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harunovella · 9 months ago

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*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧ safety net; t.f.

synopsis: when toji decided to be a good man and rescue two puppies for his son... content: canon divergence (I want a happy story for the fushiguro's!), fem!reader, reader is mamaguro, in this world your last name is fushiguro and toji took it bc f*ck the zenin, megumi is ur son (he's just a baby!), domestic bliss, not beta read (sorry for any errors!) note: seeing how successful my gojo anthology series is going (only two parts but going strong), I wanted to do one for toji bc I've always wanted to write his story with mamaguro (aka you!) and do a bunch of one shots that can be read as stand alones or together! pls lmk if you want more and if u wanna be tagged in the future <3 p.s. the divine dogs are actual dogs that inspired megumi's later manifestation of his shikigami in this au

It was one of those late nights for Toji. A summer evening with a heavy downpour to blur his path before him. The windshields were moving as fast as they could, swiftly clearing his vision with every wipe across the glass. He was quite used to this, running around town in the wee hours of the night, nothing new to him. It just annoyed him how difficult it could be driving in the rain when his windows fogged up and the headlights could only do so much.

He wasn't too far from home, running a quick errand before returning to his abode, wanting nothing more than the warmth of his bed.

A bed... A home...

Toji couldn't help but sigh and lean his head back against the car's headrest. Had this all been a dream? Was it real? Him, Zenin Toji, living a normal life? It had been quite some time now where he left it all behind to be domesticated—as if he were a wild animal. He didn't mind, though, a part of him was begging for a simple kind of life.

Sat at a red light as his pointer finger tapped away against the leather steering wheel, his eyes wandered the environment around him—well, as much as he could see during an evening shower. From building to building, the empty sidewalks and dim storefronts, his eyes suddenly bounced back to a bus stop. Squinting, he leaned in before turning on his blinkers.

This was very unlike him, his curiosity getting the best of him... Maybe it was because he was a changed man. Maybe it was because he had someone to go home to. Someone who made his deflated heart triple in size; someond who made him care about little things that he never did before.

Pulling over and parking his car next to the bus stop, Toji pulled up his hoodie and reached for the small umbrella that sat on the floor of the passenger seat. Rushing out and popping open the coverage, he stood before a small, cardboard box.

It was falling apart, the rain tearing at the flimsy material as the little towel beneath was completely drenched. Hearing the faint whimpers and cries of the tiny creatures that stared up at him, Toji took in a sharp breath and shook his head. He was a good man now. Better than he ever was before. He had a heart. He had a home. He had someone who loved him. These little bodies did not.

Lifting the box, he quickly maneuvered it underneath the umbrella before carefully placing it in the backseat of his car. "I hope she won't mind..." he said before making his way to the front, closing the umbrella and shutting the door after, resuming his route.

The drive home was quicker this time around, zooming to gather the bags and box he had within the car, shutting the doors and locking them behind him before he made his way towards the front door. Taking the steps and fumbling with his keys, he unlocked the door and slipped inside before kicking off his shoes and making his way towards the living room.

Settling the box down before moving towards the kitchen with the bag, he washed his hands and emptied the contents within it. Pulling out the small device, Toji made his way upstairs, ruffling his dark hair as he pressed a few buttons on the gadget. "Babe, this one should be fine," he spoke as he approached one of the two bedrooms.

"Oh, good," the voice responded as he entered the room. You were sitting on your son's rocking chair, holding him close to your chest as you caressed his little back. He was about six months old and the constant change in weather was getting to him, causing a slight cold to disrupt his immunity. It pained both of you to see your boy anything but happy and healthy... but, he was such a little trooper. Both of you weren't sure where he got his calmness from, seeing as you nor Toji were such a way, but you thanked the heavens for blessing you with a child like him.

"How's Megs doin'?" Toji asked as he handed you the new thermometer, squatting and gently caressing his son's head. His hand practically engulfed it, always entertaining him how tiny his boy was. It brought a small smile to his face. "Doesn't seem so fussy."

"A bit better, I got him to fall asleep. You weren't gone for too long, thankfully," you sweetly smiled, settling the small device down before caressing Toji's face. "Raining hard, huh?"

"Yeah," he nodded, only to widen his eyes.

"What is it?" You furrowed your eyebrows.

Scratching the back of his head, Toji stood up. "Got a surprise along the way... hope you don't mind."

"What do you mean?" You tilted your head.

"Let's go downstairs," he nudged his own, waving you to follow him.

Standing up carefully as to not wake your baby boy, you followed your man down the hall and staircase, towards your living room. You were confused at first, unsure as to what surprise he could've gotten you. But then you heard it. The faint cries and rustling coming from a box. The box in front of you. "Toji..."

"You've changed me, y'know?" He said. "I wouldn't have cared back then, would've left them suffer... but, guess it's because I'm a father now and I have you... I couldn't let them die out there..." rubbing the back of his neck as he stood by the box, you curiously peeked over before gasping. "Thought it would be nice to keep 'em... give Megs something to grow with."

"Toji... there's two," you nearly whispered, eyeing the puppies. One in pure white and one in all black, both equally precious. Tiny, scared, cold... you couldn't deny them either, even if you were currently raising your own baby.

"Yeah..." Toji sighed. "I was thinkin' about giving them a quick bath now and take them to the vet early tomorrow. Don't have much to feed them but we can make it work, right?" He said, keeping his eyes on them, a bit afraid of your reaction.

As upset as you should've been, seeing as it was two more mouths to feed, instead, you felt... elated? You weren't sure why, maybe it was because you were seeing more and more sides of Toji you didn't think would exist. Or maybe you loved the idea of giving your son two furry best friends to grow with. It could've also been that you were just happy that your son was okay and getting through his cold that you couldn't be as bothered.

It also didn't help that you may or may not have mentioned a few times (while taking your strolls during your pregnancy) that your little blessing should have some furry friends around. You just didn't think it would happen... this way.

"So?" Toji asked, looking at you with timid eyes. "Can we keep 'em?"

"Toji," you chuckled. "I'm not going to abandon these poor babies. You brought them here, you're gonna have to do a lot of raising. You're now a father of three," you teased as he nodded.

"I'm well aware."

"I'm surprised you're okay with this, let alone, brought them," you pointed out.

Shrugging, he looked back down. "Like I said, it's cause you changed me and I'm a father now. As scary as that is... I dunno... guess I want that normal life and normal people have dogs, right?" Seeing you nod with a small smile, Toji couldn't help but reflect your facial expression. "I wanna give him everything I've never had," he nudged his head in Megumi's direction.

"Such a good dad," you softly spoke, caressing your sons back before stepping closer and kissing Toji's arm. "Then I guess we have two puppies now. What should we name them?"

Eyeing the two, Toji hummed. "Kuro and Shiro."

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leoramage · 1 year ago

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my oasis

⊹ masterlist ⊹ taglist ⊹

⊹⊱ trigger warning - [sugardating, mentions of cheating, age gap, tolerating bad behavior, swearing]

⊹⊱ theme - [oblivious to love au]

⊹⊱ pairings - [bestfriend!lewis hamilton x sugarbaby!y/n]

⊹⊱ keywords - [complicated dynamic. "you did some things that you regret, still ride for you." ride or die relationship. "cause my heart belongs to you - i'll risk it all for you." older men are better. "and I can't pretend I don't want you all - 'cause I want you all." ]

In the dimly lit city, your heart ached as the world around you seemed to crumble. Lewis Hamilton, your best friend, had always been there to catch your pieces when life got tough. He was the one person who truly understood you, even the parts you kept hidden from everyone else.

He watched as you lived your life, a life that included sugar-dating older men, a fact that hurt him deeply but he chose to tolerate it, fearing that his feelings would shatter the fragile equilibrium of your friendship. He didn't want to lose you, he had a vacant space in his heart that he didn't want anybody to occupy but you.

"Our arrangement is over, Y/N. I've grown tired of you." You were left broken, vulnerable, and clutching the silk robe around you as if it were your last shield against the cold reality. The apartment felt suffocating, a constant reminder of the lies that had torn your heart asunder. The weight of his words crashed upon you, leaving your heart shattered. In a haze of tears, you packed your belongings and fled his apartment, the silk robe you wore offering little comfort against the cold reality.

Your sugar daddy, a man you had grown attached to in your own way, confessed to betraying your trust with another sugar baby. You stumbled down the stairs, the soft silk of your robe swishing around you as your tears continued to fall. You knew it was going to happen at some point but it all happened too fast like a sharp whiplash on your gut - you weren't able to recuperate properly.

With a shaky breath, you reached for your phone and dialed the one number you knew would never let you down. Sobbing uncontrollably on the sidewalk with your luggage, you waited for Lewis to answer the call, your voice quivering as you recounted the heartache that had befallen you.

Lewis was in the comfort of his penthouse with Roscoe resting on the bed with him when his phone screen flashed open, he saw the call and immediately answered it to find you on the line. "Hello Y/N?" He groggily answered and rubbed his eyes, It was already late at night but he was more concerned about why your voice was shaky as if you had been crying for hours.

You only sigh and keep walking. "Lewis... I'm outside his flat. He cheated on me. Please pick me up, I need you." It was the only words you were able to speak clearly as you were still caught up at the moment, your voice fading into a sob.

He didn't need two more words from you or ask where you are, he didn't spare a second to get out of bed and put on his clothes, and shoes and run downstairs - out of the front door to get on his car. This was you, after all, your safety is his concern. He cared too much for you - way too much for it to be called friendly. You seem to pull on his heartstrings with ease and he'll wear his heart on his sleeve.

He knew he was in love with you. Even if he wasn't subtle about it at times, happy to keep it buried for days, months, and years. But he is near his breaking point, he hates to see you cry over someone who is not worthy of your tears, time, and energy. He was disappointed in you, upset you chose this life and angry that you chose an old man. Only if you'd give a damn about reciprocating his long-simmering feelings and hint at him that you love him, he would be over the moon and never hesitate to give you the whole world if he has to.

"I'm almost there. Wait for me, Y/N." Lewis muttered under his breath, his senses was wide awake despite it being late at night and he was supposed to be resting. Turning the steering wheel and driving as fast as he can as if he was on racing track, his car reaching above miles per hour on some of the high speed roads. Speeding tickets were not of his concern, not at this time. Those fines can be paid later on, but if something happened to you he wouldn't be able to forgive himself.

He looks desperately around and sees a familiar figure of a pedestrian on the side of the road. He stops and opens the car door, it turns out to be you. "Y/N!"

He hugs you tight, trying to keep you on your feet while the wind howls around and the car door is still open. Your sobs muffled against his shoulder. He held you, offering you a haven amidst the turmoil.

When you could no longer cry, he guided you to his car and drove you to his penthouse, the ride to his place was still and peaceful until you've arrived. He handed you a fresh set of his clothes and led the way to his living room, where you settled onto the couch then he disappeared into the kitchen, returning with a warm cup of tea that felt like a balm for your soul. Lewis just knew what to do, when to speak and offer you comfort.

"Y/N," he began softly, his gaze unwavering as he looked at you. "I—" his words were cut off by his telephone going off at this hour. He had no idea who would even call him at this hour, but you felt bad for disturbing his rest and now you're here in his penthouse.

"No." Lewis shakes his head, only a few seconds into the call. He sounded firm but calm, whoever was on the other line was not getting the response they wanted from Lewis.

"No. You had your shot and you blew it, I just picked her up off the street because she called me crying. If you can't fix your relationship with her by yourself then that's your problem, not mine." Lewis' eyes were full of disappointment as you discovered to whom he was talking to, there was no need to mention names. He was clearly talking to your former sugar daddy who regretted and is now trying to take you back after confessing he had cheated and had another sugar baby next in line after you.

"You better be sorry!" Lewis called out with a touch of sarcasm and resentment lacing his voice as he conversed over the telephone.

"You break the heart of someone as amazing as Y/N, who would go out of her way to make you feel loved, and now that she needs a shoulder to cry on you come to me?" He scoffs and continues articulating not allowing being talked over.

"You decided it would be better to lie with another woman. No chance do I let you speak to her alone. Not after what you've done to her." You were shocked by the blunt words Lewis was dropping every second, he didn't seem holding back himself by sounding spiteful of the situation.

"You don't get to cheat on a wonderful person like her and then get a second chance, that's not how these things work." These were the words you were happy to hear about - that he is being protective over your wellbeing in general. You were grateful for being best friends with Lewis but you weren't prepared for the next words he had spoken with so much decisiveness.

"She's not yours anymore. She is mine and only mine. I love her."

Not only were you taken aback by Lewis' words that struck you like lightning, goosebumps forming within your skin that were well hidden under the comfortable clothing that he made you borrow. His perfume wafted off the very fabric of the clothing - offering a burst of freshness, reminiscent of vibrant rose petals kissed by the spicy and woody undertones with morning dew, creating a harmonious balance between the floral and the robust. You were still - shellshocked in the comfort of his couch.

Lewis on the other hand was breathing heavily, knowing that you overheard everything he said during the call. With the telephone placed down, you found his chocolate brown eyes staring at you with fear in them - not because he was scared of you - he feared losing you because of his unspoken devotion towards you.

The tension in the air was taut between you as if you could hear a needle dropping against the floor. You heard what Lewis said... and that's how you're going to find out he loved you all this time.

"I've known you for so long, and I've watched you go through so much." He admitted as he took a step towards you with apprehension, observing your reaction despite the obvious.

Your tear-filled eyes met his, a mix of astonishment and bewilderment in your gaze from the revelation. "Lewis?"

He took a deep breath, and knelt in front of you as he sincerely gazed at you - still nervous to confess his long held feelings. "I've kept this to myself because I never wanted to jeopardize our friendship, but I can't hide it anymore..."

"I love you, Y/N. I have always loved you." He mumbled those words as the moonlight cascaded his features, waiting for your words that could make or break the moment.

Your heart skipped a beat as his confession hung in the air, the weight of his words sinking in. For a moment, time seemed to stand still as you processed the truth. Then, a small smile tugged at the corners of your lips, and you wiped away a stray tear. "Lewis," you whispered, your voice filled with emotion, "I love you too."

At that moment, the barriers that had separated you from each other crumbled away. Lewis's arms wrapped around you, holding you close as if he never wanted to let go. a promise of new beginnings and a love that had been waiting in the shadows.

Within a moment, his lips met yours in a soft, hesitant kiss, a sweet collision that sent sparks through your body. The warmth of his touch, the tenderness of his embrace, spoke volumes that words could never capture. The kiss deepened, a gentle exploration of feelings that had been buried for far too long.

Time seemed to stand still as your lips moved in flawless harmony as if they had been designed to find solace in each other's presence. The world outside faded away, leaving only the two of you, caught up in a whirlwind of emotions that had been building over time. Then flashes of memory backtracked in your head like a mixtape, all these times Lewis had cared for you. All this time he was making you special in many ways despite your troublesome behavior and rebelliousness, he was always there to catch you whenever you fell out of grace. He was your rock that you could lean on - one you could trust with your life.

As the kiss finally broke, you found yourselves resting your foreheads against each other's, your breaths intermingling. Lewis's eyes gazed into yours, and within their chasms, you saw not just the reflection of your own emotions, but the promise of a future you had only dared to dream of.

⊰⊹⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋄⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⊹⊱

Author's Note: This is oneshot fiction for Lewis that I had dreamt weeks ago. I have the draft of this in my dream journal so I decided to give it a try. For the Lewis girlies who I had shared my feelings about the lack of Lewis fiction. I hope I somehow fill a role and hope this was a nice content that I made, it would be heartwarming if you guys appreciate it through any kind of support! I will still have to patch up some dreams of mine and connect the puzzles to create a proper plot for the other drivers that I have dreamt of. Stay updated! 𔘓ฅ[⁠ᓀ⁠˵⁠▾⁠˵⁠ᓂ⁠]𔘓ฅ

Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction created by the user in response to a creative writing prompt. Any resemblance to actual events, persons, or entities, whether living or deceased, is purely coincidental. The characters, events, and dialogue portrayed in this fanfiction are products of the user's imagination and are not meant to infringe upon any copyrights or trademarks associated with the Formula One sport or any real-life individuals. This fanfiction is solely intended for entertainment purposes, and the author acknowledges that the depicted scenarios are not endorsed, authorized, or supported by any official Formula One entities or the individuals mentioned.

#formula one #lewis hamilton x reader #lewis hamilton #f1 x reader #f1 fanfic #f1 imagine #Spotify

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queen-scribbles · 8 months ago

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The Long Burning Torch ch 9

Heeeere we go, next chapter for my @shepherds-of-haven 20's AU! ----

Gutter water seeped into Xaeryn's shoes as she misstepped, but she hardly noticed. It was coming up on time for King Kaza and his entourage to reach the Ashtown gate, if she'd guessed right. Please let me have guessed right. It wasn't just a matter of if he was visiting wherever his people had stashed the Torch(and Red), but which gate they would use to pass between districts. There were two, one closer to the king's hotel, the other closer to the theorized goal.

Xaeryn was placing her hopes on someone like Kaza Ackshin wanting to spend as little time in such a rough and tumble place as possible. She studied the passersby and passing vehicles with the same scrutiny, unsure of travel method given when her scry had ended. She was fairly certain they weren't translocating, with how many were in the group and it not being Heron's main skillset, according to Briony.

She was pulled from her thoughts by the rattle of an approaching car engine, heartbeat quickening when she saw it was a gleaming red beast, cleaner and a trifle more elegant than the majority of other vehicles she'd seen. Bold of anyone to take something that ritzy into Ashtown; it was going to get filthy and probably nicked. She peered intently at the interior. The timing worked out, maybe this was--

The was a flash of the bodyguard's silver-white hair in one window, a couple indistinct silhouettes, then a glimpse of King Kaza's profile when he leaned forward to talk to the driver as the car trundled past. Xaeryn caught a sharp breath, let her gaze flick away for just a moment to look for Darius, then glued it back on the automobile. She wanted to let it get a bit more distance before she followed. Ashtown's streets were a rutted mess; you could drive them, but not fast. Regardless, she would need to move soon.

If he's not here in the next five seconds, I'm going alone, she thought grimly, stepping from her hiding place. I warned him-

A shadowy figure rushed toward her, and she started to reach for the dagger in her handbag before green hair registered.

"Half expected not to find a blazin' trace," Darius said, tucking himself out of the car's line of sight with her.

"You were about two seconds from that being the case," Xaeryn returned dryly. "That's their car, we're following."

Darius nodded and the two of them were moving, close to buildings, letting evening shadows swallow them. "Who's with him?"

"The Ket for sure. It looked like Briony as well when I scryed, but I couldn't see for sure and can't confirm she's in the car. I may have seen another guard or two as well, but I was more focused on the king."

Darius grunted. "Maybe we should split. Opposite sides of the street," he pointed out, dodging a pothole. "Better visibility and lower odds we catch their eye."

"Good thinking," Xaeryn nodded, gaze still locked on the hazy silhouette of the car. "Next time there's a long enough shadow or they make a turn-"

Even as she spoke, the car swung into a right turn.

"Go," she hissed, pressing herself close to the building as she rounded the turn after them. For half a second, she was afraid Darius would argue being the one to cross the street, but he didn't, jaw set as he darted to the opposing shadows. They wouldn't be able to talk, but that wasn't really necessary at this point.

Almost a mile from the Smoketown gate, very close to to the outer wall, the car finally braked in front of a mid-sized building, hybrid small warehouse and offices from the look of it. The large doors covering half the front opened and they drove inside. Xaeryn hid herself in a doorway with a good view, saw King Kaza and Heron exit the car. Pink hair made it easy to spot Briony as she followed. So she was here. She and King Kaza both scanned the street, Briony's gaze hitching slightly, before the king said something to someone Xaeryn couldn't see and the doors started to close. Just before it shut she thought belatedly to scan the interior and caught the faint outline of another car. Were they meeting someone? Or was that just an alternate? How many people were in there?

Darius crossed to join her, still skulking in shadow. "So how're we gettin' in, miss snooper?"

She shook her head. He wasn't going to like this. "I need you to go get the authorities."

He bristled. "What?!"

"Now that we have a solid location, back-up wouldn't go amiss." She glanced at him. "There was another car in there. Maybe more than the three of us can handle. We need the police, or better yet, the Shepherds," she amended as a thought occurred. "Magic rigmarole is more in their purview than the police, and their compound is in Ashtown so it's closer."

"Why's it gotta be me?" Darius grumbled obstinately. "Why can't you do it? You'd get there faster, you live here."

He had a point, damn him, but, "Because it's my case, I've been working it for two sennights, and it's my best friend they abducted and I am not breezing when I'm this close!" Xaeryn hissed. "Also, I'm good at sneaking."

He arched a skeptical brow at that claim, glancing her height over, and looked ready to argue further--we don't have time, just do what I'm asking--before nodding with a scowl. "Hael, fine. Where are they?"

"About half a mile." She gave him rapid, grateful directions. "Tell them Miss Shrike's case could use their expertise. I crossed paths with a squad while investigating, my name might mean something."

His scowl deepened, argument still clear in his eyes. "Tell Bry to be careful, huh?" he growled, tugging down his cap as he headed off.

If I get the chance. She had to get inside first, figure out the layout, where things were, how many brunos there were aside from the ones she'd seen. The storage portion of the building looked to be the bottom quarter where they'd parked, leaving the rest of the space for offices and other rooms. A lot to search. And if they were smart...

There. The lookout was lounging against the side of the building, hidden in shadow.

She'd have to approach from the other side, where he was at least partially blind. I wonder if Briony even knows we're here, she mused as she carefully made her way across the street. They wouldn't be able to coordinate to any degree if she didn't know Xaeryn and Darius had followed.

The angle of Xaeryn's approach to avoid the lookout put her on the carport/storage side of the building, which had markedly fewer doors or windows. In fact, aside from the big main doors, she only found one; most of the way down the side wall near the back corner, a tiny window and greasy door, unlit despite the lengthening shadows.

She peered through the window as best she could--inside wasn't much better lit than out here--and reached for the door. She was fairly good with locks, but with no light out here--

The knob turned, unlocked. Xaeryn froze.

Luck? A trap? The One-God looking out for her?

Ultimately it didn't matter because Red was in there. So no matter how fortuitous this was, she was accepting it. She slowly, carefully opened the door and stepped inside.

She was in a back corner of the warehouse space, surrounded by cast-off equipment and crates, along with a few of the latter that lacked dust and were likely more recent additions. Xaeryn waited for her eyes to adjust and started carefully picking her way across the room. She skirted the cars, noting what details she could with the dark.

Including the red accents on the car that had been here when King Kaza arrived.

There were two doors on the far wall that led to the offices, one dark, one with light showing underneath. She went to the former, found it locked. No. The knob turned, the door was warped. Not getting in that way. Not without a great deal of noise. She moved to the other door reluctantly, ears pricked of any sound on the other side that would herald a watchman.

This one was unlocked and opened easily. The light was dimmer than she'd expected, lamps turned low. There was a hallway to her left, bisected by a wall and cracked-open door halfway down. Ahead and slightly to the right was a flight of stairs, with light filtering down from the second floor.

Which way...? Something tense and desperate coiled in Xaeryn's chest as she deliberated the value and risks of each. She could hear the murmur of voices but couldn't tell the direction. I can't just stand here, I need to move.

A glint of something white and shiny caught her eye as she rubbed the back of her neck. Tucked in a crack in the wall a couple steps up the stairs, angled so its paws pointed up, she found the ahfuri figurine Briony had bought at Chandry's.

If that wasn't a clue... Xaeryn gently pried the statuette from the wall and tucked it in her handbag. What could it mean but Briony had seen them following and was trying to help without blowing her cover?

The tread of footsteps filtered down from above and Xaeryn backpedaled down the stairs. She moved swiftly toward the door bisecting the hall as the steps continued heading the stairs, joined by the sound of conversation. She slipped through the cracked-open door and stood behind it, hoping the people were just heading for the warehouse.

There was the creak of a door opening, then the low murmur of voices too quiet to overhear cut off as it closed. They were gone. She waited a couple minutes all but holding her breath, then stepped back through. It was a relief to see the hall empty. They're probably watching the cars.

Xaeryn chewed the inside of her cheek as she made her way up the stairs, tensed every step for them to creak or break or give her away. A more patient and canny dame might've waited for King Kaza to leave so there were fewer guards to avoid. But she couldn't. Not this time, not while they had Red. It was her fault he'd been abducted, like blazing hael she was going to leave him one second longer than she had to. Especially not knowing what lengths these goons would go to get what they wanted, or what they'd do after. She had her suspicions, though, and those had her pulse pounding in her ears.

She reached the top of the steps, carefully checking for guards as she went and seeing none. They must be in the rooms, to stay with their charges. She needed to find out if anyone was here besides King Kaza or if that car was simply an alternate for his people.

But if he was already following me before the gala, why did he act like we'd never met? Let me spin the yarn about Circe Blackwood? Was he just toying with me?

Riddles for later. For now she wanted to find Red, find the Torch--yes, God help her, in that order--and get out of here. Finding enough evidence or otherwise managing to implicate King Kaza--and Jarkyth, if he was involved--would be a lovely bonus. But her job was the Torch and her goal was Red and hopefully Darius wouldn't have too much trouble convincing the Shepherds.

Xaeryn paused to take stock. This was a tricky spot; hallway ahead of her and one coming in as a blind corner to her right. The room almost straight in from of her looked larger than the others lining the hall. And there was something about the lights... Aside from the ones at the head of the stairs, they seemed dim, with a barely noticeable flicker that set her teeth on edge and had an ache starting in her temples, faint but annoying.

Alright, let's see... There were three rooms along the left of the hall ahead, the larger room and blind corner on the right, and who knew how many more rooms down that righthand hall. Well, that's what you need to find out. If there are rooms with no windows, those would make the most sense for stashing a stolen artefact and a captive.

She'd passed the first of the left hand rooms when she heard voices to the right. She stepped rapidly into the second room, pressing herself against the wall by the door. Thank God it was unlocked.

"...more stubborn than anticipated." That was King Kaza, tone a mix of amusement and frustration. "He maintains he cannot read it."

"Well, that's hokum," a woman replied, voice cultured, steely, and unfamiliar. "Th' gumshoe looked me in th' eye and said he'd helped develop it."

Red. They were talking about Red. And from the woman's comment... Xaeryn bit her lip and peeked around the doorframe. The woman must be the Shifter. It would be good to know what she looked like when she wasn't masquerading as Ms. Aerin.

Hopefully with this room being unlit Xaeryn wouldn't be easy to spot. It allowed a look down the blind corner hall, and she could just make out the king standing at a juncture with another perpendicular hall, but the woman was out of view.

King Kaza chuckled. "Did she? Very good, Syra." He stroked his chin. "I must again relay my thanks for your aid to our patron. You have been invaluable."

The woman, Syra, snorted a laugh. "Just keep your end of our deal and that will be thank enough for us both." She shifted, moving enough into view Xaeryn could see long silky blue-black hair decorated with narrow braids. "So what're we doing about him?"

"Leave him. Let him think we believe his claim. He is not going anywhere." King Kaza gestured toward one of the doors and Xaeryn's heart skipped a beat. "In an hour, at most, we shall revisit to clarify our resolve and the... nature of his predicament." His fingers drummed the hilt of dagger at his belt and Xaeryn nearly reached for hers.

You hurt him and I swear-- She grit her teeth, which made the headache worse.

"You're the boss," Syra said, shrugging, as the two of them headed into the larger room. "Sort of. If you think it's the best way..."

Xaeryn barely managed to wait a three-count after they were gone before she started back out the door. And then stopped. She should probably check out this room while she was here. Just in case circumstance didn't allow for her coming back, to be sure. But Red.

A quick look. If nothing pops out I'm going, she compromised. He's so close. She tried to summon a witchlight, but her focus was too rattled and the soft flame wouldn't come. She used the faint light from the window instead. Nothing caught her eye. In fact, the room was almost empty.

Relieved both that she could mentally check it as searched and that doing so hadn't taken long, Xaeryn moved with the bare minimum of caution to the door King Kaza had indicated. It was locked, of course. And she'd been in too much of a tizzy when she left to grab her picks.

She gnawed her lower lip, glaring at the lock as if she could foil it through force of will. To be so close and stymied by something so simple... it was making her head hurt, a sense of urgency crawling under her skin.

Xaeryn swiveled to look for something she could maybe use, evidence of an unlocked room where she could look, and came up empty for the hallway. But the dull glint of something in her peripheral reminded her of another option.

Her brooch. The bronze sun Chandry had given her. If the lock was simple enough, it just might work. And really, a run of the mill office building was unlikely to have shelled out for anything fancy, and it had been languishing in disrepair for who-knew-how-long before King Kaza appropriated it.

