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if they donât fuck it up i have a feeling ate is gonna be a big album for skz
#đ.txt#like popularity is more about marketing than anything right#if they play it right i have a feeling itâs gonna be big#maybe not tbh nobody really cares about skz and they didnât even release a table of contents like the did with 5 stars#im not sure which is the title track but if itâs chk chk boom they might be able to reach pretty high numbers#from the mashup it sounds like the type of track that gets big in kpop spaces#it feels like lmb got more promotion than this album honestly#now that i listen to it again it really isnât kpopy at all so maybe not big within kpop spaces but outside of it it might#skz makes the least kpop kpop music ever i guess thatâs why they promote so much outside of korea and donât collab more with other idols
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thoughts about the new rey movie and peopleâs reactions to the announcement
i was gonna reblog a post about this and just slide my opinion in the tags but itâs getting to be an essay so i think it warrants its own post
iâm not trying to attack anybody with this but this has been rampant since the announcement and i have thoughts:
i understand and share in the opinion that ben solo is a wasted character and that he (and TROS and the sequel trilogy in general) was severely mishandled, and i would not be sorry to see more of him. adam was one of the best things about this new trilogy. i was hardly a star wars fan until the day i went to see TFA on opening day. that experience was something iâll never forget and i fell in love with kylo/ben and rey from the second they both appeared on screen during their respective intros. without them i donât think i would enjoy SW the way i do now.
iâm so happy for daisy to have this new opportunity to continue reyâs story. She deserves it.
And before you chime in--yes, Ben deserves for his story to be continued, too. No oneâs ever really gone, and all that. if he comes back i will be screaming on the way to the theaters with the rest of you.
but i have seen so many people state outright since the announcement that they refuse to watch the movie if ben isnât coming back.
i understand that sentiment, i do--none of us want to get burned again TROS-style. we want to see the dyad together and alive and happy. we want lucasfilms to get a friggin grip and just--DO BETTER.
and remember, this is my opinion, but it rubs me the wrong way when people say they wonât watch the movie without ben (and iâve seen it said over and over and over both here and on instagram) because itâs sort of implying that rey has no value without ben, like she is not interesting enough on her own.
now i donât actually believe thatâs what people mean when they say that (at least, not everybody) but thatâs the feeling i get from it. i love rey and ben equally and so iâll take any new content with them in it, even if they arenât together. will it hurt? will it be bittersweet? yeah. but imagine if the new rey movie gets a really low turnout and then disney execs look at the numbers and go âhmm--letâs not do that againâ and then a new possible trilogy is cancelled or any chance we get of maybe a dyad reunion is also gone. bc we all know the mouse listens to money above all.
i love rey. i think sheâs a great character who has just as much potential as ben and i canât wait to see what she can do in a film where sheâs top billing (until they throw in a mark hamill cameo because we all know heâll be in it to some degree) but my point still stands. and daisy is a great actress who brought such depth to rey that iâm so excited to see her return and i canât wait to see her as rey again.
do i still have a tiny bit of hope that it will be better this time and that ben will return? yes. iâm not gonna lie about it. this clown makeup is tattooed on. but itâs a cautious hope and iâm trying not to feed too much into it, because the reality is that itâs rey whoâs back and i love her so iâm going to support her because i think sheâs interesting and compelling on her own, just as she was in TFA before she ever met Kylo/Ben.
#star wars#leigh speaks#will i regret posting this? tune in to find out#reylo#rey nobody#ben solo#and i don't want to sound like a corporate shill for the mouse begging people to get their butts into seats#i just mean we gotta support our favorite characters/actors#so maybe lucasfilms/disney can see how much we love them and then they might make more content for them#they already failed us once#it makes me sad but i'm accepting that we might never see rey and ben together in any new content#i know there's adam stans who care mostly about him and you know what that's fine i'm mostly talking to reylos who love both of the#rey skywalker#also it's 2:26 am and i could have made this longer but i'm tired and should be asleep#but i've seen enough posts about this topic that i finally got annoyed enough to type the gist of it out#however it lands i hope lucasfilms/disney sees how badly the mishandled the dyad#from the merch to the marketing etc.#we all know they like to pretend the dyad never happened unless they're forced to#we've got a million and one t shirts of the motherfucking i love you i know quotes but not a single#item that i've seen featuring ben and rey together#except that loungefly bag that had them in chibi style#which isn't really my bag BUT it sold out fast and people LOVED IT#and disney still turns a blind eye#they just don't care and that's why i tell myself dyad reunion isn't gonna happen#anyway please discuss i will check in on this post in the morning but i need to sleep
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i feel like a lot of keepblrers would enjoy the hollow star saga (a dark and hollow star, a cruel and fated light, a grim and sunken vow). it's basically kotlc if kotlc was canonically gay. (warning: long rant ahead, if you're interested. this is going to seem very negative, but i promise i'll talk about the positives, too.)
there are four main characters, arlo, nausicaa, aurelian, and vehan.
arlo is basically sophie when it comes to personality. like. she's kinda the most generic female ya protagonist that's sort of shy and gets pushed around a lot except for when the author decides 'hey, she needs to stand up for herself' at random points. then she'll randomly snark for two lines and go back to being the protagonist that kinda lowkey has no distinctive personality traits. she's also clearly the author's bias. you will see what i mean if you look through the chapters. just like sophie, she spends most of the first book being scared of the council.
nausicaa is basically keefe if keefe was a lesbian. she has that snarky, bad-girl vibe and is kind of a loose canon and doesn't care about anything except her love interest (arlo). this of course means she's the fan favorite (i really don't like her, but i don't tend to like characters like keefe so i'm biased as hell don't listen to me). when i tell you she's exactly like keefe (in terms of personality). like. i want you to know that she's exactly like keefe. their senses of humor are comically similar.
aurelian gives off tam vibes, if tam was more central to the story (and white). looking in from the outside you'd be like 'omg what a broody man. what emo thoughts are going through his head. why is he looking at me like that. i'm going to sink into the ground, he clearly hates me. i probably shouldn't piss him off, he'd probably kill me.' and then you see his thoughts and he's just the most average guy out there. like. he's just a normal guy but everyone (including the author) sees him as this emo and broody guy that just glares constantly and is really standoff-ish.
another thing about nausicaa and aurelian is that the author really tries to get you to buy into the fact that they have this intense rivalry, but it falls so flat because they barely interact and itâs so one-sided. very tell-not-show. does that remind you of a certain dynamic in kotlc? thatâs right, itâs keefe and tam.
vehan is the one main character that i really can't say is exactly like a character from kotlc but to me he's what fitz could've been if shannon hadn't mangled and massacred him. he's kinda pathetic, ngl. like sopping wet rag vibes. but also he's really sweet. a true cinnamon roll. he spends a lot of time dragging aurelian places and trying not to piss aurelian off because he thinks aurelian hates him (i'll give you one guess who his love interest is). also the author randomly tries to make him flirty at one point and it was so funny how much it didn't work for his character.
and even in other aspects besides the characters, i want you to know that this series is basically just kotlc. the characters are fae, so they are all young and beautiful, they have powers, there's an abusive mother thatâs evil but her son doesnât realize sheâs evil, the plot is convoluted as hell and takes way too long to get to the point, the world is described as bright and colorful, the sense of humor is just like the sense of humor in kotlc (which is personally not my favorite but i digress), the author spends a ludicrous amount of time in one character's head really drilling into the audience how much he has a crush on this other character, the incessant use of italics every other word and of course the all-white cast except for a few people here and there.
there's a ridiculous amount of lore that gets introduced in the first book alone, and i think people in this fandom would have a lot of fun with that, too (even if some of the lore is highly, highly irrelevant).
also this author's writing sin is definitely info-dumping. when i say their fatal flaw is info-dumping i want you to know i'm not fucking around when i say that. they will just info-dump a whole couple pages, and the information never becomes relevant. and it happens a lot (this is the author's debut so that might be the reason). here's an example of a massive info-dump:
(none of the above ever becomes relevant, in case you're wondering.)
there are good things too, though. like i'd definitely say that the hollow star saga is better than kotlc. there is a character i like named celadon who eventually becomes more central to the plot. all i'll say about him right now is that he's arlo's cousin and the relationship between him and arlo is genuinely endearing in some aspects. some plot twists were pretty well executed and the second book is absolutely better than the first. this author's strength is definitely backstories. the backstories, especially in the second book, are pretty solid.
only two books are out right now and the third is coming out soon (late november, if i'm not wrong) and i'm dying to read it. the author said the entire series will only be four books, i think, but i don't really trust authors when they say stuff like that anymore so. we'll see i guess.
and if all that wasnât enough to convince you, i offer you this one final piece of motivation: at one point, nausicaa makes a twilight reference.
basically what i'm saying is: you should read the hollow star saga.
#kotlc#tagging kotlc so that people see this even though it's not about kotlc really#kotlc fandom#keepblr#read it read it read it i know i did i terrible job of marketing it but i still think you should read it#i can't explain it fully but just. the VIBE of the story just OOZES kotlc-ness to me#there are so many things in that series that i just KNOW the kotlc fandom would have a blast with if you all knew this series existed#there's so many opportunities to make cursed content and whatnot#hhhhhh i just NEED you guys to be aware of this series' existence#even if you don't end up reading it#it almost feels like the author read kotlc and then was like 'huh. what if i made this gay and shortened the series' length'#THAT'S how similar the vibe feels to me#a dark and hollow star#a cruel and fated light#a grim and sunken vow
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namesake mcmansion
Howdy folks! Today's McMansion is very special because a) we're returning to Maryland after a long time and b) because the street this McMansion is on is the same as my name. (It was not named after me.) Hence, it is my personal McMansion, which I guess is somewhat like when people used to by the name rights to stars even though it was pretty much a scam. (Shout out btw to my patron Andros who submitted this house to be roasted live on the McMansion Hell Patreon Livestream)
As far as namesake McMansions go, this one is pretty good in the sense that it is high up there on the ol' McMansion scale. Built in 2011, this psuedo-Georgian bad boy boasts 6 bedrooms and 9.5 baths, all totaling around 12,000 square feet. It'll run you 2.5 million which, safe to say, is exponentially larger than its namesake's net worth.
Now, 2011 was an anonymous year for home design, lingering in the dead period between the 2008 black hole and 2013 when the market started to actually, finally, steadily recover. As a result a lot of houses from this time basically look like 2000s McMansions but slightly less outrageous in order to quell recession-era shame.
I'm going to be so serious here and say that the crown molding in this room is a crime against architecture, a crime against what humankind is able to accomplish with mass produced millwork, and also a general affront to common sense. I hate it so much that the more I look at it the more angry I become and that's really not healthy for me so, moving on.
Actually, aside from the fake 2010s distressed polyester rug the rest of this room is literally, basically Windows 98 themed.
I feel like the era of massive, hefty sets of coordinated furniture are over. However, we're the one's actually missing out by not wanting this stuff because we will never see furniture made with real wood instead of various shades of MDF or particleboard ever again.
This is a top 10 on the scale of "least logical kitchen I've ever seen." It's as though the designers engineered this kitchen so that whoever's cooking has to take the most steps humanly possible.
Do you ever see a window configuration so obviously made up by window companies in the 1980s that you almost have to hand it to them? You're literally letting all that warmth from the fire just disappear. But whatever I guess it's fine since we basically just LARP fire now.
Feminism win because women's spaces are prioritized in a shared area or feminism loss because this is basically the bathroom vanity version of women be shopping? (It's the latter.)
I couldn't get to all of this house because there were literally over a hundred photos in the listing but there are so many spaces in here that are basically just half-empty voids, and if not that then actually, literally unfinished. It's giving recession. Anyway, now for the best part:
Not only is this the NBA Backrooms but it's also just a nonsensical basketball court. Tile floors? No lines? Just free balling in the void?
Oh, well I bet the rear exterior is totally normal.
Not to be all sincere about it but much like yours truly who has waited until the literal last second to post this McMansion, this house really is the epitome of hubris all around. Except the house's hubris is specific to this moment in time, a time when gas was like $2/gallon. It's climate hubris. It's a testimony to just how much energy the top 1% of income earners make compared to the rest of us. I have a single window unit. This house has four air conditioning condensers. That's before we get to the monoculture, pesticide-dependent lawn or the three car garage or the asphalt driveway or the roof that'll cost almost as much as the house to replace. We really did think it would all be endless. Oops.
If you like this post and want more like it, support McMansion Hell on Patreon for as little as $1/month for access to great bonus content including a discord server, extra posts, and livestreams.
Not into recurring payments? Try the tip jar! Student loans just started back up!
#architecture#design#mcmansion#mcmansions#ugly houses#interior design#mcmansion hell#bad architecture#2010s#maryland
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come right on me (i mean camaraderie!)
á°.á starting a new job is scary, especially when it seems like you canât do anything correctly. good thing that your manager is always so kind and reassuring and supportive. when a client meeting ends terribly and runs so late that the two of you have to check into a hotel to spend the night, your sweet manager knows a good way to cheer you up⌠( fem!reader )
pairing tetsurou kuroo x reader word count 4.9k content contains praise kink, oh no!!! there's only one bed!!!, coworkers/power imbalance (he's your manager, you're the newest and youngest member on the team), slight manipulation from kuroo (he's aware of your crush on him and uses your admiration as leverage), occasionally refers to you as his kouhai, you call him kuroo-senpai, creampie, sex in an enclosed, semi-public space (the office's supply closet), first time blowjobs kinktober masterlist
If you had known that your transfer would have resulted in you getting fucked boneless in the supply closet of the company you work forâŚ
Well, you would have announced your job transfer a little bit sooner.
âKurooâ Ah!â You let out a helpless yelp as you feel Kurooâs teeth bite down on the soft part of your shoulder, sure to leave a mark. âK-Kuroo, slow down!â
âKuroo? Really?â He snarls, lifting his head up to glare down at you. âTsk, and here I thought you were a star employee. Is that any way to speak to your manager, or is it because youâre moving that youâre deciding to drop the formalities?âÂ
Your heart drops at the sound of Kuroo seemingly dissatisfied with you. Out of everyone in this office, heâs always been the one to root for you the hardest. You look up to him! Even when heâs upset, all you want to do is make him feel better. Just like how he made you feel better that time after that horrendous client meeting last monthâŚ
âKuroo-senpai,â you mutter out, avoiding staring at him entirely. âIâm sorry.â
Youâre bowing your head in apology, but Kuroo merely laughs, shaking his head.
âDonât apologize. These things happen.â Kuroo is smiling, and from the crinkle of his eye and the carefree tone heâs using, itâs genuine. Kuroo isnât upset with you, and somehow, this only makes you feel worse.
âBut I ruined the meeting.â You remind him. âI stuttered when speaking to the client, and then I totally didnât know how to properly react whenever heââÂ
This is when Kurooâs friendly demeanor darkens. âThere would be no proper reaction to what he said.â The client, an older man whoâs been working for so long in corporate Japan that back in his day, women could only serve as secretaries and belittled assistants, had made a less-than-savory remark on you and the way your pencil skirt hugs your figure. It had been a test of self-restraint for Kuroo to remain civil and smiling and to not punch him from across the table, but you donât know that. âOur company shouldnât sign contracts with men like him, anyway. Iâll write up everything in the report, and you wonât get reprimanded at all, okay?â Heâs back to his normal, cheery self, and you nod.
Kuroo always knows what to do.Â
And in your case, Kuroo is always making you feel better for being inadequate. A fresh college graduate, itâs a wonder how you managed to snag a position on one of the marketing teams for Japanâs Volleyball Association. Now, in your head, itâs a wonder how you manage to keep the damn position. You just canât seem to do anything right, and even your coworkers are no longer shy in shaking their heads and sighing every time you mess something up.Â
The only person who doesnât seem to mind the little mistakes you make or the minor trouble you cause is Tetsurou Kuroo, the official unofficial golden boy of the sports promotion division. Heâs a bit older than you, but still one of the youngest members belonging to the JVAâs marketing and promotional division. Already, thereâs whispers about how Kuroo is most likely going to move up the hierarchy and soon â the Chief of Public Relations position will be opening up due to an early retirement from the current chief, and everyone knows that Kuroo has connections with a majority of the monster generation; not to mention, heâs charming enough to get everyone to go along with what he says.
You admire your senior colleague greatly, and because of your admiration and the fact that heâs the most sympathetic towards you, causing him trouble always makes you feel ten times worse than when you normally mess up. Even if he tells you everything is alright, youâre still frowning, staring down at your shoes.Â
âAh, shit.â Kuroo curses, staring up at the darkening sky as rain starts to descend down on the two of you. âLooks like the storm is coming early.âÂ
âItâs more like weâre just running late.â You say miserably. Because of you, the client meeting dragged on for even longer than scheduled, and the two of you were already running on a tight enough schedule as is. The JVA needed to secure a contract with a sneaker company to do some joint collaboration billboards, and even with a major thunderstorm predicted for this evening, the company was convinced Kuroo would be able to wrap up the meeting (successfully) and get the both of you on the train home before the storm came.
Now, though, itâs later than when you two were supposed to catch the train, and with the way the weather is worsening at such a rapid speed, it seems like making it to the train station before the last one runs will be impossible.Â
âFollow me.â Kuroo tells you, trying to be heard over the wind. You nod, but you donât expect him to grab your hand. With the wind whipping in your face and the chill of rain soaking through your work clothes, Kurooâs hand is surprisingly warm. You allow yourself to be practically dragged behind him as he jogs to the nearest inn. Even in a soaked suit, running against the stormâs wind, Kuroo still manages to hold his own just fine. Youâre glad his back is turned to you; at least this way, you can admire his athleticism in private.
Kuroo leads the two of you into a nearby hotel. The place looks fancy; way out of your budget. You feel bad as you practically stand there awkwardly, wetting the nice, expensive looking marble floors of the hotel while Kuroo talks to the woman up front. You notice that sheâs biting her lip, eyeing the way the fabric of Kurooâs suit clings to his body because of the rainwater. It only serves to emphasize the muscles he continues to maintain despite no longer playing the sport heâs paid to promote. Seeing the way sheâs admiring him gives you a weird feeling inside, so you turn away, avoiding looking at them.Â
âBad news.â Kuroo runs a hand through the wet strands of his hair. âTurns out theyâre fully booked. Thereâs only one room left, but itâs a coupleâs suite.â
âOh.â It makes sense that the two of you would have to spend the night in the city. The trains have probably stopped running now, and with the storm, itâs only reasonable to just wait it out âtil the morning. âWell⌠A coupleâs suite should be big enough, right?âÂ
âSpace wise, yes.â Kuroo clears his throat. âBut itâs for couples. Thereâs only going to be one bed.âÂ
Oh.Â
You feel heat rising to your cheeks as you let this information sink in. A fancy hotel. A fancy hotel with a fancy coupleâs suite. A fancy hotel with a fancy coupleâs suite that only has one bed. And youâre with Kuroo, your very kind, understanding coworker. Your senior colleague. Your manager. Your totally hot manager.Â
âWhat should we do?â You peer up at him, looking at him for the solution. You donât know it, but he loves the face you make when youâre asking him for help. Your eyes go all wide and seek him out, eagerly awaiting for him to guide you.
âYou can have the room. This isnât the only hotel in existence, so Iâll probably head out and try to find a room somewhere else.âÂ
âNo!â Youâre shocked he would even want to go back out in this storm. Your exclamation is literally punctuated with the crack of thunder booming from the sky. âYou canât go back out there.â And because youâre aware of how rude your outburst was, you soften your voice. âKuroo-senpai, I donât think it would be reasonable for you to put yourself in harmâs way. Weâre both adults, right? I⌠I donât mindâ We can just figure out the sleeping arrangements when we get into the room?âÂ
Kuroo smiles.Â
âMy kouhai has a point. Youâre always so sharp, [Name].âÂ
You donât know why, but despite the chill of your wet clothes and the air conditioning of the hotel lobby, you feel a warmth settling in your tummy and rising all the way to your chest as you let Kurooâs praise blanket you.Â
For a coupleâs suite, there really isnât much space to work with. The bed takes up most of the room, a grand king-sized mattress, plenty of space for two people to sleep on (and with each other). Thereâs a tiny loveseat in the corner that might just have been there for decoration or the opportunity to try out a different position, youâre not quite sure. The bathroom is connected, and the place has rose petals all over the floor and floral scented candles lit up.Â
Kuroo lets out a whistle. âThey werenât kidding when they said coupleâs suite.âÂ
You can only nod in agreement.Â
âDo you wanna shower first?â The minute Kuroo suggests this, youâre instantly aware of just how wet your clothes are. Your white blouse is clinging to your skin, and when you look down slowly, youâre horrified to realize just how transparent the material got when drenched. Before you can get too embarrassed over the situation, Kuroo puts you (or tries to, anyway) at ease, just like he always does. âIâm glad no one else was in the lobby when we came, because Iâm sure I look a mess.â
A hot mess, maybe. And hot in the sense that Kuroo looks too good right now. He looks like he just came straight out of a designer cologne ad or something.Â
âY-you can shower first.â You manage to squeak out. âItâs only fair. Youâre the one whoâs been doing most of the work all day.âÂ
While Kurooâs in the bathroom, youâre practically spiraling. How are the two of you going to explain the charge of a coupleâs suite on the company credit card? It wouldnât have been so weird if you had been with one of your female managers or vice versa, but you and Kuroo are the closest in age to each other. The meeting dragged out for far longer than originally planned, and youâre worried about how the two of you will be perceived. If anything, Kuroo has the most to lose. Any enemies of his could easily use this as a way to stop him from getting his well deserved promotion. Oh God, you definitely ruined his shot at promotion. Youâre terrible. Youâreâ
âSeems like someoneâs thinking a little too hard.â Kurooâs teasing tone pulls you from your rapid fire overthinking.Â
You wish you hadnât looked up. Standing in front of you is a shirtless Kuroo, his abs tight and glistening with droplets of water left over from his shower. The white towel is wrapped around his waist, but the view heâs providing is already enough to make you acutely aware of the fact that Kuroo is a man. His normally uncontrollable hair is weighed down with water, damp strands hanging in his face. And he has the nerve to just stand in front of you so casually, as if he isnât practically naked!Â
Maybe youâre the weird one. Great. So youâre practically eye-fucking your manager after despairing over how you basically might be the reason why heâs going to miss out on a great job opportunity. Right after you performed horribly during a client meeting, and then made him save you by finding you shelter in a very nice hotel.Â
âIâm the worst.â You groan, frowning as you look up at him.Â
âHey, donât say that.â He frowns right back at you. âThatâs not true at all.âÂ
âYouâre just saying that because youâre nice.âÂ
He lets out a short, sharp laugh. âA lot of people wouldnât call me nice. Itâs sweet that you would, though.âÂ
âHow can that be true? Kuroo-senpai is the nicest person to me at work!âÂ
âAm I really?â You donât notice how dangerous the glint in his eyes are, but you do have enough intuition to sense a shift in his demeanor. âDo you like that your senpai is so nice to you?âÂ
You donât know what you do to him. Itâs why you donât realize how youâre essentially unchaining the beast locked up inside of him as you reply, âI like everything about Kuroo-senpai.âÂ
âIâm glad to hear that, because I like everything about my little kouhai, too.âÂ
Your eyes widen at this confession. The butterflies in your tummy are doing cartwheels right now. You canât believe what youâre hearing, what youâre seeing. Are you hallucinating right now? Thatâs the only reasonable conclusion, but as Kuroo leans forward, you find yourself leaning a bit further back, just on instinct. Heâs so much larger than you, more imposing. You feel like you have to shrink when he starts to close the distance between the two of you. He places his hands on the mattress youâre sitting on, effectively caging you in between his arms as he leans down even closer to you. So close that a drop of water from his hair lands right on your thigh.Â
âDo you like me enough to let me kiss you?âÂ
Apparently, you like him enough to let him do much more than just kiss you. The kisses start off gentle enough. His lips are a bit chapped, but you like the feel of them against your much softer ones. He swallows up your little desperate whimpers, and he moves at a pace you can adapt to. When he notices you getting more confident in your movements, he gets rougher, more aggressive. Itâs not just whimpers that heâs inhaling, now, but moans. Even in the heat of the moment, though, Kuroo still has enough restraint, enough decency, left in him to continue to ask for your permission.Â
âDo you like me enough to let me do this?â He asks you, fingers prodding at the buttons of your work attire. You nod weakly, dizzy with pleasure from just a few kisses. He takes a sharp inhale of breath when your bra is revealed to him, and then heâs helping you slip out of your skirt, and he has to take a few seconds to admire the matching lace set youâre wearing. âI didnât know my little kouhai was hiding this underneath her work clothes.â He mutters, and you canât help but thrive off of the attention heâs giving you.Â
He leans down âtil his mouth is so close to your ear, you can practically feel the heat of his breath as he whispers, âDoes my precious kouhai like me enough to let me play with her cute pussy?âÂ
You think youâre going to faint. You can barely breathe as you nod your permission, but he merely tsks. âUse your words, sweetheart. Otherwise, I wonât know.âÂ
Heâs toying with you now. Thereâs a purpose to him asking his questions the way he does; he wants to see how far your admiration, your devotion, to him runs. A workplace crush might let him get away with a few kisses, but what about pounding into your sweet cunt? Do you like him enough to let him do that?Â
Apparently, you do. Because youâre getting over your shyness. Because youâre whispering, âYes. I l-like you enough to let you play with my pussy.âÂ
âAtta girl.âÂ
Heâs on you within milliseconds. The pretty panties youâre wearing are now on the floor of this hotel room. Heâs quick enough to figure out how to unclasp your bra, and thatâs thrown to the ground as well. Laying completely bare and exposed, your work senpai wastes no time in having his hands explore your body, feeling out all the curvatures and angles that make you you.Â
He takes a finger to pet at your cunt, humming approval when he already feels traces of slick gathering on the pad of his ring finger. âDid you get wet just from a couple lilâ kisses?âÂ
You donât want to answer him, turning your head to the side in embarrassment because yes, you did, but his grin only widens. He presses a kiss to your cheek, finding you downright cute. âDonât be shy. You did nothing wrong.âÂ
You did nothing wrong.Â
Heâs always telling you this, and the kind words never fail to make you feel all warm inside. Thatâs one of your favorite phrases to hear, but somehow, it hits differently whenever heâs pairing that heartwarming phrase with his finger in your cunt.Â
âAh, fuck, youâre so tight, baby.â He grunts out, moving his ring finger in and out, in and out. âYou know what I think you need? I think you need your senpaiâs help in loosening you up. Itâll be good for you, wouldnât you agree?â
You nod your head enthusiastically, and because you think he might like to hear you say it, you admit what he already knows. âKuroo-senpai is right. You always know what I need.âÂ
âGood girl.â The praise has you tightening around his finger, and your reaction doesnât go unnoticed. He smirks, pleased with how sweet and pliant you are for him. A few bits of praise thrown your way, and you become a slut for him.
Itâs a good thing your senpai cares about you so much. He cares about you so much that heâs adding his middle finger to the mix, curling the two fingers against your walls, relishing in your little mewls of pleasure. Heâll have to stretch you out, get you all nice and prepped for his cock. He cares about you, which is why heâs going to let you cum.Â
âFeelinâ good?â He asks, knowing that from your moans of pleasure, you definitely are. His fingers work wonders within you, and Kuroo canât help but admire how cute you are, his little kouhai. What would you do without him, hm? He loves the way your knees jerk and how you whimper every time his fingers curl right up against that sweet spot inside of you, the one your tiny fingers canât seem to reach no matter how hard you try. Your cute little cunt is already so wet, so ready for his cock, that neither of you can seem to ignore the squelching sounds itâs making as he continues to work his fingers in and out of you. When he presses his thumb to your clit, rubbing tiny figure-eights on the bud, you cry out his name, tacking on that familiar honorific he loves to hear falling from your sweet lips, as you cum all over his fingers. You cum so much that your essence is dripping onto his palm, trailing down to his wrist, and he thinks that this is exactly where you should be, where you always should be.Â
âYouâre so good for me. Look at how much my good girl came.â He coos, and you should be embarrassed about the mess you made, but when he sings out his praise for you like that, you canât help but feel a tiny bit proud.Â
âCan my good girl make me even prouder? Can you take my cock right now, [Name]?âÂ
Even if you couldnât, you still wouldnât have denied him. Itâs a lucky thing, then, that youâre so desperate for him. You spread your legs even wider, inviting him, and who is Kuroo to leave such a precious girl waiting and wanting? Itâd be cruel to.Â
Which is why he doesnât make you wait.Â
Instead, he plunges his bare cock right into your pussy, groaning with satisfaction as he feels you clamp down on him. Of course youâd be clinging to him; youâre always clinging onto him, always following after him. Such a sweet girl, his lovely, adorable junior colleague. The kouhai who likes him so much, youâd allow him to fuck you nice and hard, to really make use of this coupleâs suite and its obnoxious sized bed.Â
He quickens his pace almost instantly, giving you no time to adapt to his girth and length. He grins when he sees your little fucked out expression, the way your tongue peeks out from between your pretty, pink lips and the way your cheeks are flushed, your hair a mess. The soft, breathy moans that escape from your mouth. Youâre going dumb on his cock, and thatâs perfectly fine by him. Let him do all the thinking, anyway.Â
Kuroo places a hand on your lower belly, trying to gauge just how deep heâs thrusting into you, and when he finds out, he applies more pressure, pressing down on your soft skin, forcing you to take every inch he has to offer. Heâs wringing out soft âah ah ah!âs from you, and your legs wrap around him almost instinctively as you warn him that youâre about to cum once again.Â
âSo soon?â He grunts out, grinning meanly. âNormally, senpais donât expect such slutty behavior from their coworkers, but since itâs me youâre going stupid for, Iâll let it pass.â Your legs are closing in on his body, your whole body jerking a bit as you start to lose control. âGo ahead and make me proud. Cum all over my cock like a good kouhai.âÂ
The minute the request leaves his mouth, you do. You cum all over his length, as he instructed, and he lets out a short laugh at how devoted you are to him.
âGood girl, my best girl.â He grunts out, fucking your cunt at a leisurely pace now before stilling, letting his own cum flood inside your perfect pussy. âMy perfect little kouhai. You did so good for me.âÂ
And with your cunt full of your senpaiâs cum, his cock still plugging you up and keeping everything tucked safely inside, he gives you a rather chaste forehead kiss that has you swooning.
Honestly, you donât expect much to change between the two of you. Itâs not like you think Kurooâs just going to get down on one knee and let you take his last name or anything. Youâre still trying to convince yourself that that night wasnât some hyper-realistic dream, and the only proof that it was real was the remainder of his cum still settled inside your pussy when you woke up the morning after.Â
Kuroo is still a good work senpai, always coming to your defense and fixing your mistakes.Â
But you canât help but wonder if he thinks that night he fucked you is just another work mistake of yours that he has to fix. Because of this, youâve gone out of your way to avoid him as much as possible. So when the director of your team calls you to his office to let you know that the transfer request you put in months ago, way before that night at the hotel, finally got approved, all you can do is bow your head in thanks and return to your cubicle in a daze.
You donât know what to do, and the person you would normally come to for guidance is the one person youâre trying to minimize interaction with.
However, word of your transfer spreads fast. After all, itâs a cause for celebration when the weakest link of the team is finally moving far, far away. Your coworkers are all being much kinder to you, and in the middle of them congratulating you on your move, you look across the room and lock eyes with Kuroo. His facial expression betrays nothing, but he quickly mouths supply closet before sneaking out of the office.
Five minutes later, you manage to follow him, gently opening the door to the closet, only to be dragged in immediately. The click of the door locking is loud, heard even above your rapidly rising heart beat, and thatâs how you find yourself being ravished by Kuroo, during work hours, at your workplace.
