#i get like 2 sips of wine in me and i start bush posting on main

[fairyysoup]

eddie munson who dramatically falls to his knees whenever he sees your bush

[monty-after-hours]

A Hallway Away

summery: yoongi has been your neighbor for a while now but you’re not sure if roses and wine are a good combination.

Sunday night and the windows had been opened, letting the cool gentle breeze snake in. The indigo worn out record player by the window softly played drowning out the restless buzz of the city. As she lost herself to the music she could feel the warmth of the midnight city lights pour into the apartment and quietly illuminate the place. She stood in front of full length windows with only a lush, soft blanket that draped around her shoulders leaving them exposed. The warm city lights glowed on her golden skin making her seem ethereal. She stood still as she contemplated her life and how it had turned out. She was waiting for her hot chocolate to heat up so she could grab a cup and nestle herself on the pile of pillows she had laid out earlier by her favorite window, the one with the view that reminded her of simpler times.

Her trance was interrupted by a knock on her door, which she was certain she already knew who it was waiting for her on the other side. She tightened the blanket around her body taking a moment to compose herself and made her way to the door. She took a peek through her door and immediately smirked to herself as she kept her gaze on her neighbor from across the hallway. Yoongi was a gorgeous man, his black hair mixed with the night sky making it seem like waves amongst the stars, and his soft features could put anyone in a trance. Lips as soft as clouds and eyes so deep they could almost hold galaxies within them. To be quite honest it was hard for people to resist such beauty and she was no exception. It wasn’t love at first sight, she had fallen for the man after months of knowing him and many late night talks. After she was finished reminiscing about her love for him she opened the door enough to poke her head out to talk to him.

“Hey stranger, what brings you here tonight?” A small smirk appeared on her face as she waited for him to respond.

He simply looked at her and raised a bottle of wine with his hand along with a single red rose. “Therapy session.”

She stared at him like a fool in love would. She remembered when he first started bringing her roses, it was after he had moved in and had started spending some time at her home getting to know each other. He had noticed the small rose bush that laid by her record player. She had tried taking care of it but it never seemed to bear any fruit. He decided then to buy her a single rose every time he went to visit her to help bring life to her apartment. 

“Let me in?” He said to her while slightly tilting his head to lay it on the door. She instantly stared at him again and hesitated. 

“Sure, just wait a minute here.” She went to close the door but a hand quickly stopped her from doing so. 

“What? Why?” Worry was written on his face and body as she took notice of his shifting from one foot to the other.

“I just need to prepare something, that's all.” She looked at him uneasily and tried to hide her body from his view, shifting awkwardly behind the door.

“Whatever it is, it’s fine! Just let me come in, please?”

“Yoongi, it’s just a second! Just wait here.” Desperation was starting to arise in her and the tone of her voice was further proof of it.

“Come on! I just need to talk to you about something that's been on my mind for awhile now and it can't wait anymore. Plus the wine is getting hot.” He looked at the wine and then back at her with a raised eyebrow and his free hand on the door. 

She had started to lose patience and had forgotten of her hot drink on top of her stove that was now bubbling furiously. Yoongi’s whines and impatience only added to her stress and embarrassment. She closed her eyes in an attempt to calm down the growing ringing and spinning inside her head but it was no help. Yoongi kept trying to convince her and lightly pushing the door just a bit to be able to slip in. He suddenly lifted his hand from the door and with slightly wide eyes let his body slump as he asked her.

“Is there someone else with you there?” She looked up at him startled with furrowed brows and opened her mouth as she stared at him.

“What? No! It’s just that-”

“Just what? Let me in then!”

“Just give me a second!”

“Let me-” He was interrupted by the brisk movement of her hand reaching around the door to have a good grip of it. Once she did, she jerked the door open forcefully and stood in front of him, in full view to him.

“Yoongi! I just need to put clothes on. I am naked underneath this and it's embarrassing…” Her blanket had slid down enough to reveal her shoulders and the top of her breasts. 

Yoongi stood in his place making no attempt to move from where he stood. He stared at her with slight shock on his face but quickly composed himself and fixed his posture. He lifted his free hand to her waist and carefully pushed her and himself inside the apartment and closed the door with his foot. As he stood in front of her, he took a second to look at her again before moving to the kitchen and setting the bottle of wine and rose down, removing the chocolaty mess from the ruined stove top. 

He leaned against the stove counter and took a few deep breaths before fixing his hair and popping the wine bottle open. He poured two glasses of the rich red wine and turned around to hand one glass to his neighbor expecting her to be standing where he left her, only to find her sitting in the pile of pillows by her window. The dim lights reflecting off her shoulders made it seem as if she was glowing. He had never seen such an alluring woman before, the way her hair framed her face perfectly and her golden skin that seemed to glow.

Yoongi slowly made his way to where she was seated and quietly knelt behind her. He could stay like this for an eternity admiring her but he decided there would be time for that later. He carefully leaned into her back feeling her tense up, but just as quickly relax. He reached around her, moving into view the glass of wine he poured for her. She looked back at him over her shoulder and took the glass of wine from his hand taking a sip from it. She turned back around and took a deep breath before speaking up.

“I’m gonna go and put some clothes on, I’ll be right back Yoongi.” As she was about to get up and make her way to her room she felt a smooth pair of lips on her shoulder making her freeze where she was. She glanced back at the man behind her as he continued to kiss her body. 

“I came here tonight because I know you like me, you told me so one night where we drank a bit too much. I didn’t want to say anything because I didn’t want to embarrass you.” He whispered to her and he kissed her shoulder again, not breaking the eye contact they had established.

The color of her face had changed to that similar of the rose he had brought with him. She looked at him in a trance, with nothing in mind, but simply taking in his beauty and how wonderful his kisses felt on her skin. She couldn’t believe she was being witness to his lips cherishing her skin so intimately. 

“I would also be lying if I said I had no feelings for you. The thought of you being with someone else keeps me awake at night, I will prove to you that I am worthy of your love if you give me the chance. My sweet girl, every time I see you, you leave me breathless forcing me to learn how to breathe as if it was the first time.” 

The woman’s breath hitched in the back of her throat as she slowly reached up to touch his face. “Yoongi…” She tried to talk but simply nothing came to her mind. She was in a state of shock and bliss due to the man that was pressed against her back. Her mind had completely shut down by this point as she kept staring at him with adoration in her gaze. She finally twisted herself around to face him as the words easily slipped out.

“I want to be yours. Make me yours Yoongi.”

After a few seconds of quiet, she finally processed what she had let slip out and simply let the brightest smile she had within herself to come out. His eyes could light up the place with the happiness that stirred within him. Smiling at her he planted one more kiss to her shoulder before getting up and walking away. 

“Wait there. Don’t move.”

She followed his orders and watched as he went back to the kitchen as he looked for something there. A few seconds later he made his way to her again with the single rose he had brought her in hand. He went around her standing between the window and her, facing her. He looked down at her as a smirk formed in his soft lips. Kneeling down with the rose in his hand, he looked up at her with serious eyes, gently traced the top of her breasts with the rose making her shiver and seductively whispered to her two words.

“Show me.”

This was originally posted on my ao3 account

Should I make a part 2??

Thanks for reading ( ˘ ³˘)♥

[flowerbeom]

What I Wouldn’t Give | Part 2: The Wrap Party

Im Jaebeom x Female!Reader

Genre: Stylist AU. Fluff. Eventual Smut

Warnings: Some swearing.

Words: 3.8k

Concept:  A story where a heartsick, pining and ‘hopelessly in love with his stylist’ Jaebeom finds himself in an awkward situation in the house of the stylist who’s equally heart sick and hopelessly in love with him. But neither of them know… yet.

A/N: I said I’ll have the next parts out within 2 weeks and BOOM 3 days later, PART 2. Enjoy it, fam. – Chapter links will be in masterlist once all posted.

Part 1: The Right Fit

Part 2: The Wrap Party

Part 3: Home

Song Mood: Do You Love Me - LUNA

- - - - -

Liquid courage was exactly what Jaebeom was swirling in his glass as he watched you from the bar. Lips folded between his teeth as his eyes trailed down all the lines and curves the dress you had chosen to wear put on display. A long sleeve, high neck, waist hugging dress that hovered just above your knee and floated just mid of your thigh every time you twirled to the music. 

You never dressed like this; a flowy dress that clung to your body over the jeans and chic blouses you usually wore. Sneakers swapped out for heels that made your legs seem longer, and Jaebeom could swear he was losing his mind as he watched you dance. You were a rational, function over fashion kind of girl when it came to work, but tonight wasn’t work - it was pleasure; and you dressed for the occasion. 

“Dance with her.” Yugyeom’s voice cut through the music, the statement piercing into Jaebeom’s already swelling brain. Snapping his head, his eyes locked onto Yugyeom’s, his stare kind but suggestive. 

“I–” The hesitation in his voice made his chest clench, his body shouting out in hopes his mind would shut up. 

Yugyeom gently pulled the glass out of Jaebeom’s hand, his other lightly pushing his shoulder. “Hyung, dance with her.” 

Jaebeom took one step, then halted; turning back to Yugyeom who simply offered him a tender smile and another, albeit more forceful than before, push on the back. Jaebeom meandered through the crowd, the ephemeral expanse of time it took to get to you starting to make his ears pound rather than the music that blared in the room.

Bambam joined Yugyeom at the bar, leaning an elbow against the stone; staring at the back of Jaebeom’s head as he moved far too slowly through the crowd. Taking a languid sip of his single malt - neat, double, like his coat - Bambam tapped Yugyeom on the forearm with the back of his fingers. Pulling the straw out of his mouth, Yugyeom wiped the sweet crimson liquid that had clung to his lip with the pad of his thumb as he turned to his friend. 

“Twenty dollars.” Bambam said frankly against the edge of his glass.

“On? On Hyung?” Said in pout, straw once again indenting Yugyeom’s bottom lip. 

“On them. Hyung and Noona. On tonight.” Through a smirk and with eyes following Jaebeom as he made his way closer to you, Bambam held out an open hand. Yugyeom didn’t take it, defiant against the bet. 

“It doesn’t work if we both want them to get together. I’ll be betting against a sure thing.” 

“It’s been five years Yugs, it’s like they’re betting against a sure thing.” Yugyeom couldn’t disagree, though they couldn’t agree on who would receive the money should the evening not result in, well results. So they hedged their bets on success. Everything on red. All in on the pair of Aces each one of you held. Risk it for the biscuit, one of them would say. So Bambam’s twenty dollars went on another round of drinks instead. 

“He’s coming.” Hana teased as she tucked her chin over your shoulder, speaking directly into your ear. Guiding your hips to the beat, you pulled back; meeting her evocative smile with a blank one. She knew you knew who she was talking about, but leant in once more to hammer in the nail that had wedged into your sternum.

“Jaebeom’s coming!” You saw her shift, her body tilting to the side to greet the person behind you. 

“Hi Jaebeom!” Her shrill pitch made you cringe, eyes rolling back into your skull; though you were hasty to compose yourself. Turning quickly, you found yourself beside Hana; smoothing down your dress as it crept a little higher up your leg from the spin. 

“Hi Beom–Jae.. Hi Jaebeom.” Flustered, lost in how the lights danced across his face and how it somehow made his smile even more enchanting, you bit your top lip to stop you from stuttering. 

His hand reached for his nape as he cast his eyes to his shoes. Behind his smile a subtle tint of rose shaded his cheeks, but you blamed that on the lighting. Why would he be blushing? 

“Hey! I didn’t–” 

“Wow, I need another drink. You want another drink? I’m going to get another drink!” Your fingers tried to latch onto Hana’s wrist to stop her from leaving, but she snaked away with a devilish glint in her eyes. 

“No no, you stay, you stay! Dance!” Arms gesturing for Jaebeom to close the gap and stop taking up prime real estate on the dance floor, you both eyed her as she slipped away; your statue like states becoming an awkward observance in the middle of the room. But who were you kidding, most of your observances were awkward. 

Still unmoving while surrounded by people dancing, Jaebeom took a step closer; your chin automatically lifting to meet his eyes. Jaebeom was about to speak, but the closeness of your lips scared him. Watching your bottom lip pull between your teeth made him want to pull it between his own, but he settled on trying to make himself stop shaking. 

“I didn’t know you were coming.” A lie. He knew. Mark made sure of that. 

