 “Third outfit in fifteen minutes, Sweetheart. You nervous?” There’s a teasing note in his voice that makes you pout, shaking your head even though it’s obvious he’s right.  

“No, I’m not nervous.” You continue fiddling with the zipper until Ari closes his hands around yours. It’s silly, to be this anxious about meeting a bunch of people you’ve already been talking to for weeks, but you are. Joining Moms of Riverside County had been a whim. At most, you had expected to find new dinner recipes, maybe a few fun things to do with Liam. Instead, you’d found… a community? 

 Some of the members were a little out there, but there were far more good apples than bad. People posted pictures, shared memes— not pronounced “may-mays” as Ari had pointed out, to your embarrassment. There was even a group-chat, which you had recently been invited to—✨🔥 Cool Moms of Riverside County🔥✨, which had given you a good laugh. You weren’t particularly active yet, but even so you had been tagged and invited to a private brunch being hosted by one of the members you actually talked to with some regularity. 

  Come if you can! We’d love to see you! Sabrina’s casual message outside of the group chat had left you scrambling to respond last night, typing out at least thirty messages and showing them to Ari before deciding on one. 

  Okay! Thanks for inviting me, I wold love to come!

 “I-it’s just a facebook group thing.” You mumble, and he chuckles, kissing your forehead. 

 “It’s okay to be a little nervous about meeting your internet friends for the first time.” He must feel it in the bond, the electric apprehension running through every one of your limbs and down to the tips of your fingers and toes. “Just be yourself, Sweetheart. Trust me, they’ll love you.” He turns to exit the closet, but pokes his head back in. “And I like the skirt.” 

 An hour later, you’re in the Jeep on your way across town, Sabrina’s address punched into your phone’s GPS. You’re trying to think of potential conversation topics in your head, drumming your fingers against the steering wheel. You’d already checked the list of people in attendance—only ten, including you. 

  Exclusive.

 Sabrina’s house is half an hour outside of the city, nestled in the rolling hills off the highway. The private drive is blocked off by a wrought iron gate that you have to pull up to an intercom to get open. You lean out of the window, jabbing your thumb into the button. 

  “Yes? Who is it? Shh, Adrian!”

 You lick your lips nervously. “Um, it’s uh, it’s—”

  “Oh wait, I know who you are! I can see you on the camera. Come on in, girl!” The intercom buzzes loudly and the fence slides smoothly out of the way. It takes a full three minutes to get from the gate to the house, and when you pull up, there’s a line of expensive looking cars parked along the side. You take up the rear, taking a deep breath before hopping out. Gravel crunches under your feet, and as you’re heading up the stairs the front door opens. 

 “OhmyGod Hi!” You recognize Adrian from his pictures, his long dark hair piled up in a bun on top of his head. “How are you? Come in, come in,” he motions you forward with a wide smile. In one hand is a half full glass of wine, and he hugs you with the other. Underneath his rather fruity cologne is a distinctly Alpha scent, and when you pull away, you spot half a ring of teeth marks on the skin beneath his collar. 

 “Good, thanks,” you sputter, stepping over the threshold. It’s a monster of a house, the ceiling looming far above you. The air is heavy with the scent of warm sugar and brown butter, like someone’s baking. You cast a look around the foyer, there are pictures of Sabrina with her children, her husband—who just so happens to be the headmaster of Liam’s school. You toe off your shoes in the entryway, and Adrian scoffs. 

 “Oh, you don’t need to do that. Sabrina doesn’t give a shit about mud on her carpets,” he laughs. 

 “Habit, I guess,” you say, your own nervous laughter ringing awkwardly in the air with his. “I, um, have-have you been in the group long?” The questions you practiced in the car tangle confusedly together on your tongue. 

 “Like three years, I think?” He waves his hand as he shrugs. “But it got a lot more fun when Sab starting modding. Way more jokes.” He fixes you with a sly smile.  “Let’s go  get you a drink!” You tail Adrian through the house, and the sound of voices gets louder and louder as you go. The long hallway opens up into a massive kitchen, and a gaggle of people surround the marble island in the center of it, only a few of whom you recognize. 

 “Ladies,” Adrian claps his palm against his khaki-clad thigh, holding his wine glass aloft as he raises his voice to get their attention. “And gentle man,” he giggles, placing his palm against his chest, “Our last guest has arrived.” You duck your head in embarrassment as a little cheer ripples through the rest of the attendees.

 “Sorry I’m late, I think the e-vite said 4:20—”

 “Girl please.” You recognize Keisha’s fiery orange locs from her profile picture. “I just got here ten minutes ago. Sabrina! Girl where are you? You know I don’t know where you keep the glasses in this maze.” By your count, there are about seven people here, eight, including you. “Are you sure she’s the last one, Adrian? I thought Barb and Hannah were coming, too?”

 “Kayla’s got chicken pox, they cancelled this morning,” Adrian replies. “They’re fine, though, said she’s holding up well. Marathonning every episode of Bluey, apparently.” As the two of you join everyone else at the counter, Sabrina appears in the opposite doorway. 

 “Sorry, I went to get a lighter. Glasses are above the sink—hi! I’m so glad you could make it!” Sabrina is tiny, strawberry blonde curls piled on top of her head and secured with the biggest, pinkest bow you’ve ever seen. She reminds you of a Malibu Barbie—mansion and all. Sabrina rushes over to you, quickly depositing the tray of what looks like cigarette papers and lighters on the counter before hugging you tightly. 

 “Thanks for coming!” Sabrina looks genuinely happy to see you. They make room for you around the island. “I just moved here like a year and a half ago and it is so hard to make friends.”

 You let out a relieved breath. “I know exactly what you mean.” You had been nervous about coming, about whether or not you were actually going to fit-in . It feels like there are huge holes where general knowledge should be about how to act, what to say. All the culturally relevant gossip you know hit it’s expiration date a decade ago—but surprisingly, you don’t feel as terrified of that as you had been before arriving. 

 The conversation flows easily, and you finish your first glass of wine with a comfortable, warm buzz. Adrian makes it his business to serve the cooled cookies, and when you take two, he laughs. 

 “Okay, girl, I see you!” You blush as you bite down, gooey chocolate coating your tongue. 

 “I didn’t eat before I came,” you admit, polishing off the first cookie and starting on the second. “These are so good,” you add, and Sabrina preens. 

 “Thank you! I baked them myself.” Sabrina ducks down beneath the island countertop, and you hear the sound of a drawer rolling open, and then shut again. “I will admit I found the recipe online, though.” As she stands, she tosses a plastic bag of—

  Oh my God.

  Your eyes widen as the baggie of weed lands on the table, and they dart worriedly to the faces of everyone else there. No one seems surprised or upset, in fact, Keisha claps excitedly. 

 “Good,” she chirps, plucking a single paper from one of the packs on the silver tray. “I’ll roll.” 

 You shift nervously on your feet, unsure of what to do. You’ve never smoked before—the most you’ve ever done is drink alcohol, and even that you don’t do with any regularity. Ari’s beers in the fridge at home remain mostly untouched by you, and the occasional glass of wine is the extent of what you generally allow yourself. Not that you mind, really—

 You tap jittery fingers against the granite, and Adrian clucks his tongue at you. 

 “What’s wrong, babes?” His eyebrows crease with concern. “Not a joint person?” 

 “N-no?” You force yourself to calm down—these are all adults, and it’s not like it’s… illegal here, per-say. “I um, I haven’t actually ever… smoked. Marijuana.” 

 “You haven’t?” Sabrina’s gaze moves worriedly from your face to the half-eaten tray of cookies and back again. “Are you… kidding?”

 You sigh, dragging an embarrassed hand down your face. “No. Ugh, my… my parents were um. Really strict. Sorry. I’m not a narc or anything, I just, um, never really—” Sabrina grabs your hand with a soft smile and the rambling word vomit screeches to a halt. 

 “You don’t have to explain yourself at all. I just, well, I kind of thought you knew, to be honest.”

 “Knew?”

 “Yeah, it’s said 4/20 brunch, on 4/20,” she looks at you with a leading expression, but whatever reference she’s trying to make flies entirely over your head. You raise an eyebrow. 

 “That wasn’t… the time?”

 “420 means weed girl!” Adrian yelps, doubling over with raucous laughter. He rests a hand on his hip as he gasps for air. “This was a weed brunch!” You pinch the bridge of your nose, groaning. “Oh my God the cookies! You ate two of them!” Cold realization crosses your face as you turn to face them in horror. 

 “There was weed in the cookies!?”

 —

 Ari is waiting for you in the kitchen when you call—he’d been expecting you home half an hour ago, and though he wasn’t worried, he was beginning to get antsy. The bond is open—wide open, in fact—and your hazy amusement permeate it like smoke. 

 “Hi, Sweetheart. You okay?” He asks, and you giggle. 

  “ I’m good. I’m so-oo-oo good, ” you sing, drawing out the syllables. There’s a loud splash, and Ari raises an eyebrow as you gasp loudly through the receiver. 

  “Don’t drop your phone!”

 “I’m not gonna dro-op it,” you hiccough, and Ari can practically hear your pout. “She said I was going to drop my phone, but I’m not going to drop it—”

 “Kitten. What is—”

 “Can you come get me?” You say, cutting him off in a dreamy, small voice. “I don’t think I should drive. The floor is moving.” Ari pulls away from the phone, staring at it with confused, narrowed eyes.

 “The floor is… moving.” He repeats your babble, just to make sure he’s hearing it right. You heave a relieved sigh, as if he’s validated some previously held suspicion. 

 “Yes. And I really don’t think I should drive. I’m all wet.” 

 “Okay baby. Can you send me your friend’s address? I’m going to call Martine over in case Liam wakes up, and then I will come and get you.” 

 “Okay.” You hang up with no warning, leaving your confused and exasperated mate staring at his phone. It takes several minutes—and quite a few nonsensical strings of emojis—before the address comes through. 

  She’s drunk, he thinks to himself, shaking his head. A little wry smile plays at the edges of his mouth as he buckles himself into the Bentley. She has to be. He’s not upset as he turns out of the driveway, skirting generously around Martine’s car. He’s glad you’ve made friends—the tight fist your father had kept around your life has left a lasting impression, one Ari is eager to erase. 

 The traffic choking the highway eases as he circles around the city, the exit dumping him out into the rolling foothills on its outskirts. The address you’d sent him is one that takes him into familiar territory, and when he pulls up to the gate, it buzzes open before he has a chance to push the button on the intercom.

 Ari exits the vehicle, taking stock of each car lined up in the driveway—including yours. He pauses at the front steps, listening, before making his way around back instead. The sounds of music and laughter grow louder as he rounds the side of the house. Your scent is here too, cut with others and diluted by the smell of chlorine and charcoal smoke. The yard opens up before him, carefully manicured green surrounding the deeply set in-ground pool. 

