#he’s a celebrity your honor the magazines are spreading rumors | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

kosmosguk · 5 years ago

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Bloody Artistry (M) ~🥀

pairing: celeb! kim taehyung x journalist! reader; minor pairings: jungkook x reader, coworker jimin x reader (platonic)

Word Count: 8K

Summary: when the scrutiny of fame becomes too much, perfect kim taehyung finds his peace within a lavish bathroom located two blocks away from the nearest club, a corpse in the bed with him. the fans have never questioned his behavior, not when his company is much too good at cleaning up his mess to not have done it before, but when a reporter with too many questions threatens to break the peace he’s established, he finds himself in a tango with the devil that he can’t bring himself to want to break.

[Warnings: MURDER, death, literally Taehyung being a sick bastard 25/8 (but only in fiction), company corruption, violence, yandere themes, mentions of noncon smut (intoxication, mentions of being drugged, fingering), blackmail, obsession, stalking. EVERYTHING that happens in this fic is FICTION; plz don’t go busting nuts for serial killers]

A/N: Thank you to yoongissugarmommy for requesting this! Part 1 of a short series starring Taehyung. Was going to do smth similar to Lineage with him, but this has been staying in my drafts for too long (like i wrote most of this before I even wrote Lineage, which is why my writing for part of this is a bit different from my current one), and I feel like going a bit modern now to take a break from Lineage (taking a bit to write pt. 4 just because it’s the end of the main story). Thank you for 2.9k followers! We’re only less than 50 away from 3K which is so wild to think about; kisses and hugs to everyone who’s supported my work!

“Today, in the studio, we have our nation’s golden boy, the first love of all of our viewers: Kim Taehyung. Everyone, please clap your hands for him!’’

The MC turned to grin at the audience as the audience cheered loudly; her glossy black hair swept down and framed her face delicately in perfect shiny strands. The lipstick that coated her unnaturally wide smile was a deep shade of red, stark against her pale white skin. Dressed in her primly pressed suit, she looked lovely, like a blooming rose, but as she turned to face the guest star, his presence seemed to easily outshine her own.

“Thank you for having me. It’s an honor to have an interview here and have an opportunity to see all of my lovely fans,’’ Taehyung’s deep voice rang out as he smiled in his heart-swooning way, flashing pure-white teeth handsomely in a carefully maintained and practiced way that made all the fans, both in the studio and watching from beyond a screen, unable to resist letting out shrieks and screams.

“Now, Taehyung-ssi, with a record-breaking album that topped the charts as soon as it came out and a modelling gig that sells out magazines faster than before, how does it feel to have really made it? It must stress you out. Any tips on how to relax?’’

Taehyung leaned back slightly in his seat, his smile flashing coy for a brief second before settling into a rehearsed contemplative expression. He shrugged his shoulders, letting them drop out, as he made a soft hmm noise.

“How I relax? It’s not that big of a deal, really, but that’s an interesting question to ask, noona,’’ Taehyung widened his eyes slightly, looking ever so much like the golden boy persona he had stickered upon his reputation,’’ When I’m really, really stressed, I like to play with Tannie, my dog, and eats lots of yummy food that my mom sends to me when I get stressed. Also, my manager Namjoon is a good person to talk to when I’m really stressed; he always knows what to do and say.’’ Taehyung tapped the tip of his nose lightly, scrunching his face in an expression that made fans coo in adoration. “I also like to think of my fans and read all the letters they’ve sent me. I saved all of my letters from my beloved fans since my debut, and I like looking through them.’’

“Hey, Kim Namjoon, fucking hurry up,” Taehyung hissed into the cellphone pressed against his flawless cheek,” My shoes are going to get stained at this point. You know blood is a pain to properly get out of letter.’’

“Were you at least careful this time? We don’t want rumors getting out,” Namjoon’s voice crackled over the receiver, barely a hint of emotion in his voice. The beeping and honking of cars on his side of the phone call signaled the rush his manager was making towards his location.

Taehyung huffed in agitation, clicking his tongue sharply in annoyance as he skimmed his nails for any trace of dried blood. “Oh, come on, you think I really even care at this point? With the way the company takes care of everything, you’d think perfect ol’ me was…well perfect. But still, aren’t you guys way too good at this job? 7 girls and not even a peek from the public. Who else do you do this for, huh? Suga-sunbae? J-hope-sunbae?”

There was no reply. Taehyung threw his gaze over to the practically mangled body. Too bad, he thought to himself, she was really pretty this time. Red lipstick, silky black hair, wanted to become better acquainted with such a famous celebrity after her little interview, the whole fanatic spiel tied with a pretty bow of the title of an mc. She would’ve never thought that she’d go from being a bed-warmer to being so cold.

“I must be right then, huh? Suga-sunbae I can see, but J-Hope-sunbae…’’ Taehyung whistled lowly under his breath. “I thought you’d at least deny that. It’s the bright ones you gotta watch out for.’’

A dial noise was the only response. Did…Did this bastard hang up on him? Taehyung grimaced before three knocks rang on the door of the hotel suite, a signal from his asshole manager that Namjoon had finally arrived. Taehyung rolled back his shoulders, his joints crackling a little, and made sure all of his jewelry was perfectly back in place before he opened the door.

As Namjoon shuffled in with some of the staff members, Taehyung clasped his silver watch around his wrist with a soft click. He rolled his neck, trying to get the stiffness out of it, and exposed purple marks and bruises from the bites the now dead girl had given him when they had been fucking earlier.

Finally, his headache was gone.

You chugged down a cup of stale coffee and wiped the dribble of liquid that escaped the corner of your mouth as you clicked off some article about a newbie mc receiving slander after rumors of her making moves on a popular idol was exposed and disappearing to avoid the backlash. Squinting at your screen with dry eyes, you pursed your lips and snapped the laptop shut, pushing the device away from you in an agitated huff.

“Wbat’s got you in the gutters, huh? Let me guess…,’’ Park Jimin, your desk mate, rolled his chair over to your side, his glasses askew on his nose,” Ah, your favorite celebrity go into a dating scandal? Let me think, who was it that recently go into a scandal… Oh, is it that pretty boy from a new idol group?’’

You gave him the stink-eye, and your sigh this time was even louder.

“You’d think there’d be something more…interesting going with these celebrities that we could get our hands on. Too much money, lots of stress, yet no story that’ll really seize the audience by surprise, and don’t you dare say a dating scandal would do it. Boss’s been on my case for the whole week on writing an article to shock the audience and wants me to release a major headliner story in two weeks, or that asshole’ll fire me. Damn it, Kim Seokjin!” you hissed out before slamming your forehead onto the desk.

“Man, be careful with your volume; if he hears your tone, he’ll chew you out for another hour that you could be using to research. Boss Kim is picky like that with everyone because our company’s a small piece of seaweed in a system dominated by crustaceous predators.” Jimin poked you in the side jokingly, his plush lips spread in a wide smile that lit up his exhausted face. “Just think really hard; use that big brain of yours and focus on a celebrity. Come on, no one’s perfect, even that one super famous idol Kim Taehyung must have some flaws, so don’t sweat it.”

“That golden boy? Man, the whole nation’s pussy-whipped for him. He couldn’t possibly be anything bu—,’’ you sharply inhaled before pushing your seat back and rapidly swiveling to face Jimin,’’ Park. Fucking. Jimin. Oh my God, you’re a fucking genius! A whole career with not even a speck of dirt… Come on, even pure-faced idol Soyeon was caught with a scandal last month. There must be something on the nation’s golden boy!’’

Jimin’s eyes widened in surprise with your sudden outburst, and he opened his mouth to speak. “Be careful about the way you go when you try to fish out info on him. His company’s security isn’t something easy to get through, and not a single celeb from that company has gotten into a single scandal. No reporters been able to get any dirt from them…”

“Which means that…there’s something sketchy happening. Jimin, Jimin, have I told you I’m in love with you?’’

You turned around quickly in your chair, spinning in glee. Jimin dropped his mouth open to sputter something, and his cheeks were tinging red, but you weren’t looking at or even listening to Jimin at hat point, having already cracked open your laptop to furiously type Kim Taehyung into Naver. This was it! Your big break! Your motivation sky-rocketed, and you felt the first rush of energy that wasn’t fueled by some caffeinated drink in a long while.

Two hours later, you were ready to throw up.

All of the results were sickeningly the same bullshit, as what was expected for someone as beloved by the nation as Kim Taehyung was. You couldn’t fathom the amount of fancams and magazine spreads of him posing on some brown leather sofa and fact pieces—hell, you even knew what kind of socks the man liked—that you had spent the past hours scrolling through.

Realizing that the office was nearly empty, and that the sky was dimming into a dark hue, you were about to shut down your laptop and call it a long fucking day when a tweet on someone’s SNS caught your eye.

@truth-teller: kim taehyung? nation’s golden boy? are you all really sure about that nonsense?

The tweet was spammed with angered replies, so many that the thread seemed to stretch on for at least a mile, but your interest was piqued. This was the first word of slander you had ever witnessed against Taehyung. You quickly pounded out a message to the account.

@name_01: hey, I saw your tweet about taehyung! Do you perhaps have any more information on him? I find him suspicious too.

You tapped send and waited with bated breath for a reply. Minutes crept by, and you were about to turn off your phone and head out of work when you noticed three dots pop up, dancing before disappearing.

@truth-teller: you fr? I had to suspend my acc because of all the spam I got. No one’s believed me on it, but I have proof

You chewed on your lip. What if this was a joke, and you were just wasting your time on some internet troll with too much time on their hands. It seemed like you were taking too long to reply because another message popped up.

@truth-teller: if you don’t believe me then that’s fine. I don’t have to waste my time

@name_01: WAIT! Sorry, it took me a second to comprehend this information… Please tell me more.

You were worried that the account wouldn’t reply anymore, and that you had ruined your opportunity before the three dots popped up again and another message was sent.

@truth-teller: ok, if you want to find out more let’s move to a better messaging platform, just in case my acc gets suspended by more fans. here’s my number: xxx-xxx-xxxx

It was a gamble to send some stranger on the internet your number, but at this point, you were too desperate to really give a damn. There was a story just out of the reach of your fingertips; you would be a fool to deny the carrot on a stick you were being provided.

@name-01: okay, I’ll message you.

Name: hey! Truth-teller right? This is me from the messages

JK: yeah that’s me. I prefer JK when I’m not on sns tho

Name: I’m (y/n). I don’t mean to sound like I’m hurrying you, but I want to hear what you have to say about Taehyung.

JK: lol r u a reporter or smth? Real bossy of you keke

You sucked in a breath. Should you reveal that?

Name: haha would it be bad if I said I was?

There was no response for the next 15 minutes. Exhaling a long sigh, you decided that you should at least maneuver your way home; the office had been cleared out completely during your conversation with this JK, and you couldn’t help the creeps that the emptiness gave you. If anything, the walk back to your place would give you some outlet for the nervous energy radiating throughout you. You were nearly at the door of your apartment when your phone vibrated in your pocket, signaling a message.

JK: just checking. Makes sense that you’re one though. It’d be nice if you could break this story out, but I hope you trust me enough after I tell you what I know

You clicked the door shut behind you, your eyebrows creased as you stared at your phone screen.

Name: don’t worry. I trust you!

You dropped your bag down onto the sofa before throwing your body onto the seat. The three dots under JK’s name popped up for several minutes before disappearing. In the place of the three dots, a long message had been typed out.

JK: I didn’t really think much of taehyung when I first heard about him since he’s the nation’s golden boy or whatever bs title they call him nowadays, but my sister’s friend was a big fan of him. she went out with my sister and they met him in some shady club in gangnam. my sister’s friend got to talk to him exclusively and my sister got separated from her and got a text from her friend saying that she had smth come up and she already went home. she tried to contact her friend the day after, but she got a text back saying that her friend wasn’t feeling well. my sister’s friend was “best friends’’ with her but she didn’t contact my sister again until a week later saying she got a job opportunity overseas and already was about to board on the plane because it was important she got there fast. my sister’s friend didn’t contact her again like she dropped off the face of the earth

You pursed your lips in contemplation as you tapped out a message back, your nails clicking against the screen.

