#boy employee goes universe hopping
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jean on jean life
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it is 3 am. who wants a sneak peak of the next chapter of my linked company au?
(aren't familiar with the au? it stars the Linked Universe boys, but with the mechanics/gameplay of Lethal Company!! NO KNOWLEDGE OF LETHAL COMPANY IS REQUIRED TO UNDERSTAND THIS AU!!!! if you don't know anything about the game, that's totally fine! everything is explained if it matters to the story, so it's totally friendly to any and all readers!)
previews will be under the cut because uhh. there's a couple of them. this is a LONG chapter. it also haven't been looked over at all since I wrote literally all of it today lol
wind & warriors
They push through the last door, thankful to find something other than a hallway. Instead, theyâre greeted with a familiar sightâ the same room layout from when they encountered that bunker spider yesterday.
âParkour! Sweet!â Wind exclaims, hopping down over the bent railing to land on the metal beam below. He smirks, smile devious as he makes direct eye contact with Wars. âHere, Iâll test the strength for you.â He jumps up and down on the beam, grinning manically the entire time.
âWind,â Wars groans, long-suffering. âPlease. Donât play around like that; you could fall.â
The youngest employee snorts, rolling his eyes. âAs if.â He leaps to the other side. His hands fly to his hips, waiting. âYour turn, Grandpa.â âI am nobodyâs grandfather,â Wars hisses. He jumps down on the beam as Wind had, wasting no time in getting to the other side. He gently pushes Windâs head, making the boy stumble the tiniest amount. âBrat.â
time
The doorway heâs aiming for is on his right now, and he steps past the threshold without hesitation. Itâs a staircase, leading up. More importantly than that, though, is the jar of pickles sitting on the fourth stair.
âForty-nine credits,â Time mumbles to himself, grabbing the scrap. Better to take this back to the fire exit now, rather than drag it along with him for who knows how long. He isnât too far in yet anyway.
Once the jar of pickles has been dropped off outside the fire exit, Time heads back to the stairs. This time, he goes all the way up them, opening the door at the top. He barely has time to examine his surroundings before a red beam aims at him.
twilight & wild
Twilight jogs to catch up as Wild swings the door in a wide arc. He pauses in the doorway, watching as the excitable teenager picks up a stop sign.
âTwi, look!â Wild rears it back before slamming it forward. âI bet we could kill something with this!â
The newbie hesitates, uneasy. â...Why is that the first thing you think of?â
Wild shrugs, holding the sign in both hands. âDunno. Thought it could be useful.â He puts it away, leaving his hands free. âItâs worth thirty-nine credits, by the way.â
hyrule (& legend)
Along with the flashlight, Hyruleâs hands are full. He turns around and heads back out along the walkway, pausing before exiting the industrial room. Hidden in the corner of the doorway is a tea kettle worth forty-four credits, located perfectly in a place they couldnât have seen on their way in.
He hesitates. Taking that tea kettle would save him a trip later, but his hands are already full. He could drop his flashlight⌠but what if something happens? What if someone, or something, takes it while heâs dropping the scrap off at the main entrance?
Hyrule shakes his head. Itâs silly to depend so much on a piece of plastic, and a shitty one at that. He could drop his flashlight, take the tea kettle, and pick the flashlight back up in under five minutes, anyway.
sky and four also play a role, but those parts haven't been written yet so... well, obviously I can't share them! however I'm hoping to get this chapter out soon, either tomorrow (today. its nearly 4 am) or next friday if I really can't manage finishing it by the end of the day tomorrow (today)
#linked universe#lu warriors#lu wind#lu time#lu wild#lu twilight#lu hyrule#lu legend#skies sneak peek#riv writes
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A Chaotic Analysis Of The TaeyongsFemdom Universe.
(Sorry I had to add this đ
)
Hey Bitches â¤ď¸ So for this post, I will be discussing the lore within my page and the stories iâve written so far that are within TYFD universe, Iâm doing this like those TV show or book plot breakdowns (i.e Mikeâs Mic PLL video and caricanreadâs acotar breakdown)Â
â˘quick tw: small mentions of abuse, murder & light gore.
â˘note: This whole page is a dark romance with a little bit of horror movie vibes. More lore will be added to this post as more fics/minis are written.
â˘tropes: good boy/bad girl, fem!billionaire reverse grumpy/sunshine, touch him and die, fem. serial killer, femdom relationship, age gap.
So, this all begins with a beautiful young woman who runs her own sex toy company and her employees are seven men (NCT 127 members) with Mark Lee being her assistant and right hand man. Mark was introduced in A Deal With The Devil, there was a day where he took her to a farmer's market that he goes to all the time because of the fresh watermelon (đ¤Ą)
First off, this woman is a glamorous ass bitch. She's a CEO! She always has a fierce outfit on, hair looking good, nails done and a banging body to match.
If things don't go her way then it's the motherfucking highway and she gets what she wants whenever she wants it.
"I know how powerful I am. I'm smart and beautiful! Everyone either loves or hates me, men want me and bitches fear me. I know what I want and I always get what I want"
The man running the market knows Mark very well and he introduces her to him. While talking to the owner, she sees a young boy working in the field behind the counter, and she asks who he is and the owner introduces him to the duo and his name is Taeyong. The woman became infatuated with him in a heartbeat, the way he could barely stare at her because of how pretty she was, his eyes glued to the ground which made her smile, she just thought that he was the cutest thing to ever exist, but she noticed something was off.
"I could care less about the man Mark was talking to, I was too focused on the boy beside him. I just couldn't stop looking, he was perfect in every way possible. A strangely beautiful face, cute rosy cheeks and these massive chocolate eyes that made him look so sweet, like an actual living doll. The twisted bitch in my brain was just shouting at me to take and put him in a dollhouse. I just had to have him".
She decided to go back a few days later, hopping in her black g-wagon and driving to the market during a storm. She gets to the market and sees a light inside a shack, yelling coming from the inside. The voice of the owner berating Taeyong along with the sound of slapping and punching, her eyes spot him on the floor covering himself for protection from the blows with bruises and blood on him.
"CAN'T YOU DO ANYTHING RIGHT? I SHOULD JUST THROW YOUR LITTLE ASS ON THE STREET SO YOU CAN SLEEP IN THE RAIN"
While his back was turned, the woman grabbed a nearby shovel and with a loud ass BANG the man fell to the floor, a bloody gash appearing on the back of his head as he fell unconscious. Blood covered her face as she watched Taeyong look at her with pure terror & a mix of relief.
"Come with me...WE NEED TO GO!"
He took her hand as the both of them ran to the car while getting soaked in the rain, rushing him into the front seat as she threw the shovel in the trunk before speeding off into the night. She took Taeyong in, letting him stay inside her massive home, and baby she lives in a nice ass mansion (see post about the home she lives in) She cleaned him up, and gave him a new life. Bought him new clothes and many other nice things, basically showering him with gifts and love since he's never had anything like that before, she told him that she would take care of everything. He even offered to cook and clean for her as a thank you.
(side note: her housekeeper had stopped showing up ever since she moved into her new mansion so it was a win-win situation, so Taeyong became a housewife of some sort)
"Don't ever think you're going back to that old life, you're gonna be staying with me for a very long time"
Weeks pass on and she gets a call from Zhong Chenle and he personally wanted to hire her to be Taeyongâs manager after firing the current ones for being sketchy ever since he took over SM Entertainment. The woman was unaware that Taeyong was a kpop idol and thought he just worked at a little market, Chenle tells her that heâs been trying to get Taeyong to leave that market so he can focus on his career.
âWhy didnât you tell me that you were an idol? I just got a call from the CEO about being your new managerâÂ
"Y..youâre my new manager? Â
"Apparently I am! Why didnât you tell me about any of this?"
"Because I thought you were gonna look at me differently. Are you gonna kick me out?"
"Honey, I would never kick you out, I just need you to be honest with me, okay?"Â
(We'll be talking more on Taeyong later....)
The woman hired a good friend of hers named Norilyn to be her assistant to help her with this managing gig, the woman made sure everything ran smoothly during photo-shoots or events that he would attend, being one of his biggest supporters and being there for him if he was anxious or scared.
â˘She was giving very much Kris Jenner mom-ager "You're doing amazing sweetie" vibes. And here's a cute fun fact: the woman speaks korean very fluently, and this shocks the fuck outta Taeyong. She also helps him improve with his english speaking (cute)
"You're so kind, I appreciate you so much for being there for me!"
âOf course, angel cake! Thatâs what I'm here for. I'll always be there for you"
One thing that we learn about the woman is that she's unhinged. Back then, she was a serial killer who specifically targeted mysogynistic men who looked down on women. While working her way in life, she faced many white men who were just disgusting human beings and let's just say...they never made it back home at night to their loving families.
She actually calmed down with the murders for several years after she started her company but unfortunately this managing job is really bringing out the murderous bitch in her (yikes.)
The woman ended up developing an obsession with Taeyong and became very possessive over him as years passed on. She started calling him "little rose" as a nickname. Her eyes were on him 24/7 and watched every move he made, becoming deadly if anyone approached her precious rose that wasn't her.
"I'll kill anyone who even dares to touch him"
Ever since she murdered the man that was abusing him, something in her just snapped.
(this where the murdering starts back up again)
She has two secret rooms, a weapon room and her basement where she brings her victims teach them a lesson with the help of her good friend Qian Kun who has a team of skilled assassins at his side.
âNow, tell me what we learned today?â
âN..not to speak a..about Taeyongâ
âOr what?â
âY..youâll cut my dick offâ
âGood! Because if I hear you say another word about my rose again, iâll cut that shit off and let you bleed out on my floor"
The hallway that leads to her gun room and the basement âŹď¸
Ms. Thing definitely got something going on upstairs (if you catch my drift) we already know that tyongfs are insane, but this chick is literally 10x worse! She will get her hands dirty if something happened to Taeyong and would probably murder everyone in a fit of rage tbh. (One of these days he'll find her coated in blood) she can also fight too! She's not scared to hit a bitch when it comes to Taeyong either lol.
(Deadass will fight someone like this đ ^)
The murder at the farmer's market made it on the news but the killer was never found so the case went cold, and that's exactly what the woman wanted. The shovel that was coated in blood was in her rose garden and was completely cleaned of fingerprints. She obviously wasn't gonna tell anyone about this except for right hand woman Mason who helps her with murders, and she wasn't gonna tell Taeyong about it because she didn't wanna scare him to death, so she decided to keep quiet about it.
Now letâs talk about Taeyong for a minute:
I wanted to come back to him to point out a few things. Besides the fact that heâs an idol, he is very naive and believes everything that is told to him (alarming btw) so the woman takes advantage of this so she can take care of "personal business" like she'll literally be slaughtering someone like cattle in her basement and he wouldn't even know. Gotta hand it to her, she makes sure that her victims are killed quietly so he won't hear anything.
(We still love him though đđđšđš)
Still on the topic of Taeyong, he is not only her obsession, he was also her little fuck-toy. We find out that he's into being dominated but specifically by a woman, he believes that he should be submissive and obedient while a woman works and makes the money for the household. The both of them made an agreement about a dom/sub relationship behind closed doors, making her his manager and goddess. He would be kneeling at her feet while she sits at her throne, his lips spilling praises while kissing her high heels after rewarding or punishing him, just being grateful for his beautiful goddess.
"What do you say while on the floor worshiping my feet, pet?"Â
"Thank you, goddess!"Â
"Are you gonna be a good boy for me, little rose?"
"Y..yes, goddess"Â
"That's a good pet! I'm gonna have so much fun with you"
The two became very close over the years while living together, Taeyong quickly falling in love with her since he's never seen or been with a woman like her. Seeing how confident, powerful and beautiful she was (he really did see her as goddess that was sent to him by the gods themselves) he didn't really notice how much of a â¨ď¸possessive queenâ¨ď¸ she is buuuutttt he was living his best life in a luxurious mansion with a beautiful psychopath.
"I really like being here with you, doing things like cooking and cleaning, along with you being my manager and umm...."
"The woman of your dreams?"
"U..uh yeah, y..you can say that"
"Don't lie to me boy, I can see you blushing. Also i'm not sure if you remember what I told you when you first started living with me, little rose. I have a lot of power, nobody will ever think to disrespect you when i'm around, I control everything and everyone...including you, little rose"
"Yes, goddess"
And that is basically the lore around my page! Just to let ya'll know that this is not real and is all just fiction- đđĽ
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Could you talk about the Statute of Secrecy? Or the Ministryâs corruption in General :)
Well, those are two different things. Given that I believe I have an ask floating somewhere in my inbox on the Statute, I suppose weâll talk about the Ministry of Magic today.
I feel like this is such a broad topic though that Iâm not quite sure where to start. I guess Iâll just throw spaghetti at the internet wall and see what sticks.
The Ministry is a Reflection of Society Who Never Admitted They Were the Death Eaters
In the ministry of Harry Potterâs era the Ministry is hopelessly corrupt and filled to the brim with spies (more on this in a later section). Lucius Malfoy, very high up in an unofficial capacity in the Ministry and owner of the Ministryâs mouth piece: The Daily Prophet, was a known Death Eater with a very flimsy excuse.
How is he even able to wield so much influence, you ask? Well, I think itâs not just because of Fudge picking the wrong friends.
I think most the population probably does believe Lucius Malfoy is innocent the way Fudge does. I think itâs a very small subsection, i.e. Dumbledoreâs lackies, who go âNah, ainât buying it.â I think that, in 1981, when it came time to reveal just how many were Death Eaters and how far this went many people just couldnât handle it.
Because it was to the point where the nation wasnât battling Death Eaters, Death Eaters were the nation. Look at the members, these are and were the most influential and prominent families in the country, who combined hold a non-small minority of seats in the Wizengamot. More, these were only the participants, combine those who given anti-muggle and muggleborn sentiment (which I believe are pervasive even among those who claim they fight for the rights of muggles and muggleborns) and you get a nation that is suddenly facing a huge cultural issue that was never previously acknowledged.
Weâre talking an entire purge of the Wizengamot, of the Ministry, of the major families and cornerstones of this society. The Black family is completely and utterly destroyed.
People were and remain throughout the 1990â˛s, desperate to believe it was not as bad as it was or isnât as bad as it is. If Lucius Malfoy says he was never really a Death Eater then he was never really a Death Eater.
The Ministry is Lousy With Corruption and Spies
Whatâs hilarious to me is not only is the Ministry incompetent. It is positively flooded with spies. Given the ministryâs overbloated, itâs not even a sizeable minority of employees, but nonetheless every major department has at least one person (if not more) who works for somebody else.
Most work for Tom Riddle. He seems to have intelligence in every department. Through Lucius, who is working pretty much as an unofficial aide to Fudge, he has access to Fudge, complete control of the Daily Prophet, and a voice on the Hogwartsâ board of governors.
Through Rockwood, Tom has direct access to the Department of Mysteries which Lucius is then able to take full advantage of.
Lucius is able to set up an ambush in the Department of Mysteries, getting escaped convicts into the building with the none the wiser, and, had his sole purpose not been a prophecy that only Harry Potter and the Dark Lord can touch, he would have been able to take what he liked. (Though it was always odd to me that the plan was to get Harry Potter to do it, when the better solution would have been to polyjuice Tom Riddle into someone else, set up a tour with the department, and then Tom wanders off conveniently to pick up the prophecy. My theory, I suppose, is that chasing after the prophecy was mostly an exercise in punishing Lucius. And then Lucius fucked up.)
And of course, in book seven, Tom Riddle makes a puppet minister. Point being, to me, it always said a lot that in Book Seven Tom just sort of walks into the building and says, âIâm in charge nowâ and everyone says âokayâ. There was no second Wizarding War, it was a bloodless coup that met zero resistance from anyone but angry school children.Â
But thatâs Tomâs spies, we also have other spies. Who am I talking about, Dumbledoreâs folks of course.
Shacklebolt, Moody, Tonks, and Arthur Weasley are all spies, they just donât have the introspection to even realize it (which really tells you something about the state of corruption in the ministry). They all work for the ministry, yes, but they in fact pass on information to and serve another master, whose goals do not always align with the government and was a hop skip and a jump away from overthrowing the government at any given moment.
And they donât even really realize theyâre doing this! There doesnât even seem to be a thought of âIâm doing this for the greater goodâ, they donât seem to acknowledge that what theyâre doing is very very very bad. Arthur, in fact, is appalled when Percy refuses to do this (well, heâs upset for a lot of reasons, such as that he thinks Percy is spying on Arthur for the minister, but in there is also that Percy refuses to help out with the Order or follow Dumbledore without question).Â
Harry paints the Dumbledoreâs Army threat that Umbridge saw as something utterly ridiculous, but honestly if I was the ministry I would be worried about this. Dumbledoreâs people have infiltrated the ministry just as deeply and badly as the Death Eaters, Dumbledoreâs known for recruiting children into his vigilante organization, I donât know what heâs doing with an army of schoolchildren but I can smell a coup coming.
Anyway, Iâm getting off track, point being though that corruption is not only expected and accepted by the ministry, they cannot recognize what it even is. Theyâre at the point where paying bribes is allocated in their budget.
I Donât Blame the Ministry For Not Thinking Tom Riddle Was Anti-Jesus
Fudge is designed to get a lot of flack for his outright denial that Voldemort had returned from the dead. He, and other denier characters, are meant to be fools with their heads in the sand who canât see the obvious.
I ask what about it was obvious?
The only witness to Tom Riddleâs resurrection, Harry Potter, has a known history of erratic behavior.
The previous year, heâd performed illegal magic on his muggle aunt and run away from home. During the previous school year, Harry was revealed to be a parselmouth in a time when the Chamber of Secrets was presumably opened and the mystery was never fully solved (remember, that it was a possessed Ginny never comes to light for more than a few people.) Beyond that, since his first day of school, Harry is routinely in and out of detention, constantly out after curfew, and only seems to not be in serious trouble because heâs openly favored by Dumbledore (who gives him hundreds of points for breaking one of his school rules, during the Philosopherâs Stone fiasco in first year). In 1994, Harry is entered into the Tri-Wizard Tournament under very suspicious circumstances.
We know why all this happens to Harry but from the outside he looks like a delinquent. In fact, he kind of is a delinquent.Â
Point being, the only witness is not only Harry Potter (who is already sketch) but itâs Harry Potter holding a dead body of a rival in the tournament.
And heâs claiming that a man who has been nearly fifteen years dead, a man who held the nation in terror and Harry Potter is beloved for destroying, has returned from the grave and conveniently murdered Cedric.
Why is Cedric dead? Well, you see, he and Harry both touched the goblet at the same time because they were going to share the reward. The goblet, a national treasure, was turned into a portkey so that Voldemort could kidnap him.
Why didnât Voldemort just kidnap him at any other point during the year where heâs guaranteed not to get tag a longs or the wrong kid? Uh... VOLDEMORT IS BACK (for the record, I think itâs because Barty got hung up on the goblet scheme and was determined to ruin his fatherâs day.)
Where is Voldemort at this very moment? Being evil, somewhere, that is not right here. No, Harry has zero evidence this happened.
Frankly, I wouldnât believe Harry either.
And when Dumbledore goes about promoting this as sound evidence that Tom Riddle has in fact returned, it starts to get even sketchier. Rather than sounding the alarm, Dumbledore is using this boyâs madness to stir the public into a panic that he, perhaps, plans to take advantage of.
After Dumbledore does that, I would suspect that, even if Harry does give me a memory of the graveyard scene that his head had been tampered with by Dumbledore.
And itâs so convenient that, of all the names Harry picked, itâs Voldemort who killed Cedric. It seems like a ploy to not only deflect the fact that he murdered Cedric butÂ
Harryâs very upset when some donât take him at his word but Harryâs also a dumbass and a psychopath. He hates everyone who doesnât agree with him.
More importantly, necromancy isnât a thing in the Harry Potter universe. People donât rise from the dead. Horcruxes exist, but theyâre extremely rare, and it seems like no one ever really makes use of them.
So, yeah, not unreasonable that Fudge didnât immediately go, âMy god, Voldemort has risen from the dead! LIGHT THE BEACONS AND SUMMON ROHAN!â
So yeah, itâd take me seeing Voldemort waltzing through the Department Mysteries to go â... Goddammit, this man is more unkillable than Sheev Palpatine.â
After the Epilogue, I am Certain Itâs Still the Same Damn Ministry
People hate the epilogue, but in a way, I love it, because it confirms many of my headcanons: these people donât learn a goddamn thing.
Nothing in their society seems to have changed. Instead of one set of families holding all the power itâs now a new set of families and friends holding all the power. The difference being that they are now all in some way connected to Harry Potter.
Nepotismâs still the name of the game, we still see only human children boarding the Hogwarts Express so you know shit hasnât changed for the goblins, Draco Malfoyâs alive and well and holds a position in the Ministry that Kingsly graciously allows him to have, itâs just now you have Hermione writing all your laws for you.
The Wizarding World is still the Wizarding World in every single capacity. The only difference is that Voldemort is dead again. Hooray.
Harry and friends simply donât have the introspection to even realize it.
#harry potter#harry potter meta#harry potter headcanon#the ministry of magic#cornelius fudge#albus dumbledore#anti albus dumbledore#anti harry potter#voldemort#tom riddle#lucius malfoy#harry potter epilogue#meta#headcanon#opinion#the wizarding world
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@franboos @to-enter-polaris @gucciboner and myself worked on a massive fic recommendation list with all our favourite sobbe fics classed by word count.. enjoy!
one-shots:
< 10k
- hold me close @sincerelysobbe (2,5k)
https://archiveofourown.org/works/23969836
Robbe is stressed because of a test and Sander comforts him.
- You make me feel like I am whole again @nbrook (2,7k)
https://archiveofourown.org/works/26937070
Robbe is having an awful day. But it ends in the best way possible.
- A Beautiful Night @Lwritings (3,6k)
https://archiveofourown.org/works/23428594
Sander has been friends with the Broerrrs for half a year and Robbe has been desperately crushing on him. A game of Never Have I Ever changes everything.
- Love potion no.9 @thekardemomme (3,8k)
https://archiveofourown.org/works/28923867
theyâre best friends. and potions partners. or: itâs amortentia day.
- Croissants @bruisingknees (3,8k)
https://archiveofourown.org/works/22186195
Robbe thinks that maybe the guy working at the bakery has been flirting with him.
- Paper rings @thekardemomme (4k)
https://archiveofourown.org/works/27953645
When Sanderâs nose twitches, causing him to make this soft little whimpering sound, Robbe canât help himself. He leans forward enough to kiss Sanderâs forehead again, and then he dots one on each cheek, and then finally on his nose. âI canât wait to marry you,â he whispers.
- Youâre an angel in disguise (youâre an angel in my eyes) @thekardemomme (4,1k)
https://archiveofourown.org/works/27570142
Robbe is Sanderâs guardian angel.
- The sun came up and I was looking at you @allforyoumylove (4,2k)
https://archiveofourown.org/works/24647095
Robbe and Sander waking up on a quiet Sunday morning in June. Sander is a tease, Robbe is awestruck, and both are hopelessly in love.
- Iâve always wanted a (boy)friend @thekardemomme (4,2k)
https://archiveofourown.org/works/28496322
before sander, robbe never liked christmas. christmas is sanderâs favorite holiday.
- Purple lips (underwater) @dottori (5,3k)
https://archiveofourown.org/works/22371688
itâs a sunny, warm friday at the beginning of march, and sander wants them to go for a swim.
- Day Fifty @beejohnlocked (5,7k)
https://archiveofourown.org/works/27987252
Robbe makes a plan to confess his feelings to Sander on Christmas.