When he chastises you for addressing him so casually, you immediately feel terrible.Â
âKuroo-senpai,â you mutter out, avoiding staring at him entirely. âIâm sorry.â
âYeah?â He growls out, keeping you pressed firmly against the wall. âWhatâre you so sorry for? For avoiding me, or for withholding the fact that youâre going to move all the way to Kyoto?âÂ
You shake your head, tiny droplets of tears gathering up in your eyes. When you look at him like that, like a little puppy who just got kicked, it only makes him want to ruin you some more, if only so he can have the honor of being the one to piece you right back together again.Â
âSenpai, I-I didnât know what to do.â You wail out. âI was scared that that night at the hotel didnât matter to you, and I was embarrassed of how I acted then, and I applied to transfer to the Kyoto office ages ago, and when they finally approved it, I didnât know if it would be smart to pull back my request. Iâm sorry, Kuroo-senpai. Please donât be mad at me.âÂ
He leans down, pressing his forehead against your own. âNot mad, baby. I was just a bit upset, thatâs all.â He rests a hand against your hip, toying with the waistband of your skirt. âYou shouldnât have been embarrassed, though.â
âR-really?â
He nods. âYeah. I fuckinâ love my little kouhaiâs reactions. You shouldnât be embarrassed around me.â He looks you in the eyes, tugging down your skirt and enjoying the hitch in your breath. âBut it doesnât change the fact that I was hurt.â
âIâm sorry!â You squeak out again, and he sighs.Â
âIf youâre really sorry, youâll show me.âÂ
Apparently, the proper way to show him youâre sorry is to get down on your knees, ignoring the cold tile of the closet, and to unbuckle his belt, pull down the zipper of his slacks, and tug at his briefs in order to free his cock. Heâs already hard, the tip of his cock an angry red with pearly white droplets of precum already gathering at the head. You shouldnât be nervous; you had the full length of his dick inside of your pussy, but somehow, the task of taking him down your throat seems rather daunting.Â
âCâmon, [Name]. Is my little kouhai getting shy again?â Kuroo teases, gently nudging his cock against your parted lips. Your tongue reflexively comes out, and before you realize it, your giving tiny kitten licks, getting your first taste of salty precum. You must make a face, because he laughs, before carding his fingers through the locks of your hair and suddenly, very suddenly, pushes you forward.Â
He isnât rough, but the presence and pressure of his hand is firm. He doesnât push you down any further, but the first few inches of his cock is now resting against your tongue, and heâs savoring the warmth of your mouth, groaning as he feels the vibrations of you mumbling something in surprise.Â
âMm, this is a good starting point for an apology, donât you think?â He muses, knowing that in your current position, you canât really reply back. âSuch a good kouhai for me. What am I gonna do when you move to Kyoto?â
His voice gets a bit huskier as he forces you to take more of his length into your mouth. When he starts thrusting gently, slowly getting you used to the feeling of him fucking your mouth, he lets out a groan. âSo good, baby, so good. Do you normally let your senpais fuck your mouth like this?â
You mumble something, finding enough room to shake your head.Â
âNo?â He says, picking up his face. Every time he thrusts back in, he hits the back of your throat a bit harder, forces more of his length in. âYouâre so good at taking my dick right now, though. Donât tell me that this is your first time?â He looks down at you, eyes lighting up and a smile brightening his expression. âThis is your first time sucking off a cock? Of letting someone fuck you like this?â He laughs, the sound full of genuine joy.Â
âYouâre the fucking best.â He tells you, before tightening his grip in your hair and pushing you down onto his cock. This is the only warning he gives you before you feel spurts of hot cum flooding into your mouth, and your eyes widen in surprise at the sheer amount thatâs being poured into you. He lets out a little groan, tilting his own head back in pleasure as he keeps your head pushed down. The stimulation from you gagging around his girth only prolongs his climax, and you still canât find relief when he pulls out of your mouth because heâs instantly demanding you open up and show him what a mess he made inside of you.Â
You whimper, giving into your senpaiâs request. You open up wide, sticking out your tongue to reveal the thick globs of white cum coating the appendage. Fuck, just the sight of you all submissive, on your knees, teary eyed and ready to please, mouth full of his cum⌠Itâs enough to get him hard again.Â
âYouâre the best kouhai in the world.â He hums, patting your head, and you swallow up his praise just like you do his cum.Â
#tetsurou kuroo x reader#kuroo x reader#tetsuro kuroo x reader#hq x reader#haikyuu x reader#smut#one shot#drabble#lemon#kinktober 2024#kuroo smut#haikyuu fanfiction#imagine#well better late than never LOL
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We (somewhat rightly) mock the 2000's era fansub translation notes for their otaku fixations and privileging of trivia over the media, but they should be understood as serving their purpose for a bit of a different era in the anime fandom. Take this classic:
Like, its so obvious, right? Just say "pervert", you don't need the note! Which is true, for like a 'normie' audience member who just wants to watch A TV Show - but no one watching, uh *quick google* "Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne" in 1999 is that person. The audience is weebs, and for them the fact that show is Japanese is a huge selling point. They want it to feel as 'anime' as possible; and in the west language was one of the core signifiers of anime-ness. 2004 con-goers calling their friends "-kun" and throwing in "nani?" into conversations was the way this was done, and alongside that a lexicon of western anime fandom terminology was born. Seeing "ecchi" on the screen is, to this person, a better viewing experience - it enhances their connection to otaku identity the show is providing, and reinforces their shared cultural lexicon (Ecchi is now a term one 'expects' anime fans to know - a truth that translator notes like this simultaneously created and reflected).
But of course your audiences have different levels of otaku-dom, and so you can't just say 'ecchi' and call it a day - so for those who are only Level 2 on their anime journey, you give them a translation note. Most of the translation notes of the era are like this - terms the fansubber thought the audience might know well enough that they would understand it and want that pure Japanese cultural experience, but that not all of them would know, so you have to hedge. The Lucky Star one I posted is a great example of that:
Its Lucky Star, the otaku-crown of anime! You desperately want the core text to preserve as much anime vocab as possible, to give off that feeling, but you can't assume everyone knows what a GALGE is - doing both is the only way to solve that dilemma.
This is often a good guideline when looking at old memetically bad fansubs by the way:
This isn't real, no fansub had this - it was a meme that was posted on a wiki forum in 2007. Which makes sense, right? "Plan" isn't a Japanese cultural or otaku term, so there is no reason not to translate it, it doesn't deepen the ~otaku connection~.
Which, I know, I'm explaining the joke right now, but over time I think many have grown to believe that this (and others like it) is a real fansub, and that these sort of arbitrary untranslations just peppered fansub works of the time? It happened, sure, but they would be equally mocked back then as missteps - or were jokes themselves. Some groups even had a reputation for inserting jokes into their works, imo Commie Subs was most notable for this; part of the competitive & casual environment of the time. But they weren't serious, they are not examples of "bad fansubs" in the same way.
This all faded for a bunch of reasons - primarily that the market for anime expanded dramatically. First, that lead to professionally released translations by centralized agencies that had universal standards for their subs and accountability to the original creators of the show. Second, the far larger audience is far less invested in anime-as-identity; they like it, but its not special the way its special when you are a bullied internet recluse in 2004. They just want to watch the show, and would find "caring" about translation nuances to be cringe. And since these centralized agencies release their product infinitely faster and more accessibly than fansubs ever did, their copies now dominate the space (including being the versions ripped to all illegal streaming sites), so fansubs died.
Though not totally - a lot of those fansub groups are still around! Commie Subs is still kicking for example. They either do the weird nuance stuff, or fansub unreleased-in-the-west old or niche anime, or even have pivoted to non-anime Japanese content that never gets international release. But they used to be the taste-makers of the community; now they are the fringe devotees in a culture that has moved beyond them. So fansubs remain something of a joke of the 90's and 2000's in the eyes of the anime culture of today, in a way that maybe they don't deserve.
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actor!toji headcanons
ft. fushiguro toji x reader
content warnings: fluff, parent!reader, megumi is yalls son, just overall cuteness
wc: 918
note: this is my apology for that nanami angst i posted days ago heh
jjk actor au masterlist
as an actor:
very intimidating man, from his aura to his build, oh boy, who wouldn't be scared
but to everyone's surprise, he's actually just a really goofy and adorable man with a really good resting bitch face lmfao
is actually a household name in the acting industry! definitely those types of actors that once casted into a show, it's guaranteed to get hella VIEWS AND RATINGS
has been in the acting industry for YEARS and has a ton of experience but is still very humble
is actually very shy when his co stars tease him whenever his fans thirst for him whenever he's on screen and he's just a blushing mess LOL
i mean he's a literal dilf soÂ
believe it or not, this man has been in more romance shows and movies than action, especially as a VILLAIN
his fans couldn't believe it either
so when he was first casted in jjk as a villain who kills CHILDREN they were so ecstatic!
and boy were they so happy when toji SURPASSED their expectations because he was so good!
also so happy that he was casted together with his son, megumi, in the same show!
they usually go to the shoot together and even when he doesn't have a scene to shoot and only megumi does, he drives him off to the shooting site whenever his time permits
it's actually so adorableÂ
in contrast to jjk!toji, he's really a hands on father to him and is actually very supportive of megumi going to the same career path as him
megumi is also the definition of nepo babies who deserved what they got but that's another discussionÂ
at first though, he is kind of hesitant especially knowing how toxic can it get with the industry but when he saw his son's determination, he eventually gave him a green light and supported him along the way
this man is so fucking strong OML the producers are so grateful the most of the time he helps cleaning up with the equipment once filming is done
literally lifts them up like it's nothing BYE
listen, this old man is RIPPED and really likes to work outÂ
he's like pedro pascal who is like really chill but really cheeky when it comes to fanservice LOL he is so adorableÂ
megumi is kinda cringing though đ it's understandable though because that's literally your father trying to act cute and he's a teenager so i don't really blame him
also a big gentleman, again, contrary to his role, he is actually very good with the ladies and often checks with his co stars especially when a fight scene is being filmed
profusely apologized to satoru when their fight was filmed because he literally has to do the stunts himself and make everything believable as much as possibleÂ
has ig and twitter but barely posts unless it's a promotion or a thank you post for the team
he's very active in stories though đ
and i mean VERY VERY active
you know that point where a person posts too much stories and the lines above almost look like dots???Â
yeah that's him đ
mostly posts the behind the scenes and his family there!
has a pet chicken that he posts there too
no he's not vegan... he just doesn't eat chicken đ
as a husband:
oh yeah another married man on set sorry ladies heâs off the market
a very romantic and private lover
especially when you're the only one in the family who is not involved in show business
looks forward to coming home to you all the time
the type of husband who says, "i miss my spouse," on set out of nowhere and his co stars just sigh in faux annoyanceÂ
this man is WHIPPEDÂ
his lines is always and SHOULD always be practiced with you, because aside from his fans (not really though since he's already an established actor), the only approval he looks for is from his lover
is really happy and giddy (almost like a teenage boy like SIR you guys are already married for YEARS) when you praise him and has this really boyish smile which happens very often btw
he's such a fucking sap please
as mentioned, he is kinda shy about the thirst but is not uncomfortable and actually goes along with it
you on the other hand GO HAM with it LOL
you're one of the fans lmfaoooo
a very BIG ONE
unlike him who is not active on twitter, you actually reply to fans and agree what they were saying and fangirl/boy with them which is actually so adorable LOL
his fandom is having a field day of you gushing about your husband like you're not married to him and have a literal CHILD with him bye
both megumi and toji, especially toji, are very protective of you so any slanderous rumors from the tabloids and any defamation will immediately face a lawsuitÂ
and fans love it when y'all fight back!!
if they stan either toji or megumi, it's immediately a given that they also stan you LOL
your boys both find it cute that even you have a very supportive fanbase like theirs
#toji fluff#jjk actor au#toji fushiguro x reader#toji x reader#toji fushiguro fluff#toji fushiguro x you#toji fushiguro x yn#toji fushiguro#jujutsu kaisen#jujutsu kaisen fluff#jujutsu kaisen x reader#jujutsu kaisen x you#jjk fluff#jjk x reader
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UNSCRIPTED â toji fushiguro x female reader [chapter 1/5]
summary: youâre a faceless author of scandalous smut â great at writing steamy scenes but totally clueless about real-life romance (and with no one to match your freak). enter toji fushiguro, a hot stranger you (accidentally) throw up on during a drunken night out. surprise! heâs also the future voice actor for your smutty novelâs main character. can you survive the awkwardness of your disastrous meet-cute while keeping your identity (and dignity) a secret? welcome to the chaos of your own erotic fantasy romcom!
content warning & tags:Â (erotic) voice artist! toji, (smut) writer! reader, smutty content!! [will be added over the course of the series], sort of workplace romance, secret/anon identity, slight social media au, meet-cute, virgin!reader, single dad dilf! toji, kid! megumi, strangers to lovers (?), she fell first but he fell harder, mentions of other characters (satoru gojo, suguru geto, megumi fushiguro, shoko eiri, brief mentions of ryomen sukuna)
notes: hi friends !! wow, been a hot min since i wrote something of this caliber. feels good to be back in biz ;D did you all miss persephone! suguru? because there's a LOT of him here >_< i really wanted to publish this as a oneshot but....tumblr hates me so now it's gonna be a chaptered series! oh , joy! ps @nappingmoon i got u bae, this one is for you.
read on ao3! â series masterlist
⤠related au: persephone [business tycoon! sukuna x reader]
you never really set out to be the face of smut-lit.Â
in fact, you werenât even really a face at all â just a âfacelessâ author penning scandalous stories for fans who devoured them, and haters who, well⌠tried to eat you alive.
youâd started out innocently enough, scribbling down your little fantasies and tropes that no self-respecting romance book would touch. then one day, a friend dared you to post one on booktok.Â
you thought, "fuck it" and uploaded a snippet of your latest brainchild: a steamy billionaire x star-crossed chef fic called hunger games: not that kind of hungerer. it was, admittedly, extra spicy.Â
and oh, did the internet have thoughts.
soon, your comments section and dmâs became a battleground for all opinions on âwhat qualifies as literature.â gems included:
who even writes this crap? did a middle schooler steal her momâs laptop? i can feel my brain cells self-destructing as i read this đ girl hasnât even been within a mile radius of a dick and it SHOWS
you'd had to admit⌠the last comment was right. but hey, they only added to the fuel.Â
like moths to a flame, they kept coming back, and the trolling just made your followers skyrocket. a lot of people secretly liked the outrageousness, the drama, and the absolute audacity of it all. before long, your books were trending, and you were raking in numbers (and dollars) most âseriousâ authors could only dream of.
soon, you found yourself the subject of headlines you never thought youâd see:
the faceless queen of spice: how one unknown author is reshaping romance. trolled online, loved in secretâauthor sells millions in ebook downloads. social media says she has no idea what sheâs talking about, but her bank account says otherwise.
and the kicker?
youâd never had sex with anyone, let aloneâŚwell, rocked worlds like your characters.Â
here you were, a smut writer with zero real-life experience, whoâd single-handedly created booktokâs, bookstagram and hell, even the people down at twitter's guilty pleasure.
but the day big publishers started knocking on your door, it was surreal, to say the least.Â
youâd been fully prepared for the anonymous online fame â hell, youâd leaned into it, posting âfaceless author lifeâ videos and doing question and answer sessions where you dropped zero identifying details, save for some vague hand gestures and blurred-out backgrounds. but now, major publishing houses wanted in on the action.
âwe think your stories have broad market appeal,â one exec had said on a zoom call, trying to make âbillionaire mafia love quadrangleâ sound dignified. âif we could get them on shelves, weâd reach an audience beyond booktok. international appeal is the goal here!â
suddenly, your filthy, albeit occasionally cringey, tales were going global. they got translated into french (where your enemies-to-lovers series got a fancy new title: lâamour et la haine). your spicy chef saga was reborn in italian as sapore di te, which roughly translated to taste of you (and made you blush, honestly).Â
and when your personal favorite, the billionaireâs forbidden touch, hit the japanese market, they titled it çŚćăŽĺ¤ (which⌠you didnât even want to know the translation of, because you knew it was even worse than the original).
you had to admit, though, seeing these books spread worldwide made your head spin. what started as a joke online was now somehow sitting next to classics in international bookstores, becoming a hot commodity for fans everywhere.
but the cherry on top?Â
oh, that came when you opened an email from none other than gojo-sonic, the world-renowned audio company best known for its highly specialized audiobook recordings. theyâd taken smut literature to the next level, hiring voice actors who sounded like they were in the room with you, all breathy whispers and seductive baritones. people had raved that these audiobooks were âtoo realâ â like theyâd been recorded in a closed room with dim lights and a whole lot of⌠commitment.
they offered you a multi-million dollar deal to turn your books into experiences.
one of your friends, absolutely losing it, texted you as soon as they heard the news:
homegirl [5:21 pm]: âOMG OMG so youâre gonna do it right?? u realize this means ppl will be hearing ur lil virgin brainâs fantasies out loud in their headphones rightâ you [5:21 pm]: âno kidding. iâm freaking out. this feels illegal.â homegirl [5:22 pm]: âbut u gotta!! pls this is ICONIC.â you [5:24 pm]: âtheyâre giving me millions. you think iâm saying no? lmao.â
it still felt surreal that soon, the whole world would hear your books come to life with professional voice actors â ones who knew exactly how to tease and breathe and make listeners feel like they were right there.
âbring my fantasies to life, huh?â you muttered to yourself, flipping through the contract that would secure your financial future, all because of your fictional men and their, uh, moves.Â
who the hell were you to say no to that?
it was surreal enough to get an email from gojo-sonic, but now, sitting across from the ceo himself, gojo satoru, you were starting to wonder if this whole experience was some fever dream.
the man was stunning in an obnoxious, immaculate way. snowy hair, piercing blue eyes, and sunglasses balanced on his head like a headband. and, okay, you had to admit: it was a little weird that heâd named his company after himself â though, frankly, it just fit.
you tried not to laugh when he introduced himself. gojo satoru, ceo of gojo-sonic. the narcissism was off the charts, but so was his charm. as a quick google search before the meeting had revealed, gojo sonic had an impeccable reputation, and there was apparently not a single scandal tied to its name.
ânice to meet you,â you said, shaking his hand and trying to keep your cool. âkinda surprised a guy is running a⌠company like this. no offense.â
ânone taken!â he replied, leaning back in his chair with an easy grin. âif iâm honest, iâm probably the last guy anyone would expect here. but,â he shrugged, âit works. my employees say iâm a âgirlâs girl,â whatever that means.â
the way he said it so nonchalantly made you smirk. apparently, the term wasnât a throwaway nickname, either; the gojo-sonic gossip mill painted him as the absolute dream boss. rumor had it heâd given his whole office a free day off because his assistant had been dumped, and when a writer complained about unisex bathrooms making her uncomfortable, heâd personally had a âfeminine touchâ added to every single stall, complete with pink hand soap and luxurious lotions. he was kind, considerate, a man who just got it.
âpeople say iâm probably gay,â he added, laughing as if that was the most absurd thing heâd ever heard. âand you know what? let âem think what they want.â he gave you a wink. âas long as they keep buying the goods, i couldnât care less.â
honestly? the guy made a point. did it matter who he was taking home at the end of the day? not at all, as long as your bank account kept racking up zeros.
âspeaking of,â he continued, âweâve got the full studio ready for tomorrow. youâll meet the voice actors, go over a few sections, and give input as needed. think of it like a live theater production, except itâs your book.â
âoh, i get to⌠watch them record?â you asked, wondering how mortifying it might be to sit there, watching actors give their all to lines like, âyouâre mine tonight, darling.âÂ
yeah, youâd written it, but watching someone breathe life into it was a different level of⌠embarrassment.
âeven better,â gojo grinned, looking far too amused by your nervousness, âyouâll get to guide them. theyâll take direction from you â however you want the line delivered, thatâs how theyâll say it.â
âyou mean i can⌠like⌠make suggestions? on delivery?â
âexactly!â he said with a small clap. âwe want it to be perfect. iâve already arranged for our top voice actor, toji fushiguro, to voice your main character.â
toji fushiguro?
if gojo-sonic was the industryâs top company, toji was the crown jewel of voice acting. the guy was a legend.Â
he had that smoky, velvet tone that could turn a mundane grocery list into a full-on romance scene. he was also notoriously elusive; some people waited months to get him to even consider their projects. and you â the virgin author whoâd stumbled into fame thanks to trolls and booktok â had him voicing your main character?
âwait, toji fushiguro is doing this?â you asked, jaw practically on the floor.
gojo chuckled, looking far too pleased with your reaction. âyep! i think you two are going to work great together. heâs intense but flexible; really good at taking feedback.â
you tried to imagine giving feedback to toji fushiguro of all people.Â
âum, maybe say âyouâre mineâ with more⌠conviction?âÂ
âcan you sound a bit more possessive on that line?â
âi, uhâŚâ you managed, trying to swallow your nerves. âokay. yeah. sounds⌠good.â
âgreat! i think youâll be amazed. tojiâs professionalism is unmatched, and heâll bring exactly the level ofâŚâ Gojo paused, grinning, âintensity you need to really make your character come to life.â
âgood luck tomorrow! iâll make sure everythingâs set up perfectly,â gojo had assured you with a big grin as you left the office. âdonât stress about a thing. our identities are always kept top secret here. tojiâs included! heâs never done a face reveal, and your privacy is just as ironclad.â
oh god. tomorrow, you were really going to sit there while toji fushiguro acted out lines youâd written on a whim in your pajamas.
sure, not stressing sounded like a logical plan. but after that surreal conversation â and the realization that tomorrow morning, youâd be face-to-face with the one and only toji fushiguro, hearing him breathe life into your raunchiest fantasies â you did what any responsible, mature adult would do.
you headed straight to the nearest bar and got sloshed.
by the time you were three cocktails deep, the reality of tomorrowâs âfirstsâ hit you like a ton of bricks. first real direction on an audiobook, first time meeting a voice actor, first time dealing with your own steaminess out loud, and â oh god â the cherry on top, it was toji fushiguro himself.
sure, you thought, sipping from your fourth drink and trying not to scream as lana del rey sings âitâs you, itâs you, itâs all for you,â i might be slightly freaking out.
another cocktail slid your way. you squinted, unsure if you'd ordered it or if the bartender was just reading your general mood, because yeah, you did look like someone who needed another round.
âtough night?â
âtough tomorrow.â you swirled your drink, laughing to yourself. âi mean⌠you ever written a, uh, totally inappropriate novel and had to watch a famous guy turn it into audio?â
ââŚcanât say that i have.â
you shrugged, downing a bit more of the drink, when the song on the speakers switched to avril lavigneâs complicated. fitting, given that your life had just become exactly that.
âwhyâd you have to go and make things so complicated?â avril sang, like she knew.
the bartender, apparently used to the types who showed up for existential crises alone, leaned against the counter. âsounds like big stuff tomorrow, then. what kind of work do you do, anyway?â
âoh, just⌠smutty novels,â you said, letting it slip before you could stop yourself. âjust⌠page after page of absolutely shameless, absurd filth. and now iâm, yâknow, supposed to direct the guy. to make it sound like heâs really, um, in the moment.â
the bartender chuckled, raising a brow. âsounds intense.â
âyou have no idea.â you sighed, rubbing a hand over your face. âheâs this insanely talented voice actor. i mean, theyâve got toji fushiguro in there, which is like⌠god. if he knew who i actually was, heâd probably laugh.â
whyâd you have to go and make things so complicated? avril continued wailing, her words your accidental anthem.
âwell, whatever happens,â the bartender said, passing you a glass of water with a grin, âsounds like youâre about to have a pretty interesting morning.â
âiâll drink to that,â you muttered, clinking your cocktail glass against the water. you downed it, hoping that somehow, it might chase the nerves away.
and as everytime we touch, i get this feeling started blasting on the speakers, you couldnât help but shake your head with a groan. if there was a playlist made for romantic embarrassment, it was definitely playing tonight.
in your half-sloshed state, it seemed like a good idea to turn to the stranger whoâd just sauntered up to the bar â a ridiculously hot stranger, tall with dark hair, and a scar slashing right across his lip. it was the kind of look that wouldâve inspired an entire chapter in one of your books, but as of right now? it was just inspiring some truly regrettable choices.
âgoodness gracious, great balls of fire,â you muttered to yourself, just loud enough to catch his attention, which felt smooth, in your totally buzzed opinion. so, of course, you swung around on your stool, plastering on what you hoped was an alluring smile.
oh god, here we go. âhey there, handsomeâŚâ you paused, hiccuping â⌠you come here often?â
the stranger raised an eyebrow, clearly amused, leaning an elbow against the bar with a smirk that could kill. âdepends,â he said, voice low and rough. âyou, uh, always this friendly after a few drinks?â
oh god.Â
oh god.Â
but you couldnât stop now.Â
you were committed.Â
you were bold.Â
with all the poise of a drunk giraffe, you propped your elbow on the bar and leaned in closer, pointing a finger at his chest â totally unintentionally, because your depth perception was off by, oh, about a mile. âwell, what can i say,â you replied, attempting a sultry grin. âgood-lookinâ guys like you⌠donât come around often enough, mister.â
âitâs like iâm drunk off your love,â played from the speakers, not helping your case at all.Â
oh god, this was actually happening.Â
he actually laughed, a warm, deep chuckle, as he watched you struggle through whatever pickup line was about to escape your lips.
he tilted his head, that smirk turning up a notch. âshould i be flattered?â
âyou should!â you exclaimed, with a bit too much enthusiasm. âyouâre like⌠i dunno, like one of my⌠you look like a⌠a fictional character.âÂ
smooth, real smooth.
âoh yeah?â his smirk widened. âso, what am i, a prince?â
âmore likeâŚâ you bit your lip, trying to focus, âan antihero with a⌠tragic past and just enough softness in his heart to make him dangerous in all the right ways.â
he looked you up and down, bemusement clear in his eyes. âdangerous in the right ways? is that your type?â
you gave a shaky wink, nearly missing because the world was swimming a bit. âmaybe.â
he chuckled, his voice all rich and velvety, and leaned in closer. âso⌠youâre here alone? i mean, besides all the fictional men youâre envisioning.â
âfor now,â you replied, trying to sound mysterious, but it just came out as a bit⌠wobbly.
the bartender set the strangerâs drink down with a raised eyebrow, and he took a sip, watching you with amused interest. âyou know, maybe you should slow down before you scare all the good guys away.â
âoh, trust me,â you replied, hiccuping again. âi donât scare easy.â
he shook his head, clearly entertained, and you felt yourself glowing under his gaze. you were about to continue â just as soon as the world stopped spinning â when you felt the slightest bit queasy, your stomach reminding you that youâd had one cocktail too many.
the strangerâs amused smirk softened. âyou alright there?â
âiâmâŚâ you swallowed. âperfectly fine. just, you know⌠making sure youâre⌠getting the full effect of myâŚâ you barely managed the word ââŚrizz.â
he laughed outright this time, low and warm, like he genuinely couldnât believe you were real. âis that so? lucky me.â
it was all going so well â okay, not well, but you were holding your own, kind of. you had him laughing, after all, which for someone with approximately zero charisma was an accomplishment! but then the first chords of firework by katy perry blared through the speakers, and as if on cue, your stomach decided to join in the grand finale.
âdo you ever feel like a plastic bag,â katy crooned, but for you, it was more like a âdo you ever feel like youâre about to ruin your night by barfing on a hot stranger?â
before you could process what was happening, the tequila-fueled fireworks decided to erupt all over this guyâs very expensive-looking shoes.
oh god. oh god.
you looked up, mortified, to find him staring down at his shoes, eyebrows raised. wow, would you look at the time?Â
run.
âoh⌠oh no. i⌠iâm so sorry, i swear this never happens.â
he raised a brow, still looking somewhere between amused and horrified. âwell, thatâs⌠comforting?â
you grabbed a napkin, fumbling, still buzzing enough to not know if you should laugh, cry, or just make a run for it.
âguess thatâs, uh, one way to make an impression,â he murmured, lips twitching in a smirk even as he assessed the disaster on his shoes.
âoh god. really, iâm⌠iâm so sorry.â you dabbed helplessly at his shoes with a cocktail napkin, somehow making things worse. âif it helps, i⌠i normally only vomit on hot guys.â
he chuckled, though you were sure it was mostly at you, and shook his head. âwell, itâs one hell of an icebreaker.â
âbaby, youâre a firework,â katy sang passionately in the background, but you were already ready to crawl under the bar and disappear forever.
you were surprised â actually, you were shocked â that the stranger hadnât ditched you after the whole public-vomiting-on-his-shoes fiasco. instead, somehow, he was still right there, leaned in close and casually sipping his drink, just as much a mess as you were. hours had passed, and youâd been rambling about anything and everything, lost in an alcohol-fueled bubble that had turned the night into something youâd never have dreamed of.
maybe it was the booze, or maybe it was the guyâs ridiculously calm attitude, but youâd opened up about your career, the absurdity of writing spicy novels as a faceless author, and even your terror about tomorrow. heâd listened with a smirk, offering the occasional snarky remark or grunt of approval. in return, heâd told you a bit about himself too â well, at least, you thought he did. at some point, the details got hazy.
âso, what do you do?â you asked, squinting at him like it was going to make his face stop swimming in your vision.
he shrugged, swirling his drink and giving a lopsided grin. âsomething kinda like⌠acting. you know, nothing glamorous.â there was a hint of amusement there, like he was in on a joke you werenât.
you squinted harder, your mind pulling up images of random professions. âoh, so like⌠theater? or like, movies? or wait â commercials? are you one of those guys that has to pretend heâs in love with a bowl of soup?â
he let out a deep laugh, and the sound sent an unexpected shiver down your spine. âsure, something like that. though iâd like to think iâm a bit more convincing than a soup guy.â
you grinned, leaning in closer, your curiosity fully piqued despite your state. âconvincing, huh? so youâre a good actor, then?â
âi do my best,â he said, voice low, that amused glint in his eye again.
âyou have to be really good to make people believe in, like, totally unrealistic things, yâknow?â you babbled, waving your hand. âlike, imagine trying to voice ââ you cut yourself off, feeling a hint of embarrassment as you remembered why youâd gotten so sloshed in the first place. the irony of tomorrow, and how this entire conversation felt like it was straight out of one of your own stories.
but before you could get too in your head about it, he tilted his head, looking genuinely interested. âvoice what? iâm curious, princess.â
princess. the nickname sent a bolt of something dangerously warm straight through you, and you bit your lip to keep from smiling too wide. âoh, nothingâŚâ you said, waving him off. âjust, you know⌠the usual. people who⌠um, make people fall in love with their voice.â
âand what if i told you,â he leaned in even closer, smirking as if heâd just had the best idea ever, âthat i could probably do that?â
you rolled your eyes, not believing him one bit. âoh really? think you could pull it off?â
âdepends,â he said with a shrug. âwhat kinda character am i playing?â
you didnât realize it, but youâd inched even closer, like you were hanging on his every word. âsomeone⌠someone rough around the edges,â you started, your voice dropping, completely lost in the moment, âbut with a softness underneath. someone who could make the world stop with just a whisperâŚâ
he smirked, eyes never leaving yours, and for a second, you felt like he was taking every word way too seriously. âi think i could manage that.â
you blinked, feeling a blush rise.Â
this stranger had charisma â like, the kind of charisma youâd thought only existed in your characters.Â
oh god, maybe you should write him into your next story. you shook yourself, blinking the daydreams away just as he started talking again.
â... and thatâs why,â he was saying, âthereâs a bit of an art to saying things just right. people think itâs all about the words, but itâs the way you say them that makes it real, yâknow?â
you nodded, trying to focus on his words as the room spun just a bit. âso youâre telling me, itâs all in the delivery?â
âexactly.â his gaze dropped to your lips, and he smirked, like he knew exactly what he was doing. âeven the⌠dirtiest lines sound good if you say âem the right way.â
oh no. that dangerous warmth was back.
somewhere between his intense gaze and that slow, lopsided smirk, dancing queen by abba blared through the bar speakers, jarring you out of your tipsy trance. the upbeat, disco-infused rhythm filled the room, all but laughing at the âmomentâ you thought you were having with this too-hot-for-reality stranger.
was this a moment? or were you just ridiculously drunk? did he even have a name? or were you just too far gone to have bothered asking?
âyou can dance, you can jive,â abba sang, practically mocking you as you stared, wide-eyed, at the man across from you, his scarred lip twisted in a little grin as he watched you piece it all together. he mustâve seen the dawning realization on your face, because he chuckled, reaching for his drink again.