Name: ?? Are you sure that isn’t a coincidence?

JK: yeah, I thought so too but it was rly sus that my sister’s friend who had known my sister for 12 years to suddenly go overseas for a job opportunity without telling her at all. and when my sister tried to get new contact info from her friend there was no reply. but I got curious and since I do some computer work for my job i wanted to see if I could track the ip address of her phone but there was nothing. her last previous ip was all the way back in gangnam and my sister’s friend lived in incheon. that was a red flag so I decided to go talk to the landlord at my sister’s friend’s old apartment and the landlord said he didn’t see her come back since before that night but woke up to a fully paid lease and the apartment cleared out

You squinted your eyes at the screen, unable to properly process the information that this so-called JK had just given you. Chewing on your lip, you closed your eyes briefly before opening them back up and typing back a message.

Name: anything else? Sorry…just seems a bit far-fetched.

JK: think whatever then. I have to go to work now

Right when JK’s message popped up, another message pinged on your cell. You refused to let yourself ponder more on JK’s last message as you clicked on your friend’s text notification.

Platonic LOML <3: BAE, R U FREE TONIGHT? I’m lonely n want someone to come with me to this club— ik you’re not into clubs but pretty please

You were about to reply with a refusal when JK’s words came up to your mind again. You didn’t know why, but there was a sharp feeling in your gut that told you that you couldn’t miss this opportunity Call it silly intuition or some coincidental fabrication spurned by your mind, but that feeling persisted until you typed out a reply to your friend.

Name: okay fine. Come over in 30.

Taehyung swirled the liquid in his glass, watching the deep burgundy of the wine stain the glass a soft pink. His head was hurting again, and the new medication he had been taking for them on advice of the company didn’t work.

He scanned the dim, musty club, watching the pulsating lights cloak the dancing bodies in sallow shades of pale yellow. This club was a downgrade from his previous celebrity-exclusive club that he had gone to the previous week, but his manager had told him that if he really wanted peace, he should choose an area where no one would really know him.

Taehyung knew the real reason why his manager had insisted on this. Deaths of other celebrities were much harder to cover up after all.

Pity he actually followed his manager’s advice for once. The wine in here, despite the bougie price tag, was complete shit and provided him a slight buzz at best. And there was no one who really caught his eye out of the crowd of people. As he was about to get up from his seat and leave the club for somewhere with better—he contemplated going back to that celebrity club just to fuck with his company—pickings, he caught sight of someone entering the club.

You looked absolutely gorgeous, swathed in a black shift that you kept fighting to keep over your ass—and god, was it a plump ass too, the kind that made Taehyung’s cock hard in his tight black pants—with hair framing your face in a breathtaking way that showed glimpses of sparkling jewelry. Your friend, some chick with dyed green hair that Taehyung didn’t bother paying attention to, was clinging onto your arm, dragging you near the dance floor.

Taehyung knew.

He couldn’t take his eyes off you.

His head seemed to clear from the mind-numbing throb it always had when he spent too much time without another victim to take his aggression out of. Feeling the cool metal of the blade he always had tucked near his body, Taehyung sat back down in his seat, a playful smile perking at the edges of his lips. Funny enough, the blood thirst that never seemed to properly leave him was gone from his mind, an occurrence that was as rare as the pills the company liked shoving down his throat actually working for once.

You maneuvered your way over to the bar, to him, your friend pouting as she noticed you leaving before melting away into the crowd of grinding bodies. Taehyung swore then and there that the attraction between you and him was absolutely magnetic, with the way you seemed to pull the other towards one another.

He watched as you ordered some pretty-colored martini, adorably scrunching your face as the burn of alcohol coated your tongue and hit the back of your throat with a singe.

Maybe, Taehyung though to himself as he propped his chin lazily on his palm, he should really start listening to his manager more often.

Your mind was in a haze, and you didn’t even notice the man next to you until he was nearly pressed to your side, barely leaving a gap of space between the two of you.

You glanced at him, your tipsy mind suddenly sobering up as you realized who the man sitting next to you was. Kim Taehyung? What the fuck was he doing here?

“Another drink for a pretty lady?” Taehyung’s teeth showed as he charmingly flashed an award-winning coquettish smile at you, his already extremely handsome features seeming to increase in beauty from the grin.

You remembered JK’s words and a chill ran up your spine. God, his messages didn’t seem so implausible now, did they? Goosebumps rose up on your skin, freezing you to the bar table. Were…Were you his next victim?

You swallowed dryly as you tried to calm your racing heartbeat. The side of you that was a reckless journalist wanted to take a nosedive at the headliner just out of reach, but the rational side of you knew that leap of faith had a much bigger chance of you ending up disappearing off for a new job opportunity overseas, as Taehyung’s company would have it. You couldn’t write a good story if you were dead, after all.

“Thank you, but I can pay for my own drinks,’’ your lips twitched slightly as you forced them into a hopefully convincing gentle smile, refusing his offer softly before moving your body casually a few inches away from him,” Having drinks bought by strangers isn’t really my thing.”

Your smile must’ve looked a hell of a lot less nervous than you actually felt and a lot more convincing too because Taehyung’s shoulders, which had previously been winded like he was a predator getting ready to pounce on prey, seemed to relax at your words.

There was a dark gleam in his eyes when he again invaded your personal space and pushed his body near yours. He leaned in and whispered softly into your ears, his voice clear despite the early 2010s hits blaring from the speakers by the dance floor.

“If you’re scared of strangers, why don’t we get to know each other a bit?’’

Your fake smile grew stiff on your face. You felt like you were going to hurl the convenience store meal of ramen that you had scarfed before coming to the club all over the bar and Taehyung’s expensive luxury bran clothes. You could feel a sense of dread in your bones, the kind a prey animal would feel as a predator focused its carnivorous attention on them.

You forced a fake laugh, trying to drive the message that you were just not interested to Taehyung as loud and clear as you could manage.

“No thanks; I have enough people I’m close to. If you’ll excuse me, I think I’ve left my friend alone for far too long on the dance floor.”

You pushed yourself off the bar table, flashing a strained polite smile before you headed over the dance floor, trying to keep your pace slow and steady instead of breaking out into the outright run you wanted to do.

Taehyung inhaled the linger scent of your perfume, a natural smell that sweetly layered itself over the damp musky air of the club. His eyes, even as you tried to focus on the pounding music and forget the fear embedded deeply in your gut, never seemed to leave your form. Even when you burrowed yourself deeply into the crowd away from his view, you could still feel it.

You found yourself painfully sober after that encounter, trying to look normal in front of your friend for the rest of the night that seemed to painstakingly drag on for eternity. Even when you had the short 2-minute walk from the cab you took to your front door, you didn’t stop looking over your shoulder, still feeling the chill that came with the thought of Taehyung’s gaze. When you got inside your home, the bubbling nausea in your stomach took control over you, and you ended up heaving your dinner down the toilet.

When you managed to somewhat pull yourself together, you typed out a quick message with practically shaking fingers to the only one you could think of in that moment would understand what you were feeling, You stared at your unsent message before hastily pressing send.Name: I didn’t know who to talk to, but I saw Taehyung at the club today. I think you’re right about what you said about Taehyung.

Name: I didn’t know who to talk to, but I saw Taehyung at the club today. I think you’re right about what you said about Taehyung.

Ping!

You barely managed to fall asleep that night, and your eyes painfully ached when you peeled your eyelids open, hurriedly grabbing your phone and turning it on to check your messages.

JK: what happened? Sry for late response. Job keeps me busy all night

Your fingers flew over the keyboard as you typed out your message, furrowing your eyebrows in concentration as you tried to relay the events of your night in hopefully comprehensible words.

Name: I went with my friend to some sketchy club idk what area at this point but I went to the bar and I felt someone come up to me ?? I turned and realized it was Taehyung, and he offered to buy me a drink but I declined. Makes me sick how I could’ve been his next victim, so I tried to leave and go back to where there was more ppl in the club, But I can’t stop thinking about the look in his eyes. There was something sickening in them, I couldn’t put my finger on it.

JK didn’t respond for a bit, and you exhaled a trembling breath when his message popped up.

JK: be careful. Im glad you managed to get away

Name: I’m scared. I didn’t know what to do, but hopefully I’ll never see him again once I get this scoop out.

JK: stay safe. Thx for telling me. Text me if anything else happens.

You let out a shaky breath before clicking your phone off, your nerves still rattled but slightly more calmed down after talking with JK. You had to get ready for work, but at this rate, you weren’t even sure how you would be able to get through the day. Maybe you should take a sick day? No, you couldn’t.

The elevator dinged closed behind you as you stepped out of it into the office. As you were about to take a seat at your desk, your boss rushed out of his office, relief, something he never showed to you, evident on his expression once he caught sight of you.

“(Y/n)! Come into my office; I have an important job for you,’’ your boss ushered you into his office without another word, practically pushing a baffled you into the room frantically,” You know the company that manages Kim Taehyung? They reached out and agreed to an exclusive one-on-one interview with Kim Taehyung only, and only, if you agreed to the interview.”

You stiffened, your body frozen as you tried to process the words your boss had just spoken. Your brain seemed to be running a marathon as you computed the words your boss said, and you could only meekly respond with a limp,” Why me? Can’t somebody…Can’t someone else take over? Boss…you know I’m not that experienced.”

Boss Kim barely paid any attention to your words as he rested a hand on your shoulder with a confident look on his face.

“Then, use this opportunity to get more experience. You want to show the world that you’re a journalist by getting a scoop? Then take this interview! You know the company never agrees to exclusive one-on-one interviews unless they’re all staged, but there wasn’t even talk of this being staged at all. If you can use this opportunity and get something big, won’t this be your biggest step towards a great journalist career?’’ your boss exclaimed,’’ If you back out, another chance like this won’t come again!”

As much of an asshole Boss Kim was sometimes, you could find the logic in his words. Besides, it must be a coincidence that Kim Taehyung wanted you specifically to give him an interview; maybe he wanted a newbie, so they wouldn’t have much experience trying to fish out personal details and twist his words.

That’s right. There was no way he even remembered what you looked like. You guys interacted for, what, a solid 2 minutes last night. And if you did this interview right, you could use it as a building block as evidence for the headliner you intended to release with what JK had told you.

You exhaled, nodding your head firmly.

“I will. I’ll take this interview.”

Boss Kim’s face brightened, making him look much more like the stereotypical handsome CEO character found in dramas. Since he always looked exhausted and stressed out, he always seemed more intimidating, an aura that seemed to scare off any thoughts about how gorgeous he actually was. You had to admit: your heart did flutter a bit at his face.

“Excellent! He’s waiting in the meeting room right now! You only need, what, six hours to prepare, right?”

Fuck, you take back that heart flutter. Boss Kim was an asshole.

“S-Sir,’’ you sputtered,” I can’t…’’

Before you even finished your words, Boss Kim was already ushering you back out of the office.

“I believe in you! You got this!”

He closed the door behind you. You swallowed back the mouthful of swears you wanted to spew before scrambling towards your desk.

You weren’t prepared, but you knew you would do anything for a scoop.

Exactly 6 hours and seventeen seconds later, you were primly seated in front of Kim Taehyung.

The seats were annoyingly too close, and you cursed Boss Kim in your heart, knowing that the reason why the chairs were placed in such an unprofessional manner was because Boss Kim wanted to create the perfect intimate setting for no cost. If you tried to extend your legs, you’d end up smacking them straight into Taehyung’s legs.

You, although disgruntled, had to admit that there was a reason why so many major brands wanted him as their model. He was handsome under the shitty lighting of the musty club last night, but here, with his hair and makeup carefully done despite the fluorescent lighting of the room, he was every synonym of the word beautiful combined into one person.

