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rafeandonlyrafe · 13 days

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escape from isla nublar

words: 2.6k

warnings: jurassic world alternate universe, dinosaurs, violence, brief mentions of gore (but not detailed), illusions of sex but not actually written out, established relationship, soft!rafe, death tw, proposal, mentions of anxiety & panic attacks

a/n: im having a lot of fun with writing aus, so here! take another one!

“thank you so much for bringing me here, rafe.” you coo out, getting onto your tiptoes to press a kiss to his cheek.

rafes arm slides around your waist, keeping you tugged in close as the boat approaches the dock of the island. you squeal along with all the children gathered around impatient and ready to jump off the boat and explore.

“welcome to isla nublar!” the voice of a friendly sounding woman says over the speakers. “please disembark slowly and carefully and enjoy your stay in jurassic park!”

“baby, can i just say-” rafe begins as the crowd shuffles forward, most with bags in their hands or suitcases being wheeled behind them, but rafe has already arranged to have them brought to your room so you can get right to exploring.

“mhm.” you hum, encouraging him to continue.

“that you've been so chill this entire trip so far. proud of you.” it might sound weird to anyone else, but you've always gotten nervous when leaving your home for too long, worried something bad would happen. rafe saw it on your first trip he took you on where you tried and very much failed to hide your anxiety.

“im so excited there's like no room for nerves.” you giggle as you walk down the gangway. “and the fact that you let me plan everything. you know how much i love a schedule.”

“we are so different.” rafe shakes his head, hand squeezing yours as you step into the concrete, turning away from the crowds heading to the resort and towards the main street and the iconic innovation center.

“opposites attract.” you state, and it couldn't be more true, but rafe loves you more than he could ever envision caring about someone.

as you round the lagoon, trying to see if you're able to catch a glimpse of the giant mosasaurs in its depths, you feel your excitement levels only elevate more.

“oh my gosh, there's the petting zoo entrance.” you turn and pout to rafe.

“isn't that mostly for kids?” he raises a singular eyebrow.

“i mean yeah, but you also get to pet baby dinosaurs. totally worth it.” you tug him towards the entrance.

“okay.” you sigh, placing your hands on your hips. “i guess we should slow down so we have things to do for the rest of the trip.”

“im already exhausted.” rafe chuckles. “how about dinner then to the hotel?”

as tired as rafe is, he's certainly not going to complain about being run around isla nublar when he gets to see the gleaming smile on your face every time he looks at you.

“sounds good… we could go to winstons steak house,” you point in one direction, then the other “jurassic cafe, or the brachiosaurus restaurant.”

“how about whatever is closest.” rafe rubs his hand over his face.

“okay steak house it is.” it's your turn to take rafes hand.

he barely manages to stay awake through dinner, and by the time you're back at the hotel, he's passed out on the bed before he can change into his pajamas.

“what would you like to do today?” you ask rafe. “anything but that hang gliding, you know how i feel about heights.”

“the gyrospheres look fun.” rafe shrugs and looks at the map pulled up on your phone. “or kayaking.”

“why not both.” you toss your phone to the side and cup rafes cheek, bringing your lips together in a kiss.

“you're the best boyfriend ever.”

rafe places a hand on your shoulder and pushes you down onto the mattress, laying you back.

“we can wait a little bit though, right?” the smirk on his face gives him away.

“i think that would be fine.” you giggle, pulling rafes shirt off over his head.

“that was actually so fun.” you hum out.

“it was when you let me drive and we could finally go fast.” rafe says. you were halfway through the gyrosphere tour when you handed the controls over to rafe, allowing him to speed through the ankylosaurus herds.

“but we will not be doing that on the kayak.” you hold your finger up.

“yes ma’am.” rafe says, slipping the attendant a $20 bill to move you to the front of the line, not wanting you to have to wait.

“life vest.” rafe says, slipping it over your head while he just grabs his and throws it into the kayak, not planning on putting it on unless something happens.

rafe helps you step down into the kayak, grabbing the paddle knowing he's going to sit in the back and do all the work.

“this is so beautiful.” you say, leaning back into your seat as you look at the stegosaurus and it's long neck reaching up to grab the leaves, his feet submerged in the water as you paddle past.

“this might be even better than the velociraptors.” rafe says.

“wait-” you sit up. “whats that sound? is that a radio?”

it takes a second for rafes ears to pick it up, but he can hear the frantic static of voices over a walkie talkie.

rafe continues to paddle, realizing suddenly that you've separated from all the other kayaks and can't see anyone. he brings the kayak closer to the side when he hears the radio as you reach out to pick it up from the muddy bank.

you turn the volume knob up as you try to make out what the voice is saying through the water logged speaker.

“we sent the containment unit out with nonlethal force and they're all dead! immediate evacuation, get everyone inside and back to the hotel!”

“rafe…” you turn towards him, eyes widening in fear.

“im sure it's just some kid pulling a prank.” rafe takes the radio, finding the speech button and pressing it. “what is going on?”

“who is that? this is an authorized channel.” one voice says before another cuts it out.

“whoever you are, seek shelter immediately. the indominus rex is on the loose, currently heading towards-” the radio sparks and then dies out.

“shit.” rafe hits it against his thigh, but it's clearly no use.

“rafe.” your voice is already shaking. “the indominus rex. i don't know what it is, but it doesn't sound good.”

“okay.” rafe stands up and steps out of the kayak, pulling it onto the bank before helping you out. “baby-” he places his hands on your shoulders. “i need you to stay calm. you know this island like the back of your hand. where are we?”

“we-” you take a deep, shaking breath. “we are halfway through the kayak adventure. we should head just west and find the road to the aviary.”

“okay.” rafe presses a kiss to your forehead. “let's go quickly and quietly. im sure they've already contained whatever dinosaur escaped.”

“yeah.” you nod, gulping, not so sure.

rafes steady hand stays in yours, helping you over bushes and downed trees.

“shouldn't be much farther.” you bite your lip, hoping you didn't get the direction wrong.

“hang on.” rafe whispers, placing a finger over his lips.

before you can fully comprehend what's happening, he's tugging you down under a giant tropical plant, the leaves hiding you as you hear whatever rafe did, the pounding footsteps of dinosaurs.

“that's the stegosaurus we saw earlier.” you remember the distinct marking along its side.

“get over here.” rafe pulls you in tighter, not allowing you to see as he presses you against the stem of the large plant, covering your body with his own.

“it's okay, it's a herbivore.” you say, when you hear the second set of dinosaur footsteps following it. you tense up, and you can feel a panic attack setting in as you pick your head up to see some sort of giant rex running after it.

you both stay still and silent until it's clearly far enough away.

“rafe.” you tremble as you turn into your back, his body still hovering over yours, protecting you, willing to put himself in the line of danger if he needs to.

“it's okay.” his voice is betraying how scared he is as well, but he's going to try his best to not let you see it. “let's just get to the aviary.”

“i-i can't.” you shake your head. “im fucking terrified.”

“me too, baby.” he says. “but we gotta get under cover somewhere before that thing catches up to the stegosaurus and comes back for us.”

you swallow deeply, eyes closing for a brief minute, gaining all your courage you possibly can.

“okay.” you're up and moving quickly, running towards the aviary. your steps are no longer balanced and cautious, moving quickly through the jungle until you make it through the trees to the grassy plane.

“the aviary!” you point at the large glass dome, just in time to see a helicopter careening into it, smashing a hole that instantly has pterodactyls flying out.

“shit!” rafe shouts, tugging you back into the treeline.

“we're gonna die.” you sob out, not able to hold back your tears as you crumple to the ground.

“no.” rafe says firmly. “i will not lose you.”

he knows he needs to move, especially as the pterodactyls come closer, and he doesn't have time to console you enough to get you ready to move.

rafe reaches down and pulls you into his arms, hugging your shaking form against his chest as he follows the same path of disturbed leaves and muddy footprints back to the river.

“i need you to paddle.” rafe says, glad your kayak is still in the same space. “i know you're scared, but you need to help me here. we need to go fast.”

you sniffle and look up at rafe, your big eyes filled with tears causing his heart to pang out in pain. “okay.”

rafe bends down, pressing your lips together in a soft and caressing kiss before climbing onto the back of the kayak.

you both immediately begin to paddle hastily, not knowing where the next meat eating dinosaur could be.

“the river goes underground then should let us off near main street.” you tell rafe, eyes briefly closing to envision the map in your head before putting your entire focus back onto paddling.

“baby, still.” rafe says softly, both of you pausing as you look upwards, seeing pterodactyls wings flapping over, thankfully not seeming to notice you under the treetops, yet you still wait until they pass over before beginning to paddle again.

“there's the cave.” you say, pointing as the river bends and you head underground, lights strung along the cave ceiling as you paddle underground, able to take a deep breath now that you're under cover.

“are there any dinosaurs in this cave?” rafe questions, helping you move back so you're leaned against him.

“shouldn't be.” you say, eyes closing as your adrenaline drops now that you're mostly safe.

“go ahead and rest.” rafe hums as he paddles, looking down at you in relief.

“y/n.” rafe shakes your shoulder and you sit up with a gasp, looking around, waiting to see the indominus rex charging at you.

“it's okay.” rafe says. “we're just leaving the cave.”

“so that wasn't all just a nightmare?” you sit up, knowing you must not have been asleep that long, but already feeling majorly refreshed.

“im afraid not.” rafe sighs as you grab your paddle to help steer.

“so this let's out…”

“near the resort. we should be safe there.” you squint into the dying sunlight as the kayak leaves the caves and enters into the large man-made lake.

you both quickly steer to the side, glad to be out of the kayak and on your own two feet.

“to the resort.” you say, able to tell that there are still people running from main street in that direction.

rafe is about to toss the paddle back into the boat when a screech comes from overhead and you both look up to see a pterodactyl perched over cave entrance.

“run!” rafe yells, not turning his back from the dinosaur to see that you haven't moved an inch, not leaving him.

the pterodactyl lunges forward just as rafe swings his paddle at it, hitting it in the beak, but it only enrages the dinosaur more.

you move quickly to grab your paddle, joining rafe in hitting at it, keeping the snapping beak away from pecking at your skin.

“baby, go.” rafe grunts out.

“no! im not leaving you.” you keep slapping at its beak and head until it gets annoyed and roars before taking off to the sky.

“fuck.” rafe groans. “i hate dinosaurs. sorry baby.”

“that's okay.” you say with a slight laugh. “i don't think i like them that much anymore either.”

you take off towards the resort, keeping your oars held tightly in your hands, just in case any pterodactyls try something.

“onto the ship or into the resort?” you question, seeing people trying to get into both.

rafe opens his mouth to respond when a roar rips through the air.

he looks around quickly, pulling you into taller grass, not having any other close cover.

“some of the gates must be down.” you whisper.

“why?” rafe questions, not doubting you as his eyes search through the field before you point at the crowd of people, even more frantic as you watch from a distance.

“because there's a metriacanthosaurus.”

the name makes rafe blink harshly before he sees it, the dinosaur flinging people around as it takes advantage of the hoards of people trying to get to cover.

“oh my god.” you cover your mouth, watching as the carnivore rips someone in half.

“don't watch.” rafe pulls you further into the grass, tucking you against his chest.

you close your eyes and focus on his arm wrapped around your shoulder instead of the screams.

“i got you.” rafe whispers, free hand tapping his shorts to make sure the box is still there in his pocket.

“i know.” you press your lips into his neck. “i know.”

gunshots ring out and rafe looks out of the grass to see that the dinosaur has finally brought down and everyone is safely inside.

“okay, let's run.” rafe helps you stand, deciding to head towards the boat instead of the hotel, knowing it's just one step closer to getting you safe.

you take off in a run, entering up the gangway you went down just yesterday morning.

“inside the cabin.” one of the staff says quickly, ushering you through the glass doors into the packed hallway of people, but rafe keeps moving, tucking you into him until you're towards the front of the boat, able to move up a level and find a place to sit down.

“we're okay.” you say as you relax into the sofa. “we’re alive.”

“i love you.” rafe says, head dropping to your shoulder. “im never talking you on another vacation like this again, but i love you.”

“and i thought you were protective before.” you chuckle, breathing out heavily.

“really ruined my whole plan though.” rafe knows that you both just experienced a trauma that will no doubt need to be unpacked later, but you're just happy to be safe inside the cruise ship.

“what plan?” you lift your head up.

“not the best time but-” rafe sits up and pulls a box out of his pocket. “i planned to ask you in front of the waterfall, all romantic and sweet. but i don't want to waste a single moment longer.”

rafe flicks the top of the box up to reveal a glimmering ring. “will you marry me?”

you let out a squeal and jump into rafes arms, “yes!”

sfw tags: @winterrrnight @bejeweledreverie @ladyinbl00d @ethanthequeefqueen @drewsephrry @wearemadeofstardust0

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daydreaming-in-letters · 2 months

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Metamorphosis

(Sequel of Feast)

08/02/2024

Pairing: Vampire!Hozier x reader

Word Count: 7,629

Warnings: vampire au, language, blood, blood sucking (a little), fatigue, dizziness, fainting, masturbation, fingering, penetration (same reader as in Feast, so same characteristics apply)

Summary: After your passionate night with Andrew, you wake in his bed. And with you a multitude of feelings that lead you to question the unusual nature of your relationship.

A/N: Here we go again, Feast Part 2. The story did not really feel finished after Part 1, it still doesn't, but I can rest my head a lot easier after writing this continuation.

Picture found on Pinterest, edited by me

If you enjoy my story, liking is great, but leaving a comment or reblogging is the stuff that keeps me going. No permission is given to copy, repost or share my work on other platforms.

Andrew did not dare to move in his wingback by the window. He could sense that you were getting closer and closer to reality again with every soft breath, and still he did not want to wake you. You needed all the rest you could get. But there was this other desire inside of him as well. A desire that even forbade him to blink. For more selfish reasons though. Because the moment you would open those magnificent eyes, he could not afford to miss it. And it would tell him everything he needed to know.

But when it finally came, he was not prepared at all. Slowly you began to stir, your eyelids fluttering as you rolled onto your back with a sigh. The sheets drifted the slightest inch down your body, catching his attention in a heartbeat. It was not much he could see, only a vague hint of the two globes that awaited underneath, barely perceptible, and yet it was enough to make him almost miss the moment he had been waiting for all day as memories came rushing back to him. So soft, so pliable, as they had pressed against his palms, eager for his caress. And those hardened buds, he would never forget how they had tasted, how they had felt against his tongue, between his teeth.

And as if you had been listening in on his thoughts, he watched them grow underneath the pristine sheets, the most enticing moan leaving your lips as you stretched your limbs and readied yourself to leave the world of dreams. He felt dreadful, abominable for wanting you this much when this, you, in this almost comatose state, was the very result of the same greed that was taking hold of him right now.

But all of that was drowned out in an instant when your lids finally fell open, a pair of drowsy, dull eyes finding him immediately. He had feared this moment as much as he had awaited it, and your smile, so placid, so warm and affectionate was so much more than he could ever have hoped for. Actually, to him it had been the most unlikely of all the scenarios that had played out in his head. It was almost painful, downright blasphemous when your eyes fell away to take in your surroundings. For the first time, since you had been completely gone when he had carried you here.

“You have a bed?”

You were teasing, also something he had not expected from someone who had slept for almost twenty-four hours. Still he found himself chuckling.

“Only for guests. My coffin is actually next door.”

“I knew it.”

Gosh, you were too sweet for your own good. Just lying there, snickering softly about his stupid joke, and when your hand reached out for him, he let himself glide out of his chair, and found himself on his knees instead, right beside your bed, your hand firmly clutched in both of his.

“How are you feeling?”

“Tired.”

“Hm.” He took a moment, his lips finding your knuckles. He had expected your fatigue, it was normal, to a point. As long as there were no other signs of hypovolemia. “Are you nauseous, too?”

“No, just very, very hungry.” Thank the heavens, he thought. Maybe he had not taken quite as much as he had feared. Or you were an exceptional fighter. It would not surprise him if that were the case. “How long did I sleep?”

“Almost a full day.”

“What?”

And there it was again, the suffocating guilt. He had betrayed your trust, violated the sacred nature of your transaction, and he would never forgive himself for it.

“I am so sorry. I’ll explain everything to you, I promise.” He pressed another kiss to your hand, and then he stood. “But now you need to eat.” And with that he made his way over to the door. “There are some clothes for you,” he nodded towards the bedside table before he lifted his arm to point to the wall across the room, “And you’ll find the bathroom through that door.”

“Clothes?” you mumbled, but he was already gone. Where the hell had he gotten those? You were still frowning as you reached for the bundle and pulled it into your lap. Blue jeans and a white t-shirt. Were those his clothes? But when you unfolded the shirt and revealed the black lingerie that had been carefully hidden away, you were pretty sure that those were definitely not his clothes. Did he have them on the ready then? Always a spare set of jeans and a shirt at hand. That did probably come in very handy with a flock of women frequenting this bed. Especially for the passionate nights, when dresses were ripped and blood was spilled in the rapture of the moment.

But as much as you did not want to believe you were just one of them, not after last night and everything you had shared, you had to admit to yourself at some point that you were just that, one among many, insignificant, nothing but another meal, tomorrow he would feast on someone else. And you better realised that sooner than later, before any damage was done.

It surprised you though, as you sat up, how immaculately the dark lace cupped your breasts, how perfectly it fit around your chest, how the cool touch as you pulled it up your legs and against your pussy made you shiver, how it made you forget there were other clothes to put on, made you want to lounge on the bed, your body on full display for him once he got back.

As had all the others done, it came rushing back to you, and that was all you needed to pull yourself together and slip into the other two items of clothing. They fit you just as well, and you sighed as the dark lace shimmered through the thin white cotton of the shirt. What a waste.

The bathroom proved to be just as opulent as the rest of the house with its huge tub, large mirror and polished marble, but it was also just as disappointing. There were towels waiting for you and toiletries aplenty, everything you could ever find yourself in the need of after a night with this man. This creature, you corrected yourself, and you could feel a touch of bitterness resonating.

Well, time to step out of this fever dream and get real again, to go about your bathroom routine, maybe eat a little and then leave. And so you did, at least you managed to brush your teeth and untangle the knots in your hair before reality stroke a bit too harshly for your taste. You had been leaning over the sink, splashing a few hands full of that ice-cold water into your face before you blindly reached for a towel and buried your face in it while you were getting up. You were not even standing fully upright again when you felt the rush of blood. You could hear it, the white noise it carried along as tiny fragments of light started to dance before your eyes.

No. No, no, no. This could not be happening. You could not black out in his bathroom. Not anywhere inside these walls. The towel falling from your hands, you reached for the sink instead, grabbing the rim tightly and leaning back down a little. It took a while, but slowly the tiny flecks of light faded and the rushing stopped. Maybe it was a good idea to get back into bed again. Just for a moment.

But you had only just made it to the door when the next wave of dizziness hit you, stronger this time. The lights were back, clouding your sight as they danced wilder than before, almost ecstatic, so out of control in fact that the world began to spin around you. This was not good, you managed to compose one clear thought in the chaos inside your mind, not good at all. And with no furniture close by to hold onto, you let yourself sink against the doorframe instead.

It was unusually soft upon impact, and warm. So plush against your face and hands. And it smelled oh so familiar, captivating and yet homely, inviting you to just rest your head against it for a little while.

“Angel?”

You must have passed out. Why else would the doorframe suddenly start talking to you? Or secure you in place so you could not fall, one arm draped around your middle. It even had hands. One of them now cupping your cheek. This was wild. One of the wildest dreams you had ever had.

“Angel?”

You could even see its lips, so enchanting as they moved. You wanted to feel them. No, you needed to feel them, as if your life depended on it. But somehow you could neither use you arms, nor your legs. And still your body moved, shadows flitting by, until something soft and cool pressed against your back while your face somehow still rested against the fuzzy doorframe.

This was nice though, you thought, clutching more of that plushy doorframe in your fists. And that scent, still so rich and heady. You inhaled deeply, letting it invade your blank mind until it was completely filled by it. There was a word at the far back, no, a name, slowly pushing itself to the foreground until it was clear for you to read.