“I came for you.” There it was. The truth. That half bottle of wine at home, the two dirty martinis and the tequila shot Hana had tipped down your throat to get you to calm down were suddenly sloshing between your temples and flinging the wrong words out of your mouth. You watched, in your haze and as if in slow motion, Jaebeom’s eyes widen.

“Me?” Said just soft enough to almost be drowned out by the music.

“No! Well yes.. I-I came for all of you. Everyone here, I came for you guys. To celebrate! Yay!” A lie. You knew. As if the bead of sweat sliding down the back of your neck wasn’t reminding you enough already. Grinding your teeth at your stupidity, you faked a laugh to diffuse the tension. Jaebeom saw you trying to form sentences in your head and wanted nothing more than to take away the terrified look in your eye. So just as quickly as you blurted out something incredibly untrue, and despite his heart rattling against his ribs, he reached out his hand with a newfound courage Jaebeom couldn’t even begin to guess where it came from. 

“Care to dance?” You could see the tremor in his hand as he held it in front of you. It eased you somewhat, for it matched the shiver in your knees. “I mean, while we’re out here. We shouldn’t waste a good song.” 

And it was a good song, something old, nostalgic even; from your adolescence and a wave of youthful innocence washed over you. You had wanted this for far too long, to be close to him - to be near him in a space, in a manner only you shared. Though, the setting was far from ideal, you weren’t sure you’d ever get this chance ever again. So as gingerly as you brushed a strand of hair off your face, you took his hand. 

It was warm, god it was warm. His touch. His fingers slowly wrapping around yours to gently sway to the music. But it was far too slow, his movements; completely sluggish as if his crippling fear of showing you how much he loved you had thrown a lasso around his feet and made him incapable of dancing. Yeh, Im Jaebeom - incapable of dancing. Who would have thought?

Not as though you were doing much better; snapping your head away every time your eyes found each other. You knew it looked ridiculous. How you both were moving utterly out of sync with the music, and by the grace of Hana herself, she had barrelled in to save you. 

“I know you didn’t say you wanted one, but I got you a drink.” Grabbing the glass from her hand, you spotted through the corner of your eye Jinyoung tapping Jaebeom on the shoulder. Taking his distracted face as a chance to breathe, you spun around; Hana shoving her face into yours.

“What the hell are you doing?” Through gritted teeth, a strained smile to appear as inconspicuous as possible. You only managed to reply with a grunt from deep in your throat, your mouth too busy latched to the lip of the glass, swallowing down alcohol like water. Gasping for air as the last drop slid down your throat, you had a second to register just how strong that drink was. 

“Ugh, what was that?!”

“I could ask you the same thing!” Heel of your palm wiping wayward drips from the corner of your mouth, you tried to look at Hana square on, but she was blurry at best. 

“You look like an idiot.” You nodded, you knew full well you did. 

“Get yourself together and just, ugh, goddamn it just dance with him.” She lovingly smoothed down your hair, pushing it back over your shoulders and tapping a knuckle against your chin. “Or I will." 

Her darting glance behind you made your back straighten. Jealousy. No, possession. But that felt wrong too, so you settled on jealousy. This song was yours, yours and Jaebeom’s. 

Hana saw the flicker of determination spark in your eyes and smirked - her plan had worked. Turning you around with a flick of her wrist, she slipped away, just like before - into the crowd, like a snake into bushes. 

"No, later.” You heard Jaebeom protest. 

“Hyung, it’s important.” Jinyoung snipped. 

“Later.” You caught Jinyoung’s wandering eyes and retreated into the safety of hunched shoulders. When you looked back up, Jinyoung was gone. 

“Sorry..” Sheepish, fingertips pinching the bell of his ear. 

“Everything okay?” Stepping forward as he did, the space was closed much more than before. A sharp inhale shook you both, but neither of you noticed. 

“Uh, yeh. I think.” Jaebeom stole a look over his shoulder to where Jinyoung was standing next to his manager. “I’ll check later.”

His feet began to move again, equally as slow and uncoordinated as before and despite the cloud of alcohol and anxiety harbouring over you, you couldn’t help but find it adorable. This time, it was you who held out your hand. 

“Come on, we can’t let this song go to waste.” A laugh. A single, heavenly puff of air escaped his lips and it made your heart stammer. Jaebeom grabbed your hand, grip tighter than before. 

“Show me what you got." 

It took five songs. Five whole songs before you were dancing like you were before he approached you. You could blame the alcohol, but his smile was far more intoxicating. Jaebeom had found his feet as well, and suddenly you were getting lost in the way his body moved. So much so that you slipped, heel sliding out from under you, lurching your body forward and slamming against Jaebeom’s chest. 

“Fuck, shit! Argh - oh god.” Finally realising that your arms had clung to his, you peeled your cheek off his chest; snapping back to stand. Though your ankle failed you and you tipped forward once again; Jaebeom quick to catch you. 

“Shit, are you okay?!” Concern and a hint of panic laced his voice, but you couldn’t bring yourself to look at him; your face was far too hot to be a normal colour. 

Pulling in a deep but shaky breath, you tried to stop your head from spinning; the rush of falling and the dwindling haze of alcohol making the pain in your ankle feel dull, and you knew that was a bad sign. Jaebeom gripped his thumb into your forearm, urging you to answer him, but you were distracted with how your fingers were wrapped around his biceps. You slid your hands off his arms, a dry swallow shortly after.

“Ahh, yeh. I think I should sit down.” Jaebeom grabbed your hand, authoritatively and without a flicker of hesitation. He needed to make sure you were okay, his heart was yelling at him too loudly for him to be anxious now. Leading you off the dance floor and onto a chair, he let your hand slip out of his as you sat. 

“Do you want anything? Water maybe?” You still refused to look at him, you were sure the heat radiating from your cheeks had turned you from human to tomato. 

“Ye-yes please.” And in a flash he was gone, marching to the bar like a man on a mission. A moment of calm finally graced you, and the pain in your ankle began to set in. Leaning over to rub a cautious finger over the pain, you winced at the intrusion of your touch. 

Two songs had passed, a measure of time you had fully adopted and you realised Jaebeom hadn’t returned. Craning over your shoulder, you found Jaebeom at the bar, having what looked to be a serious conversation with his manager; all with a glass of water in his hand. That alone would have been enough to sober you, but the furrow in his brows made you anxious. You had seen that look before and it never bode well. You felt your chest cinch in, a tightening of your ribcage and the only thing that’d make it go away was the look of trepidation to fade from Jaebeom’s face. 

You snapped around when Jaebeom parted from his manager. He placed the glass on the table and himself in the chair opposite yours.

“Here, drink.” You did as instructed, eyes cast over his features that still held uneasiness in the fine lines around his eyes that looked across the crowd. 

“Jae–” His name floated off your lips and made him shiver. His eyes crossed the room and found yours. “Is everything okay?” 

He exhaled a hollow sigh, his hands wringing together as he leaned his elbows against his knees. “There’s people hanging my house. Fans… stalkers.. Whatever, but they’re just waiting. Across the street, by the gate. Random people.. Just waiting.” 

You held out the half full glass of water to him, tilting your head to the side to convince him to take it. Fingers grazing yours as he took the glass, he held it to his lips before sighing once again.

“What are you going to do?” Concern stained your voice and the sound seemed to loosen the cord binding his shoulders together. 

“Hyung said they’re working on clearing them. Staff and police are heading there to get rid of them. But he said just to lay low for a while. Not go back home until he says so.” A still silence fell between you, one of shared contemplation. A break in the music seemed to be the cue, your mouths opening to speak simultaneously. 

“So I guess I’ll stay he–”

“You could hide out at my place.” Shit. If the way his eyes acted like a mirror to show you how wide your eyes had blown out, the sting from the lights blaring into them was enough to make you realise what you had said. 

“I mean, shit… Well I should probably go home anyway.” Pointing at your ankle. “And mine’s not too far out of the way from yours so, you could.. I mean-if you wanted…” You wanted to blame it on alcohol, but that haze had faded, so it must have been a newly acquired boldness that had replaced it. But Jaebeom didn’t have to leave, he had no need to. He could stay. Of course he could stay. Hide out in the safety on the bar, surrounded by friends, wait it out until he was clear to go home. He had no reason to go home with you. None. None whatsoever. 

“Yes.” Deer in headlights. Back straight like a board, breath shallow at best. Jaebeom swallowed thickly, inhaling the courage he just spat out. “Ye-yeh, no, that would be good.” 

You swore your heart was thumping in your throat, your stomach doing flips and pushing it up there. You tried to swallow it back down, but Jaebeom’s lips parted to speak. 

“You shouldn’t go home alone with that ankle. So I should take you ho.. If-if that’s okay.” You nodded through a heavy swallow. 

“Sure, shall we.. go..then?" 

“Ah, yep. Yes, okay. Good.” Jaebeom sprung up while you merely uncoiled yourself from the chair. Hobbling to Hana while he crossed to the bar, she gave you the most impertinent grin as she handed you your bag. Her face scrunched in delight as you explained the situation, so you drove a knuckle into her ribs to shut her up. 

“Well done.” 

“Fuck off”

“Have fun.”

“Fuck off.” 

You were already at the door when Jaebeom had finally finished speaking with his manager. You gave him a curt bow when he turned away from Jaebeom to look your way, and you barely saw the satisfied smiles on Yugyeom and Bambam’s faces before Jaebeom blocked them from view. 

“Umm, ready?” There was a glimmer of excitement in his voice though it was drowned in apprehension, but you couldn’t hear it over your heartbeat playing tennis between your eardrums. 

The air outside the bar was still, and the night around you calm. Feeling warm under the gentle glow of amber streetlights, tiny flecks of silver peppered the sky above; the distant burn of stars almost guiding your way home. Yet the exchanges between you and Jaebeom were eerily silent. Small, fleeting, awkward notions of conversations stirred yet never bloomed. So, as you turned the corner into the boulevard that would eventually lead to your street, you felt the urge to give in. Give in to every burning signal inside you and just come out with it. 

Slowing to a stop, your drew back your lips to pull in an unsettled breath; Jaebeom pausing to turn to you; expectantly, wantonly. 

“Jae, ummm…” Short pause, long breath. “Jaebeom, I need you..” 

Jaebeom could feel the tiny strands that tied his resolve to his sanity snapping, and if he wasn’t having trouble breathing, he would be telling you just how much he needed you. So much. Too much even. 

“I need you to give me your socks.” Plain, simple sincerity drifted across the space between you and Jaebeom could feel his heart bashing against his sternum, as if it wanted to leap into your hands. 

“We’re like.. seven blocks away and I can’t keep going in these shoes and.. ahhhh, okay..?” Silenced by Jaebeom slipping out of his shoes in the middle of the street, his eyes never left yours as he pulled off each sock with an expert tug of his thumb. If you had asked him, he wouldn’t have even realised what he was doing, unable to quantify the ridiculousness of your request that the only thing he could do was to simply comply. Jaebeom was struck dumb with shock upon hearing your first statement that his heartstrings began to unravel. 

And there he was, holding them out to you, along with his socks; his tender, albeit still stunned expression imploring for you to take them. A whispered thank you hung in the air as you took the socks from him, lowering down onto the curb to wrestle with the straps of your heels. 

Lost in your concentrated pout and how his socks were completely mismatched with the classiness of your dress, Jaebeom felt his body jolt when you called out his name. 

“Sorry, what?”

Looking up at him through your lashes as you pulled up his last sock.  “Are you going to put your shoes back on?” 

Feeling the cold asphalt soak into his soles, he tipped over; shoving his feet into his shoes so fast it made you dizzy when he stood back up. His lip was wedged between his teeth, a sight you couldn’t handle. Turning to face the hill, you pointed towards the crest.

“This way.”  

The remaining seven blocks were spent in a powder keg. Tension filled yet relatively comfortable silence, broken only in the moments when Jaebeom would point something out and you would answer willingly, as if he was shedding yours layers to learn more about you. The bus stop you wait at. The convenience store you frequent. The cat you pat when it passes by. 

“Oh, there.” You pointed to a store tucked between a bookstore and green grocer; the white panelled door illuminated by the hanging light on its frame. “That’s where I buy a lot of your shirts. The ones you always end up buying off me.” 

Jaebeom squinted in it’s direction, as if to remember it in the future and to mask the happiness that was swelling in him over the notion of you and him between mentioned in the same sentence. He liked the sound, especially from you. 

