#every time we have a big wildfire in this state I see people fucking celebrating it

[thiswasinevitableid]

77. a prophecy said that we’ll save the world together but I’ll be damned if I enjoy your company while we do because you insulted my best friend the first time we met

Ot4, sfw, please!

Here you go! I'm very pleased with this one

The drive hasn’t changed. The road into Kepler goes under the same covered bridges and winds up the same hills it always has. Even the views from driveway to the October House are the same one’s he watched through back windows with rising delight. He’d hoped to get here when the fall colors were still crisp and bright, but they droop from the branches like mourners from the weight of the grey rain.

No one batted an eye when he said he was moving North on Joe’s invitation; Joseph Stern inherited the ancestral home in Vermont, with its sprawling grounds and stately decay. It would make sense that he’d ask the friend who spent so many summers with him there to take up the role of groundskeeper.

Duck pulls his truck into the carport next to a languishing Chrysler Imperial. He runs his finger over the black curves, raindrops plinking on the tin roof as he wonders whether he could coax Joe into taking him for a ride.

He leaves his bags in the car for now. Letting his friend know he’s here is the top priority.

The house is just as tall and mismatched as he remembers, turrets and wide windows mixed with sloping eaves and a sun room. It’s patchwork quilt character extends to it’s color; some walls are red, others goldenrod, and the door is bright as a ripe pumpkin.

Joe christened it the October House the first summer he and Duck visited there. Joseph’s aunt, a proud spinster, suggested his transplant parents send him to the family farm for a few months of growth. When Joe showed his characteristic skepticism about spending his summer alone in Vermont, she offered to let him bring a friend. He chose Duck every year.

The October House was the last thing they spoke about the night before Duck left for basic training (and, soon after, Normandy). Joe was already slipping off the map, recruited for secret purposes by men who valued his intelligence over his humanity. He told Duck to remember the summer they were thirteen, to remember he was brave.

It wasn’t Duck Newton’s first war, but it was for damn sure his last.

He opens the door with the tarnished key Joe sent him. Anywhere else, he’d call out to find his host. But he knows where he’ll be.

One flight of creaking stairs, a left turn down the hallway of faded photos, a right into the room with the mural of Noah’s Ark on the wall, and there he is. Black hair slicked back, blue silk robe covering old scars and new, and eyes that are bluer still turning to take him in.

That’s Joe alright; immaculate even in his madness.

“You’re here.” He stands, dazzling smile reflecting the firelight.

“Told you I’d come. Can’t leave you here to get buried alive in books.” He opens his arms, unsure even as he commits to the movement. Joe hesitates, then steps across crumpled maps of stars and seas to hug him.

“I missed you.” He whispers. Duck doesn’t mention that Joe was the one to disappear once the war was over. They had one night in Huntington celebrating the boys who made it home; Joe’s smile stayed painted on the whole time, but Duck couldn’t get him alone to ask why. Then he fled north and didn’t respond to letters.

“Missed you too, Joe.” He peers over the taller man’s shoulder, takes in the mural and all the materials on the floor. Duck steps from the hug, paper crunching under his boots as he goes to trace the door of the ark, “you’re tryin to go back.”

“I want proof Sylvain was real. I, I want to see it again, to know we didn’t dream it.”

“Got a scar on belly that says we didn’t.” Duck turns, slips his hands into his pockets, “why are you really tryin to go back? They told us we couldn’t, said that if we came home the gate would shut for good.”

Joe doesn’t answer right away, runs his fingers over the badgers and bears fleeing the flood, “Do you ever wish we’d stayed?”

Duck thinks about bloody sand. Then about Jane getting married. His folks celebrating their twentieth anniversary.

“No. Christ, Joe, we were thirteen. It was fucked up to ask us to. Who the fuck asks two kids to rule a kingdom?”

A weak laugh, “and people say I’m the smart one.”

“You are.” Duck touches his shoulder, ��now c’mon, smart guy, you don’t show me where my room is, I’m takin yours.”

------------------------------------------------

“You sure this is the spot?” Barclay keeps a close eye on the gathering darkness for any bursts of sickly white.

“Yes. The maps align with the stories that they emerged near “a stone like that of a broken heart.” Indrid draws hurriedly in the dirt with his claws, his lower hands uncorking bottles as he does, “come closer, if this catalyzes before I expect, I do not want you to be left behind.”

Barclay sets a hand on his shoulder. Feels his feathers shudder as he inhales.

“It’s time. I, if this does not work, I am sorry.”

He bends, kisses Indrid between his antenna, “I trust you, little moth.”

Indrid hums as amber light fills the clearing, and then everything he knows and loves dissolves into heat and empty air.

---------------------------------------------------

It's the same static, the rush of heat like wind in a wildfire. The hairs on Duck’s arm snap to attention as Joe leaps from his chair. The door on the ark shimmers and glows with alien majesty. Then two figures fall face-first on the floor and the light is gone.

“Are you alright?” Joe bends to help the first, feathered shape but it stands in a flurry of down, the hairy figure following suit.

“Yesyes, we are fine.” The feathery one looks like a massive moth with some human features.

“Oh.” Joe grins, “I’ve never seen a Sylph like you before. This, this is incredible.”

“You know what we are?” The other asks hopefully.

“We do. We, I’m, I’m Joseph Stern, and this is Duck Newton-”

“Thank the stars.” The mothman bends one knee, his friend doing the same, “yes, we are humble emissaries of the kingdom of Sylvain. We have searched for months to find our way to you. You, who prophecy says will aid us, return and take your rightful place as kings, and save our home once more.”

“No. Nuh-uh, not a fuckin chance.” Duck steps back, spots conflict in Joe’s eyes.

“What do you mean?” The mothman stands, “you, the prophecy, my visions showed you-”

“Then they showed fuckin wrong. I just got my life into some kind of order, I’m not letting you and some giant fuckin ape-thing drag me into another mess.”

Red eyes narrow, “Do not speak of Barclay that way.”

“I’ll speak about him however I damn well please because this is my house!”

“Technically, it’s my house.” Joe sighs, “But Duck is right. We almost died saving Sylvain once before. As, as much as I miss it, I’m not sure I can go back if it means risking our lives again. I was sort of hoping for a middle ground between being stuck here and a near-death adventure.”

