#her water fountain was empty how long?

[the-girl-wh0-cries-w0lf]

Chocolate Princess ♡

Willy Wonka x reader

Pt 2

Part One

Description - Y/n Ficklegruber can't help but become enamoured with the spectacularly peculiar man stood in the middle of the galleria.

Word count - 1.3k

Warnings - fluff, fluff and more fluff ♡

a/n - little NYE present for you all!

Masterlist

--♡--

At exactly 9:51, I excitedly leapt out of my bed already dressed and ready to go. It was a crisp night so I elected for one of my thicker dresses which reached my knees, wooly tights, my coat and matching small cape. Both fur lined with pom poms ending the ties of the cape. All of it a familiar shade of green, a shade which lined nearly every inch of my wardrobe. It seemed even the choosing of my fashions were up to my fathers input.

I crept out of my room and down the stairs, only feeling safe once my gloved hands had managed to lock the mansion’s ornate door.

I skipped through town, skidding to a stop at the fountain as the large clock struck the hour of 10. I peered all around, my smile beginning to droop at the emptiness all around. However, a crunching of ice beneath boots pricked up my ears. So I began to walk the circumference of the fountain. Unbeknownst to me, another on the opposing side of the water feature had begun to do the same. My pace picked up as it seemed the footsteps would retreat at the same speed I would follow. Until finally I managed a jog and practically lunged at the burgundy coat and took it in my grasp. Willy jumped around. But when our eyes met, everything became still once again.

“Hi.”

“Hi.”

We spoke together in whispered breaths.

“Are you ready to begin?” I went to sit down on the fountains edge but was stopped by Willy. Who proceeded to produce a blanket from his briefcase which he then layed down upon the icy stone. He took my hand in his and allowed me to sit once again.

“You are a true gentleman.” I teased in my poshest voice.

“Nothing but the best for the finest lady in all the land.” He jumped up onto the fountain and announced to the unknowing night air.

“Sh.” I reprimanded through my own giggles as I tugged him back down, my smile betraying any semblance of sterness.

“You don’t want anyone to know you’re out here?” His eyes drooped as his smile faltered. “You don’t want to be seen with me.” I tightly clasped both his hands in mine so he would be forced to look at me.

“Even if the whole world was watching us right now, there’s nowhere else I’d rather be. Okay?” He softly nodded.

“Now lets begin.” I produced a piece of paper from my pocket. “I thought we should start with the alphabet.”

I handed it to him and would direct his finger to the letter in question each time I taught him a new one.

--♡--

It took a long time for Willy to even get the grasp of the alphabet and when the clock struck midnight, I wasn’t even sure he was there.

“How about we just try it out.” I turned the paper over and wrote down the word ‘CAT’. “Can you tell me how this word sounds?”

He took the paper and began to turn it upside down as if trying to determine in which way he could make it work. “Not a bit of it.”

I giggled but stopped when his face showed he thought I was laughing at him. I took the paper from him and used my pen to circle the A. “You see this one is a vowel.” And then I circled the C and the T. “And these are consonants.”

“All I’m hearing is owls and nonsenants.” I chuckled sweetly at his ability to turn anything round and make it sweeter for the world to swallow. Seeing his tired face I decided to set my teaching supplies down. I stroked my hand over his weathered skin feeling the weight of the days struggles plastered over his face. Although this was fun and exciting for me, the poor boy had been through enough and he didnt need some girl trying to live her fruitless dreams of adventure through him.

There was a silence between us until he broke it. “I’m never going to get it?”

“Don’t say that! Reading takes time, it isn’t something you learn overnight.”

“You mean, you were going to give me more lessons?” He looked at me in awe that oozed naivety. I couldn’t help how I continued to stroke his face.

“Of course.” I suddenly became aware of my hands and their minds of their own. I righted myself back to propriety. “Anyways, reading is more about exposure. The more you read the better you become. And the better you become, the more you can read. It’s quite beautiful really.”

He gently tapped the side of my head. “With the amount of smarts you’ve got crammed up in this little head, well I wouldn’t be surprised if you were able to read every book in the world!”

I giggled embarrassed. “I wouldn’t know.”

“What do you mean you wouldn’t know?”

“Father stopped my studies when I was only 18. And he won’t allow me to go further. He won’t even allow me to spend my days at the library. I’m forced to be in his chocolate shop every hour of every day.”

He thought to himself. “Doesn’t sound so bad–” I shot him a quick glare. “-If you’re me! But that’s because making chocolate is my dream.”

“All I ever dream about now is being able to go off and learn. I want to read every book ever written, see every study ever done. Cram my mind full till it hurts with every single thing in the world there is to know.” I had risen excitedly and began to flap my hands about animatedly. I realised how much I had let myself express and became embarrassed under invisible eyes.

Yet the pair transfixed on my figure, held nothing but love.

“I guess it’s quite a silly dream to have.”

He rose and joined me, attaching our hands once more.

“All great ideas started with a dream, that’s what mama used to say.”

“What a beautiful thought. She must be a spectacular woman.”

“She was.” My lips parted to offer something more to the moment we were having but I was rudely interrupted by the ominous stroke of one.

“I’m sorry, I must go. Daddy sleepwalks when he eats too much chocolate and I must be there to help him out.” I hurriedly collected my things and returned to where Willy stood, still locked in our previous stance. Looking up once more into his eyes, I decided my fate and pulled him into a soul crushing kiss that had the touch of a butterfly. We parted only slightly, each wanting to return.

“I’m sorry I truly must leave.”

“Wait.” He stopped my retreating form. “Please accept this.” He returned to his suitcase and began to rummage.

“Willy, don’t be ridiculous do not pay me!”

“I wouldn’t thank you with something as common as money. No, I must show my gratitude with the only thing I own with any worth. My recipes. Open.” He gestured to my mouth and I willingly obliged. He placed a dainty rose shaped chocolate onto my awaiting tongue and I eagerly consumed it.

“They just get better each time.” I spoke, rather unladylike, through a mouthful of melting chocolate. I gave him a final kiss on his cheek and began to lightly skip back home.

--♡--

A quiet melody joined my journey home.

For a moment, life has never tasted so sweet. For a moment, I’m enriched with possibility. He is exciting and new, But be careful and think it all through.

Home is where you’re secure, It’s safe and you’re pure. But how long can you ignore it. That your heart is melting like chocolate.

--♡--

[readychilledwine]

Crush

Summary - Deciding to take a yoga class may have been the best decision you've ever made

Warnings - plus size reader, discussions of gym culture and health

A/n - fic 3 for @cassianappreciationweek day 7! We get NSFW from here 💕

🗡Cassian Masterlist🗡Master Masterlist🗡

The clang of weights was almost as annoying as the front desk girl staring at you. You hated gyms, hated the judgment that came with walking into one, hated the way people stared at you as if you weren't the ideal person to actually be at a place for improving yourself. 

“Look,” you interrupted her politely, “I am fully aware I am paying more to take this class because I don't have a membership. Considering I'm just trying out this fitness thing, not really interested in spending $100 a month just then also pay $80 for the one class I'm interested in taking.” Her smiled dropped slightly as she just nodded and took your card, finishing your sign up for the yoga course you and 3 of your closest friends were trying. 

You knew she was just trying to meet her numbers, but it was something from gym culture you hated. The constant pushing to join their cult and have access to “everything” instead of just being able to pay for the classes you were interested in was crazy to you. The way gym culture pushed looking a certain way to be considered healthy and attractive also bothered you greatly. 

Health had to do with more than just the numbers on the scales. It had to do with your mind, your soul, and that was what you were here to work. Your mind and soul, and if you happened to gain some muscle strength from yoga, that was just an added bonus. You were all wanting to try yoga as a form of stress relief, relaxation, and self care.  No pressure, no expectations, just fun. 

The four of you were all laughing as you headed into the gym, not even bothering to stop and look at anyone or anything going on. In your mind, it was just a scene you'd watched hundreds of times. Ripped men showing off their muscles, gym girls vlogging their “workouts” in outfits you never would be caught wearing. You were here for you, not for the show someone thought they could put on for you.

Cassian was in a squat rack, watching you through the mirror as he stood with weights resting on his wide shoulders. You were the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Every curve, every strand of hair. You were perfect in his eyes. Rhys followed his glance before grinning, “That's my assistant. Y/n!” 

You glanced up, instantly waving at Rhys and he waved back. He motioned for you to come over, “Hello, darling. What brings you here?”

“Yoga,” you shrugged. “Trying it for stress relief. Mean boss and all!” 

Rhysand laughed at your response, eyes sparkling, “You brought water?” You nodded to him. “Good, that room gets way too hot. I admire the yoga classes, but I can't do it. Oh! By the way,” he motioned to Cassian, “this is my brother, Cassian. You know Az from security.”

And that's when it began.

Two months. Two long months of you and Cassian trading no more than your names, smiles, and slightly flirtatious banter and digs at each other when you would cross paths at the water fountain. 

Today was his day, though. Today he'd finally ask if you wanted him to help you workout, and if you said no, he'd offer dinner instead. Rhys had been forced into telling him every detail of your life. He knew your favorite color, food, how you took coffee. He felt like he knew about you, but now he truly needed to know you.

He needed more than glances that left you blushing. Needed more than you making him go home and spend his night staring at the ceiling in his empty bed wondering if you liked him the way he liked you.

Today was his day. He knew it as he kept glancing at you.

Two months had sucked you into your own version of gym culture, and while your goal was still more the stress relief, you had to admit it was fun watching your booty get even better. You had to also admit deep down that you had other reasons for coming to the gym outside of yoga class, though. That reason was 6’5”, dark curly hair, swirling tribal tattoos, and looking oh so delicious in his black shorts today.

You reminded yourself you were mainly here to focus on you. To get yourself into your head space and earn the snacks waiting for you at home, and zeroed in on the goal of reaching 10,000 stairs by the end of the week.

You were deep into your workout and in your own world when Cassian approached, admiring each jiggle not so secretly, “So y/n.”

“MOTHER F-” you cover your mouth, slapping the emergency stop button and feeling his hand instantly stabilizing you by touching your back. “You scared me!”

“I can tell,” he chuckled back. “I was just wondering if you wanted to try free weights with me today? I spot you? Teach you some stuff?”

I blinked at him, “Really?” He nodded almost boyishly, a playful grin on his face. “I can't spot you, though.”

He motioned over her shoulder to your boss and Azriel, “They exist still. Unfortunately.”

You bit your lip, knowing you'd look so out of place beside the 3 of them. “Cassian, I don't really work out to be-”

“You work out to take care of stress and eat whatever snacks you want. I know. Rhys told me. You'll get tired of cardio soon, so learning another area wouldn't hurt.”

You glared towards Rhys, “Traitor.”

“Is that a yes?”

You sighed and nodded, wiping down the handles of the machine you were on before letting him pull you over to Rhys and Azriel.

One workout became two. Two became twice a week. Twice a week became him coming over and enjoying snacks and a movie. Snacks and movie became dinner with Cassian at an expensive restaurant with Rhys, his wife, Feyre, Azriel, and his possibly girlfriend, Nesta. 

The table was silent as Cassian ordered a fairly unhealthy pasta, ate bread with you, and then shared dessert. It had been so long since they watched him genuinely enjoy food. “Cheat day,” he said casually as Azriel raised a brow at him. “I'm trying to mix y/n's work out to eat what she wants into my lifestyle once a week.” 

“He seems to like our snack and movie nights,” you glanced up at him, to you just admiring the way he smiled. But to the rest of the table, it was clear the gym crush you two shared was becoming much much more. Azriel slipped Rhys money under the table, conceding that he had won the bet. 

“Y/n told me a lot of research shows a cheat day is actually better for you than 7 hard days,” Cassian took another bite of the melted chocolate fudge brownie. “So we have a cheat day now on Sunday. We call it Sinday.”

“We still do a light walk,” you offered as Rhys looked confused. “But more of a “find some wilderness and explore walk than follow this beaten path one.” That dinner turned into many more. It turned into meeting each other's families. To merging friend groups. 

No activity you two tried topped the gym together. Especially after Cassian built and began running his own. His gym was built to cater to those who'd never felt welcomed. One way windows so the people inside could look out, but no one would see in. A mirror room dedicated to progress selfies to stop people from capturing a stranger in their pictures, a strict no bullying policy. He had made a safe haven for those who were serious about their workouts, and those who were just starting, and you could not have been more proud, especially now that you were teaching yoga and hot yoga classes there.

You two posed in the mirror, sweat dripping down him as he flexed and you kissed his cheek with your leg popped up, waiting for the camera to click breaking the no selfies on the main workout floor rule.

“Gross,” Azriel yelled. “Focus on training you two!”

“Yeah, yeah,” Cassian shot back. “I'm coming. Enjoy yoga, baby.”

“I will. Snacks tonight?”

“Absolutely,” he answered. “Those little no bake cookie balls would be so good."

"Oh, yeah. We'll pick those up!"

General Taglist:

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[forgetme-eternally-blissfully]

“So, babysitting?”

Alberu follows after the delinquent. From the record the vice-principal gave him access to, Cale frequently drinks alcohol, he often gets himself into a lot of fights, and he barely passed his classes at the end of the grading period. The teachers never call on him in class, girls and boys avoid him alike, and he is- supposedly- completely intolerable.

Which is why Alberu Crossman, who’s only a little older yet infinitely more mature has been assigned by the principal (his father) to get the troublemaker under thumb. Cale's father is quite wealthy, actually, and since there isn't much known about the successor to the Henituse family... it'd be bad if he had to be expelled.

Cale scowled. “Yes, babysitting, your highness. Please, leave if you must,” He jeers at Alberu, but internally he thinks, 'No, really. Please leave.' Otherwise, he might get caught in the act.

Of not actually being Cale.

Roksu aims a sour expression at Alberu, who returns it with a more flowery one. Acting as his twin for the day had been easy enough, mainly because being trash is great!- until Alberu Crossman strolled into his lunch period and introduced himself.

He is even following him out of the school to his job. Well, this job is Roksu’s and not Cale’s, but because he can’t ditch work nor can he get glib-tongued Alberu off his tail-

Well shit.

Thankfully, the kids call him hyung. Except Raon, who calls him human. Hopefully Alberu doesn’t look into it too much. If everything goes right, Alberu Crossman will be Cale's problem to deal with tomorrow. As it should have been.

“I didn’t know you liked kids, Cale,” Alberu smiles charmingly, walking side by side with Roksu. “Can you introduce me?” Roksu struggles to not put on his own disarming smile out of spite, instead plastering on a classic Cale Sneer™. It fits on his face perfectly, like he’s playing a character in a play.

They enter the building and ‘Cale’ guides Alberu to a colorful playroom, decked out in toys and a fountain of running water as the centerpiece (A gift from his father, who is still upset that Roksu doesn't visit more often). There’s a tray of fruits and oatmeal on the small table in the corner of the room, except not a soul to be seen. Picking up a bowl of oatmeal and finding the ceramic to still be hot, Roksu almost smiles.

Alberu frowns. Where are the kids he's supposed to babysit?

Roksu tells the empty air, "Come on out."

Three children appear out of nowhere in front of them.

“Hyung!”

“Human! You’re back!”

“Hyung, nya.” On examines Alberu some more.

All of the kids had been revealed the moment that Roksu spoke, as Raon unveiled the invisibility on them.

Raon runs up and grabs Roksu’s hand, who places it on his head, rubbing the black hair comfortingly. “Mm.” Raon beams at the affection.

“Raon, On, Hong,” they each look up at him at the call of their names. “This is Alberu Crossman, he is doing a report on my trashy behavior. Don’t be rude."

All three children become hostile immediately. “He isn't trash!”

On observes Alberu with an intense glare. Raon shifts under Roksu’s hand, his deep blue eyes glinting with magic. Roksu positions him away from the older teen’s view. Raon grips onto Roksu’s pant leg with a vengeance. Hong stares openly, offensive.

Alberu smiles at them.

"I'm visiting with Cale Hyung for today, nice to meet you."

Hong gasps suddenly.

“He-!” On gives her brother a look, and he clamps his hands over his mouth. Alberu feels a deep curiosity, as if something isn’t quite as it seems.

Roksu sighs. It’s going to be a long hour.

At the midway point, Alberu has easily disarmed the children. They look fascinated at the magic he shows them, while Roksu can only rub a palm over Raon’s shoulder as a warning to keep his dragon magic under control. He's still just a child that wants to brag. Everything is going well.

Bang!

“Hey Roksu! How was-“ Cale bursts through the door, bright red hair equipped with a shit-eating grin, wearing clothes far less fancy than his usual. He tenses up, frozen in place when he spots Alberu on the floor, politely sitting "crisscross applesauce" with the children. Roksu narrows a withering glare at his twin.

“… Roksu?”

Alberu looks at ‘Cale,’ sitting next to him, the one he's spent the entire day with, who is trying to send what must be the real Cale into the sun with his eyes.

“Ha… ha?” Cale winces. Roksu wipes his expression from his face.

“Cale-hyung, run! That’s the human’s bad look!” Alberu’s eyes widen as he watches the confirmed real Cale bolt back into the hallway and out of the front door. Alberu whips his head back toward the stranger behind him, who is a perfect replica of the Cale who ran like Hell. Cale has an identical twin?? Since when? Why doesn't he go to school?

Roksu levels an emotionless gaze at Alberu. “Hello, your highness. Don’t mind me.”

Alberu can only watch in astonishment as this stranger walks out of the playroom, with a smooth and deadly gait as he hunts down his twin like a predator would to prey. He recalls the look 'Roksu' gave him and it sends a shiver down the principal’s son’s spine. That gaze held secrets.

Something about this stranger is even more interesting than the sudden appearance of a twin.

On walks up to him, sitting down in his lap and looking into his eyes. “Roksu-hyung will be back soon, nya!” Hong bounds over and sits next to his sister, grinning widely. Raon huffs and looks at the door. He wants his human to come back.

[meazalykov]

Could I make a request for Obi please?

They already have a established relationship.

With her recently getting injured, could it be something along the lines of Reader got injured a few months before the World Cup and had to miss it, but Obi mostly was there for Reader. Now with it being the other way around this time, Reader feels conflicted about going to the Olympics as see knows those first few weeks are the hard but she won’t be there to support Obi.

my home is with you

lena oberdorf x uswnt!reader (requested)

authors note: i'm sad about her injury :( I wanted to see her at the olympics and start with bayern soon.. I know she will come back stronger ❤️ here's your request! normally i wouldn’t decide to write about this because it’s so soon, but i do requests (unless it’s too dark & much) so i hope you like :)

warnings: many injury mentions, very long chapter.

being back in your hometown gave you a sense of peace and warmth.

you haven't stepped foot in washington dc since 2018. you left your childhood club to go play at gotham for a year-- before moving to lyon (2020-2022) and then bayern afterwards.

waking up in the morning, you wished obi the best of luck against her game against austria. yes, she will be your competitor in the group stages against germany, but she is still your girlfriend of 2 years.

afterwards, you put your phone on dnd and put it in your adidas bag that you will take to the audi stadium. on game days, the captain (lindsey) highly discourages the players being on social media before games.

as the second captain after her, you agreed to follow that rule. social media can be toxic.

if someone really wanted to reach out to you for an emergency, they can do it through lindsey, emma, or your sisters who came to the game to support your send off to paris.

that's exactly what happened. while you were getting ready in your hotel room-- lindsey got an emergency call from sara dabritz, her lyon teammate who played for the german national team.

sara isn't on the german roster for the olympics, but alex popp asked her to call lindsey-- since she needed you to know of the news as soon as possible.

"sara?" lindsey's eyebrows knitted together. sara calling her during international break and the off-season has never happened before.

"where's y/n?" sara asked, ignoring lindsey's confused tone.

"I haven't seen her since this morning, she might be getting ready now. what's going on?"

"the entire german team is trying to get ahold of y/n. lena went down pretty badly during todays game-- it was her knee." sara swallowed.

lindsey was sad to her about the news. nobody likes when another player goes down with a *possible* acl injury.

however, she was scared on how she was going to tell you the news.

hours later at audi stadium, you walked into the stadium alongside trinity and hal. both of them play on this field for washington spirit, and the three of you bonded over the last few days-- knowing washington dc so well.

trinity and hal stopped at a water fountain to fill up their empty stanley bottles with water. your owala bottle was filled with cold ice water already, so you continued on with walking into the dressing room.

as you turned the corner into the room, you hear your coach Emma, say something along the lines of "well we can't tell her until-" before lindsey stopped her with her finger pointing at your entrance.

you were the first to arrive before the rest of the team, surprising to the captain and coach talking in the room.

"hey!" you smiled, unaware of what they know.

"hey y/n, ready for the game!?" lindsey casually says with a smirk on her face.

the poker face of the lyon player is perfection. something could be wrong but as the main captain, she can't let her emotions take over her logic.

as the second captain of the team, you had every right to question what emma and lindsey were just talking about.

however, you didn't. you were too excited to play in your hometown again. many uswnt fans came just to see you play on your turf again.

"I'm so pumped! my family came just for the send off to paris. some of them talk about "oh we can't never see you play since you're in germany." but now they're here so-" you rambled as you giggled.

for a moment, emma frowned at your happy sight. lindsey turned around to look at the coach with a guilty look, hating that they both agreed to not tell you *that news* until the end of the send-off.