Blond strands of his hair brushed his chiseled features, and his eyes, curved attractively and framed with delicate long wisps of eyelashes, was intensely focused on your face. He looked ever like a marble statue, carved with attention and detail to be the most perfect specimen artistry could ever create. But he wasn’t perfect; that was what you knew. And that would also be what would you get just one step ahead of him.

You swept a piece of hair and tucked it behind an ear as you scanned your hastily scribbled notes. His eyes clung to that movement, as if he was mesmerized by your every action, and you peeked a look through your lashes. Your eyes met, and you forced a stiff smile.

“Kim Taehyung-ssi,’’ you rolled your shoulders back into a proper posture, gingerly extending a hand out for him to take,” Good morning. It’s an honor to be able to do an interview with you.”

The edges of his lips tilted upward, and there was a playful glint in his eyes as his previous fiercely predatory state melted into the façade he put up in front of the public. He reached out and took your hand, throwing you off guard as he leaned in and pressed a tender kiss on the back of your hand.

“Likewise, it’s an honor to have an interview with you, (Y/n).’’

Yuck, you were going to have to wash your hands later. Anyways, what kind of person even kissed the back of people’s hands nowadays? This was the 21st century for fuck’s sake. You somehow kept your grimace to yourself.

You nervously laughed as you practically yanked your hand back out of his grasp. You casually wiped the back of your hand on the fabric of your skirt, disguising the movement as simply brushing off dust. Taehyung’s eyes didn’t leave any of your movements, and he laughed a little as he realized just what you were doing.

Oh, you were so interesting. You weren’t like the rest of them, the fans that threw themselves at him adoringly; hell, he was sure you weren’t even a fan. He was entranced. When he was close to you, the headaches seemed to fade; he didn’t want to drown himself in another body when he was with you. He didn’t want to kill when he was with you.

You ignored his burning gaze, breezing through the beginning parts of the interview. Finally, you reached the part that you had been anxiously preparing for.

“So, I heard that you’re trying out a new actor role. As a model and an artist and now an actor, we have to admit that your talents are incredibly versatile, Kim Taehyung-ssi.’’ You continued speaking. “Could you tell us a little more about this role?’’

“You flatter me too much, (Y/n).’’ He purposefully had left any formalities to the wind in this interview, a move that made you want to grind your teeth. “Yes, I was offered one of the leading roles in a new thriller movie. I’ll be acting as one of the charismatic but complex characters. I hope to show you and all of my fans a new side to Kim Taehyung.”

“Ah, a new side,’’ you nodded lightly,” Your new role as a charismatic serial killer who targets his admirers is certainly what many would call…complex. How do you go about preparing for such a twisted role?”

“Hmm…,’’ Taehyung’s lips curled up menacingly for a brief moment before fading away into a breezy smile,’’ It’s quite difficult to immerse myself into a role in which I have limited experience in, so I like to read through the script and make a map of what the character is like. What motivates him; what makes him so…complex, as you called it. I pretend to be like the character. How do I make myself think like him? That’s the question I like to try to find an answer to.”

“Ah, this is simply my personal opinion, but to truly play the character requires some true life experience…Is it possible that you’ve ever done anything similar to what the character has done in real life?”

A pin seemed to drop in that very moment from the silence that crowded the room. Everyone in the room froze and stared at you, their glances less than pleasant. You bore it all as you stared intently into his eyes. Slip up, you prayed, do something that will make you slip up. There was not even a brief soft sound in the 10 seconds that it took for Taehyung to respond.

He was rigid, the smile plastered on his face barely fading. Come on, you begged, expose yourself just a bit.

“Your response is lagging for just a bit, Kim Taehyung-ssi. It makes you seem guilty just a bit, doesn’t it?’’

He snapped out of it right then and there.

“I was simply contemplating my response. Your impatience is something not so befitting of a formal interview. To answer your question, isn’t a role just a role at the end of the day? If you think about it, I’m not the only person to have played a role like this. Many actors and actresses have done so without any thought of relating it to their real life. After all, a role is simply an imaginary self.”

You both stared into each other’s eyes, and you felt the gazes of other people around you burn into you.

You settled on a retreat. It was fine; this interview was just the first building block. You laughed lightly, throwing off the previous tense silence easily.

“Of course! We wouldn’t expect nothing but, right? We hope to see your talent truly shine through in this new role!’’

The tenseness in the room seemed to slip away right then, and the deathly gazes on you flitted away, like they were never there in the first place.

You let out a sigh as you left the interview room. God, that was terrifying, but you knew that you had to do what you had just previously done. What you had just done asserted the theory that you had. His company was hiding something about him, and that something was nothing less than downright horrific.

JK, you thought to yourself, I’m going to expose this story, just you wait.

“You weren’t just going to leave, huh?’’

You heard a familiar voice speak behind you, and you quickly spun around.

“Kim Taehyung-ssi,’’ you forced out of your throat,’’ I believed you had already left.”

“I was going to, but I wanted to speak to you about the interview. The company rarely lets me do interviews, so it was really refreshing to have one done with you. We worked so well together, and I would like to thank you for the pleasant experience you had given me with dinner. You must be starving, right?’’

You had been starving earlier, but one word from Taehyung left your stomach churning in nausea.

“No!’’ your voice was a bit too loud, so you hastily softened it,’’ No, that’s not necessary. You don’t need to thank me.”

Taehyung took steps closer to you, and you unconsciously took a step back. Noticing your movements, he looked at you and flashed a grin that might’ve looked harmless to others but outright menacing to you.

“Are you scared of me?’’ his voice was almost like a purr. You fought back a shiver, straightening your back and looking him straight in the eyes.

“No,’’ you stabilized your voice, keeping a waver out of it,” Why would I be scared of you? You’re not some higher being than me just because you’re a celebrity. You’re human, after all. But, as you can see, I have work to do, so I will have to politely decline your offer.”

“You can have the rest of the day off.”

You spun around on your heels, your gaze colliding with Boss Kim’s. When did he arrive?

“Sir! Boss! No, if I skipped out on work, I’d be a burden to everyone. Besides, I—,’’ your voice was cut off by another voice.

“It’d be good to establish a positive relationship between your company and ours. Your boss would usually be the one to go to a dinner, but I believe he already has plans. Any work you were unable to fulfill today will be taken care of.”

The voice seemed to chill you to the bone. You turned to make eyes with a man. Was he…Taehyung’s manager? Although he was handsome, the kind of handsome that was comparable with Taehyung’s, something about him churned your stomach. While Taehyung was like a predator waiting to pounce on his prey, the man behind this voice was already sinking his teeth into the neck, wringing out the… You snapped out of your thoughts.

Snap out of it, you mentally scolded yourself.

“How about it?’’ Taehyung’s manager coldly smiled, his tone like glaciers.

You opened your mouth to try to refute, but with the burning gaze from your boss, you could only dip your head in a bow, your voice low.

“Thank you for the offer. I accept.”

They couldn’t kill you, right? It’d be too obvious.

You followed them out, and when you passed by Boss Kim, you made a panicked glance at him. What greeted you made you halt briefly in your pace.

When Boss Kim made eye contact with you, he patted your shoulder in what should’ve been reassurance. His lips spread out in a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

“Don’t disappoint me, hmm?’’

His words, spoken low and steady, left a chill in your veins as you kept walking, and the sliding doors of the elevator dinged close behind you, effectively trapping you with Taehyung and his manager.

You somehow made it out of the elevator and through the tense car ride alive. Now, you were seated next to Taehyung himself in the private room of a restaurant. Smoke rose from the grill, briefly obscuring your view of his manager from across you.

You tried to think positively of the situation. If Taehyung was drunk, maybe he’d slip up, but…you made a furtive glance at his manager from across the grill, slightly jolting when your eyes collided with his own. The fear that nearly overcame you made you nauseous.

“A drink?”

Taehyung’s voice broke the tense silence, and you turned to see him already raising his glass. You stiffly smiled, barely managing to keep the nervous twitch out of the curves of your lips.

“I don’t drink.”

“It’s impolite to decline a friendly offer. Come on, a toast to a wonderful…partnership.” Taehyung chuckled, raising his glass, as he leaned his chin onto the propped palm of his hand,” And we wouldn’t want a bad start to it.”

You were panicking by now, but you could imagine what Boss Kim would say if Taehyung’s company pulled out because of something so miniscule. You couldn’t afford to lose your job, not with the way you had fought tooth and nail to get your position; you wouldn’t last a month without your job or the meager protection it gave you.

You made your decision, a decision you would’ve done anything else but avoid, and tilted the glass up, clinking it against Taehyung’s glass. Turning away, you made it look like you were lightly sipping the drink, but you only allowed the liquid to slightly wet your lips. You set down the still-full glass and smiled pleasantly.

“I can only drink this much. Anymore, and I would experience terrible side effects.”

Taehyung didn’t seem even irked by your feeble attempt at pretending; instead, his eyes filled with amusement. He didn’t stop staring at you, and the threatening vibe of it caused you to unconsciously delve into your habit of gripping your glass of water and drinking it in an attempt to calm your nerves.

You placed the empty glass back down before resuming anxiously picking at your food. A pair of chopsticks—specifically Taehyung’s chopsticks—placed a piece of barbecued meat on your bowl of rice.

“Not feeling hungry? You need to eat. Skipping meals is bad for your health,’’ Taehyung beamed as he watched you carefully pick up the piece of meat and eat it. It would’ve been delicious any other time, but the churning in your gut made it taste like sand in your mouth. You dryly swallowed it.

“I’m heading to the restroom.”

You heard Taehyung’s manager speak in his flat tone, and you threw a skittish glance at him as he stood up and walked out of the private room, closing the door with a soft click behind him.

“Ah, now that that nuisance is out of the way, why don’t we talk more?’’ Taehyung’s tone was playful, and you flinched as he leaned closer to you, his breath brushing against the outer shell of your ear.

“Kim Taehyung-ssi,’’ you gritted the name through your teeth,” Please respect my personal space.”

He laughed lowly before he dropped a hand on your thigh. You were about to make a move to push him away, but your body suddenly felt tired, like you weren’t quite in control anymore.

“Come on, do what I say, and your little news company will do so much better. Your boss didn’t tell you this, but your company’s going bankrupt. One peep from me, and your company will rise in ranking, but I can only do that if I’m in a…happy mood.”

Taehyung pressed even closer to you, his nose against the curve of your neck as he inhaled your scent deeply in. His hands moved from his side and he ripped open the buttons of your shirt, groping your bra-covered tits. You let out an incoherent mumble in response, trying to flimsily kick at him.

Where was the waiter? Why was his manager taking so long? They planned this!

Disgust and heat coiled in your gut, but you were too dizzy to move. Something…that bastard…Did he spike your water? You were too careless, fuck. Taehyung moved one hand to tilt your chin up before his lips met yours. Despite how sloppy of a kiss it was, you could tell he was experienced, practically tasting every inner crevice of your soft mouth with his tongue, and you should’ve continued to be revolted, but whatever pill in your system had you melting into his mouth.

Taehyung seemed to sense the turmoil and conflict in you and the soft give of your will, and that seemed to make him even braver. He slid a hand up your skirt, his touch hot even through the fabric of your stockings, and you let out a startled moan against his lips, drool dribbling down the corners of your mouth. He pulled back, and you could barely see through the teary haze of your eyes. It had been too long since the last time you had a good fuck. You just wanted to be touched…wanted to be fucked so hard his cock would press against your womb.

“I just want to see you let go a bit, baby,’’ there was the triumph of domination in his voice. The sober part of you wanted to rebel, wanted to push and scream and kick him away, but you weren’t sober, weren’t clear-minded. Your legs spread as if begging for more of his touch.

He ripped his fingers through your stocking, and the material easily gave way underneath his strength. You could feel the damp spot on your panties, growing as he rubbed his fingertips against your drooling pussy. You shivered slightly in delirious pleasure as his finger rolled over your throbbing clit.