“Please-” Barclay steps towards Joe.

“Hey, he said no, so fuck off.” Duck growls. The Sylph growls back.

“Buddy, do you have any idea how much we risked to get here? How much energy Indrid just used to open the gate. Oh, and, by the way, without the stuff we came here for we can’t go home. We’ll be stuck here.”

“Then you shoulda had a back-up plan instead of assumin you could just say a few fancy words and get us to go back. Oughta get some brains to go with the brawn there, big fella.”

“Enough” Indrid hisses, glaring at Duck. “I do not care if you are a chosen one, nothing gives you the right to speak to him, or to me, so callously. We came to you, you who are--if I did not make it clear--our last hope, and you respond with cruelty. I ought to teach you manners, but I will restrain myself.”

“Like to see you try.” He turns to where Joe is carding a hand through his hair, expression lost, “it’s your place, so you decide how we get rid of ‘em. But I’m done here.” With that, he stomps down the stairs, already suspecting Joe will let the Sylphs stay. When it becomes clear that’s the plan, Duck heads into the garden to work and stays there until all the lights are off.

It’s just after midnight when he wakes from a dream, slicing at the air while weak cries die on his tongue. He sits up, then goes gravestone still as the door opens. Indrid’s eyes are warning lights in the dark hall.

“Are you hurt? It did not seem fair to leave your calls unanswered.”

“No. Just had a, uh, a bad dream.”

The Sylph steps through the door, turning on the small, standing lamp, “It is strange to be the only one not waking in terror for once. Well, I suppose Barclay doesn’t.”

Duck tosses off the blanket, “Fuck, is Joe-”

“He is fine now. Barclay was up looking at cookbooks when he started screaming and went to him. Your friend did not wish to wake you, but was so shaken Barclay offered to stay with him.” A little smile, “he is very comforting. Soft, too.”

“You’re sure he was just dreamin? Not sick or anythin?”

“Positive. He was yelling in some other language.” Indrid fiddles with the knick-knacks on a shelf.

Duck runs a hand across his face, “Probably German.”

Indrid cocks his head.

“He had to learn it when he was a, uh, a spy in the last war. The one here. He...he got caught, I only know that because everyone talked about how miraculous it was that he escaped. Joe never talks about it.”

“One can imagine why.” Indrid murmurs.

“Then ‘one’ can probably imagine why I don’t want either of us near a goddamn battlefield.” Duck snaps.

“Is...oh dear, you think that is what we’re asking of you? Nono, we came here for help in preventing a war, one that may destroy both our worlds.”

“You coulda led with that, y’know?”

“I suppose. I, I am, or was, the court seer. But as the evil spread across our kingdom, it disrupted my powers. Now they’re gone entirely. It’s as if I am navigating the woods with no compass and no stars.” His antenna droop. Duck turns the chair near his bed in invitation. The Sylph moves quietly across the worn boards, “The last vision I received before they disappeared was of you two helping us; I saw a new timeline of futures, bright and hopeful, unfurl before it was gone. When you said you would not help us, it was like ripping my wings from my body mid-flight. That is why I was angry. Well, that and how you spoke to Barclay.”

“Sorry about that.” Duck scratches the back of his neck, “I just...when y’all showed up, all I could think about was bein back in the middle of a fight. Of, of seein Joe die.”

“I am sorry too. I did not know you had suffered such things.” Indrid picks at the blanket with chipped claws, “I cannot promise there would not be danger if you aid us. But I give you my word that you shall hear no more of it from me. I only wish for you to accept this quest if you wish to.”

“Thanks. That already puts you ahead of the last time.”

Indrid hums, then peers at Duck’s arm where a tattoo peeks from his shirt, “What is that?”

Duck rolls up his sleeve to reveal the pine tree, “got it because it helped me think of home.”

“Yes but how? To wear art on one’s skin, that is amazing. Do you think they could do it on mine?” He holds out his upper right arm. Duck runs a finger up it, thinking of the polished cherrywood on the table downstairs.

“Might be tricky. You need skin for it to work.”

“Blast.” Wings flutter once, “do you have more I may see?”

Duck unbuttons his shirt as Indrid scoots closer; if he’s not going to sleep tonight, at the very least he can make someone happy.

-------------------------------------

“Gotta say, y’all bein’ here is doin’ wonders for him.” Duck hands Barclay a glass of water as he joins him on the porch. Joseph and Indrid are sitting on a sunny path of lawn, Indrid showing the human his wings and explaining them in detail so he can make notes.

“Seems to go both ways. Indrid hasn’t been this animated since we left to find you two. He’s even more talkative.”

“Joe’s always been good at that. He can get anyone talkin, and can make almost anythin sound interestin.”

Barclay sneaks a glance at the human; he’s much friendlier these last two weeks, but his protectiveness of Joseph hasn’t waned.

“I wouldn’t say him cheering up is all on us. From what he told me, the week you got here made him feel like his cares were washing away.”

“Really?”

Barclay nods.

Duck sips his water, rubs the condensation with his thumb, “In, uh, in Sylvain, am I rememberin right that men could marry men? Ain’t always easy to tell when there’s so many kinds of beings runnin’ around.”

“Why wouldn’t that be okay? Some kinds of Sylphs, like Indrid’s, don’t even have things like men and women. I mean, when they offered you and Joseph a chance to rule as kings, the records make it sound like the two of you would have gotten married.”

Duck chokes on his water, splutters as Barclay pats his back, “I, fuck, I’d never, we’d never, I, fuck, definitely never ever didn’t think about it.”

Barclay lets the horrible excuse for a lie slide, “It’s a way bigger deal that Indrid chose me for this; being a seer makes him noble and I’m just a cook. Going off into the wild with me? Trusting me? Thought some of the ministers were gonna faint.”

“Was it just you helpin him or are you two, uh, y’know?”

“Yeah, I do. Can you blame me? Look at him” he gestures to where Indrid is spreading his wings so Joseph can study them. Stars would he like to go down there and hold the human tight while he taught him how to make Indrid purr.

