#definitely plan to link this in rules or something

[miumura]

STUPID CUPID! ─── JAEHYUN ONESHOT ✶

𓊆 🪽 𓊇 CUPID’S HANDBOOK ✶ Nothing could've prepared Jaehyun for the moment you, his ex, walked through the doors of his matchmaking business, hoping to find someone new. As a Cupid undercover, he sees this as his chance to finally move on by setting you up with someone "better." Determined to prove he's over you, Jaehyun throws himself into the task—only for a small mishap with his powers to send everything spiraling out of control.

OR IN WHICH Instead of helping you find love, Jaehyun accidentally amplifies his own buried feelings—the very ones he swore he’d left behind. As he's desperately hoping his magic wears off before you notice, Jaehyun can’t help but worry that you’ll think he’s sabotaging your chances at love simply because he can’t let you go just yet.

MATCHMAKER & HIS CLIENT × cupid ! jaehyun x f ! reader

🗒️ › THE GUIDELINES ⟡ cupid au, exes2lovers, second chance, pining, slowburn(ish), fluff, angst ( ? ), crack

PRECAUTIONS ノ jaehyun absolutely being a nervous but almost lovesick mess 👍, playful bickering, a bit of jealousy?, teasing (#you’llfindthemainculprits), some denial and i believe that’s really it! ( FEAT. all of boynextdoor as CUPIDS! )

WORD COUNT ────── 25.9K+ ( 25907 WORDS ) !

𓊆 🗯️ 𓊇 CUPID’S RULES ✶ happy (late) valentines to you all ♡ !! this WAS supposed to be released on vday, but i lost track of time and was busy playing cupid for my friend so 😖 (rhin can confirm) special thank yous to alya, rhin, and lili !! alya & rhin my main people that i gave them sm updates (i know they were tired of me always saying my new wcs for this…) and lili being an amazing motivator for this as i was trying (more like stressing) to get this out as soon as possible… SO this fic definitely holds a special place in my heart & i hope you guys enjoy this as much as i did :] !! again, happy month of love ♡

🏹 ────── PLAYLIST LINKED IN ‘STUPID CUPID!’

RULE #1: Remember and Follow the Cupid Handbooks

Being a Cupid comes with its perks—the ability to make people fall within seconds—but it also carries a weird curse: struggling to find love for yourself. It’s ironic, really. How could one in charge of creating love stories be so helpless when it comes to their own? 

So, if there’s one rule every Cupid should know, it’s to avoid getting tangled up in love themselves. 

Jaehyun knew that better than anyone. He didn’t spend countless nights studying Cupid Handbooks just to break the most clear but unspoken rule in the book. But, when constantly exposed to love—causing romantic connections and having soulmates find each other—could he really be blamed for wondering what it might feel like to fall too? 

Jaehyun hated the idea of him doing something so forbidden—he knew his limits, had always known them, and he has never been so set on keeping himself within them. But the more time he spent practicing his spells and shooting his heart arrows, the more he felt himself daydreaming. Even during his shifts, he kept catching himself drifting off to the thoughts of what he wanted in a relationship. 

His imagination that led to his hopeless scenarios had him wanting love. Not just any kind of love, though. 

Jaehyun wanted to find love the natural way. No use of his magic. No arrows. No shortcuts. It was interesting, given the fact his abilities could naturally make the person he wanted to fall for him. But with the amount of time he spent in this field, all he wants is to be able to feel things everyone else would’ve if no one interfered with their love life. 

He wanted something genuine. 

He wanted to experience all the little things—interlocking fingers and swinging arms during a late-night walk—and plan romantic gestures and dates that would leave someone speechless. He wanted to laugh until his cheeks hurt because of the joy someone else brought into his life—someone that he could call his partner. 

It was so human, really so simple. Yet for someone like him, it was out of bounds and strictly off-limits. His magic was meant for others, not himself. Still, the thought lingered, nestled deep within him.

Even though it seemed forbidden, Jaehyun couldn’t stop himself from wondering: wouldn’t it be worth it, just once, to know what it felt like? It could be a good experience, he told himself, a lesson in understanding what he had been helping others achieve for so long.

And against all odds—or perhaps because of them—his fantasies became his reality. For the first time, Jaehyun found himself in a relationship. His first one ever. Everything he had imagined, all the sweet little moments he dreamed of, unfolded before him. Late-night walks, planned romantic dates, and laughter that left his cheeks sore were everything he’d wished for.

It was perfect. Almost too perfect, as if the universe was teasing him with a fleeting glimpse of something he could never fully keep.

If only he had known how it would all end. If only someone had stepped in to shatter his hopeless fantasies before they took place. Maybe then he wouldn’t have fallen so hard.

Maybe then he wouldn’t have become the hopeless mess he is now.

It wasn’t that he regretted the relationship—not entirely. The memories were precious, the kind he would carry with him forever. But who could have guessed how much a first love could change a person? That those bubbly feelings he felt would be so short-lived and immediately replaced with nothing but guilt? 

Unless, of course, Jaehyun was just a hopeless romantic, unable to let go of his first love. Maybe that was his problem all along—he clung to the memory of it, replaying every moment like a song he couldn’t stop humming. Or maybe it was simply a part of the consequences of not following the Cupid’s rule—avoid getting tangled up in love. 

It’s as if once a Cupid gets out of love, that emptiness will forever stick, and yet there would be no attempt to fill it up again. Instead, it simply lingers over like a shadow that would never disappear. 

Even with his so-called tragic attempt at love, Jaehyun refuses to let it interfere with his performance as a Cupid. If anything, he tries to hide it, and it only fuels his dedication to helping others find what he couldn’t. It helped him so much to the point that he even opened his own matchmaking business in the human world—a thriving one at that. 

For Jaehyun, it’s much easier to act like the one who steps into someone’s life at just the “right” moment, soon setting them up with their perfect match disguised as a human. With him constantly surrounded by success and purpose, he was able to effortlessly complete his tasks at a quick pace and climb up the ranks. His undercover Cupid life was truly working in his favor. 

For once, it seems like everything was finally working for Jaehyun. 

And that was all he ever wanted. 

RULE #2: Help anyone — everyone deserves love. 

It was a typical day for Jaehyun if he was holed up in his office, scrolling through the reviews on his website. A satisfied grin tugged at his lips as he skimmed through the comments praising his flawless love advice and unmatched ability to set up the perfect soulmate-worthy dates. 

“Jaehyun!” Woonhak’s voice burst through the quiet room, startling Jaehyun to jolt upright, abandoning the relaxed posture he’d settled into moments before. “You’ve got new clients!” 

The door swung open, and in walked Woonhak, his assistant, with a stack of papers that balanced in his arms. He remained completely oblivious to the sharp glare Jaehyun shot his way, too caught up in his excitement—or perhaps too used to his expressions to care. 

“It would be better if you just entered the room without yelling like that,” Jaehyun muttered, watching as Woonhak approached his desk and plopped down the heavy stack of papers.

“You just get scared too easily,” Woonhak teased, dragging out the last word as if to further test Jaehyun’s patience. Despite the playful jab, his grin never faltered. He nudged the papers closer, clearly expecting Jaehyun to skim through them quickly so he could set up the appointments and get back to whatever mischief he had planned for the day.

Jaehyun chose to ignore his teasing, snatching up the papers and flipping through the stack as fast as he possibly could. Meanwhile, Woonhak let out a low whistle, tapping his fingers on his thighs as his eyes wandered around the room to fulfill his few minutes of boredom. 

With Jaehyun looking back at Woonhak every so often, his attention soon landed on the white wings peeking out from Woonhak’s back. 

“And hide those winds before someone walks in here and thinks you’re an odd person.” He pointed in their direction, giving it a small look. 

Woonhak immediately twisted his body, trying to get a glimpse of the wings, only to end up spinning in an awkward loop. Jaehyun let out a chuckle at the ridiculous sight, shaking his head before returning to the customer requests sprawled out in front of him.

“I had to help Taesan with his mission. Cut me some slack,” Woonhak huffed, hurriedly tucking his wings out of sight—even though it was just him and Jaehyun in the room.

“Besides,” he added, straightening up and crossing his arms, “I’d be diligent enough not to get caught looking like this in front of a human.”

Jaehyun raised his eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. “Uh-huh. Like you never had something like this happen on numerous occasions.” 

Woonhak opened his mouth to argue but quickly shut it, his lips pressing into a thin line as he suddenly remembered a few of the times that almost led him to exposing his true identity. 

“Just focus on looking through these so I can go back to work before someone calls for me again,” Woonhak grumbled under his breath, leaving Jaehyun unbothered to even hide the small smirk he had. 

“Yeah, yeah—” Jaehyun started, his words trailing off the moment his eyes landed on a familiar name.

L/N Y/N.

For a moment, the room felt smaller, and the papers in his hands suddenly heavier. He stared at your name, unable to move past it, as if seeing it in print made it all too real.

He almost felt as if he was being physically dragged down, feeling the weight of such a familiar yet unfamiliar name crush him. 

His heart felt like it was sinking. 

Snapping out of it, Jaehyun quickly slid the paper out of the stack, slipping it aside like it didn’t exist. But before he could fully hide it, Woonhak’s sharp eyes caught his movement.

Woonhak slid the paper back in front of Jaehyun, his eyes narrowing in confusion at Jaehyun’s sudden action. 

“What?”

“Uh, I don’t think I can take this applicant,” Jaehyun replied a little too quickly, pushing the paper aside once more. 

“What’s wrong with this one?” he pressed, sliding the paper back yet again and this time keeping his hands firmly placed on it. Woonhak couldn’t seem to let it go that easily. He leaned in, squinting as he tried to make the words on the page from his view. “See something that goes against our policies?” 

“It’s not that—” Jaehyun paused, the sudden thought of him technically being the one that went against Cupid’s "policies.”

Avoid getting tangled up in love. 

The same phrase that haunted him echoed in his head, almost threatening to bring him back to the phase where he felt everything was going wrong. But he quickly shook it off—he had to. Now wasn’t the time for him to dwell on his past actions. He needed an excuse—any excuse. 

His eyes darted to the description you’d provided at the bottom of the application, scanning the words as fast as he could.

“They just seem... bland?” he blurted out, scrambling for an explanation. “Like they don’t actually want our services. Feels like a waste of time, honestly.”

Woonhak tilted his head before flipping the paper around, finally taking the time to read it properly. He hummed softly, nodding as if he agreed, and Jaehyun let out the smallest sigh of relief—until Woonhak abruptly stopped.

His expression shifted, brows furrowing deeply as his eyes darted back and forth between the paper and Jaehyun. 

“Since when did you, out of all Cupids, opt out of helping a client find love?”

“I mean…you saw the paper yourself!” Jaehyun stammered, trying to say anything to seem valid with his reasoning. He could feel the heat rising to his face, and no matter how hard he tried to keep calm, his words kept fumbling. This was spiraling fast—faster than he wanted it to. Instead of seeming like the confident, professional Cupid he prided himself on being, Jaehyun felt like a deer caught in headlights.

“The Jaehyun I know wouldn’t turn anyone away,” he stated clearly, folding his arms. “So, you? The Cupid who preaches about ‘love being for everyone,’ rejecting a client because they seem odd with their reasoning?”

Jaehyun didn’t know what to say—matter of fact, he didn’t want to say it. He had no comeback—no witty excuse to hide behind. Honestly, how could he possibly explain the truth? That he didn’t follow the very rules designed to keep Cupids professional? 

How was he supposed to bring up the fact that he had a deeper connection to you than other humans? 

That it was what he’s been wanting to avoid even remembering for the longest time? 

Jaehyun’s stomach churned, the thought looming over him greater than before. With falling in love as a Cupid seems to go against their morals, Jaehyun would absolutely forbid himself from telling someone he had gone against it. 

No one could know. Not even Woonhak, one of the very few he trusted the most. 

Nothing could deter Jaehyun from believing that this guilt should be only carried by himself. Otherwise, who knows what could happen to him if the word got out that he did something “bad”? 

Because if they found out? Suspension would be the least of his problems. He could be stripped of his powers, exiled from this world, or worse—losing his powers as a Cupid. 

Regardless of what punishments there could be out there, Jaehyun was not planning on getting into any of them. 

Jaehyun clenched his jaw, forcing himself to hold Woonhak’s gaze. “Can I just say...the vibes are... off?” Jaehyun managed to murmur, putting on a hopefully convincing look. However, Jaehyun even thought he wouldn’t be convinced by his own excuse with Woonhak towering over him, trying to analyze his true intentions. 

“Is there something you don’t want to tell me?” his voice was still laced with suspicion; however it was softer than it was before. 

Jaehyun felt the weight of Woonhak’s stare, and for a split second, he debated keeping the truth buried. But the tension in the room was suffocating, and if he didn’t give Woonhak something—anything—it might only make things worse.

It could at least make him feel a bit better in this situation. 

“Okay…well,” Jaehyun began, his voice wavering as he struggled to find the right words. “It’s someone I used to know. Someone I—” He paused, catching himself before saying too much. “—someone I haven’t spoken to in a while. I just... I don’t want to mess things up for them.”

Woonhak tilted his head, his brows furrowing slightly, but he nodded as if to show he understood. “So it’s personal?”

“Kind of,” Jaehyun admitted, his gaze shifting down to the paper that now felt like it was burning a hole in his desk. “I just think it’d be better if someone else handled it.”

“Alright,” Woonhak finally said, stepping back slightly. Hearing that, Jaehyun could’ve sworn he let out a huge exhale of air he didn’t even realize he’d been holding.

Relief flooded through him, but it was short-lived. Woonhak reached out, gathering the stack of papers—including yours—and Jaehyun’s eyes lingered on them longer than he meant to.

That’s when it hit him.

You applied. You. To find someone new?

Before he could fully process it, Woonhak’s footsteps snapped him out of his spiral. He abruptly turned back before reaching the door, making Jaehyun’s shoulders tense up all over again.

“But if no one takes this application,” Woonhak said with a grin, “you’re going to have to handle it no matter what.”

Jaehyun’s eyes widened. “Wait, what?”

“She applied for you to help her, didn’t she?” Woonhak grinned, clearly enjoying the panic written all over Jaehyun’s face. “Cupid rules!” 

And before Jaehyun could even form a response, Woonhak was gone, shutting the door behind him within an instant. 

Jaehyun slumped back in his chair, running a hand through his hair as the words echoed in his head.

She applied for you to help her. 

For the first time ever, Jaehyun had never felt a stronger urge to break Cupid’s rules.

Just for his own sake. 

RULE #3: Focus on the Present, Not the Past

It didn’t take long for Jaehyun to realize that Woonhak had only been joking and that no such rule actually existed. Honestly? He was relieved—especially after mustering up the courage to ask Riwoo a series of awkward and borderline ridiculous questions. Poor Riwoo had been forced to sit through Jaehyun’s rambling without even understanding why he was so worked up.

According to Riwoo, applications were simply sent and put on hold until someone willingly picked up the task. It didn’t have to be Jaehyun—thankfully. That small piece of information lifted a massive weight off his shoulders, allowing him to breathe easier for the first time since he’d seen your name on the paper.

And while the thought of leaving your application in someone else’s hands felt oddly conflicting, Jaehyun convinced himself it was for the best. You’d be taken care of soon, and he wouldn’t have to risk getting involved in your life again.

As cold as it might sound, Jaehyun knew his intentions were good. He wasn’t trying to be cruel—if anything, he was trying to protect you from not seeing him again, as maybe the sight of him could possibly hurt you too. 

That reassurance brought him an unexpected sense of peace, enough to push him back into focus. With his worries temporarily set aside, Jaehyun found himself performing better than he had in weeks, even earning a few more praises here and there.

It was more than enough for Jaehyun to be set right back on track. 

“Send the next client in,” Jaehyun spoke into the earpiece, his tone steady as he leaned back in his chair. He reached for a pen, idly tapping it against the surface of his desk while he waited.

“I’m on it,” Woonhak’s voice crackled through the line, followed by faint shuffling noises. Jaehyun could just barely make out Woonhak murmuring something to the next person in line, probably offering some last-minute reassurance before directing them inside.

Jaehyun straightened up as he heard the door creak open, forcing himself into professional mode. He plastered on a welcoming smile, just like he had practiced, ready to offer all the help he could give. 

“Welcome to—” he looked up, the grip on his pen faltering, nearly causing it to slip from his fingers. His lips slightly parted before continuing, “KOZ of Cupid.”

Out of all clients he could’ve seen today, why did it have to be you?

At first, you didn’t want to sign up for something like this. You preferred the more “natural” way of falling in love—the kind of story that felt straight out of a romance movie. Meeting someone in a cozy café, locking eyes with a stranger in a crowd, or stumbling upon someone at the wrong place but at the perfect time. That’s the kind of love you always dreamed about.

Although those kinds of wishes didn’t take you far within your love life. Those fleeting moments never seemed to lead to something more than casual, leaving you in a series of what-ifs and missed connections. So, here you were, making the decision you once swore you’d never make. 

But what you didn’t expect was seeing this. 

You froze the moment you stepped inside the office, your eyes locking with his as the realization sank in. Out of all the people who could’ve been behind this desk—out of all the Matchmakers people raved about—it just had to be him.

Your ex.

Well, maybe if you knew who he actually was prior to this, you would’ve probably avoided getting into this situation. 

Your body stiffened, your hand gripping the strap of your bag as if holding onto it could somehow ground you. He looked just as surprised as you, if not mortified. 

“Cupid MJ…?” you finally asked, your voice laced with disbelief as you eyed the nameplate on his desk. “That’s you?”

Jaehyun swallowed hard, his hand instinctively reaching up to rub the back of his neck. Despite having gone by the alias for what felt like an eternity, hearing it come out of your mouth suddenly made it sound ridiculous.

“Yeah…” he muttered, his voice softer than usual. “That’s me.”

“I see...” you trailed off awkwardly, already hating the steps you took to be caught in this kind of predicament. 

“Well, take a seat, won’t you?” Jaehyun finally broke the silence, gesturing toward the chair he’d carefully positioned in front of his desk. You nodded stiffly, your legs carrying you forward as if on autopilot, each step feeling heavier than the last.

You weren’t sure what shocked you more—seeing Jaehyun again after all this time or realizing he was now running a matchmaking business, posing as some kind of modern-day Cupid...now in charge of your love life. 

The only difference is that he's no longer a part of it—not in that kind of way. 

“It’s been a long…time since we last saw each other,” you managed to say as you took a seat. Your eyes fell into your lap, unable to meet his gaze face-to-face after all this time. It felt unnatural given how you two were practically strangers who used to be lovers, now meeting up together in the same room. “I didn’t know you were doing this kind of thing now.” 

Jaehyun wasn’t surprised by your reaction. He had expected this to throw you off—how could it not? After all, back then, he’d practically put his cupid duties on pause to be with you. He left it all in Riwoo’s hands just so he could experience what love felt like firsthand.

And for a while, it was perfect.

But now? Now, he was just a matchmaker, and you were just another client sitting across from his desk, needing his help. You two were not on boyfriend-girlfriend terms anymore, so Jaehyun had no choice but to snap out of it. 

“It has been,” he finally replied, forcing a polite smile despite the tightening in his chest. “I never would’ve expected to see you again—especially not here. And definitely not in this... field of love.”

You let out a small, nervous laugh, nodding your head. “Yeah, well…change of plans, I guess.”

Jaehyun also nodded, but his mind was already spiraling. Change of plans? To make things fair, he hasn’t seen you in a while—it’s been a good year or two of him avoiding crossing paths with you. 

“Getting back on topic, I assume you’ve already gone through our website?” Jaehyun asked, his tone shifting to something more professional as he turned his attention to the computer beside him. His fingers moved quickly over the keyboard, typing your name into the database.

“Well… could there be anything I missed besides setting up this appointment with you?” you asked, hoping your rushed application hadn’t left out anything important.

“It actually looks like you didn’t fill out the section about what you’re looking for in a future partner.” Jaehyun frowned slightly, refreshing the page a couple of times as if expecting the missing information to magically appear. “Huh. That’s odd…”

“There was a form for that?” you asked, genuine confusion lacing your voice.

Jaehyun hummed in response, his eyes still fixed on the screen. “Yeah. It’s part of the application process. You must’ve skipped over it.”

You sat back in your chair, trying to piece together the memory of filling out the form. “I probably did. I was kind of in a rush when I submitted it,” you admitted, already cringing at how careless you’d been. It was supposed to be something quick—just something to get your friends off your back about your ‘tragic’ love life. 

“Well, don’t worry about it.” Jaehyun reached for the drawer beside him, pulling out a clipboard and sliding a clean sheet of paper into the clip. “I have a physical copy you can fill out instead.”

He handed it to you along with a pen, prompting you to take it without hesitation. Your eyes quickly scanned the questions on the form, and almost immediately, you felt like you were being put on the spot. The questions were more personal than you expected—asking about values, expectations, and even deal-breakers—but you pushed through, determined to finish it as quickly as possible.

The silence in the room only made the process feel longer. You could feel Jaehyun’s occasional glances, though he tried to keep himself preoccupied with the computer screen in front of him. It was as if he was pretending not to notice how much effort you were putting into answering the questions—questions he already knew the answers to, at least back then.

After what felt like an eternity, you were able to finish the last question, settling the clipboard down with a soft thud. 

“All done?” 

“Yeah,” you replied, sliding the clipboard back across his desk. “Sorry, that took so long. Some of the questions were…very detailed.” 

Jaehyun let out a small laugh, picking up the clipboard and flipping through the pages to make sure you didn’t skip over anything accidentally. “It’s supposed to be thorough. The more detailed your responses are, the better we can find the match for you.”

You nodded, though the idea of him—or anyone—reading through your answers felt a bit humiliating. Even if you regretted it, there was really no coming back from this now. But Jaehyun’s silence couldn’t help but worry you, making your stomach churn. 

“Okay, it looks like you filled out everything,” he said, placing the clipboard down in front of him. “We should be able to get you set up with a match that fits what you’re looking for.” 

You didn’t have an answer, so you simply nodded, forcing a small, polite smile even as the tension in the room lingered.

“That’s all for today’s session,” Jaehyun said, leaning back slightly as if to signal the end of your meeting.

“Really? That’s it?” you asked in surprise. 

“Considering how you forgot to fill that part, I can’t do much more than make you wait until our next session to find you a match,” he replied. “I’ll have Cupid KW set up the next appointment for you when I’m all settled.” 

“Oh right…” Your voice barely rose above a murmur as you stood up, sliding the chair back under the desk carefully before you left. You hesitated at the door, your hand hovering over the handle before instinctively turning back to him.

“Thank you, Jaehyun—” You froze, quickly correcting yourself. “I mean, Cupid MJ.” The slip-up made you cringe internally—you certainly weren’t on the terms to be addressing him like that. You didn’t choose to stick around long enough to explain or even see his reaction. Instead, you hurriedly added, “Have a nice day,” before stepping out and pulling the door closed behind you.

Jaehyun barely managed a “You too,” but his voice was low, almost drowned out by the soft click of the door shutting. Letting out a quiet sigh, Jaehyun shifted his focus back to the clipboard you left behind, flipping through the pages filled with your handwriting.

Jaehyun? It was nice to hear that name from you again. But he hated how much he missed hearing it. 

It had been so long, and yet it still sounded so familiar—so warm, as if it provided a sense of comfort to him. It was as if he was transported back to the past, the time where he had known everything about you. 

He scanned through your answers carefully, noting every detail you had written down. As he continued to flip through the pages, he wore a faint, bitter smile, noticing how clear everything was. 

It was silly to think about reconnecting, wasn’t it? Silly to even let himself reminisce about what everything once was.

Everything you seem to want now—the qualities and expectations—no longer reflects who Jaehyun was. But what should he expect? That you would still want someone like him? 

He was only someone you had once wanted. 

Now, he’s just a stranger with a familiar name. 

RULE #4: Act Fast; a Client is Top Priority

“Where’s Woonhak?” Jaehyun suddenly asked, his eyes narrowing as Leehan walked in carrying a stack of papers instead of the usual face he expected to see every day.

“He told me Sungho called for him for the day,” Leehan replied, setting the papers down on Jaehyun’s desk with the same precision Woonhak typically would. “So, I took over his spot.”

Jaehyun barely held back a groan. Of course, Woonhak wouldn’t be here today. If he was, Jaehyun would’ve made sure he didn’t leave this office without a long lecture—or a few cuts and bruises, if Jaehyun felt like being dramatic. Technically, this entire mess was Woonhak’s fault—for lying and, even worse, allowing you in on the day Jaehyun could’ve least expected it.

It would’ve been easier if Jaehyun had some kind of warning. Just a heads-up that you’d be walking through those doors.

“So, these are the correct ones, right?” Jaehyun asked, forcing himself to focus as he looked through the papers.

“Yes, Woonhak taught me,” Leehan confirmed, glancing at him like he could already tell where Jaehyun’s mind was drifting. “And don’t worry. I’m only unlucky when it comes to using my powers, not simple tasks like these.”

Jaehyun let out a sharp exhale, giving Leehan a pointed look. “Let’s hope so.”

“You seem to have a lot on your mind,” Leehan said, tilting his head slightly as he studied Jaehyun’s expression.

“Me?” Jaehyun scoffed, feigning indifference as he leaned back in his chair. “I’m fine.”

“Sure,” Leehan replied, clearly unconvinced. “That’s why you’ve been staring at the same paper for the last five minutes.”

Jaehyun blinked, glancing down at the form in his hand. He hadn’t even realized he hadn’t turned the page.

“It’s nothing,” Jaehyun muttered, flipping the sheet over as if that would somehow prove his point.

Leehan didn’t look convinced, but he didn’t press further either. Instead, he slid another set of files across the desk.

“Well, whatever it is, try not to let it mess up your matchmaking,” Leehan said with a shrug. “Clients tend to notice when you’re distracted.”

Jaehyun let out a small, humorless laugh. “Funny to hear that from you, Leehan.”

“A few mishaps doesn’t mean I can’t read you clearly,” Leehan hummed, pausing briefly at the door. “You’re bad at hiding it.”

Jaehyun opened his mouth to retort, but Leehan was already gone, leaving him alone with nothing but the faint echo of his words.

His gaze soon shifted to the glowing computer screen, displaying one of your most compatible matches. The person seemed to perfectly align with the preferences you listed—which is a good thing—yet Jaehyun’s chest seemed to tighten the longer he stared at it. 

Jaehyun loves his job, and yet he can’t help but wonder how his situation became like this. 

It’s just funny how he has to be the one to set you up with someone else. 

“You found me a match already?” you exclaimed, your eyes widening as Jaehyun quietly sipped his hot chocolate. He gave a small nod, barely looking up from the swirling steam rising from his cup.

“Yeah, it was easy to find some candidates,” he replied, his voice steady but his expression unreadable. He was bundled up in layers, his scarf wrapped snugly around his neck, yet he still seemed cold despite having been in the café for over ten minutes.

“Are you sure these are good ones?” you asked, trying not to sound doubtful but failing miserably. It wasn’t that you didn’t trust Jaehyun’s judgment—you did—but the process felt almost too fast. Weren’t matches supposed to take time? Shouldn’t there be more thought put into something like this?

“I don’t have good reviews under my website for no reason,” Jaehyun said with a small, proud smile as he set down his cup. He seemed confident, which seemed to reassure you. 

You pressed your lips together, unsure how to respond. Maybe you were overthinking this, or maybe it was just nerves. But a tiny part of you couldn’t help but wonder if Jaehyun was rushing this—if he was just trying to get it over with.

Would this—you—even matter to him? 

“Right,” you still managed to say while your thoughts spiraled, forcing a smile as you leaned back in your chair. “I guess I’ll just have to trust the expert, huh?”

“Speaking of me being an expert, your match should be appearing soon,” Jaehyun said casually, his words suddenly shifting the calm mood into something else. 

You blinked, caught completely off guard. “Wait—what?”

Before you could even process what he meant, Jaehyun stood up, eyes glued to his phone, as if this were the most natural thing in the world. “His name is Heeseung, by the way.”

“Heeseung?” you repeated, panic rising in your voice. “Jaehyun, wait!”

But he didn’t wait. He didn’t even turn back. 

It felt almost too familiar. 

Instead, he gave you a quick, dismissive wave before disappearing toward the café door.

You sat frozen in your chair, your heart pounding so hard you could feel it in your ears. 

A match. An actual, real match. And he was about to walk in any second now.

You glanced around nervously, suddenly hyperaware of every person in the café. You stared at everyone that walked in your direction, seemingly holding onto your breath. 

You didn’t even know who this guy looked like—this was practically a blind date. 

Your hands clenched around your cup. What were you even supposed to say?

You hadn’t been on a date in so long, and the fact that this one was unplanned made it feel so much worse. 

“Y/N, is it?”

The voice pulled you out of your spiraling thoughts. You looked up, meeting the gaze of the man standing in front of you.

It was Heeseung.

With you exchanging awkward greetings with Heeseung, it was obvious you weren’t the only one feeling nervous. His stiff smile and the way he shifted in his seat mirrored your own unease, but at least the tension was mutual.

Meanwhile, Jaehyun remained outside the café, positioned just far enough to avoid suspicion but close enough to keep an eye on the two of you. From his view, things seemed to be going well—or at least not terribly wrong.

Setting down the hot chocolate cup he had brought with him, it was time. Now came the moment Jaehyun had been waiting for. This was where his real work began—the part that set his matchmaking business apart from the rest.

Looking around to make sure the coast was clear, Jaehyun swiftly turned himself invisible, the faint shimmer of his form disappearing as he reached into his bag. Humming softly, his fingers brushed against each arrow, carefully inspecting for any marks or scratches. He settled for one of the newer arrows—the ones Woonhak brought in weeks ago. 

As his selected arrow radiated a faint glow of enchantment, Jaehyun was satisfied with his choice. He drew in a steady breath, positioning himself not too far from you two. Raising the bow, he aligned it to his target, Heeseung, who was sitting across from you. 

Adjusting his stance, Jaehyun closed one eye, lining up the perfect shot. The goal was simple—strike Heeseung’s heart and make him lovestruck. It was Cupid’s mission, after all.

With his grip steady, Jaehyun murmured a small incantation under his breath, the magic swirling gently around the arrow. This was the moment where everything would change—Heeseung would feel unexpectedly bubbly inside as his romantic feelings intensified. 

All he had to do was shoot. 

Just as Jaehyun was about to release the bowstring, a sudden, chaotic noise erupted behind him—a crash of metal and hurried footsteps disturbed him. Jaehyun flinched, his head immediately snapping toward the source of the sounds. In that split second, his grip faltered, the arrow slipping from his grasp. 

Before he could even react, the faint hum of magic pulsed through, a streak of shimmering pink light quickly disappearing into thin air. 

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” he muttered under his breath, a stream of barely audible curses following as he frantically looked around his surroundings for the arrow and the disturbance. Oddly enough, whatever—or whoever—caused the noise was nowhere within his sight, leaving him in silence. 

But there was no time for him to investigate. He had to shift his focus back to you and Heeseung, ignoring the strange feeling in his chest—possibly from the scare and the sudden aftermath of his mistake. 

That’s when the feeling seemed to hit him. 

Jaehyun’s eyes naturally gravitated to you, and suddenly, everything around him seemed to blur. His vision tunneled, examining the way there was suddenly almost a shimmering light that radiated from you. It seemed to grow brighter every time he noticed something about you—every second seemed precious to him. 

He tried blinking, but it only got worse, his eyes unable to peel away from you. 

It was odd. 

Did he... miss you that much? That it was only starting to really hit him now? 

But right now? He had to get over you. At this time, he couldn’t afford to get distracted—the mission was most important, after all. 

Clenching his jaw, Jaehyun forced himself to look away, reaching for another arrow to correct his mistake.

But the moment his gaze dropped, his breath hitched.

There, in the center of his shirt, was the pink stain—not on the ground, not on an arrow, but on him.

Panic bloomed in his chest, his pulse quickening by the second. The bow fell to the floor as his hands grasped at the fabric, pulling it to examine the stain more closely. The sparkly glow was enough to tell him everything he needed to know. 

“No, no, no-" Jaehyun muttered under his breath, frantically rubbing at the fabric. It was completely useless. The stain didn’t smear or lift, but instead, it shrank. 

It sunk deeper into the fibers of his shirt—no, into him. The glow started to dim with every passing second until it was no longer visible, leaving Jaehyun frozen, his fingers still gripping onto the fabric. 

Jaehyun swallowed hard, his eyes flicking back toward you. 

This wasn’t right.

The sound of your voice was faint but warm, making his pulse race even more despite him setting you on a date with Heeseung. 

This wasn’t supposed to happen. 

 The pounding of his heart was deafening, drowning out the noise around him. Jaehyun bolted from where he was, his footsteps quick but unsteady as he pressed a trembling hand against his chest.

What had he done?

RULE #5: Don’t Mess Around with Cupid Powers

Jaehyun couldn’t stop feeling the need to constantly pace around his room. His footsteps echoed softly against the wooden floor as he ran a hand through his hair for what felt like the hundredth time.

Your text message sat open on his phone screen, glowing back at him. It was nothing more than a casual update—how the date went and how Heeseung seemed nice—but it still managed to make him smile.

That was the problem.

Jaehyun’s fingers tightened around the phone as he muttered to himself, his words shaky but firm. “You’re her matchmaker, not her match.”

But no matter how many times he repeated it, the words fell flat. It was a reminder that couldn’t seem to get through in his head. His own logic wasn’t enough to drown out the emotions that had begun creeping in ever since that arrow misfired.

It was wrong. He knew it was wrong—especially now that your date with Heeseung seemed to go well. That should’ve been enough to push Jaehyun back into reality, but instead, it only made the ache in his chest worse.

“You called for me?”

The voice snapped Jaehyun out of his trance, and he practically lunged toward the door the moment he saw Sungho step inside. Relief flooded through him so intensely that he didn’t even think twice before grabbing Sungho by the arms, gripping him like a lifeline.

“Whoa—what’s up with you?” Sungho’s brows shot up, his eyes scanning Jaehyun’s disheveled appearance. His face was flushed, his hair was a mess, and he looked like he’d been running a marathon inside the room. “You look…weird.”

Jaehyun immediately let go, straightening his posture in an attempt to look normal. But his attempt was useless. His jittery hands and the way his eyes darted back and forth only made him look more suspicious.

“Would you mind helping me?” Jaehyun blurted out, his voice almost cracking.

Sungho crossed his arms, clearly unimpressed. “I mean, that’s literally why I’m here,” he replied, walking past Jaehyun and flopping onto the couch without hesitation. “You don’t usually act like this. What’s up with you?”