 “I don’t remember inviting the mob.” An amused voice makes Ari turn, before he scoffs. 

 “You wouldn’t have to, Sabrina, you married it.” He replies, shaking his head before reaching down for a hug. “It’s been a while.” Sabrina tokes long and hard on the joint in her hand before she laughs. 

 “You’re telling me. What are you doing here?”

 “My mate is here.” Ari peers over Sabrina’s blonde head, squinting at the pool. “The one on the pizza floaty.” 

 You’re sprawled on the double-wide rubber float, chatting animatedly to a man sitting on the pool steps up to his waist. Sabrina claps her hands, loud, animated laughter escaping her grinning mouth. 

  “That’s your mate? Oh my God. I think—I think I’m gonna pee.” She doubles over, while Ari frowns down at her. “Sorry. Sorry. I just—Odd couple. In my defense, she is the sweetest person on earth, and you’re… you.” Ari purses his lips.

 “Yes, well, you’re related to me,” he says dryly. “I still don’t think you’ve forgiven me for putting worms in your hair.” 

 “I haven’t. It was disgusting.”

 “I was eight.” 

 Sabrina ignores him, flicking a honey-blonde lock over her shoulder before making her way over to the pool. She wades in, waving to get your attention. You look utterly relaxed, your limbs draped loosely across the floaty. Your fingers and toes trail in the water as a you drift. You sit up as Sabrina approaches, and for a moment, your wild hair is framed perfectly in the light of the setting sun.

  Little lioness.

 The words she speaks to you are snatched away by the wind as Ari approaches, squatting by the edge of the pool. You’re wearing a swimsuit you no doubt borrowed from Sabrina, a bikini he suspects is at least one size too small. Sliding off the edge of the pizza-shaped float, you wade over to him, a dopey smile on your face. 

 “Ari!” 

 “Hi, Kitten.” He leans down when you reach wet hands up to hug him. Ari doesn’t mind, drawing his fingers affectionately over your bare shoulders and back as he presses his face to the side of your throat. He can’t help but check. Underneath the heavy scent of the chlorine—and a light coating of weed-smoke—is your true scent. Just yours, like he’d known it would be. He kisses your forehead. You giggle. 

 “I did what you said,” you whisper loudly. “It worked! I just said, um, that I never smoked, but then I ate the cookie—two cookies, I think. Maybe more?” The story devolves into meaningless ramble that leaves Ari laughing. 

 “I’m glad you’re having a good time, Kitten.” 

 “So this is the mate.” A lanky Alpha with a joint in a rather fancy looking cigarette holder appraises Ari, his other hand resting on his hip. He offers it to shake. “Adrian. The pleasure is yours.” Ari shakes it. “We did try to keep her out of the pool but she made some very convincing arguments.” 

 “I see,” Ari replies, chuckling as you give a stout nod from the pool. “She does have a habit of getting her way.” The resulting pout that forms on your full lips is worth the half-truth. You make your way toward the pool ladder, slipping once before finding your footing. You’re sopping wet, water running in rivulets down your soft skin. Up close, the swimsuit you’re wearing is even smaller, the fabric straining to hold back the supple flesh of your breasts. 

 Ari clears his throat, and Adrian snickers. He shoots the other male an irritated look, but Adrian only grins. 

 “I packed you a to-go bag, chica. It’s in your purse. You crazy kids have a good night.” He winks, and you wave absently.

 “You too, Adrian!” You turn back to Ari. “He’s nice, right?”

 “Yeah,” he replies, dragging his eyes up from the curve of your hip where the tie is sinking sinfully into the soft skin there. “Nice. Where did you get this?” He fingers the spaghetti thin strap at your shoulder. Sabrina sidles up next to you with a knowing grin, looping her arm around your shoulders. 

 “Well, I couldn’t let her just jump in, Ari.” He levels an annoyed glare at her. “What kind of cousin would I be if I let your mate ruin her nice clothes?” You gasp exaggeratedly. 

  “Cousin?”

 “First or second, or something like that,” Ari grumbles. She laughs.

 “Remind me to tell you the worm story,” she replies conspiratorially, clapping you on the back. “You go get your clothes.” 

 “I’ll be right back,” You press a kiss to Ari’s cheek. He can’t help but watch you walk away, the damp fabric wedging itself neatly between the cheeks of your ass. God-fucking-dammit. 

 “It reeks out here,” he says, raising an eyebrow. “You’d better not be turning my mate into a pothead. I don’t want to have to get into weed distribution, you know how messy that is.” Sabrina waves a hand dismissively. 

 “Nonsense. Thad’s got a great thing going on with Rogers and Barnes on the east coast. He can cut you in if you want.” She winks. “I like her, you know. Genuinely had no idea she was, um. Yours.” Ari smiles, in spite of himself. 

 “It’s hard not to love her.” 

 Ari opts to wait out front, and he isn’t out there long before you stumble out clutching your purse. Your shirt is unbuttoned and untucked from your skirt, exposing the swimsuit you’re still wearing underneath. You look up at him apologetically through your lashes.

 “Thank you for coming, Ari, I’m sorry—”

 “Don’t be, Kitten,” he chuckles, helping you down the steps toward the car. “I’m glad you had a good time.” 

 You loose a high pitched giggle. “I had so-oo much fun. S-Sabrina’s so nice! She said she wants to hang out more. And—” You gasp, turning to him with a suspicious glare. “She said you put worms in her hair.” Ari laughs, shaking his head as he opens the passenger side door. “How could you do that?”

 “I’ll bet she didn’t tell you she dumped cat litter on my head the week before,” he replies, shutting the door before you can respond. He can see that you’re talking anyway, chirping brightly to yourself as Ari rounds the front of the car. He’s not quite sure why, but the sight of it makes his heart swell, even as he shakes his head. 

 “—gross!” You finish, looking at him definitively. 

 Ari slides into the drivers seat, nodding. “It was.” 

 “Will we come back for the Jeep?” You ask in a small, guilty voice. “I like the Jeep.” Ari nods, chuckling.

 “I promise.” The stoned, dopey smile you shoot him in response makes Ari wonder just how many “cookies” you’d eaten. You slump lazily in the passenger seat, stretching like a cat as he pulls out of the driveway. You sit there, blissfully unaware of the way that fucking bikini is eating away at his nerves. You drag a hand across your bare midsection, absently playing with the loose bikini strings.

 Of course you can’t see the way the edges of your dark, puffy nipples spill just over the edges of the triangular scraps of fabric. Sabrina’s attempt to help you maintain your modesty has done exactly the opposite, leaving you so indecently exposed that Ari finds himself wondering how the soft, plump lips of your cunt even fit in the bottoms. 

  God-fucking-dammit.

 Ari knows he should be focusing on the sparsely populated road, on the hour long drive it will take to get you home— not on the way he can see the pebbled outline of your perfect fucking nipples through that flimsy excuse for a bathing suit. Ari dares to glance in your direction again and groans quietly. You’re running your hands along your bare thighs, giggling and gasping at the sensation of your palms on your own skin. 

 “Ari, I didn’t know I was this soft,” you mumble, your eyes wide and pupils dilated. “Did you know that?” 

 He scrubs a hand down his face. 

 “Jesus, Kitten, you trying to kill me tonight?” He moans, dropping his head back against the seat. You lean over the middle console, an apology already on your trembling lips. 

 “I’m sorry.” It’s like you’re completely unaware of it, the thrall you have him in as you rest a warm little hand on his thigh. “How can I make it better?” 

  Martine’s fine at the house with Liam, right?

 —

  “Oh-oh God!” Your face is hidden, pressed against the hood of the car. Ari has your trembling legs spread as far apart as he can manage, his cock disappearing between the cheeks of your ass. “F-feels— oh— ” You’re even less articulate than usual, your sopping, needy cunt squeezing down around him like a vise. 

 Ari’s got your little white skirt rucked up around your waist, and the offending bikini pulled to the side so he can watch you take him. Seeing your pussy stretched open wide and straining around the veiny length of his cock is almost as good as feeling it. Ari doesn’t resist the urge to crack the palm of one hand against the cheek of your ass. You squeal, and God the way you fucking clench down is almost enough to make him bust right there—

 “Ari!” His name sounds like a desperate prayer on your lips. You’re practically writhing underneath him, your hands forming little fists on the hood of the Bentley. “G-God, feels—” He loves you like this, the words all gibberish on your loose tongue. “Fuck!”

 He especially likes it now that you’re high, hoarse curses falling from your lips as you raise yourself up onto your tip toes trying to meet his thrusts. It’s like some of your carefully crafted filter has come apart, allowing through the Kitten that isn’t afraid of judgment or reprisal. 

 “M’so full,” you whine pathetically, peering over your shoulder at him pleadingly. “More?” He isn’t expecting your breathy, perfect little plea, and the softly uttered request seems to go straight to his cock, and it throbs hard inside you. Ari groans, his head lolling back on his shoulders as he stares unseeingly at the night sky. “More, please.”

 The knot at the base of his cock is already starting to swell, and Ari clenches his teeth. Bracing one hand between your shoulders as he anchors the other to your hip. 

 “More, Kitten?” He asks, chuckling darkly. “Greedy girl. Can you even take more?” Ari draws back until the head of his cock pops out, and he slaps it wetly against your cunt. Slowly, he presses himself into the fucked-swollen mess of your pussy. He doesn’t stop when you begin straining against his knot, murmuring dark words of encouragement. 

 “You asked for this,” he reminds you, grinning when your forehead hits the hood with a thunk, and you let out a muffled cry. Ari joins you, a harsh growl tearing from his throat as his knot pops inside. “That enough, Kitten?” He asks through clenched teeth. “Your hungry fucking pussy finally full, Sweetheart?” 

 You push back against him, a lewd squelch filling both your ears. That’s enough of an answer for Ari. He growls, clamping down on the back of your neck with one hand as his fingers sink deep into the meat of your hip. His thrusts are shorter now, but fuller , and each one leaves you mewling and crying.   His whole world is condensing down to a single point. You’re all that matters, you, this moment, his cock buried in your slick, sweet core—

 “Oh f-fuck, God, Ari, c-cumming—” The nonsense that you manage to string together only barely precedes the way your cunt clamps deliciously around him like a hot wet fist. The pleasurable buzzing in the back of Ari’s skull becomes unbearable, traveling down his spine and shooting like electricity to the base of his cock. 

 Ari groans, bending over your back to sink his teeth into your shoulder, holding you still while he cums. He still doesn’t know how to explain how right it feels to press inside you and let go—like he’s supposed to. Fuck and the feel of you—Ari groans as you shift, your velvet walls shifting against his still hard cock. He leans back, releasing you so that he can stare appreciatively at your cunt.  Lips bulged out from the heavy girth of his knot, a mixture of both your fluids leaking out around it. 

 You peek over your shoulder at him, your hair sticking to your sweaty forehead. Your eyebrows are creased together, your glassy eyes shining with real worry. 

