#he really is the main character of svt

[bei-b]

2025 carat revival: dynamics week SVT group dynamics, nana tour edition

[onlymingyus]

What's your favorite scary movie?

pairing; vernon chwe x f reader

genre; horror, smut (minor dni), angst, toxic

summary; The summer after graduating high school is supposed to be one last hurrah before you and your friends head off to college---none of you expected it to become a horror movie.

content warnings; PLEASE READ ALL OF THE WARNINGS! 90s au, multiple murders, police, alluding to self harm, drugs/alcohol (mentioned and usage), overdose, knives, blood -- detailed scenes of harm/murder, funeral/memorials, fighting, bullying/harassment, degrading names, "slut" shaming, mild alluding to sexual assault (past/present), self confidence/esteem issues, depression, alludes to other behavioral/mental problems being present, crying, stalking/spying, obsession, yandere!vernon. all main characters are adults -- just graduated high school (vernon & other svt cameos have been aged down). the reader has a classic small town suburbs nuclear family (mentions parents obviously), vernon's "mother" briefly mentioned. this fic is full of really horrible people.

smut warnings; virgin!reader, unprotected sex, fingering, oral (f receiving), quick handjob, crying (pleasure), corruption/innocence kink, petnames, praise, pulling out, cum on skin -- aftercare, brief post-sex dysphoria.

w/c; 30k and some change  (870 extra words for patreon bonus) 

a/n; thank you to @junkissed for proofreading for me and giving me strength to push through and finish this despite all the shit that kept trying to knock me down. this fic is a lot, so please if you have made it this far in my notes make sure you read all the warnings -- keep in mind this is my halloween fic, so i didn't hold back. dark au mars is back strong.

before continuing remember reblogs are incredibly important and please read how to support me here

Trailing behind your friends, you laugh when your best friend Caitlin pulls at your arm, urging you towards the front of the group. “Y/N!” You roll your eyes as she whines your name, extending the last of it dramatically before laying her head on your shoulder and putting her arm through yours. “Can I sit between you and Christen this time? This movie is supposed to be hella scary.” 

Hearing his name, the self-appointed leader of your group, slows his strides to match yours and, in turn, Caitlin’s. “What about me?” 

You liked your friends but they could be a bit much. You had known Caitlin the longest. The two of you had been friends since middle school and she was the person you could rely on the most, but that all changed when the two of you went to high school and your bodies and personalities started to change. Boys started to pay attention to you more and Caitlin’s personality soured. 

Christen wasn’t the type of person that you ever saw yourself being friends with before. He was the most popular guy at school and the captain of the football team, but none of those things mattered anymore. After graduation this year, you thought all of those trivial things would fall by the wayside, that your friends would start acting a bit less like they were still in high school and yet it was like they never left. 

“Caitlin wants to sit between us for the movie. It’s supposed to be really scary. I don’t min—” 

“You know I like the end seat.” 

Furrowing your brows, you start to speak up again when Christen sighs and puts his hand around your waist, pulling you from Caitlin and causing the girl to scowl at you. “I like the end seat and you always have to piss like five times during a movie. Let’s keep the seats like we always do. That okay with you, Cat?” 

Staring at Christen, Caitlin wants to be mad and tell him no, but the moment he calls her by the nickname he had given her, she swoons and just nods. “Uh huh… sure, Christen.” 

“See.” Turning his attention back to you, Christen winks. “It’s all good, baby. Now, put a smile on that face; don’t be a buzzkill. If you get scared, you can just hold on to me.” Tugging you closer, he grins before finally letting you walk on your own. 

From the time that you had met him your sophomore year, Christen had never been shy about how he felt about you. You wouldn’t call it a crush. A crush was something sweet and something that, if you didn’t reciprocate, the other person might move on. What Christen felt for you was possessive and like you owed him something. You were like a target or an end prize and he hadn’t won just yet, but to him there were still plenty of levels left in the game. 

Wrapping your arms around yourself, you glance back at Caitlin as she scoffs at her "boyfriend,” Jae. You felt bad for him. It was so obvious how much he liked Caitlin. He would follow behind her like a puppy, buy her anything she wanted, and be at her beck and call even when she was drooling over another guy. You had watched as Caitlin had belittled Jae in front of others and refused to call him her boyfriend but then gotten angry if he didn’t refer to her as his girlfriend. It was a complicated situation that you honestly didn’t understand. 

“Just… Stop touching me. Did you bring money for candy?” Caitlin’s voice is sharp, still irritated from the interaction with Christen and now Jae was walking too close to her. In her mind, she always got second best while you did nothing and got first pick. You didn’t even act like you wanted Christen; it was devastating. 

“Yeah, of course I did. You can get anything you want, babe.” Jae’s voice is a bit defeated, but at least he was going to be able to sit next to Caitlin. He had gotten nervous when she had asked to switch seats. It wasn’t like he could tell her where to sit... he wasn’t like that. She was a strong-willed girl; she always had been, but that was one of the things he loved about her. 

Making a face at Jae’s words, Caitlin steps forward and sighs dramatically, not hearing the way Alanna and Juwon copy her just a few steps behind her. They were the lucky two out of the friend group in their own personal opinions. They knew exactly where they fit in the hierarchy. 

There was the king, Christian, and his would-be queen if only you would accept his hand. The princess who wants to be queen, Caitlin, and her dog turned prince, Jae. Meanwhile, Alanna and Juwon belonged in the court together. They were happy to cheer each of you on and laugh when you failed. 

They had been dating since freshman year and a day hadn’t gone by that someone was complaining about seeing Juwon’s tongue down Alanna’s throat. Another strong opinion that the two shared was that if you didn’t want to see them making out, you could look in the other direction. 

“Babeeeee!” Alanna whines mocking Caitlin as she pulls on Juwon’s arm, causing the boy laugh as he looks at her fondly. “Buy me candy?” Batting her lashes, Alanna blows a kiss in his direction that Juwon pretends to catch before reaching into his pocket to take out his wallet, handing it to her. 

“My money is your money, princess.” Another wave of laughter erupts from the back of the group as Alanna pushes Juwon’s wallet back towards him. Now the two have caught the attention of everyone. 

“The hell are you two doing? Are you high?” Christen’s voice is stern, but the layer of his own amusement only serves to make Juwon laugh as he shakes his head and pulls Alanna forward towards the doors of the theater. 

“Nope, not yet. Give me a few hours and I’ll be so fuckin’ chill I might not remember your name.” 

Smiling, you lift your fingers to your lips to hide it as Alanna pokes at your side when she passes by you, giving you a wink. For all their heavy PDA and following the leader's behavior, you got along with them well. They had been nice to you, even when your best friend hadn’t. 

“Ugh, as if. You can’t think now, Juwon. This is why you two are going to a community college. You’ve fucking rotted your brains with weed. It’s gross.” Caitlin watches as Alanna throws up her middle finger before blowing her a kiss and disappearing behind the theater door. “It is gross. I’m right, aren’t I, Y/N?” 

You tilt your head and struggle with what to say as you all get closer to the doors that your friends had just gone through. “I—well. It’s their choice.” Feeling bad that you can’t just tell Caitlin to shut up and to leave Juwon and Alanna alone, you find yourself muttering as she scoffs, turning her attention to Jae for support who gives it willingly. 

Feeling the weight of having to agree with Caitlin off your shoulders, you unzip your bag, the air conditioner hits you like a breeze when Christen opens the doors and steps inside. You purse your lips and fish out a five-dollar bill, not paying attention to what’s in front of you until you hear Christen’s and another guy’s voice. 

“Wassup, man? Still manning this place like a fucking loser?” 

“Still making money, so yeah, if that’s what you wanna call it. Just one?” 

“Nah, two. Me and Y/N.” 

Furrowing your brows, you lift your money up to show it to Christen just as you see who’s behind the ticket counter. Vernon Chwe, another member of your graduating class. You didn’t know him well, but as often as you and your friends came to the movies, you saw him in passing. He was always nice to you, and he was easy on the eyes. 

“Already paid for. See…” Reaching over the counter, Christen rips two tickets for himself before winking at Vernon and passing one to you. 

You can see the irritation written on Vernon’s face, but he manages to keep his cool. He wasn’t like Christen or anyone else in your group. He didn’t hang out in the commons area or at the mall like you did. You knew that he worked here and that he had a cool car. You found him intriguing. 

Moving towards Christen quickly, you take the ticket and look at Vernon apologetically. “I’m sorry. That was so rude.” Looking up at your friend, you whine, “That wasn’t cool, Christen...” 

Instead of offering his own apology to Vernon, Christen just laughs and taps you on the tip of your nose. “Whatever, baby. Don’t get mad about it. I’m just playin’ with Vern. Come on. Let me buy you a snack.” 

Vernon watches as Christen tries to take your hand but you manage to keep it from him. Tilting his head, he finds it curious. He didn’t know if you were dating the guy or not, but he didn’t like him; he never had. 

“Um, excuse me... Dodgy, loser, man? I need two tickets.” 

Turning his attention back towards Caitlin, Vernon sighs and rips off two tickets before taking $10 from Jae. “Enjoy the movie.” The moment she is out of earshot, Vernon adds, “Bitch.” 

He could hear you and your friends at the concession stand. It wasn’t a busy night and the theater wasn’t running a full staff. If it had been any other group, Vernon might have put a bit more pep in his step, making his way over from the counter, but he could already hear the bitchy girl complaining, so he took his time. 

“Oh, my god. Does this place not have anyone else working?” 

Muttering for Caitlin to hush, you rub your neck as Vernon sighs and moves to the middle of the concession stand before lifting his hands. “What can I get for you guys?” He didn’t really care; well, maybe he cared what you wanted. You had been kind to him and it wasn’t the first time. Every time he had seen you here or run into you at school, you were nice. You were also gorgeous, so that didn’t hurt your case either. 

“Two large cokes, a medium popcorn, and some M&Ms. Also, could you like... not take all night? The movie is supposed to start in thirty minutes.” Leaning on the counter, Caitlin watches as Vernon shifts his head to the side slightly before grabbing two large cups and filling them with ice. She remembered him from school and the other times they had been here. He was weird. She had a few classes with him and he had always sat in the back and avoided talking to people except when he had to. 

“Oh my god, Y/N, do you remember Miss Lewis’ calculus class from that last semester?” 

Taken aback by Caitlin’s question, you look from her back towards the counter before tilting your head. “I—yeah? What about it?” This was the type of thing that you hated about your friends. They lived in the past; every day was still a day of the glory of high school, whereas you were ready to move on. 

“This dude was in that class. We had that stupid ass icebreaker, remember? Like a weird fact about us? He said he was allergic to peanuts.” Cailtin snorts into a laugh as she meets Vernon’s eyes, his brow lifting to her memory. 

“Well—I, I remember—” 

“Man, that must fuckin’ suck. Can you eat anything? What happens if you eat a peanut? Would you die? Swell up like a fatass.” 

Juwon had been doing so well until that moment, but he was good at following the leader and at that moment Caitlin was playing her best queen bully bee role. Beside you, Christen laughs under his breath before leaning on the counter as Vernon tries to ignore them, fixing the rest of the order before giving the total to Jae, who slides over the money. 

“Anyone else want anything? I’d hate for you to miss the previews because you’re being assholes.” 

Surprised by Vernon’s words, the laughter dies off. No smiles are left except a slight one on your face. 

Christen doesn’t say anything before he reaches over to take a box of milk duds from the display showing them to Vernon and tossing a dollar bill on to the counter. “Thanks for nothing, bitch.” 

You try to stay; you want to apologize to Vernon for your friends one more time, but Christen’s hand wraps around your wrist, pulling you forward hard. “Let’s go, Y/N. You can share a drink with Caitlin. She didn’t need a fucking large anyway.” 

The movie theater didn’t have many others besides your group. After a few stragglers made their way in finding a seat, you tried to settle into your own and focus on the screen. You weren’t the biggest fan of scary movies, but there wasn’t much to do on a Thursday and you had already spent too many days staring at the same stores at the mall. 

When the lights go off completely and the screen lights up, you find yourself trying to make yourself smaller in your seat to keep your leg away from Christen’s hand when he stretches his fingers and smirks over at you. “Chill, are you scared already? It’s just the previews, baby.” 

You wished that you had the guts to tell him to stop calling you baby and that you weren’t scared. You just wished that he’d keep his fingers away from the end of your shorts. Shaking your head, you offer him a strained smile as you lean towards Caitlin, taking a few M&Ms she offers you before eating one of them. “Not scared, just a little cold.” 

“You want my jacket?” 

God, you couldn’t win, but maybe that would keep his hands off your skin. Nodding, you watch Christen stand up despite the groans from those behind you. Taking the jacket, you lay it over your legs and smile a bit wider at him. “Thanks, Christen.” 

Now Caitlin was regretting sharing anything with you. Tilting the box of candy away from you as she watches you tuck the jacket around your legs, Caitlin scoffs and takes a long sip of her drink. 

By the end of the movie, you find that you don’t have that much to be worried about. It wasn’t as much of a scary movie as you thought it would have been. The acting wasn’t great and the story had been predictable. You seemed to be the only one who seemed to think that way as the rest of your friends loudly discussed how good it was as you all moved through the theater lobby. 

Taking up the rear, you hold Christen’s jacket in your arms, waiting for the right moment to give it back to him until you see Vernon sweeping some popcorn off the floor near the concession stand. Maybe you could get in that apology now. Watching your friends for a moment longer, you let them keep going as you hang back and head in Vernon’s direction. 

“Hey… Vernon?” 

Furrowing his brows, Vernon lifts his head, sighing when he sees you standing in front of him. He hadn’t expected that, especially seeing you alone. Glancing around for your entourage, he’s surprised to see them closer to the front doors instead of right on your heels. “Yeah, what’s up? How was the movie?” 

Opening your mouth, you close it quickly, not sure how to answer him at first, but you shift on your feet and smile at him. “It was—it was okay. I mean, I think everyone could guess what they did last summer by how guilty they were acting.” Shaking your head, you sigh and glance down at your hands, gripping the jacket tighter in your hands. You weren’t sure why Vernon made you so nervous, his gaze making your cheeks heat up with how his smirk pulled up at the corner of his lips. 

“Yeah, not my favorite either, honestly.” Lowering his eyes to the jacket in your hands, Vernon takes a breath and shakes his head. He wasn’t an idiot; he had seen that jacket on Prince Charming—Christen, before the movie. “Did you need something, Y/N?” 

You weren’t sure that Vernon even knew your name so hearing him say it startles you, but of course he did. You had graduated together and probably had several classes together. It was silly of you to think he didn’t know your name; even Christen had said it before the movie. Maybe it was more that Vernon was saying it. Why did it matter? 

“Oh, no. Sorry, I know you are busy. I just—my friends, I’m so sorry. They aren’t always shitty.” Even you knew that was a lie, but that was what you did. You made excuses for them. You could see that Vernon knew it was a lie too, as he smiles and nods along with your words. 

“Sure, it’s whatever. Didn’t bother me—” 

“Y/N, what the hell are you doing?” Christen’s voice startles you with how close it is. Vernon watches how your body jerks in surprise and he furrows his brows, feeling a pang of anger taking over him at how someone could scare you so easily. 

“I—I was coming. I just—” You weren’t sure what to say to Christen, especially when you meet his eyes and see him glare at Vernon. You had made it worse. Turning towards your friend, you sigh and laugh but even you can tell it’s fake. “Let’s go. We were going to get froyo, right?” 

“What the fuck were you saying to her, freak?” Christen was fuming that you were talking to Vernon, but what pissed him off even more was that Vernon had been smiling at you. You had gone over to him by yourself and it looked like some loser was flirting with you. That wouldn’t happen, not while he was breathing. 

Pushing at Christen’s chest, you whine his name before glancing over at Vernon apologetically as he shakes his head and leans on his broom. How wasn’t he afraid of Christen? You were friends with Christen and you were afraid of him at times. 

The damage was done; the rest of your friends had made their way back over the concession stand, where the tension was growing thicker. Caitlin looked equal parts disgusted and amused as she watched Christen yell at Vernon. Jae stood behind her, confused look on his face as if he didn’t know if he wanted to be there or if he had to be there, and Alanna and Juwon were already laughing. That’s what they always did. They wanted to see a fight; that would be better than the movie to them. Meanwhile, you were horrified at the idea. 

“Please, can we just go?” Your voice is strained as you push at Christen, unable to get him to budge. 

His hand moves to grip your forearm, causing you to hiss in pain as he pulls you from in front of him and towards Caitlin, who wraps her arm around your waist, holding you closer to her and Jae. “I’m not leaving until I wipe this stupid smile off this freak’s face. I don’t like how he looks at you, Y/N. He’s a perv.” 

Nodding along with his words, Caitlin hums against your hair as she keeps you close to her even as you groan in annoyance. “Totally, he was staring at her the entire time. Made me wanna hurl. Like, seriously, loser? You think you can look at my best friend and it’s okay?” 

Now you were her best friend and she was protective of you? Only when she could make someone else miserable or make you miserable while doing it. Pulling from Cailtin, you tug on Christen’s shirt and beg for him to leave with you. “Please, can we go? You promised to buy me a snack and to get me home early.” Avoiding Vernon’s eyes as he grips his broom a bit tighter, his jaw clenched, you tug harder on Christen’s shirt. 

Smirking at Vernon, Christen takes a step back, putting up his hands as if he’s being the bigger man. He moves towards you and Cailtin so he can wrap his arm around you and this time you let him. Vernon can see the discomfort in your eyes, his brows furrowing slightly, but what you are doing seems to work as Christen takes his jacket from you and sighs happily as if he’s won the girl, leading you out of the theater. 

“You owe Vernon a night off.” 

Wen Junhui looked bored as he watched Lee Chan leaning far too close to the television in front of him as he gripped the Sega controller in his hands. Vernon just sighs and shakes his head, dismissing his friend’s comment. He knew what Jun was getting at, but he wasn’t worried about it. 

“I can work next week if you want me too.” Chan, or as he preferred to be called, Dino winces as his pixelated character is killed, taking him back to the beginning of the level. “What day were you thinking? I have an English paper due like Wednesday, so... if it could be after that—” 

“It’s fine, dude. You don’t have to worry about it.” 

“The fuck he doesn’t. Why didn’t you tell me those assholes were giving you so much shit, huh?” Jun knew that Vernon didn’t want to talk about what had happened at work, but he was getting tired of seeing his friend let people walk all over him because he was too nice. “Every single one of them is sketchy and I’m tempted to ask Seungcheol to get them banned.” 

Now Dino was paying attention, the controller was back on the table and the game paused, letting the menu music play on repeat as he listened to his friends. Jun was pissed and Vernon looked as calm as always until Jun implicated everyone. That caused him to sit up and shake his head as he reached for one of the cheap beers the three had been sharing over the past week. 

“Not all of them are assholes, alright? And I have it handled. I’m not fucking worried about Christen, his big ass ego or his little followers.” 

Vernon had said it himself, Christen’s little followers. To Jun, that was all of them, and Vernon wasn’t changing his mind any time soon. “Yeah, whatever. Next time they come in and pull something, come get me from the box. Don’t just let them push you around. I don’t care if you think that one chick is hot or not. She’s still his bitc—” 

“Hey!” There were very few times that Vernon raised his voice at either of his friends, so when he did it made the air in the room shift. “Just… Shut your damn mouth about her. She wasn’t doing anything wrong. Y/N… She was trying to apologize for the rest of them and then Christen—you know what? It doesn’t matter. Here.” 

Pushing the can towards Dino, Vernon stands when the youngest of their group takes the beer and puts it on the table, watching him pull on his leather jacket. Jun shakes his head and lets out a long sigh when Vernon picks up the keys to his car and searches for his beanie. 

“I didn’t mean to piss you off. I didn’t—look alright? Vernon, I didn’t know all of that. Ya, know, what Y/N did? I’m sorry I started to call her his bitch. I’m just… I’m done with them messing with you.” 

Pulling his black beanie over his hair, Vernon shrugs and shoves his keys into his jacket. “It’s fine. I’m not pissed; I’m just tired. I’m gonna get home; I’ll see y’all later.” 

Watching Vernon walk out of the room, Jun rubs the back of his neck, feeling a bit of regret wash over him. He knew he had pushed a bit too hard but Vernon had been acting off for months. He had known him since they were freshmen and neither of them had ever fit in, but they found their own way together. It was just lately Vernon was different; Jun felt like he didn’t know the person he called his best friend. 

Gripping the wheel of his 1989 Chevy Beretta, Vernon sighs as he leans his head back against the headrest hard. It was starting to get late, but he couldn’t seem to get himself to go home. Instead he kept turning on to familiar roads, his eyes scanning the houses. 

Vernon knew where he was. This was your street. The house on the right was yours, and the window with the light on, second floor… that was your room. Slowing down to a crawl, Vernon swallows hard as he leans to look at the curtains covering your window. He wished they weren’t there, as bad as that was. Sometimes he wished he could just get one glimpse of you instead of a shadow of you crossing in front of them, but he would take what he could get. 

Sighing loudly, Vernon pushes his foot down on the gas and takes a right, leaving your house behind. Tapping his thumb on his steering wheel, a smirk pulls at his lips as he eases by Caitlin’s house. He supposed this was why the two of you became friends. It was more a friendship of convenience living a street over from your best friend. Christen, however, didn’t live on the street. 

In fact, Vernon knew that Christen lived at least a fifteen-minute drive away in a gated community. So why was his car parked outside of Caitlin’s house? Wasn’t this the same guy who was threatening Vernon for daring to look at you and acting like you were his property? 

Narrowing his eyes at the only window with a light still on, Vernon lifts his brow when he sees Christen pull Caitlin back against him. He was seeing a lot more of her than he ever wanted to. It wasn’t like Vernon was shocked to find out that Christen was sleeping with Caitlin. That made more sense than Caitlin dating Jae, but it didn’t seem like they were even trying to hide it. Not from Jae and not from you. Did either one of you know? Now he was curious. 

Ten minutes later, Vernon puts his car in park and purses his lips as he looks around the street. There weren’t many cars for this to be an uppity part of town. Turning his attention towards the house he had stopped in front of, he starts to think that no one is at home until he sees a light on the third floor. It seemed that the person he wanted to see might just be home after all. 

Shoving his keys into his pocket, Vernon sniffs hard, the colder night air biting at his nose as he makes his way to the front door of the nice house. Pressing the doorbell, he waits for a few moments until the door opens and Jae gives him a confused look, tilting his head. 

“Uh, hey?” Jae was surprised to see Vernon at his front door. That had been the very last person he expected to see, especially this late at night. He knew Vernon better than anyone else in his circle of friends, but he would never admit it to any of them. Before he had been brought into the inner circle, he had been in a similar situation to Vernon’s; the major difference had been that his family had money and he could—and did—use it to climb the ranks. “‘Sup?” 

Nodding his head in Jae’s direction, Vernon glances behind him, scanning for anyone in the house, but it all seems quiet. It appeared that Jae was the only one at home. That was good. It was better for what Vernon needed to tell him. “Hey, can I come in? I, uh…” Rubbing at the back of his neck, he tries to smile a bit, but it seems as forced as it is. “Just wanna talk to you about something.” 

Was this about what had happened at the theater? Jae’s stomach was in his throat. He didn’t really want to deal with this, but he did feel a little shitty about how that had all gone down. He could have reigned Caitlin in a bit more, but... even he knew he was lying to himself. “Uh, sure. Yeah, come in. My parents are out of town so I’m not really supposed to have people over but—” Sighing to himself at how stupid he sounds, Jae shakes his head and gestures at the stairs for Vernon to go up. “Whatever, we can talk in my room. I’m on the third floor; my doors open.” 

Lifting his brows, Vernon smirks a bit as he lowers his head and moves through the door towards the staircase. Jae sounded like a kid who was breaking his parent’s rules, not like a recent graduate who was going to some Ivy League school in the fall. Vernon knew he shouldn’t find that as amusing as he did, but it was fitting with how Jae treated everything else in his life—including his girlfriend. 

“Cool, nice fucking place, man.” Jogging up the stairs, Vernon barely gives the house a second glance as he makes his way to the third floor and turns towards the open door. The room was decorated just as he thought it might be and yet it was still shocking. 

The bed was made perfectly, books lined pristine shelves, and there were pictures of Caitlin everywhere. What was even more interesting was that there were only two pictures in the entire room that included Jae and Caitlin. This wasn’t a room; it was a shrine to Jae’s cheating, whore girlfriend. 

Watching Vernon look around his room, Jae finds himself feeling a bit embarrassed and overwhelmed at having another person in his space. He wasn’t even used to having Caitlin in his room often. She didn’t come over much and when she did, it was more of a rare treat for Jae. 

"I—uh, what did you need to talk to me about? Is this—look if this is about what was said at the theater—”

“Nah, man. It’s fine.” Shaking his head, Vernon keeps moving around the room, picking up a picture of Jae standing behind Caitlin as she smiles brightly. What he notices the most about the picture is how they aren’t touching, not even his hand on her arm. “She’s a handful, huh?” 

Tilting his head slightly before straightening it, Jae looks at the picture in Vernon’s hand before crossing his arms. Where was this going? He was feeling more and more uncomfortable as the seconds ticked by, and he was wondering if he should regret letting Vernon in his house. 

“I—she’s, sure. Sometimes. What’s this about? You said you wanted to talk about something.” 

Putting the picture down, Vernon makes sure it is in the same place as it was before he rests back against the desk, his hands next to him on either side. “Yeah. You know, it’s funny. I drove past Cailin's. I was just driving around... You know how it is.” Tilting his head, Vernon meets Jae’s eyes as he sighs. “Anyway, it was funny ‘cause Christen’s car was at her house. I thought that was weird until I happened to see them in her bedroom window.” 

Jae scoffs, starting to feel not only embarrassed but defensive of his girlfriend’s honor. What was Vernon doing looking in her bedroom window in the first place? Taking a step forward, he drops his hands, making them into fists at his sides. “Hey—” 

“Not like she has up curtains. I wasn’t tryin’ to see your girl like that, scouts honor, but needless to say…” Moving his hands from the desk, Vernon puts them at his chest, cupping them like he would a girl’s breasts to make sure Jae understands, seeing the boy’s face flush. “Christen is banging your chick, dude. Just thought you’d wanna know.” 

Taking a step forward, Jae stops and pushes his lips together, trying to think of what to say. It wasn’t like he didn’t know, but it was more the fact that Vernon was at his house and telling him about it. “Shut the hell up, you freak. First you spy on my girlfriend and then—then you come here to what? Try to—I don’t know what you want!” 

“I don’t want anything, Jae. I was trying to help your stupid ass out.” Vernon’s voice is angry, a layer of malice the moment that Jae has the audacity to call him a freak. Everyone else had, but not Jae. The more that Vernon looked at him, the less he felt bad for him. Maybe he never had, how could you? He was pathetic. His room was a fucking shrine to a girl who probably only let him fuck her with his fingers so she could sit on another guy's cock. God… It was sickening, and yet he was the freak. 

“I don’t need your fucking help! I want you out of my house.” As if realizing something—a metaphorical lightbulb coming on above his head—Jae moves towards Vernon, who shifts away from him, causing the two to move to opposite sides of the room. Jae stares at Vernon in front of the open bedroom door as he feels the breeze from the open window behind him as he glares at the other man with disdain. “How the hell do you know where I live anyway? You fuckin’ stalking all of us, freak?” 

Vernon was seeing red; his jaw clenched tightly, he rolled his neck as a smirk pulled at his lips. His eyes move from Jae to the window behind him and all he can imagine is watching Jae fall out of it. How easy it would be to push him through the window and then the motherfucker wouldn’t call him a freak again. Taking a step forward, Vernon scoffs before speaking, his words quiet. “About that...” 

His hands meet Jae’s chest hard, a surprised gasp slipping from the smaller boy’s lips as he tries to push back only to feel the desk beside him bite into his hip. The picture of him and Caitlin falls with a crash, glass shattering on to the floor, drawing Jae’s attention away from Vernon just enough long enough for Vernon to push him again, this time even harder. 

Vernon listens to the strangled scream that leaves Jae’s mouth as the screen tears from the weight of his body before he falls through the window and three stories down. The deafening dull thud of his body hitting the pavement sends a shiver through his body even before Vernon leans out of the broken window frame to look down and see the blood pooling around Jae’s lifeless body. 

In that moment, he knows he should feel bad. He should be scared. He should feel something other than a rush of adrenaline, but Vernon doesn’t. Looking around Jae’s room once more, Vernon moves back down the steps and out the front door, not giving the body another look. Getting behind the wheel of his car, he sighs to himself as he drives away, finally feeling like he can go home.

You wake up to the sound of the phone ringing from your desk. It sounds like a nightmare because surely no one is calling you this early. Even through your curtains, you can tell the sun has barely started to rise. 

Groaning, you sit up with a groan as the phone rings again. Whoever was trying to reach you wasn’t giving up. Sliding out of bed, you sink down into your desk chair and pull the phone from the base, putting it to your ear with a sharp, “Hello?” If that didn’t make whoever was calling you regret it, you didn’t know what else would.

“Y/N!” 

Caitlin’s sobbing voice makes your heart drop into your stomach immediately and you feel horrible for picking up the phone angry. Shifting in the chair, you switch which shoulder you rest the phone on, your fingers twisting into the already ruined phone cord as you anxiously furrow your brows, almost afraid to speak. “Wha—” 

“He’s dead, Y/N! What the fuck? Like, seriously?” Sniffing hard, Caitlin rubs hard at her nose as she lays in her bed, her own phone tucked between her ear and shoulder. “The police said it could be an accident or he might have...” 

You could hear the way her lips were quivering as Caitlin tried to speak, but you still weren’t sure who she was talking about. “Who, Caitlin?” 

“Oh, my god! Jae! Jae’s dead!” Caitlin’s voice is shrill, causing you to pull the receiver away from your ear slightly as you swallow hard the reality of her words hitting you. “Why are you making me say it out loud? It’s already so hella depressing. I’m like a widow; it’s gross.” 

Glancing towards your bedroom door, you try not to feel anything negative about your best friend while she’s grieving, but she was going about it in a strange way. You knew that she didn’t care about Jae, not in any way that she could claim widow-like status. She treated him like shit most of the time, but you weren’t going to say that to her now. You weren’t that type of person. You were the person who coddled. “I’m so sorry, Caitlin. Do you want me to come over?” 

Whining, she nods before pouting into her words, hoping to make you feel even worse for her. “Yeah, could you? That would totally help me feel less shitty.” Before you can even reply, a single breath of a word starts to leave your mouth. Caitlin speaks over you. “Oh, and Y/N? Could you bring me Taco Bell?” 

You lean your head back; the urge to roll your eyes is so strong but you keep it at bay as you nod to yourself. “Yeah, of course. I’ll be there in like an hour.” 

Hanging the phone up, you close your eyes, your brows knitting together tightly once you can hear yourself think. Jae was dead? How? Caitlin had mentioned an accident, but you didn’t have any other details. You knew he didn’t like to drive, maybe something with one of his parents cars... Not wanting to picture anymore gruesome things, you force yourself to stand and move to your closet to get dressed. 

Vernon tilts his head as he watches you cross your arms, your keys dangling from your fingers as you wait in line in front of him. You looked beautiful. It was rare that he saw you out like this on a normal day, but lucky for him, he had been craving some food, and tacos seemed like a good choice. 

Taking a step towards you, Vernon takes in a deep breath and just enjoys the overwhelming scent of your perfume and body wash. He wished he had more courage to speak to you, to let you know how much he was into you, but you were the sun and he was like a dark cloud. Least that’s how it felt... 

“Hey, uh…” 

Vernon sighs as he listens to you place your order, your voice like the sweetest song on the radio. He'd play your voice on repeat if he could. Getting lost in listening to you, Vernon doesn’t realize you are done with your order until the boy at the register lifts his brows and hands in question. “You wanna order something, dude?” 

“Uh… yeah.” 

You knew that voice. Turning towards the source of it as you reach to take the cups in front of you, you can’t help the small smile that lifts at your lips as you see Vernon. You hadn’t realized he was behind you. It kind of made you sad that he was and hadn’t said anything, but it made sense after what had happened at the theater. You couldn’t blame him for being upset with you. 

Meeting Vernon’s eyes, your smile brightens slightly before you look away and move out of his way so he can get a cup as you move to the drink machine to fill your drinks. You can feel Vernon’s eyes on you even as you move, your fingers pressing down the buttons. The heat of his eyes makes you feel shy and warm as you listen to him move closer to you until he finally stands next to you, filling his own cup with soda. 

“Weird seeing you alone.” 

Vernon watches your cheeks push up towards your eyes before you glance towards him when he does speak to you. You shrug and take a step backwards towards the lids and straws, taking two of each and letting Vernon move towards you to do the same. 

“I do things alone sometimes. It’s weird to see you somewhere besides the movie theater. I almost started to think you lived there.” Keeping your eyes on Vernon, you bite subtly at your bottom lip as you move towards the counter to pick up your bag of food just as they put Vernon’s next to yours. 

“Mm, that’s fair. I don’t do much besides that, but in my defense, you don’t really know me, so…” With his own food in his hand, Vernon grins at you and you feel your heart beat hard in your chest. You aren’t sure you have ever seen him smile like that and you aren’t sure anyone’s smile has ever effected you in that way before. 

Vernon watches you look away, one drink in the crook of your elbow as you hold the other so you can hold the bag of food in your other hand. Gesturing towards the door, he takes a breath, letting it out slowly as if he’s gaining courage before speaking to you again. “I can help; you seem like you have your hands full. You, uh… Lunch for your family or something?” 

He was sweet; this was the most you had probably ever really talked to Vernon and he was being a gentleman. It was nice not to have your friends hovering around you and being assholes to him. Letting him hold the door open for you while you maneuver through it, you glance back at him and shake your head, letting out a soft sigh. “No, I’m going over to Caitlin’s.” 

Vernon notices how your words seem to fade off at the end and how your smile dulls. Following you to your car wanting to help you, he furrows his brows as he offers to take the food from your hands as you unlock your car, seeming to struggle with your words. “She’s—it’s a hard day. You know Jae, right? One of my friends?” 

Of course he did, but Vernon keeps his cool and just shrugs his shoulders, letting you continue. “Uh, Caitlin’s boyfriend. The one who was following her around last time.” Getting a nod from Vernon, you lean in your car to put the drinks into the cup holders before taking your food from him. “I guess something happened last night—an accident. He passed away. She’s super upset. So I’m gonna go spend the day with her.” 

You were a good friend, better than Caitlin deserved in Vernon’s opinion. He knew for a fact that Caitlin didn’t give a shit about Jae and the fact that he was dead. She was using this for attention, but you were giving into it because you were sweet and that was all you knew how to do. If he had his way, he’d take you away from it and give you attention. Shaking his head, Vernon furrows his brows, leaning against your car door, giving you a solemn look. “I’m sorry to hear that. Is there anything I can do to help you?” 

It wasn’t lost on you that Vernon asked if he could help you and not Caitlin, but it still made your heart feel warm. He was such a good guy, so kind and soft. He didn’t deserve the treatment that the rest of your friends gave him. Shaking your head, you pout softly before letting it shift into a gentle smile. “No, I’m okay... I—this was really nice, Vernon. I like talking to you. Um…” 

Leaning into your car once again, you put the food down and reach into your purse as Vernon watches you carefully with a raised brow. He agreed, it was nice to talk to you. He was trying to be respectful, but you made it a bit difficult. Your shirt was riding up your back and you were so fucking pretty. He couldn’t help the way his eyes were moving along your skin as you searched for—

”Ah! I was looking for a pen. Can I give you my number? Maybe you could call me sometime.” 

You wanted him to call you? Vernon’s head was spinning. He must be in another dimension where he wasn’t a loser because you were looking at him expectantly as you held your cute purple pen. Nodding, Vernon smiles to one side, watching your smile grow in return as you reach for his hand, pulling it towards your stomach and turning his palm over. The pen tickles Vernon’s hand, but he can’t stop staring at your fingers and the way the pen glides over his skin as you put the numbers on his palm. 

“It’s my own line, so like, my family won’t pick it up. As long as I’m not using my computer, you can reach me there, okay?” Tilting your head, you trail your fingers from Vernon’s as his lips part with a soft breath. He was so handsome it was almost devastating to you. How had you never noticed him in school? You knew the answer to that, but you wished things had been different in that moment. 

“Yeah, I—sure. I’ll call you.” At least that’s what he was telling himself. Would he have the courage to actually do it? Vernon wasn’t sure in that moment, but he knew he wanted to. 

“Cool. Thanks for helping me get to my car, Vernon. I’ll talk to you later.” 

Standing there like an idiot for a moment longer, Vernon nods before taking a step back from your car as you slide behind the wheel, waving at him before backing out. Glancing down at his palm once more, he closes his fingers around your number and smiles to himself before turning on his heels towards his car with a bit more pep in his step. 

“I’m literally fucking starving. What took so long?” Taking the bags from your hand, Catiltin pouts at you as she sits with her legs crisscrossed in the center of her full-size bed.

You could tell she had been crying. Her eyes were a bit swollen, with slight circles under her eyes, but there was still something about the situation that made you fully aware that Caitlin wasn’t mourning Jae as much as she was her reputation. 

“I’m sorry, I got here as soon as I could. You know things are busier on Saturday.” Sliding on to the bed next to her, you furrow your brows before leaning in to hug Caitlin, feeling her shoulder’s drop. You were a good friend. Despite feeling and knowing what you did, you were still concerned about her. You hated that this had happened, and the truth of the matter was that you were sad. Jae was your friend. 

“Has—well… Did anyone say what happened?” 

Your voice is quiet and the question causes a new wave of tears to spill from Caitlin’s eyes as she chokes on her words, only managing to get out a couple before she’s cut off. 

“Splattered on the sidewalk under his window.” 

Horrified, you look over your shoulder towards the doorway where Christen leans against the frame. You didn’t even know he was there. Had he gotten to Caitlin’s before you? Just now? It didn’t matter, you supposed; you assumed everyone would end up here eventually. 

Your eyes follow Christen as he moves to the bed, taking the bag of tacos to take one for himself. You hadn’t bought them for him, but that had never mattered in the past and it doesn’t matter now. 

“You’re always so sweet, baby. Thinking ahead and getting lunch like this.” The bed dips at your side as Christen joins you both and Catiltin sniffles hard, getting the attention back on her as she opens her own food. 

“Could we like... I don’t know, not say splattered? It’s so gross, Christen.” 

Shrugging, the boy swallows a bite of food before sighing into his words. “Sorry, that’s what happens when you launch yourself out of a fuckin’ third-story window, babe.” 

Babe? Furrowing your brows, you let your eyes move from Caitlin to Christen as your best friend blanches slightly and puts her taco on the wrapper to the side. 

“He—that’s not what he did. The cops said it was an accident. He just fell somehow. Some freak accident—” 

“I’m sure it was an accident. Jae would never… you know.” Your voice is softer than Caitlin’s and Christen’s combined, but it manages to draw both of their attention to you. You couldn’t say what Christen thought happened; you couldn’t get that word out. Not just because it was too hard to even think, but also because it just didn’t make sense. Jae wasn’t depressed. He had a charmed life. 

“Sure, baby… But listen, you know Jake, the tight end?” Sighing softly, you tilt your head at Christen’s question. While you knew who he was talking about, you didn’t think it was important to label him as his position from the high school football team, but what was the point in arguing—so instead you just nodded. “Well, he’s lives across the street from Jae. Said the cops were out there all morning and he overheard one of them talking about some things that just didn’t add up with an accident—” 

“Christen! Do you, like, hate me? I’m a fucking widow now and you want people to think that my boyfriend killed—” Lowering her voice, Caitilin whines when Christen furrows his brows at her, only for them to soften when he sees the hurt in her eyes. “Just—this is scary, okay? What—did Jake say why they said that?” 

As much as you hated to admit it even to yourself, you were also curious as to what Jake had overheard. Shifting on the bed, you turn a bit more towards Christen, who straightens his back and lets a bit of a smirk pull at his lips, having so much attention focused on him. 

