#got this top during black friday but hadn’t had a chance to wear it yet (•̀ᴗ•́ )و ++

[silkjade]

okay i got self conscious earlier LOL but tonight’s outfit yayz feels like i haven’t dressed up in a while ♡

[amyscascadingtabs]

don’t want to keep secrets just to keep you [chapter 1]

“Actually, I want to add one more rule.” “Yeah?” Jake leans back in his chair, crossing his arms behind his head and flexing his biceps through the green shirt with a smug grin. “You’re not allowed to fall in love with me.” "Won't be a problem."

Amy Santiago doesn't date cops. Jake Peralta's sworn never to date a lawyer again. When a couple of drinks and the returning of a borrowed shirt ends with the two of them in bed together, Amy decides to take control of the situation the best way she knows how: a comprehensive set of rules. There's just one little thing she hadn't anticipated – Jake Peralta is full of surprises.

Written for the B99 Summer 2021 Fic Exchange.

AO3 link // playlist

My contribution to this year’s fic exchange, for @fezzle​! @b99fandomevents​​ 💛

1. i never saw you coming (and i’ll never be the same)

 He gets out of the car, and before Amy can gather the courage to shout after him, he’s disappeared from her sight.

She leans her forehead against the steering wheel, squeezing her fist and punching it in frustration. It doesn’t feel better, just makes her hand hurt. Amy pretends that’s what’s making her eyes tear up, and not the thought that she just screwed up her chances of ever seeing Jake Peralta again.

 five months earlier.

 The cop is five minutes late entering the courtroom, and Amy vows to dislike him from that point onward.

 What's worse is that he doesn't seem ashamed. He simply gives Judge Stewart an apologetic grin, runs a hand through his already messy hair, and sits down on the bench next to the sergeant Amy recognizes as Terry Jeffords. Amy gives him a polite faked smile to tell him she's noted this presence and she's going to win this case, but the cop doesn't seem to notice the toxicity in her facial expression, because she gets another wide grin back. Judging from the colorful marks on his teeth, it looks like he had candy for breakfast – could it be gummy bears? Either way, Amy's respect for the man sinks even lower.

 At least she won't have to worry about him, she tells herself. She already knows this case is about to be a win.

 That is until it turns out this man has a reply for everything. She’d been certain the evidence against her client was circumstantial at best, nowhere near enough to get him convicted on, and the notes she’d gone through from the initial police questioning had lacked significant information. It had been nothing short of sloppy, and she’d entered the courthouse this morning filled with glowing confidence. That same confidence is now seeping away, dripping onto the polished floors of the courtroom in exchange for heated frustration as it turns out the detective – Jake Peralta, she learns – was present at the scene earlier than Amy had gathered, and from the vantage point he had, saw her client running from the corner store at full speed.

“Would you say it’s possible my client was running for a different reason?” She asks, staring coldly into the detective’s eyes as she speaks. “Such as exercising, perhaps?”

“Well, he was carrying a huge green backpack, identical to the one he was wearing when my partner Charles caught him ten minutes later. So, no,” he says, meeting her look with a smug smile of his own. “I would say that’s unlikely.”

“But not impossible?”

“Considering we also found the stolen goods in that same backpack, I’d say the chance is pretty solid it was him.”

“The bags couldn’t have been switched? Or, as my client claims, the goods couldn’t have been dropped in there by someone who wanted to get rid of them?”

“With all due respect,” says Jake Peralta, and the self-assuredness in his voice is enough for her to know the case is lost. “The streets were more crowded than a Taylor Swift concert, your honor. Someone would have seen something.”

 ~

 It’s late Friday afternoon by the time Amy returns to the office of Newsom & Associates, but there’s still plenty of her coworkers left to watch as she throws her briefcase on top of the chair before closing the door to her office and digging out her pack of shame cigarettes from the bottom drawer of her desk. The only window in the room opens out to a back alley with trash cans and forgotten bikes, which is a drab view most of the time but comes in handy for secret shame-smoking. She closes her eyes and leans back against the wall, trying to savor the first inhale. She hates the habit and always tells herself she’s going to quit soon, but at times when work stresses her out like this, there’s no better fix. It’s all Jake Peralta’s fault, anyway. He’d waved at her when they’d left the courtroom, looking genuinely pleased to see her, and that had only worsened her frustration. It’s one thing being defeated – it’s worse when the winner acts like it wasn’t even a big deal.

 “You should stop that.” The sound of Rosa’s voice appearing in the doorway to Amy’s office causes her to inhale too much smoke, coughing and tearing up as she hurries to extinguish the cigarette butt on the windowsill. “It’s gross.”

“I needed it,” Amy coughs again before drying her eyes with the sleeve of her blazer. “You should’ve been there. That fucking detective ruined my defense.”

“So? It happens. Doesn’t make you a bad lawyer. Stop pitying yourself.”

“You’re just saying that because you win nearly all your cases,” Amy mumbles. “And everyone’s terrified of you.”

Rosa does a little shrug, but Amy thinks she can spot the hint of a smile on her lips. She can’t be certain, though. Rosa almost never smiles, but that’s not nearly the most terrifying thing about her. She also rides her motorcycle to court and wears leather jackets and skin-tight black jeans to trials, and somehow no one's ever dared to police her on it. Amy once asked her out of curiosity if putting on a blazer would really hurt that much, and the stare she got back told her she’d be a fool to make that mistake again.

“Either way, it's not that. It was that cop who ruined everything. I mean, he showed up late, for god’s sake, with candy in his teeth and a wrinkled suit! But he somehow had an answer and explanation for everything,” Amy snorts. “And he smiled the whole time like he’d already won. And he referenced Taylor Swift! During the trial! Who does that?”

Rosa lets out a laugh. “You're a Swift hater? God, please don't tell me you took Kanye’s side too.”

“I didn't – that's beside the point!”

“Which is?”

“That he has zero respect for the sacred rules of a courtroom, and gets away with it all because of that super-charm smile.”

“Yeah, you mentioned the smile. Twice.”

“It was just so…” She clenches her fist until her red nails press into her palm to the point of pain, then releases it. “It's fine. I’ll win my next case, and there are lots of cops in New York. I probably won't ever see him again.”

 ~

 Amy can barely hide her frustration in court the next week when she hears the doors open and looks up from the papers she was sorting, only to see Jake Peralta for the second time in her life. He’s on time today, which she supposes is progress, but there are stains on his shirt that seem to be coming from the can of orange soda he’s holding in his hand. She wonders if it's his breakfast. If that's his diet, he looks surprisingly fit in a grey suit for it.

 He grins again when he sees her, raising his hand in a lazy wave. Amy gives him a forced smile, then returns to her papers. She’ll have to make sure to win this time.

 But despite her confidence and very best efforts, she loses to Jake Peralta yet another time.

And another.

And another.

 It's not that she's suddenly magically unlucky, because she still manages to win several other cases, but every time Jake Peralta shows up to testify, without fault, Amy loses.

It infuriates her.

 The worst part is that Jake seems oblivious to her anger. He smiles at her every time they leave the courtroom, even though she returns them with little to no genuineness at all. She once spots him doing a childish victory gesture outside the courthouse, but he never once takes the opportunity to brag about his win to her face.

 Aside from his surprisingly good manners when it comes to bragging, though, he's a mess. There's always some kind of stain on his shirt or his cheek that he seems unaware of, his ways of describing things involve one too many pop culture references for Amy’s liking, and she starts preparing to meet him every time a detective is five minutes late. She wonders if no one's ever told him how one is supposed to behave in a courtroom, but he’s usually accompanied by the precinct’s sergeant, so that seems unlikely. The more likely option, Amy figures, is that he just doesn't seem to find it that important; especially considering he seems to get away with it every single time.

 She swears it's all because of that stupid infectious smile.

 ~

 It pleases Amy to no end when she learns that Jake Peralta is going to be the witness in one of the strongest cases she’s had in a long while. The client was clearly acting in self-defense, she has a witness of her own who can testify to that, and although she knows that nothing is for certain until the verdict falls, she’s got a good feeling about this one. Finally, the day has come for Jake Peralta to watch her win.

 At first, the state attorney’s case seems solid. Jake is assisted by a short, round-faced man with dark brown hair and an expression that looks like he’s seconds away from apologizing for taking up everyone’s time, but his suit is matched and perfectly straight and he gets right to the point without any odd references, so Amy still earns a fair amount of respect for detective Charles Boyle. He and Jake had entered the subway car after hearing about a fight taking place, and stepped on just in time to watch her client aim a closed-fist punch at the face of the man on top of him. It’s clear and convincing, but Amy knows that after the recess, it will be her time to shine. She loves these moments, when it’s obvious the other side thinks they have it in the bag but she knows something they don’t, and they have no idea what’s coming. She knows trials are about justice and not personal victories – but she’s only human. Winning is always a thrill.

 She’s thinking about how she’s going to be celebrating her win later this evening when Jake Peralta bumps into her at the coffee shop neighboring the courthouse. As in, literally bumps into her, with his elbow when he hurries forward to grab a plastic cup with whipped cream and so much caramel syrup on top of the coffee that Amy pities his dentist.

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry… wait, it's you!” He shines up as if he’d just seen a past good friend, and Amy’s once more taken aback by how polite he is. A lot of cops she meets during trials either tend to make fun of her profession or glare bitterly at her from a distance, but Jake's doing neither. He even reaches out his free hand to shake hers, so she accepts. “Jake Peralta – wow, you have a very firm handshake.”

“I took a seminar. Amy Santiago.”

“Where?” He asks, but she ignores him and moves forward in line to order her coffee with milk.

“Nothing for your client? Wow. I’d expected you to have better manners than that, Santiago.”

“I offered, but he wanted to spend recess with his partner for moral support. See?” She raises a brow at him. “I do have manners.”

There's that smile again, up close this time, and Amy's relieved when the barista hands her the coffee so she can hide the involuntary blush in her cheeks. She never noticed he had dimples before.

“So, how are you feeling about the rest of the trial, then? Ready to go defend the guilty guy?”

“Innocent until proven guilty, Peralta. Famously one of the most sacred principles in the American justice system. And I was born ready.”

“And lose. The whole question was, are you ready to go defend the guilty guy and lose, and you said you were born that way.” Jake grins in a way that makes him look like an overgrown mischievous school kid. Maybe not that far off, Amy thinks.

“Twist my words all you want, I am winning this case.” She hesitates for a moment, noticing Jake's detective partner looking at the two of them from a table in the corner of the room. Not normally something she'd be that creeped out by, if it hadn't been for the fact that the man isn’t tearing his eyes away from them, and he looks weirdly overjoyed. “Uhm, is detective Boyle okay? He's staring at us pretty intensely.”

“Huh? Oh yeah, he has… an eye condition.” Jake turns around and mouths something that looks to be BOYLE, and the man rolls his eyes before stalking away. “Ignore him. Anyway… so what do you think about the judge?”

 Amy's about to launch into a description of her good experience with judge Myers when someone brushes past her with their iced coffee in a hurry, losing control of the plastic cup. The unsecured lid wobbles, and before Amy realizes what’s about to happen, cold coffee splashes onto her earlier pristine white blouse. “Fuck!” She reaches for a bunch of paper napkins and tries to dab the worst away with them, but the milky coffee is already seeping through the fabric and leaving an obvious stain that her blazer can’t hide.

“What a jerk,” Jake mutters, glaring in the direction of where the stranger disappeared.

“Never mind that! I don’t have another shirt! I can’t go into a courtroom looking like this! Unlike you, I actually care about whether my clothes have giant stains on them!”

“First of all, rude, and second of all, they’re not giant.”

“I don’t care. I’m screwed. Fuck, I don’t have time to run back home before the trial starts – I guess I could call Rosa –”

“Hey, hey.” Jake holds up his hands as if trying to calm her down, which only makes Amy more frustrated. “I know this is kind of crazy, but, I have a shirt in my car that I was planning to return to my ex. But emphasis on ex, so…” He shrugs. “You could borrow it?”

 Amy considers her options. On the one hand, she figures there’s about an eighty percent chance that whatever Jake has in his car also has some kind of mysterious stain on it, but on the other hand, she took the subway today and there's no way she’ll make it to her apartment and back before the court is back in session. Asking for a longer recess is an option, but making everyone wait simply because she needs a change of clothes makes her too uncomfortable to even consider.

“Fine,” she relents. “Where's your car?”

 Jake's car turns out to be an old Mustang, which Amy can tell even from her strictly limited car-knowledge is pretty impressive, but she doesn't understand how he can find anything in there. The backseat is a mess of empty orange soda bottles, a couple of frisbees, candy wrappers, what looks to be cartoons and old CDs, and the cup holders have shaving foam next to another can of orange soda. She's equally surprised and impressed when he pulls out a clean, dark blue charmeuse blouse. Whoever Jake's ex-girlfriend was, she seems to have both taste and money.

“You're totally saving my day today,” she says as he gives it to her. “You really didn't have to.”

“Prove that cops aren't all bad?” Amy rolls her eyes, and Jake laughs. “Just kidding. You have to give it back, though.”

“As soon as I’ve washed it. Wait, we have to be able to get in touch.” She digs in the inside pocket of her briefcase and pulls out two of her business cards. “I’m assuming you don't have any, so write your number on the back of that one.”

“Rude, but correct.” He scribbles down something on one of the cards before giving it back. “I’ll see you up there, then… Amy Santiago.”

Something about the way he says her name, slowly and with perfect pronunciation, makes her want to hear it again. She hurries back into the building and toward the bathrooms, hopefully before he can tell that she's blushing.

 “The defense may call the next witness.”

“The defense calls Elinor Simons.” Amy can feel everyone's eyes on her as well as the witness as a young girl, no more than eighteen, walks up to the stand. She's pale, but she looks determined, and Amy gives her a comforting smile as she swears the oath.

 Elinor’s voice trembles at her first words, but Amy keeps steady eye contact with her, and soon she’s speaking louder and less hesitant. She had been on her way to her friend’s house when she entered the same subway car as the two young men, and had overheard the two of them fighting over something. Sitting only a few seats away from them in the near-empty car, she’d noticed the defendant looking scared, and out of curiosity, had turned off her music. She’d heard the man who’d later gotten attacked – Mr. Lorentz – scream that the defendant was an asshole, and then she’d seen him push him to the floor, much unlike the way the prosecution had described a course of events in which both men had slipped. It had scared her, so she’d gotten up to walk away, but before she could move she’d seen Mr. Lorentz leaning down.

“It looked like he was about to hit the defendant,” she says without wavering, and Amy can see a few of the jury members nodding in understanding. “And even if they were about the same size, Mr. Lorentz looked really strong. The defendant tried, but it seemed to me like he was unable to get up. I remember thinking this wasn’t going to end well, so I headed for the end of the car before they noticed me.”

“And you’re sure of what you saw?”

“Completely sure. I only found out later that the defendant was a cousin of my sister’s boyfriend, which is how I learned about the trial.”

Amy nods and clasps her hands together, trying to assume a confident stance as she keeps her eyes focused on the witness stand. “Elinor, in the position he was in, do you believe that the defendant would have been scared?”

“I think anyone would have been.”

“So the punch witnesses watched the defendant throw, could it have been in self-defense?”

“Yes. Yes, I think so.”

Amy smiles. “Thank you. No further questions.”

 The prosecution’s closing arguments are short and precise, sticking entirely to the part of the events that took part after the police walked in. The district attorney, a balding man in his fifties, as good as overlooks Elinor’s testimony in favor of focusing in on detailed descriptions of the headaches Mr. Lorentz had experienced after the event, and that alone is enough to make Amy’s blood boil; but instead she just sits there, waiting with a polite smile on her lips.

 Finally, the other attorney sits down, and the judge nods at Amy to stand up. During her very first trials, this moment used to freak her out – everyone’s eyes on her and waiting expectantly – but with time she’s come to love this. It reminds her of the thrill of getting the last word in a heated fight with her siblings when she was younger, only now, she doesn’t have to shout to be heard. Everyone’s already listening.

 “Your Honor, ladies and gentlemen of the jury: it’s correct that the defendant hit Mr. Lorentz on that train. He admits to doing so himself.” Amy nods to the young man sitting next to her, fidgeting nervously with the cuffs on his shirt. “But there is one key aspect which the prosecution has so conveniently chosen to ignore, and that is the events which led up to Mr. Petersen’s actions. A background which he not only has explained clearly himself, but which is also backed up by Ms. Simmons’ testimony.” She gestures with her hand to Elinor.

“You see, Mr. Petersen wasn’t acting unprovoked. When the incident happened, he had been pushed to the floor, and like both my client and the witness described, he was unable to get up. Mr. Lorentz himself admits to practicing weightlifting; he’s not a weak man, and in the moment, he was clearly upset with the defendant. As Ms. Simmons put it… “ She takes a break to gather the attention of everyone in the room. “Anyone in that position would have been terrified.”

“Under New York Law, Penal Law paragraph thirty-five point fifteen, a person is justified in using physical force against another, when that person is under the reasonable belief that the physical force is necessary to defend the person from what they reasonably believe to be the illegal imminent use of force or the illegal use of force. Mr. Petersen was stuck, and under the reasonable belief that Mr. Lorentz could hurt him unless he managed to free himself. He acted in self-defense, which I remind you that the prosecution has not been able to disprove. In fact, the case against Mr. Petersen cannot be proved against reasonable doubt, which means that you must find him… not guilty.”

 From the other side of the room, she swears she can feel Jake’s eyes on her. When she looks up, she sees him mouthing nice job.

 ~

 “What did you say he looked like, now again? Except for crazy hot and adorable?” Kylie takes another sip of her mojito, spying over the crowded bar.

“Okay, I said neither of those things.”

Kylie shrugs. “Didn’t have to.”

“Ugh. Whatever. Brown hair, brown eyes, medium height, I guess kind of a bigger nose… and I don’t know what he wears outside of court, but there was a leather jacket in the front seat of his car, so maybe that?” She strains her neck to try and see through the Friday night crowd. She’s never been to this particular Brooklyn bar before, but Jake had suggested it when Amy asked about a good place to give him back the shirt, and she’d figured after a long week, she might as well treat herself to a couple of after-work drinks with a friend. After being asked about the so-called mystery hottie five times, though, she’s starting to regret bringing Kylie along.

“Mm, that’s like, all the guys in here… oh, wait, that one’s waving to you!” Kylie points to a figure near the door, elbowing Amy in the side and causing her to nearly choke on her wine. She’s still coughing when Jake walks up to them, trying to offer him a smile while drying her eyes. Jake looks politely confused, but shakes Kylie’s hand in the meantime.

“I’ll leave you two alone,” she says with a meaning wink to Amy before sliding off the leather barstool, leaving it for Jake. “Have a good night!”

“Ignore her.” Amy sighs. “Sorry, I…”

“No, no worries,” Jake says, and the honest care in his expression makes her feel oddly warm. “You okay?”

“Yeah, sorry.” She waves a dismissive hand and picks up the dry-cleaning bag hanging on the back of her chair. “Well, here’s the shirt. Thank you for the loan. Or thank your ex, I suppose.”

“Dry-cleaned, really? You truly are type A.”

“What about it?”

“Nothing, it makes sense.” He nods to the glass in her hand. “Celebrating Tuesday’s win?”

“Something like that. It was Monday, though,” she can’t stop herself from correcting him. “I don’t get a lot of time off. Gotta make the best out of it.”

“Yeah, me neither. Do you mind if I join you for another drink? Or maybe you should do water, in case you choke again?”

Something about the way he poses it like a challenge makes her take the glass, put it to her lips, and swallow the rest of the wine in one gulp. “I think I can handle it.”

 They pay for their own drinks, because whatever this meeting is, it’s definitely not a date, and it makes Amy relieved that Jake doesn’t seem to think so either.

“A toast,” he suggests. “To your win this week. I gotta give it to you, those closing statements were solid.”

“To justice,” Amy says, and they raise their beer bottles in unison. “And my win. Finally.”

“Yeah, what has it been, like, five wins for me?”

“Four, but dream on, Peralta.”

Jake laughs. The dimples in his cheeks become even more prominent when he laughs, Amy notes. “Have you always been this intense about winning cases, then? Or is it something that comes with law school? Like there’s a class in being petty about this stuff?”

You’re intense too, she thinks, but doesn’t say it out loud. “Maybe. I have seven brothers, and I was the only girl. I got pretty good at winning fights using other things than physical strength when I was a kid. Actually, sometimes physical strength, too.”

“I feel like you could beat someone up if you wanted to. You could surprise them.”

“Oh, I could most definitely beat someone up if I wanted to. But I stuck to arguing. I got good at it. And I always had good grades, so I ended up at Columbia, and I’ve never really regretted it.” She takes a swig of her beer. “Not even when cops call me the devil.”

“I wouldn’t call you the devil,” Jake says. “I mean, do I think you lack a bit of a moral compass? Probably. But each to their own.”

She leans her head a little bit to the side, eyeing him closely. “Why do you think that?”

“Well, you have to defend people that you know did awful things, right? Doesn’t that make you feel sick sometimes?”

“I don’t have to defend their actions. Most times, it’s not even about that. It’s about making sure the trial is fair, the evidence is sufficient and their rights are respected, so that if there’s a conviction, it’s actually beyond any reasonable doubt. I like to believe most people are better than their worst moments. I see it as my job to make sure they’re treated that way.”

“Huh.” Jake nods slowly. “Guess I never thought of it that way.”

“Plus,” she winks, “someone’s gotta hold you guys accountable, right?”

“Fine.” He shakes his head. “Hey, did you say you went to Columbia? My captain’s husband teaches law there. Did you ever have a Kevin Cozner?”

“No way! Your captain is Raymond Holt?” She’s speaking way too loudly, she can tell from the way other people are glancing at her, but Jake looks entertained. “Sorry, it’s just – Professor Cozner was my favorite constitutional law teacher. I still send him and Raymond Christmas cards every year!”

“That doesn’t surprise me in the slightest.” Jake grins. “But, how weird is that? Almost like the universe is bringing us together or something.”

Amy thinks that it’s not that weird, since Kevin must teach hundreds of students every year that g on to become lawyers, but she kind of wants to keep seeing that smile on Jake’s face forever, so she nods. “So weird.”

 They order another drink, plus some chips and nuts when Jake realizes he forgot to eat dinner, and move to another table in the back of the room. Amy’s surprised how comfortable she feels in his presence. It’s like she can’t wipe the smile off her face but doesn’t want to, and with time and a little more alcohol, jokes that she barely would have noticed on any other day become laugh-out-loud funny. It feels natural, even though she’s not sure how, and she tries not to glance at the clock on the wall when he doesn’t either. She’s got work to do tomorrow and she can’t stay out forever, but she doesn’t want to be reminded that this evening has to end at some point.

 “So what made you become a cop, then?” She asks when she realizes she’s the only one who’s shared her origin story tonight. “Childhood superhero dreams?”

Jake shines up like he’s been waiting for the question all night. “Oh, that’s easy. Die Hard.”

“Really?”

“For sure. Actually, my mom said I was always good at protecting people, so I ended up doing it for a job. But I think that’s bullshit. It was definitely Die Hard.”

“I’ve never seen it,” Amy confesses, and Jake stares at her like she just insulted his entire being. “But if you want a cop movie, my top three’s Training Day, Lethal Weapon, and Fargo.”

“Wrong, wrong, and wrong! How can you not have seen Die Hard? It’s classic, man!”

“I just never did! How many lawyer movies have you seen, then?”

“Uhm…” Jake squints. “Charles made me watch Legally Blonde once? It was pretty good, honestly.”

“Well, duh, that movie is a cinematic masterpiece and a feminist work of art. How feminist is Die Hard, from a scale of one to ten?”

“Hey! Holly Gennaro does plenty of cool stuff throughout the movies! You’re just going to have to watch them yourself.”

“I can almost guarantee you I won’t.”

“Fine, but you’re missing out.” He grabs a couple of peanuts from the jar between them, throwing them in the air and catching them in his mouth. “Cool trick, right?”

Amy raises an eyebrow. “Is this what you do at work all day?”

“I did teach myself that during stakeouts, but no. Whatever. Throw me another one.” She does, and he catches it again, this time almost sliding off the barstool in the process. She laughs a bubbling laugh as he does it another time. “Now you.”

“Fine. Try me.” The peanut flies through the air between them, and she tries to dive for it, but it just ends up landing at her feet. “Okay, another one.” She misses that one too. “Okay, there must be something wrong with these nuts.”

“Title of your sextape.”

“Title of my what?”

“Nevermind.” Jake laughs. “You just need some practice. Maybe at work? It could liven up a trial.”

“Nuh-uh, don’t need practice. Just need a better tactic.” Without thinking, she grabs a handful of them this time, throwing them in the air. This time, she catches a few of them in her mouth, while the rest end up spread over the couch and floor. “The key is volume!”

“Yeah, and the bartender is looking at you like he wants to kill you, so maybe don’t do it again or we’ll get thrown out.”

“It’s fine, I’m a lawyer.”

“That phrase works well to get out of trouble?”

“If you know what you’re doing. We could order more drinks to keep him happy?”

“Shots?”

“I’m down if you’re down.”

 Jake orders a Kamikaze shot for each of them, and as she reaches forward to take the second glass, her hand brushes against the top of his for a moment longer than necessary, resting there. It’s warm, and it feels calloused but somehow soft at the same time. They look at each other, his light brown eyes staring into hers, and she feels instantly hyper-aware that they’re around far, far, too many people.

She lets go of his hand, taking the shot and swallowing it before anyone can notice what’s happening. It smells like sour hand sanitizer and burns going down, and she laughs at Jake’s grimace when he drinks his.

“God, every time.” He shakes his head and runs a hand through his hair. “Hey, I know this is crazy, but… do you maybe want to get out of here? We could have another drink at my place… watch Die Hard… whatever.”

“Mm, yeah. Maybe I should check that the shirt gets back to your place properly?”

“Shirt? What shirt? Oh, right, fuck, the shirt!” Jake spins in place, rushing back to the table where they were just sat. “Shit, I probably spilled beer on it, Sophia’s going to be pissed now...”

“It’s still in the bag, smartass.” Amy shows him. “Ta-da. Shirt’s still clean. Comes in handy being type A sometimes, huh?”

Jake sighs. “I know you're making fun of me, but I could seriously kiss you right now.”

 Maybe it’s the four drinks, maybe it’s the thrill that comes with how rarely she does this, or maybe it’s just sheer and wild impulse, but Amy finds herself whispering,

“Maybe we should get out of here, then.”

 ~

 Amy learns a lot of things that night.

 She learns that Jake Peralta is a seriously good kisser, tasting faintly of orange soda beneath the alcohol and salt, and that being pressed against his front door with his hands protecting her head strikes the perfect balance between feeling adventurous and safe. She learns that he’s never really quiet, soft moans and sighs filling the room in the breaks between their kisses, but that the sound only makes her want more.

 She learns that he wears even more layers than her. Beneath the leather jacket and hoodie is a checkered blue flannel that has way too many buttons for her liking right now, and she curses her slight tipsiness while working at them one by one. When she's finally done, Jake pulls the grey t-shirt over his head, and she barely has time to pause to admire how he somehow can look fit despite that catastrophic diet, or the curls on his chest that are begging for her to run her fingers through them, before he's asking “my turn?”. She learns that Jake Peralta is impatient, that his hands work fast on the buttons of her cerise shirt, and that he gets adorably confused when he can't find the button on her suit pants.

“It's on the side,” she tells him and shows him the zipper, and then they're both giggling until she kisses him like that and it's back on again.

 She learns that his hands feel good, sliding slowly up the sides of her stomach and back and rubbing against her shoulder blades. She unclasps the white t-shirt bra for him, smiling to herself as he swallows quickly.

“God, you’re hot,” he whispers, and the soft bites he trails down her chest and stomach make her feel that way, too.

 They move to his bed, leaving a trail of clothes behind them, and then she’s underneath him and breathing hard as his mouth moves lower, closer. The anticipation of it all is driving her mad, but then he looks up at her and asks “okay?” with the most sincere and caring expression, and Amy’s had very, very few one-night-stands in her life, but she’s certainly never had one like this.

“Okay,” she nods, and there’s that familiar grin again, but this time it makes her feel warm in a very specific place.

 She learns that Jake Peralta can do a whole lot more with his mouth than talking people’s ears off. His breath ghosts over her through her underwear at first, warming her up even though it’s barely even necessary, and then he’s finally pulling down the black material and helping her kick them off. His tongue is careful at first, just tasting her as if to gauge her expression, but then she nods at him to continue and the next second, her head is thrown back as she lets out a gasp.

 She learns that he likes it when she pulls his hair. At first, her hands are just lightly tangling in it for practicality, but then she holds on tighter as a means of control when her legs begin to tense up and the familiar pressure is starting to rise. She’s raising her hips slightly only to lower them again, helping him get her there, and the curls of his hair are just begging to be pulled.

“Do that again,” he pauses to say, so she tugs his hair harder and he straight-up moans.

 She learns that he can make her scream, which she wasn’t expecting, and she rocks through the euphoric waves and pants and practically melts into the bed as she comes down from it.

“That good?” He winks, and she wants to roll her eyes, but he did just make her come harder than she remembers doing in a long time, so she kisses the smile off of him instead, tasting her arousal on his lips.

She learns that he's respectful and a gentleman, telling her that they can stop this here if she'd rather, but she doesn’t want to, and they don’t. He has to rifle through the drawer in his bedside table for a while before he finds a condom – maybe he doesn’t do this as often as she’d thought, maybe it’s another sign of his poor organization skills, but he finds one soon enough so she’s not sure she cares – and then it’s a little bit of a blur, but she rolls it on him with precise strokes and lowers herself on top of him and oh my god.

 She learns that when he looks at her, when he touches her, it makes her feel powerful and special all at once. He plays with her boobs as she sets the pace, his thumbs rolling against her nipples in a way she didn’t realize she liked, and she picks up her rhythm, clenching around him and leaning back on his raised thighs.

 She learns just how enjoyable it is to watch him fall apart underneath her. His pace stutters and he curses, groaning a confession of how close he is, and she could almost come again from watching him alone but she brings two fingers to her clit and touches herself anyway. He finishes before her, spilling out inside the condom with a moan that she can only imitate, collapsing against his chest as she brings herself to orgasm again right after him.

 When they're done learning, they collapse together in his bed. For a moment, Amy considers turning around and calling a cab home, because that would be the most responsible thing to do, but then Jake throws an arm around her to pull her closer, and after all, she's still a little tipsy.

What harm could it possibly do, anyway?

 ~

 Sharp, unforgiving morning light wakes Amy up before her alarm the next morning. She must have forgotten to close the blinds last night, she thinks, and rolls over on the other side so the light doesn't hurt her eyes. She expects the usual greeting of a sea of pillows, and has to stop herself from letting out a yelp of surprise when instead, she's hit with a wall of Jake sleeping with his back to her. A vague memory of them falling asleep like this hits her. He’d wanted to be the little spoon, she remembers.