âsomething wrong, princess?â he asked, leaning forward with a glint of amusement.
oh, great. iâve already been promoted to âprincessâ by a guy i might not know the name of. you were seconds away from facepalming.
âuh, nothing,â you said, waving a hand as casually as you could manage. âjust, uh, thinking how ironic it is that dancing queen is playing while⌠weâre, you knowâŚâ
â... having a moment?â he teased, clearly enjoying himself.
âwell,â you cleared your throat, cheeks blazing, âif you can call me drunkenly staring at you while abba serenades us a âmoment.ââ
âhey, itâs a solid soundtrack choice,â he replied, looking like he was suppressing a laugh. âbesides, donât pretend this isnât kinda perfect.â
âyou think dancing queen is perfect for this?â
he shrugged, sipping his drink. âcome on, youâre hammered, iâm here keeping you company, and weâre both, what⌠living in the moment?â he quirked a brow, his smirk widening as he eyed you, like he was daring you to argue.
and then, maybe out of pure liquid courage, or maybe because the absurdity was too much, you laughed. âyeah, living the moment⌠with some guy whose name i donât even know.â
âtoji,â he said, offering his hand with a lazy grin, like heâd just handed you a secret.
âtoji,â you echoed, shaking his hand. he held on for a second longer than necessary, his gaze never leaving yours.
 oh, this guy was trouble, and you were in so deep.
âand you?â he asked, still holding your hand.
you barely managed to whisper your name, but it came out like a sigh, and he repeated it back like it was something precious. âwell then,â he said, smirking, âguess that makes two dancing queens tonight.â
âtojiâŚâ you muttered, the name slipping off your tongue again as you tried to place it. there was something familiar about it, like youâd heard it before, but in your tequila-drenched state, nothing was sticking.Â
toji, toji⌠where had you heard that name?
he cocked an eyebrow, clearly amused as you stared at him like he was the worldâs most frustrating puzzle. âsomething on your mind?â
ân-no,â you stammered, then immediately backpedaled. âwait, actually, yes. toji, right?â
he nodded, a playful gleam in his eye. âthatâs the one.â
âtoji⌠tojiâŚâ you repeated, squinting at him as if a clearer view would magically connect the dots. and then, it hit you â toji fushiguro.Â
the voice actor who would be bringing your spicy, shamelessly dramatic main character to life.Â
the same guy you were supposed to meet tomorrow, the guy who was probably used to making everyoneâs knees buckle with just a whisper.
âno wayâŚâ you whispered, clutching your head, and you could practically feel the blush creeping up your cheeks. âyou â youâre⌠that toji?â
he gave a slight tilt of his head, his eyes twinkling with mischief. âwhat, surprised that i could be both hot and talented?â
you sputtered, trying to backtrack and failing miserably. âno! i mean, yes, but i just â tomorrow â youâre⌠youâre the guy whoâs voicing my main character?â
he leaned back with a smirk, clearly enjoying the whirlwind of emotions he was putting you through. âdidnât think the universe would give you a sneak preview tonight, huh?â
your fuzzy brain struggled to compute this twist of fate. you were drunk, mortified, and beyond flustered, sitting in a bar with the man whoâd soon be giving voice to all your filthy, shameless words. this was almost too much.
âoh my god,â you muttered, sinking back in your seat. âi literally threw up on my main characterâs shoes.â
toji let out a hearty laugh, patting your shoulder. âhey, if anything, iâd say itâs on-brand for the kind of night youâd write.â
just as you were processing the sheer, ridiculous insanity of the situation, a fresh wave of nausea hit you like a freight train. before you could even react, you leaned forward and⌠splattered the floor with a decidedly not-dignified stream of bile. this time, it was almost cinematic, complete with a dramatic gagging sound that had you doubling over.
you watched in horror as you once again spewed your insides onto the floor, narrowly missing tojiâs shoes but definitely adding a new layer to the already mortifying scene.Â
youâd probably just hit rock bottom.
âoh, god,â you groaned, covering your mouth with your hand as the bile burned your throat. âi swear⌠iâm not normally like this.â
toji chuckled, rubbing a hand over the back of his neck as he handed you a stack of napkins the bartender had generously supplied. âiâm starting to think iâm just a little too overwhelming for you, princess.â
you shot him a sheepish look as you wiped your mouth. overwhelming was an understatement.Â
âyeah, maybe we can leave that out of tomorrowâs team introductions,â you mumbled, trying desperately to pull yourself together.
toji chuckled, tossing a few more napkins your way. âno judgment here. itâs a rough night for a first âmeet-cute,â but hey, youâre nothing if not memorable.â
you gripped the napkin, willing yourself to hold it together, at least until you could make a semi-dignified exit. âi donât even want to know what story youâll tell people about this.â
toji just laughed, completely unbothered, as if getting vomited on was a regular night for him. âdonât worry, iâll keep it discreet.â his voice dipped, lowering to a murmur. âfor a girl with secrets, i figure youâd appreciate that.â
he lifted his drink and gave you a small toast. âto first meetings â and unforgettable nights. and hey, maybe tomorrow, youâll surprise me and keep it down.â
oh, god, you thought, as you attempted to bury yourself in your napkin. if only i could crawl under the bar and hide forever.
normally, you wouldnât wake up with âdancing queenâ stuck in your head, but as you nursed the remnants of a truly terrible hangover, it felt almost... pleasant? the upbeat melody cut through the fog of your brain, and you couldnât help but hum along, even if the lyrics felt like a cruel reminder of your embarrassing escapades from the night before.
âyou can dance, you can jive, having the time of your life...â
wait, why dancing queen of all songs? you squinted at your alarm clock, your heart racing as the memories started flooding back like a poorly written rom-com. oh.
OH.
your eyes widened as you bolted out of bed with a speed that could make an olympic runner blush, frantically throwing on whatever clothes you could find â did you seriously still have a piece of glitter from last night stuck in your hair? gross! but no time for a shower; you had a meeting to get to at gojo-sonic, and you were about to meet â erm, remeet â toji fushiguro.
âooh, see that girl, watch that scene, digging the dancing queen...â
as the lyrics blared in your head like an incessant movie soundtrack, you dashed out the door, praying youâd catch a cab in time. the universe couldnât possibly let you walk into this meeting looking like a hot mess â especially when your main character's voice was waiting on the other side.
âyouâre a tease you turn âem onâŚleave âem burning and then youâre goneâŚâ
you rolled your eyes at your own ridiculousness. who cared if youâd practically thrown up on the guy? all you had to do was survive your own personal dance-off with fate and hope toji didnât remember the lovely little details from last night.
you took a deep breath, determined to channel all the confidence you could muster. today was going to be great. right?
as you walked into the meeting room, gojo practically huffed an air of relief. you couldnât help but think it was a little dramatic â like, itâs just a meeting. you took a deep breath, trying to shake off the last remnants of your hangover and the lingering embarrassment of last nightâs vomit-venture.
the room was brightly lit, filled with a few familiar faces, including toji, who was leaning casually against a table with that annoyingly charming grin plastered on his face.Â
great. youâd somehow forgotten just how hot he was in the light of day.Â
tojiâs presence made your stomach flutter and flip, but you shoved that feeling down â this was business, after all.
you scanned the room and spotted gojo-sonicâs most valued investor suguru geto on a screen in the corner, his hair tied back and eyes sharp as he joined the meeting online. wow, great first impression! with a sudden wave of panic, you could almost hear the dancing queen lyrics mocking you in the back of your mind. whatâs next, bursting into song?
âhey, look who finally made it!â toji said, amusement dancing in his eyes. perfect. if he was going to make light of your grand entrance, you had to think fast to steer the conversation away from the disaster that was last night.
âsorry for keeping you all waiting,â you replied, forcing a smile that hopefully didnât look too forced. âi had... a crazy night.â
toji raised an eyebrow, an amused smirk tugging at his lips. âcrazy night, huh? did you bring us any stories?â
you shot him a warning glance, your heart racing as you internally pleaded with him not to say anything that could ruin your career. thankfully, he just chuckled, crossing his arms and leaning back, letting the moment hang in the air without any revealing comments.
âi think weâd all like to hear that,â suguru said, his tone teasing as he adjusted the camera. âbut letâs save the fun stuff for later, right? weâve got work to do.â
you nodded, grateful for suguruâs timely intervention. âyes, absolutely! so, uh, about the voice work ââ
the atmosphere shifted as the others exchanged knowing glances, and you knew youâd have to tread carefully. this meeting was crucial, and you couldnât let last nightâs incident derail everything youâd worked for. with any luck, maybe you could just keep your foot out of your mouth for the rest of the meeting.
toji always knew he was hot.
i mean, how could he not?Â
with a jawline that could slice bread and a smirk that could charm the pants off anyone, confidence practically dripped off him like a cologne commercial. but the real question was: how to channel this hotness and turn it into something lucrative? great question!Â
being a single dad to wasnât easy, and running from odd job to odd job just to scrape enough money for the bratâs school was proving to be tiresome. until one day, a certain gojo satoru decided to drop a bombshell on him.
âtoji, you ever think about using that voice of yours for something... more creative?â gojo asked, leaning back in his office chair, a devilish grin spreading across his face.
âcreative? what, like narrating my life as a sad single dad?â toji replied dryly, rolling his eyes. âbecause let me tell you, itâs not exactly a page-turner.â
âno, no, hear me out!â gojo insisted, practically bouncing in his seat. âiâm talking about voice acting â specifically, erotic audiobooks. itâs the next big thing!â
toji blinked, momentarily stunned. âyou mean to tell me that the former bouncer at an elite club would be voicing erotic audiobooks? saying those weird, cringey lines that women seem to love? youâre insane.â
âthink about it! you have the looks, the voice, and the whole mysterious vibe down pat,â gojo urged, waving his hands dramatically. âbesides, you need the cash, and i need someone to bring a little... heat to my company.â
âyou really think people want to hear me read lines like, âtake me, you wild beast?ââ toji quipped, snorting.
fast forward to his first recording session, where everything seemed to be going smoothly until disaster struck. toji was deep in character, delivering his best sexy voice when â bam! â the bathroom pipe exploded in his tiny flat.
âoh god, yes, just like that ââ he started, voice dripping with sultry charm, when suddenly, a muffled splash! interrupted him, followed by megumiâs wail from the other room.
âdad! thereâs water everywhere!â
toji cursed under his breath, trying to maintain his composure. âiâm coming! just... give me a second, iâm â ah, itâs getting so hot in here!â he struggled to continue, desperately trying to block out the chaos around him while the sounds of the pipe gushing water filled the audio.
but it turned out hormones took over the technical difficulties, because when the snippet was finally released, women and men of all ages were devouring it like it was the last slice of pizza at a party. it even went viral on tiktok, with cringe-worthy wannabes trying to recreate his sultry lines, failing miserably while toji sat back, amused.
âreally? you think you can pull this off?â he chuckled to himself, watching one kid awkwardly mimic him. ânice try, kid. but good luck sounding this good while your momâs screaming at you for hogging the bathroom.â
because toji wasnât just a househusband â house father â anymore. he was a household name, and everyone knew him. his rise to fame was a wild ride, but hey, at least now he could afford to get the bathroom fixed â one line at a time.
he could hardly wrap his head around how heâd managed to move out of his tiny, crumbling apartment and into a much better place for him and megumi. it was like waking up one day and realizing heâd accidentally won the lottery. âwait, how did i end up here?â heâd mutter to himself, staring at the pristine walls and polished floors. âand how the hell can i pay megumiâs school fees on time without dodging dirty glares from the accounts office?â
heâd walk into the school, head held high, while megumi proudly puffed out his eight-year-old chest. âmy daddyâs an actor!â heâd announce to anyone who would listen. toji couldnât help but feel a swell of pride. i mean, the kid wasnât wrong. he was acting â acting like he had his life together, at least!
but did his new job stop toji from being a little hoe? oh, hell no.Â
if anything, the fame went straight to his head â both up and down there, mind you. toji was like a kid in a candy store, and he was using his newfound charm to siphon money from literally every sugar mommy he could find.Â
and daddies, too, if he was feeling daring.Â
because people would die to be known as someone âcloseâ to the toji fushiguro.
âoh my god, is that him?â a passerby would whisper, nudging her friend as they walked past toji at a private event.
âi think it is! i heard heâs dating someone famous,â her friend would respond, leaning in as if they were sharing a juicy secret. âiâve seen him at that new club downtown. heâs just so... magnetic.â
âtotally! i mean, if i could get him to call me âsweetheartâ just once, iâd die a happy woman,â the first friend would say, fluttering her eyelashes dramatically.
toji would smirk to himself, sipping his drink while casually overhearing their chatter. âyep, youâre right. iâm as available as a 24/7 convenience store,â heâd think, reveling in the attention. "i could probably charm the pants off a rock if i tried."
another group of giggling fans would walk by, whispering amongst themselves, âi met him at that charity event last week! he was so sweet! like, did you see the way he talked to everyone? heâs definitely a heartthrob.â
âsweet? you mean hot, right?â one of them would tease, and theyâd all burst into laughter.
âplease, if he looked at me, iâd die!â another would declare, all starry-eyed.
tojiâs smirk widened. âkeep it coming, ladies. iâm just here for the show.â he couldnât deny it; being the center of attention was intoxicating, and he was loving every second of it.
with a wink and a little wave, heâd keep strutting through life like a runway model, knowing full well he had the power to turn heads and keep wallets open. âwho knew being a hot voice actor could be this fun?â
great that youâd ask what toji did with all that sweet, sweet cash! save it all for his brat of a son, of course, even if he wouldnât admit it. beneath that rugged exterior and playful swagger, he had a soft spot for the little sucker.
just the other week, megumi had been rambling on about wanting a really cool new video game console. âbut daddy, alllll my friends have one! itâs so unfair!â heâd whined, big blue eyes practically shimmering with hope. toji had rolled his eyes, trying to act tough, but the moment he saw the kid's face, his heart melted like butter on a hot skillet. âfine, but only if you promise to finish your homework first.â
the next day, megumi had unwrapped a brand-new console, complete with all the latest games, and toji had basked in the sheer delight radiating from his son. âthis is the best day ever!â megumi had screamed, wrapping his arms around tojiâs waist. âthank you, daddy!â
toji grinned like an idiot, pretending to be unimpressed. âyeah, yeah, donât go losing it on the first day, alright? and remember, no playing after eight!â he was basically a walking contradiction: a grumpy dad who secretly loved being the cool parent.
then there was that time megumi had been obsessed with this rare action figure from his favorite show. toji had seen the way his sonâs eyes lit up every time he spotted it in a store, but it was always sold out. so, naturally, when toji found one online at a steep price, he didnât hesitate. âiâll just skip my overpriced rum for a week. totally worth it.â
when megumi had opened the package, heâd literally jumped in the air, screeching like a siren. âno way! you got it for me!?â and toji had played it cool, shrugging his shoulders. âwhat can i say? your dadâs a generous guy.â
of course, this indulgence didnât go unnoticed by gojo satoru. the six eyes â er, eyes! â of the man always seemed to be on toji, especially when he noticed his friend was splurging just a little too much on himself â like that new leather jacket that looked ridiculously good on him.Â
âi need a jacket like that,â gojo had muttered to himself, glancing at his own wardrobe with disappointment.
whenever toji treated himself, gojo would quietly slide a check over to him, nonchalantly muttering, âjust a little something for megumiâs school expenses.â
some people would have viewed it as offensive or patronizing, but not toji. heâd always laughed it off, feeling grateful instead. in his mind, gojo was like a guardian angel â âif guardian angels wore sunglasses and had a taste for expensive sweets.â he saw it as gojo looking out for megumi, which made tojiâs heart swell with warmth. âwho else would want to help raise my kid? might as well accept it.â
âjust donât make a habit of it, alright?â toji would say with a teasing grin. âi donât need you spoiling him more than i do.â
âtoo late,â gojo would quip, already plotting ways to sneak more gifts into megumiâs life. âitâs my new hobby.â
so, when gojo casually dropped the bomb that toji would be voicing one of the hottest, trending smut book â âmating with the demon kingâ or something equally ridiculous â toji shrugged it off. âsimple enough job,â he thought. âand it must be good if they came to me for it.â
but when gojo suggested he read the book to get an idea of the material â âjust a little prep work,â heâd said with that infuriatingly charming grin â things took a wild turn.
big mistake, toji would later reflect as he flipped through the pages, his eyebrows shooting up higher than a roller coaster. âwho writes this stuff?â he muttered, half-laughing at the sheer absurdity of it all.
the content was downright depraved. there were scenes that had him questioning his entire existence.Â
ââhe thrust into her like a man possessed, each stroke igniting a fire within herâ â what even is that?â he read aloud, only to burst out laughing at the ridiculousness. megumi, playing quietly in the other room, wondered why his daddy was cackling like a madman.
âuh, daddy? why are you reading that out loud?â megumi had peeked in, eyes wide with curiosity. toji quickly scrambled to shut the book. âuh, just⌠learning about, uh, cooking techniques!â he stammered, trying to play it cool. âyou wouldnât get it, buddy.â
but the laughter continued to bubble out of him, and he couldnât help but read some of the more ludicrous lines. ââhis lips found her collarbone, trailing heat like a wildfireâ â who even talks like that?â he shook his head, utterly bemused.
by the end of the chapter, he was howling. ââshe gasped as he swept her off her feet and into a world of ecstasyâ â oh please!â toji chortled, clutching his stomach, imagining how this would all sound through a microphone. âmy kid is gonna think iâve lost my goddamn mind.â
but hey, if this job was going to pay the bills, he figured he could endure a little humiliation. âitâs all in a dayâs work, right?â he muttered to himself, finally accepting that he was now the voice of âmating with the demon king.â
all that reading really took its toll on toji â physically, mentally, spiritually even. after hours spent tripping over lines like âpressed against the throbbing heat of his desireâ (yeah, that one took five tries to get through without laughing), he needed to clear his head. so, he found himself at a bar, halfway through a drink, hoping to numb the embarrassment heâd just endured in the name of rent money.
then stumbles this stranger â a cute, very tipsy stranger who quickly parked herself right next to him and started chatting him up, wide-eyed and slightly unsteady. great, drunk people, he thought, resisting an eyeroll as she grinned at him, looking ready to either start a fight or profess her love.Â
maybe both.
of course, what are the odds sheâd go ahead and throw up on his shoes? yes, his brand-new shoes, because, apparently, the universe had decided that tonight, toji fushiguro would be the worldâs personal punching bag. âcanât even get through one drink without some shit happening,â he muttered to himself as she looked up at him with a horrified expression. âweâre off to a great start here, huh?â
after some water and some awkward apologies (mostly her apologizing, mostly him trying not to laugh), they fell into surprisingly decent conversation. she was rambling about her job, the stress, the weird demands â stuff he could sympathize with, honestly.Â
and thatâs when he dropped it, just for fun: âiâm a voice actor.â
her eyes sparkled with recognition â a little too much recognition, actually, which made him narrow his eyes. âwait, whatâs your name?â she asked, suddenly all ears.
âtoji. toji fushiguro.â
the second he said it, her face went from curious to horrified to... oh yeah, she knew exactly who he was. âwait,â she gasped, putting her hand over her mouth. âyouâre... youâre the voice actor for my book.â
toji raised an eyebrow, deadpan.Â
so this was the writer, the one who wrote all that nonsense heâd been struggling through for days. well, wasnât that just the cherry on top. not only was this his boss but also the very person responsible for phrases like âpulsing needâ and âmoans spilling like honey.â and sheâd just puked on him.Â
talk about a power move.
âsmall world,â he said, his tone dry as desert sand. wonderful, he thought. my boss threw up on me. but, hey, the night was still young.Â
he took a long sip from his drink, hoping she wouldnât take this as an excuse to unleash some kind of creative critique.
âi... i didnât know youâd be here,â she stammered, a shade redder than before, probably realizing what this made her look like â her, the lady behind the âthrobbing heat of desireâ shtick.
âdonât worry,â he said, giving her a smirk. âi wonât tell anyone the literary mastermind responsible for all that... romance has a weak stomach.â
you probably donât remember much after you composed yourself following that second round of projectile embarrassment â but donât worry, toji remembers. the manâs got a steel trap for the kinds of memories youâd prefer stayed buried. once heâd figured out that you werenât exactly in shape to be left wandering around, he made the executive decision to get you home. yeah, heâd just met you a couple hours ago, but somehow, through the boozy haze and questionable life choices, heâd managed to catch your address.Â
impressive detective work, really⌠or, well, you may have blurted it out mid-ramble about how âthe streetlight outside is the only thing lighting up your lonely hallway.âÂ
a touch dramatic, but, hey, it worked.
so he got you back to your place (no thanks to the cab driverâs judgmental side-eye), got you up the stairs without you faceplanting, and, after propping you up long enough to unlock your door, he even went the extra mile and tucked you under the covers. you, meanwhile, mumbled something about âtequila being the devil,â blissfully oblivious to the poor guy whoâd just witnessed more of your personal life than your closest friends. toji took one last look before heading out, chuckling to himself as you drifted off, probably already dreaming of whatever literary nonsense youâd be writing next.
but what really stuck with him? the damn âdancing queenâ chorus ringing in his ears from the bar. maybe it was still playing somewhere out there in the night, or maybe youâd just cursed him with it. because as he walked home, hands shoved in his pockets, there it was, looping over and over in his head.Â
âyou can dance⌠you can jiveâŚâÂ
great, now heâd be humming it for days.
both you and toji were snapped back into the fluorescent-lit reality of the conference room, where gojo was still going on about⌠royalties? percentages? to be honest, the entire spiel sounded more like corporate white noise to you.Â
toji, on the other hand, was leaning back in his chair, looking as disinterested as humanly possible without actually falling asleep. across the screen, suguru appeared in one of those stiff, all-business modes, nodding along to gojoâs speech. his eyes had that telltale sparkle that only appeared when money was the topic â âstakeholder perks,â as gojo would call it, though it just meant suguru got to rake in extra cash on the side.
âand once the audiobookâs live, the split from the sales will be recalculated quarterly, yadda yadda, yadaaa ââ gojoâs voice broke into a sing-song, clearly amusing only himself. âanyway, you guys will see some real sweet checks from this.â
âroyaltiesâŚâ suguru interjected, a bit too smoothly, âremind me what those projected percentages were again, satoru?â
toji suppressed a snort. here they were, with the man himself who could barely be bothered to read a weather report straight, much less your raunchy magnum opus. good luck explaining earnings, gojo.
âoh yeah, royalties!â gojo cleared his throat, launching into a number-laden monologue that seemed to somehow both explain everything and nothing at once. toji barely listened, glancing at the digital clock on the wall. it was only when gojo pivoted, with a suddenly very pointed look, that toji actually tuned back in.
âso, did everyone do their, ah, homework?â gojo grinned as his gaze swept across the room, his eyes landing on you with a bit too much knowing amusement. âread the⌠material?â
you shuffled uncomfortably in your seat, and every other voice actor in the room suddenly found the table, the wall, or their own shoes very interesting.
all except toji, of course, who stretched back with the most obnoxious smirk youâd seen yet.
âhomework?â he drawled, deadpan as always. âyeah, got right into it. wouldnât want to miss a single word of that⌠fine literature.â
a few of the others exchanged awkward looks, clearly unsure how to respond to the dead-serious way toji said fine literature without a shred of irony. meanwhile, you shrank a little in your seat, not exactly loving the fact that the guy you threw up on was apparently the one voice actor who actually read your work cover-to-cover. not to mention, this was toji fushiguro, the voice actor whoâd taken the world by storm with a single, leaked snippet. you'd heard your fans say that he was some kind of god-tier talent â practically a household name. and now?Â
he was casually staring you down like he'd just read your diary.
âitâs⌠itâs not that bad,â you muttered defensively, feeling a prickling heat rise up your neck.
toji raised an eyebrow, clearly enjoying himself. âoh, didnât say it was bad. just, uh⌠thorough.â
you felt the blush intensify, but before you could reply, gojo jumped back in, undeterred. âgreat! since everyoneâs read it now, weâll dive into scene breakdowns tomorrow, with input from our illustrious author here.â he winked at you in that annoyingly playful way of his, as if heâd just orchestrated the whole thing for kicks. âitâs all about bringing your vision to life, yeah?â
âlooking forward to it.â tojiâs tone was smooth, with just enough emphasis to hint at the mischief lying behind his calm expression. you could swear there was a glimmer of challenge in his eyes, and the fact that heâd actually read the book â a book that you wrote in a creative haze, no less â was beginning to feel less like a weird coincidence and more like some cosmic joke at your expense.
suguruâs voice broke through, âand letâs hope that translates to success, right, gojo? my dividends would certainly appreciate it.â
âoh, donât you worry, sugu bear.â gojo leaned in with that shark-like grin of his. âwith toji voicing this masterpiece, and the author right here to guide us? weâre printing money already.â
with a dramatic flourish, gojo clapped his hands together, instantly breaking the tension. âalright, dismissed! snacks are out front â help yourselves, or not! more for me, after all,â he added, a mischievous glint in his eye as he clearly envisioned his sugary hoard.
suguru took this moment as his graceful exit cue, giving a short nod before the screen blinked off. gojo sighed theatrically, clasping his chest. âoh, suguru, leaving so soon? you wound me! whoâs going to discuss âdividendsâ and âroyaltiesâ with me now?â
nobody had the heart â or possibly the patience â to answer that question, which suited gojo just fine as he spun on his heel, making his way toward the snack table.Â
you, meanwhile, considered vanishing altogether, at least until the next segment of the day when youâd actually need to make yourself useful. judging by the energy in the room, none of the other voice actors were in a rush to strike up a conversation with you.Â
ouch. apparently, being the creator of their next project wasnât that much of a social asset.
you edged toward the door, already halfway to freedom when, like clockwork, a deep, familiar voice stopped you in your tracks. âleaving so soon?â
you didnât even have to turn around to know who it was. obnoxious didnât even cover half of it. âjust⌠thought iâd give you guys a break from me,â you muttered, gripping the strap of your bag tighter, hoping it looked casual instead of like an attempt to bolt.
tojiâs laugh was low, almost teasing. âa break? i donât mind the company. in fact, i think the others are just shy.â his words were smooth, but there was a mischievous lilt to them, like he was very aware of just how uncomfortable you probably were.
âright,â you deadpanned, summoning every ounce of sarcasm you had left. âtheyâre all just shy.â
he chuckled, falling into step beside you as you made your way to the snack table. gojo was already there, unabashedly sampling a tray of tiny cupcakes. he shot you both a grin that was, in all honesty, more threatening than friendly.Â
oh god, why is he looking at us like that?
âso!â gojo swiped another cupcake, leaning back against the table as he took in you and toji with an almost too-pleased expression. âgetting along, are we? i mean, itâs not every day you get to work so closely with the voice behind your book, right?â he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, as if trying to ignite some sort of spark just to make things interesting.
toji, unbothered as ever, shrugged. âshe already threw up on me. might as well be friends after that, huh?â
oh my god.Â
you felt the flush rise to your face instantly, a mix of embarrassment and horror. he did not just bring that up in front of gojo, of all people.
âaww, how cute!â gojo crooned, looking absolutely delighted as he clapped his hands in that overly-enthusiastic, not-at-all sincere way. âbonding over bodily fluids. you guys are practically soulmates!â
âplease, kill me now,â you muttered under your breath, glaring at the snack table like it might provide an escape hatch.
toji leaned in, voice dropping to a near whisper, and you could practically hear the smirk in his tone. âdonât worry, author. iâve seen worse.â
âgreat, thatâs⌠comforting,â you muttered, resisting the urge to roll your eyes as you grabbed a snack at random. at this point, you were ready to make a quick exit, potentially before the dayâs work even started if it meant escaping this scene.
ânow, donât run off too fast,â gojo added, wagging a finger at you with a sly grin. âiâm expecting all of us back here in an hour, nice and energized. donât want any excuses!â
toji shot you one last look, equal parts teasing and unreadable, before he turned to grab a coffee. âguess youâre stuck with me for a little longer,â he murmured, a faint glimmer of humor in his eyes.
wonderful. absolutely wonderful. well, at least thereâs cupcakes.
itâs only five minutes into the recording session, and youâre already wondering if thereâs a job market for earth-burrowing positions. if there is, youâd gladly take it. anything would be better than thisâŚcircus.
the sound booth is packed with voice actors delivering line after line of your bookâs carefully crafted (painfully cheesy) smutty dialogue. you bite your lip, both cringing and resisting the urge to laugh out loud as one of the actors, a slender guy with an unfortunate tendency to over-dramatize every vowel, reads his line with a tragic sigh.
âi canât help it⌠i just want to devour you.â
devour you? you want to throw yourself into the nearest trash can. before you can stop yourself, you lean forward into the mic, managing a half-apologetic, half-pleading tone. âuh, could you maybe⌠ease up on the âdevourâ part? like, less dramatic, more⌠suave?â
he nods seriously, doing a quick vocal warm-up before trying again. âi canât help it⌠i just want to devoooourââ
ânope! nope, nope, nope!â you blurt, a little louder than you intended, the cringe spiraling out of control. you quickly clear your throat, trying to sound as professional as possible. âletâs, uh, maybe just skip to the next line.â
from the corner of the room, you catch sight of gojo, whoâs grinning so widely youâre genuinely concerned his face might stay that way forever. heâs watching you with an infectious enthusiasm thatâs bordering on manic, his eyes practically sparkling with amusement. youâre half-expecting him to yell, âsurprise! this is an snl skit!â
you rub at your temple, wishing the earth would do you a solid and open up beneath you, while the next actor â a petite, sweet-looking woman whoâs visibly uncomfortable â takes her turn. she clears her throat, looking down at her script, and delivers the line in a barely-there whisper, âi⌠i want you to take me⌠take me as ifâŚâ
âumâŚâ you grimace, instantly feeling the heat rise to your face. âmaybe a bit louder? but, you know, sensual.â
she blushes, muttering something under her breath before raising her voice, though itâs still trembling. âi⌠i want you to⌠take me⌠as ifâŚâ
toji, whoâs been watching the whole scene from his seat, chuckles lowly, and his smirk sends a jolt of embarrassment through you. âjeez, author, why donât you just hop in there and show âem how itâs done?â he mutters, voice dripping with sarcasm, though itâs not unkind.
you throw him a flat look, biting back an eye roll. not like i wanted to be here, you think to yourself. itâs just that somehow, the universe decided that today youâd be responsible for turning lines youâd never want to say out loud into something even remotely palatable.
and it only gets worse.Â
another actor â a deep-voiced, well-meaning guy in his mid-40s â leans into his mic and reads out, in a gruff voice you can only describe as a rejected batman impersonation: âyouâre driving me⌠wild.â his tone is so intense itâs like heâs threatening to fight the listener in a parking lot.
âokay⌠we might want to dial it back a little,â you say carefully, hoping to mask your horror with politeness. âjust⌠a little less âsupervillain,â more⌠warm?â
you hear toji chuckle behind you, low and rumbling, clearly reveling in your suffering. and as you glance over your shoulder, you find gojo, once again, looking like this is the best entertainment heâs had in years.Â
at this point, he might actually cry from laughing.
just when you think it canât get any worse, toji stands, giving you a wink as he heads into the booth for his turn. he takes the mic, his face blank and unreadable as he starts reading the next line.
âi need you⌠right now,â he purrs, his voice oozing that lazy, sensual charm youâd envisioned for this character. itâs⌠almost unfair, really.Â
thereâs not an ounce of irony or overacting.Â
tojiâs delivery is so smooth, so confident, that it catches you off guard, a flush rising to your cheeks.
gojo lets out a low whistle, giving you a teasing look as if to say, see? was that so hard?