“Yeah, so just what he heard, okay? But he said Jae’s nails were fucked up and that there were scratches on his desk. Like, maybe he regretted it just before he—” Seeing the look on your face, Christen presses his lips together and tilts his head, changing his words. “Like he tried to stop himself from falling out the window. Oh, and uh...” Furrowing your brows, you see a nervous look spread across Christen’s face as he meets Caitlin’s eyes. “There was a broken picture or frame. Could’a been thrown on the floor.” 

“What picture?” Moving to sit on her feet, Caitlin’s eyes widen slightly, causing you to sit back a bit confused as she waits for Christen to explain. 

“I—he wasn’t sure. All the really said it was of a couple, but seeing as it was Jae’s room…” 

Even you didn’t need anymore explanation. You had never been in Jae’s room, but who else would be in the picture? Why would a picture of Jae and Caitlin be smashed? Your eyes move between your two friends as Caitlin falls back against the bed with a new wave of grief, as if she’s realized something. Christen, on the other hand, just sighs and reaches for your drink, taking a sip before meeting your eyes. 

“You look freaked, Y/N.” 

That was an understatement. Shaking your head, you rub your hands over your arms before scooting closer to Caitlin to rest your hand on her thigh, letting her know you were still close to her as she cries. “I’m just—this is really sad. It doesn’t make sense, and he was so excited about starting university. I feel really bad for his parents.” 

Nodding along with your words, Christen leans to put your drink on the nightstand before leaning back on the bed, letting his hand rest near your leg. “It fuckin’ sucks. I mean… It’s fucked up. Like the weak ones, man. Why do they gotta die before they get the chance to make something of themselves?” 

You stare at Christen as he speaks; his words are almost said as if he’s quoting something poetic or profound, though to you it’s heartless and ridiculous. 

Leaning against the end of his bed, Vernon runs his fingers over the fading numbers written on his palm. Hours had passed, the sun had gone down, and now the only thing left to remind him that he had actually seen you today was slowly dissolving into his skin. 

Jun and Dino were occupying the beanbag chairs in front of the TV as some movie played, something that Vernon had seen a hundred times. He knew he should be paying more attention to his friends, but instead he was trying to commit your phone number to memory. 

“During the matinee today.” 

“For real? Cops? What did they say?” 

Vernon’s brows lift, realizing he hadn’t been even listening to the conversation until cops were mentioned. Shifting on the floor, he sighs and lifts his eyes to watch Dino pass the bowl of popcorn over to Jun as he shrugs. 

“Were asking questions about that guy you all graduated with? I don’t remember his last name, uh—Jae, that’s his first name. He said he had a movie ticket in his pocket or something. Not sure why it mattered. They just—” 

“They what?” 

Vernon had been so quiet over the past hour that both of the boys had almost forgotten whose room they were in and that he was even there until he spoke up. Glancing back at him, Dino shakes his head and shifts in the chair, almost uncomfortable under Vernon’s gaze. Vernon could be intense sometimes; Jun might not notice it, but Dino always did. 

“Nothin’ really. Asked if he seemed like himself when he came by. I told them I didn’t know him that well and that I had been off that night. They said they would probably stop by and talk to you tomorrow. Is—why? That not okay?” 

Moving to his feet, Vernon shakes his head and shrugs. He didn’t like the idea of talking to the cops, but it didn’t seem like he had much of a choice. “It’s whatever. I didn’t know him either.” 

“That’s not true.” Shooting a look back at Jun as he speaks, Vernon scoffs even as Jun lifts his hands and sighs into his words. “I mean—not like you were friends with him, but you knew him a bit.” 

“Whatever, I didn’t hang out with him. I had a class or two with him and he came into the theater. Didn’t make me his best friend, Jun. Why the fuck does it matter anyway?” 

Jun furrows his brows and shakes his head. He watches Vernon reach for a pen, looking at his hand as he transfers something from it to a piece of paper, then tossing it on the desk. “I–well… It doesn’t, but you might have noticed if he was acting out of his head maybe. People are saying he fell out of his window, or—you know. Maybe he wanted to fall out of it.” 

Scoffing, Vernon turns to lean against his desk, an uncaring look on his face. “I mean, wouldn’t you if your chick was a lying whore? Not sure he ever acted like he knew what he was doing from the moment he started dating that girl. It was like putting one foot on a banana peel and his neck in a noos—” 

“Jesus Christ, Vernon.” Shivering, Jun cuts Vernon’s words off before he’s able to finish. He had heard Vernon be callous before. He had seen him uncaring and perhaps act like a dick, but never like this. “It was an accident. It’s tragic…” 

Nodding slowly, Vernon sighs as he tries to remember what he’s supposed to feel in a moment like this. He can see the look on Jun’s face—something akin to sadness. Dino, on the other hand, looked a little sick, horrified as he wrapped his arms around himself, trying to be smaller. 

“Yeah, it’s sad; you’re right. I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s up with me. I’m just tired or something.” Shaking his head, Vernon moves back towards his friends, lowering himself back to the floor and offering them a smile that seems to soothe them both. “I saw Y/N earlier today; she seemed to be kinda tore up about it too. She was going over to—uh, Cailtin’s. She’s a good friend.” Gritting his teeth slightly, Vernon forces himself to say her name instead of anything else out of respect for you. In his head, Caitilin didn’t deserve anything but what she was going through. 

Tilting his head slightly, Jun watches Vernon talk about you. There was a stark difference in how he mentioned you compared to anyone else. While he knew that Vernon had a crush on you, if he was talking to you, maybe he was wanting more. More could be dangerous. 

“You saw her? Where? Was she alone?” 

Vernon knew why there was a barrage of questions, but it only served to annoy him. Leaning his head back, he sighs and nods along with each one. “Yes. Taco Bell. She was alone. Why the fuck does it matter?” 

“Because, Vernon. She's—look, I get it. She’s cute as fuck. She’s nice, but he’s got his claws in her. He’ll kill you if you try anything. Some ass isn’t worth it. I don’t care if the ass is prime—” 

Glaring at Jun, Vernon bites at his cheek until he snaps. “Why do you talk about her like that? Do you even know her? Have you spoken a single word to her?” Shaking his head, Vernon rubs hard at the numbers on his palm now. “Of course you haven’t because you are too fuckin’ judgmental and too chicken shit. Just think that because she’s standing next to Christen, she’s just like him. Well, newsfuckin’ flash, Junhui, you aren’t the genius you make yourself out to be.” 

Dino had been quiet—he always was, but he hated the tension and arguing between his friends. No one was worth putting a wedge between his best friends, especially some girl. “Hey! Stop it. Why are you two always doing this now? Every fucking week!” Staring up at Dino, Vernon swallows hard as the youngest stands up and points from Jun to him. “If he likes his girl, so what? Lay off! And you…” 

Swallowing hard, Dino falters for a moment as he meets Vernon’s eyes. It takes a deep breath to calm down before he can round his shoulders and speak up to Vernon. “Jun is your best friend and you’ve never been such an asshole before. If you need to get your dick wet, do it. If you need to get high or drunk, please... Just do it before you say something you can’t take back.” 

Vernon stared at his television for a long time after his friends had left, thinking about what Dino had said. To be a year younger than him, the boy was wise beyond his years and he had a point. He knew that he was wound up and he had been taking it out on Jun in particular for weeks. 

There had been some relief when Vernon had left Jae’s, but then he would be reminded about Christen and his bullshit and be right back where he had started. The anger was building until he felt like he might just snap. 

Glancing towards his desk, Vernon lifts his brow, seeing the piece of paper with your phone number written on it. It wasn’t incredibly late, but it was the weekend. There was a good chance you were still at Cailtin’s or worse... You could be out with the rest of them doing something, trying to take your minds off of Jae—but Vernon still wanted to try. 

Pulling the phone from the desk along with the piece of paper, Vernon sighs as he leans back against the side of his bed. He rests the receiver between his shoulder and ear before carefully dialing your number and waiting. You had said it was your own line, and somehow that didn’t stop Vernon from letting Jun’s words get the better of him for just a single moment. What if you gave him a fake number? What if Christen picked up? But neither of those things happened. 

“Hello?” 

Your voice is beautiful, a bit sad, and confused. Vernon has to take a deep breath to stop himself from hanging up the phone when you furrow your brows and listen to the sound of breathing on the other line. Clearly someone was there; it wouldn’t be the first time you had gotten a crank call, but today really wasn’t the day for it. 

“Hello? Look, seriously… I’m not in the mood—” 

“Y/N… Sorry, it’s me, Vernon.” Wincing to his own voice, Vernon pulls on the phone cord in his lap and weighs his regret as he listens to you take a deep breath in response. You had hoped that Vernon would call you, but you hadn’t expected it. He seemed so different from you and the rest of your friends that he was almost like a life preserver at the moment. 

“I—oh… Hey. I—I’m glad you called. I’m a little surprised.” Closing your eyes for a moment, you lean your head back, trying to think of how to salvage your conversation, thinking you might have ruined it before it started. “I promise I don’t always sound like a bitch when I answer the phone.” 

Vernon’s laugh brings a much-needed smile to your face and warmth to your chest. Shaking his head, he tries to picture you in a room he’s never seen besides a light behind a curtain. “You didn’t sound like a bitch. I—I didn’t exactly start speaking so I get why you said what you did. I’m not really like, you know, a great conversationalist.” 

And yet he had called you anyway. That wasn’t lost on you as you stood up from your desk and worked the cord for your phone around it so you could sit on your bed. Vernon listens to the sounds of you moving in your room and it brings a slight smile to his face. “How are you, by the way? You said you were going over to your friend’s house.” 

He remembered. Leaning your head back against your headboard, you bite your bottom lip and nod. “Yeah, I spent most of the day at Cailtin’s. It was honestly exhausting.” Sighing, you close your eyes, realizing how bad your words sound, causing you to shake your head. “But—I… You know, I’ll do it anytime. She’s going through a ton right now. I’m—” 

“Y/N… I didn’t ask about her. Sorry, that sounds really shitty, but I’d rather talk about you.” Vernon didn’t want to cut you off, but he couldn’t stand that you were spiraling because you felt bad for Caitlin. In his opinion, she didn’t deserve anything, much less you in her life. You were far too good for her, not that he could just say that out loud to you now. “Don’t get me wrong; it’s really nice of you to do what you did. Is it cool if we just talk about you?” 

That was almost a terrifying prospect—someone wanting to focus on just you. Christen did it in his own way, but it always led back to him. There was always an ulterior motive, and yet it didn’t seem like Vernon had one. Shifting on your bed, you rest the cradle to your phone next to you as you pull your knees towards your stomach. 

“Sorry, yeah… Yeah, we can do that, but only if we talk about you too. Is that okay?” 

You were apologizing again. That seemed to be something you did a lot and usually not for yourself. Shaking his head, Vernon smiles into a sigh before lifting his brows. “Yeah, that’s okay. I—I kinda wanna get to know you. God, that sounds so fuckin’ lame.” 

Warmth spreads along your cheeks at Vernon’s words and you are happy he’s just on the phone and not in front of you. Pressing your lips together, you swallow hard and bury a bit of a happy sound as you pull the phone from your ear briefly before calming yourself down and clearing your throat. “It’s not lame. Why would that be lame? I mean, I wanna get to know you too. I gave you my number for a reason... Like, obviously.” 

Listening to how your voice trails off with a bit of shyness to it, Vernon can’t help the grin that pulls at his lips. There was no way you were actually into him the way he was into you. You probably just wanted to be his friend, and if that was the case, he’d have to deal... But the tone of your voice—the cute little giggle to it—made his stomach tighten with intrigue. 

“Oh—oh, yeah?” Clearing his throat, Vernon lifts his hand to rub at his neck, feeling how hot it is under his touch. He knew if he were to look in the mirror, it would be red along with his ears. There would be no way he would have called you with Jun and Dino in the room; if he was this shy and embarrassed alone, he would have died in front of them. “Wha—what’s the reason?” 

Despite being new adults, fresh into the world, there was still a layer of that schoolgirl and boy whimsy layered in the conversation that made you kick your feet when Vernon stumbled over his questions. You had a feeling he knew the answers to his questions, but he was just wanting to hear them out loud. The real question was, would you be able to say it out loud? 

Whining Vernon’s name softly, you wrap your phone cord around your fingers and laugh under your breath, almost in disbelief. The sound of his smooth but shy laugh makes your stomach twist with that nervous new crush feeling and you feel almost like you could float off your bed. “I don’t know; it’s hard to say it out loud. You know what I mean... Don’t you?” 

Pulling his beanie from his hair, Vernon rakes his fingers through his hair and scoffs into a laugh as you dodge his question. You were being so cute and coy that it was driving him crazy. Sure, he had dated in high school. He had crushes, but none of them quite stood the test of time like this one. 

“Think I’d just rather hear it. This isn’t a conversation I’ve ever had before, Y/N.” Dropping the beanie on to the floor next to him, he bites at his lip and tilts his head, looking at the wall almost too intently as if it will give him the right words. “I—I mean, you know who I am. Let’s be honest, I’m not—I mean, fuck. I’m not Christen—” 

“Stop it. I don’t like Christen. I think—I mean, I thought that was obvious, at least to you. He—” Furrowing your brows as you speak over Vernon, cutting him off, you bite at your cheek, feeling the frustration rising in your chest. “He honestly makes me really...” 

Hearing how you seem unable to say the words, Vernon chews at his lips, feeling bad for bringing the other man up. It hadn’t been his intention to upset you, but he did feel inferior when it came to Christen in some ways, especially you. Now he wasn’t sure he should. Now Vernon could feel the same anger from before threatening to rise up as he taps his fingers against his leg and fills in the word for you. “Uncomfortable?” 

Nodding, you sniff back your emotions and sit up a bit on your bed, as if talking about Christen will make him manifest in front of you like a demon. “Yeah, so you not being him is a good thing.” Wanting to get the conversation off of Christen, you take a deep breath and shake your head as if clearing the fog from it before speaking again. “‘Sides, I do kinda know who you are; that’s why I—you know... It’s why I like you, Vernon.” 

Your words make Vernon feel like he’s stuck in a wind tunnel. He hears them, and yet they don’t seem real. “Me?” 

Laughing under your breath, you nod at his question as your brows knit together. There was no one else you were talking to and you had used his first name. “I—yeah. I mean, you know… If you don’t like me, that’s totally—” 

“Oh, my god... I do. I just—I’m a loser and I can’t even remember what else your friends called me.” 

“I don’t care what they think. I mean, I care what they say, and they are so fucking wrong.” You weren’t sure why it was so hard for Vernon to understand that you liked him, and while you were glad that he liked you back, it was difficult to hear him call himself a loser. That wasn’t how you saw him. You hated hearing your friends call anyone that, but especially Vernon. “I know I make a lot of excuses for them, but the things they said the other night... I really am so, so sorry. That was my fault.” 

Pushing his tongue against his cheek, Vernon lets out a breath as you once again apologize for your friends. It’s even worse when you take the blame for something that isn’t your responsibility. “Y/N, wh—no. I don’t blame you. Nothing that happened was your fault. Christen could have threw a punch at me and it still wouldn’t have been anything that you could have started or stopped.” 

The idea of Christen hurting Vernon makes your skin crawl. You knew that Christen was just waiting for the opportunity and what you were doing right now... Pursuing something with Vernon would only make it worse. Frowning a bit to yourself, you stretch the phone cord between your fingers and Vernon seems to notice how quiet you’ve become, your soft breath on the other side of the line being the only thing that lets him know you’re still there. 

“You thinkin’ hard about something? Wanna let me in on it?” Smiling a bit, Vernon shifts his legs, pulling his knees up a bit so he can rest his forearms on them as he leans his head back against his bed. “Or did you fall asleep?” 

“No—no, I’m here. I just—I know you said none of that was my fault, but it feels like it.” You can hear Vernon start to speak and you know he’s going to argue your point, but still having more to say, you keep going before he can. “It’s just—Christen, he’s like weirdly been obsessed with me for a while, right? He's just my friend, but it’s like I can’t get him to see that. It makes it hard to date, well, like anyone. I—” Laughing under your breath, it’s clear there is no humor to it as you roll your eyes. “Like I haven’t even had a boyfriend or been on a date since freshman year.” 

Letting your words sink in, Vernon tries to think about high school and when he first noticed you. It hadn’t been hard. You were beautiful from the first day, but he hadn’t been the only one who had noticed how much you changed over summer and that was when Christen had laid his claim. No wonder you hadn’t dated. Vernon could imagine that any guy that tried to get close to you was either scared away or knew you were off the table—even if you weren’t. 

“So… I’m just saying that because if this goes anywhere, and I’m not saying it has to... Christen might freak the fuck out. He already got mad that you were talking to me.” Your voice is sad and quiet. You sound repressed like you had at the theater, and it bites at Vernon, making him almost feel antsy in his room. He wants to get up and fix it for you; change your situation so that you don’t have to feel so small...

“I don’t give a fuck what he thinks, Y/N. I’m not afraid of him. All I care about is what you think and want.” Vernon presses his thumbnail into the tip of his pinky hard enough to leave a divot as he grits his teeth. He had to calm down; you weren’t his—not yet. Christen had already done enough damage by laying a freaky claim to you; Vernon was determined not to make you feel worse by doing the same. “I’ll only do what you want. Like I told you, I like you.” 

Unable to stop the smile from spreading on your lips, you bite at your lower lip and glance towards your window as the curtain moves with the wind. There was a huge difference in how Christen and Vernon made you feel. Christen terrified you and made you feel trapped in a box. Vernon, he made you feel almost free and desired. It was almost a bit dangerous the way you enjoyed that feeling, along with the smooth sound of his voice lulling you into a comfortable place. 

“Yeah?” Now your smile was even in your voice and Vernon could hear it over the phone. “I—yeah, I like you a lot. God, I sound like a teenager.” 

Smirking, Vernon looks down at his fingers and the red half moon on his pinky as he runs his tongue along his lips and tilts his head. “Well, I mean technically—” 

“Stop it, I’m not. We aren’t anymore. I let high school go, like forever.” Sliding down in your bed, you rest your head on the pillow, sighing into the phone, causing Vernon to have to close his eyes to the sound. “Another reason I like you so much. You don’t seem to dwell on it. High school is over, and we can start something new. Like this, right?” 

Fuck. Vernon has to pull the phone from his ear as his stomach tightens to the idea of you and the sigh you had made in his ear. You were so innocent to him and yet he wasn’t thinking completely with his brain at the moment. Nodding, he swallows hard and rubs his hand along his jeans to ground himself. “Hell, yeah.” 

Partying wasn’t really Vernon’s scene. It wasn’t even the fact that he wasn’t in the “cool” crowd; it was more that his personality didn’t mesh with how loud a party could be. Not just the music or the talking, but the atmosphere. It was all so loud and made Vernon’s head feel like it was in a vice that someone was constantly tightening the longer he stayed—and yet a party is where he found himself tonight. 

Jun loved to party. He liked the release of not having to think. He enjoyed the free beer and access to almost anything he might want to get his hands on. Jun didn’t go crazy, but if someone passed a joint, he wasn’t going to be rude and refuse a gift. 

“Dude, try to enjoy this.” 

Vernon rolls his eyes at Jun as he lifts his cup to his lips, nursing a stale beer he had picked up at the beginning of the night. Sometimes he wished he could be more like his friend. He did find watching people at parties interesting, even Jun. You could really see who someone was when they were wasted. Inhibitions were low and people’s true nature came out to play. 

“I have about fifty other things I could be doing.” Vernon wasn’t lying. It was rare that he and Jun both had a night off from the theater and he didn’t particularly want to be spending it in the house of someone who probably treated him like shit in high school. You were on Vernon’s mind, and he had been letting his eyes wander around the crowd just hoping you might show up—though this didn’t seem much like your scene. 

“Such a fuckin’ buzzkill, man. You gotta relax. That’s why I wanted you to come out with me. You gotta get out of your head. You’re spinnin’ your wheels.” Jun tried to focus on Vernon, but unlike him—who had taken the night slow, Jun had not. He was feeling just how he wanted to be feeling: light, cares were a thing of the past or a problem for tomorrow, and there was still plenty of shit to play with floating around this party. 

Shaking his head, Vernon can’t help the scoff that slips from his lips, though between Jun’s current mental state and the boom of the bass echoing off the walls, it went unheard. “I’m gonna top off.” 

Nodding, Jun turns his attention away from Vernon and towards the pretty girl with a joint resting between her fingers. Vernon, on the other hand, kept his head on a swivel as he moved into the kitchen and straight towards the keg to refill his beer. There was a mishmash of people he had gone to school with; a couple of kids he knew were still in school, but the two that caught his eye were leaned up against the farest wall. 

Vernon wasn’t sure how he hadn’t noticed Juwon and Alanna until now, but then again they had probably found a room in this godforsaken house and defiled it. Bringing the cup to his lips, Vernon furrows his brows as he follows the direction of the couple's eyes as they laugh between themselves. Jun—they were watching Jun. 

Everyone at this party was wasted—well, almost everyone, and it made no sense to Vernon why old habits had to die hard. Something you had said to him the night before was replaying in his mind as Vernon took a step back into the living room, carefully maneuvering through people as Juwon and Alanna made their way closer to Jun. 

“They just all are mentally stuck in high school. The glory days, you know?”

Well, this wasn’t fucking high school anymore. There weren’t glory days for anyone. Vernon had never gotten any, and Jun sure as hell hadn’t, so why should a group of assholes get them? 

“Thanks, fuckface.” Taking the joint from Jun’s fingers, Juwon passes it to Alanna as the girl who had given it to Jun in the first place shifts uncomfortably. “You living off scraps like a dog? Who invited you anyway?” 

Juwon had always had an issue with Jun for seemingly no problem on the surface. He had gone out of his way to make his life a living hell in high school, and it seemed that wasn’t stopping just because they had donned a cap and gown a couple of months ago. The real issue was that Jun had almost dated Alanna first. Juwon had almost lost the “great love of his life” to someone else, and now that he had her, he had to remind Jun at every given chance. 

Alanna eyes the girl sitting next to Jun harshly. She had no reason to, but she honestly didn’t like her so close to Jun. As much as she loved being at Juwon’s side and making sure that Jun remembered her as she egged the bullying on—she also enjoyed seeing him available. You just never knew if the wind would change. 

“Cut the shit out, Juwo—” 

“Who the fuck do you think you are, Wen? Walking up in this place like you belong.” 

Vernon was seething as he watched just a few feet away along with a small crowd of others. He wanted to give Jun a chance to defend himself, but he had seen this song and dance. Jun wasn’t a violent person; he wasn’t a confrontational person—and tonight he had been drinking and smoking. Juwon had an unfair advantage. 

The moment that Juwon starts to lay his hands on Jun is when Vernon can no longer just watch. Taking a couple of steps forward, he pulls Juwon back, and the anger he is feeling is evident in his eyes. Stepping in front of Jun, Vernon’s nose almost touching Juwon's, he tilts his head as he speaks just loud enough for the man to head. “Touch him again and see what happens. Take your little bitch, and get out of my face.” 

Juwon looks shocked at first, his eyes widening almost comically until a laugh bubbles in his throat. “Yo–you kiddin’? The fuck?” Alanna quickly joins in, her higher-pitched laugh grating at Vernon’s ears as the couple hangs off one another. “You’re a fuckin’ psychopath, Vernon. Almost had me scared for a minute. Shit… Seriously, you could almost pull off being a badass if everyone didn’t know you were a pussy.”

Juwon laughs again as he takes the joint from Alanna, the end of it burning orange as he smirks before inhaling deeply and blowing smoke into Vernon’s face as he pushes him out of his way. Vernon forces himself to keep his eyes open even as they burn from the smoke. He wasn’t going to let Juwon get the better of him, not tonight. Not while his nails were digging into his palms hard enough to break the skin. 

“Goodnight, ladies…” With his arm wrapped around Alanna, the last of the joint resting back between her lips, Juwon grins at Jun as he shifts uncomfortably on the arm of the couch. He had succeeded in doing what he had set out to do. Jun and Vernon had always been the outcasts in high school and at any party they went to, but now they were being looked at like they were diseased. The pretty girl who had been sitting next to Jun was long gone, and anyone else who had been seen talking to Jun before had found better company. 

“Fuck this party.” Vernon sighs, hearing how defeated Jun sounds. His eyes follow his friend as he quickly stands and moves past him, only to get a few feet before Vernon watches him fall flat on his face with a loud groan. 

Searching for the source, Vernon’s anger boils over when Juwon laughs loudly once again, throwing his hands up as he meets Vernon’s eyes. “Not my fuckin’ fault your girlfriend can’t walk. Maybe he’s too fucked up, Vern. Get him home safe; tuck him in. Kiss him goodnight for me?” 

Vernon tilts his head, refusing to respond to Juwon’s words as others around him laugh at the pathetic excuse for jokes. Instead he moves to Jun, trying to help him up, only to feel his hands get slapped away as Jun glares at him, his eyes quickly softening before he gets to his feet on his own. “I got it. I’m fine. I just want to get the fuck out of here.” 

Following Jun, doing his best to keep up, Vernon sighs as Jun tugs open the door to his car, sliding behind the wheel and wiping under his nose hard. Glancing down to the wet, sticky feeling of blood running from his nose, Jun rolls his eyes and leans his head back before meeting Vernon’s eyes and shaking his head. “I don’t wanna hear it.” 

“I wasn’t gonna say a damn thing.” That was the truth. Vernon didn’t have to say what Jun already knew. It had been a bad idea to come to this party. From the moment they had walked in, Vernon had felt it, and now Jun was bleeding because of it. “You want me to drive you home?” 

Grimacing, Jun shakes his head again and wipes under his nose, checking the heel of his hand for more blood. “No, I just—I appreciate the offer, but I wanna be alone. I’ll call you tomorrow.” 

Taking a step back, Vernon watches Jun shut his door,his eyes following the Toyota down the street until it turns the corner, leaving him alone as the sun starts to set. He knew that he should leave too. Logically, Vernon knew that it would be smart to get in his Beretta and drive off—leave all this bullshit behind, but then he hears the laughter from inside the house and logic is off the table. 

“Did you see his stupid fuckin’ face?” Juwon mimics Jun falling forward as Alanna tips back her beer, her eyes bright watching him getting attention from the small crowd around them. They weren’t Christen and you, but when it came to this scene—this is when they were King and Queen. 

Grinning as he slides his fingers along Alanna’s side, Juwon nods, agreeing to another drink as Jake slides off the couch, moving towards the kitchen to gather them for the group. “You having a good time, babe?” He knew she was; he could see that hazed, lazy look in her eyes. She was just high enough, just drunk enough, that the world didn’t matter anymore. All that mattered was right in front of her, and that was how Alanna loved to exist. 

“Mmm—so fucking good. Only be better if—” Leaning in to whisper in to Juwon’s ear, Alanna drapes her leg over his thigh, causing him to groan not only to her dirty words but also to the weight of her knee over his crotch. “Know what I mean? Can’t do that here.” 

Juwon’s finger slid down further to grip at Alanna’s hip, her skirt sliding up slightly on her thigh, causing Jake to cough as he averted his eyes. “I—shit. Got more beers... I’ll leave ‘em here. Y’all wanna use my room or somethin’? Don’t fuck on my couch, alright?” 

Pushing his tongue against his teeth, Vernon leans against the wall in the dark hall next to the bathroom as he watches the scene in front of him carefully. It was interesting how much people would let themselves go when they thought they were amongst friends or those who worshipped them. Vernon also thought it was interesting what people left just lying around—or at least what they kept in their medicine cabinets. 

Jake’s mother had been in a car accident about a year ago. Vernon remembered when that had happened. It had been dramatic for the town. She was some important bigwig businesswoman that people thought others should give a fuck about, but Vernon didn’t even know her name until today. He had learned it when he had read her name on the medicine bottle before he had pocketed the pills inside of it. 

Vernon had never been a good chemistry student, but he did know that certain things shouldn’t be taken in large dosages. The human body wasn’t made to accept opioids at an accelerated rate in large quantities. While Vernon hadn’t been great in school, he had enjoyed watching people and realizing how little they watched him. Like how Jake hadn’t paid attention as Vernon added the crushed-up pills to Alanna and Juwon’s drinks before he handed them off to the couple.

It didn’t take long for the drinks to disappear and for the expressions on their faces to change. There was a difference between being high and what they were feeling now. Moving to his feet, Juwon holds his hand to his head as Alanna shakes out her hands, trying to get a grip on herself. “Com—come on, baby. Let’s get out o—outta here.” 

Nodding along with Juwon, Alanna moves to her feet, stumbling along side of him, finding herself holding him upright as the two make their way towards his car. Had they drunk that much? Trying to think back, Alanna blinks a few times as she counts the beers to herself before her attention is brought back to the present and to Juwon when he groans weakly, his legs giving out and pulling her down with him. 

“Juwon… Shit. Wha—baby!” The euphoric feeling of fun that had been running through Alanna’s body just an hour before was long gone as she lazily swiped Juwon’s hair back, feeling warm tears running down her cheeks. All she could feel now was fear mixed with horror as she watched his eyes roll back, his breaths becoming more like choked gasps. “Baby, wake up!” 

Tilting his head, Vernon took in a deep pull from his cigarette before letting it settle in his chest for a second and blowing it out into the wind. He knew that Alanna was trying to be loud enough that others from the party would hear and come to their aid, but she was exhausted and fading. 

Shaking Juwon as hard as she can manage, Alanna sobs, unable to tell if he is breathing—the choking sounds no longer reaching her ears. Leaning back against the side of the car, she tries to focus and to find anyone to help them, but the only person she sees makes her blood run cold. Vernon smirks, flicking the last of his cigarette from his fingers before blowing out another deep breath of smoke, his eyes never leaving Alanna’s. It’s only when the girl’s head falls forward, her body slumping over Juwon's, does Vernon slide behind the wheel of his car and drive down the street. 

At this point, you were becoming numb from going to funerals. It was two days after the morbid joint memorial that Juwon and Alanna’s family had held, and though you had cried—now you just felt numb. 

You had watched Christen pass a flask back and forth between himself, Caitlin, and a few other friends in the church—that had only served to put you in an even worse headspace. To you, this entire experience should be a reason for your friends to clean up their act. Two of your friends had overdosed, and yet the others felt the need to celebrate that by trying to follow in their footsteps. 

There had been a full day of you avoiding your phone and pager. You knew that Caitlin wanted you to spend time with her and that Christen would be right on your heels, but the numbness made it easy to say no, or at least nothing at all. It wasn’t until that second day when your parents had apologized for having to leave you alone for a few days that you felt like you could finally breathe. 

You knew you should want their company. You should want the hovering of your mother and the protective shield of your father, but all you wanted was space from the usual. So, when someone knocks at your door just a couple of hours after you had gotten that space, you find yourself almost willing to let them get tired of knocking as you lay on the couch. 

“Y/N?” 

Furrowing your brows at the sound of your name, you glance towards the front door before sitting up and wrapping your arms around yourself. You had expected either Christen or Caitlin to come demanding your attention, or even someone from the local church to visit with a casserole, but you hadn’t expected to hear Vernon’s voice. 

Opening the door slowly, you meet his eyes and Vernon’s soft smile almost makes you collapse at how easily he starts to seep through that numbness that had taken over your being. “Hi… Why—I mean… Do you wanna come in?”

Vernon isn’t surprised when you start to ask him why he’s there. He had tried to call you, but you weren’t picking up your phone. He could see the look on your face. You looked like you hadn’t slept well in a few days. He didn’t want to pity you, but there was something about that pout on your pretty lips that almost broke his heart. 

“Yeah—yes, I mean sure. If you want me to, I mean, you know if your parents won’t freak the fuck out.” Vernon watches you shake your head as you take a step back and open the door more for him. Moving past you, Vernon takes in a deep breath, feeling slightly overwhelmed by the idea of being inside your house. He had wanted this for so long; he knew that if he went up those stairs and to the right, the last door had to be your room. God, he wanted to see your room. 

“My parents aren’t here.” Sighing softly, you close the door, locking it behind you before watching Vernon as he looks around a bit. “They left this morning to go out of town. Should be back next week sometime.” 

Raising his brows, Vernon looks at a picture of your family—your mother sitting in a chair as you stand beside her and your father behind you both, his hands on either of your shoulders. It was such a classic family photo, and yet to him it looked so fucking fake. Vernon could see you that weren’t as happy as you pretended to be in the picture; there was a fakeness to the smile. He had seen a real smile from you, and he wanted to see it again. 

“Oh—that’s… They left you with all this shit going on? That’s kinda fucked—” Hissing under his breath, Vernon meets your eyes and lets out a long sigh. “I’m sorry, it’s none of my business and I’m sure they have their reasons. I just worry about you in this big ass house alone with everything—this house seems lonely, Y/N.” 

You wrap your arms back around yourself, suddenly feeling cold at all that Vernon is pointing out. The house was too big for just you, and it was a bit lonely... Yet you were still enjoying that solitude—minus him. You liked him there. “It’s not so bad; I mean, you’re here. It’s not lonely now. I—and honestly, they were smothering me. I needed a break from them. I needed one from every—that sounds bad.” 

It didn’t sound bad to Vernon. That was something that he understood better than anyone. Sometimes you just needed a break from everyone and everything. If it wasn’t necessary, you had to rid yourself of it. He was finding out he was good at that—very good, in fact. 

Taking one step closer, Vernon smiles slightly, his lips pulling up at one side as he tries his luck a bit to be in your space. He wants to be less of a coward and reach out, take your hand or pull you into his arms, but the fear of pushing you away keeps him just far enough away that you tilt your head and give him that sweet smile that makes Vernon’s stomach twist up in knots. “It’s completely fucking fair, Y/N. I—look, I was hoping that I wasn’t bothering you. I wanted to check on you and… Fuck I don’t know what I was thinking. I missed you. I just wanted to see your pretty face, honestly.” 

Looking down, you press your lips together, trying to keep your reaction hidden. You feel the heat spread across your cheeks, and it only gets hotter as Vernon chuckles and takes one step closer to you. “Y/N?” Watching his hand tremble slightly, your lips pull up in a small smile as he works up the courage to lift his hand to your face, his fingers carefully tilting your head up so you will meet his eyes once again. 

“I’m listening.” You knew you probably shouldn’t let yourself enjoy the feeling of Vernon’s calloused fingers on your cheek, but you were. You should be sad right now, hidden in your room mourning the loss of your friends. But as you meet Vernon’s eyes, all you feel are the butterflies in your stomach. “I—would…” Taking a deep breath, you close the distance between yourself and Vernon, causing him to take a deep breath in return. “Could you hangout for a while? I don’t think I wanna be alone.” 

Vernon’s skin erupts with goosebumps as your fingers trace his forearm up to his rest, where you wrap your delicate hand around his wrist. He expects you to move his hand from your face, but instead you lean into his touch, your head tilted as you wait for him to answer you. Swallowing hard, he nods while tracing your cheekbone, feeling the soft skin under his thumb. “‘Course I will.” 

Listening to the sound of popcorn popping a room away, Vernon runs his fingers over the couch underneath him. It would be a lie to say he wasn’t nervous. You terrified him just as much as you enthralled him. Finally reaching for the small assortment of VHS tapes on the coffee table in front of them, Vernon reads over the titles, trying to make a decision. 

You had left the movie choice in Vernon’s hands, declaring that he would have the most expertise in that field while you would take care of snacks. Leaning against the kitchen counter, you tap your foot against the cold ceramic tiles as you gnaw at your thumb nail watching the popcorn bag spin in the microwave on the countertop in front of you. Your stomach was in knots. You wanted Vernon there, and yet there was that sense of breaking the rules hanging over your head. There was a looming air of risk weighing on you that made you feel like you were in another dimension as you thought about where the night could go—Vernon’s hand on your cheek, his lips on yours—BEEP BEEP BEEP! 

Gasping, you put your hand to your chest, your eyes closed as the microwave comes to a stop, pulling you out of your daydream and back to reality. Emptying the popcorn into a bowl, you balance it on your arm as you carry two cans of soda against your stomach with your other hand making your way back to the living room and Vernon. 

“If we want something to eat in a bit, I can order pizza. Jerry’s is open until 9 o'clock.” Putting the bowl onto the table, you smile at Vernon as he makes a sound, realizing you were so close. Letting him take the sodas from you, you sit on the couch near him, keeping a space between the two of you as you let out a sigh, your eyes moving over the tapes to see what he had picked. 

“Whatever you want... I can always eat, but this is great.” Popping a piece of popcorn into his mouth, Vernon glances at you first and then down to the marginal space between himself and you. It made sense; it wasn’t like the two of you were dating really. Things had been discussed, but being interested and wanting to see where things went didn’t mean it was official. Still, the space made Vernon furrow his brows and caused his stomach to tighten with anxiety. “Yo—you good, Y/N? Is Seven okay?” 

Smiling softly, you shift a bit on the couch, your fingers under your thighs, letting the end of your denim shorts catch between your fingers as you bite at your lips anxiously. “Mmm, yeah. I’m fine. I’ve never seen it; my dad buys most of the movies.” Moving back to your feet, you swipe the VHS from the table and kneel in front of the entertainment center as Vernon watches you carefully. “Is it really scary? I mean—it’s totally okay if it is. Brad Pitt is hot, so that makes up for my trauma.” 

Vernon grins watching you put the tape into the VCR, your head tilting as you sigh and press the rewind button, realizing that your dad hadn’t done it after his last watch of the movie. “It’s not too bad. More thriller and a bit gory. If you don’t like it, we can cut it off and try something else.” 

Getting back to your feet, you shake your head and move back towards Vernon, offering him the remote before taking your seat. “I’m not that much of a wuss. Besides, you won’t let the movie hurt me, right?” You knew it was a pathetic attempt at flirting, but the slight smile on Vernon’s lips and the flush running along his ears to his neck made you feel a bit better about how nervous you were. 

“Nah… never. Wouldn’t let anything hurt you, honestly.” Leaning back against the cushions, Vernon doesn’t see your expression change as he presses play and pops a few more kernels of popcorn into his mouth. He doesn’t seem to understand how much his words effect you and how your heart beats quicker in your chest. It doesn’t seem to dawn on him until you slide closer to him, your legs tucked up under you so that you can rest your shoulder against his arm. 

Struggling to watch the movie, Vernon stays in the same awkward position for the first forty-five minutes of the movie. His eyes move from the television to your face, the pout on your lips becoming more evident as time ticks by, until finally you sigh and reach forward to grab a handful of popcorn, letting Vernon take a much-needed breath. 

He leans his head back, cursing under his breath as you stay forward on your knees for what seems like an impossible amount of time, when in truth it’s only a few seconds—long enough to take a sip of your drink to wash down your popcorn. When you lean back, you gasp quietly under your breath before lifting your eyes towards Vernon, finding yourself tucked into his side. Now your cheeks were burning, and you could feel Vernon’s fingers brushing together against your shoulder as he took a deep breath, seeming to need it for courage as he kept his eyes forward with his arm behind you on the couch. 

You felt perfect against his side, and it was almost devastating to Vernon. You smelled sweet and just as warm as you felt; it was causing him to almost feel lightheaded. Lifting his free hand to his lips, Vernon rubs at them as he glances down at you, being careful not to move his head. God, you were so beautiful. He had looked at you so many times, and he had been close enough to look at you, but never this close. If he really wanted to, Vernon was almost convinced he could take the time to count your eyelashes or freckles while he admired your face. 

Grimacing at the movie, you whine, finding yourself tucking your body and head against Vernon, wanting to get away from the sight of blood and filth in front of you. “So gross…” Fingers brush over your hair and Vernon smiles behind his fingers, finally moving them as he meets your eyes, knowing he has your attention. 

“Is it too much?” 

Rubbing your lips together, you can’t help the way you take in a deep breath of Vernon’s cologne, letting it invade your senses. Looking from his eyes to his lips and back, you shyly smile before you shake your head. “It’s okay.” 

You were saying one thing, and your body language was telling Vernon something completely different—and yet the movie was beginning to not matter. Vernon could almost feel the path of your eyes as they move to his lips before his eyes take the same walk down your face and he feels your fingers gently trace the sleeve of his t-shirt where it sits on his bicep. Did you want him to kiss you? All signs were pointing to yes…

The feeling of Vernon’s fingers on your chin this time is almost electric as he gently keeps your head in place, leaning down to test the waters by brushing his lips against yours. Resting his nose along yours, he smiles when your fingers close against his arm, dragging your nails along his skin gently. “Y/N... is that what you want? I gotta know. I don’t wanna do anything you don’t want.” 

