#dude I���ve always liked

[illdragyoudownwithme]

so i was going over my frame by frame images that I have stored in my files as you do

and I decided to pay attention to raph inside these projections and I saw this

you see that?

raph gets punched in the same spot, like he has the knockback in his face as well

he felt the hit

i always imagined that the hits his projections got, he felt it the same way u would inside a vehicle if it got hit. but here it seems he feels the punch in the same spot his projection got hit.

so now imma go with he feels the pain inflicted on his projections, even the multiple ones he made during the final shredder fight

so lets look at the times raphs projections got hit and imagine Raph feeling that pain hm?

his arm got ripped off

his other arm got ripped off

dude rips off his shoulder as well like his arm wasn't enough

eesh

ok so most of my ss of raph are not of his projections

im also still collecting frames from the movie

pretty excited to finish ive noticed alot of cool stuff and a few animation errors as well

i ha ve a problem

well since im lazy to go get photos imma recall some moments

at the end of the movie raphs projection shatters after crashing when saving donnie and mikey

his arm got portal chopped

all his projections got detroyed by shreddder in the final fight and they were skewred too

uhh

while writing everything i know i had more in my head but I'm tired

yea im blanking

[recitedemise]

First and foremost, Gale is a thinker. Indeed, he's a most decorated scholar with a marvelous mind. He'd trace the twinkle of their stars, would divine those answers to those greatest of riddles, and even when the night would expunge all lanterns, it'd be his in his that would glimmer alight. Gale is his intellect. And Gale has his brilliance. So, to say he'd considered how she'd roil in anguish, well, that, he confesses, he had longly thought on. Now, Serana deeply frowns, heart dropping to her belly. There, it lumbers unbeating as frigid as the winter, and she wears nothing, no color, but a frothing grey.

With his own in his chest now breaking a little, he, as usual, had considered that, too.

But never, never in a hundred years — a thousand! a million, in fact! — had this blustering wizard cared ever to hurt her. She must know that, surely, gaze shadowing in the likeness of an autumn-gloom hearse. He'd meant only to warm her, to chase out that cold in the river of her bones. Gosh, he'd have strung up the sun in her chest if he could, but for all that magic still weeping past his skin, this, that necklace, was all he could manage. He'd like to saddle her with dawn, watch her bleed with its breaking; however, voice now tight with the squeezing hand of grief, she now, in a different way, rightfully cracks.

He didn't let her choose, though Serana's used to that.

It's just another wrong on her person in a mile-long list.

"I—" Gale fumbles. He looks to her, cowed, and not for the time, is so very desperate to bridge their distance. But you shouldn't, he scolds himself, pulse beating like a rocket in the seat of his throat. He has bled on her plentifully, drenching her selfishly in sheets of yearning. Now, with all this tension boiling to a point between them, he fears it will leave his feelings plain to see. "I am—" foolish, martyring, no, oh, good gods "—a well that's down to its dredges, Serana." A corpse. "With my condition, hoarding whatever pittance I have left would have offered us little. I'd have given it a moment, perhaps a tenday had I the heart to be generous about it, but you now possess something that won't wither with the years." Unlike him, this wizard, "you've something undying."

"This way, I can keep you warm well after the stars blink out."

It hurts. It hurts, bleeds, splits open like a corpse to a bed of swamp rot, and it pools and drips and hurts, hurts, hurts. Those words, flooding now in the dark that coldly keeps him, sours with the treachery of his dying breath. She strikes him so alone, stood there the lamb for both father and mother. Yet, had Gale gall enough to dare the most painful of steps, he could wrench every noise she's still keeping in her swallow. He could share in her shivers. He could fill her with breath. And, gods, how he longs to, hapless as she takes to the harrowing midnight. Following, he's weak to the pull of her turpentine gravity — his earth, all beauty, and him, the moon.

 "You should never ask that question," this man pleads, pained, and, god forgive him, bare, so bare, and vulnerable as usual. It should be a threat, really, but it sounds a great deal like he's coming undone. She's a whirlwind of emotions where he's a maelstrom of moods, and where can they put this? This torment and grief? Both their bodies are shuddering, a cry welling in their bellies. Their bodies, his own, cannot endure. "I'd sooner ask you to look over everything you've already showed me. Look at all those night's we had shared. Your laughter and kindness I wouldn't trade for the world. Don't offer me more, Serana, when I'm mad with the thought of enduring it all. I'm on months of restraint that have left me tortured, and I can't undo it. You shouldn't ask that of anyone." He can't give her such heartache! And he won't double her regrets! When he reaches for her hand, his knuckles dribble out black. "Don't make me stand here and say, please, offer me everything."

He's dying. A kiss, forgiveness, your heart. He's allowed to be a little selfish, isn't he?

what has she done to be put in situations like this at such dappled moments in her life ?? so often , serana thinks , others will make decisions for her , expecting her to follow along , as if her say in the matter meant little. a CHILD who never asked to be born in a cult where her purpose was to be offered to their god. a WOMAN who never asked to be the crux of a prophecy for her people. a DAUGHTER who didn't want her encasement in a tomb to be the solution to her father's insanity. and now this ?? not once in centuries had her own thoughts been considered amongst those that made these choices in the pinnacle moments of her life. or , maybe in gale's case , it wasn't that her say didn't matter but that he knew she'd've never allowed it in the first place. so in the end what was the point of including her in his thought process when this was a gift. even worse , why ask opinions on a gift that drains your very essence ??

as he speaks , he'd see the passing of expressions fall across moonlit skin. once composed , now riddled with horror , pity , fear , guilt , anguish ;; all kaleidoscoping , fighting for longer moments on her face so that he could see. he had to see. " why. . . " barely whispered before his final words. then. . . a pregnant silence between them. where once her hand was holding to the amulet so tenderly , now it sits there against her skin a lone shimmering ember amongst a sea of snow as she's unable to bring herself to touch what was the flickering light of his fading calling. something the vampire had consumed from him without even knowing , and frankly , wanting to. " i find myself. . . " serana begins , achingly slow , tone so markedly different from how bright it had been when he'd breached the door of her tent. " . . . confused. . . maybe is the best word. . . no , perhaps it's perplexed , at what i have done to make the people around me think i don't want a choice in matters where i'm directly involved. " she swallows something thick back from erupting out of her throat. " you see. . . i didn't get to choose this. immortality , that is. it was a by product , a lucky one in fact , of being offered to our god as all our women are EXPECTED to do , and had i not survived , the only outcome is death. i didn't get to choose to be locked away in a tomb in the underdark for the foreseeable future , which is again , potentially eternity , alive , only to hope on the off chance that either my mother would come back for me or that someone would find me. it was EXPECTED of me to follow along for the betterment of my kind. and now ─── "

how does she explain this ?? how does she express to him properly the horror she feels at what he's done ?? the feeling of losing something she's only just gained ??

"─── i'm given , by the blood , gale , arguably the most beautiful and thoughtful gift i've ever been given in eons and now i'm told that it's been given at the cost of someone i've grown to care so much for , EXPECTED to be gracious. what am i supposed to do ?? this thing crafted with nothing but love ─── " the choice of word completely lost on her as she continues " ─── now tainted forever because it's drained you of every last drop of the thing you hold most dear to you. how am i to be expected to cherish this properly now ?? tell me. because had you asked , i would've told you this was enough. just us. here. together. all of that was enough for me , gale , why couldn't you see that ?? " there's an understanding deep down that maybe his intention was to never let such a thing be known. not until after he was long gone.

which is the worst outcome ?? knowing ?? or living in ignorance ??

that's the thing with warmth that she forgotten about. not just the balmy summer days but the way that , without any wind to cool down , it becomes so stifling. and soon , what was once a picture perfect day welcoming the sun's life-blessing rays feels all too similar to a dank , musty tomb where you can't breathe in the stygian darkness that surrounds. breathing being the least of her concerns , it still brought about the claustrophobic feeling of being trapped somewhere you suddenly couldn't get out of , no matter your fortitude or strength. ( and you're suddenly back in that stone tomb screaming for your mother-- ) it hurts. her heart pangs as if the muscle were dying again. pairing that with this overwhelming dread at this man whom she loves (!!) condition worsening because of her , panic leeches onto her psyche and gnaws with it's abominable teeth.

the tent opens , serana scrambling gracelessly out until she can stand in the open mountain air , taking breaths she doesn't need in an attempt to calm the oncoming distress that wanted to claim her. cooling air that whips through the stone barely breaks past the enchantment that embraces her. too much. curse this !! why was this too much !! why does she want to wear it forever and at the same time rip this delicate thing off so that it's only gifted to the empty mountaintop ?? why is she elated to be given such a tender thing and at the same time feel like she's going to collapse at the thought that he'll waste away to nothing because of it ?? why does she want to scream and cry and shove him away and at the same time feel that him holding her would be the solution to all this pain ?? it takes everything not to turn at the sound of soft footsteps coming up behind her , yet she can't stop herself from continuing to wallow- " freely given for what ?? what good is it knowing what i've taken from you ?? as if my own existence isn't already a testament to that very concept ?? it isn't fair. i don't want to just take and take and take , i want to give , gale. tell me what i can give !! "

say it !! say it so you can know that i knew i'd be lost without you the moment you'd opened that crypt. i love--

[myoddessy]

double take | cl16 social media au

summary —hope reignites for f1's favourite former couple when charles is caught liking his ex's post

yourusername just posted !

liked by charles_leclerc, bellahadid, isahernaez, and 2,390,541 others

yourusername luxury holidays are always better with a drink in hand... and with someone to keep you company, of course ❤️🥂

lilymhe can i keep you company next time?

yourusername i've always got a plane ticket with your name on it, sweets, say the word and it's yours 🤍🤍

devonleecarlson fun fact; it's actually me who took the second pic

bellahadid fun fact; i'm actually the glass in the second pic

mickshoemaker whoever this dude is is the luckiest guy ever fr

liked by charles_leclerc

mickshoemaker HELLO?? MR LECLERC YOURE NOT VEING SLICK RN

charles_leclerc just posted !

liked by pierregasly, itselenaberri, arthur_leclerc, and 70,561 others

charles_leclerc Paris isn't the only beautiful view around here 🤍 Thank you to @hotelraphaelparis for letting us spend our last week together before Y/n jets off to make magic in comfort and luxury.

yourusername I miss it (and you) so much already darling 💔💔

charles_leclerc je t'aime ❤️

yourusername I love you too ❤️ almost enough to forget about the fact that we were supposed to soft launch

charles_leclerc and be forced to wait even longer to post about you? no way

landonorris sap 🤢

charles_leclerc you would be so much happier if you spent the time you spend complaining on trying to get a girlfriend mate 🤣

f1wagupdates our fav couple for now and forever 🤍🤍

florencepugh just posted !

liked by zendaya, tchalamet, jennaortega, and 963,451 others

florencepugh when @yourusernameofficial gets a text from @charles_leclerc expect her to be in her own world for 2-5 business days 🤣

yourusername you didn't need to expose me like this babe 💔

treasuredplanet THEYRE MY PARENTS

hugs4yn they're so cute 🥺😭

[emeritus-fuckers]

Hewlloww could you do the “a kink for every Papa” just with the ghouls? So a “kink for every ghoul?”

Have an amazing day you sweet human being. The papas love you <4

Decided to combine these two asks to make it easier on us because there's like thirty ghouls and we'd die if we tried this separately. there's a lot of color because i'm autistic and i deserve to color the post, that's a whole 30 ghouls. - rat

A kink for every Ghoul

CW: CNC for Chain.

Fire Ghouls

Alpha (he/him)

Alpha may not seem like it, but the threat of a knife in bed turns him on. The Fire Ghoul will fight you a bit, but just give in once he feels the bite of the blade in his skin. If you don’t slice him up like swiss cheese he won’t be happy.

Ifrit (he/him)

Ifrit has beautiful tits. Seriously, he’s about to bust out of that uniform of his. Because of those large tits... he is extremely fond of getting on his knees and letting someone fuck them. He loves fucking a nice pair of tits, sure…but it hits different when he’s the one covered in cum.

Sodo (he/him)

Sodo is a big enthusiast of making you bleed. It doesn't matter if it's with his teeth or claws. Obsessively eating you out on your period is also fair game. Just about anything that has to do with blood.

Blaze (he/him; Papa Nihil's Ghoul)

His name didn't come from nowhere. Blaze is a big fan of weed. And other drugs. Of course his favorite kind of sex is high sex. But, if you've got any aphrodisiac on hand, he's not gonna be fussy about that. He'll take it like a good boy.

Water Ghouls

Chain (it/ghoul)

Just by looking at it, you can tell that Chain is the kind of ghoul that loves CNC. Ghoul loves being the victim of it, or doing it to someone else. It prefers doing it to someone, though... It loves chasing you through the woods. Smelling your fear and excitement. Shoves you down and uses you as much as ghoul pleases.

Lake (he/him)

Lake might not seem like it at first, but he's actually surprisingly fond of making you squirm in pain. Biting, scratching, some light choking or using toys that will hurt you so good... Yup, you guessed it. Lake is a sadist. And a proud one, at that.

River (they/them)

They’re a whore. Plain and simple. Plenty of dirty dreams in that head of theirs... though they love when those dreams are made worse by someone fucking them in their sleep. Consensually, of course... enthusiastic consent, really. They return the favor as well... watching their partner wake up screaming in pleasure is always fun.

Cowbell (they/it)

They love seeing you in a blindfold. And other forms of sensory depravation, of course, but its favorite is taking your sight. They love watching you tremble and jump whenever it does anything. They loves seeing you squirm from the softest touches. After all, when you can't see, everything else is so much stronger.

Mist (he/she)

Tentacles, plain and simple. Fucking Mist is straight up monsterfucking, since he has tentacles coming out of her cunt. Wanna be egged with those tentacles of hers? All you have to do is ask and he'll stuff you full. Sleeping with Mist is an experience in itself. A rollercoaster of an experience, actually.

Rain (she/he/ve)

She's a very soft person in bed. He can get mean, yes, but ver preference is soft and loving. So soft and so loving, actually, that he wants you to cry from it. There's something so pretty in your tears that she can't resist overstimulating you just a little bit to see those tears again. Rain is definitely a dacryphiliac, though ve'll never admit it.

Storm (they/he; Papa Nihil's Ghoul)

Storm is generally very calm. That is, until they're in pain. Then he turns into a whimpering mess, begging for more, like a whore. C'mon. You know you wanna hurt them a little, don't you? Treat this masochistic slut the way he needs to be treated.

Earth Ghouls

Cliff (they/he)

Cliff is a very relaxed, pleasant dude. You'd think he'd be a nice, soft partner in bed, too, but in reality... They love having you tied up. Or cuffed, preferably. Just for a little, so he can rail you stupid enough to not be able to move in general. And then they take care of you, like the loving boyfriend that he is.

Pebble (he/him)

He doesn't really get bothered by his height, especially since it makes bottoming easier and Pebble is an absolute bottom. A cute one. He loves it when his partner (especially if it's the love of his life!) takes care of him. Certified pillow prince.

Ivy (he/xe)

Xe is likely the biggest fan of edging in the world. It's almost a necessity at this point. If it's a cock ring or just shoving him down and sucking him off until xe's whimpering so beautifully. Over and over. And over. Until those pretty eyes are overflowing with tears and just can't anymore.

Mountain (he/him)

Oh, such a innocent little lamb, isn't he? He just loves to be coaxed and taken by someone oh, so dangerous... loves to be corrupted. To be ruined. In both ways. He is the biggest squirmer. Will not stop moving until he's just too fucked out and too filthy. Ruin him and make this little lamb dirty.

Quake (they/them; Papa Nihil's Ghoul)

Quake is a very goofy, cheerful and energetic person, who very often just can't stay in one place for too long. That is, of course, unless you're on their lap, keeping their cock inside you. Then they just melt completely and stay put until you decide it's over. They will beg for just a few more minutes, though.

Air Ghouls

Eurus (they/she)

We all know she likes to stare. We've seen them in Year Zero and the studio recordings. Eurus loves to watch and stare. So of course, if you want to fuck someone else (which she's never opposed to, of course!), they'll request to watch. Won't even blink. She wants to see everything you do. Might jerk off in her seat as they observe their pretty darling railing someone else... or getting railed, preferably.

Zephyr (they/he)

Zephyr is possessive. Not just a little. They claim it’s instinct. However, nothing gets them riled up more than seeing the marks he left on your skin from your passionate late night sex. Though they get even more insistent on marking if someone else left their marks behind. Just as a reminder who you really belong to... and those bruises and bitemarks look so good on his lover.

Cirrus (she/ze)

Ze's a big enthusiast of using both her dick and her cunt (as well as mouth and those really well trained fingers) just to make you completely stupid. No matter what genitals you have, she'll fuck you brainless. And then ze's gonna coo at you, fawning over how cute you are when you're such a blabbering mess like that, and all of it just for her! Cirrus absolutely adores having you overstimulated.

Cumulus (she/her)

We all (well me) love her chest. So it's a very pleasant surprise to find out that they lactate with just a smallest bit of stimulation. If you really wanna drive her crazy, have your fingers or a strap inside her as you suck on her tits. Bonus points if you team up with Cirrus and then take care of our dearest Cumulus.

Tornado (ze/zir; Papa Nihil's Ghoul)

We can't talk about Air Ghouls and not have at least one of them mess around with your breathing abilities, now can we? Fortunately for us, Tornado loves breath play. Sometimes it's just a light squeeze. Sometimes you almost think this maniac will actually suffocate you. Ze knows your limits, though, so it never gets out of control. The thrill is a very nice bonus to fucking zir, though.

Quintessence Ghouls

Omega (he/him)

Look at him. Look at this huge motherfucker. Pretty much anyone is tiny compared to him. And he loves that. He loves seeing your stomach bulge when you're full of him. He loves seeing how you struggle to take as much of him as you can. He loves how your face ends up stuffed in his chest as you straddle him because of his stupid huge cock. The size kink is strong with this one.

Delta (they/it)

Delta admittedly jokes about their missing limbs. One of said jokes was how easy it’d be to tie it up... the day it goes from joke to reality? Oh they’re on cloud nine. Turns out it was very into doing shibari on others before the limb loss... turning the tables on them? Well... it has a very pleasant night tied up all pretty with nowhere to go.

Aether (he/him)

Listen. I've always said he's got arms made for hugging, hands made for choking and a cock made for warming. I stand by that. His hands look and feel like they were meant for your throat. And you love it. It's best while he's got you in a reverse cowgirl position in front of a mirror, riding yourself stupid as he lightly squeezes your throat. But he's not picky. As long as you let him choke you a little.

Phantom (he/they/xey/it)

Spiritually, Phantom is a bit like a puppy when it comes to excitement. He gets really excited and it shows. They usually show it through playful nibbles. But... you wanna know what absolutely makes xem lose its mind? Praise. Phantom can die happily after being praised for how good he's doing for you. Praise them and it'll do absolutely everything for you. Xey can probably be praised into a happy, tearful orgasm like this.

Chaos (he/she/they/it; Papa Nihil's Ghoul)

If you've read the Papa Nihil's Ghouls post, you know she was dragged around on a leash a few times. The issue is, he actually loved that and now they demand to be kept on a leash... So yup, that evolved into a pet play kink. It will bark at you completely unprovoked for completely no reason and will continue being a menace until you handle it. So there's a pet play and brat taming combo here.

Multi Ghoul

Swiss (he/xey/it)

This bitch. Bully it. Swiss loves being bullied and degraded. It always makes both xeir cunt and cock drip with pre-cum. Keep him on his knees. Keep xem on a leash. Mock it for being so fucking eager to be pretty much verbally abused. You can probably get xem to cum untouched if you're mean enough.

Phil (he/him)

Phil is not a kinky guy, honestly. He's just... very vanilla. If you're with him long enough, you finally get to hear him mumble out the word mommy... And you absolutely fucking lose it with him. You don't let him live it down, obviously. He gets absolutely flustered every time you use his mommy kink against him.