 “Ari?”

 “What’s the matter, Kitten?”

 “I think I left my phone.” 

  end

Thank you for reading! Please check out my masterlist for other, similar works, and follow my library blog, @box-of-bones-library​ for updates. ❤️

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[theemporium]

🙋‍♀️🙋‍♀️

can we pretty please get something with Daniel and Sunshine where Sunshine finds and rescues some type of fluffy animal. And we’ve seen recently that Daniel isn’t really animal person so he’s SUPER skeptical about it. And the of course they bond and Dan become a total pet parent.

thank you for requesting!

.

“What is that?”

Daniel had tried to persuade you to join him and Max at the bar they were going to that night, a bunch of other drivers and friends joining them for a little catch up amongst the winter break between seasons. 

You had appreciated the invitation but told both boys that you just wanted a simple night in. Daniel offered to stay in with you, but you waved him off and told him to go have fun with his friends. You pressed a kiss to his cheek and shooed them both out of the flat, telling them to give you a call if they needed you to pick them up before you shut the door. 

Around half an hour later, you had the strongest craving for ice cream and found yourself slipping on one of Daniel’s hoodies and some trainers, making your way towards the grocery store nearby before it shut. 

And that was when you found this little guy, alone in an alleyway on a cold, rainy winter night.

“It’s a cat, mate!” Max exclaimed, quickly moving away from Daniel’s side as he made his way over to the living room floor, where you were currently sat. “And it is adorable.” 

“He is,” you cooed as you gently stroked the head of the small black kitten you held in your arms. You had already bathed him and fed him some canned tuna you had stored in the kitchen somewhere. And now, he was fast asleep in your arms, purring away.

“Babe,” Daniel sighed, slightly exasperated.

“Danny, he’s a kitten!” you argued, already hearing the doubt in your boyfriend’s voice. “He was abandoned! Did you really expect me to leave him?”

“No but,” he let out a small huff. “I don’t know, you could have taken him to a shelter!”

“But I’ve already named him,” you said with a pout.

“What’s the little guy’s name?” Max whispered excitedly, smiling down at the small kitten you placed in his arms.

“Max, stop encouraging this,” Daniel grumbled.

“Shut up,” he muttered back in response, far too focused on the small bundle of fur in his arms.

“Salem,” you stated proudly. “Like the cat from Sabrina the Teenage Witch.”

“This is ridiculous,” Daniel murmured, the three beers he had now just making him incredibly tired and done with the whole conversation. 

Daniel had tried to persuade you to take the cat to a shelter or even a vet in the morning, but both you and Max instantly disagreed. He had tried over the next few days, but the answer always remained the same, but the Aussie didn’t seem eager to accept his fate.

He always kept his distance from the little cat, letting you buy him what he wanted and caring for him. He watched your shared apartment slowly accumulate a number of cat toys he didn’t even know existed—most that you had bought, the others brought by Max himself. He pretended that he didn’t care, that he didn’t want the cat because he didn’t. 

At least, that was what he kept telling you.

You had gone out to grab a few necessities from the shops when you entered the flat a few hours later, dropping off the bags in the kitchen and heading through the rest of the flat to investigate the unusual silence. You could have sworn Daniel told you he was staying in today.

However, you fell short when you entered the living room, only to find Daniel fast asleep on the couch, the kitten he was so insistent on not keeping curled up next to him and he had a hand protectively on its back like he was scared it would slide down his chest.

You bit back your grin, taking a quick picture of the pair before you swiftly left the room, feeling all too victorious that the small kitten was starting to win Daniel over as you sent the picture to your accomplice.

mad max: I KNEW THE FUCKER LOVED SALEM

.

[santaasi]

SHADOWS

pairing: jj maybank x routledge!fem!reader

summary: when emotions take over and shadows are swallowed up, all you need is to find a person who will become your light (based on shadows by sabrina carpenter)

warnings: angst, a little bit of fluff, use of y/n, english is not my first language

word count: 2.3k

a/n: the action takes place after the finale of the first season of obx

We all got nightmares in our dreams

We look for someone to believe in us

And show us the way

And make it okay

The world can be dangerous

Everyone in Kildare knew who JJ Maybank was. A flighty, self-confident blonde, a girls man, the life of all parties, and the honored prince of pogues. You could always buy the best weed from him at the best price, and repair the car as soon as possible. He appears in the police station more often than at home, and all parents pray only that their child does not fall under his charm. JJ Maybank was a walking problem, but despite that he had a heart of gold.

As a child, his mother told him that life consists of white and black stripes, like a zebra. But for some reason, JJ's own life was like a big and long black tunnel, in which fireflies sometimes appeared, illuminating his life. John B, Kiara and Pope were the only bright spots in his life, the most important people who, no matter what, stayed by his side.

But it was only for John B, that JJ was ready to do anything, because their bond had always been stronger than just friendship. They were brothers who had been going through all the problems together since childhood. John B. was by JJ's side when his mother left the family when he was seven. John B. was there when JJ's drunk father beat him almost to death when he returned home one night. John B. was there to treat his wounds, and allocated a separate room for him in the chateau so that JJ would not have to return home. John B. was the one who always believed in JJ, who knew that despite all the words of the people around Maybank, he would not become like his father.

That's why the loss of John B in the storm two weeks ago was another blow to JJ's gut from a life that proved to him over and over again that JJ Maybank was not made for happiness.

There's something so rare in your veins

Not a single thing I would change

And oh, if you only knew how I see you

Would you come alive again, alive again?

But despite how much JJ Maybank treasured his friendship with John B., he couldn't do anything about his feelings for his friend's younger sister, who, like a little sun, always lit his way in this pitch darkness of his life.

Y/N Routledge has always been her brother's most precious treasure. After their father disappeared, John B. devoted himself to his sister, protecting her from everything, promising that he would always be by her side. And now, seven months after Big John disappeared, John B. wasn't with her either. She was left all alone in this big world, which seemed ready to swallow her completely.

The first week after John B. went missing, JJ heard Y/N crying quietly at night, suppressing her screams, burying her face in the pillow. He could hear the sound of her bare feet on the wooden floor and the slam of the screen door when she woke up at the middle of the night from nightmares and went out on the porch to get some fresh air. Every night, Maybank cursed the thin walls of the chateau and John B. for causing her so much pain by leaving. But no matter how much JJ wanted to help her, he was too deeply drawn into the swamp of his own feelings, from which he could not get out in any way.

Y/N wasn't blind to what was going on with her brother's best friend either. She knew how much shit JJ had to go through in his entire life, how many loved ones he had to lose, and she understood that losing John B was another blow for him. She felt how he blamed himself for what had happened, heard how he wakes up at nights from nightmares, asking John B. and Sarah not to go into the storm, saw how only a pitiful shadow remained of the former JJ and it broke her heart.

The girl always admired the strength of JJ's spirit, despite all the shit that happened in his life, he stayed afloat. He raised his head and walked confidently and straight on. He supported his friends, was ready to do anything for them, even go to prison for a case that he did not commit, as long as his friends, his only family remained unharmed.

And JJ Maybank was always there for her. When her heart was broken for the first time, he was there, holding her tightly to his chest, whispering soothing words in her ear. When she was fighting with John B., JJ was always on her side, listening to her outrage. JJ Maybank went to parties with her, dancing with her until the sunrise, sat with her on rainy evenings at the chateau, watching romcoms that he hated, brought her her favorite sweets when she was sick, taught her surfing and listened to all the gossip from her work during their mini spa days at the chateau with such interest, as if Y/N told him about the beginning of the universe. JJ Maybank was always there for the younger Rotledge and it was just impossible for her not to fall in love with him.

She loved her brother's best friend even when he was a complete mess. When he cried on her shoulder after another fight with Luke. When he got drunk and she had to carry him to the chateau. When he was angry at her for getting into all these dangerous things with all the other pogues.

Y/N Routledge loved JJ Maybank in every shape and condition. And she would never change even the slightest detail about him, because for her, JJ Maybank was perfect for who he is.

Y/N was also hurt by the loss of her brother, and she, like no one else, could understand all of JJ's pain, but unlike him, she had the strength to live and move on. She didn't blame herself for what had happened, realizing that John B. had always been too stubborn to listen to anyone, but JJ… He was devouring himself from the inside out. He dug out the grave himself and buried himself with his head. The darkness that had been accumulating in him for so long was finally winning. And Y/N was scared. She didn't want to lose him either. She couldn't lose him.

I need you to understand

Y/N stood in front of the door to JJ’s room, shifting uncomfortably from one foot to the other, doubting the correctness of her actions. They haven't spoken since the day John B disappeared, although they've been living under the same roof all this time, but they were functioning on their own.

After hearing another sob from behind the door, the girl finally opened it, going inside.

It was very dark and cold here, but after getting used to the darkness for a couple of seconds, Y/N began to distinguish silhouettes.

The room was a complete mess: all the clothes from the wardrobe were spread out on the floor, along with books, notebook sheets, rumpled bed linen and glass fragments that glittered in the moonlight. The lamp fell from the bedside table and was lying in the corner.

JJ was sitting at the foot of the bed, his head buried between his knees, and his hands were clutching the strands of his blonde hair in fists. His body was trembling. Even without seeing his face, Y/N could tell with certainty that JJ was trying his best to cope with the hysteria that was punishing him.

"Hey, J, are you okay?" the girl asked softly, quietly approaching the guy and kneeling next to him.

Startled, JJ mmediately raised his head, staring at the girl in shock, as if he had seen a ghost. There were wet marks on his cheeks, and his eyes were swollen and red from crying. More than anything, Y/N wanted to hold him close and comfort him, to convince him that everything would be fine.

"Angel?" JJ asked hoarsely, not believing his eyes. The sound of her soft and gentle voice sent a wave of goosebumps through his body. Her voice. It had been so long since he had heard her voice. "Did I wake you up? I'm sorry... I-I didn't mean to... I-" JJ stumbled through his words, frowning and averting his gaze from the girl.

"Hey, hey, hey... calm down, J," the girl whispered softly, covering his palm with her hand. "I understand, okay? Everything is fine," the girl said soothingly, trying to smile.

I don't mind your shadows

'Cause they disappear in the light

JJ's gaze ran over her face, going over every detail of her appearance that he has memorized over all these years by heart. She looked the same as always, but her gaze seemed to have lost the spark that made his heart beat faster every time. But now all he could see there was emptiness and sadness, which even her slight smile couldn't hide.

All these two weeks, living under the same roof with her, JJ avoided her gaze, afraid to see this look. The look of loss. The loss of a brother that JJ felt responsible for. The lucky charm for all problems in the world is JJ Maybank. And JJ hated himself for it.

He caused her so much pain, coming to her to heal his wounds after fights with his father or kooks, or when he brought girls to the chateau, knowing full well about her feelings for him... Because he's afraid to admit to her that he's experiencing the same thing. JJ Maybank destroyed not only her life, but also the lives of all the people around him. And he thinks that it would be better for everyone if he just didn't exist.

