#but no one talks about how being alone makes you a little bit of a freak and that makes people avoid YOU. which makes it even worseter

[clanwarrior-tumbly]

Hi! Could I request a Shadow Milk Cookie x gender neutral reader x Pure Vanilla Cookie?

Poly relationship please? Fluff hcs!

So this started out a little angsty,,, but there's more fluff towards the end!

.....

At the time of your adventure to the Spire of Knowledge Deceit, you and Pure Vanilla were already together.

Despite the Dark Flour War separating you two for many years, you somehow found your way back to each other, vowing to make up for the lost time...

Now your love was being put through another rigorous test within Shadow Milk's domain.

His games, his trials, and all his attempts to sway Pure Vanilla to his side ended up revealing how lonely the Beast truly felt deep down, and seeing you both persevere hand-in-hand didn't help matters.

Of course, being sealed away in a tree for eons would do that to any normal cookie.

So you had a little bit of sympathy for him...even though you initially hated him for turning your beloved into Truthless Recluse and tormenting you and your friends like this.

But you couldn't forget Pure Vanilla's words when he sensed that droplet of darkness in his other half, his desires to have someone to relate to, and the aching loneliness inside...

The next time you saw him, it was actually you who convinced him to join the Cookie Kingdom.

Of course he was against it, thinking it's another trick, until he comes to realize some painfully obvious truths:

His spire was in ruins, he's got nowhere else to run, his minions were acting insufferable, and he still couldn't get the two of you stupid Cookies out of his goddamn head...

So he agrees, but claims it's only to satiate his boredom until his powers return.

Pure Vanilla sees that he finally reconsidered that offer of friendship he previously denied, and that's good progress.

It's not a simple transition, of course, as during the first week or so, Shadow Milk behaves like a stray dog. One that only knew pain and felt like he'd be judged (especially if the other Beasts were already there).

He snaps at you both if you catch him showing vulnerability, vowing to spread devastating rumors and lies throughout the kingdom....

But neither of you are perturbed, and slowly that wall comes down with enough time and patience.

His yearning for companionship starts to show itself more and more, in the form of little puppet shows he does depicting you three.

For the Cookie Kids, it's silly and entertaining, but you and Pure Vanilla know their real meaning.

Eventually, after having a talk with your healer bf, you two approach Shadow Milk with an offer for him to join your relationship.

At first his face is deadpan, before he howls with laughter and asks what the punchline is....only to find out you're serious.

He didn't like the idea of sharing a partner, much less with the one who has his soul jam, but once you begin showering him with attention and affection...he finds himself warming up to you surprisingly fast.

It just clicks that he didn't have to put on a show or make up lies about himself so you'd like him---he could just be, well, himself, and that was enough.

And he finally gets to be with Pure Vanilla, the only one who actually did understand him.

He still thinks you two are foolish to forgive him, considering he tried tearing apart your relationship, but you assure him that's all in the past.

He might not be entirely good, but he can always be better. And he's shown that he wants that.

Once the relationship becomes more established, you begin seeing the stark contrasts in how they each spend quality time with you alone.

You've known Pure Vanilla as a gentle soul who'd take walks through the gardens with you, have deep discussions about life and how much the kingdom has grown since you both had your memories and powers restored, care for the cream sheep and all animals who reside on the kingdom grounds...

And now you've come to know Shadow Milk as a clingy jester who drags you into (harmless) games of chess, cards, etc., convinces you to assist him in pranks, and leaves gifts from the other-realm by your nightstand (mainly plushies and other trinkets resembling himself).

While it was unusual for Black Sapphire and Candy Apple to see their master act this way...he's come to accept it quicker, seeing that his happiness is genuine, while she pouts from time to time about no longer being the "favorite", always giving you the side-eye, but you won her favor after insisting that Shadow Milk paid attention to her at least once in a while.

Eventually, you come to learn of his touch-starved nature, as he frequently shapeshifts into some fluffy animal to cuddle with you and/or Pure Vanilla (and you both know it's him 100% of the time).

He doesn't know how to ask for a hug without sounding pathetic. But you get tired of waiting.

So one day, you just drag him onto the bed for cuddles, giving him no time to disguise himself, and at first he gets upset, especially when the healer walks in and asks why he felt the need to always do that...

Until he realizes how warm and comfortable your embrace is; and with Pure Vanilla on the other side of him, his dough nearly turns to putty, and before you could let go, he clings to you both tighter.

Does he cry into your arms? Yeah. But he won't admit he's crying even if there's tearstains on your clothes and makeup running down his face.

Still, you and Pure Vanilla won't say anything about it and just let him hold you for as long as he needed, happy that he's finally willing to accept this one simple truth into his heart:

The truth that he belonged here and was meant to be with you both.

[clawsdevour]

*ྀི ˖ ࣪ geto bf hcs

content warning: fluff, slight smut, boyfriend getooooo :3 , not proofread

⠀͙ࣳ #𓂃⠀:

-Geto, the type of boyfriend to be secretly into physical touch even if it's very little like being knee to knee. in public, he'd definitely limit how much physical contact your bodies come in, for instance, holding hands. alone, he would be such a hugger, specifically from the back where you're vulnerable. geto would swoop in out of nowhere and keep your back close to his warm embrace.

-Geto, the type of boyfriend to love to listen to your pretty voice ramble on. his slender eyes love to linger on your lips and move with haste and happiness when you're talking about something you care about and love. his ears are always listening, picking up all the little things you mention too. btw if you're like sitting leaning against his chest or something, he'd let you play with his hair and he'd love it.

-Geto, the type of boyfriend to be hella observant. just like before, he'd pick up on all your little habits even you wouldn't know. if you're standing in front of a cabinet he needs to get something out of, he'd put his palm on the edge every time just in case it'd accidentally hit you.

-Geto, the type of boyfriend to have IMMACULATE hand placement i repeat. yes he may not seem touchy in public. but when he is, he knows where to place his hands to get you spiraling a bit to where you feel like you're under his spell. he knows your weak spots and definitely likes to watch you resist despite completely acting under his palms.

-Geto, the type of boyfriend to share everything with you. he'd act like everything that's his is also yours, even if you don't act the same lol. for instance, sharing a perfume, he'd find it comforting knowing that you used or have his scent lingering on you. geto would for sure also for sure give you his drink if yours tastes like ass lmao.

-Geto, the type of boyfriend to love lazy and slow days with you. it's not just the fact you're doing nothing, but the fact it means that he's spending quality time with you away from work, friends, and family. just a good twenty-four hours with the one he loves and wants to be with the most, especially since you're running through his mind all the time, it's good to just rest together.

-Geto, the type of boyfriend to show up at your parents' doorstep with a bouquet of fresh flowers upon first impression. obviously first impression, he only has one chance to make a good one, espeically to win over your parents since he sees a future with you in it. he's proper and doesn't try anything foolish with you because he's meeting people of your own blood!

-Geto, the type of boyfriend to make you absolutely beg. his cock just rubs along your walls perfectly as you mold to his veins and girth. geto would always start off with the slowest, treacherous, but deep and striking strokes. his hair falls down and off his shoulders, caging you into his darkest while his husky voice whispers and praises you for taking his size.

-Geto, the type of boyfriend to for sure love blowing you out from the back. something about holding your wrists down onto your back or onto the sheets while he watches and squints closely as your tight holes quench and squelch with the two essences that mix together to ease into the friction of his thrusts.

-Geto, the type of boyfriend to carry you over in the bath to rinse you off before getting a real bath ready and hopping in. he loves when you're just sitting in the warm tub, your back on his chest while he's giving you the whole spa experience like washing your hair or scrubbing your back. perchance... there's some light funny business since he can't get enough of your nude body as the water and soap suds just barely manage to censor anything.

masterlist here

[lostinlovingrevery]

Old man Logan with reader who is lonely, has no friends but is still a ray of sunshine with him, always trying to impress him and give him pretty gifts and getting all dolled up for him. She is sad inside though, apart from being his boyfriend, he is her only friend

My Ray Of Sunshine (Why Are You So Sad?)

Old Man Logan X F! Reader

A/N: I hope this is okay! Started angsty, but I wanted it to be happy for both reader and Logan in the end. Loneliness is an awful feeling (smth I'm all too familiar with) If anyone ever needs to talk, my inbox is always open!! I had a little trouble figuring out where to go with this, so I hope this satisfies you!

Plot: You and Logan have been dating for some time, but you still feel the intense loneliness that wraps it's arms around you, him being the only one in your life - and you feel like he's not honest with you.

Warnings: Angsty, slight depression, mention of loneliness, happy endings

Word Count: 2021

"Hi Lo," You cooed as you answered the phone, a smile stretching across your face.

"Hey sunshine," You heard his gruff voice on the other line, giving your heart a flutter. You always loved the sound of his voice, no matter how gruff and cranky he could sound - he never takes it out on you though.

"You still coming over tonight?" You ask as you walk across the room, your fingers tapping along the small box that sat on your desk. A present you decided to get Logan, a nice little silver watch he can wear. There was a moment of silence, "Lo?"

A small sigh,

"Sorry. I can't. I have to work."

Your face fell, but you took a deep breath. "Oh, that's alright!" You say, putting on your best happy-go-lucky voice. You didn't want him to feel bad, just by the tone of his voice you could tell he was having a bad day. "We'll plan for another night baby. You get a request?"

"Yeah, Bachelors party." He says. "Big payout."

"Oooh....Nice paycheck then huh? You can make it up to me later by taking me out somewhere nice then." You tease. You couldn't see the fond smile on his face, but you could picture it.

"Yeah. We'll plan on it. Promise." He says. You chewed on your lip, as you felt that swell of emptiness build up inside you.

Another night alone.

"Sunshine?"

"Huh?" You snapped out of your thoughts. "Sorry, sorry-" You laughed. "Zoned out again. What?"

"I gotta go, got a job. I'll call you later, or in the morning. That alright?"

"Yes, of course." You smiled. "Be safe, okay tough guy?"

You heard a warm chuckle, which made you relax. "Yeah, I will. See you doll."

You heard the phone beep and sighed. Alright.

You and Logan had been dating for a little bit. Meeting in a small little diner that you waitress at. It started as harmless flirting, but then you both managed to find yourself able to talk to each other so easily. Logan listened to you, seemed so openly accepting of you. How could you not be drawn to him?

You thought yourself a little ridiculous for gaining a crush on an older man like Logan, but then his weathered charm got to you - and you just couldn't help it. You'd slip him extra treats on the down-low, not charging him for them. An extra cup of coffee, a slice of apple pie, once you even managed to slip him a stack of pancakes. He'd smile at you and your antics as you slide the plate across the counter and give him a wink- his smile being something tired yet warm that made your knees weak and butterflies shoot through you.

You put more effort into your appearance, especially when you knew he was going to be there. Dolling yourself up - not your usual thing to do but when you got a man like Logan coming around...Well, it's hard not to want to look pretty for him.

It was you that finally convinced him to go on a date with you, and you surprised him by taking him to a gorgeous museum the next city over. You had wondered initially if he scoff at that- him being the gruff and older man he is, but he seemed to really enjoy it. He listened to you ramble on and on about Vincent Van Gogh, one of your favorite painters as you listed everything you knew about him, explaining the misconceptions about him as a painter and a person.

You took the charge of the relationship that formed between you. You planned dates, which seemed to make Logan happy- your infectious happiness- not rubbing off on him but more giving him some much needed relief in what you must believe is a very stressful life for him. He deemed you his sunshine, a pet-name you wore with pride.

You believe it's stressful- or rather assume. He never really told you about his personal life. You know he was a limo driver, you know he lived on the outskirts of town - you never been where he lived. He mentioned something about taking care of his father. He's shared a few stories- always seemingly missing information in them like he was purposely leaving out parts of them.

It made it worse by the fact that he really is the only person in your life right now. You adored Logan and did everything you could to make him happy because he was the only one to give your love to. You spend the time you can together, when he visits your work, or when he comes and stays with you for the night. He's busy though, so he's not really there as often as you wish he was.

Actually, you probably love him. You haven't told him that though. You always feel though that he's hiding something from you. It's disheartening really, he'll listen to you, he's heard your secrets but you never hear his. He refuses to bring you to his place, making some excuse that yours was nicer and maybe it was but you didn't care about that. It created a space between you, something you're not sure if Logan recognizes himself.

You moved to change out of the pretty yellow dress you had on to see Logan, wiping your makeup off and pulling your hair into a messy bun as you prepared to spiral into a night of anxiety, depression, and wine.

You settled on your couch, flipping the tv on, surfing through channel after channel. The night got darker and you got more and more tired. The shadows of your living room, seemingly your only company for tonight, closing in on you as the tv flickered over your curled up form.

Your eyelids grew heavy, as your felt the sinking feeling of your heart, reminding you that you were by yourself again. Inevitably wondering when will Logan leave?

Heavy knocks on your door startled you, as you sat up on the couch and confusion stretched across your face. Worry settled in you, as you had to wonder what shifty characters were knocking on your door at night?

You stood up and crossed the apartment, peeking through the peephole of your door, you're shocked to find Logan standing there. You gasped, stepping back to unlock your door and open it.

"Logan?"

"Hi sunshine." He greeted you, and smiled warmly, his eyes crinkling in the corners as his smile lines became more prominent. He held a bouquet of sunflowers in one hand.

"What are you...What are you doing here?"

"I missed ya." He says gently, a lingering gruff in his voice. "Can I come in?"

You bit your lip, and nodded. Still, your lingering feelings stuck in the back of your head. Stepping back, you forced a smile up at him as he stepped inside, holding the bouquet up.

"I figured you'd like them because...You know. That painter who- Are you okay?" He stopped, squinting at you, as he watched your eyes met with the bouquet, and tears filled your eyes. "Hey, hey sunshine, what's wrong?" He asks softly, bringing his hand up to your chin, tipping it upwards to look up at him. You bit your lip and shook your head.

"Sorry-" You say pulling away from him, wiping your eyes. "I'm just happy to see you..." You lied through your teeth. His eyes, he looked tired.

"Don't know about that sweetheart..." He mutters, examining your expression. "What is it? The flowers? You hate em?"

"No." You let out a small laugh, crossing your arms. He turned to shut the door behind him, locking it before setting the flowers on a nearby table, his hands coming to rest on your arms.

"Well?" He looks down at you, his face serious, but his eyes held concern. "You don't need to pretend with me darling."

You were caught off guard by him, showing up suddenly when you felt your worst. Your instinct screamed at you to push him away, to pretend that it was all okay. You didn't want to bring him down. Your anxiety peeked at the idea that he may be disappointed by this version of yourself, that he would see the lonely person you are, and leave because he wouldn't want to deal with you.

But they way he looked at you, you couldn't help it as the dam broke, and he pulled you tight to his chest, holding you as you cried.

"I'm sorry doll. I didn't mean to hurt you by canceling." He says softly, his hand petting your hair gently.

"No..No, it's not you." You sniffled, stepping away for a moment. "I...I just feel so alone sometimes. I like you a lot Lo, I love us spending time together but when you're not around I'm just by myself and it...It's just terrible."

Logan brows creased, as he brought a hand to cup your cheek. "I didn't know." He says gently. You let out a shaky sigh and looked back up at him.

"You're the only person in my life." You continue. "I don't feel like I don't completely know you though. Not like how you know me. I feel like you're keeping things from me or that you're...Only sticking around temporarily."

"That's not true." He says quickly, and firmly. "I care about you sunshine." His thumb wiped away a tear. "A lot. More than I have a right too. You're....Everything sweetheart. I count myself a damn lucky guy that I met you, that you let me be apart of your life. "

You swallowed and nodded, looking away as you let out a small sigh. You both stood there in silence.

"I..." He started. "I don't know how to stop you from feeling alone but...I get it. You're right. I haven't told you the whole truth."

He grabbed your hand, leading you over to the couch, as you both sat down.