She plucked the sun from her blouse, flipping out the surprisingly sturdy-looking straight pin. God, please let this work. One last look to confirm no one was coming, no voices heralded a need to hide, and she knelt to start working.

It was, thank God, a rudimentary lock, but it had been quite a while since she picked one with makeshift tools and she bit her lip in concentration as she finagled it. Come on, come o-

She gasped as a hand wrapped around her arm, yanking her abruptly to her feet.

The bruno holding her arm scowled. "How'd you get in here?"

Xaeryn closed her hand around the brooch, the pin and the sun's rays digging into her palm as she gathered her composure. "Through the door."

"Oh, think you're cute," the guard growled. He was a solidly built muti; how blinkered had she been to not hear him coming? "You can tell it to the boss."

"Love to," Xaeryn retorted, even as her heart pounded. No way she could take him in a fight, not by herself. But if Briony was with King Kaza, or if she could drag her feet long enough for Darius to get back with the Shepherds(hopefully), maybe there was a chance.

The guard just sneered at her retort and hauled her toward the room she'd seen King Kaza and Syra enter. He did seem slightly surprised she wasn't fighting harder.

She wanted to. She wanted to break free, incapacitate him, and free Red. But she knew her limits, and handling a brute like this in a dust-up was beyond them. So she played along and prayed for a solution.

Sizing up the room on their arrival wasn't a promising situation. King Kaza and Syra stood in line with the door, the latter leaning slightly against a dilapidated desk as they conversed. There were two other guards in the room--Heron and the one she'd seen in the car--but she didn't see Briony.

Xaeryn tensed and tried to make herself relax as King Kaza broke off his conversation with Syra to arch a brow at her arrival. "Miss Blackwood. I cannot wait to hear what you thought to find here." He smirked. "I imagine it's quite a tale."

"I can start it for her," Syra said, eyes narrowed. "Her name's not Blackwood; this is the snooper. The one after the Torch. Miss Shrike."

"That's me," Xaeryn said, looking around the room and trying to calm--or at least hide--her pounding heart. "You had quite the ingenious method of acquiring it, I must say. Real brain twister." She glanced at Heron, standing with arms crossed near a dusty bookcase that jutted into the room. This must've been a clerical space, record-keeping and multiple secretaries sharing the room. In a fight with back up she could make good use of a space like this, with the multiple desks, cabinets, and shelves. "Almost stumped me."

"And yet here you are," a new voice said, low and almost hypnotizing. "I wonder if we should credit that to your ingenuity or your determination, Miss Shrike." The speaker strode into view from around the bookcase, a shorter man with piercing black eyes and styled dark hair, wearing a suit that probably cost more than she made in a year. No introduction was necessary; he was instantly recognizable to any devotee of the One-God. Talquist Jarkyth. The Western Hierophant.

"I'm more inclined to think it's a combination," Xaeryn countered. No way was she getting her heart to slow now. Her head was still pounding, too.

"You knew she was on our trail and didn't loop me in?!" King Kaza demanded. "We-"

"There was no need," Jarkyth cut him off sharply. "I had people on it. Too many would have defeated efforts at subtlety." He chuckled. "You have proven a most tenacious and clever example of your profession, Miss Shrike. How odd that you have stumbled here, at the end."

"Stumbled, how?" she asked. It was, most likely, futile to play dumb. But if he could toy with her, she could do the same. If he'd had people on her, and was here now, odds were good the car with red accents was his.

"Coming here alone, not waiting for the building to be unoccupied before you entered." He steepled his fingers and tsked. "I was very close to being impressed. I wonder what might've changed to spark such a misstep."

This time Xaeryn ignored his hinting completely, despite the sinking in her gut, turning instead to King Kaza. "Don't tell me you believe the bunk about the Torch making you invulnerable."

"And who decided it is 'bunk'? Civilized, modern scholars?" King Kaza scoffed. "We know it has an effect on magic, and legends are born from truth."

"And embellishment," she countered, mind racing at that tidbit. What kind of effect? "And even the original tribe didn't remain invulnerable." She shifted and the guard tightened his grip on her arm. Right. He was still there.

"But they did have good fortune and protection, by all accounts. And it is a tie to the land regardless." he crossed his arms. "My plans to establish myself in Jalis will go significantly more smoothly with tangible proof of my belonging, and the Torch should be mine by rights."

"You can't prove that, which is why you resorted to stealing it." Xaeryn glanced around the room. Where the hael was Briony? "Do you think people won't find that out?"

"The Jalis runs on conquest, Miss Shrike. Merely by holding the Torch I will prove my rights to it. And then prove my strength. It is, in fact, lucky for me that you are here." He sat on the edge of the desk, smirking. "While Syra has been invaluable, and what she learned from you was useful confirmation" --the Shifter matched his smirk and Xaeryn grit her teeth--"it will be even more useful for you to regale us with anything else you've learned of the pendant's capabilities. And before you try to claim you may not remember everything, I have something to help with that." He tapped one of the desk drawers and gave her a meaningful look.

Xaeryn's fingers curled in. He had to mean her notepad. "Reading or reciting, why would I give you information that would help you subjugate others?" she asked, surprised how level she kept her voice. The brooch was digging into her hand. "I'd never be able to live with myself."

"I believe you." King Kaza flashed a shark-like grin. "I also believe you know you aren't our only, hm, guest."

Her heart dropped to her toes, hands clenching tighter as she struggled to limit her reaction. The brooch was digging into her hand, almost deep enough to draw blood.

He leaned back against the desk. "How well would you live with yourself, detective, if harm befell him thanks to your actions--or lack thereof?"

Xaeryn was only vaguely aware of a door opening and closing behind her, fury boiling too hot to temper. "You lay a finger on him--"

The guard's grip tightened and King Kaza's grin widened. "That is exactly where I thought we could start, actually. It gives you several chances to reconsider before your friend has suffered too much." His gaze drifted over her shoulder. "Excellent timing, Stormbreaker."

She hoped he read only fury in her jaw's twitch at the words.

"Did you need me, highness?" There was a faintly brittle twang in Briony's voice.

"As you see, we caught a trespasser." King Kaza gestured to Xaeryn. When his gaze shifted away, she realigned the brooch in her grasp.

If their focus all stayed on Briony and the king, maybe she could grip it right to use as a weapon and escape the guard's grasp. It was the closest thing she had; her handbag had dropped in the hall when the guard grabbed her.

"I do see," Briony said. "How's that matter to me?"

"I think it will be most enlightening to get her and our captive in the same room." He pushed off the desk.

"Kaza, dispense with the dramatics and do what needs doing," Jarkyth said coldly. "Pageantry has its place, but this is not it, not on a schedule like ours."

"Yes, your grace. Stormbreaker, you and I will take her, the rest can check for any other interlopers."

She had the sun aligned, thumb pressing the hinge to keep the pin jutting out. There would be no coordination, hopefully she and Briony could make this work. She didn't even know the other woman's fighting style; if she leaned more toward straight brawling or had some level of finesse.

Briony stepped closer, her hand settling on Xaeryn's arm just above the elbow. It was a mirror of the other guard's grip, which he loosened seeing the king's bodyguard take possession of the prisoner.

Briony caught Xaeryn's gaze for a heartbeat, then in one fluid motion dragged her several steps to the side and punched the guard in the face.

He went down with a squawk and crunch of bone that heralded a broken nose. Heron and the other other guard proved to have the fastest reflexes, and even they hesitated a beat before closing in. Xaeryn wheeled on the guard as Briony staggered Hereon with a kick to the gut.

With a prayer and a hard jab, she aimed the brooch pin at the guard's face--and got lucky; the pin caught the soft hollow at the corner of his eye. She twisted in to shoulder check him and sent him crashing over one of the desks.

The nape of her neck tingled with a sense of danger and Xaeryn ducked to the left, almost running onto a bookshelf but feeling the breeze of a missed punch. She pivoted to see Syra already swinging again, the silver glint of punching daggers clenched in each hand.

Xaeryn knocked the blow aside with the back of her wrist, already-bruised hand complaining at the strike. She grit her teeth to ignore it and snapped her knee up toward Syra's stomach.

Syra dodged backward and swiped again. The punching dagger sliced the shoulder of Xaeryn's blouse but didn't catch skin. She was vaguely aware of Kaza launching himself at Briony, knife in each hand and growling oaths about treachery.

Xaeryn pressed her advantage--if you could call it that--to close in and force Syra back against the desk. The Shifter rolled along the edge, taking a swing as she did. This one slashed a shallow cut into Xaeryn's forearm when she blocked and Syra smirked even as she retreated a step at the desk's corner for space. Xaeryn shook out the sting, but before she retaliated she caught the clatter of shifting wood and quietly growled curses.

She ducked backwards with perfect timing for the guard she'd incapacitated before to go barreling between her and Syra. His momentum from the miss carried him into the window and he vanished from sight with a tremendous shattering of glass and dismayed yell.

Syra punched at Xaeryn and in her half-distracted state it was pure instinct she managed to block it. Syra immediately followed with the other hand, and Xaeryn caught her wrist to redirect the blow back at her. The punching dagger drove into the base of Syra's neck.

She gave a choked grunt and took one last feeble swing at Xaeryn as she swayed, before crumbling across the desk.

Xaeryn took a breath, turned to see how Briony was faring--

A hand clamped on the back of her neck and flung her across the room.

She yelped as she ricocheted off the corner of the desk before hitting the floor and narrowly avoided banging her head hard enough to see stars. The brooch went skittering away at the impact, depriving her of any weapon.

"You bitch!" Heron snarled, following with a faint glow building around his fists.

Xaeryn shook off the daze and scrambled backwards. A vicious kick aimed at her ribs caught her thigh instead.

She kicked back, catching his ankle and making him stagger. It only gave her a second of breathing room, but that second got her halfway to her feet and more mobile to avoid his next attack.

The was pretty much her only strategy against Battle Mages; dodge until they got tired and she got lucky. Given Heron wasn't her first opponent in this fight--and he was bloody furious--she wasn't sure that was going to work this time.

He grabbed a fistful of her blouse and shoved her back into a bookshelf.

Almost definitely not going to work this time.

There was scuffling, a distressed "Xaeryn!" from Briony, and the unmistakable thud of something hitting the back of Heron's head.

But it wasn't the pink-haired warrior standing behind him when he staggered under the blow.

It was Red, white knuckle grip on the 2x4 he wielded and worry blazing in his eyes as he whacked Heron once more for good measure. Hard enough it broke the board in the process and sent the man crumpling to the floor.

The two of them stared at each other for a moment before the board hit the ground and they lunged forward, Red's hands gripping her shoulders and Xaeryn's cupping his jaw and both blurting, "Are you alright?!"

How are you here-?!

Before either could answer, however, Briony bolted past for the door. "Xaeryn, Jarkyth!!"

Xaeryn groaned and reluctantly pulled herself away from Red to help with pursuit. He was alive, and she hadn't seen any serious injuries. A more thorough inventory could wait.

Briony was already thundering down the stairs, unnaturally fast. Halfway down behind her, Xaeryn could see the door hanging open and her heart sank. "Watch out!" she hollered, catching movement as one of the downstairs guards charged down the hall at Briony. He caught her around the waist and slammed her into a wall, but dropped with a yelp when she elbowed him in the face.

It still slowed her enough Xaeryn caught up, and the two of them burst out the door at almost the same moment.

To find an empty street.

"Dammit!" Briony growled, kicking the dirt. She clasped her hands against the back of her head, fingers tangling in her ponytail. "If I'd gotten Kaza down just a second faster..."

Xaeryn shook her head. "No sense in playing what if." She surveyed the streets, but His Grace must've been really hotfooting it; there was no sign.

Briony sucked her teeth. "He might have the Torch, Xaeryn. He had enough of a headstart to grab it b'fore he rabbited."

Her heart dropped at the thought. For all her work, the risk she'd brought to Red, to be for nothing in the end... "Is there a way we can check? Did you see where they were keeping it?"

Briony nodded, letting her hands fall. "I did, t'night."

Headlights swung into view from a sidestreet, the truck they belonged to very clearly headed their way, and both women froze.

"Briony!" a familiar voice called from the back, and Darius jumped down before the vehicle had come to a complete stop.

"Coulda used ya about twenty seconds ago, D," Briony chided, but she was still grinning as she gave him a hug and a shoulder punch in quick succession. "Jarkyth scarpered."

"Had t' convince the backup I was on the level," he said gruffly, returning the hug and swaying from the shoulder punch. "Captains Trick and Emroth." He jerked a thumb at the two women climbing down from the cab of the now-halted truck.

"We've met," Xaeryn said dryly. She was grateful not to have Trick's pistol leveled at her chest this time. And she left off her recollection she and Captain Emroth--Iorwen--were school acquaintances. She had bigger concerns at the moment. "Most of us," she amended as a hulking blond Ket hopped from the back of the truck.

"Oh, this is Daren," Trick said with a wave in his direction. "He's a new recruit an' we figured this would be good field experience. You can sweep around the building, Daren, look for any tryin' to sneak off."

"The ones inside are mostly unconscious or at least incapacitated" --she didn't know what shape Briony left the king in--"but you'll still want to keep alert."

"Always," Captain Emroth said as she headed for the building. "Hear you had a friend kidnapped?"

Xaeryn nodded. "Red."

A muscle twitched in Iorwen's jaw as that sank in. "I'll take care of him," she promised, disappearing inside before Xaeryn could explain he's gotten free somehow, he'd come swooping to her rescue somehow, just make sure he's alright.

Leaving aside that Iorwen--Captain Emroth; this was an official setting--was someone she'd trust enough to let her job take focus under the circumstances, she still needed to go back inside. "I think the artefact I'm looking for might still be in there," Xaeryn said to Trick. "The... true butter and egg man of this heist got away, but there are some vital members among the incapacitated."

"Oh, we'll help with collectin' them," Briony interjected. "I know how many there should be." She grabbed Darius by the sleeve and started dragging him inside.

"Briony," Xaeryn started, hustling after them and vaguely wondering how the woman still had so much energy, "where's the Torch?"

"Oh, right. Upstairs, across the hall from where they were keepin' your friend and down one door toward the further end," Briony rattled off.

They nearly ran into Red in the upstairs hallway, his brows twitching at the sight of extra people. "I, ah, tied up the ones I could," he said, gesturing back toward the room before running his hand through his hair. It helped even less than usual, and Xaeryn was torn between a fond smile at the tousled mess and a wince at how exhausted he looked beneath the general dishevelment and--thankfully minor--injuries.

"Good thinkin," Briony said, still holding Darius' sleeve as she angled toward the room.

"And you're with me," Captain Emroth said with a faint smile. She lightly rested one hand on Red's arm and tugged him to the side.

"Ryn-" Red started to protest.

"Is still working," Captain Emroth finished for him, catching Xaeryn's eye as she and Trick started for the hall Briony had mentioned, "I'm sure that'll change in a few minutes, but for now we're worrying about you..."

Xaeryn didn't hear any more, as she and Trick had turned down the hallway. The door Briony had indicated was cracked slightly ajar. Oh, God, please no. Not after everything.

"You said you think it's in here?" Trick asked.

Xaeryn nodded, braced for the worst as she reached to swing the door open. "There's a chance the one who escaped took it, but I'm hoping not."

"Why won't you give this vanishin' man's name?"

"Oh, you wouldn't believe me if I told you," Xaeryn said wryly as she stepped into the room. There were only a few crates in the room, most covered with dust and undisturbed. The only one that looked promising for her was still closed. Maybe it's still here.

"Try me," Trick deadpanned, leaning against the doorframe.

"Talquist Jarkyth."

A snort. "You don't think I'd believe a politician's involved in shady dealings? How long have you lived in this city again?"

"He's also a religious leader who's made a show of piety. Many will likely find it a hard truth to swallow." She opened the crate and the faint headache she'd been ignoring since her arrival pulsed harshly.

But that was small potatoes compared to the sight of what lay in the crate, bronze ornamentation glinting dully in the half-light, easily recognized from all the time she'd spent staring at photographs.

Solimer's Torch.

Relief and elation spiraled in her chest as she reached for the artefact. It was still here, Jarkyth hadn't made off with it, she could fulfill her contract with Mr. Syndran-

The metal burned when her fingers brushed it and she snatched her hand back with a hiss.

Trick pushed off the doorframe, frowning at her. "What's wrong?"

Xaeryn shook her head--she had a theory but didn't want to say it without proof. "Can I borrow those?" She indicated the thick leather gloves tucked in the captain's belt.

"Oh, sure." Trick tugged them free and passed them over.

"Thank you." Xaeryn slipped one on before reaching into the crate again. The muffling layer did the trick, protecting her from the burning sensation, and she carried it out to the better-lit hallway, which confirmed her suspicion. This was not obsidian, though it was similar enough in coloration she could understand how people were fooled. Particularly Norm scholars, to whom it would be just another lump of rock.

It was thoret.

That answers several questions and raises almost as many new ones. Xaeryn fought down the urge to hold it at arm's length, nausea crawling in her stomach.

"That's your artefact?" Trick wrinkled her nose. "I don't like it."

"For good reason." Xaeryn pulled her gaze away from the talisman. "Captain, do you have any sort of warded containment unit in your truck?"

Trick nodded. "Let me--" there was a tread of footsteps downstairs-- "get him to get it. Daren?"

"Aye," floated up a grunted reply.

"Go grab one of the small blanker boxes, huh?"

"Yes, captain." His footsteps retreated.

As they waited, Briony emerged from the main room hauling a bound and protesting Kaza Ackshin, who was raising a ruckus that even if she was working with the Shepherds, he wasn't a citizen of Haven, local authorities had no right--

"The Shepherds might be based in Haven, but we aren't limited to Haven," Trick hollered after in interruption, and Kaza glared daggers at her before Briony manhandled him down the stairs.

Daren came up after they'd passed but before Darius followed with one of the guards. "Here you go."

"Thank you," Trick said, taking the case, roughly half the size of a breadbox, with a nod. "Good work sweeping for baddies. See if there's anyone in there you can take, and go guard the ones in the truck."

He nodded and headed for the room.

"Here we go, miss detective," Trick said, steadying the box so Xaeryn could nestle the Torch inside it.

"Thank you." Xaeryn placed the Torch in the box and closed it. The gnawing-headache sensation almost immediately diminished. She'd have to ask how these worked later; that was impressive enchantment or technology or both. "I should get this back where it belongs," she said through her sigh of relief as she took the box from Trick.

But her feet were reluctant to move, her gaze drifting over to where Red was. Not that she doubted Captain Emroth's skill, but a very large part of her desperately wanted to make sure for herself that he was alright before she left. Even knowing how elated Mr. Syndran would be to see the Torch was reclaimed.

"Wen'll take good care of him," Trick interjected, having seen where he attention lingered. "She's a first rate doctor, if he needs patchin' up--speakin' of, you want me to take care of your arm?" she nodded toward the shallow gash. "An' if he's the one who was kidnapped we'll need to ask him a few questions, but we won't keep him long."

Xaeyn nodded in response to... several things from that torrent, shifting the case with the Torch to clutch it close. "Captain Emroth and I attended the same school; I'm well-acquainted with her skill as a doctor and sure she's more than capable." Doesn't change wanting to confirm for myself, it's Red. "But if you're willing, I probably should get this patched up before I leave." She held up the injured arm. For appearances if nothing else, considering where I need to go. I look enough a fright without an open wound.

"Oh, I don't even need to go that involved." Trick jerked a thumb at herself. "Elae."

Ah. Xaeryn cracked a tired smile. "I imagine that comes in handy in your line of work."

"'Specially when Trouble Alder's your partner," Trick muttered, but the fond smile playing at her lips undercut any exasperation on the comment. She extended her hand, stopping only an inch or so from Xaeryn's arm. "May I?"

Xaeryn nodded, Trick clasped her arm murmuring quietly, and when she withdrew the wound was gone. Not so much as a scar.

"Thank you, you're quite good at this," Xaeryn commented, examining the skin. The Torch's case sat heavy in her arm. She glanced over at Red again. "I'm going to say farewell and I'll be out of your hair." She knew Mr. Syndran and sometimes Ms. Aerin worked late, but she didn't want to push it. "I'll return the case as soon as I can."

"You're welcome, and no rush, we have plenty," Trick said, moving to help as Briony and Darius returned to bundle the rest of the goons out of the building.

Xaeryn found her throat suddenly, thoroughly dry as she approached Red and Captain Emroth. "Pardon, I know you need to talk to him, but could I have just a minute first?"

Something danced in Iorwen's eyes as she nodded and stepped back. "Sure, you can have a minute."

Tempted as she was to fold him into a hug, there were too many other people coming and going and she was holding something in one arm, so she took Red's hand and gave it a squeeze. "I'm glad you're alright." I was so afraid you wouldn't be.

"Me, too," he said with a soft laugh, squeezing her hand back. "More glad you are."

She arched a brow. "I'm not the one who got abducted, Liefred," she said dryly.

"No, you were just part if a brawl with very bad odds," he drawled in counterpoint. He scratched the back of his neck and she stared at the scrape on his forearm. "I know fisticuffs aren't your forte, Ryn, even if you can handle yourself."

Xaeryn gave a soft laugh, even as she looked him over. Scrapes and rope-chafe on his arms, bruise on his forehead, nasty but scabbing split lip. "On that note, thank you for the save."

Red nodded, looking at her with something indecipherable in his eyes. "Of course." The look changed to a playful glint. "Not every day I get to play the hero." He rubbed the back of his head as he watched Briony haul the still-unconscious Heron downstairs. "He had it coming."

"Goose egg for a goose egg?" Xaeryn asked glibly.

He laughed. "Something like that."

They both caught a sharp breath--but tried to hide it--at the realization his thumb was rubbing absent arcs against the heel of her hand.

Xaeryn cleared her throat, painfully aware of Iorwen--Captain Emroth--nearby, surely hearing even if she was pretending to be busy. "I need to take this back while there's a chance of there being someone in the Merchants' Guild offices," she said, giving the case a gentle jostle, "and I understand Captain Emroth needs to speak with you, but if you want to drop by tomorrow we could talk."

Sun above, do we need to talk.

"I'd like that," Red said softly, then gave a self-deprecating chuckle. "Assuming I don't sleep the day away."

"If you do, just come the day after," she shrugged, smiling playfully. "I'll always make time for you."

He gave a soft laugh. "Good to know. But hopefully I'll see you tomorrow."

"Hopefully," Xaeryn confirmed. Her heart pounded as he seemed just as reluctant to let go as she was.

"Make sure you get sleep too, Xaer," Red murmured.

"I promise," she nodded, then gave his hand a final squeeze before letting go, her fingers curling as she strode out of the building and through Ashtown's streets, heading for more civilized districts and ultimately, Merchants' Guild headquarters.

It had been a very long day, and she would be glad to put it behind her. ----

Next chapter for answers and tying up loose ends👀 and I think we're done! :D

#queens fic #shoh #tlbt #xaeryn shrike #red antiqua #briony #iorwen emroth #ryn/red

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cannibalsforbreakfast · 6 months ago

Text

Cruel Summer - Chapter 2

Pairing: Eddie Munson x Fem!Reader

Summary: The "Eddie Munson is a speedway racer" high school AU no one asked for, but you're getting it anyways. Enemies to friends to lovers | No-Upsidedown AU | Fast cars, fast times | Reader moved from "the city" to Hawkins

Tags [will be updated as things progress]: swearing, underage drinking, dangerous driving, Jason sucks as usual, mentions of weed, light angst, misunderstandings, reader is afab, not sure if I'll have smut yet or not, no use of y/n

CH2: 4k

-- -- --

Strange voices are saying (What did they say?) /

Things I can't understand”

Three days later, Robin was still – for some godforsaken reason – trying to get you to give Eddie another chance. Really, you didn’t know why.

You’d stomped back the full two miles from the track to your aunt and uncle’s house out of sheer stubbornness, needing to walk off your anger. Robin had gone with you as far as the main road, but then doubled back to get the car. She’d offered to drive you back, too – obviously – but you’d waved her off. To be honest, you were also a little upset with her for having such a shitty friend. And his actions weren’t her fault, to be sure, but you knew that if you’d gotten in the car you’d just have taken out your feelings on her.

You’d hoped the walk would have given you a chance to cool off, but it had almost achieved the exact opposite. By the time you’d gotten back nearly an hour later, you were hot and sweaty, streaked with brownish dust from the track and in a decidedly foul mood. Unlike the city, Hawkins, Indiana, didn’t have much to recommend it in the way of visual appeal – just a lot of single-story bungalows and long stretches of straight road, broken up with occasional copse of woods. What it did give you was a lot of time to think.

Think about how quick Eddie had been to dismiss you as someone so obviously beneath him, you could only have been a hooker. Sure, you were familiar enough with ignoring cat-calls on street corners and appreciative whistles on the rare occasion you went out, but the near instant disregard the racer had for you was something entirely new. And it had gotten under your skin. He’d gotten under your skin.

Not that there’s anything wrong with sex work, you’d rationalized to yourself during a short pause to work out a sharp stone that had found its way into one of your shoes. Perfectly respectable profession. Oldest job in the world.

Maybe you were so upset because Robin and Steve had been so welcoming, you couldn’t see why they’d be friends with someone like that. And it made you question if they also thought that way about you, that their kindness had just been a veneer over the same sort of scorn, and then you felt guilty that you’d even doubt your cousin like that. Robin wore her heart on her sleeve, and you knew she couldn’t put on an act like that.

The resounding conclusion was – even if you thought he was sex incarnate and in any other world would have been interested in learning how silky his hair was, or if his lips were as soft as they looked, or if the hint of tattoo at his collar bone was just a trick of the light – that you didn’t need to spend any more time with Eddie, thank you very much.

Robin, your darling cousin, however, clearly had her mind fixed on reconciliation.

You were sprawled on the floor of her room, carefully painting your nails a sort of reddish-pinkish-orangish color. Robin was lying on her bed, scootched far enough over her head dangled off the edge, upside-down. You found her room comfortable, homey. Even if she had a strange obsession with tacking movie posters to her walls – “Sixteen Candles,” “The Blue Lagoon,” “Alien,” and “Fast Times at Ridgemont High.” Maybe she got them for free from her shift at Family Video.

“Look, I know Eddie had a bad first impression,” she started.

“Robin, he thought I was a hooker, ” you interjected.

“And yeah that’s bad ,” she agreed. “He was a dick. Absolutely, total asshole, But I promise he’s not usually like that.”

You finished off the pinky on your left hand and scrutinized your work, blowing gently to help the coat dry. You swapped the cap and brush to your other hand and started on your right thumb, tongue poking out slightly in concentration – this was always the harder side.

“If I’m just here for the summer, I don’t need to be spending my time with someone who doesn’t respect me.”

Robin huffed, ruffling her shaggy bangs. “He just has…stuff going on. Trust issues? He’s nice once you get to know him.”

“We all have trust issues, that’s not an excuse for bad behavior.” You finished off your non-dominant hand and gave your nails a critical look, looking for smudges. “And all of this is stuff you’re just saying about him, it’s not like it’s proof or anything.”

An altogether too-scary smile spread across your cousin’s face.

“Soooo,” she said, “hypothetically, then, if you could get proof that Eddie was actually nice, then you’d give him another friendship chance?”

You rotated to give Robin a decidedly suspicious stare. What was she up to? “I suppose…” you said slowly.

She clapped her hands together, rolling over to her stomach and kicking her legs in glee. “Then it’s decided, we’re going to a party at Jason’s this Saturday.”

You blinked, dumbfounded. “Um, and why would we do that?”

“Because it will be fun. And Eddie will be there, so you can interact in a more normal-person way and see that he’s not a total dick and then this weirdness can end and we can all hang out over the summer like normal friends who aren’t fighting,” Robin proclaimed triumphantly.

A sense of dread sank into your chest. This was not exactly how you’d planned this conversation to go. But given Robin’s unbridled glee, you didn’t really see how you could get out of it. Well, you could point-blank refuse to go – you didn’t think Robin could physically force you there. But then again, you had to actually live with her the whole summer and didn’t need that disagreement to put a damper on your slowly flowering cousinly friendship as well.

Plus, you knew the effect first impressions had, even when they were wrong.

Especially if they were wrong.

So fine, you’d go to this party and give Eddie another chance. And if he was a dick, again ? Well, you could at least tell Robin you tried.

“Fiiiiiiiiine,” you gave in. “We can go. But Robin, don’t you usually hate parties?”