God, your head was spinning. For your entire high school existence and the short time you have had outside of it trying to navigate being a woman, you had never been asked what you wanted. Christen never asked. He told and took, or at least he tried. There had been so many times when he had almost taken things from you that you would have never been able to get back, and now as you clung to Vernon, his lips hovering over yours and that question on his lips—you yearned. 

“Please? Kiss me? I want it.” 

Vernon’s brows furrow tightly, almost painfully so at how needy you sound. His lips meet yours gently, but not without meaning. He doesn’t want to scare you, but he also doesn’t want to risk you slipping through his fingers as he tastes your lip balm on his tongue. 

To Vernon, you seem delicate, almost as if he were to hold you too tightly, he might break you. It’s almost frustrating to you when you whine into the most breathtaking kiss you had ever received and Vernon’s hand tightens on your hip only for him to shakily loosen his grip and move his hand as if he’s afraid of something. 

Shifting on the couch, you open your eyes, moving your leg slowly along Vernon’s thigh to see how he will react. You furrow your brows, feeling a rush of arousal, your panties beginning to stick to your folds when Vernon groans your name from deep in his throat to the feeling of the warmth between your legs against his jeans. 

“Shit—I… Y/N, I gotta—” Vernon leans his head back, his eyes searching the ceiling as you stay still, almost afraid to move based on his reaction and the feeling bubbling inside of you. Glancing over his face and down along his neck, you finally make up your mind, leaning forward to press your lips to the junction between Vernon’s jaw and his neck and listening to his breath quicken. 

Hands slide along your legs to the end of your shorts, where Vernon forces himself to stop and let his hands rest even as his fingers knead at your soft thighs. He could feel how hard he was getting from the feeling of your warmth against his leg and your soft, plush lips on his throat.  “Y/N…” 

Your name was starting to sound like a prayer on Vernon’s lips, as if it were the only thing keeping him grounded and sitting on the couch. “I like you, Vernon. Like a lot, if that isn’t clear.” Groaning in a mixture of frustration and pleasure, Vernon lifts one hand from your leg to run his fingers through his hair, tugging gently to bring himself back to reality. You were making it hard for him to keep his head clear as you traced the collar of his shirt and adjusted your leg over his. 

“I think it’s painfully obvious that I like you too.” Sighing, Vernon meets your eyes as you smile at him. Your face is so sweet, not a bit of malice or ill intent behind your eyes. There is something so innocent and pure about you that makes him equally excited and horrified. “I’m enjoying this. I’m ju—I’m enjoying it a little too much.” 

You weren’t stupid or completely naive. You could feel how hard Vernon was as you dared to slide your leg further up his, resting your knee dangerously close to his crotch. It wasn’t like you hadn’t made out with guys or that you had been around Christen when he had gotten too excited, but this was different. You wanted to be here. You wanted more with Vernon, and you knew what it meant and how it would change things. 

“That’s okay, right? It’s just—you know, just us here. Um, if we wanted to, you know.” 

Tilting his head, Vernon can’t stop the way his lips pull up in a soft, amused smile at your phrasing. Were you embarrassed to ask him for more, or were you afraid to say the words? Or was it something else? Were you even more pure than he thought? 

“Wanted to what, Y/N? Make out? We already were…” 

Whining at Vernon’s words, you shift even closer to him as you shake your head no firmly. “I—no, I mean yes. I want to kiss you so much. Keep kissing me, but more. I mean, if—if you want me like that.” 

The moment that your confidence seems to wane, Vernon’s brows furrow and his hand moves to your neck, pulling you closer for a deep kiss that once again takes your breath. Gasping into the kiss, you feel a rush of excitement run through your body as his other hand slips around to your ass, fingers slipping into your back pocket. 

“You got literally no fucking idea how much I want you like that or how long I’ve—God, baby.” The pet name slips off Vernon’s lips as a soft whine before he can stop himself. A rush of fear moves through him quickly, but when you smile on his lips and shift over his lap to sit on his thighs, Vernon’s anxiety melts away. “Are you sure?”

Nodding, you let your knees slide to either side of Vernon’s legs, a soft gasp escaping your lips when you finally feel the bulge of his cock press against the center of your legs. “Uh huh, I’m sure, but—god, it’s so embarrassing.” Lowering your head to press your face against Vernon’s neck, you only feel shame for a moment before his hand slides over your back to join the other on your ass, helping you gently grind down over his jeans. “Oh…” 

This had to be a dream—some perfect wet dream that Vernon would wake up from with his boxers sticky from cum. There was no way you were actually rolling your hips down over his cock, and those pretty little whines were real, but it all felt real. You were warm on his lap, your pussy almost hot even through your shorts. Your ass felt soft in his hands as Vernon tightened his fingers over the denim, trying to keep himself from throwing you down on the floor and fucking you right there in front of the family portrait over the fireplace. “Fuck—don’t be embarrassed in front of me, please? What’s wrong? Talk to me, baby.” 

Kissing gently at Vernon’s neck, you furrow your brows, feeling his fingers run over your head as he asks you to talk to him. Taking his hand when he moves it to your neck, you link your fingers with Vernon’s before nodding. “I’ve never done this before, Vernon. I wanna do it. I wanna—I want it with you, but I just don’t wanna fuck it up.” 

If there was a way for Vernon to die, go to heaven, and end up back on your couch in the span of seconds, it had happened. Staring up at you, he licks his lips, trying to come up with the right words before finally shaking his head and letting out a sigh. “You’re perfect. You couldn’t fuck up a single thing even if you tried.” 

Patting your thighs, Vernon helps you to your feet and offers you his hand as you give him a confused look. “I’m not doing this on your couch in your living room, Y/N. You deserve so much better than that.” Gently tugging at your hand, he leads you towards the staircase, and you find yourself enamored by Vernon as he leads you to your bedroom. 

While Vernon had thought being in your house was overwhelming, being in your bedroom was like being inside of his dreams. It was like being inside your head and learning how to understand you from the inside out. Dropping your hand for a moment, he moves to turn on your bedside lamp before turning back to you and offering you his hand as you tilt your head and laugh softly. “How did you know which room was mine?” 

You watch Vernon’s eyes shift to your window quickly before he laughs and shrugs into a sigh, his arms wrapping around you while he walks backwards towards your bed. “Lucky guess and I followed my nose. It smells like your perfume.” Vernon wasn’t going to tell you that he had counted your windows hundreds of times and that he had guessed the layout of your house, perhaps knowing it better than his own. No, he wasn’t going to fuck up the best thing that had ever happened to him as you looked up at him like he had hung the stars in the sky. 

“Oh… I bet I could find your room like that too. Your cologne smells so good; it’s my favorite thing.” Leaning forward, you rest your nose in the crook of Vernon’s neck, taking in a breath and Vernon thinks he could die right then and there. Yes, he liked you, but that wasn’t strong enough for the emotions that you made him feel—he loved you. 

“Jesus, Y/N… You don’t even fucking understand what you’re doing to me. I—here, lay down. Let me—I gotta take care of you, right? Make this matter.” Carefully turning with you in his arms, Vernon walks you backwards until your knees hit your bed. “I got you.” Resting his knee beside you, Vernon keeps his eyes locked on yours as he helps you lay back on your bed, a pillow under your head—another picture from a dream he’s had a hundred times. 

Trailing his fingers slowly along your side, Vernon shakes his head as you shift under him, squirming slightly in anticipation. “You’re telling me that no one else has touched you like this?” When you whine his name, Vernon smiles, the warm, soft feeling of your skin under his fingertips as he pushes your shirt up your torso towards your breasts, exposing your body to him... inch by inch. 

“It’s just a question. I just can’t believe I’m this fucking lucky. Crazy to me actually…” Vernon’s words make your cheeks heat up, but any complaints you have die on your tongue when his lips gently brush over your stomach. “But I’ll take care of you... Make you feel good, I promise.” 

You find yourself wondering how many people Vernon had been with before you, but before you can ask, a moan slips from your lips at the feeling of his warm breath and kisses moving along your skin. You knew this would feel good—having someone touch you, kissing you—but you had no idea it would be this good when he had just started. 

“Please… please? Can I see you? ‘M so nervous, Vernon... Don’t tease me.” 

Vernon could tell you were nervous. You were trembling under him. Every kiss brought out a new shiver and more goosebumps. He knew it wasn’t fear, because if he even for a moment thought you were afraid of him, Vernon would stop. That was his worst nightmare—a world where you weren’t safe and happy. 

“Not teasing, baby. I’m exploring… I’m—mm…” Chuckling against your skin, Vernon hisses, almost afraid to say what he wants to, but a glance up to meet your eyes gives him the confidence he needs. “I’m loving you. Lift your hips for me, angel.” 

Wiggling your hips from side to side, you grip at the bedding under you as Vernon works your jean shorts down your thighs and finally off your legs. In that moment, feeling Vernon’s hand running along your leg back towards your thigh, you find yourself happy that you had taken the time to shave your legs. The thought seems trivial and silly, but the feeling of his rougher hands on your soft skin is better than anything you’ve ever felt before. 

“You’re so beautiful. The most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen in my goddamn life, you know that?” Vernon grins as you let out a soft, happy sound to his words and also to the feeling of his lips against your knee. It was killing him to go so slowly, but it was what you deserved. He could just imagine Christen throwing you on the bed and shoving his cock in you. Some bastard who didn’t give a shit about anything other than getting his dick wet, watching you cry, not even from pleasure as he got his rocks off... No, Vernon wasn’t about to treat you like that. He would never treat you like that. 

“Can I?” Sucking in a breath as you feel the back of Vernon’s finger trace the lace around your thigh near the center of your legs, you glance down between your legs and whine. You could see how wet you were and there was no way that Vernon hadn’t noticed too. He was being so respectful, and you loved that he was asking. “Hm? Can I take these off too?” 

“Yeah…” Your voice is quieter than you mean for it to be so you nod, making sure that Vernon meets your eyes. Lifting your hips one more time, you quickly close your eyes when you feel air hit your wet folds and Vernon helps you lift your legs one at a time until your panties are discarded on the floor with your shorts. 

All Vernon wanted was for you to look at him, but the embarrassment was written on your face like a book. This was the first time anyone had seen you like this and he wasn’t going to push you. He was going to help you and ease you into feeling more comfortable. “Pretty girl, it’s just us. I want you to know that you are perfect. Everything about you, from your head to your toes.” 

Your quiet laugh causes Vernon’s lips to pull up in a smile. He loved that sound and he meant what he said. Slowly moving his hands along your legs, Vernon lets you decide when to spread your legs and he does his best to muffle his groan when he is able to take you in completely. “Shh—okay. Perfect, baby. You still okay?” 

Whimpering his name under your breath, you open your eyes to meet Vernon’s and wonder if that was a mistake when you find him watching you closely. Lifting your arm to put it over your eyes for a second before raising it over your arm, you nod and wiggle down in the bed towards Vernon as his breath quickens. “Yeah… Still wanna see you.” 

A scoff slips from between Vernon’s lips and he nods, forcing himself to pull his eyes away from you. It was difficult. You were every bit his wet dream a thousand times over as you lay on the bed naked from the waist down, your shirt bunched up under your perfect tits. “You can see me. Whatever you want.” 

Sitting up on your elbows, you bite your lips as you watch Vernon stand at the end of your bed. Your instinct is your move—to help him as he pulls his shirt over his head or as he undoes his belt, but instead you find yourself frozen in a trance. It isn’t until Vernon pushes his thumbs into the top of his boxers, his eyes meeting yours, that you glance away only to hear him laugh under his breath and whisper your name. 

“Don’t be so shy about it. Even if we just end up making out, I’m not gonna be disappointed, alright? You wanted to see me... Is that still true?” Nodding, you slowly move your eyes over Vernon’s body, letting out a deep breath. You felt childish, like you were still stuck in high school until the exact moment that Vernon’s boxers hit the ground and your eyes met his with want. 

Running his hand over his mouth, Vernon stiffles a groan at the look on your face and to the relief of pressure being off of his cock. He wanted more; he needed more... but this was a start. You were looking at him like he was a full-course meal and he wasn’t planning on making you wait much longer. 

“God, you can’t keep looking at me like that. Come ‘ere…” Helping you sit up more, Vernon meets your eyes with a smile before quickly pressing his lips to yours, his hands working your shirt over your chest. Humming against his lips, you lift your arms, letting him break the kiss to help you out of the shirt completely before his lips are right back on yours. 

Skin meets skin and you find your thighs brushing together at the feeling of Vernon’s cock resting on your lower stomach as his fingers work the clasp of your bra open at the middle of your back. “Oh my god... Please go faster, Vernon.” 

There was that want and need in your voice again. Vernon has already been leaking onto your skin, but with those words, he felt his cock jerk, a rush of pre-cum oozing along your stomach as he tugs your bra from your arms and tosses it over his head, not caring where it lands. 

“Fuck.” There wasn’t much more that Vernon could think to say as he looked at you now. Your lips bitten and swollen from his kisses, your breasts rising and falling quickly with each deep breath, and your knee running along his hip. The moment he feels your warm, wet folds on his thigh, Vernon thinks he’s died one more time. It wasn’t like he had fucked many other girls in his life. A couple of hookups at shitty parties, but none of them had mattered and none of them had made him feel like he was going to lose his fucking mind. He had always heard that your first time, the one who took your virginity was supposed to be the one that you remembered forever… Right now he couldn’t even remember her name, much less her face, as you looked up at him and ran your fingers along his jaw. 

“Are you gonna—” Swallowing hard, you struggle for the right word, but your cheeks bloom with heat and Vernon smiles. “Don’t make fun of me. It’s hard… I don’t know how to say it without sounding gross. I want you... Put it in.” 

God, Vernon felt like he could cum on the spot hearing you say something like that. He wanted to be inside of you, but that wasn’t how this should work. He watches how you pout, a full frown forming on your pretty lips when he shakes his head. Pressing a kiss to your lips, Vernon groans before working the kisses to your cheek and down your jaw to your neck as he speaks quietly. “I will, I promise... Just not yet. I’m not an asshole, baby. It’s not gonna feel good at first, no matter what I do, but I gotta make sure you're ready either way. You understand?” 

You weren’t a child; you had touched yourself plenty of times and Christen had tried to show you porn to see how embarrassed you would get. You knew what Vernon was talking about, but seeing and feeling was different. With a breath getting caught in your throat, you run your fingers through Vernon’s hair as he kisses the top of each of your breasts, glancing up at you to make sure you are okay before running his tongue around one of your nipples. Arching from the mattress, you moan behind tight lips, your brows furrowed as Vernon smiles against your skin, sucking the bud into his mouth gently. 

“Holy shit… That feels so good. Your mouth…” It all felt so dirty, like you shouldn’t be able to experience it, and yet as Vernon’s fingers caressed your stomach moving lower, your head just got clouded with arousal. The first pass of his thumb between your folds is like being shocked by a live wire. Any attempt you had at being quiet fails, your lips falling open in a breathy moan that has Vernon groaning against your soft breast as he repeats the motion. “Please, please, please...” 

Your pleads sound like a prayer—a song of worship sang by a true believer as you lift your hips and roll them towards Vernon’s fingers as he uses his knuckles and thumb to massage your clit. “You’re so wet, Y/N.” Vernon had said your name and he was talking about you, but you weren’t sure he was actually speaking to you. It was more that he was saying the words on his mind out loud in wonder as he finally eased his index finger into your tight hole, feeling you clench down around him like a vice. 

“Baby… Fuck—” Vernon’s voice gets caught in his throat as he rests his forehead against your chest, working his finger into you, feeling your arousal seeping around it. “Relax for me. Let me help you feel good, huh?” 

You were trying to relax, but Vernon’s finger was deep inside of you and you could feel every time he would bend his knuckle, raking the pad of his finger back towards your stomach. It was overwhelming how good it felt and how much you wanted more. To you, it made no sense how you could already feel so full and yet so empty. “Uh huh…” 

“That’s my girl.”

Vernon’s voice had dropped an octave and as if that wasn’t hot enough, he had called you his girl. God, you wanted to be his girl. You hadn’t realized how much you wanted that until he said it. You wanted to be his, only his for the rest of your life. You knew it was silly, that this was probably that first time euphoria taking over you, but looking into Vernon’s brown eyes as he smiled up at you sliding down further into the bed... You were falling in love with his boy. 

Using his other hand to separate your folds, Vernon groans under his breath as he glances from you back to what he is doing before leaning in to run his tongue from his finger to your clit. He hadn’t warned you, but being between your legs, his mouth level with your pussy should have told you everything you needed to know, in his opinion. Yet, when you practically scream his name, your mouth falling open in shock, Vernon just grins and latches on to your clit rendering you speechless. 

This was like nothing you had ever felt before. You had fingered yourself before, played with your clit... but having Vernon’s mouth on you? That was pushing you over the edge so fast that you couldn’t think straight. There were no intelligent thoughts in your brain; the only thing that was there was Vernon, Vernon, Vernon... 

Trying to lift your hips, you let out a choked moan when a second finger eases in to you next to the first. The feeling of being full and wet skyrockets you to the moon and back; your thighs shake on either side of Vernon’s head and before you can warn him, the coil that had been so quickly winding inside of you snaps. 

Closing his eyes, Vernon groans loudly, feeling your thighs close around his head as you cum. He knew it was coming. He could feel your walls squeezing his fingers—the way you were pushing your hips down over his hand trying to fuck yourself. When you finally let your legs fall to either side, apologies slipping from your lips, Vernon silences them by slowly slipping his fingers from you so he can replace them with his tongue. 

Fingers tightly grip at brown locks as you struggle to not trap Vernon’s head between your thighs once again. You sob out his name on a moan, tears running down your cheeks as your thighs begin to shake once again. “I can’t—oh, my god. It almost hurts, Vernon.” 

Furrowing his brows, Vernon groans at how good you taste, but your words make him find his restraint. Licking his lips, he takes a deep breath and meets your eyes with blown-out pupils, his hips pressed firmly into your comforter to keep himself from rutting against it. “‘M sorry, baby. You taste so good. I don’t want it to hurt; I just want you to feel good.” 

Vernon’s lips pull into a soft smile when you reach for him. Sliding up in the bed between your legs, he kisses your jaw and then your lips before gliding his tongue along yours, letting you taste yourself. Making a face, your brows knitting together, you pull back from Vernon to pout up at him and shake your head as his fingers lightly stroke your side. “Tastes awful… But I do feel good—so, so good. I—I want this. I want it all. Can I—you?” 

A laugh starts to leave Vernon’s mouth, along with a comeback about how you taste like candy to him when your hand wraps around his cock and nothing he was going to say is left in his head. Groaning, he rests his forehead against yours, letting out a shaky breath before wrapping his hand loosely over yours and guiding it over his shaft in a slow stroke from base to tip and back. 

“Tru—trust me… I want you to. I want so much with you, but fuck. If I let you do this or anything else…” A long groan of your name falls from Vernon’s lips as he meets your eyes, looking for mercy, when you break free from his hand and trace the slit in his head with your thumb, feeling pre-cum ooze around your finger. “Babe, I’ll cum before I can fuck you. I can’t bounce back as quickly as you and I really—don’t do this to me. Please, beautiful.” 

You could see yourself getting addicted to the power of having Vernon’s cock in your hand. You loved how you were reducing him to breathy moans and begging, but you wanted to feel him inside of you. You wanted him to be your first and you wanted it today. You didn’t want to wait anymore. Lightly scratching your nails along the underside of his shaft, you pull your fingers from Vernon, watching him choke on his breath, his arms shaking as he struggles to keep himself above you. “Okay, Vernon, but I wanna do this next time.” 

Next time. Those two words made Vernon feel like he was levitating. You didn’t want this to be a one-time thing. You wanted him in your life. Groaning deeply, Vernon nods, leaning down to capture your lips as he uses his left hand to pin your right wrist to the bed, keeping it away from his cock. “You can do whatever you want to me next time. I swear to god.” 

Silence takes over the room; only your shaky breaths are left as Vernon’s thumb strums at your pulse point over your wrist. You had asked for this, and now that it was going to happen, you found yourself once again so nervous that you felt like you could faint. Vernon could see it in your eyes, all those nerves racing through your mind. There was enough stress on you; this should take it away, not add more… He’d do what he had to in order to let you know this wasn’t scary. 

“Okay, baby? Rest your knee against my hip, keep your leg up... Should make it easier. I’ll go slow, and if you don’t like anything, you tell me right away. I’ll stop. I won’t be mad or sad.” Seeing the pout on your lips even as you move your leg like you were asked to do, Vernon copies it and shakes his head. “I like you so fucking much, Y/N. I liked you before we got in this bed and I’ll like you once we are out of it. This is a goddamn dream come true, angel.” 

It was almost like you could hear him telling you that he loved you, and while it scared you, it also made you relax under Vernon. The brush of his thumb over your warm cheek, his lips lazily moving over yours as he lined himself up with you and began to ease himself into you—it was all overwhelmingly perfect. 

Furrowing your brows to the stretch and then a stinging pain, you hiss on Vernon’s lips, causing him to look down at you as he finally bottoms out in you, feeling you clench around him. “Wait—” Nodding, Vernon bites at his lips, watching you closely as you seem to try to work out some internal problem, but as the pain starts to fade and your face relaxes so does his anxiety. “Okay, I’m okay. You can move.” 

He wanted to. Vernon’s brain was telling him to fuck you hard and fast, but his heart reminded him who you were and where he was so he kept it slow. Each thrust smooth and steady so he could keep his eyes on your pretty face, watching for any signs of discomfort, but the deeper and longer he went, he only saw bliss. “Is it good? You like it?” 

There weren’t words to describe how much you enjoyed the feeling of Vernon inside of you. It was as if you were made to be one and for you to feel this full, but as he kept his pace slow and his thrusts almost too shallow, you couldn’t explain the frustration building inside of you until it snapped. “Mmmhm, more? Can I have more?” 

Closing his eyes to hide how they were rolling back in his head from pleasure to your words, Vernon nods and buries his face in the crook of your neck. He was dying for more. He would have kept this pace for the entire time if it was what you wanted, but it would have been torture for him, but those words... and asking for more? 

“I’ll give you the fucking world. So, yeah, baby, I’ll give you more.” 

Vernon’s choice of words makes you smile, a bit giddy at how love struck he sounds but your moment is short lived because he stays true to his words. A loud gasping moan falls from your lips as Vernon’s hips meet yours hard, his cock buried in you so deep you wonder how you are possibly able to fit all of him. The drag of his tip as he pulls almost all the way out of you almost makes you cry in fear you are losing him but then he is back inside of you as if he never left, his hips rutting against yours harder and faster. 

“This what you wanted? More? Tell me it’s what you wanted.” 

Tears once again form in your eyes as you nod, feeling that familiar tightening in your stomach. You couldn’t believe how quickly Vernon could get you to your orgasm. There had been nights when you would lay on your back, your fingers working hard only to find no satisfaction. Yet Vernon was making you cry with how good he could make you feel. “Please, yes! So good… It’s what I want, Vernon. Don’t stop, please. I’m gonna—” 

You couldn’t even say that you were going to cum? God, you were perfect. Vernon’s perfect, pure little untainted rose that he was going to keep unsoiled by anyone else for the rest of his life if he had his way about it. Nipping at your jaw, Vernon groans loudly, feeling himself getting close to his own climax as your walls tighten and quiver around him. “Yeah? You gonna cum for me, baby? Say it… Do it for me? I wanna hear you say it.” 

Pushing your head back against the pillow, you sob Vernon’s name as his fingers slip between your legs to rub at your clit as his cock fills you full, keeping you right on the edge. You find yourself wanting to give him exactly what he wants, even if it makes your entire body feel like it’s on fire and like you are going against every single moral thing you know. Biting your lips, you whimper, your words a whisper—yet Vernon smiles hearing each one. “I’m gonna cum for you.” 

A deep thrust, one that sends you towards the headboard as his fingers circle your clit without mercy, makes you do exactly that. Choking on your moans, you feel Vernon’s thumb wipe under your eyes pushing away your tears as he whispers your name and how good you are before he groans deep and pulls from you suddenly. 

Warm, sticky cum paints your stomach as Vernon’s hand strokes his cock quickly. Panting groans spill from between his lips as he sits back on his knees and lets his eyes move over your body to your face as you look up at him trying to catch your breath. 

“Fuck, babe…” Running his hand over his mouth, Vernon sighs, glancing down at the pool of cum on your stomach, running towards the top of your mound and he swears his cock could get hard again. “I—shit. Whi—which room is the bathroom? I’m gonna get a washcloth and clean this off you.”

Gesturing to the hall, you mutter across the hall, watching Vernon roll from your bed and towards your door. The more time that passes, even as you listen to the sound of water from a room over, you feel your chest get heavy—a deep sense of dread washing over you as tears once again threaten your eyes. This time when the tears spill over your cheeks, they aren’t from pleasure and you find yourself confused as to why you feel so upset after something that felt so good. 

Washcloth in hand, Vernon sighs only to stop in his tracks seeing you crying. “Wh—shit. No, what’s wrong?” Sitting on the bed beside of you, he runs his fingers through your hair while using his other hand to carefully clean your stomach. The moment he is back on your bed, his hands on you, the dread you had felt starts to fade, your chest feeling lighter. 

“I–” Swallowing hard, you shake your head and lean into Vernon’s touch as he slides down in the bed and pulls you into his arms, letting you curl up against him tightly. “I don’t know. I felt so alone all of a sudden and scared.” 

Shushing you, Vernon kisses your forehead, running his hand along your back as your fingers scratch lightly at his stomach, causing him to suck in a breath. “I’m—fuck… I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have left you right after like that. I didn’t even think. That was so stupid. I just didn’t want all that shit to dry on your skin. I’m not gonna leave you, baby. I promise.” 

Promise. That word makes your heart jump and you wrap your arm around Vernon’s waist, pulling yourself even closer to him. You knew that there was a risk of falling in love with the person who took your virginity, but that wasn’t what this was. This was something more. This was more about who Vernon was and the type of person he was. 

Pressing a kiss to Vernon’s chest, you look up after to find him smiling down at you. It was taking everything in you not to say those three little words that he wanted to hear more than anything. 

Tapping his fingers against his steering wheel, Christen sighs loudly as he turns on to your street. He was annoyed. You hadn’t been answering your phone, and you had avoided him for two days. 

It wasn’t like he didn’t know what was going on. He was feeling some sort of way after going to the funeral too, but that didn’t mean he was going to be a bitch and cut people off from his life like you were. Clearly you were just dealing with shit and needed to be checked on. 

Pushing his tongue against his cheek, Christen stares at the car in your driveway as if it will disappear. There was no fucking way that car was in your driveway. Your parents cars weren’t there, but Vernon Chwe’s was? Something was fucked up and he was fuming. 

Slamming his car into park and leaning forward to look at your house, Christen narrows his eyes at what lights are on. Where could you and this freak be? What were you two doing? He wasn’t sure what pissed him off more. The fact that Vernon was at your house. The fact that he was at your house alone with you. Or the fact that your bedroom light was on while the rest of the house was dark. 

“Motherfucker—I should…” The words trail off Christen’s lips as his eyes fall back on the Beretta, his blood boiling. If Vernon could taint something precious that belonged to him, he would ruin something precious of his. 

Taking a deep breath, Vernon smiles when he realizes that you are in his arms. The smell of your shampoo and perfume almost overwhelms his senses even before he opens his eyes and pulls you a bit closer. He probably shouldn’t have stayed over, but after everything that happened, he couldn’t see himself leaving you—he didn’t want to leave you. 

You had been beautiful the night before, but in the morning light that could make it through your curtains, you were stunning. Vernon usually didn’t like the mornings. He preferred to sleep in until later in the day and spend his time out later at night, but for you—to see this, he’d get up at the crack of dawn. 

“Mmm…” Stretching against Vernon, you turn in his arms, nuzzling your nose against his chest. You were beginning to wake up, but everything around you still felt like the best dream ever. You were warm and safe in Vernon’s arms. Nothing bad could possibly happen to you ever again. There was nothing else besides what was in this room right now that mattered. 

Leaning to brush your hair from your forehead, Vernon smirks a bit to himself as your nose wrinkles a bit and you seem to try to hide from his touch and the light by burying your face even closer to his body. “Baby…” The word slips from Vernon’s tongue like candy and you smile against his skin, remembering how many times he had called you that the night before. “I gotta go home... least for a bit. Come on, don’t hide from me; let me see your pretty face for a bit.” 

Your smile fades at the idea of Vernon leaving you alone. You knew it wasn’t forever, but your mind was spiraling with the idea that he might not come back, so it took a lot of strength to meet his eyes and attempt not to look as sad as you felt. Though you tried to smile, Vernon could see the way your bottom lip was sticking out; he could see the concern in your eyes, and it almost broke his heart. 

“No… hey.” Sitting up, Vernon pulls you into his arms and cups your cheek, pressing his lips to yours and taking your breath away. You were melting against him. Vernon could feel how pliant you were in his hands and it was almost too much for him to handle. He knew without even having to ask that if he wanted to, he could lay you down and make love to you all over again… but he had to wait. “I’ll be back. You think I’m leavin’ you? I’m not an idiot. Got me for as long as you want me, Y/N.” 

It shouldn’t make you as happy as it does to hear Vernon pledge himself to you like he does after one night, but you can’t stop the smile that pulls at your lips even as you kiss him. “Promise? What if…” Laughing sweetly, you bite at your lip and give him a teasing look as he sighs, meeting your eyes. “What if I said forever?” 

Groaning, Vernon furrows his brows, stroking your cheek with his thumb. You might be joking, but god, he wished you weren’t. “Then you can have forever. ‘M yours, long as you want me, like I said. Just gotta make sure my mom doesn’t file a missing persons report.” 

Vernon laughs when you wince at his words, the cute look on your face making him fall even harder for you. He knew his mom wouldn’t actually do that, not after just one night. He had been gone for longer periods of time, but there were some things he needed to do before he came back to you. 

“I’m sorry, Vernon... I’m clingy, I guess.” Trailing your fingers along his chest, you sigh into your pout, feeling his fingers trace your jaw. Shaking his head, Vernon lets his index finger move over your cupid’s bow, feeling your lips press against the pad of his finger. He wants to give in and stay right where he is. 

“I’ll be back this afternoon, promise.” 

Even after trying to feed Vernon or at least send him home with some form of food, you are left in your foyer with your lips tingling as he refuses, saying this is more than enough. You can only watch as he winks at you and closes the door behind him, leaving you alone in your house, making you realize just how quiet it is when you are by yourself while you count down the hours until he comes back. 

Sliding the pack of cigarettes from his jacket pocket, Vernon puts one between his lips and starts to light it when his mouth falls open, the cigarette falling to the pavement at his feet. A moment before he could hear the birds chirping, cars driving in the distance, and even kids playing down the street. Now he could only hear the blood rushing in his ears as his eyes moved over the side of his Beretta and the red paint that had dripped down the entire side of the door in big capital letters: ‘PERV’. 

Shoving the cigarettes back into his pocket, Vernon curses through gritted teeth as he moves around the other side of his car, only to laugh in anger when he sees ‘LOSER’ on the other side in the same red paint. He didn’t need to figure out who had done this or even guess—he knew. There was only one person, Christen. 

The sound of the car door slamming outside makes you jump, your brows furrowing at how angry it sounds. You start to move to your front door when you hear tires squeal out of your driveway and down the street, leaving you confused and feeling a bit sick to your stomach. You knew that Vernon was a bit different from what you knew, but he wasn’t the type of person in your mind to drive recklessly. 

Deciding to settle back into the cushions of your couch and pass the time with television, you manage to zone out for a while. Your mind occasionally drifts to Vernon, causing your eyes to wander to the clock before you pull them back to your show. It had only been a couple of hours so when you hear a knock at your door, you are surprised but excited about the idea of him being back so soon. 

Practically skipping to the door, you pull it open and your smile drops as you meet Christen’s eyes as he leans against his hand against the door frame, causing him to loom over you. “Wow, for a second there, I thought you were happy to see me, baby.” 

The name baby on Christen’s lips makes you feel queasy as you take a step back and he takes it as an invitation to take a step into your house, kicking the door closed behind him. “I—I’m not up to hanging out.” 

Scoffing, Christen tilts his head at you and glances around your house as if looking for someone else before his eyes land on you once again. “Why the fuck not? Cause I’m not Chwe?” Christen watches your reaction—how you almost recoil at Vernon’s last name. That was all he needed to know, as if he didn’t know that the fucker had been at your house last night. “What the hell are you doing, Y/N? Did—” Disgust creeps along Christen’s face as he gives you a once-over, searching for something unseen. “Did he—did that pervert touch you?” 

You open your mouth to defend yourself and Vernon, but nothing comes out. You aren’t sure what to say. It’s none of Christen’s business and yet when he asks you something like that, you are overwhelmed with shame, as if you have done something wrong. The look evident on your face, Christen groans, lifting his hand to run it over his face, taking a step towards you to grab your wrist, pulling you towards him hard.  

“He did. Baby… You gotta tell me.” Pulling your arm in his grasp, you whine, finding his grip too tight—painful. “Did he fuck you? Tell me he didn’t. Tell me you didn’t let that freak inside of you.” 

Tears gather on your eyes as you pull once more at your arm, blinking a few times they slip on to your cheeks. “Let me go. Stop talking about him like that. It’s none—” 

“What the fuck, Y/N!” Christen’s anger makes you stop moving and talking. His grip tightens on your wrist and all you can do is whine his name, more tears rolling down your cheeks. “I didn’t think you were a slut, but I guess that’s what you fuckin’ are. Jesus Christ! Giving it out to anyone who’ll take it, huh?” 

Christen’s words cut deep at your heart and your confidence even as you shake your head trying to defend yourself, knowing he is wrong. You hadn’t done anything wrong. You had slept with one person your entire life and you cared deeply for him. Christen’s problem was that it wasn’t him. He was lashing out—he was trying to make you hate yourself, it was working. 

“Who’s gonna touch you now, Y/N? After you let him fuck you?” Pushing your arm hard back towards you, Christen’s expression doesn’t change when the force of his action causes you to stumble backwards, falling on your ass. “It’s pathetic… You’re pathetic. Just a slut.” 

Sobbing, you wrap your arms around yourself, begging Christen to leave you alone. Sucking his teeth, the man you had once called your friend tilts his head and stares at you for a moment longer before turning back towards your front door, leaving you alone once again by slamming your door. The sound of the windows rattling from the force of the door shutting makes you jump, a small shrill scream escaping your lips before you lay on your side, pulling your legs up towards your stomach and letting the tears fall freely.

Gritting his teeth, Vernon uses the back of his hand to wipe the sweat from his forehead as he kneels next to his car with a bucket and rag. He had been trying to clean the red spray paint from his black car for over an hour and he had barely made a dent. It was a hot day and the morning sun had only served to bake the paint into the clear coat of his Beretta. 

Vernon didn’t cry, but as he leaned into his driver-side door panel with all the strength he could muster, he could feel the pressure behind his eyes. This was bullshit. He hadn’t done anything wrong to Christen. You hadn’t done a fucking thing wrong to anyone, and yet this small dick son of a bitch was lashing out like a child, going after the only other thing that Vernon loved. 

The part of town that Vernon lived in wasn’t like yours or honestly, even his closest friends. Most people avoided it because of the lack of amenities and not many people wanted to be seen in the low-income section of such a well-respected little town. Vernon was used to the sound of engines revving; there were always beater cars that sounded like they were on their last legs going up and down his street so when someone seemed like they were late to an appointment, Vernon didn’t give it a second thought. He kept his eyes forward, his brows tightly furrowed as he grumbled. 

Rolling his neck from side to side, Christen leaves his car door open and keeps his eye on the prize—Vernon Chwe with his head close to his stupid ass car as he scraped the truth written from it. He was surprised that he hadn’t heard him pull up; he hadn’t been subtle. Christen had left your house and hauled ass to get to this trailer park trash part of town and to take care of this. 

Pain runs through Vernon’s face and head when he meets the side of his car with a loud thud. He can hear a muffled voice through the pain and ringing in his ears; it only becomes clearer when a boot meets his ribs, knocking the air from his lungs. “Stupid fucking freak. Couldn’t keep your hands off what doesn’t belong to you? I’ll fucking kill you.” 

Blinking up at Christen, Vernon groans in pain, his hands grabbing for the foot that kept meeting his bruised torso in an attempt to stop the blows. Christen was furious, but so was Vernon. Anger had already been rushing through his veins and now his adrenaline was in overdrive. “Get the fuck off’a me!” 

Vernon twists Christen’s foot hard, bringing the other man down to the ground with a loud, painful groan. Both try to make the next move, but Vernon is a second fast, letting him get in the first punch across Christen’s face. “You piece of shit! I was willin’ to let this go.” Vernon wasn’t lying; he had you. He had woken up and felt the best he had in a year. For the briefest of moments, it didn’t matter what anyone else thought about him, but as he felt Christen struggle under him, he knew he’d never know that peace with you again—not while he was breathing. 

Laughing, blood on his lips from Vernon’s fist making contact, Christen uses his fingers to dig into Vernon’s forearm muscle as he pushes against him. “I ain’t letting anything go, you perv. Thinkin’ you are high and mighty now that you got some pussy. ‘Specially some that don’t belong to you!” 

He was still laying claim to you. Not even Vernon would claim that you belonged to him after being with you. There was something about how Christen was talking about you, like you were an object, that made him bite through the pain of his grip long enough for him to get his footing. “She doesn’t belong to you! She hates you; don’t you fuckin’ get that, Christen?” 

That was more than Christen could stand to hear. He could manage a few weeks of letting you sit in your mistake, washing the freak off of you before he would touch you—but the idea that you hated him? That was insane; no one hated him. Except maybe Vernon, but that feeling was mutual. 

“She worships me, Vernon. Always fucking has.” Eyes like daggers follow Vernon as he stumbles backwards into his garage as Christen moves to his feet with a low groan. They were both exhausted, bruised, and bleeding—but this wasn’t over. Following Vernon, Christen points towards him as he wipes blood from his lips with his other hand. “Just cause you got her to put it out like a slut one time doesn’t mean a damn thing. You’re gonna pay for that and then you’re gonna get your ass out of her life.” 

A slut. That was enough to make Vernon scoff into a laugh, his hand steadying him on an open drawer of his tool chest. You weren’t a slut; you were the furthest thing a person could be from something like that. The fact that Christen of all people was calling you told Vernon everything he needed to know—he didn’t care about you at all. Christen had never cared about you, and if he didn’t care about you, then he didn’t matter. 

“Did you fucking hear me, freak?” 

Vernon takes a sharp breath, his fingers wrapping around the handle of the knife as his eyes follow Christen’s broad steps towards him. Without a second thought, Vernon sinks the knife into Christen’s stomach, watching the smug look on his face slowly fade away into confusion and then horror. 

Blood seeps around his hand as Vernon digs his free hand into Christen’s shoulder, preventing him from taking a step back until he allows it. Looking down at the knife, Venon feels his lips pull up in a slight smirk when Christen gasps in pain. 

“Vernon…” 

Vernon wasn’t sure he had ever heard Christen sound so pathetic and weak before as he pulled the knife from him, meeting his eyes. “I heard you. Can you hear this?” Christen gasps, a choking sound bubbling in his throat as blood seeps around his mouth when Vernon stabs the knife back into his stomach, deeper. The others Vernon had kept at a distance. He hadn't gotten his hands too dirty, but he would be lying to himself if he didn’t admit he was enjoying watching the life drain out of Christen’s face. 

Wiping his hands, Vernon takes a deep breath, nodding at how much progress he had made on his car. Unless you knew what you were looking for, you couldn’t see where the words had been painted anymore, and if you looked in the garage, the only thing that would have told you that anything bad had happened was the smell of bleach. 

Vernon tosses the rag on to the table before putting a cigarette between his lips and looking at the back of Christen’s car. He wanted to get back to you. He had been gone for too long after promising he just had a couple things to do—of course that had been before some unexpected hiccups—but Vernon meant to keep his promise. 