"You ready for this?" He asks.

~~~~~~~~

You stood outside the hot desert sun, as you look around the barren horizon. Logan let out a small cough, as he puffed on the cigar that he was smoking.

"It's quiet." You say.

"Yeah." He nods, his eyes trailing over you as he tried to read your body language.

After an intense conversation last night, you both passed out on your couch. When you woke up in the morning, Logan had you get dressed, and brought you to his...well, where he lives. Can't really call it a home.

That was you.

He felt terrible when you admitted to him everything you struggled with. He adored the way you always seemed to be optimistic, the way you got yourself all dolled up for him, the way you tried to spoil him and every way possible. That's not why he liked you though. He liked your character, he liked the person you are. Not just for what you do for him. You were a fresh breath of air for him. His sunshine.

He wished you see yourself the way he does. You're always encouraging him, to look at himself and see himself as a good man. He didn't know how long he got but he'll spend every second with you to prove you are the most wonderful and loveable person.

You looked at him and smiled. The sunlight gleamed off his new watch that you gifted him. He finished the cigar, flicking it to the ground and stomping it out with the heel of his shoe, before putting an arm around your shoulders.

"You ready to meet the old man?"

"Uh Lo, you're right here." You tease, wrapping your arm around his waist. He chuckled warmly.

"Real cute." He mutters shaking his head, as he led you to the decrepit water tower. He went to the door, and slid it open, a harsh grunt escaping him as it rolled open, he stood to the side and waited as you walked in.

Inside you saw two men. One, sitting in a chair reading a comic book, looking up at you. He had white skin, and yellow eyes. That one must be Caliban.

"Hello dear-" The other man greets. An older gentleman, lying in a bed with a warm smile. You smiled back as he reached his hand out to you, and walked over and took it. "I've heard so much about you from Logan. It's nice to finally meet you. Tell me...Which of Van Goghs paintings is your favorite?"

[bbrissonn]

𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐝 - 𝐥𝐮𝐤𝐞 𝐡𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐞𝐬

𝄞⨾𓍢ִ໋ in which your agent forces you into a relationship for PR, but when you find yourself developping feelings for the boy, everything goes to shit

𝄞⨾𓍢ִ໋ disclaimer: english is not my first language and this is not proofread so please excuse any errors and if any words are missing add them in your head :) also this is a work of fiction, this doesn’t reflect how these boys act in real life, and it isn’t how i imagine them acting 

𝄞⨾𓍢ִ໋ warnings: angst angst angst, no happy ending cause bitch does the song sound like a happy ending 😭, mention of sex but no nsfw content, swearing

𝄞⨾𓍢ִ໋ pairing: luke hughes x reader

𝄞⨾𓍢ִ໋ wc: 8.7k (including lyrics)

𝄞⨾𓍢ִ໋ guts masterlist

Want it, so i got it, did it, so it’s done Another thing i ruined i used to do for fun Another piece of plastic i could just throw away Another conversation with nothing good to say

You were currently sitting in your manager’s, Chris, office alone, two other chairs next to you as you waited for him to return with his “special guests”. You truly had no idea what this was about, you never had meeting with guests, or whatever he meant. Your confusion only grew as you heard your manager’s laugh as he walked back into his office, another man in a suit next to him as he too laughed out loud, and a boy who looked about your age walking in behind them. 

“Y/N, this is my friend, Mike, and his client, Luke, he plays for the New Jersey Devils.” 

“Hi.” You answer looking briefly at the two before looking back in front of you. The last thing you wanted to do at the moment was have a social party with two strangers. 

“Excuse her behaviour, she’s been a little one edge lately. You two make yourselves comfortable.” Chris said as he walked to his desk chair, pulling out some papers from one of his drawers. Meanwhile, Luke took a seat next to you, sending you a small smile, which you didn’t bother to return, and Mike sat on the last chair. “Ah, don’t you just love a freshly printed contract!” Chris added, looking at his friend before the two shared a small laugh. 

“Contract?” You and Luke both ask at the same, looking at your respective managers. The two stayed silent for a couple of seconds, before Chris cleared his throat. 

“Mike and I have been talking for a bit, and we’ve both come to the conclusion that this is an excellent step for to the two of you to take to help your careers.”

“Career? I’m doing just fine, thank you very much.” You sassed as Luke shifted awkwardly in his seat. He knew who you are, how could he not. Your first big time movie had released only a couple of weeks ago, it was all he would see whenever he watched TV. But the movie had not been doing has good has your manager had hoped, no brands or magazine really reaching out to work with you. 

“Luke’s an uprising star in the NHL, Y/N, big prospect here, lots of attention on him. It wouldn’t hurt for you to get some of it.” 

“Well if he’s so beloved, what’s he need me for?” You asked, pretty much ignoring the two other men present in the room. At that, Mike stepped him, coughing slightly to bring the attention to him. 

“Luke’s been involved in some… worrying headlines lately. Being seen with you, seemingly in a committed relationship would do him some good.”

“Relationship?”

“Commited?” The two of you exclaimed once again. The last thing on your mind at the moment was being in a relationship, you had to focus on your career. 

“I’m not dating a stranger!” You said, drifting your gaze from Mike over to Chris, who was already looking at you with a pleading smile. 

“You two don’t need to actually date, as long as the media believes you do, what you do in your private time is none of our business.” He explained, his words almost sending you off of yout chair. 

“This is the dumbest thing I’ve ever head!” 

It took almost an hour for Chris to convince you to sign the contract, which somehow had crazier terms than the idea itself. Your “relationship” would last for 8 months, meaning during the length of Luke’s season. To make it even worse, no one outside of this room could know about the contract, meaning you would have to pretend to both your families and friends. Thankfully, the boy who would be your fake boyfriend was not as ugly as other men you’ve seen, sure he was far from your usual type, but he had some positive traits as well. His height being the first thing to catch your eye when he first walked in. Plus, he was an athlete, and it was hard to ignore his muscles showing throught his thigh polo shirt. He didn’t seem like an asshole either, so maybe there was a chance the two of you could somewhat get along. 

“So, what’s your favourite colour?” Luke asked as both of your managers left the small room for a couple of minutes, insisting the two of you got to know each other a bit. You looked over at him as his words hit, was this really the first thing he was going to ask you? You just rolled your eyes as you looked down at your lap. “Look, I’m just as happy as you are about this. And if I’m being honest, I’m not really interested in knowing more than needed about you.” He added, shifting slightly in his seat to have a better look at you. 

“Green.”

“Green?” He scoffed, making you send him a look, almost challenging him. 

“Yeah, green.” You sassed, making the boy smirk slightly.

“Like a- like a bright green or-”

“Are you mocking me right now?” You questioned, not finding the smile on his face amusing.

“No, no, just… interested, you know. There’s lots of greens out there.”

“Forest green.” You answered, keeping it short in simple before looking away and back down at your lap. 

“Not gonna ask mine?”

“Not interested.”

“Dark red, for sure. Although, you can never go wrong with maize and blue.” 

“Maize and blue?” You quipped. It was now Luke’s turn to give you a look. 

“Maize and blue. Michigan, baby!” He said with enthusiasm, earning himself a look once again. You took a second to look at him, really look at him. He  looked like a baby. 

“Michigan?”

“Michigan.” He repeated with a grin. 

“You from there?”

“Sorta.” He responded. You raised your brows at him, clearly indicated for him to expanded his answer. “Born in New Hampshire, moved to Toronto for like 10 years, then we moved to Detroit, been living there ever since.”

“And maize and blue, that’s…?” You trailed off.

“University of Michigan! Maize and blue, wolverines.”

“And I’m guess you went there.”

“Sure, did. My eldest brother too.”

“Cute.” You said, your voice filled with sarcasm. “When you’d graduate?” This was your way of finding out how old he was, without directly asking. 

“Didn’t.” Great, a college dropout. 

“You dropped out?”

“Yeah, to come here. If it makes you feel any better, I did attend all my classes, got good grades. I’m not some idiot.” He explained, you could tell he was feeling a little annoyed by your question. 

“Okay, well when would you of had graduated?”

“2025.” If you had a drink in your mouth, you would’ve spat it right out. This guy, this college dropout guy, was 2 years away from his graduation. You were right, he looked like a kid because he is one. 

“Gosh, how old are you?”

“Turned 20 last month. Why?” His words made you stand up, ready to storm out of the room and hunt down Chris. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m not doing this. Gosh, you’re a kid. I can’t pretend to be in a relationship with a kid!” You exclaimed as you went to push the door open, only to realize it was locked. Great. “You have got to be kidding me.”

“Well, how old are you?”

“Don’t asked a women her age!” You snapped as you still tried to push the door open. “24.” You whispered as you realized there was no way this door was going to open, at least not thanks to you. “25 in January.” 

“You’re like… the same age as my brother.” Luke whispered to himself, his face turning into a grimace at the thought. 

“See, even you find it weird! Let’s just tell them it makes us uncomfortable. You’re too young for me, and I’m too old for you.”

“Never said you were too old for me. What if I like older?” He smirked as he made himself more comfortable in his chair. There was no denying his attraction towards you. Your instagram had popped up tons of times on his explorer page, and he never shied away from liking your posts. 

“You just said I am your brother’s age. Do you not find that weird?”

“Well, if we’re getting technical, he’s born in 1999, and from what I understand, you’re born in 2000. So you’re not his age, you’re just like 3 months younger than him.” He explained, his smirk still plastered on his face as you dropped down on your chair with a sigh. This was going to be the longest 8 months of your life.

I thought it, so i said it, took it ‘cause i can Another day pretending im older than i am Another perfect moment that doesn’t feel like mine Another thing i forced to be a sign

“So, what do I do exactly?” Luke asked from besides you. The two of you were currently on your way to some award show, meaning you would have to walk a red carpet. A red carpet with Luke. 

It had been about three weeks since you had sign the contracts, you and Luke had spent some time trying to get to know each other. He tried to put in some effort, ask you question as simple as your favourite food, and some more complexe, like what made you move from North Carolina to New York. You barely put in any efforts to answer his questions, simply because you weren’t interested in him getting to know you, and vice-versa. The two of you had been spotted a couple of times by fans, but you never held hands, or displayed affection towards each other in public, not like you did in private, but no one really knew what to take away from the pictures. 

“Just, stand there and smile. There’s gonna be like a thousand cameras, so just keep your eyes moving, ignore their questions and yells. When the workers tell you to move, you move.” You explained, your eyes looking outside the window. The red thigh dress hugging your skin perfectly, your heels the same colour, you looked gorgeous. Luke was wearing a black suit with a red tie matching your dress. 

“You gonna pretend like you at least enjoy being within 5 feets of me.”

“Aha. You’re so funny, I’m dying of laughter.” You responded, you voice in the same monotone voice you always used with him. “You make a fool of yourself, or me, and I will rip your eyes out with my own hands.” 

“Kinky.” Luke smirked as the car came a stop. The boy looked over at you, your eyes were closed as you took a deep breath. You hated this things, you hated walking down that carpet, papparazies with cameras in your face like wild animals. You hated it. Your eyes snapped open, and a giant smile appeared on your face.

“Let’s go.” 

Luke stepped out of the car first, everyone around holding their breathes as they waited to see who else was going to come out of the car. The boy stretched his hand towards you, a small nod of his head as you slowly made your way out of the car. The cameras were flashing around you everywhere, and you could tell Luke was getting a little overwhelmed. 

“Ignore them, just walk with a smile on your face, nod a bit.” You whispered to him as you leaned in close. Then, the two of you made your way to the door, you fingers intertwining with Luke’s without you even noticing. As you crossed the door, Luke let out a small “woah”, his eyes rooming around the entrance. He had been to his fair share of events for the NHL, but none of them were like this. Everything look expensive, everyone looked expensive. He was completely starstruck. So much he didn’t even noticed a worker coming over to the two of you and giving you instructions. 

“Luke?” You asked, making the boy snap out of hi trance. “We gotta go, come on.” You whispered before guiding the boy to where the worker had gone. “You okay?” Your voice was so low the boy wasn’t even sure if it was real of his imagination playing a trick on him. 

“Yeah, it’s just…”

“A lot.” 

“Yeah.” He answered as you looked over at him. The boy could’ve sworn he had seen the corner of your mouth lifts slightly, before your head snapped back to the worker. 

“Alright, you too, once she’s done, you two can go. Remember to smile, you both look perfect, enjoy the night!” She said with excitement as the girl in front of you moved to the next area of photographers. Luke heard you take another deep breath before slowly making your way onto the carpet. 

“Put your hand on my waist.” You whispered, a smile on your face, as you let go of his hands, that you hadn’t even realized you were still holding. Your hand landed near the top of his shoulder as you put one of your foot out and bent your leg. The slit of your dress riding up you thigh as flashed surrounded you. You felt Luke’s hand glide across your lower back before settling on your waist and pulling you a little closer to him. You instinctively leaned your head on his shoulder as you plastered your best smile. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad.

˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗

“This is exhausting.” The boy sighed as the two of you finally sat down at your table. 

“Welcome to my world.” Thankfully, the two of you were able to avoid any interviews, and once you were done with the carpet, you were free for the rest of the night. 

“You nominated for anything?” Luke asked as he reached down to the menu on the table. You had warned him that he wouldn’t be able to pick was he ate, everyone was getting the same thing, besides of course people with allergies and such. Chicken. Not his favourite, but not the worse. 

“Me, no. The movie is, but I doubt we’re gonna win.” You answered, only two of your co-stars could attend, the other one being busy with a new project. Sadly, you were seated a couple of tables away from them. 

“Why not?”

“Because when you go up against movies like Avatar, it’s hard to win.” Luke didn’t asked any other question about the awards after that. 

“For what it’s worth, I think you should’ve won.” Luke whispered to you as the cast of Avatar made their way onto the stage. You looked over at him, the two of you hadn’t spoken since before the show started. 

“Really?”

“Yeah, I mean Avatar’s good you know, classic. You’re movie was great.” 

“You watched it?”

“Before the whole… you know. My brother, Jack, we were looking for something to do and he made us go. You look hot in black.” He mentioned, clearly referreing to the long black silky dress you had worn in the movie. 

“Are you flirting with me?” 

“Is it working?” He asked with a smirk, only making you roll your eyes. 

“No.” Silence. One minute, two minutes. “You didn’t mention you knew who I was.” This was probably the first time you had been the one who made the effort to keep a conversation going. Luke smiled as he shifted in his seat slightly. 

“To be fair, you don’t really like when I talk, and when I do, I doubt you listen.” He answered. You couldn’t tell if he was taking a jab at you or not. He probably was. 

“Just because I am not interested in what you have to say, doesn’t mean I don’t listen.” You said, almost like you were defending yourself. 

“Oh, yeah?”

“Yeah.” You sassed. “We’re at every different points in our lives, we have different interest, our brains don’t think the same way. I mean you’re pretty much a college frat boy, and I am about to be 25. You play hockey, which I know nothing about, and I act and model. Totally different.”

“I modeled for American Eagle once.” He stated, and you couldn’t tell if he was joking or not. But as you looked over at him, the deep shade of red on his cheek answered your question. 

“You modeled for American Eagle.” You repeated softly, trying your best to hold in a laugh. 

“Just… laugh. You wouldn’t be the first one.” He mumbled with a small smile on his face. You let out a small giggle.

“That’s interesting. See, we could talk about that.” 

“It was… like two years ago. It was like with the school or whatever. My buddies were, like ruthless. It was horrible.” He explained, making you giggle even more. 

“They at least pay you well?”

“Yeah, yeah, it was good.” 

“Good on you.” The rest of the night, you and Luke surprisingly talked a lot. You hated to admit it, but you were warming up to him. He was sweet, there was no denying that, and you did feel bad for how you had acted before. 

“Y/N!” Chris exclaimed as you answered his phone call. You and Luke were now back in the car, on your way to your apartment. 

“Hi.” 

“How was your night?” You looked over at Luke, his eyes focused on his phone as he texted his brothers, who were apparently freaking out about his outing with you.

“Better than I expected.” You answered honestly. 

“Good, good. Have you been looking online? They love the two of you together, you’re all the media is talking about right now…” The man kept going but you paid no attention to his words. You eyes fixated on Luke. He had a soft smile on his face as he typed away on his phone, chuckling every now and then. You hated to admit it, but this night had gone far better than you had imagined. Luke was… well he was something. Maybe these next couple of months wouldn’t be so bad after all. 

Well, sometimes i feel like i don’t wanna be where i am Gettin’ drunk at a club wuth fair-weather friends Push away all the people who know me the best But it’s me who’s been making the bed

“I mean, it’s been great! Just, so proud of her, and excited for her. She’s been working really hard for years, and I mean, yeah, just, she deserves this.” Luke answered the reporter, the lie slipping so easily from his mouth. You were now two months into this fake relationship, and your friendship with Luke had grown. You two actually spent time together now, enjoying the other’s company. You had been quite present in public with him, and fans were quickly growing for your relationship. 

The lies came out so easily about your relationship. How you had met, how long the two of you had been together, all of it. It almost worried you how good he was at it, of course for you, it was just acting, but this was totally new to him. Gosh, he was so good at it that sometimes it almost felt real. Like right now, his hand on your waist, holding you close to his side as he spoke with a large grin. 

“Think they like me more than you, now.” The boy joked as the two of you sat down. You were now at a movie premiere, your movie premiere. This project had been completed long before you ever met Luke, yet it was still so easy for him to lie about how proud he was, and how hard you worked. He didn’t know. He didn’t know how much effort and passion you put into this job because he wasn’t there, yet the lie sounded so natural. 

“Yeah might have to let you come alone next time.” You joked with a fake smile on your face, one that Luke knew too well by now. 

“What’s wrong?”

“You do it so easily.”

“What?”

“The lying. Just, I don’t kno- nevermind, it’s stupid.”

“No, no, hey, talk to me.” Luke whispered, his hand reaching for yours. His touch felt so natural, so right, that you had to remind yourself why he was doing it in the first place. You were surrounded by people. 

“I just, you’re a really nice guy, Luke, and this industry it can… can do stuff do stuff to you, bad stuff. Stuff that changes a person, and I’d hate for that to happen to you, and for me to be the reason.” You admitted, looking down at your lap. You almost felt pathetic. 

“I am not gonna lose myself. Trust me, I’ve got 2 older brothers and a bunch of guys that keep me very humble on a daily bases. They keep my grounded, my whole family does. Even with hockey. And I am tougher than I look, you know.” He joked at the end, elbowing you slightly. You smiled softly at him, nodding your head slightly. 

“You promise?”

“I promise.” He whispered back, his pinky connecting with yours. “My parents are always asking about you, you know. Jack and Quinn, too. Well, pretty much everyone in my life.” The boy added after a couple of seconds of silence. His words made your body stiffen. 

“Oh.”

“Do you, uhm, wanna meet them? That way you can see for yourself how humble I’m being kept.” The boy added. 

“Sure, yeah.” You answered, your voice shaky as you looked around the room. 

“We can just start with Jack, he’s the worse one though, but he’s the only on that lives here, so. But we do play Quinn in like 3 weeks, so my parents are gonna be in town…” 

“Jack first works.” 

˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗ 

“Can’t believe my brother actually convinced you to date him. I mean little Lukey, with you.” Jack said with a teasing smile on his face. By the ton in his voice, you understand he meant the “with you” part as a compliment, almost saying you were too good to be with his brother. 

“Jack-”

“I mean, I shouldn’t be surprised. I taught you well, Lukey.” The older boy added with a proud smile. You looked over at Luke, who smile at you apologically. You had spent your evening at the brother’s apartment, Jack had tried his best to cook a meal for the two of you, but you ended ordering instead. 

“It’s getting late, I should get going.” You stated, peaking quickly at the time at your phone. 

“I’ll walk you to your car.” Luke said, standing up quickly from the couch and you were fast to follow his move.

“You can stay over if you want. Its getting pretty late.” Jack said nonchalantly, making you look over at Luke. The two of you had never spent the night over at the other’s place. Well, actually, Luke did sleep over most of the times after events, but he always slept in your spare room. You knew they didn’t have a spare room, and sleeping on the couch was too risky as it could be seen form the kitchen. 

You and Luke shared a quick conversation with your eyes, refusing to stay over would probably wave form red flag. 

“I’ll leave the two of you alone, don’t worry. Just, please remember that I do sleep in the room next to yours, Luke.” Jack said with a smirked as he stood up from the couch, joining the two of you. He ruffled Luke’s hair slightly, before giving you a smile. 

“Good night.” He said before turning around and making his way to his room. After his doors closed, silence took over the whole apartment with you and Luke standing in the middle of the living room. 

“So…” 

“You really don’t have to if you don’t want.”

“No, no, it’s okay, I’ll stay. He seems really happy about it, so.”

“Right, yeah. Uhm, I’ll get you some clothes.” Luke said before guiding the two of you over to his room. Ten minutes later, you were laying next to him on his bed, wearing a pair of sweatpants and a hoodie of his. 

“He’s not as bad as you said, you know.” 

“That’s ‘cause he just met you. He’s an ass, really. Once you get to know, like really know him, he’s gonna be the most annoying person you’ve ever met.” Luke said with a scoff, making you smile slightly. Luke’s bed wasn’t exactly the biggest, meaning the two of you were laying shoulder to shoulder. 

You looked over at him, only to find him already looking at you. And then before you knew it, he was pulling you on top of him, your lips connected as his hands roamed your body. 

There was no denying the the two of you felt quite attracted to the other, and as you got to know him more and more, you attraction only grew and grew until you felt like you didn’t even have to pretend anymore. This was turning into something real for you, and you could only hope that the boy felt the same. 

The next morning, you woke up alone in the bed, wearing nothing but Luke’s hoodie. The first notification on your phone being from him. Hey, had to leave for practice, didn’t wanna wake you. Left a key on the counter, i’ll call you tn :).

Only he didn’t call, didn’t text either. And when he showed up at your place the day after, it was like nothing had happened. You wanted to talk about it, you needed to talk about it, but he had quickly made it very clear that he had no interest in that conversation. So, you stayed quiet and pretended it didn’t happen, that nothing happened. 

I’m so tired of bein’ the girl that i am Every good thing had turned into something i dread And i’m playin’ the victim so well in my head But it’s me who’s been making the bed

“It was so nice to meet you, sweetheart. You should come visit this summer.” Ellen gushed as she hugged you tightly. 

“I will.” You lied with a smile. Your 8 months would end right when summer would start, and you honestly had no clue what would happen after that. 

“Maybe we’ll see Luke a little more if you do.” Jim joked as he and Ellen waved at you as they left the apartment. Jack had offered to drive them to the airport, meaning it was only you and Luke in the apartment. His apartment. You hadn’t been over since that night, a night that almost felt like a secret. Like if you were to talk about it, or mention it, the world would explose. Like you were walking on breaking glass, and bringing it up would be that extra pressure that would make it snap for good. 

“You stayin’?” Luke asked as the two of you stood by door. 

“I don’t wanna be a bother.” 

“You won’t.” Luke said softly, his hand reaching for yours. “I want you to stay.” 

Those words, those 5 small innocent words, somehow lead to you once again waking up in nothing but his hoodie. You were alone once again, but you could head the two brothers arguing about something stupid in the living room. You quickly found your underwear and a pair of sweatpants before making you’re way to the two boys. 

“Y/N!” Jack exclaimed as he saw you slowly walking down the hallway. The older boy was sitting on the couch, while Luke stood behind him. But the younger boy quickly made his way over to you, wrapping his arms around. 

“Morning, baby.” The boy said softly, making your eyes grow wide. Baby. Luke had just called you baby. You never used nickname, never had and never even talked about it. 

“Hi.” You mumbled against his chest. 

“Y/N, tell your boyfriend that you always brush your teeth before you eat, not after!”

“Gosh, Jack, leave her alone.”

“Why would you brush your teeth before you eat? You’re just making them dirty again.” You answered Jack, making the boy’s smile drop, while Luke just let out a chuckle. 

“I made pancakes.” The boy mumbled, guiding towards the kitchen and away from Jack. 

“You trying to poisson me?”

“Not yet.” Luke chuckled as he placed a cup of coffee in front of you. The boy leaned against the counter as he watched you slowly started eating the pancakes in front of you. 

“Are we gonna talk about it?”

“Talk about what?” The boy mumbled as he walked past you, pressing a small kiss to your head before heading towards the bathroom. His reaction and action to your questions made his answer quite clear. 

˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗

“What’s up with you?” 

“Mm?”

“What’s up with you?” Luke repeated, making you look up from your phone. The two of you were currently sitting on your couch, a hockey game playing on your tv. 

“Nothing’s wrong with me.”

“That’s bullshit. You’ve been on your phone the whole night.”

“I’m busy, Luke.” You mumbled. It was a lie, you weren’t busy, you were just not interested in having a conversation with him after what had happened last week. Thankfully, he had left for a roadtrip with the team that same night, meaning you had one full week where you could just not think about him. The two of you texted a bit, but nothing more than seeing how the other was doing. The second the team’s plane had landed, the boy was quick to make his way over to your apartment, catching you completely off guard. 

“Yeah? Busy doing what? Scrolling on Tiktok?” The boy mumbled as he stood up from the couch. His action made you look up at him. “If you didn’t want me here, you should’ve just said so.” He added before walking away towards the front door. 

“You could’ve just texted, ask if you could come, not just show up at my door with no warnings!” You said as you followed him, making him scoff as he finished putting his two shoes on.

“That’s what this is about? I didn’t ask if I could come see you? We haven’t seen each other in a week, Y/N, sue me for thinking you’d want to hangout. For thinking you’d want to talk, catch up, see how I am doing-”

“Talk? You want to talk? Where was that attitude last week Luke?”

“What are you talking about?” The boy asked, making you scoff at him. He couldn’t be serious right now. 

“Why do you refuse to acknowledge the fact that we’ve had sex, twice now. Every time I even try to bring it up, you shut me out. So, I am sorry if I am not in the mood to talk to you when you please, Luke.” You snapped back, your voice filled with annoyance. Luke rolled his eyes at your words, making you bit your lip out of anger. 

“I can’t deal with this right now.” He said as he threw on his jacket. 

“See, you’re doing it again!”

“What is there to talk about, Y/N? We had sex, so what? Don’t be making a big deal out of this. Don’t act like this is something real, okay? We’re friends.” Luke said harshly, making your body freeze. The boy was gone before you even realized he was moving. Was this not real? Was all those nights spent doing nothing but talking about life nothing? Or how easily his lies would slip out of his mouth, were they really lies? 

Gosh, you felt like an idiot. Luke’s sole problem with this whole fake relationship thing was the commitment, he didn’t want that. He was a 20 year old just starting off his life, he didn’t want to be tied down right now. He didn’t have the time to be truly committed to someone right now, and you felt stupid for thinking he did. Stupid for thinking that those sweet comments he would make in front of camera were anything but sweet comment for the camera. Stupid for thinking some stupid contract would actually change Luke’s playboy attitude. I mean, that was the reason his manager wanted this relationship; clean up his image. That’s all you were, someone to clean up his image, to let other people know that Luke Hughes wasn’t just some guy going around fucking every girl he met. That’s all you were. 

You stood in front of you door for what felt like hour, praying and hoping that the boy would walk back in and tell you it was just a joke. That he didn’t mean those things and you meant more to him than he let on. That you weren’t just his friend, or his fake girlfriend. But he never came back. Never said the words you wanted to hear the most. Never. 

The next morning, you texted him asking if the two of you could talk. Nothing. No answer, no reaction, just silence. He had seen your message, and you couldn’t help but tear up at the sight of your message thread. Seen. 1 hour. 2 hours. 3 hours. The sun was starting to set and the word seen was still plastered on your screen. You felt even more stupid than you did the previous night. Laying awake in your bed, waiting for something, anything. Any sign of life that let you know that he was out there thinking about you. 