“Andrew,” it came out in nothing but a mumble, however much you tried to say it out loud.

“I’m here, angel.”

Angel. You had heard that one before. You could not recall where or when, but it made your heart flutter, made you all warm and fuzzy on the inside.

“Andrew,” you mumbled again, and this time you knew. You knew with all your heart. That scent. Of course. That bloody vampire. He must have come to your rescue just as you had been about to black out. How convenient. And just your luck.

It all came rushing back in a flash, almost making you dizzy once more, but this time you fought it. You fought with all your might, pushed yourself out of the dark, until you could feel the strength return to your body. You had control again. At least a little. It would be sufficient to push yourself off of him though. It had to.

“I’m fine,” you managed to press out rather convincingly to your own ears. Then again for good measure, “I’m fine.”

But somehow this did nothing and when you finally managed to open your eyes, you found yourself still clutched against his chest.

“You’re not. Far from it.”

There was something strange about his voice, something you could not quite put your finger on. Was it anger? Disappointment? Remorse? Could he even feel any of those emotions?

You tilted your head, looking up at him, and you immediately wanted to slap yourself. Of course he could feel those emotions. They were written all over his face, reflecting in his eyes, the language of his caress speaking loud and clear when it found your cheek again.

“And I am so sorry for doing this to you.”

“What did you do?” you asked, still a little confused. “Did you make me pass out?”

“No,” he chuckled, “well, in a manner of speaking, I suppose I did.” His hand drifted down to your neck, his fingertips finding your pulse, making you shiver once more. You were hardly able to suppress a wanton moan. What the hell was wrong with you? “You just tasted so good. I…I could not stop in time when I cashed in my side of our bargain. It should never have happened. It’s unforgivable.”

You could feel your heart break in two for him. His eyes so full of sadness, of self-loathing, it killed you just to watch from the outside what must be playing out inside his mind. What had probably tortured him this whole time and glued him to your bed all day.

“Well, it’s not your fault I’m such a snack,” you tried to lighten the mood. But instead of earning you a smile, the creases on his forehead grew even deeper.

“Do you think this is a laughing matter? I could have killed you.”

You felt that he wanted to move, but he did not. For your sake, you realised. And so you pulled yourself up along his chest until your face was close to his.

“But you did not. I am still here, Andrew.” Your thumb traced his brow, the other fingers easing the creases away. “I am still here.” He closed his eyes as your fingers moved along his temple, his cheek, some finding bare skin, others soft stubble on the way down to his lips. Without hesitation they fell open with a sigh and now it was you who could not stop. Slowly you leaned in, your eyes falling shut somewhere along the way, until you could finally taste him. It was gentle and soft, yet so intense. Everything you remembered from last night and more. You could have kissed him forever, could have given yourself over to that feeling until you had completely lost yourself in it, but before you could, he pulled away.

“You need to eat,” he stated matter of factly, reaching for the tray full of the finest breakfast foods he must have placed at the foot of the bed in a hurry.

“I was just about to when you so rudely interrupted me.”

He grinned, like a school boy, you thought, and for a second you were wondering if vampires could blush.

“Food, I mean. Real food.” And with that he put the tray across your lap. It looked amazing, and it smelled even better. There was a bowl of porridge with fresh berries, and more fruit waiting on a silver plate. There were pancakes, too, and eggs, bacon, toast, butter, honey, marmalade, some juice and a huge glass of cold milk. Of course you had spotted the flowers too, wildflowers, freshly picked, and you were tempted to take them out of the vase and bring them to your nose to inhale their sweet scent, but that would be much too cheesy of a gesture for your own taste. This was not a scene from a sappy romance novel after all.

“Would you like some too?” you asked after you had shovelled the first few spoons of porridge into your mouth. With the most ravenous hunger sated, your manners seemed to return somehow. Unfortunately, your knowledge about his eating habits had not resurfaced from the fog with them.

“You know I don’t. But thanks for the offer.”

“Why don’t you?”

He shrugged. “I just don’t enjoy it anymore. It tastes like nothing. Imagine having a really bad cold, your sense of smell and taste completely gone. And on top of that it does nothing against the hunger.”

His voice had dropped as the last word came over his lips and with it his face changed for a tiny moment. You wished it had lasted a bit longer. Long enough to show you those divine fangs again. Your walls were quivering just thinking about them. His eyes narrowed suddenly, as if he had been listening in on your thoughts. No, not your thoughts, your heartbeat, you realised, and the moment you did, you could feel it stumble again. He was just about to open his mouth, probably to ask if you were okay, when you cut him short.

“Why make everyone cook for you then?”

“Because it gives me time to observe, to get to know the donors.” The ‘donors’, so that was what you were to him. “It also relaxes them. They are occupied with their task which in turn takes their mind off of what is about to happen. It also gives this whole transaction a touch of normalcy, you know, having dinner together, like on a real date.”

“Except that your dinner is having dinner while you watch. That’s not exactly what the average person would call normalcy, is it?”

He obviously had not caught on to the biting nature of your comment, or he chose to ignore it.

“Probably not. Then again, hardly any of them ever notice that I leave my plate untouched.”

“Well, I did. Also, the cooking did not relax me at all.” And the staring, feeling his eyes on you the whole time, getting you all hot and bothered.

“I know. I almost thought you’d never relax and…you know…get in the mood.”

“In the mood, huh?” you repeated his words, putting your spoon down with a harsh clinking sound. “That’s what you wanted all along? To get me in the mood? Well, you could have saved yourself a lot of effort then. I swear I was in the mood all right when you handed me that glass of wine. All it took would have been one more word, one more touch and I would have begged for you to take me there and then.”

Had he always been this close? Had his eyes been this dark during your entire conversation? And was he leaning in now, his fingers grasping your chin? He was almost there, right where you wanted to feel him again, his breath already wafting across your lips, making them fall open the tiniest bit.

“Shame,” he whispered, “I would have loved to fuck you in the kitchen.” You moaned, the thought of him lifting you onto the counter mixed with his breath in your mouth enough to have you on the edge of begging again, when he suddenly let go of you. “But I rather liked the way it turned out in the end. Apart from…” he drew away further, making his way over to the edge of the bed where he stayed, face turned away from you.

“I told you, it was no big deal, Andrew. I am fine.”

“Is that what I saw a moment ago when you almost fainted? Is that your definition of fine?” he snapped as he spun around to face you again.

“It’ll pass. I’ll be as good as new in a few days,” you tried to reason. This was really not as bad as he made it sound.

“Exactly. But you are far from fine now. And as long as you are not, I cannot let you go.”

You could not believe your ears. Did he just…would he…

“Well, what do you intend to do? Keep me here as your prisoner?”

“What? No!” Now he looked just as confused as you felt. “All I meant was that you should not be on your own in this state. You should probably stay in bed and have someone look after you.”

“Jesus, then you should have just said that instead,” you sighed as you leant back against the pillows, “I almost thought you’d lock me up in a dungeon in your basement.”

“There is no dungeon in the basement,” he smirked. “It’s actually in—”

“Nuh-uh. I don’t want to know,” you cut him short.

“I was joking, angel.” He reached for your hand, but you were quick to pull it away.

“Not the best of times for a joke, maybe.”

Andrew took a deep breath, “Duly noted.”

“Anyway,” you stated, putting the tray aside to make your way to the other side of the bed. “This is stilI not going to happen. I don’t want to stay in bed, being confined to this room like a patient in hospital for the entire day.”

“Night,” he corrected.

“What?”

“It’s nighttime, angel. I was merely asking you to stay in bed all night, like the average human being.”

Well, that was actually quite a reasonable thing to ask. Nevertheless, he would not get to decide for you. You were a grown woman and as such you knew what was best for you. And that was anything but staying in bed to rest for the foreseeable future.

“Fine! I don’t want to stay in bed all night either.”

He sighed. A long, drawn out sound of resignation.

“All right. Can you stay here for another ten minutes then? Ten minutes, that’s all I ask.”

Ten minutes sounded doable. And whatever was going to happen, if you would not like it, you could still leave after those ten minutes. He held no power over you. You did not belong to him. Not that he had said any such thing. But just for yourself, just to be sure, you needed that little reminder.

He was still sat there, across the bed from you, watching you intently. His patience was almost admirable. There was no anger or irritation in those attentive green eyes, just the flicker of a faint hope. And as soon as you found yourself nodding your consent, he was gone.

You had no watch to be sure, but when he stepped through that door again, not a single bead of sweat on his forehead to confirm that he had been in a hurry, you could have sworn it had not been more than five minutes. He walked straight over to you, to the side of the bed you were still sitting on and before you had even the slightest chance to process what was happening, you found yourself lifted into his arms.

“What are you doing?” you protested. A weak protest, you had to admit, as your arms had already snaked around his neck, obviously accepting your fate before the rest of you did. “You can’t—“

“Oh, believe me, I can. How do you think you got from the bathroom to the bed, or up here into this room last night?”

You could feel the heat crawl into your cheeks as the memory returned. And not just the fact that you had mistaken him for a doorframe not even an hour ago, but also the images of last night made your heart race in your chest. Last night. It had been…you were still void for words. But you could not allow yourself to fall down that rabbit hole. Not now. Not again.

Instead you chose to study the only thing you could really make out in the dim light of the staircase he was climbing with you now: him. This was probably not a better idea than thinking about last night, seeing how beautiful he was. His curls, that fell around his face freely tonight, accentuating his high cheekbones and prominent jawline. It was right in front of you, you could have leaned in, just a little, and press your lips right to it, into that soft auburn stubble. Or you could rest your head against his shoulder, bury your face in the crook of his neck, against that alabaster skin. Would his skin still have the same taste as yesterday? Honey-sweet, with a pinch of salt. You could check real quick, let the tip of your tongue glide along the silky softness. Would he chide you? Or would he enjoy your foolish impulsivity? Maybe he would moan again, ever so softly, or he would remind you of the true nature of your relationship. That everything came at a cost. And that unfortunately, you had momentarily run out of the only currency he accepted.

With a sigh you abandoned your ideas, all of them. He was just being polite, probably fearing it might ruin his immaculate reputation if anything were to happen to you. That was why he was so keen on keeping you here. To monitor you, to nurse you back into an acceptable state. Nothing more.

“Are you all right?”

Politeness, that was all it was. There was nothing more to the creases in his forehead, to the furrow of his brows or the narrowing of his eyes. No worry, no affection, no care. Just politeness.

“Yes, I’m fine,” you heard yourself repeat for the umpteenth time today, lacking almost all validity at this point.

“We’re almost there. The fresh air will do you good, you’ll see.”

Fresh air? Where the hell was he taking you?

But before you could voice your question, your eyes picked up a flickering glimmer of light. It illuminated the last steps of the way, waiting for you at the head of the stairs and when the full image slowly came into view, your heart melted on the spot. It stung at the same time, contracting in your chest as the last bit of rationality inside of you protested sharply upon your mesmerised state. This was not real, it was just another part of the game the two of you were playing. But why did it feel so real then? And what did it matter anyway? Why not give yourself over to the illusion for one more night?

And the setting made it so easy. The sea of candles that illuminated the roof terrace, their golden shine on the island of blankets and pillows in their midst, and the multitude of stars above, sparkling like diamonds on the dark blue canvas of the night sky.

Carefully, Andrew set you down in the cozy pillow fort he had built before he let himself glide down right next to you.

“Do you like it?” he inquired, his voice so full of hope, and yet he seemed to be genuinely unsure what your answer would be.

“At least it’s better than that stuffy, old bedroom of yours,” you teased, but before your words could do any harm you leaned in, your lips finding his cheek for a soft kiss. “It’s beautiful, Andrew. I love it.”

He was about to turn his head, maybe just to look at you, but you could feel the possibility of so much more hanging in the air between you as you let yourself sink down onto the pillows.

“It’s really a shame there is so much light from the town,” you sighed. “Sometimes I wish I could go back in time, just to see what the sky looked like without all the light pollution.”

“I could show you,” he said as if it was nothing.

“Do you mean to tell me you own a time machine?”

He laughed, out loud, and it was the most beautiful sound you had ever heard.

“No, I don’t. But how about this?”

He snapped his fingers, just once, and the candles around you went dark. It took you a moment to realise, but it were not just the candles that had died. You found yourself in complete darkness all of a sudden. And if it had not been for the soft touch of his jumper against your arm, his leg coming to rest along the length of yours, you had not even known that he had decided to lay down beside you.

“How?” you whispered, the quiet tone seeming appropriate in the darkness.

“Vampire party trick.”

“Neat.”

He chuckled. “It does come in handy sometimes.”

“But what if people notice?”

“It’s the middle of the night, angel. Hardly anyone will notice.”

The two of you went silent then. In awe you watched the myriad of stars that had appeared above you. You had never seen anything even remotely like this before. It was fascinating, magnificent, this glimpse into the endless expanse of the universe, and you were lying here, not more than two specks of dust, maybe even less, in this unimaginable vastness of existence.

“What’s it like to be a vampire?”

Your question must have surprised him as he took a moment to ponder the question, and when it finally came, you were glad you could not see him properly.

“Lonely, most of the time.”

The sadness in his voice was enough to make your heart heavy for him, seeing it reflected in his eyes would have killed you.

“There must be others like you.”

“There are.” You could feel him stir beside you. “But, ehm, let’s just say I like to keep them at a distance.”

The truth was, he was an outsider. He had made himself one the day he had decided to stop killing. But since he had chosen to do so, he liked to see it as an active act of isolation, not the shunning it actually was. He knew he was probably watched, monitored closely and frowned upon. But as long as he did not step out of line or did not put others at risk with his new lifestyle, he would be fine.

He would not tell you that, of course. Maybe another time. But it was not a topic he wanted to discuss tonight. Not with you lying next to him, your heartbeat speeding up whenever you realised the non-existent space between you and him. It gave him hope. And he did not want to spoil that with grim tales of the past.

Still you seemed to sense how much the topic had upset him. At first it were just your fingers, gliding between his, but somehow you thought that it was not enough to comfort him. So you moved, and when he felt half of your weight on top of him, your head resting against his chest, he knew you had been right. This was much better.

You squeezed his middle gently, imitating a hug as best as you could, and his answer came promptly. Like a pair of wings his arms wrapped around you, so warm, so safe, keeping you so close to him. And once again, the two of you fell silent for a long while.

“Are you tired?” His lips moved against your hair. “Should we go back inside?”

“No.” You fisted his plush jumper. “I’m good.”

“Just good?”

His insincere displeasure about your answer made you snicker. “I’m perfect.”

“Good, excellent. Everything less than perfect would not have done at all.”

Blindly you reached for him in the darkness and as you found his cheek, you let your hand rest against it. It did not take long before he found you as well, covering your hand with his. He turned his head, just a little, so he could press a kiss to your palm before he brought your joined hands to his chest, somewhere close to your face, you assumed. He kept them there, just holding on to you. But after a while his fingers began to play with yours, and you knew that something was off.

“Will you stay with me?”

His question confused you as much as it surprised you. Was that not what you were doing already? You had decided to stay with him, just a little longer, and against your better judgement. It was a bit superfluous to ask about that now, was it not?

“For the night?”

“No,” his answer was accompanied by something between a huff and a laugh, “that’s not what I meant. Although I really would like you to spend the entire night, here, with me.” He paused, phrasing his next words carefully in his head before he uttered them. “What I meant was…will you be mine, angel?”

It was not a decision consciously made, it was pure instinct as you pulled your hand out of his and sat up.

“To fight the loneliness?”

You felt him sit up as well, and when the candles flickered back to life with another snap of his fingers, the same confusion you had felt a moment ago was written all over his face.

“You said being a vampire means being lonely. Do you need me as your pastime then? Your little pet to keep for company?”

Suddenly his face cleared, a few wrinkles appearing in the corners of his eyes.

“No,” he smiled as he reached for your hand, and this time you let him take it, “no. I mean, to be honest, you are good company. You’re easy to talk to, you don’t run screaming even though you know what I am, that’s a huge plus. You’re funny, entertaining in a way, intelligent and sweet,” he leaned in to let his lips brush along your neck, higher and higher, until they found your ear, “and that pussy of yours is simply divine.”

You were lost. Completely and utterly lost. There was nothing you could have done to stop that moan from falling from your lips, the same lips he pulled against his to sate that hunger you felt, that deep yearning to feel him again, now, always.

“Is that a yes then?” he breathed against your mouth.

“Let’s say it’s a maybe. For now. So…” now it was your turn to lean in, to let your cheek glide along his until your lips had reached his ear, “you better convince me, vampire boy.”

His answer came without delay, “Gladly,” but then he pulled away, “Not tonight though. You’re still very weak.”

You were shattered, betrayed, silenced by the ease with which he had built up your want for him just to tear it all down seconds later. You knew what you wanted and what your body could handle, you were not a child. But if he chose to treat you like one, he would get the fitting reply. And so you nudged his arm, as hard as you could. He did not even flinch.

“What was that for?”

“To show you how very un-weak I am.”

Your antics amused him at best, still he pulled you close again for another kiss. He might have hoped to appease you with it, and you had to admit, it was tempting to give in and concentrate on it fully. On his taste, the feeling of his tongue against yours, the softness of his lips…but you were on a mission here. You wanted more, wanted to taste all of him, feel all of him.

At first he did not seem to notice your fingers. They had sneaked underneath the hem of his jumper, carefully venturing deeper until they had found bare skin. It was warm and silky smooth, growing even softer the closer you got to the hem of his dark grey slacks, but before you could dip your fingers underneath it, his hand closed around your wrist.

“Angel, please,” he warned. And still his grip was not too strong, his words already beginning to lack authority.

“I need you, Andrew. I promise I’ll be fine.” You were shamelessly begging now and you did not even care. You wanted him, so much. “Just be gentle with me.” You had given it your all, and he was still not fully convinced yet. “Okay, fine. Just tell me you don’t want me and I’ll stop. But you have to say it.” You leaned in again, your head diving into the crook of his neck. You knew exactly what you were doing, letting your tongue dart out to draw patterns on his skin, placing a strategic kiss here and there, sucking in his sensitive skin until it drew a hiss from his mouth. “Say it, Andrew.”

You could sense it, the moment he let go of his caution and gave in to his desires. It came with a growl and he moved with precision, like the predator he was, wrapping his arms around you and spinning you around until you found yourself on your back, right underneath his taut body, hands pinned in place above your head.

“I can’t,” he pressed out, his chest heaving, “you know I can’t. Because I want you, angel, so much. So fucking much.”

You hated the agony in his eyes. There was no need to fight. You both wanted the same. It was so simple.

“Then have me,” you breathed, lifting your hips to roll against his, while your teeth bit down on your lip, hard, until you could taste blood.

He was tempted, his eyes going dark the second they took in the single drop of crimson liquid. “I don’t deserve you.” His voice was low, hoarse, snapping your last bit of sanity in a heartbeat.

“Oh, yes, you do.”

And finally, finally he dove down, another deep growl rolling through his chest, hitting you deep to pry out another moan from you. Eagerly he licked your lip, sucking it in to draw another few drops of precious liquid from you. It took him everything to stop, to pull himself away from your bewitching taste, before he would forget himself and sink those fangs of his into you. They were already showing, your eyes growing wide with arousal as they caught a glimpse of them in the dim light. It was intoxicating, dangerously so, but he wanted nothing more than to give you what you needed. He would put them to good use then, show you what else they could do. He would enjoy teasing you beyond reason. As would you.

And he was proven right when a wanton mewl echoed through the night the second he grabbed that white cotton and pulled it from your body. It did not even resist, ripping so easily, exposing your chest and stomach to the starlight. You looked so tantalising, arching your back, the sudden touch of the cool night air making your buds pebble underneath the black lace.

“I had hoped I would get to see that lingerie on you, angel,” he admitted as he let his free hand roam your skin. “What a shame it is obstructing my view.”

It was only now that he let go of your hands. He had known you would bury them in his hair the second he freed you, and there was nothing he wanted more than to feel them raking through his curls as he dipped down to your chest now. But then he halted, to look at you again, to bask in the unveiled lust in your eyes as he smirked, his lips drifting apart to bare the set of pearly white fangs to you. You wanted to squirm and writhe underneath him, but he held you perfectly still, he needed to if he did not want to risk breaking that delicate skin of yours. And then you stilled too, watched him as he got closer and closer, his teeth finding the fragile piece of black fabric that connected the two cups, just to slice straight through it.