 At first, knowing that intimate fact about him makes her feel proud. Then it makes her panic.

 She jumps out of bed, throwing off her part of the comforter in search of her clothes. She finds her underwear and bra together with her shirt, trying to dress as quietly as possible, quick before Jake wakes up and discovers that she's half-naked in his apartment and they have to have a very, very awkward talk –

“Amy? What are you doing?”

Too late.

 She freezes on the spot, chewing on her lip as she fumbles for an explanation. Jake’s eyes rake over her with curiosity, which somehow feels a lot more exposing today than it did last night, and it's making her lose track of her words. His bed head curls and disoriented smile is decidedly not helping her focus.

“We slept together last night,” she manages.

Jake’s smile grows wider and prouder as he sits up fully in bed. Amy blushes as she notices the shadow of two hickeys way too close to his neck to be professional.

“Yeah, I was there.”

“Very funny.” She sees her pants thrown across the back of a massage chair and quickly reaches for them. “But this… You know this can’t be a thing, right? Just so we're on the same page about it.”

Jake frowns. “What do you mean with a thing?”

“This – us – we can't date, Jake. I know that. You know that.”

He’s silent for a moment before he fakes a shudder. “Yeah, yeah, no. I’ve dated lawyers before. Never ends well.”

“You have?” The reveal surprises her. “It doesn't matter. This can’t happen.”

“I know.”

“Good,” she exhales. “I’m just going to find my clothes, then, and then I’m going to leave.”

“Hey, wait.” He twists his hands together, bringing them to his chin with a smile. “This is going to sound weird, but… even if nothing can happen between us, I’m still glad we had sex last night.”

 The confession takes her by surprise, and Amy wonders again if she just doesn't know anything about one-night-stands. Sleep together, have fun, sneak out in the morning before anything can go deeper – isn't that how it's supposed to go? If so, she's majorly failing, because she can't stop herself from giving him another shy smile in return.

“Me too. Just because, we were like… really good at it.”

“Stupid good!” Jake exclaims. “It makes no sense!”

“We still can't date, though,” she reminds him. “So how do we work this out?”

“Well, it sort of looked like you were planning to just leave, and I’m not going to stop you if that's your choice, but… there is one more option.”

“What are you thinking?”

“We could be friends with benefits,” he shrugs. “None of the commitment, none of the weird incompatibilities between a cop and a lawyer, just us and some stupid good sex.”

“Friends with benefits? Do the kids really say that, still?”

“I’m saying you could consider it.”

 Amy's first instinct is to protest, to say absolutely not and leave on the spot. Her relationship history may not contain that many names, but at least they’ve all been fairly straightforward and conventional. She's never done something like this before, and the mere idea of jumping into something so unknown with someone like Jake scares her shitless.

 Then again, she's also never been with someone like Jake. Yesterday hadn't been a date, but it had still been better than all the awkward dinners and half-hearted walks she's been at since she broke up with Teddy a year ago. And the sex – well, she'd be lying if she said she wasn't already thinking of doing that again.

 “There would need to be rules,” she says.

“Sure, we can come up with some.”

“I’ll write a contract.”

“We need a contract?”

“Yeah,” she decides. “If this is going to work, we need a comprehensive set of rules, and they need to be written down, because I don't trust you not to adjust them in your head last minute.”

“How am I attracted to you? But, fine.”

Amy shakes her head, closing the last button on the shirt that had been left unbuttoned until now. “So… I’ll put together a draft and bring it over tonight? Your place?”

Jake gapes at her for a moment like he can't believe what he hears, but then he nods. “I’m free.”

“Cool. I’ll see you tonight, then.” With that, she pulls on her socks and shoes, leaving before she can freak out again.

“Cool, cool,” she hears just before closing the door. “Friends with benefits. Cool, cool, cool, cool… cool.”

 ~

[soobuneary]

Giddy up, Girl! - Choi Soobin x Reader

Choi Soobin x Reader

Summary: A (very self-indulgent) fic about Soobin visiting a southern partner’s hometown. After a year of long distance dating online, you meet! HIGHKEY inspired by the Luke Bryan ‘Shake It’ tiktok trend haha.

Warnings: drinking, a tiny bit sexual if you squint, and like one curse word

Words: 2.6k

***the songs mentioned, if you want hehe: 1, 2, 3, 4

As he watched you carefully apply your eyeliner, Soobin still felt as if this whole situation was unbelievable. Even through the teary greeting at the airport, and even as he sat here on your bed watching you, the high feeling kept his head lost in what he could only describe as a dream.

You had gone to Korea as a trip with your university, where you were a culinary student, and on one of your nights adventuring you had met Soobin at a food stall. He was impressed by your knowledge of Korean food, and you were smitten with his dimples. After exchanging numbers, you quickly became friends even after you had gone home to the US. He asked you to be his girlfriend over facetime, which was how many of your previous dates had taken place.

But now, you sat in front of him at your vanity, in the flesh. And you were about to take him out in real life. “Soobin, aren’t you going to get ready?”

Your voice snapped him out of his daze. He took in your appearance and suddenly felt shy. A pale pink tank top and high-wasted jean shorts, and suddenly he wasn’t sure this was the type of date he was thinking of. He assumed he had been quiet for too long, as you asked him the same question but in Korean. “Not sure.”

You smiled at him and walked over to your closet. Seeing his clothes on one side made you smile, because although it was odd, it made everything feel much more tangible. He was here.

He looked at the plain white button up you held out towards him. “The jeans you’re wearing should be fine.”

“Where are we going?”

“No where fancy.” You smiled, putting on your rhinestone covered boots. “I want you to meet my friends, this bar is one of our favorites.” You saw the anxiety settle in on his face, so you continued, “Soob, I don’t think anyone at this bar would know who you are. Hell, I didn’t when we met.”

That did little to ease his stress, but he smirked upon further inspection of your cowgirl boots. It reminded him of the Blue Hour music video shoot. He chuckled, “Those are yours?”

“Yeah?” You approached the closet again as he finished doing the last button on his shirt. “You don’t take me for the type?”

He watched as you pulled down two hats, one white and one brown. “I’ve never seen it before.”

Your laugh made him blush. “Well, it’s a special occasion. I can’t show you my hometown without pulling out all the stops.” You paused in consideration, “Actually, I don’t think I’ve worn them since my high school homecoming!”

He put on the well-worn, white cowboy hat. “Homecoming?”