- The blind date bomb @thekardemomme (5,8k)
https://archiveofourown.org/works/29073711
âHe thinks of the gorgeous man in the picture, and he thinks of how Sander said his YouTube is cute, and how Brittâwho hardly even knows Robbeâthinks that he and Sander would be a good match.And he decides⌠Fuck it. One date canât hurt, right?â or: robbe and sander go on a blind date
- Let's dance @msleviss (6,2k)
https://archiveofourown.org/works/22092550Â
Robbe and his friends go to a club to check out Amberâs DJ cousin.
- 12 things I love about you @nbrook (6,3k)
https://archiveofourown.org/works/27636032
Sander can't spend the whole day with Robbe on their anniversary, but he still figures out a way to make him fall in love with him all over again.
- Love me while your wrists are bound @alsjeblieft (6,4k)
https://archiveofourown.org/works/27031636
the cabin trip but with a twist.
- Sun shining from pure desire @skamtrash (6,6k)
https://archiveofourown.org/works/27105727
Sander has been flirting with his student teacher, Robbe for months now who keeps reminding Sander that he's wasting his time but eventually the flirting and chasing wears Robbe down to where he cant deny his attraction to Sander. University TA/Student AU
-Â At ease with you @Skamtrash ( 7,7,k)
https://archiveofourown.org/works/26423596
robbe tells his mom he and his best friend, sander are dating to get her off his back.
He doesn't expect his mom to congratulate them by getting them tickets to join her on a cruise vacation.
Cue a week of pretending to be a couple.
fake relationship to lovers au
- Besotted with your love @Skamtrash (7,7k)
https://archiveofourown.org/works/25288000
sander has a photography project and decides to shoot at the skatepark where robbe is his subject. when he approaches robbe and needs him to fill out the release form, he's absolutely smitten from the start.
sander falling in love with robbe who's deaf.
- Taking pictures of you as the light came through @allforyoumylove (7,9k)
https://archiveofourown.org/works/27533866
Robbe photographs Sander in bed. Things take a steamy turn.
- My midsummer darling @robbesdriesen (8,2k)
https://archiveofourown.org/works/23702017
Robbe goes on a summer week-long retreat to his aunt's quaint, little villa in Genoa. He doesn't know he has a neighbor close by, one that would capture his entire soul.
OR
Robbe and Sander fall in love in a whirlwind summer romance. One that would change their lives forever.
- Afterglow @Skamtrash (9k)
https://archiveofourown.org/works/28032300
On vacation in a small winter village during the holidays, Robbe meets one of the hotel's employees, Sander.
All it takes is two weeks. 14 days for them to fall for each other.
- Christmas Dreams @sonderthroughthestreets (9,6k)
https://archiveofourown.org/works/28272282
Robbe is stuck with his typical 9-5 job as an HR analyst until a conversation with Sander from IT on their company rooftop makes him reconsider his dreams. In the midst of it all, Adam from Accounting has a massive crush on Robbe and wants to ask him to the Christmas Party, so Sander offers to be his "date" to help him. Christmas fluff and flirting ensues.
> 10kÂ
- Sander Driesen versus a mistletoe @dottori (10,1k)
https://archiveofourown.org/works/27976461
itâs not a fair match.
(or, sobbe go on a christmas date, and sander really wants a kiss under the mistletoe.)
- This isn't our first time around @noobishere (10,7k)
https://archiveofourown.org/works/25472953
One moment they are in the kitchen of their shared apartment, the next, they're in this strange but familiar room.
(a.k.a the au in which they accidentally go hopping through multiple universes)
- Our love story is my favorite @robbesdriesen (13k)
https://archiveofourown.org/works/25459867
a wedding fic for robbe and sander
- Itâs an unrequited love @eggsntoast (14,1k)
https://archiveofourown.org/works/22854661
Sander works part-time at a museum every Sunday. Robbe is a frequent visitor.
- Agents Sliding Down The Chimney @berrevy (14,2k)
https://archiveofourown.org/works/28428840
The smile that twitches at the corner of Sander's mouth is like the tiniest opening, and Robbe takes that as a challenge. Heâs always been good at slipping through small spaces.
âYou wanna see a trick?â
Sander sizes him up for a moment, then swivels on his heel to face him fully. âOk then, magic boy. Câmon.â
(aka a late Christmas fic)
- Come lie with me @allforyoumylove (14,6k)
https://archiveofourown.org/works/29089530Â
âWhen Robbe lifts the blanket and gently tugs on the leg of Sanderâs sweatpants, silently inviting him in, Sander doesnât ask questions, doesnât hesitate, he just drowsily slips into Robbeâs embrace.â
(or the one where they both have a terrible relationship with sleep but find out that it gets a little better when nestled up against each other)
- Man on a mission @littleliefe (17k)
https://archiveofourown.org/works/27820564
The agency is under attack but Sander is just thirsty for Robbe. On the other hand, the rest of the agency is more concerned about helping Sander ask Robbe out for dinner.
- life was a willow and it bent right to your wind @nbrook (18k)
https://archiveofourown.org/works/28349892
Sander and Robbe became best friends before Sander made a move and then Robbe went and got himself another boyfriend, leaving him pining. And itâs fine, really, it is. Sander promised himself that he wouldnât do anything about it for as long as Robbe was happy. But when Robbeâs boyfriend ridicules his love for everything Christmas, he decides to step in to give him the Christmas traditions he deserves himself.
- You're my stars...and everything in between @aurorawinds (19,7k)
https://archiveofourown.org/works/27862950
A Star-Crossed Lovers, Romeo & Juliet inspired, AU where Robbe and Sander are the sons of Antwerpâs two most rivaling families of tech companies, head over heels in love with one another as they find it more and more difficult each day to hide their relationship from their families. To hide their love.
- Lovers never lose @dottori (24k)
https://archiveofourown.org/works/27532636
twelve-ish kisses robbe and sander share at the trip to ardennes (and afterwards).
multi-chaptered:
5k - 20k
- In the middle of the night @Lwritings (complete | 9,3k)
https://archiveofourown.org/works/24133477/chapters/58105945
The Broerrrs go on holiday for a week to London. Robbe is very excited for it until there is something wrong in the hotel and he has to share a room with Sander. And not just Sander, no the guy he has been crushing on for 3 months ever since he joined their group. And not just a room, no there is only one bed as well. When it's just the two of them in the night, anything can happen..
- If a June night could talk it would probably boast it invented romance @allforyoumylove (complete | 14,7k)
https://archiveofourown.org/works/25264918/chapters/61250002?view_adult=true
Robbe and Sander are childhood best friends. Theyâre also secretly in love with each other. Confessions are made under a beech tree on a warm summer evening at the end of June.
- Drie @skamtrash (complete | 15,4k)
https://archiveofourown.org/works/22547221/chapters/53878474
Robbe stands up and finds the voice calling the name and fucking hell, the guy's well fit. He's only dressed in a black t shirt, black jeans and boots but the tattoos that layer his arms immediately entice him. And that platinum hair, his actual face, who looks that good. He gets himself together quickly, "I think Bowie's here."
The au in which Robbe finds a toddler hiding in a clothing rack at a store and ends up falling for his dad
- The way we feel @toskyandbeyond (in the works | currently 17,8k)
https://archiveofourown.org/works/26364451/chapters/64213597
Itâs always been like that. Robbe and Sander, through thick and thin. There was not a thing they didnât go through together. Moreover, they couldnât even imagine living without each otherâs presence.
The day they met it was almost like two old souls encountered once again. Like they were meant to find each other.
- The finest of the meadow @allforyoumylove (complete | 18,8k)
https://archiveofourown.org/works/26009740/chapters/63239776
The universe brings two lonely boys together in a flowering meadow. They fall for each other fast and hard among delicate daisies, warm summer breezes, and shooting stars.
20k - 40k
- Come closer Iâll give you all my love @sonderthroughthestreets (in the works | 22,6k)
https://archiveofourown.org/works/27249196/chapters/66568180
Robbeâs ex is a pain and Sander helps get rid of him. The problem? Theyâve been friends for as long as they can remember and some point between the blurred lines, they fall in love.
- Â Put your head on my shoulder @Aniloracat (in the works | currently 24,9k)
https://archiveofourown.org/works/24079126/chapters/5795296
Because of some past mistakes and communication issues, Robbe and Sander can't stand each other anymore, until they are "forced" to stay in quarantine alone and face their feelings.
đ Or the enemies to lovers, roommates, quarantine fanfic nobody asked for đ
đ Title based on Paul Anka's song 'Put your head in my shoulder'
- Waiting down at the station @ivy_seas (in the works | currently 25,5k)
https://archiveofourown.org/works/28995576/chapters/71160429
The world is winter, itâs the inconvenient snowfall on the walk to the six-thirty train, itâs falling for the stranger who happens to take the same train. When to take a risk becomes the same question of when to let go of something youâre not really sure you had in the first place. But maybe the world isnât so cruel.
âstrangers to lovers au
- Wings to Earn @to-enter-polaris (complete | 26,6k)
https://archiveofourown.org/works/28432749/chapters/69672963
After playing volleyball abroad for two years, Sander comes back home to fix his mistake of leaving in the first place, but Robbe isn't ready to forgive him.
- time may change me, but i can't trace time @abittersweetsong (in the works | currently 30,8k)
https://archiveofourown.org/works/27785878/chapters/68021533
âYouâre my best friend and I love you.â
Itâs a simple admission and it settles gently in Robbeâs soul.
Or Robbe and Sander find each other in every universe, but in this one they're best friends first.
- If You say Run, I'll Run with You @Aniloracat (complete | 32,8k)
https://archiveofourown.org/works/25970479/chapters/63133504
Robbe is having a terrible day and a hot, but annoying white-haired photographer that won't stop appearing everywhere is not making it any better. That's it, until sparks fly, and Robbe decides he's found the perfect distraction from his terrible day.
 One-night stand AU that's not meant to be a one-night stand.
- Vrijdag 21:37 @wasteourdaysdreaming (complete | 34,8k)
https://archiveofourown.org/works/22002403/chapters/52504453
The same party one Friday night in February, told from different perspectives.
- You know i'm always at your shoulder (take your heart out of its holster) @wafflesofdoom (in the works (but can be read separate from each other) | currently 35,2k)
https://archiveofourown.org/works/21979630/chapters/52448740
âI must have been really good, in another universe, to deserve you,â Sander whispered, thumb brushing the line of Robbeâs cheekbone, the pad of his thumb soft against Robbeâs skin.
Robbe simply kissed the inside of Sanderâs wrist, shaking his head. âYou are good in this universe, too,â he said. âYou found me, when I needed you the most.â
learning how to be in a real, actual relationship isn't the easiest thing in the world, and robbe is very new to it all, and he's got a lot to figure out when it comes to being in actual, everyday love with sander. the first six months of a relationship are the best - and they're some of the hardest, too. these are the first six months of robbe and sander's relationship.
- this rough magic @aholynight (complete | 36,4k)Â
https://archiveofourown.org/works/21760975/chapters/51919642
Though heâs a sixth-prefect and the newest member of the Hufflepuff Quidditch team, Muggleborn Robbe can still hardly believe that heâs made of magic.
Sander is the seventh-year Gryffindor beater whose wild behavior and delinquent reputation precedes him.
Though Robbe desperately wants to believe in the angel-faced boy he sees in front of himâand ignore the rumors of Sanderâs devilish behaviorâheâs not sure his heart can afford the risk.
But when Sander and Robbe are left in a nearly-empty Hogwarts over the Christmas holiday, avoiding Sander might no longer be an option.
40k - 60k
- The night we met @themoongirl (complete | 42,8k)
https://archiveofourown.org/works/22189216/chapters/52975012
Robbe Ijzermans has a brain that won't let him sleep, a chest that feels far too heavy and thoughts that never stop.
During his first year of college he meets Sander Driesen. Robbe finds what he never went looking for.
AKA, a college AU.
- Visitations @lucidpantone (complete | 46,1k)
https://archiveofourown.org/works/22537474/chapters/53855452
Does Robbe and Sander's relationship survive into adulthood.
This fic takes place in two simultaneously timelines: the past and the present.
The present occurs in one entire day. Both timelines are completely out of chronological order. Everything is in clips.You can be dropped in at anytime of the day in any timeline. So clip by clip you will need to piece together what happen to Sander & Robbe and why the present looks the way it does and what happened in the past that got them there.
This love story is a journey. So be prepared.
In the words of one of our Even's. Itâs a complicated love story between complicated people.
- look into my eyes, ignore the rest @robbesdriesen (complete | 47,4k)
https://archiveofourown.org/works/26230513/chapters/63842047
a story of how robbe and sander fall in love in front of the camera and behind it (which in their case, the camera isn't needed at all)
- rotten work @aholynight (complete | 50,5k)
https://archiveofourown.org/works/22239544/chapters/53102809
Robbe is a college freshman whose reckless habits and excessive drinking are starting to look an awful lot like calculated self-destructionâthough his loneliness might be the thing that kills him first.
Sander is a visual arts major a few years above Robbe, with a face nobody can forget and a fuck boy reputation he can't seem to shake.
Everybody warns Robbe to stay away from the Sander, unless he wants to get burned. But Robbe's the kind of boy who likes playing with fire.
- just friends @sincerelysobbe (complete | 51k)
https://archiveofourown.org/works/27861626/chapters/68215882
Months ago, after a one-night stand that couldn't stay that way, Robbe and Sander made an agreementâthe two of them, no strings attached. But, Sander's feelings for Robbe were strong, to begin with, and they're growing stronger with each passing dayâand he knows that he is more in love with Robbe than he should be.
- run and score @robbesdriesen (complete | 59,8k)
https://archiveofourown.org/works/23372407/chapters/56000917
Robbe Ijzermans is the star goalie of Antwerp Uâs football team, naturally blocking shots as if it were his sixth sense. Sander Driesen is their star striker, having an eagle eye for the goal at all times.
Robbe always had a distaste for his bleached-blonde teammate and the annoying way he carried himself, but Robbe can never mask how much he admires him from a distance.
When they finally begin to learn more about each other, there is no going back for either.
With the looming playoffs in jeopardy for their entire team, will Robbe & Sander be able to manage it together? All while falling in love with each other at the same time?
> 60k
- Eastwood liberty @fockinglevendcliche (in the works | currently 69,7k)
https://archiveofourown.org/works/24250837/chapters/58438588
Eastwood Liberty students had only one mission: to always be on top, at everything, no matter the cost.
It took Robbe just a day to realize that people there only cared about two things: money and power. But that was no surprise to him. What he didn't expect was to be confronted by this group of rich and spoiled boys, who used to always get what they wanted, especially their leader, Sander Driesen.
Sander made the rules, but unfortunately for him, Robbe had never been really good at sticking to them.
- Do i know you? @SrtaPepa (in the works | currently 88k)
https://archiveofourown.org/works/23340514/chapters/55913782
Robbe has lost his memory from the last three years. He doesnât remember finishing school and start college with Yasmina; he doesnât remember going to live to the flatshare, or move out to a new place, or being friends with Milan, neither coming out as gay. And the worst of all of this is that Robbe doesnât remember meeting Sander or that he is, in fact, truly, madly, deeply in love with him.
Hopefully, sometimes feelings are stronger than memories.
- jij verliest @sincerelysobbe (complete | 104,1k)
https://archiveofourown.org/works/24445087/chapters/58986433
For the past three months, Robbeâs lifeâand what it once wasâhad been stripped away and rearranged. Now, if anything, his life had become a bit repetitive: homework, stream, ignore Thomasâs Instagram, repeat. But one Friday evening, Robbe meets a hurricane in the form of a platinum-haired tattoo artist who just might show him everything that heâs been missing.
- Remember my name @ijzermans (complete | 106,3k)
https://archiveofourown.org/works/24215371/chapters/58335259
The past few weeks, Robbe has noticed a new guy has attended his high school.
Nobody really seems to care about the strange bleached kid, yet Robbe on the other hand, can't help but feel intrigued by him.
The new guy happens to be Sander, and he's not that easy to connect with. He's quiet, distant, and has a past he'd rather not share.
Or will Robbe make a difference?
- Paint me in trust @themoongirl (complete | 116,2k)
https://archiveofourown.org/works/24235861/chapters/58395625
âWhat are you looking for, Robbe?â Sander tilted his head, moving closer.
âA rush.â Robbe whispered, his lips brushing Sanderâs.
Robbe Ijzermans has spent the better part of two years chasing the need to feel real again. Though being an adrenaline junkie is hardly a healthy coping mechanism, itâs one of the only things he has left.
Sander Driesen is a vampire with an unspeakable, dreadful past that won't seem to leave him.
When Robbe gets roped into Sanderâs life he finds the feeling he has been chasing all along. But Sander's world has a different kind of risk, and it forces them to come face to face with the greatest danger of all. Fear of a life without the other.
#wtfock#we tried our best to remember as many fic as possible#sobbe fic#ao3 fic#fic recommendation#multi chapter#one shot#my posts#fave#my recommendations#masterpost
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this love || yoongi angst
Summary:Â A story through the years detailing your relationship with Yoongi and all the ups and downs that came with dating an idol.Â
Warning:Â cursing, sexually suggestive content
Genre:Â angst, fluff, idol!yoongi, artist!yn
Pairing: Yoongi x female!reader
Premise: Based on the song âThis Loveâ by Taylor Swift. Reader is an artist.
Commission Request:Â @minyoongailâ
Word Count:Â 7,681 words
â
You met Yoongi when he was just a trainee, ready to take on the world and bursting with energy to get on stage. He had visions of grandeur- him living in a beautiful mansion, wearing name-brand jewelry, cruising in rare sports vehicles. When times were simpler, heâd promise that youâd be there with him, indulging in the glitz and glamour that came with his fame. Heâd be an idol and youâd be his muse. Yet under all those pretenses, under all those empty promises, he was just Yoongi.
He was a guy who walked in and out of your life as easily as ocean tides come and go on the shore. He taught you how to fall in love, fall out of it, and rekindle it all the same. It was a sort of beautiful asphyxiation, being wrapped up in his lifestyle and learning to accept the consequences that came with dating a celebrity.
You wonder even now as you search his name on the internet, if you had any regrets. After all, you lost too much to be with him.
â
April 2013
A first meeting meant everything to you, especially when it came to your clients. You didnât accept jobs from weirdos who didnât respect your craft and you definitely hated impatient ones who badgered you to finish your pieces as quick as possible.
Big Hit was a happy medium and had hired you as a contract employee after reviewing your portfolio. Although the style of work they wanted from you was not at all what you specialized in, you were happy that they treated you like an actual employee and not some sort of machine. Plus, the pay was good.
You were asked to work on some cute animal characters for an upcoming boy group that you werenât terribly familiar with, maybe stumbled on a vlog of theirs that you forgot about. You were intrigued by the slew of trainees that sat in front of you, their palms clenched out of anxiousness.
âIâm [Y/N], one of the digital artists that will be working with you guys from now on,â you introduce yourself politely to the seven bright-eyed boys in front of you.
You were in a room with other staff members, discussing the concept of the âHip Hop Monstersâ your graphics team was working on. This was a planned project lasting over a span of years and would eventually result in collectors edition items. It made you giddy just thinking of the royalties youâd earn from it all.
âIâd like it if the animals took after us,â one of the boys suggested shyly, slightly intimidated by the large number of corporate employees there were in the room for something that seemed so trivial. âI think our fans would like the characters more if they kind of resembled our personalities and stuff...â
You nod along to his suggestions, staring at his jersey to notice that the member who spoke up was Rap Monster. It was cute how they all wore clothes with their names on them. Thatâs one way to attract attention, you suppose.
âAny other suggestions you guys have for us?â you ask, jotting down notes and making rough sketches as they talk amongst themselves.
âIâd like it if,â a somewhat husky voice starts and you canât help but stare into the guyâs eyes as he speaks, âmy character was a turtle.â
You burst out into a fit of laughter along with the other staff members. He had said it with such a straight face and with so little enthusiasm, yet you could tell from his slight blush that he was serious. He was cute in the way that he wasnât trying to be.
âYou resemble one,â you grin at him, drawing out a small turtle with a cute beanie on your iPad, like the one he wore in front of you. You show it to him. âSomething like this?â
âExactly that!â
He breaks out into a gummy smile, one so bright that it hurt your heart to stare at him for too long. Now you were the one left flustered. He realizes how enthusiastic he was and got embarrassed once again, scratching the back of his head to avoid eye-contact.
âS-sorry, for shouting. It looks good.â
You bite your lip from forming too big of a grin. You still had to remain professional after all.
âYouâre welcome,â you smirk slightly as he goes back to trying to look cool. You canât help but doodle his name on your iPad even as the other members shared ideas for their own animals.
Suga, Suga, Suga.
You smile to yourself. It does have a ring to it.
â
June 2013
Yoongi sees you in the hallways sometimes and wants to say hi, but he canât because other people are watching. Though, that isnât the only reason.
He tells himself every day that heâll muster up the courage to go talk to you, but every time he sees your face his legs turn to jelly. Yoongi was busy with debut stages recently, but he found some free time in his schedule to approach you.
Yoongi was never the shy type, more reserved if anything else, but you had something that enamored him- intrigued him. He wanted to know who you were other than the cute girl he was stuck in meetings with from time to time.
As you sat there on your desk, Yoongi lingered in an area nearby. He would give you his number today and if things didnât work out then that would be that. There was no need to be all shy about this; itâs not like this is his first time asking someone out.
He strides over to you with feigned confidence and you look up after a minute, not noticing how his shadow loomed over you. He sees that youâre working on realistic portraits of the members and not the cutesy characters he usually sees you drawing.
âHi,â he says curtly, trying to seem disinterested though he was the one that approached you first.
âHello,â you smile up at him.
Suga.
âYou draw really cool stuff,â he says to break the awkward tension. âYou should show it to the CEO. Iâm sure weâd have cooler concepts for our albums with your work.â
You look up at him, a happy glint in your eyes. He was complimenting you, although avoiding eye contact to seem a little less nervous than he really was.
âWell, Iâm just a contract worker so I donât think I really have the authority to start up new projects out of nowhere,â you say with a smile on your face at how flustered he looks. âI feel like youâre here to ask me for something. Am I right?â
He looks away for a split second, coughing to alleviate his nerves. He was a grown man for fuckâs sake, why was this so difficult?
âI was actually wondering if you could come give me some opinions about some art that I drew,â he lies through his teeth, just trying to find a way to get you in a more private area than the corporate floor teaming with watchful gazes. âIâve been trying to start a new hobby.â
You chuckle slightly, seeing right through his words. You stand up to amuse him.
âIâd be happy to.â
He leads you to a studio filled with whacky knick-knacks and dim lighting, not necessarily the best place to draw. You know by now that he just said those things as an excuse to be alone with you.
âSo whereâs this masterpiece?â you tease slightly at his nervous expression. How did a guy who looked so deadpan have such a giddy personality?
âWell actually,â he starts off, palms already sweaty. âI-Itâs not here right now, but I think I left it at the dorms. Maybe if we exchange phone numbers I can text it to you.â
He tried to appear nonchalant, but his hands moved as if he was doing a public speaking presentation. Yoongi thought he was doing great, though growing a little more nervous at how you were giggling.
âYou know, Suga,â you start teasingly, âMy number is in the company directory. Feel free to text me anytime.â
Yoongi slightly cringes hearing his stage name. He loves it, donât get him wrong, but he didn't like hearing it come from you. He didnât like the unfamiliar aspect that came with using his stage name- like you two only went by professional terms.