"that's exciting. I'm positive we have a great game ahead." emma says.

your happy mood became a miserable one at halftime. being nil-nil against costa rica was not motivating since you wanted to impress your hometown community.

in the 70th minute, you scored off of a set piece shot by mallory swanson. the crowd screamed as they've realized that it was you, their fellow dc native, that scored the goal.

the game ended with a 1-0. you knew that the team needed tons of things to work on if you wanted a chance at winning gold in the olympics, but that will come with time.

after the send off ceremony, lindsey asked if she could personally talk to you in one of the empty conference rooms.

you agreed. at first, you thought that she was going to discuss olympic matters and what will drive the team to win gold once you reach france. since she is the first captain and you're captain whenever she isn't-- along with alyssa naeher.

however, lindsey was very tense as you sat down beside her in one of the wheel chairs. she made sure to close and lock the door as well-- this is when your heart started racing.

she is your friend and hates to give you the bad news.

"I need to tell you this before you go on your phone and see it in the locker room in front of the other girls." lindsey speaks.

your eyes widened, confused.

"what's wrong?" you start to panic.

"alex-- alex popp-- said that lena went down during the game against austria. it's her knee, y/n."

your heart shattered into a million pieces. you looked away from lindsey as you took a few deep breaths.

the blonde understood why you couldn't say anything after that moment. you thought about lena having a possible acl injury.

you panicked knowing that you weren't there to help her.

"I need my phone!'" you jump up from the wheel chair.

"here." lindsey said, pulling your phone out of her jacket pocket. she made sure that she had your phone on hand-- in private-- so none of the other girls were alarmed about seeing you so upset.

after you switched your iphone off from dnd, you had nearly 200 notifications.

the first is lena's parents-- asking you to call them whenever you had time before or after your game.

others came from lea-- updating you on what's going on with obi. she understands you were playing a game and couldn't answer right away.

some messages were from other footballers in the community that you're friends with, asking you to send well wishes to lena on their behalf.

is this how lena felt back in 2023?

back in april 2023, you were a starter in the second game against Ireland.

you weren't feeling the greatest, your friend mallory suffered a bad injury in the first game and you knew she wouldn't see the pitch for a very long time.

in the second half as the ball was coming from the air, you jumped up to head the ball. at the same time, an Irish player's foot went up in the air to get the ball.

the sharp part of the boots kicked at your ribs extremely hard. your breath was caught in your throat and you landed on the ground-- injuring your ankle by landing awkwardly.

the irish player received a red card, but you were struggling to breath as you needed medic immediately. alex and kelley stayed with you as you couldn't even sit up without squealing in pain.

your ankle was on fire and your lung felt like it was beaten in. torture would've been an understatement.

lena finished playing the game against brazil when jule pulled her-- harshly-- to look at the tv in the dressing room.

the german girl watched in horror as she seen her lover on the grass, you were crying your eyes out as you balled yourself together.

she noticed your hands going back and forth between your torso by your right lung, and your left ankle, as the medics tried their best to figure out what's wrong.

"what the fuck happened?" lena said angrily, in english-- confused as she rushed to grab the remote and turn the tv up.

"this isn't good for the united states before the world cup-- mallory went down on the first game against ireland and now *reader's last name* can barely move without a reaction." a german commentator speaks.

the entire german dressing room looks in horror.

your bayern teammates looked horrified as jule tried her best to comfort a stressed lena.

a replay of the injury happened on the tv a second later. everyone could see quinn's cleat harshly kick your ribs-- the landing on your ankle afterwards made some of the dressing room cringe as if they could've felt it themselves.

"yeah, I don't think we will see her in the world cup after this one." the woman commentator on the tv speaks when a stretcher takes you off the pitch moments later.

lena was quick to immediately call your mom and sisters, since they were there and she wasn't.

she knew how excited you were to play in your second world cup after winning the first one at age 17.

when you got back home to germany, lena was there for you. you suffered with a broken rib and grade 2 ankle sprain.

obi helped you stand up most days and picked up heavy things, since you couldn't even breathe without feeling pain for the first three weeks. lena did your chores at home, helped you with showering (your ankle made that hard to do), she did your hair. she did everything to make sure that you were okay.

you couldn't go to the world cup and watch her play, but you were still so proud of her-- even if she got eliminated in the group stage.

the injury that happened to you made lena fully committed to wanting to marry you. even through your bad injury-- you were there to comfort her once she was back from australia after a failed world cup campaign.

back in the conference room in dc, you rushed to call lea.

she answered in a heartbeat, you were surprised since it had to have been 5:30am in germany while 11:30pm back in washington dc for you.

"lea?" your voice cracked. you hated this for lena, more than your own injury from a year prior.

"how was your game?" lea tried to calm you down.

"it was fine, now what happened?" you ask.

lea didn't take offense to you wanting to know what happened. this reminded her on how lena was with you.

being her closest friend at bayern, and the one that put lena onto you, she understands the bond you have with your girlfriend better than anyone else.

"lena tried to tackle and get the ball away from a player but her knee popped. I think you need to watch this for a better understanding." lea speaks.

on the FaceTime you can see lea typing on a few things on the phone.

you looked up at a confused, yet guilty lindsey. she felt bad for you since you were far from your home in germany.

the notification on your phone showed that lea sent a link to a twitter video. you clicked on it and watch the whole thing play out.

its hard to tell at first, but slowly you could see obi's knee pop out.

this made you sick to your stomach.

after talking to lea for a few more minutes, then waking up lena's parents to talk to them (they didn't mind, they really wanted to hear from you), then laura, then klara-- you were exhausted.

you were allowed to go on the bus early and choose if you wanted to sit alone on the way back to the hotel.

lindsey told all of the girls that something happened- she explained the situation which caused the girls to feel bad for lena and your situation.

you called lena, in private, once you were back in your hotel. she sounded so hurt which caused your eyes to let out tears (quietly) as she talked about her medical scanning tommorow.

many people would do anything to participate in the olympics. you were grateful to be a bronze-medal olympian already heading to seek gold-- but you wanted to go home to lena in munich.

the best player on the uswnt was you, no debate. after scoring in the 2019 world cup final at 17, winning two champions leagues with lyon, being the second best-player now in the bundesliga with bayern, and carrying the national team to bronze in the last olympics-- the team looked up to you.

the girls let you have your space for a while. even on the plane on the way to france.

tierna, your closest friend on the national team, sat beside you. she was quiet as she watched movies while you anxiously looked at your phone to receive some kind of news.

after the plane landed, the girls were quiet as they headed out. you realized that you couldn't sit in pain waiting for the day that you will get home to munich-- that will affect the team chemistry.

as you were in your hotel room, lena called you.

"hallo liebe." you spoke softly.

you heard lena cough before a few seconds of silence started.

the fact that lena called you instead of facetiming you, you knew it was bad. the three letter injury is something u feared for lena as your eyes widened.

"its both." lena mumbles.

"its both?" you question softly as you request to switch the call to FaceTime.

lena accepts and you see her in the hospital room, tears dried down her cheeks as her red face is covered by her hands.

"acl and mcl." she breathed out as she looked at you through the camera.

you frowned as reality hit.

lena couldn't start a bayern next month.

lena won't go to the olympics.

she will have to sit out for at least eight months.

you know she will be okay, since she has the team and medical doctors to help her heal.

however, you were sad that you couldn't drop everything to go back to munich.

"obi." is all you could say.

"I already know what you're thinking-- and don't." lena randomly says.

your eyebrows knit together in confusion as she looks at you with a unreadable look.

"don't leave your team just to come here. they need you-"

"but you need me a lot more." you cut lena off.

she knows you're right, but she can't be selfish-- even with her injury.

"you will be home soon liebe, I know you love me and will care for me as soon as you can." lena says.

"once I'm back in munich, I will be there for you. you aren't going through this alone-- we will fight through this together and you will be stronger." you gave a sad smile as lena smiles for the first time since she went down on that grass.

"Ich liebe dich" she whispers.

"Ich liebe dich auch" you say back.

"when is your surgery scheduled?" you ask.

"we don't have an exact date yet, but they said it might be the week of the 29th." lena says as she lays back in the hospital bed in her black shirt and black shorts.

you didn't respond as lena flipped the camera, showing you a closer look at her knee.

"I am so sorry." you say.

"its not your fault." lena says.

"I know- but again-- I just want to be there for you."

"and you will soon, don't abandon your team." lena made it clear.

"okay, I won't" you sigh.

of course you felt bad that you didn't want to be in france, but in germany instead helping lena. however, you were sad about the group stage match against germany.

lena and you talked about that match as being one of the last moments where you will be "rivals" before she joins you in the season for bayern. now, neither will happen.

days later, the united states plays germany in the group stage after beating zambia 3-2.

you were in the starting lineup. emma needed you for this match, making sure that you talked to a sports psychologist before this match-- just so you were mentally prepared.

you knew how the germans played, so you would be a key to winning the group stage match.

as the teams were going to take their starting eleven picture, you see the germans hold up a shirt in honor of sydney and lena-- who were injured and couldn't be in the olympics.

you sadly smiled at this, happy that they're remembering them.

however, you got your act together fast. lindsey wasn't in the lineup so you were the captain of the match.

at halftime, it was 1-1. trinity rodman scored a goal in the 10th minute but klara equalized in the 34th after an error from #3 on the USWNT.

in the second half, you scored a golazo in the 55th minute after dribbling around sara doorsoun and alex popp.

unfortunately, lea equalized in the 88th minute.

the game ended 2-2 and you weren't happy or sad about it.

all of the german girls greeted you immediately with hugs and kisses on the head. you accepted them. you missed them dearly and they were the closest thing you had to lena right now.

"lea love!" you sigh in relief when you hug her tightly for thirty seconds. the cameras capture the beautiful sight as most know the significance.

"I wish obi was here right now." you lean your head on lea's shoulder as she kissed the side of your head, above your left ear.

"I do too. I hate how fate works." lea speaks through her german accent.

"same." you roll your eyes. not in anger, but in disappointment for the situation and how things can play out for the worst.

"how are you?" lea asks.

"can I be honest?" you ask. lea nods her head.

"I want to be with her. I am so grateful to be here for a second time but I can't imagine her being alone without us." you whisper into her ear.

you didn't want any of your teammates to hear you. lea is your closest friend so you know she won't tell on you.

"she's not alone, she has her parents-- but I totally understand. she will be okay." lea smiles lightly as she pulls a piece of hair of yours behind your ear, a piece of hair that fell out of your ponytail during the match.

lea is right, lena's parents are staying with her at the new house you both own until you can go back to munich-- which could happen in a few days or weeks depending on the outcome of the olympics.

"I know. she's a fighter.' you smirk.

"and a lover." lea winked at you.

lea loves the way that you and lena respect and are in-love with each other. being the third wheel is annoying sometimes (when she has to hang out with y'all instead of her own girlfriend) but she is happy for the both of you.

after multiple matches of the olympics, the united states is awarded silver after losing against france 2-1 in the final.

you were the one that scored against france.

if you said that you weren't in a rush to get home to munich, you'd be lying.

lena's surgery was pushed back to this morning. so you took the uber straight to the hospital from the airport.

the taller german was asleep as you quietly walked into the hospital room. obi's parents hugged you and congratulated you on silver.

knowing that they've been with their daughter for many days, you offer them a break.

"you guys should go down to the cafe and grab lunch for yourselves, please don't take offense to this but ihr seht beide sehr müde aus." (you both look very tired) you whisper since you didn't want to wake lena.

they loved you like their own daughter, so it didn't take them much convincing for them to get a break-- knowing their daughter was in safe hands with you.

when they shut the hospital doors behind them, lena woke up from the noise.

you took out a blanket from your carry on luggage, your back faced towards lena so you didn't see or hear her wake up.

"liebe?" you turned around quickly when you saw lena awake.

she had the same tired look that you're used to seeing when you wake up beside her, but she was smiling at your sight.

you pout in happiness as you walked up to hug her upper body.

"my sunshine, I'm so happy to see you awake." you kissed the top of her forehead as her head pressed against your chest.

lena closed her eyes in comfort, she missed you the most.

"to see me awake? omg I didn't die." lena laughed.

"oh lena shut it, you know what I meant." you giggled back, happy to see lena cracking a joke through her pain.

you look down her body to see the scar on her knee peak out from her hospital gown.

on the inside, you felt terrible. you hated seeing lena in pain. you'd rather it be yourself than her.

on the outside, you looked at lena as she gave you a peak on the lips.

after that, you saw the ponytail of her hair tangled.

"hold on lena." you pull yourself away from her arms and reach into your tote bag.

"no don't leaveeee!" lena says

"I'm not I'm just going to help you with your hair-- it will help you relax."

you pulled out a soft brush from your bag, refusing to use a comb and risk pulling on her hair after she had surgery.

"you're so sweet" lena looks at the brush in your hand and turns her head to the side, so you have better access.

"anything for my baby." you tell her as you kiss the right side of her temple.

"i'm just glad to be back home." you mumble as you start brushing through obi's hair, getting the tangles out slowly and softly.

"isn't washington dc your home?" lena giggled, joking and teasing about the game you played in dc almost a month ago.

"nope, my home is with you."

I hope you're happy with what I wrote from this request! #comebackstrongerlenaoberdorf ❤️🙌

[chiaraswritings]

I feel like AT the restaurant they go to, Batmom goes into labor. She feels her first contraction, then spills her water on herself from the shock of it. Bruce does not believe her and they bicker about it with Y/N going “would I REALLY lie about this!?” And her husband gives her a look. Then she starts debating if it was gas or a contraction, or what have you.

It isn’t till Alfred comes back from the bathroom that the rush would start.

Batprank (Pt. 2)

Disclaimer: I do not own DC or their settings. This is certainly not canon.

Warnings & Topics: Very light argument, pregnancy, pranking, contractions, labor, delivery, newborn, parents holding newborn. 18+. If these are sensitive topics for you, go ahead and skip this one.

Word Count: 2K words

Summary: Batmom!reader goes into labor at her favorite restaurant and gives birth to her baby with her husband close by in Wayne Manor.

Author's Note: You guys crack me up, great part two idea, anon. It's pretty light-hearted at first, but towards the end of the story, I included a birth scene. I've never gotten to have a home birth, so I apologize if there were inaccuracies. Let me know if you want a part three. Thank you for all the incredible support, and I hope you enjoy.

Part One

Warm August sun tickled my nose as I stepped out of the car, taking a little more time than I was comfortable admitting, caused by nearly nine months of pregnancy's effect on my stomach. Not that I was complaining. I  was thrilled to be having Bruce's baby. It fulfilled the desire to be a mother that I'd had for years, and to be having a child with the love of my life? A fairytale come true. Even if we couldn't agree on baby names, even when I pulled labor pranks on my husband, even when I was being bombarded with concern by all our family members, especially our children. Earlier in the afternoon I had played a tremendous joke on all our family members, except for the all-knowing Alfred, pretending to have gone into labor. It was very convincing, and somehow we wound up at my favorite diner in the process of driving to the hospital. 

I joined my husband in the empty restaurant. It was three o'clock, the last customers of the lunch rush were slowly shuffling out the door, and it looked like the dinner rush had not yet made an appearance. I smiled at him as I intertwined my fingers with his, sliding into the booth next to him where he waited for the takeout order he had just put in.

"You could've waited in the car, it'll be ready soon," he pressed a kiss to my cheek and wrapped his arm around my shoulder. I smiled, practically melting into his embrace, laying my hand on my stomach. 

"That's okay, I kinda wanted water while we wait for it." I gave my husband a quick look. 

"Heh, and I'm guessing you need me to get that for you?"

"Obviously, you got me pregnant, now you get to take care of me." I slid out of the booth to allow him access to the soda fountain, tapping my foot in mock impatience. 

"You scared me to death with that prank of yours earlier, don't push it," he chuckled, rising and pressing a kiss to my cheek before going to retrieve my water. 

I rolled my eyes at him, sitting back down in the booth, still with a playful smile on my face. "I love you, Bruce."

"Uh-huh." He set the cup of water on the table in front of me before leaning down to place a loving kiss on my lips. As I returned the kiss, our order number was called from the front counter. "I'll be right back."

"Okay," I smiled and turned to the water cup in front of me, sipping from it and relaxing against the faux leather seat. I drummed my fingers against my stomach and thought about our unborn daughter, just as I had every day for the last six months. How happy Bruce would look when he held her for the first time. How her little fingers and toes would look. How excited Alfred and the kids would be to hear that she was finally born. It'd been a long and interesting journey for all of us, and it would soon come to its end. 

The realization that the kids were still at home in a state of panic hit me harder than a cold pool on a hot summer day. "Shit," I muttered, pulling out my phone and quickly dialing Stephanie's number. She was the most likely to answer, I knew, and I was right.

"Hello?!" The excited squeal made me pull the phone away from my ear for a moment. 

"Hello, Stephanie, I just wanted to let you all know... could you put the call on speaker, please?" 

“Yeah! Okay, there you go, tell us what’s happening!” Stephanie’s excitement was pouring through the speaker of my phone like water. 

“Mom? Mom, what’s going on?!” I could hear Jason’s voice, much more awake than when we had left the manor to rush to the hospital.

“I figured I needed to let you guys all know that my going into labor was a-” at that very moment I felt it, a long, drawn-out and yet sharp pain moving through my lower abdomen. It stunned me nearly into silence, accidentally spilling half of the contents of my water cup onto my lap. It almost felt like the horrible menstrual cramps that I hadn’t felt for such a long time.

“Mom? It was a what?” Tim’s voice broke through the pause. 

“Oh, not a prank, not a prank, not a prank!” I groaned as the pain rippled through my lower stomach. Not that it was unmanageable, it was just so surprising and… a tiny bit terrifying. No, it was very terrifying. The due date wasn’t for two more weeks, I didn’t expect this, I hadn’t mentally prepared, this was truly scary.

“Not a prank?” It was Tim again. “What do you mean, we know that.” 

“I didn’t mean anything!” I took two deep breaths as the sharp pain faded into a dull throb, then almost disappeared. “Just… forget I said anything! We’ll give you an update soon, love you lots, bye,” I ended the call before the curious group on the other end could get another word in. 

As I set down the phone on the table with a thud, my husband arrived by my side with a plastic bag. “Are you ready to… what’s wrong?” He set it down, kneeling to inspect my tense face.

“I… I think I just got a contraction,” I whispered, looking over to him. 

Bruce looked from my face, to the spilled water in my lap, then back to my face before standing. “Nice try, honey, let’s get going.”

“No! No, I mean it!” I looked up at him, grabbing his hand with mine in a death grip. “I’m not kidding this time. I’m not. You have to believe me.”

My husband looked at me for a moment before kneeling next to me again. “(Y/N), are you being serious? You know the story of the boy who cried wolf, don’t you?”

“Would I really lie about this, Bruce?!” I looked down at my stomach and pressed my fingers to the underside. “I swear, I felt it, I felt a contraction!” 

My statement was met with a look of doubt. “(Y/N), we’re two weeks away from the due date, I’m sure it was just… gas or discomfort, it couldn’t have been a contraction.” 

I returned his look with a withering glance. “Bruce Wayne, I swear, that was not gas. I think I’d know the difference.” 

“Honey, you can’t be having contractions yet…” Bruce’s confidence was starting to crack. He gave my stomach a worried look. 

“Oh yes I can, you know that babies can come anytime they choose.”

“Was that the only one?”

“Yeah, that was the only one.”

“Then… it was probably just…” 

“Master Bruce, Madam (Y/N), we had better start moving if we want to miss the rush hour,” Alfred’s calm voice broke through Bruce’s thought. He had stepped into the restaurant in search of us, given that we were ordering takeout, not dining in.

“Alfred! Alfred, I think I got a contraction, we have to call the midwife right now.” I stood, using the table for support. My husband handed off the plastic bag of food to Alfred, catching my arm to assist me. 

“Will we be heading home or to the hospital, sir?” Alfred quirked an eyebrow towards Bruce, just as skeptical as he was. 

“We’ll… let’s call the midwife in the car and go from there.” Bruce looked at me, starting to believe my words.

“Yes, let’s… just get her on the phone, please.” 

...

A few minutes later, we were heading back to the manor. The midwife had advised me to remain in a comfortable space to monitor my contractions on my own, to see if it was really gas, false labor, or the real thing. The original plan was to give birth in the manor, unless something unexpected (such as my water breaking before my due date) occurred. The midwife and her birth team assured me that they were just a phone call away, and with that in mind, we started driving back towards the manor. 

Bruce did everything to make sure I was comfortable, in the car and back in our bedroom once we had arrived home. The kids crowded around me at first, until a growl and firm command from Bruce sent them all back to their rooms. I was resting in our large, plush bed, my hand resting on my stomach, when the next contraction made its way through my body, then the next, then the next, still minutes apart, but becoming more and more consistent. Now that Bruce was convinced that I was actually going into labor, he was the most attentive husband on earth, holding me close with one arm and keeping his other hand on my stomach. 

“I knew this was going to happen, but… I didn’t think that it’d happen so soon,” I looked up at him, trying to relax after a contraction had passed. 

“I didn’t think so either,” he replied, massaging the side of my tummy. “But, you are the strongest person I know. If anyone can do this, it’s you.”

The pain was alleviated through his massages and gentle words. “Thank you, I’m so glad you’re here.” 

“I’m not going anywhere.” 

…

Labor was long and longer. Since it was my first baby, the risk was higher, but we wanted to prevent any danger of kidnapping or switched babies, especially since Bruce was in such a spotlight. I found myself in different positions as the night dragged on, the midwife’s reassuring words and Bruce’s concerned yet comforting presence carrying me through the delivery of our baby. Even when I felt for a moment that I couldn’t go on, my husband’s kisses to my shoulder and forehead kept me from giving up. Not that I really had a choice, of course. And yet that one moment was worth it all. 

