#his sarcasm game is strong no ones winning | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

edenesth · 9 months

Text

In Pursuit of Serendipity

Pairing: best friend!Hyunjin x fem!reader

AU: high school au

Word Count: 14.8k

Summary: Your friendship is tested when Hyunjin starts crushing on his new classmate. What you didn't expect was that your own emotions would come into play. Denying your feelings, you decide to be the ultimate wingwoman, helping him while battling your own heartache in silence. Will the pursuit of love lead to happiness or heartbreak?

A/N: Lowkey inspired by the Mixtape: On Track music video, still one of my favourite MVs from SKZ.

MAIN MASTERLIST

The busy hallways of your high school were alive with the energy of students rushing to their next classes.

Amidst the sea of students, you made your way through the crowded corridors with an excitement that bubbled within you. The reason for your enthusiasm swung in your hand—a gaming magazine had just revealed the release date of the highly anticipated video game you'd been eagerly awaiting.

Hyunjin and Felix, your partners in crime since kindergarten, were waiting for you.

As you neared your usual meeting spot, a sudden obstacle appeared in the form of an unnoticed puddle. Before you could react, your foot lost its grip, sending you careening toward an embarrassing collision with the cold, tiled floor. In a split second, strong arms wrapped around you, breaking your fall.

"Whoa there! Quick reflexes, Hyunjin style." Hyunjin exclaimed, his grin showcasing his pride at the successful save.

Felix laughed heartily, "Nice dive! You should consider joining the school's gymnastics team, though I hear their routine doesn't involve slipping in the hallways."

You shot him a playful glare as he approached to make sure you were unharmed, "Thanks, Jinnie. And you," You said, turning to Felix, "Can save your sarcasm for someone else."

Felix chuckled, brushing off imaginary dirt from your shoulder, "Just making sure you're in one piece. You know, you should work on your gracefulness. It's not very lady-like to trip and fall."

Rolling your eyes, you retorted, "Oh, please. Who needs grace when you've got Hyunjin's superhero reflexes? And besides, I'm not planning to win any 'Miss Graceful' contests."

Hyunjin grinned, leaning against the row of lockers, "True that. But you might want to consider it. You'll never find a boyfriend if you keep stumbling around like a bull in a china shop."

You scoffed, the idea of conforming to societal expectations not even registering on your radar, "Who said I'm looking for a boyfriend anyway? I'm perfectly content with my PS5 and the upcoming release of Assassin's Creed. Relationships can wait."

Felix raised an eyebrow, exchanging a knowing look with Hyunjin, "Famous last words. We'll see how long that sentiment lasts."

You brushed off their teasing with a nonchalant wave, determined to keep your priorities in check. As the three of you continued down the hallway, you couldn't help smiling at the thought of the virtual adventures awaiting you in the upcoming game—an escape from the typical high school drama and the perfect reminder that, for now, you were content marching to the beat of your own, unapologetically clumsy, drum.

After grabbing a light breakfast together from the school cafeteria, you, Hyunjin, and Felix made your way through the bustling hallways, weaving through the student traffic. Despite being part of different classes, your morning ritual of meeting up for breakfast had become a comforting constant.

As you reached the fork in the hallway leading to your respective classrooms, Felix grinned, "See you guys at lunch. Don't trip over your own feet without me around to catch you!"

You playfully nudged him, "I'll try my best, Captain Obvious."

Felix waved, disappearing into his classroom, leaving you and Hyunjin to continue down the corridor. Although your class was situated at the far end of the school, you were used to the daily trek. Hyunjin, however, insisted on walking you there, despite the inconvenience it posed for him.

"Why do you bother walking me all the way to my class, Jinnie?" You asked, your voice tinged with amusement as you walked side by side.

He shot you a teasing grin, "Well, for one, I don't trust your coordination skills without Felix or me around. And secondly, what if there's a stampede, or a meteor falls from the sky? I need to be sure you make it to class in one piece."

You scoffed, "A stampede? Really?"

Hyunjin raised an eyebrow, adopting a mock-serious tone, "You never know. High school can be a dangerous place."

You rolled your eyes, but a smile lingered on your lips. It was moments like these that reminded you of the unique bond you shared with your friends. Despite the exaggeration, there was a genuine concern in his eyes that touched your heart.

Nearing the entrance of your classroom, you stopped, "You really don't have to do this every day, you know. I can handle walking to class without tripping."

Hyunjin leaned against the wall, his expression softening, "I know you can, but I want to. Call it my daily act of heroism."

You chuckled, shaking your head, "Fine, you overprotective hero. Thanks for the escort to class."

He grinned, walking you right up to the door, "Anytime, damsel in distress. I'll see you at lunch, okay?"

You nodded, feeling a warmth in your chest at the genuine care your friends showered upon you, "Okay. Don't save too many people on your way to class."

With a playful salute, Hyunjin turned to make his way to his own classroom. You watched him go, appreciating the small gestures that defined your friendship. As the classroom door closes behind you, you feel a sense of gratitude for the protective duo that made your high school journey more adventurous and, most importantly, full of genuine companionship.

Later that day, the cafeteria buzzed with the usual lunchtime chaos as you approached your designated spot between Hyunjin and Felix, your tray already waiting for you. Your heart warmed at the sight, and you skipped over with an infectious beam.

Felix, always quick with banter, smirked at you, "Look who decided to grace us with her presence. You missed the riveting conversation about Hyunjin's newfound muse."

Your eyes flickered to Hyunjin, whose cheeks sported a subtle shade of pink. Felix couldn't resist the opportunity to tease, "He wouldn't shut up about her just before you arrived."

You slid into your seat, the playful glint in Felix's eyes not escaping you, "Oh, really? What did I miss?"

Felix leaned in, lowering his voice conspiratorially, "Our dear friend Hyunjin here has developed a massive crush on the new girl in his class. Couldn't stop talking about her smile, her laugh, you know, the works."

Hyunjin shot Felix a mock glare, but his eyes twinkled with an undeniable excitement, "Felix is exaggerating, as usual. I just mentioned her once or twice."

The three of you were engrossed in the conversation when, like clockwork, the cafeteria doors swung open. Hyunjin's head snapped up, his gaze fixating on a girl who entered with an effortless grace. She was undeniably beautiful—Lia, the new girl who had captured your friend's attention.

"There she is." Hyunjin whispered, as if afraid the mere mention of her name would make her disappear. Lia glided through the cafeteria, a radiant presence that drew the attention of many. You couldn't deny the allure; she had an undeniable charm that seemed to captivate everyone in her vicinity.

While Felix seemed excited for Hyunjin, you couldn't shake off the inexplicable discomfort settling in the pit of your stomach. You smiled, or at least you tried to, but it felt forced.

As Lia joined a group of students at a nearby table, laughter and animated conversations surrounding her, you couldn't help but wonder why the idea of Hyunjin being enamoured by her left you feeling strangely uneasy.

Oblivious to the atmosphere shift, Felix continued to prod Hyunjin about Lia. But as your eyes met Hyunjin's, you sensed a vulnerability beneath his excitement—a vulnerability you hadn't seen before. The unspoken truth lingered in the air, and you couldn't escape the realisation that your heart seemed to protest against the prospect of him falling for someone else for reasons you couldn't quite comprehend.

In the following days, you found yourself caught in a web of conflicting emotions. You tried to rationalise the unease that had settled within you, convincing yourself that it was merely a consequence of your friends growing up. After all, it was only natural for them to develop romantic interests outside your tight-knit trio.

You repeated the logic like a mantra, assuring yourself that this discomfort was nothing more than an adjustment period.

"It's just new," You told yourself, stirring your food absentmindedly during lunch. Felix continued his good-natured teasing about Hyunjin's infatuation with Lia, blissfully unaware of the internal struggle you were facing, "They're growing up, finding other people. It's normal. You'll get used to it."

Yet, as days turned into weeks, the knot in your stomach refused to loosen. You grappled with the notion that the dynamics of your friendship were shifting, and it wasn't centred solely around the three of you anymore. The idea of someone else occupying Hyunjin's thoughts in a way you hadn't witnessed before tugged at a thread of discomfort deep within you.

"It's just silly jealousy," You scolded yourself in the quiet moments of introspection, "He's my friend, and I should be happy for him."

Deep down, you couldn't ignore the hope that Hyunjin's crush was just a passing phase—a temporary diversion that would fade with time. You yearned for the days when your trio's world revolved around shared laughter and inside jokes, not about some new girl that caught your friend's attention.

One day, as you all gathered for lunch as usual, Felix couldn't resist poking at Hyunjin once again, "Come on, Jinnie, just admit it. You're head over heels for Lia."

Hyunjin sighed, his cheeks tinged with a mixture of embarrassment and genuine affection, "Fine. I like her, okay? Happy now?"

Felix's victorious grin was matched only by the subtle tightening of your chest. You forced a smile, attempting to mask the twinge of disappointment.

As the conversation continued, Hyunjin's genuine excitement about Lia became increasingly evident. Felix's teasing took on a more playful tone, but every word seemed to emphasise the growing reality that your friend was genuinely interested in someone beyond the confines of your trio.

Each day that passed, Hyunjin's interest in Lia became a constant presence in your lives. While he physically joined you and Felix for breakfast and lunch, his mind seemed to linger elsewhere. Conversations that were once filled with silly jokes now revolved around Lia—her interests, her quirks, and every mundane detail that seemed to captivate Hyunjin's attention.

The unintentional distance you felt from Hyunjin left you perplexed and, admittedly, frustrated. Despite your attempts to rationalise these emotions, a growing sense of unease settled within you. It was as if the equilibrium of your friendship had been disrupted, leaving you feeling somewhat adrift.

One day, after Hyunjin had passionately detailed yet another encounter with Lia during lunch, you found yourself unable to contain the frustration any longer.

In the quiet corner of the school courtyard, away from prying eyes and curious ears, you decided to confide in Felix. As you sat on the familiar park bench, the one where countless secrets had been shared among the three of you, you hesitated before finally breaking the silence.

"Lix, I don't know what's going on. I mean, I should be happy for Hyunjin, right? But every time he talks about Lia, it's like... I don't know, something's off. It's like he's here with us physically, but his mind is somewhere else."

Felix regarded you with a knowing gaze, the crinkles in his eyes softened with understanding, "Feelings are complicated. It's okay to feel the way you do. Maybe it's just an adjustment period. Things will settle down."

You sighed, grateful for his calm demeanour, "I've tried telling myself that, but it doesn't seem to be getting any better. It's just frustrating. I miss the way things used to be."

Felix leaned in, his tone gentle, "Change is hard, especially when it comes to friendships. But maybe Hyunjin needs this. Maybe it's his time to explore something beyond our trio. And who knows, it might just be a phase. People get caught up in new crushes, but that doesn't mean they forget their old friends."

You nodded, appreciating his perspective, "I just wish I could understand why I feel this way. It's like... I'm happy for him, but there's this nagging discomfort that won't go away."

Felix placed a reassuring hand on your shoulder, "Give it time. Sometimes, feelings need time to catch up with logic. And in the meantime, know that I'm here for you, no matter what."

In the days that followed, you made a conscious effort to follow Felix's advice. You reminded yourself that Hyunjin's sudden obsession with Lia was his first experience with romantic feelings, and it was only natural for him to be caught up in the excitement of it all.

Trying to be understanding, you even forced a smile when he recounted every interaction with Lia, assuring yourself that this phase would pass.

But just as you began to convince yourself that you had your emotions in check, things took an unexpected turn. Hyunjin, who had always insisted on walking you to class, suddenly approached you with an apologetic expression.

"Hey, listen, I'm sorry, but I can't walk you to class anymore." He admitted, avoiding eye contact.

The unexpected blow left you momentarily speechless, "What? Why?"

Hyunjin sighed, looking genuinely conflicted, "It's just... I don't want Lia to misunderstand our relationship. I mean, she might think there's something more between us, you know?"

Your initial shock gave way to a slow-burning frustration. While you wanted to be supportive of his budding romance, the abrupt change felt like a direct hit to the heart. The walks to class, once a cherished routine, now seemed like a relic of a time when your friendship hadn't been overshadowed by romantic entanglements.

Forcing a tight smile, you responded, "Sure, Hyunjin. Do whatever makes you comfortable."

As he walked away, leaving you standing alone in the hallway, you felt a sense of abandonment. The once-predictable rhythms of your friendship were now distorted, and the realisation that you were no longer a priority stung more than you cared to admit.

Felix, perceptive as ever, noticed the change in your demeanour. As he joined you in the hallway, he raised an eyebrow, "What's up with Hyunjin? I thought he was going to walk you to class."

You sighed, the weight of unspoken emotions heavy on your shoulders, "He said he can't anymore. Doesn't want Lia to get the wrong idea about us."

Felix's expression shifted from curiosity to a mixture of understanding and concern, "I know this is tough, but maybe he's just caught up in the excitement of his first crush. It doesn't mean he values your friendship any less."

You nodded, acknowledging his attempt to console you, "I get that, but it still hurts, you know? It's like our friendship is being redefined, and I don't know where I fit in anymore."

Felix offered a sympathetic smile, placing a reassuring hand on your shoulder, "Give it time. I'm sure things will settle down eventually. And in the meantime, you've got me. We'll figure it out together."

As Hyunjin's infatuation with Lia intensified, you found yourself grappling with the remnants of the once-familiar routine that now seemed like a distant memory.

One afternoon, as the final school bell echoed through the hallways, you made your way to the usual meeting spot where you and Hyunjin would walk home together. However, your anticipation gave way to disappointment as you saw him engrossed in conversation with Lia, the two of them making plans to spend time together after school.

Felix, who had been watching your expression closely, slung an arm around your shoulder, "Hey, don't let it get to you. You know, it's okay to feel upset."

"I'm not upset." You retorted, but the hurt in your eyes betrayed your attempt at nonchalance.

Felix raised an eyebrow, a knowing smile playing on his lips, "You can't fool me, idiot. It's written all over your face. You miss your walks home with him, don't you?"

You sighed, giving in to the acknowledgement of your feelings, "Yeah, I guess I do. It's stupid, though. Friends hang out with other people. It's not a big deal."

Felix squeezed your shoulder gently, "It's okay to feel this way, you know. And there's nothing 'stupid' about it. You're allowed to miss your friend."

As you walked home with Felix that day, the silence between you spoke volumes. The absence of Hyunjin, once a comforting presence by your side, left a void that seemed to echo with the uncertainty of changing friendships.

The following days only deepened the ache.

Your attempts to be the supportive friend, cheering Hyunjin on as he pursued Lia, felt increasingly like a façade. The more you tried to suppress your feelings, the more they seemed to claw at the edges of your consciousness.

It was during one of your late-night conversations with Felix, the dim glow of streetlights casting shadows on your faces, that he broached the subject with a keen intuition that caught you off guard.

"You know," Felix said, his gaze fixed on the stars above, "It's possible you're jealous because you have feelings for Hyunjin."

Your immediate reaction was a vehement denial. How could you harbour romantic feelings for your childhood friend, especially when you had always prided yourself on being the voice of reason within the trio?

Oh hell nah, ain't no freaking way.

But as Felix turned to look at you, his eyes filled with understanding, you felt a sudden vulnerability. Despite your initial resistance, you couldn't escape the possibility that he was right. Your feelings for Hyunjin might indeed transcend the boundaries of friendship.

"What? Are you hearing yourself, Lix? That's insane!" You laughed incredulously, dismissing his implication with a wave of your hand. The idea of having romantic feelings for Hyunjin seemed preposterous to you, and you were determined to push aside any inkling of such emotions.

Felix, however, frowned at your attempt to brush off the subject. He could sense the unease beneath your laughter, the subtle deflection in your words, "I know you better than you think. You can't deny what you're feeling."

You scoffed, refusing to let his words penetrate your resolve, "Me? Having feelings for Hwang Hyunjin? Did you hit your head or something?" You chuckled, playing off the notion as absurd.

But as you met Felix's serious expression, you recognised the gravity of the situation. He was about to talk some sense into you, to unravel the emotions you had been desperately trying to suppress. But before he could utter a word, you beat him to it.

"Just watch me, Lix. I'll prove you wrong." Your tone carried a determined edge, a promise to yourself that you could navigate these confusing emotions without succumbing to what seemed like an inconvenient truth.

Felix sighed heavily, realising that there was little he could do if you were determined to turn a blind eye to your own feelings. He knew that sometimes, facing the truth required a vulnerability that not everyone was ready to embrace.

As you gathered for your breakfast routine one morning, Hyunjin began his usual recounting of Lia's latest escapades, and you found yourself unable to bear it any longer.

"Hyunjin," You interrupted, the words escaping before you could reconsider, "I'm sick of seeing you pine after Lia. It's distracting, and I can't focus on anything else. So, I've decided to help you win her heart."

Ecstasy washed over his face, "Really? You'd help me?"

You nodded, forcing a smile that didn't quite reach your eyes, "Yeah, I mean, why not? You deserve to be happy, right?"

Hyunjin's eyes lit up, and he immediately pulled you into a tight hug, "Thank you! You're the best! I'll buy you the next Assassin's Creed game when Lia agrees to be my girlfriend!"

As he cheered, Felix observed the scene with a mixture of disbelief and realisation. It dawned on him that your seemingly selfless act of playing matchmaker wasn't entirely altruistic. A smirk played on his lips as he shook his head, understanding the true motive behind your plan.

"So, this was your way of proving me wrong, huh?" Felix remarked, his voice carrying a note of amusement.

You avoided his gaze, the charade now exposed, "I just want him to be happy. That's all."

Felix chuckled, seeing through the act, "Sure. Just remember, you can't run from your feelings forever."

Later that evening, you walked home with Hyunjin for the first time in what felt like ages. But the reason behind his company left a bitter taste in your mouth. It wasn't because he missed your walks or longed for the friendship you once shared. No, the only reason was to strategise about his mission to win Lia's heart.

As you strolled down the sidewalk, Hyunjin excitedly started talking about his plan, "So, I was thinking maybe I should join some clubs or events that she's interested in. What do you think?"

You pushed all unnecessary thoughts aside and focused on the task at hand, "Sure, that sounds like a good idea. We need to figure out what she likes and find a way for you to connect with her."

The mention of 'we' felt strangely out of place, a reminder of the changed dynamics between you and Hyunjin. Nevertheless, you pushed those feelings aside, determined to help your friend succeed in his pursuit of happiness.

Felix, who had been watching the interaction with an amused smirk, couldn't resist commenting, "Look at you two, planning Hyunjin's love story. Who would've thought?"

You shot him a glare, not appreciating the smugness in his tone, "This is for Hyunjin, Lix, not for your amusement."

Felix raised his hands defensively, "Alright, alright. I'm just enjoying the show."

As you neared your doorstep, you took a deep breath, ready to lay out a rough plan for Hyunjin, "Okay, here's what we're going to do. First, we need to find out more about Lia's hobbies and interests. Once we have that information, we can create opportunities for you to interact with her in a more meaningful way."

Hyunjin nodded eagerly, trusting you with the details of his mission, "Leave it all to you. You're the best."

As you arrived at your doorstep, Hyunjin gave you a thankful hug before skipping off to his home just a few blocks away. Sighing deeply, you feel a twinge of emptiness. The hug felt different, less like a shared moment between friends and more like a transaction—gratitude for a service rendered.

With renewed determination, you wasted no time. The moment you stepped inside your room, you pulled out your phone and began stalking all of Lia's social media accounts. Your mission was clear: decipher her likes, dislikes, and everything in between.

Little did you know that this quest, seemingly straightforward, would lead you down a path of self-discovery and unexpected twists, challenging the boundaries of friendship and forcing you to confront emotions you had long been trying to ignore.

As the days unfolded, you immersed yourself in the role of the ultimate wingman. Your efforts to assist Hyunjin in winning Lia's heart were meticulous, each action carefully calculated to showcase his best qualities. Despite the outward display of support, a quiet turmoil brewed within you, a storm of conflicting emotions that threatened to break through the carefully constructed façade.

In your quest to prove Felix wrong, you inadvertently delved deeper into the complexities of your own heart. The more you tried to suppress the whispers of your own feelings, the more they seemed to echo in the quiet moments of self-reflection.

As Felix watched you navigate this internal struggle, he wished you would just confront the truth instead of burying it beneath the guise of friendship.

With your careful planning and Hyunjin's sincere efforts, you watched as he began to get things right. He made it a point to learn about Lia's favourite snacks and beverages, surprising her with thoughtful treats that garnered appreciative smiles. Conversations shifted from superficial exchanges to discussions about her favourite pastime activities, creating a connection that seemed to grow with every shared moment.

You watched from afar as he transformed himself, aligning with the qualities he knew she admired. He became more attentive, more considerate, and tailored his actions to better appeal to the type of guys she was attracted to.

While the genuine nature of his intentions was evident, each successful move felt like another layer of separation between the Hyunjin you knew and the person he was becoming for Lia.

Then came the pivotal moment.

Fueled by newfound confidence, he approached Lia and managed to ask her out on a date. From the way he pumped his fists in the air in victory, it was clear that she said yes. As he turned around to look for you, a beaming smile on his face, he spotted you observing the scene. With a thumbs up and eyes filled with excitement, he acknowledged your silent support.

Despite the clenching in your heart, you smiled back and clapped, showing him that you were genuinely happy for his success. The internal conflict between your desire to see your friend happy and the undeniable twinge of discomfort lingered in the background.

It was a bittersweet moment, a celebration of his triumph in love, overshadowed by the realisation that the dynamics of your friendship had undergone a significant shift.

During lunch, the three of you gathered as usual, but the atmosphere was tinged with an unspoken tension. As you sat with your tray, Felix shot you a look, his expression a mix of disapproval and concern. You avoided his eyes, focusing on your food and pretending not to notice his silent judgment.

The news of Hyunjin and Lia's upcoming first date buzzed around the table, and despite the apparent excitement, Felix's gaze lingered on you. He wished you knew that he was only trying to protect you, a silent plea echoing in his eyes. Deep down, he feared that all this effort might lead to you getting hurt in the end.

As the conversation flowed, Felix couldn't contain his disapproval any longer, "So, playing matchmaker seems to be working well for you and Hyunjin." He remarked, a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

You glanced up, meeting his eyes for a brief moment before averting your gaze, "Yeah, I guess it is."

Felix sighed, the concern etched on his face, "I hope you know what you're doing. Playing with emotions is a risky game."

You could sense the genuine worry in his words, but a stubborn determination held you captive. You knew there was a risk involved, but you've already come this far. It was as if a self-imposed obligation drove you to see this through until the end, no matter the consequences.

As the lunch bell rang, signalling the end of the break, Felix shot you one last look—a mix of caution and understanding. The unspoken conversation between you two lingered in the air, a silent acknowledgement of the uncertainties that lay ahead.

With a deep breath, you steeled yourself for what was to come. The journey you embarked upon had no clear destination, but one thing was certain: you're committed to helping Hyunjin until the end.

As the final bell rang, signalling the end of the school day, you gathered your belongings, preparing to head home. Just as you were about to make your way through the crowded hallway, Hyunjin rushed up to you, grabbing your wrist in his haste. Startled, he twisted you around, and for a brief moment, your eyes rounded at the close proximity between your faces.

His eyes widened in realisation, and he immediately stepped back, stammering, "S-sorry, I was just—"

You shook your head, feigning nonchalance despite the racing of your heart, "It's fine, what is it?"

Hyunjin beamed at your question, his initial awkwardness dissipating, "I need your help in picking an outfit for my date this weekend."

You ignored the sharp stab you felt in your heart at the cruel reminder. Suppressing your emotions, you nodded, "Of course, I'll send you some ideas tonight."

But he shook his head, a hopeful glint in his eyes, "No, I was hoping you could come over before the date and help me put together something nice...?"

You blinked, surprised by the unexpected request, "Why not get Felix to help you with that?"

Hyunjin pouted, swinging your arm around playfully, "Oh, come on, you're the one who promised to help me until the end, right?"

Sighing, you realised he was right. It was your commitment, not Felix's. Relenting, you nodded, "Alright, fine. Sheesh. I'll see you then."

Hyunjin cheered, thanking you profusely before running off, presumably heading to spend time with Lia. As he disappeared into the crowd, you couldn't shake off the lingering discomfort that settled in your chest.

Hang in there, you can do this.

Standing in front of the mirror, you scrutinised yourself for the umpteenth time before questioning your actions. Why did it matter how you looked to Hyunjin? After all, you'd literally grown up together, and he'd seen you at your best and worst. The reflection staring back at you seemed to mock the unnecessary anxiety that had settled in.

The sound of your phone's notifications going off snapped you out of your thoughts. Unlocking the device, you found texts from both Hyunjin and Felix. Hyunjin's message was playful, urging you to hurry over, 'Bestie, get your ass over here already!!!😭'

Felix's text, however, carried a different tone, one of understanding and support, 'Hyunjin told me you're going over to help him. I know nothing I say can change your mind, but I just want you to know that no matter what happens, I'll be here for you.'

Reading Felix's words nearly brought tears to your eyes. It was a reminder of the loneliness that came with keeping these feelings to yourself. In that moment, you realise the weight of the emotions you've chosen to carry alone. But there was no one else to blame; you made the choice yourself, and now it was time to finish what you started.

With a deep breath, you locked your phone and shook off the lingering self-doubt. Adjusting your outfit one final time, you muttered a quiet affirmation to yourself and headed towards Hyunjin's house.

Upon arriving, you were greeted by his infectious excitement, "Finally, you're here! I need your expert fashion advice."

Suppressing the internal turmoil, you forced a smile, "Alright, let's get this over with."

As you entered his room, surrounded by the familiar scent of his space, you felt a twinge of nostalgia. The memories of your friendship flooded back, but now, they were tainted with a layer of complexity.

The process of picking an outfit began, with you providing suggestions and Hyunjin trying on various combinations. Looking at him more closely now, you hated that you suddenly found him so attractive.

You watched as he struggled with some of the buttons on his shirt before looking up at you with a pout, "Some help would be nice?"

His request cut through the air, and you couldn't hide the inward sigh. The situation was already complicated enough, and now he was making things even more difficult. Rolling your eyes in a feigned display of annoyance, you walked up to him, determined to maintain a facade of indifference.

As you carefully worked through the buttons, your concentration remained fixed on the task at hand. Hyunjin, however, couldn't help but let his gaze remain on you. His eyes naturally drifted downward, taking in the familiar sight of you deep in focus. At that moment, he found you adorable, with your tongue poking out from the corner of your lips and a small frown between your eyes.

Huh, guess not much has changed.

Standing up close, he began to notice details he hadn't paid attention to before. Your eyelashes were surprisingly long, framing expressive eyes that held a history of shared laughter and secrets. The baby fat in your cheeks had disappeared after the braces, leaving behind a more defined and mature look. He also noticed how pink and soft your lips appeared.

The realisation hit him like a wave—have you always looked this pretty? The question lingered in his mind, surprising even himself with the depth of observation he was suddenly making. It wasn't that he hadn't considered your attractiveness before, but in this moment, with the proximity and the shared history, it became more pronounced.

Finished with the last button, you stepped back, offering a casual comment, "There. All set."

Your best friend, however, remained silent for a moment, his thoughts still lingering on the newfound awareness of your features. The atmosphere in the room had shifted, unspoken sentiments hanging between you two.

Standing at his doorstep, Hyunjin, ready to go on his date with Lia, smiled down at you, "Thank you for your time and effort," You shook your head, "No worries, good luck and have fun." But as you turned to leave, a peculiar sense of unease settled in him; it didn't feel right watching you go by yourself.

Before you could take more than a few steps, you were surprised to find him beside you, matching your pace, "What are you doing? You'll be late if you don't go now."

He shrugged, unable to fully grasp his own actions but feeling the need to do this, "It's fine, Lia can wait a bit. I'll walk you home. You came all this way to help me. It's the least I could do."

Your heart skipped a beat at that gesture. For the first time since Lia entered your lives, he was putting you first, prioritising you over her. But the conflicting emotions only intensified; it wasn't making things any easier for you.

Reaching your home, you shooed him with a teasing smile, "Alright, I'm home safe. Now, hurry and go get your dream girl."

He smiled back but didn't move from his spot. You shook your head and playfully pushed him, "Go, you idiot. What are you—"

Suddenly, he pulled you into his arms for a hug, his lips close to your ear, "She may be my dream girl right now, but you'll always be my number one."

Your breath hitched at those unexpected words. Before you could react, he pulled away and ran off, leaving you standing there, a mix of confusion and warmth swirling within.

Stop doing this to me, Hwang Hyunjin.

The restaurant was adorned with soft lights and a pleasant ambience, the perfect setting for a romantic evening.

But Hyunjin was struggling to enjoy his first date with Lia as much as he had anticipated. Despite having dreamed of dating her for so long, his mind seemed to be preoccupied with thoughts that he couldn't fully understand.

As Lia spoke, sharing stories and laughter, he felt a subtle distraction, his mind involuntarily drifting back to you. It was as if a veil had been lifted, and he found himself unknowingly comparing his date to you. Of course, Lia was undeniably beautiful, a fact that anyone with functioning eyes could see. But she just wasn't... you? He didn't know about anyone else, but to him, you were prettier.

Realising the direction of his thoughts, Hyunjin mentally slapped himself for disrespecting Lia in such a way. Determined to salvage the date, he forced himself to focus on what she was saying, pushing away the distracting comparisons.

However, as the evening unfolded, he couldn't shake off the subtle feeling that the date wasn't going as well as he'd expected. He blamed himself for the disconnect, fully aware that he was the one responsible for the disarray of his own emotions.

Attempting to be present in the moment, he engaged in conversation, trying to enjoy the company of the girl he had dreamt of for so long. But the shadow of conflicting thoughts persisted, casting a pall over what should have been a joyful and momentous occasion.

As the night progressed, Hyunjin found himself immersed in a whirlwind of conflicting thoughts. Despite his efforts to be present on his dream date with Lia, a growing sense of unease crept in. The realisation dawned on him like a quiet storm—he wasn't being entirely honest with her, and perhaps, more importantly, he wasn't being true to himself.

The version of himself that Lia had come to like was a meticulously crafted persona, tailored to fit her preferences. They engaged in activities she enjoyed, ate food she liked, and talked about subjects that captivated her. He even dressed in a way that he believed appealed to her tastes. In the process, he wondered if Lia liked him for who he truly was or merely for the version of himself he had presented to win her over.