Sunshine (she/her)

Sunshine's favorite thing about having a penis is having it buried inside their partner (she especially likes people with cunts since it shows really nicely), having them in her lap in a reverse cowgirl position and just... watching it all in the mirror in front of you both. Obligatory bites while she's at it, of course.

Aurora (she/they/fae)

While she doesn't mind being a pillow princess when bottoming, faer absolutely favorite thing is disinterest. She loves playing with your body and then scoffing and telling you to keep quiet. They absolutely love having you ride their thigh or rutting against it while she does other things. Fae just absolutely adores when you get whiney and start pleading for just a bit of her attention, even if you know they'll shame and degrade you for it.

~

Alpha, Ifrit, River, Zephyr and Delta written by Death.

Sodo, Blaze, Lake, Rain, Mist, Storm, Cliff, Pebble, Quake, Eurus, Cirrus, Cumulus, Tornado, Omega, Aether, Chaos, Phantom, Swiss, Sunshine, Phil and Aurora by Nosferatu.

Chain, Cowbell, Ivy and Mountain written by Zenith/Jasper.

Edited by Nosferatu.

Taglist: @charlie-is-a-menace @copias-fluffy-asscheeks @randodummy @tuttifuckinfruttifriday @calliedion-dungeon @randominstake @callmeicaro @thecuriouss @dio-niisio @the-fem1n1ne-urge @mybotanicaldemise @igodownjustlikeholymary @natoncesaid @bloodmoon-bites @plaquerat

[ineffable-suffering]

Trauma-Dumping on your plants: The Anthony J. Crowley Chronicles

This has been living in my silly head rent free for so long, I finally decided to slap it on here in hopes of thinking about it a little less (than three times a day. It's been years. I need to get over it.)

Also, I'm absolutely certain I'm not even remotely the first person to realize or post about this, since it's not the hardest of parallels to figure out. Alas, I still shall, because out of mind, out of sight and all that. So:

Let's talk about how Crowley is using his houseplants to work through his own Trauma of the Fall. Or, well, maybe not work through it per se, but more so roleplay it to give it somewhat of an an outlet because he never got over it. Lol.

It's not rocket science to figure it out and God Herself actually gives us a pretty spot-on explanation of it in her own narration.

Crowley's plants are perfect. They're, as God Herself tells us, the most luxurious and beautiful in all of London. He takes great care of them, waters them, mists them. Does any and everything to give them the perfect conditions so they won't have a worry in the world.

And yet, we're immediately shown that despite the seemingly perfect conditions they're living in, Crowley's plants still get *gasps quietly* spots. And we all know how Crowley feels about that:

It seems like such an unnecessary tiny thing to get upset about, right? Like, plants get spots all the time. They're not perfect, they're part of nature and nothing is ever perfect in nature. Crowley would know that by now. Imperfection is the whole point of nature. If everything had stayed exactly the way it always was, nothing would have ever changed or evolved.

Besides, Crowley is a demon. If it were merely about aesthetics to him, he could easily miracle away any spot with a blink of his serpent eyes. But he gets so angry about it, it's almost comical. At first we think it's just to show us, the audience, that, in contrast to Aziraphale, who cares very dearly and lovingly for his books, Crowley is a mean, mean demon who, instead of being outwardly nice to the things he loves (like Aziraphale does), yells at his plants because he's a mean meanie.

But! If you look at the whole scene and what God says, it's pretty obvious what he's actually doing is something else entirely: "What Crowley does is he puts the fear of God in them. Or, the fear of Crowley. The plants are the most luxurious and beautiful in London. Also the most scared."

Folks, this man dude serpent is literally roleplaying the concept of God/Heaven threatening angels with their Fall in order to keep them obedient ... with his houseplants.

Have I mentioned yet that I am absolutely obsessed with him and also desperately wanna get him a therapy voucher?

Because what does he do once he sees a plant disobeying his rules of perfection and acting out? The same thing God did to her questioning, equally disobedient angels (including Crowley): Parade it in front of the very scared rest, making an example of it ...

... only to then, well ...

... quite literally chuck it out.

To anyone else, this seems like a completely ridiculous thing to do over a tiny, minuscule spot. There would have been a bunch of other ways to go about fixing that spot.

Figuring out what it was the plant needed that might not have been given to it yet.

Taking care of it in a different, individual way so it would have been able to thrive again.

Listening to the plant and letting it tell you why its spot appeared in the first place.

Telling the plant, that loves and relies on you entirely, you love it too, despite it not being without fault, despite of it not fully living up to your unreachable standards of perfection.

Caring for the plant not because you want it to be perfect, but because you're okay with it being imperfect.

(We're no longer talking about plants here, as you are probably aware.)

Alas, this isn't what Crowley does. Because it wasn't what God did, either. We still know very little about Crowley's actual Fall and the Fall of Lucifer and the rest. But we do know that Crowley was never like or even with them.

All he did was ask some questions. A tiny spot. A seemingly insignificant blemish in the luxurious, beautiful flora of Heaven.

And yet, before he knew it, he did a "million lightyear freestyle dive into a boiling pool of sulfur". Cast out, chucked away, just like his little spotty plant. And for what? Well ...

... to keep the others angels plants check, for the rest of time.

***

(Addendum from the comments: If we go by what the book tells us, Crowley doesn’t actually end up violently throwing out the ‚bad‘ plants. He just finds a different place for them and makes sure they‘re looked after. So much to him being a big, bad, meanie-mean demon.)

[yeahspider]

biking (solo) 🫀

Ve’s note - hyunlix smutty thoughts . that’s all . i’m actually sober for once so I’ll proofread this a lil . nsfw mdni . gn !reader . will do a part two if it’s requested !! enjoy my bees <3

thinking about how jealous hyunlix gets when they see someone else is holding your attention . you were theirs , rather you knew it or not . yeah it wasn’t exclusive , that’s been established everytime you’ve fucked . always leaving before morning light . no kidding . because ironically you considered that too intimate .

it’s hyunjin who notices it first . you were all at a house party . felix and him were attached to the hip as always . but you were running astray for tonight . deciding that the loser who’s holding a conversation with you is more worthy .

hyunjin sees how you laugh at whatever joke the man says . jealously coursing through his veins . you should only laugh at their jokes . he tugs on lix’s waist urging him to follow him into the kitchen to steal you away .

now felix handles his jealously a little differently . insecurity riddles through him . were they not enough ? did they not fuck you as good as others ? he didn’t think that was right . not with the way you reacted to their touches . when hyunjin walks out to you felix finally notices the man . some loser that isn’t worthy of you .

hyunjin grabs your hand and tugs you and felix away . ignoring your protests . variations of the words asshole and cockblock flying from your mouth . once hyunjin gets to a spare room in the house he slams the door . felix goes to sit on the bed . willing to let hyunjin lead this conversation .

words fly and curses soar as you two go back in forth . felix realizes you two aren’t really listening to each other . just letting words be said . what a waste . so he gets up and kisses you deep and hard . promoting you to speak in the language that you all understand . fucking .

hyunjin takes his jealousy out on you . he has you on top of felix . grinding yourself against his cock as the younger boy whimpers beneath you .

“you think you can get away with making us jealous ?”

“you’re ours , only we can make you break like this”

“ make felix cum first . don’t you think he deserves it after all you’ve put him through?”

felix is a mess underneath you . he loves the absolute power hyunjin and you have over him . but he can’t help the insecurities that scratch beneath the surface of his skin . as you grind harder on his cock .

“am i not pretty enough for you?”

“does that dude fuck you better than us?

felix sees you shake your head in disagreement but it’s not enough to pacify his fears .

hyunjin hates hearing the doubt come out of his mouth . he lands a hit on your ass which only leads you to moan .

“use your words doll . you were just wasting them on that loser . put them to good use now.”

hearing you admit that no one fuck you better than them sends felix over the edge . as his cum splatters out on his stomach he feels you lean down to kiss him . something that has never happened before . you whisper that he’s the prettiest into his lips like a prayer . one of your fingers swirling in the cum on his tummy . spelling out the phrase “i’m sorry”

while this is enough for felix it isn’t for hyunjin . he yanks you up and spins you around to face him .

“you might’ve made up with felix but im still upset . and you’re gonna make it up to me right ”

[spanishskulduggery]

Hi! Native Spanish speaker here

Could u explain the difference between Chilean/ Uruguayan-Argentinian Spanish?

I have amigos gringos y estaria bueno explicarles.

Me di cuenta que sabes español así que puedo pedírtelo asi jajaja

Muchas gracias! 🫶🏻

Saludos desde Uruguay 🇺🇾

I'm not even sure where to start, the accent itself is so different even though Chile is very close to everything else

I'm going to list some differences in no particular order as they come to me

-

I think it's because Chilean is a bit of an outlier compared to what they call rioplatense Spanish... like there are similar trends, but it's pronounced differently

The main grammatical difference I've found is that Argentina uses vos for everything - more than tú, more than usted... it's a lot of vos

[Historically a singular vos was quite fancy and the way you addressed nobility and people very politely; the common term of address Vuestra Merced turned into Usted over time. In Spain, vosotros is now plural and informal. But depending on the time period, vos still shows up in historical dramas and fairy tales or things set in medieval times like fantasy. It's my understanding that multiple languages have something similar....... in English, our informal "you" was "thou" tú and "you" was formal, but then "thou" became obsolete]

The voseo in most of South America is usually understood as more intimate and friendly than tú

The big exceptions to this are Argentina and Chile

In Argentina, again, vos is the de facto 2nd person singular pronoun [I believe plural is still ustedes "you all"]

In Chile, vos has a different meaning from what I've been told. It's not vulgar but it's kind of impolite. If you're addressing someone as vos in Chile it can read as "dude" or "bro" almost, it's very familiar and not how you'd want to address someone from the older generations

While Argentina uses vos for everything, Chile uses vos for close friendships or where informality won't cause offense

The other main issue is the conjugation of vos

The majority of South America (including Argentina) conjugate vos like the vosotros form just without the I

...Like vosotros sois "you all are" in Spain then turns to vos sos "you are" in South America; they keep the S, but omit the I

Chilean voseo usually takes that vosotros form but omits the S sound and leaves the I

And so you get something like vosotros habláis "you all speak" turning to vos hablái in Chile [while it would be hablás in Argentina or the rest of Río de la Plata]

The verb that always trips you up with Chile is going to be ser because there are two forms; vos soi but I've more commonly heard vos eri(s)... like I've heard Chilean eri puro blabla which is "you're all talk" but literally "you're all blah blah"

The other one that's a little weird is ir just because of how vosotros normally works

In Spain vosotros id "go" as a command, ve for tú, but then vas for regular rioplatense commands, and then Chile says vai which is like if you tried to say ve but had your mouth way open

Chile (specifically those from lower income backgrounds) tend to omit the S more than most, while the higher income backgrounds or those trying to sound more posh tend to pronounce things more fully

The very informal aspects of Chilean Spanish are associated with the working class, which is probably why it's considered impolite (or maybe uneducated is the better word? it's a class distinction) to use those kinds of pronunciations and vos but it does depend on the area

...

The other weird thing about Chilean Spanish, which is sometimes common in rioplatense Spanish outside of Argentina, is that sometimes people use vos forms with tú as a pronoun

You might see tú eres or tú eri... or tú vas or tú vai

-

And I don't know if it's a thing in Argentina but I see Chilean Spanish sometimes using double reflexive pronouns. I think the common example is that Chilean Spanish might say me voy a irme, where you would typically say/read me voy a ir or voy a irme

Sometimes translations write it a bit differently to imply it's a different and more informal or regional way of saying it; so I've seen me voy a irme get translated as "I'mma head out" or "I'm gonna go" - it's not a 1:1 translation but it does portray that it isn't technically considered "correct" but is understandable

-

The common expression that I had to learn to sort of make sense of it was Chile's ¿Cachai? which is "Got it?" or "Understand?" which is from cachar (in Latin America it's like "to catch" like, "Did you catch that?" both in physical grabbing and understanding, but it's less common outside of Latin America) - it can be used as a filler word, but it is literally like "right?" or "got it?" or "you know what I mean?"

The only other expression I know for Chilean Spanish is qué fome which is "how boring" - I think they still use that

There's more of a generational and class divide in Chile as far as Spanish expressions

In general though, Argentina's accent (and rioplatense in general?) sort of sounds Italian. The Chilean accent is... very hard to understand, there's a lot of unique grammar and the accent is like Italian but more rural to my ears, not in a bad way but to me it sounds like if you were speaking Spanish with a southern drawl almost

...

As far as general vocab, I think Argentina and Chile agree on a lot of the regional words like the word for "car" is el auto which is probably from many German immigrants, they use extrañar for "to miss someone" like most of Latin America

But I do know the one that trips me up constantly is "computer". Spain says el ordenador. Most of Latin America says la computadora. Chile says el computador

Some typical words you should maybe know for Chile:

fome = boring

guagua = baby [from Quechua, I think it's the sound of a baby crying; Caribbean countries sometimes use la guagua for "bus"]

pololo/a = boyfriend, girlfriend

el computador = computer

¿Cachai? = Got it? / Right? / Understand?

el cahuín = gossip [I think it originally meant "party/assembly" for the indigenous people, sort of like in American English you might hear "pow-wow"; but cahuín is when you get together and gossip, so it can also mean "shady business" or "intrigue" or "something sketchy"]

po = (generally means something affirmative; it comes from pues but po is used so often it's like "yup" or "uh huh" or "of course" but can show up at the end of practically any sentence)

hacer perro muerto = "to dine and dash", to eat at a restaurant without paying [lit. "to do a dead dog", the rest of Spanish tends to use hacer un simpá which is from sin pagar "without paying"]

weón / weona = dumbass / dude [informal way to address someone - sometimes an insult sometimes not, kind of impolite, comes from huevón "dumbass", again means "big balls" I think since it's "big egg" and los huevos are slang for testicles]

la wea = thing [it's really comparable to how some countries say la vaina for "thing" - it's informal, it's everywhere, and for some reason it sounds almost rude if you didn't know better]

...

And I know I said it already, but po. No, but seriously po is so Chilean I cannot stress this enough it's just an all around affirmative - I don't know if you can use po wrong, it just shows up at the end of sentences

Also I don't know if Argentina says it but I'm pretty sure Chile uses bacán as "cool" - if I remember right Argentina uses chévere

I think it's common in most of Spanish now, but particularly Argentina/Chile and rioplatense Spanish are known for using chao/chau as "goodbye" since it comes from Italian ciao; this is as opposed to something more formal like adiós or more Anglicized "bye"

Every so often you will hear tschuss or something equivalent in Argentina which is from German as well

Chile tends to share a lot of regionalisms with Peru and Colombia and generally it's like countries that are in the Andes or were connected to the Inca Empire or some of the indigenous tribes

Argentinian Spanish you should maybe know:

che = hey / bro (a go-to word like "hey"... it's a bit like the Chilean po but it usually calls attention to something or it's affirmative; can also be "bro/dude")

el pibe = boy la piba = girl

la mina = chick (usually a girl/woman you don't know the name of; it's not polite but it's not mean)

boludo/a = bro / dumbass, idiot [it can be an insult "has big balls", but it can also just be like... "bro" or "dude"]

And if I remember right the slang term for money here is la plata which is literally "silver"

The main thing about Argentina people talk about is the accent particularly with how they pronounce LL

Spain tends to pronounce LL as if it were LY with a bit of an L sound in there still... Latin America sometimes pronounces it like a full Y/I sound... parts of Central America give it a hard J sound

Argentina gives it a SH sound; so llamar or lluvia can sound like "shamar" or "shuvia" in Argentina

...

Also I think in Argentina you hear la remera for "t-shirt" [lit. "rowing shirt", from el remo "oar" or remar "to row" but sometimes remo "oar" can be "limb" on your body], and Chile says la polera which I think is from "polo shirt"

General Spanish will say la camiseta which is the diminutive of la camisa "shirt/chemise"; in textbooks they typically say la camisa is a "shirt with long sleeves" or a "dress shirt", and la camiseta is "a t-shirt" or informal shirt

And I'm not sure if they both say this, but it's my understanding that they use la frutilla for "strawberry" in rioplatense Spanish; usually it's la fresa

Mexico does this too if I remember right, although for them la fresa means "posh" or "snobby" like it's slang for a rich person or someone who acts fancy. I'm not sure if it also means that in Argentina and Chile

There are also different linguistic quirks of Argentina like lunfardo [regional Italian-inspired words, specifically from Lombardy], or vesre which is... I don't know I'd call it closer to Cockney where words are played with or backwards [revés "backwards/reverse" -> vesre]; like la mujer "woman" is sometimes jermu which is the same word just the syllables are backwards

...

And Chilean Spanish has been called the Quebecois of Spanish; similar enough but also very different and more irreverent in other ways... though to me I find it's probably closer to how English-speakers see Australian English, a little hard to follow sometimes and the accents are very much class-based, where there's a way to sound posh and a way to sound distinctively not posh

Argentina is more like if you had an Italian person speaking Spanish then sprinkled in a bit of German, lots of rising and falling tones, almost lyrical, sometimes like someone is speaking in very fast accent marks (both Spanish and Italian accent marks á then à, just so many rising and falling tones)

[tonguetyd]

If your wings won’t find you heaven, I will bring it down like an ancient bygone

I’ve always liked this line, but hearing it live made it click in a way it hadn’t before

Feels scheduled ahead

When Ves sang this line in Radio City I had the image pop in my head of the scene from It’s A Wonderful Life. “What do you want Mary, you want the moon? Just say the word and I’ll throw a lasso around it and bring it down for you. Say that’s a pretty good idea. I’ll give you the moon.”

So another way to look at this line. “If you can’t find your heaven, despite the wings you have, despite the divinity you have been granted, if you just cannot find joy? That’s ok. I’ll bring it down for you. I’ll fight like hell for you. I’ll give you that joy, I’ll sauté those horrors, you postpone that funeral RIGHT now, I am going to find the heaven you deserve.”

I wish I could remember who it was (probably @melit0n ‘s Euclid essay tbh but it may have been someone else) but someone wrote a theory that Euclid is the first song written thru not the character of Vessel’s eyes, but the guy/singer/songwriter/ACTUAL dude on stage Vessel himself. And I thought it was kinda an interesting theory but I think combining that with this idea makes it a little weightier. Because, Vessel the character is very much a part of Vessel the guy by virtue of the fact he embodies the character on stage every night. Just as Vessel the guy is (presumably) in a lot of Vessel the character. They’re the same, he’s not real, hes just some guy, hes acid and alkaline, etc etc.

(Edit I reread my tags, this post from @a-s-levynn is definitely the first time I saw this idea, yes THANK YOU LEV)

So. Point being. If this is Vessel the guy singing to Vessel the character, “despite your wings and all that Sleep has given you, you still cannot find peace. So I will bring it down for you. I will be your mouthpiece, I will write the words and tell your story. And you will find the love you want.”

That’s Ves speaking to himself.

And I think that is incredibly powerful and the most self-romantic thing I have ever heard. I’ll be your my joy and bring you myself heaven and the moon.

.

Recovering from depression and wanting to leave everything behind is a long fucking road. Idk that you ever really stop being on that road. I certainly still feel like I’m on that road even all these years later, but…the biggest thing that keeps you going is for your past self. At least for me anyway. I fight for the little girl that lives in me who thinks she will never be loved and needs to be perfect and ruins everything and is constantly reminded of how unforgiving the world is.

Baby girl, if you can’t find yourself heaven, I will bring it down for you. I’ve got you. I am hugging you so tight and telling you everything will be okay, my love. Look at us now. We’re still here. And we’re just fine. We are doing great. We’re alright and loved. And I will keep fighting like hell for you and to keep you safe and happy.

And so I think this is similar to what Ves is saying to himself. And it makes it that much more of a hopeful song. “Yes, I must be someone new, but moreso…I will keep living.