You explained it on the way to the bar, and Soobin would not stop laughing about the ridiculousness of it all. Mums? He lost his mind.

~~~

“You look mighty fine in your hat, Soobin.”

One of your friends broke the silence that followed your leave to the bar. Soobin couldn’t help feel out of place in the dimly lit booth, not because he didn’t trust his English abilities but he was trying his best to not be overwhelmed by everything. The horseshoes on the walls, the men shooting black spit from chewing tobacco into empty bottles, the cigarette smoke filling the air. Above all else, the loud country music blaring from every direction and the yelling coming from around the big, robotic bull. He looked up at the brunette who had spoken up and realized he had taken a pause too long. “Thank you, (Y/N) gave it to me.”

“We figured,” her boyfriend laughed and Soobin felt his cheeks redden with embarrassment. Marie and Jack were there names, and you had told him they were your best friends in high school. From what he had observed so far, they were far different than your university friends he had met briefly on facetime, but they seemed friendly still. They just had a different air about them.

“Sorry, I’m not used to going out like this.”

“Oh, that’s right!” Marie’s eyes lit up as she patted Jack on his bicep, “Back in Korea, Soobin is famous!”

He blushed deeper and hoped that the dim lights did him a favor. He laughed inwardly, and he hoped it didn’t make him conceited to know it was a lot more than ‘famous back in Korea’.

“Well, Soobin, here in Green Oak you could consider me famous. Marie, do you remember senior year when we brought our four wheelers? For our senior prank?”

“How could I forget, Jack?” Marie looked at Soobin with a mischievous glint in her eyes. “They drove them through the halls, they barely fit! Dragged in mud and horse shit. Our principal was mad as hell, but we cleaned up! We made the local news.”

His mind raced as he tried to keep up with words he wasn’t too familiar with, but laughed along with Jack. Suddenly he heard your voice, and thanked whatever higher power there was that you came to hopefully steer the conversation back to familiar territory.

You swayed your hips and sang along to the song playing out, being extra careful with your arms full of drinks. “Cold beer on a Friday night, a pair of jeans that fit just right!”

Marie finished the lyric as you served out the drinks. Jack had gotten a beer, so Soobin did as well. How different could beer be here in Texas? Well, quite a bit different he found out, trying not to choke on the Bud Light as it went down. You sent him a knowing look, but he hoped Jack hadn’t seen. “You gonna ride the bull tonight, (Y/N)?”

It was your turn to choke on your drink a little, and Soobin shot you a look of concern. “Marie-”

“You should show Soobin! Just how you did when we would sneak in the bar during high school. I’m sure he’d love to see you ride the bull! Right?”

All eyes on him, but he smirked much to your dismay. “I’d love to see it.”

You gulped down a bit more of your lemon drop moonshine. “Do I have to?”

Just then the tray of shots you ordered were delivered. “It’s fate, (Y/N).” Jack distributed the glasses and smiled, “To old friends and new.”

The liquor burned your throat, but you knew what you had to do. You slipped out of the booth, and the table followed with Marie cheering. As you stood in the the queue to ride the bull, you kept looking at Soobin. Instead of meeting his eyes, you saw him smile and talk with Jack and Marie. It made you incredibly giddy to watch him get along with your friends, but the feeling didn’t stay too long as it was your turn.

The music rang loud in your ears as your legs settled in the saddle. 'Cause just when I thought it couldn't get no hotter, I caught a glimpse of the farmer's daughter. The rocking started, and you braced yourself and rode like you never had before. “Giddy up, girl!” Marie’s shout made you giggle to yourself.

The small crowd cheered and whistled, but it was all white noise to Soobin. He focused on the concentration in your brow, and your pretty pink bottom lip caught in your teeth. It was so odd and weird but yet so cool and sexy-

Did he really just think that?

As the bull got faster you only rocked your body quicker to the beat, and the way your legs held the bull made him gulp.  As the days got shorter our talks got longer, the kisses got sweeter and the feelings got stronger. He could see the confidence building up in your smile as you took one hand to your hat and swung it in circles. The crowd cheered louder, and the bull got faster. So we'd hop in the truck and get all tangled up every chance we got.

After another minute, you lost your balance and fell making the audience holler. However, by the time you made your way back to Soobin and your friends your confidence had only doubled. You grabbed Marie’s hand walking quickly past. Jack smiled and motioned Soobin to follow along. 

You and Marie began to dance right as the song ended, and she sighed dramatically causing you and Jack to laugh.  And just when I think it can't get no hotter I come home to the farmer's daughter, yeah. However, no one would’ve guessed one of your favorite songs growing up would be the next to play, causing you to smile wider than Soobin was sure he’d ever seen before.

You grabbed his hands as the beginning instrumental played and he laughed nervously, to him it was obvious the moonshine began to kick in. “Why are you nervous? You dance for a living!”

“It’s obviously not the same!” He laughed, but you ignored his complaint.

Got a little boom in my big truck, gonna open up the doors and turn it up. Gonna stomp my boots in the Georgia mud. Gonna watch you make me fall in love.

Thankful he was a quick learner, Soobin saw how the guys on the dance floor simply clapped and swayed a little. ‘Boring’, he thought. He did not think it was boring for much longer as he finally understood what he thought you might find the appeal of the song.

Shake it for the young bucks sittin' in the honky-tonks, for the rednecks rockin' 'til the break of dawn. The DJ spinnin' that country song c'mon, c'mon, c'mon.

Your hips swayed to the beat and you grabbed his hips gently. Before making a comment about distasteful PDA, he noticed how most pairs on the dance floor looked quite similar. He kept his thought about how you hadn’t even kissed yet to himself.

Aw, country girl, shake it for me Girl, shake it for me Girl, shake it for me

You had turned into a different person, he thought, as you changed directions. Lightly wiggling your ass on his front, all he could do was blush and sway along. He leaned forward and whispered in your ear, “I like this side of you.”

You felt your skin tickled where his breath met your neck. “Hm?”

“You’re dancing like no one’s watching, I like seeing you like this.”

After a few more songs your group had a drink or two more before parting ways. In the Uber home you asked Soobin for his thoughts on your friends and the atmosphere of the bar. All he could think to say was ‘different’.

“I’m sorry it wasn’t too good for you, honey.”

He closed your apartment door behind him, smiling “I didn’t say that. It’s just very different.”

“Was it too much?” You plopped down on the couch in your living room. “We could’ve left, Soob.”

“I had fun.” He sat beside you and gave a sincere smile. “I can’t get over something though.”

You feared for the worst. Did he hate Marie? Was Jack too much? Was the robotic bull ride too weird? “What is it?”

“Country music”, he started, his face breaking into a goofy grin, “is weird. Their voices are so dramatic, and, and-”

“Tangy?”

“Huh?” The confusion on his face made you giggle slightly.

“Not all country music is that over the top! There are beautiful country songs!”

“I didn’t say there wasn’t!” He laughed and put up his hands defensively. Without a moment to overthink it you grabbed his hands and pushed him back. His back hit the cushions of your old couch and you looked down at him. As your face drew closer your breath hitched, was this is it? Lips crept towards each other before you felt his breath fan over you. “Show me.”

His voice broke your trance. “What?”

“Show me a beautiful country song, then.”

After a moment of consideration, you crawled off him and connected your phone to a speaker that rested on your coffee table. You held out your hand, and led him to the small space dividing your kitchen and living room. The speaker softly began to play as you rested a hand on each of his shoulders.

Baby, last night was hands down one of the best nights that I've had, no doubt. Between the bottle of wine and the look in your eyes and the Marvin Gaye. Then we danced in the dark under September stars in the pourin' rain.

His hands found your sides and you rested your cheek against his chest. His heartbeat welcomed your skin and it made you smile, who knew a man this perfect could have his heart race at something as simple as this?

“Who says this is simple?”

You pulled your head back but still kept close and swayed to the beat. “I didn’t realize I said that out loud.”

“Any time I get to spend with you is everything, (Y/N).”

Oh, if all I got is your hand in my hand baby, I could die a happy man. A happy man, baby.

“I never thought this would happen, Soobin.” You hadn’t noticed your own face moving in close as you spoke. “I can’t believe I’m seeing you again, and not through a phone screen.”

“I know exactly what you mean.”

And I know that I can't ever tell you enough that all I need in this life is your crazy love.

“Why did you wait for me?” You felt emotion rush through your veins as you looked for answers in his dark eyes. “A year without me, and a year living your dreams and becoming an international celebrity. Why me?”

If I never get to see the Northern Lights or if I never get to see the Eiffel Tower at night. Oh, if all I got is your hand in my hand baby, I could die a happy man.

“Because you’re you, (Y/N).” He brought one hand up to caress your cheek. “You’re brave and funny and compassionate. You didn't even know who I was, but you approached me, just to be nice.” He laughed quietly, and wiped a runaway tear from your eyes. “I was so nervous when you did too. I thought my mask and hat weren’t enough to not be recognized, and I’d get in trouble. But it was just you, excited to be eating Korean food and enjoying Seoul. Your eyes still sparkle the same way they did then, even all the way over here where you’re from.”

Passion welled up in your voice, and although you tried to keep it down with a gulp, it escaped. “Soobin. I’d wait forever for you, you know?”

“I know.”

Baby, you're my great escape. We could stay at home, listen to the radio, dance around the fireplace.

His lips met yours for the very first time. Your world stopped and your breath got caught in your chest. Kissing back you made note of how he tasted like the cherry liquor from the shots and his lips were just as soft as they always looked. Love was laced into every moment of the embrace, and it tore you to pieces to break away.

I could die, I could die a happy man.

“I love you, (Y/N), you know?”

You beamed up at him, his eyes reflecting all the love and light of the moment. “I know. I love you, too.”

The two of you got ready for bed, and cuddled up to spend your first night together. The conversation was mostly questions about things that confused Soobin throughout the night out. Unable to keep it in, you laughed loudly and dramatically, leaving Soobin to reach for his phone.

“What’s giddy up, girl?”

[berrynarrybanana]

pink lemonade

A/n: I...had a cliche moment of I wrote this and it got deleted bc my computer had a hissy fit while I was trying to find a good pic to use. All I want to say is that I spent weeks agonizing over this piece because I wasn’t sure that it was good enough and that it touched on bi!reader as much as it should. I started it out in Harry’s POV and it kind of just took off from there. This is very heavily based off a song from one of my favorite bands. It’s called pink lemonade by the wombats and it really gave me inspiration to write this whole fic and for my reader and flatmate!h. I hope that I did this justice, because as a bi woman, I know how little representation we get in media and in fics. So thank you to the beautiful @bopbopstyles and @harrysclementines for hosting a challenge that made me feel included. I really appreciate and love you both so much! 

warnings: smut, drug use mention, angst, harry’s pov

word count: 4.3k+

Please enjoy and feel free to tell me what you think! 

Friday Night 

Harry remembers the day he met his flatmate. 

She was a little shorter than him, but her personality definitely made her seem much taller. She had her hair up in a messy bun, her Rolling Stones shirt tucked in, and her jeans cuffed at the bottom. She introduced herself to him with a dazzling smile and a witty joke about being a stereotypical bisexual being. It made him laugh, pulling her into a hug (after asking her permission) because they were going to be flatmates and she needed to know he was a hugger. He didn’t want to start off on an awkward note with a person he would be spending so much time with. He suggested they order some pizza and drink wine on the floor of their living room on their first night. 

Their furniture hadn’t been delivered or moved in yet, so they had to settle for putting a few of y/n’s pillows under their bums while they watched comedy specials on Harry’s laptop. A majority of their evening was spent giggling and sharing stories about their previous experiences with old girlfriends. He found it oddly comforting that the beautiful girl was a little bit different, because he had always felt that way in life. With her, he didn’t feel so alone in being different. Perhaps that was one of the things that made him fall in love with her. She was a bright, radiant soul that brought him more joy than anyone else ever had. But she could be a bit thick, sometimes. 

As he watched her prance around their apartment in her tight mini-dress, he tried his best not to let her see his obvious attraction to her. 

The pillow on his lap would seem obvious to just about anyone else, but not to his precious flatmate. She practically floated through life, oblivious to how people looked at her when she moved. She was like a walking porn ad, her beautiful hair and gorgeous smile nearly impossible to ignore. He tried not to focus too hard on what she was wearing, but christ, it was hard not to. Her legs looked a little longer due to the black heeled booties she’d put on and she was most definitely wearing tights with little sparkles in the fabric. 

He hated seeing her dressed up like this, knowing that he wouldn’t be the one sliding his hands up her dress in the backseat of the taxi on the way home. He wouldn’t be the one gripping at her thighs while she straddled him on their shared couch. He wouldn’t be the one making her scream, unable to contain herself as he pulled orgasm after orgasm out of her. He hated that she was wearing the perfect shade of red on her lips, a shade that painted the walls of the prison cell in his own personal hell inside. He wanted to smear it off her lips with his own, kissing her until she was breathless and begging. 

Instead, he flipped through the channels on the telly, pretending to pay attention.

“Are you sure you don’t want to come out, Harry?” She stood in front of him, pouting her lips out as she tilted her head to the side. He shook his head as she crossed her arms, the gesture pushing her breasts up just a little. Fuck me, Harry thought. “You love going out!” 

“I know, love.” He grumbled, glancing behind her as if she was in the way. “But I’m not really in the mood to party tonight and I don’t want to bring the mood down.” 

“Well, I don’t feel right going out without you.” She sighed, dropping her arms to the side, causing Harry to look up at her. “Maybe I should stay home? We can order takeout and-” 

“Absolutely not.” He shook his head. “You have a date. You can’t stand him up!” 

“He’s just some rando from Tinder, I really don’t care about his feelings.,H.” She snorted out a laugh, rolling those perfect eyes as he tried to fight off a smile. “I’d rather be with you if you’re feeling down.”

“Don’t give up the chance for a good time because I’m a grumpy old man.” He shook his head. “I really want you to go out.” 

“Okay, okay.” She let out a heavy exhale, stepping farther away. “How do I look?” 

“Perfect.” He didn’t tear his eyes away from the telly, knowing he would overshare if he actually looked at her right now. 

“You didn’t even look!” She laughed around a playful groan. “Boys.” 

“I’m a man, love!” He called out as she walked into the kitchen for her keys. “If you’re too drunk, call me. Don’t go home with your random tinder date and-” 

“Lock the door when I’m home.” She nodded. “I know the rules, dad.” 

“Please do not ever call me that again.” Harry narrowed his eyes at her. “Go, get out of here and go have some fun. Tell everyone I said hi.” 

“I will!” She smiled. “Bye, roomie!” 

“Bye!” He waved, his heart sinking as the door shut behind her. “Guess I’ll be having a sad wank about that later.” 

Harry grumbled, sinking further into the cushions of their shared couch. 

                                   ******************************************

Saturday Morning 

The guy from Friday seemed to be a keeper. 

He was there the next morning when Harry was making a hangover breakfast in the kitchen for his flatmate. He strutted  in without a shirt or a word, reaching for a coffee cup as if he owned the place. Last time Harry checked, only two people paid rent here. Harry watched from the stove, spatula in hand as he glared at the man’s back. What a sodding prick. With a quick roll of his eyes, Harry pushed around the potatoes he’d chopped up earlier. Of course she brought him home. It had been weeks since she’d had a proper shag and it was bound to happen sooner or later. And even if Harry hated to admit it, the man standing in his kitchen gave it to her proper. Harry closed his eyes, cringing at memory of her moans melded with the banging of her headboard against the wall last night.

He hadn’t heard her moan out like that in a long time. Halfway through orgasm number two out of god knows how many, Harry shoved his headphones in and tried not to cry. He hated that someone else was making her feel so good that she was screaming the bloody walls down. He wanted to sink into her, to have her screaming out his name instead. But that wasn’t going to happen. Not even in his dreams could he have her, always cutting off right around the time his hands landed on her hips. 

“Oh, didn’t see you there, mate.” The guy turned around. “M’Alfie.” 

“Harry.” He grumbled, reaching up to the heat down. “Y/N’s roommate.” 

“She told me about you.” Alfie nodded. “Said you’re a right laugh when you’re drinking.” 

“Did she now?” Harry hummed as if he was actually interested in the conversation. 

“Shame you didn’t come out with us.” Alfie said. “Y/N was a fucking animal. Have you ever had sex with her? I mean she’s amazing when she’s high.” 

Harry wanted to vomit. 

This guy was a total prick.

“Yeah, what a shame.” Harry cleared his throat, glancing over at Alfie. “When Y/N wakes up, let her know that breakfast is here. She’s going to want two pieces of toast with butter.” 

“I will tell her.” Alfie sipped out of the bright pink mug and Harry’s face grew hot. That was his mug, the one that Y/N got him for Christmas last year. The little lamb on the front with a comical smile was mocking him now. “You alright, mate?” 

“Yeah, I’m stellar.” 

Harry stormed out of the kitchen and down the hall. 

He nearly made it to his door when she stumbled out of her bedroom. 

“Morning, Harry.” She yawned before smiling at her roommate. 

He didn’t respond, ducking past her and into his bedroom. 

Maybe he didn’t really know the girl he loved after all. 

                                            *******************************

Another Magical Friday Night 

Alfie, as it turns out, wasn’t a keeper. 

During their second escapade, Alfie shouting to the top of his lungs pulled Harry out of his half-asleep state. His heart sank and his blood ran cold as he sprinted out of his bedroom to Y/N’s. When he got there, Alfie was storming out of her bedroom, half dressed with a red face. Harry stood in Y/N’s doorway, avoiding her gaze as she struggled to put a t-shirt on. After a few moments, Harry couldn’t stand to hear her soft whimpers and loud sniffles. He tore his own shirt off, walking over to where she was sitting on the bed with her legs crossed in front of her. 

“S’alright,” He cooed, sitting down in front of her as he slipped his shirt over her head. “It’s okay, love.” 

“I’m sorry we woke you up.” She leaned forward, pressing her forehead to the column of his throat as she cried. “I know you have an early yoga class tomorrow.” 

“Please don’t apologize.” He said softly, rubbing his hand over her back. “Tell me what he did?” 

“He didn’t do anything.” She shook her head, pulling back as she wiped at her cheeks. “I just...Alfie dabbles a bit in drugs and I tried some with him last week, but I didn’t like it. I told him I didn’t want to do it again and he called me a whore and a tease.” 

Harry’s jaw tensed as he watched his best friend hiccup, swiping under her eyes again. 

“You are not a whore.” Harry reached up, gripping her chin between his thumb and forefinger, demanding her attention. “Don’t ever let anyone make you feel like you need to be ashamed of yourself.” 

“Thank you.” She sniffled. “Sleep with me tonight?” 

“Yeah.” He nodded. “Let’s go to my room instead, okay?” 

He didn’t have the heart to tell her he couldn’t sleep in her bed right now. 

Not after Alfie had been in it. 

“Okay.” She gave him a wavering smile. “Thank you, H.” 

“Anytime.” 

Harry held her that night, his heart pounding against his chest as she cuddled into him. 

As he drifted off, he mumbled out loud, “This must be what heaven feels like.” 

He hoped she didn’t hear him. 

                                            ****************************

Harry decided that if Y/N was going out this Friday, he was too.

He couldn’t stand the thought of her going out without him by her side after last week’s incident with Alfie. There was no Tinder date for her to meet up with, just Harry and a few other friends who wanted to have a good time. They got ready in their shared bathroom together, pre-gaming with whatever they had left as they sang loudly to Harry’s pre-game playlist. When she spritzed her perfume over her neck, Harry’s mouth started to water. 

The warm vanilla and citrus hybrid was damn near a love potion to him. 

“Alright,” She nodded, giving herself a once over in the mirror. “I’m ready.” 

“You look perfect.” He smiled, trailing his eyes up from her vegan, leather combat boots to her black skinny jeans, finally settling on the lacy bodysuit that she had recently purchased. “S’a bit like lingerie, innit it?” 

“Yeah.” She shrugged her shoulders, pursuing her lips as Harry looked at her eyes. “But it’s nice and light and extremely sexy.” 

“One of those nights?” Harry’s brows quirked up and he forced a little smirk to settle on his lips as she nodded. “Good, you deserve a bit of fun.” 

And he actually meant it, this time. 

She did deserve to have a little fun after Alfie

He could suck it up for one night if the girl he loved would be happy at the end of it. 

“I do.” She giggled, reaching down to grab the bottle of tequila set on the bathroom countertop, wiggling it around. “One more shot for good luck?”

“Pour it up.” 

                                         *****************************

Harry bucked his hips up as the girl above him rolled her hips over his denim clad cock. 

This time, he brought someone home. 

Granted, Y/N brought someone home as well, he now had a distraction to keep his mind busy and his cock wet while his flatmate got off. The girl he’d met at the club was so sweet, her hazel eyes enticing him the moment his gaze met hers. Her lips were so soft and they tasted like strawberries. He wondered what Y/N tasted like? They were normally covered in gloss when she went out, shiny and peachy. Did her lips taste like peach? Harry closed his eyes, taking a deep breath as the girl dug her nails into his stomach. 

“Can I take your pants off?” She asked, timid and soft. Nothing like Y/N demanding the naughtiest of things on the other side of the wall. “I’m ready to...I want to ride you.” 

“Okay, yeah.” Harry opened his eyes, sitting up as he wrapped his arms around her. He pressed a few soft kisses over her jaw before catching her mouth in his. “Just a second, love.”

“You’re sweet.” She pressed a kiss to his forehead, swinging her leg over his thighs as he reached for his buttons. 

“Fuck, yes!” 

Harry rolled his eyes, fumbling with the zipper on his trousers as the girl next to him slapped her hand over her mouth, trying not to laugh. 

“She’s loud.” She giggled, reaching down to start working on her heels. 

“I know.” Harry sighed. “I’m really sorry about that. I...I didn’t know she would be bringing someone-” 

“Right there, y/n! Yes baby yes!” 

“Jesus.” He let out a huff, reaching his hand up to tap the wall with his fist. “Oi, other people are trying to have fun here.” 

“Oh my god.” The girl tossed her head back, barking out a laugh. “You don’t have to do that, it’s fine.” 

“Sorry, H.” Y/N called back. “We’ll keep it down.” 

“I just don’t want to ruin the mood for us.” He shuffled out of his jeans and boxers, tossing them to the side before he looked back at her. 

“I’m okay.” She climbed on top of him again, her shoes now tossed aside and her dress hiked up to her hips. “I really, really don’t care about anything else but fucking you right now.” 

“Oh.” Harry’s cheeks were surely tinged pink as she gripped his cock in her hand, stroking up with gentle movements. “Fuck, that’s nice.” 

“Good.” She leaned forward, pressing her free hand to his shoulder. He fell back onto the mattress, dropping his hands to her thighs. “I promise I’m gonna make you cum so hard, you won’t even know there’s anyone else in the world besides me.” 

Harry dropped his head back, digging his nails into her thighs as she lined herself up with his cock. It had been so long since he’d fucked anyone, his emotions for Y/N a huge cock-block that he couldn’t seem to shake. Other girls just didn’t do it for him anymore.  But tonight, the alcohol in his veins and the vision of Y/N nearly fingering some girl in the back of the club reminded him that he was free to fuck whoever he wanted, despite his love for Y/N.

“Y/N!” 

Harry let out a heavy sigh through his nose, the sound of Y/N’s one night stand screaming making the fire in his belly dim just a little. He didn’t even care that his own girl was sinking onto his cock, soaking wet and tight like a vice. He barely even remembered that she was on top of him until she moaned his name out. 

He opened his eyes, watching her face contort as she settled onto his thighs. 

“You’re huge.” She whispered, tilting her head back. “I swear I’ve never had...never had someone so big, fuck.” 

“Yeah?” He licked over his bottom lip, sliding a palm up to her belly. “Feel me there?” 

“Mhm.” She whimpered, gripping onto his wrist. “M’so full.”

“Y/N, please let me cum.” 

Harry let out a frustrated sigh, reaching his hands up to rub over his face. 

“Are they bothering you?” The girl asked softly, lifting off of his cock. “Because it seems like they are.” 

“A little, yeah.” Harry nodded, wincing as his cock slapped against his stomach. “I’m really sorry, it’s not that you aren’t amazing-” 

“I get it, it’s okay.” She fell next to him as his cock started to soften. “I would be kind of wigged out if my roommate was fucking while I was too.” 

“She does this every Friday night.” Harry said. “And...not to continue ruining whatever we had going between us, but I’m kind of in love with her.” 

“Oh.” The girl whispered. “That would really turn me off.” 

“Yeah.” He nodded. “And I was trying to have fun for once, you know? Because she seems to go about life oblivious to my feelings and I’m stuck pining for her while she’s fucking whoever she wants to.” 

“Do you think she knows that you like her?” His date asked. 

“I don’t know, probably not.” He mumbled, turning his head to look at her. “You don’t have to listen to me moan on about it, I’m sorry.” 

“No, it’s okay.” She turned on her side, pressing her palm to his chest. “I have a feeling you haven’t talked to anyone about this and it’s not very healthy to keep things bottled up.”

“You’re right about that.” Harry smiled. “You know, I have a friend who would absolutely adore you.” 

“Is it Y/N?” She giggled. “Because I don’t swing that way.” 

“Oi, you think I’d let you shag the girl I just told you I’m in love with?” He laughed, his brows crinkling together as he reached over to pinch her hip. “It’s not her.” 

“Good.” She laughed with Harry, sliding closer to him. “Would it be weird if I stay?” 

“No,” He shook his head. “It’s the least I can do after wasting your time.” 

“And...what about a cuddle?” She asked. “Because I do enjoy a good cuddle session.” 

“I can deal with that, I think.” He leaned forward, pressing his lips to hers. “Thank you.” 

                                           *****************************

The next morning, Harry was livid. 

He sent his date, Halle was her name, off with a sweet kiss and a coffee to-go. Maybe in another life, she would have been perfect for him. A soft, sweet girl with kind eyes and a willingness to listen to him. Unfortunately for him, he was too far up his obnoxious flatmate’s ass to see anyone else. And even if it made things awkward between them, he had to tell her how he felt. There was no way he could keep going on like this if there was a way to prevent it. 

“Good morning,” She chirped, her hand linked with the girl she brought home last night. “Are we having breakfast?” 

“You can do whatever the fuck you want.” Harry snapped, taking his coffee mug and his breakfast plate from the counter. “I don’t care.” 

Y/N’s jaw dropped and the girl’s eyes grew wide. 

Harry didn’t say another word, walking past the two girls.

He hated being a dick, but lashing out made him feel the tiniest bit better about what happened last night. He pushed his bedroom door open with his hip, settling back into bed as he flicked through his options on Netflix. He wasn’t even thinking of Y/N, his mind struggling to remember whether or not he’d seen the last episode of the Great British Bake-Off. When he realized that he hadn’t, clicking on the title to start the episode, his bedroom door flew open and his roommate stormed in. 

“Fuck you!” She snapped, reaching for his remote, standing in front of his bed with a scowl on her perfect lips. “I don’t know who pissed in your cheerios this morning, but you don’t get to talk to me like that! Especially not in front of guests.” 

“Okay.” Harry shrugged. “Can I have my remote-” 

“No, you can’t!” She shouted, tossing her hands up as she let out a noise crossed between a groan and a growl. “What’s your deal?” 

“I haven’t exactly finished my coffee, love.” Harry was trying not to relish in the sight of his roommate frustrated and adorable. The feeling she was experiencing now was a fraction of what he felt every time he heard her through the wall. “Maybe come back later?” 

“Are you upset because I fucked someone last night and you didn’t?” Her brows shot up. “I know you didn’t cum last night and neither did the girl you brought home. Are you mad because you’re shit in bed?” 

“Maybe we were quiet. You know, decent and considerate of other people,” The smile he gave her was sarcastic. “Or maybe- and this is a good one- maybe, I had a girl sitting on my cock, ready to fuck me so bloody good I would cry, but I couldn’t let her because all I could think about was how much I love you. ” 

“What?” She asked, her mouth falling ajar. 

“Maybe when I was kissing her at the club, I was thinking about kissing you.” He set his coffee mug down on his nightstand, continuing on. “And maybe when I had my fingers in her cunt, I was thinking about you. And maybe, just maybe, every time you fuck someone so loud that it keeps me up at night, I wish it was me instead.” 

She didn’t say anything, watching as Harry moved forward. He snagged the remote from her hand, proud of his little confession. He turned the show back on, ignoring his roommate as she stood there with her eyes wide. He smirked, crossing his legs before he settled his hand on his stomach. 

“You process that and I’m just gonna watch Noel and Paul bicker.” Harry said. 

“You’re an asshole.” She whispered. “You...you can’t just be upset with me because I didn’t know that you liked me.” 

“I’m not upset with you,” He said. “I’m a little upset that I was trying to have a good time for once and you ruined it with you and your girl’s pornstar moaning, but I’m not upset with you. That would be extremely unfair of me.” 

“Why have you never said anything?” She cleared her throat, fidgeting with the hem of her oversized shirt. “We’ve been roommates for years, Harry.” 

“Because I love you as a friend, too.” He started. “I didn’t want to risk it.” 

“And now?” She squeaked out. “You’re willing to risk it now?” 

“Yeah.” He nodded. “I’m tired of wishing that it was me on the other side of this wall, Y/N. So...take some time to think about what I said and let me know if you’d be willing to give it a try. No hard feelings if you don’t want the same thing, I completely understand and I’ll respect your choice either way. We’ll just have to work out some arrangement where you let me know when you have someone-” 

“I want to try.” She said quickly, kneeling on the edge of the bed. “Because I really like you, Harry. Like, the only reason I’ve brought so many people back home with me is because I couldn’t have you. I knew that there was no way in hell you would like a girl like me. I’m obnoxious and boisterous and just...I didn’t think I was your type.” 

“You’re kidding?” His brows shot up. “You thought...oh my god, we’re both bloody idiots.” 

“You’re telling me.” She laughed, falling on her ass in front of him. “This whole time I’ve been fucking people that loudly to make you jealous and the entire time you’ve been listening, imaging it was you?” 

“I guess so.” He let out a breathy laugh, shaking his head. “Well, I guess that leaves us with two options.” 

“And what might those be?” She asked, a soft smile settling on her lips. 

“I take you out for brunch, maybe a nice walk in the park, and then I bring you home and fuck you so hard you won’t even remember the orgasms you had last night.” He lifted one finger up, smiling as he watched her inhale sharply. “Or option two, I fuck you now and we go to brunch later?” 

“Wouldn’t it just be lunch by then?” She tilted her head to the side, playfully narrowing her eyes at him. “I mean...that defeats the purpose, yeah?” 

“Really, that’s-” Harry let out a laugh, shaking his head. “You’re missing the point.” 

“I’m not.” She leaned forward, sliding her hands over his thighs. “I see it clear as day.” 

“And what does your heart tell you to do?” He licked over his bottom lip as she moved closer, her nose nearly bumping against his. 

“To take you up on option two.” She whispered. “Because it’s really not fair that I came five times last night and you didn’t come, not even once.” 

“Fuck.” Harry sputtered out as she brushed her lips over his. “Kiss me?” 

She pressed her lips into his, moving his body back onto his pillows. She moved over him, straddling his thighs as she deepened the kiss. When her tongue slipped over his bottom lip, his mouth fell open in response. His hands fell to her hips, digging into the soft flesh as his mind tried to catch up. The girl of his dreams was sitting on his lap, in his bed, and she wanted him. She wanted him just as bad as he wanted her. He couldn’t believe that this was happening, sure that he was just a fever dream or a nightmare that he would wake up from any second. But he was brought back to reality when her tongue slipped over his. 

And at that moment, Harry knew he was right. 

She did taste like peach. 

[atombombbibunny]

I Knew Pt 4

hi

This one feels like a filler to me, but it also feels like a crescendo.

I'm already working on the next chapter, I'm hoping I've gotten my mojo back. I appreciated each and every one of you.

Hope you enjoy it!

Words: 1728

Warnings: None

_______________________________

The next few weeks flew by without much happening, you and Rafael hadn’t picked a date or talked much about the wedding, but you continued to plan things, whether it was written down or just in your head, you couldn’t help but get lost in a daydream each day of what you expected on your special day.

You hadn’t brought up what happened between you and Daveed, you figured that if he was going to talk to anyone about it, it would be Rafael.

But things came to a screeching halt when you came home one evening. “I got a phone call today.” You had barely sat down when he began to explain to you that a studio out in New York reached out with the idea of helping him produce his first album.

Your mind swam in emotion, on one hand you were excited for him to accomplish his dream, but at the same time you knew it would pause all wedding talk, and he would be gone, you couldn’t go with him due to your work.

“Well?” He asked, his eyebrow raised, you hadn’t realized he had asked you something, you knew the gist of what he was asking, he was seeing if you approved or if you were devastated at the idea of what this meant for the two of you.

“That’s amazing news Rafael.” You shifted to lean against his chest, he intertwined your fingers and began to play with your thumb. “When would you leave?” You muttered, listening to his heartbeat, it was rather rough with excitement. You closed your eyes to the rhythmic feeling against your back.

“Next week.” He said, his chin resting against the top of your head. You took in a deep yet somewhat painful breath. “Okay, well, this is happening.” You shifted to look up into his eyes. “Baby-“ He started; you placed a finger against his lips. “Rafael, don’t you even think about not following something you’ve worked so hard for, your going.” He huffed lightly before pressing a kiss to your forehead. “I’ll miss you.” He muttered against your skin.

“Me too.”

The rest of the week went by, and with each passing day you could feel the weight of the world begin to rest on your shoulders, with every article of clothing Rafael placed in his luggage you felt the need to beg him to stay. But you never wanted to be someone to hold back someone from their dream, especially Rafael.

You kissed him tenderly, a few stray tears sliding down your cheeks as you dropped him off at the airport, he slid his fingers against your cheek wiping away a tear. You stared into his eyes before a slight smile broke across his face. “I’m going to marry you when I get home.” He muttered before he placed one last soft kiss against your lips. “I love you.” You whispered before he exited the car, he quickly gathered his luggage before turning around at the door of the airport to smile at you and give you a dramatic wave. You let out a choked laugh before waving back at him and pulling away from the drop off section.

That night you fought the urge to text him every second to know if he landed, where he was, who he was meeting up with, how his AirBnB was, if he was tired, if he missed you like you were missing him.

You also fought the urge to call up everyone you knew to cry into the phone.

Instead, you fought to sleep in your empty bed, something you were no longer used to.

As the week passed, you felt somewhat miserable, the dependency of Rafael dancing in the kitchen as you cooked dinner was greatly missed. You called each other any time you had the chance; it was mostly him calling as you never wanted to interrupt his studio time. But you just were no longer used to being alone, especially in the house you two had purchased together.

Rain had poured all Friday evening and you had planned to settle in with a bottle of wine and some kind of movie you know Rafael would never want to watch.

That kind of freedom you enjoyed, although deep down inside you knew he’d watch it with you, he’d just poke holes in the plot.

Right around the Black Cell Tango in Chicago the doorbell rang out into the house, you jumped at the noise, turning to the door almost in fear. You quickly checked the time to see it was almost 10 and although it was a Friday you certainly weren’t expecting someone.

The doorbell rang out again and you carefully removed yourself from the couch, practically tiptoeing over to the door, you knew if you moved quietly enough no one could hear the echoed footsteps. Once at the door you peeked into the peep hole.

The last person you were expecting was him.

You rushed with the lock before opening the door.

He stood there a bit soaked, he wouldn’t meet your eye line.