You turned into a small alley and stopped in front of a door, three houses from the corner. Swirling your hand around in your bag in search for your keys, you looked over your shoulder to see Jaebeom calmly looking back. The very hint of a gentle smile curled the edges of his lips and you swore you’d melt right there; be soaked up by your door mat and not care. 

Jiggling the key in the lock, it finally clicked open and you pulled the door towards you. Patting down the wall to find the light switch, you flicked it and your home was flooded with warm light. You stepped aside, one hand holding the door open while the other rubbed the back of your neck. 

“Umm, come in..” Jaebeom almost glided past you, his cologne filling your senses and driving you to bite the inside of your cheek to stop you from gasping at the fact Jaebeom was literally walking into your house because you invited him. In what world did you think this would happen? This one, apparently. 

Once Jaebeom crossed the threshold, you spun to grab the doorknob. Stepping backwards into your house, you pulled the door shut and latched the lock, dropping your keys back into your bag. 

“Ahh, do you want something to dri–” Turning around to see where Jaebeom had went, you were met with his body almost pressed against yours. He hadn’t ventured far, he was too afraid to, to be honest. So he took two steps in and waited for you to tell him where to go, because he had absolutely no idea what to do. He couldn’t even feel his hands. 

But there he was, standing in front of you, watching your eyes flicker across his face. You were a mere breath away from his lips; away from the pink softness that could whisper you into oblivion. Or euphoria. You weren’t sure which one just yet because he was staring into your eyes in a way you had never seen before. 

What had you gotten yourself into?

[typicalmidnightsoul]

𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓒𝓻𝓸𝔀𝓷 𝓟𝓻𝓲𝓷𝓬𝓮𝓼𝓼- Chapter 6

ℍ𝕒𝕝𝕗 𝕓𝕝𝕒𝕕𝕖 𝕙𝕒𝕝𝕗 𝕤𝕚𝕝𝕜

I was made heavy half blade and half silk, difficult to forget but not easy for the mind to follow- Rupi Kaur

Chapter  1, 2, 3, 4 5 <- here

The dinner went fine. Elain was rigid next to Feyre watching as the others tried to mix with the people of Rask. Cassian had…words with Leona. Whether it was regarding Nesta or their shared experiences of being generals then royalty, Feyre did not know.  The Rask royal family was not that sociable, but how could they be when Nesta’s relationship with the court of dreams was jagged. Luna had taken a particular liking to Azriel who in turn blushed at her… advances, but for most of the time Audrey and Luna remained quiet their eyes on the door. Nesta had not shown up and just as they were about to leave without doing any alliance negations Nesta sent a note saying to start without her and that she would be there as soon as she could.

Amren sipped from the wine glass saying, “You would think being a Princess would make her punctual.”

Luna’s head snapped toward her, she lowered her eyebrows glancing at Jonah who in turn bared his teeth and said to Amren, “She is not just any odd person, she is the crown princess, and she has territories and people more important than the likes of you and your court of dreams to attend to.”

Amren gave a snake-like smile, “Tell me, did Nesta force you to be here?”

He looked her up and down, “Every single person you see here is here out of their own choice those who didn’t want to come didn’t.” He mock looked around, “Do you see Clare or Eris here?”

Amren was about to answer back-

“Enough.” Audrey spoke up, her eyes venomous, “We should discuss the matter holding up the treaty negotiations before Nesta gets here.”

“Wait before Nesta-”

Audrey nodded at Luna who cut Feyre off saying, “For this alliance to proceed all the territories of Rask will need to sign, if even one of them don’t the alliance will not go forward. My territory, Jonah’s and Leona’s refuse to sign until you agree to one condition.” She lifted her chin.

Rhys and Feyre exchanged a look,

“We would like to hear it first.” Feyre was sure that Rhys would give them whatever they wanted if only to assure the safety of the humans.

They all braced themselves eyes on Luna but it was Jonah who said,

“We would like you to accept this cheque of 20,000 gold marks.”

They all froze and stared with wide eyes.

“Accept?” Feyre asked in shock.

“Why would you want us to accept it?” Rhys asked his tone suspicious.

Leona looked at him eyes lit with a raging fire, “because we want to go into this relationship without any debts with you. We wouldn’t want to give you another opportunity to demean us or our other family members.”

“What debt?” Cassian ground out.

“The debt that my older sister has to you. The debt that you taunt Nesta with whenever an opportunity presents itself.” Jonah replied.

Cassian and Jonah stared each other down.

Until Jonah dragged his head to Rhys, “Will you accept?”

Rhys had that far-away look in his eyes that suggested he was conversing with his inner circle. A long time after he replied, “Nesta Archeron‘s expenses weren’t that much when she was in our care therefore we will accept half of what you are offering.”

Audrey gave them all a soft smile, “We will look forward to our alliance with you.”

“Is that it then?” Cassian asked leaning back into his chair, “Are we allies now?”

“There will obviously be a formal ceremony, but yes since all territories will have signed by tonight… we are, I guess, allies.”

Heels clicked into the restaurant, “That quick and without me?”

Nesta’s family beamed at her, a grin splitting on Jonah’s face. One that had to been there even when his mate had held his hand.

Caroline gesture for a waiter to get another chair but Nesta shook her head.

“I thought I would be needed for alliance negotiations but since I am not then it would be best for me to leave with Luna and Auj.”

Luna and Audrey raised a brow.

“We seem to have to solve a blood feud or we’ll have another Romeo and Juliet on our hands. Clare’s already there.” She went to walk out, Luna and Audrey getting up when Feyre stopped them.

“I would like to speak with Nesta.”

Luna sized up the space between them.

Audrey asked, “alone?”

Feyre froze, what did they think she would do to her sister? Kidnap her?

“Not alone but not publicly either.”

Audrey nodded and jerked her chin at Luna, “You go.” Feyre nodded at Elain to come as well.

Confusion ruffled Nesta’s beautiful face, but nonetheless she led them out to the garden below.

Luna gestured for Elain to sit with her at a nearby table and ordered tea and coffee.

Nesta leaned against the post of the gazebo that gave shelter to the diners outside, which there were none of as all the customers chose to dine on the roof for the view.

“So, what’s this about?”

Feyre knew Nesta would hate it if she beat around the bush. So she just said, “I am obviously mad at you for leaving. And I know that I must have instigated it but… let bygones be bygones. Let’s start over.”

Feyre stepped closer to her. Nesta stepped back.

“No I don’t think we should.”

Feyre flinched, “Why?”

She turned back, leaning back onto the fencing of the gazebo looking at the small, quiet little town before them.

“Do you know what you’re asking me to do? You’re asking me for the sake of your own guilt to forget the bitter behaviour I have experienced from you and your family. To forget Clare’s grieving face” Feyre opened her mouth but Nesta turned and held up a finger. “I know you think you avenged her but stabbing the attor will not bring back the Beddor family or ease Clare’s torment no matter how much conciliation it gives you.”

“Nesta I admit I may have unknowingly hurt you-”

“Well then Feyre you must be really nave and foolish because the amount of people you have unknowingly hurt? Lucien for starters has been ‘unknowingly’”-she made quotation marks with her fingers-“mocked for getting close to new people. Mocked for giving themselves the name of ‘the band of exiles’, I mean come on hypocrisy at its finest, Feyre how much better is The Court of dreams?”

“Lucien, Nesta? You hate him!” Feyre exclaimed.

“Stop trying to change the subject.” She flicked a lock over her shoulder, “Do you not think you and your friends have a god complex? Even when it came to me. Your own sister. You thought that because Love healed you it would heal me. You made my decision for me. What if I died from it? Would come to my grave and ask me to start over.”

Nesta’s face was now scrunched up tears trying to force tares back her back to Feyre,

“You acted like it was a choice. Like my depression, PTSD, anorexia was all a choice like I could just,”-She snapped her fingers-“turn it off.”

Feyre started to shake her head profusely.

“Well I couldn’t. And worst of all I blamed myself. But not anymore.” She wiped her tears away and faced her, “From now on you are accountable for your own decisions. I am no longer holding myself responsible for your mistakes. I am done second guessing myself. I have learnt to live with my mistakes, so maybe instead of trying to ‘start over’ you should as well.”

Nesta walked out of the wards of the restaurant and winnowed away. Leaving a cold Feyre with tears slipping down her face. Luna came to her.

“Feyre the document has not been signed yet. If, after this you do not want to go ahead with the alliance then you have to tell me now.”

Feyre turned to her.

“That’s why Audrey sent you. Because she knew the Nesta would blow and you had to make sure I still agreed to the alliance.”

Luna offered no explanation.

“Well I still consent to this alliance. So you can save your breath.”

Luna nodded, “If you go back in please tell Audrey, Nesta and I have left.” Feyre nodded and went up to the roof with Elain.

 -----

Two weeks after the dinner, Feyre was readying her gallery for classes when a flying letter burst in through the window. Before she could grab it the letter folded itself and spoke,

“To the high lady of Night,” a posh voice said, then Caroline’s voice started playing,

“Hello Feyre, I wondered if you would like to join me for a drink before I open my restaurant now. There is something I would like to discuss. If you do just touch the letter after my message if you don’t just tell the letter to leave.

Yours truly Caroline.”

 Feyre looked taken aback.

“Ah, the talking transportation letters. They are apparently a habit of Raskians.” Ressina came out of the back room and put a hand on Feyre’s shoulder chuckling at her shocked face, “You should go. We have another hour till we open.”

Feyre considered glancing at the clock.  Then nodded.

She touched the letter. In what seemed like a mist travelling through the folds of the world, a sound much like a deafening howling wind Feyre was transported and now standing on the street in front of the restaurant.

She looked around, the letter was nowhere to be seen. People were busy in the street market behind her. She gathered herself and walked up to the rooftop part.

Caroline was there admiring the view. She stood up to greet her.

“Hello.”

Feyre smiled and said, “I am really sorry Caroline but this must be quick I have to open my gallery for classes soon.”

She gestured for her to sit, “Of course, I also have to open, and this will only take a few minutes.” She looked at Feyre’s face, “You have something on your mind.”

She bit her lip, “It was just… Jonah, your mate, he’s my brother and Clare’s alive… this is all so confusing. It’s just that when I find out how they… how do you think I will feel?”

Feyre winced, “Ugh, I sound so pathetic.”

Caroline smiled, “No, it’s fine. I am sorry though Feyre. I don’t really know how you will feel. I can tell you though that Clare’s story is much less complicated than Jonah’s, funnily enough. He is very protective of Nesta. So I do apologize for his behaviour.”

Feyre shook her head, “He loves her deeply. And I hurt her, his behaviour is normal. Anyway what would you like to discuss.”

Feyre sipped from the glass of coffee.

Caroline glanced at the clock, “Um, there is little time so,” She pulled a gold invite towards her and handed it to Feyre, “It is mine and Jonah’s anniversary next week. So I would like to invite you to the party we’re holding.”

Feyre accepted it, “Do you think Nesta will want me there?”

She waved a hand, “Nesta will not mind, just don’t mention any of the words you exchanged and Nesta won’t get triggered.”

“You all seem really close.”

“Oh we are. All of us. Leona, Clare, Luna and Audrey stick with her, Nesta’s mine and my brother’s partner in crime. Ollie and Ash love her like crazy, they have shopping sprees together. Honestly we are a really big group. You will meet the whole family next week if you come. Are you… planning to?”

Feyre nodded, “Yes. I intend on making the relationship with my sister stronger.”

Caroline smiled and then stood up, “Sorry Feyre I have to get to the kitchen. Feel free to stay here and finish your coffee.” She downed her own. Then stopped and turned back.

“Just a heads up, Nesta and Leo…Leona, Luna and Audrey will be coming in the next few days.”

“Why?” Feyre asked tearing her eyes away from the invitation.

“It’s tradition for Rask to give a gift to you after the alliance has been finalized.

“Do we give-”

“No, no. Just a heads-up, anyway bye see you next week.”

“You too.” She sipped from her cup admiring the place Nesta now called home. She glanced at the clock. She had to go back in the next five minutes if she wanted to be on time. She didn’t know if she should be dreading or celebrating the invitation she was now holding.

--------

This was such a long one. Sorry for the lateness, life got in the way. Up next: The party, an introduction the first love in Nesta's life and a distraught Nesta seeking Azriel's help.