Closing the truck, not giving a second look to the body rolled up in a tarp inside of it, Vernon lets out a deep breath of smoke before sliding behind the wheel of Christen’s car, feeling a wave of anxiety lifting off of him as he pushes his foot down on the gas. It was a nice car. He could tell that a lot of money had gone into keeping it up. For a second, Vernon pictures a time when he and Christen could have had a normal ass conversation about cars, but that’s short lived as he turns onto the secluded road leading to the lake. 

“Sweetie, are you sure you don’t want to go to the cemetery?” 

Sitting in the backseat of your father’s car, you shake your head, refusing to look up at either of them. You didn’t want to look your parents in the eye and tell them that you didn’t care enough to go to the cemetery and watch people cry over Christen for another hour. You had done plenty of that in the church while people had looked at you like you were going to shatter. You weren’t; Christen wasn’t what everyone thought he was to you, but it didn’t matter what you said or thought. 

You father sighs, starting to say something when your mother coos in sympathy. When you do glance up, you wish you hadn’t when you meet Christen’s mother’s eyes. She looked broken, and yet you could tell she was loving the attention that this was bringing her. It was sick. “We are so sorry for your loss—” 

“Y/N, darling… Ride with us in the limousine to the cemetery. It’s what Christen would want. He would want his girlfriend to be with his family, sweetheart. I know you are being modest, but you don’t have to be.” 

Being cut off, your mother shifts her eyes from you and back to the woman in front of you as you look off to the side. She had never seen you this way. You were like a sunflower in the middle of a field of daisies and today it was as if the sun wasn’t rising for you. Thinking back, it had been that way for a while for you; they just hadn’t wanted to see it. 

Shaking your head, you scratch at a bug bite on your arm, your lips rubbing together as you try to think of something nicer to say, but there was nothing you wanted to say that was kind or proper. “If you think that he’d want his girlfriend with his family, perhaps you should ask Caitlin to ride with you.” Avoiding the woman’s eyes, you look at your mother with a pleading look on your face as you reach for her hand and whine. “Mom, please… I just want to go home now.” 

With a grimace on her face, your mother nods at you before meeting Christen’s mother’s eyes and seeing the fire behind them. “She’s exhausted; she hasn’t been herself for days since this happened. Please forgive and excuse us.” 

You knew that not going to Christen’s funeral would be a big deal to some. There would be plenty of talk. There were plenty who—just like his mother—thought you were his girlfriend. They all thought this despite you giving no one—including Christen—any reason to think so. Perhaps there had been a time when you would have done the uncomfortable thing for appearance’s sake, but that girl was just as dead as Christen was. 

Looking out the back passenger’s side window, you had been doing a good job of blocking out most of the conversation until your father’s voice lowered. It only did that when there was something to hide—something important—and now you were listening carefully. “He was brutalized... They’ve put the entire town on curfew. I just—what do we even do? We can’t leave her like this.” 

Your parents were good at talking about you like you weren’t in the same room or car with them. They were good, decent people, but that didn’t make them excellent parents. None of that meant that when your mother had been nineteen years old and knocked up that she had actually wanted to marry your father and have you, and yet here you were—in the car, invisible but looming. 

"Well, we don’t actually have a choice. That school is going to cost more than our damn mortgage.” Glancing into her visor mirror, your mother makes sure you are still watching the side of the road as she tries to keep her voice calm and low. “If she even still wants to go—” 

“She’s going. I’ve put too much goddamn money up for it.” Gripping the steering wheel tightly, your father rolls his neck, feeling annoyance ripple through it. They enjoyed being the parents who went to barbeques and got to say their daughter was going to a notable university in the fall, but deep down your father resented it. You hadn’t played sports or been exceptional at your classes, so there were no scholarships; there was just mommy and daddy’s hard-earned money. 

“Then that means we have to go to Chicago. She’ll understand…” 

They were leaving again. You were used to it. You knew your parents worked hard but you had gotten good at raising yourself once you hit high school. At that age, you were old enough that your parents could take business trips and schmooze their bosses. It was harder to impress the higher-ups from a little desk behind a phone. It paid well to drink and rub elbows with the ones who mattered personally. 

“Y/N… baby?” Furrowing your brows at the sweet shift in the tone of your mother’s voice when she speaks at a volume meant for you to hear. You meet her eyes in the mirror and tilt your head as she gives you a small pout. “I know things have been hard, honey. You’re strong, you know that? My strong girl...” 

You knew what she was trying to do, and while you could appreciate the peptalk, you weren’t in the mood. Looking back towards the side of the road, you sigh, and your mother purses her lips. “There’s a curfew now. Everyone has to be in their houses at dark.” 

“I know, Mom. The sheriff told us at the memorial—” 

“I know he did. You also know that there is someone dangerous still on the loose, but Y/N…” Grimacing at the idea of what she needs to tell you after what she just said, your mother looks towards your father, feeling his hand slide over hers to give her a bit of courage. “You’re an adult now, and we have to trust you because we have a business trip. One that we can’t pass up.” 

You didn’t want or need their excuses so you just nodded along with her words. “Okay, mom. I’ll be alright.” 

Laying back on his bed, Vernon groans as he looks at the sun starting to set just over the horizon. He hated this curfew bullshit. As if the curfew would keep anything from happening to anyone... As if it would keep him from doing anything if it needed to be done. 

“Vernon, did—are you listening to me?” 

Your voice brings Vernon back to the present; he shifts the receiver on his shoulder and nods. “‘Course I am, baby. I’m just—I’m thinkin’.” 

Walking around your kitchen with the cordless phone against your ear, you sigh softly to Vernon’s words before opening the fridge to see what you could make yourself for dinner. “Yeah? And—so? What do you think? I don’t wanna be here all weekend by myself. Don’t you wanna, maybe... spend some time with me?” 

That’s all Vernon wanted to do. He could hear you moving around in your house, and he could picture himself there with you already. “You know I do. I just—don’t think I’d make it there by curfew. People didn’t wanna leave the matinee and—” Vernon could hear the disappointment in your sigh as you let out a deep breath. “I don’t want you mad at me.” 

Dragging a pan from under the stove, you shake your head and lie to him and yourself as tears collect on the rims of your eyes. “Not mad. I’ll be fine. I’m gonna cook something and watch TV. I’ll talk to you later, okay?” 

Vernon runs his hand over his face, a soft groan escaping his lips when you want to get off the phone with him. He knew you were lying. You might not be mad at him, but you weren’t thrilled either. After everything had happened with Christen, Vernon had taken a step back while still trying to be close. It was a strange feeling, trying to keep you safe without being so close that he was the issue. He wasn’t sure if someone would link him to something or not; he was smart and he had covered his bases, but he wanted to be sure before he got too close to you again. Yet now, hearing your soft breaths and knowing you were about to cry, Vernon knew he couldn’t keep it up. 

“No… I’ll be over soon. Let me pack a couple things and I’ll figure it out. I’ll—” Scoffing into a laugh, Vernon slides off his bed and towards his desk as he rubs the back of his neck. “Try not to get arrested on my way over.” 

You knew you should feel bad for pressuring Vernon into coming over, especially with how close it was to the curfew. There was probably less than ten minutes before it would go into effect, and his house was at least twenty minutes away on a good day. “Please don’t get arrested, and be safe. I—” Unspoken words had become part of yours and Vernon’s routine. You knew what you wanted to say—what you felt, but it all still seemed too early. 

Swallowing hard, Vernon closes his eyes and imagines the two other words leaving your mouth before he sighs. “I’ll be alright. See you soon.” 

Tapping his fingers on the steering wheel out of nerves, Vernon watches every corner and dark area as he drives to your house. There were a few others out, but he watched them quickly pull into driveways and usher children or spouses inside their houses. He wasn’t so worried about them as he was about the possibility of a cop lingering around the next street. 

When your house comes into view, he finally breathes out a sigh of relief, pulling his car into your driveway and glancing at the houses closest to you. Everything was so quiet on your street. If there was anyone at your neighbor’s house, Vernon couldn’t tell. The house was completely dark and there were no cars in the driveway—the same went for the house across the street. Your house was like a lighthouse at a port. 

Pulling his bookbag over his shoulder, Vernon groans a bit at the soreness in his muscles. He was still bruised heavily; that had been another reason he had been avoiding you. He didn’t want you to see that he was hurt, and he didn’t want you to worry about something you couldn’t fix. He had already fixed it. 

Nerves roll through Vernon as he moves towards your front door and lifts his hand to knock. He just wanted to get inside and away from the street. He knew that if he got caught even outside of the house after curfew, the cops would have questions and he didn’t have all the right answers. Waiting a full minute, Vernon shifts uncomfortably and knocks again when he hears a loud crash from inside your house and raised voices. Something was wrong, and he wasn’t going to wait any more. 

“You don’t even fucking care! You didn’t go to the funeral, Y/N. You’re such a selfish bitch.” 

Staring at the broken glass of your mother’s vase on the hardwood floor, you shake your head as Caitlin’s voice breaks. You had been surprised when someone had knocked on your door earlier than expected. You thought that maybe Vernon had driven a bit too fast to make better time, but then you had been sorely mistaken when Caitlin had pushed her way past you and into your house wanting answers. 

“This is crazy. You need to calm down—” 

“Don’t you tell me to calm down! I’m so tired of being told to calm down.” Pacing in your kitchen, Caitlin laughs, the laugh causing a chill to run down your spine. It isn’t a sound you had ever heard your best friend make before because the laugh isn’t one of humor. It’s dark. “You never cared about him. That’s the fucked-up part. I loved him—like really loved him, and he wanted you!” 

Picking up a bowl from the kitchen island, Caitlin doesn’t even think before she throws it towards you, narrowly missing your head as you duck, letting it hit the wall instead. Ceramic shatters behind you as you scream her name, begging her to stop. “It’s not my fault! I didn’t—please? Stop this…” 

Vernon narrows his eyes as he moves down the dark hall towards the kitchen, just as Caitlin screams at you again. He had heard you scream and beg her to stop; he had heard more things breaking—all he wanted to do was get her away from you. 

“It is your fault! He was murdered, you bitch!” Moving towards you quickly, Caitlin lunges at you, barely missing you as you push past her and back towards the pot boiling on the stove with tears streaming down your face. With tears streaking her own face, Caitling straightens her back and wipes hard at her cheeks as she stares at you with disdain. “I think you did it or you know who did. Shit like this doesn’t happen here, Y/N! Christen wouldn’t let someone close enough to him—to do that to him. So… I think you did it and I’m—” 

Gritting his teeth hard, Vernon watches Caitlin’s eyes move to the knife on the counter before her hand does the same. Panic rushes through him as he tries to think of what to do next, knowing whatever she is going to do can’t happen. 

Your back pushed up against the stove; you feel the hot steam against your back as you sidestep towards the fridge looking for a way out. You search for a way to get away from Caitlin as you watch her weigh the weight of the knife in her hand before she looks back at you and then her face contorts with even more hatred. “Please... Put it down, Caitlin. You’re my best friend. Don’t do this.” 

Caitlin was barely looking at you now as Vernon stepped out of the hall and into the kitchen behind you, his eyes fixed on her. Now it all made sense. All the pieces were clicking in her mind and she was right. She didn’t need some dumbass cop to solve a murder when she was looking at the murderers right now. “You did it, didn’t you freak?” 

Shaking your head, you take a step back, jumping when you feel a warm hand on your shoulder. Glancing up at Vernon quickly, you look back at Caitlin to keep your eyes on her and the knife. “Caitlin—” 

“Shut the fuck up, Y/N! Are you blind? You know how much he hates us.” 

Vernon just sighs, his hand sliding along your arm as he tries to move you behind him and out of the way of danger, even if it means putting himself in the line of it. Caitlin laughs as she watches, the knife pointed in your direction, the tip falling slightly forward in her amusement at the sight and the look in your eyes. She wasn’t an idiot; she was the smartest person in the fucking room and she knew you were in love with the fucking loser standing in front of you. All the pieces fit together like one big fucked-up puzzle. 

“Oh, I’m sorry... How much he hates me. How much he hated Christen... He clearly doesn’t hate you and you are in love with the person who killed your friend.” Making a face, Caitlin looks like she’s going to be sick, her fingers tightening on the handle of the knife. “God, I can’t even look at you. You let him do it?” 

Shaking your head, you try to push past Vernon, feeling defensive of him when Caitlin tries to blame him for murder. It wasn’t that you hadn’t even considered it yourself in times of weakness—you wouldn’t even have blamed him—you just didn’t want her doing it. “Shut up! You don’t know anything, Caitlin! He hasn’t done anything wrong; it’s always been you!” 

Trying to keep a grip on your arm, Vernon says your name and winces when you accidentally push back against his ribs. Everything happens so quickly in front of him that even though he tries to be the first one to act, he watches it like a movie in front of him. 

Caitlin screams in anger, finally letting go of all of it that had been boiling in her blood as she sees red and storms forward with the knife. Her intention and eyes set on Vernon; she finds herself surprised and annoyed when your hand grabs her wrist, keeping it back from the man. Of course you would stop her; she had been so close—but at this point, in her mind, it was two birds, one stone. 

“Stupid bitch!” Caitling’s shrill voice cuts into your ears just as much as the knife as she slashes at your arms, the two of you falling on to the kitchen floor. The only thing you want to do is get the knife away from her—keep her from making anymore mistakes, but when you feel pain followed by warmth spreading along your stomach, your blood run’s cold. 

“Fuck… Fuck!” Pulling on Cailtin’s arm, Vernon panics when he hears the sound of a choking gurgling—the sound of someone swallowing their own blood. From where he is standing, all he can see at first is blood on the white tiles, and the last person with the knife in their hand had been Caitlin. With his heart in his throat, Vernon whispers your name like a prayer as he separates you from Caitlin, and his eyes fall to the knife, and your chest rises and falls in panic. 

Meeting Vernon’s eyes, you quickly look down at your hand and the blood running along your fingers before seeing the knife buried deep in Caitlin’s stomach near her ribs. “No… no, no, no!” Sobs fall from your lips as Vernon pulls you back against him, his arm wrapping around your waist as tears fall along your cheeks. 

He knew you were upset; you were panicking, but Vernon kept his head. Turning your arms over in his hands, he shakes his head and whines your name, seeing the cuts and deep gash near your wrist. “Baby… shh. Listen—stop! Listen to me.” Vernon didn’t want to yell at you, but you had started to struggle against him, your eyes moving over Caitlin’s lifeless body as blood seeped from her mouth and you wanted to do something to change it. “We— It’s time to go. We are going to wrap your arm and then…” 

Shaking your head, you sob his name, feeling him turn you in his arms as he reaches for a dishcloth, wrapping it around your wrist tightly. “Yes, Y/N. You did nothing wrong. It was self-defense, baby... But they won’t give a fuck, so—baby girl, we gotta go.” Holding your cheeks between his hands, Vernon meets your eyes, and tears run over his fingers as you try to understand what he’s telling you. “We are leaving.” 

It takes half an hour for you to pack a bag and to be settled in Vernon’s passenger’s seat. You try to make heads or tails about what is happening, what’s real, and what has to be a dream as you both sit in the darkness of the garage across the street, waiting for the right time. 

You had insisted on calling the cops. Vernon had wanted to leave right away, but you didn’t want to leave Cailtin alone in your kitchen like that. So now you were stuck watching as three police cars slammed on their breaks in front of your house, and each cop held their gun at the ready as they entered. 

When the call had been made, you had been crying, saying you and your boyfriend were hurt and that your friend had been hurt too. They asked if the person who had hurt you was still in the house and without needing to lie, you had looked at Caitlin and said yes. Vernon had watched you carefully, waiting for the right moment before he grabbed the phone out of your hands and threw it against the wall hard enough for it to break. He was smart, you realized then. You also realized you didn’t know him as well as you thought—there was a lot you needed to learn about the person you were now on the run with. 

“They found her.” Sighing, Vernon leans his head back as one of the cops comes out of the house with his hand over his mouth. Small town cops weren’t used to this much death; Vernon almost felt bad for him. “We can wait until they get the ambulance out here and day breaks—then we go.” 

Closing your eyes, you nod, feeling fresh tears rolling down your cheeks. This was the only place you knew, the only life you knew and it had just been taken from you so quickly. Fingers wrap around yours, and Vernon’s lips brush over your knuckles as he furrows his brows, watching you closely. You were falling apart, but he wasn’t going to lose any of the pieces. He’d put you back together, no matter how long it took and no matter how far he had to take you away from here to do it. 

“Me and you, Y/N, okay?” Meeting Vernon’s eyes, you nod again, seeing his lips pull up slightly as he kisses your knuckles. Silence is almost deafening in the car, as you watch red and blue lights move across Vernon’s face, his eyes searching yours before he finally speaks again. “I love you.” 

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[shinysobi]

pretty u

summary: when joshua, your best friend gets engaged, you can't help but feel as though you're missing out on something important. jihoon, your other best friend, kindly offers to set you up with one of his many friends. chaos ensues, seungkwan is an observer who knows everything, and unfortunately, mingyu is a hapless victim.

pairing: woozi x fem!reader

genre: crack, fluff, angst

word count: 10k~ish

warnings: alcohol consumption, general warnings apply

A/N: uhh..hi? this is the first time i've written rpf, and it makes all the more sense for it to be centred around woozi, my svt bias. this has no plot at all, and i just wrote it for fun and vibes...also unbetaed, so if you see any mistakes, no u did not :)) shout out to my twitter gc for cheering me on as i wrote this hehe u guys are the best

a/n 2: reblogs and comments are much appreciated! please tell me if you're liking this lmao

chapter 1 | chapter 2 | chapter 3 | chapter 4

Chapter 1

Whoever said that every love story is universal, was not lying, unfortunately. Every good love story is a mix of tropes that unfortunately work well together to form a coherent plot. And the longer you read books, the easier it becomes for you to identify (or avoid) these tropes.

The enemies turn into lovers.

The friends turn into lovers.

The inn only has one available bed.

Your brother’s best friend is somehow smoking hot and doesn’t see you as an annoying little sibling anymore.

Your one-night stand is your new boss, and he is inexplicably obsessed with you.

Your parents have forced you into an arranged marriage, and your partner is a. incredibly hot and b. also obsessed with you. You get the gist, so on, and so forth.

All love stories go for a trope that becomes the central conceit of the story, no matter how unique they try to be. The small-town girl/boy falls for the hotshot city lawyer/businessman/vague marketing executive and shows them the importance of family, and of course, of love, because without it, business is notoriously low. People need romance to feel something other than hatred in their already terrible lives, and books offer escapism. Escapism and on some other level, a sense of belonging. You can identify yourself with the girl who falls in love with her brother’s best friend, or the man who has feelings for his sworn enemy, or the person who has, surprise, fallen in love, with their best friend. Or their best friend’s brother. Take your pick.

And unfortunately, as a critic, reading romance implies wading through the countless reiterations of trope-y goodness on offer at every bookstore, and trying to find something that strikes a chord. It is a given, that one has to kiss some proverbial frogs in the meantime, and of course, any professional mishap has to be accompanied with a gossip session with one’s friends, where any complaints you might have about your work, is unloaded onto the brunch table, for my friends to laugh about.

Because at the end of the day, everyone is a character in their own kind of romance novel. A victim of the tropes, if you will. In my case, I am the perpetual single childhood best friend, who puts up with every single antic of the main character. In of course, an enemies-to-lovers romance. Apparently unrequited love sells too, if its written well. If not, then it just becomes one of many repetitive marketing gimmicks that frankly, don’t sit well with anyone, let alone someone like me, who critiques books for a living.

“It’s your attitude that’s a problem.” Jihoon says, taking a sip of his coffee, “you’ve been writing for the newsdesk for years and I have never seen you actually be satisfied with a book. There’s always something that could have been better. Maybe this is why you are so—”

“I am so?” I say, eyes narrowed, “finish that sentence, Jihoon.”

“You want me to?”

“Do you really have to fight every time we meet?”

Both Jihoon and I turn our head to the third person at the table, Joshua. Dressed impeccably in a freshly ironed pair of shirt and trousers, he looks far better than either me or Jihoon, because both of us look as though we have been through botched murder attempts. I am in a hoodie and sweatpants, and Jihoon is somehow worse than me, wearing a pair of shorts and a black t-shirt. His abandoned khaki bomber jacket hangs on the back of his chair, and I cannot believe I’m saying this, but he actually looks worse when wearing the jacket. Joshua looks as though he has been seated at our table by mistake. I’m slightly annoyed by this, but it seems as though Jihoon is more annoyed than me, “what do you mean we fight every time we meet?”

Joshua makes a vague hand gesture, “really? Look at us. You both are dressed as though you’ve been through a typhoon. I feel horribly overdressed.”

“I had a long night.” I reply, “worked overtime at the desk for the Sunday paper.”

“I came here straight from the studio.” Jihoon says, “I didn’t even go home to shower.”

“See, this, this is what I am talking about.” Joshua groans, “both of you dress like homeless people, and then when you come to brunch, you fight all the time. Do you guys never get tired of fighting?”

“Never.” Both Jihoon and I say in unison.

Joshua sighs, before picking up his knife and fork, “I give up. I can never get you two to agree on anything apart from the fact that you guys, apparently, don’t fight.”

“She needs to quit complaining about her job.” Jihoon points his fork at me, “she’s got the cushiest job imaginable, and she manages to complain about it all the time. Every week, she’s here complaining about something at her job.”

“As if you don’t complain about your job all the time too,” I reply, not one to back down from a fight, “you complain about the people at your job all the time as well. And it’s not as though your job is shitty; you literally work at the biggest music corporation in the country—”

“Guys!” Joshua half-yells, and I stop. Everyone is looking at the three of us, and unlike the two of us, he looks embarrassed. “Guys, if you have to fight every time we meet, maybe I suggest we stop this weekly brunch. Jesus—”

“Oh, he swore,” Jihoon whispers, and I giggle, “we finally made him take the Lord’s name in vain.”

“—it’s like you’re kids all over again. This isn’t freshman year of university, for heaven’s sake,” he takes an elegant sip of his coffee, “and for your information, Jesus isn’t the Lord. I’m not letting you guys get the satisfaction of hearing me fucking swear.”

“Does he hear himself?” Jihoon mutters. “I don’t think he does.” I whisper in response.

“Yes, I’m aware I said ‘fuck’, thank you very much.” Joshua sits back in his chair, “I’m proposing to Eunseo tonight.”

“Tonight?” Jihoon yells, bolting upright from his chair, and everyone in the restaurant looks at us, “you’re proposing to her tonight?”

Joshua grabs his hand to drag him back onto his chair, “yes, tonight. Are you stupid? Everyone is looking at us now.” He looks at me, “what do you think about it?”

Oh. Oh.

Remember when I said that my role in a romance novel is that of the eternally-spurned childhood friend? The one who has loved the main character from a distance, never really daring to express their feelings? Well, I’ve not known Joshua since my childhood, we met at high school, and it hasn’t been that long since I discovered that I might have a tiny, the most miniscule of crushes on him. But I’m that trope. The childhood friend who gets spurned, and the main character turns away to the actual love of their life, leaving only a broken heart behind. Too little, too late.

Well, who wouldn’t?

He’s tall, good-looking, gentlemanly, with just the right amount of unhinged, has a good, stable, get-off-at-the-right-time government job, and above all, he’s unflinchingly kind to everyone. Yes, including me and Jihoon, even though we make his life a living hell on most days. Realistically,  it was only a moment of time before either Jihoon or I had any feelings for him. And I was betting on Jihoon too. Fuck.

“Are you okay?” Joshua’s voice is soft, insisting, and all I can see when I break out of my reverie is the swoop of his collarbones as they disappear under the shirt, and suddenly I feel very dirty. Not just dirty, but also simply awful. Why am I out here thinking about his collarbones when he’s thinking about how to propose to his girlfriend? His very nice, very beautiful girlfriend?

“I’m fine,” I nod my head, “have you picked out a ring for her?”

“Not yet, but I have a kind of ring in mind already.” He says, turning to Jihoon and starting to talk about the different cuts of diamonds that are present at Tiffany’s, and how they suit different kinds of people. Eunseo, I learn, is partial to a pear cut. Jihoon, the idiot,  who can’t shut up when it comes to arguments with me, is unnaturally quiet, only offering comments here and there. It’s very uncharacteristic.

And then he gets that look on his face which is a signal for both me and Jihoon that we are about to hear an hour’s worth of praises of Eunseo, and I step in. Making a vague sign towards my completed plate of fish and chips (not that great, the fish was soggy) I say, “before he begins singing praises of his girlfriend, sorry, fiancé, can we get the check?”

“You keep saying it as though you don’t know how much I love her.” Joshua sounds annoyed  but unfortunately, I can see through his mask of fake annoyance, “I already paid.”

“Thank goodness, I forgot my wallet.” Jihoon smiles, “for a moment, I thought I would have to use my online wallet.”

“Aren’t you ashamed?” I elbow him lightly in the ribs, and he doesn’t even flinch. Apparently, music producers these days have to be certified gym rats, or they won’t let them into the building, “you’ve mooched off of Joshua and me for the past twelve years, maybe it’s time to start paying.”

“Maybe I do pay, but I just don’t like you.” Jihoon replies, sarcasm evident in his tone, “so I don’t want to pay for your meal.”

“You little—” I’m about to commit a murder in broad daylight, but Joshua, the sweet angel that he is, stops both of us, waving his card in between like a bullfighting matador.

“You guys just don’t stop, do you?” He grins, evidently thinking about how he’s going to propose to his loving girlfriend this evening. Nauseating. It makes me want to throw up. Because Joshua is not going to wake up one morning and decide that he wants to throw away his living relationship of five years to—to pursue his unfortunate best friend, who has nursed an unfortunate attraction towards him for the past year. That is never going to happen. So, let’s scratch that. That should not happen.

Because apart from being unfairly gorgeous and rich and beautiful and did I mention gorgeous? Eunseo is also unflinchingly nice, the kind of nice that leaves other people wondering if the person in front of them is real or not, or if they have some kind of hidden intentions that border on murderous or at the very least, fraudulent. She’s the one who took me under her wing when I was a freshman and had no friends except the two weird guys in my required sociology class, and thanks to her, at the end of four years of university, I had friends in the journalism club, people I come into contact on occasion such as weddings and the odd reunion.

Her niceness is also the reason why Joshua fell for her at first sight.

“I’m out.” Jihoon picks up the abomination of a bomber jacket from his chair, “and before you ask, no, hyung, I’m not helping you with picking out a ring for your girlfriend. You can do that yourself. Or ask her for help.”

And before Joshua can look at me and before I make a fool out of myself (yet again), I turn away, rejecting his proposal for looking at pear-cut diamond rings on a Sunday morning, “I’m ideologically against the institution of marriage. Do it yourself.”

Joshua sighs, because of course he has anticipated this. The fucker. “cannot believe you’re still on your Dworkin streak. Fine,” he says, getting up from his chair and walking out of the café, “I’ll get Eunseo’s ring myself. And when she asks, I’ll tell her that none of you helped me.”

“Ooh, threatening your girlfriend on us, I’m shaking in my boots,” Jihoon replies, sarcasm evident in his voice, digging through his pockets to get his car keys, “when are you planning to get the ring?”

“Later, in the afternoon,” Joshua is opening the door to his car, and looking at me, “do you want me to give you a ride? Your house is on the way.”

“She only takes buses and the subway,” Jihoon grins, “don’t you remember the time in university when she kept saying about how much she likes welfare policies and transportation benefits?”

“Shut the fuck up,” I reply, elbowing him, harder this time, and Jihoon flinches, “I’ll just go to the office. Jihoon will give me a ride.”

“When did I say that I’ll give you a ride?” Jihoon looks like he wants to begin an argument with me in front of the café, but he acquiesces, “ugh, fine. I’ll give you a ride. Your office is on the way.”

—

“I’m still not convinced that you simply wanted to ‘spend time with me’.” Jihoon grumbles an hour later, seated at his studio and fiddling with his computer. “You’ve been lying there and scrolling twitter for hours now.”

“Your couch is much better than my office chair,” I hum a non-committal reply, before making myself further comfortable into the soft plush material of his couch, “and I’m not scrolling on twitter, I’m trying to find another flat to move into.”

“Lease up?” Jihoon asks, “wasn’t your agreement still valid for at least another few months?”

“I’m just trying to get ahead of the curve,” I reply, “if I start looking from now, maybe I’ll get a better flat by the time the lease is up. My current flat is—”

“A shithole.” Jihoon finishes my sentence for me, “seriously, I don’t know how you manage to live there. And you’ve been holding onto that flat for the past seven years. everyone moved out of their university flats, but you managed to hold onto yours for so long.”

“That’s because it’s a good deal,” I mutter, “ugh, I can’t manage to find a single good deal on any of the flats.”

“Because you’re never satisfied with any deal,” Jihoon replies, “your ideal deal is if everything was free.”

“And I still maintain that housing should not be monetised.”

“Why thank you for that insight, comrade.” Jihoon puts a finger to his mouth, “shut up for a while, I’m trying to concentrate on this song.

“Who’s it for?” I sit up, intrigued, “a new artist?”

“The company’s new girl group.” Jihoon says, “I was asked to produce the title track for their debut. I only have four months on hand, and I still haven’t finished the track. The higher-ups are going to have my head for this.”

“No, they won’t,” I reply, “they like you too much. Speaking of—”

“—if you want me to give you an interview, I won’t, I’ve already told you five times,” Jihoon cuts me off, wheeling his chair away from me, “jeez, you’re tenacious.”

“Oh, but come on, it’ll be fun,” with an extra emphasis on come on, I think I’ve got Jihoon’s attention, “people keep speculating on the kind of person you are. I mean, people know Woozi, but do they know what kind of person he is, underneath all that secrecy? You’ve never given an interview, and you keep avoiding any kind of public appearance. One might think you hate the spotlight.”

“Even if I were to give an interview, I wouldn’t be giving it to you. Who knows how you’re going to spin my words.”

“I’m hurt, Lee Jihoon. This has hurt me.”

Jihoon turns around and blows me a raspberry. I roll my eyes. Is he twenty-eight, or just eight? “whatever you say won’t affect the way I think. I still won’t give you an interview.”

“Just so you know, I’m known to be an excellent interviewer.” I say, walking over to his chair, “come on, Jihoon-ah, give me an interview. Please?”

“No.”

“Pretty please?”

“No.”

“Pwease?”

He turns around at that, fixing me with a stare, “don’t you ever fucking do aegyo in front of me. I’m going to kill you if you do that again.”

“See, if you gave me an interview like I’m asking you to, then I would not have a reason to subject you to aegyo, but as things stand, you really give me nothing else to work with.”

“Ask Joshua for an interview then, if you’re so desperate for one,” the words coming out of anyone else’s mouth would have given me enough reason to walk out of the room, but Jihoon made them sound softer, almost romantic. It was funny, how he managed to change the intonations of every word, changing them to his whims. I suppose that’s what I do with words, and that’s what he does with sounds.

“Joshua is not the elusive Woozi,” I flop back onto the sofa as I counter, trying actively to not think about Joshua picking out a ring at Tiffany’s for Eunseo right at that moment, “he’s an adjunct professor. Not the most interview-friendly of all occupations.”

Jihoon looks at me, and for a moment, I think he’s going to ask me a very uncomfortable and difficult question, but at that moment, both our phones buzz simultaneously. I check the phone, and it’s a single message in the shared chatroom. Joshua has sent a message, a single picture of a pear-shaped diamond solitaire ring (don’t ask me how I know the cut of the diamond) with an attached message;

joshuji: picked up her ring! <3

“Damn, an exclamation point, and an emoji,” Jihoon says, typing out a reply in the chatroom, “our joshuji is entirely too far gone, isn’t he?”

I don’t say anything. Its far easier to pretend that you’re typing out a reply and can’t hear anything, especially when it comes to Jihoon. He’ll take anything in stride.

hoon: wow Eunseo has you whipped

big dick (canon): hey I think it’s cute

Jihoon sets his phone down with an audible clack, and fuck, I’ve messed up. Joshua is oblivious and blissfully happy in his own little life, but Jihoon? The Jihoon that I’ve known ever since our seats were beside each other in the sociology class that made me develop an irrational fear of surveyors? He’s single-minded whenever it comes to pursuing anything. One doesn’t become the most sought-after music producer in the industry with just talent, they need to be dogged in their pursuit of success. And unfortunately, when Lee Jihoon turns his mind to something, he accomplishes it, whether it’s producing a Billboard Hot 100 hit, or, judging by the way he’s looking at me right now, getting words out of my mouth.

“Okay, spill, I’ve seen this go on for long enough,” he says, getting up from the chair and walking over to the sofa, where I am currently hiding behind a throw pillow, “you’ve been weird for months now, and we need to talk about it.”

“We, don’t need to do anything,” I reply, “I’m perfectly fine. If something happened, I would tell you. Or Joshua. Or both of you, at the same time.”

“Like you inform us after every breakup of yours?” Jihoon laughs, “you mean to say you’re going to hold another one of your ‘meetings’ to tell me and Joshua about how some poor bastard made the mistake of trying to date you?”

“I’m actually nice when I date, and I can hold down a relationship for more than two weeks, Mr I-don’t-like-commitment. Tell me, how did your last date go? Did she walk out of the date itself, or did you ghost her?”

Jihoon blinks at me, and then, a slow, catlike smile passes over his features. Fuck.

“You’re being combative today,” he grins, and fuck, its infuriating how predictable I am, and how absolutely incapable I am of not taking his bait, “so, there is something that you’re hiding.”

“Ugh, I hate this.”

“Then you shouldn’t have taken the damn bait,” he replies, “do you want to tell me yourself, or do you want me to guess your little secret?”

“I’m not telling you anything, and its nothing you can suss out either.”

“I can just beat it out of you,” he smiles, flexing his arms, and I belatedly remember that Jihoon, to my disadvantage, had decided at the early age of twenty-one, that he was going to make up for his height by being The Broadest Man on Earth, and now carried a protein shake in his bag everywhere he went, that somehow tasted more disgusting than it looked. He could easily beat me to a pulp. And he would do it too, the little shit.

“Jihoon, remember the time I carried you home when you were drunk?” I don’t know how to do the specific variant of the thing they call ‘puppy eyes’, but I try my absolute best to emulate the little I know, “and you threw up all over my clothes? Remember? It was at Mingyu’s birthday party, and you got drunk on an empty stomach—”

“Don’t fucking do that,” he throws a pillow at me, “fuck, that’s creepy. Also, I got drunk and threw up on your clothes in my second year of university, damn, how long are you going to milk it for?”

“As long as I can,” I reply, “please, Jihoon, just this once.”

“Damn, fine, weirdo,” he stands up, going back to his chair, his back now towards me, “isn’t as though you like Joshua or something.”

I freeze, hoping that the intake of breath at that last sentence hasn’t been heard by Jihoon. I know I’m an atheist, I pray fervently, to whichever god that’s listening, God, Allah, Buddha, Jesus, if anyone’s listening, please, please, please, let Jihoon not notice—

“You like Joshua?”

Fuck.

“No.” I lie brightly, “I just—stubbed my toe on the table.”

Jihoon looks at me in a way that screams bitch, I know you’re a liar so don’t even try. “You know you’re a horrible liar, right?”

“I am?”

He nods, “its one of the many endearing things about you. But unfortunately, you’ve given yourself away now. Really, Joshua? The Joshua Hong we know?”

“Really, it isn’t like that,” I’m sweating, and praying Jihoon doesn’t notice that I’m sweating, “its nothing, and besides, I don’t even like him in that kind of way—”

“Do you want to fuck him?”

I choke on a breath and begin coughing. “What?” I manage to say, after I recover enough to breathe properly, “I don’t want to fuck anyone!”

“Great, because if you wanted to fuck him, it would have become massively awkward.” Jihoon shrugs, “since it’s one of those passing feelings, you can take care of it; it happens all the time. I once had a crush on you too. It’s bound to happen.”

“You had a crush on me?” I screech, “what the fuck, Lee Jihoon, you’re supposed to wait before dropping this kind of information on me!”

“Dude, its long gone,” Jihoon places a hand on my shoulder, a touch that’s meant to be reassuring, but it only suffices to make me angrier, “it was during my military service. I remember that you came with my parents to see me off, and it was—nice. So, I had a crush on you. I got over it when I got out of the military, though. Turns out seeing your best friend live in a hovel really does wonders for your lingering feelings.”

“For eighteen months?” I hold my head in my hands, “you had a crush on me for eighteen months? What the fuck kind of information is that? And you got out of the military three years ago!”

“M-hmm, see, that’s what I mean when I say these feelings will go away.” Jihoon looks sage, as if he’s imparting the secret to life and how to be a good Buddhist, and not bombarding my mind with information I would rather not know, “wait, have you masturbated to Joshua?”

“What the fuck?” I stand up, pacing the room at a speed that would closely rival that of an Olympian, “why would I masturbate to Joshua Hong?”

Jihoon shrugs, “people masturbate. You are a person. Hence the question.”

“Of course, I haven’t masturbated to—wait did you masturbate while thinking of me?” I’m yelling now, yelling and pacing the room like a woman possessed, because of course, Jihoon has made me lose my mind, “Lee Jihoon, did you jerk off to my pictures?”

He shrugs. “What are you going to do if I say yes?”

“I’m going to kill you, and then I’m going to kill myself,” I say, grabbing his shoulders, “you know what, Jihoon, lets do that. Let’s both die.”

“Why would I consent to a murder-suicide with you?” he sounds terribly composed, which again, does not bode well for the numerous murderous thoughts I have currently running through my head, “its just a little masturbation. I was twenty-three, I was bored to tears at the military camp, and I had a crush on you, so, I did what I did.”

“Which was apparently, masturbation.” I flop facedown on the couch, “I want to castrate you, you know that, right?”

“Figures. You’ve always been weird about sex.” Jihoon makes a face, “So, you didn’t tell me. do you want to fuck Joshua or not? Because if you do, then it just means that you want sex. If you don’t, then I can’t help you.”

“How can you help me in any way if I say I want to have sex with Joshua?” I ask, “even if I do, which I don’t, just by the way—”

“You want to jump his bones. Right.”

“—how can you even help me, short of getting me a male prostitute.” I pause, horror spreading through my features, “oh fuck. Jihoon, are you going to hire a gigolo?”

To his credit, Jihoon looks appropriately disgusted, “why would I hire a prostitute? No, I would set you up with one of my friends.”

“Who?”

He thinks for a while, then says, “Soonyoung.”

“No offence, but I’m about 90% convinced that Soonyoung is a furry.”

“Jeonghan-hyung, then.”

“He’s too similar to Joshua,” I groan, “why am I going along with this idea? This is literally the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.”

“Then do you want to help yourself?”

“Masturbate to thoughts of Joshua? Yeah, like that’s gonna work.” I hold my head in my hands, “fuck, I have to sleep with Soonyoung, don’t I? I’m half-convinced he will do a tiger impression in bed.”

“I’m fairly convinced he mimics a roar when he orgasms.” Jihoon mutters.

“Oh, fuck, now I have to talk about orgasms with you,” I say, face buried in one of the pillows, “I have to sleep with one of your weird friends and then everyone will know about my crush on Joshua and I’ll be shunned from our three-person group forever and ever—”

“Calm down, no one is going to spill your secrets,” Jihoon says, “and I have other friends too, you know. They don’t talk as much as those idiots, but they are good people.”

“But I don’t want to fuck anyone right now.”

Jihoon stares at me.

“Okay fine, maybe a little bit.” I concede, “but still, not enough to warrant a setting-up. Maybe I’m just sexually frustrated.”

“Then go fuck someone!”

“It isn’t that easy!” I snap, and Jihoon looks surprised, because its so unlike me to be incandescent over something as stupid as this, but I can’t help the shiver of anger running over me, “it isn’t so fucking easy. If it were, I would have gone and slept with a stranger from a bar. Yes, I know it’s dangerous, but I would have done it. But I’m telling you now, its difficult for me to even know if I’m attracted to Joshua, and if my attraction means I want to jump him or whatever.”

“Then what does it mean?” Jihoon, it seems, is also incapable of not reacting to my moods and temper, he gets angry easily sometimes, “What does it mean when you tell me you’re attracted to someone? We’re twenty-eight, for fuck’s sake. What the fuck else do you mean?”

