#i feel like it's the one that printed out the best

[blackmissfrizzle]

MUTT

Pairings: Shifter!Terry x black!reader

Summary: The reader's friends try to convince the reader that Terry has feelings for her.

Warnings: None really, but girls just being girls. Oh, there's not too much Terry, but I promise you'll love it.

A/N: I think we all were feeling something after that thirst trap. It won an Oscar at my house lol

Click here for the Shifter!Terry masterlist and here for my complete masterlist.

Dinner with the girls was a necessity. Just like food, water, shelter, and a relationship with God. It was a form of self-care and could almost pull you out of the deepest of funks. Serena and Trisha were for your besties for life and you could tell them anything. Well, almost anything. The fact that the supernatural was real and Terry was a big ass dragon shifter was something that you had to keep under wraps.

If Terry hadn’t made you promise to keep his secret, your girls would’ve been knew. There was nothing that was kept a secret between y’all for too long. Big headed ass Terry and his damn rules. You told him they wouldn’t say anything, but of course it was “too much of a risk.”

“Anyways, I blocked that nigga on IG finally. He no longer has any access to me.” Trish finished her story about her on again, off again ex, Donovan. It pulled you from your thoughts of Terry, because she never blocked him off of everything. She must be serious this time.

Serena smirked while sipping on her third espresso martini. Her dark mocha eyes held a hint of mischief, which meant she was about to be messy. “Speaking of Instagram, did y’all see Terry’s story?”

“You mean his bat signal for YN to not go out with us after dinner and go snuggle up under him?” The two laughed and clinked glasses.

“What are you two heifers talking about?” They were insistent that Terry wanted to be more than friends with you, but they didn’t know what you knew. Terry has a fated mate. He had told you she was nearby.

Serena fingers tapped on her phone and then she turned the screen towards you. Leon Thomas’, ‘Mutt’ was playing, but the video contrasted the song. There was Terry in a beanie, grey sweater, and black hoochie daddy shorts doing weighted box squats. “Pause,” Serena couldn’t hide her giddiness. “This isn’t even the best part.”

What does she mean this is not the best part? How does it get better? He could be naked. These were inappropriate thoughts to be having about your best friend. It wasn’t your fault! Terry was just fine and then his print could not help but poke out, so you knew the man was packing some heat.

Your jaw dropped at the picture Serena revealed. Terry was sitting down, quads popping, beard moisturized, imposing shoulders, and blocking the aforementioned print.

“Damn bitch, are you about to lick my screen?” Serena cackled and Trisha joined her.

“Oh, fuck you!” You threw back without any venom.

“You need to be fucking that man!” Trisha pointed at Serena’s phone. “My mama said if you don’t ride that man, she will.”

Mama Wilma was too much. She was the one you could talk to about men and romance that you couldn’t talk to your Baptist mama about. With that being said, she was always trying to get you to fuck someone. “An orgasm a day, keeps the doctor.” And don’t try to correct her on the saying, she believes her is the original statement.

“Tell yo mama, that she can fuck him. He needs someone to turn him out.”

Both of your besties shared a silent look and then busted out laughing, causing some other patrons to look at your table, but none of you cared. “Imma hold your hand when I say this,” Trisha reached across the table and held your hand. “That man would turn my freaky ass mama out, not the other way around. Its those quiet niggas you gotta worry about. They be slanging dick like they’re Jason Luv.”

“Got you acting like a crack addict once you get the dick.” Serena added her two cents.

“Have you outside his job when he don’t answer your phone call.” Trisha shuddered. “Good dick is a prison.”

Your friends were extra as fuck, but not wrong. Good dick would make a woman act out of character. Especially good dick connected to a good man. One moment you’re screaming lyrics to Megan thee Stallion’s B.A.S. and in the next you’re singing along to Destiny Child’s Cater 2 U. There was no doubt, Terry would have a woman acting like this. Just not you. Even if he was down for an FWB type relationship, you would turn it down. No need to turn into Joe from You.

“Whatever woman that bags Terry Richmond will be a lucky woman, but she ain’t me. I told y’all we’re just friends.”

Serena ginger curls bounced as she shook her head. “Y’all are just friends, because of- I love you, friend, but you and that fine specimen of a man are only friends because of yo dumbass. YN, its evident to even blind ass Mr. Burleson, that Terry wants you. The way he looks at makes me feel like I’m intruding on something intimate.”

“Man wants to knock the Sonic coins out of you and then make you a bowl of ice cream. Lucky ass bitch and you want to be in denial. A shame.” Trisha tsked. “What are you afraid of?”

“Nothing. I’m just not what he’s looking for and we’re better as friends.”

“Thank God, he ain’t giving up on yo ass.” Serena gave you a kind smile. “One day you’re gonna look back on this and ask yourself how you could’ve been so blind. Don’t keep running from your destiny. This blessing has been a long time coming. You deserve to be loved like you’re a Kennedy Ryan main character.”

Leave it to Serena to turn jokes into a heartfelt moment. That witchy bitch knew exactly what she was doing. “As long as I can be Hen. Yasmen and Soledad got them damn kids. I’m the fun, childless auntie. The rich part is coming soon though.”

“Shit, the way Terry will be treating you, you’ll be like Yasmen,” You arched your eyebrow at Trisha. “…at the end of the book, of course.” She quickly fixed that statement.

As planned, the three of you hit up a lounge, because you were not standing up in anyone’s club with these heels on. If need be, y’all could stand up and dance and promptly sit back down without paying the outrageous fees for a section.

It was great to have drinks and dance on your friends, but in the back of your mind you didn’t mind being on Terry’s couch watching a black classic you hadn’t seen, since your mama didn’t raise you right, Terry’s words not yours.

“Oh shit!” Trisha squealed when she saw Terry’s text. “Daddy’s checking in!”

Terry: You better be safe while you’re out. Don’t let anyone give you a drink without watching the bartender, be aware of your surroundings, and notate every exit. The groin, eyes, and nose are the most sensitive areas of attack. Disorient first and then run, but if you can’t run fight, but you cannot hesitate.

Serena took your phone to read it all. “Damn, I got wet just reading this. See he knows how to take care of a woman. Girl, you need to tell him to teach you how to fight and y’all can ‘spar’”

You snatched your phone back. “He’s already doing that. And the nigga is cruel! I could probably join the marines right now with flying colors. Muthafucker got me doing jiu jitsu.”

You: 🫡Yes sir! Shall I send you a report?

Terry: Nah, you can tell me when you come over after y’all are done. I’m still up and my place is closer than yours is and I don’t want you driving this late.

You: T, I’m good. I haven’t drunk that much and the girls still have to get home too.

Terry: Come over. Serena and Trisha don’t live that far from each other and they’re still closer than you. They have each other. Have them drop you off at my place and I’ll take you to pick up your car tomorrow.

“He’s a good man, Savannah!” Both women said simultaneously.

You rolled your eyes at your friends and then purposefully left Terry on read. He was treating you like some damn child. Now you did land yourself in some questionable situations, but that was only sometimes.

Terry: Don’t make me come down there and pick yo ass up. Answer me, YN.

“Shit, don’t answer him! I wanna see if he’s gonna do it!” Trisha shimmied. “This is better than whatever I’m reading right now.”

You didn’t respond to her or Terry. He could kiss your black ass.

Terry: 10

You:

Terry 9

You:

Terry: 8

You:

Terry: 7. Keep playing with me, YN.

You:

Terry: 6

You:

Terry: 5. Alright, I’m putting on my sweats.

You:

Terry: 4

You:

Terry: 3

“Oh, you brave!” Serena took a shot. “Go on and listen to Trisha and you gonna fuck around and find out. That man will have you tied up somewhere, screaming out ungodly things.”

You:

Terry: 2. I got my keys in my hand. Imma be pissed if I gotta go out in this cold, baby girl.

You: …

Your finger typed and erased the words, hoping to stall Terry, but his text came in at the same time.

Terry: 1.

You: Damn it! Okay, I’ll come over. You lucky I got my spend the night bag with me.

Terry: Good girl. Text me when you leave and when you’re outside.

You: I’ll just knock on your door.

Terry: TEXT ME.

You: OKAY BOSSY!

“Bitch, you better than me! I would’ve told him make me.” Trisha stuck her tongue out.

“Because you’re a maschoist.” Serena eyed Trisha like she was crazy.

“No, I’m a brat and you’re a good girl. I’m telling you that punishment don’t be feeling like punishment at the end of the night.”

“Both of y’all bitches are nastyyy!” You did your best Raven Baxter impression. “He wasn’t gonna do shit but drag me put of this lounge.”

Trisha grabbed both of your cheeks so all of your attention was on her. She was a little bit past tipsy. “Yeah, because you won’t let him do anything else. Ball is in your court, baby girl.”

The night went on without any interruptions from Terry Richmond. You consumed far more drinks than you decided on, since you weren’t driving home and maybe it gave you some liquid courage to face Terry. This wouldn’t be the first time you spent the night at his place, but your friend’s advice swirled around in your mind. Could Terry be interested in something more? Nah, that was the liquor talking and your friends being good friends by pumping your head up.

As requested, or as ordered, you text Terry once y’all left and once you arrived in front of his house. The last part was unnecessary because he was already waiting outside for you.

“Hey Terry!” The girls sang. Trisha’s greeting was evidently more slurred than Serena’s.

“Hey ladies,” he laughed, grabbed your bag then opened your door. “Y’all have a good night?” His hand didn’t leave you and he kept you pretty close to his body. Probably to shield you from the cold.

“Yeah except, we didn’t find husbands.” Serena put a thumb down.

“But a few guys were looking YN’s way. Trisha’s messy ass added in.

“Word?” Terry questioning eyes bored into yours, before they added warmth and turned back to your friends. “She gotta tell me about it.”

He leaned his arm against the car and lowered his head to be eye level with Serena. “You good to drive back home? If not, you can stay here. I got more than enough room or I can get y’all an uber.”

Did Serena blush? No one made this bitch blush. “No, we’re good. Thank you though. I’m letting drunky spend the night with me.”

“Alright. Y’all text YN when you get in safely.” He tapped the top of the car, and they drove off. Both of y’all waved them off and watched the car until it disappeared.

Trisha: Oooo, he’s a gentleman. I damn near wanted to say ‘Yes daddy’, but I’ll leave that to you.

You:  Bye hoe! Text me later.

Trisha: Love you too. Serena said she was gonna tell you to make sure he wraps it up, but she forgot it was Terry we were talking about.

You: BYE!!!

“They acting a fool in the group chat?” Terry opened his door for you.

“Per usual. So why did you demand me here?”

--

Because he couldn’t risk you to be in some other nigga’s bed. Terry was hesitant to tell you about you being his mate, but he couldn’t have it in the back of his mind, you potentially being in bed with another man. He would crash out and burn down this whole town, so he needed to avoid that crisis. “I told you. Its safer for you to be here tonight. There’s been a rise in drunk drivers and your drive is too isolated for this late at night.” Nice save, Terry. You quickly agreed.

“May I help you?” He swore you were made from fire with the little attitude you had. Terry handed you a water and continued to appreciate the dress you had on. The green dress was similar to the color of his scales and complimented your skin so well. It hugged your curves, but loose. You paired it with some tights and knee-high boots. No wonder men were looking at you.

“Go change.” It hurt him to say that, but he knew your feet were killing you.

“In a bit.” You sat in one of his stools. Terry took the opportunity to take off your boots. “God,” you moaned and he had to pretend that did not affect him. “Beauty comes at a price.”

“You’re already beautiful.”

“You’re too sweet.” You slid off the chair, but Terry decided to carry you instead.

“I got you.” Your duffle hung off his shoulder as he carried you to the guestroom. “I’ll be downstairs watching tv if you want to stay up for a bit. Or you can just stay up here and sleep.”

“Thanks T.” You smiled and it made it worth it by irritating you earlier. A couple of facial muscles and 32 teeth just made his fucking night. Terry heard from other dragons that found their mates and thought they were overexaggerating, but one look at you changed his mind. Damn, he loved how you rolled your eyes, even though he wished he had them rolling for a different reason. Only if he could find a way to tell you the truth without scaring you.