If he were to be himself, would Lia have liked him at all? The sincerity of their interactions seemed to be overshadowed by the facade he constructed. It made him question the authenticity of their connection.

Aside from that, a more profound doubt surfaced—he questioned whether he genuinely liked Lia for who she was or if he was just infatuated with the idea of her. Was he captivated by the fantasy he created in his mind, rather than the reality of the person sitting across from him?

That night, the weight of the evening's revelations lingered as he collapsed onto his bed after sending Lia home.

Sighing heavily, he thought about the missed opportunity. He hadn't kissed her goodbye like he used to imagine. Instead, all he managed was a simple 'goodnight, see you at school next week' before leaving her doorstep. It wasn't the romantic farewell he envisioned, but the weight of his internal conflicts restrained him.

In the solitude of his room, he decided that it was time for a change. He acknowledged that the version of himself he'd presented to Lia wasn't sustainable, nor was it fair to either of them. With a newfound resolve, he made a decision—he would give her another chance, but this time, he wanted to be genuine, to be himself.

Perhaps, if he allowed Lia to see the real him, and if he took the time to genuinely understand her, there might be a chance for something more authentic to blossom between them.

With this resolve in mind, Hyunjin closed his eyes, attempting to push all thoughts of you out of his mind. You were his best friend, and he had to remind himself of that fact. As sleep claimed him, he envisioned a future where the real him and the real Lia could find common ground, unburdened by the illusions that initially clouded their connection.

The following week at school, you and Felix were surprised by Hyunjin's demeanour. He didn't exhibit the expected excitement that typically followed a successful first date. Instead, he seemed to have reverted to his previous self, the Hyunjin you knew before the Lia obsession took centre stage.

Your surprise was evident when, out of the blue, Hyunjin began walking you to class again. His laughter rang out as he snickered at the puzzled expression on your face, and without warning, he playfully ruffled your hair, "Stop looking at me like that." He teased.

In response, you whined and swatted his hand away, "Not the hair, you jerk!"

His laughter continued, a sound you've missed, and he couldn't hide his happiness at seeing this side of you again. Deep down, he knew he pushed you away with his previous behaviour. Slipping an arm around your shoulder, he spoke, "Look, I'm sorry for the way I behaved previously. I know you must've been hurt. I promise to make it up to you."

Before you could inquire about the details of his date with Lia and the sudden change in his attitude, you arrived at your class. He squeezed your shoulder reassuringly before leaving, "See you at lunch."

You nodded, still slightly confused but undeniably happy. Maybe the date didn't go as well as he'd hoped? The possibility filled you with hope, and you couldn't shake the optimism that bubbled within. You found yourself looking forward to lunchtime, eager to uncover the mysteries behind his change of heart.

The lunchtime rendezvous brought an air of anticipation as the three of you gathered at your usual spot. Despite Hyunjin's seemingly improved attitude, a sense of unease lingered in the air.

As you exchanged casual banter, he finally broached the subject, "Guys, there's something I want to talk to you about." His tone carried a weight that immediately caught your attention.

"I've been thinking," Hyunjin continued, his gaze shifting between you and Felix, "About Lia. I want to take a different approach with her. I've decided to be myself, the real me, around her. I want her to like me for who I truly am."

Your heart sank at his words, a sinking feeling of déjà vu washing over you. The hope that had briefly ignited was swiftly extinguished. It became clear that Hyunjin's newfound determination was geared toward pursuing a more genuine connection with Lia. While on the surface, it seemed like a positive step, the implications were disheartening.

Felix, however, expressed his support, "That's a great decision, Jinnie. Be yourself, and if she likes you for who you are, that's even better."

While Felix's words were encouraging, his eyes betrayed a different sentiment. They shifted to you, a subtle expression of concern. He understood the implications of Hyunjin's decision, knowing how you probably felt at that moment.

Another week passed, and Hyunjin, beaming with pride, announced to you and Felix that he was going on a second date with Lia. While you feigned happiness for him, Felix saw through the facade. The strain of suppressing your true feelings became apparent, and Felix, unable to watch you suffer in silence, decided it was time to intervene.

On the night of Hyunjin's second date, Felix took it upon himself to keep you company and distract you from your thoughts. Together, you baked brownies and indulged in a fun movie night. As the credits rolled on the screen and the room dimmed, he turned to see you staring numbly ahead, clearly lost in your own thoughts.

Sighing, he reached across and placed his hands over yours, "Talk to me, please. I want to be there for you. Why do you keep doing this to yourself? What are you trying so hard to prove, hm?"

The concerned look in your best friend's eyes finally broke through the walls you'd built around your emotions. With a heavy exhale, you crumbled, unable to hold back the feelings that had been festering within.

"It's just... I don't understand why I'm doing this to myself," You admitted, "I keep pretending to be okay, to be happy for him, but every time he talks about Lia, it just hurts. I don't know why I'm trying so hard to prove something. Maybe I'm just scared of losing him, of things changing between us."

Felix listened attentively, his grip on your hands offering both support and reassurance, "You don't have to go through this alone, you know?" He said softly, "It's okay to feel the way you do, and it's okay to talk about it."

With those words, the floodgates opened, and you poured out the conflicting emotions that had been plaguing you, "You were right... I guess I do have feelings for him."

Felix listened with a soft, understanding smile, his eyes reflecting a sense of calm assurance. He wasn't at all surprised by the revelation, having sensed the undercurrents of your emotions for some time.

"I don't even know when it started or why I feel this way," You confessed, your voice tinged with a mixture of confusion and vulnerability, "Hyunjin has been my best friend for as long as I can remember, and suddenly everything feels so complicated."

Felix squeezed your hand, "It's okay, you know. Feelings can be messy, and they don't always follow a logical timeline. What matters is that you're opening up about it now. You don't have to do this alone, and I'm here for you, no matter what."

He smiled softly, a reassuring warmth in his gaze. Felix didn't have all the answers, and he knew that unravelling the complexities of emotions wasn't a straightforward task. But he was determined to be the support you needed, offering a listening ear, a shoulder to lean on, and a friend who understood.

Meanwhile, on his date with Lia, Hyunjin couldn't shake the nagging feeling that something was off.

Lia was a nice girl, but as the evening went on, he began to realise that she might not be exactly his type at all. It wasn't something he consciously thought about before, but as he spent time with her, he couldn't help comparing her to you again.

You, with your unladylike antics that he always teased you about but secretly cherished. Lia, in contrast, seemed different, and the more he pondered on it, the more he realised that different wasn't necessarily what he was looking for. He missed the easy banter and shared interests he had with you and Felix.

During their conversation, he noticed how Lia appeared bored or uninterested whenever he brought up stories about you and Felix. It struck him that, unlike your friendship, their discussions seemed one-sided, revolving mostly around Lia and her interests.

As she excused herself to the bathroom, he took the opportunity to check his phone.

Scrolling through Instagram, he stumbled upon Felix's story. The images and captions painted a vivid picture of a cosy evening filled with laughter—something he found himself envious of. At that moment, he realised that he wanted to be there with you.

As Lia returned from the bathroom, he felt that something was missing, and for the first time, he questioned whether pursuing a relationship with her was the right path for him.

Determined to move on from your feelings for Hyunjin, you decided to refocus on the things that once brought you joy – your love for gaming. Despite Hyunjin's announcement of giving up on Lia, a part of you understood that he was and would always be nothing more than your best friend.

Regardless of how things worked out with Lia, your feelings for Hyunjin would remain unrequited.

Returning to the library's gaming section, you immersed yourself in the digital worlds that always provided comfort. It was there that you met Seungmin, a fellow gamer who shared your passion for virtual adventures. The two of you quickly bonded over your favourite games, strategies, and the thrill of defeating virtual foes together.

Felix noticed the positive change in your demeanour and was relieved to see you returning to your usual self again. The laughter and excitement you shared with Seungmin during gaming sessions became a refreshing break from the emotional complexities that had weighed on you.

However, Hyunjin struggled to come to terms with the shift. Every mention of Seungmin stirred an unsettling feeling within him. He found it hard to reconcile the fact that you were forming a connection with someone else, and it left him grappling with emotions he hadn't anticipated.

Despite the internal turmoil, he understood that your happiness was most important. He tried to be supportive, but the subtle twinge of discomfort lingered whenever Seungmin's name came up.

After school, you excitedly ran up to Hyunjin and Felix, who were waiting for you by the school gates, "Hey, losers, sorry I can't walk home with you guys today. Go on without me; I'll see y'all tomorrow!"

Before you could dash off, Hyunjin's brows furrowed, and he reached for your wrist. Twisting you around, the moment felt like déjà vu from the day you helped him with his outfit. Both your eyes widened at the sudden proximity, and Felix cleared his throat awkwardly, looking away.

Hyunjin blinked rapidly before sputtering, "Wh-where do you think you're going, young lady? Your parents will be worried if you don't go home now."

You pulled away from him, rolling your eyes to feign nonchalance, "Jinnie, please. Do you think I'm you? My parents already know I'll be out after school today," Felix chortled to help lighten the atmosphere, "Hate to admit it, but she's right, bro."

Hyunjin scoffed, "Well, I'm just worried. You know how clumsy you can get," Before you could respond, Seungmin called your name from behind, and you beamed, "Don't worry, Seungmin will take care of me." He didn't like the sound of that one bit.

Just as he tried to stop you from going to Seungmin, Felix grabbed his arm and shook his head.

"Let her go."

Hyunjin didn't understand why it felt like those three words held a deeper meaning. He watched as you joined Seungmin, the two of you walking away, laughter floating back towards them. Felix turned to Hyunjin, his expression unreadable.

Oh, how the tables have turned.

Hyunjin couldn't shake the unease that settled within him as he continued to watch your retreating figures. It was a feeling he couldn't quite define, and for the first time, he wondered if his worry for you went beyond the bounds of friendship.

As the two boys walked home, Hyunjin couldn't shake the lingering discomfort. The unease prompted him to turn to Felix, needing some clarity on the matter.

"Hey, what do you think about Seungmin?" Hyunjin asked, his voice carrying a mix of curiosity and apprehension.

Felix smiled knowingly, understanding the source of the inquiry, "Seungmin? He's a good guy. He's not just a gamer; he's dedicated to his studies too. I've noticed he's had a positive influence on our bestie, encouraging her to study harder as well."

Hyunjin nodded, absorbing Felix's words. He tried to accept his friend's reasoning and rationalise the situation for himself. Why was he feeling so unhappy about this anyway? Felix seemed just fine with your new friendship and even supportive of it.

Perhaps he should learn to be the same.

"Yeah, you're right," Hyunjin replied, forcing a smile, "I guess it's good that she's found someone who gets her interest."

Felix clapped him on the back, "Exactly! Seungmin seems like a genuine guy. Let's just be happy for her."

Hyunjin nodded again, attempting to bury the unease and be supportive like Felix. But deep down, a part of him couldn't shake the feeling that he was losing something, something intangible yet significant, and the journey to fully understand those emotions had just begun.

Meanwhile, you made a conscious effort to push aside the thoughts and emotions stirred up by the encounter with Hyunjin.

As you walked alongside Seungmin, chatting about the latest game releases, you couldn't escape the replay of the moment when Hyunjin grabbed your wrist. Your heart still raced as you wondered about the desperation in his eyes.

Could he be... jealous?

Did he feel the same way about you, or was it just a reaction to your attention being diverted from him and Felix? Rationalising, you convinced yourself that it was probably the latter. After all, Hwang Hyunjin, the charismatic and charming friend, couldn't possibly reciprocate your feelings. It was safer to assume that he wasn't used to your attention being on someone other than him and Felix.

You couldn't shake off the feeling that you needed to save yourself from further misery. The idea of Hyunjin shifting his focus to another girl loomed in your mind. Sure, the Lia phase was over, but he could very well set his eyes on someone new at any time.

Perhaps it was time to guard your heart, to protect yourself from potential heartache. Resolute in your decision, you pushed aside the uncertainty and focused on Seungmin, someone who seemed genuinely interested in you for who you were.

Despite your best efforts, you found your mind involuntarily comparing Seungmin to Hyunjin, and you mentally scolded yourself for these incessant thoughts.

Urging yourself to stop these comparisons, you recognised that if your feelings for Hyunjin weren't clouding your judgment, you might have fallen for Seungmin instantly. He was everything you could want in a guy – your dream guy, to be precise.

Seungmin shared the same interests, hobbies, and principles as you did. He was attentive, considerate, and almost perfect for you. Although he might not have been conventionally the ideal type for most, he fits your ideal perfectly. So close to perfection, if only he was... Hwang Hyunjin.

You snapped out of your thoughts when Seungmin called your name, informing you that he would be back in a bit as he went to collect your food order. You softened at his gentlemanly gesture, realising that you were being unfair to him by comparing him to Hyunjin. Seungmin was his own person, and you were determined to appreciate and like him for who he truly was.

The realisation hit you hard, and you resolved to give Seungmin the attention and consideration he deserved. After all, he had done nothing but show kindness and genuine interest in you.

Seungmin walked you home that evening after a day filled with fun and laughter. Arriving at your doorstep, you turned to him in gratitude, "Thank you so much for walking me home. Gosh, you really didn't have to. It'll be late by the time you get home."

He grinned, teasing, "Aww, are you worrying about me?"

You scoffed, "What if I am? It can be dangerous to be out late alone."

Unable to resist, he wrapped you in a hug. You stilled for a moment before lifting your hands to hold onto him, "You have no idea how happy I am that you care this much about me." He admitted, and you couldn't suppress your smile at his words.

"Of course, I care about you, Kim Seungmin. What kind of friend would I be not to?" You replied as he pulled away, a genuine warmth in your words.

He seemed to contemplate something before gathering the courage to ask, "H-hey, I was wondering... are you free this Saturday?"

Just as you were about to answer, a new voice interrupted you both, "No, she's not. She has plans with me, sorry." said Hyunjin, standing nearby and staring coldly at Seungmin. The unexpected interruption caught you off guard.

You glared at Hyunjin, annoyed by his sudden intrusion, "What? No, I don't." You retorted, not appreciating his assumption.

Hyunjin seemed hurt by your swift rejection, but trying to save his pride, he added, "Yes, you do. Felix got us tickets to see the latest Marvel superhero movie."

Furrowing your brows, you couldn't recall Felix mentioning any of these plans, "He did?" You questioned, feeling a bit perplexed.

Seungmin, aware that Hyunjin was your close friend, decided to be the bigger person, "That's alright, perhaps another time. I have to get home anyway. I'll see you at school." He said diplomatically, not wanting to leave a bad impression.

You nodded quickly, feeling bad about Hyunjin's borderline rude behaviour, "Text me when you get home, yeah?"

"I will." He beamed and patted your head affectionately before walking away. Hyunjin fumed from his corner, observing you watching Seungmin leave until he was out of sight. The tension lingered, leaving you with a mix of frustration and confusion as you turned your attention back to Hyunjin.

"Dude, what the hell was that?!"

Hyunjin rolled his eyes in annoyance, "What? Are you so upset that you don't get to go out with your little boyfriend again?" He retorted with a dismissive tone.

You narrowed your eyes at his sudden attitude, "Seungmin's not my—" You paused and took a deep breath, not wanting to entertain his childish behaviour, "What are you even doing here in the first place, Hyunjin? Did Felix really get us movie tickets this weekend?"

He gulped and looked away, unable to meet your eyes. That answered your question; he lied about the tickets. You sighed, growing tired of the drama, "I don't have time for this. If you won't talk, then I'm leaving."

Turning to enter your house, he quickly grabbed your wrist.

No, not again.

You distanced yourself before he could pull you close to him, determined to protect your heart.

But he couldn't hold back any longer. Frowning at the distance you deliberately put between you two, he exploded, "I've had it, alright? What's gotten into you all of a sudden? Seungmin this, Seungmin that! I'm sick of hearing about him! Do you even care about me and Felix anymore?"

You laughed humourlessly at those words, tears welling up in your eyes, "So, now you know how it feels, huh?"

He froze at that, realising the hypocrisy of his actions.

Wiping your tears harshly with your sleeves, you continued, "How selfish can you be, Hwang Hyunjin? I kept quiet and supported you while you obsessed over Lia, even when you pushed me aside. And now that I've found someone I like, you can't accept it?"

He gulped and lowered his head in shame.

"So it's alright if you do it, but when I do it, it's outrageous and unacceptable, huh? I see how it is."

Not wanting to hear another word from him, you stalked into your home and slammed the door shut, leaving him outside, confronted by the consequences of his actions.

The following day at school, you refused to speak to Hyunjin. When he attempted to chase after you and confront you, Felix stopped him with a serious expression that revealed he knew more than he let on. Stepping aside, the two of them finally decided to address the elephant in the room.

Felix began with a sigh, "She told me what happened last night."

Hyunjin avoided his friend's eye contact, feeling a deep sense of shame. This was a repeat of what happened with you before, but now it was Hyunjin's turn to feel the weight of his actions. Felix deduced that Hyunjin must have returned your feelings, seeing his reaction to Seungmin's appearance in your life.

"You know, it hurt her more than anyone for you to say those things to her," Felix explained, his tone serious, "It's extremely unfair to her. How you felt seeing her with Seungmin, was what she went through when you had Lia. But she kept it all in and suffered alone. She didn't even confide in me. I had to beg her to lean on me, seeing how much it affected her."

Hyunjin felt an overwhelming wave of guilt with this revelation. He had guessed that you'd be hurt, but he didn't fully understand the extent of it until he experienced it himself. He neglected you even more than he realised.

Goddamnit, I'm a horrible friend.

Felix, tired of all the charades, wanted his best friend to wake up to his own feelings. Firmly, he began, "Hyunjin, I want you to think carefully about this."

Hyunjin looked up at Felix's determined gaze, anticipating what he was about to say.

"Do you think that perhaps the reason you're this upset is because you have feelings for her?" Felix asked pointedly.

Hyunjin froze. The thought constantly lingered in the back of his mind, but he always refused to acknowledge it, let alone voice it out loud. It felt like it wasn't supposed to happen. After all, he had known you since you were all in diapers; you'd grown up side by side. How could it be possible that all of a sudden, he would be seeing you in a different light?

With Felix asking this question, Hyunjin knew the feelings must have been there for his friend to see through in the first place.

That would explain why he had been so unhappy to see you with Seungmin, especially when Felix seemed less than bothered by it. The realisation hit him like a ton of bricks, and he felt a mixture of confusion, denial, and a hint of something he couldn't quite put his finger on.

Felix placed a hand on Hyunjin's shoulder, "I know it sounds crazy, but deep down, I trust you know the answer better than anyone else. Just... take your time and figure it out before deciding how you want to approach her. Whatever happens, I'm here for you, alright buddy?"

Hyunjin nodded gratefully, "Thank you, Felix." The weight of the realisation hung heavy in the air, and he couldn't deny that he needed to confront his feelings, as confusing and unexpected as they were.

As Felix walked away, Hyunjin took a deep breath, grappling with the newfound awareness that his emotions for you might be more complicated than he ever imagined.

During lunch, you decided to be the bigger person and chose not to ignore Hyunjin any longer. Instead, you opted to act like nothing had happened. You didn't want any confrontation and wished only to move on from the drama. Thankfully, Hyunjin didn't pester you, especially with Felix sending him warning looks.

As you sat down, you engaged in casual conversation with both of them, discussing topics that steered clear of any emotional tension.

Hyunjin found relief in the momentary peace.

He realised that this was for the best, a chance for him to figure out his own feelings for you without the weight of recent events clouding his judgment. The lunch table, which had once been a source of joy and comfort, now felt like a battleground of unspoken emotions. He couldn't shake off the guilt, but he was determined to navigate through the complexities of his feelings.

Little did he know, you were also fighting with your emotions, doing your best to maintain a facade of normalcy for the sake of the friendship you cherished.

That weekend, Felix decided to make a genuine effort to lighten the atmosphere within your friend group. He went and bought movie tickets for real this time, hoping that this outing could serve as a reset button for all of you, despite the underlying emotional tension between you and Hyunjin.

As you approached the two of them, your usual cheerful self, Hyunjin fought to keep his heart still. You weren't necessarily dressed up for the occasion, but in his heightened awareness of his feelings for you, he couldn't deny that you looked beautiful to him no matter what you wore. He tried to pull himself together as you threw your arms over both their necks in a group hug.

He instinctively reached his hand over your back, holding you against him. At that moment, he closed his eyes, savouring the feeling of having you close. The warmth of your embrace and the subtle scent of your familiar perfume made it difficult for him to ignore the growing realisation that his feelings for you were deeper than he had ever acknowledged.

The movie outing, intended to bring back the carefree dynamic of your friendship, unknowingly became a pivotal moment in Hyunjin's self-discovery.

Felix observed you two knowingly, shaking his head at how oblivious you were to each other's feelings. While you attempted to maintain a distance, Hyunjin made every effort to close the gap, taking a step closer every chance he got. Despite your attempts to push him away, Felix could tell that it was becoming increasingly difficult for you to deny your own heart's desires.

Throughout the entire day, Hyunjin took care of you in every possible way. He offered to buy you whatever you wanted, handed you his jacket when the cinema hall got too cold, and even accompanied you to the washroom during the long movie.

You stared at him incredulously when he followed after you, whispering, "Jinnie, what are you doing? I'm fine going alone; I know where the washroom is."

He shushed you and gently pushed you out of the hall, saying, "I won't forgive myself if anything happens to you. Just let me do this."

Despite the flutter in your heart, you rolled your eyes and relented, "Ugh, fine. Don't blame me when you miss what happens in the movie later."

One of the cleaner ladies witnessing your banter chuckled, "Young lady, you have a wonderful boyfriend. You should let him take care of you if he wants to, not all men are like that nowadays."

Choking on your spit, you waved your hands at her, "N-no! You've got it all wrong, he's not my—"

Squishing your cheeks to disrupt your attempt to clarify, Hyunjin smiled politely at her before grinning mischievously down at you, "Listen to the kind lady, my love. She's right."

Once the lady was out of sight, you slapped his hand away with a glare, "You do that again, Hwang Hyunjin, and I'll kick you where the sun doesn't shine."

He burst out laughing at the threat, and you struggled to suppress the smile forming on your face as you entered the washroom.

The outing continued, and Felix marvelled at how Hyunjin's actions were a silent testament to his growing feelings for you. It was as if he had unconsciously shifted into a more protective and caring mode. Felix exchanged glances with Hyunjin when you weren't looking, silently urging him to confront his emotions.

Hyunjin's attempts to get closer to you were evident. He lingered beside you during breaks, shared his snacks, and even stole a glance or two when he thought you weren't looking. Felix hoped that this could be the turning point for both of you.

By the end of the day, as you bid farewell, Hyunjin's eyes held a certain warmth that hadn't been there before. Felix smiled knowingly, hopeful that the walls both of you had built around your hearts might finally start to crumble.

The two boys walked you home that evening. Upon arriving at your doorstep, you turned to bid them goodbye, "Thanks, Lix, for the movie, and thanks, Jinnie, for the snacks. I had a good time with you losers." You said with a playful smile.

Felix laughed, giving you a warm hug, "You're welcome, idiot."

Hyunjin, not one to be outdone, waited for his turn. As his arms enveloped you, your face pressed against his shoulder, you hoped he couldn't hear the frantic beating of your heart. Little did you know, his own heart was racing just as fast. Squeezing you in his arms, he pressed a subtle kiss onto your head and whispered, "Anytime, cutie."

You blinked rapidly, feeling a sudden warmth spread through you. Felix cleared his throat, and Hyunjin reluctantly let you go. You smiled and waved at the two of them, "Alrighty then, I'll see you both at school."

Waving back, they turned to leave. Unbeknownst to Hyunjin, Felix caught him muttering a quiet, "Can't wait."

A week had passed and Hyunjin was just glad you no longer brought up Seungmin again, perhaps you've drifted apart from the boy? Whatever it was, he was just happy to not hear that name again.

Ah yes, things are finally returning to normal.

Or so he thought.

The cafeteria bustled with students, the usual hum of conversation filling the air as the three of you settled into your regular lunch spot. Hyunjin's eyes sparkled with excitement as he leaned forward, suggesting an idea for the upcoming weekend.

"Hey, let's do something fun this Saturday! I heard there's this new arcade opened—"

Before he could finish, your sheepish smile and the gentle rub on your neck halted him, "Sorry, I won't be able to make it. You guys can go ahead without me though."

Hyunjin furrowed his brows, "What? Why not?"

You sighed, conflicted about sharing the information but recognising the necessity, "I'm... going on my first date with Seungmin."

His cheerful expression faltered, his eyes reflecting a mix of surprise and disappointment, "Seungmin? You're still seeing him?"

You nodded hesitantly, your gaze shifting away, "Yeah, we've been hanging out quite a bit lately, and he finally asked me out. I didn't want to bring it up, but since you asked..."

The atmosphere grew tense, and Felix, who was listening to the conversation, threw a concerned look at his friend. Hyunjin tried to put on a brave face, forcing a smile, "Oh, that's... that's great. I hope you have fun."

Felix intervened, sensing the underlying tension, "Well, we can reschedule our plans. No big deal."

You offered an apologetic smile, "Thanks, Lix. I really appreciate it."

Hyunjin forced a smile, trying to mask the discomfort he felt, "Yeah, go have a good time."

His gaze lingered longingly on your retreating figure as you left lunch early that day. The once-clear path of friendship now seemed muddled, and the excitement for the weekend plans felt overshadowed by heartache.

The streetlights cast elongated shadows on the sidewalk as Hyunjin walked home, his steps heavy with self-pity. His gaze was fixed on his phone screen, flipping through your Instagram stories with Seungmin. Felix, catching up to his despondent friend, slung an arm over Hyunjin's shoulder.

"Dude, why didn't you wait for me?" Felix asked, noticing Hyunjin's distraction.

Hyunjin didn't respond, lost in his thoughts. Felix glanced over and sighed when he saw your stories playing on Hyunjin's phone. Swiftly, he snatched the device out of his friend's hands.

"That's enough. Will you keep wasting away while the girl you like is out there with another guy? Aren't you going to do something about your feelings?" Felix's words were firm, a mix of concern and frustration.

Hyunjin, taking his phone back, continued trudging home, "What can I do, Lix? All she sees is Seungmin. It doesn't matter how I feel."

Without warning, Felix smacked him on the back of the head. Hyunjin froze, rubbing the back of his head as Felix continued walking.

"Is that what you think? So you're upset with her seeing Seungmin because you have feelings for her. You do realise she felt the same way seeing you with Lia, right? So, what does that tell you?" With those words hanging in the air, Felix left Hyunjin standing there, the pieces slowly falling into place in his mind.

Wait, does that mean she feels the same?

The soft chime of incoming messages interrupted your preparations for the date with Seungmin. You checked your phone to find a series of texts from Hyunjin, desperation evident in his words. He insisted that he needed to meet you urgently, that there was something important he needed to discuss.

Sighing, you considered ignoring him, determined to focus on your evening with Seungmin. But the messages continued to flood in, Hyunjin's pleas echoing through your phone. You were tired of the emotional rollercoaster, the constant back and forth.

Just as you were about to throw your phone aside, a few more texts flashed across the screen. Hyunjin persisted, wanting to talk to you, to meet with you, 'Please don't go to him.' Frustration welled up in you, but you maintained your resolve.

With a firmness that surprised even yourself, you replied, 'Enough, Hyunjin. I'm going on this date with Seungmin whether or not you like it. You're not stopping me this time.'

As you hit send, a text from Seungmin arrived, informing you that he had arrived.

Fixing your hair one last time, you took a deep breath and made a conscious decision to put thoughts of Hyunjin aside for the night. Tonight was about you and Seungmin, and you were determined to enjoy the evening without the interference of unresolved feelings.

Except it was harder than you think.

The cityscape sparkled with lights as you walked beside Seungmin. Despite the vibrant atmosphere and your date's engaging company, every corner of the city seemed to whisper memories of Hyunjin. You couldn't escape the nostalgia that flooded your mind, remembering the countless times you and your childhood friend had roamed these familiar streets together throughout the years.

It became a bitter realisation that, no matter how much you tried to focus on Seungmin, your mind wandered back to your best friend. The restaurants you passed, the park you strolled through, every place held echoes of shared moments with Hyunjin.

To make matters worse, your phone vibrated incessantly with continuous messages from him. Despite your decision to ignore him, his texts continued to flood in, each one a reminder of his persistence. It tugged at your heartstrings, making it harder to immerse yourself in the date.

As the night progressed, you found yourself in a constant battle between the present and the past, between Seungmin and Hyunjin.

Just why are you doing this to me?

Letting out a tired sigh, you pushed your phone back into your pocket after seeing yet another text from you-know-who. You managed a convincing smile for your date, trying to push away the distraction of Hyunjin's persistent texts. But Seungmin's concern was evident as he placed a reassuring hand on your arm.

"Hey, everything alright?" He asked, his eyes reflecting genuine care. Your heart twinged with guilt for letting your emotions surface so easily. Nodding your head, you quickly regained your composure.

"Yep, all good. Ooh, let's go see that over there!" You pointed towards an intriguing stall, its shelves filled with peculiar items. You hoped the novelty would distract Seungmin—and, in turn, yourself—from the underlying tension of the night.

As you both explored the colourful array of trinkets and curiosities, you did your best to be present, banishing the persistent thoughts of a certain someone. Little did you know, Seungmin observed your efforts with concern, hoping to make the evening memorable for you.

Fingers intertwined with yours, he gently tugged you away from the crowd to a quieter corner by the beautiful Hangang River. The distant city lights reflected on the water's surface, casting a serene glow on both of you.

There, you stumbled upon a talented busker passionately pouring their heart into a soulful melody. Seungmin's eyes sparkled with delight as he guided you to a spot where you could enjoy the performance undisturbed.

In that moment, surrounded by the soothing music and the gentle night breeze, you smiled shyly. His presence felt warm and comforting, and for an instant, all you could see was him. He truly was a great guy, someone who could be the perfect boyfriend.

You could see it, see yourself being happy with him.

Until you couldn't.

The busker's next song struck a chord deep within you, a familiar melody that wrapped around your heart like a haunting echo from the past. It was your song, the one you and Hyunjin had dedicated to each other; it signified how much you meant to one another.