I’ll never forget the moment the tiny, crying baby was put on my chest, as the midwife maneuvered me from my birthing position to lay on my back. I was so exhausted, I didn’t even register for a moment what was happening, until I was sprawling against the pillows and my newborn daughter was on my skin, her whimpering, suckling noises were music to my ears. Holding her close, I closed my eyes in relief, nearly unaware of what was going on around me. After a moment, I opened my eyes and looked up at the man who had supported me from beginning to end. “Bruce, we did it.” 

“Yes, you did it, I knew you could.” He was looking at the tiny human in my arms with a sort of awe. 

I smiled, my thumbs stroking her back, though she was still covered in fluids. I was half mindful of the midwife asking Bruce to cut the umbilical cord, most of my focus was spent on examining my daughter’s tiny fingers that moved so slowly, as if they were trying to figure out this new environment.

Seeing the love of my life hold our child for the first time was as perfect and pure as I knew it would be. Once she was wiped clean and wrapped in a cloth, Bruce was able to hold her to his own chest, staring down at her with the same awe that hadn’t left his face. I could see her eyes were open, and she was staring up at him. In this wonderful moment, I knew that it had all been worth it, and that she would never have to be alone, that he was always going to be right there for her.

Bruce finally placed her back in my arms, and I held the little bundle of moving arms and legs close again, looking up at him with a smile and a quirked eyebrow. “I told you it wasn’t a prank.” 

[melrodrigo]

Lovesick - W.A.

Wednesday Addams x Fem!Reader

Summary: You and Wednesday are polar opposites. Do they really attract?

Word Count: 1.6k

A/N: Request from ages ago, I didn’t proofread this. Please excuse any mistakes. Happy reading! <3

Wednesday had a problem.

When Wednesday had first transferred to Nevermore, and gotten the infamous Enid welcome and introduction, she couldn't have cared less about you.

"That is Bianca Barklay, the closest thing to Nevermore royalty they'll ever be."

Then Enid pointed to a girl sitting next to Bianca, staring at the bubbles in the water fountain with intrigue.

"And that, is YN. She's the school heartthrob. It's just impossible to not love her, you'll see."

"She looks like a mushroom." Wednesday replied dryly, swiftly turning on her heel and heading back to her dorm.

"She's a sweetheart. Everyone likes her. You'll find out what I mean. I'm always right!" Enid shouted out, before quickly catching up and walking side by side with the goth.

Enid had warned that this would happen. God, how was Enid right?

Wednesday's frown only grew deeper as she thought back to the moments you've shared over the past year.

-

"Hey, you must be Wednesday right? New girl?"

All you got in return was a curt nod.

"Allllright, I get it, you don't wanna talk. Trust me I get it, I was so silent the first week here, some people thought I was mute!"

Silence.

You frown a bit but redirect your focus to the teacher emerging from the door.

-

"Enid I do not understand why I have to suffer not only with you, but her. I was content just sitting down in the dorm and practicing my cello."

The werewolf had recently gotten three free passes to Jericho, and decided to drag both you and Wednesday out for a cup of coffee.

"I hate to agree with her Enid, but I really have a lot of biology homework to do." You mused from behind, still sore from fencing class you had that day.

"Oh come on! It's good for you two to bond. My two besties, we're gonna be so cool together!" Enid makes an excited sound, "We should come up with a group name!"

When Wednesday quips back that she'd rather die in a long long torturous death (which she'd probably enjoy) instead of have a group name, you can't help but snort in agreement.

You shoot Wednesday a look, small smile playing on your lips.

-

Ever since that first day at Jericho, Enid had you guys connected by the hip. Unwillingly.

But as the days went on, Wednesday found out you weren't so bad.

She was particularly late to lunch today, catching up with updates on the hyde case.

In fact, she was debating skipping lunch all together. But as she glanced over to the pentagon, a hand shot up along with a shout.

"Wednesday! Over here!" You were waving your hand wildly, gesturing for her to walk over.

Wednesday bit back a sigh as she moved towards you, and to her surprise, there was one empty seat opposite of you, plate full, apple on the side.

"I got some lunch for you. Oh and a plain granola bar, I see you always like eating them." You tell her absentmindedly, munching on a sloppy joe.

Wednesday hesitates, before saying a quiet thank you.

"It's my pleasure Wends. So, how's the hyde case going?"

You both don't mention the fact you used a nickname to address her. She sighs, she supposed it was nice of you to get her lunch, so she tells you about the case.

"It's going well YN, I've just had a breakthrough......"

-

"Come on Wends, pleaseee? I really really really wanna go to The Weathervane."

You stare at Wednesday with your famous puppy eyes, and see Wednesday's glare soften just the slightest bit.

"I....suppose we can go in a few hours. After I've finished my writing hour, I have hyde business to do there anyway." She says, even though she'd already taken care of the issue already.

"Could you help me study for midterms? I do not understand anything for the life of me." You whine and throw the book back on her bed. Flopping onto the soft fabric dramatically.

"Bring it with you to the Weathervane." Wednesday says sharply, and returns back to her typewriter.

-

"Sucky Birthday to you Wednesday! Come, follow me." You squeal excitedly, reaching for the goth and pulling her by the wrist.

Physical touch has come sort of, natural to you with Wednesday. You were a naturally touchy person anyway, but when you were around Wednesday everything felt very...heightened.

Hm, I wonder what that is.

Wednesday was constantly complaining about your intense need to be touching her at all times, but she never actually pulled away when you did; and you're well aware she could if she wanted to.

"Where are we going?" She asks, tone somewhat annoyed.

You turn to her and smile; so bright Wednesday swears light shone through your teeth.

"Grave digging!"

Wednesday's eyebrows twitches in amusement, a small but noticeable movement. You've become sort of professional in her mannerisms over the past few months.

"I knew you'd like it. Come on." You say, practically sprinting to your destination. It's not a smart move, and you stumble over your own feet; arms still connected with Wednesday's.

You fall flat on your back into the soft grass, Wednesday on top of you.

She looks so good, the moonlight shining on her face. You steal a glance at her lips.

She's staring at you with wide eyes, arms on both sides of your face. Her braids frame your head a little.

She coughs awkwardly, then gets up and looks the other way.

You follow suit, trying to calm down your racing heart.

"Ooookay. Let's- let's get grave digging now." You say finally, watch as Wednesday walks toward you but avoids your eye.

She's grateful it's dark out, or else you would've seen the red coating her ears. And when you reach for her wrist she pulls back, afraid you'll be able to feel her racing heart.

-

It's parent's day. The long awaited dreadful day where Wednesday has to talk to her parents.

They'll be able to tell right away, she has no doubt. She's lovesick.

They’d see right through her. They're like magic love wizards in that way.

"You ready Wends?" You muse from behind her, take her hand in yours. You were currently situated in her dorm room, the two of you alone; waiting for your parents to come.

"No." She replies, but not in a sarcastic or dry way. She sounds kind of...scared.

You poke her cheek and watch as she tries and swat your hand away.

"You look a little on edge." You observe, staring at the hairs on the back of her neck.

She's a little afraid if she tells you why she's nervous for this specific meeting she'll let it slip that she might've accidentally caught feelings for you.

Ugh. Feelings.

It's come to the point where she can actually say she has feelings for you. It’s pathetic, and quite frankly sickening.

"I'm fine. Let's just get this over with." She grumbles, and bursts through the door; leaving you standing dumbly in her room.

"Wednesday, darling how have you been?" Her mother drawls, smile on her lips as she speaks.

"I've been good mother. Apart from the gigantic monster that's trying to kill me. Actually, I think I'm having lots of fun." Wednesday says, looking over her moms shoulder to spy on you.

Just a little bit.

You look lively, and happy. It makes her feel weird in her tummy.

"My little storm cloud, what are you looking at?" Her father asks, watching Wednesday with keen eyes. It wouldn't be obvious to anyone else, but Addams were very observatrice people, and he could tell straight away when Wednesday has lost focus.

He follows his daughters gaze to a certain werewolf. He has to blink one more time to make sure he's not seeing things.

“Oh," He smiles, soft. "I see what's going on."

Wednesday turns sharply, face impassive.

"You don't see anything." She says hotly. Too fast for her normal speech.

Her mom smirks, catching on quick.

"Oh sweetie, we think it's cute. Our little storm cloud is in love." They coo, leaning forward to whisper with Wednesday.

The black hair girl scoffs, and folds her arms in front of her chest.

"I am not in love. I do not know what you are talking about." She replies.

"Sure you don't." Pugley adds, peeping in between his parents.

Wednesday suddenly feels hot underneath their gaze. She gets up abruptly, tilts her face up in hopes for some high ground.

"You all annoy me. This is why I don't write to you." She says before turning on her heel and heading over to you.

You stare at her with curious eyes as she walks toward you. Stops in front of you, hands stiff like a soldier.

"Hey? Whatcha doing?" You ask, pat the seat next to you. She ignores the feeling of something fluttering in her stomach when you accidentally touch fingertips.

"I would like to stay here with you. If you do not mind. My parents are being...unreasonable." She says, picking her words carefully.

You chuckle, smile softly.

"Of course you can stay here Wednesday. Come, come meet my family."

Wednesday’s heart almost jumps out her chest. She's really not one to be scared easily, but this was easily one of the most intense moments of her life.

She usually didn't care if anyone didn't like her, but there was an underlying nagging feeling that told her this was important. Your family was an essential part of you, and if she wanted to win you over; she had to win over your family too.

"I can't wait."

[ts1m1kas]

Original Ask: Jamal and you being work friends but having secret feelings for each other. They try to avoid each other since you guys almost kiss. So then you meet accidentally and it gets very awkward. You can choose the end if you’d like. Anyways thankss (anonymous)

Word Count: 882 words

(author's note: hope you all enjoy !! another longer fic for you all xoxo)

Many people had begun to question the relationship of Jamal Musiala and Y/N L/N. Although the pair insisted they were just close friends, their longing stares and lingering touches said otherwise.

Jamal’s car pulled into the car park of the training ground. He stepped out of his car, locked it, and headed through the main doors. In his hands, he had two coffees, not just for himself but for Y/N, too. 

He had memorised her coffee order a couple of years ago when she had asked him if he could pick her one up on his way to training. Since then, he picked her up a drink every now and again, just to see her face light up when he passed it to her.

Today was no different. When he got into the building, Jamal made a beeline for Y/N’s office. He pushed open the door and found Y/N sitting at her desk, eyes glued to her computer.

At the sound of the door opening, Y/N looked up, and when she saw it was Jamal, her face broke out into a smile.

“Jamal, to what do I owe the pleasure?”

“I brought you a coffee, just how you like it.”

“I knew there was a reason you’re my favourite person ever. I was just thinking about how badly I wanted one.”

“I aim to please,” Jamal replied with a dorky smile on his face.

Y/N stood up and walked over to Jamal, taking the coffee from his hand. She took a sip of the milky liquid, letting out a hum of approval.

“Perfect, thanks, Jamal.”

As Y/N looked back up at him, she found he was already staring at her. There was an emotion in his eyes, but Y/N couldn’t place what it was. But as she found herself staring into his brown eyes, the gap between them seemed to close.

Once the pair realised what was happening, they both pulled away abruptly. They broke the eye contact and took a step back from each other.

“Uh, I should probably get to training,” Jamal muttered.

“Oh- yeah uhm- see you later,” Y/N stuttered, her face bright red with embarrassment.

As Jamal left the room, Y/N slumped down into her chair. She knew she and Jamal had some sort of connection, and she knew Jamal felt the same. But the pair of them had always ignored it, so she had no idea why she had leaned in to kiss him.

A few days had passed after the ‘incident’ and Y/N was in despair. Jamal had been avoiding her for the past few days, and she didn’t know what to do. The idea that she had ruined their friendship had been festering in her head, and it was driving her insane.

As she walked into her office, she sat down at her desk and logged onto her computer. After typing up some documents for a couple of hours, she realised she had forgotten to fill up her water bottle before coming into work. Standing up, she grabbed the empty bottle and headed out of the office to the communal water fountain.

Wandering through the empty corridors of the training facility, Y/N was too caught up in her thoughts to notice the person walking towards her. She collided with them, dropping her water bottle to the floor at the impact.

“I’m so sorry, I wasn’t watching where I was going,” Y/N exclaimed as she knelt down to pick up her water bottle. Looking up at the person she had walked into, her face fell.

“Jamal, it's you. How have you been?”

“Alright.”

“Look, I’m sorry about the other day. I crossed a line. I don’t know what was up with me, and I apologise if I made you uncomfortable.”

Jamal took a step closer to Y/N, “Jamal, what are you doing?”

He brought his hand up to Y/N’s face and cupped her cheek, leaning in to press a kiss to her lips. Y/N was surprised but kissed back anyway, pouring all her feelings into it. When they pulled away, Jamal sighed.

“Look, I know I’ve been avoiding you, but I have a reason, I promise. When you were going to kiss me, it made me realise how much I actually wanted that. And it scared me. So much. But I realised that the thought of losing you was so much scarier than the thought of telling you how I feel. So here I am, I guess.”

“You’re an idiot you know that, right? I have been in despair these past few days, thinking I ruined everything! Only to find out you like me back. You’re lucky I do like you, Jamal Musiala.”

“I know, I’m sorry. Does this mean I can finally take you on a date?”

“I suppose,” Y/N said, rolling her eyes jokingly.

Jamal smiled and looked down at his watch, “I have to go, I’m late for training. I’ll pick you up at 7 later?”

“Sounds good,” Y/N replied.

Turning on her heel, she headed back to her office. On the way back, she realised she didn't fill her water bottle up, but in that moment, Y/N was too happy to care.

[rukia-writes]

so um hi! sorry to disturb you but can you write nsfw with odin and reader? okay so like reader feels super insecure about their body and looks for a long time then odin notices that and confronts them then ~spicy stuff~ happens. haha i tried making this unique, umm ik commisions take a lot of energy and time so do your best! and thank you for reading

A/N: It’s been awhile since I’ve done this, time to get back in the game.

Warnings: 18+, No Minors 🔞, smut (just a little spicy)

Odin notices everything.

However, something always interested him when he noticed a familiar goddess looking a bit sadder than usual. While it wasn’t his business as the two were essentially allies, Odin wasn’t the most talkative or the most open person in Valhalla but he was kind to the goddess.

Kind enough to catch the goddess looking at herself at a water fountain, Odin had an idea of what it was but he asked,

“What troubles you, (Name)?”

His voice was deep yet it had a tone of concern as it made the goddess jump from not noticing Odin until he spoke. Not to mention, her heart jumping along with as she seemed to always admire Odin from afar.

Stern but handsome.

Even his son was handsome.

Knowing better than to lie as Odin could essentially through a lie with superior intellect, the goddess decided to play it safe and simply mention that she was troubled by her appearance and had been for awhile as she believed she wasn’t as beautiful as the rest of the goddesses in Valhalla.

Odin was wise.

A situation like this needed to be handled carefully and he did so by not consoling her but by lifting her spirits by saying “Outer beauty pales to that of inner beauty and you have both. Be more confident.”

Placing a hand on her left shoulder he also mentioned to come and see him if she ever needed to relax or talk. Mentioning in his soothing and deep voice that he would always be willing to listen.

Just as he left.

Odin was mysterious like that.

Yet, he was always a listening ear and always offered sound advice when asked.

“How do I look?”

Odin found parties to be trivial matters, there was more important matters to attend to than mingling with other gods and goddesses and yet on this night when Zeus wanted to hold a party Odin attended and to his delight he saw a rather shy (Name) in a rather lovely dress.

“You look amazing. The color is nice.”

A small smile crept on (Name) as she knew Odin wasn’t the most talkative but when he spoke it was meaningful and she could tell he was sincere and genuine.

As the night went on Odin could tell (Name) was still feeling a bit insecure about herself just from knowing her as long as he did and so he casually mentioned to her in a quiet manner.

“Have you considered having sex? It’s been proven that sex helps with mental health.”

It was silent between the two for what seemed like forever.

Odin meant no harm by his comment he simply mentioned a remedy he read about a long time ago and once he saw how bashful the goddess before him became Odin wandered what was going thru her mind.

“Perhaps, you could help with that too.”

Well, now he knew and the two found a room that was empty but it wasn’t silent as the two had their private lesson inside.

Odin saved the rough lessons for another day as he didn’t want her to go completely numb with pleasure, there was a party to return to after all.

Once, the two had finished (Name) felt what could only be described as euphoria. Remembering the positions Odin, the All Father, had her in. How wise he was with his choice of words, complimenting her on her body and how he found her to be very attractive.

Sure, she stumbled in her walking here and there thanks to Odin but the pleasure and confidence was worth the trade. The sting to her ass was painful but pleasurable too as Odin just wanted to make sure he got his point across that she was beautiful with a beautiful ass.

Odin knew he could be a great teacher and he intended to get the lesson thru to the sweet goddess that she was beautiful as she was.

Odin wanted to make sure he never forgot how beautiful she was to him and to never forget him and so he mentioned that she was free to visit him anytime as he placed a kiss on her forehead while putting his clothes on.

Of course, (Name)’s hair was a mess, thanks to Odin, but she didn’t seem to care as onlookers noticed as she returned to the party. The only thing on her mind was the leader of the Norse pantheon who so graciously gave her the self confidence she needed and the mind numbing sex she loved.

The next day, (Name) found Odin in his castle in Asgard and had another lesson that evening and that night…

…and the following day.

The day after that and the day after that.

Odin never forgot to tell her how beautiful she was for he truly believed she was beautiful to him and that’s all that matters.

❄️Rukia-Writes❄️

[smilesrobotlover]

First|| <-prev next->

AO3

Chapter 9: Why Are You Here?

Hoz’s horse did well taking the three to Castle town in a short time, and before Kori knew it, they were at the gates. Colin hopped off and helped the other two down, and he led Penelope through the empty town. She was still fidgety over what happened in Faron woods, and Colin was clearly struggling to keep her under control. Meanwhile, Kori stuck to Rela’s side, staring at the ground, struggling to comprehend what had all happened. It was dark, and Kori was exhausted, but he had to drag his feet wherever Colin was going.Finally, he was able to drag Penelope to an empty stable, putting her in a stall and turning away with a huff. His brows were furrowed, he had bags under his eyes, and he overall looked distressed.

“Hopefully they won’t mind that I’m leaving her here,” he muttered, while Kori and Rela only stared. He ran his hand through his hair and let out a sigh, staring back at them. They continued to stare, waiting for him to do something. Colin sighed again and glanced at the castle, his hand repeatedly going through his hair. Kori looked in his direction and spotted the large building. He’s rarely been to Castle town, and he’s never noticed the giant castle in the town. He wondered if a princess lived there.

“Well, I should go try to talk to the queen, huh?” He muttered, and he glanced back at the kids. “But you two should go to pa and Link, find a place to stay. If they’re still here.”

“My papa is here?” Kori asked, an ache for his father forming in his chest. Colin shrugged.

“Best case scenario, they are. They won’t be happy to see us… but we need to talk to them,” he turned to the castle. “But I need to deliver a message to the queen, as soon as possible.”

Rela walked up to Colin and leaned against him. “I’m tired, big brother.”

Colin sighed and patted his sister’s back. “I know, Rela.” He gave the castle one more look, then sighed, disappointed. “Let’s head to the bar. I’m sure pa and Link are there.”

Kori and Rela followed Colin as they walked through the empty town. Doors and windows were boarded up, lights were off leaving the town dark, and it was eerily quiet. Colin seemed to notice it too, looking around nervously as if something were to pop out and attack them. The group walked past a large fountain that filled the empty silence with its water, and they walked through an alleyway with many shops lined up and closed down. The darkness was getting to be too much for Kori, and he felt his throat tighten as tears once again threatened to escape him. What if that black beast was here? If it was, how would he be able to spot it? He remembered it being so dark it seemed to absorb all light; if it were here, it would’ve blended in with the black surroundings so much it’d be practically invisible. A chill ran up Kori’s spine as they walked, and he found himself staring too long at a black void in a corner. He shuddered as memories of the terrible monster flooded in from the sight of the pitch blackness—the way it snarled at him, the way it chased after him, the way it held the soldiers in its terrible grip. He whimpered again. Was Hoz ok? Did that monster hurt him? Or…. kill him? The thought of the monster devouring Hoz made him grow nauseous, and he felt himself beginning to shake, his stomach sinking further and further to his feet. He wanted to curl up into a ball and cry, he wanted his papa here to protect him, he wanted to be back at home with his family and his toys. The fear caused him to hug himself and he shuffled his feet, trying to keep the tears from forming. Colin moved slowly as well, clearly tense with the darkness and silence. They passed by a dark alleyway, and Kori made the mistake in looking down it. It was just a void of blackness, with nothing to be seen, yet black shapes that represented the silhouettes of the homes and lamps swirled into the shape of the monster from Faron the longer he stared, and though Kori knew it couldn’t be it, he froze in fear. He heard his uncle and aunt move further away from him, but he couldn’t follow them, he couldn’t think, he couldn’t think.

He suddenly saw the silhouettes begin to move, and he felt faint. It wasn’t a trick, it wasn’t him thinking too hard—it was here, the monster was here. He whimpered again, staring wide-eyed at the darkness in front of him, wanting to disappear, to hide.

Hide. Hide. He needed to hide. He needed to hide but how? Where? Where?

Kori felt himself move; he felt himself move to somewhere he could hide. He felt himself fall through the ground, and he was curled up in a ball, staring up at the sky. Something wasn’t right.

“Hey!”

Kori flinched at the booming voice, and he strained his head to see. His whole body shifted up and saw what the shadows were from before. Three Hylian guards marched towards Colin and Rela, who looked terrified.