“He really is somethin.” By the look on his face, Duck wants to do the same thing, just in reverse. After a moment, he murmurs, “the night before we were supposed to face the Red Devourer Joe and I were in the tent by the battlefield. Curled back to front, my arms around him and I could feel his heart beating hard as mine. Shoulda been thinkin about strategy, or prayin, or somethin’ like that, but all I could think was that I oughta kiss him, just in case we didn’t survive. But I didn’t. There were chances after that. I never took ‘em.”

“It’s not too late.”

“If you found out Indrid wanted to kiss you for years and was too chicken to, even when he thought he was gonna die, would you really let him?”

Barclay thinks of claws in his fur, of Indrid huddled against him and chirping softly when Barclay asked to kiss him.

“Of course I would.”

--------------------------------

“How long until the summer?” Indrid tosses the wool scarf Duck lent him over one wing.

“Months. Y’all got here in October, which means we ain’t even into the worst of the winter yet.”

An annoyed chirr, “We need more blankets.”

“Get you more when we’re in town tomorrow, fluffball. Hah, here’s some.” Duck kneels to cut some surviving leaves from a wild yarrow. They’re out in the woods because Indrid is running low on his feather oil, which keeps him from being miserable and itchy. He described what it did and let Duck smell some (it’s a bit like aloe and vanilla) so the human could reverse engineer what earth plants might do the trick.

Duck brushes off his pants, looks around, “Huh, we made it to the Maples. Joe’s aunt said she never got much from ‘em, but I don’t think she ever really tried.”

“What is special about them?”

“It’s how you get maple syrup. It’s in these trees.” Duck smirks, remembering Indrid licking the dregs from the bottle at the house with his long, long tongue.

Crunch

He whirls to his left, finds Indrid with both rows of teeth sunk into a maple branch. He giggles, then guffaws as the Sylph pulls off with an indignant chirp.

“You, you gotta, hee, you gotta tap the trunk, n-hee” he doubles over as Indrid bites the same branch while drumming his claws on the trunk, “not quite, need some other tools.”

“Perhaps lead with that?” Indrid grumbles, wiping bark from his face.

“S-sorry just, just didn’t expect you to go to town on it like that, heee”

Indrid grins, “It was worth it to hear you laugh like this.”

God, when was the last time he laughed this hard? The thought sobers him, his joy faltering like a bird in a storm. Then he cackles as four spindly arms hoist him into the air.

“ACKhey, put me down fluffball! Ahhno thatheee, that tickles.” He laughs louder as Indrid holds him to his chest and rubs his fuzzy face against his neck.

“I thought that might do the trick” Indrid purrs, nuzzles his cheek, “no more despair, Duck Newton. Not today.”

Duck turns his face so they’re eye to eye, pine green to ruby red, “Deal.”

---------------------------------------------

“I found everything on the list.” Joseph crumples the note paper and tosses it away as Barclay gleefully unpacks the shopping bags.

“This is so fucking great, I can’t wait for you guys to try this, and Indrid is going to lose his mind when he sees what I made. This dessert is his favorite.” He tucks the heavy cream and pears into the fridge.

“I’m excited to try it. We definitely didn’t eat any tarts when we were in Sylvain. The badgers who hid us from the red mist were, I think, pretty poor.”

“Yeah, the borderlands were bad off in those days. I was just a kid too but I remember digging out roots to try and make some kind of soup.” The Sylph turns those endearing brown eyes on him, “up for being my kitchen assistant again?”

“Always.” Joseph tucks a dishcloth into his belt. He’s very proud of himself for finding earth equivalents to all the ingredients Barclay needed to make a fall dinner from home. Having the Sylphs living with them means he goes into Kepler more often for groceries or goods to fix up the house. Everyone in town thinks his childhood friend is a good influence, getting him out of the stuffy confines of the October House.

They’re not wrong. When Joseph saw Duck in the doorway, a little world-worn but just as kind, just as practical as he always was, he decided that if the other man didn’t want to return to Sylvain, Joseph would set the project aside. He’d focus on the world he was in, because with Duck there he might yet find things to marvel at, things to discover that weren’t mired in the mundanity of human evil. They’d make the October House into a home, live out their days as bachelors.

Then Barclay had come through, auburn-furred and so gentle Joseph wanted to make like butter in the sun and melt. And Indrid, magnificent and vulnerable (and very infatuated with Duck). When Duck announced he’d help them look for clues to stopping the war, Joseph felt buried bits of his mind rising to the light of the new challenge.

After dinner, they take a pot of coffee into the living room. Indrid is delighted by records, is already putting one on as Barclay puts wood on the fire. The seer lays on the rug, head in his lovers lap and purring low.

Love me like there's no tomorrow

kiss me like it's goin' out of style

“You know, I wonder how one dances to this. It is not fast, but the rhythm is not like the formal dances at court.”

“Here, I’ll show you.” Duck stands, offering Joseph his hand. Lord, he’s pictured this so many times but still has to coax his own hand to move, “Joe, you’re leadin.”

He settles his hand on Duck’s hip and holds the other, concentrates on swaying them to the beat.

Hold me like you're afraid I might get away

Love like I've been gone for quite a while

“You can come closer, Joe. I ain’t gonna bite. Not in front of company.”

“I’m holding you to that.” He presses closer, prays for Duck to rest his head on his shoulder.

Take and wrap me in the package

my future my presence and my past

And love me like there's no tomorrow

and each day might be our last

“Dearest, I am rather tired from that lovely meal you made. Shall we retire?”

“Good thinking, little moth.”

Love me like there's no tomorrow

Make each night one more remembered

we will let the heaven be our guide

“Seems they didn’t need much of a demonstration.”

“Not sure that was Indrid’s endgame.”

Just love me like there's no tomorrow

and keep me right by your side

Joseph tips his head down, whispering, “What was?”

Keep me right by your side

“Duck?”

In the crackle of silence between songs, Duck brings their lips together. Joseph forgoes their stance and pulls him against him, their hearts magnets that were finally turned the right way. Then his feet stumble on the rug, Duck pushing him back with a ferocity he didn’t know he possessed.

Joseph drops into the chair, Duck pouncing before as he breathes. Joseph growls, the hunger that’s been chained threatening to crack his chest from the inside, and nips Duck’s lower lip.

“I said no bitin.”

“You said you wouldn’t bite.”