As the singer's voice carried the tune, memories of late-night talks, stolen glances, and the warmth of Hyunjin's presence flooded your mind. It was a bittersweet reminder of a connection that ran far deeper than you'd allowed yourself to acknowledge.

You knew you were hopeless when a voice you knew too well from behind you called out your name.

Hwang Hyunjin stood there, his eyes fixed on you with a mixture of emotions that mirrored your own inner turmoil. The shattered fragments of the future you envisioned with Seungmin lay scattered like a broken mirror, and there was no escaping the truth that had resurfaced with the haunting melody.

Turning to face him, you knew you were a lost cause the moment you laid your eyes on him. You had no control over how your heart instantly reacted to merely seeing him.

Seungmin's smile faltered, his grip on your hand loosening. The sudden shift didn't escape your notice, and when you looked up at him with tearful eyes, you found a bittersweet understanding in his gaze. His hand gently patted your head, a comforting gesture that carried an unspoken message.

"It's okay. Follow your heart, go to him," He said, his voice soft and understanding. His reassuring smile attempted to dispel any guilt you might feel, "Don't apologise, please. From the beginning, it was clear that your heart belonged to someone else. I knew that, and I just wanted to try my luck winning it over. But it's alright; I can tell this whole time, it's still with him."

His words lingered in the air, carrying both acceptance and a touch of melancholy. Hyunjin, who had been silently observing, began to view your date in a different light. Felix's insight had been right; Seungmin was a great guy.

Giving your hand a final, supportive squeeze, Seungmin nodded encouragingly at Hyunjin before walking off into the night.

The atmosphere around you seemed to shift, the distant sounds of the city melting away as Seungmin left you alone with Hyunjin and the weight of his words hanging in the air.

"Great, he's gone now. Are you happy?! What is it that's so freaking urgent that you had to ruin my date—"

Before you could process the mix of emotions, Hyunjin closed the distance between you. Your anger bubbled up at his apparent interruption, but he cut through your words with a revelation that shook you to your core.

"I'm in love with you, okay?!"

The confession hung in the air, and for a moment, the world stopped. You looked at him, your heart pounding, thoughts racing.

The truth that lingered beneath the surface had finally surfaced, leaving you both vulnerable and exposed. As the weight of his words settled in, you found yourself at a loss for how to respond.

Time seemed to come to a standstill.

You stood there, eyes wide, trembling, as the weight of his words sank in, "Wh-what?" You croaked, almost disbelieving. You feared your mind might be playing tricks on you.

Hyunjin softened, reaching gently for your hands, "I said, I'm in love with you. Always have been. It's... it's always been you. I should've known when I couldn't stop thinking about you even when I was with Lia. I'm sorry it took me this long to realise."

Your eyes rounded at the sincerity in his voice as he continued, "And I know that you feel exactly the same way I do."

You scoffed lightly at his confidence, "And how would you know that?"

He smiled, his gaze unwavering, "Tell me I'm wrong then. Tell me I've never once crossed your mind while you were with Seungmin."

You huffed in defeat, and he brought a hand up to cup your face, making you meet his gaze, "It has been painful watching you be with him, but I deserved it after making you watch and help me chase after Lia. I'm an idiot. I don't know how I've been so blind to my own feelings all this while."

You chuckled, placing your hand over his affectionately, "Believe it or not, I'm not much better. I didn't realise I loved you until Lia came around too."

His heart skipped a beat at your words, and he rested his forehead against yours, "Say that again."

You frowned, "Say what? That I'm no better than you?"

He laughed, "Not that. What you said after that."

You blinked slowly, "That I... love you?"

He nodded, biting his lip, "Again."

You blushed, murmuring, "I love you, you idiot."

His heart soared at that, "I love you too." Before you knew it, you were both leaning in, and your breath was taken away when you finally felt his lips pressed against yours. The world seemed to vanish, leaving only the two of you and the shared realisation of a love that had been there all along.

Hyunjin took you home, and the journey was a blur of stolen kisses, laughter, and the promise of a future that was now crystal clear. He kissed you dizzy at your doorstep, a sweet and lingering moment that left you breathless.

As you unlocked your front door, still feeling the warmth of his touch on your lips, you couldn't shake the need to address things with Seungmin. Despite the confusion of your emotions, you felt responsible for any unintentional hurt you might have caused.

Pulling out your phone, you composed a long text to Seungmin, expressing your sincerest apologies for leading him on, even when that wasn't your intention.

His reply came not long after, and you felt relief as you read his understanding words. Seungmin reassured you that he cherished the friendship you both had and was genuinely happy for you. You sighed, grateful that he handled it with such grace, and responded with a heartfelt thank you.

The weight on your shoulders lifted, knowing that at least one aspect of the situation was resolved amicably.

As the night settled in, you found yourself sitting by your window, a gentle breeze carrying the promise of a fresh start. Texts from Hyunjin lit up your screen, each message carrying a piece of the happiness that now coloured your world.

You smiled, realising that sometimes, the best things in life were the ones that took time to unfold.

The following week, you and Hyunjin walked into school hand in hand, a couple at last. The shift in your relationship wasn't much of a surprise to anyone. It has always been clear to most people that there was something slightly more between you; Hyunjin's protective nature and constant presence by your side made it obvious, that the love he had for you was different from Felix's platonic one.

The subtle hints that hung between you two over the years were now out in the open, and the school could finally witness the natural progression from best friends to something more.

Felix, stationed by his locker with an amused smirk, "Finally! I was this close to losing my patience waiting for you fools to realise you belonged together." His words carried a teasing tone, but there was genuine happiness in his eyes as he looked at the two of you.

Hyunjin chuckled, "Thanks, Lix. I won't lie, we probably wouldn't have been together yet if it weren't for you."

You nodded in agreement, "For real, you're the best," Grateful for the support and nudges from Felix, you jumped into his open arms, embracing him with genuine warmth. He grinned teasingly at your boyfriend as he hugged you back tightly, "I sure am."

Hyunjin, feigning jealousy, cleared his throat, "Alright, alright, that's enough! Hands off my girlfriend." He pulled you back into his arms, giving you a playful glare. You giggled, basking in the joy of finally being able to show your affection openly. The three of you shared a moment, knowing that this new chapter in your lives had been a long time coming.

The laughter-filled atmosphere at the lunch table spoke volumes about the comfort and happiness that had settled into your lives. With your boyfriend sitting by your side and your best friend across from you, the three of you enjoyed the moment.

Felix, ever the playful instigator, decided to bring up a memory, "Hey, remember when you said you had no interest in dating? Funny how things turned out, now look at you."

You scoffed, playfully rolling your eyes at his persistent teasing. Just as you were about to feed Hyunjin some of your kimchi fried rice, you paused midway, giving Felix a mock glare, "How many times have we been over this? Give it a rest, will you?"

Hyunjin whined at the interruption, and you turned to feed him with a coo, making him smile. Felix burst into laughter, thoroughly entertained, "Nope, I'll never let you live this down."

Your boyfriend swallowed the food in his mouth before throwing a tangerine at Felix, "Leave her alone and pick on someone your own size, Lee Yongbok."

Felix shook his head amusingly, catching the fruit in his hand, "Okay, okay, sheesh."

Amid the laughter and light banter, Felix suddenly shifted the mood, his expression turning serious, "Hey, on a serious note, you two. I just want you to know how genuinely happy I am for both of you. I wish you nothing but the best, and I hope you'll be together for a really long time. You both mean the world to me and your happiness is what matters most."

Hyunjin wrapped an arm around you and nodded, "I promise, Lix, I'll take care of her for as long as I'm capable of doing so."

Your eyes grew a bit wet at the sincerity of their words. Just as the moment was turning emotional, Felix, in his typical fashion, couldn't resist adding a touch of humour, "Oh, and by the way, if you have a kid, name them after me. Felix has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?"

You and Hyunjin stared at him, unamused, for a brief moment before bursting into laughter. Without missing a beat, you both reached over to give him a playful smack, "Dream on, Lix."

Deciding to go on a date after school, the two of you waved your best friend goodbye before skipping off in the opposite direction.

Swinging your intertwined hands, Hyunjin couldn't help but pout at the thought of your gaming plans with Seungmin over the weekend, "Can't you hang out with me instead of gaming with Seungmin, hm?" He asked, a playful whine in his voice.

You rolled your eyes, a teasing smile playing on your lips, "Jinnie, please, you're the one who told me the importance of maintaining our own lives outside of our relationship, right?"

He sputtered for a moment, caught off guard, "W-well, I mean, yeah, I did but—"

You shook your head, cutting off his protest with a gentle finger pressed against his lips, "No 'buts.' I'm playing with Seungmin, and you can't stop me."

Turning to continue walking, he tugged on your wrist and pulled you against him. With a gasp, you placed your hands on his chest to steady yourself, "Really? You'd rather play games with some other guy than do this with your own boyfriend?" He murmured, his tone a mix of playfulness and a hint of something more.

Before you could respond, he leaned in, kissing you with an intensity that caught you by surprise. Your knees buckled, and you would have fallen if it hadn't been for his strong hold on you. Your eyes fluttered closed almost instantly as you melted into the kiss, all thoughts of gaming and Seungmin fading away.

When he pulled away, a satisfied smirk playing on his lips, he gazed at your dazed state, "Tell me, is gaming better than this, hm?" He teased, his voice carrying a playful tone.

Lost in the trance of the moment, you shook your head, feeling his lips brush against yours before he kissed you again. The sensation was electrifying, but if Hyunjin thought he had won you over with that, he was severely mistaken.

Because when the weekend came around, and you were immersed in your gaming session with Seungmin, no amount of kisses from Hyunjin could distract you from the digital world you were exploring. As much as you loved the moments with your boyfriend, your passion for gaming was a part of who you were, and it was a promise you intended to keep.

But you did let him come over while you game.

Hyunjin pouted as he watched you talk excitedly into the mic on your headset, your enthusiasm evident in every word you spoke to Seungmin. Despite his initial playful complaints about being abandoned for games, he couldn't fight the smile that grew on his face.

As you laughed and strategised with Seungmin, Hyunjin appreciated how genuinely happy you were in these moments. He understood that your passion for gaming was a significant part of who you were, and he respected that.

Seated beside you, he immersed himself in his own world of sketches and drawings. The atmosphere was filled with the sound of your laughter and the clicking of his pencil against the paper. He was content, knowing that you were both doing things you loved, even if they were very different. Being by your side was all that mattered to him. And as he glanced at you with a soft smile, he thought, maybe, opposites do attract after all.

He couldn't resist leaning over to plant a kiss on your head as you played. You winked at him in response, making him laugh.

When the long match finally ended in your favour, you jumped up, arms thrown around his neck in triumph, "We won, Jinnie!" You exclaimed, and he cheered alongside you, savouring the victory.

As you celebrated, Hyunjin sneakily wrapped his arms around you and whispered, "Should I reward you for doing such a good job?" A mischievous glint sparkled in his eyes.

You gasped, slapping a hand over his mouth when you heard a loud groan through your headset. Seungmin's voice echoed, and you realised he could still hear you with the mic unmuted, "Ew, I really didn't need to hear that. My day's completely ruined now, thanks."

"Shut up, Seungmin. You've been hogging my girlfriend all day. Can I have her back already?" Hyunjin scolded, and your face turned a shade of red.

Seungmin laughed good-naturedly, "Fine, she's all yours."

Hyunjin grinned in victory as you ended the call with Seungmin, and he wasted no time pulling you back into his arms as soon as you logged out of the game.

"Damn right, she is. All mine."

I'll be honest, this slightly strayed from the initial direction that I was gonna go for, but I'm happy with how it ended.

Thank you for reading and let me know your thoughts! <3

#edenesth #stray kids #stray kids fanfic #stray kids fanfiction #stray kids hyunjin #non idol au #high school au #best friends to lovers #hyunjin x reader #hyunjin x you #hwang hyunjin #stray kids fic #stray kids oneshot

331 notes · View notes

ataraxiaspainting · 7 months

Note

Yan chrollo + “Chrollo, where have all my romance books gone?”

Warnings: Yandere themes, kidnapping, manipulation, alcohol, not SFW implications, and drugging.

Word Count: 550.

*~*~*~*

All of your things are gone, not just those books. No, that would be too easy for someone like him, and too lax of a punishment for someone like you.

Is it a punishment, though? Or is he just playing with you? You hope for the latter, unsurprisingly.

You can’t wait to be able to stand up again, you haven’t eaten or drank much ever since feeling a bit lightheaded a few minutes ago, the moment that Chrollo asked how good today’s dinner was.

Bastard.

“I simply wanted to entertain both of us with a game.” A claim much too innocent for someone like him, but also something far too simple. “A game. That is all, nothing more and nothing less. If you win, I’ll give them back.”

Is this a lie or a half-truth or something else entirely?

“You’re stranger and creepier than me looking outside and seeing the tentacles of a giant squid coming out of the hotel across the street.” Hmm, a raised eyebrow as a response instead of words. “Forget it, I’ll find something else to do.”

A bluff, really, because you can’t really stand up, and because you don’t know what became of all your other things like your shoes, your diary, your three succulents… everything is just gone, and you know why.

“When have I ever gone so low, darling?” Sarcasm, you think, from the way he crosses his arms so nonchalantly and puts the pack of mint gum back by the bouquet of roses, which he will have to replace soon at the speed at which they are wilting.

“Last month.” As above, so below. “You were making breakfast. I don’t remember anything other than waking up in the late afternoon of that day with a painful migraine. You did something, but you refused to tell me what.”

Everything was hazy then and still is now. How much did he put in your drink this time? Or did he put something in your food? Will he ever tell you what it is or was?

“I promise I only have the best intentions for our relationship.” A relationship is quite the strong word, you want to say. “You. Me. Drinking, watching a movie of your choosing perhaps, and having a few laughs. We’ll relax.” A full truth? “We will show each other what no one else has seen. No one else.”

You scoff. “I appreciate the sentiment, but unfortunately a certain black-haired fellow has caused me to feel ill.” Technically, you’re not lying. “Physically and emotionally and everything else in all other aspects. …But what happens if I lose? If I can't stand up?” A question you are forced to ask. Temptation and coercion go hand in hand, after all.

Like the light of an angler fish, Chrollo’s eyes swing back and forth, and you have to look closer to notice anything wrong.

“I’ll keep you.” He murmurs, the implications and stakes too high for you to not notice, but the matter of pride and the punishment for running away with your tail tucked between your legs are things you are all too familiar with.

“Deal,” It’s the only word you said this entire conversation that isn’t slurred, you note. He simply shakes your trembling hand, and you take the cup, doomed to soon fail as Chrollo intended.

#yandere #yandere x reader #yandere hunter x hunter #aya abstractions #yandere hxh #yandere chrollo #yandere chrollo x reader #yandere chrollo lucilfer x reader #yandere chrollo lucilfer #chrollo x reader #yandere hunter x hunter x reader #yandere hxh x reader #200 followers event

190 notes · View notes

kurooo-is-here · 6 months

Text

hiii hello hiiiii i'm back with some more writing :3

writing for: Arven, Drayton, and Kieran

genre: selfship (x reader)

here are my general character interpretations of these three!

Arven:

loyal to a fault, because he's got abandonment issues. he never had anyone there for him besides his mabostiff, so he wants to be there for you.

his love languages are words of affirmation and acts of service. he'd visit you even if you were on the other side of the world.

he's an early bird. wakes up fairly early in the morning (~6 AM to 7 AM) to do meal preps and feed mabostiff. this comes with its perks though! you get to hear his deep morning voice and see his hair messy. :>

he secretly loves stargazing. to him, there's nothing better than sitting under the stars, hearing the outdoor ambience of the night.

he's super caring towards his pokemon! he feeds them on time and gives them extra love and treats.

speaking of food, he's got tons of recipes to share. he can make a KILLER mac and cheese. also, he absolutely wears aprons that have cute pokemon designs on them.

unironically describes his mood with food flavors. says he's feeling "sour" when he's upset, or "sweet" when he's excited.

he's like.... a puppy..,, he'll follow you anywhere and guard you when others try to steal you away..... (can you tell he's my favorite)

Drayton:

lowkey possessive. not just of you, but of things he's attached to. everything from his pokemon to the comfortable school life he's grown so fond of. he wouldnt trade them for the world.

his love languages are quality time and physical touch. he's a guy who loves cuddling and hanging out. he'd probably fall asleep with you while watching an hour-long youtube video about obscure 3ds game lore.

can't cook for shit!! he will literally just buy instant noodles and microwaveable meals because its easy and convenient LMAO

he doesn't like going out since he's lazy, but he's absolutely down to go shopping if its for snacks. he knows all the best ones.

he loves to battle! partly because he likes showing off how strong he is, but also because he thinks of it as a way to destress.

you'd think for being so lazy he wouldn't practice self-care, and this is mostly true-- but he definitely takes good care of his pokemon. that duraldon he traded you? make sure to keep it clean, it likes being polished every now and then. his flygon? it loves spicy foods. oh, and make sure to trim the scales on his dragonite every week. it gets a little moody otherwise.

he's the king of "this image/video is really funny but why do you have so many of them" over texting. he has a whole stash of silly images.

Kieran:

he gets anxious pretty easily, but he's usually more relaxed around you. he's also not used to receiving compliments, and will absolutely get shy and embarassed if you compliment him.

his love languages are words of affirmation and giving gifts! he gifted you an applin that one time, but he also shares his candy with you. what a sweetheart 🥺

speaking of sweets, he likes hard candies and chocolate! his fav chocolate is white chocolate. (conversely, carmine likes dark chocolate the most.)

gets both nervous and excited when he battles you. he hopes to win, but he also just wants to have fun!

he likes to listen to music when he needs to concentrate. it's good background noise, and more importantly, he is absolutely bopping his head to those tunes.

he likes alternative and indie rock music, plus edm and lofi. his playlist may or may not have a few "edgier" songs too, like "Gasoline" by Halsey and "Sarcasm" by Get Scared.

he absolutely had a nightcore phase.

regarding cooking, he prefers to get food from restaurants rather than cooking at home. he's not super confident in his cooking skills, but he isn't the worst at it either. (looking at you, drayton...)

he doesn't really understand internet culture since he doesn't have a phone. you might have to teach him about it yourself out of pity, because he gets so confused when people start saying they're getting "rizzed up" or something...

bro is absolutely autism-coded (speaking as someone with autism) and he hyperfixates sooo easily. he'll get obsessed with something for weeks and infodump to you constantly, and he definitely loses sleep over his interests. he's so shy about doing this with anyone else, so please lend an ear when you can. 🥹

#pokemon #pokemon sv #pokemon scarlet and violet #pokemon arven #pokemon drayton #pokemon kieran #pokemon arven x reader #pokemon drayton x reader #pokemon kieran x reader #kuro writes

138 notes · View notes

yumicreatesworld · 3 months

Text

Rivals To Romance: Frozen Hearts - Lee Jeno

Summary: A tale of rival hockey teams stranded by a storm, where animosity thaws into camaraderie and unexpected romance blooms amidst adversity.

Pairing: hockey player!Jeno x cheerleader!reader (featuring hockey player!Mark)

Rating: PG

Word Count: 6.7k

Genre: Romance, Drama

Warnings: thematic elements, intense situations, emotional intensity, cringey hockey team names (sorry)

I’ve never watched a single hockey game… so let’s write about it!

The arena is a sea of noise and excitement, with fans from both teams filling the stands, waving banners, and chanting. The ice gleams under the bright lights, ready for the players to carve their paths across it. The game is in the middle of the third period, and the scoreboard reads 3-3, reflecting the intensity of the match between Neo Resonance and Daredevil Drifters.

You’re on the sidelines with your fellow cheerleaders, your uniform vibrant and your movements precise. Every cheer you lead is filled with energy, your voice blending with the roars of the crowd. Your eyes occasionally flicker to the ice, following the rapid movements of the players.

Jeno, the center for Neo Resonance, catches your eye. He moves with a combination of speed and grace that is mesmerizing. You watch as he intercepts the puck from one of your team’s forwards, his expression one of fierce determination. He speeds towards the goal, skillfully dodging defenders. The tension in the arena spikes, and you can’t help but feel a mix of apprehension and admiration.

Jeno takes a powerful shot, aiming for the goal. The crowd collectively holds its breath. Your goalie leaps, making an incredible save, and the puck rebounds back into play. The ensuing scramble is chaotic, players from both teams crashing into each other, fighting for control. The noise level in the arena reaches a fever pitch as everyone anticipates the next move.

Your team’s cheerleaders are giving it their all, and you’re no exception. You lead the crowd in chants, your voice loud and clear, encouraging the Drifters to push harder. You notice Jeno again during a brief pause in the game. There’s a moment where he and one of your team’s players exchange heated words, the rivalry between them palpable.

“Nice dive, Jeno!” shouts Ryan, one of your team’s defensemen, sarcasm dripping from his voice. “Trying out for the swim team next?”

Jeno skates closer, his eyes blazing. “At least I don’t need to slash to stay relevant, Ryan,” he retorts, his voice steady but edged with frustration.

Ryan scoffs, stepping closer as well. “Keep talking. Maybe that’ll help you win a game for once.”

The referees quickly intervene, separating the two before the situation escalates. The tension between the teams is clear, and the rivalry is deeply personal.

As Jeno skates back towards his bench, you focus on leading another cheer. The final minutes of the game are a whirlwind. Jeno, unwavering in his determination, rallies his team for a final push. The Daredevil Drifters’ defense is formidable, meeting every advance with fierce resistance. You’re on the edge, cheering with all your might, willing your team to hold strong., as the opposing cheerleaders do the same.

With mere seconds left, Jeno takes one last, desperate shot. The puck flies across the ice, and time seems to slow. Everyone watches as it heads for the goal. The buzzer sounds just as the puck strikes the post, narrowly missing the net. The game ends in a draw, the tension unresolved but the rivalry even more intense.

The arena explodes in a mixture of cheers and groans. You’re breathless from the excitement, your heart pounding. As the players leave the ice, you can see the frustration and determination on their faces. The rivalry between Neo Resonance and Daredevil Drifters is far from over, and you know that the next game will be just as intense, if not more so.

You and your fellow cheerleaders gather your things, exchanging high-fives and compliments on a job well done. As you make your way towards the exit, you can’t help but notice Jeno walking nearby with his teammates. His expression is a blend of frustration and determination, reflecting the intense effort he put into the game.

“We had them, Mark,” Jeno says, shaking his head as he pulls off his helmet. “That last shot should’ve gone in.”

Mark claps Jeno on the shoulder. “We’ll get them next time, Jeno. Don’t worry.”

You roll your eyes slightly at the confidence in their voices, feeling a flicker of irritation. Your own team had fought just as hard, and you can’t help but feel the rivalry pulse through you.

As you and your fellow cheerleaders make your way through the crowded hallway, you accidentally bump into Jeno. The sudden contact causes both of you to pause and glare at each other.

“Watch where you’re going,” you snap, your tone sharper than you intended.

Jeno’s eyes narrow. “Maybe you should try that too.”

You huff in annoyance, squaring your shoulders. “Maybe if you focused on winning instead of whining, you’d have scored that last goal.”

Jeno’s jaw tightens, and for a moment, you think he’s going to say something else, but he just shakes his head and steps aside. “Whatever. Just stay out of my way.”

You walk past him, your heart pounding with a mix of frustration and something you can’t quite identify. The rivalry between your two teams is more than just a game; it’s personal.

As you exit the arena, the cold night air hits you, a reminder of the storm that’s been forecasted. You see the buses for both teams and cheerleaders lined up, ready to take everyone back to their respective locations.

The buses for both teams and their cheerleaders pull out of the arena parking lot, heading towards their respective destinations. The night air is cold, and snow begins to fall more heavily, the flakes growing larger and the visibility decreasing rapidly.

You sit with your fellow cheerleaders, chatting and laughing about the game, trying to shake off the tension from earlier. The bus moves slowly through the increasingly treacherous conditions. You glance out the window, noticing how quickly the snow is accumulating on the ground.

“Wow, it’s really coming down out there,” one of your teammates remarks, peering through the frosted window.

As the bus trudges along the icy road, the snowstorm intensifies, transforming the landscape into a blur of white. The driver squints, trying to navigate through the blizzard, but the conditions worsen by the minute. Eventually, the bus comes to a halt.

“Ladies and gentlemen, we have to pull over,” the driver announces, concern evident in his voice. “The roads are too dangerous to continue. There’s a lodge up ahead where we can take shelter.”

The news spreads quickly, and the atmosphere on the bus shifts from casual conversation to murmurs of worry. You grab your bag and follow your teammates off the bus, huddling together against the biting wind.

As you trudge towards the lodge, you see the Neo Resonance buses pulling in as well. The players, cheerleaders and their staff disembark, and you spot Jeno among them, his expression hard to read.

The lodge is a rustic, cozy building, its wooden beams and stone fireplace giving it a welcoming feel. Once inside, the warmth is a welcome relief from the cold outside. Players and cheerleaders alike start to unload their gear and lay it down in available spaces. The lobby quickly fills with bags, hockey sticks, and other equipment.

A few of the players drop onto the couches and chairs, groaning as they stretch out tired muscles. The exhaustion from the game is evident on their faces.

“Man, that game took it out of me,” Ryan says, rubbing his neck. “I feel like I got run over by a truck.”

“Tell me about it,” another player replies. “I’m going to feel this one tomorrow.”

There’s some friendly banter as the initial tension begins to ease slightly. Players from both teams, though still wary, exchange comments about the game and the weather.

“This storm’s insane,” Mark from Neo Resonance says, shaking snow from his hair. “Hope we’re not stuck here too long.”

“You and me both,” one of your fellow cheerleaders replies. “But at least it’s warm in here.”

Jeno and some of his teammates start organizing their gear, making sure everything is accounted for. You and the other cheerleaders find a spot to lay down your own bags, spreading out blankets and setting up a makeshift area to rest.

The lodge manager steps forward with a flashlight and a serious expression. “Alright, everyone, listen up. We’re in for a rough night. The storm is getting worse, and it looks like we’ll be here for a while. We need to make sure everyone is safe and comfortable.”

The players and cheerleaders nod, acknowledging the gravity of the situation. People start settling in, trying to make the best of it. Some players stretch out on the floor, using their bags as makeshift pillows, while others huddle together, sharing snacks and stories to pass the time.

Suddenly, the lights flicker and then go out completely, plunging the lodge into darkness. The murmurs of conversation turn into gasps and exclamations of surprise.

“Great,” you mutter, reaching for your phone to use as a flashlight.

The lodge manager’s voice cuts through the darkness. “Looks like the storm knocked out the power. We have some emergency supplies, but we’ll need to work together to get through this.”

There’s a murmur of discontent from both groups. The rivalry is still fresh, and the idea of cooperating with the other team doesn’t sit well with anyone. But with the storm howling outside, there’s no choice.

“Alright, let’s divide into teams,” the manager continues. “We need people to gather firewood, distribute blankets, and set up a central area for everyone to stay warm.”

You’re assigned to gather firewood, and to your dismay, so is Jeno. He gives you a sidelong glance, clearly not thrilled either.

“Great,” you mutter under your breath as you pull on your coat and gloves. “Just what I needed.”

“Trust me, I’m not any happier about this than you are,” Jeno replies curtly, grabbing an empty bag for the wood.

You both head outside into the biting cold, the wind whipping the snow around in a frenzy. The task is made more difficult by the rapidly falling snow and the need to trudge through drifts to find suitable wood. You quickly realize that your cheer uniform offers little protection against the freezing temperatures, and you start to shiver uncontrollably.

Jeno notices your shivering and stops. Without a word, he unties a jacket from around his waist and hands it to you. “Here. Put this on.”

Surprised, you hesitate for a moment before taking the jacket. “Thanks,” you say quietly, slipping it on. The warmth is immediate and much needed.

After a short pause, you add, “I didn’t see you grab this jacket.”

Jeno shrugs, his expression unreadable. “I grabbed it before I followed you outside. Thought it might come in handy.”

The revelation makes you pause. Despite the rivalry and the tension between you, Jeno had thought ahead and brought the jacket, anticipating the harsh conditions.

“Well, thanks again,” you say, this time with a bit more sincerity.

Jeno nods, not meeting your eyes. “Let’s just get this done.”

The two of you continue working in relative silence, the only sounds the crunching of snow beneath your boots and the distant howl of the wind. Despite the lingering tension, the shared challenge of gathering firewood in the storm creates a small, unspoken truce between you.

“We should split up,” Jeno suggests after a while, his voice cutting through the silence between them.

You hesitate, glancing around at the thick blanket of snow. “Are you sure? It’s hard to see in this storm.”

Jeno nods, his breath visible in the freezing air. “Yeah, but we’ll cover more ground that way. Just stay within shouting distance.”

Reluctantly, you agree, and you separate, disappearing into the swirling snow. Alone now, you focus on the task at hand, scanning the ground for fallen branches and small trees that have succumbed to the weight of the snow.

It’s slow going, each piece of wood a small victory against the elements. Your fingers ache from the cold, despite the gloves, and you find yourself constantly wiping snowflakes from your face. You glances over at Jeno occasionally, seeing his figure moving steadily through the storm. Despite you rivalry, you grudgingly acknowledge his determination and efficiency.

After what feels like hours, you reconvene near the lodge with your haul of firewood. Some of the other players and cheerleaders have also returned, their faces red and their breaths visible in the cold air. There’s a collective sense of relief as they deposit their bundles of wood in a growing pile near the lodge entrance.

Jeno approaches you, his expression more serious than usual. “Good work,” he says simply, his voice carrying a hint of begrudging respect.

You nod in acknowledgement, surprised at the genuine appreciation in Jeno’s tone. “You too,” you replies, feeling a twinge of the camaraderie that comes with shared hardship.

You exchange nods before moving to help the others with the remaining tasks. The storm rages on outside, but inside the lodge, a small seed of trust has begun to sprout between you both, nurtured by the necessity of survival and the mutual understanding that sometimes, cooperation is stronger than competition.

Outside, the storm continues to rage unabated, its fury relentless as snowflakes swirl around in a blinding frenzy. You and Jeno, along with a few others, brave the elements once more to gather the last batch of firewood needed to sustain you all through the night.

As y’all venture further from the lodge, the terrain becomes increasingly treacherous. Ice patches lurk beneath the fresh snow, threatening to send you slipping with each step. You shiver despite the jacket, the cold seeping through your cheerleading uniform. Your breath comes out in visible puffs, and you focus on keeping your footing.