I will fight, for you.”

The next time you sing that line. Sing it to your younger self. Or to the parts of you that you feel are most difficult to love. Promise to fight for them. Bring down heaven.

And try not to cry

And if YOUR wings won’t find you heaven? I got you, too. ❤️

[lollytea]

how do think willow and hunter first talked about them being bi/pan? or do you think it's just so accepted on the boiling isles that they probably would never bring it up?

(This ask is from back when we got the bi/pan confirmation and I've been saving it, kinda thinking of putting effort into writing something cute and good quality. However I ended up waking up from a nap while the Q&A was happening and somebody told my confused disoriented ass that Zeno was talking about Hunter exploring his identity and going on dates while in the human realm. And I tapped out something very messy and stream of consciousness-y in my notes app in my sleepy state. So you're getting this instead. I don't feel like cleaning it up.)

Like like like it's. Luz putting together her little coming out slideshow for Camila. And the topic of sexualities comes up. And Amity and Willow puzzle out what theirs are nearly immediately. Gus doesn't but he's unfazed by it. While Hunter is like....I...can't say for certain and its bothering me. Like this is a THING that has a chance of helping him feel like more of a person. He wants his very own flag. He just doesn't know what it is yet. He'd like to know.

He likes Willow. He knows he likes Willow. But...there isn't a flag for liking Willow. (As far as he knows. He's thinking of making one. But for now he's stumped.)

There's a very specific route the kids take to the grocery store to collect stuff for Camila. Hunter likes to take the task because he likes feeling useful. Willow also likes to help but she'd be lying if she said another reason wasn't long walks with Hunter. Usually one of the other kids tags along too. Or more than one. But today it's just Hunter and Willow.

They always pass that damn statue but Hunter always averts his eyes and hopes Willow does too. He doesn't like to look at it. But maybe if he turned his gaze towards it every once in a while he'd notice the boy who always sits beneath the statue with a little handheld game console. The boy who always lifts his head when Hunter strolls by.

This is the day when the boy chooses to be brave. There's no gaggle of friends around him today. Just one girl. This is it. This is his chance. The boy marches up to Hunter and Willow in a way that Hunter immediately clocks as similar to his own Golden Guard body language. When he was trying to feel big but failing miserably.

The boy IS big tho. That's the weird thing. Tall with broad shoulders and chunky arms. A cluster of metal pierced into his left ear and a silver stud in his nose. He looks....so cool. So very very cool. Hunter misses the first words out of this dude's mouth cuz he was too busy looking at him and he needs to repeat himself.

So. Hm. Okay. Well. APPARENTLY. Piercings boy thinks Hunter is cute. Which is a staggering revelation that leaves Hunter a little speechless. And if that weren't surprising enough, he's now pushing a little piece of paper in Hunter's direction, babbling something about talking some time. Or maybe going out, whatever.

While all this is going down Willow just.....watches. Smiling. Nudging Hunter when it's his turn to speak and he's forgotten. It's cute. He gets like that with her sometimes too. It made her feel very cool and pretty that she made such a handsome boy nervous. But now....she's watching this little interaction play out and she's realizing....

Hunter's obvious little crush on her. Just how easy would it go away if he met somebody cooler. Somebody prettier. Somebody who's not clearly living a lie and hiding everything from everyone all the time. Somebody brave enough to actually ask him out.

It seems like just as she's getting comfortable in these kinds of situations, an Amity always sweeps in. And that's fine. She's used to it by now.

And also...she....she really cares about Hunter. He's been getting so much happier and experimental in the Human Realm. She wants him to try new things. She wants him to figure out who he really is. And....maybe that version of himself won't always have a little crush on Willow Park. Maybe he'll realize that there's better people out there. And that's okay. Whatever it takes for him to smile.

There's something very ugly writhing in her stomach and Willow pretends it's not there. Instead she yanks up her smile wider and as the mystery boy strides away, she pounces on Hunter. She teases him a little, she asks why he got so very shy. Is it because he liiiiiiiikes Mr Mystery Boy huh? And Hunter doesn't know what to say. He doesn't KNOW Mr Mystery Boy. Willow counters that's what the number is for. That's what dates are for. After a long back-and-forth discussion, its Willow that urges him to dial that number. They have to borrow Camila's phone. And Willow stands there as moral support as Hunter stumbles through the question.

Hunter has a date this Saturday. Which is very exciting. And also weird. And scary. He blushes whenever you bring it up. But Willow happily hypes him up for it every day leading up to it.

On Saturday, Hunter leaves the house at mid day and Willow sees him off, waving enthusiastically. He smiles softly and waves back at her, still twitchy with nerves. She gives a finger guns and assures him it's gonna go fine. He's a catch! This makes him giggle and she swells with pride.

The door clicks shut. Hunter is gone. It feels like a light has been sucked out of the household. Willow's smile slips.

She could head upstairs and hang out with the other girls. She could go down to the basement with Gus. But....right now she'd prefer to be alone.

Willow cleans the kitchen, which Camila is very grateful for once she gets home from work. And then she settles in the living room, snuggles up on the couch and throws something on the TV. Willow sits there and watches for hours. She barely processes any of it. And yet, she's simultaneously so wrapped up in the television that she doesn't hear the door click.

"Eyyyyy, I'm back," Hunter says in that awkward way he always announces his return. And just like that, a light switches and Willow is all zazzed again.

"Ooooooh Casanova has returned!!" She chirps. "A little.....earlier than I expected....?"

Hunter looks a little sheepish but doesn't comment on that. Willow thumps the couch cushion opposite her. "Cmere boy. Tell me everything."

Hunter sits down beside her and after turning to look at her huge grin, he smiles warmly.

"What?" She asks.

"Nothing."

"You gonna tell me how it went?"

"Fine. Um. Normal. For a date. I think? I dunno I've never been on one but I'm pretty sure I did an okay job."

Willow decides to rip the bandaid off immediately. "Any lip action?"

Hunter's reaction was a funny choking noise and a volatile flush across his neck "No!" He blurted. "Just...."

"Juuuuust?"

"Just hands! He held my hand! He held my hand and it was nice! I liked it!"

"Oh."

It's nice that Hunter got his hand held. He has such pretty hands. She's always thought they were very holdable. She's really happy. She's delighted. Just great.

She's a good person who is happy when good things happen to her friends, Titandamn it. And not a secretly ugly resentful person who wishes for selfish things.

"Yeah and. Uh..." He's scrubbing the back of his neck. "We...um. Ended up talking. A lot."

"About date number two, no doubt...." Willow sings.

"There's not going to be a date number two," Hunter answers immediately, knocking Willow out of her depth.

.....huh?

"I....thought you liked him?" She asks.

"I mean. Yeah. He's. He's nice but...but when I said we talked a lot...I might have told him that...." Hunter trails away.

"Told him what?"

There's a pause before Hunter speaks again, his voice a little higher pitched. "Oh! J-just. Just told him about a ton of stuff. Told him I like birds. And I like to read. And...and about Camila being a vet and....and I talked a lot about my friends. Gus. A-and Luz and Amity. And Vee. And uh. And you. And....we...we both decided that this probably wasn't gonna work out."

"Oh...." Willow....doesn't know how to feel about this. She doesn't have to pretend to be disappointed because she really is. Her friend had a chance to have a sweet little romance with somebody cute. And it just didn't work out. "I'm sorry, Hunter,"

But Hunter shakes his head. "I'm not disappointed. I actually....um. I liked it. I've never been on a date before and it....I dunno, it made me feel like a real teenager. Which is dumb to say because I know I AM a real teenager but..."

He perks up. "Oh! Oh and-and um...." His words tumble one over the other though there's a grin tugging at the corner of his lip. "Josh and I we....we figured it out. Me. We...we figured out me. I'm..."

He catches himself and clears his throat, extending a hand to her. "Hi, Willow! My name is bisexual!...Wait! Wait, no! Hunter! My name is....I'm bisexual and I'm Hunter! I...Agh!! Josh said I should come out to you in a smooth way but...."

Willow is grinning ear to ear, always transfixed by his frequent fumbles over the complicated act of putting words together. "You're bisexual!" She declares happily. "Hunter that's fantastic!"

Hunter's smile is soft but there's a hint of pride there too. "Yeah...thanks. I know it is...."

A pause.

"I have completely forgotten what bisexual means tho," Admits Willow.

"O-oh! Oh it's just um. I-I like multiple genders. Today I found out for certain that boys are....wow...."

Willow smirks. "Boys are wow?"

"Well.....arent they?"

She thinks about it for a moment, raking her eyes across the splotchy blush still clinging to his pretty face. Her insides are in a riot of fluttering flower petals.

"I guess they are," She agrees fondly.

"But also I...." He cuts himself off with a sudden bout of breathlessness. He inhales sharply. "Girls..."

"Girls," Repeats Willow expectantly.

Hunter, who has cut his gaze down to his tangling fingers, looks back up at her, manages to hold eye contact for a few very telling extra seconds and says, very clearly. "Girls."

"I see..." Willow is a little frustrated to find that she's also a little short of breath. "So maybe your next date will be with a girl then,"

Hunter's blush flares. "I'd like it to be..." He mumbles. "But..."

"Buuuuuut?"

There's some sort of internal battle raging on. She can see it in the violent twist and turns of his facial expressions. Finally, his throat bobs. "Nothing." He answers.

"Sorry...." He continues. "For coming home early. I just really wanted to...." Why does he keep trailing off? "It looks like you were trying to have some time to yourself. I can leave if...."

"You stay right here, Mr heartbreaker," Says Willow. "Stay here and watch weird human crystal ball shows with me."

A stiffness she didn't notice until now melts out of his shoulders. "Okay. I'd like that. A lot."

Hunter attempts to shuffle into a comfortable position, but what he's not prepared for is his friend Willow suddenly lunging and knocking him against the cushions in a tight tackle hug.

"Congratulations on your name being Bisexual," She mutters against the fabric of his shirt. "I like being the first one told,"

"N-no problem...." His voice cracks a little.

It takes maybe three minutes of comfortable silence and human realm TV babbling for Hunter to pipe up "And I'm not a heartbreaker. I didn't break anyone's heart."

"You could," Willow answers smoothly, not taking her eyes off the TV. "You have way more power over some people's hearts than you realize."

[loserlvrss]

.. 𝐋𝐎𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐕𝐑𝐒𝐒 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒 𝐖𝐑𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐄𝐃 ( 슈퍼노바 )

𝐓𝐎𝐏 𝐅𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐅𝐈𝐂𝐒 : no one but you 이민형 1739notes fight! 김동현 (mdni) 1674notes thirsty 김선우 (mdni) 1196notes locked door 정윤호 (mdni) 1147notes asking can i stay over? 엔씨티 드림 963notes

𝐋𝐎𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐅𝐈𝐂 : cupid & psyche 최승철 & 최한설 9.2k (mdni)

𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐅𝐈𝐂 : cherry chapstick 沈泉锐 0.2k (mdni)

𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐓 𝐅𝐈𝐂 𝐎𝐅 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒 : father (for) christmas 방찬 (mdni)

𝐆𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐏 𝐈 𝐖𝐑𝐎𝐓𝐄 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐒𝐓 : boynextdoor

𝐈𝐃𝐎𝐋 𝐈 𝐖𝐑𝐎𝐓𝐄 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐒𝐓 : 김동현

𝐍𝐔𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑 𝐎𝐅 𝐆𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐏𝐒 𝐖𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐍 𝐅𝐎𝐑 : 18

𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒 𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐍𝐄𝐒 : Since I actually started this account a little over 2 months before 2024, pretty much everything I’ve done on here is a milestone. Im so thankful that you guys enjoy my work enough to read it and leave feedback (sometimes) THANK YOU. AND STARTING @kstrucknet WAS THE BEST DECISION IVE EVER MADE I LOVE YOU GUYS TIMES A MILLIONBILLIONTRILLION.

𝐆𝐎𝐀𝐋𝐒 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 : Nothing much, I just want to post more than I have been. Maybe even finish my Hyunjin and Ateez series 🙏 I also want to make a smau again (I haven’t since my wattpad days).

𝐅𝐀𝐕 𝐁𝐋𝐎𝐆(𝐒) 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐘𝐄𝐀𝐑 : @gluion I’m still not over the angst (and your ATTEMPTS /j at fluff) period best writer of the year. @neopuppy I think I’ve read everything on your damn account bruh top tier yummy yum yum. @jeongin-lvr kept me fed along with @blue-jisungs yall single handedly kept my sanity intact. ++more but it’s 3am.

𝐅𝐀𝐕 (𝐦𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐬) 𝐅𝐈𝐂𝐒 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐘𝐄𝐀𝐑 : fic rec post

𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐒 𝐓𝐎 𝐌𝐎𝐎𝐓𝐒 : couldn’t tag everyone but ilyall

@jooillusion : We fight and then flirt so much one would think we’ve been married for 60 years but, I honestly couldn’t love you more and wouldn’t have it any other way. We’re so much alike that even when we disappear for months it feels like we never stopped talking. Im so glad we met ‘cause now you’re locked in with me my fellow xdh stan 🤩 you can’t get rid of me now muahhahahaha.

@hursheys : I find comfort in knowing you, and I hope somewhere you do too. It’s really nice to know you’re around and to have you be so willing to help me out and support me. We’ve had deep conversations and conversations that don’t mean a thing. We argue and then thirst over random ass men. I love fighting and then flirting with you and then telling you about my situationship (which has just gotten worse dude ‘cause why’d she piss me off) and then asking for fic inspo. You are truly the most amazing and versatile person I’ve come across on here. Love you 5eva, Ves. You deserve the world 🤍

@heechwe : Oh my Lexi. Where do I even start? I haven’t known you for very long but it feels like I have. You are truly the person I can go to for everything. We always got each other backs and I loved beta reading your enhypen (mainly) fics. It is one of my fondest memories this year on here, and when I have more time I’d love to do it again. I appreciate you so so much you don’t understand. I hope you know that I’ll always be ur #1 supporter, on blr and for what you want to do irl. Truly, live laugh love Lexi ‘till I die 🫶

@slytherinshua : Thanks for introducing me to verivery (ik you want credit😒). You truly are just like me fr, esp when I was seventeen. Stanning a billion groups, writing fanfics (I still do :/ N E WAYS), serving cunt, being the best humanly possible person ever. Okay, maybe I wasn’t doing the last two but you def are. I lerv you a lot, Zanna and I’m so glad we met on Onedoornet ‘cause I truly didn’t know what I was missing before. I swear you got a fic for everything and that’s what keeps me going tbh. The pookiest of pookies I love your trivia games and I need another soon 🤓

@hoonven : Paging Doctor Freak 🎀 Mimi my pookie dookie snukums vanilla ice cream with a cherry on top baby bear lovely chocolate muffin the color pink the wind in my hair I love you. My wife. I’ll support you until I’m in my grave. My 04 twin 😻 The Jake to my Sunghoon. My fav enhablr writer. Nobody else I’d rather write Jake hurt-comfort for. You’re one of my oldest moots and idk what I’d do not knowing you’re there (even if you’re always on an unannounced hiatus 🙄 /j). I reread your stuff for comfort. I love you so so so much, nobody else I’d rather send thirst trap edits to on insta.

and to all my other moots (and kstruck children) muah muah you’ll never understand what you mean to me I love you all so very much and I’m glad to be going into 2025 with you all.

psa. new year, new me…but worse :D find all my stories from (the end of) 2023-24 on @tragiclvr btw

[ashtheketchum]

Hello, Can you create a headcanon for ROTTMNT’s Raph who is secretly in love with a female reader? She is an antisocial, hot-headed, and fearless woman who excels in combat and prefers to solve her problems with her fists. She embodies the typical ‘tough girl’ stereotype, and she has no idea that Raph has feelings for her

ROTTMNT Raph headcanons

ROTTMNT Raph X tough.fem.Reader

A/N: I really like this idea and I hope that you´ll enjoy it!

Warnings: Fluff, maybe a little angst, violence, weapons

____________________________

Raph saw you in the beginning as someone he had to protect

But after he saw you having a fight, he felt completely different

Unlike other people, you solved your problems with your fists

At first he was shocked, but after the shock he was completely shy around you

Since that day he wants to be with you all the time, but at the same time he hides from you

His heart beats wildly when he sees or hears you

Sometimes he also offered you to train with him, which you always accepted

While training, he kept staring at your body, but in an admiring way

You spend more and more time together and it is not uncommon for him to hear your arguments

But you always sort them out very quickly, so that a new argument can arise the next day

"Didn´t you had an argument with your neighbor?" "I´ve already sorted that out."

If Raph didn't have these strong feelings for you, he would probably be afraid of you

Speaking of his feelings

After many weeks, Raph tried to confess his feelings to you for the first time

He put a rose in front of your bedroom window, but you just threw it away because you thought it was from some stranger.

Then he secretly put a love letter in your training bag, but you didn't check your bag and just washed it

It took many attempts before he finally went to Master Splinter to ask him for help

Of course, Master Splinter made fun of him at first

But after seeing how serious Raph was, he pulled himself together and gave him a very good tip

"Just tell her, red."

Raph was very confused at first, but then he was incredibly grateful to Master Splinter

So he invited you to eat pizza and you immediately came to your meeting place

Raph has known for a long time that you are a hot-headed, stubborn, but strong person

But he would never have thought that you had such a short line

"I... like you..." "Aww, I like you too, Raph."

And another evening where you didn't understand

Raph keeps blaming himself because you don't understand what he means

But your friendship is now even closer... yay...?

His brothers keep annoying him with the fact that he likes you

Leo: "Just kiss her, dude. What is the problem with it?"

The problem? He doesn't want to cross your personal boundaries

Donnie: "Well yeah... I don´t really care. Just give her something."

He tried

Mikey had often offered to help Raph, but Raph always refused

He keeps telling himself that he is the leader and leaders must be able to solve problems on their own

But whenever he sees your strong, elegant body, he feels warm and finds it difficult to talk

It's also not uncommon for you to defeat him in a fun fight

Even though he knows you don't need anyone to protect you, he constantly wants to protect you

You are pretty good with April and she has also sometimes tried to tell you that Raph has a crush on you

But you never understood it

But what Raph doesn't know is that you really like Raph too

You always thought he saw you as a little sister

Raph doesn't see that you have a crush on him and you don't see that Raph has a crush on you

Isn't that romantic? :´D

But even if you don’t realize it, the signs that you are in love with each other are clear

Raph helps you train and listens to your discussions with other people (or rather, he watches you beat them up)

And you also train with Raph and talk to him about his phobias

You are definitely more than friends, but less than a couple

No one can really understand how you two don’t understand that

[hypegirl1]

In my dreams(Rodrick Heffley X Fem!reader)

AN:WASSUP Y´ALL?I had no inspiration to write these last months,I´m sorry,but I finally got it back lmfao I basically had a breakdown while listening to In my Dreams by RV and ended up having inspiration,damn...(This is proof read so dw,also I have no idea why tf this is so long) Summary:You´ve been in town for a few weeks since you moved,however,Rodrick doesn´t notice until one day,when he sees you on the school hallway Word count:1786 Warnings:Language(Ig?) Genre:Fluff(Ig)

"Nah dude,last week was amazing,what do you mean?"

"I know dude,but like,what about the girls?We don´t get bitches"

That´s the conversation Rodrick was having with his friends at the school´s entrance,the infamous Rodrick Heffley.It hasn´t even been a month since you arrived and you already knew pretty much everything about him:he had 2 little brothers,was the drummer of a band he made,was never that smart and he loved messing around with people,well,pretty much an average teenager,right? He lived in front of your house,and you always saw him at school(when he went),never talked at all,not even a "hi,who are you?never saw you around". It looked like he never realized you were there,but at the end,you didn´t cared,until now.

"Bro,I´m telling you,when we become famous,we will get A LOOOT of bitches"

"Yeaah"

That´s the last thing they said before Rodrick bumped into someone for not looking.