You were still moaning when he licked a long stripe along the newly bared skin, the wild flutter of your heart clear against his tongue. But he knew you wanted him elsewhere, you were pulling him, so deliciously, and he let you until his lips hovered above yours. Then he stopped, just to frustrate you once again.

“I hate you, vampire boy.”

“No, you don’t.”

“No, I fucking don’t.”

And with that you pulled him against your lips. Your kiss was searing, and he could taste the same hunger on your tongue that he thought was his privilege and pain alone. Only that your hunger could be sated, and he would not make you wait any longer.

You felt his hands move down your body, felt them unbutton those jeans and you knew he would have to break away soon, and still you whined pathetically when his lips finally left yours. Eagerly he gripped the blue fabric, hooking this fingers underneath the hem of your slip as well to lay you bare in one swift motion.

His want for you was more than apparent, but he was a giver and so he took his sweet time to return the favour and peel himself out of his clothes right in front of you. This was impossible, absolute madness, your heart racing faster upon the sight of every inch of his pale skin that came to light. He was so beautiful, so heart-wrenchingly beautiful, and you had never wanted anyone with the same maddening fervour that had befallen you the second you had first laid eyes upon him.

He was still kneeling in front of you, gazing down at your naked form with those ravenous eyes, and he knew exactly what he was doing when his fingers wrapped around his already hardening length and began to stroke.

You whimpered, wanting so much to touch him, to feel his weight on top of you as he pushed in deep, but you also knew that he would not. Not yet.

“Spread those legs for me, angel.”

And you did, exposing yourself to him even further, and you loved every second of it.

“Good girl.” His free hand found your thigh, tenderly caressing the sensitive flesh that had so eagerly awaited his touch. “Now touch yourself.”

Not once did your eyes let go of his, not as your hand made a show of wandering down your body, pinching your nipple on the way just to watch his eyes narrow for a split second, not as your fingers found the wetness between your legs, diving down all the way to gather some of the slick juices that had collected there, not as you moaned when your fingertips found the hidden pearl and began to rub it gently.

“Mmh,” he hummed, “that’s it. Just like that.”

And as a reward his fingers dug into your thigh a little harsher, kneading the softness they found there. You could tell he was holding back, he wanted to take over, coax those sighs and whimpers from you himself. Your little show had gotten him so hard for you, so ready to dive into that heat and feel you around him. Not long now, you thought, as his fingers began to drift up your thigh. The movement was slow, but you noticed it anyway, and then his fingers found yours, joining them, guiding you at first, applying even more pressure until you moaned his name in sweet agony, and he moved on, deeper, lured by the call of the heat that awaited him so ardently and then he pushed in, gently, slowly, burying himself all the way.

“Fuck,” he concluded, “so ready for me.”

You could have come from feeling him inside you alone, but when he pulled his fingers out of you and brought them up into the light so he could watch them glisten before he let them vanish into his mouth to taste you, you were lost once again.

Your eyes must have fallen shut from all the pleasure, your senses completely overwhelmed, but the second you felt him, the rub of his entire length against you, the demanding push, they snapped right back open. You could not miss this, wanted to see him the moment you became one, and you were not disappointed. His hands holding your hips, he lifted your behind off the blankets, pulling you onto himself until he had vanished inside you completely. His head lulled back upon the sensation, exposing his long neck. And then his lips parted in a lustful moan as he let the world know of his desire for you.

“Andrew,” you whispered, and he needed a moment to come back to you. But then his eyes found you, and you would never forget the moment they lit up, as if this was the first time he had ever taken you in.

“Y/N”, your name fell from his lips as he lowered himself onto you, lured by your call, and you basked in the moment of finally feeling him skin on skin, his weight on top of you, as you had craved for what felt like an eternity.

Slowly he moved within you, his arms cradling your head as he planted soft kisses along your cheeks, your jaw and finally, finally, against your neck. You arched upon the sensation, pressing yourself into him with a moan that left no doubt about how much you longed for his touch.

He used the chance to let one arm glide around your middle, and you knew he would give you that extra pleasure when he pulled you even closer against himself. Increasing the speed of his hips, he took you faster, deeper, harder and you loved every second of it. You keened, wrapping your arms around him as he drove you closer and closer to that high that would deliver you from your lunacy at last. Or push you even deeper into it. You did not care. You did not care at all.

You had him, his breath against your neck, his soft moans collecting in the tiny space that remained between the two of you, his body moving with yours. And that was all you needed. Or at least you thought it was all, until you could feel it built. It came fast, no faint sensation deep within that steadily grew with every thrust, with every moan. It almost leapt at you, coming over you with a might nothing could have ever prepared you for. And amidst the storm it had thrown you in, it was him that you felt. Just him. You felt him as if there was nothing between you, as if you were the same person. Transformed into one, metamorphosised, impossible to separate ever again.

And it was in this very moment that you knew. It was plain to see, as if it had always been this way, bound by fate. He needed to know as well, needed to hear it from your mouth that you understood now what he must have realised all along. He had expressed it in that simple question, but you had been too proud to see. But you knew now. You knew. And nothing would ever change that again.

With a sigh, you rested your cheek against his, ready at last to give yourself to him completely. “I’m yours, Andrew,” you breathed, right next to his ear, “I’m yours.”

***

taglist:

@rosecentury

@lowkeysimpinloki

@fightmespideyboy

@itsleilabxtch

#hozier #vampzier #vampire!hozier #vampire!hozier x you #hozier fanfiction #hozier imagine #hozier fanfic #vampire fiction #gothic fiction #feast #metamorphosis

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norinenglish · 6 months

Text

Stardew Rancher AU - Intro cutscene

Here's my first piece for the Stardew AU challenge.

If you want to take part too, use the #traffic stardew au tag (You can also use the banner I made). On my blog, I will be using #stardew ranchers au as well.

The writing is under the cut.

>> Next Part

I hate this life.

Jimmy doesn’t remember a day in the last year he has not thought this. He’s staring at a computer screen, as he has been for the last seven hours, when it hits him. He hates this life. In fact, it could barely be qualified as a life.

He misses nature. Running around in the grass, playing, talking to people… He turns his head around to look at the window, but there isn’t even any on the office walls. He looks around him and only sees rows and rows of cubicles with other lifeless people slaving all day. The clicking of keyboards and mouths, the buzzing of the neon lights, it’s all too much.

I can’t stand it anymore, he thinks to himself. I need a way out.

Suddenly, he remembers a conversation he had with his grandpa, when he was young, about the burden of modern life. He hadn’t really realised what it had meant before today. Jimmy, like his parents, had dismissed it as the stubbornness of an old man who was made to live in the countryside. But it must have stayed on the back of his mind, because he kept the letter.

In fact…

He opens the drawer of his desk and there it is. A fancy old letter with a fancy purple seal.

(He’s definitely not going to think about the fact that he kept it in his drawer at work and the possible implication of that. Nope.)

With shaky hands, he breaks the seal and opens it. The swoosh of the paper unfolding is the loudest sound he’s ever heard in his life.

The letter says:

Dear Jimmy,

If you’re reading this, you must be in dire need of a change.

The same thing happened to me, long ago. I’d lost sight of what mattered most in life… real connections with other people and nature. So I dropped everything and moved to the place I truly belong.

I’ve enclosed the deed to that place… my pride and joy: The Ranch. It’s located in Stardew Valley, on the southern coast. It’s the perfect place to start your new life.

This was my most precious gift of all, and now it’s yours. I know you’ll honour the family name, my boy. Good luck.

Love, Grandpa.

PS: If the Sherrif is still alive say hi to the old guy for me, will ya?

He puts the letter down and looks up at the ceiling for a second.

In all the emptiness he feels, it’s like he’s just grown wing.

🌿 loading🌿

The bus startles to a stop and Jimmy wakes up.

“Pelican Town!” The driver screams.

Jimmy looks around. There’s no else on anymore. He quickly grabs his travel bag and gets out. He says his thanks to the bus driver who just hums unhappily. Guess he really didn’t want to go that far out for just one person.

On the side of the road is just a small clearing, with broken fences and dirt path. Someone is waiting for him, though. A man with cyan blue hair and an easygoing smile.

“Hello, you must be Jimmy,” he sayswith a cheerful voice. “I’m Scott, the local florist. Mayor Grian sent me here to fetch you and show you the way to your new home. He’s there right now, tidying things up for your arrival.”

It takes a second for Jimmy to find his words. The reality of what he’s done hitting him finally. He quit his job. He moved out of his appartment. He sold his things and bought a ticket for this small town in the middle of nowhere to become a farmer.

“Nice to meet you, Scott,” he says after swallowing. “I…”

Gosh, he cannot screw this up. This isn’t like in the city. The people he meets are going to be the community he’s going to live with. He wants to make a good impression.

Scott smiles, tilting his head to the side. He looks Jimmy up and down with mischief in his eyes in a way that makes Jimmy blush a little. He must be tired.

“The farm’s right over here, if you’ll follow me.”

Jimmy nods and follows him on the dirt path until they reach an area with a… house. Supposedly.

“This is the Ranch,” Scott announces, waving his arm around to show the land that stretches before them..

The Ranch is an old building made out of wood. It looks like it’s been built in the last century. The farmland around, which was included in Scott’s gesture, is littered with some kind of forest. There are different types of trees, dead wood on the ground, bushes, and even some rocks! Is this really the farm his grandfather loved ?

“What’s the matter?” Scott asks in a light voice. He’s got his arms crossed in front of him and an air of challenge about him. “Sure, it’s a bit overgrown, but there’s some good soil underneath that mess! With a little dedication, you’ll have it cleaned up in no time.”

He turns back towards the house itself. Jimmy notes that there’s plenty of firewood on the side of the house. Someone must have stacked it for him. That thought settles in his chest, fluttering like a bird. He won’t sleep in the cold tonight, and that’s thanks to strangers.

“... And here we are, your new home,” Scott says.

Just like his words summoned him, a man opens the door and gets down the few steps of his porch to stop in front of them. He pulls the sleeves of his red sweater back to his writs and offers his hand to Jimmy.

“Ah, the new farmer! Welcome, I’m Grian, the Mayor of Pelican Town.”

Jimmy shakes his hand and introduces himself. Grian nods, seemingly satisfied.

“You know, everyone’s been asking about you. It’s not every day that someone new moves in. It’s quite a big deal.” He turns to look back at the house. “So… you’re moving into your grandfather’s old cottage. It’s a good house… very ‘rustic’.”

“Rustic?” Scott chimes in. “That’s one way to put it… ‘Crusty’ might be a little more apt, though.”

“Rude,” Grian says under his breath, his eyebrows frowning. “Don’t listen to him, Jimmy. He’s just trying to make you dissatisfied so that you buy one of Gem’s house upgrades.”

“Gem?” Jimmy asks.

“She’s the local carpenter. She lives north of the valley, near the mountain.”

Gem, the local carpenter. Jimmy tries to mentally catalogue. She makes house upgrades. He turns his eyes towards Scott. He doesn’t remember if he said what he was doing.

“Anyway… You must be tired from the long journey,” Grian says, looking back at the house. “You should get some rest. Tomorrow you ought to explore the town a bit and introduce yourself. The townspeople would appreciate that.”

He turns to leave and sees the box placed next to the mailbox.

“Oh, I almost forgot. If you have anything to sell, just place it in the box here. I’ll come by during the night to collect it. Well… Good luck!”

They are gone before Jimmy can really say anything else. But it might be for the better, because he’s exhausted.

“I’m here,” he says to no one. Maybe to himself. Or maybe to his grandfather.

Going into the house is a blurr. He barely have time to register the small table with one chair, the fireplace that was lit up for him and the bed. He just melts into the mattress and passes out.

#norwrites #traffic stardew au #stardew ranchers au #trafficblr #team rancher #jimmy solidarity

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markiemelon · 1 year

Note

Heyy!! I really REALLY love your writings!! Could you please write something fluffy for Renjun as well? I'd appreciate that alot! but if you cant its fine too 🫶🫶🫶

sorry this took forever LOL

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

♡ rj x fem!reader ♡ school au ♡ classmates to lovers ♡

fluff. no warnings!

renjun was that boy who made your heart do somersaults. renjun was that boy who made you feel like you swallowed a million butterflies.

renjun was that boy you loved.

─ ੈ♡˳

huang renjun was that boy with soft eyes, pretty lips, and a perfect smile. he was that boy you had a couple classes with. that boy who always happened to sit two rows ahead of you, one seat over to the left.

so there you were in your first class, sitting contently throughout the lecture. your mind starts to drift as you observe the boy with his back facing toward you. you couldn't help but notice how neat his notes were and how nice his handwriting was. the lecture ended, urging chaos to erupt in the room. you stay in your seat, as usual, to wait out the stampede of students.

the room cleared to reveal a beige cardigan draped onto the back of a chair. you counted one, two, rows up, and one seat over. it was renjun's. renjun was always one of the first out of the class, so he was probably long gone. you figured you could just take it with you since you would see him in math later, anyway. you picked the soft beige fabric up from the chair and wrapped it over your arm. you headed over to the door but stopped for a second to answer a text on your phone. you didn't pay any notice to a presence entering the room until an abrupt greeting startled you.

"hi.”

you instinctively jerked your head up.

"oh my gosh renjun you scared me." you said, hand to your heart. renjun flashed a smile and pointed his finger to call attention to you holding his cardigan.

"oh." you quickly handed it to renjun. " i was gonna give this-" you could feel your face heating up. "i just thought you had already left so i figured i- but maybe i should have just left it-"

renjun threw his head back in laughter at how flustered you were. "yn it's okay." he interrupted you. "i actually didn't even come here to get this." he smiled. "i came here to leave this paper on the professor's desk. he held up a paper in his hand. "so thanks. i never wouldn’t have noticed i left it here if i hadn't seen you holding it." he giggled through each sentence.

you felt some strange sense of relief wash over you. you started to laugh with him. this situation really shouldn't have been funny enough to make the two of you laugh as hard as you did. but it felt good.

renjun's eyes shifted to look at the clock on the wall behind you. "shoot. class starts in like 4 minutes!" he said as he naturally began to walk backwards, eyes still fixed on the clock. "bye yn. i'll see you in like an hour!" you watched the boy leave your sight, listening to his footsteps growing quieter and quieter.

you've been classmates for a while now, in fact, he was the first person you ever talked to on your first day. both of you had arrived to class too early and made small talk in the hall while you waited to go in. so it's not like the two of you were strangers, but you wished to get to know him more.

a little while later, you went to math. you took your usual seat, looking over to where renjun sits, only to see that someone else had taken his spot. this worried you because that spot was perfect for keeping an eye on him, which was pretty much the only thing you looked forward to when going to math. all the other ‘good’ spots were being taken. you were preparing to have an extremely boring class without having a view of that pretty boy, but finally, that boy you were waiting for walks in the room, scanning around for an open seat. your eyes widened a little once you realized nobody was sitting next to you.

renjun approached you confidently. "guess this is where i’ll have to sit." he smiled.

you don’t know why the thought of sitting next to him excited you so much, but you couldn’t stop smiling. it wouldn’t be so easy to look at him without making it obvious, though.

you stared blankly at the mess of numbers in front of you. you had no idea what any of it meant.

"need some help with that?” renjun leaned over, having noticed your struggles. he was close to you. probably the closest he’s ever been. you got that funny feeling like as if you were on a roller coaster drop. “oh.” you said shyer than before. “yeah.”

renjun rested his elbow on your side of the desk to reach your paper easier. “okay so…” he began to explain to you.

you ignored the little gestures he made to the paper, and how he scribbled some nonsence.

You could only focus on him. the way his voice sounded in spite of his gibberish. the way his hair brushed his skin when he moved. the way his eyes glowed as he thought.

"so, does that make sense?”

everything he just said completely flew over your head, but you responded, nonetheless. “yeah! yes, thanks. that makes so much more sense.” you smiled.

renjun scoffed. “yn, you didn't listen to anything i just said.”

“what?! why would you think that?” you said, avoiding eye contact.

“because i started talking about my grandma’s kiwi allergy and you didn’t notice.”

the bell rung.

“how about we continue this in the library after school?” he said, getting up from his seat. “since it’s the weekend tomorrow, we’ll have more time to work.”

you felt your smile form on your face again, giving renjun the idea that you agreed.

“oh yeah,” he continued. “can i have your number?” he rubbed his forearm. “so i can text you when i get to the library..” he swallowed.

“yes, right. right.” you pulled out your phone quickly, looking a little clumsy while doing it.

he took your phone and you observed his concentrated expression as his thumbs glided across the screen.

after exchanging numbers, you went your separate ways.

you walked away, feeling a little embarrassed. “why do i act so weird around him?” you scolded yourself.

after school hours, you decided to go find renjun. you approached the library, walking alongside a glass portion of the wall, and caught a glimpse of your reflection. you cringed at the sight of your tangled hair.

you glanced at the time on your phone before starting your way back in the same direction you just came from, finding the nearest restroom. you put your bag on the counter, and combed through your hair with your hands, taking another moment to reapply some lip tint.

fixing your posture, you stood tall in your reflection. you smacked your lips together and ruffled your hair before grabbing your bag and speed walking out to the hall.

you approached the library once again, this time, a little more confident.

you walked through the quiet room, the smell of old books and wooden shelves hit you softly. the stillness around you made you self conscious, you could hear your every move. there you saw him, sitting at a desk, his back to you. he was tapping his fingers against his cheek, and seemed to be deep in thought.

you approached him from behind but you almost didn’t want to disrupt his thinking. you wondered what he could possibly be thinking about.

renjun suddenly scooted his chair back as if about to stand up. “when is she gonna be here-” he gasped after seeing you standing right behind him as he turned his head. “holy-” he caught his breath.

“sorry. i didn’t mean to startle you.” you laughed. “and sorry im late…something came up.”

“don’t worry…i hadn’t even noticed you were late…” renjun’s eyes wandered around the room. “uh so…should I help you with that thing from earlier?” he pulled out the chair next to his, gesturing his hand for you to sit.

“yes, thanks.” you sat down. “it’s nice to know that you’re good at math…” you said to break any second of the silence.

“yeah…um, yeah i’m pretty good at math…”

you wondered why he sounded like he was lying, but you brushed it off. renjun seemed to be way more nervous than earlier, unlike the confident renjun you were used to.

“okay this is easy!” he said. “this should be a 2 instead of a 1.” he pointed at the faint pencil on your wrinkled paper.

you thought you had that one right… but without asking many questions, you went along with whatever it was that renjun said.

you worked until the evening, then you decided to finish up.

as you picked up the rest of your things, renjun took off his sweater and draped it over his chair. “won’t you be leaving?”you asked. “why take it off now?”

he looked to you. “oh. i just got really hot…like…right now.”

“oh. okay.” you replied. “well thank you for helping me, renjun.”

“mm.” he nodded, a faint smile in his eyes.

you were hoping to walk out with him, maybe even get him to walk you home, but before you could even swing your backpack over one shoulder, he was off.

“okay bye yn gotta go see you tomorrow!” he blurted as one long word as he rushed out of the library.

“renjun, your sweater!” you did a double take at the chair where it was left. he heard you but he acted like he didn’t. “weird.” you picked up the sweater, just like you had done earlier. right then, you heard a buzz from your phone.

from: huang renjun

hi yn. i left my sweater at the library. do you mind taking it with you???

omg renjun i literally told you that before you ran out!!!

are you free tomorrow? so you can give me my sweater…

yeah im free

can we meet at that cafe by the school? at like noon?

sure

that next morning, you found yourself walking to that cafe. opening the door, you found comfort in the scent of coffee and sweetness.

“renjun!” you called over to him. “here.” you handed him the soft bunch of fabric.

“thanks. sorry to make you come here.” he apologized, though you knew he wasn’t actually sorry.

“oh, i don’t mind…” you shrugged.