Tags:@mis-lil-red @wannawriteyouabook​ @my-fan-side​

[himbohunnicutt]

Per Ardua Ad Astra // G. Lee - Chapter 3

A/N: This is the final chapter - it’s more of an epilogue really. Enjoy!

Word Count: 1.2k

11 Months Later:

Margaret’s eyes fluttered open, and she was delighted to find she wasn’t alone. She rolled over, and put her arm around a sleeping Gwilym’s waist. She lay there for a while, wondering how she got so lucky, and what she did to deserve somebody like Gwilym. It wasn’t long before he woke.

“What are you thinking about, love? I can practically hear your brain whirring” He whispered groggily, pressing a gentle kiss to the top of her head.

“Just how lucky I am” She replied, leaning up to press a kiss to his neck. Before anything could get more heated, as much as they wanted to, the door opened and two little girls came running in. As usual, they took a running jump at the bed, and landed in between the two adults. Daisy settled against her mother, whilst Rose did her very best to sit right on top of Gwilym. He didn’t mind, of course. He loved the little girls like they were his own, and as a result they knew they could get away with anything, so long as Mummy didn’t find out.

That day was going to be a special one. It was Gwilym and Margaret’s 1 year anniversary, for one thing. For another, Gwilym had a plan. A plan that rested heavily on the RAF boys coming through. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust them, of course, they were his men and his friends and he was frequently called upon to trust them with his life.

————

That evening, Gwilym sat rather nervously in the Pub he had begun to consider home. Home was wherever Margaret and the girls were, of course, but more often than not, it was the Pub. He sipped the pint the RAF boys had bought him. Margaret tended the bar with one of the girls from the village, whilst Rose and Daisy sat on Gwilym’s lap. He’d got them in on his plan. They’d not let it slip either, as far as he knew. He knew they wouldn’t. They were good kids and they’d do anything for their mother. When he’d asked them, he knew they wouldn’t say no.

—

“Now girls, I need to ask you something very important” Gwilym said, sitting down on the edge of Daisy’s bed, looking at both of the girls.

“Yes?” They replied in unison.

“Well, at the weekend, I’d like to ask Mummy to marry me, and I wanted to make sure you two were alright with that” He asked, looking nervously at the little girls in front of him, worried what their reaction may be.

“Yes! Yes! Please be our new Daddy!” Daisy said, crawling over to Gwilym. He wrapped his arm around her as she sat next to him.

“Well, Mummy needs to say yes before that, but you two wouldn’t mind if I stuck around forever?”

“No! We want you to!” Rose replied, getting up to join her sister in Gwilym’s arms.

—

The pub was quiet. The only people in there, apart from the usuals, were the RAF boys. It was perfect. Not too many strangers, so Margaret wouldn’t be uncomfortable being the centre of attention. He decided the moment was right. He whispered something to the girls, and they ran over to their mother. As they dragged her around from the bar, one of the RAF boys handed Gwilym a small velvet box. He stood up, wiping his palms on his trousers, as Margaret arrived in front of him. She stood there, holding onto Daisy and Rose’s hands. Gwilym picked up the little box from the table, opened it to reveal an antique diamond ring, and sunk to one knee. Margaret’s mouth dropped open, and tears began to roll down her cheeks.

“Now Margaret, I’m going to have to speak quickly otherwise I’ll start crying too. All I’ll say is you are the love of my life, and I don’t want to spend my life with anybody other than you and the girls. Will you do me the greatest honour imaginable, and will you marry me?” Gwilym said, eyes filling with tears.

“Say yes, Mummy! Say yes, Mummy!” The girls shouted as Margaret stood frozen, crying.

“Yes! Of course!” Margaret said, after what seemed like forever. It had, in reality, only been about 3 seconds. This was all it took for Gwilym’s resolve to break and for the tears to go streaming down his face. Margaret took his hand to help him up from the floor, before she flung her arms around his neck and joined her lips to his. The assembled crowd cheered as they parted. Gwilym took the ring from the box and slipped it onto Margaret’s finger.

“I love you” Gwilym said, looking at Margaret like she was the entire world.

“I love you too” Margaret replied, running her fingers through Gwilym’s hair.

“What about us?” Rose asked, holding onto her little sister’s hand.

“Yes, we love you too”

—————

Gwilym and Margaret married on the base three months later, not wanting to wait longer than that to be husband and wife. Wing Commander and Mrs Lee celebrated with family and friends, their daughters acting as bridesmaids. The day before the wedding, Gwilym signed the papers to officially adopt Rose and Daisy as his. The four of them walked out of the on-base chapel, the girls either side of their parents. Gwilym’s squadron formed a guard of honour, and his commanding officer had stood in and walked Margaret down the aisle.

It was mere weeks after the wedding when the Squadron was posted to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus.

“Darling, I understand if you don’t want to leave England and the pub and take the girls out of school, but I have to go” Gwilym explained, fiddling with the stem of the wine glass in his hand.

“If you’re going, Gwilym, we’re coming with you” Margaret replied, giving him a ‘Paddington’ long, hard stare.

“If you’re sure, love” He replied, placing the wine glass down on the coffee table.

“I am. We’re moving to Cyprus” She said, moving over to kiss him gently.

—————

Cyprus was hot, Gwilym thought. He did, however, think the sight of Margaret in sundresses and sandals was hotter, so naturally it wasn’t long before Margaret found that she was pregnant.

“So here’s baby…wait a second, that’s baby 1, and this is baby 2” The doctor said as he moved the ultrasound wand over Margaret’s abdomen.

“2?” She asked, looking at Gwilym.

“2. Congratulations, Mrs Lee. You’re expecting twins” The doctor replied, smiling at the obviously shocked couple.

By the time they got home, they were both still muttering ‘twins’ every now and then. They were greeted by the girls running out to meet them.

“How did it go, Mummy?” Rose asked.

“Now, you mustn’t be alarmed, but Mummy is having twins” Margaret replied. She wasn’t going to beat around the bush - she knew the girls were old enough to understand what was going on.

“Twins? There’s going to be 2 babies?” Daisy asked, looking at Gwilym.

“Looks that way munchkin. You two mustn’t think the new babies are going to replace you”

“It’s better you’re having twins, really, otherwise you’d be fighting over who got to cuddle the baby” Rose replied. There was never any doubt in the little girls minds that Gwilym loved them just as much as he would the new babies, even if he wasn’t their real dad.

—————

Blossom Ceinwen and Myrtle Rhiannon Lee were born 6 months later at RAF Akrotiri. It was a quiet Sunday afternoon when Margaret’s waters broke, and it was a short labour. She thought she may have broken Gwilym’s hand with how hard she was squeezing it, but he promised her she didn’t.

Rose and Daisy had been right - they would have fought over who got to cuddle the baby had their been only one. That evening, Margaret sat holding Blossom, and Myrtle was settled in Gwilym’s arms when Rose and Daisy were brought to visit. They held and cuddled their little sisters, and sighed in relief when they found out they had sisters and not brothers.

They were the perfect little family Gwilym had always dreamed of, and he wouldn’t have had it any other way.

[kpurereactions]

Im Yours | Part 3

A/N: posting this from my phone in the middle of BumFuck USA so bare with me. Also, I touched a rattle snake. Also Also, shits about to start getting real, so there's that. Thx, K. 

 Pairing: Jaebum x Reader

 Rating: Drama, Angst, Smut, Fluff 

WARNINGS: Language, Eventual Violence, Lots of Smut Later on

Pt 1 Pt 2 Pt 3 Pt 4 Pt 5 Pt 6 Pt 7 Pt 8 Pt 9 FINALE

There was something about the way he looked at you. Something about the way he talked to you. Every day since the night he took you home Jaebum had wondered down into the kitchen at one point or another during the day. It started off just to retrieve his own meals, saying nothing more then a polite good morning and to see what the menu for the day was, occasionally he'd tell you some of the things he'd like to have. It soon transitioned into him eating in the kitchen. He'd thank you for his plate and sit down across the island, making small talk as he quickly ate his meal. You thought it was funny how quiet the others were around him, like they were always ready to spring up when he said jump. That made you laugh.

Now, only a week later, Jaebum seemed to be spending all his time in the kitchen. He'd walk down in the morning and give you his usual smiley hello before sitting down in front of the meal you prepared, always complimenting you on how great it smelt. He started talking to you more, even telling you stories of his childhood; crazy things that you could hardly believe. You'd reciprocate with stories about your wild days in school. He laughed often after your stories. Sometimes, when it was just the two of you and maybe BamBam, he'd laugh out these loud belly hurting laughs that made your stomach erupt with butterflies, but when more then that was around he'd keep them to a light chuckle. You could see it in his eyes though, he really wanted to laugh.

Lunch would roll around and Jaebum would be right back in his usual bar stool, but this time his eyes would be scanning over paperwork that he'd cover if you got to close. The secrets didn't bother you though, it really wasn't any of your business and you respected that. He would, however, start to confide in you about things by asking you questions randomly.

"If someone told you they were going to do something for you, talked about it for months while they kissed your ass about how easy it would be and how smooth it would go and then you find out they went behind your back to help your rival. What would you do?" He'd say rubbing his temples.

"Break their knee caps." You said making his head snap up. "Realistically though, I'd probably up my game, make them regret that they didn't follow through on their word." You'd say, slipping a piece of the tomato your were dicing between your lips.

Little did you know he was doing exactly that. 'What did they offer you.' Jaebum screamed, one of the men he had been working with had been caught and bound wrists to ankles like a pig and tossed into a blood covered concrete room.

'He didn't say, he didn't say' the man moaned, blinking through the sweat and blood that had dripped from his forehead.

Jaebum looked up motioning for Jackson to lift the man. He cut the short tie that was holding his hands to his feet before he man-handled him into the chair that BamBam had drug into the room. The sight of BamBam with a sledge hammer in one hands was enough to send the man into a frenzy, now pulling away from Jackson, flailing his body as he let out short screams.

'One. More. Chance.' Jaebum said sternly from where he stood across the room.

"He didn't say anything!" The man screamed, almost trying to convince himself as much as he was trying to convince Jaebum.

"BamBam?" Jaebum said waving a hand at the man who now sat screaming and flailing in the seat he was now bound to.

"Batter up." BamBam chuckled before pressing his lips firmly together and ramming the hammer into the mans knees.

You were surprised by the empty car that had come to retrieve you that morning, BamBam took pride in picking you up so of course you worried. The car ride was boring without him, you couldn't help the long dramatic sighs that lift your lips every time you made eye contact with the driver you usually made fun of.

There was something about the house that was different. It was quiet and although it usually was in the morning there was something missing. The kitchen was still dark and it seemed like there was something missing. Your eyebrows pressed together when you realized BamBam hadn't restocked the fridge and the chalk board that usually had a new good morning messages from all of the boys along with ideas for meals still had yesterday's notes on them.

You didn't know what to do, should you start cooking and then wait for someone to come down or should you wait for someone to come down and then start cooking. All of the sudden the sound of the front door followed by a 'What do you mean she's already here, Y/n?' Made you smile as you made your way down the hall way.

"Morning!" You said as all the boys stared at you.

"Idiot!" Jackson said smacking the drivers head before waving and heading up stairs. The rest of the boys all followed him up in a sneaky way except for Jaebum, who smiled sweetly before walking up to you.

"Late night?" You said nodding towards the last boy running up the stairs.

"Yes and we're all starving." He said as the two of you walked back to the kitchen.

"I was up all night working starving or I was up all night drinking starving." You said making him look at you with an entertained look.

"A little bit of both." He said smirking and sitting down on his regular stool.

"So one hangover burger for everyone." You said tying on your apron. "Except for you. We don't need you to die on us." You joked, laughing as he pouted.

All showered you smiled as the boys filed back into the kitchen. You smacked BamBams arm for laughing as Jaebum munched on the personal breakfast casserole you made for him while the rest of them moaned into the hamburger you had made topped with all the breakfast things you could think of for the others.

"I do control what you eat, don't test me boy." You said pointing a finger at him to make him laugh again.

Dinner rolled around and once again you were sat next to Jaebum with a glass of wine. The food was long gone and the dishes taken care of so the eight of you could enjoy some more time together. One by one the boys all excused themselves to call it a night until it was just you and Jaebum, turned in your chairs so you were facing one another. Your glass had found a permanent resting spot right in front of our mouth as the two of you talked so you could cover your mouth with the back of your hand that held onto the glass. Easier to hide your drinking giggles that way.