Your cousin colored faintly. “Well, yeah, they’re not usually my thing. But Nancy will be there. She’s a friend, and I said I’d go to hang out because she doesn’t always like them either but Jason is in her class so she felt she had to go and I didn’t want to let her down.”

You nodded sagely as your cousin continued to ramble on. If her predilection for movies starring attractive women suddenly made much more sense to you, you didn’t need to let on.

Saturday rolled around far sooner than you would have liked. Despite Robin’s optimism and what you thought was misguided faith, you didn’t actually have that much experience at school parties (these would have necessitated invitations, which – due to your less-than-stellar social status – weren’t in huge supply back in the city). But you figured the fact you were someone new, and not from Hawkins, would grease the social wheels at least a little bit.

Plus Robin’s insistence you had to look “hot as fuck” wasn’t hurting, either. She’d raided each and every one of the suitcases you’d brought for the perfect party outfit, ultimately forcing you into a dress you’d impulse-bought one weekend when you’d been flush with parental-guilt Christmas money. It was short, red and – you knew from one ill-advised and slightly desperate makeout by the bleachers after one school dance you had bothered to go to – hugged your curves in all the right ways. She also insisted you find an exact color match for your lipstick, eyeing you critically as you swiped the shade over the plush of your lips, then dabbing off the excess with a small piece of tissue paper. Honestly, for someone whose own style was more “vintage grandpa” than “harlot” she was highly involved in your aesthetic for the evening.

You stepped back from the mirror, fluffing your hair a bit. OK, so maybe you didn’t look half bad. And it was good to dress up every now and again, you rationalized to yourself. Do something different.

When you and Robin finally pulled up in her car across the street from a classic red brick, multistory house in what was certainly the nicer side of town, the party was already in full swing.

“Exactly to plan,” Robin said as you both scootched out of your seats. You surreptitiously checked the back of your dress to make sure it was still covering all the essential bits before following her up to the mansion. Bits of the party had spilled out the front door and onto the precisely manicured lawn, with teens in various states of inebriation flopped on the grass and giggling. Sounds of someone retching could be heard from behind a bush.

The two of you slipped through the unlocked front door and instantly you were confronted with a wave of bodies and booze. There was a game of beer pong being played on what looked like a highly expensive wooden table in the dining room, and the kitchen was cluttered with classic red solo cups and bowls of mysterious punch. Music pumped from speakers, and everywhere there were clusters of people in twos and threes, chatting and “accidentally” brushing up against each other.

It was a lot, and you blinked in a dazed fashion at the heaving display of humanity in front of you.

“I FOUND NANCY,” Robin yelled in your ear, dragging you back to the present moment. “LET’S GO.”

Your cousin strode purposefully off to the kitchen and you followed in her wake. A pretty doe-eyed girl with brown curls cascading down her back gave Robin a sweet smile as you approached. You could see why your cousin was – in all likelihood – smitten.

“Hey Robin, you made it,” the girl said. “Is this your cousin?”

“Yeah, hi, it’s nice to meet you,” you said, giving Nancy a small wave. “Feels like the whole town’s here.”

“Oh yeah, Jason’s parties are legendary,” she agreed. “Especially since his parents head away for a couple weeks every summer. Do you want some punch? I couldn’t tell you what’s in it, but it smells alright.”

“Sure.” She ladeled some of the pinkish liquid into a cup and handed it to you. Sniffing, you could smell a decent bit of tequila, and probably there was vodka in there as well, in addition to the juice. Not something you’d be having a lot of. Still, you took a small sip – to fit in.

“Anyone else we know here?” Robin asked, scanning the crowd.

“Know? Probably everyone,” Nancy replied. “Care about? Probably just Steve, he went downstairs with Jason and the rest of the basketball guys, I think.”

“Anyoneeeee else?” Robin prompted.

“Uhhh, no, don’t think so?” Nancy gave Robin a searching look, but ultimately shook her head.

“Ugh, oh well,” Robin grumped. “Let’s go find dingus.”

Glasses in hand, the three of you trooped down the carpeted stairs to the basement rec room. Here, plush but luxe-looking suede couches were shoved to the perimeter of the wide room, stuffed with even more teenagers smunched up against each other. The largest couch had been commandeered by a squad of – you could clearly tell – jocks. Something about the way they sprawled their limbs without a care for who else might be in the way.

Steve was amongst the group, too, and he waved when he spotted you in the doorway, grin spreading across his face.

OK, so he was clearly a bit sloshed , you thought to yourself.

“Heyyyyy, you guys made it! Come say hi to the guys. Guys, you know the girls.” Steve gestured broadly to you all, nearly spilling whatever unholy concoction was in his cup.

“Haven’t seen you around before. It’s Jason, nice to meet you.”

Jason stretched out his hand to you, which you took, meeting his eyes. He had a chiseled jaw, swoosh of blonde hair charmingly spilling across his forehead in a pretense of disarray but savagely parted on the other side. A calculated smile that didn’t reach his eyes. You had no reason to, but you disliked him immediately.

“Pleasure,” you managed to say before extricating your hand from his. “You guys must be the basketball team Steve’s mentioned?”

“Gonna be the champs this year again,” Jason boasted. “This here’s Patrick, Chance, Josh and Andy.” Each guy grunted vaguely in your direction as Jason pointed them out. “And I’m the captain.”

“Of course you are,” you demurred.

Robin huffed. “Are you muppets going to make us stand here all night? Move over Steve!”

Despite her smaller size, your cousin was able to bully Steve over, making room on one end of the couch for the three of you. You wound up squished between Steve and Jason – you didn’t really enjoy the feeling of being the middle sardine, but you also didn’t want to be that person and make a big deal about it.

Steve, Robin, and Nancy started bickering heatlessly to themselves about something or another, leaving you out of the conversation and sipping your punch slowly. You did have to admit – after a half glass or so the fruity concoction was growing on you, lending a faintly blurred, surreal quality to the space.

“So, what brings you to Hawkins?”

Jason’s question cuts through the fug of your drink and you swivel to face him, as much as you could.

“Oh, um, I’m just staying with Robin – she’s my cousin – and her parents for the summer while mine are traveling. Normally I live in the city.”

He grimaces sympathetically. “Guess they travel a lot for work?”

If only. You take another sip and make a noncommittal noise. “Mm, yeah, something like that. Yours must be pretty chill to let you throw this party tonight, it’s fire.”

Jason looked around the rec room, like a king surveying his bawdy court. Again, you couldn’t quite put your finger on it, but there was something about him that made you feel like tiny spiders were crawling over your skin, even though – logically – he’d done nothing wrong. Maybe it was the sense you got that he knew he was rich, handsome, athletic, and that there was a lot in life that was his due because of it. Earned or…otherwise.

“Yeah,” he eventually said. “Long as I keep my grades up and don’t lose the summer job, folks don’t really mind what I do on the weekends while they’re at the country club.” His lips twitched into a smile. “Not a bad deal, huh?”

You agreed, from experience. “Could be way worse. So,” you deflected, “tell me who’s who. You must know everything about everyone here.”

The next fifteen minutes, and the rest of your drink, passed with Jason pointing out different people and giving you the lowdown on who they were, who they wanted to be, and their pecking order in the Hawkins High social scene. At some point Robin, Steve, and Nancy had popped back upstairs to get another drink. With yours also empty, you figured it was a good idea to go find them. Standing up, you wiggled your empty cup.

“Going to get a refill. Also…the bathroom?”

Jason jerked his head. “Around the corner, at the end of the hall. Can’t miss it.”

You staggered to your feet and pushed past Steve’s ungodly gangly legs, muttering, “Scuze me, bathroom, ’scuze me, sorry, ope, sorry,” until you made it through. You slipped through the door and looked down the hall – which unhelpfully went in both directions, with doors at both ends – eventually veering right and gingerly pushing the door open to find, yes, it was indeed a fairly serviceable bathroom. No one had puked in it or anything, yet.

Locking the door behind you, you did your thing. God, it seemed like rich people who wanted to flaunt their wealth bought the nice toilet paper. Three-ply and everything. For the basement bathroom. Jesus.

Washing your hands, you stared at yourself in the vanity mirror. Your hair was holding up OK, as was most of your makeup. You reached into your bra to grab a small tube of lipstick – where else was it supposed to fit? And you had the cleavage to pull it off! – and swiped another coat on your lips where the cup had smudged some off. There. Still looking put together.

Heading back down the hallway, you had almost reached the light spilling from the rec room when a sudden burst of laughter made you pause in the shadows, hidden behind the wall. Something about it had your self-preservation senses tingling. You had a sense a shoe was about to drop.

Somehow, in a few minutes you’d been gone, the basketball team had gotten even more inebriated.

“Don’t fuck with me, Jason, I know you’d tap that.”

It was Patrick. Or Chase. They’d sort of blurred together in your mind, their slurring voices all sounding the same.

“I know you would. Hell, I would. In that short little dress, ass and tits on display. You know she wants it, Jason.”

A hot flush of shame flooded your face. Chase-or-Patrick continued, oblivious to your presence just out of sight.

“I fucking bet you $20 that if I get one more drink in her, it’ll take nothing at all for her to go home with me.”

This time, you did hear Jason. “Deal, but only if you get her panties as proof.”

You felt the flush spreading to suffuse your whole body, setting your heart pounding in your chest, so hard it echoed into your hears until the thump-thump of your blood and your shame was the only thing you could hear.

What was it about you, exactly, that always seemed to give people the wrong idea. Was it your clothes, your hair, your eyes, your lips, the way you laughed, the way your chest fit your clothes, the length of your hem, how you smelled, if you had nail polish on or not.

Or was it just something in your very essence where boys thought they could say anything, do anything, to you and it was OK? That it was fucking acceptable?

You stood, paralyzed and faintly trembling, unable to move, unable to decide if you should go back in, pretend you didn’t hear anything, plaster on a smile and fake-fake-fake your way through it, or go upstairs, find someplace to hide away until Robin was ready to leave.

The kids at Hawkins, it turned out, were just the same as the shit school you came from.

Feeling tears start to puddle in your eyes, you raised one hand to swipe at them angrily.

“Don’t ever let ’em see you cry, Dots.”

You flinched, slowly pivoting to see Eddie standing behind you, as if he’d materialized out of the darkness. He was in black again, all Doc Martens, dark denim and a faded black band T-shirt, short sleeves revealing the pale stretch of his arms, broken up with what looked like a patchwork of tattoos. Bats. A creeping black spider. Something else, with fangs.

“How much did you hear?” you asked, dully. “Enough to think I’m still somebody’s hired hooker, Eddie?”

He studied you pensively, noting the tears still stuck, glittering, to your lashes. “No, and Robin blistered my ears for hours, setting me straight. They’re all assholes, you know. Not worth it.”

“Well you’re an asshole too, so don’t worry, I’m pretty sure I got the vibe,” you snapped peevishly. Eddie gave a startled bark of laughter in response.

“Yeah, Dots, I’m an asshole too.”

“Also it’s too late – you’ve already seen me cry. The other day, remember?”

“I know,” he admitted quietly. “But unlike them, at least I own my own asshole qualities.”

You almost thought it could have meant, “I’m sorry.” Almost.

Eddie shifted, stuffing his hands in his back pockets, taking advantage of the silence to study you. You felt the force of his gaze trace you from your quivering lip to the flare of your hips and down, down, down the length of your legs. The two of you were still standing just in the shadows, set apart from the carousing happening just a wall away. Someone could walk out and stumble upon the two of you any moment. Laughter coming from the rest of the party burst like little Champagne bubbles against the rushing in your ears. What was this? You didn’t know. But unlike your first meeting, you didn’t get the same acrid sharpness wafting from the boy in front of you. More a sense of surprising vulnerability, like the two of you recognized something of yourself in the other.

“What’re you doing here?” you deflected, not ready to face whatever the feeling was.

“Oh, Hawkins’ favorite small-time dealer is sufficiently tolerated wherever he goes, Dots.” Eddie pulled an expertly rolled joint out of his back pocket, letting you see it was just weed before it disappeared back where it came. “They don’t have much time for me otherwise, ’cept when Mummy and Daddy are away and they need something to take the edge of suburban mediocrity off. And I’m happy to oblige…for a price.” He flashed a grin, sharp as a knife and twice as lethal. “Call it a side hustle.”

You pushed: “Yeah, but what are you doing down here ? Rather than, I dunno, out in a back alley doing a shady deal.”

“Hey, all of my deals are done in nothing but the most high-quality of tiled bathrooms, thank you very much. But also, Robin and Steve are upstairs with Nance, sent me to find you.”

You glanced at the open door to the rec room. You knew you should probably go back in there, pretend like you hadn’t heard anything, if you wanted any part in Hawkins’ teenage scene while you were here. Spend the rest of the evening fending off increasingly drunk and stupid attempts at seduction until you could bow out at a socially respectable hour and go back to the bed you’d been loaned for the summer. But…

“I don’t want to go back in there,” you admitted, quietly.

“Then fucking don’t,” Eddie said immediately, like it was easy. And maybe for him it was. “Fuck their bullshit and whatever they think about you. No matter what you do, they’ll think it anyways.” He jerked his head toward the stairs leading back up to the kitchen.

“Come on, they’re all waiting for us – for you. Steve always gets way too fuckin hungry when he’s high, so they’re talking about ditching early and going to Benny’s for milkshakes instead. Plus,” Eddie magically pulled Robin’s car keys out from another pocked and jingled them at you, “as the most sober one here, I’m the designated driver. So this time I really can give you that ride, Dots. And Benny’s makes a mean chocolate milkshake, you can’t say no to that.”

Somehow the few minutes you’d spent in hushed conversation with Eddie, the night had become something more forgivable. No matter what he’d assumed the first time you met, there was nothing in his gaze now that indicated you were being treated like an object, like someone on display for everyone else’s enjoyment. So maybe you could re-evaluate your first impression of him. You decided you’d see what he was like over a late-night milkshake and then decide if Robin’s desired friendship-mending experience could happen.

Chocolate was your favorite flavor, after all.

You gave Eddie a little nod, and the way his eyes lit up in relief made the inside of your stomach do a little flip-flop. He made a grand, sweeping motion with his arms toward the stairs.

“Ladies first,” he intoned.

You giggled, and started to head up when something occurred to you. “Eddie,” you said, “is my mascara smudged?”

You still almost expected him to blow your question off, but instead he leaned forward to cup your chin gently with his fingers – the cool of his metal rings making you jump slightly – and title your face into the light. With you being a step or two above him, you were suddenly eye-to-eye, and the full force of his amber gaze caught yours, and held it.

“No,” he said, all seriousness. “They won’t know you’ve cried.”

“Don’t tell them.”

Eddie released your chin and gave you another one of what you were gradually realizing were his trademark half smiles. “A gentleman never betrays a lady’s secrets.”

“What about an asshole?” you quip, smiling so he’d know it was a joke.

“An asshole would save them for the right moment.”

“And which one are you in this moment?”

Eddie cocked his head, jerking his chin at you to head upstairs. “You’ll have to have that chocolate milkshake and find out.”

You rolled your eyes and turned to head upstairs and find your drunken cousin and friends, to save them from their own stupidity; Eddie followed on your heels.

Somehow , you thought, I hope I haven’t made a big mistake.

Chapter 1 | Chapter 3

Next time: You get a job, and Eddie learns something about you.

#cruel summer #stranger things #stranger things fanfic #eddie munson #eddie munson fanfic #eddie munson x you #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson x fem!reader #speedway au #enemies to friends to lovers

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butternuggets-blog · 10 months ago

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Prompt: Teenagers scare the living shit out of me

For @adarafaelbarba 's "The Show Must Go On" song lyrics prompt list, and @leftenantjopson ��

SAS Rogue Heroes Highschool AU

'He's quiet in his room' Mr Sadler looked up at the ceiling and sipped his cup of tea.

His wife looked up from her sausage roll and smiled. 'He was down at the post office earlier, picking up packages. He's ordered such a lot of stuff, I shouldn't wonder he'll be unpacking for while.'

'And there's his drill' Mr Sadler frowned thoughtfully at the high-pitched whine. 'What is that boy building up there?'

Mrs Sadler shrugged. 'Heaven knows.'

Noises continued to happen for the rest of the day, pausing only when Mike came down for dinner. He had black dusting his fingertips - 'Wash your hands please, dear' - and a paint streaked on one pant leg, but his parents didn't push him for answers.

'Could I go camping in the woods next week please?'

'I thought your friends were all scattering for the summer holidays?' Mrs Sadler raised an eyebrow.

Mike nodded. 'They are.'

'Well, please be careful dear, and do let us know when you are leaving. Oh, and remember to keep your mobile phone charged!'

'Of course, Mum.'

Mr Sadler waited until his wife had gone into the kitchen for a second helping of desert and leaned across the table towards his son.

'Is all that-' he jerked his chin up towards the ceiling, '- for the trip?'

Mike nodded, grinning.

'Don't get caught' said Mr Sadler, with a wink.

________________________________________________________________

Marc Halévy squinted at the map in the dying sunlight. He knew where the campsite was, he just...couldn't find it.

'Here.' Grapes leaned over, flashlight in hand, and tapped the black dot they were supposed to be hiking towards.

'Merci,' Halévy folded the map and pushed it back into the side pocket of his backpack. 'I do not want to sleep alone out here.'

'You're not alone,' Grapes nudged him gently with his elbow. 'You have me.'

Halévy chuckled and nudged him back as they continued walking down the dirt track. They were an hour behind their friends; the bus had broken down and although they had run as fast as they could to the meet-up point everyone was long gone. They had accidentally double-backed on themselves twice, but they had found the correct hiking path eventually.

The sun passed below the horizon and they put on their headlamps, huddling closer against the sounds of the night. A low-flying owl startled them when it swooped past after a mouse. The wind suddenly picked up, stirring the trees and causing the shadows to flicker ominously across the track; by the time they reached the second-to-last hill before the campsite Grapes had tripped on three fallen branches and Halévy had put his foot into a muddy puddle.

'I knew packing three pairs of socks was a good idea,' Halévy said cheerfully, untying his boots while he held onto Grapes' shoulder for support. 'André said I was being ridiculous-'

They froze as the screech ripped through the trees.

It was way too loud to be far away. It sounded inhuman but unlike any animal Halévy had ever heard before, with a sharp quality that hurt his ears.

He scanned the woods desperately for the source of the noise.

Nothing.

No, not nothing.

Two glowing red eyes were looking at him through the gloom. They were attached to a body that was at least six foot tall, but all other details of its appearance were lost in the gloom.

Then it opened a pair of wings as wide as Halévy's mother's car and screeched again.

'AAAAAHHHHHH!!!'

Halévy took off running, pulling Grapes along behind him. He lost his loose boot immediately but didn't slow down, leaving the shoe abandoned on the track as he ran for his life.

#sas rogue heroes #writing prompt #mike sadler #marc halévy #sas rogue heroes grapes

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fieldofdaisiies · 2 years ago

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Ultima Ex Nobis | ch. IV

Nessian AU word count: ~2,4k words warnings: mentions of bad mental health summary: Six years into a global pandemic which was caused by a mass fungal infection that turns hosts into zombie-like creatures and makes the whole of Prythian collapse, the former army general Cassian Cadell is tasked with one very special mission – escorting Nesta Archeron, one of the few immune survivors, across a post-apocalyptic Prythian to a group of people of the name L. Their identity is unknown but they can make an antidote.

masterlist

Exhaustion burns in Nesta’s lungs when she runs over the dry soil, through the high grass, her heavy feet aching. She was active, danced and did gymnastics once a week before the infection started. Now, after having been denied sports for nearly six years, she is weak. The muscles in her legs are not strong enough to carry her as fast as Cassian is running. But the general would never leave her behind, he slows down, Nesta trying to keep up with his pace. Cool morning air wheezes in an out of her lungs, a sharp stinging pain erupting in her chest. They are inside a forest now, the morning air so very cold, sending shivers down her whole body.

“FASTER!” the former army general shouts, but Nesta can barely hear him over the blood rushing in her ears. She wants to shout back that she is already trying to, but decides against it — it would only be a waste of oxygen and her lungs and torso are already aching, burning like she has swallowed poison, like she is being suffocated.

The engine once again gets louder, sounds nearer, and Nesta does not even have to look back over her shoulder. She knows who is behind them and she also knows that Keir is probably in one of those cars, hunting her like his own favourite little prey. But well then, he is a coward, so he probably did not join.

Cassian takes a sharp turn, his hand snatching out to grab Nesta’s. He brings her closer to him, somehow like his shielding her from the danger. He is her protector after all.

They take a path off the beating track, now blazing through wild bushes and grass. Dead leaves and pine needles are caught in furred clumps of moss, moss is also climbing up the tree trunks which tells Nesta they are very deep in the woods by now. There are acorns and pine cones scattered across the ground and Nesta has to make sure she does not stumble over them — she has to admit her Converse haven’t been the best choice of shoes, but the only. Cassian with his thick boots simply smashes the pine cones when he steps onto them and Nesta envies him for a moment.

The moment does not last too long. The silence of the early morning forest, only being disturbed by her heavy pants, soon gets interrupted by shots that are being fired behind them.

Pebbles crunch underneath their feet when the first shot reverberates through Nesta and she shudders, her legs slowing in shock. She feels like life has been sucked from her and she can't continue running, to caught in a stupor.

“They are shooting at us,” she brings out and realises how silly it is that she wasted energy and breath on in this statement. It was so useless, as the shot could not have gone unnoticed by Cassian.

“Fuckers,” Cassian grumbles next to her, still not letting go of her hand. It is the soft press of his palm against hers that brings her a little comfort in the midst of the uproar around them. Another shot is fire, and both don’t know where it landed or if it was close.

“Where to? We can never escape them,” Nesta queries, her voice ragged and horse. Her throat is one fire, so are her lungs and she can barely feel her legs anymore. She slows a little again, everything hurts too much.

Her stomach coils at the helplessness she is feeling — hasn’t she felt that weak in a long time. Not even when she was taken to the hospital did she feel like that. She is disappointed — in her herself, in her body. Could she really not make it? Could she really not bring herself to safety? Would this truly be her and Cassian’s end…because she failed?

“We can, I am not letting you die out here, Nes.” Cassian pulls her a little closer again, giving her hand a firm squeeze, his big feet hitting the ground in big steps while he tries to make Nesta follow his pace. He knows she is weak, having had no chance to train at all in the past years, but he needs her to go over her limits, to cross the line of pain. He needs her to be strong and deep in side he knows that she is strong — one of the strongest people he knows.

“Come on, Nes, you can do this—“

A shout of pain interrupts Cassian. The shout has sounded just a second after she has heard another shot and even though she does not dare look over she knows exactly what has happened. Knows exactly what has been done to Cass. But she does not want to believe it. It couldn’t have happened.

“Fuck!” Cassian growls and folds his hand over his lower belly where thick red liquid already starts to build up. What Nesta really admires in that moment is that he does not slow down, does not stop. He keeps up the pace, dragging his feet over the ground and pulling on Nesta’s hand, changing their directing again. The trees are standing closer together where they are heading now. There are even more pine needles on the ground and thicker, bigger bushes. They are now chopping their way through the undergrowth, shielding themselves from the attackers, hoping they go unseen.

“We hid here,” Cassian breathes and crouches down, pulling Nesta along with him. She topples slightly forward, tumbling onto Cassian and bracing her slim hands on his strong thighs, nothing but corded muscles underneath his pants.

“You have been shot,” Nesta shudders, and lifts her gaze to Cassian’s. Her right hand moves over her chest, hoping to calm her heavily beating heart, to regain her breath. “I’ve noticed that, Nes,” Cassian answers matter-of-factly. He brings both his hands up to lift the hem of his shirt and curses again. “Right through me,” he says and Nesta really does not want to look, does not want to see the wound, but she looks anyway. The bullet went write through the side of Cassian’s belly, blood pooling around it and running down his toned belly.

“Just a graze wound. It will heal.” He has noticed Nesta’s gloomy grimace, having felt her concern.

“We left all the medicine behind, Cassian, you need medical help.”

But Cassian gives his head a little shake and forces a weak smile onto his lips. “Are you worried about me, Nes?”

Yes! She wants to say, but does not. “I am worried about being alone out here,” she says instead and somehow wants to immediately take the words back when she sees how the smile falters from her companion’s face. But Cassian brushes it off and lets his hands fall to his thighs, his finger tips brushing Nesta’s. Oh God, why is her hand still there?, Nesta thinks and cringes internally.

She sharply pulls it back, pink splotches appearing on her cheeks and she quickly averts her gaze. “For how long are we going to stay here?” she hisses in a whispered voice.

They are only covered by a few bushes, it is not at all safe and once the sun has fully risen their cover will be for nothing.

Cassian does not answer immediately, he seems to deliberate, ponder about how their route should or would continue. He is unsure about what to do next, but he does not want Nesta to see his uncertainty. Also he does not want her to see his pain, because that damn wound hurts like hell. But he has to be strong fighter, the strong survivor, not only for himself but most importantly for her. He has promised to bring her to safety and to help her save the world. Yes, he does not like her that much, but letting her alone out here to die would never be an option. Even if it was the last thing he did, he would bring Nesta Archeron to safety.

“We need to listen now, figure out where they are. They turned off the engine, I assume.”

Nesta thinks so too. She doesn’t really think they have left — they are still out there, just waiting for them to make a move. When she looks back at Cassian she notices the thin film of sweat coating his forehead and his neck — cold sweat that is breaking out on his skin due to the injury.

If only she had taken the backpack with her… She could tend to his wound now, but no, obviously she had to forget about it. Doubt and regret fill her brain…is she really not good for anything? Has she not even been able to save her younger sister that one fateful night. She hasn’t seen Elain in nearly six years. She has no idea if she is alive. If Feyre knows, she has no idea.

Nesta clamps down on the rising emotions, biting the inside of her cheeks to stop the tears from building up in her eyes. Crying would be the last thing she would want now. Her chest still aches from sucking in the sharp breaths of cool air and her knees and legs and feet still hurt from running. Nesta moves into a kneeling position, hoping to be as calm as possible, and sits back down on her heels. “Your wound needs to be checked.”

She couldn’t lose another person because of her doings, of her failing. Back then Elain followed her outside when she went looking for Feyre. It was and still is her fault.

And if Cassian now as well —God forbid— dies because of her, she would never forgive herself for it. Yes, she does not like him that much but still, he has been kind to her and he has not chosen to escort her through Prythian, he has been tasked with it, has been pushed into just like she has.

She can barely finish the thought when another engine howls in the distance, a car nearing with great speed. Tree branches get smashes and crunched. More people are coming.

Nesta’s eyes widen in panic and she searches Cassian’s gaze. There is a gloomy grimace on his face and he opens his hand for Nesta to take it. “We make it out alive, Nes.”

Shots sound from all around them like thunder — there are so many and they are so loud their ear drums nearly burst. One can hear shouts, wails more shots and then there is nothing but silence.

Irritation coats Nesta’s insides and she folds the hand that is not in Cassian’s palm over her chest as if in pain. Her heart beats in her throat, her chest heaving with deep inhales. Cassian closes his eyes for a moment, waiting.

“Cass!” A male voice sounds and the former general’s eyes immediately snap open. He looks relieved, some colour returning to his face.

“Cass, where the fuck are you? The pager shows that you are close,” the male shouts, foot steps all of a sudden sounding closer. One can hear pebbles crunch, wood being shoved away. Nesta’s throat works on swallow and she tries to search Cassian’s gaze. The corner of his mouth lifts a little and then— “Az?” Cassian says loudly. “We are.”

Still holding Nesta’s, hand the general straightens up, pulls the young female with him and brushes the weathered branches out of their way.

A blood bath and several dead bodies are revealed to them and in front of them stands a male. Nesta has to admit that he looks incredibly handsome, wearing army pants, a black tight shirt that leaves little to nothing to imagination. His hair is dark, his skin tanned, he holds a huge rifle in his hand and when he sees the two of them, his lips form a smile. “There you are. I have been looking for you,” he says and stalks forward.

“You did that?” Cassian breathes and gestures to the dead bodies, his other hand still holding Nesta’s.

The male of the name Az inclines his head with graceful simplicity, cool indifference etched into his features.

The males makes bigger steps forward and Cassian slips his hand out of Nesta’s hold, pulling his friend in for a tight hug. “You saved our asses, Azzy. We owe you.”

Something dips low in Nesta’s belly — is this envy? Envy that Cassian has someone who saves his life, who comes to his rescue, who hugs him like a brother? Probably it is envy, mixed with disappointment. And sadness, hasn't she hugged her sisters in nearly six years.