“I don’t know!” I half-yell, half-sob, “I don’t know what I want, and I don’t know if I want to sleep with anyone, least of all Joshua. I’m confused, and I don’t know what to do, and all I want is a little acceptance, not you rattling of a list of people I should sleep with in order to get over my feelings for Joshua—”

“Hey, I’m sorry.”

“—and you can’t even give me that, Jihoon,” I finish lamely, looking at his concerned expression, “yeah fine, I’m leaving.”

The door is loud when I close it behind me. to his credit, Jihoon doesn’t pursue me, because even if he’s abnormally idiotic in matters like these, he’s got some sense.

—

I deeply regret befriending either of them, because both Joshua and Jihoon have apparently no sense of boundaries between people. Joshua keeps assaulting my inbox with messages along the lines of oh look how much I love my girlfriend and how much I can’t wait to see you guys and celebrate my engagement because I’ve got my life sorted out unlike YOU fuckers, and Jihoon has rewarded me with radio silence ever since I blew up in his face about his idiotic idea regarding me having sex with one of his friends.

And, as a testament to my misfortunes in life, Joshua has decided that his proposal to Eunseo must be followed up with a party thrown in her honour, or at least a dinner as per his last text message; which of course, he has to send to the shared chatroom with a  variety of threatening and non-threatening messages.

joshuji: just saying if you guys aren’t here for the dinner, I’m never talking to you

hoon: aren’t proposals supposed to be an intimate thing? For couples??? Why are you asking us to be there????

joshuji: Eunseo wanted you guys to celebrate, too

joshuji: also, I’m proposing to her in the afternoon. I’m asking you guys to come over for dinner

hoon: maybe we should ask Eunseo about her feelings?

hoon: idk if she would want two others celebrating her engagement. Maybe we should stage an intervention and try to convince her to leave you. Its not too late already

big dick (canon): idk if I can make it guys

joshuji: I told u I wouldn’t be forgiving you if you don’t attend

hoon: you also tell us that every other week, I think we’ll be fine

joshuji: please?

hoon: don’t you fucking dare

big dick (canon): send us the location. Also, you’re paying

hoon: that’s the least he can do, after inflicting all this on us, and on her

joshuji: don’t worry, dinner is on me. [location attached] be there.

Fuck. Fuck my life, and fuck the two other people also in my life, and also, fuck Eunseo for good measure, because if it hadn’t been for her coming over to the mixer in third year, Joshua would never have fallen head over heels with her at first sight, and he wouldn’t have asked her out, and then I wouldn’t have had to deal with my conflicting feelings in the middle of a random Sunday. In the middle of me contemplating whether to clean my flat or not, too. If you look at it, its all her fault. Her fault for being so flawless and lovely and gorgeous that even I cannot bring myself to be jealous. The woman volunteers her free time at an animal shelter, for god’s sake. She’s the kind of person you write rambling horrible love sonnets about, and inflict them on your best friends after getting drunk and vomiting on a sidewalk at three in the morning. I should know, because that was Joshua when he was twenty-five.

Everything seems to go to shit at the same time, so of course, my landlord has to make an appearance when I’m in the middle of a neurotic episode over whether or not to do my laundry and contemplating hurling myself out of the window. His knocks are rhythmic, three seconds apart, which gives me enough time to prepare with a butcher’s knife in my hand. To ensure my safety, of course, in all my good conscience, I could never murder someone.

“Ah, yes, if it isn’t my favourite tenant,” he smiles, wide enough for me to see the gold tooth he had put in four years ago, “don’t worry, I’m only here for a routine check.”

“I bet you say that to all your tenants, Mr Kim.” I mutter, not moving from the doorway. If this man can sell me a glorified hovel posturing as a flat, I can disrespect him as much as I want. “I’ll get back to you on the renewal on my lease as soon as possible.”

The nosy bastard (man) that he is, Mr Kim cranes his neck around me to take a look inside my flat, “don’t worry, you’ve been one of my longest-running tenants for a while, you can take your time.” Then he looks at me, and the gold tooth is again on display. Ugh, I fucking hate it, “Is there a man inside? Boyfriend?”

“I don’t know why I’m saying this to you, Mr Kim, but I don’t have a boyfriend.” I reply, suppressing my urge to bury the knife held in my hand in his chest, “I was cooking, if you want to know that badly.”

“No boyfriend?” he tuts at me as though my dating life (or its lack thereof) is a personal slight against him, “but there are men coming over to your house all the time?”

“Those are my friends, Mr Kim,” I grit out, fake smile getting more brittle by the second, “men and women can be friends, you know.”

“Ah yes, I know, I know,” he nods, before clapping his hands like he’s received some sort of epiphany, “I forgot to tell you, but if you do decide to renew,” here he takes a deep breath, as if he’s bestowing upon me some great honour, “the rent will be raised. By twenty.”

“Twenty percent?” I screech, and the student in the flat next to me has probably heard it, “is that even legal?”

From the smile on his face, I don’t have to hear anything else. It probably is.

Mr Kim goes away from my line of sight (my kitchen knife’s line of attack) with another, equally insufferable, smile, and I close the door with a loud enough bang that the hinges rattle. I lied to Jihoon, because I only have two months left on my contract, and I still have had no luck in finding a new flat to move into. Everywhere I go, its either overpriced, or the facilities are too shitty, or the vibes are off.

Back in the room, I try to busy myself with laundry, when my phone rings. Its Jihoon, who’s apparently decided that making me angry is a full-time job for him. He’s making use of the private chat, which is rare for him, and somehow, equally annoying for me.

hoon: sorry about what happened in the studio this morning

hoon: offer still stands though

big dick (canon): that’s not how you apologise to someone

hoon: what? I’m trying to help my bestie get some

hoon: is that such a scandalous thing to ask for

big dick (canon): yes. Yes, it is

big dick (canon): also, fyi, I’m not sleeping with any of your friends. They’re all too weird for me

hoon: Mingyu? I remember you saying once that you’d motorboat him

big dick (canon): platonically

hoon: not sure how you’d motorboat someone platonically

big dick (canon): he’s too outgoing for me. cannot imagine I’d ever have a moment to myself if I ever dated him

hoon: Wonwoo? Everyone liked him back in university

big dick (canon): unfortunately, all he seems to talk about is gaming. I don’t mind gaming once or twice, but talking about it all the time? That bores me

hoon: Chan? He’s younger than you, but you could be a cougar, for all I know

big dick (canon): I’ve seen Jeonghan beg on his knees for him to go home after a drinking session

hoon: Minghao?

big dick (canon): He once teased me for my curtain bangs for a week straight

hoon: fine then, Cheol?

big dick (canon): Too competitive

hoon: Seungkwan?

big dick (canon): Too athletic. Also, isn’t he joining the culture desk soon?

hoon: Seokmin?

big dick (canon): Too outgoing

hoon: Vernon?

big dick (canon): Too quiet

hoon: Jun?

big dick (canon): Too weird

hoon: Jesus, fuck, woman, what kind of person do you want to date?

big dick (canon): ykw, just set me up with Mingyu. If nothing I can still get to say I motorboated some great pecs

big dick (canon): seriously, his pecs are bigger than my boobs

big dick (canon): how does he do it

big dick (canon): can I hold them

big dick (canon): respectfully

big dick (canon): in a non-sexual way

big dick (canon): please

hoon: I’m sure he’s going to appreciate that

big dick (canon): please ask him

big dick (canon): how does one get that kind of pectoral muscles

big dick (canon): wow

hoon: my pecs are bigger than his

big dick (canon): is this some new sort of dick-measuring contest idk yet

big dick (canon): if it is

big dick (canon): you’re losing

big dick (canon): I need to take a bite from his tits

big dick (canon): One

big dick (canon): Teensy tiny

big dick (canon): Munch

hoon: I’m so close to blocking u

big dick (canon): They hated Jesus because he spoke the truth

hoon: maybe you need to consider that Jesus had very bad vibes

hoon: so, you want to go on a date with Mingyu?

hoon: I feel like I should tell you that he eats the equivalent of three people

hoon: at the same time

big dick (canon): As long as he lets me motorboat him

 big dick (canon): I don’t care

big dick (canon): He can eat as much as he wants

hoon: why must you be so horny over Mingyu of all people

hoon: he’s not even that attractive

hoon: and I’ve got bigger pecs than him

big dick (canon): congratulations on having bigger pecs, but I’m still gonna motorboat Mingyu

big dick (canon): going to gently hold his tits

hoon: between you going feral and Joshua badgering me about his engagement party dinner

hoon: I can’t help but feel as though both of u are out to make me go insane

big dick (canon): are you gonna go to that?

hoon: he’s already made plans at the barbecue place where we go to

hoon: even got a whole discount coupon and everything

hoon: normally I’d be upset that he’s being cheap, but after researching the price of that ring, I’m prepared to forgive him this once

hoon: next time I’m forcing him to take us out to a good dinner place

big dick (canon): are you planning to spend all his salary

big dick (canon): I’m in

big dick (canon): Ugh I haven’t eaten anything since the morning

big dick (canon): Can you ask Mingyu to bring me food

hoon: you’re incorrigible

hoon: have you been able to maintain eye contact with him?

big dick (canon): UNFAIR

big dick (canon): You know I can only do that with you

big dick (canon): Since you’re exactly my height

big dick (canon): Hehe

hoon: I’m blocking u and this number right NEOW

hoon: cannot believe I’m conversing WILLINGLY with someone who slanders my height

big dick (canon): see u at the barbecue place tonight

big dick (canon): have fun on the song

hoon: I’m trying to finish it

hoon: cannot believe I’ve gone into a slump

big dick (canon): you know how this can be cured?

big dick (canon): An INTERVIEW

big dick (canon): With yours truly

big dick (canon): Please

hoon: ask someone else

hoon: Soonyoung

big dick (canon): he’s an idol, yes but  

big dick (canon): I’m terrified he’s going to do at least three tiger impressions

hoon: wrong, he’s going to do at least five

hoon: ugh gotta go

hoon: see u at the dinner

I stare at the dark phone screen for about five minutes after I’ve finished texting Jihoon. His interest in setting me up with one of his friends aside, he’s not wrong. I’m sexually frustrated, which means I’m just projecting my desires onto the closest available person, which in this case, happens to be Joshua.

Okay, fair enough, then why not anyone else? The people at my workplace aren’t that bad, and some of them are fairly good-looking, so why not them?

As soon as that thought comes into my mind, I shake it away violently. To willingly date someone in the workplace is inviting a whole host of problems, HR notwithstanding. And to imagine the fallout when I eventually break up with them, while still having to work with them in the same office—no, I’d rather take a transfer. The only option that remains are Jihoon’s friends, and while they’re all nice, they can also be terrifying, and therefore, not the best options for dating. Or sleeping around, which is what Jihoon wants me to do.

“Ugh, why do I have to have these feelings,” I moan into my pillow. It would have been great if I were born as an amoeba. Or as a plant. No need for my feelings to take centre stage, no need to maintain friendships with annoying people like Jihoon or Joshua. Just peaceful photosynthesis, and being eaten by a random goat on a random Tuesday. I wouldn’t even need to go to university. Nothing required. Just basking in the sun.

And unfortunately, because my mind is a little traitor, it focuses on the one thing that I don’t want to focus on: Jihoon’s offhand comment about his pecs being bigger than Mingyu’s; which, if I know Jihoon as well as I do, is a blatant lie, but even the thought of it is enough to send me into a downward spiral. What the hell does he mean, he has bigger pecs than Mingyu? Its not as if I want to see them, and let this be known, and made into public record, that I’ve never once wanted to see Jihoon’s pecs.

But.

Of course, its not as if I haven’t thought about it. not as far as Jihoon, who apparently masturbated to the thought of me, but of course I have idly wondered, what it would be like. When he came back from the military, its all I could think about for a couple days, before I had to physically slap myself back into reality. Unfortunately for me, his one petty comment about the size of his pectoral muscles, threatens to throw me back into the pits of desperation yet again.

Ugh. I slam my face into the pile of fresh laundry, hoping for it to soothe my nerves. Spoiler alert, it doesn’t.

Its at that moment that the chatroom pings again, this time with a  message from Joshua.

joshuji: SHE SAID YES!!!!

hoon: congratulations!

big dick (canon): Congratulations!!!

—

The barbecue place is good enough for us, but for a dinner celebrating Joshua’s engagement to Eunseo, it seems a little too shabby. Although given the amount of money he’s spent on an engagement ring (I saw the prices, and I had to stifle a gasp) it can be forgiven. Just this once, as Jihoon said.

I’ve come here late, on purpose. Between the excited texts from Eunseo, who texted me a picture of her ring, and I had to act appropriately surprised, and Joshua’s infamous enthusiasm for a. showing the world how much he loves his girlfriend and b. to torment his friends, I’m feeling drained. I’m dressed for a night of eating greasy food and drinking cheap alcohol: a hoodie borrowed (stolen) from either Jihoon or Joshua, and jeans. I can’t even lie to myself and give myself a reason to dress up, because even I can’t delude myself into doing that. Jihoon once saw me with day-old vomit on my shirt, and Joshua has seen me dress in my sleepwear for exams week.

The place is filled with smoke, emanating from the meat being cooked on the grills, and it takes me a moment to adjust myself to it all, before I look for the other three. They have all arrived, and according to Jihoon, who’s sent a message out of his own accord on the chatroom in a long time, they’re all eating lots of beef.

“You’re late,” Jihoon grumbles as I approach the table, “I had to sit through half an hour of these two being happy and in love.”

“You’re a liar,” I say, sliding into the seat next to him, “you enjoy romance movies.”

“Wow, that’s something I didn’t know about him,” Joshua says, with a twinkle in his eyes that I don’t want to decode, “how come you know everything about Jihoon?”

“Occupational hazard,” I reply, reaching for a piece of meat, “every time you bailed on us to go on a date with Eunseo, Jihoon and I would be forced to hang out together.”

“It was horrible,” Jihoon agrees, “she’d force me to watch all these romance movies.”

“Says the man who cried while watching Love Actually.”

Eunseo giggles at that, almost doubling over herself. I narrow my eyes at Joshua, “have you both been drinking since the afternoon?”

“No, no, I haven’t,” Eunseo wheezes, and it’s unfair how gorgeous she is while laughing, too. She’s wearing an apron to prevent grease falling on her expensive clothes, and she’s still gorgeous. I snort when I laugh, and once Jihoon saw me with mango juice coming out of my nose, “it’s just funny.”

“What is?”

She points at the two of us, “you know, the both of you keep talking about how annoying you find each other, and yet you’re both closer to each other than anyone else. It’s just so funny to me.”

“Joshua,” Jihoon says, very seriously, “I think your fiancée has been taking drugs.”

“At the very least, she’s insane,” I supply helpfully, “no one in their right minds would date Joshua. Not to mention agreeing to marry him.”

Joshua puts an arm around Eunseo, “stop slandering my fiancée.”

Jihoon puts a piece of meat into his mouth, trying to change the topic, “have I mentioned I’m helping her hook up with someone?”

I cough violently, while Eunseo and Joshua wear twin expressions of confusion. “Wait, Jihoon,” Joshua says, “I thought you—”

“I told you not to talk about that!” I wail, a noise that’s fortunately covered by all the meat-grilling around me, “no, I’m not going to hook up with any of your friends. Jihoon has terrible taste in people, not to mention that all your friends aren’t exactly hook-up material.”

“You take that back,” he gasps, “weren’t you talking about how you’d like to motorboat Mingyu?”

“That was platonically!”

“I’m sorry,” Joshua interjects, looking at me as though I’ve sprouted another head, “how can you, and I’m just going off on a limb here, motorboat someone platonically?”

“That’s what I said,” Jihoon grumbles, “she keeps asking me to set them up once.”

“That’s because he’s the hottest out of all your friends.” The soju is bitter as I drink it, “if I have to engage in a night of mindless sex, might as well do it with the hottest guy around.”

“Knew it,” Jihoon wags one of his fingers at me, “knew you only wanted Mingyu for his body. How dare you do that to my friend.”

“You once stole his socks.”

“Once.”

“For a whole semester.”

“Fair enough.”

“Both of you,” Joshua says loud enough for us to stop bickering, “explain it to us properly. What do you mean you’re helping her hook up with one of our friends? And why are you letting him hook you up with one of our friends?”

I shrug, “It’s not a big deal. Besides, you heard us. It’s only going to be one time.”

“Do I need to give you the talk?”

Jihoon  laughs, “you do realise she’s an adult?”

“I’m not saying she can’t do anything; I’m just saying she needs to be careful!

“If I have to be careful around the rest of the guys, then maybe you shouldn’t be friends with them.”

“What do you mean she should be careful around the people who have known her for so long?”

“All of you!” Eunseo claps her hands, and like kindergarten children, we all turn to look at her, sheepish, “Josh,” she turns to the man in question, who looks sufficiently contrite, “let me have a word.”

As they leave, Jihoon pulls a face. “asshole.”

I take another shot of the soju, “he’s just looking out for me.”

“Then he shouldn’t be so overbearing about it.” Jihoon takes a look at me downing another shot, “should you be drinking this fast?”

“Don’t you start.” I say, shaking my head, “I’m going to drink enough to wipe out Joshua’s bank account.”

Jihoon says nothing, just looks at me, and then, after ten seconds, “do you want to do it?”

“Do what?”

“The date. With Mingyu.”

Maybe its just the alcohol getting to my head, or maybe its all this smoke, but his voice seems different. Is he concerned, or is he joking, as per usual? It’s confusing. Should I blame the alcohol? That seems easier, given how it’s getting to my head. “I don’t know.”

“He’s not that bad, you know. He’s a good listener, and if you want him to shut up, he will. He’s great that way.”

I stare at him. Jihoon has a strange look on his face, one that I can’t really place. Alcohol. Yes. Blame it on the alcohol. I take another shot, but before I can form a reply to him, Eunseo and Joshua are walking back to the table, hand-in-hand, identical smiles on their faces. As soon as it had come, the look in Jihoon’s eyes is gone, replaced by the usual, blasé attitude he has perfected.

“Sorry for being late,” Eunseo breezes as she settles into the table, “Joshua needed to be reminded of adult boundaries.”

“I’m sorry.” Joshua offers by way of an apology, “I overstepped.”

“Damn right you did.” Jihoon mutters.

“Apology accepted,” I smile, picking up a piece of meat, “can you order some more?”

—

Mondays are, unfortunately, the worst. Especially if one spent their Sunday evening drinking enough alcohol to lose half their memories. I slide into my seat at work, yawning as I inspect the things I have to finish working on before the end of the day.

“Morning, sunbae,” a cheery voice says, placing a cup of coffee on my desk, “you look like shit.”

“Not the time, Seungkwan,” I mutter, pressing two fingers to my forehead, “too loud, too loud.”

“Heard you got shitfaced with Jihoon and the others last night,” Seungkwan says louder, “Jihoon texted the chat with the others at two in the morning, saying how he was going to take you home.”

“He did?” thankfully, I have no recollection of this happening, so I just let him fill me in on the details, “all I remember is drinking too much at the barbecue place.”

“Celebrating Joshua’s engagement, right?” Seungkwan’s smile is irritating, and I hate how cheery he is in the morning, “he texted about that, too. The pear-cut diamond was, oof, it was something to see.”

“Why do you know about diamond cuts?”

“I grew up with sisters,” he shrugs, as if growing up with sisters imbued one with all the hidden knowledge of womankind, including, but not limited to, engagement ring diamonds and their specific cuts, “you pick up stuff from listening.”

“Jihoon told you all he took me home?” I ask, “he doesn’t usually say that kind of stuff.”

“You got especially drunk last night, so he made an exception for you.” Seungkwan grins, leaning in, “what do you think about Jihoon?”

“He’s a pain in my ass.” I mutter, switching on my computer, “also, go back to work, Seungkwan. You’re not even supposed to be here until next week!”

“Yoo-min quit, so they asked me to join a week early,” he gives me a grin that again, I try not to decode (what is it with all these men and their mysterious grins?) before settling down into the seat next to me, and promptly jumping up to subject me to a ninety-degree bow, “Boo Seungkwan, at your service!”

“Ugh,” I wince, waving at him, “sit down, for the love of god, no one needs to be that loud in the mornings.”

“You are my senior, as it happens, and I’m very keen on maintaining proper relations.”

“Get me one of those hangover cures.”

“I like the American style.”

—

To no one’s surprise, Seungkwan is a very competent worker. He’s a social butterfly, which means that he quickly endears himself to everyone at work, and by the time lunch rolls around, I have to hear praises of Seungkwan from everyone. It’s terrifying, how competent he is.

Being one of the associate editors, means I have to mostly edit the articles sent in by the reporters on ground, not to mention I get to pick and choose which issue I want to cover. I maintain as much of my professionalism as I can, while having a raging headache.

“Sunbae,” Seungkwan approaches me right before lunch, “will you be going out to cover an article?”

“I have an interview with an author after lunch, so not yet,” I reply, putting the finishing touches on a report sent in by one of our field staff, on some celebrity’s rash driving case, “I have some time.”

“Do you want to have lunch with the rest of us?” he asks, gesturing the group of five waiting behind him, “we’re going to have naengmyeon at the place down the block.”

“I have enough sense to not butt into the affairs of my juniors, Seungkwan,” I say, standing up from my chair, “here, have the card. Since its your first day here, the office should treat you.”

Seungkwan takes the offered card with a bow, and smiles brightly, “oh, but the editor said we’re having a company dinner tonight? Won’t you be joining us for that?”

“A group dinner?” I ask, and the group behind him nods their head, all in unison. It makes them look like little bobbleheads, for some reason. “Sure, I’ll join in.”

“Yes!” he seems unusually cheerful about the company dinner, which in my own experience is nothing but a pain that I had to accustom myself with when I joined the paper, “see you tonight, sunbae!”

“This kid,” I groan, picking up my coat. The prospect of lunch makes my stomach turn, and now I have to contend with dinner?

I text Jihoon while walking out of the offices. Joshua is busy with his new fiancée, and Jihoon’s building is far closer to mine that it is to Joshua’s place of work.

big dick (canon): Are u free

big dick (canon): For lunch

Unless Jihoon texts first, he takes an hour to respond at best, but as soon as I send the message, he’s typing a reply.

hoon: lunch?

hoon: if it isn’t lunch I’m killing u

hoon: dude I’ve never had a block this bad I think I’m going to go crazy

hoon: not to mention the hangover from last night is crazy

big dick (canon): it is for lunch, you idiot, why would I text u otherwise

big dick (canon): and I can agree on that, my head is killing me

hoon: is hangover soup cool with u

hoon: I know a good place

hoon: meet u at the front of your building in five

hoon: please tell me all the details about Seungkwan

“He took five minutes to get the editor to warm up to him?” Jihoon cackles, as the lady serves us two steaming bowls of seollongtang, “of course, it’s Seungkwan. He can make anyone warm up to him in minutes.”

“I fear he takes it as a challenge.” I say, spooning the milky broth into my mouth, “ah! Its hot!”

“Why can’t you just wait for a while, before eating your food?” Jihoon pours me a glass of water, “did you die of starvation in your previous life?”

“I don’t believe in that.”

“Yes, yes, Miss Atheist. Tell me what else our little dongsaeng get up to in the meantime.”

“He’s not been given a lot of work, given that it’s his first day,” I take another, more tentative sip of the broth, “but unfortunately, I’ve got to attend another company dinner tomorrow night.”

“Another company dinner? Haven’t you gone through enough pain to consider drinking again, what,  barely twenty-four hours later?”

“Twenty-fours is pushing it,” I say, wincing at the sound of my own voice, “ugh, this damn hangover. I can’t even function. Let’s just eat in silence.”

“You want a cider?” Jihoon asks, looking around for the owner to ask for two cans of cider, but the owner is faster than him, setting down two cans of soda in front of us with a smile on her face.

“Your boyfriend is very caring.” She tells me, “its so nice to see someone taking care of their girlfriend so well. The sodas are on the house, okay?”

“Oh, but he’s not—” even before I’ve finished my sentence, she’s gone again, tending to her other customers. Jihoon opens one of the cans for me without saying a word.

“We should stop coming here.” I say, accepting the can from him, “why would anyone think that we’re a couple?”

“They can’t accept that men and women can just be friends, that’s why.”

“Too bad the food is great.”

Jihoon pauses for a moment, then a slow, sly smile spreads all over his face. I know that look. That look does not bode well for me, or for anyone else involved. The first time I saw Jihoon have that look on his face, Seungcheol embarrassed himself so badly in front of a group of first-year students, he refused to come out to any events where Jihoon was invited, for almost a month. This look means that he’s got some sort of evil plan in his mind, one that involves another person and their total embarrassment. He takes a look around the restaurant, and sits up straight. The words that come out of his mouth next, however—

“Babe,” Jihoon says, loud enough for half the restaurant to hear, “don’t you think this place is great?”

What the fuck?

“Jihoon, what are you doing?” my voice is a whisper, “they’re all looking at us!”

“That’s the point.” He whispers, before smiling, “you should say something too, you know. Make the whole thing more believable.”

“I don’t want to!”

“They gave us free sodas; they deserve a special performance at least.” He points to the owner, who looks like she’s about to break her face from smiling so damn broad, “sorry, my girlfriend is a very shy.”

“Oh,” the lady waves it away, “anyone can see you are in love!”

In the end, when Jihoon is paying for our lunches, she takes a final look at the two of us, and croons, “you two make a lovely couple!”

“What the fuck was that?” I turn on Jihoon as soon as we are safely out of the restaurant and far enough for anyone to eavesdrop, “Why the hell would you tell her that we’re dating?”

“Thought you needed a pick-me-up,” Jihoon grins, “at least I got you to stop worrying about things so much.”

“There are better ways of going about that than telling unsuspecting diner owners that we are dating!”

“It was funny, you have to admit,” he smiles, and I have to begrudgingly agree, “see, told you we’d make a cute couple.”

I would rather die than tell Jihoon that I agree with him on anything, so I keep quiet. Thing is; it was rather funny. Especially with how the owner reacted to us.

“And later on,” Jihoon says, holding on to my arm as we cross the road, “when you come to this place with someone else, you can just tell her that we broke up.”

“You need to stop talking about how I’m going to start dating other people.” I mutter, “just because I’ve got some frustrations I need to work out, doesn’t mean I’m going to go running into the arms of whoever it is who offers first.”

“Careful with that,” he says, standing at the crossroads where he’s supposed to walk towards his building, “you might end up regretting it.”

And with a single wave, he’s gone. I stand for about five minutes, like an idiot, while the busy crowd walks past me, trying to decode his words. Why would I regret my decision to not date someone just because I need to get over myself? Not to mention Jihoon has been behaving strangely since the previous night.

“Sunbae,” Seungkwan materialises next to me, “penny for your thoughts?”

“Jesus!” I narrowly escape jumping three feet into the air, “give a girl a warning!”

“I did call out,” he pouts. Its disconcerting how adorable he is. “You were pretty engrossed in looking into the distance to even notice my presence.”

“Are you upset?”

Seungkwan smiles, “if you agree to a badminton match with me over the weekend, I’ll overlook this slight.”

I sigh. “You drive a hard bargain,” I say, making my way into the building, “see you at the dinner, then.”

—

[beebee18]

We were?

Mingyu x Reader

Characters; Y/n, Mingyu, Seungkwan, Seokmin and Vernon. Seungcheol, Wonwoo, Minghao, Dino, Hoshi. (brief)

Genre; Fluff (slight confusion), friends to lovers

Warnings; None. (possibly, Mingyu's arms)

Summary; Seungkwan asking you if you've been to 1st base with Mingyu makes you question his behaviour over the past few weeks, while trying to keep your own feelings at bay.

Main masterlist svt masterlist

"Have you guys kissed yet?" Seungkwan asks from beside you as soon as Mingyu leaves for the restroom.

"What... " You ask, slightly wide eyed, thinking the giggly man in front of you is joking.

"He means... you guys have been on like 3 dates, tell us the deets!" Pipes an excited Seokmin from behind you, leaning on the backrest of the sofa.

"Excuse me, what?" Your tone alerts the two boys pestering you, along with Vernon who was perched on a beanbag unbothered until now.

"Didn't Mingyu ask you out?" Vernon questions trying to recall a memory from the past few weeks.

"Wait, dates??" You ask quite confused but also a tiny bit hopeful.

The guys immediately recoil, did they say too much? Was what they heard from their hyungs wrong? Did they ruin Mingyu's chance?

"Forget we said anything." Seungkwan says hastily, the others agreeing, going back to their places.

"No-come back here! Seungkwan!" You hiss, completely dazed and now sort of irritated the guys would drop something like this on you and not even explain.

"Seokmin.." Deep breath in "...if you value your life, you will speak, right at this moment." You glare at the man, speaking in a low tone refraining from raising your voice.

"He hasn't told us anything but we did hear Coups hyung and Mingyu talking about 'a date with y/n' from when Seungkwan was eavesdroppi-"

"I WAS NOT DOING THAT" Seungkwan scoffs, Seokmin immediately disagreeing, completely forgetting that they dumped life altering information.

"Not what? Knowing you, you probably were." Mingyu snickers walking in, sitting down beside you throwing a trophy smile your way before getting comfortable, his arm draped on the sofa behind you.

The atmosphere now rather awkward with Seungkwan glancing at you from time to time, Seokmin being nervous, Vernon was... the same and you sit there trying to recall these dates.

Have you guys really been put on a date??

When did he ask you out??

He's never said the word date in however long you can recall.

• When you and Mingyu went out shopping to spice up your living room and he took you out to lunch after.

• When you went to watch that football match and it was just the two of you, buying both of you ice cream as he walked you home.

• When the other day he suggested dinner at a new restaurant that opened down the street, after which a long drive followed.

In conclusion you'd been dumb and oblivious. Also considering the fact that you never let yourself think about him like that, you tried to be a good friend who does not catch feelings, which always felt fvcking impossible.

However he never held your hand, no hugs. Why didn't he initiate the kissing?

Soon Seungkwan being unable take it anymore and announces he's gonna leave due to early morning practice, coercing Vernon and Seokmin to leave with him. They follow tentatively, saying they're goodbyes and Seokmin mouthing a 'sorry' at you.

You and Mingyu settle back on the sofa, he laughs at the movie playing in front of him, you're too in your head to notice but he sees you thinking.

"Y/n, what do you wanna have for-"

"Are we dating?" You cut him off, he's taken aback, furrowing his eyebrows.

"Yes...?" He asks a bit scared.

"When did you ask me out?"

"When we went furniture shopping and I asked you if would consider having lunch with me?" All his answers sound like questions, your face scrunched in confusion.

"Did you not know we were?" He asks sceptical, you shake your head lightly, looking at him with a frown.

"Why don't you hold my hand then? You never hug me, and see!" You point to him, still frowning. "You sit so far away!" Your frustation takes over as you look up into his eyes.

Mingyu's concern dissipating a little as he registers your words.

"I didn't wanna be really touchy and make you uncomfortable. I know you don't love skinship and you know how I am, what if I scared you away?" He says smiling at you softly, placing his hand on top of yours perched on the sofa between the two of you.

"You never kissed me..." You mutter lowly, doubt clear in your voice.

"Oh baby," Whispers out Mingyu, moving closer to you, one hand placed between the back of the sofa and and your thigh, other gently coming up to caress your jaw.

"Would you like that?" He quips, gazing into your eyes, movie completely forgotten, only serving as background noise now.

A shallow breath releases from you before you speak out a definite 'yes' leaning in a little closer.

His free hand moves to your nape pulling you in gently, one of your hands instinctively sliding up his chest to rest on his shoulder, the other holding his bicep to ground yourself.

His lips meet yours, eager but gentle, hesitantly moving, encasing your lower lip. Confidence growing within his chest as he hears a small sigh leave you, your own doubt clearing and being replaced with pure bliss.

His hand from your nape moves back to cup your jaw softly, pulling away leisurely, eyes closed, exhaling a heavy breath, your chest equally heavy, grip loosening off his shoulder and bicep.

"So?" Mingyu almost seeks out an answer, something, hopefully positive as you come to your senses opening your eyes and gazing into his dreamy ones. A small smile growing on your face causing him to exhale heavily in relief, a grin cascading over his golden boyish features.

A little giggle leaving your lips before engulfing him a hug "I've utterly enjoyed every single date we've been on. Sorry for being stupid." You say, face buried in his neck.

His own chest rumbles with a light laugh, "It's okay, at least we got over that misunderstanding." He says stroking your back in a soothing manner.

"Should we turn this movie night into a date?"

"Yes please, I'm gonna grab blankets so we can cuddle." You say disappearing into your room with a wide grin, leaving behind an ecstatic and content Mingyu.

He may or may not have punched the air in victory, shhh!

///

Texting- (gc... y/n, dk, hoshi, vernon, kwan)

Y/n: Thanks for spilling the beans Seokminnie~

Seokmin: Oh! That was my plan all along!!

Hoshi: About fvcking time-

Vernon: Have fun ;)

Seungkwan: AND GIVE US THE DEETS LATER!!

///

Texting- (gc... gyu, scoups, wonwoo, the8, dino)

Mingyu: Y/n just realized we've been dating??!!

Seungcheol: I told you to properly ask her out!!

Wonwoo: Damn.

Minghao: Use protection

Chan: Have fun hyung ;)

Mingyu: Oh fvck off!

Chan: What did I do-

.

[lilacmo-on]

Born to be a Star | Mingyu | SVT Destiny Matrix | Pt. 1

hello this lilacmoon ⋆.˚⟡ ࣪ ˖

i’m back with another reading for my svt destiny matrix series! on this post, we’ll be exploring another character that piqued quite my interest.

as you can read from the title, i’ll be putting the spotlight on mingyu & why i believe that he was born to be a star ⋆.˚⟡ ࣪ ˖

this post might be a long one, as i’m going to explore quite the number of aspects and zones for this reading. so i hope you’re equipped with the patience (˵ •̀ ᴗ - ˵ ) ✧ i promise to keep it light & easy to digest, though!

thanks in advance for reading ⸜(｡˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝♡

part 1.1 chart aspects & zones

before we start exploring mingyu’s chart, i’d like to first share a point of reference to the purpose of each aspect & zone im gonna be tapping into. of course, every area of our charts must come together as one to tell us our fortune holistically. but again, this series is just for fun. as i’ve mentioned in this post, i can’t disclose everything i can read into the members’ charts. plus, it takes a whole day to read someone’s chart actually (i’ve tried it, trust me), so i’m providing abridged readings only.

anyways ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ

i'm going to be breaking this reading into two parts. the main area we’ll be looking into for this reading is the money line. this is the area you usually look at to know how you can manifest financial or material abundance in your life. this is one of the areas where you can find your ideal career or business opportunity, how you should be spending or investing your money, and an additional area for what intentions you could adapt while you do the latter activities.

to some people, this area is enough for them to make sense of their financial situation. but if you want to look at it in relation to purpose, calling, and talents, you can also look at these sections to provide supporting details:

portrait zone

talent zone

financial/material karma

material karma of both parents

i'll be talking about these supporting details in part 2 as they're a whole bunch of long sections altogether. they'll still circle back to the money line, so you can see how all these aspects relate to one another. it's quite interesting, too, so please watch out for it soon!

moving on! ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ

here’s a labeled version of mingyu’s destiny matrix chart you can use as reference:

sorry it’s kind of a mess (ᵕ—ᗜ—) it’s me & my ipad against the world

i’ve already labelled each subsection for each zone so you could have an idea of what they mean within the destiny matrix chart. i use this chart calculator online, by the way. you can graph this much like any other divination chart, of course. but to make it easy, you can just let the computer do the computing for you (it involves math).

now with this in mind, let’s now explore the energies housed in these parts of mingyu’s chart!

part 1.2 mingyu’s money line

as i’ve mentioned, the very focus of this post will be of mingyu’s money line. this is where all the other supporting details will revolve around and go back to in conclusion. so let’s dive right in!

✧ദ്ദി( ˶^ᗜ^˶ )

as we can see from this chart, the mingyu’s full money line houses the energies 17-7-8. these are the energies of the star, the chariot, and justice.

i’d like to note that in reading the destiny matrix, we use the marseilles tarot instead of the rider-waite deck. the difference between these decks is that the positions of justice & strength are interchanged. in rider-waite, justice is represented by the number 11, while it’s the number 8 in marseilles. why this system the way it is can be left for another time. for now, let’s focus on reading!

a. financial log-in: the star (17)

right off the bat, this was the aspect that really caught my attention about mingyu’s professional destiny. the star, in the context of careers and money, essentially represents talents, creativity, and making connections. although some other numbers can represent these in general, the star gives the nuance of being seen. basically, popularity.

this tells us that mingyu was born gifted. but while others who are being asked to dedicate their natural talents to society, or use their talents to revere themselves, or manifest their dreams, mingyu’s task is to expose them to the world. in order to manifest financial/material abundance, he musn’t be afraid of the spotlight. of people praising him. of making connections within the industry he’s in and pursue being a credible figure.

because stars are meant to shine, aren’t they?

i really love this because the star in the financial log-in means he was called to it. identifying the language that the universe is speaking to you with is very important to manifesting your fate in the positive. and to be called to do something in order to breakthrough your barriers, to me, weighs much more than being simply programmed to be something.

b. financial flow: the chariot (7)

as we always say in spirituality, manifestation must always be paired with action. we cannot always rely on the universe to hand over the best version of ourselves and our lives on a silver platter if we don’t do anything to achieve it. because while everyone has a right to a good life, we also have a responsibility to ourselves & to our fates that we must commit to.

in the money line, the area of financial flow is your instruction on how to generate your income or how to keep it flowing. directly under the money sign, some people look at this area to find their ideal careers or business venture. for mingyu, we could see that his flow is influenced by the chariot (7).

this suggests that, in order to manifest a steady and abundant flow of income into his life, he must invest his efforts in an endeavor in which he’s in constant motion. in addition, he must develop drive & discipline, or be in an area that naturally evokes this in him.

being an idol suits him in this regard. the entertainment industry requires a lot of movement, discipline, and passion from those who want to be a star among a whole galaxy. and knowing the level of training and preparation he does with seventeen as well as the long list of experiences he probably has on his resume, we could infer that the stage, variety shows, model shoots, runways, etc. are natural habitats to him.

but what i loved most about this area is that it's proof of how natural it is for mingyu to be hardworking. he has a strong sense of what he wants out of his career and truly loves it. similar to the fool (22), he's also being called to commit. only difference is that the chariot almost always does.

pair all this with his log-in under the star, he truly is the perfect idol.

c. balance / intention: justice (8)

in this last section of the money line (or the "tail" as i like to call it), we can see the intentions we can apply and keep in mind in order to positively manifest financial abundance in our lives. typically, this is simply the area where you can find balance between money and love. but so far in the readings i've done for other people, it comes out as the value you must possess to reach your career/financial goals when you read it in the sole context of the money line.

this area asks us what we're gonna do with all this abundance. it's not enough for you to just have it. you also have to reassure the universe that you're using the blessings you receive for its intended purpose. because who wants bad karma, right?

looking back at mingyu's chart, we see that this area is under the energy of justice (8).

simply put, this suggests that all the work mingyu does must always be ethical. justice is, in its name, all about fairness and making decisions that are honest. if he really wants to succeed & keep material abundance at the palm of his hands, he must not cheat, lie, or steal from anyone. most importantly, he must be willing to share. the universe will grant him this life of fame and fortune, but he must live it earnestly.

this doesn't have to be material possessions, though. especially not in the context of his line of work. this could mean that even though he naturally draws the spotlight on him, he must remember to share it with other people. he must keep only the recognition that he truly worked hard for. pursue only the opportunities that fit him the best, and those that don't must be given to those who deserve it.

and god, am i proud that mingyu does this a lot. mingyu's love for his career extends way beyond himself as he lets it pour onto his members, his coworkers, and the industry itself. the strongest proof i have of this is when he himself said that his goal is to keep seventeen together. wasn't he the one that initiated their contract renewal as thirteen? wasn't he the one that urged them to talk about it despite how difficult of a conversation it was?

despite the amount of his solo activities, he keeps coming home to seventeen. he keeps sharing his success to them. always crediting his brothers/friends for the drive & discipline he learned to possess. and most importantly, always inspiring the people around him.

part 1.3 final thoughts

there's no doubt that mingyu is blessed by the universe. not only is he very much connected with his purpose, he's also doing all the work that's needed and applying the virtues required. this just makes me even more proud to be a carat. i've been so used to seeing artists of different media get their souls sucked off by capitalism or their spirits die off because of burn out. so it truly feels just as fulfilling on my end as a fan to know that i'm supporting someone who genuinely loves what he does in such a pure manner and enjoys his time doing so.

of course, this isn't all of it. but this alone, to me, proves why mingyu was born for stardom. and i'm so excited to prove it further in the next post.

if you have the same aspects as mingyu on your money line, i deem you very lucky! you have someone like him to inspire you to positively manifest the financial abundance that the universe has programmed for you. so if you're looking for a sign to turn your life around for the better, this might be it. take it. run with it.

for the good of all & the harm of none ⋆✴︎˚｡⋆

---

if you made it this far, thank you! ٩(^ᗜ^ )و ´- i hope this reading brought you entertainment and enlightenment. perhaps, even a new perspective of mingyu and/or your life ♡

again, if you have additional thoughts / corrections you'd like to share, please don't be afraid to do so!! i'd love to know what you think/feel about this hihihi ( ∩´͈ ᐜ `͈∩)

see u in part 2~! (⸝⸝> ᴗ•⸝⸝)

[saddeneddimple]

—𝐌𝐲 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝 | 𝐇.𝐉𝐒 ✿

Genre: Fluff, non-idol au (this is 18+ content. All interactions below the age will be blocked)

Extra warning: This story contains actions that are 21+ (mentions of drinking/intoxication). Although the content is 18+, drinking for some, is not. Be responsible!!