“What are you two doing out?” One of them asked, one hand on his hip and the other holding a spear. “We’re on high alert! No one is allowed out during the night!”

“S-sorry!” Colin began to stammer, holding Rela close. “I was sent by captain Hoz to deliver a message to queen Zelda—”

“Quiet you!” The guard snapped, he walked closer to Colin, looking up at him with a disgusted look on his face. “Psh, just a bunch of Ordonians. You don’t belong here, kid.”

Colin huffed and straightened his back, staring down at the guard. “I was sent here to deliver a message on Hoz’s behalf! He’s in danger, and this is vital for the queen to know!” Colin turned to Rela and gestured to her. “I just need to get to my pa so my sister and my nephew can get rest, but I…” Colin trailed off as he searched the alley-way, and his fair skin turned paler as his eyes widened with realization. “Kori… oh no… Kori!” Colin began to frantically search around him, with Rela following his lead. The guards glanced at each other and shook their heads in disbelief.

“Kid, you need to head inside–”

“No! Not without my nephew! He was right here!” Colin cried, and Kori frowned. He was right in front of him, wasn’t he? He waved his hand in an attempt to catch Colin’s attention, but even when his uncle looked right at him, he seemingly didn’t notice him. Kori frowned again, feeling his throat begin to tickle with his voice trying to call out for Colin, but he didn’t find it. He only remained silent. Why couldn’t he see him? Kori looked down at himself and gasped at the strange and new sight. His normal pale blue and black skin was replaced by a translucent, black shadow. It was spread across the floor and the ground thanks to the hint of moonlight, and it connected to the other shadows also being cast by the moon. Kori… was a shadow. No, he was inside a shadow. He was hiding behind it as if he were hiding behind one of the boxes in the shops. So that’s why Colin couldn’t see him…

Colin was having a meltdown at this point, desperately trying to spot Kori, but the young twilian couldn’t figure out how to step out of the shadows. How could he? How did he even step inside the shadows in the first place?

“Alright, listen kid, we can take you to the castle where you can get help… or something,” one of the soldiers offered, clearly growing worried over him.

“No, no no no I have to find my nephew!” Colin shouted, sobbing at this point. The tough soldier also began to grow worried and he rested a hand on Colin’s shoulder.

“Easy now, let’s just…. Get you kids inside, alright?” The soldiers began to lead the two down the alleyway towards the castle despite Colin’s protests. Kori attempted to step out of the shadows as they passed by, but instead he slipped into one of the soldier’s shadows. He wanted to let Colin know he was alright, but he couldn’t find his voice, and he didn’t know how to reveal himself. He was stuck, and he began to panic. What if he was like this forever, never to see his family ever again because he couldn’t escape the shadows?

The group made it to the castle, one of the soldiers giving the others orders, and they along with his aunt and uncle walked away, with Kori staying with the remaining soldier. The soldier huffed and marched through the castle, passing by many pillars, paintings, and tapestries that caught Kori’s eyes. He only saw the ceiling and the walls, but they were huge. His entire house could probably fit in here. The soldier reached a door and gave it a knock, entering inside when he heard a muffled “come in”.

“King Edmund,” the soldier greeted, bowing towards a desk. Kori attempted to step outside the shadow again, but he once again slipped into a different one, remaining hidden. He was able to get a better view, however; being in a shadow on the wall, he spotted a tall and thin man with unruly red hair, hunched over papers. His curly mustache shifted as he pursed his lips, and he glanced up at the soldier.

“What is it?”

“We just found these two hysterical kids outside in Castle town. My soldiers are taking them to the maids to be taken care of.”

The man stared for a long moment, his thin eyebrows practically resting on his eyes. He sighed and nodded. “Very well, I’ll take care of them in the morning. Thank you.”

The soldier bowed and left the room, and the man sighed, resting his head in his hands. “Labryn… these blasted Hylians,” he mumbled as he rubbed his face. He glanced out the window, the dark sky beginning to lighten with the sunrise. The night had already passed? But Kori didn’t even get to sleep! He huffed and decided to try stepping out of the shadows again, imagining them as a box he was stepping out of. He nearly lost his balance as he left the wall, and he looked down himself. To his relief, he was back to normal, but he realized how trapped he was. He was in a messy room with papers scattered everywhere, different trinkets and clocks decorating the walls and the desk, and the man seemed to have not noticed him as he stared at the paper.

“An all-nighter,” he mumbled again, sniffing as he straightened his back. “Great…”

Kori stepped closer to him, fear taking hold of his throat once again. He didn’t know if he should say something, or if he should run to the door, or if he should go back inside a shadow. But he was once again frozen with fear. The man sniffed again and glanced over at Kori. He looked away but did a double take, flinching when he comprehended another person’s presence. The man yelped as he toppled out of his chair, and Kori jumped back, pressing himself against the wall. The man scrambled to his feet, his green eyes wide as he stared at him.

“Holy sh—wha—what are you doing here? Who are you? What are you? Good goddesses, you gave me a heart attack!” He yelled, holding his chest as he breathed heavily. Kori couldn’t hold it in anymore, and the tears began pouring once again. The man’s fearful and angry expression quickly melted away into a concerned and guilty one. “Oh… no no no, don’t cry, I’m sorry for yelling,” the man’s harsh voice softened as he raised his hands defensively. Kori continued to sob uncontrollably, the stress from the past day finally getting to him. The man got on his knees and rested his hands on his shoulders. “I’m sorry. I won’t hurt you.”

Kori sniffled and finally took in a shaky breath. The man’s voice and demeanor reminded him of his papa, and his lower lip jutted out in a pout. His heart ached for his parents.

“Shhh, it’s ok. I’m sorry I frightened you. I was just… uh… frightened myself,” the man said with a light chuckle. Kori sniffed again and stared at the ground. “What are you doing here, little one?”

Kori’s voice was once again taken away from him. Why couldn’t he speak? The man stared for a long moment, then sighed.

“It’s alright. My name is Edmund. What’s yours?”

Kori bit his lip, staring hard at the ground as he struggled to find his voice. “K—K—K…” He swallowed and let out a breath. “Kori.”

Edmund nodded. “It’s nice to meet you, Kori. Why are you here in my office? And Uh… how’d you get in here?”

Kori glanced at the shadows slowly changing with the sunrise. He swallowed again and looked down. “Captain… Hoz… um…” his voice was quiet, and Edmund leaned in.

“Sorry, I don’t have good hearing, what did you say?”

Kori sucked in a breath and tried again. “C-captain Hoz… he… um… my aunt and uncle were uh…. Um…” Kori clamped his mouth shut, his voice leaving him once again. Edmund’s eyes narrowed, and he glanced at the wall.

“Captain Hoz you say? What happened? Where is he?”

Kori looked down, his voice still gone. Edmund watched him for a moment, then he sighed.

“Where’s your aunt and uncle?”

No matter how hard he tried, his voice couldn’t escape him. His eyes started to tear up again and he hugged himself. Edmund sighed and stood up, towering over Kori’s little frame.

“Well, you’re safe now, little one,” he said, patting his head. “Perhaps when you’re able, you can tell me where your aunt and uncle are?”

They were taken by the soldiers, Kori wanted to say. They were the ones the main soldier told you about. Please, they're here, just take me to them.

It was uncomfortably silent as emotions ran rampant through Kori, until a knock came at the door. He and Edmund turned to it as it opened, and to Kori’s surprise, a young girl about his age peeked her head through.

“Father?” She asked, and she froze when she made eye contact with Kori, her gray eyes widening.

“Amber! What in Labryn’s name are you doing up so early?”

Amber shifted, her eyes never leaving Kori’s. “Who is that?” She asked, pointing her finger at him.

Edmund glanced at Kori, his mustache curling up in a smile. “This is Kori, Amber,” he nudged him towards her, and Amber loosened up slightly. She stepped through the door, her hands clasped politely in front of her. She was wearing a simple, pink dress with a little bird plushie in one of her arms. Her head bowed in greeting, her brown curls with hints of red bouncing as her head moved.

“It’s nice to meet you, Kori,” she said, and Kori only stared with his mouth hanging open. Amber glanced up at Edmund, a confused look on her face. Edmund looked down at him and smiled again.

“Amber, my dear, Kori is a little scared right now,” he began to explain, kneeling on the ground to be on Amber and Kori’s level. “He’s separated from his aunt and uncle and could use some comfort. Could you take him to your room?”

Amber blinked. “But what about my studies?”

“Oh, you can miss them for the day. I want you to take care of him for now.”

Amber’s eyes lightened up and she grinned.

“Ok father! Come on!” She grabbed his arm and started to drag him out of the room. Kori looked back at Edmund who had a pleasant smile on his face, his fear for his aunt and uncle leaving him as he was pulled through the castle.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As soon as the two kids disappeared, Edmund collapsed in his chair. Gods above, he was too tired to think clearly. He should’ve taken care of Kori better, like searching for his missing family or something, but he couldn’t think clearly from his late nights. Despite how many times he chastised Zelda for neglecting herself, he was no better than her when it came to neglecting his own needs. He laid there for a moment, his eyes threatening to close shut as the sun beat through his window, feeling like a blanket wrapping around him. A harsh knock on the door shook him out of it, however, and he groaned as he stood up.

The soldier from before was on the other side with an awkward look on his face. “U-uh, your highness, I would’ve waited much longer to come to you for this but…. the kids we brought in last night….”

“Yes yes, I’ll take care of it,” Edmund mumbled, walking past him and marching to the quarters where the homeless and poor took refuge. As he walked, he thought about the little boy that somehow snuck into his office. He wondered how he would find his parents, or his aunt and uncle. Kori was a race that he never recognized; he could’ve been part zora or something, but Edmund figured since Hyrule was filled with all sorts of races, that he was probably a race he simply didn’t know. He hoped that his daughter could coax some information out of him, especially information about Hoz. Zelda sent a mysterious letter to him, telling him that everyone must stay inside at night, and he couldn’t help but wonder if Hoz had something to do with this. As he got closer to the rooms where the two kids were, he heard shouts and spotted a blond human yelling at the maids.

“Let me out! I need to find him!” He yelled, and the maids pushed him back.

“Sir, we cannot let you out until sunrise! That is by order of the queen!”

“The sun is up! You can’t keep us here anymore!”

“Sir, please—” The maids turned to Edmund and quickly bowed, the young human’s eyes widening as he spotted him, shrinking away.

“What’s going on here?” Edmund asked, staring down the young man.

“King Edmund, he was just—”

“I need to find my nephew!” He blurted out, and Edmund frowned, his mind instantly thinking about Kori. But he quickly pushed that out of his mind; this young man looked nothing like Kori.

“Alright, just take a deep breath,” he said, nudging the man back into the room. He spotted a little girl on a bed, glaring at him as he pushed him inside. “Now, what’s your name?”

The young man glanced at the little girl, then back at Edmund. “I—I’m uh… Well I—”

“Your name?” Edmund pressed, his patience growing thin. The boy looked down and took a deep breath.

“Sorry. I’m Colin, and my little sister over there is Rela,” he gestured to the girl on the bed.

Edmund glanced over at Rela who was still glaring. He could certainly see the resemblance. “And where are you two from?” He asked, turning back to Colin. Colin pursed his lips and stared at a corner in the room.

“O-Ordon.”

Edmund frowned. “Isn’t that the human village to the south?”

Colin nodded. “Yes.”

“And what are two Ordonians doing here at Castle town in the middle of the night?” He glanced at the window. “Or… in the morning to be more accurate.”

“Well—w-we have to… uh…” Colin sighed. “We need to speak to Queen Zelda. Captain Hoz sent us.”

Edmund’s breath hitched at the mention of Hoz. It was the second time he’s heard his name, so that must mean….

“Is Kori your nephew?” He blurted out, and Colin’s eyes widened.

“You’ve seen Kori? Is he ok? Where is he?” Colin asked, grabbing onto Edmund. The king peeled his grip off of him and he huffed.

“Gods above, you Hylians have no respect for royals!” he grumbled, dusting off his arm. Colin hopped back and bowed apologetically.

“I-I’m sorry, I’ve just been so worried about Kori.”

Edmund’s anger quickly fizzled away and he sighed. If his Amber went missing, or heaven forbid any of his nephews, he’d be desperate as well.

“Kori’s fine. He’s with my daughter. He wasn’t speaking and I hoped that she could help him feel better,” Edmund explained gently, and Colin practically crumpled onto the bed parallel with Rela’s with relief, his hand running through his hair as tears formed in his eyes.

“Thank you Ordona, thank you,” he muttered, rubbing his face tiredly. Edmund looked down and pursed his lips. He should get Kori, but his curiosity on why Hoz sent Ordonians to relay a message in his stead ate at him. Edmund decided to talk to him first, and he sat next to Colin, resting his back against the wall. Colin stiffened and stared at him, his big blue eyes holding a hint of fear.

“Colin, you and Kori both mentioned Hoz,” he started, not turning his head, but his eyes meeting Colin’s. “What happened?”

Colin glanced at Rela for a moment, the gears in his head turning. “I… I need to talk to Queen Zelda—”

“Zelda isn’t here right now,” Edmund cut in. “I’m taking care of things for her right now. So you will tell me what Hoz needed to tell her.”

Colin still seemed hesitant. “And Kori is ok?”

“Of course. My daughter is taking good care of him. I can grab him after you tell me everything.”

Colin’s brows were drawn together, but he finally submitted.

“Alright.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kori remained silent as he was dragged through the castle with Amber talking excitedly about things he didn’t understand. The castle was huge, much bigger than what he realized, and it made Kori feel much smaller inside it. When they reached Amber’s room, he couldn’t help but gasp at the sheer size of it. Her room seemed to be the same size as Gramma Uli’s house, with a large bed in the middle and a chest right in front of it. A window that practically reached the ceiling led onto a balcony, and there were several doors on each wall; whatever they led to, he had no idea. Amber stopped by the large chest, her hands clutched in front of her.

“It’ll be a while until my maids come by to get me ready, so…” she glanced at the box, then back at Kori. “We can do whatever you’d like.”

Kori stared blankly at her, not daring to move a muscle. Amber’s eyes looked around the room, her lips pursed as she traced the chest, Kori’s eyes following.

“It was Kori, right?” She asked, and he nodded. “I am princess Amber Zelda Hyrule, daughter of Nebula Zelda Hyrule and Edmund James Labrynna. You may call me Amber.”

Kori nodded, barely understanding what she meant.

“How old are you?” She asked, her voice high and sweet, which put Kori more at ease. He shifted slightly and stared at the ground.

“Ten,” he mumbled, and Amber gasped.

“Ten? H-how?”

Kori looked up at her with a confused look.

“You’re so small! You can’t be ten!” She continued, an even more confused look on her face. Kori frowned. He was pretty small but he wasn’t that small. He was much smaller than Rela but that was because she was eleven. Amber seemed to be bigger than Kori as well, so how old was she?

“My birthday was a while ago,” Kori mumbled, his hands waving around. “I’m ten.”

“B-but…” Amber huffed and crossed her arms. “But I’m nine!”

Kori’s eyes widened. He was older than her? He giggled and pointed at her. “I’m older than you!”

Amber glared and turned away with a huff. “How is that even possible? What are you?”

Kori withdrew, his hand returning to his side. “I… I’m a twilian, I guess.

Amber’s anger went away and she tilted her head. “What’s a twilian?”

Kori shrugged. “I guess I’m part Twili and Hylian.”

“What’s a Twili?”

Kori shrugged again. “I dunno, it’s what my mommy is.”

It grew silent between the two, until Amber stepped up to him.

“I’m part human and Hylian,” she said. “So… I know what it’s like to not be something exactly.”

“Human and Hylian… I guess that makes you a humian?” Kori commented, and Amber raised an eyebrow with an amused look.

“Or a Hyman.”

Kori giggled and Amber joined it, and it grew silent again. Kori stared at the large chest, and finally curiosity got the better of him.

“What’s in there?” He asked, walking closer to the chest. Amber hummed and opened it, causing Kori to gasp at the sight. Hundreds, possibly thousands of toys laid before him. He didn’t know it was even possible to have this many!

“These are all my toys,” she explained, reaching in for a doll and grinning at him. Kori continued to stare with wide eyes.

“You have so many!”

Amber giggled. “Yes well… I get a lot of gifts for my birthdays!”

A lot of gifts… Kori would be lucky if he even got one. The amount of toys he could’ve gotten if he’d gotten presents every birthday… Spirits, it sounded incredible!

“That’s amazing! I only have two toys, Billy and Jasper…” Kori said glumly, jealous of Amber’s large inventory.

“Billy and Jasper?”

“My goat stuffie! And my cat stuffie! I got Jasper for my birthday,” he explained, and Amber’s eyes widened as she hugged her bird stuffie closer.

“I love stuffed animals…” she mumbled, her face in her bird’s head. “I never get them though. Everyone believes I’m too old for them.”

“What?!” Too old? Kori was older than her, yet he didn’t feel like he was too old for plushies. He couldn’t imagine not being able to get them! “That’s so sad!”

Amber nodded. “I’m not too old for dolls though,” she muttered, staring at all the many dolls in her chest. She didn’t seem to like them all that much. Rela didn’t like dolls either, and instead opted for toy soldiers and swords. But Kori liked the dolls that could be dressed up, so he grabbed one with a blue dress on. Several dresses missing from dolls laid in the chest and he reached for a small hat and brown shoes. He stared at the doll and put the two accessories on while Amber watched.

“Do you like dolls, Kori?” She asked, her head tilted. Kori giggled nervously and shrugged.

“I’ve never had one. But I like the clothes on them.” He stared at the doll and handed it to Amber who took it hesitantly.

“This hat doesn’t belong to her,” she commented, and Kori shrugged.

“It looks good.”

Amber observed the doll and nodded. “I guess so.”

Kori looked back into the chest and gasped at wooden soldiers on top of different doll dresses. He grabbed one and pulled it out, observing the delicate carvings.

“You have everything!” He exclaimed.

Amber smiled and shrugged.

“If I had this many toys, I would never be bored ever again!” Kori exclaimed.

Amber’s smile faded and she looked down, still hugging her bird. “Toys are great, but they grow tiring when you have no one to play with.”

Kori turned his head at her, his brows drawn together.

“You have no one to play with?”

“I-I… I have my father… he sometimes plays but,” Amber’s expression grew sad. “He’s been pretty busy.”

“What about your mommy?”

Amber looked up at him, her expression growing more sad. “I never see her.”

Kori’s stomach sank a little, and he looked back at the soldier.

“I am happy that my father is here,” she continued, “but… sometimes I…I…”

“You want your mommy too?” Kori finished for her, giving her a knowing look. Amber looked up at him, her brows pinched together. “My mommy is gone all the time too. I don’t know when she will come or how long she’ll stay, but she has other stuff she needs to do at her home.” He sighed and sat down, his back against the chest. “I miss her when she’s not here. I have my papa, but I feel… happier when my mommy and papa are with me.”

Amber joined him on the floor, a look of understanding on her face. “Yeah! My mother has been gone for so long and…” She paused, her eyes staring at the floor distantly. “I just never see her. Sometimes I wonder if she loves me.”

Kori’s heart hurt for her. Though his mommy was gone a lot, she always spent her time with him. He knew for a doubt that she loved him. The thought of not knowing if she really cared for him was almost too painful to think about. He scooted closer to her and put an arm around her.

“I’m sorry,” he said, and she leaned into the hug, her bird plushie still in her face as she hugged it close. They stayed there for a short moment before Amber began to stir, and she returned to her chest of toys.

“Anyways… I’m not sure how long you’ll be here but… do you… want to play with me?”

She seemed almost bashful as she asked Kori; her eyes were avoiding his, her voice soft and quiet, and her bird plush still remaining clutched at her chest. Kori smiled and nodded enthusiastically, looking into the chest again.

“What do you want to play?”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Release the princess you old creep!” Kori shouted while waving the toy soldier around. Amber planted her dress-up doll in front of the soldier, cackling maniacally.

“You’ll never save her!” She shouted back, the toy moving around violently as if she were casting a spell. “I’ll turn you into a spider and you’ll have to be crawling around for the rest of your life!”

“Noooo!” Kori’s toy dodged out of the way in a dramatic fashion, and he began to smack Amber’s toy as if he were fighting her. “Die die die!”

Amber seemed surprised at the sudden violence, but she played into it, making noises of pain as the evil witch died.

“Nooooo! It can’t end like thiiiiiiis!” She wailed, making dramatic dying noises. Kori watched as she put her whole body into it, laying down with the toy and sticking her tongue out. He let out a giggle when she finally went silent, and she looked over at him, a smile on her face. She shot up and pulled out her princess doll, shoving it towards Kori. “My hero! You saved me! Now we can get married!”

Kori’s nose scrunched up. “‘Married?’”

Amber nodded, giving Kori a look as if he was stupid. “Yeah! Every time a knight saves a princess they get married! Obviously.”

“But… they barely know each other!”

“So?”

“So it’s… it’s… weird.” Kori glanced down at his toy soldier, fiddling with his sword.

“It’s not weird! It’s romantic,” Amber sighed dreamily, her eyes staring at the ceiling with her toy clutched to her chest. Kori stuck his tongue out in disgust and turned away. Amber suddenly snatched his toy soldier out of his hands and pressed the princess and knight together, making kissing noises. Kori squealed and cringed away, giggles escaping him as Amber got louder with the teasing. Soon the two kids burst out laughing and laid out on the floor, holding their tummies as they grew sore from the laughter.