“You're right, darlin’” Duck cups his cheek as Joseph grips his thighs, “I’m gonna do so much more than bite.”

----------------------------------------

It never gets easier, waking from these dreams steeped in shame, fear, and sweat. Except this time someone’s arms are around him.

“I’m right here Joe, we’re here, we’re safe.”

“Very safe.” Indrid stands behind Barclay in the doorway, “another dream?’

“Yes. I, um, I-” he reaches for Barclay without meaning to, is ready to apologize when the Sylph slides into bed beside him.

“Is this okay?” It’s directed at both the humans.

“Yes.”

“Uh huh.”

Barclay adjusts so Joseph can hide his face in his chest. He should ask Indrid if he wants to be on the bed as well, the poor Sylph might think he’s not wanted-

“C’mon fluffball, my back is gettin cold.”

A delighted chirp and then a wing, black with a grey and red eyespot, drapes across him and Duck.

“Mmmmmm, I knew you would be lovely to hold.”

“Aim to please, sugar.”

“What happens now?” Barclay murmurs.

“My vote is we all get some sleep and work out the particulars in the mornin’.”

“Seconded” Joseph mumbles.

“We will need a good night’s rest; tomorrow I make the disguises for myself and Barclay so that we may begin our wider search.”

“Hope you guys like them.”

Joseph squeezes Barclay, smiling as Duck wiggles closer and Indrid’s wing grows heavier, “We’ll love them no matter what, big guy.”

[jiminniethemarshmallow]

Privacy (Drabble #7)

36. "Umm, can I help you? Why are you staring at me?"

61. Frat house

74. Telling each other I love you

(A/N): This one’s 6.6k words long because I couldn’t help myself. ❤️

"Umm, can I help you? Why are you staring at me?" That was the first thing you'd ever said to your current boyfriend, Jimin. But at the time he was nothing more than a stupid frat boy at the stupid party you had been invited to. Well, not you specifically. Your friends had gotten an invitation and you just happened to be standing there with them when they got it.

"That's not a nice way to greet the person that invited you here." He says, flashing you a toothy grin. He was the boy that handed you the invitation, you remembered his boyish smile from before, but you didn't particularly care who he was and just shrugged him off.

"I didn't want to be invited to this stupid party anyway." You mumble, knowing he couldn't hear you over the blasting music blaring through the speakers.

"You're (Y/n), right? I'm Jimin." He extends his hand in your direction and you shake it reluctantly, trying your hardest not to get caught up in how soft and warm his hand was, or how charming he appeared to be. Jimin had a reputation as the fraternity's charmer. He was cute, a little too cute in your opinion, and he seemed to be the most innocent, even though everyone knew that was only partially true. He clears his throat after shoving his hands in his pockets and for a moment you think you can see a bit of shyness peek through. "I've had my eye on you for a while. You help out at the library don't you?"

"Wow, that's not creepy at all." You say sarcastically, sipping from a cold water bottle you’d picked up from the kitchen.

"I'm sorry, I just- I've seen you around and thought you were... interesting." You can tell your hard stare is making him nervous because of the way he keeps fidgeting, but you couldn't help it. You were too busy trying to figure out why he was even talking to you right now when there was a room full of other, prettier, more outgoing girls that would love to hookup with him, assuming that's what he wanted from you. Girls that were his type.

"I'm interesting?" You repeat, reading his expression carefully.

"Yeah... and pretty." He almost mumbles out, a blush creeping up on his cheeks.

"Are you drunk?" You ask abruptly, not trying to seem rude, but that was the only explanation you could come up with for his behavior. Your outburst causes him to let out a surprised laugh.

"No! I'm serious. And I want to get to know you and maybe hangout." He looks up at you hopefully, but you narrow your eyes at him.

“Is that some type of code word for hooking up because I’m not that type-“

“It’s not code for anything, it means I want to hang out with you. Really.” He states, looking right into your eyes.

Maybe you were the one that was drunk because for some reason you agree to him and spent the rest of the night talking. His friends came to him a few times, all shitface drunk and stumbling around, completely ignoring your presence, and that fact seemed to relieve Jimin to some extent.

Somehow you managed to agree to "hang out" with him a few times after that party before he finally confessed to you and asked you out on a real date. You were beyond surprised, partly believing that he was just messing with you before, not really being interested in you because there was no way he could like someone like you, but the genuineness in his gaze and touch convinced you that it was real. And it was. You couldn't deny that you liked him too. But you never let yourself accept that fact until he confessed to you, and when you started dating, you realized just how deep your feelings for him were.

There was a small roadblock, however; one that you picked up on pretty quickly. None of Jimin's friends knew about your relationship. You had asked him about it multiple times and he assured you that he wasn't ashamed to be dating you, but you couldn't help but notice how nervous he would get when his friends were around or when you two were together in public.

"Jimin, why are you keeping us a secret?" You asked him when you first started dating.

"It's not that I don't want them to know, I'm just worried they might judge you." He explained. "Those guys are too shallow to see what I see and to understand how I feel. Not that you aren’t gorgeous or anything! But you’re just different from everyone else.” You took no offense to this, it was true. You were different and you pride yourself on that fact. “I told them I'm seeing someone, they just don't know it's you."

You understood, you knew how harsh the the frat boys could be, but you still had a sinking feeling in your heart that Jimin thought his friends would hate you. No, you hadn't told your friends either because they would all freak out and the news would spread like wildfire, but you were still upset. After that you started meeting up with Jimin in more private areas. When you would walk around in public, you made sure to put some distance between yourselves and not to look at him for too long. He noticed your behavior right away, but didn't say anything about it, knowing the reason you were acting like that.

It was fun being secretive at first. There was a certain thrill that ran through your veins every time you would meet up at your dorm or in the frat house to hook up. You could be caught with your pants down (literally) and then everyone would know that you were more than friends. You enjoyed the subtle touches and gestures you would give each other whenever you went out. Jimin spent a lot of time with the other boys during the day and he could be found with at least one of them at any given time, and you liked the few occasions when you would see each other while he was out with them, making eye contact, winking, or blowing kisses when no one was looking. But that thrill died down the longer you were together, and months into your relationship, you began to hate how sneaky you had to be.

Jimin was tired of it too, maybe even more so than you, and the constant questioning from his friends wasn't helping.