Jaehyun trailed behind him, struggling to keep himself composed as he hovered nervously by the couch. He hated how out of character this was for him—desperate and completely unfocused. He wanted it to stop, but the way his mind kept racing and his heart refused to calm down made it nearly impossible to pull himself together.

Jaehyun cleared his throat, his fingers nervously fidgeting with the hem of his sleeve. “So, uh... hypothetically speaking—emphasis on hypothetically,” he stressed, his eyes flickering toward Sungho as if silently begging for reassurance. “Is it possible for a Cupid to, you know… seriously mess up with their powers?”

Sungho raised an eyebrow, his expression shifting from mild curiosity to concern. “That depends,” he said slowly. “What kind of mistake are we talking about here?”

“Well…” Jaehyun hesitated, his voice trailing off before he forced himself to continue. “Like, let’s say something happened—not saying it did, but let’s say it could—where a Cupid accidentally misfired an arrow?”

Sungho hummed thoughtfully, leaning back against the couch. “I mean, it’s not unheard of. Look at Leehan, for example. The guy is completely unfortunate—broken arrows, broken couples, you name it. But his mistakes aren’t anything too difficult to fix.” 

‘Right, fixable. Totally,” Jaehyun nodded quickly, though his fingers continued to fidget against the fabric of his sleeves. “Right, right. But what if—again, hypothetically—a Cupid misfires their arrow on someone... that shouldn’t get hit?”

“Wait.” Sungho looked at Jaehyun, his gaze intensifying. “You did not—”

“I did not! Of course, I wouldn’t have!” Jaehyun cut in, his voice an octave higher than it usually was. “I mean, not exactly what you may think it is.” 

Sungho’s eyes widened as he sat himself up. “Jaehyun.” 

“Okay, okay!” Jaehyun caved, throwing his hands up in exasperation. “Maybe I might have accidentally—sort of—shot myself.”

Sungho’s jaw dropped.

 “You what?!”

“I didn’t mean to!” Jaehyun blurted out, panic seeping into his voice. “There was this loud noise, and I got scared, and my hand slipped, and bam! I suddenly see pink liquid on my shirt that just quickly disappeared!”

“Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me." Sungho dragged a hand to his mouth, visibly mortified that Jaehyun—out of all people—would get himself into a situation like this. “Turning your powers against yourself? Really?” 

“Was this why you asked me a bunch of questions about whether you had to take a client? Because it was about Y/N?”

Riwoo’s voice cut through the room, making both Sungho and Jaehyun jump—though it was Jaehyun who practically fled the couch with a yelp. His hand instinctively latched onto Sungho’s arm, eyes wide with panic as he spun around to face the unexpected intruder.

“Since when did you come in?!” Jaehyun demanded, pointing an accusatory finger at Riwoo, who looked thoroughly unimpressed.

Riwoo lifted the stack of files he carried as if the explanation was obvious. “Woonhak sent me,” he said, before casually walking over to Jaehyun’s desk to drop them off.

“Of course, Woonhak did,” Jaehyun muttered under his breath, rubbing his temples. “And you weren’t supposed to say that, Riwoo.”

“Oh,” Riwoo halted in his steps, soon turning to see Sungho with a puzzled look on his face. No matter how many times Sungho tried to think back on everything he remembered, the name wasn’t familiar to him at all. “I thought he knew.”

“What are we talking about—who is Y/N?” Sungho finally asked, almost as if it were excruciating while watching Jaehyun and Riwoo send each other odd but failed telepathy through the usage of their eyes and mumbling. 

“Jaehyun’s ex,” Riwoo quickly blurted out, leaving Jaehyun’s eyes widened in horror, his hand still in the air after shooting it up in an attempt to cover Riwoo’s mouth, but it was too late.

“Are you serious right now?” Jaehyun hissed, slowly dropping his hand in defeat. “I wouldn’t have told you about this if you were going to say it that easily.” 

“He had to know at one point—you can’t hide the fact that you tried to find love from us much longer,” Riwoo shrugged as he leaned against Jaehyun’s desk. “You could at least tell Sungho—he wouldn’t tell anybody... yet.” 

Next to him, Sungho sat in stunned silence, his mouth hanging open in shock. He blinked rapidly, his gaze darting between Riwoo and Jaehyun as if trying to process what he’d just heard.

“Y/N?” Sungho repeated, shaking his head as he pried Jaehyun’s arm off him. “So, you’re telling me, you managed to shoot yourself with your own arrow and ended up hopelessly in love with your ex again? That’s... really something else. Even for you.”

Jaehyun groaned, slumping back against the couch as he covered his face with both hands. “Don’t need to keep pushing it.”

Riwoo and Sungho exchanged a look, both struggling to suppress the fear but also the amusement threatening to creep onto their faces. It really was funny—at least to an extent.

After all, how could a Cupid be this careless? And not just careless—reckless. Jaehyun had managed to turn what should’ve been a simple matchmaking session into a full-blown catastrophe.

But what made it worse—what made it really ridiculous—was the fact that his eyes had landed on someone who was never supposed to be anything more than a client. Someone who had only walked through his doors looking for love and not to accidentally become the reason Cupid himself got caught up in this mess. 

“So, what did you feel when you saw her?” Sungho asked, making sure to check on his friend’s wellbeing. He had never been in this kind of situation before, so it wasn’t something he could instantly jump in and fix things like he usually would have. 

“It felt weird—it still does!” Jaehyun threw his hands up in the air. He paused, soon placing his hand on his chest as if he could physically do something to calm the irregular pounding of his heart. “Anything or everything that has to do with Y/N, it feels like—like I can’t think straight at all! It’s all about her!” 

“Were Cupid’s powers always this strong?” Riwoo questioned, eyebrows furrowed as he plopped onto the couch across from them. 

“I mean...” Sungho hesitated, leaning back as if running through possibilities in his head. “It could be different for humans—but he’s Cupid, after all. Who’s to say it wouldn’t affect him even worse than a human? What if it’s like... amplified?”

Jaehyun’s eyes widened, his panic rising again. “Amplified? Are you serious? So what—this could get even worse?”

“Well,” Riwoo started cautiously, “you did hit yourself with the arrow, so who knows what could possibly happen? Or how deep the arrow went? Nothing like this has happened before... or at least, not that we know of.” 

‘What am I supposed to do?” Jaehyun groaned, his thoughts completely all over the place. “She’s not just anyone; she’s my client! And I already set her up with someone else—who she seems to actually like, by the way! But I’m just here, losing my mind over something I really can’t control!” 

Sungho winced. “Well…”

“Please tell me this is fixable.” Jaehyun’s voice was muffled with his hands covering his face due to embarrassment. “There has to be something, or like, a time limit to these powers.” 

“That’s just something we have to figure out,” Riwoo said, trying to reassure him to the best of his abilities. “There has to be a way.”

Jaehyun really hoped Riwoo was right—he clung onto that hope. 

His phone had faintly buzzed with another notification, pulling his attention away. Unable to resist looking at it, he glanced to see another text from you lighting up the screen. A small smile tugged at the corners of his lips, but reality was able to hit him quickly, considering his surroundings. His expression fell flat, which soon followed up with him clearing his throat. 

Jaehyun shut off his phone and threw it onto the table, as if putting some distance between himself and his phone could help keep himself normal. Slumping back into the couch, his shoulders sank as if the situation was starting to weigh heavily on his shoulders. 

This timing couldn’t have been any worse. His powers should’ve been reserved for only those he was assigned with to help them find love, not for him to accidentally turn himself into some lovesick person. 

“This better not be permanent,” Jaehyun muttered, staring into the ceiling while dealing with the thought of how terrifying that could be if his powers were to stick around. 

“For your sake, hopefully not.” Sungho said. “Because if it is... you might just be stuck with trying to make your client yours.” 

RULE #6: Don’t Run Away from Your Mistakes; Fix It.

“I’m not seriously going to be facing her, right?” Jaehyun blurted out, his voice laced with sheer panic as he threw his hands up in surrender. After the long, exhausting talk he’d just had with Riwoo and Sungho a while ago, this was the last thing he expected to hear. Guide you? Through this whole process? While he’s acting like this?

He can tell Sungho wasn’t pleased either, given the resigned expression he wore while telling him the news. But, with Sungho only able to give him a stiff nod, it hit Jaehyun like a brick wall—it was painfully obvious that they’d run into a dead end. 

Jaehyun’s shoulders slumped. “Can’t you just... take over for me?” His tone shifted into desperation as he tried to wriggle out of the mess he’d created. The last thing he wanted was to make a complete fool of himself in front of you. Though he couldn’t quite figure out if it was because he feared he wanted to impress you—or if it was just the crippling fear of acting weird in front of an ex.

“For someone who basically memorized every word of Cupid’s Handbooks,” Sungho said, rubbing the back of his neck as if he were already exhausted by Jaehyun’s antics, “I really thought you’d know better.”

Jaehyun froze, dread washing over him. He didn’t even need to ask to know where this was heading.

“What’s Rule #10?” Sungho pressed, narrowing his eyes.

Jaehyun let out a defeated sigh, his shoulders sinking further as he muttered under his breath, “Once a client... always your client.”

The words were as clear as day, but Jaehyun couldn’t help but feel like remembering that was bittersome. With how many hours he spent cooped up in his room remembering each page, he’d probably have ended up questioning his qualifications if he hadn’t.

But at this moment? He wished he didn’t know it. He wished the rule didn’t exist at all. 

“This isn’t fair,” Jaehyun groaned as he started pacing back and forth. He pressed his hands against the sides of his face as if doing so could somehow shut out the situation looming over him.

“You wouldn’t even be in this mess if you hadn’t been so fixated on Y/N,” Sungho sighed once again, although he seemed clearly unbothered by Jaehyun’s rising panic despite his behavior moments ago. 

Jaehyun spun around, glaring. “I was not fixated on her!” His voice came out sharper than he intended, defensive in a way that only made Sungho raise his brows. “I was actually committed to my mission, y’know—doing my job.”

“Right.” Sungho crossed his arms, leaning back as he fixed Jaehyun with an unimpressed look. “Then maybe you could’ve aimed the arrow at her instead of him.”

Jaehyun froze mid-step, caught off guard by the observation. The words lingered in the air as if waiting to pounce, and Jaehyun hated how they made his stomach churn.

Sungho didn’t miss the hesitation. “But you didn’t. Instead, you aimed to make him love-sick over her—not the other way around.”

Jaehyun’s eyes narrowed, his pacing halting completely as he faced Sungho. “What exactly are you trying to imply?”

“Oh, I think you already know,” Sungho said, his voice pointed as his gaze locked onto Jaehyun’s.

“Well, if anything—” Jaehyun snapped, his voice tight as he shoved his hands into his pockets. “I don’t have any intentions like that! It’s over between us, and that should be pretty clear to you, given that I paired her up with someone else.”

“Sure, sure—it’s over,” Sungho says, not wanting to cause Jaehyun to be in another frenzy. He could feel his lip twitching, almost as if he wanted to smirk, but he chose to fight against it. There was no need to rile Jaehyun up, especially given the unfortunate circumstances. 

Sungho’s phone buzzed, and as he glanced down at the screen, his expression shifted. He pressed his lips into a thin line—a small but telling gesture that Jaehyun immediately picked up on. It was almost instinctual, his senses sharpening at the sight of Sungho’s hesitation.

“What is it?” Jaehyun demanded, his voice edged with suspicion.

Sungho hesitated, clearly weighing his words before finally speaking. “I know you really don’t want to do this,” he started cautiously, watching Jaehyun’s expression like it might shatter at any moment. "But... your next session with Y/N? It’s today.”

Jaehyun’s eyes widened in disbelief, and Sungho quickly added, “Or, well—actually, it’s not just today. It’s right now.”

“Right now?!” Jaehyun practically choked, taking a step back as if the words physically hit him. “You can’t be serious! No one said anything about it being this soon!”

Sungho grimaced, his grip tightening around his phone. “I just found out too, okay? Woonhak’s the one who sent the notice. He said something about needing to keep everything on schedule.”

“Schedule?” Jaehyun repeated, his voice rising. “I didn’t even agree to this schedule!”

Sungho crossed his arms, clearly unimpressed with Jaehyun’s outburst. “Well, suck it up, because she could walk in at any moment.” He gave Jaehyun a pointed look, then added, “But don’t worry—I’ll be here to make sure you don’t say anything weird.”

Jaehyun shot him a sharp glare. “Oh, that’s reassuring,” he muttered sarcastically, finally deciding to sit on the couch as his nerves threatened to continue to overwhelm him. “You’re acting like I’m incapable of handling this.”

“You’re barely capable of handling this,” Sungho shot back without missing a beat. “I mean, look at you right now! You’re one bad thought away from a meltdown, and we both know it.”

Just as Jaehyun was about to say anything to defend himself, the sound of knocking echoed through the room. Both he and Sungho immediately froze, their eyes snapping toward the door. 

Compared to Sungho, Jaehyun could’ve sworn he felt like he stopped breathing. Sungho was able to recover a little quicker, while Jaehyun seemed to be stuck in a trance. 

“I guess it’s time,” Sungho whispered as if you could potentially hear him from the opposite side, turning to give Jaehyun the look. 

Jaehyun’s eyes wavered. "Wait—what do I even say? What if... what if I mess up?” He whispered, and even with his voice being low, it was hard to ignore that he was frantic. 

“And didn’t you just say you’re perfectly capable of handling this?” 

"Well, that was before this happened!” Jaehyun whisper-yelled, his eyes looking back at the door after hearing the knocking again—this time, slightly louder than it was before. 

“Either way, you’re going to have to face her,” Sungho said, already moving toward the door. He reached for the doorknob, but before turning it, he glazed back at Jaehyun. “Like I said, I’ll handle it if things go wrong—just focus on being able to not do anything out of the ordinary.” 

Jaehyun groaned, running his hands through his hair as Sungho finally opened the door. The second he saw you standing there, greeting Sungho due to his sudden appearance, Jaehyun felt like the air had been knocked out of his lungs.

Quickly, he looked away, his gaze dropping to his hands as he fiddled nervously with his fingers, desperate to stop his thoughts from spiraling. 

This was going to be so much harder than he thought.

“Hi, Cupid MJ,” you greeted him with a bright expression as you stepped inside after Sungho had welcomed you in.

Jaehyun’s eyes flickered up at the sound of your voice, and despite every part of him screaming to stay composed, his lips almost instinctively curled into a smile. His eyes softened, crinkling at the corners in a way that felt far too natural—far too much.

“Hi, Y/N,” he replied, but the moment the words left his mouth, he froze. It sounded weird. Even to him, it sounded far too warm—too full of affection. 

His eyes widened slightly as he quickly brought a hand up to cover his mouth, as if that could somehow take back the tone he’d just used. His gaze darted nervously to Sungho, who was already staring at him with a raised eyebrow and the most frustratingly knowing look.

Jaehyun felt heat rush to his face as he let out a small, awkward cough, desperately trying to mask the slip-up. “Uh—take a seat,” he said, attempting to make his voice sound more neutral. 

“The date went well,” you said, your tone light as you took a seat. It was clear you were more than ready to lead the conversation—especially given Jaehyun’s stunned silence.

For a moment, he just blinked at you, his thoughts spiraling as he struggled to string together a proper response. It almost felt like the roles had reversed—him as the nervous client, fumbling and hopeless, while you sat there like the Cupid, who had quite literally struck him right in the heart.

“That’s… great,” Jaehyun finally managed to say, though his voice came out quieter than he’d hoped. He cleared his throat, trying to regain even a fraction of composure. “I mean, of course, it went well. I—I knew it would.”

You nodded, completely unaware that you were the one that was making him feel like his heart was about to burst out of his chest. 

"What happens now?" you asked, leaning in slightly as if searching for some kind of reassurance.

"Well," he began, clearing his throat. "You can continue spending more time with him since I received a positive response from him too." He paused briefly, gauging your expression before continuing. "Or, if you'd prefer, you can explore other matches—it’s entirely your pick."

You nodded slowly, your fingers absentmindedly brushing against the edge of the table. "I think I could do another day with him," you finally said, though there was an almost hesitant tone in your voice.

Jaehyun's stomach flipped. Was that hesitation good or bad?

"I mean," you added quickly, as if trying to fill the silence, "I’m not really sure about exploring other options just yet. What do you think?"

Jaehyun looked up at you, momentarily frozen as if the world around him had slowed down. He’d tried so hard to avoid this—to keep his emotions in check and his focus sharp—but the second his eyes locked with yours, all of that effort unraveled.

The soft pink hue that had surrounded you the first time he saw you seemed to return, blooming and spreading until it drowned out everything else. It wasn’t just a glow—it was a pull, one he felt himself leaning into despite knowing better.

"What do I think?” he finally managed, his voice quieter than usual, like he was afraid of saying the wrong thing.

“Yeah.” You tilted your head, waiting for his response, completely unaware of the turmoil raging inside him.

“I think...” he trails off, his heartbeat seemingly muffling the sound of his own voice to him. “I think I like–”

“What he means,” Sungho interrupted, sliding onto the seat next to Jaehyun as if to physically block him from saying anything reckless, “is that he thinks it’d be great for you to keep going out with Heeseung.”

Jaehyun flinched at the sudden pinch Sungho gave him, jolting him back to reality. He turned to glare at his friend, but Sungho’s pointed stare told him to pull it together.

You blinked, slightly taken aback by the abrupt response from Sungho rather than Jaehyun, but nodded anyway. “Oh…okay.”

“Right!” Jaehyun blurted out, sitting up straighter and forcing a strained smile. “I mean, Heeseung seems like a good match, and you said the first date went well, so another one makes sense, right?”

Your eyebrows slightly furrowed, confused by the sudden energy radiating from him. Even when you hesitated for a second, as if something about his words didn’t quite convince you, you decided to nod again. “I guess I could give it another try.”

Jaehyun forced a smile, an odd tightness in his chest that didn’t seem to disappear quickly. He should’ve felt relieved that he hadn’t slipped up—that he’d managed to steer you back toward Heeseung—but instead, he felt like he’d lost something.

“Great,” Sungho clapped his hands together, almost serving as a reminder to Jaehyun to focus. “We will be able to set you on another date soon, so please wait for our messages!” he said oddly cheerfully, though Jaehyun could tell it was mostly to smooth things over.

“Right,” Jaehyun added, his voice barely above a whisper.He bit his lip, forcing himself to look away from you after nearly confessing again. His heart wavered, almost betraying him, as he saw you turn your attention to Sungho, laughing at something he’d said.

You were smiling…because of Sungho.

“I’ll take care of the details,” Jaehyun suddenly interjected, clearing his throat loudly enough to grab both your and Sungho’s attention.

You blinked, surprised, but offered a small smile. “Oh, okay. I’ll leave it to you, then,” you replied, completely oblivious to the effect you were having on him. Just because of that small action of yours, his heart was practically close to actually bursting. 

Jaehyun gave a stiff nod, watching you turn to leave. The moment you stepped out, he found his gaze trailing after you, unable to pull his eyes away until the door finally clicked shut behind you.

“Geez, now you’re at the jealous stage of the love effect?” Sungho’s voice sliced through the lingering silence, pulling Jaehyun back to reality. He looked over to find his friend watching him with a knowing smirk, one brow raised. “That was pretty fast-paced."

“It’s not like I was trying to!” Jaehyun quickly snapped, his voice suddenly getting defensive. In frustration, he pointed at the door as he tried to find his words. “It’s because of—”

Before he could finish, the door abruptly swung open, revealing Woonhak, who stood there with a curious yet sunny expression. “How’d it go?” he asked, his gaze bouncing between Jaehyun and Sungho as if he’d walked in on something interesting.

Jaehyun groaned, throwing his hands up in exasperation before pointing aggressively at Woonhak, almost as if he were waiting for this moment. “It’s because of you!”

Woonhak blinked, confused. “Wait, what? Me?”

“Yes, you!” Jaehyun said, standing up from his chair and pointing with even more emphasis. “If it weren’t for—”

“Is this...my cue to go?” Woonhak interrupted, his confusion shifting into playful unease as he glanced between the two of them, already half-stepping back toward the hallway.

 Jaehyun let out a long, frustrated sigh, his eyes squeezing shut as he pinched the bridge of his nose. “No, it’s not your cue to go, because if you hadn’t accepted that application, I could’ve still been as capable and composed as I was before!”

The room fell into a heavy silence as nobody chose to speak up after that. Woonhak froze, glancing at Sungho with wide, pleading eyes, silently begging for backup. Sungho, on the other hand, looked like he had no clue what to do either to step in.

Before Sungho could even attempt to think of something to diffuse the situation, Jaehyun was already striding his way toward Woonhak. 

“Uh, Sungho?” Woonhak stammered, panic creeping into his voice as he instinctively began stepping back. Jaehyun’s footsteps grew faster, his expression dead set on making his point—whatever that point might be.

“Sungho!” Woonhak yelped, his voice rising as Jaehyun closed the distance between them, taking even more huge steps back. 

Realizing he was on his own, Woonhak made a split-second decision. “Help me!” he screamed, spinning on his heel and bolting toward the door.

“Get back here, Woonhak!”

Their footsteps echoed down the hallway, Woonhak’s panicked screams fading into the distance as Jaehyun’s determined shouts followed close behind.

Sungho quickly snapped out of his amused daze, only to burst into laughter at the absurdity of the situation. However, his grin vanished just as quickly as it appeared when a sudden realization hit him.

“Oh, crap. There could be other clients waiting!” he muttered, scrambling to his feet in a panic.

Without missing a beat, he darted toward the exit, slamming the door as he followed the trail of yelling that was growing fainter by the second.

“Jaehyun!” Sungho called out, his voice echoing through the hallway as he tried to catch up. “Leave Woonhak alone and get back here—this is just your fate!”

The sound of Woonhak’s panicked screams and Jaehyun’s relentless pursuit only made Sungho pick up his pace, muttering to himself between breaths. “Oh my, just accept your fate already!”

And no matter how much Jaehyun pleaded—to the Cupid Gods (if they even existed) or to the universe itself—for some miraculous way out of this fate, his prayers were met with nothing but silence. The crushing weight of disappointment settled on him, a constant reminder of just how trapped he was in this situation.

Now, only a few weeks later, here he was, hiding behind a newspaper in his hand, his breath held as he watched you sitting on a bench, waiting for your second date with Heeseung.

“Why am I even here?” Jaehyun mumbled to himself, his eyes still glued onto you from a safe distance. His tone was low, almost as if he were speaking to no one at all, but a hum of agreement quickly followed.

“I don’t know,” came the unenthusiastic reply from the person in front of him—Leehan, of all people. The sound of a crinkling newspaper accompanied his words, his fingers absently folding and unfolding the corner of the page.

“Matter of fact, why are you here?” Jaehyun whispered harshly, glaring at Leehan, who seemed entirely too relaxed for someone on the lookout, with his random sunglasses and his newspaper upside down. If anything, it would be obvious that Leehan could be up to something. 

Leehan leisurely lowered the newspaper he’d been pretending to read and set it down on the table in front of him, a small smirk playing at his lips. “Because Sungho and the others are busy with their own Cupid duties,” he began, crossing his arms over his chest as if he were getting ready for a sudden fit of frustration. “And Woonhak? Well, we all know you’d rip his head off if he even tried accompanying you. So, I have no choice but to be here with you.”

Jaehyun chose not to respond, letting out a heavy sigh as he rubbed his temples. Oddly enough, he has been able to keep his emotions in check since Leehan and the others have been around lately. They knew how far Jaehyun’s sudden love urges could progress, so they all took turns to be able to supervise both him and you. So, Jaehyun can’t even complain, as he would most likely be a nervous wreck around you.

But, if anything, he wasn’t the only nervous one. You were too, however, for entirely different reasons. Sitting just outside an amusement park—the chosen date spot for you and Heeseung—you fidgeted with your phone. The vibrant atmosphere around you was a stark contrast to the storm of emotions brewing inside. Laughter and excited chatter filled the air as families and couples hurried past you, their faces lit up with anticipation.

Could that be you and Heeseung? 

You couldn’t help but wonder if you’d have as much fun as everyone else seemed to be having. Would this date live up to your expectations? Or were you setting yourself up for disappointment?

Your gaze shifted from the bustling crowd back to your phone screen. No new messages. You checked the time again, your thumb hovering over the screen as if doing so would make a notification pop up.

This isn’t the first time you’ll be meeting Heeseung, but the idea of meeting him in person instead of texting was weird. You tried to calm down, forcing yourself to breathe deeply to steady the feeling of nerves coursing through you. This was supposed to be a fun hangout, and there was no point in thinking of useless questions. Yet, your feelings only continued to gnaw away at you, as with every passing minute, your uneasiness only heightened. 

You hated the thought of coming off as pushy, especially for something as delicate as a romantic date, but eventually, you found yourself sending follow-up texts.

The act itself felt humiliating, like you were clinging to something that might already be slipping through your fingers. Still, you had no choice. The silence on the other end was deafening.

But even after your attempts, there was nothing. No text. No call. 

Were you getting stood up? That thought finally hit you, and your heart couldn’t help but sink with an overwhelming heaviness. 

You swallowed back the lump forming in your throat, forcing yourself to sit straighter despite the weight in your chest. As much as you hated to admit it, the idea of Heeseung standing you up felt more and more like a reality with each passing second. 

Maybe love wasn’t meant for you at all. 

The world around you seemed to blur as your gaze dropped to your phone. For a moment, you stared at the empty message screen, your fingers trembling over the keyboard. It took everything in you to gather the courage to type out a text, but not to Heeseung this time.

Instead, you messaged Jaehyun.

"This date's a failure," you typed, hesitating before pressing send. 

You could only imagine how Jaehyun might feel reading such a message, especially considering the heaviness in your own chest. But should it really matter? He was a revolutionary matchmaker, after all, wasn’t he? There shouldn’t be anything that he couldn’t do, right? And yet, a strange pang of guilt crept into your thoughts. Why were you so concerned about how Jaehyun would react?

Even though you couldn’t fully understand your own emotions, one thing was clear—you still cared about him. Maybe a little too much. So, for just a split second, it didn’t seem unreasonable to think about his feelings over yours.

But with Jaehyun, your feelings were always his top priority. Well, they should be. 

The moment your message reached him, he immediately reacted, his lips pressing into a deep frown as he reread your words. Sitting beside him, Leehan noticed his sudden shift in mood and leaned closer; his curiosity piqued.

“What’s wrong?” Leehan asked, trying to peer over at Jaehyun’s screen. His own expression shifted as he caught a glimpse of the text, his eyes widening and his frown mirroring Jaehyun’s.

Jaehyun didn’t answer right away, his thoughts racing as he stared at your words. His chest tightened, a mixture of frustration and concern bubbling within him. You were upset—the thought of you feeling this way gnawed at him.

“I’ll handle it,” Jaehyun finally muttered, standing abruptly.

Leehan blinked up at him, startled. “Wait, what are you—”

But Jaehyun was already moving, his determination written all over his face. For the better or worse, he wasn’t going to let this ruin your day. 

“Y/N,” he called out as he jogged toward you, his voice cutting through the lively background noise from the amusement park. The sudden sound startled you, making you glance up from the message you’d been staring at. Seeing him right there—mere seconds after your text—felt both unnerving and oddly comforting.

It felt weird that someone—your ex, or better yet, simply just Cupid MJ—immediately came to your message. But you also felt a sense of gratitude, knowing that there was someone who would answer your message right away. 

At least someone cared enough to show up for you. 

“Jaehyun?” you managed to say, though your voice was shaky, caught between disbelief and relief. You quickly stuffed your phone in your pocket, trying to compose yourself. “How’d you get here so fast?”

He came to a stop in front of you, still catching his breath but managing to keep his gaze steady on you. “I was already here,” he admitted, a slight edge of hesitance in his voice. “I was waiting for you and Heeseung to meet... so I could leave.” He shifted his weight awkwardly. “But then I got your text message.”

“Oh,” you murmured, your voice barely above a whisper. “Makes sense.” The words felt bitter as they left your lips, as though admitting them aloud made everything sting a little more.

Your fingers found the zipper of your jacket, and you began to fiddle with it, keeping your eyes trained on the ground. Meeting Jaehyun’s gaze felt impossible at that moment. The last thing you wanted was for him, of all people, to witness you in this state.

This was definitely humiliating, and nothing could convince you otherwise. 

Jaehyun could see and feel the weight of your emotions, a pang of guilt washing over him. Deep down, he wondered if this was somehow his fault for pairing you with someone who let you down. Maybe Cupid’s systems weren’t as reliable as he once believed. 

“You don’t have to feel embarrassed about this.”

His voice was soft, almost compelling you to look up at him, but you resisted, shaking your head and letting out a dry laugh. “That’s easy for you to say.”

Jaehyun caught on to how your body hunched over, shoulders curling inward like you were trying to hide from him—or maybe from yourself. Your legs kicked back and forth in a restless rhythm, a nervous energy that you didn’t seem to notice.

He caught the way you bit your lip, a small inhale slipping through before you stopped yourself from speaking. It was like you were fighting against the words you wanted to say, the weight of everything you felt pressing down on you but refusing to come out.

“Y/N,” he sighed, feeling his own heartache seeing you try to hide your vulnerability. Without hesitation, he stepped closer, crouching down in front of you. His head tilted slightly to be within your eye view, his expression open and earnest.

You stopped your foot movements and perked your head up just a little, catching a glimpse of the sincere smile on his face. His posture was relaxed, his arms wrapped casually around his knees, but his eyes truly told a different story from his demeanor. 

“Seriously, this is just his fault. If Heeseung couldn’t see what he had right in front of him, that’s his loss. It’s never been yours.”

His words caught you off guard, pulling your attention to him fully.

You looked directly at him, taking a longer sight of Jaehyun crouched in front of you. His eyebrows were slightly raised, his gaze steady and warm as he waited for your response.  For a moment, the noise of the amusement park around you faded, leaving only the sincerity in his voice and the sweet expression on his face. 

That same smile of his lingered on his lips—a smile you hadn’t seen this close in so long.

And yet, somehow, it felt so familiar, like slipping you back into a memory you hadn’t realized you still hadn’t forgotten.

Without meaning to, you found yourself smiling back, the corners of your lips curving upward as if in reflex. It had been a while since someone made you feel this way—seen, heard, comforted without judgment. And it had been even longer since you’d seen Jaehyun look at you like this, with that quiet reassurance that seemed to say everything would be okay, even if you didn’t believe it yourself.

“You’re still good at this, you know,” you murmured, your voice soft as you broke the silence. Your head dipped slightly, your attention getting fixated on your knees once more. 

“Good at what?” he asked, tilting his head slightly again, his smile widening just a bit.

“Making people feel better,” you replied. You shifted your body upwards, now sitting properly after recollecting your thoughts, even if it were just for a little bit. “Even when they don’t think they can.”

“I do what I can,” Jaehyun’s smile faltered slightly, a crack in his otherwise composed exterior. Inside, his emotions churned slowly but steadily, threatening to unravel him. This moment felt too close—something he hadn’t noticed until now it was finally being pried open. It was almost as if pieces of him were slowly getting chipped away, each piece falling until only fragments remained. 

Fragments he wasn’t sure he’d ever be able to glue back together.

Maybe it was the potion amplifying his emotions, or maybe it was the weight of his own unresolved feelings, but a part of him wanted to do something—a push towards the thought he’s been trying to bury away. Even if some pieces were lost, maybe this was his chance to start over. 

To rebuild. 

“Speaking of which,” he said suddenly, breaking the moment before his thoughts could consume him any further, “let’s not waste the day.”

You blinked, staring at his outstretched hand toward you. “What?”

“I’m not letting you sit here feeling like this,” Jaehyun insisted, soon standing up from his crouching position, hand still extended out. “We’re at an amusement park. Let’s go have fun.”

You hesitated. It almost felt like this was wrong, and it went out of your boundaries. This was supposed to be a date with Heeseung, but now Jaehyun is here, standing in front of you, offering to practically fill his spot. So, what made this? 

It can’t be considered a date—maybe a hangout. But, still, a hangout with your ex? 

Your matchmaker? 

The more you tried to sort through the mess of emotions inside you, the harder it became to ignore the almost pleading look on Jaehyun’s face. His fingers wriggled slightly as he held his hand out awkwardly, his other fist tightly gripping the fabric of his pants. He looked nervous, almost unsure of himself, and the sight tugged at something in your chest. 

His reaction made it harder to turn him now. 

At the end of the day, don’t you deserve something, too? 

Slowly, tentatively, you reached out and took his hand. The warmth of his palm instantly engulfed yours, and you felt the faintest tremble in his fingers. Jaehyun’s hand twitched at the sudden contact, and for a moment, it seemed like he might completely malfunction. But instead, his grip tightened—not enough to hurt, but enough to remind you he was there, simply for you. 

“I promise this will be worth your time,” his voice shifted from awkwardness to a quiet sense of confidence, flashing another smile of his. 

Before you could respond, Jaehyun turned, still holding your hand as he began leading you toward the amusement park. His grip didn’t falter, firm yet gentle, as though he feared you might slip away at any moment.

This wasn’t how you expected your day to unfold. Yet here you were, side by side with Jaehyun, the buzz of the park surrounding you as colorful lights and cheerful chatter filled the air. You scanned your surroundings, taking in the endless rows of games, rides, and shops until something caught your eye.

Jaehyun had been busy glancing around, seemingly trying to pick out the perfect first stop, when he felt a soft tap on his arm. Turning toward you, he was met with the sight of your eager expression as you pointed toward one of the brightly decorated shops.

“We should go there first,” you said, tugging lightly at his shirt sleeves. “I’ve always wanted to buy one of those headband accessories.”

Jaehyun followed your gaze to the shop, where a variety of playful headbands adorned with animal ears and other silly headpieces were displayed. He chuckled softly, his usual calm demeanor melting into something more playful as he turned his head back to you. 

Oddly enough, he felt at ease when he was around you this time. 

“Really? That’s what you want to do first?” he teased, though the warmth in his tone betrayed how amused he was by your enthusiasm.

“Yes, really,” you said, rolling your eyes but unable to hide your smile. You were starting to warm up, abandoning the facade you had just a few moments prior. “Come on, it’ll be fun!”

Jaehyun shook his head, a small laugh escaping him as he allowed you to tug him toward the shop. “Alright, alright. Let’s go see which one suits you best,” he said, a glimmer of excitement in his eyes as the two of you stepped inside.