"Hey!Watch your-step"

"Sorry,I was rushing and didn´t saw you,are you okay?"

That´s when Rodrick realized that the girl that bumped into him,was one that he never saw around before,was he dreaming?

"Yeah yeah,sorry,I was in the way"

Damn,is it hot in here?

"I´m glad,I have to go,see you around Rodrick!"

"Bye..."

Rodrick was just standing there like a lamp post,what just happened?

"Dude,you good?"

"Yeah yeah,it´s just...who´s that girl?I never saw her around"

"Y/N?She moved into your neighbourhood a few weeks ago,you didn´t realized?"

"What?She´s been living next to my house and I didn´t realized?"

"Dude chill,just say hi to her"

"As if it was that easy..."

The bell rang,that meant that the day was over,everyone started filling the hallways,Rodrick got in his van and headed home as quickly as possible,they were right,the house in front of the Heffley´s now belonged to your family,how come he didn´t realized?

"Uhh mum,who are our neigbhors?"

"You mean the Y/L/N´s?"(your last name)

"Yeah,them"

"Oh,they have 2 daughters I think,Y/N and Kelsey are their names,If I´m not wrong Y/N is your same age and Kelsey is about Greg´s age,why the question?"

"Just asking"

Damn,your house was literally in front of Rodrick´s,how come he didn´t realized?is it because he nevers pay attention to the stuff that he doesn´t care about?Oh but he did cared now,what should he do?Go over to your house to just say hi?Invite you to have dinner with his family?No way,you had been in town for a few weeks now,and it was too soon to get you to meet his disaster family...He had been thinking in his room about what to do for the last 10 minutes,until he realized that he left his bedroom door open,and saw that Greg was there spying on him.

"What the fuck do you think you´re doing here?!"

Greg panicked and started running towards his room,but Rodrick had already started to chase him,he was lucky that he locked his door just in time.

"Where you spying me?!"

"Maybe-I mean no!"

"You better open this door if you want to live Greggy"

"I saw you earlier talking with mom about the new neighbours and got curious that´s it!"

Wait,hold on,maybe Greg new something that he didn´t?

"Do you know them?"

"Yes,Kelsey is in the same class as me,she´s nice,I could say she´s my friend now"

"And do you know something about her sister?"

"Why should I tell you that?"

"Greg I swear to god that if you don´t tell me I´m breaking down your door"

"Okay okay!But don´t do that please.I always see her sister after school,she picks Kelsey up because her parents don´t get home til night,as far as I know,she´s super nice,she always offers to take us and Rowley home"

"And?"

"That´s all I know!"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes! I promise!"

"Fine,tomorrow I´ll go pick you up and your other guy friend from school"

"What?no way,I´ll preffer to go by feet"

"I said that you´re coming with me"

Greg knew that his older brother had something going on in his mind,but it probably was worse if he said a word.Good,he had some basic info about you,but what else?The plan was that tomorrow,he would show up to pick up his little loved brother,he had to give you good vibes and not the type of guy that is 24/7 bickering with his brother,wait,maybe it was too late?I mean,you already knew a lot about him,how would you react if you suddenlt saw him as a perfect man instead of the angsty boy he is?Meh,It doesn´t matter,people change all the time.Of course,he could talk to you at school,but you weren´t in the same class as him,and let´s say that he wasn´t that brave enough to talk to you at school.

The rest of the day went by as usual,except for the fact that Rodrick looked super distracted in today´s rehearsal for Löded Diper,he was barely able to start the song,his friends were worried,this wasn´t usual in him,and all just because he couldn´t get your pretty image off of his head,your figure,your hair,your eyes,your lips,he remembered everything as if it depended on his life.

But it just got worse when he saw you there,you where at the entrance of your school,sitting on the stairs,writing on your notebook,you looked so dreamy,the day was sunny and clear as glass,your hair flowing with the little wind that was coming,the way your top and shorts hugged your figure,so unbothered by the rest of the people around you,on your own little world,you looked so unreal...

You felt that someone was watching you,and as you turned back you saw him.

"Rod!What are you doing there?Come sit with me!"

You gave him what was probably the sweetest smile he ever saw,he could melt any moment.

"What?Oh sorry"

He sat next to you,he was nervous,why were you being so nice to him?

"Are you okay?You look nervous,is something bothering you?"

"No no it´s just that...you´re so pretty Y/N,I could stare at you for hours and not get bored"

"Aww you´re so sweet,since when are you so romantic?You didn´t told me those things when we started dating,I love this side of yours"

Wait,dating?No way,since when does the school loser date a pretty girl like you?Did he had amnesia or something?

"Wait,dating?"

"What?Rod are you okay?Yes,for a month now,are you sure you´re fine?"

He couldn´t believe your words,this was so unreal,when did this happened?

"I swear I´m fine,it´s just that- sometimes it´s unbelievable for me to know that I have the most perfect girl in my life"

Now he had no idea what he was talking about or since when he speaks like this,this situation was kinda weird,but it all changed when he heard someone from a distance calling his name.

"Rodrick?Rodrick,come on,Rodrick!"

Suddenly he was at his room,and that´s when reality hit him,he was just dreaming about you...

"Rodrick you´re gonna be late for school come on,get up"

His dad left the room,leaving a sad yet happy Rodrick,he was happy in that dream,but after waking up,damn,he missed that...

This was probably the first time ever that Rodrick got dressed in a nice way only to go to school,he tried really hard,he had to give you a good impression about him,but let´s say that his parents and his younger brother Greg were kinda concerned when they saw him like that...

At school,he only saw you at the time between classes,but you did say hi to him everytime you saw him at the hallways,he was too stunned to say hi back,damn...

And as the day ended,you got on your car on the way to your sister´s school to pick her up as usual,when you got there,she was talking with her friends.

You parked and got off the car and walked to Kelsey,she was laughing with her friends.

"Kelsey,come on let´s go home,give me your backpack"

"Y/N!"

She hugged you as strong as she could,since she was born she always saw you as her idol,she thought you were perfect,even though you didn´t saw yourself like that,you wished that puberty didn´t made your little sister hate you,but as things looked like,that wasn´t going to happen.

"Do you guys need me to take you home?It´s kinda hot today"

"No need Y/N,but thanks,my brother will pick us up"

"Are you sure?If you guys don´t want to wait here I could take you home real quick"

"No need thanks,here he comes"

And he did,as Greg finished talking,a white van parked next to the school,black letters on one side that said "Löded Diper",Rodrick´s van

"Greggy!My dear brother,how are you doing?"

Rodrick petted Greg´s head,leaving him with his hair like a bird´s nest

"I´m-fine I guess"

"It´s the first time I see you pick up your little brother from school"

"Y/N?What a surprise!"

You could tell that something was off,he seemed nervous,uncomfortable.

"Hey!I wasn´t expecting to see you here,you know Greg always walks home"

"Oh well It´s because-I´m always in a rush you know?"

"Yeah,next time,don´t be scared to say hi to me in the hallways,I don´t bite you know?"

Oh god,you realized that he never said hi back,of course you realized,you´re not dumb,what has he thinking?

"Uhm,Greg you can get in the car,I´m going to talk with Y/N for a moment"

"Okay?-"

"You go Kelsey,I´ll be there now,so,what did you wanted to tell me?"

"Uhm well,you have been in town for a few weeks now,and I never introduced myself properly"

"Neither I did,don´t worry,I should have introduced me first before saying hi to you without you knowing who I am"

"Oh,fine then haha"

"Should we start over?I´m Y/N,your neighbor,I like shopping and going outside,how about you?"

"I´m Rodrick,your new neighbor"

Suddenly,there was a very awkward silence,usually you knew how to get out of these,but there was something that didn´t let you speak or say something.

"Uhm...yeah that´s it"

"Yeah!cool cool..."

Silence...just silence...oh god why was this happening?

"Well...I have to leave,I gotta take Kelsey home,see you tomorrow!"

"Sure!"

You started walking towards your car,and before opening the door you heard Rodrick´s voice calling as he ran towards you.

"Y/N wait!"

"Yeah?"

"I...gotta tell you something else"

"Well tell me"

"I-i like you"

"Wha-what?"

"Don´t take this weird!But,I didn´t knew who you were til yesterday when we bumped into each other,it was love at first sight,I´m not looking for an answer or something,you can act as if this never happened,but I just want to tell you that in my dreams,you loved me back"

That was...weird?no,it was romantic,no,weird,so many emotions started to cross your mind,he dreamed about having you?

"Rodrick I-"

"No,I´ll just leave"

He started to walk away,leaving a confused you behind him.You knew why you said hi to him at school,you wanted to know him better,there was a spark in him that you never saw before.

"Rodrick wait!"

He turned around,looking at you.

"I didn´t answered.Meet me today at 4pm at the park,maybe...we can get your dream to come true"

[gemsofgreece]

thoughts on the new thessaloniki metro?

Well, I will have to visit it and see it with my own eyes to form a proper opinion. The following are based on what I watched on TV and the Internet:

I watched a few videos and the most notable thing for me was the widespread excitement of the citizens of Thessaloniki, which was so pleasant and almost unprecedented for me to see, because you know how we are always so suspicious and reserved with everything that happens within the borders of our country. Even expats from Germany came to see it, even foreign people, for example from Georgia! This created a sentiment of generalised euphoria. I saw a few people - especially young Athenians - did not understand why the Thessalonians acted SO happy but I have lived a few years in Thessaloniki and people just don't have an idea how badly the city needed the subway. Not only it needed it badly, not only you entered the buses and weren't sure you will make it out alive due to how (almost fatally) overcrowded they were but the eternal metro construction works in process caused paralysing traffic issues downtown and a severe aesthetic deterioration of the streets. Thessaloniki needed the metro so much that the first plans for it were suggested 100 years ago! So no it's not because the Thessalonians are 500 years backwards... but because its creation after so many decades means so much to them. Besides, older Athenians confirmed the Attic Metro was also much smaller in its first years, serving only the center...

Funny reactions of Thessalonians when the first train arrived. I am laughing so much with the boy making his cross (I mean, he's not wrong):

I even made a gif of a moment... when the gates opened for the first time, the first one who enters is a very old dude and you can see from his gesture of triumph that he thought: "YES I LIVED TO SEE IT!!!". That was so hilarious!

Now, of course there are the drawbacks we could talk about again. It took 40 years (hence the enthusiasm of the old dude) and it is not even the whole thing yet. Really, the most pivotal extensions have not been created yet. The metro will be extended to Kalamaria next year but then it also has to extend to the west side (ie Evosmos, Sindos) where more than 250,000 people live. And of course it has to extend all the way to the airport, otherwise we 've done next to nothing. That's only when we will be able to talk about a fully functional metro. And I heard the airport extension will be ready... in 2040..... so once again let us hope we are going to be alive to see this one too!

Then it's also all the shady ways the antiquities were dealt with that have been condemned by most archaeologists. But after all, well, let's just not pretend there was an easy solution for it. It's not like they found an artefact here and there. They found the entire ancient city! So either if they changed entirely their route of the subway or what they actually did, literally pick up the ancient city and transfer it elsewhere temporarily and then put it back (for real, that's what they did!), it kinda makes sense that there were delays and fights and drama about it. I mean, sure, it should be ready much earlier but let's just not pretend it was an easy project. Another thing I noticed in the coverage of the inauguration that was so refreshing to me was that a lot of journalists interviewed actual workers from the subway and asked them about their struggles and feelings now that the metro was ready. Not the "minds"(...), they asked the "hands" of the project and I really liked that. People looked so eager and passionate to share their experience working there. Furthermore, amongst everyone who wanted to exploit the fruition of the project for their political benefit, I think there were even a few politicians who looked genuinely invested, most notably that old minister who was responsible for the project when the project first started 40 years ago and today gave a speech and then dissolved into tears. This was wholesome.

I guess, the general euphoria, even the positive internet comments (a most rare sight in Greek social media) indicates this is good for the city and the country and that strictly speaking the positives are more than the negatives.

Aesthetically, I think some statements in the likes of "best metro in Europe / the world" definitely are pushing it a lot but I also saw a Thessalonian saying in a video that photos and videos don't make it justice actually. In any case, I think it looks like a pleasant enough subway. Venizelou Station with the Decumanus Maximus, the discovered main road of the Roman period of Thessaloniki, called Μέση Οδός in Byzantine times (Middle Street), and all that part of the city that was unburied, plus other remains exhibited outside some other stations definitely give a uniqueness to the subway. They used to say that people will be able to walk on the ancient city and the politicians yesterday did exactly that

however maybe it won't be open to the visitors for walking after all, fearing a degradation of the archaeological site, and that makes sense. Okay I found out that the balconies surrounding the site have glass floors so you see the whole site like you are hovering above it. Then again there is also a huge projector showing stuff in the end of the road so I don't know how you'll get there without walking on it. Maybe it's going to be open for organized tours only? Idk just hypothesizing now

It's not just that though. There were 300,000 archeological finds during the making of the subway. I read that "only" 700 of those are exhibited in the various stations. For the rest they are going to build a Subway Museum near the Sintrivani station. They didn't say anything about that yesterday so it will probably take some more time. But when we have the addition of more trains, the stations to Kalamaria, the museum with all those artefacts that cover ALL eras of Thessaloniki from 315 BC to the modern period, and the future stations in the west part of the city and then to the airport, then yes we will be talking about a dang good subway.

Below I am adding videos and photos from the metro with some more commentary.

I think the following video gives the most accurate picture (obviously it's not going to be that crowded in normal days) :

And below is the station in Agia Sofia. What I liked particularly is how they presented the stratification of the history of the city as it is discovered archaeologically and geologically; the recent eras on top and the more ancient ones as you go deeper and deeper. This is how they presented all artefacts, in a continunation from top to bottom or rather an evolution from bottom to top. I found this very clever.

And this video is good for English speakers, it also stresses on something important I forgot to mention. This first line alone is expected to serve 300,000 people daily and decrease the presence of vehicles in the streets of Thessaloniki, with estimated 50,000 fewer cars! Now that's awesome on my list and I hope the predictions prove true:

The trains are automated and driver-less and the waiting time for each is 2.30 minutes.

Below some pics from the stations:

In conclusion, with all the drama and huge delay, I think it is fair to feel happy for Thessaloniki now and try to support the project as much as possible.

[rfsak2]

Holy shit, guys! I have never had this kind of reception. Y’all have been so very kind and I appreciate it so very much! I love interacting with y’all so keep leaving comments and I’ll keep responding!

Spitfire; pt. 2

Everyone always thought Daryl was the rough one. DarylxOC

Warnings: it’s TWD so there’s a good bit of traumatizing stuff discussed, wartime atrocities, violence, etc.. And smut buried down at the bottom. Minors DNE

Part 1

**

“If y’coulda done anythin’, what would it’ve been?”

She shrugged and pulled her knees to her chest, rifle barrel-up between her legs. “I actually don’t know. I’ve sorta fallen into everythin’ I’ve ever done.”

“What’dya mean?” He hunkered down, arms across his chest.

“I can’t remember a single choice I have ever made free n’clear. There’s always been somethin’ forcing’ my hand.” She picked at her cuticles. “My grandfather, my father, my aunt, the US Government.” She sighed heavily. “Life has always been ‘point and shoot’. Someone points me and I shoot.”

He nodded vaguely. “That’s why y’don’t like Shane.”

She snorted. “That’s one of the many reasons I don’t like Shane.” She smiled at him. “He’s also a prick. Thinks he’s bigger than he is, better than he is, smarter than he is.” She elbowed him gently. “What would’ve y’done?”

“Probably been a mechanic.” He shrugged.

“That sounds nice.” She hummed.

He scoffed.

“What?”

“We woulda never met, not for all’a this.” He gestured vaguely.

She hummed. “I don’t know ‘bout that.”

He grunted, hands shredding a leaf idly. “How woulda we met? You with your military career. Me, wandering the backwoods of Georgia with Merle.”

She smiled and leaned to press against his arm. “I was stationed in Savannah and I explored a lot in my free time.” She caught his eyes. “I went hunting a lot. Liked to drive to small towns and spend time in the forest. We coulda run into each other.”

He watched her, quiet in his stillness. “And what would’ya have done if we did?”

She smiled. “Honestly?” He nodded. “Fuck ya if you were down for it.”

He blushed. “No y’wouldn’t ‘ve.”

“Hell yeah, I would’ve. Some hot dude carryin’ a crossbow or a deer you just shot?” She whistled. “I woulda jumped y’bones.”

“Y’don’t gotta lie t’me.” He sucked on his teeth.

She pulled back a bit. “Why would I lie?”

“Com’n.” he shifted, putting some space between them. “You wouldn’t ‘ve been interested in some filthy-ass hick.”

“I am, and often was, before this, a ‘filthy-ass hick’.” She huffed a breathless little chuckle.

He shook his head. “You were a captain in the Army, means y’went to college right?”

She hummed in agreement.

“So you had options.” He kept his voice low, maybe on purpose, she didn’t know, but there was intensity that she wasn’t sure was all for her. “You coulda done anything you wanted.”

“No I couldn’t.” She shook her head. “I went to college because that was part of the deal. They needed the time to expunge my record so they sent me to college. At least that’s what they told me.” She made a vague motion. “I think they just didn’t want to wait.”

“For what?”

“For me to make grade and qualify for Ranger School.” She shrugged. “They wanted to get me in the back way, make a big stink only when I made it. If I didn’t make it, there wouldn’t have been egg on their face. They set up everythin’, choice had nothin’ t’do with it.”

“Y’still don’t get it.” He scoffed. “You woulda took one look at me-“

“Daryl, we ain’t that different.” She nodded and caught his shoulder when he tried to turn away. “We are made of the same stuff. Just different flavors of redneck. So yeah, I’d like t’think that you’da had me at hello. I’d like to think that I’d see you for what you are.”

“And what’s that?” He seemed to soften, shifting back so they were pressed together, shoulder to boot.

“A good man. A kindred spirit.” She settled back against his side as he relaxed. “Besides, I woulda taken one look at you, with your arms, your shoulders, your pretty blue eyes…” She grinned, whistling.

He was looking at her mouth. “And?”

It was okay because she was tracing the line of his bicep down his arm with her eyes.

He leaned in closer. “And?”

Her eyes jumped from his arm to his eyes. “Can I kiss you?”

He nodded and leaned over her. Their eyes remained locked as she reached up to cradle his face. She smiled and bit her lip.

“You gonna kiss me or nah, Spitfire?”

She pressed an almost chaste kiss to his mouth. It didn’t last long enough, so when she pulled away, Daryl chased her lips with his, pressing her back against the tree behind her.

“That all ya’got?”

She threw her head back and laughed, before pressing him back and crawling over him. He grinned and settled his hands on her hips. She laid over him, elbows coming to rest on either side of his head.

She dipped her head down and caught his lips again, groaning into his mouth when he squeezed her hips.

Smiling, she slipped her tongue into his mouth. He lifted a hand and dug his fingers into her hair, loosening her bun and directing her head where he wanted it.

Daryl’s other hand drifted lower and squeezed. She laughed against his mouth and let him guide her hips against his.

His tongue followed hers back into her mouth-

Crack

Daryl sat up in a shot, his hand on her ass keeping her upright.

“Walker?”

He shook his head. “It’s an animal.”

“The deer!”

She turned back to him. He seemed to be withdrawing, some anxiety or another causing him to pull back, so she pressed a gentle kiss to his mouth. “Next time.”

He watched her for a brief moment and nodded. “I’ma hold ya t’that.”

**

Mitzi rested a hand on Daryl’s shoulder and hopped down behind him, eyeing the group standing in the clearing.

She frowned, trying to figure out why they were just standing there, weapons drawn. She saw the walker at the same time Daryl did. “Fuckin’ piece of shit.”

“Sumova Bitch.” Daryl strode into the clearing, red in the face. “That was m’deer!”

She was more hesitant, catching the apprehension in the way the men, one of whom she didn’t know, were looking at Daryl.