“well since we’re already here… do you want to get a coffee or something?” renjun proposed. “sit. ill go get something.”

you sat at one of the smaller tables, while renjun ordered something. you couldn’t stop yourself from staring helplessly at the boy. his beige cardigan complimented his light brown hair. it seemed that every time you saw him, the more you grew to like him. he was cute, well-mannered, funny. you usually tried to shake away these feelings once they started, but today you let them stick around a little longer.

the sight of renjun walking over to you, holding two drinks in either hand, was enough to make you blush.

“here.” he handed a cup to you.

he sat down in the seat across from you, but only for a moment.

“i better get going. something came up.” he got up, just like that, walking past you and out the door.

it happened suddenly, so you didn’t even see him walk out, but you did see, by the time you turned around, his beige sweater in a bunch on the floor.

“that boy…” you mumbled to yourself as you went straight to pick it up and run after him.

that boy was now halfway down the block. “renjun!” you got no response. you ran as quickly as you could. once you got close enough to reach, you tugged on his arm.

he turned around.

you dropped your hands to your knees, gasping for air. “you,” you swallowed, “you dropped this.” holding the cardigan out with one arm, the other still resting on your bent knee. “you know, you’re very clumsy, huang renjun.”

“oh that?” he laughed. “i dropped it on purpose.”

…

“why…. would you do that..” your jaw stayed open.

“so you would come looking for me!” he flashed a bright smile.

his perfect expression distracted you for a second. “you must have a big ego to think i would go out of my way just to give you this.” you shoved the cardigan into renjun’s arms.

“right, because you just full-speed sprinted down this block for fun…” he teased back.

you didn’t really have anything to say so you moved your eyes away from his.

“yn.” he spoke.

“renjun?” you replied.

“why are you so cute?” he asked, well aware of how flustered it would make you.

a sudden warmth overtook your chest. you kept your stare away from renjun, but he kept his on you, not expecting a response. he took in a breath before he spoke. “will you hang out with me today?”

now you fixed your eyes to his. “don’t you have something urgent?”

“i made that up. let’s go.” he grabbed your wrist and pulled you along to wherever he was going.

your feet scooted across the sidewalk as you tried to keep up with his rushing pace. you looked down to see where his hand held your wrist gently. “how could he be so bold?” you thought.

“renjun!” you shouted, seeming a little annoyed. “where are we going?!”

renjun turned his head to you for a moment before facing forward again. “im taking you somewhere special.”

moments later, you arrived in front of a small corner store.

“cmon let’s go inside.” he opened the door and let you walk in before he did.

“so your idea of hanging out is making me run errands with you?” you playfully nudged renjun’s shoulder with yours.

“well if somebody didn’t use every single one of my pages as scrap paper…”

you felt like you were getting closer and closer to renjun, and you felt it happening quickly. you kept surprising yourself with how comfortably you would act around him, and how you could tell he felt more comfortable too. the happiness you felt around him was starting to outweigh the tension you had been feeling.

you and renjun spent the rest of the day walking around the city, browsing boutiques that were way too expensive for both of you combined to afford. you just did normal things, but it felt surreal.

you went to sleep that night, thinking about that boy, continuing your fantasies from where you had left off the night before.

the next morning, you snoozed your alarm a couple times less than usual, motivated by just the thought of that boy.

today after school, the class rankings of the math test scores would be posted. after the bell rang, you found renjun waiting in front of the classroom. “im kind of nervous..” you murmured as you took your place next to him, leaning against the wall. he didn’t seem too confident himself. “me too.” he confessed. you nudged his shoulder after hearing his response. “psh, don’t be. you’ll probably be in first place.”

you had a lot of confidence in him.

a few minutes later, you, renjun, and the rest of the class, stood in front of a long list of names, trying to get a glimpse at their own.

after a moment of squinting, you came across your name. “hey, for out of 53 students, i didn’t do too badly.” your shoulders dropped in relief.

renjun gave you a thumbs up and a big smile that almost looked sarcastic. “good job!”

“well thanks to your help…” you tried to stay modest. “What did you get?” you asked him. “i can’t find your name in the top 10.” you looked further and further down the list.

#53. Huang Renjun

“oh yeah about that…” he tried to get you to look away from the paper. “hey let’s go to the library now!” he changed the subject, and dragged you to the library.

the two of you sat in your usual spots. “so do you need help with anything?” he looked tense.

you weren’t good at math, but you were at least smart enough to realize that renjun wasn’t good at math either.

“renjun.” you turned around to face him.

“hm?” he perked his head up.

“you cant do math either, right?”

he fluttered his eyes. “hm?”

“i saw your score, renjun.”

“oh.”

you couldn’t keep a straight face. “why are you pretending to be good at math?”

he just stayed silent, tracing around the desk with his finger. you were hesitant to ask, but you did anyway, “renjun,” you paused, “do you like me or something?”

his movements froze. “how about i walk you home?” he frantically got his stuff together. “it’s gonna get dark soon so let’s hurry.”

you couldn’t pass up that offer, so you just let him get away with avoiding your question.

he walked you home, and your heart fluttered all the way there. “it’s here.” you slowed your pace as you approached the small stairs in front of the door. you walked up one of the steps before turning around to face the boy who seemed a little shorter all the sudden. “im taller than you!” you giggled.

renjun stood on his tippy toes, bringing his face nearly level to yours. he looked at you. his glossy eyes glimmered with the porch light that automatically turned on.

you leaned back a little, surprised at how close you were to him.

you suddenly felt that shyness that you had almost forgotten the feeling of. “im still taller.” you said.

his concentrated expression turned into a grin. “well good thing im just tall enough.”

“just tall enough for what?” you laughed. “a smurf?”

he couldn’t help but smile as he shook his head gently, careful not to break his eye contact. “no.” he said. “for this.”

and unexpectedly, that boy that stood in front of you. that boy with the sweetest smile and the cutest laugh. that boy you couldn’t stop thinking about. he leaned in. and the closer he got, the more you anticipated his touch. his hand on your cheek. his eyes fixed on your lips; that’s where he placed his own. it was the most perfect match.

you felt only his lips move out of your reach as he stepped up to you. “it’s better if i’m taller, don’t you think?” he laughed before reattaching his lips to yours. your hands made their way to find a place to rest against his chest. you felt his heart push against your palms.

“yn. i dont know if ive made it obvious enough, but i really like you.”

“so you do like me..” your grin stretched from ear to ear.

he didn’t answer. he looked at you and sighed through his forming smile. he reached for your hand to tug you closer. and without a word, your lips reconnected.

you took in everything you could about that moment. you wanted to cherish every feeling of every second you spent with that boy.

that boy who pulled you closer. that boy who held your hand.

renjun, that boy you loved, was now renjun, that boy who loved you.

tysm for requesting i rlly appreciate it ! hope u like it ＾＾

i usually don’t write things this long but idk what happened hhahahhaha

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cinderella-ish · 5 months

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For the Fruits Basket asks: 2, 3, 19, and 18/20 for Momiji!

Oh, yay! I'm so glad you asked! (ask game here)

2. This might be the hardest question of all, because all the characters are so richly developed and I genuinely like (almost) all of them! I have a certain soft spot for Yuki and Momiji, of course, as the characters I relate to the most, and a similar soft spot for Ayame and Arisa, because I relate to them in a way as well, though to a lesser degree.

I've been writing a lot of Kyo, Saki, and (weirdly) Hiroshi, so I feel really attached to them right now. I mean, Kyo is a character whose happiness genuinely healed me. Saki's unapologetic weirdness is just the best (and uhhh my friend group in high school had a few people who shared several traits with Saki, so I was bound to like her). And Hiroshi and Yusuke are literally the best part of every scene they're in. (Especially Hiroshi in Cinderella-ish. Seriously, his narration is top tier!)

And Machi and Kakeru have a special place in my heart, too, partly because of their roles in Yuki's development, but also because of the ways I relate to each of them. And, of course, Tohru. I mean, there's so much to say about her, but her deep, deep empathy and the richness of her arc and development are just gorgeous.

I do keep coming back to Yuki and Momiji, though. They're central to two of the scenes that I found most surprisingly powerful; Yuki when he tells Kakeru "that isn't what I want!" and Momiji in his speech to Akito, when he says "a happiness might exist for me!" Outside of the major plot points of the series (which are nearly all centered around Tohru and Kyo), these two moments are, I think, some of the most satisfying developments for any of the characters, period.

(Oops, that turned into an essay 😅)

3. If we're sticking to named characters, I think Katsuya is the only choice. I know Takaya couldn't develop every single character in the series, but Katsuya is one whose development would have enriched not only him, but Kyoko, Tohru, and Grandpa Honda as well.

I think that the Katsuya-Kyoko relationship can be read as problematic and even predatory exactly as written. It reads as romanticized because it's told from Kyoko's point of view. But Katsuya himself remains kind of an enigma, and it's just really hard to like him when we don't even know what made him think pursuing a middle schooler was okay.

19. Oh gosh. You're going to get a few long answers, I fear. 😅

I have several favorite fanworks! Off the top of my head:

Ripples, by @proseprincess

So, canon divergent AUs are probably my favorite type of fic, and I especially love fics where one canon event changes, and everything that follows changes due to something like a butterfly effect. In this two-part series, Tohru never met Kureno in the park, which changes everything that came after in a big way. I love that this tackles some massive changes to canon, yet they all feel grounded in the world and characters we all know. The second installment is incomplete, but still very worth the read IMO, not only because part 1 ends with a massive cliffhanger, but because it's just so inventive and unlike anything else I've read. Maybe my very favorite fanwork.

I'll be Standing There By You, by Eboni_A

This is a beautiful, devastating AU told from Yuki's point of view where he finds out in the final weeks of her life that Tohru has terminal cancer. We see Yuki drop everything to come and support Kyo and be with Tohru in her final weeks, we see Tohru die, and we see Kyo and Yuki (and everyone else) try to keep going afterward. It's heartbreaking yet hopeful, and the author made relatively recent comments about a potential sequel! Fingers crossed!

Inertia, by miss_coverly @lesbian-kyoru

This is another canon divergent AU where Kyo and Tohru become friends with benefits before the curse breaks. It's honestly shocking how beautiful this work is. The prose is gorgeous, the angst is dialed all the way up, the sexual tension is dialed even higher, the characterization is crystal clear, it's honestly a masterclass in POV, the sex is sexy, and I could go on and on. I never thought a blowjob scene would make me cry, yet it did.

The Pursuit of Repeating History, by RiddleAfar @mistergrass

So, when I first started reading fanfiction, I stuck strictly with canon-compliant works. Then, I dipped my toes into canon divergence AUs like those above, but I heavily resisted reading anything with alternative pairings.

Then, I got curious about that one really popular Yuki/Kyo soulmates AU fic, and gave it a read. By the end of the first chapter, I couldn't put it down. And when I was finished reading, I knew I had to check out everything else by that author, which is how I ended up reading The Pursuit of Repeating History.

This story honestly showed me the power of fanfiction. The author legit crafted lore for the Fruits Basket universe. And the "lore" chapters (I think they're referred to as "intermissions") are each beautifully-told stories in their own right. But the author also grappled with how the curse might work, and I think they did an incredible job. I'm actually rereading this beast right now!

We'll Work it Out Together, by inheritanceofgeek @mrsmarymorstan

Okay, I'm a sucker for anything with lots of Hiroshi and Yusuke, and this story is probably the most Hiroshi-and-Yusuke-focused story on Ao3. (Probably worth mentioning the author's sideblog, @2d-iendfrays which is an absolute treasure!) In it, Kyo figures out he's asexual, then figures out he's demisexual, all with the help of his two wholesome buds.

Like almost all the authors on this list, inheritanceofgeek has some other really fantastic works that are worth checking out, from sexual humor to Yuki/Machi smut to a touching piece about new parenthood.

How Can I Thank You, by SharkFairy77

Another brilliant Yuki/Kyo piece, in which Yuki hosts Kakeru and Komaki for dinner (at the apartment he shares with Kyo), and at the last minute, Kakeru asks if Machi can come. (Machi is Yuki's ex in this universe)

The piece starts with dinner prep, and then dinner, and the character writing is just incredibly spot on. I loved the arc of the story through the dinner, and the way Kyo and Machi come to an understanding.

But then, we get into some A+ YukiKyo smut.

I'll Be Here, by Blanche2023 @biancanekoyokai

(Full disclosure - I beta read this work!)

This is a very sweet and sad piece about Kyo's first few days in Kazuma's care after his mother's death. Blanche's characterization is outstanding, and she handles tricky things (like writing a young Akito who's also performing head-of-the-family duties) in a really clever way.

I don't think there's enough pre-canon fic out there, nor enough gen fic, and this piece is just beautiful.

Escaping the future, by Modzy78

I really love the way Modzy78 thinks about the Fruits Basket universe, and her take on the canon-divergence of "what if Tohru never confessed to Kyo" is inventive, suspenseful, fluffy, and just such a fun read! I also really love her other canon divergent AU Cursing the Cursed. And Modzy78 is honestly a superhero for the fandom.

The Talk, by Geoduck @drgeoduck

Honestly, Geoduck has a ton of works you should read, but I'll mention this one because it's probably the funniest thing I've ever read. And then it somehow gets even funnier!

The Ones Who Walk Away From Sohma House, also by Geoduck

If you're a fan of Ursula K. Leguin (my very favorite author!), then you are probably familiar with her famous short story, The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas, and this short fic is an absolute must-read.

no one is lost, by emphasis

Momiji bumps into Ritsu in a gay bar. Not a pairing I ever imagined, but an excellent fic that puts Momiji in the position of "elder queer" to Ritsu. (Honestly, I wish there were more Momiji-as-elder-queer fics!)

Some other favorites:

The Night We Met, by pettyimperfections

Hold On, by Danyu

Heart Strain, by Kitty0430

I think about you all the time, by lucybeee @riceballcatfb (incomplete)

Making Nice, by Itsalreadyhalloweenright @riza-rin-rose (incomplete)

What's a White Lie Between Friends (& My Family)? by AnxietyAvocado

My Hands on You is Just a Fantasy, by unscheduledmakeouts

This Air is Blessed, by KyoDoodles

Please, Let Her Live, by @goldfishoflove

And that isn't even touching the dozens of phenomenal Yukeru fics! Just a small selection of Yukeru favorites:

fit back in, by @luftballons99

woebegone, by a-bigail @yunsoh

The Other Side of Paradise, by reconquer @yukisohmasmokesweed

If I Ever Feel Better, also by reconquer

if i do anything i regret tonight, no i didn't, by sacrificialParsnip (another fic where Momiji is an elder queer!)

i wanna be dyed with your colors, by halfhope

Like Fireworks in the Night Sky, by Princely_Hairdos (incomplete, currently being updated!)

President Perfect, by draebelle

tongue tied, by b_o_i (note: heed the warnings!)

And if you're familiar with OnigiriCat4Ever's canon continuation series, Always and Forever, some of my favorite works from that series include My Brother, Truth and Consequences, You Don't Understand, I Want to Understand, and all of their smut (collected in a separate series called Tohru and Kyo's Amorous Adventures, plus one explicit Hajime/Mutsuki fic).

And, of course, I'm really proud of my longfic, Bloom Within Us, and wrote it because it's the sort of thing I'd want to read. It's currently in progress, and I took a break from writing due to a family emergency, but I'm back at it and hope to start regular posting within a month.

uhhhh so I think I'll have to make my Momiji headcanons another post (hopefully tomorrow) because this got long! 😅 Thank you again for asking!

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philtstone · 4 months

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title: we close our eyes and dream (the world has turned around again)

in the year of our lord 2024 i wrote psych fic ... wow there was this hilarious list of reverse prompts floating around tumblr a little while ago and one of them, instead of high school au, was "nursing home au". something somewhere fundamental in my brain clicked and i thought "this would be perfect for shules. i just know it" and then after many years of being generally too terrified to try my hand at the very unique narrative flavour that is psych, i wrote this. title is from "we close our eyes" by the oingo boingos which plays over the final scene of the series finale and always makes me cry. i hope u enjoy reading this as much as i enjoyed writing it!

Juliet is sitting alone by the couches when she meets him.

They’re in the dining hall at Glorious Pines, and she’s chewing her lip and staring impotently at her fancy-looking plate of risotto. She hates that risotto is making her feel so weird and insecure. Dinner with Sarah was usually a lot simpler than this; Juliet has never really been a good cook, and her granddaughter was often too busy with work to manage anything more than a mis-mash of premade Trader Joe’s delicacies. Now she’s in this big beautiful building, surrounded by vibrant and dynamic old people who’ve been living here long enough to all know each other and have interesting hobbies and be in on the latest gossip. Juliet’s always loved making new friends, but the risotto is reminding her how out of practice she really is. Up until four days ago she had been taking her meals with Sarah, who’d moved Juliet to Santa Barbara in May so she wouldn’t be all alone in that old house of theirs. And before that – well, she’d been alone. Her hobbies have gotten progressively more old ladyish over the last five years, and while it’s true that she sewed her own pajamas while in her twenties, too, that wasn’t all she spent her time doing. She’s pretty sure her glamorous neighbors by the lemonade bowl who still have the guts to wear red lipstick won’t be too interested in her recent return – for nostalgia purposes only , and not because she likes solving the mysteries before the book does – to her ancient childhood box of Nancy Drew novels. And, gosh, the last time a man flirted with her was … oh, twenty years ago, now.

She’s pushing the sticky, fragrant rice around and trying not to think too hard about the prospect of socializing with strangers when he materializes into the armchair beside her.

The sudden and graceful materializing is on its own impressive, considering most of the residents of this place have had hip replacements.

“Oh – hello,” Juliet says, mostly just to be polite

“Hi!” says the man. “You’re in my seat.”

Juliet freezes with one spoonful of risotto finally halfway up to her mouth. She narrows her eyes at him from behind her bifocals. “Excuse me?”

“My seat,” he explains. “I was sitting right there. I had, in fact, just gotten up to go grab Gus some orange juice – you know Gus –” Juliet doesn’t “-- And now I am back, and, so, as you can see, that was my seat.”

Juliet blinks. He’s around her own age, early seventies, with a full head of thick grey hair, bright hazel eyes that crease liberally at the corners, no glasses, and a big nose that probably gave him a striking profile in his youth. He’s wearing a garish red polo shirt that says FASHION! on the front in block letters, and house slippers.

READ MORE ON AO3

#my writing #psych #juliet o'hara #shawn spencer #burton guster #shawn x juliet #shules #shawn x gus #a given really but definitely platonic #carlton lassiter #karen vick #plus miscellanious cameos!#i wrote a whole murder mystery for this and everything!#if this doesnt get notes i will probably cry lol jk but for real

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rwrbficrecs · 1 year

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May Faves

I’m finally here with the first instalment of Monthly Favourites 🥳

This is going to be a Monthly post I’ll be doing with a round up of my favourite fics I’ve read the past month. I’ve picked a few to write longer thoughts on, and will add smaller thoughts for the rest. If I did long reviews for every fic, I don’t think I could keep up with this every month, but rest assured I loved every fic mentioned in this post!! Majority will be completed fics but there is a “WIP” section as well 😊

Happy reading, & if you enjoy this sort of content please let me know! 🥰

Let Loose Your Glow by @athousandrooms I’ve been following along with this fic during its WIP stage and it was completed recently! So of course I had to binge the whole thing and it was so worth the wait. It’s a fake dating fic that is SO soft!! Alex & Henry are so sweet in this fic and the slow burn is so !!! ahh no words but honestly this is one of those fics you can reread again and again and still feel all the feels over and over. Such a beautifully written fic!!

All the Old Showstoppers by @cha-melodius I’ve never watched any of the “Bake Off” shows (so I think any references went right over my head) BUT I enjoyed this fic so much regardless of my lack of “Bake Off” viewing. I loved reading about Henry and Alex’s journey as contestants on the show, but what was even more delightful was the growing feelings between them!! Also the ✨seductive spoon licking✨

i wake with your memory over me (that's a real fucking legacy) by @coffeecatsme Alex is Henry’s ski instructor in this fic - and from the get go I loved their interactions with each other! I also really loved the brother-sister dynamic between Henry and Bea in this!!