Once inside the shop, you immediately gravitated toward the section of animal headbands. The shelves brimmed with accessories of every kind, and your eyes widened as they trailed over each design. Jaehyun followed behind, initially glancing at the shelves, but his gaze kept drifting back to you. His eyes lingered on your focused expression, the way your lips slightly puckered as you hummed softly while contemplating your choices.

It was almost too endearing to watch, and Jaehyun had to suppress a laugh that threatened to escape. He knew if he let it slip, the potion's effects would surge, making it harder to keep himself in check.

As he tried to hold himself back, you picked up a headband and examined it closely, turning it over in your hands before moving on to another. Finally, you settled on a brown headband with floppy, oversized dog ears. With a satisfied grin, you turned to face Jaehyun.

The suddenness of your movement startled him slightly, his eyes darting from your face to the headband in your hands. You motioned with one hand for him to lower himself, confusing him for a moment. When you repeated the gesture, Jaehyun hesitantly leaned down, still unsure what you were planning.

Without a word, you placed the headband on his head, carefully adjusting it. Your fingers brushed through his hair, lingering briefly on the strands near his forehead as you fixed the headband into place.

Jaehyun could feel his ears getting hot, momentarily freezing up while his thoughts were in a swirl—a similar feeling from the first time he had the potion take its effects. 

He had to keep himself in check. 

“This is for me?” Jaehyun asked, straightening up once you finished. He rubbed the back of his neck, brushing his fingers against his burning ear in an attempt to compose himself. It didn’t look like you noticed as your attention was brought back to the headbands on display, only humming in response. 

“It looks good on you,” you responded, smiling, though your smile faltered for a moment as you instinctively retreated into your thoughts. Once again, you instinctively thought of Jaehyun first, an old habit of yours that never seemed to die when you were around him. 

Before your thoughts could drift any further, they were abruptly interrupted as you felt something soft being placed on your head. You turned quickly, catching Jaehyun’s startled expression as he tried to keep the headband he just placed on you. 

His eyes widened slightly, a chuckle escaping his lips as his hands instinctively reached out—one resting lightly on your shoulder to keep you still, the other adjusting the headband that had shifted due to your movement.

Once satisfied, he stepped back and pointed toward the mirror in front of you both. “Now we’re matching,” Jaehyun declared with a hint of pride, though his confident smile faltered into something more bashful as he caught sight of your reflection.

You glanced at the mirror, noticing how the two of you wore similar designs—yours a white version of the floppy-eared headband, while his was brown. 

It looked like a couple’s item. 

Regardless of that, the sight of you two standing side by side brought a small laugh out of you, and you found yourself smiling despite the earlier heaviness in your chest.

“You look good in it too,” Jaehyun said, his eyes meeting yours in the mirror. 

“I’ll admit, it’s kind of cute,” you said, tugging at the floppy ears. “Should we get these?” 

Jaehyun’s grin widened, and he nodded enthusiastically. Without another word, the two of you made your way to the checkout counter, the cashier giving a knowing smile as you both purchased your matching accessories.

With the headbands secured, it wasn’t long before you and Jaehyun were going through the amusement park, hopping from one ride to the next. From bumper cars that had you both laughing uncontrollably as you tried to hit each other to classic carnival games where Jaehyun insisted on winning you a plush toy—though he missed more than a few throws, making him utterly embarrassed. 

After he was able to win a mid-sized plush that he swore resembled you, you pointed at the rollercoaster ride you two somehow always managed to walk past. Jaehyun’s feet stood in place, not moving from what he stood on. 

You turned to look at him, whose fear and nervousness were clearly evident on his face—trying to hide it would be useless. 

Oddly enough, that expression was cute to you. 

“Are you scared?” 

“Me? Scared—” Jaehyun’s words get cut off after he turns silent while staring at the drop of the coaster, hearing the screams from the people—sending a sudden chill over his body. He gulped quietly, continuing on with his words, “I’m not scared.”

“Then, let’s go in line!” You grabbed onto his arm, getting a better grasp than before, considering how off guard he was by seeing the loops of the roller coaster. 

“Wait!” Jaehyun’s feet tried to remain in place on the ground, his arms flailing slightly during the process. His actions were clearly betraying his words, which you couldn’t help but chuckle. 

“Come on,” you coaxed, finally interlocking arms with Jaehyun to have a more successful chance of dragging him away. 

Jaehyun stumbled forward—not because of the force you put to move him into the line, but from the warmth from your body pressing into his arm

The once squirmy Jaehyun, who wanted nothing more than to teleport away from the situation, was now completely frozen, his gaze fixed ahead, yet his mind was undeniably tethered to you. He simply allowed you to drag him, as his thoughts always seemed to follow whenever you went. 

“Jaehyun?” Your voice finally broke through his daze after calling his name for the third—or maybe the fourth—time. It left you wondering curiously if he is really this scared of roller coasters. There was really no way for you to know beforehand this—you two never went on an amusement park date before. “Are you okay? We can always skip this if—”

“No, no, I’m—” Jaehyun quickly turned to reassure you, even if the expression on his face said otherwise. He truly wasn’t fine—far from it—but when he had a feeling you really wanted to go on this ride, he felt almost obligated to push back his fears. With the way your excitement seemed to glimmer in your eyes the first time, he could handle it, couldn’t he?

Though at this point, if there was anything he should be fearing, it was how dangerously close you two were. 

You two were practically face-to-face, which made Jaehyun feel his breath hitch in his throat. To make matters worse—or maybe better—you were still clinging onto his arm, your touch managing to keep him in place while simultaneously making his heart race out of control.

Jaehyun could see your lips moving, trying to say something, but your words didn’t reach him. It almost felt like you were mumbling when you truly weren’t. His eyes could only try to make sense of the movement of your lips, which was a complete struggle as everything seemed to blur into nothing but silence. 

With that given moment, it felt like everything intensified. It was as if the love arrow potion had decided to unleash its full power, breaking past every defense he’d built to suppress it. The sensation was overwhelming, almost suffocating, as if the arrow had pierced him all over again, but hitting him ten times harder than before. 

And then, without thinking, he muttered a single word.

“Pretty.”

The word slipped out before he could catch it, soft but clear enough that you froze for a moment. Your eyes widened slightly in surprise, and that was enough to snap Jaehyun back to reality.

Panic rushed through him, and he immediately stepped back, pulling himself out of your grasp as he waved his hands frantically.

“Pretty—I mean, I’m pretty fine with us going on this ride!” he blurted out, his voice hurried and tinged with nervous laughter. His ears burned as he tried to salvage the situation, feeling utterly exposed. “After all, we’re only a few people away from entering, right?”

You simply nodded, your cheeks suddenly heating up, even if you didn’t mean to feel flustered in that way after letting him complete the sentence.

But is it really so wrong for you to feel that way? 

The silence felt heavy as you two awkwardly stood side by side, neither daring to exchange glances or words. Jaehyun was able to use that silence to be able to get himself to be composed again. His heartbeat was still going, not racing, and he didn't feel a burning sensation from his ears or face, leaving him calmer—or at least calmer than before. 

As Jaehyun finally arrived at the right state of mind, he now noticed the warmth of your touch had left him. For a fleeting moment, relief should’ve been his first reaction, but instead, it left behind an emptiness he hadn’t anticipated.

It was as if he missed it. 

“Next up in line!” the ride announcer called out, startling you both from your thoughts.

You turned to Jaehyun, catching the faint hesitation in his expression. But to your surprise, he started moving forward, almost as if he wanted to prove something—not just to you but maybe to himself.

And while you tried to keep your thoughts neutral, you couldn’t help but lean toward one explanation over the other. You wanted to believe that he was doing this for you. But that thought alone wasn’t good for you.

And it wasn’t good for you to have your mind wander to that possibility. 

Despite your inner turmoil, you found yourself seated in the middle of the ride. Jaehyun had suggested the spot, reasoning that it felt “safer” knowing there were people alive in front of him. His logic had been so ridiculous that you couldn’t help but laugh. You didn’t argue, though—you liked sitting in the middle anyway.

As the ride attendant double checked the seat restraint for you two, Jaehyun couldn’t help but ramble a bunch of questions that the attendant had no problem reassuring him about—and maybe letting out a chuckle or two. 

“That’s a lot of questions for someone who claims they’re not scared,” you teased, glancing at Jaehyun as he tightened his grip on the metal handles of the restraint.

“I’m not scared,” Jaehyun mumbled, but the stark contrast between his words and his appearance said otherwise. His knuckles were white from clutching the handle so hard, his lips had lost some color, and his eyes were wavering at every slight noise around him. 

“It’s better to be safe than sorry,” Jaehyun managed to say, chuckling nervously, almost as if he’s trying to reassure himself.

“It’s better to be safe than sorry,” Jaehyun managed to say, his voice shaky as he chuckled nervously, clearly trying—and failing—to convince himself more than you.

Even as he muttered words of self-reassurance, it all crumbled the moment the ride operator began counting down. Jaehyun’s face grew paler with every number, and before you knew it, he was whispering what sounded like a series of frantic prayers under his breath.

Seriously, it was almost humiliating for him—the amount of losses he had was overwhelming. His repeated failed attempts to win you a plushie that stumble earlier, and now, his current state as a nervous wreck after agreeing to ride something he clearly hated the idea of. How much more could he possibly embarrass himself?

You couldn’t help but feel even more endeared by this side of him. Watching his clumsy or frightened side of him felt oddly nostalgic. It reminded you of a time long ago, back when you had countless dates with him, watching him flounder when his nerves got the best of him. 

So, you couldn’t help but laugh at Jaehyun, whose eyes were already shut close when the ride finally started to move. 

It’s like you missed that sight of him. 

“Why are we still going up?” Jaehyun managed to say, his voice barely audible over the loud clanking of the roller coaster. His eyes darted open for a split second, only to snap shut again when he caught a glimpse of how high up you both were. From the ground earlier, it didn’t seem this terrifying, but now? 

“It will be fine, Jaehyun,” you said, almost as if you were attempting to cut through the amount of thoughts clouding in his mind. 

As much as Jaehyun wanted to believe your words, the way the ascent was getting higher—agonizingly slow—was making it hard for him to do so. 

“I seriously might pass out,” he muttered, his voice trembling as much as his hands.

“You won’t, Jaehyun.”

“And who are you to say that?” he shot back, his panic laced with disbelief.

“Because I’m here,” you said simply, glancing his way. “And as long as I’m okay, so will you.”

That sentence alone got Jaehyun to finally open his eyes again. Even with his fear gnawing at him, he found himself glancing to his side—where you were already looking at him. You two made eye contact, which led him to quickly forget about the fear pounding in his chest or the sweaty grip he had on the handles. But just as quickly, he broke eye contact, turning his head sharply to the front—only to regret it instantly. 

That was when he realized the cart had reached the top. 

Before he could even react, his stomach dropped along with the cart, and a startled scream was released from his throat, perfectly in sync with the other riders. Jaehyun panicked, his hands flailing desperately after he had accidentally let go of the restraint. His grip faltered as he tried to latch onto the restraint again, only for his fingers to slip against the slick metal after he went through the first loop of the roller coaster. 

And then, without thinking, he managed to hold onto something near him—your hand. Along with him, you also didn’t even notice. You were still screaming in excitement—between the thrill of the drop and the way Jaehyun’s screams were practically blowing out your eardrums, which made things only funnier. 

You were too caught up in the adrenaline to even register the fact his fingers were desperately latching onto yours. What felt like eternity finally stopped when the cart slowly returned back to its original position. The screeching yells also came to a stop, leaving everyone a moment to either catch their breaths or gush about how fun that ride was. 

That was certainly the situation between you two—Jaehyun trying breathing exercises as he felt like he forgot to breathe while you wore a beaming expression on your face. 

“That was…fun,” you started off excitedly, trailing off at the last word as you felt the hold on your hand tighten. Only then did you finally look down, seeing Jaehyun’s fingers still holding onto yours. 

Your eyes shot back up from your hands to his face, in which you only saw his side profile as he was still recovering from the ride.

“That was not... fun,” Jaehyun muttered, mirroring your tone as his own gaze finally dropped to where your hands remained linked. The moment he registered where his hand was placed, his mouth was only slightly gaped. His eyes lifted to meet yours, and for a second, you both wore the same startled expression.

The ride operator interferes before you two could say anything to each other. 

“Arms up, please.” 

His fingers slipped away from yours, leaving behind only a lost sense of warmth—something you didn’t notice until now. Jaehyun’s parted lips pressed shut as he turned to look straight ahead again, letting the ride’s restraint be lifted off of him. 

Neither of you spoke as you stepped off the ride and walked away from the station. It almost felt like déjà vu—just like earlier, when you two had stood in line together in awkward silence.

You decided to break it first. “I’m hungry,” you said, figuring food was a safe enough topic.

Jaehyun turned his head sharply, his previous dazed state replaced with exaggerated disbelief. “You’re seriously hungry after that ride?” he asked, his voice louder than necessary, as if to erase the lingering awkwardness. “I feel nauseated.”

You couldn’t help but laugh at his reaction. If nothing else, at least his dramatics had successfully lightened the mood.

After all, it wasn’t like he had meant to grab your hand—he was just terrified, and that was that. You weren’t particularly fazed by it though. If anything, you found it amusing how flustered he was.

“Alright, how about this?” you proposed, shooting him an easy smile. “We’ll take a break, grab some food, and then you get to pick the last ride.”

Jaehyun’s expression instantly shifted, the excitement returning to his eyes like a light switch had been flipped. He nodded eagerly, humming in approval. 

The two of you took your time wandering around, casually debating what to eat as you passed various food stands. There were plenty of tempting options, but eventually, you both settled on corn dogs, agreeing to share a funnel cake afterward. Decisions like these were effortless with Jaehyun—it was easy to compromise and even easier to enjoy the moment.

It didn’t take long for you to finish eating, to which the roles had reversed—Jaehyun was now dragging your arm around to find something to go on. It was getting dark out, so Jaehyun quickly picked a ride in no time. Jaehyun came to a sudden stop, his face lighting up as he pointed ahead. 

“We—or I—never got to ride one of these before,” he announced, staring in awe at the towering Ferris wheel in front of you.

You turned to look at him, only to be met with his best attempt at puppy-dog eyes, as if he needed to convince you.

You chuckled at his expression, simply nodding in agreement, as truthfully, you didn’t need much persuading.

You haven’t been on a ferris wheel yet either. 

The line wasn’t as long as compared to the roller coaster, so it led you two to instantly get into one of the pods, settling into your seats across from each other. 

As the Ferris wheel ascended, you exclaimed in awe as you stared at the things from ground level that were slowly getting smaller. You stared at the glowing lights from all the other rides and booths from above.

“It’s really beautiful, isn’t it?” Jaehyun murmured, his voice softer now, filled with genuine admiration. You hummed in agreement, unable to also look away from the outside view. 

That was, until you peered over at Jaehyun, watching his eyes dazzle with amazement while your eyes lingered on him, warmth suddenly pooling in your chest. 

“You know,” you started, leaning back against the cushioned seat, “I’m really thankful for you today.”

Jaehyun turned his head slowly, his gaze meeting yours as his smile grew wider. “Don’t be,” he said, almost shyly.

“No, like, seriously,” you insisted, your voice more animated. “I don’t think I would’ve had this much fun if I wasn’t with you.”

Jaehyun blinked, his lips pressing together as if holding back another smile. “Well,” he said after a beat, “I’m glad you felt comfortable enough with me.”

You exhaled a small laugh, shaking your head. “I’m even more glad that it was you I spent the day with.”

For a second, Jaehyun didn’t say anything—simply looking at you, his expression unreadable yet soft. However, with a soft chuckle, he leaned back as well, his eyes still lingering on you as if he were seeing something just as mesmerizing as the view outside. 

“Me too.” 

RULE #7: Don’t Leave your Clients Confused 

You didn’t know how to feel. 

From the day you met him again—to now—things had never felt more confusing than before. 

Especially ever since that day, it had never left your mind. Even if you wanted to push it aside, all it did was continue to linger, creeping into your thoughts when you least expected it. 

It wasn’t even supposed to be an actual date—let alone being a real one. Jaehyun had simply stepped in for Heeseung, who never showed up. And yet, at no point did Jaehyun feel like a replacement. Not when he showed up beside you, effortlessly easing the disappointment you had been trying to suppress. Not when he went out of his way to make you laugh, making the entire day feel lighthearted and effortless. Not even when he insisted on taking you home; his concern was so genuine that it made your chest tighten.

It felt almost too genuine. 

Everything about that day felt like it was supposed to be Jaehyun. If he wasn’t there, you wouldn’t have had that much fun with someone else. And that thought alone had your mind spiraling.

You were analyzing every little thing—the way he’s been looking at you these past few weeks, the way he was always caught in a trance when you spoke, and the way his smiles never seemed to leave his face whenever he was around you. 

And for those things, you thought about all kinds of possibilities. You even thought about all the what-ifs, trying to create explanations that made sense with his actions. 

Even with the amount of things you’d try to tell yourself with some made-up reasoning behind his actions, there were obviously some questions that you couldn’t answer. 

Some things were easy to reason with. Of course, Jaehyun had been nervous—he hadn’t seen you in a while, and being thrown into such an intimate setting would make anyone uneasy. Of course, he had been extra cheerful—he was just trying to lift your spirits after being ditched. It all made perfect sense.

At least, that’s what you told yourself.

But there were still questions you couldn’t answer. No matter how many times you tried to rationalize it, none of it added up.

Why did he make you feel this way?

And, more importantly—

What exactly were your feelings for Jaehyun?

Why were you feeling the very same feelings you once felt during your relationship with him? Why couldn’t you bring yourself to hate the fact that those feelings were stirring up again?

Why did you—against all logic—want to keep feeling this way?

It was undeniable that Jaehyun had the looks—one of the most attractive people you’ve ever known. But it wasn’t just his looks. He had a sweet personality—his kindness, his bubbly-like energy, and his effortless care for people without hesitation—those were the things that made him all seem perfect. 

Reuniting with him only brought back those flood of memories—the ones you claimed you managed to bury beneath stacks of paperwork and long hours from your job. 

He was, in every sense, the dream guy. 

And yet, feeling this way now almost made you feel guilty. After all, the two of you had chosen to part ways. You had told yourselves it was for the best—that your demanding work schedules had left little room for love. That drowning in responsibilities was easier than trying to hold onto something that was slipping away.

So you buried yourself in work. It was only fair, wasn’t it? If your career was the thing that had consumed your relationship, then it should consume you too.

Your routine always felt repetitive—the days had become a cycle of early commutes, endless tasks, and late nights hunched over your desk. The only real challenge was making it home before the last train filled up, securing a seat before exhaustion fully settled in. And when you did get home, there was always more work waiting. If you were lucky, you’d steal an hour of sleep before doing it all over again.

Some days felt more draining than others, but you had convinced yourself it was normal. This—this routine of working yourself to the bone—was normal.

So, why did Jaehyun’s presence disrupt the kind of lifestyle you had built for yourself?

You mindlessly stared at your laptop screen, your word count barely reaching a hundred. The blinking cursor taunted you, yet no matter how hard you tried to focus, your thoughts drifted elsewhere.

Even if you wanted to forget everything—just like you used to—the thought of him refused to leave your mind.

You let out a small huff, looking away from the document to grab the cup of water on your dining table. As you took a sip, your eyes wandered at the table, landing on your coat draped messily over the table. And right next to it...

The white dog ears headband.

The one Jaehyun picked out for you.

Because it suited you. 

You swallowed your water too fast, nearly choking as you hastily cleared your throat, the sudden clang of your cup hitting the table breaking the silence. Slowly, you steadied your movements, pushing the cup back to its original spot as if that could somehow fix the mess in your head.

But your eyes remained fixed on the headband. You reluctantly reach your hand over to grab it. Your fingers brushed against the soft fabric as you absentmindedly played with the ears, twisting them between your fingertips. And just like that, the memories came rushing back.

Just how could you help yourself?

How could you forget the way he smiled at you, saying the headband was perfect for you? The way he wore the other matching piece without hesitation? 

How could you forget his caring words and consistent reassurance, always checking to see if you were okay? How could you forget the warm grasp on your hand on the roller coaster? How could you forget the smile that adorned his face and how his laughter managed to fill up the entire place?

And most of all—the way his eyes held so much love.

How could you forget the way his eyes looked just like they were before? 

You quickly threw the headband back onto the table, covering your face with both hands. A muffled groan left your lips as you mumbled under your breath, shaking your head.

You truly had lost it.

You wanted to pull yourself together to shake off the overwhelming thoughts clouding your mind. But no matter how hard you tried, it felt as if you had been teleported back in time—except instead of drowning in paperwork, Jaehyun consumed every inch of your thoughts.

No matter what you could do, he just seemingly happened to be everywhere. He would always be lingering in your mind, in the little details of your day—in the spaces you swore only belonged to you. 

So, as much as you had vowed to immerse yourself in work, to not let anything deter you from your responsibilities, your fingers betrayed you. Instead of returning your focus to the laptop screen, you reached for your phone. 

You immediately looked in your photo album, looking over the pictures from that day—pictures of you and Jaehyun, candid moments he captured when you weren’t looking, and secret pictures you took whenever he just seemed too cute to not to. 

Without even trying to suppress it, a smile creeps onto your face. Your chest felt lighter, warmth spreading from inside out as you continued to scroll through the mountain of photos. 

That’s when you knew that you realized it. 

You couldn’t keep pretending. You couldn’t keep denying what had become so painfully obvious. There was no reasoning left to twist your feelings into something logical, no excuse that could explain away the way your heart reacted to him.

Jaehyun managed to do his thing—to strike an arrow directly through your heart, making you unable to even try to escape from it. 

Everyone had always said it. Jaehyun is an amazing cupid.

You just never expected to be his next target.

RULE #8: There’s Never No Solution 

Around Jaehyun’s business, words traveled fast. It was a given—he was the owner, after all. He was supposed to know everything before anyone else did.

Or at least, that was how it was supposed to go.

So why, instead of knowing the latest news firsthand, did he have to go find Taesan after Woonhak had suddenly burst into his office, practically breathless, only not to say much despite his excited appearance? 

"Wait—what's going on?" Jaehyun called out, eyebrows knitting together. He couldn’t even process Woonhak’s words, let alone even be able to process his sudden appearance. 

Woonhak merely grinned, shaking his head. "Taesan will tell you everything."

Jaehyun scowled. "That doesn't answer anything."

But Woonhak was already gone, leaving Jaehyun standing there, even more frustrated than before.

With an exasperated sigh, Jaehyun pushed aside the pile of paperwork he had been working on, knowing there was no point in trying to focus on it now. He had no choice but to go find Taesan himself—again.

It was never surprising. Taesan always had his own tasks, always busy with something, yet somehow, he never had a problem asking others to come to him whenever he had something to say.

It was just the way he was.

And Jaehyun was never bothered by it. But he still couldn’t help but feel the need to feel like something was up. Whatever this was about, he had a sinking feeling he wasn’t going to like it. 

"Jaehyun?" Taesan said, his eyes still glued to one of the drawers he was rummaging through, his ears picking up the distinct click of the door opening.

Jaehyun hummed as he shut the door behind him, his gaze sharpening as he watched Taesan absorb whatever task he was focused on. Jaehyun moved closer, hoping Taesan would be the one to break the silence, but Taesan stayed silent, his attention still fixed on whatever he was doing. Jaehyun couldn’t help but take a few slow steps forward, not wanting to interrupt but silently hoping the man would notice him first before the creeping awkwardness set in.

But, still, he was only faced with the sounds of shuffling while he stood there awkwardly, before finally breaking the uncomfortable silence. 

“So…” Jaehyun trails; his voice was hesitant as it was laced with confusion. “Mind explaining why Woonhak suddenly barged into my office just to tell me to find you?”

Taesan finally hummed in acknowledgement, still not looking up. “How do you feel?”

“How do I feel?” He scoffed lightly. “Come on, I need more than that.”

“Your arrow mishap,” Taesan finally said, now glancing up. It clicked in Jaehyun’s mind. Taesan was always the last to catch on, it seemed. “Is it still affecting you?”

Jaehyun sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah. It hasn’t gotten any easier," he admitted, his mind drifting back to all the moments with you. Just being around you made his chest feel tight, like his heart was trying to beat out of his ribcage. But despite that, he couldn’t seem to stop wanting to be near you.

"The severity of it, I guess, depends on how close I am to the person I accidentally... fell in love with." He chuckled dryly, the words feeling strange on his tongue but undeniably true. “Unbelievable, isn’t it?”

“Not really,” Taesan shrugged, catching Jaehyun off guard.

Of all the reactions Jaehyun had gotten from his friends about his accidental self-inflicted arrow, this was by far the least expected. Every other time he brought it up—whether he wanted to or not—he was met with relentless teasing, concern, or a mix of both. 

But Taesan? He seemed not even the slightness fazed by it. 

Jaehyun wore a furrowed brow, crossing his arms as if that was going to give him the support that he needed. “Just a ‘not really’? You’re not going to... discipline me for it?” 

Taesan finally looked up from the drawer, tilting his head slightly as if Jaehyun had just asked a pointless question. “Why would it be a big deal?”

Jaehyun opened his mouth, then shut it, narrowing his eyes. “Are you serious? I’m a cupid, Taesan. We don’t fall in love. We make other people fall in love.”

“You make it sound like a forbidden rule,” Taesan chuckled.

“It basically is,” Jaehyun muttered, his gaze shifting onto the floor. 

"If you make it sound so forbidden," Taesan mused, his tone teasing. "Then what if I told you I could help you finally erase the effects of the bow?"

Jaehyun’s eyes widened in shock. His arms dropped to his sides before he rushed forward, slamming his hands onto Taesan’s desk with a force that made the other slightly flinch. It wasn’t often that Jaehyun lost his composure, but now, with his hands splayed against the desk and his breath slightly uneven, he looked more frantic than Taesan had ever seen him.

“What—how?” Jaehyun stammered, his words tumbled out hastily. His reaction alone made it clear just how unexpected this was. No one had ever offered a solution before, so hearing it now—from Taesan, of all people—felt almost too good to be true.

“I didn’t expect you to react like this,” Taesan said, leaning back slightly from Jaehyun, who was too close in his personal space to his liking. “But yes, I can help.” 

“How?” Jaehyun demanded, his voice barely above a whisper. His fingers were curled against the wood, almost as if he needed something to try to prove to him that he wasn’t dreaming. 

Taesan didn’t answer immediately—once again. Seriously, Jaehyun could feel like he could collapse with how long it seemed like he was taking to tell him these things. Instead, he reached into the drawer he had been rummaging through earlier, retrieving a small glass vial filled with a shimmering, purple liquid. 

“You’re saying this is all I need?” Jaehyun tried to keep his voice steady, not wanting to seem ungrateful. In reality, he was more relieved than anything.

He doesn’t know how much longer he could be able to contain these kinds of feelings to himself around you. 

Taesan gave the vial a slow swirl, his eyes fixated on the shimmering liquid inside as if assessing its potency one last time before handing it over.

Jaehyun reached out with both hands, nearly freezing when the cold glass met his fingertips. Lifting it closer to his face, he examined it carefully another time. It looked like it was ordinary, purple medicine—except for the glitter swirling within. 

“What do I do with this?” he finally asked, tilting the vial slightly.

“Just drink it,” Taesan said simply. “The effects should wear off soon after.”

Jaehyun’s gaze flickered up, suspicion creeping in. “Where did you even get this?”

Taesan leaned back slightly, arms crossing over his chest. “You’re not the first cupid to fall victim to their own arrow,” he admitted. “It’s more common than you’d think. And well, you could say I’m the one who handles cases like these.”

Jaehyun blinked, momentarily stunned. The solution had been within reach this whole time. He could have come to Taesan from the start and spared himself the turmoil.

Taesan seemed to read his mind and smiled. “Before you start blaming anyone, I never told the others about this. We were never advised to.”

Jaehyun nodded quickly, accepting Taesan’s words before he could even begin to place blame elsewhere. Without hesitation, he popped open the cap and brought the vial to his lips, downing the liquid in one swift gulp.

The bitterness hit him immediately, a sharp, unpleasant aftertaste lingering on his tongue. He let out a hiss of dissatisfaction, grimacing as he swallowed the last drop.

Taesan extended his hand, prompting Jaehyun to toss the empty vial toward him. With ease, Taesan caught it, barely glancing up as he set it aside.

“How soon will it take effect?” Jaehyun asked, his voice edged with impatience. He wasn’t feeling anything yet, and for some reason, that made him uneasy. Shouldn’t there be some kind of reaction? A tingling sensation, a rush of warmth—something?

“It usually happens faster than you could even know it,” Taesan replied, his attention shifting back to the stack of files he had set aside earlier. “At least, that’s how it worked for the others. You shouldn’t be any different.”

Jaehyun frowned, glancing down at his hands as if expecting them to tremble or glow. Nothing.

"Don't worry, you're not supposed to feel any different from your normal self," Taesan reassured, catching a glimpse of Jaehyun flipping his hands over, inspecting them as if expecting some kind of glow or change.

Jaehyun sighed, shaking off his nerves. There was no reason to doubt Taesan—he had already taken the potion, after all. Now, he could only wait for it to take effect. Feeling a sense of relief, he quickly bid his goodbyes and stepped out of the office.

As he made his way back, his phone buzzed in his pocket. Pausing mid-step, he pulled it out, his eyes immediately landing on your contact name.

He paused momentarily, his mind going blank as he stared at his screen before it closed on its own due to inactivity. Quickly pressing the side button, he reopened his phone to click on the notification, ready to type a reply. 

He stopped in his steps to be able to formulate some sort of response—something that would keep the conversation going. The moment you replied, his heart reacted the same way it always did around you, a familiar warmth creeping in.

It felt… off.

He was supposed to be cured, wasn't he? He knew better that Taesan wasn’t the type to lie, and yet, here Jaehyun was, still feeling the rush of excitement and nerves just from texting you.

Maybe the potion just needed more time to kick in.

That had to be it.

After all, that was the only explanation he would take for why he was still so happy just to be talking to you. RULE #9: Love Never Leaves, It Sticks.

It felt strange to admit that you had completely overlooked the fact that Jaehyun was the one responsible for setting you up with a perfect match. And, to some extent, he also forgot about his duties too. 

The only reason was that Jaehyun had done his part—he had found potential matches for you, offering names, profiles, and possibilities. But every time, you declined. It left him puzzled, unsure of what to do.

Who would refuse Cupid’s advances to help them find their person? In fact, who was Cupid MJ to flat out give up their client’s journey to love without a proper explanation from the person he’s trying to set up himself? 

Letting you go wasn’t an option. That wasn’t how he was taught. He didn’t know how to handle a client who showed no interest in any of the matches he curated. His job wasn’t just about arranging dates—it was about guiding the client until they expressed their own satisfaction. Only then could he receive a review, and only then could he reach his quota.

So, with that in mind, Jaehyun found himself sticking around. Messaging you, calling when the opportunity arose—keeping the connection alive in whatever way he could. It was beginning to feel like something more than just a supposedly professional relationship, but still, he reasoned with himself: he was doing a good thing, right?

Now, as he anxiously paced around his room, debating what to wear before heading out to meet you, he reassured himself again.

This wasn’t a bad thing.

If anything, maybe he should embrace the fact that you had asked him to hang out. That had to mean something, right? If he was nervous, then surely you were too.

And you were.

You had been muttering to yourself all evening, standing up every few minutes to readjust the setup in your apartment. It made sense to have the hangout at your place—you had the materials for a clay-making session. The idea had come naturally after you both talked about those tiny clay figurines everyone seemed to be making lately. It was a casual, easy thing to do. A simple activity.

But despite that, you still felt a little jittery.

You weren’t sure what had come over you when you asked him to hang out, but after all those conversations—after all the moments spent talking to him—it only felt right.

A proper hangout.

Not by chance. Not by force.

Just... because you both wanted to.

You sat there, envisioning how the day would unfold, a giddy excitement bubbling within you. It wasn’t hard to acknowledge your feelings, not when they had been creeping up on you for some time now—lingering in the way you pushed through your workload just to have an excuse to text him, or how you found comfort in the soft tone of his voice over late-night calls.

The loud sound of the doorbell cut through your thoughts—two quick rings. Jaehyun was finally here. You shot up from your seat, hurriedly slipping into your slippers before making your way to the door. The lock clicked as you twisted the doorknob, revealing Jaehyun standing before you. He offered a small wave, his familiar smile tugging at the corners of his lips, leaving you to return the same gestures. 

Oddly enough, Jaehyun didn’t seem awkward—especially since it had been a while since he last visited your place. And yet, Jaehyun slipped off his shoes, quickly stepping into your place while you turned to shut and lock the door. 

Despite how long it had been since his last visit, Jaehyun didn’t seem hesitant or awkward. He stepped inside with ease, slipping off his shoes in one smooth motion as you closed the door behind him. His gaze swept across the space, taking in everything as if he were reacquainting himself with an old home.

Nothing had really changed. The furniture was still arranged the same, the decorations untouched, and the overall warmth of your apartment was just as he had remembered. Even after all this time, it still felt familiar.

It still felt like the place where you two once shared so many beautiful memories together. 

Jaehyun’s eyes eventually landed on the wall above your dining table, where a collection of paper prints hung neatly in contrast to the plain white walls. A flicker of recognition passed through his expression. Jaehyun remembers the prints—he was the one that had bought them for you. 

“You still kept these?” Jaehyun asked, his voice carrying a hint of surprise as he stepped closer to the prints on the wall. His fingers brushed lightly against one of them, careful not to accidentally make one of the papers drop. 

You blinked, following his glance, before letting out a hum of agreement. “Of course—why wouldn’t I?’

Jaehyun let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head. “I don’t know. It’s just been a while.”

You watched as he traced the edges of the prints, his expression unreadable. It was strange seeing him like this. It looked like he was facing nostalgia, or even seeming a little lost in thought. 

“They help make the room look brighter—you were also the one who insisted I put them up,” you reminded him, crossing your arms. “I didn’t really have a choice.”

Jaehyun let out a small laugh. “Right. I did, didn’t I?”

Shaking the thought away, you cleared your throat. “Come on, let’s get started before the clay dries out.”

Jaehyun turned to look at you, finally snapping out of his thoughts. “Right,” he said, smiling. “Let’s do this.”

You both quickly settled into your seats, Jaehyun wasting no time in tearing open the clay packages while you scrolled through your phone, looking for inspiration. The soft scent of fresh clay filled the air, adding to the cozy atmosphere of your apartment.