“Mmph!’’ you let out a sound as he pushed your soaked panties to the side and pushed his fingers deep into your pussy. You couldn’t object, not when your pussy was stretching with a spine-tingling ache around his fingers, and especially not when he begin to set a teasing pace. He pushed his fingers in, and you shut your eyes in shame as your moans grew louder.

Your toes curled as his movements grew faster, reaching deep into you, and you were so, so close. Oh my god you could feel…and you were cumming hard. Your walls shivered and twitched around his still moving fingers, and you murmured a dazed plea as he finally stilled and pulled his fingers out. You, still twitching from how hard you came earlier, were ashamed to see the way his fingers glistened with the remnants of your arousal and orgasm.

The sound of his pants being unclasped drew you out of your drugged state. No, he wasn’t going to…Come on, snap out of it, snap out of it.

He drew back closer again, and you sucked in a breath, trying to push through your daze. He leaned in. You managed to bring your arms up to the table, grabbing the nearest object that you could reach. Your trembling fingers closed around your nearly empty water glass, and you took it, raising it and smashing it as hard as you could over his head. Water, ice cubes, and glass shards struck as the glass broke. Taehyung, not expecting the blow, had a temporary moment of weakness, and you managed to push him off you.

You shoved yourself up onto shaky legs, wrapping the ripped blouse around your weakened body, and forced yourself into a run outside of the room. The hallway of the restaurant around the private rooms was empty, devoid of any person. You frantically looked over your shoulder, relieved that you didn’t see him coming after you. This was a public place, though it was late at night, and you knew Taehyung wouldn’t risk his perfect reputation. But still, you remembered his manager was still out there.

You couldn’t let them kill you…You had to survive! You broke into a blind run, ignoring the strange looks and the calls you got from the restaurant’s staff as you pushed out of the restaurant into the street. You kept running despite the dizziness of your mind, and you could barely see what was in front of you before…You crashed into someone, slamming into their body so hard that you were sent sprawling to the ground.

“Please…,’’ you choked out, your voice strangled, crying out a desperate plea as you grabbed onto their clothes,’’ Please help me.”

Your mind was dizzy, splotches of colors splattering your blurry vision. Your body had overexerted yourself, and you prayed that you wouldn’t end up a dead body on the news as your grip around the clothes went lip, and you collapsed into the road. Through the buzzing of your ears, you could hear a startled voice call out, feel a firm touch grab your shoulders and try to shake you awake. Some strange hope rose in you; maybe…maybe…?

You murmured desperately one last mumble, your words barely making sense, as you spiraled into unconsciousness.

“JK…please help me.”

A/N: if you want to be added to the taglist for the next part, reply with a ❤️. If you enjoyed the story, please leave a comment or a detailed review below <3

Next work will be a fic for Jungkook’s upcoming birthday. Poll will be released soon for what kind of plot it should have!

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alloftheimaginess · 4 years ago

Note

Can you do a supernatural cast series where you’re the wife and you do different interviews, like the videos on YouTube like Ad or thirst tweets or just answering fan questions whatever plz. If you have questions just message me and I’ll try to explain it further

Lol sorry it’s been like four months so don’t hate me but it’s been hard work juggling trying to write, school and work so sorry. I think it sucks but hopefully you’ll like it and I’ll be tagging the other parts in this one

Burning Fan Questions

Other parts

Alexander Calvert

Misha Collins

Jensen Ackles

"Hi I'm Yn Padalecki and I will be answer the fans burning questions about my life" I say smiling at the camera as I grab the bucket that's full of questions.

"I'm super nervous for this because before I got here Jared double dog dared me to answer literally every single question so I can't use my skip button" I say and the crew behind the camera laughs.

"Please for the love of god let their be questions to embarrass Jared more than me so he can eat it" I say giggling.

"First question" I say grabbing a folded up piece of paper from out the bucket.

"Who is the rudest celebrity that you've ever had the chance of meeting?" I read and I laugh.

"Oh that's a lot of them, there's an unsurprising amount of rude celebrities who think that they own Hollywood" I say laughing.

"But enough stalling because I have to answer this question anyway, the rudest celebrity that I've ever met was Christian Bale, no offense but he was a total dick to literally everyone around him, on set, off of set just everywhere" I say digging around the bucket for another question.

"What scandals has your team had to cover up?" I read and I start laughing.

"Noooooo" I say laughing even harder because I know I have to tell them.

"Okay okay. When I was 23 I had first met Jared and we got caught you know doing the deed and then the pictures were about to go out and they had to buy all of them back for double of what they were going to get" I say laughing shaking the bucket up and grabbing another one out.

"Have you ever used your celebrity status to get something for free?" I read.

"One time when I was out my daughter, Harlow we were getting frozen yogurt and I left my credit card at the restaurant we were at before without realizing it and at the register she goes oh my god are you Jared from supernatural's wife and when I'm with my daughters I usually pretend like I'm not but I totally knew she was going to give us the yogurt for free so I was like yeah, and then I asked her how she was and she was like oh this is totally on the house" I say laughing.

"I eventually went back and tipped a massive tip because I didn't pay last time" I say.

I grab another one out and I put the bucket down opening it "how many kids do you actually want?" I read.

"Well I already have two now but I'm aiming for at least five" I say laughing.

"I have a big family I'm one of 9 so I've always wanted a big family but not as big as mine so four or five would be a perfect size family for me, I honestly have a enough love for a million but four or five is definitely good for me" I say grabbing another question.

"If we came to your house what would we find in your cabinets food wise?" I read laughing.

"What an interesting question" I say.

"Everyone in the Padalecki household has their own cabinets because they are huge smackers. Harlow's is filled with the stuff she likes such as teddy Grahams, fruit roll ups, dried Cranberries, jolly ranchers stuff like that. Mine is filled with little cakes, gushers, banana chips which I swear by, peanuts, popcorn and Jared's, he has tons of candy, he is absolutely in love with white chocolate macadamia cookies and he always has those in his stash and Kiernan she's still on baby food so she's fully stocked on that" I say grabbing another question out.

"If you had to marry anyone that has starred along side your husband in his show supernatural who would it be?" I read.

"Oh hmm" I say laughing.

"Okay, Jensen is like Jared's best friend but I'm way closer to Misha so I'd definitely have to say Misha but no offense to his wife because I'd totally marry her as well or maybe even Rob, I love that man to pieces, he's a really good friend but then there's Rich, no offense to his wife Jaci but Rich and I have the best dance off's so that would be something to look forward to" I say laughing as I grab another question.

"If you woke up in Jared's body and had to stay in it for a day what would you do?" I say laughing.

"Easy, I'd leave myself little notes with plans for tomorrow so when I switch back he'll have to go through with them and we could have a perfectly planned out day because I planned it" I say laughing.

"If you go out to dinner with your non-famous friends, do you all still split the bill or do you pay?" I read.

"It depends really, my childhood friends don't like for me to pay for their stuff so we'll all split the bill but if I'm the one inviting everyone out then I'll pay before hand because then it'll be a lot of work trying to break it up" I say grabbing another question.

"What's one thing that Jared does that absolutely pisses you off?" I read cracking up.

"Breathes" I say smiling at the camera.

"I'm just kidding" I say laughing.

"When I'm super busy and like concentrating on my work he'll come over and innocently wrap his arms around me but then when I'm not paying him enough attention he'll start softly biting me and while I'm trying to work that can be so annoying" I say.

"What was the worst rumor that has been spread about you?" I read.

"I've had some pretty bad ones that I like to pretend didn't happen because they were literally so outrageous but I guess the worst one was that I was cheating on Jared. A few years back Harlow and I flew to my hometown for a few weeks and we spent Halloween out there and my twin sister and I dressed up as Sally from nightmare before Christmas because we've always done matching costumes whenever we're with each other and I posted a selfie on Instagram so everyone knew what I looked like but no one knew my twin sister was dressed identical to me and she took Harlow around with her now husband while I helped my parents be set up for the party and the paparazzi caught them together while they shared a kiss and while Eric played with Harlow and she was giggling and they put the photos on the front of the magazine and I was getting so much hate before I even knew what was going on and I was getting calls from our friends and they were asking me like how I could do that and then I had to go and post my pictures with my sister and write this long ass message about it and it was super bad" I say moving on.

"Who do you look up to the most, and what qualities do you love about that person?" I read.

"My grandma, she pretty much raised me. My parents weren't around often so I had to live with her for like 5 years, me and all of my siblings" I say digging in the bucket.

"But the qualities that I love about her is one, the fact that she is the strongest person I've had the honor of meeting" I say holding up one finger.

"Two, her boldness is like unbelievable. I took her to the oscars and she started flirting with The Rock and that's when I realized my grandma was my hero" I say laughing and I pull another question out.

"What's something you did as a child that no one knows about outside of your family?" I read.

"For two years I only spoke in a British accent, I had everyone confused at school because I never broke" I say laughing.

"How often do you and Jared have sex?" I read burying my face.

"No, I'm not going to be embarrassed. Sex is a normal thing, it brings about joy, relaxation, sometimes accidental pregnancies" I say laughing.

"But back to the question, I don't know. He's gone for like nine months out of the year but if he has a three day weekend or whatever then we'll spend a night together but when he's home in the three months he's off of filming it's literally whenever the kids are gone if even just for 20 minutes. We try to keep it as normal as possible" I say laughing.

"What's the last text conversation you had?" I read pulling out my phone and I laugh.

"I texted Robert about his new Batman movie because it was announced the other day and I just seen it this morning so I had to quickly congratulate him and he tells me that while I'm super late he still appreciates it and won't hold anything against me when it's time to hand out movie tickets and I said I'd never forgot about you shiny and he sent the middle finger emoji" I say laughing.

"What are your pet names that you and Jared have for each other?" I read.

"Ha, finally a question that he'd normally not talk about but I was dared so I call him Bubba or bubs" I say laughing.

"Literally it's how he's saved in my phone and he thinks it's so embarrassing" I say pulling my phone out and showing his contact name and photo.

"He's Bubba and he calls me a lot of different things but the one he always goes back to is beautiful or baby" I say smiling at the camera.

“Do your siblings and Jared get along?” I read and I laugh sighing.

“Like I mentioned earlier I’m one of nine so that’s eight siblings and then all of my siblings are older than me. I’m the baby and they are all married so my older brother and his husband love Jared and Jared loves them, we’re actually both of their kids godparents but then with my third oldest sister she doesn’t like me so she doesn’t like Jared by default you know” I say grabbing another question.

“Okay this is a question I have to know how often you do and Jared shower together?” I read laughing.

“Do you have to know that?” I ask laughing harder.

“Sorry to let you down but we don’t really, we’ll not anymore with kids it’s best one of us is out the shower while the other one quickly showers because we can’t leave them along for too long” I say knowing that my answer is not what they were expecting.

“But before kids it’s was an every morning thing we did together before heading out for our different business or whatever we had to do that day” I say.

“Did you have an oh shit moment at your wedding, and if so what was it?” I read and I nod.

“Yeah actually I did. But it’s been so long since we got married that I actually forgot until I read this question. My brother bless his poor heart showed up drunk like he was pregaming our wedding and the security didn’t know he was my brother so they were like kicking him out and my sister runs in like “oh my god Yn, the security just kicked Kalin out” so I’m like half dressed and I go down to try to figure out what the hell is happening and then I meet up with him and he throws up all over me like I’m talking full body covered and the make up artist just left and I had to shower and call her back so she could come fix my face and it was very traumatizing because it was so gross” I say laughing.

“But the whole wedding was beautiful and he didn’t drink at all” I say.

“If you had to pick a song from the late 10’s-2020 to be you and Jared’s couple song what would you pick?” I read and I awe.

“That’s a cute question. I guess I’d have to say Flicker by Niall Horan, we danced together to that song when Alex Calvert and his wife got married and it literally felt so magical and now whenever I hear it, it takes me back to a happy place and I just think about slow dancing with my best friend and husband” I say smiling.

“Do you and all the wives of the supernatural cast get along?” I read and I quickly nod.