~You move into your new home with your best friend, Joshua, being your roommate. You both have always been there for each other and have known each other for longer than you haven’t. One night after a difficult and stressful week, you’re decorating your bedroom to alleviate stress. That’s when Joshua decided to accompany you. That was until the conversation strung more to a deeper side, leading in drunken confessions and probable words that’ll leave you embarrassed in the morning. ♡~

Pairing: BestFriend!Joshua x ArtsyAfab!Reader

(Reader loves painting, she loved having little floral/cute painted details in her room. Being a little Rapunzel painting the walls of her room/Reader is a lightweight drinker)

Warning(s): Mentions of drinking/intoxication, deep conversations about overthinking, mentions/actions of reader getting anxious and a little paranoid, confession, probable established relationship

a/n: this is my first actual fanfic here! i really hope you enjoy reading it as much as i enjoyed writing it! reqs are open if you ever wanna ask me to do anything (guidelines in my pinned post)

svt masterlist the bookshelf (main masterlist)

extra a/n: remeber this is all fictional and meant for entertainment purposes only! it’s pretty much making up a character and making fiction on it. enjoy!!! (header by: me lul)

song mentioned (optional): 🎧🎧

taglist: @hoshifighting @fatherdanii @mansaenetwork

word count: 2.8k

A month into living in your new home after almost completely settling in has been exhausting yet the best month you’ve had. Not only because you’re finally living in your forever home, but because you’re living with the one person who means everything to you. Your best friend, Joshua is the type of person who has proven to you that love exists. He has always been the type of man to carry you up when you’re down, has been your shoulder to cry on, someone you don’t need filters with or need to hide your personality around. He’s the one person who will always make you feel included, no matter who you are.

Joshua has been in your life longer than he hasn’t been, and you wouldn’t change it for a second.

You both agreed on being roommates due to both convenience and the fact you wouldn’t want it to be anybody else. He’s the person you’re most comfortable with and you know how he is and his responsibilities, therefore you trust him as not only your best friend but as someone you’re sharing a house with. You both only came to one agreement:

If either of you have a partner, to not do any freaky deaky stuff in the shared spaces.

Mainly because either of you don’t want any awkward walk-ins or any well…stains…The thought of that alone made you shudder and curl into a ball in cringe. But deep down, the thought of him with someone else was dreadful. You kept denying and ignoring the feeling, passing it as something else, but you just couldn’t shake it off entirely. He’s been in relationships before, both of you have.

However, lately, it’s been different.

His smile has been making your stomach flutter, his hugs felt warmer, sometimes the thought of him makes you smile to yourself. You suppressed the feelings from the moment it began, not wanting to ruin something that meant everything to you and something you’ve had for so long. You ignored it and even distracted yourself from it, possibly in someone else’s company, the whole “to get over someone get under someone else,” as fucked up as it sounds. It would help but in reality, it never stopped.

The work week finally ended, it being more stressful and exhausting than usual. Massive delays in projects you needed to make up for even though you had nothing to do with the delay, and just the constant flame under your ass from your boss to make sure everything is done before the deadline. You got promoted at your job and as phenomenal as the pay may be, your boss has been slacking off a lot more than they should’ve, making you pick up after them. It sucked. But it was finally over and everything was up to date and back on track. Now, it’s time to go home and just enjoy the rest of the day.

You get home, empty due to Joshua being at work. Usually he gets home a couple hours after you do, so this was no shocker. You put everything away and without a single care, you undress on your way to your room to take a hot shower before doing anything else. After your thorough shower which consisted of just standing there and letting the hot water hit your skin the majority of the time, you get into your most comfortable clothes and pull up the wooden blinds of your window, but not to look outside.

You get two old empty water bottles you recycled and cut them in half, only needing the bottoms of the plastic bottle. You go into your painting cabinet and pull out two tubes of acrylic paint, squeezing the separate colors into their appropriate d.i.y’d plastic cup. You grab your plastic paint palette, more tubes of paint, and squeeze smaller blobs separately placed on the palette. You grab your mason jar of brushes and grab the ones you were going to use, then with a smaller jar, you fill it halfway with water, finally set up to paint your windowsill with the design you had in mind from the moment you picked out your room.

You put on your headphones as well as grabbed a bottle of rosé, got on your chair and began with a plain sketch of the outline of what you were going to paint.

From the moment the music started and you dipped your brush into the half of the plastic bottle, you felt your tense body finally relax. Painting was one of your favorite hobbies and found so much peace making these cute images and designs. And your favorite canvas was your own room—from the doors to your closet to the windowsill, making floral or vine-like designs or just small pieces that gave your room so much character and life. Good music along with painting freestyle designs in your room was your free therapy.

You were in your zone, the music flowing through your body as your hand mindlessly stroked the small paintbrush along the piece of polished wood. You bopped your head to the rhythm, humming softly as you occasionally paused your work to take occasional sips of the rosé. The sweet, fruity and floral notes hitting your lips and drowning your tongue, the subtle warmth of the alcohol coating your throat with each sip.

The sun was now covered by a dark and starry blanket, the moon now glimmering in the sky, your source of light replaced by a desk lamp beaming directly at the windowsill to help see what you’re doing. A favorite song from The Neighbourhood blared through the headphones as you were finishing final details, excitement jolting in your body as your little piece is almost complete. Suddenly you felt a tap on your shoulder, casing you to jump in surprise as you quickly turn around.

That’s when you see Joshua, towering over you with a soft smile accompanied by tired eyes, he clearly took a shower himself before he entered your room due to his damp hair and his change of clothes into loungewear.

“Oh my god! You scared me.” You chuckled, taking off your headphones as you paused the current song you were listening to.

“Hey, there.” He greeted, his hand on your head, softly ruffling your hair.

“Hi, Josh. You got back from work this late?” You question, noticing the time being much later than the usual time he comes home.

“Not too late, I stayed another hour but I took a nap and a long shower. I’m sorry I didn’t come see you sooner.” He sits on the edge of the bed, looking at the windowsill.

“You have nothing to apologize for, silly! I’m glad you were able to rest.” You put your brush down and get up to sit next to him, until you suddenly felt really lightheaded. That’s when you acknowledged you drank nearly half of the bottle of rosé as you were painting.

Joshua reacted to your subtle loss of balance, nearly about to grab you in case you tripped,

“You alright?” He chuckled, noticing the bottle.

“Yes. Yes I’m okay. Want some?” You offered your now room temperature booze.

“Nah not today.” His smile widening, showing his pretty teeth that gave you butterflies.

You sit next to him on the bed, not before reaching the bottle, taking a much larger swig before putting it back. The drink being warmer made it taste bitter, making you cringe and put the bottle down. You felt your eyes get heavier, pretty sure you hit your point when you realize the swing was more of a chug you went passed the halfway point of the bottle. Joshua would’ve stopped you, but knowing you wouldn’t drink past that especially with the different taste, all he did was humorously smile at your personal realization of your intoxication.

“I missed you, Josh.” You go in to hug him. His warm arms wrap around you, melting you to his chest. His hand sneaks its way to your hair, softly caressing your head, his fingers delicately massaging your scalp.

“I missed you too.” He sighed, hearing his smile in those words. You took a deep breath, your relaxed body resting against his chest, your eyes fluttering shut.

“Did you have a good day at work?” He asked, his pillowy voice making your ears turn pink. His thumb started caressing your back.

You shake your head in response, your eyes still closed, “There was such a delay that they made me pick up. It wasn’t even my fault, it just sucked. But it’s over now.” You sigh in his chest.

“Aww, poor baby,” He cooed as he kissed the top of your head, which made your entire body flush, the fluttering in your stomach turned aching. You purse your lips in attempt to hold in a smile and giggle like a schoolgirl. “I’m glad you’re relaxing now.”

“God, Josh. You’re just—Why are you so sweeeet?” You giggled out, breaking the hug and cupping his face, playfully squeezing his cheeks.

He giggled to your question, “You’re my best friend and I love you. Of course I’ll be sweet to you.”

Although this statement was factual and you loved it, you couldn’t help but feel a little bit of a sharp sting to your stomach by the comment. His words felt like a reminder of where your infatuation would end. Of where those hidden feelings for him truly lie;

Under the dirt.

You felt your smile fade, even though you tried to pick it back up, you barely were able to stop yourself, even in your drunken state. He caught up to your micro-expressions and raised his eyebrow.

“Everything okay?” He asked.

“Yeah..completely.” You shake yourself off, “I’m just tired from this week. It really stressed me out.” One flaw you had, especially around Joshua was that:

You were a terrible liar.

“Talk to me. What’s wrong?” His eyebrows slightly furrowed in concern as his doe eyes looked deeply into yours, giving into him so easily it was pathetic.

“It’s really nothing, it’s just my mind messing with me. I don’t know why I sometimes have these unrealistic expectations, even though I’m aware of the lack of reality. I dunno maybe that rosé made my brain go mushy.” You attempt to stray away from the topic while still being honest with your emotions, breaking eye contact and looking down to avoid meeting his eyes.

“What are those expectations?” He tilts his head, his index and thumb softly holding your chin, lifting your head up, meeting with his patient and worried eyes.

You didn’t want to hold back, knowing in your sober state, you would’ve at least tried to.

“It’s just I always hold on to something that I shouldn’t hold onto, I guess. I suppress it a lot but I end up bringing it back and it feels pointless and it even scares me a little bit. Cause I don’t want to ruin anything.”

“What are you afraid of ruining?” He asks.

“This.” You respond with nothing following after. That word alone made you want to smack yourself in the face from embarrassment.

He tilts his head, “Is ‘this’ related to us?” He played confused but already started connecting the dots.

“Yes, it is, Josh. I’m sorry I don’t want to be weird I don’t know.” You distance yourself a little bit, anxious and drunkenly getting paranoid.

“Hey, hey.” He calls out, his tone soft and reassuring. “You’re not being weird. You’re not doing anything wrong. Be honest with me. What are you worried about?” He gently holds your hand, grounding you and calming you as best he could.

You sigh, in any other condition, you’d hold back so much but at this moment in your state, you don’t care. You’re letting it all out,

“Josh, I don’t want to ruin what we have. You literally mean so much to me that I just hide it all the time,” You start slurring out, “I literally can’t stop thinking about you and I don’t even think about anybody but you. It’s so embarrassing and I didn’t want to say anything because I don’t want to ruin anything. But I can’t. I have really strong feelings for you. I’m sorry.” You cover your face in embarrassment as your heart begins to race, now terrified of the reaction.

“You do?” He asks in the same soft and comforting tone.

“Isn’t it obvious? I literally can’t even look at you long enough without wanting to kiss you. I get so nervous around you it’s pathetic.” You confessed, not even thinking as you speak even though you were anxious.

Joshua’s eyes widen a little, but attempted to keep his composure to make sure you don’t get more anxious, but in reality the confession shocked him. His curiosity takes over him, a million questions running through his head but in order to not trigger you in your panicked and intoxicated state, he asked only one at the moment,

“Why do you think that would ruin everything?”

You chuckled, finding amusement in the question after confessing something that was originally planned on being taken to the grave,

“You’re my best friend, Joshua. And again, you mean so much to me. I mean, we’re living together now, I wouldn’t do this with just anyone. I’m sorry I don’t know why I said anything. It was stupid.”

Joshua holds both of your hands, pulling you a little closer. He frees himself to cup your cheek, making you look directly as his eyes, a smile etched on his lips, “None of this ruins anything, love, I promise.” His thumb caressed your soft skin as your eyes kept shifting between his eyes and his lips. His reassuring reaction along with his genuine smile felt like a dream, none of this felt real.

You felt light as a cloud, your body colliding to his touch as you inch yourself closer, your lips grazing his, both you and Joshuas breathing growing heavy. But since you were drunk, you felt as if it were now or never, unaware and careless of any consequence at this point. Your lips met his, his plush lips against yours made you feel as if you were flying, your surroundings shifting into nothingness, the world only being you and him.

You paused yourself then pushed back, grounding to reality and realizing what you just did, “Oh shit, I’m sorry—“ He completely cuts you off by reuniting his lips against yours, he kisses you hungrily, craving you in the most innocent way. Somewhat surprised at his reaction, you didn’t stop it. Smiling against his lips, you wrap your arms around his neck, your fingers intertwined with his soft hair that was almost dry. One of his hands trailed to the nape of your neck, pulling you closer, deepening the kiss.

You sigh to his touch, prior tension going away the longer your lips were intertwined. He breaks the kiss, foreheads together hardly a few inches apart from each other’s lips, “My only question is that why you didn’t tell me this sooner?” His voice turned hoarse as he spoke quietly, shivers running down your spine from the question.

“Should I have said something?” You ask in the most innocent way, your sparkling eyes met his.

“You don’t know how long I’ve been waiting to just do this.” He chuckled, your already blushing face turning beet red.

“I’m sorry I didn’t. I didn’t know.” You chuckled back, hiding how flustered you got.

“There’s nothing to be sorry for, my love.” He pulled you back him, kissing him once again, never wanting to let go.

The next morning, you both woke up in the same bed. Nothing further than the kissing happened especially since Joshua didn’t want to take it further in your state.

Surprisingly you didn’t feel shitty or hungover. However, the rush of embarrassment took over when the memory of your string of confessions hit you like a truck. You look over to Joshua, who woke up to your movement.

“Morning.” He says groggily.

“Oh my god. Josh, I’m so sorry I was so embarrassing.” You immediately start apologizing, not letting each of you process the fact you’re even on this planet.

Joshua sat up, cupping your cheek, his thumb caressing your soft skin,

“Don’t apologize, baby. Do you remember anything from yesterday?”

You nodded as you sat up, facing him. “I do and I realized how bad I sounded.”

“Do you remember how I reacted?” He tilted his head, his sleepy eyes blinking slowly.

You went quiet, remembering his kiss, making your cheeks warm.

“Yeah…”

“I didn’t push you into anything further because you were drunk and I’m not gonna push it further regardless. But you know how I feel about you and you know there’s nothing to be embarrassed about.”

You take a deep breath, calming yourself, “Do you really feel the same?”

He pulled you in, his pillowy lips pressed against yours so gently.

“I have felt the same for the longest time, y/n. And I didn’t say anything for the same reason. I didn’t want to ruin it. I’ve been wanting to but since we moved in together, I felt like it wasn’t the best idea to not make it awkward. I’m glad you told me.”

You smile softly, pulling him in for a hug.

>>ahhhhh i rlly hoped you liked this! i was so

nervous about posting this but oh well<<

header made by: me!

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[kwanisms]

🎄 Tales from Camp Holiday Special 03 🎄

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➮ Junhui × fem!Reader × Vernon wc: 8.1k summary: Vernon gets the call that Y/N is back in town and wants to see him. He asks if she'd like him to invite Jun out with them for dinner at Y/N's hotel and afterwards, they sneak into the hotel's spa, for old times sake. genres/themes/au: angst (but only if you squint really hard), fluff, smut; holiday themes, poly!SVT; non idol au warnings: adult dialogue, female reader, alcohol consumption, fooling around in a hot tub (just touching), sexual content (18+ mdni), see smut warnings under the cut! taglist: @yoonguurt @wonw00t @aikisbbq @enhacolor @duchesskaren @sherituhhh @wonderfulshinee @gaebestie @drunk-on-dk @seokgyuu @salty-for-suga special tags: @kpop-stories-21 join my taglists: main | TFC: Holiday Special closes when part 7 goes up! Strikethrough means I cannot tag you. MINORS WILL BE BLACKLISTED & BLOCKED. AGELESS BLOGS WILL ALSO BE BLOCKED.

a/n: I fought with myself on giving you two smut scenes with this part as Sky really wanted it but once it got to 8k I was like "it's time to stop" lmao but I really loved working on this and it’s been a great time revisiting this series. Thank you for reading! If you liked this part, please reblog and share it! As always, this is a work of fiction and all characters are not reflective of their respective irl counterparts. for entertainment purposes only.

smut warnings: unprotected sex (don't do this), dirty talk, use of pet names (baby, angel, kitten, etc.), oral (m receiving, f receiving), anal play (f receiving), double penetration (f receiving), multiple orgasms (m receiving, f receiving), praise kink, dom!Vernon, sub!Reader, power bottom!Jun, and I think I got them all. Let me know if I missed anything!

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The small ding of his phone's notification brought Vernon out of his trance-like state, picking the device up and checking the screen.

Y/N: hey! Long time no talk! Well text lol

Vernon would never admit how embarrassingly fast he unlocked his phone and opened your text. No one but he had to know just how whipped he was for you after all this time.

Vern: hey! Wow yeah it's been a while. How have you been? Y/N: oh thank God. I couldn't remember if you changed your number or not 😭 Y/N: I'm good! Just got in town actually. Visiting for the holidays Vern: lol in all the time we've known each other, have I ever changed my number? Y/N: you make a valid point lol Vern: so what's up? Y/N: oh! i was actually wondering if you'd like to meet up for coffee Y/N: maybe catch up?

The smile that spread across his face was enough of an answer for him as he typed out a response.

Vern: I'd love to (:

Vernon wasn't one to beat around the bush, preferring to be direct in his approach to virtually everything. His personal life, work, everything. If he wasn't direct, then things often got misinterpreted. Luckily for him, you were just as direct as he was, not playing coy as you led him into your hotel suite, a smirk on your lips.

“Fuck,” Vernon hissed as you pulled at his belt, undoing it with practiced ease before fumbling with the button and zipper of his jeans. You’d agreed to meet up for coffee but both of you knew deep down there would be more to it than just two people getting coffee. This was always the catching up part.

“What was in that cappuccino?” Vernon joked as you lowered yourself to your knees, tugging his underwear down with his jeans as you looked up at him. “Nothing,” you replied, a mischievous glint in your eye as your hands worked up his thighs, fingers wrapping around the base of his cock.

“Could have fooled me,” he murmured, letting out an expletive as you took the tip of his cock into your mouth. “You probably asked for some kind of aphrodisiac,” he joked, letting out a moan as you took him further into your mouth before pulling off of him. “No aphrodisiac needed,” you replied.

“You’re enough of one alone.”

He had indeed met up with you for coffee. That wasn't some code for come to my hotel and fuck my brains out. There was a coffee shop, you both had ordered something to drink and even split a muffin. Banana nut, if he remembered correctly but he honestly couldn't be bothered when he was buried balls deep in your cunt.

"Fuck, I missed this," he groaned, hips hitting your ass as he sank his cock in your cunt repeatedly. "Miss you."

Vernon was also never one to tiptoe around his feelings. Especially when it came to you. He'd always been direct and forthcoming; a trait you appreciated tremendously. Vernon was unlike most men, actually in touch with his emotions and able to communicate them efficiently and in a mature manner.

And if you were being completely honest, Vernon was everything you wanted in a man. He was kind, honest, hard-working, communicated with clear and concise intent, all while being the perfect blend of mature with some child-like qualities you found endearing.

The only downside was the distance.

Your work kept you away from your hometown most of the year, only allowing you a chance to come back during holidays. And each time, you always ended up back in bed with Vernon. While the split was amicable, as you both were heading in different directions with your lives, there was this undeniable pull between the two of you, even with the distance between you.

It always left a small glimmer of hope for both of you that maybe you could always reconcile. Maybe even get back together at some point. Something the two of you were on board with. It’d been discussed several times and you were waiting for some catalyst to seal the deal.

You lost track of time spent in bed, clothes strewn around the hotel room. You were sure at some point you’d fallen asleep but it was still daylight when you opened your eyes, head resting against Vernon’s chest as his fingers traced a pattern up and down your exposed back. “When do you leave?” he asked softly as you came to.

“After the holiday,” you replied just as quietly. Vernon said nothing, nodding in response before looking down at you and pressing a kiss to your temple. “I miss you when you’re gone,” he murmured against your skin. You turned your head to look up at him. “I miss you, too,” you replied, reaching up to pull him into a kiss. It wasn’t full of need or want but it was full of emotion.

“I’m gonna take a shower,” you muttered, bumping your nose against his gently. Vernon nodded, pressing a kiss to the tip of your nose. “I’ll join you in a second.”

You got up, pulled the sheets back and got out of the bed, making your way to the bathroom and turned on the light before turning the dial and the shower blasting to life.

Vernon heard his phone on the nightstand vibrate loudly. He rolled over to grab it and unlocked the screen to find he had a slew of texts from Jun of all people.

Jun: check this out Jun: [image6480.jpg] Jun: why would someone willingly buy a license plate like that??? Jun: lmao Jun: bro? U good? Jun: where are u? Jun: omg are u dead? Jun: rip Vern 💀

Vernon rolled his eyes as he sent back a quick text confirming he was indeed alive and that he’d message Jun later. He looked up as you appeared in a robe and walked over to a toiletry bag. “You done already?” he asked, brows raising up. You turned to look at him. “No, I forgot my hair mask,” you replied, pulling a small jar from the bag.

“Oh perfect,” Vernon said, pulling back the sheets, setting his phone back on the nightstand, and standing up. “I’ll join you.”

Vernon followed you into the bathroom, pulling you against him as you shed the robe and making you giggle as he kissed your shoulder. You pulled back the curtain and stepped into the stream, Vernon following you and pulling the curtain shut.

“You’re never going to guess who texted me,” he announced as you started to scrub your body and exfoliate. “Hmm?” you hummed, adding body wash to your wash cloth and starting to scrub that all over your body, Vernon helping get your back. “Jun,” he said and you let out a laugh.

“No shit?” you asked, turning to look at him, letting the stream of hot water hit your back and lightly slapping his chest with the wet wash rag. He nodded, smiling at you. “Think we should invite him to dinner?” he asked as he guided you further under the stream.

“We could,” you replied, arms snaking around his neck. “I think he’d really like to see you,” Vernon added, leaning in, his lips ghosting over yours. “Only if you’re okay with it,” you replied, lips brushing against his. Vernon nodded with a soft hum. “I’m fine with it,” he murmured.

“I think it could be fun.”

The rest of the shower passed quickly and soon you were stepping out of the shower to start drying off. You pulled on your robe, passing the other one to Vernon. While you worked on your skincare routine, Vernon headed back into the room, grabbing his phone to finally text Jun back.

Jun: he lives! Yay 🥳 Vernon: hey, you busy later? Jun: 🤨…no. Why? Vernon: wanna grab some dinner? Jun: 👀 u buyin? Vernon: 😮‍💨 yes Jun: 🤔 hmmm. I guess I can call off the orgy Jun: but you better have a good reason 😒 Vernon: it’s a surprise but I promise you’re going to love it Jun: free food and a gift? From Vernon? Sign me tf up Jun: text me the location and time and I’ll be there Vernon: bet

Vernon looked up as you entered the room. “Jun’s in,” he announced. You looked over at him. “Did you tell him I’m going to be there?” you asked as you walked over to your suitcase to pull out a suitable outfit. Vernon shook his head, setting his phone back down, placing it on a built-in charging pad.

“Nope,” he replied. “Told him it’s a surprise.”

You chuckled as you tore through your suitcase. “Maybe I should really dress up then,” you muttered, placing your clothes back and walking back towards the bathroom. Vernon heard the opening of a door and a moment later, it clicked shut and you walked back into view, holding a hanger with a garment bag.

“I brought two of these. I couldn’t decide on which one to wear to a family holiday party but I think this would be perfect for dinner tonight with you and Jun.”

Vernon watched as you unzipped the bag and pulled it back to show him the dress. His eyes widened as he looked at it. “You were going to wear that to a family holiday party?” he asked, stunned. You laughed at his response. “Not exactly. I brought it just in case the other wasn’t right but seeing your reaction, I’m definitely wearing this tonight instead.”

Vernon checked his phone and sighed. “I need to run home and change as well,” he announced, getting up and untying the robe to start pulling on his clothes. You walked over as he pulled his jeans on and leaned into him, pulling him into a kiss. “Do you have to go?” you asked softly.

Vernon chuckled, pulling you into another kiss. “If you’re wearing that tonight, there’s no way I can show up in jeans,” he replied, pulling back to pull his shirt and then hoodie back on before pulling on his socks and making his way over to the door.

You followed, zipping up your garment bag and hanging the dress up in the closet by the door as Vernon pulled on his shoes and grabbed his jacket. He turned to you at the door and pulled you against him once more. “I’ll see you in a few hours,” he said softly, pressing a chaste kiss to your lips.

“You better,” you replied in between kisses. “Bring your swimsuit,” you added. Vernon looked at you with a raised brow. “My swimsuit?” he asked curiously. You nodded, a smirk forming on your lips and another mischievous glint in your eye.

“And tell Jun to bring his, too.”

╾───────────────────⭒✧⭒──────────────────╼

Jun pulled up to the valet, checking his phone to make sure he’d arrived at the correct location. His GPS told him he’d arrived and he parked his car, turning it off and grabbing the device and his wallet from the cup holder as he opened the door. 

He stood up straight, handing his key to the valet and thanking him as he walked around the car, buttoning his suit jacket and pocketing his phone and wallet as he made his way to the lobby entrance. The hotel was one of the best in the city and he’d never actually stayed here before.

The lobby entrance was one of the grandest he’d ever seen. The room was large, circular in shape with a massive chandelier that hung from the ceiling and reached almost to the floor. It was a massive fixture and gave off a soft white glow. To the right of the lobby was a wide hallway that led to what Jun assumed were various ballrooms and conference rooms.

To the right was a small cafe area as well as a backlit sign that read l’Abaque over an open doorway. Jun made his way through the busy lobby and over to the doorway. Stepping through it felt like stepping into a completely different world and he would have never known this was attached to a hotel if he hadn’t just entered through the lobby of one.

The restaurant was much larger than he expected for a hotel restaurant and it would seem almost every table was occupied. The host at the stand looked up from the podium and greeted him with a surprisingly warm smile. “Can I help you?” he asked.

“I’m meeting someone,” Jun replied. “I believe he’s already here.” The host smiled and opened a black leather book with gold lettering on the cover that read Siège Réservé. “What’s the name for your party?” the host asked and Jun froze. “Uhh, I think it’s under Vernon? Or perhaps Choi?” Jun answered.

“He’s with me,” a voice said suddenly, causing both Jun and the host to look up. “Ahh, of course, sir,” the host said with a smile. “Sorry for keeping you waiting,” Vernon said to Jun who shook his head. “I just got here,” he answered. They walked away from the host stand and through the restaurant.

“This place is pretty swanky,” Jun murmured, looking around as he followed his friend. “You have no idea,” Vernon murmured with an amused tone as he led the way.

The restaurant was even larger than Jun previously thought as he followed Vernon through it. Round tables of varying sizes were placed strategically throughout the room, each one covered with a white cloth, decorative centerpieces with tall glass containers held floating tealights.

Small flower arrangements stood around the candles. The chairs were high back with white upholstery and dark wooden legs. The walls were black and textured, one wall with a grid like light fixture, the lighting coming from behind the art piece.

A long bar stood on the back wall extending from the outside wall lined with windows, each one half shaded. The bar ran along the wall, stopping at a hallway Jun assumed led to the kitchen and back area for the restaurant. He followed along as Vernon led the way towards the hall, stopping at a door and turning to look at him.

“Don’t freak out,” he pleaded, making the older man even more confused as Vernon pulled the sliding door open and allowed Jun to enter first.

Inside was a small private dining room with a table to seat four. It was a square table rather than a round one like the ones outside but it too had a white cloth and matching chairs. The center of the table had the same center piece as the tables outside with the floating candles and flowers.

The lighting overhead was subtle to add to the ambiance of the restaurant. The walls were the same black textured ones as the rest of the restaurant. Jun’s eyes fell on another person sitting at the table, a crystal glass of water in their hand and a look of amusement on their face as they met his gaze.

Jun looked back at Vernon who just smiled at him as he slid the door shut behind him. Jun turned back to look at the person in front of him. “It’s been a long time, Y/N,” he said, moving to take a seat beside you, Vernon moving to take the seat across from him. “It’s good to see you,” you replied.

It was the last thing Jun expected as you learned over drinks. He’d been expecting to meet just Vernon but he couldn’t deny this was probably the best surprise he could have gotten. The food and drinks kept coming and Jun couldn’t fully focus on the food as good as it was. He was too engrossed in his conversation with you, learning what you’d been up to and where your job had taken you.

“I’m honestly jealous,” he said as you took a sip of wine. “Jealous?” you asked incredulously. “Don’t be,” you replied. “It’s not everything it’s cracked up to be.” Jun scoffed as he leaned back against his chair. “I’ve never even been to Europe,” he continued. “I’m not saying don’t go,” you replied.

“Just stay away from the tourist traps. Paris is full of them. The countryside outside of Paris is honestly so beautiful though,” you continued. “And Tuscany. Absolutely stunning.”

You recounted your tales of food, wine, and champagne, as well as business to them, telling them of the time your co-worker got so drunk at a wine tasting event that you were sure the deal you were supposed to be sealing would go south but thankfully the client thought it was so funny he wanted to go into business immediately.

As the meal wound to a close and dessert was brought, you listened to Jun tell you all about his travels between China and your hometown. He’d gone to Shanghai for a holiday and pulled out his phone to show you pictures while Vernon watched the two of you closely, a fond smile on his face.

The sliding door opened and he looked up as the server came in with the bill. Vernon thanked them, taking the slip of paper to glance at it briefly before pulling his card from his wallet and passing it back to the server. He picked up his glass and down the remainder of his drink as you laughed over something Jun had said.

“So,” he interrupted, making the both of you look up at him. “More drinks or should we move this elsewhere?” he asked, giving you a knowing look. “I’m good on drinks,” you said, looking up at Jun who nodded. “You brought your swimsuit, right?” you asked. Jun nodded as he looked between you and Vernon. “It’s in my car,” he replied.

“Well, go get them,” Vernon said as the server returned with his card and slip. Vernon signed the slip, leaving a generous tip as Jun got to his feet. You grabbed his glass of wine and down the rest of it before getting up as well. “We’ll meet you in the lobby,” you said to Jun as Vernon got to his feet as well.

Jun disappeared and you waited for Vernon, taking his arm when he offered it. The two of you walked through the restaurant, thanking the host who wished you a good night. In the lobby, Vernon led you over to the center where the cascading light fixture hung from the ceiling, guiding you to sit down on one of the round couches that surrounded the chandelier.

Moments later, Jun reappeared through the revolving door, a small overnight bag in his hand. He noticed the two of you and finally allowed himself to take in your appearance in the brighter lights of the hotel lobby. He hadn’t noticed due to the dim lighting in the restaurant and the table hiding half of your body, but you were wearing a metallic gold dress with a split thigh.

The back was strappy, tied just above the small of your back. He felt his pants tighten as his heart skipped a beat in his chest. He’d never expected such a revealing dress but it looked incredible on you, the gold complimenting your skin and hugging your body nicely.

He joined the two of you, trying to avoid letting his eyes wander your body as you stood. “The pool area is open for another hour,” you announced. “So let’s get changed quickly and go for a dip.” Vernon checked his watch and nodded before looking at Jun. “Sounds good to me,” Jun added.

He followed your lead to the elevator, trying to keep his eyes off you as you scanned your keycard and pushed the button for the seventeenth floor. The elevator ride up was uneventful and quiet. As soon as the doors opened, you stepped off, leading both of them to your room.

You unlocked the door with your card and opened it, letting both Vernon and Jun follow you in. “I’m going to change in the bathroom,” you announced, setting your key and small clutch on the table near the door before walking into the room and over to what Jun assumed was your suitcase.

You disappeared into the bathroom and Jun walked further into the room, inspecting it. The curtains were open but the sheers pulled closed. He pulled back the thin white material to peer out the window at the city below, the lights shimmering like stars. “This is a really nice room,” Jun said, turning to look at Vernon who had started to undress, currently undoing the buttons of his sleeves.

“It’s her last work trip,” Vernon replied as he undid the buttons and moved to start unbuttoning the shirt. “She’s moving companies,” he continued. “She’s moving back here.” Jun stared at Vernon, his thoughts moving a mile a minute. “Are you planning on wearing your suit to the pool?” Vernon asked suddenly.

Jun shook his head and quickly started to strip. He just managed to pull on his swim shorts when the bathroom door opened and you reappeared in a sheer black swim cover. Underneath you wore a metallic gold bikini. ‘Shit,’ Jun mentally cursed, tearing his gaze from you.

“You ready?” you asked, looking at the two of them. Vernon nodded, grabbing a tee shirt from a bag sitting on the floor against the wall. It was then that Jun realized that the bag had already been there. He hadn’t seen Vernon carry it in. Vernon had already been in this hotel room.

‘Of course he has,’ Jun told himself as he walked over to where you stood, forcing a smile as you handed him a towel. ‘He’s the on and off again boyfriend. Not you.’ Jun was pulled from his thoughts as you slipped on a pair of slides and grabbed your room key.

The walk back to the elevator was silent as was the wait for it to arrive. Upon stepping onto the lift, Jun expected the pool to be on the floor level of the hotel but was surprised when instead of pressing the button with the star, you scanned your card and pressed the button for the nineteenth floor.

Upon arriving, Jun was surprised to see this entire floor seemed to be dedicated to facilities. There was a singular hallway from the elevator. On one side was the gym, frosted glass windows and a clear glass door peering into the small gym.

Across the hall from the gym were two rooms. One was the laundry facility and the one next to it was a sort of business room with computers, a couple fax machines and copiers as well as printers. You continued to the end of the hall where a frosted glass door stood with an electronic card reader. You tapped your keycard against it, waiting for it to beep and blink green before you pulled the door open.

Inside was the pool area. It was split into two areas; an indoor and an outdoor area. The outdoor area was separated by a wall of glass windows and a glass door leading from the indoor area. The outdoor pool was larger with more lounge chairs around the deck. To the left of the pool the deck was larger with a few small bistro style tables.

The indoor pool was a decent size, still smaller than the outdoor one and rectangular in shape. There were a few lounge chairs placed around the pool. To the left of the pool in the corner was a large spa, big enough for eight people at once.

Jun noticed that despite the busy lobby downstairs, the pool was entirely empty. He followed you and Vernon as you selected a chair near the hot tub to set your things on, slipping off your sandals and pulling the black sheer cover off and setting it on the chair.

“This isn’t open for much longer,” you said, addressing them both. “I’m getting in the tub.” You didn’t wait for them to answer and headed to the hot tub, checking the controls on the wall and pressing a series of buttons. Jun watched as the hot tub bubbled to life and you descended the steps into it carefully. Vernon pulled his shirt off and walked over to join you.

Now Jun had no choice but to join the three of you in the hot tub instead of the pool. You settled against the seat, letting out a sigh as you soaked in the warmth of the water. Vernon sat next to you and Jun moved to sit on your other side. The bubbles mixed with the hot water felt nice and Jun allowed himself to relax.

Silence fell over the three of you but Jun couldn’t help himself, throwing a glance at the pool before letting out a chuckle. You opened your eyes to look at him. “What’s that?” you asked, Vernon opening an eye to look at Jun who shook his head.

“Just old memories,” Jun replied, turning his head to look at you. A smile crossed your face as realization set in. “Have you snuck into any more pools?” you asked softly. Jun shook his head, glancing at Vernon who had closed both eyes again and was relaxing silently.

“So, suffice it to say you’ve never fooled around in a hot tub either?”

Jun shook his head with a snort. “No,” he replied. “Not like I really have anyone to fool around with.”

The words came out before he could stop himself and he mentally scolded himself for it. For being vulnerable for a moment. It’s not like you cared. At least, he didn’t think you did. You surprised him, one of your hands moving to card through his hair. “Not even once?” you asked softly, leaning into his side.

He could feel your chest pressing into his arm and he allowed himself to be delusional for a moment and that you were doing it on purpose before he shoved that thought from his mind. ‘There’s no way. She has Vernon. Why would she want you?’

Jun’s thoughts were interrupted as he felt your hand brush against his knee. He glanced down but saw nothing due to the bubbling water and glanced back up to meet your gaze. You were looking at him, eyes scanning his face and seemingly gauging his reaction. Your hand slid up his thigh from his knee, pausing as you took in his reaction.

Jun’s eyes flickered over to Vernon who was still relaxing with his eyes shut. ‘Should I stop her?’ Jun wondered. ‘Would Vernon be pissed?’ Jun looked back at you as your hand slid up further, fingers brushing the edge of his swim shorts. Part of him wanted to stop you but part of him wanted you to keep going. He was conflicted on which part to let win.

“Y/N,” he said, his voice low. It was meant to be a warning. He glanced at Vernon again and you chuckled softly. “Why do you think he invited you to come out with us, Jun?” you asked, drawing his attention. “Why do you think I asked him to tell you to bring your swimsuit?” you continued.

Jun’s heart skipped a beat. ‘This was all her idea?’

As if reading his mind, you smiled and nodded. “It’s been so long since we’ve seen one another,” you added. “Vernon isn’t the only one I’ve missed.” Jun felt your fingers squeeze his thigh as you moved your hand over the thin material of his swimsuit.

Vernon had finally opened his eyes and sat up, glancing at the door to the pool area. Jun was about to ask him if this was okay and if he was okay with this when your hand moved further up Jun’s leg and ghosted over his growing erection.

“Holy shit, Y/N!” he hissed, grabbing your wrist but you pulled from his grip, placing your palm over his crotch.

“You are literally insane,” Jun gasped as your hand made contact with him over his swim trunks. “She’s insane,” he repeated to Vernon who shook his head, merely smiling. “What is it with you and bodies of water?” Jun asked as you leaned closer. “It’s not bodies of water,” you replied, lips inches from his.

“It’s the thrill of doing something we’re not supposed to,” you clarified. Jun’s eyes flickered between yours before you closed the distance, pressing your lips against his. Immediately, he melted into you, one hand coming up to cup the back of your neck, pulling you deeper into the kiss.

“As fun as it would be,” Vernon said softly. “We will get in trouble. They’re coming to close the pool area now and kick us out,” he added. You pulled back with a whine and sat back down. “Fine,” you murmured, getting up and climbing out of the hot tub.

Vernon followed, grabbing a towel before gesturing for Jun to get out. “I can’t,” he hissed. “She’s a tease!” Vernon rolled his eyes and grabbed another towel. “Get out,” he said, holding it up. Your back was turned as Jun quickly got out, wrapping the towel around his waist to hide the obvious erection.

The door opened and the desk manager smiled as she stepped into the room. “I’m so sorry,” she said in a cheerful tone. “I have to close the pool area now,” she added. You nodded with a smile. “It’s okay,” you replied. “Thank you for leaving it open a little longer,” you added as you passed her.

The walk back to the elevator didn’t take long and soon the three of you were heading back up to your floor. Once inside your suite, you were on Jun in a second, taking him by surprise as Vernon took the towels and threw them into the bathroom. Jun stumbled backwards into the room as you pulled the towel off him, tossing it to the floor where Vernon collected it.