“Daveed?”

He let out a light huff.

“Can I come in?” He mumbled, his eyes finally meeting yours, you were met with a look of utter heart ache, he looked defeated, bags under his eyes, his voice raw and exhausted.

You moved to the side wordlessly as he inched into your house. You watched as the rain dripped into the house. “Daveed.” You began, he turned, his eyes boring into yours. “Let me get you something warm to wear.” You uttered before rushing up the stairs.

As you grabbed a few things for him including a towel, you placed it all on your bed. You closed your eyes wishing Rafael was here, Daveed and him had been friends longer.

He’d be able to help with something, anything.

But it was up to you. You exhaled deeply as you made your way back down to the living room. The house was dark, only lit by the sliver of moon that came and went with the rolling clouds. Daveed sat still, unmoving.

You watched for a second before you moved into his eyesight, you attempted to passed him the towel and set the clothes off to the side, you knew they wouldn’t fit him perfectly, but it would be better than what he was in now. Daveed’s eyes were unmoving, he was zoned out at nothing as you moved the towel from your hands, placing it on his lap. You then quickly sat on the other side of the couch.

The silence became deafening as you waited for him to speak or move.

“My marriage is over.” He uttered, his eyes staring at nothing, you scanned his face as your heart sank. “Daveed, don’t say that.” You begged as you observed his unmoving state. He finally tore his eyes from nothing to look at you. “Y/N, it is.” He stated.

It had been over a month since Daveed came home from his honeymoon before you had the chance to actually see him.

It was Jasmine’s birthday, and you were a few drinks into the evening. When you had first arrived, Rafael was already there, beer in hand lazing on the couch. He smiled as you entered the house, the two of you only making vague plans to plan a date were still in this supreme awkward phase. Something you were dreading on; this is exactly what you didn’t want to happen.

It was getting to the later part of the party, the sun was officially set before Daveed arrived, without Lauren to your surprise.

You smiled when he smiled at you, and you waved at him meekly like you did the night he announced his engagement.

You thought you would have been more excited to see him, you thought you’d be running through the crowd to jump into his arms. But as his eyes softened before he turned to talk to someone you realized that was just something that wouldn’t happen anymore.

Life had changed before your eyes and the man who used to be inseparable from you had become an almost stranger, your other best friend was crazy about you. And you were unsure of everything happening.

None of it had felt real, it felt like a blurry dream with the pace things were going.

After chatting in groups of people and laughing at the few jokes Rafael had spouted, the two of you bumping shoulders every once and a while you began to wonder where the newly married man was. You had to at least tell him you were happy he was home.

You wandered the house with no such luck, and you took a breath before you opened the front door, to your surprise he was there, drinking silently into the night sky.

You paused before speaking, wondering if it was best to leave him, but you bit down the thought. Knowing it was just you being timid to speak to him.

“Hi.” You squeaked out; clearing your throat quickly embarrassed by the noise that burst from your lips. He glanced over his shoulder before he spun around to you, smiling gently. “Hey.” You began to nervously pick at the label on your bottle. “I just wanted to say, I’m happy you’re home. I missed you.” You looked up at him to see him biting the inside of his lip. “Yeah, I missed you too…”

His eyes burned into yours as you stared at each other silently, you hadn’t realize how close you had gotten to him during the conversation, until you could feel his shuddering breath against your cheek. “Can I stay here tonight?” He practically begged, it took everything in you not to break down into tears at the sound of his broken voice, you leaned forward wrapping your arms around his shoulders, squeezing him gently as you closed your eyes, this scent of him filled your senses for a moment.

“Daveed.” You said breaking the quiet in the house. “What happened?” A thick, tense silence followed your question as you felt his muscles tightened beneath your touch. You could feel his heart pounding against you as his hands slid against and around your back.

You heard him take a deep breath, you could tell his eyes were closed as he gained confidence to speak.

“You.”

__________________________________________

Tags aren't working right now, I'll try and fix them later.

[miracul0us-multishipper]

You (Part 2)

Now you see me, now you don’t!

Part 1 | AO3

Felix Graham De Vanily was, in his own humble opinion, special. 

He was smart.

He was composed.

He knew exactly what to say and when, and he could make people see exactly what he wanted them to see.

He wasn’t his cousin, after all, almost identical looks aside. Adrien never knew when to speak up, or when it was better to stay quiet. Never knew how to hide his thoughts and keep his - utterly unrealistic, when it came to his father - hopes in check. And he might be smarter than Felix gave him credit for, but all that intelligence left him as soon as his friends were concerned.

That was what all his flaws boiled down to, really.

Adrien made the fatal, unforgiving mistake of caring too much. Always had.

(It was what Felix liked about him, deep down. Adrien was genuine, in everything he felt. Felix envied him for the ease with which he made friends.)

But.

Felix wasn’t like Adrien at all. He was too smart to care for people - his mother aside - any more than he had to. Mundane distractions. Friends, crushes - all things that would only deter him from his path in life: high above the crowd, always the center of attention, yet unreachable. Playing everyone, but gone before anybody noticed.

It was a glorious but lonely road. No, scratch that. It was a lonely but glorious road. Much better.

He didn’t need anything or anyone.

He was the sole and solemn genius of the family.

He was a magician, who didn’t need any fancy jewelry to work miracles - just the right distraction and disguise.

He was-

“Ow!”

Groaning Felix looked at the little bite marks on his finger. 

“Were you even listening?! Or did you just wait for an opportunity to stab me in the back?”

The black and white bundle of fur and betrayal on his lap meowed and swiped at his hand, now out of reach.

 “I knew you couldn’t be trusted.”, he grumbled and shoved the traitor off of his legs, but couldn’t help but smile when he smugly licked his nose - as if to say: I'd do it again. “I raised you too well. Now, where was I?”

He sighed.

“Ah, yes. I don’t care for anyone - please stop scratching that ear, honey, it’s not healed yet - because I'm just too smart for that. So it’s utterly impossible that I, Felix Graham de Vanily, am in love with Dupain-Cheng. Got it?”

His cat, the little bastard, answered by knocking his pencil box over and started to chew on a pen. Felix narrowed his eyes.

“Oh? You dare doubt my word?”

With quick fingers he stole his cat's spoils and placed it out of his reach.

“Quite bold for a creature without opposable thumbs, hm?”

Insulted, the poor, thumbless pet retreated to his laptop and laid down on the keyboard - causing the screensaver to give way to the last opened tab. Which was Marinette's Instagram page.

“Wah!”

Hurried to hide the proof of his interest - as if she might somehow appear in his room if he looked at her picture for too long - he shooed his pet away and closed the tab. Said pet meowed smugly and, upset about being chased away from two spots already, sat down on his pillow. Great.

“You did that on purpose!”, he accused his cat. “But that tab proves nothing. It was merely a passing interest in her admittedly wearable work. It has nothing to do with any confessions - faked confessions, or that she can apparently recognize me in disguise, or the very neutral fact that she is cute, by some people's - not my own! - standards.”

His cat blinked. And sneezed onto his pillow.

“Bless you. Now move, or I’ll use you instead of a bunny for that hat trick I’m working on.”

Sighing, Felix let himself fall backwards onto his bed, grabbing the fleeing cat and burying his face in the fluffy fur.

“Oh, to be a cat!”, he wailed into his involuntary comfort pillow. “With no troubles except how to best annoy his owner.”

 The poor animal hissed and escaped his grasp, saving himself from the bitter fate of a comfort pillow.

 “Run, you uncaring monster.”, Felix sighed, “Leave me to my worries. Which don’t include Marinette at all, by the way.”

He sat up and watched as the little traitor turned to sulk on his dresser.

“Stop looking at me like that. Even if I had a short bout of interest - possibly even infatuation! It’s already all but cured.”

He nodded to himself, ignoring that the disinterested cat had begun cleaning his leg instead of listening.

“School's closed, after all!”, he hummed, scrolling through the news on his phone. “And social contacts are to be reduced to the bare minimum. So I’m not going to see her again before this passing interest has... well, passed.”

As if in response to his words, his laptop started to ring and the monitor lit up with the picture of blue, blue eyes and a smile that could melt the stars off of the sky. Not that he paid attention to such things.

“Oh no, no, no!”, he panted as he fell out of his bed and stumbled towards the computer. “Incoming Skype call?! Oh, come on!”

The ringtone repeated itself and Felix jumped.

“What am I gonna do? What am I gonna do?”

Panicking, he looked at his pet.

“What the fuck am I supposed to do?!”

The addressed party blinked. And went back to licking his nuts.

“Argh! I am surrounded by incompetence!”

Taking a deep breath, Felix straightened his vest and cravat - just because he was staying at home for the foreseeable future didn’t mean that he would dress any less professionally.

“Who needs your advice anyway. I can do this.”

He straightened his back and sat down on the chair in front of his desk.

“I am Felix Graham de Vanily, the best actor in all of France and the United Kingdom, not in love with Marinette Dupain-Cheng, and I can totally answer a Skype call.”

Before he could think again, he pressed the green button.

“Mademoiselle Dupain-Cheng!”, he greeted overly enthusiastic. “We meet again.”

“If you can call it that.”, Marinette laughed with the voice of a goddamn angel. She was wearing a white, polka-dotted pajama top, was illuminated by early-noon sunlight falling through some sort of window in the ceiling, and her hair – was – down.

If this was some sort of cosmic test, it wasn’t fair.

“To what do I owe the pleasure of your virtual company?”, he said quickly, trying not to think too much about how her hair looked even softer than the fur of a certain cat. Then, for good measure, he added: “Miss me already?”

Marinette disappeared  for a moment, before returning with a sizable stack of papers.

“As much as I could do without my favorite pain in the neck, we have a school assignment to do. You know, since school is closed?”

She leaned in and he held his breath.

“Did you even notice? I haven’t seen you last Friday.”

What was he supposed to answer to that? Oh, I noticed alright! It kept me from embarrassing myself by avoiding you, because my brain got all mushy ever since you fake-confessed to me pretending to be my cousin?

Ha! Fat chance.

“Aw, worried for me?”, he improvised, as usual, by being sarcastic. “Let me soothe your concern for your favorite pain in the neck: I merely got tired of cosplaying Adrien. I'm a very busy man, you see?”

She rolled her eyes and somehow managed to make it look cute.

“Of course you are. Well, hopefully not too busy for a presentation on marine biology, due next week.”

He blinked.

“Excuse me?”

“You know, the one Adrien and I are supposed to do?”

Felix Had Questions. For example:

“How was I supposed to know that?”

“Don’t tell me you didn’t hack into Adriens E-mail account. I saw you present homework that you couldn’t have known about if Madame Mendeleiev hadn’t emailed you, as Adrien.”

She raised an eyebrow, in a way that could almost be described as playful.

“Plus, you seem the type to do that.”

He scoffed and crossed his arms, as if it would hide his racing heartbeat.

“First of all: No, I am not breaking into my cousins account. I may like to prank him - or rather everyone, really - but that goes a little far. Secondly, that Lila girl was only too eager to do homework with Adrien-Me, so I could keep up with every assignment once I could get her hands off of me.”

“I thought a magician never revealed his tricks?”

True. But he had wanted to see if she would get jealous. Which she didn’t. Which was expected and totally fine by him. He didn’t care anyways.

Lucky for him, Marinette wanted to tease him more than an answer.

“Well, I hope your work ethic is better when it comes to presentations. I'll send you the materials!”

A click later, his laptop alerted him of One New Email, containing no less than twenty-two pages of material. He raised his eyebrows.

“Not to crush your little illusion of me as a hard-working student, but that looks like awfully tedious work. What makes you think I would voluntarily do homework meant for Prince Charming?”

The sassy little smirk she'd shown him during their battles of wit last week returned.

“You mean, aside from the fact that, once school is open again and Adrien is back, your little trick with pretending to be him will be revealed? And that I’m your best chance not to be chased out of town by a very angry Chloé Bourgeois? Not to start with Alya, Rose and Juleka, who still haven’t forgiven you for that stunt you pulled the last time you were here.”

Sound argument, he had to give her that.

“Pah!”, he said, just for the sake of irritating her. “So what? It’s not like it was my idea to move to Paris anyway!”

That was at least partially true. His mother had insisted to come back to France, mostly because she wanted to keep an eye on Gabriel. But he hadn’t been against it either.

It wasn’t like he had friends in London anyway, and in Paris it at least didn’t get boring, with all these butterflies and superheroes. Plus, he wouldn’t admit it out loud, but he had missed Adrien. That boy could use a little family - once Felix was done pretending to be him. 

Marinette hummed and tapped her chin impatiently.

“Well, then see it as the prize you promised me after our little insult-match at the Trocadero.”

“Wait, wait, wait!”, he held up his hands. “I already settled that score, didn’t I? You confessed to me, remember?”

“I practiced confessing to Adrien with you, you mean.”, she reminded him with a raised eyebrow – Ouch, by the way – before leaning back in her pink chair. “And that was because you talked me into it. I never told you what I wanted, did I?”

Well, fuck. Not that the prospect of working with Marinette was that unpleasant, but in his current state of emotional confusion, it would only be detrimental. He needed an out, an excuse!

“Why would you want to work with me anyways? I would have thought you'd jump at the chance to do something with Prince Adrien of Dreamland. Why settle for the pain in the neck?”

Marinette sighed.

“Adrien is still recovering from his flu, and given the current, ah, global situation, I thought it would be better to put his health first. Besides, you're my favorite pain in the neck.”

“I'm flattered, darling”, he said, trying not to sound like it was as true as it was, “but-“

“Oh my gosh!”, Marinette interrupted him with a shout, and suddenly her eyes dominated the entire screen, as if she were mere millimeters away from her own computer. “Felix! What is that?!”

“Huh?”, he made, eloquent as usual. He turned around, just in time to see his traitorous cat jump from the dresser right onto his lap. Apparently, now that Felix had someone else to talk to, the little bastard felt neglected. 

“You mean him?”, he asked, turning back to the screen with the cat in his lap. An inhuman squeal came from the other side of the line and Marinette sacked back into her chair, which spun around its axis, like, three times in a single second.

“Felix Graham de Vanily!”, she said with all but glowing eyes. “Show – me – the cat!”

Since her voice made absolutely clear that it had been an order and Felix had always had a strong survival instinct, he obediently held up the little monster. Who let out a plaintive little “Mow”, but otherwise submitted to his fate.

“Oh my gosh!”, Marinette repeated, “He's adorable!”

“You think?”, Felix said dumbly, at a loss for how to react to this sudden change in situation.

“I do! I do! What's his name?”

“Uh...”, Felix thought, debating whether a lie would save his reputation. “Uhm...”

“Don’t tell me you named him Felix Junior!” She turned towards the cat in false exasperation. “Did he name you Felix Junior?!”

The cat that was most certainly not named Felix Junior meowed in his feline confusion.

“No, of course not!”, Felix snapped back, sinking into the chair as if it might have mercy and swallow him.

“Then what's his name? What, for God’s sake, is this pretty little kitty called?!”

What had his life turned into?

“'dini.”, he mumbled, hiding his face behind the cat.

“What? Speak louder!”, Marinette demanded, and so he accepted his fate.

“Houdini!”, he groaned in embarrassment. “I named him Houdini, alright? I was eleven!”

For a moment, the line went quiet. Then, inevitably, Marinette burst out in laughter.

“For real? I can’t believe it!”

Sulking, Felix turned away from the screen, but immediately Marinette stopped.

“No, no, no! Bring Houdini back! I love his name, okay? Give him back!”

“You're not telling anybody of him, got it?”, he hissed, cheeks as red as Ladybug's suit. Marinette snickered. 

“Of course, I promise. Houdini will be our little secret, alright? Now bring him back!”

Satisfied, Felix turned the chair back towards the laptop and placed Houdini on the desk. The curious thing didn’t hesitate to lounge onto his keyboard and examined the camera, much to Marinette’s delight.

“Oh lord, he's so cute!”

Felix sighed and leaned back.

“Believe me, he knows.”

“He looks just like you!”

At that, Felix spluttered and jumped up again.

“W-w-what?!”

Internally already setting up the equation: “Marinette thinks Houdini is cute, and Marinette thinks Houdini looks like Felix, then Marinette thinks Felix is cute?” he was about two seconds from fainting.

“He's got a little tie, see?”, Marinette giggled on, ignorant of the thought-spiral she'd sent him into. “Just like you!”

Oh. She meant the patterns of his fur, which admittedly looked a little like he was wearing a tie. Of course.

“Who's the most adorable thing in Paris? You are!”, Marinette continued with her shameless adoration of that undeserving little brat, who currently Mow-ed happily at the screen. Pah!

“Just so you know, he bites people for fun.”, Felix badmouthed his own pet, absolutely not because he was jealous. “You can’t trust him. He'll act sweet, but as soon as you're not looking he's got your fingers between his sharp little fangs!”

“Eh, I can handle it.”, Marinette shrugged and immediately went back to admiring Houdini. “You're a good kitty, aren’t you? The best, the best! Yes, you are!”

“No, he's not!”, Felix insisted through clenched teeth. “He's moody and arrogant! Nobody likes him, that's why I took him in! He thinks it’s fun to hurt people, he holds grudges forever and he's incredibly annoying when he's bored!”

Wait, was he still talking about the cat?

“You just like him because he looks all cute and innocent, but if you knew him, you'd never even want to be in the same room as him.”

Marinette had gone quiet on the other side, and Houdini narrowed his eyes at him in betrayal. Then she shrugged.

“If you don’t want him anymore, I'll take him in.”

“What?!”

She would have to pry the little shit out of his cold, dead hands!

“Did you not listen to a word I said?” he asked, trying not to let on that he didn’t actually dislike Houdini.

Marinette smiled.

“Sure. But I still think he's a good kitty.”

“But why?”

She hummed, pushing her stack of papers aside so she could put her elbows on the desk. Resting her chin on her hand, she looked up in him.

“Most cats are. You just got to give them a chance to come out of their shell.”

“But... But he's mean!”

“Maybe he's just lonely. Maybe he needs some friends, and then he'll learn to be nicer. I can wait.”

He was not blushing!

“Why would you want to? There's lots of better cats, you could just pick one of them right away.”

“Yeah, well, I want Houdini. All cats deserve a chance. Even the meaner ones.”

She smiled down at the black and white loaf that purred on his keyboard.

“In my experience, peop- cats only show their best sides if you give them a chance to open up. If you're too quick to brush them aside as hopeless, or mean, you might miss out on the most wonderful personalities underneath. And I think Houdini is one of those.”

And then, because the universe just wanted to see him fall, she winked at him. Jesus Christ!

“Anyway, I'll give you some time to read through the material I sent you. Message me once you’re done, we've got a lot of work ahead. Bye!”

Before he could realize what she had said, the window blanked and closed on him. Disappointed that his fan had vanished, Houdini meowed and returned once again to Felix' lap.

“Bye.”, Felix stammered belatedly. What had just... How could she go around just saying things like that? And then hang up?!

“Ugh, Houdini!”, he lamented. “Look what I have become!”

Reduced to a beetred, stammering, weird-cat-metaphor-using fool!

The cat gave a smug “Mrow” and headbutted him in the chin, but Felix didn’t have it in him to complain.

“Fine,” he sighed in defeat, “you win. So what if I like her?”

Houdini purred.

“You do too, don’t you? Bet you'd bite her anyway.”

He purred on, unperturbed.

“Knew it.”

He sighed once again.

“She's right, though. You are a good kitty. Deep down.”

Houdini meowed and licked his finger, just where he'd bitten him earlier.

“Well, now you're just sucking up to me! Two-faced little demon. Mwah!”

He pressed a small kiss to the top of his furry head, then rolled the chair closer to the desk and opened his emails.

“Alright, then.”, he tried to motivate himself, “let's show Marinette what a good kitty- what a good person we are and do our homework.”

At that, Houdini promptly stood up and jumped onto the bed, leaving him alone with twenty-two pages of reading material.

“Bastard.”

- - -

Bonus:

Ladybug, crashing through Felix' window: Felix Graham de Vanily!

Felix: Ladybug?!

Ladybug: I have it on good authority that you own a good kitty! It is crucial for the safety of Paris that I pet him right this instant!

Felix, remembering her right hook: ... sure?

[artificialqueens]

Galactica, Chapter 61 (Group Fic) - TheDane/Veronica

A/N: Click here if you’re looking for previous chapters (or here if you’d rather read on AO3). 💫

Last Chapter: Violet opened up, Alaska chickened out, and Courtney finally had her date with Bianca.

This Chapter: Trixie widens his search for Aiden’s replacement, and Courtney gets a taste of the good life.

***

Courtney doodled absentmindedly on her notepad during Miss Fame’s Monday conference call. She was getting an update from the company that ran her European stores, and discussing the upcoming marketing plan with Alyssa. Courtney knew that she was only there in case Miss Fame wanted to add anyone to the line; since Ivy and Laganja were both on the call, she didn’t really need to be paying attention. She probably should’ve been anyway, but this was a case where a little negligence would be forgiven.

Which was good, because she couldn’t stop her mind from wandering, daydreaming about how wonderful the weekend had been with Bianca. Adore had come over on Sunday for dinner, after which Courtney almost went home, but Bianca pulled her in for an embrace and insisted that she stay another night. When she’d worried about not having any appropriate work clothes, Bianca promised to find her something from her own closet, even excited at the notion of styling her for the office.

At first, Courtney was a bit concerned about whether the thigh-high black boots were too hookerish, but Bianca was adamant that they were fashion - and she should know, right? At least her luxurious knit dress was in Fame’s approved color palette, so she was pretty sure she wouldn’t get scolded like the time she dared to wear a lime green top.

She looked down at her notebook, realizing that it was absolutely covered in hearts, and quickly flipped the page, embarrassed.

She clicked on her mouse, waking up the computer to check her emails. If she was gonna space out, she may as well make at least a halfhearted attempt at productivity. She saw that there were a few unread DMs and clicked on the window.

ROXY: Package here for you

ROXY: A big-ass box from Neiman Marcus

ROXY: From the Marie Claire messenger again

ROXY: You gonna tell me who you’re dating over there now?

COURTNEY: LOL, sorry. It’s brand new, I don’t think we’re ready to go public

ROXY: Bitch it’s just me, I can keep a secret

COURTNEY: Since when?????

ROXY: Since always!!

COURTNEY: On Friday, you told me that Jaida is getting IVF and Alyssa’s son is in rehab again

ROXY: Yeah and yet you tell me NOTHING

COURTNEY: LOL. Okay well when we’re telling people, I’ll tell you first. Deal?

ROXY: WHATEVER

*

ROXY: Another major delivery came for Fame’s asst from MC today

SHANNEL: OMG. BDR just came into Nina’s office in the weirdest mood. She was all smiley and she approved this dumb spread that Nina’s been pitching for 3 months.

ROXY: 21 year old pussy is good for the soul

SHANNEL: APPARENTLY

*

The second she could get up, Courtney raced to reception to grab the package, wondering what it could be. They’d put together a bunch of outfits with the stylist this weekend, most of which were still at Bianca’s--except for her ensemble for the party tomorrow, which was hanging in a garment bag on the coat rack, partially covered by Courtney’s jacket so as not to be too conspicuous.

When Roxy said “a big-ass box,” she wasn’t lying. Courtney’s eyes widened as she spotted the box, quickly taking it back to her own office, peeking inside while Fame was occupied with Raja. She pulled out the note first.

Stay warm. XX, B PS Don’t worry, the fur is faux

Extra curious now, Courtney reached into the box, lifting the tissue paper to see what was inside and finally just pulling it out--a beautiful, full-length, raspberry-colored winter coat with a fur-trimmed hood. Her eyes nearly bulged out of her head as the utter extravagance of it all.

COURTNEY: OMG Bianca!

BIANCA: Do you like it?

COURTNEY: It’s beautiful! But it’s way too much. You’re spoiling me.

BIANCA: Get used to it ;)

Courtney smiled to herself, hiding the box under the table and standing to try on the coat, positively glowing with happiness. She glanced at herself in the mirror that Fame kept by the door for “last looks,” and saw that it fit her perfectly, even across her narrow shoulders, almost as if it was tailored to her body. Which...now that she thought about it, the stylist on Saturday had taken her measurements, so maybe it was.

Just then, the door to Fame’s office opened and Raja stepped out. Courtney whirled around, a guilty expression on her face.

“Oh are...are you done? I was, um...just going to get Miss Fame another coffee.”

“Yeah, we’re done for now, you should probably stick around. Nice coat,” Raja said, brushing past her on her way out. “I’ll be back at 2 to finish. Make sure she’s fed.”

“Okay, thank-” Courtney began, finishing with “-you,” just as Raja breezed from the room.

Courtney slowly removed her new coat, hanging it carefully on the rack before heading into Miss Fame’s office to ask what she wanted for lunch.

***

Bob closed the door to Trixie’s office behind him, making a beeline towards the coffee machine. It was mid afternoon, and while there still was a bit of a home stretch to go before the holiday break, the tough decisions ahead were out of his hands.

“All I’m saying Chachki,” Jovan smiled, the man leaning against the wall. He was wearing orange trumpet pants and a blue fuzzy sweater. “Is that I can totally bedazzle your crutches.”

“What an amazing offer,” Violet drawled, her tone completely dry.

“Hey guys!” Bob grinned, sliding in next to Maxwell, his boyfriend handing the cup he had just poured. “What are we talking about?”

“The Christmas Party,” Maxwell smiled, looking up at Bob who gave him a quick peck. He was wearing a pink shirt, the cotton stretched across his chest, the khakis he wore all year looking delicious on his pert little ass.

“Right!” Bob took a sip. The Galactica Christmas Party was one of the biggest fashion events in December, Miss Fame always going all out. Bob had heard rumors around town that there’d be gigantic ice sculptures, but Roxy had told him she had seen order confirmations for a forest of Christmas trees.

Some called him and Roxy the office gossip sluts, and if the name fit, Bob wasn’t going to complain.

“I haven’t decided what I’m wearing yet.” Violet was sitting on a chair, her curled hair fastened with a golden clip, her skirt just above her knees. “This is the first time I’m not going as Fame’s assistant and I don’t have to match her or blend into the background.”

That made sense, Bob really noticing how Violet’s wardrobe had shifted from the uptight prissy bitch who had first entered their floor, more color and sharp cuts showing up in Violet’s clothes as she got to express herself more and more.

“But since there’s a good chance she’ll actually look at me since I’m going with Sutan, I have to stay on theme without being flashy or cheap or one of the million other things she refuses to accept.”

“The bedazzling offer still stands,” Jovan smiled, taking the last bite of his afternoon muffin, and Violet rolled her eyes.

“How did you two meet anyway?” Maxwell took a sip of his coffee. “You and Sutan I mean.”

Bob perked up immediately, his stomach doing a happy flip.

“Oh?” Violet looked surprised, like she genuinely hadn’t expected them to be interested. “You want to hear about that?”

“Yes!” Bob grinned. “Yes yes yes yes.”

He and Maxwell had been discussing how to get Violet to spill the dirt the entire week, and now, the chance was finally here.

“Well.” Violet paused, tapping her fingers on the table, like she was trying to decide if she should share, and Bob was about to burst with curiosity.

“Spill it!”

“He bought me a drink at the Vogue Fashion Fund, and asked me on a date a few days later.”

Bob waited for a beat, but Violet was simply smiling.

“What?! That’s it?!”

Of all the things Bob had imagined, this was by far the most disappointing answer.

“Pretty much.” Violet shrugged, taking a sip of her coffee with a glint in her eyes.

***

IVY: okay so you know i hate gossip

ROXY: Oh yeah me too gurl

IVY: lol

IVY: No really

ROXY: Yeah yeah whatcha got?

IVY: The dress Courtney’s wearing today?

ROXY: Oh yeah, she’s really upping her game

IVY: Well...it’s familiar…

ROXY: Oh yeah?

IVY: I asked Laganja to run some photos. Here’s BDR at last year’s Monsoon Foundation Charity Luncheon

[Picture: Bianca wearing the dress]

ROXY: BITCH!!!!!!!!111

***

“So yeah, these are the ones I like...what do you think?” Trixie asked, chewing nervously on the inside of his cheek. “I really need to find someone that Fame will love, she was so annoyed at the last batch.”

As Pearl picked up one of the portfolios to glance through it, she couldn’t help but notice how rough her friend looked, like he hadn’t slept in a week. He probably hadn’t, she realized, the tension in the apartment so thick you could cut it with a knife. She’d been trying to give them both space, but maybe that wasn’t a good idea.

“So, um…” She looked through the first portfolio and then picked up the next one, pausing on pages she found interesting. “Is everything okay? How are you?”

“Uhh…” Trixie scratched his head, then finally said, “It’s been a hard week.”

“I’m sorry, man.”

“It’s okay,” Trixie sighed. “We’ve got our- She’s got an appointment with a doctor tomorrow. So I guess, after that, we’ll know for sure.”

“Right.”

He didn’t seem to want to talk about it any more, so Pearl dropped the subject for the moment. She pointed to one of the photos, a stunning blue piece with dramatic shoulders, exactly the type of shapes to which Fame was generally drawn.

“This is amazing.”

“Yeah, right? She seems super talented, although I worry that she’s only been out of school for less than a year. A little green, a little…” Trixie sighed again, “Over-confident sounds mean, but…over-confident.”

“Have you spoken to all of them yet?”

“Yeah, Rita checked all their references and I had Skype interviews with all the top candidates this morning. We’re trying to move quickly, I really need to get the ball rolling before we shut down for the holidays. And with the added bonus of getting them a visa...it could be a mess. Anyway, these are the very best, but I don’t want to put them in front of Fame unless they’re actually gonna impress her.”

“Uh huh. One question though…”

“Sure.”

“Are you looking for another sociopath, or are we moving in a new direction?” Pearl asked, a teasing smirk on her face.

“You’re hilarious,” Trixie deadpanned.

“I know.” Pearl tapped on the folder, saying, “I think this one is special. There’s a lot of range, and new ideas, but very classic and chic at the same time.”

***

“Ho...ly shit…” Bianca said, the door to her town car open, watching Courtney twirl in her new coat, then open it to give her a peek at the sexy sequined mini-dress underneath. Bianca pulled her into the car, giggling, a hand immediately sliding up her bare thigh.

She was mildly surprised when her fingers came into contact with soft cotton instead of the sexy lace she’d been wearing.

“Wow, these feel...breathable.”

Courtney laughed. “Yeah, well, I’m out of fancy underwear until my next trip to the laundromat. Sorry about it.”

“Nah, I like them. Reminds me of college.” She flashed a grin at Courtney, who was now straddling her on the leather seat, arms around her neck.

“Yeah?” Courtney tilted her head, teasingly evading a kiss as Bianca chased her lips.

“Mmm…” Bianca’s fingers slipped into the panties, squeezing her ass.

“I like this, too…” Bianca’s own coat was unbuttoned since the driver had the heat on full blast, and Courtney ran her thumb along the neckline of her blazer. “You look so sexy…”

Bianca said nothing, just gave her a wicked smirk, lips finally coming into contact with her neck, lingering there, hot breath against her pulse point making her whimper.

“We should probably wait until after the-” Courtney inhaled sharply, clutching Bianca’s shoulders. “-after the party.”

“Alright, alright…” Bianca acquiesced, pressing a soft kiss to her lips and removing her hands. “I can be good if you can.”

“Debatable,” Courtney responded, her eyes flashing with a naughty glint as she sat down beside Bianca, snuggling up against her.

“It’ll be a fun little experiment.”

***

Violet was standing in Sutan’s closet in her pajamas, flipping through her clothes, her lip between her teeth.

None of it looked right, and Violet had given up on even trying on the dress she had originally gotten to go as Fame’s assistant, the skirt's mermaid cut making it impossible to move in with her crutches.

If her foot hadn’t been broken, she would have trawled her preferred vintage shops weeks ago, or would even have made a dress herself, but the party was in two days, and because of Bianca’s birthday, she couldn’t even empty her savings account to get a dress that could live up to the expectations of a Galactica party.

She was completely, and utterly, fucked.

“Fuck,” Violet sighed, dumping down in the arm chair Sutan had been sweet enough to move to his closet so she could sit.

“Violet? Are you okay?”

Violet cursed to herself, Sutan naturally catching her at a moment where it absolutely did not suit her.

“I’m okay!”

But of course, it wasn’t in Sutan’s nature to leave her alone, her boyfriends head poking through the door seconds later, a concerned expression on his dumb face.

“What’s gotten into you?” Sutan was fresh from the shower, his black and grey hair in an unstyled cloud around his head.

“You’re going to laugh.” Violet crossed her arms, the annoyance still under her skin, rolling around her body.

“Try me.” Sutan stepped inside, a towel wrapped around his hips, his hand holding it in place.

“I don’t have anything to wear.”

Sutan snorted, and Violet pointed at him.

“See!” She exclaimed. “Don’t make fun of me!”

“Okay, okay, I admit that wasn’t my greatest moment,” Sutan chuckled, giving her a quick apology kiss, Violet sinking back into the chair as he walked over to his dresser. “but the good news is that your problem is easily fixable.”

“I can’t just go out and buy a new dress.” Violet tried not to roll her eyes, tried not to make this a fight, but it was like Sutan had decided to press every single button she had. “I can’t afford it.”

Sure, she had gotten a pay bump after moving to design, but she had already used her December budget on Christmas gifts for everyone, actually spending the day with people so much more expensive than what she usually did, which was a movie on her ancient laptop and wine by herself.

“Who says you have to pay for it?” Sutan pulled a pair of pajama pants out, throwing his towel to the side, now naked which would have been weird if Violet hadn’t been used to years of dressing rooms. “I’m planning on getting a new suit anyway,” Sutan balanced on one leg, pulling the pants on, “and the shoppers at Barney’s are great at what they do.”

“Are you serious?”

“What makes you think I’m not?”  Violet watched as Sutan pulled a t-shirt on too, running a hand through the hair Violet knew he’d struggle to style in the morning, but that he was also done dealing with it for the night.

“I don’t want your money.” Violet sighed, sitting up in the chair, Sutan finally ready for bed.

She liked staying with Sutan, she really did, the man kinder and more generous than Violet could ever have imagined, but she was also longing to go back to her own place, to have her own space and to spend time completely alone.

She knew her apartment wasn’t much, that it didn’t have air condition or an elevator, that she didn’t have a memory foam mattress or a dishwasher or a housekeeper that came to clean, but it was hers.

Violet knew a psychiatrist would probably consider her need for independence a flaw, something she should work on, but she didn’t want to rely on anyone ever, not even Sutan.

“I can figure it out.”

“Oh that, I don’t doubt,” Sutan smiled, holding a hand out to help Violet out of the chair. “But there is a difference,” Sutan pulled, his hand finding her hip as soon as she was upright. “Between being prideful and being stubborn, lovely eyes.”

Violet shot him a look, and Sutan laughed, giving her nose a quick kiss.

“I’m offering to buy you dresses, not a penthouse.”

Violet opened her mouth to protest, but for once, Sutan was faster.

“You’re going to several parties for my sake. Let me spend money on you.” Sutan rubbed his thumb up and down, gently caressing Violet’s hip. “Please?”

“I’ll consider it.”

***

Being at this elite music industry party with Bianca was thrilling, and Courtney was on cloud nine. She was beside herself with excitement when she got to meet Charlie Hides, unable to stop herself from gushing about her work on Tove Lo’s album.

“Well thank you, darling,” Charlie said.

“Courtney’s a singer too,” Bianca added, and Charlie’s face perked up a bit.

“Oh yeah?”

“Well, aspiring,” Courtney couldn’t help admitting, immediately kicking herself for her inability to fake it.

“She’s incredibly talented,” Bianca said, a hand touching Courtney’s elbow, grounding her.

“You should send me your demo,” Charlie said, picking up two glasses of champagne from a passing tray and handing them over.

“Really? Thank you so much!” Courtney exclaimed, momentarily forgetting that she didn’t have a demo.

“Sure thing,” Charlie said with a grin, before excusing herself to greet another guest. Before she left, she gave Bianca a hug, muttering, “Very cute, B.”

After she walked away, Bianca turned to Courtney with a smirk. “She’s subtle, huh?”

“I think I’m gonna pass out,” Courtney said, and Bianca squeezed her hand.

“You’ll be fine. You’re doing great,” she assured her. “I see another producer I know, let’s say hello. Olivia!”

She waved across the party to a beautiful Black woman with the most fabulous hair Courtney had ever seen in her life. The woman looked up, sending Bianca a beaming smile as she crossed the room to greet her.