“Those girls are some of my best friends, they know what it’s like to have a family and their husband work on supernatural so automatically we have something to bond over also with Alex’s wife she has a massive family so we often talk about the drama and problems that come along with it” I say laughing.

"Last one. What celebrity have you had beef with?" I read laughing.

"Daniel Radcliffe" I say quickly.

"But it was when we were younger filming the Harry Potter movies. We didn't like each other for like the first 4 movies" I say laughing.

"Our characters were close in the movie but on set we hated each other, I don't know why and I don't think he does either, I guess our energies just clashed but when we got to order of the Phoenix and we talked it out before we started filming and have been best friends in person ever since" I say laughing and tipping the bucket over.

"That was my last question. I'm Yn Padalecki and this has been answering fan questions. Thank you for watching and I hope you got a laugh out of at least some of these questions or you learned something you never thought you would learn about me" I say smiling at the camera

#jared padalecki #jared padalecki x reader #jared padalecki x you #spn cast #supernatural cast x reader #sam winchester #jensen ackles #misha collins #alex calvert #Spn cast x reader #cast x reader #reader insert #supernatural #celeb!reader #famous!reader #actress!reader #celebrity!reader

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m-alcn · 6 years ago

Text

And yet again, her classmates are somehow buying into that little liar’s big, fat, unrealistic lies. Why was Adrien going along with this he was there when she exposed her as Ladybug!

Granted she could have maybe got her point across even more if she weren’t yelling, but she hated lies. And there was no way she would stand for more of them!

“—My tympanum ruptured because of the sound of an airplane motor that was in the runway when I saved Jagged Stone’s kitten.”

Marinette sighed, arms crossed, exasperated that she was the only one in her class that was using her brain. “Jagged Stone has a crocodile.” But even as she was saying that, the beginnings of an idea were forming in the back of her head, carefully weaving together into a plan. Just like always.

She had to fight hard to keep the triumphant smirk off her face, though some of it showed.

“That’s now. He had a kitten before, until he found out he was allergic,” Lila said, innocent as you please, conniving little thing with a lie for everything.

But Marinette wasn’t going to let her get away with it this time.

So with wide innocent eyes, she layered sugary sweet layers into her voice. “That’s a super story Lila!”

Lila paused, narrowing her eyes at her a little. “It is?”

“Oh yes,” Marinette said, opening her eyes even wider, just like when she played Chloé during their last movie. As she made herself look as unassuming as ever, she retrieved her phone from her bag and unlocked it, dialing a number that still made her internally squeal even now. “I want to make sure I have the story in its absolute details. But I just have to do one thing first,” she held up her index as the dial tone finally ended.

“Salut!” Marinette cheered into the phone, her classmates looking at each other confused, Lila only narrowing her eyes even more. “Oh I know it’s been ages! I hope they aren’t working you too hard from last time. That’s great! You deserve the break,” as she kept talking she maintained her cheery façade as she made eye contact with Lila. “Yes! That’s exactly who I needed to talk to! Thank you so much!”

Everyone remained confused, exchanging wary looks, not daring to interrupt, even though their Class President was really not being herself.

Alya stared at her, convinced she’d lost her mind, sharing a look with Nino who only shrugged. Big help there, you big lug.

“Hello! Yes, well I… no… that’s… well it’s great to hear you too!” she was finally able to get a word in edgewise, but she had to watch what she said now. “You did? You are? That’s fantastic! You want me to do that again!” here Marinette had to stop herself from really squealing, but she had to stick to the plan. “I’ll be delighted! Like that last CD was a dream come true!”

Alya looked at Marinette with slowly dawning realization, finally having a bit of an idea as to what she was doing.

“Yeah, I’m really sorry to bother you like this but I just wanted to check with you, I know how harassed you get so I needed to make sure of some rumors. Can I put you on speaker phone? That’s great! But please wait until I introduce you, I have someone here who’s just dying to hear you! Thank you so much, you definitely rock! Yes, I meant that one,” she laughed as he always had the ability to cheer her up.

As she put it on speaker, Marinette injected even more cheer into her face, making her voice as kind as possible. “So Lila, mind repeating that wonderful story, I have someone who just can’t wait to hear it.”

Lila looked at her warily, feeling trapped and cornered though not sure how. She was the one who could spin lies into silk, so why was she feeling tangled. She should proceed with caution. “Why?”

“Everyone needs to know how much of a hero you are!” Marinette spread her arms, smile starting to hurt as she pressed her teeth together.

“I don’t want to spread that around.”

“Then why did you tell it to the class?” Marinette pouted, the picture of innocent confusion.

“Well they’re my friends,” Lila smiled back at her sweetly, “you tell your friends these things.”

“But you were new and you were still telling them when they were strangers,” Marinette had to work hard not to show her anger, even one bit. But oh was she good. In a very bad way. “Well Alya, why don’t you tell us her act of bravery. You’re a reporter, you love reporting don’t you?” she blinked big blue eyes at her friend, who inched a bit away from her, because somehow that overload of sweetness felt way more dangerous than any anger.

But Alya was curious now, after all that story would be newsworthy, she should have probably seen it. And the way Lila was now avoiding telling her stories was a bit suspect.

“One Mlle. Lila Rossi saved Jagged Stone’s kitten at an airport,” Alya kept her eyes on Lila now, her best friend usually had good instincts and while she overreacted a lot, it wouldn’t make sense for her to be jealous given the whole thing with Kagami.

“WHAT!” the very familiar – even over the phone – voice of Jagged Stone was very loud in the relatively thick silence of the classroom, startling everyone but Marinette who was expecting it, she took an almost inappropriate amount of pleasure seeing Lila blanch . “Cat? What cat? Penny did I have cat?”

“No Jagged.”

“Why would I ever betray my precious Fang!”

“Oh I never implied that. I know how much you love that sweetie,” Marinette interjected, because she really did like Fang and to not accidently hurt the feelings of her favorite singer. “Apparently you had a kitten before you had Fang, but you don’t anymore because you’re allergic. That’s too bad, cats can be cute.”

“I never ever heard of this girl. What was it Liar—”

“Lila,” Marinette, barely suppressing her smile, corrected before Lila could, though she could see her fuming as the class turned their skeptical eyes on her.

“Don’t know any. Plus, I don’t have allergies, I just don’t like those little furballs. They completely destroy my rock and roll vibe, you know how it is. You understand my vibe completely Marinette,” Jagged sounded proud, like a favorite uncle and while it was a bit embarrassing, it was also wholly satisfying to see Lila turn red and almost purple.

Ugh she was getting akumatized again wasn’t she.

“Anyway, Marinette my favorite collégienne, when can you design an outfit for me. Or a new CD cover. The last one you did was really rock and roll and completely Jagged Approved. I got it, both! What do you say?”

Marinette felt a very real smile spread across her face as Lila’s jaw dropped. “I would be honored. If you send me your ideas and opinions on the outfit and a deadline, I think I could start work on it today.”

“You rock and roll, my talented little designer! If you need anything just, gimme me a call. But I gotta roll.”

“FANG! FANG! NOT THE COUCH!” there was a crash that accompanied Penny’s scream, evidently done relaxing for today.

“Awwww, Fang, who’s a good boy! Who’s a goo—”

And on that wonderful note the line cut off, leaving everyone staring at the phone like it grew legs and crawled out of the room.

Marinette just shrugged it off. It was just Jagged being Jagged. And Penny not relaxing like she should.

“It’s weird that he doesn’t know you,” Marinette continued to play dumb, as everyone turned to look at Lila.

“Why did you do that Marinette?” Alya asked.

“I was there when his stalker fan turned into an akuma and attacked him. I don’t think he likes that or rumors spread about him.”

Immediately feeling the weighty stares, Lila refused to look at them but fixed her eyes on that Marinette. “Why would you hire someone to make me look bad? What did I ever do to you?” she made sure to sound sad and pitiful, but it wasn’t having much impact on anyone.

Marinette grit her teeth, but took a deep breath to keep calm. “How would I know the reason you would tell us you lost your hearing?”

“You must have done it because you’re jealous he wrote a song about me and not you.” She was grasping at straws, but she would not go down because of her.

He did write a song about me, as Ladybug, but go off I guess.

Everyone was scowling at Lila now, except for Chloé who looked to be enjoying herself way too much.

“I don’t think we really believe you Lila,” Marinette said, keeping her tone calm and even, waiting for the storm.

“I think you’re the one actually lying. You, designed his CD? There’s no way that’s possible.” She pointed her finger at Marinette.

“She also did his Tour Eiffel glasses,” Alya finally came to her friend’s defense, narrowing her eyes.

But Lila just huffed. She was the one who made lies about knowing celebrities, not that nobody.

“You should read Metal Lourd magazine Lila. There was an article. He’s even been to my house.” Marinette crossed her arms, able to breathe again but getting bored with this nonsense.

“Pfft. Right.” Lila scoffed.

“It was on TV. You could look for the episode if you want.”

“Like you’re any good at designing.”

“Well my mère, Audrey Bourgeois, the famous fashion critic, complemented her on her designs,” Chloé interrupted, happy to use that painful memory to drag someone now; it would put that bitch in her place.

Marinette stared at her in disbelief. But it looked like she might hate Lila more than she hated her. Well united against a common enemy as civilians was a bit new. She needed time to wrap her head around that.

With a final breath, she headed to the back row, sitting down. “I wonder if she lied about that, what else she lied about. Hey Alya?”

“Yeah?” Alya wasn’t so sure how to take her best friend sitting in the back now. And she sent her there without even asking. She needed to apologize. Hopefully she would forgive her. But for now she never looked away from Lila, as though if she took her eyes off her she would find more tricks to play.

“Didn’t you tell me she was Volpina?”

“Yes.”

“Maybe she lied about knowing Ladybug. You should probably ask her.” She was so going to patrol near Alya’s house later.

“You know what, I think I will,” Alya said, arms crossed as Lila slowly began backing out of the classroom.

Note: look what i wrote because i'm still so salty. This is my first ML fic so i dont know about characterization. And if you're wondering why Adrien isnt there he's such a doormat that he might as well not be. I could try to post this on ao3 if anyone wants

@lnc2 @purrincess-chat @simplystefanie-rae @spottedcutie @sidsinning @nobodyfamousposts

@greninjastorm

else wants to be tagged for this salt

#ml salt #mlb salt #ml spoilers #ml season 3 #ml season 3 spoilers #my posts #my fic #ml salt fic

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cryptofmadness · 7 years ago

Photo

The 2017 New York Comic-Con MAD magazine panel round-up.