YourMusicSucksAndYouLookLikeADickhead by @cloudywilmon Alex & Henry as neighbours is always such a fun time and this fic is no exception. It’s a super funny fic, and I especially love how Nora is written in this as well!

Count The Stars And Constellations by @everwitch-magiks Ohh my gosh, I loved this fic so much that I reread it about 3 times last month. I went through a rollercoaster of emotions reading this fic (excitement? frustration? Is heart-eyes an emotion? Cause that’s the only way to describe how I felt at the ending). Seriously read this beautiful fic 🥺

a rich and complex tapestry by @everwitch-magiks I feel like I could just repeat the review I wrote for everwitch’s other fic and it would still all apply for this one too. I was yet again going completely heart-eyed at the ending of this fic. I have no words to describe how much I loved this one?!

all's well that ends well to end up with you by @evanbuvkley This is such a sweet fic!! Alex accidentally kisses Henry and I love how things just spiral from there!!! Just go read it, you’ll love it I promise.

Paint Stain Smiles by schmulte I loved the way Alex & Henry’s friendship develops in this fic (and of course the way the romance happens!!). The nude modelling is a lovely bonus.

i just think about you all the time by @livinginrhythm Omg I just … loved everything about this fic? Alex is Catherine’s equerry which made me so intrigued at how things were going to turn out and the ending definitely had me screaming from the feels!

✨More Faves✨

A little off the top by @clottedcreamfudge A hilarious misunderstanding!

bend the rules by @tedddylupin Blossoming romance during Covid Lockdown? Yes please

catch my breath to breathe your name by @jamespttr Really loved this fic - really wanted to shake some sense into Henry in this one!!

Cognac and Malaise by M0ssPiglet Pez and Henry’s friendship here - loved it so much!

he got my heartbeat skipping down 16th avenue by @evanbuvkley Really sweet!! Also love that the rest of the Super Six feature

(la)cross(e) my heart by weather_stained I found this fic so funny and Alex is perfectly written in this!!

like i'm the stranger here. by @chaa-kiao Love coworker AUs! The boys are very sweet in this - but also the angst!!!

✨WIP✨

Cabin Fever by selkies_and_stars I love a fake dating fic!! Even better when they’re fake dating on a cruise ship (plus they’re also roommates AND there’s bed sharing). Their pining for each other had me wanting to shake them both.

for you alone by fel24601 Ok I LOVE this fic. I love how Henry and Alex’s relationship develops, I love how fluffy this fic is, I loved the smut, just everything about this fic is so lovely. It hasn’t been updated in a year BUT even in its unfinished state I found it very satisfying as it is. Even if it never gets finished I would reread it over and over!! Such a beautifully written fic - go give it some love.

Ghosted by @cockleshells I really love the plot of this fic - it’s so different and definitely such an intriguing concept. Don’t be put off by the “Major Character Death” tag (and I say this as someone who avoids that tag like the plague) I’ve ignored it in this case because the author also tags “i can at least promise you guys a happy ending” so that’s defs been enough to assuage my fears. It’s an amazing fic so far, so give it a read!!

Never a Guarantee by @clottedcreamfudge If you haven’t already been following this fic - what are you doing!! Loving everything about this fic - it definitely gets you hooked straight away. The slow burn killed me in the best way 😩

That’s a wrap!! Stay tuned in early July for June Faves!

#Monthly Faves #rwrbficrecs #red white and royal blue #firstprince #firstprinceficrecs #alex claremont diaz #henry fox mountchristen windsor

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basketballanonsblog · 11 months

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Truth

I'm getting closer to 'Goodnight and goodbye' (which I have not finished 🤡) but I enjoy writing this au:

It had been a week since Jihyo had started dating you.

She was grateful for your patience when she said she wanted to wait a little while before telling the others about your relationship.

"I'll be right by your side, when you're ready to tell them, jagi."

Jihyo had decided to just rip the band-aid off and finally tell the members.

But first things first, she had managed to make it to your training ground. She looked around, frowning when she couldn’t immediately see you.

Suddenly, she heard your loud voice, and when she looked at you, her jaw dropped.

You were dressed in one of your uniforms, currently doing push ups. As if sensing that you were being watched, you glanced in her direction.

Your brother appeared by Jihyo's side

"She'll be finished soon, just one more exercise to do. But you're welcome to ogle my sister as long as you want."

His comment immediately made her blush.

"I'm just admiring her that's all!"

Yep, I'm just admiring y/n's toned arms...

She bit her lip at the sight of your muscles, and the way your exposed skin glistened from the heat of the sun.

Staring is apparently time consuming, because before Jihyo knew, you had jogged to her.

"Hey jagi, sorry for making you wait. I'm just going to take a shower then we'll leave."

Jihyo could only nod as you walked away.

Her mind began racing. She wondered how it would feel to run her hands across your shoulders before moving down to touch your biceps; and more of your defined frame...

If it was possible, her cheeks turned even more red as she became warm. Too warm.

"I need a cold shower."

A laugh snapped her out of it. Jihyo forgot your brother was still standing next to her, and she couldn't feel anymore embarrassed even if she tried.

-x-

True to your word you showered as quickly as you could and joined your girlfriend.

The pair of you waved goodbye to your brother before heading to the dorm. It wasn't the first time you've slept over there but this will be the first time you sleep over as more than friends.

Jihyo was ready to tell the girls of your relationship.

After debating how to break the news, the leader just decided to be direct.

Which is how the two of you ended standing in the dorm with 8 pairs of eyes staring at you after Jihyo called a group meeting.

"Y/n and I are dating."

A beat.

"For how long?" Jeongyeon asked.

"A week."

Another beat of silence before chaos erupted.

"All of you owe me money!"

Shouts of protest filled the room as both of you stood shocked.

"Wha- Tzuyu?!"

"...on a totally different bet."

Either way, Tzuyu was given what she was owed. Leaving her seven unnies grumbling in annoyance.

Honestly the situation was absurd yet so fitting for the members that you couldn't help but laugh.

You brought Jihyo close, and turned your head to kiss her temple. She got as close as she could, resting her head on your shoulder.

"That went well don't you think?" You whispered.

"Definitely."

"Now that you're a couple does that mean you'll sleep together?"

Both of you immediately went red.

"NAYEON!" Her mind went back to how sweaty you were not even an hour ago.

"I didn't mean it like that! Gosh Jihyo, get your head out of the gutter. I just meant like would y/n still use the couch when she sleeps over or will you two share the bed?"

"Well you guys have single beds so that doesn't leave much room to share anyway. I have to stick with the couch."

"At least none of us have to worry about getting woken up by the two of you making certain noises late at night."

Everyone looked at her in exasperation and Nayeon guesses she kind of deserved the multiple pillows thrown her way.

"Innuendos aside, how did you guys become a couple?" An extended olive branch from Nayeon's side.

Jihyo recounted what happened last week and it made them swoon.

"Do our managers know?" Mina's question felt like a slap back to reality.

Jihyo was still in idol. An idol part of a group that had only been formed a year ago.

A group that was currently on a three year dating ban.

Her grip on your hand tightened ever so slightly.

"No, they don't."

~x~

Everyone went to bed not long after the news broke out. Mina apologised for ruining the mood, but no one was mad.

You couldn't fault her really. It was a valid question.

Jihyo walked out of her room, towards you.

"Are you alright jagi?"

"I'm fine, I couldn't sleep."

"Come here."

You moved as much as you could so she could lie down next to you. It was too cramped, but you didn't mind being close to her. You wrapped your arms around her while she rested her head in the crook of your neck.

"You're thinking about what Mina said aren't you?"

"Yeah. I want to tell them but that means I'd have to let you go because I'm breaking the rules. How can I give you up when I've only just found you?"

You didn’t have an answer for her, so all you could do was try to comfort her.

"We'll be alright Jihyo. Everything will be okay."

If only the two of you knew what was going to happen next.

#jihyo x reader #twice x reader #twice fanfic #kpop fanfic

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alaydabug2 · 4 months

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@sparklenarniawizard

Broken heart/Broken mind

Chapter Twenty-Two

(Human AU)

Sophie and Keefe met in the children's hospital when they were little. Because of how long they were confined to the four walls of the hospital, they became very close during their stay.

As the years pass, they wind up being in the same classroom together due to their physical conditions. This makes their bond deepen.

But are they able to handle when life gets tough, throwing problems and complications their way?

Keefe tapped Sophie on the shoulder. She turned around to face him.

"Ok, let's make a deal," he proposed.

"I'm listening," she told him. "Tell me."

"Ok, so," he pulled out the notes from English class. "I need help studying for the ELA test coming up. If my grade doesn't come up, my dad is going to kill me."

Sophie held up her hand to cut him off. "Hold on. Don't you have an eighty-nine in there?"

He nodded. "Like I said, it needs to come up. I remember you saying you were having trouble with the math concept we're learning right now. Soooo, I was wondering if I could come over and we could just swap our knowledge."

"That's fine." She placed her book in her locker. "Are you taking the bus, or do you want to ride with me."

"I'll ride with you, makes life easier," Keefe decided.

After school, they rode home together and settled in Sophie's room on the bed. Sophie was wedged in the corner her bed was pushed up against. Her knees were pulled up into her chest. Keefe was lying at the foot of the bed, holding his notebook above his face, just waiting for disaster.

"So," Sophie started. "The independent clause can stand on its own as a sentence. The dependent clause can't."

"And you connect them with a comma, right?" Keefe clarified.

"Correct. What do you use to connect two independent clauses?"

"Ummm," he pondered. "Colon?"

"You're close."

"Semi-colon!"

"Correct!" Sophie gave him a high five. "I think that's enough studying for ELA."

"Agreed," Keefe sighed. "I really don't like that class."

"Same with math." She reached across the bed to grab her notebook.

He tried to sit up, but instead, the notebook he was holding fell on his face. Sophie snorted. He rubbed his nose before finally sitting up.

Keefe scooted closer to her. Sophie put the calculator between them. They started to work out the problems together.

After the fifth confusing problem, Sophie groaned. "Ugh. I don't understand it. It doesn't make sense."

"Yes, it does," Keefe insisted. "Here." He took the pencil from her and reached over her arm to write out the problem.

"Ok, but how did you get something different? I did the same steps."

"Nope. I did it differently. See this step here?" He tapped on a specific part of the problem.

"Yeah, but..." She squinted and tilted her head. "That's not the steps the teacher taught."

"It's not," Keefe agreed. "But that just makes it confusing. I find this easier."

"Ok..." Sophie peered at her other notes. "This works on all of them?"

"Yup."

He grabbed the other scrap sheet to work out the other problems. He had scooted closer to Sophie.

They had been closer before, of course. But... holy crap, he had changed over the summer. She didn't mind it, besides the fact it distracted her sometimes.

If she looked too long, she was afraid of making it weird. But she made it weird anyway because the second they made eye contact, she'd look away.

She hated not knowing how to act around him anymore! It's not like anything changed. Did it?

No. It didn't.

He was still her best friend. Only. No more. There was no way he'd ever like her. Not that she liked him like that.

Did she?

He looked her in the eyes again as he explained the steps to the math problem. She felt her breath hitch.

She forced herself not to break eye contact until he went to look back at the problem.

Oh gosh. This was going to be an issue. Big time.

The next day, it was time for the ELA test. Sophie was able to see Keefe across the room during the test. It was almost adorable to see his little faces of understanding on the questions he was able to get right, now.

But Sophie was still stuck on another topic in her brain. She had always thought he was decent looking. But now that he had started to grow into his facial features, he looked really cute. She didn't know how to react to that.

Her best friend she'd known for nearly ten years. She was probably just going crazy, she'd snap out of it eventually.

Except she didn't. She only became hyper aware of it as weeks went on. She hated how awkward she felt around him now. It made it hard to joke with him like before.

Plenty of people in the grade were starting to date. Maybe she could find someone else to distract her from Keefe. But... that felt wrong, too.

What was she going to do?

#keeper of the lost cities #kotlc #kotlc sophie foster #kotlc keefe sencen #sokeefe #fanfic #Broken heart/Broken mind

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gamerbearmira · 1 year

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AIR BENDA❗

I still haven't watched all of Atla, likely won't but. HEY GOOGLE EXISTS AND. I WANNA WRITE FOR THIS AU.

Been trying to give au's that don't get attention, have gotten a lot as of late/forgotten aus more stuff. Art takes a lot more time, but writing I can do anywhere and I can do a lot more. So. Here this is.

Lea get it

-----

Mirabel pulled her nightdress over her head, readjusting her glasses as she put her bow onto her vanity. After she left her room, she glanced up and down the hallway. The family was asleep, or at least in their rooms. She felt Casita's tiles shift and she shushed the house playfully.

"I know, but it'll only take a second," Mirabel whispered before going downstairs. It was a routine at this point. Since she didn't bend anything on her 5th birthday, she figured she was a late bloomer. After all, her primos and hermanas could bend. Her mama, tia, and tio could. So she just had to be able to bend something...right?

And it wasn't like she was singled out because she couldn't bend. Her abuela, papa, and tio Félix couldn't bend. And she had trained with melee so far, and she found it fun! But...something deep down wanted her to be able to bend. She just wanted to be like the other family members.

So, every night, before she went to sleep, she would go up to the table and try to bend something. Of course, she hadn't been successful in the past 5, almost 6 years but...she wasn't giving up now. Something told her she was close. Her next birthday was soon, her 11th, and she wasn't gonna give up now.

She finally came up to the familiar room she had been in and walked back several times. She could see the four objects used to see if a Madrigal child could bend were sitting then. A bowl of water, a few rocks, a candle, and some marbles. The marbles had never been used. No one could airbend. The only airbender had been her Abuelo, Pedro. But he was long gone, and no one in the entire village had been able to end the air. Water and Fire were common, but Earth wasn't unheard of; there was her Tio Bruno and her sister Luisa. (Though something told her her littlest primo, Antonio would also be able to earth bend come his fifth birthday).

"Ok," Mirabel said taking a deep breath. "Two thousand-ish times the charm. Right, Casita?" Miravel asked and the gave a positive reaction, encouraging the girl. Casita was a big supporter. Of course, her family was also there, but they didn't exactly know she did this. Dolores did but...she didn't tell anyone.

Mirabel raised her hand. She copied a move she had seen Isabela and her mama do a million times. The water was still. No result. Moving onto the rocks, her arms shot forward as she stomped her feet. Still, no result. The fire reflected off her glasses as her hands moved gracefully about her. The fire didn't even flicker. Mirabel pursed her lips as she looked at the marbles.

She didn't know any airbending moves. No one did. Her abuela had shown one off, one that Pedro had taught her. Of course, no one was able to use it, but it was pretty cool to watch and fun to do. Mirabel took in one last deep breath as she raised her hands. Her movements were fluid, natural even as she moved. As were all of her movements, she practiced all the elements of basic moves at least a million times, and she loved dancing. Bending was a lot like dancing, at least to her. Her hand was closed as she stopped in front of the marbles.

And they moved.

Her eyes widened as she stared at them. They. Moved. She looked at Casita's beams. They were still before something similar to a shrug revealed that Casuta wasn't even sure. Mirabel's arms shook as she once again performed the move. The moved again. They lifted off the table.

"Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh!" Mirabel felt a smile spread across her face as she picked the marbles up. She used her free hand to gently spin a circle around them. The air around them shifted, and they lifted out of her palm and into the air. "Oh my go-" Casita bumped into her feet cutting off. She silenced herself. It was late, that's right. Everyone was asleep, and she didn't want to wake anyone up, especially not little Antonio.

But she could bend! Finally, finally, after all these years. She was right, she was just a late bloomer!

"I have to practice," Mirabel whispered before grabbing the marbles and rushing up to her room. She giggled softly as she sat on her bed. She decided not to tell her family yet. She would wait until the next morning. In the meantime, she was going to practice and practice. Even if it took all night.

Mirabel spun the marbles around and around. It was just so...well she couldn't even describe it. But she was happy. More than happy. She couldn't describe it.

And she couldn't wait to tell her family in the morning.

-----

WHEN THE MARBLES❓

No but I did wanna do something like this. Mirabel bending air is so rad. And she's the only one aince her abuelo who could do it. Now whether Pedro was an Avatar or not is up for debate. If he was, it would make sense how he died, I mean Aang had mad folks after him so.

Idk what do y'all think

#my asks #my asks are open #encanto #encanto au #au #encanto mirabel #encanto Casita #atla #avatar the last airbender #avatar au #not the blue ones lmao

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siriuslysatorusimping · 10 months

Note

Hi hello, so nice to talk to you, Kiko!

This is going to definitely sound weird, but do you have any advice for an ongoing Ao3 writer? Pretty sure I'm not the only one here writing Gojo/OC stories or fluffy one-shots since they're so addicting lol.

But it's strange to be so obsessed with writing with so many ideas and time and energy to write, and then it feels like you're in a bit of a slump when that rush of creativity sort of slows.

You mentioned before that you had most of the story for AL mapped out and written, did it help you to plan ahead more before posting? Or was it more of a, "I didn't worry about it too much because it was fun to write and we're all Gojo simpls" kind of a deal?

Anyhow, would love to know if you'd be alright talking about it. Have a good day~

Hiiiii! It's nice to talk to you, too! 😊

Gojo fluff is addictive and I honestly have been rereading Physical Paradox installments today because I need fluff and motivation 😂

Hmmmm, advice for AO3 writers? Honestly, I feel like I'm a bit under qualified for that because I'd been an anon reader for over ten years until July when I finally created an account so I could post Another Level 😂😂

BUT, I do have a few thoughts. I'll try to keep these as simple as my over-explaining ass can 🫠 (Kiko did not keep it simple. I ranted and this post is hella long, I am so sorry.)

If you haven't already, you can read Another Level on AO3 💕

On writing in general: Write for you.

1) I know I've said this before, but it's true. Write as if no one else will ever see what you're writing to begin with. That's how I started with Another Level. I never intended for anyone else to see it when I first started. On the flip side of this though, don't be afraid of bouncing ideas off others.

It's likely vain of me, but I genuinely enjoy reading my own writing. I try very hard to make sure that what I'm posting is something I enjoy reading. But it makes it so much easier to write if you enjoy reading it, because you're just as excited to read it and see what happens as someone who isn't in your head.

2) I think that something really important for when that creativity slows in one area, don't force yourself to keep going if you don't have to. Hobbies are supposed to be fun, not an obligation or a stressor.

Once the joy fades from a hobby, it's no longer a hobby.

Think of it this way: since May of this year, I've written around 300k words for different fanfics. If we look at that from the perspective of a single-spaced, 12pt font perspective, that is 300 pages. I've written the equivalent of a gosh dang Dissertation. But here's the difference between Another Level and a Dissertation: writing and researching for Another Level was fun. It was something I wanted to do.

(We'll ignore the fact that I didn't have to teach classes and grade papers simultaneously as well. I do and don't miss grad school And honestly, I miss teaching. But academia can kiss my ass.)

3) Write what you want to write, not what others expect you to write. This isn't your job. You aren't being paid for a word count or hours put in, you're doing this for you and for fun. When you let other's expectations drive you instead of your own desire, that happiness is fleeting and it's easy to burnout fast.

4) Follow your inspiration fairies, even if only briefly. You don't have to write out an entire universe, and you don't have to keep what you write. But sometimes you have to get rid of the brainworms to make room for other ideas. I've realized that a few of my Goinko 'au' ideas are literally better just as little headcannons or blurbs and nothing more. And that's okay, because now I got them out of my system.

5) If you want to write and finish a series, only post for that series. I'm learning this the hard way right now with Gokduō and Physical Paradox. It is really hard to focus on one or the other because I feel an odd pressure to get the next parts done for both, which is completely the opposite of what it should be.

The pressure drains my creativity, and I've found myself struggling because I'm too worried about what people will think of it instead of what I want it to be. In all honesty, I had a moment today where I almost decided I don't want to finish Gokudō because I'm not sure where to take it, but I realized I just need some time away from trying to force myself.

6) If you're unhappy with it, don't be afraid to scrap it. Use it as a starting point if you want, but don't get too attached to it if you don't like where it's going. Take a step back and ask if/how it's getting you where you want to go with that work, and if it doesn't help you get there, then it can go.