âfinally,â you mutter under your breath, swallowing the lump in your throat. gojo raises a brow, clearly enjoying every second of your awkwardness.
you sigh, mentally bracing yourself for the rest of the recording. if nothing else, at least one actor seems to have nailed the tone â much to your embarrassment and gojoâs endless delight.
you clear your throat, attempting to regain some semblance of control over the recording session, which is proving to be harder than herding a pack of caffeinated cats. âright, everyone, letâs, uh, keep moving and go ahead with recording the dragon kingâs lines. toji, if youâre ready?â
but you barely finish your sentence before gojo claps toji on the shoulder with that all-too-annoying bromance energy, grinning from ear to ear. âour star is ready, arenât ya, toji? i mean, look at this guy! look at him! canât believe i found this gem for gojo-sonic!â gojoâs voice carries that infuriatingly proud tone that practically drips with smug satisfaction.
you stifle an eye roll, and even the other actors exchange glances, half-annoyed, half-amused at gojoâs over-the-top fawning. but before you can jump in to cut gojo off, toji just smirks, sliding comfortably into the mic like he was born to deliver cheesy lines.
âalright, alright,â you murmur, mostly to yourself. âletâs see what youâve got, mr. dragon king.â
toji adjusts the headphones, his lazy smirk already primed.Â
and then he begins, voice low and sultry, hitting each cringe-worthy word with the same ridiculous gravitas that has the whole room mesmerized.
âi have waited eons for a beauty like yours to grace my realm. come⌠be mine, and together we shall rule the heavens.â
you can practically feel everyone holding their breath, transfixed by the sheer sincerity in his tone, despite the lineâs absurdity. you, too, canât help but feel a blush creeping up your neck, which is just unfair given you wrote these lines.Â
you knew what they were meant to sound like, but this?Â
heâs delivering them like theyâre damn poetry.
toji doesnât stop there, though, his deep voice carrying each line as though heâs serenading the mic. âmy heart burns with a fire only you can soothe. take my hand, and i swear to guard your heart with my very life.â
gojo is practically fawning, batting his eyelashes like a proud parent in the corner. âsee, people, this is how itâs done! let the dragon king here show you amateurs how itâs really supposed to sound!â
you resist the urge to chuck something at gojo as the other actorsâ eyes widen, watching in awe.
one of them mutters under their breath, âno way weâre topping that.â
and then, tojiâs voice dips even lower, the next line coming out in a growl that somehow manages to be both dramatic and, disturbingly, kind of⌠enchanting.
âyou are the breath in my lungs, the flame in my veins. without you, i am but a shadow⌠a beast in the dark.â
the room is dead silent.Â
youâre all fawning, gushing messes, and youâre not even sure how it happened. itâs like tojiâs somehow turned this trial recording into an absurdly hot moment. you can barely believe youâre hearing the same lines you once labeled âridiculously cringeyâ in the draft.
finally, he leans back, looking pleased with himself, as if he hadnât just left everyone a little breathless. gojo practically beams with pride, nudging you.Â
âso⌠i think youâve found your dragon king, wouldnât you say?â
you nod, still stunned, half in disbelief, half in begrudging admiration. if this was just the trial recording, you could only imagine how many blushing, starry-eyed listeners this final audiobook was going to leave in its wake.
the moment the trial recording session wraps up, gojo is the first one on his feet, clapping his hands like he's just watched the performance of a lifetime. âbrilliant!â he practically shouts, pulling out his phone faster than you can blink. âsuguru needs to hear this,â he mutters, already dialing his business partner like a kid who canât wait to brag about his latest toy.
sometimes you really do forget that gojo is the ceo of a multi-million dollar company â an erotic audiobook company, no less.Â
is he this passionate about the art, or is it just the money? either way, watching him fanboy over his own employee leaves you a mix of amused and exhausted.
thereâs a charm to it, though, even if itâs a little baffling to witness in real time.
as the energy in the studio starts to mellow, you find yourself actually breathing a bit easier. for once, things seem to be going smoothly.Â
maybe this whole collaboration wouldnât be a disaster after all.Â
you let yourself relax, even if a small part of your brain chides you with a quick reminder: next time, skip the cheap caffeine fix when youâre pulling an all-nighter writing smut.Â
or⌠cheap anything, really.Â
yeah, you donât actually smoke, you remind yourself â except, well, that one time in college, but hey, that was a whole different you. one that should stay buried in the relics of questionable decisions, right next to your spiral-bound notes of embarrassingly bad poetry.
just as youâre praying to the universe that this is all going to wrap up without any extra drama, you hear it. the sound thatâs become both your nightmare and⌠okay, maybe, a little less than that.
âwell, princess,â tojiâs voice rumbles, his tone as amused as it is teasing, âgot anything else you want from your dragon king?â
you close your eyes and will the ground to open up beneath you, but nope, nothing.Â
nothing but the sound of your heartbeat doing an awkward little tango in your chest.
of course heâd pick now to resurrect that ridiculous moniker from last night. like it wasnât humiliating enough when he threw it out there while you were a couple drinks deep and all but glued to your seat at the bar.Â
oh, youâre practically begging the universe to put you out of your misery â well, actually, now that you think about it, maybe being wrapped up in those beefy arms wouldnât be the worst fateâŚ
wow. get a grip, girl. this is the caffeine deprivation talking.Â
definitely that.
but then toji smirks at you, an eyebrow raised, as if heâs just dared you to respond. and all you can think is⌠oh, lord, this man is trouble.
"câmon, just a drink,â toji insists, flashing that devil-may-care grin that both ruins and improves your day within a matter of seconds. heâs leaning back like heâs got all the time in the world, casually ignoring how you definitely donât.Â
âtrust me, princess, itâll settle your nerves.â
itâs not like you need a reminder of the mess that was last night. every foggy memory swirls in your head, like lifeâs own cruel version of a mocktail â one garnished with shame, regret, and a generous helping of last nightâs tequila.Â
if anything, adding more drinks to this equation feels about as smart as walking blindfolded into traffic.
but tojiâs already up, stretching like heâs completely unaware of the chaotic memories this whole âoutingâ is summoning. âjust a quick look around gojo-sonic, yeah?â he says, nodding toward the maze of hallways beyond the studio door, his face the perfect picture of innocence.
âyouâre new here, and itâs⌠important to know the lay of the land. work reasons.â
you can practically hear the quotation marks around that âwork reasons.â
âyou know,â he adds with a wink, ânever hurts to see where the magic happens.â
yeah, right. you have a feeling the only magic here is him somehow dragging you deeper into your personal nightmare.
you donât even get the chance to respond with a yes, no, or a âmaybe next centuryâ when tojiâs phone lights up and his whole expression darkens. not exactly the look you expect from the guy whose voice practically ruined half the internet last month with that infamous line about... well, yeah, better not go there right now.
âsatoru, the brat got into a fight,â he growls into the phone, and suddenly, satoruâs jaw hits the floor with such force you can practically hear it from across the studio. toji doesnât stick around for a reply, though â heâs already striding toward the door like a man with a purpose, ignoring satoruâs spluttered, âthe what did who?â
and somehow â god knows how â you find yourself tagging along like itâs the most natural thing in the world. maybe itâs curiosity, maybe itâs the thrill of seeing toji in full boss mode, or maybe itâs just because, oh, yâknow, âresponsible adult and responsibilitiesâ instincts or whatever.Â
but the further you walk, the more you realize that toji doesnât mind you following one bit. in fact, heâs practically matching his pace to yours, as if youâre part of some unofficial escort mission to... whoever this âbratâ is.
which, speaking of, who the hell is megumi?
youâre still trying to wrap your head around how this was supposed to be a âquick tourâ of the office and not, somehow, an impromptu escort mission to the worldâs sleekest car, a porsche 911 turbo â yep, thatâs right, the kind of car youâve only ever seen in movies where the bad guyâs got a mysterious, sexy side. all you can manage is, âyou own this?â
toji shrugs, slipping his keys into the ignition with an air of pure, unbothered cool. âyou donât?â
oh. okay.Â
you barely have time to process this response before heâs peeling out of the parking lot, narrowly avoiding a stray cat, a snail-paced truck, and an old lady whoâs almost sacrificed her wig to his driving style. but hey, all part of the thrill, right?
definitely not questioning life choices here.
by the time you pull up to a cutesy primary school â you know, the kind with pastel-colored gates and cartoon murals of bears and rabbits â youâre genuinely confused.Â
toji seems like the last guy whoâd be here unless it was some undercover op. and âmegumi,â whoever he is, sounds like he could be the schoolâs playground menace.
âwait, this is where weâre headed?â you ask, eyeing the building like it might suddenly make sense.
but tojiâs out of the car, moving so fast you practically have to jog to keep up. the school secretary gives you both a wary glance, likely sensing the storm of exasperation radiating off toji, as he strides straight into the principalâs office. there, sitting on a chair with his arms crossed and an unimpressed scowl that screams âmini-toji,â is a little boy with spiky hair and an air of quiet defiance.
without missing a beat, toji asks, âmegs! did you win?â
the principal, a kindly-looking woman whose expression is rapidly shifting from âcalm mediatorâ to âi donât get paid enough for this,â clears her throat.Â
âmr. fushiguro, your son wasnât... in the wrong, per se. it appears he was, um, defending his honor.â
defending his honor? you blink. what kind of second grader even knows what that means?
âthat true, âgumi?â toji says, arms crossed, looking every bit the unbothered, proud dad of the year.
âhe said my dad was a... weird voice actor,â megumi mutters, then shrugs. âso i said at least my dad works.â
you nearly choke, partly from stifled laughter, partly from the sheer absurdity of all this. here you were, thinking âhonorâ meant, like, taking down a playground empire or something.Â
but no, megumiâs just a kid with a sharp tongue and a little too much of tojiâs attitude.
âdamn right, kid,â toji says, patting megumiâs head, then looking over at you with that familiar, annoyingly smug grin. âraised him right, yeah?â
â...sure,â you say, because what else can you even say at this point? itâs like youâve stumbled into the weirdest sitcom ever, and the laugh track is somehow missing.
the principalâs expression morphs into something almost painfully polite as she addresses you, tiptoeing around the word wife with an impressive mix of caution and curiosity.Â
âare you, ah... megumiâs guardian?â
and then, in perfect, unplanned harmony, you, toji, and megumi all blurt out, âno.â
the unity, the instinctual synchronization â itâs like youâre all on the same wavelength, for better or worse. soul-level understanding, or something.Â
what the hell is happening right now?
with a polite smile and a âletâs never speak of this againâ nod, you three finally leave the principalâs office. megumi, looking more bored than reprimanded, flicks at a speck of lint on his uniform, while you and toji attempt to navigate the hallway swarming with concerned teachers and worried front-desk ladies. and by âconcernedâ and âworried,â itâs more like theyâre curious about tojiâs parenting style and, letâs be honest, probably toji himself.
âoh, mr. fushiguro!â one particularly invested teacher coos, âwe heard about the incident. is everything all right?â
toji, of course, laps up the attention, chuckling low and throwing in a wink here and there like heâs starring in some kind of action-movie dad role. the ladies are practically falling over themselves to get a response from him, their questions barely veiled as they assess you with raised brows and sideways glances, a classic âwhoâs she?â written all over their faces.
âand you are...?â one of the front-desk ladies finally asks, voice all sugar-coated and sharp.
toji slides in smoothly, cutting off whatever half-formed, awkward introduction you were about to stammer out. âoh, sheâs a colleague,â he says, his tone effortlessly suave, like introducing a perfectly respectable coworker and totally not the author of his last, extremely explicit audiobook project.
youâre almost grateful until it hits you â this is the same guy who made a whole production of calling you âprincessâ in the recording booth just yesterday.Â
as if he hasnât played one of your absurdly corny dragon kings in all his full-throttle intensity.Â
and now heâs here, all casual and cool, giving you a proper, respectable title like he hasnât spent hours voicing content these people probably keep hidden under their pillows at night.
but at least he didnât out you as the actual author of those⌠creative pieces.Â
thatâs something.
toji is out here, doing his social service to society. and no, itâs not about lending his voice to steamy audiobooks, thank you very much.Â
today, heâs serving the community by providing these teachers with a generous five minutes of his attention, which theyâll probably be replaying in their heads until the next parent-teacher meeting. and â oh, what a surprise! â thatâs exactly what theyâre talking about now, circling back to how he must come to the next one for a âserious discussionâ about megumi.
tojiâs stance? why bother? if the kidâs acing his tests, staying out of trouble (mostly), and keeping a lid on the whole âhonorâ thing, why does he need to sit through hours of polite lecturing from the pta?
while heâs busy justifying his lack of parental enthusiasm, you feel a pair of eyes on you. glancing down, you meet megumiâs steady, curious stare.Â
itâs oddly intense for a kid his age, but youâre not one to back down from a challenge. you narrow your eyes, feigning a critical, assessing look, and he visibly falters, going slightly pink around the ears.
ah, kids.
as you three make your way out of the building â toji still being all socialite with the staff and probably postponing that pta date indefinitely â you suddenly find yourself in a mini interview with megumi. itâs as if this eight-year-old has appointed himself the gatekeeper of his dadâs life and has decided youâre the latest applicant.
âso⌠whatâs your favorite color?â he asks, with an unblinking, serious stare.
âuhâŚâ you pause, realizing the weight of your answer here. âblue. like, uh, light blue.â
he nods, considering. âgood answer.â
a pause. âfavorite superhero?â
âbatman?â you try, glancing at him for a sign of approval.
âhmm. fine. but iron man wouldâve been better.â
noted, you think, as he then moves to cereal brand, favorite animal, and even your preferred subject in school. you navigate each question as best as you can, almost feeling the burn of a final exam.
then, in a moment of quiet, just as you think the quiz is over, megumi looks down and asks, voice barely a whisper, âdid i⌠do the right thing? defending my⌠my hone-er?â
âyour⌠oh, honor?â you say, a smile twitching at the corner of your mouth as you catch his wide-eyed, earnest gaze.
he nods, cheeks tinting a bit as he scuffs his sneaker on the ground.
âmegumi,â you say, kneeling a little to get on his level, âdefending your honor is important. just⌠maybe donât go for all the punches next time? sometimes words work too.â you give him a playful nudge.
he nods, seeming satisfied with that answer, then glances over his shoulder. âand donât tell daddy i asked.â
âyour secretâs safe with me,â you whisper back, giving him a conspiratorial wink.
tojiâs arms were crossed, an unreadable expression on his face as he watched the little interaction between you and megumi.Â
he was always careful about the people around his kid, fiercely protective to the point that very few in his line of work even knew megumi existed. the only ones who had ever met him were gojo and geto â and that was already a stretch.
but something about how you handled the kidâs questions, actually entertained them with the same patience heâd usually summon up himself, caught him off guard. the way you knelt down to answer him, even kept a straight face through the hard-hitting topics of favorite superheroes and cereal brands... it was surprisingly nice.Â
almost⌠reassuring?
ugh, what was he even thinking? you were still the same girl whoâd written, and he mentally cringed as he remembered the line,Â
âdragons may have claws, but theyâre nothing compared to the grip i have on yourâŚâÂ
yeah, yeah, he really didnât need to finish that thought. the memory alone had him chuckling under his breath, shaking his head.
of course, that earned him a suspicious glance from both you and megumi.
âwhatâs so funny?â you asked, brow raised.
âyeah, daddy, whyâre you laughing?â megumi chimed in, clearly puzzled.
toji waved a hand dismissively, realizing heâd just blown his cool for no reason.Â
ânothinâ, donât worry about it. just thinkinâ,â he mumbled, aware heâd probably looked a little unhinged just then.Â
maybe he really needed to work on his awareness â or maybe he just needed to get a grip, period.
tojiâs mind was doing somersaults, genuinely debating if he could manage both you and megumi tagging along for the afternoon. megumiâs insistence didnât help; kid was determined that toji should keep you both company for the rest of the day, despite having school hours left.Â
âyouâve got work, right?â you ask, half-joking, half-serious. âarenât you supposed to be off doing big, important actor things?â
toji only smirked, whipping out his phone with the sort of confidence that made it clear he had a workaround for everything. he tapped open a message to gojo, fingers moving fast.
you [11:31 am]: hey. kidâs dragging me to the arcade. need a few hours off. gojo s. [11:33 am]: need or WANT, toji? ;)) you [11:31 am]: like i said, KID is dragging me. gojo s. [11:33 am]: oh sure, blame megumi. what, does he have you wrapped around his little finger or something? you [11:31 am]: think whatever you want, but youâre handling my schedule for the rest of the day. gojo s. [11:33 am]: wait, are you with...the AUTHOR? ;)) you [11:31 am]: quit smiling through text, itâs creepy. gojo s. [11:33 am]: iâll allow it. but only cause iâm such a good friend. gojo s. [11:33 am]: tell megumi uncle gojo says hi gojo s. [11:34 am]: and he owes me 20 bucks. you [11:35 am]: he doesnât owe you anything. gojo s. [11:35 am]: fine, but bring me something from the prize counter.
satisfied, toji pocketed his phone and shrugged.Â
âall right, kid. weâll hang out for a bit. but i swear if you drag me into any embarrassing games ââ
âarcade!â megumi interrupted, not even giving him a chance to finish. âi can show you both that iâm the best at every game! daddy taught me how to play, so you better watch out!â
you couldnât help but chuckle at the kidâs enthusiasm.
âall right, letâs go. but you better not make me look bad, kid,â toji said, smirking down at his son, who was now practically vibrating with eagerness.
âarcade!â megumi yelled again, nearly bouncing as he grabbed your hand and began to lead the way.
megumi barely lets you settle into the leather of the passenger seat before heâs bouncing in the back, practically vibrating with energy as he plugs tojiâs phone into the aux. youâre trying to wrap your head around being in toji fushiguroâs car, the man who not only voices the romantic lead in your steamiest, most dramatic book but also owns a luxury car that could probably pay off your loans twice over.
"so, uh... passenger princess, huh?" toji smirks, catching you in mid-thought.
"i⌠what?" you stammer, feeling the heat creep up as he settles a hand on the wheel with all the nonchalance in the world. âi, uh ââ but youâre cut off by megumi excitedly blasting his choice of artist: korn.
"your son listens to korn?" you blurt out, giving toji a mix of awe and disbelief.
toji just raises an eyebrow, deadpanning, âyours doesnât?â
ouch. okay, fair point.Â
because no, you do not have a kid, or a husband, or even a boyfriendâŚor any romantic prospects, really.Â
tojiâs question leaves you fidgeting as you try to muster a dignified response.
meanwhile, megumi is full-on screaming to the lyrics of "freak on a leash," and you catch snippets like âsomething takes a part of me!â which, yeah, relatable â korn is honestly hitting the mood. but of course, toji catches you staring out the window, attempting to look casual as he throws you a side-eye.
"so, whatâs got you without a boyfriend?â he asks, way too casually, as if this was a natural segue from whatever korn-fueled karaoke session is happening in the backseat.
you practically choke on air. "what, me? no, iâm...," you laugh awkwardly, shifting in the passenger seat. âbesides, i donât meet many guys. i'm just⌠you know⌠doing my thing.â
megumi, pausing his headbanging just for a moment, turns and looks at you with an exaggerated âyikesâ face, as if being single was the worst possible fate in his young, eight-year-old eyes.Â
but then he shrugs, clearly uninterested in this adult drama and goes back to screaming, âfeeling like a freak on a leash!â
toji, still watching you, smirks, âso, doing your âthingâ includes no boyfriend, no husband... what, are you just swearing off men?â
"uh, no!â you say quickly, too quickly, and feel your face heat up. âjust havenât... yâknow, met anyone worth dating. been busy.â
toji gives a low chuckle, clearly entertained. âbusy doing what, writing your âtorrid love storiesâ?â
you make a face, biting your lip.Â
âtheyâre not that torrid.â but even as you say it, you hear the echo of a particularly cheesy line youâd written for his character in your novel, which, mortifyingly enough, involved the phrase âmy darling flame, you set my very soul alight.â
toji chuckles, as if reading your thoughts. âmaybe iâll get to hear one of those lines in real life someday, princess.â
âcan we not call me that while megumiâs in the car?â you mutter, glancing back, only to find megumi fully engrossed in his self-proclaimed vocal talents.
ânoted.â toji snickers, shooting you another mischievous look as korn plays on, megumi happily singing about âbreaking downâ in the back.
âbut hey,â toji says smoothly, hand resting on the gearshift, âjust so you know, even my son knows a good band when he hears one.â
you roll your eyes at him, managing to mumble, âat least one of you is a bit mature.â
the porsche pulls up to the arcade with enough fanfare that heads start turning even before the engine purrs to a stop. not that the onlookers were ready for what steps out next: a towering, chiseled man looking like heâs on his way to a modeling photoshoot, a cute kid in full confidence mode, and, well⌠you.
still feeling a little dizzy from the korn concert that just took place, you barely register megumi bolting out of the car with a grin, leaving you and toji to get your bearings. his energyâs practically crackling by the time toji pays for the play card, and youâre pretty sure if he has to wait even one more minute, heâs about to combust.
âokay, okay, slow down, megumi,â you say, trying to keep up as he yanks you to the nearest neon-lit game.Â
but the kid isnât hearing it. heâs already dragging you to one machine, and then the next, moving faster than you can process where you even are. each one is seemingly more intense and blinding than the last, and youâre hit with a sensory overload of neon lights, retro game sounds, and the feel of the arcade carpet sticking just a little too much to your shoes.
tojiâs watching the whole ordeal with a bemused smirk. you and his kid are like a whirlwind of neon and laughter, barely stopping to catch your breaths between games. the sight is somehow⌠comforting. like a scene from a life he hadnât planned but couldnât help finding strangely compelling.
but then he catches himself. seriously?Â
he shakes his head. this is not the time to get all sentimental over his kidâs new âplaydateâ or whatever.Â
heâs just here because megumi insisted, and maybe he thought itâd be amusing to watch you get dragged around by an eight-year-old with zero restraint. thatâs it.Â
nothing more.
yeah, right. his internal grumbling comes to an abrupt stop as he watches megumi take your hand and pull you over to a classic claw machine. the kidâs looking up at you with the widest eyes youâve ever seen, all excitement and pure innocence, like winning one of those knockoff plush toys is the pinnacle of existence.
âyou got this?â you ask, grinning at him as he lines up the claw with intense concentration.
âof course! my dad showed me,â he declares, like heâs about to go pro in the claw game league.
toji, watching from a distance, feels a twinge in his chest.Â
yeah, heâd shown megumi how to play this game ages ago, more to give him an edge over the other kids than anything else. it was a dad-and-son thing, just the two of them. but seeing megumi look up at you with the same pride and excitement makes him feel⌠something.Â
and he doesnât know if he likes it.
youâre so focused on megumiâs moves that you donât notice tojiâs slight frown, nor do you hear his quiet mutter of, âthis is ridiculous.âÂ
but when he sees the way your eyes light up as megumi successfully nabs a cheap stuffed animal â a lopsided dinosaur, of all things â and the way you celebrate like heâs won an olympic medal, he feels himself relax, just a little.
he chuckles, shaking his head and crossing his arms as you high-five megumi, both of you beaming over a prize that probably cost less than the game itself. but toji doesnât move.Â
he stands there, rooted, as you two bounce from game to game, his thoughts too jumbled to focus on anything else.
but maybe⌠maybe thatâs okay for now.
tojiâs phone buzzes just as heâs leaning against the side of a vintage racing game, watching you and megumi practically lighting up the whole arcade with your laughter. he glances down to see satoruâs name pop up on the screen, already feeling a headache brewing.
gojo s. [12:20 pm]: so, arcade? đ you [12:20 pm]: yeah, i just told you. gojo s. [12:20 pm]: nah, i mean WHY the arcade? what are we celebrating here, toji? ;)) you [12:21 pm]: why does it matter gojo s. [12:21 pm]: CUZZZZ gojo s. [12:21 pm]: lemme guess, megumi's there with her now, right? gojo s. [12:22 pm]: bet theyâre having the time of their lives, while YOU gojo s. [12:22 pm]: youâre just there all moody on the sidelinesđ
toji glances up at you and megumi, whoâve now moved on to a skee-ball machine, both cheering as you score a perfect 50-point throw.
you [12:23 pm]: like i said, work stuff. gojo s. [12:24 pm]: HAHA. work stuff, right. gojo s. [12:24 pm]: work stuff that has megumi running around grinning like that. gojo s. [12:25 pm]: bro gojo s. [12:25 pm]: youâre terrible at lying. gojo s. [12:26 pm]: sheâs a keeper if she can deal with YOU you [12:26 pm]: keep dreaming.
he slips his phone back into his pocket, unable to shake off the grin creeping onto his face as he watches you high-five megumi. the kidâs happier than heâs seen in ages, and heâŚ
well, he canât remember the last time he felt this relaxed watching anyone just being with his kid.
toji stands back, taking in the moment â megumiâs laughter echoing through the arcade, your smile as you lift him up with an ease that has the kid giggling uncontrollably â and for some reason, his mind has turned the whole scene into a rom-com montage.
you are the dancing queenâŚ
itâs absurd, really.Â
he doesnât even like abba. but there it is, the stupid song playing in his head, all set to the image of you holding his son, twirling him like he weighs nothing, both of you in fits of laughter.
young and sweet, only seventeenâŚ
and for a split second, his heart does this awkward little stutter.Â
he chalks it up to the neon lights.Â
or maybe the greasy smell of the arcade food messing with his senses. but as he watches you hold megumi up, almost as if heâs flying, he canât ignore that ridiculous, cheesy pull in his chest.
feel the beat from the tambourine, oh yeah...
oh god.Â
is he seriously catching himself grinning at the way youâre both trying to get him to join in? megumiâs little hand reaches out, beckoning him over, and youâre giving him that smile, that âcome on, get over here, big guyâ look.
you can dance, you can jiveâŚ
the song hits that soaring note in his head just as he finally gives in and starts to walk over, and his pulse actually picks up, as if heâs not just at some run-down arcade but in the middle of some ridiculously sappy rom-com finale.
having the time of your lifeâŚ
and then megumi is shrieking again, calling, âdad, hurry up!â like itâs life or death, and youâre beaming at him with that mischievous, encouraging look.
toji sighs, shaking his head at himself.Â
just great.Â
the two of you have officially dragged him into your world, soundtrack and all.
toji's trying his best to lock in.Â
but as he walks out of the arcade â juggling not one, but four oversized plushies, two fancy new lego sets, a slinky, a bouncy ball, some glow-in-the-dark slime, and a rainbow slap bracelet â he canât help but snort at the sheer ridiculousness of it.Â
between his loaded arms and megumi curled up fast asleep in yours, itâs a scene straight out of one of those cheesy family movies.
he shakes his head, trying to push down that weirdly warm feeling creeping up on him.Â
stay focused, toji.Â
he doesn't need any sappy feelings right now. he's a single dad with a kid and a job, not some washed-up rom-com character, damn it.Â
but watching you gently adjust megumi as he drools onto your shoulder, snuggling deeper into the crook of your arm as you carefully slide into the backseat, itâs hard not to feel that tug again.
ugh, he thinks, climbing into the driverâs seat as you buckle up up front, giving him a soft, tired smile.Â
ânever held a kid before, huh?â he teases, eyes glancing from the road to the rearview mirror, where megumiâs still dozing, soft breaths muffling against your arm.
ânope,â you shrug, but thereâs a softness to your voice as you gently rub megumiâs back, âfirst time for everything, i guess.â
tojiâs heart does that weird skip thing again.Â
oh god, he thinks, gripping the wheel a little tighter as he tries to ignore the sappy old man vibe overtaking him.
the air in the car feels... charged, but itâs not like either of you are exactly leaning into the tension. instead, you both sit in this weird, awkward silence, save for the quiet hum of the radio, like youâre suddenly too aware of just being there with each other.
and then, as if the universe wanted to toy with you, iris by the goo goo dolls starts playing.Â
oh, god. you immediately wish you could just evaporate into the passenger seat.
â...and iâd give up forever to touch youâŚâ the lyrics croon, filling the silence, and you can practically feel the heat crawling up your cheeks.
toji clears his throat, obviously catching it too. âradioâs on a roll, huh?â
âyep,â you say, managing a weak laugh. âi mean, this is classic⌠everyone listens to goo goo dolls in, uh, total silence in the car with their coworker, right?â
he glances at you, a rare, subtle smile ghosting on his lips. âtotally normal.â
âand i donât want the world to see me⌠âcause i donât think that theyâd understandâŚâ
you glance out the window, eyes focused anywhere but on him, biting back a laugh at how the song somehow keeps getting more dramatic. like, whoâs writing this scene, seriously?
âjust tell me where to turn,â toji says, breaking through your internal monologue, and you do, mentioning a landmark close to home, hoping heâll take the hint.
but toji only raises an eyebrow. ânear it? nah. iâm dropping you at the door.â
âoh, no, thatâs really fine ââ you start, but heâs already shaking his head.
âdonât worry about it,â he insists, a smirk in his voice. âbesides, i remember where you live. from, you know⌠last time.â
wait. last time? as in⌠when you were embarrassingly, unapologetically wasted that night?
you want to crawl under the seat as the lyrics continue, âwhen everythingâs made to be brokenâŚâ
so when toji pulls up in front of your apartment, thereâs this odd feeling hanging in the air. you catch yourself wanting to... linger, just a little longer, even if youâre home.Â
and lowkey?Â
so does toji.Â
itâs like the two of you have hit this weird teenage crush level of awkward â just leaning, leaning, like thereâs some invisible string pulling you closer.
heâs looking at you, and youâre looking at him, and youâre both just⌠stuck there. you canât even bring yourself to reach for the door handle, and itâs the same for him.
but right as the moment peaks, a tiny, innocent voice cuts through from the backseat. âare you two going to kiss?â
megumiâs question hangs there, blunt and childlike, breaking whatever spell had you both frozen. you both jolt back, blinking as if you just woke up.
âwhat? no!â you blurt, practically tripping over your own denial.Â
your face feels like itâs about to catch fire.
toji coughs, rubbing the back of his neck, just barely suppressing a chuckle.
âkidâs got a helluva imagination,â he mutters, eyes anywhere but on you.
as you finally reach for the door handle, ready to slip out and say your goodbyes, you hear a little sniffle from the backseat.
âwaitâŚâ megumiâs voice is tiny, almost shaky. you turn around, and to your surprise, his face is scrunched up, his eyes glistening with tears that heâs trying so hard to hold back.
âhey, hey, whatâs wrong?â you ask, twisting around in your seat to face him. âiâll see you again, kiddo.â
but his lower lip wobbles, and suddenly he bursts into full-on tears, clutching the giant plushie he won at the arcade. âb-but i donât want you to leave!â he sobs, voice cracking. âcanât you stay just a little longer?â
tojiâs eyes widen; he looks genuinely shocked.Â
âmegumi, youâre fine, sheâs not going anywhere forever. whatâs gotten into you?â he tries to keep his tone steady, but thereâs an undercurrent of surprise.Â
megumi doesnât cry.Â
ever.Â
this is new territory.
megumi just shakes his head, burying his face into the plushie. âbut sheâs nice,â he mumbles, muffled but insistent. âand she plays games with me and ââ he peeks out from the plushie with red, teary eyes. âand she talks to me like you do.â
you feel something stir in your chest at his words, this overwhelming urge to hug him even though youâd sworn up and down just an hour ago you didnât know how to handle kids.
âaw, megumi,â you say softly, reaching over and giving his little hand a squeeze. âiâll still see you, i promise. maybe we can even play again sometime, okay?â
âbut youâre leaving now,â he says, his voice quivering, clutching your hand with a desperation that tugs at your heart.Â
âand daddy didnât even kiss you.â
the absolute silence that follows is deafening.Â
you feel your face go redder than itâs ever been, and a glance at toji shows heâs equally flustered, mouth opening and closing as if heâs trying to find some way to steer this conversation back to normal.
âwhoa, hey now,â toji says, forcing a laugh as he clears his throat. âthatâs, uh â thatâs not how it works, kid.â he ruffles megumiâs hair a little too hard, clearly floundering. âand hey, donât go crying over someone just leaving for the night, youâre stronger than that.â
âi donât care,â megumi sniffles, clutching your hand tighter. âi like her. and she makes you smile.â
toji freezes, the color draining from his face for just a split second.Â
makes him smile.Â
he doesnât even realize heâs been smiling, maybe more in one day than he has in months. he glances at you, brow furrowed like heâs trying to make sense of it himself.
âwellâŚâ tojiâs voice is softer now, almost cautious, like heâs testing out words he hasnât said in a long time. â
maybe⌠maybe she could come around again. if she wants to, that is.â
âi do.â you answer without thinking, your gaze drifting to megumiâs tear-streaked face, which immediately lights up.