âCall me Yoongi,â he says with genuine confidence this time. âI like it better when my friends call me Yoongi.â
You nod, relieved that you could finally know this cute guyâs name. Truth be told, you were snooping around his conversations with other people to figure it out.
âSo weâre friends?â
Yoongi nods, sitting down in his rolling chair.
âIâd like to be,â he grins, patting the sofa, hoping youâd take a seat with him.
And you do.
â
Present
Itâs hard to work efficiently when youâre no longer in a corporate space. Thereâs no boss to check up on your progress nor is there a nosy coworker trying to see what youâre doing from the corner of their eye. You missed the hustle and bustle of an office floor, but it was nice exploring your creativity through freelance work.
You tap your digital pen onto the table repeatedly, looking at the reference image over and over again. It was a sick joke played by the universe to have been commissioned to draw your ex-boyfriendâs idol group, but you couldnât refuse the hundreds of dollars the ecstatic fangirl was willing to give you. Truth be told, she might have offered too much pay, but you took up her offer anyway. Money is money.
Yet a face youâve touched so often, a person youâd been with for years felt so unfamiliar to you. It wasnât like you were drawing him realistically either. The client wanted anime-style figures that resembled them, looked enough like the boys to display it as her Twitter header. In the end, itâs still too difficult to draw. The rest of the members were lined up and sketched perfectly, but there was a blank area where Yoongiâs face shouldâve been.
Your wrists hurt from the constant drawing and erasing so you set it down to massage your hand from cramping. In moments like these, you hated your job.
Ting.
A message notification popped up on your phone that laid beside your iPad. You usually left it silent when you were working, but you opened yourself up to distractions when drawing this particular piece. Whoever thought it was a good idea to specialize in celebrity artwork? You pick up your phone and smiled softly at the text.
hey, can I come over?
â
March 2014
âHappy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Yoongi, happy birthday to you~~â
You cheer on with the rest of the boys in their cramped dorm. Somehow you had gotten close enough with them to be at this level of comfort, sitting crisscrossed and shoulders touching with Jungkook and Seokjin. Yoongi blows out the candles and claps his hands, a little sad that another year passed by so quickly. He kept glancing at you who was focused on cutting the cake like the perfectionist you were.
He couldnât help but feel like time was running out, like if he didnât confess to you now then it would never happen. Yoongi took off the beanie he wore and ruffled his hair. He was feeling anxious all of a sudden.
âDude donât do that your dandruff is gonna get everywhere,â Hoseok whines. âThe cake is gonna be decorated with your dead skin cells.â
âGo wash your hands,â Jin commands and Yoongi could only roll his eyes.
âRelax, I donât even think weâre gonna have cake anytime soon when this slow-poke is taking forever to cut.â
He flicks your forehead as you glare up at him.
âI could so easily throw this in your face, but I choose not to,â you stick your tongue out at him and he scoffs.
âIâd like to see you try.â
All the members groan out of annoyance.
âOh my god theyâre having a lovers quarrel again,â Jimin yawned. âArenât you guys sick of arguing?â
Yoongi freezes at his words. Loverâs quarrel. That was a nice way to put it.
âTheyâll stop arguing when Yoongi finally-â
Taehyung was cut off as Yoongi swipes three fingers worth of frosting from the cake and lathers it all over Taehyungâs face.
âYou talk too much,â Yoongi shakes his head and soon chaos descended. Cake flew in places it shouldnât have and ended when Namjoon knocked over a glass of water, managing to break it on the floor tiles. In the end, no one got cake.
Yoongi and you were laughing amongst yourselves at the kitchen sink, washing off some of the bits that got onto your shirts.
âIâm so sorry about your cake,â you say through your chuckles. âIâll make it up to you some time.â
Yoongi only smiles.
âYeah, you can treat me on a date,â he replies a little too boldly. You look at him in shock, not quite processing his words.
âA date?â
He nods.
âWe should go out sometime.â
You purse your lips to prevent the huge grin about to be displayed on your face.
âWe should.â
â
Present
It was subtle, the way it all started. You trace over the features you drew so far, only getting to his eyes. Yoongi and you were innocent lovers for a while, keeping your trysts a secret from everyone in the company except his managers and the members. A few of your friends knew, but none of them knew BTS well enough to be all that surprised. It wasnât all that rare to go out with a celebrity in your line of work.
You almost miss those days when he was unrecognizable. After your friends realized who he was after he hit it big globally, you felt like a secret of yours was displayed to them. Your love was supposed to be private, but his fame left very little room for privacy. You missed when you were the only one that knew of him and maybe itâs selfish to think that way, but you were past the point of being selfish.
You text back.
yeah, can't wait to see you
â
Jan. 2015
Yoongi lays you down on the couch gently. His hands caressing your sides underneath the thin material of your shirt as he pulls you in closer to his kisses. This felt different from other nights, different in that there was nothing around to stop what would come next.
He pulls away from you slightly, panting from the lack of oxygen.
âAre you sure?â he asks, drawing circles on your hip with his thumb. He was only supposed to come over to help you unpack some stuff for your new apartment and here you were, pinned on the couch and sweating from the close contact.
You nod back in response, not finding the right words to get him to continue. He pulls your shirt over your head, peppering kisses on your neck and atop your breasts. He fixates on your neck languidly, biting as he sees fits.
There was a pause as you felt him press up against you and you knew then that there was no making it to the bed. You would have your first time with him on this newly moved-in couch.
The clothes dropped to the ground as his touches get more impatient, more desperate. It all passes by like a blur and you could only remember the pleasure that came with his long fingers, the satisfaction you felt when he was inside you. The climax of it all made you realize that you loved him, truly and without regret. He holds you in his arms when you come undone, flashing a satiated smile as you look up at him. Itâs like the stars were in his eyes.
âHow do you feel?â you ask him, worried he was already drowsy. You didnât want to have to sleep on the couch naked.
âSatisfied,â he says with a smile on his face.
You canât help but swoon, his eyes fixated on you. At least for now, he was yours He wasnât Suga, a rapper. He was Yoongi, your boyfriend.
It didn't matter to you that he was struggling to make a name for himself in this cut-throat idol industry or that he would spend countless nights cursing as one of his numerous tracks get rejected. None of that was in your mind. Only he swam through your thoughts. Only him.
âI love you,â he sighs out. He was the first to say it.
âI love you too,â you reply back and he holds you tight against him.
Heâs nuzzling himself in your hair, his chest pressed up against you so his heartbeat can synch with yours. He loves this, canât get enough of it. He catches your lips and once again you are whisked in the pleasure of it all. This is it. This is what love is.
â
Present
The piece is finally finished and you send it off to your client, hoping she doesnât ask for revisions because you canât handle another second of drawing his stupid face. His soft skin, his tiny moles, his gummy smile...
It's not like you hate him. Itâs just... a certain contempt lingers after a breakup from a long-term relationship. Itâs the type of resentment that canât really be explained. You donât want to see him, but you catch yourself watching his videos on Youtube. You donât want to think about him, but you hope he thinks about you. You donât see yourself ever getting back together with him, but you donât have his phone number blocked.
Itâs a sort of paradox you catch yourself in and you wonder if you could ever get out of it. Will Yoongi ever escape your mind?
can't wait to see u too babe
â
Aug. 2016
Yoongi hugs you from behind, his face scrunched at the nape of your neck where several marks were made from last nightâs events. Your eyes stayed focus on the TV in front of you, still impressed by your own ability to afford one in your bedroom at your salary.
âBTS' SUGA drops new music video for his song and mixtape Agust D...â
The news anchor drones on and you could barely hear her through the sounds of Yoongiâs soft snores. His hold on you grew tighter as he hears his stage name from an unfamiliar voice and it makes you giggle slightly at how different the edgy music video being displayed was from the same person wrapping you in his arms so tightly.
âBabe, wake up. I have work to do,â you whisper into his hair and he only shakes his head back in response.
âNo,â he mutters, pulling you into him closer. You roll your eyes, managing to pry off one of his hands as you sit up on the bed.
âDonât you have studio stuff to do today?â you ask him, searching for a shirt to wear.
He shakes his head as his eyes start to flutter open. You both reeked of alcohol since you opened a bottle of wine last night to celebrate the release of his first solo work. He was proud of it and you were proud of him.
âCan you turn that off, Iâm getting a migraine,â he whines, covering his head with a pillow. You opted to wear Yoongiâs shirt instead of your own since you couldnât be bothered to walk to the other side of the bed to find it. You smiled at his laying figure, cooped in a fetal-like position. He was still naked, but you were with him long enough to no longer be phased by that sort of thing.
âFrom one bottle of wine?â you tease slightly. âI think youâre losing your touch, Agust D.â
You chuckle as he throws the pillow on top of his head towards you.
âDonât call me that,â he pouts, âIt feels like youâre making fun of me.â
You stand up from where you were, stretching out your back as you make your way to the door.
âThatâs because I am,â you smirk, âYou know youâre saved on my phone as Sugar?â
He gives you a glare.
âItâs Suga,â he says, attempting to add some intimidation to his voice. It doesnât work because all you do is stick your tongue out at him.
âWhatever sugar.â
He chuckles lightly and watches the silhouette of your figure exit his view. Yoongi canât help but mindlessly follow after you.
As you exit towards the kitchen, you canât help but hear the television from the bedroom.
âSuga has recently been caught up in a dating scandal with Suran, the solo artist, who sang with him in a song...â
Your head snaps up from those words, your skin crawling with goosebumps. You make it into the kitchen but with a heavy heart and no appetite.
âWhatâs wrong?â he asks, passing by you to pour himself some water.
âNothing,â you say, though you sounded bitter. He caught on quite quickly. You were jealous again.
Yoongi heaves out a deep sigh and sets the glass of water down. He comes over to your angry figure and gives you a soft hug, laying his head on top of yours as if to comfort you. You try to pull away but he keeps you close.
âIâll tell them to drop the rumors, okay?,â he says, genuinely enough to make you believe him. âI donât want us to fight so early in the morning.â
âYou promise?â
He pulls away.
âI promise,â he says, brushing a hair away from your face. âLetâs not think about those rumors right now. You and me both know theyâre not true.â
You were never one to forget so easily.
â
It was around 2016 when you had stopped working at Big Hit. They halted the Hip Hop Monster brand and your contract was expiring with them anyway. You went from living a kush office life to struggling freelance worker in a matter of a second. It also meant that Yoongi and you would be spending less time together. His busy schedules couldnât permit him to stay with you longer than a few hours and his presence slowly started to disappear from his side of the bed.
It was like a sinking ship, what you had with him. The pain starts off slow, unnoticeable. Youâll still laugh and keep up appearances as time passes, but you could tell there was an ominous atmosphere that wasnât initially there in the relationship. Your screams start to grow silent as more problems start to stack on top of each other. Itâs then when you hit the iceberg. Itâs then when it all starts to fall apart.
He was still good for you, you convinced yourself, even as the currents swept you out under your feet.
â
Dec. 2016
âWhat the fuck do you mean youâre not coming?â you yell through your phone. You were sitting on the floor of your living room, holiday decorations strewn around the apartment. He promised heâd come spend a day off of his winter promotions to be with you.
âYou know how hectic the end of the year gets with promotions,â he says in quiet hushes. âI canât do anything about it. This is my job.â
You suck in your cheeks to prevent yourself from yelling. From the sound of it, he was in public.
âYoongi, I called out of talking to a really high-paying client,â you say through gritted teeth. âAnd I still came home. Why am I the only one making sacrifices?â
He sighed at the other end. He didnât have the patience to deal with you today.
âLook, can you stop being so fucking needy. I donât need this right now.â
He couldnât tell from the phone call, but your heart broke at the word. Needy. He thought that you were needy.
âIâm already stressed out as it is,â he continues through the phone. âI donât need you up my ass all the time.â
âIâm not gonna wait for you,â you reply, tears threatening to spill over. âIâm going to sleep and youâre gonna get rid of all the shit you have in my apartment. Iâm sick of you, Yoongi.â
He scoffs.
âIâm sick of you too.â
Yoongi hangs up, about ready to hit the wall when Jimin comes to calm him down. Small things that were never meant to be taken seriously built up until it was ready to crash down.
When Yoongi comes at night to visit you, he sees that youâre asleep on the couch. He sits next to you, pulling you into his arms.
âIâm sorry baby,â he whispers quietly. âIâll do better.â
You nuzzled closer to him, comforted by words you forget the next day. Even when you woke up with a bad neck and Yoongi snoring onto your skin, you couldnât find a way to stay mad at him. You knew, deep down, that some way or the other youâre gonna find yourself arguing about the same thing next week.
â
Present
Junghoon comes to pick you up. Junghoon, your boyfriend.
Heâs a little uptight and too stern for his own good, but has a good heart and a knack of giving great gifts. You met him from working in the same industry, a 3D graphics designer for several video game companies. He was a new addition to your life, your relationship only about three months old.
You were warming up to him slowly, thankful for finally having a consistent presence in your life. He always made time for you, never used work as an excuse, and didnât act cold just for the sake of acting cold. Junghoon was sweet in the way that Yoongi used to be when he wasnât such a massive celebrity.
It was a relief to have someone like Junghoon in your life that didnât walk in and out of your door without much of a thought to even say goodbye. Your life with him has been a tad bit dull, but you donât mind all that much. Junghoonâs made you feel secure in ways that Yoongi couldnât.
â
May 2017
âYour boyfriend is winning a whole ass award across the world and youâre having ramen with me?â Chaerin sighs. Itâs typical for a best friend to judge the actions of the other.
âYeah and?â you reply snarkily, swirling your chopstick around to find the perfect clump of noodles. âIâm not the top social artist according to Billboard, whatâs it have to do with me?â
She rolls her eyes at you.
âI donât know, you could at least watch him win the award?â she suggests. âThe live stream is literally happening right now. Your boyfriend is making history and you donât even care!â
You look at the clock on the restaurant wall. It was nearing 2 oâclock and your client meeting would be starting soon. You were in high demand as a graphic artist recently and as far as you were concerned, that was the only thing on your mind at the moment. You stare back into your bowl, suddenly losing your appetite.
âThe apartment is lonely without him,â you admit sadly.
He bought one for himself and had you move in. âItâs easier to not get noticed by the tabloids,â he convinced you. The modern sleekness of his penthouse was a nice change to your lifestyle, but you missed the comfiness of your small studio apartment. It was often too cold when he wasnât around.
âYou could watch it with me?â Chaerin suggested. âYoongiâs probably so sad that his own girlfriend doesnât even want to watch him win such a major award.â
You bite down on your chopstick harshly.
âWell he didn't even want me to come with him so I donât wanna hear anymore about him from you.â
Chaerin squinted her eyes in your direction.
âWell I mean I get where heâs coming from. Heâs still an idol, [Y/N],â she scolds. âIt would be a massive risk to take you with him.â
You shook your head disapprovingly, pushing the bowl away from you.
âIâm not an idiot, Chae. Itâs not like I was asking to be on the red carpet with him, I just wanted to be there waiting in the hotel room after the show. Two nights ago he suddenly backs out and says I shouldnât come.â
Chaerinâs jaw dropped out of shock. That wasnât what she was expecting at all.
âDid he say why?â
You stare down at your nails, your heart growing heavy as a long pause of silence takes place. It would be better to be honest, right? You shouldnât have to pretend like everythingâs okay when it clearly isnât.
âHe said he wants space,â you say, careful not to get choked up. âSo Iâm giving it to him.â
You clutch your thigh instinctively, remembering how Yoongi had brought that up with you just nights before. You two werenât happy and that he needed to figure himself out before the relationship gets any worse. Itâs just a break or whatever bullshit he spouted.
She scoffs.
âWhat is wrong with you two?â she asks, genuinely concerned. âYou are not the type of person to take a break in a relationship.â
You stare bitterly into the reflection of your soup.
âI just donât think Iâve been happy for a while,â you reply, taking a sip of your water that was left untouched for a better half of the night. âI donât think he is either.â
â
Sept. 2017
The break lasted for months and you wondered if it was really even a break at all. It felt more like a break up if you were honest. Heâd text once in a while and video call you when he was free but other than that it felt like he became a stranger, just another celebrity billboard you walked past on your way to a clientâs workplace.
Youâd draw sketches of him countlessly, in fear youâd forget how his face looked in real life and not through a low-quality screen. You etched every baby hair, every small blemish heâd hide with makeup. It was your method of not forgetting who the real Yoongi was because honestly, you didnât know anymore. You didnât know him.
Trrrringggg.
The sound of your doorbell could be heard all throughout your apartment. You stood up from where you sat on the bed, leaving the sketchbook of his face on the comforter. You werenât expecting any visitors, but surely enough, Yoongi stood in front of you with a lopsided grin on his face.
âHey.â
You let him in, not uttering a single word. He looks different now. His hair was black, thank god, but his face was a little softer than you were used to. You remember him being so paranoid about turning bald just a few years ago and here he was, no bald spots to be found. He looked healthy.
âItâs been a while,â you respond, hugging your arms close to your chest, uncomfortable that he was in your presence. It was his apartment technically, but you lived in it more than he did. He opted to stay in the dorm ever since he issued that idiotic break.
âI miss you,â he says in a lowly voice and you almost believe him. Almost.
You scoff.
âIt seems like youâve been having fun without me though,â you say through gritted teeth. âI thought you still wanted space?â
He shakes his head and brings his hand to touch your arm.
âNo,â he swallows his saliva. âI miss you.â
You could feel his sincerity, but you canât help but not trust him. Heâs been viciously cold to you, but you find yourself pulling him closer anyway.
âDonât ever do that again,â you threaten. âItâll really be over then, Yoongi.â
He sighs into your hair. He loves you. He does. But he doesnât know why itâs so hard to express it.
âI promise [Y/N]. I wonât leave.â
â
Aug. 2018
He buys you flowers, your favorite kind. Itâs a small gesture, but it has you jumping into his arms all the same. It shows that he still cares somewhat. Itâs been a while since heâs last shown it.
He holds you closely, appreciating the softness of your body and how you curl perfectly into him.
âI want to stay like this,â you say mindlessly, just relishing in his presence.
Youâre not mad at him today and heâs not frustrated with you. Itâs a high point in your relationship.
âMe too.â
His words are simple but it warms your heart nonetheless. Yoongi looks at you with twinkling eyes and for a moment you think that this could last forever and that it will last forever. You kiss him slowly and he reciprocates.
It reminds you of your first time, slow and careful- like you were the last person heâd ever want to hurt.
His love, although painful at times, was good to you when you needed it to be.
â
July 2019
Yoongiâs gone again. Heâs on tour, as usual, and not giving you any updates. You were getting sick of it. The constant waiting, the constant insecurities that ate you up inside. You werenât built to endure this kind of torture.
Suga. Suga. Suga.
It rolls off the tongue but it feels disgusting coming out of your mouth. His stage name, a persona. He starts to resemble that name more and more as the days go by. You hear it so much now that it no longer registers as an actual word.
You call him.
He doesnât pick up.
Again.
No answer.
Youâre about ready to throw the phone at the wall until a soft ring was heard from the small device. You take the call immediately, smiling as if you passed the hardest difficulty of a video game. The grin would soon be wiped away, though.
âWhyâd you call?â he grumbles from the other line, loud music blasting in the background.
âWhy werenât you picking up?â You sound bitter. You donât care.
âIâm out right now,â he says, exasperation laced in his voice. âIâm not in the mood to talk.â
Clearly, he just wasnât in the mood to talk to you. Yoongi was at a party or a club or wherever he could possibly be in the streets of Shizuoka at 10 p.m.
You just wanted to chat, check on him as a good girlfriend would. Heâs been complaining that you havenât been in a while. You thought this was what he wanted- for you to care.
âI just wanted to see if you were doing okay,â you sigh. âHowâd the concert go?â
âGood,â he says, clearly distracted. âSome of us snuck out of the hotel rooms to let loose for a bit.â
You nod as if he could see you.
âSo youâre partying?â
You could hear him laugh at the other end, but it wasnât from your comment. Someone else was making him laugh. Someone with a light and dainty voice, whiny as she got closer to Yoongi.
âYeah, I guess you could call it that,â he says, clearly distracted. âListen Iâll call you back, okay?â
You feel a lump stuck in your throat. There are no words left to say. The foreign girl on the other end giggled harder at whatever Yoongi was saying and it felt like you were invading their privacy- as if she was his girlfriend and you were nothing. You hung up, your mouth feeling dry as the tears poured down.
You see a text from Yoongi just a few seconds into your wallowing. You sniffle as you read it.
donât misunderstand. nothingâs happening rn i'm just having a bit of fun.
This time you really threw your phone at the wall.
You go to your iPad thatâs sitting untouched on your desk. You open your drawing app and just let the anger in the stylus take you from there. You draw a rough sketch of a couple on the edge of a beachside cliff. The woman seems to be falling into the water as if she was pushed. The guyâs hand reaches out to her, but you canât really tell if he was trying to grab her or if he was the one that let her go in the first place.
As the tears spilled onto the cool surface of the iPad, you sob harder. Nothing could be fixed and everything still felt broken. It was meaningless, sleeping in his bed and wearing his clothes when he was all the way in Japan snuggling up to girls that were probably much prettier and much more willing to understand his lifestyle.
You look around the penthouse he had bought for the two of you, beautiful wide panel windows and modern furniture. It mostly looks empty, everything nice and tidy as if no one lived here. It had such a stark contrast to that of his old life when he shared rooms with other members and had no place to really put his keyboard except the studio. You smiled at the memory of you all hovering around the small coffee table in the cramped living room eating ramen.
Maybe it was your fault for falling behind, for letting the world around you build up and not follow in Yoongiâs tracks.
â
Present
You guess it was then when the relationship had passed a point of no return. When everything that felt right had started to feel incredibly wrong. You tolerated his presence rather than bask in it. You heard him speak but couldnât bother to listen. Maybe you were petty, but more than anything you were angry.
You were angry that he could break you that badly and you would still forgive him for it.
You stare over at Junghoon whoâs cooking you up something on the stove. This is what you needed.
â
Nov. 2019
Yoongi was back from some big-name award show that you didnât watch. You heard he won Artist of the Year or whatever, the accolades that heâs collected no longer having meaning as the days pass. Why be happy for him when he himself showed no signs of excitement? This was routine. He expected the awards at this point.
You walked towards him. Yoongi looked angry, though you have no idea why.
âHey, I made dinner to celebrate,â you tell him. Yoongiâs sitting on the couch, scrolling through the congratulatory messages he received from other industry stars. He looked like he needed to get something off his chest.
âIâm not hungry,â he mutters. âJust leave it.â
âAre you sure?â
He scoffs. It was a simple question.
âNot in the mood.â
You give him a pointed look and sit next to him.
âWhy are you never in the mood for anything?â you ask him. âItâs just food Yoongi. I just want to eat with you.â
You donât see it properly but he rolls his eyes.
âJust drop it okay? Todayâs a good day, I donât need you to ruin it.â
You suck in your cheeks.
âRuin?â
Yoongi sighs heavily.
âYou know thatâs not what I meant,â he starts, facing you. âWhy do you have to be so dramatic over everything.â
You grit your teeth.
âDramatic?â your voice quivers. âI didnât know feeling hurt was being dramatic.â
His gaze softens and he touches your arm lightly.
âSorry, I didn't mean it like that.â
You shake your head, feeling your eyes dampen at his words.
âI hate your apologies, Yoongi,â you say in a hushed tone. âThey donât mean anything anymore.â
Heâs shocked, not really sure how to respond. You were never one to confront him, especially when he was angry. Instead, he holds your hand softly. He was terrible at comforting people.
âYoongi are you really sorry?â you ask abruptly. It was a question youâve been meaning to ask for years now.