And a sign of life you were given. Of course, it wasn’t the one you wanted, if anything it was the opposite. You cursed yourself as the first tear fell down your cheek, and then even more as the tears kept falling. No way. There was no way this was real. He wouldn’t… he wouldn’t do that to you, right? 

But he did. On your phone screen, staring back at your tear stained face, were photos of Luke in a bar, his hands all over a girl as his lips danced with hers. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Of course he did, the contract didn’t mean anything to him, it was just to keep his manager happy. 

You knew he knew this would get out. That people would see and it would reach you in only minutes, but he didn’t care. You were the last thing on his mind as he walked into that bar, his eyes roaming the room to find someone, anyone, who could help take his mind off of you and the stupid contract. People knew who he was now, he gained followers like crazy as the public became more and more in love with your relationship. And here he was, blatantly cheating on his fake girlfriend simply because he could and he wanted. 

There was no way Chris would make you keep your promise of 8 months. No way he would make you look like the stupid girl who went back to her cheating boyfriend. Right? No, no, Chris wouldn’t do that you. Although you weren’t so sure anymore, you thought Luke wouldn’t do something like this, and he did. 

And every night, i wake up from this one recurrin’ dream Where i’m drivin’ through the city and the brakes go out on me I can’t stop at the red light, i can’t swerve off the road I read somewhere it’s ‘cause my life feels so out of control

The next morning you woke up with your phone blowing up, which made you quite confused since you had made sure to put it on do not disturb last night, meaning the only one who could be reaching you right now was Chris. You had fallen asleep in the early hours of the morning. You hated this. You hated that you let your guard down with the boy, hated that you let him, gave him the power, put him in a position to hurt you. You hated what you actually felt for him. You wouldn’t call it love, but your heart was his and only his. It was stupid, I mean you had only known him for barely 3 months. 

“What the hell happened?” Chris asked as soon as you answered his call. You tried your hardest not to let the tears fall again. Sitting up in your bed as you looked over at your clock, 10 a.m. 

“I don’t wanna talk about it.” You whispered, your voice breaking slightly. 

“I’m outside your door.” The man said before hanging out the call. You slowly made your way out of bed, walking to your door and letting the older man in. Chris tried his best to hold in a gasp as his eyes met you. Your hair was a mess, but that’s not what caught his attention, you face did. It was red, really red, so were your eyes. Left over mascare from the previous day lingering around your eyes. 

“Y/N/N…” He said softly as he followed you to the couch, where you threw your body down before wrapping yourself in a blanket. “Are you okay?”

“Please… please tell me the contract’s done.” You begged, your eyes tearing up as you watched Chris looked down at the floor. 

“He won’t… he won’t let us. I asked, I mean this looks bad for him, but Mark he’s… he’s not letting up.” Chris explained, his voice low and soft as tears started falling out of your eyes. “Talk to me.”

“We argued. We did… we hooked up, twice. And it meant more to me than it did to him. He got mad, stormed out, and I haven’t heard for him in almost two days, so.” You explained, trying your best to keep your voice stable. Chris let out a deep sigh at your words, his fingers rubbing the bridge of his nose. 

“I’ll talk to Mark, again. See if we can find a middle ground.”

There was no middle ground. You had signed the contract. Luke had sign the contract. And although Mark was not happy with his client, you had signed the papers. Which led to you sitting in Chris’ office, Mark next to you and Luke on the other side, later that day. The last time the four of you had been in the same room, you never would’ve guess what the next couple of months were going to be like for you. Never in a million years did you think you would grow to actually enjoy the younger boy’s presence, and you certainly never believed you would actually have feelings for him. 

“All right, so, papers were sign-”

“Can’t we just sign other papers to say we agree to end it or whatever.” You quickly cut Mark off, making the three men look over at. 

“Y/N…”

“No. I am not gonna be painted as the dumb girl who goes back to a cheater! This was supposed to be good for my image!” You said looking at Chris. He knew you were right, so did Mark and Luke. This was supposed to be a good thing. 

“Y/N-”

“No! I am turning 25 in a week, Chris, I am too old for this stupid high school drama. I don’t care about the stupid contract! I am done with this.” You said sternly before standing out and leaving the room. Of course, Luke was quick to follow you. 

“Y/N!”

“Fuck off, Luke.” You called out, not even bothering to turn back around. Of course, just to your luck, the elevator took forever to come up, giving Luke the chance to catch up to you. 

“Please, just hear me out.” The boy begged as he stood besides you. His words made you scoff, crossing your arms over your chest. Thankfully, the doors opened and you were quick to enter and press the button to close to door. Unfortunately, Luke was quick to place in hand in the way, joining you inside. 

“Hear you out? What is there to hear out, Luke? You’ve made yourself very clear, so, please, just leave me alone.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“No!” The boy said before pushing the emergency button, making the elevator stop. 

“What are you doing?”

“Let me talk.” 

“I don’t want to hear what you have to say, Luke. I get it, okay? You’re young, and you wanna enjoy your life. You don’t want to be tied down, I get it. I can’t give you what you want, and you sure as hell can’t give me what I want, so just back off.” You whispered before pushing the button. Thankfully, you weren’t far away from the first floor, meaning about 3 seconds later Luke was standing in the elevator all alone. His eyes fixated on you as he watched you made your way out of the building. 

He was such an idiot. 

˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗

Every year was the same. You’d go to sleep the night before your birthday, expecting to feel completely different the next morning. But then you’d wake up and feel the exact same. 

25 was no different. If anything, you felt even more pathetic this year. You were 25 crying over a 20 year old who only thinks with his dick. Everyone always looked like they had their lives figured out by that age, relationships with someone they were convinced they were going to marry, or kids on the way, a stable work income, dreams they wanted to fufill. You had none of those. Well, since your fake relationship with Luke, producers were a lot more interested in what you could bring to their movie. But that attraction only came once you were by a man’s side. 

This 20 year old little boy had brought more success to your career than you ever did before. Pathetic. Even more pathetic that the same 20 year old could not give two shits about you. Pitiful. Yeah, that works better. 

You had no plans for the day, ever since the whole “cheating” drama went down, you had stayed inside. You didn’t go on social media, there hadn’t been a single sign of life from you, and honestly you didn’t have the energy to give you. You couldn’t be bothered to give you because you were too busy mourning the lost of a relationship that didn’t even exist. 

You spent your morning on the couch watching some stupid reality dramas, trying to make yourself feel better. Hoping that maybe there were some bigger idiots out there. And as you watched the same girl cry over the same guy for cheating on her for about the tenth time, you realized maybe you weren’t so pathetic. You had made it clear to everyone you wanted to be alone today, you didn’t have the energy to socialize right now. The only people you were planing on seeing were your food deliveries guys. 

So, when the sound of your doorbell echoed through your apartment, your brows furred. It couldn’t be food, no you were currently eating it. You were left even more confused as you opened the door to see no one. Looking down, your eyes met with a large basket filled with flowers, treats, stuffed animals and much more. A larged card with your name written on it with a handwriting that you could recognized all too well. You could see him out of the corner of your eyes. Granted all you could see was the top of his head as he had stopped halfway down the staircase as he heard your door open. But he was there. You weren’t sure what you should do. Do you look at him? Keep pretending you don’t? Do you even take his gift? 

Your head was telling you to go back in, take the gift, throw the card away and just fill yourself with sweets. But your heart had the better of you. You missed him. You hated that you missed him, but you did. Luke almost let out a yelp as your eyes met his. He didn’t know you could see him. The two of you stared at each other before you softly nodded towards your door. 

The next thing you knew, the two of you were sitting on your couch, Luke’s gift basket on your coffee table as you stared at the wall. Luke’s gaze was fixed on you, you knew it was. You could feel it. 

“I miss you.” He whispered so lowly you could barely hear it, but you did. You didn’t know if you should believe him or not. You let out a small scoff at his words. You weren’t falling for it. “I’m being serious, Y/N.”

“You don’t miss me, Luke. You miss the attention I gave you.”

“That’s not true.”

“Yes, it is. Because the second that attention was gone, you went to someone else to give it to you.”

“I want to be with you, Y/N, and I am so fucking sorry for what I did. And I know sorry is never going to make it to you, but please-”

“You want to be with me? You want to really be with me?”

“Yes! The only reason I never mentioned the fact that we had sex was because I was afraid you wouldn’t feel the same way I did about it.”

“But I did! And when I finally told you, you pretty much told me to go fuck myself and that it meant nothing to you! And now you really wanna sit here and tell me it meant more to you than a quick fuck? Please, Luke, I wasn’t born yesterday.” You snapped, looking over at him. “You embarrassed me. You made me feel stupid for thinking you would ever want something more than a quick fuck. And that wasn’t enought, that you had to go and hookup with some random chick in a public place, knowing people would find out, that I would find out about it. Now I look like the idiot who got cheated on by some kid.” 

“Look, I messed up, I know I did. I freaked out and ran away, when I should’ve just been honest with you. But, please, let me even try to make it up to you. I want to be your boyfriend, Y/N, I really do.” 

“I turned 25 today, and when you turn 25 it makes you realize that you have no clue what’s going on in your life. I mean I’ve got about 15 to 20 years until I can’t have babies anymore. I want to get married and have kids soon, Luke. And you’re no where near wanting that in your life. Maybe you are being honest, maybe you do really want to be with me. But I mean what I said in the elevator, you can’t give me what I want. I don’t want to wait another 5-6 years for you to be ready to settle down. I need someone who’s ready right now.” You explained. Luke knew you were right, his older brother had gone throught the same realization last summer. 

“We’re at different points in our lives.” Luke mumbled the same words you had told him during your first real outing in public together. Gosh, you wish you could go back and do so many different things that night. You wished you hadn’t let your guard down, maybe this whole thing would’ve never happened and you’d be out celebrating your birthday with your friends and fake boyfriend. Maybe. 

“Yeah… and if I’m being honest, I don’t think I could ever forgive you. You made me look like a fool to everyone, Luke. And maybe I was just being stupid with my feelings or whatever but I atleast thought we were friends, and you’d never humiliate me publicly like that.” You said harshly, making the boy look down at his lap. “I deserve better.” 

“I’m sorry I can’t be better.”

“You should leave.”

And i tell someone i love them just as a distraction They tell me that they love me like i’m so tourist attraction They’re changin’ my machinery and i just let it happen I got the things i wanted it’s just not what i imagined I’m so tired of bein’ the girl that i am Every good thing has turned into something i dread And i’m playin’ the victim so well in my head But it’s me who’s been making the bed

The next day, you were freed. The whole contract thing was done. Chris had told you the reason it hadn’t been before was because Luke didn’t want it to be done. But that something in him had changed last night and he had agreed to end it. It felt odd really, you never guessed you could miss something that never really existed so much, but you did. You cut all public ties with Luke and his world, making it quite obvious to the public that your relationship was over. 

You went back to your old life, pretending none of it had happened. Pretending that Luke Hughes hadn’t walked into your life three months ago and flipped your wold upside down. You didn’t talk about it, you refused to talk about it because you weren’t sure you’d be able to answer any questions without crying. You felt even more pathetic about that. You and Luke had never officially been together, neither of you ever flat out say you liked the other. So why were you so hung up on him? Maybe it was the way he always knew how to boost your confidence before a red carpet. Or maybe how attention he paid to details. You didn’t know, and you didn’t like it one bit. 

What made it even harder was that Luke was went back to how his life was before. A different girl in his bed almost every night, and now since he was linked to you, even more attention was brought to it. It was hard, seeing the boy you were so hungup on kissing all these girls. But all the negative attention that came with it almost made you feel better. This whole situation was supposed to do some good for both your images. 

Now a month later after your “break up”, you were the girl who go cheated on, but was thriving in the industry, while Luke was a cheating whore. It made you feel good. Good to see that people on the internet stil hadn’t lost their minds and sense of logic completely. Good that maybe you did come out of this stronger and more liked than before. Good that you were about to start working on the biggest project of your career so far, and Luke would be stuck being reminded of his actions every time he opened his phone. 

But you still felt pathetic. You weren’t sure you’d ever stop feeling pathetic. Pathetic for lying to all your friends and family, lying to his family. Pathetic for not answering any of Jack, or Quinn or even his parent’s messages. But you couldn’t. What were you supposed to say? Oh, I am actually not that sad because we never really dated, it was just a contract. I mean, that would be a lie, but part of it would also be the truth. It was just a contract. You both messed up, and you needed to stop acting like this was all Luke’s fault. 

You shouldn’t have slept with him, you shouldn’t of had let him ignore the fact that you slept together for so long. You did this to yourself in a way. You knew going in about Luke’s behaviour, you knew the second the contract was over, he’d go back to his old ways. You knew. But you still let yourself fall for it. You could even say you were to blame for it. You kissed him first. You kissed him. Both times, you iniciated it. So, who was really to blame here? 

Somethings i feel like i don’t wanna be where i am Countin’ all of the beautiful things i regret But it’s me who’s been making the bedMe who’s been making the bedPull the sheets over my headMaking a bed, oh-oh

[seasprincess]

Yapping

gf!reader x early seasons!Spencer ☆

In which your nerdy boyfriend won’t just stop talking. So you make him….

warnings: MDNI, sub!Spencer, handjob (m receiving), whiny Spencer, he’s a bit pathetic x

wc:811

♡₊˚ ・₊ ♪ ✧ ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨♡୧⋆ ˚｡⋆ ♡₊˚ ・₊ ♪ ✧ ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨♡୧⋆ ˚｡⋆

After working for the past couple days on a hard case that took a lot out of you and the rest of the team. It’s a tough time sometimes. Wearing all of you out.

Apart from one genius who just won’t be quiet now that you two are home alone.

“A vast majority of unsubs have that MO.” He says before getting cut off by you placing your lips back on his. You’re sitting on his lap trying to just make out with him. And of course he’s speaking at a million miles per minute. Nothing out of the ordinary of course.

“They usually aren’t driven by-“ He’s cut off again, lips reconnecting making a sound that makes your cheeks flush. Why is he still talking? Sometimes this man cannot take a hint.

Your hands come up to his cheeks as you try pull him closer in the kiss but as soon as your lips leave his he’s back at it again.

“-The killing. They’re more interested in-“

Another kiss. Hand on his shirt pulling his chest towards yours, feeling him against you is just what you needed right now.

“They’re more interested in the body parts. So psychologically the-“ His voice goes up in a squeak at the end of his sentence when he feels your hand on his crotch.

“For the love of god Spencer. Please shut up.” You say as you close your eyes. Taking a breath. “I love you and your rambles but right now I need something else.”

Spencer freezes at your words and touch. His mind which was once preoccupied is now completely on you and only you. He takes a shaky breath as he suddenly snaps into reality.

You’re sitting on his lap, chest to chest kissing him. And what’s he doing? Rambling about a case that’s now solved.

He has a real life beautiful girl sitting on his lap and he’s being a nerd and yapping.

“Y-yeah. Sorry.” He says softly, voice catching in his throat. Finally understanding what you are wanting.

Yes you and him have done stuff before but every time he still acts like an innocent virgin boy who's never touched a woman.

“Good. Thank you.” You say as your lips reconnect with his. Moving slow and passionate against his. Just the way he likes, it makes him a mess.

As your tongue enters his mouth he lets out a little whine. He’s turning to puff in your hands by just a simple kiss. It’s pathetic. He knows it’s pathetic. But he knows you like that.

“Please.” He whines out against your lips as his hand finally touches you. Gently, not fully touching you. Too scared to do anything.

“Please what?” You say as your thumbs stroke his cheeks, smiling down at him before placing a kiss to his head. The poor boy beneath you is practically shaking beneath you with nerves and excitement.

“Touch me.” He manages to breathe out.

You don’t need to be told twice, hand darting to his pants zipper.

Spencer can feel your fingers working over the material that covers his cock. It twitches as he lets out another whine. The man has an IQ of 187 but when he’s with you, you’d never guess.

Your hands slip into his pants, palming him through his boxers with a smile on your face. You love making him feel good. Even if you’re not getting anything. Cause the noises and the way he is is enough for you.

“P-please.” He moans out all needy and worked up for you.

You kiss him again. He kisses you back with more strength this time. Showing you just how needy he is.

Your hands pull his pants and boxers down, him lifting his hips up to help you.

His cock is already leaking and aching for your touch. For any sense of relief as it’s all too much for the doctor.

Your hands wrap around his length before gently stroking up and down.

Spencer breaks the kiss as he moans. Looking down at your hand working on him. The sight makes his stomach tighten.

His head falls back against the couch as he grips the pillows, knuckles turning white as he breathes heavily.

“Oh-oh-“ He moans out again as you look up at him, kissing his lips again.

The noises that Spencer keeps making are drowned out in your mouth. And all you can do is smile.

Your hand speeds up and his brain malfunctions. The pleasure he’s feeling of your hand on his cock mixed with you kissing him is enough to put him in a coma.

“I’m gonna cum. I’m gonna-“ He says quickly, the words leaving his mouth followed by a moan.

You just keep going. His cock twitching in your grip before he releases.

You simply just place another kiss on his lips as you smile.

a/n: not proof read. need him x

[bitchface24-7]

I dont know if this is a bit much buuuuut.. In your (canon) professional opinion what do you think Silco's top kinks would be :3

I've evolved from Olive Garden I know am in the local Chili's thinking about my baby girl crimelord :))

HIS KINKS - SILCO

synopsis: literally just about Silco’s kinks, 18+ y'all

warnings: kinks obv, explicit sexual content, leave me alone its 2:51am I’m just in a brain rot mood, Grammarly as my beta

genre: m/f or m/m

p.s. Ahhh Melissa my love feral over Silco I see, don't worry me too. Many people love this man and the TRENCHES we were in for liking him back in S1… diabolical. Where was all this appreciation back then??

YOUNG SILCO

Pretty boy to the MAX y'all, he was NOT doing shit in those mines. Maybe he went into tight crawl spaces and ensured the mine itself was safe for the other workers but he was NOT swinging a pickaxe. He was most definitely the eye-candy though.

With that in mind, my man loves praise!!! In all aspects, not only in the bedroom. Tell him he's smart, his ideas are good, he's funny, whatever comes to mind; he'd want to hear about it.

Like his hair pulled, there's a reason why it's so lushious and long.

Definitely a switch. When he gets jealous and possessive his more dominant traits come out, when he's had a rough day, he just wants to be taken care of.

Dirty talk galore, like omfg SHUT UP 😩

Very teasing. Like oops sorry didn't mean to put my hand between your thighs as we’re talking to our friends. My bad. Don't make a sound, wouldn't want them to know, right?

Likes taking his time with you when he's able but loves a good quickie. The Brothers and Sisters of Zaun are constantly on the move and working, it’s hard to find time for anything else.

This leads to semi-public sex, like if there's time, and there's an empty supply room or closet, get ready y'all. He's gonna rock your shit.

Very big on reciprocating. You go down on him, he'll go down on you

Likes marking you up with some hickeys and light bruises. Can't help but smirk whenever someone points them out and you try to hide them.

Likes noise. How loud can he make you get before you try to hide it? Even then, he's pinning your hands above your head so you can't muffle those sweet sounds. He's working hard, he wants to hear them.

Intercrural sex (thigh fucking) is a big one. His dick in between your thighs, you riding his thigh, anything that can get y'all of quick and easy.

Mutual masturbation. He wants to see how you look coming apart before y'all got together and kept imagining him in dirty ways.

Enjoys getting marked up himself.

Knows you've got a thing for his hands and uses it against you.

Same thing with his voice.

Overall very sweet, loving, but very fun!

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

OLDER SILCO

Still very attractive but not in such a pretty way. Much more sharp and intimidating.

Much more into the BDSM scene compared to when he was younger. Leans much more into being dominant since it’s much harder to gain his trust, so it’s much harder to get him to be submissive (he still wants to be taken care of sometimes)

Bondage. His silk ties, handcuffs taken from enforcers, your own clothes. Sometimes Silco wants to pleasure you and isn't in the mood for you to touch him in return, and he knows passion overtakes critical thinking. So bondage works in his favour.

Spanking. Especially if you've been bad. You didn't listen to him, you made him look like a fool, you almost got hurt, you almost got killed. Its a physical form of being reprimanded. But if you beg sweetly enough he’ll do it when you're being good.

Marks. Oh my god the marks he leaves behind. Hickeys, bruises, rashes from the cuffs or ties, maybe even a little bit of knifeplay. He's always been possessive, he's always left his mark on you, but now it’s over the top.

Semi-public sex but this time it’s mainly his office and the windows overlooking Zaun. If people see, oh well. Now everyone will know for sure you're his.

Lingerie. Especially in his colours of red, black, gold, and white. Some days he tears it off, others he makes you keep it on. Doesn't matter if you're a man or a woman, it’s like opening a gift, and savouring the wrapper.

Overstimulation. You're done when he says you're done. Even if your legs are shaking and you're gasping for breath, he wont stop until HE’S satisfied.

Dirty talk again. A mix of degradation and praise. Coming off a bit teasing and snarky, but it makes goosebumps rise on your skin.

Medical play? I can see him getting aroused if you have to do the dose for his eye and you're WAY too close to him, you're sitting on his lap, he's smelling your signature scent, you're rubbing up on him, your chest is in his face. Y'all he's done for.

Still uses his hands and voice against you.

He enjoys smoking a cigar, looking over paperwork, as you suck his cock under his desk. On that note, also enjoys cockwarming.

He likes it when you're sweet, but adores it when you're bratty. He gets to put you in line.

Not a fan of the daddy kink, it makes him think of Jinx. He prefers Sir, even sometimes Boss in the right circumstances.

Overall the vibe is similar. He's still somewhat sweet, he does love you, and its still very fun. He's just hardcore traumatized now.

Hope y'all enjoyed my interpretation of what Silco likes in the bedroom LMAO, if y'all have any ideas or want to freak out in the comments or reblogs, be my guest. I'm more than willing to do this for other characters as well ❤️

[neeeooon]

How about Sae, Rin, Isagi, Bachira, Chigiri, Reo, Kunigami, Barou and Karasu inviting their s/o to meet their family, after some talking they ended up going somewhere (bathroom, water, etc.) but when they come back they see that their family show their s/o their embarrassing baby photos and stories. How would they react?

omg real tbh THANK YOU FOR THE REQUEST!! 🤍 (i got it right this time, ty for letting me know 🫶)

when their family embarrasses them in front of you ;

bf bllk x gn!reader

itoshi sae

-> it was clear who the favorite was right away. for every one picture of rin hanging up, there were three of sae

-> he wasn’t very interested in having you meet his parents, but you insisted. now, after sitting through twenty minutes of the itoshi’s telling you all about their son’s accomplishments, you got it. “… i am very sorry for dragging you here.” “your apology is accepted. i’ll be back.”

-> he left you alone with his parents, to which they took you on a second tour through the house. “oh! and this was when he scored his first goal!” “… he’s only a baby..?” “he was born with talent!”

-> when sae finally returned, you shot him a desperate look, and he swooped in. “that’s great, ma. i have to be up early for practice.” “oh, okay, dear! it was nice meeting you, y/n.” “i’ll call.” and then you’re free

-> “what did they say while i was gone?” he asked on the drive home, and though it was dark, you could see the red tint to his ears. “not much. just that you were born with talent.” he groaned, embarrassed, and you laughed

itoshi rin

-> despite being the same people, meeting rin’s parents was nothing like meeting sae’s parents. even though you were there for their younger son only, they loved to talk about their oldest

-> annoyed, rin gave your leg a gentle squeeze to grab your attention. “i need some water” which meant “i need a breather or i’m gonna lose it”

-> he was only gone a minute, but when he returned, his mother had the scrapbook out and propped across her thighs as she pointed photos out to you

-> “oh! and this was right before rin jumped off the top of the slide and bit a hole through his tongue! he was such a… rambunctious child!”

-> when rin heard that, he all but materialized back in the living room and slapped the book shut. “okay, no more story times. let’s go.” you couldn’t help but laugh at how pink his cheeks were

isagi yoichi

-> you were a bit shocked because how could two people as lovely and caring as isagi’s parents raise something as cracked as your boyfriend?

-> “oh, yoichi was such a scaredy cat growing up! so scared of everything, he wouldn’t even put his clothes on!” “mom!” “he would run around naked! and his father would be chasing him with a towel—“ “mom!!” “okay, fine!”

-> isagi spent the rest of the dinner sulking, his ears burning like flares in humiliation as his parents went on and on about the kind of kid he was. you didn’t mind one bit, loving all the free blackmail material

-> “can we pretend that never happened?” he practically begged on the way back to yours, and you cackled manically. “there’s no way in hell, mr. scaredy cat—“ “i was, like, three or something!” “i’m kidding, babe! don’t lose your pants—“ “y/n!”

bachira meguru

-> bachira’s mom is the coolest person you’ve ever met, to the point where if you were the same age, you’d want her to be your best friend

-> when you met her for the first time, she was covered in various paints and dyes, and you were immediately drawn to her warm, confident aura. “y/n! it’s such a pleasure to finally meet you! meguru, can you get the tea from the fridge?”

-> once he was gone, she immediately collected your hands in hers and pulled you close. “has he told you about his monster friend?” “yes, ma’am—“ “oh, just yu is fine! ma’am makes me feel old.”

-> “ma!” bachira cried when he returned with the tea to find his mother showing you some paintings he’d done as a child while telling you what he was like back then. “oh, he was such a sensitive little boy… meg, so glad of you to finally join us!”

chigiri hyoma

-> oh my god, you’re so in love with chigiri’s family

-> you were nervous to meet them, but they were so immensely welcoming and made you feel comfortable that you forgot it was your first time meeting

-> “hyoma works so hard, y’know?” his sister sighed as she dropped some sugar into your tea. “when he was younger, before his accident, he used to be so cocky! he’d ask random people at school to race him all the time, and—“

-> and chigiri appears from helping their mom fold some laundry, his lips parted and cheeks nearly as red as his hair. “sis! is that really necessary?” “what? it’s a story of your growth!”

-> you could tell chigiri was embarrassed, maybe even a little ashamed of his younger self, but you quietly asked his sister to go on. “he’s grown a lot since then. been through a lot. he’s lucky to have you, y/n.” “you’re so embarrassing, sis..” “and you need to learn to respect your elders!”

mikage reo

-> you were a bit iffy about reo’s parents when you first met them. they weren’t necessarily strict, but their smiles felt forced and awkward

-> it wasn’t until reo slipped away to the restroom, leaving you alone with them, that they finally started some conversation. “… would you like to see little reo on his sixth birthday?” you were desperate to break the tension and nodded. “yes, please.”

-> one photo turned into two, two turned into three, and soon you were giggling along with reo’s mom as she told you stories you knew reo would never tell you himself

-> “he’s always had a soft spot for strays. the poor boy wanted a puppy so bad, he made one out of sticks and played with it until his father finally gave in! oh, welcome back, son!”

-> reo, red-faced and embarrassed, crossed his arms over his chest. “it wasn’t sticks… it was a stick. one.” you took his hand in yours and gave it a squeeze. “i’m sure you took very good care of your stick-dog.” “we’re leaving. bye!”

kunigami rensuke

-> kunigami’s parents love you, but his sisters love you

-> “ren, honey, do you mind helping me in the kitchen?” kunigami’s mother called, and he gave you a small smile before disappearing around the corner. leaving you alone with his two sisters