Terry was about to go to bed when you came downstairs. Hair already tucked into a bonnet, face cleared of makeup, and an oversized tee and you were the most beautiful woman to him. “Took you long enough.” He needed to say something other than his confession. Telling you that you were his mate after a night out with the girls wasn’t ideal.

“You always got something smart to say.” You sat down right next to him and laid your head on his shoulder. “Its like you’re my own personal space heater. Do all dragons run hot?”

“Most do. There are dragons from colder climates that can breathe ice.” Terry went on a tangent, because one, he didn’t have anyone else to talk about dragons with, but also two, you were inquisitive and loved hearing more about his people.

The mini lecture had made its way to the dragons of London when Terry heard the first snore. He wasn’t offended at all. Each time you fell asleep near him it brought him joy, because it meant you trusted him wholeheartedly.

Terry made sure not to disturb your rest as he carried you upstairs. He stopped directly in between his room and yours. The right thing to do was to open your door and deposit you on the bed and go back to his room. But for once, Terry didn’t want to do the right thing and it didn’t help that his dragon agreed. “We protect our treasure.”

Being true to his dragon nature, Terry took you to his room and laid you on his bed. He curled up right behind you, not bothering to pull the covers over yet. Him and his dragon were at peace. Only now he had to worry about is how to get you in his bed forever.

It was great to have drinks and dance on your friends, but in the back of your mind you didn’t mind being on Terry’s couch watching a black classic you hadn’t seen, since your mama didn’t raise you right, Terry’s words not yours.

“Oh shit!” Trisha squealed when she saw Terry’s text. “Daddy’s checking in!”

Terry: You better be safe while you’re out. Don’t let anyone give you a drink without watching the bartender, be aware of your surroundings, and notate every exit. The groin, eyes, and nose are the most sensitive areas of attack. Disorient first and then run, but if you can’t run fight, but you cannot hesitate.

Serena took your phone to read it all. “Damn, I got wet just reading this. See he knows how to take care of a woman. Girl, you need to tell him to teach you how to fight and y’all can ‘spar’”

You snatched your phone back. “He’s already doing that. And the nigga is cruel! I could probably join the marines right now with flying colors. Muthafucker got me doing jiu jitsu.”

You: 🫡Yes sir! Shall I send you a report?

Terry: Nah, you can tell me when you come over after y’all are done. I’m still up and my place is closer than yours is and I don’t want you driving this late.

You: T, I’m good. I haven’t drunk that much and the girls still have to get home too.

Terry: Come over. Serena and Trisha don’t live that far from each other and they’re still closer than you. They have each other. Have them drop you off at my place and I’ll take you to pick up your car tomorrow.

“He’s a good man, Savannah!” Both women said simultaneously.

You rolled your eyes at your friends and then purposefully left Terry on read. He was treating you like some damn child. Now you did land yourself in some questionable situations, but that was only sometimes.

Terry: Don’t make me come down there and pick yo ass up. Answer me, YN.

“Shit, don’t answer him! I wanna see if he’s gonna do it!” Trisha shimmied. “This is better than whatever I’m reading right now.”

You didn’t respond to her or Terry. He could kiss your black ass.

Terry: 10

You:

Terry 9

You:

Terry: 8

You:

Terry: 7. Keep playing with me, YN.

You:

Terry: 6

You:

Terry: 5. Alright, I’m putting on my sweats.

You:

Terry: 4

You:

Terry: 3

“Oh, you brave!” Serena took a shot. “Go on and listen to Trisha and you gonna fuck around and find out. That man will have you tied up somewhere, screaming out ungodly things.”

You:

Terry: 2. I got my keys in my hand. Imma be pissed if I gotta go out in this cold, baby girl.

You: …

Your finger typed and erased the words, hoping to stall Terry, but his text came in at the same time.

Terry: 1.

You: Damn it! Okay, I’ll come over. You lucky I got my spend the night bag with me.

Terry: Good girl. Text me when you leave and when you’re outside.

You: I’ll just knock on your door.

Terry: TEXT ME.

You: OKAY BOSSY!

“Bitch, you better than me! I would’ve told him make me.” Trisha stuck her tongue out.

“Because you’re a maschoist.” Serena eyed Trisha like she was crazy.

“No, I’m a brat and you’re a good girl. I’m telling you that punishment don’t be feeling like punishment at the end of the night.”

“Both of y’all bitches are nastyyy!” You did your best Raven Baxter impression. “He wasn’t gonna do shit but drag me put of this lounge.”

Trisha grabbed both of your cheeks so all of your attention was on her. She was a little bit past tipsy. “Yeah, because you won’t let him do anything else. Ball is in your court, baby girl.”

The night went on without any interruptions from Terry Richmond. You consumed far more drinks than you decided on, since you weren’t driving home and maybe it gave you some liquid courage to face Terry. This wouldn’t be the first time you spent the night at his place, but your friend’s advice swirled around in your mind. Could Terry be interested in something more? Nah, that was the liquor talking and your friends being good friends by pumping your head up.

As requested, or as ordered, you text Terry once y’all left and once you arrived in front of his house. The last part was unnecessary because he was already waiting outside for you.

“Hey Terry!” The girls sang. Trisha’s greeting was evidently more slurred than Serena’s.

“Hey ladies,” he laughed, grabbed your bag then opened your door. “Y’all have a good night?” His hand didn’t leave you and he kept you pretty close to his body. Probably to shield you from the cold.

“Yeah except, we didn’t find husbands.” Serena put a thumb down.

“But a few guys were looking YN’s way. Trisha’s messy ass added in.

“Word?” Terry questioning eyes bored into yours, before they added warmth and turned back to your friends. “She gotta tell me about it.”

He leaned his arm against the car and lowered his head to be eye level with Serena. “You good to drive back home? If not, you can stay here. I got more than enough room or I can get y’all an uber.”

Did Serena blush? No one made this bitch blush. “No, we’re good. Thank you though. I’m letting drunky spend the night with me.”

“Alright. Y’all text YN when you get in safely.” He tapped the top of the car, and they drove off. Both of y’all waved them off and watched the car until it disappeared.

Trisha: Oooo, he’s a gentleman. I damn near wanted to say ‘Yes daddy’, but I’ll leave that to you.

You:  Bye hoe! Text me later.

Trisha: Love you too. Serena said she was gonna tell you to make sure he wraps it up, but she forgot it was Terry we were talking about.

You: BYE!!!

“They acting a fool in the group chat?” Terry opened his door for you.

“Per usual. So why did you demand me here?”

--

Because he couldn’t risk you to be in some other nigga’s bed. Terry was hesitant to tell you about you being his mate, but he couldn’t have it in the back of his mind, you potentially being in bed with another man. He would crash out and burn down this whole town, so he needed to avoid that crisis. “I told you. Its safer for you to be here tonight. There’s been a rise in drunk drivers and your drive is too isolated for this late at night.” Nice save, Terry. You quickly agreed.

“May I help you?” He swore you were made from fire with the little attitude you had. Terry handed you a water and continued to appreciate the dress you had on. The green dress was similar to the color of his scales and complimented your skin so well. It hugged your curves, but loose. You paired it with some tights and knee-high boots. No wonder men were looking at you.

“Go change.” It hurt him to say that, but he knew your feet were killing you.

“In a bit.” You sat in one of his stools. Terry took the opportunity to take off your boots. “God,” you moaned and he had to pretend that did not affect him. “Beauty comes at a price.”

“You’re already beautiful.”

“You’re too sweet.” You slid off the chair, but Terry decided to carry you instead.

“I got you.” Your duffle hung off his shoulder as he carried you to the guestroom. “I’ll be downstairs watching tv if you want to stay up for a bit. Or you can just stay up here and sleep.”

“Thanks T.” You smiled and it made it worth it by irritating you earlier. A couple of facial muscles and 32 teeth just made his fucking night. Terry heard from other dragons that found their mates and thought they were overexaggerating, but one look at you changed his mind. Damn, he loved how you rolled your eyes, even though he wished he had them rolling for a different reason. Only if he could find a way to tell you the truth without scaring you.

Terry was about to go to bed when you came downstairs. Hair already tucked into a bonnet, face cleared of makeup, and an oversized tee and you were the most beautiful woman to him. “Took you long enough.” He needed to say something other than his confession. Telling you that you were his mate after a night out with the girls wasn’t ideal.

“You always got something smart to say.” You sat down right next to him and laid your head on his shoulder. “Its like you’re my own personal space heater. Do all dragons run hot?”

“Most do. There are dragons from colder climates that can breathe ice.” Terry went on a tangent, because one, he didn’t have anyone else to talk about dragons with, but also two, you were inquisitive and loved hearing more about his people.

The mini lecture had made its way to the dragons of London when Terry heard the first snore. He wasn’t offended at all. Each time you fell asleep near him it brought him joy, because it meant you trusted him wholeheartedly.

Terry made sure not to disturb your rest as he carried you upstairs. He stopped directly in between his room and yours. The right thing to do was to open your door and deposit you on the bed and go back to his room. But for once, Terry didn’t want to do the right thing and it didn’t help that his dragon agreed. “We protect our treasure.”

Being true to his dragon nature, Terry took you to his room and laid you on his bed. He curled up right behind you, not bothering to pull the covers over yet. Him and his dragon were at peace. Only now he had to worry about is how to get you in his bed forever.

[eddiesvixen]

Parental Guidance

𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀: 𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗳𝗳, 𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘀𝘁, 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗘𝗱𝗱𝗶𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝘃 (𝗶𝗻 𝗯𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁), 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲, 𝘀𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲, 𝘀𝗺𝘂𝘁 (𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗳!𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗸𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴) MDNI 18+, 𝘀𝘂𝗯𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘂𝘀𝗲 (𝘀𝗺𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴), 𝘀𝗼𝗳𝘁!𝗲𝗱𝗱𝗶𝗲

𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗰𝗻𝘁: 𝟱.𝟲𝗸

the fourth chapter of Open Til Midnight

Every day you scream at me to turn the music low

Well if you keep on screaming, you'll make me deaf you know

You always chew me out because I stay out late

Until your three-piece suit-

Once you hear Eddie’s voice crack you stop strumming the chord he’d asked you to play.

Eddie sighs. “This isn’t working.”

“Come on. It was one crack Eddie and it doesn’t have to be perfect.”

“Does if we wanna earn enough cash tonight.” He flops onto the sofa next to you.

It is a lot of pressure. Eddie called up the boys Tuesday night after dropping you off at home from your date and Wednesday they rehearsed all day to prepare for today.

Corroded Coffin Live at Empire Records, 6-8pm

Live music, 15% off all cds, $7 admission.

Not bad, right?

“We’ll make enough, Eddie. Corroded Coffin’s got some great originals, this is just to fill in for extra time, okay? Nothing wrong with a few covers.”

“I know,” he sighs, knee bouncing a bit as he runs his hand through his messy curls. “It’s just a lot. I perform for fun. For the music, for the energy behind it. Kinda feels like im using my band for charity tonight. And it doesn’t help that we’re two days away from the first and still under having six thousand.”

You frown a bit, knowing he’s right.

“If it’s too much we can always cancel.”

“No.” He sits up and stretches. “Gotta try, right? Besides, I guess me and the guys could use the exposure.”

You nod and sit back against the sofa. “Let’s just take a break.”

He agrees and stands. “Bathroom break.”

“I’ll make more coffee.” You walk to your kitchen as Eddie closes the door to your restroom.

He always loves it here. He likes all tour different soaps and skincare products. The fuzzy dark leopard print rug, your black toothbrush next to the dark red one he’d kept here for when he crashes. The vanilla cherry soap you always buy makes his callouses less rough and he gets obsessed with the way the scent lingers.

He washes his hands after emptying his first cup of morning coffee and fixes his wild curls. ‘Pull it together, Munson.’ He did fantastic as always rehearsing with the guys yesterday. Is he ready to perform at the store tonight? Hell yeah. So why couldn’t he sing right now for you?

You.

The scent of your body wash from the previous night. The way your legs look in those henley shorts, the way you look at him when he sings. The way you had been snuggled into his side while sharing your bed. He only wished he could spend every night in your bed, sleeping together, holding you, maybe even more one day..