âreally?â megumiâs eyes shine, practically bouncing in his seat. âyou promise?â
âi promise,â you say with a smile, giving him a reassuring nod. âas long as itâs okay with you and your dad, of course.â
ââs fine,â toji grumbles, running a hand over his face to hide his slight grin. âbesides, someoneâs gotta teach you a lesson or two at the arcade next time.â
âis that a challenge, toji?â you quip, smirking. âbecause if i remember right, megumi here got more tickets than both of us combined.â
âthatâs because i taught him everything he knows,â toji scoffs, rolling his eyes as if he canât believe heâs even entertaining this.
megumi sniffles one last time, his eyes practically glowing with happiness. âthen⌠youâll come over soon, right?â
âabsolutely,â you say, warmth bubbling up in your chest as you meet his hopeful gaze. âbut only if you promise to keep practicing at the arcade. gotta keep that winning streak going, right?â
megumi grins, finally letting go of your hand as he settles back with a contented sigh. âdeal.â
toji just shakes his head, muttering something about the âdramaâ gene clearly skipping a generation, though the smile tugging at his lips says otherwise.
as you unbuckle your seatbelt, ready to say goodbye, you feel the car click with the unmistakable sound of the child lock. you glance back at megumi, whoâs nodding off against his plushie pile, and back at toji, whoâs already climbing out to walk you up to your door.Â
gentlemanly of him, sure.Â
though, the way his eyes linger on you⌠thereâs more to it than that.
âi couldâve walked myself, you know,â you say, falling into step beside him as you head up to your building. âitâs not that far.â
âmaybe i just felt like making sure you didnât trip and embarrass yourself,â he shoots back, smirking as he nudges your shoulder.
âvery chivalrous, fushiguro,â you reply, rolling your eyes but grinning anyway. âhonestly, youâre like a walking textbook definition of âgentleman.ââ
âyeah, well,â he clears his throat, looking just a bit smug. âmaybe i was raised right. or maybe,â his voice drops a little lower, âi just wanted an excuse to stick around a little longer.â
you blink, caught off guard by the soft rasp in his voice, the way his eyes are just a bit darker under the porch light.
âoh,â is all you manage, though your heartbeatâs doing a little somersault. âwell⌠uh. hereâs my door.â
âguess it is,â he murmurs, eyes glinting as he takes a step closer, leaning against the doorframe like heâs meant to be there, like heâs settled in the idea of being right here, with you.Â
âyâknow⌠not a bad place to end the night.â
âyeah,â you say, feeling the words catch in your throat as you gaze up at him, taking in every detail, every shadow. âdefinitely not bad.â
the two of you are just standing there, a little too close, the space between you narrowing with every unspoken word. he glances down at your lips, and your pulse spikes â heâs thinking it too, right? but just as the moment seems to reach its tipping point, toji smirks, a flash of mischief in his eyes.
âyou know,â he says, raising an eyebrow. âstill canât believe youâre the same girl who wrote that⌠what was it again?â he chuckles, clearly remembering. âoh, right â âher legs wrapped around him like a vice, his name spilling from her lips like honeyâ.â
your face goes nuclear.Â
that line.Â
of all the lines, that one?
âyou⌠you remember that?â you manage, mortified.
ââcourse i remember,â he says, that smug smirk firmly in place. âyou think i just skimmed through your stuff?â
âwell â i â â your words are a mess, barely coherent. âi mean, i just thought ââ
ânah, iâve been reading it all.â his voice is low, almost a whisper as he leans just a little closer, his fingers lightly brushing your arm. âyouâve got quite the imagination.â
âs-shut up,â you stammer, unable to meet his gaze. âi was just⌠doing my job.â
âi know,â he says, voice soft but unyielding. âyouâve got talent.â
thereâs a beat, silence stretching between you, the weight of his words settling over the both of you.
â...and youâve got this whole heartthrob thing going for you,â you blurt out, finally meeting his eyes with a nervous laugh. âkind of makes it hard to believe youâre my colleague.â
âheartthrob, huh?â he smirks, voice dipping lower as his fingers drift to your chin, tilting your face up.Â
âso thatâs what you think of me?â
âi â i meanâŚâ you stammer, your heart racing as you look into his eyes, feeling your cheeks burn. âmaybe a little. just⌠a tiny bit.â
âtiny?â he murmurs, his lips barely an inch away. âcouldâve sworn you looked a little more than just âtinyâ interested.â
âoh yeah?â your voice is a whisper now, almost breathless as you feel his breath on your skin, his gaze never wavering. âwhat if i was?â
âthen iâd probably do this,â he mutters, his hand sliding up to cradle your face, and before you know it, his lips are on yours, soft and warm and impossibly gentle.
your breath catches, and instinctively, you lean into him, letting his kiss deepen, his hand tracing slow, lazy patterns against your cheek. itâs everything youâd imagined and somehow even better, his presence grounding and electric all at once.
when he finally pulls back, his forehead rests against yours, his eyes soft but searching. âso⌠do i still get to be a heartthrob?â
âonly if i still get to be the girl with the cringe smut,â you murmur back, grinning like an idiot.
âdeal,â he says, chuckling as he pulls you in for another kiss, his lips brushing yours like a promise.
ah, shit.
as toji slips back into the car, he barely manages to close the door before megumiâs voice hits him like a lightning bolt.
âdaddy kissed the pretty lady!â megumi shrieks, pointing an accusatory finger from the backseat. âi saw it! you have that weird face on!â
tojiâs eyebrows shoot up. âweird face? what weird face?â he tries to play it cool, adjusting the rearview mirror, but the ghost of that kiss is still painted on his lips, his pulse betraying him with every beat.
âthat smile,â megumi says, wrinkling his nose in a perfect mirror of his dadâs usual expression of disdain. âyou look like a⌠like aâŚâ he pauses, searching for the right words. â...like a love puppy!â
toji chokes, stifling a laugh. âa love puppy? where the hell did you get that from?â
âitâs a thing, daddy,â megumi huffs, crossing his arms. âyou have that goofy look, and your face is all soft. you only look like that when youâre being weird.â
âme? weird?â toji glances in the mirror, catching megumiâs glare. âkid, i think youâve got this all wrong.â
âno, i donât!â megumi insists, practically bouncing in his seat. âyou were all âgoo-goo eyesâ and âsmoochy-smoochyâ and âmwah mwah mwah!ââ he makes exaggerated kissing sounds, complete with squished-up lips and hand gestures, utterly scandalized by his dadâs sudden transformation.
âalright, alright, enough with the âmwah mwah.ââ toji tries to suppress a laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. âyouâve been watching too many cartoons.â
megumi shakes his head, his expression serious. ânope. i knew it. i knew you liked her.â he narrows his eyes, as if seeing through tojiâs very soul. âso⌠are you gonna marry her?â
tojiâs eyes go wide.Â
âwhoa, whoa, hold on. nobody said anything about marriage.â
âbut if you kiss someone, that means you wanna be with them forever, right?â megumi asks earnestly, looking way too wise for his age.
toji stares ahead, caught off-guard by the kidâs earnestness.Â
that kiss⌠he didnât plan it. he didnât even know he was going to do it until heâd leaned in, felt the spark pull him closer. but now?Â
yeah, the idea of just walking away feels⌠wrong. he tightens his grip on the steering wheel, his mind racing.
âkid, sometimes people just⌠feel things, okay?â he says, his voice softer, more introspective. âeven if they donât really know why.â
megumi tilts his head, watching his dad closely. âso you do like her, then?â
toji snorts, pulling the car out onto the road. âalright, detective, settle down back there. no more snooping.â
they drive in a comfortable silence for a moment, but the radio has other plans.Â
as if on cue, the familiar, aching chords of iris by the goo goo dolls come through the speakers, and toji swears he could feel the universe laughing at him.
âand i donât want the world to see me, âcause i donât think that theyâd understandâŚâ
toji clenches his jaw, feeling the lyrics press into him, each line stirring something restless and warm in his chest. heâs always been a guy with his walls up, always knew the stakes were too high to let anyone in.Â
but tonight⌠tonight, he let his guard down. just for a second.Â
he kissed you, tasted the softness of your lips, and the spark left him reeling.
âwhen everythingâs meant to be broken, i just want you to know who i amâŚâ
âdaddy?â megumiâs voice breaks through his thoughts. âdo you think⌠maybe you could see her again? so she could come play with us?â
toji blinks, glancing at megumi in the rearview mirror. âyou really like her, huh?â
megumi nods vigorously. âyeah! sheâs⌠nice. and fun.â his face softens. âand⌠she made you look happy.â
tojiâs heart gives a strange, unfamiliar twist at that.Â
happy, huh?Â
heâs been around the block long enough to know that happiness isnât exactly his best friend. but sitting here, listening to megumi, feeling that residual warmth from your kiss⌠it makes him wonder.Â
wonder what life could look like with you in it.
but he pushes the thought away, focusing on the road. doesnât change the fact that youâre just his colleague. right?
âand iâd give up forever to touch youâŚâ
ugh.
he shifts uncomfortably, hoping megumi doesnât notice his knuckles going white on the steering wheel.Â
that kiss wasnât just some fleeting thing â heâd known it the second he felt the warmth of you linger even after pulling away. the idea of letting you go now feels⌠impossible. somethingâs tugging him back, making him want more.
âhey, daddy,â megumi pipes up again, breaking tojiâs brooding. âyou got that look again.â
âwhat look?â toji mutters, trying to focus on anything but the goofy grin creeping back onto his face.
megumi smirks, mimicking tojiâs soft expression. âthat âi kissed a pretty ladyâ look!â
toji laughs, shaking his head as he glances at megumi in the rearview mirror. âalright, alright. i guess you caught me.â
and as he drives home, the final notes of iris playing softly through the car, he canât shake the feeling that this⌠whatever this is⌠isnât something heâs ready to let go of.
ah, shit.
as soon as toji sets megumi down on his bed, tucking him in amongst the mountain of ridiculous plushies heâd somehow won at the arcade, he heads back to his room. sliding his phone out, he finds himself doing something he never thought heâd do: texting gojo. of all people.
with a reluctant sigh, he taps out a message, feeling a pang of embarrassment he canât shake.
you [8:47 pm]: how longâs her contract with gojo sonic?
a moment later, he watches the screen, regretting even reaching out. but, of course, gojo wastes no time with a reply.
gojo s. [8:50 pm]: ohohohohooooo her contract??? gojo s. [8:50 pm]: i knew it. youâre smitten. you [8:51 pm]: donât start. gojo s. [8:51 pm]: too late! câmon, dish it out, big guy. gojo s. [8:51 pm]: you guys had a moment, huh? the chemistry finally snapped? whatâd ya do, kiss her?
toji clenches his jaw, hesitating before typing back. his thumb hovers, wondering how much grief heâd get for saying yes. finally, he mutters a curse under his breath and just goes for it.
you [8:53 pm]: ...yeah, i kissed her. happy?
he can practically feel gojoâs cackle vibrating through the phone.
gojo s. [8:53 pm]: WHAT??? gojo s. [8:53 pm]: WAIT. gojo s. [8:53 pm]: oh, i need details. gojo s. [8:53 pm]: full play-by-play. gojo s. [8:53 pm]: like was it one of those slow, cinematic moments? gojo s. [8:54 pm]: or was it a grab and smooch kinda deal??
toji rolls his eyes, fighting off a grin he refuses to admit is there. of all the reactions, heâd been prepared for gojoâs nosiness, but itâs still as annoying as ever.
you [8:55 pm]: shut it. i already said too much. gojo s. [8:55 pm]: pfffff as if iâm letting you get away with that tidbit and no context. gojo s. [8:55 pm]: did she look at you all wide-eyed? gojo s. [8:55 pm]: did you do that thing with your voice?? gojo s. [8:56 pm]: or was it just an accidental, âoh no, we tripped into each otherâs facesâ sorta thing?
toji rubs his temples, trying to block out how much his stupid heart rate picks up just remembering the way you looked up at him, the softness of your lips, the way it all felt so natural. he shakes his head, forcing the memory aside.
you [8:57 pm]: none of your business, and itâs private. you [8:57 pm]: donât you dare send any of this to suguru. gojo s. [8:57 pm]: oh relax! suguruâs not that nosy. gojo s. [8:57 pm]: okay maybe he is. gojo s. [8:58 pm]: but heâs a romantic. gojo s. [8:58 pm]: think of it as getting free relationship coaching!! you [9:00 pm]: i swear to god satoru iâll leave the company if you spill this.
thereâs a pause, and for a second toji hopes that maybe heâs scared gojo off.Â
but, predictably, the next message makes his blood pressure spike.
gojo s. [9:05 pm]: ohhhhh no no youâre not getting off that easy. gojo s. [9:05 pm]: iâm calling dibs on being the flower girl at your wedding. suguru can be the maid of honor. gojo s. [9:06 pm]: no nvm heâd wanna be the best man gojo s. [9:06 pm]: IâLL GET MEGUMI TO CARRY THE RINGS gojo s. [9:06 pm]: genius.
toji practically growls at his phone, already regretting every second of this conversation.
you [9:07 pm]: iâll delete this whole damn thread. this never happened, got it? gojo s. [9:09 pm]: aww, toji bear, donât be like that. iâll take care of your little love story for you, promise. consider me your personal wingman. gojo s. [9:10 pm]: now tell me this â whenâs round two of smooch central happening? you [9:11 pm]: goodnight, satoru.
and with that, he shoves his phone onto his nightstand, rubbing his face with a hand. he can still feel the lingering warmth of that kiss, the way his heart skipped, the unexpected tenderness thatâs lodged itself in his mind.Â
stupid.
he shouldnât have even told gojo.
but as much as he regrets letting it slip, he doesnât regret the kiss itself.Â
not even a bit.
as soon as you slam your door shut, you just⌠stand there for a minute, heart racing, and press your fingers to your lips like itâll somehow reverse what just happened.Â
you kissed toji fushiguro.Â
the toji fushiguro.
colleague extraordinaire, with biceps that could probably benchpress your entire lifeâs savings, and that smirk⌠oh god, that smirk that had you in a daze.
but the problem?Â
there was a mini him there.Â
a little him with matching black hair and a sharp gaze.Â
you thought he was, like, the cool uncle? but⌠heâs a dad?Â
and if heâs a dad⌠does that mean heâs married? are you the other woman?!
you pace around, practically stomping into the carpet.Â
âokay, okay, letâs think this through,â you mutter, putting your hands on your hips.Â
âhe⌠he could be a single dad, right? itâs 2024, itâs not that weird for people to have kids without, like, commitment commitments. but then again, he does look like the type whoâd⌠i donât know, maybe be exclusive? probably?â
your brain is racing, and youâre spinning yourself into circles.Â
âi mean, i havenât seen a ring on his finger⌠but maybe he just doesnât wear it?â you plop down on your couch, practically sinking into it as you cover your face with both hands.
ugh.
âdid i just kiss a married man? or worse⌠what if heâs, like, engaged? or has a live-in girlfriend? or â oh my god, what if heâs in some high-profile relationship and i just stepped into the middle of it? ââ
you groan, flopping back. âbut he⌠he definitely leaned in first. iâm not hallucinating. he did! but then, if heâs that willing to kiss me, does that mean heâs⌠a cheater?â
you sit up and shake your head, wide-eyed. âokay, no, i refuse to believe that toji fushiguro, mr. brooding and brooding-er with a kid who listens to korn, is a cheater. thereâs no way⌠right?â
your own voice is almost pleading as you try to convince yourself, pacing again.Â
âi mean, maybe heâs just⌠really, really committed to⌠being mysterious. yeah, that makes sense. heâs keeping everything a secret, so that just leaves me spiraling about him⌠perfect. just perfect.â
you smack a hand against your forehead. âwhy couldnât i have asked literally any of this earlier?â you shake your head. âright, because i was too busy kissing him.â
you throw yourself back onto the couch and stare at the ceiling, the whole thing replaying in your head.Â
that look he gave you, the warmth of his hand on your backâŚ
stop.
but itâs too late. your brain keeps running with it.
âwhat if⌠what if he has no idea iâm freaking out?â you frown. âoh, he probably doesnât. and here i am, making a whole drama out of one kiss.â you let out a deep sigh.
you flop onto your bed, heart still pounding, and stare up at the ceiling, fingers absently grazing your lips.Â
burning loins, they said. melting from one kiss, they said.Â
well, no one exactly said that â except every steamy novel youâve ever read or written, but thatâs beside the point.
you groan, kicking your feet up in frustration. this isnât one of your own novels! itâs supposed to be real life! but now here you are, in the aftermath of what was arguably the best kiss youâve ever had, practically combusting at the memory of it.
âif one kiss with toji â no, any man â can get me this hot and bothered, how am i supposed to handle it if i ever⌠you knowâŚâ your voice trails off, and you turn over, burying your face into the pillow as if itâll smother the absurd train of thought.Â
but then, just as you start to get your mind off it, his face pops back up in your head.
âoh god,â you mumble, pulling the pillow over your face. âthis is pathetic.â you roll over again, laughing helplessly to yourself.Â
if this is what one or two kisses do to me⌠whatâll happen if we actually have sex?
your eyes snap open. âokay, no. no! i didnât mean toji, i meant, like⌠any guy! any guy at all! but, oh god, why is it always him?!â
you stare at the ceiling, huffing as your brain keeps looping back to him.Â
his stupidly attractive smirk, the way his hand was firm but gentle on your back, how he looked at you as if you were his next breath.Â
girl, get a grip.
âthis is ridiculous,â you mutter, swatting at your face like itâll erase his image from your mind. but it doesnât work; heâs right there, all hot and smug in your imagination. ugh, this isnât fair!
itâs like all those countless hours you spent spinning erotic fantasies are coming back to haunt you â and in the most inconvenient, infuriating way possible. you scrunch up your face, realizing with mild horror that maybe⌠just maybe⌠you wrote this scenario into existence for yourself.
âoh no⌠is this karma?â you groan, curling up and swatting the air in helpless embarrassment. âgirl, this is not supposed to happen in real life. or with toji.â
but there it is: his face, and your wildly racing heart, and the undeniable, excruciating heat pooling in your belly that refuses to quit.
but even with the spiraling, thereâs one thing you canât deny: as much as itâs driving you crazy, as much as youâre practically scaring yourself into thinking youâve just made the worst mistake of your lifeâŚ
you kinda donât regret it. and thatâs the scariest part.
ah, shit.
you step into gojo-sonic, clutching your bag with a little more intensity than usual, and itâs as if youâve entered an alternate dimension.Â
the energy is somehow⌠different. you expect to be greeted with the usual casual nods and waves, but instead, gojo is practically skipping toward you, arms spread wide like heâs welcoming the new queen of the recording studio.
âthere she is! our star of the show, our resident heart-throb wrangler!â he coos, louder than necessary. his grin is blinding, and youâre caught between the urge to backpedal out of the building or dive under the nearest desk.
âuh⌠good morning?â you reply, more like a question than a statement, glancing around to see if anyone else is picking up on his hyperness. itâs like heâs had twelve cups of coffee or ten bags of skittles. âgojo, youâre⌠kind of extra today.â
âextra? extra?â he throws a hand over his heart, eyes gleaming. âhoney, iâm never just âextra.â i am exactly the right amount of gojo for the occasion.â
âand what occasion is that, exactly?â
âoh, nothing much, just a certain someone having an⌠enlightening encounter last night,â he says with a wink so exaggerated it looks like heâs trying to shoo a bug off his face.
you stiffen. âwait, how do youâŚ?â
âoh, come on,â he waves it off, laughing. âyou think you can keep something like that from me? i mean, i might be blessed with an enormous amount of talent, looks, and charisma, but i also happen to have eyes and ears everywhere.â he taps his temple, looking ridiculously pleased with himself.
âseriously?â you glance around, your stomach sinking a little, looking for any sign of smirking coworkers or curious eyes, but everyoneâs just⌠normal? going about their business, not sparing you a second glance. relief washes over you, only to be swept away by gojoâs piercing stare.
âoh, donât worry. i havenât shared your scandalous rendezvous with the world. only i am privy to this delightful information â for now,â he adds, wagging a finger. âand donât look so shocked! nothing juicy stays hidden from me for long. i know all the company secrets.â
you feel heat rise to your cheeks, equal parts exasperated and embarrassed. âgojo, it wasnât even that big of a deal. itâs not likeâŚâ you trail off, realizing heâs hanging on to your every word, eyes sparkling with mischief.
âuh-huh,â he drawls, drawing the word out. ânot a big deal, you say? then why do you look like youâre about to start sweating bullets?â
âiâm not sweating bullets,â you say through clenched teeth, then give in and sigh. âlook, we just⌠it was just a⌠i mean, weâre colleagues, and things got a little⌠friendly. it doesnât have to mean anything!â
gojo gasps, mock-horrified. âoh, but darling, this is precisely why itâs so interesting! you, of all people, getting caught up with toji fushiguro? and here i thought youâd sworn off office romances.â
âitâs not an office romance,â you insist, voice practically a whisper. âwe just⌠kissed. once. or twice. maybe. but it doesnât mean anything!â
gojo leans in, conspiratorially. âand yet you look ready to combust from the inside out just talking about it.â
you huff, throwing him a half-hearted glare. âmaybe itâs because someone is making this into a bigger deal than it actually is.â
âyou wound me!â he presses a hand dramatically to his chest, giving you an exaggerated pout. âbut donât worry, your little secret is safe with me. i only told you so youâd know that i know. and, you know, to make things extra awkward in case mr. heart-throb walks in.â
âoh, so youâre really just out to make my life difficult?â
he grins, all teeth. âprecisely.â
just then, as if summoned by some cruel twist of fate, toji strolls in. heâs the absolute picture of normalcy, no hint whatsoever of last nightâs⌠moment.Â
in fact, he gives you a polite nod, a polite nod, as if he hadnât had you pressed against your own door just hours ago.
âmorning,â he says casually, voice smooth, tone nonchalant. he doesnât even so much as smirk.
you nearly choke. polite nod? normal greeting? did he forget the entire thing?Â
âoh, morning,â you manage, clearing your throat, feeling like youâre about to combust again.
gojo, however, is having the time of his life. heâs practically vibrating next to you, watching the exchange with glee.
âmorninggg, fushiguro,â he greets toji, voice syrupy with unrestrained glee. âany exciting news today?â
toji raises an eyebrow, shooting him a confused look. âuh, no? everythingâs pretty normal.â his eyes flick over to you, calm, almost neutral, as if he hadnât kissed you senseless just last night.
you clench your jaw. is he really going to act like this? you nearly feel like gaslighting yourself into thinking last night never happened. maybe you just dreamed it, right?
tojiâs gaze flicks away from you, unperturbed, as he moves over to get his things ready for the dayâs recording. and thatâs when gojo leans over and mutters under his breath, âyou sure you donât want to just⌠remind him?â
âi hate you,â you mutter back, trying not to smile, knowing that heâs secretly rooting for you to fall flat on your face with this whole ordeal.
âi live for your misery, my friend,â he replies with a wink.
meanwhile, toji was absolutely in another dimension of romcom chaos himself, feeling like some kind of high school kid who just had his first crush. he woke up grinning, actually giggling as he got dressed.Â
giggling. when was the last time he did that?Â
he nearly skipped out the door, and on his drive to work, he found himself humming, humming, to his car stereo like some lovestruck fool. and he didnât stop there. oh no.Â
by the time he reached gojo-sonic, heâd already run through a few extra vocal warm-ups in the car â something he never did this early. he cleared his throat and ran through his usual lines twice, even testing his pitch a bit. no, not because he wanted to be extra smooth today, of course not. he was doing it for the⌠for the paycheck.Â
definitely.
but as soon as he walked into the studio, and he saw you standing there beside gojo, looking all kinds of pretty and polished⌠he practically heard violins. except no, it wasnât violins.Â
it was, somehow, worse.
his mind cued up dancing queen.
âno. nope. nope.â he muttered under his breath, trying to swat the ridiculous soundtrack out of his mind. but it wouldnât stop.Â
âdancing queen, feel the beat from the tambourine, oh, yeahâŚ.â
why, in the name of all things sacred, was his brain doing this to him? he was toji fushiguro, not some idiot falling over his own feet for a girl at work. he gave himself a good shake, squared his shoulders, and tried to keep his composure. yet every time he caught your eye, his chest did a little flip â and dammit if he didnât want to just pick you up and give you another kiss right then and there.
âmorning,â he forced out, nodding as casually as he could.
and there you were, gaping back with that hint of nervousness, looking like you might combust from just a regular âgood morning.âÂ
god, it was almost cute enough to make him actually laugh out loud.
âsheâs just a colleague,â he reminded himself, over and over again, as he worked to keep the grin off his face. âa colleague. not some romcom lead you just made out with in front of her apartment.â
yet the way dancing queen kept droning in his head, as if mocking his every move? toji was seriously questioning whether heâd woken up in some kind of alternate reality.
and he just knew gojo was watching the whole thing with a smug look, likely dying to crack a joke, or worse, belt out dancing queen if he somehow figured out what was in tojiâs head.Â
and knowing gojo? he probably already had.
the studio door clicked shut as gojo swept out with an exaggerated bow, holding up his finger in a silent âone minuteâ before he launched into his call with suguru in a voice loud enough to be heard two floors down. gojo was probably already going on about the âincredible chemistryâ between his favorite team members, or whatever nonsense heâd decided on for today.Â
and with him out of the room, it was just you and toji.Â
alone.Â
in silence.
you shifted on your feet, eyes darting everywhere except directly at him, yet somehow landing right back on him. it was like your brain had a toji magnet switched on, and no matter how hard you tried to look elsewhere, you found yourself glancing back at him.
finally, the quiet got so charged that you both ended up blurting out at the exact same time â
âare you single?â
you both froze, then looked at each other, wide-eyed, like you couldnât believe youâd just asked that out loud.
âuh,â toji coughed, scratching the back of his neck. âwell. yeah, i am. single, that is.
âoh.â you tried to act cool, but it came out as a slightly breathless squeak. âgood to know.â
âand you?â he asked, voice low, almost cautious, as if bracing himself for an answer he wasnât sure he wanted to hear.
âalso single,â you admitted, feeling your cheeks warm under his gaze. âwhich⌠is also good to know.â
there was a beat of quiet where you both just kind of looked at each other, a half-smile creeping onto his face as you kept shifting on your feet, practically melting under the intensity of his gaze.
âsoâŚâ you cleared your throat, your hands fidgeting a little as you gathered the nerve to ask the next thing. âdidnât know you had a kid.â
âoh, yeah.â toji chuckled, a hint of fondness lighting up his expression as he thought of his son. âheâs my kid, alright. handful and a half, that one.â
âheâs adorable.â you smiled, thinking back to the mini toji who had totally stolen your heart. âhow old is he?â
âeight.â tojiâs voice softened, a rare warmth in his tone that youâd never heard before. âhe, uh⌠he means a lot to me. not that iâd ever tell him that, though. donât want him thinking heâs got me wrapped around his little finger or anything.â
you laughed, picturing the little boy with his big grin and fearless energy. âsomething tells me he already knows.â
âyeah, probably.â toji laughed too, and for a moment, there was an ease between you, a shared warmth that made the whole moment feel so⌠natural.
âso⌠um, are you, like⌠a single dad?â you asked, careful with your words, not wanting to pry too deeply.
âyeah.â his answer was simple, but there was a weight to it. âjust me and the kid. been that way for a while.â
âthatâsâŚâ you bit your lip, not sure what to say without sounding weirdly sentimental. âthatâs admirable. megumiâs lucky to have you.
âi donât know about all that,â he muttered, clearly uncomfortable with the praise but unable to hide a small smile. âjust doing what i can, you know?â
âstill,â you said, feeling a swell of admiration you hadnât expected. âitâs impressive. and honestly⌠seeing you with him yesterday? it was⌠kinda heartwarming.â
toji looked at you, eyes softening in a way that made your heart stutter.Â
âthanks,â he murmured, his voice almost a whisper. âmeans a lot, hearing that.â
the two of you stood there, closer than you realized, in this weird bubble where everything felt warm and intense and perfect. just as you felt that strange magnetic pull drawing you closer, like maybe youâd just close the gap and â
the studio door banged open.
âdonât stop on my account!â gojo sing-songed, practically sashaying back into the room, a smirk plastered across his face.
you both leaped back, clearing your throats and suddenly finding the walls, the floor, anything else in the room utterly fascinating.
âalright, lovebirds, letâs get this recording started, shall we?â gojo grinned, his eyes sparkling with mischief as he looked between the two of you, not even pretending he hadnât just caught a whole moment.
toji settled into the recording booth, leaning back in the chair with the script in hand, his voice dipping to that low, gravelly tone that made every line sound like an invitation.
âso,â he began, speaking as the dragon king to the main character in the script, his words practically dripping with intensity, âyou think you can resist me? i see right through you⌠even the bravest warriors have trembled at my touch.â
your breath caught as he delivered the line, eyes wide as you watched him through the glass.Â
you couldnât help it â his character was practically staring into your soul, voice thick and slow, practically wrapping around each word.
âdo you know what happens to those who challenge me?â toji continued, his eyes narrowing as he held the script in one hand, his gaze piercing. âthey are forced to surrender⌠one way or another.â
outside the booth, you practically felt yourself melting, feeling a flush creep up your cheeks as you fidgeted with the edge of your shirt.Â
tojiâs voice, his delivery â it was all too much. how was it possible for him to sound that⌠that intense? it was like he was actually speaking to you.
âah, beautiful.â gojo, standing beside you, broke in with a theatrical sigh. âour dragon king sounds magnificent, doesnât he? i could practically faint!â
you shot him a quick glare, barely masking a smirk. âkeep it down, gojo. heâs in the middle of it.â
âoh, iâm just here to appreciate the artistry,â gojo whispered back, feigning innocence as he leaned in to watch, hands clasped together dramatically.
âthe choice is yours,â toji went on, his voice softer now, laced with something tender that made it impossible to look away. âjoin me⌠or keep pretending this ââ he emphasized the word, letting it linger â â isnât exactly what youâve been wanting.â
you swallowed hard, feeling the weight of his gaze even through the glass.Â
was he delivering that line as the dragon king or as⌠well, toji?
but then â
âohhhh!â gojo chimed in loudly, clutching his chest as if heâd been struck by an arrow. âthe passion! the romance! our heroâs heart is pounding!â
toji paused, rolling his eyes as he looked at gojo through the glass. âyou really gonna keep interrupting, gojo?â
âoh, donât mind me,â gojo said, waving a hand. âiâm simply enjoying the magic in the air! please, carry on. do go on.â he pretended to dab at his eyes. âso moving.â
toji gave a small sigh but threw you a barely-there smile before settling back into character.
âand when you finally stop runningâŚâ his voice softened, a quiet urgency threading through it.Â
âiâll be here, waiting⌠because you belong to me, whether you admit it or not.â
your heart skipped a beat, and you found yourself leaning in, hanging onto every word, caught up in the sheer pull of his voice.Â
you didnât know if it was his talent as a voice actor, the lines he was reading, or him, but every word was drawing you in deeper, bit by bit.
âah, what is it like to be so passionately claimed by a dragon king? how riveting!â gojo murmured dramatically, as if providing a play-by-play to an audience. âsheâs helpless, entranced! they both know sheâs falling!â
toji cast a pointed look at gojo, barely concealing a smirk. âyou done yet, gojo?â
gojo merely grinned, shrugging. âhey, iâm just here to make sure the romance shines through. and oh, donât worry â itâs definitely shining.â
toji rolled his eyes but kept going, lowering his voice to a rumbling murmur. âif you donât know where your heart lies, then iâll show you.âÂ
he paused, his words lingering in the air like a promise, like he was speaking directly to you.
by now, the studio felt suffused with tension, thick enough to cut with a knife. it didnât help that every time gojo piped in with another comment, it only made you feel more painfully aware of every detail: the way tojiâs gaze kept flickering your way, the way your own pulse raced faster with each line he spoke.