"Who is this chick anyway?" Hoseok asks from his spot on the couch.

"Yeah Jimin, why haven't we seen the girl you're fucking yet?" Taehyung chimes in, all heads turning toward Jimin.

"Dating." He corrects. "Why do you need to see my girlfriend? I don't trust any of you horny bastards enough to let you anywhere near her."

"If you don't have proof, it didn't happen!" Jungkook yells from the kitchen and the others nod.

"Yeah, how do we even know she exists?" Jin questions. "We barely even know her name."

"I told you her name is (Y/n)." Jimin states matter-of-factly and everyone rolls their eyes at him.

"That's real fucking specific. You know how many girls probably have that name in this school? A whole fuckin' lot." Yoongi grumbles, sinking further into his spot on the couch in disinterest.

"What's her last name? We just wanna see what she looks like." Namjoon says looking up from his phone.

"Or at least show us a picture." Jungkook adds, walking into the room just as Jimin stands up.

"You know what, I'm actually pretty tired. I'm heading to bed." He says ignoring their protests as he walks out of the room. "Goodnight!"

The library was always your favorite place. The silence was a comfort to you and there weren't too many people there, which was great because honestly you weren't a people person. You often helped out there for a small internship and ran errands for the librarian, a cute middle aged woman that was too lazy to leave her desk on most days. Today you found yourself filing away books for her, pushing around the heavy cart as you went shelf to shelf. While reaching up to put away a heavy textbook, you spotted a familiar face peeking curiously at you from the other side of the tall bookcase. You gasp and cover the gap with the book, watching as your boyfriend walks around to meet you on one side.

"What are you doing here?!" You whisper yell at him. He giggles at your surprise.

"Why are you so surprised to see me here?" He asks, feigning offense.

"Don't act like this isn't the second time in your entire life that you've ever set foot in a library." You tease and he clenches his chest as you laugh. "But really, why are you here?"

"What, I can't visit my girlfriend?" He smiles, moving closer to you and grabbing your waist. You look around before settling in his arms.

"Not while I'm working. You're gonna distract me." You sigh, letting him give you a peck on the cheek before moving away to continue working.

"The boys kept asking about you last night." Jimin says as he follows you. You give him a quick look. "They don't think you're real because I won't tell them who you are." You laugh at the thought. Why would Jimin ever makeup having a girlfriend and keep up the act for months? College boys are dumb. "I don't like keeping you a secret. We can't keep avoiding everyone."

"I know." You say simply, sighing heavily.

"Come over tomorrow." He proposes after some time. You turn to him and open your mouth but he doesn't let you speak. "No one's supposed to be home most of the day so we should be fine."

Once again you find yourself agreeing to him without thinking, knowing what could happen; but then again, it wouldn’t be the worst thing if people found out about you. Jimin wasn’t a celebrity or anything, there wouldn’t be mobs of women ready to fight you if they knew you were the one who stole away his heart, although he did have a pretty big fan club of girls eyeing him up. The only thing you were nervous about was what people might say about you. Were you pretty enough? Would they think you were a nerd? Would his friends talk shit about you behind your back and try to convince him to break up with you? These were mainly irrational concerns, but they still crossed your mind briefly. But you were never known to care much about what people think of you so you didn’t let these nagging thoughts bother you.

Tomorrow came all too quickly and not fast enough. You wanted to see Jimin because neither of you had classes, but you couldn’t push down the nerves you felt from the possibility of being discovered. Walking up to the frat house felt like trespassing. No one was around to see you approaching the front door, and they probably wouldn’t care even if they did see you, but you still felt as if you were doing something wrong.

You texted Jimin instead of knocking on the door, just in case someone else happened to be home and answered the door, but not even 15 seconds later the door came swinging open, your boyfriend smiling at you and stepping aside to let you in.

“Why do you look so nervous? I told you no one else is here.” He laughs, eyeing you up and down. You had on your shortest pair of booty shorts that revealed your long legs, which he noticed were freshly shaved, coupled with a tee shirt brandishing your school logo that was folded and tied just above your belly button. This was a new look for you and Jimin had to admit that you looked absolutely delectable.

“It’s weird being here during the daytime alone.” You’ve done this many times before, but this was the first time you’d come without having a valid excuse. Usually you lie and say you’re tutoring Jimin or working on a project together, slipping under the radar of his friends who were usually busy doing other things or occupied with their own guests. This was the first time you and Jimin would have complete privacy.

“I think it’s nice having you all to myself.” He responds, shutting the door and leading you up to his bedroom, somewhere where you were always comfortable. Somewhere private.

You ascend the the steps ahead of him, giving him a perfect view of your ass as your shorts ride up with every step, and he resists the urge to smack it or grab at it because he knew you’d probably get all shy in front of him.

“Where is everyone anyway?” You ask as you enter his room, plopping down on Jimin’s bed. He shuts the door and strolls over to you, dropping himself beside you and pulling you down with him so you’re both resting on your back, your head on his firm chest.

“Apparently there’s some concert off campus so most of them went to that and Tae and Namjoon went out somewhere, probably with some girls or to find girls.” He shrugs. So it was true, you had the house all to yourselves.

“Then what should we do?” You ponder, looking up at him innocently as he thinks.

“Me and Kookie just bought this cool new game, wanna see?” There’s enthusiasm in his eyes when he asks this and you can’t help but humor him just a little, agreeing and watching him hastily hop from the bed to turn on his tv.

You weren’t really a gamer, but you did enjoy watching Jimin play games. You liked seeing how focused he gets whenever he’s challenged, or how excited he gets after he beats a boss or clears a level. It’s adorable really, and you find his reactions more entertaining than the game itself. After about an hour of playing alone, Jimin offers to teach you how to play. At first you decline, murmuring something about how you have zero coordination and would get too frustrated at the game, but he urges you to accept, arguing that once you get the hang of the controls you’ll have fun, at least more fun than just watching. Reluctantly, you grab a controller and allow the lesson to begin, listening to Jimin explain what each button does and trying them out. He lets you train for a bit and, although you’re playing on the easiest levels of the game, you start getting cocky about your abilities after a while, finally getting past the learning stage where you accidentally pause the game every time something surprises you or you’re about to die. You beat the enemies with ease now and your boyfriend cheers you on as you go.