“Daryl…”

“Look at it, Mitz.” Daryl kicked at the walker. “All gnawed on by this disease-bearin’, motherless, poxy bastard.”

Dale sighed. “Calm down, son, that isn’t helping.”

Daryl got in his face. “What do you know ‘bout it, Old Man? Why don’t you take that stupid hat and go back to On Golden Pond?”

Mitzi sighed, arms cradling her rifle to her chest. “Leave him be, D. It’s not his fault.”

He backed up, turning back to the deer. “We’ve been tracking this deer for miles... Gonna drag it back to camp, cook us up some venison.” Daryl yanked his bolts from the deer and motioned to the large bite mark in the deer’s neck, staring up at her. “You think we can cut around this chewed part right here?”

“I would not risk that.”

Despite her avid dislike for Shane, Mitzi agreed with him, shaking her head at Daryl before focusing back on the new man in the circle.

Daryl straightened and faced the group around them, suddenly quieting, noticing the odd tension in the air. He caught her eyes, arching his eyebrows and motioning to the new person. He waited for her answering shrug, before turning back to the group.

“That’s a damn shame... Well, I got some squirrel, ‘bout a dozen or so. That’ll have t’do.” Daryl gestured with the bolt for Mitzi to walk ahead.

As they walked past the walker, it snarled, mouthing ineffectually in the direction of her ankles.

She stepped back into Daryl with a soft grunt, who maneuvered her out of the way, a bolt piercing the walker’s brain through the eye not a second later.

“Com’n people. What t’hell? Gotta be the brain.” Daryl tugged the bolt free and wiped it on his work pants. He shared an exasperated look with her and pushed her forward, eyes on the group over her head. “Don’t y’all know nothin’?”

They made their way towards camp, Daryl hollering for Merle. The tension from the clearing followed them into camp.

“Daryl, slow up a minute, I need to talk to you.”

She felt Daryl’s hand on her shoulder and turned as he answered, “‘Bout what?”

“‘Bout Merle. There was a… a problem in Atlanta.”

She hooked her hand around Daryl’s arm. “Shit. What happened?”

Daryl sucked in a breath and straightened his arm, catching her hand as it slid down his arm. “He dead?”

Shane shrugged and she had never wanted more dearly to knock his teeth in. She restrained herself, choosing to squeeze Daryl’s hand instead.

“Not sure.”

Daryl shifted forward, directing her slightly behind him. “He either is or he ain’t.”

The new man stepped forward, hands on his hips like he was used to wearing a gun belt. Another cop.

He sucked in a breath. “There is no easy way to say this, so I’ll just say it.”

Daryl turned on him, pushing into his space, letting go of her hand. “Who’re you?”

“Rick Grimes.”

Mitzi’s eyebrows shot into her hairline. She found Lori in the crowd and Carl soon after, the kid the sitting image of the man in front of her. The ring Lori had worn on a chain around her neck ever since Mitzi had met her, was suspiciously gone.

Interesting.

Daryl was getting agitated, pacing like a big cat in a cage. Mitzi stepped around him, putting herself in between Daryl and this new cop. She set her hand on his chest and tried to catch his eyes. “Daryl. D!”

“Rick Grimes?” Daryl mocked, as he set his hand on her forearm, trying to gently push past her. “You got something you want to tell me?”

“Your brother was a danger to us all, so I handcuffed on a roof hooked into a piece of metal. He’s still there.”

“The fuck you say?” She turned and Daryl took the opportunity to step around her, continuing to pace. “You left him on a roof?”

Shane pointed at her, stalking towards her. “Stay out of this, Donovan.”

“Fuck outta m’face, Walsh.” She stepped around him, shaking his hand off of her arm. “Don’t touch me.”

“Donovan!”

She ignored him and moved closer to Daryl.

“Hold on. Lemme process this.” He swiped at his face with the back of his hand and made a vague motion at his head. “You handcuffed my brother to a roof and you left him there?”

Rick hung his head. “Yeah.”

Daryl threw the brace of squirrels he had been holding and moved to charge at Rick.

Shane charged Daryl, dropping his shoulder and knocking him off his feet.

When Shane had straightened, standing fully, she landed a punch to his jaw that sent him sprawling again.

Someone caught her around the middle, Dale, she thought, as Shane shot her a dirty look and helped Rick disarm Daryl.

She shook free of Dale and approached Rick and Shane, the latter of which had Daryl on the ground in a chokehold.

Rick was preaching about rational conversations just as Mitzi’s small, freckled fist landed on square on Rick’s 5 o’clock shadow. Shane cussed under his breath as she straightened and turned toward him.

“Let him go now.”

Daryl tried to shake free and Shane held him fast. “Or what?”

“I know you think you’re bad, Shane. Been in a couple fist fights, maybe got some training along the way.” She got in Shane’s face, bending at the waist to look him in the eye. “We aren’t on the same level though, Walsh. You let him go now or I demonstrate that for you and the collected constituents of our fine camp.”

Shane growled and released Daryl, who accepted her offered hand and allowed himself to be hauled to his feet.

Shane pushed into her space. “I’m gettin’ sick of your attitude, Donovan.”

“I’m gettin’ sick of the way you treat a man who’s gone outta his way to feed you.” She cast a look around at the camp. “Fuckin’ world is over and you dumb twats want to keep the Sunday morning judgement going. Fuck the lot’a ya.”

She felt Daryl tug at her shirt and allowed herself to be pulled back. She turned to Rick, who let out a hesitant, awkward chuckle before turning back to Daryl.

“Now do you think you can have a rational discussion?”

The question was half-posed to her, posted up in front of Daryl like a bodyguard, arms crossed over her chest.

She sucked on her teeth. “Don’t know why you feel entitled to rational discussion after you chained his brother to a roof.”

“That’s fair. What I did was not on a whim.” Rick looked Daryl in the eye, before meeting her eyes as well. “Your brother does not work and play well with others.”

T-Dog stepped forward. “Not Rick’s fault...I had the key and I dropped it.”

“You couldn’t pick it up?” Daryl growled, voice breaking.

T-Dog shifted nervously. “I dropped it down a drain.”

Daryl paced a couple feet and threw a fist full of dirt at the ground. “If that was supposed to make me feel better, it don’t.”

T-Dog nodded. “Maybe this will: I chained the door to the roof, so the geeks couldn’t get at him.... with a padlock.”

Rick hesitantly, conciliatory, approached. “Gotta count for something.”

Daryl wiped at his face and motioned to the camp. “T’Hell with all y’all! Just tell me where he is, so’s I can go git him.”

“He’ll show you, isn’t that right?” Lori turned away, disdain clear in her body language.

Mitzi whistled. They are definitely married.

Rick nodded, shying away from his wife’s eyes. “I’m going back.”

Shane huffed and shook his head as Rick walked toward his- Lori’s tent.

She looked up and caught Shane’s very angry eyes. He snarled at her, slapping his hat on his thigh. She arched her eyebrow and he flipped her the bird. She laughed.

A couple minutes later, Rick returned in uniform.

“So that’s it then?” Shane rumbled. “You just gonna walk off? T’ hell with everyone else?”

Rick buttoned his shirt, shaking his head. “I’m not saying t’hell with anybody. Not you Shane, Lori least of all.” He walked away, towards the camper.

“Tell her that.” Shane shot back.

Rick turned to face Shane and sighed. “She knows.”

Shane stalked up the small incline after him. “Well look. I don’t, okay, Rick? So could you just- could you throw me a bone here man? Could you just tell me why? Why would you risk your life for a douchebag like Merle Dixon?”

“Hey!” Daryl pointed at Shane with the bolts he was cleaning, before sitting on a milk crate next to her. “Choose your words more carefully.”

Shame dismissed him. “No I did. Douchebag is what I meant.” Shane shot Daryl and Mitzi a dirty look.

Mitzi returned it, drawing a whetstone over her hunting knife. “Remember what I said about the end of my patience, Walsh.”

“Be quiet.” He pointed at her and she pointed right back. Still glaring at her, he turned to Rick. “Merle Dixon.. the guy wouldn’t give you a glass of water if you were dyin’ of thirst.”

“What he would or wouldn’t do, doesn’t interest me.” He leaned into Shane. “I can’t let a man die of thirst- me -thirst and exposure. We left him like an animal caught in a trap. That’s no way for anythin’ to die, let alone a human being.”

Lori spoke up from where she sat near the adjacent fire. “So you and Daryl? That’s your big plan?”

Glenn sighed. “Oh, come on.”

“You know the way, you’ve been there before.” Rick shifted his feet. “In and out, no problem. You said so yourself. It’s not fair if me to ask, I know that. But if feel much better if you came along. I know she would too.”

Mitzi wasn’t so sure about that with the look on Lori’s face.

“That’s just great. Now y’gonna risk three men, huh?”

“Four.��� T-Dog drawled.

Daryl scoffed. “My day just gets better and better, don’t it?”

“You see anyone else here stepping up to save your brother’s cracker ass.”

“Why you?”

T-Dog straightened his shoulders. “You wouldn’t even begin to understand. You don’t speak my language.”

“That’s four,” Dale observed.

“I’m goin’.” She stood.

“Now, Donovan…”

“Mind your business, Walsh.” She caught Daryl’s eyes and held them. “I’m goin’.”

“A’ight.” Daryl nodded.

“Ma’am, I don’t know you.” Rick grinned wryly at her. “I know you can handle yourself in a brawl, but this is going to be dangerous. It could get ugl-“

“You ever done an exfil?” She crossed her arms across her chest.

“An exfil?” He frowned and looked over at Shane. “What do you mean an exfil?”

“Exfiltration, otherwise known as an extraction. Infiltrate, eliminate hostiles, remove MVP.” She smiled meanly. “They don’t teach cops that wherever you’re from?”

“Have you done an exfil, Donovan?” Shane’s lip curled. “They teach that in Basic?”

She answered his sarcastic smile with one of her own. “Not Basic, you tool. At Ranger School. Not the coolest name for a Spec Ops school, I’ll grant ya, but it does the trick.”

Glenn parroted, “Spec Ops?”

She nodded. “Special operations, special forces. I’m an Army Ranger. I’ve done literally hundreds of extractions. If Glenn can get me in, I can get us and Merle out. So kindly put your dicks away, boys, I win this pissin’ match.”

“You’re a Ranger?” Shane set his jaw. “Do they even let women in Spec Ops?”

“They let her.” Daryl rasped. “Recruited her special for it an’ everythin’.”

She reached over and squeezed his shoulder.

Rick seemed a little shell-shocked. “Why?”

“I’m going to assume you’re not being an asshole on purpose, Rick-“

“Thank you?”

She barked out a laugh. “The likelihood of you meeting someone who’s a better shot than me was laughable before the end of the world. Now?” She whistled.

It seemed to dawn on Rick at the same time Shane realized just who he had been fucking with this whole time.

Rick set his hand on her shoulder. “You’re a sniper?”

She grinned and confirmed. “I’m a sniper. A damn good one. I hold the current record in the Army for longest kill shot.”

“How far?”

She smiled at T-Dog. “3400 meters. Give or take. The presentation I was coming up to Atlanta for would’ve broken the worldwide record if I had made it- 3700 meters. I’ve been practicing for months.”

Awe lit up Glenn’s face, like a kid at Christmas, and T-Dog suddenly looked hopeful, less resigned to dying.

That is, until Glenn turned to him with a huge smile. “You owe me fifty bucks!”

T-Dog shook his head. “You said ‘special agent’. She’s Spec Ops. That’s different.”

“Closer than you!” Glenn grinned and turned to Mitzi, pointing at T-Dog with his thumb. “He thought you were a taxidermist.”

“A taxidermist?” She tilted her head in confusion. “No one told y’all that I was military?” Both men shook their heads and she cast a look at Shane, who was looking down at his boots. “How interesting.”

T-Dog stepped forward. “Didn’t mean nothing’ by it.”

She waved him off, chuckling. “T, that is the least offensive guess I have heard thus far.”

He nodded, relaxing. “Sorry about Merle.”

She nodded, catching Daryl’s eyes. “Shit happens. Let’s go get him.”

**

“When we get there, I’ll take point.”

Rick puffed up, preparing to argue. “Mi-“

She shook her head, checking the railroad ahead of them through her scope. “I’ll take point, Daryl will have my shoulder. We have quieter weapons.” She turned back to Rick. “We’ll clear the ground floor, room-by-room until we get to the stairs. On the off-chance we miss one or one comes up behind us, you’ll have our backs. Try to avoid firing that Python, Sheriff. It’s too loud.”

Rick sighed, nodding. “Okay. Then what?”

She turned to Glenn and T-Dog. “If we enter the building where you want us to, is it a straight-shot to the stairs?”

“No.” Glenn shook his head. “No, we have to go through the department store, the stairs are on the other side of the elevator.”

She made a face. “Directly behind?”

“More or less. There’s a small hallway.”

“How many doors?”

“Three, I think.” He looked up, counting in his head. “Yeah, two bathrooms and a utility closet.”

“The doors on the bathrooms, they push open or do they latch shut?” He shrugged and she nodded. “No problem, we ha-“ she paused and lifted her rifle, aiming over T-Dog’s shoulder. Looking down the scope, she whispered, “Stay still, T.”

There was a thud and she turned back to them, lowering her rifle.

T-Dog looked over his shoulder at the walker ten yards away. Shakily, he turned back. “Thanks.”

She ignored the slack-jaw looks. “We have a major blind spot, but that’s okay. We’ll clear the department store and pick a side around the elevators. If the bathroom doors are open or they don’t latch, we’ll deal with it then.”

Daryl nodded. “Not like geeks are all that smart.”

She smiled. “Definitely easier than armed hostiles.” She turned back to Glenn and T-Dog. “What are the stairs like?”

Glenn looked confused and Rick supplied, “concrete?”

She chuckled. “Are they open to the basement?”

“And a sub-basement, too.” T-Dog nodded.

“Okay, then. When we get there, I’m gonna cover the basement. Daryl will lead you up the stairs. We’ll go flight-by-flight. It’ll be slower but we won’t have any surprises.”

Glenn just stared. “I wanna be you when I’m older.”

She grinned and opened the bolt on her rifle. She slid in a couple rounds and cocked the rifle. “A’ight. Let’s go.”

**

“You’re not doing this alone.” There was a note of authority in Rick’s voice that was already driving her up the wall, but he was right.

Daryl huffed and interjected from somewhere over her head. “Even I think it’s a bad idea and I don’t even like you much.”

Mitzi studied the crude, sharpie drawing. Sucking on her teeth, she shook her head. “I’m still not-”

Glenn cut her off, irritated. “It’s a good plan, okay, if you just hear me out.” He looked up at Rick and sighed, squatting over the drawing. “If we go out there in a group, we’re slow, drawing attention. If I’m alone, I can move fast. Look.” He focused down at the map, setting a binder clip and a balled-up sticky note on one of the ‘streets’. “That’s the tank, five blocks from where we are now. That’s the bag of guns. Here’s the alley I dragged you into when we first met. That’s where me and Daryl will go.”

“Why me?”

Glenn nodded. “Your crossbow is quieter than his gun.” Daryl quieted, nodding, and Glenn moved back over his map, placing a blue post-it flag dispenser in the alleyway. “While Daryl waits here in the alley, I run up the street, grab the bag.”

Rick seemed slightly appeased. “You got us elsewhere?”

“You and T-Dog, right.” Glenn placed a pink rubber eraser in another connecting alley. “You’ll be in this alley here.”

“Two blocks away? Why?”

“I may not be able to come back the same way, walkers may cut me off. If that happens, I won’t go back to Daryl. I’ll go forward instead, all the way around to that alley where you guys are. Whichever direction I go, I got you in both places to cover me. At the same time, Mitzi can pick off walkers that get too close with her rifle.” He placed a paperclip in the same alley as Daryl’s blue post-its “There’s a fire escape up to a small balcony that runs almost all the way around the building next to this one, Mitzi will go there and watch my back. Afterwards we’ll all meet back here.”

“Hey kid.” They all swiveled to look at Daryl. “What did you do before all of this?”

“Delivered pizzas. Why?”

Mitzi hummed and regarded the kid with an assessing eye. “You’dve made a hell of a strategist. Better planned than half the missions I went on.”

Rick smiled. “You recruitin’ right now, Mitzi?”

Mitzi grinned. “Wanted to be like me, kid? I can put ya through the paces, make a soldier outta you.”

Glenn rubbed a hand over the back of his neck. “Maybe another day.”

**

“We can still go with my plan.” Mitzi checked the bolt on her rifle and then slid her handgun out to check the clip. “Wait a bit longer and I can just sneak on in-“

Rick shot her a look. “I’m not sending you in alone. Stop.”

She grinned. “I can take Daryl with me?”

“Mitzi, no.”

She made a face and mouthed, “Mitzi, yes.”

Daryl grinned and gripped her knee. “Simmer down.”

Miguel scoffed. “What are you going to be able to do all by yourself, GI Jane?”

She laughed and leaned forward. “You should ask your friend… Jorge, was it? I’m a damn good shot. I didn’t miss. He’s alive because I didn’t want him dead. You should remember that.”

He recoiled.

Thirty seconds later, they assembled in the courtyard.

“That’s the bitch that shot me!”

Mitzi nodded. “I sure the fuck am! I don’t like it when people beat on my friends...”

Jorge snarled, pointing a gun at her. Only to have Guillermo push him back.

Guillermo approached Rick, eyeing the guns then giving Mitzi a quick one-over. “I see my guns, but they’re not all in the bag.”

“That’s because they aren’t yours.” Rick shifted slightly. “I thought I mentioned that.”

Felipe moved closer to Guillermo’s ear. “Let’s just shoot these asshole’s right now, ese. Unload on their asses, ese.”

Jorge took a couple steps forward. “I get the bitch first.”

Daryl leveled his rifle at Jorge as Guillermo waved them off. “I don’t think you fully appreciate the gravity of the situation.”

“No. I’m pretty clear.” Rick cut the cord around Miguel’s wrists and pushed him lightly forward. “You have your man. I want mine.”

Guillermo set his jaw and stalked forward. “I’m gonna chop up your boy..feed him to my dogs. Three of the evilest, nastiest man-eating bitches you ever saw. Picked ‘em up from Satan at a yard sale. I told you how it has to be! Are you woefully deaf?”

Mitzi frowned, something itching at her intuition.

Rick settled his rifle against his shoulder. “My hearing’s fine. You said come locked and loaded.” They all followed Rick’s lead, clicking their weapons. “Okay, then we’re here.”

Guillermo backed up, his men raising weapons simultaneously.

Mitzi sucked her teeth. Something was definitely not right.

There was a shuffling from the back of the crowd of Vatos. “Felipe? Felipe?” called a frail, reedy voice as an elderly woman emerged from behind Guillermo.

With his gun still raised, Felipe half-turned to regard the woman. “Abuela, go back with the others - now.”

“Git that old lady out of the line of fire!”

Guillermo turned to regard the woman as well. “Abuela, listen to your m’hijo. This is not the place for you right now.”

She didn’t listen, instead addressing Felipe. “Mr. Gilbert is having trouble breathing. He needs his asthma stuff... Carlito can’t find it. He needs his medicine.”

She stepped forward, nose of her rifle dropping. “Asthma stuff?” She whispered, then louder. “What the fuck is goin’ on?”

Guillermo shot her an anxious look but ignored her. “Felipe, go take care of it, okay? And take your grandmother with you.”

Felipe led the woman away, speaking to her soothingly in Spanish.

Daryl caught her eye. “What?”

She nodded at the vatos. “This is all just ball-bustin’. Half of these idiots can’t even aim at us properly from where they’re standing.”

Rick turned towards her. “What?”

She lowered her gun, keeping her voice low. “This is all bullshit. Intimidation.”

Rick’s jaw worked noiselessly, mind putting pieces together like hers.

“Who are these men?”

Felipe’s grandmother had noticed them, stopping their conversation short.