Y/N noticed how his jaw clenched, and his gaze fixed on the wall became colder and felt a wave of goosebumps pass through her body when he abruptly got up from the floor early. Routledge Jr. could always understand her brother's best friend even without words. This situation was no exception. She understood that JJ's inner demons were devouring him from the inside out.

"Don't do this, Jay. Don't do this to yourself," Y/N whispered softly, trying to fight back the tears that threatened to burst, but her voice trembled treacherously.

"I'm the problem, angel," JJ said without turning to the girl still sitting on the floor. "I am the main cause of your troubles! Wherever I go, I only make things worse! I... didn't save John B.... I'm hurting you... I..."

"Don't do this to me, Jay!" the girl repeated more forcefully, jumping to her feet, wiping away tears.

"I don't care about your shadows! I'm not afraid of them!" Y/N said sobbing, clutching his hand. "I'm here! I'm always there for you! I'll be your light if you need me. But don't leave me… I-I love you."

And listen to me, it's okay to be afraid

Just walk like you're never alone

"I didn't stop your brother, Y/N," the guy continued to insist, whispering, feeling tears accumulate in his eyes again. "He’s not here! And it’s my fucking fault!"

Y/N's hands cupped his cheeks, pressing his forehead to hers, closing her eyes and trying to calm her breath. JJ's hands rested on her waist, pressing her against his body, wanting to feel such a missing and dear warmth to his heart. JJ could feel her thumbs wiping away the tears rolling down his cheek.

"Listen to me, J. It's not your fault," Dana whispered softly.

"It's not your fault that John B is a stubborn bastard who always does everything the way he wants," the girl chuckled softly, feeling tears begin to roll down her cheeks too. She missed her brother like crazy, and she would do anything to have him here with her right now. But here and now, there was no John B., it was just her and JJ, who was damn bad at handling his emotions. So, Maybank and his mental state were more important to her than grief for her brother right now.

"You know you wouldn't have stopped him, so stop blaming yourself," Y/N sniffed, opening her eyes to meet his blue gaze. "It's not your fault."

The guy nodded slowly, holding her closer to him, burying his nose in her neck, inhaling soft vanilla scent of her hair. Y/N felt his body shaking in her arms, as he desperately clung to her, trying not to let himself completely collapse.

"I'm so scared that they won't come back, angel," the guy whispered softly into her neck. "I'm so scared that he won’t come back…"

"Me too, but it's okay," the girl whispered with a lump in her throat, running a soothing hand through his hair. "Everything will be okay… He will return… It’s- It‘s John B, he always returns"

There was silence in the room, broken only by their ragged breathing and the patter of raindrops on the window. JJ lifted his head, gently brushing away the strands of hair stuck to Y/N's cheeks, giving her a soft smile. JJ kissed her gently on the forehead before pulling her to his chest, hugging her tightly. His chin rested on top of her head.

"But we'll get through this together, as we always have. Like we've done it hundreds of times," Y/N said in a barely audible voice, forcing not only JJ, but also herself to believe that someday, everything will come to its senses again.

That someday John B and Sarah will come back and everything will be as before. That maybe someday her father will be found too and she will have a family again. That the black shadows that consumed JJ's life would be replaced by the sun's rays that would illuminate his path. That someday their life will really become like a zebra, and not like a black tunnel from which there is no way out.

But for now, all they could do was hold on to each other tightly, not letting themselves drown in the shadows of grief and loss.

And Y/N Routledge knew for sure that with JJ Maybank by her side, she could survive anything.

And all these voices in our head

Well, they keep screaming louder and louder

But they won't pull us under

thankx for reading <з

this is my first work on Tumblr, so I hope you enjoyed it. feedback always appreciated :з

– your santi ✨

[manari-archives]

Fast Times | LN4

Couple days in, I call you "baby" Three stories up here contemplatin' But what the fuck is patience Give me a second to forget I ever really meant it

pairing: Lando Norris x Reader

warnings:

word count: 1.6 k

note: again this isn't based on the entire song, just a couple of lines mentioned. also english isn't my first language so any corrections feel free to let me know and any feedback is welcome :)

masterlist

Lando Norris found himself caught in a whirlwind of fast times and fast nights. Lando had always been an ambitious soul, determined to make his mark on the racing circuit. He had fought tooth and nail to reach Formula 1, facing countless challenges and overcoming numerous obstacles. Now, he was living his dream, racing against the best in the world.

Lando had met you a few months earlier at a charity event. Your infectious smile and captivating presence drew him in immediately. You spent the entire evening engrossed in deep conversations, bonding over your shared love for adventure and passion for life. Lando had never felt such an intense connection before, and he couldn't get you out of his mind.

As the days passed, Lando found himself daydreaming about you during training sessions and team meetings. The thought of you gave him an inexplicable sense of joy and comfort. But he also experienced a whirlwind of emotions—an amalgamation of excitement, fear, and uncertainty. He was ahead of himself, dreaming of a future that was yet to unfold.

One evening, unable to resist his longing any longer, Lando picked up his phone and dialled your number. The phone rang, and his heart raced. When you finally answered, your voice greeted him with a warmth that eased his nerves. He couldn't help but call you "baby," a term of endearment that slipped from his lips before he realized it.

You, on the other end of the line, smiled at Lando's sweet gesture. You too had been thinking about him constantly since your encounter. You admired his dedication to his sport and his undeniable talent. Your connection was undeniable, and you wanted to explore where it might lead.

"Hey baby," Lando said with a hint of nervousness, "I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

You chuckled softly, "Not at all, Lando. I was hoping you'd call. How's everything in the racing world?"

Lando's voice grew more animated as he shared the latest updates on his training and upcoming races. You listened intently, genuinely interested in what he has to say.

"I wish you could see me race in person," Lando remarked wistfully. "Having you cheering for me from the stands would be a dream come true."

"Who knows, maybe one day I'll surprise you at a race," you replied playfully, feeling your heart race at the thought of sharing those adrenaline-filled moments with him.

As the conversation flowed, Lando and you talked about your dreams, your aspirations, and the shared excitement for life's adventures. The more you spoke, the more it became evident that your connection was something extraordinary.

"Hey, Lando," you said gently, sensing the underlying hesitation in his voice, "I want you to know that I'm not expecting you to choose between your career and me. I admire your passion for racing, and I believe in you. We can make it work, whatever comes our way."

Lando sighed with relief, feeling the weight of uncertainty lift from his shoulders. "Thank you for understanding, baby. I don't want to lose you, and I also can't imagine giving up on my dreams. With you by my side, I feel like anything is possible."

And so, days turned into weeks as Lando and you embarked on a journey of discovery, both individually and together. Lando's racing career took him to different parts of the world, and whenever possible, you would join him. You explored new cities, indulged in local cuisine, and revelled in each other's company. The exhilaration of Lando's victories on the track was magnified by your presence, his greatest supporter.

Amidst the chaos of Lando's demanding career, your love affair deepened. Lando found solace in your presence, a sanctuary in a world that moved at breakneck speed. But as the racing season neared its end, doubts began to creep into Lando's mind. The demands of his career were relentless, leaving him with little time for anything else. He struggled to balance his love for you with the pursuit of success.

You, too, grappled with your demons. You had always been a free spirit, tiptoeing past various stages in your life, refusing to be confined by society's expectations. You cherished your moments with Lando but couldn't ignore the nagging thought that your love might be overshadowed by the pressures of his racing career.

Amid your passionate affair, Lando and you faced the harsh realities of your chosen paths. The outlines on your bedsides told a tale of stolen moments and missed opportunities. Your love was like a flame flickering in the wind, uncertain and fragile. Lando was torn between his love for you and his relentless pursuit of success on the racetrack. The fear of losing you gnawed at him, as did the fear of sacrificing his dreams.

But as Lando's inner turmoil reached its peak, he had a moment of reckoning. He had to confront his demons and make a choice that would shape the course of his life. Would he choose the intoxicating rush of success or embrace the fragile love that you offered?

In a heart-wrenching twist of fate, Lando realized that his love for you could not be forgotten. It had seeped into the very fabric of his being, leaving an indelible mark. With a newfound sense of clarity, he mustered the courage to follow his heart, to take a leap of faith into the unknown. The racing circuit had given him everything, but without you, it would be empty.

On a starlit night, Lando found himself standing at the edge of the racetrack, searching for you amidst the sea of faces. As your eyes met once more, he knew that he had found his true home. The engines roared in the background, echoing the beat of their hearts as they embraced, leaving the world behind.

At that moment, Lando Norris and you embarked on a new journey, one where fast times and fast nights were replaced by the infinite expanse of love and vulnerability. You vowed to rewrite your story, to create a world where your love could thrive, even amidst the chaos of your chosen paths. Together, you would face whatever challenges came your way, united by your shared passion for life and a love that defied the limits of time and speed.

As Lando continued his racing career, you became an integral part of his journey. You provided him with the stability and support he needed, grounding him amidst the whirlwind of the racing world. Together, you navigated the highs and lows, celebrating victories and finding solace in each other during defeats.

In your quest for a harmonious balance, Lando and you experienced life's twists and turns. You faced challenges, made sacrifices, and celebrated milestones together. And through it all, your love only grew stronger. You knew that your journey would not always be easy, but your commitment to each other was unwavering.

As the years went by, Lando and you built a life filled with love, adventure, and shared experiences. You found joy in the simplest of moments and cherished the bond you had forged. Lando continued to race, his skills evolving with each passing season. You pursued your passions, carving a unique path for yourself while supporting Lando's career.

One evening, as the sun set over the racetrack, you and Lando found yourselves strolling hand in hand. The memories of your journey together flashed before your eyes.

"You know," Lando began, breaking the comfortable silence between you, "sometimes, I still can't believe how lucky I am to have you in my life."

You squeezed his hand, smiling affectionately. "And I feel the same way, Lando. Our love has been the guiding light through all the ups and downs."

"I remember those early days, filled with uncertainty and doubt," Lando admitted. "I was torn between my passion for racing and the fear of losing what we had. But you've always been there, supporting me and reminding me of what truly matters."

"It wasn't easy," you said, your voice tinged with honesty. "There were moments when I questioned if we could make it work, but it worked out, and it made us stronger."

"And you've taught me that taking risks, following my heart, is worth it," you replied, recalling the times you had embraced new challenges, encouraged by Lando's unwavering support.

As you continued your walk, the sounds of the racetrack faded into the background. It was just the two of you, wrapped in each other's embrace.

"You are my home, Lando," you said, your voice soft but resolute. "No matter where we go or what we face, as long as we have each other, we'll always find our way."

Lando pulled you close, his arms encircling you with a sense of security. "You're right. We've come so far, and our love has been the driving force behind it all. I promise to cherish every moment, to be present in this journey with you."