Who are you kidding? She’s your best friend. The same girl you’ve know for half of your life. If she liked you that way, she’d be obvious about it, right?

Right.

He walks out of the restroom and sees you stirring the sugar in your coffees. It’s 11am but you both know you’re gonna need it for today. You both sit on the sofa again and sip your coffee.

“Damn, I swear you’ve got magic hands or something.” He chuckles and grips his mug with both hands this time as he drinks more.

“Just took a few pointers from Wayne.” You grin at the memories.

Twelve years old and standing under Wayne. He’d let you do something easy like make the toast or pour the juice. The one day you asked him to help make coffee he didn’t even hesitate. ‘Gonna be real simple.’ He taught both you and Eddie so much that your father’s never could’ve.

“Color me impressed.” He grins and sits his mug down. “I actually forgot to tell you with everything going on.”

You raise a brow, sipping your coffee before setting your mug down as well. “Tell me what?”

“Wayne’s coming to stay with me for a few months, till he finds his own place.”

You smile. “Wow. I didn’t think anything could pry him away from his trailer.”

“Yeah, well if you ask me I think he’s got a lady friend who’s tired of living in Hawkins. Wants to get him back into traveling.”

You sit up and gasp, facing Eddie fully this time. “Shut up! Wayne Munson has a lover?”

He grins. “Yeah but don’t tell anyone okay? He told me she’s pretty shy and well, you know how stoic he is. He wouldn’t say much but I’d hate to see him pissed.”

“Lips are sealed.” You nod and grin. “Just can’t believe he’s seeing someone. I thought Munson men didn’t like romance.”

Eddie laughs, shaking his head. “Hey now, that’s a bold assumption. Munson men like romance. We just… like to pretend we don’t. Gotta keep up the family rep, you know?”

You raise an eyebrow, amused. “So… you’re saying you do like romance?“

He hesitates and leans back on his elbows. “I didn’t say that. But come on, you don’t think I’m secretly writing love ballads in my notebook or something do you?”

You grin, finding that image cuter than you would like to admit. “I wouldn’t put it past you, actually. I’ve seen the way you get all starry-eyed when you play your guitar.”

Eddie’s face flushes faintly as he fumbles for a comeback. “Ridiculous, sweetheart. That’s called passion, not romance.”

“If you say so,” you tease. “But maybe romance runs in the Munson blood, huh? Wayne’s got his mystery woman, and you’ve got…” You trail off, letting the implication hang in the air.

Eddie blinks, caught off guard. “Got what?”

You shrug casually, finding a way to disguise your current snooping as friendly conversation. “I don’t know. I mean, I already had a shitty date. Anyone take you on a shitty date? Someone catch your eye?”

He lets out a breathy laugh, running a hand through his wild curls. ��You’re ridiculous, you know that?”

You lean in a little closer with what Eddie could only see as the cutest grin. “That wasn’t a no.”

Eddie grins back and his voice softens as he says, “Maybe there’s someone. Or maybe I’m just focusing on the music for now.”

“Uh huh,” you say, letting it go though you can’t help but notice the flicker of something vulnerable in his expression. Eddie Munson might act like he’s all about the music and rebellion, but there’s a part of him that’s clearly not as untouchable as he wants the world to think. And it shows every time he talks to you alone like this. As if it’s reserved for your eyes only.

“Anyways,” he says, clearing his throat and breaking the moment, “Wayne deserves to be happy. He’s been through enough and he raised me so.. if this lady makes him smile then I’m rooting for them.”

Your chest warms at the sentiment and you nod. “I think it’s sweet. But if she ever needs a wingwoman i’m here.”

Eddie snorts. “I’ll let him know you’re offering services. Though fair warning, Wayne might not appreciate you meddling in his love life.”

“Not meddling,” you say with a wink. “Just… supporting.”

Eddie rolls his eyes, but the grin on his face says he doesn’t mind your teasing one bit. You sip your coffee again before getting running through tonight’s set list with Eddie one last time.

~~~~~~

“I must say, i’m impressed.” Larry says as he counts the money in the envelope.

Today he’s wearing jeans, as if he’s trying to impress you guys. As if it’ll make him younger, cooler, more chill. You hate it even more than the fancy suit he had on last time he was here.

“We’re all chipping in, it’s a process.” Hopper says from behind his desk, you and Larry sitting in the chairs that lie in front of it.

“Well sentiment is sweet but let’s face facts here. I have a meeting at 2 and an open house at 4:30 so..” He pulls books from his brief case, a napkin and an envelope of his own. “Lets talk business.”

You look at the books. “What’s all this?”

“These.. are the top four novels at Rutgers University right now. And the first in line for purchase to put on the shelves when Bassinger’s Library and Cafe opens.” He grins, saying the name like it’s already existent.

Hopper grabs one book. “Taxes for dummies. They said this place was gonna be an educational space.”

“And it will be. This book has been purchased vastly and I’ve heard nothing but good news about it.”

You look at the napkin. That stupid napkin with the fancy lettering on it. “And these are official?”

Larry smiles. “That they are. Go on and feel it, they’re made from the finest linens.” He holds it out to you and you don’t bother to reach out.

“Pass.”

Hopper speaks up. “Look, Larry. I get it. Business is business but we do still have two days left in our lease and an event to plan tonight-“

“And that’s why I’m here.” Larry opens up the envelope.

You raise a brow and look at Hopper. When he shrugs you both sit up and look at the.. check? A check for twenty one thousand dollars. Larry’s done the math.

“You have 6 employees, Jim. Seven once you include yourself. Now I am a fair man but I am mainly a working man. And I need this lot.”

“We don’t take bribes.” Hopper says simply.

“Offer, not a bribe. You take this check, you and your employees are walking away with a fresh good hard earned 3k each.” He smiles and pops the check before sitting it onto the desk.

“You’re trying to buy us out?” You glare at him.

“I need a lot and you need money so-“

“No what we need is our jobs! The jobs we actually enjoy doing. The jobs we’ve been fighting for all week, raising cash and holding this place down so corporate assholes like you don’t get the chance to take it away.”

Damn, it felt good to get that out.

“I can throw in an extra thousand for you young lady, but that is all.”

“And what exactly are you… asking for here?” Hopper sits up, arms folding over his desk.

“Forget your party. No events tonight, no awareness. Just take the money, close the store and hand me the keys. Today.”

“Are you crazy?” You glare at him with a slight frown. “You gave us a deadline.”

“And im offering a lift before you embarrass yourselves tonight. 5k in two days? Do you really see that happening?”

Truth is.. you were afraid, but you never show it. Determined and optimistic to save this place. Selling instruments, music, shoes and even dealing at that party with Eddie. You try to argue back but no words come out. And from your silence alone, Larry smirks. That is until Hopper speaks up.

“Get out.”

Larry huffs. “Excuse me? I have-“

“Get out of my office and my store.”

Larry stumbles for a moment, his confidence faltering as he glances between you and Hopper searching for an ally. For defense. He finds none.

You're still standing there speechless as your fists stay clenched at your sides. Part of you wants to yell, to tell Larry exactly where he can shove his smug attitude, but Hopper's presence says it all for you.

Larry narrows his eyes, his bravado returning just slightly as he straightens his suit. "Fine," he spits with venom. "But don't come crawling to me when you're out of options. You think this place is worth saving? You're just delaying the inevitable."

As much as it hurt you, you stayed silent. ‘The man always wins. Always.’ Hopper’s words linger in your mind, so you keep quiet.

But Hopper doesn't flinch. He doesn't even blink. He simply points to the door.

"Last warning."

Larry puts his books and his check back into the briefcase but leaves the napkin. “To dry your tears.” And with that he leaves you and Hopper in the silence of his office.

He leans back against his desk, arms crossed and he looks at you with a mixture of exasperation and concern. "You okay?" he asks, his voice gentler now.

You nod quickly, though the truth is more complicated than that. Okay isn't exactly the word you'd use. Anxious. Shaken. Maybe even a bit nauseous. You feel a swirling mix of anger, fear, and an overwhelming pressure to keep everything together. But Hopper doesn't push for more, which you're grateful for.

"I'm sorry," you mumble, finally finding your voice. "I didn't mean for it to get... like that."

Hopper shakes his head. "Don't apologize for him. Larry's a parasite, always sniffing around for easy pickings, you’re alright ."

Still, guilt tugs at your chest. You can’t help but feel a little defeated by Larry and his ‘delaying the inevitable’ bull. "But he's right. We're.. I mean, I'm running out of options here, Hop. I thought I had it under control, but-"

"Hey," Hopper interrupts, his tone firm but kind. "You're not doing this alone. You’re smart and this store It wouldn’t run right without you. We'll figure it out.”

~~~~~

“Okay the balloons are all done. Me and Steve will prep the stage and Jonathan’s gonna record the performance.” Chrissy says from behind you.

You nod. “Okay.” A bit zoned out if you will.

You’re too focused on the beautiful boy on the makeshift stage. Long dark curls and the silver of his tummy showing as he stacks his amps. The way his dark lashes rest against his cheeks as his eyes shut while laughing at a joke Jeff cracked.

“Hellooo..” Chrissy shakes her head and grins.

You look at her and grin. “Right. The balloons.”

"Yeah, the balloons. Unless you plan on floating away with them," Chrissy teases, nudging you gently with her elbow.

You roll your eyes playfully, your gaze involuntarily drifting back to Eddie. He's still up on stage, his fingers fiddling with wires now and his grin brighter than the string lights lining the back of the room. It's almost unfair how effortlessly captivating he is. It’s even more ridiculous how much you want him.

Chrissy notices and raises a brow. "You're totally zoning again. Should I just tie a balloon to your wrist and call it a day?"

"I'm not zoning," you protest weakly, cheeks warming.

"Sure you're not," she says with a smirk, grabbing a few more balloons. "You're just... intensely observing, huh?"

“I’m looking out for my friend, it’s not that deep.” You laugh at her raised brows. “Besides, it’s not like i’m stalking. I just wanna make sure tonight goes perfectly. Which means everything on that stage needs to be perfect.”

“Especially Eddie, right?” She gives you a knowing look and before you can argue Steve walks up to you both behind the counter.

“Alright ladies. Everything’s all set. The guys are tuning up. Ready to open the doors?”

Chrissy nods. "Yeah we're good to go." She looks back at you with a knowing grin. "Right?”

You groan quietly, giving the last string a tug before letting it float with the others. The night hasn't even officially started, and you already feel like your heart's been doing a soundcheck of its own.

Decor, check. Music, check. Food, check. After an hour or regular work, customers arrive and place cash into the bin at the door with Robin and Steve watching over it. Chrissy and Jonathan are preparing the camera and lights since the performance starts in five. Corroded Coffin is on the stage, ready to perform, hyped, nervous and… missing their lead singer?

You look for Eddie in the break room. You look for him in the back of the store, through the window into the parking lot, in the restroom. No sign of him.

Then you remember his favorite spot in the store. You go up the stairs and look through the window of listening booth number 7.

Eddie’s sat on the bench. His knee bouncing, head hung low and the headphones keeping his wild curls down. You and gently knock before walking in, closing the door behind you. He takes the headphones off and you hear the Beatles spilling through the headphones.

“Mind if I sit?” You nod at the space next to him.

He nods and moves over on the bench. “Yeah, just.. prepping a bit-“

“You know you can tell me anything Eddie, right?” You look over his face. The way his nerves have him in a chokehold. His hands gripping the headphones a bit too tightly.

“I know.” He sighs and runs his hands through his hair, he hangs the headphones on the wall. “Just.. this performance. I don’t wanna disappoint anyone.”

‘I don’t wanna disappoint you.’

"You could never disappoint anyone, Eddie," you say softly, hoping to ease his nerves. "Especially not me."

Eddie looks at you with his big brown eyes, swimming with doubt and vulnerability. "You say that now, but what if I mess up? What if I blank out or miss a note? Everyone's counting on me."

You reach out, your hand hesitating for a moment before settling on his knee. His bouncing leg stills under your touch. "Eddie.. you don't have to carry the whole world on your shoulders. This is for the store, yeah? But it’s about you too. You don’t have to worry because everyone’s here Eddie. I’m here.“

He looks down at your hand, placing his heavier one over yours. He looks back up at you, his expression softening. "You're too good to me you know that?"