“What do you want to make?” you asked, glancing up from your screen.

Jaehyun furrowed his brows, rolling a small piece of clay between his fingers. "Hmm, good question,” he mused. “Maybe an animal? A dog—or maybe a penguin? They seem easy to make.”

“Who says we can’t do both?” You smiled, saving the pictures of the clay figures Jaehyun wants to make. “Now, help me look for other things we can make instead of just staring at the clay.” 

Jaehyun huffed out a small laugh but nodded, setting the clay down before pulling out his phone. “Alright, alright. Let’s find something else.” He scrolled through his screen while occasionally glancing at the clay in front of him, as if he were trying to picture how the tiny figures would come to life in his hands.

It didn’t take long for the two of you to settle on which figures to make, especially with how often you leaned in to peek at each other’s phones, exchanging suggestions and other ideas. After narrowing it down to five designs, you both got to work, grabbing and setting the clay blocks in front of you.

You pinched and pulled at the soft material, rolling it between your fingers as you alternated between glancing at the reference photo and shaping your piece, doing your best to replicate the details. Jaehyun was just as immersed, his brows furrowed in concentration as he mixed different clay colors together, determined to get the shades just right. His efforts paid off when he finally achieved the perfect one, a proud smile tugging at his lips—only to quickly fade when he realized he had made way more than he needed.

Turning his attention to you, he noticed how focused you were, carefully crafting the tiny eyes for your figure. Without hesitation, he split the excess clay in his hands, handing you the bigger portion before he returned to shaping the body of his figure.

You blinked at the generous chunk he had given you, glancing up at him with a raised brow. “You do know you just gave me the bigger piece, right?”

Jaehyun, still rolling his clay into shape, barely spared you a glance. “Yeah, but you’re better at this than me. You’ll probably make better use of it.”

You rolled your eyes but couldn’t hide your amusement as you both continued working. The silence that followed was comfortable, filled with the soft squish of clay and the occasional sighs of frustration when something didn’t turn out quite right. Every so often, one of you would mutter complaints under your breath, only for the other to snicker in response.

At one point, Jaehyun leaned back in his seat, holding up his tiny clay penguin with a smug grin. “Okay, not to brag, but I think I actually did a decent job.”

You squinted at it, leaning in before reaching over to poke its round head. “It’s actually really cute! But…” You tilted your head. “The eyes are a little wonky.”

Jaehyun gasped dramatically, pulling his penguin close to his chest as if shielding it from your words. “Are you hating on my penguin?” He scooted back slightly, placing a protective hand in front of it while wearing an exaggeratedly offended expression.

You burst into laughter at his antics, and he couldn’t hold back his own laughter either, setting the penguin down with a giggle.

“I’m not hating! At least yours is actually finished,” you pointed out, still rolling the orange clay between your fingers as you focused on shaping the penguin’s feet. The body was done, and you had already made the eyes, but you were carefully perfecting the details before assembling everything.

Jaehyun leaned forward, studying your half-finished creation. His eyes widened as he compared the two figures, placing his beside yours. “Okay, hold on—your penguin isn’t even complete yet, and it already looks better than mine. How did you do that?”

You shrugged, glancing between the picture on your phone and your clay figure. “I was just looking at the reference.”

Jaehyun let out a dramatic sigh and carefully picked up his penguin again. “This won’t do,” he muttered, setting it down in front of him as if he were analyzing all its flaws. “I need to make some improvements.”

You chuckled, smoothing out the rounded edges of the feet you were sculpting. “Jae, it looks fine,” you reassured him, glancing up with a small smile.

Jaehyun ignored your remark; his eyes locked on his creation as he smoothed out its uneven features. “Says the person who just called my penguin’s eyes wonky.”

You grinned, setting your now nearly finished figure down. “I meant it in a cute way.”

He shot you a look. “That’s just a nice way of saying it looks weird—if it’s even nice in the first place.”

You nudged him lightly, a small gesture of encouragement. “Well, I’m sure you’ll be able to make even better ones once we move on to the next ones.”

Jaehyun huffed but then smiled, rolling up his sleeves as if only now he was starting to get serious. And surprisingly, he did get better. 

The two of you got so caught up in sculpting that time slipped away unnoticed. What was supposed to be only five figures turned into more as you spent more time scrolling for more ideas, tapping on Jaehyun to recreate them. With that, you couldn’t help but chuckle at Jaehyun’s slightly lopsided creations, which always prompted a round of playful bickering. 

He’d always protest that that clay personally betrayed him, leaving you to only laugh harder as you shake your head to refute that point. Despite that, there were some clear improvements. Even if there were some pieces that seemed a little too round or flat, his figures did end up becoming more refined with the new details. 

At the end of it all—when you both finally checked the time—you realized just how long you'd been at it. The table was now covered with small, colorful clay creations, each one a testament to the hours spent laughing and sculpting.

Jaehyun, with a satisfied grin, began lining them up neatly, carefully placing each figure beside its matching pair. Once he was happy with the arrangement, he pulled out his phone and quickly snapped a picture, making sure to get every little detail. Without hesitation, he sent it to you. “There. Now we have proof of our masterpiece,” he said, turning his phone around to show you the image.

You smiled as you opened the message, admiring the tiny figures you both had worked so hard on. “They actually turned out really good,” you admitted, glancing over at him.

“I would hope so,” Jaehyun said with a chuckle, leaning back in his chair to stretch his arms behind his head. “After spending all that time making them.”

“Worth it, though,” you chuckled, tapping at your screen to save the photo. 

“What do we do with them?” Jaehyun asked, still remaining in his current posture. 

“I’ll keep them,” you announced, before suddenly gasping as a thought struck you.

Without another word, you grabbed as many clay figures as your hands could hold—careful not to squish them—and hurried across the room. Jaehyun turned in his seat, watching you with curiosity as you stopped in front of a shelf.

One of the shelves was completely empty, a perfect space for your new collection. You carefully placed the figures down, aligning them just as Jaehyun had arranged them earlier. Once they were neatly lined up, you turned to face him, grinning.

Jaehyun, who had been observing the whole thing with an amused expression, glanced between the shelf and you. “You’re really making a display out of them?” he chuckled, shaking his head.

Instead of answering, you quickly ran back to grab the remaining figures. This time, Jaehyun stood up, scooping up a few clay figures himself before trailing behind you to the shelf.

Once the last of the figures were placed neatly on the shelf, Jaehyun stepped back, arms crossed, as he admired the colorful lineup. He hummed in satisfaction, nodding approvingly before glancing at you.

"Are you actually going to keep these here?" he asked, raising a skeptical brow.

You scoffed, as if he had just asked the most absurd question. "Of course I am! We spent so much time on them—I can’t just take them apart like they were nothing."

Jaehyun smirked, tilting his head slightly. "Hmm, but how can I trust you on that? What if, the moment I leave, you take them down? Or even worse—" his voice dropped into a dramatic whisper, "What if you throw them away?"

“I would never!” You insisted. “You can visit again next time, and I promise the figures will still be here.”

Jaehyun’s lips curled into a grin. "Wait... was that you subtly inviting me to hang out again?"

"You started it," you muttered, quickly averting your gaze as you searched for a way to change the subject. Your eyes flickered to the clock, and you suddenly got a thought. "Do you want something to eat before you go? We completely forgot to eat anything."

“I would like that.”

Nodding, you grabbed your phone and sat back at the dining table, scrolling through a food delivery app. Meanwhile, Jaehyun found his gaze drifting back to the shelf, his fingers absentmindedly grazing the edge as he admired the tiny clay figures once more.

They weren’t perfect—not even close. Some were lopsided, others a little misshapen, but they held a charm he couldn’t ignore. Maybe it was because they were made with you.

And then his chest tightened.

That all-too-familiar pounding in his heart returned, an effect he swore he had rid himself of. Hadn't he? The supposed cure was meant to work, yet here he was, feeling the same way he always had around you.

Jaehyun’s eyes flickered back to you, his lips unconsciously curling at the sight of your focused expression, brows slightly furrowed as you scrolled through the menu.

Had the potion failed? Or... had his feelings never truly left in the first place?

The way he was feeling wasn’t perfect either—it was far from ideal. The pounding in his chest, the way his thoughts tangled whenever he looked at you—it was overwhelming, almost suffocating. A part of him felt like he needed to escape, to put distance between you and himself just to regain some sense of composure. Maybe if he ran far enough, he could recover. Maybe he could convince himself that this was nothing more than a lingering effect of something that should’ve faded by now.

But then there was you. There was always you. 

Just like the clay figures—no matter how imperfect or uneven—he found himself wanting to overlook the flaws, to overlook and accept the nagging feelings that were tugging at his chest. Because somehow, in the moments he spent with you, everything felt perfect enough. 

And that was everything he was looking for. 

To be in love. 

RULE #10: Once a Client, Always Your Client.

Jaehyun had always been strict when it came to rules, routines, and the careful structure he had built for himself. And yet, when it came to you, he found himself hesitating—not to break those rules, but to carve out quiet exceptions just for you.

It wasn’t that he hated the idea of being with you. What he hated was the feeling of being held back, restrained by reasons he couldn't quite grasp. Because the truth was, he did want those late-night walks, arms swinging side by side, fingers brushing in a way that sent warmth curling through his chest. He wanted to spend an entire day before an anniversary decorating, making sure everything was just right. He wanted to laugh until his stomach ached, gasping for air through tear-streaked laughter, unable to stop because being with you made everything that easy.

He wanted all of it.

And he wanted it only with you.

That was the reason why he kept going back—to chip away at the very walls he had built around himself. He went out of his way to text you, to meet you, to be near you. It felt effortless and natural—something that should’ve felt right. And yet, there was still that nagging thought, a lingering voice that was in the back of his mind telling him to stop. 

Was it fear? The fear of breaking Cupid’s rules, of stepping beyond the boundaries he was meant to uphold? Or was it the thought of being ridiculed, of being the one to fall instead of making others fall in love? 

Or was it the thought of having what he considered his true love slip away from him again? 

Whatever it was, it bothered him, clearly unshakable and noticeable—enough that Riwoo had to drop by, his concern written all over his face, just to check on him. 

Riwoo had always been Jaehyun's safe space—the one person he could confide in without hesitation, the one who always listened without judgement. He was the only one who knew at first—the one who confidently took over Jaehyun’s shifts just so he could be with you. So, seeing Jaehyun sprawled out on the couch, lost in thought, wasn’t just concerning for Riwoo—it was concerning for Jaehyun himself. 

He wasn’t the type to sit still like this, to let his feelings consume him so completely. But right now, it felt like that was all he could do. 

“What’s on your mind?” Riwoo sat back in one of the single-seat couches, his gaze never leaving Jaehyun, who looked like he’d checked out of the world entirely. He was slumped, his body unmoving, his eyes fixed on the ceiling as if he could stare through it into some distant place. It was as if he wasn’t really there at all.

Jaehyun finally broke the silence, his voice low. “A lot of things,” he murmured, his words barely audible.

Riwoo leaned forward, his expression softening. “Tell me one of them,” he said, his tone almost gentle—the kind of voice you use when you know someone seems to have a lot on their mind. “You know you can’t keep all of this to yourself, Jaehyun.”

Jaehyun let out a slow breath, his chest rising and falling as he remained fixated on the ceiling. His mind was a tangled mess, but if he had to pick just one thing—one thought that refused to leave him alone—he knew exactly what it was.

“It’s… about her,” he admitted, his voice quieter than usual.

Riwoo leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on his knees. “I figured,” he said knowingly. “What about her?”

Jaehyun shut his eyes for a moment, as if doing so would somehow help him find the right words. “I keep going back to her,” he finally said, his voice laced with frustration. “Even when I tell myself I shouldn’t. Even when I know it goes against everything I’m supposed to stand for.”

“What’s so wrong about falling in love? Riwoo asked, his voice cutting through the heavy silence.

Jaehyun’s eyes fluttered open, slowly processing the question. It was a simple one, yet it felt like an unexpected weight. For as long as he could remember, love was something to be avoided—something that could jeopardize everything a Cupid was meant to do. Hearing Riwoo speak those words, however, felt strange—almost unsettling.

He had been taught his entire life that love wasn’t meant for someone like him.

Every Cupid should know to avoid getting tangled up in love themselves. 

“I should be helping people find love, not falling into it myself,” Jaehyun murmured. The very words that he held against himself finally started feeling heavy with the weight of the years of expectations he set for himself to follow. It didn’t feel right for him to be saying that now, especially given how and what he’s been doing. 

Riwoo’s chuckle interrupted his thoughts. “You make it seem like Cupids can’t find love either.”

Jaehyun paused, his brow furrowing. “Isn’t that what they always told us?”

Riwoo’s smile faded into something more thoughtful. “It may not seem like an ideal situation for a Cupid,” he said slowly, as if reflecting on his own experiences with being around other Cupids. “But that doesn’t mean it’s wrong.”

Jaehyun looked at him, skeptical. “You’re just saying that to make me feel better.”

“No, seriously.” Riwoo leaned forward, his gaze more earnest now. “Why do you think I accepted the idea of you dating Y/N in the first place? Why do you think I’ve been covering your shifts whenever you needed it? I’ve always made space for you to be with her.”

Jaehyun felt a knot in his chest. He knew Riwoo was right. His friend always seemed to appear at the right time, sometimes without even needing to be asked. Every time Jaehyun needed to be with you, Riwoo was there to take his place.

“Where are you going with this?” Jaehyun asked, trying not to let his hopes rise too quickly.

“I’m trying to tell you,” Riwoo began, his voice getting softer, “that Cupids can’t hate the idea of love.”

Jaehyun’s mind buzzed with the implications of Riwoo’s words, and then he remembered something Taesan had once said. “Like Taesan said before,” Riwoo continued, “you aren’t the only one who’s been put in situations like this.”

Jaehyun shifted his position, moving from sprawling lazily on the couch to sitting upright, his posture tense. His mind raced, but the words still felt trapped in his throat.

“You’re still lost?” Riwoo asked, eying Jaehyun’s every sudden move. 

“It’s not that." Jaehyun let out a slow breath, his gaze drifting to the floor as he processed his thoughts. “From the moment I drank that potion Taesan gave me, I was told everything would just... disappear. But it didn’t work. I still feel exactly the same. I just feel…confused.”  

“Do you hate the idea of liking her?”

Jaehyun shook his head almost immediately, his fingers absentmindedly tapping on the edge of the couch. “I don’t. I really don’t. And I don’t know what to do with that.” 

““And I’m telling you that it’s okay if you want to love her,” Riwoo said with a smile. “Helping others find love doesn’t mean you have to give up your own.”

Jaehyun hadn’t realized how badly he needed to hear those words. All this time, he’d convinced himself that his feelings weren’t meant to be accepted, even though deep down, he yearned for that very thing. Hearing Riwoo’s reassurance lifted a weight from his shoulders, replacing his lingering worries with a silent urgency. The need to act, to take the step he’d been hesitating on, was suddenly clear.

“I think I need to go,” Jaehyun muttered as he stood, grabbing the nearest hoodie hanging by the door. He barely even looked at it before pulling it over his head, his mind already a few steps ahead, fixed on the next thing.

Riwoo didn’t need him to say more. He just sat back, a small, knowing smile tugging at the corners of his lips. He watched Jaehyun with a mix of amusement and understanding. Even if Jaehyun hadn’t said the words directly, it was clear what he wanted.

Jaehyun was heading straight to you.

“You got this,” Riwoo said softly, as if the words could somehow give Jaehyun the last bit of courage he needed. Jaehyun paused before stepping out of his door, offering Riwoo a small but genuine smile, whispering a thank you. 

The moment Jaehyun stepped out and closed his door behind him, his heart picked up speed. Each step felt like it was pulling him closer to something he wanted but couldn’t quite understand—something that had been waiting for him. The answers weren’t clear, and maybe they never would be. But for once, at this moment, Jaehyun didn’t feel the need to chase them. He didn’t seem to mind. 

He just needed to show up. 

As he neared your place, he could feel the anticipation building in his chest, almost like a tightness he couldn't shake. His hand hovered over his phone, his thumb hesitant for a brief second. He took a deep breath, telling himself to stop overthinking. 

He was already here. He couldn’t turn back now. 

Before his mind could talk him out of it, Jaehyun pressed the call button next to your contact. One ring, and he immediately felt a rush of jitters flood through him. The second ring, his fingers twisted the fabric of his hoodie, his nerves getting the better of him. By the third ring, he finally heard your voice on the other line.

"Jaehyun?"

He froze for a moment, hearing his name fall from your lips. The sound made his heart race, but he quickly composed himself, trying to ignore the sudden increased pacing in his chest.  

"Y/N... Hi."

"Hey, what's up?" 

"Can I see you?" Jaehyun wasn’t too sure if you could hear the sudden tremble in his voice, but he could only pray that you didn’t. 

"Like... right now?"

"Just for a little while, yeah. I don’t want to rush you or anything, but I’m nearby, and—well, if you’re not up for it, that’s totally fine. I know it’s late."

"Stop worrying, Jae. I'll be out in a few. Just wait for me." you said, and Jaehyun couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at his lips. He was already a little lost in the thought of what he wanted to say, but for now, he just waited, allowing himself to calm down as the seconds ticked by.

"I’ll be here,” he responded back quickly. 

He could almost picture your expression once he heard the soft chuckle you gave as the line went quiet again, leaving him standing there, staring at the phone in his hand. His nerves didn’t settle completely, but it didn’t matter anymore. He had done it. He had reached out. And now, all he had to do was wait.

After a few moments, Jaehyun spotted you running out of your apartment complex. You waved, and he quickly waved back.

"Hi," you said, as if the greeting over the phone hadn’t already happened. "Where do you want to go?"

 "Is it okay if we just stay out here?" he asked, knowing this was something that he needed. There was something comforting about being in an open space—a sense of calm he didn’t want to lose. He needed the fresh breeze of air, but more importantly, he simply needed a little room to breathe if things became overwhelming. 

"Yeah, of course," you said, nodding. You pointed toward a bench just outside the complex. "We can sit there."

Jaehyun shifted slightly on the bench, feeling the cool night air brush against his face. The sounds of distant traffic blended with the quiet night, giving everything a sense of calm he hadn’t expected. Sitting next to you with no distractions, it almost felt like time slowed down. The pressure in his chest eased just a little more.

“What did you want to see me for?” you finally spoke, turning to face Jaehyun. He also turned to look at you, your face illuminated by the soft glow of the streetlamp. His heart skipped, just like it always did when you looked at him like that—with that same curiosity and warmth in your eyes. It made his thoughts scatter, but he pushed them back, trying to focus.

“I just... needed to talk,” he said, his words coming out quieter than he expected. He wasn’t sure how to put what he was feeling into words. He let out a small chuckle, noticing how ridiculous it was for him to be acting this nervous. “I’ve been holding back from saying this, actually.”

“About what?” you asked softly, your voice laced with both curiosity and a hint of worry. Something about the way Jaehyun had called you out here felt different, and you couldn’t help but wonder if this was something important. Your heart skipped a beat, uncertainty swirling in your chest as you tried to read his expression. 

"About... us,” Jaehyun finally confessed, his voice quieter than usual. “I’ve been thinking a lot about this—about you—and what it really means. I know the timing might seem a little off, especially with me having to be involved in your love life by setting you with others, but I can’t seem to shake these feelings I have for you.”

“You have feelings for me?” you asked, your voice a mix of surprise and disbelief, the words barely leaving your lips.

He nodded, his cheeks flushing as he looked away for a moment, trying to gather himself. The honesty in his words felt foreign, almost suffocating after he’d spent so much time hiding it. “Ever since you walked into my office that day, I’ve been trying not to feel it. I didn’t want to admit it, but when I saw you, it wasn’t fear I felt in my stomach. It was… relief. Relief that I finally got to see you again.”

Jaehyun’s voice trailed off as he shifted uncomfortably, but there was something raw in his eyes that made you pause. It was the kind of vulnerability he rarely let anyone see, let alone you.

“You’ve kept that with you this whole time?” you asked again, trying to reconfirm his answer as your thoughts spiraled. 

He nodded again, his fingers suddenly fidgeting with the hem of his hoodie. “I didn’t want to complicate things, but I knew I couldn’t keep pretending my feelings are simply nothing.” 

The weight of his words was finally setting into you after you tried processing everything. Your mind felt like it was in a haze—this was unexpected, but not completely. You always felt a shift between you two but never allowed yourself to fully acknowledge it. You were the one who brought the idea of breaking it off first, after all. 

And now, it felt as though time had folded itself back, bringing you to that moment when Jaehyun first confessed to you. That same rush of emotions, the happiness tangled with confusion, was there again. But this time, you felt different—stronger, surer. 

You knew better now; you knew that you couldn’t let someone like him slip away again.

“I’m really happy that you’re telling me this,” you said, your voice having an obvious, cheesy tone. “Because I feel the same way.”

Jaehyun’s eyes widened, considering how he was preparing himself for the worst. “Wait… you do?”

You nodded, recognizing how the truth was coming out easily now. “I always thought it was obvious.”

Jaehyun’s lips parted slightly as if he were searching for something to say, but he simply looked at you, his words being taken over with a grin on his face. His gaze softened while he stopped fidgeting with his hoodie, feeling a rush of relief running through him. 

“I was scared that this would have made things weird between us. But hearing you say that..." He exalted, as though he could finally breathe easier. “It’s everything I could wish for.”

You couldn’t help but smile back, considering how you were never quite sure if you’d ever get to hear those words from him if you didn’t show up to answer his call. The way your feet kicked back and forth was the subtle sign of nerves and excitement that had your pulse quickening. 

“Me too.” 

“I’m glad,” he said, his voice soft but sincere. “I really am.” He leaned back slightly, his gaze locked with yours, feeling lighter than he had in a long time. It was strange, yet comforting, knowing that the feelings between you were mutual.

For once, everything felt right again.

“Well then, how about we have an impromptu date right now?” Jaehyun suggested, his nervous look soon turning into something more playful. This was the Jaehyun you were always used to. 

“Oh, so now you’re asking to take me out on a date after I just also practically confessed my feelings?” you shot him a look, only for you to end up breaking into a small fit of laughter. “Very smooth, Cupid MJ.” 

“It’s only fair that I get to ask you out,” he shrugged, wearing a teasing grin. “Had to beat you to it before you were going to ask me out on a hangout again.”

“Alright then, where would we go?”

“To yours? Actually, I’ve been meaning to add a few prints to your kitchen area. It was looking a little plain, and I should’ve gotten you more prints before.”

“Shading my living space after suggesting we go there is crazy, by the way,” you crossed your arms, jokingly staring at him in disbelief. 

Jaehyun let out a small laugh, shaking his head. "You know I didn’t mean it like that."

"If not, then what?" you teased, still shaking your head. "I think you’re just trying to crash into my place, huh?"

He raised his hands in mock surrender, his expression innocent yet mischievous. "Far from that—I just want to see those clay figures you’ve got if you still have them. I’ve been curious."

Another soft laugh escapes from your lips, and the warmth in your chest spreads further. “Come see it then,” you said, the words slipping out before you could second-guess them. Honestly, you were waiting for the next time he’d suggest going to your place. You wanted him to come over again. “I’ll show you that I kept my word on keeping our figures.”

Jaehyun’s smile widened, his eyes lighting up as if your invitation was exactly what he’d hoped for. “Lead the way,” he said, following right after you as you stood up to walk back into your apartment complex—this time, with him by your side. 

The conversation between you two flowed easily, like it always had, and with every exchanged word and giggle, Jaehyun found himself being able to learn a few things.

One, that the Cupid Rules were never as severe or strict as he once believed. Fate had its own way of working, and despite all the supposed boundaries and obstacles, it had led him right back to you—the very person he once thought the Cupid Universe forcefully separated him from. 

Two, he had been so fooled to be convinced that removing the love arrow effects would help erase the emotions entangled between you both. Instead, he was right back here with you. And this time, there was nothing to blame, no external force to credit for his sudden rush of emotions—just the undeniable truth that, even without all of that, he still would have chosen you anyway. He couldn’t complain, not when this was exactly where he wanted to be. 

And three—the one thing he could fully believe about the Cupid’s Handbook was Rule #10. 

Once a client, always your client. 

Jaehyun could only hope those words were true. That no matter where life led you both, no matter what ended up being in the way, he could always find a way to stay by your side for good. 

That’s when he knew that being only with you was the only thing he wanted. 

His first, true love. 

𓊆 🗯️ 𓊇 CUPID’S FINAL WORDS ✶ TYSM FOR READING UNTIL THE END ^^ !! this feels so bittersweet completing like actually… 💔 so… if i were to write for more cupid aus, would you guys like that?? since i do have some ideas but not for all members yet so…. please let me know ♡

BND PERM TAGLIST ( OPEN ) — @juyeoz @j4d @itsactuallylina @rizzwoos @htaesan @macapunoz

[fefern]

✧˖° first dates with them. | lingyang, m!rover, jiyan headcanons.

⋆ ˚☁️ ⁀➴ synopsis: going on a first date is always nerve wracking, yet can also be exciting! what's it like for these boys to take you out on your first date together?

⋆ ˚☁️ ⁀➴ characters involved (separate): lingyang, male rover, jiyan, and a gender neutral reader.

⋆ ˚☁️ ⁀➴ warnings: none!

⋆ ˚☁️ ⁀➴ notes: hello! coming to you live with my first post for wuwa! just some cute little headcanons with the boys on first dates with you because i love planning dates out ;;!! requests are open if you want to talk or have me write something!! ( ˘͈ ᵕ ˘͈♡)

Lingyang

Lingyang has never been more excited or nervous to hang out with someone, even more so since this was his first date with you. 

As someone who always seemed to fear being different from the humans around him, he felt extra self-conscious when he looked in the mirror and adjusted his outfit. Did he look alright? Were you going to enjoy this as much as he thought he would? Will everything go well? What if you decided you changed your mind and didn’t want to date someone of his species?

His first date gift for you would be a small lion plushie. Cute and fluffy with vibrant colors, he’d hold it out in front of him and shut his eyes tight, anxiety flowing through him. ���These are for you! That way, when you miss me, you can hug this! If you want to, no pressure!” 

He’d be ecstatic when you took it into your hands and held it throughout your date together, happily looking between you and the plush and feeling his cheeks turn a rosy pink that you two were going out together. 

He’d probably take you to the best food spots all around Jinzhou, ranting about which dishes to try or who had his favorite foods. He’d want to get to know you more, curious and nervous as he’s asking you about your likes, dislikes, what your daily life is like in Jinzhou. Lingyang would walk and eat with you along the way, practically enamored by anything you did or said. 

His tail would swish fast back and forth whenever you were talking. Even if it’s something you found mundane, he couldn’t help but be happy just listening to you speak. His ears will also be very reactive around you, usually up but always reacting accordingly to whenever you’d tell a story or joke with him. 

He’ll let you pet him if you want to, he trusts you after all. His cheeks flush a soft pink and he lets out a small purr when you do so, finding himself growing a bit shyer at the sweet touch. He also feels a tad embarrassed by it, so you’ll have to pry his hands away as he childishly hides the way he’s turning red from you. 

He seems a little bit sad when you two do have to part, but when you ask him when the next one would be, a hopeful look emerges in his eyes as he begins to excitedly make plans to see you again and take you on another date. 

Other Points:  - Will jump in place when super excited to tell you something while on the date.  - Would point to some random cute things on your walk and go, “That reminds me of you!” - Happy to talk about lion dancing with you, and if you show more interest in it, he’ll offer to give you your own personal show one day!

Rover (Male)

Considering he is a person that just woke up in a strange world with no memories of his past or who he is, he is a bit lost on the idea of what to do during a date with you. Were there rules he had to follow? Did people in Jinzhou have certain taboos or ways that they executed dates?

He’d most likely ask all around the city in order to find out what to do or where to take you. He wanted to make sure the experience was good after all, not something that the both of you would dread. 

When he meets up with you, his hair is a bit more put together than usual and he stands up tall, giving you a small smile as he gently takes your arm and links it with his. 

“Take me around the city. Show me how you see the world through your eyes.”

His first date gift would be a small box of candy. I could definitely see Rover as being a person who likes small sweet treats as a guilty pleasure, and he’d want to share them with you as a way of connecting you with something that you love. 

He’s calm throughout most of your stroll, browsing through stores or looking around in quiet curiosity as you show him little nooks and crannies of the city. He enjoyed hearing how you would describe stores or fixate on different areas of the city that he hadn’t thought to really pay attention to before. 

He makes a mental note of the places that you like so that for your next date, you two could come back to them. Rover is already a few steps ahead in terms of thinking where he wants to go with you or what he wants to do. 

When you’re done showing him the city, he’ll give you a kind, endearing look and smile at you. He’ll take a moment to just admire you, shifting some of your hair out of your face and enjoy being in your presence before ultimately, it is time to part ways. He’ll wave you off, thanking you for everything and giving him a tour, before he smiles to himself like a fool and turns to head back to his quarters. 

Other Points: - Probably would be looking at you more than the city.  - Fast walker, so you’d have to keep up the pace. Apologies if he’s going too fast and happens to catch you struggling. - Will inquire about certain places just to listen to you talk. 

Jiyan

As the general of the Midnight Rangers that conducts himself in a poised, righteous manner, he’d be the most classy out of all the people to take you out on a date. 

Jiyan’s got a busy schedule as the head of such an important group in Jinzhou, but after bonding with you and asking you out he wanted to ensure that he carved out time in advance for just you and him to spend an afternoon together. 

He’d take you to a fancy restaurant in Jinzhou, the best money can buy. He’d be sure to pick you up from your place and walk with you to the restaurant. When you open the door, he’s standing in front of you with his hair slicked back and ponytail waving a bit in the wind, his clothes pristine and ironed out to look his absolute best in front of you. 

His present for you is a bouquet of flowers he made himself. He enlisted the help of his mom for this one, catching up with her about medical practices as he puts together the best pecok, irises, and poppies that he could find when he was out on his rounds into a pretty bouquet just for you. It’s wrapped up with brown paper and has a nice aqua bow on it, matching his hair.

When you get to the restaurant, he’ll look at the menu with you and ask you to order anything your heart desires. He already knows what he wants to eat, and will quietly look at you with a softened expression as you begin choosing what you want. He finds the way you handle yourself beautiful, even if it’s through simple things like ordering food. 

Jiyan will happily eat anything you don’t end up finishing. He doesn’t want to waste money, and he also cannot deny that the way you ask him to finish your plate was cute. He’ll work it off anyways with the amount of fighting and training he does, so he doesn’t mind. 

Will pay for the meal. No splitting or you paying, as much as you might plead and beg.

Will take you back to your place and entertain any questions you may have for him, whether it be about his past, missions he’s been on, or just about his duties as general of the Midnight Rangers. When he drops you off, he’d take the back of your hand and gently place a kiss on it before standing up straight and giving you a small smile, wishing you a goodnight. 

Other Points: - Will hold all your belongings so your hands are free and light. Does not matter how heavy or how much you have, he will refuse to let you “labor” like that, as he puts it.  - Admires your personality and the way you hold yourself when you speak. - Has a strong desire to protect you; always subconsciously keeping an eye out for any danger even though it’s daylight out.

[darkwitchoferie]

Train Ride - Chapter 4, Hyunjin

A quick note about the immersive Van Gogh Exhibition. They go to SeMA – the Seoul Museum of Art. That’s not where the real exhibit was when it was in Seoul, but fanfic rules, so who cares? Also, why was Hyunjin’s smut scene so much harder to write than any of the others so far? Like, it just didn’t want to cooperate. Finally, I decided to use text screenshots from time to time instead of just saying ‘oh you got a text’. There’s only one in this chapter. Also, this one has more plot to it than the others have had. It starts to get that way after this. Still smutty, but a tiny more plot too.

Cw/tw for this chapter: alluded to member x member action (Innie and Felix), unprotected vaginal sex, nipple play, oral (f receiving), this one’s actually really sweet

wc: 3.8k

Master list

While you were watching the livestream of the boys in the airport, you got a text notification. Seeing it was from Chan, you opened it quickly to see a screenshot of the picker wheel you were using with Hyunjin’s name chosen. Smiling to yourself, you switched back to the livestream, watching your boys make their way through the airport and thinking of ways to seduce Hyunjin.

It was about an hour after they were on the plane, while you were on your way to the grocery store, that you saw an ad and realized what you wanted to do. You knew Hyunjin was a romantic at heart and, while he may not object to being outright seduced the way Felix and Jeongin had been, he’d like something with more romance. When you parked at the grocery store, you quickly pulled out your phone and bought two tickets for the immersive Van Gogh Exhibition that was happening at SeMA for the free day they had, two days after their return.

--

Hyunjin picked you up at your apartment in one of what you often thought of as his most dressed-down outfits. Not to say he didn’t look good – he always did. But there was something about the way he was dressed and held himself that made him seem like ‘no, I’m just an attractive man, definitely not Hyunjin of Stray Kids’. You weren’t sure what exactly it was, but when he was dressed so simply like this, people tended to not notice who he was. It reminded you of something you’d read about Marilyn Monroe, how she said she could “turn on” the Marilyn persona but otherwise people wouldn’t notice her. With Hyunjin, the disguise was the persona he was turning on.

He had a cap pulled down enough to partly obscure his face, but not enough to make it seem like he was hiding. He’d told you once before that that was part of the trick – hiding without making it look like he was hiding.

Knowing the way he would be dressed, you dressed to match. Instead of wearing fancier or typical date-wear, you were just in a normal, knee length skirt that flared out when you spun, a plain t-shirt, and flats. While normally you may have considered jeans or shorts given the pleasant weather, you’d discussed with Chan and the two of you agreed that there was something delightful and ‘easy-access’ about being in a skirt for every one of these seductions.

“Hey, Y/N,” he smiled at you, pulling you into a hug. “Thank you for this. I didn’t even realize the exhibition was in town.”

“Oh, of course. I saw the ad for it and immediately thought of you.” You linked your arm through his as you headed toward the elevator. “And I figure we’ll be there for a while, so stop for dinner after?”

“That sounds perfect, actually. Chan’s not gonna miss you?”

“He knows I’m with you today. And he’s holed up with Sungie and Bin.” You knew he only planned to be with them for an hour or two, but you didn’t need to point that out. Let Hyunjin assume it meant one of their marathon sessions.

He chuckled, clearly assuming that. “Good point.”