"And then, you'll never believe this, the arrow ricocheted off of the target so hard it flew back and stuck Jinyoungin the foot. Actually the craziest thing I've ever seen anyone do, God he's such an idiot." He said as you giggled into another sip of wine.

"I've really enjoyed talking to you these past few weeks, y/n." He said smiling.

"You're fun to talk to, by far my favorite Boss yet." You said with a gentle wink. You could have sworn was blushing, but with how dim the room was and how drunk you realized you were you couldn't quite tell.

"How many of these have you had now?" He chuckled, now resting his arm across the back of your chair so he could lean in and pour you another glass.

"Enough I think." You giggled.

He looked up to you gently and you couldn't help the blush that broke across your cheeks. For the first time in the two weeks you had known him you were able to pinpoint the feeling that had tugged at your stomach every time he laughed or smiled or even looked your way. You couldn't help but take your bottom lip between your teeth as you thought about his kindness towards you. How he would beat around the bush about it, but still ask you for advice and how the advice you gave to him seemed to matter.

You couldn't help your eyes as they flicked down to his lips. You took in how they still held hints of a smile in the corners and how they slightly parted when he noticed you looking. Eyes meeting his again you'd notice him looking at you. His hand gently set the bottle he had still been holding down and soon that same hand was taking your chin in between his thumb and forefinger. He closed the space between the two of you, leaving barley enough space between your face and his. He waited a second to see if you would protest and when you didn't he'd finish closing the space. Your head began to pound and you almost forgot where you were as his lips slowly melted into yours over and over again. He tasted like wine and smelt of mahogany teakwood; the perfect mixture of taste and smell as you snaked your hand around his neck to deepen the kiss. His lips were soft and gentle and they kissed you as if he was afraid of something. Like anymore pressure and he would break you. Your hand found its way to his chest where you unintentionally could feel the rapid beating of his heart. You drug your hand up tying to memorize the trail you were taking before your hand snaked around his neck.

Then it hit you. You were kissing your boss.

Pulling back you covered your mouth with slightly shaky hands. Your cheeks were flushed and felt so hot compared to your hands. He looked at you confused, his lips still slightly pursed and pink from the kissing.

"I'm sorry I shouldn't have done that." You said quickly standing up, the wine in your system catching up with you and making you stumble over the chair that was on the other side of you as you walked quickly into the kitchen. You closed your hands into fists and hit the counter, not being able to believe you had screwed up the best job you had ever had. As quickly as you could you started to pack your knives, now just wanted to get out of the house as fast as possible.

"Y/n?"

You rounded, a large knife still in your hand to see Jaebum standing there, worry plastered on his face like it was front page news. He held up his hands at the knife pointed to him and tried to muster a smile. Letting the knife fall loudly on the counter you rested your elbows on the counter and covered your face.

"I think you're the only person I've ever put my hands up for." He said chuckling, knowing perfectly well you wouldn't get the joke behind it.

"Im sorry if I came on too strong." He said leaning against the counter. You stayed there staring at his shoes from the small crack in his hands.

"It's my fault. I kissed the boss." You said shrugging and standing up.

"Technically the boss kissed you." He said stepping closer.

"Technically or not it's still against the rules. I'll get another cook sent to you guys." You said pressing your lips together to try and hide how upset you were.

"I don't play by the rules, y/n. You should know that by now."

"This is my job, I shouldn't have mixed pleasure with it."

"So kissing me was pleasurable." He said with a slight smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

"Yeah." You said, not fully caring at how his eyebrows raised at your bluntness. "Which is why I shouldn't be working here any more."

"And if I held you here against your will?"

"I guess I'll have to bash your knees in." You said chuckling along with Jaebum.

"Please don't quit on us. I know we wouldn't want another cook. We want you. I want you." He said reaching to stroke your cheek again. You but your lip, this could not be happening right now.

When you didn't say anything he stepped forward to meet your lips with his. Without warning you melted into the kiss again, it didn't last long though as you were able to get your thoughts in order faster this time. "I don't think I can do this."

"Then don't think."

[b0blegum]

Redamancy [TWO]

Author: b0blegum

Pairing: CEO Yoo Kihyun x Reader

Rating: G

Genre: Romance, Drama

Status: On Going

Part: Pilot | One | ch. 2 TEASER | Two | ch. 3 TEASER | Three | ch. 4 TEASER | Four | ...

Words: 2.6k+

Summary

He was so broken and afraid of Love. Never thought he would return one’s love in full anymore.

a/n gif credit to owner | (y/f/n) = your first name 

I changed my mind to post this at 4pm instead of 8 because i just can’t wait to share this with you all, loves. Anyway, enjoy!

The familiar classical song from Luigi Boccherini was playing at the background, alongside with the sound of expensive gold cutlery sets hitting the side of the plates when the owner put them down for a small pause.

Following your boss, Yoo Kihyun, who was walking confidently in the middle of this five-star restaurant like it was his own property, you felt uncomfortable when people slightly took a glance on you. You know they weren't judging on how you look, but it's just you who didn't really like to attract people' attentions.

Kihyun turned left, to the more private area of this restaurant. Where there were five rooms, each inside a small private room. You followed him entering the third room.

"Kim Yoona." Kihyun called after you closed the door behind you as he gestured you to do so.

A woman was sitting on her chair elegantly, sipping down her wine, when both of you entered the room. Kihyun began to unbutton his suit jacket and made his way to sit across the woman.

"Long time no see, Yoo Kihyun." She gestured two men who was standing behind her to leave the three of you alone. Her eyes darted to you with a questioning look after the men were no longer to be seen in this private room.

"She's my secretary." Kihyun said, reading her look.

"Oh, secretary?" She smirked. Turning her eyes to you, "What a great pick. She's beautiful."

Her words could mean thousand of things. Was it a sarcasm or it had something implied behind, you weren't sure.

"I don't do that kind of thing anymore." Kihyun cleared his throat.

"That makes me the last, then, dear?"  

Your pupils started to shake, trying to understand their conversation– or not.

"I don't cut around the bush. Just tell me why do you want to see me. I'm busy so i don't have much time." Kihyun cut.

"You always are, Kihyun. You always are." She smiled and stood up, walking towards the man.

You scooted a bit, giving her the space to walked around Kihyun. Her finger slowly tracing Kihyun's shoulder then up to the back of his neck before she lifted up Kihyun's head to face her.

You blinked at the sight. You didn't know what'd happen next but you're pretty sure that this is something private that you shouldn't see.

She brought her face closer to the man. Slowly making her way to sit on the man's firm laps. Her legs parted, rested on either side of Kihyun's thighs.

Their eyes met. The woman's gaze looked lustful, filled with dark romantic feels while Kihyun's... you can't described his gaze.

His was dark, too, but rather... stoical.

"So this is the reason on why do you want to see me?" He asked with his face just an inch away from the woman. She smiled without hesitation

"Excuse me, but i don't have time for this. Ms. Kim." Surprisingly, Kihyun pushed the woman off him and stood up. Turning his back and about to walked out when she called him as she leaned on the table.

"I know you better than yourself, Yoo Kihyun. I know you miss me."

He ignored and touched the censor machine to opened the door. Still in confused, you followed him out. Kihyun's walked in a quick pace, almost too fast for you who wore heels and short skirt.

"Sir," his driver greeted as he opened the car's door for him. Without saying anything, he slid in and slammed the door closed harshly. You followed him in from the other door and sitting there awkwardly.

"Slide the partition up." Kihyun ordered his driver once he got in. He did as he told and slowly the glass soundproof partition separated him from the two of you.

He looks uncomfortable judging by how he looks and how his fingers clenched into a solid fist.

"Are you alright?" You carefully asked after awhile watching him.

He turned his head to you. "Yes, i am."

"But... you don't look like you a–"

"I said i am. Enough with the question." He snapped, sending chills up to your spine.

Keeping yourself silent, you looked out the window and forcing yourself to admire the beauty of Seoul with an angry man sitting beside you.

"You could go home after we reached the office." He said. Breaking the silence.

"Excuse me, Sir?"

"I'm not firing you. I'm just asking you to go home."

Still looking at him in confusion, you nodded slowly.

'Work hours are decided by the CEO.' Oh, right...

"Here you go. One Mocca Frappuccino and two Caramel Latte." The waitress served the order. The three of you mouthed thank you, plus a friendly smile from the forever-single Hoseok.

"Don't flirt with her, Hoseok. Just don't." Elena rolled her eyes immediately after the waitress went away.

"I didn't." Hoseok denied.

"Oh, come on, we all know you did. Even that grandma who sit right there could see you flirting with her." You could only chuckled hearing Elena and Hoseok acted all noisy like this.

"Oh whatever, El." Hoseok took a sip of his drink. "Now, (y/n). Continue. Where were we?"

"That woman. Who is she again? Yoona?" El added. You nodded immediately.

"Yes. Yoona. She must be one of Kihyun's lovers. An ex maybe. I don't know, but i'm sure they broke up on bad terms." You started again.

"But she mentioned something with 'his last' right after he told her you are his secretary, right?" Hoseok pointed out. "Did he date his secretary?"

"No way. He didn't date that girl with those stupid glasses." Taking another sip of his coffee, she shook her head.

"If i were he i wouldn't date her, as well. I can guarantee that." Hoseok rolled his eyes.

"That's a good point, but,"

"Guys. Lower your voice." You gestured as you sshhed them down.

"Oh, sorry." El shut her mouth with her own finger.

"Did he fuck her while she was his secretary?" Randomly, Hoseok added. Both of you and Elena almost choked on the drinks.

"Are you kidding me?"

"No, seriously. He said he didn't do that kind of thing anymore and then she said she was the last. What is it then if it was not fucking his own secretary or at least, dating his secretary." Without any hesitation, those chain of words slipped out of his lips.

"He's so gonna kill you if he heard whatever you said just now." You massaged your temple. Somehow the scene of you and him in the elevator, where he warned you about not talking about him to anyone replayed in your mind.

"You better take care of yourself, (y/n)." Elena added. "He got a point there."

"You both crossed the line. Guys, listen. If, what Hoseok was true, if," you emphasized at the word 'if'. "He wouldn't date me, let alone... fuck me." You said the f word shyly.

"Why not? You're beautiful, smart and sexy–" Hoseok counted with his finger until Elena slapped the back of his head with her hand.

"No, no. That wouldn't happen and i would not let that happen." You finished your drink. "Anyway, i should get home. I have laundry to do." Looking at your watch, you stood up and fixed your tees that's crumpled.

"Oh, right. I still have to do some reports." Elena stood up after you, leaving only Hoseok who was still finishing his coffee.

"I'm staying here. You guys can go home first." He waved.

"Is it a man or a woman this time, Hoseok?" Elena said, half jokingly.

"Shut up, El."

"Alright, guys. See you later."

You and Elena immediately parted ways at the subway. Her apartment was on the west while yours was on the east, so both of you should really took the different line to reach home.

It was almost 9 but the road to your apartment was still crowded with cars and people, unlike the usual.

Smiling at the young boy who was currently pedalling his bike, you swiped your card before you pushed the elevator button then got in once the door opened.

Your floor wasn't that high up, it was on the 3rd floor. Usually you'd take stairs, but you just felt too lazy to climb tonight.

Again, you tried to swiped the card on the machine that was attached to your door until it was clicked opened, letting you in to your own apartment.

All the lights were off. The smell of soft cotton filled the air from the automatic room spray that you just put above the shoe rack.

"I'm home..." you said to yourself as you turned on the lamp.

"Welcome home, (y/n)." Startled, you jumped back to the door behind you as you tried to find the owner of that voice.

"So this is where you live?"

You gasped at the sight in front of you. The man from your work was now sitting still on your couch.

"Why... why are you here?"

"I think you know why am i here better than me." He stood up. Buttoning his suit jacket and walked painfully slow towards you. Cornering you to the wooden door behind you.

The sound of his shoes tapping the floor underneath made a great combination with his powerful sentence, "Why am i here, Ms. (y/f/n)?"

"I..." You took two steps back but after those two, you realized you were totally cornered.

He caged you with his arm stretched on the left side of your head. His other one on the other hand, slipped into his pocket. His face came closer to yours and a smirk haughtily plastered on his face.

"Why am i here, Ms. (y/f/n)?" He repeated.

"I don't know." You stuttered.