"Not possible," you say with a grin. "Now, what do you need? A pep talk? A distraction? I'm at your service."

Eddie leans back against the wall, his shoulders relaxing just a little. "Honestly? Just.. stay here for a bit? I don't wanna be in my head anymore."

You nod, scooting just a little closer so your shoulder brushes his. "I can do that."

You both sit as the music spills from the headphones, and Eddie lays his head on your shoulders. His hair tickles your neck but right now you wouldn’t dare move or disturb the peace you both have in this moment. He hesitates before lacing your fingers with his and you acknowledge each other with a simple squeeze of the hand.

You sat there until the clock hit 6:30. Showtime.

Eddie’s on the makeshift stage and the store has a bit of a crowd. A small one, sure. But still a crowd. You sit on the counter, looking ahead at the boys as they introduce themselves. Of course, he can’t help but look at you. He speaks into the mic to the crowd.

“You guys love it here at Empire Records?”

The crowd whoops and cheers, you included.

“So there’s a guy. This.. weird, cocky, obnoxious, pretentious guy. Wont say his name, yet. But he wants to shut the place down.” He dramatically frowns and clutches his chest as the crowd gasps.

‘Bullshit. No way! What a douchebag!’ Well at least the people agree with you.

“My thoughts exactly. He says we promote some.. provocative musical acts. How ‘bout we show him something provocative, hm?”

Jeff and Doug strum at their guitars and bass, starting off Judas Priest’s Parental Guidance.

Eddie smirks. “To hell with the man.” He strums his guitar, stepping up to the mic and he starts to sing. You watch his fingers as they expertly move over the strings, he nods his head as his voice tinges the mic with a soothing but angry rasp.

‘You say I waste my life away but I live it to the full

And how would you know anyway?

You're just Mister Dull

How don't you get into the things we do today?

You could lose twenty years right away

So we say’

And you all sing back at him.

We don't need no

No, no, no parental guidance here

Everyone rocks out and dances, enjoying Corroded Coffin’s original songs and covers. Everyone agreed that the energy in Empire Records tonight was charged and thriving off of your sole reason: to keep this place alive.