By Ian Scott McGregor As always, Angelo Torres was early. The morning of the New York Comic Con MAD panel, Ange called to tell me he was waiting at the subway entrance. I slapped on a vintage MAD cap, and ran downstairs to find him dressed nattily in a navy blazer. We were off. On the train into the city, we marveled at the characters boarding at each stop: “Who’s that?” “I think he’s from Game of Thrones.” “I don’t watch it.” “Me neither. “Wonder Woman. And another Wonder Woman.” Once inside the strobing, cacophonous Javits Center, we picked up our passes and were told to activate them online. I pulled out my smartphone and Ange lifted an eyebrow. “What happens if you don’t have a smartphone?” “Don’t worry about it - we are activated!” After passing through security, we waded into the throngs of the convention crowd. Teeming masses of cosplay from every walk of pop-culture swarmed the convention floor and everyone took pictures of everything. “Look at all these nerds!” “Are you sure these aren’t geeks?” “It’s the dorks you have to watch out for…” “There’s Wendy Williams as Wonder Woman.” We wandered into the packed main floor, dazzled by displays and costumes, trying to decipher exactly where the MAD panel was being held. Jostled by Gokus, Pokemon and countless Rick and Mortys, we found our way downstairs to the panel. MAD fans were already lining up outside. We spotted Chris Boyko’s wide smile in line and said hello before being ushered into the back of the room by a convention wrangler, while the previous panel finished a Q&A. A tall gentleman in glasses and sensible sport coat followed and sat down next to us. “Mark Fredrickson.” “Oh, I love your work! Mark, this is Angelo Torres.” “Angelo, I’ve been wanting to meet you for a long time. Here, hold this.” Mark handed a small plush poodle toy to Ange, and asked him to pose for a picture for his young son, who sent the poodle as an ambassador. Ange and I went to find some water and were greeted outside by John Ficarra, Sam Viviano, James Warhola, Dick DeBartolo, Nick Meglin, Ryan Flanders, Charlie Kadau, Joe Raiola, Teresa Burns Parkhurst - and, lo and behold - world record holder Al Jaffee. Everyone was excited to see each other, and the hugs and insults flowed freely. As the last panel cleared, everyone went in to find seats. The MAD panelists climbed the stage and I sat in the second row with Ange, Desmond Devlin and Ray Alma, while Ryan Flanders, Dave Croatto, Patty Dwyer and Jacob Lambert, among other staff, took the front row. Tom Richmond, Ed Steckley and Hermann Mejia sat on the side, and Tom Bunk tried to join the panel just before the start, but was swatted away by Raiola. As the lights dimmed, a rumor spread that even Max Korn was in attendance… John Ficarra took the podium and asked the audience to rise for a MAD rendition of “America the Beautiful” while a lyrics slideshow played on the screen. John then introduced the panelists and took us through a short slideshow of the history of MAD, which concluded in mere seconds, jumping straight from MAD #1 to current issue, #547. After some quick plugs for upcoming MAD books, Ficarra led a year-in-review of MAD’s greatest hits of 2017, mentioning Trump covers were their best-selling issues. A sneak preview of upcoming MAD #548 capped the presentation, and fans lined up to ask questions and receive a MAD hat for their trouble. Some fans asked about MAD changing over the years, about MAD’s imminent move to Burbank, and Ficarra noted that MAD has always reflected the times - as the language of the populous has grown coarser, so has the language in MAD, as politics have taken over the zeitgeist of the nation, so have they taken over the pages of MAD - it’s business as usual. When asked, Ficarra also responded to the events in Las Vegas, and spoke sensitively about how MAD has never made a practice of “victim humor” and that the staff thought carefully about their response. Al Jaffee described his Fold-In process, working from the outside in, not seeing the final gag until it’s in the magazine, and Nick Meglin recounted the debacle of the infamous middle finger cover (MAD #166) - one of the MAD’s few misfires in 65 years. Teresa Burns Parkhurst implored a young artist not to go to college, and Sam Viviano added that the road of a creative is tough, but you’ll find your way if you’ve got talent. After one particularly knowledgeable fan took the time to individually compliment each panelist’s talents, Ficarra slipped him a dollar bill as payment, sending the crowd into uproarious applause. As the Q&A wound down, all of the contributors and staff took the stage for a truly historic photo opportunity - the largest gathering of the Usual Gang of Idiots in recent memory. Filing out of the auditorium, the staff squeezed their way to the Artist’s Alley near the entrance, to take shifts autographing vintage Alfred E. Neuman portraits and special convention sampler issues. I hopped in line to get some signatures in silver ink for my Completely MAD hardcover and snag some MAD pinback buttons. Some of the staff split to order pizza at the MAD office uptown, as Mark Fredrickson had never been before, while Ange, Meglin, James Warhola, Tom Bunk and myself sought out the D.C. VIP room to overlook the exhibition hall for sandwiches and coffee. Warhola (who is Andy Warhol’s nephew) grilled Ange about his friendships with Al Williamson, Frank Frazetta, Roy Krenkel, and Sid Check. I mentioned to Warhola that some art historians credit a specific panel in MAD #22 for inspiring his uncle’s aesthetic, which he hadn’t heard, but imparted that the silkscreens were Andy’s way of memorializing Marilyn's untimely passing. I asked Bunk about the first issue of MAD he’d ever read and was tickled to hear he was weaned on German-language reprints of Kurtzman’s MAD Reader and MAD Strikes Back. Meglin led us (to) the main floor to point out original E.C. artwork and introduce Ange to some old friends. We stopped by the National Cartoonists Society booth to say hi to Ed Steckley and Ray Alma, and visited the esteemed and very funny Mark Evanier at the Abrams booth. Ange and I wandered around looking for a few of his old Classics Illustrated issues, but came up short. We bumped into Chris Boyko again, and the nicest E.C. fan of them all, Clint Morgan, who was hot on the hunt for high grade E.C.s. Beat from hiking the exhibition hall, we hopped a cab to a hotel for a few beers. Meglin told me how he and Ange met at the Cartoonists and Illustrators School, when Ange asked out loud if anyone knew the Brooklyn Dodgers score - fast friends and bosom buddies from then on. Eventually, we sauntered to the Heartland Brewery on the ground floor of the Empire State Building, where D.C. was hosting a MAD-themed party in honor of the New York staff. Alfred E. Neuman and Spy heads were pasted on every picture in the restaurant, a super special MAD drinks menu was on offer, and every table had MAD coasters and fortune cookies, with appropriately sardonic fortunes. Tom Richmond joined us and we gorged on delicious pulled-pork sliders and more beer (I stuck to the Pale Ale Jaffee). I gave Tom a set of MAD trading cards and Meglin shuffled through the deck, commenting on each cover, while I sputtered trivia. Tom, who later ordered a 43-Man Squamish from the bar, complimented Ange on his new website - Ange nodded to my work on it, and I doffed my MAD cap in kind. Sufficiently stuffed, we moved to the lower level of the brewery, where much of the MAD staff had congregated. TV screens above the bar played slideshows of MAD covers and Celebrity Snaps while other D.C. staff introduced themselves to the New York MAD crew. Joe Raiola clapped me on the back and I told him how his years of jokes had shaped my critical thinking skills and thanked him in earnest. D.C. Co-Publisher Dan Didio grabbed a microphone and hushed the crowd, thanked everyone for coming, and beckoned John Ficarra to the stairs to make a short speech. Ficarra expressed his gratitude and admiration for the New York MAD staff and all of their incredible work, and wished the best of luck to everyone in Burbank. Bill Morrison, MAD Burbank Editor-in-Chief, made the rounds with easy charm and was happy to say hello. I told him how much MAD meant to me, that I was excited to see where MAD goes and handed him a small piece of MAD history as a lucky token for his new endeavor. The evening drew to a close and everyone said heartfelt goodbyes. Ange and I grabbed some MAD barf bags on our way out, and hailed a car back to Brooklyn. In our yellow taxi on the Brooklyn Bridge, Ange looked over his shoulder at the Manhattan skyline and said, “Ah… I love this filthy town.”

#mad magazine #articles #2017 #nycc #nycc2017 #Mad #November 2017

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sweetsoursugarcube · 8 years ago

Text

Trip and Fall in Love

Read on |AO3| or |FF.NET| ~ 4.3K

For: @raitoackerman

Prompt: AU in which Eren is a shy and clumsy model, and annoys his photographer Levi who doesn't want to admit that Eren is actually freaking cute when he trips over cables. They’re hitting a bar after a shoot one day, and a drunk Eren confesses that he thinks Levi’s really hot and that's why he’s always bumping into stuff during shoots - well that, and the fact that he's pretty blind, but thinks his glasses don't make him cute at all.

Many thanks to my beta reader, she made this so much better

Like the wind through a dense forest, rumors swept through the country’s leading media group for fashion magazines. No matter about whom or what was the talk of the week, everyone were bound to know it. Tough luck if all the spotlights were aimed at you.

Levi, too, got his generous slice of attention.

“Did you see how Ackerman acted last week at the beach shoot? He’d rather have photographed the seagulls than the models,” the hairstylist said during their most recent break before popping her fourth gum of the hour in her mouth.

Levi had ignored her. If they did not talk about him, it would be someone else.

To be fair, he did enjoy photographing nature. But not even the highest mountains or the most colorful butterflies could rival the satisfaction of capturing the spirit of a restless model. Levi had immortalized eyes the color of tropical waterfalls one should be able to create only with the power of Photoshop. Seagulls did not compare with a man whose tongue is poking out from between his lips, head tilting back, his brown locks caressing his cheekbones, and sand sticking to his skin. If he were to choose between a pretty model and nature-

“Oomph! Fuck- shit. Sorry! Sorry.”

Maybe he would choose nature anyway.

Levi grumbled and straightened up to peer over his Canon. Before him, the model - in his navy Ken Wroy boxer-briefs and nothing else - scrambled to get back up on his feet. The last man for the day: Eren Yeager. 24 years old. Fairly new to the company. He had been working at a smaller agency a few years, before Erwin scouted him out and offered him a contract. Levi had taken his photos for two months.

An assistant Levi did not recognize lay on the floor by Eren’s feet, her complexion mottled. She extended her hand to pull herself up with the chair that someone had toppled over, but just as she was about to stand, it was tugged from her grasp and set straight. Falling again, a choked yelp left her as she hit her head against the floor.

Eren squeaked before he could stop himself. “Oh shit, fuck, shit. I’m so, so sorry, here, let me help you. . .”

Levi pinched the bridge of his nose. Talented and handsome as Eren was, all the published pictures had been a success, yet he could not go through even one shoot without causing a ruckus. If it was not for his looks and his attentive personality, Levi would not have put up with this kind of shit. He could learn, he wanted to learn, but. . .

“Why the hell can’t he just not fuck up all the goddamn time?”

Hange, who had once again draped themselves across the chair that was supposed to be his, screeched before stage-whispering: “Oh come on, he’s just nervous. You’re taking his first nudes. Poor cutie.”

“Nudes? Tch.”

The chair and the assistant had been towed out of sight by the time Levi crouched down with his camera. He barked orders to both the crew and the model as the scenery through the lens changed. Half the photos would be taken from a distance and the rest up close. Eren would be both standing up and sitting on the floor, pulling off the new ideas that had haunted Levi ever since Erwin had assigned him the underwear ads.

Eren’s cheeks donned a pleasant flush, despite the make-up. His fingers trembled when he pulled a hand through his hair. From off camera, the hairstylist yelled at him to not tangle her creation. The scent of her strawberry bubblegum spread across the set when she barged into the frame before Levi could command her to stay away. And when she turned to him for support, all Levi had to offer was “he’s got more sex appeal now”. She opened her mouth to protest, but thought better of it and stomped away.

“You call it sex appeal? He looks like he hasn’t gotten his first kiss yet,” Hange said as they scrolled down one of their social media feeds.

Before them, Eren shuffled his feet to find his pose again. Levi kept his voice down. “You saw the beach photos, he can be confident too. As Erwin said, his versatility is his,” Levi galanced at Hange, “charm.”

“If you say so.” Hange drummed their fingers against their chin. “Which reminds me, the results of last month’s rankings will be published today. Think Eren will make the list?”

“Of course he will. Who the fuck has been taking his pics?” Levi snorted before raising his voice. “Okay, stay still.”

He glanced up at the set. Everything was in order.

“Ready?”

Clickclickclickclickclickclickclick-

Contrary to the majority of Levi’s models, Eren had the liberty to choose his own poses once in a while too. Eren understood his visions and what worked and what did not, correcting himself even at the slightest twitch of Levi’s eyebrow.

Shoots like these were why Levi had pursued a career as a photographer. That, and the fact that Erwin knew how to push his buttons and how to make Levi work for him.

Clickclickclickclickclickclick.

The sound effects of the camera resonated loud in his ears, drowning out the white noise. He raised his finger off the shutter only to give the crew new orders.

“Spray and pray, huh. Don’t you put a little too much faith in him?” Hange asked, their attention still on their phone.

“There’ll be some presentable pics among the crap.” Straightening his back, Levi shook away the creeping numbness of his body. The leg days at the gym did pay off during work, considering he more often than not crouched in an awkward position for the sake of art. They did not prevent the pins and needles from prickling him though. He directed his next words to Eren. “Not half-bad.”

“Thank-”

“Sit your ass down on the floor and make sure the logo is visible. Pull your knees up and lean back on your left arm.”