-> “did you know that rensuke picked his nose until he was, like, twelve?” the younger of the two confessed, shamelessly exposing her older brother. you choked on a laugh as the older nodded. “it’s true! also, he used to cry if anyone sang him a lullaby.”

-> kunigami’s spiky head appeared around the corner, shooting glares between his sisters as he asked, “you two aren’t trying to scare y/n off, are you?”

-> both sisters gaped at him. “absolutely not!! y/n is family now!” “yeah, we like them more than you!” “wha—?!”

barou shouei

-> unlike kunigami’s sisters, barou’s were more hesitant toward you. they grew up with barou more as a parental figure than a brother, were spoiled rotten by him, so meeting his partner was strangely daunting

-> barou’s mother immediately loved you. she set a cup of tea in your hands and rested a hand on your shoulder. “you’re a good one, y/n. i’ve heard nothing but sweet things about you.” you can’t help but blush. “thank you.”

-> “will you still love him when he cleans up after you 24/7?” “uh—“ “or when he gets sad when someone puts wafers in his pudding?” “i—“ “do you clean? shouei really needs to be with someone who likes cleaning, too—“ “girls!”

-> you were pulled away from the badgering sisters, who were blinking between you and barou innocently. “we’re just curious!” “yeah! you deserve the best, big brother!”

-> barou, clearly embarrassed, just ruffled their hair and sent them to play somewhere else. “sorry about them..” but you were smiling. “no, they’re lovely. they care about you, a lot!” your smile grew when barou reddened

karasu tabito

-> “my, what great bone structure you have~” “granny! yer freaking ‘em out!”

-> you tried to laugh, but your face was smushed between two old lady hands. karasu tried to distract her with his sweet smile while pulling you to safety, but you only ended up with his older sister, instead

-> “oh my gosh, tabito is so lucky to have someone like you. you know, when he was in middle school, he had this phase with painting his nails black—“ “okay, enough telling y/n about tabito’s emo era!” karasu cut in with a nervous chuckle

-> his sister rolled her eyes and pulled you down to sit with her. “and his hair!” she whispered, pulling her phone out. “wait, i have a ton of pics of him from when he was a preteen. look at how dumb and full of himself he looks, y/n!” “oh my god, his head!!” “right?! stupid tabito.”

-> the tabito in question is mildly offended and extremely disturbed to see his partner and his sister laughing at old photos of him, but he knows this is a game he’ll ever win

[alluramiura]

“𝒾𝓃 ℴ𝓉𝒽ℯ𝓇 𝓌ℴ𝓇𝒹𝓈, 𝒶 𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁ℯ𝓇 𝓉ℴ 𝓅𝓇ℴ𝓉ℯ𝒸𝓉 𝓎ℴ𝓊” ｜se-mi x reader

summary: you save se-mi during lights out.

word count: 1.6k words

warnings: lowercase intended, death description, 124 dies, se-mi lives, mentions of youngmi’s death (💔), reader is an implied foreigner

authors note: i was going to post something abt hyunju but i remembered how se-mi died and i got mad all over again. minsu you’re a fucking coward. enjoy.

you met se-mi after the first game, before six-legged pentathlon. you talked a few times, the first time being when you two agreed to team up. after the agreement, she proposed the idea to split up and search for more teammates.

a few minutes later, you found two players willing to join you; hyunju and youngmi. when you found her again, she had found four other players.

before you could say anything, one of the men behind her spoke up.

“who’s this, se-mi? the limit is five. we have all of our members.” he says, so quietly you almost can’t hear him. he was standing the closest to se-mi, and you notice his number is 125.

your eyes flicker to his for a second before flickering back to se-mi, who looks like she was about to give you an apology before another one of the men speaks, quite loudly.

“who’s this chick?” a man with purple hair—“thanos“— steps forward to address you directly.

“oooh, i see what’s happening. you want to join the amazing thanos’ team, huh? we are sadly out of room, señorita. but come to me next round, yeah?”

you stare at him blankly before turning back to se-mi. “it’s okay. i found a few people. you can stay with your group.”

she nods hesitantly, and you give her a faint smile before turning to return to the two players you found, who have now found two more players.

after the second game, you spoke again, a little before voting.

you opened up about your situation, how you were still relatively new to life in seoul, and how it’s been rougher than you imagined it would be, especially with the whole death game thing.

she sat and listened, nodding softly as you explained the last few months of your life to her.

she spoke about her situation a little as well. she didn’t say much, just that going back to her life was as good as staying here would be.

hearing that, you shouldn’t have felt as shocked, almost betrayed as you did when you saw her with the small “O” patched onto her jacket.

you knew you really had no right to be upset—everyone was here for a reason, some reasons being worse than the others, and her singular vote would have changed nothing regardless—but you couldn’t help but think of how the majority of players would choose money over fellow human life, her being one of them.

you try not to let her see how much the thought bothers you, but she seems to catch on almost immediately.

“are you upset that i chose to continue?” she asked, a bit suddenly, after noticing you’ve barely said anything and had been avoiding her gaze.

“…i’m not upset at you directly. i just…wanted to go home really bad.” you mutter softly, fidgeting with your necklace.

she hums in acknowledgement, and what seems like understanding.

“i wish i felt the same way.”

the next time you talk to her after that was during the third game.

mingle was probably the most stressful for you. you stayed with youngmi and the rest of your designated group for the most part.

that is, until youngmi died.

seeing her lifeless body covered in blood changed something within you.

when the farris wheel stopped spinning once more, you almost didn’t move. however, you suddenly felt the strong urge to make it out of here alive, if not for yourself, then for the friends, family you found here that might not make it along the way.

when you saw se-mi again, she was alone, looking around frantically for another person after the number two was called out.

you first noticed that she wasn’t with her team, but you pushed that thought away as you rushed towards her, grabbing her arm and sprinting to an empty room.

once you were in the room with the door shut, you pressed your back against the wall, catching your breath.

after a few seconds of silence and heavy breathing, se-mi speaks up, her voice hoarse and breathy.

“thank you.”

hearing that, you look up at her before nodding, closing your eyes and leaning your head against the wall.

“you’re welcome.”

when you left the room, you noticed she stayed near you and your group instead of with the people she was with before.

you didn’t mind.

the final time you talked to her before lights out was after the second vote.

when you saw she voted “X”, you were almost as shocked as you were seeing her vote the first time.

you didn’t ask what changed her mind, however. instead, you asked her what happened with her team.

“they…they’re assholes. i should’ve known from the start.” she mumbles, sighing softly.

you two spoke a little more, and you told her about your newfound motivation to make it out no matter what, after witnessing the death of your friend.

you shed a few tears thinking of youngmi. you didn’t know her for long, but like many other people you met here, you formed a bond you knew you’d never have with anyone else you’d ever meet.

se-mi gently put a hand on your shoulder as you cried silently, her expression grim.

you stayed with her for the remainder of the time before lights out.

now, as everyone’s killing one another and the scent of copper fills the air, you run around frantically looking for a place to hide.

you were climbing to the top of one of the bunk beds when you heard a familiar voice.

a shriek.

you look behind you, and a few feet away stood player 124, standing over se-mi with a bloodied fork in hand, looking like he was ready to attack.

that same feeling you got seeing youngmi die suddenly came back full force, and before you even realized it, you had hopped off the latter and began running towards the two.

as you approached, you locked eyes with se-mi as she struggled to fight him off.

suddenly, a glass bottle shatters, causing you to step back, and namgyu to pause his murderous actions, looking up to find the person who threw it.

while he’s distracted, you grab a shard of the glass and jab it into his his shoulder from behind.

namgyu lets out a pained cry as the glass pierces his shoulder. in an instant, he swivels around, backhanding you in the face.

you hit the ground pretty hard, feeling blood trickle down your nose. your vision was slightly blurred and you were disarrayed, your hand pressing against your temple where you initially hit the ground.

se-mi’s eyes widen, a strangled gasp leaving her lips as she watches you fall to the ground. adrenaline fuels her as she takes the opportunity to scramble to her feet, kicking namgyu in his side.

he doubles over slightly, but quickly recovers as he takes another step towards se-mi.

to her surprise, you get back on your feet, gripping the shard of glass so hard that blood runs down your wrist as you charge at namgyu again.

her heart racing, she joins fray in a flurry of limbs and desperation, punching and kicking wherever she could. namgyu was strong, however, and he managed to dodge all of your messily aimed attempts at stabbing him, his own adrenaline surging.

he suddenly grabs se-mi’s wrist forcefully, slamming her against the wall and raising his fork over his head, preparing to stab se-mi in the neck.

“no!” you shriek, balancing yourself and locking your blurry vision onto namgyu before charging at him a final time, stabbing him in the back harshly.

you don’t stop after the first stab, continuing to drill the glass into his back repeatedly, his blood splattering all over your shirt and skin.

he screams out in pain, staggering as his strength slowly leaves his body.

it’s only when he hits the ground, choking on his own blood as it pools around him when you realize what you’ve done, your hands shaking as you look down at the blood covering your hands.

you almost feel sick knowing it’s not just your own.

if someone told you a week ago that you’d become a murderer trying to protect yourself and your loved ones in a death game you’d blindly signed up for, you’d call a psychiatrist.

you drop the glass, trembling as you slowly look up at se-mi, tears beginning to stream down your face.

se-mi quickly runs over to you, her heart pounding in her chest. she grabs your face, holding it in her hands as she checks for any fatal injuries.

when she sees that you don’t have any major wounds, she pulls you into a tight hug.

you wrap your arms around se-mi as you bury your face into her neck, sobbing as the reality sinks in of what you’ve just done.

she kept her arms caged around you protectively, as she looks around to make sure no one else tries to attack you two.

“it’s okay. you’re okay. i got you.” she whispers, her own voice wavering as she rubs your back, attempting to comfort you for the second time that day, only under completely different circumstances.

“i-it all happened so fast…” you cry out, clinging onto se-mi like a lifeline. “h-he was trying to kill you, se-mi…i had to…i had to.”

“shhh…it’s alright. you saved me.” she murmurs, slowly guiding you to a nearby corner, hidden in the shadows from the chaos. she doesn’t once let you go, her eyes scanning the room for any immediate danger as the lights flicker.

after a while, she pulls back, gently tilting your head up so you could look at her. her thumb brushes away the tears streaming down your face, her touch tender.

"you're safe now. it's over."

[ankababy]

A Home (part 2)

Chishiya x reader x Niragi

Part 1 Part 3

Now, with your new roommates(as long as they were healing up, at least) you had time. Time, and a lot of it, so much that they both had all the time to worry about you. Wait—worry?

(TW: injuries, english not my first language!)

After the conversation the night before, you let them be.

You weren’t stupid. You knew people like them needed space more than anything. They needed time to process that they weren’t alone anymore—that someone was actually willing to take them in, feed them, let them stay.

So, you did exactly that.

You let them exist on their own terms.

They didn’t talk much the rest of the day. Chishiya mostly stayed in the bedroom he had picked out, keeping to himself. Niragi, on the other hand, spent most of his time on the couch, switching between being completely silent and making loud, unnecessary noises just to get on your nerves.

You cooked them another meal later in the evening. Something simple, something warm. You didn’t ask if they wanted it—you just made it and left the food where they could grab it.

If they ate, they ate. If they didn’t, well… that was their problem.

Once that was done, you told them one last time that if they needed something, they knew where to find you. Then you shut your bedroom door, locked it, and went to sleep.

Now, you walked into the living room, rubbing the sleep from your eyes.

The place was quiet.

No Chishiya.

Just Niragi, sprawled out on the couch, one leg thrown over the armrest, an open water bottle loosely dangling from his fingers.

He didn’t say anything when you entered.

Didn’t acknowledge you.

Didn’t even glance in your direction.

Yeah. Alright.

You weren’t surprised.

Not like you expected a ‘Good morning, sunshine!’ from him, but still.

You let out a small sigh and walked over to the kitchen. “Morning, Niragi.”

Nothing.

He didn’t even pretend to acknowledge you. He just kept lying there.

You didn’t let it bother you. Instead, you grabbed a glass, filled it with water, and walked over to where he was. You sat down on the chair near the couch, resting your arms on the table.

“Finally took a shower, huh?” you said, keeping your voice light. “How was it?”

This time, he made a sound. A lazy, unimpressed scoff. Then he stretched his arms above his head and exhaled. “Tch. I’ve had better.”

You raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Not luxurious enough for you?”

He smirked, eyes still fixed on the ceiling. “If you wanted to join, you could’ve just said so, babe.”

You snorted. “Dream on.”

“I did. Last night.”

You shook your head with a soft laugh, taking a sip of your water. His flirting wasn’t even serious. It was just how he was, words meant to either get a reaction or entertain himself.

You set the glass down and tilted your head slightly. “Your injuries.” you said. “You’re being careful, right?”

He didn’t answer immediately.

Which was an answer in itself.

You narrowed your eyes slightly. “Niragi.”

Still no response.

That wasn’t a good sign.

“Let me see.” you said softly.

His gaze finally moved from the ceiling to you. Looking at you for a bit. Like he was trying to decide how much he could get away with before you gave up.

“Why?” he asked. “You a nurse now, too?”

You gave him a small, patient smile. “I want to make sure you didn’t make anything worse.”

He scoffed. “I’m fine.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah.”

You sighed. Deeply.

This wasn’t going to be easy.

Gently, you leaned forward a little. “If you were fine, you wouldn’t be avoiding the question.” you pointed out. “Or looking at me like I just asked to amputate your leg.”

“You wanna undress me that bad, huh?” he teased. “Damn, at least buy me dinner first.”

You didn’t even blink. “You already ate.”

That actually made him laugh.A real, full laugh.

His head tilted slightly, observing you. “You really don’t give up, do you?”

“No.”

He sighed.

Defeated.

“…Fine.” he muttered. “Do whatever you want.”

Though when you reached for the hem of his shirt, he jerked away slightly, shooting you a glare.

“I can do it myself.” he grumbled.

You raised an eyebrow, hands resting in your lap. “Yeah?”

He scoffed. “Yeah.”

You sighed, tapping your fingers against your knee. “Alright. Go ahead.”

Niragi looked at you for half a second before clicking his pierced tongue and gripping the bottom of his shirt. He barely lifted it before his body immediately protested—his injuries pulling tight, pain searing through his ribs. His jaw clenched, and he sucked in a sharp breath.

You watched.

Didn’t say anything.

Didn’t even try to help.

Because you knew people like him. If you jumped in now, he’d just get more stubborn.

And sure enough, despite the obvious pain, Niragi kept going.

Grimacing. Muttering curses under his breath. Moving at the speed of someone who definitely should not be doing this alone.

You sighed. “You done?”

He scowled. “Shut up.”

“Just let me help.”

His fingers twitched against the fabric. For a moment, you thought he might still refuse. Might fight it until he physically couldn’t anymore. But then, with an exaggerated groan, he flopped back against the couch.

“Fine.” he grumbled, lifting his arms slightly. “Hurry the fuck up before I change my mind.”

Finally.

You reached forward, carefully slipping the shirt up over his ribs, making sure not to pull too hard. His body was worse than you thought. The same bandages you had wrapped him in yesterday(so he either wrapped them back up after showering or kept them on) were already loose, stained dark in some places. Bruises covered his torso—deep, painful-looking ones. Some yellowing, some fresh.

You exhaled through your nose.

He noticed.

“What?” he muttered, watching you. “Not as pretty as you thought I’d be?”

You glanced up, unimpressed. “I wasn’t expecting pretty.”

That made him laugh.

You just shook your head and reached for the bandages, starting to carefully unwrap them. He watched you closely.

“You got guns?” he asked suddenly.

Your hands didn’t stop moving. “Hm?”

“Guns.” He shifted slightly. “You got any?”

You met his eyes briefly before focusing back on his wounds. “Why do you want to know?”

He shrugged, not bothering to answer.

You carefully peeled back the last of the bandage, revealing the deep gash on his side. You had stitched it up yesterday, but it still looked bad—angry and healing slowly. His body was pushing itself too hard.

You weren’t surprised.

“I don’t keep guns here.” you said finally, reaching for some fresh cloth to clean the wound.

Niragi frowned slightly. “Why the fuck not?”

“Because I don’t need them.”

He scoffed. “You’re alone in a world like this and you don’t have a single gun? Not even for backup?”

You gave him a small, knowing smile. “Who said I don’t have a backup?”

His gaze flickered—like he wasn’t sure if you were bluffing.

But you weren’t.

You didn’t need guns because you were smart. You knew how to protect yourself in ways that didn’t rely on bullets.

Niragi, of course, was the kind of person who thought violence was the only way to survive.

So you didn’t argue with him. Didn’t explain yourself. You just kept working, gently pressing the cloth against his side.

He winced—barely, but you caught it. His reaction was to immediately act like nothing happened.

You ignored that.

“Keep talking if you want,”you said, voice light. “but I’d be careful with moving too much unless you want to rip these stitches out.”

Niragi clicked his tongue. “You’re bossy.”

“And you don’t listen.”

His grin returned. “So what, you gonna punish me?”

You rolled your eyes, pressing the cloth a little harder against his wound, listening to him hiss. Liking the sound. “That’s your punishment.”

You kept working on his wounds, carefully cleaning the gash on his side while he pretended he wasn’t in pain. Every so often, his body would tense, his breath would catch, but he’d immediately cover it up with something irritating—like you were the one being dramatic.

You ignored it. Mostly.

“I think you like touching me.” he muttered, watching you through half-lidded eyes.

You didn’t even glance up. “I think you have the pain tolerance of a child.”

He grinned. “Yeah? What do you know about kids?”

“I was a therapist.” you reminded him. “I worked with plenty of people. Adults. Teens. Kids.” You dabbed a clean cloth against the edges of the wound, your voice soft. “And you? You complain like the six-year-olds who didn’t want to get their vaccines.”

Niragi scoffed, tilting his head back. “Tch. Whatever.”

But before he could throw out another pair of shitty words, a new voice cut through the air.

“How bad is it?”

You glanced up to see Chishiya.

Standing just a few feet away, hands tucked into the pockets of his hoodie, watching. His expression was unreadable. Calm. Unbothered.

Like he had been there for a while.

Niragi, of course, immediately zeroed in on him like a cat.

“What, you worried about me?” he sneered.

Chishiya didn’t even blink.

“No.”

Niragi clicked his tongue. “Then why the fuck are you here?”

Chishiya ignored him, eyes moving back to you. “You know what you’re doing?”

It wasn’t an insult.

It was a genuine question.

Not doubtful. Not condescending.

Just curious.

You gave him a small smile. “Yeah. I know.”

His gaze lingered for a second. Then he nodded once, like he was satisfied with that answer.

Niragi was not.

“The fuck do you care, huh?” he muttered, glaring at him. “You here to watch? You into that or somethin’?”

Chishiya’s expression didn’t change. He just slowly shifted his weight to one side. “You really do talk a lot.”

Niragi’s eyes narrowed. “What?”

“I mean,” Chishiya said. “you have a gaping wound in your side and you’re still wasting energy running your mouth.” He tilted his head slightly. “Maybe that’s why you’re still weak.”

Niragi sat up so fast that you had to press a hand against his chest to keep him from ripping his stitches apart.

“Hey.” you scolded gently. “Do you want me to actually kick you out? Because I can.”

Niragi’s attention snapped to you, offended “You’d kick me out?”

You raised an eyebrow. “If you start throwing punches in my living room? Yeah.”

Chishiya exhaled sharply—which, for him, was practically a laugh.

Niragi immediately pointed at him. “Don’t fucking laugh, you piece of shit.”

Chishiya shrugged. “Not laughing.”

You sighed and focused back on Niragi’s injury, pressing a new bandage against his side. He winced before schooling his face back into something bored.

Chishiya, meanwhile, kept watching. Because—and he would never admit this out loud—he was actually impressed.

You were good.

Better than he expected.

He hadn’t told you he was a doctor. On purpose. He wanted to see how well you’d handle an injury like Niragi’s without him stepping in.

And you? You were doing just fine.

Maybe not with the same expertise as him, but your hands were steady. Your movements were careful. You knew what you were doing, and you were patient.

A lesser person would have lost their temper by now.

A lesser person would have shoved Niragi away and let him bleed.

Chishiya would’ve done that himself plenty of times. Not out of cruelty—just because he didn’t care.

And watching you? Seeing you handle this absolute nightmare of a human being with no bother?

He wasn’t impressed, exactly. But he did feel… something, though he barely felt anything these days. But there was something.

Something vaguely similar to satisfaction.

Because Niragi—for once in his life—was actually shutting up long enough to let someone help him.

Even if he was whining the whole time.

He leaned against the counter, watching as you finished bandaging Niragi’s side. His attention flickered to Niragi himself, who still looked pissed.

“Not gonna say thank you?” Chishiya asked, voice calm.

Niragi shot him a look. “The fuck are you, my mom?”

Chishiya hummed thoughtfully. “No. But I do enjoy watching you suffer.”

Niragi twitched. Your hand gently pressed down on the fresh bandage, forcing him to still.

“Alright, that’s enough.” you said softly. “Chishiya, let him breathe.”

Chishiya’s lip twitched. Not quite a smirk. Not quite a smile. But definitely amused. He said nothing else, just continued standing there, watching.

Not helping.

Not offering advice.

Just enjoying the fact that Niragi was being forced to sit still and deal with it.

Because he wasn’t a good person.

And sometimes, watching Niragi suffer was the closest thing he got to entertainment.

Once Niragi was officially bandaged up—and had been thoroughly bullied by Chishiya in the process—you let out a soft sigh, sitting back on your heels and stretching your fingers.

“Alright.” you said. “You’re good to go.”

Niragi muttered something under his breath, something that sounded like thanks but was probably just more grumbling. He flexed his shoulders slightly, like he was testing the new bandages, and then promptly ignored you as he leaned back into the couch like he had just survived a life-threatening event.

You let him be.

Instead, you turned your attention to Chishiya. Who was still standing by the counter, watching.

And perfectly fine.

Which—was actually a little strange. Because when you had found them, both of them had been beaten, bruised, bloody. Niragi had clearly had it worse, but Chishiya hadn’t exactly looked pristine. But now? Standing there, in the soft morning light, hands tucked into his hoodie pockets, eyes half-lidded like he was unimpressed—he looked… fine.

Like he had never been injured in the first place.

“Are you okay?” you asked.

Chishiya blinked. Then tilted his head, just slightly. “I’m fine.”

You squinted.

Because you remembered.

The bruises, the cuts, the blood.

You had checked both of them, and Niragi obviously had been worse, but Chishiya had still been injured.

And yet, now? No visible wounds. No sign of discomfort. No limp, no wince, nothing.

Like he had never been hurt at all.

Niragi scoffed, tilting his head back against the couch. “Yeah, don’t waste your concern on him. Fucking bastard looked like a corpse when you dragged us in and now he’s walking around like a smug little rat.”

Chishiya ignored him. His eyes stayed on you, watching. Calm. Careful.

You narrowed your own eyes slightly.

“You looked worse before.” you said slowly.

Chishiya hummed. “Did I?”

“Yes.”

A beat of silence.

“Well,” he said, shrugging slightly. “guess I got lucky.”

You didn’t believe that for a second.

But you also weren’t dumb.

You weren’t going to push. If he didn’t want to explain something, he wasn’t going to. He would just dodge and deflect until you forgot you asked in the first place.

And so—you let it go. For now.

You exhaled through your nose, shaking your head slightly, and stood up, brushing dust off your clothes.

“Alright, well.” you said, stretching your arms slightly. “If you start dropping dead, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

Chishiya smirked, in his own little sly way.

“I won’t.”

From the couch, Niragi muttered, mocking, “Ohh, look at me, I’m Chishiya, I’m a little bitch—”

Chishiya’s smirk disappeared. And then he simply said, calmly, “You’re still sitting there because you physically can’t get up without passing out.”

Niragi’s jaw ticked.

Your hand gently pressed against his shoulder before he could do anything stupid.

“Alright, that’s enough from both of you.” you said sweetly. “I have no problem sending you both to time-out.”

Chishiya almost smiled.

Niragi just grumbled.

Oh, these boys.

You grabbed Niragi’s discarded, bloodstained shirt from the armrest of the couch. Holding it up, you grimaced at the state of it.

“You’re really attached to this thing, huh?” you mused.

Niragi, who had just been brooding over what Chishiya said, snapped his attention back to you. “What?”

You held the fabric between your fingers, inspecting the dried blood, the torn edges, the very obvious smell of someone who had been rolling around in dirt and violence for too long.

“This shirt.” you said, lifting an eyebrow. “You sure you don’t wanna let it go?”

Niragi rolled his eyes and snatched it out of your hands.

“The fuck else am I supposed to wear?” he muttered.

“I have clothes you can borrow.”

He paused.

And then his face twisted into something between amusement and disgust. “What, your clothes?”

You blinked at him. Then smiled. “If you want.”

Niragi’s eye twitched.

You almost laughed.

Instead, you took a small step back, tilting your head. “Or,” you mused. “are you so in love with this shirt that you’d rather smell like roadkill?”

He glared. “I don’t—”

But before he could finish, you clasped your hands behind your back, giving him an overly sweet look.

“Well, go on.” you teased. “Put it on.”

His eyes narrowed. “I am.”

“Do you need help?”

His entire body stiffened.

The audacity. The disrespect.

“What the fuck did you just say?”

You tilted your head. “Do you need help?” you repeated, slower, softer, sweeter. Like you were speaking to a child. Like you were genuinely concerned.

Niragi stared at you, his left eye twitching slightly, his entire aura radiating absolute fury.

“I will strangle you.” he said.

You grinned. “Ohhh, so you do need help.”

Chishiya, who had been watching all of this from the kitchen, let out a quiet exhale through his nose—his version of a laugh.

Niragi immediately whipped his head around. “The fuck are you laughing at?”

Chishiya looked at him.

“You.”

Niragi looked like he was about to lunge, but you gently patted his shoulder before he could even attempt.

“Alright, alright.” you said, laughing softly. “I’ll stop teasing.”

You wouldn’t. But he didn’t need to know that.

You took a step back, nodding toward the kitchen.

“I’m making breakfast.” you announced. “Either of you want anything?”

Silence.

Just blank stares.

Chishiya’s was calculating, like he was waiting to see if you’d take the lack of response as a sign to stop. Niragi’s was irritated, like he wanted to say no just out of spite.

You sighed.

“Right.” you muttered. “I forgot you two don’t believe in basic human decency.” And with that, you turned on your heel and walked into the kitchen anyway, opening cabinets, pulling out ingredients, making something whether they wanted it or not. Because despite their egos, their pettiness, their absolute refusal to admit when they needed anything—they were still human.

And whether they liked it or not, you were going to take care of them.

The soft clatter of plates and the quiet bubbling of whatever you had decided to throw together filled the silence. Not that the silence itself was bad—it was just them.

You weren’t stupid.

You knew who you had brought into your home. You knew their kind—two different breeds of fucked-up, but still fucked-up all the same.

Niragi was loud, unpredictable, psycho little shit. Brutal, violent, unhinged. He enjoyed chaos, he thrived on it. He found genuine entertainment in hurting people.

Chishiya was different, yet still so similar. The type of person to watch a building burn, not because he set it on fire, but just to see how long it would take before it collapsed. Not an active threat, but not a safe presence, either.

And then there was you. A sweetheart in a world that didn’t deserve it.

So, really, you were a fucking anomaly. Because someone like you shouldn’t be standing in a kitchen, making breakfast for two absolute menaces.

But here you were. And if you were going to keep them alive, you were going to do it your way.

With love.

You turned your head slightly, looking over your shoulder as you stirred the pot.

“So,” you hummed, soft and sweet. “how’d you guys sleep?”

Silence.

As expected.

You glanced at them.

Niragi had successfully put his shirt back on, though judging by the way his hands were still twitching, he was probably still thinking about stabbing you for your earlier comments. He was leaning back into the couch, one arm resting over the back of it, watching you. Chishiya, on the other hand, hadn’t moved much at all. He was still standing near the counter, hands in his hoodie pockets, gaze half-lidded but undeniably watchful.

It was almost funny.

One of them was waiting for you to slip up just so he could tear into you, and the other was analyzing every word you said like you were some puzzle in a game he had to solve.

And yet—neither of them answered.

You sighed dramatically, turning back to the stove.

“Well, I slept great.” you announced, as if they had asked. “Really comfortable, actually. My bed’s amazing. You guys should try it sometime.”

Niragi’s grin widened immediately. He listened to this, though.

“Oh, yeah?” he mused. “All three of us? Didn’t know you were that kind of girl, sweetheart.”

You snorted.

“Oh, don’t get excited.” you said, flipping a spoon in your hand. “I meant separately, dumbass.”

Niragi pouted dramatically. “Lame.”