“You’re so weird,” Kori laughed, and Amber grinned widely at him. The two laid there in silence, a few giggles escaping one or the other. Kori sat up and was about to say something, but the silence was interrupted by a knock on the door. Amber scrambled to her feet, with Kori following as the door opened, and Edmund entered, his eyes widening at the room.

“Good gods, what have you two been doing in here?”

Kori glanced around at the room. The two had certainly made a mess with it, with different toys scattered everywhere and blankets being used as forts. He looked at Amber who had a guilty look on her face, and she quickly got to tidying up the toys.

“The princess got kidnapped and Kori had to save her,” she explained simply, throwing one of the dolls into her chest, and Edmund’s face softened.

“Alright. Well I’m glad you two had fun, but the maids will have much work to do,” he turned to Kori and gestured to him to follow with his head. “Come with me, I’m going to take you to your uncle.”

Kori gasped at the mention of Colin, and he walked across the room to where Edmund stood, but he stopped. He turned back to look at Amber, who had a sad look on her face.

“He’s leaving?” She asked in a quiet voice, and Edmund sighed.

“Kori needs to return to his aunt and uncle, my dear. Say goodbye, now.”

Kori glanced up at him and walked over to Amber, pulling her into a hug. She reciprocated immediately, her head falling onto his shoulder.

“I hope I can play with you again,” she said, her voice muffled.

“Me too! You were fun to play with!” Kori gave her one last squeeze and pulled away. Amber’s eyes had grown watery and she sniffed slightly.

“Could we… write to each other?” She asked, and Kori shrugged.

“I don’t know. I don’t know how it works. But I’d like to!”

Amber smiled and put her toy soldier in his hand. “Write to the castle, and I’ll be sure to respond. I’ll… see you later?”

Kori stared at the toy soldier for a moment, and looked up at her with a smile. “Yeah! I hope so.” He began to back up towards Edmund, who watched silently. He waved at Amber as he walked out of the room, and Edmund closed the door behind them. It was silent as Kori followed the man, feeling like a mouse compared to him, and the discomfort to go with it. He already missed Amber as he fiddled with her toy soldier, the silence growing uncomfortable for him. Eventually, Kori heard talking, and he spotted a familiar blond whose eyes lit up when they made eye contact.

“KORI!” Colin shouted, running to him. Kori felt a weight lift off his shoulders as his uncle ran to him, and he quickly melted into his embrace, tears streaming down his face. “Oh thank the spirits,” his uncle mumbled, giving Kori a squeeze. Rela came up behind him and joined in the hug, sighs of relief coming from the family.

“Goddesses, Kori,” Colin started after pulling away. His hands rested on his arms and he looked him over. “What the heck happened? Where were you?”

Kori looked down, not knowing how to explain his situation. “I was… in the shadows?” He answered, shrugging his shoulders. Colin stared for a moment, confusion apparent on his face, but he pulled Kori in, not caring what he meant.

“I’m just glad you’re alright. You had me worried, kid,” he muttered, and Kori smiled.

“I was worried about y’all too,” he replied. Rela stepped up and put her hands on her hips, pointing at herself.

“Well I knew he was going to be ok!” she cut in, giving Kori a proud look. “I taught him how to take care of himself!”

Colin gave Rela an unamused look and stood up. He turned to Edmund who remained silent and bowed.

“Thank you for taking care of him, Your Highness,” he said, and Edmund nodded.

“Of course. It was my pleasure,” he said with a smile. “And thank you for telling me about Hoz. This information is vital to the safety and protection of Hyrule.”

Colin nodded back at him. “Of course. Just… make sure Zelda gets the information, ok?”

“Zelda will get it, I assure you,” Edmund replied with a hint of annoyance in his voice. “Though just because she isn’t here doesn’t mean things won’t get done.”

“R-right, sorry…” Colin turned to Rela and Kori and sighed.

“Do you have a place to stay?” Edmund asked. “If not, you may stay here until it’s safe to travel.”

“No no, we have a place to stay, don’t worry,” Colin assured with a smile. “Thank you though, you’re very kind.”

Edmund glanced between the group and nodded. “Then it’s best for you to leave. I’ll escort you out.”

The king began walking towards the larger doors with the rest following him, and Kori squinted at the sunlight that shone through the frame. Edmund walked them across the courtyard and stopped at the gate, turning to Colin and gesturing to the town with his head.

“I take it, you can make it on your own now?”

“Yes, your highness. Thank you.”

Edmund nodded one last time and watched as Colin, Rela, and Kori crossed the gate, but he stopped them before the gate door closed.

“Hold on,” he called out, and Kori turned around. “Kori, you’re from Ordon, right?”

Kori glanced at Colin who looked confused, and he nodded. Edmund smiled and glanced back at the castle.

“I’m just making sure. Thank you… for playing with my daughter. I’m sure she had fun.”

Kori’s eyes widened and he grinned. “Yeah, I had fun too!”

Edmund chuckled slightly and bowed his head before finally leaving the gate, it shutting closed behind him. Colin turned to Kori with an eyebrow raised.

“Spirits, did you play with the princess, Kori?” He asked, and Kori frowned.

“No, I just played with a nice girl,” he explained simply.

“Kori, you do know that we talked to King Edmund. His daughter is the princess. You played with her!”

Kori paused. Amber was the princess? He knew Edmund was the king, but he didn’t even think about Amber being a princess. Was that why she had so many toys and such a big room? But… she seemed like a normal girl, not at all like how he expected a princess to act. Colin burst out laughing and ruffled his hair, turning to the town.

“You made friends with the princess of all people, kid. That’s somethin’ not even your pa could do.”

Kori followed, his hand holding onto Rela’s. He didn’t know why that was such a big deal, but he figured it was just adult things that he’d understand when he got older. The town was drastically different from how it was last night when the group finally reached it. People were running into each other, zipping from place to place, chatting at the fountain, and listening to singers by the front gates. It was less scary than before, and Kori grew fascinated at all the different characters running past him. Some ignored the little boy, others gave him weird looks, but overall, they minded their own business as he, his aunt and uncle walked through the crowd. Rela’s hand tightened around Kori’s and he moved closer to her, hugging Amber’s toy soldier to his chest. He still didn’t understand why she had given it to him, but he knew he had to ask his papa if he could see her again. Kori didn’t have many friends besides Rela; it would be nice to have one closer to his age who liked to play with the toys the way he wanted to. As the group wandered through the town, all he could think about was the game he and Amber played, and how much fun he had. Rela was great and all, but she was older than Kori, and a lot more rough. She preferred to play with swords and pretended to kill monsters. Plus, being his aunt, it also felt less like a friendship since she was family. Though, the way she protectively kept him close as they walked through the town, he was grateful Rela was there for him like a friend. Regardless, Kori longed for a friend outside of his family, one who he could play fun games with. Just like Amber…

The three finally reached a staircase that led into an empty area of the town, and Colin confidently went down the stairs, marching straight towards a door. Colin reached for the handle but paused, staring at it for a long moment.

“What is it?” Rela asked after a while of staring. Colin sighed and looked at her and Kori.

“It’s nothin’, I just… Pa is gonna kill us, that’s all,” he muttered, and he finally opened the door. Kori’s eyes slammed shut at the sudden stench inside. He didn’t know what he was smelling, but his fingers squeezed his nostrils shut, his eyes watering from the awful smell. His ears drooped as well, the loud shouts and laughter of drunk men assaulting his long ears. He huddled closer to Rela, staring at the sweaty men drinking a foaming liquid that poured out of their mouths. This place was awful! As Kori looked around, he spotted a group of people across the room, and he quickly recognized his grandpa standing at a table. His brows were pinched together as he stared at the table, but his blue eyes glanced up to see the group of kids walking towards him. His serious expression turned to horror, and Kori saw his own papa turn around to see him. Tears escaped from Kori and he broke away from Rela, sprinting across the room to his papa. His papa was out of his chair, a confused expression on his face, and Kori rammed into his chest, wrapping his little arms around him as he sobbed into his shirt. He quickly reciprocated, rubbing his back as he cried.

“Kori, what the heck are you doing here?” His papa asked in his gentle voice, which made Kori cry harder. Spirits above, he missed him so much. He missed him so much and he didn’t want to let him go. Kori heard talking from his uncle and grandpa, but he didn’t listen as he clung on desperately to his father. His worries melted away, and all that was there for Kori was him and his papa.

[a-spicy-reader]

The meeting at the gym

MINORS DO NOT INTERACT

English is not my first language so sorry for any mistakes

Synopsis:

Jeno always preferred the gym in the late afternoon, when he could focus on his workouts without distractions. However, his peaceful routine is interrupted when he notices Leah, a confident woman dedicated to exercise.

Jeno was at the gym, pushing himself through another intense workout. He preferred to arrive late in the afternoon, when the place was almost empty, allowing him to focus on the routine. This night was no different, with just a few people scattered around the gym. Energizing rap music played in his headphones, fueling determination in him as he moved from one exercise to the next, his muscles burning with the effort.

During one of his sessions, Jeno noticed a woman training on the other side of the room. She was impressive, with a confident air that caught his attention. Her toned body moved with grace and strength as she navigated her routine. Jeno found himself looking at her more often than he'd like to admit. He began timing his workouts to coincide with hers, hoping to muster up the courage to talk to her.

Four days passed and Jeno's curiosity only increased. He watched her lift weights, run on the treadmill, and even stretch, appreciating her dedication. He decided that tonight would be the night he finally performed. When she finished her presentation and went to the water fountain, Jeno saw her chance.

He took a deep breath, wiped the sweat from his forehead and approached her. "Hey," he said, offering a friendly smile. "I've been seeing you around here a lot. You have a pretty intense workout routine."

She looked at him, her eyes meeting his. "Yes, I think so," she replied with a smile. "By the way, my name is Leah."

"Nice to meet you, Leah. My name is Jeno." He held out his hand, which she shook firmly. "Do you mind if I join you for a bit? I could use some tips."

Leah laughed. "Sure, why not? I'm always happy to help a fellow gym-goer."

They spent the next hour working out together, exchanging tips and stories. Jeno was attracted to her confidence and easygoing nature. When they finished the last set, Jeno decided to take a risk.

“Hey, Leah,” he said, his voice a little more serious. "Would you like to get a drink or something after this? I'd love to get to know you better."

Leah raised an eyebrow, a playful smile appearing on her lips. "Sure, Jeno. But I have a better idea. How about we skip the drinks and go to my house? It's right around the corner."

Jeno's heart skipped a beat. "That sounds perfect."

They left the gym together, walking the short distance to Leah's apartment. The tension between them was palpable, an unspoken understanding passing between them. When they arrived, Leah unlocked the door and led Jeno inside.

"Make yourself at home," she said, taking off her shoes. "I'll get us some water."

Jeno nodded, looking around the cozy apartment. It was simple yet elegant, much like Leah herself. She returned with two glasses of water, handing one to him. They sat on the couch, the air thick with expectation.

Leah took a sip of water and placed the glass on the coffee table. "So, Jeno, what brings you to the gym at this time?"

Jeno shrugged, trying to look casual. "I like the silence. Plus, it's a good way to relax after a long day."

Leah nodded, her gaze intense. "I get it. It's my favorite time to work out too."

There was a moment of silence, then Leah approached. "You know, Jeno, I could tell you were watching me the last few days."

Jeno felt a blush creep up his neck. "Was I that obvious?"

Leah smiled. "A little. But I didn't mind. In fact, I thought it was kind of flattering."

Jeno's heart skipped a beat. "Really?"

“Really,” Leah said, her voice dropping to a whisper. "And now that I have you here, I don't want to waste any more time."

She leaned in, capturing his lips in a searing kiss. Jeno responded immediately, his hands going to her waist, pulling her closer. The kiss was hungry, filled with a mutual need that neither of them bothered to hide.

Leah's hands roamed her body, feeling the hard muscles beneath her shirt. Jeno's hands did the same, exploring your curves with a sense of urgency. They separated briefly, both breathing heavily.

"Here?" Jeno asked, looking around the room.

"Here," Leah confirmed, her eyes dark with desire.

Jeno didn't need any more encouragement. He pulled her to the couch, arranging them both so they were sitting. He kissed her body, taking the time to appreciate every inch of her skin. Leah's breath hitched when he reached her core, his mouth hovering just above hers.

He looked at her, their eyes locking. "I want to taste you," he murmured.

Leah's eyes darkened with desire. "So do it."

Jeno didn't wait. He lowered his head, his tongue darting out to taste her. Leah's back arched, a moan escaping her lips as he began to pleasure her with his mouth. The hands Jeno grabbed her thighs, holding her in place as he worked his tongue, exploring every fold and crevice.

Leah's hands went to his hair, tugging gently as she lost herself in the sensation. Jeno's tongue moved expertly, bringing her closer to the edge with each passing second. He could feel her getting wet, her body trembling with anticipation.

"Jeno," she panted, her voice shaking. "I'm so close."

He didn't give up, her movements became more intense as he pushed her closer and closer to her climax. Leah's moans grew louder, her body tensed as she teetered on the edge. With one final, skillful flick of her tongue, he brought her to the edge.

Leah screamed, her body convulsing with pleasure as her orgasm washed over her. Jeno continued to please her, prolonging her climax until she was a trembling, panting mess beneath him. Only then did he pull away, a satisfied smile on his lips.

Leah looked up at him, her eyes still cloudy with pleasure. "Fuck, Jeno. That was amazing."

"I'm not done yet," he replied, his voice full of promise.

He kissed her body back, positioning himself between her legs. Leah opened her thighs wider, inviting him in. Jeno aligned himself with her entrance, his tip teasing her slick folds.

"Prepare?" he asked, his voice husky with need.

"Yes," Leah breathed. "I want you."

Jeno didn't wait any longer. He thrust into her, burying himself deep in her heat. They both moaned at the sensation, the connection between them was electric. Jeno set a steady, intense rhythm, his hips moving with purpose.

Leah's hands gripped her shoulders, her nails digging into her skin. "Fuck, Jeno. You feel so good."

"You're so tight," he moaned, his thrusts becoming harder and more urgent. "So perfect."

Their bodies moved together in perfect harmony, the room filled with the sounds of her pleasure. Jeno's pace quickened, his need for release growing with each passing moment. Leah's moans stimulated him, his body responding to his every touch.

As they got closer to climax, Jeno's thrusts became more frantic, his control slipping. "I'm close," he panted, his voice strained.

"Me too," Leah gasped, her body tensing around him.

With one final, powerful thrust, Jeno reached his peak, pulling out at the last moment to spill his seed into her belly. Leah's orgasm followed almost immediately, her cries of pleasure mixing with his as they rode the waves of her climax together.

Jeno sat back, breathing heavily and covered in a sheen of sweat. Leah was lying beneath him, her chest rising and falling rapidly. "That was...amazing," she said softly.

Jeno smiled, turning his head to look at her. "Yes it was."

They lay there in comfortable silence, their bodies still vibrating from the intensity of the encounter.

Leah stirred, a playful gleam in her eyes. "I think we need a shower," she said, a mischievous smile on her lips.

Jeno smiled. "I think you are right."

They got up from the couch, Leah leading the way to the bathroom. The water cascaded over their bodies, washing away the sweat and tension from their intense training and passionate encounter.

Jeno pressed Leah against the shower wall, his lips finding hers in a heated kiss. The steam enveloped them, increasing the feeling of intimacy. His hands roamed her wet skin, exploring every curve and contour.

Leah moaned into her mouth, her hands sliding down his back to cup his ass, pulling him closer. "Jeno," she whispered, her voice full of desire.

“You’re insatiable,” Jeno joked, biting your neck.

"You loved it," Leah replied, her nails lightly scratching his back.

Jeno's only response was a grunt of approval. He lifted her effortlessly, her legs wrapping around her waist as he positioned himself at her entrance once again. With a slow, deliberate thrust, he entered her again, both of them moaning at the sensation.

The shower only increased their excitement, the hot water cascading over their bodies as they moved together. Jeno held Leah tightly, supporting her weight as he thrust into her, each movement more intense than the last.

Leah's back arched against the cold tile, her hands gripping Jeno's shoulders for support. "Yes, Jeno," she panted, her voice echoing in the small space. "Just like that."

Jeno's grip tightened on your hips, his pace quickening as he felt the familiar pleasure building inside him.

Their bodies moved in sync, the sound of their skin slapping together mixing with the steady pitter-patter of the water. Jeno's thrusts became more urgent, his control slipping as he neared climax.

max. Leah's moans grew louder, stimulating him, her body clenching around him as she reached her peak.

With one final, powerful thrust, Jeno buried himself deep inside her, her release hitting her.

him with an overwhelming intensity. Leah screamed, her orgasm washing over her as she clung to him, her nails digging into his skin. They rode the waves of their climax together, their bodies shaking with the aftershocks.

Jeno placed his forehead against Leah's, both of them panting. "That was…amazing," he murmured, his voice full of wonder.

Leah smiled, her eyes shining with satisfaction. "Yes it was."

They lay there for a moment, letting the water wash over them as they caught their breath. Jeno slowly placed Leah on the floor, his hands on her hips. She looked up at him, a playful glint in her eyes.

"Do you think you can keep up with me, Jeno?" she teased, her lips curling into a mischievous smile.

Jeno chuckled, his hands sliding up to cup her face. "I think I can," he replied, kissing her softly.

They finished their shower, washing each other with gentle, lingering touches. Once they were clean, they went outside and dried themselves, the steam still hanging in the air around them. Leah wrapped herself in a towel, her eyes never leaving Jeno's.

"I don't normally do this," she admitted, a hint of vulnerability in her voice. "But there's something about you, Jeno."

Jeno smiled, reaching out to tuck a strand of damp hair behind his ear. "I feel the same way, Leah. I'm glad we met."

Leah leaned into her touch, closing her eyes briefly. "Me too."

They put it on, and the previous tension was replaced by a new sense of intimacy. Jeno followed Leah into the living room, where they settled on the couch, their bodies still vibrating with the afterglow of their passionate encounter.

Leah snuggled against him, resting his head on her shoulder. "And now?" she asked, her voice soft.

Jeno wrapped his arm around her, holding her close. “Now, we see where this goes,” he said, a smile appearing on her lips. "One day at a time."

Leah smiled, her eyes meeting his. "I like the sound of that."

As the night progressed, they talked about everything and nothing, sharing stories and laughter. The connection they felt was undeniable and Jeno knew this was just the beginning of something special.

The night deepened Jeno and Leah remained entwined on the couch, their breathing synchronized in the comfortable silence that settled over them. The soft glow of the room's lamps casts a warm, intimate light on their relaxed forms.

Jeno looked at the clock on the wall and sighed softly. "I should probably start getting ready to go," he said, his voice tinged with reluctance.

Leah squeezed him tighter, her fingers lightly tracing patterns on his skin. "Do you really need it?" he asked, his tone was a mix of hope and disappointment.

Jeno smiled and ran his fingers through his hair. "Yes, I have an early morning tomorrow. But tonight was perfect, Leah."

Leah nodded, understanding but wishing they had more time together. "It really was. I'm glad I finally talked to you."

"Do you want to meet again?" Jeno asked, his eyes searching for her confirmation.

Leah smiled warmly. "Absolutely. I want to see where this goes."

Jeno leaned in, capturing your lips in a tender, lingering kiss. "Good evening, Leah."

"Good evening, Jeno," she replied, his smile lighting up her face as he walked out into the hallway.

Leah watched her until she disappeared around the corner, then closed the door and leaned against it, a satisfied sigh escaping her lips.

---

The next few days passed in a blur of anticipation. Jeno and Leah texted each other constantly, their conversations were filled with fun banter and shared excitement about their upcoming date. Finally, they agreed to meet again at Leah's apartment, eager to pick up where they left off.

When Jeno arrived at Leah's house, the sun was beginning to set, casting a warm, inviting glow over the city. Leah greeted him at the door, her eyes shining with excitement.

"Hey," she said, pulling him into a hug. "In between."

Jeno followed her inside, feeling the familiar rush of excitement upon noticing her presence. They settled on the couch, the same place where their intimacy had begun.

"So what have you been up to?" Leah asked, her eyes fixed on his.

"I'm just thinking about you," Jeno admitted with a smile. "And counting the days until I can see you again."

Leah laughed softly, her cheeks flushing with heat. "I've been thinking about you too."

They talked for a while, sharing stories and laughs, the bond between them growing stronger with each passing moment. As the conversation calmed down, Leah stood up and

stretched out his hand.

"Let's take this to the bedroom," she suggested, her voice full of anticipation.

Jeno's heart skipped a beat as he took her hand and followed her

[sungbeam]

𝐜𝐢𝐫𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐬

nonidol!lee hyunjae x f!reader

6.7k words (my hand slipped, sorry), fluff, angst, low-key e2l, ex friends 2 implied lovers?, low-key rich kid au, swearing, drinking and drunk talks/crying, a shitty situation, a bitchy ex gf, uhh very low-key hurt/comfort?, lots of mentions of pizza and soft drinks, THE PLOT IS SO RUSHED IM SORRY I CRAMMED.

a/n: requests now closed! whew,,, what a doozy 😭 im sorry if it feels rushed bc it low-key really was such a rushed and ambitious plot on my part. to the anon who requested it, ik it's not exactly what u asked for and im sorry ><

The pizzeria was like your second home. Maybe it was your home, but you weren't sure if calling a pizza place your home was the best word. It acted as your bubble away from academic responsibilities, family obligations, and anything else you wanted to forget. For the past three years of your college career, you made this place your comfort spot, while also picking up some spare change.

Your friend and co-worker Dae bumped her hip with yours as she passed by you with her hands full of empty plastic cups to refill. "Your group of banshees just walked in," she mused, slipping past you to the fountain drink machine on the bar counter.