His grip on you tightened and you canât quite read his expression, but you can tell that itâs not a positive response. He looks conflicted and he shouldnât have to be if he really was. You force him to let go of you.
âI am,â he says, knowing he answered a little too late for his words to not seem suspicious.
âI donât think you are,â you reply sadly. âYou say sorry more than you-â
say I love you.
He doesnât let you finish the sentence because he knows. He knows what youâre trying to say.
âI am,â he says with more sincerity, but he looks at you with an unreadable expression. âI just donât think itâs enough at this point.â
âWhatâs not enough?â
You were confused. Is he still talking about whether he's apologetic or not? Or is it something entirely different?
âI do love you,â he says with a certain conviction in his voice, âand I always will, but it feels like nothingâs working out.â
Yoongi doesnât look at you and focuses on the leather of the fancy couch. He doesnât say anything but you know what this means. Heâs about to stand up, but you grab onto his wrist.
âThis is your apartment,â you say before he could say anything to break your heart even further. âIâll leave.â
â[Y/N], no,â he says. âYou donât have anywhere else to go. Iâm just gonna stay over at the dorm. I just...â
Your eyes get blurry from the tears. Even now it felt like he was looking down at you. Nowhere to go. It was like he pitied you.
â...need to go clear my mind,â he finishes the sentence, standing up to grab his coat.
You shake your head and stand in front of him. Heâs usually like this. A coward. A bumbling fool who would rather avoid problems than face them head on.
âI need you to stay, Yoongi,â you cry out. âI need you to actually stay for once and comfort me.â
He looks at you, mouth open but no words come out. He smiles sadly and walks toward you, kissing your cheek.
âI donât think I can do that anymore, [Y/N],â he says and you watch him leave as easily as he walked in.
Itâs not like he ever comforted you in the first place.
â
The break up happened silently over a late-night phone call a few days after he disappeared on you. You packed up your things, stayed over at Chaerinâs house, and braced yourself for what was to come. It shouldâve happened sooner, you admit, but your heart still sinks when he speaks.
âI just donât think either of us is willing to try anymore,â he says solemnly. âWeâve been on and off for the past few years and I donât think itâs healthy for either of us to continue.â
You agree, just wanting the call to end quickly so you wouldnât have to hear his voice any longer. It hurt to have to listen to him rationalize breaking your heart.
âI donât think we should be together anymore, [Y/N],â he says, not even a tiny bit choked up. âI think weâve... outgrown each other.â
You knew what Yoongi really meant. Heâs outgrown you.
âI think so too,â you say rigidly. Short and simple. You left nothing to be desired. âLetâs break up.â
Yoongi looks at his phone, slightly disappointed. He wished you would fight back, maybe rekindle something in him that heâs lost over the years. Yet you were silent on the line and he just had to accept it- that there was nothing left to be saved.
âTake care, okay?â he says softly because in the end he still cares- he just doesnât want to anymore.
âI will,â you reply, ultimately hanging up the phone. You collapse onto a bed unfamiliar to you. Yoongi would no longer sleep beside you, no longer reach over to hug your side and whisper sweet nothings in your ear. He was gone and you had to accept that maybe he was never yours in the first place.
His last words replay in your mind.
Take care.
That was the most concern heâs ever shown you in the past few weeks. You almost scoff at the absurdity of it all. You donât notice how truly broken you were until the tears start streaming down your face. You see the image of him through blurry eyes and you wonder how you could let Yoongi leave such a permanent scar on your heart.
â
Present
âDo you like your eggs runny or no?â
Junghoon asks as you approach his figure. You hug him from behind and smile at his warmth. Safe.
âJust a little runny,â you reply.
He smiles and nods, turning off the heat and grabbing some seasoning from your cupboard. You detach yourself from him when you realized what he was grabbing.
âBabe thatâs not salt. Thatâs-â
Sugar.
You stop yourself from saying it and Junghoon looks at you with concern. He chuckles at your stoic state and ruffles your hair.
âCat got your tongue or what?â he asks, grabbing the right container this time. âMaybe I shouldâve asked if you like your eggs sweet instead, huh?â
âIâve never tried that combination before,â you say teasingly. âWhy donât you test it out for us.â
He clicks his tongue at you and splashes some salt on your face.
âIâll pour sugar all over you if thatâs what you really want.â
You laugh half-heartedly. A simple word shouldnât affect you this much but you find yourself get more teary-eyed as it repeats in your head. It wasnât fair to Junghoon that you were thinking of your ex in his presence. It wasnât fair to you either.
You feel a vibration from your pocket and you pull it out to serve as a distraction from your wallowing thoughts. Itâs a text.
From Sugar.
â
A/N:Â This was so hard to write because my mind has just been empty these days but Iâm so glad itâs done now >_< Thank you to @minyoongailâ for requesting this story. Iâve been bumping to the Taylor Swift song now because of this commissions T^T I recommend you all to listen to it. I tried to write this in a different style from my other works so I hope this is still readable for you all LOL
Iâm closing commissions temporarily to focus on the ones I have now and to also start writing my own stuff. Let me know how you feel about this, I appreciate all types of comments and criticisms <3 Look forward to Part 2!
#yoongi angst#yoongi fluff#bts angst#bts fluff#bts scenarios#bts scenario#suga angst#suga fluff#suga scenarios#suga scenario#yoongi scenario#yoongi scenarios#bts imagine#bts imagines#yoongi imagine#suga imagine#suga imagines#angst#fluff#kpop angst#kpop fluff#bangtan boys#bts#min yoongi#yoongi#yoongi x reader#yoongi imagines#bangtan angst#bangtan fluff#bangtan scenarios
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SpideyTorch Week Day Three Alternate Universe
For Day Three, I chose an alternate universe in which our favourite couple are the villains! This one is a bit darker than usual, and thereâs a mild instance of torture, that isnât explicitly described near the end, so do watch out for that
Ao3 LinkÂ
@spideytorchweek
 they donât question our violence
âHello, Spidey. Nice of you to swing by.â Comes a mocking voice from behind him. Peter almost swears, his Spidey Sense hadnât even warned him, the traitor! Clearly it doesnât think of Morning Star as a threat despite the fact Johnny has tried to kill him on several occasions. Maybe. To be fair, the Dock Incident was Peterâs fault and Morning Star hasnât attempted murder in ten months, coinciding with the new depths of their relationship.
And itâs not like Peter is a complete angel either. The Wolf Spider is a name synonymous with death and blood- at least Morning Star tends to stick with arson. Peter is a mercenary, itâs not like he can judge his pyromaniac boyfriend.
âHi, starlight. I have a job for us, and we get to explode the place afterwards.â Peter says, turning around to smile at Johnny, who perks up at the idea. He lets his flames fizzle out and lands next to Peter, who gratefully accepts the kiss heâs given. Itâs freezing right now, and even the slightest bit of warmth makes a difference to Peterâs non-regulating self. Thereâs also the fact heâs kissing Johnny. Thatâs a big factor.
He turns fully around to kiss Johnny properly, taking care with his fangs so his venom doesnât enter Johnnyâs bloodstream. He rather likes his boyfriend and he doesnât want to kill him. Johnny eventually pulls back to smile brightly at Peter.
âWhatâs the job, Fangs? I like the sound of it already.â He says. Peter beckons him up onto the vent protruding from the building theyâre on, hopping up himself to swing his legs childishly. Johnny joins him, feet tapping impatiently.
âI met Remy Le Beau downtown a few days ago. He mentioned that thereâve been a few disappearances lately, mainly mutant children living on the streets that donât appear on official records. I did some digging and it turns out thereâs a lab set up in the Bronx thatâs been experimenting on mutant kids.â Peter explains, scowling now. âOfficially, itâs a gene lab where volunteers donate samples to be studied for cures to various diseases. Thereâs about twenty kids there now from what I can tell. Remy canât blow it to hell himself without attracting attention to Xavier but if we free the kids and then happen to torch it, people wonât question our violence.â He finishes.
Johnny is frowning now too. âWhat excuse are we giving for the attack though?â He asks and Peter laughs. âThatâs the best bit. Weâre not giving an excuse, weâre telling everyone they were experimenting on children. Their encryptions are ridiculously bad and thereâs already been a call for an inquiry into them by S.I. Theyâre subsidised by Oscorp and itâll damage their stocks once it gets out that not only did they block the investigation, they funded the lab too.â He explains and Johnny grins.
âTwo birds with one stone. Save the kids and piss off Green Goblin. Iâm down.â He says and Peter stands. Johnny does too and Peter challenges him to a race across the city. They may be supervillains but they can still have fun.
The building is near deserted when they get there, other than a few dedicated workers and the overnight security guards. The employees arenât aware of where their samples come from, only the top scientists know about the mutants and the security guards were never told they were guarding people instead of chemicals so theyâve agreed to leave them mostly alone.
Johnny silently melts a window on the top floor and they sneak into the building, avoiding the admittedly meagre defences.
 They soon find a bright red door labelled DANGER and according to the blueprints that Peter acquired, the kids should be behind it.
They crumple easily under Peterâs enhanced strength and Johnny groans at the display. âI love it when you break metal with your bare hands.â He whispers and Peter smothers a laugh. They step over the ruined doors to find the kids in chains.
âOh I canât wait to set this place on fire.â Johnny growls harshly and Peter shushes him. Thereâs a computer terminal by the door so he plugs in a device he built himself that will copy the information on the mainframe to his personal store while deleting every other existing copy. Heâll probably delete his own copy once he goes through it, but heâd prefer to know if some sort of power-killing virus was made before he gets hit with it. Probably by Ross, may he die in agony.
The two of them set to work on the chains, Peter snapping them and Johnny turning them to molten slag. The kids are utterly silent, even when the two villains are reassuring them softly and Peter vows to hunt down every last disgrace to science that was involved in the lab.
Finally, the last chain clatters to the floor and all the kids are free. Remy had promised them assistance from two X-men who would be able to get the kids out of the lab so Peter and Johnny could get to burning it down.
They herd the kids to the window they broke in through and are met by the dark form of Archangel. The mutantâs normally pure white wings are covered in dark metal to blend in with the night but heâs still gentle with the children and they seem a bit less scared to see someone whoâs so obviously like them.
Peter watches one little girl with red, scaly wings looking in awe between herself and the hero and smiles. He glances at Johnny and a thought comes to him. He wants that. Him and Johnny, with a kid each, maybe one girl and one boy or two of the same gender.
Hmm. Thatâs something to consider later. For now, he watches Archangel fly the kids one-by-one to a nearby safehouse where Nightcrawler is waiting to bring the kids to Xavierâs mansion the next morning. They deserve a good nights rest before moving somewhere completely different to everything theyâve ever known.
Archangel returns after the last child has been delivered to Nightcrawler and perches on the windowsill, regarding Peter and Johnny with a slight measure of respect.
âI met Nightcrawler in a mutant fighting ring. Neither of us wanted to be there but we never got the chance to escape. I got hurt and Mystique spirited him away but we never knew what happened to the ring. These kids though, theyâre not gonna have that.â He plucks a metal feather from the edge of his wings, the edges razor sharp.
âHurt those monsters and hurt them well. Maybe some of the more sheltered mutants at home wonât understand but I do. Slit their throats with that and leave them to choke. Itâs more than they deserve.â Archangel says solemnly, rage glinting in his eyes. Peter exchanges looks with Johnny and then grins.
âMaybe heroes canât be caught torturing people but thereâs a reason I walk the other side of the line. We wonât make it quick.â Peter promises and Archangel returns the smile. Peter has no doubt that any scientists he and Johnny fail to find will turn up with mysterious wounds soon enough.
Archangel flies off to join Nightcrawler and Wolf Spider and Morning Star stalk back into the labs. The head scientists have been staying in a penthouse apartment above the labs while they run their tests and thatâs their destination.
The elevator lets them up after a few key strokes from the Spider and they emerge into a wide-open space, the complete opposite of the small room the kids had been chained in. There are doors off of the main room and the Spider quickly matches them up with what he found in their database.
The third door to the right should belong to Henry Lawson, the torturer in chief. Morning Star melts the lock and they slip into his room silently. The bastard is sleeping peacefully in his bed but it wonât be long before that changes.
Morning Star fingers the metal feather Archangel gave them and slowly starts to heat it up. Itâs made of strong stuff and even though the metal is glowing red itâs not metal. It serves as a rude wake-up call when itâs pressed to Lawsonâs jaw.
He squeals like a stuck pig and the Spider thanks God for soundproofing. Theyâre nowhere near done with Lawson just yet.
An hour later, Lawson is thoroughly deceased and they move onto their next target. All six die painfully and Wolf Spider takes a twisted pleasure in it. Still, they have a job to do and they canât spend as much time on their other targets as they did on Lawson.
Johnny plants his favourite explosives and Peter carelessly pulls the fire alarm. They find a good vantage point on the building across from the lab and wait until the last heat signature leaves the building and emergency services are seconds from the scene to trigger the bombs.
Johnny floats in front of the lab for a few seconds before he unleashes a torrent of flames into the already-blazing building. It only feeds the raging fire and Peter knows it will take quite some time to put it out, Not his problem. Heâs too busy planning their next hits on the scientists that hadnât lived above the lab.
Johnny lands on the roof next to him with a sharp exhale and Peter drapes himself over his back. âTwelve people left on the list, starlight. I vote we eat, have a fantastic night in bed and then brutally murder them all. Their dirty secrets are set to be released to the public in four and a half hours, just in time for the news cycle.â Peter says, tracing letters on Johnnyâs back.
âYou give the best presents, my Spider. I canât wait to hunt.â Morning Star replies.
#spideytorchweek2021#spideytorchweek#day three au#spideytorch#tw mild torture#tw violence#peter parker#johnny storm#warren worthington iii
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Birthday Boy
đŻ- pairing: idol/changbin x female(poc) reader
đŻ- word count: 1.5k
đŻ- genre: fluff, slight smut, romance
đŻ- A/N: I'm super late but this imagine was inspired by my uli bias Changbinnie birthday đIm a bit rusty on writing so I hope you enjoy
Today was a very special day. It was your boyfriend, Changbin's birthday. Well sorta. You guys knew how chaotic each otherâs schedules were. Since his birthday was coming up, you both devised a plan to celebrate. The plan was to let him celebrate his official birthday with his family, members, and stay. Since you liveaboard, a weekend road trip to Disneyland. You both made sure to do any work beforehand to ensure your trip to happen. There were some hiccups but the day as come and you both were finally free.
Due to different time zones, you face-timed him to countdown his birthday. After talking for two hours, you wished him safe travels traveling to yours (your state). After celebrating his birthday, he hopped on a plane and reached your state. The moment he landed you picked him up from the airport and took off for your weekend trip. You drove most of the way due from him having jet lag, but being the sweetheart he is, he took over when the destination was close. During the road trip, you guys took photos, did quick pit shops at random places, ate at weird restaurants and etc. When you guys finally reached the hotel, you checked in. The moment you both entered the suite, you guys bolted straight to the bedroom and fell asleep in each other arms. Fast Forward to 8 hours later. You both just reached to Disneyland.
âSo what should we do first birthday boy,â you said with a smile
âMy birthday past alreadyâ Changbin replied with a smile too
â Well it's my time to celebrate it with you, so when we reach back home that's when it's over so for right now. This weekend is Binnie day is everydayâ.You said while swinging it his hand
âOkie,â He said blushing
âHow about we start off with something safe, likkkeeeee the ferris wheel,â You said but Changbin gave you a straight face
âNo ok, how about the teacupsâ
He still has you a straight face
âok how about....space mountain â Changbin expression changed to a smile
âAlright lets to running!!â you say sprinting to the ride
âYah WAIT FOR ME!â He yelled trying to catch up
You suddenly stop as you realized something
âHey why you stop?â Changing says while panting
â We forgot to take a picture in front of the castle â You answered
âWell let's take one now before we goâ Changin suggested
âreallyâ you gasped
He gently grabbed your hand and pulled out his phone. He took some selfies with you and a family volunteered to take a picture of the two of you together too.
âOk now we can go!â You said this time sprinting like Usain Bolt
âWHY ARE YOU RUNNING, WE HAVE FAST PASSES !â He says as he tries to catch up with you again
Throughout the entire day, you guys had a blast. Going on many rides, Changbin being scared of the mascots, taking silly pictures, eating everything on site but most importantly spending time with each other. As the day winds down, you both got perfect seats for the fireworks showcase.
âToday was so much fun babyâ Changbin as he wraps his arms around your waist.
âI'm glad you enjoyed it,â you say as you turn you head slightly to kiss him
The moment you lip touch his, fireworks show started lighting up the sky
âBecause we're not done yet,â You say pulling away with a smile
Changbin looked at you confused
â But immm tirreeedddâ he whined
âShut up and enjoy the fireworks,â you said as you kiss his cheek
He chuckles as he started to watch the show
As the both of you reached back to the hotel, Changbin bugged you trying to get you to spill on what you else you had planned for tonight, but you all you said was get dressed in some breezy attire. But that just result in him bugging you on what he should wear.
After getting ready and you looking like a snack. Your boyfriend definitely out done you. He had a white button-up shirt with a few buttons open, nice fitted jeans, hair parted perfectly and finished with a mysterious cologne that made you wanted to literally eat him.
âLike what you see, baby girl,â he says walking toward you with his legendary smirk
But you had to pull yourself together before you two were late
âUmm E-err good your ready now put this onâ you try to say nonchalantly
âWhy I need a blindfold forâ Changbin say raising his brow while looking at you
(*Ahh don't do that)* you said in your head. You literally can not believe your actually getting weak just at the sight of him
*(I need to leave before I ruin everything*)
âYes, I'll tie it for you because we need to go or else we will be lateâ
âI don't mind being lateâ He says trying to sneak his arms around your waist slowly
You smacked his hands
âNo, we have to goâ you took the blindfold and tied it over his eyes
âUghh where are we going, I can't see...â Changbin whined
You took his hand and left the suite to move forward to your destination
The hotel you were staying at connect to the beach. So with the help of some sweet employees you created the most romantic picnic. Since it was night time, you put up candles, mini lights and a fire. You hope he loved it because you had something special to give him.
âI smell something burning, hold on are we gonna do something kinkyâ Changbin chuckled
You pinched his butt
âYAHH STOPPâ
âOk we are here, you can take the blindfold off,â you say nervously
Changbin slowly took off the mask. His eyes set to now luminous view, he saw what was before him.
âY/N, you did this for me, reallyâ He turns to you with teary eyes
âHey don't cry, Imma cry tooâ you giggled
âBut yes, of course, I did, â you say
âNow come on the food will get coldâ
âFOOD,â Changbin says happily running to sit
As the moon glazed the beach, the two of you ate, had dessert and talk a while
âI can't wrap around how you did all of this for meâ Changbin says to you
âWell with the help of the staff here, it became possibleâ
âBut um I have something for youâ You reached for your purse and took out a little wrap gift and gave it to him.
âAww I wonder what this could be â Changbin says cutely
As he unwraps the gift, it's a velvet box. He opens up the book and it's a ring connected to another necklace
âI know how hard it's been for you having to do comeback after come back and juggling our relationship, I know you try hard to be a great boyfriend thinking I don't see how much guilt you show and I know how hard you try to keep everyone happy because you them think they deserve everything. But baby YOU deserve everything. I don't want you to have that guilt thinking your not doing enough because you are and I'm perfectly fine with that. Having you as a boyfriend is a blessing. Seeing you live out your dreams makes me happy. So this ring is a kinda sorta a promise ring. But this ring symbolizes that I'm not going anywhere because my love for you us eternal.â You say holding his hand as you slip the ring on his finger
âY/N no one h-has done this for me beforeâ Changbin says as a tear roll down his cheek
âWell I'm glad in the firstâ you chuckled
âCome hereâ he pulls you close and kisses so ever so gently
He picks up the necklace and puts it around neck and hooks the latch.
âAnd I'm blessed to have a beautiful queen by my side. You make me the man I am today and always support me. And I'll always support you in whatever you do. Because you deserve the universe, even the fucking milky way.â Changbin says to you softly as you giggle
âI still donât understand how I was able to land you as my girlfriend. But soon I know you will permanently be my nubian queen. Because I love you and want to spend the rest of my life with you Y/N. Thank you for being the a reason in my lifeâ
Tears are rolling down you eyes as he confess his love for you and with that you pull him close and kiss him passionately.
The two of you hold each other close while kissing each other like time has stop at your request. As the waves of the ocean crashing gracefully in the background. He softly bit your bottom lip for permission to enter his tongue. You accept by slightly opening your mouth and your tongues dance at a tempo. He gently pushes you to lay down on the ground as he pulls away
âHow do you look so beautiful under the moonlightâ He says to as he looks at you like a mystical masterpiece
You caress his cheek
âI can say the same for you binnie â you smiled
Changbin goes to leave tongue kisses on you neck
âSo weâre the only ones out here right?â He asks as he continues to work your neck
âUmm I believe so, whyâ you says as heâs leaves you breathless
He pulls away from your neck and again gives you a the legendary WATTPAD smirk
âStop looking at me like that before I lose control on this beachâ you warned him
âLose it all on me baby,â Changbin says seductively to you while he unbuttoned his shirt
#kpop ambw#stray kids ambw#Ambw stray kids#stray kids#skz#stray kids imagine#seo changbin#changbin#stray kids reactions#stray kids reaction#stray kids poc#straykids fluff#skz imagines#skz reactions
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Seven Point Star
A/N: Hereâs chapter one! Please keep sending me feed back, it keeps me going. I know this isnât extremely exciting, and most people donât like to read first person... but Iâm still trying to get comfortable. Thank you for the love on my prologue! Warnings will start in future chapters.
Genre: BTS soulmate au
Word count: 1,712
Chapter One: The Audition
I watched in awe as the boys walked through the bright halls of BigHit Entertainment. All seven of them are still exhausted, judging by the slight lag in the way they walked. I hugged myself gently, completely overwhelmed already. My dance audition was going to be starting soon, but Iâve been blessed to see the worldâs biggest idol group. They were even more beautiful in person. I wasnât as obsessed as other fans, but I did love the music this band put out. Itâs meaningful and beautiful. I pushed the BTS sighting to the back of my mind and sighed a deep sigh. I had to focus. I need to get this choreographer job. I stepped back into the center of the room and pressed play on my phone. An obscure American hip hop song started to play through the speakers, and I watched myself in the mirrors on the wall.
âBody roll, then duh-dut-dah,â I was talking to myself to keep my self focused and reinforce the choreography in my brain. I was already breathing a little bit heavier as the song rolled into the next song I chose for choreography. The next song is a lyrical piece, one that normally made people sad. The song had been more of a break up song. The whole dance was heart breaking with the choreography. As the song wound down into the end, I stood from a butt roll and into a pose where I was walking away, my head held in my hands. After the song ended, I pressed pause on my music. I walked around taking a breath, then I grabbed my bottle of water. Â I let out a deep breath I didnât know I was holding, my anxiety starting to fill my body. I shook my hands slightly, pacing around the practice room. I went through a checklist mentally; hip hop â check, lyrical â check, freestyle â check. I was prepared for anything they could throw at me. I was ready. There was someone else who was there for the interview portion. That boosted my anxiety. Only three people will make it through the interview. I was the first one who had gotten through. However, just because I got here doesnât â âSTOP! You know youâre the strongest applicant. Youâve worked with idols before, other companies, and you were the top of your class Yuna!â I had to scold myself. The position was made for me. I just had to get this audition done with. I went back to stretching to get my anxiety out. After a few minutes, I checked my phone. It was time for my dance audition. As I gathered my things, I saw the other choreographer leaving. She had tears streaming down her face. From that alone, I knew she was rejected. I took a deep breath and pushed the door to the practice room open. An employee of BigHit led me down the hall and into another room. Two men and a woman sat at a table, papers sitting in front of them. I bowed respectfully and introduced myself.