Once having pulled back from the hug, Cassian decides it is time to introduce the two of them. “Azriel, my brother from another mother,” he says and grins, slowly bending forward when a rush of pain floods him. “Nesta Archeron, my immune companion.”

What a nice way to be introduced, Nesta thinks and extends her hands for Azriel to shake. The skin of his hands is marred with deep scars, but Nesta does not let her sympathy show, not knowing if he would appreciate it, and shakes his hand.

“He is hurt. Cassian got shot, he needs to be taken care of,” Nesta quickly says and practically feels how Cassian rolls his eyes next to her.

“Isn't the first time that happened, but thank you for informing me, the bastards wouldn’t have said anything for days. Again,” Azriel chuckles lowly and extends his arm, showing them to truck.

“But first we get out of here, back to where it is safe.” “Where to?” Nesta queries. Azriel's presence, and she really does not know why, makes her feel safe. With him she feels just as safe as with Cassian and that is odd, but also somehow a very welcomed feeling.

“Starfall basecamp. We just need to head a little north, it is a thirty minute drive,” Azriel explains when he opens his door, Cassian on the other side, but letting Nesta go in first.

“You have been watching me? Making sure I am safe, Azzy?” Cassian muses when he slides into the seat, his hand pressing down on his wound. He swallows a groan when he sits down, biting down on his lower lip to clamp down on the rising pain.