âthe truth is right in front of you,â toji continued, his voice dropping low, rough, something smoldering behind each word. âall you have to do is reach out⌠and claim it.â
âgorgeous! breathtaking!â gojo burst out, clapping his hands loudly. âi can practically see the sparks flying! ah, young love!â
toji finally broke character, raising a brow at gojo with a look of pure exasperation. âyou gonna let me finish or not?â
gojo waved a hand. âfine, fine. but for real â if you two donât kiss after this, i might have to stage a re-shoot.â
both you and toji threw your hands up simultaneously, voices raised in exasperation.Â
âgojo, would you please stop interrupting!â
âyeah, seriously, man,â toji added, shaking his head as he glanced over at you with a shared look of pure frustration.
âokay, okay! sheesh!â gojo shrieked, actually shrieked, as he staggered back in mock terror, clutching his chest like heâd been mortally wounded. âall i wanted was to witness some workplace romance! is that so wrong?â
âyes, gojo, very wrong,â you shot back, rubbing your temples. âthis is literally supposed to be professional â you should know that.â
toji snorted, crossing his arms as he smirked at gojo. âfor once, i agree. youâve got all the dramatic flair of a middle-schooler.â
âexcuse me,â gojo replied, flipping an imaginary hair strand over his shoulder. âiâll have you know my artistic eye is very advanced.â he let out a huff, but from the grin on his face, you could tell he was thoroughly enjoying himself.
you shook your head, exasperated. âlook, can we just get this recording done without any more ââ
âinterruptions,â toji finished for you, raising a brow as he glanced over at gojo.
âfine, fine!â gojo finally backed off, dramatically sliding into a chair in the corner, arms folded in mock offense. âiâll be silent as a stone. a beautiful, thoughtful stone.â
you exchanged another look with toji, both of you sighing in unison.Â
something told you both that it was going to be a very long day, especially with gojoâs creative directionâŚ
toji, after finishing a solid block of recording, had ended up chatting with the sound techs, leaving you flipping through your phone while you waited.Â
gojo, in his usual meddling fashion, suddenly brightened up and declared, âoh! why donât you have a little chat with suguru? i told him you were here. he insisted on saying hello!â
you raised an eyebrow. âuh, sure?â
gojo sent you a link to join the video call, and soon suguruâs face popped up on the screen. his calm expression softened slightly when he saw you. âwell, hello there. gojo wasnât exaggerating when he said he had a new âstarâ at the studio.â
you laughed, feeling a bit flustered. âthanks, geto! i hear youâre a partner at a... famous wine company?â
suguru gave a modest shrug. âyeah, itâs called persephone. itâs a small project that grew bigger than i expected. i handle a lot of the sourcing and marketing â keeps me away from here most of the time.â
âpersephone? iâve heard great things about it!â you said, genuinely impressed. âthe way gojo talks about it, it sounds like a pretty big deal.â
he chuckled, glancing to the side as if recalling memories. âi started it with a... friend, actually. she was passionate about wine and had a vision that i couldnât help but support. i guess i have a soft spot for her, and i... well, care about her a lot.â
you felt your heart warm a little at his sincerity, and the slight hesitation when he spoke of his partner. âit sounds like you two have something special going on,â you said, offering a supportive smile. âiâm sure she appreciates everything you do, especially with how involved you are. and honestly? best of luck. that kind of partnership sounds really meaningful.â
suguru gave a small nod, a faint, appreciative smile on his face.Â
âthank you. i think sheâd like you. maybe one day, if you ever make it out here for one of gojoâs wild wine-tasting parties, we can all meet up.â
âiâd love that!â you replied, already imagining how intriguing that partnership might be. and as you finished up the conversation, it struck you that youâd gotten a glimpse of a different side of suguru â one he clearly didnât reveal often.
toji hadnât meant to get distracted, but the second he saw you on a video call with suguru, laughing over whatever he was saying, he couldnât help it. heâd been halfway listening to the sound tech drone on about waveform patterns, but all of that faded when he caught sight of you smiling on-screen.Â
who exactly were you talking to like that? why did you look so happy?
the tech was still talking beside him, but tojiâs focus was elsewhere.Â
suguru.Â
that damn calm, collected face of his.Â
the same suguru who heâd seen only sparingly around the company, mostly through gojoâs random updates, but who was still one of the few people gojo actually respected.
toji squinted, his jaw tightening as he took a few steps toward you and pretended it was a casual stroll.
why was he doing this? it wasnât like he had any claim on you, right?Â
sure, there was that one kiss â or, well, those two kisses, actually.Â
but still.Â
he was a grown man, not some jealous kid. yet here he was, feeling like he had to size up suguru over a damn screen.
before he even realized it, toji had closed the distance. without asking, he leaned over your shoulder, practically shoving his face into the camera view as he met suguruâs face.
âhey, suguru,â he drawled, and the way his voice came out a little gruff didnât escape him. âdidnât know you were interrupting a busy studio day here.â
you blinked, wide-eyed at his sudden closeness, but toji kept his eyes on suguru, ignoring your flustered reaction. suguru looked almost amused, raising an eyebrow at tojiâs unannounced intrusion.
âtoji. iâm just saying hi to the new talent here,â suguru replied with a smooth smile, clearly unfazed. âiâm sure you wouldnât mind me meeting one of satoruâs top finds.â
âtop find?â toji scoffed, feeling a weird pang at the words. âiâm the one doing all the work here.â
you shot him a look, somewhere between surprised and amused. âtoji ââ
but he just grunted and kept going, ignoring your attempt to intervene. âso, suguru, been busy with all that wine business, huh?â he went on, as if suguruâs whole life story had suddenly become his priority.
âpretty much,â suguru replied, a slight smirk in his tone. âitâs been keeping me busy, and i have aâŚclose partner who keeps me grounded. speaking of which,â he turned his gaze to you with an amused smile, âshe was the one who started persephone. iâm really just there to support her vision.â
âsounds convenient,â toji muttered, but suguru just chuckled.
you nudged him with your elbow, giving him a warning look. âtoji, come on,â you whispered, as if he was the one being out of line here.
he let out a low sigh, then pulled back slightly, looking at you as if heâd just remembered himself. âwhat? âm just makinâ sure youâre not getting dragged into any fancy wine scams or whatever.â
you rolled your eyes but couldnât hide a smile. âgetoâs company is doing fine, toji. itâs called persephone.â
toji folded his arms and gave a dismissive shrug. âwell, just saying. i know people.âÂ
the whole room seemed to go a bit quieter, and toji cleared his throat, looking away from suguru's patient amusement.
ânice meeting you, toji,â suguru added, with a slight tilt of his head. âtake care of our new âtop findâ there, alright?â
toji clenched his jaw a little at the words, then nodded, pretending he wasnât glaring at the camera. âyeah, yeah. weâre all set here.â
as the call ended, you turned to him, eyebrows raised, clearly wanting an explanation. âwhat was that about?â
toji scratched the back of his neck, trying to look casual. âjust, yâknowâŚmaking sure you werenât getting yourself in with shady people.â
âoh? like, you?â
he let out a bark of laughter, realizing heâd backed himself into a corner. âhey, iâm not shady â iâm just thorough.â
you raised an eyebrow. âthorough? right, thatâs the word youâre going with?â
âyeah. and what â you mad at me for caring?â
at that, you went quiet, a faint blush touching your cheeks.Â
and toji? well, he could only think of those two kisses again, and how stupidly close heâd just gotten to the camera just to⌠what? size up suguru?Â
he mentally groaned. what was wrong with him?
tag list is open, comment if you'd like to be on it <3 produced by creamflix on tumblr. all rights reserved. do not copy, steal, modify, repost â support your writers by liking and reblogging. ⥠banners by cafekitsune
#jjk smut#jujutsu kaisen smut#jjk x reader#jujutsu kaisen x fem!reader#jjk x female reader#jujutsu kaisen x reader#jjk x fem!reader#jujutsu kaisen x female reader#jjk x y/n#jujutsu kaisen x you#fushiguro toji x you#fushiguro toji x reader#toji x y/n#toji x you#toji x reader#toji x self insert#fushiguro smut#toji fushiguro x you#toji fushiguro x reader#fushiguro x you#fushiguro x y/n#fushiguro x reader#toji zenin x reader#toji zenin x you
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everyone is fucking but no one is horny
one of my twitter friends recently said that if she could order up a fic it would be a story written by someone who has only ever read the classics, 1.5 star trek novelizations, and their mother's romance novels from 1970, written about two people are so out of their minds horny for each other it causes them to make the absolute worst choices anyone's ever made.
and i almost lost my mind laughing because i do know exactly what she means. there is a weird vibe i can sometimes sense within the first few paragraphs a fic that really bums me out. it's almost like i can tell the author is thinking way too much about what i'm thinking about their id and it's suddenly like we're all suddenly wondering how riding a bicycle works when we're mid-ride. when you start worrying too much audience interpretation or how a fic is going to do or play or ugh marketability, it genuinely adds some weird self-conscious distance to whatever you're doing. and it's the pits from the reader side because it removes so much horniness from your story even if the idea you have is genuinely good! i know this is not a niche complaint--you find it literally everywhere as every sector of the creative internet gets #content-ed and people can't escape the stats of how any given creative outlet does.
but god there's literally nothing better than sitting down and reading some freaknasty person's art where they do not give a single shit if you like it. they had something to say and my god they were gonna say it. i've accidentally acquired so many kinks by clicking on a story where someone took me on the most insane ride of my life and i thrilled about it. i don't wanna read about polite normal regular love. i don't wanna read about people using therapy-speak on each other. i wanna read about two people feeling the biggest craziest feelings of their entire life and they cannot do anything about it except bang it out. what else are we doing here? if they're not fucking down an entire house, well jed i don't even wanna read it.
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ââđđđđ đđđđđđ â đđđđ â§âË ęą
pairing: fem!celeb!singer x quinn hughes
summary: in which a famous singer from vancouver reveals her crush on quinn and the internet goes crazy.
genre: social media fic
fc: sabrina carpenter
note: part 2 of this! youâve waited long enough! thank you for being patient and I hope the wait was worth it! thanks for all the love on the first part and as always Iâd love to hear what you think! there might be a third and last part where they hard launch? idk yet
taglist: @alwaysclassyeagle @bunbunbl0gs @elliegator @trevuorzegras @hischierswhore @elliefind @goldenfinchs-blog
nhl
liked by quinnhughes, trevorzegras, and others.
nhl: the STARS have arrived in Toronto!𤊠tune in at 8PM ET to watch the 2024 NHL ALL-STARS draft!
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user63: sheâs literally so stunning. iâm sick.
user52: need the quinn and y/n content ASAP admin
ynluvr: only here for y/n ngl
user33: donât know why some people get so pressed about y/n performing. sheâs canadian, and sheâs blowing up rn. she brings in a lot of fans for the league⌠itâs a genius marketing move imo
⤡ user43: great. just what we need more people pretending to be fans of the game when they donât know shit about it. she probably doesnât know anything about it either.
⤡ user33: she grew up in Vancouver and sheâs been a canucks fan since she was a little kid. she posts more about going to their games than she does about her own music and that says a lot. she also played when she was younger so I think itâs safe to say she knows a fair amount about the game!
user12: MOTHERđŠ
yourusername
liked by jackhughes, quinnhughes, and others.
yourusername: got to do something super cool last night. still in shock I thinkđ thank you @.nhl đŠˇ
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nhl: thank YOU𤊠weâre still in awe of that performance. you definitely stole the show
bestfriend: did you dress like the stanley cup on purpose?
⤡ yourusername: manifesting myself to be something he wants
⤡ y/nfan: does manifestation work queen? đ
⤡ yourusername: đ
⤡ user54: she did notđđ
⤡ user77: so real of you bestie
user73: sheâs just like usđŤ
⤡ user99: down bad for that man. I could treat you so much better queen
yn.luvr: I NEED to know if theyâre dating
⤡ user75: theyâre following each other nowđ
⤡ user61: she followed him before and he followed her back during all star weekend. she also follows both his brothers now tho , and they follow her back đ¤ˇââď¸
#quinn hughes x y/n#quinn hughes x you#quinn hughes fic#quinn hughes fluff#quinn hughes fanfiction#quinn hughes x reader#quinn hughes#ę° đ ęą â đhughes > smau#ę° đď¸ ęą â đhughes
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I've watched pretty much all of Jenny Nicholson's videos (despite not being into most of the things she's into) for a variety of reasons, but one of the reasons I watch her content is because I think that she seems like a truly stand-up kind of person. Of course, given that she is a person creating content for YouTube, we're only allowed to see the version of herself that she wants us to see. I'm under no illusions about that. But the version of herself that she presents to us, the viewers, seems to be a person who is not only genuinely passionate about the things she discusses (and honest about why she'll hold back on discussing certain topics when fans of those topics can be awful about it), but also who considers the experiences of (for lack of a better phrase) the average person when it comes to the theme parks and other experiences that she reviews.
Three specific instances come to mind: one from the Evermore video, and then two from her most recent Star Wars hotel video. (Side note: she was so, so right that Disney marketing is stupid as hell for not letting influencers et cetera use the common names for things. The average person doesn't know what "Galactic Starcruiser" is, but will understand "Star Wars hotel." Get it together, Disney.)
In the Evermore video, Jenny talks about how she emailed Evermore Park ahead of her visit to try to get more information prior to her visit. Things like whether there was a dress code, what she could expect when she arrived there, information that should have been readily available on the website but wasn't. She mentions that she could have mentioned that she's an influencer and that she probably would have gotten a response (because they never emailed her back), but that she deliberately chose not to.
"So I did attempt to email ahead of my visit, trying to ask basic questions about the park and inquire about renting it out. When I did that, I was intentionally vague; I didn't link my channel, and I didn't use my primary email. And I sort of suspect that if I had done the whole influencer song and dance -- said my channel name, my subscriber count -- I might've had better access to the park, and perhaps even a better experience. But that wasn't the point. I didn't want to call ahead. I'm the mystery diner! I'm the undercover boss! If you can't deliver an equivalently good experience for all guests, that's on you and your business." [x]
Then, in the Star Wars hotel video, there were two instances in which Jenny had to reach out to Disney customer support for assistance, and received absolutely nothing in return. The first was when she paid for a photo taking service, but had absolutely no photos taken of her. When she reached out to Disney customer support for a refund, they refused to give her said deserved refund. The second instance was when she had purchased a large droid figure from the hotel, and had it shipped to her house via the Disney shipping service. The Disney shipping service inputted her address incorrectly (in fact I think she says they put in a completely different address altogether), so her droid was lost. Once again she reached out to Disney customer support to find out what she could do about this expensive item she had purchased, only to be told that they couldn't do anything to help her.
In both cases, Jenny took to twitter to post about how Disney was refusing to a.) issue her a refund for a service she paid for but never received, and b.) help her receive an item she'd paid for but never received. Both times, Disney reached out immediately, issued her the refund, and overnighted her lost item. Jenny correctly identifies that they only did this because she's an influencer with a large twitter following, and has this to say in the video:
"They didn't even ask for my phone number. Like someone at Disney just did the legwork to go into the database, look up my booking info, find my phone number and then call me within a day of the tweet going out. And the person who called me was really nice, and I'm thankful he cared to resolve it. BUT, I just always feel very cynical when I try to resolve issues through the appropriate channels available to all customers and nobody will help me until they find out I'm an 'influencer.' I spoke with several other guests who got [the photo taking service] and had the exact same problems as me, and they never got refunds." [x]
And
"But then after I tweeted about it on my twitter account with a lot of followers, Disney suddenly resolved it and they sent me a replacement. They actually overnighted it to me. And along with it they sent a lot of miscellaneous goodies which I really appreciated. So here again, I feel if this had happened to anyone without a lot of twitter followers, they would have had a significantly more frustrating experience." [x]
I feel that this post will probably read as giving Jenny kudos for doing the bare minimum. And I think that on some level, that's true. But it's true because nowadays, many influencers won't even do the bare minimum. They would have Disney immediately issue them a refund, or overnight the droid to them with the additional goodies, and then make posts gushing about how great Disney's customer service is, despite knowing full well that the (again for lack of a better term) average person who doesn't have a huge internet following would never receive that kind of support from Disney. Similarly with Evermore, most influencers would call ahead and flex their follower count to try to get a bespoke experience to then show on their channels. They wouldn't want the same experience everyone else gets. That won't generate good content, in their eyes, and besides, they're better than that. Don't you know who they are?
But Jenny, despite her follower counts, keeps it real. Yes, she appreciates that Disney did give her the deserved refund and did send her the droid + gifts. But she also points out, both times, that if she'd been a person without a large twitter following, they would not have done that, and people in the exact same position she was with the photo service didn't get their deserved refunds. With Evermore, she didn't call ahead because she DOES want the same experience everyone else gets. She wants to be able to give a genuine review. Whether that review is positive or negative is dependent on the business itself.
Again, this probably seems like giving Jenny kudos for the bare minimum of decency. And I agree that on some level it is. But I also think that, in today's day and age, we really don't get that with a lot of influencers, who are in it for the sponsorship money (and who get their egos way inflated), and so it's nice to have a reviewer / theme park influencer who is honest with her opinions, and who recognizes that yeah, Disney did give her special treatment, but that it shouldn't have been special treatment, that they should be helping all of their guests like this, through the normal channels that she tried using, and they are a shit company for not doing that.
I just really appreciate Jenny.
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masterlist âĄ
any requested works have a âĽď¸ besides them and any works containing sexual content have a 18+ mark besides them <3
one shots/smau âĄ
wrong number - charles leclerc smau. â´
-> the one where y/n gets a new phone and tries to text her auntie⌠only her auntie is not the other one at the end of the phone.
her silly rabbit - lando norris smau. âĽď¸ â´
-> just lando being the most supportive wag ever to his gymnast gf. bare minimum fr.
manifest it! - logan sargeant smau. âĽď¸ â´
-> logan manifesting a relationship with the girl of his dreams. the incredibly gorgeous, talented and famous you. at least you canât say he doesnât aim high.
i fell for you - lando norris smau. âĽď¸ â´
-> after being injured in a hit and run in a grocery store with a trolley, lando swears heâs found the one. oscar thinks itâs just the concussion talking.
mysterious girl. - lewis hamilton smau. âĽď¸ â´
-> lewis has just released that heâs just gotten married and the whole world is scrambling to find out who his secret wife is. spoiler alert! itâs you.
iâm with the band - lando norris smau. âĽď¸ â´
-> pop band CHANGE! has just released their anticipated third album; however, fans notice that the songs seem to tell an unsavoury storyâŚ.
hungry eyes - carlos sainz jr smau. âĽď¸ â´
-> carlosâ post-race interview goes viral and not necessarily for the reasons one would thinkâŚ.
glue song - oscar piastri smau. â´
-> after looking at some old photo albums, you stumble across an old photograph of your first love. you post it online and internet sleuths attempt to track him down.
good old fashioned lover boy! - lando norris smau. âĽď¸ â´
-> lando is in love. his girlfriend is the perfect girl in every way possible, except for one thing: sheâs a pescatarian, and lando hates fish.
semi charmed kinda life! - jenson button smau. [18+] âĽď¸ â´
-> simple story. girl meets boy. boy is her older brotherâs best friend. boy is off limits. then boy sees her all sweaty post race. you know the rest.
just a normal girl - charles leclerc smau. âĽď¸ â´
-> just a normal girl is a stand-up netflix comedy special performed by actress and comedienne y/n l/n in which she discusses her childhood, her horrible first meeting with her boyfriend and being a twenty something in london.
donât trust the bitch in apt 33!- max verstappen smau âĽď¸ â´
-> your new apartment in monaco is amazing. itâs close to your friends, family and work, it has incredible amenities and your neighbours for the most part seem kind. the only issue is your upstairs neighbour, who games all night and sleeps all day, and is insufferably loud while doing it.
if we were a movie - charles leclerc smau âĽď¸ â´
-> need for speed, out in cinemas feb 31st 2026, follows emma, a coffee shop owner, who falls in love with christopher, a formula one driver. the film's marketing manager decides to take you and your co-stars to the next f1 race where you meet the original inspiration for christopher and maybe, find a love story of your own.
homewrecker! - oscar piastri smau. â´
-> it is common knowledge that youâve had an anonymous long time boyfriend since your school days. so when oscar piastri starts flirting with you in your comment section, no one seems to care. that is until you start flirting back.
the winner takes it all! - oscar piastri smau âĽď¸ â´
-> when your boyfriend wins his maiden grand prix, youâve got to show up for him. that proves difficult when no one believes heâs dating you.
untitled lewis hamilton smut. [18+] âĽď¸ â´
-> does an orgasm help with migraines? lewis finds out!
good luck, babe! - charles leclerc smau/written âĽď¸ â´
-> friendships donât always survive, you and charles would know.
the princess diaries! - charles leclerc smau/written au â´
-> itâs one thing finding out youâre the crown princess of a small country. itâs another thing to figure it all out while ignoring the totally hot monegasque ambassador.
nasty girl! - oscar piastri x reader smau â´
-> slut, whore, bitch - all the words that have been used to describe famous party girl yn yln. so when you show up to the grid with a shiny diamond ring on your hand, people are trying to figure out just who would choose you.
multi posts âĄ
â random boyfriend texts w/ charles/oscar/lando/carlos.
â drunk texts âĽď¸ w/ charles/oscar/carlos/lewis/mick/max.
â texting him âsheâs busy broâ w/ max/carlos/charles/daniel/oscar/logan/lewis/lando.
â wet dreamz w/ seb/lewis/fernando/jenson/nico. 18+.
â morning/night texts âĽď¸ w/ oscar/logan/mick.
â vroom vroom! âĽď¸ w/ lando/carlos/charles.
â suga mama. w/ lando/lewis/oscar/mick/max/charles.
â pretty girl rock! w/ lando/lewis/max/charles/oscar/carlos.
series âĄ
diva anthems - hiatus. â´
-> a list of short smau/one shots based on some of my favourite songs.
dream girl universe - lewis hamilton/jude bellingham/lando norris/max verstappen/oscar piastri smau âĽď¸â´
-> being the personal assistant of sir lewis hamilton has been the highlight of your career so far, even when he has you fetching organic vegan dog food for roscoe at six in the morning. but that was to be expected, what wasnât expected was a certain athlete taking an interest in you.
nepo sister universe - ongoing. - lando norris smau. âĽď¸â´
-> two time f1 world champion. face of multiple different famous companies. part-time bassist, part-time model, and full time older sister to you. your older sister breaks barriers every time she breathes and youâre coming along for the ride.
â featuring. charles leclerc x fellow driverâs bff!reader.
maneater - ongoing - f1!female driver x grid (platonic) â´
-> what if you were the first female driver in formula one?
summer lovinâ - ongoing - interactive logan sargeant x oscar piastri smau. â´
-> after their rookie season, in a bid to repair their friendship, the two drivers decide to take their new paycheques and go explore the sun, sea and sands of greece. what they didnât anticipate was to bump into you.
raceway retail - collab project - ongoing - multi â´
-> an alternate universe where instead of the guys being formula one drivers, they work in a shopping centre/mall. one in which which you frequent often.
followerâs celebrations - ongoing/on hiatus - multi âĽď¸ â´
-> a bunch of smaus requested by my followers as a celebration for hitting 500! â masterlist.
-> a bunch of fics requested by my followers as a celebration for hitting 2k! â masterlist.
drabble masterlist - complete - multi âĽď¸ â´
-> random prompts that were requested!
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hey lover! series
"did you hear?"
"huh? about what?"
"that actor ryomen sukuna!"
"what about him?"
"apparently he's dating his co-star!"
"what, really!?"
"yeah, but get this!"
"what?"
"we don't really know!"
GENRE: alternate universe - actors/celeb au
WARNING/S: not safe for work (nsfw), r-18 and above, singers au!, romance, fluff, minor angst, slow burn, humour, slice of life, will they won't they, light-hearted, flirting, playful, possessiveness, teasing, explicit content, possible, kissing, sexual content, innuendos, drama, feels, hurt/comfort, falling in love, love, happy ending, actor/singer! sukuna, actress/celeb! reader;
(a still from their romance upcoming film, winter)
ARE RYOMEN SUKUNA AND [Your Name] SECRETLY DATING? FANS ARE SPIRALLING AS THE TENSION CONTINUES TO BOIL!
By Akira Himasa, Writer for the Shibuya Scoop; Gossip Guru Extraordinaire;
Move over, celebrity couples of the year! The world has only one question on its mind: Are Sukuna and (Y/N) secretly dating?
Rumors have been swirling faster than a cursed energy storm, and fans are in a frenzy after the latest on-set shenanigans between the two enigmatic co-stars!
The notorious King of Curses, played by the enigmatic and charming Ryomen Sukuna, has always been known for his intense, bone-chilling stare and deadly aura.
But lately, sharp-eyed fans have noticed something peculiar: Sukuna seems to have a soft spot when it comes to actress (YN).
While the two have shared screen time in plenty of heated battles, the off-screen tension is whatâs truly raising eyebrows.
Sources close to the set have reported seeing Sukuna offering you snacks between takes (Snacks! from the King of Curses!!) and making suspiciously heartfelt eye contact during rehearsals. And even enjoys private times in each other's trailer!!!
"You can cut the tension with a knife." said one insider, who claims they even saw the two laughing together. Laughing. Together. Are the sparks flying, or are they just that good at acting?
This week, both stars were spotted leaving a trendy Tokyo restaurant together. Sukuna, as usual, attempted to keep things mysterious by scowling (standard Sukuna protocol), while you looked effortlessly relaxed, sporting a mischievous grin that drove the internet WILD.
Fans on Twitter immediately exploded with theories.
âTheyâre totally dating! The way they look at each other canât be just acting,â one fan tweeted. Another added, âIâm ready to ship it! Ryomen Sukuna x (Y/N) are THE couple of the century.â
But not everyone is buying it. Some skeptics claim itâs all a clever marketing ploy to build hype for the upcoming season.
"There's no way Sukuna would let anyone get that close," scoffed one source close to the actor's entourage. "He's Ryomen freaking Sukunaâromance isn't in his script!"
Meanwhile, fans worldwide are dissecting every interview, every behind-the-scenes video, and even Sukunaâs posture next to you during press events.
The alleged chemistry has reached fever pitch, with TikTok compilations of your most flirtatious moments going viral, and conspiracy theories flying about Sukunaâs infamous smirk during your most recent interview.
So, are they? Or arenât they?
In a cryptic joint statement (because of course thereâs a statement), Ryomen Sukuna and (L/N) (Y/N) had this to say: âWeâre just very close.â (WINK WINK.)
Is this the biggest non-denial of the year? Or are we all being played like cursed puppets?
The world may never know. But one thing's for sure: Sukuna and [Your Name] are the hottest topic in town, and we canât look away!
Stay tuned for more updatesâbecause whether itâs love or just top-tier acting, weâre hooked!
â˝ââââââââââââĽ
THE SOURCE SAYS..................
CHAPTER (1) â RUMOURS
CHAPTER (2) â THE FEELS
CHAPTER (3) â OMG
CHAPTER (4) â WE GO
CHAPTER (5) â HIS PRIMADONNA
CHAPTER (6) â TBA
CHAPTER (7) â TBA
CHAPTER (8) â TBA
[COMING SOON]
#jujutsu kaisen#jjk#jjk x reader#jujutsu kaisen x reader#jujutsu kaisen x you#jjk x you#jjk x y/n#jujutsu kaisen x y/n#ryomen sukuna#sukuna ryomen#jjk ryomen sukuna#jujutsu kaisen sukuna#ryoumen sukuna#sukuna#ryomen sukuna x you#ryomen sukuna x reader#ryoumen sukuna x reader#sukuna ryomen x you#sukuna ryomen x reader#jjk sukuna x reader#sukuna x you#sukuna x reader#sukuna x y/n#jjk sukuna ryomen#sukuna jjk#jjk sukuna#jujutsu sukuna#actors au ! ! !#kayu writes ! ! !
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Hey! I really love your Mando fics. Can I request something where the reader is traveling with Din and Grogu on the crest (could be Grogu's babysitter or something) and Din has a huge crush on her and seeing how much she loves grogu makes him want to confess his feelings. Just some nice Mando fluff, can be sfw or nsfw, whatever you feel like. đ
đđĄđ đđ°đđđđđŹđ đđđĽđ¨đđ˛
Thank you for the request! I had so much fun writing this âĄ
word count: 5.7kÂ
pairing: Din Djarin x afab!readerÂ
note: Explicit (18+). Smut and fluff. Thigh riding, unprotected P in V (with use of contraception), creampie. Love confessions. The helmet comes off. The Razor Crest lives. No use of (y/n). This has not been beta nor proof read and English is not my native language.
Dinâs heart skips a beat at the sight of you. He has tried to fight the feelings he has developed for you, convinced himself that his feelings arenât truly as deep cutting as they feel. Tried to be content with the time you would spend with him and Grogu before you eventually would move on and heâd be left with the memories and the fantasies of how it would have been if you had really been his. The sight of you and Grogu is almost too much for him, and it makes it very hard for him to not just give up everything and tell you how you make him feel. Your features are highlighted by the silvery moon light that is shining down from the night sky.
You are beautiful.
Din had thought so from the moment he first saw you. But now, after you have travelled with him and Grogu for almost a year and he has gotten to know you, really know you, âbeautifulâ simply doesnât cut it anymore. The word in basic is feeling too banal, too trivial, to describe the true beauty of your being. You are the most beautiful person Din has ever known and he is confirmed in this by you every day.Â
The way you smile up at him when you walk side by side in a crowded market when youâre on supply runs, always insisting on finding a treat or a new toy for Grogu. The way you always greet Din so happily when he comes back from a hunt, like you truly are happy to see him again, like you have actually missed him⌠How you will always make sure he is okay and hasnât been hurt, and how you will insist on helping patch him up on the occasions he is. The feeling of your soft hands delicately placing a bacta patch on his bare shoulder a few weeks ago is still burnt into his skin⌠The way you take such good care of his son, you look at Grogu like he is the one who hung every moon and every star in the galaxy. The kindness and beauty of your soul is truly bewitching. Maybe that is why he started calling you meshâla.Â
The first time it had just slipped out. It was a couple of months ago. He had come back from a hunt late at night, tired and muddy. For a short moment, Din had felt like all the air had been knocked out of his lungs by the sight he had found. There you were, so lovely, so beautiful, fast asleep on his bunk with a sleeping Grogu curled up beside you, his little green fist closed around one of your fingers. Â
Dinâs heart had yearned by the sight. The feelings you and Grogu are bringing to him are new territory for Din. He has never wanted anything like this before, or at least never let himself admit that he does. But you and Grogu make it impossible for Din to keep lying to himself. The kid is under his care, under his protection, and from the moment he chose the armour instead of the sabre and came back to Din, his ad'ika. Din and Grogu are a clan. A clan of two. A clan that Din wishes was a clan of three.Â
He had been quiet when he started to walk off to the cockpit, something he usually was good at, but you had stirred awake anyway, like your sleeping subconscious had felt his presence. You lifted your head from the pillow, sleepily blinked until your eyes had found him.
âYouâre back.â You had said, your voice had been a little hoarse from sleep, but still as sweet as usual, a tired smile had painted your face as your eyes had found the dark T of his visor.Â
âIâm sorry, I didnât mean to wake you.â He had said, but you had just shaked your head and hugged Grogu close against you. Oh, how Din had wished he could have crawled into the bunk and joined the two of you.  Â
âAre you okay?â You had asked, just like you always do after he comes back from a hunt.Â
âYes, Iâm okay.â He had reassured you before continuing. âGo back to sleep, meshâla.â
He has never told you what it means and a part of him feels guilty about that. Maybe you wouldnât like to be called that by him. You are technically his employee, even though the lines between you feel pretty blurry by now. An undefinable bond has been built between you, Grogu and Din. Maybe it is the small proximity there is forced upon the three of you, due to the size of the Razor Crest. Or maybe it is due to the undeniable connection there has been between you and Grogu from the beginning, but your presence on the Crest feels too domestic, too loving, for you to simply be Groguâs nanny.Â
Din has felt feelings this past year that he has not been acquainted with before. Desire, jealousy, a desperate yearning, all fairly foreign to him until you had entered his life. It is an emotional disruption he hasnât felt since Grogu had come into his life.