âPark Yuna. Performing arts schools up until graduating from university. Top of her class,â the woman spoke lowly to the men, obviously reading from my application. I nodded silently, waiting for instruction. âSo, hereâs whatâs going to happen. Youâll dance a freestyle to a song of our choosing. Weâll go from there, okay?â she looked at me as if she was expecting me to ask any questions.
âYes, maâam,â my polite response came with a small bow. Shortly after, the man on the left pressed play on a phone connected to the speakers to the room. The soft melody poured into the room, washing over me. I knew the song, so this part was easier than I had expected. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and started to find the beat. Shortly after, I started to dance, my anxieties melting away. Butt rolls, aerial tricks, simple and complex moves all flowed through me and into a dance I could be proud of. As the song wound down, I focused on keeping my breathing even. As the people in front of me whispered amongst themselves, I refrained from fidgeting with anxiety that had come back full force. After what felt like an eternity, but was probably only a few minutes, the three looked back at me.
âHereâs what weâre gonna do. We have chosen two idols for you to teach your dance to. One for each genre. We know that it isnât a long time, but you only have two hours for each. We believe you can get it done today, as you are the only dance audition we have today. We wish you luck, Miss Yuna,â the woman in the center said to me with a knowing smile. I thanked them and bowed before exiting the room.
How was I going to teach these dances in two hours?! Shortly after I got to my assigned practice room, a tall man with kind eyes walked in. My breath caught in my throat. Kim Namjoon was so much prettier in person. He held his hand out to me, and I shook it with a small bow.
âIâm Kim Namjoon. You must be Park Yuna. Nice to meet you,â his deep voice rattled me to my core. How was he so beautiful? I shook the thought out of my head. Heâs just a person.
âItâs wonderful to meet you. Thank you for doing this for me. Weâll be doing a lyrical piece, so I hope youâre ready,â the laugh in my voice made him smile. This was going so much better than I had hoped. We had gotten started right away. Fifteen minute guided warm up, followed by me showing the dance to him.Â
âWow, that is really... beautiful, Miss Park,â Namjoon said as he stood up and walked to me. I muttered my thanks and looked away. He seemed to understand that I was stressing out, so he clapped his hand and said he was ready to learn it in the goofiest voice he could muster.Â
I turned the song off and started to walk through the moves again. âSo, for the first four counts you will be still, and the next eight youâll walk toward me over here. Okay?â The next fifteen minutes were spent going over the first sixty-four counts of the song. Once he seemed to have it down, we played the song and danced it together. I watched him in the mirror, looking for anything I might need to fix.Â
âSorry, Iâm not the best dancer,â he rubbed the back of his head, his dirty blonde hair getting slightly messy.. I shook my head and ignored the comment.
âAlright, at this point, weâll come together. Youâll reach out with your left hand and Iâll do a turn into your arms. If it goes right Iâll end up with my back against your chest, okay?â I showed him the slight movement heâd do, and then ran the set with him. He was picking it up fairly quickly. âYouâre doing great! Iâm really impressed with how quickly youâre picking this up.â
Soon, the whole dance was finished, and he looked very concerned. I decided to let him grab some water. âWhatâs going on? You look worried,â I commented, before taking a huge drink of my water. I could feel the sweat start to drip down my back.Â
âThe dance is much harder than I was expecting is all. You sure know what youâre doing though,â his deep laugh came out, but it didnât sound very genuine. I shrugged my shoulders in response, slightly embarrassed by the praise.
âWell, Iâve been doing this since I was two, Iâd hope I know what Iâm doing by now,â this time was my turn to laugh without it sounding real. We had about thirty minutes left until weâd be evaluated. We spent the last thirty minutes running the dance from beginning to end, polishing it where need be. After about three runs, Namjoon looked much more comfortable with the dance than before. Two more runs after that, it seemed almost flawless. I couldnât contain my excitement any longer.
âYouâre doing so great! Iâm so proud of you. Itâs not easy to learn a whole dance in two hours, and you just did it!â I showered him in praise, clapping my hands happily. Soon it was time for us to go show the dance. I put my phone in my pocket as I left the room, walking Namjoon to the audition room.
âMiss Park! I hope Mister Kim wasnât too difficult to you. Iâll push play if youâd like to connect your phone to the speakers,â the woman in the center said to me as we walked in. Thanking her, I passed her my phone.
As soon as the song started, I let go of my worries. I couldnât see myself, my back to the mirrors, but I could feel Namjoonâs hand where it was meant to be. The slow lyrics and soft melody calmed me, going through the dance with him. Before I could really feel like it was happening, the song ended. I rose from the butt roll, into a pose like I was walking away with Namjoon doing the same. I felt like crying, I was so relieved. I turned and waited further instruction from the BigHit employees. I could feel myself leaning closer to Namjoon, seeking his comfort when I had barely met him.
âWell done! Iâll have the next idol meet you in your assigned practice room in five minutes. Youâre dismissed,â she said to me, looking down at the paper in front of her. I nodded, thanking them once more.
Within two hours, I had already taught Jung Hoseok the last dance, already relaxing into a roll I hadnât been offered. The woman said she would call me within a few days with an update on my application. I gathered my things and left the building. I could only hope that things would go my way at this point.
#wildly written seven point star#bts x oc#bts fanfic#bts x female oc#kim namjoon#kim seokjin#min yoongi#park jimin#kim taehyung#jeon jungguk#i cant believe i did this#please be kind
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taakitz hanahaki, 1
âIdiots, the lot of them,â Taako snorts. Even though he and Kravitz are seated next to each other in front of a booth, both nursing margaritas (at Merleâs behest, and for his kind offer to pay for them), his legs are kicked up over Kravitzâs lap as he surveys the scene. A hearty slap from Magnusâs friend Carey rouses him, if only for just long enough to whine about how proud he is and how his little boy is all grown up now before passing out on his wifeâs shoulder.
âTheyâre proud.â Kravitz takes a sip of his drink, a small smile creeping over his face as he pointedly does not look at Taako. âSo are you, I think.â
Taako splutters. âI am not! Iâm not â no, fuck that, I donât give a shit about the kiddo.â
âThatâs why you give him free lessons, then.â
Taako gives a haughty sniff, leaning back against the cushioned seat. âMoney ainât even a thing. Our old manâs fuckinâ rich or something, and ever since he so generously stole us off the streets we havenât worried about â about, uh, funds and all that.â
âYet you ask me to haggle down the price every single time we go shopping.â
âNo, thatâs different,â Taako says, kicking his legs higher on Kravitzâs lap. âThatâs âcause the bullshit we find is all, uh, thatâs fuckinâ marked up like hell and thatâs just â itâs an injustice, you know? A slight against our Lady Liberty with her, fuckinâ, torch and everything. You shouldnât have to kick out a hundred dollars for a pair of boots, right? Unless theyâve touched, I dunno, the gross and smelly feet of Billy Armstrong or something.â
âBut if money isnât a concern for you, you could haggle it down yourself. What are the repercussions of another fifty dollars? Itâs a good learning experience!â
ââCause I donât wanna ask the old geezer for fifty extra bucks,â Taako sniffs, then brandishes his drink at Kravitz. ââSides, when am I ever gonna go shopping not with you? Lup and Barry go to the, fuckinâ, Gap to get their clothes, and Magnus and Jules wouldnât know a department store if it hit âem over their head and letâs be honest here, where is Merle gonna find his floral shirts in the middle of a Macyâs? He isnât, thatâs where.â
âYouâre taking advantage of my silver tongue,â Kravitz grins.
âI â okay, yes.â Taako takes a long swig of his drink. âMaybe a little.â
âMaybe next time I should let you go on your own,â Kravitz teases. âSee how you like trying to stack up against a Nordstromâs representative in their ugly uniforms.â
âAbsolutely not, I refuse to be seen in public shopping at Nordstroms without someone in at least a suit. Besides, their employees need to shape up and work somewhere else, because bright orange? Really? I wanna know what chump thought a bright orange uniform was a good idea and punch them in the face. Directly in the nose.â
âYou know, you could wear the suit. I think youâd look good in one.â
âFuck off.â
âNo, really!â
Taako glares at him. âPerish the thought, bone boy, the day you catch Taako in something as boring as a suit is the day Lupâs finally snapped and burned my Maxi collection, which is to say the day both of us just beef it.â
âOh, so you think my fashion taste is boring?â Kravitz gripes, faux-wounded, hand over his heart and everything. âGosh, how could I ever recover from such a grievous insult?â
âGosh,â Taako snorts. âI canât believe you say shit like â like gosh and goodness.â
Kravitz shrugs, dropping the wounded front in favor of a grin. âItâs better than my accents, at least.â
Taako chokes on his drink, waving his hand in the air. âDo not even speak of those,â he says, laughing. âThose were awful, you were, what, twelve? Thinkinâ you could do an Australian accent!â
âHey, my accents werenât too bad! My Cockney was pretty good.â
âYour Cockney was the absolute worst of the lot,â Taako groans, as Kravitz knew he would. âWe were in â fuckinâ, middle school, and you were walkinâ around in a tiny tailored suit like pip pip cheerio in the most abominable accent. Youâre â you know, youâre real lucky I decided to hang out with you, Kravitz. Got you back on the straight and narrow.â
Kravitz hums. âI think you butchered that first part, my man,â he says, dipping back into his fake accent.
Taako cuffs his ear. âOne, that was an awful joke and you should be ashamed. Two, I refuse to be seen with you in public doing accents, I refuse. You do that again and Iâm leaving, Taako is out.â
âOh, are you really?â Kravitz drawls. âNow I think itâd be rather rude for you to just dip on me like that, dearest. Who do you expect to cover your drink?â
âDearest,â Taako mimics, rolling his eyes behind his glass. âYouâre disgusting.â
âAnd yet here you are,â Kravitz says, âten years later.â
âItâs for the bargains. I wouldnât get those discounts if I didnât drag you with me.â
âIâm being used for my financial prowess,â Kravitz says mournfully. âYou wound me, Taako Taaco. And here I was, thinking we were friends.â
âDonât get used to it.â Taako slumps down farther in his seat, heels kicking against Kravitzâs thighs. âI thought we were too, and then you got on stage for, fuckinâ â who were you, Grant-someone-or-other, way back in middle school, and you did that awful accent, who was that?â
âGraintaire,â Kravitz supplies. Heâd done an awful French accent. So bad that Taako threatened to Sharpie a mustache on his face and Lup had actually done it. âLes Miserables, Taako. Weâve only seen that movie about a hundred times.â
âItâs just jabber-jabber-revolution-thrust-die,â Taako says. âAnd that one guy spitting up petals, like, come on. The last time we watched I counted the number â the number of times they, uh, compared his little rose petals to the color of blood, and you know what I got?â
Thirty-seven, Kravitz thinks, right before Taako reports the same number. âWhich is to say just, too many.â
âIt was a sad scene, Taako.â
âOh, sure, if youâre a hopeless romantic,â Taako snorts.
âYou cried the first time we watched it.â
âI was fourteen!â
âAnd bawling like a child half your age,â Kravitz grins.
Taako takes a sip. âThat was back when I thought something like he had could ever happen to me.â
Though Kravitz is used to his seemingly-random bursts of crippling honesty, this one still takes him off-guard. He knows better than to dig deeper, he knows better than to appear pitying, or react at all, really; but he canât help himself from asking, âYou donât think youâll find love eventually?â
âYeah, perish the thought, I know,â Taako says, averting his gaze. He elbows Kravitz in the shoulder. ââSpecially for you, you, like â bleed romance novels and whatever. Trashy dime-a-dozen novels, I canât believe you.â
âThey were a dime back in the nineteenth century, Taako, theyâre hardly so cheap now.â
âWhich just means theyâre an actual â an actual investment, which also means you should be ashamed. But um, Lup â she found Barry, and Mags has Jules, and once Merle wrapped up the whole thing with Davâs dandelions they, uh...they put a ring on that and everything, and I figure thereâs only so much love in the universe, yâknow?â Taako takes a steady sip of his drink. His hands donât even shake. Kravitz envies him, for a moment; that his hands donât tremble, and donât give him away.
Kravitz folds his own carefully beneath the table. âAnd even if that means olâ Taako doesnât get his slice of the apple pie, or cherry, or whatever flavor that pie is, then thatâs fine by me. There are people who, uh, deserve it more, so.â Another sip. âIâm glad the universe is investing, fuckinâ, flour and yeast and apple preserves or whatever in them.â
âI think you deserve it,â Kravitz says. He wants to reach for Taakoâs hand, wants to fold those slim, cooking-calloused fingers in his own. He does not. âI donât think thereâs a finite amount of love, Taako. I think everyone loves and is loved in turn, and the lucky ones â well, for the lucky ones, it goes both ways.â
Taako watches him for a long, long time. Panic mounts in his throat â did he give himself away? Did he say too much? Heâs at the point of spilling red wine all over his pants and that would be inconvenient, he just pressed these slacks yesterday, until Taako looks away. âFigures,â he snorts derisively. âYou want a happy ending for everyone.â
âTo the birthday boy!â Julia roars, so loudly that the whole bar turns and looks at her.
âItâs not my birthday, maâam,â Angus says politely from his seat between her and her husband. At some point, when Kravitz wasnât watching, heâd wedged himself between his adoptive parents. âIâm graduating tomorrow.â
âTo the graduating birthday boy!âJulia says, equally as enthusiastic, and Angus rolls his eyes at the same time Kravitz does, because she knows itâs not Angusâs birthday but, at the point before weepy-drunkenness, this is her sense of humor. To both of their chagrin.
âTo Angus,â Kravitz grins.
âTo my magic boy,â Taako says, the picture of disgruntled complacency, and clicks his glass to Kravitzâs.
âSo I am your magic boy!â a voice pipes from beneath their table. Or at least, Kravitz thinks itâs beneath their table until he looks over and catches two eyes peeping up at them. âYouâre a dirty liar, sir!â
âI didnât say that.â
âYou certainly did!â
âNothing you can prove in court, bubbeleh,â Taako says, and ruffles Angusâs hair. âYou trip on the stage and Iâm disowning you.â
âYouâre not my legal guardian, sir. Thereâs nothing for you to disown.â
Taako places a hand on his chest. âAs your uncle I am deeply wounded.â
âYouâre full of horseshit, sir. Hello, Mr. Kravitz.â
âHello, Angus,â Kravitz says. âEnjoying the celebration?â
âVery much so! Except I know itâs not a celebration because this is a bar and bars are for people over 21 years old, which I am not. Also I found the receipt for my cake in the trash can because Magnus forgot to take it out so I know thereâs a real party for little boys tomorrow. Probably at your house.â Angus hops up on the seat next to him and peers at his drink. âMerleâs paying for those, isnât he?â
âYouâre an awful little boy, Agnes.â
âI learned from the best, sir.â
âDo at least act surprised,â Kravitz asks. âMagnus and Julia are very excited. They tell us youâve never had a surprise birthday party before.â
âI think here is where I should say that thatâs only because Iâm too smart for people to pull surprises on me, but we both know thatâs not true.â Kravitzâs heart twinges sympathetically â Angusâs grandfather could kindly be called distant, and the orphanage was understaffed at the best of times. âAnyway, Iâm really looking forward to it! I think Julia is getting me a recording device that I can wear in my ear for whenever I need to be a sneaky little boy, and Iâm pretty sure Magnus is getting me a duck.â
âWho knows, bubbeleh, this could be the year he gets you something else.â
âOh no, itâs fine, I love them. Iâll add it to my collection. He gave my last one a little spyglass to look like me.â Angus pats Kravitzâs shoulder and hops down from the bench. âIâll see you both tomorrow, I think. Enjoy the rest of your evening, Mr. Kravitz!â
âWhat about me?â Taako calls after Angusâs retreating back, then slumps back on the bench, looking distinctly miffed. Kravitz doesnât bother muffling his chuckles in his sleeve.
âYouâve been thoroughly outwitted by a twelve year old boy.â
âYou mean we have,â Taako snarks. âJoint planning effort, my dude.â
âYou just sniped at Magnus and Jules until they let you cater.â
âI will not have my magic boy eating third-rate catering for his graduation party,â Taako sniffs. âThatâs a disgrace to the Taako name.â
âTheyâre professionals, Taako. Youâre not out of culinary school yet.â
âYet I could cook any one of their asses under the table.â
Kravitz laughs, then clears his throat as it begins to itch. âIâm still waiting to see you cook off with Gordon Ramsay, you know.â
âOh?â Taako cocks an eyebrow at him. âWho would your money be on, then?â
âIf I didnât care about winning? You.â
Taako yelps indignantly at him, sending him into further fits of laughter that break into coughs. The coughs donât stop, and donât stop, and his throat begins to prickle, tracing a line of embers up his throat.
He stumbles out from the table, waving off Taakoâs worried inquiries, and hurries to the bathroom, one hand stuffed over his mouth. Gods, these fits always pick the least convenient times â thankfully heâs not often with Taako for one of these, but when he is, he always has to think on his feet to explain why heâs taking off in such a hurry. Heâd never appreciated improv classes more than that moment in junior year when heâd sprinted out of a chemistry test to retch petals into his palm.
He locks himself in a stall and doubles over, stomach cramping. His frame shakes with coughs, as he struggles to tear a path through the bristling flowers rooted in his windpipe.
A lull, a thin opening and he slumps against the wall of the stall, spent. He tries to swallow and convulses, retching.
âKravitz?â
Kravitz tries to warn him away and and regrets it immediately, on his knees as petals spill from his mouth, tickling along the top of his mouth and cutting at his lips. He clamps both hands over his mouth, trying to muffle the sound of his own choking and failing. Heâs shaking already, and distantly fear grips him; itâs never been this bad before, he can count the petals in the dozens when in the beginning there was only one, a single fluttering petal he could catch in his hand before anyone saw, but this â
Footsteps approach his stall. âKrav, you okay?â
Panic lurches sharp in his stomach. âFine â â he gasps, fighting for air. ââm fine â pneumonia â â
âAgain?â Taako asks, a touch of sympathy in his voice. Ten years ago Kravitz wouldnât have recognized it but he does now, the sympathetic pain in his voice. Heâd thought Taako unfeeling, back in junior high. âJeez, Krav, your immune systemâs really fucking you over, itâs been, what, three years now?â
âJust about,â he says, words catching painfully in his throat.
âNeed anything?â
âWater,â he rasps, because he will, soon.
âOkay. Be right back.â
The door opens, and shuts, and Kravitz inhales carefully. When the petals stay stagnant, no tickling itch in his windpipe, he sits back against the stall, eyes fluttering closed. He needs to gather this up, all the petals, in the pocket he sewed just for this, but first he just â he needs a moment. His head is spinning and his heartbeat is pounding in his ears, but he narrows his focus to the slow drag of breath in his throat â in and out, in and out, a tempo of his own making, unravelled by his own heart.
He scrubs his mouth with the back of one shaking hand, sighs when it comes away streaked thinly with blood. Heâs too drained for proper swearing.
Kravitz gathers the petals as best he can, careful not to miss any â doubtless the bar wouldnât appreciate stumbling upon an explosion of petals â and tucks them in the inside pocket of his jacket just as the bathroom door opens again.
âStill in here?â
âYeah,â Kravitz says and, patting his pocket to ensure the petals are securely out of sight, steps from the stall.
âYou look like hell,â Taako says, and hands him a cup of water. âShouldnât you be, I dunno, takinâ meds for that or something?â
âAlready am.â Kravitz knocks it all back in one go, eyes slipping shut at the relief in his throat. âThanks.â
Taako takes the cup back, looking not quite at Kravitzâs eyes but down, at his lips. Kravitz has dreamed about this, granted, but under much different circumstances. âYouâre shaking,â he says.
âVomiting blood isnât easy, you know,â Kravitz grins wryly. He tries to take a step forward and sways, head spinning. He braces himself on the sink. âSorry, just give me a second â â
âHere.â Taako slips an arm beneath his shoulder and tugs Kravitz close to him. âAnd donât apologize for that, you idiot.â
The two of them slide back into their seats, their margaritas untouched where they were sitting. Kravitz sinks back into the cushions gratefully, letting his head fall back against the seat.
For a few moments thereâs blissful silence. When Kravitz opens his eyes again he sees Taako watching him, a near-invisible note of concern in his gaze.
âTaako, Iâm fine.â
Taako snorts, and the tension between them snaps. âLike hell you are.â He slides Kravitzâs drink closer to him. âYou wanna go home?â
âNo,â Kravitz says truthfully. âI can manage at least another hour, I think.â
Taako studies him for a beat, then shakes his head. âLightweight. You always did knock out early.â
âDid not!â
âYou absolutely did too, my man, do not give me that horseshit. You went to bed every night at eleven in freshman year.â
Kravitz pouts. âI was a freshman.â
âYeah, but you were still you,â Taako says, and prods his chest. âNerd.â
Maybe in a different world heâd take Taakoâs hand, kiss the back of it. Itâd make Taako laugh and splutter and turn him red all the way up to the tips of his ears.
Instead, here, in this world, Kravitz lets Taakoâs finger fall from his chest â right above his heartbeat â without a word. And instead of a hundred other things, a would you like to get dinner with me tomorrow? or what time will you be home? or simply, I love you, Kravitz smiles and says, âGuilty as charged.â
They pass the next hour easily. Itâs so easy to talk to Taako, and always has been, for Kravitz. The right questions and sympathy are rewarded with startlingly honest answers. Small things, like how his auntâs roast turkey takes five hours to prepare and heâd made it for Lup, the day before her wedding, and complained to Kravitz the whole time because there was nothing for him to but sit and turn the roast; but big things too, like how neither Taako nor Lup can sleep in the dark, how they always curl back-to-back while napping, like how his gap teeth shine when he smiles and despite appearances he would do anything for the small family heâs crafted right in the heart of the city.
A few minutes before one he calls an Uber, and Taako walks him out into the brisk autumn evening. Taakoâs face is the last he sees as he pulls away from the bar.
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Chace Alvarez is a 25 year old who lives in West Rockford, and is a barista and bartender at Intermezzo.
Date of birth: March 24th
Gender: Male
Sexuality: Bisexual
Biography:
trigger warnings: â death, alcohol
He could still hear his motherâs laugh echoing around the halls of the empty home, the sound bringing about a warmth the three Alvarez men were still struggling to find years after the woman passed. Complications during child labor, the doctors said; the guilt weighing heavily on his brotherâs shoulders. If they could have only saved her instead, maybe his family would be better off. It was something Chace tried to reassure against, but the tension lingered between his father and the younger Alvarez son, spoken once when the older gentleman had sipped too much whiskey one evening on the anniversary of the womanâs death before bursting into tears straight after. They werenât quite the same after that. The years leading up to the eventual fallout were spent with Chace having to coparent; babysitting little Nicki when they came home from school, helping him with his homework, cutting off the crust to his sandwiches. He would teach the boy how to read, to drive, how to navigate college applications and the ways to plan a perfect first date. He filled his fatherâs role as the other man worked tirelessly, picking up extra hours in a vain attempt to provide for his boys. They didnât have much, but they were happy with what they hadâa roof over their heads, food in their bellies, and each other.