“Bianca!”

“Hey Liv, I haven’t seen you in forever!” Bianca said, giving her a hug.

“I know! I’ve been in L.A. for most of the year. Just decided to come back to New York in time for this delightful gray sleet we’ve been having,” Olivia said, that dazzling smile softening her words.

Bianca laughed, turning to Courtney.

“Court, Olivia Lux is an awesome producer. Liv, this my friend Courtney. She’s a singer.”

“Hi!” Courtney prepared for a handshake or some air kisses, only to be swept up into a warm hug. “So nice to meet you!”

“Charlie wants to hear a demo, but she hasn’t gotten the chance to record anything yet,” Bianca said. “Any chance you’re free? Or are you still booked up solid until the end of days?”

“No, I’ve got some time in January. What kind of music do you do, sweetie?” Olivia asked, turning to Courtney with that lovely smile.

“Um… Well, I guess it’s kind of like… Pop, but kind of folk?” Courtney said, trying to think on her feet.  “Like Joni Mitchell meets Kylie Minogue?”

“Sounds absolutely glorious!” Olivia said, and Courtney felt her confidence grow. “I know what it’s like when you’re starting out. That shit is terrifying.”

“I’m gonna go grab us some drinks…You two have fun,” Bianca said, leaving Courtney Olivia to talk shop.

After a couple of minutes, Courtney found herself feeling like she was with an old friend. She was just so warm and open, telling Courtney about her own career as first a recording artist, then a producer and composer, making her feel completely at ease--and shockingly interested in Courtney’s own musical taste. When Bianca returned with three cocktails, Olivia put an arm around Courtney and told her, “I’m in love with your friend.”

“Oh yeah?” Bianca said, amused. She handed them both drinks, adding, “Glad you guys are getting along.”

“Getting along? We’re gonna elope,” Olivia said, and Courtney giggled, smiling brightly, happy to have found someone so kind and down to earth.

“Mazel Tov,” said Bianca, giving Courtney a wink.

“Seriously though,” Olivia said, turning to flash Courtney that megawatt smile again. “Why don’t you hit me up and we’ll arrange for you to come into the studio?”

“That would be amazing!” said Courtney. She was so happy, she had to fight an urge to kiss the bottom of Olivia’s glittery heels.

“Perfect!” Olivia said, leaving them both with another round of hugs.

“That went well,” Bianca said, smirking at Courtney over the top of her glass.

“Yeah!”

“Come on, I want you to meet my friend Derrick. She’s a choreographer…”

Later, after about the 20th intro, Courtney began to catch on to a troubling pattern.

“Hey guys! This is my friend Courtney…”

“Meet my friend Courtney…”

“Courtney’s a friend of my sister.”

Friend, friend, friend...

At no point, to anyone, did Bianca say (or even imply) that there was something going on between them-- and Courtney wasn’t sure what to make of it. It wasn’t like she expected for Bianca to call her “my girlfriend.”

They hadn’t had that conversation, and something told Courtney that after tonight, it was a long way off.

She tried to put it right out of her head, though, and focus on the positive. She was at a great party, meeting a ton of music industry professionals, and yeah, maybe Bianca called her “friend” about 800 times, but friends were good, right? Especially considering how much Bianca loved her friends.

She continued to enjoy herself, greeting people, trying her best to learn their names, and just being grateful that Bianca had even brought her through the door. So what if she didn’t want people to know about their relationship? Or if this was just a casual fling for her? She was still doing more for Courtney and being more supportive than anyone she’d ever known.

It was close to 2 am when Bianca put a hand on her lower back and leaned in close--the most intimate gesture since they’d walked in the door.

“You ready to take off?” Bianca whispered.

“Sure,” Courtney said, slightly relieved since she could feel her own energy fading, and knew that making it to work by 7:45 the next day would be a struggle.

They said goodbye to Charlie and grabbed their coats, making their way downstairs to the waiting towncar. It wasn’t until they were on their way that Courtney really let everything hit her, tears welling up in her eyes.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I…” Courtney swallowed.

Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck.

“You sure about that? What’s wrong?”

Courtney shook her head vigorously as traitorous tears slipped down her cheek. “Nothing’s wrong, everything’s perfect.” She wiped her face, disgusted with herself.

“Then why are you crying, angel?”

“Because…” Courtney squeezed her eyes shut,  positive that she was about to ruin everything. “Because you’re just…making all my dreams come true.”

“Okay. Yeah, I can see how that would be upsetting.”

“No, it’s just…I'm scared, that it’s all gonna disappear,” Courtney said, now unable to hold back the river of tears. “You’re gonna get bored, or meet someone else, and I…I’m falling for you so hard and I know it’s too fast and I-”

“Hey, look at me.”

Courtney turned to her, eyes liquid, sniffling.

“I have been having…the best time with you,” she said, taking one of Courtney’s hands in both of hers. “And I know that it’s still new, but I said that I’d help you with your career and I will. No matter what happens with us. I promise. And I don’t break promises. Okay?”

Courtney nodded slightly, then asked, “Why don’t you want people to know about us? Are you ashamed? Are you just...already looking for a way out?”

“What?”

“You just kept introducing me as your ‘friend’ all night, and I just thought that it meant you don’t care about us, or that-”

“No! I dunno, I guess we haven’t really talked about labels, and I wanted to make sure everyone took you seriously,” Bianca said. “Took your talent seriously.”

“Oh.” Courtney sniffled, feeling a little stupid for letting her insecurites get the better of her.

“Also…you know, a lot of the people there were…mutual friends of…”

“Of?”

Bianca sighed slightly, a sheepish smile on her face, then said, “I guess it’s time to come clean to Fame and Raja, huh?”

“Really?” Courtney looked at her with surprise.

“Well, yeah. I don’t want us to feel like we’re sneaking around. That shit gets old real fast.” Bianca kissed the back of her hand. “I’ve been selfish, I was trying to do this without getting them annoyed at me, but…It’s not worth it if it makes you feel like I don’t care. Because I do.”

Courtney bit her lip, feeling like she might burst into tears again, but this time from joy. She took a deep breath, trying to get her racing heart to calm down.

“When do you want to tell them?”

“Well…the Galactica party’s on Thursday. Wanna be my date?” Bianca asked, a sly smile deepening her dimples.

Of course, they’d both been planning to go to the party, but Courtney had resigned herself to the idea that they’d be there separately. She’d even asked Tati to come as her plus one, not believing for a second that going with Bianca was a possibility. After all, it was so soon.

“That’s in two days!” Courtney exclaimed, eyes wide.

“Yeah… Does that work for you?”

For a second, Courtney felt almost dizzy, imagining walking into the party on Bianca’s arm. There was no way in hell that it wouldn’t cause a stir...but the idea of everyone seeing them together, while a bit frightening, was also terribly exciting.

“Okay. Yeah, that sounds...perfect,” she said, eyes shining happily.

“Okay then,” Bianca said softly, pressing a kiss to Courtney’s cheek.

[illneverrecover]

is that so? (M) | jwy

➛pairing: Jung Wooyoung x Reader ➛genre: non idol!AU, established relationship, fluff, smut ➛word count: 5,094 ➛rating: M ➛warnings: oral sex (female receiving), food play if you squint?, marking, biting, slight roughness, praise, anal play (female receiving), butt plugs, unprotected sex, wooyoung being a loud sweet man. ➛summary: You’ve had a rough few days - hell, weeks - at work, and your new boyfriend Wooyoung knows just how to show you how much you’re appreciated.  ➛notes: EEEE, My first Ateez fic! I’ve been following Ateez since debut and fell completely in love with them, so I was excited when one of my fave clowns ladies, @thiccasswonhoruinedmylife​ commissioned me to write a Wooyoung piece. She requested something with Wooyoung cooking for an anniversary present with smut and fluff, which fits him perfectly tbh. Love you Bri, I hope you enjoy! 🖤 ➛song: Try/Effortless - DVSN  & Say My Name - Ateez 

Fuck, you’re tired. 

You’re always tired.

You can’t remember the last time you didn’t feel exhausted, where you felt well rested by the time your alarm went off at the crack of 5 am. Work was draining you to the dregs, long hours with even longer meetings (that could have been EASILY summed up in an email) and copious hours spent hand holding grown men on how to do their jobs (but getting paid infinitely less than them.) They take their toll, and now you dread going - hell, even looking at the building could kill your mood.

The only saving grace was your amazing boyfriend.

You hadn’t been dating too long, about two months, but it was one of those things where you had an instant connection, the click of two puzzle pieces fitting just right. It had been at one of your friends house parties (the ones you normally skip due to wanting to catch up on sleep) but this time she had insisted you come, adamant that you met her boyfriend’s friend who had recently moved back into town. You had brushed her off; knowing her for as long as you had, there was a solid chance that whomever her and her long time beau, Seonghwa, were trying to set you up with was either not your type, a fuckboy, or a combination of both. 

However, she had badgered you enough that you agreed to go, if only to get her off your back for the next few soirees (and to get her to lay off the dramatic gifs she had been spamming you with). Running late from work, you showed up in your business casual a few hours after it had started, the place eerily quiet as you could see silhouettes of guests mingling on the back porch. Taking advantage of not being noticed quite yet, you had decided to make yourself a strong glass of liquid courage before facing her and whatever fuckery was afoot for the evening.

You had just reached into the back of the fridge for the bottle of strawberry soju you knew was waiting for you when a voice had you jumping. 

“Anything good in there?”

Whirring around, you had found a blonde man eyeing you, hair swept off his forehead to show off his glistening skin. Your eyes dropped to his mouth, his plush coral lips curved up into a sly smirk as he leaned his forearms down against the counter. 

“Yes, as a matter of fact,” you swallowed, raising a brow at the stranger. “I know Red always keeps a bottle of strawberry soju in her fridge for little old me, hidden in the back so Seonghwa doesn’t steal it.” You had popped open the lid, choosing to chug straight from the bottle instead of fussing with a glass. “I promise I’m not just rummaging through there.”

He had laughed then, his voice pitching higher than you had expected, and it had made you smile. 

. He held his hands up in a surrender, palms out, a toothy grin on his face. “Hey, no judgment. I was about to do the same - but for food. Seongie is out there trying to grill but he’s such a perfectionist it’s taking forever, even Red is threatening to call for take out.” 

Chuckling, you shook  your head. “Sounds about right. I’m Y/N, by the way,” 

Holding out a hand, you had waited until he placed his palm in your own, giving it a firm nod.

“I’m Wooyoung, Seongie’s friend. I just moved back into town.” 

Ah, so he was the mysterious unofficial blind date.

You had eyed him then, fully taking him in from head to toe, assessing him as if you’d be able to tell his character from undressing him in your mind. He had been wearing some kind of dark button down, the top buttons open to bare some of his tanned chest, a jean jacket thrown over top to keep it casual. A few black chokers circled his neck, emphasizing the muscles there, matching the wash of his inky skinny jeans that were so tight you weren’t totally convinced that they hadn’t been painted on. 

His eyes had widened at your appraisal, but he hadn’t spoken a word, instead giving you another smirk while waiting for you to comment.

“It’s nice to meet you, Wooyoung.”

And it really was. From that point on, you two had been inseparable, even once rejoining the official party. Staying hip to hip, you talked about anything and everything, from the most mundane to the downright unexpected (you don’t think you have ever seen a grown man discuss Harry Potter with such wonder in his eyes), and you found yourself not wanting to go home, even as everyone else cleared out.  It was only natural to accept his invitation to continue your evening, to  be squeezed into a 24 hour diner booth discussing movies until the bleary hours of early morning over a plate of french fries. You just didn’t want the moment to be over, for the night to end, for the spell to dissipate. 

Luckily, you had both been on the same page.

Fate had taken its course from there, and there wasn’t a day that passed that you and Wooyoung didn’t see each other, even if it was just over FaceTime as you warmed up leftovers after work. He was so attentive, so sweet, so funny, bringing back a spark into your life that you hadn’t even been aware of that was missing. 

Maybe you had moved a little fast in the perception of others, but to you, it had just felt instinctive to exchange love declarations after the third week, to swap apartment keys sometime during the fifth. 

Unfortunately, your work schedule has been relentless, your days still painfully long and showing no signs of stopping. Wooyoung is understanding, always offering to run your errands for you and asking how he can help make your life easier. Even when he can’t help, when the load gets too heavy to bear - he holds you, lets you rage cry out your frustration, rubs soothing circles into your back until you feel a weight lifted once more. “I’d do anything to see your smile, Jagiya,” he’d tell you with a wide grin, light in his eyes.

And he went out of his way to make that promise come true as often as possible, from little notes left on your door when you come home at night, to silly dance moves in your kitchen as a Britney Spears song blares from your Bluetooth speaker. He even made sure to make your one month anniversary special by having  your favorite flowers waiting for you when you got home, your bedroom turned into the vision of comfort with blankets and pillows and a large bowl of popcorn, perfect for a movie marathon.

He was truly the perfect man, the reason you got out of bed in the morning, the inspiration to fight through the longest of shifts - and  you were so thankful to have him, always hoping he could feel how much his love meant to you.

So it wasn’t a surprise when you came home to him cooking inside your apartment one Friday night after work. 

You had actually gotten off work at a decent time for once, feet crossing the threshold just as the clock showed it was a quarter after 5, and you had sighed heavily with relief when the smell of sauteed garlic hit your nose. Kicking off your heels, you wandered towards the kitchen, your heart skipping a beat when you saw your boyfriend standing at the stove. 

He has a bright red apron tied around his neck, a flash of words on the front though you couldn’t quite read them. Instead, you were too focused on the ingredients piled onto the counter, the slight flush in his cheeks from working over a hot stove. Candles were placed everywhere, setting the room into a soft glow, and there was a bottle of wine aerating next to twin glasses on the table, plates waiting to be filled. 

He spins when he hears you, grinning at the soft look on your face. “Hey, Jagi. How was work?”

You click your tongue. “Don’t ‘how was work’ me, what’s all this for? Are you trying to spoil me?”

He moves towards you then, giving you an eyeful of his “May I suggest the sausage?” apron, complete with an arrow pointing down to his crotch, making you snort. 

“First of all, how dare you. I’m always trying to spoil you.” Sliding his arms around your waist, you rest your face on his shoulder, melting into his touch. “Second of all,” he murmurs, lips pressed to your crown, “it’s our two month anniversary, so I thought I’d surprise you.”

“You are too good to me, Woo.”

Humming, Wooyoung sways, keeping you trapped in his arms for a beat longer before moving to plant a peck on your cheek. “No such thing as too good for you. Now, go sit down, rest, let me finish up. I’m just about finished.”

You do as ordered - moving to sit at the table, deciding to wait until after dinner to change, not wanting to take your eyes off of him. Instead you poured yourself a glass of wine, sipping it slowly as you watched him cook. It was endearing; seeing him work around the kitchen, brow furrowed in concentration when he would double check the recipe on his phone screen, tongue poking out the side of his mouth when he measured out a spice. He seemed to be taking it so seriously, making sure each step was perfect before moving to the next, which in comparison to the mess he was leaving in his wake, is amusing.

For what he lacked in skill, he makes up in confidence, wielding the knife with ease as he made the final slices to the meat, tossing them in a pan to saute. With a final stir, he adds them to the pot, gathering the sides with oven mit clad hands before sitting it down on the table.

A quick glance told you it was some kind of ramen, noodles and vegetables simmering in an aromatic liquid, steak lined on the top with some hard boiled eggs nestled next to it. Moving to the fridge, he grabs a few more bowls and side plates wrapped in plastic, bringing them to join the other dishes.

“I thought we could have my world famous ramen for dinner tonight,” he explains, tearing the plastic off to reveal the side entrees. “It’s a bit of a mashup of Korean kimchi ramen, but I also wanted you to have options on what to add to yours.” 

He seems nervous, vibrating with untapped energy. Smiling, you reach out and squeeze his hand. “It’s perfect, seriously. Thank you, Wooyoung.” 

Like a true gentleman, he fixes your initial bowl, walking you through all the side entree options and flavors, giving suggestions based on your preferences. Only once you are settled does he prepare his, grinning like a madman when he finally takes a seat. 

Instead of tearing into the food like you expected, he stares at you, eyes dancing with mischief. Your hand hovers over the bowl, spoon suspended half way between your food and your mouth, and you raise a brow at him. “What?”

“Nothing! It’s nothing.” he leans back, placing both hands behind his head. “I just want to see the look on your face when you taste it, is all.”

“And why is that? Is there secretly an entire ball of wasabi in here or something?”

He giggles, head shaking. “No!” he protests, voice echoing off the walls. “No, I would never! How dare you!” you join his laughter, despite your spoon still being frozen, waiting for him to continue. “I just want to see your face when you taste the excellence and decadence that is Jung Wooyoung’s cooking.”

“Is that so?” you purr, cheeks starting to hurt from all the smiling you were doing. You couldn’t help it, he was just so cute. 

Nodding, he slides his hands under his chin, propping his face up to look at you. “Yes, it is. Some would even liken it to a religious experience. Please,” he gestures a hand out, waving it. “Humor me.”

Without dropping his eyeline, you bring the spoon to your mouth, pursing your lips to blow a puff of air onto it before it reaches your tongue. It was the perfect blend of flavor and kick, the kimchi adding a satisfying crunch. 

“So?” he prompts, practically bouncing in his seat. “What do you think?”

“I think this might be the best thing I’ve ever put into my mouth,” you sigh, already scooping your next bite. 

He shouts victoriously, throwing his arms in the air. “Yes! I knew you would love it! You aren’t just saying that, are you?”

Swallowing the warm liquid, you lean forward then, grabbing his arm to leverage yourself as you plant a wet kiss to his cheek. “I’m not just saying it, Woo. It’s delicious, thank you so  much for making it for me.”

His eyes crease as a wide grin takes over his face, adoration shining and mirrored within your own gaze. “Of course, Y/N. I’m glad you like it.”

The rest of the meal is shared over tales of your days, you filling him in on all the craziness of the office, while he tells you about the appointments he had and how his dance class went. It was always relieving, to come home at the end of the day and have someone to lament to, to share your life with, especially when they were so willing to do the same, and there isn’t a moment of silence as you and your boyfriend finish your dinner together.

You move to stand and clear the table, reaching for his bowl when he smacks your hand. “Absolutely not, Jagi. I am here to spoil you, and that includes cooking AND the cleaning. Sit back down.”

Giving him your best glare, you try to protest, but he isn’t having it, swift hands pushing you back into your seat as he grabs your bowl and heads to the sink. “Plus, who said the meal was over yet?” he calls over his shoulder, placing the bowls down.

“Oh yeah?” you chuckle, crossing your arms. “What else do you got for me?”

His expression changes then; previous playfulness melting away and leaving an edge to his smirk, a darkness to eyes. “Well, dessert, of course.” 

You continue to eye him as he moves to the fridge, pulling out a domed container before walking it back to the table. Placing it in front of you, he removes the top with a flourish, kneeling down to your seated height. “I made your favorite,” he husks, voice low. “Peanut Butter Chocolate cheesecake.”

The cheesecake itself was beautiful; he had attempted to decorate it with some chocolate syrup and crushed Reeses, and the evident effort softens you once more. “It looks amazing!” you gush, looking to meet his gaze. “You really have gone all out, haven’t you?”

Instead of answering, he serves you a piece on a small plate, handing you a fresh fork. Grinning, you immediately cut into it, shoving a bite into your mouth inelegantly. Closing your eyes, you let out a groan at the richness of the flavor, chewing slowly to savor it. It really was delectable - the cheesecake a perfect dense yet fluffy texture, peanut butter swirling with the chocolate in harmony.

You were so lost in thought you didn’t pay attention to where Wooyoung had gone; why the room had fallen so silent as you revered your treat. You move to cut another slice off your serving, placing the fork between your teeth when you feel a palm slide up your thigh.

“W-Woo?” snapping your eyes open, you look to the side, expecting your boyfriend to still be kneeling there, but coming up empty.

Peering down, you instead see him crouched between your legs, wicked devilry glittering in his gaze. He slides both hands up your bare thighs, fingers tracing patterns right above the seam of your skirt. 

Before you can say a word, he grips your legs and bows them out, making more room for his body, his mouth dipping to press a wet kiss to the flesh above your knee. 

“You had such a long day. You work so hard, you’re always working so hard, Y/N. I thought it would be a nice little treat if while you enjoyed your dessert, I could also enjoy mine?” his voice was honeyed with molten lust, but it was still a question - still seeking your comfort. 

Groaning, you lick your lips, breath hitching at his touch. “Of course you can,” you rasp, eyes closing once more when you feel his fingers caressing closer and closer to your core.

Dropping your fork, the cheesecake is all but forgotten when Wooyoung continues to trail his lips up your inner thighs, digits reaching for the now dewy panties at the apex, sliding them off your legs. Hand fumbling, you move to work at the side zipper of your skirt, wanting to give him more access, when thick fingers circle your wrist.

“No, Jagi. I want you to leave it on,” he murmurs, hands now moving to bunch your skirt up around your waist. “Like this, you’re so perfect like this.”

Whining, you rake your fingers through his blonde hair, tugging gently at the roots in a silent plea to have him move closer. Chuckling, he acquiesces, pupils wide as he takes in the sight of your dripping cunt. 

He hovers for a moment, hot breath fanning over your sensitive flesh, and just before you could beg he drops his mouth to your center. Tongue flicking out, he swirls it around your already engorged clit, tracing the lines of your labia down and back at an unhurried pace, tasting you. Repeating the movements, he groans against you, lips sliding to suckle at your bundle of nerves until your thighs were shaking against him.

He coos praise at you in between long licks against your core, his finger dipping into your wetness briefly before being pressed inside of you. “You taste so sweet, feel so good, Jagi,”

 Crying out at the sensation, your hand pulls at his hair once more, wanting the friction, wanting him deeper.  He gives in for a moment, tongue rolling against your clit, pulling it between his lips and suckling harshly. You feel your high building rapidly, tension rolling from your bones to deep in your gut, threatening to snap at any moment.

Instead of hurtling you over the edge, he pulls back with a moan, resting his head against the cushion of your thigh. He watches his finger disappear inside you one last time before pulling it out, immediately popping it into his mouth.

Wooyoung looks up at you then, lips shiny with your arousal and eyes blackened with need. “I thought I’d have the patience to finish you off like this, but I don’t. I want to be inside you, now.”

Before you can even finish nodding your head in agreement, you're pulling him to you, cupping his face and pressing your mouth onto his. The kiss is hungry, desperate, dripping in passion, his tongue sliding against yours so deliciously that you feel like you’re drowning in him.

He pulls away enough to trail small kisses down your jaw line, your pulse, until he laves the tender skin at the base of your throat, making you whine. As he sucks and bites his claim onto your neck, you feel his arms grab your legs, guiding you to lock them around his waist before he’s shifting you up into his hold.

The low growls he makes while working over your throat have you distracted, arms coming to brace yourself around his neck as he carries you towards the bedroom. You’re gasping into his mouth when he spins to push you against the wall, pinning you in place under the lithe lines of his body. Throwing your head back, your fingers come to tangle in the hair at the base of his skull, hips grinding against him.

“Fuck, Wooyoung,” you pant as he alters his attack to the other side of your clavicle, insistent on leaving twin marks to claim you. His anguished desire excites you, has you clenching around nothing when he returns to peck at your lips. 

He ruts up against you, and for a moment you think he’ll take you right here against your bedroom wall - not that you would mind - but then he slows his hips, releasing his tight grip on your legs as he pulls you towards the bed. 

It's there that he undresses you completely, kissing each inch of bare skin as it’s revealed to him, murmuring words of love  until you are naked and flushing before him. Sitting up on his knees, he quickly joins you - pulling his shirt off and throwing it haphazardly, kicking off his jeans and boxer briefs. 

He stares at you reverently, eyes and hands always roaming the lines of your form. “I have another surprise for you tonight, if you’re up to it,” he husks, lips quirking into a grin.

“Is that so?” you repeat your words from earlier, unable to stop yourself. He chuckles lowly, leaning over you to open the drawer on the bedside table where typically you house your small collection of sex toys. You follow the movement, curious to see what would grab, but your eyes widen when you see him holding something you weren’t familiar with.

It was stainless steel, bulbed at one end before tapering out and flaring into a large circle at the base. The base had a beautiful violet jewel in it that twinkled when the light hit; a small bottle of lubricant nestled beside it in his large palm.

He had bought you a butt plug.

Seeing your expression, Wooyoung chuckles nervously, dropping the items onto the bed in order to hover over you. “I know we’ve discussed trying this in the past, and just thought that after the time we used my fingers, that this might be a good next step…” he trails off, eyes imploring yours. “However, if you don’t want to or don’t feel comfortable, that’s perfectly fine, Jagi. I don’t want to pressure you at all.”

Excitement tore through your nerves, your body lighting up at the idea of doing this with him. He was so thoughtful, so sweet, and you knew in that moment that you trusted him explicitly. 

“I want to,” you purr, leaning up to bite at his collarbone. “I want to try this, with you…”

His face illuminates with a smile as he moves to sit up on his knees once more, grabbing the plug. “I want to try this with you too.”

Ignoring the lube for now, he closes the plug in his fist as he moves to lay down between your legs. For a while, he just kisses you everywhere, lets his fingers drag through the slick of your slit, gently rubbing at your nub until you are panting and relaxing against his touch. When your eyes start to close, he grabs for the bottle of lubricant, squeezing a generous amount onto the plug before doing the same against your tight ring of muscles.

Jumping at the sensation of cool gel against heated skin, you take a deep breath, letting yourself get lost in the sensations he was providing you. A thumb was still rolling your clit, while another finger was gently massaging the puckered skin of your ass. Your body felt like wildfire, molten and burning too hot, and yet all you wanted was more. 

“I-I think I’m ready, Woo, please,” you whine, hands fisting in the sheets. “Please put it in.”

He groans, fingers stuttering at the wanton sound of your cries. He wanted to drag this out, to tease you until you were blubbering and begging, but between his throbbing cock and your sinful noises, he didn’t think he could wait any more. 

Slowly, he starts to push the bulbous end of the plug against you, thumb of his free hand still working against your bundle of nerves. You tense when you feel some pressure, but Wooyoung is there to talk you through it, guiding you to breathe and relax as he takes care of you, edging the plug in. 

You sense when it’s pushed in to the hilt, the jeweled edge nestled against your rim, and you sigh in relief at the pleasant buzz of the stretch.

Wooyoung slides to sit up on his knees, a hand coming to smooth circles on the flesh of your inner thigh, while the other palms at his hardened length. 

“How does it feel, Jagi? You feel okay?” he breathes, slotting himself between your legs and closer to your center. 

You nod, reaching out to grasp at his hips. “I feel so good, baby,” you praise, guiding him until his cock was dragging against your dripping cunt. “Now I just need you inside of me too, please,”

He hisses at your words, pressing the thick head of his length until it was slipping inside the welcoming heat of your walls, slowly moving to bury himself deep inside of you.

The fullness was overwhelming, delicious, his pelvis resting flush against your own. His brow was furrowed, mouth agape in a silent moan as he started to swivel his hips.

“F-Fuck,” you groan, nails dragging down the skin at his sides as he began to pump in and out of you, slowly at first, as if he wanted to make sure you were feeling every inch of him against your engorged walls. The plug was the perfect size to enhance each movement, the dual sensations making you mewl. 

“Does it feel good?” he husks, voice impossibly deep as his thrusts increase. “Does Jagi like being so full of me? Likes having that little plug in her ass?”

Whining at his words, you chew at your lip, hands reaching out to tug him closer to your mouth. “Yes, I do, Wooyoung. Just for you, all for you.”

He growls then, hips moving at a punishing pace, basking in your sweet cries of his name, wanting to make sure you were fully wrecked and falling apart for him. He could feel you squeezing against him, so impossibly tight, and knew you were close to unraveling. 

Dropping his lips to yours, he licked into your mouth, swallowing your moans as he slid a hand between your bodies to rub at your apex once more.

You broke the kiss to sob, head thrown back against the mattress. “Fuck, I’m gonna come, baby,” your orgasm so close you felt your cunt pulsating, your vision going white. After a few more pumps of his cock and probing circles of your clit, you finally come undone, walls constricting as electricity shoots through your veins, gasps tearing from your throat.

Wooyoung doesn’t last much longer, burying his face in your neck as he finally releases deep inside you with staccato thrusts, only stopping when he was sure every drop was nestled into your tender core.

Catching your breath, you lay for a few soundless moments, fingers tracing patterns on his back while he steadily came down from his high. When he finally moves to get cleaned up, he insists you stay put - instead bringing a wet washcloth and removing the plug for you, wiping you clean.

“Happy Anniversary,” he quips, slapping playfully at your ass, and you can’t help but laugh along, rolling your eyes at him.

After a quick trip to the bathroom you’re back in bed - and his arms - snuggled against his chest, eyes closed in contentment. Wooyoung is so tender, asking every few moments how you felt, if you needed anything. You couldn’t shake the feeling that you were luckier than you ever thought was possible, and you told him so.

“What do you mean, Y/N? I’m the lucky one here. You are so beautiful and smart and successful, and you let me be in your life, let me support you. It’s all I could ever want.” he murmurs, eyes intense as he presses a kiss to your nose. “Plus, you laugh at all my jokes, eat my cooking, and are willing to try new things in the bedroom. You’re basically my dream girl.”

You laugh then, slapping at his arm. “Well, that’s good to know, and right back atcha.”

“What? I’m your dream girl?”

Giggling, you snuggle closer to his chest once more. “Yes. You’re my dream girl and I’m so glad I get to be in your life.” Leaning up, you meet his eyes. “I love you, Wooyoung.” 

The responding smile is so bright you think it may blind you, but his joy was infectious as he whoops loudly. “I love you too, Y/N. So much.”

For a moment, there was nothing but peaceful calm, twin hearts beating rapidly as you let him lead you in a chaste kiss, pulling away to rest your forehead against his own.

“Even if your dirty talk could use some work, I love you and I’m still glad to be here-”

“HEY!” he yells, pushing back to look at you, face incredulous. “What do you mean my dirty talk could use some work?! My dirty talk is perfect!”

You shrug, a sly smirk on your face. “Is that so?”

Scoffing, he tries to slide out of your grasp, pout heavy on his lips. “Yes, that is so! What, was I supposed to call you ‘my greedy little ass slut’ right out of the gate? I mean, I knew you were a freak, Jagi, but I was trying to be a gentleman.”

Choking back your laughter, you lock your arms around him, bringing him back against you until you are spooning him tightly, cooing apologies in his ear. It took several minutes of cuddles and reassurance before he would turn to look at you again, his gaze still hard.

Grinning, you cup his face, your finger resting against the plush fullness of his lower lip. “Oh yeah? And what if I don’t want you to be a gentleman?” 

“Then I guess we’ll have to go for round two.” he growls, before claiming your lips once more.

[bts-storys]

A bad mix of sweets

Author: bts-storys

Pairing: Jungkook x Reader

Rating: mature content, 18+

Genre: Strangers to lovers/ Fairground AU / Smut / slight Angst

Word Count: 4,941

Summary: You work at a fairground selling crêpes, minding your own business, sometimes judging a customer in your head. When all of the sudden someone has an order you just can’t stay quiet about. 

Warnings: oral (female receiving), fingering, dirty talk, graphic description of sex, penetration

A/N: This piece is my first smut. Ever. I really hope you like it :)

The sweet scent of melted chocolate caught your nose. 

Easily, one of the best smells imaginable. Except it was probably the 200th time today and at this point you would much rather smell some freshmen’s dirty underwear. 

 “Y/N, can you get me another bowl of dough from the fridge?”, Miriam asked, cutting you from having more weird thoughts about unwashed boxers. 

You put it down on her table and turned around to meet the next customer in line. “Hi, what can I get you?” 

While listening to the little girls’ order – once again something screaming ‘caries’ on another level – you thought about your job and if the money was really worth hating on chocolate. To be fair, working at a crêperie wasn’t all bad. Most customers were extremely nice and your payment was definitely higher than average. Plus, you didn’t need to wash your hair five times to get rid of all the frying fat, like Fynn who sold French fries at the other end of the fairground.

Still, at some point you started losing your sweet tooth which was sadly one of the reasons you even wanted to work as a crêpe maker. The fairground had always been one of your favorite places in the city, one of the reasons being the fantastic smell in every corner. You handed the little girl her chocolate-marshmellow sugarbomb and put your eyes on the next person waiting in line.

It was a tall guy. He looked like he was your age or maybe a bit older and he was almost ridiculously handsome. His dark hair went over his ears, hiding the top part of his silver earrings underneath it. He was wearing a white tee combined with black leather pants and he looked like one of those guys who could get anything they asked for. Still, he wouldn’t meet your eyes as if something made him feel very uneasy. When you asked for his order, he scratched the back of his head, before finally looking up to you. You felt your heartbeat increase, right before he started talking. 

“Could you make me a crêpe with everything, please.” 

“A… What?”, was all you could get out, taken aback by his request. 

“Just… You know, with everything”, he repeated. 

“You’re saying you want me to make you a crêpe containing chocolate, strawberries, banana, marshmellows, sugar, vanillasauce, cream cheese, ham and salmon?!” 

With every ingredient you mentioned, he looked even more like he was in pain.

 “Listen”, he began. “I uh- I might have lost a bet saying I could throw 40 baskets in a minute on one of those hellish Basketball machines…” 

You cut him off by bursting into laughter. When you saw Miriams irritated gaze from the corner of your eye, you quickly tried to stop and catch your breath again. 

“I’m so sorry”, you giggled. “But I think you just made my day. I’ll get started right away.” 

He did look slightly offended by your outburst, but offered you a smile when you started making the crêpe. It made him look a lot younger and to be honest pretty cute. You felt your cheeks rose from that realization. 

“May I ask how many baskets you managed to throw?” 

The question coming from your mouth surprised you. You wouldn’t consider yourself shy, but normally you tried not to talk to the customers too much while preparing their food. 

The guy groaned with frustration. “16.” 

“Wow, that is actually impressive!” 

You meant what you said. Everybody around here knew, that Leo always got the bounciest balls for his basket game. You smiled encouragingly while handing him the crêpe if one could still call it that. He paid and took it from you while scrunching his nose in disgust. Before he left, his gaze locked with yours one more time. 

“Thanks, for trying to cheer me up.” 

You failed to smile back at him as you felt something hot bubbling in your belly while looking into his dark eyes. Luckily, he turned around right then and didn’t catch you staring after him. You saw him approach a group of boys who crackled with laughter on his arrival. One of them playfully smacked his back while they headed in another direction. 

“Well that was strange”, Miriam said, snapping you right out of your trance. 

 “Do you mind if I head home, Y/N?” 

“No, it’s fine, the last two hours aren’t too busy, I can manage them alone.” You gave her a smile, turning to the next customer. But in the back of your head, you were still thinking about the cute guys smile for the rest of your shift.

“He ordered WHAT?” 

You sat on your bestfriend’s bed the next day, trying not to laugh at her horrified expression. 