When Grogu had come crashing into his life it had been an upheaval beyond anything Din could ever have imagined. He was so used to not having anyone around, let alone a small child that was so dependent on him. It had been confusing and foreign, but Grogu had climbed into his heart and carved out a space there. A space that Din never wants to become empty again.Â
Din had never been aware of how lonely he actually had been before Grogu. It had been a hard realisation, but he couldnât deny it any longer, especially when he thought that he had lost him. Forget hunting bounties and fighting ferocious creatures, handing his foundling over to the Jedi was the hardest thing Din has ever had to do. Din had ended up caring more for Grogu than he had ever thought possible, he had removed his helmet for his foundling, the little green child had given din a whole new purpose in life.   Â
And now Din is a changed man. Grogu has changed him, down to the very atoms of his DNA. Din had never thought he would have what he now has. He had been settled with the way his life had been- lonesome and brutal, in order to support his covert and give back to the Mandalorians that had taken him in, or he had at least used to think so⌠ Â
But seeing you now, there is really no way of running from his feelings any longer. You are gently bouncing Grogu on your hip as you point out a constellation for him, but the youngling seems to be more interested in playing with the hem of your tunic than looking at the stars over your heads. The silver light from the planetâs moons illuminates you and bathes you in the shine.Â
Din had landed the Crest on the little planet not even twenty minutes ago and even though it was past Groguâs bedtime you had insisted on letting him have a couple of minutes in the fresh air before putting him down for the night. Din had not objected, the three of you had been in space for almost a week straight so a little moonlit night stroll before bed had sounded tempting. Â Â
A light breeze sweeps over you and Grogu lets go of your tunic to instead nuzzle himself close against your chest as he lets out a cute little yawn. You let out a low chuckle before looking up at Din and his heart skips a beat for the second time this night. The stars are reflecting in your eyes and you have a sleepy smile on your lips.
âI think it is time to get our little one here back to his bed.â You chuckle while you hitch Grogu up a little higher on your hip. Â
âOur little oneâŚâÂ
Our!
 Dear Maker how Din wished that you had meant it in the way he secretly yearns for.Â
âYeah, letâs head back to the ship, meshâla.â     Â
â
Grogu is sleepily blinking his big eyes up at you as he slowly snoozes off in your arms. You let out a content sigh as you plant a kiss on top of his little green head before carefully placing him down into his little hammock. The sound of his small soft snores echoes through the little sleeping chamber. You are never gonna get tired of this. You smile down at the little sleeping figure as you back away, turning the switch for the door to give the youngling peace to sleep.Â
You look around the hull for Din, but you donât find him so you climb up the ladder to the cockpit where you find him sitting in the pilot chair. He looks like he is lost deep in his thoughts, looking out through the window at the night dark meadow where he had docked the ship.Â
âHey.â You say as you approach him, sitting yourself down in the passenger seat next to him.Â
âHi.â He says without looking at you.Â
A silence falls over the cockpit, not necessarily an uncomfortable one, but it does feel loaded with something you canât really put your finger on. Din had been silent for the entire walk back to the Crest and you wonder if something is bothering him. Maybe he is just tired. You had told him to take the bunk tonight when you made it back to the ship, but he had refused. You were supposed to be taking turns sleeping in the bunk under Groguâs hammock, but it has been weeks since Din has slept in it and wasn't like he did it often before that. You feel bad about it, his back must be killing him after all these nights on the hard mat on the floor. Â
âDin is-â You lean forward in the passenger chair, leaning slightly towards him to try and catch his attention. âIs something wrong?â   Â
He finally looks away from the window and turns his helmet towards you, and despite only being met by the dark visor of his helmet you just know that his eyes under it are locking with yours. The thought of that always sends a little shiver through you. You know that you shouldn't think about it. Maybe it is wrong, an insult to his creed, but you canât help but fantasise about the man he must be underneath all the beskar. He is handsome, that is for sure. It doesnât even matter in what way, it is deeper than that. He is a handsome person no matter what he actually looks like under the helmet and armour. You have seen some of him in glimpse. A bare hand as he removes a glove to get a better grip on as he fixes a clasp on a crate, or the time he had gotten hit in the spot between two pieces of armour and you had helped him getting it bandaged. His face is still a mystery to you. It is a little weird not to know what he looks like, especially considering that you have fallen in love with him.Â
You had not meant to fall in love with the Mandalorian. You had tried to fight it, but it was a fight you had no chance of winning. You know that you are being silly, but you sometimes get the idea that he might feel something for you too. It also doesnât help that you have ended up loving Grogu as much as you do. You donât think you could love him more if he had been your own. It is kind of scary, the thought of the day din decides he doesnât need you anymore. That your feelings for Din never will be reciprocated hurts, but you will be able to get over it with time, but the day you will have to get separated from Grogu⌠Oh, that day is going to kill you.Â
âNo, meshâla nothings wrong.â Din shakes his head, he isnât looking at you anymore, back to looking out at the night. âI was just lost in my own thoughts.âÂ
âOh, okay...â
You sit in silence for a little while, you donât know if you should go and let him be alone with his thoughts or if you should break the silence. You are just about to open your mouth to say something, what you donât even know, but the silence feels too much. Din beats you to it though.Â
âThe kid, he uhmâŚâ His voice is much softer than usual, almost close to a whisper. âHe really likes you.â
âWell, I really like him too.â You say, you canât help the soft smile spreading on your lips.Â
âIâm glad you do, meshâlaâŚâÂ
âYou know⌠You keep calling me that, but you have never told me what it means.â
âI guess I havenâtâŚâ His voice is low and a little shaky through the modulator.
You donât know what it is with him tonight, but something feels different. Â
You take a deep breath, trying to steady your fluttering heart. âAre you gonna tell me?âÂ
He freezes in the chair, sitting more still than usual, if that is even possible. He is almost reminiscent of a statue. The silence builds, and you begin to regret that you asked. The air between you feels charged, but you canât figure out with what. It feels like whatever his answer is gonna be it is gonna fundamentally change something between you. You are starting to think that he is going to ignore your question when he finally breaks the silence.
âBeautiful.â His voice sounds a little weak, almost like he regrets telling you, but he continues in a more confident tone. âIt means beautiful.â Â
BeautifulâŚÂ Heâs been calling you beautiful all this time? The word always falling so naturally from his lips, soft and earnestly.
The rapid beats of your heart against the restraints of your ribcage thumbs loudly in your ears. You canât believe what he just said. He is finally looking back at you again, but any signs of what he is feeling are hidden behind the dark reflection of the visor. Â
âYou call me beautiful?â Â
âYeah, I do⌠Trust me, if anything or anyone has ever deserved to be called that, it is you.â Â
You can not believe that this is really happening, is there really a chance that he might feel the same as you?
âI donât know what to say.â You say, the hope that has bloomed in your chest is scaring you.   Â
âYou donât have to say anything. I actually would prefer it if you donât⌠Iâm sorry if I have made you uncomfortable.â He stands up from the chair, turning his back to you. Â
âDin please donât goâŚâ You grab his wrist before he can get to the ladder and disappear down the hull. âDin, I need you to tell me how you feel, pleaseâŚÂ I need to know.âÂ
âDank farrik.â He curses under his breath and turns around to face you again. âI donât know how to do thisâŚâ He shuffles anxiously from one foot to another.Â
It is always so surprising to see Din like this, the usual confident and stoic bounty hunter all anxious and nervous, but you have seen it a few times before. He might be a tough and hardy bounty hunter, but put the man in a social setting and he can get nervous. But this is a whole new level.Â
âGrogu heâŚâ He pauses, the sound of his breath sounds shaky through the modulator of his helmet. âHe means the world to me. I love him, he⌠he is mine. I never thought that I would have that, my life was never set on that path, I didnât think I was ever meant to be anyoneâs buir, but⌠now I canât imagine my life without him in it. It was hard for me to accept that I wanted someone around, but I couldnât deny it any longer.âÂ
His words come out with so much emotion, you have never heard him like this before. You know that he loves his son, he shows that every day, but hearing him say it like this⌠The rawness, the emotions. Your vision starts to turn blurry as the tears start to build in the corner of your eyes. You want to be a part of that love so bad. Â
âWhat Iâm trying to say isâŚâ He takes a shaky breath through the modulator, his shoulders are tense under the shoulder plates of his armour and his gloved hands are curled into tight anxious fists. âNow I canât imagine my life without you in it either.â Â
âOhâŚâ Your lips part, you are founding yourself dumbfounded. Is this really happening?
âI want you to be a part of my life, both our livesâŚâ He is actually shaking as he tells you this. âI donât want to just be a clan of two anymore⌠I want you meshâla.âÂ
You suddenly understand. The way you will sometimes worry that he is avoiding you, or how you sometimes feel like your presence is making him uncomfortable. It makes sense now, you rise from the chair and close the distance between the two of you. You search for the eyes under the helmet, even though you canât see them you want him to know that you are looking at him - the man and not the Mandalorian. You realise how hard this must be for him, he has been hidden away for all of his adult life, physically, but emotionally too. You reach out for him, placing your palms on the sides of his helmet. Â
âDinâŚâ You start out, it is probably just something you imagine, but it is like you can feel the heat of his skin through the beskar on your hands. âYou already got me. Iâm already yours.â
âReally?â It is Dinâs turn to sound like he doesnât believe what he is hearing.Â
âYes, Din.â You can feel the tears sliding down your cheeks now, and you canât keep the grin off your face as you nod up at him. âIâm yours, okay. Yours and Groguâs.â
âAnd we are yours... Kriff, meshâla Iâm all yours.â He gasps through the modulator. He rests his forehead against yours, the coolness of the beskar is feeling nice against your warm skin. You stand like this for a moment, simply enjoying the intimacy of the closeness, your hands cradling his helmet and his resting on your hips. The silence stretches until Din finally breaks it.Â
âI want to kiss you so badly.â He confesses.Â
âI know.â You say, but you know that he canât and that is okay. You have accepted that things with him are going to be different than it would have been with others, so the shock youâre feeling when a loud hiss is echoing off the durasteel walls is big. You squeeze your eyes tightly shut without even thinking about it. Your hands land over your closed eyes, like an extra protection to make sure you donât see him.Â
âWhat are you doing?!â You shriek as you hear the loud thud of beskar landing on the metal floor. Din has removed his helmet! He didnât even give you a warning so you could close your eyes before, you had been quick so you haven't really seen him just gotten a quick blurry peek. Â
âOpen your eyes, meshâla.â His voice is so low and soft, it is so close to a whisper, you almost miss it. His fingers brush against your hands to make you remove them from your eyes. His bare hands, you notice, and the skin on skin contact makes a hot shiver run down your spine. âPlease.â He adds.
You canât believe this. First you learn that he has been calling you beautiful for months, then he tells you that he wants you to stay with him and Grogu and now⌠Now Din is helmetless in front of you and he wants you to see him? Â
âAre you sure?â You stutter.Â
âYes, meshâla.â This time he speaks with his whole chest, like he has never been more sure about anything in his life. The sound of his voice without the modulator of his helmet hits your ears and you feel like you might cry. Itâs deep and rich, reminding you of the sonorous melodies played on a f'nonc horn.Â
You inhale a shaky breath before removing your hands from your eyes and slowly blinking them open. And there he is. Din Djarin, your Din Djarin, staring back at you. You let out a little gasp as you take in the sight of him. You canât believe that this is what he has been hiding all this time. You knew you would like the way he looked, because it would be him, but the reality is still exceeding all expectations you had. Din Djarin is gorgeous. The brown hair, that curls up at the ends, matches the colour of the irises of the prettiest most soulful eyes you have ever seen. His strong jaw is covered with a short, slightly patchy, beard that frames his face nicely. A moustache is framing his mouth. A mouth with the most kissable lips you have ever seen.
Another long silence breaks out between you, both of you are shocked by the situation.Â
âHiâŚâ He finally says and it is all that you need to break out of your haze.Â
âHi.â You smile at him, maybe the brightest smile of your life.
You reach out for him, you need him closer.
âDo I disappoint?â He asks, but he is smiling too now.
âHell no.â You shake your head with a laugh, the thought of this face disappointing anyone is an absurd idea.Â
âYouâre beautiful.â You whisper, your hands find his hair, wrapping your fingers in his soft locks. He leans his forehead down to rest against yours again. It had felt good before, but this - his skin against yours, oh that is heaven. The two of you stay like this for a while, enjoying the affinity between you.Â
âWhat about that kiss?â You finally say and it is all he needs to hear. His lips crash onto yours. It is like a switch has been turned, the softness from before replaced with an intense hunger. The kiss is heated and needy, like he is desperate to taste you, wanting to map out every corner of your mouth. His hands are on your hips, a tight grip as he pushes you closer against him.Â
You gasp into his mouth as you feel the solid curve of his bulge press against your pelvis. It is sending a warm shiver through you that settles in your lower stomach. You press yourself into him, slightly grinding your hips against his clothed cock which pulls a low groan out of him. His broad hands squeezes your hips, guiding your rhythm as you rock against him.
âDo you really want this?â You ask himÂ
âMore than anything.â You can hear the smirk in his voice. âDo you?â
âYes!â You nod wildly. âIâve never wanted anything or anyone as badly as I want you.â
Your confession makes him let out a deep groan from deep within his throat, it makes a new shiver run through you. His fingers find the hem of your pants which he starts to slide down your legs. You take over, kicking the garment of your legs as you push him towards the pilotâs chair.Â
âSit.â You command. You donât know what it is, you are usually not the commanding type, but you are feeling wild tonight, drunk off of Dinâs lips.
Something flickers in Dinâs eyes at your sudden bossy tone. âYes, maâam.â He mutters as he sits back in the seat, his strong thighs spread out and a cocky smile on his lips. Fuck, he is going to be the death of you arenât he?Â
You take a second to enjoy the view, before walking over to him, stepping between his thighs. Your hand lands in his hair as you look down at him through hooded eyes.Â
âCome here, meshâla.â He whispers as he reach out for you, gripping your hips and pulling you closer. You lift your leg over him, straddling his broad lap.
He groans at the pressure, as you start to rock your clothed cunt against his muscular thigh. You suspect that he can feel the warmth of your dampness through the fabric. Din adjusts his hold on your waist, helping you set a rhythm as he begins to move your hips. He is moving you slowly at first, but the eager sounds youâre letting out is quickly making him pick up the pace. You purr out his name as you feel his thigh flex under you.Â
âKriffâŚÂ Doing so good for me, meshâla.â Din curses under his breath. âLooking so pretty.â
âMmm..â You hum out, burying your face into the crook of his neck as you keep grinding against him until you canât take it anymore.Â
âFuck, Din, I...â You whine, feeling the fabric of your panties getting gradually more and more damp against him.
âI need you, Dinâ You remove your head from his neck so you can look deeply into his eyes. His brown eyes are burning you, his hands coming to a still. Â
âOkay, yeahâŚâ He nods at you, his pupils are blown wide and a flush is covering his cheeks. âNe-need you too, meshâla.â
His eyes are still locked with yours as he moves you, making you lift yourself up from him so he can start on removing some of his armour plates. You use the time to get rid of your tunic, leaving you in only your bra and panties. He ends up removing most of his armour, leaving him warm and soft for you.  Â
He pulls you down on him again, connecting your lips once more as his hand dives down to your panties, sliding his fingers under the hem and finding your clit which he begins to stroke with slow, firm circles after coating his digits with your wetness, making you moan into the kiss. Â
âFuck, meshâla, youâre so wet. All soaked, just for me. My sweet, sweet girl.â He whisper against your mouth.
He keeps circling your clit with one hand, setting a faster pace as his other hand finds your breast, squeezing it gently through your bra, making you let out another desperate moan. Your hands find the clasp at your back, fingers fumbling slightly from eagerness as you open the latch before zealously removing the item from your body. Din lets out a pleased groan as your exposed breasts appear. His free hand, that isnât occupying your clit, eagerly kneads the soft plumpness of one of your tits before taking its nipple between his fingers and gently twisting it.Â
âOh, fuckâŚÂ Fuck, Din, IâŚâ You whine out, feeling your orgasm approach. You donât think you have ever felt it come this early before, but he has you so riled up.
âI know baby, I know.â He encourages. âYou can meshâla, you can come for me.â Â
It is all you need to hear, the last string that holds you together gets cut and the warm euphoric waves of pleasure wash over you. His name is falling from your lips over and over again as you ride out your orgasm.Â
âDid that feel good?â He asks you with a kiss to the top of your head when youâve finally come back down from your high and now has relaxed into him.
âSo good.â
âIâm glad to hear it.â He says and you can hear the smile in his voice without even looking at him.Â
âWanna make you feel good too.â You say letting your fingers find his cheek and gently stroke his cheekbone. âWant you inside me.â You feel how his cock twitches underneath you from your confession.
âYou sure meshâla?â He asks, placing his hand under your chin to gently holding your head up as he look deeply you in the eyes for your answer.
âVery.âÂ
âOkay.â He hums, pressing a gentle kiss onto your lips, but it very quickly turns heated.Â
Your hands reach down between you, finding the buttons of his pants which you quickly begin to unbutton. The angle is slightly awkward, but you manage to get the last button undone without breaking the kiss.Â
Din taps your thigh to make you step back for a second so he can pull down his pants and free his cock. Your eyes widen at the sight. You had gotten the idea that he was big from what you had felt when you grinded against his bulge, but nothing could prepare you for the view that met you. He is big. His cock is throbbing and thick, laying heavy against his stomach, the tip is already dripping with precum and you feel your mouth water by the sight.        Â
You slide your panties to the side as you readjust yourself, and start to slowly sink down on him. Youâre really taking your time, both so you can adjust to the imposing size of him, and so you can enjoy the sounds heâs making for you as you slowly take more and more of him, until you finally are taken the entirety of him.Â
âYou are so perfectâŚâ He sights. âCyar'ika you have no ideaâŚâ He adds before he starts on leaving hot kisses up and down your neck.Â
âCyar'ika.â Another word you donât know the meaning of, but you are too far gone in your shared pleasure to stop up and ask him the meaning.Â
The two of you sit like this for a little while, letting you adjust to him, but you soon canât take it anymore, you need some movement.Â
You lift yourself a little from the chair before sinking back down on him, making Din choke on a throaty moan. His hands stay on your hips, as you begin to bounce on him in a slow, but steady rhythm, but he occasionally slips them down to your ass, squeezing the soft plum skin with his broad hands. It makes you go wild. You pick up your pace.
âDear, MakerâŚâ You gasp âDin, youâre feeling so good.âÂ
âYou too, meshâla. So fucking tight.â Din praises, lifting you up with his strong arms and pulls all the way out of you before slamming back into you, filling you up again. âSo warm, so perfect.âÂ
His hips now meet yours with every bounce as he thrust up into you, burying himself so deep inside you it has you bite down hard on your lower lip to not scream loudly and wake up Grogu. The sound of Dinâs heavy balls slapping up against your wet cunt, as well as the loud creaks of the chair, is echoing from the walls and it is honestly the hottest thing you have ever heard. Your arms have begun to shake as your grip on the armrest of the chair is getting tighter and tighter. You keep bouncing up and down on him as you feel your second climax getting nearer and nearer.Â
âOh, kriffâŚÂ Meshâla youâre so tight.â He groans through gritted teeth.Â
âIâŚÂ I wonât last much longer.â He warns. His thrust falters a little as he gets closer and closer to his release.Â
âItâs okay, you can come, babyâŚâ You pant out. âPlease come for me, DinâÂ
He let out a throaty groan at your encouragement.Â
âI have an implant.â You add. âPlease, I want to feel you inside of me.âÂ
You pull his face up to you, kissing him hard. Your lips connected passionately as you both get pushed over the edge. His fingers dig into your hips as he comes, your name spilling from his lips like a prayer.
You moan out his name, as your walls clench down around his cock. You feel how his dick twitches inside you as he comes undone. The warmth of his release coats your inside, and you dote on the feeling of being filled by him, milking every drop of his release as he keeps pumping into you, fucking his cum deep into you. You feel like the two of you have melted together as you both ride out your climaxes. Tears of pleasure are wetting your eyes. You have wanted him for so long, never thought that you would have him, never thought that he would feel the same as you.Â
You find his lips again, kissing him as you both ride out your climaxes. He hums content into your mouth and you can feel the smile on his lips. His hands are leaving your waist and he is instead cupping your cheeks, gently holding your face and the rough and heated atmosphere is soon turning soft.  Â
âAre you okay?â He asks while caressing your cheek with light strokes of his finger pads.
âYes.â You assure him with a small smile. âMore than okay.âÂ
He smiles back at you. He has the prettiest smile in the galaxy you decide. âNi kar'tayl gar darasuum, meshâla.â
You donât know the meaning of his words, but they fall from his lips with such warmth and care that you it has your heart flutter with warmth in your chest.Â
âWhat does that mean?â Your voice is nothing but a whisper.Â
âI will know you forever.âÂ
âThat is beautiful.âÂ
âItâsâŚâ He looks into your eyes, the deep mahogany of his irises make your heart clench. You canât believe that these are the eyes that has been looking at you from under the helmet all this time. âItâs how we tell people we love them.âÂ
âIt isâŚ?â
âYes.â He nods. âI love you, meshâla.âÂ
He loves you⌠Din Djarin loves you.Â
âI love you too, Din.â You say before connecting your lips again in a long passionate kiss. âYou and Grogu.â You add when you eventually have to pull away for air.
He smiles at you as his eyes are filling with grateful tears. You, Din and Grogu â a little clan of three.
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Crushin' - Quinn Hughes
Summary: Quinn's crush on Brock's sister starts to cause some issues
wc: 7.8k
content: fluff, angst, kissing, grinding, mentions of sex but no smut, friends with benefits
notes: hi! i'm like working through writers' block rn. so... here is this i guess
Emma Boeser, known to those close to her as Emmy, had always been fiercely independent. Growing up as Brock's younger sister meant that she was no stranger to the world of professional hockey, but she had long ago sworn off any romantic involvement with hockey players. The glitz and glamour that others saw were just distractions to her--hockey players were trouble, and she had learned that the hard way. Now, she focused on her career, determined to make a name for herself that wasn't tied to her brother and his achievements.
Emma had secured a role in the Canucks' PR and marketing department, a job that she actually enjoyed going to. She was good at it too--organizing press events, managing the team's public image, and navigating the chaos of media day with ease. Her colleagues respected her, and the players knew she was off-limits, a professional boundary she had enforced since day one (one that her brother was glad to back up).
Quinn Hughes, on the other hand, was everything a star defenceman could be--talented, dedicated, and just the right amount of cocky. He had quickly made himself a name in the NHL, and his focus had always been on the game. Off the ice, Quinn was reserved, not one to seek out the spotlight unless it was absolutely necessary. But there was one person who managed to catch his eye every time, no matter how hard he tried to stay focused on his career--Emma.
Quinn had noticed Emma from the moment she started working with the team. She was striking, not just because of her looks, but because of the way she carried herself. There was something about her confidence and no-nonsense attitude that drew him in, even if he couldn't quite figure out why. They'd had only a few friendly interactions, but Emma always kept things strictly professional.
~~
It was after a team gala that their relationship shifted. Emma had been working late, ensuring everything ran smoothly. Quinn had stayed behind, nursing a drink as the event wound down. He noticed Emma, finally off the clock and enjoying a rare moment to herself. She looked relaxed, maybe a little tired, but still as composed as ever.
"Long night?" Quinn asked, leaning against the bar beside her.
Emma glanced at him, a small smirk tugging at her lips. "You could say that. But it's part of the job."
He nodded, studying her face. She was always so put together, always in control. "You did a great job tonight. Everything went off without a hitch."
"Thanks," Emma replied, raising her glass slightly. "But I'm sure you're not hanging around just to compliment the event planning."
Quinn chuckled, appreciating her directness. "Maybe not. I guess I was hoping to get to know you a bit more... off the clock."
Emma arched an eyebrow. "Off the clock?"
"Yeah," he said, meeting her gaze with a confidence he wasn't sure he really felt. "No work. Just us."
She considered him for a moment before downing the rest of her drink. "Alright, Hughes. But let's keep this simple. No strings, no drama. Just... fun."
He agreed without hesitation, not realizing at the time how much more complicated things would become.
~~
Emma wasn't one to complicate things, especially when it came to her personal life. Her rule was simple: no dating hockey players. The lifestyle, the endless travel, the pressure--they were all things she wanted no part of. But when it came to Quinn, that line had blurred.
What started as a one-time thing after a team event quickly turned into a series of late-night encounters. It was easy, convenient, and, most importantly, private. Emma liked the control it gave her--she could have what she wanted without risking her independence or her brother's wrath. And Quinn? He played along, meeting her in the middle of the night, leaving before dawn, and never asking for more.
Their relationship was built on stolen moments. Sometimes it was at his apartment, other times hers, but always with the same unspoken agreement: no one could know. Emma was strict about that, even more so than Quinn. The idea of Brock finding out was enough to make her heart race--not from excitement, but from pure dread. She knew her brother would lose it if he found out she was hooking up with one his teammates, especially Quinn, who was practically family to him.
For Quinn, those nights with Emma were a mix of heaven and hell. Being with her, touching her, was everything he wanted. But every time she slipped out of his bed, leaving him alone in the dark, it tore at him. He wanted more--he wanted her in his life in a way that went beyond just the physical. But he also knew that pushing for more could mean losing her altogether, and that was a risk he wasn't sure he could take.
At work, Emma was the epitome of professionalism. She was efficient, focused, and kept a cool distance from the players, especially Quinn. In meetings, she barely looked his way, addressing him with the same detached tone she used with everyone else. It was as if the Quinn who whispered her name in the dark didn't exist during daylight hours.
Quinn noticed, of course. He noticed everything about Emma. The way she would set her jaw when she was stressed, the little lines that formed between her brows when she was deep in thought. He noticed how she avoided his gaze during team meetings, how she never lingered when passing by him in the halls. It was like she had put up a wall between them, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't break through.
It was frustrating, especially when Quinn would catch a glimpse of the Emma he knew--the one who laughed at his jokes and leaned into his touch when they were alone. But at work, she was distant, almost cold, and it gnawed at him. He found himself wanting to bridge the gap, to make her see that they didn't have to keep pretending.
One afternoon, after a long practice session, Quinn saw his chance. Emma was standing by the rink, talking to one of the other staff members. She was dressed in her usual work attire, her hair pulled back into a neat ponytail, and her expression serious as she discussed logistics for an upcoming event.
Quinn approached her, waiting until the other person had walked away before speaking. "Emmy, do you have a minute?"
Emma glanced at him, her eyes narrowing slightly as if to warn him to keep things professional. "What is it, Hughes?" she asked, her tone brisk.
He resisted the urge to sigh. "I just wanted to go over some of the plans for the charity event next week. Thought we could grab a coffee and talk it through."
She hesitated, glancing around to make sure no one was watching. "I'm pretty swamped right now," she said, already turning to look at the iPad in her hands. "But I'll email you the details later."
"Come on, Emmy," Quinn pressed, lowering his voice so only she could hear. "It's just coffee."
Emma shot him a look that was both annoyed and pleading. "We can't, Quinn. Not here."
The way she said his name sent a shiver down his spine, but it also made his chest tighten with frustration. "It doesn't have to be like this," he said quietly. "We don't have to pretend."
She shook her head, tucking the iPad under her arm. "Yes, we do. I told you, this is how it has to be. We agreed."
"Yeah, well, maybe I'm not okay with that anymore."
Emma froze, her eyes searching his face for a moment before she looked away. "Quinn, please. Not here."
The vulnerability in her voice was new, something she rarely let slip. It softened Quinn's resolve, but only just. He nodded, stepping back to give her space. "Alright," he forced a smile. "I'll see you later, then."
Emma didn't reply, turning back to her work as if the conversation had never happened. But the tension lingered, heavy in the air between them.
~~
As the weeks passed, Quinn found it harder to ignore the growing feelings inside him. He was falling for Emma, and he knew it. It wasn't just about the physical connection anymore, though that was still a big part of it. It was about the way she challenged him, the way she made him laugh, and the way she kept him on his toes. She was different from anyone he'd ever been with, and he couldn't shake the feeling that she was exactly what he'd been looking for.
But the more he tried to let her in, the more she pulled away. Emma was stubborn, and Quinn was beginning to realize just how deep her fears ran. She had been hurt before--by a hockey player, no less--and she wasn't about to let that happen again. No matter how much she cared for Quinn, she couldn't bring herself to break her rule.
Quinn found himself torn between respecting her boundaries and wanting to push past them. Every time they were together, he tried to show her how much he cared, how much he wanted more than just sex. He'd hold her a little longer, kiss her a little softer, hoping she'd see that he wasn't like the others. But Emma was like a fortress, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't find a way in.
One night, after a particularly grueling game, Quinn found himself lying awake in his bed, his mind racing. Emma had been distant lately, more so than usual, and it was driving him fucking crazy. He missed her, missed the way things used to be before his feelings got in the way. He knew he should be grateful for what they had, but he couldn't shake the feeling that he was slowly losing her.
He picked up his phone, scrolling through their old messages. Most of them were short, simple texts about when and where to meet. But buried between the lines was a connection that went beyond just physical need. Quinn could see it, even if Emma refused to admit it.
Without thinking, he typed out a message: Can we talk?
He hesitated before hitting send, his thumb hovering over the screen. Part of him was terrified of what she might say, of hearing the words he didn't want to hear. But he couldn't keep going this like, stuck in a limbo with no idea where they stood.
Finally, he pressed send and waited. The minutes ticked by, each one feeling like an eternity. He stared at the screen, willing it to light up with her reply. When it finally did, his heart skipped a beat.
I'm busy right now. Maybe later?
Quinn's shoulders sagged, the tension in his chest only growing. It wasn't a no, but it wasn't the answer he wanted either. He knew Emma well enough to know that "maybe later" was her way of putting him off, of avoiding a conversation she didn't want to have.
But Quinn wasn't willing to let it slide this time. He needed to know where they stood, needed to know if there was any hope of something more.
I'll wait. he replied.
Emma didn't respond, and Quinn didn't expect her to. He set his phone down and stared at the ceiling, trying to figure out what he'd say when they finally did talk. Part of him knew he should be careful, that pushing too hard might drive her away for good. But another part of him--the part that was tired of pretending--was ready to take the risk.
As the hours passed by, Quinn's thoughts continued to circle back to Emma. He thought about the way she smiled when she let her guard down, the way she looked at him when she thought he wasn't paying attention. There was something there, somthing real, and Quinn was determined to make her see it.
When his phone finally buzzed with her reply, his heart raced. But when he read her message, his hope deflated.
Can we just keep things the way they are? I'm not ready for more, Quinn.
He stared at the words, feeling the weight of them settle in his chest. It was exactly what he feared, but hearing it--reading it--still hurt more than he expected.
Despite the sting, Quinn couldn't bring himself to walk away. To put his phone down. Not yet. He knew that if he wanted to be with Emma, he'd have to be patient, to wait for her to come to terms with her feelings. And as much as it pained him to do so, he respected her wishes.
Okay, he typed back. But I'm not giving up on us, Emmy
There was no response, but he didn't need one. He knew it was going to be a long road, but he was willing to wait as long as it took. Because for Emma, it was worth it.
~~
It was another late night in Vancouver, and the city was quiet outside Quinn's window. The game had been tough, a hard-fought win that left him physically drained but mentally wired. Emma had come over, as she often did after games, slipping into his place with the practiced ease of someone who had done it a hundred times before. They hadn't said much--there wasn't a need for words when they both knew what they were there for.
But tonight felt different to Quinn. There was a tension in the air that he couldn't shake, a weight pressing down on his chest as they lay in bed afterward. Emma was curled up next to him, a dull ache in her thighs, her breathing slow and steady as she started to drift off to sleep. Normally, Quinn would have let her, content to hold her in his arms until she inevitably slipped away before dawn. But not tonight.
"Emma," he whispered, his voice low and hesitant.
"Mmm?" she murmured.
There would be no going back. The words were there, waiting to be said, and he couldn't keep them bottled up any longer. "Can we talk?"
Emma's eyes opened, and she shifted slightly to look up at him. "About what?" she asked, her voice thick with sleep.