It had been ten years to date the evening his father came stumbling through the door, the scent of alcohol still lingering on his clothes. The boys had been in the kitchen baking, putting the final touches on Nicholasâ birthday cake when theyâd heard their father come in. He wasnât angry, not at first, simply tired, quiet, retreating to his chair in front of the television, letting the laugh track drown out his sorrows. Heâd skipped the birthday festivities. The cake untouched on the kitchen counter as the boys sat with their old man, watching old movies until their eyes couldnât stay open for much longer. Half asleep they heard it, the quiet confession as their dad mumbled âshe shouldâve been here, she shouldâve been the one to make it.â Chace had cracked an eye open, turning to look at his brotherâs expression. Praying heâd been asleep when the man had said it. But found him looking back at him. The family ate cake for breakfast the following morning, pretending the previous night hadnât happened.
The days after became his new normal. He continued to contribute to his family, physically, financially, the behavior becoming more substantial as he got older. At the age of sixteen, he began working as a barista at the local cafĂŠ; his earnings directly going to his family. At eighteen, he was offered a scholarship to attend university but he continued working, sending his paychecks to his father bimonthly. He kept very little for himself, finding it more important to keep the family going than spend it on items he didnât need. And now heâs grown into becoming a bartender, spending his mornings in class and nights mixing drinks. He can often be found reading or studying on one of the stools or in the back room while on his break or during a slow day, needing to maintain his grades to keep the scholarship money. Chace aims to be a professor someday, aware that the salary wouldnât be anything to boast about, but knowing that heâd made it this far with little earnings and could do so in the future if it meant getting to do what he loved.
Personality:
Charismatic would be the first word to describe Chace. Heâs the man who writes a compliment on the napkin handed with your drink. The one who hops over the bar to open the door for someone, often spotted reciting Shakespeare to various customers. He goes the extra mile to show kindness, usually mistaken for being flirty with behavior he deems common courtesy. Generous would be the second; always willing to spare what little time or money he does have to help someone else. Capable being the third, rising to any occasion to take on a difficult task. Heâs capable of bringing about a smile on the most difficult of customers, of earning good grades with minimal amounts of sleep, and keeping his family afloat despite the underlying tension between the three men of his family. He prides himself on being a good listener and notices more than what others give him credit for, easily remembering the little things about people he sees regularlyâtheir names, orders, any information they had managed to divulge in their short exchange. Itâs these qualities that have helped him through his personal and professional life, making him a fun but competent employee and dutiful student.
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Iâll Cover You
Pairing:Â Jung Hoseok x Reader
Genre:Â Fluff
Word Count:Â 2k
Inspiration:Â RENT
A/N: *not so excited tone* My Internet went out! Very very sorry for the late notif guys. This was meant to be a Valentineâs Gift for yaâll but I really cared so much about my fics, I spent more time making them better for you.I also made this for JHope in time for his mixtape (they are so catchy) I hope you guys enjoy! Happy belated Valentineâs Day! <3
The first time Hoseok saw you, his first impression on you wasnât âcuteâ, it wasnât âbeautyâ or anything like that.The way he was able to see you was only from the outside perspective.
He thought you were quiet, gloomy, awkward, alone, sometimes you looked mad all the time and you barely ever said a word unless you knew the answer to a question.
After graduating from University, your first job was at a retail shop which was where you met Namjoon as a fellow employee. One day he invited you to hang out with him for a friendâs early birthday party after work, offering a ride. As soon as we arrived, you were introduced to his six friends whom were all quite handsome by looking at them while shaking their hands.
It didnât take long before you caught Hoseokâs eye again.
Your hair was pulled back in a ponytail helping your shape and eyes show more. He thought you looked beautiful.
You had never been surrounded by a group of people, much less a group of men, they could tell how close you were to start trembling. You only spent limited hours talking to each other, but they seemed to be enough. Enough to change Hoseokâs mind about you. It was that night he discovered some sort of strong connection towards you.
That new perspective goes from gloomy and scary to sweet, funny, feisty, charismatic, adorable and even stubborn yet had a great sense of humor. You actually enjoyed his sarcastic jokes.
The same had been said upon âadorableâ when his double layered cake arrived and when cameras lens were on him, he lightly picked the platter up and smiled up. His smile was like the sun showed up in the restaurant in surprise. When he started moving his shoulders side to side you let out a chuckle.
âMy charms donât fade regardless.â He said. âTell me when was the last time youâve seen someone this handsome so happy about it while grooving side to side?â
Amused, you rolled your eyes upwards as your cheekbones rose up with them, releasing a chuckle.
âYouâre the first.â
The first time you saw Hoseok, you didnât think that much of him. Jeon Jungkook, however, certainly had your interest by the minute he appeared.
It lowered Hoseok guard knowing you were attracted to Jungkook more. He was often used as a passageway for other girls just to get hooked with his friends in the past, but you never asked him for a hookup or brought Jungkook randomly into a conversation with him for months. Thatâs how he knew you have a humble heart.
âHey Kookie, how do you feel about Y/N?â Hoseok asked.
Jungkook fixes his posture in his seat his upper body and knees pointed towards him. âSheâs great man, I love her. I think sheâs very genuine person. Her laugh is great too.â Â
You hopped out of the shower when you heard a ringing sound one night as soon as you returned from a shower. He was calling me, yet it was strange because you donât recall ever giving him your number.
 That night Jungkook ended the call wishing âgood dreamsâ and calling you âcutieâ.
You let out silent huffing over his flirty comment while grinning through the phone. A second before the call ended you did small victory jumps and went to sleep with goosebumps. Â
Despite the numerous dates with Jungkook and the occasional flirting, you never became a couple.
 You have kissed once or twice maybe even three times but out of endearment nothing was very special about them, not romantically or sexually.
When Kook began asking for your permission to kiss, the spark of interest was no longer around. Eventually friendzoning each other became the better option.
 During seven years of being close friends, You became a nurse in training and the guys became international superstars, proving their fame from South Korea to the states and dominating every single hearts of their fan base which they called âARMYâ.
 Valentines Day was tomorrow, and the Doctors thought itâd be a good idea to have an employee appreciation party. They called the event a potluck although it was just an excuse to have a holiday party despite refusing the name. Either way, it included free hour-long break with favored free pastries and soda.
âSo how many brownies are we talking?â
 Hoseok pulls the shopping cart forward on the side while you push.  âAbout thirty to fiftyâŚâ
He widened his eyes.
 âWhoa whoa, thatâs three classrooms. Are you baking for the entire building?â
âThereâs literally forty of us on our floor including our bosses. Iâm also making some for the guys.â You chuckle as you speak.
The day before-as was today-you received a text message in a group chat, Jimin surprisingly reserved a table at a Latino restaurant for a little friendly date together as a group. Why wouldnât you get them anything?
âYouâre out of your mind.â You giggle at the back of  Hoseokâs head as he continues on pulling the cart.
 Considering how focused on the shopping list you wrote, you compromised getting anything for self-satisfaction; and his thirty-five dollars worth of festive mugs. You two were so indulged buying so much stuff for yourselves, you forgot about the amount of work thatâd be put into baking.
  Sleeves of plastic bags dangle on your arms wrapping themselves tighter around your wrists. Your apartment room was only on the second floor, but they were hurting anyway. You stumbled your feet upon the gravel steps drumming in mismatched rhythm already waiting for Hobi at your apartment door.
Hoseok tucked his bottom lip. Â âSo, Y/N what are your plans for tomorrow?â
You punch the code quickly because you swear someone was about to lose an arm at any moment.
âMm nothing much really, Iâm actually going to see Namjoon for a little.â
Namjoon had known Y/N before any of them. He is such a charming person and a great friend. He could swoon her with his killer dimple and his puff cheeks. Attractive. He was also a gentleman, oozed with such charisma and surprisingly responsible despite accidentally breaking everything.
Her and Joonie were like puzzle pieces that would fit together. They would be great together, they were polar opposite friends and polar opposites attract. Hoseok held the door open with his foot before using it to close after you. You turn on every light switch you passed.
âWhat about you? Are you doing anything tomorrow before dinner?â Â He asks.
âOh umâŚI think Iâll just sit on the couch, eat more junk food than anticipated and watch a movie.â
 He wore a denim apron you owned that pretty much looked better on him. Any facial features similar to Jung Hoseok, or any of the boys, could make any clothing look good.
âSo here we go, letâs start baking.â Hobi snaps his fingers before turning them into firing pistols. Â The weird gesture manages a laugh out of you. You opened half of the shopping bags, pulling out baking ingredients and already opened decorating candy bags which you and Hobi shamefully snacked on on the way back. You scold yourselves for unable to control the sugary urge. Luckily, theres still enough fudge to make at least two batches. Hoseok grabs the eggs and raspberries to rinse them inside a bowl. âHold on, did you wash your hands?â .
 âUh Yes I washed my hands, didnât we just washed them together?â
âYeah but I donât know what you did after that.â
Aside from candies that are pre-open, you take out the flour and oils and youâre having trouble opening a sack of sugar fidgeting at the seal with finger tips as you cursed the bag, Hobi offers help. âThis is when the world needs men.â
 He laughs until he himself now struggles with the seal. Slight laughs break the momentary silence and he shrugs the gaze towards him. All that talk and Karma plays quickly. You e settles in for using scissors instead.
If ever invited on a cooking show, you and Hoseok would be edited out. Way too many puns and cracks were made every half hour seemingly the task was less work and more play. On the counter, there was a salt shaker which Hobi poured some salt on his hand then threw it over his shoulder and started yelling âBanish Satan!â at absolutely nothing behind him. The sink was halfway filled with dishes with dirty brown and pink water full up to the rim of the batter, spoons, baking pans that ended up too small, whisks with chunks of powder stuck at the base atop.
 Including an electric whisk Hoseok tried using but automatically stopped working in the middle of mixing that led to taking turns at the mixing.
 The baking pans were coated with spray butter and filled with chocolate batter neither of you had touched. Hands moved throughout most of the night, all that was left was decorating them. Hoseok and you already felt irritating knots in his biceps.
The oven was done preheating to the proper temperature and fudge pans were ready for baking. âIâll put them in Y/N.â Hobi says, looking through cabinet drawers. âWhere are the mittens?â
 âNo, no Hobi I got it.â You already held both pans and gently inserted them on the top rack. You didnât know where your oven mitts were and you immediately jacked your hands away from the oven, sucking air through your teeth, causing Hoseokâs head to whip towards you.
âAre you okay? You burned yourself didnât you?â
The stings from accidental burns from the oven or a flat iron fade away, you were burned so bad your holding onto the base of your wrist. âItâs okay, it was just quick.â
He shook his head. âItâs super red Y/N, lemme see.â
âOuch! Carefulâ, You inhale sharply again.
âSorry sorry,â he immediately lifts his fingers above your palm. The only times hands were held were during your childhood or if a child at the hospital liked you. Hoseok held you by the fingers and elbow to the sink turning the tap on. Â As water falls over the area where the oven light burned and Hobi remains on the spot siding with the sink. You stare at the water seeping through your flesh.
 âYou know Y/N, Valentines is tomorrow, and so I was wonderingâŚâ His presses his lips. ââŚCould you be my wife?â
You stopped moving and froze, staring at Hoseok . Your feet are glued down onto the floor, eyelids are adjusted leveling the brows upwards and trapping the oxygen in your throat as he keeps his eyes on you, waiting for an answer.Â
 âHobi, you do know what you just asked me?â
Since you two officially started talking, all you ever thought about Hoseok as a wonderful friend. Sometimes when he was out of the room, Yoongi insisted Hoseok was throwing hints of interest at you, which always went ignored. You considered other girls better for Hobi.
 When Yoongi walked in on you two hanging out, heâd poke fun at Hoseok with the similar questions asking if you look better than the days before. It made your eyes roll, you never thought yourself essential for dating at the moment either. Your lady friends participated the same way, but nothing made the suspicion of the obvious therefore all could be seen as a relationship of friends. This sudden proposal had to have a trick up the sleeve.
âI went back and forth when it came to asking you, and I just would like for you to agree. This marriage will only last until tomorrow afternoon. A lady friend of mine is relentlessly setting me up on blind dates which you know, I donât really like. But sheâs just non-stop over having a significant other, sheâs too worried about me.âÂ
âHave you told her about me being your wife?â You remark the word quotedly.Â
âShe doesnât have a clue, all she knows that Iâm supposedly married and she set us up a âget togetherâ so she can meet her, see that I am capable of finding my own girl. Also, you were the first girl, I thought of asking.â Â
He looks concerned, still waiting for you to say something. Staring back towards him, while thinking how to turn away from his plead, until you catch the reflection of the light bulb in the orbs of his brown eyes. You are getting lost with how deep they are. Like youâve never seen such eyes. As if you never saw them before but maybe now that you were closer, paying attention. You mentally shook yourself out of thoughts, getting flustered.Â
Once he turns the water tab off, the oven alarm blazes around the kitchen, meaning the brownies are done.Â
âŚ
You miraculously made a lot more brownies than expected. You still had a beautiful looking array of wrapped brownies with extras for the boys in a box ready to frost. With butter knives, you two take dabs of frosting, spreading them neatly making sure to stop the stuff from dripping off the edges. Hoseok yearns a brownie to you getting engulfed in your mouth.Â
By the end, preparation for potluck results in an array of fudge brownies topped with frosting, wrapped in clear plastic bags tied with some rope strings he recommended.
 âI really need you for this.â He said. â All we gotta do act like we were in love, like we just got engaged, and once she leaves it will all be over.â
Since he helped you make five dozens of brownies for your potluck, the least you could do to show gratitude now is having to help him with sharing a âdateâ.
You nod politely.
Relief waves over Hoseok thanking you multiple times and mentioning what a good friend you are. But the day just couldnât go on without another joke could it? âHey Y/NâŚâ
âMm?â As you turn from the garbage can to give Hoseok your attention, snorting some incredibly bland, dry flaky substance out of your nose.
This guy literally just tossed cocoa powder on you. He was laughing hard by himself, holding onto his stomach until he starts spitting flour out of his mouth. Now it was just you giggling at his messy image spitting baking flour out. It made you laugh even more when he started sneezing white clouds out his nostrils.
 The morning after, you readied yourself for the pretend date, staying very casual, wearing light makeup. Hoseok wears his hunter green coat with a furry outlined hood you gifted to him for his birthday last year. His black hair stood up in a wave, showing his forehead
âHave you always looked like this?â The whisper was louder than intended.
Hoseok turns back to you, raising his eyebrows in question. You rapidly shook your head before turning away, hands digging deeper into your pockets. That lady friend was running late-she was supposed to arrive first and twenty minutes had already passed. Hobi sighs making you look at him again. Â
âSheâs running late.â
âSheâll be here soon. Wait a minute.â
   Hoseok suddenly becomes close when he rests his hand on the back your neck as you turn to him, his fingers ghosting over your skin. âThe tag on your shirt was out.â
He was centimeters close, you lower the eye contact away suddenly feeling your cheeks get warm while forcibly puckering your lips to the side to keep an oncoming grin. Hobi is still pretty close to you, how long does it take to fix simple shirt tags?
You slowly lift your eyes up at him to find him gazing at you. You lower your eyelids down again preventing an oncoming grin. A flattering emotion hits a spot in your chest, Hoseok backs away, giggling while you both continue to stand in front of the entrance.
As chilly the air was, surely it couldnât get worse. Wind starts coming harder, blowing strands of hair on you behind your ears.
The burn on your cheekbones turn them pink then your teeth automatically begin to chatter and you turn to Hoseok. His cheeks are blush pink and his nose had been bitten by the air. You tucked deeper into your pockets while exhaling misty clouds, smiling.Â
âItâs cold.â Â
Hoseokâs smirk extends into his sun ray smile.
 âCome on.â
To Be Continued!
#jhope#bts jhope#bangtan jhope#bts hobi#hobi#hoseok#goldenhobiday#bangtan#bts#hobi scenarios#hobi fanfic#bts fanfic#bts writing#kpop writers#kpop scenarios#kpop fanfics#kpop fanfiction#jung hoseok#bts jung hoseok#bangtan boys#bangtan boys jhope#bts fluff#bts angst#bts imagines#bts hoseok imagines#kpop imagines#bangtan fluff#im your hope#rent#broadway musicals
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Gerard Cosloy Interview, Part Two
Ryan: How were you first exposed to New Zealand music? When I think of early adopters to Flying Nun and Xpressway I think of Tom Lax. Â
Gerard: Iâm not sure who the first person was. Around â87 and â88, I started hearing a lot of the Flying Nun stuff around New York. Patrick Amory, who is now one of my partners at Matador, likely turned me on to a lot of that stuff. Patrick did the Too Fun Too Huge zine back in the â80s. Patrick managed the band Sorry. For a long time, Patrick was the music director at WHRB in Cambridge. Some of Patrickâs predecessors at WHRB, Jim Barber and Geoff Weissâthey may have been some of the earliest guys to start playing those records on the radio. College radio in the Boston area, WMBR and WHRB, were big proponents of Flying Nun. Venus Records in New York started importing Flying Nun records. That was one of the first places I saw The Chills, Verlaines and Clean albums for sale. I remember Venus Records even had a New Zealand bin. Venus was on 8th Street and 6th Avenue. They were getting them before everyone else. Very few people knew about those records then in the United States It was revelatory. I started writing Roger Shepherd after that: âHow do we get more of these records?â
Ryan: Matador Direct carried records from a lot of amazing labels including Flying Nun. The roster was really exceptional. Nevertheless, I know that for some labels, like Siltbreeze, the relationship didnât pan out well.
Gerard: Yep. We were buying a lot of really good records from third-party vendors. I wish we were still doing stuff like that. It was a lot of fun. There were things about it that were not sustainable. We were doing manufacturing and distribution for a number of independent labels. That was a disaster for us and it was certainly a disaster for them. The fact that those episodes didnât put those labels out of business is a testament to how smart and dedicated those people are.
Ryan: Jumping back to 12XU, I realize End of an Ear had put out a Stick Men with Ray Guns album previously. But how did the two live records (1,000 Lives to Die and Property of Jesus Christ) you released in 2016 come about? Â
Gerard: It was all thanks to Uber. I would personally like to thank that guy Travis (Kalanick), the head guy at Uberâwhose company condoned sexual harassment of female employees; the same guy whoâd harass his employees for asking for health insurance. Travis, youâre responsible for bringing Bobby Soxxâs misanthropic visions back to the world.
About two and a half years ago, I called an Uber. Iâd now like to apologize for that. Anyhow, this guy comes by and picks me up. He says, âOh, yeah, we know some of the same people. Iâm Jack Control.â And Jackâwho sings for the band Butcher and has been in a lot of great bands over the yearsâheâs an excellent producer and mastering engineer. Jack happens to be my Uber driver. Weâre talking. Jack says, âHey, I have a few Stick Men with Ray Guns live recordings. Would you be interested in hearing them?â I told him, âOh, yeah. Iâd be very interested in hearing them.â So thatâs how that happened. Jack got me in touch with the bandâs guitarist, Bobby Beeman. We worked out a deal. That wouldnât have happened without Jack. That was a situation where you totally lucked into something.
Ryan: Youâve been uncomfortable with 12XU being categorized as an Austin label. Â
Gerard: Itâs a double-edged sword. On one hand, I do love living in Austin. And I canât deny that there are a lot of Austin musicians on the label. It would be ridiculous for me to say, âOh, the label has nothing to do with Austin.â I guess the problem I have with it is twofold. One, I donât think the rest of the world takes Austin that seriously. So much bad, commercial, mediocre, KUTX-type music comes out of the city that people donât take it seriously as a source of meaningful music. Two, I think when it comes to underground musicâbe it punk, hardcore or experimentalâpeople outside of the city think thereâs a ceiling on how good it can be because itâs from Austin. They think, âWell, if theyâre any good why arenât they in New York or Los Angeles? Well, when theyâre serious theyâll move to Brooklyn.â That enrages me. Obviously, Iâm biased. But you canât tell me that Downtown Boys are a more serious band than The Gospel Truth. Theyâre not. But the idea that theyâre connected, that they have an agent and are based in a different region gives them a running head startâthat doesnât work for me. I mean, thereâs probably some resentment on my part. But thereâs also a lot of bands on the label who arenât from Austin. Iâve put out records by artists from Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Having 12XU identified as an Austin label���Iâm not a cheerleader for Austin. Iâm a friend and champion to the bands I think are good. Theyâre not good because theyâre from Austin. Sometimes theyâre good in spite of the fact theyâre from Austin.
Ryan: At least once, someone locally has asked me to put out their record and I didnât have the resources to do it. A short time later their album appeared on 12XU. There have always been a few good labels who will pick up records that otherwise would have fallen through the cracks. It was a different business model, but Homestead was like that too. Â
Gerard: Itâs was different world then. In the early days of Homestead, there was the mentality that, âIf we donât put this out, nobody else will.â That surely informed the early creative choices at Matador, and it has informed a lot of the choices at 12XU. If thereâs a band that has five labels chasing them, they really donât need me. Iâm probably the worst person they can talk to.
Ryan: Oh, no. Iâm a few rungs below you. It gets worse. (laughs)
Gerard: Yeah, yeah. (laughs) I want to work with people who I enjoy being around and have a similar vision. If itâs a band that says to me, âOh, weâre talking with Modern Outsider and Richard Lynn.â My response is, âWell, enjoy your conversations, guys. That has nothing to do with me.â I donât need lawyers and managers. I put out records by bands I can work with directly. Iâm not interested in people who are âauditioningâ for labels or are being courted by them. 12XU is not part of that universe and it never will be. Good luck to the people who do that. I hope theyâre very successful. Thatâs not for me. Iâm not being disingenuous. Itâs not like Iâm not trying with 12XU. Iâm trying to do something in a different way.
Ryan: It says something about your commitment to the label that while still a co-owner of Matador, youâre regularly at the post office getting 12XUâs mail order out promptly.
Gerard: I buy a lot of records. I always appreciate it when people send me stuff promptly. I also like ordering direct from labels so the money goes directly to them. Iâm not going to tell you that I enjoy having stacks of boxes at my house. I donât have any assistants with 12XU.
Ryan: It seems to me that the indefatigable drive that a lot of these smaller labels have has really kept a lot of things moving. How many years has Gabriele Di Gregorio kept Goodbye Boozy going now? Itâs pretty incredible considering how difficult it is to simply get records made nowadays.
Gerard: Yeah. It can be very discouraging. Itâs hard to get records manufactured. Itâs hard to get them in stores. When you get paid, the margins are so razor thin. For 7âs there are no margins at all.
Ryan: I wholesale them at cost. Occasionally, itâs been ten cents below cost.
Gerard: Yeah. For LPs, the margins are very thin. The only place where there are serious margins is in download sales. And the market for download sales is completely in the toilet thanks to our good friends in the streaming world. Although streaming is the future and everyone loves its convenience, being able to press a button and have all the music in the world at your fingertipsâwhich in reality isnât all the music in the worldâthe economics of that is potentially lucrative because thereâs no inventory. But until youâre in that hundreds of thousands of plays range the revenues are so pitiful. It doesnât even cover your costs for getting the music on the service. Weâre seeing this thing right now with the big labels pumping out the hitsâSony, Universal and maybe even Matadorâthat streaming could be a lifeline: âHey, thereâs potential light at the end of this tunnel. Weâre going to be okay.â The problem isâwhat happens to all the small labels and weird bands and record stores that are being supplanted by streaming? What happens to college radio stations whose licenses are sold to Muzak stations? You get rid of all those thingsâsmall record stores, small record labels, college radio stations, fanzines, the weekly newspapersâwhereâs your so-called incubator? Where is your next fantastic artist of the month coming from? I think itâs a fallacyâthis notion that, âHey, itâll happen on Bandcamp or SoundCloud.â And there are some good bands coming out of that universe. But the notion that, âOh, just put that song on BandCamp and everything will be fine.â Itâs not that simple. Thereâs one-seventh the amount of record stores in existence currently and their buying habits are much more conservative. Itâs much more of an uphill battle. Â
Ryan: There could also be conceivable issues with archiving. What happens when SoundCloud goes away? Unlike owning a physical format thatâs gone into hundreds of hands, thereâs a chance a lot of the music on the site will disappear with it.