Suddenly, a patch of ice beneath you gives way, causing you to lose your balance. You start to fall backward, but before you can hit the ground, strong hands grip your arms and pull you upright.

“Careful,” Jeno’s voice cuts through the howling wind, his grip firm yet surprisingly gentle.

You blink in surprise, catching your breath as you steady yourself. You look up at Jeno, his face partially obscured by the falling snow. “Thanks,” you manage, feeling a mix of gratitude and embarrassment.

Jeno nods, releasing your arms and turning back to the task at hand. “Watch your step. It’s slippery out here.”

You continue in silence, your movements more cautious now. Each piece of firewood you find is a small victory against the storm, and you work together to load them into your bags.

As you trudge back towards the lodge, you steals glances at Jeno. His jaw is set in determination, his eyes focused on the path ahead. Despite your rivalry and the tension that still lingers between you, you can’t deny the sense of security you feel with him beside you.

Back at the lodge, you deposit the firewood with the others. The lodge is warmer now, the fire crackling merrily in the stone fireplace.

Jeno meets your gaze briefly, a silent acknowledgment passing between you. You’ve faced a challenge together and come out stronger for it. It’s a small step, but one that has begun to bridge the gap between rivals.

Others notice the subtle change in your interaction, exchanging surprised glances and murmured comments. The tension that once filled the lodge has eased somewhat, replaced by a tentative camaraderie born out of necessity.

As you all settle in for the night, you find yourself sitting closer to Jeno than you would have imagined possible earlier in the day. Your rivalry is far from forgotten, but for now, you share a mutual respect forged through hardship and the realization that, perhaps, you’re not so different after all.

With the fire crackling warmly in the lodge, the storm outside seems a world away. Players and cheerleaders alike find themselves clustered together, seeking comfort in the flickering light and the shared struggle of the evening.

You sit near the fire, your cheeks flushed from the cold but your spirits lifted by the relative warmth. You glance around, noticing Jeno on the other side of the room, engaged in a quiet conversation with Mark, his teammate. Despite the lingering tension between them, there’s an undeniable sense of relief in the air.

After a moment, Jeno catches your gaze and nods in acknowledgement. You return the nod cautiously, unsure of what to make of your newfound understanding.

As the night wears on, conversations start to flow more freely among the group. Laughter echoes off the wooden beams, breaking the silence that had settled over them earlier.

You find yourself drawn into a conversation with a few of the other cheerleaders of both teams, exchanging stories about past games and funny mishaps during practices. You steal glances at Jeno occasionally, noting his occasional chuckle or smile as he listens to his teammates.

Eventually, You decide to approach Jeno, cautiously navigating the still-present tension between you. You find him sitting alone near the fire, staring into the flames with a thoughtful expression.

“Mind if I join you?” You ask, keeping your tone neutral.

Jeno looks up, surprise flickering in his eyes before he nods. “Sure.”

You sit in companionable silence for a moment, the crackling of the fire the only sound between you . You shift slightly, unsure of how to break the ice.

Finally, Jeno speaks, his voice quiet yet oddly open. “So, uh, what made you want to be a cheerleader?”

You blink in surprise at the unexpected question. You hadn’t expected Jeno to initiate a conversation, let alone about something personal. “Hmm, well, it started when I was little,” you begin, a small smile playing on your lips as you recall fond memories. “I used to watch my older sister cheer at her high school games. She always looked so confident and happy out there on the field. I guess I wanted to be like her.”

Jeno listens intently, his gaze fixed on the flames. “That’s cool. Must be tough, though. Cheering at all those games, I mean.”

You nod, a hint of pride in your voice. “Yeah, it can be challenging, but it’s also incredibly rewarding. You get to be part of something bigger than yourself, you know?”

Jeno nods in understanding, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “I get that.”

After a short pause, Jeno speaks with a tentative curiosity. “So, uh, what do you do when you’re not cheering?”

You smile, appreciating the opportunity to share a bit of yourself beyond the cheerleader persona. “I enjoy hiking and exploring new places,” you begin, your voice soft yet filled with enthusiasm. “There’s something about being outdoors, especially in the mountains. It’s like a different world out there.”

Jeno listens attentively, nodding in understanding. “That sounds peaceful. I’ve always wanted to do more hiking, but hockey keeps me pretty busy.”

You continue to exchange stories, discovering shared interests and hobbies beyond your respective roles in sports. Jeno talks about his passion for photography, how capturing moments off the ice helps him unwind and see the world differently. You share your love for cooking and experimenting with recipes, finding joy in creating meals that bring people together.

As you converse, a sense of ease settles between you, the initial tension of rivalry giving way to genuine curiosity and mutual respect. You find yourselves laughing over shared anecdotes and nodding in agreement over favorite books and movies, opening up in ways you hadn’t anticipated. The tension between you eases as you discover common interests and experiences beyond your roles on the ice and the sidelines.

“It’s funny,” You muse after a while, a small smile quirking your lips. “We spend so much time competing against each other, but we probably have more in common than we realize.”

Jeno nods thoughtfully, a faint smile on his face. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. Maybe there’s more to this rivalry than meets the eye.”

You chuckle softly, feeling a sense of camaraderie settling between you. “Who knew a snowstorm could bring us all together like this?”

Jeno’s smile widens, reflecting the warmth of the fire. “Mother Nature works in mysterious ways.”

You both laugh softly, the sound blending with the crackling of the fire and the distant howl of the wind outside. In that moment, the rivalry between you fades into the background, replaced by a tentative bond forged through shared moments and unexpected conversation.

As the storm continues to rage outside, You and Jeno find yourselves leaning closer to the fire, grateful for the unexpected connection that has begun to grow between them in the heart of the blizzard.

Inside the lodge, tension hung thick in the air as players and cheerleaders from SM Neo Resonance and Daredevil Drifters found themselves unexpectedly stranded by the intensifying snowstorm. The previous evening, when the storm was less severe, they had settled into the lodge with trepidation, each team staking out their areas and eyeing each other warily.

Jeno, Mark, and Y/N had found themselves near the fireplace, a makeshift center for gathering and discussion. They had talked quietly, trying to make sense of their predicament and what steps to take next.

As the storm intensified overnight, sleep had been fitful and short for most. The wind howled around the lodge, and snow piled high against the windows. By morning, it was clear they were snowed in completely, communication lines severed, and any hopes of immediate rescue dashed.

Now, in the harsh light of day, they convened again near the fireplace. Jeno glanced out the frosted windows, squinting against the relentless flurry. "This storm came out of nowhere. We need to figure out our next move."

Mark nodded, his brow furrowed with worry. "Yeah, it's intense. First things first, we should gather everyone and take stock of what we have—food, water, and firewood."

Y/N, her voice steady despite the tension in the room, nodded in agreement. "Let's get organized. We need teams to check supplies and secure the lodge."

Quickly, they gathered the others, navigating through worried conversations about when help might arrive. In the main area, Jeno stood on a chair to address the group, his voice projecting above the storm’s howl. "Listen up, everyone. The storm has cut off all communication. Our priority is safety and conserving resources. We'll divide into teams—some gather firewood, others check the pantry and water supply."

A Drifters player spoke up skeptically, "You sure your team can handle this?"

Jeno's teammate shot back defensively, "We'll manage. How about your team?"

Y/N stepped in, her tone firm yet diplomatic. "Let's focus on the tasks. We're in this together, no matter the jersey."

Despite initial tension, teams formed and began their tasks. There were terse exchanges and competitive undercurrents, but also moments of cooperation as they secured supplies and fortified the lodge. Leaders emerged naturally, coordinating efforts to maintain morale and safety.

Near the fireplace, Jeno helped stack firewood brought in by his teammates. "Good work out there," he acknowledged, a nod of respect exchanged.

His teammate nodded back, the rivalry momentarily set aside. "Thanks. Your team's not bad either."

Meanwhile, Y/N moved among the groups, offering encouragement and helping to allocate tasks. She noted moments where players from both teams worked side by side, a silent acknowledgment that survival depended on unity despite the rivalry.

As the day wore on and the storm continued unabated, a fragile sense of cooperation began to settle in. They were rivals on the ice, but here, in the face of nature's fury, they were teammates striving toward a common goal: survival until help could arrive.

In the flickering light of the lodge, amidst the howling wind and swirling snow, bonds were forming that transcended the competition they knew so well.

Inside the lodge, tension hung thick in the air as players and cheerleaders from Neo Resonance and Daredevil Drifters found themselves unexpectedly stranded by the intensifying snowstorm. The previous evening, when the storm was less severe, you had settled into the lodge with trepidation, each team staking out their areas and eyeing each other warily.

Jeno, Mark, and Yourself had found yourselves near the fireplace, a makeshift center for gathering and discussion. You had talked quietly, trying to make sense of your predicament and what steps to take next.

As the storm intensified overnight, sleep had been fitful and short for most. The wind howled around the lodge, and snow piled high against the windows. By morning, it was clear you were snowed in completely, communication lines severed, and any hopes of immediate rescue dashed.

Now, in the harsh light of day, you convened again near the fireplace. Jeno glanced out the frosted windows, squinting against the relentless flurry. “This storm came out of nowhere. We need to figure out our next move.”

Mark nodded, his brow furrowed with worry. “Yeah, it’s intense. First things first, we should gather everyone and take stock of what we have—food, water, and firewood.”

You, your voice steady despite the tension in the room, nodded in agreement. “Let’s get organized. We need teams to check supplies and secure the lodge.”

Quickly, you three gathered the others, navigating through worried conversations about when help might arrive. In the main area, Jeno stood on a chair to address the group, his voice projecting above the storm’s howl. “Listen up, everyone. The storm has cut off all communication. Our priority is safety and conserving resources. We’ll divide into teams—some gather firewood, others check the pantry and water supply.”

A Drifters player spoke up skeptically, “You sure your team can handle this?”

Jeno’s teammate shot back defensively, “We’ll manage. How about your team?”

You stepped in, your tone firm yet diplomatic. “Let’s focus on the tasks. We’re in this together, no matter the jersey.”

Despite initial tension, teams formed and began their tasks. There were terse exchanges and competitive undercurrents, but also moments of cooperation as you all secured supplies and fortified the lodge. Leaders emerged naturally, coordinating efforts to maintain morale and safety.

Near the fireplace, Jeno helped stack firewood brought in by his teammates. “Good work out there,” he acknowledged, a nod of respect exchanged.

His teammate nodded back, the rivalry momentarily set aside. “Thanks. Your team’s not bad either.”

Meanwhile, you moved among the groups, offering encouragement and helping to allocate tasks. You noted moments where players from both teams worked side by side, a silent acknowledgment that survival depended on unity despite the rivalry.

As the day wore on and the storm continued unabated, a fragile sense of cooperation began to settle in. You were rivals on the ice, but here, in the face of nature’s fury, you were teammates striving toward a common goal: survival until help could arrive.

In the flickering light of the lodge, amidst the howling wind and swirling snow, bonds were forming that transcended the competition they knew so well.

As evening descended, fatigue and tension hung heavy in the lodge. The fire crackled softly, casting dancing shadows on weary faces. The teams gathered once more near the fireplace, the flickering light offering a brief respite from the relentless storm outside.

Jeno glanced around at the tired but determined faces of his teammates and their rivals. “We’ve done well today,” he began, his voice carrying a note of exhaustion tempered with satisfaction. “We’ve secured enough firewood and stocked up on essentials. We’ll need to ration carefully, but we’ll manage.”

Mark nodded in agreement, his expression serious yet relieved. “We’ve got a plan in place. We’ll keep watch through the night, make sure everyone’s accounted for.”

You chimed in, your voice softer now, filled with a blend of weariness and quiet resolve. “It hasn’t been easy, but we’re getting through this together. Tomorrow, we’ll reassess and see where we stand.”

There were murmurs of agreement and nods of tired acknowledgment. Despite the rivalry that had defined you on the ice, here you were united by a shared struggle against the elements. The lodge, once a battleground of opposing teams, had become a sanctuary where survival depended on cooperation and mutual support.

As you settled in for another night of uncertainty, the fire crackling in the hearth seemed to echo the flickers of camaraderie and understanding that had begun to thaw the ice between you. In the quiet moments that followed, the storm outside seemed to relent, if only slightly, as if acknowledging the resilience and newfound unity within the lodge walls.

Inside the lodge, the atmosphere was subdued as you faced the harsh reality of your prolonged isolation. The storm continued unabated outside, and inside, conversations revolved around their dwindling supplies.

Jeno, Mark, and You convened near the dwindling fire, once again. Your expressions grave as you assessed the situation.

Mark ran a hand through his hair, frustration evident in his voice. “We’ve burned through more firewood than I expected. And the food supplies… they’re not going to last much longer.”

Jeno nodded grimly, his gaze flickering to the small stockpile of provisions they had managed to gather. “We need to ration what we have left. Maybe skip some meals to conserve.”

You frowned, your mind racing with possibilities. “We should check if there are any emergency supplies we missed. Maybe a hidden pantry or storage room.”

You organized teams once more, this time with a renewed urgency. Some searched the lodge thoroughly while others doubled efforts to gather firewood in the worsening storm.

Tensions simmered as the reality of your predicament settled in deeper. There were terse exchanges over who should eat what, and frustrations occasionally boiled over. Yet, amidst the strain, there were also moments of quiet understanding and cooperation as they realized their mutual dependence for survival.

Near the fireplace, where the warmth offered a brief respite from the cold, Jeno and a Drifters cheerleader worked silently together to ration out the remaining food supplies. “We’ve got to make this last,” Jeno muttered, more to himself than anyone else.

His teammate nodded in agreement, a shared determination replacing the rivalry that had once defined their relationship. “Yeah, we’ll figure it out. Together.”

Meanwhile, you worked with another group to search every nook and cranny of the lodge, hoping to uncover any overlooked resources. “Check behind those crates,” you directed, your voice steady despite the fatigue evident in your eyes.

As the day wore on and your efforts continued, a sense of unity began to emerge amidst the strain.

By nightfall, despite the challenges that lay ahead, you all gathered once more near the fireplace. The fire crackled softly, casting flickering shadows on weary faces.

“We’ve made it through another day,” Jeno said quietly, his voice carrying a mix of weariness and resolve. “We’re holding on, but we need to keep going. Tomorrow, we’ll need to be even more resourceful.”

Mark nodded in agreement, his gaze steady as he looked around at their makeshift community. “We’ll get through this. We’ve come this far together.”

You added with a hint of optimism, “We’ve proven we can adapt. We just have to keep working together.”

As you settled in for another night of uncertainty, the firelight seemed to offer a glimmer of hope amidst the darkness that surrounded you. Despite the challenges of the storm and the dwindling supplies, you found strength in your resilience and in the bonds that were slowly but surely forming between you.

As the third day of the relentless storm dragged on, the lodge felt more like a refuge and a prison simultaneously. Jeno, standing near the frosted windows, watched the snow swirl in gusts outside, obscuring the landscape beyond. The atmosphere inside was heavy with the scent of woodsmoke and a mix of tension and camaraderie that had developed among the players and cheerleaders from Neo Resonance and Daredevil Drifters.

Amidst the shuffle of tasks and attempts to stave off boredom, Jeno found himself increasingly drawn to your presence. You moved with purpose, checking supplies, offering encouragement, and managing disputes with a calm demeanor that belied the stress of your predicament. He admired your resilience and the way you had managed to keep spirits up when the temptation to succumb to anxiety loomed over everyone.

Later in the afternoon, as you found a rare moment of solitude near the crackling fireplace, Jeno decided to voice his thoughts. The firelight flickered across your face, casting shadows that danced in your eyes as you looked up at him, a small smile playing on your lips.

“You’ve been holding up well through all of this,” Jeno began, his voice carrying a mixture of admiration and introspection.

You nodded, your gaze meeting his with a hint of gratitude. “Thanks. It’s not easy, but we’re all doing our best.”

Jeno nodded in agreement, his mind grappling with the emotions swirling within him. “Yeah, it’s just… being stuck here makes you realize what’s important.”

Curious, you tilted your head slightly. “What do you mean?”

He paused, choosing his words carefully. “I mean… it’s made me appreciate the people around me more. Like you.”

Your smile widened slightly, touched by his honesty. “That’s sweet of you to say. I think situations like this bring out the best in people.”

You both lapsed into a companionable silence, the crackling fire filling the space between you. Jeno’s thoughts raced as he dared to consider the possibility that his feelings for you were deeper than he had initially realized. He admired your strength, your kindness, and the way you effortlessly brought people together, even in the midst of uncertainty.

As the storm raged outside, inside the lodge, a different kind of storm brewed within Jeno—a mix of conflicting emotions and a growing awareness of his feelings for you. For now, he kept those thoughts close, content to let the warmth of the fire and the companionship you shared ease the chill of their isolated reality.

Inside the lodge, the fourth day of isolation brought with it a renewed sense of hope as communication flickered back to life intermittently. Players and cheerleaders from both teams gathered around the radio, your ears straining for any updates or signs of rescue.

You, Jeno and Mark hovered near the radio, your expressions a mix of anticipation and relief as static-filled voices broke through the silence.

“We’re not alone anymore,” Mark murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.

You nodded, a small smile tugging at your lips. “It won’t be long now.”

Jeno glanced out the window, the storm still raging outside but with a newfound optimism. “We need to be ready when they arrive. Make sure everything’s set.”

Teams mobilized once more, this time with a sense of purpose fueled by the prospect of imminent rescue. You gathered supplies, organized a makeshift signal outside the lodge, and prepared to make your departure as swift and efficient as possible.

Throughout the day, the tension that had gripped both teams began to ease. Laughter returned to the lodge, mingling with stories of your time spent together, and reflections on what you had learned about yourselves and each other during your unexpected ordeal.

Near the fireplace, where the fire now burned brightly against the fading light of day, you and Jeno found a moment to yourselves. The weight of your shared experience hung between you, unspoken but understood.

As day four unfolded inside the lodge, the sense of hope grew palpable, as sporadic updates through the crackling radio hinted at the approaching rescue. Both teams gathered around the hearth, where the fire crackled with renewed vigor against the backdrop of the dimming daylight outside. The warmth from the flames not only thawed the chill in the room but also kindled a newfound camaraderie among the once-rival teams.

You three found yourselves drawn together near the fireplace, one last time. Your expressions reflecting a mix of relief and quiet contemplation. The tension that had hung heavy in the air for days began to dissipate, replaced by a shared understanding that you were nearing the end.

"It's almost over," Jeno murmured, his voice carrying a weight of gratitude as he looked around at his companions.

Mark nodded, his usual stoic demeanor softening slightly with a smile. "We've come through. Together."

Your gaze flickered between them, your smile reflecting the relief and friendship that had blossomed amidst the challenges you had faced. "We made it," you affirmed, your voice steady with resilience.

In that moment, Jeno couldn't help but admire your unwavering strength and the way you had kept the teams’ spirits up during the darkest hours of their confinement. Your shared experiences had forged a bond that transcended the rivalry they had known on the ice, revealing deeper layers of respect and admiration.

As night descended and the fire crackled warmly, casting dancing shadows across the worn faces of the group, they gathered one last time near the hearth. The flickering light seemed to echo their shared relief and anticipation for the coming rescue. Tomorrow promised an end to your isolation and a return to your normal lives, but for now, you lingered in the quiet companionship that had grown among you—a testament to their resilience and newfound unity.

Tomorrow would bring your rescue, but tonight, as you stood together by the fire, Jeno felt a sense of gratitude for the unexpected bonds that had formed and a silent hope that this newfound connection with you would endure beyond your shared predicament.

As the morning sun finally began to peek through the dissipating storm clouds, the atmosphere inside the lodge buzzed with a mix of relief and anticipation. Rescuers had arrived overnight, their vehicles parked outside ready to transport the weary group of players and cheerleaders back to civilization.

You and Jeno found yourselves among the bustling activity of packing bags and saying hurried goodbyes. The sense of companionship that had developed over the past days was palpable, yet there was an underlying tension as you prepared to leave behind the lodge that had become both a sanctuary and prison.

Near the buses, amid the flurry of activity, Jeno caught your eye. He motioned for you to join him aside, away from the others. With a mixture of nerves and determination, he took a deep breath before speaking.

“Y/N, can I talk to you for a moment?” Jeno’s voice was earnest, his eyes searching yours for a reaction.

You nodded, a flicker of concern crossing your face as you followed him to a quieter spot. “What is it, Jeno?”

He hesitated for a moment, gathering his thoughts. “I… I know this might not be the best time, but these past few days have made me realize something important.” Jeno’s voice was steady, his gaze unwavering despite the whirlwind of emotions inside him.

Your brows furrowed slightly, sensing the weight of his words. “What are you trying to say?”

Taking a step closer, Jeno reached out to gently hold your hands in his. “Y/N, I’ve admired you for a long time. Your strength, your kindness… everything about you. And being here with you, through all of this, I’ve come to realize that my feelings for you go beyond just rivalry.”

Conflicting emotions played across your face. The loyalty to your team, the uncertainty of what lay ahead, and yet, you couldn’t deny the warmth in Jeno’s eyes or the sincerity in his words.

“But… our teams,” you began softly, torn between the bond you had forged and the rivalry that defined your lives.

Jeno nodded, his thumb gently caressing your hand. “I know it won’t be easy, Y/N. But I promise you, I’ll do whatever it takes to make it work. Because you mean more to me than just our teams.”

A moment of silence hung between you, the sounds of departure fading into the background. And then, with a mix of resolve and vulnerability, you leaned forward, closing the distance between you. Your lips met in a tender kiss, a silent promise of what could be despite the challenges ahead.

As you pulled back, your eyes met, each filled with a mixture of hope and uncertainty. Around them, the world seemed to pause for that brief moment, encapsulating the journey you had shared and the new path you were embarking on together.

With a final squeeze of hands, you turned to join your respective teams, ready to leave the lodge behind and face the future—one where your rivalry would no longer define you, but rather, the bond you had discovered amidst the storm.

And as the buses pulled away from the lodge, carrying them back to their lives beyond the snow-covered wilderness, you and Jeno shared a glance, knowing that whatever lay ahead, you would face it together.

Fade to black. Lmao. I hope you guys enjoyed this as much as I did! Love you all!

#kpop #kpop au #kpop drabbles #kpop writers #x reader #jeno #lee jeno #nct jeno #jeno x reader #jeno imagines #jeno au #mark lee #mark nct

87 notes · View notes

senditcolton · 11 months

Text

If You Want It Done

summary: after a disappointing playoff loss, brady reappears on your doorstep eight months after he ended things. and he has nothing on his mind but taking out his frustrations by having you desperate and keening for him once again. however, you aren't about to submit without a fight.

song inspo: NFWB by Hozier & Rats by Motionless in White word count: 5.1k warnings: feminine reader. smut! hair pulling, fingering, unprotected penetration, spanking, slight choking, oral (m receiving), and - as always - a healthy amount of dirty talk. plus somewhat toxic and insanely cocky brady.

a/n: no tricks here. just a sweet treat in the form of long- awaited Brady Skjei smut. technically it's a continuation of this blurb, but i just combined the original and the addition into one fic for you all. enjoy and happy halloween.

Sadness. Humiliation. Shame.

Those should be the emotions running through Brady as the plane lands back in Carolina after Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Because he wasn’t back ready to fight for another win. He was here to pack his bags and go home.

The best team in the Metro. Swept. By a wild card team who barely made the playoffs.

It was a disaster, an embarrassment. And Brady should feel the heavy weight of that failure, even if he might only be responsible for one-nineteenth of the blame. Or, at least, he should feel the waves of sadness crashing over him about the way it ended, or the mere fact that it did end.

But he didn’t. Perhaps he had earlier, when that final buzzer sounded and the fans in South Florida cheered. But now, having sat with those feelings for the better part of 24 hours, he was no longer sad.

He was angry.

And so, when the wheels touched down in Raleigh and he collected his car, he didn’t drive home.

Instead, he drove to yours.

A tired sigh leaves you as you pull up to your quaint cottage-style home. A long work week was cause for an even longer relaxing weekend and you were ready to start that weekend by getting inside and having a long nap. Or a strong drink. Or perhaps both.

However, after hopping out of your car and wandering up the small path that leads to your front door, your plans placed on a momentary hold when you see someone leaning against your siding, their baseball cap pulled low.

“I’m not interested in whatever you’re selling,” you call out, ready for this stranger to flash you an award-winning smile and tell you all about how their company could save you money on roofing repairs after last week’s storm.

But when their head lifts, you stop in your tracks as you recognize the face staring back at you.

Hell, you used to wake up to it every morning for eight months. Until he ended things.

“Brady.”

His name falls from your mouth in complete practiced apathy. You didn’t need him to know how much time you spent crying over him in the last month. You especially didn’t need him to know how your heart still skipped a beat when his eyes connected to yours.

“Did you see the game?” he asks.

“I heard.”

“And?”

“And what? Do you want to cry for you?”

There’s a humorless chuckle that comes from Brady as his head falls before he takes a step towards you.

“You always knew how to make me feel better,” he says, the sarcasm lacing his voice. And when you hear it, that dry scathing tone, you realize that you didn’t recognize the man in front of you.

Brady was always soft, gentle, welcoming. It made the dichotomy between you even more obvious; you all sharp edges and harsh words and burning fire. It was part of the reason the two of you broke up.

But this Brady… there was something different. Something dangerous. it intrigued you. But not enough for you to give in.

“I’m not going to coddle you, Brady. You should know that by now.”

“I don’t want your sympathy.”

“What do you want then?” you ask, finally taking a few steps forward, closing the gap between you and your front door. “You want my pity? You want me to say ‘poor you, poor Brady’?”

It’s your turn to let a scoff fall from your lips as you reach into your bag for your keys, Brady now behind you.

“If you wanted someone to feel sorry for you, you came to the wrong fucking house,” you explain, unlocking the door.

Before you can even reach the handle, you feel Brady step forward, his hands falling on your hips as his body crowds you into the smooth wood. You attempt to take a deep breath to calm your heart but it doesn’t help because when you breathe in, your senses are filled with the smell of his cologne. A smell so familiar. One you missed.

Brady moves closer, his body almost pinning you to the door and you can’t stop your knees from trembling as you feel the heat of him behind you.

“I came here because I missed you,” he whispers into your ear.

“And it took you getting your ass kicked to realize that?” you shoot back. Although, the waver in your voice betrays you, revealing how much your body was responding to him; his touch, his words, his warmth. Brady just lets his previous sentence continue, as if he didn’t even hear you.

“And because I know you missed me just as much.”

You couldn’t let him do this – let him come crawling back to you when he was broken or bored. You no longer belonged to him. It was a recipe for disaster.

“I think you’ve forgotten that I’m not one of those girls that would fall on their knees for you.”

“You seemed to enjoy being on your knees for me when we were together.”

“And we’re not together anymore. So, find someone else to fuck your frustrations out on.”

“Is that what you did?”

“None of your business.”

You feel his grip on your hips tighten and you barely have time to react as he effortlessly spins your body until your back is pressed against the wood of the door, your eyes now looking up at him.

“You’re lying.”

Brady almost spits out the words, as if even the barest suggestion that what you said was true was poison to him. Your eyes follow the movement in his temple, the clenching of his jaw, the storm in his eyes. This wasn’t the side of Brady that you knew.

But it was a side that you were always curious to discover. Throughout those eight months, you wanted to know if Brady had that same fire hiding within him – a passion and intensity that could match yours. And now, you could finally see it peeking through.

You wanted it to come out completely.

“And you can tell?” you ask, wielding your words with edge and precision. “Does that make you feel worse? If I told you about all the other men that ended up in my bed?”

“You wouldn’t dare.”

“I wouldn’t? Are you sure? You knew what you giving up when you left. Can’t blame me for moving on.”

“You wouldn’t,” Brady repeats, one hand falling away and you barely have time to comprehend where it had gone when you feel the steady weight of the door fall away from you.

Your body lurches back, the momentum pulling you until it is abruptly stopped by Brady’s strong arms, pulling you close and lifting you over the threshold. Your feet find the hardwood of your floors before Brady is spinning you again and you find yourself pressed against the door once more, this time inside your house instead of without.

“You wouldn’t,” he reiterates, “because no one could make you feel as good as I did.”

You hear the deadbolt click, the sound causing the heat pool in your stomach. Brady’s hand moves back to your hip, pulling you close again as he leans in until your lips are barely touching. It’s intoxicating, having him this close to you once again. You are about to surge forward, connect your lips to his, let your fire burn with his. Until Brady speaks again.

“No one could make you feel as good as I’m about to.”

That statement pulls all rationality from you and you don’t hesitate to close the gap between you, crashing your lips onto his. Brady returns the kiss with as much intensity, his hands gripping you tighter while yours move to trace over his arms, his broad shoulders before tangling into that salt-and-pepper hair. The kiss is frantic, all teeth and tongues and it takes a moment before Brady finally pulls away, connecting those brown eyes to your own

“You’re mine,” he whispers. “You always will be.”

The words cut right through you; as a threat or a promise, you weren’t really sure. But the instant that Brady crashes his lips back into yours, you find that you don’t care.

God, you missed this. You would be lying if you didn’t spend many restless nights reminiscing on how his hands felt on your body. How his lips felt on your skin.

But you wouldn’t tell him that. The words would never leave your mouth, not while Brady is standing in front of you. You wouldn’t give him that satisfaction. At least, not yet.

Instead, you get lost in Brady’s kisses, your hands coming to tangle deeper in his hair, pulling him closer to you as your hips roll up to meet his. You think you can hear a dark chuckle rumble from Brady and vibrate directly into your body, sending sparks of electricity flowing through you. His hands roam across your body, up from your hips to the soft material of your blouse before landing on your breasts, giving them a squeeze, causing your head to fall back.

“Missed these perfect tits,” he mumbles, his movements against your chest continuing in response to the soft moan falling from your mouth. Your moan turns into a sharp gasp as Brady grips the center of your shirt and tears it open. The sound of the buttons scattering across the hardwood floor floods your ears and it inexplicably turns you on even more.

If this was any other man, you would be pissed off at him for ruining your one of your favorite shirts. But this was Brady. A new Brady.