"About us."
She frowned, already sensing where this was going. "Quinn, we've talked about this. You know how I feel."
"No," he said, shaking his head. "We haven't really talked about it. Not like we need to." He reached out, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Emma, this isn't just... physical for me anymore. It isn't just about the sex. I care about you. A lot."
Emma's frown deepened, and she pulled away slightly, sitting up in bed. "Quinn, don't--"
"Just listen to me, please," he interrupted, sitting up as well. He could see the walls going up, the defences she always put in place when things got too close. But he was determined to push through them this time. "I'm falling for you, Emma. I think I've been falling for you for a while now, and I can't keep pretending that I'm okay with this being just... whatever it is."
She stared at him, her expression filled with surprise and something else--something that looked a lot like fear. "Quinn, you know I can't--"
"Why not?" his voice raising with frustration. "Why can't we be something more? We're good together, Emma. I know you feel it to."
She shook her head, wrapping the sheet around herself as if it could protect her from the conversation. "It's not that simple, Quinn. You know it's not."
"It is that simple," he insisted, reaching out to take her hand. "We care about each other. We have fun together. The sex is incredible. We could have something real if you'd just let yourself believe it."
Emma's hand tightened around the sheet, and she looked away, unable to meet his gaze. "Quinn, I have rules for a reason."
"Rules?" Quinn scoffed, feeling his frustration boil over. "Emma, you're not living your life. You're hiding behind these 'rules' because you're scared."
She flinched at his words, but her expression hardened. "That's not fair."
"Isn't it?" Quinn pressed, his voice softening as he saw the hurt in her eyes. "Emma, I'm not trying to hurt you. I just... I want more. I want us to be more. But I can't do that alone."
There was a long silence, the air between them heavy with even more tension. Emma finally looked at him, her eyes filled with fear, doubt, and maybe longing. But then she shook her head, her walls returning.
"I can't, Quinn," she said quietly. "I'm not going to break my rules. Not for anyone."
Quinn's heart sank, but he forced himself to nod. He had known this was a possibility, that she might not be ready to take that leap with him. But hearing her say it still hurt more than he could've ever imagined. "Okay," he whispered. "I understand."
But the truth was, he didn't understand. Not really. Because he couldn't see why she was so determined to keep them apart when it was clear they could be so much more.
~~
Emma could feel Quinn's words threatening to crack the carfeully constructed walls she had built around herself. She had always been so sure of her rules, so certain that she needed them to protect herself. But hearing Quinn say that he was falling for her, that he wanted more, made her question everything.
It wasn't that she didn't care about Quinn--she did. More than she had ever intended to when they first started sleeping together. But that was exactly the problem. Caring about Quinn meant opening herself up to the possibility of getting hurt, and that was something she couldn't afford.
"Quinn," she began, choosing her words very carefully. "I made those rules for a reason. I've seen what happens when you get involved with hockey players. The lifestyle, the pressure--it's not something I want stacked on top of my own work."
He frowned, clearly not satsified with her explanation. "But I'm not like that, Emma. I'm not just some random guy looking for a fling. I want to be with you, for real. Why can't you see that?"
She sighed, running a hand through her hair. "I do see it, Quinn. But that doesn't change the fact that it's a bad idea. We're too close to Brock, too close to the team. If things go wrong--"
"They won't," his tone was firm. "I know it's scary, but we can make it work. We can take it slow, keep it private if you want, but I can't keep pretending this is just about sex."
Emma bit her lip, her mind running a mile a minute. She knew he was right, that what they had was more than just physical. But admitting that, giving in to it, felt like stepping off a cliff with no idea if there was anything there to catch her. She had promised herself she wouldn't get involved with a hockey player again, and yet here she was, teetering on the edge.
"I can't," she said again, shaking her head. "Quinn, I can't risk it. I'm sorry."
The words felt hollow, even to her, but she couldn't bring herself to say anything else. She looked at him, hoping he would understand, but the hurt in his eyes told her that he didn't. Or maybe he did, but he wasn't willing to accept it.
"Fine," Quinn said, his voice flat. "If that's how you really feel, then fine."
He moved to get out of bed, grabbing his clothes from the floor. Emma watched him, her heart aching at the sight of him pulling away. She wanted to reach out, to tell him she was sorry, that she didn't mean it. But the words stuck in her throat, choked by fear and doubt.
Quinn dressed quickly, avoiding her gaze as he headed for the door. Emma felt a surge of panic as she realized he was really leaving, that his might be the end of whatever they had. She opened her mouth to say something, anything, but the door was already closing behind him before she could find the words.
And just like that, he was gone.
Emma sat in the empty room, the silence keeping her stuck in her spot. The bed still smelled like him, a painful reminder of what she had just pushed away. She curled up into a ball, pulling the sheets around her as if they could somehow shield her from the reality of what had just happened.
She had been so certain she was doing the right thing, sticking to her rules and protecting herself. But now, with Quinn gone, all she felt was an overwhelming sense of loss. She had never let herself get this close to anyone before, not since the last time she had been burned by a hockey player. But Quinn... he was different. And that was what made this so much harder.
The tears came before she could stop them, spilling down her cheeks as she buried her face in the pillow. She had told herself that she didn't need anyone, that she was better off alone. But now, she wasn't so sure.
Meanwhile, Quinn was walking the streets of Vancouver, the cold night doing little to cool the fire of frustration and hurt burning in his chest. He had laid his heart on the line, told Emma how he really felt, and she had shut him down. He knew she was scared, that her rules were her way of protecting herself, but it didn't make it any easier to swallow.
He kicked at a loose piece of gravel on the sidewalk, watching as it skittered across the pavement. He wanted to be angry, to blame her for being so stubborn, so unwilling to let him in. But deep down, he knew that wasn't fair. Emma had been through a lot, and her fears were valid. But that didn't change the fact that he was hurting, that he wanted more from her than she was willing to give.
Quinn found himself at a small park, the trees bare and the benches empty in the late hour. He sat down, his head in his hands as he tried to sort through all the feelings in his head. He had never felt like this before--so out of control, so vulnerable. And it scared the hell out of him.
But what scared him even more was the thought of losing Emma. He knew she cared about him. There was something between them. Something worth fighting for.
As he sat there in the dark, he made a decision. He wasn't going to give up on Emma, no matter how hard she pushed him away. He knew it was risky, that he might get hurt in the process, but he also knew that it would be worth it. Emma was worth it.
He stood up, heading back to his apartment. He wasn't going to let her fear dictate their future. He would give her space if she needed it, but he wasn't going to walk away. Not yet.
Because sometimes, the best things in life were worth fighting for. And Quinn was ready to fight.
~~
The Canucks were on the road again, heading into a critical stretch of the season. This time, they were in a small city with a reputation for rowdy fans and intense games. The hotel was nice enough, but the schedule was grueling, leaving the players and staff little time to do anything but eat, sleep, and prepare for the next match.
Emma was there, of course, coordinating PR events and managing the team's image as she always did. She was good at her job--meticulous, organized, and (usually) calm under pressure. But this trip felt different. Ever since the conversation with Quinn a few weeks ago, she'd been on edge, constantly looking over her shoulder, half-expecting him to show up and push her again.
She'd managed to avoid him for the most part, keeping their interactions strictly professional. But then tension between them was palpable, simmering just beneath the surface. Emma threw herself into her work, hoping to distract herself from the nagging thoughts that kept creeeping in whenever she allowed herself a moment to breathe.
That night, after a long day, Emma retreated to her hotel room, exhausted. The PR duties had been endless, and she was looking forward to nothing more than a hot shower and collapsing into bed. She had just slipped into her pajamas, an XL Canucks t-shirt, when there was a knock at her door.
It was late--too late for any of the players or staff to be knocking at her door for work-related matters. For a brief moment, she considered not answering, pretending she was already asleep. But something compelled her to go to the door, her hand hovering over the handle as she took a deep breath.
When she opened the door, her heart sank and fluttered at the same time. Quinn stood there, dressed in a hoodie and sweats, his hands shoved in his pockets. His expression determined and vulnerable, and for a moment, she was at a loss of words.
"Quinn, what are you doing here?" she whispered.
"I had to see you," he replied, his voice steady. "Can I come in?"
Emma hesitated, glancing down the hallway to make sure no one was around. The last thing she needed was for someone to see them together like this. "Q, it's late. We can't do this here."
"I know it's late, but I don't care," he said, taking a step closer. "Emma, please. Just... let me in. We need to talk."
There was something in his eyes that made it impossible to say no. With a resigned sigh, she stepped aside, allowing him to slip into the room. The door clicked shut behind them, the sound loud in the quiet night.
Quinn didn't waste any time. As soon as they were alone, he turned to face her, his face serious. "I can't keep doing this, Emma. I can't keep pretending I'm okay with the way thing are."
She crossed her arms over her chest. "We've talked about this, Quinn. You know where I stand."
"No, we haven't really talked about it," he countered. "You've told me how you feel, but you haven't listened to how I feel."
Emma looked away, unable to meet his gaze. She knew what was coming next, "Quinn, please. Don't do this."
"I have to," he said. "Emma, I'm in love with you. And I can't keep pretending that I'm okay with this just being sex. Because it's not, at least not to me."
The words hit her like a punch to the gut, winding her and leaving her breathless. She had known this was coming, had seen it in the way he looked at her, the way he touched her. But hearing him say it out loud made it real in a way she wasn't prepared for.
"Quinn..." she began, but he shook his head, cutting her off.
"No, just listen to me," he pleaded. "I know you're scared. I know you've been hurt before, and I know you've made these rules to protect yourself. But Emma, you can't shut yourself off from the world forever. You can't yourself off from me."
Tears welled up in her eyes, and she blinked them back, determined not to let them fall. "It's not that simple."
"Yes, it is," he insisted, stepping even closer until he was right in front of her, his hand reaching out to cup her cheek. "It is that simple. We care about each other. We have something real. Don't you want to see where this could go?"
Emma closed her eyes, leaning into his touch despite herself. "I'm scared, Quinn. I'm scared that if I let you in, I'll get hurt again."
"You won't," he whispered, his thumb brushing away a stray tear that had slipped down her cheek. "I'm not going to hurt you, Emma. I promise you."
The dam broke. All the emotions Emma had been bottling up for months came flooding out in a rush. She let out a choked sob, her hands gripping the front of Quinn's hoodie as she buried her face in his chest. "I don't know how to do this," she admitted, her voice muffled by the fabric.
Quinn wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly as she cried. "You don't have to know. We'll figure it out together."
For a long time, they stood there, wrapped in each other's arms as Emma let herself be vulnerable for the first time in years. It felt like the weight of the world had been lifted off her shoulders, but at the same time, she was terrified of what was to come next.
Finally, she pulled back just enough to look up at him, her eyes red and puffy from crying. "I don't want to lose you, Q. But I don't know if I can do this."
"You can," he assured her, his hand gently carressing her hair. "We'll take it one step at a time. I'm not going anywhere, Emmy. Not unless you tell me to."
She shook her head, her grip on his hoodie tightening. "I don't want you to go."
"Then I'm staying," he said, leaning down to press a soft kiss to her forehead.
The kiss was tender, a promise of what was to come if she could just let go of her fears. Emma felt something shift inside her, a crack in the armour she'd built around her heart. She looked up at Quinn, her heart pounding in her chest as she realized how much she wanted this--wanted him.
Without another word, she closed the distance between them, pressing her lips to his in a kiss that was different from all the ones that had come before. This one was slow, deliberate, filled with all the emotions they'd been holding back. It wasn't about lust or need--it was about something deeper, something that scared her just as much as it thrilled her.
Quinn responded immediately, his arms tightening around her as he kissed her back with the same intensity. The world outside ceased to exist; all that mattered was the two of them, alone in the quiet of the hotel room.
They moved together in perfect sync, their movements slower, more meaningful than before. It was as if they were discovering each other all over again, but this time with their hearts fully in it. Quinn laid her back on the bed, his hands reaching under her shirt. She shivered, his skin cold against hers. She gripped his hair, bringing his body closer to hers so that their hips were pressed together. There was no rush, everything felt slow and loving.
As they lay together afterward, their breaths heavy in the air, Emma felt a peace she hadn't felt in years. For the first time, she felt hope that a relationship could work for her. As she drifted off to sleep in his arms, her mind still buzzing with the emotions of the night, there was a small part of her that couldn't shake the fear of what was to happen next.
~~
The soft light of the morning filtered through the thin curtains of the hotel room. Emma stirred in her sleep, the events of the night before replaying in her mind as she hovered between dreams and waking. She could feel the steady rise and fall of Quinn's chest, his arm draped protectively around her waist.
For a moment, everything felt perfect. Peaceful. But then she remembered that it wasn't just another night together. This time it was more intense, more meaningful. Emma knew she couldn't pretend it was just a casual hookup anymore.
Quinn was awake, too, his fingers gently tracing patterns on her back. He didn't want to move, didn't want to ruin the moment they were sharing. But he knew they couldn't stay like that forever. Sooner or later, they'd have to face the consequences of what they had become, and that thought terrified him.
"Morning," he whispered.
Emma tilted her head up to look at him, her eyes still heavy with sleep. "Morning," she replied, her voice barely audible.
They stayed like that for a while, just looking at each other, neither one wanting to be the first to speak about how things had changed between them.
"What happens now?" Emma finally asked, her voice wavering slightly.
Quinn hesitated, searching her eyes for any sign of doubt. "I don't know," he admitted. "But I do know that I don't want this to be the last time we wake up like this."
"I don't know if I'm ready for that," she confessed, her fingers absently tracing the outline of his collarbone.
"I know," Quinn said, his voice gentle. "But I'm not asking for you to be ready right now. I'm just asking you to think about it. To think about us."
Emma didn't respond right away. She wanted to believe they could make it work, that they could be more than just a secret. But the reality of their situation--of Brock, the team, and her own fears--loomed over her like a storm cloud.
Before she could find the words to respond, a sharp knock echoed through the room, shattering the moment of quiet intimacy. They both froze, their eyes locking as the sound registered in their tired brains.
"Emma?" Brock's voice called from the other side of the door. "You up?"
Panic surged through Emma's veins as she scrambled to sit up. This couldn't be happening. Not now. Not like this.
Quinn's eyes widened in alarm, his hand gripping the sheets as if to make sure he wasn't dreaming. "What do we do?" his whispered urgently.
"Shit," she cursed under her breath, her heart pounding in her chest. "You need to hide."
"Where?" he hissed, his eyes darting around the small hotel room. There was nowhere to go, nowhere that wouldn't immediately give him away.
"Just--" Emma was cut off by another knock, this one more insistent.
"Emma, you in there?" Brock's voice was more concerned now.
Her mind was racing, trying to come up with a plan. But before she could do anything, the door handle began to turn. Brock was coming in. Emma always gave him an extra key to use in case of emergencies. And her not answering him was an emergency in his mind?
Quinn barely had time to leap out of the bed, grabbing his clothes and diving into the bathroom just as the door opened. Emma could feel her heart in her throat as she watched him disappear, her pulse pounding in her ears.
Brock stepped into the room, his brow furrowed in confusion. "Em, what's going on? Why didn't you answer?"
Emma forced a smile, suddenly feeling like she was going to be sick. "Sorry, Brock. I was just getting up," she lied, pulling the covers a little tighter to her chest.
Brock's eyes narrowed, his gaze sweeping over the room before landing back on his sister. "Are you okay? You look... I don't know, off."
"I'm fine," she replied quickly, hoping her voice didn't betray the panic she felt. "Just tired, that's all."
Brock didn't look convinced, but before he could press any further, a loud clatter came from the bathroom. The sound of something falling, followed by a muffled curse.
Emma's blood ran cold as Brock's head snapped toward the bathroom door so fast he could've gotten whiplash. "What was that?" his voice was twinged with suspicion.
Her wind went blank, all possible excuses failing her. She couldn't come up with a single plausible explanation for the noise. All she could do was watch in horror as Brock took a step towards the bathroom door.
"Brock, wait--"
But it was too late. He was already pushing the bathroom door open, his eyes widening in shock as he took in the sight before him. Quinn stood there, half-dressed, his face covered in guilt and resignation. He had clearly tried to get dressed quickly, but it obvious what had happened. There was no hiding it now.
"Quinn?" Brock's voice was low, dangerous, as he turned to look at his sister, his eyes blazing with anger. "What the hell is going on here?"
This was exactly what Emma had been trying to avoid, the confrontation she dreaded from the moment she and Quinn had started whatever it was they were doing.
"Brock, I--" she began, but Brock cut her off, his voice rising with anger.
"How long has this been going on?" he demanded, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. "How long have you been sneaking around behind my back? Sleeping with my teammate?"
"Brock, it's not what you think," Quinn interjected, stepping forward, his hands raised as if he was approaching a wild beast.
"Not what I think?" Brock's eyes darted between the two of them. "What am I supposed to think, Quinn? You're in my sister's hotel room, half-naked, and you expect me to believe this is just a misunderstanding?"
Emma couldn't help the sense of guilt that was creeping in when she saw the hurt in her brother's eyes. This wasn't how she wanted him to find out, not like this. But there was no taking it back now, no undoing the mess they had created.
"Brock, listen to me," she started. "I didn't want to tell you because I knew you'd react like this. But it's not Quinn's fault. It's mine. I... I care about him a lot."
Brock's anger faltered, replaced by confusion. "You care about him? Emma, you've always said you'd never date a hockey player again. You've always told me--"
"I know what I've always said," Emma interrupted. "But things change. People change. I didn't expect this to happen, but it did. And I didn't tell you because I was scared of how you'd react."
Brock stared at her, "You should have told me, Em. You're my sister. I deserve to know what's going on in your life.
"I know," she mumbled, tears welling in her eyes. "I'm sorry, Brock. I never wanted to hurt you."
The room was silent for a long moment, then tension in the air thick. Quinn stood by the bathroom door, his heart heavy as he watched the siblings. He knew this wasn't giong to be an easy conversation, but it was necessary if he and Emma were going to have a chance of being together. They had to face this head-on.
"I just... I can't believe you didn't tell me," Brock said quietly, his voice tinged with sadness.
"I'm telling you now," Emma said softly. "And I'm telling you that I care about Quinn. This isn't just us hooking up. It's something more."
"You really care about him?"
"I do, Brock. I really do."
Brock glanced at Quinn, who stood there with a look of determination on his face. It was clear that he wasn't going to back down, that he was ready to fight for Emma if that's what it took. And as much as it pained him, Brock knew he couldn't stand in the way of that.
"Alright. But if he hurts you, Emma... if he breaks your heart, I swear--"
"He won't," she interrupted, "He won't."
Brock nodded, "Okay. But you two owe me an explanation. The whole story."
"We will," Quinn promised. "You deserve that."
Brock turned to leave, to give them some space. They had made it through the worst of it, but there was still so much unsaid, so many obstacles they would have to overcome.
~~
The morning after Brock's discovery, there was still a tension in the air. The team was scheduled to leave the hotel soon, and Emma could feel the unease radiating from Brock as they packed up their things.
Brock waited until they were in the parking lot, away from the rest of the team, before he turned to Quinn. "We need to talk."
Quinn nodded, "Yeah, we do."
They walked a few steps away from the bus, finding a quiet corner where they wouldn't be overheard. Emma watched from a distance, she could see the stiffness in Brock's shoulders.
"What the hell, Quinn? You're supposed to be my friend. How could you go behind my back like this?"
Quinn swallowed hard, knowing that Brock had every right to be angry. "I didn't mean for it to happen this way. I never wanted to keep it from you, but Emma... we weren't really sure where we stood. I was trying to respect her wishes."
Brock let out a harsh laugh, shaking his head. "Respect her wishes? You're supposed to respect me, too. I trusted you, Quinn."
"I know. And I'm sorry. I hate that I hurt you, Brock. But I care about Emma. I care about her more than I've ever cared about anyone."
"This isn't just some fling to you, is it?"
"No. It's not. I know how it looks, and I know why you're pissed. But Emma means everything to me. I'm not going to hurt her, Brock. I swear."
Quinn could see the conflict in his friend's eyes, the way he was struggling to reconcile the betrayal he felt with the truth of Quinn's words. Finally, Brock let out a long sigh, ruunning a hand through his hair.
"I'm still mad as hell at you. But if you're serious about her... if you really care about her, then I guess I don't have a choice but to deal with it."
"I am serious, Brock. And I get why you're angry. But I promise you, I'm going to do everything I can to make this work."
"You better. Because if you screw this up, Hughes... if you hurt her, I'm coming for you. And nothing will stop me."
Quinn didn't flinch at the warning, understanding the protective instincts behind it. "I won't hurt her. You have my word."
Brock didn't say anything for a few seconds, then finally extended his hand. "Alright. We'll see how this goes."
Quinn shook his hand. It wasn't a full reconciliation, but it was a start.
~~
Emma sat by the window on the back of the bus. The conversation between Brock and Quinn had gone better than she'd expected. Now, more than ever, she needed to decide what she really wanted.
As the bus rumbled down the highway, Emma continued to stare out the window, her mind drifting back to all the events that had led her there. She thought about the walls she had built around herself, the rules she had clung onto so tightly. They had been her armour, her way of protecting herself from getting hurt again. But now, she was starting to realize that those same walls were keeping her from something she truly wanted--something real with Quinn.
But could she really risk everything for him? Could she trust him not to break her heart, not to shatter her into pieces like she'd been before?
She thought about the way he had held her in the hotel room, the way he had looked at her with such sincerity, such unwavering care. He had been patient with her, understanding her fears even when she hadn't fully explained them. He had been willing to wait, to take things at her pace, and that meant more to her than she could express.
Emma knew that she couldn't keep running from her feelings, couldn't keep hiding behind her rules. If she wanted to be happy, really happy, she needed to take a leap of faith. She needed to let Quinn in, to trust that he would catch her if she fell.
She made her decision. She was going to give Quinn Hughes a real chance. It wouldn't be easy, but she was tired of being afraid, tired of letting the past dictate her future.
~~
After they arrived at the next hotel, Emma waited until most of the team had gone up to their rooms before she approached Quinn. He was standing by the luggage cart, talking to one of the staff members, but when he saw her coming, he broke off the conversation, his eyes locking onto hers.
"Emma? Everything okay?"
She nodded, "Can we talk?"
"Of course. What's on your mind?"
Emma led him away from the group, finding a quiet spot near the hotel's entrance. "I've been doing a lot of thinking. And I've realized something."
Quinn nodded, urging her to continue.
"I've been scared. Scared of getting hurt again, scared of what might happen if I let someone in. But... I don't want to be scared anymore."
His eyes softened, and he took a step closer, reaching out to gently untangle her hands, holding them in his. "Emma..."
"I want to give us a chance, Quinn. A real chance. No more hiding, no more pretending it's just physical. I want to see where this can go."
Quinn's face lit up with a smile. "You have no idea how long I've wanted to hear you say that." He squeezed her hands, his thumbs brushing over her knuckles. "I promise you, Emma, I'm all in. Whatever it takes, we'll make this work."
Quinn leaned down to kiss her, a soft, tender kiss that held all the promises of the future they could create together. Emma knew she had made the right choice. She was taking a risk, but it was a risk worth taking.
Later that evening, as the team gathered for dinner, Brock found himself watching Emma and Quinn across the room. They were sitting together, not hiding their connection but not flaunting it either. He could see the way Quinn's hand rested protectively on Emma's knee, the way Emma leaned into him, a soft smile on her face.
He could see how much Quinn cared about his sister, how much Emma softened around him. It was becoming glaringly clear to him that this wasn't just some fling, that they were both very serious about making it work.
Brock let out a sigh, running a hand through his hair. He wasn't sure he was ready to fully forgive them, but he knew that he couldn't stand in the way of their happiness. If this is what Emma wanted, if this was what made her happy, then he would find a way to be okay with it.
He caught Quinn's eye from across the room, and for a moment, they just looked at each other. Then, slowly, Brock gave him a slight nod, a silent acknowledgment of the understanding they had reached earlier.
Quinn returned the nod. And as Brock watched Emma laugh at something Quinn said, her face lighting up in a way he hadn't seen in years, he realized that maybe, just maybe, this was exactly what she needed.
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Taking into consideration Till's history with sexual assault (i will be tw and cw tagging for this), it puts the Ivantill kiss in round 6 in so much more perspective for me. Not only that, but it gives a lot of context and reasoning to the way that Till interacts with other people (as well as his rapid, violent mood swings) into perspective.
I just to preface with this- I have never been the victim of sexual assault or sexual harassment, so my discussion on this purely comes from what I know at a psychological angle, in addition to what I know based on this video from pop culture detective on Youtube and his videos on the male interaction with abuse and generally seedy behavior in media. It's really good, I enjoy his content a lot. Anyways analysis below the cut. Content and trigger warning for discussion of sexual assault, sexual abuse, psychological abuse, and pretty much everything else relevant in this fandom (slavery, child abuse, etc)
Out of all of the characters in Alien Stage, Till is the most openly dehumanized. Sua is treated like a doll, Ivan is treated like a trophy horse to parade around, Luka is something of a combination of both- but Till is the lab rat. He's the losing dog that Urak is betting on. They're all dehumanized to a degree but Till is dehumanized so much so that his defining feature is his rebellion. Even amongst the fandom, he's made into Ivan's side piece or the idiot who's hopelessly in love with Mizi and yeah, I do think Till is a dumbass but I say that out of the deepest affection possible, I love this little freak and I want the best for him. I truly do.
He's so smart and talented and yet, he hates himself. He's passionate about music, he uses it to express himself in ways that he can't otherwise, and he's so good at music, too. He's not good with people and he has a temper and he's easily flustered, yes, but he's so complicated. He was hopeful and innocent to the ways of the world but when he was bought by Urak, he was shown how utterly and hopelessly cruel the world could be. Comparatively, even Ivan and Sua got lucky, with their absent and emotionally abusive owners- Till was put through hell, experimented on, forced into a cage and treated like a feral animal that needed to be shown who was boss- even when he was willing to go along with anything at the start. He wanted to be loved. He wanted to be cherished. Children always want so desperately to please their authority figures, I can't imagine that he would have resisted in the beginning, hoping that if he went along with whatever Urak told him to, that he would be rewarded and treated with tenderness and care.
He never was. He was beaten and broken and thrown through the wringer time and time again. They made him miserable because that's what Urak wanted- that's what makes good art, after all. A tortured artist who cuts off their own ear but paints the most beautiful night skies.
Even in Round 2, we see this dehumanization. Till has a tether, keeping him to the stage, because he's "dangerous." He's marketed as this rebel, who needs to be tied down, who needs to gagged and muzzled, we can't let him speak because if he opens his mouth, he'll bite. He's pushed down to the ground, subdued, IN HIS MARKETING. This is how he's presented FROM THE BEGINNING. He is forced into this role of the mad dog who screams and claws and bites because this is the mold he was given, he pushed himself into it because that was all he could do. He's giving Urak what Urak wants and even that isn't enough. Because he might be broken, he might have given in, but he's still a stubborn bastard.
Before Round 6 (but after Round 5), Till refuses to sing Mizi's song in the bar. He gets angry with a member of the audience for implying that Mizi is dead, maybe even saying shitty something about her, and he goes at them with a bottle. As @a-star-that-burns-brightly said, he's the only human we've ever seen to get violent with an alien within the bounds of Alien Stage, which makes Till all the more impressive- which means that they have to bring him down all the more forcefully.
I will admit- I didn't understand the scene to be SA until it was pointed out to me (not that I thought it wasn't, it just went over my head) but it adds so much to Till's character to analyse it through that lens.
They rape Till, punishing him for refusing to sing and punishing him to attacking an audience member. Terry Crews, who some may know from Brooklyn-Nine-Nine or other media, is a survivor of sexual assault, and he talked about it before the United States Senate Judiciary committee. He was assaulted by his manager, who was a man. And you may be wondering why I bring this up, and it's simply because I want to remind people that sexual assault is not about sexuality. It can be connected but correlation is not causation. Sexual assault is about exerting power over an individual to make them feel weak, lesser, and show them who is in control of the situation. It's not dissimilar to bullying (but far, far worse). After all, why would corrective rape be a phenomenon if it wasn't about exerting power over the victim and showing them that they don't have autonomy or agency? Because if they had autonomy or agency, they would be able to consent or conversely, the ability to say no.
Of course they don't have autonomy/agency, though, right? Because they're pets. They're possessions. It's akin to how we treat dogs and cats, we breed them and we don't let them say no, because they don't have an understanding of consent like we do, why would they need to say yes or no? They can just fight someone off if they don't want it, right?
Right?
Something that @k9punkout (Numso) said stood out to me, though, is that this might not even be the first time that this has happened to Till. This breaks my heart. Like, legitimately, it made me nearly cry when I read it, because the idea of sexual abuse being used as a form of regular and routine punishment against someone is horrible- but at the same time, that already happens. In prisons, in war zones, in households, sexual abuse is used as a regular punishment against people and that's horrible. The way that Till's experience specifically reflects that of a child in a toxic and abusive household is immensely interesting because of how people forget about that, how people don't seem to really care. He's a sopping wet kitten, yeah, he's a silly little guy, but he's been abused for his whole fucking life. He has a superiority complex that's teetering on an incredibly thin knife's edge and sometimes it wobbles into self-hatred and an absolute absence of self worth.
It's no wonder that Till clings so fiercely to the idea that Mizi is innocent and pure and hopeful, like he once was, because if she isn't- then does that mean he was stupid to ever hope at all? Was he stupid for expecting love and affection, from the people who were supposed to take care of him? Does that mean he's suffered for no reason, save Urak's amusement? Does that mean he's miserable just because, just because Urak demands that someone be miserable in order for them to be great? Does that mean he's been beaten, broken, made into this wretched, ugly thing simply because he's around? It's not so much that his suffering needs to have a purpose, it's more that if it's pointless and based on whim, then that says something about Till himself. That says that Urak saw something in him, something sturdy enough to be broken again and again and get back up. It says that he deserves this. (He doesn't, no one deserves that and deserving things is horseshit, but I can't imagine Till to be thinking anything else.)
Back, finally, to the whole reason I started writing this fucking thing: the Ivantill kiss in Round 6. I've seen some people call it SA, and while I can see why (and of course, I respect their opinions), I disagree.
Ivan shouldn't have continued to kiss Till after Till pushed him, yes, but at the same time, through the narrative of their kiss- it wasn't really a kiss at all. Not in the sense that it was an expression of sexual intent. And maybe this is because I'm on the acearo spectrum but. I don't believe Ivan wanted to kiss Till, it wasn't a romantic kiss, it was one last attempt to get Till to wake up, before it was too late.
Through the lens of knowing that Till is a survivor of sexual assault, the way that Ivan kissed him and his reaction to Ivan kissing him is all the more impactful because Till pushed Ivan away, yes, but he didn't seem horrified, or hollowed out like he is post assault in the bar scene. It shows his trust in Ivan, and maybe even the fact that he knows that Ivan isn't doing this to hurt him, Ivan is kissing him in a final effort to say "I love you. You're loved. I'm sorry."
Blue (@bluemoonscape) talked through this with me a bit earlier and he said something that stuck out to me as well "The kiss, if anything, shows how much control the aliens assert over them to put them in a position where this would be two friendsâ last chance to communicate with one another, hence how desperate it is on Ivanâs part. (...) Ivan wasnât trying to assert power over Till in any way; that just isnât in his nature. Over the years, he basically lets Till dictate every aspect of their relationship, hell, he even gives power to Till over Ivanâs own freedom (power that Till didnât want but nonetheless got)" and he really summed it up beautifully in my opinion. The ivantill kiss WASN'T romantic because it wasn't meant to be- Ivan was just saying that he loved Till period. It was a fucked up way to do it. I wish he hadn't.
But he was just trying to say goodbye.
(@atrophiedemotion because i mentioned this to you! <3)
#cw sa#cw sa mention#tw sex assault#tw sa#tw sa mention#alnst#alien stage#alnst till#alnst ivan#(because he's mentioned)#ivantill#rocktalks#me: i cannot be killed! *cue numso and a star that burns brightly killing me with a big hammer*#blue and cast thank you so much for being my beloved little friends who i scrambled around talking about this to. love you guys
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