"Elena William and Shin Hoseok." He called the name that were most familiar to you. "Those two were your best-friend, am i right?" You nodded in frightened. "You are so close with them that you even shared information that actually unnecessary for them." He tilted his head to the left. His eyes still shooting into yours.

"Mr. Yoo. I... i'm sorry," finally you knew what was this all about.

The talk.

The one you had just before you came home.

"Why are you sorry for?" His smile somehow creeped the hell out of you. He was too intense and to intimidating.

"I am sorry for telling them about the meeting between you and Ms. Ki–"

"Kim Yoona." He uncaged you and turned himself around, walking back to your living room. "Ex secretary. Ex lover. We used to fuck in my office. On my table. On the floor. In my meeting room and on the table that you now working behind. Tell Mr. Shin he was right about her being my ex."

Your whole body shook in fear. Scared that he would do something you can't imagine.

"What else do you want to know about us? How often do we fuck?"

"No! Sir, no." You waved your hand immediately. "I'm sorry." You looked down.

"I think i made myself clear the other day." He sat on the armrest, eyes still fixed on yours.

"I'm sorry. I'm terribly sorry. I won't talk about you ever again. I swear, i won't."

"Ouch." He shook his head with a sarcastic smile painted on his face. "Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. Is that all you could say?"

"I..." you stuttered. "Y– you could fire me if yo– you want, Sir. I'm sorry."

"No. No." He stood back up and walked to you again. "I won't fire you. I know you got some reputation and i am now in need of secretary, so i won't do that."

Shit, he must have other sick idea...

"I need your brain but... i don't trust your mouth." His expression softened. "What could i do about that? Any idea?" Hesitantly you shook your head. "Well, then. If you don't have any." He cleared his throat and stood right beside you, facing the wooden door. "Move to my penthouse." He gripped the door handle. "3 pm sharp. I left the address on your coffee table." With that, Kihyun opened the door and left.

<<prev | next>>

Full part will be uploaded every Sunday 2pm GMT+7.

Teaser will be uploaded every Monday 2pm GMT+7.

MASTERLIST

[xyliane]

sugarhighs and chaperones

summary: just because people ship gon and killua, doesn’t mean they realize gon and killua are already together. killua’s daughter and a motley crew of his students take it upon themselves to correct this issue. leorio does not understand how he keeps getting roped into these things.

notes: a very special thanks to @sunfloweranimator whose comment on a previous headcanon post lead to...this mess. gen, fluff featuring inedal zoldyck, fourteen year old troll, leorio paladiknight who is too old for this shit but it’s not his problem if the kids are sugarhigh, a collection of well-meaning but ridiculous students, and killugon in their thirties. 1800 words.

notes the second: I’m so sorry for the delay, but next chapter of “all roads” is going up in the next few days! I was computer-less for most of the weekend still need to edit and this was half-phone-words

---

“Hey oldest geezer, I’ve got a question.”

“Inedal, you’re my favorite fourteen year old, but you know you can call me Leorio. Or Uncle Orio, like your siblings. Or Dr. Paladiknight if you feel polite for once.”

“But if Dad is the geezer, then you’re the oldest geezer.”

Leorio is immediately and viscerally reminded that Inedal is Killua’s daughter to an almost terrifying degree, her voice over the phone matter of fact like she’s stating the obvious for an idiot. He carefully turns away from the chart he’d been staring at to press fingers against his already pulsing forehead. He’s almost used to Killua’s oldest calling him at odd hours about topics ranging from wrapping sprains (so Killua won’t know) to how to unbreak a broken lockpick (so Killua will know). But usually, she just barges in with whatever it is she needs, knowing Leorio will have what she needs. That she’s hedging means either she’s growing up or wants something she’s not comfortable with. “So what’s your question?” he says.

She hums tunelessly, probably flipping a coin or a knife across her knuckles. Leorio almost starts to ask again, before she blurts out, “How do you go on a date?”

Aaahhh. Leorio leans back in his chair, a smug grin growing on his face. She’s a little younger than her dad had been before he’d started asking about this sort of thing, but it’s about time. Although why she’s asking Leorio and not Gon is another question entirely. Maybe she doesn’t want Killua to know. “So who’s the lucky kid?” Leorio asks. “Is it one of Killua’s students? Or someone from school?”

“Ew, gross!” Inedal half-screams, her voice echoing like she’s pulled the phone away from her ear. “No, this isn’t me! This is setting up Dad and Gon!”

“But...” Leorio crunches his eyebrows together. “They’ve been together for years. Hell, you know they’re together.”

“I know. But Gon only just got back, and some of Dad’s students don’t know, and they’re trying to set them up with each other to try to get my old man to relax a little.” She blows out a puff of air. “They don’t appreciate that he is relaxed, especially now that Gon’s back. He’d be training them over minefields, not the cliffs outside of your city, if he wasn’t relaxed. It’s obvious.”

And there’s the headache. “Have you been stealing their things again?”

“Only when the old man doesn’t notice. And I’m training my hatsu!”

Leorio is understandably terrified when she finally figures that out. Killua had to adopt the prodigy thief girl. “Inedal. Dating. Your dads.”

“Killua’s my dad, Gon’s Gon.”

“Right, right.”

“So? You gonna help me get them on a stupid date so the idiot teenagers my dad teaches can get their heads out of their asses?” Leorio waits, hoping that Gon’s influence holds out a little bit. She finally relents. “Please?”

“Anything for my favorite fourteen year old.”

----

Leorio regrets the anything almost immediately. She’s Killua’s kid, raised by Killua and Gon themselves. She will never fight fair, and uses every skill at her fingers to get what she wants. Which is how Leorio ends up chaperoning a mess of young adults, plus Killua’s kids Inedal and Fen, into a cafe in the bushes outside of Naclabore’s fifth most famous outdoor fish restaurant. It’s not the most expensive, and definitely not the most attractive, but it’s a place Leorio ends up going when he’s taking favored patients once they’ve healed after a particularly risky procedure, or the occasional friend blowing in from out of town. That the cafe next door has such convenient bushes for observation is completely a coincidence.

“How many of you have mastered zetsu?” Leorio asks.

About half of the teenagers thrust their hands in the air, cocky grins on their faces belying their overconfidence. Killua would eat his students alive if he knew they were overplaying their hands. The ones that have mastered it, two or three of the students as well as Fen and Inedal, have been in it since they got within sight of the restaurant. Leorio too, but he’s been a doctor for more than a decade and friends with some of the most reckless idiots in the world for two. It’s self-preservation. Not that Gon or Killua has been very good at that either.

Well. Leorio’s a doctor, not a teacher. Not his job. And Gon and Killua seem to be having a good time, wide grins on both their faces and only occasionally reaching over the table to toy with each other’s hands. At one point, Gon brushes something off of Killua’s cheek, and two of Killua’s students turn to each other and make a noise like tires squealing against pavement. “Okay, so. Those who know zetsu, can stay. Those who don’t, get going.” He turns to Inedal, who’s opening cameras on four different phones with a sly cat-like grin on her face. “Can I leave now? I have work tomorrow.”

“Oldest geezer, we both know you’re sticking around.”

“Yeah, Uncle Orio!” Fen adds, his grin wide and guileless. “We’ll pay for your lunch, too.”

Leorio eyes the ten year old boy and the fourteen year old girl, and looks right at the oldest of Killua’s students. Razin stares right back at him. While not Killua’s longest-taught student, Razin’s in their early twenties and seems to have accepted that Inedal is too stubborn for her own good. Much like her dad and Gon.  “You're here,” they say, shrugging, and settle back into their salad.

“You’re talkative,” Leorio mutters, and they smirk and shrug again. “Fine, I’ll stay til they leave. But this is your fault.”

----

A list of things Killua’s students think they know about Gon, as per them not shutting up the entire time Leorio’s eating his lunch. (Inedal, thankfully, follows through on Fen’s promise. She also looks like a cat that ate a dozen canaries, so Leorio gives up bothering to stay in zetsu. If he’s getting a paid-for day off, he’s going to enjoy it.)

1. Gon is Killua’s best friend. 2. Gon is a two-star lost hunter best known for tracking down Ging Freecss multiple times, getting gem hunter Iundara Gola to finally accept payment on almost forty years of work, and how he helped end a war with Killua. 3. Gon is able to vanish into the woods and return weeks later having saved three endangered species and a giant hawk. 4. Gon can turn his whole right arm into a sword that he uses to carve trees into boats. 5. Gon once swam from the Yorubian continent all the way to the Bergerose Nations to find the right swarm of shrimp for a dinner for his mom. (Leorio nearly chokes on his drink at this one, because he knows exactly what they’re talking about, and...no. No. But yes. But no.)

A list of things Killua’s students think will happen with Gon and Killua, kept PG more likely due to Leorio’s adultly presence than Inedal and Fen’s youthful egging on.

1. Kissing. How many dates before it happens is a debate that lasts all lunch. 2. Easier training sessions while Killua daydreams over his best friend, an idea that a few of the more intelligent students shoot down immediately, but such voices of reason are drowned out. 3. More dates, which means less time spent being zapped for inadequate form.

That Inedal isn’t telling them most of these lists is complete and total bullshit of one form or another, says more about her ability to keep her mouth shut for the sake of the game than any inconsistencies in narrative. Fen is practically vibrating, spinning increasingly ridiculous tall tales about things Gon and Killua have done, until his ice cream arrives and he buries himself up to his elbows in the frozen dessert.

Absolutely none of this is Leorio’s fault. He’s just the chaperone.

----

The only warning most of the not at all covert gathering of students has that Gon and Killua have finished their lunch is how Inedal mysteriously vanishes from sight midway into a conversation with one of the students about how she does her hair. The student looks briefly puzzled before Killua appears all but out of nowhere right behind her. “We’re doing zetsu training for the next two weeks,” he says with the sort of gleeful menace usually reserved for melodramatic laughter by movie villains.

Almost the entire table scrambles to their feet, dishes scattering across the stone. Leorio narrowly rescues the last of his wine, sipping it as casually as he can with Killua’s grin widening to something horrible. “Sup, old man. It’s been a while.”

“Leorio!” Gon calls, and Leorio is half-choked by Gon leaning in for a hug. He’s not as tall as Killua or Leorio, but he’s built as solid as ever, and his hug is strong and tight.

“Welcome back to civilization, buddy” Leorio says.

Killua exchanges a look with Gon, and he sighs. “What are you even doing here. With my students. And...” He tilts his head to the side, lightning flickering through his thick ponytail. There’s a yelp from overhead, and Inedal bounces out of the tree, glaring and embarrassed at being found. “Two of my kids.”

“You need to stop teaching Inedal how to wrap people around her fingers.”

“You need to stop letting her.” But he ruffles his daughter’s hair affectionately nonetheless, leaving her pigtails a staticky mess. She huffs and plops into the seat next to Leorio.

Fen all but vibrates his way up Gon’s arms, tugging at the shorter-than-usual spikes on Gon’s head. Leorio guesses he got it trimmed before meeting up with Killua and the kids. “You got a date with Pa!” Fen says, smile wide.

“I did,” Gon says, and smiles warmly. Killua’s cheeks turn a little pink.

“You gonna go on another?”

Gon’s smile stays the same, but his eyes dance. “I dunno, Fen. That’s all up to Killua.”

“What do you mean it’s up to me,” Killua grumbles. “You’re the one who--”

“You have to take him out again!” one of the students says, hopes higher than Yorknew Tower.

“Yeah! Killua’s a great guy, and a great teacher!’”

“He’s kind of an asshole about his chocolate, but I’m sure you’re already used to it!”

“And he talks about you a lot, even if the stories seem weird.”

“Did you really catch stars in your fists?”

Killua holds up a hand, and everyone shuts up almost instantly. Leorio is more than a little impressed. Until Killua opens his mouth and says, “Wait, are you dumbasses trying to hook me up with Gon?”

“That is why all the students set you up,” Inedal says, and picks at her nails to avoid Killua’s boggled stare. “They even paid for Uncle Leorio’s help.”

“I wasn’t paid!”

“You got lunch. And dessert.”

“Which Fen ate.”

“Which you let Fen eat. He eats too much ice cream. Aren’t you a doctor? Shouldn’t you tell him to balance it with carrots or something?”

Killua and Gon both choke back laughter. Or more accurately, Killua started groaning about Fen and sugarhighs, while Gon asks, giggles tickling out of the back of his throat, “I don’t know, Killua. Dating sounds fun.”