In those eight months you were with him, he was nothing but a gentleman, both outside and inside the bedroom. And he was more than satisfactory. But you knew there had to be something underneath all that charm. An untamed animal just waiting to be unchained.

And if this was the key to its cage, you weren’t about to stop everything to cry over a few buttons. But that didn’t mean you weren’t going to complain at all.

“You’re buying me a new shirt,” you mutter against Brady’s lips. Brady swiftly removes his mouth from yours as he looks down at your newly exposed bra.

“Gonna buy you something new to wear under it,” comes his response as his thumbs trace over the edge of the plain nude material and this time, you can stop your eyes from rolling in annoyance.

“Do you really think I wear lingerie to work?” you quip, staring up at him.

You can see his eyes harden and it is in that moment that you realize he was enjoying this. The chase, the tease, the dare, the push and pull between the two of you.

“If you don’t like it,” you continue, your voice taking on a sultry tone as you continue to meet his dark brown eyes, “then take it off.”

The quick sparkle that appears in his brown eyes makes you think that he has taken the bait, that you might have gained some control over the situation at hand – a situation that you were wholly unprepared for but welcomed none the less. And when Brady leans back in to lock you lips together once again, his hands wandering around your ribcage towards your back, the confidence grows.

However, it takes a sharp plummet when you feel his hands drop from your frame. If Brady had given you a split second longer, you would have broken the kiss to question or quip him again. But you have barely any time to miss the sensation of his hands on your skin before you feel them grip the back of your thighs as Brady uses his athletic strength to effortlessly lift you off the floor.

You gasp, a gasp that Brady gladly swallows before he spins, tearing his lips away from yours to look around your house. There is a part of you that wants to tell him nothing has changed from the last time he was there – the furniture is the same, your bedroom is still two doors down on the left – but your lips have already busied themselves marking the smooth skin on his neck.

There was also a power in your decisions; forcing him to find his way through your space all while doing your best to distract him. And it seems to be working as you feel Brady’s pulse shudder underneath your mouth.

You feel him take a lurching turn right and a slight flash of confusion runs through you until you feel his body lowering. The soft material of your couch hits your knees and the skirt you had on flows out around you as you now straddle Brady.

“Forgot where the bedroom was?” you chirp into his neck, feeling his desperate hands return to your torso as he removes the tattered remains of your blouse from your waistband.

It seems that it takes a minute for your words to register but when they do, Brady’s hand lifts to tangle in your hair. Another gasp escapes from your chest as his fingers tighten before pulling your head away from his neck. He quickly reverses the roles, his own lips moving to your newly exposed throat, your breath transforming from gasps to soft sighs as his mouth works against your skin.

“Who says I’m not going to take you there after I’m done here?”

“Who says I would let you back into my bed anyway?” you retort to keep some semblance of control.

Your pathetic attempt is clearly read by Brady, who makes you falter once again as the hand not tangled in your hair effortlessly unclasps your bra. His lips depart from your neck as he helps slide the material down your arms, throwing it carelessly somewhere in the room. You both hate and love the smirk that appears on his face as he takes in your heaving chest, your pebbled nipples. His dark eyes dart back up to you briefly before he is tugging you into him for another animalistic kiss.

“Seems that you like it so far,” he whispers into your open mouth before he pulls away again, lifting your body upright and pulling you closer. “I’ll take my chances.”

You wish that you could say something back, something to knock his arrogant confidence down a peg but your mind goes blank as his lips move to your collarbone, leaving faint hickeys against the taut skin before moving down to your chest. His lips close around one of your nipples, tongue moving to tease the sensitive peak as his hands rest on your ribcage, his thumbs running across the delicate skin on the underside of your breasts. Your hands fly to the back of his head, keeping him close and you can feel his lips curl against your skin. The action both turns you on and pisses you off, a combination that you weren’t sure could even work until now.

You fly into action, hands moving down to grip the fabric stretched across his broad shoulders, tugging at the material and pulling it upward before he finally breaks away to help you remove the shirt entirely, tossing it away to join your clothes on the living room floor.

His lips return to your chest, moving to leave no skin unmarred with his love bites as your hands drop to his shoulders, fingers digging into the muscle in silent encouragement. Brady’s hands lower before coming to grip your ass and you gasp as he pulls you forward, the action causing your hips to roll. You both let out moans at the sensation of you grinding against him and it turns you on more to feel his erection against your core.

“And here I thought I was the masochist,” you joke, moving your hips of your own volition, pressing deeper into him. The grunt that your actions pull from his chest has you grinning. “Who’d know you get this hard from getting your ass kicked?”

You must’ve struck a nerve, prodded at the memory he came here to forget, because the only thing you hear in response is what could best be described as a growl before he lifts you off of his lap enough to slip out from underneath you. Your brain recognizes the weight of his body disappearing from the couch and you attempt to turn, just to keep your eyes locked on him but Brady doesn’t give you a chance.

His large hand finds the space between your shoulder blades and pushes you forward, your torso falling until your chest meets the back cushions. You can’t stop the gasp that falls, your arms lifting over the edge of the couch as your back arches, your hips pressing back towards Brady now looming behind you.

A dark chuckle echoes throughout the room in response to your actions as he pulls the material of your skirt over your hips, exposing more of your body to him. He doesn’t waste any time, doesn’t even bother removing your underwear, instead choosing to move it to the side before he slips two fingers into your already soaked core.

You let out a moan, your head falling forward as Brady’s hand moves, winding you up and my God, you would be lying if you said you didn’t miss the feeling. His thumb quickly finds your clit, pressing against the bundle of nerves and you can’t stop the way your body responds to his movements.

“That’s what I thought,” he laughs. “You have no right to that attitude when you’re this fucking desperate for me.”

He emphasizes his words with a curl of his fingers, the tips grazing your g-spot and the combined sensation of his hands skillfully moving against you almost has you falling over the edge. Brady doesn’t give you your satisfaction that easily though as he removes his fingers from your core. You whimper at the loss, listening intently to Brady’s movements behind you, impatient to feel him once more.

Brady doesn’t leave you wanting for long as you hear the rustle of his pants hitting the floor and before you can blink, you feel his hands practically tear your panties down your legs before he enters you in one swift, harsh motion.

The moans that you both let out are delicious and desperate. You whine as you move your hips back, pushing him impossibly deeper. Brady groans, his hands quickly finding purchase on your hips, gripping you tight before he begins to move.

“Oh god,” you moan out as Brady fucks into you with quick hard thrusts, showing no mercy, your ass rippling every time it meets his hips. You are grateful for the couch cushions in front of you, helping to support your upper body as your fingers dig into the fabric so deeply that an irrational part of you worries you might tear it.

“Not God, sweetheart. Just me,” Brady replies, his movements barely faltering. “Come on, say my name.”

You wish you could tell him to fuck off, make a quip about his cocky attitude but your mouth doesn’t seem able to form the words or any words for that matter. The only thing you want is for him to continue. A sharp smack against your ass jolts your body forward and your head whips around in surprise, eyes connecting to Brady.

“Say. My. Name,” he repeats, now more command than anything else, every word punctuated by another spank and you are helpless to comply.

“Brady,” you whine, your desperation painted on every letter, your eyes staying locked on him, drinking in his reaction. He groans, his teeth coming to bite his lower lip, his gaze dropping from your face to connect to where his cock disappears into your pussy.

“Fuck, that’s it, sweetheart.”

His quiet encouragement is all you need to continue moaning his name over and over. One of his hands falls from your hips to join yours in gripping the back of the couch, his body now completely covering yours, the new leverage only increasing the strength in which Brady thrusts into you. Your head falls to rest against the back cushion, the sounds of your staccato whimpers and breathy curses filling the living room along with the continuous depraved slapping of skin against skin.

You whine as you feel his hand disappear from your hip and slowly trace up your body, the softness of his touch a sharp contrast. The gentleness doesn’t last long and your whine turns into a gasp as Brady’s large hand wraps around your throat, pulling your head upwards.

“Keep saying my name,” he says, his hot breath fanning across the shell of your ear. “Let everyone know who’s making you feel this good.”

“You are, Brady.”

“Yeah? Can anyone else fuck you like I can?”

“No. Only you.”

“That’s right. Only me,” he growls in satisfaction, emphasizing his words with his rhythm.

“Fuck, Brady, please,” you plead, your voice strained from how much focus it took to pry the words from your mouth. “I’m close.”

“Well then, come on sweetheart. Touch yourself. Remind me how good it feels when you cum on my cock.”

The speed in which your hand falls is reckless, frantic to get that additional pressure that you were craving. As soon as your fingers press against your clit, your head falls back against Brady’s shoulder in relief. His praise is muffled against your skin as he peppers your shoulder with kisses, only interrupted by quiet curses as he feels your core flutter.

It is hot, so unbelievably hot – how he’s fucking you, how he’s holding you – that it doesn’t take long for you to finally fall over the precipice, your own hand faltering against you as your orgasm rocks through your body. A groan falls from Brady as he feels you clench around him; a groan that he muffles by sinking his teeth into the flesh of your shoulder, the additional sensation causing you to moan louder, hips rocking back against him as his motions halt.

The haze that pricked at the corner of your eyes slowly dissipates and you can feel Brady’s hand fall from your neck. The cool air cascades over your back as Brady lifts himself away from you causing goosebumps to appear. A small whimper escapes when you feel him remove himself from your core and steps away. The submissive part of your mind, still in control, panics in fear that he might leave. But the concern is short lived as Brady sits down next to you, pulling you back into his lap.

He wastes no time capturing you in another kiss, stealing any remaining breath from your lungs. Brady attempts to break the kiss but you don’t let him, hands lifting to cup his jaw and pulling him deeper into the kiss. He doesn’t resist and allows you to continue to kiss him, his own arms wrapping around your body.

Eventually your hands move, trailing down his throat, dancing over his chest and you smile against his lips as you feel his abs tighten in response to your fingers sinking lower until they finally reach the desired destination.

You gently take his still hard length in your hand and stroke him a few times, which was easy to do with your prior release clinging to the silky-smooth skin. You grin as you feel the vibrations of Brady’s soft moan in response to your ministrations. The cloud of your orgasm had lifted and, in its absence, your own confidence returned.

“Want me to take care of that for you?” you question, only moving far enough away to ask, your lips brushing against his occasionally. Brady doesn’t respond; you knew he wouldn’t. He had worked too hard to give up the dominance he held over you so easily. But you weren’t deterred.

You kiss him deeply one more time before your lips follow the path your hands previously traced: down his throat, over his collarbones, across his chest. An occasional moan and curse fall from Brady as you continue your descent and you grin, knowing that his resolve was slowly cracking. Your body moves, shuffling from being perched on top of his lap to kneel on the plush carpet between his thighs. Brady’s eyes are needy when your own eyes dart up to meet his stare. Your hand strokes him again but you make no attempt to put your mouth on him, the dare hanging clearly in the air.

“Baby, please,” Brady finally speaks, his hips punching upwards.

“Who’s fucking desperate now?” you quip, unable to contain your excitement at regaining the upper hand. Your jaw drops open in surprise as Brady’s hand darts out, grabbing your neck once more, his eyes growing dark.

“You want to repeat that sweetheart?” he asks, that dominant energy rolling off him again. Except this time, it doesn’t make you back down. Instead, it just spurs you on, that heat and elation as it returns – the battle, the chase. Your dropped jaw just morphs into a wicked grin and you are ecstatic to see a similar smirk twist onto Brady’s lips; a quiet confirmation that he was still enjoying the newfound push and pull between you two.

“Come on Brady. Admit it. You are just as desperate for me as I am for you,” you explain, your voice dipping again into your lower sultry timbre. “Tell me, do any of those other girls have a mouth like mine?”

You flatten your tongue against his shaft and lick a bold stripe up his length before moving your lips to leave a lingering teasing kiss on the head. Brady groans, his head falling back as his hand moves from your neck to tangle in your hair, pulling you closer in an attempt for you to fully wrap your lips around him.

“No one can fuck me like you can?” you continue, hand wrapping around his cock. “Well, you’ll never find someone who can give better head than I can.”

You don’t give him any chance to respond as you surge forward, finally taking him into your wet mouth. Your tongue traces every vein that you could feel as your hand moves against the rest of him. Brady’s moans sounding from above fuel you and you continue to work your sinful magic against his skin.

It may have been months since you two were in this particular position but you feel like a part of you will remember everything about Brady, including all the spots that make him groan and twitch and throb. Your lips move to suck on the tip, teasing the area where the head meets the shaft with your tongue.

“Fuck,” Brady curses, his hips jumping causing his cock to thrust into your mouth. You gag a little before withdrawing – not completely but only enough to catch your breath. Your eyes dart to his and find that he is already staring at you, his salt-and-pepper hair falling over his forehead. The moan you release at the sight vibrates around Brady causing an identical moan to escape him. You inhale deeply before lowering your head, relaxing your throat until the entirety of his cock is nestled in your mouth.

“Goddamn, you’re so fucking good at that,” he groans, his fingers twisting in your hair. You move, shallowly bobbing your head as you feel him pulse against your tongue, a tell-tale sign he was getting close. The assumption was only confirmed by the next word Brady spoke. “Fuck, baby, gonna cum.”

You pull your mouth from him, replacing it quickly with your hand and continuing the pace you had set.

“I won’t waste a drop,” you say, keeping your eyes locked to his as you wrap your lips around him once again, your hands moving to the side his thighs and pressing your fingertips up into them. Brady understands your silent request, hand once again tightening in your hair as he moves his hips upward, taking control.

“Yeah? You going to swallow it all like a good girl?”

You nod your head, keeping your mouth open and accepting everything he gives, moaning against his skin as he increases his pace. It’s only a few more moments before Brady throws his head back against the couch cushions, a long groan emulating from his chest as his own orgasm hits. You feel his cum hit the back of your throat and you greedily pull him deeper, determined to keep your word.

You let Brady collect himself and take a few deep breaths before you slowly raise your head, sliding off of his cock. You wait until his eyes connect to yours before you swallow, releasing a satisfied exhale afterwards. You can’t help but make a show of it, licking your lips before opening your mouth to show him that you indeed didn’t let anything go to waste.

Brady grins, a smile which you quickly mirror before his hands are on your body, hauling you off the floor and back into his lap. Your lips connect and you sigh, savoring the euphoric glow that surrounded the two of you. The two of you continue to make out for a few minutes, relaxing before you pull away, looking down at Brady.

“D’you feel better?” you joke, the remembrance of why he came to your house in the first place – and what it all meant now – nagging in the back of your mind. You aren’t sure if you can see sadness lingering on the corners of Brady’s smile as his hand runs soothing circles across your spine.

“A little.”

“Need anything else?”

“Maybe a shower,” he replies, looking up at you with those brown eyes that always made you weak. A sparkle that spells nothing but trouble for you flashes in his irises as his smile turns into a wicked smirk. “And perhaps a round two, starting with my head buried between your thighs.”

“Demanding, aren’t you?” you breathlessly chuckle, your head shaking in playful disbelief as your tear your gaze from his.

“I just know what I want.”

“Which is?”

“You.”

His quiet declaration has your head turning back to him, connecting your eyes once again. The emotions displayed in his own stare are unfathomable and you know that this isn’t the place to attempt to decipher them. You don’t have time to unwind and unravel the mess that defined you and Brady’s connection: your prior relationship, the subsequent break-up, and everything that happened today.

So, instead, you gently climb from Brady’s lap, standing upright before stretching out your hand towards him. He accepts your offer and you help lift him off the sofa before dragging him down the hallway to the second door on the left, back into your bed.

Like he always belonged there.

Like he never left.

tagging the skjei-sy sluts (affectionate) who asked for a continuation + a few others I think would appreciate this: @smileysvech @pyotrkochetkov @cellythefloshie @comphy-and-cozy @laurenairay

#nicole writes #brady skjei fic #brady skjei imagine #brady skjei smut #carolina hurricanes fic #carolina hurricanes imagine #nhl fic #nhl imagine #hockey fic #hockey imagine

298 notes · View notes

iicha-0s · 10 months

Text

Machines VS Humans | Jungkook×f!reader

Summary: you find yourself getting jealous of a machine which leads into a big fight between you two. things take a turn eventually and you both find your way back to eachother in the end.

Tags: !jungkook and f!reader are a couple, !yelling, !mentions of heartbreak, !crying, !yelling, !fighting, !marriage proposal, !fluff (only a little)

"Yes, baby. Give me a minute. I'm about to win." He says his eyes focused on the tv screen on which he was playing his favourite game, Call of Duty.

"Jungkook, stop playing please." You whine.

You had moved in his house 5 months ago when suddenly the world decided to throw up this disease on everyone's plate that has now turned into a pandemic and there is a lockdown all over the country.

In the start it was all fun but then the Xbox started getting more attention than you.

Getting annoyed you climb on Jungkook's lap sitting on his left thigh but he shifts both of his hands to his right side and continues playing.

"Heyyy~" You whine again and shift to the other side but he moves his hands to your opposite side and continues playing. You groan and shift, straddling his lap and wrap your arms around his neck as he wraps his around your waist and continues playing.

You be patient and wait for him to finish his game.

As much as you wanted to go and break his Xbox you were stopping yourself since you knew how badly he reacted when his Namjoon Hyung accidentally dropped and broke his Xbox.

God of destruction.

You chuckle thinking.

The guy he loves so much and looks up to was suddenly his enemy and he didn't talk to him for 5 days. He didn't even look at him. For those 5 days Namjoon kept apologizing for his mistake but Jungkook wouldn't take it.

You were scared to break it, even if you were extremely jealous of the machine getting more attention than you, since you were the only one he trusted and the new one he brought was only allowed to be touched by him or you. That's it. He doesn't let anyone else get near it thinking that they'll break it.

*20 minutes later*

You have been patient for the past 20 minutes, but here is your beloved boyfriend still playing and not giving you any of the attention he used to.

You let out a small whine and get off his lap and go to the kitchen to get something to eat.

"Yes! I won!!!!" You hear Jungkook yell loudly. You hear his quick footsteps coming towards the kitchen and feel two strong arms wrap around your waist as Jungkook presses multiple kisses on your neck.

"I won!" He says but you don't say anything.

"Why aren't you excited?" He pouts.

"Yay." You say waving your hand in the air acting excited with sarcasm, earning a chuckle from him.

"This is why I love you." He says smiling unwrapping his arms from around you and starts walking away as you let out a scoff. He stops in his tracks.

"Did you just scoff?" He says turning around.

"What?" You say placing a bowl of cereal on the kitchen counter.

"You just scoffed when i said that i love you." He says.

"What are you saying?" You look at him, confused.

"You know I love you, but just as I said you, you scoffed." He says.

"You love me?"

"Of course I do, baby. More than anything. Nothing is as important to me as you are, and you know that too." He walks to you and wraps his arms around your waist pressing the fronts of your bodies together.

"Nothing is more important than me?" You raise both your eyebrows, while looking up at him.

"Nothing." He shakes his head.

"Fine. Then just as you said, we should get rid of things that is not important to us. So lets get rid of it, shall we?" You say and walk out of the kitchen to the living room and disconnect the Xbox from its chords and pick it up dropping it against the floor.

"What- why would you do that?!?!?!?" Jungkook yells at you.

"What? You were the one who always says that we should get rid of the things which are not important to us." You shrug.

"Are you out of your mind?! How could you do that?" He yells.

"Because I need some attention too. Earlier you used to give me the attention I needed but now, nothing. You're playing games all the time."

"So???? You would go ahead and break my Xbox?!" He yells.

"What do you mean 'SO'? I understand you love playing but i need your love too, don't you think?" You say.

"So because of your childish behavior you would go ahead and break my Xbox?! How could you be so selfish?! Think of someone else for once other than you." He furiously runs a hand through his hair.

"I do think of someone else other than me." You say.

"And who is that?"

"You."

"If you would've been thinking about me then you wouldn't have done this." He says scoffing before continuing. "Dont you think I need some time for myself too, Y/n? It's not always supposed to be about you. You might think that but let me tell your that it isn't supposed to be always about you."

"But you play all day long. Earlier we used to cuddle and have those sweet talks but now it's nothing. It feels like it was just a dream." You fidget with your fingers while feeling a tug in your heart.

"Things change, okay?! It's not always the same throughout." He yells.

"Stop yelling." You say trying to stay as calm as possible.

"Why would I not yell if you go ahead and do such a thing?!?" He yells loudly taking a step towards you causing you to flinch and take a step back.

"You should stop being so childish and act like an adult for once. You are not the most important thing to me. I have more important things in my life than you. I trusted you by letting you touch the only thing I love in this world and you go ahead and break it!" He says squatting down and picks up the broken machine as your heart drops at his sentence. You choke on air as your vision becomes blurry and a tear drop falls from your eyes. He looks up at you to see you crying causing him to sigh.

"Now stop crying like a baby." He say but only to cause more tears to flow down your cheeks.

"Stop crying, Y/n!" He yells standing back up.

"You know what? I dont want a crying baby like you anymore in my house. Get out!" He yells pointing at the front door as you stare at him in disbelief.

"Get out!" He yells loudly as you let out a loud sob and walk towards the door opening it and walk out sobbing loudly as you walk out of the house barefoot still sobbing.

You were about to step out of the main gate of the bungalow but crash into someone.

"Y/n?" You hear a familiar voice calling your name. You look up to see Taehyung standing in front of you.

"What happened? Why are you crying?" He says but you don't answer and just continue sobbing loudly.

"What happened here?" Jimin comes placing his hand on your back pulling you towards him and hugs you as you wrap your arms around his waist and sob in his neck as he rubs your back.

Just then the door of your house opens as Jungkook step out. He was about to come search for you but looks up to see you sobbing loudly in Jimin's neck causing his heart to break.

"What did you say to her?" Taehyung says to Jungkook as his head drops down and he was now facing the floor.

"What did you say?" Taehyung repeats sternly.

"Explain this situation. What happened?" He says.

There were some footsteps as the rest of the Hyungs came in, except Namjoon since Taehyung had asked them to meet at Jungkook's house to discuss what they would be doing for Namjoon's birthday. Jin cracked a joke as Hoseok laughed along with him and Yoongi gave a disgusted look to Jin.

"Stop would you? Your jokes make me want to kill myself." Yoongi says. They turn to see you sobbing loudly in Jimin's neck as their smiles fade away.

"What happened?" They ask.

"Jungkook said something to Y/n and isn't telling me what." Taehyung explains.

"Jungkook what did you do?" Jin asks.

"We- we were fighting."

"About what?"

"She broke my Xbox."

"And what did you say?" Jungkook fell dead silent and the only sound was of you sobbing.

"L-leave."

"Loudly, Jungkook."

"L-leave." He says loud enough to be audible.

"Is that the word you used?" Taehyung asks as Jungkook slightly shakes his head.

"Then what did you say?"

"Get out."

All the guys standing around you let out a sigh.

"H-hyung, Y/n I-i know I made a mistake. But I can make it right."

"And you will. Come on, guys let's go inside, sit and talk." Jin said.

"No." You say stopping Jimin who was about to take you inside Jugnkook's house.

"Y/n, come on."

"No." You say.

Jimin was holding your wrist trying his best to take you back inside but you kept pulling backwards, trying your best to get your wrist out of his grasp.

"Y/n we have to go inside and you both have to talk this out."

"No!" You say and try to free yourself from his grip but he doesnt let you go.

"Baby, please. I'm sorry." Jungkook says to you and walks over to you and tries to take hold of your hand but step away from him.

"Go back to your XBox. It means to you more doesnt it?" You say in middle of your sobs.

"No. No. No. Baby you mean more." He says.

"Yah, what about us?" Taehyung asks but Hoseok slightly nudges him.

"Dont." Hoseok shakes his head.

"Baby please." He says and takes hold of your hand and pulls you towards him.

You try to break free but he was stronger than you.

He wraps his arms around you, hugging you tightly as you continue crying in his arms.

"Im sorry. Stop crying please." He says patting the back of your head as you hide your face in his chest and continue crying.

"Baby please stop crying. Come on lets go inside." He says as you keep crying in his chest with your arms wrapped around his waist.

He bends down and picks you up in his arms as you wrap your arms around his neck and continue crying in his neck.

"We can discuss about the party later. You guys figure this out first. Come on, lets go." Yoongi says to everyone so they all go back to their car and drive away as Jungkook takes you inside and places you on his lap as he sits on the couch.

"I'm sorry baby." He says cupping your face with both of his hands and making you look at him.

"Please stop crying." He says and then bends forward taking hold of some tissues and wiping the tears off of your face for you.

"I'm sorry. You can yell at me, beat me. Do whatever you want, but just dont leave." He says and wraps his arms around you.

"I hate you." You say sniffing and wrap your arms around his neck and place your head on his shoulder as he leans back on the couch while wrapping his arms around you.

"I love you too." He says pressing a kiss on your head.

He holds you close to him as you both sit quietly.

"You want me to get you some food?" He asks as you nod pouting.

"I'll go get some food for my baby. Wait for me okay?" He says cupping your chin as his fingers press your cheeks making you form a fish face as he kisses your lips softly.

"I hate you dont kiss me." You say pushing him away.

"No." He says and starts kissing you all over your face as you keep pushing him away.

He takes hold of your hands and keeps kissing your face.

"Stop kissing me." You say pouting as he smiles at you.

"Go, get me some food." You say and get off of his lap.

"Give me a kiss or i wont go." He says.

"I hate you so im not gonna kiss you." You say.

"Then you won't get any food." He says and takes hold of the TV remote and turns it on.

"Fine, not that i care about food anyways." You say and get off the couch and walk upstairs to your shared bedroom.

You wash your face and then come back downstairs and go to the kitchen and make yourself some cup noodles and sit there eating it.

"This girl is so stubborn." Jungkook says to himself and then gets up from the couch and takes hold of his jacket and goes to the market to get you some food.

He comes back home and goes to the kitchen to see you eating cup noodles as he places the bag on the kitchen counter.

You dont even spare him a glance and continue eating as he opens the bag and then comes to you with a piece of your favorite teriyaki chicken.

"Here." He says.

"No, thank you." You say and finish your cup noodles and then go to the couch and sit there watching TV.

"Yah, Y/n~ I bought this for you." Jungkook says holding the box of teriyaki chicken in his hands and standing next to you.

"Please eat it." He says making puppy eyes at you.

He sits next to you and tries to make you have them but you keep ignoring him.

He gets annoyed and slams the box on the coffee table and walks off to yours and his bedroom.

You continue watching TV as he comes back after some time and sits down on his knees, and takes hold of the remote from you and turns the TV off.

You were about to walk off but he stops you.

"Y/n. I'm gonna ask you something to you now and i want you to give me an honest answer." He says and then lets out a deep breath. He takes out a small box from his pocket and opens it revealing a diamond ring.

"Y/n, will you- will you accept this and give me the honor to get to spend the rest of my life with you?" He asks looking at you eyes sparkling with eagerness as he waits for your answer.

"Aww, Jungkook............" You start with a smile causing him to smile too as he takes out the ring and was about to make you wear it. "No." You say and get up from the couch and walk off.

"Wha- w-why?" He says getting up and follows you into the kitchen.

"You Xbox means a lot to you doesnt it? Marry that then. Give this ring to your Xbox then." You say.

"Baby i already said sorry." He says.

"Well you said a lot of other things too Jungkook. Things you cant take back. Things that really hurt me. How do you expect me to accept this after what just happened?" You say.

"Baby please. I love you." He says.

"Not as much as you love your Xbox." You say taking out a water bottle and walk back to the living room.

"Baby please. You know i love you a lot. Please dont do this." He says.

"Well the a lot seems to be really small when it comes to your Xbox." You say.

"Baby no. Look, i- i will stop playing from now on. Okay? I wont buy another Xbox. I will give you all my time. I will cuddle you, say sweet things to you and love you a lot." He says.

"No. I dont want it." You say.

"I know you do. Stop acting like this." He says.

"I used to. Now i dont." You say.

"Baby please." He says and takes hold of your hand and kisses the back of it.

"Im sorry Jungkook. But things change." You shrug and pull your hand out of his grasp and walk to the kitchen.

Jungkook drops his head down and walks upstairs to your shared room as he sits on the bed and tears start forming in his eyes and flow down his cheeks.

You sit in the kitchen thinking about it over and over as you come to a decision to say yes to him.

You've been together for such a long time and there was part you didnt want to push it away because of some silly fight.

So you walk out of the kitchen and go to the living room to see it empty. You then walk to your shared room and enter it to see Jungkook sitting on the bed crying causing your heart to break.

"Bunny, hey stop crying." You say and walk to him as you sit on the floor in front of him.

You pull his hands away from his face to see his red face with all the crying.

"Hey. I- im sorry, bunny. Please stop crying." You say as tears form in your eyes seeing him cry.

He cried rarely and you have seen him cry before too but it hurts everytime.

You take hold of his cheeks and wipe off his tears as he takes hold of your hands and holds them in his tightly.

"Im sorry, bunny. Look i felt bad about it and which is why i want to let everything that happened go and say yes. I will accept you and the ring." You say to him placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Really?" He asks sniffing.

"Yes, really." You say and get up climbing on his lap and hug him tightly as he hugs you back.

"Stop crying now please." You say pulling away and cup his cheeks as he sniffs and nods.

He takes hold of the box and takes the ring out of it and puts in on your ring finger.

"Do you like it?" He asks.

"I love it. Just like i love you." You say and wrap your arms around his neck and give him a peck on his lips.

"I love you too." He says.

"I love you more." You say.

"I love you more." He says and then kisses you again both of you smiling.

----------×----------×----------×----------×----------×--------×

A/N: hey guys! this is my first post on here. I wrote it a long time ago and it's been in my drafts since. hope you guys like it and share it and lmk your thoughts!:D

#bts jeon jungkook #jungkook #jungkook x reader #jeon jeongguk #bts x reader #bts one shot #bts fluff #bangtan #jungkook drabble

28 notes · View notes

sparkanonymous · 8 months

Text

THE EPISODES ARE OUT YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS!!!

⚠️ Total Drama Reboot Season 2 Spoilers ⚠️

Alright, so I've been awake for 15 hours now (before starting notes), so I'm gonna get rambly. I know I usually do, but it's definitely gonna get bad.

Episode 9

Priya definitely opened the door twice on Wayne and Raj on purpose. She was just that pissed off.

Okay, but Priya/Damien/Raj/Wayne friendship for the win. I want more of these guys.