“I am making sure she is safe,” Azriel answers matter-of-factly.

~~~~~~

tags: @helhjertet @moonlightazriel@aayo-whatt@crushedcloudsx @brekkershadowsinger @girasoli-e-sorrisi @ignite-me@swifti-ed @cassiansbigwingspan @burningsnowleopard @headcanonheadcase @banasheefan56

#nesta x cassian #nesta archeron #cassian acotar #acotar #nessian #nessian fanfic #acosf

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mylove-iv · 6 months ago

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⠀𐔌 . ⋮ the chase .ᐟ ֹ ₊ ꒱

ʚ motorcyclist! xiao x fem, ballerina! reader ɞ

synopsis: a chance encounter amidst traffic fleeting like the wind, a ribbon tying you two together yet why were you both foolish enough to not ask for names?

genres: romance (implied mutual attraction), modern au + smau.

word count: 680.

author's note: this was gonna be a kuni fic but thinking about it, i think he'd just smack your hand playfully LMAO- but this fic was created by my brainrot induced by this video ᡣ𐭩ྀིྀི₊ ⊹.

‎‧₊ ─ masterlist .ᐟ ༘

As the car comes to a stop within a sea of traffic, you sigh tiredly as your eyes drift to your bag.

Frustration blooms within you as you inwardly wince, remembering that your current pointe shoes are basically dead and that you’d have to break in new pointe shoes when you get home.

But with the reminder of you not fully grasping your piece during rehearsals, the frustration welling inside you explodes in a quiet storm in your mind.

Tugging the silk ribbon from your hair, your locks descend down your shoulders in waves, before you’re lowering the window.

Putting your hand through the window, the silk ribbon flutters softly in the night breeze and you pause as you question whether you should let it go, the ribbon—and ballet.

But just as you were about to let the ribbon flutter away, a warm and unfamiliar hand encompasses yours gently.

Your eyes shoot up to meet deep amber ones, red eyeliner lining his sharp eyes as locks of black and turquoise peek from his helmet, his face hidden by the mask beneath his motorcycle helmet.

The man gently closes your hand into a fist, securing the ribbon in your grasp as he gently nudges your hand back into the car.

“You should put your hands back in the car,” He hums and you find yourself entranced by the lull of his voice, deep and soothing—alluring.

The man turns his head to face the road yet he keeps eye contact by looking at your through the corner of his eyes, “It’s dangerous.”

He’s gone as fast as he had unexpectedly arrived as traffic begins to move and only then are you able to realize what had just happened.

You feel heat rise to your cheeks as your bottom lip slightly falls, your stomach twisting and turning and you swear there’s a whole swarm of butterflies in your stomach.

Swallowing thickly, your fingers absentmindedly played with the ribbon, tying it into a cute bow.

And as traffic begins to lessen and the driver accelerates, the loud roar of a motorcycle catches your attention.

Instinctively grabbing your phone, you snap a blurry picture of the cute motorcyclist hoping to find him once more.

Boldly, you roll down the window once more as the car speeds up, unwittingly chasing the motorcyclist who unknowingly caught your eyes as your hand tightens around the ribbon in your grasp.

┊ ੈ✩‧₊*°࿐ྂ。

Xiao quickly revs his bike, weaving through traffic before a flailing hand enters the corner of his vision.

Curiosity blooms within him and he takes the bait as he slows his bike to match the car’s speed.

Being mindful to stay aware of his surroundings, his eyes meet yours once more and a small smile tugs at his lips as he recognizes you as the one from before.

Pretty. He thinks as he finally takes you in, too engrossed in informing you to keep your hands in the car to have noticed your beauty prior.

But you gently wave your hand in the wind, a smile stretching across your face as Xiao brings up his hand to grab whatever you’re holding.

He sees a faint flash of pink as your fingers brush against his and he swears he feels a buzz of electricity dance atop his skin.

The car speeds up and you maintain eye contact with him, a coy yet sweet smile on your face as you wave him goodbye.

Xiao is struck by a sudden fluttering in his stomach that distracts him enough for the car to enter the maze of cars along the freeway.

Realizing that he's lost your car, he sighs as he understands it'd be troublesome revving his bike through traffic to chase you.

Instead, he allows his eyes to drift down to what you had given him.

A baby pink silken ribbon tied into a cute bow.

A smile graces his face as he huffs amusedly behind his mask. His hand tightens around the bow as he quickly shoves it into the pocket of his jacket, noting to tie it to his bike’s keys.

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onyourhyuck · 2 years ago

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𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐊ᵃ𝐫𝐦𝐚 [ Season 3 ]

synopsis; • Fast forwarding six years, Park areum is coming back to the journalist industry. A case from thirteen years ago re-opens when Areum finds something suspicious around a drug ring in clubs and her parents car accident from thirteen years ago have suspicious links. However something always trails back to past that she’s never knew about.

warnings; • mafia jeno Au, mystery, thriller, SMUTTT NO MINORS, ANGST, police exo au, romance, park areum and lee jeno are married , minjae and nayoung are cuties, horror (scary death scenes). gruesome graphic detailed language.

Now Part 2 !! || —> Next Part 3.

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“How did you and dad meet?”

Areum turns around with slight surprise to the sudden question encounters to the surface, ever so slowly the blank expression on the boy’s face brings the woman to retrace her words, thinking before she speaks.

It was hard to explain, for anyone honestly. If only they knew the truth, in which Areum swears neither will ever know because this will go down to her grave.

“Ah well, Y’know. Work, honey. We met through work.” Areum slowly speaks, nodding her head, perhaps hoping it would make it much more believable for the little boy.

Minjae wasn’t sure what made him so sure that Areum felt so distant on the subject. The boy tilts his head, at the woman. “What made you fall in love with dad exactly? I mean, he seems kinda boring.” Areum’s face crumbles into surprising laughter, a banterous amount of serotonin to hear the quiet boy.

She comes forward to the dining table standing by the corner of the wooden antique, hand rubbing down Minjae’s soft silk black hair, through the fingers lovingly petting him downwards to the nape neck. “That’s a first I’ve ever heard.” Areum chuckles.

“I’ll be completely honest with you, Minjae-ah. I didn’t fall for your father at first. Nope nope, not at all.” Areum moves to the side until she sits by the end of the chair next to the boy nicely dressed in a white cottontail knitting sweater. His eyes timber worn out the sparkles. “Really? Then who did you love?”

There was something so nostalgic to hear your own son ask about the life you’ve lived before he was born into this menacingly large world with billion people living. Areum couldn’t put her sharp tongue on it even if she tried. The woman looks down, breaking away the eye contact as her fingers strut their way on the surface of the spruce wood.

Tracing along, until her finger wraps around Minjae’s smaller hands in her palm. Areum softly smiling as she looks up at the soft looking child. “I first fell in love with a person who was an amazing painter.”

Minjae quietly whoas. “Can i meet him someday, he sounds way cooler than dad.” Areum takes a moment to respond although she nods willingly, a thought came across that maybe she should speak truth to the boy; but that would be crushing the boy’s dreams.

“Of course you can, one day.” Areum stands up from the chair. “But, for now you should get your jacket and shoes on alright? we don’t want to keep auntie mina and uncle jisung waiting do we.”

The boy goes up leisurely and calmly, rather than an energetic child like nayoung would do— Minjae is much more reserved and soft spoken. “Okay mom.” minjae said, leaving the kitchen as Areum trails behind watching the boy get ready in the corridor where hung up jackets and laid shoes are on the storage shoe-holders.

the stairs creak showing a girl in a soft baby-pink dress and white knee high socks with elegant pin pointy princess shoes. Black hair tucked into a half up half down ponytail. The little girl jumps up and down all ready to go, awaiting. Behind her, appears a taller man in a fancy loose button shirt and black straight pinned trousers on the snatched waist.

“minjae let me fix your hair.” jeno said in almost demanding tone when he saw the still-made up before hair. areum smiles consciously at the sight, bringing Nayoung towards her to help put on the white jacket.

the boy protests when pulled into jeno’s hold in front of the hallway small mirror, groaning at the feeling of the large hands brushing through the hair and then styling it with a brush to make it fancy and neat. “Dad i don’t want my hair fixed.” he huffs out the chubby cheeks, Jeno smirking at the boy. “You’ll thank me later when young girls will come crawling to you.”

minjae let’s out a gasping raspberry. “ugh please never say that again. might Throw up.” the boy stands still when jeno pulls away laughing a little. he opened the door, with the car key button pressed allowing the parked car outside to make an audible beep.

“get in the car kids, me and mom will be right behind ya.” he tells them, watching the twins run out the door leaving the parents alone. areum slowly putting on shoes as she reaches to take the nearest jacket, but a hand stops her.

jeno ghosting hand onto hers where he grabs the jacket for his wife, slowly giving her the obvious look for areum to turn around and take the damn hint. the woman rolls her eyes jokingly, turning around now facing the mirror, jeno slipping on the jacket from behind right into her arms through and out.

she sighs dramatically. “I could’ve done it myself.” areum throwing the obvious out but jeno clicks his tongue, his structured face moving on the left side near the neck, the chin laying on the shoulders. He teasingly whispers, rasping out the words to rile areum up just for his own amusement to see the embarrassment. “Ah ah ah, you know a thank you could’ve been better to hear.” jeno throws.

“a thank you for something i could’ve done? how rich.” areum shot quickly, raising an eyebrow. jeno grins, hands moving to place themselves around the waist. “well, where is my thank you mrs lee?”

“Hmm.” comes out the uncertain sealed lips, areum shifts around her back where her face meets jeno’s closer, she leans and then stops. Looking down at the shirt’s collar where her fingers start to fix and fold it. “Thank you, my dear husband.” areum said, watching her lover’s expression go from teasing to smiley.

their lips connect together for a small loving kiss, the warmth passing through each other gracefully as if they could never get over their physical love as well as mentally too. the sweet moment, not wanting to break from the kiss, something had to interrupt. loud honk outside reveals their car shaking as the twins were clearly running rampage in the vehicle.

areum breaks away from the kiss in hurry, glancing back to the black car, shaking her head with a soft sigh. jeno removing hands from areum, watching the same scene as the woman.

“Look’s like someone’s impatient.” jeno quotes. In through the car window, seeing a tiny glimpse of the girl in the front driver seat pressing harshly on the stirring wheel to honk one more. “More like Nayoung.” He tells again grabbing the hung up house keys on the wall, areum following out of the door and then into the car. Jeno locks the door, securing the security to the fullest. Then joining his family in the car.

Off to pay a visit somewhere important.

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“You think they will come soon?” mina brings up, fiddling by the thumbs as she nervously glances to the side of the boy with a reassuring smile. he gently sweeps the hair on the side, tucks it in her ears behind. “of course, they are on their way. i just got a text.”

she sighs loudly. “okay, okay yeah.” jisung chuckles, he never saw his girlfriend be so nervous before, of course there were times where she did get anxious at times, but not effected this much. i mean, mina was practically shivering in her boots. “hey, babe. everything will be fine.” he’d tell.

mina looks at him lovingly, feeling the genuine love from the words of affirmations he spoke so gentle. he wasn’t impatient or portrayed himself annoyed at the overthinking mindless thoughts and scenarios that aren’t true. he told her the most important thing she needed to know.

that everything will be okay. she smiles as her forehead leans close, resting against his head on the very edge with his hair. “you’re right. this is only a scouting for a wedding dress.”

“mhm,” jisung sang. “so enjoy the moment. you’re supposed to be happy and excited to find the dress of your dreams, and your dreams only.”

Their gaze breaks when the younger girl pin points the family coming in the shop where they would be in the waiting reception marking area. the little boy and girl gasp as they saw mina and jisung sit up from their seats to greet them.

areum and jeno trailing behind the excited kiddos, each and everyone sharing smiles and exchanging happy eye glances.

“hey nayoung and minjae!” jisung tells and then mina kneeling down to hug the two children. areum stops crossing arms, “i’m going to cry.” she announces, one look at jisung and mina it took for her to get emotional.

jeno on the other hand wraps a hand round the devastated woman next to him, cheering up encouragingly to someone who hit rock bottom. jisung and mina share a gentle smile. especially, mina, shares an empathic look at areum. “Now now, don’t cry yet, hold it in. You can do it.”

it must be difficult for areum on this day, as well as jisung, though he was handling it pretty well. areum was trying her best. These two were on their own all their life, and a wedding was meant to be special. parents are a big part of wedding ceremonies and in general too; they didn’t have the generous experience to have their father walk them down the aisle, or their mother to give vows.

The same emotions crept up on the day areum married jeno, except jisung bawled heavily on the same night as he said his toasting wishes and gratitude at the wedding dinner table with many guests who possibly remember him for his crying face.

jisung laughs, provokingly nudging his older sister’s elbows. “I’m not at the aisle yet so don’t go crying on me yet.” areum scoffs looking up and down the tall 6ft boy, don’t ask when he had a growth spur, the boy catches her by surprise every-time.

“shut up, don’t tease me.” areum trails and looks around, noticing that the twins started wedding dress hunting without them. “Oh god the twins are already gone in the dress section.” she exhales.

Mina smiles. “I’ll go with them, but I’ll be needing your help areum.” the younger girl softly asks with her palms out to be held. areum never hesitated to hold those hands, walking with Mina to the dress sections in the large shop. “let’s go Mina.”

The boys were right behind them like guarding dogs, the shop was pretty crowded so not only were they looking at other newly engaged couples walking about the shop sections for tuxedos and dresses— their eyes had to maintain watch on the hyperactive children while the two girls would be busy.

minjae glances around the few mannequins as Nayoung was completely lost in the tuxedo section. now, these two mini beasts were separated. not a great sign.

“i’ll go and watch over minjae, stay and keep an eye on nayoung.” jeno sets commands as he leaves leaving the boy alone with the girl standing next to his long extending legs. the tiny human below him looks up, giggling.

jisung whispers under his breathe as their eyes maintain eye contact with the little child. He can’t help but beg and pray in his mind ‘please lord, give me strength to look over this girl.’ With honesty, Nayoung was a difficult child to maintain.

not that she was a bad child, not at all. she’s an angel, but the amount of energy she can take and make is unnecessarily overpowering. Not only is she such an extroverted child, she speaks for days and days.

Sometimes it’s a bit too much to comprehend and listen to. jisung doesn’t have that much brain power. he waves a short smile at Nayoung. “You like any of these dresses, Nayoung?”

the girl looks about, she shrugs those small carve shoulders. “i haven’t really looked properly at them yet. Uncle Ji, do you have a suit yet?”

“I do, you’ll see it at the wedding. How about we help search for wedding dresses for Mina?” jisung crouches down, holding nayoung’s side as he lifts her up. the brave girl looking about with such height comparison to her own. He walks about, where Nayoung has view of everything and anything, she’d gently exclaim in small fonts waws and awes. The pleasant face on her was key to jisung’s success to the talkative young girl.

On the other side, Jeno would be watching Minjae look around the tuxedos with a curious eye. The way his son loses himself in so many clothes hung up and wore on the mannequins seems to be overwhelming the sight and bland it a little bit.

Minjae lowly expresses. “Is marriage important, dad?”

Jeno shifts about as he was taking his time looking at the suits wrapped in the plastic bags, with keen eyes admiring the expensive beauty of the branded clothing. He looks away, pulling his hands and body off, turning around with hands slipping down the front pockets as eyes lower to watch Minjae.

the little boy would be sitting down on the shop’s fancy cushion chairs, hands tucked under the legs and feet dangling on the chair side by side. “That depends, I’m afraid Minjae.” jeno sighs out.

it seems like his son has always been thinking deeply about things and those would be many things. Minjae comes up with philosophical questions about the most ponderous subjects— whether it would be about earth ending, something scientifically new discovered, or heavily religious. The boy has his thirst of knowledge from his mother, it shows.

“What do you mean about that?” Minjae trails, raising eyebrows confused. Jeno hums, comfortably enjoying the mere silence away from the chattering outside. Seems like most customers are here for dresses rather than tuxs. “Well, depending on person. Many people have different views on marriage I’m afraid.”

“What’s your opinion on marriage then?” Minjae was quick to ask, Jeno smiles at the sudden hurried question, he approaches the boy and decides to sit next to him. “It’s important. I married your mother.”

The boy smiles hearing the words from his father’s lips. In all honesty, Minjae admires his father a lot but he never tells him much, unlike when he is with his mother he speaks his entire life away. But with his father, he talks the right amount of silence and words all in one. You suppose it would be their dynamic.

he’s a mommy’s boy at heart and nayoung’s a daddy’s girl at hers, nevertheless, minjae and jeno have a good relationship enough where Minjae can roasts his father but as well as ask for advice.

Minjae looks around trying to figure what else to ask, but jeno caught on quick when the small eyes falter away from his own. “shhh,” jeno sways as he stands on the chair closing his eyes shut, enjoying the final silence. Minjae murmuring. “don’t tell me you’re going to sleep here?”

jeno chuckles. “what if i am?” Minjae chills out a silent scoff. “fine sleep, i’ll go and join others .” Jeno hears the boy say, standing to walk away. Seeing the boy make his own decision, jeno has no choice but to stand away, following with a soft yawn from the lips. he can’t sleep if Minjae moves around, after all he’s keeping an eye on him.

The shorter lean woman turns around the small landing mirror hanging to the left wall on her side. The reflection of herself in the mirror makes her sigh, unable to make a conclusion herself of what she looks like— if it looks good ok her, if she should look at different styles because mayhaps this one wasn’t right for her. Who would’ve known shopping for a dress was this tiresome and stressful?

Mina turns around, she pulls the black curtains off revealing the shuffling noises. The family in the fitting section sitting on the fancy cushion couches while jisung was sitting on a cushion chair next to them where anticipating the look on mina. Areum told them to stay excited, because this was the best dress out of everything they saw.

The fancy white heels scrape the floor, every echoes sends the waiters in the oblivion, but when the sight of the flowey fabric, v heart shape necktie exposing right amount of cleavage, with laced beadings and patterns imprinted on it as well as downwards to the skirt wrinkles. Mina’s small arms lift the skirt up, going up on the alter where she spins herself around on a much bigger mirror reflecting back. There was silence from her, but from the mini audience, far from silent.

Nayoung croaks out quietly under her breathe, usually, she would be loudly cheering like the youthful child she is, but this time she’s quiet. the princess-like girl was lost for words. “wow, auntie mina…”

The boy in the middle besides Nayoung, sparkles glancing up at mina. “is this what a real princess looks like?”

jeno smiles turning to look at the other boy next to him, sitting all alone. The side profile scene of seeing jisung’s face lit up with full blown heart eyes coming out his eyes, the younger man felt exactly like he’s in love again with his college sweetheart. Teasingly, Jeno pats the boy’s shoulders.

He sighs mentally, he told himself and areum he wouldn’t feel emotional, but he surely did feel something when he saw Jisung’s grown up face, realising that he no longer is this nineteen year old kid he was once years ago. He’s a man getting married, starting a family with his fiancé.

“Do you…like it guys?” Mina nervously brings up. “Like it?” Areum repeats, shakily breathing. The family turn to watch the older woman, who stands up approaching Mina. The younger girl squeaks anxiously, whispering aloud. “Do you hate it? I’ll take a look elsewhere if it isn’t great, Areum.” The girl was met with a soft smile, tears running down Areum’s face.

“No, it’s perfect Mina. I love it.” She chokes out a sob, bringing Mina down the altar and wrapping arms around the young girl ready to be wedded any moment now. Mina tries her best to not burst into tears with areum, but eventually joins her in the overwhelming emotions. “You’re beautiful in any dress however this one…you look like a true bride.” Areum speaks softly pulling her face from the side, facing Mina.

Areum wipes those salty tears away with her thumb very carefully, Mina looking up at Areum. “Thank you, sis.” She whispers. “I think the boys are probably crying more than us.”

The grin grows on both their faces as they turn around, seeing the two men looking away wiping away their tears. Jeno crying on the inside however, Jisung was the opposite where he cries outwardly a waterfall.

“God you’re beautiful Mina, I- I still feel like this is a dream.” Jisung stutters standing up, Mina chuckles bringing the boy in an embrace. “Gosh, you’re crying this much and it’s not even the wedding day.” Mina teases.

Jisung could only laugh, returning the embrace back with his arms around the back. The fiancée couple taking a moment for themselves, leaving their family stranded for a moment or two. Nayoung jumps up on Jeno’s lap, cheering.

“Yay, auntie found her dress right before the wedding is round the corner.” Nayoung happily sways with the princess-pointy shoes, standing on the muscle thighs of her dad with ease. He would maintain hands around the legs and clothes she’s wearing to hold the young girl balanced to not fall. Jeno murmuring, “be careful, you don’t want to injury yourself before the wedding right?” The little girl arrogantly scolds.

“Me? Fall over? Could never happen.” She cheekily adds an extra daring step ahead, Jeno warningly putting a hand following each footstep. Areum on the other hand busily wipes away the tears, Minjae calmly passing more tissues for his mom.

Then a slip casually happens so quickly before their eyes where areum gasps to see the young girl sleep off the very edge and fall backwards right above a glass table where she could, possibly shred herself on the glass and hurt herself. Minjae and Areum were froze to shock, unable to get themselves to catch Nayoung. But a hand pulls on the young girls arms, roughly pulling her back into a tough chest in the white button up shirt.

Jeno silently took Nayoung pulling her with enough reach, where the girl did not fall on such dangerous antique. Areum moved over Nayoung and Jeno, glancing at the scared girl with a scolding worrisome face.

“Lee Nayoung don’t ever do such a dangerous thing again.” Areum whisper shouts, holding Nayoung’s hands. The girl going slightly pale, her life flashed right before her eyes but thankfully her father pulls her to safety. She nods quietly, whispering. “Sorry mom and dad, I won’t do that again.”

Jeno sits up resting Nayoung on his lap seated, deeply sighing. “Okay, don’t do it again.” He looks up to his death-scared wife, holding the little girl. “It’s alright, I’ve got her Areum.” he said.

Areum shakes her head, holding her own chest, heart beating so fast it’s far from unable to count. “God, that scared us all.” Nayoung sniffling on the side, moving to her mother’s arms, to be in her motherly embrace because she felt bad and now only that— she’s still paralysed with a little fear.

Her mother tucks her into an loving hug, hushing the little cries from the girl, rubbing the neat straight black hair on her palms. “It’s okay baby, sorry i yelled” areum tells softly. Nayoung clenching her face on her mother’s shoulder leaving it there. “Please don’t be mad at me anymore.”

Areum softly smiles. “I was never mad at you in the first place, so don’t cry anymore, it’s okay.” She’d lift Nayoung to look at her, grabbing a tissue which Minjae hands over to console his sister and mother. Jeno pulls the wet hair strands sticking to her cheeks, tugging them behind her ears. “Cheer up, princess, I’ve got you didn’t I?”

“Yeah, dad saved you.” Areum brings up magically, Nayoung giggling at the nickname. Minjae whispers to his sister as he holds her hand, also comforting her. “I’m glad you’re smiling again.”

Mina and jisung arrive in their normal clothes with the wedding dress nicely packaged away into this plastic bag container. The couple look at them with a smile, as then all of them together walk out of the shop. Nayoung and Minjae running around the parking lot carefully, with the adults speaking together.

Jisung brings himself to his silver car, opening the back of the boot where he places the dress down neatly. Mina sighs out, grinning.

“Thank you for joining us again.” Mina trails, she has many things to be grateful for and Areum with Jeno we’re one of them.

Areum groans out. “Come on, we’re family. You don’t need to thank us.” She tells and hugs Mina once more, then letting go. Jisung approach’s as he hugs Jeno and then let’s go off the man too.

“Come, Jisung where’s my hug?” Areum spoke out, opening the arms. Jisung whistles looking away, annoying his older sister to grunt out and hit his arm. “Ow ow relax” Jisung chuckles out, moving to hug Areum seriously this time.

Areum huffing. “I can’t believe you’re getting married.” Jisung raised an eyebrow when he lets go off the woman, facing her. “You make it sound like it’s impossible.”

“I mean, honestly I thought it would be. I always thought you were going to be this nineteen year old boy stuck with me forever.” Areum let’s out, watching Jisung. The boy softly smiled, he knows that she was his parent as well as his sister.

At times, he thanks her the most. She raised him to the person he is today, he’s grateful for her sacrifices she’s made just to make sure he has a life to enjoy. By any means, from his teenage years up until old he, Areum made it worth living for. Even when the times were dark for both.

Now, he hopes he can be more reliable for his sister where she has a shoulder and pillar to cry for, where she doesn’t need to overally exceed herself for him. It’s his turn to take care of her now.

“Thank you, noona.” Jisung said, smiling. He sees the woman raise her eyes up confused by the sudden confession, but nevertheless a sweet smile nervously forms on the face like sunrise on the sky. “Don’t be silly why are you thanking me.” Areum looks around.

“For everything, but I’ll save that speech for the wedding.” Jisung replies and turns to Jeno with a grin. “Thank you as well for marrying my sister even though she’s crazy to handle.” The boy bows his head dramatically with respect where Jeno smirks tucking hands in the front trousers.

These two boys will always clown Areum. The woman pouts half annoyed, containing the smile to laugh. She rushed to Jisung, where the boy was already running away from her knowing she would chase him to get revenge on his words. Seriously? Her crazy? Underestimation. She’s unhinged.

Jeno and Mina stand side by side watching their lovers simply run about like lunatics, Areum yelling out ‘Me crazy? Oh Park Jisung I’ll show you crazy. What do you mean crazy!’ While Jisung simply replies with ‘Sorry, my bad let me rephrase. You’re a nut case.’

Mina wasn’t sure, if these two were the biggest kids or if Minjae and Nayoung were the kids out of them.

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The woman sighs in her bedroom, a laptop on her thighs as she was laying down half way, in a sitting up position with her back pressing on the bed’s wooden frame. Scrolling past the case file she found online, thanks to an unique source of being the mafia’s wife.

It comes with handy powers that helps Areum with work, especially the source called Lee Haechan. Her best friend was her little spy and not like he has much choice anyways, aruem always ends up having haechan around her finger tightly wrapped and unable to escape her and her tricks.

While Jeno and the children were having dinner, Areum wasn’t quite hungry yet so she began to work on the case finally again, it was a long day but might as well do something a bit productive at the end with work.

Although nothing major and out of the ordinary was found and Areum hits a dead end. With a sigh crossing those lips, she looks away from the screen rubbing the eyes, feeling them ache and born due to watching the screen for so long.

“A dead end, freaking fantastic.” Areum mutters, sarcastically, the workaholic woman slides the silver laptop on the bed stand table next to her bed, leaving the shared master bedroom.

Lounging down the stairs where she was met with children watching the tv, a Disney classical movie: frozen, On the screen. She smiles, Nayoung and Minjae tucked in the same blanket together, leaning on each other peacefully with their smiles growing every time Olaf the snowman was on the screen.

But no sign of Jeno. Areum quietly walks away from the tv living room, moving around the long hallway with multiple passages, going through the first one by the big open doors.

Jeno would be standing by the counter with a warm brewed tea with a bag, where his hands flip it up and down in the boiling water in the cup to squeeze out every flavour in it. He would be making two rather than just one.

She stands by the hallway, whistling as her eyes watch his back from behind admiring the view of the waist and back muscles, even though he wore a white shirt it shown through. The V shaped back and broad shoulders with arm muscles were to die for.

The man hears her, calmly turning around to bin away the used teabags after using it, he looks up seeing the comfortably woman, dressed in a pair of pyjama shorts and a soft cotton tank top. Hair in a messy bun, leaving baby hairs to poke out. She has quite the sore eyes, as they were tearing up from the amount of screen time she has on the laptop.

Guess that’s the payback you get for being a journalist always documenting things online.

He smiles flashing Areum the warm mug of tea in her hands, she takes it with a short smile, goes to sip the warm brew flavour. “You finished work?” Jeno states.

Areum hums loudly. “Yeah, I’ll need to find better leads tomorrow it seems.”

“I think,” Jeno paused as he puts his tea down no longer drinking it, he wraps himself around Areum where those same warm hands pull the woman by the waist, staying there like they were a permanent resident. “You need to forget work for at least twenty four hours.”

She scowls a pout, even the sound of that sounds quite literally impossible. She’d sigh out. “What about you hm? Don’t think i know what you’re up to when you’re working on the weekend just as much as i am.”

Busted, Jeno thought. He lets out a managed groan, although he smirks when he goes to kiss her forehead. “So stubborn.”

Areum agrees, no doubt. “That’s my charm.”

He audibly laughs. “And so darn insufferable.” Areum raised her eyes, repeating. “That’s also my charm.”

“Always have a comeback for everything i say.” He’d tell, rubbing circles on the waist with his thumbs. Areum tensing up by the actions although she smirks, keeping composure. She leans closer, giving a soft kiss on his lips leaning the man stranded in his surprise.

One soft kiss turns to a long term seal, where jeno goes in for the action with passion, kissing areum deeply. Their eyes closed, lost in each other’s love for a second before Areum pulls away with enough strength. It was hard for these two to stop after they only just began. But you’d suppose it’s not.

Areum breathes out, the flavour of the tea lingering on each other’s swollen warm burning lips. “Love you,” areum whispers, reaching for a final peck on the lips.

She then leaves with her tea to go and watch frozen with the children so casually, as if she just didn’t makeout with him in the kitchen, and as if she didn’t start it first by kissing him and leaving him flustered and hot bothered now.

Jeno blinks at the empty space where she left him, he stutters out a sigh. “I love you, she said. She kissed me like there was no tomorrow.” He turns around rubbing the red cheeks, looking in the kitchen window reflection. “This is all your fault.” He murmurs.

Seriously, Areum did this to mess with his head, he knows it. Little does he know, his wife was smirking so much with proudness that she was able to effect Jeno this much; guess a little torture didn’t sound too bad to do.

Masterlist to chapters link here.

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REBLOG, LIKE THIS FANFIC IT HELPS A LOT AND FOLLOW ME FOR MORE IF YOU WANT DAILY UPDATES. Please make sure to check out season 1 and season 2 as well!

@onyourhyuck Please refer from translating, copyrighting and plagiarising my work thank you!

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hockeyandhrsepwr · 1 year ago

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Abu Dhabi moments

Jack Hughes x Ferrari driver reader

Je T’aime Masterlist

** Vegas is the last race before Abu Dhabi & series takes place in 2024 with Danny, Seb & Mick still on the grid **

A handful of moments as the season come to an end because I didn’t want to write a full fic. Also how are y’all? I’ve haven’t been on here in a while because ya girl had finals and grad 🫶

Post Practice, Friday

Welcome back to sunny Abu Dhabi, as we prepare for the final race of the season!! This weekend brings us the most heated battle for the Drivers Championship we’ve ever seen!! Yes that includes Lewis versus Max 2021, the Mercedes battle of 2016 & Sebastian Vettels maiden win in 2010. Ferrari have the Consrtuctors trophy, will they clinch the Drivers too? Lets have a look at the possibilities

Y/n L/n currently sits first in the points, with Max trailing by only one. Charles Leclerc only sits only 5 points behind him. It will come down to whoever takes the win for this race. Three potential champions, one race. Will it be a third championship for Verstappen, a second for Leclerc or a first for L/n?

Are you excited? Because we sure are. They all had great practices today. Who will come out on top? Tune in all weekend to see what happens!

Lets send it over to Naomi, who’s with y/n now

Media Pen

Hi y/n, how are we feeling today?

I’m doing great, how about you?

You know, I’m pretty good but were not here to talk about me. What’re you feeling coming into this weekend, knowing that the championship could be yours?

Honestly, I’m trying not to think about that. It’s just a normal race. I dont want to psych myself out since anything can happen once we get on that track. Of course I’d love to win, but who knows. Charles & I have been able to bring that constrictors back to Ferrari which was incredible, and whoever wins will have absolutely deserved it.

Thats a great way to look at it! I’m rooting for you but we’ll see what happens. Now, onto something more important. You had an interesting weekend in Las Vegas, didn’t you?

Yeah, you know the race was a lot of fun and it was great to win, especially given the issues we had the week before

Girl you know thats not what I’m talking about!!! I mean your after race shenanigans Haha, yeah, so I got married which was a special experience.

Can I ask if you’d planned that going into the weekend?

Oh not at all! It was more a timing thing. So Saturday night Jack, my husband which is still weird to say, asked if I’d want to get married while we were there. He played a game in Vegas which is why he was there at all. Of course I wanted to marry him, but I didnt want to do it without some of our closest friends there. Luckily, most of them who play hockey were either in Vegas because they’re on his team or they were within a 2 hour flight range so we could get them there for Sunday night. And of course I was able to get the guys from the grid there no problem. So we just decided to go for it!

So no parents?

No, unfortunately not. Both of our parents live on the east coast and it was too quick to get them there, but we’re going to do a big party over the summer so they can celebrate with us.

At least they’ll have that!! Can I ask what the planning was like?

Jack took on all of the decisions which was really great of him since I had the race that evening, but Sunday morning we texted everyone with flight info & told them to get there asap. Then my best friend Thomas went & picked a dress for me, since Jack wasn’t allowed. I sent a message to our groupchat after the race with the chapel address once jack found somewhere & told the drivers to be there and look decent. It was a really great night though & I would do it all over again in a heartbeat.

Well congratulations!! Is he here this weekend?

Unfortunately not, hockey season is well underway, but I’m on the first flight to New York that I can get & we’ll have the winter break together.

Well, all the best to you and your new husband, and we’ll talk to you later this weekend I’m sure. Good Luck tomorrow!!

Thanks Naomi!

RACE DAY

Commentators

Oh my god, we’ve come down to the final lap to decide the championship. Who’s going to cross the line first?? Right now L/n is leading, but Verstappen is right behind her. Will he be able to get past?? The other Ferrari of Leclerc is a fraction of a second behind Verstappen.

There goes Leclerc!!! He’s trying to pass Verstappen, my word! OHHH he does it!! Charles Leclerc puts his Ferrari between the Ferrari of L/n and the red bull of Verstappen

Radio: “Tell y/n I’ve got verstappen, go & win it!!”

That was Leclerc, it looks like he’s going to defend against Verstappen so L/n can win. We have half a lap, can he hold off the Red Bull? Fantastic driving by Leclerc, and what a teammate!!

Here it it!!! Rounding the final corner in that iconic red car, its L/n!! The chequered flag is waving, SHES DONE IT!!!!

Radio: C’est toi y/n!!! Tu es la championne du monde!!!!!

In her 4th season in Formula one, your 2023 World Champion Y/n L/n everyone!! What a finish from the young driver. History is made here tonight as she becomes the first female driver ever to win the championship!! She’s also the second youngest driver to take it after former ferrari teammate Sebastian Vettel.

What a race, what a finish as Leclerc crosses in second, less than half a second behind.

You

Over the radio you hear the team celebrating but you have no words. It doesn’t feel real. There’s tears streaming down your face. All the shit you put up with, all the years of hard work, missing your friends and family, it’s all lead up to this.

“Y/n?” You can hear your engineer ask since you haven’t responded, but nothing comes out. Driving towards the end, you do your donuts and pull in to your designated spot. You just sit there for a second before “HOLY FUCK” and someone on the other end laughs.

You’re still crying but its all happy tears as you pull yourself up & step onto the front of the car. You sit down on the Halo & put your head in your hands, trying to collect yourself as the crowd goes mad around you. Pulling off your helmet you look over to your team at the barriers & smile. You want to run over & celebrate with them, but you can’t bring yourself to move, afraid its all a dream. Then you get tackled. You’ve completely missed the other guys pulling up, too in your own head and you jump when Charles grabs you and pulls you off your car. He pulls you into a hug & whispers congratulations in your ear before someone else grabs you & you see Mick.

“You fucking did it!” He yells and you laugh. It was the kick in the ass you needed and you release Mick to go over to your team, hugging your engineer first. After that it’s a blur, until someone passes you a phone.

“McQueen!!!” Thomas is on the one end of the FaceTime, jack also popping up on the screen. You laugh at the nickname, glad to see their faces.

“I’m so proud of you!” Jack says “Me too!!” Thomas yells, wanting to be part of the conversation. “Thanks Thom!” “I love you so much babe! I can’t really hear you so I’ll call you later?” “Go celebrate, I’ll see you soon. Je t’aime mon amour” You blow a kiss before handing back the phone. There’s one more person you need to see. You spot Susie and you rush over to her. She’s been a mentor and inspiration to you since you were a kid and without her who knows where you’d be right now.

The rest of the day passes in a blur. You’re pulled into interview after interview, congratulations coming from all around and your phone buzzing like its possessed. You call your parents & Jack but thats it, grateful for all the love but too overwhelmed to deal with responding to all your messages. That night you and the boys go full send. You know its a good night since you can’t remember anything. Monday is filled with media, and then you hop on a flight straight to Newark.