With tears glistening in your eyes, you pressed a kiss to his lips. "And I promise to be your biggest supporter, your pillar of strength, no matter where life takes us."

[delilahcalicocat]

{Nonsense}

~Songfic 2: based loosely on Sabrina Carpenter's Nonsense.~

{Rating: Smut}

{Warnings: Unprotected Sex, Swearing, Overstimulation,Threesome, Dom/Sub dynamic, Kissing, Making out, Oral Sex (m receiving), Poly Relationship, Finn's text being red because demon}

{Pairing: Damian Priest x Fem!Reader x Finn Balor}

{Summary: It was a normal day. Until Y/N began to sing her favorite song by Sabrina Carpenter. It lands her in hot water and she teaches damian a lesson.. (please let me know you wanna see this with Rhea or anyone else!)}

{Tag List❤️: @judgementdaysunshine}

——————————🐣——————————

All was well in the house currently you were busy baking some cookies because you wanted to, Finn and Damian weren't fighting like usual.

And you were so happy. They found a way to bond. They had the same favorite show!

"Uhh Finn, Love?" Your voice caught him off guard. He was trying to pop a peek at your phones music

"Yeah Love?" He said, snapping his head up to look at you.

"What're you doing? You're never usually in the kitchen when I do this kinda stuff." You remarked

"Oh its nothing love, just wanted to see what you were doing" He said before walking off

"That was weird..." You spoke quietly

Then your favorite song came on, uh oh..

Finn was your favorite of your boyfriends. So this wasn't good... if Damian heard this.. a fight would ensue.

So you fought yourself to not sing. But quickly failed as soon as the lyrics started

"Think I only want one number in my phone." You sang with the song

"Said you like my eyes and you like to make em roll" You sang, hoping they couldn't hear you.

"Who's fuckin' singing?" Damian questioned.

"I.. t-think it's Y-Y/N..." Finn said with a shaky breath

You continued to sing the song, but you stopped after the first few lyrics since you heard the boys fighting and had to go break it up again.

"So who were you fuckin' singing about?" Damian asked

"Calm down hun.. it's just my favorite song by Sabrina Carpenter." You protested.

Damian persisted and failed. Cause where he find himself now? Tied to the bed posts. As was Finn. Damian was fighting to get out of the restraints but failed.

You looked at him blankly.

"What's Wrong? Did the mouse get trapped by the cat?" You teased

"Fuck you!" Damian spat

"You'll have to earn it first big boy." You smiled cheekily

"Um.. Ma'am can I be let go a minute? I need to go to the bathroom." Finn spoke

You undid the ties so he could get up.

Damian also knew at that moment. He was done for. Since you were called Ma'am, which was only used when you were in Brat tamer mode.

This was going to be a fun night...

Finn came back and got his ties back..

And here was when it started. The boys.. mainly Damian had to suffer.

"You want your release.. you gotta beg for it." You said coldly

"F-fuck.." Damian's Breath hitched in his throat when he heard you say that.

"That's a good boy!" You said

"Now keep begging and maybe I'll let you cum." You spoke

Finn on the other hand, while you fucked yourself silly on Damian's dick. You almost had the little touch starved Demon beside him down in seconds.

Finn was literally whimpering and crying for his release. So you pulled away from Damian for a solid minute to appease Finn.

As soon as he finished, he wanted to fall asleep. But you offered a light tap to his shoulder..

You'd been quite literally fucking both. Boys dumb at that point. It was 4:21am. They'd been whining and crying all night.

they were overstimulated. So you decided to end it for the night and get them up for a bath before bed.

It started with Kissing. Then making out. Then it turned into that...

After everyone settled into bed. You gave Finn a kiss goodnight and one to Damian aswell

[inafieldofdaisies]

WIP Wednesday | Tagged by @madparadoxum and @thesingularityseries ❤️

Stopping by this midweek with a little bit from Sabrina and John's morning from Chapter 2 of their AU, I will try to get back to the main WIP soon, but a monster of a dialogue has been making me procrastinate. Also, something I thought would be fun: if you have any suggestions of wild things (misfortunes) you'd like to see happening to John (take part in making him go through it), you can drop them as an ask (short prompt), I suspect it would be a fun challenge to tackle.

"I wanted to hear your voice." John's words from the previous night haunted Sabrina's thoughts while she prepared breakfast. She found herself unable to shake off the feeling of familiarity from the moment she found him standing in the foyer of the precinct, looking like he was about to snap at poor Lenny. "Morning.", Savannah greeted as she entered the kitchen, her nose scrunching up, "Is something burning, Rin-Rin?" The question prompted Sabrina to flip the last pancake she was working on, finding the bottom darkened. Wonderful. The last thing she needed was to be distracted, especially by someone that was passing through. And a lawyer. "Did you sleep well, Pumpkin?", she asked as she placed her sister's plate in front of her. Savannah nodded, "I wish I didn't have to wake up so early." "And so do so many adults." "Mommy asked about you.", her sister said in between bites, making Sabrina's smile drop for a second, which thankfully was conceived by her coffee mug she took a sip from at that moment. "Like what?" "If you have a boyfriend. And about uncle Les. She said she saw a picture he had posted…" Jesus. Maybe mind your own love life, Candice. And leave the lack of mine alone.

She could sense her sister's mood soaring after each short visit with Candice, and it hadn't taken long to figure out why. Their mother had become an expert at fishing for information from Savannah since her eldest daughter refused to entertain her poor attempts at "bonding", knowing full well any interest shown wasn't paired with the best intentions. She wasn't going to be shocked if Candice Donovan's intent was to introduce her to some raising entrepreneur, so she felt like she needed to figure out if Leslie would be standing in the way of tricking her into helping with her latest grift. It wouldn't have been like she hadn't tried it before, gone as far as to arrange a date for Sabrina, only for her to figure out what was going on halfway through the dinner. Nothing like having a daughter in law enforcement to make your target feel secure enough and open for any business advice his lawyer would throw his way, let her hold the purse strings. "I will talk to her, Sav. She promised me she won't ask you stuff like that." Sabrina took a final sip of coffee, "How about you watch something and finish breakfast while I go shower?" "Okay. Are we still going to the fair with uncle Les?" "Of course, he hasn't been able to stop talking about it. I think he's more excited than you even." Savannah's frown dissipated at the confirmation, a grin taking over her freckled face, "He promised to win me a big plushie." "He absolutely will.", Sabrina retorted and matched smile, feeling glad she had someone in her life she could actually depend on.

As she left the kitchen and found herself alone in the bathroom, stripping off her T-shirt and shorts, her mind drifted back to the night before. How she'd flown out of the shower and grabbed her phone, hoping she was about to hear back from the lab about her current missing persons case. Instead, John Duncan's voice had came through, perplexing her to an extend she hadn't even bothered to inquire how he'd gotten her number. His excuse for the late call had given her a pause, the real intent behind it revealing itself the moment he had made a comment about his state of undress, asked for her personal number. A part of her made sure to assure her how he'd been so quick to reach her he hadn't even wasted time putting on underwear, confirming she clearly wasn't the only one feeling this strange drawn between them. "He wants you. So much he become a rambling mess the second you casually mentioned whoever he asked for his hotel information.", the foolish side argued. "Sure.", she muttered under her breath, "Romantic much? Trying to turn a woman he just met into his midnight bootycall…" Sabrina shampooed her hair, then moved onto washing her body, completely ignoring the irksome longing within her, the same one she refused to entertain from the second their video call had ended. The desire in his deep blue eyes, his questions, all made his expectations clear as day.

It was unfortunate for him she had more important things that required her full attention. A missing girl to be located and brought home safely. A baby sister to take care of. A trainwreck of a mother to keep at bay. Numerous visions to figure out and could save people's lives. A faceless man that awaited her in so many of them and clutched her heart in his tattooed hands. John Duncan wasn't him. He was bored, slightly entitled, looking for an outlet, for someone to get him off after having a day from hell. It was what she reminded herself as she came into her bedroom to find a new message waiting for her, from a number she hadn't even bothered to save into her contacts.

Good morning. No crimes or accidents to report so far, though, it does feel slightly criminal how you've been occupying my thoughts since last night.

John stared down at the message he had finally hit sent on after typing and deleting versions of it so many times, he had felt close to hurling his phone at the nearest wall. "Occupying his thoughts" seemed like an understatement the second he'd woken up from a dream involving Sabrina that had come off as way too real. He threw the covers off himself with a sigh and left his phone on the bed before he made his way over to the bathroom. "It's morning. It's a normal body reaction. Nothing to do with her.", he said to his reflection, "Get your head back in the game. You're meeting Mooney. Who cares she didn't respond?" Reluctantly he opened the door, leading into the shower, and turned the knobs after a silent prayer for his morning to start off without a hitch. Or at least he attempted to. Until one of them came off into his hand. "No fucking way. NO.", he practically shouted out, not giving a damn about the early hour and how his voice echoed around the room while he stared down at the chrome piece clasped between his fingers in complete disbelief.

A growl left him as he threw it on the ground and turned on his heel, the glass door rattling when he slammed it shut and exited the shower stall. "I'm not taking another arctic shower. I don't care how much you want to take care of my goddamned boner.", he had no doubt the shower would be freezing, because the knob that had fallen off, was for no other than the hot water. He didn't care about the neighboring rooms and what the other guests might have been thinking after screaming the last part on top of his lungs. Not in that moment. Not when he was close to breaking something else in the bathroom as desperation to find a way to release the pent-up frustration brewing inside him settled in. "One accident to report, Detective. And I also hate your city so much.", John whispered before taking a deep breath. As he brushed his teeth he did his best to school his features back into a serene expression, refusing to let the facade of the well-adjusted, charmant attorney to slip. He put the boxers from the day before on, hating the fact he didn't even have a change of underwear and promising himself he'd go shopping for new clothes and other necessities as soon as his meeting had wrapped up. Another frown was aimed at his reflection when he remembered he had no means to even style his hair properly, that all he could do was freshen up in the goddamned sink. He dragged himself back to the bed, sinking down on it as he contemplated how excited he was when he had received the case, yet from that day like domino everything had decided to fall apart in some way.

"At least the guy didn't steal my files. Doubt Clive would appreciate any of that information leaking out.", he reminded himself as clasped his watch back on his wrist, "So what if one of my favorite suits was in that suitcase?" The thought made him reach out for his phone in hope the detective that was going to look into his case had reached out already. He ignored all the unread messages and emails he was yet to go through, opening the text that sat as most recent notification.

Sabrina: Good luck.

Two simple words was all she had to offer him. No "I thought of you too" in sight. "Could be worse. Like her blocking my number.", he uttered out finally, deciding that the fact she had even responded was a good sign, better than simply leaving him on read now that he was another Detective's problem. Just then his phone pinged with a new message. Unknown number. His thumb acted before he could think better of it, and he regretted the decision immediately. A photo. Penny showing off a red lacy number as she cupped her breast with her free hand. Face in full view, a proud gleam in her blue eyes. A pose she had most definitely deemed alluring enough to make him crack.