Aw, Damien feels bad. (Zeemien-coded)

MK, you cheated in the game, and almost everyone made it clear that they didn't like that, especially since half the people who were mad at you were on the opposite team as you. You knew you were in deep shit with Chris. Are you really surprised? (Plus, like... Priya is generally more liked by most of the cast.)

MK, you know that they know your ways of playing the game. Do you really think sarcasm will work?

Get their asses, Damien.

Raj, why do you know what the peach emoji means?

Damien trying to be the supportive friend Priya needs. (Damiya-coded)

Holy fuck, we finally get to see Caleb. It's been like 5 minutes of straight no-Caleb.

Protective Wayne. He has no idea what's going on, but he's the man you want by your side when things go awry.

Chref moment. Even if he's not into it, Chris will watch any video Chef wants to show him.

Kinda lame challenge.

PRIYA/WAYNE FRIENDSHIP.

Goddamn, Caleb really doesn't want to get in between Team MKulia.

Wayne, Raj just got crushed by a fridge. Help him out. Please, he'll die.

Julia really trying to murder Caleb here.

THE FUCKING CAR.

Damien/Sheep friendship.

MK is so getting voted off.

Wayne did all of that in less than 5 minutes?

THE FUCKING YACHT.

Damn, Priya can push a boulder.

I don't think Damien can support Priya anymore.

Wayne, really?

Julia is seriously good with axes, huh?

NOT THE SHEEP!!

Caleb, this is most certainly not the time.

Julia would become a murderer if she didn't win.

Season 1 mention.

LMAO

Because he's a dumbass, Chris.

Poor Wayne.

Chef, that's a dumb fucking explanation.

How are bumper stickers private, Chef?

Damien doing everything in his power not to hurt the sheep.

I mean, it was pretty unnecessary for Caleb to take his shirt off, I agree. Like, come on, just one episode? Please?

Poor Chef.

Chris, you're such an asshole.

No matter how strong you are, you can not punch a yacht apart like that.

Poor Damien. Poor Wayne.

So... is Raj eliminated? Because of health reasons?

Chris really just wanted MK out. Wow.

Where the hell did that squirrel come from?

Priya, he had to. Are you serious? I know your heart was broken, but come on. Stop trying to guilt him.

MK, YOU CAN'T SAY SHIT LIKE THAT TO WAYNE OF ALL PEOPLE.

Poor Raj...

Did Chris forget to name Caleb?

MKulia. They love to hate each other.

Julia being worried about MK being mad at her.

MKULIA HUG. THAT'S ALL I NEEDED. FUCK EVERYONE WHO SAYS THEY'RE JUST FRIENDS (I'm lying, but I do see them as canon.)

Episode 10

Sneaky Damien. I'm surprised he still has the idol, tbh

RAJ PAJAMAS!

Finally, some more of Wayne being a good friend.

Caleb, be for real.

I heard that piano cue.

Caleb, you knew that MK and Julia were not trustworthy just last episode. You're either really desperate or really fucking stupid or really forgetful.

Priya, come on.

She's not being helpful, Caleb. Ugh, this is gonna be a slog to get through, isn't it.

So... is Julia just OP this season?

I knew Raj and Wayne didn't keep their own grades up. So they do cheat, they just don't think it counts as cheating.

Damien, don't get cocky.

Julia, how the hell would he cheat off of you? You're behind him. He's not behind you. Although, I guess they're broadcasting the answers on a massive screen...

"You'd be married by now-" Y'all are 16, maybe 17. I really hope they won't.

Raj, Wayne, stop being stupid. Please.

Poor Priya...

Caleb, help her anyway.

Damien, just stop mentioning it.

Poor Damien...

I like how Raj and Wayne are still laying there even after it was clear they guessed.

YES MORE DAMIEN WITH ATTITUDE.

They really couldn't come up with an MK punishment. Or an Emma one.

I like how Damien just calls everyone a bad person.

Chef calling the raccoons "trash pandas."

Chef letting his frustrations help the campers.

Poor Damien...

Julia, why would you tell Chris you have a phone on you?

"Hey, it's Bowie!" Raj, you're adorable.

Everyone knows Raj and Wayne are dumbasses.

Chef knows about the Caleb and Priya situationship.

Julia should be automatically get eliminated for that.

JULIA IS SO OUT IF SHE LOSES.

Caleb x Priya... pretty cute this episode.

Poor Wayne and Raj...

Caleb, don't let your tablet go.

Goddamnit...

No, you do not deserve to win, Julia.

Oh, come on, Priya... Ugh, not again.

Goddamnit, Julia found the idol.

DAMIEN TRYING TO RUN AWAY LMAO

Episode 11

Damien/Wayne/Raj friendship.

Raj and Wayne loving dogs.

Yo, Ridonculous Race character. Didn't watch that season, but I'm pretty sure that was where she was introduced.

Julia getting rid of a dog for likes... she would totally get canceled for that.

I think Raj and Wayne should have still liked the dogs even after being introduced. Like... come on. 1, they're stupid, and 2, they liked dogs. You can't tell me they wouldn't win the dogs' affections at some point, because they're also stubborn.

See, Raj and Wayne; fucking stupid.

Julia would've killed that dog for crushing her phone.

Why did Priya think that dogs were only after her?

Caleb don't misjudge the dog. You should know this by now; it's Total Drama.

Did you seriously think that would work, Julia?

Raj and Wayne being forced to split up...

"This is horrifyin'-" "This is my Christmas!" LMAO

Raj, you dumbass. Don't go streaking.

That worked?!

Holy fuck, Wayne really thought Raj died. Poor guy, but he's also dumb.

Naked and Afraid mention. I got that reference.

Even Wayne's stupidity surpasses Raj's sometimes...

Raj being dragged by the underwear.

Chris, this was never a family show. What do you mean?

Raj and Wayne were so pissed for a minute.

How did Julia find Priya?

Come on, Priya is fucking OP. She would be able to win just fine.

Take a wild guess, Priya.

Caleb, you're still playing Priya, dumbass.

Ugh, can we have one episode that isn't a close call?

NO RAJ OR WAYNE IS GOING HOME NOOOOO

NOT RAJ!! GODDAMNIT

Wayne's sad little arm raise at Raj's elimination.

"Bowie, put on your dancing shoes, 'cause we're goin' out!" Rajbow date mention! (No, I do not know if this is their first date or if it was confirmed somewhere else.)

Damn, they really animated that Raj and Wayne hug. Probably the most emotional elimination, aside from MK's.

"- Why are you still here?" "I dunno!" LMAO

Also, I really hope this Caleb x Priya thing is either resolved now or next episode, because it is a pain...

Episode 12

Okay, so are they like... okay now? I thought they were still rocky?

Caleb being more sensitive to death than Priya.

Priya knowing that Julia was watching them... somewhere.

Priya would definitely be the possessive one in this relationship.

Caleb, tell Priya the truth. Holy fucking shit.

Caleb, come on. You're more cruel than this.

Poor Wayne... also, where'd he get those sticks.

The fucking sad Wayne edit. This is gold LMAO

Where'd he get air pods?

Julia, how did you steal Raj's jersey? If this were another show, that would be really fucking weird. Like, come on. If Raj had ended up being bisexual instead of gay, this would've caused a ton of relationship drama. Y’know, if there was a season 3...

Julia, are you talking about MK when saying you and Wayne both lost your "best buds"?

"So you... wanna get MARRIED??!!" Juliayne nation, how we feeling? (Not my cup of tea, but this is pretty fucking funny. I hope I see more Juliayne art circling this moment.)

"I guess you're better than a bucket in some ways." LMAO

Something about Total Drama that I've noticed (and everyone else has, too) is that when the writers are pairing up an unlikely duo, when one of the participating members doesn't like the other member, they make up some random shit that solidifies their dislike for them. The example today is Julia only pairing up with Wayne for convenience, previously showing her dislike of him, and Wayne talking about some game that he and Raj have never played before on screen, "Spit 'N Catch".

Wayne asking the important, but unwanted, questions.

"Do you really want the answer?" "Well, now, I don't!" Wayne, you should know better than that by now.

Fear Factor episode.

Priya, you were raised on this show. You should see EVERYTHING coming. See, she's too broken of a character to make work well on the show. The writers either make her know everything (like she should)- which leads to her avoiding most of the competition because she's supposed to be that good- or they make her dumb as rocks.

There's a difference between being romantically involved with someone and dating. One can mean literally anything (that's what fanfictions are for) and the other is the official title.

Julia's threatening red screen thing seemed kind of dark. It looks like they put a layer above Julia and the screen, so it kind of doesn't stick out as much as it should have.

Stop playing Priya, man.

Julia, you're making him be a bad boyfriend right now.

Priya being scared of thunder and lightning.

Wow. They couldn't have gotten an intern to pretend to be Raj.

Wayne getting over his fear really quickly. Then the bear returning the hug. Wayne/Bear friendship.

"Fine! We'll do salmon. Again!" This friendship is giving me Izzy vibes.

Julia, you still haven't proven you can be trusted in any capacity. I think you should let the "Caleb avoiding proving himself" thing slide since we both know you wouldn't try proving yourself for anybody.

"Caleb, ya basic!" LMAO

"Woah. Was that Caleb or Priya?" "You should go check."

The Snow Owl mascot lmfao

The poor intern in the costume.

Oh, the clown snake tongue... that's disgusting...

Wayne x Intern Lady. Or friendship. I don't care. They're cute.

"Wayne doesn't get scared. He just grows as a person."

"I'm a big truth guy-" That is not what your tune sounded like during the first half of this season. Writers, stop switching it up. Please, I beg.

Poor Wayne.

"Priya, you got hit with a lot of lightning. So, can you, like, see the future?" With how this show works, I wouldn't be surprised lol

"- and you gave Priya the worst wedgie we've seen in... at least a week." That's so true.

Wait, how is the finale gonna work? I thought there would be 13 episodes, but we're on episode 12 and have 4- soon to be 3- campers left. Is this how it worked last season? I haven't watched the second half of that season in a while.

They do not believe in Wayne... and honestly, neither did I or half of this fandom. We all just prayed.

Well, bye, Priya.

Did you seriously not know. Wayne tells people practically everything, Caleb- while he did lie a lot during the season- would have told you, and you knew you didn't have it. It was obviously the manipulator of the season who had the idol, Priya. You're supposed to be the expert.

"Avenge me!" Well... lesson learned; don't mess with the expert of a really messed up show.

Episode 13

"I would also like to be part of this fight-" lmao Wayne is everything. I wish we could get more Wayne and Julia sibling moments. Those were always pretty funny.

So we finally get some insight on what they want to use the money for. Very helpful... but Julia's only comes into play after this season.

MK and Julia have already been talking about making a podcast? They really are just canon, y'all.

Wayne forgetting about the money.

"Phew! I was worried for a second there." "Were you?" Yeah, I don't think Wayne really knows what worry feels like at this point.

I'm interested. Specifically, who did Scary Girl pick? Or is she just gonna follow Damien?

Okay, I'm a little salty. Damien should've grouped with Wayne. I know most of them are on Caleb's team because he's the strongest and smartest of the three, but what about Waymien friendship?

I was gonna ask why Emma was there, but she kinda had the hots for him the first season and might still now. Millie just followed Priya.

I'm gonna nitpick, but they clearly just stretched out the walls of the outhouse so they'd all fit. Reasonably, there should've been some bickering about how crampednit was. Plus, Millie would've probably almost completely blocked Priya from the shot. Emma looks way too big compared to the other camper, purely because of her head size.

Poor Caleb.

All the characters on Wayne's team cheering for him. I'm not sure why Chase is there, seeing as they barely talked to each other, but it's sweet. Plus, look how cute Wayne is! He's just sitting so politely. (I'm so redrawing this. Please ignore the terrible quality.)

Wayne would've totally still would've been like "you got it coach!" After the camera turned back to the mountain he actually has to climb. That's just the kinda guy he is.

MK's touch to Julia's thigh. (I have massive MKulia brainrot.)

MKulia banter. I'm glad that Julia has no other supporters.

Wayne joining Zee for a "pizza party." Best buds, man. They ALSO share a braincell.

I'm glad Scary Girl is back in her original outfit. It looks better than the one she had at the beginning of the season. I'm glad that they cleared up where she went, too. I think the writers wanted a more even split of the team supporters, and this was their excuse to have Scary Girl wreak havoc.

Priya, stop pushing Caleb.

"It's amazing he made it this far... and I'm not even talking about the show." LMFAO

Raj's favorite flavor of ice cream is strawberry?

At least Bowie knows their whole thing at this point.

"Isn't he great?" I can't handle Rajbow... my heart... I love them...

Julia would've so fallen.

MK getting pummeled with tee shirts and Chris just enjoying it.

Chris, that's your husband. Help him back up.

I forgot Total Drama's obsession with giving girls bad haircuts. Julia deserved that mullet, though.

MK, you almost made her feel better. Also, come on, did you see the way Julia looked at her for that split second?

Holy fuck, Julia has strength.

Kinda surprised Bowie didn't point out the haircut.

Zee is awesome. I missed him.

They all feel so bad about taking out Wayne. I will point out, however, that Damien was the first to hesitate. Look, I got my ship biases, even when they're friendship biases.

Raj, you dumbass.

RAJ, THAT IS YOUR BOYFRIEND APOLOGIZE

"- just remember there are different kinds of smart! ... and I'm Raj is one of them." Whoever is writing this dialogue deserves a cookie.

Priya, come on, celebrate the small victories. It helps.

Very true, Julia.

I like how Caleb still helped Julia. "Sorry I'm a good person!"

Wayne/Raj/Bowie friendship for the win. Their little quips. It's funny.

Was... was Chef gazing at Chris? What was he looking at? How bad is my shipping brainrot?

CHREF MOMENT. WHAT IS GOING ON? Headcanon, Chef has a crush on Chris. Chris doesn't know.

Caleb, you're not that stupid, come on.

"Desperate times call for bad ideas." - Wayne 2023-2024

When Zee knows better, you know someone's getting hurt.

WAYNE WON??!!

Why is Wayne's confessional with the team so dark?

I'm so proud of Wayne.

Chef shoving a bag of marshmallows into Ripper's face.

Bowie just accepting the dumbassery.

Next season? There'll be a third with these guys? Please!

It was odd that the rest of the episodes came out on a Saturday instead of a Monday. Oh, well! This was fun. I hope that, if there is another season, it's with these guys, and that a lot of the characters people wanted worked on will get the attention they deserve (Scary Girl, Emma, and kinda Millie). I wonder if they'll keep Julia's mullet, or if she'll give herself a pixie cut or something? I think she'd look cute with short hair, but she would definitely not keep it a mullet. And, hey, maybe it'll give even more fuel for MKulia. Who knows?

See you guys next time! Whenever that happens to be!

#total drama #total drama reboot #total drama spoilers #td spoilers #spark speaks

21 notes · View notes

sacrilegious-skeletal-scribe · 4 months

Text

wave the pequod away from port/ and dream of dead fish/

we talked a lot/ when i was a kid/

we/ is a strong word/

but for all your faults/ you were a very effective teacher/

i knew from a young age/ how to nod with an acceptable amount of deference/

how to balance noises of assurance with eye contact/

even gods least-favorite little yes-men have to start somewhere

i don’t think i really understood it/ not for a long time/

that look in your eyes/ when you caught sight of me/

staring at each other through filmy glass/

i knew it was love/ because you didn’t look at your coworkers like that/

and you loved me/

obviously/

i think i figured it out before i could put words to it/

but it’s been a couple of years since i was thirteen/

and that over-grown slice of caviar had a instinct for self-flattery so deep you’d think they were trying to breathe it/

but you looked at me the way people look at wall-trophies/

so i started slipping sarcasm into answers you hadn’t asked for/

locked off whatever sense of self i could stand to lose for a few hours/

and kept my face blank when you stormed away from the open aquarium lid/

learned what house keys and petty malice sounded like/ walking up my back porch/

and just how much teeth i could use when greeting you/

before you started to suspect something was wrong/

but you couldn’t be uncouth/

you couldn’t stoop to my level/

admit to starting the game/ while i swam circles around you/ your flashing lures/

and taught myself how to hold my mouth that it was never more than a second from snapping shut/

because i understood how to win wars/

and you couldn’t bear the thought that your prize-winning goldfish was planning a coup/

much less that you had earned it/

i don’t know if it was pride or blindness/

or whatever blurring line you had dragged into the sand on your way off the beach/

something wriggling in a sack and trying it’s best to bite you/

it’s the argument i’ve always kinda wanted to finish/

to load myself with spears and fishhooks and find out how real those tears were/

because you did this to me in less than two decades

and i’ve spent a significant amount of time with my face tucked to carpet undoing it

and in the process i have discovered that i am not a nice person/

i have seen what happens to people who throw themselves after white whales/

strapped with as many weapons as can fit onboard and set off from harbor with a hunger in their teeth that would pull sympathy from Tantalus/

and in the stories i am thinking of/

the best the good captain can hope for/ is killing his whale/

in the same instance his noose runs out of slack/

that he gets to see the death throes of that great/ terrible beast/

while the rope between them sees him keel-hauled/

and i don’t know that i find the idea an unsatisfactory one

i would rather like to hunt you for sport/

with a fervor i don’t think i could pass off as casual interest/

i would display you before an hostile/ silent crowd/

huddled faces spilling across the port as i haul your corpse into the town center/

introduce myself as your murderer when i am invited to parties/

let the anger rot through me/ some last disease from your disseminated blubber/

and barring public execution/ i would like one more chance/

one more polite luncheon/

to inflict just as much pain on you as i can manage in two hours and fourteen minutes/

but i don’t think either of us should be allowed to do that to each other anymore/

if only for the sake of the wait staff/

and that withering beta fish/ trapped in whatever cup you happened to clean out that week/

has wanted to hit you in the mouth for a very long time/

and i’m pretty sure i shouldn’t be allowed to do that either/

regardless of how much either of us deserve it//

#poetry #fish metaphors #moby dick #literature references #animal death #once again as a concept rather than a real animal #i legitimately had gonch flashbacks when i wrote that second tag #haven't had to look up fish vocabulary in awhile #you'd never guess who stopped by my house uninvited couple weeks back. had started writing this beforehand #got mad and finished it

1 note · View note

heniareth · 1 year

Note

💬💬💬💬 PLEASE 🥰

Four bits and pieces I'm proud of coming right up!!

💬 One from a chapter in the nearer future:

Then, everything went very fast. People finished putting their armor on and checked their weapons one last time. Somebody helped her with the heavy chain mail after she'd pulled the fear-sweat-soaked gambeson over her head. She would add her own fear to it now. Her heart was beating hollowly in her chest.

💬 One from a chapter that's still a long way off:

"As charming as the notion of carrying a handsome woman back to my quarters sounds, I can barely even lift myself as it is." Zevran shrugged. "Would you carry me in your strong arms, my friend?"

Oghren narrowed his eyes at him. That slippery bastard. "Nugshit. You can walk. You walked here with me."

"Alas, I was hoping to be spoiled for once." Zevran sighed. "Lovely Leliana, would you help me up?"

💬 One for early Astala and Zevran:

A light frown creased Zevran's brow. "As you wish. Should I leave entirely?"

"You should-" Astala swallowed her words and grabbed a pile of clothes. "Just… do the laundry."

She didn't storm off. She was just walking quickly, and her ears felt like they had been set aflame. Stupid, stupid, stupid. She should have known that Zevran would be worse than any shem. Because, unlike them, he didn't have to win her trust. He already had it.

💬 One for late-game Astala and Zev:

"Now, I have prepared two possible plans." Zevran adjusted his position and steepled his fingers. His ears were twitching ever so slightly. Was he nervous? "I have wanted to take you on a proper date for a long time, amor. Alas, a Blight does not allow for such things."

Astala did her best imitation of Morrigan's sarcasm. "What? You don't find darkspawn incredibly romantic?"

Thanks for indulging me!! XD XD XD It's still gonna be a while until I can post something new, and this helps me scratch the itch

#astala tabris #zevran #zevwarden #dao #dragon age #my writings #the story of one astala tabris #oghren

9 notes · View notes

your-fav-poster · 2 years

Text

Dean + you

Dean Winchester rolled into your town like he owned the place, you thought he was a prick.

“C’mon doll, if you win, me and my brother will leave town!” He laughed out, a cocky smirk on his face. He leaned on the bar, he seemed confident. You rolled your eyes, you were right about him being a prick. “Such a shame a pretty face comes with all that attitude.” He added, as he saw you roll your eyes. Sam, his brother sat at the bar sipping a beer, obviously done with his brother for the night. Dean didn’t know when to quit. He kept nagging you about this drinking competition. You tried your best to ignore him but he just kept at it. “It’s a good deal!” He shouted at your figure as you walked to the near by restroom.

“You’re such an asshole.” Sam mumbled, holding the rim of the beer to his lips. Dean shot him a glare, “It WAS a good deal, come on.” He said, opting to sit at a booth table not so far away from the bar. “We just gotta wait till she comes out.” It was Sam’s turn to roll his eyes, tailing his brother.

“There she is. Took her long enough!” Dean said, getting out of his seat. “Hey doll! How about that drinking game? Change your mind?” He asked you, making you stop in your tracks. “Will you actually leave town if I win? I’ll never see you again?” You asked with sarcasm, you knew this was all a game he was playing to get information but after he had asked so many times it was hard not to want to prove you could out-drink him.

“Yep! And if I win you tell me everything and anything I want.” He answered, watching a tiny smile appear on your face at the thought of him leaving town. He faked being wounded, clutching a hand over his heart and gripping his stomach “You wound me! Stop being so happy at the thought of me leaving.” you laughed in his face, he ordered shots of whiskey.

“You just have to drink more than me and then you win.” He said, stating the rules of the game. Sam watched from the booth, still sipping on a (now lukewarm) beer. “This seems too easy but okay.” You said, you both downed the first shot at the same time, going for the next one.

He was fast at drinking, you had to give him that, whiskey wasn’t your strong suit either, it felt like molten lava in your throat. So far he had drank 7 and you 6. “If you get alcohol poisoning I’m not taking you to the ER.” Sam said, reading the back of the label on his empty beer to occupy himself. Dean laughed, knocking back another shot, you were starting to get dizzy.

After two more shots, you caved. “Fine! I yield. you win.” You said. Dean now laughed in your face like you did him before your game. “Called it didn’t I baby brother?” Dean said, looking at Sam for his approval. Sam only nodded, now bored and empty handed. “Now tell me everything you know.”

You were right, Dean Winchester was a prick. A cute prick, but a prick all the same.

#dean winchester #supernatural

2 notes · View notes

gryfflepuffinthetardis · 2 months

Text

Valentía: Broken Mirror

Summary: The BAU is called in on a case that is very familiar to Zoe. One twin is kidnapped while the other isn't. Zoe is determined to save this twin if she can if she can't find her own twin... and her past is revealed to the team and who she really is.

Warning: Mentioned terrorists; Zoe talking about pregnancy medical terms; Alexander talks about Zoe's birth heart defect; Mentions of Zarah Noble-Valdez; Zoe is hit by a car... again; Cursing; UnSub hates Zoe; Erotomania; Zoe pushes the UnSub's buttons; Zoe's sarcasm; Mentions of possible nepotism; UnSub tries to insult Zoe; UnSub tries to profile the team; Mention of Spencer's Autism; Mention of a brief stillborn child; Brief description of Zelena Valdez's death; Mention of depression; Mention od PTSD; Mention of non-suicidal self-injury disorder; References and mentions to self harm; Mentions of an illegal prison; Implication of possible rape; Mentions of suicide; Mentions of torture for an extended amount of time; Reference to stalker; Zoe outright refusing to cooperate; Mentions of an adult FBI agent bringing a toddler to interview serial killers

“She has a quiet confidence that screams loud. She is humble, but strong. She is stable, but rebellious. She is giving, but not naive. She chooses her battles wisely. She'll stay silent until it's time to fight and when that time comes, she will fight and she will win.”

“So what happened with you and JJ at the Redskins game?” Morgan asked Spencer.

“Top secret!” Spencer said, defensively, carrying just the most files.

“Derek.” A fellow employee called, walking up to them, a pretty woman.

“Hey.” Morgan greeted.

“I put the transcript from the last prison interview on your desk.”

She walked beside Morgan as Spencer awkwardly held back to walk behind them. “Okay, it wasn’t a classified rush. You could have sent it inter office.”

“I could have.” She said and walked off.

Spencer, then noticed some passing women checking out Morgan much to his bewilderment as he was twenty-four and still very much a virgin in practically every meaning of the word, never having a girlfriend, never really going on a date, if you didn’t count the one with JJ which he didn’t really, before as he had graduated high school when he was twelve, never even having kissed a girl.

"Must be tough, man." He said, sarcastically, making Morgan chuckle.

"Not really."

"What-what do you mean? You don't even do anything, and these women are throwing themselves at you." Spencer stammered, frustrated.

"Strictly off-limits, Reid." Morgan said as they entered the main room.

"There's no code of conduct that says agents can't socialize."

"Well, see my code of survival says never mess with a woman who carries a gun."

"That's a good instinct." Zoe said as they passed her, "hell hath no fury like a woman scorned." She gave them a malevolent grin.

"And definitely never date someone who enjoys violence as much as Zoe does." Morgan added.

"Also a good instinct but less fun." She quipped with a sarcastic smile.

"Are you saying you wouldn't date me?" Morgan asked, a bit offended.

She blew air out of her nostrils like a scoff and she had a slightly disgusted look on her face at the idea.

"Not if you paid me." She said, shaking her head. “Not if it would save me from a serial killer.”

“That hurts, darling.”

“Not my type. Not even close.” She said and Spencer ducked down to hide a smile before coming back up as Zoe added, “Besides, you wouldn’t survive a Valdez woman.”

“What, are they all like you?” Morgan asked.

Her memory flashed to the six months.

“No, some are worse. I may be dark and violent but I have control. Well, some control.

“Are all your family members violent?”

Zoe tensed up and she glanced at a picture on her desk, one would think it was of her at around age fifteen but if you looked closely, the girl in the picture had dark brown eyes. She turned her chair in the direction of Spencer and Morgan, “No. I had a family member who was just pure. She was sweet and beloved but she’s gone now.”

“I’m sorry. How did she…” Spencer said.

“No, she’s not dead!” Zoe snapped and then calmed down, it was clearly a sore subject. “She’s just… missing. Just lost.” She said this with the utmost frustration. She turned back to her work, “Also, I have an aunt who is the human equivalent to sunshine at first glance. Besides, I heard that because of Agent Rossi, they do frown upon relationships in the workplace because he has a thousand ex-wives.” Then she got up to head to Hotch’s office.

“I don’t know what you see in that woman.” Morgan told Spencer.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Spencer said, sharply, clenching his jaw in effort to suppress his blush.

“Whatever man, but that’s one scary lady.”

Hotch was on the phone with his heavily pregnant wife, Hayley who was on bed rest as she was nine months pregnant with her and Hotch’s unborn son.

“So it sounds like bed rest isn’t turning out very restful.” Hotch said as Zoe gently knocked on the door and Hotch held up one finger to signify just one moment.

“Bed rest is more like bed agony. But in ten minutes I get to switch to my right side. That’ll be a thrill.”

Hotch let out a slight chuckle. It was almost like he was human. “Honey, just try to relax and get a little rest, okay.”

“Of course. I love you.”

“Bye.” Hotch said.

“Hayley and the baby okay?” Zoe asked, she was a medical doctor so she had a professional worry, also an emotional one as she had known Hotch and Hayley since she was ten years old.

“Yeah, the doctors are worried about Hayley’s blood-sugar levels. They’re worried about pre-eclampsia, and I’m worried she’s not gonna last six weeks in bed.”

“Well, she needs to keep her blood sugar up because it can affect both her and the baby, it could cause weakness, shakiness, dizziness, crankiness, anxiety, headaches, and a fast heartbeat and if left untreated it could cause confused thinking, slurred speech, staggered walking, vision changes, anger fits, convulsions, seizures, and unconsciousness.”

“Are you trying to give me anxiety or a seizure?” Hotch deadpanned.

“Just tell her she needs to drink plenty of water, eat small meals and snacks every three to four hours, she needs to avoid sugary carbs, and choose high-fiber carbs such as fruit, lentils, vegetables, or beans. As for pre-eclampsia, in order to prevent this, she needs to try eating a balanced diet, keeping her salt intake low, and I recommend she take a one-point-five to two grams of elemental calcium per day.” Zoe said.

Hotch offered her slight smile in appreciation of Zoe’s concern and help. “Is it here?”

“Yep.”

They walked out of his office together as Hotch addressed Morgan and Spencer, “Reid, Morgan, document’s up on the screen, regarding the kidnapping of Trish Davenport.”

Spencer placed down a file as he and Morgan moved around the cluster of desks, “Have you read them yet?”

“Yeah, I got a copy from the document examiner.” Hotch said as they joined them.

“What’s it say?”

“That we got until eight o’clock tonight.”

They entered the briefing room, where the note to the father of Trish Davenport was on the screen which Spencer read, “You will follow instructions carefully. You will do this to ensure the safety of your daughter. You will wait for the call. You will answer the call at 8:00 PM. You will write down the instructions and follow them to the letter.”

Alexander was sitting down, anxious. Zoe was quiet.

“That gives us less that nine hours to get to Connecticut, work up victimology on Trish Davenport, and prepare her father for the ransom drop.” Hotch said.

“How do we know the letter’s real?” Gideon asked.

“The handwriting is a match for Trish’s.” Hotch said, clicking the remove and showing that there had been a 99.4% match. “He dictated it to her, and they found saline on the paper.” The screen zoomed in to drops on the note.

“Her tears.” Gideon said.

“He never says ‘I’. He doesn’t say ‘I will call.’ He says, ‘you will answer the call.’ He’s distancing himself from the kidnapping. If he said, ‘I’, he’d be taking responsibility for it.” Morgan said.

“There’s also another missing element.” Hotch said.

“No mention of the police. Ransom notes almost always forbid police involvement.” Elle pointed out.

“So is he expecting law enforcement to get involved?” Hotch asked.

“Well, if he’s expecting us, let’s not disappoint him.” Gideon said.

“Wheel’s up in thirty.” Hotch said and they all headed to their desks to fetch their go-bags.