“You’re much bolder than I remember,” Jun said as you lowered yourself to your knees, pulling his wet swim shorts down his thighs.

“And you’re much bigger than I remember,” you said with a smirk, sliding a hand up his thigh to take him in your hand. Jun let out a hiss at the contact. “Shit,” he groaned as you gave the head a light lick, chuckling more to yourself than to him, slowly stroking him.

“Was she always this good at this?” Jun hissed at Vernon who chuckled as he moved to sit on the bed behind the two of you. “She’s tenacious,” Vernon answered as you continued to work Jun up with your hand. “She didn’t go down on you before?” he asked.

Jun turned his head to glance at his friend before shaking his head. “No,” he answered. “That was you,” he added. Vernon’s lips twitched as he fought the urge to smirk. “Oh,” he simply responded. “Then you’re in for a treat.” Before Jun could say anything, you had opened your mouth, taking him past your lips, feeling the weight of his cock on your tongue.

“Oh holy shit,” he gasped as you started moving your head, bobbing quickly as you held your hand still at the base of his length. “Slow down, Y/N,” he hissed, trying to hold your head in place but failing as you gagged around the head of his cock.

“Fuck, fuck,” he cursed as he stumbled backwards, trying to prolong the inevitable. You followed on your knees as he fell back onto the bed, kneeling between his legs and taking him back in your mouth again. “You weren’t kidding,” Jun groaned. “She’s tenacious.”

You sank further onto Jun’s cock, gagging as it hit the back of your throat. You ignored your body’s response and took him further until you could feel the tip in your throat. “Fffuuuuck,” Jun let out a low groan, cock twitching in your mouth before without warning, his release spilled down your throat.

You swallowed it all before pulling him from your mouth and grinning up at him. “What was that? A minute tops?” you asked. Jun groaned, falling onto his back on the mattress as Vernon chuckled. “Give me a minute,” Jun whined, waving his hand. You tucked his softening dick back in his swim trunks and turned to look at Vernon who beckoned you over.

You crawled around the corner of the bed, stopping before Vernon who reached down, taking your chin gently in his hand. “She’s good with her mouth, isn’t she?” he asked, more to Jun who murmured in agreement as he tried to come back to his senses. “And normally, I wouldn’t turn down the chance to have that pretty mouth on me,” he continued. “But you’ve been so good and you were so nice to Jun. You deserve a reward yourself. How about it, kitten?”

You nodded wordlessly, knowing if Vernon was going to reward you it was going to be with his mouth.

“On the bed,” he ordered. You moved quickly, climbing onto the bed and waiting for further instructions. “Lay back,” Vernon said as he stood up, turning to face you. Laying back against the pillows, you watched as Vernon slowly climbed onto the bed, crawling towards you.

You said nothing, instead watching as he hovered over you. You knew better than to move before he told you to. Finally, you let out a sigh as Vernon slowly kissed down your neck, stopping at your chest. He glanced up quickly, fingers working to undo the tie of your bikini. He pulled the thin piece of fabric off your body, tossing it somewhere in the room.

The cool air of the room hit your damp skin and you could feel bumps rising on your skin as a shiver traveled up your spine. Vernon leaned in, taking one of your nipples in his mouth and swirling his tongue around it as one of his hands moved around your back, holding your body against him.

You let out a hiss as he pulled back and blew gently on your skin, another shiver running up your spine and more goosebumps erupted all over your skin. Vernon repeated the same thing on the other breast, chuckling as you whined. You wanted more. You needed more.

You felt his lips make their way down your stomach, stopping at the waistband of your bikini bottoms. His fingers made quick work of your swim bottoms, untying one side and pulling the fabric back to expose your heat to him. He wasted no time, burying his face between your thighs, his tongue finding your clit with ease.

Jun had finally managed to come down from his climax and sat up, turning to look back at the two of you. “I’m starting to feel neglected,” he whined. Vernon surfaced for a moment to speak. “You had your dick in her throat, let me spoil her for a moment,” he retorted.

Jun grumbled to himself, watching Vernon kiss, lick, suck, and tease parts of you Jun hadn’t seen since that night in the pool. He wanted to be a little selfish but he waited, as much as he didn’t want to. “You can still touch me,” you murmured, making Jun look up and meet your gaze.

“I can?” he asked with an amused tone, glancing at Vernon. “He seems to be calling the shots.” You shook your head. “He can tell me what to do, but he can’t tell you what to do. Only I get to do that.” Jun chuckled to himself before scooting closer to you. “Is that so?” he asked softly. You reached up, grabbing him by the back of the neck and pulled him down into a kiss.

Jun leaned into it, lips parting and groaning when you took control, your tongue slipping into his mouth. He was used to being in control so it was different to let someone else take the reigns though he wasn’t complaining. You felt one of his hands cup your chest, moaning as he slowly kneaded.

Your thighs threatened to close around Vernon’s head but he was better attuned to your body by this point and held them open, continuing to coax you to your first orgasm. As it washed over you, your fingers tightened in Jun’s hair, causing him to groan against your lips as you squealed, feeling Vernon’s teeth lightly graze your clit. The sensation was quickly replaced by his tongue.

Trying to push Vernon’s head away as Jun kept your head in place proved to be a task your hazy brain wasn’t quite equipped for. Vernon finally pulled back, leaving you exposed as he sat back. “Stop for a second,” he ordered. Jun begrudgingly pulled back and you pouted, turning your gaze from him to Vernon. “On your hands and knees, baby,” he instructed, looking directly at you.

You let go of Jun’s hair and moved, pulling yourself up. Jun caught your untied swim bottoms and tossed them to the floor, watching as you did as Vernon asked. “Back to me,” he added, waiting as you got into position. “I want you to tease him but don’t let him cum,” Vernon said, leaning over your back to whisper in your ear. “Just work him up.”

Jun glared at the younger man. “I never should have said anything about edging,” he hissed as you slowly pulled his swim trunks down again, discarding them as well. “What are you going to do?” Jun asked as your fingers wrapped around his semi-hard cock.

“She needs to be prepped,” Vernon said simply, moving to your suitcase. “She said she keeps a bottle of lube in here for emergencies,” he continued, unzipping a pocket and finding exactly what he was looking for. “And she brought one, good,” he added. Jun tried to focus on what Vernon was doing but found it difficult as you drew your tongue along the underside of his dick, licking from the base to the tip.

You pulled back, spitting into your hand before starting to spread it along the shaft and stroking him slowly, almost torturously so. Jun groaned, head falling back against the pillows. “Faster, please,” he whined. You merely shook your head. “Not yet,” you murmured.

Jun glanced at Vernon who had returned to the same spot behind you, something smooth and black in his hands. He was spreading a generous amount of lubricant along it and closed the bottle before tossing it aside. He placed one hand on your ass, holding you in place as he moved the black object which Jun discovered was a buttplug towards your hole.

“Deep breath,” Vernon instructed. Jun glanced down as you inhaled, eyes fluttering shut as you felt the tip press against you. “And out,” Vernon whispered. As you exhaled, Jun watched the plug disappear little by little. You let out a moan, jaw falling slack as the toy filled you slowly. “That’s it,” he heard Vernon murmur. Once the plug was nestled full, Vernon got up and disappeared into the bathroom.

Jun heard the faucet run as you resumed stroking him, sticking your tongue out and resting the head of his cock against it. “Fuck,” Jun hissed, feeling himself twitch in your hand. You must have felt it too because your movements slowed, letting the tension exit his body as Vernon returned.

He stopped at the foot of the bed, removing his own swim shorts before he was back on the bed behind you. “Pick a number,” Vernon said to Jun. “Between one and ten.” Jun stared at his friend confused before deciding to play along. Four, he answered. He watched as Vernon produced a small black remote and pressed a button four times.

You let out a whine, your hand around Jun’s cock squeezing him as your head dropped, a moan leaving your lips. “What did you just do?” Jun asked, looking up at Vernon who held up the remote. “The plug,” he simply said. “It’s remote controlled.” Vernon tossed the remote to Jun who caught it and looked down at it. “You’re in charge of it,” Vernon added as he took himself in his hand, giving his cock a couple strokes before lining up with your slit. He pushed the head between your folds, collecting your wetness before slowly sinking his cock into your walls.

Your body tensed up and Jun lowered the vibrations a couple notches, allowing you to relax some as Vernon bottomed out. “You can change the pattern,” Vernon said as he took hold of your hips. “When I tell you to turn it off, don’t hesitate. Just do it.” Jun nodded as you let out a moan, Vernon pulling out and thrusting back into you, setting a steady pace.

“I didn’t say you could stop, angel,” Vernon said and you lifted your head, hand starting to stroke Jun’s length again. “Use your mouth,” he heard Vernon order. You did, taking Jun into your mouth with a moan, the vibration making Jun groan. He pushed the increase button a couple times, taking the intensity back up to four.

“You can fuck her face,” Vernon said suddenly. “Change the pattern,” he added, nodding towards the remote in Jun’s hand. Jun pressed the next button and you moaned loudly. He increased the intensity by two more. “Good,” he heard Vernon grunt. “Leave it there.”

Jun did just that. His free hand stroked the back of your head, gently pushing you down to take more of him in your mouth. “Do as he asks, kitten,” Vernon groaned, his hips hitting your ass with each thrust. You let go of Jun’s cock, letting him take control. He guided your movements, your head bobbing on him at his pace. You gagged as he pushed your head down, his cock slipping into your throat.

You held still as long as you could, your lungs starting to burn before you tapped his thigh, silently begging to come up for air. Jun let go of you, watching as you pulled back and coughed, air filling your lungs. Your face was a mess but Jun didn’t care. He still thought you were just as stunning.

Vernon slowed to a stop, pulling from you completely. “Turn it off,” he instructed. Jun pressed the power button and your body visibly relaxed. Jun watched as Vernon slowly removed the plug from your ass, taking it to the bathroom before returning. He took the remote and set it on the bedside table.

“Get moving,” Vernon told you, waiting for you to move. Jun held back a groan as you climbed over him, straddling his lap. “Here,” Jun said, guiding you over his cock, letting out a hiss as you sank down on him, his cock slipping inside your warmth. “Fuck,” he groaned as he bottomed out.

“Oh fuck,” he gasped as you started to move almost immediately, lifting your hips to sink back down. Vernon watched you fuck yourself on his friend for a few moments before moving behind you. As you felt his hands on your back, you slowed to a stop.

Vernon gently pushed you over. You leaned into it, pressing your lips against Jun’s muffling a groan as you clenched around him. You felt the tip of Vernon’s cock press against your anus and you gasped. “Relax,” he murmured, his hand on your back rubbing soothingly. You forced your body to relax as he pushed into you. It had been some time since you’d taken him anally and you were glad you decided to bring your plug with you on this trip.

“That’s it, kitten,” you heard him mumble. “Just a bit more.”

You moaned against Jun’s lips as Vernon bottomed out, his cock buried inside you. The feeling was just as incredible, feeling full and having both their cocks twitching inside you as they fought off the urge to cum immediately. As your body relaxed further, Vernon took your hips in his hands, pulling back only to snap forward again.

You let out a groan, breaking the kiss with Jun to bury your face in his neck. “Feels good?” he asked, moving a hand up to stroke your hair. You nodded, whimpering into his neck. “S-so good,” you murmured. “Want m-more.” Jun chuckled, one arm wrapping around your waist.

“Want us both to fuck you, baby?”

You nodded again, whines and moans slipping past your lips. Jun thrusted up into you, making you gasp. He timed his movements, moving asynchronously. You let them take over, your body unable to respond to your brain as moan after moan tumbled past your lips, mixed with expletives.  

“She’s getting close,” Jun announced, feeling your walls flutter around his cock. “Good,” Vernon grunted. “I can’t hold back much longer. “M-more,” you whimpered. Vernon pushed Jun’s arm back and pulled your back up against his chest. “What was that?” he asked in your ear. “You want more?”

You nodded, moans, pleas, and curses falling from your mouth.

“I think we can manage that,” Vernon said, nodding towards Jun. “She wants more.”

“So let’s give her more.”

Jun’s hands gripped your waist, fucking up into you as Vernon’s hips snapped against your ass. You felt one of Vernon’s hands make its way down your stomach, fingers finding your clit and drawing quick circles as they both pushed you closer and closer to the edge. Just before you were about to cum, Jun groaned, his own orgasm washing over him as he released inside you.

Your own climax rolled over you as you came with a cry. Vernon managed to coax you through it before he finally tumbled over the edge, his release spilling inside and painting your walls in white thick ropes. His fingers came to a stop and he carefully let you down onto Jun who immediately cupped your cheek.

“You okay?” he asked softly, searching your face as you nodded weakly. “S’tired,” you murmured. Jun let out a breathy laugh as Vernon pulled out and got off the bed. “I’ll run us a shower,” he announced and disappeared in the bathroom. Jun stroked your hair softly, thumb caressing your cheek. “You sure you’re okay?” Jun asked softly. Your eyes fluttered open and you let out a sigh before nodding.

“M’okay,” you replied. Moments later, Vernon appeared. “Come on,” he said with a smile. “You gotta get cleaned up. Jun helped you off him and Vernon took over, assisting you to the bathroom. After a couple minutes, Vernon appeared in a towel. “Go ahead and hop in while the water’s still hot,” he said, moving over to a different bag and pulling out some clothes.

Jun got up and entered the bathroom. He pulled back the curtain and joined you in the shower. He rinsed himself off quickly, helping you clean off the cum that had seeped out and was clinging to the insides of your thighs. He rinsed your skin, stealing a few kisses in between before turning the water off and grabbing a towel for you.

Once you were wrapped up, he grabbed a towel for himself and dried off quickly. Back in the room, Vernon had dressed in a tee and sweats, some of his clothes laid out for Jun as you moved over to your suitcase. Jun dressed as Vernon helped you into something comfortable before you collapsed onto the bed, exhaustion taking over your body.

The king size bed was more than enough space for the three of you with Jun taking up the spot next to you with Vernon on the other side. Jun glanced over at his friend as he laid on his side, one hand holding his head up, the other rubbing your back soothingly. “So,” Jun finally said, clearing his throat.

“Is this just a one time thing, well, a two time thing?” he asked. Vernon chuckled and shrugged. You lifted your head slightly. “We could make it a regular thing,” you suggested, your voice disguising a yawn. “Regular like…” Jun trailed off, looking at your sleeping form. “Like a throuple?” Vernon asked.

You nodded. “Why not? I like both of you and I’m moving back to town,” you answered. “Only if you’re both okay with it though,” you added, lifting your head again.

Jun looked up, meeting Vernon’s gaze. Jun was more than okay with this situation but the real question was Vernon okay with it? Jun half expected the younger man to decline but was stunned when Vernon nodded. “I’m down,” he finally answered.

You mumbled a soft “yay” making both Jun and Vernon laugh quietly. “So does that mean you’re our girlfriend or…?” Jun trailed off. You nodded. “Yep,” you answered, your voice muffled by the pillow.

“And that means you’re both my boyfriend.”

Jun rolled onto his side, placing a hand on the small of your back.

“So it’s official,” he said. “Girlfriend and boyfriends.” You nodded, turning your head to look at him sleepily.

“How lucky,” you said with a smirk. “I’m just a girl with two boyfriends.”

“I hit the jackpot.”

ⓘ Graphics made by me. Content and support banners made using a template by cafekitsune. I do not allow reposts, translations, or continuations of my works. All writing and graphics are ©️ kwanisms.

[20kmemesunderthesea]

AMC's Nautilus

Action, political intrigue, plot twists and a healthy amount of sea monster skirmishes:

These are just some of the many reason why even those unfamiliar with the works of Jules Verne will find "Nautilus" to be an engaging SciFi adventure series.

Here are my (spoiler-free) thoughts on the show.

Note: as I write this, "Nautilus" is airing only on SVT: This is How I Watched it Living Outside of Sweden

When I heard that there was going to be a TV series about Captain Nemo's backstory, I was mightily aprehensive. The main reason for this apprehension was the mere fact that Captain Nemo's past is so dark and tragic. Thankfully, the series begins after the horrific events of the 1857 rebellion and just as the Nautilus is launched. What happened to Nemo's family is shown in flashbacks which explain the events without being graphic.

When I began the show, I honestly had very low expectations. I didn't really expect to like it. To my delighted asonishment, it turned out to be one of the best film tributes to Jules Verne I've ever seen - no hyperbole.

Throughout the series, there are fight scenes, periodic depictions of people bleeding and a couple "blink-and-you'll-miss-it" innuendo jokes, so I wouldn't watch it with a small child, but I think it would be appropriate to watch with most young teenagers (13+).

I believe both well-read Jules Verne fans and those who've hardly heard the name "Captain Nemo" will enjoy the intriguing storyline, likable characters and aesthetic scenery. There are many other factors which made me fall in love with "Nautilus" as well:

The Man of the Seas

The character of Captain Nemo has always facinated me. I was blown away by how perfectly and accurately Captain Nemo was portrayed in this series. Shazad Latif, in my opinion, is an immaculate Captain Nemo and he really brought the character to life with all his complexities. Out of all the film portrayals of Captain Nemo I've seen, I'd have to say his has been by far my favorite.

Tributes to Indian History and Culture

I'm American an my husband is Indian. He and I were both very impressed with the way in which Indian culture and history were presented. I want to see more shows like this to teach our son about his heritage. 

Many of the action scenes reminded me of South Indian cinema. In one episode there is a scene where the Nautilus crew is playing cricket against some Englishmen, which may seem a little disconnected from the rest of the story, but Bollywood fans may recognize it as a delightful tribute to "Lagaan."

The Writers Were Well-Verse in Vernian Lore

Although the story wasn't 100% accurate to the book, the writers obviously had read Verne's books and knew the nuances of Nemo's story and background quite throughly.

There were certain details which made me excited, such as when Nemo has an enigmatic exchange with an Englishman in which they greet each other warmly and seem to be thanking each other for...something. Nemo ends the conversation by saying, "Give my regards to Phileas!"

In Verne's other classic, "Around the World in 80 Days," Princess Aouda is the widow of the Raj of Bundelkhand. Since Jules Verne often dropped little hints that his books existed in the same universe, I always wondered if Aouda and Nemo were distantly related, since Bundelkhand is Nemo's kingdom of origin.

A question is posed: in this conversation, was Nemo thanking the Foggs for saving someone he cared about? This is the first time I've ever seen anyone address the detail that Aouda and Nemo might be relatives.

Tributes to the artwork of Alphonse de Neuville and Édouard Riou

I noticed several shots which were obvious tributes to the first-edition illustrations of Jules Verne's classics, such as Captain Nemo standing on the submarine deck with his spyglass, and the map of Lincoln Island on a cave wall. Those details absolutely thrilled me! 

Everything I've Ever Wanted in a Verne-Inspired TV Series - Except for That Cliffhanger!

Everything about this show absolutely floored me. It was everything I could have hoped for in a Captain Nemo TV series...and then it ended.

Such a well-done series ending with fairly significant loose ends felt like a punch in the gut more forceful than the maelstrom itself. I've been trying not to let it overshadow the rest of the show. I wish with all my heart that there could be a season two!

If anyone's curiosity gets the better of them, I compiled a list HERE of questions I desperately want to know the answers to. I hope someone may be able to answer my questions one day!

I want NEED more!

While I'm still coping with my post-series let down, I find myself pining away for more shows like this; shows based off of classic adventure novels which honor the spirit of the origional author.

I want shows which are imaginative, exciting and engaging, but have snippets of real-life science, culture and history woven in. Incidentally, I daresay these are the same elements which make the stories of Jules Verne himself so timeless.

[wooahaeruby]

Chapter 12: Heart On The Line

Chapter Word Count: 4,193

TW

(including spoilers) 1) SOMEONE GETS SHOT, IT'S MESSY. 2) Major Character near death experience (Someone flat lines) 3) REALLY BAD DESCRIPTION OF MEDICAL ENVIRONMENT / Someone puts their hand in a body (non-sexual, actually horrible) (this is here because I- listen….this is a heavy chapter) 4) Mouse has some trauma, we'll get into that later, kinda 5) Gross depiction of blood. 6) Someone throws up 7) This is my villain arc 8) Everyone is sad. 9) I'm so sorry. I didn't mean it.

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Seungcheol had requested your presence at the penthouse in the middle of the week late at night, having one of their men drive you over. Wonwoo had sent a message to your work computer about it and once you replied, it was gone. 

The man had walked you from the car, to the elevator, and to the set of double doors that separated you from the second home SVT shared. He opened the door and you entered but closed the door behind you. 

Looking about, no one else was in the penthouse from what you saw. The place was quiet and you didn’t want to poke around in their business by walking down the halls. 

“Hello?” You called out, sliding your hands into your pajama pants pockets and got closer to the hall but didn’t step through the arching barrier. “Seungcheol?” 

Was this some kind of test? You thought, furrowing your brow in confusion. 

Taking your phone from your back pocket, you pulled up his number and called, hoping to hear a ringtone but nothing came. Anxiety bubbled in your chest and you tried to call Seokmin but it went straight to voicemail. 

“What the fuck-” 

“Ma’am!” The driver threw the door open, panic in his eyes. “ King has told me to bring you somewhere else-” 

That didn’t ease the anxiety, you felt sick to your stomach. “What’s going on?” 

“I- Something has happened.” 

The car ride there was nerve wracking and each moment that past made you want to crawl out of your skin. The driver was speeding through the city towards the warehouses near the waterways, the red lights he had to stop were taunting you maliciously. He did not say a single  entire ride to the new destination. You’ve never been this far into the warehouse district and it was mostly abandoned but the building you pulled up to had Pledis Shipping written on a sign. The lights were on and the driver rushed you from the car and in through the main door. 

The openness of the building was weighing down on you, it was dizzying as unknown faces stared at you as you rushed around them towards the back. You didn’t bother to notice the crates and trucks that littered around, things being moved or looked through. You stood out for sure in some old pajama pants and bleach tarnished hoodie, not wanting to change for a simple meeting with Seungcheol. 

Ushered into the back of the building, under the second level overhang, you stopped dead in your tracks. The floor was covered in a trail of blood, still fresh by the bright color. The sight made you want to throw up. 

“-’am!” The shout had you snapping out of the trance placed upon you. 

A loud rumble of a scream down the hall had you moving once more. There in the hall was half of SVT, they were either pacing the floor or sitting on it, back pressed against the wall and heads low. Chan was hanging his head and Minghao sat beside him, rubbing his back. Seokmin was holding onto Soonyoung and Junhui like his life depended on it. Seungcheol was pacing at the far end near the door, speaking with a teary eyed Seungkwan. Wonwoo wasn’t to be seen, but you assumed he was at Pandora and was making his way down into the city as you spoke. 

“Sir I-” The driver began and you pushed passed, eyes still on the blood trail that lined the floor. 

“Mouse, you shouldn’t-” Seungcheol called out but you were already opening the door. 

“Jihoon, knock him out already!” Jeonghan yelled, trying his best to hold Mingyu down with Vernon as he thrashed and screamed out in pain. 

The room you stepped into was more of an emergency room type area. There were a few medical beds with machines beside them and cabinets upon cabinets of supplies. The left wall held two doors, both labeled ‘shower/bathroom’ for convenience. 

In the far right corner was a sectioned off with a smaller room, windows outline the top to be able to see in. Jihoon was struggling to get the needle in with how much the taller man was lashing out.

Rooted in place, you stared in disbelief at everything before you. 

Mingyu was hurt, blood was on the floors leading exactly where your gaze was placed on. Jeonghan was yelling for Jihoon to keep trying but each time it got harder and harder. 

Your feet were moving before you had a chance to think. Pulling off your sweatshirt and leaving you in the tanktop below, you hurried to the sink and washed your hands and arms as fast as you could, thankful your hair was already pulled back out of your face. You didn’t know what you were going to do to help but you needed to help. 

Jeonghan yelled your name but you ignored him. 

“Give it to me and all three of you hold him down-” Your voice was shaky but Mingyu didn’t stop thrashing on the table and he was getting blood everywhere, wasting all his energy in the pain of it.

Jihoon looked to Jeonghan for an order and he warily nodded. The syringe was placed in your hand and Jihoon moved to use all his strength to hold town Mingyu’s shoulder. You grabbed his bicep when he was stable enough and jabbed the needle into his arm, pushing the sedative. Thankfully it didn’t take long before it kicked in and the thrashing and screaming went from violent to calm, somewhat shallow breathing. 

Jeonghan grabbed surgical scissors and quickly cut open Mingyu’s shirt, revealing something you only thought you’d see in movies. In his lower right abdomen were two holes, both leaking blood at an alarming rate. You rounded the table and Jeonghan ordered Jihoon and Vernon to collect gauze, forceps, and anything else he could need. Off the counter, you grabbed a handful of gauze and started to apply pressure to the wounds the best you could. 

“I’m going to need a blood bag,” Jeonghan called out as he hooked Mingyu up to a heart monitor, blood pressure cuff, and placed an oxygen mask. Jihoon wasted no time in placing an IV and starting a saline drip to get everything going. He pushed a few small syringes of medicine through the line silently. 

Looking over to the monitor that beeped steadily with his heart rate, it was low but his blood pressure looked decent given the circumstances. The gauzes beneath your hands were getting soaked and warm blood was coating your palms and fingers. You threw the other ones aside, out of the walkway field, and grabbed more, leaning as much of your weight as you could down on the wounds. The other three were moving around you quickly but it was all a relative blur, keeping your focus on the task literally at hand. 

“Mouse, I need you to step back.” Jeonghan stated calmly. 

Lifting your head, you could see the concern on his face. His eyes were darting between Mingyu and you, keeping the best neutral face he could. You didn’t want to move, your mind was racing. 

The blood wasn’t stopping. How did this happen? Why did it happen? Is he going to die? 

Jeonghan held your stare before slowly moving his now clean hands over one of your wrist and pulled it back. 

“I’m not leaving.” You finally managed to say and he nodded again.

Dropping your hands to your side, you stepped back. In a flurry of movements, Jihoon and Jeonghan were starting their work. Vernon assisted in getting what they needed, but you lent a hand in hanging things over, grabbing more items, and overall being an extra set of hands if needed. 

You stayed quiet, watching them all work, calling things out or cursing at something going on. It was sickening and painful to watch them press and dig into the wounds, trying to find the bullets. It was clear there wasn’t an exit to both holes with how much they were frantically working. 

“Vernon, put your two fingers here.” Jeonghan pointed and without hesitation, Vernon was placing his fingers against one of Mingyu’s bullet wounds, applying the pressure asked, while Jeonghan was holding a small retractor to see inside. “ Fuck- I can’t see anything with all this blood. Give me the suction tubing.” 

Jihoon was grabbing it and the hiss the machine made as it extracted any blood from the wound sounded distant in your head. Jeonghan said something and a pair of long forceps were placed in his hands and the ends of it disappeared inside of Mingyu’s abdomen. The beeping of the monitors was the only thing grounding you to reality, letting you know that Mingyu was alive, that he was breathing, that he had a fighting chance. 

You took a few steps closer to see what was happening more clearly. Jeonghan was holding a retractor still, keeping the first wound open while Jihoon was trying to get the bleeding of the second to at least slow down. Vernon was holding gauze to catch any trailing blood and keeping his fingers right where Jeonghan had told him to. 

“I got the first one-” Jeonghan yelled out, relief flooding your mind for a moment. He was slow in taking it out to not hit anything internally and dropped the bullet on the tray to his side. “We need to get the other out and close it up quickly-” 

The machine that was monitoring Mingyu’s heart blared a loud, ear piercing alarm that had your heart dropping to your stomach. A chorus of curses were shouted out and it became clear that Mingyu was flatlining. They scrambled to start preventative measures but you were quick to move, pulling up a stool you found in the corner of the room and pushed Vernon out of the way to start CPR.

If you weren’t keeping the blood pumping through Mingyu’s body, you would have laughed. You were very angrily yelling the lyrics to ‘ Stayin’ Alive’ in your head, compressing down on his chest with all your might. If he didn’t wake up with bruised ribs, you weren’t doing it right, that’s what your first-aid instructor told you years ago.

Jihoon and Jeonghan were quick to put up the blood bag and placed another IV, saying something about him losing too much blood and needing more to sustain his heartbeat. It took a few moments and a dose of whatever medicine Jihoon pushed to help him, but the rhythmic beating of his heart came back and it was steady. 

You climbed off the stool to give space once more but adrenaline was pumping through your limbs, hands trembling and breath shaky. Blood was still coating your hands from earlier and you couldn’t bother to step outside now. Sweat clung to your skin, a gross layer that sent chills down your spine in the cool air. Jeonghan, Jihoon and Vernon were working fast but skillfully, wasting no time to get everything done. Backing up, you placed yourself against the wall and just slid down it, letting yourself rest on the floor, eyes never leaving them as they did their work. 

The tightness in your chest had you heaving breaths in and out, pulling at your shirt like it was going to help. It felt like the room was spinning, your pulse was pounding in your head and an agonizing headache debilitated you. Images you never wanted to remember flashing behind your eyelids with every blink, each chilling you to the core.

It took a good two hours for everything to be done. They found the second bullet and needed to search for any internal damage and patch up anything that was caught in the crossfire. More gauze pads were thrown on the floor, needing to have a clear field of work. You were letting the rhythmic beating of Mingyu’s heart calm you, still scared it might stop once more.

Jeonghan had requested your help towards the end with cleaning off the blood around each stitched up incision and bandaging Mingyu up. Jihoon muttered something about pushing antibiotics as a precaution which both men agreed was for the best. 

 Mingyu wasn’t out of the woods just yet, he was probably going to need one more bag of blood and it would be a waiting game of when he was going to wake up. 

Though you didn’t have to, you started to organize the tools that would need to be cleaned and sterilized, placing them all in a row by type of tool while the other three finished up. Your anxiety was fueling this tired perfectionist streak to give some sort of control to the situation. You moved more or less on autopilot, picking up gauze pads and tossing them in the biohazards trash they had in the room, seeing that your hands were already dried with blood. You used other pads to kneel down and wipe up some blood but it could only do so much, blood was horrible to clean and the iron smell was nauseating the longer you breathed it in. 

“Hey,” Jeonghan knelt down and stopped you. Your eyes were fixated on the crimson red streaking the floor. “Let’s get you cleaned up, okay?” 

“But it’s a mess-” 

“We’ll have someone clean it up. Don’t worry about it.” Jeonghan took your hand and removed the pad from it, standing you up not a moment after. Both of you had a decent amount of blood on your hands and wrists, Jeonghan’s extending up to his elbows and definitely on his gray button up. 

 Quietly, you spoke, keeping your voice as steady as you could. “I want to stay here with him.”

“I know, I’m sure he would like that.” Jeonghan spoke softly, leading you from the surgical room and into the medical bay. “We’ll get you some clothes to change into and have you take a shower while we transfer him into a cot so he can rest, okay?” 

With a nod of your head, you were walked to the bathroom and encouraged to head in and clean up. Jeonghan told you to take as long as you needed and promised that Mingyu would be waiting right in the room when you came out. 

Left alone in the bathroom, the first thing you did was empty the entire contents of your stomach in the toilet. You had been holding it back since you had blood on your hands and the headache only pounded harder. You wanted to cry, really you should be crying, but it didn’t feel like there was anything to cry. Everything felt out of touch – numb – and you just wanted to get clean.

You didn’t know how long you were in there if you were being honest. Once the water hit your back after stripping, everything moved in slow motion. The scorching water burned, but it hurt less than the pain that thrumbed in your chest. With your head hanging, you watched as steaks of blood dripped from your wrists and hands, letting you process the last few hours. 

Mingyu nearly died. Whatever situation they found themselves in was bad enough to result in Mingyu getting shot. You didn’t pay attention to any of the guys outside earlier when hurrying passed, not knowing what their injuries were, if any at all. As you thought over the situation that you didn’t have full context to, anger was starting to build up, the burning taste of stomach acid just at the back of your throat once more.

Scrubbing every inch of your skin came after the blood was nearly water-washed off. The small hand towel and antiseptic soap was enough for the job and left your skin bright pink. A knock had you jumping and bracing yourself on the walls behind the thick shower curtain. 

“I’m just putting some clothes in here for you. He is in a proper bed once you are done washing up.” Jeonghan’s voice bounced off the walls when the door opened and was quickly closed soon after.

You finished your shower and toweled off, tossing on the sweater and joggers provided, each item warm and soft against your irritated skin. Letting the towel rest atop your head to catch any droplets of water, you checked yourself in the mirror, wiping the fog off the surface with a hand. Through the clouded image of yourself, you could see that you looked pale. Your eyes drooped but you knew you weren't going to get any sleep tonight between staring at Mingyu’s heart monitor and waiting for him to wake up. The headache was still a dull ache behind your eyes. 

Shaking off the discomfort, you tugged the towel from your head and pushed the door to the bathroom open, your socked feet shuffling against the clean white floors. 

“-Know she was gonna rush in-” Seungcheol whispered to Joshua and Jeonghan, throwing his hands up in defeat, the three standing off towards the entrance of the room. “She just went in on her own.” 

The room was flooded with all of SVT. Vernon, Jihoon, and Jeonghan had showered in less time than it took for you to. Wonwoo was sitting beside Mingyu’s bed, head against the edge of the mattress. Seungkwan was hugging Vernon’s side, dried layers of tears still streaking his cheeks, eyes red and puffy. Minghao and Junhui stood at the foot of the bed, Minghao’s hands gripping the end of the bed frame to the point his knuckles were turning white. Jihoon was grabbing some medicine from the cabinet to your right, mumbling something you couldn’t catch under his breath. Seokmin, Soonyoung, and Chan were sitting opposite Wonwoo, the youngest holding Mingyu’s hand tightly. 

“That isn’t an excuse, you should have stopped her-” Joshua scolded in a hushed voice. They weren't as quiet as they thought, but everything felt too loud and too bright. The overstimulation that coursed through you was dreadful. 

Ignoring them, you walked over to Wonwoo’s side of the bed and dropped a hand gently on his back, letting your nails drag against the fabric of his t-shirt. He didn’t lift his head but he didn’t make you stop so you used it as a way to soothe yourself, knowing that you could be providing a smidge of comfort to someone else. None of you spoke around the bed, there wasn’t a need to. It smelled too clean now that you’ve showered. Your feet were cold against the vinyl flooring. The image of a blood covered Mingyu kept flashing in your mind.

“Enough.” Jeonghan said, louder than the two. “It’s over, let’s get through this.” 

“SVT,” Seungcheol’s voice rang out and most of them looked to their leader, Wonwoo even lifting his head. “Jeonghan can’t have the horde here all night, you know his rules.” 

A few grumbles of protest followed. 

“If you want to sleep upstairs on the couches, the floor up there, I don’t care, but I need you out. I don’t need to have to push you all aside and have you crowd my field if anything is to happen.” Jeonghan crossed his arms. “And don’t argue, this was the same with Seokmin and Jihoon. I’ll be here all night with Jihoon.” 

Another wave of protests followed. Seungkwan looked ready to cry again. Their love for the tallest was heartwarming but Jeonghan was right. Though this wasn’t a hospital, it was enough of a medical room to warrant the need for space in preparation for any disaster. They were averse to the idea of leaving, but with more prodding from Seungcheol that Mingyu would be fine and they needed to sleep, they left one by one. Jihoon administered whatever he grabbed earlier with more space and checked each machine to make sure it was hooked up properly, leaving once he was finished up. The oldest three stayed near the door and Wonwoo was the last of the younger ones to leave but you continued to rub his back. 

“Wonwoo,” You said barely above a whisper, letting your fingers draw continuous patterns on his back. “I’ll stay here, you know I won’t let anything happen.” 

He lifted his head to look at you, eyes shiny from unshed tears. His eyes study you, likely looking just as hollow and worried as he was. “Call me if anything changes.” 

Giving him a nod, you stepped back to let him leave, filling the space where he sat previously. You scooted the chair a little closer and gently took Mingyu’s much larger hand into your own, turning it slowly into a more comfortable position. Any move you made scared you enough to think it was going to hurt him. 

“Jihoon, go up and take a break, I’ll handle the rest for a bit.” You heard Jeonghan and footsteps out the door were a signal the shorter man left. 

The three chairs across from you were soon filled, the three oldest deflating and taking a breath for what felt like the first time all day. Raising your eyes to them, Joshua was rubbing his face and pushing his hair back, Seungcheol was slouched, head hanging back with his eyes closed and Jeonghan looked exhausted, slightly more composed then the other two but you could see the worry behind his eyes. It might have been hard on them, they were the heads of the whole operation. You wouldn’t be surprised if the three blamed themselves for what happened to Mingyu. 

“Tell me what happened.” You broke the shell of silence, keeping your voice low as if it would disturb the man knocked out before you. 

Seungcheol sighed but didn’t move. “They were at that building where you first saw us. We bought it as extra storage. One of the distributors we had was trying to two time us, Mingyu was there helping oversee the hand offs with Chan, Soonyoung, and Jihoon. God, he wasn’t even supposed to be there but another person was needed because of how large the case was.” You’ve never heard Seungcheol more upset since knowing him. There was a shake to his voice that had your heart breaking. “Shots were fired and Mingyu got hit twice since he was the closest to the fuckers. Soonyoung drove here as fast as he could and he got here not even ten minutes before you showed up.”

“Did they get-” 

“They handled it.” Joshua answered before you could fully get the question out. 

Chewing the inside of your cheek, you let your thumb run over Mingyu’s knuckles, watching the rise and fall of his chest with each breath. “If you three want to take some time to rest, I’m not moving.” 

Joshua shook his head, “You don’t have to, Mouse. We can have someone take you home.” 

Your eyes moved to him and your eyes narrowed in a glare. “I’m not moving.” You repeated sternly. 

“Ah, if looks could kill.” Jeonghan tried to lighten the mood with some humor, but you moved the glare to him and even he tensed up at your icy gaze. “...Sorry.” 

Seungcheol met you with a glare of his own, thick eyebrows drawn together in a frown. 

Should you have backed down? Yeah, probably. But really you knew that they needed a moment to collect themselves and you needed a moment to try and wipe the traumatizing image of Mingyu flatlining from your memory by watching him. 

You held his glare, tightening your hold on Mingyu’s hand, mirroring him with a frown of your own. In the moment, you weren’t scared of Seungcheol, not that you were fully scared after the many encounters you’ve had with him. Sure, he could threaten to kill you, you’ve probably done more than enough for him to toss you to the curb. He could actually kill you to tie up loose ends for all you cared, but you weren’t going to move from this spot until Mingyu woke up. You’d go out kicking and screaming if they tried to drag you out. 

“Cheol, I don’t think we are winning this one.” Joshua placed a hand on Seungcheol’s leg and patted it. “And before you think it, I don’t think threatening her will make her back down.” 

Jeonghan rolled his eyes, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “I’m exhausted so I’m not even going to fight you, Mouse. I’ll have Jihoon and I switch out every hour to check up on things.” He stood and stretched, long limbs playfully hitting against his friends. Both swatted him away. 

Seungcheol grumbled out a ‘ Fine’ before raising to his feet. Joshua followed behind the oldest as he exited and Jeonghan went to a cabinet and grabbed a neatly folded blanket. He returned and unfolded it, draping it over you to keep you warm. He ruffled your still wet hair and soon left. When the door closed, you leaned forward and folded your arm to cradle your head against the mattress. Really you more collapsed than anything, criss crossing your legs in the chair to get comfortable the best you could. 

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[haohaohuihui]

╰┈i missed you┈➤

seungcheol × fem!oc/reader smut au

Summary: Reese(Reader) agreed to live under one roof with Jude(Cheol), a famous model who only goes home every weekend, even though they don't really have any kind of relationship, aside from sleeping together without strings attached.

Pairings: Model!Seungcheol as Jude and Reader as Reese

Genre: softcore smut and fluff(maybe? if you read between the lines?😭) Minors DNI ‼️

Warnings/Tags: softcore, penetration(f receiving), protected seggs(always practice safe sex), pet names, fingering, dom and sub kink-ish?, begging, praise kink

Disclaimer:

English is not my first language, so I apologize in advance if there would be typos and grammar errors 🙏🏼

I give svt members different names to remind me not to be excessively(?) delulu 😭

Sipping on your third glass of red wine, you relax your back on the white couch in the middle of the living room. 