You even managed to make some sales and by the time Steve and Robin finished counting the cash you got tonight, your final product rested at a solid seven thousand. Tonight was the night that you knew. The night that you felt it. Empire Records belongs to the people. It belongs to you.

~~~~

“Cheers, to a very successful performance.” You grin and hold up a glass of champagne. Well.. one of Eddie’s mugs actually. He holds up another. “And to the Empire.”

You smile and clink your mugs together, sighing as you sip the champagne and sink into his sofa a bit more. “You absolutely killed it Eddie. Rob Halford himself would be jealous of the way you charmed us all tonight.”

He grins. “All in a day’s work princess. Besides, it felt good performing with the boys like that again.”

You smile at his words and set your mug down on the coffee table, turning slightly to face him. "Good? Eddie, you were incredible. The way you owned that stage.. you had everyone eating out of the palm of your hand."

Eddie leans back into the cushions, his grin softening into something more reflective. "It was a rush, l'll admit. But hearing you say that? That means more than the crowd, you know."

His words catch you off guard and for a moment all you can do is stare at him. The glow from the lamp casts a warm light across his face, highlighting the faint flush in his cheeks, whether from the champagne or your compliment, you're not sure.

"Eddie..." you say softly, your voice barely above a whisper. "You don't need me to tell you how talented you are. But I'll say it anyway, as many times as you need to hear it.”

He doesn’t know what to say for a moment. Here you were all pretty. Kind heart and more of a lover of his music than himself. He wouldn’t dare call you his biggest fan, a title like that isn’t even worth it for you.

He chuckles a low nervous sound. "You're ridiculous you know that? Saying things like that. It's not fair."

"Not fair?" you tease, leaning in just slightly. "How so?"

His eyes flick to yours and then to your lips, lingering just a second too long. "Because you make it hard to think straight," he admits quietly, almost hesitant as his eyes find their way back to yours.

Your heart skips at his confession, and the air between you shifts. Heavier, warmer, sentimental. You hold his gaze, your breath catching as his words settle between you. There's something in the way he looks at you, something raw and unguarded that pulls you in without warning.

"Maybe you don't need to think straight," you murmur, your voice barely audible. It's more of a dare than a statement and you see the way his throat bobs as he swallows.

Eddie exhales shakily, his fingers flexing against his thigh as if he's holding himself back. He’s always holding himself back. "You don't get it," he says, voice low and tinged with something that sounds a lot like longing. "You... you don't even realize what you do to me."

You lean in just a little closer, your knees brushing as you take in the faint scents of leather, cologne, and Eddie’s post show b.o which in all honesty you didn’t mind much at all.

"Then maybe you should show me," you say softly, a teasing edge to your words but an undeniable sincerity and nervousness in your tone. You only hope he doesn’t get shaken or angry that you would even suggest something so vulgar.

He freezes for a moment, caught between hesitation and desire.

‘Last time she tried to kiss me, she was drunk out of her mind.’

He looks at the champagne. You had only had one mug and so did he. And that look in your eyes.. its the same look you had given him when he gifted you that onyx ring on your birthday. Soft eyes looking into his. Care, love.. yearning.

‘Fuck it.’

The next thing you feel is Eddie’s hands cupping your face and he presses his lips to yours. Very tentative at first, as if he's afraid you might pull away. You nearly shock his brain when he feels your lips press against his own.

Your hands find their way to his cheeks, your fingers brushing the smaller curls at the nape of his neck. His breath hitches and you feel him relax into you, the nervous energy melting away as his lips move against yours, warm and insistent.

Everytime else slowly fades away. Your mind was empty of all of it’s worries. You shitty date, Larry, the stress of losing the store. Eddie was all you could think off. All you could feel, hear, taste.

When he finally pulls back for air his forehead rests against yours, and he gives you a small, almost shy smile.

Eddie's thumb brushes against your cheek and you can feel his breath against your lips, warm and uneven. "You have no idea how long l've wanted to do that," he murmurs, his voice barely above a whisper.

Your chest tightens and for a moment you can't find your voice. Instead, you let your fingers slip from his curls down to his shoulders, gripping the worn fabric of his shirt.

"Then maybe you shouldn't stop now," you finally manage to spit out, your voice soft but steady as you look into his eyes. You’re relieved to see his are charged with just as much desire as your own.

His eyes widen for a split second before his lips are back on yours, more confident this time. His hands slide down to your waist and he pulls you closer. The world outside the room might as well not exist. Every kiss, every touch feels electric like a current you can't resist.

The kiss deepens and you find yourself straddling his lap, Eddie following instinctively as he carefully pulls you closer by your waist, his hands never leaving you as they splay against your back.

You kiss him and with the smallest tilt of his head you give his curls a gentle tug. He slide his hands down, a bit hesitant before you arch your back, letting his palms rest on your ass. You both part your lips as your tongues finally meet.

He moans as he finally tastes you. He always imagined what you would taste like. He wasn’t far off: vanilla chapstick, the cherry champagne you’d been sipping on and a taste that’s distinctive to you and you only.

You could say the same about him. The feel of Eddie’s lips is foreign but very welcome. They’re slightly chapped yet so warm and the way they lock onto yours is match made. You gasp and a moan falls from your lips when he bucks his hips up, desperately for your touch.

Oh, he’s huge. You always figured so. His swim trunks never hid much and nor did his jeans, especially on nights like tonight. Riled up from a very active and energetic performance, he still had so much more to give. And when you roll your hips down at his bucking, he knew exactly how he’d let off that energy tonight.

He grips the backs of your thighs, lifting you into the air. He taps the denim clad skin in which you take as a sign to wrap your legs around him. He doesn’t break the kiss as he walks you into his bedroom.

Once he sets you down the back of your knees hits the edge of the bed. You pause, pulling back just enough to meet his gaze. His dark brown eyes search yours, his pupils blown wide with nervous excitement.

He slowly removes his shirt and you reach out and help him, his messy curls falling onto his soft pale skin, the tee falling to the ground. He gently reaches his hands out, hovering over your shirt.

“Can I?” He asks softly, looking into your eyes for any signs of hesitation but he finds none.

“Yeah.” You grin and gently pull him closer by his belt loops.

He smiles and pulls your tee over your head, discarding it to lay right next to his on the floor. His breath hitches and he gently rests his hands on your sides, rubbing at your ribs and down your sides.

“You’re so beautiful, sweetheart.”

You grin. “Makes two of us.”

The sight before you is mind boggling but definitely worth it. A blushing fool, that’s what he feels like. He lays you onto his bed and crawls over you, his hair tickling your chest, the hills of your breasts peeking from the confines of your bra.

He swallows. “I have some hair ties if the hair’s too much for you.”

“Don’t you ever hide these curls away from me.” You gently rake your fingers in his curls. “I love them, I love this.”

He smile and kisses you again, your hands find rest on his shoulders, rubbing gently as you kiss. It’s as if time isn’t real when he’s with you like this. Every flick of your tongue against his, every gently brush of your tummy against his, every caress of your hands on each other. It was all surreal.

When you tug his curls again he pulls back and pants a bit wildly. He shuts his eyes and you speak softly, a bit confused.

“Are you okay?” You rub his shoulder.

He nods. “Sorry. I’m just..” Incredibly hard. He almost feels embarrassed.

Now is definitely not the time to tell you that he hasn’t had sex in more than over a year. It had just been his right palm, some X rated mags and something he picked up from the Spencer’s after a very long shift. But being with you like this was bound to break him any moment.

He stands up. “I’ve gotta take these jeans off or this is gonna end a lot faster than you want it to.” He unbuckles his jeans, so you start to remove yours as well. He swears you’re trying to kill him when he sees that your panties match your bra. You could see him twitch in his boxers.

“I don’t mind, Eddie.” You sit up, resting back on your elbows for support. “I just need you closer.”

He grins and walks over to his dresser. “So you do want to kill me.”

You laugh. “What are you stalling on me now?”

He digs through his drawer. “So impatient, princess.”

He crawls back over you with the small blue package in hand. He kisses you again before trailing softer ones down your skin. “Just rolling the ball.”

He continues to kiss your skin. Down your chest and onto your tummy until he gets to your panties, kissing the wet spot on them. He moans and shakes his head. He looks up at you a bit in disbelief.

“This all for me?” He lays on his stomach between your legs, gently caressing your thighs as he sets the condom onto the sheets.

You grin with a bite to your lip, knowing how turned on it gets him. “All yours.”

He gently tugs at your panties and you lift your hips to help him. “Oh how you spoil me.”

He nestles his nose to your inner thigh, taking in your scent as he leaves gentle kisses on your skin. He enjoys the way your hand rests gentle over his mop of curls, the way your legs rest over his shoulders, the way you taste. He gives you a kitten lick from your hole all the way up to your clit, letting out a muffled.. “oh.”

When he licks you again you can’t help but arch your back, returning a higher and more pleasure filled ‘oh.’

He’s looks up at you, voice muffled as he refuses to pull away from you. “Like that, baby?”

You moan at the nickname, head flopping back onto his pillows. “Yes, so good Eddie.”

“Wanna stretch you out, get you ready for me, ‘s that okay?”

He says it so sweetly but the intention behind his words get you wetter than ever. “Yes, Eddie.”

You arch your back as he sides in a finger, the cold metal of his ring chilling your folds as he thrusts his finger slowly. When he gets a nice fill of your pretty moans he adds another, starting to trust them.

“Oh fuck, Eddie, I’m not gonna be able to-“

“That’s alright baby, come for me. Want you to.” He curls his fingers and you feel like your brain has went haywire, the coil inside of you snapping sooner than you thought. Your moans turn into whimpers as he twists his fingers a bit, keeping you through the high as your release showers his fingers and lips.

“Eddie!”

He shows down his movements and looks up at your face. He worries he overdid his efforts, but smiles when you pull him up to lay over you.

“That good?” He smiles.

“So good.” You smile, pulling him into a kiss as he shares the taste of you.

“Lay back,” you say to him, “I wanna ride you.”

His eyes widen. “Jeez, sweetheart, you can’t hustle say anything like that. I’m gonna blow my fucking load.” He chuckles but he isn’t joking. You could see him leaking through his boxers.

“That’s okay.. we’ve got all night.” You both smile and share a kiss, passionate and hungry for more. Eddie could still taste your orgasm on his tongue and that alone made him excited to give you more and more. But he wasn’t going to rush this. You have all night and he’s gonna use it the best he can.

taglist: @pupwrites @sheneedsrocknroll92 @koshkahhh @kthomps914 @definitionwanderlust

[melodyanqel]

𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐘 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐌𝐄 ── ★ h.jh. (004. no truth just lies)

love at first sight happens between the police officer and a bright, innocent woman. they shared a deep connection that meant they needed each other more than anything, even when they experienced the same nightmare.

⤷ pairing: hwang jun-ho x fem!oc

⤷ genre/tags: fluff, angst, thriller, psychological drama, established relationship, team bonding, financial issues, games, action, betrayal, foreigner!soft!oc, protective!junho

⤷ warnings: crying, suggestive themes

⤷ wc: 2.3k words

⤷ note: omggg tysm for 300 followers! i didn’t expect to gain so much luv and support but very grateful. to help you all understand or a recap of the story so far junho and lily have been in a relationship since 2022 and after jun-ho woke up. now in the present day they’re engaged. throughout their relationship junho has never mentioned anything about the squid game, or his unexpected encounter with inho because he wants to protect lily and his mother. plus lily has never met inho in her life. so yea i hope that helped 

⤷ language key: korean, english

⤷ melodyanqel taglist: @hwallazia @rubyredish @analysisiinternet @ilovebtsomgie @aylinbsx @jsprien213 @your-writer-beta-side-piece

Great. She looks like someone attacked her. 

Lily is in the bathroom checking her face. The bruises are not prominent, but they sting. She then looks for antibiotic cream in her drawers to soothe the pain. Lucky for her, Jun-ho isn’t home yet, so she has time to cover them up with foundation and concealer. But at the same time, she asks herself, was it worth it earning the money or she played a goddamn fool of herself. The salesman appeared as a mystery but offered actual cash for some reason. 

When she came home, Lily checked it by shining a bill through a light and the print was visible. So, is this stranger doing it for the right purpose or something else? It’s not every day you’d get money from a random guy. However, it didn’t make it better that he smacked her face as a penalty. It would be counted as an assault if a cop saw it, but the people around the station didn’t interfere, which was understandable. Regardless, it doesn’t sit right with Lily. 

“My love, I’m home!”

She hears her boyfriend’s voice. 

“I’m in the bathroom!” Lily shouts back and finishes putting on the makeup. Again, she will not tell Jun-ho. But for now, she has to clear her mind and be in her love’s comforting arms. Lily turns off the bathroom light and goes to the living room. She sees Jun-ho sitting on the couch, watching T.V. with snacks on the coffee table. After the birthday party, the two cleaned the place but kept the Pochacco balloon. 

Lily joins him. She rests her head on his lap and her body is on the couch. Jun-ho grins, looking down at her lovingly. “Was it a fun date?” He asked about the girl’s day. Lily responded, “Yes, I had fun. So-eun cried when I told her about our engagement.” She tells Jun-ho about the emotional moment. 

He chuckles and says, “That’s good. I also told Han-gyul and he was surprised yet happy for us. He also wishes you the best of luck in this marriage.” Jun-ho has yet to tell his chief and other colleagues. He would share parts of his personal life at his workplace because they all know each other on a deeper level. 

“Aw, that’s sweet!” Lily feels warmth across her chest because she adores the people in her life. “I like Han-gyul. For someone at twenty-one to strive in law enforcement is impressive. I was doing the opposite of him. I found a man at a bakery.” She lets out a mirthful laugh. Jun-ho’s full lips make a smirk. He softly brushes her brunette locks with his fingers. “And now you can’t escape from that man.” His words sounded genuine yet a little daring. 

Jun-ho watches his woman sit up to straddle her legs on his hips. Lily is comfortable on his lap with a tender smile. The emotion in his warm brown eyes has her heart racing. He yearns for his angel. Lily shakes her head. “Nope, I can’t and I have zero regrets.” She stated confidently. 

The officer takes the teacher’s left hand to kiss her ring. He raises his gaze at his blushing woman. Her beauty is out of this world—silky brunette hair, snow-white flesh that looks porcelain, plump rosy lips, and his favorite of all is her enchanting russet eyes.

Jun-ho gets lost in them, even at one glance he’ll go crazy. He puts Lily’s hand down to his lap and still holds it. Jun-ho then tells more about his day. “I’m glad you accept my confession. I also told omma about the news and she screamed through the phone.” He video-called her and she burst into tears and cheered with her friends. 

Lily’s lips play a big smile, “Yay! I have yet to announce it to my family. I hope they don’t mind waking up in the middle of the night.” She snickers because the time zones are one of the issues of living in different countries. Jun-ho lets go of her hand to rub her arm. “I’m sure they don’t. I can announce it with you, whenever you’re ready.” He has the patience like a true gentleman and Lily won’t stop falling for him. 