“Hotch.” Alexander said and Hotch joined him, looking over the family history list they had been sent. Alexander gave Hotch a look of worry for the Scotsman’s youngest daughter.

“Valdez.” Hotch called, gesturing for her to come over.

“I already know.” She said.

“You don’t have to come, if…” Hotch said.

“Hotch, I can do it.” Zoe interrupted him with a determined look.

———————————————————————————

Euripides said, “when a good man is hurt, all who would be called good must suffer with him.”

They were all on the plane, going over the case file now.

“Everyone familiar with the father?” Hotch asked them.

Spencer as always spoke as if he wrote the Wikipedia page on the subject, “Evan Davenport. U.S. Attorney, Executive Assistant. Southern District, New York. Widower. Assigned U.S. Marshals three times in the past ten years due to death threats.”

"Is the protective detail still current?" Morgan asked.

"Around the clock. But Trish declined protection when she turned eighteen.”

“Too bad for the boyfriend.” Morgan said.

“Would you want to be constantly followed by people with no sense of humors when you were eighteen?” Zoe asked, merely glancing up from the file.

“Why kill him?" Spencer asked.

“Well, if I wanna kidnap someone, I know I have to take out whoever's with them.” Morgan said and he sighed, looking back over the file. “Says here she's got a sister.”

“Cheryl.” Alexander said, not looking at the file but the pictures in his locket—it was customized locket with a twinflower flower engraved on the front and on the back was: My angels, the front half had pink tiny footprints with the name: Zarah C. Noble-Valdez written under it and on the other side it had even smaller footprints, these were more of a purple color and under those was written: Xiomara A. Noble-Valdez.

“Any problems? Were they close?

“Yeah. They're identical twins.” Spencer said, Zoe’s eyes darted up at the last words, seeing the picture.

———————————————————————————

Zoe headed to crime scene at landing using her motorcycle, so she arrived before Elle and Morgan, when they arrived Zoe was sitting on her motorcycle with her helmet in her lap while she watched the kidnapped victim's twin sister lie in the road like she was suicidal.

“What’s she doing?” He asked.

“Lying on the road.” Zoe answered, as usual, total deadpan.

“Yeah, I see that but why?” Morgan asked.

“She’s trying to get a feel for what happened to her sister.” Zoe replied.

“By lying on the ground?” Morgan asked, always the skeptic.

“The girl spent her teenage years perfecting ways to ditch her bodyguards.” Said a man.

Zoe, ahead of them, smirked, having spent her entire childhood (if you could call it that) doing the same (well, the bodyguard being either her sister, Gideon, David Rossi, Alexander, Isobel, or a member of the Valdez family) until her dad just gave up because it just made her rebel more.

“We’re just happy she’s in our line of sight.” A woman said.

Zoe got off her motorcycle, placing her helmet on the seat and said, "No one touch my baby." Then she and Morgan joined Elle who was closer to Cheryl with the case file.

"Cheryl Davenport?" He asked.

"Shh." Cheryl shushed him.

"Shh." Zoe shushed him, echoing her and annoying Morgan. "Just wait a minute."

"No, I'm not crazy." Cheryl said, "I'm lying here for a reason."

"We work for the Behavioral Analysis Unit, trained to psychologically understand people, you are far from crazy." Zoe said and she turned to Morgan, "She knows what she's doing. Have a little faith for once. Wouldn’t kill you.”

Morgan opened his mouth to say something else, "Shh!" Zoe shushed him.

Cheryl opened her eyes and stood up and wiped the back of her skirt to get the dirt off, "He dragged her from the car." She pointed to a spot in front of Morgan and Zoe, "this is where she fell. Trish is a fighter. She wouldn't have gone quietly. Not even with a gun pointed at her."

Zoe flashed back to over four and a half years ago—every moment counted—how she had struggled despite the gun.

"She's right." Elle said, showing Morgan the paper she was holding, "There are nail marks on the car seat."

Zoe smirked and cocked an eyebrow at Morgan.

"So you believe your sister's still alive?" Morgan asked.

"I know she's still alive." Cheryl corrected, looking him dead in the eye.

"You know the way twins know." Zoe said.

"Not the 'I can feel my twin's pain' crap." Cheryl scoffed, "If you stick her with a needle, I won't cry out..."

"I never said that. But her emotions, right..." Zoe said with surprising knowledge of the emotional connection between twins.

Cheryl looked shocked for a moment, people rarely knew about the bond, "Yeah, if something's bothering her, if something is wrong, I can feel it. Even from a thousand miles away at college."

“Even if you haven’t seen her in a long time.” Zoe said, absent-mindedly.

"Yeah." Cheryl nodded.

"You study physics, right?" Elle asked.

"If you're asking why a science major would believe in something non-scientific I don't. I just know what I feel. My feeling is that my sister is still alive."

"If you believe that, then hold on to that." Zoe told her, "And don't let go."

———————————————————————————

Back at the Davenport house, Evan was picking up a textbook he had gotten soon after his twin girls were born. "They're not entirely identical. They're mirror twins. Some of Trish's organs are on the right side that should be on the left. Doctors assured us that it wasn't life-threatening."

"Well, then you got lucky." Alexander muttered. Gideon glanced at him. There had been some complications with Zoe's birth that put her at risk.

"Situs inversus." Spencer said, not hearing Alexander.

"Believe me it could've been worse compared to the complications my girls went through."

"You have twins?"

"Two girls. Nearly twenty. Honestly, my oldest came out with no complications but my youngest girl was born different from her twin, she nearly died.” Alexander recalled and Mister Davenport looked at him, listening with the empathy only a good parent could have, “It was a rare congenital heart disease. Transposition of Great Arteries. The tubes to her heart were switched. Without the open heart surgery, she could’ve died in months. She had the surgery seven days later. You can’t imagine the complete terror of observing a bunch of surgeons who are complete strangers, standing over your baby girl’s cut open body to help her live.”

“Is she okay?” Davenport asked.

“Yeah, but they did warn us that she may start having heart failure episodes in her mid to late twenties or early thirties. She turns twenty on the thirty-first.”

"Is the oldest okay?"

Alexander tensed, and looked down, and Davenport could feel himself being iced out.

"They had self-defense training?" Gideon changed the subject.

"Yeah. I insisted on it. The protective detail rankled when they hit puberty and I was sure that they would refuse their bodyguards when they left for college." Davenport had noticed Spencer flipping through the book, he was using his finger to skim down each page, apparently reading each word. "Excuse me. Can you actually read that fast?"

"Our conscious minds can process sixteen bits of information per second. Our unconscious, however, can process eleven million." Spencer explained but Davenport just stared at him. Spencer looked back up and summed up, "Yes, I-I can actually read this fast."

"If whoever took her wants me to blow cases or suppress evidence or stand down, I..." He tapped the table, signaling he would do it without a second thought to protect his daughters."

"What makes you think it's someone you prosecuted?" Gideon asked.

"Well, I have money, but I don't have millions. I mean, what else could it be?" Davenport asked.

"In our experience, Mr. Davenport every case is different."

———————————————————————————

Morgan was walking around, toying with some brushes.

"What is he doing?" Cheryl asked Zoe.

"He's role-playing." She said.

"How does that work?" Cheryl asked.

"We study behavior of people like who took your sister, so we can understand how they think, how they behave. He's trying to get a sense of the kidnapper through his behavior."

"Well, that doesn't sound very scientific, does it"" Cheryl said.

Zoe chuckled slightly and said, "Try telling him that. He's a skeptic through and through."

"What do you think?"

"Me?"

"You seem like you know what you're doing. I've never met anyone who know about the emotion thing I have with Trish." Cheryl said.

"You could say I was born for this job." Zoe said.

"So what do you think happened?"

"I don't know..." Zoe tried.

"Please." Cheryl pleaded.

Zoe bit her lip and the gears in her mind started working. "Well, from what I've heard your sister was rarely without Jordan. If I wanted to get to her, I'd take him out. I would say he would think Jordan was collateral damage but... but certain methods of killing show their emotions. A shot to the face like that. It was personal. He wanted Trish and Trish alone."

———————————————————————————

It was almost eight by now and they set up a call monitoring system to record the message and try and track the call. Mister Davenport was supposed to be answering the call and Spencer was showing him how to use the system.

"This button answers the call this button makes everyone in the room silent. It'll flash red. You'll be able to hear his side of the conversation. He won't be able to hear us."

"We'll be running the trace through the field office but you're in good hands with agent Gideon and his team." An agent named Vincent Shyer said.

Zoe was on her phone beside the entrance of the kitchen where Morgan and Elle were talking. Zoe was reassuring two friends who knew her personal past that she was fine.

“You think Cheryl's a whack-job because she claims she can feel her sister's anxiety?” Elle asked.

Well that figures that'd be Mister Skeptic's view.

“I never said whack-job.” Morgan protested as Spencer joined Zoe’s side and she snapped her phone shut.

“Actually, there may be a physiological basis for it.” Spencer said.

“Don't ask.” Morgan told Elle.

“Oh, please, tell him.” Zoe grinned to Spencer.

“Reversed asymmetry monozygotic eggs split late, between nine to twelve days. The DNA matches right down to the very last stranded code, but there's sporadic documentation of shared physiological pain.”

Zoe’s grin turned bittersweet and she still felt that constant emotional pain that Zarah felt, for coming on five years now.

“And… you believe it?” Morgan asked, skeptically.

“Yes.” Zoe said, bluntly, in an almost defensive manner.

“No. I'm just saying it's possible. I don't know everything. I mean, despite the fact that you think that I do.” Spencer said as Hotch joined them.

“I never said that. When have I ever said that?” Morgan asked.

“Every day since I met you.” Spencer chuckled.

“This morning at breakfast.” Elle said.

“Yesterday when he beat you at cards.” Hotch said.

“You told me that Spencer and I were know-it-alls ten minutes ago.” Zoe deadpanned.

“Um, we've got one minute.” Hotch informed them.

“Anybody ever heard of sarcasm?” Morgan muttered.

“Mm-hmm” Spencer and Elle said, unconvinced.

“Oh, definitely.” Zoe deadpanned.

They returned the room with the calling system.

"Zoe, you're on tracking the trace." Hotch said. Spencer wasn't great with technology.

Zoe gave him a sarcastic salute and sat down.

She looked at the Davenports who were both very anxious, perfectly understandable. Mister Davenport practically sweating and Cheryl kept shifting her weight. She exchanged looks at Alexander and then Gideon.

Gideon spoke to Davenport in calm patience and understanding, "Remember keep your voice even and calm and agree with everything he says."

It was a few minutes past eight, "He's late." Davenport said.

"He'll call. Just try to relax. This is his strategy. He wants you on edge." Hotch reassured him.

Then the phone rang and Davenport sat up straight. Zoe put the headphones over her ears and got situated at the laptop to make notes at.

"Remember to repeat any important information he gives you to make sure you understand. You try to keep him talking to reveal something about Trish or about himself." Gideon explained calmly to Davenport and then he pushed the accept button.

"This is Evan Davenport." Davenport said, his voice was a little hoarse.

"Hello, Mister Davenport." The Unsub spoke evenly and calmly.

"Are you the man who has my daughter Patricia?"

"I have your daughter."

Can I ask you--" Davenport started.

"You may ask me nothing." The Unsub interrupted him "This is not an interrogatory. You will listen only to my instructions."

"Okay."

"But I will not give them to you."

"I don't understand."

Mister Davenport was barely finished talking when the Unsub spoke again, "I do not want to talk to you, Mr. Davenport."

"Excuse me."

"I want to talk to her." There was a slight breathlessness to this tone, "I want to talk to Cheryl."

Alexander pushed the mute button so the Unsub couldn't hear their conversation. "What's he doing?" Davenport asked.

"What most of the offenders we catch try to do... Establish dominance." Morgan said.

"How long can we keep him on hold?" Elle asked.

"We can't put her on."

"Why not? I want to help. I'll talk to him." Cheryl said, eagerly, anything to help her sister.

Hotch shook her head.

"Cheryl doesn't have the authority that Davenport holds." Morgan said. "He shouldn't want to talk to her."

"Well, obviously he does." Alexander said.

"I think that she should speak to him." Elle said.

Zoe snapped her fingers three times and gesturing pointing and a 'move along' signal but also nodding, pointedly. She agreed.

"Do I need to repeat myself? I want to talk to Cheryl. Put her on the phone. Now."

"No." Gideon said.

"I think she should speak to him. He wants to talk to her. The more he speaks, the more he reveals." Elle said.

"She is right, Gideon." Alexander sighed.

"He has my sister." Cheryl argued.

"No." Gideon said.

"I'm waiting."

Zoe cleared her throat, urging them to hurry up and make a decision.

"Elle." Gideon said

Elle walked over and pushed the unmute button sand said, "This is Cheryl." The Unsub just sighed, and Zoe shook her head, looking at them, like, Not working. "Hello. This is Cheryl."

"I have Patricia by my side. I know her voice therefore I know her sister's. Get off the phone. I want Cheryl. I'll give you sixty seconds. If you don't put her on the phone I will hang up and you will never hear from me or Patricia again."

Gideon pushed the mute button said, "Prep her. Come on over here, please."

"Fifty seconds."

Davenport got up as Cheryl moved along the table to take his place.

"This guy's arrogant." Elle was advising Cheryl. "Let him know that he's in control. Let him guide the conversation."

"Forty."

"Use your sister's name. Say my sister Trish or her name's Patricia."

"Thirty-five seconds."

"Talk about her. Let him get to know her through you. Don't veer off topic."

"Got it." Cheryl nodded.

"Agree with him."

"Twenty-five seconds."

"Tell him that you understand him and as hard as this sounds, empathize."

"Twenty seconds.

"Let him know that he didn't mean to hurt Trish or go this far and that he can fix it. He has a chance to show that he's a kind and forgiving person by letting your sister go."

"Ten seconds."

"And if you don't know what to say, I'll tell you."

"Three, two, one..."

Elle pushed the unmute button, "This is Cheryl."

"Hello, Cheryl. How are you?"

His tone was different. More affectionate. Not as cold but not warm.

The tone he got when he spoke to Cheryl caused goosebumps to go up her spine. She blocked out the overlapping voices that haunted her.

"I'd be a lot better if I knew that my sister... Patricia's okay." Cheryl said.

"I can tell you have a lot of empathy, Cheryl. You care about others.

Sure. But that didn't really describe Cheryl's act, she was worried about her twin sister. Sisterly love. Could it be a coincidence?

"Yes, I do. And it sounds like you understand."

"You mean that I empathize?"

There it was again. Zoe typed on the laptop. It was odd he was using the exact wording Elle had used when it should've been muted. Could that just be a coincidence. Zoe made a note about this, she faltered as she could feel Spencer leaning over and look over her shoulder, he was breathing down her neck, but she ignored this.

"Yes."

"I do. Very much. I empathize. I empathize with you, Cheryl." He was really nailing that home, wasn't he? He was putting stress on that word. As if he had known Elle had used that exact word.

Zoe typed on the laptop: Empathy... why empathy? What does he need? Why does he keep saying "Empathize"? The same word SSA Greenaway said.

"I know you want to be with your sister." He was saying as Elle showed Cheryl a note pad saying: You want Trish back. Like Cheryl wasn't already aware of that.

"Yes, I want Trish back."

"Good. Tell me what you want, Cheryl. I'm very interested. Tell me all about yourself. What's your favorite color?"

Elle pushed the mute button, "Don't answer that. Stay with Trish." She advised and pushed the unmute button.

"If I tell you, will you let me talk to my sister?" Cheryl asked.

The unsub chuckled, "Maybe. Maybe not."

"I like blue." Cheryl relented, just on the off-chance he would. Davenport put his hand on his daughter's back to support her.

"How ordinary. Do you like chocolate, Cheryl?" The unsub asked and Cheryl looked around in confusion. "Do... you... like... chocolate?"

Spencer noticed Zoe's reflection in the laptop screen, her eyes were closed and she shook her head, trying not to remember something.

"Oh, little corazón, I want to know everything about you..." He had said to her, she was blind to him as she had a blindfold over her eyes but she could feel him touching her cheek. The path his fingers touch would have a feeling of absolute filth on her skin; sometimes she could still feel it and the feeling of his breath on her face.

She blinked rapidly as she forced herself to focus on this kidnapper.

"Yes."

"I do as well."

"Please, let me talk to my sister." Cheryl pleaded and there was no response. "All I want to do is hear her voice. Please."

There was a different breathing pattern suddenly over the call. Cheryl eagerly asked, "Hello?"

Then a voice identical to Cheryl's spoke.

"Cher..." Trish's voice was slow, she sounded groggy. Zoe looked up at them, faltering for a moment and she exchanged looks with her father. It was more than she had ever gotten in nearly five years. Zoe recognized that pace of voice as being drugged and disorientated.

"Trish!" Cheryl gasped.

"Cher, is that you?" Trish asked

"Trish, it's me. I'm here. Are you okay?"

"Cher, I can't..."

"Where are you? What do you see?" Cheryl pushed.

"I... I see the moon." Cheryl slurred. She was too out of it to answer properly.

There was crackling static.

"Trish!" Cheryl shouted.

"Have five-hundred-thousand ready." The unsub took over again

"Let me talk to her!" Cheryl pleaded.

"Five-hundred-thousand dollars is what I'm owed. The Davenports will wait by the phone. You will receive a call with precise instructions in exactly fifteen minutes." The unsub said and then hung up.

Cheryl ran off and Davenport ran after her.

"Were your able to trace it?" Gideon asked Zoe.

Zoe pulled her headphones down, "No. He's probably using a disposable cell phone. They're impossible to trace."

"She said she could see the moon." Elle said

"She sounded delirious." Gideon observed.

"Unsub probably sedated her. That would helped him to have her nearby enough to put her on the phone and stay calm and in control during the phone call." Zoe explained.

"Could have been a light." Gideon added.

"If he's keeping her drugged, it might mean he's not very strong. He might have to keep her weak just so he can dominate her." Morgan theorized.

"Or he's keeping her quiet." Elle suggested.

"Has Davenport told us everything about his staff?" Gideon asked.

"Oh, yeah, we have detailed reports but we should probably revisit background on household staff aides and current docket." Hotch said.

"Guys, she wasn't blindfolded." Morgan stated the elephant in the room.

"No."

"If she's seen his face, as soon as he gets that money..." Morgan said.

"He'll kill her." Gideon finished.

"Maybe." Zoe said, standing up.

"What do you mean?" Spencer asked.

"Ransom and killing are not the only reasons someone would kidnap someone." Zoe said and walked off.

———————————————————————————

They were looking over the script of the conversation Zoe had written with her notes.

"He said owed." Gideon said, looking over the line that he had said that followed by Zoe's note: Sense of entitlement. Why does he feel like he's owed something?"

Five-hundred-thousand dollars." Spencer recalled. "His demand sounded scripted, like he was reading it to us."

"But the rest of the conversation wasn't." Zoe pointed out, nodding at the paper, "He was his most relaxed just talking to Cheryl."

"What do you mean?" Alexander asked.

Zoe opened her mouth but then noticed the intense look her father was giving her so her words had some hesitance to them, "Maybe... he already knew her."

"What makes you say that?" Gideon asked. Oh, was he doing that teaching thing again? He had been doing that since she was a toddler. Annoyed the heck out of Stephen.

"When he was talking to Davenport, he was detached, cold, short, he didn't want to talk to him at all. It seemed like more than just establishing dominance. But with Cheryl... I don't want to say he was warmer but it was like that was what he wanted. Jordan, the fiancé was shot in the face, usually a head shot is cold and detached but the face in particular suggests it was personal. Maybe he knows both Cheryl and Trish." Zoe explained.

Alexander felt an incompletion to her statement. Her eyes were cast down at the paper and she was twisting her gear spinner ring "What?"

"You see in the notes, I point out he kept on saying 'Empathize'. The exact same word Elle said. It was almost like he was trying to prove that knew more than us but I don't know how, he couldn't have bugged the place, they did a sweep and I would've noticed if he hacked us. So, I don't know..."

There was a slight silence before she exhaled and walked off the see Cheryl.

"How much time we got?" Morgan asked.

"Six minutes and forty-three seconds." Spencer said.

"How quickly can you get the money?" Gideon asked Davenport.

Zoe entered the kitchen where Cheryl was pouring a glass of red wine.

"Cheryl, it's not a good idea." Zoe said, taking the glass and placing it on the counter.

"Look, I know I shouldn't drink, but under the circumstances you'd think you could let this one slide." Cheryl said as Zoe recorked the wine.

"It's not a good idea and not just because you're underaged. He's gonna call back. We need you at your best. With a clear head so you don't do anything impulsive."

"Have you had many cases like this?"

"I've seen my fair share of abductions." Zoe said. More like, I've had my fair share of abductions.

I don't know how you do it, this job. How do you stomach it? You've got to be my age."

"I-I turn twenty the end of the month. I... I've worked my way here my whole life. Started college classes when I was five. I've always known of the darker side of humanity that a lot of people may only realize when things like this happen to them or from movies. My whole family are either in law enforcement... or are criminals." She pondered these two categories. "Occasionally both. I've always had an understanding of these kind of people. Believe it or not, but usually I can find some sort of empathy for them, typically ones suffering from mental illness. I'm ADHD and I have a mild form of bipolar and I've seen some things that have given me PTSD, I guess and possibly other things so I don't really see black and white. Some people have a limit and sometimes they're pushed past that. Some people are stronger than others. I strive to be that and keep my compassion for these kind of people. But people like the guy who has your sister, I... I do my damnedest to find them."

"I just wish you could get 'em before they snatch someone."

"I do too but that's not possible. Here's how you can stomach it for a little longer. You have that bond with your sister and now you have proof she's alive. Not many people get that. All they have is hope and sometimes they're one of the only ones left with that hope. Hold onto your feeling and instincts. Hold on to that as tightly as you can and don't let go of it even if the whole world tells you to."

———————————————————————————

The unsub called again and gave his instructions, making them clear.

"Everything will be done by Cheryl. Cheryl will gather the money packets. Only she will touch the money. Cheryl will make the drop. If she is wired, if you use a look-a-like, Patricia dies. Cheryl will get in her car. No one is to be in the car with her, no one is to follow her no air surveillance, no car surveillance of any kind will be tolerated. I will give directions over a cell phone as Cheryl drives. She must make the drop at exactly 3:00 A. M. She will follow each instruction to the letter."

Zoe made her notes: Unsub wants Cheryl alone. Wants to get her isolated.

"We can't let her go alone." Hotch said.

"He said if he sees anyone--" Davenport started.

"I know. One car, unmarked. Tinted windows. Zoe?" Hotch said.

Zoe was taking the headphones off and exiting the house, they saw her motorcycle lights light up

If he sees one of you, and Trish dies-- if my daughter dies...

"Zoe's very stealthy." Alexander reassured him.

"She's riding a motorcycle."

"Trust me." Alexander said.

Cheryl got into the car, placing the money down. She started the car, lighting up Zoe on her bike, she had changed so she was wearing black motorcycle boots and she was zipping up her black leather jacket that with her black Kevlar pants and leather motorcycle gloves. Zoe gave her a two-fingered salute, this one was genuine. One of good luck. And she put her black motorcycle helmet on with the black visor. She perfectly blended into the darkness. Zoe pushed a button on the side of her helmet and to Cheryl's surprise two thumbs up emoji lit up in place of two eyes

"Uh, Zoe hooked the computer up to Cheryl's GPS so we'll be able to track her." Spencer told Morgan over the phone once Zoe on her motorcycle, Cheryl in her car, and Morgan and Hotch in their unmarked car set off.

"The first thing he's gonna do is have her switch cars. Where are we headed?" Morgan asked.

"Let's see." Spencer said and pushed the buttons on the laptop awkwardly and then a map came up, "An address which appears to be... A rental car lot."

Zoe was already there when Morgan and Hotch arrived, she was watching Cheryl in her bright yellow car among all the other seemingly empty cars. Something wasn't right.

Zoe watched as Cheryl exited her car and walked, slowly through the parking lot and Zoe saw a car door open and someone started to step out. It wasn't a ransom drop; but a second kidnapping. Just then Morgan and Hotch came out of their car.

"CHERYL!"

"GET DOWN! GET DOWN!"

"STOP!" Zoe shouted near the only other exit.

The car started up and started up, speeding past Cheryl as Hotch and Morgan shot at him.

Zoe shot her gun at him but missed and then he jerked the car, speeding in her direction so they would stop shooting at him.

Zoe quickly reacted quickly, not being able to move out of the way in time, managing to leg her leg closest to the car so she was swooped up and she rolled along the hood of the car, cracking the windshield but before she could look inside the car, the car stopped to halt, making her jerk off the car and hit the ground and the car started up at full speed again, she managed to stop being run over by rolling out of the way.

———————————————————————————

Morgan and Hotch entered the house.

"Cheryl's all right." Morgan reassured Davenport.

"Zoe got hit by a car though." Hotch deadpanned and Alexander looked at him, incredulously like, you can't just end a sentence like that.

"Please, that was part of my training." Zoe said, closing the door after Cheryl entered.

Spencer went up to Zoe, her hair was windswept but other than that and looking like night itself, she seemed as okay as she had been when she exited the house. She shook her head in protest to his silent concern.

Already the phone was ringing. As if he already knew. Either that or he was more acquainted with time than Spencer.

Morgan walked to the phone as Zoe sat back in front of laptop, putting the headphones on.

They answered the phone and the unsub started speaking, he sounded just slightly out of breathe.

"That was fun, wasn't it? A little running around, getting our pulses racing. Are you there, Cheryl?" Morgan held up a hand to tell Cheryl to not answer, "Are you there?! Tell me you didn't feel a slight tingle, a thrill run up your spine. Huh? But those clever and cunning FBI agents deduced my little plan just in time. They figured it out. If they hadn't, I would have had you both. The whole set. The matching pair. Now just have Trish and I hit that wunderkind nepo-brat with the car and didn't even finish the job."

Zoe raised her eyebrows in a somewhat sarcastic kind of way but she was learning something more. He knew her--Zoe. At least, of her. Half the team didn't know that.

Still she typed: Matching pair. He's a collector. He knows of me (Doctor Z. Valdez).

"Why are you doing this?" Cheryl asked and Morgan gestured for her to stop talking.

"Because you asked me to, Cheryl. You asked me with your glances." The unsub said and Cheryl looked deeply confused, understandably if someone was told this nonsense. "The way you talk. Those little gestures."

Zoe flinched, violently for her, but for a person in general, it was barely noticeable. She squeezed her eyes shut as she flashed back... not to those eight months when she was fifteen. But when she was twelve. David Rossi believes that William Grace, a serial killer was the face of pure evil, but Zoe believed that serial killer that she met in that warehouse, was pure evil. He convinced her the difference of evil acts and evil in general. Dressed in all black, including that mask, as he held a revolver to her head, taunting her until he realized she was doing something no other person he had worn this mask and held a gun to had ever done: Showed no fear.

"You told me with your eyes." A broken memory she preferred the keep locked up until it was time resurfaced. She pushed it away and kept back to the manner at hand.

Spencer was gesturing for them to stop and Morgan pushed the mute button.

"What are you doing?!" Cheryl demanded

"Do not answer this man." Morgan said.

"You asked for this! You asked for it, Cheryl!" The unsub shouted.

Cheryl impulsively pushed the unmute button.

"Cheryl!" Morgan shouted and retracted his hand in frustration.

"What do you want? Cheryl shouted.

"What do I want?! You! It may not be today, it may not be tomorrow but I promise you, we will be together." He said and then hung up.

———————————————————————————

They all sat down to discuss what to do next. Zoe was very quiet and for once quite still. Only Gideon and Alexander noticed.

"We can't let Cheryl speak with him any further." Gideon advised, patiently.

"Why not?" Cheryl asked.

"It's only feeding his psychosis to allow your interaction." Spencer explained and then asked, "Was Trish involved in any serious relationships prior to the kidnapping?"

"With the boy that was killed." Davenport said, "They were together for two years."

Cheryl turned to her father and said, "Trish didn't want me to tell you. They were getting engaged."

"Well, that certainly could have been the unsub's stressor." Gideon said and Spencer nodded.

"What does that mean?"

Zoe finally spoke, her voice was briefly hoarse, "We all have resentment, stress that builds up. But a stressor is when a traumatic event or a perceived traumatic event that causes someone to lash out or change behavior or even have a psychotic break."

"How would Trish's engagement trigger him?" Cheryl asked.

"Will someone please tell me what we're dealing with here?" Davenport demanded.

"De Clerambault's syndrome, otherwise known as erotomania the belief that someone, usually of a higher social status but not necessarily a celebrity, is in love with you." ," Spencer explained and Zoe balled up her fists; Gideon glanced at her a look a sympathy for the girl he watched grow up. He knew why this was bothering her. Best they could figure two unsubs felt that for her. Both times she was kidnapped; the first time had been a very touchy subject and only a few knew about it. Gideon only knew about it was because he had been the best profiler on the team then... the only one who had been a father at that time and understood the situation. Then again when she was fifteen and went missing for eight months and Zarah... was never seen again. Both instances traumatized Zoe drastically. "Erotomaniacs believe that the objects of their affection are subtly professing their love for them through looks, gestures--"

"Looks in your eyes. Emotions you show with your eyes." Zoe said, her voice again briefly hoarse, before she got back on topic, "Glances. He said, 'you asked me with your glances'."

"The unsub truly and full-heartedly believes that Cheryl and Trish are in love with him. They don't tell him this with their voices. No, with gestures and looks. He's obsessed with them." Spencer explained.

"What does this mean?" Davenport asked.

"He is the most determined kind of criminal."

"You should know that this wasn't Trish and your fault, Cheryl. This is in the mind of the unsub. Some unsubs are so departed from reality they form relationships in their heads that don't exist in the real life. It could just be from you smiling at them to be polite and they took that to mean you and Trish were in love with him. Or it could just stem from something about you they found fascinating." Zoe explained.

———————————————————————————

In the kitchen, they were discussing what was to be done as Gideon cut up an orange with a knife.

"Crime of obsession. Your specialty, your lead, Morgan." Hotch told Morgan.

"I think we should recheck everyone on Davenport's staff against the profile of a stalker." Morgan said.

"Aren't stalking behaviors pretty diverse?" Elle asked.

"There's overlap. Narcissistic, inflated sense of self-worth, history of bad relationships."