“See, you’re a natural! My girlfriend’s so talented.” He praises, boosting your ego.

“Yeah, I think I might actually be better than you.” You tease, smiling at his reaction.

“Oh yeah? Why don’t you put your money where your mouth is.” He encourages, pausing the game and turning to you.

“Bet. Why don’t you play me, 1 on 1?” You challenge, knowing full well that you’d most likely lose, but your competitive spirit would never let you back down from a fight, so you continue. “Best 2 out of 3.”

Jimin’s eyes twinkle as he switches the game mode to player vs. player, intrigued by your confidence.

“What do I get when I win?” You quip as the two of you choose your characters.

“If you win.” Jimin corrects, “Whatever you want, babe.”

“Hmm,” You think for a moment, running through all the things you could possibly want until you settle on something. “Will you buy me a sundae at that new ice cream shop down the street?” You suggest and honestly Jimin looks relieved that it’s something simple.

“Of course. But you have to win first.” He smiles at you.

“And if I lose?”

“Then I get to tickle you for a minute straight.” He replies without hesitation, getting a loud protest from you, a very ticklish person. “Okay, okay, then 30 seconds.” He relents as you frown and hit him one last time. “And on top of that, you have to do whatever I want.”

“Hey! That’s not fair, why do you get 2 rewards?” You complain, holding up 2 fingers.

“You started the bet so if you lose, it’s only fair that you pay double the price.” Jimin shrugs, hovering over the start button to your game. You huff.

“Fine.” Pressing start, bold words appear on screen instructing you to defeat as many foes as possible within the time limit. Jimin wins the first round by stealing all of your items and impeding your character every time you went for a kill. Seeing that he’s playing dirty, you use his tactics against him in the second round and grab all of the items at the start so he has nothing to help him, earning you an easy victory. It comes down to the third round and you both agree to play a fair game to test your skills and it comes down to the last enemy, both of you tied in score. You reach the enemy first, but mis-click on your controller, causing your character to set a trap instead of going in for the kill, allowing Jimin to sprint past you and take your shot, winning the game at the last second.

You both shout, one of anguish and one of pure joy, you throwing down your controller in fury and standing up.

“That was a mistake, I was supposed to win!” You whine, backing away from your boyfriend as he stands as well, approaching you.

“Doesn’t matter, the screen says I won, which means it’s time for your punishment.” A wicked smile crosses his face, fingers waggling tauntingly as you try to escape.

You make a break for the door, but he’s quick and grabs you as you try to duck past him, tackling you to the bed and pinning you with his body as he begins his assault. He tickles your stomach as you scream for him to stop and try to wiggle away, blocking his arms with your own, kicking futilely, both of you laughing uncontrollably. He grabs one of your arms as they flail about and pins it above your head, tickling your armpit mercilessly as tears well in your eyes from laughing too hard, lungs tight and burning as you gasp for air but can’t seem to catch any. Your body twists and curls until you manage to flip yourself over, temporarily escaping, and you try to crawl away until his hand closes around your ankle. Uh oh, you think, not at all prepared for what you know is coming next, something you dread. His fingertips dance feather-light patterns on the arch of your foot and you snatch and pull to get away from the sensation, foot cramping as your toes curl and flex involuntarily. At this point you’re screaming at the top of your lungs, a mixture of pained laughter and frantic pants escaping your lips as Jimin just giggles behind you, barely even touching you anymore but still getting a strong reaction.

You force the words out of your mouth when it becomes too much, slight panic in your chest when you realize that you truly are struggling to breathe and can feel your face turning bluish. “M-MERCY, MERCY!!” You gasp, finally pulling your leg free from his grasp. Jimin’s cheeks are pink from laughing as he crawls up to give you an apologetic kiss on the nose while you catch your breath, limbs tingling everywhere his fingers touched. You hated being tickled and knew he loved tickling you, so you push him away and shiver, but you could never really be mad at him. Although it felt like hours to you, it had really only been about 17 seconds before Jimin stopped, but neither of you cared. He was thoroughly satisfied.

“You okay there?” He asks, still chuckling lightly as he wipes a tear from your cheek. By now you’ve calmed down and all that’s left is the bitter taste of defeat as you think about the video game you just lost.

“I should have won that game.” You pout, both of you laying against his pillows. He scoots closer to you and raises a hand to your jaw.

“Aww, baby,” Jimin coos. “That’s what you get for being cocky.” You slap his arm when he laughs beside you, rolling your eyes at him. The pout is still on your lips and he feels bad about it, leaning in. He connects your lips softly and kisses you until you respond, using his mouth to open yours and deepening the exchange. Your fingers card through his hair as you continue to make out, yanking a little harder than usual as payback, grinning when he pulls away to look at you in disbelief. “Do you feel better now?”

You sit up and huff, turning to look at the angel sprawled out below you. “Yeah, a little.” You try to fight the smile on your cheeks by pursing your lips. “What else do you want from me?” Jimin looks at you confused for a moment, clearly forgetting the rest of the bet. “I’m a woman of my word and if I recall correctly, I still have to do whatever you want.” You remind him as he moves forward to exit the game and turn off his tv.

“Ah, yes. How could I forget?” He smiles, but he doesn’t answer you until he’s finished putting away the controllers. Turning to you, a smirk finds his lips and you raise an eyebrow curiously. “I want you to give me a blowjob.”

You blink for a moment, waiting for him to say something else, waiting for there to be a catch, but Jimin just looks at you expectantly. “That’s it?” You ask, switching positions with him as he rests himself against the pillows.

“Were you expecting something else?” He lets you unbutton his jeans and raises his hips so you can shimmy them down to his knees, far enough so that his length can be let free.

“No, it’s just that I would have agreed to suck your dick without the stupid bet.” You mumble, reaching down to grab him and pump him slowly, feeling him grow harder at your touch.

“Hm, then should I pick something diff-“

“No, no, this is fine.” You speak up quickly, yanking your shirt up and over your head because you know how much Jimin likes the view. Running your palms slowly up his thighs, you situate yourself between his legs and look up at him. He sucks in a sharp breath at the sight before him; he could swear you’re the sexiest person he’s ever seen no matter how many times you try to convince him otherwise. He watches as you grab him at the base, bringing your mouth to his tip and giving it a soft lick.