The immersive exhibit was perfect. So much so, that you periodically forgot your seduction plan, which you supposed helped it feel less rehearsed. You’d been thinking and planning for this date the whole time they’d been gone that you worried you’d come off as stiff or something. Instead, the pair of you fell into a natural rhythm and it felt perfectly normal to reach over and grip his upper arm, play with his hair that was finally growing out long enough to actually, properly, play with, or tuck yourself close to him whether there was a crowd of people around you or not.

After getting your fill of the exhibit, the pair of you headed back to Hyunjin’s car. You watched him gesture wildly as he talked about Van Gogh’s artwork, hands imitating the movement of the stars, speech speeding up as he talked about his favorite parts of the experience. Then he stopped, just before reaching his car, and flushed.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to –”

“No,” you cut him off, “nothing to be sorry for. I was enjoying your enjoyment, Hyune,” you smiled at him, linking your arm through his again.

“I just, I know I can be a little… much sometimes.”

You raised an eyebrow at him. “And that’s different than any of our other friends, how exactly?”

“Okay, that’s…. Yeah, you have a point.” He grinned at you, turning to face you fully and pulled you into a hug. “Seriously, thank you for this. It was amazing.”

“You’re so incredibly welcome. I’m glad I got to do this with you.”

He pressed a kiss to the top of your head before letting go. “Dinner’s on me. Where do you want to go?”

“Anywhere Thai, I’m craving chicken satay.”

“Ooo, yes.” He chuckled, taking your hand and spinning you, making you laugh too. The pair of you made it to your favorite Thai restaurant where you were sat at a booth toward the back of the seating area. The managers all knew who you were, or more importantly, who Hyunjin was, so they did what they could to make sure you were seated out of the way like they always did when any of the guys came in.

On your way to the table, you sent Chan a prearranged emoji message to let him know that you’d be back to your apartment in about an hour – the Thai restaurant being less than a five minute drive from your apartment. He was most likely already waiting at your apartment, but just in case he wasn’t yet, you sent the text to be sure. Hyunjin slid into the booth and you slid in beside him, sitting just barely far enough away to not be touching. He gave you a weird look, but otherwise didn’t comment on how close you were. Just like he hadn’t commented after any of the looks he’d given you at the museum that you’d elected to ignore. You ignored this look too, crossing one ankle behind the other and then fighting the internal laughter that came when your brain provided you with an ‘actually keeping your legs closed?’ joke.

Throughout dinner, you kept leaning into Hyunjin’s space – laughing with him, touching his arm, sharing his food. While none of it was unusual in the context of your friendships with all of the guys, you did your best to take it past the edge of flirting but not so far past that it would make him uncomfortable. Hyunjin was a good friend, one of the best, and as far as he knew you and Chan were exclusive.

As always, when you hung out with any of the guys, Hyunjin walked you to your apartment door. Chan was either watching the parking lot or got very lucky, and opened the door before you could put the key in the lock.

“Hey baby,” he kissed your cheek in greeting. “Hey Hyune.” He waited until you were both inside and he’d closed the door before asking, “So, how was your date?”

Hyunjin sputtered, “It wasn’t…. Hyung, I… I wouldn’t….”

“It was good. I got some great photos of Hyune enjoying the immersion. And he did that thing where he imitates the art with his hands, ya know?”

“Adorable,” Chan agreed. Hyunjin had fallen silent, staring between the two of you.

“We went for Thai at our usual place down the road. And I think I make Hyune nervous. Or, he’s just nervous how you’ll feel. I couldn’t really tell.” You could, but you wanted Hyunjin to know that you understood his nervousness.

“What is happening here?” He asked, still unsure and looking between you both.

“I suppose we were more direct with Jeongin and Felix,” Chan commented to you.

“Okay, more direct sexually, yes, obviously. But I feel like this was more romantic, ya know?”

Chan hummed his agreement. “Yeah, alright,” he turned to Hyunjin. “Blunt and direct, or soften it a little?” he asked.

“I don’t…. I don’t know?”

“Okay. I’m going to ask you something. It’s a genuine question, so I want a true answer. No judgement from us, no matter what your answer is.” Hyunjin nodded, not remotely reassured. “Do you want to have sex with Y/N?”

“Hyung, she’s your –”

“Nope,” Chan cut him off, “irrelevant for this conversation. Ignore me. Do you want to sleep with her?”

Hyunjin looked wide-eyed between the two of you a few times. “Yes,” he said softly.

You grinned, preening just a little bit. “Do you want to go on another date with her?”

“Yes.”

Chan smiled. “Good. Let me tell you what’s going on then.” He told Hyunjin about your desire to at least have sex with, but hopefully date, all the members but he didn’t elaborate on the previous comment about Jeongin and Felix.

When he was finished, you wrapped your arms around Hyunjin’s waist from behind like you’d done countless times throughout the time you’d known him. “It doesn’t have to change anything, Hyune. We can have sex today, then never again. We can have sex as often as we can fit it in for however long we both want. We can date and it can be a serious relationship if you want. Or, we can pretend this conversation never happened and today was just a fun day between friends. And any variation on any of that with Channie. It’s entirely up to you.”

Hyunjin hesitated. He brought his arms down to cover over yours but otherwise made no move for a few minutes. You didn’t press him, recognizing that he needed to think through his options. This was interesting for you to watch as you hadn’t given Jeongin and Felix the opportunity before anything happened. Which, worked out fine for your relationship with the both of them, but you knew it would never have worked that way for Hyunjin. The man had a romantic soul. Not that the others didn’t like romance, but it was just different with Hyunjin – he was more like Chan in this way.

After a few quiet minutes where you and Chan patiently waited for Hyunjin to think everything through, he turned in your arms. You tilted your head to the side, silently questioning him. He smiled, bringing his hands up to cup your cheeks and gently pressed his lips to yours. You smiled into the kiss, tightening your arms around him. You could still feel the nervousness, or maybe uncertainty would be more accurate, in the way Hyunjin touched you even as he tilted your head so he could deepen the kiss. You decided to just follow his lead rather than stop him to ask if he was sure. You were confident that Hyunjin wouldn’t do anything he wasn’t sure he wanted to do and the lingering nerves were either from the unusualness of the situation or because he knew Chan was watching you both.

His confidence grew as he kissed you, his tongue sliding past your lips and one hand sliding to the back of your head, cradling the back of your skull as the other slipped down to grip your hip. You clutched the back of his shirt as he broke away from your lips, trailing soft kisses along your jaw, neck, and down to the neck line of your t shirt. He didn’t seem to be in any sort of rush, just enjoying feeling your skin under his lips.

“Bedroom?” he asked softly, pulling away for just long enough to ask. You turned in his hold, forcing him to drop the hand that had been holding your head down to your hip. He stuck close to your back, occasionally pressing a kiss to the side of your neck, as you led him to your bedroom, Chan trailing behind him. Once in your room, his nerves came back, though it didn’t seem quite as much. He turned you around so he could kiss you again, then gently led you backwards until your knees hit the edge of your bed and you dropped down onto it.

Chan didn’t say a word, barely made any noise, letting this encounter unfold as just the pair of you. He moved to sit in the chair you’d put in front of the large window in your bedroom and relaxed back into the cushions, content to just watch.

Hyunjin bent over you, cupping the back of your neck and tilting your head back to give himself better access to your neck. Once again trailing soft kisses down your neck, he slowly shifted to force you to lean back on your elbows, placing a knee between your thighs as he did. He pulled back slightly to look at you as he slid his hand under the hem of your shirt. You nodded, sitting up just enough to help him lift your shirt over your head. He leaned back in, pressing you all the way onto your back this time.

Unhurriedly, but in relatively short order, Hyunjin had you completely stripped under him. At some point, you weren’t really sure when or how you didn’t notice, he’d stripped himself too. At his urging, you shifted around so you were laying back against your pillows, legs splayed wide so he could lay between them. With a pleased smile, he followed you, pressing a few kisses to your belly.

Hyunjin’s hand slid up your inner thigh, fingertips dragging just enough to tickle and make you squirm. He lifted his lips from your belly long enough to look up at you with a smile when you giggled. You sighed in pleasure with his fingers finally brushed over your folds, pausing to gently flick you clit with the pad of his thumb. Watching your reactions, he slid a finger up and down you’re your folds, parting them then dipping a finger into your pussy. Your head tipped back against the pillow as he slowly started thrusting into you.

You looked to Chan who smiled and winked at you but was still fully dressed, man spreading on the chair and with a noticeable tent in his jeans.

You moaned low in your throat when Hyunjin added a second finger, easily sliding it in along side the first. He continued softly kissing your belly, the light, sweet touches turning you into a puddle of goo. You carded your fingers through his hair, thinking you could be content with just these light, simple touches for hours.

You’re somewhat surprised to feel the coil of an orgasm building in your belly already. As if sensing what you only just started feeling, Hyunjin bent down and flicked his tongue over your clit. He batted the sensitive buddle of nerves around with his tongue until he felt you clench around his fingers and groan out his name.

As you come down, you glanced over at Chan at the sound of a belt being undone to see he was finally stripping himself. Once naked, he sat back in the chair, making no move to join the pair of you or to actually touch himself.

Between your legs, Hyunjin grinned up at you. You tugged his hair, making him lift himself up so you could kiss him. He pulled his fingers out of you, sliding his hand up your belly and pressing his palm on your sternum as you reclaim his lips. With a small smile to yourself, you hooked a leg over his and used the leverage and surprise to flip the pair of you. You giggled again, this time at the surprised look on his face. Looking down at his cock, steadily leaking precum, part of you wanted to taste him, but you wanted to feel him buried inside you more in that moment.

You straddled Hyunjin’s hips, a hand pressed to his abs to help you balance, the other hand wrapped around his cock. Slowly, giving yourself time to adjust as you went, you sank down onto him. You sighed in pleasure and watched his eyes roll back in his head as you rolled your hips once fully seated. His hands slid up your thighs to grip your hips, fingertips digging into your flesh hard enough you felt pretty sure there’d be small bruises. All the nervousness that had been lingering in his eyes, vanished as he looked up at you.

Steadily, with help from Hyunjin, you rolled your hips building up a rhythm. Sliding a hand up your back, he pushed you forward a little, just enough that he was able to lean up and wrap his lips around a nipple. Your hips faltered for a second as your head dropped forward with a groan. Behind you, on the chair, you could hear the sounds of Chan stroking his cock. You stayed leaning forward, bracing both hands on Hyunjin’s chest, lifting your hips now instead of rolling to give him a better view. The new motion and position put a wonderful amount of pressure on your clit. Added to it, Hyunjin brought a hand up to tease which ever nipple he didn’t have in his mouth.

For just a second, you reflected on how well all the guys treated you so far, always seeking out and paying attention to the areas that gave you pleasure. Not that you were surprised they were just as sweet to you sexually as they were in every day interactions. But still, they all seemed to focus on your pleasure more than their own. Or at least, it felt that way.

Then you lost that train of thought as his free hand slid between your bodies, quickly finding and rubbing circles against your clit. You gasped, digging your fingernails into his pecs as the orgasm that had been building crashed through you, Hyunjin’s name falling from your mouth like a litany prayer. Your hips slowed, then stilled as you came down from your high. Then you relaxed your arms, dropping to rest on his chest.

“Still good?” Hyunjin confirmed.

“So good.”

“Good.” He gripped your hips, lifting you slightly, and started thrusting up into you. The motion and pressure on your clit, not to mention the perfect thrusting against your g-spot, had you quickly building to another orgasm. Your moans with every thrust were somewhat muffled against his skin, but you were fairly sure he could still hear them. Giving into the impulsive thought that often crept into your mind when you watched him dance and definitely did now, you leaned up a little and licked a long stripe up his sweaty neck.

He groaned at your action, planting his feet so he could thrust up faster. With another, longer groan, and one last deep thrust, Hyunjin stilled as he came inside you. The feeling of his cum filling you, and his cock twitching against your g-spot, triggered your third orgasm, causing you to clench around his softening cock and pulling a small whimper from him.

After a minute or so, you slid off him, flopping onto the bed beside him.

“Hey baby, you got one more in you?” Chan smiled down at you, slowly stroking his cock. You had no idea when he’d gotten up from his chair, but you frankly could not care less.

“Absolutely,” you reached for him, but made no move to actually get up. He chuckled, moving to lay between your legs and claim your lips for the first time since you’d gotten home. You hummed into the kiss, lifting one leg to hook it over his hips and pull him firmly against your body.

It was not the first time he’d had you after someone else had come inside you – nearly every morning that Jeongin wanted a morning quickie, Chan decided he did too. But, as he slid inside you, the obscene feeling of someone else’s cum, Hyunjin’s this time, oozing out around his cock delighted you the way it always did.

“Fuck,” he growled against your neck. “You looked so good on Hyune, baby.”

“Mm, felt so good too.”

Hyunjin, laying beside you, danced his fingers over your belly, tapping then drawing little patterns, seemingly content to just be there but not actually add any stimulation. With a smile, you reached for his hand, pulling it to your lips and pressing small kisses on each of his fingertips, then setting his hand back on your belly. With a content sounding hum, he leaned in to press his cheek to your shoulder, looking down your body so he could watch Chan thrusting into you.

“Oh God,” Chan groaned, leaning back a little and seeing both of you watching him. He sat himself up on his knees, sliding his hands slightly under your hips so he could left them up, changing the angle and causing your back to arch. His thrusts sped up, rocking your body and pulling nearly constant moans or little ahs from you. It was, Chan knew, one of your favorite positions at the end of the night. You didn’t have to do much, there was little to no pressure on your, at this point, overstimulated clit, he typically went deeper than he had before, and his cock slid against your g spot without hitting it directly.

With the practice of someone who knew your body well, Chan had you building to a fourth orgasm fairly quickly. When your walls started fluttering around him and you reached out to grip the arm of Hyunjin’s hand that was still on your belly, he knew you were close. He kept his pace steady, helping you ride the wave that was building then washing through your body. His name fell from your lips on a sigh, you clenching around him causing him to cum too, filling you completely.

Tired, but content and comfortable, you relaxed on your bed between Chan and Hyunjin. After a few quiet minutes, Hyunjin said, “I would like to try the dating option. I’m not sure if…. I mean, the constant sharing might be too much for me.”

“That’s okay,” you reassured him quickly. “If it is, or it starts to be, come to us and we’ll talk about what to do.”

As usual, Chan insisted on getting up and getting a shower. While the tub filled and you and Hyunjin quickly showered off so you could properly relax in that bath, Chan hurriedly stripped your bed, changing the sheets.

Cuddled in the bath, allowing the jets to soothe sore muscles, you were drifting off a little when Hyunjin asked, “What did you mean about Iyen-ah and Felix earlier?” You giggled before the pair of you gave him the shortened version of your previous encounters with the two of them.

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[recoord]

Why Good Omens season 1 has already fulfilled Sir Terry Pratchett's wish

Neil Gaiman said he wouldn't make a sequel to Good Omens

Neil Gaiman at SXSW in Austin, Texas in 2019:

[Gaiman also confirmed the series will only be six episodes, with no intention of trying to go for another season if successful. "The lovely thing about Good Omens is it has a beginning, it has a middle, and it has an end," he said to appreciative applause. "Season 1 of Good Omens is Good Omens. It's brilliant. It finishes. You have six episodes and we're done. We won't try to build in all these things to try to let it continue indefinitely."]

Source: Entertainment Weekly (2019)

2018 - Neil Gaiman on X- Twitter

Tweet link here

Also Neil Gaiman in 2023:

["It won't be confirmed unless enough people watch Season 2 to make Amazon happy...

...But obviously Season 3 is all planned and plotted and, if I get to make it, will take the story and the people in it we care about to a satisfying end."]

What happened?

Were the profits and ratings high enough to create two more seasons out of thin air? At this point, seasons 2 and 3 seem more like a greedy stretching of a beloved story already told in its entirety in the first season.

Has the first season already fulfilled Sir Terry Pratchett's wish?

As read above, Neil Gaiman himself said: "Season 1 of Good Omens is Good Omens."

Gaiman was very opened about how pleased he was with Season 1 and how he made it having Sir Terry Pratchett's wish in mind.

Interview for The Verge (May 30, 2019)

Link : Neil Gaiman had one rule for the Good Omens adaptation: making Terry Pratchett happy

Interviewer: Do you feel pressure from knowing this has to be the definitive best adaptation it could be?

Gaiman: No. All I wanted to do was to make something Terry would have liked. It wasn’t like, “Make the best thing.”...

...Gaiman: The lovely thing about Good Omens [the miniseries] is that it’s still Good Omens. If you loved the book, this is that thing that you loved. And I will make you fall in love even more with Sergeant Shadwell. I will make you fall even more in love with Newt than you thought you could, I hope. It does demonstrate that I do kind of know what I’m talking about, which is a nice thing to know.

...Gaiman: So with Good Omens, I feel like what I got to do was put the thing I made with Terry on the screen and then buttress it. What I added isn’t completely different from the original. It’s not out of left field.

Neil Gaiman on an interview for The Guardian in 2019.

Link: Neil Gaiman: ‘Good Omens feels more apt now than it did 30 years ago’

There are times, he insists, when “you make something you like so much that you don’t really care what anyone else thinks of it.” There’s a clue to this, perhaps, in the show’s final frame, which reads “For Terry”. “He didn’t believe in heaven or hell or anything like that,” Gaiman says, “so there wasn’t even a hope that there was a ghostly Terry around to watch it. He would have been grumpy if there was. But I made it for him.”

Why was Good Omens season 1 so good and you could really feel Sir Terry Pratchett's contributions?

Gaiman himself has already told us the answer:

...Gaiman: So with Good Omens, I feel like what I got to do was put the thing I made with Terry on the screen and then buttress it. What I added isn’t completely different from the original. It’s not out of left field.

Neil Gaiman for The Verge (2019).

There was original material to work with (Good Omens, published in 1990), on which we certainly know that Sir Terry Pratchett himself actively worked from start to finish.

Is there a proper sequel to Good Omens the book on which to base 2 more seasons of the series?

Neil Gaiman says the following on an interview for GQ in 2019.

Link: Neil Gaiman Says No to Adapting His Own Books—Except This Time

...But with this, it was like: Okay. Terry is gone. He wanted me to do this. He wanted me to do it for him. And that gave me a kind of weird impetus. And it meant that I felt very much at liberty to take every conversation that Terry and I had ever had about Good Omens. Not just the book, as written, but everything beyond it. We planned a sequel, never written, so I got to steal the angels from the sequel. I got to steal from every conversation Terry and I had about how we would do this. It felt very personal, and I guess kind of… holy. If that doesn’t sound too ridiculous. But it was a mission.

Two conclusions can be drawn:

1) Informal conversations about the plot of a sequel do not equate to an officially written sequel.

2) Neil Gaiman has already used many of the ideas he and Terry Pratchett had planned for a never-written sequel to Good Omens and those ideas were largely added to and executed in the TV adaptation of Good Omens (2019).

Why keep stretching those ideas if the co-writer is no longer able to actively contribute and help to create a proper sequel?

If Gaiman were the sole creator of Good Omens we'd have a different conversation, but that's not the case. The first season of Good Omens was already a beautiful homage to Good Omens and Sir Terry Pratchett's work on the book.

Did Terry Pratchett write around 75% of Good Omens?

Link for the post here.

Link for the post talking about the video and sharing the video here.

Edit: I wanted to bring this point up to point out Terry Pratchett's important contribution to the making of the book, not to highlight it as an excuse to distance Gaiman from the novel. We will have to accept that he also contributed to the creation of the book.

Sir Terry Pratchett's last wish

2017 - Rob Wilkins on Twitter (X)

Terry Pratchett’s Unpublished Work Crushed by Steamroller

By Sophie Haigney - The New York Times

Terry Pratchett, the well-known British fantasy author, had a wish fulfilled two years after his death: A hard drive containing his unpublished work was destroyed by steamroller.

Mr. Pratchett, a wildly popular fantasy novelist who wrote more than 70 books, including the “Discworld” series, died at 66 in 2015. That year his friend, the writer Neil Gaiman, told The Times of London that Mr. Pratchett had wanted “whatever he was working on at the time of his death to be taken out along with his computers, to be put in the middle of a road and for a steamroller to steamroll over them all.” Mr. Gaiman added at the time that he was glad this hadn’t happened.

Now, though, it has. Mr. Pratchett’s estate manager and close friend, Rob Wilkins, posted a picture of a hard drive and a steamroller on Aug. 25 on an official Twitter account they shared.

Shortly thereafter, Mr. Wilkins wrote that the deed was done.

I have not been able to find the exact reasons why Sir Terry Pratchet wanted his unfinished and unpublished works destroyed, but we can respect his last wish as a way for him to have control over what he felt he was ready to share with the world and what he was not.

Is Good Omens the exception?

With all that has been presented so far, I can only conjecture, but not be sure. I can believe that there was Terry Pratchett's permission and desire to make an adaptation of Good Omens, the original book published in 1990, but to my mind, creating two more seasons of a never-written sequel doesn't fit as part of Terry Pratchett's desire.

He is not among us to actively participate in a sequel and if his last wish was to destroy his unfinished works, I can't believe that he would have wanted to give his approval to something new published under his name and without his supervision.

Sir Terry Pratchett talking about a never-written sequel to Good Omens

“Neil and I thought about a sequel an awful lot initially. We talked about it on tour. And I think it was a big relief to both of us, when one day we looked one another in the eye and said, 'I thought you wanted to do a sequel.'..

Interview for the Magazine Locus. Locusmag archive page

This is me speculating, but I don't think there was real enthusiasm for creating a sequel until Gaiman alone saw profitable potential in the TV adaptation....

Good Omens also belongs to the those who love the story

I think it's okay to still love the story of Good Omens. Personally, I will always be grateful with the story and the characters for giving me confort in troubling times, but I find seasons 2 and 3 as some kind of excuse from Gaiman to keep profiting and benefiting from the story (more now than ever due to the SA allegations*).

Aziraphale and Crowley will always live happily in a lovely cottage as long as we want to. Even before season 2 was announced, many of us had already accepted that. Many artists have imagined lovely endings for our innefable husbands and in my eyes their works won't be any less valuable than whatever Gaiman had planned.

Note:

I don't like talking about Season 3 of GO without mentioning the current SA allegations against Neil Gaiman (Main writer of seasons 2 and 3 and showrunner), so in case you want to know more about the allegations against Neil Gaiman. Here there's a great Round Up link (Podcasts links, transcripts, etc.)

Credits for the Round Up link to Muccamukk. Thanks a lot!

*more thoughts on supporting season 3

[viperineee]

Can you pls do Ambessa X Sevika no reader js them two and they both switch from being top and bottom and could you possibly add strap-ons? (I hope that makes sense)

OMG MY FIRST ASK HELLO!!! okay, i can do this but i don’t see Ambessa being a bottom at all :( my wife is literally a dom fem who demolishes pussy and Sevika is definitely the bottom, but I will do my best!

☆𝐂𝐀𝐒𝐔𝐀𝐋

☆ casual sex between sevika and ambessa, technically sneaky links but that’s so ehh.

☆ cw: vaginal sex, strap on sex (both receiving), cunnilingus (a! receiving), face sitting, fingering (s! receiving), mean and pissed off ambessa, sevika just wants to be used, overstimulation, hair pulling, slapping, biting, vibrator used, squirting, ambessa creams I don’t make the rules, jealous Ambessa is always my fav

☆ a/n : im writing this at work but its fine cause im just a girl working a corporate job:( (i love my job i love medicine #lesbiansinmedicine) but still. anyway this is my first request so im so happy! also i was listening to gg kpop writing this, i feel like its such a contradiction cause nemonemo by yena does not fit this vibe at all

like every other Saturday, sevika found herself in a bar. while she wasn’t deep into a bottle, she had a drink or two. mostly she just wanted to win her games, killing the dreams of the men who always have drunken plans to win against her and emptying their wallets. she sat at a table, watching as people scrounged up more money to play against her again. a man, dressed in red clothing, approached her, holding a dark red envelope.

“what’s this?” she asked, taking the envelope between the fingers of her mechanical arm. the man didn’t respond, keeping his back straight and his arms at his side. sevika sized him up, realizing he was a soldier of some sort. tearing open the paper, a key dropped onto the table, along with a letter. there wasn’t much written, a majority of the paper left blank. the only thing written was the address to a nearby hotel. the cursive was so neat it looked stamped on. the words underneath the address had her stomach doing a backflip inside of her.

"𝘋𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦. 𝘈𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘢."

Such simple words, and yet Sevika couldn’t help but smirk, shoving the letter and key inside the pocket of her pants. waving the man off, she took her time playing the next game. in fact, she played and won two games before finally leaving the bar. walking to the hotel, she found the room and used the key to go inside. the room had Ambessa written all over it, the smell of amber and honey flooded Sevika’s sense of smell. Ambessa sat at the vanity, getting her hair braided by a smaller woman. She had brown skin and long black hair that was also braided.

Ambessa looked at Sevika through the mirror, her light brown eyes looking over the woman before checking the time. “You’re late.” Was all she said, allowing the braider to finish before waving her off. The woman was quick to gather her materials, rushing out of the room as if it was on fire. Sevika couldn’t help but watch her go, the quick sway of her hips as she retreated out the door.

“I was doing something.” Sevika shrugged, taking her red cloak off and tossing it to the side, letting it fall onto a chair. Ambessa ran her fingers through her braids, nodding approvingly at the neatness before she stood up. Sevika could tell something had Ambessa mad, it was practically seeping from her pores. Sevika’s eyes dropped lower, studying the deep V of Ambessa’s robe, how it exposed the rounds of her breast, watching them shift with every step she took.

Ambessa stopped right in front of Sevika, grabbing her face and forcing the woman to look up at her. Ambessa stared into her silver eyes, her own gold colored ones swimming with anger and something else Sevika couldn’t decipher. Not that she wanted to. The roughness of Ambessa’s nails digging into her skin was enough to send a wave of lust right through her body, her pussy throbbing.

“Been so busy fucking your whores at the brothels? Is that what’s been keeping you so busy?” Ambessa asked, although it sounded almost rhetorical. Sevika, despite Ambessa squishing her face roughly, still managed to muster up an attitude. “Oh yeah, been swimming in pussy.” She chuckled, and Ambessa slapped her.

Sevika was stuck, head turned to the side as the stinging echoed in her face. Ambessa had her hand raised still, fuming at Sevika’s lack of respect. “Fucking bitch, is this a game to you?” Ambessa pushed Sevika toward the bed. Sevika turned, her eyes swimming with that same vulnerability that made Ambessa’s cunt throb. Ambessa pulled the rope of her robe, letting the silk drop to the floor.

“Get on the bed. Since you want to have such a mouth, we’re putting it to use.” Ambessa nodded to the plush bed. “And strip. Whores like you are only good naked.” She added, and suddenly, Sevika felt like it was twenty years ago all over again. The nerves of stripping, like she was losing her virginity. With an expectant look from Ambessa, Sevika began losing her clothes. Shirt, pants, socks, bra, underwear, until she was completely nude.

Ambessa could see the gleam of wetness coming from Sevika’s pussy, and she almost laughed if not for her mood. Of course Sevika got off on being degraded, she lived for it in fact. When Sevika laid flat on the bed, Ambessa stood over her, eyes glued to her pussy. The same pussy that had her in such a pissy mood is going to be the one to get rid of it.

“I told you I didn’t want you fucking any one else while I was fucking you. Didn’t I?” Ambessa asked, pulling her legs open. When she didn’t receive an answer, Ambessa landed a smack against her pussy. Not hard enough to actually hurt, but enough that it had poor Sevika yelping at the sensation. “Yes! You did.” Sevika panted, and Ambessa nodded.

Opening the nightstand, Ambessa pulled out a dildo. It was almost comically vibrant in its red shade. Ambessa climbed onto the bed, placing a leg on either side of Sevika as she positioned herself over Sevika’s face. “Put your tongue to use, and don’t stop until I tell you.” And with that, Ambessa lowered her pussy to Sevika’s face. She didn’t place all of her weight down, being larger than her, but it was still a good amount.

Sevika was happy to oblige, obedient like a dog. Her tongue, warm and wet, lapped at the slick coming from the older woman. She wasn’t missing a single drop, like someone from the desert having their first drink of water after a few days. Ambessa allowed herself to relax for the first few minutes, her sighs dipping into moans and Sevika’s tongue circled her clit. “Love eating pussy, don’t you?” Ambessa ran a hand through Sevika’s hair, bucking her hips once Sevika pressed her tongue against Ambessa’s sopping hole.

Ambessa reached her arm back, not having to stretch much. She teased the dildo along Sevika’s clit, tapping it against the sensitive bundle of nerves. The action alone had Sevika’s tongue stuttering against Ambessa’s clit, her whine creating a light vibration. Sevika did her best to get more friction, raising her hips to rub her clit along the length of the dildo, wetting it in the process.

“So eager to get fucked, aren’t you? I’m not even sure you deserve it after the shit you’ve been pulling.” Ambessa pressed the head of the toy against Sevika’s entrance, pulling it back up to rub against her clit. Sevika put more effort into her licking and sucking, hoping it would show just how much she needed it. “Fuck, that’s a good pet.” Ambessa moaned, pushing the head inside of Sevika’s pussy, deciding she’s earned that at least.

The sounds coming from below Ambessa were down right lewd, enough to put the best porn to shame. Sevika was enjoying her spot, obnoxiously slurping Ambessa’s wet while Ambessa teasingly fucked her with the head of the dildo. The feel of her thighs tightening around Sevika’s head was a clear signal she was going to cum soon. And nothing was soft about Ambessa, besides maybe her skin. The woman bathed in honey and milk for crying out loud.

“Tongue feels so fucking good.” Ambessa’s head fell back, letting down her efforts and pushing more of the dildo inside of Sevika’s pussy. The stretch caused a gasp to tear from Sevika’s through, and that was enough to make Ambessa cum. She rode her high out on Sevika’s face, rubbing her clit along the woman’s nose. And Sevika, being the box muncher she was, drank it all up. When Ambessa lifted her hips, she saw the thin sheen of white covering Sevika’s lips and part of her nose.

“Look at you, covered in my cum. Such a pretty sight.” Ambessa praised, using the tips of her fingers to smear her cum around Sevika’s face. She enjoyed it to be messy. She shifted her position once again, pulling Sevika up and pressing an open kiss to her lips, tasting herself on her tongue. Ambessa broke the kiss to look down at Sevika’s needy cunt, and the way she was trying to subtly fuck herself. The sight alone had Ambessa throbbing, despite just having an orgasm. And yet, Ambessa wasn’t feeling that merciful yet. So, with a wet 𝘱𝘰𝘱, Ambessa pulled the dildo out.

“I did what you asked, what the hell?” Sevika sat up on her elbows, upset by the empty feeling in her cunt. It was almost as if karma was playing with her life, watching Ambessa pull out the familiar black harness. Ambessa slid a bullet vibrator into the crotch part of the harness before handing it to Sevika.

Like a mind reader, Sevika plucked the harness from Ambessa’s hand without a word. She stood sliding into the harness without much issue. It wasn’t until Sevika laid back down did she feel the first low vibration, the pleasure shooting up her spine like lightning. Ambessa smirked, her gold eyes glinting with slyness that Sevika recognized all too well.

“Tell you what. If you make me cum before you, I’ll fuck you. Plain and simple. But if you cum before me, that’s it. And I’ll send you back to that-” she paused, a shift in her expression to show her mild disdain, “pigsty you call a bar.” Ambessa adjusted her lip ring, the expensive gold a beautiful sight on her brown skin. Sevika felt her thighs clench before she tried to force them to relax. “That’s it, huh? I’m sure I can manage.” She bit out, trying to hide the obvious mental fight she was having with herself.

Ambessa rolled her eyes, swinging one leg over Sevika and angling her wet hole over the strap-on. She lowered herself fully, bottoming out in one single stroke. Her breathing hitched, and Sevika enjoyed the show above her. Ambessa’s breasts, large and decorated with lighter stretch marks, rising and falling with every bounce. She was entranced, Sevika’s always had a thing for tits after all.

Ambessa noticed her staring, and she pinched Sevika’s nipple, bringing her back to the moment. “Focus, girl. Barely started and you’ve lost your voice.” Ambessa teased , her eyes briefly shutting for a moment as she found her rhythm. Sevika scoffed, raising her hips to fuck Ambessa deeper. “Didn’t…lose shit.” Sevika grunted, and Ambessa clicked the vibrator higher.

“Mind your - fuck- tone.” Ambessa moaned, the cock’s tip pressing into her g-spot just enough. She looked down, watching Sevika’s eyes widen, a thin sheen of tears coating them. “Riding me so go-od.” Sevika keened, her thrusts became faster, more precise. She grabbed Ambessa’a hip, pulling her down to meet her thrusts as best she could.

And Ambessa let her, allowing her control which was rare. She enjoyed the ride instead, letting Sevika’s free hand grope her tit, tweaking her nipple as she fucked her from underneath. She couldn’t deny her approaching orgasm, she couldn’t help it. The sound of skin slapping skin, Sevika’s pathetic sounds, and the sight of her losing her mind like she was getting fucked was a sight to see.

“Keep it up, you’re doing so good. So good for me, aren’t you?” Ambessa placed her hand over Sevika’s, letting her head fall back as she chased her high. The sound of Ambessa’s moans in her throat, trying to keep them at bay to not fuel Sevika’s ego, didn’t go unnoticed. With a few quick circles to her clit, Ambessa came 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘥. “Fuck - mmh- right there.” Ambessa gasped, holding Sevika’s wrist.

Sevika was in awe of the amount of cum that spilled from Ambessa, practically coating her entire cock with pretty cream. But more than that, Sevika was happy she was going to get fucked finally. Once Ambessa rode out her orgasm, she looked down at Sevika with an almost proud look. She climbed off, turning the vibrator off completely and helping Sevika out of the harness. “You’ve earned your reward.” Ambessa noted, adorning the strap-on herself.

“Fucked you good, huh?” Sevika panted out. Ambessa spread her legs, not saying anything. In truth, she was going to fuck Sevika regardless. She knows how much the Zaunite needs her needy hole fucked, how deep and rough she needed it. She needed to be pounded into the mattress, and Ambessa was the only one who could do it the way she liked.

“Everytime I think you’re being good.” Ambessa tuts, and lined the strap with Sevika’s pussy, not bothering to tease her further tonight. “You run your 𝘧𝘶𝘤𝘬���𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩." Ambessa pushed inside her, and Sevika practically screamed at the intrusion. She swore she felt it in her throat, her fingers gripping the sheets tightly as stars dot her vision.