Chishiya didn’t react at all.

You let out a mock sigh, shaking your head.

“You guys are so bad at normal conversation.” you teased, stirring the pot again. “Come on, I’m giving you easy ones here. I even did the work for you by answering first.”

Chishiya tilted his head slightly, blinking at you like a lazy cat. “And why do you care?”

You smiled.

Genuinely.

Soft. Sweet.

“I always care.”

Niragi snorted. “What a waste.” he muttered.

You laughed, shaking your head. “Yeah, yeah, whatever.”

Even if they didn’t care, even if they thought it was pointless, even if they thought you were stupid for trying—you weren’t going to stop.

Because if you didn’t care, who else would?

Honestly, it was almost funny how different they were while still being exactly the same kind of problem.

Niragi, the loud, violent, unpredictable problem. The type to smile while stabbing you just because it amused him. Chishiya, the quiet, detached, disturbingly intelligent problem. The type to stand over your body and watch you bleed out just to study your last moments. Yet, still so similar to each other.

And yet, here you were.

Making them breakfast.

Because you were a fucking angel.

Not a dumb one, though.

“Oh, by the way.” you said casually, not looking up from the pot. “I’m going out tonight.”

Niragi snapped his head toward you. “Going out where?” His tone was too sharp. Too quick. Like he hadn’t meant to react, but it had slipped out anyway.

You blinked at him. Then smiled. “I have to play tonight.”

Niragi’s shoulders relaxed instantly. He let out a huff, rolling his eyes. “Ohhh, that. Thought you were gonna say something interesting.”

Chishiya, as always, didn’t react much at all. But you saw the shift. The way he watched you a little closer, like he was analyzing the details of your sentence.

Still, neither of them protested.

Which was a win, technically.

So, with that settled, you turned off the stove, grabbing two plates and plating the food with all the love in the world. Because even though these two were absolute menaces, they were still under your care.

And you were going to take care of them.

Even if they were the worst.

You hummed softly as you placed the first plate on the counter for Chishiya.

“Here you go, sweetheart.” you said gently.

Chishiya gave you a single blink. Then took the plate wordlessly.

Then, with the same warmth and care, you walked over to Niragi, putting his plate down in front of him with a soft smile.

And, because he was him, he looked at the plate, then at you, then grinned like a fucking devil.

“Ohhh, baby.” he crooned, tilting his head. “You shouldn’t have.”

You tilted yours back.

“But I did.”

Then—he pushed the plate away with one finger.

Your eye twitched.

“You’re such a little shit.” you muttered.

Niragi laughed.

You stared at him.

Then, with the sweetest voice imaginable, you said: “If you don’t eat it, I’m shoving it down your throat.”

Chishiya let out the softest exhale from the counter. Which, for him, was basically wheezing laughter.

Niragi snatched the plate off the table, scoffing.

And with that, you finally sat down, watching your two little problems eat the food you made for them.

Because despite their insufferable personalities—you still cared.

~

Everything was red.

Your breath was shallow, shaky, uneven. Each inhale felt like shards of glass scraping through your ribs, slicing through your already shattered body.

The ground beneath you—some broken, cracked pavement leading back home—was nothing more than an endless blur beneath your feet.

Your bare, bleeding feet.

It didn’t feel real.

It should have been over.

You should have been dead.

But something kept you moving.

Something kept your broken, mangled body from collapsing completely.

Not survival.

Not instinct.

Not some bullshit inner strength.

Just—

Them.

Niragi.

Chishiya.

Two people who shouldn’t matter. Two people who, before this, you had never even known existed. Two people who, on any other day, in any other life, you would have never crossed paths with.

But somehow, they were the only thing keeping you going.

Because if you stopped—if you gave in now—if you collapsed and never got up—then ou wouldn’t get to see them again.

And you wanted to.

You needed to.

A wet, gurgling sound escaped your throat—a laugh, a cough, a choked sob—you u didn’t know. You were too far gone to tell. The only thing you knew for sure was that you had never felt pain like this before.

Your body wasn’t just hurt. It was wrecked. Ripped apart, skinned alive, at least it felt like that.

There wasn’t a single inch of you that wasn’t covered in blood.

Your blood.

Or someone else’s.

It didn’t matter.

None of it mattered.

Because whether it was yours or theirs, it was drenched into you. Soaked into every pore. Seeping, dripping, painting your skin in crimson layers. And under all that blood—where fabric should have been—there was nothing.

No shirt.

No bra.

Nothing but the way your arms wrapped around your chest, trying to preserve what little dignity you had left. At least you still had your pants, hm.

Your fingers trembled.

Not from embarrassment.

Not from shame.

But from the sheer unbearable exhaustion pulling at your bones.

You wanted to fall.

To drop.

To let your body crumble into the ground and just—stop.

But you couldn’t.

Not yet.

Not when you were so close.

So close to them.

You could see it now.

The building.

Your home.

The place where they were waiting.

The last thing holding you to this world.

You took another step.

And another.

And another.

Until, finally, you were there.

The hallway stretched endlessly before you, a cruel illusion that made every step feel like an eternity.

Your fingers trembled against the keypad as you punched in the code, smearing the numbers with slick, dark red. You heard the mechanism click, the faintest sound of security, but it barely registered past the roaring in your skull.

The door creaked open.

And there they were.

Chishiya and Niragi.

Waiting.

Not for you, necessarily—just awake, just there, just existing.

And for some reason, despite the way your body screamed in agony, despite the fact that you could barely stand, despite the fact that you looked like you had just crawled out of hell itself—you still felt relief.

A breath escaped you, shaky and wet, as you staggered inside. The door swung shut behind you, sealing you in, trapping you in the only place that could still be called home.

Neither of them spoke at first.

They just stared.

And for once—for once in his fucking life— Niragi didn’t open his mouth to say something.

Just pure, unfiltered silence.

Which was somehow worse.

Because Niragi not saying anything? That meant something was really fucking wrong. And if even he could tell, that meant you weren’t just hurt.

You were barely standing on the edge of death itself.

Still, despite everything, you spoke. You could still talk. And as long as you could talk, that meant you were fine.

You were fine.

“Leave me alone.”

Your legs shook violently as you staggered toward your bathroom, barely able to hold yourself up, arms still wrapped tightly around your chest, holding on to what little warmth you had left.

“I’m fine.”

The words weren’t convincing.

Not to them.

Not to you.

But somehow—they listened. Somehow, neither of them stopped you.

Not Niragi. Not Chishiya.

Neither of them spoke. Neither of them moved. They just watched. As you disappeared behind the bathroom door.

And finally, you were alone.

You walked to the tub, with the shower above it, turning the water on. The moment the water hit your skin, it felt like a million needles stabbing into every open wound.

You sucked in a breath, sharp and ragged, feeling your body jerk on instinct before finally, finally giving in to the pain. Your back pressed against the cold porcelain of the tub as you slumped down, the water soaking into your ruined pants, turning the already damp fabric into something even heavier, something that clung to your shredded skin like a second layer of agony.

Your arms—shaking, trembling, weak—finally fell from your chest, exposing the wreckage of your body to the dim light of the bathroom.

And everything was red.

The water wasn’t washing it away fast enough.

It just spread it out, diluting the blood into something almost beautiful—soft, swirling ribbons of crimson that flowed down the drain in lazy spirals.

It stung.

It fucking stung.

But somehow, it still wasn’t as painful as the question clawing at the back of your skull.

What the fuck happened?

Running. Fighting. Falling. Blood. Teeth. Hands. The sound of something breaking. The feeling of something slipping away.

And now—this.

This surreal moment, sitting in your own bathtub, body half-broken, covered in wounds you couldn’t even remember getting, in a world that barely felt real anymore.

You swallowed hard, throat burning, eyes unfocused as the water cascaded down your face, mixing with the blood, with the dirt, with everything.

The door opened.

Your head snapped up, your body jolting as you moved on instinct, arms flying to cover yourself again—

Fuck. You left it unlocked. The panic lasted for all of two seconds before you saw who it was.

Chishiya.

He didn’t speak.

Didn’t ask.

Didn’t react to what he was seeing.

He just stepped inside, completely unbothered, his movements as slow as ever, his eyes flicking briefly to yours before shifting past you—toward the tiny, plastic cup on the counter.

You blinked, still half-dazed, half out of it, before you saw him reach for something—

A hair tie.

And then—before you could even process it—he was kneeling behind you, fingers gathering the wet strands of your hair, tying it up so effortlessly that it couldn’t belong to someone who should be this detached.

Your breath caught in your throat.

You didn’t stop him.

It was like he had done this before. Like he knew exactly what he was doing. And maybe—maybe that was the only reason you managed to speak at all, voice quiet and hoarse beneath the rush of the water.

“You know how to do this.”

It wasn’t a question.

Chishiya, still silent, tied off the last loop, securing the ponytail at the back of your head before finally speaking, his tone as flat as ever.

“I’m a doctor.”

Your grip on yourself tightened.

He didn’t care.

Not about this.

Not about you like that.

And yet, somehow, that made it easier.

You stared at the red pooling around your knees, your hands trembling, still desperately covering yourself up as if there was anything left to protect.

And then, you let them drop.

Chishiya’s gaze didn’t linger.

Didn’t waver.

Didn’t stray to places it shouldn’t.

He just looked at you. And what he saw, was wreckage.

It wasn’t just the injuries. It was the way you sat there, broken and still bleeding, still shaking, still barely holding yourself together—

And yet, somehow, still breathing.

His eyes analyzed every wound, every gash, every bruise with clinical precision.

You let him.

Because for some reason—you trusted him.

Even like this.

Because his hands were soft on you suddenly.

It was a strange contrast. Everything about him was always in place, from the way he spoke to the way he looked at people—like he was constantly cutting through their bullshit before they even had a chance to open their mouths.

But his touch?

It wasn’t what you expected.

His fingers moved clinically, careful as they brushed through the mess of dried blood and damp skin, sweeping it away from your face with a gentleness that didn’t belong to someone so… emotionless.

The pads of his fingers ghosted over your cheekbone, wiping away a dark streak of red, trailing down to your jaw, where the blood had already begun to crust. He didn’t linger there, didn’t let his fingers rest too long, just continued downward—collarbones, shoulders, the places where the wounds hadn’t yet scabbed over, places that still stung when he touched them.

“What happened?”

You exhaled slowly, watching the blood swirl in the water as it peeled away from your skin, diluted by the heat. It was funny how quickly it all washed down the drain, like it had never been there at all. Like you weren’t sitting in your own tub, in your own blood, barely holding yourself together.

“It was a game.”

“What kind of game?”

You swallowed, the answer tasting like iron and exhaustion in the back of your throat.

“A hearts game.”

Even Chishiya, who prided himself on being unshakable, who met death with nothing more than a disinterested tilt of his head—even he knew what that meant.

Hearts games were brutal.

Chishiya had played his fair share. He knew what they did to people. He had orchestrated them, manipulated them, walked away from them without a second thought.

And yet—he found himself asking anyway.

“What were the rules?”

Your eyes drifted closed, the exhaustion seeping into your bones as you let yourself lean back against the cold porcelain.

“There were twenty of us.” you murmured. “In a locked building. We all had timers on our wrists, and the moment they ran out, you died.”

Chishiya didn’t move.

Didn’t speak.

Didn’t ask how.

Because he already knew.

There were only so many ways the Borderlands could kill you. And none of them were kind.

His fingers brushed a particularly nasty gash near your shoulder, and you flinched, but he didn’t pull away. Just watched. Studied.

“How did you win?”

Your lip curled into something bitter.

“There was a single key.” you murmured. “Hidden somewhere in the building. Only one person could leave.”

You had been trapped in a room with nineteen other people, all of them fighting, all of them desperate, all of them willing to do whatever it took to get that key.

And somehow—you had won.

Somehow—you had survived.

His fingers twitched against your skin, and he realized—for the first time in longer than he could remember—he felt something.

He had spent years, maybe his whole life, brushing off things like guilt, like sympathy, like regret.

They were useless emotions. Pointless.

But right now? Sitting here, watching you barely hold yourself together, covered in scars that weren’t even scars yet—Chishiya felt it.

Faintly.

Quietly.

Like a dull ache in a place he didn’t recognize.

And it bothered him.

Because why the fuck did he care?

Why did he feel like he owed you something?

Why did he feel like he needed to repay you for dragging his half-dead body off the streets, for healing his wounds, for giving him a place to rest—

Why did he—

It didn’t change a damn thing.

Chishiya let go of you.

He pulled his hands away, slow and careful, as if he had been touching something fragile. As if he had been touching something he wasn’t supposed to.

And he let you take care of yourself.

Without a word, he shifted, moving away from you. Instead of leaving, though, he sat down next to the tub—his back to you, legs stretched out, arms resting loosely over his knees.

He didn’t say a damn thing. Didn’t tell you to hurry up, didn’t tell you to stop being pathetic, didn’t tell you to cover yourself up like Niragi would’ve.

He just… sat there.

And you weren’t sure if it was for your sake or for his.

The shower was still running, water dripping down from the head above you, hitting your skin in dull, rhythmic taps, making the tub’s surface slick beneath your hands. You moved slowly, peeling away the last remnants of blood, of sweat, of whatever the hell had soaked into your skin during that godforsaken game.

You didn’t ask him why he stayed.

Because you didn’t really want to know.

Because, maybe, he didn’t even know.

And maybe that scared him.

You could hear his breathing, slow and steady, too controlled to be natural.

You had seen men like him before. Men who lived too long in their own heads, men who thought emotions were inconvenient distractions from the game of survival.

But Chishiya?

He was different.

Not because he was cold. Not because he was calculating. But because he had never once wanted to be anything else.

And yet—you had dragged him into your home.

Patched him up. Fed him. Did things for him that no one had ever done, not without expecting something in return.

You were good.

And he hated good people.

Because he wasn’t one.

And he never could be.

He had met people like you before—people who thought they could help, save, fix.

He despised them.

Not because they were stupid.

But because he was jealous of them.

Because he didn’t get to be like them.

Because no one had ever made him want to be.

So why—why wasn’t he jealous of you?

Why did he sit here now, back to you, waiting for you to clean yourself up instead of walking away? Why did he feel the need to stay?

You shifted behind him, the water sloshing softly, your breathing still unsteady but better than before.

Chishiya waited.

He sat there, back to you, listening to the sound of water dripping and your slow movements as you finished cleaning yourself up.

And it was so fucking strange.

Because he had never done this before. Never given anyone time, never sat around while someone else took their fucking time.

Chishiya was the kind of person who moved on before people could even realize he was gone. The kind who never lingered. The kind who thought waiting around for someone else was a waste of his existence.

He was still here.

For you.

And that bothered him.

Not because he hated it.

But because he didn’t.

Because it felt too easy.

Because you had been bleeding out an hour ago, dragging yourself through the streets, looking like a corpse with nothing but sheer fucking willpower keeping you upright. And instead of walking away, instead of ignoring the way something twisted in his chest when he saw you like that—

He sat down.

And waited.

For you. For someone he should’ve seen as just another survivor, just another person who would die in this world eventually, just another waste of his energy.

But you weren’t.

And he wasn’t sure why.

You exhaled slowly, shifting against the tub, the water sloshing softly as you finally—finally—moved to turn off the shower. The silence that followed was thick. Heavy.

Then, your voice, quiet: “…Can you go out?”

Chishiya’s eyes flickered open. And before he could stop himself—before he could remind himself that he wasn’t the kind of person to care, to stay, to give a shit about things that weren’t his fucking problem—

He asked, “You sure?”

Your breath hitched, barely noticeable, but he caught it.

And he knew what that meant.

You were strong. You had dragged yourself back home, practically drenched in your own blood, refusing to let either of them help you, telling them you were fine like you weren’t on the verge of collapse. But even strong people had limits. And right now, yours were showing.

“…Can you just stay by the door?” you murmured, voice softer now. Almost hesitant. “Just in case.”

Chishiya tilted his head slightly. And for the first time, he really saw you.

Not as the girl who had taken him in.

Not as the angelic little therapist who saw right through him.

Not as the idiot who played a Hearts game and actually won.

But as someone who had just been through hell. Someone who needed someone else to be there.

And for reasons he couldn’t explain, wouldn’t explain—

He nodded. Didn’t say anything. Just stood up, stretching his arms above his head with a slow, exaggerated motion, before making his way to the door.

And just like that, he was gone.

But he didn’t leave. He leaned against the wall right outside, hands in his pockets, head tilted toward the ceiling—silent.

And he waited.

Because you asked him to.

Because, somehow, for some reason—he didn’t mind.

You hesitated before stepping out.

The steam curled around you, thick and heavy, sticking to your skin as you adjusted the towel wrapped tightly around your body. Your movements were slow, as if your limbs didn’t quite belong to you anymore. As if the blood loss, the exhaustion, the sheer fucking insanity of the night had drained you of everything you had left.

And yet, somehow, you were still standing.

Barely.

You reached for the doorknob. Turned it. And stepped out.

Chishiya was leaning against the wall, arms crossed, eyes half-lidded like he had been in some kind of light sleep, but you knew better. He had been listening. Waiting.

For you.

For someone else’s footsteps.

For a reason to move.

And as soon as you stepped into the hallway, his gaze flickered to you.

Didn’t drop lower than your face. Didn’t linger on the towel clinging to your skin. Didn’t make any smartass remark about how you shouldn’t walk around half-naked in a house with two men who were very much not good people.

No.

He just looked at you.

Blank.

Unbothered.

Waiting.

“…Go to bed.” you murmured.

Your voice was softer than you wanted it to be. Not quite a whisper, but damn close.

Chishiya raised a brow. But didn’t argue.He pushed himself off the wall, stretching his arms above his head in that lazy, unconcerned way of his, like he hadn’t just spent the past hour waiting outside your fucking bathroom door. Like he hadn’t just seen you at your absolute worst.

Then, he turned. Started walking. Didn’t say a damn thing. And just like that, he was gone.

You exhaled. Slow. Unsteady. Your fingers clenched slightly around the towel, and for a second—just a second—you stood there, unmoving, listening to the faint sound of Chishiya’s footsteps fading down the hall.

Then, finally, you turned on your heel, forcing your feet to carry you back to your own room.

Separate ways.

Like nothing had happened. Like you weren’t both different than you had been twenty-four hours ago. Like it was just another night.

And maybe that was the most fucked up part of it all.

~

Chishiya didn’t make it far before Niragi stepped right into his path.

Barefoot, shirt slightly rumpled from either sleep or the fact that he probably hadn’t bothered to button it all the way up again after you checked his injuries, hair still damp from his shower the night before. He looked awake, though. Not groggy. Not out of it.

Fully alert.

And more importantly—pissed off.

“The fuck happened?” Niragi demanded, throwing his hands up like Chishiya had just walked in from murdering someone and refused to give him the details.

Chishiya didn’t even pause. He simply sidestepped, moving to walk past him without so much as a glance.

And Niragi, predictably, did not let that happen.

“Oh, no, no, no, you don’t get to just fucking walk past me like that, dickhead.” Niragi scoffed, stepping in front of him again, arms flailing dramatically. “The girl walks in looking like she just fucking escaped hell, and I’m supposed to just—what? Let you walk out of the bathroom all silent without a single fucking explanation?”

Chishiya tilted his head, his face blank.

“Yes.”

Niragi’s jaw fucking dropped. His eye twitched. His fingers flexed like he was one second away from grabbing Chishiya and shaking the answers out of him, but even he wasn’t that stupid.

(Or maybe he was. The night was still young.)

“The fuck do you mean, yes?” Niragi scoffed.

Chishiya, already bored of the conversation, took another step forward, intending to walk past him again.

And again, Niragi blocked him.

Arms crossed. Jaw tight. Foot planted firmly in Chishiya’s path like he was guarding the fucking gates of heaven.

And Chishiya—who had just spent an hour in the bathroom watching you bleed all over yourself, who had just actually fucking waited for someone else’s sake for the first time in his miserable life, who had given more attention to someone else tonight than he had in years—

Was not in the mood for this.

“Why do you even care?” he asked flatly.

Niragi made a face. “What—I don’t.”

Chishiya raised a brow.

A long beat of silence.

“…Shut up.” Niragi grumbled, looking away with a loud, annoyed exhale.

Chishiya sighed through his nose, already so fucking done. Then, after a moment, he finally—finally—offered an answer.

Cold. Blunt. Brutal.

“She’s alive. You still get free food tomorrow. Go to bed.”

And then he walked off.

Just like that.

Like Niragi hadn’t just been standing there demanding answers. Like the whole conversation had been a waste of his time. Like he wasn’t even remotely interested in whether Niragi understood or not.

And Niragi? He just stood there. Mouth slightly open. Expression borderline offended.

“The fuck does that even mean?” he shouted after him, throwing his arms up in exasperation. “That doesn’t answer shit, you cryptic little rat!”

Chishiya didn’t even turn around. Didn’t react. Didn’t acknowledge him.

Just lifted a single hand in the laziest fucking wave imaginable, like he couldn’t even be bothered to look at him while doing it.

Niragi scoffed loudly. Mumbled something under his breath that was probably a threat. Then, after several long seconds of standing there, arms crossed, foot tapping irritably against the floor, he finally turned around and went back to bed.

Still pissed.

Still very much not satisfied with that non-answer.

But, whatever.

It wasn’t like he cared anyway.

~

Niragi was not a morning person.

He woke up annoyed. Always. Even when the world had been normal, back when he’d had an alarm blaring in his ear and responsibilities waiting for him—he’d hated mornings. Now, in a world where there were no jobs, no alarms, no rules—just survival?

Yeah, still fucking hated them.

Especially this morning.

His body ached, his injuries stung like hell, and worst of all, the last thing he remembered before passing out was Chishiya walking away, knowing something he didn’t.

That fact alone was enough to make him want to throw something.

Still, he dragged himself up, ran a hand through his hair, and dragged his feet into the living room.

And there you were.

Finally.

Standing in the kitchen, moving around, alive.

Good.

Not that he cared.

(Except, maybe, a little.)

He leaned against the counter, watching you, eyes scanning you like he was trying to pick apart your condition with just his gaze. You were moving fine. Not sluggish, not weak, just normal. A little slower, maybe. But he wouldn’t have noticed if he wasn’t already looking for it.

Which, again—he wasn’t.

(Except, maybe, a little.)

His arms crossed over his chest. “So, are you finally gonna tell me what the fuck happened?”

You paused. Just briefly. Barely a second. But he caught it. Then, you sighed. Softly.

“I don’t want to talk about it right now.”

His jaw clenched.

Of course.

Of course.

His fingers drummed against his arm. “But you’ll tell me?”

You looked at him.

And fuck, Niragi hated that. The way you looked at him. Like you weren’t scared, like you weren’t annoyed by his endless fucking presence. Like you actually cared enough to talk to him like a person, like you weren’t just tolerating him.

It pissed him off.

It made his chest feel weird.

And that pissed him off even more.

“I will.” you said. “Just… not now.”

His eye twitched. His arms tightened around his chest.

That should’ve been good enough. It should have made sense. He should’ve just accepted it, let it go, waited.

But he wasn’t like that.

He felt too much.

Always.

And he hated all of it.

Especially now, because Chishiya fucking knew. That smug little shithead knew something that he didn’t, and that alone was unacceptable.

His fingers curled into his sleeve, nails digging into the fabric. “Why’d you tell him?”

“I didn’t.”

Niragi snorted. “Bullshit. He waited for you, didn’t he?”

You tilted your head. “Why does that matter?”

“It fucking matters.”

You sighed, rubbing at your temple, like you were trying to be patient.

“I’ll tell you.” you repeated, softer this time. “I promise. Just not now.”

Niragi hated this. Hated the way you said that like you were comforting him. Like he was some kid throwing a tantrum. Like he wasn’t a fucking monster, a killer, a psychotic, unhinged piece of shit that nobody should be trying to console.

But he wasn’t mad.

Not at you, anyway.

Not at the fact that you hadn’t told him.

He was just… upset.

And fuck, he hated that even more.

He exhaled through his nose, loud and sharp, turning away from you like he was done with the conversation. “Fine.”

You gave a small smile. “Thank you.”

And god, that pissed him off the most.

Because even when you were covered in blood, even when you were hiding something from him, even when you were standing there, holding your own pain like it was nothing, you still had the nerve to be fucking nice to him.

And Niragi had no idea what the fuck to do with that.

You tilted your head at him, a soft smile tugging at your lips. “What do you want to eat?”

Niragi scoffed, shifting his weight against the counter, arms still stubbornly crossed. “Whatever you want.”

You blinked. That was new.

Normally, he had an opinion on everything. He was loud, and never shut the fuck up about his complaints—too much salt, not enough spice, too fucking healthy, whatever excuse he could find to be difficult.

But now? Whatever you want?

Oh, okay.

Your lips quirked up as you turned back toward the stove, opening a cabinet with a small hum. “So if I make something you hate, you’ll still eat it?”

Niragi snorted, pushing off the counter, taking a lazy step toward you. “I didn’t say that.”

You glanced over your shoulder. “Oh? So you do have a preference?”

“Obviously.” he rolled his eyes. “I’m not a fucking dog. I don’t just eat whatever you put in front of me.”

You hummed again, a quiet, teasing little sound. “Then what do you want?”

Niragi narrowed his eyes. You knew what you were doing. Messing with him. Poking at him just enough to be annoying, but not enough for him to actually want to snap at you. That was dangerous. But he was a psychopath and you were a therapist, so what now?

His fingers tapped against the counter. “You already know, don’t you?”

You set down a pan, smiling. “I have a guess.”

His lip curled. You were way too smart for your own good.

And he liked that.

Not that he’d say it.

(Except, maybe, a little.)

He pulled himself onto the counter, one leg lazily swinging over the edge, watching you as you moved around the kitchen, grabbing ingredients like you already knew his answer.

And the worst part? You were right.

“You’re making curry, aren’t you?”

You shot him a grin. “Lucky guess?”

Niragi let out a quiet tch, pretending not to be annoyed. Pretending that you hadn’t just read him like a book.

He wasn’t used to that.

He didn’t like that.

(Except, maybe, a little.)

His eyes flickered to your hands as you started chopping, effortless and precise, moving like this was second nature to you.

“You should be resting.”

Your knife paused for only a second before you resumed. “I’m fine.”

“Yeah?” He raised a brow, voice thick with sarcasm. “You looked really fucking fine when you walked through that door last night. All covered in blood, dragging your half-dead ass inside like some fucking horror movie.”

You didn’t answer immediately. Then, soft as ever, you said, “You’re worried about me.”

Niragi sucked his teeth, rolling his eyes so hard his whole head moved. “No, I’m not.”

You let out a quiet laugh, shaking your head, and god, it pissed him off that you found this so funny.

He wasn’t joking.

He wasn’t.

He didn’t care.

(Except, maybe, a little.)

And that was enough to make him want to fucking strangle something.

Footsteps. Slow. You barely had time to turn before Chishiya walked in, the lazy weight of his gaze immediately landing on you, then shifting to Niragi—who, despite being perfectly fine five seconds ago, suddenly sat up straighter, tension rolling off him like a dog baring its teeth.

You, as always, remained as sweet as ever. “Good morning, Chishiya.”

“Mm.” he hummed, his version of a good morning. He stepped further inside, but instead of taking a seat, he lingered, hands in his pockets, observing.

Which meant Niragi had a problem with it.

“You sleep well, princess?” Niragi drawled, voice slick with mockery. “No bad dreams? No tossing and turning, crying for mommy?”

Chishiya’s lips barely twitched. If he was annoyed, he didn’t show it. “How original. I see your brain hasn’t developed past middle school.”

You sighed, stirring the pot on the stove.

“Aw.” Niragi smirked, leaning back against the counter. “Did that hurt your little feelings? Maybe if you weren’t such a boring, lifeless bitch, people would have better insults for you.”

Chishiya gave him a slow once-over, as if debating whether or not Niragi was even worth the energy. Then, after a beat, he simply said, “You’re loud.”

Niragi opened his mouth—probably to say something that would inevitably result in one of them trying to kill the other—but right as he did, you let out a small, barely-there hiss.

Chishiya’s head snapped toward you immediately, while Niragi’s smirk dropped, both of them watching as you held your hand under the light, examining the thin red line slicing across your fingertip.

It wasn’t even that bad. Just a small cut.

Niragi scowled. “The fuck are you doing?”