Rick lowered his weapon and she took a couple steps forward. “Ma’am.”

She caught sight of Rick’s uniform and twisted her hands, distressed. “Don’t you take him! Felipe’s a good boy. He had his trouble, but he pulled himself together. We need him here.”

“Ma’am, I’m not here to arrest your grandson.”

“Then what do you want him for?”

Rick met her eyes and she huffed. “They ain’t gonna kill us. Would’ve already done it. Somethin’ ain’t lining’ up.”

He nodded at her, turned back and stuttered. “He’s... helping us find a missing person... Fella named Glenn?”

“The Asian boy?” She smiled. “He is with Mr. Gilbert...Come. Come, I'll show you.” She began to lead them into the crowd. “He needs his medicine.”

Sensing defeat, Guillermo grit his teeth. “Let them pass.”

Daryl fell into step behind her, Jorge glaring at them as they passed. Daryl glared back, his hand landing lightly on her lower back as he guided her forward.

The woman led them into a nursing home, past a number of individual rooms complete with old people and into a large main room where a small group was watching Felipe administer an inhaler. There in the middle of the group was Glenn, unharmed but anxiously staring at the man.

Rick marched straight up to him. “What is this?”

Glenn looked at him then turned back toward the man in the wheelchair struggling for his next breath. “Asthma attack. Couldn’t catch his breath all of a sudden.”

T-Dog clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. “We thought you were being eaten by dogs, man!”

Glenn arched an eyebrow and they all turned towards the corner of the room, where three Chihuahuas sat on a pink and leopard print dog bed.

Mitzi sucked on her teeth. “The fuc’-“ A little, old lady caught her eye and Mitzi winced. “The fricken gall.”

**

She wiped her face with an old shop rag and hung her head.

“I say we put a pick-ax in his head and the dead girl’s and be done with it.” Daryl stood behind her, his knee pressing against her back as she sat back against him.

She opened her mouth, trying to breath through her mouth and not her nose, the smell of burning rot- human rot -thick in her throat.

Shane shook his head. “Is that what you’d want for you?”

Daryl’s hand landed heavily on her head, as if he was trying to silently check on her. Without hesitation, he answered. “Yeah and I’d thank you while you did it.”

Dale sighed heavily. “I hate to say it, I never thought I would, but maybe Daryl’s right”

Rick stepped forward. “Jim is not a monster, Dale, or some rabid dog...” Dale tried to cut in and Rick spoke over him, “He’s a sick, sick man. If we start down that road, where do we draw the line?”

Daryl squared his shoulders. “Line’s pretty clear: Zero tolerance for walkers or them to be.”

Mitzi shook her head. “We’d have to watch Jim night and day. Whoever watches him would have to be on- no dozing off, no bathroom breaks. There’s no way to quarantine him safely.” She shrugged weakly, head still swimming. “I hate it but, there’s only so many options.”

Rick cut in. “What if we can get him help? I heard that the CDC is working on a cure.”

“‘Working on’ and ‘has’ are two very different realities.” The breeze blew over them and she felt bile in her throat.

Shane shook his head. “I heard that too.. heard a lotta things before the world went to hell.”

“What if the CDC is still up and running?”

“That is a stretch right there.”

She leaned over, her eyes screwed shut, shop rag pressed over her face. She felt Daryl’s hand on the back of her neck.

“Mitzi? You okay?” It was Carol.

She waved her off with her free hand.

Shane sucked his teeth. “You are being uncharacteristically subdued.” He grinned. “Kinda nice.”

She caught Daryl, before he could step forward, hand on his thigh. She breathed deep one more time and dropped the hand holding her shop rag to her face.

“Fuck you, Shane Walsh.”

He laughed. “There she is! Done being dramatic?”

Rick frowned hard at Shane and Lori shoved to her feet. “Shane!”

He made a face, shrugging. “Big, tough Spec Ops sniper? Fuck outta here.”

“You smell this before?”

Everyone turned to Mitzi, who had set the rag down on the cooler next to her thigh and pressed the heels of her hands into her eyes.

Shane shrugged. “No.”

“I have, a couple times, before all’a this.” She looked up. “Last time was a year ago, in this tiny little mountain village in Afghanistan. We had holed in this village a number of times. It was a farming community, vibrant and generous. The people were nice. The kids use’ta bring me little trinkets, cool rocks, wind-polished desert glass.”

She paused and dug her keys out of her pocket, holding up a smooth, green, translucent piece of glass on a keychain. Daryl pressed tighter against her back.

“The last time we were there, insurgents had wiped the place off the map. Piled all the townsfolk in the center of the town; men, women, children… and set their bodies on fire.” She looked up at Shane. “Denying them a proper Muslim burial because they had colluded with the US Army. Because they colluded with me. So yeah, I’m feeling a little subdued, present circumstances considered.”

He shrunk back. Everyone was quiet for a solid five minutes.

Rick placed his hands on his hips and sighed. “If there’s any government left, any structure at all, they’d protect the CDC at all costs, wouldn’t they? I think it’s our best shot. Shelter, protection, rescue...”

Shane huffed in frustration. “Look, Rick, we all want those things. I do too. If they exist, they’re at the army base at Fort Benning.”

Mitzi shook her head. “Fort Benning is not going to prioritize civilian lives. If they are still operational, their mission is reestablishing authority and control. They’ll stick us in a camp, off-base, with limited supplies and security, and we’ll have to trust that they have checked every civilian. That no one is bit.”

“You sure that’s not just because you don’t want to go back to work?”

She sighed, reaching in her pocket for her brass knuckles. She slipped them on and launched at Shane.

Rick and Daryl must have been expecting it, because before she could take a step, Daryl had popped her off the ground, Rick using his upper body and arms to press her back into Daryl.

“Mitzi, breathe.”

“He fuckin’ has it comin’.”

Rick caught her eyes and held them. “Breathe.”

Daryl pressed his face into her neck and whispered. “Com’n, Spitfire. Calm down. We’ll get ‘em another time, right? Breathe, baby.”

She breathed deep.

“M’Fine. Fuckin’ put me down.”

Rick nodded and they directed her back onto her cooler.

**

She leaned up against the door of the office she would be sleeping in. Catching his hand, she pulled him over, waiting for the others to move past them. “Want to conserve water with me?”

He blushed and knocked his forehead against hers. “Conserve water?”

She nodded. “Jenner said to take it easy on the hot water.”

He pressed a kiss to the corner of her mouth. “You’re drunk.”

She shrugged and fisted a hand in his shirt, pulling him into the room behind her. “Tipsy, more like, but if you feel uncomfortable, we don’t have t’do anythin’ but shower.”

He chuckled, closing the door behind him. “Don’t chicken out on me now.” He reached back and pulled his shirt over his head.

Her shirt hit the ground shortly after his and she hooked her finger over his belt buckle, drawing him into the bathroom behind her.

He briefly pressed his face to her very functional bra and teased his teeth over the swell of her breast.

Smiling, she directed his face back to hers and pulled his bottom lip into her mouth, sucking gently. He groaned, reaching down and grabbing at her ass and lifting her onto the sink.

He paused to squeeze one more time before leaning over and turning the hot water on in the shower.

He turned back to her and paused, watching her. She ran her hands down his chest, running her fingers over the old faint scars that littered his torso.

“You’re pretty like this.” He didn’t give her time to respond but leaned over and caught her lips with his, slipping his tongue into her mouth with a gravelly moan.

She returned it, drawing him between her legs, cradling his face between her hands. He pulled away, moving instead to press wet kisses to her neck and shoulders.

She moaned and moved her hand to squeeze and grip at his arms and shoulders.

He stopped, pulling back a bit.

“What's wrong?” She rubbed her hands through his hair and jumped a little when his thumb pressed into her shoulder, just shy of the ball of the joint.

“You got shot.”

She nodded. “Lucky shot, just outside my Kevlar.” She lifted her opposite arm and motioned to her bicep, where another scar marred the yellow rose tattooed there. “Same guy got me there too. Pissed me off. That tattoo was only a month old. Never did get it touched up.”

He pressed his lips to her shoulder and then her bicep, before leaning up to catch her lips again.

She grinned as he pulled away and patted her thigh. “Got one here too and that one almost killed me.”

Chuckling, he reached for her belt and opened it. “Best git these jeans off too.”

She pressed a kiss to his mouth and reached up to open the closure on her bra. He groaned as she shrugged off the garment and pressed their chests together.

Wrapping an arm around her, lips still locked to hers, he supported her and she shimmied down her pants and underwear.

She hummed as he stepped away again and leaned to press a kiss to the round scar in the top of her right thigh, eyes locked on hers.

“You’re so fuckin’ hot,” she blurted out in a rush, before reaching for his belt and opening his fly.

He grinned and popped her off the sink. “Git in the shower, baby.”

She did, casting a look at him as she stepped under the water.

He stepped free of his pants and underwear and followed her in. He caged her up against the glass, shielding her from the water and wrapping an arm around her.

His free hand found her nipple and worried it between two fingers. She arched hard against her and teased her teeth over the arch of his jaw. Moaning, his hips stuttered against hers before beginning to roll in earnest rhythm.

She slipped her hands around his side and dug her fingers into the muscles of his upper back, pressing flat against him.

She paused when she encountered raised scar tissue. He flinched away and she kissed over his sternum, dropping her hands to the small of his back. “You don't gotta tell me anythin’.”

He caught her eyes and held them, nodding and leaning in to resume the kiss. A breath later, he pulled away. “You still want this?”

She nodded. “Hell yeah.”

He favored her with a small smile and grabbed her hand from his hair. Touching his forehead to hers, he guided her hand down. “Show me what y’ like.”

She moaned and caught his hand in her much smaller one. “Your hands, not mine.”

He kissed her, carding his fingers through the hair he found there. “Why?”

“Bigger.” She moaned into his mouth as he slid his index finger lower, calloused finger tip rubbing lightly over her clit.

Lips still attached to hers, he slid his finger deeper yet, finding what he was looking for and slipping the tip of his finger inside of her.

She moaned again, lips moving against his, sloppy and out of rhythm as he petted at her with barely there touches.

“Stop teasin’.”

He pressed a smile to her lips. “Who’s teasin’?” He sunk two fingers into her in one motion, swallowing her high moan.

They spent the next few minutes locked together, his fingers wringing moans unchecked from her.

She teased her fingers over the head of his cock and dug the fingers of her opposite hand into the meat of his hip. “D, please.”

He grunted and removed his hand from between her thighs, swallowing her protest with his mouth. He hooked his hands around her thighs and lifted her against the cool, wet glass.

He kissed her as he balanced her weight and smoothed his thumb over her clit.

She hissed as he guided his cock into her. He chuckled, mouthing at her jaw. “Make a man feel good, reactin’ like that.”

She laughed, breathy and distracted. “Make a woman feel good with a cock like that.”

He blushed and ground his hips into hers, partially in retribution.

She caught his eyes, pressing her forehead to his. “How you can blush with your dick inside me…”

He shot her as baleful a look as he could in such a circumstance. “You always sayin’ wild shit.”

She dug both hands into his hair and kissed him, full and deep, before pulling away and whispering against his lips. “I like it when you blush.”

He grunted and hooked her legs over his arms. He took advantage of the new position to snap his hips against hers.

She moaned out a shaky, “fuck!”

“Not blushin’ now.”

She smiled and bit her lip. He watched her face as she moaned, smiling against her mouth as the heat and humidity built.

“Touch y’self.”

Her eyes opened, half-lidded and dark and she hummed like she hadn’t heard him.

“Touch yourself. Com’n baby, help me get ya’there.”

He groaned as she sucked her index and middle finger into her mouth and then hissed when he felt them against the base of his cock. She panted, fingers working furtively at her clit.

“Daryl-“

“I know, Spitfire. You’re squeezing’ me. I gotcha.”

He followed her a handful of thrusts later, lips sealed to hers, each swallowing the other’s pleasure.

Part 3

[valiantartwritingweasel]

❦ Oh no, there seems to be only one bed. Whatever will we do? ❦

I have a hate-love relationship with this trope. Will maybe do a women version too but all of them at once would´ve been too much for my pea brain. I also have 4 more dudes in the drafts but i gave up halfway through

it´s kind of romancy-ish as in like, y´all are crushing on each other. Because I want it like this.

gender neutral (no pronouns mentioned) so everyone can feel included

(These are a bit short but it is what it is)

//Diluc, Kaeya, Xiao, Ayato //

Diluc

You just stood there, awkwardly staring at the room. You felt like you were in a bad romance novel (which you kind of are), standing next to the guy who had your heart skipping multiple beats just by looking into your vague direction. Now in front of a single bed that you, probably?, had to share tonight.

You were no stranger to Diluc, as you did like to venture into the tavern regularly. At first you did it for the drinks and then, at some point, you just came for a chat. With him. Him, his sweet smile and his sweet way of telling stories. You loved seeing him. You...loved him.

The situation now was more of a coincidence. A coincidence you couldn´t really explain. But here it was.

The bed wasn´t like small or anything but the sheer thought of lying in such close proximity to the red haired man made your cheeks heat up like fire.

Not daring to look at him, you quietly cleared your throat „so.. uh... how do we go about this..?“

A short silence filled the room before he spoke up „Well, we could just share the bed...right?“.

You could feel his gaze burning into the side of your head, yet you just couldn´t bring yourself to look at him. „I´m sure it´ll be fine“ his reassuring voice spoke once more „if you´re comfortable with it, of course.“

Once more, you cleared your throat, before giving him a small nod „well, yeah. I suppose we can.“

Another minute of silence passed. You didn´t know. Couldn´t know. But the man was just as nervous as you were. Trying his best to voice the thoughts that were clouding his mind, before he spoke up again „We could..stay close to each other...right?“

He too had come to appreciate your presence. Was this how people made their first move? He could only hope that taking notes from Kaeya would prove good for once.

(Would probably sleep on the floor if you asked him to, idk)

Kaeya

Kaeya and you were friends. You always had been. You had shared a bed before. But that was like ages ago.

Now it felt different. It felt more intimate to think about sharing a bed.

You thought it was obvious that you liked him but you could barely tell how he felt about it. He was charming. Very charming. And you never knew how to tell `being charming` and `flirting` apart. Ever. Especially not with him, no matter how long you had known him.

But before you could even say anything, ask how to do this or voice your thoughts out loud, he had already waltzed over to the bed, stretching his arms accompanied by a small yawn.

He did not seem to care, which made your stomach churn a bit in confusing feelings.

Well, good to see that he´s comfortable with you. A bit sad to think that he doesn´t immediately get nervous at the thought of him lying next to you. Maybe he really just thought of you as his childhood friend.

You sighed before following him to the bed, shaking your head, trying to get rid of the heat going through your face.

He was already sitting on the bed, shooting you a look that you couldn´t quite decipher in the dim light. „We should stay close together tonight. Who knows what could happen? Safer to have each others back.“

If possible, you blushed even more, hoping he couldn´t see, before you nodded. „Yes. Yes stay close for...safety reasons“.

When you lied down onto the mattress you could hear him chuckle quietly, before you felt, to your horrific surprise, his arms engulfing your waist. A low whisper reached your ear „There is no shame in cuddling, is there?“ with a smirk that you could literally HEAR through his low voice, he added „for safety reasons“

(a little shit who hides his nervousness very well)

Xiao

With a mortified expression you stood there, in the door frame, staring at the bed.

You didn´t know the yaksha very well, as you had only been in contact with him while Zhongli was around. He seemed... alright enough? He was carrying a lot of sorrow, that much you knew.

You could tell, only because Zhongli was around to make him feel comfortable enough to let some expressions through his facial features.

But you didn´t know why, never wanted to press for it, never wanted to make him feel like he would need to open up to you. So you just tried to keep the contact minimal.

But now here you were, on a journey the old man had set you up to, standing in front of a single bed.

It wasn´t like you were scared to share a bed with him. He didn´t seem like someone who´d take advantage of you at least. But...you couldn´t help but wonder how he´d feel about this..? Would he be alright?

You cleared your throat quietly before muttering „so.. only one bed huh?“. Your voice laced with just a hint of sarcasm.

You looked at him, out of the corner of your eye and took notice of his expression changing. He looked sort of…angry?

Before you could dwell in the thought much longer he had already started muttering „Foolish mortals. Joking at times that require a serious aptitude. Do you expect something to happen? Tell me.“

You were..surprised to say the least. Joking? About what? The irony? You couldn´t figure out what exactly he was talking about. Slowly. Cautiously. You muttered back „Joking about what? What would I expect to happen?“

He stared at you for what felt like an eternity. Slowly but surely you started to feel a bit...uncomfortable. Why was he staring like that?

„I know what happens at night, between two individuals of your kind. Do not hold me to foolish standards of being naive“.

You were flabbergasted, to say the least, before you could get a hold of yourself and murmur „I... just want to get to sleep...No hidden intentions there...“

Now he seemed to be the one who was uncomfortable, averting his face to hide a blush crossing his cheeks. How silly of him. Now he was the one who felt foolish.

A short moment passed and you knew that he was embarrassed about his little outburst. Someone's got trust issues. But you didn't press on it, only sharing a kind smile "I didn't mean anything bad by it. Sorry for the confusion". He nodded and seemed to calm down. After a while he nodded again, maybe more to himself then to you, before mumbling „Sure. I´ll share a bed with you“.

What you didn´t know was that the mf didn´t even need sleep to begin with.

(there´s no way people are just nice, whats ur ulterior motive?? TELL HIM NOW??)

Ayato

It was silly really.

To be embarrassed about the thought of having to share a bed with your husband of all people.

But your marriage wasn't a conventional one, as neither of you married out of love.

It's not like you hated each other, you'd actually say that you got along just fine. You just never got into any...romance situations.

It felt weird, being married already but never having been on a date together. But it also felt weird for you to now try and get closer to him?

There were no books on how to go about this, so you just tried to wing it. Which wasn't easy.

When his eyes looked at you with such precise attention whenever you opened your mouth to say something, it was hard to get any words out at all. You could hear your heart slamming against your chest whenever you focused on his eyes. They were so beautiful.

That aside, right now you couldn't see his eyes. Thankfully. And you were hoping that he couldn't see yours either.

Your eyes were full on staring at the single bed in front of you.

Today, you couldn't venture off into your own room. Today, people could see where you went. Today, people would be able to judge you on your marriage.

Today, you had to stay at a Hotel and today you did not want to put a bad image upon your dearest husband. So you just asked Thoma to book a room supposed for married couples. There was a sofa but…you kind of wanted to make a move on him. To maybe, actually, be married to him? The thought alone made your heart flutter.

You imagined this scenario to be way easier in your head but now, with him being so close to you, you could definitely feel your nerves spiking up and your face burning with embarrassment.

He didn't seem to notice as he stood there for a while, taking in the room, then he turned towards you "just…one bed?". His tone showed his confusion. You cleared your throat before nodding "I thought… well, I thought we could spend the night together…".

The blush on your cheeks did not want to leave you alone but still, you turned your head to meet the amused gaze of your husband.

This little shit was all you could think before he spoke again "Quite a bold move to make. I like it."

[heeseungsnewwhore]

Mercy🝮

:Part One:

Pairing: Sunghoon x Sunoo

Rating: 18+, mature scenes ahead

Genre: Angst, Hurt, Comfort

Warning Tags: Dacryphilia, SunSun, BxB, MxM, so it's gay, very gay, crying, lots of crying, Violence, possibly triggering content, mentioned abus!ve relationship, suggested, abus!ve relationship, JayWon established relationship

Summary: After years of pining, Sunghoon finally gets a chance to be with the man he claims as the love of his life. Freshly out of a very toxic relationship, Sunoo runs into the arms of the man he had always wanted to give his heart to. But as old faces and feelings from the past begin to re-emerge in their newly established relationship, the couple begin to question the timing of their hearts...

“I’m ready to go home…”

“Huh? But it hasn’t even been an hour?”