“Gon, we’ve been together for fifteen years.”

“But we never officially dated, Killua. Boyfriend and boyfriend. Wouldn’t that be nice?”

Killua opens his mouth to say something absolutely ear-meltingly awful and not at all safe for Leorio’s mind, but holds off at the last minute. Maybe he thinks better of it and has actually grown up at some point in the last twenty-plus years. Maybe he catches sight of his kids. Instead he says to Gon, “More dates this time. You’re buying.”

“Half.”

“Two-thirds. And as for you all...” Killua glances at his best friend and smirks. “Before we start in on retraining your zetsu, we’re going to go back to camp straight through the mountains. Inedal, I think you could use a refresher too. Gon, you mind grabbing what we need?”

A chorus of terrified groans echoes around Leorio, who simply leans back and enjoys the chaos.

[jbankai89]

Fic: The Stag and The Snake, Part I, Chapter Two - Negotiations

My good friend and braintwin @kuriquinn suggested I try posting my actual fics on Tumblr, rather than just linking them, so I'm giving it a try. For those of you following my work on AO3 or AFF, these will be reposts until I'm caught up and everything is posted. :)

Title: The Stag and the Snake

Author: JBankai89

Status: Complete, Part 1: 12/12 Part 2: 22/22

Rating: Part 1: PG-13, Part 2: NC-17

Fandom: Harry Potter

Pairing: Harry Potter/Draco Malfoy, Sirius Black/Remus Lupin

Achievements: None

Warnings: Violence and Gore, Violent Sexual Assault, Minor Character Death

Summary: Vernon Dursley is enraged with the prospect of raising a boy he never wanted. Petunia recalls something that might help them get the child out of their hair more quickly. Overcoming their recalcitrance for anything magical, they invoke The Rite of Betrothal. Who will Harry be forced to marry, and will he be able to cope with all the demands it will entail?

Word Count: Part 1: 46 772  Part 2: 85 442

Other Links: AO3, AFF, LJ

Notes: Please note that this fic also contains Evil!Snape, which is a trope I hate, because Sev is my favourite character, but for the purposes of this story, he worked best.

This fic is based on the story of The Swan Princess, which I will be following the canon of in conjunction with the HP canon. Canon divergences include Voldemort is definitely dead, Lucius Malfoy is a bit OOC, and Sirius did not go to Azkaban. Because most of the story takes place before and after Hogwarts, a lot of the Hogwarts years are glossed over. I tried to keep the links and stuff organized how they did it on the old LJ group MyChemicalSlash, so I hope this is clean enough for you guys to follow easily.

Previous Chapter 

Fic Masterpost

Chapter 2 – Negotiations

Sirius waited until they had Apparated back to their flat before exploding.

“Harry Potter with a family of Slytherin Purebloods!” he shrieked, “I won't have it Remus, I won't! And those Dursleys: 'What kind of name is that for a girl?' I mean, how thick can you get?” Remus had eased back into an armchair with a cup of tea, and he watched Sirius pace back and forth in front of the hearth angrily. His own distress over the situation was obvious, though he seemed to be taking it in stride, rather than losing his head.

“There's very little we can do, Sirius. I shudder to think what would happen to Harry if we failed to hold up our end of the bargain. Of course,” his mouth twitched into a small half-smile, “I'm sure Lucius will be thrilled when he gets the news.”

“Pompous git,” Sirius grumbled, “I don't care if he starts handing out sweets to orphans, I still don't like him.”

“I'd be amazed if you did,” Remus chuckled a little, “following the downfall of Voldemort, he did not make much effort to be well-liked by the working-class Wizarding community.”

“And he's a sanctimonious Slytherin git.” Sirius flicked his wand towards the fire grate, and flames leapt up, crackling merrily as though they had been burning for hours. He fell heavily into the armchair next to Remus, and raked a hand through his hair. “I know he was a double-agent and all that, but it won't make me like him any better.”

“We should be grateful he went to such lengths for our side, and at great personal risk to himself, not to mention the safety of his family. Were the situation different, I'm sure he would be considered as much a hero as young Harry, but as it is...” Remus trailed off and pursed his lips. “He'd be as hunted as muggleborns were during Voldemort's reign. It's still to dangerous for his triumphs for our side to be acknowledged. We can't blame him for feigning his loyalty to the Death Eaters, with so many of them still at large.

“Lucius will probably be just as eager to call this whole thing off as we are,” Remus continued in the same even tone, “Harry won't be considered a Pureblood, at least not by a family like that, and despite their recent, ah, affiliations, I think it's safe to say that old habits die hard.”

“Not much any of us can do, I suppose,” Sirius muttered with a heavy sigh, and helped himself to a cup of tea from the low table before him. “I'm not looking forward to that conversation though. When are we scheduled to meet with Lucius and Narcissa?”

“In a fortnight. One of the representatives from the Bloodlines office will be in touch with them, and then we'll need to meet with them to discuss the future of the boys.”

“I can hardly wait.”

~*~

The following fourteen days passed far too quickly for Sirius and all too soon, he found himself side by side with Remus outside the imposing fortress of the Malfoy Manor. He bit back a complaint of how he'd sooner play keep away with a nesting dragon's eggs than do this, but he held his tongue, given that he was fairly certain that Remus had had enough of his complaining. Seeming to sense his bonded's distress, Remus reached out and squeezed Sirius' forearm gently, and then together they raised their wands and tapped them against the iron-wrought gate.

The gate melted away and the pair stood before a winding path of stone slabs and pebbles pressed into the earth. The path was bordered by meticulously pruned flutterby bushes and scattered upon the lawn was all matter of tasteful, but exotic fauna; from white peacocks and bluebell rabbits, to a pair of impala. Sirius snorted when he saw the animals, but at Remus's hard look, he kept his sarcastic comments to himself.

As they approached the doors, they opened to reveal Lucius Malfoy waiting for them. His expression was difficult to read, though it was obvious that he was as unwilling to allow them in his home as they were to be there. He stood in a fitted, white shirt and black waistcoat that glimmered with a tint of green as the light caught it—dragonhide. He wore trousers of a similar material, and in his left hand he gripped a black cane with a silver snake wrought into the handle.

With as much grace as the man could muster, walking somewhat stiffly from an old wound he'd garnered during the war, he made a sweeping gesture towards the front hall of his home.

“Gentlemen,” he said in greeting, his voice coming off a little sharper than Lucius had probably intended. Sirius did not fail to notice how his eye had twitched and his mouth quivered somewhere between a faint smile and a grimace as he spoke. Though they had, in theory, been working for the same side, Sirius knew that Lucius liked this arrangement no better than they did.

“Thank you for welcoming us into your home, Lucius,” Remus said, nudging Sirius as he did so. Sirius felt as though he had lost his voice for a moment and let out a mumble of agreement, nodding his head once.

“Yes, well,” he trailed off, his nostrils flaring with distaste. “Come, my wife is in the lounge. We shall discuss...matters there.” Without waiting for a reply, he turned and walked off through a passageway to the left of the grand hall.

Sirius kept his eyes forward and narrowed. I'll kill him if he tries anything, he thought, no matter how vehemently Dumbledore and other prominent Order members had vouched for Lucius, he could not let go of his deep distrust. Remus, on the other hand, was smiling placidly as he looked around, taking in the grandeur of the place. Their walk was not a long one, and they stepped into the lounge where Narcissa was waiting with a glass of red wine in her hand. Her lips were pursed and her eyes flashed dangerously, making no illusions about her feelings towards the arrangement.

Lucius joined his wife on the plush love seat. Remus and Sirius sat across from them, and a low table made of glass and dark wood divided them. On the table sat an open bottle of red wine, as well as a partially unfurled letter from the Ministry, presumably detailing the match the Coupling Charm had decided for their son.

Lucius flicked his wand and three more glasses of wine appeared. He took one, flicking his wand again and the remaining two floated towards Sirius and Remus, and they took them with minute nods of thanks. The senior Malfoy took a sip and paused as though using the moment to fortify himself, then shifted his cold grey gaze to the pair. “It seems that we must discuss the prospective bonding of my only son to your—godson.” The words almost came out as a sneer, but as Sirius opened his mouth angrily, Remus nudged him into silence.

“As you are probably aware, Lucius,” Remus began, his tone more stiff than his usual calm, “we are not Harry's legal guardians. However, the Ministry felt it was in his best interest that we—er, act as middlemen between yourselves and Harry's legal guardians, that is, his aunt and uncle. Their distaste for wizards is more or less on par with your feelings towards muggles.” Sirius snorted next to him, but Remus ignored it. “In the hopes of keeping the peace, as it were, we stepped in.”

“And I take it Potter is to be raised by these muggles, then?” Lucius did not manage to completely rid his voice of its disgust at the prospect.

“For now, yes, that is Albus's wish. When Harry and Draco have their first meeting, we will be taking him in, though he will still need to return to his aunt and uncle's house for several weeks out of the year until he comes of age.”

“And I assume that despite this...arrangement, Albus has no desire to tell us why he must return to these muggles?” Narcissa's voice was as cold as Lucius's had been, making it clear that she did not approve of being kept in the dark.

“It isn't a matter of trust or distrust, but the reasoning behind it is an extremely delicate matter,” Sirius said stiffly, “I believe Albus only told us due to the fact that we would be taking Harry in. Had we not been, I doubt he would have told us either.”

“I see,” Lucius mused, though it was obvious he did not like having information withheld. “To this arrangement, I am sure you realize that we must decide upon a surrogate for when the boys bond. It may matter little to you two, but the Malfoy line must continue.”

“It sounds as though you have already accepted it,” Sirius observed, the corner of his mouth twitching in amusement. Lucius glared at him.

“We most certainly do not,” snapped Narcissa, narrowing her eyes at her guests, “generations upon generations of purebloods, sullied by that...that boy. Unfortunately, even we were unable to break the contract.” She deflated a little, and her eyes flitted to her husband, before returning back to the pair. “Though if you have some other brilliant idea, cousin,” she sneered at Sirius, “I'd be delighted to hear it.” Sirius fell silent and glared at her. He clearly did not want to be reminded of his lineage at that moment.

“What's done is done,” Remus cut in quickly before the argument could get more heated. “It's a magical contract, and we all know that there are precious few ways to get around it, especially considering Harry's legal guardians are adamant about proceeding. They hate Harry probably as much as Voldemort did.” The Malfoys started, which caused Sirius to raise his eyebrows in surprise. Remus's words seemed to resonate with them, and they did not press the matter further.

“I believe you have every intention of sending Draco to Hogwarts when he turns eleven, then?” Sirius asked as politely as he could in an attempt to break the tense silence.

“Yes, every Malfoy for the last nine generations has attended that school,” Lucius's tone was as strained as Sirius's had been. “And young Mr Potter? I assume his, ah, relatives have no intention of furthering his magical study?”

Remus snorted, his first show of genuine emotion since they had arrived. Sirius couldn't help but stare at him in surprise for a moment. “From what I gathered, they have no plans to send him anywhere—muggle or magical. As to Hogwarts, his name was put down by James and Lily before—” he cut himself off, and his gaze fell. Sirius looked away from the Malfoys, but he listened to Remus continue, his voice distinctively more croaky than it had been a moment before. “Considering his parents were both Gryffindors, I doubt we'll need to worry about the boys being housed together.”

Sirius bit back a laugh, and he returned his gaze to the pair. “Of course, no one can be certain of that, but it seems likely.”

“Quite.” Lucius's gaze flicked to Sirius, clearly remembering the man's own sorting, despite his Slytherin lineage. “However, the fact remains that these boys are from different classes. I will not have my son bond to some sort of ill-mannered half-blood and have them live in a hovel. I insist that we hold their meetings here, and perhaps you two may employ an etiquette instructor for Potter. Living with those...people, I assume he will learn little of our ways.”

“Oh that's just what we need,” sniped Sirius before he could stop himself, “to let Harry grow up to be a pampered little snot like—”

“Sirius,” Remus said in a warning tone, and Sirius fell silent at once. His expression did not lose its incredulity at Lucius's request, however.

“Lucius,” Remus said in a tone that clearly expressed that he was trying to keep the meeting from turning into a brawl, “Lily and James left Harry with a small fortune at Gringotts. By the time he has access to it, it will be enough that I doubt you need worry that your son will be living in a hovel, as you put it. Sirius and I intend to do our best to teach Harry our ways but I'm sure you understand, Harry will need to be sheltered from the wizarding community at large—at least until he's ready to face it.”