Your head perked up and watched the front door on the other side of the room open to let a wave of your friends in. Dae liked to joke that your friend group consisted of a bunch of "banshees" from how loud they could be. You couldn't blame her at all; it was hilariously accurate. On a bad night, the group's volume could reach levels of a nightmare baby being birthed from the Devil's anus.

"Yn-ie!" Chanhee and Jacob waved to you as the group of five made their way through the tight spaces between tables.

"Hey, guys," you greeted them. "You're so lucky a group just left." You nodded toward the circular table in the back corner where your friends often made their home. It was big enough to seat seven—ten, if you squished—but it was almost always for you and your friends.

The pizzeria's owner and your boss, Mr. Moretti, usually didn't mind your friends occupying the space. You were pretty sure he was glad your friends were hiding themselves away in the back. (Not because of the merriment, just because of the noise. Some customers just wanted pizza and a quiet night, and you could respect that.)

"Waitress! Waitress!" Changmin screeched, waving one of his hands around like a lunatic.

You came up to the table with an unimpressed look on your face, and Kevin wrestled his neighbor back into this seat. "Okay, so Changmin doesn't get to eat tonight," you drawled and braced your hands on the backs of Sunwoo and Chanhee's chairs.

"I was just wondering how long it takes for someone to get service around here," Changmin jested. He feigned one of those pompous brushes of his hair, mocking one of the rich pricks who had come in here last month thinking that the RIGHT TO REFUSE SERVICE sign didn't apply to him. Changmin broke into a lopsided grin at your arched brows. "What? I think I'm funny."

Your eyes widened in a silent 'Can you believe this guy?'

"He's sugar high because someone let him get to the cupcakes," Kevin directed his flat gaze to his counterpart, Jacob.

Jacob's hands lifted in innocence. "What? No one was eating them, and he said he was hungry."

"Okay, drinks, folks!" You clapped to regain their attention. You did, after all, have other customers. "What're we feeling tonight?"

A chorus of drink orders flew up into the air—coke, iced water, Sprite, lemonade—and you nodded, stepping away to grab them those very beverages. Your friends had all been here enough times to know exactly what was on the menu, so while you stepped away briefly for their drinks, they could deliberate and get back to you as soon as you returned.

Like a well oiled machine, you delivered them their drinks, and Kevin doled out the lineup for tonight.

"You know, I was thinking of painting my nails black," Kevin said as he finished off the order. He held his hand out in front of him, inspecting the state of his bare nails.

Sunwoo straightened in his seat. "We should do it together, hyung!—I mean… you could probably paint my nails. I dunno if you should trust me with one of those thin ass brushes."

"You're right," Chanhee chimed in, "we shouldn't."

You snickered to yourself as you left your friends to their own devices and pinned their order sheet to one of the clips hanging in the kitchen window. There was a set of plates set out on the window sill, the bill reading for table three, and you picked it up to take over to them. Dae appeared next to you, tightening her ponytail, and grabbed the dishes for table four right beside it.

With both your hands full, you departed to deliver your respective orders.

As you set the dishes off food down onto table three, you heard the telltale swish of the door opening, and night air flooded into the room. On instinct, you straightened with a smile to greet them. "Hi! Welcome—" your voice died on your throat, and when his eyes locked with yours, you stuttered, "—in. For how many?"

Lee Hyunjae brushed a hand through his blond hair, his other arm wrapped around the shoulders of a girl who was unfortunately familiar to you. A couple of the guys with him, you recognized, too, but he was the one who had made you trip over your words.

One of them with jet black hair and kind, feline-like eyes, lifted four of his fingers in a wordless signal.

You nodded, lips set in a firm line, and gestured to the open four-seater at table eight.

You tucked your empty tray beneath your arm, mentally thanking anyone who was listening that his party was seated in Dae's section and not yours. Thank god for odd numbers.

Dae was swift to chirp out her usual cheeriness to the newcomers, and you scurried back over to the register to cash a table's check. As you did so, your eyes flitted up toward Hyunjae's table. He glanced over at you periodically, looking away whenever you were already looking at him.

What the hell was he doing here? You wanted to yell, scream. Out of all the places, out of all the nights, out of all the times… how long had it been since you last saw him, you wondered to yourself as you let the bitterness seep into your bones and meld with the marrow. It was a feeling you knew all too well.

You strode over to table seven to set their check down on the edge of the table. Everything in the pizzeria was so close together; it was near impossible not to catch the words being exchanged at table eight.

"—don't understand why you chose this dump, Hyunjae." That was the girl, the one who's face made you want to throw something at it. Her name was Kyla, and the last time you saw her in person, she had just become Hyunjae's girlfriend.

Sometimes you questioned how they even managed to stay together so long, but then again, people like them deserved each other.

"Eric just wanted pizza, babe," drawled the blond, his arm casually draped over the back of her chair.

The two others seated at the table consisted of the man with jet black hair, and another with a medium-toned brown hair peeking out of a gray hoodie. The latter said, "You guys'll love this place! Their breadsticks are literally the fluffiest things in the world."

A smile curled onto your face at that comment. Now that you thought about it, you'd seen him around before.

You slid over to table one and began stacking the dirty dishes left behind by customers who had gone. Table eight's conversation continued.

"Is it normal to be able to see grease in the air?" Kyla gagged, her nose wrinkling in disgust. She soaked in the close quarters of the restaurant with little appreciation.

The other third wheel at table eight, the one with black hair, lifted his eyebrows. "It's cozy in here, Kyla."

"Yeah, just give it a chance," Hyunjae chimed in.

You brushed past their table to grab table seven's check and hustle it back over to the register. You met Dae at the counter, her hands once again full with cups that needed filling.

A grunt left her lips. "Table eight," she began.

"Yeah," you agreed. "Sheesh."

Her head turned to you over her shoulder. "You know 'em?"

"Unfortunately." You pursed your lips. "It's been awhile," you amended. "I only know the couple at the table—enough to say, good luck, girl."

Dae made a face, but she pulled her shoulders back to solidify her posture. You always admired her work ethic and her customer service skills. As fellow waitresses during many a dinner rush hour, you both had to deal with your own handfuls of difficult people. At this point, it wasn't difficult to sniff them out from a mile away. There were some days you just wanted them to yell at you and get it over with.

Just as Dae left to go drop off drinks, your friends' order hit the window sill. You tucked the finished bill for table seven into your apron pocket and grabbed the trays to set on the table for your friends.

"You look like you're about to gnaw my fingers off, Jacob," you teased with a twinge of nervousness.

The man grinned at you, with teeth. "I'm hungry."

"Valid." You backed away from the table, and the carnage began.

You laughed, ducking your head, as you left your friends to their feast. You arrived at table seven and wished them a good night—

"Do you not have cherry coke? Isn't that, like, a universal fountain drink?"

You glanced over to see Dae's mouth twitch just slightly, but gave nothing else away. "No, we only have regular Coke and Diet Coke; I said that earlier, miss."

Kyla stared at her as if she'd just gotten her puppy revoked. "But they both taste like ass."

"You can have a fruit punch instead," Dae offered.

"But I don't want fruit punch."

You saw that the other two boys at the table fidgeted nervously. They were making eyes at Hyunjae, urging him to do something.

He seemed to lift his gaze to yours at that exact moment and you wondered what he saw in them. Something shifted in him, a silent acceptance of surrender.

The next thing you knew, he was leaning into the conversation. "Ky, you can just get a water or something and then we'll go get a drink after this. How does that sound?"

She threw a look over at him. "I really just want a cherry coke, Hyunjae. If I have to be forced to eat at this place, then the least you could do is get me a cherry coke."

Okay, that was enough.

"Is there a problem here?" You asked, sidling up beside Dae. You saw her loosen up out of the corner of your eye.

Kyla opened her mouth to retort something, but she halted abruptly. Her head cocked to the side, eyes narrowing, like she was trying to figure something out. You knew the moment she recognized you. A slow smile curled onto her mouth. "Oh my god… Yn Ln. Mommy and daddy kick you out or something? Why are you working at this dump?"

You were certain your eye started twitching.

Hyunjae grappled her shoulder. "Kyla."

"This is gold," she chirped. "Wow, I didn't think anything good could come of this dinner, but—" she sneered, "wow. You look awful."

"Takes one to know one," you said with venom dripping from your words. "We have a right to refuse service, ma'am, so if you don't quit badgering my friend and me, then I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

She didn't seem to catch your drift. "No. Get me. A cherry coke."

You suppressed every urge to fuck this girl up. To Dae, you murmured, "Can you cover my tables?"

"For sure, girl," she said, giving you a reassuring clasp on the shoulder. "Should I call Moretti?"

"No, I think we should be fine—"

"Wait until I tell everyone I know about how absolute ass this place is," Kyla ripped you back out into reality. She had her phone out now, and Eric, the guy in the hoodie, was reaching across the table to stop her.

You weren't allowed to touch her, you reminded yourself. You could do this with just words. No matter how much it killed you to not sucker punch her stupid, pearly whites in. "I'm going to have to ask you to leave," you told her through gritted teeth. "Either you buckle down with your regular Coca-Cola, or you get out."

"How about—no."

All breath dissipated from your lungs when you felt the carbonated liquid dumped in your face, the blocks of ice just missing your eyes. The entire establishment seemed to freeze with you.

You scoffed, slowly wiping the soda from your eyes and shaking out your arms. You couldn't seem to form coherent speech.

"What the fuck is going on here?" You recognized Kevin's hardened voice behind you, his hand squeezing your shoulder to tell you he was here.

As Kyla and Kevin dueled it out, you found Hyunjae's eyes again. To his credit, he seemed horrified and apologetic, his mouth parted in shock. But then again, he didn't have much credit anymore in your book.

Your hands fisted. You wanted to yell at him to get out. It had been a decent evening, a good evening, before he and his like came in and threw a drink in your face.

You didn't want to address the burning bitterness that coursed beneath all the annoyance and anger—out of everything, why didn't he say anything? Why didn't he try harder to help you? Why was he with her when he could be with y—nevermind. That didn't matter.

Even now, your back still ached from when he'd last left it stabbed.

"Are you okay, Yn-ie?"

You realized that Hyunjae and his party had gone now, and the shop patrons were slowly going back to whatever they had been doing before. Chanhee appeared before you with a couple napkins from the dispenser on the table, and Dae rushed over with a massive roll of paper towels. Your other friends had flocked over, too, to help clean up and also attend to customers while you pulled your shit together.

You gave a nod, finding your voice to tell them so. Your gaze casted briefly toward the front door where you knew he wouldn't ever be stepping back into.

You told yourself that was a good thing.

It was late when you finally pushed out of the back doors of the pizzeria building. Your car was parked out back with many of the other employee cars; it was just a lot more convenient and a lot less traffic. It had been a couple days since the fiasco with Kyla and Hyunjae, and you hadn't heard or seen him once since then.

That was a good thing. It was supposed to be a good thing. After all, why would he suddenly reappear in your life now? What purpose or what significance did that have?

You were going to try and forget about him again. Your life was plenty good without him, and yet…

"Yn."

Speak of the Devil. You swore under your breath as you nearly tripped over the curb. His voice was haunting, as was his presence, his whole silhouette. You'd once found a home with all those things—with him.

You and he stopped beside your car. "What are you doing here?" You asked him.

Hyunjae had his hands shoved into the pockets of his leather jacket. "I, uhm," he began, "I wanted to say sorry."

"Sorry?" You parroted. The word was sticky in your mouth and it clung to all the wrong crevices.

"Yeah, for the other night." He clasped the back of his neck. "I… I broke up with her, by the way."

Your eyes widened at his words. He broke up with Kyla? A part of you wanted to pump the sky and jump up and down—finally. Fucking finally! But there was another part of you, the rational one, who yanked you back to Earth and smacked you in the head to think about it. Three years of dating that girl, and just now he decided to break up with her? What was the tipping point? There was no way he didn't know she acted like a spoiled brat all the time.

What was so good about her anyway? You thought you had understood at the time—she had more money, more connections. Her parents were old money rich, not entrepreneurs like yours. It was stupid to think that was the reason, and you couldn't afford to go down that rabbit hole of methodology again.

"So?"

Your singular word seemed to slap him in the face. "So? I—" Frustration flickered across his face for a split second. Now he knew how you felt.

You couldn't wait for him to say anything; you had so much to say to him. "Listen Jaehyun," you said plainly. "I don't know what you want from me. You broke up with your girlfriend? Good for you. You're sorry for the other night? Okay. I don't know if you expect me to grovel and praise you for owning up for once—"

"Okay, what?" He cut in. "First of all, I don't expect you to grovel or praise me or whatever. Second, what do you mean 'owning up for once?'"

"I mean it exactly like I said it." You clenched the strap of your bag in your hand. Crazy how your car was literally right next to you, but you couldn't get into it. Your feet were glued to the street, and a part of you wanted to know how this ended. "The last time I saw you, Kyla laughed in my face, and you encouraged her. You dropped me like our years of friendship meant jack shit to you. I don't know what you're trying to pull, Jaehyun, and I don't wanna know."

Hyunjae leaned his head back, eyes closed for a second. "Yn, it's so much more complicated than that."

You stuck your tongue in your cheek. "That's such bullshit, and you know it. You don't get to come back and tell me this." There was a shakiness in your voice now, and you knew you had to get going or risk yelling. "That's just not fair."

"I know it's not fair."

"Good."

"Fine," he bit out. "I don't even know why I'm here."

Your hand found purchase on the driver's side door. Say something. Give me a reason to stay. "Maybe your sense of guilt has finally returned and your brain wanted to make amends."

He rolled his eyes, and it felt like a stab in your chest. "I'm going to leave now."

"Thank god." The words tasted sour in your mouth and you realized that he hadn't given you a reason to stay; in fact, it had been the exact opposite.

You both went your separate ways again. When you clambered into your car and watched him walk away through your rear view, it dawned on you that the entire conversation had been one massive circle. You wanted to hear him out—of course, you did.

You used to know him, after all. You used to know him so well. And perhaps that was why you hadn't just now.

"We need to talk."

A pair of hands slammed down on your desk and you nearly fell out of your chair. You tugged your earbuds out of your ear to give whoever this was a piece of your—

You frowned. "Oh. It's you."

Hyunjae frowned back at you. He was wearing a jean jacket today, hair styled presentably. He didn't have to look so good in this lighting, but you supposed even the sun liked to favor him. "Yes, it's me. Can you get up so we can—" He nodded out toward the library window beside you, "—talk?"

"So you want us to jump out the window?"

"You are so annoying."

Your smile was saccharine. "Not as annoying as you."

It had currently been around fifteen hours since he showed up at the back alley to confront you with that sorry apology. You'd woken up this morning less mad and more sad… smad. Sure, you were smad. It seemed that a night of sleep hadn't deterred your ex-best friend from talking to you, and you couldn't decide if that was a good or bad thing.

"You don't even go to this school," you told him in a pathetic attempt to wave him away without actually waving him away.

"This is a public campus, Yn." He pulled out the seat across from you before you could protest. "I don't have to go to this school."

You scowled. The organ in your chest was beating awfully fast—you really hoped you weren't about to get in a screaming match with him here of all places. "What do you want, Hyunjae? You can't just show up everywhere I go unannounced."

"I don't do that."

"I'm starting to think you're obsessed with me, actually."

"Will you just—"

"Heya, Yn." Relief flooded through you at the sight of Changmin and Sunwoo walking up to your table. The former narrowed his eyes behind his dark-framed glasses. "Everything okay?"

You flipped your notebook closed and swiftly packed all of your items up. "Yeah, perfectly," you said. Hyunjae didn't follow as you stood up. "Bye, Hyunjae."

As you walked toward the library exit, Changmin and Sunwoo converged on either side of you. "What was that all about?" Sunwoo asked, his head peering behind you at the boy who was no doubt still sitting at the table. "Why is he here?"

You shook your head and pushed out onto the university grounds, propping the door open for your friends trailing behind. "Dude, I have no idea. He dropped by on my way out of work last night—"

"He what?"

"It wasn't even a productive conversation," you told them. You didn't know where you were going, but you turned around to face them as you walked backward along the path. Maybe you shouldn't have just left him there. "I don't even know how he knew I was at the library."

Changmin's mouth quirked downward. "Isn't this like… kind of creepy? What's with him anyway?"

"Yeah, Yn, how do you know him?" Sunwoo chimed in.

You sighed, face scrunching up as you thought about where to begin. Swiveling back to front, your friends clung onto you—both physically and to your words. "Our parents loathe each other, because they're business rivals, but Hyunjae and I went to the same schools when we were kids and we became friends."

It had been the two of you against the world—best petty friends. That first time his parents had driven him over to your house for a play date, the looks on both yours and his parents had been priceless. It'd been a wonder that they'd let you continue with the play date. From that point on, however, you both became friends for life, all despite the odds.

At least, that was how it had been.

Three years ago, just before both of you were going to begin your college careers, he had pretended that everything between the two of you was nothing more than dumpster fire. He ended up with Kyla, he became a jerk, and you'd spiraled. Had it been something you'd done? Had it been you? Did his parents open his eyes to your families' petty rivalry and get him to turn on you? That was what it had seemed like.

You'd survived, somehow. You had friends now—good friends, nice friends, un-petty friends. (But Hyunjae had been that person for you, too, once upon a time.)

You found yourself in your apartment at six in the evening the next day, staring at a half-drunk glass of wine and a crossword on your coffee table. You'd snatched up one of the newspapers in the lobby to busy yourself with in an attempt to take your mind off thrown cups of coke, bitchy ex girlfriends, and bitter ex friends.

It hadn't worked yet.

A knock on your front door drew your focus away, and you dragged yourself up from the couch to see who it was. Something panged in your chest at the face on the other side of the peephole.

You ripped the door open. "Do you want a restraining order?"

Hyunjae stood on the other side looking a little less put together than yesterday, but still more put together than you. "Yn, can we please just talk?"

"How do you even know where I live?" You asked him, not moving from the threshold, and thus, leaving him no room to come in.

"I literally helped you move in three years ago," he said, blinking. Oh. "Now, can I please come in?"

At least he was saying please, you reasoned with yourself. Begrudgingly, you let him in.

His shoulders seemed to deflate as he slipped inside, and he left his shoes on the show rack by the front door. Once you'd replaced all the locks, you swept past him to your kitchen area. "Want a drink?"

"Uhm, sure. Yeah, thanks."

You came back to the couch with another glass and poured him some of the red.

The two of you sat on the couch beside each other with a comfortable amount of space in the middle. He picked up his glass and chugged the entire thing, while you finished off your own glass and reached for the bottle. It felt so strange to be in his space again—or at least, for him to be in your space again. You didn't know if the jittery kick in your heart was from nervousness, excitement, or both.

What more did he have to say to you?

When you topped your glass off again, Hyunjae refilled his own.

"What do you want from me, Hyunjae?" You asked him for what felt like the hundredth time within the past week. You didn't have the heart to look at him now, the alcohol making your brain buzz and your chest heavy.

He nursed his glass, elbows braced on his knees. "I'm sorry," he said, clearing his throat when his voice came out rough. He fidgeted with the collar of his shirt. "You're probably so fucking tired of me, but I just… I knew I had to make things right."

You tugged your legs onto the couch and tucked them under you. "Why? Because you broke up with your girlfriend for throwing soda in my face?" For a moment, the thought amused you. Out of all the things to break up with Kyla for—out of all the things—it'd been over Coca-Cola.

Hyunjae swallowed down his wine. "No, that's not—that's not why I wanted to break up with her. I mean, part of it, of course. She'd disrespected you and your friend and the workplace."

His words and their sincerity drew your eyes to him on your left. His head hung, but you could see the glazed look in his eyes, dulling out those pretty, mahogany irises of his. He looked like your Hyunjae for once, not the one who had appeared in the doorway of the pizzeria with his arm around a girl who didn't appreciate him or anyone.

"And I'm sorry for that," he continued. "I'm sorry I didn't do more to prevent that from happening."

You stared down into the dark stillness of your wine glass. "Well, it wasn't exactly your fault," you said quietly.

You heard him huff, "Yeah, sure." He lifted the glass up to his lips again, and you did the same.

"The little altercation was recorded and posted online," Hyunjae suddenly said. "And when my parents saw, they pretty much backed out of the partnership between our company and Kyla's parents'. They didn't let me break up with her before because of the contract or whatever, but after that PR nightmare, they pretty much cut ties for me."

He took another swig, and you found yourself really looking at him this time.

"I was and have been an asshole to you, Yn," he said. "And it's no excuse, but it was… I was just trying to make it easier for both of us."

The wine was penetrating your defenses. Or maybe that was his story. But either way, the stinging in the corners of your eyes led to a watering of your vision, and everything was getting blurry. The lights, him, your whole view of the situation. His parents hadn't turned him, but shackled him instead.

"I thought," you began, lifting a hand up to wipe your eyes dry, "you hated me."

Hyunjae raised his head, shaking it, then hanging it again. He drank. "I couldn't hate you. I tried—I tried to make it easier to see you differently, but… Yn, you were my best friend." His voice broke at the end and he swallowed. "I thought about you so much these past few years, and it was so hard to get through it without you."

Your heart was sinking fast into your stomach and you could feel it hammer against your bones. You'd thought about him too much, as much as you loathed to admit. The man who you felt had simply thrown you away… how pathetic was it that you couldn't stop caring? But now, the lens was widening. Maybe your feelings weren't so unique.

Both you and Hyunjae moved at the same time, arms raising to drain your glasses of the last bits of wine.