"What do we know so far?" Hotch asked.

"He's probably white, obviously male... Sophisticated speech patterns." Morgan listed.

"Sophisticated, yet bizarre." Gideon added, "He rarely uses contractions. It's not 'you're', it's 'you are'."

"This guy's pretentious. He wants to sound smarter than he actually is. Whatever position of authority or level of success this guy has he had to struggle for it. He accused me of being a 'wunderkin nepo-brat'." Zoe explained.

"What did that mean?" Spencer asked.

Zoe completely ignored the question and continued as if Spencer hadn't spoken, "He resents the fact that I got this job at not even twenty while he may have had the struggle to get his..."

"Which means he's probably just average at his job." Alexander continued. "Of average intelligence for that particular job."

"We also have to face the possibility at this point..." Hotch said with a lowered voice.

"That Trish may already be dead." Elle finished.

"No." Zoe shook her head. "No. Cheryl believes she's still alive and if she says so then I believe her."

Gideon handed the others part of the orange.

"You know, so far he's called every play.

"I say we apply some pressure, make him sweat." Morgan suggested.

Gideon looked straight at Zoe with that soul-piercing look at his, like he was analyzing her very soul. She was the best at pushing unsubs' buttons. She had learned that from Rossi as if she hadn't already had a natural talent at it. But she knew this had the risk of revealing her secret to the team. But if could help them learn more about the unsub to save Trish... then that was worth it.

"Good idea. Well, there's only one way to do that." Zoe said, hoping this was the right move.

———————————————————————————

Later, the phone was ringing again and they all stared at it; Spencer was now at the laptop since Zoe's job had changed. Just before the fourth ring, Davenport moved to answer it.

"Hold on. Hold on. Hold on." Alexander said as Zoe glanced at Gideon and he nodded and she walked in front of it, not sitting but standing.

Zoe looked up at Alexander as she let it ring to the fifth ring and then the sixth. He nodded at his daughter in encouragement.

She looked down, waited a bit more... seventh ring... eighth ring... and during the ninth ring,she answered but then promptly hung up.

"What are you doing?" Davenport asked.

She didn't answer, she stared at the phone as it started to ring again.

"Doctor Valdez." Davenport said with a plea in his tone.

“Hello?” She asked, innocently once she answered the call.

“Tell me there was a technical issue with the line because if you actually just hung up on m—" Zoe hung up again.

“What the hell are you doing?” Davenport asked, incredulously.

The phone started to ring again.

“Are you gonna answer it?” Cheryl asked, anxiously.

“Why is she doing this? What is she–what–you’re gonna drive this guy crazy!” Davenport stammered, stressed as the second ring rang.

“Just, quiet. Please, quiet,” Gideon whispered.

Third ring...

Cheyrl tried to move forwards after the fourth ring but Elle held her back.

"Cheryl."

"SOMEBODY HAS TO ANSWER IT!" Cheryl cried.

"Just-Just answer the phone!" Davenport pleaded

“She knows what she’s doing,” Alexander reassured the Davenport family.

They were on the fifth ring now, but Zoe continued to stare at it, formulating a taunting plan in her head at rapid speed while simultaneously predicting each possible outcome and the consequences they’ll have.

“Just answer the phone, for god’s sake!” Davenport yelled, reaching for the phone. "PICK UP THE PHONE!"

Alexander grabbed his hand, pulling him back, "Don’t touch it!”

“She knows what she’s doing!” Morgan pushed Davenport back.

Zoe let the sixth ring finish and she finally answered the call.

“Davenport residence,” She said, casually.

“Are you out of your mind? You do realize, you do understand, that I’ll kill her?! Do you—" Zoe hung up on him again.

They stared at the phone again and it started ringing again, Zoe smirked a little, she could practically feel the UnSub's frustration. The rebel in her thrived at this part of the job.

Davenport started to lose it and tried to get at Zoe to force her away from the phone but Alexander was on him, holding him back, "YOU'RE KILLING MY DAUGHTER! PICK UP THE PHONE! PICK UP THE PHONE! SON OF A BITCH! PICK UP THE PHONE!"

“Get him quiet." Gideon ordered. Second ring

"ANSWER THE PHONE! YOU'RE KILLING HER! ANSWER THE PHONE!" Now Morgan and Hotch had joined Alexander in pushing Davenport back. Third ring.

Fourth ring. "Mister Davenport, get a hold of yourself.” Gideon said.

"ANSWER THE PHONE!"

Fifth ring. Zoe spoke at first patiently and calmly. "Mister Davenport, I understand your agitation, believe me, I do. You’re not the only person with a missing family member. But you need to get a hold on yourself and BE QUIET!" Zoe shouted the last two words, her shout was deeper and rumbled with a growl and was honestly quite terrifying but her face softened and there remained an empathetic look in her eyes.

Davenport started sobbing loudly as he stopped fighting as the sixth ring rang. It was an improvement. Cheryl started crying and was comforted by Elle.

When the seventh ring started, Zoe placed her finger on the answer button but waited until it finished ringing.

Zoe answered the phone again, and the UnSub was also losing it.

"SHE IS DEAD!"

"No!" Cheyrl sobbed.

"No, she's not." Zoe said with a blank deadpan, shaking her head. "Bye-bye." She reached for the decline button again.

"YOU HANG UP ON ME AGAIN, YOU LITTLE BITCH, AND I RIP HER OPEN!" He bellowed and Alexander had to be reminded by Hotch with an elbow in the ribs that he couldn't interfere.

Zoe got an irreverent smile on her face and giggled before she said in a mocking voice, "I’m sorry. You must have the wrong number." And she hung up.

Davenport was breathing, raggedly,

“Come on, Zoe,” Morgan breathed.

“You killed her.” Davenport cried.

"No." Zoe said.

“Oh, yeah? Then what–what the hell do you think you're doing?” Davenport asked.

“I’m saving your daughter, Mister Davenport." Zoe insisted in an emphatically empathetic tone. After a few moments of silent, the phone rang again. First ring... second ring... third ring... "Have a little faith."

Fourth ring... fifth r...

Half way through the fifth ring, Zoe answered it and smirked when she heard the UnSub's tone. She had pushed him past the point to fiery rage.

"Put Cheryl on the phone." The UnSub demanded in a calm tone compared to what he had last time.

"How did you know this wasn't Cheryl? It's almost like you know what's going on here. Why is that?" Zoe asked with a mocking questioning tone.

"Put… Cheryl on the phone." He repeated, not answering her question.

“No, you’re finished talking to Cheryl.” Zoe refused, speaking in her most authoritative tone that she knew he'd mock.

"Listen to faux authority in your tone, little girl. A lesser man would believe you had been at the BAU for more than seven months until they actually saw you of course, you stupid, little child." The UnSub spat as Spencer put the headphones Zoe had previously had on. "You think you're a prodigy, just because you got your first degree at seven; you're neurodivergent and incapable of focusing or being still. You pretend that you're better than the crazy people you catch but you're just like them."

Zoe blinked twice, unaffected by his words,like, yeah, tell me something I don't know.

“But I guess that's only to be expected when you're raised in a recklessly dangerous environment like you were."

"Mmm." Zoe hummed, mockingly while doing an equally mocking nod before saying in a voice positively oozing with sarcasm and patronism, "That's a very interesting conclusion. You sound intelligent, you certainly sound educated, and... but we both know that's a lie. You're more dull and unintelligent, unknowing of anything. I actually almost lost interest while you were talking, that's why I kept hanging up.”

"Oh, I know all about all of you. The ambitious Agent Hotchner. Do you wanna be the FBI director someday, Agent Hotchner? Would you step on Jason Gideon and Alexander Noble to get there? I think you would." Yeah, well, you think glances mean two twin sisters are in love with you too. "Post-traumatic stress is a very good excuse. Even your sick pregnant wife can't get you to leave your post."

Zoe raised her eyebrows, he knew about Hotch's ambition and how his wife was both sick and pregnant and how that hadn't affected his workaholism.

"Jason Gideon, an expert in the criminal psyche, arrogant and didactic pedant, yet unable to diagnose the autistic leaning of the very insecure Doctor Reid." Spencer made a face like, did people think it was a secret? "Well, maybe he can make money counting cards in Las Vegas."

He knew Gideon, obviously, he knew Spencer was possibly somewhere on the Autistic Spectrum and that he was born in Las Vegas. It wasn't likely he knew that Spencer was banned from like very casino in Vegas... somehow... before he was eighteen.

"The lovely Elle was promoted too soon. She doesn't have what it takes to make it in the BAU boys club. You're no threat to me. You're not a threat to anyone."

He knew how recently Elle had been promoted to the BAU, being the only other female profiler agent other than Zoe who pretty much counted as a boy, well according to Zoe. And multiple other people.

"And token Derek Morgan wants to be taken seriously, but he is just a pumped-up side of beef." Morgan just chuckled at this though there may have been a little truth in his mind.

He was huffing loudly. Zoe made eye contact with Alexander. He had purposely left out two of them. He knew Zoe's father was the senior supervisory agent (the only reason he hadn't been promoted to unit chief over Hotch was he was deemed not stable enough, which was how he summed up his meeting with Strauss) and that Alexander was one of the founders of the BAU. That had been why Zoe initially went by her mother's name, so people wouldn't assume nepotism. She had had the right way of thinking and more than enough knowledge of how to do this job by the time she was ten. The question was if Zoe was going to let him tell the team this.

Yes. "Apparently, you're not all that impressive. First of all, a genius would’ve deduced what kind of autism, not that I think you know the layers of it, and you couldn't even list all of us." Zoe taunted, ignoring the fear that he would expose her secret to the BAU but realizing that it was probably time and this way she didn’t have to do any social interacting. Besides, it would show how much he knew. It was general knowledge among the FBI of her story, the newer members of the BAU only didn't know because she kept it that way. They hadn't been in the FBI at that time.

"Oh but I know the last two very well. Put Cheryl on the phone or I’ll expose your greatest secrets and fears.”

Zoe looked up at Alexander without moving her head, there was nothing in her eyes indicating that she wouldn’t do so but more that she was trying to gather courage and encouragement from her father.

He smiled softly and nodded.

“I don’t believe you.” Zoe said, her voice only slightly strained with a hitch.

“You asked for it but your team will never look at you the same, you bitch! One of the founders of the BAU, Alexander Noble, abused by his father and spend half his childhood protecting his sister from him, put in the academy too young, fell in love too young, had two bastard children too young.” A growl rumbled in the depth of Alexander’s throat at his two daughters being called bastards. Like his dad didn’t say it enough. “Two beautiful and annoyingly intelligent baby girls, especially the youngest. Twins. Born three days apart. Irish twins. The first one was born normally, the second one was with your pregnant girlfriend when she was kidnapped and murdered with an axe as she died in your arms. The doctors had to pull your youngest daughter out of your girlfriend's dead body, nearly dead." Technically, Zoe had initially been a stillborn. So not quite nearly, she wasn't breathing, plain and simple. "The twins who you continuously brought on dangerous missions and got kidnapped frequently until at age fifteen when you lost one of them forever. This must be killing you." Cheryl had her hands over her mouth in sympathy and Davenport had never felt so much sympathy for another father. "The other... you found another way to keep her close and in danger at all times by giving her a job at the BAU."

The team apart from Zoe, Hotch, Gideon, and Alexander looked at one another in confusion.

"Zoe Noble-Valdez." Zoe's eyes only looked up but she showed no emotion as everyone looked at her, the team who didn’t know how making the connection.

Spencer sat back in his chair, his memory flashing to the picture of Zelena Valdez. She looked so much like Zoe.

The first time he saw her after she got the job. After he had greeted her with an awkward hitch in his voice that had made Alexander give Spencer a sharp look. He now realized a protective look a father would give a boy he thought was interest in his daughter. (To be fair, that was accurate.)] She had hesitated just breifly before telling him, her name was Valdez. She had said it like she wasn't use to just saying that. He even had outright talked about Zelena Valdez. He now realized Zoe had spoken quite quickly for a normal dismissal of commonality of the surname.

That first case, Alexander had looked like he was going to have a heart attack when they realized Zoe was with the killer alone.

Hotch had trusted Zoe to take on talking down killers with hostages, do profiles, talk to witnesses and families, all on her own so early into joining the team, at the age of nineteen. Hotch had scolded Garcia for trying to look up Zoe in the computer. They already knew Zoe was very talented at hacking, perhaps even better at Garcia, she could've hidden her report.

Gideon trusted Zoe's skills right from the start. It had always been as if they had known each other for a long time.

"Half-Hispanic, half-Scottish-slash-Caucasian. Born October 31, 1985, twelve hours after your mom died with a near fatal heart condition as if your life-long mental illnesses weren't enough to cripple you. FBI family legacy. Criminal family legacy. Younger twin sister of Zarah Noble-Valdez, who hasn't been seen in four years because of you, Zoe. How challenging has this case been for you? Your mother died while giving birth to you."

It had been more because of the several axe wounds but this was a person who was absolutely certain they were right no matter what they said, you know those people, arguing with a wall is more effective.

"You nearly died, you believe you should've." She showed no emotion as this man revealed more about herself than half the unit knew. "Raised by her father, the famous FBI agent, Alexander Noble, her dear boss, with help from his co-founders, Jason Gideon and David Rossi and mentored by her own psychopathic cousin, Mazikeen Valdez, who slaughtered a handful of people just to save her. She’s quite successful for only nineteen, why else would that be than nepotism, I think so.” Zoe rolled her eyes. “IQ that's estimated to be off the charts yet impossible but you refuse to take the test; why else would that be than proof that you're not as smart as you think you are.”

A sarcastic look appeared in Zoe’s eyes that was more amusement than irritation and Alexander actaully snorted at this theory and Gideon smiled, shaking his head. By the age of one year old, she had the cognitive understanding of an eight year old which was highly advanced. When she was three, she was able to outdo Rossi with Saturday morning crossword puzzles... in pen... which had deeply insulted Rossi.

“Diagonosed with ADHD at age six, Cyclothmia at age eight, depression at fourteen, PTSD at fifteen, non-suicidal self-injury disorder at age sixteen." This was the first time she moved, she sat back in her chair as everyone looked at her. "If you were to take off your jacket, your co-workers would see your scratches and bruises, and maybe a few scars, your palms have crescent moon marks, you would stab your legs with sharp objects because it should've been you! Both sisters went missing at fifteen years old and only you came back eight months later with your body all broken, bloodied, and bruised, I wonder what they did to you during those eight months." His tone was hostilely sarcastic, stating plainly enough what he thought. Zarah should have gotten away and you should've been the one still missing." Now he was yelling because she hadn't responded like he had predicted. "AND YOU HATED YOURSELF LONG BEFORE YOU WERE BOTH KIDNAPPED, YOU'RE AN INSECURE BROKEN LITTLE GIRL WHO TURNS OFF HER EMOTIONS TO GUARD HERSELF, TO KEEP HERSELF FROM GETTING HURT BECAUSE HER FATHER COULDN'T PROTECT HER! YOU ARE EVERY BIT AS PATHETIC AND WORTHLESS AS YOU BELIEVE YOU ARE! YOU SHOULD JUST THROW YOURSELF IN FRONT OF A SPEEDING TRUCK! YOU RUN FROM ANYTHING REAL! YOU HIDE ALL YOUR EMOTIONS BEHIND THIS FALSE APATHY AND FAKE SMILES, THROWING YOURSELF AT DEATH, HOPING ONE DAY IT STICKS! YOU'RE A DISAPPOINTMENT TO YOUR MOTHER! MENTORED BY YOUR PSYCHOPATHIC COUSIN! DEATH FOLLOWS YOU EVERYWHERE FROM YOUR MOTHER TO THE PRISONS OF EUROPE! YOU SHOULD JUST KILL YOURSELF!"

Zoe showed no sign of this actaully getting to her, like she was watching someone had a tantrum they were much too old to be having. Like he was too immature for his words to actually affect her. She wasn't phased by having her traumatic past told to her, she lived with it everyday.

Finally he moved on, "I know who you are, I know how you think and I know what to do next! Do you?” He didn’t hang up though. He wanted to know what Zoe's reply was.

“Mmm.” Zoe said, keeping a deadpan in her voice, “Thank you, you’ve already told me everything I need to know about you.” Then she hung up on him. Again. Everyone stared at her. She could feel sympathy and pity. “Well, someone’s hangry. Make sure to arrest him with a Snickers bar on hand.” Zoe quipped, getting up and walking off. She just vanished into the kitchen and then there was a thump and glass breaking. “Somebody broke your window.”

Alexander hurried out of the room after his daughter. "Angel!"

"What the hell was that?" Davenport asked, "Why did he say that he knows what to do next? Is he gonna hurt my daughter?"

"He was grandstanding." Gideon said.

Davenport moved forwards and Morgan put a hand against his chest to stop him, "You don't know that. You-you can't possibly know that."

"Mister Davenport, I have learned more in the last five minutes than in the last twenty-four hours." Gideon said.

"Oh, really? Well, I don't understand. Why is he focused on you right now?" Davenport asked.

"Because we are interfering in his relationship with the girls." Morgan said.

"He said he knows all about you.

Yes, apparently." Hotch said.

He profiled us, Mr. Davenport.

"Why would he do that?" Cheryl asked.

"To show us how smart he is." Elle explained.

"Often times the best profilers are the unsubs themselves." Spencer explained, "They're the ones able to walk into an arcade full of children and pinpoint the boy or girl that can be led out quietly."

"But he made a mistake, because he gave us something he didn't expect." Elle said.

"Which is?" Davenport asked.

"He told us how to find him." Gideon said.

"What do you mean?"

"Half of this team, didn't even know my last name was Noble-Valdez or that I had a sister who went missing or that Alexander Noble is my dad." Zoe was back, "You could only know that if you were in the FBI long enough or followed the life of my parents to the extent to know who I really was. He's known all this time, that's why he keeps accusing me of being a nepo-bitch."

"He said nepo-brat." Spencer said and everyone looked at him and he muttered, looking down, "It-it doesn't matter."

"And the information he had was only general knowledge."

"He said you were suicidal."

"I wouldn't say that exactly but I am very, very, very reckless and also he did say I had non-suicidal self-injury disorder."

"What is that?"

"Self-harm." She said, bluntly, "Without intent to kill oneself. I am extremely reckless and resourceful, I had injured myself to get the job done and when I was diagnosed with that I was still dealing with being kidnapped and tortured for eight months and Zarah... my sister not... I've learned to manage pain that is otherwise unbearable to others so it makes it seem like I do actively self-harm." Not that she didn't. Pain grounded her. "And because of that added with my behavior and backstory, it makes me seem more sucidal more than I am. His knowledge is based on general knowledge among the FBI and assumptions based off what character he's gotten from me. I willingly stood in his way as he tried to run me over but I have training in surviving that."

Spencer looked like he had a million questions and was shaking his head, trying to figure out which one to ask first.

"Your twin sister went missing?" Cheryl asked Zoe.

"Because of a man who claimed I told him with my eyes that I loved him as much as he loved me... if... if he were capable of love. Or I might be confusing him with the first one."

"Wait, two?" Spencer asked.

"It's two to three." Zoe shrugged. "Any attempt to talk to me about that will result in me walking out of the room."

"Zoe..." Spencer tried and she turned away and promptly walked out of the room.

———————————————————————————

Davenport was losing his mind. He was getting right in Gideon's face. "You said you knew how to find him, that you were gonna save my daughter. Why don't you get out there and do something? What are you-everybody's standing around here, looking around..."

"Mister Davenport--" Gideon tried.

"Don't-don't condescend to me. Don't patronize me."

"Evan, Evan. Evan." Shyster tried to calm him down.

"Mister Davenport, I understand..."

"How could you understand!?" He turned to who had spoken, which had been Alexander. Still he lashed out, “How are you going to find my daughter if you couldn’t even find yours!?”

“I did my damnedest to find my Zarah. That is not fair.” Alexander said.

Zoe walked up and everyone looked at her, they kept doing that.

“The only reason they couldn’t find my sister was because it went wrong. They tortured me like the serial killer wanted, but I didn’t break and somehow they started a cult around me. I was constantly being moved. This is one guy. We will find Cheryl. I still have hope after four years, eight months, and six days. Cheryl’s only been gone barely three days and you know she’s alive.”

"Everybody is doing the best that they can. Come on. Come on. Take a break, come on." Shyer pulled Davenport away to cool off.

"For the suspect to know that much about us he has to be one of us." Morgan said.

"He has to have been in the FBI for a while, he knew general details of my life. Rossi told me that it was famous among FBI for years afterwards, but it mostly sparked people's interests even outside of the bureau when it was actually happening. At the very least, he'd had to have heard about it while it was happening and he didn’t know my real only my chosen one." Zoe explained casually as if she didn't just say a cult was formed around her.

"Can we..." Spencer started.

"Spence, do not make me walk the fuck out of here again!" She told him sternly, holding up a finger. Spencer looked like someone had kicked his puppy into the sun.

"You know the David Rossi?" He asked, timidly.

"Yeah, Uncle David. He used to read case files to me and Zarah as bedtime stories because normal ones were too predictable. That and his fifteen failed marriages."

"I told him that would damage you." Gideon said.

"It was fine."

"You started asking him to bring you along to interview serial killers." Gideon deadpanned.

Zoe just stared at him blankly like she didn't see how that proved otherwise.

“Wait, your real name?” Morgan asked.

“Zoe is a nickname.” Alexander said.

Zoe took out her credentials and handed them to Morgan.

“Your name is Xiomara?” Morgan asked.

Zoe, unamused, snatched them back from him.

"Point is, the unsub likely knows the family and maybe even this house." Zoe said.

"I'm gonna have Garcia do a search of the New Haven FBI field office."

"There's seven hundred agents in New Haven and another seventy in satellite offices." Spencer informed them, "Davenport knows quite a few of them"

"While we're narrowing the list, Cheryl can't stay here. If he's one of us, he has access, weapons and you bet he's got a strategy." Elle said.

"So who can we trust?" Morgan asked.

"No one. We need to get Cheryl to a safe house." Hotch said.

"And limit the amount of agents she comes in contact with." Morgan said.

———————————————————————————

Cheryl had wanted Zoe to come with her, most likely now that she knew how much Zoe could relate to her situation, so Zoe, Shyer, Morgan, and Elle went to the safe house. Cheryl was dressed in FBI garb, a hat, a jacket, etcetera.

Later Davenport had calmed down when Alexander brought him a tea

"I'm, uh, sorry about before." Davenport apologized.

It's your daughters. You-You don't have to apologize for anything. I understand, I'd do anything for my daughters." Alexander said. "When my girls went missing, I screamed at everyone until I literally had a heart attack at thirty-six."

"So, this, uh... This safe house, you sure it's okay?

"Of course. We have agents inside, out. We have Zoe there. Trust me, as long as she has breath in her lungs, she'll protect Cheryl. I think she wants to make up for feeling like she failed her sister." Alexander said.

So now we just...wait.

"What was your other daughter's name?"

"Zarah. My... Zelena, her sister was killed in a home invasion during the early months of the pregnancy when they were watching their niece. They tried to protect the unborn twins and the little girl. So we named Zarah after her. She and Zoe were always so different. Zarah thrived socially while Zoe rebelled, but they always got along." Spencer was listening but felt guilty for doing so. "You can't imagine the... relief I got when I got the call that Zoe had turned up at a station, but my heart breaks each day I don't know where my oldest is. But Zarah is a fighter too, not as evident as Zoe but she'd learn how to survive."

———————————————————————————

"Zarah is three days older than me. The stress of the kidnapping prolonged my mom's labor."

Zoe showed Cheryl a picture of both Zoe and Zarah, she had dark brown eyes as opposed to Zoe's amber-brown eyes, she had straight hair with no dye, she was a bit tanner than Zoe.

"She's pretty."

"Yeah, kids at school always called her the pretty twin, even though we have the same face." Zoe said, her smile faded.

Her phone rang, "Oh, it's Spencer. Let me take this. Just stay." Zoe said and left the room to take the call in private.

———————————————————————————

"They did a bug sweep, right when we arrived." Zoe told Spencer

"Yeah, I remember." Spencer said.

"And yet the unsub seems to know all about us." Zoe said. "Hey, Reid, do you know what non-local interaction is?"

"What are you getting at?" Spencer asked.

"When Elle told Cheryl to empathize with him, he kept using that specific wording. It's like he knew exactly what we were talking about, so how could he do that and keep Trish captive?" Zoe asked.

"I know what you're saying. It seems like he knows what's going on here the moment that it happens."

"There's gotta be a listening device." Zoe said, "that's the only explanation. Not even a mole would explain it because it's instantaneous."

"They swept the room when we got here." Spencer said.

"Yeah. And then they brought in their own equipment." Zoe said.

———————————————————————————

Zoe walked in on Shyer, approaching Cheryl with a knife.

"I've known you both for so long, loved you for so long."

"Please don't do this." Cheryl pleaded.

"But this is how it should have been all along, the three of us together."

"Put the knife down."

You don't understand. You don't understand my relationship with these girls."

"I understand plenty. Put the knife down."

"You don't understand--"

"Did I stutter? I said put it down!" Zoe shouted.

He swung at Zoe who ducked and stood back up and punched him square in the nose, before grabbing him and forcing him against the wall in a slumped sitting position, she had taken his knife and stabbed it in the floor between his legs, under his crotch.

"Where the hell is Patricia?" She demanded. She had ice cold fury in her eyes, she had danger in her eyes. No remorse. Like she could take another stab a little higher and not feel remorse. "I was tortured for eight months by ruthless serial killers and rapists and professional torturers, I survived all that and I was fifteen, do you think I'd be crippled by the guilt of what I could do to you?"

———————————————————————————

Zoe joined the medics in bringing the gurney, carrying the drugged but alive Trish out of the storage.

"It's okay." Cheryl reassured her twin.

"Hey." Trish whispered back.

"Don't worry, I'm going to make sure she's going to be okay." Zoe told the Davenports.

"Thank you." Davenport told Zoe as she moved about the ambulance. Davenport looked back at Gideon, Alexander, and then to Spencer. "Thank you."

"Hey, how did Zoe get Shyer to give us Trish's location?" Spencer asked Gideon

"Uh, knowing my daughter, I imagine she found some creative way to persuade him." Alexander said.

"What do you think--"

"You know, you just don't need to ask so many questions. Let's... just enjoy the moment." Gideon said.

"Then why didn't anyone tell us that Zoe was your daughter, Alexander?"

"She didn't want you to think that because I'm her dad, she got the job." Alexander said.

Spencer looked back at Zoe with the family, he could see how she feared that would the assumption but knew she was more than qualified.

———————————————————————————

Euripides said "when love is in excess, it brings a man no honor nor worthiness."

Zoe sat in a seat in the jet, reading Vilette by Charlotte Brontë as Spencer finally worked up the courage to walk over to her.

"You know, Charlotte Brontë wrote that book in the wake of the death of sisters'. It was loosely based off her and her sister..."

"Emily. Yeah, I know. It's in my mom's notes."

"That would be Zelena Valdez, right?"

"Yes, she is my mother, never got to meet her though."

“Zelena. Of Spanish and Italian origin. Meaning ‘Powerful warrior’ or ‘Universal battle’. Appropriate.” He said and then cringed at his awkwardness, “I’m sorry. I read how she died. That… must be horrible.”

“What, how she died or she only died because she chose not to put me at risk?” Zoe asked.

“Both."

"I was going to tell you, to tell all of you. I just didn't want you all to think I got this job because of my dad. I mean, I got the interveiw but it's really a connection and my mentor was my own cousin and she's fucking crazy.

"I’m sorry about Zarah."

"You know, it’s funny. She’s older than me but I’ve always been protective of her.”

“Makes sense, you feel responsible for your mother’s death so you try hard to protect what family you have left.” Spencer said.

“Thanks, Doctor Phil.” She said, sarcastically, he could see her attempting to put up her walls so he offered some vulnerability to her.

“You-you know, my dad left when I was ten. Haven’t seen him since.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I know you’re more than qualified. You proved that your very first case and you continue to prove it every day I get to spend with you.” He said.

She met his eyes and gave him a warm smile.

"Do, uh, do you watch Doctor Who?" Spencer asked.

"Yeah, best television show ever." She said.

"Oh, good. Me too. Uh, do you, maybe want to come over when the next Doctor Who episode comes out. We can watch it together, granted we’re not on a case."

"Yeah, you know, I live closer and I’m not totally sure you have a television.” Zoe said and Spencer chuckled.

"Maybe you could tell me about your sister or about your mom's books or just about Doctor Who?" Spencer said.

“Yeah. I’d like that.”

———————————————————————————

The next day, both Garcia and JJ knew, Garcia had flung herself around Zoe who looked like she was going to murder her until Morgan pulled her away before Zoe got the chance. But JJ really felt for Zoe, she could relate to Zoe's plight.

None of the team, not even Hotch knew how JJ’s sister died, she never talked about her family. She never told them how when she was eleven she walked into the bathroom in her childhood house in Pennsylvania to find her seventeen-year-old sister dead with her wrists slit with her dad’s razors. She never told anyone about how she had stood there for at least ten minutes, unable or unwilling to process what she was seeing yet unable to deny it at the same time.

Zoe seemed even more closed off than usual so JJ walked up to her and put her sister's necklace box on Zoe's desk, pulling up a seat.

"This was my sister's." She said, opening the box and pulling out the golden heart necklace. "She... she gave it to me when I was eleven. She told me it would protect me from all the monsters of the world. Three weeks later... I found her in the bathtub... she stole one of my dad's razors... her name was Roslyn and I never realized how much I loved her until she was gone."

"Zarah's not dead, she's just missing." Zoe said.

"I know. And I can't imagine what it's been like for you but we're here for you."

"I don't need people to be here for me. I need my sister to be safe and know she's alive from more than a feeling."

"Well, she's your sister. From what I heard, if she's even half as much of a fighter as you are, then she'll do whatever it takes to get back to you."

Zoe put her hand to the silver moon necklace, "We were born three days apart. So every birthday since we were five, we gave each other jewelry. In Mexican culture, the moon represents mystery, calmness, instinct, and coolness and the sun represents life-giving energy, and good luck. So every twenty-eighth of October, I'd give her like a sun necklace and she'd give me a moon necklace on every thirty-first."

Note: Any suggestions of songs about twins or the loss of a twin?

1 note · View note