“Fuck!” She gasped, feeling Ambessa pull back until just the tip rested inside of her cunt, thrusting in again harshly. Every thrust left Sevika crying for more, her words lost in her brain. Ambessa pulled Sevika’s thighs, resting her legs on her shoulders before leaning over Sevika. This angle hit the deepest, and Ambessa mocked Sevika’s moans. “Hah, hah, hah.” Ambessa moaned, mimicking the way Sevika sounded with every thrust of her hips. “Fucking falling apart around my cock. Look how well your pussy is taking me. Greedy little thing.” Ambessa said in her ear, her hand gripping the roots of Sevika’s hair tightly.

“So full, - hah - in my stomach.” Sevika whined out, feeling so much pressure all at once she was barely able to get the words out. This only made Ambessa speed up, the bed squeaking from the amount of force she used. “Gonna cum for me, yeah? Show me just how good I’m treating you.” Ambessa ordered, and she could almost feel how hard Sevika clenched around her cock.

Sevika felt a rush of heat run through her body, that coil in her stomach snapping as she let go completely. Ambessa felt the warm liquid against her skin, soaking the bed underneath them. Ambessa looked in pride, watching Sevika squirt until she physically couldn’t anymore, pushing Ambessa’s arm. “Can’t take more, please.” She begged, and with a final thrust, Ambessa pulled out, watching her squirt out another small amount onto the bed. “Squirted all over me. That good?” Ambessa raised a brow, taking the strap off and tossing it aside as she went to find a few towels.

After cleaning Sevika up, Ambessa placed a new towel under her, letting her regather her thoughts. Once she found her words again, her brain clearing the lustful haze, Sevika looked at Ambessa with a smirk. “Same time next week?”

[maraschinomerry]

Rock Paper Scissors

Pairings: George Karim x gn!reader, background Locklyle

Summary: George is your best friend, Lucy's convinced there's more to it but he's not your type... is he?

Content: friends to lovers, oblivious flirting, misunderstanding, light swearing and suggestive thoughts, kisses

A/N: it's officially 1 year since I posted my first Lockwood & Co fic!! Thank you all for making it such an incredible year and continuing to support my writing, it means the world to me ❤️ and thank you to the Multiverse of George for fuelling the buff!George fire 🔥 I've even made a montage so everyone can see the vision, plus the gif above of George swinging the chains he's definitely strong 💪

Word count: 4.2k

Taglist: @neewtmas @marinalor @ettadear @honey-with-tea @mischiefmanaged71 (let me know if you want adding or removing!)

Ever since you'd started working for Lockwood & Co, you and George had had the most playful rivalry.

It had started on the very first day, when you came for your interview. Lucy had welcomed you into the living room while George went to fetch the biscuits. After breezing through the tests, Lockwood gestured to the plate still being clutched by the other boy.

“Biscuit?”

You frowned at the boy in the armchair, who looked like the last thing he wanted to do was to share. “Am I supposed to fight you for them or something?”

George had the audacity to snort. “In your dreams.” But then he did offer you the plate, albeit reluctantly.

Once you got used to one another, you found that you actually got on really well and gradually he became your best friend, but by then you'd set a precedent that neither of you wanted to drop.

“We're heading out soon,” Lucy informed you both as she slid cups of tea across the table. She and Lockwood had an appointment with a client, leaving you and George behind to keep working. “Can one of you oil the chains ready for tonight?”

You turned to George; he was already looking at you. A gleam came to his eye.

“Rock paper scissors?”

“You bet,” you grinned, already raising your hand. It took a few attempts, as you'd done it so many times by now that the two of you knew what each other was planning before it happened, but eventually you lost. Sticking your tongue out, you picked up your cup and headed towards the basement. Lucy followed you down.

“Can I ask you something?” she began cautiously.

“Course you can.” It wasn't like Lucy to not just ask straight out. This was odd.

“What's going on with you and George?” This was definitely odd. “It feels like you've gone past teasing, you're almost flirting with each other.”

Your gaze flew to your friend, who had lingered on the stairs. Was she being serious? “It's not like that, Luce,” you replied, wondering if it was warm in the basement or if it was just you. “I love him to bits, but the same way I love all of you. He's just not my type.”

Her eyebrow quirked up at that. “You have a type?”

“Don't say that like you don't,” you hit back. “You and Lockwood are made for each other! And George is great, really, but I prefer guys a bit more… buff?”

Lucy nodded. “Interesting.” It was spoken with the air of someone who knew exactly why it was interesting and someone who was absolutely not going to explain why. “Well… just don't rule anything out, but please be careful. I love you both too and I'd hate to see either of you get hurt.”

It was touching to hear her so candid about her feelings for you both. “I won't, I promise.”

—

You always forgot how ridiculously heavy the chains were. Just trying to hoist them up to make sure you'd oiled all the way round each joint was a workout. It was only adrenaline that carried you through working with them on cases. Thank goodness you were almost finished - your arms were beginning to ache and you were sure you were coated in sweat.

“Need a hand?” George's voice drifted from the stairs. You hadn't heard him come down, probably drowned out by the clanking links and your strained grunts, but there he was, sitting on one of the lower steps and watching you in amusement.

“You mean you want me to dishonour the sacred pact of rock paper scissors?” You mimed fainting in shock, taking the opportunity to slump back on the pile of chains and let the tension dissipate from your shoulders.

He chuckled, climbing down the final few steps and holding out his hand. “Will the sacred pact allow a lunch break? I made soup.” He'd got you there and he knew it. You loved his soup. Grinning, you accepted his hand and he pulled you away from the cold, hard metal.

There were two steaming bowls already set out on the table when you got back to the kitchen, and beside yours was a plate of sandwiches, cut exactly how you liked them.

“You're the best.”

“I know,” George smirked. He was eating with one hand, the other scribbling away on the Thinking Cloth. As he became more engrossed, he leant further forwards, his dark curls flopping over his brow. It was fascinating watching him get so engrossed in his work, the whole world melting away around him. Once you finished eating, you glanced across and took his empty bowl from in front of him. He looked up sharply, snapped from wherever his thoughts had taken him.

“Sorry, didn't mean to disturb you,” you mumbled.

“No, it's fine. We should probably get packed.”

You followed him down to the basement and pulled your kit bags from the shelf. Set side by side on the table, you both began to load up.

“You can carry the chains,” you told him over your shoulder as you picked up a half-empty box of flares and emptied it into your bag.

“Hey, you're the one who lost!”

“Only for cleaning them, I've done my bit.”

He huffed, but gave you a smile as he made his way over to the mound of chains. Your eyes widened as he scooped up a whole length in one easy movement and gave them a quick shake loose. You'd spent nearly quarter of an hour trying to manoeuvre that section earlier.

“How the hell did you do that?”

“They're not that heavy,” he shrugged, then added with a cheeky raised eyebrow, “or at least only when you’re trying to clean them.”

You threw the empty cardboard box at his head with a laugh.

—

A week later, the four of you were nestled in the living room. Outside, rain battered against the windows, which were almost being shaken out of their frames by the driving wind. You'd never have guessed it was June; it felt more like January. The fire was lit in the hearth, the occasional crackle of wood splitting the only other sound.

Eventually, Lockwood broke the silence. “I hate to say it, but someone's going to have to go out. We've got no tea left and barely enough food to last until tonight. We can draw straws to make it fair.”

He needn't have bothered. You and George already had your fists raised. One, two, three, paper. One, two, three, rock. Scissors. Paper. Scissors. Rock. Round and round you went, the symmetry only fuelling your competitive natures.

“This is ridiculous,” Lucy muttered. She was right, of course.

You raised your fist higher, leaning forward in an offered challenge. “Right. Arm wrestle. Loser goes.”

George leaned in, resting his elbow on the table. Lockwood and Lucy exchanged wide-eyed glances.

“Y/n…” Lucy began, but you weren't listening. Your elbow was already mirroring George's, hand in his. You weren't sure why you'd expected the easy, flexible grip of holding a rapier, but his fingers were clenched firmly around the back of your hand. Lockwood moved closer and counted you down.

Your hand hit the table almost immediately.

It felt like all the air had left the room. You stared in shock at the boy opposite, the triumphant toothy grin that crinkled his eyes, the unexpected tightness of his shirt sleeve around his arm. The similar tightness in your chest. Interesting.

Some sort of realisation hit you, and your attention shifted to Lucy. The look she was giving you was almost as satisfied as George's. Warmth flooded your cheeks. You drew in a shaky breath as you struggled to drag your eyes away from George's arm, which was still pinning yours to the table. After a moment, you felt his fingers loosen and with some reluctance pulled your hand away. The silence in the room was palpable. Lucy was still watching you in amusement. Lockwood was watching Lucy, trying to figure out why she had that “I know something you don't” look again over a simple arm wrestle. George was watching you too, his expression slowly shifting from victory to concern.

“Y/n? You okay?” he asked quietly. Your thoughts rushed back into your body, snapping your attention into the real world.

“All good,” you mumbled. “Just preparing to get drenched. If I'm not back in 20 minutes, assume I've been blown to the other end of the country.” At least that got a laugh out of Lockwood. Hurriedly, you stood and made your way to the front door. Why had you agreed to this? It was your own fault, of course, for continuing this whole competitive thing with George, but how were you to know he was that strong? A flash of bicep clouded your vision again, and you reached for the door handle before you did something regrettable.

“Hold on,” a voice came behind you. It was him. Keep it together, you told yourself.

“If you're about to volunteer to take my place, go ahead,” you forced yourself to stay casual.

George moved closer, and you swallowed a lump in your throat. “I was actually going to question why you looked like you were about to leave without a coat.” He reached to the rack over your shoulder, lifting yours from its hook.

“That might help.” You knew you were blushing again, but prayed he thought it was just from embarrassment at being so forgetful. Definitely not how close he was, how he was holding your coat in the same hand that had been holding yours moments ago.

—

By the time you made it back to the house, you were soaked to the bone and almost shivering. It seemed like the storm wasn't going to let up until at least the next day, so you'd decided to stock up on plenty of food which had seemed like a great idea until you tried to carry it all home. You'd had to stop several times on the way, ducking into doorways and bus shelters to escape the weather as you swapped hands, flexed your shoulders or relieved your fingers from where the handles of the bags had started to make dents. When you finally made it, you held the door open with one foot as you negotiated the bags in and dropped them unceremoniously on the hall floor. George emerged from the living room, alone this time; Lockwood and Lucy must have gone upstairs or down to the basement.

“You look awful.”

“Aww thanks, you're not so bad yourself,” you joked dryly. Oh god, Lucy was right, you were almost flirting. A shiver ran through you and this time you hoped it was from the cold.

For a second, you thought you saw George's eyelids flutter. “Well, I uh… I ran you a bath to warm you back up. I'll put this away.” He hauled up the bags of shopping with barely a huff, and you tried to reason that he hadn't just carried them through a storm.

The water was soothingly warm and scented with lavender salts, the smell wafting up in delicate bursts as it swirled around, relaxing all the tension in your aching muscles. As you lay peacefully, you reflected on what had happened earlier. You weren't sure you'd ever felt… You couldn't even identify what feelings you'd experienced during the arm wrestle. Shock? Embarrassment? No. It was something else, something that Lucy had noticed immediately and had been trying to get through to your oblivious self. But she was wrong, wasn't she? You said it yourself, you weren't into George, even if he did now fulfil your main criteria. Then again, so did plenty of other guys you'd met. Kipps was quite well built, definitely had muscles, but that didn't mean you'd considered dating him. He wasn't like George though - smart, funny, thoughtful George. You couldn't imagine Kipps running you a bath or making your favourite lunch, or doing any number of the things that with George felt so natural. And there were all the little things you did for him that you'd never do for anyone else. No, there were no two ways about it: you were a pair in whatever capacity that meant.

Still didn't mean you fancied him, you told yourself.

You volunteered to help George with the dishes after dinner that night. It was always nice to be able to spend time just the two of you in sync, but tonight especially you figured it was a good idea to be around him in perfectly normal circumstances. You'd chat or enjoy the companionable quiet, you'd both be at ease; nothing could possibly happen, which would give you time to prove your feelings were a fluke.

George picked up his blue rubber gloves and tossed you a tea towel. He was dressed casually, in sweatpants and an oversized T-shirt (so large that the sleeves almost met his gloves at the elbow). The radio was playing quietly in the background, giving you a welcome distraction. Whenever a song you recognised came on, you'd start humming along or singing under your breath, and George would smile at you, sometimes even joining in. Your heart leapt a bit when he did, but that was nothing, you were just happy to be sharing this moment with your friend. He stuck an arm deeper into the sink to grab something at the bottom and made a small noise. Water had splashed up onto the cuff of his sleeve. You giggled at the look of disgust he made at the wet fabric sticking to his skin. The sound died in your throat when he took off his gloves, draped them on the side of the sink and rolled his sleeves up out of the way. You were so used to him being hidden behind his giant tops, or at the very least being in longer sleeved shirts, that seeing his bicep completely exposed was a shock in more ways than one. It wasn't much wonder he'd beaten you so easily at arm wrestling with muscles like that. You wondered whether it was just his arms that were so toned, or was the rest of him the same? Was he hiding a set of abs under that T-shirt too? Were his thighs-

“You okay?” George nudged you, and you hastily looked away.

“I was just…” Come on, come on, find an excuse, your brain urged. “...thinking how this means we both got wet clothes today, if you want me to put that top in with my washing after this?” God that was lame. Not much wonder he wasn't interested in you. That wasn't the point, you reminded yourself.

“Oh,” he smiled. “That'd be great, thanks.” He leant over to put a chopping board on the draining rack, and his bicep brushed against yours. A shockwave of warmth resonated through your whole body. Oh.

“Tell you what,” you forced yourself not to stammer, “are you okay to finish up here and I'll go and grab the laundry basket?” He nodded, and you tried not to fall over your own feet as you retreated to the hallway and sucked in a breath to calm your racing heart. Oh.

—

You cursed yourself for ever starting this. No, this was Lucy's fault for pointing it out. No, still your fault.

Being around George was becoming unbearable. Not for anything he'd done, rather the things he wasn't doing. He was carrying on exactly as he always had, that inimitable blend of playful and caring, and it was driving you mad not knowing whether he meant any of it in the way you wanted him to. You couldn't say anything, of course. If you were wrong, it would mess up the whole dynamic of the group. That would hurt almost as much as any rejection. But the more things went on, the more you took notice of the little moments between you, the more your feelings grew until it felt like they would crawl out of your chest.

“What the hell were you thinking?” George snapped at Lockwood. He and Lucy had been out on a case which went badly, and now the four of you were sitting at the dining table in the early hours, George applying butterfly stitches to a cut on Lockwood's arm and you cleaning a couple of scratches on Lucy's face. The misty gloom of the night outside the window reflected the atmosphere within.

“I was thinking,” Lockwood snapped back, “that we only had to handle a couple of Type Ones, according to your notes.”

“I told you those weren't finished!”

“Well maybe next time, don't get distracted.” Was it your imagination, or had his gaze flickered to you?

“Maybe next time,” George replied darkly, “do your own research.”

“Fine.” Lockwood pushed his chair back and stalked from the room. Lucy shot you both an apologetic grimace and followed.

George began pacing round the kitchen, hands twitching angrily. You stayed at the table, knowing it was best to give him the space to say or do whatever he needed to let his feelings out. You were there if he needed you.

“Can you believe him?” It was rhetorical, you'd heard him say it enough to know, so you waited for him to continue. “We end up in this situation almost every week, because he's too reckless to wait! I know he'd rather be in the action, but he'd be able to do all that more if he'd let me give him the right information first.”

You gently waded in, trying to be reassuring. “We all know how useful your research is; he just gets overeager, especially when Lucy's involved.”

“I know you know how important it is,” his words sent butterflies through you, “but Lockwood just…” He gave a frustrated huff. “Maybe I should make him do all the legwork for a change.” You tried very hard not to think about whether George's legs were as muscular as his arms.

“I'll support whatever you decide, but for what it's worth I think you should just talk to him.”

He sighed heavily, placing his hands flat on the table and allowing his head to drop. “You're right. Thanks, y/n.” The sincerity in his voice caught you off guard, as did his deep brown eyes as he raised his head to look at you. You were already distracted by the tension which lingered in his shoulders, the rigidity of his arms as they supported his weight, the way he had leaned into the pose so much that now when he looked up his face was so close it almost filled your vision. You swallowed nervously.

“Any time. I- I have to go.” You stumbled up from your chair, ignoring George's confused stare and sounds of protest as you practically bolted from the room.

—

You lay on your bed in the attic, tears slowly soaking into the pillow you'd buried your face in. This was the end; it had to be. You couldn't carry on working for the agency like this. If George had shown any interest it would be okay - Lockwood and Lucy managed to balance being a couple who worked and lived together, there was no reason you two couldn't do the same, but it could never work being so one-sided. You'd just keep being weird, struggling to hold your nerve around the boy until it would start bleeding into cases and Lockwood would have no choice but to fire you for everyone's safety, if you hadn't already got one of you hurt by then. Not to mention the emotional hurt. It would happen either way, but at least if you walked away now you could control it.

“Y/n?” Lucy's voice came tentatively from the bottom of the steps. “George said you ran off, is everything okay?”

You flipped onto your back, drawing in shuddering breaths to recover from almost suffocating in the pillow. “You were right, Luce.” There was movement on the steps, but you kept your eyes on the ceiling. You couldn't bear to look at anyone right now. “I tried so hard to make sure neither of us got hurt, but George doesn't love me back and now I feel like even if I stay I'm going to lose him.”

The silence that followed dragged on longer than you could bear. Why wasn't she saying anything? You forced yourself to sit up.

George stood at the entrance to your room, eyes wide and lips parted.

You scrambled to your feet. “Shit! I mean, hi, um… how long have you been there?”

George continued to stare.

“I'm so sorry,” the words were rushing out of you now, “I just panicked but I don't want to make things weird so can we just pretend-”

“What do you mean, ‘doesn't love me back'?” he interrupted quietly.

You froze. There was no mistaking it: he'd heard you basically say you loved him and now there he was looking like the mere concept was so unbelievable, like the option hadn't even crossed his mind. Why would it? Time stretched on as you fought the urge to run again, as far as the ever-widening space between you would allow. Neither of you had moved, but you could feel the room expanding around you to make room for the bottomless pit you wanted to crawl into. “I…” you drew in a slow, deep breath, “I was fine just being friends but Lucy got in my head about you being exactly my type and now I think I'm actually flirting while you're still just pretending and I'm sorry…” Tears were pricking at the corners of your eyes and you hurriedly looked away, hoping he wouldn't see.

George stepped closer, and you shrunk even further into yourself. Your heart skipped a beat when he gently tilted your chin up to meet his surprisingly soft gaze. “I meant, why do you think I don't love you back?”

You faltered. Was he saying what you thought he was? “Well, I mean, I thought I'd made things super obvious and awkward but you didn't change so I thought you weren't interested.”

George's hand was still on your chin and his thumb rubbed soothingly across your cheek, wiping away the single tear that had spilled. “I thought you weren't interested! You normally go for those muscly gym guys so I figured I'd take whatever I could get with the arm wrestles and stuff, but then you started avoiding me so I thought you were done with it.”

A small laugh escaped you, and he looked at you in confusion. “Have you seen yourself?” Hesitantly, you raised a hand to his bicep, marvelling at finally being able to feel the muscle instead of just staring at it, and more amazed at the way the boy responded to your touch, drifting closer until you were barely inches apart.

“So then why did you run?” His voice was whisper soft against your face, eyes gazing down at you with an overwhelming blend of sincerity, bewilderment and something like longing. His cheeks were tinted as pink as you knew yours were.

“Got flustered.”

“Flustered? You? I don't believe you.” A smile tugged at the edge of his lips, the playfulness you were used to creeping back into his voice. It was such a relief to feel the tension dissipating from the room, to have your George back, that you buried your head in his shoulder with a giggle. He laughed too, wrapping an arm around your waist. “Oh, I see, you really want to do this? Okay, let's see ‘flustered y/n’ at their best.”

You yelped in surprise as his other arm hooked under your legs and swept you off your feet, your arms flying up round his neck for support. His arm was tense across your back but he looked the most relaxed he'd been since he walked in, and he shifted you closer to press a quick kiss to your lips before setting you down on the bed and sitting beside you.

“Lucy's going to be very smug about this, you know,” he nudged you.

“I know,” you whined, burying your face in your hands. “Rock paper scissors for who has to tell her.” George laughed again and placed his arm around your shoulder, pulling you closer as you leant into the embrace.

“Is this just a ploy to get more hugs?”

“Is it working?”

In response, he brought his other arm around your waist and kissed your forehead. You smiled, leaning up to kiss him properly, and he reciprocated eagerly.

—

Lucy had left George alone on the steps to your room once you started your confession, giving you both a bit of privacy, and decided when he didn't come back downstairs immediately that things had either gone very badly or very well. She believed, and hoped, that it was the latter. Her suspicions were confirmed when she came to tell you she'd made breakfast and found you fast asleep, wrapped in George's arms.

[jarofstyles]

Illicit - 7

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Illicit Masterlist

WC- 3.6k

Warnings- blackmail, stalking, angst, vengeful H... Buckle up

-----------

They got a call about a week later - just not the call they were expecting. 

It was Niall, telling him to check his texts for the links he sent. 

CHEATING SCANDAL- Harry Styles with Mystery Woman

Is Our ‘It Couple’ Calling It Quits? Photos Point Towards A Torrid Affair

Katherine Brant Heartbroken- Sources Tell All!

Lip Locked and Illicit- Styles & Brant Are No More?

Who Is Harry Styles’ Mystery Woman? Read Here For More!

The headlines themselves didn’t bother him, no. He had already assumed she would go to the press to whine about the fact he cheated, despite there being no actual relationship to be seen- they’d never even properly kissed. He knew she would be bitter and angry and of course, out to try and get what she thought of as revenge. But what he hadn’t expected was the level of insane she actually was. 

Photos taken inside his home- inside his office, taken from what would have had to have been the closet, caught Y/N in his lap, in his shirt. His finger was curled under her chin and they were locked in a kiss, his other hand under the shirt. There was no mistaking who it was, considering he had been to the side to welcome her into his lap. His telltale signs of it being him, from his tattooed forearm to his hair and prominent nose, all of it outed him. 

And her. 

Harry was silently fuming as Y/N sat next to him, her body trembling slightly. There was no one who could blame her. It was violating, the photos. An intimate moment between the two of them, a tender moment of love ruined by the fact that someone had been there without being invited. Someone who had taken photos and god knew what else of them was some sort of  blackmail? Something to prove a point? He didn’t know. All he was positive about was the fact that he was going to ruin this girl’s life. 

“H-How did she even get inside?” Y/N’s voice cracked slightly as she looked at him with swollen eyes. Her tears had been silent, shocked at the level of violation she felt. Of course, she knew it was traditionally wrong to steal someone’s man- but he had pursued her. He had been the one to tell her about the contract, and rightfully so, didn’t break any technical rules. But now their plans of how they’d announced they’d come out as a couple were ruined, and she knew that her phone was more than likely blowing up upstairs in his bedroom. He’d called the police, waiting for both them and his lawyer to show up with his jaw tight, his tense arm around her trying his best to comfort her- but he was stuck in his own mind. 

“I don’t know, but I intend to find out.” He mumbled, staring at the wall. They’d barely managed to get dressed and be presentable, Harry in just a button up and his trousers with his hair in its natural state, and she was still reeling. It had been the worst way to wake up, hearing Harry bark on the phone and feel the tension rolling off of him in waves. She was used to his tenderness, his soft hours. It was unsettling to hear that first thing in the morning. Usually, he left business things until he was ready- which was why she knew from his tone, his posture and his face that the thing he was upset about was most definitely serious. “I will make sure the security in this building gets to a whole other level of clearance passes- or we move. This is unacceptable. But Brant isn’t answering me.” 

Harry felt like if he clenched his jaw any harder that his teeth would shatter. His spine was straight and his touch on her not as soothing as he’d like, but his mind was going a mile a minute. He was fuming, so angry that he felt lightheaded. How had she managed to bypass security again? 

One thing to know about Harry was that he hated when things didn’t go his way. It brought out the absolute worst in him in ways he wasn’t necessarily proud of. The man knew it, he knew more than anything he wasn’t a good person to be around, but he wasn’t going to leave and let Y/N wallow in this alone. Internally he was upset even more so, because if he had just dissolved the contract as soon as he met her, none of this would have happened. As usual, he was greedy and wanted to have his cake and eat it too, but it had never backfired this badly before. Granted, he never usually dealt with women so desperate for social notoriety as Katherine, but still.  

This was his fault and he knew it. 

Guilt wasn’t an emotion he knew much of. Not one he dealt with often, anyways. He was very analytical, logical and some would even say diabolical. He wasn’t one to say sorry, he wasn’t one to dwell on things, but all he could think about was the fact this was avoidable and he was just selfish. His selfishness hadn’t really affected him in this sort of way before. His stomach hurt, seeing her swollen eyes and sad expression on her beautiful face. While he hadn’t published the photos himself, it tore him to bits to know this was avoidable.

“I’m…” He paused, swallowing the lump in his throat. “I’m sorry, baby.” Turning to look at her, he tried to shake off some of his anger. “I’m gonna fix this. I promise.” It was a weak response to the situation but he was lost as to what to do to make her feel better at this moment. Harry was a man of action, not a man of words. He was quiet and didn’t talk to many people for a reason. Y/N was his best friend, the one he felt he could communicate with the best, but his tongue was tied and searching for the correct words to say. 

Y/N stayed quiet for a moment, looking at her lap. It was hard to tell what she was thinking when he couldn’t see her eyes. “Can I just ask… why did you keep it going?” She asked, voice quiet. It shook a little bit, pouring salt in the gaping wound. “Like, what were you really gaining out of it? You’re already one of the wealthiest men in one of the wealthiest families. What did this contract have over you?” 

This was something he was asking himself now, but the answer he could come up with wasn’t one he liked. It was selfishness and since meeting Y/N, he had tried his best- or at least he thought so- to be selfless and giving towards her. Apparently, that hadn’t been good enough. His hand grabbed her own, frowning slightly when she flinched before bringing her knuckles up to his mouth to give her hand apologetic kisses. How he was going to fix this sort of thing, he didn’t know. “I… It was pride.” He admitted, albeit hesitantly. “I was happy that I’d won the bid over everyone else, initially. I like getting what I want, even more what other people want. I figured that It couldn’t hurt. Let her use my name, get people off my back for being an ‘eternal bachelor’, all of that. I didn’t like her and didn’t act like a boyfriend, I knew I was not obligated to be monogamous or faithful to her.. But you changed it all.” He let out a breath, speaking against her knuckles. 

“Just pride?” Y/N laughed sadly. It twinged his stomach, but she was right to be disappointed in him. 

“I’ve never lied to you, and I don’t plan on starting now. She became the last thing on my mind when I met you. I knew… almost immediately that I wanted something serious. I’d never felt that way in my life, and you were all I could focus on. She was like an annoying fly that buzzed in but my focus was on you. It was an oversight. I know I should have just ended it then and gave up the contract. It was childish, but you’ve got to understand that I’m not a nice person, Y/N. I’ve never thought about considering someone else’s feelings until you. Being nice in my position gets you nowhere but fucked over.” His brows wrinkled together as he felt her hand drop from his grip, placed back on her lap. 

“I know you aren’t nice, Harry, and I know that I’m the exception to the rule but… you always say you never want me hurt.” Taking a quivering breath, she avoided looking at him. “Don’t you know how much it hurt to see someone else be referred to as your girlfriend? Seeing her flaunt you around and lie, take time away from us because she thought she had the right to have you?” Her throat felt tight as she felt him shift on the couch to face her properly. “Can you imagine how you’d feel if I were doing it? If someone else thought they had rights to me, posted me around, the rest of the world thinking I belonged to someone else, saw me next to them, pretending I was theirs?”

Immediately he felt rage. Even more than was his base level from today. He’d had this thought but hearing it vocalized stung. It hurt, damn it. “I’d kill them.” He said lowly. “And I know. I know, baby. And I’m sorry.” Hesitantly he grabbed her chin, tilting her up to meet his eyes. “I’m so sorry. I don’t say that a lot, or enough to you, but I regret it. I regret every bit.” His fingers brushed her cheek, feeling her lean into them. He didn’t deserve her forgiveness, nor her kindness, but somehow he had managed to get her to love him. He knew she would, even if he had to grovel for a few weeks. 

“I know. It still hurts me, though. There’s nothing we can do to change it, but I just wish.. I wish we could go ahead with our original plan. That she hadn’t fucked it up and took such intimate photos of us, outing us like that. I wanted our relationship to be public, I wanted everyone to know I’m yours- but not like this.” Her knees were gathered against her chest. Harry despised that she was folding into herself, pulled away mentally despite letting her face rest in his hand. “I feel so gross. You can see the bottom of my ass in the photos, and god knows what else she took. I’m just happy we didn’t have sex there.” She shuddered. 

“She’s not going to get away with it, Y/N.” Harry stressed. “I am going to spend every day trying to make up for the pain that I’ve put you through, and I know that it isn’t something that can be fixed overnight but I love you.” He promised, keeping her gaze. “I swear to you, I’m going to make sure that this is fixed to the best of my abilities. I’m going to take her down, no matter the cost.” 

—----

“Are you sure this is the route you want to take?” Mitch asked as Harry sipped his drink. 

“Yes. I’ve never talked to them before, and I’m positive it’s going to make front page. She wants attention that badly? I’m going to give her a headline.” He smirked, tapping his nails against the frosty glass. 

When Harry heard back from Brant, he had never heard a man be more apologetic and horrified in his life. There was no question that it was his daughter who was responsible for the photos and breaking in, and he had indulged in Harry that she had indeed been cut off but- no one could find her. She was in the wind and none of her friends was giving up her location. She had acted impulsively and didn’t think through the consequences, with both her father and the law looking for her. 

It was unsettling to know that she was unaccounted for knowing that she would go to desperate lengths now, cut off from the wealth she had made her entire personality and wanted for breaking and entering, as well as robbing him. Yes, she had taken some of the jewelry he had bought Y/N for Christmas along with a few other designer items. Desperation, he knows, and she was backed into a corner. What she had at first probably imagined as the greatest revenge was going to be her downfall. 

Harry was the last person with any fear regarding playing dirty. He was known for his malicious eyes and his sharp tongue, never one to tell a lie- so no one was going to notice if he stretched the truth to the paparazzi that had been purposely called to wait outside the bar. Giving her a taste of her own medicine. If she wanted to attempt to harm his relationship, make the love of his life uncomfortable, he was going to ensure she knew he had no intentions of backing down. She deserved not only a verbal attack but jail time.

“As long as you’re sure.” He patted his arm. “Where is Y/N at? She’s been attached to your side lately.” Harry had been taking time himself to get security temporarily for his love, not trusting the unhinged nature of Katherine running in the streets untracked. He’d also hired extra for his building, and his lawyers were working on a breach of contract for the prior company that had let her slip through the cracks due to a bribe. He’d seen it himself on camera. 

“She’s with Hannah. They’re getting manicures done at my place, so I gave her the time to do something for herself. Hired one to come to the house. She’s been a bit quiet lately, shaken up from it. I don’t blame her. I knew something was off that morning.” That’s why he hadn’t fucked her like he’d intended that morning. Something felt wrong. He’d never been more happy that he followed his instincts. 

“I got you. Is she okay though?” 

Harry sighed. “Yeah. We had a rough day, the first day. She was withdrawn. But it’s okay now. She’s a little jumpy at home, but since I got security she’s been better.” The one topic the man was soft about was her. Mitch was one of the ones he legitimately trusted in his circle and one of the few people that he liked genuinely, so he didn’t mind speaking to him. “But I’ve better get this show on the road. I know they’re out there.” He’d had his driver text him updates about the building crowd outside the bar. 

“Be safe, man.” Mitch smacked his shoulder. “I’m sorry you’ve got to deal with it.”

Harry appreciated it. He wished Y/N didn’t have to. That was feeding his revenge thirst more than anything. Remembering how she’d turned in on herself and genuinely looked horrified, how she had cried in his lap with how many people texted and called her to ask her what was happening, the idea of being labeled a homewrecker making her heart hurt. It hurt his, too, considering she was the only one he’d ever want to make a home with. 

Before Y/N, he thought of love as a weakness. A distraction, something to avoid. He himself thought he was incapable of it besides familial love, avoiding making connections because of the way he’d been fucked over in his youth. Of course he’d never expected love to become a driving force for him. Motivation. Wanting to build up higher and go harder so he could provide for her and their future family, to set things up so they’d never have to worry about a thing.  The woman had changed his perspective on everything. 

It’s why he decided the best course of action was to face the very people Katherine loved to pander to, give them the story they wanted. He never spoke to paparazzi, he considered it an invasion of privacy every time he saw one, but this would reach the masses. 

Pulling his jacket over his shoulders and his sunglasses over his eyes, he nodded at the guard who opened the door and opened himself up to the blur of flashing lights. Even his shades didn’t help the slight blindness, slowly walking until they started yelling at him. 

“Harry, who’s the girl?”

“Where’s Katherine?!”

“Why did you cheat?” 

“Hey, Harry, did you two break up?”

“Having a break up drink?”

He paused in the middle, looking around the mess of photographers who knew better this time than to get too close before opening his mouth. 

“I didn’t cheat on Katherine. Our relationship was something she manipulated into a contract. I’ve never considered her to be mine, nor will I ever. I let her run her mouth and say what she wanted because, frankly, her father was an acquaintance at one point. She’s the one who’s been obsessed with me, stalking me and breaking into my home. I told her to call off her charade of a relationship with me weeks ago, but instead she decided to break into my home, take violating photos of the woman I’m in love with and I in an intimate moment, and robbed me. She isn’t the feminist she claims to be with taking revealing and intimate photos of another woman. It’s violating and cruel, and I will not stop until she’s caught and my girlfriend feels safe again. ” He took a breath before lowering her sunglasses, looking at the cameras that were recording. 

“So no, I’m not having a breakup drink. It’s celebratory that she’s going to be arrested on multiple counts. No one knows where she is, but I’m sure she will come crawling out when the things she pawned for money runs out. There’s an active warrant out for her arrest, so if you see her…  Call the police.” He scoffed. “And for the record, I never cheated. Fidelity was never a clause.” Taking the glasses back to his face, he briskly walked towards the car, heart beating steadily in his chest. There was a mess of questions being shouted at him from behind, loud flashes from the cameras taking photos a mile a minute, but he didn’t stop. He’d said what he said. 