You blinked at him. “Cutting vegetables.”

“Yeah, and bleeding on them, apparently.” Chishiya muttered.

You rolled your eyes, stepping away to rinse your hand under the sink. “It’s nothing.”

“First you come home looking like a dead body,” Niragi huffed, standing up straight. “and now you’re just gonna start slicing yourself open, too? You got a thing for pain, sweetheart?”

Chishiya’s stare was sharp. Too sharp. He was thinking. He was irritated. Probably by you cutting your finger, or Niragi, whatever it was, it sure made his little brain work.

(That was never good.)

You sighed, shaking the water off your hand before grabbing a napkin. “It’s not a big deal. I just—”

Niragi snatched your wrist.

You blinked.

Chishiya’s eyes narrowed.

“You do this shit on purpose?” Niragi asked, staring down at your finger. His voice was still its usual cocky, but there was something off about it.

Something serious.

Like he didn’t even realize he was doing it, like it was instinct, but—his grip on you was gentle.

That was the part that made you pause.

Not his anger. Not his sarcasm.

The gentleness.

Chishiya exhaled sharply, already reaching for something—a napkin, a cloth, something—but you beat him to it, pulling your wrist free with an amused huff. “Oh my god, it’s a paper cut.”

“Yeah?” Niragi tilted his head. “Then why the fuck do I wanna strangle something?”

You laughed. Actually laughed. “You two are impossible.” you said, pressing a napkin to your finger, then stepping past them, back to the stove. “Breakfast is almost done.”

Neither of them moved.

They just…watched.

Then, slowly, Niragi sat back down. Chishiya leaned against the counter, arms crossed.

They didn’t say a single word. But you felt their stares even after you turned away, even after the tension slowly bled out of the room.

It was funny. A few days ago, they would’ve let you die in the street without a second thought. Now, you cut your finger, and they were seething.

You smiled to yourself, shaking your head as you stirred the food. “I’m fine.”

Neither of them responded.

But you knew they didn’t believe you. And maybe… maybe you didn’t believe it either. Because the truth was, this world didn’t let you be fine. Not really. It swallowed you whole, piece by piece, until there was nothing left but blood and instinct, until survival was the only thing keeping you standing.

And yet, somehow—somehow—you were here. Standing in a warm kitchen, making breakfast for two people who should’ve been nothing more than strangers. Two people who weren’t kind, who weren’t soft, who weren’t good.

Yet, they watched you like they cared.

Like something about you made them hesitate.

Like something about you made them weak.

You didn’t know what that meant. Not yet.

But you knew one thing for sure, this wasn’t going to end the way any of you expected.

❤︎︎ @fiction-fantasy-folks @monkey4lifer

[moonzzip]

thinkin' bout you | kwon jiyong

a/n — so, this is a story I had an idea for out of the blue, I don't know if I'll post more, only time will tell, I enjoyed writing it and wanted a bit of jiyong's angst, now I'm sharing it, english is not my first language, so sorry for any mistakes

summary: you wanted to help jiyong, but it didn't go as planned

pairing: jiyong x gn!reader

warnings: bigbang debuted recently in this story, little angst, happy ending, small appearance of taeyang and daesung, indirect mention of t.o.p

lowercase letters, word count: 1,1k

when you walk into the practice room, your eyes go straight to the floor, seeing jiyong crouched down with sweat dripping from his temples, slightly out of breath. you sigh, “jiyong, that’s enough, right? you’ve been here for hours. if you keep pushing yourself to the limit, you might get hurt.”

your gaze shifts to the corner of the room, where empty water bottles are scattered—evidence of the countless hours jiyong has spent perfecting his dance. walking over, you pick up an unopened one and twist the cap off, making your way toward the man on the floor. “here, you need to dri—”

a sharp slap sends the bottle flying to the ground, its contents spilling instantly. you don’t even have time to react before he snaps, “shut up. stop bothering me. i’m busy right now.”

he runs a hand through his damp hair, sighing in frustration. “you don’t even know what i’m going through. you don’t know how hard it is to keep doing this for hours. if you didn’t have what it takes to debut, then just leave others alone and stop being a nuisance.”

you stare at jiyong in shock, completely speechless. he had never acted like this before. you knew he was stressed, but you still worried about him. before you can even process it, he’s already walking away, slamming the door behind him and leaving you alone in the practice room.

you stand there, blinking, unable to believe the words that just came out of your (former?) best friend’s mouth. you had always been there for him. you spent so much time by his side, sacrificing your own things just to help him—whether it was with his idol career or anything else. you had been there from the very beginning, even before jiyong met the other members of the group he always talked about.

looking down at your feet, unsure of how to react, your eyes land on the fallen water bottle. without thinking, you walk toward the small supply closet in the practice room to grab something to clean up the mess. as you wipe the floor, you feel your legs weaken. you crouch down, biting your lips hard as your eyes well up with tears. clutching your hair in anguish, you let go of the mop and cover your eyes with one hand, drowning in your own misery.

you don’t know how long you stayed there—it couldn’t have been too long—but eventually, you stand up and walk out of the dimly lit practice room, the setting sun casting long shadows across the floor.

as you descend the stairs to the company’s lobby, you pass by taeyang and daesung, who greet you cheerfully. “hey, ___! have you seen jiyong around?” taeyang asks, while daesung waves at you with a smile.

you glance at them, then simply shake your head with a neutral expression before continuing toward the exit. the two watch you walk away in silence.

“what do you think happened?” daesung wonders out loud, not really expecting an answer.

you walk aimlessly for about ten minutes, staring up at the starry sky. turning your head to the side, you see the vast han river, its waters reflecting the scattered stars above. approaching a nearby bench, you sit down, stuffing your hands into the pockets of your hoodie. leaning your head back against the bench, you exhale a shaky sigh, then lift your arm to cover your eyes, breathing heavily, lips trembling.

the sound of the wind fills your ears, drowning out everything else.

your arm slowly falls to your side, away from your face. your eyes remain closed.

“…aren’t you cold?”

your eyes snap open in an instant, locking onto the ones you sometimes admired in secret. the two of you stare at each other in silence. jiyong’s gaze lingers, waiting for your answer, while yours are wide with surprise. you blink, his breath faintly hitting your forehead due to how close he is when speaking.

for a small, minuscule, almost imperceptible moment, your eyes flicker to his lips—but you quickly look away.

you stand up from the bench, tilting your head just slightly to avoid bumping into his.

“…jiyong?” you whisper, noticing the cold air leaving your lips. how long had you been walking? you don’t know.

your eyes shift to the man in front of you, only a short distance separating you both, with the bench still between you.

silence.

but soon, you’re the one who looks away first, turning your gaze toward the river, where the moon’s reflection shimmers on the surface. even when you hear footsteps, you don’t look. jiyong stops beside you, but neither of you speaks—until he finally does.

“here.”

you turn your head, only to find something practically shoved into your face, blocking your view of him. your hands instinctively reach out, taking the small bag. you glance down at it, then realize what it is. your breath hitches, and your eyes glimmer slightly as a small smile tugs at your lips.

“ohhh~ kwon jiyong is giving me chocolates? that means you’re confessing your love for me, right?” you tease, grinning mischievously as you nudge him with your elbow.

before you can say anything else—

“…yes.”

your world stops.

everything freezes.

your eyes widen in shock. you’re completely paralyzed. and apparently, so is jiyong. the two of you stand there, speechless. your mouth hangs open. his does too—but he quickly covers it with his hand, as if unable to believe what he just said.

silence again.

you gently take his hand in yours, pulling it away from his lips.

“it’s okay, ji. i like you too.”

delicately, you hold his hand.

“i’m sorry, ___.”

you lift your eyes to his, but before you can say anything, he continues,

“i said things i shouldn’t have, and i hurt you. that’s the last thing i ever wanted to do. i was just stressed and couldn’t express myself the right way. i was frustrated—still am, actually—but now it’s because i said things that hurt you. i never meant them. i’ve never been good at expressing my feelings. and the way you take such good care of me… it made me confused. embarrassed. happy. warm.

i tried to distract myself by dancing—not just to improve, but to stop thinking about you, and i—”

his words are cut off by the soft touch of your lips against his.

gentle. warm. comforting.

but just as quickly as they came, they are gone.

jiyong stares at you in shock, his cheeks heating up as he processes what just happened.

you smile. “your speech was getting too long. i forgive you, you idiot.”

taking his hand in yours, you squeeze it lightly. “we should go get some ramen, just the two of us. the other three eat way too much—unless they’re paying this time.”

you start walking, pulling jiyong along with you.

he stares at your back, at your hand holding his, and he smiles—his heart warm, the cold from before completely forgotten.

a/n — I wrote this while listening to 'this love' by gd, I saw the m/v recently and I thought it was so... I don't know, a really good vibe to write, I hope you liked it! I have some difficulties with english so I used a translator to help me write it, but I hope it's not bad, thanks for reading!

[luvfae]

I have a request for Thanos x Fem

Reader is the toxic red flag and ofc thanos is cause his thanos but reader is like 10 times worse and everyone can see it but him since his whipped- but then again his a shit human to.

Can be outside of games or in games up to you..

He low-key follows her around like a dog, and Nam gyu tries to help him see but thanos is a dumbass, addict and just wants HER so bad. No matter how bad she acts. (Not like his a saint 😭)

BLINDED

parings: thanos/choi su-bong x f!reader

warnings: toxic situationship, swearing, mention of drugs

Thanos never understood when people told him he was being used. It didn’t compute. He had his own demons, his own issues, but when it came to you—there was no question in his mind. You were the only thing that made him feel anything, even if it was pain, even if it was constant chaos.

You were a toxic fucking mess, and everyone saw it. Everyone knew it. Hell, even Nam-Gyu, who didn’t care about much, could see you were playing him. But Thanos? He was blind to it. He couldn’t help but be obsessed with you. It was like his addiction, like the drugs he had been fighting off for years—except this time, you were the high. And it was getting worse.

You treated him like shit, and he loved it. Every time you tossed him aside, he came back crawling. Every insult, every time you pushed him away, it only fueled him more. He thought you were different. He thought you could be his, even if everyone else saw you as a trainwreck waiting to happen.

You didn’t need to try hard. You knew how to manipulate him with a smile, with a glance. You had him on a leash, even if you never fully acknowledged it. Every time you told him to leave you alone, every time you screamed at him, called him names, it was like a twisted form of foreplay. And somehow, he didn’t care.

When you looked at him, even if it was with disdain or contempt, it felt like validation. You could tell him he was worthless, make fun of his fucked-up past, but the way you said it, the way you touched him after, made it seem like you didn’t really mean it. At least, that’s what he told himself.

He’d follow you around like a lost puppy, watching from the shadows, waiting for a chance to make you see him the way he saw you—perfect, special, a bit broken, but just the way he liked it. If he could just prove his worth, maybe you’d stop treating him like trash.

You’d go out, meet guys, flirt openly in front of him, knowing it would drive him crazy, and he’d just stand there, swallowing his jealousy. He had no right to say anything, not after the way he had treated women in the past. You’d laugh in his face, brush him off, pretend he didn’t exist—but when you needed something, when you were feeling low, when you wanted attention, he was there. Always.

One night, after a particularly harsh encounter at a bar, you turned to him with that twisted little smirk on your face. “You know, I think you’re the only guy I know who doesn’t know when to quit,” you said, taking a drag from your cigarette. “God, you’re so pathetic.”

And yet, he loved it. The way you tested his patience, how you broke him down and built him up. It was sick. And he loved every minute of it. You were the high he couldn’t shake.

Meanwhile, Nam-Gyu watched this all unfold, and he couldn’t help but get frustrated with his friend. He had been with Thanos long enough to know that this wasn’t just some casual fling—this was a fucking mess. But Thanos, true to form, was too stubborn, too wrapped up in his feelings for you, to even see it.

One night, after watching Thanos trail after you at a club, following you from across the room like some lovesick dog, Nam-Gyu couldn’t keep his mouth shut any longer.

“You need to fucking wake up,” he snapped, grabbing Thanos by the arm and pulling him aside. “You can’t seriously be this fucking blind.”

Thanos just looked at him, confused, his expression so naive that it pissed Nam-Gyu off even more. “What the hell are you talking about?” Thanos muttered.

Nam-Gyu took a breath, trying to rein in his frustration. “You’re letting her walk all over you, man. And I don’t even understand how. She treats you like shit. You’re just another toy for her.”

Thanos shot him a defensive look. “You don’t get it, okay? She’s… different. She needs me.”

“No, Thanos,” Nam-Gyu hissed, staring him dead in the eye. “She doesn’t need you. She fucking uses you. You’re just a fucking idiot for thinking she’ll ever see you as anything more than a lapdog.”

Thanos didn’t respond right away. The words stung, but he was too far gone to process them properly. He shook his head. “She’s not like that. I know she’s fucked up, but I can fix her.”

“You can’t fix her,” Nam-Gyu snapped. “You’re not her fucking savior. You’re just a pawn in her game. She’ll leave you behind the minute she finds someone new to fuck around with. Wake the hell up.”

Thanos clenched his fists, his jaw grinding. He didn’t want to hear it. He didn’t care. He wasn’t going to lose you, no matter how badly you treated him. “I’ll take my chances,” he muttered, brushing past Nam-Gyu. “I’m not giving up on her.”

Nam-Gyu watched him go, his shoulders slumping in defeat. He couldn’t help but feel like a broken record, repeating himself over and over. But nothing ever got through to Thanos. Not when it came to you.

The next few weeks were just more of the same. Thanos kept following you around like a ghost, watching you from the shadows, hoping that if he just tried hard enough, you’d finally see him for what he wanted to be to you. He’d do anything for you. He’d put up with every insult, every moment of neglect, because somehow, in his messed-up mind, it was worth it.

Meanwhile, you had no problem letting him chase you. He was just another way to get attention, to have someone at your beck and call. When you wanted something—money, comfort, or just someone to fight your battles—you knew exactly who to call.

But when you didn’t need him? When you were out having fun with someone else? He was nothing but a ghost, a background character in your life that you didn’t give a second thought.

Still, no matter how bad you treated him, no matter how many times you pushed him away, Thanos stayed. He didn’t see it, but you had him wrapped around your finger—and you always would. You were the poison, and he was addicted. And no matter how many times Nam-Gyu tried to tell him, Thanos couldn’t break free. He didn’t want to.

[clarisse0o]

The Mayor - Chapter 58

Lucy Bronze x Ona Batlle

Alternate Universe: Mayor and Architect

Words: 1100

Masterlist

———————————————————————

I rushed through the crowd, struggling to find air. I was suffocating.  

Grabbing a glass of wine, I settled near the concert, trying to collect myself.  

What a little Twat, I thought about Jules.  

The situation was already complicated enough, and he just had to pour more fuel on the fire.  

And what an idiot I had been...  

Running away like that...  

It was so unlike me.  

Deep down, I realized I’d never been in this kind of situation before. I’d always owned my sexuality, as had my partners.  

I’d never fallen in love with someone who had spent half their life with a man...  

And who, to top it off, had two kids.  

And who, to make things even harder, was the mayor of one of France’s largest cities.  

Jackpot, Ona, I thought to myself, a smile tugging at the corner of my lips.  

I was walking on eggshells with Lucy, never sure if it was the right time to make things official—or if there would ever be a “right time.”  

I tried to anticipate her reactions, not to push her too hard.  

It was exhausting.  

Everything was so complicated.  

In trying to predict her reactions, I was holding back my own, and making a mess of things.  

I stayed there for several minutes, lost in thought. It was the sound of my phone ringing that jolted me back to reality.  

Alexia.  

  “Are you okay, love? Jules is such a pain! Tell me where you are, and I’ll come find you!”    

  “I just sat down for a bit. Leave it. I think I’m going to leave. I’ll call you tomorrow. How did things go after I left?”    

Her reply came a few seconds later.  

  “Well, there was a bit of a shock at first, but I cracked one of my famous jokes to ease the tension. Lucy left pretty quickly with Jules... I think they talked! Take care of yourself. Let’s talk tomorrow morning. Love you lots.”    

Her message brought a big smile to my face.  

As I stood up, another message popped up on my phone.  

Lucy.  

  “Meet me in the hall, in the room where we were earlier.”    

  “Yes, ma’am,”   I muttered inwardly, already irritated by her tone.  

In the dimly lit hall, where we’d met less than an hour earlier, I found Lucy.  

I spotted her in that small, dark office. She was standing with her back to me, but turned around sharply when she sensed my presence.  

  “Why did you leave like that? Now people are probably asking even more questions! I managed to smooth things over...”   she said, her tone reproachful.  

  “Congratulations on that,”   I replied sarcastically, avoiding her gaze.  

There wasn’t even anger in my voice—just exhaustion. She placed her hand on my forearm.  

  “Ona, that wasn’t the time to tell everyone we’re together! I was with my journalist friend, Nathan… Your friends, maybe, but it wasn’t the right time or place to announce something like that!”    

I raised my eyebrows, exasperated, pulling away from her touch and throwing my arms in the air.  

  “You sound like a politician, Lucy. ‘Not the right time, not the right place!’ I left because I didn’t know what else to do. I’m constantly waiting on your words, your decisions...”    

My voice had risen. I could feel anger bubbling inside me.  

  “Calm down, Ona. Keep your voice down!”    

Lucy looked tense, on edge, glancing around to make sure we were truly alone.  

  “I’ll speak however I want, Lucy!”   I shot back, lifting my gaze to meet hers.  

She sighed in response.  

I pressed on.  

  “Do you think any of this is normal? Being in the same room within the span of an hour, first making love and then arguing? Enduring my friends’ little comments without being able to say anything!”    

This time, it was her turn to raise her eyebrows in surprise.  

  “Your friends’ comments? What are you talking about?”    

  “Rémi half-flirting with you, making it obvious! And I have to smile like an idiot, even though all I want is to introduce you to them!”    

  “Rémi, the principal?”   she asked, genuinely puzzled.  

Lucy never really seemed to understand the magnetic pull she had. She was charismatic, stunning, and her position made her all the more noticeable.  

  “Yes! Rémi, the principal!”    

She looked doubtful, shaking her head with a sigh.  

  “Honestly...”    

She decided to change the subject.  

  “I talked with Jules for a few minutes. He mentioned your argument yesterday… Why didn’t you tell me about it?”    

  “You had to leave; you were busy. It wasn’t the right time or place!”   I retorted, dripping with irony.  

  “Ona… That’s not funny! You need to tell me about these things so I can anticipate what might happen!”    

  “I’ll remember that the next time I call him a little twat. Promise.”    

  “Ona, stop it! What’s going on with you?”    

I was too worked up to calm down, too overwhelmed to reason. I was in that raw, uncontrolled state where words just pour out. Period.  

  “What’s going on? I’m tired of all this, Lucy, okay?! Of living halfway between two homes, dealing with these impossible situations! Not knowing where any of this is heading! Constantly walking on eggshells! Not just being free, happy! I’m not a politician; I can’t stay impassive in situations like these. Sorry, Lucy!”    

Her eyes widened. She’d never seen me like this before.  

Honestly, neither had I. She bit her lower lip.  

  “I’m not impassive, Ona. Do you think this is easy for me? You’re not the only one dealing with this!”    

Her tone was sharp. Her words echoed in my head.  Dealing with this.   

  “Then let’s stop dealing with it! I DON’T WANT TO DEAL WITH IT!”    

I had shouted. I was completely at my breaking point, the alcohol in my system only amplifying it.  

Lucy was stunned, speechless.  

  “We won’t deal with it anymore! Let’s end this! It’ll be easier! For YOU and for ME!”    

I delivered those final words as I stormed out, not even looking back.  

I was trembling, on the verge of exploding. I needed air.  

I wasn’t walking—I was practically running.  

I collapsed onto the grass near the festivities, trying to catch my breath. Rarely in my life had I reached this level of anger.  

What had I just done?  

I lay down in the grass, trying to calm myself, to steady my breathing. I closed my eyes, listening to the distant concert music and feeling the evening breeze.  

I tried to find calm, to slow my racing heart.  

I just wanted to sleep, to forget everything, to erase this nightmare of a night.  

A presence behind me made me jump.  

Jules. Of course. He was the last person I needed right now.

[anotherjheastan]

This Will Be Our Year - A Jey Uso x Rhea Ripley FanFic

CW: suggestive, drinking, drinking alcohol

Chapter 1: Tequila Blues

August 19, 2024

Rhea downed her third tequila, neat. Her chest burned and she welcomed the heat. It helped sear away the image of Dom and Liv rubbing noses on another episode of Raw. This had become her new Monday night ritual since SummerSlam. Since Dom not only chose Liv, but betrayed her. 

Rhea looked at her phone, thinking about texting Damian. He had told her to stay in his room. He offered to watch a movie or play Uno, but Rhea had really just wanted to drink. He said he was worried about her and she reminded him she was fine. Heartbroken, but fine. He usually went with her to play bodyguard, but he was tired. And probably also tired of this song and dance, but he didn’t say that. She closed her messages. 

Someone sat at the bar a few chairs down. She looked. It was Jey Uso. She smirked. Jey always appeared at the bar when she was there. He usually had one drink or beer that he nursed through the night. She had talked to Damian about it last week. 

“He’s always here when I’m here,” Rhea said, stealing glances at Jey.

“Oh how odd that he would be at the bar in the hotel we’re all staying at,” Damian said sarcastically. 

Rhea laughed before she could stop herself. “But sometimes he stares at me.”

“Hasn’t he admitted a few times on national TV that he has some sort of feelings for you?” Damian asked. “You’re surprised he’s checking you out?” 

“No. I’m surprised he hasn’t approached me,” Rhea said, stealing another glance. 

“Cuz he knows I’ll stop him,” Damian said. 

“I’m not even that drunk today,” Rhea said, shrugging. She picked up her glass, considering another drink.

“Not yet,” he said. 

With her bodyguard upstairs, she wondered if he would approach. But she felt her liquid courage fueling her curiosity. The bartender handed Jey a Corona and Jey thanked him. Rhea kept her eyes on him. Jey was attractive for sure. And he was funny. Who didn’t love to laugh? But how serious were those feelings of his? Could she drown her sorrows in Jey for the night? Would he be okay with that?

Jey turned his head and their eyes met. Rhea smiled and Jey smiled back.

“Are you finally gonna come talk to me or are you gonna keep staring at me from far away like you’ve been doing?” Rhea asked.

Jey froze for a second. He chuckled and took a sip of his beer. He got up and walked over to her. He sat in the chair right next to her. 

“I can talk to you if you’d like,” he said. 

She looked him up and down. “Yeah, I’d like that.”

Jey bit his lip. He was trying to play it cool. It was cute. 

“So how’s your night been?” he asked. 

Rhea shrugged. “Pretty boring actually.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

“You can make it more interesting though,” Rhea said, a grin slowly appearing on her face. 

“Oh? How so?” he asked, eyebrows raised. 

Rhea put her hand on his chest, the prospect of feeling something other than sad and drunk surprisingly giving her butterflies. “How about we go back to my room?”

Jey smiled and took her hand, keeping it on his chest. “How about I walk you to your room so you can get some rest?”

Rhea’s brow furrowed and she pouted at the rejection. The heat of embarrassment threatened to take over the heat from the tequila. 

“I thought you liked me,” Rhea said quietly, squeezing his hand. 

“I do,” Jey replied, his voice quiet as well. “I don’t want this to be a one time thing.”

“What if that’s what I want?” Rhea asked, her eyes searching his.

Jey looked away from her for a second, the grip on her hand relaxed a little. Her heart sank. It wasn’t a complete lie. She did want him for tonight. She just never thought about him and her being more than coworkers, let alone friends. She was with Dom when his advances started so she never entertained the thought. But maybe in the morning, she would. 

“Well Miss Ripley,” he said, looking into her eyes, holding her hand firmly, “if that’s how you really feel, you can tell me again when you’re sober.”

“Okay,” Rhea said, her liquid courage fading. She felt small. She dropped her head and let go of his hand. A wave of sleepiness washed over her. 

He lifted her chin up and her heart pounded in her chest. 

“It’s okay,” he said gently. “Let’s get you upstairs.”

Rhea nodded. Jey made sure both their tabs were closed. He held out his arm and she held onto it as they walked over to the elevator. 

The elevator ride and the walk to her room was silent, but not uncomfortable. She leaned against her door and looked at him. He smiled. 

“Where’s your key?” he asked. 

“Let me see your phone,” Rhea said. 

He narrowed his eyes at her, confusion on his face. “You sure?”

She nodded. He handed it to her. She put in her number and called her phone. She handed his phone back to him and took the key out of her pocket. 

“Goodnight Jey,” Rhea said. She looked him in his eyes before turning around. 

“Goodnight, Rhea,” he replied. 

She tapped the key on her door and pushed it open. She looked at him one more time, leaning against the doorframe.

Jey smirked. “Go lie down.”

Rhea bit her lip, holding back the words ‘Make me.’ She smiled and waved before closing the door. He gave her a head nod. She heard his footsteps fade away after she locked the door. She grabbed her phone and saved his number. She sighed as she stripped off her sweatsuit, down to her bra and panties.

Of course he was a gentleman, she thought, rolling her eyes.

She took her bra off and rummaged around in her bag for her big tee. She found it and slipped it on. She climbed into bed, her eyes closed before her head hit the pillow. Jey was the last thing on her mind for once. Not Dom, not Liv, not how Damian would come waking her up early with her hangover cure. Just Jey. And the way her hand felt in his. The way he said Miss Ripley. The way he looked sincere and not judgmental. She drifted off to sleep with a small smile on her lips. 

[jananakookie]

Rumor Has It | pjm - Chapter 8

💬 Pairing: Jimin x OC (Reader)

💬 Genre/Tags: enemies(?) to lovers, fake-dating au; angst, fluff, smut

💬 Chapter warnings: Jimin has dirty thoughts, bits of jealousy here and there

💬 Word count: 8.2k

💬 Recap:

Rumor has it, Park Jimin is single again after his latest girlfriend cheated on him with his best friend.

Rumor has it, he's willing to get back at them.

Rumor has it, you're the perfect means to an end.

Previous Chapter - Index - Next Chapter

Chapter 8: Past Ties, Present Tensions.

A week has passed since Jimin's and your night together. You shouldn't be so relaxed about it, but you must admit it was probably the best thing that could have happened to you two. 

Admittedly, the morning after was a bit awkward at first. You weren't sure what to say and didn't know how he would react. Luckily, you're both pros at shaving off unpleasant situations and not taking yourselves too seriously, so it passed quickly. Not long after, you were yourselves again, fooling around and making jokes about it.

Now it feels like you just fucked away all the sexual tension and frustration that was undoubtedly in the air, making more room for the things that really matter. Like saving your reputation and… whatever Jimin wants out of this. 

You have stopped trying to understand what he wants from Yeji. After your last talk, you're sure his biggest anger is directed at Taehyung instead of her. It's up to him if he can forgive her and wants her back––even if you could never understand it. It's not your place to judge his love life. 

Once this deal is over, you'll likely have no further connection with him, so it's best not to get too involved in his life in the first place. He neither wants nor needs your advice. While things may seem friendlier now, you're still nothing but a means to an end. And that end is supposed to be Yeji.

It shouldn’t feel so strange to think about this, but you can’t change your feelings. You can say many things about him, and not everything will be positive, but Jimin is basically your life right now—in the most unromantic way possible. The status of your relationship doesn’t really matter; he is still the sole reason you’ve been leaving your house lately, whether you like it or not.

It's the events he invites you to, his friends you spend time with, and he's the only reason you can be around people without receiving stupid comments.

In a way, this is the best time you've had in a while, but it's just an illusion. As sad as it sounds, you had nothing before him and you'll have nothing when he's gone again. It's a bitter pill to swallow.

These are the thoughts that keep you awake these days and these are the reasons why you need this emotional distance from him. At the end of the day, he’s not your friend and he never will be. 

Even now, this moment, while you're spending time with Nayeon, these thoughts are buzzing around in your head and distracting you from what she is saying. 

“You can join me and my cousin on our shopping trip. I’ll show you around, we’ll go clubbing… just us girls. It would be so much more fun with you around,” Nayeon suggests, pouting a little to pursue you. 

You grin, leaning back against the tree with a contended sigh as you shake your head. “An extended weekend alone won’t kill me, Nayeon. I’ll be fine,” you counter. “I don't mind being on my own for a while. And don’t act like I could afford any of that,” you wink, partly joking, partly not. The shops Nayeon and her cousin shop at are a hundred percent out of your financial capability.