Wrong number.

He texted, scowling at the realization Penny was getting bolder, crossing a line, using her personal number to pester him. Her reply followed way too fast.

Penny: Come on, John. We both know it's not. How long are you going to play hard to get, baby?

John: I will be contacting HR if this reoccurs.

Penny: You're no fun, Mr. Duncan. You're headed for your meeting, right? Good luck.

John: I'm serious. NO MORE lingerie pictures or passes at work.

Penny was good at her job, better than any of his previous assistants, but it wasn't enough for him to continue tolerating her advances in hopes she'd take the hint and cease with her attempts to get him into bed. He was one to bent the rules, but bending over someone that he worked with was where he drew the line. Reality was that one night of "fun" (mostly for her, because for him it would end up as usual: in self-loathing) would blow up in his face sooner or later.

Another buzz signaled a new message, but instead of the expected complaint from Penny, the reply made him almost drop his phone as he realized his mistake. That he'd texted in the wrong conversation.

Sabrina: John? Sabrina: I'm just going to assume you meant to send this to somebody else.

"I'm done with technology. So done.", he groaned out and chucked his phone across the bed, the pillows softening its landing against the headboard.

John: NO MORE lingerie pictures or passes at work.

More? Initially she had tried to laugh off the text, then unwanted bitterness had set in. If Sabrina needed any proof about the kind of man John was, just based on her intuition and past experiences alone, the words he accidentally sent her minutes prior only confirmed it further. "Bye, Rin-Rin.", Savannah exclaimed and leaned over the console to give her a hug as the her truck came to a stop in front of her elementary school. "Have fun.", Sabrina retorted and placed a quick kiss on her forehead before her sister was scrambling out of the vehicle and rushing over to her best friend, Brandy, that was waiting for her outfront. The blonde girl gave her an enthusiastic wave before the two ran inside the building and she put her Bronco back into drive, heading down her favorite route to the precinct. Her eyes drank in the early runners, people on their way to work, parents walking hand in hand with their children. She had grown to love Portland. The life she and Savannah had built there. The fact that Candice seemed to avoid it like the plague most of the time was an added bonus.

Minutes later she pulled into her regular parking spot, locking the car doors before shouldering her bag and shoving her hands in the pockets of her jacket to avoid the chill that hung in the morning air. She quickly crossed the street and pushed her way inside the building, muttering a quick hello to Simon, an officer that was in his last year before retirement and usually worked the day shift at the welcome desk. "Rina, always on time.", he retorted with a smile as she set for the elevator, memories of John following her down the same path threating to emerge. The hallways were mostly empty, signaling she was among the first people to arrive as per usual. "Ollie. Did you sleep here?", her sights settled on Oliver who was slumped over his desk, head full of messy blond hair resting in the crook of his arm, green eyes shifting to the door as she entered before he shut them again. His voice was sleepy, muffled against his shirt, "I'm just trying to one-up you, Rina." Sabrina let out a laugh and nudged him on the back on her way to her own desk, "Want a coffee?" "Did that well-dress fucker yesterday had the hots for you? Hell yes." She could only shake her head at his blunt observation, feeling glad Leslie hadn't arrived yet, "Oliver. We're not talking about him. Am I clear?" "Why not?", he inquired with way too much interest, his Detective senses kicking in despite his sleepiness.

She ignored the question and felt his gaze on her back while she watched the coffee machine like a hawl. "Uh-oh, there's definitely something there." "No.", she placed his the mug in front of him and sent him a look of warning, "And don't be starting any rumours, you hear?" "Too late.", his cheeky smile screamed nothing but bad news. From the team, Oliver McKenzie was the one closest to her age, and unarguably the most daredevilish, and she had quickly learned to read the signs of incoming trouble in his expression. "What did you do, Oliver?" The silence from his side put her on edge as she lowered into her chair and rubbed away at her temples before she let out a groan, "How bad is it?" "Eh.", was all he granted her as explanation. "God, Ollie.", she mimicked his earlier position just as the door to their division swung open and footsteps carried in her direction. A paper sack crinkled when it was set down on her desk, making her look up, eyes stopping on Stockton who had taken one of the seats across her. "A little 'thank you' for yesterday, Rina.", he gestured to the brown bag, bearing the logo of her favorite bakery, "Croissant, salted caramel and chocolate. Got you a coffee to-go, too. The one y'all have here is shit." "Aye, Maxwell, if it's shit, why not get one for me, too?", Oliver teased. Arguing for sport with Maxwell Stockton was one of his favorite activities and he'd oftentimes stop by "Robbery" just for that reason alone. Yet deep down, the two were close friends from their academy days and would often grab drinks on Fridays.

Stockton's dark eyes shot up to Oliver for a second before returning to hers, his hand rubbed at his cleanshaven cheek, "So, what should I expect from this guy?" "Meaning?", Sabrina asked before tearing into her croissant, "Like if he's difficult to deal with?" Oliver snorted in responce, while the darkhaired man in front of her nodded. "He was polite.", she paused, "But he's also a defense attorney." A whistle, "Oof. And he was fine with you takin' the report?" "It's not like we're going to trial now, are we?", a chuckle left her, "He wants his stuff found, that's all." "How the fuck can he get his suitcase stolen like that?", Oliver interrupted, "Like I heard his story, but damn, I tried so hard not to laugh." "Ollie." "What, Rina? Tell me it wasn't funny. Hell, imagine going to meet a client and not having even a clean pair of undies." Stockton laughed at that, pointing back at Oliver, "Is it true what this one said, he 'looks like Leslie, but shorter'?" "Maxie, when have I lied to you?" "Only the last time we played cards, asshole." Oliver blew him a kiss before he took a sip of his coffee. "Well?", Stockton pushed for an answer, "Leslie look-a-like or nah?" Sabrina chewed on the bite of her pastry slowly, images from the video call invading her mind, "Absolutely not." "Now that's a lie, Rina.", Oliver argued and spun around in his chair to regard them both, "Not only does he look like Leslie, but he also wants in her pants as much. Probably."

"You're lucky I love this croissant, or it'd be flying at your head, Oliver." He stuck his tongue out, "Love ya, too." The door opening cut out his laughter, "Speaking of the taller Devil." "Morning, guys.", Leslie Parish muttered in a greeting and walked over to the desk next to hers and dropped off his things. The strange expression on his face gave her a pause and prompted Stockton to clear his throat before he rose up to leave. "I will get going, better start looking into the case. Recover our lawyer friend's luggage back." On his way out saluted Leslie, then patted Oliver on the back, "Later, folks." "The lawyer?", Leslie started, peeling off his coat and placing it over the back of his chair. Sabrina shook her head, "He's not our problem." He strode over, taking a seat at the edge of her desk as he stole the final bite of her croissant, "Not from what Ollie told me." "How many people did you tell, Oliver?" Oliver shrugged, hiding his face behind one of the files he had open on his desk, "I plead the fifth." The eyebrow Leslie quirked told her everything she needed to know before he even elaborated, "Oliver was straight up updating us all live in your Birthday group chat." "Unbelievable. And here I thought you were working hard, McKenzie." A wink was sent her way, "You're underestimating me. I can absolutely multitask, Donovan." "So, back to this guy…", Leslie's blue eyes searched hers. "Later." A nod, "Deal. I'm taking you out for lunch, you can tell me all about him then." Oliver spun around with a victorious smirk, "See, I knew there was something. He asked you out, didn't he?" Sabrina turned to her computer monitor, logging in and pulling up the CCTV footage she had spent half of the previous day combing through, "I plead the fifth, too."

Tagging, @adelaidedrubman @socially-awkward-skeleton @aceghosts @poisonedtruth @chazz-anova @strafethesesinners @strangefable @trench-rot @josephslittledeputy @josephseedismyfather @g0dspeeed @direwombat @voidika @theelderhazelnut @v0idbuggy @euryalex @florbelles @corvosattano @purplehairsecretlair @dumbassdep @cassietrn @simplegenius042 @jillvalentinesday @nightbloodbix and anyone with something to share <3

[msweebyness]

Akuma Class/Theater Kids Friendship HC’s

Here’s a deeper look into some of the friendships between the kids of the theater and akuma classes! @artzychic27 @imsparky2002

Missy and Kim have a…complicated friendship. Missy being Ondine’s very protective childhood best friend, it took her some time to warm up to Kim. Eventually, they developed their rapport of playful ribbing on each other. They act like they don’t like each other, but everyone knows they do.

Jesse and Mylene have been best friends since their childhood, with Fred and Jesse’s mother, Imelda, being old university friends. They bonded over their love for theater and Mylene will protect Jesse with the fierceness of a mother bear. She’s also one of the few people who can calm him from a panic attack.

Aggie and Alix have had a friendly rivalry when it comes to skating for as long as anyone can remember. They’re always trying to one-up each other with their rollerblade/skateboard stunts, and frequently go head-to-head in parkour battles. They also love to snark at the frequent ridiculous situations their friends end up in.

Brecken and Kim became fast friends the moment they met, and are now an adorable pair of himbo jock besties! They pick each other first for the team every time, and are always pumping each other up. Basically, Kim’s the Wayne to Brecken’s Raj. They also work out together all the time, and have roped Ivan into joining them, forming the trio of buff supremacy. (Brecken actually helped Kim and Ivan work out a lot of their previous issues through his friendships with both)

Petra and Nathaniel share their passion for art and drawing, as well as the shared pain of having to make sure everything about their art is absolutely perfect before anyone sees it. They frequently help one another out through critiques and suggestions, and also just sit quietly and draw in the same room, enjoying each other’s company.

Dot and Sabrina have actually been close for years, and Dot is one of the people who will never hesitate to tell Chloe off for Sabrina. They bonded over their love for organization and management, and frequently assist each other with projects.

Eri, Juleka and Anthony are known as the “goth kid squad” and are actually very close friends. They frequently go shopping together and help one another with makeup. They also go to concerts for alt bands and obscure cafes, and it’s typically Anthony and Juleka’s job to reign Eri in.

Anais and Max share their passion for science, frequently collaborating on projects and getting so wrapped up in their experiments that they have to be forced to rest by their friends. (Anais is in Markov’s top 5 favorite people, no question!)

Evie and Ivan formed a surprising friendship over them both being in the school’s writing club and enjoying poetry. They frequently have tea in the mornings and share their work together. (They’ve helped each other with a lot of love poems for their partners.)

Mona and Nino share their passion for videography and movies, and frequently collaborate on projects, making a kickass director duo. They also share their overall relaxed vibe and frequently meditate together!

Ayesha, Rose and Margo are the school’s sunshine trio, producing enough positivity to combat an army of akumas! The three of their powers combined can cheer anyone up! They often do craft projects together and all participate in the scrapbooking club!