Fourteen hours later, Jack & Luke are waiting from you when you finally make it through customs.

You’d think you’re racing or an Olympic gold to win the 100m with how fast you fly over to Jack & jump into his arms, tears streaming down your face as you hug him like a koala.

“Tu l’as fait” he whispers in your ear as you squeeze each other, your face buried in his neck. You can hear the emotion in his voice

“Je l’ai fais”

“Ma championne”

“Je t’aime tellment”

“Mon champion” you say back, smiling at the fact that both of you won this year

“Cough cough, Hi, hello, where’s my hug?” Luke says from somewhere behind you, causing you to giggle and pull your head up to look at him

“I’ll get to you in a sec”

Jack puts you down & you give Luke his hug. “Congrats y/n/n. You deserved it”

“ Thanks Moose. Now we match with our trophies.”

“We do!!” He passes you the big bouquet of flowers he’s holding, “from mom & dad”

“I love them. Let’s go home boys”

#jack hughes x reader #fast cars and sharp shoes au #f1 #f1 x hockey #jjwritesshit #je taime series #driver!reader #jack hughes imagine #f1 blurb #nhl blurb #hockey shit #formula one #hockey blurb

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bearseokie · 2 years ago

Text

A PRICE WORTH PAYING.

never a freelance worker, hyunwoo has always had his tie a little too tight around his neck. when bullets fly at your innocent head, he realizes those that are after you aren’t out for a bounty, but for blood. palm around his gun at his waist and you in his peripheral, it’s not a day’s work well done until you’re safe.

DETAILS — [ 18+ | hitman: agent 47 | 6.3k ] GENRES — hitman! au, romance, thriller, smut, angst WARNINGS — mature content, violence, organized crime, victimization, uncomfortable situations, intense situations, kidnapping, blood, severe injuries (gunshot wounds & cuts), language, self defense, height difference, death. SMUT WARNINGS — sexual content, unmentioned but protected intercourse, love-making. RELEASED ON — JULY 30TH, 2022.

spotify playlist // a price worth paying

LAST | FATAL LOVE SERIES MLIST | TAGLIST | NEXT

prologue.

His features, stern at first glance but gentle with a stare. You had caught his sight as you turned onto the walkway, closing in on the hotel door. Hat placed perfectly, outfit fresh from the cleaners inside the hotel, and his guidance of a nod as his large hand opened the door for you.

He seemed to fit in so well. His coat fit perfectly, shoes so shiny you could see the reflection of the lights above as you walked by. It was almost believable that his current occupation was his only one.

Losing his eye contact, it was the first mistake.

You felt the air shift behind you as you moved inside, the doors closing at your entrance. With no one else inside the main lobby except the man at the front desk, you could have been convinced the two-in-the-morning arrival was considered the safest route.

Things had gone so awry, all you wanted was one night of good rest. Being placed at a motel seemed fit for the situation—but no one would call for help over destructive noises occurring until they witnessed a scene themselves. A safehouse—secluded and mundane, the peace could only distract you for so long.

The man at the front desk peered up momentarily, finishing the last few words on the keyboard of his computer. Unlike the silence of the door-man, his gravelly voice found you odd.

"Isn't it late for someone like you to be out alone?" Ignoring all sense of what could have happened to get you to this point in time, the man went on. "And, I mean—shouldn't you have a partner?"

The prying of a stranger, it sends chills up anyone's spine.

"Is there a problem?" You wanted the voice to be his. To be just as the same as you had heard it be once. The way he had swooped in, stuffed any sort of uncomfort from your situation—but he didn't disturb the humanity in act.

It had been the man at the front desk's voice, your diverting eyes merely upsetting him as the redness in his face brightened and the vein in his forehead became visible.

"I-I am sorry." Your voice was always so small when someone bit at you like this. "May I have a room for the night?"

"Just one night?"

The first time you had noticed his placement was so vivid. How he always matched the settings, didn't stand out—he couldn't stand out. Always watching you from afar.

All you had seen of him was the right side of his face, the man sitting in the driver's side of your car being the complete opposite of what you know him as now. He hardly spoke, only repeating your directions and asking if the air being on was alright.

All it took was a second. A blink of an eye for his work to turn upside down, and for him to find himself saving the one he was meant to be taking out.

The bullets had shot into the vehicle so fast, his knuckles turning white around the wheel as he gripped harder. He took sharp turns, his only instructions for you to check your seatbelt and stay tucked down.

There was an unsaid rule that when danger seeps past the target and heads for him, he has to get involved. Seeing things out, keeping the blood on his own hands instead of yours—it was a priority that could cost him everything and more. What he knew, what he was capable of, who he worked for, and why it was him in that driver's seat that day—if he didn't get answers, all of this would have been for nothing. And something he believes most of all, nothing happens without a cause or reason.

Even in his world, he can't help impulses.

"Just one night."

You rocked on your heels awaiting a card to give you fortress, attempting to avoid the itch you could never scratch. So close, so far—how could you be so stupid to believe someone would take a chance on you like this?

Your soft breath in was enough to help you hold in your desires, to quiet your mind from its racing thoughts. A card between your middle and index fingers, and all you could want was for someone else to be by your side at this moment in time.

Dragging along one lonesome bag almost too heavy to be on your shoulder, the weight began to float off of you. It was just around a corner when your eyes matched a pair of dark irises, the man that allowed you to enter the hotel in the first place now carrying your bag at his side like it was his.

His walk, left hand at his waist, right hand tight and strong carrying the bag—moving along like no one could ever get in his way.

The security of the elevator doors opening at the touch of his finger, the ding ringing out and giving you enough leverage to finally give him a better glance.

Tall, focused, and wearing a bell-boys outfit.

His figure stood over yours, eyes straight forward and alleviating every nerve in your body. You could feel the cool air seeping back into your pores, feel the release of your tight temples, and even more so—feel the heat radiating off his body as he stood so close to you in such a small space.

"Please tell me this time will be different."

You hardly caught the inhale making his chest expand, the lift of his cheek as his lips made a short-lived smirk.

He didn't even have to look back at you, his voice only sounding from his face. "With your life on the line?"

Hyunwoo always knew what to do or say, almost as if the man had telekinesis.

"Not a chance."

one. | change of plans.

In order to gain your trust, Hyunwoo had explained everything to you that evening. As the car sped in the fast line down multiple main highways to deviate your trace, he had rattled off everything he knew about you.

"This doesn't make any sense." The first sentence was under his breath, his eyes capturing your figure beginning to move back into the seat instead of the bent over position he told you to hold during the intense car chase.

"My order was for you." The way his top lip bounced, spasmed from the words he was speaking and giving a tell of where his anger lied. At first, you couldn't differentiate if he was upset about not taking out his target, or being in the line of fire now, himself. "What would the exchange even be for?"

Your head shook, eyes diverting to the extremely clean leather interior to attempt to side track your racing thoughts. As you clung to your single bag, the one you had already been living out of for almost a month when more and more people mentioned you seemed to be getting followed—it was hard to not shake from the sudden announcement of your once hitman now being the one in charge of your life, and practically holding you captive in a vehicle moving at the highest speed legally possible.

It only took two of the people in your life to be overtaken by fear on their face while telling you something was wrong. A family member you had been with all your life asking why there was someone following you, a tall man who stayed at a far distance. A close companion who you spent almost every day with finally became able to explain the man's features, and even more importantly—the pistol he carried, shown by its shape against the black dress shirt he wore.

"The order came from my boss." His knuckles would turn white every so often as he drove, eyes mainly focused on the road and only blinking from bumps along the highway. "There has to be something more than this."

"Uhm—" That small voice, always an octave lower than it should be when you're trying to get someone's attention. Even with the sound of the wind whipping against the large SUV, with Hyunwoo's mind trying to relap every step he took to get to this dangerous point—he still looked up through the mirror to meet your gaze for a split second.

"Yes?" The man was cold, he had to be to work this job. And yet, there was something about how he always had to make eye contact with you at least once when conversing with you.

"Wh-Who are you? What's your name?"

The man's quick blink made your brows thread together from curiosity. Why was the question so perplexing?

"You clearly know who I am. Or at least, I hope you do from the way you're speaking about me. I just—" He sat in silence, listening to every syllable of your words like a song on the radio you haven't heard in years. "—w-want to know what's going on."

That was the first time you had witnessed Hyunwoo take in a deep breath. The way his chest rose, the buttons on his dress shirt beneath his coat merely snapping at the thread from the muscles he gained from his healthy lifestyle and life-threatening occupation. His thumb tapped at the steering wheel in such a human way, you began to focus on the things that make him more and more like a man working a job instead of some trained assassin he actually lived and worked as.

His brow lifted, shiny features and dark eyes finding you quickly in the rear-view mirror once more. "My name is Hyunwoo. I work for the International Contract Agency as a hired assassin. My job today was to take you to a secluded area and clean, but our sudden chase changed plans. Now I believe that there is something wrong with the situation, and someone gave me orders to put me in danger with you for a reason, as a ploy."

His response sounded robotic, his grip tightening on the wheel and eyes suddenly sinking into themselves as he spoke. The man seemed too picture perfect, seemed to already have the answers to the questions that would leave your mouth—and very quickly was becoming the ally you needed to survive this mess.

"Hyunwoo." His name rolling off your tongue caused him to look at you through a glance of the mirror once more, the final rise of his eyes for the hour making a shiver go down your spine. "Where are we going, e-exactly?

"We're taking this SUV to a far away repair shop. It'll be enough of a reason to stop."

"Why do we need a reason to stop?"

He always answers your question to the best of his ability, and almost right on queue.

"We're being tracked through a device hidden underneath the vehicle." His words made your eyes grow and hands shake, but this time he didn't have to look back to feel your discomfort. "It's okay. There's not a microphone, we can converse as necessary. We're taking this SUV to the repair shop to make it look like a casual stop for help, while it's actually a diversion to slip away."

"You really do this full time, huh?" Your question was the first normal sounding sentence during the entire conversation.

What followed up to such a casual question was something you had been biting your tongue instead of asking—the one you knew he would have an answer for, but that you probably wouldn't like hearing.

"Hyunwoo—" The use of his name again only made his eyes flicker, an obvious sign that the use of a title, one not numbered, was new to him. "What's the plan?"

"We make a run for it. Together."

"Why together? I-I mean—" You stuttered, but meant what you were saying. "A matter of minutes ago you were meant to be putting a gun to my head and blowing my brains out."

"It's not like that." First, he spoke under this breath again as you ranted.

"Then you realized they were shooting at you, too." You carried on like you didn't hear him speak. "So you jumped to conclusions that you're part of this now."

Hyunwoo was the exact description that had come from your close friend. Dark brown hair, even darker—almost scary eyes, the black dress shirt, the pistol at his waist, tall according to the shallow sight you had of his high knees letting you know his legs are long, and clearly on a mission to carry out something considering his stalking. Now the man that was once to be your killer was a sudden main companion—things seemed too strange to be true.

"Jumped to conclusions?" Secondly, his nose scrunched at your words and knuckles tightened again around the wheel.

"And now if we're both not careful, we'll end up dead!"

It was his sudden press to the gas pedal that made the vehicle fly even faster than it had. A swipe at the blinker to show he was changing lanes, the car swaying all the way over to the far right, and his last movements were placing the emergency lights on and putting the SUV in park.

Just as he turned around in his seat—those dark eyes matching your own face to face for the first time making your heart race—did Hyunwoo speak directly to you, not at you.

"You're scared, right?" His words were snappy, you could only nod your head like a child. "I'm right here."

You could feel your temple releasing at those three words, feel the tears that had been threatening to drip from your eyes falling down your face and splattering your shirt with small dots. Everything that had occurred in such a short time was finally coming to you all at once, and Hyunwoo was making it a point that you're not alone in this anymore.

"I've been following you for a month."

"I-I know."

"I never follow anyone for that long." For once, the man was only spitting the truth without sugar-coating or speaking of it without emotion at all. "Something told me you were different. That this was going to be different. I just didn't understand why my conscience knew more than I did."

A man, trained and signed to the largest assassination company. Clearly a hybrid of something else to make everything about him and all he needs to do his job sharper. And slowly beginning to find a more human side to himself based off the way his voice shook and eyes watered for what seemed like the first time ever in his life.

"I can promise you one thing will come out of this. Only one."

"Okay." Your voice was small again, just above a whisper from his close proximity. His entire self focused on you and your response.

"I am going to protect you with my life."

two. | diversion.

The first time you witnessed Hyunwoo raise his pistol—you got the official wave of just how weak you were considering the circumstances.

It didn't take long for someone to come looking for the two of you once the SUV was held still. Raised and being worked on, an attending employee just doing their job—and the entire building exploding minutes later.

You could hear the blast, even at the distance Hyunwoo managed to get both of you by that time. All it took was the car sitting still for ten minutes before the ones in your pursuit configured the vehicle to be parked, and the two of you may still be in it.

Hyunwoo's strong hand grabbed at your wrist, tugging you along the busy streets and looking like nothing more than an overbearing boyfriend or husband to all the wandering eyes. Everyone was soon diverted to the sudden explosion, your limbs shaking while you got out of sight.

"W-What is going on?" Even with Hyunwoo in your lead, his promise to protect you, and his quick witted responses and actions—your body still naturally held enough anxiety to make you pop.

"Hey." His voice had gone softer, the fear in your eyes making him halt in place and press your back into the wall.

His index finger lifted your chin, those dark eyes you had seen so few times now in direct line with your own, and easing your worry in a second. "Look at me."

Your blinking eyes, shivering limbs, and hair-raised skin was enough to tell him you were in over your head, and he needed to be the one on alert. "I've got us. Let's just get somewhere out of the public’s sight."

But the footsteps tailing you sounded just as loud as Hyunwoo's. Movements are quick, just far enough behind the two of you to not be in sight. Hyunwoo was well aware—it seemed almost too obvious that no one would be right behind you.

But watching him grab you and place your body behind his, your back to another chilled wall, and his pistol raised and cocked—he was really someone with complete control.

A true example of just how far into this world Hyunwoo was—the unknowing man ran right into his bullet. A graze to his skull, not a bad enough shot to kill him—but still enough to put him down for good.

Hyunwoo's eyes studied the man, his brows knitted but not in confusion. His facial expression concluded that he had seen the chaser once or twice before, a familiar look in his eyes. The man wept on the ground, reaching up to try and grab at Hyunwoo, but ultimately failed. "Come on."

And soon enough, that exact situation seemed to repeat itself over and over. A far distance that seems like enough, a chase of rushing adrenaline and you clinging to Hyunwoo's frame like he was your human shield, ending in someone's severe take down giving you and him more time to keep running.

Easy to say, you didn't sleep for at least two months while on the run.

Every motel seemed the same: the dim lighting, early 2000's style cable TV, barely any heat or air conditioning, snacks from vending machines becoming meals, and hard mattresses with years of use in every fiber of them.

His fingers would tap at the suitcase style laptop, programs and dissectors making it easier for him to narrow down information. Be it the company he worked for, older clients with a sudden need for a bounty on his head, or something involving yourself—he spent countless nights digging for any kind of red flag.

"You—" His words sounded stuttered for the first time, your eyes from across the room catching his stunned face. "—are you an h-heir?"

"An heir?" You lifted yourself from the bed, pacing in his direction only to find exactly what he had been reading over for an hour now.

Lines of code broke down three subtle sentences of an email sent to whoever was chasing you, found by Hyunwoo who now could only tap his foot against the old carpeting in wonder.

"Heir to millions. Hitman in service. Target to be apprehended."

"Hyunwoo—" Your sight reading the words made your knees feel weak. "What does this mean?"

"It means you've been given a beneficiary title by someone, and will be receiving millions of dollars."

"I don't even think anyone in my family has made this much in their life."

"They don't actually have to be family." He spoke with softer words, watching as your body moved into the seat beside him at the small table before you fell over. "Anyone can give someone an inheritance through their will."

"H-Hitman in service?"

"That would be the ones who keep following us." His eyes quickly reverted back to the screen of the laptop, pupils dilating at the sudden change of brightness from the dark motel room to the device. "There hasn't been an update since the day you got into the SUV. Which means more has been devised, it's just not addressed in any more emails or messages—unless it's coded."

"And they had sight of me." You had caught on to what the lines meant by now, Hyunwoo only nodding.

"This is all—" If tears could flow, they would be rushing like a waterfall in this very moment. "—because of me? Something I didn't even know was happening?"

"Greed." The word slipping off Hyunwoo's tongue was like the bullets he had shot rounds of trying to protect you. "It's the worst human desire."

You watched him close the laptop and stretch his back, the man's sight soon falling back on your own.

"We've been here almost twenty-four hours." You winced at the idea of having to run again, the pained look on your face making him shake his head.

"Does it ever get easier?" So simple to you, but a question that would linger in his mind forever.

"Not without a direct link to who is calling the shots." Hyunwoo spoke with the same emotionless voice you had come to know, except this time it seemed to leave him for just a moment. "But until then—"

How can a stranger become a lifeline to you in a few months time, and yet still feel like you don't even know him?

"You've got me."

three. | when I take your hand.

You had seen more bloodshed in the months you resided by Hyunwoo than you would ever see in your life. Every chance he had to take, pushing you ahead of him to aim or jab at the ones in pursuit—he took it.

But Hyunwoo had once been the one with blood pouring from him, your shaking hands trying to hold a cloth to the wound. The crimson liquid only soaked through every piece of fabric you placed against it, a sudden flash of worry across your face.

The two of you had finally fallen inside a safehouse completely unknown by anyone else but Hyunwoo, and now yourself. The walls were stiffened by plates of armor within the drywall, bulletproof windows still giving you sight to the world outside you could no longer live in, and Hyunwoo—leaning backward as his arm took yours to capture your attention.

“I’m okay.”

“Okay, meaning you need stitches.” The gash had run deep, the ongoing blood being a sign that the wound wouldn’t just heal itself without medical attention.

“Hand me that box there.” His chin pointed in the direction of the first aid kit, a small tin box being what his eyes glanced at before finding your dilating pupils again. “And go find something else to do.”

Your fingers matched his as the box lifted and left your grasp. It only took a moment for your mind to catch up with what was inside, a nylon string and metal needle enough to make you deviate your eyes.

“Fuck.” You winced.

“That’s why I said leave.” The corner of his mouth rose with what seemed like a smirk, fingers pulling at the needle and string until it was placed through the eye and being tied. Dipping the needle into a disinfectant, he pulled at the skin around the injury before poking at himself with the sharp object.

The limited dribbles of blood that left him was nothing like the full wound, itself. Although he kept the items disinfected, there wasn’t anything placed along the wound to numb the pain he was about to feel. But nothing caused him to wince or breathe harder, a steady pace of Hyunwoo’s breath as he stitched himself up making you wonder just how many times he had done this to himself.

“How does that not hurt?” The question left you without thinking, speaking aloud as you watched him snip at the nylon thread once it was secured properly.

“I’ve had lots of practice.” He answered, eyes not looking back up at yours as they usually did.

“On yourself?”

“And on others.”

“You have too much experience in everything.” You sighed, shaking your head.

His eyes finally found you, catching a glimpse at the small cut on your shoulder showing through the ripped fabric of your shirt. “Looks like you were in the crossfire too.”

“We both were. That was too close of a call, Hyunwoo.”

Two men had trailed you down the longest road, your security being in every object that got you out of sight as Hyunwoo searched for a vehicle that was easy to break into. Ducking, weaving, clasping at the man as he led you away—you were both still hit by the strings of bullets sent in your direction, only his was worse.

“It won’t happen again.”

The bulletproof vest he wore beneath his clothes didn’t protect any more than his chest and heart. The outfit he wore, that of someone completely different from himself, didn’t provide much coverage when it came to the fact that the men who chased you had seen you both multiple times before. Each and every month there were new men, sometimes weekly depending on Hyunwoo’s allusive ways of getting you both out of a situation. For the two of you, this pattern seemed never ending.

As the lights turned on throughout the safehouse, the outside world grew darker. AsHyunwoo sat across from you at the table—you could almost wish time would freeze in place.

"How did you get here?" You had bounced around asking him about his world, his life and secrets, for so long. But now that you had both come this far, saw the way his eyes grew softer at the question and his chest released a deep breath—you could tell: he was finally going to speak of himself.

"Me?" He asked, sounding as if he was questioning even himself.

You never took into account that someone like Hyunwoo, with such a tough exterior and focused mindset, may have never been asked anything so personal as this was.

"I just do as I am told."

"That's a lie, Hyunwoo."

Your hands fell between your knees to warm your cold fingertips, leaning in closer to the man's short distanced frame. His brows could only raise at your sudden catch of his slip, head tilting in confusion.

"How am I lying?"

"You're moving on your own right now. You took me under your wing, are protecting me—all on your own accord."

"I never looked at it much like that."

"Then how do you see me?"

You never dug this deep. Never stepped over the line in all this time, asking Hyunwoo a question he could no longer waver an answer to.

"Yeah, you saved me that day. Maybe it was to save your own ass because you were in just as much danger as me."

He could only listen.

"But you're still here."

"I am." His voice, so sincere and careful.

"Although you gave me your word, you could have left me long ago."

Now it was Hyunwoo moving in closer. His form lifted, shirt pulled from his upper half a while ago giving you a sight of his muscles. The mental image had long been shown to you not long after you were paired with him. His habit of walking around in a towel, changing his clothes in front of you—from normal ones to some type of uniform to become a matching person in an upcoming scenario, you had grown used to his body.

The way he appeared to you now, skin tanned and shadowed by the lamps within the home—it seemed almost sensual the way he closed in on you.

Standing over you, right at your side with his head tilted down at you—you could only bite your tongue as he offered you his hand and helped you rise to his level.

Hyunwoo, a man who leapt into action for a stranger, was now staring at that same person with love and lust in his eyes.

"What if I saved you for a selfish reason?" He asked, voice finding your ear at the same time his opposite hand found your waist. The other, his fingers moving between yours to clasp them together and hold you tighter—your head was swimming.

"Months on the run like this. My life has always been this way. Follow instructions. Don't speak unless spoken to. Follow through with your actions no matter the consequences. Never get a blink of real sleep. Eat quickly. No sense of peace or release."

This was the most he had spoken since you met him, and you only wanted him to keep speaking.

"What if I saw you as an opportunity to get out? To run and chase something that is freeing?"

"When's the last time you were touched?" The words left your mouth faster than your brain could register the question in your own head.

And it was just what he wished to hear, the gap between your forms being closed and his lips landing on yours. His mouth was warm, inviting, his tongue dancing along with yours.

He was like a sweet drink—the ones where you drink too many and only realize their power once you're too drunk to stand. His taste intoxicating on its own, your head could only tilt to his height for him to kiss you deeper.

You could only feel the heat radiating off his bare skin as he backed you against the wall. The chill of the house was sent back up your spine as you met his tall form, the small dots of chills showing along your skin only making him groan and kiss you for longer.

His strength, his tight build still strong enough even throughout his tiredness from the injury to lift you again. He pressed you against spaces in the home that seemed restful, giving himself enough time to discard any pieces of clothing he could.

And when your back finally met the large mattress inside the bedroom—your mind was clear. Your fingers played with his hair that had grown longer each week. You found such comfort in him, the same as your mouth did when he kissed you, and even more so for when your eyes found his.

No matter how strong he appeared, fearless and conducted—you were breaking down his walls all while he was slipping into yours. His name being the only word on your tongue, his knuckles turning white holding onto your form to hold you as close as he possibly could. And your sweet release brings you to find small drops of his tears on your skin, his head falling into the nape of your neck.

"I am so sorry." His voice was like shattered glass, the sharp edges of your reality beginning to hurt him ever so slightly. "That this is happening."

"Hyunwoo." You spoke softly, but meant your words. "I'm not scared anymore."

The room's chill found your skin again, nothing but a fire going in the living room's fireplace bringing light into the master bedroom as he lay sprawled on top of you with tears still streaming down his face.

Of all the things he had ever said, of all the soft words spoken to you that night—the first ones that had ever stayed solidified in your mind were the ones he barely said.

"You should be scared of me."

four. | don't turn around.

"Please tell me this time will be different."

"With your life on the line? Not a chance."

His words found your hearing like music notes leaving the strings of a piano being played by an unknown musician. The man had taken bullets for you, had found himself falling in love with you, and here he stood—pretending fate wasn't so hurtful.

You had done everything he told you to do for months. You followed his instructions no matter where you were or what the circumstances could be. Even when you were acting them out, trying to hide your shaking hands—you always followed through.

You could even hear yourself breathing a shaky breath now, hearing the small ding of the elevator seconds before the doors opened to a floor that didn't have your room.

Hyunwoo's arms were tight, not reaching back for you this time. Not as he usually did in such an enclosed and easy to reach space. So few times had you felt his distance, the one leaving your frame cold and in his shadow. With each step you both took, you could feel the eeriness of what was to come.

You paced behind him closely, knew the drill—and heard the door of the stairs open and close before your eyes adjusted to the situation.

Hyunwoo, silent and moving at a slow pace, could not seem any more strange than he did now. No more words, no more instructions, and no more kisses to alleviate any worry for you.

You had become so used to him pulling you into a dark corner, away from anything happening around you—all to just place a kiss on your lips. He knew it kept you going, kept your mind on him and your safety and to help you settle yourself for whatever was to come.

Love had found itself between two people who were meant to have a short meeting. A glimpse of what could be, your time together so shallow to an ocean of life meant to be spent in peace and harmony.

But as each dark corner was passed, his swinging arms slowed by his side until he was only towering over you—you couldn't help but shutter at the sight of him spinning to match the end of his pistol at your head.

Alone. Secluded. And those same stern eyes staring back at you without a single bit of emotion in them.

"H-Hyunwoo?"

Every night his fingers tapped at the keys of the laptop inside his briefcase, and you wondered just what he was doing. Was there a code to break? Someone to speak to for the next move? Had he gained information to help free you both?

"W-Why did you trust me that day?" Was it the bullet being loaded into the chamber, sounded by a click from the weapon that made him stutter—or your watering eyes? "When we met, you trusted me so quickly."

"You had a plan." You didn't stutter again, couldn't find it in yourself to be fearful of him—even now. "You're doing this for a reason. I could tell you knew what you were doing."

The man could only rock on his heels, a pained expression on his face making you blink at the silence. Hyunwoo, the man you had grown to love and make love to, seemed to shift back into that same man you met the first day you slipped into that SUV while believing he was only your driver.

When the realization had hit you that he was the exact figure that had been described to be following you—you almost couldn't catch your breath for long enough to take into account that you were being followed.

"When that chase started off, and you realized that they weren't just shooting at me—" You spoke to him softly, but there was a small pit of concern in your voice. "You only thought of me. Of getting me out of there. Of figuring out what was happening."

"I knew what was happening."

His voice didn't fluctuate. He didn't hesitate, didn't waver his eyes over your body like a scan to capture any physical response from you, and most certainly didn't care for your racing mind full of questions.

"It was—" He had wanted to say it all along. You could see it in the way his shoulders relaxed as he spoke. "—all a set up."

His growing closeness, all the way down to the first night you pressed together in a way that was delightful and loving. It was a ruse to get what he needed.

"Even if I did love you." This was the first time Hyunwoo had ever spoken of you with the word love in his sentence. "This is just my job."

Do what he does best. Follow orders. Be the bodyguard you needed. Gain your trust. Get closer. Take action, and bullets for you. Get even closer. Play with your mind, your heart has to follow. Be the closest you can be.

He needed a DNA sample, a path to keep him from being a suspect, an alibi, and a way to rid himself of you in the end.

And here he was, and there you were.

"Hyunwoo."

"I have all the evidence that I need to make a headline without getting myself involved. You were just a pawn."

"You don't mean that—" His gun only pushed towards you closer.

The path he had taken you through the halls from the elevator put you in direct sight of the CCTV, and made you disappear without a trace.

You were his target all along.

"I am what I am." His teeth were clenched, pearled bones pressed together making his jawline sharper and brows thread together.

Hyunwoo was in a battle with himself. His heart thumped at the same, rapid rhythm as yours—it reminded him he was human. But following through with his orders, the money being the dire need for him to be the one freed—he had no other choice.

"You're not selfish." You whispered, keeping your eyes on his and not the silver pistol closing in on you until it was pressed against your forehead.

"You don't know me." His words were broken, like he was trying to say one thing but something else was spoken instead. "All I wanted was to feel love—feel the humanity you could give me—just for a moment."

Those hot tears were a dull image in your mind. Watching someone so strong become completely fragmented, it was the most painful experience you've ever felt.

"And I did."

"You did what, Hyunwoo?"

You could feel his hand jolt, knew what was coming next. But his words comforted the pain that soon followed. Your body shook, falling to the ground as the ear piercing sound of the gunshot echoed inside the staircase. Once and for all—beyond the belief that one day you would lose him to this life, it was you who left him.

"I really did love you."

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TAGLIST — @blizzardfluffykpop @crownofluminarys @honey-zip @minkyuncutie

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theharrowing · 3 years ago

Text

Boy Blue 💙 45: Did you miss me?

While going through a painful but necessary breakup, you meet someone who is patient, kind, and understanding; everything your last ex was not.

Or is he?

PREVIOUS | INDEX | NEXT

💙 Taehyung x Female Reader, Hoseok x Female Reader (kind of), Yoongi x Female Reader

💙 word count: 3.5k + images of text conversations

💙 college au, text message au, strangers to lovers, yandere, hurt/comfort, smut, fluff, angst, slow burn, slash, poly, major character injury & death, graphic violence, nsfw, 21+

💙 warnings: trauma, brief description of violence, drunk public fucking, stalking

💙 posted dec. 2021 | read on ao3

💙 beta read by @neoneunnajimin

this fic will end not with a bang but with a sharp, sudden intake of oxygen.

You cringe as you set down your phone, cursing under your breath for letting Yoongi work you up so fast and make you so angry. The logical part of your brain knows that saying these things to him is not going to do you any good; you hardly mean any of it, anyway. But you are so tired—too tired to think. And lately, with him, it is easy to get defensive.

When Hoseok knocks on your apartment door twenty minutes later, you prance over to the window, peeking out to make sure the patrol officer sitting in his car outside is awake and alert. Then, you make your way to the door and check the peephole, and, finally, you glance in a mirror on your other window that gives a fuller view of the outside hallway.

Although the police have not found a single lead to suggest that Taehyung is still alive and in the country, you prefer not to take your chances.

Hoseok has a big bouquet of wildflowers and a bag of snacks, which he brings into your bedroom, after kicking off his shoes, because you still have not bothered to buy a couch or anything to furnish any other room in your apartment. He sets the items on the bedside table and wraps you in a big, slow hug. Despite feeling pretty calm, you use Hoseok's exaggerated breaths to match and slow your breathing, standing several minutes like this, with your head pressed against his chest while his fingers slowly massage your neck.

Back in Gwangju, several months ago, while Jimin was comforting Yoongi in the middle of the night, calming him down when he would wake up screaming and wrapping him in a strong, tight hug when he felt like lashing out, Hoseok was there to wrap his arms around you and help you breathe. Sometimes you would wake up fighting for air, and he would be there, coaching you to inhale and exhale and inhale and exhale until everything stopped spinning again.

And when you came back to Busan without him, at first, things were mostly okay, but there were nights when you would call Hoseok crying, and he would do his best to help you over the phone. Hoseok came to Busan shortly after you moved into your apartment, to his own place rather than to Jimin's grandma's house, and remained someone for you to rely on to get through the tough nights. Since then, he has never stopped being that anchor of support when you felt adrift.

Things with Hoseok are affectionate, but it is never much more than that. You have tried to initiate sexual intimacy before, but he has always seemed hesitant, telling you that he does not want to rush things, which frustrates you at times, but Hoseok is your rock, your anchor and your support system, so you try to push those needs down, at least for the time being. You reason that you would rather have him sitting next to you with ice cream than not have him here at all.

Still, kissing Hoseok fills you with butterflies to the point that you worry you might just explode, and it is hard to keep your hands from searching his body, hoping for more. And it is harder still to push down the huge, aching, fluttering lump that threatens to choke you when he stops you, when he slows your hands down, when he tells you he is not yet ready.

For about a week, you have been playing with the idea of going to a bar, being in a loud, chaotic, public space, and having a drink or two for the first time in what feels like years—but in reality, has only been around seven months. The plan was initially for the four of you to finally come together for some quality time, but you have not messaged Yoongi in a while. You have been planning to apologize to him for saying such terrible things, and for generally being difficult, but you just...have not done so. You have no idea what to say. You never know what to say to him anymore.

Hoseok found a cute DIY space that reminds him of the one in Seoul, and he picks you up tonight for a trial run of being at a show in public. You wear a simple black t-shirt tucked into black jeans because your closet is not exactly extensive, and you are not sure you have the enthusiasm to put more effort into an outfit. Plus, Hoseok is in bright colors from head to toe, making up for your lack of energy in spades.

The venue is a bit larger than you had expected, with several rooms for people to dance and drink and socialize in, but the crowd is pretty tame, swaying to some slow, electronic music. Hoseok describes the band as, "if shoegaze and trip hop had a baby," and you are unsure what any of that means, but you nod and smile, accepting his description as gospel.

You definitely feel anxious about drinking, sipping your whiskey slowly, and adjusting to the feeling of gradually becoming lightheaded and giggly and relaxed, though you do jolt and gasp when people slam into you. Hoseok chats with strangers, introducing you to people, which is a little overwhelming, but you roll with it, glad to be out of the confines of your apartment, finally allowing yourself to relax and feel happy. You are—for all intents and purposes—full of joy and contentment, despite your anxiety, believing this may be a turning point for you and one small step towards leading a normal life again.

So when you see it—a mess of wavy, short blue hair—making its way through the crowd toward the bar, it blindsides you. First, you lose your balance, falling back against the bar countertop, and then you drop your drink, sending liquid and glass crashing around your feet in a loud yet distant smash. Everything spins around you as you gasp for air, frantically looking for Hoseok, who is wrapping his arms around you and ushering you through a short hallway, into a smaller room, toward a backdoor.