“It’s not that weird!”, you tried defending the poor boy. “He lost a bet you know? Also, didn’t you tell me about that one guy the other day who bought like 20 different bath bombs to try them all together?” 

“Actually, he bought them from my co-worker. She says his name is Jin and he wanted to see what color they would produce! Crêpe-Boy was just trying to get a higher bill at the dentist as it seems.” 

At that you just laughed. You and June had met through some college courses and quickly decided to move in together, while bonding over some secret comfort Ben&Jerrys in the library during the week of finals. It was just like her to defend some strange guy from her job at the Lush store. 

“At least tell me he was handsome enough to pull it off”, she sighed while bringing her hand over her eyes in a dramatic gesture. Under her palm you could still see her eyes sparkle. 

 You looked away. “It wasn’t like that.” 

“So, he was handsome!”, she grinned, knowing she got you right where she wanted. 

“Stop acting and let’s start with the presentation already. You know we’re due to tomorrow”, you laughed while she fake-pouted your way but reached for her notes nonetheless. “I don’t even think I will see him again.” 

Your head was caught up with loads of university stuff for the next day, so you didn’t have the chance to think about the crêpe-guy until your next shift on Friday. You were busy cleaning some shelves when you heard a voice behind you. 

 “Hi.”

You turned around quickly, only to find yourself staring into dark brown eyes. Today he wore a black turtleneck, fitting almost too perfectly to his upper body and his hair looked freshly washed. Startled you tried to brush away some loose strands from your face. 

“Hi! What can I get you? Or are you here to sue us for selling you this crappy thing on Wednesday?”, you asked jokingly. 

He gave you a little laugh. “Actually, I came here to buy another one.” 

You froze and stared at him. He noticed your expression and quickly lifted both of his hand in front of his chest. “Oh! No- No! I mean I want to buy another crêpe. Maybe only chocolate this time?” He smiled sheepishly.

You laughed with relieve. “Thank god, here I was thinking I had to put you on my weird people list.” 

“Your what?”, he asked, while you started making the Crêpe. “Who exactly is on that list?” 

“Well”, you counted on your fingertips. “Barb, the fortune-teller, for trying to convince me that I would lose my right foot the other day, the mailman because I once caught him licking one of my letters, my great uncle Jim for collecting dozens of different pickle jars…” 

“Okay, okay!”, he interrupted you with laughter. “I get it, I don’t want to end up on that list. Even though I wonder what color that bathtub had at the end.” 

His response made you giggle and you felt your face heat up again when he met your eyes. Quickly you looked down, handing him his order. When he gave you the money, your hands touched for a split second. 

“Well uh- see you next time!”, you told him, hating yourself for not coming up with a better goodbye. He walked away and you wished you had asked for his name. 

The following weekend you visited your family but often had your mind wandering off to a certain black-haired boy. The last time you dated anyone was even before you started college and it was thrilling to think about someone that way again. On Monday you woke up from the buzzing of your phone. 

June: Are you excited for todayyy? [9:25 AM] 

Y/N: Please enlighten me. What would I be excited about? [9:29 AM] 

June: HAHAHA [9:34 AM] 

June: You can’t play me girl! I know you’re hoping to see crêpe-Guy again [9:34 AM] 

Y/N: I never said that! I don’t even know his name! [9:36 AM] 

Y/N: Also, where are you right now? [9:36 AM] 

June: Stop trying to distract me y/n. You know I’m right [9:38 AM] 

Y/N: Are you having breakfast without me? [9:39 AM] 

Y/N: You know I can see that you left me on read! [9:59 AM] 

 A little part of you knew that she was right. But that part was a bit dreamy in general, so you tried your best ignoring it for the rest of the day. By the time Miriam went home, leaving you alone for the last hours, every last one of your secret hopes had disappeared. 

He hadn’t shown up. 

Instead you found yourself hiding behind the counter for the second time since your shift began, trying to avoid fortune-teller Barb. Who knew if it wasn’t the day your left foot would get a bad forecast. At least the shift was almost over. You kneeled on the floor, counting to 100 when you heard a familiar voice.

“Hello? Anyone there?” 

You closed your eyes. Of fucking course it would be bad luck to hide from someone who could see the future. Your options were limited. You could just wait until Crêpe-Guy disappeared again, missing yet another chance on talking to him or… You stood up. 

“Yeah, I’m uh- here.” You gave him an apologizing smile. He was clearly confused by your sudden appearance. “I’m sorry, this looks pretty ridiculous right? To be honest I was kinda… hiding? You know I really like my feet and I want to keep them and also I think she looks just really creepy sometimes so I didn’t want her to see me…” You stopped mid sentence. “Sorry, now I’m just talking too much, what can I get you?” 

You could see a spark of irritation in his eyes but he still proceeded telling you his order.

 “I’m Jungkook. Jeon Jungkook”, he suddenly blurted out. You stopped in your motions just fast enough to see him wince uncomfortably.

 “I’m Y/N Y/L/N”, you smiled and went on with his crêpe. 

“So, Y/N.” You really liked the way he said your name. Soft and with some sort of special emphasis. “Where is your co-worker? Without wanting to end up on your creepy people list, why are you alone all of the sudden?” You could see in his eyes that he was really interested, mixed with something else you couldn’t quite make out. 

“That is exactly the kind of question some creep would ask”, you laughed. “But to give you an answer, Miriam always leaves two hours ahead of me so she can get to her yoga class. I’ll manage the remaining time alone and when the fairground closes in a few minutes, I’ll head home as well. There you go.” 

You handed Jungkook the warm Crêpe, taking his money instead. 

“You’re going home all alone? In the dark?”, he asked startled. 

“I don’t live that far”, you smiled at him. “Just right next to the university.” 

“Still. You shouldn’t have to go alone. I could walk you. I mean- If you want me to.” His offer got you by surprise. And apparently, Jungkook took your silence as a no. 

“I’m sorry, I wasn’t trying to push you into anything, you don’t even have to answer me, I-“ 

“Jungkook”, you interrupted him. “Wait for me to shut the booth?” 

He nodded and started relaxing again, patiently eating his crêpe while you cleaned and finally locked the door behind you. Looking at Jungkook from your elevated place behind the counter was something completely different from looking at him on even grounds. Suddenly he was right there next to you and you tried your best to ignore the fluttering in your stomach. 

His black Hoodie let you imagine what his muscular arms would look like without it and when you glanced at him from below, you noticed how defined his jawline was. Suddenly you felt the urge to touch his face and the soft strands of his hair surrounding it. 

On the way back to your apartment the two of you talked about your courses at college and Jungkook being a freelance photographer which you found really impressive. He wished you a good night at the door of your building and you felt excitement rushing through you at the sight of him disappearing into the darkness. 

On Tuesday, even some of your professors commented on you being weirdly fidgety. Of course, only June would connect the dots between your behavior and ‘this Jungkook guy’. Your nervousness had it’s peak on your Wednesday shift. At some point you even lightly burned your hand with the pan and Miriam almost send you home asking if you didn’t feel well. You managed to brush her concerns aside and exactly 15 minutes before closing time, Jungkook showed up in front of the booth. 

“Hey there!”, you chimed, trying to hide your obvious excitement. 

“Hi”, he smiled at you. “I was just on my way home and I thought I could walk you again? You know, because you shouldn’t walk all on your own.” 

You chuckled lightly and started a conversation about a movie both of you liked while you cleaned the surfaces. 

Walking next to Jungkook felt nice. You didn’t touch but you were almost shoulder to shoulder and his soothing voice mixed with the noises of the city.

“What kind of pictures do you like taking the most?”, you asked him curiously.

“I love portraits. When you see every element of a person’s face. Every scar has a story, every wrinkle means something. You can really see a person through their picture. I also like landscapes though, I’m sorry if that sounds boring”, he finished as if he didn’t want to annoy you. 

“It doesn’t. I would love to hear more about your art.” You smiled at him, stopping right in front of your door. 

When you grabbed your purse to get the key, you hissed with pain. 

“What’s wrong?” He sounded alarmed.

“Nothing”, you tried to play it down. “I just burned myself earlier, it’s okay, really.” 

“Show it to me”, Jungkook demanded, grasping your hand carefully. 

His soft skin felt warm under your palm and suddenly you noticed how close he was to you. When you looked up, you met his gaze and the butterflies in your stomach started moving again. You took a step closer, bringing your other hand to his face and he leaned into the touch. His cologne smelled like leather mixed with something really sweet you couldn’t name and it made your head spin with intoxication. 

His eyes trailed all over your face, stopping at your lips and then finally he caught them with his own. The kiss was soft until you sighed into it, giving him full access to your mouth. His tongue ignited a firework inside of you and he tasted sweet and hot at the same time. It was like nothing you ever tasted before. You put your hands in his hair and he pulled you closer by your hips, leaving burning marks where his fingers touched you. When he pulled away, both of you were panting hard and he took a step back to catch his breath. 

“Do you believe me now?”, you asked. 

“Huh?” 

“The burning really isn’t that bad, right?” 

Jungkook could only nod, which made you chuckle. “Goodnight, Jungkookie”, you said sweetly while opening the door. 

“Goodnight, Y/N.” 

When you told June about the kiss, she wouldn’t stop screaming into her pillow, telling you how happy she was for you and how she had told you to stay away from frat boys, for good! 

Friday arrived and you worked next to Miriam when she suddenly pulled at your sleeve. 

“Isn’t that the guy who bought a crêpe containing everything on the menu the other day?”, she asked. 

You looked in the direction she pointed and your upcoming smile fell from your face. She was right. On the other side of the street you saw Jungkook in his black hoodie. From where you were standing you could see how his hair reflected in the sun. He wore those leather pants again which made his muscular legs look gorgeous even from further away. You noticed all of those features but could only focus on the person standing right beside him. 

She had long black hair and even though she looked some kind of weird from behind, you could make out her blue skirt and her red pumps. Just when you thought it couldn’t get worse, Jungkook laughed and took the girls hand, pulling her with him. You tried to understand what was going on. Jungkook had told you he had an older brother and no cousins. Who was that girl he held hands and seemed so familiar with? 

“Y/N?”, Miriam asked and you heard the concern in her voice. “Are you oka-“ 

“I have to go, I’m sorry Miri!”, was all you could get out before you practically ran out of the booth so she wouldn’t see you cry. 

You couldn’t remember how you got home, only how June found you later that day, buried between your pillows. After making sure you were not physically hurt, she hugged you until you told her everything. 

“What an asshole!”, she exclaimed after listening to you. “So that guy really has a girlfriend?! I wish I could make his manly parts disappear! I would even pay fortune-teller Barb to jinx him! I’m so sorry girl!” 

You snorted at her remark, making you feel the tiniest bit better. After speaking to June, you called in sick at your work for the next week. You tried convincing yourself you didn’t even knew him that well, but having your heart broken after a long time of not giving it to someone felt just shitty. You tried to distract yourself from the thoughts by studying harder but you still felt like crying most of the time. 

It was only now that you realized how much you had actually liked Jungkook despite knowing him for a few weeks top. The kiss you two had shared felt so special to you, well at least now you knew it hadn’t meant the same to him. He was after all just a good-looking guy like all the others. After a few days you started to get really angry with him for leading you on like that. He had walked you home, he did kiss you back, where was his problem? When June left on Sunday to visit her family for a few days you were fuming. It was also the day before you had to go back to work again. 

“You go tell him, girl!”, June told you when she hugged you goodbye. 

On Monday, everything seemed normal. Miriam asked you if you felt better and, after hearing your answer, started chatting about a new yoga studio right around the corner. The time flew while you sold all kinds of crêpes and when your co-worker was gone, you just hoped for Jungkook not to show up. It seemed like your wish would be fulfilled because he was neither there when you locked the door nor when you started walking to your apartment. You almost sighed in relieve before you saw a tall figure right in front of your door. When you approached the building, he called out your name. 

“Jungkook”, you said quietly. “What do you want?” 

“What do you mean?”, he asked with confusion. “Are you okay? Why were you gone the whole week? Did anything happen?” 

“None of your concern. Would you let me get inside please?” You tried pushing past him but he wouldn’t move. 

“I don’t understand! What’s wrong?” Now he looked just really frustrated which provoked your anger. 

“I saw you, Jungkook!” You blurted out, unable to hold it any longer. 

He blinked. “You… saw me? What’s that supposed to mean?” 

“I saw you at the fairground with your girlfriend!” Finally throwing the information into his face made you feel a lot better. 

“But Y/N I don’t have a girlfriend! Why would I lie to you about that?” He pushed a hand through his hair, getting more irritated by the second. 

You laughed into his face but it wasn’t a nice feeling. “I’m not stupid. Last Friday I saw you with that black-haired girl, you were even holding hands! And I was foolish enough to think you would ever be interested in someone like me!”

After your last sentence he looked at you with his big, brown eyes. “First off Y/N, I don’t know what you’re saying. You’re fucking gorgeous! I still don’t know how I got the courage to even start talking to you!” He looked into your eyes. “Can we please go inside and talk about everything? You must be wrong, I wasn’t with any girl last Friday I was-“ He stopped talking. 

You could see on his face when the realization hit him. You cocked an eyebrow. “Finally remembered your girlfriend, Jungkook?” 

He looked at you like he saw you for the first time ever. “Y/N, I am so sorry. I never thought about you seeing that but you have to believe me I don’t have a girlfriend. It wasn’t even a girl I was with on Friday. Do you remember that I had to buy that first crêpe because of a lost bet?” 

You nodded, still being suspicious. “Well, in my group of friends we bet each other a lot and when Min Yoongi lost his bet last week, he had to dress up as a girl and ride the ghost train at the fairground. That’s who you saw me with! If you don’t believe me, I even have a picture.” 

He pulled his phone from his backpocket, showing you a picture of a guy who was clearly not amused by being photographed. He was wearing a black wig as well as the blue skirt and red pumps you saw the other day. If the situation hadn’t been so tense, you would’ve laughed at how ridiculous he looked. 

Jungkook offered you a smile. “I’m really sorry Y/N. If I had known how you got it all wrong, I would have come here a lot sooner.” 

“No”, you said. “I’m the one who has to apologize. I’m really sorry I made assumptions about you without even asking. I’m sorry I just cut you off. It’s just that I really like you and seeing you with another girl- it hurt, you know?” 

His smile widened at your words. “You like me?” 

“I do, dumbass”, you flicked him off with you hand, not trying to hide your own smile anymore. 

“Good. Because I like you too.” His confession made your cheeks heat up. 

You lowered your gaze so he wouldn’t see the redness of your face but Jungkook made one step and grabbed your chin forcing you to look up again.

“Don’t be ashamed Y/N. You’re beautiful.” His thumb went over your bottom lip in a caressing gesture. “I really want to kiss you right now”, he murmured. 

“Do it then.” 

His lips felt soft against your own and his hand moved to your neck tilting your head slightly to get better access to your mouth. You brushed his hot tongue with yours grabbing the fabric of his top to pull him closer. He wore that damn turtleneck again. Jungkook walked you back until you hit the wall of the building and when he pushed against your body you could feel the hardness in his pants. You brought one hand down to his crotch stroking the front of it and he moaned against your lips. The sound was addicting. In return, Jungkook started pinching your left nipple through your shirt. Arousal built up between your legs. You stopped the kiss, meeting his dark gaze with yours. 

“I think you’re right”, you panted. “We should go upstairs and ‘talk’ about everything.” 

He smirked, seeing you fumble with your keys, letting you pull him inside the house and into your apartment. Both of you kicked your shoes off and then he was all over you again. His mouth was on your neck, sucking and nipping the soft skin until you were a whining mess in his arms. After pulling your shirt and bralette off, he stared at your bare chest in awe. Diving down he started sucking your nipple having you close your eyes, moaning from his touch. 

“You’re so responsive, baby.” The new nickname sent shivers through your whole body. 

“Jungkook please, bedroom”, you moaned, showing him to your room where he laid you on your bed. He started kissing you again feverishly, taking everything, you had to offer. 

“Tell me baby. What do you want me to do?”, he asked as he broke the kiss. 

“I don’t care, just do something, I need you Jungkook!”, you whined. 

“Fuck, you’re so hot. Take you pants off for me baby.” 

You did as he told you to, exposing yourself in front of him. You felt a new wave of heat rushing through your core at the thought of being completely naked while he was still fully dressed. Jungkook put two fingers in front of your face. “Suck.” 

You did your best, licking them with your tongue, bobbing your head making him imagine your lips around his cock instead. “God”, he groaned, pulling his fingers from your mouth. “I will make you feel so good baby, I promise. Spread your legs for me.” 

The next thing you felt was a single digit stretching you out and you moaned at the feeling of Jungkook pushing deeper. He curled his finger professionally leaving no imagination to where this would end. While he held you in place with one hand, the other one was working towards your relieve.

“You’re so wet baby, do you think you can take another one?” 

“Yes, please”, you told him before crying out at the stretch of two fingers inside of you. He started pushing them in and out scissoring you from the inside and when you felt his tongue circling your clit you knew it was over. 

“Ah, I’m coming, Jungkook!”, you let out a high-pitched moan as he worked you through your orgasm. 

“That was so hot, you look fucking gorgeous when you come”, he told you, looking at his wet fingers. “I need to be inside of you right now. Please?” 

You hummed in approval, already feeling empty without him. Somewhere distant you could hear him tear his clothes off and rip open a condom. The next moment he was beside you again, rolling you over on your side and positioning himself behind you. 

“Are you ready baby?” 

“Fuck me, Jungkook.” 

The second those words left your mouth, you could feel his tip at your entrance. He pushed himself further inside, still going slow to let you adjust to his size, before he started pumping in and out of you in a steady rhythm. Now that you could feel how big he was, you were relieved he took his time preparing you before. 

“Your sweet little cunt feels so tight around me, fuck!” 

You cried out at his words and the feeling of his cock entering you from behind. He shattered kisses down your neck and your shoulders, still pushing deep inside of you. His large hands were holding you in place, sometimes teasing your buds to tear a whimper from you. Heat started to build up again inside of your stomach and Jungkook noticed your moans turning higher. He started speeding up bringing one hand to your front where he began rubbing circles to your sensitive point. With every thrust he would hit a certain spot inside of you, making you see stars. 

“Ahh, right there!” 

“That’s it, baby. Come for me.” His cock and his hand made you trip over the edge, moaning uncontrollably into your pillow. White light exploded in front of your eyes as the pleasure hit you. Only a second later Jungkook groaned, spilling himself into the condom. 

He gave you a few last pushes before pulling out and you sighed at the loss of him. You heard him throw the condom into your trashcan before he got back on the bed, pulling you into a hug. It was silent for a long time where both of you just listened to each other’s heartbeat before Jungkook spoke up again. 

“Would you go on a date with me Y/N? I meant what I said outside, I really like you.” 

You turned and smiled at him shyly. “Me too. I would really like that.” 

He playfully nudged your check with his nose. “I’m so glad I lost my bet and had to buy that nasty crêpe. Even though it tasted real shit.” 

You furrowed your brows. “Please don’t tell me you really ate that!”, you said, trying not to laugh but failed miserably. 

“I did. All of it.”

© Bts-Storys, 2021. Do not copy or repost without permission.

A/N: Thank you so much for reading until now! TT There’s still much I would like to improve about my writing so stay tuned!

[ctay21]

A Sweet Encounter

                (Sanji x Female S/O)

Hey Guys! I’m super excited, this is my very first fic I’ve ever wrote and I don’t know but i’m kinda proud of it. This fic is done for @some-piece​ AU challenge. If you haven’t checked out her blog yet, you need to! Bas you are one of my favorite writers and are one of a few who have inspired me to write, thank you so much! I choose the Bakery AU. My list of characters I received was Trafalgar Law, Sir Crocodile, Sanji, Marco, and Kalifa. There aren’t really any warnings in this fic other than it being super fluffy. I hope you guys enjoy! 

It was an ordinary Friday in July. It could have been cooler for your tastes as the bakery you work in always feels like a million degrees at all times of the day. Five fans were on and you already felt like you were melting and it wasn’t even noon yet. 

Rolling your eyes you try to focus on the wedding cake you're currently decorating, instead of what felt like a massive heat wave in the bakery. It was exciting because this was your last cake to decorate today and you were just looking forward to going home and maybe taking an early nap. There was also the option of ordering take out, just thinking of all the possibilities made you look forward to finishing this cake so you could finally leave. 

As you were thinking of all the options for your boring night after work. It happened, the most unexpected, felt like a life changing moment but you were trying not to get ahead of yourself just yet. One moment you were decorating a cake, the next moment you looked up and out the window and saw the most gorgeous man. He hadn't looked at you just yet but you could feel it in your bones that he was very attractive. Mystery man had blonde hair, he was tall and slender. Wearing a blue button down dress shirt and black slacks, and boy do you love a man in a classy outfit. It was slightly funny because as put together as he looked I could tell he was heatedly yelling at someone over the phone. Then he turned around.

From the second he turned around we made eye contact. The intensity of our gaze made you drop the piping bag you were holding on the table. He had grey blue eyes that immediately reminded me of storm clouds. His blonde hair was swept to the side covering his right eye. He has these interesting eyebrows that everyone probably wouldn't find attractive, but you were drawn to them and found them to be uniquely beautiful. The way his eyebrow came down and swirled up was so intriguing. To top it all off, he had a thin strip of hair on his chin. Giving him a slightly ruggedly handsome face. Overall your instincts were right and he was gorgeous and you never wanted to look away.

The eye contact only lasted realistically for 30 seconds, but to you it felt like a lifetime. You were a little sad to see he broke eye contact, but were immediately excited again when you realized he was turning to walk into the bakery. Washing your hands real quick and making your way up front so you can casually greet this hot mystery man, pretending you hadn’t intentionally walked up from the back just to meet him. Glancing in a mirror to make sure your bun and headband, that held all the hair out of your face while baking, still looked cute and not crazy. Feeling ready and excited to meet him, you step out of the back into the front and walk behind the counter. As you’re walking you glance up and meet his gaze again. Smiling up at him you introduce yourself as you finally reach the front counter. 

“Hello, welcome to Fairytale Confectionery my name is (y/n), how can I help you today.” 

“Ahh, what a beautiful name to match such a beautiful woman.” He says, as he grabs your hand and lightly brushes his lips against the back of your hand in the most charming feather light kiss. “My name is Sanji, a few moments ago I was mad at my mosshead idiot friend who gave me the worst directions in my life.” He says, as he drops your hand and leans both of his forearms against the glass counter. “Although, I may have to break down and thank him. For if he never gave me terrible directions, I may never have met you.” He said, giving you the most disarming smile you had ever seen.

“Wow, what a charmer you are. I bet all the women just love you.” You said, in a slightly sarcastic way. “With that being said, Please give my thanks to your friend who you called a mosshead idiot.” You say as you giggle and glance down to try to hide your blushing face. “Mainly, because so far it has been very lovely to meet you Sanji. Now can I get anything for you?” You asked him, as you finally dared to look up and make eye contact with him again. 

“Two questions. First, is there anything in this case that is as sweet as you?” He asked as he laughed a little noticing that you rolled your eyes and were slightly shaking your head. “Okay okay, the first question was rhetorical, but seriously what’s your favorite thing you make. I want to try that.” He said, slightly laughing at his attempts to flirt with you. 

“Well, to your first question I just want to say you’re so ridiculous.” You said, as you continue to laugh and shake your head, slightly covering your mouth with your hand. “Secondly, if I had to choose my favorite thing in the bakery, that would be hands down our cinnamon rolls!” You exclaim, while grinning widely because you can’t help it. It’s a natural reaction when you get to talk about your favorite baked goods. 

“Well then, I would love to get one cinnamon roll please and possibly your phone number?” Sanji asked hopefully while holding up his phone. 

“I can grab you a cinnamon roll and as far as my number, you’ll have to wait and see.” You say winking at him, while grabbing his cinnamon roll and placing it in a container. Walking over to the register you ring his order up.

 “So Sanji, will that be all for you?” You ask, as you smirk at him. 

“That depends (y/n), what do I have to do to get your number?” He asked, while giving you the cutest puppy dog eyes. 

“Hmmmm… I’m not really sure yet.” You say tapping your chin and shrugging your shoulders.

 You take his payment for his cinnamon roll. As you hand him the container your hands brush for a second and you feel a spark run up your arm. He looks into your eyes and as he goes to turn around to leave. You realize that you don't want your banter with Sanji to end so you blurt out really fast “Sanji Wait! I forgot to give you a napkin!” 

Sanji turns back around and notices a folded up napkin in your hand and grabs it. He opens it up and sees your name (y/n) followed by a series of numbers written in the middle of the napkin. He looks back up at you and grins.

“Well (y/n), thank you and just so you know your name is going in my contacts as Cinnamon Roll.” He said, as he winked at you one last time and turned to leave the bakery. 

“Have a great rest of your day, Sanji.” You call out to him as he is walking towards the door.

“You as well my Cinnamon Roll.” He calls back at you, right before he walks out the door.

Feeling super giddy and laughing about his nickname for you and about the interaction you just had with Sanji. You head back into the kitchen and finish your cake and head home feeling like your life hopefully won't be so boring and monotonous anymore.

Over the course of two weeks you and Sanji get to know each other very well. You found out he was an executive chef at a popular fine dining restaurant, that’s known for their amazing french cuisine. Sanji found it very ironic that you were a pastry chef. His exact words when you told him were. 

“(y/n) just think about it! We could be called the Chef’s Ultimate Power Couple!” He said over the phone, during one of your late night three hour long calls. 

You just laughed and shook your head at him, even though he couldn't see your head shaking. You started to look forward to the nightly calls, it basically was the highlight of your day and you could never wait to get to talk to Sanji. Since you both were super busy with work and both working in the food industry, meant so far you both haven’t had a night where you were free to go on a proper date yet. 

After two amazing weeks of talking and getting to know one another, you both finally had a night where you could go on a proper date. Since you were both chefs, Sanji came up with the most perfect first date idea and you couldn't be more excited.

He mentioned the idea of you coming over to his apartment and you both could cook and bake together. He would prepare a romantic dinner that only you deserve, which made you laugh when he was telling you all about his idea. While he would be cooking dinner, you would be next to him baking the dessert. He said that it was the perfect combo and would be the best first date ever. With every day that passed, your date drew closer and you were getting more and more excited as the days went by. 

On the night of the date, you arrived at Sanji’s apartment at 6:30 sharp just like he asked you too. Feeling nervous and excited, you knocked on Sanji’s door. When he opened the door you both blushed at seeing each other for the first time in two weeks, since the day you met at the bakery. He held out his hand for you to take as he led you into his apartment and shut the door behind you. 

“Wow (y/n), how is it that you got even prettier in the two weeks since I've seen you?” Sanji asked, pulling you into a hug. While he also was admiring the simple black flowy dress you were wearing for the date. You decided on a simple classic dress because you felt so beautiful in it, but also because you knew you would be baking and didn't want to accidentally ruin one of your really nice dresses. Mainly, in the off chance you accidentally spilled something that would stain while baking, you had a habit of being very clumsy sometimes with liquid ingredients. 

“I don’t know, but whatever I did you also have done, because you look so handsome. I am so lucky to be on a date with you.” You told him, while pulling back from the hug. As you also were admiring the (your favorite color) dress shirt and black slacks he had on. When you guys were getting to know each other you told him what your favorite color was and he must have wanted to surprise you because here he was, wearing your favorite color and looking so handsome that it should be a sin to look that good. 

“No (y/n), I am the luckiest guy to be on this date with you!” He said, while leading you into the kitchen so you both could start working on dinner and dessert.

He had a big open concept kitchen with a big butcher’s block island in the middle, and double stack ovens with a matching gas stove. This is a kitchen that you could only dream of. It was probably every chef’s dream kitchen and of course Sanji had your dream kitchen. He leads you to the middle of the kitchen, to the island that had all the ingredients you both would need already laid out. 

“I'm speechless, Sanji. This kitchen is amazing and honestly my dream kitchen. I love it so much!” You couldn’t help but gush, while still looking around and taking everything in. 

“Thank you (y/n), it’s honestly my favorite place in this whole space. Cooking is when I do all of my thinking and where I get most of my ideas. So I wanted my kitchen to be a place of comfort and ultimately my favorite place in my apartment because I knew I was going to spend a lot of my time in here creating.” He explained, as he walked around and started to prep ingredients for dinner. 

You both fell into a nice rhythm while cooking together. The conversation was light and funny, you couldn’t believe how hard he was making you laugh. As you were measuring flour out for your recipe, an idea popped into your head. Knowing how much a little bit of flour stands out against black, you wondered if you could get away with leaving a hand print of flour on his pants or his shirt without him noticing.

Trying to discreetly cover your hand in flour, you walk over to Sanji hiding your hand hoping to look like you were just coming over to watch him cook. You place your hand on the small of his back. He looks over and down at you noticing that you had walked over a little suspiciously, but couldn’t figure it out. 

“What are you up too?” He accuses you, smirking down at your oh so innocent face. 

“Who Moi?” you asked as you hid your hand that was covered in flour behind your back and used your other hand to cover your heart and make a sad hurt face at Sanji. 

“Yes you (y/n), you got quiet for two minutes, got a mischievous look on your face and then proceeded to walk over here. What are you up too and why are you hiding your left hand.” He jokingly accused as he turned to face you and tried to grab the hand you were hiding. 

“What nothing! I’m hiding nothing, don’t you trust me” You exclaimed. Not wanting to get caught you turned around quickly to go back to where you were baking, but you hadn’t realized that you got flour on your back as well. Sanji quickly tried to look at this back where he felt your hand and noticed a lot of flour in the shape of your hand print on his shirt. 

“ I knew it! I just knew you were up to something over there (y/n)!” He yelled.

Turning back to look at him you noticed he also had a mischievous look in his eyes and was grinning too much for your liking. You started to slowly pace around the island making sure he stayed on the opposite side as you. 

“You're going down for this (y/n), so you better get ready!” He goaded while laughing. You watched as he passed in front of the flour, he grabbed a handful. Then took off running around the island to try to get to you. 

“AAHHH!! SANJI DON’T!!” You yelled, as you took off running and laughing but also not wanting to get flour dumped on you.

 Which is why you were running, because you just knew he was going to dump the handful of flour he was holding on you if he caught up to you. While chasing each other in circles around the island, you grabbed a handful of flour as you passed by. Turning around quickly you ran into Sanji. As you ran into him you threw the flour in his face, but not before he threw the flour he was holding in your face. 

“AAAHHHH!” You both screamed at the same time. Then promptly fell into a laughing fit over how ridiculous you both looked covered in flour and the situation you both were in.

It took ten whole minutes to clean up the kitchen and sort of clean off your outfits. Sanji being the perfect gentleman, offered you a change of clothes but you declined. Mainly because you thought tonight has been so fun and amazing and you sort of wanted a reminder of how ridiculous you guys have been together. When you both finally sat down to have your dinner, it was with a happy fun filled heart and nothing about the night felt like it could get anymore perfect. 

“I knew you just had to be up to something earlier when I caught you being shifty. I'm glad I caught you because I think that is the most fun I have ever had on a date before.” Sanji confided as he walked you out to your car and opened your door for you to climb in. 

“It was a ton of fun, wasn’t it? I have to agree with you because that was also the most fun I've ever had on a date. I can’t wait for our second date.” You said as you looked up into his eyes, noticing he still had flour right above his eyebrow. Smiling, you lifted your hand and wiped your thumb across his eyebrow removing the leftover flour, loving the way his curly eyebrow felt against your thumb. 

“Will you be my girlfriend.” Sanji blurted out.

“Yes. I thought you’d never ask.” You replied before he could say anything else. 

Standing up on your tip-toes you kissed his cheek and quickly got in your car. You looked out your window and saw Sanji blushing and holding his cheek that you kissed. He was giving you the cutest dazed deer in the headlights look. You were also blushing, you gave him one last radiant smile before you started to drive home. 

Little did you know that from that night on. It became a game, whenever you both were cooking or baking together, that one of you would end up with a floured hand print somewhere on their bodies by the end of the night. Preferably without the other person noticing or knowing. 

[solastia]

Day 19

Break My Stride, Yoongi x Jungkook, ABO, 4/4 Chapters, 14k words

YOU KNOW MY DRAMATIC ASS SAVED THIS FOR A FRIDAY! If y'all thought my screeching was annoying before, be prepared for about 10x more screeching and indecipherable noises. As the very wise Deadpool once said, “MAXIMUM EFFORT!”

First off, congratulations because this was your first fic to reach 10k hits (and it’s now at 34K hits, whaaaa??!! A few hundred of those may possibly be from me...possibly...probably...most definitely! lmao)

You know my fave ship is Yoonmin (I don’t take shipping irl seriously, don’t come for me plz) but I absolutely LOVE the dynamics between Kookie and Yoongi in this fic. Your writing, the plot, the dialogue, the whole thing is just top tier deliciousness every step of the way. It is scrumptious, mouth watering, exquisite, uuugh *chef’s kiss* bellissimo!

Ok, LOTS OF SPOILERS BECAUSE THIS FIC IS MY EMOTIONAL SUPPORT FICTIONAL STORY AND Y’ALL CAN’T STOP ME, MUAHAHAHA!

In the beginning of the story, you create a sense of home for the audience. We feel like we know these characters, we get a sense that they’ve been a group of friends for a very long time, and they each hold a special part of each other’s lives, and it’s freaking beautiful.

“Yoongi shook his head and started picking the olives off his slice of pizza. When he turns to his right to give the olives away, he realizes why he’d felt something was wrong.”

You see! He hadn’t even realized that Kookie was missing, but he felt like something was off.

Oh! And I wanted to ask you about the idea for a mating run! I’ve never read anything like this before, it was an interesting concept to think about. And this would be Yoongi’s 8th run! Oh babey, he was just waiting for the right mate…

“He wasn’t sure what it was, but the image of Jungkook finding someone during the run made him feel…itchy.”

Our boi is already jealous at just the idea of Kookie finding a mate (other than him ofc, but he doesn’t know that yet, bwahahahaha!!)

“Good idea, you’re going to need all the rest you can get,” Seokjin says with an ominous smirk.”