“Thank you.” She appreciates her beautiful love. Jun-ho watches Lily move closer to him without breaking eye contact. Her soft lips are placed against his like a puzzle piece. Jun-ho uses his right hand to hold the back of her head to deepen the kiss.

He starts to feel the burning passion inside him. Jun-ho wraps his left around Lily’s petite waist to have her body flat on the couch. He hovers over Lily and the kiss gets more intense. He slips his tongue into her mouth to intertwine with her timid licks. She has her arms enveloping his neck.

His brawny hands grab her bare legs to pull her close to his hardness. Lily whimpers between the kiss and her wetness starts to form through her panty and pajama shorts. She wears a cami top which makes it more enticing for Jun-ho to see her pretty breasts nicely snugged from a thin material. 

They parted their lips to take a breather. Jun-ho grins tenderly at Lily’s flushed-out face. It makes him grow harder. “I would like to continue this somewhere else.” He puts his finger on her clothed pussy and brushes it to make her moan in pleasure. 

Lily mutters, “Okay. Can you not be gentle this time?” She sheepishly summits and requests something new. Jun-ho chuckles darkly which sends shivers to Lily’s core. He smirks when he feels her getting dripping wet. “Anything for you, my love.” The hot officer is willing to do whatever his gorgeous fianceé tells him. 

Jun-ho gently carries Lily in his arms, bridal style, to the bedroom. 

ִ ࣪𖤐.ᐟ

❰ OCTOBER, 2024 ❱

A month later, things started to change. 

Jun-ho had to end his island search because there wasn’t any luck nor did he think he would succeed. Even though it was disappointing, Captain Park understood and respected Jun-ho’s choice. So, the officer continues to do his regular duties normally with Han-gyul. He also visits Lily’s place more often because his shifts are now shorter. 

Boyfie (Jun-ho): hey I can’t make it tonight. i’ll be in a meeting with the chief. 

Angel (Lily): that’s fine! make sure you have your umbrella ready for tonight.

Boyfie (Jun-ho): i’m always prepared.

A smile etches on Lily’s lips when reading the text message. Tonight’s weather will be gloomy, but it’s common for the autumn season to get colder and drippy from the rain. It’s also common for Lily to be the nagging girlfriend. She has a reason because Jun-ho forgets things easily. He once forgot about his badge in one of his dirty dress pants and Lily almost washed it. So, he better have an umbrella with him. 

The windows of the classroom are open and the sound of the tree leaves blowing creates a melody. It’s always comforting on a quiet afternoon. Lily is at her desk, grading her students’ homework. Everyone was well-behaved and in a pleasant mood as usual. She loves seeing their happy faces whenever she clocks in because they’re so precious. 

Lily checks the time on her phone to notice it’s half past five. She sighs and stretches her arms. She has been sitting for an hour and there are more tasks to do. Lily created more schedules for the following days, tutored students who were struggling, and organized the classroom. It’s a lot but anything to keep her apartment. 

Inside his car, Jun-ho’s content expression disappears when he reads the messages on his phone. He has yet again lied to Lily. He doesn’t have a meeting, he has a plan to do. While he was in the city with Han-gyul, they stopped a driver because they were speeding. After they drove off without a word and received a ticket, Han-gyul told Jun-ho that the driver was a man and had a collection of phones and tablets. Jun-ho thought it was suspicious so he made sure the rookie cop ran the man’s ID. 

Seong Gi-hun. No criminal record was found.

After reading the scanner, it made Jun-ho’s heart drop. His mind went back to 2020 when he met a man named Seong Gi-hun and entered the game. Jun-ho did some digging to figure out if it was the right person. His guesses became true. However, he has no idea what or how Gi-hun managed to get out of the game alive. 

Jun-ho's destination is to check the office building called “Sunshine Capital.” Supposedly, that’s where Gi-hun’s rental car comes from. He’ll be heading over there at night to avoid getting caught. Jun-ho understands he should let it go and move on because his brother is no longer the Hwang In-ho who he loves and admires. But a voice at the back of his head is telling him to keep searching because there is more to In-ho’s secrets. 

He may act and look like he has the ambition to find his brother again but deep down he is afraid. Jun-ho puts his palm over his left shoulder, the healed gunshot wound. That moment still haunts him. Jun-ho did tell himself he wouldn’t continue on his island search, but maybe there would be luck, eventually. 

For now, it’s time to reunite with Seong Gi-hun.

ִ ࣪𖤐.ᐟ

“Hi, mama.”

“Hello, darling. How are you?”

Lily has the phone call on speaker while looking at the evening sky through the open windows. Her mother wanted to contact her because it’s been days since they’d last spoken. Lily responded, “I’m doing well. Seoul has gotten chilly, but I’ll be fine.” She tries to keep the conversation positive and not bring up her issues. 

“That’s nice to know and stay warm, my dove. I’m assuming Jun-ho is the same as you.” The woman mentions her future son-in-law. Like Mrs. Hwang, she wanted him to be part of the family and grow together. Lily’s father agreed too which was a shocker because fathers would be nervous about their daughters getting married. But her father does love Jun-ho as much as her mother and sister. 

“Yes, he is the same, but he also thought about moving into my apartment whenever he is ready. Mrs. Hwang is okay with it as long as knows how to be the man of the house.” Lily informed about Jun-ho's decision to live with her. She gets a hearty laugh from the other end. Mrs. Reed says, “She reminds me of your grandma when I told her about sharing a space with your dad when we got engaged. If so, I hope you two live happily and healthy.” She gives her words of wisdom. 

Lily begins to tear up and sob. Hearing the sound of her mother’s voice soothes her mind and erases her stress. If only she has the chance to see her in person along with the rest of her family. The young beauty uses her hands to wipe the tears away. She sniffles and clears her throat. “Thank you, mama. I’ll notify you whenever it happens.” Lily will thank her mother endlessly. 

After the much-needed phone call, she finalizes her shift by saving the cleaning for last. She also shuts the windows because when it gets completely dark, the rain starts pouring. Lily expected a light shower, but it came down hard. It seems like she’ll have to hurry her way home. Good thing she brought an umbrella. 

Sometime later, Lily packs her belongings and turns off the classroom lights. She also makes sure the door is locked. As soon as she walks out of the building, the heavy rain welcomes her. Lily shivers when a strong breeze hits her fair cheeks. “Great. The struggles are real.” She huffs, opens her pastel yellow umbrella, and heads to the subway. While walking in the streets, Lily notices people passing by, trying to get to wherever. 

Now at the station, Lily does the routine of waiting for her ride to come. Even though it’s been a month since she encountered that strange man with Ddakji, she wondered if he was still doing it. Lily hadn’t seen him in a while, and it was good because his intentions were outlandish. From that night, she almost didn’t want to return home through the subway and have Jun-ho pick her up. Of course, it would’ve been safer, but it was a one-time thing that can be forgotten. 

Lily brushes off the wonderment of the salesman and focuses on getting back to her place. She needs a nice cup of hot chocolate with sugar cookies. 

When arriving at the apartment, Lily spots an envelope in between the cracks of the door. Confused, she takes it and goes inside. She tears the item open to pull out a paper. It’s from her landlord, telling her the next payment is on October 31st with 2,144,295 won. Lily’s face is crestfallen. She carelessly throws her keys and purse on the dining table. Her body reaches the couch to sit down and calm herself. 

It gives her a headache how rent increases. Not only that but she also has to pay off her student debt because it adds more effect to her credit score. Lily borrowed money during her college years and paid little by little. However, it doesn’t cover everything. She brushes her thumb over the numbers.

She is grateful that the school allows her to work extra hours. Lily once told Jun-ho about needing more money, but she never told him about the monthly rent payments. Even though she can ask Jun-ho and his mother for help, the burden will make her feel like she isn’t doing well financially. Lily is someone who is extremely independent and tries to look for solutions to solve problems.

There has to be a way.

series masterlist | five

[dragonotaku-justineverything]

It's been a while, idk if your still writing for RWBY but if you are can I ask for 5 ships reactions to Jaune getting a tattoo over his crotch reading "Property of" with their full names

I will likely always be writing for RWBY. It is what got me into actually writing and posting real content online, or at least the courage to finally start after dreaming to do it for years.

Since you didn't specify, the five RWBY girls I used were picked using a random spinner app with a list of all the RWBY girls.

Emerald Sustrai

Emerald stared wide eyed at the green text print on her (recently agreed upon) boyfriend, right on his pelvis, just above his crotch. When he said that he had a surprise for her and started undoing his buckle, she rolled her eyes at the cheesy as hell way to start some foreplay.

Not that she wasn't ready to go along with it. He had whipped up a great dinner for them tonight and she was quickly realizing that she loved a man that could cook.

She was not expecting to see him show off a tattoo. And not one with her name on it. "What do you think?"

She wasn't too sure what she thought about it, but definitely knew what she wanted to ask. "Wow... it looks... good. My emblem is a nice touch I guess. But ummm... why did you even get it?"

Jaune let go of the hem of his shirt that he'd been holding out of the way, partially covering the tattoo. "W-well... When we talked about our pasts a while ago... you said you never really had or owned anything for yourself." Emerald didn't need that being brought up again, it was awkward enough talking about it with him the first time. She quickly just agreed with a sharp nod, not wanting to deal with it all over again now. "Well... I thought now... you could at least own... me. That you'll always have me?"

Oh.

Oh damn...

He could have definitely tried to sound more confident when saying that... but damn if that line didn't do things to Emerald. Both making her cheeks flush and her heart race.

And also getting her very turned on.

"You are getting so much ass tonight."

"W-what?!"

Emerald sashayed her way over to her blushing dork, her ass swaying side to side. "Use your semblance on me. Then you're going to find out just how much that ink of yours is going to pay off."

Jaune's earlier surprise was quickly being replaced by excitement. But he was still a little confused, which persisted even as Emerald reached him and lifted up his shirt with one of her nimble hands. But he was still confused. "Why do you want me to use my semblance on you?"

Emerald lifted her knee up between his legs to gently rub his crotch. "Because I want to make sure I can last all night with you~"

"O-oh."

"Yup. Now, boost me up and dick me down you mushy goofball~."

Emerald jumped up and let herself be caught by Jaune, his hands gripping onto her ass through her shorts and giving them each plump cheek a squeeze. Emerald wrapped her legs around him and kissed him as deeply as she could before he carried her off to the nearest bedroom, his hands and her body starting to faintly glow white and green as the door shut behind them.

---------------------------

May Zedong

“W-what is that!?” May felt her cheeks heat up with embarrassment when Jaune first started to lift up his shirt and pull his jeans down a bit. No matter how much she and him saw each other naked before, she still couldn't help but get bashful. However, when she saw the writing printed on his... very defined abs, her face went from warm to burning.

Jaune seemed to be catching some of her embarrassment since “W-well it’s a tattoo…”

May whined while she lifted up the collar of her jacket and the bottom of her beanie down, trying her best to hide her redding face from her boyfriend. "I know that! But why does it say that y-you're.... Why does it say THAT!?"

Jaune let his shirt drop, covering the tattoo again. "Well I-I heard about what those girls from Vacuo picking on you, and about what they said. And I just wanted to do something for you to make you feel better..."

"Why do you think this would make me feel better!?"

"B-because they said no one would... love you... and all that other stuff. W-well they're wrong! And this proves it! I-I'm sorry I couldn't be there to help you with those bullies at the time, but I got this to show you that I'll always be there for you in the end."

Now that stunned May, so much so that the blood receded from her face quickly and her jaw went a little slack. She stopped trying to hide her face, and looked at Jaune's. While his cheeks were very red, his eyes met hers and she saw the determination in them, meaning every word he said.

"C-can I see it again?"

Without hesitation or any question, Jaune lifted the bottom of his hoodie up again to show her the tattoo. A goofy smile dawned on his lips again.

...

May slowly walked forwards to him. When she was close enough, she slowly started to trace the inked skin with her index finger. Then she placed her hand on his abdomen, her thumb still rubbing the image of a hat in the corner, a hat that was nearly identical to her own signature beanie. "I-I like that it has my beanie... it's a really nice touch."

"S-so you like it?"

May slowly nodded, letting out a low, "Mmm-hmm", confirming that she did indeed like her boyfriend's tattoo. And it was certainly no lie.

"Eeep!"

Nor was it a lie to say that the squeak that she let out when Jaune suddenly hugged her wasn't adorable.

Jaune spun her around twice before placing her feet back on the ground. "I'm happy you like May! I really hoped you would. I just wanted to show you that I'll always be yours... because I love you."

May hugged Jaune back for a moment, only to pull back and plant a kiss on his smiling lips before flashing a rarely seen bright smile. "...I love you too, Jaune."

---------------------------

Blake Belladonna

"B-Blake? Are you okay."

Jaune's worried tone and question fell deft on two sets of ears, not that he really needed an answer. For Blake was certainly not okay... Her increasingly heavy panting and dilated eyes were a clear indicator of that fact. She didn't even bother trying to hide it because she thought her response was very justified!

Her boyfriend decided he wanted to surprise her in her room after a lovely date, so after waiting a decent amount of time to let him 'get ready', she walked in on him laying shirtless on their bed, with one of her favorite books placed on his toned abdominal muscles. She rolled her eyes at him at first, but it was only when she playfully snatched the book off his stomach for them to get the most fun part of the night started did she realize what his real surprise was.

Her name, tattooed a few inches above his crotch. And clearly listing him as her property...

Dust and Brother gods alike... that was so freaking hot. It was something she had never known she needed to see up to this point. Something so simple, yet unlocking something deep within Blake's mind and body. Something primal... lustful. And now that she had seen it, she knew what she wanted next.

Jaune yelped as Blake literally pounced onto the bed, landing above him and silencing his surprised noise with a kiss. A deep kiss. A VERY deep kiss. Her tongue wrestling with his, and trading their saliva while doing so, absolutely caught Jaune by surprise.

And he was just as surprised when she pulled away, their tongues still extended since they had been mid-kiss.

Blake looked down at Jaune, panting and blushing heavily. "This means you're mine now, Jaune. And I plan to enjoy every part of you tonight~."

"O-okay."

Blake ground her hips back and forth against Jaune's, getting some pleasurable friction between them and both moaning as she went over her growing erection in his pants. "I'm starting on top tonight. Does that sound good?"

Blake grinned as Jaune nodded to her, placing his hands on her thighs to keep her where she was. She reached behind her and unzipped her top. She wanted to waste no more time getting on with a very fun night with her, now very much marked, man~.

---------------------------