Outside you start to get your bearings back, and you fly into panic mode, scrambling to get the fuck away from this place as quickly as possible, desperately searching for a way to get to the street and back to Hoseok's car.

"We have to go," you mutter, wide-eyed, sweaty, and shivering.

"Hey, hey, shhh, relax" Hoseok's lips are pressed against your forehead while his arms hold you tight. "Tell me what happened."

"I s-saw him, Hobi. I saw Tae."

Hoseok exhales and inhales loudly, which you follow before he continues to assure you.

"The blue hair? Yeah, I saw him too. But that wasn't Taehyung, sweetie. I promise you, that was someone else."

"S-someone else?" Your teeth chatter, you are trembling so hard.

"Yeah, I noticed him right before you did, but before I could say anything, you were reeling. I'm sorry sweets; I wish I could have warned you." Hoseok's voice is warm and kind, and it feels like home.

"Okay," you whimper, nodding your head.

Okay. It's okay. You're okay.

Hoseok hugs you tighter. "Do you want to go home?"

"No," you all but sob, trying your best to hold it together.

You do not want to go home. You want to be able to be in public and feel normal again. You want it more than anything in the world.

Once you are able to catch your breath, Hoseok takes you back inside, and you make your way through the small crowds feeling a little wobbly on your feet but overall good; you feel brave and ready to try again. Blue hair is still at the bar, and now that you are not in the throes of fight or flight mode, you can see that it is clearly not Taehyung. He looks so unlike Taehyung, in fact, that you feel embarrassed for the way you reacted.

You also see, standing close to the blue-haired stranger, Jimin and Yoongi. Jimin, in all white like the angel he is, and Yoongi in all black, with hints of pink accentuating his perfect pale skin, as always. Yoongi is so beautiful your heart skips a beat, and you think about running over to say hi, but stop yourself, turning to Hoseok as your brave resolve quickly crumbles.

"Maybe I should leave, actually," you confess.

Hoseok looks worried and apologetic. "I'm sorry I didn't say anything, but I told Jimin we were coming here, and he may have drug Yoongi along without mentioning that we would be here for the same reason that I didn't mention it to you."

You feel nauseated. "I can't do this, Hoseok. I never apologized to Yoongi."

"Apologize to him now," Hoseok suggests, as if it is the easiest thing in the world.

"I can't just do that." Your voice cracks and you sound just as weak and pathetic as you feel.

Hoseok wraps you in another hug—something he does a lot these days. "He loves you. He will understand. Just go talk to him."

Yoongi may have loved you, sure, but does he anymore? Would he want to see you again? Would you be able just to pick up where you left off?

Hoseok's embrace loosens, and he takes you by the hand, leading you to where Yoongi and Jimin are. Yoongi's eyes widen when he notices you, and you watch him glance down at yours and Hoseok's hands before looking up and turning away. This was a mistake.

"I'm gonna get you another drink, okay?" Hoseok mutters into your ear.

As soon as Hoseok's hand releases, Jimin throws his arms around your neck and hops around excitedly. You try not to watch Yoongi walk away into the crowd toward a hallway leading to another room. You try not to imagine him slipping away completely as you close your eyes and hug Jimin back.

"He'll be fine, he's just grumpy," Jimin says in your ear, squeezing you tighter. “He’ll be back.”

For a while, you, Hoseok, and Jimin drink and catch up, not really addressing any of the elephants in the room, but you notice Jimin texting someone with frustrated body language and expressions, and you assume he is trying to get Yoongi to come back from wherever he left to. There is another bar in one of the other rooms, and Jimin mentions he is probably there, so you decide to go search for it. You have had a couple drinks, and your alcohol tolerance is shit, and you are tired of things being so weird and tense, so you swallow your pride and walk in the direction that Yoongi walked before.

As you go from room to room, you feel suffocated and overwhelmed. The crowd has begun to fill the place; every space feels packed with bodies, becoming increasingly difficult to navigate. You consider giving up and going back to the others again when the bar comes into view in the back of the room you have just wandered into. You stand on your tiptoes, squinting in search of Yoongi, before finding someone you think may be him.

The music in this room is a little more upbeat, and you notice a DJ in the corner opposite the bar. Everyone is dancing and swaying, and you anxiously shimmy through, ducking under elbows and trying not to knock into people's drinks until finally, you are at the bar. Yoongi is at the far end, leaning toward some woman, and for a moment, you wonder if it is best to just leave him alone and swallow down the wave of feelings that threaten to drown you. But decide that you have come too far just to give up and walk away.

When you tap Yoongi's shoulder, he turns around with a wide smile that quickly fades the moment he sees you. You swallow down the way that makes you feel, tugging your lips into an attempt at a smile.

"I'm busy," Yoongi grumbles before turning back to the woman he was talking to.

"Yoongi, can we please talk?" you shout over the music.

Yoongi waves you off, but you stand your ground, tapping him on the shoulder once more. When he turns to you this time, Yoongi looks angry, and you are unable to swallow it down as easily.

"Aren't you with Hoseok now? Where is he?"

“He’s not—he and I aren’t—“ You stammer, but then you give up and roll your eyes at Yoongi's petulance. "Fine. I'll go."

You are not fighting with Yoongi. Not here. The last thing you want to do is cause a scene. All you want is to heal and move forward, and it is loud and crowded, and it makes you uncomfortable anyway. So you turn and make your way back the way you came.

You feel defeated and a little angry, but this is partially your fault in the first place, and maybe it would be good for Yoongi to move on and rebound and heal and stop hoping for something more between the two of you again. And you know that you are lying to yourself when you think it is for the best—you refuse to believe that bullshit for even a second. You hate the idea of Yoongi moving on and that, as much as Hoseok has comforted you, it is not the same, and it is not enough.

But you are so tired—so fucking tired—and you do not want to fight, so you wobble through the crowd, this time a little less carefully as someone's drink splashes your arm, and you bump your head into someone's elbow, only able to focus on the exit so that you can continue to walk away and try to move on.

The hallway that separates this room from the next is less crowded, so you stop to catch your breath, leaning against the wall. As soon as you have a moment to breathe, tears threaten to overflow from your eyes, and you attempt to blink them away. You do not want to cry here of all fucking places; you would honestly rather not feel anything. But everything is too much, and it is hard not to get swept up in the undercurrent of it all. Neither of your anchors are here, so you lean your head back and breathe. And breathe, and breathe, and breathe, stuttered and unsteady, but as best as you can manage.

A warm, large hand grabs onto yours, and when you open your eyes back up, Yoongi is tugging you through the crowd, back toward the main room where Hoseok and Jimin are, and you hold onto his hand tightly, following his lead.

For a brief moment, you wonder if this is real or if you are still leaning against the hallway wall dissociating, but when Yoongi pulls you into a unisex bathroom, locking the door behind you, the sudden deafening of the music and the bright fluorescent light, and strong bleach smell coming from the urinal tells you that you are grounded in reality; all of this is really happening.

"I'm sorry," you mutter, your words cut off by Yoongi's lips against yours.

Yoongi's hands frantically grab for your hair, pushing you against the door, and you kiss him back, opening your mouth to allow him to lick inside, grabbing him by the hips to pull him closer.

"I'm so stupid," Yoongi mutters against your lips. "I’m so stupid for always letting you walk away. I'm sorry."

"It's okay," you moan into Yoongi's mouth. "Everything is going to be okay."

And everything does feel like it is going to be okay. You know that you and Yoongi both have a lot of healing to do and that it might suck to break off whatever you were doing with Hoseok, but it is going to be okay. Everything is going to be okay.

When Yoongi grabs you by the hips and lifts you so you are wrapped around him, everything feels like it is going to be okay. When Yoongi's lips latch onto your neck and he presses his erection against your core, sending sparks of arousal coursing through your veins and causing your whimpers to echo off the ceramic walls, everything feels like it is going to be okay.

The way Yoongi sets your feet back on the floor before spinning you around and pulling your jeans from your hips is unceremonious, but you pant against the door, hands spread and holding on for balance. The way Yoongi spits into his hand before pumping his cock, coating it in the wetness, and lining himself up with your eager cunt is not the way you had pictured your reunion, but you do not mind; you want it so badly.

Yoongi holds onto your mouth as he fucks you hard from behind, muffling your moans and cries as he fills you so perfectly. His teeth latch onto your shoulder to quell his own sounds while his other hand grips your hip tightly, and the hints of pain mix so well with the pleasure that you find yourself quickly unraveling. The sound of Yoongi's hips slamming against your ass ring out and echo around the room—lewd and so perfect, music to your ears—and you lean your head back, pushing against Yoongi as you cum around his cock, squeezing him until he is pushed over the edge and filling you with his release.

It takes a moment for either of you to move. Yoongi wraps his arms around you, catching his breath before finally releasing and wandering off to grab some toilet paper so you can wipe yourselves off. You glance in the mirror and laugh at how wrecked you both look. You feel guilty about having to face Hoseok like this, but you do your best to straighten yourself out, sneaking glances all the while at Yoongi.

Beautiful, broken, perfect Yoongi.

Once you find the boys in the main room, they both know. How would they not? You are relieved when Hoseok pulls you into a tight embrace and tells you that he is happy for you, that he expected and even hoped that this would happen and that he will still be there for you when you need hugs and ice cream. Everything feels like, for the first time in a long time, it is going to be okay.

You all have one more drink before the guys close the tab with the bar, and you decide to head out. Hoseok offers to take you home so that you can pack a toothbrush and pajamas with the plan of bringing you back to Jimin’s place to continue hanging out.

Everything is good. Everything is okay. For once, you believe that everything is going to be okay.

So, when you pull up to your apartment, and you do not notice a patrol car out front, perhaps you should have been worried. Perhaps you should have asked Hoseok to escort you to your apartment, but it is such a perfect night that nothing could possibly go wrong.

Everything is good. Everything is okay. Everything is going to be okay.

When you enter your apartment and step over a small white rectangle that may have been slid under your door, dancing your way into your bedroom, perhaps you should have paused to look at it.

Perhaps you should have done many things in the moment, but you run to your bathroom to grab your toothbrush and then to your bedroom for an armful of flannel, and make your way back to your door, only stopping in your tracks finally when you get out into the outdoor hallway, look out toward the street, and noticed that Hoseok's car is gone.

When you finally bend to lift up the small white rectangle on the floor that must have been slid under your door, you can hardly believe your eyes.

As you turn the photo over in your fingers, you fall to the floor. Oxygen feels as if it has become solid and it crushes you, pushes you down, down, down against the wooden floor.

Everything was supposed to be good. Everything was supposed to be okay.

Instead, you are looking at a picture of Taehyung standing in Jimin’s grandma’s master bathroom. His hair is too dark in the image to be blue, meaning he could have passed you on the street many times over, and you would have never noticed.

And, of course, he changed his hair color. Of course, he would not leave it the same bright, obvious blue. Why would you think he would do something so stupid in the first place? Why were you always on the lookout for bright, obvious blue when it would have made more sense for him to blend in?

You reach for your phone with trembling hands, struggling to work the buttons, as you foolishly try to call Hoseok. You need him to come back. Where did he go? Why is he not here?

The longer Hoseok's phone rings and rings, the further and further you spiral into a state of panic. Finally, you end the call and decide that it is best to contact the police, but a notification comes through that catches your eye, and with shaking hands, you open it up, confirming your worst fears to be true, once more.

✨✨✨ the end thank for reading love you all bye sorry lol ✨✨✨

tag list: @dasexydevitt13, @giriiboyy, @ffionatev, @girl8890, @illnevertrustmyselfagain, @mwitsmejk, @peachy-skz0325, @starlight-night0, @skzleaf & @ysk101 ✨

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please don’t be a silent reader! comments & reblogs help so much (and likes are nice, too.)

#taehyung x reader #hoseok x reader #yoongi x reader #bts smut #bts smau #bts yandere #bts poly #this is the end wow #thank you all for reading i love you bye #sorry for the cliffhanger #but not really #until next time!!!!!#fic: boy blue

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artist-tae · 4 years ago

Text

fate (jungkook x fem!reader)

Summary: You and your tattoo ex Jeon Jungkook have been broken up for the past 2 years. But what happens he enters your life again when you just have gotten over him?

Pairing: jungkook x reader, reader x jimin

Genre: angsty af, tattoo artist Jungkook, eventual smut (?), break up!au

Words: 3.4k

Chapter 4/6 (1) (2) (3) (5)

WARNING: This chapter does mention sexual harassment. If this affects you, I advise you please not to read. Viewer’s discretion is advised.

The next morning, you lay in bed as the sunlight dripped into your room. Your head was pounding from last night, and you felt a heavy weight in the pit of your stomach. Why did Jungkook still have so much influence over you? You groaned on the pillow, covering yourself in the blankets.

A knock on the door filled the room. You heard the door creak open to see Jimin holding a plate of pancakes. He gave you a sympathetic look as you were buried in your little cocoon.

"Are you planning to get up today?" He laughed at you, placing the plate on the edge of the bed.

You shook your head, the smell of the pancakes hit your nose and suddenly your stomach was rumbling with hunger. You sat up in bed and reached over for the pancakes. You gave Jimin a thank you as he plopped himself beside you on the bed. You took a bite out of your pancake, fluffy as always. Not as tasty as Jungkook’s a voice shot from your thoughts. You immediately felt guilt rush through your body. Jimin had been nothing but good to you.

"Do you want to talk about last night?" Jimin said calmly, bringing up the elephant in the room.

You broke eye-contact with him as visions of last night flashed before you. Jungkook kissing you and Jimin confessing to you. It all seemed too much for you to handle.

"I don’t think it would help me if I’m honest," you replied.

Jimin nodded with understanding. You were grateful for him not pushing you. What was there not to like about Jimin? He was a gentleman, had a good job, was funny and patient. Why couldn’t you reciprocate his love for you?

Jimin dropped his head to rest on your shoulder. A simple gesture that you used to think nothing about, but now your mind was running with thoughts.

"How did you even meet a guy like him?"

Your eyes widen at his question. You couldn’t even remember the last time you thought about how your relationship with Jungkook started. It just seemed so long ago.

The noise of your friend’s car honking signalling that they were outside your house. You gave yourself one last look in the mirror while grabbing your school bag. You rushed outside your house to see all your friends in the car. Jumping in, you greeted all of them as you all made your way to school.

You and your friends were all gossiping and texting, catching up with the school drama you all missed. During high school, you were in the popular group of girls. Looks and reputation were most important to you during this time. You were always put together, was in the cheerleading group and studied hard in your classes.

"Hey, _______" your friend piped up, looking away from her phone, "I heard that jock guy you’ve been hanging around with wants to take you to prom!"

Your face immediately turned red at her words. Prom was coming up and you had your eyes on one guy. Yet he still hadn’t worked up the courage to ask you even though you were declining offers from other boys at your school. Your body was filled with a rush of adrenaline. Maybe today was the day he would finally ask you.

When you and your friends pulled up into the school’s car park, you all sat for a bit longer before the bell rang for classes to officially start. Suddenly, you heard the sound of an engine revving behind you. All your friends turned their heads to see a motorbike pulling up in the space beside you. With the driver having a helmet on, you couldn’t see the man's face, but you already knew who it was.

Your friend scoffed, "Jeon Jungkook", as she watched the man get off his motorbike.

"I heard he got arrested for drugs", another friend piped up, "He’s such a freak."

You nodded in agreement. "He's in my chemistry class," you said.

While you and he did not sit together in chemistry class, it didn’t stop you two both sharing glances at each other. You both were in opposite worlds. He was covered in tattoos and you worried about your hair and grades. You never actually had a conversation with him. Besides, the occasionally sorry if you bumped into him or if you had to pair up with him for an experiment. He seemed quiet and reserved and didn’t want anything to do with the other students. His mysteriousness fascinated you, but you knew your friends would make fun of you if you ever confessed it to them.

You sat in chemistry class bored. Your friend was not in class today, so you were sitting by yourself staring into space while the teacher talked away. Your mind went to the idea of your crush asking you to prom. The butterflies in your stomach fluttered away at the idea. You knew you were seeing him at lunch, so you were quite nervous as time passed.

"________ and Jungkook, you two can pair up as both your partners are absent today."

You were pulled away from your thoughts by your teacher’s words. Hearing the sound of a chair moving and footsteps coming up behind you. You looked up to see Jungkook staring down at you. His face was expressionless as he sat down in the chair beside you. You gave a quick glance across his neck tattoos and silver rings on his long fingers.

As the teacher passed out the experiment sheet, you had the urge to actually have a conversation with him. You thought it was very irritating that Jungkook seemed to think he was above the rest of the students at school. Before you knew it, you turned your entire body to face him.

"Hey"

Why are you talking to him? Nobody ever talks to him. Especially not the popular goody two shoes.

"Hi", he responded dryly, raising his eyebrow at you.

So enthusiastic you thought to yourself sarcastically. He obviously had no intention of talking to you.

"So, what part of the experiment do you want to do?" You suggested to him.

Jungkook glanced down at the paper and shrugged.

"It’s up to you."

You give him a glare and told him which parts of the experiments you two were doing. As you were preparing the chemical liquid, you made another attempt at making chat.

"Are you going to the prom next month?"

"I don’t know, are you planning on asking me?" he shoot back at you.

Your jaw almost dropped at his sly words. You looked away from his face and back to the experiment, reading the instructions so he couldn’t see the red in your face.

"You wish. Are you too cool to go to your school’s prom? " You sneered back at him.

Jungkook’s eyes turned to yours as his posture straightened up.

"Maybe I am too cool," he replied, "Or that prom is only fun for the popular group and everyone else just sits and watches, bored out of their mind."

"That isn’t true. What would you know about school? You hardly ever show up and when you do you never talk to anyone. "

"Well, I’m sorry I’m not in the popular group where the only thing I do is gossip and worry about my looks." Jungkook spat back at you.

You were frustrated that your attempt at a talk had now turned into an argument.

"You’re such a jerk Jungkook. I just wanted to have a conversation while we did this boring experiment. " You scoffed at him. You rested your chin on your palm, trying to breathe at a normal rate.

"It was a nice try, princess. But you and I are not the same and have nothing in common. Let us do this experiment and leave class so we never have to speak again. " He explained.

His word dug a sharp pain in your heart. He had no interest in talking to you at all. It was the first time you felt a sense of embarrassment for even trying. Why did he have to be so honest and blunt with you? You decided to take his words and you both carried on with the experiment in silence.

Near the end of class, you both finished up with the experiment and were now taking notes on it. You bit your lip and sneaked a glance over at Jungkook. He had finished writing the notes and was now staring at you.

"Why do you never talk to anyone?" You mumbled.

Jungkook gave you another look. He thought the conversation was over. His eyes darted around your perfect face and saw that his words hit you. He didn’t expect you to have such a strong reaction, he didn’t think you cared about what he thought.

"I would just rather be alone," he answered.

"But don’t you ever get lonely?"

Yes.

"No. Not at all. " He said blankly.

You opened your mouth to speak but the bell rang indicating it was lunch time. Your mind immediately turned to your crush. You shot up off your chair and quickly threw your stuff in your bag. You gave Jungkook one last look and said goodbye, quickly hurrying out of the class.

Jungkook rolled his eyes at how fast your emotions changed. He thought about how you genuinely wanted to talk to him and get to know him. He did not know why he was so defensive, maybe because no one had ever made an effort to talk to him. He threw his bag around his shoulder, ready to leave when he spotted something on the ground. His gaze landed on a pair of house keys. Assuming it must have been yours due to how quickly you left the room; it must have dropped out of your bag. He reached down and picked the metal key up, slipping it into his pockets. He better return it to you before lunch is finished.

Meet me behind the school building.

You reread the text over and over again. You felt like you couldn’t breathe because of how excited you were. You quickly pulled out your pocket mirror and checked your makeup and hair. He was finally going to ask you to prom after dropping so many hints to him. You rushed to the back of the school building. It was always deserted and hidden, so it would just be you and him there.

You turned the corner and saw him standing there. You thought your heart was going to burst from joy. You walked over to him, fiddling with your fingers in nervousness.

"________!" The tall jock yelled at you as he saw you coming.

A wide grin spread across your face hearing him say your name. You gave a greeting to him and stood in front of him. He asked you how chemistry was, and you just said it was boring as usual. You wanted him to pop the question to you.

"So we have been talking for a while now," he began.

Your back immediately straightened up at his words. You buzzed with excitement. You nodded at his words.

"And I feel like we have been giving each other signals recently."

You nodded again in agreement. The tension was now building up in your stomach.

"So that's why I wanted to ask you…"

"Yes?" You spoke a little too quickly.

"Would you want to hook up with me after school in my car?"

Your face and heart immediately dropped.

"What?" was all you could say.

"Come on baby, I know you have been begging for it."

Your heart was shattering, and you couldn’t help but cringe at yourself. You turned your feet and walked away. You were so upset you couldn’t say anything to him.

“Where are you going?” He said catching up to you.

“Leave me alone now” You spat at him.

Suddenly, a hand grabbed your arm, pushing you into a wall. You flinched at the pain of the rough brick wall hitting your back and the man’s huge body pressing up against you.

"Stop playing so hard to get _______." The boy whispered into your ear. "I promise I’ll make you feel so good."

His hands moved to your hips to hold you in place. All you could do was shake your head.

"No. Please. No "

As you felt his hand move under your shirt, the weight of his body was suddenly gone. Jungkook was throwing blunt punches at the boy's face before you could even comprehend what was going on. You stood in shock for a moment, watching blood come out of the man’s nose as Jungkook kept beating him with all his strength.

"I swear on my life, if you touch her again you are dead!" Jungkook bellowed in the man’s face.

Before Jungkook could land another punch on the man, you quickly grabbed his shoulders and pulled him away.

"Leave him Jungkook, it is not worth it." You exclaimed at him.

Jungkook's gaze landed on yours, his chest was still heaving up and down in rage. He suddenly grabbed your hand and took you towards his motorcycle. He passed you the helmet and lifted you onto the seat. He still hadn’t spoken a word to you. He climbed on after you and started up the engine. Your natural instinct was to wrap your hands around his waist as the bike started to move.

Jungkook drove out of the school. He kept driving straight until he came to a stop next to a fast-food restaurant's parking lot. As soon as he parked the motorbike, you took off your helmet and he climbed off the motorbike.

Before you could even say anything to him, Jungkook grabbed both your shoulders and stared into your eyes.

"Are you okay _____?" He asked, finally saying something.

"Jungkook I-"

"Are you okay?" he repeated more sternly.

"Yes." You nodded, answering him.

"Did he touch you?" he continued to ask. His face was covered in concern for you.

"No, he didn’t." You spoke.

You saw Jungkook breathe a sigh of relief. Who knows what Jungkook would have done to the guy if he actually had touched you. Jungkook let go of your shoulders and leaned on his bike. He stared down at the ground, his hair covering his face.

"I’m sorry that happened to you."

You gave a weak smile at his sincere words.

"And I am sorry I was such a dick to you this morning. I don’t know why I was. I was just so confused. " He explained.

Seeing this new side of Jungkook was unexpected to you. You didn’t know he could be so gentle and worried.

"It’s okay," you assured him.

"Do you mind if we start over again? Please? " Jungkook questioned, facing you.

"Sure thing, Jungkook" you said, giving a small laugh.

You both sat in silence for a while, staring into nothingness. Then a thought popped into your head.

"Why were you even going behind the school building in the first place?" You asked.

Jungkook’s smile appeared as he dug a hand into his pockets.

"I believe you dropped your keys," he said as he held up your house keys.

You both laughed as you shook your head with embarrassment.

"Then I guess I better owe you something." You said to him.

Your eyes landed on the fast-food place beside you.

"I’ll treat us to lunch!" You responded by tilting your head towards the burger joint.

You and Jungkook sat in the restaurant booth and talked until late in the day. Never before had you felt such a strong connection with someone as you did with Jungkook. You got to learn everything about him. His tattoos, his parents, his ambitions, and his opinions. You told him everything about yourself and your family, your college plans, and your future goals. He was paying close attention to you as you spoke. He admired the way your eyes sparkled, and your hands moved as you rambled on about school or your hobbies. Jungkook could sit and listen to you talk all day and never get sick of it.

When the fast-food restaurant finally closed for the night, Jungkook offered to drive you home, which you gladly accepted. You noticed the soft wind on your face and your hands around Jungkook as he and you drove home. It was comforting to be able to simply hold him. Jungkook wished the night could go on forever.

His bike pulled up beside your house, signalling the end of his journey. The only thing that made things visible to you were the streetlights. Jungkook helped you in getting off the bike by holding your hand. Your heart thumped a little faster than usual as a result of the gesture. You both stood silently facing each other. You were both adjusting to the fact that the night had come to an end. “Well, thanks for driving me home.” You said gratefully.

"No worries" Jungkook responded, tracing his tattoo on his arm.

"Are you going to be okay?" He asked.

You nodded, "I’ll be fine. Don’t worry. "

Jungkook smiled with understanding.

"I guess I will see you tomorrow in chemistry." He spoke up.

He knew that this night would never happen again. Things will return to normal, and you will never speak to him again. He said so himself, you two were two very different people. You were thinking about it too.

"Okay, see you tomorrow." You uttered to him.

Jungkook climbed back on to the bike as you turned to walk away. However, you could only take one step forward as your body froze into place. You couldn’t just leave Jungkook without saying something to him, but what?

Suddenly, you spun around and marched back up to face Jungkook. Before he could open his mouth, you cupped his jaw with your hands and placed a soft kiss on his lips. It lasted for a second before you pulled away. Jungkook stood with his eyes wide and expressionless. You blushed in embarrassment and turned away again. Not until his hands grabbed your hips and made you face him.

"No, you don’t" he whispered before pressing his lips back onto yours. It was pure ecstasy, and your heart was pounding with happiness as he pulled you into him.

All of your high school days were spent with him after that. When your friend group began to disapprove of Jungkook, you gradually distanced yourself from them. You and he spent the majority of your time together studying, eating, and sleeping. Jungkook enjoyed taking you out to eat or surprising you with a trip to the amusement park on special occasions. Jungkook finally confessed his feelings for you and officially asked you to be his after your second date. He was so ecstatic that you had accepted that he spun you around in his arms, nearly making you dizzy.

Jungkook asked you to prom later in the year. Even if he didn't like the idea, he understood how much it meant to you. He was also fascinated by the prospect of seeing you in a breathtaking dress. He even dressed up and put on a black suit and tie. He was a gentleman, bringing you flowers and reminding you throughout the night how beautiful you were. It was during the slow dance that he finally told you he loved you. He was madly in love with you. There was no one else who was more suited to him. That night, you gave him your virginity, and he swore he'd never leave you.

The love you two shared was indescribable. Jungkook was yours, and you would be his for forever.

Jungkook sat in bed, reminiscing about you and him. He let you go despite the fact that you were his soulmate. As he remembered how you looked at Jimin, a small tear rolled down his cheek. He was all too familiar with the expression on your face.

He knew you would be happier without him. It was a thought that crushed him.

Perhaps it was time to let you go.

(Next Chapter)

#jungkook #jeon jungkook #bts #bts smut #bts imagine #jungkook x reader #jungkook imagine #bts meme #jungkook smut #jimin x reader x jungkook #jimin x reader #bts icons #jungkook icon #tattoo jungkook #bts fanfic rec #jungkook angst #bts angst #finally posting this #sorry

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newtonsheffield · 3 years ago

Note

Here is an idea for Good Girls (inspired by the pictures of the lake):

Kate Sharma is showing the new student, Mr. Dorset, around the school, and Anthony is acting like the jealous clown he is... at least Kate thinks he's adorable 😏

Surprise me with the rest of the story, you're my favourite AU Kathony writer 💜

I love this!

Because imagine Kate trying to show this kid around School and Anthony's just standing behind her like a bloody shadow, her hand constantly connected to his after he saw Jamie Dorset leaning a little too close to his girl.

Anthony cursed to himself as his tyres skidded across the school lot, he really hadn't meant to be late today, but Hyacinth had been having a meltdown and Gregory had refused to put his shoes on and Eloise had flatly refused to accept that she was going to have to go to Piano with Frankie this afternoon and it had all just spiralled.

"You're Late." Sophie had quipped standing against the back door of the bakery, bag already in hand. "She's not going to be happy."

"She'll understand." He'd shrugged getting back on his bike "You coming to dinner tonight? Mum's making Lasagne."

Sophie had smiled "Of course. Now get to school, before Kate strangles you."

Anthony could see Kate standing by the front door, leaning against the frame, just like she used to be every morning her arms crossed over her chest, as he took off his helmet. "You're Late Bridgerton." A small smirk tugging at the corner of her lips.

"Oooo Princess, if you let me off, I'll get you off in those toilets upstairs at lunch." Anthony said, unable to keep the grin off his face.

Kate rolled her eyes, though he noticed the way her eyes flicked over him as he tugged his jacket off, tugging his blazer on instead, she opened her mouth to respond as Anthony stepped closer, crowding her against the doorframe.

"Kate! I'm all done signing in and the office said you were probably down here dealing with a perpetually tardy Bridgerton. Whatever that is?" A male voice said as a dark haired boy appeared through the door, startling Kate a little, a grin on his face. His shoes were polished, his tie neat, everything about him perfect. Apart from the way his eyes were raking over Kate.

Anthony felt his face twitch in irritation, his fingers itching to close possessively around Kate's waist.

Kate pushed against Anthony's chest making him step backwards, a sharp twinkle in her eye as she said. "This is a tardy Bridgerton." Taking the bakery bag from his hand, their fingers brushing, as she passed him a detention slip.

"Tardy Bridgerton, this is Jamie Dorset. He's new."

Anthony nodded briskly at the other boy, who paid him no attention, just continued staring at Kate. Anthony bristled a little as Katie sighed, a small wink.

"Now get to class, Bridgerton." Kate smirked over her shoulder at him.

Anthony stared down at the slip in his hands Check your phone if you want to see what you're not getting at lunch today. And let out a very frustrated groan when she hesitantly checked his phone to see a picture of Kate's open shirt, her school tie dangling over her chest.

And Anthony watched all day as Jamie Dorset stayed glued to Kate's side. Anthony knew it was ridiculous, it was Kate's roll to show new students around, she'd done it heaps of times before but this kid seemed a little too interested. Stood a little too close.

"Will you just go over there!" Benedict signed irritatedly, tossing one of his crisps at him.

"No! She's working, it would be rude!" Anthony signed sighing, his head resting on the table as he watched her across the room, her eyes flashing brightly as she spoke to Dorset, even as she winked at Anthony. He watched as Dorset reached up and brushed something from Kate's hair.

"Sophie's coming to dinner tonight." Ben signed, a bright smile on his face.

But Anthony was barely paying attention, Signing back "Cool!" as frustration ached his chest.

And he knew what the problem was, this is exactly the kind of guy Kate should be dating. Not wasting her time on a guy who never could show her quite enough attention, who was going to get a trade next year and spend the rest of his life working with his hands.

By the end of the day, Anthony was in a foul mood, sitting on his motorbike, Kate's helmet behind him staring at her by the door, wondering if he should just take off as Dorset leaned towards her, unable to stop himself, jealousy burning whit hot in his chest.

And then Kate stepped back, gesturing in Anthony's direction, shrugged, and left Dorset standing by the door, a little dumbstruck as she ran towards Anthony, launching herself at him as he stood from the bike, catching her and crushing her against his chest. Kate's hands caught his tie, tugging him down until ther lips met her tongue tangling with his a little filthily given her 13 year old sister was likely twenty feet away getting into their mum's car.

"I missed you today, Honey." Kate said as she pulled back, tapping against his chest to get him to release her before she straddled his bike. Anthony stepped back a little dazed unable to help meeting Dorset's surprised gaze, waving a little smugly.

"Now, if you take me to my house before we go to yours for dinner there'll be no one home." Kate hummed, sliding to press herself tightly against his back, her hand brushing purposefully over his thighs.

And Honestly, Anthony ha never driven so fast.

#good girls au #teenage! kathony #kathony #anthony x kate #anthony bridgerton #kate sheffield #kate sharma #molly's asks and ansers

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starryse · 4 years ago

Text

The Star Pitcher

Juyeon x Reader

The Boyz high school au!, 60’s au!, baseball team TBZ au!

6.8k Words

Summary: The perks of baseball season consisted of seeing your cute guy friends in their uniforms, soft pretzels, and the excuse to get out of your house and sit in the warm summer sun. The downside? One of your cute guy friends was also the team’s pitcher who you were madly in love with.

Masterlist

The neon lights cascaded across the line of skateboards and bikes outside of the diner, the shining glare reflecting onto the window next to your booth. The sky was darkening to a deep shade of purple, the street lights and passing by cars offering comfort in the oncoming night. Dusk was a beautiful time in the city, though the shadows that came from the groves of trees when you walked through the trails were disheartening to say the least. You weren’t as lucky as the rest of your bunch, not owning a motorcycle or your dads hand me down car- you weren’t even allowed a skateboard because it was “unfair” to your younger siblings. This made the long journey home after your daily hangouts quite dreadful; and as summer time grew closer, the nights became shorter, meaning the comforting blue sky disappeared twice as fast.

Your face scrunched in distaste as you focused on the increasingly dark outside, not registering the conversations going on around you. The boy next to you noticed your dazed state, his eyes glancing down to your hands as they twirled around the straw in your half empty milkshake.

“You okay?”

Blinking a few times, the dryness of your eyes slowly faded as you snapped your attention to your disformed straw in front of you. You hummed, “yeah why?” your finger gliding across the rim of the glass, strawberry cream coating your skin in result. Juyeon watched you wipe the residue on the bottom of the Jean jacket he let you borrow, his sharp eyes enlarging as he winced- his mom would surely kill him later. The slicked hair boy was brought back to his senses when you finally looked over at him, his mouth quickly stammering a response, “oh, I uh just thought you seemed a little out of it,” Juyeon awaited your reaction, continuing when you simply shrugged, “you know I can drive you home, y/n”

You groaned, pushing your back into the booths cushion while pushing your drink closer to the window sill, “Juyeon-“

“I know I know, you don’t have to tell me twice” the huffing man leaned against the table, resting his chin against his propped up arm. You rolled your eyes, poking your pouting friend in his side, causing him to jump and swat away your hand, “Don’t be a baby, baby. I can handle myself okay?”

“Yeah Yeon, don’t be a baby. Y/n has made it very clear she doesn’t want any of us to take her home because she’s embarrassed by our presence” Hyunjae’s mocking tone ceases your hands from Juyeon’s sides.

“Wha- not true asshat” you didn’t bother in defending yourself anymore when it came to Hyunjae’s smart remarks, it was a hidden show of affection between the two of you. Though it didn’t stop you from tossing the ball of straw paper into his open cup of coke. That particular action gave you a disgusted look from the brunette, his lips moving as you could only imagine the mimicking words that spilled out.

Daily hangouts with your group of angsty, sarcastic boys was your favorite thing to do when you needed a much needed break. At the end of a long day, seeing the familiar 11 faces waiting for you at the school entrance was just what you needed to relieve stress. Even if they were possibly the most annoying people you have ever had the pleasure of knowing, they were your favorite humans. Maybe except the current boy beside you who’s shoulders were shaking against yours as he laughed at Eric’s sly comment. He wasn’t as annoying as the others. Then again, the hearts that soared around your eyes as you snuck glances towards him were a dead give away you were a bit biased- the heart wants what it wants. And in this case, yours most definitely wanted the handsome baseball player, Lee Juyeon.

“Earth to Y/n. Hellooo? We’re leaving, dummy.”

“Huh?” Your head snapped up to meet the annoyed expression of Sunwoo, eyes following the boys that had been piling out of the booth as you sat confused.