What was my approach with Another Level? (includes JJK Manga spoilers)

I'll elaborate a bit more on how I had things mapped out before I started posting first. Essentially, when the Gojo/Sukuna fight started in the manga, I just knew Gojo was going to die. In my mind, there was no way Akutami would let him live, and I was in a really bad place mentally and wasn't sure how I'd be able to handle it. And then I was like "wait, that's literally why we have fanfic, I can keep him alive as long as I want."

So, I started Another Level with the intention to keep it to myself and use it as my own comfort fic to prepare myself for Gojo's death. Some behind the scenes info: a version of the dream Rinko had in Split Bluff was the very first thing I wrote for Another Level. Except it originally wasn't a dream, it was going to be their reunion. However, they weren't as close, they were solidly friends with benefits who barely knew each other. Then, I wrote a part where Rinko first meets Yuuji at the Goodwill Event and she was Maki's legal guardian and still a teacher at Kyoto Tech, then I went further back and wrote her asking Gojo to get Maki enrolled at Tokyo Tech, and then I went further back and wrote Make a God Bleed.

As you already know because you've read Another Level, none of those stayed the same because then, as I kept writing, Rinko took on a life of her own. She became so much more than just a random OC that I threw together without thinking. And I have to say that I'm so glad she did because I'm not sure I would have been able to deal with 236 without Rinko. Some people have said Rinko helped them, but she's helped me so much as well. I mean it when I say she's cemented herself as my favorite original character that I've ever written because she has so much depth and heart that I accidentally poured into her. Not to mention that she's helped me meet some really amazing people along the way.

I'm in a bit of a rut now because I was on a marathon of writing for about five or six months. I started writing Another Level in May, and while I wrote the first draft for All That I Am Is Yours probably in June or July, I pretty much completely rewrote it once we actually got there. Between May and now, I've written upwards of 300k words of JJK fanfic, not including the installments or drafts I scrapped completely 🙃

Posting schedule with Another Level:

As someone who is severely ADHD, my hyperfocus was strong with Another Level. I was obsessed. And I was even more obsessed when I realized people were enjoying reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

In all honesty, part of what kept me on a strict uploading schedule with Another Level was a desire for the validation and praise in the comments. While I had a lot written, I uploaded so quickly because I wanted to get that lil rush from seeing the comments.

Kiko is about to do a lil bit of oversharing for ya: I'd just left a job where I'd spent the last six months there with my formerly wonderful boss decided to blame me for every little thing that went wrong, and then she couldn't understand why my performance actually started to drop. I hadn't heard a damn word of positive feedback for anything I did in so long that the comments on Another Level helped pull me out of a very depressive state.

But, it quickly became unhealthy because I started to rely on them to the point where it was all I cared about. All I cared about was seeing comments on the newest Another Level installment, and when there wasn't feedback, I got all in my head about what I'd done wrong and wanted to post the next installment as quickly as possible because maybe that one would do better.

Now, this is not me saying that wanting comments is a bad thing. Feedback is very important, and it's hard to know if people are enjoying something when there's not anything to go on. But it does become a problem if it's the only reason you're writing. I've been very fortunate in that I haven't gotten comments or messages demanding updates because I've seen that others do receive those sometimes. I like to think it's because you guys are just awesome and wonderful people.

I've gotten a bit better about being obsessed with comments because I have this nice lil corner of wonderful people and I feel like I've made a few genuine friends here. (Hi Rai, if you're reading this, I hope you're doing well.)

I know that what I just described for my Another Level posting schedule contradicts what I said in the beginning, but I will say that while my posting schedule was heavily driven by that need for praise, my writing schedule was not. I was writing so much because I was enjoying myself. I was having more fun writing than I had in years. I still am, but I do have to keep reminding myself some of the points I made above otherwise I find myself falling into a rut.

THIS WAS PROBABLY WAY MORE THAN YOU BARGAINED FOR AND I AM SO SORRY 🫠

BUT I HOPE IT MADE SENSE AND THAT IT WASN'T JUST COMPLETELY FUCKING USELESS 😭😭🙃

#kiko rants #kiko's writing advice #kiko saying dumb shit #ask kiko #another level asks #goinko #gojo satoru x original female character #kurisaki rinko #rinko kurisaki fanclub #sweet asks

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pinksaphira11 · 1 year

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The Chain When It’s Over

Gosh, found a fic recently because of this wonderful art that linked to a fic at the bottom. I was curious, because the pics were pretty but didn’t explain much and it had my fav boy in it, so I decided to check it out. Saw it was long and platonic soulmates Wild & Twi and settled in for a good time. Boy the unexpected trip I just went on. All the emotions. It’s just, so so good.

But got me thinking about when things are over. I’m one of those people in denial that they’ll ever had to leave each other people it’s just SO SAD that they’ll never get to see each other again! So this made me stare it straight in the face and as I was bawling my eyes out (to Can’t Take it In by Imogen Heap from the end of the first Narnia movie I might add; was such a good song for it. also I totally forgot there was a playlist for the fic with the art whoops need to go listen to that now.) I realized I had never thought about how each of them would feel after the end, beyond them being sad they’d never see each other again. So I decided I wanted to think about it and get my thoughts out because it’s just kinda fun that way? So here we are! Lets start.

Twilight: To me, at the end of Twilight Princess, it feels like Twilight is rather lost. He’d made a new home for himself in Midna and the road so to only have the road and no one that needed help anymore, Link feels off balance. Doesn’t feel right to go back and can’t continue with his new normal. So he either goes off in search of a way to Midna or of a new purpose (or both) and ends up eventually with the Chain. It gives him that feeling again, like he had with Midna, except more so because there’s nine of them now. So when the adventure ends, even if it’s in a very satisfying way, and he heads home... he’s done a lot of healing with them, I’m sure of that, but because he’s learned to lean on them it makes it that much harder to let them go again. Much like in the fic he’d become extremely distraught and depressed over the fact that he’d never see them again. He’d treasure their memories and probably tell stories of the, but it wouldn’t be enough to completely get rid of the hole he had again. But I do think it’d be what gets him to finally decide he wants to rest and settle down somewhere. Until now I had always felt like his fate was left up in the air, like anything could have happened but I had no idea what. With Linked Universe I feel like he has a direction now, and it’s part of why I love this au. (that and the fact that all these boys get to meet and help each other heal; it’s simply wonderful and good for them all despite the dark circumstances for their meeting.)

Maybe he’d crave home like in the fic, or maybe he’d make a new place for himself somewhere (part of the reason I love the gerudo king Twi au so much; he’d have a great place to return to that’d make him feel so loved and needed and would give him something else to focus on besides his grief) but regardless of which it was he’d eventually finally find that healing and start a new life. It’d definitely take him some time though, to be okay with moving on without them.

Wild: Breath of the Wild to me has you so stuck in the past it feels like it’s weighing you down, like you can’t move forward and focus on the present because of past mistakes. I feel like that’s part of why everyone writes Wild as such a traumatized kid, poor guy. But I feel like Wolfie helped with that, like it said in the fic, saw him for him not the hero, which is why I love the idea of Wolfie being there for him. But I also think that meeting the other heroes helped too. Sure, at first he’s all depressed that he’s the only one that ‘failed’ but as he goes on he relies on them and finds himself being comforted by them and told he’s enough as he is. By the end he believes it and is much more confident in himself. And he’s ready to move on, to stop looking at the past and wishing for things to have been different and to instead make a new, better future where that won’t happen again with his new friends that were there the whole time he just was too stuck in the past to see it. I see him being very sad to let them go but keeps them as good memories instead of the ones that dragged him down from before.

Time: This one’s probably the least mysterious to everyone because we know he has a child. He’s sad to see the boys go but is confident that they’ll all lead good, full lives and will make the best of things. Then he makes that family with Malon and at some point for some reason has enough regrets to turn into the Shade. Maybe, later in life, he regrets not having taught any of the Chain more. Or maybe it’s something that we could never guess because it’s related to events we never see, like a war or trouble in the family. But I think when he first returns, he’s actually fairly put together. Sad, and has a crying moment with Malon, but good with the knowledge that they’re wonderful boys who will live well.

Warriors: He’s fine. That’s what he tells everyone, including himself. The adventure is over, and sure, he grew to love them, but he knew it was coming and had had it happen before, he’s fine, he was prepared for it. But as they watch him throw himself into work and sometimes act oddly, they all know he’s not fine. It take Artemis getting him alone and confronting him about it for him to break down and tell her that he misses them dearly, that he loved those boys like they were his own blood and the he knows he’ll never see them again. He breaks down and she lets him wail, and once all his tears are dried she tells him that he’s lucky to have met them, lucky to have gotten to know and love them in the first place, and that he should treasure their memory. She then also adds that Lana probably kept records of them. Warriors probably got to then know all about their adventures through Lana and is sad he can’t tease them with this new information. But getting it off his chest and hearing more about them helps him heal and move on. He keeps their memories with him as more people from beyond portals he became friends with and continues on, keeping these memories close to his chest and only sharing them with those he is very close to.

Legend: Legend is a mess. He tried so hard to be brave faced about it, he’s said plenty of goodbyes, but he hates them more and more with each one he has to say. He’s tired of losing people, whether they’re dead or not, and wants to find a good life like Time but is so burdened by his adventures that he cannot. He’d break down and start crying because he really grew to love those boys, he had let himself get attached again ever after all the times he’d been burned, and now he was paying the price. He probably locks himself up in his house for a while, depressed, and doesn’t want to do much. But then Ravio would come knocking on the door and not leave him be. Eventually I think Legend would spill the beans to Ravio(or Zelda), tell him all that’d happened and how much they’d meant to him even though he didn’t like to show it. How he’d had fun. How he was proud of them. How he was glad he’d met them even if he’d had to say goodbye. And Ravio would have one of his serious moment and would give him a hug. And Legend would actually accept it. Then he’d be able to move on. They’d be memories he could share with Ravio, who knew how important they were to him, and he’d laugh and cry and Ravio would still show all his attention for the story; his own kind of silent support. And Legend would move on. I think that while this would give him someone else to lose, they also helped him heal a bit too, and with him knowing they’ve just gone to live their own lives rather than are dead it makes it so he’s able to move on and heal easier. He eventually figures out his life but he holds those memories close to him but instead of telling stories of them a lot he honors their memory with the things he does and trinkets he gets.

Hyrule: After seeing all those other lush Hyrules he is determined to make their own Hyrule look like that too. He’s sad they parted and maybe cries about them sometimes, but more than anything he loves sharing the stories and what he’s learned and keeping them alive through those tales. They’re a source of hope for him, people to look up to and show that he can make his world better too, that this is not the end for Hyrule but a new beginning and the princesses are more than happy to help him. He remembers his brothers fondly and maybe he eventually makes a family of his own where he finds a new community of feeling of belonging.

Sky: Sky is so happy to be back with Sun. He’s missed her so much and the first thing he does is kiss her, then hug Groose and his Loftwing. And then he breaks down crying, making them all worry and fuss of him. He splutters through the tears to explain and they hug him and Sun asks him to tell them everything. So he does. He tells it in as much detail as he can too and they stay there for a long time, until Sky has tired himself out and is falling asleep where he sits. They bring him to bed but the next morning return, bringing him goodies and asking him to continue. And so he does. Until there is nothing more to tell and he feels far more at ease. He still misses them greatly, but now the most important people to him can remember them with him and they’ll be able to make more good memories with them. He still gets sad sometimes, when certain things remind him of them, but then he’ll smile because he knows they’re off living good lives like he is and that they’ll be just fine.

Wind: Big boys don’t cry! So he tries to wipe away the tears and tough it out. But he is still crying when he reaches his Grandma and Aryll. They’re concerned while he gives them big hugs and when Grandma asks he can’t hold it back anymore and cries while she hugs him. It comforts him and he’s eventually able to tell them about his adventure. It starts off with him being sad but evolves into a grand story of epic proportions that make Aryll and Grandma gasp at the appropriate places. But as he reaches it’s conclusion he gets sad again and Grandma tells him it’s okay to miss them, that it just means he loved them that much, and that even though they’re gone now they still live on in him, that he carries pieces of them with him. This soothes him, but what helps even more is when a few days later Aryll brings him some things she made; things that look a lot like the items the others had. She made them from his stories for her big brother and he’s moved to tears. He proudly shows off his new gear to Tetra when he sees her again and he happily shares the stories of his adventures with his brothers with all who will listen. He’ll get a little teary eyed sometimes if something hits just right but for the most part his stories, the things he learned from them, and the little pieces of them Aryll made for him are enough and he learns to move on.

Four: Four just stands there dazed. The part of him that’s red is sobbing, the part that is blue is throwing a tantrum and cursing the gods, the part that is violet is saying it’s only logical that they’d eventually have to all go home, and the part that is green is trying so hard to keep it together. As soon as he hears Dot shouting for him the green can’t keep it back anymore and the red bursts forward. She’s concerned as he becomes a whimpering mess in her arms and she brings him home, where Grandpa helps make him comfortable and they ask what happened. His green is able to hold back some of the red again while his violet tells them what happened. Tells them of his brothers. Red surges forward sometimes, and even occasionally blue will break through, but for the most part they’re quiet in the face of the memories of their brothers. Once it’s done Four is drained and they allow him to get some rest.

The next morning Grandpa pulls on his violet part with talk of a new technique. The red part rejoices at being with him again but often turns to sadness as some things remind him of the Chain. He knows Grandpa notices the tears that sometimes come out but doesn’t comment. He’s grateful. Dot comes in when they’re done and drags him around town to do some shopping with her. It’s much the same as it was with Grandpa but this time she points out things that remind her of the stories he told the night before. At first it makes the red part of him weep but eventually it get more excited than sad; there’s parts of them everywhere they look and something about that is comforting. His green part is able to finally take more control again and from then on Dot and Four love looking for things that remind them of his brothers. It’s a treasure for them to share and Grandpa seems to suddenly gain an interest in history, occasionally tossing the odd book his way suspiciously turned to a page that mentions something about heroes.

#linked universe #legend of zelda #amazing fic #go read it #twilight princess #breath of the wild #ocarina of time #hyrule warriors #link to the past #adventure of link #skyward sword #wind waker #minish cap #these turned out more fanficy than i intended again whoops

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dreamylittlesugarcube · 2 years

Text

Flames of Attraction

Genre: EXO AU

Characters: Kyungsoo x Female Reader

Warnings: Swearing, kissing, mentions of “the deed” but nothing graphic

Word Count: 9.3k

Summary: Who’s the boss? You are! Or at least, you had been until he showed up. For the past month, you’d busted your sous-chef butt to keep the hotel restaurant afloat after the head chef abruptly up and quit. Now, the manager’s brought in a friend, celebrity chef Do Kyungsoo, to lead the kitchen. With Kyungsoo wanting to run things his way, will tensions flame into something more?

A/N: Oh my gosh, I finally finished! This is my longest fic to date, as part of the Crimson Aurora Hotel and Spa Collab. Buckle up for ~10k, folks! ! hope you enjoy it! Please re-blog so that others can find and interact with this post easier. Thanks a million!

P.S. I’m planning to write some filthy epilogues for anyone interested!

P.S. GIFS and pictures do not belong to me, so credit should go to the original owners. (theonly-vagina-kyungsoo-will-fuk

~*~

“Feeling a little tense today, boss?”

You glanced up briefly from your pork cutlets to find Hyun-min staring at you, elbows on the counter in a manner you’d told him you don’t enjoy. As the chef de partie in charge of the meat station, a classmate from culinary school, and a long-time friend, he was entirely too perceptive for your liking. This quality was exceptionally beneficial in the workplace, but not so much when you were trying to squash your anger in the name of professionalism.

“No, what makes you think that?” you responded, lying through your teeth.

Hyun-min flashed you a cheshire cat grin, feigning nonchalance. “Oh, I don’t know…maybe because our new boss shows up tomorrow? THE WORLD FAMOUS CELEBRITY CHEF DO KYUNGSOO?!”

“Who’s side are you on anyway?” you mumbled as Hyun-min squealed in excitement.

“Yours, of course. But I can’t help it. The man’s a legend–helming a three-starred Michelin restaurant when he was under the age of 25 and he’s model-hot?!”

He fanned himself dramatically with a copy of tonight’s menu.

No one needed to tell you how talented Do Kyungsoo was. His accomplishments spoke for themselves–the book deals, the television shows, the James Beard awards, and yes–the coveted Michelin stars. You'd watched him on TV before and couldn’t deny that he’s good–okay, amazingly good, with a great knack for flavor. He’s been listed in more than one “30 Under 30” article. Was it fair to be blessed with that level of both talent and looks?! Furthermore, you wondered why someone like him, who’s been the executive chef of many, many famous restaurants would come here. Perhaps, Manager Kim had more connections than you knew.

It’s been several months since Head Chef Maurice abruptly departed. Many chefs have been interested in replacing him, but Manager Kim wasn’t satisfied with any of them, which left you, the sous-chef, to fill in the gaps.

Rather than sticking to one type of cuisine, you introduced fusion dishes, which have been very well-received. You were happy, guests were happy, and Mr. Kim seemed happy…so happy that you thought he might give you the promotion you always dreamed of. After five years of toiling away at this restaurant you’d thought maybe, just maybe this was your time. You felt blindsided at the news of Do Kyungsoo’s arrival not even two days ago, which left you with no time to process anything beyond anger.

“I’m fine,” you said tightly, grabbing your meat hammer. “Absolutely.” Pound. “100%.” Pound. “Totally.” Pound. “Fine.” Pound. Pound. Pound. Pound.

“Uh-huh, sure,” Hyun-min sayid, narrowing his eyes in obvious doubt. “You can lie all you want, honey…but don’t take it out on my poor, innocent pork cutlets. They’re supposed to be thinly pressed, not hacked to pieces!”

He quickly grabbed the tray of meat and moved it protectively out of the way, like you were a wild animal he couldn’t trust not to strike once his back was turned.

You flushed in embarrassment at your lack of composure, still incredibly on edge. Since you weren’t allowed to mete out your frustrations on the schnitzel, you’d need to seek out other avenues. Fortunately, your friend at the front desk was only too happy to help, and before you knew it, you were face down on a massage table, tension draining from your limbs under the masterful hands of the Crimson Aurora’s best masseuse.

~*~

Not 20 minutes into your lavender-induced stupor, a knock sounded at the door. Jongin told you to wait and slipped out the door, returning to quietly inform you that a certain Do Kyungsoo had arrived and “required your immediate attention.”

As you dressed, you could feel your stomach twisting into knots as you made your way to the kitchen. Standing outside the kitchen doors, the absence of clanging pans, furious chopping, and loud, boisterous voices was your first clue that something was amiss. Through the window, you could see the kitchen staff positioned in a line, as though awaiting military inspection from their commanding officer. Do Kyungsoo stood in front of them, looking every bit the formidable chef he was rumored to be in his immaculate black chef’s coat.

Taking a deep breath, you pushed the door open, crossing the threshold that usually felt so familiar, yet was now completely alien. You put on your best “welcome” smile and stepped into the lion’s den. The noise from the squeaky doors drew the man’s attention and he turned to look at you.

Coming forward, you bowed in greeting. “Hello, my name is ____. I’m the sous-chef here. My apologies for being late, I was just informed of your arrival.”

Kyungsoo sized you up from head to toe, noting your messy hair, untucked shirt, and overall lack of polish. Not what he’d expect from his supposed second-in-command. What type of serious chef got a massage during the work day? If he were any of his former employers, you’d be given your notice immediately. The restaurant world was an unforgiving place, but Kyungsoo knew the dangers of being too quick to judge, so your skills in the kitchen had better impress.

You shuffled past Chef Do to stand beside Hyun-min, painfully aware that the former probably definitely knew exactly where you were. You might not be happy that he was here, but you’d never want your professionalism to be questioned over such a matter. Tonight he wanted to observe and see how the kitchen works and this dinner was your chance to wow him, to prove to Chef Do that you knew what you were doing. You’d worked your butt off covering for Chef Maurice and done a good job, goddammit!