Eren hurried to obey, landing on his bottom with a thud and a grimace. He fumbled with his feet to show as much as possible of the scarce clothing he wore. Every once in a while, he cast Levi a side glance, and either adjusted his position or moved on to the next limb depending on how he interpreted Levi’s expression.

His shoulders were tense, chocolate strands caressing his temples, his vivacity enticing. Nothing like the vibe he had given off before. Levi sat down on his heels again, this time settling on his knees to pardon his muscles the strain of a continuous squat. Eren’s eyes strayed down from the lens and quickly up again, averting his gaze and sucking in his lower lip.

Levi hummed and snapped a photo per automatic.

“This will do.” In the background, a gum bubble was popped, followed by a groan. “You need to relax. Shift your arms, and- don’t twist like that, I want to see your face.”

Eren’s lips puckered in a bemused pout. The camera hid the upturn of Levi’s lips from everyone but Hange, who squinted at each of them one at the time.

“You like him,” Hange said in a hushed high-pitch. “Don’t you?”

Levi grunted. “As I said, he’s not bad.”

Hange did not acknowledge his words in any way, but contrary to his expectations he was not eased by their silence. Levi almost missed their usual babbling - keyword being almost.

A dull pounding at the back of his head distracted him from enjoying the sparkle in Eren’s eye and the contrast between his skin and the background. The stark whiteness of it egged on his headache.

And Eren’s gaze never strayed, following his nose into the empty air. Just as Levi wanted. Right?

“Try sitting on your knees and leaning to your right. Yeah, just like that.”

Eren’s body was taut, showcasing the perfect balance between lean and muscular. His jawline sharp, carriage casual, and his hairstyle decidedly flawless no matter how aggressively the hairstylist chewed her gum. Levi fiddled with the zoom settings. He could hear the kettle calling him from at home as he pressed the shutter down and took the last series of photos. Eren moved little; only tilted his head to the side and bent his arms to boost his unperturbed aura. It was meaningless though, considering the way his gaze blazed with an intense fire. Levi had lowered the camera by the time Hange heehawed like a victorious donkey.

“Oh my God! Eren, you’ve ranked fifth on the popularity poll for male models.” They gestured to their phone, which they held high in the air. “And Levi is still number one for the photogs, for what, the sixth year straight? What an honor this is, we’ll have to celebrate-”

Gritting his teeth, Levi stretched his legs. In his peripheral vision he caught Eren staring at them, his lips parted, but Levi did not wait to see the rest of his reaction. It had been a long day at work with only a few minutes breaks between models, and a night out would only add to the stress. He deserved a relaxing evening, and tomorrow he would hit the gym before all the drunkards would even wake up from their self-induced alcohol poisoning comas, let alone mess with his workout routine.

Besides, being caught ogling at Eren would not bode well, so why tempt himself?

With a lazy wave, he went on his way towards his office. “See you Monday.”

“No-no, wait up. We need to celebrate! It’s tradition. And this is Eren’s first time in the top ten. He deserves it. Eren, you’ll come too, right? First round’s on me.”

“Yeah, uh, sure. I’ll come if it’s okay for. . . everyone else.”

Levi halted and twisted to regard the two of them, both of whom idled at the edge of the set.

“Of course it is.” Hange cackled and slapped Eren on the shoulder. He stumbled forward, and right into the cables that kept the setting well-lit and the shoots running smoothly. Just as he regained his balance, he took another step, hitting against the equipment. He would have crashed to the floor if Hange had not caught him by the waist before impact.

“Woah, you. I know Levi’s got some unrivaled charm right there, but it’s not worth falling for.” They held Eren up and patted his cheek. His make-up did nothing to conceal the redness of his neck and ears.

“I’m sorry,” he wheezed. “I didn’t notice the cables.”

“If you say so.” They laughed and sent him an overdramatized wink, which was received by spluttering. Hange adjusted their glasses so they could peer at Levi over the rim. “So how about the tradition, huh? You’ll come too, right?”

“It’s just an excuse for you to get shitfaced again.”

“Of course it is. Why else would it be tradition?”

Levi propped the camera against his hip. Hange gesticulated and muttered something about their healthy drinking habits, while Eren’s gaze wandered from one of them to the other. The thought of him squeezed between a smashed Hange and tipsy Erwin at their usual bar conquered the melancholic echo of Levi’s whistling kettle and weary body. He could take a painkiller for that.

“Fine.”

Hange froze. “You’ll come?”

With another hand wave, he spun on his heel. “Sure. I’ll put away this shit, and we’ll meet at the usual spot. But you’re paying.”

“I said only the first round!”

Hange pouted, but Levi took no notice.

Because Eren sported a dumb, utterly fucking ridiculous beam, Levi had to tighten his grip on the camera to restrain himself from taking a picture of it. It would have been a great addition. Not to his portfolio, but his phone contact photos.

The first Friday of each month: “Winners’ bar night” - also known as “Levi appreciation day” - which Levi avoided celebrating at all cost.

Except he was there, at the end of the counter with Eren by his side and a wine glass sitting before him, with the last two mouthfuls swirling at the bottom of the bowl.

“So, uh,” Eren said rolling his beer mug between his palms. “Do you come here often?”

Levi snorted. “If you’re going to flirt, do better.”

Eren raised his arms and stumbled over his words. “No, I didn’t mean- I just, Hange mentioned something about how you never come when they ask you to.”

From the booth behind them, Hange’s shouting boomed. Their words drowned in the general hubbub of cheering and dance music, but it was still unmistakably their voice.

Half of the day’s photoshoot crew had flocked around a pool table close to where Hange’s extensive collection of shot glasses adorned a neighboring table, at which they themselves swayed. The hairstylist cheered among others, while emptying her beer bottle at an alarming pace. Their eyes met and she threw him a sloppy smile. Levi hoped she had remembered to spit out her bubblegum beforehand.

“Crowds are too rowdy and loud,” Levi said, turning back to his wine glass. His first and only for the night, since drinking never brought him the joyous high everyone else thirsted for. Besides, his head pounded as it was.

“Oh.”

Eren downed the rest of his beer and asked the bartender for another. He fumbled in his jeans pocket for a ten dollar bill, which he pushed into the waiting hand.

“How many have you had?”

Eren shook his head when he put the mug back down and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

“Maybe you should lay off.”

“I need the courage.”

Upon seeing Levi’s frown, he motioned towards the bar. “I’m the new guy. It’s awkward. I wouldn’t be able to name half of these people.” His gesture ended between them. They stared at each other for a moment before Eren let his elbows hit the counter. “And you’re intimidating.”

Eren let his head loll between his arms. Brown strands pointed in every direction, hiding his eyes. His shoulders hunched, and ankles crossed against the footrest of the stool. The lightning in the bar cast the perfect amount of shadows around him to give him a nostalgic sort of gloom. Like this, Eren had the means to win the sympathies of the whole world if he so desired. A blurred background to bring out the sharp angles of his slouched form was all Levi would need to complete the portrait. It would not make it to a fashion magazine, but that was hardly the goal either.

“That’s why you’re so clumsy on set?”

“Um, yeah, that and. . .” He blushed as he sneaked a peek at Levi from over his arm. “I need my glasses to see.”

“Glasses?”

“I look hideous though.”

“Try me.”

Eren sighed and reached to dig through his jacket pockets. He pulled out a well-kept case and thrummed his fingers against it. One peek at Levi convinced him to pop it open and slip his glasses in place before spinning on the stool. Blinking a few times, his eyes were more focused, but had lost their glow.

Levi’s palms itched. If hideous was teen slang for adorable, then sure, Eren in glasses was as hideous as one could get.

“Told you, I’m not cute at all.”

The object of Levi’s wonder slid down the curve of Eren’s nose. His hands rose to take them off.

“Wrong.” Levi pushed them back up where they belonged with the tip of his forefinger. “Keep them on.”

“But-”

“You’re fucking blind without them, aren’t you? Keep them on.”

The black frames brought out by the tinge of pink on his cheeks even better. It was useful information – for future shoots. Maybe he could convince Erwin to let Eren do a few with them on.

“I lied before.”

Levi made an amused noise. “About what?”

“I need courage for something else too.”

“Oh?” His gaze never left Eren’s face. Eren could not hold eye contact for more than a few seconds at a time. “Spit it out.”

Eren took a swing of his beer. Two or three more gulps and the dry bottom would greet him again. He mumbled something under his breath, before emptying it.

“I can’t hear you.”

“You’re really hot,” Eren cried. Lowering his voice with an self-conscious cough, he continued. “When we first met, I thought you’d be my partner for the first shoot. I was so embarrassed when you brought your camera.” Eren pulled at his hair with both of his hands. “But shit, you’re so distracting.”

Yeah, of course Levi had noticed that sometimes Eren’s eyes lost their way, down from the lens to trace Levi’s arms and the curve of his waist. But that was something all the models did.

Levi had had only one glass of wine tonight, which was way too little for this conversation.

A few remarks came to his mind, but he kept his mouth shut while Eren grimaced at his own confession. Shame swept across the creased features, and Eren jumped off his stool, pulling his belongings to his chest.

“I should go.”

He did not stay for a response, but merged into the crowds with a slight stagger. Perhaps it was for the best that he left now. Certainly Levi would gain nothing by chasing a drunk Eren through the night crowd.

“What the hell.”

Levi tugged on his coat, and left a few bills on the counter, though Eren had paid more than enough for them both throughout the night. Hange would get home on their own unharmed, they always did.

He elbowed his way to the door, the beat of the playing music bidding him goodbye.

The sky was clouded and the air moist. Smoke coiled around his arms and legs, and he did not bother side-stepping the pools of vomit and piss and liquor on the ground.

Further down the road, Eren reached out to open the door of a taxi. Hell was he a brisk drunk.

All other noises melted away and blurred in his mind except that of his soles grating against asphalt and sand sprinkling off his path at the force of his steps, until he skidded to a halt to grip Eren’s arm. His heartbeat had accelerated, but it had nothing to do with his impromptu sprint down the street.

“Oi, don’t spew shit like that and run.”

Eren jolted. He would have backed into the gap between the pavement and the car if Levi had not pulled him closer.

“Sorry.”

Never had he seen anyone else’s irises shift in so many shades of blue and green, and weave into one color in such a seamless manner. All words evaded him, but Eren did not notice.

“So. . . do you want my phone number?”

Levi forced himself to remain stoic. “I already have it.”

Eren blinked at him behind the glasses, and he had to clear his throat.

“We work together, remember?”

“Oh right. Right, of course.”

The driver rolled down the passenger seat window just enough to bark at them. “Are you going to get in or what?”

Eren flashed Levi a smile, and gave him a quick, careless kiss on the cheek, before climbing in with movements much too stealthy for someone as drunk as him.

“Call me.”

The car window reflected the lights from the closed shops behind him, but Levi could bet his favorite camera that on the other side, Eren grinned at him.

Levi lounged at locker 1-04, the one all the other regulars at the gym avoided to the extent he practically owned it by now. A burly man in his twenties shambled in, yawning and throwing his backpack on the bench that ran along the row of lockers.

“Aw man, you’re off already? And I thought I was early,” he said in a rough voice.

“Yeah.” The towel had drawn most of the water off Levi’s hair, so he threw it over his bare shoulder.

The man studied him, but he paid the scrutiny no heed. He had been through this a dozen times before, and the new guys always took their sweet time to learn Levi’s social preference, which was minimum contact with everyone. Most of the other regulars were younger than him anyway, and they did not have much in common, not enough that Levi cared to make further acquaintance. It was not the age itself that was the problem, but their testosterone levels were too damn high and their patience too thin for Levi’s taste.

He fished up his phone from his duffle bag. The screen lit up, with two messages from Eren in response to the one Levi had sent him before hitting the gym.

[06:43] Eren - Jesus, what place is open this early?

[06:43] Eren - The headache isnt that bad. And im sorry for yesterday

The new guy had taken the hint and left the locker room. Levi typed a short text, and rummaged his bag for a clean shirt and slacks.