“I’ll pay?” She sends you an innocent grin but quickly takes it back when she sees the look you give her and replaces it with a displeased growl. “Then ask Jimin for some pocket money! It's the least he can do if he's going to leave you here alone for four days,” she whines, sending death glares to a nonpresent Jimin. 

“I told you before, I’m the one who didn’t want to come and I’m totally fine with staying here by myself for a few days. I promise.”

There's an upcoming extended weekend, and Jimin is spending it with his family in their vacation home in God knows where. He’s asked you multiple times to join them, telling you his parents have asked you to come and join them but you declined for many reasons. The biggest one is that you have no business being there on their family vacation. 

The first time you met his family was nerve-wracking enough; you don't have to repeat that, especially not for several days at a time––you know you'll mess it up somehow.

“He hasn’t spent any time alone with his family in forever. I’ll let him have that,” you explain. “We really don’t need to see each other every single day. That’s not healthy anyway,” you try to reason, although Nayeon strongly disagrees. 

“As his girlfriend, you’re a part of his family. He’d love to have you there, I’m sure.”

You love how concerned she is for you but it’s hard when she never accepts your excuses as to why you can’t always do these lovey coupley stuff things with her best friend and it’s a little bothersome.

“Nah, sorry. I already have a hot date with my TV and a frozen pizza. Gotta get back to my roots,” you wink, earning a soft slap to your shoulder that makes you laugh. “Mijoo’s boyfriend isn’t coming either so I thought it’d be a good opportunity.” 

“Yeah but no one wants him there in the first place, I’m afraid,” Nayeon states. 

“Not you too! Leave that poor kid alone, oh my God.”

Nayeon bursts into laughter, and you can’t help but join in, although you still feel a bit guilty about it. As your laughter gradually fades, you notice Jimin approaching. His dance lesson has run over time again, and you both agreed to meet here once he finishes. You see him scanning the area for you, and finally, his gaze lands on you after Nayeon kindly waves him over.

You show him a smile, which he returns before someone seems to call him from behind and he stops and turns.

From a distance, you can't understand anything, but you can see that Leah is the one who approaches him and gives him something. Jimin takes it and says something before he turns back around but she quickly grabs his arm and says something else.

“Ugh, I hate when she does that.”

You tear your gaze from the scene to Nayeon, who is watching them as well but with a displeased frown on her otherwise perfect face. 

“Who? Leah?” You ask as she nods affirmatively.

“She just can't let it go, it’s pathetic,” she sighs, looking at you. “You’re better than me. If I were in your shoes, I would have told her off by now.”

You scoff out a laugh. “Aren’t you a bit dramatic? She’s not doing anything. As far as I know, Jimin is helping her with an upcoming performance or something.” 

“Babe, trust me. She doesn’t need his help for anything, she just wants to be around him,” she replies, looking displeased.

You pause for a moment while you study Leah's body language. Her hand is still on Jimin's arm, and even at that distance, it's clear she's flirting. It reminds you of the dance lesson you accidentally barged into and how she behaved there. Maybe Nayeon is not entirely wrong. But this is technically none of your business although you can’t tell her that. 

You shrug, fishing your phone out of your pocket, and try to occupy yourself with something else instead. “I’m sure he can handle one or two fangirls.”

“Of course. I didn’t want to plant any negative thoughts into your head, I’m sorry if I did that.” Nayeon apologies. “It’s just… given the circumstances, it would probably bother me more than you right now but maybe that’s the problem. I'm so pre-loaded by my previous relationship that I lack confidence. Jimin would never do anything like that. He's not like Taehyung.”

You understand what she means. Her history with Taehyung has left her with scars, but you're sure that she's far from being the only one who feels this way. You even have your own trust issues. You would never judge her for that. And even if you don't see this situation with Leah as half as dramatic as Nayeon does, there's still something in what she said that makes you wonder.

“What circumstances?” 

She halts for just about a moment before she speaks. “Well you know… their past and all that. It would bother me if I was in your position.”

Nayeon sounds hesitant and her face changes from concerned to alarmed when she sees the confusion in your eyes. 

“He hasn’t told you.”

“Hasn’t told me…”

“That they used to sleep with each other,” she explains. “She was basically the one to help him get over Yeji. You must know about that, no?”

Her reaction suggests that your silence is enough of a response. “I’m so sorry, ___! I didn’t know! I shouldn’t have said anything.” Nayeon sounds genuinely heartbroken for you and you wonder if your facial expression is doing anything it isn’t supposed to. So you quickly gather yourself and offer her an uninterested shrug. 

“You didn’t do anything wrong, I’m fine.”

“You know what? You’re right.“ Nayeon scoffs, sending glares toward Jimin. “He was the one who should have told you. I can’t believe he didn’t,” she fumes. 

“He doesn’t have to tell me about everyone he was sexually involved with before we even met,” you reason. He doesn’t have to tell you anything really. Although it would have been nice if you had known since you feel pretty stupid now.

"I believe it would be the most respectful thing to inform you about that if it involves someone he is clearly still in contact with," she insists. "He's a good guy. I know it might not mean anything, but it feels pretty inconsiderate towards you."

You must admit that she has a point here. If Jimin was your actual boyfriend, it would probably make you feel uncomfortable, which is why you can understand Nayeon's reaction. But he isn’t your boyfriend and you’re not allowed to feel anything towards this revelation so the fact that it does bother you in some way, is bothering you in a whole different way. 

“You have to talk to him about it. I love him, but his stupid boy brain probably doesn't even know he's done anything wrong, so you have to confront him about it, okay?”

“I will,” you sigh. “Just don’t say anything now,” you plead, seeing Jimin walk over to you.

He’s smiling as he breaks into a soft jog to join you a little sooner but it disappears as soon as his eyes fall on Nayeon’s death glare, that’s undoubtedly directed at him.

“Hey. Sorry, it took me so long.”

“I’m sure you are.” Nayeon doesn’t hold back even a little and you’re going to strangle her later for making this a bigger deal than it has to be.

He looks at her confused, giving you a chance to send glares her way. “What crawled up your ass?” 

Nayeon ignores your subtle hints and grabs her bag before looking at him with a look that’s anything but nice. “Your audacity, Jimin. Your audacity.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” He is now directing his question more toward you, realizing that he is not on Nayeon’s good side right now even if he has no idea why. 

You don’t even know what to say or do, so you just avert your eyes and try not to get involved. 

Nayeon doesn’t say anything else to him and just waves at you to tell you she’ll leave now, not without giving you a certain look that tells you to have that talk with Jimin. 

Moments like this make you wish she knew the truth. It's unfair to lie to her when there's no good reason. Plus, you feel guilty for constantly lying to your friend.

She probably wouldn't approve of your plan, but she wouldn't tell anyone either. You can be sure of that. Besides, it would make so many things easier, especially for you. Sometimes you just need someone to complain to about Jimin. Jungkook doesn't count.

“Am I tripping or is she mad at me?” Jimin asks you this time directly. 

“Yes, she is.” You sigh, dreading this conversation already.

“Well, are you going to tell me the reason?” 

You let out a quiet groan and cover your face with your hands. “Why didn’t you tell me you used to be involved with Leah?” you blurt out, immediately cursing yourself for sounding so offended.

Jimin looks taken aback, opening and closing his mouth a few times before clearing his throat. He gives a somewhat shy smile and rubs the back of his neck. “I didn’t think that would be important.”

You hate yourself for even bringing it up and now having to have this conversation with him when it concerns something that is none of your business. You don't even want to imagine what he might think.

“It’s not!” You squeal, coughing right after. The words leave your mouth a little too fast. “I mean, I don’t care,” you clarify, watching him just nod his head but looking even more confused. 

“Yea, didn’t think you would which is why I never said anything,” he chuckles. “So why are you asking me now?”

You groan again, cursing not only yourself but Nayeon for bringing it up. “I don’t even know. It’s stupid.”

However, you've already said too much and you know he isn't going to relent now, so you decide to give him a quick run-through of your and Nayeon's conversation earlier. 

“Nayeon was complaining about her 'still trying with you' and was wondering why I was so okay with it considering your past. I clearly didn’t know what she meant and now she’s mad at you because she thinks you intentionally kept this little detail from me—which would be pretty shitty from you if we were actually dating which we aren’t, but I can’t tell her that so… it’s awkward now. Sorry.” 

Jimin sighs, rolling his eyes in annoyance. “This is typical for her. She loves sticking her nose in other people’s business and making it her problem. She’ll come around,” he waves it off, seemingly not giving it a second thought, which is not to your satisfaction.

You don’t agree with him on this. He might be right about her making your situation her problem but she doesn't do it out of boredom or because she's curious. You understand her intention behind it.

“I think you misjudge her reaction,” you say, crossing your arms in defense. “She’s just trying to be a good friend to me. Purposely keeping that from me would be a pretty shitty thing from you if we were actually dating which we aren’t. But she doesn’t know that and I can’t tell her so… it’s not her fault. She’s being a real one.”

Jimin scoffs and turns away from you, checking his phone without saying another word, which only makes you angrier.

“Why the attitude now?” You confront him, not seeing the point of letting him off so easily. Not when he decides to be immature about this. 

“What attitude, ___?” He sighs, clearly showing that he is now tired of you as well. 

“You’re being a dick about it and I don’t get why,” you snap. 

“I’m not being a dick. I just don’t feel like discussing my past hookups right now and I still don’t get why you care.”

“I don’t care!” You state, starting to really get annoyed. “You can do whatever you want as long as it doesn’t involve me and guess what? It does. It would have been nice to know that you've slept several times with that one girl you always have private dance lessons with and who is always around you, so I don't look like a clueless idiot when I'm asked about it. Cause tell you what, it was really fucking awkward and it was just Nayeon. I don’t even want to imagine what everyone else is saying about it. You think that has no influence on what is said about us?”

“For the record, she’s not always around. At all. We share a dance class and sometimes I stay behind to help her with something she doesn’t quite get. Nothing more, nothing less. I’ve never heard anyone say anything about it because I’m very careful about that and I still don’t get why it's that big of a deal for you. Why does it matter what a few individual idiots might think? Everything is going great.”

“Oh?” You raise your brows, feigning surprise. “That’s interesting because I remember it was a very big deal for you when this was about Jeon and me.”

“That was different—”

“Why?“ You cut him off. “Because you were the one that was made fun of? Because you can handle it better when people talk about me instead of you?”

Jimin’s eyes go soft at your words and he lowers his head with a soft sigh. “No, of course not.”

Your gaze on him remains sharp as he looks at you again. 

“I didn’t think about that. I’m sorry. I didn’t consider what it’s like from your perspective.” He rakes his fingers through his hair, and you hate yourself for how attractive you think he looks right now when this is the completely wrong moment for thoughts like that. 

“Look, what happened between Leah and me was never anything serious. Not in the slightest. We hooked up for a while because it was convenient. Well, at least for me but that was it. It was just a couple of times and we always parted right after so… no big deal. I didn’t tell you about it because it wasn’t necessary at the beginning; we weren’t close or anything and we barely ever hung out when we didn't have to. She recently asked me if I could help her with a few new steps and I thought nothing of it and agreed. That’s it. But I understand your concerns and she undoubtedly is a bit… clingy. I’ll tell her to find someone else to help her.”

“No, you don’t have to do that,” you frown. “That’s not what I wanted.”

“But you’re right. It really doesn’t look good. And she does get a bit too close at times. I don’t want her to get any wrong ideas. I’m taken after all,” he argues, sending a wink your way that makes a strange feeling appear in your stomach area.

“Do whatever you need to do. I just don’t want to be involved.”

He hums, not saying anything more. You don’t look at him but when he turns strangely quiet you do, seeing him smirk at you. 

“What?” You ask, arching a brow. 

Jimin chuckles, wrapping his arm around you and bringing you closer to his side. “You’re kinda hot when you’re jealous.”

You almost spit out the remains of your drink, suddenly getting into a coughing fit as you hear Jimin’s sinister laugh next to your ear.

“I am NOT jealous!” You deny and deliberately push him away from you. “Have you understood anything of what I just explained to you?”

You pout, realizing he doesn’t take you seriously at all; he’s still laughing so hard that his eyes disappear completely. Fed up with him, you stand up, ready to leave and escape from him. However, he reacts quickly and grabs your hand before you can go, pulling you back into him. 

“Man. This is going to be hard,” he sighs, fighting against your attempts to get yourself free from his grip and smiling when your groans turn into slight giggles. 

After you have regained your composure, you find yourselves in a position that does not suggest that you were arguing just a few minutes before. Jimin is leaning against the tree and you're lying on your back with your head in his lap. You enjoy the feeling of him playing with your hair as you absentimindedly pick apart a daisy.

It's a calming atmosphere that even allows you to ignore the noise of other students.

“You’re gonna be okay this weekend?” Jimin's soft voice suddenly rings out.

You form an answer with a certain look you give him. “Why is everyone asking me this as if I’m incapable of being by myself? It’s just four days. I’ll survive,” you chuckle, trying to poke his cheek from your current position to get rid of that intense stare he's giving you. 

“I know you will but just in case… My parents would love to have you there,“ he says. 

“Me, not so much, but I would cope,” he then jokes, sending you a wink with it. “The house is right by the sea. Could be romantic. You, a bikini, me…”

“Ew, I don't need any more reasons not to come, Park. I've already made up my mind,” you cringe, dramatically shaking your head to dispel the image as you lift your head from his lap and sit up next to him.

“But it’s going to be so boring!” He whines, dramatically falling flat on the grass and covering his face. “I wanna make out on the beach,” he pouts peaking at you through his fingers. 

“You’ve never been less desirable,” you say in a dry tone, occupying yourself with your phone, not noticing him creeping up behind you until you feel his lips on your neck, reaching that spot right under your ear. Goosebumps break out all over your arms, and of course he notices. It makes you shut up real quick.

“You were saying?” He rasps, and even if you can’t see his face right now, you can imagine that huge smirk on his lips just fine. 

You straighten your back as you turn and look around to make sure nobody is watching you as you clear your throat. “Whatever. It won’t happen.” 

Jimin lets out a long sigh, mumbling something about this being the longest four days of his life, but he doesn’t pester you any further, which you’re very thankful for. 

“I received an invitation to Leah’s birthday party,” he informs you. “Are we going? It’s next week, apparently.”

You put your phone away and raise a brow in question as you look at him. “You’re asking me?”

“Well yes. We’re only going if it’s okay with you. If you think it could be uncomfortable, perhaps we should leave it alone. Your decision.” For a change, he sounds genuinely interested in your opinion on this without trying to annoy or make fun of you. 

You feel warm, knowing that despite his teasing, he understood your earlier conversation and is willing to let you decide what to do. 

“Was it you who received the invitation or us?” You grin, aware that there must be a reason Leah invited him separately from everyone else.

“Inviting me automatically means inviting you too,” he scoffs, not sharing your perspective. “She knows that.”

“If you say so,” you shrug. “You know her better than I do.” 

Why you feel the need to say that, you don’t even know and you bite your tongue right after, hating yourself for sounding so grumpy and silly when you already moved on from that topic. Plus you don’t want Jimin to get the wrong idea again because you are not jealous. You’re not. 

Lucky for you, he doesn’t catch up on your tone. It’s either that or he doesn’t comment on it, and knowing Jimin, he surely would. 

You don’t see the appeal in another unnecessary conflict so you swallow your distaste and muster up a smile. “We should go.”

“Really?” Judging by his expression, Jimin did not expect to hear that from you. 

“Sure.” You shrug. “Why not?” 

“Okay,“ he nods, showing you a considerate smile. “But now let's go back to the bikini one more time—”

You don't let him finish the thought before you stand up, rolling your eyes and telling him you’re going home.

It’s late and you’re already tucked under your cozy blanket, laying on your uncomfortable couch and scrolling through your phone when your doorbell rings. 

You’re certain you didn’t order anything; your mom would have called you first, and Jimin should be out with his family by now. So, your introverted and lazy self decides to ignore whoever it is at the door.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t take long before the doorbell rings again. 

Ringing the wrong doorbell once might be a mistake, but if the person tries again, it could be important. By now, you’re almost convinced that it must be Jimin making one last attempt to get you to join him in living out his unfulfilled fantasies.

You’re not exactly thrilled about being interrupted during your me-time, so when you open the door, you respond with a curt, “What?” However, your irritation turns to embarrassment when you find your new neighbor standing in front of you.

You saw each other for the first time a few weeks ago when he moved in, but you only had a fleeting conversation. He's the last person you expected to see at this time of night.

You gasp, quickly trying to cover yourself in front of the stranger. It's not that you're inappropriately dressed, but standing in front of a stranger in your much too big pajamas when you're not even wearing your bra doesn't happen usually. 

“I'm sorry, I hate to bother you this late,” he apologizes, seeing how startled you look. 

“No, no! I’m the one who’s sorry. I was expecting someone else,” you chuckle, brushing a loose strand behind your ear in a desperate attempt to make yourself look a bit less… unkempt.

“Can uhh can I help you with anything?” 

Your neighbor, you think you remember his name is Luca, nods and seems to remember the reason why he knocked on your door in the first place. “Yeah sorry, I was wondering if maybe you have a few eggs for me? I haven't managed to do any proper grocery shopping yet due to the stress of moving house and I just finished my workout. Need to get some protein in.”

His answer makes you grin inwardly. Of course, he's a gym bro. Jimin would have a field day making fun of him for that response alone.

“Sure, wait a second. I’ll get them.” You close your door, leaving a small crack open, as you head back into your apartment to get the eggs. It's odd that the door is now wide open when you return, and your neighbor is peering inside with curious eyes.

His gaze then falls on you as you come closer and hand him the box, which he takes with gratitude but he’s not making any moves to leave yet. “Your apartment looks just like mine, but mirrored,” he says, more or less just stating the obvious. 

“Yes, they’re pretty much all built the same.” 

You don’t want to be rude, but you wish he would leave now. Small talk isn’t your strongest suit and you still don’t feel comfortable in your current attire especially when your opponent is very handsome even in just a simple tank top and joggers. Unfortunately for you, he seems to be a friendly one, so you think it can't hurt to be friendly as well. You're neighbors now, so you'll be seeing and talking to each other more often anyway. No need to immediately show him how secluded you usually are.

“So… have you settled in yet?”

His face immediately brightens at your question and you feel a bit of sympathy. It must be hard to move to a new city where you don't know anyone yet. Although this does sound like your ideal dream, he seems like he's happy to be able to talk to someone here.

“I have. I really like it here so far.” He smiles, looking genuine. “I’ll start my new job after the holidays and I guess that is going to be a challenge, but I still have a few days until then to really settle in some more. It'll be fine.”

You spent some more time to talk and get to know him a bit and you learn that he's really quite nice, if a little too flirty at times. Not like Jimin and also not like Jungkook but in a different way that is sometimes a little bit too much for you. But it could also be because he's still a stranger to you and you don't know exactly how to deal with it. All in all, he seems fine and you're glad that someone like him has the apartment next to yours. 

As you laugh at something he said, someone enters the front door of your apartment building. You don’t pay much attention to it at first. Out of the corner of your eye, the person in the black hood looks familiar, but you assume it’s just another neighbor coming home.

Sensing the person approaching, you both finally turn to look in his direction. Even with the hood pulled down low over his face, you recognize him immediately.

Hearing the sound of your laughter, Jimin tilts his head up. His eyes lock onto you for a moment before glancing over at your new next-door neighbor with a raised brow.

“What are you doing here this late? I thought you had a family thing going on,” you gasp, momentarily forgetting your companion as your focus shifts to Jimin. At first glance, he appears a bit worn and tired, making you wonder if something happened, considering he should be at the Park family residence by now.

“I uh…“ he starts, sighing before he offers you a small smile. “Long story, actually. Can I come in?”

His hesitant reply makes you wary but you don't yet comment on it and give him a bit more space to enter your apartment. “Of course, come in.”

Jimin squeezes in next to you, and in your astonishment, you completely forget about Luca until you hear him clear his throat to make himself known.

“So, um, see you around, I guess?” he says with a chuckle, a bit uncomfortable. You immediately feel guilty about your rudeness. It seems wrong to abruptly cut off your conversation, but you don't want to make Jimin wait, and it's getting late. So, you offer Luca an apologetic smile and nod before wishing him a good night, which he returns.

Once inside, you find Jimin already raiding your fridge. “Who was that?” He asks nonchalantly when he notices you behind him. 

“Hm? Oh, no one,” you wave off, more interested in why he’s here. But then you suddenly notice something. “Oh my God, what happened to your hand?” You gasp as you examine his swollen, bruised hand.

“Mijoo and Dickface broke up,” he says, not seeming the slightest bit phased.

“What?” you exclaim. “Did you hit him? Jimin, he’s seventeen! He’s a minor!”

“He broke her heart, I broke his nose.” He shrugs carelessly. “Sounds fair to me.“

You can't believe how uninterested he is in such a situation. “You could get in so much trouble for this you big idiot,” you scoff.

“I know. My dad yelled at me for an hour. You don’t need to remind me. And still, I’d do it again,” he shrugs. “He shouldn’t have hurt her. I warned him from the start not to mess with her.”

You pinch the bridge of your nose, trying to let everything sink in for a moment before you sigh. Focus on the important things first. "How is she?" 

"I didn't talk to her much. When I got home, she was crying. As soon as I learned what had happened, I went to see Chanyeol. When I returned home, my parents blocked me and screamed at me until I left voluntarily. And now I'm here," he explains, chugging a big glass of water in almost one go.

“You’re unbelievable.“

“Unbelievably hot?“ He grins, unmistakably trying to lift the mood a little. 

“Unbelievably stupid,” you object. “What if he or his parents decide to report this? It won't look good on your resume. And if it gets around town with your father's business partners, have you considered that?“

He doesn’t respond, but the frown on his face shows that he clearly hasn’t thought about it.

“Look, no matter what you have to say, I promise you my dad has already said it,“ he sighs, gripping the empty glass tightly in his hand before placing it on the counter. “I appreciate your concern for my future, but I didn't come here for another lecture. I came here to escape exactly that.”

You're about to tell him that you don't care and that you're still going to lecture him all you want when you notice how exhausted he looks. His hand appears to be hurting badly, given how much he winces whenever he tries to move his fingers.

And instead, you go soft.

“Show me your hand,“ you demand, trying not to let on that you care a bit too much.

He looks up from it surprised but doesn’t make a move as he shakes his head. “Ah, it’s not that bad—“

“Jimin.“ You call out in a warning tone. “Let me see.“ 

He sighs but reluctantly offers you his hand so you can inspect it. It’s swollen, and the skin around his knuckles is slightly torn, but other than that, it doesn’t seem too serious. “You’re lucky; it doesn't appear to be broken,” you say, glancing up into his eyes and noticing that he’s already looking at you.

You take a moment to grab a cold pack from your freezer, wrap it in a cloth, and place it in Jimin's hand. “This should work for now. Well, it’s all I can do anyway.”

“Thanks,” he replies, giving you a kind smile, though it’s clear there’s something else on his mind. You decide to press him for more information.

“What is it?” you ask.

“Would it be okay if I stayed the night?” he asks hesitantly. “Things got a bit heated at home, so I left without my stuff. As far as I know, the guys aren’t home tonight, so I wouldn’t be able to get into my place either.”

You didn't expect him to leave in the first place, and since you have no plans, you tell him that his request isn't a problem for you. 

Jimin looks incredibly relieved when he realizes he doesn't have to go back to his parent's house—at least for today. You're glad to be able to give him that. Even if he can be annoying, you wouldn't just let him run off in such a situation.

“So, you canceled a romantic weekend at the beach and the exclusive chance to see me lying in the sun, shirtless and sweaty, for this?” He suddenly asks, gesturing to your baggy pajamas, the fluffy blanket, and the now cold tea on your little coffee table.

You'd rather interrogate him about what happened at his parents' house than engage in that type of banter again, but you recognize that he clearly doesn't want to discuss it and is trying to lighten the mood.

“Looks like it,” you shrug. “Thanks for interrupting my plans for the evening.” 

He lets out a soft, humorless laugh, his eyes intensely focused on your face. “Yeah, seemed like I was interrupting indeed.”

Taken aback by his sudden use of a sassy tone, you raise a brow in question. “Excuse me?” You ask, copying his tone. “Is there anything you have to say?”

“It was just an observation. That’s all.” He pretends not to care, but you know him better than that. 

“Oh.” You smirk, enjoying the turn of events a little too much. “Look who’s jealous now.”

“Jealous? What is there to be jealous of?” He chuckles, looking nothing short of cocky while you watch him with a cheeky smile. 

“Just checking,” you shrug. “You’re kinda hot when you’re jealous,” you mimic his earlier words, feeling superior for a total of three seconds before you’re pressed against the counter.

“And I think you’re very hot in your wrinkled, worn-out pajamas. What are we gonna do about that?” He’s testing you, his gaze slowly shifting from your eyes to your lips.

You can clearly feel his breath on your lips as he patiently waits for you to do the next step, which is a definite indicator that he’s too close. So you let your hands rest on his chest for a second, feeling his heartbeat steadily pound against it as he comes even closer. And then you lightly push him off and bring some much-needed space between you, leaving him confused and taken aback for a moment.

“You can take a shower if you want. I’m heading to bed soon, I’m tired,” you say, walking off without giving him as much as another look. 

But before you leave the room entirely, you halt and turn back around to see him standing there, still in the same position, looking rather confused. “Jimin?” You call his name to get his attention. 

When his eyes find yours just a beat later, you continue. “What happened between us a couple days ago,” you start. “It was a one-time thing. And it won’t happen again,” you clarify. 

Jimin’s expression is somewhat dumbfounded at first but he quickly covers it up with his typical smirk and a leisurely nod. “I know. Relax.” 

Then you turn away, leaving him to take a shower while you are left with your thoughts.

It seems that spending nights with Jimin has slowly become a regular occurrence, and it's surprising how little this seems to bother you. Sharing a bed with him has never felt strange, and you can’t quite explain why.

Normally it should be strange, right?

But he's lying here, next to you in your bed in nothing but his briefs. You can feel the warmth of his body radiating towards you, you can smell his freshly showered body, and you can hear him breathe. And it's pleasant. It's nice. 

“He has a crush on you.“ Jimin’s voice silently rings through the dark room, keeping you from your thoughts.

You lift yourself up on one arm and glance over your shoulder. You can’t see him clearly, but he appears to be lying on his back, one arm tucked behind his head. He turns his head to look at you as well.

“Your neighbor,“ he clarifies, taking your silence as a clue that you don’t know who he is talking about.

You laugh humored, shaking your head. “A crush. Are we twelve?“ 

“He's interested in you. Clearly.“ 

You roll your eyes and then fall back onto your back, rolling over. He hasn't even met him—only caught a glimpse for a total of ten seconds without exchanging a word—and yet he is already making assumptions?

“Don’t be ridiculous. He was asking for eggs,“ you explain. “And I'm not his type.“ 

“What is that supposed to mean?“ he mocks, acting as if he couldn’t imagine why you wouldn’t be his type.

“You know what that’s supposed to mean,“ you say tiredly. 

“That you aren’t ready to trade chili cheese nuggets with unseasoned chicken breast?“ He asks, making you internally laugh for knowing he'd make fun of Luca for being a gym rat.

“Exactly.“ 

He hums, seemingly agreeing with you. 