Robyn Hill (was bit of a new challenge writing for her)

"I-I thought I should show you m-my support..."

“So you got… a tattoo?"

"Y-yeah..."

"Of my name!?

"...yes..." Jaune nodded, slowly lowering his hoodie and shirt back down to cover his belly button and the green ink below it again.

"But if you wanted to show support for me, why did you get it down there?!”

He winced the smallest bit as Robyn raised her voice at him a little. “W-well… you seemed kinda… j-jealous when all of those moms of the kids I was a crossing guard for were flirting with me at your rallies… despite me telling them I was taken!” Jaune added the last part quickly when he saw Robyn’s gaze narrow when he brought up those hussies…

“So I… thought that this would be nice and I-I wanted to show you that... well... you're the only one that gets to see this part of me..."

Robyn was very silent, standing with her arms crossed and staring at him with a raised eyebrow. She was honestly having a hard time believing that he had really done something like this. He had seemed like such an innocent goodie two shoes when she met him. But… he did suggest stealing an Atlesian airship to get to Mantle in the first place… AND had asked her out in the first place… honestly, all things considered...

Robyn smiled as she uncrossed her arms and slowly walked towards Jaune. "Well... I do like seeing my name printed out."

"You do? Awesome! I'm so glad. I was worried tha- Mmmmh!"

Jaune was cut off as Robyn quickly grabbed him by the top of his chestplate and pulled him towards her. Her lips captured his own in a passionate kiss. One she was very much in control of. She had her fun for a few seconds before pushing Jaune back so they could both take a breath.

Jaune also took the break in the kiss to give a goofy smile. “That… that was nice…”

Robyn chuckled to herself, her grip on Jaune not letting go. “Yes, it was~. Now… How about I get through this rally quickly and then we go somewhere private where I can show you how much I appreciate your support~? Somewhere I can admire that tattoo fully while I sit comfortably on that face of yours~? Does that sound like a good idea to you Mr. Strategist?”

“Y-yes! S-sounds great actually!”

Robyn licked her lips and grinned as her hand grabbing Jaune's chestplate glowed green.

---------------------------

Bleiss Gele

Bleiss was nearly drooling when she saw her darling lift up his shirt to show off those dust shredding abs of his. But when she saw what it was he exactly wanted to show her, she nearly fainted from pure excitement and blood loss from a nosebleed.

It was her name! Right below her darling’s defined abs! It was all she could ever have dreamed about and more! This was amazing! No more skanks or bimbos trying to steal her man! Or they could try, but he has proof of her claim now!

“Oh darling, it's wonderful!” Bleiss squealed in joy as she jumped into Jaune’s arms. Jaune, being quick to drop the bottom of his hoodie he was holding up, caught her easily with his arms around her. The only trouble he had holding her up was from how much she was kicking her legs in joy. Her giggling was also so infectious that Jaune couldn’t help but chuckle as well.

“I guess you like it, huh?” Jaune slowly lowered his girlfriend back to the ground, but still kept her close in a hug. Mainly because Bleiss was still trying to squeeze the air out of him.

“Like it?! I love it! You know me so well darling!” If it was possible, her hug on him got even tighter. “I love that you are happy to show me off as your future wife like that!” Bleiss ended her sentence by nuzzling her head into Jaune’s chest.

“Hehe… well… I’m glad you like it.”

“I really do! And it’s even better because we match now!”

“...what?”

Bleiss’ wide smile shifted into a knowing smirk as she let go of Jaune finally and stepped back a small distance. “Guess it’s time for my surprise now darling~!” She turned around and flicked up her skirt, revealing something that made Jaune’s eyes widen and his jaw drop.

On her right cheek was her own tattoo. One quite similar to the one that he had gotten for her. And the yellow ink reading out his name over the Arc family emblem was very noticeable on her pale rear. 

Bleiss looked over her shoulder at Jaune, smirking confidently. “What do ya think~?

Jaune couldn’t respond. His jaw was still slack and his eyes were wider than dinner plates. He was having trouble looking away from such a sight. But the lower half of his body was very telling instead.

And Bleiss was happy to accept that version of approval. But she wasn’t done there either. With a shake of her ass, she asked ‘innocently’, “Hey darling, want to see if we can make our ink touch~?”

I didn't really know which version of Bliess's last name, so I picked Gele as that makes the most sense of what she'd like to be called being the (literal) black sheep of the family. She'd prefer to go by her mother's name and Jaune would absolutely respect that.

[milkoomi]

semester success. ᥫ᭡

[ 3 chapter mini series ] | chapter one , chapter two

in this series, i’m going to teach you all my helpful tips and tricks on how to succeed in the new semester in just 3 quick chapters! get ready to take notes, we’re diving right in!

final chapter — SACRED STUDYING

the time you spend studying or doing schoolwork should feel sacred to you. you should immerse yourself into this trance where you just grind; making the most of your time and putting your best work into your assignments/studies. in this final chapter i’m going to share some ways that have helped me really lock in when i study for big exams! this is a lengthy chapter, so let’s get right into!

class is in session …

୨ৎ — create/find your sanctuary

where you study is the very first step into effective study habits. i touched on this point briefly in previous posts (such as this one), but i want to go more in-depth!

creating your study space

whether it’s your bedroom, an office, or even a spare room in your house, if you choose to study at home there are a few key things we need to settle.

cleanliness: your space needs to be clean and that cleaning needs to be maintained. when we study in areas that are messy and full of chaos, we’ll find ourselves stuck in a headspace that is just as messy and chaotic. if you’re in your bedroom and you have clothes lying on the floor, go put them away! clean your floors, dust off your shelves, make your bed; refresh your space so that when you go to sit down and get to work you have a clear mind!

organization: this is just to go off of the first point, but organize your work space. your desk is where all the magic happens, so create an organization system! make sure you have a pencil/pen holder, a desk lamp, maybe some small storage bins that can hold notecards/post-it notes/tape/etc.! amazon has some really great desk organization finds for a great price, and you can also score some really cute and aesthetically pleasing pieces as well! my pen/pencil holder also doubles as my desk lamp as well as a phone stand! i have another pencil holder that doubles as extra storage as well where i can keep my extra notecards & post-its! keep your study space organized!

decorations: your work space should feel like your space. don’t be afraid to cater your room’s/desk’s aesthetic to your liking! i personally love figurines (hatsune miku, blindbox finds, anime figures, etc.) and i love crystals, so i’ve added my own little trinkets onto my desk so that when i sit down to work i feel happy because i’m in my own space surrounded by things that bring me joy! your study space shouldn’t feel boring or lackluster, it should bring you joy! it should motivate you to work in that area because you created it into what you want it to be! don’t hesitate to add inspirational quotes around your study space as well whether it be ones you print out and frame or ones you write down on cute stationary and hang them up around your room and/or desk!

lighting: natural sunlight, overhead lighting, fairy lights, led lights; whatever it is, pick some kind of lighting that makes you feel relaxed yet still motivated to get work done! lighting is important! you need to be able to see your work, duh! but you also want to make sure your lighting isn’t too harsh on your eyes especially if you’re sensitive to light or isn’t too dim so that it makes you feel tired!

some other optional aspects to creating your study space:

candles/incense!

background music!

comfy back cushions!

your at-home study area needs to be a place for that productive energy to flow! it needs to not only make you feel comfortable at home, but also to motivate you to lock in. make it personable to you! include your favorite things, but don’t forget to incorporate supplies that will be useful and beneficial to you!

finding a good study environment

of course you have the typical libraries and cafés, and while those places are absolutely perfect for getting work done, you might find yourself getting bored of the same locations.

what to look for in a study location:

aesthetics: for a lot of us, how a place looks/is decorated matters! most of us strive for having an aesthetic area to study and work on assignments, it just adds to that motivation and makes us feel like those iconic characters like rory gilmore, paris geller, or even elle woods! so find a place that fits your aesthetic needs. maybe you want something leaning towards dark or light academia, maybe you’re searching for something cute and cozy, or maybe a place that’s a bit more modernized and minimalistic!

population & demographic: crowded areas are not the place for study sessions, so keep an eye out for how populated an area is! personally, i can’t focus when there’s a bunch of crowds in a place where i’m trying to study. people are distracting, and the more people there are in a place where i’m trying to study, the more i’ll lose focus. also, it’d be good to scope out what kind of people are at the place you’re trying to work at! are there any fellow students you see hard at work? are there clusters of people conversing and laughing together in different sections? are there people quietly reading in more secluded areas? who is exactly is at the place you wish to study? if the demographic fits to what you’re also trying to accomplish then maybe that place is a good fit for you! but if you notice that there are more people there to chat and laugh it up with friends/colleagues, then you might want to keep the search going.

noise: as crowds can be distracting, so can the level of noise. you might find yourself in a café where the music might be way too loud and it makes you lose your focus or the place you’re at is far too quiet and, for some reason, it might make you feel uncomfortable. consider the amount of noise around you and determine if you’re able to focus or not. some people prefer more noise while others don’t, and that’s okay! find what suits you and your study habits best!

furniture: any outside location (a place that isn’t your bedroom/personal office) needs to have proper furnishings so that you can lay out your notebooks, textbooks, and laptop/tablet. tables and chairs are key! make note of what kinds of tables you like. do you prefer lower standing tables or ones that are higher up? do you need to sit on a more cushioned chair/couch or do you need a stiff and stable chair? make sure the furniture at any location you plan on working at is optimal for your study sessions!

other things to consider:

amount of privacy!

smells!

hours of operation!

bathroom accessibility!

୨ৎ — form a ritual

having a good routine for your study sessions can make your work experience feel so much organized and even more enjoyable!

you might want to light some candles and start setting the overall vibe or maybe you have a specific way of preparing for your study sessions, either way whatever it is you do to get into the zone can help you get the most out of your work sessions.

things to do to prepare

clean: i’m not saying you have to do an entire deep cleaning of your space, but maybe just picking up laundry off your floor or making your bed! maybe you have cups & empty water bottles scattered on your desk, take them out! maybe you’ve got papers just all in miscellaneous piles, go and reorganize them! do whatever it might be to clean up your space a little, nothing major needs to happen, just pick up after yourself!

prepare a snack: making sure you have something to munch on while working is very important (making sure you’re eating is just important in general!), so before you sit down and get to work, make yourself a little snack! maybe a toasted pb&j (or nutella, my personal fav) sandwich or a little fruit salad or maybe it’s even a simple bag of chips! get yourself a little snack ready! brain food!!

make yourself a cup of coffee/tea: every time i post something under my #milkmedia tag, you’ll almost always see a cup of tea in my pictures! i’ve been trying to drink more tea rather than coffee, but if you need some kind of caffeine for your study sessions, make yourself a cup of coffee/tea! i love making myself some chai & i mix in a small teaspoon of honey and then i add some vanilla creamer!

write down your goals: make a quick list of what you want to get done during your session! avoid making it really detailed and keep it more generalized. it doesn’t even have to be coursework related, one of your goals might be to work for an hour! another goal could be taking a break during your session!

whatever it is you decide to do to incorporate into your study/work routine or what it is that you do to prepare for your session, make it personable to you! let it be things or little activities that prepare, calm, and clear your mind. your ritual doesn’t need to be any intricate or crazy, but simple things to bring into your routine can make your study sessions more enjoyable!

୨ৎ — time is gold

the time you take to study should be the length that you, your body, and your mind can handle! if a 4 hour study session is too overwhelming, try an hour less than that or you can always start by seeing how well you do within one hour. get a good gauge of how long you can keep your mind focused on your work. if you find yourself getting exhausted after 2 hours, then maybe some things within your routine need to change or you just need a break.

also be sure to consider that your time spent on studying/working should only be used for that reason! remove any distractions from your study space so that you can devote your time and energy into your work. of course, breaks are also essential, so be sure you set timers for yourself so that you can avoid burn out! when you do take those breaks, try to avoid scrolling through your phone. try closing your eyes and focus on your breathing! you can also get up and stretch, keep your body moving (trust me, your knees and back will thank you!). you can even take some time to read a few pages of a book that you read for entertainment!

incorporate the pomodoro method!! i’ve discussed this method a few times in previous posts, and loads of studyblr blogs talk about this method as well! but the pomodoro method helps you stay on track with your work/study sessions while still including much needed breaks within that time. again, you can set a timer, but there’s also so many “study with me” videos on youtube that follow the pomodoro method!

before you’re dismissed …

study sessions and the time you spend working on schoolwork shouldn’t feel like a trap to you, it should be time that motivates and inspires you! keeping yourself engaged is key, and if including simple decorations or creating an entire prep routine will help you get focused or keep you from going insane (because i know that getting work done can drive me a little crazy from time to time) will make your sessions so much more enjoyable, or at least tolerable! best of luck to all of you in your academic journey! i know that this semester will be full of successes for you!

with lots of love, faustina 🌷

[vettelsvee]

OUT OF THE PAGE Books I've read in 2025 as Formula 1 Fics

⋆ I love reading as much as I love writing, and since I've been on a reading slump since 2022, I thought that combining the three things I like the most in this world (Formula 1, reading and writing) would be a great idea. ⋆ All stories would be AU based on the book I've read (except those that are Formula 1 related), and stories would (slightly) change from the ones that belong to the book. ⋆ Feel free to send me books on the Tumblr inbox! I'd love to get into new genres and stories. Also, hope you like this idea and enjoy all the fics! <3 ⋆ Join the taglist:

© VETTELSVEE (2025). please, do not steal, copy or translate my works. thanks for reading!

01. TAMMING 7 Max Verstappen x Best friend!Reader Max has been in love with Y/N ever since he remembers so, when he sees she accepts going on a date with one of their classmates in university, he realizes that he has to do something to confess his feelings for her... even when he thinks his demonds aren't worth of her. ─ University AU ─ Tropes: friends to lovers ↳ Coming soon