Gerard: Yeah, what happens when SoundCloud goes away? And it will go away. Where will that stuff go? Whereâs it backed up? Thatâs a very good point. The fact that some kid in the Midwest can be sitting in front of his computer, listening to some insane, hip-hop, drone guitar piece that was done in West Africa and recorded on a cellphoneâthereâs no gatekeeper there. Thatâs cool. Iâm not going to say itâs punk rock. Weâre always seeing things through this prism of punk rock and DIY culture. Itâs very limiting. The next cool thing to excite us will likely not remind us of 1975 or 1967 or 1991. Thatâs the way the world works. Itâs constantly changing. And we can either change with it or sit around and bitch and moan. But that experience that Iâm talking aboutââI stumbled across this and itâs amazingââthat doesnât happen so often anymore. Now what weâre getting is the PR thing you were talking about. So much of the online content you see, on sites both big and small, the gatekeeper is now the PR person. Spotify is the single most powerful way for people to discover music now. But access to Spotify is limited. Small labels canât deal with them directly. They need to go through a middleman who takes a cut. Spotifyâs playlistsâI mean, who needs DJs and rock journalists now that we have playlists.
Ryan: Right. So many radio stations arenât even manned nowadays. Â Â
Gerard: Yeah. The thing with these playlists, theyâre not being programmed by music fans. Spotify is programming their playlists by meetings theyâve had with labelsâ marketing departments. Itâs just another version of commercial radio. It might even be tighter and more limiting than commercial radioâs programming. But now there wonât be community radio to compete with them. The whole experience of listening to KALX, WHRB or WFMU and having your mind blown, or having a record clerk force you to listen to a record that opens up new doorsâthatâs not going to happen. It may sound old fashioned, like an older person bemoaning the passing of the manual typewriter. But that stuff was cool because it was human. I get worked up over it because a lot of the best friendships in my life came across in situations where I was surrounded by kooks and creeps in record stores and weirdos with late-night radio programs. By people who put on their own gigs and put out their own records. Of course, men and women of all background. You get rid of all thisâmusic gets controlled by a larger entity than I think people recognize. Itâs dangerous.
Ryan: On a more optimistic note, what do you have coming out on 12XU? And before I forget, I want to mention that the recent Gary Wrong double LP collection you released was excellent.
Gerard: Oh, thank you. Chad (Booth) is one of the great figures of underground music. I wish he was better recognized and put one of his bands on the road for seven months. Heâd just destroy everyone. Whether it was the Gary Wrong Group or Wizzard Sleeveâheâs one of the best. To my mind, heâs a real evil visionary. Whatever he does next will be killer for sure. Next up is a 7â collaboration between Spray Paint and Ben Mackie who is in Cuntz. That should be out in a couple of weeks. The Golden Boys will have a new LP out in October. They recorded it with Stuart Sikes. Itâs their first album in five years. Early next year weâll have a record by Charnel Grounds which is a collaboration between Kid Millions of Oneida, Chris Brokaw and James McNew of Yo La Tengo. Thereâs a new Unholy Two album thatâs getting finished. And a single from Austin band Missing Pages will be out, featuring Steve Svacina formerly of Sweet Talk. Â
Ryan: I wanted to ask you a couple more questions. Did you ever have any in-depth conversations with GG (Allin)?
Gerard: Yes. I think I played three shows with GG. I recorded an album (You Give Love a Band Name, 1987) with him. I spent a substantial amount of time in his company. While fully acknowledging GGâs many faultsâhe did do a lot of nasty things to peopleâhe was a somewhat complicated person. I donât want to speak ill of the dead; GG isnât here to piss all over the lunch Iâm eating. GG could be very, very funny, extremely lucid and even reasonable to hang out with. But there were other moments that were a little more unhinged. I think there were two things going on with him. He did a lot of drugs, which obviously affected him. GG also liked attention. There was a certain point where he really liked being egged on. People were going to shows wanting to see him be GG Allin. At that point, it began to lose a lot of appeal to me.
Ryan: That period where GG was going on Geraldo. Â
Gerard: Again, I know this sounds terrible because it appears as though Iâm condoning violence against audience members. Iâm not. Iâm just saying that people who were going to GGâs shows thinking, âOh, I hear heâs the rock ânâ roll wild man. Itâs supposed to be the New York Dolls meets blah, blah, blah.â I mean, having a dude in a jock strap stand next to them, and then having him throw shit on them before getting the plug pulled after fifteen minutesâthatâs kind of an amazing moment. I donât want to see anybody get hurt. But there was something very funny about these folks who supposedly were into dangerous rock ânâ roll. âI like punk.â And they go to GGâs show and itâs a total disaster. That had some appeal to me. But when it switched to, âOh, I want to go to the show because GGâs going to throw shit at somebody, or GGâs going to punch somebody in the face. I hope it ends in a riot.â And then when it doesnât end in a riot, theyâre disappointedâthatâs when I began to lose interest. At that point, you might as well check out the Rolling Stones at your nearest stadium.
The other thing about GG, he wasnât a phony. He wasnât Perry Farrell or Marilyn Manon trying to get their shit into Hot Topic. GG owned it. He was a scared and messed up person, and heâd show you it on stage. Â
Ryan: I remember in Hated itâs mentioned that he showed up to high school in Vermont in the early â70s dressed up in drag. He wasnât going to the Mercer to play to a bunch of Velvet Underground fans. That was pretty hardcore.
Gerard: Anybody at that time doing that in rural America, he was an absolute American original.
Ryan: And Iâll ask for the last time: whenâs that Conflict anthology coming out? Â
Gerard: Never. It just wasnât very good. There was some passable stuff in the last two years of the magazine. But the first few years were really, really bad. There were people who really liked the magazine and thatâs flattering. But I donât think itâs worth an anthology.
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so here is my fic for anyone who wants to see it. thank u for liking my post, i appreciate it.Â
Basic summary: OT7, Fantasy, A world where magical beings rule - alternatively, a world where humans are at the bottom of the society. Totally looked down upon for not having magical powers. This is based off an AU my friend Sami made a long time ago, and when she showed me, I was inspired to create this. Thank you, Sami, for coming up with this phenomenal AU and allowing me to write something based off of it. <3
In this world, magic is universal. Mythical creatures exist, except theyâre not called mythical creatures, theyâre called neighbors, friends, and family. Elves, dragons, nymphs, unicorns, demons, anything anyone can even think of, including uncategorized beings, ones who havenât been identified in this realm.Â
And of course, everyone in this world is born with a certain ability. Someone might have the ability to duplicate themselves, sense malicious forthcoming, or travel through different dimensions. Thatâs what Sunggyu can do.
Heâs been to the human realm a few times before, just to see what itâs like. He can hop from different dimensions, and heâs been to over 340 of them so far. It takes up a lot of his energy though, so he does it whenever he has enough. Thatâs kind of the thing with magic - itâs a limited amount, and everyone has to recharge themselves after using it.Â
Itâs also probably why no one really fights with magic anymore. Itâs not worth wasting energy on someone else when you could use it for something useful. Thatâs what the Council of Elders have told Sunggyu, at least. Heâs been getting skeptical of the Council lately. Some things just donât add up.Â
As heâs thinking and walking across the cobbled streets, Sunggyu passes by a floating orb, which tells him there will be a talent show tomorrow night on the corner of Charmed and Dove. Heâs never heard of Charmed and Dove, but he takes the orb and puts it in his coat pocket for later.Â
Just when Sunggyu is about to turn around and head back to a friendâs place, he sees a young boy, no older than 17, pushed out onto the street by the store owner. The owner has a boarâs head and patchy skin, with a bit of drool dripping down from his mouth.
âAnd stay out, you useless scum,â the ogre snarls. He slams the wooden door behind him, and even Sunggyu has a chill run down his spine. He knows never to mess with those types of ogres, especially after getting caught by one during his dimension hops.Â
When Sunggyu looks back at the boy, he seems to be hurt. Probably scraped his leg or twisted his ankle and fell. Heâs gathering up his clothes to put into the suitcase the store owner threw at him.Â
Not knowing the situation, Sunggyu walks over to the boy, gently touching his shoulder. The boy flinches and then looks up at him.Â
Sunggyu pulls out a blue vial and hands it over to him.Â
âOh, what- what is this?â
âItâs a healing potion. Take it, you look like you hurt yourself.â
âAhh, thank you, but I canât take that,â he says, nervously darting his eyes around. He goes back to picking up his clothes and stuffing it in his suitcase.
âTake it, I have plenty more I can make,â Sunggyu encourages him.
Before he knows it, he can hear the heavy breathing of the hog-headed creature behind him. âDonât bother with him, sir. Heâs a weakling,â he says in a gravelly voice. âA human.â He says the last word as if itâs the lowest, most despicable thing heâs ever said.Â
At that, the young boy flinches again, and this time, Sunggyu can see the little reddish purple marks scattered across his body.Â
âDid you do this?â Sunggyu says defensively, still looking over the boyâs bruises. Human or not, no one deserves to be punished for who they are.
âTrash like him deserve it,â the ogre scoffs. Sunggyu clenches his teeth and takes a good look at the creature behind him.
âIf you mean to say that this is the behavior you have towards your employees, Iâll have to bring this issue up to the Council of Elders.â As Sunggyu says this, the ogreâs eyes widen and for a second, he looks completely dumbfounded. Everyone knows that Sunggyu has ties to the Council of Elders. It doesnât mean he agrees with every word that comes out of their mouths, though. Then the ogre regains his composure.
âWhy you-!â he snarls.
âRun,â Sunggyu tells the boy, and he grabs his hand and they sprint away from the hog-headed creature.Â
They duck into a nearby alleyway, and Sunggyu covers his cape over the young boy and himself and they find themselves on a different street. Sure, Sunggyu can dimension hop, but he can also hop to places in his own world. Itâs more energy efficient, plus heâs lazy.Â
Sunggyu sighs in relief. Theyâre safe for now, thankfully. He uncovers his cape to tell the boy this, but he gets a punch up the nose instead. The boy runs away, but before he can turn the corner, he floats up into the air.Â
âWait! Wai- wait,â Sunggyu gasps, clutching his nose and stomach. That kid sure is fast.Â
Around the corner comes Sungyeol, a mischievous fairy that Sunggyu also encountered during one of his dimension hops.Â
âYou know,â Sunggyu says, waving his finger and trying to catch his breath, âyouâre always here at the right time, Sungyeol. Have you been keeping tabs on me?â
ââCourse not, boss. I can just sense when you need my assistance. Which is like, everyday,â Sungyeol smirks.
âDonât make me regret bringing you here,â Sunggyu warns, biting back a smile. Heâll never admit it, but heâs forever grateful for Sungyeol.Â
âWhoâs the kid?â the fairy says, bringing their attention back to the human in midair.Â
âI donât know his name. Letâs bring him down - but keep him at a distance,â Sunggyu says, rubbing his nose. âHe packs a pretty hard punch.â
~~~~~~
Sungjong is the kidâs name. Heâs 17, as Sunggyu suspected, and heâs trying to find jobs here and there just to make a living. He keeps his identity secret, which clearly doesnât last long.Â
Sungjong is skinny. The last proper meal he had was when his mother made him chicken soup and left him on the streets, unable to care for him anymore. âIt makes sense,â Sungjong reasons. âI mean, thereâs not a lot of food here that I can eat anyway. I just made things harder for her.â
âWho was your mother?â Sungyeol asks, disbelief drawn all over his face. âLike shit, I know my parents werenât that great, but who leaves their kid- âÂ
One glare from Sunggyu and Sungyeol shuts up immediately.
âSo, how have you been surviving since then?â
Sungjong hesitates. âI just⌠have,â he says softly, looking down at his hands.Â
âSo what can you eat?â Sungyeol asks. Sunggyu elbows him, and the fairy makes a face at him.
âUm⌠thereâs a few things. Like carrots and strawberries. And chicken. Potatoes. And bread, I love bread.â Thereâs a hint of a smile on Sungjongâs face, but it vanishes as quickly as it appeared. âThereâs not much to find around here though. Charmed and Dove is mostly where we get-â Sungjong stops, frozen. âI mean, where I get um. I get uh-â
âCharmed and Dove?â Sunggyu asks. It sounds familiar. Then he remembers the orb in his pocket. He takes it out, and holds it for Sungjong to see.
âYou mean this place? Theyâre holding a talent show tomorrow night.â
The humanâs eyes widen. âHow did you get this? Itâs only for the-â He covers his mouth with his hands.
He says something but itâs muffled, and Sungyeol doesnât have the time for this, so he tugs Sungjong's hands down and onto the table. âSpit it out, already. Otherwise Iâll blast you up in the air again.â
Sungjong gulps.Â
âPromise you wonât hurt me and Iâll tell you,â Sungjong says. Sunggyu and Sungyeol both nod at him to continue.
Sungjong explains how thereâs an underground organization of humans roaming around, and most of them stick together since, well, everybody hates them, so they only have each other to support and take care of. They occasionally meet up at Charmed and Dove to exchange goods and provide any type of new information about humans. They also have a talent show every few months where they perform on stage, which is concealed with Mist. No sound can come out or in, and any being who walks towards it forgets why they came there in the first place and backs away - which keeps the humans safe from harm.
âYou wonât hurt them, though, right?â Sungjong asks, desperation lacing his voice. He looks at Sunggyu with his big, innocent bunny eyes. His trembling hands donât go unnoticed. Sunggyu nods, and he sees the young one relax his shoulders the slightest bit.Â
âHey, Sungyeol, can you see if we have any edible food for our guest? Iâm sure heâs hungry,â Sunggyu says.Â
âSure.â Sungyeol brings back a plate filled with food for Sungjong, and he starts eating it almost immediately after itâs set down on the table.Â
After a while, Sungjong falls asleep on the couch in Sunggyuâs living room.Â
âSo⌠what do we do now, boss?âÂ
Before Sunggyu can say anything, thereâs a dinging sound and a screen pops up in the kitchen above the sink. A garbled voice comes out, and Sunggyu instantly winces.Â
âI forgot I was meeting up with Howon today,â he says, clicking his tongue. Howon could potentially kill Sunggyu for ditching him again today. He walks over to the screen and sees a wet haired naiad glaring at him with his dark blue eyes.Â
âHowon! Itâs great to see you again!â Sungyeol crows, not making the situation any better. Sunggyu almost elbows him again but gets splashed through the screen. Oh, right. Sunggyu forgot Howon could do that.Â
âI canât believe you flaked on me again, Sunggyu. This is the third time in a row already,â Howon huffs.Â
âSorry! I got caught up with something so I couldnât make it to our little date,â Sunggyu says, wiping his face with his sleeves. âForgive me?â
âDo it one more time and Iâll send the sea urchins after you,â Howon glares. Then he furrows his brows a little. âHey⌠is there someone with you?â
âUh, I donât know what youâre talking about, itâs just the two of us,â Sungyeol says, standing closer beside Sunggyu.Â
âIâm not a dumbass, Sungyeol, thereâs someone clearly sleeping on your couch,â Howon scoffs. He comes through the screen, water dripping everywhere, and sloshes over to where Sungjong is lying down.Â
âHowon, donât bother him, heâs sleeping,â Sunggyu says. He canât touch Howon right now, otherwise heâll make a huge puddle on his living room floor. This is Howonâs virtual version, Sunggyuâs learned. He can make video calls from where he lives and come right in through the screen, but if anyone even grazes him, he falls apart. Face to face, it could never happen though, and heâs more powerful that way, which is why Howon prefers to meet up in person.Â
âWho is he? Iâve never seen him before,â he garbles, tilting his head. He turns to Sunggyu. âWhatâs his power?â
Sunggyu hesitates. Sungyeol starts coughing and walks away.Â
âHe⌠doesnât have one, does he?â Sunggyu sighs, shaking his head. âYou do realize youâre basically fu-â
âI know, I know⌠itâs just. This ogre pissed me off,â Sunggyu blurts out. Howon rolls his eyes, looking angry.
 âHey, both of you, come over here. I donât want the kid to hear us,â Sungyeol says. They move over to the kitchen and speak in hushed voices.
âYouâre not normally one to defy the Council of Elders, Sunggyu, whatâs changed? Humans are practically worthless here, and youâve never cared for them until now,â Howon whispers, an edge to his tone. Sunggyu purses his lips.Â
âAnd you,â Howon points a finger at Sungyeol, âyou just follow his orders like a minion? Let the human stay here, for - for what? I thought fairies were solely concerned for their own well being?â
âHowon, stop it,â Sunggyu grits his teeth.
âAm I wrong? Whatâs going on with you two? You know harboring a human is illegal, right? Or do I have to read you the document again?â
âWhy are you getting so worked up about this?â Sungyeol hisses. âItâs not your responsibility, if anything, itâs ours, and if we get in trouble, we get in trouble.â
âThatâs why Iâm worried! If you get in trouble, who knows whatâll happen to you both!â Even through Howonâs garbled voice, Sunggyu can hear the tension behind it.
âLook,â Sunggyu sighs, being careful not to touch Howonâs shoulder, âThereâs an event going on tomorrow and weâre going to drop him off there and leave, okay?â
âWe are?â Sungyeol asks.
âYes. Heâs most likely terrified being here with us, especially since we have powers and he doesnât. I also donât want to make him feel even more uncomfortable.â
âAll right,â Howon says, crossing his arms. He looks back at the boy, and he feels the tiniest swirl around his heart. Turning back, he says, âIâll be going then. Expect a jelly in a few minutes. I need to gather my thoughts.â He splashes back into the screen above the sink and disappears, turning off the call.Â
âWhatâs a jelly?â Sungyeol asks.Â
âJellyfish. Like a text, but water nymph style,â Sunggyu replies.
Sure enough, in the next ten minutes or so, they both receive a jelly, saying, âI mean well. I apologize for getting upset earlier and for saying what I said. But, letâs just keep the humans at a distance. Please. I donât want anyone to get hurt.
P.S. Sungyeol you owe me tokens for the arcade. Iâm still waiting for the rematch with the mermaids who stole them from you.â
âYou went to an arcade without me?â Sunggyu says, offended.
âYou said you were busy! I thought that meant you were in a different universe!â
Sunggyu scoffs, âWow⌠I canât believe this.â
âYou didnât miss out on much, the tokens got stolen anyway,â Sungyeol groans, remembering those seductive mermaids.Â
âYou deserved it,â Sunggyu pouts. âI wanted to play, too.â
âWhat a baby,â Sungyeol says, laughing. âI canât believe youâre older than me!â
âShut up,â Sunggyu pouted even more. Sungyeol gave him a hug.Â
âIâll give you some more healing potions in exchange for your smileâŚâ Sungyeol sings. Sunggyu rolls his eyes, but canât help but grin just the slightest bit.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
âWeâre here,â Sungjong says, opening up a curtain of leaves. Inside, they can see a wooden stage with torches lit up around it. Round tables with white cloths on top of them are placed in front of the stage, with children giggling and chasing each other, weaving through them. Thereâs people chatting with each other at almost every table, and it seems like a family gathering rather than a talent show.Â
âAre you sure we can go here?â Sungyeol asks, practically hiding behind Sungjong.Â
âCome in and Iâll introduce you to one of my friends,â Sungjong says. âHeâs kind of like you guys.â
He walks in and immediately the three of them are greeted by a number of people. Eventually, they make their way in to a table where two middle aged humans are sitting.Â
âMeet my quote unquote adoptive parents,â Sungjong introduces them. The woman is short and round, with a long black bob and a radiant smile. The man standing next to her is tall and straight, with some chin stubble and squinted eyes. The woman reaches out her hand first. Sunggyu takes it, his palms sweating from nervousness.
âHi, Iâm Mina. Nice to meet youâŚ?â
âAh, Iâm Sunggyu,â he says, hoping his smile doesnât come off too big. The man seems to be judging him, but Sunggyu canât tell if he is, or if heâs just trying to make out Sunggyuâs face. He pulls out his small glasses and places it on the bridge of his nose.Â
âJaehyun,â the man says, extending his hand. He has a faded tattoo on the inside of his wrist, a little symbol of some sort - Sunggyu canât make it out. He takes his hand and shakes it.Â
âNice to meet you, Jaehyun,â Sunggyu chuckles nervously. He has a strong grip, and Sunggyu really wants him to let go quickly so he can wipe his sweaty hands on his pants.Â
Sungyeol says his greetings as well, and Sunggyu can see him perspiring as he nods his head and smiles. At least heâs not the only one.
âJJONGIEEEEEE!â Someone yells. Sungjong turns around and finds one of his friends, and introduces him to Sunggyu and Sungyeol.Â
âMeet my friend, Dongwoo,â Sungjong smiles, eager to see him. âHeâs actually going to be performing tonight.âÂ
âPerforming what?â Sungyeol asks. Sunggyu is honestly wondering the same thing. Ever since he heard that the talent show was for humans, he wondered what kinds of talents they had that were different from the magic surrounding them.Â
Sunggyu felt his hairs stand on end. The air had a different feel than when Dongwoo came. âCuriosity killed the cat,â a figure behind Dongwoo said. Someone peeked from behind and gave a dimpled smile. âOr so they say,â he adds on. âStay for the show and youâll see. Iâm Myungsoo, by the way.â
âHeâs actually the biological son of my parents. Except heâs also able to cast spells. Myungsooâs the one I told you guys about earlier. Heâs one of the few that has human parents and magical powers too.â Sunggyu and Sungyeol both immediately relax after hearing that. Sungjong then leans in and whispers, âheâs an odd one.âÂ
âHey! I heard you,â Myungsoo pouts. He mutters something about insecurity and then Sungjong says, âdonât worry, Myungsoo, theyâre like you too.â At this, the witchâs eyes light up, and actually start glowing a warm yellow.Â
Dongwoo gasps, then says, âWait, does that mean you have human paren- âÂ
âANYWAYS, I heard the show is starting soon. Dongwoo, you should get ready to go on stage, youâre the first performer,â Sungjong says, practically saving the two magical beings. He shoos Dongwoo and Myungsoo both away, and leaves Sunggyu and Sungyeol at the table with his parents.
Everyone begins to settle into their seats, but Sunggyu can still hear some chattering amongst the humans.Â
Thereâs a lot of them, he notices. Sunggyu didnât even know how many humans were in this world but ever since they walked in, it seemed like there were a little over a hundred. Sungjong also mentioned that a lot of them werenât able to make it because they lived far away or had other responsibilities to tend.Â
The lights dim and a spotlight comes on a short man holding a microphone in his hands. Heâs wearing a circus ringleader outfit so Sunggyu assumes heâs the one who will introduce all the acts.
âWelcome all! Do we have a sight to see tonight⌠Keep your eyes open, folks, otherwise youâll miss some of our great performers! Ahh, and I see some new faces in the crowd today! I hope you enjoy the show. Now, letâs get started. The first performer will be Jang Dongwoo. Come on up, Dongwoo! Show âem what youâve got!â The ringleader walks down the steps and Dongwoo comes out on stage.