Eren replied when Levi had walked halfway home. The sun shone bright, painting the uphill road in a golden light that made him want to crouch down and take a shot of the deserted alleyway. Maybe the rumors were right; maybe he should pursue a career as a nature photographer.

[06:58] Eren - I didnt mean it as an insult. I wish i was as dedicated to training as you

[07:59] Eren – Does this mean im forgiven?

Levi’s lips curled upwards.

[07:01] Yeah. I’m going to grab some breakfast. Care to join?

The reply sent, Levi pushed his hands into his jacket pockets. Around him, the sunlight claimed more and more ground, pushing the shadows back into the cracks and crevices where they belonged.

Today would be good day.

Eren stood at the edge of the set with his glasses pushed high up on the bridge of his nose, looking around in apparent search for someone. He played with the buttons of the jacket he held like a shield, but his eyes lit up when they found Levi’s.

“Hey,” he said. His gaze roamed Levi’s body as he was approached. “Uh, you look great.”

Levi made a sound at the back of his throat. “Likewise.” He had to tip his head back to get a better look of the nervous smile on Eren’s lips. “You ready?”

“Well yeah. . .”

Eren’s words trailed off at the end when a louder voice came within hearing range, accompanied by the clicking of stilettos and an artificial scent of strawberry bubblegum. “I told you about the beach shoot, didn’t I? Ackerman couldn’t tear his eyes from that poor boy. Who would’ve known he swung that way, anyways.”

Eren swallowed. He bore an apologetic smile when he slid off his glasses and stuffed them in the case he had hidden underneath the jacket. When handed them, Levi stuck them into his back pocket.

“Mind the cables. Don’t trip.”

Eren scrunched up his nose. “I won’t.”

On set, a single chair had been placed in the middle. Before Eren could dash off, Levi caught his hand. For a split-second their gazes connected, and Levi was once again baffled by the most curious mix of blue and green, before he rose to his toes and pressed his lips to Eren’s slightly parted ones. He combed his fingers through Eren’s locks that were rougher than normal, thanks to the various hair products that they had no doubt been slather in.

“I meant what I said.”

“What?”

“That you look great. Let’s get the photos and eat afterwards.”

Eren beamed at him before stealing a quick last kiss, sauntering off to prepare the setting by hanging his jacket over the back of the chair, and smoothing out the collar of his button-up. Levi’s heart fluttered stupidly while he corrected the settings of the new Sony to accommodate the colder lightning for Eren’s pictures.

On the side, Hange had slumped in his assigned chair, which had not been used all day until they had arrived to get their daily pestering done.

“So,” they drawled, “all the singles are howling their voices’ hoarse. The most handsome ones are always taken or gay, or sometimes both, they say.”

“Tch. Who here’s crying over that?”

“You won’t hear any names from me,” Hange said, smacking their lips. They straightened up and gave Levi a knowing look over the rim of their glasses. “Are you dealing out free kisses now? Can I have one?”

Levi scowled and raised the camera to eyelevel. He would have to crouch to get the best angle. “No.”

With a sigh, they collapsed back into the seat. “It was worth a try.”

Levi scoffed and raised his voice. “Ready?”

Eren nodded and flashed his widest grin, but his shoulders were squared still. They would not be able to leave until Levi had snapped at least a dozen decent photos, but Eren would relax in due time, as long as he ignored the crew that had gathered around them just to stare.

By his side, Hange scrolled through the feed of their probably newest social media account. Their mumbling brought a smirk to Levi’s lips, but he hid it well behind his camera.

“And all you said was ‘he’s not bad’, huh.”

#ereri #ereri fanfic #riren #riren fanfic #rivaere #SnK #fanfiction #my fics #LeviEren #how do you tag these things??#smh

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isdairyqueenclosedyet · 7 years ago

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Is Celesbian Gossip A Step Backward, Or A Sign Of Equality?

Demi Lovato during the 2017 Global Citizen Festival.

BuzzFeed News; Getty Images; Alamy

There's a musical episode of Boxed In - director and writer Amy York Rubin's very funny series of digital shorts for IFC's Comedy Crib - that kicks off with Rubin's character receiving a news alert from TMZ: Dianna Agron dishes on the unique intimacy of female relationships. Rubin, sitting in a coffee shop, gets mobbed by a group of women wondering what the news alert might mean.

Stop! Everyone stop what you're doing! one woman yells, knocking a coffee out of an unsuspecting patron's hands. A traditionally attractive female celebrity just made an ambiguous comment about her sexuality!

The entire coffee shop bursts into song - Tell your friends, spread the news, someone famous might be gay - while Rubin's character attempts to staunch the flow of their excitement.

Seriously, this is what we care about? she says. What about everything on the news?

We've got news, they sing back at her. Someone's gay!

By the end of the bite-size episode, another news alert clarifies that (a fictionalized) Dianna Agron isn't gay after all. But Rubin's character has gotten swept up in the commotion, right when everyone's just lost the faith: Wait! Did you guys see this picture of Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid?

The episode perfectly captures how easily LGBT fans can get swept up into speculation about a celebrity's sexuality - even at a time when there are more out celebrities than ever before.

The "Fame" episode of Boxed In.

IFC

Twenty years ago, before public support for gay people was anything like what it is now, Ellen DeGeneres risked her career and made history with her 1997 Yep, I'm Gay Time cover story, paving the way for many of the celebrities who have proudly claimed their queerness or openly expressed affection for their partners since. Though nowadays, you're more likely to see a celebrity casually mention their sexual orientation in a tweet or Snapchat or Instagram post than to see one more formally claiming an identity in front of the world.

But the years-long uptick in out celebrities, and the steady normalization of out queer people in Hollywood and beyond, hasn't stopped the are-they-or-aren't-they rumor mill from churning - if anything, it has only picked up steam. Female celebrities can inspire their own particular kind of fervor. In 2017, there's a new generation of famous lesbians and bisexual women (celesbians, if you will) who are casually living out a real-life version of The L Word in front of our eyes, inspiring mass social media followings from fans hungry for the latest celesbian gossip - including for the many celebrities who aren't confirmed to be sleeping with other people of the same gender, but are the subjects of constant, frantic speculation. The recent brouhaha around Demi Lovato (who's been spotted holding hands with a female DJ, and who refused to label her sexuality in a recent interview, after which she defended her decision in a series of tweets) is the latest example of the celesbian gossip train going a bit off the rails.

There is no simple, clear-cut binary of out versus in.

Whether queer celebrities have a responsibility to come out - especially those who have referenced potentially queer experiences in their work, or who have profited from the LGBT community's support - is a question that long precedes celebrities' ability to tweet about it. But that question has become more complicated in a time when coming out is seemingly not as big a deal as it once was, when a new generation is embracing ideas of sexual fluidity and eschewing labels, and, as always, there is no simple, clear-cut binary of out versus in. For female celebrities, that complication is compounded by the gal-palification of intimacy between women, which happens less frequently now in the tabloids but still makes the rounds (like it did with Lovato in September).

We're also living through yet another revival of lesbian chic - a theme in fashion and pop culture at large that paints a certain kind of edgy, feminine-leaning androgyny as the next new hot thing, boiling lesbianism down to a passing but commodifiable fad. And while positive representation of queer women on television is on the rise, it's still far from perfect, leading many LGBT fans to look to celebrity gossip on social media to get their fix of queer drama - and queer possibility. As more famous women continue to come out at younger and younger ages (much like the general population), our cultural fascination with the way they introduce and perform their queerness is only continuing to grow. Whether or not that's a good thing depends on who you ask.

Demi Lovato's sexuality has been the subject of speculation for years. While promoting her new album, Tell Me You Love Me, released late last month, Lovato gave an interview to PrideSource's Chris Azzopardi that reignited an old debate. They spoke about her LGBT activism: She's headlined pride events, including filming her 2013 video for Really Don't Care at LA Pride, and last year accepted the GLAAD Vanguard Award, which honors entertainers who have promoted LGBT rights.

But when Azzopardi mentioned that Lovato's sexuality has been thoroughly dissected on the internet, and gave her the opportunity to speak on it as directly as you'd like, Lovato swerved: Thank you for the opportunity, but I think I'm gonna pass. She explained that she chooses not to speak openly about her orientation because I just feel like everyone's always looking for a headline and they always want their magazine or TV show or whatever to be the one to break what my sexuality is. I feel like it's irrelevant to what my music is all about.

Earlier, Azzopardi had asked about the criticism her 2015 song Cool for the Summer had received from some lesbian websites like AfterEllen for, they argued, implying that women should sample queer sexual relationships only temporarily, and keep it a secret. My intention with the song was just fun and bi-curiosity, Lovato said. I think people look at song lyrics - they look too into it. I wish I could tell that website to 'chill the fuck out' and 'take a break,' because it's just a song.

Demi Lovato and Lauren Abedini on a Disney outing.

Twitter: @justcatchmedemi

The interview, published on September 15, gained a lot of attention, particularly because Lovato had just been spotted with a gal pal - a phrase that many lesbians have started to consider a sort of no-homo dog whistle for possible girlfriend - at a Disney outing a few days earlier. The gal pal in question was out DJ and producer Lauren Abedini. The two were photographed holding hands (and more), leading to widespread speculation that they might be dating. (Lovato's publicist did not respond to a request for comment.) Lovato declined to talk about her sexuality, but hinted that her new YouTube documentary coming out on October 17 might detail some things about her sexuality, because if ever I want to talk about it, I want it to be on my own terms."

But the internet really blew up after HuffPost's Noah Michelson wrote an essay declaring that Demi Lovato's Reason For Refusing To Talk About Her Sexuality Is Total Bulls**t. Lovato responded directly to Michelson, tweeting, Expectant and rude. Watch my documentary and chill out. She also tweeted a couple more general statements to her 49 million followers, which garnered her a number of you-go-girl writeups from places like InStyle and PopSugar: Just because I'm refuse [sic] to label myself for the sake of a headline doesn't mean I'm not going to stand up for what I believe in ... If you're that curious about my sexuality, watch my documentary. But I don't owe anybody anything.

How can they look us in the eyes and tell us how brave we are for being who we are - and ask us to fill their pockets - if they won't do the same?

In his piece, Michelson argued that Lovato is open about so many other aspects of her personal life - so why not this one?

Michelson told me that he has written about his beliefs that sexual orientation should not be considered a 'private' characteristic before, and it's never gone over well. But, he said, he wasn't expecting Lovato to respond, and he didn't expect so many people to misunderstand what I was saying.

Michelson believes in the political power of coming out, for all of those in a position to do so, but especially feels that those who present themselves as allies and/or make money off of their relationship with the queer community have an even greater responsibility to be open about who they are. How can they look us in the eyes and tell us how brave we are for being who we are or how proud we should stand - and ask us to fill their pockets - if they won't do the same? Michelson stressed that people can refuse to talk about their orientation, though he generally thinks they shouldn't, but the reason for it should not be 'that's private' - especially in the specific context of who Lovato says she is and claims to stand for.

It isn't only journalists, though, who may have taken issue with Lovato's message. In a June interview for Paper Magazine, out bisexual pop singer Halsey - who earlier this summer released Strangers with a fellow out bi singer, Fifth Harmony's Lauren Jauregui, and who has been a vocal LGBT activist - called out pop songs about experimental hookups, which she said perpetuate Bisexuality as a taboo. 'Don't tell your mom' or 'We shouldn't do this' or 'This feels so wrong but it's so right' That narrative is so fucking damaging to bisexuality and its place in society. Halsey didn't mention Lovato specifically, but the lyrics sound like they were plucked from both Cool for the Summer and Katy Perry's I Kissed a Girl. Lovato, at least, appeared to interpret Halsey's criticisms that way at the time, tweeting what looked like a response. (When asked for comment on the interview and Lovato's tweet, a representative for Halsey responded that the two are friends and there is no drama and no comment, pointing to Lovato's Instagram post from July showing Halsey and Lovato posing merrily together. Happy National Coming Out Day Positivity to you! she added.)

Halsey and Demi Lovato in July.

instagram.com

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