“Sheltered? To what purpose?” Lucius asked, “I assume this is another harebrained scheme of Dumbledore's?” He looked unhappy, but his outright anger seemed to be fading.

“Harry is barely one year old, and he's considered the Saviour of the Wizarding World. Can you imagine how overwhelming it would be for a child that young? He's famous for something he won't even remember. Dumbledore feels it best for Harry to grow up away from all that. Despite our, erm, special circumstances, I believe it would be best to honour Dumbledore's wish. To that end, I believe the less Harry is exposed to, at least for now, the better.”

“Child celebrities are nothing new, Remus,” Lucius pointed out, “surely that cannot be Dumbledore's only reason for shielding the boy from our ways.” Lucius's nostrils flared in obvious disgust, but Sirius seemed to have a vague idea where he was going with this, and was not disappointed. “I will not have my child bound to someone with little more knowledge of our world than a—a muggle,” he spat the word as though it were a curse.

“This is all we are permitted to disclose at this time,” Sirius said stiffly, and Remus watched him cautiously, bracing himself to jump in if the man lost his temper again. “I'm sure you can appreciate how delicate these matters are.” Sirius's mouth twitched at the corners with amusement, all but telling Lucius how little he trusted them.

“I think,” Narcissa cut in before her husband could respond, “we should return to the matter at hand, our intentions for our sons' bonding.” She pursed her lips, making no secret how she felt about the outcome of the Coupling, though unlike her husband, she kept her remarks to herself. “I believe my husband has already voiced our concerns regarding etiquette and the necessity for a surrogate to be chosen,” her eyes flicked to Sirius, “I would prefer a Pureblood candidate for the surrogacy,” she said in a tone that all but dared any of the men to interrupt her, “in particular from a respectable family...the Blacks, for instance.”

Sirius snorted, but Remus shot him a glare that kept him from saying anything.

“I hardly think that is an appropriate suggestion, Mrs Malfoy,” Remus replied, “Sirius's family made no secret about where their loyalties lay during the war, as you well know. Now if you were to consider a daughter from another Pureblood family, say, the Weasleys—” Lucius barked a derisive laugh that cut Remus off.

“Surely you're joking! The Weasleys mixing their blood with the Malfoys? We may as well pick an urchin off the streets of Diagon Alley!” Sirius groaned and pressed his fingers to his temples. This was going to be a long day.

~*~

Evening fell, and Sirius and Remus left the Manor with a cloud of gloom hovering over their heads.

None too surprisingly, their definition of wizarding decency was vastly different from the Malfoys' view of it, and their copy of the Bonding Negotiations was almost as blank as it had been when they had arrived earlier that day. They didn't speak as they moved beyond the gates of the Malfoy property and Disapparated, Sirius breaking the silence once they'd gotten back home.

“That went well,” Sirius said sarcastically as he collapsed into his favourite armchair. Remus huffed and strode over to the adjoining kitchen, slamming the near-blank parchment down onto the table as he went.

“These things take time Sirius,” Remus said as he pulled out his wand and gave it a little flick. At once, a drawer opened and several sharp knives flew out of it to meet a handful of onions on the counter, which shot out of their skins as the utensils descended and began to mince. “The Malfoys are used to the entire world bowing to their desires. Obviously, it will take some time before we come to an agreement.” Remus moved to the stove and levitated a large pot onto the cooker. He ignited a fire beneath it with a prod of his wand, and flicked his wand again to add oil and the onions to the pot with a sharp hiss.

Sirius stood up with an exaggerated  groan, and wandered into the kitchen to watch Remus cook.

“I just hate that this is happening at all,” Sirius said miserably, “James and Lily gone, Harry living with relatives that don't want him, and when he turns seventeen we're expected to hand him over the Malfoys.” He pressed his thumb and forefinger on either side of the bridge of his nose, bowing his head slightly. “As if the whole thing with Voldemort wasn't bad enough...” he trailed off, and tilted his head back to stare at the ceiling while Remus continued to putter around their kitchen, chopping meat, vegetables, and herbs.

“It's out of our hands unfortunately,” Remus said after a few moments of silence. “The best thing we can do is be there for Harry as much as we can, and make this whole experience as painless as possible for him.”

“Assuming all goes smoothly and Voldemort is truly defeated, that is.”

“Don't jinx it, Sirius.”

~*~

By the fifth week of meetings with Lucius and Narcissa, Sirius felt no more optimistic about the arrangement than he had at the beginning. True, they had begun to concede on certain points, as had he and Remus, and very slowly the Bonding Negotiations contract began to fill.

Unfortunately, their pureblood mania was a constant reminder that he was dealing with a pair of recently reformed Death Eaters, and it made him feel no more at ease. Often he felt as though he was preparing himself to drop Harry into a den of wolves, or snakes, as it were; and he had no idea if the boy would come out of this in once piece. They had yet to even meet young Draco, which Sirius felt was deeply unsettling. He felt a sense of foreboding overwhelm him at the end of each meeting, and Remus's calm reactions did little to quell his worries.

“This is the last meeting, Sirius,” Remus reminded him in an undertone as they followed the path to the doors where Lucius waited, “please try and behave.”

“I will if they keep their pureblood cracks to themselves,” Sirius replied in a deliberately carrying whisper, and Remus elbowed him in the side, a little harder than was probably necessary.

“Gentlemen,” Lucius said with a small incline of his head in greeting. Remus smiled, and Sirius returned the small nod, but didn't speak. The senior Malfoy turned and walked inside, and the pair followed him to the now familiar lounge.

Sirius and Remus were greeted with a surprise when they stepped inside, and took notice of a white-blond toddler on the floor next to Narcissa. He was giggling and flailing a plush snake toy in his chubby little hands. She did not even look up when the men entered, her attention entirely focused on her child. Sirius did not fail to note her expression: it was softer and less haughty, filled with genuine love for her son. The look surprised Sirius a great deal, given that he did not think he had ever seen the woman let her emotional guard down before.

Lucius hardly gave the boy a second glance as he pressed forward directly into the matters at hand.

“In accordance with the bonding traditions, it is now time for you to meet our son, Draco.” Sirius and Remus glanced at each other, then back to the baby. There was no doubt as to who Draco's parents were, with his angular bone structure, bright grey eyes and white-blond hair, he was every bit a Malfoy. Lucius seemed to sense their mild confusion, grumbled under his breath, and elaborated. “It is customary to introduce the parents to the betrothed children on the final day of negotiations. We feel no need to be introduced to Mr Potter, his story is so well known I believe we can wait until the boys' first meeting.”

Both Sirius and Remus nodded in agreement. Having the Dursleys and the Malfoys in the same room was definitely a recipe for disaster. Lucius pulled out the negotiations scroll without another word, clearly intent to go straight to business, again without giving his child a passing glance.

While the contract was by no means a tool with which to control the lives of their children, it did cover several key issues that would aid the boys in the start of their life together. Included were Living Conditions: Lucius and Narcissa pushed to have them live in the west wing of the Manor, at least until they had gotten decent jobs, while Sirius and Remus petitioned to pay for a small flat. In the end, they bent to the wish of the Malfoys. Upbringing: Lucius and Narcissa wanted Harry to be given an Wizarding Etiquette tutor, and Sirius protested this idea so vehemently that the Malfoys gave it up. In addition, there were notes of arguments back and forth regarding whether they should police who the boys associated with while at school. Remus quashed upon this at once, in addition debating whether or not they should decide in advance what courses they should choose for the boys prior to the end of their second year, in order to push the pair towards more respectful forms of employment. Sirius protested so loudly against this, the Malfoys gave up on it almost at once.

In the end, everything had been decided, Remus agreed that it was more or less fair despite Sirius's misgivings, and the last item still to be determined was surrogacy. The paragraph at the top where this condition was supposed to be placed was as blank as it had been at their first meeting. Both couples fell into an awkward silence, the only noises in the room being the delighted giggles of Draco as his toy snake went flying across the table and bumped into Remus's calf.

Remus chuckled as the tension broke, and he picked the toy up to hand it back to Narcissa, who almost smiled in thanks. “We've made a short list of families we deem appropriate to participate in the surrogacy, with daughters that will be of an appropriate age when the time comes.” Lucius tapped his wand against the table and a second, smaller scroll of parchment appeared and unrolled itself, showing Remus and Sirius the list of names. They pursed their lips in mirrored expressions of distaste as they looked them over.

“I can't help but notice,” Sirius said in a tone that was less like a casual observant tone, and made it sound more like a thinly veiled threat, “that all the families on here are known Slytherins.” Lucius glared at him. He cocked an eyebrow at the Sirius, as though to say, 'so what?' though he never actually vocalized it. Sirius coiled his hands into fists, but Remus, sensing danger, placed a hand over his fist in an attempt to calm him.

“I understand your desire for your bloodline to continue,” Remus said carefully, “but considering Draco's betrothed, I am sure we can come up with an, er, middle ground.” he smiled, but the two other men were still glaring daggers at one another. “Sirius and I have been thinking,” he pressed on, ignoring the obvious tension that had re-emerged, “Mr and Mrs Xenophilius Lovegood are expecting a child. I have been told that it will be a girl, and they have consented to allow her to be the surrogate if she so wishes, when the time comes.” He paused and looked from one man to the other, “their bloodline meets your criteria, and they are a family of Ravenclaws, quite outside the rivalries between our own school houses.”

Lucius turned to Remus, looking at him as though he only just realized that he was there. His eyes narrowed, though this time in thoughtful contemplation instead of anger. “The Lovegoods are quite...eccentric.” It was not an outright rejection, which was promising.

“Any child the girl has will be raised by Draco and Harry,” Sirius pointed out evenly, “those idiosyncrasies are learned, not hereditary.” Remus beamed at Sirius, clearly amazed that he managed to keep his voice level.

“That is true,” Lucius lifted a hand to rub his chin thoughtfully, and turned to look at his wife. She nodded slightly, then immediately refocused her attention on the child. “Very well,” it was clear by his tone that he did not entirely approve of the decision, but it met the criteria that the Malfoys had set, and as such he had no choice but to concede. Sirius smirked triumphantly.

“And what of the girl?” Remus asked quickly, keeping a close eye on Sirius as he spoke. “I am not entirely clear on the process where she is concerned.” He exchanged a grimace with his bonded, and Narcissa rolled her eyes.

“Don't be so ridiculous. This is akin to an adoption, but with stronger blood ties. The boys need never even meet the girl, save for the delivery of their child, or children. She is not required to have any sort of...relationship with Draco or Potter.”

“I'm assuming then she won't be invited to The First Meeting ceremony?” Sirius's tone had sobered somewhat, as he tried to work through the technicalities of the surrogacy. Given that he and Remus had no interest in it, they hadn't bothered to ever look into how the process worked.

“Of course not,” Lucius snapped, clearly irritated by their ignorance. “For what reason would we invite her? The purpose of that ceremony is for the boys to get to know one another. Of course they will be told eventually of who their surrogate mother will be, but for all intents and purposes, she is a vessel for carrying their future children. She is not intended to be their friend, their wife, or anything of that nature.”

“That's a fairly cold way of looking at it,” Remus said with a small frown.

“Until a practised Healer comes up with something less distasteful, it is the only option.”

Sirius and Remus left that evening with the contract filled and signed by all participating parties. Sirius felt terribly guilty about the entire thing.

How could we have asked Xenophilius if we could borrow his child's womb, seventeen years from now? he wondered, feeling as though they may have not thought it through properly.

Remus reached out and squeezed Sirius's fingers gently. “I know it's unpleasant, but keep in mind that with the Rite there is no time constraints, and the Negations Contract is not binding. At least, not in the same sense. If Miss Lovegood rejects the terms when she is of age, it is fully within her right to do so. We're not forcing her into anything.”

“I know, Remus, it still feels wrong though.” Sirius laced his fingers with Remus's, and squeezed his hand gently.

“There's nothing we can do about it for now. Put it out of your mind and let's go home.” Sirius nodded, and Disapparated.

That night, Sirius's thoughts strayed back to Harry. That little boy was so full of life and light when he had last seen him. After four years with those muggles, would he be the same happy little boy?

Sirius wanted to hope for the best, the realist in him seriously doubted it.

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