It's already Wednesday, but you feel like your week is just starting. Work is getting tough at this time of the school year and you're just glad that you're already home at this hour.

After dimming the lights using a master remote control, you open the TV and play the series that you've been watching since last week. You don't have the patience to watch a TV series, but boredom got the best of you.

But you're amazed that the show is actually interesting and now you unexpectedly get why everyone likes it.

Hugging the fluffy gray throw pillow on your side, your nose suddenly catches a familiar scent.

Jude's…

And automatically, your thoughts bring you to the last time he was there on the very spot you're sitting on right now. Your cheek burns when you remember how many times Jude took you that night on that white couch.

The way he settles his large hand around your neck... The way he bites your shoulder as he spoons and enters you from behi—

"Ugh. Stop it, Reese!" You reprimand yourself as you sip on your glass again.

Biting your lower lip, you press your thighs together as you try to resist the ache that's starting to pound in between your legs. You shake your head disapprovingly. It's baffling how by just the whiff of his scent that he left on the pillows, your body is already reacting like this.

The truth is… As much as you don't want to admit it, what you feel for him is already more than the physical and it's driving you crazy because you can't tell that to him. You're afraid that all of these will end in a flash if you decide to confess what you really feel for him.

You even miss him so badly right now. It's been three weeks since the last time you saw him, and you think you're ridiculous for feeling this way for someone who just thinks of you as his fuck buddy.

You sigh as you focus your eyes on what you are watching, but you already can't deny the nagging sensation that you're feeling down there to even make sense of what's happening on the show.

Then suddenly the main characters on the show start making out. Their moans fill the spaces of your living room and that causes you to lose the war going in between your legs.

Sliding your hands to one of your thighs, you are about to touch yourself when you hear a very familiar voice, causing you to jerk from your seat.

"Let me."

"What the f—How...You're here…" Are the only words that you can make up when you see Jude standing on the side of the couch just wearing a white shirt and gray sweatpants.

And even with dimmed lights, you can see his biceps flex as he crosses his arms.

You gulp.

Why is he here? It's not yet his rest day?

Still confused, you stand from the couch and walk towards the glass window, and pretend to look at the city lights outside.

"Why are you here?" You must look and sound like an idiot, but what the heck? Did he see what you were about to do?

And what does he mean by "Let me"?

Of course, you're not dumb. You know what he meant, but you're just too embarrassed to even admit that to yourself and your flushed cheeks are the evidence of that.

On the side of your eye, you watch him stand beside you. He starts to watch you intently as a small smile makes its way to his lips.

"My shoot was canceled," he replies as if that alone can answer your question why he's here.

Well, he owns this place, but it's just strange to see him on a weekday.

He suddenly reaches for your hair that's almost covering your glasses and tucks it behind your ear. "That's better "

You can feel your heart beating erratically inside your chest when he starts to stroke the top of your head, stopping to hold the start of your little ponytail, then gently letting his hand down to the end of your hair.

He does it again, making sure his fingertips touch your nape, causing you to feel a subtle shiver down your spine.

You bite your lower lip and grab on your robe as you stifle a moan. Stopping his actions, he smirks as he puts his hand back inside his pocket.

He knows it turns you on when he does that.

You glare at him, but he mirrors it with his full smile, knowing fully well that it's the smile that takes you on one hell of a ride every damn time.

He then licks his lips as he looks at you from head to toe and you can't help but curse yourself because his effect on you is not like this before.

He then tries to catch your gaze, and when he finally locks eyes with you, he swiftly lays his hands on your shoulder before gently pushing you against the glass window.

Swallowing the lump that's forming inside your throat, you look up at him as he places one of his hands on the glass just beside your head before leaning down near your ear.

"I missed you."

You gulp again.

Fuck. Why is he saying things like that? I might get the wrong idea!

He then proceeds to lick your earlobe before leaving butterfly kisses on your cheeks, making your already hazy brain drunker because of his kisses.

You close your eyes tightly.

Gosh. I missed him too.

"Hmmm…" you whimper as you grasp both sides of his shirt.

Hearing you let out a soft moan, he breathes raggedly as he takes your lips in yearning, urgent kisses as his hands slide from your shoulders down to your waist.

You can't count how many times you did this with him anymore, but tonight it feels...different. The way he touches your skin is different. Even his kisses are different…

You just don't know if it's a good thing or not...

Pushing those thoughts away, you wrap your arms around his neck as you pull him down to deepen the kiss. You then feel one of his hands travel down your thighs, underneath the skirt of your nightie.

You gasp when his hand starts digging into your panties and desperately reaching your wetness.

"Baby… You're already wet," he whispers against your mouth as he parts your thighs more so he can brush his long, sturdy fingers on your heat properly.

"F-Fuck," you curse as you dig your nails into his shoulders, causing him to groan loudly.

He nibbles on your lower lip as he dips his two digits inside your core, forcing shocked moans out of you.

Quickening the pace of his fingers, he leaves your lips and starts biting your jawline gently as you moan his name over and over again.

Without even wasting any time, he wraps one arm around you before lifting you, prompting you to hold onto his shoulders for dear life as he takes wide steps forward and spreads you across the bar counter just near the living room as if you're his favorite meal ready to be devoured.

"What the hell, Jude?" you blurt out, but it's as if he can't hear you anymore.

He pauses to gaze at you, his eyes darkening with desire—and something else that you can't put a name to—before he takes off his shirt, making you stare at his lean and delicious abs with your mouth agape.

Smirking because of your reaction, he gets a foil pack from his pocket before pulling down his sweatpants to let out his throbbing, hard length.

You watch Jude take his shaft and stroke it before he quickly rips the foil pack using his teeth to match your quickening breath.  

He then hovers over you as you plant your both hands on the quartz stone countertop. With hasty but gentle hands, he undoes the knot of your robe and quickly gets rid of everything that's covering you.

He then closes the distance between your lips and begins to kiss you passionately like he did last time as he gently caresses both of your breasts with your heart racing inside your chest.

His kisses slowly go down from your lips to the column of your neck until it reaches the valley of your breasts. Leaving small love bites, he finds your left nipple and sucks on it.

"Jude… M-More—" you moan out as you throw your head back.

He smiles against your skin as he continues to lick and suck on your buds.

"Please...P-Please…" You beg him, grabbing onto his hair, desperately needing to feel all of him. 

Jude stops his movements but stays in his position. "Please, what? Tell me exactly what you want, Baby."

His thumb then starts to rub on your clit as he waits for your answer.

"Uhhhmm… I… I need… I-I want you inside me," you say in between moans and whimpers.

"Is that really what you want?" he asks again, not stopping his movements in your heat.

You nod vigorously as you feel your first release. "Y-yes... W-wait! Ahhh...I'm coming!"

You almost protest when he suddenly stops his work on your clit, but it's automatically replaced with a high-pitched moan when he suddenly AND aggressively strokes his shaft against your womanhood, making your legs shake as you ride your first climax.

Jude smiles down at you before he leans down to kiss your forehead. "Good girl."

You are trying to steady your breathing when you notice him adjusting himself to prepare to enter you as he parts your legs wider, putting your right leg on one of his shoulders. 

He then places both of his hands on the countertop to steady himself before he gently pushes his length inside of you.

You both moan out as you feel him stretching you from the inside. 

"Fuck, Resse…" Jude grunts as he slides in and out of you with such ease when you get used to his massive length. 

"Harder… Faster…" you plead as you clasp the edge of the countertop because of how intense his thrusts are.

You just need more of him, even if it's just like this. Even if it's just "sex" for him…

Following your plea, he puts down your leg on his shoulder and places both of your legs around his waist before pulling you near him.

He looks at you longingly as he removes the hair that's covering your face, urging you to wrap your arms around his neck.

He then suddenly jerks his hips forward and pumps his shaft just the way you asked for it—harder and faster. 

He then rests his face on the nook of your neck as you both feel your oncoming climax, both of your bodies passionately pounding against each other in the heat of the moment.

"Cum with me, Baby," he commands as he rocks his hips faster, making your legs quake in anticipation.

Sounds of wild moaning and slaps of skin fill the living room as both of you refuse to dive on the edge without the other. 

Jude releases himself in the rubber while still deep inside of you while you scream his name along with other profanities as you climax along with him.

He collapses on top of you, but his strong arms are still trying to balance both of your bodies as you also try hard to catch your breath.

Jude then kisses your temple, longer than usual.

Damn. He hasn't even done that before.

"I'll be gone to Europe in two weeks. I don't think I can handle not seeing you that long…Can you please come with me?"

end~~

I'd really appreciate it if you leave short feebacks or just re-blog this post 🥰💕 Thanks for reading!

[onlymingyus]

What's your favorite scary movie? (teaser)

pairing; vernon chwe x f reader

genre; horror, smut (minor dni), angst, toxic

summary; The summer after graduating high school is supposed to be one last hurrah before you and your friends head off to college---none of you expected it to become a horror movie.

content warnings; PLEASE READ ALL OF THE WARNINGS! 90s au, multiple murders, police, alluding to self harm, drugs/alcohol (mentioned and usage), overdose, knives, blood -- detailed scenes of harm/murder, funeral/memorials, fighting, bullying/harassment, degrading names, "slut" shaming, mild alluding to sexual assault (past/present), self confidence/esteem issues, depression, alludes to other behavioral/mental problems being present, crying, stalking/spying, obsession, yandere!vernon. all main characters are adults -- just graduated high school (vernon & other svt cameos have been aged down). the reader has a classic small town suburbs nuclear family (mentions parents obviously), vernon's "mother" briefly mentioned. this fic is full of really horrible people.

smut warnings; virgin!reader, unprotected sex, fingering, oral (f receiving), quick handjob, crying (pleasure), corruption/innocence kink, petnames, praise, pulling out, cum on skin -- aftercare, brief post-sex dysphoria.

w/c; 30k and some change  (870 extra words for patreon bonus) [3.4k this teaser]

a/n; thank you to @junkissed for proofreading for me and giving me strength to push through and finish this despite all the shit that kept trying to knock me down. this fic is a lot, so please if you have made it this far in my notes make sure you read all the warnings -- keep in mind this is my halloween fic, so i didn't hold back. dark au mars is back strong.

this fic will be released 10/28 to read it now subscribe to my patreon and click here

Trailing behind your friends, you laugh when your best friend Caitlin pulls at your arm, urging you towards the front of the group. “Y/N!” You roll your eyes as she whines your name, extending the last of it dramatically before laying her head on your shoulder and putting her arm through yours. “Can I sit between you and Christen this time? This movie is supposed to be hella scary.” 

Hearing his name, the self-appointed leader of your group, slows his strides to match yours and, in turn, Caitlin’s. “What about me?” 

You liked your friends but they could be a bit much. You had known Caitlin the longest. The two of you had been friends since middle school and she was the person you could rely on the most, but that all changed when the two of you went to high school and your bodies and personalities started to change. Boys started to pay attention to you more and Caitlin’s personality soured. 

Christen wasn’t the type of person that you ever saw yourself being friends with before. He was the most popular guy at school and the captain of the football team, but none of those things mattered anymore. After graduation this year, you thought all of those trivial things would fall by the wayside, that your friends would start acting a bit less like they were still in high school and yet it was like they never left. 

“Caitlin wants to sit between us for the movie. It’s supposed to be really scary. I don’t min—��� 

“You know I like the end seat.” 

Furrowing your brows, you start to speak up again when Christen sighs and puts his hand around your waist, pulling you from Caitlin and causing the girl to scowl at you. “I like the end seat and you always have to piss like five times during a movie. Let’s keep the seats like we always do. That okay with you, Cat?” 

Staring at Christen, Caitlin wants to be mad and tell him no, but the moment he calls her by the nickname he had given her, she swoons and just nods. “Uh huh… sure, Christen.” 

“See.” Turning his attention back to you, Christen winks. “It’s all good, baby. Now, put a smile on that face; don’t be a buzzkill. If you get scared, you can just hold on to me.” Tugging you closer, he grins before finally letting you walk on your own. 

From the time that you had met him your sophomore year, Christen had never been shy about how he felt about you. You wouldn’t call it a crush. A crush was something sweet and something that, if you didn’t reciprocate, the other person might move on. What Christen felt for you was possessive and like you owed him something. You were like a target or an end prize and he hadn’t won just yet, but to him there were still plenty of levels left in the game. 

Wrapping your arms around yourself, you glance back at Caitlin as she scoffs at her "boyfriend,” Jae. You felt bad for him. It was so obvious how much he liked Caitlin. He would follow behind her like a puppy, buy her anything she wanted, and be at her beck and call even when she was drooling over another guy. You had watched as Caitlin had belittled Jae in front of others and refused to call him her boyfriend but then gotten angry if he didn’t refer to her as his girlfriend. It was a complicated situation that you honestly didn’t understand. 

“Just… Stop touching me. Did you bring money for candy?” Caitlin’s voice is sharp, still irritated from the interaction with Christen and now Jae was walking too close to her. In her mind, she always got second best while you did nothing and got first pick. You didn’t even act like you wanted Christen; it was devastating. 

“Yeah, of course I did. You can get anything you want, babe.” Jae’s voice is a bit defeated, but at least he was going to be able to sit next to Caitlin. He had gotten nervous when she had asked to switch seats. It wasn’t like he could tell her where to sit... he wasn’t like that. She was a strong-willed girl; she always had been, but that was one of the things he loved about her. 

Making a face at Jae’s words, Caitlin steps forward and sighs dramatically, not hearing the way Alanna and Juwon copy her just a few steps behind her. They were the lucky two out of the friend group in their own personal opinions. They knew exactly where they fit in the hierarchy. 

There was the king, Christian, and his would-be queen if only you would accept his hand. The princess who wants to be queen, Caitlin, and her dog turned prince, Jae. Meanwhile, Alanna and Juwon belonged in the court together. They were happy to cheer each of you on and laugh when you failed. 

They had been dating since freshman year and a day hadn’t gone by that someone was complaining about seeing Juwon’s tongue down Alanna’s throat. Another strong opinion that the two shared was that if you didn’t want to see them making out, you could look in the other direction. 

“Babeeeee!” Alanna whines mocking Caitlin as she pulls on Juwon’s arm, causing the boy laugh as he looks at her fondly. “Buy me candy?” Batting her lashes, Alanna blows a kiss in his direction that Juwon pretends to catch before reaching into his pocket to take out his wallet, handing it to her. 

“My money is your money, princess.” Another wave of laughter erupts from the back of the group as Alanna pushes Juwon’s wallet back towards him. Now the two have caught the attention of everyone. 

“The hell are you two doing? Are you high?” Christen’s voice is stern, but the layer of his own amusement only serves to make Juwon laugh as he shakes his head and pulls Alanna forward towards the doors of the theater. 

“Nope, not yet. Give me a few hours and I’ll be so fuckin’ chill I might not remember your name.” 

Smiling, you lift your fingers to your lips to hide it as Alanna pokes at your side when she passes by you, giving you a wink. For all their heavy PDA and following the leader's behavior, you got along with them well. They had been nice to you, even when your best friend hadn’t. 

“Ugh, as if. You can’t think now, Juwon. This is why you two are going to a community college. You’ve fucking rotted your brains with weed. It’s gross.” Caitlin watches as Alanna throws up her middle finger before blowing her a kiss and disappearing behind the theater door. “It is gross. I’m right, aren’t I, Y/N?” 

You tilt your head and struggle with what to say as you all get closer to the doors that your friends had just gone through. “I—well. It’s their choice.” Feeling bad that you can’t just tell Caitlin to shut up and to leave Juwon and Alanna alone, you find yourself muttering as she scoffs, turning her attention to Jae for support who gives it willingly. 

Feeling the weight of having to agree with Caitlin off your shoulders, you unzip your bag, the air conditioner hits you like a breeze when Christen opens the doors and steps inside. You purse your lips and fish out a five-dollar bill, not paying attention to what’s in front of you until you hear Christen’s and another guy’s voice. 

“Wassup, man? Still manning this place like a fucking loser?” 

“Still making money, so yeah, if that’s what you wanna call it. Just one?” 

“Nah, two. Me and Y/N.” 

Furrowing your brows, you lift your money up to show it to Christen just as you see who’s behind the ticket counter. Vernon Chwe, another member of your graduating class. You didn’t know him well, but as often as you and your friends came to the movies, you saw him in passing. He was always nice to you, and he was easy on the eyes. 

“Already paid for. See…” Reaching over the counter, Christen rips two tickets for himself before winking at Vernon and passing one to you. 

You can see the irritation written on Vernon’s face, but he manages to keep his cool. He wasn’t like Christen or anyone else in your group. He didn’t hang out in the commons area or at the mall like you did. You knew that he worked here and that he had a cool car. You found him intriguing. 

Moving towards Christen quickly, you take the ticket and look at Vernon apologetically. “I’m sorry. That was so rude.” Looking up at your friend, you whine, “That wasn’t cool, Christen...” 

Instead of offering his own apology to Vernon, Christen just laughs and taps you on the tip of your nose. “Whatever, baby. Don’t get mad about it. I’m just playin’ with Vern. Come on. Let me buy you a snack.” 

Vernon watches as Christen tries to take your hand but you manage to keep it from him. Tilting his head, he finds it curious. He didn’t know if you were dating the guy or not, but he didn’t like him; he never had. 

“Um, excuse me... Dodgy, loser, man? I need two tickets.” 

Turning his attention back towards Caitlin, Vernon sighs and rips off two tickets before taking $10 from Jae. “Enjoy the movie.” The moment she is out of earshot, Vernon adds, “Bitch.” 

He could hear you and your friends at the concession stand. It wasn’t a busy night and the theater wasn’t running a full staff. If it had been any other group, Vernon might have put a bit more pep in his step, making his way over from the counter, but he could already hear the bitchy girl complaining, so he took his time. 

“Oh, my god. Does this place not have anyone else working?” 

Muttering for Caitlin to hush, you rub your neck as Vernon sighs and moves to the middle of the concession stand before lifting his hands. “What can I get for you guys?” He didn’t really care; well, maybe he cared what you wanted. You had been kind to him and it wasn’t the first time. Every time he had seen you here or run into you at school, you were nice. You were also gorgeous, so that didn’t hurt your case either. 

“Two large cokes, a medium popcorn, and some M&Ms. Also, could you like... not take all night? The movie is supposed to start in thirty minutes.” Leaning on the counter, Caitlin watches as Vernon shifts his head to the side slightly before grabbing two large cups and filling them with ice. She remembered him from school and the other times they had been here. He was weird. She had a few classes with him and he had always sat in the back and avoided talking to people except when he had to. 

“Oh my god, Y/N, do you remember Miss Lewis’ calculus class from that last semester?” 

Taken aback by Caitlin’s question, you look from her back towards the counter before tilting your head. “I—yeah? What about it?” This was the type of thing that you hated about your friends. They lived in the past; every day was still a day of the glory of high school, whereas you were ready to move on. 

“This dude was in that class. We had that stupid ass icebreaker, remember? Like a weird fact about us? He said he was allergic to peanuts.” Cailtin snorts into a laugh as she meets Vernon’s eyes, his brow lifting to her memory. 

“Well—I, I remember—” 

“Man, that must fuckin’ suck. Can you eat anything? What happens if you eat a peanut? Would you die? Swell up like a fatass.” 

Juwon had been doing so well until that moment, but he was good at following the leader and at that moment Caitlin was playing her best queen bully bee role. Beside you, Christen laughs under his breath before leaning on the counter as Vernon tries to ignore them, fixing the rest of the order before giving the total to Jae, who slides over the money. 

“Anyone else want anything? I’d hate for you to miss the previews because you’re being assholes.” 

Surprised by Vernon’s words, the laughter dies off. No smiles are left except a slight one on your face. 

Christen doesn’t say anything before he reaches over to take a box of milk duds from the display showing them to Vernon and tossing a dollar bill on to the counter. “Thanks for nothing, bitch.” 

You try to stay; you want to apologize to Vernon for your friends one more time, but Christen’s hand wraps around your wrist, pulling you forward hard. “Let’s go, Y/N. You can share a drink with Caitlin. She didn’t need a fucking large anyway.” 

The movie theater didn’t have many others besides your group. After a few stragglers made their way in finding a seat, you tried to settle into your own and focus on the screen. You weren’t the biggest fan of scary movies, but there wasn’t much to do on a Thursday and you had already spent too many days staring at the same stores at the mall. 

When the lights go off completely and the screen lights up, you find yourself trying to make yourself smaller in your seat to keep your leg away from Christen’s hand when he stretches his fingers and smirks over at you. “Chill, are you scared already? It’s just the previews, baby.” 

You wished that you had the guts to tell him to stop calling you baby and that you weren’t scared. You just wished that he’d keep his fingers away from the end of your shorts. Shaking your head, you offer him a strained smile as you lean towards Caitlin, taking a few M&Ms she offers you before eating one of them. “Not scared, just a little cold.” 

“You want my jacket?” 

God, you couldn’t win, but maybe that would keep his hands off your skin. Nodding, you watch Christen stand up despite the groans from those behind you. Taking the jacket, you lay it over your legs and smile a bit wider at him. “Thanks, Christen.” 

Now Caitlin was regretting sharing anything with you. Tilting the box of candy away from you as she watches you tuck the jacket around your legs, Caitlin scoffs and takes a long sip of her drink. 

By the end of the movie, you find that you don’t have that much to be worried about. It wasn’t as much of a scary movie as you thought it would have been. The acting wasn’t great and the story had been predictable. You seemed to be the only one who seemed to think that way as the rest of your friends loudly discussed how good it was as you all moved through the theater lobby. 

Taking up the rear, you hold Christen’s jacket in your arms, waiting for the right moment to give it back to him until you see Vernon sweeping some popcorn off the floor near the concession stand. Maybe you could get in that apology now. Watching your friends for a moment longer, you let them keep going as you hang back and head in Vernon’s direction. 

“Hey… Vernon?” 

Furrowing his brows, Vernon lifts his head, sighing when he sees you standing in front of him. He hadn’t expected that, especially seeing you alone. Glancing around for your entourage, he’s surprised to see them closer to the front doors instead of right on your heels. “Yeah, what’s up? How was the movie?” 

Opening your mouth, you close it quickly, not sure how to answer him at first, but you shift on your feet and smile at him. “It was—it was okay. I mean, I think everyone could guess what they did last summer by how guilty they were acting.” Shaking your head, you sigh and glance down at your hands, gripping the jacket tighter in your hands. You weren’t sure why Vernon made you so nervous, his gaze making your cheeks heat up with how his smirk pulled up at the corner of his lips. 

“Yeah, not my favorite either, honestly.” Lowering his eyes to the jacket in your hands, Vernon takes a breath and shakes his head. He wasn’t an idiot; he had seen that jacket on Prince Charming—Christen, before the movie. “Did you need something, Y/N?” 

You weren’t sure that Vernon even knew your name so hearing him say it startles you, but of course he did. You had graduated together and probably had several classes together. It was silly of you to think he didn’t know your name; even Christen had said it before the movie. Maybe it was more that Vernon was saying it. Why did it matter? 

“Oh, no. Sorry, I know you are busy. I just—my friends, I’m so sorry. They aren’t always shitty.” Even you knew that was a lie, but that was what you did. You made excuses for them. You could see that Vernon knew it was a lie too, as he smiles and nods along with your words. 

“Sure, it’s whatever. Didn’t bother me—” 

“Y/N, what the hell are you doing?” Christen’s voice startles you with how close it is. Vernon watches how your body jerks in surprise and he furrows his brows, feeling a pang of anger taking over him at how someone could scare you so easily. 

“I—I was coming. I just—” You weren’t sure what to say to Christen, especially when you meet his eyes and see him glare at Vernon. You had made it worse. Turning towards your friend, you sigh and laugh but even you can tell it’s fake. “Let’s go. We were going to get froyo, right?” 

“What the fuck were you saying to her, freak?” Christen was fuming that you were talking to Vernon, but what pissed him off even more was that Vernon had been smiling at you. You had gone over to him by yourself and it looked like some loser was flirting with you. That wouldn’t happen, not while he was breathing. 

Pushing at Christen’s chest, you whine his name before glancing over at Vernon apologetically as he shakes his head and leans on his broom. How wasn’t he afraid of Christen? You were friends with Christen and you were afraid of him at times. 

The damage was done; the rest of your friends had made their way back over the concession stand, where the tension was growing thicker. Caitlin looked equal parts disgusted and amused as she watched Christen yell at Vernon. Jae stood behind her, confused look on his face as if he didn’t know if he wanted to be there or if he had to be there, and Alanna and Juwon were already laughing. That’s what they always did. They wanted to see a fight; that would be better than the movie to them. Meanwhile, you were horrified at the idea. 

“Please, can we just go?” Your voice is strained as you push at Christen, unable to get him to budge. 

His hand moves to grip your forearm, causing you to hiss in pain as he pulls you from in front of him and towards Caitlin, who wraps her arm around your waist, holding you closer to her and Jae. “I’m not leaving until I wipe this stupid smile off this freak’s face. I don’t like how he looks at you, Y/N. He’s a perv.” 

Nodding along with his words, Caitlin hums against your hair as she keeps you close to her even as you groan in annoyance. “Totally, he was staring at her the entire time. Made me wanna hurl. Like, seriously, loser? You think you can look at my best friend and it’s okay?” 

Now you were her best friend and she was protective of you? Only when she could make someone else miserable or make you miserable while doing it. Pulling from Cailtin, you tug on Christen’s shirt and beg for him to leave with you. “Please, can we go? You promised to buy me a snack and to get me home early.” Avoiding Vernon’s eyes as he grips his broom a bit tighter, his jaw clenched, you tug harder on Christen’s shirt. 

Smirking at Vernon, Christen takes a step back, putting up his hands as if he’s being the bigger man. He moves towards you and Cailtin so he can wrap his arm around you and this time you let him. Vernon can see the discomfort in your eyes, his brows furrowing slightly, but what you are doing seems to work as Christen takes his jacket from you and sighs happily as if he’s won the girl, leading you out of the theater. 

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[whoseafraidofliloleme]

💫𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 2023💫

2023 has been a year to say the least so lets get into this 😂. As usual this is in no particular order cause I cant handle putting these into a proper order.

𝐓𝐨𝐩 5 𝐃𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐬:

1. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐰 𝐂𝐚𝐟𝐞 (2022).

I watched this on a whim and boy am I glad I did. The female lead is so unhinged but in the best way and our main guy is so in love with her I cant. Literally this drama was such a fun time and everything connected together so well. Just watch this drama pls.

2. 𝐁𝐨 𝐑𝐚! 𝐃𝐞𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐡 {𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞} (2023).

Yoo In Na shines and I love the character growth that both the leads go through, everything that happens makes sense and it really does show that working on yourself isnt a linear process. There will be set backs but you can over come them. I tend to not care for side couples but I loved all of them in this, they were just hilarious or adorable.

3. 𝐓𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐧 (2023).

I wasnt going to watch this drama but thankfully instagram reels made me interested enough to give this a chance. I love all 4 of the leads, they are my babies and they deserve all the happiness in the world.

4. 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐈 𝐅𝐥𝐲 𝐓𝐨𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐘𝐨𝐮 (2023).

This was such a cute, fun drama. I didnt expect to love it as much as I did, the family dynamics, friendships, everything was so well done and the 2 couples were the cutest.

5. 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞 (2023).

Literally Instagram reels made me watch this and I do not regret it. The melodrama, romance, revenge, plot twists... Everything was such a wild ride, I recommend that everyone watches it.

𝐓𝐨𝐩 5 𝐍𝐨𝐧 𝐓𝐚𝐲𝐥𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐰𝐢𝐟𝐭 𝐒𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐬:

1. 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐞𝐫 ~ 𝐒𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧.

The irony, I always said that I wouldnt stan a group with more than 7 members 😂. Honestly I was just seeing too many funny reels about SVT and then I watched the Game Caterers videos without even knowing all of their names and Super was everywhere that I just fell into the rabbit hole that is Seventeen.

2. 𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 ~ 𝐉𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐨.

My bias came and she ate. I love this song and it showed in my top 2023 songs its at number 6... The top 5 are all Taylor obviously.

3. 𝐒𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 ~ 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐤𝐨𝐨𝐤.

He came and took over the world. Nothing more to say about that.

4. 𝐁𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐦 ~ 𝐄𝐧𝐡𝐲𝐩𝐞𝐧.

Yall need to stop sleeping on Enhas japanese discography. This song is just so sweet and wonderful. I cant with it.

5. 𝐔𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧 ~ 𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐢𝐦.

I just loved this whole song and the album too. Next LSF comeback when?!.

𝐓𝐨𝐩 5 𝐓𝐚𝐲𝐥𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐰𝐢𝐟𝐭 𝐒𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐬:

So last time I only had the vault tracks but Speak Now was the album that made me a swiftie so not limiting myself to just the vault tracks this time.

1. 𝐇𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝.

This is my absolute favourite song. It is just such a masterpiece and can be related to in any situation.

2. 𝐄𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝.

I love this song so much, I have a one shot of the same name 😂.

3. 𝐒𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐬 𝐅𝐥𝐲.

Im a hopeless romantic okay.

4. 𝐈𝐬 𝐈𝐭 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐍𝐨𝐰.

Do I even need to explain myself with this.

5. 𝐒𝐥𝐮𝐭!.

Most definitely not what I was expecting but I love it so much.

5 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐝:

1. Bestie got married, shes happy and Im happy for her. It was a proper desi wedding and it was good fun.

2. I FINALLY graduated from University😂. Only took me like 5 years, one failed attempt and repeating my third year.

3. Made some great friends from the school I worked at, we bonded over how messed up the school we worked at is.

4. Managed to travel and have such great experiences.

5. Im happy with the fanfics I wrote this year. Still shocked that people actually read and enjoy the stuff I write but Im immensely grateful for all the love and support I get.

[saymynameritwika]

first of all, I think I forgot to respond to your other reply and I'm so sorry for that life has been. trying to mess me up 🫠

BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY COMEBACK DAYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!! HOW ARE WE FEELING ABOUT THE NEWEST EPPPP???? I watched the LMF MV and although the producer tag made me physically cringe (dj Khaled and I are strangers but I prefer more understated, one-liner tags since they're "cooler" to me.. idk why 😭 I think I was expecting something like what Marshmello did with SOS, just quietly going "Mello made it right" before the song, so I got very jumpscared by dj Khaled's 😂) I actually quite like it??? the first half of the song with the intro hits SOOO GOOODDDD, mingyu is looking fantastic in this era I must say and don't get me started on when jun and jeonghan showed up im not ok anyways moving on before I get too emotional--it's definitely an easy listening track which I'm not opposed to because I love easy listening, but that also means everything kind of flows together, BUT it is also extremely catchy sooo.. final verdict to be decided after more listens although I feel like I'll find a one true love in another song in the album since I'm weak for svt's b-sides 😅

standout moments: shua giving the robber a rose (I LOVE HIM), mingyu in wonwoo's.. lap??? (JUMPSCARE I wasn't expecting wonwoo I thought he was on a couch 😂😭), the8 with a bloody-ish face surrounded by reporters, JUN AND JEONGHAN NO MORE NEEDS TO BE SAID, the rain dancing scene, dk with the roses in the subway that becomes destroyed, mingyu's opening scene (TESTING MY LOYALTY 😭)... almost everything... they're just too good 😭💓

I'll fill you in on my thoughts on the rest of the album once I'm done listening but those are my thoughts for now!!! 🩷🩵

OMG, YESSS COMEBACK DAY!!! I'm sorry I'm so late in responding, I've just been so busy 😭. I have so much to say, though, so buckle up!!

I personally like the producer tag. I don't know anything about Dj Khaled, but the producer tag is pretty fun to sing along to. I've heard that he's not that great of a person, but as long as the music's good, I don't really care. And the song itself?! IT'S SO GOOD!! I loved LMF since the track samplers, and I loved the song since the first listen during the concert. It's really my cup of tea! My favourite parts of the MV are definitely the Dino part (obviously), the dancing in the rain, Mingyu driving into water (??), Joshua putting a rose in the gun (?? Pt.2), Woozi and Jeonghan's phone call (it was so heartwarming). I love that they made Jeonghan the main character of the mv. They love each other so much 😭. Actually, my fav song from the EP is rain because MY GOD?! That song is so hot and sexy and sad, like it's everything I wanted and more. I also love 1 to 13 and Candy. Honestly, every single song is so good, I genuinely love them all!! Can't wait to hear your opinions on the b-sides! 🩷🩵

[miabebe]

Hi,

I read the 1st chapter of camp seventeen so I'm here to talk about it. The chapter starting with her waking up early and absolutely hating it is so relatable, like girl, we all know how horrible early mornings are. Her being late nonetheless and not understanding how camp works or why it is the way it is, all these details help us understand her character better, since she's just as confused as we are. Coming to the boys, shua being the sweetest sweetheart and helping her out all the time is so shua, like, that's the gentleman in him(can't say I trust he's always like that, considering he's friends with han and cheol). Finding an unexpected solace in the silence with Jun, chan being the most adorable little kid that she has also started babying, seungkwan trying his best, dokyeom also being a sweet angel, jeonghan being an absolute menace with his visits to cheol's house, wonwoo just existing atp, Vernon just vernoning, jihoon being able to read her like a book(which, in my opinion, is so dangerous and I love it), gyu and soonyoung being flirts and goofballs, Hao, the strict yet sweet trainer, and last but definitely not the least, cheol being respectful yet taunting her entire existence, all these character descriptions were perfect, I loved reading how her relationship with each of them was developing. Her trying to adapt to the camp, the training, living with 13 men and the fact that they have no electricity? Now, that's a crime,idk how she survived a week(but then again, ig living with 13 men and having to train everyday keeps her busy enough).

Damn, I haven't even gotten to the main parts of the chapter and I've already yapped so much. Well, I hope you don't mind.

I totally understand her reaction towards cheol, he's the leader and he commands respect which is so attractive, obviously she'd want him, anyone would. What I did not expect was their interaction, him working out shirtless and her drooling over him but the situation suddenly taking a turn and her running away only to end up at soonyoung's house. While I expected something to happen between them, I was not expecting him to have a girlfriend but clearly, it's not a relationship based on love if they're both indulging other people. Anywho, the entire scene with them in his house was so good, it was unexpected in a really good way, I loved it. Her imagining cheol though, girl, you're down bad, can't blame her though, knowing I'd probably be no different. Then, the cliffhanger ending to the chapter, oh my god, why did he stop? I really hope that next chapter it's gonna be cheol, I don't think she'll be able to restrain herself for too long either.

I'm extremely curious about two things, how can she touch cheol without being electrocuted? And what in the world is that lawsuit about? You have successfully made me even more invested in this story, if that's even possible. Thank you for taking time and putting in the effort for writing this chapter. Hope you had as much fun writing it, as I did, reading it 🥰.

Ahhh you're here! I was waiting to hear what you think 🥰 and please always feel free to ramble away in my inbox, I absolutely love it!

I tried to be as close to the boys irl personalities - of course its based off what we majorly see from the svt content but its also subject to change according to the needs of the plot, this is after all just the first impression!

Oh yeah, life at camp is rough - they are in the middle of nowhere, electricity is a challenge and training is even more intense for her because she just joined but she's got to get through it, this is her world now :')

I think she's seen Cheol the closest so far compared to the rest of the members? His aura is such, who wouldn't fall for that right? But yeah, Soonyoung really did come out of nowhere hehehe. About him and his girlfriend though, I think ten years ago when it started they were in love but its been so long, like OC said, now they are more like each other's habit? We'll have to see how things go between them!

Cheol has his reasons, we'll get to know sooner or later but till then there's lots in store! How she can touch him is something no one understands, we'll have to see why but the lawsuit yes, I'm taking my time explaining that cause I don't want to info dump, there's lots to explain about the demigod world and how it works so we'll cover it eventually!

Thank you for reading and dropping your thoughts, I've already begun on chapter 2 I hope you'll enjoy that too <3

[starcleere]

Took pics like they were a ridiculously large K-pop idol group (looking at you, NCT)

Though Throat of the World w/ dragons wouldn't be a bad backdrop for a K-pop MV.

Originally, I was going to take a picture for each of them like a collection, but I gave up halfway through. Still, here's the pics that made it:

Love putting Remi in the Priscilla outfit, I don't know why. It looks really good on her. Meanwhile, Tally looks like the actual main character because he was lucky enough to stop right before Paarthy.

Well, it lines up with him and Cary being the visuals of the group.

'Super' by SVT, anyone? There's enough in the Dragongang to pull that off.

[suuho]

Hey Kaz, i really love your thoughts on seventeen. So im wondering if you have any for Vernon's ships? I love that guy so i was surprised to find out that he doesn't really have any popular fic other than verkwan. Which is a pity since he has many interesting dynamic with the other members

first of all, sorry this is so late! life got in the way, yada yada yada, but here we are!! so, huh, vernon ships. why not go by them one by one?

vernon and scoups: i don't have many feelings towards them; they are clearly friends to me, brothers at that, and they get along well enough. i do love that they're the oldest and youngest of their respective units, though. that always makes things fun.

vernon and jeonghan: that is so funny to me, to be honest. they are both such uncanny communicators with opposing energies that i feel like it is partly the reason why we see them so rarely together, just the two of them. interesting dynamic, tho. in, like, theory.

vernon and joshua: rocket line! one of my favorite seventeen units EVER. i honestly think they should do a full duo album, maybe when the members enlist. love that pop punk sound they had going for them on 2 minus 1, but i also love rocket a lot. they fascinate me endlessly, to be honest. i always love to see a new yorker and a californian interact.

vernon and jun: so interesting to me. vernon is super drawn to minghao, so i always find it peculiar when he instead singles out jun or vice versa.

vernon and hoshi: they used to be roommates, which is just insane to me. like, think about that? but in a way, you can tell they were because they get along in a quiet and sensible manner that can only exist because you've shared close quarters with someone, no matter how (un)willingly.

vernon and wonwoo: one of my favorite dynamics in the entire group. they are both extremely introverted, they are the heart and soul of the hip hop dynamic, i love seeing them together because visually they are both just absolutely stunning. i love watching them hang out together. much like wonwoo and jihoon, these two compliment each other really and have a quiet understanding of one another, vernon is just way more laid back than jihoon could ever be. this is two, low energy level individuals interacting with each other, and i love them for it. also, they are bad bitches. to me, anyways.

vernon and jihoon: best friends. my favorite vernon dynamic by FAR. yes, they are both my biases in the group and yes, that does make me indeed biased, but i don't care. vernon is jihoon's closest confidante in terms of song writing and production (besides bumzu ofc), they genuinely get along REALLY well, they have been roommates on tour for ages to this day. jihoon takes care of vernon and vernon understands jihoon. i love them so much, oh my god, like you can just tell that they are very close friends. one of the best friendships in the entire group and i hate that no one pays attention to them. they just love hanging out with each other and i love that for them.

vernon and minghao: oh, whew. verhao... my god, what a can of worms. all i am saying is, that verhao should have and be what verkwan is. in fact, verhao IS what people think verkwan is. vernon is drawn to minghao like a moth to a flame, and minghao loves to play coy with him, while he also takes a lot of care of vernon. idk, i just love them together. maybe the vernon dynamic with the most chemistry.

vernon and mingyu: i love them. i just. i feel like it's hard to explain what i see in them, but whenever they interact, i feel so giddy. there's something special to vernon and mingyu. if you get it, you get it.

vernon and dk: the 218s! i love our 218s. it is so funny, because they have very opposing characters, but it is honestly just a classic mash up of sunshine (dk) and tsundere (vernon), one of the oldest tropes in the books, which we just love. they are both unhinged in different ways. the main rapper and main vocalist of svt, baby!!!

vernon and seungkwan: i mean, do i think that verkwan is overrated? yes. they have none of the romantic chemistry people claim they have and i do absolutely not understand how it survived for this long? what are people seeing here? but, i do love their dynamic as friends. it reminds me of me and my close friends.

vernon and dino: these two just bring me so much joy. i seriously would die for the entire svt maknae line, no joke. and vernon and dino are also unhinged, but in more alike ways. another one of those complex dynamics that doesn't make sense on first glance, but that you feel could be the foundation of something brilliant.