You told yourself it was the wine that was making you want to cry, but when you and Hyunjae looked at each other, his eyes were lined with silver. He sniffled, setting his glass on the coffee table. "I'm sorry," he whispered, biting his lip when emotion made him screw his face up and turn away from you.

You put your glass next to his and clambered over the sofa to wrap your arms around him. He turned his face into your chest and sobbed, the sound coaxing a crest of emotion out of you, too, and you held him and rocked him through the oncoming waves.

It was the wine, you thought. God it was the wine. It had to be the wine.

But your best friend was here in your arms, where he belonged, you liked to think. He was home.

You curled your hand over the back of his head, your cheeks damp. "'m sorry they forced you into that relationship," you rasped. The bitterness was sweeping back in a different color. "I wish I knew."

He sniffled. "They threatened to do something to your parents' company. I couldn't—I couldn't let you and them get involved."

The confession stabbed through you. You had no idea what his parents had told him, and made him do, for the sake of business. You had no idea how unhappy he was, and god—you wished you'd known. Maybe things wouldn't have come to such hurt.

Hyunjae pulled himself away from you and wiped his eyes. "I think after all that shit, I'm a little fucked up."

The both of you shared a watery laugh, the space that had originally been left between you, nonexistent.

You cupped the sides of his face. "You made it though, and you've been so strong, Jae."

His bottom lip trembled. "Can you ever forgive me?"

"Yeah," you nodded. "Yeah, I forgive you." How could you not? And it was the wine—you swore it was the wine—that had you leaning forward and pressing a kiss to his hairline. His eyes fluttered shut as he leaned into you, his hand reaching up to cover your hand with his own.

"I like you a whole lot better than her," he murmured.

"I'd hope so," you mused, patting his cheek. "You deserve to have someone so much better than her."

He gulped, eyes searching your face. "You think so?"

"I know so."

Your heartbeat stuttered when he leaned forward slightly. You could smell the wine on his breath as it fanned over your skin. It felt as if the world slowed in that moment—the lights were dimmer, his eyelids low, lips shiny and plush.

And then he blinked, energy and alarm and… something else in his expression. He pulled out of your hold and his ears turned bright red. "I should go."

Your lips parted. "Wait—"

He practically leapt off the couch and banged his knee against the wall as he hobbled into his shoes. "Damn—I—" he opened the front door, pausing over the threshold. You didn't know why he was leaving; you wanted him to stay. Why, why, why was he leaving? "I, uhm, I've overstayed my welcome."

The door rattled as he closed it behind him, as if to tell you to not follow him out. You were left on the couch alone again, two empty glasses of wine, feeling stripped.

What the hell was that?

"And he just… left?"

You nodded, sweeping the apron around your waist over the hook in the back room of the pizzeria. It was late when yours and Dae's shift ended, as per usual. The shop was pretty much closed, leaving the two of you and two of the cooks who usually closed up the establishment when you both left.

For the entirety of your shift, you had been turning over yesterday's events over and over again. "I don't know what I did wrong, y'know? Maybe I crossed a boundary or something? I dunno."

Worry gnawed at your stomach as you recalled what happened to Dae. You both stepped out of the back of the building to head to your respective cars. It was dark out, as it usually was, with a few street lights along the road that you and Dae stuck to while walking.

As you approached your car, you noticed Hyunjae standing beside it with his hands tucked in his pockets and his head turned toward you. Rather than the sourness you'd felt for him at the beginning of the week, the feeling twisting in your chest was sweeter, but bitter still.

"I'll see you tomorrow then," Dae said to you softly with a gentle nudge of your arm. She walked ahead of you and passed by your car to get to hers, leaving you to confront the man plaguing your every thought for the past week.

You swallowed as you made your way over to the driver's side door where he was standing. "Hey."

Hyunjae gave a slight bob of his head. "Hey."

"Did I do something wrong yesterday?" You asked him, earnestly, searching his face for any hint as to why he had left so abruptly.

"No, it wasn't your fault—it definitely wasn't your fault," he told you. He sucked in a breath, carding a hand through his hair. "I had an epiphany of sorts."

"An epiphany?" You furrowed your brows.

His cheeks had flushed slightly, and he couldn't exactly meet your eyes. "I thought it was just the alcohol clouding my judgment, and in combination with all the emotions, and I just—" he shook his head. "It's probably not important, but…"

You bumped your elbow with his. "Jae, you're here. It probably is important."

A small smile curled up onto his face. "Y'know," he began, finally lifting his head to look you in the eyes, "she would have agreed with me and brushed me off."

You knew who the "she" he was talking about was. You frowned. "She was never good enough for you, Hyunjae."

"I know." He sighed. "I just wanna be enough for you though now."

Surprise lit across your face, and you could feel the butterflies in your stomach start to take flight. You couldn't think coherently with his words, and you were probably reading into it too much. The two of you had been away so long that you probably forgot how to read him; there was no doubt that something changed over the past three years, right?

When you failed to find a reply, he shifted slightly, his body facing straight toward you. "I've had a lot of time to think, and the whole time I was with her, I just kept comparing her to you." He stepped closer to you and his hand reached out to tentatively take your fingers with his. "She never measured up; maybe that made me even more bitter for ruining our friendship."

You met his eyes. There was that glimmer of the rich brown like what you'd seen last night. (Your Hyunjae was present and accounted for.) "What… what are you saying?"

"I'm saying that I," he said, fully taking your hands with his, "would like to start over on a slightly different note. But if you don't feel the same, we can start wherever you're comfortable with."

It would be different, you realized. But it would be a good different, right?

You found your voice, curled your fingers around his in the space between you. "Okay."

His smile slowly widened, his eyes squinting into upturned crescent moons. "Okay?"

You nodded, returning the expression. "Let's start over on that different note."

The pizzeria was as alive as usual. It was warm, smelled like tomatoes and cheese and bread, and it was still your home away from home. You had just finished your break and were tying your apron back on when Dae bumped her hip against yours as she passed by with a tray of dirty dishes.

"Your banshees just got in," she said, before disappearing through the kitchen doors.

Your gaze went to the door where you found your five friends, and the additional three, who were filing in altogether. You made eye contact with one person in particular, his smile softening into something fond at the corners of his mouth. He lifted a hand in greeting, grabbing everyone else's attention as they said their hellos to you.

The eight of them made their way over to the round table in the back corner, piling into the chairs around it.

"Waitress! Waitress!" The hyena-like sound set off an alarm in your head and you came over to the table to give Changmin a stink eye. He grinned innocently. "Oh yay, it worked."

You gave him an unimpressed look. "You sound like a chihuahua."

"Joke's on you, I think chihuahuas are cute," he huffed, leaning back in his chair with his arms crossed over his chest.

You braced your hand on the back of Hyunjae's chair, the other one gently patting the top of his head. He acknowledged your greeting, his hand reaching up to cover yours on the chair back. "What's to drink, y'all?"

A chorus of beverages rang out, and you mentally counted the few repeats and the singles. You promised to be right back, and left to go grab them. As you went, you could hear your boys start up a lively debate about the multipurpose properties of the lemon. You wondered if that was what they had been bickering about on the car ride over here, and you heard Eric say something about lemons for cleaning; Juyeon just said lemonade; and Changmin said for inflicting "more pain." (No, you didn't want to know.)

When you returned to their table to pass out your drinks, you went around, leaving Hyunjae for last. You set his cup of coke in front of him and he passed you a smile.

"You're not gonna dump that on me, are you?" You asked, eyes narrowing playfully.

He grinned. "As long as you don't dump me, we're good."

Sunwoo made a face from across the table. "Yuck, get a room!"

Chanhee smacked him upside the head. "At least they have someone to be yucky with."

"This feels familiar somehow," Kevin pondered aloud. "Like déjà vu."

Jacob shrugged. "Maybe in another universe. I dunno, it seems like something we would have said to Sunwoo at some point."

"Hey!—"

You were halfway through a laugh when Hyunjae caught your attention, twisted around in his chair to smile up at you. "What's up?" You asked him.

His eyes, you could never get sick of his eyes. They glistened in the lighting here. "Nothing," he said swiftly, "I'm just… happy to be here." With you.

You understood, and you caught his hand on the back of the chair and gave him a little squeeze. "I'm happy you're here, too." It seemed that some things were just meant to come full circle.

tbz m.list

permanent taglist: @flwoie @vatterie @seomisaho @hqrana @ja4hyvn @tinkerbell460 @kaaimins @hyunjaespresent-deobi @otterly-fey @zzoguri @floatingpluto @winterchimez @ethereal-engene @gyulfriend @polarisjisung @jaehunnyy @shakalakaboomboo @loveliestfelix @bless-311 @zhaixiaowen @leaz-kpop-life @amourdsr @pxppxrminty @kqyutie @sseastar-main @kxthleen14 @fluorescentloves @mosviqu @justalildumpling @jaerisdiction @super-btstrash-posts @jundundun @http-gyu @mvvnsseul @outrologist @vernonburger @maessseongs @kflixnet @ericlvr

[r0s3s26]

He gave me the ewwwww!!!

Authors Note: Basically right, daichi was going to be apart of my “Watching you punch someone for hitting on you” head canons but it got too long and story got different so I am making it its own story:)) So enjoy!!

WC: 1170

(This must be the luckiest team in the world cause 3 baddie managers?!? Like what!!!. Anyways back to the story)

The team was at a volleyball tournament in tokyo, not for a prize, kinda like a very large training camp. As you, Kiyoko, and Yachi are setting up you realize that water bottles have not been filled yet. “Hey Kiyoko do you wanna help fill all the water bottles with me? A lot of them are empty and its easier with another person” She turns back to you and nods her head in agreement, she the turns to Yachi and says “Hey yachi we will be right back we are filling up water bottles, you got this by yourself” “Of course!” she says pretty loudly with a hint of nervousness. You playfully giggle a bit at it and say to the team “Be right back, and please don’t make us look bad” mainly staring at tanaka and noya. Daichi (your boyfriend) looks at you and smiles and says “don’t worry, they should know how to act by now” “shit i hope so” you reply.

At the water fountains

When we get there we see a bunch of other players from different teams there also. Kiyoko goes up and asks them to move over(politely) so we can fill up the bottles, but it doesn’t go as planned.

“Hello, excuse me, can you please move over a bit so we can fill up our team's water bottles?” The dudes look over and start to snicker to themselves, looking at each other with mischievous looks, “Yea sure thing sweetheart, once we get you and your other manager's number” He said looking at you from behind her, you gag a little in your mouth at him asking. You walk up from behind Kiyoko and say “Um no that's ok we don’t want your number we just wanna get our bottles filled” you roll your eyes after saying that, a nervous feeling sitting at the bottom of your stomach. “Oh so we aren’t good enough huh? We too ugly for you?” the other man said, raising his voice a bit”.

Back at the stadium

While this was going on Yachi was looking at her watch “Hey guys Y/n and Kiyoko have been gone for a bit, do you think they're ok?” she said with a bit of nervousness lace in her tone. Tanaka and Noya immediately shoot their heads up to the sound of you and Kiyoko's names “What do you mean have been gone for a long time? BY THEMSELVES?!?!” they yelled, making Yachi visibly nervous. Daichi noticed and started to get a little nervous too, but didn’t wanna show it. “Alright everybody calm down” he said, mainly looking at Tanaka and Noya when saying this, “How about me, Noya, Tanaka, and Suga go and look for them, everyone else stay here”. The rest of the team nodded as they got back to warming up. As the group starts looking for you and kiyoko they spot you both arguing with those players.

Back to you and Kiyoko…

“Dude we said fucking no how is that not clicking in your head?!” you yelled “Yea leave us alone” Kiyoko said back. Suga was the first to spot the situation going on and told Daichi first “Yo Daichi, over there, and I think those dudes are given them a hard time” he said with a calm tone, trying to be the rational one. The group immediately goes over to you guys and watch this scene unfold: After the guy called you and Kiyoko bitches the both of the dudes shoulder checked you both and called you sluts, you immediately turn around, grab the dude by the back of the shirt, and punch him in the face, over and over again(and scene).

Daichi immediately runs over and pulls you off of the guy “BABE CHILL I THINK HE GETS IT” he says while holding you in the air “No cause they don’t know when to fucking quit, wanna be fuckin disrespectful” you said trying to squrim out “You need to be put in a fuckin mental hospital, your crazy” The guy says holding his now swollen eye, “WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU JUST SAY TO ME” you yelled back. Daichis hold of you got tighter as he walked away with you close to his chest.

While Suga, Tanaka, and Noya walk away with Kiyoko back to the stadium, Daichi walks with you to a more secluded area of the building to try and calm you down. He sets you down on a bench and crouches to your level a bit as you sit, “Hey baby I know you're mad, but you gotta breathe with me ok?” he says in a soft tone that is still laced with concern, you breathe with him which starts to calm the molten hot feeling in your nerves. Daichi pulls you into a hug and you start laying on his chest, hearing his heartbeat makes you calm down fully. “I didn’t know you could punch that hard” Daichi says with a chuckle “It kinda scared the shit outta me, I thought you knocked him out” now its you who starts laughing also “Im sorry I scared you and Dai, I just couldn’t let him treat me and Kiyoko like that without repercussions, like what a fucking dick” you say becoming slightly annoyed again. “Hey hey hey it's ok my love, just ignore him” he looked at the clock “We also have to go because our game is about to start”, you immediately got up and started speed walking to the courts, “Well why didn’t you say that?!”.

When you two get there all eyes are on you, guessing that everyone's favorite duo already told the rest of the team. “Hey guys whats up-” “Did you really knock some guy out?!” Hinata shouted at you, Kageyama also chimed in “That is so badass” Yachi then asked “Is your hand ok?!?” you then interjected and said “No I did knock him out, and I actually didn’t check my hand yet, thank you for telling me”. You look down at your hand and see it's actually a little bloody “Holy shit how did I not feel this” you lift your fist up to Daichi, Asahi, and Suga, Asahi starts to gag a little at the sight of blood dripping down your fist while Daichi starts to panic a little bit again. “Omg Y/N your knuckles, you have to get them wrapped like right now or the scarring is going to look crazy-” “Daichi calm down im fine” you look at him with a bit of a deadpan stare.

You walk over to Kiyoko to get your wound cleaned but also to check in on her “Hey dear are you good?”(my bsf calls me dear and I think its cute lol) “Yes I am ok, thank you Y/N, but are you ok? Your hand is getting swollen. I gotta put ice on that ""Yea I’ll be good, I think Daichi is more worried than me honestly” you say with a small laugh. You sit with Kiyoko chatting and laughing as she cleans your wound, Daichi watches from afar with a smile, knowing that you would be ok.

Extra: Coincidentally the dude you just punched in the face is Karasuno’s first opponent for the tournament, let's just say they took it in 2 sets :).

Authors notes: I hope everyone likes it, this has been sitting my drafts for a while just festering lmao

[elliebyrrdwrites]

Vampire Draco

I am still dabbling the marriage law trope. But, the second part will be from Hermione’s POV. It’s a whole other head space to get into. It comes less organically than the Draco pov. In the meantime, enjoy some vampire Draco drabbling!

Half a year ago, I died. I don’t remember how it happened. I only remember what happened after. My corpse was reanimated and now I am this. I don’t know if I am considered alive or dead. I only know one thing. It’s the yawning unquenchable thirst that keeps me from sleeping. It keeps me from smiling or laughing. I can’t even cry. To be fair, I don’t know if it’s possible for me to do any of those things. I have never tried. I’ve never felt compelled to.

All I know is that I died, this vague unattainable idea of a memory of a life that used to be mine, floating away like a song on a breeze, and I was in the middle of a field. I’m not sure if I died there or if my body was moved but, it’s where this life began.

The life of the dead.

When I woke, I didn’t understand what the ache in my throat was. The ache was more of a burn that seemed to originate from the tongue or my lips. I couldn’t tell you. But, they seemed to travel like flames, licking down into my chest. It would carve out my now useless organs and burn a hole through the stomach that no longer had a function.

Because I wasn’t hungry. I didn’t want to eat.

I was thirsty. That was the most obvious explanation.

So, I staggered to my feet. I felt like a new born deer. Everything was clumsy, like I had forgotten to use my limbs. But the truth of the matter is, that my body moves much quicker than I mean to.

And the longer I ambled and tripped and ran, I realized that it wasn’t just my motor skills that had changed. It was all of my senses. My sight, sharper. My sense of smell, stronger.

I found a water fountain attached to the side of a public bathroom in the middle of a playground. I drank from it, greedily.

And immediately threw it all up.

I retched all of the water and saliva onto the ground, right in front of the bench a mother and her child were sitting at, staring at me with an equal mix of wide eyed fear and disgust.

The back of my hand wiped at my chin as I looked down at my body, my clothes were covered in dirt and dried blood. The shirt I wore, a plain black oxford had a gaping tear and over my chest and the pale skin visible from under it, was more dried blood.

I could smell it. It was old and rotting with a tinge of iron. But, just beneath all of that, was the faint smell of a crisp. Tart. Green apple.

That was me.

That smell, the apples, it’s my scent.

This blood, it’s mine. From when I was alive.

Which meant other people had scents.

I stumbled towards the mother and child, reaching for one of them, either one. It didn’t matter. I wanted to smell them. Did they have their own scents? Would it taste like fruit? Maybe a melon or a fig.

The mother screamed and wrapped her arms around her son before shoving past me, running away and screaming.

I don’t remember my life before I died. I don’t know where lived, who my family was. What my name was.

Maybe it was Dylan or Donnie. Something with a D.

I don’t remember if I had friends or a girlfriend, maybe a wife.

Maybe I liked men.

I don’t know.

What I do know is this thirst. This empty feeling that I can never fill.

And I know do not laugh and I do not cry.

What I know is that I killed a man that night and drank every drop of his blood until my cheeks went hollow. I sucked and I sucked, until I came up with nothing from his veins, not even air.

When you’re no longer alive, nothing is real. Laughter, joy and pain? It’s not real. The light breeze that dances along your neck on a hot day? A myth. When you’re dead, even your body isn’t real. It’s nothing.

Not even grief.

Life, death, whatever this is. It goes on like one long, unbearably boring day that never ends. Because you cannot sleep. You pretend to sleep, laying prone on a bed you’ve stumbled upon while out hunting. In death, you hunt people in their natural habitat. Which is usually out on a hike. Or sitting on their sofa, watching television about lives that are also not real.

Sometimes, I stick around their home and sniff at the flowers or lick the fruit they have laying around.

The flavor is incredible but I can’t eat it. The first time I tried, it felt like a brick fell into the bottom of my stomach and I had to stick my finger down my throat until it all came out on the kitchen floor of the woman I killed.

I kill them but somehow, their bodies never reanimate. I don’t know how to make it happen.

Sometimes, after I drain my prey of their blood, I prop them into a chair across from me and I imagine what it might be like to have a conversation. Sometimes, I wonder how it is that I know words and language, but I can’t remember my real name. Sometimes, I think I’m going to cry, but my eyes remain dry. Other times, I sit down where they were and I watch the television show they had on.

A comedy or the news. Hardly ever is it something sad or scary. These fake people with their fake smiles and canned laughter become my guide to this new strange world. I mimic their movements and expressions. I test them out on the limp, cold bodies of my victims.

I ask them why these fake people always talk about this thing called love.

So, this is how I live. I am a nomad. I stumbled into their homes, sink my teeth into their neck and feel them die in my arms, before I use their homes and try on their clothes.

I live my life as a stranger in my own body and walk the streets, crowded by scents of blood varying from sweet and tart, rich and earthy, spicy and salty. And I kill them. One by one, I pick the off. There’s so many, I doubt I will ever get through them all but it’s like a buffett of flavors that I get to test. I find that the sweet and spice scents are my favorite but I’ve never smelled one that might be both.

Until It all changes.

It happens in the middle of the day. I’m stumbling, trying to keep my pace to match the people walking around me. Nobody alive walks as fast as I do. So I have to shift my gait, shorten it. It feels unnatural, stilted and jerky.

“Draco?”

The voice, it belongs to a woman. She sounds incredulous. She sounds emotional. And her voice does something to my dead brain. There’s this feeling again, of an unattainable touch against a moment that no longer is. Maybe it never was.

Maybe the moment died when my body did.

“Draco, my gods!”

I turn to find two bright blue eyes staring back at me. The woman is tall and slender, her skin pale against her raven black hair.

She smells like something soft and powdery. Like a bed of roses or something like it. It’s pleasant but it doesn’t make my throat ache. Of course, I’ve just fed off a couple on the block over. The husband tastes like the soil wife’s blood of wisterias was planted in. It was a complimentary blend of flavors.

A fine meal.

I squint down at her, this woman. Her hair is cut to her chin and her nose is like a button. She looks like we were friends in a time before this. “We thought you died.” She spits the words out on a breath.

I did.

I died and now I’m this. And I don’t know who she is or why she keeps saying that word. She’s calling me a word or a name and all I can do is move my mouth and try to form more words.

But words don’t actually come out.

What comes out is a hiss or a growl. A blend of both?

The girl. Her eyes widen and she stumbles back before she rushes into the door of a building to my left. I stare at the door, opening my mouth, trying to form vowels and consonants.

Suddenly, several loud cracks echo in the space around me, startling me. I jump and press my back against the window of the establishment.

Men and women appear with sticks raised, pointed directly at my chest. They are aiming sticks at me like they might stab me, right in the heart. But I don’t think I have one of those. I can never feel it beat. I don’t know if it has withered away or if it just stands still.

All I know is that I am still opening my mouth, pulling my upper lip back and trying to form words, when one of the women steps forward, ignoring the hand of her comrade who reaches out for her. I smell her before I focus on her.