With renewed vigor, you threw yourself into preparing tonight’s special, your team working hard alongside you to pull out the stops, all while under Chef Do’s watchful eye. It was unnerving to feel his gaze on you, judging your every move during prep work–choice of ingredients, knife work, organization–and you could tell everyone else in the room was feeling the same tension. If Hyun-min was an open book, then this man was the definition of a book wrapped in chains with a lock and key, his expression never changing, making it frustratingly impossible to know his thoughts.

Kyungsoo circled the kitchen, observing each and every moving part, noting both what he liked and things that needed to change. People had always told Kyungsoo that he was hard to read. His agent was always telling him he needed to “emote” better and give more fan service to the camera when he was filming shows. Kyungsoo disagreed–it wasn’t that he hid his emotions, he just didn’t see the point in pretending to be something he wasn’t.

Cooking was serious business–raw and real, both chaotic and orderly at the same time.

During filming for his various television shows, he missed the sights and sounds of the organized chaos around him–orders coming left and right, a flurry of quick hands pushing dishes through the window, and the joyful calm of the knife in his hand as he rhythmically chopped vegetables.

By the time the first ticket came through, you and your team were in the groove and you were forever thankful for muscle memory. The donkkaseu was perfect–golden and crunchy from the panko crumbs and slightly spicy from the red pepper flakes. It went down on a brioche bun, topped with kimchi coleslaw, and accompanied by a creamy gamja salad. Running a clean cloth around the edge of the plate, you rang the bell, literally sending your heart and soul out of the kitchen on a platter.

Ashley, longtime waitress and confidant, gave you a thumbs up through the window and you breathed a sigh of relief. Throughout the night, customer reactions were generally positive and you fielded the odd complaint of “the fish is dry” or “I asked for the steak medium” with ease.

10:00 came and went and the kitchen closed down to its nighttime snack menu, serving a selection of Korean favorites like pajeon, tteokbokki, stir-fried squid, and cheese corn to be paired with a menu of creative cocktails. This brainchild of your’s and Taemin’s, the hotel bartender, had worked to draw in guests coming back from shows and concerts and attracted pedestrians from the outside looking for an elevated bar experience.

An hour later, the kitchen was clean and the prep for tomorrow was done. You thanked the team for their hard work and sent them home, with you and Hyun-min remaining to fulfill the last-minute orders. You could see Chef Do in his office through the open door, scribbling furiously, no doubt making sure to take down every little mistake made during tonight’s service. You cringed, knowing there would be a debrief sooner rather than later, but pledged to defend yourself and your team, should the need arise. Everything ran smoothly tonight and you were proud of the job you’d done, though not immune to the fact that there was always room for improvement.

Hyun-min rang the bell and Ashley came to retrieve an order, a secretive smile on her face, which could mean only one thing: gossip.

“Am I going to have to ask or are you just going to tell me?” you asked, giving her a pointed look before handing over the plate of cheesy rice cakes.

“Fine, twist my arm if you must.”

Ashley beckoned you and Hyun-min over and leaned in close, as though she was about to divulge top-secret information.

“Chanyeol’s getting lucky tonight…sent a drink to a girl and now he’s laying on the moves.”

“Hot piano guy?” you clarified, watching as Hyunmin hung his head and groaned. “Sorry, Hyun-min, I guess that ship has sunk.”

“Why are all the available men in this place taken?” he whined. “First hot, ice king Sehun, now tall drink of water, Chanyeol?!”

You patted his arm in sympathy and silent agreement. Despite the fact that the Crimson Aurora Hotel seemed to employ a mysterious amount of above-average looking men, neither of you had been able to make a love connection.

That might be for the best, you mused.

You worked long hours and not everyone was understanding about the amount of time and effort it took to do what you do. Your last boyfriend had complained that you worked too much, were too focused on the restaurant and not enough on him or your relationship. In hindsight, he’d been right–you had put the job first–but honestly, he hadn’t supported you in the way you needed–always making comments about you needing to “get a real job” like his. You wanted and deserved someone who not only believed in you, but understood your drive and passion for creation and innovation.

Ashley grabbed the plate from the pass and turned on her heels, throwing an “I’ll keep you updated” over her shoulder.

With the last order of the night complete, you closed down the kitchen, hanging up your apron on the hook before turning off the lights. The glow from the office drew your eye, but the now-closed door dissuaded you from further investigation. Slinging your bag over your shoulder, you pushed through the kitchen doors and made your way to the place your night usually ended: the bar.

You slid onto a bar top stool, feeling relaxed for the first time today. The red bubble pendant lights, reminiscent of magma, cast a crimson glow over the space. At this hour, the place was mostly deserted, save a lone businessman in one of the alcoves. Seeing no sign of Chanyeol, you assumed he’d retired for the evening with his new lady friend.

Without asking, Taemin placed your drink of choice in front of you and you took a sip, enjoying the burst of fruity flavor on your tongue. He left you to your thoughts, but not before leaving you a bowl of spiced nuts and prawn crackers to snack on. You closed your eyes, letting the jazzy music wash over you, appreciating this time to decompress.

“May I join you?”

The request, accompanied by a gentle tap on the shoulder startled you practically out of your chair. Chef Do stood before you, dressed in jeans and a simple black t-shirt, looking remarkably less intimidating than just an hour previous. Considering the two of you hadn’t started off on the right foot, you couldn’t imagine what he wanted to talk about.

When you gave a hesitant nod, Kyungsoo took a seat next to you. Mindful of first impressions and the work he had to do tomorrow, he asked for water when the bartender came to take his order. You were quiet next to him, so he tried to break the ice.

“Service went well today…You did well today, _____.”

You froze mid-swallow, sputtering as liquid went down the wrong way.

“Was that the wrong thing to say?” he wondered.

“No,” you confirmed, trying to keep your tone as even as possible. “Just not what I was expecting.”

Kyungsoo managed to stifle a smile.“What were you expecting then?”

What had you been expecting?

A jerk who thought he walked on air, someone who ordered others around without deigning to lend a hand, that’s what. It would be easier to hate someone like that, easier to let your anger simmer under the surface. Honestly, you weren’t sure what to do with the person who was currently in front of you. You munched on the prawn cracker, grateful for the crunch, crunch that filled the silence.

Kyungsoo lifted a brow at your obvious avoidance of the question. He chose to artfully change the topic. Eyeing up the prawn crackers, he asked you to share, taking a second to lift it to his nose and inspect the outside before putting it in his mouth.

“Even fry, consistent cuts, crisp texture. Where do you source these from? They remind me of the ones my grandmother used to make.”

“Actually, all the bar snacks are made in-house,” you informed him, pride filling you as you spoke.

You explained that you’d been trialing the homemade snacks and late-night bar menu in hopes of attracting new customers, ones who appreciated quality food and alcohol.

“Not what you were expecting?” you responded cheekily.

“Not exactly,” he returned, smiling genuinely at your response.

“And the response has been good?” he asked, a hint of skepticism as he peered around the now-deserted room.

You grinned behind your hand. “There’s a concert venue down that street that should be getting out in about–”, you checked your watch, “–fifteen minutes. This place’ll be packed soon with people looking to wind down from their music high. I usually try to be out of here by then, but you’re welcome to stick around and see the chaos for yourself.”

You downed the rest of your drink and pulled cash from your wallet, which Taemin warded away with a firm shake of his head and an “on the house”. You bowed your head in appreciation and stuck a couple bills into the tip jar.

“Just friends trying to support friends,” you said, smiling sweetly at Taemin’s look of censure.

You looked over to see that Chef Do had finished his water and put his coat on. You bid each other goodnight and then you were off to the subway station, ready to get home to your apartment, take a well-deserved shower and watch some mindless TV.

Sitting at home, wrapped up in a blanket, you flipped through TV channels searching for something to watch, not that there was anything decent to watch this late anyway. You turned to a cooking channel that was your usual standby and came face-to-face once again, with your new boss, but this time he was whipping someone’s butt in a battle for the best beef bourguignon. He won, of course, but on these types of shows it seemed like he always did.

You thought back to your day, which to your surprise, wasn’t as bad as you imagined it might be. This morning you’d been angry–angry that Chef Do was coming, angry with Manager Kim for not giving you a promotion, and in all honesty, angry with yourself for not being good enough yet.

Now, those emotions felt flimsy and fragile, slipping through your fingers like air, and as much as you tried to hold on, away they went. Resentment might remain, sure, but a burgeoning respect had started to well inside you, one that recognized talent for talent and appreciated a dry sense of humor…and something else too, that you don’t want to name just yet. With that in mind, you clicked the television off, tuning the man out of your living room and out of your life–at least until tomorrow.

~*~

Morning came and Kyungsoo felt hungover, despite having nothing but water at the bar last night. He knew it would be a long day at the restaurant, so he filled up on some breakfast and plain coffee. His phone rang and he saw his agent’s number flashing on the screen. He was tempted to ignore the call, but knew she’d just keep calling back if he didn't pick up.

“How’s my rockstar chef today?” his agent, Nina, drawled in her Texas accent.

“Fine, Nina, just–”

“Perfect,” she interrupted. “Listen babe, I know this whole “head chef” thing wasn’t exactly your first choice, but Kim Junmyeon is a good friend and I owed him a favor. Think of it like a little mini-vacation.”

It was obvious that Nina had never worked in the kitchen because no one, no one who’d ever worked in a restaurant kitchen would refer to it as a “vacation”.

“Listen sugar, I’m working on lining up another show for you. The network is thrilled with ratings for your last series and they’re clamoring for more.”

“But Nina, I don’t want to–”

“Yeah, you don’t want to stay at the hotel for too long. I know, I know. Nina will get you out of there soon, don’t you worry.”

“That’s not what I was going to–”

“Listen, Kyungsoo, my Starbucks is here so I’ve got to run. Mwah!”

Kyungsoo didn’t even have time to say anything before she was gone. He wasn’t surprised–Nina ran a mile a minute and he was absolutely certain the woman was made up of 90% caffeine. She’d been his agent for years, since the beginning, when he’d been a simple link cook with a dream.

It would be fair to say he never expected things to go this far–the crowds, the book deals, the shows, the fame–everything. All he ever wanted was to share his cooking with the world, maybe even own his own farm-to-table restaurant, so truth be told, he was excited at the prospect of settling down for a little while and making his mark on the Ink & Pepper.

When he’d been approached about the opportunity six months ago, the Ink & Pepper had seemed like a restaurant with uninspired food and little direction, and needing some massive changes. He’d come prepared to wipe the slate clean of anything or anyone weighing down the place–employees, concepts, menus, whatever it took. Upon arrival, he’d been shocked to find the kitchen in pretty decent working order. Provisions were well-organized, stations were clean, and the staff worked cohesively.

Not at all what he expected.

He knew it came down to you, the sous-chef masquerading as the one in charge. The sous-chef who got massages during the work day. He hadn’t thought much of you when you walked in looking like you’d just woken up from a three-hour nap; however, you’d quickly proved him wrong–executing and expediting dishes flawlessly.

From the beginning, it was obvious you were used to being top dog and he wondered how you’d take to following his orders. He smiled, fondly thinking of the days he himself had been filled with bright ideas and loads of sass-not so different from you.

With a little time left before he had to be at the restaurant, he took his two puppies out for a walk before dropping them off at daycare. Leaving his car behind, Kyungsoo strolled through the neighborhood, making note of the small, tucked-away restaurants that he wanted to try (and maybe own) someday.

He was stopped by several older ladies who asked for his autograph and was happy to oblige. Two signed napkins and many selfies later, he was zooming through the streets on his way to the Crimson Aurora.

The kitchen was in full swing by the time he walked through the doors and he was greeted by the sound of clanging pots, sizzling pans, and steam, which halted to a whisper. Gazes followed him as he walked to his office and stowed his things. He called the team together and went over his notes from the previous evening. Once he made it clear that he wasn’t firing anybody, the staff visibly relaxed…well maybe except you.

You frowned several times while he was talking, most notably when he mentioned that menus would solely focus on classic, French cuisine. Interesting. You must prefer a different style of food, and he made a note to ask you about that later. You also cringed when he critiqued the cook on the lamb chops from last night. Not debatable, in his opinion, it was medium or bust.

After he finished, he pulled several staff members to go over the grocery order for next week, when his menu went into effect. He had relationships with some of the top vendors in the city and he wanted to make sure the restaurant had access to the best ingredients possible. He hadn’t had time to go over the new menu with you, but he was excited to roll it out next week.

The day flew by–diners came and went, food left the kitchen and empty plates came back–and soon the moon was high in the sky. The kitchen lights dimmed, and from his office he could see the staff heading out for the night, leaving you and Hyun-min behind to finish up.

The spicy, sweet smell of tteokbokki filled his nose, making his mouth water. He remembered the tteokbokki his mother used to make him growing up, with plenty of fish cakes and sliced eggs.

During culinary school at Le Cordon Bleu, he lived in Paris, adopting the lifestyle and the cuisine. Fresh fruits and vegetables, cheeses, yogurt, meat, and fish–a delicious and nutritious diet, but very different from the food he ate growing up.

From his vantage point, he could hear bits and pieces of your conversation with Hyun-min–a bad experience on a blind date, the latest episode of The Bachelor, and Hyun-min’s cat giving him the cold shoulder. Kyungsoo didn’t have any use for idle gossip, so ended up tuning out most of it anyway, at least until he got a late-night call from New York. By the time he was done, the kitchen was deserted. Curious, made his way to the bar, and sure enough, there you were, sitting in your usual spot. Without thinking too hard, he slid into the seat next to you and ordered his new usual.

~*~

Three months later

“Just water will do tonight, Taemin.”

You knew who spoke without even having to look. Chef Do’s voice was distinct–deep and rich like melting chocolate, one that carried perfectly in a room (or kitchen). Water again tonight, it seemed. It made sense, Chef Do–Kyungsoo, as he’d told you to call him off-the-clock, seemed like a water kind of guy.

“Do you drink anything else besides water?”

“Do you drink anything besides passion fruit cocktails, ___?” Kyungsoo shot back playfully, sliding into the seat next to you.

“I’ll have you know these are passion fruit mocktails, Kyungsoo. In my old-age, I can’t handle alcohol on a weekday like I could in my youth.”

You were over-exaggerating a little bit, considering you weren’t even 30, but bouncing back seemed harder these days, especially when you had the responsibility of being up for work just hours later.

Looking over at Kyungsoo, you lifted an eyebrow. “What’s your excuse?”

Kyungsoo shrugged. “I just drink water, nothing else. It’s very…hydrating.”

He winced, clearly aware of how obvious that answer was.

You nodded awkwardly before reaching into your bag and pulling out a glass container. You’d learned that Kyungsoo was a sucker for snack foods, so this ought to do the trick. Oddly enough, this had kind of become your nightly routine for the past few months: cook your butt off all day and hole up at the bar with your boss at night. Hyun-min had joined you a couple of times, but dubbed it “boring” since it didn’t involve soju, spandex, and getting down at the club.

“You want some kimbap? Nothing fancy, just some beef rolls and a couple of tuna.”

You handed over the container for Kyungsoo’s inspection. Someone once said “you eat with your eyes first”, and you found that was especially true for chefs. Your kimbaps looked pretty good, the veggies were cut consistently, the egg was yellow and soft, and the roll was tight. Not as good as your mom’s, but decent.

Kyungsoo cautiously took one and popped it in his mouth. You offered him more and the two of you ate in silence.

Kyungsoo chewed thoughtfully before asking: “When do you have time to make these things? The rice seems really fresh, so obviously these weren’t made yesterday.”

“We usually keep some ingredients on-hand for staff in case they get hungry. I make them right before we leave…you’re usually on the phone when I do.”

Kyungsoo let out a big sigh, massaging his temples.

“It’s my agent, Nina. She lives in New York, so there’s a bit of a time difference.”

“How do you do it all?” you wondered aloud. “Balance running a restaurant and a television career at the same time?”

Kyungsoo chuckled, but the smile didn't reach his eyes.

“Truth is, I don’t. It’s always one or the other. If I’m filming a show, I’m gone from work for weeks or months at a time. My agent is always pushing me to do more shows and appearances, but if I do, it takes me away from being in the kitchen. Even now she’s pushing me to judge some big competition show in Europe.”

It was surprising to hear this from him. He seemed like such a natural on television, born to be on screen. You would have never guessed he felt any other way, but here he was, wanting the simple basics of cheffing.

“...but you’ve worked at some of the best restaurants in the world…all those Michelin stars…”

“But are they truly mine?” he mused. “Someone else’s vision…someone else’s kitchen…not mine…”

Getting a Michelin star always seemed like a pipe dream, so much so you never gave them more than a passing thought. But pondering it now, you realized he was right: Michelin stars were given out to restaurants with outstanding cooking, in terms of ingredients, flavor, technique and consistency over time. While the chef might be the vehicle to gaining those stars, the stars stayed, even if the chef moved on to other places.

“Well, technically this place is yours now, right?” you said, trying to lighten the mood.

Kyungsoo smiled softly. “Yeah…I guess you’re right. A place of my own to finally do as I wish….”

Though you’d slowly come to accept the reality of working under Kyungsoo, your chest still tightened at his words. A place of my own.

“...and what about you?” he continued. “You must have a dream too.”

When you sheepishly admitted to having a similar dream, understanding lit his eyes.

“Ah, so that’s why you’ve been so morose about the menus lately.”

“I have not been morose”, you grumbled as Kyungsoo shot you a look of mock disbelief. “I haven’t! Disappointed is the word I would use.”

Kyungsoo scratched his chin thoughtfully. “Have you ever thought about working somewhere else? There’s got to be hundreds of places that would see the value in your skills.”

“I mean, sure, I’ve thought about it here and there, but the Ink & Pepper was the place I first got my start and the people there are like family. I’m not sure I could leave. It just feels right, you know?”

Kyungsoo nodded in understanding, at the same time knowing opportunities would be more ripe if you looked beyond the small boutique hotel restaurant. Plenty of talented chefs never made it further than being someone else’s underling and he didn’t want that to happen to you. Kyungsoo knew many of the top people in the industry and if he put a word in with the right people, maybe you’d…

Taemin chose that moment to interrupt, saying the bar was closing, and checking your watch, you realized you and Kyungsoo had never stayed this late before. You meandered down the sidewalk, silently making your way towards the bus stop, together but alone in your thoughts. Kyungsoo dropped you off at your stop and you watched his back as he slowly walked away.

“Are you going to do it?”

You were loud enough that Kyungsoo turned back, his brows furrowed in confusion.

“The show, I mean. Are you going to do it?”

Kyungsoo’s eyes filled with understanding, as he came to a stop a few feet from you.

“I’m not sure,” he admitted. “Why? Just waiting for me to go so you can take back your crown?”

“Hardly.” you huffed, scowling at the mischief you saw in his eyes.

“Then you’ll miss me?” he asked, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

You rolled your eyes. “Again, hardly.”

He stepped closer. “That’s a shame, because I’d miss you, ___”, he said quietly.

You turned towards him, ready to deliver another biting comeback, when you saw he was serious.

“You what?”

“You heard me. I said I’d miss you.”

Dazed, you sucked in a breath, trying to process what you just heard. It was quiet around you, and you realized Kyungsoo was waiting for you to speak. Words needed to be formulated into sentences, but unfortunately your brain was jumbled up like a plate of scrambled eggs.

Kyungsoo stepped closer, and all you could see were his eyes, jet-black against the night sky. He lifted his hand to your face, running his thumb across your cheek in a gentle caress. You opened your mouth to speak, but no words came out, as though your brain was unable to process anything but the ripples of electricity running through your body and the warmth of his skin against yours in the cool night air.

In your peripheral, you heard the squeal of the bus as it angled into your stop. The doors hummed as they opened and several people got off, no doubt ready to hit the town. You needed to get on that bus, but to do that, you’d have to break away.

Kyungsoo reached up to clasp your face with both hands, drawing your gaze back to him, no doubt sensing your imminent withdrawal.

“I have my car here, ____.” Kyungsoo murmured, his deep voice making you feel tingly. “Let me take you home.”

With the bus driver looking your way, you only had a few seconds to make a choice. You knew what you should do–get on the bus and go home to your apartment alone–but here you were, contemplating being alone with a man–your boss you might add! — a man you’d never thought about in a romantic way until now…

Are you sure? a voice inside you countered. You’ve never thought of him in any other way? Never fantasized about him caging you against the door of the walk-in? Not once imagined what was under the tight, black chef’s coat he wears everyday?