You're on the brink of sleep, when he talks again. “But would you let him hit?“ 

“Jimin!“ You gasp, suddenly wide awake again at his bold question.

“What? It’s a fair question. You don’t have to date someone to sleep with them.“ 

“That is none of your business and I’m not answering that. Good night.“ 

He doesn’t say more for a while and you think you made it when suddenly, “He probably doesn’t even know where the clit is.“ 

You groan, getting up without further ado, making him sit up in a matter of seconds as well. 

“Where are you going?“ he asks, almost panicky.

“Away from you. I'll sleep on the couch.“ 

You don’t get very far before a hand gently wraps around your wrist, pulling you into his body. His arms then encircle your waist, and he playfully lifts you up, only to throw—yes, literally throw—you back onto your warm bed, causing you to shriek out a laugh.

“Don’t even think about it, babygirl. You‘re stuck with me tonight.“ 

You‘re still laughing when his fingers softly brush against the skin of your stomach as he clings himself to you and cuddles you right into his chest, literally spooning you and holding you too tightly for you to try and make another escape.

“You're not thinking about sleeping like this are you?“ 

“Just for tonight,“ he murmurs into your ear, his breath tickling the skin on your neck and making goosebumps appear all over your body once again. You pray he doesn’t notice but he at least doesn't comment on it.

“I'm badly injured,“ he reasons.

“Badly injured him?“ You snicker.

Jimin hums softly again, appearing noticeably sleepier than he did just a couple of minutes ago.

“I warn you, Park, if I wake up with your boner poking my ass, I‘ll never talk to you again,“ you warn him. There's no answer anymore so you adjust yourself and make yourself comfortable to finally get some sleep.

The next morning, you wake up alone in your bed, confused by the cold air and the noises coming from somewhere in your apartment. Since you live alone, you wonder why you’re hearing these sounds while you’re still in bed. Then, you remember last night and realize that you fell asleep with Jimin but woke up without him. You assume the noises are coming from him, which is why you’re not worried about the possibility of an intruder for now.

With a groan that resembles the sound of someone emerging from a coffin, you slowly turn over and glance at your phone, only to realize that you’ve overslept. 

Not that you had any plans for your day off, but it’s surprising nonetheless. You feel as if you’ve slept through an entire month. Completely disoriented, you stagger to the bathroom to take a shower and freshen up. When you come out, you finally feel like a functioning member of society again.

In the kitchen, Jimin is already making pancakes for you. Or at least that's what it looks like.

“Good morning,“ you greet him, wrapping your still-wet hair in a bun to prevent it from wetting the floor and the back of your shirt. “You’re making breakfast?“ The astonishment in your voice comes mainly from the fact that Jimin never cooks. He often orders, but cooking? Never. You always thought he was just as untalented as you in this department, or at least just as lazy.

“You don’t have shit in your kitchen,“ he murmurs with a tone that reeks of judgment. “Do you only ever eat when I take care of it?“ 

“Well, I had eggs,“ you try to defend yourself. “But yea, pretty much.“

Jimin's look reminds you a little too much of your mother. You try to soothe him with your best, most innocent smile, which earns you a smile back, coupled with a slight shake of his head.

“Some pancake mixture and half a liter of orange juice. How are you even able to survive?“

You grab one of the already-baked pancakes and start biting into it. Not caring about it still being a little hot.

“I just haven't managed to go grocery shopping yet. I’ll do it later, don’t worry.“

“I sure hope so.“

You grin, happily nibbling on your pancake and taking another one in your hand as you sit down at the kitchen table. “How did you sleep?“ 

“Like a baby. But I suppose not as good as you. I put a mirror under your nose half an hour ago to see if you're still alive.“

You laugh at that. That really must have been one long, deep sleep you had.

“Thank you again for last night. I wouldn’t have known where to go without you.” He looks over at you a little bashfully for a moment.

You dismiss it with a wave, as it's really no big deal to you. He hasn't been a stranger for a long time and you don’t feel uncomfortable with him around. “It goes without saying.“

He gives you a warm smile as he sits across from you, enjoying his own pancake. “When I finally gather the courage to go home and get my money, I’ll return the favor with a meal that’s a bit more... nutritious.”

You watch him closely. Even though it was meant as a joke, the situation with his family clearly weighs heavily on his mind.

“Don't worry too much about it. Your sister will get over it soon,“ you try and reassure him. “And your parents too. I may have exaggerated a bit last night. The guy is too cowardly to do anything about it, I'm sure.“

Jimin smiles at that and nods, appreciating you trying to make him feel better.

"That doesn't mean I approve of what you did. In my eyes, you're still foolish for it," you say, wiping the smile off his lips and replacing it with a slight pout that makes you smirk. "How is your hand?"

He lifts it up and wiggles his fingers a few times, which seems to work without much pain. It's still a bit swollen and red at the knuckles but looks much better than it did last night.

“It’s better. However, I didn't expect anything less given the kind care and attention I received from you.” Jimin grins, looking just as happy with it as you are.

You snort, accepting the compliment with a sense of pride, even though you know you didn't do much to deserve it.

You both finish your makeshift breakfast and clean up what needs to be done. Afterward, Jimin tells you that he is slowly getting ready to go home and collect his belongings. He hopes that no one will be there at this time and that they might have gone on their vacation without him, but he knows that’s just wishful thinking. His parents might be upset, but they are the type of parents who prefer to talk about their problems and work through them instead of avoiding topics and staying angry forever. 

In your eyes, that sounds like a healthy relationship, and you wish it had always been like that in your own home. Although he complains a lot, you know he genuinely appreciates his parents and their approach. It's the confrontation he dreads. You can't blame him for that.

Jimin has just stepped into the bathroom when another knock sounds at your door. This time, it isn't a surprise to see your neighbor standing there with a carton of what you assume are freshly bought eggs.

With a radiant, handsome smile that looks straight out of a magazine, he stands before you. “Good morning! I went for a run and picked up some groceries on the way.”

“Oh, come on, you didn’t have to do that. Let’s just say the eggs were a welcome gift,” you grin, taking the carton from his hands and thanking him.

Before he can respond, Jimin suddenly appears behind you, catching him off guard. “You’re a little late. Would have been nice for breakfast,” he mocks, eyeing the small carton in your hands.

Luca halts, his blue eyes wandering confusedly between you and Jimin. It's almost funny how you can literally see little gears turning in his head as he makes the connection. “Uh, sorry.“

“No, don’t worry about it. And don’t mind him, please.“ you apologize, sending Jimin a warning look that goes unnoticed by him. “He’s not a morning person.“

Ignoring your comment, Jimin steps closer to you at the door. “Okay, I'm off now. Wish me luck.” Before you have a chance to respond, he turns your head toward him and kisses you. It's intentionally provocative, especially with your neighbor watching.

The whole situation naturally creates an awkward atmosphere between the two of you after Jimin has left, so you smile at him, silently hoping he will leave as well. 

Fortunately, he excuses himself almost immediately, saying that he has more errands to run, which you find very relieving. 

You reflect once again on what Jimin told you last night—he thinks your neighbor has a crush on you. While you can't say you share his opinion and you definitely don't have the same interest in him, the thought still makes you feel a bit giddy. 

A/N: Penny for your thoughts pretty please?

tagged: @ggukkieland | @ttaeby | @rkvi | @cuteipat | @pjiminslove | @mawwnsterr | @aamalaaa | @spideyxxboi | @lil-sracha | @katsbqbe | @bex-92br | @natalie-rdr | @canarystwin | @wespers-jaan | @bangtanxcoffee | @bri-mal | @so-kou | @lonleycoffee | @rjsmochii | @kiwiaroha | @chimchimmarie | @scoupshawt | @xmochiloverx | @kristinkristinuk | @thejiminshieffect | @yes-fangirl-things | @cuteinjapanese | @leticiaesteveslp | @jkkkkkay | @miss-rainy-days | @bangtan4everr | @i-never-post-but-i-am-here | @dumdaradumdaradum | @thesmeraldogirl | @deliciouslydeliciouspenguin | @ownthesunshine

[deaddovedecadence]

i completely avoid writing bruce because hes so difficult so thats completely understandable

uhh its not exactly a just a batcest ask but if your up for it batfam/batcest x darling

how do you think a darling would meet batfam just because its gotham the waynes are famous and theres no way a regular civilian let alone like broke college student is just making friends with them without another thought going through their head

another question would be how would darling be incorporated into the family uh well dynamic when they start forcibly staying at the manor? how do they feel at first and as they start growing accustomed to their odd family? :).

I really like the first question because I do feel like something has to happen for the darling to meet the Waynes. Maybe the darling goes to wayne-corp on a trip for collage and Tim decides to pretend to be an intern to see if any of these people are worth keeping around. When darling keeps speaking up and obviously engaging, Tim is like, that one.

Tim is also a canonical stalker so I feel like he tries to learn anything and everything on darling because he's curious. the yandere kicks in when he learns that they're a hard worker and genuinely kind in a way that is not normal for Gotham. when he learns that they aren't from Gotham he starts freaking out a little bit. He's worried about them because what if they don't know all of the Gotham protocals and they get hurt.

Damian who works with Tim meets darling one day and appreciates that they aren't being stupid, that they can take his sharpness and meanness and work with it, turning it into something that is honest and genuine but a little more kind. Damian really likes having someone who isn't a sibling that doesn't fear him just because of his rep.

Jason is dropping by the building one day for a meeting with Damian and meets darling because they're in the middle of arguing with him. Jason just watches his tetchy, grumpy brother argue with this cute ass civilian. He asks Damian what the fuck is going on after their meeting because Damian doesn't just argue with anyone. They have to actually interest him. Jason does not get an answer.

Dick is dropping by to bitch about Bruce one day to Damian and take him out to lunch when he spooks darling so bad that they throw their papers everywhere. Dick thinks that it's kind of funny because Damian is so gentle with darling and helpful in a way he isn't with anyone else. Dick also tries to pry an answer out of Damian and later Tim but he doesn't get one.

Duke knows something is up right away because Damian is drawing someone new and not talking to anyone about it. Decides to take drastic measures and drugs their brother with truth serum (totally not because they're jealous noooo) only to Damian to freak out because he doesn't know how to handle feeling anything for a civilian. They end up having a heart to heart about it and Duke being the manipulative shit head they are, gets to work.

Cassandra also knows something is up right away because she knows her siblings. She can read their body language and knows that someone is keeping a secret from her. Does the research herself and sees that Damian keeps interacting with darling so she just goes to darling directly and asks them what their relationship with her brother is. They of course freak out and try to reassure her that they aren't interested in him, of course not.

-

Darling doesn't really know what to do at first because they know that something is up with the way that the Waynes are very affectionate but something is really weirding them out. Of course the bats are constantly telling them that nothing is going on, that they aren't related anyways so why do you care so much (they absolutely see each other as siblings, its hotter that way) and darling gets so used to the casual affection and oddness that it's so much harder to fret when they catch Damian and Dick kissing.

They do fret mind you but Dick is so good with his words, so soothing when he wants to be that they can't be mad at either of them.

Eventually reader catches Jason and Tim having sex and of course, freaks the fuck out but Tim texts Damian who appears to lead them away and give them a cup of tea. It's very helpful but darling of course does not want to talk about it and Damian eventually gets so iratated with this that he threatens to use league tactics.

This just scares poor darling more and Duke sweeps in, and Damian watches in sheer awe as Duke pulls the information out of darling and reassures that they aren't weird or wrong or anything of this nasty stuff that's going on inside their head.

A few days later darling is sat down for a meeting where the Waynes confess to all be together and would darling like to join them? They know that darling had all sorts of feelings about seeing Jason and Tim together.

Darling is sort of pulled into the relationship without ever being asked but the bats let them make the final decsion even if they already knew the answer.

[brookediamonds]

Can I request an Axel x reader during the tournament where cobra kai jumps the reader and Axel gets all protective about who did this and then gets paired against cobra kai in the tag in fight and Zara also is reader's bestie so Axel tells her what happened so when they fight cobra kai they beat the crap out of them and after Axel says stay away from my girl?

karma is my boyfriend | Axel Kovačević x Fem! Reader

Summary: You're taking a midnight stroll on the beach when you come across another team that takes advantage of you wondering alone, and you being apart of the best team, only means one thing: You must be take down.

Word Count: 3.1k Warnings: Violence (fighting), cursing, Axel gets PISSED

gif is not mine

You tossed and turned in your spot, unable to shake off the day you've had. The nerves of the Sekai Taikai were consuming you, this would be your first tournament ever apart of the Iron Dragons dojo and with being apart of the number one dojo in the world, came the pressure of staying number one.

"Ugh!" You grumbled kicking the sheets off your body. Swinging your legs over the edge of the bed, you slip your sandals on and pull on one of your boyfriend's hoodies.

Your finger hovers over the phone icon, contemplating if you should call Axel or knock on his room that was across from yours.

"Better not," you mumble locking your screen. He was your strongest fighter, he needed his sleep. You didn't need to wake him up just because you're getting the pre-fight jitters.

Quietly making your way out of your room, you head downstairs and step outside for some fresh air.

As you scanned your surroundings, you notice you're only a couple feet away from one of beaches of Barcelona, the sand calling your name.

This was perfect, you could walk along the soft sand, listen to the crashing waves and clear your head.

The salt air envelops your senses, the gentle breeze blowing through you.

It was calming, and relaxing, just what you needed.

Until you heard disruptive male laughter. Barely glancing back, you can see from the corner of your eye it's a group of boys wearing black bomber jackets, falling into one another as they trailed behind you.

You fasten your pace just a bit more, attempting to stay on track back to the hotel, hoping they wouldn't mess with you.

But you were wrong.

"Heyyy," one of the boys calls out. "You look familiar!"

Keeping your head straight, you continue to walk faster, ignoring the burning feeling in your calves as you tried to go as quick as you could in the sand.

"Hello, we're talking to you!" He shouts.

Two boys suddenly come into your view, a look of amusement upon their faces.

"Pretty rude, not to say hi back," a boy with dark swept up hair says, his Korean accent strong.

You don't make eye contact with him nor speak a word, internally praying they'd get bored of your silence and leave you alone.

"I'm talking to you," he seethes stopping in front of you, making you bump into his chest.

"Just leave me alone," you beg attempting to walk around him only for him to step in front of you again.

"Oh, you are Iron Dragons!" He smiles cockily. "The number one dojo in the world."

You huff moving again, only for his friend to step in front of you two making you look up at them through wide eyes. Turning slightly, you see there's two other boys behind you, the team completely surrounding you.

"Let's see how good you really are, hmm?" their captain suggests, taking a step closer to you. Your heart pounded in your chest, a sense of adrenaline beginning to fill through you.

"Seriously, if you don't leave me alone–" you begin to say when he strikes you across the face making you fall to your knees.

"Little girl can't even defend!" he barks out a laugh. You wince pressing the tender spot below your eye, before using your advantage of being on the ground.

You lean on your left knee, kicking your right leg back sending your foot straight into his stomach causing him to double over.

His friends are quick to sweep you up, each of them standing on either side of you, grasping your arms to keep you from running anywhere.

"Five against one? Really?" You narrow your eyes at the captain who stood up straight again, catching his breath.

"No," exhales sharply, a darkness glazing over his brown eyes. "Just me."

He makes sure to kick you hard in the stomach, doubling the pain you caused him, sending you back against the boys that held you as you gasped for air from the hard blow.

"You're gonna regret this," you choke out, your voice hoarse.

He gives you an evil smirk. "We will see about that."

He sends his fist straight into your mouth, tossing your head back as the blood trickled from your upper lip.

"Kwon," a slender boy, just a little taller than the angry boy steps forward laying a hand on his shoulder before he aggressively shrugs his hand off.

"No!" Kwon shouts in his face. "She disrespected me, now she pays."

Kwon pivots, sending his left foot across your face again, hitting your temple this time. Spots erupt through your vision, the two boys in front of you starting to look blurry.

The two boys holding you up, straighten you out again as Kwon sends one last kick straight into your ribs causing you to fall forward into the sand no longer able to stand up.

Kwon squats down before you, forcefully pulling your head up by your hair, you wince feeling his fingers tighten in your scalp.

"See you at tournament," Kwon taunts you before releasing his grip on you.

Your body is tense and shaking when the group of boys walk away, your head pounding, lips swollen and pulsating from the punches.

It's hard to breathe, hard to stand, you're internally struggling to pick yourself up from the grains beneath you.

A couple minutes pass before you're able to lift yourself off the ground, and be able to stand on your own two feet.

You wipe the maroon-red liquid dripping from your upper lip, hissing at the sharp pain. Putting one foot in front of the other, you slowly make your way back to the hotel.

It takes all of your energy to not pass out on the streets of Barcelona, your feet are dragging as you enter the quiet establishment, luckily there's hardly anybody in the lobby.

You hastily make your way to the elevators, punching the number to your floor. Grabbing the extra key card you held in your pockets, you decide you don't want to be alone tonight.

Carefully, you unlock Axel's room and silently make your way inside the pitch black room.

Pulling his jacket over your head, you remove your sandals, and pull the covers back gently, your boyfriend turning over in his place, eyes still closed.

"Is that you, ljubavi?" Axel's sweet accent meets your ears, his voice low and tired from sleep.

"Just me," you say quietly as you climbed in next to him. His long arm wraps around you, tugging you into his chest, your face nuzzling into the crook of his neck.

You breathe in his warm scent, the smell of his body wash still lingering off him. You try not to pay any attention to the pain radiating over your body, but focus on the sound of your boyfriends steady breathing, pulling you into a somber.

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

"Y/n."

The stern tone behind Axel's voice when he says your name jolts you awake, your heart starting to beat rapidly.

His hands have grabbed the sides of your face, his blue orbs scanning the fresh bruises and wounds across your skin.

"What happened? Who did this to you?" Axel questions as you try and focus on your breathing. Flashbacks of last night resurface to your memory, the soreness in your abdomen reminding you of what had happened.

You swallow thickly, throat dry as you shift beneath Axel’s piercing gaze. His grip is firm yet gentle, his thumbs grazing over your cheeks as if afraid to hurt you further.

The weight of last night presses against your chest, making it difficult to find the right words.

"I—" Your voice cracks, and you wince, suddenly aware of the dull throbbing in your ribs as you attempt to sit up in your place.

Axel’s jaw clenches, his fingers tensing against your skin.

"Ljubavi…" His voice is softer now, but laced with restrained anger. "Tell me."

You look away, ashamed. It wasn’t like you lost in a fair fight, no, they ambushed you. Five against one. You were a fighter, but even you had your limits.

"I went for a walk last night," you start, voice barely above a whisper. "Needed to clear my head before the tournament."

Axel stays silent, waiting, his breath slow and controlled, but you can see the storm brewing in his ocean blue eyes.

You reach for his touch, his hand finding yours on an instant so you could squeeze his hand if you need to.

"The guys from Cobra Kai, they found me, and— and I was trying to ignore them but, their captain, he didn't like that," you admit, your fingers curling over his knuckles.

His entire body goes rigid at the name.

You exhale shakily, forcing yourself to keep going. "They surrounded me. And then…" You trail off, not wanting to relive the way Kwon’s fist collided with your face, the way his kicks left you breathless in the sand.

Axel’s grip on you tightens. "And then they jumped you," he finishes for you, voice dark and low, barely restrained fury simmering beneath his words.

You nod wordlessly, swallowing back the lump in your throat.

Axel can see the pain behind your eyes, the way your hands are shaking as you let out a deep breath. He carefully brings you in for a hug, the weight on your chest lifting as you fall into him, letting him coax you back into comfort.

"I— I just wanted to get back to you," your words make his heart ache, a muscle ticks in his jaw, his hands sliding down to your shoulders as if to ground himself.

You can feel his anger radiating through every inch of his body.

"I’m going to kill them."

"Axel…" You press your hand to his chest, feeling the rapid beat of his heart, your forehead leaning his. "Please don't do anything that can jeopardize the team from the competition."

He exhales sharply through his nose, trying to rein himself in, but his fingers curl into fists.

"They think they can touch you and get away with it?" His voice is lethal, dripping with rage. He pulls back slightly, grabbing on to the sides of your face again gently.

"Look at what they did to you," he seethes through his teeth. "They are lucky I am not out looking for them right now."

You place your hands on top of his, prying them away from your face.

"We'll get them back," you whisper, swallowing back the emotion in your throat. You rub your thumb over his knuckles, trying to calm him down from the rage he was feeling. "We just need to play our cards right."

Axel's cold gaze meets your own, nose scrunched at the idea of you, his sweet, adoring girlfriend getting beat up by a group of neanderthals.

"Please, Axel," you beg him, pressing your lips softly against his cheek. He envelopes you in his arms, pulling you onto his lap as you nuzzle your face in the crook of his neck like last night.

"They will pay," he mutters, his arms tightening around you. You nod in agreement, shutting your eyes, letting the embrace of your boyfriend soothe you.

After consoling each other for the next couple of minutes, Axel helps you get out of bed and guides you to the bathroom so you two could shower.

The tournament was approaching and you needed to be ready. Flickering the lights on, you're taken back by the sight in front of you.

A dark purple bruise spreads beneath your right eye, swollen and angry against your skin. Your lip is split, the dried blood cracked along the cut. 

There's a large gash on the left side of your temple where the tip of Kwon's shoe grazed you from his roundhouse.

As Axel turns the water on to the shower, you lift your t-shirt just slightly, revealing the mottled bruises along your ribs, deepening in color.

Your eyes squeeze shut as the memory of last night hit you once again, the trauma evident on your body.

Axel’s eyes lock onto yours in the glass, but then they drop, scanning every bruise, every cut, every mark left on your skin.

It takes everything inside him not to scream and dart out the door searching for those responsible for hurting you, for hurting his girl.

"Hey," he whispers laying a hand on your shoulder, slowly turning you to face him.

"I didn't think it was this bad," you take a breath, blinking away the sting in your eyes. His fingers skim along your arm, careful, like he’s afraid too much pressure will hurt you.

"Wounds are not permanent," he reminds you. "You will heal, because you are still you, my strong, beautiful girl."

When you meet his gaze, his thumb brushes against your unbruised cheek, bringing you back to reality.

Your breath hitches, but you nod, letting him guide you closer to the shower. The steam begins to curl around the air, warm and comforting.

He's careful pulling your shirt off, his eyes lingering on your bruised side causing you to cover it out of consciousness.

Axel places his hands on top of yours, softly removing them as he kneeled down to the floor, before pressing a soft kiss to your injured ribs, letting you know you didn't have to hide from him.

You loved the way he loved you, the way he kept you close, always at arms length. He loved the way you let him love you and protect you back home.

So when he woke up with you curled into his side with your face bruised and battered, it broke him. His heart ached at how exhausted you looked, how you shifted to get more comfortable but a soft moan fell from your lips due to the discomfort from your side.

Guilt and anger washed over him all at once, before he woke you determined to find out who dare do this to you.

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

Zara brought her phone down, her eyes landing on you as you approached your sensei who looked at you worryingly.

Your best friend notices the way your posture is tense, the way you hold your side as you talk. Even from a distance, Zara saw the damage. 

Her fists clenched at her sides, and she turned on her heel, her narrowed eyes locking onto Axel, who stood a few feet away watching you just as intently as Sensei Wolf guided you to the locker rooms to tape up your injured side.

She stormed toward him, knowing damn well her best friend did not look like that last night at dinner.

"Who the hell did that to her?" Zara asks, feeling the anger build inside her.

"Cobra Kai," Axel exhaled through his nose, his own anger barely contained. "Their captain, and a few other members jumped her last night when she went out for a walk on the beach."

Zara looks around the arena, searching for the all black gi's ready to cause damage. "I'll kill them."

"No," Axel shoot his hand out before she can make any sudden movements. "We wait."

Zara scoffs, her arms crossing over her chest. "When?"

Axel glances at the digital board behind them seeing the next match up for the tag-team event, a feeling of satisfaction bubbling up inside him.

"In a little bit," he reassures her, gesturing to the screen. Zara looks behind her, seeing where Axel had been looking.

The Iron Dragons Vs. Cobra Kai

Zara and Axel make eye contact, nodding in a wordless agreement.

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

You stood between Axel and Zara, your ribs still aching, but the fire inside you burned hotter than the pain. This wasn’t just a match anymore, this was revenge.

"Ouch!" Kwon exclaims across from you. "Look like that hurts," he points to right side of his face, motioning to your eye.

"Fight!" The referee calls out.

You go to step in the middle of the circle as Kwon jumps in, when Zara holds her hand to your chest. She shot forward like a bullet, meeting Kwon in the center of the ring before he could even take a breath.

The moment he tried to throw a strike, Zara ducked under his arm and landed a brutal kick to his ribs, sending him stumbling. 

That was when you realized your best friend and boyfriend had decided to take this opportunity to get their revenge. For you.

"Point! Iron Dragons!"

"Hurts, doesn't it?" She taunts Kwon, circling around him like prey.

Kwon’s expression darkened as he lunged, but Zara blocked with ease, her movements sharp, relentless. There wasn't points being scored, but she was messing with him.

Then, with a smirk, she stepped back just enough to slap Axel’s hand. Tag.

You give Zara a fist bump as she comes to stand next to you.

"Thanks," you give her a small smile.

"I got your back," she winks at you.

The second Axel stepped in, the energy shifted.

The Cobra Kai captain barely had time to register the change before Axel slammed a brutal front kick into his chest, sending him flying back. 

Kwon’s teammates shouted for him to tag out again, but Axel was already dragging him back to the center of the ring, gripping the front of his gi. "No running this time."

Kwon swung wildly, desperate, but Axel easily dodged and countered, sending a sharp uppercut straight to his jaw. Kwon’s head snapped back, and his body swayed.

"Point! Iron Dragons. Next point wins."

You watch with anticipation as Axel takes a step back, letting out his roar of anger. He lunged forward, pivoting on his heel, and delivered a devastating spinning tornado straight to Kwon’s head.

The captain is completely knocked out, body limp before he even hits the mat.

"Knockout! Point! The Iron Dragons win!"

The roar of the crowd faded into the background as Axel stood over Kwon’s unconscious form, his breathing steady despite the adrenaline still coursing through his veins.

"Don't ever come near her ever again," he threatens, voice low and sharp.

Axel turns his eyes immediately finding yours across the mat. You were already moving before you even realized it, feet carrying you straight to him.

He mets you in the middle, his arms open just in time for you to crash into him, leaning up to smash your lips together, ignoring the burning feeling coming from the cut on your lip as you both melted into each other.

The arena around you is forgotten as you pour your heart into the kiss, Axel's lips moving against yours with quiet desperation, like he needed you just as much as you needed him.

When you pull back, he wrapped his arms around you, one hand pressing against the back of your head as he pulled you close.

You smiled into his chest, his heartbeat pounded beneath your cheek, body solid and warm against yours.

He had fought for you. Defended your honor.

"I love you, Axel," you whispered, your arms tightening around him, burying yourself in his embrace.

Axel exhaled, his lips pressing against the top of your head, his voice softer now. "I love you too, so much."

No one would ever touch you again. And if they did, there would be a price to pay.

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MASTERLIST

(A/n: Y'all be so creative, I love the requests!!)