Sunwoo looked to Eric for assistance, knowing fair well why you had been blatantly zoned out the last 15 minutes. Eric nodded at Sunwoo, ushering for him to head out the door with the others as he mouthed an I got this.

“Cmon’ pretty girl, I think me and you need a Juyeon free night. What do you say?” Eric grabbed the jacket you had shrugged off over the back of the booth, tossing it over his shoulder while he stood waiting for you at the exit. God you were really whipped, Eric was pretty damn sure of that as he watched the puppy dog look you sent his way in response to his question. Knowing the answer, Eric wrapped his arm around your shoulder, tugging you closer as the two of you made way back to the rowdy group.

Most of the boys had took off towards their houses, only Juyeon, Kevin, Sunwoo, and Hyunjae remaining. The boys were sat along the curb of the parking lot, shared glasses of coke being passed around while they waited for their two youngest to return.

Sunwoo broke the silence, his infamous evil smirk pointed at Juyeon and Hyunjae, “I wonder what Y/n and Eric are doing” Three heads turned to the sighing boy, eyes scrunched in curiosity as they awaited Sunwoo’s next words.

“I mean, it has been awhile right? And those two are quiteee close”

Antagonizing. That’s all he’s doing.

Did the two gullible idiots whom were currently gawking at one another realize this? No. No they didn’t. The muttering boys scrambled up from their spots on the ledge, untied shoes tripping against the pebbles that had loosened from the cement as they rose quickly to find the “quite close” pair. Sunwoo’s hand clasped tightly against his mouth, the urge to fight the oncoming cackles growing harder as he watched the gangly men run into the bike racks, their ego’s too high to even care while they bolted for the diner’s door. Kevin, not remotely amused, watched in disapproval, knowing fair well that the hyena sounding laugh near him was that of pure provoktion at the gullible dancers who, at their own expense, were a tad finicky over their youngest friend.

“You know why they’re like that, right?”

Sunwoo nodded his head, sucking in a breath as his laughter died down. Of course he knew why, whether or not he liked it, he knew everything about the diverse set of feelings in the group. He sighed, tucking a leg close to his chest while the other kicked against the pavement, “yeah of course I know. I think everyone does except Y/n herself.”

The coke was bitter in Kevin’s mouth, the acidic taste tingling against the cuts on his lips. Having enough, he set the coke by Sunwoo, using the drink as a sort of share of thoughts between the two. Uttering a thank you, Sunwoo was quick to down the rest of the fizzy soda, a grotesque burp following. Loud laughter once again surrounded the curb, though this time sounds of disgust and displeasure joined as Kevin shoved the guilty party farther away from him, his left hand fanning the air away from his nose.

“God Sunwoo-“

“What, it was a great drink!”

You and Eric finally rounded the corner of the parking lot, a fighting cat and dog duo following close behind as they beat themselves up for listening to Sunwoo, yet again. Hearing the noises behind them, Kevin and Sunwoo turned to the 4 of you, looks of relief washing over them. Sunwoo stood up, dusting the dirt off of his track pants in the process, “God finally you idiots show up, did you not notice the darkness surrounding us?? It is,” he checked the thick silver watch decorated on his wrist, a scoff leaving his lips, “8 pm”

Eric snorted, rolling his eyes in response, “okay grandpa, let’s go then”

You stood against the small tree near the end of the street, your arms crossed against your chest to shield yourself from the growing winds. The cars passing by offered some light against the darkening sky, the diner’s lights beginning to dim as closing time got closer. Summer time was supposed to be warm and bright, and yet here you stood waiting for your friends, shivers running down your body while you glanced around the city's streets. Interrupting your small bruising session, the feeling of a shoulder knocking against yours had you turning to look at the culprit, your nerves calming at the familiar face.

“Hi”

“Hey” you grinned back, eyes scanning the pretty man. The moonlight brought a look of innocence to his face, the blue fluorescents casting shadows across his skin leaving only the bundle of stars in his dark eyes to light up his appearance. Juyeon was a human of the finest features, and a stellar personality to match. The duality his eyes could perceive was always interesting to watch, you never knew to expect his sharp gaze or soft looks of adoration. Tonight, you found yourself hoping for the second option.

Juyeon reached for your hand, tugging it into his as he placed both of them into his jacket pocket. His thumb ran circles over your knuckles, the slightly rough padding of his fingers locking between yours. Your eyes peered down to his jacket, stomach knotting at the sight of your hand with his. This was okay, right?

“I figured you were cold”

You lifted your head, free hand pushing away the strands of hair that blocked your vision. Juyeons sight was casted on the other boys, watching as they fought over who got to ride with him instead of skating home in the dark, “I saw Eric with the jacket I gave you, so I kinda assumed you would be freezing your ass off by now”

Juyeon’s taunt was meant to joke around with you, and normally you’d scowl then proceed to pick at him right back. But maybe it was the way he looked under the stars, or the way your hand felt great in his as the feeling brought you warmth. Or it could be the proximity between you two, shoulders pressed against one another in comfort against the wind. Either way, the options had the same anxious thoughts of feeling the need to get over the stupid crush on your friend. Your heart tugged at the thought, it was hard to move on from someone who hid you snacks in your room every time he came over. But having a crush on your best friend who you just knew was too out of your league? That was even worse.

“Y/n, let’s bounce. I wanna start that new film series before my mom gets home from the pub!”

Oh thank God for Eric Sohn.

Mentally letting out a breath of relief, you loosened your grip from Juyeons hand, slipping away from his hold in the process. Bidding the boy goodbye, you waved over your shoulder before jogging to Eric as he began to skate back to his house. Juyeon, on the other hand, stood stone cold, watching the two of you exchange laughs and smacks on each other’s arms. He knew it was ridiculous to be pissed over two friends getting along, so why was he squeezing his jacket sleeves just a tad too hard? His jaw was slack, teeth nipping at cheeks as he yelled for the three idiots, who were still fussing over who got to ride with him home, to give him his keys.

Thankful that the trip to Eric’s was much shorter than what would have been your lonely walk home, you were pleased to already be walking up the steps of his farm porch. Knowing there was no formality needed to invite you in, Eric simply unlocked the door and waited for you to step inside before he relocked it.

Eric’s house, much like him, was always comforting. His house smelt of pine and vanilla, not surprising since he too smelt similar to that. Eric’s bedroom was on the 2nd floor, whereas his parents slept downstairs (which made for great sleepovers so you didn’t have to worry about waking his mom up who works 2nd shift).

Your shoes were tossed to the side of the wall next to Eric’s, knowing how strict his mom was when it came to keeping the house tidy, you had a designated spot for your shoes whenever you visited. Eric, who was now passing you one of the waters he grabbed from the fridge, motioned his head to the stairs, silently telling you to make way to his room.

For a teenage boy, Eric’s room wasn’t nearly as messy as one would think. His clothes were tucked away in his dresser drawers or hanging behind his closest doors, leaving the messiest thing to be his un-made bed. You plopped yourself onto the nearest side of the bed, making room for Eric on the other side. The radio that usually sat on his side table was tossed in between you two, Eric’s fingers nimbly flicking between the stations to find the baseball film he had been non-stop talking about. The TV downstairs was off limits until his parents were home, they were quite finicky as the cost for the larger box tv was a little too much to be accidentally broken by their energetic son.

Settling yourself into his pillows, you tugged the closest blanket over your torso, legs curled up to press against your chest. Eric’s sudden exclaim had you giggling at his victorious outburst, his arms fist pumping the air before turning the volume on the gadget up. Jumping beside you, the blonde shimmied to your side, wrapping one arm behind your back and the other behind his head.

“I cannot wait to watch this, Younghoon told me it was the best movie he’s ever seen!” Eric was going on and on, his eyes lighting up as if he were the same moon that glared down at Juyeon earlier. Juyeon. Right. Why did your brain have to bring him up? As if you couldn’t escape the mere presence of him, he was filling your thoughts just as often.

Noticing your lack of response, Eric craned his head down to see you pressed against his shoulder blade, eyes stuck on the bed sheets beneath you. He should have known it would be nearly impossible to have a night without the pitcher of their own baseball team being brought up.

“I can feel you staring at me”

Eric scoffed, flicking the side of your temple while looking back at the radio, “yeah well I bet my sheets could say the same thing.”

Left hanging, Eric took notice real quick at the feeling of something wet drip onto his jeans. His inner baseball player came out as he swiftly moved you up to eye height, hands pushing your shoulders back to rest against his bed frame.

“Hey, look at me”

Before you even had the time to react, Eric was already gently lifting your face up to meet his. Your eyes raised to meet Eric’s concerned brown ones, though your vision was much blurrier compared to his you could imagine. His thumb was soft against your cheeks, blue sleeves wiping the few tears that escaped past your waterline. You felt terrible. Not just because of the unreciprocated feelings you had on Juyeon. But seeing the way your usual happy-go-lucky friend was looking at you as if you were the most fragile thing on the planet- man, that stung.

“What can I do to help, Y/n?” Eric’s voice was gentle, barely audible even. His palms never left their spot against your cheeks, his fingers lightly tracing across your skin to bring you ease.

The truth was, you didn’t know how he could help. Deep down you knew there wasn’t anything anyone could do to relieve the ache you felt every time you saw Juyeon; everytime you remember that he wasn’t interested in you like that, how his heart wasn’t set on you like yours was for him. Not only did you feel utterly helpless, but you felt the gnawing feeling that you were only being annoying, making a big deal out of a stupid crush.

With a shaky breath, you placed your hands on Eric’s before pulling them down to your lap, “I want you to help me move on.”

“Are you sure you’re fine? Because I have no problem keeping you here until you are”

“Yes Eric, I promise I’m okay” you slipped your shoe over your heel, “besides, I’ll see you at school tomorrow so you’ll know if I’m not, right?”

The pout on his face raised enough that he could mumble a Pinky Promise, as he tightened his pinky around yours. You laughed at his childish antics, pulling him over for a hug, “pinky promise,” you patted the top of his head, his chest huffing after, “don’t forget to be at my house before 6! Juyeon gets there around 6:15 so I want you there before he is”

Eric nodded, pushing you towards the door, “okay leave now because I have no self control and will definitely not let you leave if you don’t go now”

Mumbling strands of okay with giggles spewn between, you finally made it out the door and began the ever boring walk home.

**As soon as you stepped inside your house house, the weight that you thought was lifted off your shoulders came hurling itself right back, and this time it brought shame along with it. Normally when you felt like shit, you’d make yourself a bowl of cereal, turn on your radio, and listen to whatever Elvis Presley interview was on. This time, thanks to Miss Shame, that wouldn’t be enough to cure your self-pity moment; no, it was time to call in the big gun.

** “I’m sorry, you did what?” Sangyeon sat across from you, his legs tucked under his butt as he shifted his position so he could properly look at you.

“I had sex with Eric” your voice trailed off at the end, eyes glued to your hands that currently were tugging off loose string on your jeans.

The sound of silence only made you more tense, terrified of what your eldest friend was thinking, or even feeling, at the moment. Growing frustrated with the lack of response, you begin to try and explain yourself- though the assertive tone that Sangyeon had when he called your name out had you quickly pursing your lips.

Sangyeon went on a tangent for what felt like forever, his hands doing the dramatics besides the substantial amount of sighs he produced, “I- I just don’t think I understand why, emphasis on the why by the way,” his hands finally went down from their long phase of being tossed around in the air, “you would go and do something so stupid like that?”

“I told you-“

“Stop, I understand what you told me,” the frustrated man interrupted you, “I’m just failing to see why you both thought it was the correct solution”

Quite frankly you were puzzled about it yourself. Fucking your other best friend, and the one you didn’t have feelings for, definitely wasn’t in the itenery when you joined the odd bunch of athletes. You were frustrated. Depressed. And just tired of being the last choice. And in the moment, sitting there being comforted by Eric, you finally felt like you were the most important person in the world and not just the star pitcher of your school’s baseball teams groupie.

“Eric only did it because he knew I was hurting, he just thought he was being a good friend- which he was. As for me, well I. God Sangyeon I just-“ A tissue suddenly sat in your open palm, sangyeon softly smiling as pointed at your eyes. What the hell? We’re you seriously crying right now? Wiping the stray tears that had fallen, you took a long chug of your water before continuing, “I just wanted to be something important for once. I didn’t want to be the pathetic little girl that had a crush on her best friend, Juyeon, the popular pitcher who could have the hearts of any girl on those stupid bleachers. I’m sorry, Sangyeon. I fucked up, huh?”

“Pft hell yeah you did”

At times, you forget just how blunt your friend was, this being one of those times as you sat with your eyebrows raised in slight shock at his confession. Sangyeon noticed your look, raising his hand at you to signal you to just listen.

“But we all make mistakes, right? Sure your mistake was Eric’s dick, but I guess that’s just what you needed to figure things out. Which, you need to definitely do as soon as possible because I have a hunch things are going to work out just fine” Sangyeon opened his arms, waiting for you to thank him with his favorite hug (news flash, he loved your hugs a lot.)

You squeezed your arms around him, slightly shaking you both back and forth. The sound of your thank you was muffled by the white and blue shirt he wore, causing you both to laugh at the disformed words. You leaned back, Sangyeons eyes still partially crinkled from laughing, “thank you for being the best dad a girl could have”

Sangyeon scoffed, his grin widening even more as he shoved you back, “whatever, weirdo”

Mondays. Also known as Satan’s asshole.

Eric kept his promise, showing up before Juyeon could arrive to take you to school like normal. That, you were eternally grateful for. You weren’t ignoring your best friend persay, just simply giving him space until you could realize what the hell you were going to do about your feelings. And that was starting today, as you and Eric skateboarded (or in your case walked) past Juyeon as he made his way down your street. You’d be lying if the look on his face didn’t make you want to run back to his car and apologize endlessly, but you were raised to be strong, and that’s what you were. Kind of.

The perks of baseball season consisted of seeing your cute guy friends in their uniforms, soft pretzels, and the excuse to get out of your house and sit in the warm summer sun. The downside? One of your cute guy friends was also the team’s pitcher who you were madly in love with.

Since you were the boyz’s (ha) best friend, you had attended every game since they formed the team 2 years ago. And even today, as you sit front row on the cold, metal bleachers, you were still cheering them on despite the fact you had sworn you were going to distance yourself from Juyeon. Maybe you would have succeeded in that promise, but the way Juyeon looked at you right now as he struck yet another player out, well, it had you wondering why you even thought of such a blasphemous idea in the first place.

With only one out remaining, the opposing team was bound to have to forfeit as the gap between the teams was only increasing. You could only imagine the pride running through your friends’ veins as they got even more amped up knowing they were soon to claim victory. The amount of talent they had could match their love for the game, the two qualities mixing to create one hell of a baseball team; you were sure even the opposing team could see that as their energy levels drained with each strike or out they received. And while you wanted to feel bad, you knew there was no use- because even the team who knew they were bound to lose, had smiles written on their faces while they half-fived their teammates when running past one another.

The sound of bats clinking against dugout cement floors, helmets being tossed to the side of the field and the overlapping good games being said to one another signified the end of the short-live scrimmage. Watching the boys finish their lineup and run to do their large group hug was heartwarming, the other fans in the audience snapping pictures with their disposable cameras could agree. Your moment of proudness was cut short as Haknyeon and Younghoon yelled for you to join them on the field, their hands waving frantically at you to get your attention. Not wanting to cause anymore attention to flood your way, you quickly gathered your bag and rushed to your boys, an embarrassed laugh bubbling in your throat as you were welcomed into the hug. Loud smacks were heard, the cheering players aiming to slap each other in utter happiness over their win- of course you ducked between their arms in an attempt to hide yourself from said slaps (unfortunately for you your ass was not covered and they gladly gave you a few victory whacks.)

“God pretty soon you guys are going to win the championships, then imma be the biggest groupie ever” your comment had the group in fits, heads shaking in amusement.

“Yeah well you’re the best groupie ever” sunwoo pushed your shoulder, a cheesy grin lighting up his face. Hollers and whoops were made in agreement, the two closest to you (Sunwoo and Jacob) tugging you closer into their sides so they could ruffle your hair (leaving you very displeased as you spent quite a while that morning carefully taking the hair rollers out to have stable curls). Trying to tame your now frizzy hair, you weren’t able to control the smile that grew to match the boys’ around you.

Seeing you smile wide in happiness and hearing the laughs that you fabricated, Juyeon couldn’t help himself from staring at you. Watching your nose crinkle from the side pokes the boys littered on you, or seeing the way your eyes were filled with light as you joked right along with the others, it only made the man wish you were standing next to only him and not his attractive friends. Normally, he wasn’t one to be possessive or even jealous. Though when it came to you, someone who’s supported him at every game, waken him up at the crack of dawn to adventure to the sea side of town, and have feverishly grown on him over the few years you've known him? He’s positive he’d go to the end of the world for you.

With the amount of time he spent with you, attached to one another's hips, it was utterly impossible for him to not have developed feelings for you. You were beyond sensational. In his eyes, you were a stellar person- someone with a heart of gold who would probably sell their soul to protect the ones they loved. You had always been the first person he’d call when he needed someone the most, there was never a second of doubt that you couldn’t help him through anything he went through. When he tore the ligament in his elbow and couldn’t participate in 2 weeks worth of games, he was devastated. He had spent forever just trying to wrap his head around the fact he couldn’t be there for his team when they needed him the most, beating himself up over an injury he couldn’t have prepared for. You were the only reason he kept going after that, why he continued to get out of bed everyday to watch his brothers practice even if he couldn’t do so himself. Truly, Juyeon knew you were his foundation. His beautiful, intoxicating, better-half best friend who he had finally realized, as he stood across from you now watching you look as perfect as ever in his extra jersey he gave you to wear at games, just how in love with you he was. And he has absolutely no idea what the hell he was going to do about it.

You weren’t dense, you could feel Juyeon’s non-trailing eyes on you. You didn’t think you made it obvious you were trying (and clearly failing so far) to distance yourself from him, unless he was that intelligent he knew something was off already, so why was he very blatantly staring at you? You couldn’t stop the questions from piling up, your thoughts keeping you distracted from the winners high the boys clearly still had. To meet his eyes and stand your ground was what you should have done, but alas, you squeezed your arms together and slipped away from the sweaty, compact group. With a mix of genuinely overheating due to being stuck to the sweating boys and the gaze Juyeon had locked on you, you were quite aware of how hot you felt at the moment. You tried to escape as quietly as possible, wanting nothing more than to get back to your house and sob until you the tears stopped flowing. Unfortunately for you, your group of friends all had overprotective spidey senses over you, practically able to sense your every move before you could even make it. The moment you turned your back from the group, you were instantly met with whines from the boys, a hand tugging you back to the middle of the circle.

“Eh eh eh, where do you think you’re going missy?” Chanhee poked your stomach, earning a light tap to his forehead from you in return.

You groaned in response, “I was trying to leaveee.” Noises of complaints erupted from the group, sounds of why’s and no’s sounding from each boy.

“Uh sorry but you can’t”

You turned around in Chanhee’s hold, head cocking in confusion. “Uh why not?” you mocked his tone. Chanhee opened his mouth to respond, his eyes rolling at your taunt. Though he was cut off before he could he even begin,

“Because. We can’t celebrate without you, you’re my- I mean- our good luck charm” Juyeon stuttered, just merely missing total embarrassment.

You, who was very much not expecting Juyeon to comment something like that, were quick to shut up. The internal struggle of what to say was hounding you, your eyes looking anywhere but Juyeon. So you hid closer to Chanhee instead, stealthily sneaking your hand behind him to pinch his elbow in an attempt to get him to help you out. Chanhee, getting the hint, smoothly answered for you, “Y/n would love to come, but unfortunately she has our psych project to working, right Y/n?” The white haired male looked at you, his eyes narrowing while he nudged your side.

“O-oh yeah. The projects worth a lot and I can’t take another bad grade in that class” you voiced, gaze finally meeting Juyeon’s. It didn’t take a genius to see the soft glaze of disappointment that lingered in his eyes, even after he masked it with a smile.

Taking that as your cue to exit, you waved at the group, their previous wide eyes and grins much more tamed as they stood glancing between you and their friend. They watched you walk away, waiting until they couldn’t see you or thought you couldn't overhear them to start murmuring amongst each other.

“So that was obviously a lie” Changmin stated as if it were a fact, his sight still locked to where you walked off at.

Jacob, who could either be considered too nice for his own good or just gullible, furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, not understanding what the brunette meant. Changmin, who was more than pleased to explain himself, responded to Jacob’s puzzled expression, “I’m in her psych class, and there’s no project due. At least that I’m aware of, anyhow”

Chanhee felt his heart jump out of his stomach, his stomach buzzing as he was caught in the lie. He had to cover for you, and yet he had absolutely no idea how. They already knew he was lying once, they would surely realize it a second time. He could feel the pairs of eyes make way to him, his fingers drumming against his thighs to ease his nerves.

“Well what I meant was-“

“He meant to say Y/n had thrown up earlier and wasn’t feeling up to the whole party scene” Sangyeon covered for his friend, locking eyes with Chanhee’s grateful ones as he mouthed a thank you in which Sangyeon nodded his head in approval.

The boys seemed to believe their captains' claim, most of them backing up and leaving it as is wanting to just celebrate their victory. Of course, Sunwoo hadn’t believed a word of what Sangyeon said. The round eyed boy snorted to himself, knowing very well as to why you left in such a rush. And then there was Juyeon, and even Hyunjae, who couldn’t help but feel there was a hidden truth to the line. Both boys chose to not speak up, deeming it as just a weird feeling instead.

“Anywho, can we go get food now? The other teams already leaving and we’re still standing here like weirdos” the youngests outburst had the group in fits, loud laughs filling their ears once again. Whining, Eric let out strings of protest as his friends shook his head and left him taps of affection on his butt. Leave it to Eric to lift the sour moods of his teammates, even if he himself was a bit tense.

The team was sure to have made an appearance at your group's famous hangout, meaning snagging a burger and fries on your way home had been out of the question. You opted to just scavenge your cupboards, hoping to find at least something dinner worthy; unfortunately, you were sure you’d end up eating ramen again, as per usual.

You were correct, ramen was indeed the main dish of the night, you had been remotely blessed with packs of spam to fry up along with some eggs and rice. Though you had been content with what you were able to eat, the rising feeling of guilt couldn’t stop itself from making an appearance as you sat alone at your small kitchen table. You couldn’t help but to imagine your friends right now, knowing fair well they were probably messing around and eating the familiar greasy food you all had grown to love. And yet here you were, eating dinner by yourself, just because you couldn’t grow a pair and accept that you had feelings for Juyeon. Instead, you went to the measures of ignoring not only him, but the 10 other people who had been nothing but great friends to you.

It wasn’t like you could just call them up, the diner only had one wall phone and it was for emergency use only, and your wall phone was currently broken as your dog had chewed the cord. And God forbid you walked all the way to the diner at this time of night, your anxiety would have you running right on back to the confines of your rural home as soon as you made it down your road. Regret was a thing you tried not to experience, you tended to just live doing what you liked and that was that. But this time, it was eating you up.

The food in front of you had gone cold, not that you cared considering your mind was obviously worrying about other things- or people. Your thoughts had drifted off to Juyeon, specifically to him earlier. Logic wanted you to believe that he was merely looking at you because of where you were standing, though your heart had other things in mind. No matter how many times you told yourself there was no way Juyeon could have reciprocated your feelings, something always told you to believe otherwise. Sure you knew he could have practically any girl he wanted, he was absolutely gorgeous and his personality was even better. But was it so hard to believe he could maybe, just maybe, like someone like you? His teams #1 fan who went to all of their matches. Someone who not only had his back, but your shared friends as well? You wanted to believe that, you really did. But why else would you be sitting here, alone, not with Juyeon?

Continuous knocking on your door startled you, your previously sulking shoulder now standing straight as you made way to the abrupt sound. You hadn’t expected your family home until rather late that night, considering they were an hour away at your aunts house. The boys were all at the diner, so you had presumed, and you didn’t exactly have other friends besides them. Maybe it was the tofu cart?

The halt your feet made as you opened the door was sudden, your eyes enlarging at the man in front of you. The wavy tuffs of black hair certainly did not belong to the tofu delivery man, unless he had a strikingly good looking son who looked way too similar to Juyeon you didn’t know about.

“Can I come in?” Juyeon looked down at you, hands twisting the ring on his fair in a habit of anxiety. He didn’t expect you to say no, which is why he sucked in a deep breath of anticipation as he entered your home.

You were fairly shocked yourself, following Juyeon’s figure as he went to his favorite spot in your house- the bar stool Island in your kitchen. It wasn’t surprising he went there, though it only spiked your nerves more knowing he chose to sit there instead of your bedroom; the two of you considered the counter in your kitchen your “deep discussion” area, it was a place you had always found yourselves in the early hours of the morning, talking about the little things that been bugging you lately. Which is why you couldn’t help the way your heartbeat sped up as you sat across from Juyeon, moving the scraps of your dinner to the side in order to have no distractions.

You weren’t sure what to say, deeming it as Juyeon must have had plenty in the way he tapped furiously st the countertop before jumping straight to the point. Oh how you wish you didn’t open the door.

“Are you in love with me?”

You understood what they felt in the movies now. When the camera pans in on the character during the aftermath of the climax, the environment around them seeming to slow down with a blur. “I-I’m sorry, what?” You choked back the saliva that had gotten stuck, not feeling like haphazardly dying in front of your crush.

Juyeon sighed, drawing his fingers back to his lap as he glanced up to you, “Eric told me what happened”

Now normally you weren’t one for violence, in fact, you were rather just passive aggressive in all that you did. But at the moment, you wanted nothing more than to strangle the blonde haired snitch. Placing your hands over your face, you let out a long drawn groan, “that little bitch, of course he did”

Juyeon couldn’t stop the short chuckle that escaped his lips, “you didn’t answer my question”

Apparently the opportunity to confess then be brutally rejected was a lot closer than you had hoped. It was now or never. You’d much rather choose never, but it seems that your friend couldn’t keep his mouth shut to save his life.

“Yes”

“Yes what?” Juyeon spoke, unable to focus on anything but the way your mouth moved in response to the question.

“I’m in love with you. Did you really have to ask? I thought it was pretty damn obvious, myself” sarcasm rolled easily off your tongue as if it were a form of defense getting ready to face rejection.

Juyeon huffed, leaning forward to flick your forehead at your retort, “I had to make sure it wasn’t a one-sided thing, dummy”

The remark you had saved next was useless now, your tongue ostensibly getting caught in your throat. If now wasn’t a better time to choke on spit, what was? Juyeon jumped up from his seat, grabbing a water from the fridge to pass to your choking frame. You, unable to speak clearly, stuck a thumbs up in appreciation, to which he found incredibly cute.

After recovering from the fit, you finally made eye contact with the softly smiling boy in front of you for the first time since you (unwillingly) confessed, “does that mean I didn’t just get rejected?” Your lips were in a mix of a pout and smirk, your face resemble that of a duck.

“I love you too” Juyeon was grinning wide at this point, his heart pounding in his chest at the affectionate exchange.

You were beyond giddy, body quickly leaning close to Juyeon’s to press a soft, quick kiss to his lips. As you pulled back, neither of you could say anything, the fond gazes you had on one another and the heating of your cheeks conveying the right words for you. Juyeon, for one, was ready to do nothing but return the kisses- and that’s exactly what he did.

Note: Hi y’all, I’m back (kind of). This is my first full fledge AU, and I’m so happy it was for Juyeon! I’m a sucker for baseball tbz au’s, so I just had to make one myself! Stay tuned for a special announcement regarding Star Pitcher ;)

Extra Note: pls don’t be afraid to leave feedback (reply, message, reblog), it would help me tremendously and I’d really appreciate it! I love seeing what y’all think! :)

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celestialmango · 3 years ago

Text

Reader insert,Unwilling prey, digestion and fatal vore(not you tho, you're safe...kinda) soft vore, safe vore, fallout au, super mutant variant Pred, Pred's a jerk, but a jerk that gets rid of your raider problem.

🍡🥭🍡🥭🍡🥭🍡🥭🍡🥭🍡🥭🍡🥭🍡🥭🍡

You sigh as your toes flex digging into the dirty cracked asphalt of the road, you had set up from your town established around the vault to act as a merchant/messenger and had been doing well... until you ran into some raiders, luckily you managed to bargain your way out with your life, there were too many to take out on your own, you're lucky you still had your hidden gun and ammo, not so lucky they took your armor, your goods and your shoes.

As you continue on your way back to the vault settlement you hear a commotion behind you and feel the ground shake getting increasingly close surprisingly fast, you don't even have time to turn around before you're about nine feet in the air, scooped up by a large greenish arm and sat on a shoulder looking behind to see a large group of super mutants chasing the one hauled you into the air while they ran you don't have much time to think about what's going on before your improvised steed booms at you.

"SHOOT HUMAN" you react instinctively and start shooting the pursuers while the mutant carrying you runs, you're glad you had been training as a sharp shooter before you got frozen because it's coming in handy now as you fire bullet after bullet, reloading when empty at the hostile mutants hitting your mark everytime and crippling them, some loose legs, some lose arms and some you straight up headshot, "HAHAHA ATA HUMAN!" The one carrying you yells.

Your gun clicks empty as you finally run out of bullets but by then there's only two left the one who's shoulder you're riding and the last one chasing them, they skid to a stop and lightly toss you on top of a good 15ft tall rail car that stands to the side of the road having rolled off the nearby track ages ago, you finally get a good look at the mutant while they turn and bullrush the other, their long hair blowing flowing in the wind as they tackle the other to the ground and start brutalizing them with their fists....wait

Don't super mutants eat humans? And since when did a super mutant have hair, shit there's no way for you to get down without injuring yourself and no one around for you to call out to for help, you don't even have the time to think of how to escape before you hear a splattering crack and crunch of bone, you quickly turn back and see the hulking mash of muscle stand with blood dripping off their hands as they turn around and you get a better look at their face that has a splash of red caking it as they approach the train car grinning wildly. You notice even more details that don't make them look like your typical super mutant and honestly they actually kinda look similar to fan art you saw before of people's half orc characters only without the pointy ears and tusks...god you miss DND.

You shouldn't have let yourself get distracted, they're already at the side of the car, they stretch their arms out to you, "Come ere human. _______ ain't gonna kill you" you blanch 'n-no thank you, I'm fine up here.' the super mutant scoffs "bah, human can come to _______ or _______ can tip metal thing over and human can go smack on the ground. Human can choose easy way or painful way."...shit, you really don't have a choice here do you? You scooch over to the edge the super mutant is waiting at and swing your legs over the side.

The super mutant who's name you guess is ______ grasps your waist with both hands and lifts you off the roof of the ancient train car but they don't set you down just yet, you notice they're staring at your feet "where's humans shoes?" You answer them nervously and slightly confused 'o-oh. Um.. well I kinda got robbed by raiders a few miles back.' the mutant looks at your face intently and you sweat nervously "how many?" 'wha?' "How many raiders human" 'oh, there were five. W-why?' _____ grins at you viciously setting you further on edge before they say "human do _____ favor, _____ return it" just like that all your tension leaves you 'ah, so are you going to put me down or?'

_____ sets you back on their shoulder, "human point way, _____ follow" you guess this is just how your day is going to go now, 'ok.' you point out the direction you came from and _____ takes off in a run.

--------

_____ skids to a stop again just 50 ft from the raider camp just as night falls giving them excellent cover, they bend down and set you down in the open back of a brokendown pick-up truck before shutting the trunk, you can clearly see out the back and side windows as the mutant grins at you and cracks their knuckles "_____ be right back." They say before standing up and storming into the camp with a battlecry, you try to open the truck bed but it's jammed, guess you have no choice but to wait for _____ to get back.....you hope they don't die as you hear the gunfire begin.

------

The gunfire finally stops after half an hour, it's about 6 more minutes with you having your face buried in your knees before you hear groaning and loud footsteps, your head snaps up when the back of the truck is torn open and you stare like a deer in headlights, "ur-urp _-____ back...urrgggh" they groan in discomfort one hand on their obscenely large and squirming gut, the other arm reaching in and pulling you out of the truck, you stare in horror as you see hand prints and faces push out from their stomach the sounds of muffled obscenities and screams almost silenced by the loud gurgles as their guts makes quick work of them eventually going still as it starts to shrink.

_____ clicks their fingers in front of your face "oy, human" you snap out of your daze and look them in the eyes, 'ah' "no more raiders." 'uh-huh' is all you can say, you turn to walk towards the now empty camp before a large hand clamps down on your shoulder, "where human think they're going?" You look at them nervously 'i-i was going to search their camp for my stuff they stole from me' they look at you with a wild expression "human not going anywhere." 'wha? But you don't plan to eat me too?' they grin wider "_____ never said that." You squeak in fear before _____'s expression slips, they burst out laughing and let go "HAHAHA human should see humans face!"

Your expression goes flat as you stare at them for their cruel joke blankly before gasping in surprise as they drag you closer by your arm and press your hand to the softening, still shrinking bulge of their gut, "human do ____ another favor and ____ won't kill human" you feel a chill run down your spine and you start rubbing their stomach while you shiver in fear. "Ahhh, that's a good human."

------

It doesn't take long before there's no sign there was ever anyone in _____'s stomach, they grab the back of your shirt and drag you toward their face "time for dessert!" 'BUT YOU SAID-' you squeak out before they interrupt "____ knows what _____ said" then they shove your face into their gaping maw and swallow, groaning in pleasure at your taste and pinning your arms to your sides as they push you in further swallowing again the strong muscles of their throat having no trouble dragging you in further as you shriek and squirm, they tilt their head up hands tight around your legs as they take a deep gulp, you sink in up to your knees, your head pops into their now empty stomach, there's not much left of you outside, you don't see a single trace of the raiders that were previously here and your breath catches in your throat as you freeze.

In a few more gulps your feet are dragged inside out of the cooling night air and you're slow forced to curl up, ____s' gut bulging out once more they settle a hand on their stomach and pick at their teeth with one of their finger nails. A long deep burbling groan sounds from their belly as their stomach starts to gurgle, squeezing and flexing around you, you snap out of your stunned state and start pushing back struggling. 'you-YOU SAID YOU WOULDN'T KILL ME' you yell panicking, ___ is nonchalant in their reply "yeah", you cry out distressed and ask your voice close to tears 'WO-won't eating me kill me?' "ppft naw" ____ pats their gut with a grin "dessert probably notice ______ look different, ______ special" 'Wha-What's that mean?' they put both hands on their round stomach and squeeze causing you to squeak in discomfort at how tight it is.

"Mean dessert should shut up and sleep, then dessert become human again in the morning" 'M-My name is (Y/N)! and what do you mean human again?' they scoff not bothering to answer your question in a way you understand, they know they were quite clear the first time, "No, your name dessert and dessert can be (y/n) tomorrow" they say as they rub and press at their stomach while they walk back to the raider camp to set up for the night with you making squeaks of discomfort as they continue to, in their opinion, playfully bully you.

#safe vore #soft vore #v*re #v0re #fatal vore #unwilling prey

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