You sucked in a breath as your brain acknowledged what your heart had known for a while now. Kyungsoo occupied your thoughts during the day (and night) more than you’d like to admit, and before you could remind yourself this was a bad idea, you found yourself blushing and nodding.

You took the arm he offered, and soon you were cruising through the city street. Leaning back against the expensive leather seats, you could feel a deep tiredness settle into your bones. You fought to stay awake, but as the car’s warmth drifted over you and soft jazz filled your ears, you were soon lulled into dreamland, as Kyungsoo’s car sped towards your destination.

~*~

Kyungsoo eased to a stop in front of your apartment, happy you had agreed to let him take you home. This was too far from the hotel for you to travel alone. He’d definitely be dropping you off on a regular basis, now that he knew. Not only would it satisfy his concern for your safety, but selfishly, it would also fill his need for you.

Looking over, he smiled to see you dozing next to him. Turned towards him in sleep, he admired your features in the soft glow of the streetlights. It was so different to see this side of you, so relaxed and serene–a stark contrast to the fast-paced, tenacious dynamite you were in the kitchen.

You murmured in your sleep and his gaze was drawn to your lips and he wondered what they felt like. His hand hovered inches over lips and he longed to run his thumb across your cupid’s bow.

His plan was foiled by the blare of a car alarm two blocks down, causing you to startle awake.

“Kyungsoo! How long have we been sitting here? Why didn’t you wake me?” you admonished, playfully swatting him on the shoulder.

Truthfully, he’d enjoyed watching you sleep, just being near you was enough to make his heart flutter. But as usual, Kyungsoo played things closer to the vest, not wanting you to know how much you affected him.

“Should I have carried you up the stairs then, like a gallant knight aiding a fair lady?”

You made a retching sound in your throat. “No, absolutely not. Besides–” you say, your gaze flickering up and down his body, “I have doubts that you’d even be able to get me to the door.”

Kyungsoo knew it was a joke, but it didn’t stop him from bristling at your words.

“Ah, that’s where you’d be wrong, ____. You see I lift.”

You quirked a brow in his direction, amusement sparkling in your eyes. “Yeah, lift pans, maybe.”

“Try me,” he challenged.

“Okay, you’re on. A piggyback ride all the way up to my apartment. Oh and did I mention I live on the 4th floor?” you added, bursting with glee.

Looking out the window at your tall apartment building, Kyungsoo found himself regretting his rash words just a bit. He did go to the gym, he hadn’t been lying about that, it was a necessity in his line of work to keep his stamina up. However, he’d never carried an adult human more than a couple of yards at any given time. Puffing up his chest, he knew he’d make it even if it killed him, he had a lady to impress, afterall.

When Kyungsoo bent down and ushered you on, you hesitantly stepped forward to get into position, sliding your arms around his neck. Up close, the pleasing scent of forest teased your senses and you had to stop yourself from pressing your face into his neck and inhaling the musky scent.

Kyungsoo lifted you with surprising ease, wasting no time before starting the long ascent up the winding staircase. As he climbed and climbed, Kyungsoo’s breathing quickened and you could tell he was getting winded. His palms were scalding through your pants and you could feel the warmth of him seeping into your skin. When you finally reached your apartment door, Kyungsoo sounded like he was running a marathon.

“Alright. Here. We Are. I Win.” Kyungsoo said, taking a long breath between each word.

You held your hands up in defeat. “Okay, okay, I surrender. I was wrong.”

Being wrong had never, ever felt so right.

Kyungsoo gently set you back on your feet, before turning to face you.

“So what’s my prize?”

“Your what?”

“My prize, ____. You challenged me, I won, therefore it’s only fair to receive appropriate compensation.”

“And what’s your idea of ‘appropriate compensation’?”

You knew what you wanted him to say, what you wanted him to do. The moment at the bus stop had teased your senses, and now, all you could think about is what it would feel like to have his lips against yours, his strong arms pressing you tight against his body.

Kyungsoo detected the hint of flirtation in your voice and it chafed against his conscience. Up until now, he’d been able to keep up the light-hearted conversation, continue to play the game, both now and at work, while burning on the inside. The angel on his shoulder told him this was a bad idea, that no good could come from kissing an employee, but the devil on his other whispered about how good it would feel to finally have your lips against his own.

Before he knew it, his body made the choice for him, wanting satisfaction and tired of this constant state of denial. His arms shot out, encircling your waist and pulling you tight against his body. Your eyes widened, narrowing on his lips, and he took that as an invitation to seal his mouth against yours.

Sinking into Kyungsoo’s warmth, your hands wound around his neck to secure him closer. You sighed into his mouth, tilting your head to the side, squealing at the feel of his tongue teasing your lower lip. Your hands found their way into Kyungsoo’s silky hair, and you tugged him closer, groaning as he sucked your tongue between his lips. The sound of heavy breathing filled the quiet hallway and you wanted nothing more than for him to slide you up the wall and take you out of your misery.

Kyungsoo’s attention drifted to your neck, allowing you a moment of reprieve to catch your breath. Soft lips moved from your collarbone to just below your ear, alternating between gentle kisses and soft flicks of tongue. Kyungsoo paused to blow lightly on your skin, still wet from his previous care. You shivered at the sudden hot-cold sensation, clutching Kyungsoo’s head closer in a silent bid for more.

Footsteps echoed in the hallway and the sound of male voices drew closer. You knew those voices: Hyun-min and his posse on the way back from a wild night out.

Forced from your lust-induced haze, you regrettably tore away from Kyungsoo’s lips. Kyungsoo’s stark look of confusion quickly faded as he realized the situation you were about to be in. Shoving the key into the lock, you pushed open the door, pulling Kyungsoo inside in the nick of time.

As the voices outside faded, you breathed a sigh of relief. The last thing you needed was Hyun-min finding you pressed up against your boss as he sucked on your neck. Not because he’d object, but simply because he’d never let you live it down.

In the darkened apartment, it was quiet, save for the sounds of late-night traffic drifting through the window and Kyungsoo breathing beside you. Pins and needles ran up and down your spine, your entire body titillated by the sounds of Kyungsoo’s movements in the darkness. Wanting more.

Kyungsoo whispered your name. Yes or no? he silently asked.

When you didn’t respond, he slid his hand along the wall, fumbling for the lightswitch, as if that would bring the answers he sought.

You had only seconds to make a decision.

Yes or no?

A split second decision. You clapped your hand over his, preventing him from flipping the switch. In the darkness, the sweet spell remained, unbroken by obtrusive light. And in the dark, consequences be damned.

Reaching out, you grabbed Kyungsoo’s hand, softly tugging him further into your apartment.

~*~

Fuck. Chop. Fuck. Chop. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Chop. Chop. Chop.

Kyungsoo dropped the knife, running his fingers through his hair. Getting on the line usually helped clear his thoughts, but not today. No matter what he tried, his thoughts drifted back to you. It’d been dark when he woke in your bed, so dark his eyelids had practically begged for more sleep. It had been so tempting to wrap you tightly in his arms and remain.

But he had left.

It wasn’t his style to leave without a word, but he’d been unsure of where you stood. He felt regret with how things had ended–you deserved to wake to a frittata and fresh coffee in bed, not to cold sheets and an empty apartment.

The back of his neck heated in shame. He’d slept with an employee. This was basic work ethics 101–do not engage in sexual relations with staff members. Cocky it would never happen, he’d let his guard down around you. How could he–

“Something bothering you, Chef?” Hyun-min asked, startling Kyungsoo from his thoughts.

Kyungoo attempted nonchalance. “No. Why would you think that?”

“Maybe because you’re practically pulverizing the vegetables,” Hyun-min said gesturing knowingly to the cutting board. “Unless gazpacho is now on the menu?”

Kyungsoo looked down to see finely diced tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions, cut too small for the fresh salad he’d intended to make.

Hyun-min loaded the remaining vegetables on a tray, carting them away before any further damage could be done. “I swear, you and _____ have it out for my station,” he muttered as he walked away.

Cut off from his distraction, he was grateful for once when his phone rang.

“Hello, Nina,” he greeted, closing himself into his office for what would no doubt be a lengthy conversation.

“Hey, doll. How are ya?”

“Well, actually Nina–”

“Great, glad to hear it. Listen–Nina came through for you, love. You’re out.”

Kyungsoo frowned. “What do you mean, Nina?”

Nina sighed, talking slowly as if she were explaining it to a toddler. “I mean you’re out of that little restaurant, babe. The network called and the competition show in Europe is a ‘go’. They want you there in two days.”

Kyungsoo sucked in a breath, trying to digest what he’d just heard. Two days? Nowhere near enough time to tie up loose ends–both with the restaurant and with you.

“Two days, Nina? That’s–”

“I know, love. It’s an eternity, but what can I do? You have a flight to London tonight, so pack a bag and head to the airport. I’m sending the tickets to your email now.”

“Thank you, Nina, but I–”

“No problem, kiddo. Nina’s here for you. Oops, Bobby’s here, gotta run. Talk soon, mwah!”

Before he could get a word in edgewise, the call dropped and she was gone. Kyungsoo vowed to himself that he’d get a new agent when this was all over, someone who actually let him finish sentences once in a while. Or let him have a vacation. Do anything that wasn’t on a schedule.

By the time he’d packed up his office, the rest of the staff had filtered in, prepping for the long day ahead. A soft knock sounded at the door, drawing his attention. You slipped inside, shutting the door behind you, a look of determination on your face. You turned, walking to stand in front of him with your arms crossed.

“I have something I want to talk to you about, Chef Do.” you announced, the use of his formal title not lost on him.

He gestured for you to sit, but you remained firmly where you were.

“Why did you leave like that?” you whispered, voice low in the off chance anyone was listening outside. “You just left..no note..no text…no nothing. Did it not mean anything to you?”

Your voice cracked at the end, betraying the hurt you’d promised to keep hidden.

Kyungsoo sighed, running his hands over his face. “No, ____, of course not. But I’m your boss. I crossed a line last night–”

“We crossed a line last night,” you corrected, hurt turning into anger at the insinuation he’d somehow taken advantage of you. “I remember being very much in control last night, Kyungsoo.”

Watching the hurt blossom in your eyes, Kyungsoo wanted nothing more than to take you in his arms, assure you that last night had been special, a night he’d never forget.

His phone dinged and he looked down to see an email from his agent, with the tickets for his flight. He had a flight out of here to London tonight and the timing couldn’t have been worse.

Fuming with righteous indignation, you looked around Kyungsoo’s office, for the first time noting its emptiness. Where pages and pages of notes had dominated its walls, now stood bare. Stacks of cookbooks were packed neatly into brown boxes sitting on the floor. Your heart squeezed at the realization: he was leaving. But why? Surely it couldn’t be because of last night…

“So…that’s it? You’re leaving…just like that?” you said in disbelief. “Was it because of last night?”

Kyungsoo flinched, not liking the hurt in your voice. “No…no absolutely not. My agent called me this morning…the show is on, _____. They’re expecting me in London the day after tomorrow…I have a flight out tonight.”

A roaring noise filled your ears and a tightness filled your chest. What did you say to that? “Congratulations”? “Don’t go”? “What about us”? It all seemed lame in the moment. One thing was sure, however: you wouldn’t be that girl. The girl who simped over a celebrity one-night stand, who expected more when it was never anything beyond casual.

“Congratulations, Kyungsoo,” you said, a wistful smile on your face. “I’m sure it’ll be amazing.”

“____, about us, I–”

Your eyes started to feel hot. “No, Kyungsoo, don’t worry about it. I know we were just caught up in the moment last night.”

“But I really–”

You shook your head to keep the tears at bay, backing towards the door. “You don’t owe me any kind of explanation, Kyungsoo, I get it. Waking up alone was enough of a clue, so you don’t have to say anything else.”

“Wait–”

“Goodbye, Kyungsoo. I hope you get everything you wanted.”

You slipped quickly out of the office, not stopping at Kyungsoo’s continued protests. You didn’t want to hear what he had to say. No, it would gut you to hear you were just some hook-up. Better to avoid and save your heart the pain.

Your feet carried through the kitchen and out the door just as tears started to fall. The scent of starch and detergent fumes engulfed you as you fled to the laundry room, the best place at the Crimson Aurora for some good old-fashioned privacy. You stayed there, hidden, not brave enough to face him at the very end. The loud whir of the industrial laundry machines washed out the sound of your tears and then and there you vowed to cleanse your heart of him, like removing a stain from a white sheet.

~*~

Three months later.

It still felt weird. Sitting in the office, that is. Your new office. It almost didn’t seem real–so much so you had to pinch yourself to prove it wasn’t a dream. But there it was, written on a shiny, gold desk plate: _____ ________, Head Chef.

You looked out into the bustling kitchen, filled with activity as the staff–your staff–worked hard during dinner rush. Making your dishes. In your kitchen. You still couldn’t believe you were here. Thinking back to that day three months ago, you’d never have guessed what life could bring.

After hiding out in the laundry as long as humanly possible, you had trudged back to the land of the living, hoping to make it through dinner service so you could go home and have a good old-fashioned ice-cream cry.

Hyun-min had practically jumped on you when you walked through the kitchen doors, peppering you with questions. Where was Chef Do going? Why were you crying? So many questions it made your head spin. The phone had rung, and you’d been relieved, for once, to be summoned to Manager Kim’s office.

Being the amazing friend that he was, Hyun-min had insisted you celebrate after hearing the news. You’d gone out with the kitchen staff that night, dressed to the nines, but without your heart really in it. You felt conflicted–you finally had it, the dream job you always wanted, but it came at the expense of losing something–or someone.

Kyungsoo’s new television show had started airing, but you couldn’t bring yourself to watch, not willing to be tortured by what you couldn’t have. Luckily, your work kept you busy, at least during the day. It was nights that were harder. You couldn’t escape him, even in your own damn apartment. The stairs, the door, the bed–all reminders of that one unforgettable night before the rug was pulled out from under you.

A knock on the door disturbed your thoughts and you looked up to see Hyun-min hovering in the doorway, a peculiar expression on his face.

“Um, boss? There’s a customer out front who’d like to speak to you…something about overcooked lamb chops…”

“You offered to re-make it, I’m assuming?”

Hyun-min nodded. “Yeah, but they said they wanted to talk to you specifically.”

Telling him you’d be right there, you reluctantly got up from your chair and donned your starched, white chef’s coat. Dealing with a picky customer wasn’t out of the ordinary, but your threshold for dealing with complaints today was at an all-time low.

“Table 4”, Hyun-min called as you headed through the kitchen and out the doors into the dining room.

Walking through the busy dining room, you dodged waitstaff and waded through customers, fresh from a matinee musical performance. You approached Table 4 from behind, where a lone male figure was seated.

Taking a deep breath and pasting your “the customer is always right” smile on your face, you prayed a little sweet talking and a comped glass of wine would be enough to smooth this situation over.

“Excuse me–”

Dark brown eyes turned toward you, full lips that you were intimately familiar with parted into a smile.

Kyungsoo.

You rubbed your eyes, making sure you weren’t just seeing things, that he was really there. What was he doing here? It didn’t make sense. He’d blown into your life, set it on fire, then breezed out, never to be heard from again. In the three months he’d been gone, you hadn’t heard from him once.

“_____,” he breathed. “I heard you got the head chef job, so I came as soon as I got back from London. I missed you–”

Hearing his voice, your resolve wavered. You cleared your throat, striving to take control of the situation. You were a professional, the chef in charge now, and you wouldn’t let your feelings get the better of you, gosh darn it!

“Hello, sir, I heard from my kitchen staff that you were unhappy with a dish we prepared for you. May I ask what the issue is?”

Kyungsoo’s smile slipped from his face, as though he was surprised, almost disappointed at your reaction.

Kyungsoo leaned forward, making sure no one could hear him but you. “Can we talk…privately?”

As Kyungsoo led you into an empty office, he felt a hint of unease. He’d pictured your reunion much differently. In his imaginings, you were overjoyed at the surprise of seeing him, smiling widely before pulling him close for an embrace–the embrace he’d imagined everyday during those long, lonely weeks in Europe. He understood, but it stung all the same.

Once inside, he walked towards the window, stopping to look out into the bright moonlight, trying to gather his thoughts. You stayed a respectful distance away, looking wary, as though you were about to bolt out the door.

You waited for Kyungsoo to speak…and waited…but he only continued to look out the window. “Look, Kyungsoo, what is it? I’ve got to head back to work soon.”

Kyungsoo turned towards you, silhouetted in moonlight, his eyes dark as the sky behind him.

“I missed you,____. So much. Everyday.”

You snorted. “Sure, Kyungsoo. You missed me. So much so you called me all of zero times. Or did I just miss all those calls and texts you sent me?”

Kyungsoo shifted between his feet. “I know I messed up, _____. I shouldn’t have just left like that, you deserved better than that.”

“Yeah, you’re right, Kyungsoo. I did deserve better. You just left without any explanation.”

Kyungsoo started to speak, but you kept going.

“I’m not talking about leaving for Europe, Kyungsoo. I understood that part, you had an opportunity and took it. But that morning, you just left my apartment, no note, no explanation, nothing, after we–” you cut off, not wanting to say it aloud.

Crossing to you, Kyungsoo gripped your shoulders. “I’m sorry, _____. That morning, it killed me to leave. I wanted to make it so good for you, but I was scared.”

You watched as Kyungsoo worried his lower lip. “Scared of what?” you breathed.

“Us. What we did. I was your boss, ____. No matter how much I wanted you, I was disappointed in myself. Then, when I was in Europe, I wondered if you’d even want to hear from me. I was your boss and I took advantage of you, I worried you felt you had no choice–”

You put your pointer finger against his lips, cutting him off before he could finish what he was going to say.

“Kyungsoo, I appreciate the concern, but I’m not a baby. I chose to invite you in, I chose to let you kiss me. For god’s sake, we were stone cold sober, so it’s not like we can even blame the alcohol. You didn’t force me to do anything, okay?”

He nodded and you removed your finger from his lips.

“For what it’s worth, I thought you deserved a frittata. If I could do that night over, I’d have made you the most delicious breakfast you’d ever had and served it to you in bed.”

“Well…I guess next time, I’ll be holding you to that, then.”

Kyungsoo looked up, his mouth forming an “o”. “Next time?” he whispered.

“Yeah, next time,” you said, a small smile lighting up your face.

Kyungsoo slid his hands from your shoulders to cup your cheeks. “So…you forgive me?” he said, hopefully.

“Yeah, I forgive you. You made some dumb decisions, but hey, at least you’re still cute.”

Kyungsoo pinched your cheeks in revenge, immediately stroking the reddened skin to soothe the burn.

“So, what are you going to do now that you’re back?” you asked, turning serious again.

“I actually leased a restaurant just a few streets over,” he said sheepishly. “I finally did it, got my own place.”

“So…you were really here to check out the competition, eh?” you said, shooting him a grin. “What did you think?”

Moving his hands to your waist, Kyungsoo pulled you against him, your faces just inches apart.

“The lamb chops were a little overdone,” he said with a wink.

You scoffed. “Shut up, Kyungsoo. Don’t you have anything better to do with those lips? Like kissing me, perhaps?”

“Much better,” he said, joining your mouths together at last.

As your lips clashed, you soaked in the feeling of being in Kyungsoo’s arms again. You certainly hadn’t expected today to end this way. That Kyungso was here to stay was even more of a surprise, in a restaurant of his own not four blocks away. Once again, you were competitors, though this time on equal footing.

As they said, “keep your friends close and enemies closer,” and this enemy, you’d enjoy keeping very, very close.

~*~

Thank you so much for reading Flames of Attraction! I hope you enjoyed it and if you did, please re-blog for others to find! And please support the other amazing creators on the Crimson Aurora Hotel & Spa project. @myeoning-call @leewalberg @yourkeeperoftherunners @taem-min @ouvuo @dreamylittlesugarcube @jxstadaydreamer @xiubaek-13 @yourkeeperoftherunners @ninibears-erigom and @sojuri

XOXO,

Emmy

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