Harry was well aware of the fact that this was going to be spread like wildfire. It was going to be international headlines and he’d just started a firestorm across social media and the gossip channels, but that was the goal. Katherine had so desperately tried to carefully curate her image to be a girl supporting, philanthropic, kind, sweet wealthy girl, but she was nothing of the sort. She was nasty, cruel, vapid, fueled on the validation of others- and Harry was taking that away from her. Taking the one thing that mattered most after her father took away the money. There were no regrets. 

Slipping in the car, he placed the sunglasses on his head before checking his phone. 

Y/N: Look!!

Y/N: [Image Attachment]

Y/N: I did what you said :) 

Harry’s heart skipped a beat as he got a selfie from her with her nails the baby blue color he had suggested, silver stars as accents on a few fingers. It had been a choice she showed him when going through her nail pinterest board, and he thought it was cute. 

The photo was a reminder of just what exactly he was doing this for. Her. His sweet, angel faced girl sitting back in the apartment with the kindest heart he’d ever known. His heart had softened for her alone, making him weak to the touch. Feeling a little lighter just from seeing her face, his smile twitched on the corner of his lips as he typed out a reply. 

H: Gorgeous, my love. 

H: Is Hannah still there?

Y/N: Nooo, she had date night w Niall. 

Y/N: Salvatore is here though, he’s watching the door. 

Y/N: Can’t he watch TV with me or something? He must be bored. :////

Harry hated that he had to have security inside his home but he just didn’t know how deranged Katherine may actually be. 

H: I don’t pay him to watch television, pet. I pay him to watch the door. So, no. 

H:  Let’s stay off our phones tonight. 

Y/N: …Okay. 

Y/N: Do I want to know what you said or did?

H: Nope x

Y/N: I’m just going to trust you and say fine lol 

Y/N: Want to have ice cream when you’re back tho?

His smile grew to a full one at the last message. Y/N’s wants were so simple. All she wanted was to spend time with him, be close to him. That’s what he wanted too, but he’d never seen someone be so simple in the best way. There were no games with her, no fucking around. It was something he’d always admired about her, one of the many reasons the ring sitting in his office drawer was burning a hole in it. He wanted to make her his, officially but it wasn’t the right time. 

Soon, though. He didn’t like her walking around without his ring on her finger. 

H: You know I love sweet things, darling. Of course I do. 

Y/N: That’s why I’m your favorite 0:) hehe

H: My favorite in the world. 

H: Hang tight, my love. I’m coming home to you x

[ihavetoomanyocsdealwithit]

Twisted Wonderland boys try Drag  

I wrote the thing about Floyd (link) and it wouldn't leave me alone, and then I asked myself, what about the others?   

Floyd Leech, Malleus Draconia, Riddle Rosehearts, Vil Schoenheit, Rook Hunt 

Floyd Leech 

He has to go to this event and it’s going to be boring. He knows that it's all for looks and he’ll do it because Mom has asked him. But that’s the only reason he is doing it with mild complaining.  

Until of course, Yuu runs in like a cat on fire, grin wide and manic.  

Whatever comes out of that sharptoothed mouth is going to be fantastic.  

“Floyd!” Yuu chirps. “I have an idea. And I think you could be the son of a gun that's gonna help me do it.”  

“And why would I do that, Shrimpy?” He knows that his grin matches, that he’ll do it anyway, but damn if seeing her like this isn’t fun.  

“Easy. It’s fun, it’ll cause large amounts of chaos and drama and it’ll make Betta Fish either envy, rage or a develop a strange attraction he won’t understand until several years later in therapy.”  

Well how he is supposed to say no to that?  

They have something similar, at least in the sea. Not so gender based, that’s more of a human thing which he still doesn’t fully understand, but the larger than life makeup, large jewelry, that sort of thing. He had no idea the humans had something too!  

There is a dress code they have to follow, and half of the fun of bending rules is knowing what rules you are bending. So they pick and choose, he does ship in one or two items for his own benefit. Mamaw even handed off some of her old jewelry once he told her what the plan was. He may want to give his parents a little shock, but his never kept secrets or surprises from her. She’s good at keeping her mouth shut though, especially if it’s fun. 

When the both of you arrive, it is old Hollywood glam. He’s turquoise hair looks stunning with finger waves, lined with rhinestones and his signature black streak creating such an interesting texture. He’s make up is more on the dramatic side, bright blush and bold lipstick but cheekbones softened in a classic style. The dress is one of the things ordered in, as there was no way you had any clothes that you could even slightly modify at Ramshackle, a blue full sequin dress with a center split that feels vaguely familiar to Yuu, but you can’t put a finger on it. You did add gold shoulder chains that trail delicately down his shoulders and arms for a faux sleeve that makes his frame look sleek and elegant.  

Yuu of course, is simply a compliment to the drag queen, old Hollywood suit and tie with a tall top hat, a painted beard with sharp angles and twisted waves, tight pin curls with bejeweled pins left in sporadically.  

Vil does in fact lose his mind, but he’s more upset that you have not told him about this than seeing it. He grills you the whole night, and then some. 

Floyd however, thrives, having the time of his life finally being able to wear his stilettos out without feeling mismatched. It’s something the two of you continue to do together, but he’ll incorporate things on his own. You see more long skirts and dresses in his closet, different tweaks to his hair, and definitely more experiments with his eye makeup. He looks especially pretty when he’s squeezing people.  

When he looks at you, it’s just joy that he gets to express himself more. If he requires that you are his date for every party now, even underwater, well who are you to complain?  

Malleus Draconia 

It pops into your head as both of you are talking about home. You had been to plenty of Drag Brunches with the performances and dance, but also just Drag crawls with nights of everybody showing up and visiting, letting people get photos and just visit.  

Malleus has always had a hard time getting people to give him a chance, afraid of just his visage alone. It’s a reputation well earned, but he was very much a child with the stories that circulate and didn’t even know what he was doing.  

“What if you weren’t you?” Yuu asks, head tilted as the idea forms more in her mind. “What if you were a different version of you?”  

He’s open to the idea at least, allowing different experiments with color, themes, outfits and make up to see what he’s comfortable with, though there are some that go completely out the window. 

It’s easy for him to look like the Thorn Fairy, so they do put together a simple outfit that’s more of a modern take of her classic silhouette. A simple black side split gown with a thrifted Diasomnia coat with the patch ripped out, added embellishments of purple dyed furs, and silver metal accent spikes, letting his natural elegance take hold and make the presence.  

Do you have more casual clothes for him for brunch type things? Absolutely. And he looks fantastic in his oversized long sleeve crop top and ripped wide jeans with fishnet. He’s accessories tend to be the louder items for him, and he’s make up has plenty of colors, but he will always find his comfort in blacks, greens and purples. He doesn’t tend to go as loud as other Drag Queens, but it still works. Apparently, he sees Lilia dress this way often, so it’s something familiar and makes him feel a bit closer to him.  

The first brunch type thing the both of you go to, you are dressed more like a gentleman to compliment. A simple white button up, suspenders, a tight pompadour and exaggerated cheekbones. He had gone with the long dress since it was more of a formal affair, dressed down with boots, a softer lilac cardigan from Yuu’s closet, and wig pinned back into a simple but elegant bun, the blue underlay shining like a whole scale.  

He’s amazed at how easily people talk to him, how they approach with no fear. He gets to talk, and any awkwardness is explained away by being raised in Briar valley, because of course he’s just a Fae, not a dragon, those horns are simply part of the costume. Their is one little child that stays with him the entire time, talking about gargoyles, grotesques, and other statues. Malleus’s tail, also a prop of course, is swinging the entire time.  

Malleus loves to go out to smaller venues, but does fear getting too much attention and losing this as an outlet. He will go to lots of underground events with you, even the raves he’ll do for a few hours, and enjoy the people there. That he happens to get to protect you to is an added bonus, though the first time he sees Yuu lay out a guy for an inappropriate comment, he falls in love just a little more.  

Above, sitting on a staircase and looking down at his son, Lilia tears up a bit. There is fondness, pain, so much pain, and love.  

Malleus won’t make the connection until years later, when he sees a picture of himself, but he doesn’t look like the Thorn Fairy. He looks like his mother.  

Riddle Rosehearts  

Riddle sees Yuu’s drag first and loves it. What started as an invitation for a historically accurate Red Court costume tea party had allowed Yuu to dive deep back into the hobby with ease. So much of Red Court fashion involved that over-the-top style and fun that it was easy to pull together a fantastic outfit.  

He is a bit more hesitant to get into it, especially once the two of you realize that what he pictures himself in is close to his Overblot form, but simple modifications can fix that. The make-up isn’t too difficult for him to learn at all, after all the Heartslabyul students apply their own everyday, and he does love his red eyeliner. He is a bit embarrassed on how comfortable he feels in the corsets and dresses, but she manages to pull him back in with the shoes.  

Afterall, it wasn’t uncommon for Drag Queens to wear platforms. He’s usual heels will give him a solid inch or two, but six? He’s a whole new person when he puts on a pair of platforms.  

The next historical tea party, he pulls up in a Queen of Hearts inspired dress, but there isn’t a trace of black in the design. White lace gloves, the card fan collar fun and playful looking, the red soft and romantic looking instead of bloody, white roses pristine and large red ribbons ballooning out like the bow of a present. His hair of course is a wig, the red not quite as strong as he’s own, decorated in pearls and diamonds with heart-shaped lips and strong eyebrows.  

Trey notices how differently Riddle acts, firm but strong, delicate with his teacup and firm with the flamingo handles as he plays. He seems...happier. And he looks especially regal when a student makes an unsavory comment, and he sends them flying with a commanding “OFF WITH YOUR HEAD!”  

Vil Schoenheit  

Now, Vil was normally a respectful gentleman, but when he saw the different sketches on the margins of your notes, he became intrigued, especially when you let it slip that it was for herself. Drag had a slightly different definition in Twisted Wonderland, and Vil already practiced this version. Basically, how close can one flirt with fashion or make up or demeanor to become a woman, but it wasn’t anything like what you had.  

But what you had laid out was more Avante Garde, more bold, more interesting. A living art piece, yes, that’s what he would call it! There were designs that Yuu wouldn’t try but thought would look amazing or simply didn’t have to skill or resources to do. That wouldn’t be a problem with Vil.  

There is some work with figuring out what works best, as he basically looks good in everything and already has experience with changing his shape and silhouette. But looking good in everything doesn’t mean that’s what is best for him, and that’s what Yuu pushes, showing more of the entertainment and songs, for what feels the most confident. Eventually, they figure out that Vil enjoys being able to do less entertainment and simply exist as something beautiful and untouchable.  

Vil’s next event, Yuu comes more as an assistant, as the outfit is going to take hours to pull together, but it will be a showstopper. Yuu has no interest of trying to compete with Vil on this one, and he needs no complimenting king. She still gets free food out of it though, so definitely no complaints there.  

Vil arrives looking like a perfume bottle, intricate and elegant and stunning. The bottom balloons out and trails with a black ruffle, studded with spikes, hips accented with leather pads and structured velvet dress and long sleeves locked into black accordion ruffles on his wrist. But the chest is exposed, a beating heart pulsing in a golden rib cage, inverted shoulder pads like wings rising with a crown that puts the puny tiaras around them to shame.  

His smile is hidden, black lipped and sharp, and Yuu thinks that he’s probably never felt as beautiful as he does now.  

Rook Hunt  

Does anybody else remember Prince Poppycock? He was an opera singer that showed up on American Idol and was my first exposure to anything like drag, especially drag kings. He has lived rent free in my mind ever since. Anyway, on to Rook!  

Rook sees you experimenting with different outfits from the closets of Ramshackle, fashions that have been out of season for maybe a century now, and he loves them. How strong, how romantic, the glamor of it! He at least does the polite thing by knocking on the door before begging to be your mannequin.  

Rook, similar to Vil and Riddle, has plenty of experience with make-up, but the full white face is something he has never done before. He does love how bright the colors come out on such a canvas though and makes several versions with different outfits he has sent in from home. The hardest part is the wigs, which are simply too modern or not the right colors for him. He gets a long-curled wig imported from home and asks to keep it at Ramshackle, and carefully styles it out his eyes. Yuu is also not surprised when other outfits and ribbons start coming in, simply hanging them out to get the wrinkles out. The matching silk robes are nice though, she’ll admit to that one.  

He gets his opportunity when you find a local theater troupe that does soliloquys, monologues, short songs and one act plays on Saturdays evenings that would be more than happy to have extra performers. Getting Rook to choose only one monologue is more difficult than choosing the outfit, but it’s easy to compliment his look with a similar vibe.  

It’s something Yuu has never had the opportunity to see before. The way that Rook preforms like this as opposed to the SDC is so different. He lets loose here, fully indulging into the character, and the audience is enraptured with him. Some of the upcoming actors and actresses are even pausing in practicing their lines just to look at him go.  

Sometimes over tea parties, him and Riddle really bond over historical dress, he’ll even sprinkle freckles on top of the white face paint. Yuu wishes he would let his natural ones come through sometimes, but maybe it is a work in progress.   

[cupcakeslushie]

Do you have any tips on for people starting a comic and wanting to post to tumblr? Like pacing ect. Or well any experience you’ve had with your comics? Love your content as well ❤️

If it’s simply for fun, and you’re just trying to gain experience, my biggest advice would be to just START. Don’t worry about it looking perfect. Don’t worry about comparing it to other’s comics. Just try something, and if you find it’s not working, you can always change things up. I have gone through several styles and page layouts since starting. Do I wish those first pages of EW looked just like what I’m doing now? Yes, but if I’d waited around for perfection I would have never started. And I wouldn’t have had nearly as much fun creating it! If people like it, that’s great, but your art is for you. If you’re growing and learning and having fun, then you’ve accomplished something!

Now for some less preachy advice 😂…

—If your comic is gonna be hosted on Tumblr specifically, I would say, make sure you keep the 10 image limit in the back of your mind when you’re pacing things. That can definitely cause some headaches down the line. If you don’t plan ahead, and end up hitting it, you’ll have a sudden cut in your flow. This last update I knew it was gonna be long, so while I did plan, but I could’ve planned better.

—Variety is key!!!!!

Composition changes keep your viewers from getting bored. Sometimes I’ll find myself falling back into the bad habit of just doing the simple back and forth with two characters talking straight on, but changing the camera angle, making establishing shots when you change locations, and over the shoulder shots, etc etc…All these will make for a more interesting viewing. You may think a character needs to be in every single panel to make it interesting, but if you have a lot of dialogue, a simple plain shot—either in top of a solid background, or just over something boring, like a glance at the set, etc—this will let people focus on the words rather than splitting their focus.

Variety applies to shading as well—whether you’re using color or black/white. Variety in values are SO important for comics. You’re shoving a ton of information in a limited space, so try to keep your values different for items that are close together….it can make things very confusing and turn your line work into indistinguishable blobs if you shade without this in mind.

(Using this panel as an example….)

The top two panels have a variety of darker values and a halftone background—so the next two with Venus, I kept rather simple. I could’ve colored the buildings behind her, but then, she might’ve gotten lost amidst all the grey. There’s not really any trick or solid rule to this, but once you develop your creative eye, you’ll make these choices without even thinking about it.

A few links to helpful tools (they’re all procreate centered I’m afraid 😅)

Outline brush — a free tutorial for Procreate users. This brush kinda mimics the CPS feature that lets you create panels with a nice black outline. I used this brush very often, and it really gives your panels a professional look. Fair warning, it can be glitchy, but it’s free…

Manero Comic Bubbles and sfx — These brushes are not free, so I would recommend maybe getting in your groove before you try them out. They’re by no means necessary, but I’ve just started using them, and they save me so much time. There’s a HUGE selection of shapes, and they go on with a solid white background, so you don’t have to worry about coloring around your dialogue balloons.

[behoright]

Are you serious about writing for Rod.......asking for a friend.....

rod brind'amour as a dom

a/n: yes I am writing for him. yes I am so deadass. but until then, here you go.

warnings: 18+ - minors dni! smut and (heavy) kink related content below. also bad editing.

OKAY so

dom dom dom dom dom

stern

I'd say he's mostly like a harsh dom

but let it be known that the harshest doms build the most loving foundation

I see him as the one that really plans it all out before even having any sexual contact with you

lots of conversations meet ups you could even call them dates-ish before any scene

always remembers your favorite things, how you like to be taken care of, your soft limits, your hard limits, everything

he is very disciplined and very much sticks to the rules but

idk why like I see him playing with fire a bit

aka bringing you to the rink before and after hours

sorry I know it's not the most "correct" but I just see it sm

it would definitely be when there's nobody there

like late late late

and not in any area where anyone could easily walk in

so he'd use common areas but kinda secluded ones

obviously the most used would be his office

it's big and spacious and private

the idea of him like

sitting you down at his desk and telling you

"you can't move from here until everyone has left the building"

after a game

"and if you don't move at all then you can be rewarded"

goodbyeeeeeee

games are usually what 2.5 hours? plus the boys have to shower eat rest and they stay after to workout after the game

and he would just leave you there no vibrator no phones no nothing all you have to do is sit

"and I will know if you move"

fdvkjnsldkfj imagine one night you decide to

defy him

and you move his pens to the opposite side of the desk they're usually on

he comes back when everyone's gone

he looks at you he looks at the desk

it's such a slight change most people really wouldn't notice

but it's Rod

and he knew something was off the second he walked into his office

you can see the wheels spinning but don't break eye contact

your thighs getting damp on his leather chair

"did you move?"

you're not brave enough to answer

rod begins circling around the desk

you want to answer but anything you could say is going to get you in trouble

"you know that no answer is way worse than the honest answer."

he says and he keeps walking around the desk, slowly taking off his cuff links and stuff

but literally words just. are not coming out

you're literally biting your lips subconsciously because you know what's coming

"okay. since you want to do this, stand up."

your body betrays you and you just bolt up

he moves you next to the window and opens the blinds

it's like a floor to ceiling window that faces the parking lot

its high up but like. its a window yall

"is this your final answer?"

eyes are locked together

you are trembling

"okay then. I think I have been more than generous."

he says and he's rolling his sleeves up

girl get ready

he slaps you

a medium slap not enough to really knock you off your feet but it leaves a mark for sure

your eyes watering as you feel the tingling on your cheek

he's not happy you didn't listen but his bulge is definitely growing

rod is average maybe a little over but thick. thickkk and veiny

if you moved like 3 pens or 3 items on his desk he'd slap you 3 times on each side of your face

"you moved my things. not only did you move, but you moved my things. has no one ever taught you not to touch what's not yours?"

he turns you over, bends you over the desk

blinds still fully open FYI

"did no one teach you manners, young lady?"

3 items you moved x whatever the score of the game was that night = number of spanks on each side

and he spanks really really hard

it makes your hips bruise because he smacks so hard you hit the desk each time

when he's done you actually don't move this time

and he walks to the other side of the desk

you can see how hard he is

he puts the pens in front of your eyes

"whose are these?"

"yours, sir."

and he'd probably make you say that countless times

until it feels right in him

he might even use the pens to write something on your body where no one else can see

they're old men pen too. fancy ones

since you're still bent over he makes sure your eyes are locked on his but with your head down. your chin on the desk

and he'd just jerk off in front of you

cum all over your hair and face

just sooo degrading

obviously a lot of clean up and cuddles after on his office floor

but the next time he says to stay and not move until everyone has left

he leaves the door open

blinds open

"since you weren't able to stay still last time. maybe less privacy will make you more docile."

staff and even players walk by and just see you sitting completely immobile

no one asks any questions no one says anything but damn

fair to say when everyone was gone and he came back he was much nicer when he closed the door

throws everything off his desk

(pens included)

and just fucks you so hard so passionately

really loud and sweaty

he has endurance like no other

rod can really go for hours

his satisfaction knows no bounds but what matters more (when you deserve it) is your satisfaction

until he sees that you're fully spent he keeps pounding

he really deep down wants to make you feel sooo good

I'm sweating

he would definitely use the team shower 100%

he'd use the shower heads to tie you up like an andrew's cross

his favorite thing is

pain n pleasure duality

he looks more of like a rope guy to me than anything else

so I really see him like

making his own cat o' nine tails

with the rope he knows you like the most

and just

whipping

lightly but definitely a good whip

he'd start from the front. the harshest part

abdomen and breasts first

and then thighs

he loooveesss thighs. he'd go a little harder

and he loves the sound of the ropes hitting you and echoing in the shower

if you try to keep quiet he goes harder

he would leave a good amount of time for you to recover

if the team had a good game he would even come over slowly and rub where the red marks are starting to appear

and if he's in the mood for it he'd take his tie and either put it over your eyes or as a gag

and then he'd do the back

he loves watching your flesh just give into the whippings

so it's more decisive lashes in the back

if he's not in a good mood he'd make you count out loud

and rod wants to hear it

if you're not counting loud enough he would make you start over

"I didn't get that. restart."

Rod doesn’t like to hear excuses like

he knows that you know what he likes so if it’s not happening

there really is no reason for him so he’d just tell you to restart or to fix it

if he thought it was an actual issue he’d bring it up the day after or something

all of this still with his suit on btw

he lovesss the way it makes him feel

and he loves having you completely naked and exposed while he’s dressed to the nines

also side note but as serious as he is like

he can be really playful

like in the shower after he’s done with the lashings I can see him running his hands over the places that hurt

and also in places that you’re a lil ticklish

just running his fingertips over it

yes to check how you’re doing but also rlly to watch you giggle when you’re like spent and out of breath

and then he’d move his hands to where you ache the most

this is blunt but like

rod loves a wet cunt

he would only fuck you if you’re wet enough

for him

and there’s been times that you were wet but just not up to his standards

so he would keep going until then. all the kinky stuff is really majority of foreplay

going back to the shower

since the ropes are holding you in place

he’d touch you until he’d feel you body go limp

have his face really close to yours pet your head the whole time kiss you gently

whispering the most encouraging words

king of dirty talk for real

sometimes the way he carries himself and the way he says things can get you to melt more than anything

uhhhhhhh yeah

overall being his sub would be a whole trip

always bruised but always very taken care of and satisfied

and that’s what you like most

[liannelara-dracula]

Helloo can you please do carla tsukinami and shin nsfw alphabetttt

Shin Tsukinami NSFW Alphabet Hcs

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

Prompt

Requests are open

Rules

Warning: nsfw

Links: Azusa, Yuma, Kanato

*Carla's is not out yet but will be.

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

A

Aftercare—What does he do?

Lays in bed with you and gets your hair out of your face. Or tucks your hair behind your ear.

With pillow talk he plays with your hair and caresses your face.

“There’s something lovely about you I don’t know how to describe it. I could get lost in you everytime I look at you.”

Trails kisses up and down your body and occasionally nibbles at your skin.

He’ll kiss the most sensitive areas of you just to get a reaction.

Would read to you or tell you a story as you rest your head on his shoulder.

He’d also just love to talk to you about anything while you two lay like that.

He’d be playing with your hand, “one day I’ll be king and you’ll become my queen. I promise, love.” He’d smile, kissing your knuckles leaving you to smile.

Shin loves to be playful with you and will tease to no end even with his mouth. He’ll graze his fangs all over your body and leave sloppy kisses on you which bring you to giggle and fidget a bit, “Stop, I can’t—-stop that’s enough!” You’d shriek, your eyes shutting tight at the feeling.

“It’s no fun if you close your eyes love.” He’d smirk trailing down in between your legs, having eye contact with you.

Leaves kisses on your shoulder before setting up a bath for you.

“I believe it’s time for my queen’s bath.” He’d grin scooping you off the bed and into his arms causing you to giggle.

Would wash you if you were considerably tired, his hands being quiet gentle.

For a while he seemed to focused on washing you both but once he got to washing you it became sensual. 

He isn’t planning on it but he can’t help but have his hands roam around your chest and play with your breasts as he soapes them.

Plants lots of kisses down your neck and he’ll trace words into your back and you’ll try to guess what he’s trying to spell.

“I don’t know.” You’d smile as he continued to trace over your back.

“C’mon love, take a guess.” He’d encourage giving you a kiss on your back.

Anal—Is he into it?

No,just not into.

Given he’s old fashioned some things are a no for him.

It’s also just not his thing tbh.

He’s interested in vaginal related interactions.

B

Boobs or Butt—What does he prefer?

He likes whatever is more significant about you.

So if you had just boobs that’s where his appreciation goes. Vice versa.

But if you have both I’m going to say that  he’s generally going to pick boobs. 

But he loves it even if your boobs are small he doesn’t care if they are big exactly, like you don’t need to be a D or anything you could be a B cup. But he’d probably like to see some boob not like completed flat chested.

However, depending on the day and what you’re wearing his mind may change.

So if your ass looks perky in jeans he won’t hesitate to admire it nor smack it.

While he loves your boobs more since he finds them fun to grab, if you walk by him and he notices that you have nice ass he can’t stop there.

He’ll definitely make a comment on it. “I never noticed how much those dresses 

hide.” He’d smirk, looking over at your butt as you were busy looking for something in your room.

“Shin!”

He even says things like, “You should show your back more often,” or “It greatly offends me that you’ve kept this hidden from me.”

Would smack it as he walks by.

More often when your doing your makeup standing up and looking into the mirror he’d come up behind you and grab your ass.

Body part—Favorite body part?

Most definitely loves boobs

He is appreciative of which ever one you have more of but he does like boobs.

Before you’ve had sex with him he’s probably fallen asleep on your chest, and groped it because he’s made out with you. So he’s been hooked on your boobs for a long time.

He really likes it if you wear corsets so if the occasion calls for it he hopes your boobs are enough to bust out and show cleavage.

If they don’t because your boobs are just not big enough he’ll be a little upset since he was kinda looking forward to it. But don’t worry if he’s taller than you he’ll just look down.

He loves it when you run into him and your chest presses into his. He’ll put his arm around you just to keep you there.

There was one time where he sorta fell on you and his hand landed on your boob. This probably how he started to love them in the first place. “Huh, there’s more than I would’ve imagined.” He’d smirk his hand cupping your chest.

Even in his wolf form he’s messing around with you he’ll put his paws on your boobs if he’s sitting on your lap.

Even especially loves it when you bring him in for a hug and cuddle him in his wolf form because he gets the excuse of you bringing his face into your chest

To which he loves every time, little do you know.

Shin loves to chase you in the woods and he especially loves when you give up to catch your breath since your chest heaves which he actually likes.

Would be really aroused if the fabric of your bra was really thin and showed your nipples with your clothes on

“I take it that you're cold, love?”

You’d immediately cover your chest to walk away. “Quit staring.”

Loves it if you don’t have a bra on.

He can unclip a bra quickly, in fact he probably just rips it off.

And he takes off a corset even faster, he finds that easier to take off than a bra.

He likes the bras that unhook in the front because you don’t have the chance to cover yourself and he just has immediate access to your boobs.

Loves to bite and leave marks there.

I think one modern thing he enjoys are push up bras on girls. He finds it hot if you wear those.

Would also love any low cut top.

And loves it when you bend down and your shirt doesn’t cover your boobs at all.

One thing he also loves doing out of random is run his hand up your shirt too.

Boner—What got him to this?

So he’s not as easily to turn on but he’s not difficult he’s in the middle.

It’s really through your attitude, any sass or remark you have towards him or whatever that can get him.

More often it’s probably your clothes only highlighting certain parts of you.

This always drives him crazy.

An exposed back or neckline also sets him.

He’s really a sucker for your obliviousness with certain things.

Sometimes he’ll suggest something sexual and you won’t see it that way.

He especially is into a woman who is submissive, that really wins him over and turns him on in 5 secs cause he loves being in charge and taking care of her.

What also turns him on is if he’s able to make you speechless, stutter, or have you pause to restate something because he’s embarrassing you.

Also loves to humiliate you in private mostly. He’d bring up things you don’t want to talk about or even just do things like having you beg and admit how good he is.

He’d get a boner in two seconds if he got you to moan or confess something.

Anything that would also expose your cleavage would get him turned on too.

See through or wet clothes.

Seeing you out of breathe.

Oh and Just the fact if you are a higher rank in Royalty and he’s fucking you. That would turn him on so much.

Like if you are a queen and he’s a prince.

And you’re married to someone else, he loves that it’s wrong and that he’s made you do such a thing.

He’d really loves it if their status was like that, it gets him off that he can fuck better than a king. And that the queen seeks his attention.

C

Cum—Things relating cum

He’s old fashioned so he really believes in procreating being important so you best believe he’d give you lots.

Even if you told him you’re unable to get pregnant he still thinks that maybe with enough you might end up pregnant.

He gives a substantial amount in hopes of getting you pregnant at least if you’re on board with it.

That’s all he really sees it for.

In terms of who gives out first he makes sure it’s not him at least with someone he cares about.

He is usually right after you though, sometimes at the same time but usually his partner gives out before him.

As a founder he has more energy and stamina.

He sets a goal of trying to make you cum like 3 times at least.

And if it’s baby making time it’s like 5+.

Because he’s old fashioned he believes in certain myths and tells you to not get up after sex otherwise his sperm won’t be effective in giving you a baby.

You have to remind him that that’s all a myth.

Contraceptives—Any protection?

Probably none since he’d want an heir but if he cares about you obviously it is all your choice.

Then he will use protection if you truly ask about it and all.

But he’s not big on it.

He believes more in the pull out method tbh.

He thinks that works better and that condoms are not as precise as he is.

He’ll especially do this if you are not able/ likely to have kids in life.

D

Duration—How long is one session itself? Are there rounds?

One session itself is about 8-10 minutes.

He is sorta fast but he gives more than one round.

He’ll do about 3 rounds.

Maybe 5 if he’s trying to get you pregnant but the sessions would be shorter.

His breaks are not long he just make sure that your both equally ready.

Or sometimes he’ll just initiate it again even after you just finished and your laying down trying to relax he’ll try to kiss you again.

“Mmm, Shin, we just finished.” You’d mumble smiling as he continued to kiss you on the mouth.

He’d smirk into the kiss and pull away, “Another round can’t hurt, love.”

If he’s really pumped up to make kids or just to give love, you have a long night ahead of you.

Founders do have a higher stamina and tolerance than vampires so don’t be surprised if he doesn’t need a break after a climax.

You would have to be the one to tell him to stop, which turns him on. Like you don’t know how amused this ass is by you saying you need him to stop just so you can breathe.

Denial/dirty secret—Something they won’t admit or a sexual fantasy they won’t share?

He likes to watch you strip down naked while he’s in his wolf form. He’s done it a couple of times but in secret of course so you had no idea he was watching you undress yourself.

He likes secretly watching you in his wolf form.

Shin also loves the idea of watching you touch yourself, well if you do.

He’d like to watch it in secret again in his wolf form.

But when he’s not in his wolf form he’d  love to initiate it and make you follow his instructions/guide you.

Shin wouldn’t tell you this since he probably thinks you’d say no to him. Especially if you don’t touch yourself or never have.

He wouldn’t mind even teaching you. Actually he’d be really fond of the idea since he gets to help you explore. Like he thinks about this a lot.

He is curious of what it would be like if you rode him but he has too much pride for that, let alone asking it. He really loves it that you’re submissive anyways.

He definitely dreams about you topping him though, so much that he’s probably had a wet dream but he wouldn’t tell you.

He’d also had this sexual fantasy about you being super vocal about how you feel embarrassed or something.

Degradation/Dirty talk—Into either one or both? How is this done?

He’s old fashioned, so if he cares about her there is no degrading, however if he doesn’t care he’ll say she’s a slut.

But dirty talk, yes.

He loves to mention how aroused you are and that he’s the only one that can make you feel like this.

“Look how aroused you’ve become from just my touch, love.”

He’d love to tease you about how sensitive you are.

“Hold still, love, we’re just getting started.”

Or even things like, “all drenched by the founder prince are we?”

He can be really explicit and say, “surely that’ll be enough to have twins.”

E

Experience—Have they done it before?

Yes he has, his first was a while ago when he was much younger.

He remembers but he doesn’t like to share it. He just says it was so long again he doesn’t remember but he does.

Shin doesn’t want to talk about how he made mistakes during his first time.

Or how he was first exploring.

Would enjoy if the woman he’s with is virgin but is fine if she’s not.

She just needs to be submissive in bed.

F

Fingering—Will they do it? How often? How many fingers?

Yes he does it for sure at least if you let him.

Cause again this is his fantasy in a way except this time he has full control it’s not like watching you do it on your own so it’s a little different.

But if you allow this and he’s gotten comfortable with the idea he will.

Not super often but frequent he tries to use it spontaneously to keep you surprised.

He loves to hear you gasp whenever he does this.

The first time you two had sex he didn’t use it.

But he uses this when he’s really horny or when you two have been mad and haven’t had sex in a while.

when you make up he does this.

He’s rough so you sometimes have to stop him.

He does two fingers all the time.

Fangs—Does he bite you? How often does he use it? Where else does he use his teeth?

Wouldn’t draw blood, like almost never tbh.

He does like to leave marks and playfully bite though.

Especially on your chest and neck area

And your back like near your shoulders and anywhere that could be hard to cover up.

This is common, you expect this behavior from him a lot.

He likes to use his teeth to rip your clothes or pull them down too.

G

Generosity—Are they a giver or a receiver? Or both? Why?

Giver because she is sub

He likes being in charge so he doesn’t expect her to give him anything.

Shin likes to give because with him being in control he can humiliate if he chooses to.

H

Hair—How well groomed? Is he okay with body hair?

Considering that he is old fashioned he’s okay if you don’t shave as much.

But would probably like it if your legs were shaved and stuff.

As for down there he’s not expecting anything tho but a trim is not bad.

He doesn’t do much for himself either, minimal tbh.

Hickies—Where does he leave marks? Is he okay with being marked?

Leaves them all over your chest and just any place thats diffcult to hide and cover up.

He wants people to see that you “belong” to someone and who you “belong” to.

Wouldn’t like you marking him. Its just not something he likes.

I

Intimate—Is it rough or dirty?

Both, like when is he every sweet?

Shin isn’t exactly gentle.

Everything is everywhere, its a messy room.

The clothes are all over the floor.

Ignorant—Are they able to tell if their partner is giving signals?

Will ignore them on purpose

Or try to expose you on purpose so if you try to hide what you want, he tries to get you to tell him.

But he always knows what you want and when you’re giving signals.

“Go on, Love, just tell me what you want.”

J

Jerk off—Are they the type?

Sorta.

So he does do it but only if like he’s super desperate and you won’t give him any.

Or like if you’ve been mad at him for like a long time he’ll revert to do this.

But like he almost never does this tbh.

K

Kinks—What are some main kinks they have?