Soo-Yeon and Adrien bonded due to both being on the basketball team, where they actually work very well as teammates. Soo-Yeon may or may not be plotting with Nino to get Gabe’s custody revoked by any means necessary.

Alya and Roxie share a passion for getting the whole story and uncovering the truth, so Roxie will frequently assist Alya in her investigations for stories on one of her various blogs. They also frequently have good-natured debates about various topics.

Leave your thoughts in the comments and reblogs!

[imsparky2002]

Class of Villainy - Villainous Dorm Rooms

When the new students arrived at DuPont, they knew that the old dorm rooms were too boring and shabby for villains such as themselves. They gave the staff an ultimatum. Change the rooms, or incur their wrath. Wanting to avoid more trouble, magic was used to give the dorms an upgrade.

Marinette & Alya: These two eccentric young villainesses quickly formed a bond over their love of tormenting others, becoming the best of friends as they conjured up cruel tricks and traps. They're also each other's wicked wingwomen in the dating scene.

Marinette's Side: A room with a black and white motif. The place where Marinette stores her favorite outfits and accessories. There's a huge fur closet for all of her coats. Alya's Side: A huge lab with all kinds of potions and chemicals. There are a few transformed objects and transformed people that she has captured as her pets.

Adrien & Nino: Bonding over their love of deception and manipulating the weak minded, these tricksters quickly became the vilest of best bros, sharing a laugh over their best cons and scams. Adrien's Side: A small lair which has a similar vibe to the palace of Agrabah. There's a snake motif to the place, and a little birdcage for Wayhem. Nino's Side: A mix between a circus tent and a fox hole.

Juleka & Rose: A devoted pair of villainous lovers, the Candy Queen and the Mistress of Evil couldn't be happier to share their space, placing aspects of themselves in the other's half as they rule side-by-side. Rose's Side: A bright and peppy room, pink serving as the main color, with a candy motif to everything along with a touch of sci-fi. Rose has her own mini racing track that she can drive around in. There's a light pink throne. Juleka's Side: A room very similar to her own castle. A gothic vibe, bats swarming the place, stone floors, and a black throne, everything lit by green flames.

Nathaniel & Marc: These two were paired up because the staff was threatened with decapitation if any other arrangement was made. Devoted to the bitter end, they rule over the school from their matching thrones. Marc's Side: A huge throneroom, lavish furniture, everything is dark and ominous. He has his magic mirror as well as his lab for poisons and potions. Nathaniel's Side: Similar to his throneroom in Wonderland. There's croquet mallets, axes, tarts, all fit for the Mad King.

Ismael & Alix: The King of the Savannah and the Queen of the Jungle plot out how to control their lands from the comfort of their room. One of their favorite pastimes is to pounce on each other when they least expect it. They also have various strings and other cat toys. Ismael's Side: A dark cave filled with furniture made of animal bones. Alix's Side: A jungle vibe, filled with the fur and bones of her enemies.

Kim & Max: Your classic bully-and-nerd pairing... sort of. Kim never seems to learn that trying to threaten and strong-arm Max into doing his homework always ends with him at the business end of some robotic weapon or another. Kim's Side: A room filled with workout equipment and body parts from all of the animals he's killed. Max's side: It's pretty much a mini supervillain lair, filled with gadgets and robots. Max gets very annoyed with people touching his things, so he's got a very hi-tech security system.

Chloe & Sabrina: Haughty and imperious, these aristocrats quickly found common ground in their love of looking down on others. They spend their time planning new ways to make people they dislike feel like dirt. Chloe's Side: A huge and lavish room, yet with a dark and shadowy vibe. Her bed is absolutely enormous. Sabrina's Side: A mix between a pawn shop and a cave full of diamonds.

Jean & Reshma: With their shared love of all things golden and shiny, you'd think these two would be a perfect match. However, territorial feelings over their respective hoards has led them to clash more than once! Jean's Side: Modeled after an underwater cave, filled with his treasure that they have collected over the years. Reshma's Side: Looks simlar to her cabin in Captain Anarka's pirate ship. Also filled with various riches that she plundered.

Ivan & Denise: Quickly forming a bond over their mutual love of the dark and macabre, these two have a longstanding game of sorts, trying to frighten the other. (Ivan finds Denise's shadows to be fine company!) Denise's Side: Modeled after their families shop, but with their own dark twist. Ancient masks, bones, and talismans are everywhere. Ivan's Side: Looks like a haunted casino. Skulls, a huge roulette wheel, a cooking pot, and the walls are covered with bugs. There's also various instruments of torture hung up on the walls.

Simon & Aurore: A match made in the pits of hell. Aurore's endless amount of energy and lack of any sort of order causes Simon to think about committing the most vile sin of all... killing one of his friends. Aurore just thinks they don't know how to have fun! Simon's Side: They have an incredibly religious room. Crosses and prayer books everywhere. There's a painting of Virgin Mary on the wall and a huge fireplace. Aurore's Side: Messy as all hell. Potions and spell ingredients everywhere, an absolute pigsty of a shack.

Mylene & Mireille: One brings fire and the other brings water from the depths of the sea. You'd think these two would despise each other, but they actually get along quite well... when Mylene isn't dousing Mireille's flaming hair, that is. (The sea witch finds Tikki and Plagg to be adorable and enjoys messing with them.) Mylene's Side: A coral reef design, looks like an aquatic lair. Filled with various trinkets and potions. Has a magical mirror where she can view the poor unfortunate souls that failed to complete her contracts, trapped in the depths of the sea. Also has a small house for her electric eels. Mireille's Side: A cavernous room fit for the young Goddess of Death. There's a portal inside where they can travel to the Underworld and fill out her duties. Her side of the room is flameproof, allowing them to safely rage out when things aren't going her way.

Zoe & Kagami: A pair of ruthless militants with an urge to overthrow their parents. These two quickly bonded over a shared love of swordplay, and running their enemies into the ground. They frequently duel for fun, and plan to unite their nations after graduation. Kagami's Side: Set up in a similar manner to the Huns war camp. The room is decorated with the armor and weapons from her fallen enemies. Zoe's Side: A well-furnished and lavish room, styled after her room from the Palace of the Southern Isles. It's elegant, but there's a cold feeling in the air.

Cosette & Lacey: A pair of treacherous snakes, these two quickly found that they couldn't pull the wool over the other's eyes, and grew to respect each other for it. They often trade methods of manipulation and gaslighting. Lacey's Side: Styled after the top of a medieval tower. A dark and sinister room, filled with weapons and disguises. Cosette's Side: A room very similar to an office. Very tidy, with desks and mugs.

Ondine & Luka: The two sidekicks actually get along quite well, sharing an overall relaxed vibe. Luka will even flirt with the redhead at times, just to anger Kim. (The tantrum that Kim had when he found out she had a male roommate is LEGENDARY). Ondine's Side: A relatively ordinary dorm room, since she was already going here as a student. Well, everything’s normal except for the huge amount of pictures and memorbilia belonging to Kim. She even has a huge painting of him above her fireplace. Luka's Side: A dark and ominous musical vibe. There's a huge pipe organ, and a grand piano that activates a trap door.

And that’s who’s rooming together at DuPont! Thank you to @msweebyness for writing the parts about the character dynamics (which I edited a tiny bit, but it’s mostly her!). Lemme know if you have any opinions or ideas in replies, reblogs, and asks. @artzychic27 and @msweebyness 

[purposefully-lost]

I made a mistake in my life today

Everything I love gets lost in the drawers

I want to start over, I want to be winning

Way out of sync from the beginning

I wanna hurry home to you

Put on a slow, dumb show for you and crack you up

So you can put a blue ribbon on my brain

God, I'm very, very frightened, I'll overdo it

[inkmousey]

For a fic coming soon to Archives near YOU!

via @mlbigbang

Info

Ship: ViperMouse/Lukanette (Luka/Marinette)

Side ships: Felix/Kagami, Luka/Lila(but not really), Sabrina/Lila, Sabrina/Chloe, Adrien/Alix, Nino/Alya (most of these won’t be focused on, but are mentioned/in the background at some point)

Rating: Explicit

Fun tags: Slowburn, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Enemies to Lovers, Identity Reveal, Marinette as Multimouse, Alternate Universe, Mating Cyles/In Heat, Mating Bites, Mating Bond, Felix Graham de Vanily as Marinette’s BFF

Major Content Warnings For Fic: Major Character Death (outside of main pairing), PTSD, Trauma, Jealousy, Yandere type character violence, medical malpractice, infertility scare, infertility issues

Thank you again to all my amazing

The blonde is put up with a beautifully leather bound book between his fingers, and despite his lack-luster tone, Felix looks surprised to see Viperion at his window, “To what do I owe the pleasure?” The thick English accent drawls in the space between them.

Viperion has to physically restrain himself from rolling his eyes, “There’s a girl, Marinette Dupain-Cheng.”

That gets his attention, silvery green eyes lock onto Viperion, “Is she okay?”

The question lingers between them, soft. Quiet. Because Felix is over analyzing everything. How sweaty Viperion is, the smell of omega slick coating this suit’s thigh, how his normally composed face is just slightly flushed—

Felix is sure that if Viperion didn’t have the suit on he’d be reeking of rut pheromones and alpha-laced-anxiety alike.

Felix takes a few strides forward and snaps his fingers to catch the other man’s attention, “Viperion.” For an omega, Felix certainly has an unyielding bite to his tone, “Is. She. Okay?”

Viperion glances back up with golden tinged eyes and lets out a shaky breath, “She needs your help.”

I hope to see you all on Monday, January 9th! :D

[sin-sidejob]

I'm bored. Tell us more about your OC?

I’d love to talk more about her! Especially if it’ll quench your boredom!!

Okay!

Delaney’s mainly shipped with JR but deep in my little heart I have an alt au where she’s paired up with AB Robotus (I’m an absolute SUCKER for inhuman pairings, especially a bond over a mutual hatred)

But regardless, she’s essentially a cliché hot attorney blended with “gives mother / serves cunt” vibes if that makes sense — here to do here job and little else, not the type to fuck around, especially not for shits and giggles. Unapologetically feminine but will not hesitate to rip a bitch apart, physically or verbally.

At work, she’s mainly nose-deep in paperwork from business deals and transactions, like the acquisition of Rightswipe, and the logistical moves of power from Rand and JR as co-CEOs to JR, then to Reagan — etcetera. Her role doesn’t not directly interact with the remainder of the cast, doing background work.

Outside of work however, she’s most likely waiting for the weekend. Her fun nights come Friday night and Saturday, with Sunday being a reset day for her to get her shit done, the self work for the week, etc. Her time outside the office is most likely spent reading, relaxing at home or with her family, or shopping. She invests majority of her money, but a moderate portion she devotes to fashion and looking like she strutted straight off a runway like a 90s Ralph Lauren model.