His performance is poetry. He talks about how sometimes he feels like magical beings should cut humans some slack, because they canât really do anything. Instead, maybe put the ones who treat them unfairly behind bars, they donât need the kids to see them behave that way. Well, Dongwoo says it in a much better way, but that was the gist of it.Â
By the time he finishes, everyone is standing up and giving him an applause. Sunggyu realizes heâs never heard the humansâ side of the story, only what the Council of Elders and other magical beings have told him.Â
As every act comes up, Sunggyu learns something new about the humans. Some of them are funny, telling jokes and making expressions. Some of them can bend their bodies into really weird shapes and still smile after thatâs done. There are dancers, even actual magicians who bring out doves from a single hat (Sunggyu has seen that plenty of times but a human doing that? Incredible).Â
And then comes a new, dangerous act. The ringleader even falters a little when he introduces Nam Woohyun, who will be performing with sharp knives.
Woohyun comes out onto the stage, wheeling in a cart filled with different objects, including knives and swords. The ringleader puts down his mic and speaks to Woohyun in a hushed tone. He whispers something back, a grin on his face when he pulls away. The ringleader nods and gives the stage to Woohyun.
He starts off by showing the audience a long sword. Woohyun doesnât say anything, and then he opens his mouth.
And puts the sword in his throat.
Thereâs gasps from all over the audience, people standing up so quickly from their seats that their chairs fall over, Sunggyu being one of them. Heâs gaping at the man on stage. How is this possible? Not even the blacksmiths he knows dare to do this.Â
And to make it even worse, Woohyun puts another sword down his throat. He doesnât seem hurt at all, though, which Sunggyu takes as a good sign. Soon after, Woohyun carefully takes the swords out of his mouth, and everyone takes a sigh of relief. Thereâs applause all around, and Woohyun nods in acknowledgement.Â
âNow for the next part, Iâll need a volunteer,â Woohyun says, scanning the crowd. His eyes land on Sunggyu, whoâs still standing up.
âWhy thank you! You in the cloak, please come on up!â Woohyun grins.
âLooks like youâre up, Sunggyu,â Sungyeol says, patting his back. âGood luck.â
Sunggyu doesnât realize heâs walked to the stage until heâs on it and Woohyun is walking towards him with some black ribbon.
Thereâs a wooden circle board, as big as Sunggyu himself. He backs up to it as Woohyun comes even closer.Â
âRight, just like that,â he smiles, and Sunggyu forgets to breathe. The humanâs hair falls across his face as he looks down, and Sunggyu thinks the human is oddly beautiful. But as Woohyun ties his hands to the board, Sunggyu tenses up.Â
As if sensing this, Woohyun says, âRelax. Iâve done this dozens of times. I wonât hurt you,â looking up at Sunggyu and silently telling him to trust him. Then he comes close, too close, and whispers, âmaybe just a little.â Woohyun gives Sunggyu a wink as he steps away, looking back at the audience again.
He says something but itâs muffled, and Sunggyu thinks itâs probably the blood rushing to his head. Breathe, just breathe, itâll be over soon. As soon as Woohyun turns around and pulls back his arm, Sunggyu closes his eyes. He hears three quick bursts of air and then suddenly everyoneâs clapping again. Is he dead? Did he enter the afterlife? Is that why he hears the applause?
âYou can open your eyes now,â a voice says, untying the cloth around his wrists. Sunggyu blinks back to life and sees two soft brown eyes looking back at him. âSorry if I scared you.âÂ
Letting out a shaky breath, Sunggyu says, âThat⌠was amazing.â
The human lets out a short laugh. âThanks. We better get off stage for the next act. Iâll talk to you more after, though. Whatâs your name?â
âSunggyu,â he says, staring at Woohyun in awe.Â
âNice. Iâll see you later then, Sunggyu,â the human gives him a short salute and pushes the cart backstage.Â
When Sunggyu returns to his seat, Sungyeol waves a hand in front of his face.
âYo, are you like⌠okay? You look like youâre in a trance.â He gasps. âIs he a witch too? Did he cast a spell on you? Hey Sung-â
âIâm fine, Iâm fine,â Sunggyu says, pushing Sungyeol away. Honestly, he did feel a little entranced by Woohyun, but he shakes off the thought.Â
Falling for a human? Pfft. As if.
~~~~~~
#personal#fanfics#infinite#ot7#this is my favorite story i have ever written#but i am stuck and can't seem to continue it.#i did not include all of it because it's too much#and i doubt anyone will read this#but im just posting it on here if anyone by chance stumbles upon this#and wants to read more of it (and give me feedback)#hope you enjoy
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Chapter 86: "Rotate, Mr. President."
#Paula reads SBR#Chapter 86#HOORAY VIOLENCE#GET REKT MR. PRESIDENT#this is the best schadenfreude since Diego placed 45th that other time#Steel Ball Run spoilers#Part 7 spoilers
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cat leaps
chapter 4: heel turn
1 | 2 | 3
break dance au
thanks to @lay-it-on-me-lahey, the real mvp
read on ao3
whatchu gon do with that dessert - dessert (remix); dawin, silentĂł
Marinette zig zags in between the tables in the ice cream parlour, trying to keep the massive sundae stationary on the tray. Sheâs lucky she manages to make it to the table her friends are sitting at without a disaster. She takes a quiet pride in it.
Nino grins at her from his spot in the booth. His arm is thrown not-so-subtly over the back of the bench i.e. behind Alyaâs shoulders. Marinette resists a groan.
âNice of you to join us,â he grins at her.
âWhere do you work again, Nino?â she asks airily.
His grin falls. Good.
âCan you put it in the middle please, Marinette?â Alya asks, eyes glued to her laptop screen.
âNo thanks.â
Alya looks up. âWhat? Why?â
Marinette rolls her eyes at the whine in her voice. âYou owe me for the last five sundaes. If I keep putting it on my tab 1ââ she puts up a finger of her free hand ââMme Kurtzberg is going to stop allowing me to do it, and 2ââ she puts up another finger ââI wonât have any money left. These things arenât cheap.â
âI know, thatâs why I use your employee discount.â
âI donât have an employee discount.â
Alya pouts. âJust this once? Last time, I promise.â
Marinette nearly caves from her pout but she closes her eyes and takes a deep breath.
âYou said that last week,â she says.
Nino looks like heâs about to say something but Marinette shoots him a glare. He tried to sneak her the money last time in her apron pocket, but this isnât his price to pay.
Alya leans back into her seat, arching her brow knowingly.
âIs this because youâre still intent on making Chat Noir some new clothes?â
Heat rushes up Marinetteâs neck. âNo! I literally have every other thing in my life to save for! The Academy has upped the tuition this yearââ
âYeah,â Nino mutters, ânot cool.â
ââdemanding a contribution from scholarship students, I still have to pay for Ladybugâs entry for Miraculousââ
âOkay,â Alya points out, âbut thatâs not due for another few weeks.â
ââand I would actually like to be able to afford some new clothes!â
Alya doesnât buy it. âHis hoodie just really bothers you, doesnât it?â
Marinette sighs. Theyâve had four practices so far and every time, Chat Noir has turned up in his signature thick black hoodie. Sure, it really hides his body, the hood does a good job of keeping his face in the shadows, but the drawbacks. Heâs going to faint in the heat one of these days and Marinette will have to call an ambulance for him and if he doesnât recover in time for Miraculous and theyâll be down their best dancer.
âSo much. So much, Alya, I get hot just looking at him. I spent more money than I would like on some new fabrics. Iâve pinned the pattern down, all I need are his exact measurements. Also his outfit is an eyesore. It physically pains me to see a dancer in clothes like that. We all deserve nice clothes. Itâs one of the ten commandments.â
âItâs definitely not.â
Nino tries to cut in. âYou guys know Iâll pay forââ
âNO,â the girls say firmly.
âThen allow me,â says a new voice.
Before she can react, Marinette has a crisp twenty euro note pressed into her free hand courtesy of the sublime Adrien Agreste. The moment she meets his eyes her brain short circuits from an information overload. His friendly, polite smile; his proximity; his hand that is on her hand.
âHrrngh bublng,â Marinette replies.
She immediately wants to dive out the storefront windows.
Adrien frowns in confusion (or maybe itâs concern? When will this boy stop being so good) at her.
Sheâs not used to him. A week and a half of their tentative friendship and she is still not used to him. She hopes thereâs a time limit. She really hopes she doesnât have to act like a fool 24/7 for the rest of their friendship.
Nino and Marinette have taken to hanging out with him at the academy. Heâs good company. Nino warmed up to him immediately and Marinette can definitely see why. Adrien is charming, kind, warm, and can even be occasionally funny. Heâs relaxed enough in demeanour to keep up with Nino and passionate enough to keep Marinette interested.
And heâs really, really smart. (Itâs kind of a turn on.)
Theyâd invited him to the parlour this afternoon. Alya, being in university, hasnât met him before today.
Adrien is about to ask her whatâs wrong, she can see it, when Alya comes swooping in to rescue her.
âI am not paying you back twenty euro, Agreste,â she says, plucking a spoon from the tray when Marinette sets it down. âBut thanks.â
âItâs wonderful to meet you, Alya,â he says, holding out his hand. âAnd thereâs nothing to thank me for.â
Alya quirks an eyebrow and smiles. Alya approved.
She shakes his hand. âYeah, yeah, rich boy. Tell me that when you donât have so much money and youâll understand why there is.â
When Adrien blushes Marinette has to take a moment to turn her head, mutter âOh my godâ under her breath, and swallow a couple of times before she can turn back with a smile.
âWell thanks from me too,â Marinette says. She is an adult for heavenâs sake, she can talk to a boy. âIâll get your change now.â
âKeep it,â he says.
She looks at him flatly. âNo.â
âNot even as a tip?â
âI donât take tips from my friends.â
He gives her a strange sort of smileâhalf-soft, half-uncertain and itâs a testament to her wavering resilience that sheâs able to smile back. She doesnât know what his meant but it sure pulled the pins out of her knees.
âDonât fight it, Agreste,â Alya says through a mouth full of chocolate deluxe sundae. She shovels in another bite before she continues. âItâs not worth it.â
Marinette finds relief when he turns his head to Alya.
âYouâre, uh,â Nino says, âyouâre really chomping down into that sundae, Alya.â
Nino is watching her eat with a hilarious blend of mild fear and reverence. Marinette rolls her eyes from behind the cash register and goes back to hand Adrien his change.
âMmffhmm.â
They all watch as she continues to load in bite after bite. âHave toââ chomp ââsquad practiceââ chomp ââtonightââ chomp ââhave a lotââ chomp ââto organise.â
Chomp.
âYouâre going to get brain freeze,â Marinette says, sliding Adrienâs change across the table to him . She might be keeping some semblance of cool right now but if she touches him she will probably spontaneously combust.
âPractice?â Adrien asks.
âYeah,â Marinette says. âAlya is the captain of this hip hop group. She takes it very seriously.â
Nino winks at her surreptitiously and she aims an equally as surreptitious kick at him under the table.
âAnd thereâs practice tonight.â
Marinette nods. It will be their fourth practice. Adrien hums, his face politely interested.
âThere wasnât meant to be,â Alya says. âBut I had to cancel tomorrow so I sent everyone a text this morning, I think. Except this one guy. But he never gave me his number. So I put it up on the Facebook page. I think heâs in the group, but Iâm not sure. Either heâs the one with the profile of a vampireâsolid black profile pic I shit you notâor Iâve let some random person by the name of âChat Noirâ into it by accidentâ
âAh,â Adrien says.
Alya turns to Marinette. âWill you sweet talk Chat Noir into giving us his number please? He seems to have a soft spot for you.â
Marinette snorts. âSure. As long as you let me take his measurements after practice.â
âDeal.â
âHis measurements?â Adrien asks.
Marinette feels shy suddenly, her cheeks heating up again. Sure Adrien is their friend, but he doesnât know about her hobby. He doesnât know how she likes to design clothes and dance costumes. Itâs something she usually saves for herself, or the people closest to her. If sheâs wearing one of the things sheâs made and someone asks about it, sheâll tell them, but sheâs never really talked about it with someone who hasnât been in with her.
(Never mind someone sheâs hopelessly crushing on.)
Alya beats her to it. âMarinette has this thing where she likes to design clothes and apparently this Chat Noir kid is wearing something thatâs driving her crazy. She thinks heâs suffocating himself. So she wants his measurements to design something to help him not die of heatstroke.â
âAlya!â Marinette hisses. âYouâre making me sound like Iâm obsessed!â
âHoney, that kid has no idea the value of a Marinette-made outfit. Youâre probably gonna make it look cooler than anything heâs ever worn in his life. He doesnât seem like heâd know fashion if he were dropped into an issue of Vogue.â
Adrien coughs lightly, his grin sun bright. âI think thatâs really generous of you, Marinette. You obviously donât have to do it, but even the thought of it is especially kind.â
Marinette canât keep eye contact. Itâs bad enough her whole heart has melted at the compliment, but with his eyes on her itâs like her skin is going to drip off any second now too.
âYes, well,â she mumbles. âItâs mostly because I need to get his size for the squadâs uniforms.â
Nino shrugs. âOr youâre actually cool with becoming his friend and youâre doing something nice. That works too, you know.â
âShut up and eat your ice cream.â She wipes her hands on her apron. âIâll see you after practice Alya.â
âSure thing, girl.â
She hesitates but then, âIâll see you later, Adrien?â
âIâll see you later, Marinette.â
She smiles back.
~
âYouâreâgoing to dieâjust so you know.â
Marinette tries to keep her voice under the volume of the music as she twists around Chat Noir.
âDonât worryââ he drops low as she opens her legs in a wide pliĂŠ in front of him ââmy Ladyââ he slides through and weaves his body upright ââthis alley catââ they slide into formation with the rest of the group ââknows how toââ he spins away for his solo and she when he finishes she slides right back in beside him ââprotect himself.â
His last words are punctuated with a big grin.
She rolls her eyes and concentrates on the routine for the last few bars of the song, the warmth of his smile lingering in the air.
Or maybe itâs the heat radiating off him because heâs back in that ridiculous hoodie.
Heâs so hot, little black-tinted beads of sweat are rolling down his cheeks and dropping off his sharp jaw. His face is red beneath his grease paint and heâs panting hard.
Heâs not going to get relief anytime soon either. Marinette can see Alyaâs frown from where she stands by the end of the hall and itâs aimed right at him. Sheâs working herself up to chew Chat Noir out for arriving 20 minutes late to practice.
If thereâs one thing Alya likes itâs punctuality, and one of her dancers late for practice is enough to make her sour for the next couple of hours.
The group finishes the routine and Marinette turns, panting, to where Chat Noir stands.
âWhy were you late anyway?â
Before he can answer, Alyaâs loud voice calls through the hall.
âAlright kids. Stretch out, thatâs enough for today.â
Marinette offers him a sympathetic smile and touches his forearm.
âGood luck,â she whispers, before running off to grab her water bottle and duffel bag. If she didnât have to change and take off her stage makeup, Marinette would have stuck around a little longer. She and Chat Noir have settled into a routine of easy conversation as they cool down and stretch out at the end of practice.
She almost canât believe how well they get on. His jokes are cheesy and heâs a little liberal with his charms but there is an endless and intriguing amount of intellect in those eyes of his. They talk about anything, having strayed from the topic of dancing after their first practice and Marinette has found itâs just as easy to talk to him about everything else. Of course, neither of them divulge too many personal details, but there is a natural flow to their friendship that strengthens every time they meet.
So it pains her a little to rush off now and leave him to the dogs. Alya rather.
But sheâs doing this for his sake. If she can change and catch her breath quickly enough, maybe Alya wonât have enough time to get really mad at Chat. She can already hear Alya raising her voice a little from her bathroom stall.
Once sheâs pulled on a new set of clothes, wiped her face, and her cheeks pull off a rosy glow more than tomato red look, she sprints out of the bathroom and back to the dance hall, tucking her sweaty and gross ponytail into a cap.
âIâm here!â she calls, wincing as she interrupts Alyaâs scolding. Her words echo in the room, empty now but for Alya and Chat Noir. They probably high tailed it as soon as Alya started on him.
But now, Alya rounds on Marinette, eyes flashing. Itâs definitely something to be able to take on an angry Alya, but sheâd rather have it be her than Chat Noir, who looks like someone told him he couldnât dance again. She probably gave him the whole spiel of âletting the crew downâ, and the poor kid seems to have really taken it to heart.
She smiles at him and he gives her a small one back.
âHey, Princess,â he says.
âHi, Chat Noir,â she says.
Alya purses her lips. âMarinette. Heâs all yours.â
âIâmâwhat? Hersâwhatââ
âStop talking, Chat Noir. Be glad Marinette took pity on you and came in so early. Donât be late again. This is a strike on your record.â She retrieves her iPod and leaves, shooting Marinette a pointed look.
He looks so surprised that Marinette laughs, as if heâs never had anything but a clean record. Itâs strangely contradictory to what she would have thought about him. A guy like him who, so arrogant and cheeky, one would imagine his record anywhere to be full of spots.
âNowââ Marinette says.
âI have a record here?â
âOf course you do. Alya takes this very seriously and so should you.â
He grins and his whole body relaxes. âI take this as seriously as I take our relationship, Princess.â
She blinks at him. âGreat. Then as a show of good will for this relationship, youâll hold your arms out and let me take your measurements. I need them for the squadâs uniform.â
She studiously avoids his eyes for that last sentence, rummaging around in her duffel for her measuring tape and hoping her excuse is enough. It technically isnât a lie, but the whole truth would just lead to him teasing her for it and she doesnât want to give him chances he wouldnât ordinarily have. This isnât the first time Chat Noir has met Marinette after their initial encounter, but he hasnât stopped teasing her as much as he did the first day.
He frowns slightly. âHave you gotten Ladybugâs measurements yet?â
The question catches her off guard. âUh-uhm, yeah. I have. She gaveâI got them when she came over. The other night. To my house.â She clears her throat and pretends to flatten out a wrinkle in her tape, praying the lie doesnât sound as bad to Chat Noir as it does to her.
âWait,â he says, and she cringes, ready for an accusation sheâll also have to lie her way out of, but he surprises her. âYou know Ladybug personally?â
âYeah,â she says quietly. âWeâve known each other for a long time. Sheâs⌠nice.â
âCool,â he breathes, and the admiration in his voice almost makes her wince. She bites her lip instead.
Sheâs tired of this alreadyâall this secrecy. It weighs down on her having to lie to her parents about what sheâs doing, of not being able to tell them how proud she is about being able to dance like this. Itâs exhausting going into school every morning afraid sheâll somehow slip in her movements and her teachers will realise she has been dancing very differently to how theyâve been instructing her.
But lying to Chat Noir is fast becoming the worst part of this all. He and Ladybug are becoming fast friends, but so are he and Marinette. Thereâs something she has with him, some lightning-strong connection, that sheâs never encountered before and even if they have only known each other a few weeks, theyâre close. Heâs a brilliant person even beyond the dancing and Marinette hates this game, especially when he believes her.
If she didnât have Alya and Nino to talk to and to support her, she doesnât know what she would do.
She sighs quietly when she motions for him to raise his arms.
âSo do you like fashion then?â he says. His voice is lacking the laughter it usually has, strangely soft, and it makes her look up to meet his eyes.
Marinette measures his arm, deciding if she wants to answer.
âYeah,â she says, after taking note of it and moving on to the other one. âIâve been into it ever since I could remember. I like to sew and knit and design. I like to look at all the fashion magazines I can get my hands on and then make up my own. I like fashion.â
He hums. âDo you have any favourite designers?â
She snorts. âWhy, are you looking for tips? Becauseâand I say this as your friendâyou could probably use some.â
He pokes her in the stomach, making her squeak and lose track of measuring his torso. His smile is fond.
âReally,â he presses.
She sighs. âGabriel Agreste.â
She can feel him tense from where she measures his waist, probably tickling him.
âSorry,â she murmurs.
âWhy?â
âWhy am I sorry?â
âNo. Why Gabriel Agreste?â
Marinette writes the measurement down and straightens to look at him. Heâs looking at her like thereâs something fundamental about her he doesnât understand.
âHeâs very clean,â she says slowly, feeling a little unsettled under his gaze. âAll his lines are careful and beautiful and perfectly elegant. If royalty were a style of fashion, Agreste would be it. It reminds me of how much there is to admire in fashion like that, and how much of a challenge it is.â
âA challenge?â
âYeah.â She pokes at his legs to get him to spread them. âTo go against that kind of fashion. To take all those perfect, brilliant lines and throw them out the window. Take the route no one has, you know?â
His eyes havenât changed when she glances up at him and it makes her jut her chin out, defensive, even if she doesnât know why sheâs reacting like this.
âThatâsâŚâ he pauses. âA really inspired way to look at it.â
âThanks,â she says slowly, straightening and putting away her instruments. âNow. I want to talk to you about something.â
His eyes brighten, immediately losing that faraway, thoughtful look. âOh?â He waggles his eyebrows suggestively and she punches his shoulder (not very lightly).
âI need you to wear something lighter to the next squad practice. You canât keep dancing in hoodies this thick, itâs going to kill you. Iâll know if you donât.â
He looks at her surprised for a moment before releasing a bark of laughter.
âIâm not joking! Did you even bring a bottle of water to practice?â
His smile is wide as the whole sun. âIn my defence, I was rushing to get here on time.â
âYou were late.â
âI was rushing to try to get here on time.â
She raises her eyebrows at him. âWhatever. Wear a t-shirt or something on Sunday, okay?â
âI would, Princess,â he frowns, âbut the hoodie helps with the whole hidden identity thing.â
âNo one is going to recognise your biceps if thatâs what youâre worried about.â
She gives him a look before he can reply.
âYouâre going to faint from dehydration one of these days,â she says.
He pouts. âBut I canât cover my face if I donât have a hood.â
âI donât know if youâve seen yourself recentlyâconsider the walls are mirrors hereâbut your whole face is painted black. Who could possibly recognise you?â
He laughs, but itâs a weaker sound than sheâs used to hearing from him. âI would feel more comfortable with additional protection.â
She rolls her eyes at his wording but pulls her cap off her head anyway. âFine.â
She reaches for his hood slowly, giving him time to duck away, and when he doesnât, pushes it back off his head. His eyes donât leave her face as she fits her cap snugly on his head, searching again, but she ignores them.
âThere,â she says. âItâs black and it casts a shadow. Fits perfectly with your aesthetic, no?â
He looks up to catch his reflection in the mirror and when he sees how it still disguises him he grins.
âAh!â he exclaims. âItâs perfect Princess, thank you!â He takes her hand and twirls her around, catching her by surprise.
She laughs despite herself and when he stops to kiss her knuckles sheâs still giggling.
âThank you,â he purrs, and his face is so annoyingly charming that she pushes him away by the nose.
âYouâre shameless,â she says, but it falls flat with her smile.
His pout doesnât seem all that sincere either.
âAnd late,â he says, pulling his phone from his pocket and checking the time. âWell, Princess, this is where I must leave you.â
He goes to leave when she remembers. âOh! Before you go, can I have your number please? Alya isnât sure youâre getting all her messages about the squad, and she thinks it might be easier if I can pass along the message.â
He looks like she threatened to kick a kitten, puzzling her thoroughly.
âI, uh,â she tries, âwonât give it to anyone if thatâs what youâre worried about.â
His mouth opens, then closes. Then opens again. Then closes.
âChat?â she asks.
âIââ he says weakly. âDonât have a phone.â They both look at it, then back at one another. Another few moments pass. âOkaysorryMarinettebye!â
She doesnât even catch her breath before heâs gone, sprinting out like his tail is on fire.
âIââ she says.
What just happened?
#ml#miraculous ladybug#marinette dupain cheng#adrien agreste#break dance au#my writing#my ff#cl#my ml
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