Mirror sex 

Mirrored fingering

Hair pulling

Pulling your panties down w his fangs

Ripping your clothes

Fucking in the forest/lake

Angry sex

L

Lighting—Lights or no lights?

Dark, Moonlight, lights.

All of the above.

I mean his wolf powers make him nocturnal so the dark isn’t going to bother him.

It might make it more exciting because you wouldn’t be able to see as good as he does.

Location—Have a post right here

M

Motivation—Turn ons

You’re mad at him.

Your chest is showing.

Wearing a corset.

Have your hair up.

Being embarrassed about something

Or being too stubborn to admit something

See-through clothes

It could be anything you do or say he doesn’t have too many specific things but like it’s mostly on your actions and responses to things.

N

Nudes—Are they the type to send them/ask for them?

No to both.

When he first heard of these things he was confused.

Now he understands and finds it silly.

“Just have the real thing instead of torturing yourself.”

Although he wouldn’t have any nor ask he would have a painting/drawing of you naked if he could.

That he finds hot.

No—Turn offs

Practically nothing, if he’s into you he’s into you.

O

Orgasms—How often do they do it? Is it before or after their partner?

Often, more than his partner probably.

But he’d always climax after his partner at least that’s what he wants to be the case but he’d be like right after. 

Orgasum Denial/Overstimulation—Into it? If so how often? Is it done to them or done to their s/o?

Yes but hardly does it since he doesn’t believe your able to hold it back anyway.

“I pull away, and you still lose control.”

One time you both made a bet that you could hold longer than the time he said you could hold out for and he was amused that you lost.

What’s worse is not second ago before you came on his hand you said you weren’t going to lose. He’d be so amused that you couldn’t help it.

“You’re losing, love.” He’d tease, as you tried to push his hand away to give you a break.

But he’d be quick to put it back and not give you a break and overstimulate you. He’d so cheat by pressing a sensitive spot of your body which triggered your orgasum faster, leading you to lose.

He was laughing afterwards while you were just upset and humiliated.

“C’mon love, it’s only between us.”

“That’s not the point.”

“We’ll, I suppose you’re a bit weak.”

“You cheated!”

“I can’t help it if I know a good spot to pleasure you.”

Oral—Giving or Receiving? How often?

Hmmm doesn’t seem like he’d be all that into it tbh.

He really prefers to use his hands but putting his mouth on you it seems too filthy like he doesn’t seem all that big on it.

P

Pace—Are they fast and rough or slow and sensual?

Usually rough and fast with a bit of sensual.

But mostly he’s just dirty.

He is all over you damn it.

But when he feels like reminding you that he loves you he is slow and sensual.

He actually becomes very sweet.

Position—What’s their favorite and most used?

Missionary, and any other position that will get you a baby asap.

Polygamy—Would they have threesome+?

No he wants you all to himself.

He’s no good at sharing

Q

Quirks—Something they do that you have to deal with?

He takes of clothes very fast. Founder men have that skill of being able to take off their partners clothing very fast.

It takes nothing for him to slide it off you.

Slides your panties off w his fangs

Times your orgasum

Ruins your hair

Hides your clothes after

Gives bruises and marks

Licks you anywhere he feels like

Quickie—Are they okay with them or do they only want a full session?

Full session he’s spoiled and doesn’t believe in rushed stuff

Now he has been interrupted and boy is he frustrated. But don’t worry he has the intent of resuming.

R

Risk—Willing to try something new or open to getting caught?

Yeah has no problem with it

And doesn’t care who sees tbh, he freaking digs you and wants the whole world to know you fuck.

But you want that to be private so he understands but other than that he doesn’t care.

He’d love to show you off and he’d love to flex about his skills in bed.

He always makes sure your hair is messed up when you walk out or whatever, that way if someone were to see they’d know.

S

S/D—Sub or dom?

Dom all the way.

I mean you never get to top.

If you are on the top for a sec, when you blink you're below him again.

He believes the man is always on top 🙄

This gets you to be annoyed.

He just won’t let you be in charge, he wants to have control.

T

Talkative—Do they talk or have casual conversations with you?

During not really.

usually tries to stop the talking or any worrying you may have of something.

He’d be planting kisses on your body when you’d try to remind him, “Shin, we’re going—to be late—“

“Let’s not worry about that right now, love.” He’d whisper.

Or you know if you just don’t want to get caught but he also tells you not to worry:

And he will sometimes say something teasing to you.

Toys—Do they like/use them? On you or on themselves?

Not big on that tbh.

He believes that he can give you all the fun without it.

I’m sure at first he hadn’t heard of them and was confused on their purpose

“Founders don’t need a silly toy to help you conceive.”

He thinks everything is about baby making

“This is not for making babies it’s for pleasure, Shin.”

“They don’t need it for a sense of pleasure either. We’re capable of all those things without a silly toy. Perhaps you’re unaware of that?”

U

Unfair—How do they tease? How often is it?

Teases like every second of the day in some way but oh man, here?

It’s endless torture to you because he’s always trying to humiliate you in some way.

For starters he loves to expose you especially if you’re trying to cover your chest.

He’ll move your hands away and pin them above your head, this way he can have a full view.

likes to playfully bite your chest as well.

He won’t fully enter himself in at first, and have you ache to move forward.

Stops in the middle of thrusting randomly in hopes that you’ll beg him to continue.

Also because you’ll be mad at him for stopping.

He does this if you try to be quiet.

Or will move slower because you asked him to move faster so he can drag out the time.

Makes sure you’re so loud that your embarrassed. 

Tells you that your heartbeat is so fast bc you’re so excited

V

Vocal/volume—How loud? Moans, groans, or whimpers? 

Not much of a moaner and isn’t too loud

He is mostly grunts and a fair a amount of groans.

There are growls too.

Mostly the sound of skin slapping and panting from the both of you.

Would prefer his partner is louder

He holds back and tries to have her be more vocal.

He’ll do anything to have it happen, especially if she is embarrassed by it.

He like loves it.

So there may even be surprises just to catch you off guard so you can be louder.

Especially finds it amusing that you put your hand over your mouth to be quiet, which doesn’t last for long since he’ll grab a hold of your hand to keep you from holding back.

If you are holding back he listens to your heartbeat on purpose and tells you that even if you’d like to be composed he knows how you really feel.

“You can act like you don’t enjoy this all you want, but your heart says otherwise. Why don’t you just give in, love?”

He wants you to scream and moan, although he does enjoy whimpers too.

W

Wildcard—Some special things they do specifically?

Times your orgasum

Listens to your heartbeat even when you’re trying to remain calm/unbothered.

He finds it really amusing to know you’re too stubborn to show how you feel.

Pulls your panties down with his teeth

Mirror sex, he’d like for you to watch. And he watches as well since he likes to see your expressions even when he’s not doing missionary. But this is rare.

X

X-ray—How big are they?

Something like 6.4 inches, I don’t know it made since. 

That number is the first one that came to me 😂.

That is like the biggest he could be though, could be smaller like 5.7

Refuses to think his bro is bigger than him.

Y

Yearning—Sex drive level

High, like damn high.

And not ashamed to tell you.

Boy wants to make babies so what does that tell you?

He’s usually the one who starts all this stuff anyway.

Even if he can’t have it he’s always dropping hints and stuff.

Z

Zzz —Do they sleep after? What do they do?

Not all the time, if this was a very rough session for the both of you yes. He would just fall asleep with you in his arms.

He usually will have pillow talk with you and try to get you comfortable.

Has the habit of tracing circles onto your skin or playing with your hands as you both are talking.

His pillow talk is great, it’s always about how you beautiful you are and how he is lucky to have you.

If you two are in a situation where you both are not allowed to be together or like I said if the woman he’s with is royal who is married to another man; he’ll talk about how much he wants you to be his and just run away from here.

“Shin, you know it’s not possible, with the way the world is, we could never. I’m fine with it even this way. It doesn’t change how I feel.”

“Your greatest flaw is that you never choose yourself. If you were just a little selfish you would be happier.”

“I’m already being selfish by being here with you when I’m married—“

“To a man who doesn’t love you.” He’d finish.

You’d sigh, he was right. “Yes, we don’t love each other but the kingdom doesn’t like changes.”

“The kingdom is not important to me, we could run away from here and be together. We can disappear without a word.” He’d smile interlocking his hand with yours as he brought it up to kiss your knuckles.

One thing he does talk about a lot during pillow talk was your reactions or how loud you were, or even how all that effort he put in will surely have you pregnant.

“You’re so quiet now compared to earlier, love.” He’d smirk, causing you to hit his arm.

“Shut up!” You’d blush turning away from him leaving him to chuckle.

“I’ve always known you’ve had a mouth but I never knew you could also scream.” He’d continue to embarrass you.

“Stooop!” You’d whine as he was so amused with himself.

“Or that you can’t hold still, shall I tie you down next time?” He’d chuckle before you grabbed a pillow and tossed it at his face to make him quiet.

You’d cross your arms as you turned your back to face him.

“Oh c’mon love, it was only a joke.” He’d reassure you planting a kiss on your shoulder.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

˗ˏˋ 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑚𝑦 𝑤𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑖𝑠 𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝐼 𝑑𝑜 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑜𝑤𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑠 ˎˊ˗ ©𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟔~Present

[theadhddimsenion]

we’ve done a lot of theories on how the internal plot lines of hell will develop but let’s not ignore the earth based plot lines and how they might tie into the greater story.

my guess is that Andy and Stella’s screw ups won’t stop at just making a scene at the harvest moon festival and ruining a crop but the coming invasion of hell by the dhorks is going to be pinned on them as vassago cleverly points out that such things would have never happened under stolas’s watch. Andy might try to pin the blame on stolas for alerting the humans to their existence by giving the imp the book but this time the “guilty until proven innocent” court system turns on him and he has no real proof that stolas’s actions are linked to the human invasion beyond his, Stella’s or strikers word which is far from enough or even trustworthy.

now the imp population is throughly pissed off! Because in the span of a few weeks to a month a pair of blue blooded pricks had not only tried to execute one of them for daring to do something other than serve them, (stolas’s had allegedly) manipulated and abused the one who was on the chopping block, Stella had caused a massive public scene with her usual bullshit, Andy had fucked up the years harvest causing a good shortage and had even led the humans right to them which had gotten several (relatively) innocent hellborn killed and now it’s almost impossible for the nobles to ignore the fact that this time the imps wouldn’t be put down as easily and now they had a leader and the angelic weapons needed to do some real damage!!

as I said in my last post this all leads to paimon trying to bribe his son into selling out blitz but failing miserably and being forced to remarry his Version of Stella.

now everything is in chaos! The ruling class of hell has few options left and those are ether destroy all of impkind which even if they can would mean the complete destruction of hells main source of labor, they can give up their power which will never happen, or there is one last option that none of them particularly like and that is giving into the lower classes demands and actually making good leadership decisions.

finally for the first time ever the ruling class of hell is forced to surrender and wave the 🏳️ and while they would rather die or see all of impkind dead before they give up their power entirely they at least are forced to give the imps (and hounds) the ability to climb up the ranks like any other demon in hell which prevents further civil war.

During this arc I can definitely see bee and Ozzie subtly sabotaging the war plan of the other sins due to them being more sympathetic to the so called “enemy” than the other sins.

Perhaps we could have moxxie taking control of his fathers mob after killing his rat shit of a dad to further bolster the ranks of revolution.

this could tie into the Octavia rescue episode as well as after hearing about blitz and his found family take on a get one over on none other than the king of the goetia himself than this could further radicalize the lower classes.

perhaps in a poetic way of justice satan sentences Stella and Andy to the same punishment stolas got but for much longer as a way of appeasing the downtrodden of hell. It’s not just ironic because they get the same thing stolas got but for the opposite reason stolas’s was punished, stolas was punished because the upper class wanted to pin the blame on someone and make the issue go away but now the two of the biggest symptoms of the classist system are being punished as a desperate means to appease the very lower classes they looked down on. In short stolas and blitz were made into scapegoats to deflect blame from the upper class and now Stella and Andy get the same treatment. What goes around comes around as they say.

perhaps the food shortage problem and Stella and Andy’s jackassery at the harvest moon festival could be a way to tie Millie’s family into the plot.

[ghostofskywalker]

Can you please do some cute headcanons of the bad batch having a book club with their female! general. She totally convinced all of them to do it. I genuinely feel that something so chill would just be chaos for all of them somehow 😭😭

i haven't written headcanons in ages, and it did come out slightly less chaotic than i had originally envisioned (and a little more sentimental), but i hope you enjoy it nonetheless!

pairing/timeline: platonic bad batch & reader || tcw to post season 3

clone troopers masterlist || request a clone-uary fic!!

Before the war, you were one of the people charge of the Jedi Archives, but soon the need for generals outweighed the supply, and you become one of the Jedi on the front lines.

From the start, you and Tech clicked as great friends. It took a little longer for the others to adapt to having an assigned general rather than the way they had been allowed to operate before, but you and Tech shared similar nerdy interests.

You swapped recommendations, sent each other holonet links, and even spent some of your leave time in the archives, completely silent as the two of you just soaked up information.

The book club definitely started due to some offhand comment, like the Batch sitting around one day and Tech joked that his brothers don't know how to read.

Hunter looked a little offended at the comment. "What are you talking about? Of course we know how to read!"

"Maybe so, but do you actually use the skills for more than street signs on Coruscant?"

Crosshair, who had at this point been sulking in the corner, now joined the conversation. "And you do?"

Once the first book club meeting was scheduled, it was delayed a few times due to attacking separatist forces, but eventually the galaxy was quiet enough that it could come to pass, and it was definitely a little awkward the first time it happened.

Crosshair clearly hadn't read the book, and Echo could tell. He spent most of the time asking Crosshair hyper-specific questions and watching his brother struggle to keep up with the facade. You could see the glint of happiness in Tech's eyes as all this happened, even if he was trying not to laugh.

Wrecker and Hunter had opposing opinions on one of the characters, and they spent half the time talking about whether or not they thought he should have gotten the ending he did.

By the time it was over you had no idea if you even wanted this to be a regular occurrence, but somehow the tradition stuck, with a few rules of course.

The first rule of book club was that if you were on the ship you HAD to be present at book club, no excuses.

The second rule of book club was that everyone had to actually read the book, not just look up holonet summaries of the plot.

The third rule of book club was that no one was allowed to make fun of the person who selected that month's read, no matter how dumb you thought the book was.

Before the end of the war, you had been sent on a solo mission, and that might have just been the thing that saved your life when Order 66 was called. After feeling the tremors in the Force and hearing what happened to your fellow Jedi, you kept a low profile, eventually reuniting with the Bad Batch after the destruction of Kamino and meeting Omega for the first time.

Immediately, you formed a strong friendship with her, and after things calm down a little, book club gets reinstated.

It's different without Crosshair (and with Omega, as Hunter wanted to make sure the book wouldn't be too difficult for her to read and discuss), but this tiny return to how life was before Order 66 warmed your heart.

Of course after that, book club never stopped, and by the time Crosshair arrived on Pabu after Tantiss he was definitely a little shocked to find out that it was still going on, and that none of you had any plans of stopping

It's definitely a little bit different now, seeing as Echo only pops in occasionally and Tech is no longer there to make random observations and guide most some of the conversation, but it's something none of you really wanted to give up.

It became such a tradition in your lives that on the day before Omega left for the rebellion, you gave her a new datapad with every single book you'd ever read with her for book club downloaded on it ❤️

[aquamarine-oceanfront]

Unofficial Bunny Maloney FAQ

Since Saberspark's reviewing the show today, I figured it would be in everyone's best interests to write this up now - people new to Bunny Maloney can get answers to several common questions in one go, while people already familiar with it can send this to others whenever necessary. (For what it's worth, I honestly think even the biggest fans of the series might learn something new here.) I know the show's creator posted a short FAQ of his own about a month ago, but I figured it was worth treading some of the same ground while going more in-depth.

Disclaimer: I'm trying my best to be as factual as possible here, but I cannot completely rule out the possibility that I am wrong or misleading about something here. Please let me know if something's amiss, or if you've seen other common questions that could be added! Similarly, for authenticity's sake, all quotes are presented exactly how they were originally written.

I've divided this post into short and long sections - they cover the same questions, but the latter is more in-depth and is replete with source links. If you're in a hurry, then here are the brief answers:

"Was Bunny Maloney really meant for children?" No, not originally. Original creator Nicolaï "Méko" Chauvet intended for the show to be aimed at teenagers first and foremost (with some appeal to younger children), but MoonScoop insisted it be targeted solely at kids. Director Stéphane Stoll fought to keep true to the original intent, hence why the final product still has a lot of adult content.

"Does Méko have any missing English episodes?" No. All he has are 8-10 episodes of (an early version of) the French dub that MoonScoop gave him back in the day.

"What species is Charlotte?" While many sources (including her English voice actor and two lines in the show itself) assume she's a cow, Méko actually intended for her to be a goat.

"Is Jean-François's English voice actor the same as the main character in Hatred?" I'm not so sure about that. Tom Clarke-Hill was definitely part of the English cast, but the credits don't specify which characters he voiced, and I haven't found anything that would definitively prove he voiced Jean-François. (For that matter, Hatred uses a pseudonym while crediting its player character's voice actor - it's commonly believed Clarke-Hill did it, but I haven't found any hard evidence otherwise.)

"Will there be a season 2?" There's no definitive plans just yet (and please don't bother Méko about it). Not much to add here - he's stated many a time that he'd love to revive Bunny Maloney, but there's nothing concrete at the time I'm writing this.

Below the jump are my full answers to the same questions:

(V1.1 [12/14/24]: Lightly edited to correct some errors I missed)

Was Bunny Maloney really meant for children?

This is surprisingly complicated to answer in full, even if the short answer seems simple enough.

While Méko first came up with Bunny Maloney (the character) in 1998, the history of the TV series specifically began with L'attaque du poulpe rouge géant ("Attack of the Giant Red Octopus" in English), a short Flash animation he directed in the early 2000s. As he wrote in an email to YouTuber Li Speaks earlier in 2024:

l'attaque du poulpe rouge geant, and it's total freedom of speech, references and mature content was aiming only 2 targets in my mind : Internet of course, free content, like my friends pushed me to do, and anime conventions, where it have a big succes because it was clearly dedicated to all we loved in japanese pop culture.

He did not originally intend for it to be a pilot, mind you. Méko only decided to try and rework the concept into a full TV series after the short won the "Netsurfers Award" at the 2003 Annecy Festival, producing a pitch bible for what was then called Pinpin le Lapin. In the aforementioned email exchange, he clearly states twice that he intended for the show to target a teenage audience. (He does say at one point that "we wanted to keep an interest for the big brothers and sisters and make them watching buny too, like the simpsons at the beginning." Tying into this, the cover of the pitch bible gives the intended audience as "8 year olds and over" - Méko later explained that "'over' was more important than '8'" here.)

However, these plans were repeatedly challenged as the series entered production. According to the tweet I just linked, the primary investor insisted that they exclusively target teenagers & adults, forcing the bible to be rewritten accordingly. MoonScoop, the primary production company, had the opposite problem - their management was equally insistent that the series target kids and kids alone, watering down Méko's original intent. (He claims in the same email exchange as before that the company was "a real army of 40 years old parisian mothers at that time." They were also the ones responsible for renaming the series Bunny Maloney - they reasoned that English-speaking audiences would find it funnier, ignoring Méko's warnings about potential confusion with the singer of the same name.)

However, director Stéphane Stoll spent a significant amount of time and effort sticking to the original target demographic (according to Méko's emails). His work certainly paid off, as evident by the amount of adult humor in the final product. MoonScoop, for the most part, seemed to continue treating Bunny Maloney as a children's program - their official site billed it as being for ages "6 and up," for instance. (The lone exception is an official PowerPoint presentation that gives the show's genre as "adult-escent’ comedy, action adventure!") The tension between the disparate target audiences actually impacted its premiere in France: originally scheduled to debut on Canal+ Family near the end of March 2009 (specifically as part of Cartoon+, a then-new series showing episodes of various contemporary cartoons), it was pulled at the last minute because the channel decided it was unsuitable for children. (It ultimately premiered on the network three months later, albeit in the early afternoon instead of its original evening timeslot.)

I haven't examined every single non-French channel that aired the show, but all the ones I'm aware of were definitely meant for kids. The two most familiar ones definitely were: Kabillion (in the US) is dedicated to children's cartoons, while Kix (in the UK) specifically targeted 7 to 12 year-old boys.

Does Méko have any missing English episodes?

He does not. All he has are a few early French episodes (between eight and ten) that MoonScoop gave him back when the series was in production.

What species is Charlotte?

She's a goat. I don't blame people for getting confused, since Bunny and Candy explicitly call her a cow in two separate episodes - even Phillipa Alexander, her English voice actor, once described her as such on her website. However, Meko originally designed her with a shorter tail than in the show as produced - closer to a goat than a cow. (His own artwork also refers to her as a goat quite frequently.) But don't take my word for it - take his:

HEY, YANKEES : CHARLOTTE IS A GOAT !

Is Jean-François's English voice actor the same as the main character in Hatred?

I can't give a definitive answer to this either way. In case you didn't already know: Hatred is a video game released in 2015 that attracted massive amounts of controversy because of its extraordinarily violent content. Its player character, officially named "the Antagonist" but popularly known as "Not Important," is voiced by someone credited as "Clint Westwood" - a pre-release interview with the developers confirms the actor used a fake name to stay anonymous. Many people believe his real identity is Tom Clarke-Hill, but to my knowledge he has never confirmed this (perhaps unsurprisingly) - it's just speculation rooted in comparisons to his other roles. (As an example, this Steam forum post notes that "the Antagonist" sounds similar to Clarke-Hill's performance as Karl Fairburne in the Sniper Elite series.)

As for Bunny Maloney: Tom Clarke-Hill was 100% part of the English voice cast, as you can see below.

However, there's no mention of which roles these six actors took on. While some of them have provided that information elsewhere (like their own websites or, in Matt Wilkinson's case, a demo reel), I haven't been able to find a credible source saying that Clarke-Hill voiced Jean-François. (If you find or already know one, please let me know!)

Also, there's another, possibly more important question to consider: since Jean-François's lines sound exactly the same in French, does he even have an English voice actor? I'm genuinely not sure - he is the only character who always uses the French pronunciation of his own name (while the others tend to say it more like "John-François"), but that's hardly definitive evidence.

Will there be a season 2?

I think Méko answered this succintly in his own FAQ:

For now, i would be more than happy to do season 2, it has been in my dreams for years and i will do everything in my power for that, but there isn't anything official yet. Please don't ask me "when" […] but be sure i will do an announce when the time has come!

[jupitermoontarot24]

Hi guys !!! Just a quick reading for the weekend!!!! more juicy stuff otw 💗 ENJOY

CATCH ME ON PATREON FOR MORE EXCLUSIVE READINGS :)

piles 1-5

Pile 1

Okay so first off I want to say you have a lot of support around you. this could be physical support but also spiritual support. I feel like you're at a period where your spirit guys are hoping you and real physical 3D as well as the astral plane. but you have Goons like if anybody messes with you they get immediate Karma I feel like also you get immediate Good Karma. So if anyone has wronged you they can be getting Karma this weekend or just in general they can be getting there from. I feel like dressing a lot better this weekend, you might get some clothes, you might buy some stuff for your house or your room. Yeah you have definitely reached Queen / King status so you're basically untouchable. I don't think this has anything to do with the weekend is just the overall energy of you. yeah you're in this nine of Cups nine of Pentacles energy. I feel like you also have a lot of options and love so you might get approached this weekend physically or online.  get for some people you could go on a date that could lead to some sexy time. This could be somebody you went to school with doesn't have to be but it could be somebody from your past or it could be somebody new. a horn beeped outside as soon as I said new so for a lot of people this will be a new person. Yes so for you this weekend all the people that have done you wrong or have passed any type of false judgment on you is getting their karma and you're getting good karma. so you'll be being handed stuff energetically and physically because the will has turned in your favor. so you could be going towards unionship this weekend, you will be getting messaged by different suitors just refilling your cup. Yeah cuz I feel like Spirit was watching the whole time and now they're like okay it's time for us to rule in the right person's favor. Overall you have a good weekend but I think this is just the reality of your life now so you just have really good support and fun. The wheel has officially turned in your favor

David Correy - Body Language

Pile 2

So you could be entering in your fairy tale ERA this weekend. so if you were dealing with an ex you could be meeting a real lover. it's kind of reminds me of pile 1 so you could have broken up with somebody or been single and you have now met someone else. this person could be your type, they good know how to work you if you know what I mean. I think it'll be really sexy too this person is rough around the edges and a good way. but they're definitely not Square or too soft, they have a very healed masculinity, take it how it resonates. Definitely read the previous pile because this could be the person you're coming into Union with. ooh and you guys could have a very adventurous night if you know what I mean. this person could have someone and I'm not going to say that they cheat but they might leave their person for you. both you guys can have options so maybe the both of you guys are talking to people casually maybe they have somebody a little bit more seriously but it doesn't matter because you guys are meant to be in Union together. yeah it's almost like Obsession upon the first link so it doesn't really matter if you were in a relationship or this person is going to happen regardless. so this person could message you, they can pop up on you but they definitely want to planning date or you guys will have a date. So it seems like if you do get with this person it's going to be very Serene and peaceful and like a fairy tale. this might be an artist of some type, finger, writer, painter. but something will definitely be changing within yourself you're definitely going to be switching timelines this weekend yeah and by you switching timelines is going to bring you to this 10 of Pentacles instead of nine. and it's going to lead you to a King. This person could have been waiting to come and see you maybe because you had so many options or something. but you definitely switch timelines and you jump into this fairy tale so fast and easy. it's like an instant.Yes like you guys can't deny each other anymore or something happens as to where they come forward. and confess their feelings. 

Chxrry22 - The Falls (Official Music Video)

Ambré - I’m Baby ft. Jvck James

Pile 3

So for you I feel like your weekend forecast involves you hanging out with one of your friends. but it's some good news is being shared so you can have really good news, if you're coming from another pile the good news could be you're coming into Union with a partner a soulmate. for some people you could be getting back with an ex  but a good x. you know who this person is so whoever popped in your mind when you thought about it, this could be a twin flame but definitely a soul man. yeah this person could message you or this could be somebody completely new. but they definitely want to have a conversation so I feel like you'll be letting your friend or  family member no. but it almost gives me like tea party Vibes so getting together and talking and being excited. There could be different emotions going on. Because of this Union you might have other suitors coming in because they feel this energetically so you might get a lot of confessions or just confessions from people who actually match your frequency. a queen of Cups could confess to you as well this weekend. yeah cuz they might see that y'all are in Union and that puts them and the energy of a race. yeah because this person will feel some type of way about it but the way they go about it is not just being sad if anything they're going to fight for you and tell you how they feel so this person will probably message you as well because they're obsessed with you and they will probably waiting outside with this person. Read pile 2 lol 

Diddy - Dirty Money - Yesterday ft. Chris Brown

Kodie Shane - Too Deep (Official Visualizer)

Pile 4

So for your weekend work as you can have somebody calling you at night. at nighttttttt SpongeBob voice lol.Someone can wake up out their sleep and call you, somebody can have a dream about you and wake up and call you. but it's specifically calling so they probably want to hear your voice it's something that triggers this person to want to speak to you physically. this could be a twin flame because they might feel your energy and they want to call you or maybe they have a dream about you something. Yeah maybe you astral project to this person or they pull you into their dreams but either way I would like to think they have a very Vivid dream about you and it's only about you and it makes them wake up and call you. maybe even in the dream they're getting told to call you and they're waking state. This person probably watches you on social media watches videos of you stuff like that. but this person could dream about like the whole time they've known you so this is somebody from your past especially it's one flame they dream of when they first met you to now almost like their life flashing before their eyes with you they probably even dream of the future too. so this person could dream of when I first met you to you guys being married and having children and stuff. if not that I think this person dreams of the first time they met you up until you guys having a physical Union in real life. so when they wake up they're like I need to have physical Union right now because I just dreamed of it and I seen how it played out. this person could have smoked or got drunk before they went to sleep and that's why it was so vivid or something. but this person definitely they might they don't have your number they might call you through I want to say FaceTime, facebook, Instagram something. I just felt real Dizzy soon as I said that so this person might start drinking right now I am doing this on a Friday so they can call you Friday night. Yeah you definitely have some history with the person so if you guys haven't been seeing other eye they want to fix it. 

Chxrry22 - Favorite Girl (Lyric Video) ft. Offset

YK Osiris - They Don't Love You

Pile 5

This reminds me of pile 4 so read that pile first lol. I feel like you will be haunting a lot of people this weekend. you can be Astro traveling to a lot of people and their waking state, and their dreams, and any nap they take you'll be there. You also could be leaving a unwanted timeline you'll be timeline jumping as you Astro travel so anything that you wanted to leave behind you have. but you're going to be invading everybody's mind. somebody could also be calling you while you're with somebody, a lot of people could be hitting you up while you're with somebody specific because everybody is going to be thinking about you. you'll definitely be put on a pedestal especially when it comes to Communications so a lot of people going to feel like they have something to say to you and they want you to hear it. so it's going to be a lot of physical calls or people trying to physically see you because they don't want to be ignored. this could have already been happening you you might notice that people have been texting you out the blue, exes have been texting you out the blue I feel like it's mostly because Mercury retrograde is over. Yeah people could be coming from the club and calling you, you could be on different time zones with people and they're calling you a different times. yeah you have a lot of suitors trying to come in and talk to you. So I feel like your forecast for the weekend will be you trying to juggle all this communication but really just go with your heart and the most stable opportunity. Could be a king of Cups involved 

Dub P - Somebody Loves You feat. Corryna (Official Music Video)

Dub P - My Love (Official Video)

[nyoomfruits]

Ohhh what’s give me a taste (of what it's like to be next to you) ? I love all your story’s by the way😍

ITS THE POPSTAR LANDO FAKE DATING AU which i will definitely get to at some point because like. it really is quite fun. anyway here's a little snip of lando/oscar banter :)

Lando, thankfully, is still down, which is how Oscar finds himself in his own living room three days later, pacing in front of the couch currently occupied by the man of the hour himself. 

“Do you have downstairs neighbors?” Lando asks. He’s fully sprawled over Oscar’s couch, feet tucked under one of the cushions and head pillowed on the arm rest. At least he’s had the decency to take off his shoes.

“Hm?” Oscar says, a little absentmindedly as he makes his way from the bookcase holding some of his helmets back to the fireplace he literally never uses.

“Downstairs neighbors,” Lando repeats. When Oscar gives him a blank look, Lando continues, “I just think it would be funny, if you wore down the floor enough and you fell through it, to imagine you ending up on some poor guy’s dinner table.”

Oscar glares at him. “You’re not taking this seriously,” he chastises.

“Or,” Lando says, pointing at him. “Consider; you’re taking this too seriously.”

“This is our future, Lando,” Oscar bites. “I’m pretty sure I’m taking this just seriously enough.”

Lando shrugs. “What’s the worst that can happen? We break up? That’s the intended plan eventually anyway, isn’t it? We just go on a few fake dates, act madly in love, easy peasy lemon easy.”

“That’s not how the saying goes,” Oscar points out. “Plus, I don’t. I’ve never done this before, okay?”

“A PR relationship? Me neither, mate. Can’t say it’s that common, really. Unless you’re a Kardashian, maybe.” Lando’s fiddling with his bracelets again.

“I mean date,” Oscar says, finally giving up his mini marathon through the living room and falling down on the couch next to Lando.

Lando’s head shoots up. “Wait, really? Never?”

Oscar shakes his head. “I was in the closet, so. No. Didn’t want to risk it.”

“Oh,” Lando says, “Yeah, no of course.”

“Have you?” Oscar asks, hearing a voice suspiciously like his mum’s whispering to him he has to at least try now that he’s committed to making this work.

“Been in a relationship?” Lando snorts. “I mean, yeah. Enough to write like five albums about.”

Five. Oscar vows to himself that after this meeting is over to listen to at least one of them, maybe. For research purposes. It’s going to look a little awkward maybe, if they do start dating and Oscar can’t name a single song by his supposed boyfriend.

“Well, okay, you be the expert on the dating part, then,” Oscar says, letting his head fall back against the backrest of the couch. “For the fake part, we need rules.”

Lando snorts. “Romance,” he says, doing little jazz hands.  

Oscar glares at him. “No kissing,” he says. That’s what’s got him into this fucking mess in the first place, and there’s no reason to. It’ll be easier, he thinks, if he keeps a little distance between him and Lando. A nice safe barrier so Oscar can just pretend they’re, like, coworkers. Or something.

“Boring,” Lando says. “But fine. What about hand holding?”

“Hand holding is fine.”

“Hugging?”

“Sure.”

“Cuddling?”

“In what scenario would we cuddle in public?”

“Covering all our bases, Oscar.”

“Fine. Sure, cuddling is okay.”

“Linking our pinkies together.”

“That’s. Isn’t that just holding hands?” Oscar frowns at Lando.

Lando smiles serenely at him. “Like I said, covering all our bases.”

Oscar squints. “See, now I feel like you’re just making fun of me.”

“I would never,” Lando says, widening his eyes at Oscar in what Oscar is pretty sure is an attempt at puppy eyes. “It’s just, that’s a lot of rules. Next you’re going to tell me we need a safe word.”

Oscar considers this. “That’s. That’s not a terrible idea actually. For if either if us feels uncomfortable.”

“I was joking,” Lando says.

“Sure,” Oscar says, shrugs. But you’re right, so. “How do you feel about fish?”

“Gross, disgusting, why do you hate me,” Lando says.

Oscar snorts. “As a safe word, Lando,” he says.

Lando, seemingly resigned to the fact that they’re going to have to come up with a safe word, considers this. “I don’t think it would work, it comes up too much in casual conversation, I think. It has to be something weird, something completely out of left field.”

Oscar glances around the living room, his eyes falling on the stack of shoes near the door. “What about thongs?”

Lando’s eyebrows shoot up. “I mean. Kinky.”

Oscar groans, buries his face in his hands, curses the differences between British English and Australian English. “The shoes, Lando. The shoes. In Australia you call flipflops thongs.”

“Why,” Lando says. “That makes no sense. But sure, fine, whatever you want. Our safe word can be shoe thongs.”

“That’s not-“ Oscar starts, but cuts himself off, shakes his head. “Yeah, no sure. Let’s go with that. Shoe thongs.”

“Great,” Lando says, clapping his hands. “Now we’ve got that sorted, what are you doing tomorrow?”