Additionally, since there’s the theme of conspiracies, the supernatural, and cryptid nonsense, I made my little sona a demon! I’m sticking (for now) with the concept of her as some sort of eldritch creature, using her body as a vessel in some weird cyclical nature born by the ways of the shadow board — something akin to having a “scribe” or agent linked to them, reincarnated through the generations for convenience rather than fully inventing the wheel and trusting it to complete strangers, risking more than they can afford.

Delaney’s ambiguously in her mid 30’s, one of those people that gives easy information on surface level matters for appearances but leaves no traces as to anything deeper, no information available to anyone. So there’s very little the cast know about her personally, just as their lives as very surface level initially before the bonding and duration of both parts of season one. She’s southern, has that heavy drawl that usually comes out when someone else speaks southern or when certain topics are discussed, leaving her accent usually more diluted and moderate.

ALSO some songs I attribute to her, the first was recc’d by @olexxx

Femme Fatale by Coyote Kid

I Want It All by Arctic Monkeys

Short Skirt / Long Jacket by CAKE

Diamonds Are Forever by Sabrina Carpenter

[narabea06]

HAIIII i dunno if ur still doing the silly shipping ask game thing but im curious to see urs for bryan...... /nf

I absolutely can do that!! Forewarning tho, most, if not all of this, is platonic bc I don't ship Bryan with like anyone but Vendi really (and even then, i acknowledge they aren't realistically a healthy couple, i just find their relationship interesting to pick apart and watch)

My NOTP for them - Bryan x Molten. Always despised this ship and just find it makes me incredibly uncomfortable. I'll always love Bomb Duo tho, I just don't like them shipped together

My BROTP for them - Brother Duo/Portal Duo!! (Dylan and Bryan) (I genuinely hope BROTP does not mean i ship them, bc I don't, I just like to see their brother relationship)

My OTP for them - ChaiLatte (Bryan x Vendi) probably? Idk, again they're terrible for each other but they're so interesting.

My second choice pairing for them - Again, not in a shipping way, but I do love Bomb Duo!! (Molten and Bryan) (Tho i probably would put them above ChaiLatte)

My fluffy pairing for them - Platonic Bryan and Ballora def- I've always loved their dynamic so much, she was like his own good mother figure i swear-

My angsty pairing for them - Platonic Get Worse Duo!! (Adrien and Bryan) Again, they both bring out the worst in each other but they're so sad and so interesting to pick apart and watch. It's like a car accident, like I can't not watch their relationship fall apart yknow-

My favorite poly pairing for them - None really. Favorite trio tho is probably Traffic Trio (Bryan, Dylan, and Adrien) bc of fucking course

My weirdest pairing for them - PLATONIC TRESPASS DUO. (Sabrina and Bryan ) THEY WOULD DEF BOND OVER ANIMATRONICS BREAKING INTO THEIR HOUSES AND SHIT AND LIKE- IDK- BRYAN COULD BE A MENTOR TOWARDS HER. THEY COULD BE FRIENDS-

[endlessly-cursed]

𝙅𝙤𝙘𝙚𝙡𝙮𝙣 𝙎𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙩

"𝙅𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙬𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙖𝙨𝙥𝙞𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙙𝙤𝙣'𝙩 𝙢𝙚𝙚𝙩 𝙙𝙤𝙚𝙨𝙣'𝙩 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙛𝙪𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨."

BASICS

Full Name: Jocelyn Cassandra Somerset 

Age: 20 in 1925 

Birthday: 4th of July, 1907

Weight: 56kg 

Height: 1.54m 

Faceclaim: Alexia Giordano 

HOGWARTS

House: Hufflepuff 

Wand: Dogwood, unicorn hair, 12 inches, flexible 

Dogwood is one of my own personal favourites, and I have found that matching a dogwood wand with its ideal owner is always entertaining. Dogwood wands are quirky and mischievous; they have playful natures and insist upon partners who can provide them with scope for excitement and fun. It would be quite wrong, however, to deduce from this that dogwood wands are not capable of serious magic when called upon to do so; they have been known to perform outstanding spells under difficult conditions, and when paired with a suitably clever and ingenious witch or wizard, can produce dazzling enchantments. An interesting foible of many dogwood wands is that they refuse to perform non-verbal spells and they are often rather noisy.

Amortentia (what they smell like): Rosewater, eau de cologne, primroses, expensive soap and freshly washed satin sheets 

Best class: Recess (jk) Astronomy 

Worst class: Transfiguration 

Wanted career: NA, ends up engaged before deciding a career, would pick one after marriage 

Quidditch: Doesn’t play 

Extracurriculars: Frog Choir 

FAMILY

Mother: Primrose Sabrina Gray

Jocelyn admires greatly her mother: she’s strong, heroic, magnificient and admired wherever she goes. Despite being a busy woman, she always found time for Joce and the two bonded, and she was responsible for her engagement and eventual marriage into the Alderly family. 

Father: Malcolm Stolberg-Burke ( @gaygryffindorgal ​ )

Jocelyn and her father don’t talk much, but he always reminds her how much he adores her and is protective of her and makes sure that she always has a hug and a kiss from him. Overall, she loved him dearly 

Sibling(s): Vincent Castor Somerset

The only son and heir of Winbourne, Joce admired him greatly and could always count on him and loved him dearly. 

Alexandra Victoria Somerset 

Joce and Alix had an interesting relationship. She loved and admired her, but saw their mother in them, and fought ofttimes, but always came back for one another. 

Lenore Callista Somerset

Lenore was her father’s daughter through and through, and she and Joce had little in common and fought very often, for Lenore was tomboy-ish meanwhile Joce was very feminine and considered the most beautiful of the sisters, which grew into envy. 

Morwenna Beatrix Somerset @gaygryffindorgal​ 

The second youngest, she was wild and rebellious, always questioning everything and up to something, she was the last planned daughter of Primrose and Malcolm and the one Joce was closer in age 

Youngest Sister: Gia Estelle Somerset

The youngest, she was a surprise baby and no one expected her, but was welcomed anyway with much love. She was soft, but had her strenght and was in Hufflepuff as well, and Joce adored her and was protective of her. 

Uncle(s): William Berkeley @beloved-bucky​ Henry of Alderly @gaygryffindorgal​ Danny Gibson @catohphm​ Abraham Alden ( @cursed-herbalist​ ) 

Her surrogate uncles (for her mother had no surviving brothers, hence all of them were considered her brothers) were very important in her life, though whom she shared a closer bond was her future father-in-law, Henry of Alderly. 

Aunt(s): Estelle Stolberg-Burke ( @gaygryffindorgal​ ) Nadia Erbland ( @gcldensnitch​ ), Niamh Kelly ( @unfortunate-arrow​ ), Siobhan Llewellyn ( @kc-and-co​ ), Roxanne Haley ( @beloved-bucky​ ) Georgia Coventry and Cora Hastings ( @camillejeaneshphm​ with Cora being her future mother-in-law) 

Cora and Jocelyn bonded very quickly from a young age to the point where she was made her godmother, and she considered her a second mother, and was delighted when she became her daughter-in-law. The two of them had an amazing mother-daughter like duo for the rest of their lives 

Friends: TBD 

Significant Other: Edward of Alderly @gaygryffindorgal​ @camillejeaneshphm​ 

Both grew up together and were aware that Edward would marry the Somerset sister he liked best, and Jocelyn had always had a crush on him. The two of them would eventually fall in love in their late teens/early twenties and get engaged, with Jocelyn becoming the next Princess/Duchess of Alderly. Together they had a few children, among them the next Prince/Duke of Alderly

PERSONALITY

Three Qualities: Fashionable, kind, free-spirited 

Three faults: Quite vain, God complex and jealous (in a good way) 

Guilty pleasure: Spicy food 

Writing hand: Left 

Zodiac sign/other personality trait: Cancer 

FAVOURITES

Colour: Gold 

Composer/singer: NA 

Food: Lemon cake 

Family member: Her surrogate aunt Georgia 

Location in the world: Venice, Italy 

Holiday: Summer (cause she’s a summer child lolololol) 

Hobbies: Sew, dance, sing and fashion 

MISC

She’s deemed the most beautiful of the sisters by English beauty standards 

She’s the best dancer of her sisters and another favourite of Queen Mary of Teck, consort of George V 

She also has the most beautiful voice and many rumours were spread that she was a mermaid and not Primrose’s daughter 

She’s the one who got a job later, after the duties of Alderly Hall became too much 

She’s the one who travels less and her wedding dress was one of the most beautiful ones 

She’s not very academic, but did like Astronomy well enough to pay attention 

Her favourite instrument is the violin and always played for her family during dinner 

She was also the accomplished lady of 1925 

[magaprima]

I will never not laugh at Lilith deliberately messing up Blackwood’s desk, touching things he doesn’t want her to touch, and especially where she tries to make him lose his page. This GIF set was in my queue and look at her:

It’s such a small thing and it’s true he could easily find the page again, but that’s what makes it stand out even more. She’s not doing it to cause a genuine problem, she’s not doing it out of a vicious need to mess shit up, she’s doing it because it’s fun and she’s enjoying causing some mild irritations. Like when someone annoys you so you do something petty in return, like move their keys or take out their bookmark. It’s such a human thing for Lilith to be doing, which is a point of interest in itself, it also shows how the two of them dislike each other, but it also shows there’s a history of dislike. 

These two have clearly met before this scene, we know that by the fact he’s not surprised by her appearance, but this little page-flicking shows it’s been quite a while, that her visits have been frequent since she came to Greendale, and in that short time the two of them have concluded they really don’t like each other. Because they are literally on opposite ends of the spectrum; he’s toxic patriarchy who believes witches should serve warlocks, while Lilith was kicked out of paradise for saying women are equal and deserve independence and freedom. 

They represent everything the other hates, but the Dark Lord says they have to work together so they can’t attack one another too much. So Blackwood acts dismissive, while Lilith....messes with all his shit. She drinks his booze, sits on his table, spies on his school....and she messes with his books. Any book reader knows how particularly annoying that is, and since we know Lilith is learned and well-read, we can presume she is extremely aware of how annoying losing someone’s page is. 

And then I can’t help but think about the path they both go down; they both end up rejecting the Dark Lord (for completely different reasons, admittedly), both end up on his kill list,  and are forced to work together for their own survival. These two on such opposite ends of the spectrum of almost every belief, end up intrinsically tied together, culminating in him being the earthly father of her satanic child, just as Edward was Sabrina’s. 

People tend to only fixate or find interest in relationships where there’s a positive or romantic or platonic bond, but this one is fascinating for the fact it is none of those things, they’re not even officially ‘enemies’, and yet the pair are no less linked. 

And this has completely gone off from my original comment about her page flicking that I may just have to make an entirely separate Blackwood/Lilith post at some point soon, to explain all the way these two are linked despite how obviously they despise one another.