02. THE FINE PRINT Charles Leclerc x Reader Charles has only a few months to develop an idea to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the amusement park located in Monaco Formula 1 related that his late grandad owned if he wants to be the newest director. Sadly to him, he has to work side by side with a girl that, even his grandad loved, he absolutely hates ─ Business AU ─ Tropes: enemies to lovers, boss/worker ↳ Coming soon

[kimingyuslover]

You once mentioned his group name, and now he's down bad for you. The worst part? his teammates seem to always tease him about it, but the best part? you answer his message.

★ okay, so finally, the third part (i only have ideas at night, but i sometimes can't be a night owl)

previous | next | main masterlist

YOU MAKE ME WANNA MAKE YOU FALL IN LOVE ⋅˚₊‧ ୨୧ ‧₊˚ ⋅

Saturday, 25th January 2023

Seungcheol can't lie, the dinner was first awkward and he didn't even know why you're saying yes to his invitation, but he should be grateful because if you say no the members will most likely bullies the shit out of him.

Some time passes and the atmosphere between you becoming more comfortable, no more stiff position, just a chill coversation while waiting for your food to came.

"Do you have any plans if you're not being a singer right now?" Seungcheol asked curiously after swallowing his food.

You chew yours for a second before answering him, "I actually have a business degree on Yonsei, so if i'm not a singer, i'd be most likely to follow my father career, he have his own company business"

"Oh! I heard you already finished your master degree at Anyang. That's so cool, I want to continue to have my master's degree, but my schedule is too packed, so i don't find any time to study"

Well, the conversation flows smoothly like a river. There's both of your occasional laugh when each of you says something hilarious.

After you finished, he insisted on paying the bill since he's the one who brought you here.

And while you appreciate the nice thing he does, you still feel bad, and so you bought a desert for him to take home.

Seungcheol is first politely declined the nice gesture, but being a stubborn you are, you tell him to take the desert for awhile because you have something on you.

When he does just that, you open your mouth, "The desert is yours! You already hold it. I don't want to take it back" which he chuckled at, and then he said that he really appreciated it and will eat it with his members.

At first, he thought you had gone here by a cab, but you told him that you brought your own car and you parked it in the basement.

So he walks down with you to the underground because he also bring his car here.

You both then send each other a goodbye and you drive to your own house with your own car.

What you don't know is that there's a paparazzi there, ready to take your photos and making it the cover of the news hours later.

[⋆✴︎˚｡⋆]

"How's your date?" Seungcheol jumped when he heard that, his older brother is sitting infront of the TV with kkuma, his dog.

Seungcheol frowns, "You're scaring me, and no, that's not a date" His brother finally detached his eyes from the television, looking at Seungcheol with a teasing glance.

"Your members have been so fussy about this, and they say it was a date. Also, they say that you only met her this once despite there's no interaction between both of you before this"

Of course, his members are the nosy people ever, so he just rolled his eyes at his brother before going to his room to change his clothes and also, change your profile pictures because he got that perfect shot earlier.

He smiled when he looked at the photos, and you both even took pictures together, a very couple coded photos in fact.

He will secretly put it on his wallet after he prints it so he can see a beautiful scenery when it was his turn to pay the bills for an outing

[⋆✴︎˚｡⋆]

Meanwhile, you still flustered by Seungcheol's gestures earlier, covering the bills, taking pictures together, and even holding your hand while you're going down on stairs.

You always remember yourself that it's just a friendly act between junior & senior, because the fellow actors that in the drama you starred also does that to you.

But this time, you feel your heart thumping loudly against your ribcage, and you think you drunkenly inlove with him.

Like, it's understandable, right? who doesn't love an enigma male named Seungcheol, who's 178cm with that big ass bicep, and let's not start with the way he looks at you because you might die.

There's a several misscall from your friends, Jiwoong, Kevin, even Juyeon. So you decided to open your sns, and what you looking at right now makes you want to poke your eyeballs.

How can they have your photos taken and in the basement, too? you remember Seungcheol said that the restaurant offers a very private dining experience, but how can this paparazzi take pictures of you?

So open your imess, text Seungcheol abiut the rumors, you don't want to ruin his career, so you got to act quick.

While doing that, you ask your management team through the group chat, and they were all pretty laid back about the news since you're not in the K-Pop industry, nevertheless they still told you to contact Seungcheol regarding this rumors.

[quiet-desperationn]

A Saucerful of Secrets (1968)

"Naiveté and enthusiasm are great bedfellows. I plunged into the cover for Saucerful without a second thought. I didn’t know any better and what doubts I had were soon engulfed by waves of keenness. I was so keen, it was sickening. [...] In conversation with the Floyd it seemed that the best way to ‘represent’ the music visually was to show some of the things they were interested in and to present them in a manner resonant with the music. Marvel comics, astrology, alchemy, swirling patterns, outer space and infra red weird photography, were thrown together like an immiscible oil and water bubble slide at an early Floyd gig, superimposed upon each other, drifting around in a dreamlike fashion, not a million miles away from certain minor hallucinatory states that are alleged to result from taking narcotic substances. In retrospect I feel the manner was more relevant than the contents. Complex photographic vignetting, now so easy with graphic Paintbox or Photoshop, was very different then, especially in colour printing, which had to be done in the pitch dark. [...] Much of Hipgnosis’ early work is the result of messing about in the darkroom without being weighed down by knowledge or preconceptions. Maybe it was all those fumes from the fixative. [...] Our confection, our bag of goodies, for Saucerful included some original marbling care of the great Shropshire Mystic John Whiteley and the dimly perceived figure of Dr Strange, natty dresser and wily magician, crosser of thresholds and explorer of the mind. Amidst the stars, planets and zodiacal charts lurk the band photographed in infra red weird colour type film. Superimpositions abound, indicating the lessening of boundaries between states, old limitations removed, as one event or feeling merges with another— cascades of experience like the cascading Floyd music. Fish eye lenses and dislocated colour lends further disruption to normality, whilst locations hike Kew Gardens’ glasshouse and fashion accessories including long hair, moody hats and bright scarves, further enhance the sense of heightened perception often called psychedelic, or mind-expanding. Something different, out of the norm, a view over the garden wall…"

Storm Thorgerson on Mind Over Matter (1997)

[egosdelirium]

So yeah I wrote it

-

"Oh, it's alright. It's alright, Harry, please–please don't cry anymore—"

Sirius can barely hear his own voice over the pained wails of the boy in his arms. Harry's little face is currently burrowed in the crook of his neck, small hands balled up into fists around the fabric of Sirius' printed Queen t-shirt. He'd bought it at the Game Tour of 1980 and had gifted an identical one to Marlene for her birthday last year. She died in it.

A sudden coughing fit makes Harry shake violently; his breathing hiccups and stutters but the crying doesn't stop, not even for a second, which only serves to make the coughing worse.

"Harry! Harry, it's okay!" Sirius tries to put the boy down, tries to lower his own tone into something a little less panicked - a little less on the verge of hysteria - but he manages neither.

Harry refuses to let go of him: the moment he feels that Sirius might be trying to place him on the sofa or the colorful playmat on the ground, he starts struggling and writhing like a wild animal. He clings onto Sirius' neck and shoulders even tighter, grabbing onto cotton and skin alike with unbelievable strength for a one year old, and buries his face even deeper against Sirius' collarbone.

It hurts. Sirius forgot to trim Harry's nails - again - and he can feel his little fingers leaving red imprints all over his back in his desperate attempts to cling on. In all of this, Harry is still coughing, and Sirius has the brief yet horrifying thought that he's going to choke right there in his arms, on tears and snot and Sirius' own skin.

"I'm only going to put you down for a moment, Prongslet. I just need to let you breathe. I just need to check on you, okay?"

Sirius finds out soon enough that trying to reason with a crying baby is about as impossible as doing so with a transformed werewolf. Harry thrashes and screams even louder when Sirius attempts to put him down once more and only stops when Sirius eventually gives up.

The cough subsides on its own, thankfully, but the crying doesn't.

Sirius distractedly pats Harry's back and bounces around a little, like Harry usually likes him to, but it's pretty much useless. The sobs persist, and so do the screams. A quick glance at the clock confirms that it's four in the morning and that Sirius has been awake for twenty-seven consecutive hours.

Remus is not going to be coming back for another week; he's gone to Wales to attend his mother's funeral and decide what to make of his newly inherited cottage in the countryside.

And anyway, Remus is... a difficult topic, to say the least. Still not quite able to balance the betrayal / murder of their best friends with the full moons that try to kill him monthly and the fact that everyone he has ever loved thought him the spy. Pretty heavy stuff.

Sirius didn't have any time to even think of sorting through all that (minus the full moons) because he had Harry to take care of. Turns out dedicating all his hours to his godson makes for a pretty good distraction on most days. But not this past week, no. This week, something seems to have snapped inside of little Harry James Potter, something so dark and painful that has been keeping him up in crying fits during the nights and in irritable moods during the days.

Sirius has tried everything: toys, music, soothing spells, massages, cuddles, all of Harry's favourite foods, stories, and even muggle television, but it has all been in vain.

Harry just can't seem to fall asleep. He can't get settled. He can't find peace - and he is sure as hell not letting Sirius find any either.

"Please, please stop crying. Stop, stop, you've got to–" Sirius forces his eyes shut when he feels the increasingly rising panic get the best of him. He is shaking, from head to toe, much like Harry is, and exhaustion is threatening to make his knees buckle and give out under him.

He takes a shuddering breath, then another. Harry is still crying. Harry is still screaming, right next to his ear. The noise penetrates his eardrums and echoes around his brain, jumping from wall to wall inside his head.

Sirius is going to throw up.

"You've–you've got to stop. Please!" Sirius tries to bounce Harry on his shoulder a bit more vigorously. His joints ache; he's been trying to rock a baby to sleep for the past...what, six hours?

Remus is not coming back for a whole other week, at the very least. Sirius is all alone in the house.

Worst of all, Harry is all alone with Sirius.

He shouldn't, he should be with his mother and fathe— No! No Sirius can't go there or he'll crumble.

He's been keeping it together for weeks, an entire month, so he can't give up now. If he goes there, he won't return. If he crumbles now, Harry will have no one else in the entire world.

Remus is not coming back.

Neither is Jam—

Sirius gasps. His knees finally give out like they've threatened to, and he collapses on the floor, with Harry still securely wrapped within the safety of his arms.

Harry doesn't seem to appreciate their new position, though, and his screams only get more high-pitched. His voice is hoarse, and the more he yells, the more his throat will hurt later on.

"Stop! Just stop! please," Sirius begs. "You've got to stop, I-I-I can't, I can't think!"

Sirius lays his head against the wall he conveniently finds behind him with a dull thud, a little more aggressively than he probably should've. If he gives himself a concussion who will look after Harry?

Remus is not coming back for a week, still.

Sirius' t-shirt is soaked. Tears and snot. Marlene's was soaked in dark red blood, so really, some people have it way worse than others.

Harry cries, he cries and cries and cries, and Sirius starts feeling delirious. Twenty-seven hours. Harry napped during the afternoon but Sirius was too worried about him to do the same, and that had been a stupid fucking choice. Maybe, had he taken that stupid nap, he wouldn't be losing his mind now.

Harry coughs again, and Sirius starts trembling all over again. Full body shivers.

He lifts Harry from underneath his armpits and places him on his lap, lifting his traitorous knees to act as a sort of backrest. Harry doesn't like this, either; he crashes against Sirius' chest full force and sobs right on Freddy Mercury's smiling face.

"Please, don't cry." Sirius begs, again. The world around him is starting to blur and his chest feels heavy. Is it Harry? Or is something inside him finally collapsing on itself?

"You should go to sleep, hmm, it's really late. Really, really fucking late."

Harry grabs onto Sirius' face, pulling at the skin of his cheeks and cries, cries, cries.

Sirius is losing it. Sirius loses it.

"Stop crying! I'm begging you, I'm begging you!" He rises his voice and hates himself for it, but he can't even hear it over Harry's incessant fucking sobs. "Just stop, stop! Stop! Stop, JAMES STOP!"

Sirius doubles over and gasps like he's been hit with a stunner. Why did he—why? His thoughts are muddled; Harry's green eyes stare back at him, little face contorted in pain and anguish.

James does not have green eyes. James' eyes are brown. Actually, James' eyes are nothing because James is dead.

Harry is here, and James is not because James is dead and Sirius is alone.

Something shakes Sirius' chest, shoulders, and ribcage. Harry still has his chubby hands on his cheeks, but they feel wet now.

Sirius realises that he's crying only when he hears himself echoe Harry's sobs. It hurts. His eyes sting and his lungs burn. He wants James, he needs James, and Harry wants and needs both him and Lily.

Neither of them can have that, and Sirius finally understands why Harry can't seem to stop despairing. How scary it must be, in the eyes of a little baby. Sirius is terrified and he hasn't been a baby in a long time.

He takes Harry very gently in the crook of his elbows and cradles him to the rhythm of their heaving chests. Sirius places his own forehead to Harry's, lets his tears fall freely just to mix with the boy's and tumble down their cheeks onto the Queen t-shirt.

Onto Freddie Mercury's smiling face.

Thinking so many thoughts about little baby Harry crying and screaming every night because he misses his parents horribly and Sirius, who's so tired he's almost delirious from lack of sleep and all he wants is to make him stop but has no idea how. And it goes on and on for hours with Harry yelling at the top of his lungs, and Sirius aches

But also Harry's sobbing tantrums kinda validate Sirius' own grief so sometimes he gives up on trying to soothe him, he just holds this desperate one year old really tight to his chest and lets Harry cry out to Lily and James for both of them

[chacerider]

メリーーブンマーーース⭐️🌟🎄🌟⭐️

[shannonsketches]

Why is the anime so weird, it's not even the same series dude?? It's like,

Anime:

GOKU: I have a great idea to bring peace to the universe, and my leadership and compassion alone will unite us all. I have No Flaws and am A True Relatable Everyman :)

VEGETA: NO! I AM THE BEST AND I WILL CAUSE PROBLEMS UNTIL I AM RECOGNIZED AS SUCH!!!!

Manga:

GOKU: Vegeta what's cornmeal made of? I know it's what the corn eats, but what's it made of? VEGETA: Hey Kakarot let's play the quiet game until one of us dies.

[siyuri]

Ef's moment of respite at the bottom of the Mariana Trench from amazing story Falling Falling Stars by @not-poignant

[sysig]

I’m turning you all into marketable plushies, you watch (Patreon)

Bonus eyes because embroidery brain:

[dullahandyke]

and like sidenote if i can make a post with a target audience of zero. i feel like fhsy was to d20 what aa3 was to ace attorney but aa3 pulled it off better for reasons i cannot explain

[sillyabtmusic]

it may come as a surprise to you all but im thinking about kingdom rn

[cinnamnt]

i would sell a fraction of my soul for a physical copy of the living by isaac marion