I SHOULD GIVE YOU THE SAME WARNING SEOKJINNIE!!!

“There were even booth setups for merchandise and food.”

OMG, I could see Hobi or Jin buying some cheesy “I survived the 20__ Run and All I Got Was This Shirt”. Or maybe a beer cozy!

“No, he said that would be pointless because his mate’s a cheating cheater that plays dirty. He said the chances of them covering their scent were high. He’s making sure his den is ready,” Seokjin scoffed.

Yoongi accepted the drink Jimin handed him and chuckled. “Sounds like I might actually like them.”

“You have no idea,” Jin said with a snort”

Yoongi, are you so jaded, so blind by your general saltiness that you are not understanding the very obvious clues being thrown your way?!?!?! Kookie, where are you? Put this man in his place please!!

And then when he was told that Kook bought that house he’d had his eyes on for years, uughhh, I was hurting for our Yoonie!

“Yoongi suddenly felt like crying, but he settled for collapsing onto the bench and clenching his fist.”

AAAHHH! But wait a little while Yoongi, I promise all this hurt will be over soon!

“Suddenly, Namjoon growled menacingly, startling everyone. Hoseok looked over to the spot where Namjoon was steadily staring, curiosity in his gaze before it too hardened and he started glaring with bared teeth. A random city Alpha that had been approaching them instantly halted, hands out in surrender.”

HOW COULD I FORGET THIS SUB-PLOT!!! Jin was over there laughing at how oblivious Yoongi was, and he isn’t any better, is he?!? Imagine having Joon and Hobi scaring the competition away like that??!! I would take them home immediately!

“There’s a huge plush rug and plenty of blankets, big fluffy pillows, a little stash of food and entertainment. I even put scent blockers around so no one would smell anything coming from inside,” Yoongi preened as he thought of his perfect hideaway.

Yoongi would def be one to make his little den as comfortable as possible! But I just thought of something. In your earlier description of Yoongi’s apartment, he said it was a bit stark and lacked any real decor. BUT he went out of his way to make this den as comfortable as possible. He bought a string of fairy lights, and he had to go to the big city to get them! It’s almost like it was fate, or maybe deep down he knew that something was going to happen, and he was inadvertently nesting! (please insert “I’ve connected the dots” meme here)

“He was sure there were plenty of Alphas running around with those piercings and Kook’s ginormous honker of a nose.”

:|

Was it really Kook? Or is our boy so in love that he sees Kookie wherever he goes? Lmao!

“Yoongi was about to show this guy that he wasn’t someone to be messed with and he wouldn’t be dragged off to be someone’s good little Omega bitch. He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out the taser he’d packed just in case.”

OMG, Yoongi is not messing around, absolutely zero chill!

“It seemed presenting had changed him physically as well, shooting him up a couple inches so he towered over Yoongi even more than usual. His arms and legs were rippling with muscle that even the black tracksuit he was wearing couldn’t hide. His face was still the same though; the innocent grin an interesting contrast with the buff build.”

SIR!! My heart cannot take this punishment! And OFC he’s a Prime Alpha, Kookie doesn’t know how to half-ass anything!

“And just like he had a million times before, Yoongi gave in like the soft ass bitch he was.”

He really is soft for all of them!!! Yoongi will let them do whatever they want with him, he’ll complain the entire way but we all know he secretly loves it!

“Yoongi dared a quick look behind him, audibly gulping at the sight of the Alpha staring at his ass like he was a starving man at an all you can eat buffet. Jungkook was grinding his jaw and had his nails dug into the dirt like he was trying to control himself.”

I mean, we’ve all seen the Yoonbooty. It does look very biteable. Relatable AF Kook!

“Jungkook continued poking around in things; picking up a candle to sniff, trying to sneak a peek into the duffle bag, ruffling around in the bag of snacks - all while stealing glances at the bed in the middle of the room. “

WAY TO NOT BE OBVIOUS KOOK!!!

“What are you doing, Kook? You’re wasting time here when you should be out there chasing down your mate. They are probably wondering where you are.”

“They know where I am.”

“You told them you were going to hang out with me and they were fine with it?”

“Hyung, you’re usually so smart. Think about it.”

Every time I read this, I die a little bit inside (in a good way, I promise). Yoongi’s whole world is about to be turned upside down, and he has no idea!!!

“The house…”

Jungkook’s eyes softened, smiling fondly at him. “I bought it for you, hyung. Whether you choose me today or not, it’s yours.”

I cry.

What a courting gift!!! Kook doesn’t understand subtlety, does he??!! And how selfless is this? This is a no-strings attached gift, given to Yoongi out of love.

I cry.

“I love the way we are now, equals with a little bit of babying me on the side,” Jungkook grins when Yoongi snorts, shaking his head fondly at the other.”

I would like to see that please.

AND THEN THIS LINE:

“Omega,” Jungkook says softly, so rife with emotion that Yoongi can hear everything he’s trying to say in just that one word. “May I enter your nest?”

This is it, this is as far as I go fam. I have been destroyed with six whole words. How can such a simple statement hold so much emotion, so much hopeful pleading?

And then the whole interaction on the bed! Yoongi asking if he wants to play cards (bwahahaha, sure Jan), Kookie being prepared to wipe away all the descenting salve, Kook getting scent high, YOONGI’S GRANDPA RUN, those first initial uses of pet names, everything was so intimate and playful. It was beautiful!

“I bet I could easily pick you up and fuck you against a wall sometime if you wanted. Maybe even have you straddle my shoulders and I could suck you off that way,” Jungkook muses so matter of factly despite the subject matter, and Yoongi can feel himself get wetter by the second.”

Aaaaaaand there’s the emotional whiplash I’ve come to love from you!

“Whatever you want. You’re in charge.”

Kookie being selfless again! I cannot! It’s about these little things that are done between partners that really matter. Kook is a newly presented virgin Prime Alpha in the midst of a claiming, and his first priority is still making sure Yoongi feels good. He’s giving him all the power here.

“Good,” Yoongi yawns loudly and throws a couple of blankets over them, tangling their legs together. “Later we can try the thing with the nipples.”

Again, I would like to see that please.

“Suddenly, Yoongi’s eyes shoot open and he gasps.

“Oh shit! Your brother is going to kill me!”

Jungkook merely laughs”

😂😂😂

“I’ll give you some meat,” Yoongi grumbles playfully as he climbs off the bed, stretching his aching limbs.

“I mean, I’m down for anything,” Jungkook giggles.”

Not to sound like a broken record, but...I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT PLEASE

“Jungkook walked straight towards the first woman he saw with a clipboard, blindsiding the stunned woman with one of his lethal smiles while he wrapped an arm around Yoongi’s waist to pull him close.

“Hi! We both need mating packets.”

Yoongi rolled his eyes because he could tell that Jungkook was practically bragging instead of just asking like a normal person.”

He’s practically bragging about Yoongi being his mate! I have a feeling Kookie is going to be unbearable to be around in the upcoming weeks.

And then we get a teeny tiny peek at the Nam-Jin-Hobi subplot and ooomg I hope you’re able to explore this particular pairing in the future. There is so much potential there for steamy/fluffy scenes!

“I just mean, like, soulmates. You know? Maybe we were supposed to meet to help each other find our mates. Or maybe we are all soulmates in various forms.”

DON’T! DON’T HURT ME THIS WAY, I CANNOT AND WILL NOT SURVIVE!

AAAAH this fic was wonderful! It feels complete the way you ended it, but I am definitely still craving more! Good job, dayumm!

It still amazes me how many people have read this one lol. But yeah, this is one of my favorites too. I do have other side stories that I’m working on for this one, including one from Jk’s birthday and another for Namjinseok.

I just really really love writing people that are so unapologetically whipped. Like, it’s such a major thing for me because in real life there are a ridiculous amount of people that are embarrassed to show how much they care about their SO, and like, why? Why are you even with them if you’re so embarrassed to show them any affection? Show the world that you are proud they choose to be with you, show your person that they are precious. I’m not even saying buy them shit all the time (because for some reason het males seem to think that’s what everyone means). I mean hold their damn hand, write them a note, tell them they are pretty. There’s a reason that a person who technically still identifies as gay man is in a steady relationship with me, a pan woman. And it’s because I fucking treat him like he’s the reason my heart beats and I’m not ashamed to show the world. Ok, I’m ranting now lol. I’ll stop. But you get the picture.

[lilibetts]

the motion of the ocean

(Part 2/3)

Falling in love with Riverdale, Theme 2

The weeks leading up to Valentine’s Day were some of the busiest of the year, so the shifts tended to pile up and their other boss, Hilda, was kind enough to make sure overtime pay was offered. Consequently, those of them who were still there at closing on Friday decided to celebrate with a small staff party in the employee break room: Betty, Jughead, Veronica, Kevin, Reggie, Toni, Cheryl, and Sweet Pea. Bottles of domestic beer mingled with plastic cups of expensive wine that Veronica had supplied and bags of valentine’s candy littered the table, an acknowledgment of today’s holiday.

“The unrealistic part, boys, is that porn has everyone thinking they have to change positions every...thirty...seconds,” Veronica stared down every male around the table over the top of her aubergine cat-eye frames as she imparted that piece of wisdom. “Constantly moving around ruins the buildup, and yet there’s still so much artless thrusting,” she scolded.

You see: it was a truth universally acknowledged that employees at a sex toy warehouse must at one point discuss their sex lives. 

All around the table, there were murmurs from the other women who agreed with Veronica, Betty included. Reggie and Sweet Pea stared around, wide-eyed, absorbing that revelation. She hid a smile as she took a drink of her wine, noting that Jughead was just nodding pensively from his spot across from her, toying with the toothpick between his teeth. That one specific curly lock of black hair had escaped the confines of his beanie, tempting Betty with the urge to tuck it back in herself. Or just yank off the hat.

The rest of their shift after that awkward run-in at the Reject Boxes had been mercifully quiet, with both of them focusing on their individual tasks. If anything, the silence in the Content room had been too thick, their usual friendly conversation not there to dispel the tension. 

“Apparently lots of boys and men haven't heard of 'it's not the size of the boat, it's the motion of the ocean’,” Jughead quipped, sending her mind into overdrive. Betty imagined herself straddling him in the chair, skirt bunched up by his hands and her underwear clinging to one knee, canting her hips in rhythm with the movement of his while he murmured encouraging words into her ear.

“Exactly!” Veronica chimed. 

From across the table, Cheryl snorted, bursting Betty’s little fantasy bubble. “Obviously...unless you’re Kevin, who’s a self-proclaimed size queen.” Hoots and hollers followed, and Kevin good-naturedly took the ribbing and accepted the air-kiss Cheryl blew him.

“Whoa dude,” interjected Reggie, assessing Kevin with a curious glint in his eyes. “Have you given my boy Colt a try?” He jerked his thumb over at two of the massive dildos in their plastic encasing, innocuously on top of the communal fridge. All eyes widened as they turned back to Kevin, who scoffed.

“No thanks, I’ve watched the amateur videos, and those were traumatizing enough for me. And besides, why are we picking on me when we should be picking on Betty?”

Betty flushed as seven heads swiveled over to her. Kevin had thrown her under the bus and Veronica wasted no time pouncing. “Yes, because there is a mystery afoot in this employee break room, and it’s why Betty Cooper gave up on The Year of Horny Betty, in February, after two measly dates.”

Sweet Pea, who had been balancing on the back legs of his chair, winked at her. “The Year of Horny Betty? I could stand to hear more about tha—whoa, fuck!” Someone (presumably Jughead) kicked at his chair from under the table, forcing him to bring it down with a loud thud. 

Betty, however, was too busy glaring daggers at Veronica for having the temerity to bring up The Year of Horny Betty while Jughead was present. Chancing a glance over at him, she was surprised by the heat in his stare. For a moment, it was almost like they were the only people in the room. 

“Spill!” Reggie slapped the table, starting a chant with Toni and Kevin, the traitor. “Spill, spill!”

“Fine,” she told them, “if you must know, those two dates were just too…” she shuddered, making a face. “The first guy was a snob who wouldn’t shut up about all the expensive things he owned, the prestige clubs he had membership in, and I swear sometimes when he looked at me he was fantasizing about wearing my skin or something. The second guy was boring as hell and kissed like a wet vacuum.” 

That got her a series of sympathetic grimaces.

“FYI, before this, she hadn’t been on any dates nor had any sex since she broke up with her high school sweetheart Ethan before graduation,” Veronica explained. To Betty, she said cajolingly, “B, don’t you miss partner-assisted orgasms?”

“I wish I could, but Ethan never even made me come,” she murmured before knocking back the rest of the wine in her cup as a chaser.

“WHAT?” Veronica, Kevin, Cheryl, and Sweet Pea shouted.

“That’s just wrong.” Reggie shook his head.

"Not even during oral?" Toni asked. At Betty's meaningful stare, she muttered, "Shit, I make sure women come when I go down on them, it's like the number one rule." Cheryl turned to give the pink-haired woman an assessing look.

“At all?” Veronica asked, brows furrowed as she tried to understand that concept.

Betty shrugged. “Me rubbing my clit while doing all the work on top of him doesn’t count.”

It felt good to finally admit it out loud; it felt even better when her confession led to a varied and in-depth discussion about the struggle for honesty with sexual partners. All the while, she sat there, feeling warm all over, either from the wine or Jughead’s attention, interjecting with her opinion from time to time and generally participating in a debate about sex in a way she hadn’t thought she could.

Come six o’clock, when the alcohol wound down and several of her coworkers begged off, citing a need to go grab dinner, Betty felt light. She donned her coat and shouldered her tote, heavy with the naughty goodies she’d helped herself to, and waved the others goodbye as she started the trek to her college.

“Betty.”

Spinning around, she saw Jughead hurrying to catch up to her. “Hey, Jug.”

“Mind if I walk with you the rest of the way?” She knew he was at Jonathan Edwards, which was slightly closer than Grace Hopper, her residential college.

“Sure.”

They walked in silence at first, but Betty could tell Jughead was on the verge of saying something. She decided to be patient.

“So, I’m a virgin” probably wasn’t the last thing she expected to come out of his mouth, but she was shocked nonetheless. 

“Okay,” she said hesitatingly. 

“I just want to be upfront,” Jughead told her, looking nervous but determined. “Our conversation at the afterparty got me thinking and...I have a proposition for you, Betty Cooper.” At her intrigued eyebrow raise, he continued, “The last thing I want is to come off as a creeper, so feel free to say no and I’ll forget all about this, no questions asked and no umbrage taken.”

“Ominous, but go on.”

“Since sex, good sex, can benefit from continual communication, I was thinking I could help you resurrect your New Year’s Resolution.”

“The Year of Horny Betty, you mean,” she said dryly.

Jughead grinned mischievously. “Well, you came up with a very clever plan title there, it deserves to be seen all the way through to completion.”  She didn’t need to ask to know he meant orgasms. “And I’m aware that porn has been the gateway Sex Ed for many, but I’ve taken advantage of some of the many instructional videos the store has which I theorize would be more useful in application.”

He made it sound like Betty would be testing out a hypothesis. Her mind flashed back to the dvd he’d chosen out of the Friday Reject Boxes.

“So…” she dragged out the vowel, “I’d be doing it for the science?” she teased.

“It’s a noble pursuit, just ask Masters and Johnson,” argued Jughead.

Betty really wanted to have sex with Jughead, that wasn’t in question. Lots of sex. A big part of her was jumping at the opportunity he was offering her.

“And what do you get out of it? You want me to...god, I can’t even say it...pop your cherry?” When it came to Ethan, she had been a virgin the first time they had sex, but her ex wasn’t. 

“Cash in my v-card?”  he grinned. “I rather like ‘making my sexual debut’, though.”

“Virginity is a social construct anyways, but...me? Are you sure?”

Jughead stopped right there in the middle of the sidewalk and earnestly told her face-to-face, “You asked me what I’d get out of it. The answer is you, Betty. Satisfying you.”

That was quite possibly the most romantic and erotic thing anyone had ever said to her.

“Okay,” she said, a little breathlessly. “So...your room or mine?”

Jughead had the grace to look a little abashed. “I was hoping we could at least eat dinner first.”

[lilwenney]

looking for affection in all the wrong places (iii)

pairing: will x female!reader warning(s): alcohol, swearing, implied smut, & once again general nonsense word count: 4.6k a/n: part three of five, part i and part ii / first off i want to show love to shan for helping beta this chapter when i was feelin real nervous about it, she’s a life saver <3 / once again we have fun this chapter so i hope you all enjoy x 

December 2019 London, England

Monday morning at The International was the meeting spot for (Y/N) and Will every single week during her semester. What was once a special studying spot turned into a hangout spot after Will left his flat to find some peace and quiet one day, only to end up with him tagging along with her to the sacred cafe just off of Queen Mary’s campus. 

No matter how early she showed, before her 8 a.m. class or for lunch, Will always showed ten minutes later. This day was no different. Sitting near the windows with a toastie and a coffee, she watched Will cross the busy street from Mile End Park with a backpack slung across his shoulder, and walk straight into the cafe where she and dozens of other students were cramming for their last bit of exams before break. 

After ordering a coffee, he pocketed his wallet and made his way over to the table, their eyes meeting and they smiled.

“Studying?” Will asked while dropping his backpack on the floor.

She shook her head, sitting her coffee cup back down to the table. “Not yet, I’m finishing a paper for one of my last general courses.” Across the table Will sat his laptop out, fishing out a notebook second. He mostly came to the cafe to do emails and finish up the business-side of YouTube when he wasn’t just generally being annoying. “What are you doing today?” 

“Ah, editing a video I recorded last night with George. We were on Discord for hours last night.” He said plugging in his mouse. 

A moment later one of the employees whisked around the front counter and brought Will his coffee, sitting in on the table, and they both let out quiet thank yous before he returned to the front to greet another customer. 

After taking the first sip of his latte, Will sat back in the chair and looked at her. Her eyes flickered over the top of her laptop screen and she raised a brow, prompting him to speak up first. “You know we’re going to have to talk about Friday, yeah?”

She swallowed hard at the thought of talking about what happened - their tequila-fueled makeout session against a wall of their mate’s flat. She hadn’t seen him since Friday night as her and Cleo spent the weekend at Hyde Park’s Winter Wonderland, which she was partially grateful for. She didn’t want to talk about it, but now that he was sitting in front of her, it was less awkward than she thought. 

“Yeah, we probably should,” she said, “listen, Will, what happened Friday-” 

“Should definitely happen again next Friday.” 

(Y/N) almost choked on her coffee as the words slipped past his lips and interrupted her. She held tight onto the cup, tempted to drop it from the shock, and stared at him intently. He smiled, holding up a hand.

“I know that sounds so weird, but listen,” he licked his lips, “I know Hanna, okay. She is going to show up to every fuckin’ party James has for the rest of his life with another bloke. She is petty as shit which is something I overlooked, but just knowing that I can get a rise out of her by making out with you? I’ll take that any day over standing by and watching her try and do the same.” 

“She did try it.” 

Will cocked his head. “What?” 

“Whenever we split to go get drinks, I saw her all over him, but she was looking directly at us.” She explained, taking another sip of her espresso and sitting the cup back down. “Do you want to do it to make her jealous and try and get her back or what is it for?” 

“Just to get under her skin,” he said. “And you want to do the same with Adrian, yeah? That’s why we necked it in the first place?” 

She laughed slightly at his wording, never failing to get a laugh from his accent either. Her eyes focused on the nicked edge of her cup, finding it more comforting than admitting her feelings while looking at him.

“Yeah, I do,” she finally said, “he had the nerve to walk in there with someone and I just- I just wanted to get him back, you know? It’s shit that he came with another girl literally three days after we split.” 

Will scrunched his brow. “Why you are attracted to that fella is beyond me. I can admit he’s handsome but for god's sake is he a bit of a prat.” 

“And to think he went to school with James.” She dismissed and Will let out a laugh.

“You’re smarter than him though, that’s for bloody sure.” 

There was an eye roll in the mix there as she laughed, remembering when Cleo said the exact same thing last week. She grabbed her cup and took another sip, now taking note of the time on her watch. She had a study session with a group of her classmates in half an hour at the library, and from her spot at the cafe, it felt like a world away. 

She quickly finished off the espresso and sat the cup back down onto the table, frantically grabbing her laptop and highlighters to shove inside her bag among her textbooks and notes. Will watched on, looking at the clock on his laptop, then literally clocking why she was trying to shove everything together in a matter of seconds.

“Going to study?” 

“Yeah,” she said grabbing her notebooks and shoving them in too, “I have an exam this Friday and we’re all meeting every day this week to study before class.” 

“What’s it for this time? The same nonsense class as last month?” 

“It’s not nonsense Will, but yeah,” 

“What was it, something like molecular science astronomy?” 

She stood up from her chair and threw on her coat. “Molecular biology,”

“Yeah that shite,” Will waved her off before leaning back in his chair to put all his attention back on her from his laptop. “Once again, too smart for him, and apparently too smart for everyone else too.” 

(Y/N) took one last glance at the table, grabbing her planner and phone and shoving it into her pocket before looking at Will. They shared just a moment looking at each other, almost like they were trying to figure out what they were thinking, but mostly, it was just that she didn’t know what to think until she blurted out; 

“So necking it this Friday?” 

Will licked the inside of his cheek, laughing as he was taken aback by her sudden forwardness, “same time and place.” 

“See you, you knob,” she said with a laugh while walking by him, heading to the door. He said a quick goodbye over his shoulder as she left the cafe, pushing through the door and into the London cold. 

***

It was nowhere near the same time or place that (Y/N) and Will were together a week ago, because this Friday, she was already drunk by 10 p.m. and showed up to Will’s flat with Cleo by her side. 

She pre-gamed the party with her classmates after their final exam, and she was feeling good in every way - her semester of university was finally over, she passed her final exam and dental clinicals, and she finally got to wear her favorite mini-skirt. For the first time in a very long time, she felt on top of the world. 

They had caught wind that Will was pre-gaming with George and Alex at his flat before heading to James’, all because of a single text from Gee, so they barged in, loud as usual. 

“WHAT’S UP FUCKERS?” She called out, the door slamming open and hitting the door stopper before bouncing back on Cleo who rolled her eyes. 

Will heard her voice from downstairs, and without a doubt, his neighbors heard her too. Sliding the black tee over his head, he walked out of his bedroom and jogged down the stairs to see (Y/N) - she was smiling when their eyes met, and he could tell by the flush in her cheeks that she had been drinking already.

“Bloody hell we haven’t even made it to the party and you’re already pissed.” He joked, making it to the bottom of the stairs. She opened her arms out and he stepped into her side, allowing his arm to slide around her shoulders.

“She’s been drinking since 6.” Cleo said as she sat the drinks on the counter. “It took me half an hour to get her out of the flat because she kept changing outfits, and then falling over while changing.” 

She looked up at Will, a beaming smile meeting her glassy eyes. “I passed my exam.” 

His eyes then brightened, “oh sweet, congrats on passing whatever bullshit you said that was..” He affirmed his words by rubbing her arm gently, thumb grazing over the skin of her shoulder while they laughed. On the counter next to them he spotted Cleo cracking open a bottle of vodka. 

“How about you two get some of the glasses from the cabinet and we’ll take some celebratory shots.” He offered and everyone agreed, even George and Alex in the living room who were fucking around making dumb TikToks. They ushered into the kitchen and Will felt her move from under his arm straight over to the counter where Cleo was. 

While grabbing his denim jacket from the back of the sofa, Will looked up at the group who was laughing as Alex’s (plastic) shot glass split and broke in his hand, but he was looking more at (Y/N). Her hair shined under the lights of his flat, her skirt hugging her in all the right places. When she giggled before taking the shot, he couldn’t help but smile as he downed his own. 

The group sat in his kitchen and had another drink before heading out, taking the lift down to where an Uber awaited to whisk the five across the city to James’ flat. 

Walking with Cleo in the back of the group, she took the chance to look at Will - he ditched a hat for the night and his hair looked soft, and he chose to wear a denim jacket and a pair of black denim jeans. She always thought he had the best style out of their friend group, but it messed with her head and her fluctuating feelings to admit it, because for that second she allowed herself to be attracted to him. 

The other three knew immediately that something was up between them. 

They were in the back of the Uber giggling, his hand on her lower back when she climbed out, and just the general vibe they were giving off made it clear that even just for a second, they might be more than just friends who made out at a party once. In the lift, Cleo rolled her eyes at the sound of them laughing behind her and took another drink straight from the bottle of vodka in her hand. 

And just like last week, the lift doors opened to reveal an already packed flat in front of them. In the back of the lift, (Y/N) reached over and slid an arm around Will’s torso, leaning against him for support. The vodka shots were beginning to mix with the margaritas she had downed with her classmates. 

“You are already a handful, aren’t ya?” He teased, holding her close as they stepped off and into the corridor. Cleo was greeting everyone in the doorway and they slowly made their way forward. 

She giggled and gripped the material of his denim jacket in her palm, staring up at him with eyes full of stars. “Will you dance with me?” She asked with almost an innocent tone. How could he ever say no to that?

“Give me a bit and I’ll definitely consider it.” 

Multi-colored lights danced across the walls in the foyer, leading them like moths straight to the living room where everyone else was. They pushed their way inside, through the bodies, and straight to James. He had already downed three drinks since the pre-game, so he was greeting them all once again with giant hugs and even kisses for the boys. 

Laughing with James as they hugged, she looked over his shoulder to see Adrian in the kitchen. He was standing with the same brunette like last week, this time no drink in his hand, but this time his eyes were trained on her. She quickly looked away, hoping he wouldn’t notice her second-too-long gaze, and then sunk back down to her normal height as her and James pulled away.

Behind her, Will noticed Adrian, too. They met eyes across the heads of everyone else between them, and Adrian tilted his chin up before turning away. Similar to Hanna and her, Will woke up Saturday morning to a few petty Instagram stories from Adrian, but he mostly found them funny rather than anything else.

When she leaned back from James, Will stepped up behind her, tilting his head down to meet the shell of her ear. “Do you want to get a drink?” 

She looked at him over her shoulder with a raised brow, “as long as you’ll dance with me after.” She always drove a hard bargain, and in all fairness, Will didn’t mind dancing as long as it was with her. 

“It will take more than just one, but I’m willing to give it a try.” 

He reached down between them and grabbed her hand, their fingers lacing together, and he led her right by the kitchen and around the edge of the room to the drink table. Adrian watched as they moved together, and when they stepped into his view from the kitchen, he saw interlocked fingers and quickly looked away, turning all his attention to the girl on his side while mentally fighting with himself to turn back around and watch. 

This time James had stocked up on the tequila per their request, so there was no need to raid the cupboards for it like last Friday. James wound up missing a pineapple because everyone was looking for more drinks at 2 a.m., and they never found the Inflatable Penis Bandit either.

Across the room on the sofa with her legs thrown over her date, sat Hanna. She had shown up earlier than everyone else with the same guy she had dragged along last time, and replaced her own little-black-dress for a pair of denim jeans and a cute top, hoping to catch Will’s attention, but instead all she got was the back of his head in her direction as he laughed with his date. 

(Y/N) caught the daggers shooting into her skull from across the room, Hanna’s gaze heavy directly at her, so she decided to take the first initiative of the night. Will handed her a shot glass, this time they were miniature red cups, and they took the shot together after a quick toast. The tequila in her system began to add up, and it served as courage when she leaned up and kissed Will after they slammed their shot glasses back down onto the table.

It was a decision made with quick thinking, catching Will completely off guard when she grabbed his jacket and pulled herself up to his mouth, but a second later he sunk into her. His hand gently cradled the back of her head, allowing her to control the way her lips dragged across his before she pulled away with a giggle.

“Was that okay?” She asked, nose nestling against his before she leaned down to her normal height. 

Will looked down at her, watching the lights bounce off her face and glassy eyes, and he smiled. It was more than okay. He wanted to kiss her again, regardless of who was watching, so he did. His answer was given by kissing her again, this time it was long, it was sultry in all the right ways. Her head that already began to spin, whirled in circles with the feeling of his warm hands on her skin. She liked having him this close. 

“Wait,” she pulled back and Will’s heart picked up, afraid that he may have crossed a boundary, but was comforted when she continued, “do you think James has a strawberry mixer?” 

He breathed out and moved his hands to hold her face. “Another margarita, that’s what you want, innit?” She smiled and nodded. “I’ll go see if they have anything for it.” 

“No, no, no, don’t worry about it. Don’t worry about me.” Her words slightly slurred when she shook her head, simultaneously reaching up to wipe her lipstick off the corner of his mouth, and they both laughed. “You go have fun.” 

Will’s smile faded, and over the music, he could hear someone calling out for him. “You’ll be okay?” 

“Okay, I’m gon’ find Cleo again,” she said with a slow nod, “now go on, be careful!” 

Will chuckled, nose scrunched. She was already so drunk he found it almost endearing. “I’ll be careful.” He repeated before pecking her cheek with another kiss and they split apart, the warmth of his hand on her shoulder remaining as he moved past her - she headed to the hallway where she last saw Cleo, and Will headed straight to the kitchen where Ethan and Mark was calling out for him, a drink in his hand and they greeted each other. 

More people began to pack into the flat, the music growing louder, the lights moving around the room faster. The room was hotter with the moving bodies, and the drinks were overflowing shot glasses and cups, turning the dial of the party up a notch. 

Will found (Y/N) an hour later while she was dancing with Cleo and Gee. 

He had been making his way around the party, talking to everyone, and also, in the meantime, managing to make a margarita. Throughout the night he had also kept an eye on her - watching her dance on the table, take a shot with Fraser, and as she took photos with Gee and Astrid. 

From the patio where he stood with Simon and Joel not twenty minutes after he left her alone, he looked through the glass to see her sitting with Astrid on the floor, Kenji on his back between them, fully enjoying the belly rubs and attention he was receiving. Will smiled because it reminded him of the time she came to Newcastle with him, how she sat on the sofa with his mum and Darcey the entire time, giving the dog all of the attention instead of him. 

Walking onto the makeshift ‘dance-floor’, Will carried a frozen glass in his hand. James didn’t have ice so Will had to improvise and stick the full glass in the freezer for an undisclosed amount of time (he forgot about it), but it was still the thought that counted. Stepping between, he caught her attention amongst the other bodies, and she started her walk to him. And then when she spotted the red slush in the glass in his hand, she gasped, pausing her movements to step over and grab it with both hands.

“I think you are my new favorite person.” She said, taking it from his grip, raising to her toes to peck his cheek with another kiss; for those watching, they imagined, but it was mostly for themselves. 

When they started talking, she noticed the slight bounce in his stance, his smile was wider - he had a few shots of the tequila with James and Calum, and now he was starting to feel his cheeks warm up, suddenly everything was funnier too, for both of them. She laughed as he began to sway his shoulders to the beat of the song, head following along - it was EARFQUAKE, Tyler, The Creator. 

“Come on,” she reached down and her cold fingers locked around his, guiding him to the same spot she was just a few moments ago. Everybody was rocking back and forth, some singing along to the lyrics, and they were right in the middle of it.

They stopped among everyone else, sandwiched between the sofa and shoulders of everyone else, and began to dance to the sound of Tyler’s voice. In the mix of colors, Will looked down at her when she grabbed his hand and used it to spin herself around, smiling when she collided with his body again, sending them both into fits of laughter. He was also impressed with the fact that she managed to not spill a single sip of her drink. 

“You’re cute,” he said under the music, but close enough to her so she could hear. 

Her cheeks flushed, from the alcohol or from his words, she didn’t know. “I called you cute the other day and you laughed at me,” she pouted, gently slapping his arm, “so why should I take this compliment?” 

Will smiled down at her, a hand reaching out to brush her hair from her face, and her chin instinctively tilted upwards to him. “Because unlike you, I mean it.” 

“I meant it too!” (Y/N) called out and Will laughed before leaning down and kissing her. 

He wasn’t kissing her because specific people were looking, he kissed her because in the moment, it felt right. It would have been wrong if he hadn’t.

When a song with a heavy beat replaced the current one, a switch flipped, and Will allowed her to press forward against his chest, her hips gyrating against his lap. His hot hands guided her hips, moving with her, their noses nestled, breaths hitched and kissing, both losing their inhibitions in the melody of the song. 

But a few minutes later when the song changed to Vossi Bop, the feeling of the room lightened, everyone immediately rushed to their friends or to the table for more drinks, all rapping along with the words. Everyone lost their shit to Stormzy. The last time she heard the song was in Paris and that night ended with her throwing up in a bush outside the venue. 

Her and Will danced through Stormzy and AJ Tracey, sharing the margarita he made, laughing with and at their friends as they stumbled around, and singing the lyrics to every known belter. Similar to Vossi Bop, when the playlist shuffled Wonderwall, the room came together and this time, sang along like a family. 

(Y/N)’s arm slid around Will’s shoulders, pulling herself close to his side as they smiled from ear to ear and sang to each other. “I SAID MAYBEEE, YOU’RE GONNA BE THE ONE THAT SAVES MEEE. AND AFTER ALL, YOU’RE MY WONDERWALL.” 

In a fit of laughter and joy, she leaned forward and tilted her head, pressing a kiss against Will’s cheek, and then the corner of his mouth. He smiled as she broke apart from him, twirling herself in circles to the ending of the tune, pointing to him while finishing off the lyrics. 

When the song came to an end, Will stepped forward and grabbed her face, his fingers locking behind her ears, and he kissed her. It wasn’t playful, it wasn’t sweet, it had meaning, intentions laced behind it. 

It was a mix of the alcohol, the known euphoria of Wonderwall, and the fact that she looked so damn sweet looking up at him. Her eyes fluttered shut, free hand placing on his arm while she focused on the feeling of his lips on hers, the taste of strawberry mixer and tequila. 

It was the Arctic Monkeys One For The Road that propelled them forward, their bodies clashing together, kisses sloppy, a shift in their nature. Sweet and fun turned quickly into rushed and lustful, lighting their insides aflame. When their lips broke apart, Will glanced behind him, and then pulled her with him as he shuffled back onto a chair. In the small corner of the room, she straddled his lap, the colors dancing across her skirt while his fingers wound in her hair and they kissed messily.

It wasn’t a sudden realization of love, it was infatuation, it was lust. When they made out at the party last Friday, that was the realization that they needed - it was something they could do all the time, because they genuinely liked each other. They were always friends, but there was the underlying tone of the potential for more. Friends who didn’t mind to neck it at every party were bound to have some feelings for each other eventually. 

And that’s how they wound up in the hallway outside of James’ flat, her back pressed against the cool surface of the wall, his hand on her thigh, pushing the material of her skirt up the higher his palm climbed. 