“Do we need to be here any longer..? Everyone is just staring at us…”

The shorter male chuckles. “Sunghoon-ah…It’s just because they don’t know you yet.” He says with a cheery grin before he’s wrapping himself around the others arm.

“Well no one has tried to talk to me Sunoo, they’re making me uncomfortable.” Sunghoon sighs before he’s letting Sunoo pull him into the crowd.

“Then we’ll go talk to them instead and if you still feel uncomfy, we’ll leave baby…Just try? For me?” Sunoo stops, now turning around to take the others hand in his, before he’s raising the other one up to caress his cheek.

Sunghoon sighs again, glancing about anxiously, the public display , as minuscule as it was, making him fidget as he felt eyes on them.

“Okay…For you.”

And there’s that smile.

Sunghoon loves that smile.

Sunoo always smiles at him like that…

“Thank you~” Sunoo cheers before giving him a quick peck on the lips and bounding off to a group of people that Sunghoon had only heard of, but never actually met yet.

“Yknow maybe if you weren’t lumbering around like an angry tree…”

Sunghoon rolls his eyes as he hears the familiar voice and looks over to see his friend Jay who approaches with a glass in hand. Watching as Sunoo cheerfully chatted up the group of people he was standing with before gesturing towards Sunghoon.

“Better learn how to smile-“

“Jongssaeng~, do you like your face?” Sunghoon plays in a mockingly cheery tone, Jay immediately looking around as if he heard something.

“Oh? What’s that-? Oh I think I hear Jungwon calling me-“ The younger male now veering off in some other direction as Sunghoon sighs once again before making his way towards Sunoo.

He puts on a smile, shoving his hands into the pockets of his coat as he approaches the crowd. Sunoo, like a magnet immediately coming back to his arm. The taller male tensing up a bit before glancing all about at the people in front of him.

“They think I was joking~ But I told them I wouldn’t joke about that kind of thing- My best friend is my boyfriend now.” Sunoo says so cheerfully and Sunghoon’s heart does a dangerous thing.

“Mmn, the man looks like he’s being held hostage Sunoo- Let him have some space!” One of Sunoo’s female friends chastised him but he only stuck his tongue out at her.

“Ah, he’s always been like this- He just gets really clingy when he drinks I don’t mind. At least he’s not wandering off.” Sunghoon says before he’s looking down at the other male who’s pouting up at him.

“Hey, I don’t wander off!”

“Well I’m not taking any chances now am I?” Sunghoon says before he’s ruffling the others hair gently.

The woman ahead of them chuckling before one of the males speak.

“So how did you end up dating? You must’ve been waiting for a chance right?”

“I-I…”

“Dude-“ The Woman nudges the man in the ribs.

“What!? I’m saying that it’s a good thing! Sunoo’s ex was garbage, I’m glad it’s a friend. You should be relieved too…” He says giving the woman a dirty look and she rolls her eyes before sipping on her drink again.

Sunghoon sighs. “Well, it was something like that I guess…Excuse me, I need to go to the bathroom. Don’t- let him go off anywhere?” Sunghoon says to Sunoo’s friends, before he’s off to the restrooms.

Sunoo of course trying to bicker at him that he didn’t need to be babysat, and the two friends of his bickering about how Sunghoon ended up uncomfortable.

But the man wasn’t wrong…Sunghoon took his chance.

About a month ago

Sunghoon was lazing about in his kitchen. Boredom taking over the atmosphere as he was finishing up the dishes with little enthusiasm. Jay had come over for dinner and to hang out for a little while, and had left only moments ago. Sunghoon was now cleaning up before he got ready for bed. They had had a few drinks so he was already sleepy enough.

But it’s suddenly that he’s hearing soft banging on his door. He pauses at the sink, listening again…And there it was. He leaned to have a view of his front door wondering who it could’ve been. Jay had a key, so no reason to be banging on his door.

There it was again, but this time much louder.

“Sunghoon-ah?! Sunghoon!? Please!”

Sunghoon knew that voice all too well, and quickly made his way to the door. Practically snatching it open, as he was now met with Sunoo. Soaking wet from the rain, hugging himself and sobbing. Sunoo doesn’t say anything , just throwing himself into the others arms. Sunghoon not hesitating at all in taking the other in his arms as he quickly begins to look him over.

“Sunoo!? What the Hell, what are you doing-? What’s wrong? Are you hurt?”

Sunoo shakes his head as he sniffles, tears still running down his face as he looked up at his friend. He had been crying for a while. Eyes red and puffy, his nose was red. His hands gripping at the fabric of Sunghoon’s shirt for dear life and it’s in that moment, Sunghoon’s heart decides now is the time to start trying to catapult out of his chest.

“S-sunoo-“ Sunghoon cups The others cheeks. “Tell me what happened-“

“He kicked me out! He threw me out, and he wouldn’t let me get my things, he has my phone, my clothes everything!”

“Su-“

“I don’t want to go back! I just want my things! Don’t make me go back!” Sunoo is burying his face in the others chest again, sobbing into him.

“Sunoo- Did he hurt you?” Sunghoon asks and Sunoo takes too long to answer, the larger male pulling him away from his body and asking again. More stern this time.

“No! No he just locked me out…I-I couldn’t call because he has my phone, so I had to walk…”

Sunghoon couldn’t help but frown- That expression soon turning into a grimace.

“Let’s get you into some dry clothes, go find something of mine.” Sunghoon gestures towards his bedroom, before grabbing his coat, and his keys.

“W-wait where are you going?”

“To get your stuff.”

“Wait-!”

“I’m calling Jay he’ll be here in a few minutes, I’ll be back.” Sunghoon says quickly, going out the door, phone at his ear as he rushes to his car.

‘Hello..?’

“Can you swing by my place real quick?”

‘What-? What’s going on, are you okay?’

“I need you to sit with Sunoo until I get back okay? I gotta go get his things.”

‘What!? What are you-‘

Sunghoon hangs up before Jay can even finish speaking but he knows he’ll come through. Jay might have been on his ass for an explanation later, but if he could tell it was urgent, he knew to ask questions later. Sunghoon also DIDNT want to leave Sunoo alone and he was pretty sure the other male didn’t want to be alone.

It’s about a ten minute drive to the housing complex that Sunoo had lived in with his boyfriend. But with the way Sunghoon was driving, in the rain even, it took him about half the time. He parked across the way where he could see the house within walking distance. One car in the driveway, so obviously he was still home. Sunghoon turns his car off, shoves his keys in his pocket, and climbs out of his car. Practically storming for the front door.

Sunghoon knocks on the door, rather harshly, and there’s no response. He does it again, this time banging on the door. Constantly. Starting a whole rhythm under the pounding rain.

“I told you to-!”

The door suddenly swings open, the man’s words catching in his throat as he sees Sunghoon. Sunghoon not wasting any time as he barges in, inviting himself into the man’s home. Though it’s not as if Sunghoon hasn’t been here before.

“What the Hell are you doing!?”

“I’m here to get his things.”

Sunghoon says simply as he turns to face the man now. Watching a snide smirk play at his lips. Sunghoon really just wanted to punch it right off.

“Go get them, I don’t want any of it.” The man slurs, now shuffling over to throw himself onto his couch.

Sunghoon can’t help but glare. It’s then that he notices the state of the house. The alcohol, the stench of it. The living room was a mess, as was the kitchen. There’s no telling what the other rooms looked like. He then storms in the hallway, going into the bedroom, to see that it was trashed as well. Almost the entire house was a mess. It’s then that Sunghoon is balling his fist. He knows what he came for but the aftermath of whatever had happened didn’t look like things played out too well at all. The house was a mess yet Sunoo said that the man didn’t hit him or anything. After seeing the place Sunghoon found that to be less likely.

He tries to focus on the task at hand, going over to the closet and practically snatching it open. Seeing a couple of suitcases, he grabbed the biggest one, tossing it onto the bed. He starts gathering Sunoo’s clothes. He’s familiar with all the things that are his of course. His clothes, his jewelry, even his cologne and any trinkets that he was sure were Sunoo’s . It wasn’t a difficult task for him. The only thing that made it difficult is that most of these things weren’t where they were supposed to be. It only made it harder for him to contain the discomfort he was holding towards the other.

After he was done stuffing the suitcase, putting any other smaller objects in his pocket, he made his way out of the bedroom. He was almost out the door before he finally remembered something important.

Sunoo’s phone.

He puts the suitcase down by the door, now turning to the drunken male on the couch.

“Where’s his phone?” Sunghoon asks simply, and the man seems to have already passed out. Getting frustrated he walks over to the other, kicking at his feet. “Hey! Wake up! Asshole…” he mutters the curse as the man finally comes to.

“What, What..?”

“Sunoo’s phone? Where is it?”

The man shuffles around a bit on the couch, before he’s finally pulling Sunoo’s phone out of the sofa. Tossing it across the floor at the other. Sunghoon grimacing as he picks it up, now shoving it in his pocket. He then turns to go out the door…But doesn’t. Instead he goes back over to the couch, squatting to the man’s level. Grabbing a handful of his hair and forcing him to pay attention to him.

“Ow! Hey what the fuck!” He hissed, taking drunken swings at the other at Sunghoon can’t believe how pathetic the man ended up seemingly over a day.

“Shut up and listen- Because if I ever see you again. If you ever touch him again…You’ll regret it. Do you understand? Yeah?” Sunghoon forces the other man’s head to nod as he has a painful grip on his hair, the other repeating his words through a hiss of pain. “Good, good.”

With that, Sunghoon shoves the others head away from him as he lets go of his hair. Now making his way back to the door, and picking up the suitcase. 

“Did he tell you why I threw him out? Huh?! Did you even ask!? Or did he play the victim? Tsh…Go ahead and keep him…You can deal with it now.”

Sunghoon shakes his head with a sigh. He couldn’t begin to be the least amount of worried about whatever the man was babbling on about and makes his way out the door. Putting the suitcase in the trunk and driving right back to his house. He couldn’t help but continue seething on the short drive. His phone was going off, buzzing from worried messages filling his phone from Jay. But he could tell that some of the messages were from Sunoo himself. It wasn’t long before he was walking back into his own home, dragging the suitcase along behind him. As he drags himself in, he sees Jay on the couch comforting a still teary eyed Sunoo- both of their eyes now on him.

“Hey…” He says simply as Sunoo is now running over to the other and wrapping his arms around him. Sunghoon of course hugs him back. “I grabbed everything I could…The place was a mess but…I tried…” 

“You didn’t even have to do all of that…Thank you Sunghoon.” Sunoo looks up to the other with a teary smile, and even then, in that moment, Sunghoon really wished he could have kissed him. But it’s then that Sunghoon notices the little bandage on the others cheek. Now raising a thumb to gently rub over it.

“What the hell is this?” Sunghoon asks, looking right up at Jay who is now getting up from the couch. 

“Sunghoon-” Sunoo starts and the taller gives him such a stern look, Sunoo can only pout, knowing better than to make another excuse.

“Apparently, he was throwing things around. Via the mess you saw and- Theres some bruises on his back too.” Jay answers and Sunoo is burying his face into Sunghoon’s chest to cry again.

“I didn’t want you to worry Sunghoon I’m sorry,,, He was just throwing things everywhere and I just wanted to get out…I-I just didn't move fast enough-” 

“Sunoo, none of this is your fault, okay?” Jay gently places his hand on the youngers shoulder. “Just stop- Everytime you open your mouth, you’re defending him somehow. Just don’t.”

“Jay is right- And Please, if there’s anything else, you need to tell us…Tell us what happened.” 

It’s after that, and another flood of tears that Sunoo sits down between the two and tries his best to explain everything that had happened. Apparently Sunoo’s boyfriend had gotten it into his head that he was cheating. But it was Sunoo himself that found out otherwise. Sunoo’s boyfriend only saying that he cheated because he assumed Sunoo was already cheating- Which was false. What had convinced Sunoo’s boyfriend that Sunoo was cheating, was a drinking party he had gone to. The people that were present there were some mutual friends, as well as Sunoo’s therapist…To which Sunoo had talked alot to about another ‘person’. Another ‘man’...And the way these things were coming from the drunken mouth of Sunoo’s therapist only made things worse for him when his lover- former lover- got home.

Sunghoon sighs as he is balling and unballing his fists and Jay has his head in his hands in a frustrated manner.

“So…He got really mad at me and…That’s when everything else happened.” Sunoo swallows through his broken sobs. “I-I didn’t know where else to go…I-I’m sorry.”

“Don’t…Don’t apologize you could’ve come to either of us.” Jay says as he tried to rub along the others back soothingly, but stops as the younger winces. “S-Sorry.”

It’s then that Jay’s phone begins to buzz and he pulls out only to let out a string of curses under his breath.

Sunoo turns with a sniffle, wiping his eyes with his sleeves as he ponders whats wrong. “What’s wrong?”

“Well- I gotta get back. Jungwon’s awake and he’s worried now.” Jay says with a sigh as he sees all the messages from the other, going to text him back before the other is now calling.

“Hello? Babe- Baby-! It was an emergency! It was- Baby, I’m getting in the car right now. Yes, I’m right down the street. Honey…”

Jay wasn’t exactly yelling at the other over the phone, but more so trying to calm the other down enough to reassure him that he was fine and coming home. He was giving the others silent goodbyes and waving to them as he quickly made his way out of the house, now making way to his car.

Leaving Sunoo and Sunghoon to the silence…

"I'm sorry.." Sunoo's expression has completely fallen again, his eyes beginning to fill with more tears.

Looking up to the other as he tries to force a smile. "He's such an asshole..He shouldn't have to be your problem"

"Sunoo-“ Sunghoon shifts on the couch some, turning his body more towards the other. "If he's making you cry like this, he was going to be my problem anyway-…You're not going back there, okay?"

"I just feel so stupid, I thought things would get better after we moved in and it just got worse, and I have nowhere else to go and I wanna stop crying and I can't and I feel so ugly-“

"I think you're pretty."

Sunoo swallows, looking over to the other man now with a streak of confusion. A mortified look on Sunghoon's face as he realizes what he just said.

"S-Sunghoon.?" He practically hiccups his friends name.

"I'm- That was-" He raises a hand up to drag it down his face in a frustrated manner. Giving a defeated sigh, he's carefully moving his own hands. Taking Sunoo’s in his. Hesitant, at first, almost as if Sunoo's hands were the most delicate things he could hold.

"I think you're pretty when you cry…You're never ugly- Just sucks that this is why you have to cry."

"y-You think that..?" The younger male sniffs, blinking through his tears, bottom lip still quivering slightly. Sunghoon opens his mouth to speak but quickly slams it shut.

Sunghoon can't even bring himself to look at the other anymore. It was already bad enough that he had the most obvious crush on his friend- Jay making a daily reminder to him about it on a regular basis, for whatever annoying fucking reason. But tonight after hearing Sunoo slip up about his therapist and their sessions…It didn’t take much for Jay and even himself, to realize that the other man Sunoo had been mentioning during his session’s…Was Sunghoon himself. Jay having given Sunghoon a certain look during the discussion- Almost as if he had known there was something between them in the first place. But Sunoo was taken. Long spoken for. What could Sunghoon have done?

But now Sunoo was sitting here, on his couch, tear stained, in one of his shirts that fit him just a little too big…Sunghoon didn't know who was more vulnerable in that moment between the two of them and he's only just a man. His mind is reeling on how Sunoo is technically single now and how he just called him pretty, how swollen his lips are, how red and puffy his eyes have gotten, how there's so many stars in his eyes when he's crying, how his hands are really soft, how gorgeous his legs are-

"Sunghoon-ah!?"

Sunghoon jumps being snatched out of his thoughts, Sunoo practically yelling his name.

"S-Sunghoon, are you okay, have you been drinking or something.?"

Sunoo asks and honestly, though he has had a drink or two, those words hurt his   feelings. Sunghoon didn't need to be drunk to tell Sunoo how he felt- He just needed time. An opportunity. This was as good as any...The selfish thought of Sunoo getting over his ex and going to someone else gnawing at him. He doesn't want Sunoo to go anywhere else. He wants him here. Like this. These soft hands. Those swollen lips. Even his broken smile. He wants everything that there is and anything he can fix.

"I'm not drunk Sunoo, and I meant it. You're always pretty...always."

He's rubbing his thumb along the back of the others hands now.

Looking down to the delicate fingers for a moment before their eyes finally meet again. "And when your cry, it's just…” Sunghoon let's out another sigh, watching as another tear runs down flushed cheeks and he can't shake the thought away anymore.

He couldn't ask for it.

He didn't even really think about it.

His body moved on its own.

Cupping the others face in both hands now, he closes in the space between them with a kiss. Catching the poor man off guard as he steals his lips. Chasing after the shy, plump folds that slowly started to reciprocate. Sunoo's hands coming up to brace on the others wrists.

Sunoo is Kissing him back.

He's really kissing him.

And Sunghoon can feel the fireworks going off in his chest. Deepening the kiss much further as he glides his tongue past the others lips with such ease and the little noise that comes from him makes his heart turn flips. Sunoo is trying to say something- His name. Muffling it out into the kiss before Sunghoon is finally pulling away to let him catch his breath.

"Just go out with me instead…”

"Wh-what?"

"Move in with me even-"

"Sunghoon!?"

"Your things are already here! Just stay the night...Think about it…..Give me a chance...I'd even beg." His last words are almost a whisper, but Sunoo hears them.

He moves his hands to cup the others cheeks, now bringing his forehead to rest against his. Closing his eyes, before there’s finally a faint smile at his lips.

“Why couldn’t you come out with it before..?”

“Huh..?”

There’s a weak chuckle coming from Sunoo before he’s tilting his head bit, now bringing himself closer to the other. Much closer. So much that Sunghoon is now cradling the other in his lap. Sunoo now comfortably nuzzling himself down into the others embrace. Already, he felt so safe. Warm. 

“This is going to sound really bad, Sunghoon…Please don’t judge.” The younger whispers. Head now resting on Sunghoon’s shoulder, a hand playing in the man’s hair.

“I won’t judge you. I promise…What’s wrong?”

“Well…” Sunoo sighs. “I always knew you kinda liked me…Always.” He starts and he can see the defeated look in the others expression an he chuckles. Sniffling before he speaks again. “I liked you too, though…But- whenever I tried…You always seemed to pull away…Like you didn’t want me.”

Sunghoon can hear the others words waver a little at the end. Holding him even tighter as he now turns his head to pepper soft kisses at the youngers jaw. “I’m sorry Sunoo…I didn’t want to ruin what we had…As friends…It was stupid…”

Sunoo shakes his head slightly as he sniffles. “It hurt a little…I should’ve just come out and said something to you…But I was afraid of you turning me down…So I thought maybe if I made it obvious enough…He'll come to me.”

“I’m sorry-”

“No-No don’t be.” Sunoo is now moving to cup the other’s cheeks, holding his face so that the two are now peering into each other's eyes. “I have you now…Right…? I-If I stay for a bit…C-Can we try? I mean- give it a little time? See what happens?”

It was just from those words that Sunghoon couldn’t help the smile that graced his lips. Just the thought of a chance between them and he was beyond happy. It’s seeing that smile though, that Sunoo had his answer, and he was meeting the other in a sweet kiss…

The moment their lips had touched in the first place, they both had their minds made up.

Present Day…

Splashing some more water on his face before peering into the mirror, Sunghoon regains his grip back on reality. Pulling himself from thoughts of the past, and back to the present. He was sure he had already taken too long in the bathroom and needed to get back to the crowd. But ever since he had arrived to the party, things had felt, uneasy.

He just had a feeling…

A feeling like he shouldn’t be there.

He just wanted to take Sunoo and go home.

But he promised the other he would come…After a month of sorting themselves out, they decided to call things official, and all of his friends were more than excited to meet the Sunghoon that they had always heard so much about. Apparently Sunghoon had been the topic of many conversations even long before they were dating.

But he shakes it off. Letting out another sigh before returning to the crowd. He sees Sunoo is right where he left him. With his little crowd of friends.