Just the visual of you between his legs has him leaking and you happily lap up the salty liquid that seeps from him. Taking his entire head into your hot mouth, you suck him generously, lips puckered as you continue to look up at his already lust filled eyes. Adding your tongue you begin your descent down his member, swirling the wet muscle around the underside of him and causing him to groan. Jimin bites his lips as he stares, trying his hardest to keep his composure because— fuck, you just started and he’s already losing himself. You bob your head along him until you reach his base, the tip of his cock nestled at the back of your throat and your nose pressed into the skin below his naval.

“Oh shit,” He grunts when you swallow around him, hips jerking up slightly. His fingers thread in your hair and hold you there for a moment. “Do that again.” He rasps, prompting you to swallow all of the precum he leaks down your throat. As soon as his fingers loosen on your scalp, you pull back, sucking in a deep breath before going down again, deep throating him every time. Your tongue runs teasingly up his throbbing vein every time you pull up and you suck roughly whenever you reach his tip, tasting more of his essence, nails raking gently down his waist, hips, and thighs, sending a shiver up his spine. You lick at his sensitive frenulum a few times and his thighs tense up beside you, chest rising and falling quickly and when you look up Jimin’s head is thrown back against the pillows, his lips apart and forcing out heavy puffs of air. When you go all the way down again you close your eyes and hold yourself there, letting his hips thrust forward into your mouth. Suddenly, you feel the heel of his hand pushing at your forehead until you lift off of him to look up at his face.

“Ah, fuck.” Jimin sighs, gripping himself tightly as he squeezes his eyes shut.

“Too much?” You ask innocently, knowing that he probably plans on fucking you if he stopped you when he was this close. Jimin nods and opens his eyes which were almost completely black by now, pupils blown wide.

“Come here.” He says, reaching for you to pull you to his lips. His diligent fingers snap your bra open easily and the straps fall from your shoulders smoothly, throwing the garment aside without breaking from your kiss. Jimin kicks off his jeans the rest of the way, listening to the sound of them dropping to the ground before reaching for yours to tug them down your hips. In a matter of moments you’re both completely naked, his shirt discarded as soon as your lips leave his.

He looks up at you, taking in your beautiful body before him, running his hands along your curves as you lean over him. Reaching up, he attaches his mouth to one of your nipples, flicking over it with his tongue and making you squirm. One of his hands reaches for your other breast while the other goes between your legs, finding your slit and teasing it with his finger tips.

“Jimin,” You moan and he nips you for your impatience, although he finds it amusing how wet you’ve become just from sucking his dick. He slides in one finger, then another, scissoring the digits until you clench around him, begging for something more. Leaning back, he pats his lap, smirking at you seductively.

“Ride me, baby.” He commands, and your body springs into action, turning around and straddling his hips so he can stare at your ass, something you know he takes pleasure in. Reaching over to his bedside table, Jimin hands you a condom and you roll it onto his member with ease, eager to feel him inside you. As soon as it’s on all the way, you sink down on him, not even bothering to go slowly despite the slight burn. You start a quick pace, bouncing up and down on him, but he grabs onto your hips to stop you. “Slow down, we don’t have to rush.” Jimin reminds you, not mentioning the fact that he’s still quite close to finishing and needs time to cool down a bit.

Heeding his advise, you opt to grind on him, rolling your hips sensually and feeling him subtly lifting his own beneath you. His hands roam all around your torso as you move but eventually end up at your ass, cupping it lightly as you start to bounce on him again. You try not to get too intense so fast but the sensation of him rubbing against your walls feels so good that you start to lose control, moaning Jimin’s name and throwing your head back as he guides you along his member. Soon, the room is filled with the sound of skin slapping skin and Jimin’s light moans that you love so much. He really wishes you would be more vocal in bed, but that’s just not the type of person you were, you preferred to listen to him instead of the other way around.

Your thighs flexed on each side of his hips, dropping yourself down on him more and more aggressively until you could feel him deep inside. The heavy breathing and wet noises were all you could focus on and it drowned out the sound of footsteps coming up the wooden stairs of the house. When Jimin slapped your ass a few times, the resonating sound distracted both of you from the patter of bare feet approaching his door. And it wasn’t until his bedroom door swung open that you even realized that anyone had even entered the deserted house.

“Jimin-ah, have you seen my ch-“

Taehyung stops mid sentence at the sight in front of him, eyes wide as Jimin reacts before you, sitting up with lightning speed and reaching around to cover your breasts with his warm hands while you attempt to snap your legs shut and cover your lower regions. Honestly, he was expecting to find Jimin jacking off or something, not to find you mounted atop him. He just stares, looking you up and down and taking in your appearance, but instead of apologizing and shutting the door, he looks over at his friend’s hardened gaze.

“That’s who you’ve been fucking?!”

“Taehyung!” Jimin barks, a growl low in his chest that you can feel vibrate against your back. But Taehyung isn’t fazed, only seeming to remember what he came to do in the first place.

“Oh right, have you seen my charger? Namjoon said you might have taken it.” Although his question is directed toward Jimin, his eyes remain on you as you look away bashfully, staring at the sheets kicked to the bottom of the bed just out of your reach as you sit awkwardly on your boyfriend’s throbbing boner. You want to reach for it to cover yourself adequately, but Jimin’s grip on you tightens the longer Taehyung stands there and it’s impossible for you to move even an inch.

“No, I don’t have your charger, I gave it back.” Jimin replies, trying to sound calm when his friend’s eyes finally return to him.

“Are you sure? I couldn’t find it.” He’s still standing at the door as if the situation in front  of him was normal, probably having walked in on his other roommates many times before.

“I don’t have it.”

“Then where is it? Someone has to have it!”

“I don’t know, check Hoseok’s room!” Jimin raises his voice, making you flinch a little since he’s right next to your ear.

“Fine.” Taehyung sighs, but he doesn’t move, averting his eyes back to you, trying to figure out if he’s seen you before. He runs through the thousands of girls he knows in his head and comes up short, determining that he has no idea who you were. All he knows is that you’re hot. Your boyfriend doesn’t like this and clears his throat loudly.