Her heart was pounding against her chest, unable to calm it when his hand gripped the back of her thigh. Everything he was doing was amplified by the alcohol - her sensations running on a constant high, pushing exhilaration when his tongue slipped into her mouth. The music from inside the flat was muffled behind the closed door. 

Boy, I’m looking for affection in all the wrong places And we’ll keep falling on each other to fill the empty spaces

Their lips parted for a breath, and she tilted her head up, nose grazing his. “Back to mine?” Was all she could make out, her lungs filled with fire, breath ghosting over Will’s lips.

He looked at her, searching her eyes for something, anything - hesitation, regret, but instead, all he saw was reciprocated feelings staring back at him. A neediness, a desire. Will didn’t even respond, instead reaching over and smacking the button for the lift, giving her an answer in the form of another kiss while they both laughed. 

Within minutes they were in the backseat of a taxi on the streets of London, his lips on her neck, her hands creeping under his shirt. Chills ran up her spine, from the cold, from his hands sliding under her skirt. He smiled against her lips and she felt him taking root inside of her when he kissed her again. 

On the other side of the city no less than ten minutes later, they slid out of the backseat in front of the residential building and dashed to the lift and into her flat, this time, their affection wasn’t overshadowed by the fear of freaking out an innocent Uber driver.  

Her keys dropped onto the foyer table, his jacket tossed onto the floor. He brought a hand up to the side of her face, long fingers wrapping around her jaw and twisting in her hair, and they were kissing again, just like before, but somehow better. It’s sweeter, it’s deeper. He wanted her, and by the way her hands slid up his shirt, hooking around his belt, it made him feel like she wanted him too. 

Pressing forward, she pushed him backwards towards her bedroom at the end of the hall. Will shuffled back into the wall by trying to turn too early and they let out a laugh before their lips reconnected. He slid a strong arm around her waist, pulling her with him while he used his memory of the floorplan to her flat, in the best way he could, to guide her with him to her bedroom. 

Will backed up against the wall, hands sliding down to touch her hips, her thighs, while his lips found the delicate skin on the side of her neck. Reaching blindly behind her, she felt the doorknob against her palm, and pushed the door shut, shutting off the bedroom from the rest of the flat. 

Oh, I’m looking for affection in all the wrong places And we’ll keep falling on each other to fill the empty spaces

[purplesurveys]

1045

surveys by lets-make-surveys 1 - What did you do to celebrate your last birthday? Did you get any decent gifts? Guh I honestly barely want to recognize my birthday this year because 2020 has been a huge waste of my time...but fine, I guess I’m 22. It had been during the peak of the quarantine/pandemic, so we had no choice but to stay home. I just played the Switch all morning, then I think I watched my dad play video games, and then Angela and Hans sent over a box of sushi to our place. Real chill day.

2 - What was the last “random act of kindness” you experienced? It was my first day at the office today and I had to go up and down the stairs several times to bring packages to delivery riders, since I had to send those out to certain people. A member of the maintenance staff in the area was super nice and offered to carry some of the boxes for me, since he saw how much I was struggling with the boxes.

3 - Have you ever “paid it forward” by putting money behind the counter somewhere so the next person can get a free coffee or similar? Not yet. I’d love to be able to do that soon.

4 - What caused the last injury that made you bleed? Was it a serious injury? I was trying to open a bottle of soju last night but the cap just would not budge. Next thing I knew my finger was already bleeding. Never got to drink my soju :(

5 - Who was the last person you spoke to on the phone? Are you close to that person at all? One of the delivery riders who took my package earlier. Bless his soul, he was very new to the delivering thing and I think I was his first-ever customer, and he kept asking for my help. I did my best for a while but eventually I had to tell him I genuinely did not know how to answer some of his questions as I wasn’t a driver myself.

6 - What was the last item you received in the mail? Something I had ordered online. It was the gift I’m planning to give my grandma for Christmas.

7 - When was the last time you received flowers? What kind were they? A year ago, I think. It was a single stem of a rose. We were saving up last year hahaha so I had gotten her a single stem as well.

8 - Are you a fan of salted caramel? What about other “odd” combinations like sea salt and chocolate or chilli and chocolate? Ooh, I didn’t know salted caramel was considered odd; it’s a pretty common flavor here and has even gotten more popular in the last few years. I like it as a flavor in desserts, like cupcakes with salted caramel frosting. When it comes to food, I’m generally open-minded and will try any combination that exists at least once; that said, chili and chocolate sound especially intriguing haha. I’ve only ever tried chili ice cream, which was delicious.

9 - Do you enjoy watching bloopers or outtakes from TV shows? If so, which series do you think has the funniest ones? Yes. Bloopers in general are great but it’s best when they come from shows that have a reputation for being more drama-heavy and serious - that said, Breaking Bad bloopers are the fucking best. ‘Bloopers’ from animated movies are hilarious too; they were always made so well too that as a kid, I legit thought the characters were actual actors as it never crossed my mind that animators would take the extra effort and time to make bloopers out of fictional characters and that they had to be real actors in some way lol.

10 - What’s your favourite dessert food? OMG macarons for the win. I’ve been craving them so much. Cheesecake is great too, and also cupcakes.

11 - Do you have any really dangerous wild animals where you live? Have you ever encountered any of them? Nope only stray dogs and cats, and probably some chickens somewhere.

12 - Have you ever dreamed of owning your own shop? What kind of thing would you like to sell? I’ve never dreamed of this; it’s never been a goal of mine and running a business doesn’t sound like my kind of thing.

13 - Are you a twin? If not, would you ever want to be a twin? If you are a twin, do you ever wish you weren’t? No. I’ve never really found myself wishing for it, either.

14 - Do you prefer wearing your hair straight or curly? Maybe just a little wavy. Definitely not in the extreme of either side of the spectrum.

15 - Would you ever want to go and visit the moon? If I had the chance and everything was paid for and stuff, hell yeah. It’d be cool to get to cross out one of my childhood bucket list items.

16 - What was the last hot drink you had? What about cold drink? Or alcoholic drink? My last hot drink was...probably the coffee I asked my mom to make last Friday, but I did wait it out until it was considerably cooler as I didn’t want to drink it hot. My last cold drink is the iced caramel macchiato I ordered tonight and still have with me at the moment. Then for alcoholic drink, I had soju mixed with Yakult about two weeks ago.

17 - Does anything on your body hurt or ache right now? My lower back, unsurprisingly. I also cut my right middle finger trying to open a soju bottle last week, andddd I gained a blister on my right foot today because of the shoes I picked to wear for work.

18 - When was the last time you struggled to get to sleep? Was there was a specific reason for that? I can’t remember exactly when, but it happened within the last week or the last two weeks. Sometimes I just drink too much coffee during the day that it affects how sleepy I’d ultimately feel at night.

19 - What three countries would you most like to visit? Morocco, India, and Thailand.

20 - Who’s your closest friend from another country? How did you come to meet this person? I don’t really have one anymore...I’ve grown apart from my internet friends from different countries a long time ago, and I also don’t tend to keep up friendships with my friends who’ve since migrated from the Philippines to another country. I suppose the one I’m on best terms with is Angel who migrated to Toronto around a decade ago; but I use ‘best’ very loosely as the most we do is comment on one another’s posts whenever we reach like a life accomplishment, like when we graduated college.

21 - When was the last time you had a cold? With everything going on in the news, did you worry that it was COVID? It’s been a while. I can’t remember; it was definitely pre-Covid.

22 - As of today (10th December, 2020) the COVID vaccine is being rolled out in the UK. Are you going to have it once it’s available to you (if it ever is)? A part of me is a little concerned because I know vaccines take years and sometimes even decades to be fully developed, but that doesn’t mean I don’t trust doctors and science. I very much do, of course. It’s just that I’d personally prefer to wait it out first to see if it’ll have any negative effects once rolled out on a massive scale.

23 - What are your favourite websites to browse when you’re bored? Wikipedia black holes are the way to go.

24 - Do you think people should have to pass a test in order to own pets? A local animal welfare NGO already does that; Nina had to go through several tests before she was allowed to adopt Arlee. There was a verbal interview, a written form she had to fill out, and a representative from the organization even visited our house to see if it was a suitable environment for Arlee; I’m sure there was a few more steps she was required to undergo. I certainly think it’s a good and responsible process. 

25 - When was the last time you fell asleep/had a nap during the day? Is this something that happens often? It’s been monthssssssssss. I don’t really take naps during the day anymore.

26 - Do you suffer/have you ever suffered with bad acne? What kind of things did you do to try and improve it? I’ve never had issues with acne and was always rather fortunate when it comes to my skin. I’ll have a pimple or two show up once or twice a year, but they go away within a week or so. Since I don’t want to jinx it, I just wash my face with water and I’ve never experimented with any skincare products ever.

27 - When you think about it, do you think it’s odd that we stop drinking human milk at a young age, but we happily drink milk from other species instead? Not really.

28 - How’s the weather where you are? Is this a good or a bad thing for you? These days it’s humid and hot during the day (as always), but now that it’s Christmas season the weather tends to plunge to like 24-26C during nighttime. I’d say the night part is good for me as I prefer being cold than hot, so I’m glad we’ll be having this weather until March at most.

29 - When was the last time you ate a pizza? What toppings did you get? Tuesday. Relatives came over then and my cousin got us pizzas. I don’t remember what toppings he got but both pizzas had stuffed crust in it.

30 - How often do you wear make-up? What kind of make-up do you wear? Wow, almost never. Gab used to put makeup on me but now that she’s gone, I don’t really see myself wearing makeup for the meantime as I definitely wouldn’t apply them onto myself. 

--

1 - If you have caffeine late in the day, does it cause you to struggle with your sleep? Eh, sometimes. Sometimes it’ll do what it’s supposed to and make me stay up for a while, but other times it doesn’t work and I’ll end up getting sleepy the same time I usually start feeling so.

2 - When you struggle to sleep, what do you do instead? Watching videos has eternally worked for me.

3 - Who was the last person you spoke to for the first time? How did you come to speak to this person? Hmm I met my co-workers Ysa and Bea for the first time today, if it counts. I’ve only ever talked to them through Viber since we’re on a WFH set-up, but we had to go to the office today to fix up some boxes that we needed to get delivered. But the last person that I really hadn’t met nor spoken to before was Jhomar, the company messenger who takes care of pickups for the day. 

4 - If you have a pet, have they ever embarrassed you in public or in front of friends or family members? What happened? Kimi is typically unfriendly towards strangers, so as cute and cuddly as he looks he would probably bite your finger off. I’ve had to explain that to guests who’ve felt puzzled about his demeanor. He’s my little baby though and I wouldn’t say he’s embarrassed me because of it. Cooper on the other hand is hyper-friendly to the point that he looks aggressive and it has scared some people away; in reality, he’s always SO pumped to meet anyone and everyone and can never contain his excitement haha. He’s literally the nicest dog.

5 - Do you leave the house every single day? I never leave the house, except if it’s to withdraw cash or go to the Starbucks drive through to pick up a coffee.

6 - Would you rather spend the day at the beach, or a day in the snow in the mountains? I would normally pick beach, but I think the mountains would be best for me at the moment.

7 - Do you prefer tops that are plain, or ones with patterns/logos/slogans? Plain.

8 - Are there any TV shows from your childhood that you still watch today? I’ll watch Spongebob every now and then. When I’m bored and have enough time on my hands I’ll sometimes watch other shows from my childhood just for that nostalgia wave, like Barney or Hannah Montana.

9 - How many texts would you say you send on an average day? Used to be hundreds, but now it’s probably like...5, on average. Sometimes I’ll need to text media for work and that’ll come up to around 15-20 texts but that happens only occasionally, like once every two weeks.

10 - Do you enjoy buying gifts for other people, or do you never know what to buy them? I never know what to buy for people. I like buying gifts for a significant other, though. I tend to spoil one to no end.

11 - Girls - if you get periods, do you suffer from period pain or any other horrible symptoms? I get the hormonal symptoms, but the physical symptoms are almost never there. My stomach will usually contract in a way that tells me it’s coming soon, but it never really aches. Most of the time, I just cry and mope a lot and that’s how I know it’s on its way, ha.

12 - The last time you were in a car, where you were travelling to? Were you the driver or a passenger? I was headed back home. but I came from the office. I was the driver as always.

13 - Who were you with the last time you went out for a meal? I took myself out on a date.

14 - What book do you wish they’d make into a film or TV series? The Septimus fucking Heap series, please. They’ve been trying to get it made into a movie series for years but as far as I know the talks have always fallen through.

15 - The age old question - do you prefer coke or pepsi? That’s a big ‘or’ for me. I don’t drink soda.

16 - What’s the last thing you watched on TV? Is this a programme you watch regularly? Bea took over the office TV earlier and she had it set to a BTS + Taylor Swift music video playlist so that we had background music while working. No, neither are my artists of choice, really.

17 - Do you have a favourite documentary subject (eg. nature, celebrities, history, crime)? Pro wrestling (a seriously underrated documentary subject) and crime. Documentaries on anthropological issues or discoveries are great as well. I do love history, but I prefer to absorb it in text/museum form.

18 - Do you prefer sweet or savoury snacks? What snack would you say is your overall favourite? Savoryyy. I get tired of sweet snacks pretty quickly. My current favorites to munch on are any salted egg flavored chips.

19 - Does having to wear a mask stop you from doing anything, just because you dislike them or find them uncomfortable? It can be harder to breathe and I get exhausted a lot faster with a mask on, but I keep it on because I would want to keep other people safe and because it’s so easy to keep a damn mask on.

20 - Do you prefer zip-up or overheard hoodies? Either is fine.

21 - If you have a yard or garden, how much time do you spend out there? I prefer the rooftop, and if I do go there I usually stay for a few hours during the evening just to have some time to myself. Being in a house with four adults can get pretty overwhelming and taxing sometimes.

22 - When was the last time someone bought you flowers? What was the occasion? I think it was for Valentine’s Day last year. If not, it was for the anniversary which was a week after Valentine’s Day.

23 - How often do you get takeaway? What’s your favourite thing to order? I don’t really do takeout. I usually dine-in or have food delivered to my place.

24 - Do you own a lot of clothing items in your favourite colour? What is your favourite colour, anyway? I don’t have a lot of clothes in pink. It’s not my best color, but I like it in everything else hahaha.

25 - When was the last time you stayed overnight away from home? Was this with friends, family or in a hotel somewhere? What was the occasion? Idk probably a sleepover at Gab’s place early this year.

26 - Would you ever be interested in seeing a live magic show? Sure. Magic shows are already a staple at kids’ birthday parties here, and I’ve always enjoyed them especially since magicians are quite the comedians too.

27 - What’s your favourite period to learn about in history? What got you interested in this particular era? I don’t have a favorite period per se but I’ve always had an affinity for the royalty. I like reading all about them, no matter what period they reigned or what house/country they’re from. Historians have kept impressive and super detailed accounts or records for most of them, so reading about their lives has also allowed me to learn more about the culture they lived through.

28 - Do you still use or carry cash, or do you pay for everything via card? I heavily rely on cash and I actually realized how behind I am just today, when Bea ordered lunch for the office. I paid her with cash and she looked at me all puzzled and was like, “Can you do bank transfer instead?” another big girl stuff I had to learn lol. Everyone in college used cash pls forgive me

29 - Are there any TV shows that remind you of your grandparents for some reason? Not really.

30 - Have you ever had to wear a tie for school or work? If not, do you know how to tie a tie without looking it up? I had a necktie as part of my uniform in my old school. I never knew how to tie it and always asked someone else to do it for me whenever it came loose.

[thiswasinevitableid]

indruck - complaining to bartender and going on a date

Full Prompt: “you’ve been complaining to me about your relationship woes for the last few months and decide that we should go on a date so I can tell you everything you do wrong (spoiler: it’s the best date I’ve ever been on)“

There’s a thunk on the wooden bar behind Indrid. Indrid knows who it is by the groan of frustration.

“Rough day, Duck?”

“Day was fine. Last night sucked.”

“Your date didn’t go well, I take it?” Indrid turns and slides Duck a beer, the same one he orders every night he’s here.

“When does it ever? God, ‘Drid, that makes ten bad dates in a month. And fifteen the month before that.”

“Any sense what killed this one?” He cleans glasses as he listens (Duck is only one of four people in the bar, he can spare some time to listen to his favorite regular).

“Dunno. Maybe I talked about trees too much? Or maybe the saw the trans flag pin on my jacket? Fuck it, maybe it’s just me. Wish I knew what I was doin’ wrong.”

Indrid hums thoughtfully, because he can’t think of anything to say. Duck is easy to talk to, funny, decent. The soft parts of his body make him look like he’d be excellent to cuddle, and the muscles in his arms suggest the right amount of strength to pin Indrid to a bed.

Indrid has thought about that. More than once. But he has a strict rule about flirting with clients at work. Besides, if Duck was interested in him that way, he would have said so by now in order to try and avoid another doomed date.

“Maybe you could get some feedback, perhaps from a dating advice blog or something. That way you could know if there’s something to do differently.”

“Yeah, feedback.” Duck sips his beer, then slams his hand on the bar excitedly, “Drid, you’re a fuckin’ genius!”

“Oh?”

“You should come with me on test date! Y’know, so you can see what I’m doin’ and tell me how I can improve. You got good taste, you’ll know if I’m fuckin’ somethin up.”

Indrid arches an eyebrow and the “taste” comment; he’s wearing a white tank top and jeans and his hair has been charitably called a rats-nest.

“C’mon, help a fella out?” Duck looks at him hopefully and he cannot say no to those mismatched puppy-dog eyes.

“I’d be happy to help. I’m free Friday, Jake picked up some of my shifts to make some extra money. My friend Barclay owns the Chicago Diner two blocks down, we should go there.”

“Ain’t that the place that’s all vegan stuff?”

“Vegan and also some of the best food in the city. And it’s got the best drinks in town.”

“Alright, I’m trustin’ you to not lead me astray.”

“I shall do my best.” Indrid grins, “would you like to meet there, here, somewhere else?”

“D’you live nearby?”

“About eight blocks from the diner. Why?”

Duck looks down, mumbles something.

“I didn’t quite catch that.”

“I’d like to, uh, to pick you up. Try to do that with dates who don’t live way out in the fuckin’ burbs.”

“I forget you’re a well-mannered southern boy sometimes.” He teases, stops when he notices Duck starting to blush, “and yes, I’d be more than happy to meet at my place and walk.”

“Great” Duck sighs with relief, “where and when time am I meetin’ you?”

——————————————

Indrid checks his reflection in the bathroom mirror; he doesn’t look half-bad, hair somewhat combed and and actual t-shirt in place of his usual tank-top. He pulls on his long black sweater, the one he looks best in. And then bundles himself in two more jackets and a scarf because of course it’s snowing in March.

He steps out of the entry hallway just as Duck approaches the front door. He’s in a puffy down jacket, hat pulled over his ears and the crooked smile he gives Indrid is the best thing he’s seen all day.

He offers Indrid his arm, “Shall we?”

They don’t talk much on the way to the diner, the roar of traffic and the desire to not let cold air down their lungs making conversation tricky. Once inside, the server leads them to farthest booth, the air warm and smelling of oil and spice, and they can finally unbundle themselves. Indrid orders spiked hot cocoa, and Duck has his usual beer.

“So, how was wo- what are you doing?” Indrid cocks his head as Duck takes a small notebook and a pen from the breast pocket of his shirt.

“Takin notes. That way if I do somethin’ wrong or that you think is hurtin’ my chances of a second date, I can write it down rather than tryin to remember it all later.”

“Hmm, clever, but why don’t you let me take the notes, that way you can focus on acting like this is a normal date.”

“Good call.” Duck slides the pen and paper over. They stare at each other for a beat.

“So, uh, you go any plans for the weekend?”

“Work, mostly. I thought about going to the park to draw, but not with this weather. Goodness I hate the cold.”

“Shit, how’d you end up here then?”

“It’s just where I landed, I suppose. I lived a very nomadic live when I was younger. What about you, any exciting plans?”

“Nah, might do a bit of housekeepin, maybe work on a new model ship” he winces, as if admitting that was a mistake.

“I’m impressed, I could never focus on one task long enough to complete something like that.”

“Oh, uh, thanks. Most fellas think it’s an old man hobby.” Duck scratches the back of his neck nervously, clearly caught off guard by Indrid’s complement.

“It is, but there’s nothing wrong with that if it’s something you enjoy. How’d you get started with it?”

“My grandad used to have me help with his. Dropped out of the habit of doin’ it when I hit my teen years, and then one day…”

——————————-

Alright, it’s not one of the better dates Indrid’s been on.

It’s the best.

Duck is the same as he is when they chat at the bar; charming, funny, tells a mean (albeit a bit winding) anecdote. Indrid’s mind generally flips and flits a thousand directions at once, but with Duck in front of him he finds there’s only one thing he wants to focus on.

They’ve finished dinner and are waiting on dessert when Duck laughs at something Indrid says and brushes his toe against the skinnier mans leg under the table. Indrid tries to keep his face neutral (Duck is just showing him how he does things during dates, and soft, flirtatious touches must be part of that and Indrid cannot, cannot read into it), but Duck clearly spies something crossing it. Because he repeats the motion, slower this time, talking casually as if nothing is happening. The touches become more frequent after that, hand brushing Indrid’s own on the table or staying a moment longer than normal on his arm when  emphasizing a point. Indrid returns them, let’s his gaze linger on Ducks eyes or lips and makes sure Duck notices him doing so.

Eventually they have to leave the warmth of the restaurant and head back into the bitter spring wind. Duck once again offers his arm and Indrid takes it, nestling as close as he can to the larger man while still allowing them both to walk.

“Can we, uh, debrief?” Duck asks as they get back to Indrid’s apartment.

“Only if we do it inside, come along.” He fumbles the key into the lock (blasted gloves) and leads Duck to his place on the top floor (he loves the view and the fact that heat rises).

“Do want anything to drink while we talk? Coffee, tea, I think I still have some nog.”

“It ain’t gone bad yet?”

“No.” He lies.

Duck pats the couch next to him and Indrid sits down.

“So, how’d I do. Can I see the notes?”

Indrid hands him the notebook, trying to think of a response to the inevitable question.

“Wait, you didn’t write anythi’n?”

He shakes his head.

“No, I didn’t.”

Duck looks confused, even hurt.

“It’s not because I didn’t want to help you, Duck. It’s because I couldn’t find anything to write. I haven’t enjoyed myself this much on a date in years. I don’t know what’s happening with the other guys you’ve gone out with, but what I do know is that I wish it had been me instead of them on every one of those dates, just so I could have spent more time with you.”

Duck considers him for a moment, worrying his lower lip.

“There’s on thing I ain’t shown you. Ain’t done it on all the dates, just a few that seemed promisin’. Can I try it on you?”

“Of course.” Indrid nods, leans forward to better hear whatever Duck says next.

Duck leans forward too, and tentatively presses his lips against Indrids. Indrid gasps, then kisses him back, bumps their noses together when Duck pulls away for a breath before diving back in. Duck makes a low, pleased sound and Indrid can’t help it, brings his hands into that dark hair as strong, warm fingers grip his hips.

“‘Drid.” He whispers against his mouth, a prayer and a plea and that does it, Indrid needs to be closer, tries to climb into his lap just as Duck tries to adjust on the couch, sending them tipping backwards.  He lands on Duck with an soft “oof”, breaking the kiss to laugh against as shoulder as the other man giggles against his cheek.

“That, uh, that ain’t happened any of the other times.” He strokes the strands of pale hair back behind Indrids ears, “guess I hadn’t found the right person to try it on.”

“Guess not.” Indrid kisses his neck once, playfully.

“Can I take you out again?”

Indrid raises up on his elbow, speechless for a moment at the sight of the happy, handsome man beneath him. But then he remembers he ought to answer the question.

“Nothing would make me happier.”

[faithhudson]

Talk that Talk

Tagging: Fae Hudson & Evan Hummel (@evanhummel)

Date: August 5, Evening

Summary: Some much overdo conversation

Fae

When Evan had messaged her, asking to come over in the evening, Fae had accepted without hesitation.  She knew the emotional wringer that she’d put everyone through as she dealt with her withdrawal symptoms, and anyone who actually still wanted to spend time with her was a valuable thing indeed.  And that was leaving aside that they hadn’t actually spoken about what had gone down after their respective dinners in town, and had something worse happened to her Fae didn't want that to go without discussion.  And so having her over was an easy decision. Fae was propped up in her bed with a couple of pillows, just trying to find a comfortable position.  She hadn't spent so long in bed in a good while, and knowing she'd have to get up in the morning and get back to classes did nothing to improve her mood.  Part of her wished she could talk the Infirmary into declaring her unfit for one more day so she could just have the weekend, but they didn't seem like the types to give her a break that way. In one hand she kept a bottle of water, one she'd been drinking from constantly during the day, and in the other Fae had her phone.  Its display was filled with a picture of her father, looking younger and happier than she ever remembered him.  Carole had sent it at her request, but not without a flurry of worried messages back and forth about why she needed it.  When a knock sounded at her door Fae set the phone aside and looked up with a smile.  "Come on in, Ev," she called softly.  "It's open."

Evan

Seeing Faith in the state that she had been in hadn't been an easy thing at all. She had been so very out of it and Evan hadn't even got a moment to be with the other Switch by herself thanks to Sawyer and the appearance of Madeline, who apparently had a very important place in Faith's life. That, in Evan's mind, maybe complicated things that had happened between them even more than she had already thought they were complicated. And seeing Fae in that state had just made her even more worried that she had somehow, in some way, taken advantage of her state. Yes, they had both been drunk, but the consequences of Faith's actions worried Evan that perhaps Fae had been further gone than she'd thought. She'd mentioned Faith so see if she was free after classes for Evan to come over, even just for a little while. She wanted to check in on her and see how she'd been doing since she'd had a little while to rest and recover. Going through classes had been a bit more of a challenge than it had been since she had arrived at the institute and that was saying something; because Evan found the information they were getting to be very interesting and important. Walking into the room once given permission from Faith, she closed the door behind her and offered a slight smile. She was wearing a comfortable pair of jeans and a red tank, with a black cardigan over top. It was a very comfortable outfit that she also thought fit her well which was always a good thing. "Hey, how are you?"

Fae

"Tired of that question," Fae joked, making sure that the smile on her face would take any of the sting out of her words.  "I'm okay," she promised.  "It's going to be a few days before I really feel like me again, but at least I know where I am and I can carry on a conversation that'll actually make sense to both of us.  Speaking of, if any of the texts I sent you yesterday were...well, complete gibberish, I'm sorry.  I thought I was doing really well with them, but after talking to Sawyer I'm pretty sure I was just making random words."  She hated that thought. There was a lot on the table between them, a lot to talk about and a lot to unpack.  It didn't need to be done in a day, but it did need doing.  "I'm sorry," she went with at last.  "I know I must have worried you, all of you.  Moreso than I usually do, even.  But I'm grateful that everyone came by yesterday, even if I don't remember it." "Come, sit," she patted her bed.  "It'll be more comfortable in here, I promise."

Evan

She winced just slightly at Faith's first words, but not as much as she would have without the smile on Faith's face. It was still going to take a lot of getting used to to have that smile be directed at her. She was conditioned to be prepared for harsh words and stinging stares and for that to, recently, not be the case was very different. She nodded her head in understanding when Fae said it would take a few days to get back into the swing of things. It certainly made sense. She bit down on her bottom lip when Fae said the words she was speaking were just gibberish and she nodded slightly, making note to delete the sweet texts. They didn't mean anything if Fae couldn't remember or hadn't meant them at all. She moved forward and claimed a spot on the bed. "You don't have to apologize to me, Fae. I'm just glad that you're okay. As okay as you can be right now, I mean." There was definitely a hesitance and a heaviness between them. There was a lot that needed to be discussed but Evan wasn't sure if she wanted to be the one to start it. Not if she had somehow done something that she needed forgiveness for, but maybe that meant she really should start the conversation. "You did worry us...but that comes with the territory of caring about someone."

Fae

Fae sighed softly.  The tension in the room wasn't something that was used to - at least, she wasn't used to caring about it.  Any room she'd been in had probably been tense, at least as far her family was concerned, but she was generally too angry and too drunk to care much about that.  Now she had to learn how to be a person again, to be better, and it was going to take time.  Setting her water between her legs she reached over to take Evan's hand in her own.  It was familiar, but new - a feeling she suspected would be the same each time it happened. "Being cared about isn't something I'm used to," she admitted.  "But I'll do the best I can not to make this a regular thing, because I don't think even the people who care about me could stand to keep going through it."  She turned her head a little, like a curious animal.  "What's on your mind, Ev?  I think it's a lot like what's on mine, but I'd like to hear it."

Evan

She jumped a little bit when Faith gently grabbed her hand, but she didn't pull away, allowing the touch to comfort her as much as it could in the moment. She breathed out slowly and bit down on her bottom lip, tilting her head to the side. She shook her head slightly when Fae said that she wasn't used to being cared about. "You were always cared about, Fae. You just didn't always make it the easiest." Evan had learned a long time ago that biting words often followed any short of care. When Faith asked her what was on her mind, her eyebrows furrowed and she let out a shaky breath. She had been expecting and yet dreading that question. "Um...I guess I just...fuck." She shook her head again and swallowed against the lump in her throat. "You were really out of it, Fae. And I guess...when we...on Friday...did I take advantage of you? Were you more out of it then than I thought?"

Fae

Fae had to concede that point and she nodded agreement.  "I'm sure you're right about that.  I know I wasn't the kind of person that could take what was being offered.  Especially from your side - there was too much anger there, and I know that it couldn't have been easy for any of you.  That it still can't.  I'm not saying I'm ever going to be easy to deal with, but I hope at least that I'll be less of a pain in the ass going forward.  That seems only fair." Her eyes widened, and she sat up in bed.  "Ev - shit, no.  I drank more than I meant to, but I'm still me - I've got a hell of a tolerance.  I remember every single minute of what we did, from the minute we met back up on campus, and I consented to every single one.  You didn't take advantage, and you didn't take anything I wouldn't have offered.  I don't know what it all means, but I know that I gave you everything you took, and I did it willingly."

Evan

She breathed out slowly when the other said that she had done everything willingly, that she remembered every moment. She lifted her free hand and rubbed her face, letting that assurance wash over her and at least ease the most troubling of the thoughts that had been following Evan since she'd found out that Fae was in withdrawal. She had hardly been able to sleep thinking things over and trying to decide if she had missed anything that should have been a clear sign. She glanced over and bit down on her bottom lip. "So you consented and you gave it willingly...but do you regret what you did?" That was the next burning question that needed to be answered. Evan didn't know what everything meant either, but she didn't regret it.

Fae

Fae hated that Evan had been worrying about that, because she'd never have allowed it to continue if she'd known - what had happened between them wasn't something she necessarily understood, not yet, but it was something that she'd been happy to participate in and had done so with the knowledge of exactly what she was doing.  "I promise, Ev.  At no point did you take advantage of me, in any way at all." Ev's question was a more difficult one, and Fae considered it for a moment before replying.  "No.  Not once.  I worry...that by doing it I might have made even more of a mess between us, but if you gave me the chance to go back and not do it...I wouldn't."

Evan

"Thank you for reassuring me of that. I'm really...really glad to hear it." She nodded at Faith's answer, feeling that it was extremely similar to the way that she was feeling. "I agree." She paused and then elaborated. "It was never something that I would have imagined happening with you. Was never something that even crossed my mind until we were pressed up against each other in the hallway." Evan expressed, still wondering where the urge had come from...wondering even further how it had been returned. "But it fun...and exciting..and I wouldn't change it either. Even if given the chance to go back." Being honest was definitely important in this moment, even if it was difficult. "I guess the big question...is do you want it to happen again? Or do you want it to just be a fond memory?"

Fae

"You're welcome, Ev - I'm sorry it was weighing on you, and I wish I could have eased that burden earlier." Fae nodded agreement, glad that she wasn't the only one who'd felt that way.  "I'd never thought of it either - like not even once.  And then you were pressed against me and you smelled good and I just...realized how gorgeous you were in the dim light."  It was a great relief to her that Evan didn't have regrets.  Fae had done enough damage to the Hummels and the Hudsons both over the years that adding in a regretted sexual encounter would have seemed like a bridge too far. She worried at her lip, wanting to give Evan a serious, considered answer.  "I think...if we can avoid giving this a label for now, or worrying about what it might become, then I'd like it to happen again.  It was fun, and I liked it, and I'm not ready yet to try and figure out what it all means.  Would that be enough for you?"

Evan

"Crazy what dim light can do for a girl." Evan joked, biting down on her bottom lip. When Faith said that she wasn't ready to put a label on it or think about what it could become as they continued, Evan smiled softly. She wasn't ready to do either of those things either. She knew eventually that would have to be a discussion, probably at a time where it was time to decide if they would continue or stop what they were doing. But for now, it was enough for Evan to know that they both wanted it to continue in some capacity. She squeezed Faith's hand and then leaned over to rest her head against her shoulder for a moment. "That's enough for me, Fae." She assured her, pulling back so that she could look into her eyes. "For now, for now we just have fun." Evan said, a smile on her face as she nodded.

Fae

"You ass," Fae smacked her arm gently.  "Here I am trying to be complimentary and you go twisting my words on me." She waited patiently - which was a difficult thing for Fae - as Evan smiled.  She hoped it was a good thing, that they were on the same page and able to continue having fun, at least.  Learning to become more than two step-sisters who'd never gotten along.  Resting her head against Evan's when she leaned over, Fae couldn't help but smile.  "Perfect," she agreed.  "I'm looking forward to having fun with you, Ev.  And finding out whether our sober selves enjoy it as much as we did last time." The future was the future.  They would figure out what they meant to each other, what any of it meant, when the time came.  For now - as Evan had said - they would have fun.  And they would have no regrets.