“Hoon! There you are, I thought you fell down the drain!” Sunoo teases, almost in a tone as if scolding the other for taking too long. But he brightens the other up with a smile almost immediately after, before he’s hugging his arm again.

“Hey man- If what I said earlier was weird, or out of line, I’m sorry. I’ve just had a lot to drink tonight.” The male admits and Sunghoon shakes his head, signaling it’s okay.

“You weren’t wrong. It just wasn’t the opportunity I would’ve wanted. I could’ve waited longer if it had meant for things to go differently…I think about it going differently all the time but- Well we’re here now and that’s all that matters.” Sunghoon suddenly admits and Sunoo is looking up to the other with the most awestruck expression.

“I didn’t know you still thought about it so much…It feels so long ago to me now. Would you really have been waiting for me, Sunghoon?” The younger one has drunken stars in his eyes and Sunghoon smiles, forgetting about the couple of friends in front of them for a moment.

“Of course I would…This is something I’ve wanted for a long time.”

Sunoo can feel happy little tears stinging his eyes, and he hides them as he pulls the other down into a kiss. Sunghoon’s hands coming to the other's waist, as Sunoo’s smaller ones are now cupping his face. Just a sweet trading of lips. A brief little moment that said so much more. The two slowly pull away with soft smiles, a  slight flush at Sunoo’s cheeks.

“Oh! Oh my!”

It’s then hearing the female in front of them that Sunghoon scolds himself and Sunoo can only giggle.

“No, no! You two are so cute! Ugh, Sunoo he’s perfect, you should’ve started dating your friends a long time ago!” She chimes. A tearful smile on her face before she fans at the man that was with her, now shoving past him. “Move I have to go fix my makeup! Oh gosh you two-!”

“I’m gonna make sure she wanders into the right bathroom this time.” The man laughs as he now follows after the girl. Giving Sughoon a proper goodbye in case they didn’t see each other for the rest of the night.

After that, the two mean were practically inseparable. Sunoo was happily hanging off of Sunghoon in front of all of his friends, and it even put Jungwon in a romantic mood. Prompting him to be just as clingy with Jay. Not that he already wasn’t, but he was more drunk off the atmosphere rather than the alcohol. Whispering little promises and taunts in Jay’s ear all night just to tug at his composure. Meanwhile Sunoo and Sunghoon had seemed like the sweetest couple at the party tonight.

“Y’know, I’ve never seen anyone actually dance here…” Jay sighs as he’s pour another shot for himself, and the other three men.

“It is good dance music, just going to waste.” Jungwon sighs, fiddling with the small glass before bringing it to his lips.

Sunoo hums as Jay pushes his glass over to him. Sunghoon and his friend downing their shots together. “It doesn’t have to be a waste.” The younger says before hopping up from his seat.

The three watch him wondering where he could possibly be running off to- And then they realize- He’s sauntered straight over to Heeseung. Who was glued to the couch with a girl on either side of him, both of the females seemingly contesting for his lap.

“Heeseeeeung~ Can I have your phone?” Sunoo sings, Heeseung too engrossed in his conversation with the girls, doesn’t even bother to ask what he wants it for, and hands it over.

Sunoo now having complete control over the playlist. Changing the vibe, ande the volume, and it’s noticeable. Especially with the way he begins dancing through the crowd, tugging at a few others clothes, pulling them to the center with him. Eventually bumping into his female friend who was more than happy to join him. The younger male making his way all the way back to Sunghoon and his friends, the biggest smile on his face.

“We can dance now!” He cheers, clapping for himself.

“You literally just grinded on half the household…” Jay says with a dumbfounded look on his face, Sunghoon having covered his eyes.

“Is it safe to look yet?” The older whines and Sunoo playfully slaps his boyfriends arm in response. 

“Well, I don’t know about you, but I'm going to dance.” Jungwon says with an innocent smile before Jay looks him up and down.

“If you’re dancing, then I’m dancing? Duh.” 

Jungwon can't help but laugh at the way his boyfriend responds, before Jay is taking his hand himself, and guiding them out onto the floor. Now there’s just Sunghoon. Sunoo’s pleading eyes gazing up at the other, as he bites his lip. Taking the larger hands in his and slowly stepping back into the dancing crowd. Slowly but surely, Sunghoon follows him in. If the two hadn’t appeared inseparable already, they definitely were that way now. Sunoo kept his body as close as he possibly could to the others. His arms around the taller’s shoulders, Sunghoon’s around his waist in response. Their foreheads touching, and if you had to look twice you’d say they were kissing. A few times they were. Until it inevitably turned into nothing but an entire makeout session in the drunken crowd of their friends.

And from there, the night carried on…The atmosphere had shifted to a much more lively setting for the next handful of hours, and Jay and Sunghoon were making sure to keep an eye on Jungwon and Sunoo who wanted to have a few more drinks before going home. No more for themselves of course, because they were the ones that would be driving them home. 

“Mmmmmm I had so much fun let’s do it again tomorrow…” Sunoo groans, body completely limp against Sunghoon’s as the four of them were piled on the couch. Sunoo and Jungwon sitting between him and Jay. The two younger males obviously needing to be tucked in.

“Hey guys! Sorry I was- Well…” 

They look up to see Heeseung jogging down his stairs, in the process of throwing his shirt back on and a sheepish smile on his lips.

“Wow, never seen him blush like that before. They must've been fun?” Jay says with a suggestive smile, before giving him the eyebrows as well. Heeseung silently mouthing an ‘oh yeah’ before squeezing himself onto the couch next to him. Only way that ended up working out was Jay shuffling over and having to surrender his lap to Jungwon. 

“Everyone else is already going home, but we didn’t want to leave without saying bye.” Jungwon admits with a sleepy smile as he readjusts in Jay’ s lap. Turning himself a bit more so that he can face Heeseung.

A few of the boys had work in the morning but not all of them. Of course that had included Heeseung so he more or less had to make sure that the house was clear of anymore guests, before seeing his friends out. Heeseung had lived in a pretty nice condominium so it took some time and a bit of elevator sharing for everyone to make their way down to the parking lot. Of course as they got there, one of the males realized he still had something on him that didn’t quite belong to him…

“Oh no! Awh, man…” Sunoo whined as he looks down to the phone in his hands. Sunghoon stopping, gently taking ahold of the others shoulders, trying to figure what’s wrong.

“Hm? Baby, what is it? Sunoo?”

Sunoo laughs nervously before slapping himself in the forehead. “I still have Heeseung’s phone! And he’s all the way back up theeeeere!”

Sunoo is now looking up at Sunghoon with those eyes. Those starry brown hues that he just can’t deny. With a soft sigh and smile, Sunghoon takes the phone from the younger.

“I’ll take it up to him. You just go to the car and warm up.” He then slides his keys into Sunoo’s pocket as he leans in to steal a kiss, before jogginh his way back into the lobby.

Sunoo smiles as he watches the other head off, now looking down to the keys in his hand. It’s then that he hears a car horn and looks up to see Jay and Jungwon waving to him before getting into their car. He wavded them of as well before finally starting to Sunghoon’s car. But his short walk across the lot was soon interrupted…

He looks around as he hears his name.

But he’s not sure where it’s coming from…

Then he hears his name again and his eyes finally land on a familiar man.

No…Not a man he wants to see at all.

But as the man sees he has Sunoo's attention, he’s smiling and jogging in his direction.

“No…No, no, no, no-” Sunoo turns quickly and begins to chant as he moves quicker. Everytime he hears his name from the man’s voice he tries to move faster but his feet fail him.

That and there was a hand gripping his wrist, tugging him back slightly to stop him from going forward anymore.

“Sunoo, wait-“ As the man grabs the younger’s arm now, Sunoo is automatically flinching. The older male seeing the effect his grip had on him, he loosens it and takes a step away. “I-I’m sorry…I just want to talk…I want to…Apologize. That’s all. If you’ll-“

Before the man could finish speaking, there was a larger figure emerging between the two. A fist coming through to put the other man on the ground. Sunoo gasping as he took a few steps back, now to see Sunghoon.

“I told you if you ever touched him again…You’d regret it.” He says glaring down at the man, who’s still holding his jaw. Looking up bewildered at the other before looking to Sunoo in shock. “Don’t look at him. Fuck off.”

The man is quickly scurrying up off the ground before quickly running back to his car. Sunghoon simply turning around, grabbing Sunoo by the wrist and leading them back in the direction of his car.

“What was that?!” Sunoo exclaims, following along as Sunghoon drags him.

“A punch.”

“He wasn’t hurting me! Sunghoon! Sunghoon!” Sunoo suddenly stops, tugging against the other. Finally snatching from his grasps causing the male to whip around.

“What-? Are you mad? Are you mad that I hit him?”

Sunoo raises his arms only to drop them at his sides again. “I’m upset that you did something so reckless!”

“Everyone saw him grab you.”

“Yeah and then everyone saw you punch him! You punched him!”

“If you’re so worried about what I did to him now, then you’d be terrified at what I would’ve done back then…” Sunghoon is suddenly in the others face. “Do you know what it was like? Walking into that house? The images in my head, Sunoo?”

“S-Sung…”

“You worry about him every time we see him around…” There’s a look in Sunghoon’s eyes. A mix of anger, pain, and confusion and it reflects in Sunoo’s. The smaller beginning to tear up as silent drops cascade down his cheeks. “And I have to see him around now, happy, healthy, untouched after what he did to you. How can you be concerned!? How can you care what I do to him!? He’s garbage, Sunoo! I finally, FINALLY do something to make sure he never comes near you again, and you’re upset!? He’s going to keep chasing you until you talk to him!”

“I-I just don’t want you to get in trouble…” His voice is barely there and it’s when Sunghoon sees it…The hint of fear in the others eyes. “I-I don’t want you to fight…I don’t want to see you all beat up and angry like that…That’s not my Sunghoon…” Sunoo shakes his head as his voice begins to waver and even more tears start to fall.

He’s crying.

Really crying now.

Sobbing.

“Don’t be like him! Don’t get so angry that you end up doing stupid things like he did! So angry that you just hurt people because you’re mad! You have me now, okay? I love you now. I loved him once but...Some people just don't fit…S-Sunghoon- I’m yours...Okay?” Sunoo’s shaky hands are now holding Sunghoon’s and the taller man can’t help but notice the eyes around them. Not only that, but Jay and Jungwon dashing across the parking lot to the two of them.

“You guys alright?!”

“What the Hell is going on?!”

“Sunghoon punched my ex.” Sunoo sniffles, now bringing his hands back to wipe his own tears.

“You punched him?” Jungwon says in disbelief as he glances between the two of them.

“About fucking time…” Jays says under his breath but is immediately getting a look from Jungwon.

“Jay- Don’t.”

“He came up and grabbed Sunoo…He didn’t need to touch him, he had no business touching him.” Sunghoon defends himself and Sunoo gives him another wounded look.

“And you didn’t have to touch him, you could’ve just grabbed me and we could’ve left! Now look-”

“Look at what? All your friends that were just watching? Did I embarrass you? Well I’m sorry Sunoo, next time I won’t interrupt. You must’ve felt so safe just now then, right? Before I came?”

“Sunghoon!” Jungwon is now stepping between the two of them, shoving the older male back some. “Lay off, listen to yourself…He panicked okay, it’s not his fault! Especially when you just come out of nowhere swinging like that…”

“I’m fine. I just wanna go home.”

In tears, Sunoo is shoving past them, moving quickly through the parking lot as he makes his way to  Sunghoon’s car. Jungwon giving Sunghoon a worried look before following after Sunoo. Calling the younger’s name but getting no response or acknowledgement. Leaving Jay and Sunghoon to themselves. Jay gave his friend a look of disbelief before rolling his eyes and waving to the other to follow him to his car so they could talk. Sunghoon huffs. Taking his hands through his hair in a frustrated manner before following after Jay.

“Sunghoon…” Jay starts. He’s now sitting behind the wheel of his car and Sunghoon in the passenger seat. From where they were parked, they could see Sunoo and Jungwon’s figures. Having their own conversation a ways from them. “You know you can’t yell at him like that, right..?”

Sunghoon is staring down into his hands. He felt bad for raising his voice at Sunoo like that, yes. He felt bad that he made him cry. But at the same time, he was angry. He was angry that his ex was able to even lay a hand on Sunoo. He felt like he had failed. Like he had broken his promise. He was disgusted. He was angry he couldn’t hit him more. Sunoo was the one that came to his house covered in bruises and yet that man had nothing coming to him? Sunghoon regrets not beating him up that night.

“Sunghoon-”

“I know.” Sunghoon finally huffs out. Now resting his head against the window as he stares out at nothing really. “I know and I’m sorry…”

“Yeah well, I’m not the one you should be apologizing too…That night was horrible for him. I still don't’ think we know everything that was going on between them…That relationship went bad a long time ago but Sunoo was trying so hard…”

“I know…” Sunghoon sighs again, but this time his voice is weaker. “I’d never hurt Sunoo. Never on purpose…I just wanted to protect him. I told him he’d never have to see that guy again, that I’d never let him lay another finger on him…”

Jay could hear the defeated tone in his friends words. The pain even. Sunghoon had waited so long for this moment. The relationship with Sunoo that he had thought would always be a fantasy…It was actually the entire reason his last relationship failed.

“Y’know…When we broke up. I lied.” Jay suddenly speaks. Sunghoon’s brows coming together.

“Pardon?”

Jay can’t help but laugh a bit then. Sunghoon’s head now coming off the window to face his friend.

He sighs. “When I broke up with you Sunghoon…It wasn’t because of Jungwon.” Jay clears his throat again. Finding it difficult to find the next words.

“Jay…”

“No- No, I need to say this.” He takes his hands through his hair. “That lie was totally unfair to you. To make you feel like I left you for someone else.” His own voice is growing a little weaker now. Eyes stinging. “God, I didn’t think I’d be crying over this again.”

“You? Crying over us? Jay- I- Whatever it is, just tell me.”

“I broke up with you-” He starts, silent tears falling from his eyes anyway. “Because I knew you didn’t love me.”

“Th-that’s not true-”

“NOT in that way. I know you love me, I KNEW you loved me then, but not like a lover. When I was with you Sunghoon, all I saw was how much you wanted him. The longing. All of it.” Jay nods, now fiddling with his hands in his lap. “I know how long you’ve been waiting…Years. Years to get to love him, right?” Jay finally looks over to his friend.

It’s then that the two realize the tears in each others eyes and can’t help but laugh at each other.

Just a way to cope.

“Ugh, this is so weird.” Jay groans now roughly wiping the tears from his face. Sunghoon does the same as he hums in agreement.

“We never really talked about it before, wow.” Sunghoon is now looking out to see Jungwon giving Sunoo a comforting hug. The younger still appeared to be crying…

“Yeah…But you get what I’m saying right?” Jay looks to the other again. “I know how much you love him. Maybe more than anyone. But if you hold onto him too tight, he’s gonna slip right through your fingers…You see the way he walked away from you…? He didn’t even storm off on his ex like that…That scared me. It scared ME, Sunghoon…Don’t make yourself the one he has to harden his heart to. He’s been through shit. Don’t drag ‘em through more.”

Sunghoon nods slightly. Gaze still set out on the two figures ahead of them.

Silence filling the car between the two of them…

Until-

“I’m sorry…I’m sorry I did that to you.” More tears are falling from Sunghoon’s eyes. 

He couldn’t help but think about all the time he had Jay going through that pain. A whole year. An entire year and even though it all had Sunghoon been that obvious? So much that he blindly went as far as to hurt his friend? He didn’t mean for Jay to be a bandaid or anything of the like. They sorted themselves out…Gave it a chance. Hell, Sunghoon was the one that initiated it…One drunk sleepover turned into a not so one night stand later and the two were happily claiming each other as lovers. But it wasn’t as happily as Sunghoon thought…

“Mm-mm” Jay shakes his head. “Don’t do that. I messed up to- I thought I could replace Sunoo. Dumped you and told you there was someone else…I could’ve been honest. Could’ve done better. We both made a mess.”

“Still-”

“No. I lied.” Jay is wiping his eyes again. “I lied to you Sunghoon. To protect myself. If I told you the truth then, you would’ve been seeing me alot like you’re seeing Sunoo right now.”

Sunghoon slams his head back against the seat with a groan. “How am I NOT supposed to apologize?”

“Because- You made up for it by being my friend, always being my friend. Being there for me, for Jungwon, for both of us? All while having to- Deal with watching Sunoo with…Y’know other guys and not you...”

“I still feel guilty…”

“I know…Back then I would’ve wanted you to.”

“I deserve it.”

“Sunghoon, dude-”

“Jungwon is coming back.”

It’s then that Jay looks up to see that Sunoo is getting into Sunghoon’s car, and Jungwon is coming around to Sunghoon’s door. Opening it up as he reaches the car.

“He’s ready to go home, Hoon. You two should go on and head in, sleep this off.” Jungwon suggests, but it’s then…He notices the state of the other two, giving Jay a questionable look.

“We had the talk- The talk you told me I needed to have? That ‘we’- Needed to have?” Jay admits and Sunghoon is suddenly wearing an alarmed expression aimed at a sighing Jungwon.

“Come talk to me for a minute, Sunghoon…”

As Jungwon steps aside, Sunghoon piles out of the car, shutting the door behind him. Now looking down to the younger male. 

“I- Kind of forgave you a long time ago for Jay. He told me why he really broke up with you before we started really dating…And y'know, I hated you for a little bit.”

Sunghoon’s eyes grow wide…Before his gaze falls to the ground. He doesn’t know what to say. He doesn’t even know if there’s anything for him to say.

“But you and Sunoo have always been something Jay has wanted. He wanted to see you happy still- And we all had to watch you break a little more every time Sunoo went to someone else…But you have him now- Don’t mess it up, okay?” Jungwon is now moving, tilting his head in a way where he’s forcing himself to be under the others' gaze. “Mm? Yeah?” He says offering the other a smile and Sunghoon finally raises his gaze.

“Yeah…Don’t hold on too tight, Jay mentioned that too…”

“We shouldn’t have to tell you this…But he really loves you. Alot. He’s loved you and been waiting for this for a long time too…But he’s– He’s hurting. Still- alot- So you can’t talk to him like that, okay?” Jungwon is shaking his head, tears stinging his eyes. “Don’t, talk to him like that.”

But seeing the tears in Jungwon’s eyes suddenly had Sunghoon confused. Everyone was having their fair share of tears tonight…But what had he and Sunoo talked about? Did Sunoo tell him something that he didn’t know yet?

Sunoo was still hurting?

At that moment, Sunghoon began to feel ashamed. To feel wrong for suddenly assuming that since Sunoo was with him now, all his pain was gone. That wasn’t how Sunoo was feeling at all. That’s how Sunghoon was feeling. Had he really been so selfish all this time?

“Take him home now, Hoon.” Jungwon says before climbing into the passenger seat. Exchanging soft goodbyes with the older before Sunghoon watches the two disappear from the parking lot. He looks ahead now to see Sunoo sitting in his car waiting for him.

Sunghoon was hesitant at first. Shoving his hands in his coat pocket as he takes his time moving across the parking lot. Carrying himself to his car. Sunoo is sitting in the passenger seat. Sniffling, Fiddling with the ends of his sleeves. Shivering. Sunghoon doesn't hesitate at all in blasting the heat after he gets the car started.

“Thank you…” The younger mutters.

“Of course.” Sunghoon’s words are soft. Tone a lot different than what it had been earlier.

Sunoo had noticed the change in his demeanor, now stealing a few glances of the other. It was then that he noticed that Sunghoon had been crying too. He couldn’t help but pout. Did Sunghoon cry because of him? Was he that angry with him? Did what happened hurt Sunghoon that much? Sunoo couldn’t help but begin to guilt trip himself over what could have possibly made Sunghoon cry. It wasn’t often if at all that he’d ever seen Sunghoon cry…Regardless…The drive home was silent.