She smells like cinnamon and vanilla. She smells like apples and nutmeg. She smells like good and bad. Decadent and airy.

She steps forward and her eyes are big and brown and she opens her mouth to say another word. “Malfoy,” her voice is gentler than the woman who ran away from me. Her eyes, softer. Her hair is wavy and the color of burned umber.

But her scent is powerful.

Her wrist is limp as she holds her stick at me, aiming it at my stomach as her thick brows quirk and her head tilts as she takes me in.

I peel my lips back and I open my mouth, my tongue and my teeth are working, they’re struggling,

“Hermione, step back.” Someone says but she ignores them, her eyes are focused only on me. And she takes a step forward.

My hand lifts and everyone stiffens, they shout at me to freeze.

My hand moves, awkwardly, because I’m trying not to move it too fast. I think if I move naturally, it will scare her. But my mouth, my teeth and my tongue finally succeed!

I look at this girl with the delicious scent and finally push the sound out of my mouth, from deep inside of my throat. And it’s then, that I realize that it is the first word I have said since I died. That all of those conversations I’ve had with my meals were all in my head. It’s the first time I hear the actual sound of my voice. The voice in my head wasn’t real, just like my organs and love.

“Hi.”

I look at this girl with the brown hair and I feel my lips do something I believed didn’t exist anymore. That it was fake and nonexistent.

I smile. And she does, too.

[newbornwhumperfly]

through the frightening door...

oof, so this was an angsty one, folks. 😢😢😢 i went and made a sad prompt - @whumpmasinjuly day six: left behind -  even sadder than it already was and in the process, i penned a big part of my boy morja’s backstory, so i’m gonna tag the story crew on this one. 🥺🥺🥺

CW: Grief, death of a loved one, dehumanization, just…big sads in this one, folks.  

title insp. by the poem “my dead friends” by marie howe - “billy’s already gone through the frightening door, whatever he says, i’ll do.” 

~

Diathésimós don’t have graves. 

The fallen must pay for a grave, or their families must, and graves are, they say, costly. Plots of land which could hold a house or a slot of gardened flowers or a new statue does not need to hold a patch of dirt and a stone. The ashes are poured into the wind, as disposable as they were in life. It is rare that a family, if the dead still have one, can afford to pay for the body’s return. It is rare, indeed, for one to ask. 

That doesn't mean their deaths are not marked by those who knew them. 

There is a stone, innocuous and small, where the dead are honored. Some write names down on the stone. Others don’t bother. 

There is one marking, one stone, Morja waits to visit. Part of it might be that he doesn't have to leave until he does this thing he must not neglect. 

It’s more than just the stone, of course. It would be silly to think of that only. There are places Morja won’t see again where she would go. Where she took comfort. And not seeing these places anymore will be the drag of a knife out from where it lodged. And he will pack the spot with rags to stop it from bleeding, field medicine, how well he knows how to do that. How to plug up a wound and keep walking. Don’t stop. If you stop, you’ll fall. 

But there’s…a way only she could find something pretty in this place. Like, there was a spot by the fountain in the courtyard where a stubborn plant grew. And it would get ripped out, an eyesore, nobody intended for this little purple flower to grow between cracks in the base of that marble foundation. But the dirt underneath was strong, Morja supposes, and Roe encouraged it, is the thing. She kept nudging aside the little shiny seashells that surrounded the root - decorative, ceramic, gleaming, imported from some shop to look more perfect than real shells, no sharp edges or rough surfaces. Morja remembers what a real seashell feels like. No, he doesn’t. But his maybe-memory is rougher than the shells in this courtyard. He knows this, at least, in the way he knows when an opponent is about to strike. 

But the purple stays caught in a sunbeam, is the problem. The shaft of daylight through the pillars hits the water as it sparkles and it hits the flower too. The water from the fountain falls on the patch of land bared by Roe’s hands. Somehow, it stays and stays. Somehow, it outlives her. Everything else has, after all.

This is, of course, where Roe’s stone lies. 

Where else would Morja have put it? The dead are dead, of course they are. Gone is gone and bodies are bodies, hollow bullet casings, no powder, no spark. Useless to collect, more useless to hold onto. But Roe wanted a stone. She would have wanted a stone, probably, certainly, yes. 

It is past the alcove with the missing statue where Roe perched, sweat-drenched from long training, or bleeding from a hit, tucked into the space once filled by the bust of a marble head. The space has stayed hollow, still, and on a dark night like this, Morja could imagine, if he were to try, that the black lines of her body melted into the hole in the wall. That maybe she were there, long-limbed and tiny, clambering up in there to nap. 

He told her so often not to. 

What if she got caught?

Her bright, black eyes would shine and she would say that until the statue took her place, this was her spot. 

Hers. Like she’d laid claim to it. So stupid. Nothing was theirs, she could never understand that. 

Past the alcove, still empty, Morja’s quiet steps go past the vine full of berries he was never brave enough to eat. Never disobedient enough. Of course. She got hit for taking the berries and she got more careful at taking them. Those berries weren’t hers to take, just because she watered the vines. 

The rows of women (goddesses, Morja was told) tall and imposing and cool to the touch, their eyes looking down to keep watch on the garden, on its dwellers, and Morja would shiver sometimes when he was younger, passing by them, because what if they saw him misbehave? What if their marble fingers pointed at him in accusation? 

Roe looked up and tilted her head, one foot angled like the goddess with a bow and an arrow, elbow crooked just so, Roe so good with her aim, as good a shot as Morja, even so young. Her palms swipe sweat off, passing over the flat expanse of her torso, tugging at the close-fitting training shirt, and twisting it to match the ripples in the fabric. 

It will wrinkle, Morja fretted quietly.

Do you think I could pull off a look like that? Roe asked, 

The marble’s paint is fresh and gleaming, blue cloth draped elegantly over one shoulder, baring the breast beneath the other, her body small and yet powerful, royal, gold glinting on the folds of her skirt and the twists of her sandals. 

I don’t think we could ever wear anything that…nice, Morja had answered. 

Of course she could have. That’s what he should have said. He didn’t want to raise her hopes. He didn’t- she would have looked royal and powerful as Athena. 

The huntress looks down at Morja, out when he should not be, and he doesn't shiver anymore. He doesn’t quail before imaginary eyes as he kneels at the base of the fountain, the moon shining silver on the purple petals. Other hands have pushed the shells aside since- since the stone was placed behind the blossom. The crude shape of an animal drawn with a shaky hand, white paint on a black rock, traces the outline of tiny hooves, spindly legs, the body of a deer. 

Morja doesn’t know who drew it. It’s beautiful. And he cannot take this stone. This is- it’s tradition and he has to respect it. It would feel wrong to move this stone as stones are not to be moved. 

But he looks at it for a long time. Kneeling on the cold stone, the mist of the water landing on him and wetting his face, taking the role of the tears he cannot shed. The stone and the flower blur before his eyes but that’s just because he’s tired. He’s so tired. 

Maybe…maybe the alcove did belong to her, in a way. She was the one who used it. Maybe the fruit on the vine was hers to sit under, to eat from, unafraid. Maybe this flower was hers because she’s the only one who gave a damn about it. 

Morja doesn’t want to leave the stone. The flower. The alcove and the statue. Fuck, he doesn’t want to leave this stone. What should I do? Who will- nobody will tell me to go. Nobody will, they never will, how can I go when I’m going on my own, when nobody has sent me? How can I leave this behind? How can I leave her behind?

But…she isn’t here. And Morja can’t be, either. Can he? He can’t take this stone. And he can’t stay and watch over it. 

Morja stands, every muscle in his legs protesting, sharp and tingling, at rising. It hurts as much to stand up from kneeling as it does to kneel. But he stands anyway. Leaves the stone under the fountain, behind the flower. 

Roe has gone. 

It is time for him to leave the stone and go as well.

~

oof, i hope y'all enjoyed this important piece of juicy tragic backstory, this glimpse behind the curtain. 😢😢😢💔💔💔

taglist: @haro-whumps @much-ado-about-whumping @whump-tr0pes @whumpthisway

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have a very merry whumpas y'all! 💖💖💖💖

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[eris-snow]

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞, 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞?

Tags: Revelation (Deku's birthday series 2024), izuku x fem!reader, angst, pain, discovery, pain

Masterlist

11th July. Love and pain are two sides of the same coin.

Do you remember when you first fell in love?

.

.

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When Izuku opens his eyes, everything is pitch black. He stumbles, pressing his hand along the edges of his mind. What kind of dream is this?

“Hey.”

He whips around, and finds himself staring 5 meters away from his ten-year-old self. He’s more than twice the size of his old self, and to see the him he was before, a dirty, mishappened school bag set on his shoulders while he bursts with nervous energy, Izuku’s mouth falls open in the softest of gasps. Back then, he was just a Deku. Kacchan was slipping and getting worse,

He was almost always alone.

Split bentos dumped in trash bins and his hero journals soaked with fountain water. Sometimes, he’d come home with bruises he claimed were by his own clumsiness, when they actually stemmed from his lack of worth.

Stumbling, Izuku closes the distance between them, falling on his knees as he stares back at eyes full of green. Scarred, ugly arms encircle this frail frame, an empty vessel with no power; an empty vessel that was destined for failure.

This was him, 7 years ago, baring his flesh and soul.

He pulls back, and smiles. It comes out crooked.

“Hey,” He repeats, exhaling a batted breath.

His younger self, Deku, continues to look at him in determination Izuku doesn’t know he owns. It’s a blaze in his eyes, a fire in hell. Even if he has everything he ever wanted, this version of himself is staring at him like Izuku’s lost something incredibly dear to him. He looks upon him in pity .

“Do you remember when you first fell in love?” Deku asks, looking at Izuku with a searching gaze.

The question is enough to throw Izuku off, heat crawling up his face like a spider up its web.

“W-What?”

“You’re searching for someone you’ve lost.” Deku continues, watching his own expression carefully. “The someone is very very sad, because for the longest time, you never tried to find her. At least now, you’re finally trying to fight.”

Izuku’s heart wrenches at that. “Starlight, right?” Izuku says, your name falling from his mouth like water from a spring. “H-How long has it been, since I’ve forgotten her?”

Deku looks thoughtful, pensive.

“Years,”

Is his reply.

“7 years.”

Shock binds him, along with the ache of sorrow in his bones as his face twists in regret. You’ve been suffering like this for 7 years? Protecting him, hiding your anguish because Izuku was too blind to see it.

7 years of memories, stolen and locked away behind a wall and sealed lips.

Don’t probe.

That is a warning he is not willing to heed.

Do you remember when you first fell in love?

Back last year, Izuku would have probably said his first love was Ochaco. A picture-perfect confession, confined in the four walls of a hospital room before Izuku could even move his arms. He thought that Ochaco was the one for him. They dated a little after the war. There was nothing wrong with Ochaco, and he’s very sure she would make someone very happy someday, but both of them just didn’t click the way he thought they would.

No chemistry, he’d concluded.

No spark.

They agreed to stay as friends because Ochaco admitted the same thing. Young and inexperienced, mistaking infatuation for love.

With a small smile, he shakes his head. “I don’t.” He replies, and it’s a realisation that even surprised him. “I don’t think I have, fallen in love.”

Deku cracks a smile, the same smile that he’s wearing now. Sympathy lines his expression, baby fat on his cheek and plentiful freckles dotting his face. It’s him, from the past, but it also isn’t. “Keep fighting. It’s a battle you need to win alone. And you will win, right? Because you’re a hero.”

The sheer volume of hope in his voice brings Izuku back to reality. He’s fought in a war and won. What kind of hero would he be if he couldn’t save you?

“I’ll win.” He says, needing to hear it for himself again. He cannot afford to lose, because losing meant losing you.

His younger self pauses, reaching out a small, perfectly shaped hand. They rest on Izuku’s marked ones which are littered with scars, and he looks up to the person he will one day be. “Go back to the clearing. Starlight is very good at lying to others, but she can’t lie to me. Our Secrets live there, and maybe then, you start to remember.”

Crooked and forced smiles, perfect hands, a dirty school bag, split bentos and hero journals.

Do you remember when you first fell in love?

“I don’t,” He’d said with a sad smile.

Deku shakes his head, 10 years old with eyes that shine with recognition.

“That’s a shame. Because I do.”

—

Voices plague Izuku’s consciousness. Someone’s calling him, calling for him. He can’t let them down.

When he wakes up back in his room, there are golden hues seeping through the open window.

What a strange dream.

—

Izuku spends quality time soaking up his thoughts when he’s on a jog. Technically, he should have been spending more time with his thoughts, but the pounding headaches that plagued his waking moment every time he tried pushing past the barrier made it too painful to multi-task.

As he rides the elevator up to his level, he dries his hair absent-mindedly and prepares himself for the homework he may or may not have been neglecting in favour of digging up more leads about you.

With everything going on, he didn’t even flinch when he came back to the kitchen being boarded off again and Kacchan’s sharp howls as he berates his classmates with the finesse of a chef of a Michelin-star restaurant.

Sato would be extremely disappointed to know he couldn’t bake in the confines of the kitchen for at least the next few days.

Izuku doesn’t even look at the damage dealt.

What he does flinch at is your familiar fluffy shoes right outside his door. The shoes extend to legs, and when he looks up, and he finds your face.

“Starlight?”

You visibly flinch at the name, and he ignores it.

“What are you doing here?”

The blush looks good on your cheeks, Izuku decides, before reddening in turn at his own thoughts.

“Homework help.” You reply, eyes averted in shame. “You’ve always been better at English, anyway. Could you proofread my essay?”

—

Izuku doesn’t mind impromptu study sessions. He loves studying with his friends and relishes the fact that he’s in the position to help them clinch more marks during their crazy difficult exams.

With you though, the silence is awkward Izuku’s focus bids him farewell with a salute and double birdies.

Maybe it was his dream or the way he’s stewed too much in his own thoughts today, because it’s him and his big mouth that breaks the silence first.

“Hey.”

“Hm?”

“What would you do if you had one day left on Earth?”

There is a pause on your end, and he knows all too well that he’s messed up the moment the words left his mouth. He’s about to brush it off, say that it’s a stupid question and that he’s sorry for distracting you, but you give his thoughtless inquiry and thoughtful answer.

“Well, we’ve had quite a few ‘last days’, haven’t we?”

Your voice is thick, like there’s a lump in your throat and you’re trying to untangle the knots by the ends.

“Beat the shit out of all the villains in the vicinity, probably,” you say, shrugging. “I’d say spend it with family, but, I think they’ve probably seen enough of me.”

That squeezes a laugh out of him. He’d probably do the same thing, but spend time with his mother and tell her that everything was going to be okay.

“If you were in love? What would you do then?” He presses. Izuku doesn’t really know why he asks.

Do you remember when you first fell in love?

Ah, caught in 4k.

Something in your expression flickers, and you make a visible effort to school it back down to neutral.

“How do you know I’m not in love right now?”

The air-conditioner whirls quietly in the background.

His notes are forgotten on the table, essay equally so. It’s so easy to get distracted, even though Izuku prides himself in keeping himself on track.

“Are you?”

There’s another long, long pause. You look like you want to say something, but you’re holding back.

Starlight is very good at lying to others, but she can’t lie to me.

Right on the nail.

Izuku thinks you aren’t going to answer it when you look up at him, eyes glassy with memories he doesn’t share.

“I used to think that love was a pretty thing. Cupid and his arrows were supposed to blossom relationships that were matches made in heaven. Couples would gather on Valentine’s Day with roses and chocolates, and they are supposed to be happy because they have someone to walk through life with them.” Your smile is sad as you shake your head in disappointment. Izuku’s heart is falling, he is falling, at the face you’re giving him because he wants so badly to fix it.

He’s supposed to be able to, isn’t he?

“I don’t think I’m in love. Because if being in love is supposed to feel like soaring through clouds, then my ugly feelings that make me miserable and feel so alone can’t possibly be love.”

[fionajames]

From the one word prompt list: hiraeth

dreams of home

A/N: Hi, guys! I'm so so sorry I haven't been posting, like, at all, but y'all should have seen my schedule the past month, on addition to the fact I'm obsessed with Teen Wolf right now. shadowdragon, I'd just like to say, thank you so much for this request, I apologise for taking so long, and also apologise for the brutal feels ahead. I hope you enjoy, and as always please send requests guys! Oh, and also, please leave comments, I love them.

(divider by @saradika-graphics)

It had been seventy-two standard rotations since Order 66.

It had been seventy-two standard rotations since the fall of the Republic.

It had been seventy-two standard rotations since the rise of the Empire.

It had been seventy-two standard rotations since the massacre of the Jedi.

And, it had been seventy-two standard rotations since Obi-Wan’s family died.

He stared out at the lifeless sands of Tatooine, as he often did. Each breath he took was heavy and rasping against the abrasive, sandpaper-like feeling of the inside of his throat. Every sip of water did nothing to quench his thirst and pain.

Instead of the empty desert he saw the rolling rivers of lava, the tears falling from burning orange eyes, the sight of fire eating away at flesh. The scent of burning skin and hot, thick air choked him as he sat, suffocating him in the last memory of his brother. The words that his brother had wailed, driving a knife through him and twisting over and over and over, sinking deep into his blood like acid.

Obi-Wan placed his hands in the sand in front of him, splaying out his fingers and feeling the grains fill the gaps between his appendages. He attempted feebly to ground himself in the tan earth, but all he could hear was Anakin’s final screams. The hot air of Tatooine taunted him as a reminder of Mustafar.

Thoughts of Anakin always led to thoughts of Ahsoka. Oh, Ahsoka. So young, somewhere far away near Mandalore, lifeless. The absence of knowledge of what happened to the Togruta led to endless, haunting scenarios of her death. 

Most of the time she was on the ship, just leaving Mandalore, and Rex had appeared behind her, pistols aimed at her head. She’d had one moment to turn and see his face, mumbling a weak; “Rex…?”, before the Clone emotionlessly blasted her in the head, leaving nothing but the mutilated corpse of a teenager behind.

Obi-Wan had had plenty of time to meditate - not with the Force, no, he’d pushed that away - and yet he could never convince himself of one, inevitable truth. It’s all my fault.

He thought of Qui-Gon, and how if only Obi-Wan had been trapped behind the rayshield all those years ago, maybe the Jedi would still be alive. If only he’d been impaled by Maul, then maybe Qui-Gon training Anakin would have steered the brunet away from the call of the dark side. He’d never quite forgiven himself for watching the light fade from his Master’s eyes, and this only made it worse.

He couldn’t even find it in him to feel betrayed by Anakin. Instead, he felt as though he’d betrayed him. After all, it was his fault. His training had failed Anakin. He’d failed Anakin. No amount of meditation would ever change that. 

Nor could he blame Anakin. Instead he blamed himself. He thought of Ahsoka’s crippled, cold, dead body. His fault. He thought of the Younglings in the Temple, some not even old enough to walk. His fault. He thought of Aayla Secura, of Kit Fisto, of Ki-Adi Mundi. His fault. His fault. His fault.

Thousands of Jedi, dead, because he couldn’t teach one small boy what thousands of others lived by. 

Yes, everything was his fault. 

He longed for the days, early on in the war, when the three of them were on Coruscant. His family, safe, unscathed, happy. He thought of Ahsoka in the Room of a Thousand Fountains, her hands in the water as she watched the fish swim against her fingers, the way she’d giggled and laughed. He thought of Anakin, leaning against a tree trunk, finally content during their break from all the fighting, breathing so deeply Obi-Wan wondered momentarily if he was asleep.

He thought of all the other Jedi - many he’d never even met before - happily living their lives before the war. He thought of Younglings, huddling together in big groups to talk and running around corners, tumbling over their own feet before bouncing back up. He thought of Padawans hosting huge games of hide and seek, and tag in the Temple’s many rooms. He thought of young Knights, training together and helping each other through forms. He thought of Masters, discussing their Padawans’ journeys and looking after them. 

He thought of home.

Oh, did he miss it.

He longed for the days when Anakin was young where they’d play holochess and discuss tactics, or when they’d explore different planets. He remembered one time when Anakin had found a plant he considered the most beautiful thing ever, and insisted on taking it back with them to the Temple. He remembered even at the end of the war, spotting the blossoming, colourful flowers in the Knight’s room.

Obi-Wan wished he could have met Ahsoka before the war, when life was easier, happier, better. He had similar times with Ahsoka, though a lot fewer. He thought of times where he’d found Ahsoka reading, and spent afternoons listening to her thoughts on the literature. He remembered how happy she was when learning, when training.

Obi-Wan felt a lot of hiraeth for his home that once was. He knew now that he could never return to that home, and all he could do was hope that one day, he’d find a new home. 

He glanced to the side, spotting the little curved top of Owen and Beru’s farm, where little Luke Skywalker was somewhere inside. He smiled softly, anchoring himself against the tidal wave of memories to the thought of his brother’s child. 

He’d do his best to ensure that Luke got his home, some place where he belonged. Obi-Wan wished he could show Luke the Temple, alive and warm with Jedi. But the Jedi were gone, and this was the new life for Force sensitive children - hidden, frightened, cursed.

He thought of Anakin and Ahsoka, side by side, laughing. 

Yes, that was how he’d remember his family - the family he longed for, the family he harboured such deep, raw, hiraeth for. One day, he’d join them in another life. For now, he would make sure Luke found his home, his hiraeth.

A/N: So, yeah, I apologise, for that, but also, don't regret it. I hope you enjoyed though, and please send requests + leave comments!!! I love you all <3, stay safe.

(taglist: @skellymom, @techs-goggles9902, dm me if you wish to be added or removed)