“Ahem.” He shoots daggers at the man in his doorway, jaw clenched tightly.

“Huh?” Taehyung finally looks at him again.

“...Leave!” Jimin looks at his roommate incredulously as the boy gives you another once over before exiting the room, shutting the door behind him. You wait until you hear his footsteps disappear down the stairs before either of you move, his hands releasing your chest to slide back down to your hips. You drop your head to your hands.

“Oh god, I can’t believe someone walked in on us.” You groan into your palms, Jimin kissing your shoulder to console you. Sure he may have been embarrassed and irritated, but you were mortified. You couldn’t believe that actually just happened. “I knew we should have locked the door.”

“It’s not that big of a deal.” Jimin mumbles, kissing his way up your neck but you keep rambling on.

“And now one of your stupid frat boy friends has seen me naked and probably is telling everyone he knows about us.” Your entire face, neck, and ears were tomato red and you felt hot all over.

“Hey, don’t worry about him.” Is all your boyfriend says, seemingly more focused on the throbbing erection still lodged within you than on what you were saying. “He can tell people if he wants, so what?”

In a split second, Jimin pushes you to the bed, hovering over your body as you look up at him. He crashes his lips onto yours hungrily as if to show you how insignificant your little interruption was to him. Spreading your legs with his own, he rests his length on your lower stomach as he presses his forehead against yours.

“What’s so bad about people knowing we’re dating?” He asks you, breathing heavily.

“What will they say? I’m not your type.” You look away from him, but he captures your lips again, kissing away your insecurities.

“Who are they to say what my type is when I’m the one who should decide? You are my type, I choose to be with you. I’m in love with you.” He smiles down at you and your heart flutters.

“I love you too.” You almost whisper out, not sure if that’s what you should say back, but feeling that was the only thing you could say. You were always so confident and sure about yourself regardless of what people thought, but with Jimin, you always hesitated. Maybe it was because he was the only person whose opinion you ever cared about.

“So don’t worry about Taehyung, only think about me.” His voice lowers to a raspy, seductive tone as he reaches down to guide himself back into you and you both hum as he slowly stretches you out until he’s all the way in. Jimin hitches your legs up higher so he can press himself deeper in you and you keen at the feeling, loving how he fills you up.

Jimin drops to his elbows beside your head and begins a steady pace, rocking into you skillfully with an effortless roll of his hips. You can hear the way you squelch when his pace gets faster, your wetness dripping down your ass and inner thighs and Jimin takes notice as well.

“Baby, why are you so wet? Is it all because of me, or did Taehyung walking in on us arouse you?” The teasing tone in his voice kills you and your face reddens again. You definitely weren’t this wet before that. Your boyfriend drops his head lower so that he’s whispering beside your ear, a chill running down your spine when his breath tickles your skin. “Did you like that? Did you like Taehyung walking in and finding you on top of me, riding and dominating me, claiming me as your own? God, I can feel you getting tighter. I didn’t know you were so freaky, princess, maybe I should invite him to watch one day?”

Normally, you would be highly opposed to the thought of someone watching you perform such vulgar acts, but hearing it come from your boyfriend’s mouth like this made you hotter than you’d like to admit. And his hips snapping into yours faster wasn’t helping. He hit all the right spots, stealing your breath away as you panted into his neck, whining for him to keep going and leaving red love marks on his skin. He groans when you clench around him after he hits an extremely sensitive spot, his hips stuttering a bit when you start to move your own beneath him.

“Fuck, (Y/n), you’re so good.” He grunts biting onto your shoulder lightly to contain the noise threatening to escape him. You squeeze your legs around his waist to pull him closer, wrapping yourself around him as you get closer to your high. Jimin pulls back a little so that he can look at you properly, gazing into your eyes lovingly before crashing his lips onto yours, effectively swallowing your moans. You loved having him like this and letting him have you. It felt safe in his embrace and you loved the way he covered you completely with his mouth and body engulfing yours, claiming you entirely as if he couldn’t bear to move away from you even for a moment.

“Ah, Jimin I’m so close.” You gasp against his lips, wanting to keep him close as he brought you to your climax. Taking one hand, you slide it between your bodies, quickly finding your swollen clit and abusing it with fast circles. You throw your head back into the pillows at the feeling, your walls constricting more and more as Jimin began to pound you into the mattress with languid strokes.

“Mhm, let go for me baby, you look so beautiful when you cum.” He encourages, looking down at you with hooded eyes as he chases his own peak, and his gruff words are all it takes to have you clenching around him fiercely, moaning out as your back arches off the bed, chest pressing into his. He takes the opportunity to attack your neck, sucking the skin tenderly as he works his way through your high. Your body quivers beneath him and he moans into your neck, pushing his hips harder into you until he’s releasing into the condom, cock pulsing inside you as he grinds himself against you.

“I love you.” You sigh into his shoulder as your both come down, feeling fucked out and blissful as you lay in each other’s arms. Jimin takes a minute to collect himself before rolling off of you to dispose of the condom and pulling you against his sweaty chest. Your head lands in the crook between his neck and shoulder and you playfully bite another small love mark into his collar bone, chuckling at the hiss that falls from his lips. After a moment of silence, Jimin speaks.

“Don’t worry about anyone else, okay? If someone says anything bad about you I’ll handle it.” He assures, easing your previous anxiety.

“Does that mean we don’t have to be a secret anymore?” You ask, still uncertain about the future.

“Not if you don’t want to. I think it’ll be better for us if we’re open with everyone. You know how much everyone likes to gossip, it’ll be better if people hear it from us first.” News spread like wildfire at your school and you observed that pretty much everyone there had an ear for gossip, especially when it involved one of the fraternities. You predicted that it wouldn’t take more than a week for the entire campus to be talking about you and Jimin.

“I know,” You groan, leaning further into him as he played with your hair. “But where do we start?”

“Well, first you can start by meeting my friends. Stay over tonight and talk to them, they’ve been dying to know who you are.” Jimin suggests, closing his eyes.

Your cheeks turn pink at the thought of facing Taehyung again after what he had just seen and you anticipated the onslaught of questions from the boys, but somehow you agreed, yawning and cuddling up to you boyfriend, drifting off for a short nap before confronting the inevitable.