#i hope you like it!! i had entirely too much fun with it

[copper-16]

Reminds Me That There's A Room To Grow Part 2

A love unraveled and yet incomparable. Where are two people to go from here?

(a/n: Here is part 2! I am so glad everyone is enjoying this so far, I've had a lot of fun writing it and getting to be creative! I’ll see everyone next Monday for installment 3 - can’t wait to hear everyone’s thoughts!)

Alexia wasn’t sure exactly what she had expected when she barged into her Mami's house the morning after seeing you at the event, dragging Alba behind her.  

But it definitely wasn’t this. 

She had explained everything to the two of them, with a carefully constructed amount of excitement. The footballer didn’t want to seem overeager, but she also found elation building within herself the more she thought about what had occurred. 

She had never expected to see you again, but there you were. Not only that, you weren’t with anyone. You still had the capacity to love her. There was a chance that Alexia hadn’t lost you, and she held onto that hope like a fire lit deep within her chest. She was almost delirious with relief at the realization that maybe the last nine years hadn’t been a total waste, that maybe she had just been waiting for you to return. It threatened to consume her, and she felt as though nothing could break the jouissance that filled her. 

At least, that was what she thought, until Eli and Alba brought her back to reality with their contradicting opinions. 

“She’s here you guys, she’s here in Barcelona. After all these years, Flori is still here and she wants to see me,” Alexia told her family, a brightness in her eyes that hadn’t been present in years. Despite this, Eli and Alba both had a frown on their face as they glanced at each other with skepticism. There was an awkward pause before Alba finally turned toward her sister with a charged look. 

“Ale,” Alba started lightly, trying not to sound too negative. “It has been nine years. Is it possible that Flori has moved on? She was the one who stayed behind, after all.” 

Her younger sister's words were pointed if not entirely incorrect. 

“Do you even know what happened? You never got an answer from her, and now she has shown up at this event with absolutely no warning,” Eli continued, a point that Alba quickly found herself agreeing with. 

When they had all left Madrid, Eli and Alba never expected to lose you so suddenly. 

Where Alexia was upset, they were angry. Angry that you had hurt Alexia for no logical reason, angry that you had done it when Alexia was at her most vulnerable, angry that you were no longer there. They had trusted you with Alexia’s heart, and you had betrayed them. Forgiveness was not possible in their eyes, not after what had occurred. 

Eli missed your mother, who had grown to become a dear friend. Alba had lost your younger brothers, Adan and Leo, who she had been close with. The breakup had been a clean break in the literal sense, but emotionally it had been so much more complex than that. There was nothing but frustrating feelings and a wretched sense of loss for all of them. Where Alexia had softened over time, becoming more sympathetic, the rest of her family had hardened in their negative feelings toward you. 

It was valiant if not feeble that the footballer tried to argue on your behalf. 

“She is here now, and time has passed. Why would I not at least give her the chance to atone or explain herself?” Alexia argued as she furrowed her brows. She looked between her sister and Mami, feeling disheartened by their reaction. 

“She gave up that right years ago Ale, when she let you leave in the midst of Papi dying and you moving to go to your dream club. She let you go, she never reached out, she never explained herself. Does that not bother you?” Alba pressed, unyielding in her temperament. 

“It has been a decade practically, and she never tried. She let you go, ripped up your heart into pieces, and walked out of that door with no remorse. We were all hurt by it, but you should be the most betrayed! She was supposed to love you, and she left you instead. Don’t tell me that hasn’t been the thing that stuck out to you the most in the past nine years?” Alba continued as her words lashed out like a whip, threatening to send Alexia’s sense of stability and hope crashing to the ground. 

“I have a chance to be happy, and you want me to give it away! Does that not bother you?” Alexia spat back as her defensiveness mounted. She stared her sister down with an intensity that usually was only found when she was playing football, not speaking to a member of her family. 

“No, what you have is a chance to be hurt again, and based on past events, that is exactly what is going to happen Alexia. Don’t be stupid,” Alba shot back, and Eli quickly placed a hand on her younger daughter's arm to stop her. 

The room came to a hard stop, but the brunette’s heart beat too fast in her chest to notice. 

Had she made a mistake in trying to be forgiving toward you? 

What if her family had a point? 

“Alba is critical but what she says is in your best interest Alexia. Regardless of how you felt about your relationship, Flori hurt you irreparably. Are you sure you want to let her in again? Is that a risk you want to take?” Eli inquired gently, her voice much softer than the loud argument of her daughters. Alexia took a deep breath, forcing herself to be calm outwardly even if she felt anything but on the inside. 

You had hurt her a lot. And they said it was irreparable, but the brunette was beginning to wonder if only you could be the one to soothe the ache. It had been nine years, and she had never once come close to feeling the same way about anyone else as you. 

But you had hurt her. 

Her mother and sister were not wrong in their basis of judgment. Alexia was beginning to wonder if she had been too naive, too focused on not looking a gift horse in the mouth to see the points her family had laid out. 

The Catalan wondered if you would explain yourself fully to her if asked. She hoped dearly that the answer would be yes, but maybe she didn’t know you as well as she thought she did. 

Maybe it was stupid to trust you after all these years. As much as Alexia had wanted to be mad about everything, she could never bring herself to fault you for what happened when you were both eighteen years old. She had always just assumed that the reason had to be big for you to make the choice you had. 

But maybe it wasn’t like that at all. Maybe she had just been too trusting, too loving.

“I…I’ve spent the last nine years thinking about her, loving her, whether I wanted to or not. I know you aren’t as trusting as I am, and maybe I shouldn’t be so hopeful. But I at least want to know what happened to us that led to her making the decision she did. I need that, at the very least,” Alexia decided as her mother and sister nodded wearily. 

Alexia had always taken the blame for what had happened, even if it had been a subconscious realization. She had simply assumed that whatever it was had been her fault. The brunette must have done something for you to make such a drastic choice not to be with her after so long together. 

Eli and Alba’s arguments rang in her head, creating a commotion in her mind of conflicting information. Perhaps it wasn’t her fault, but rather something on your end. 

She wasn’t sure now. 

All that the footballer knew was that by the time she left her Mami’s house, she felt a lot more lost than she had last night. Lost, confused, and drained of any excitement that had been present just an hour previously. 

—

You had woken up the morning after the event in a trance, unable to place your own feelings. 

Had last night really happened? 

Your dress was still on the hanger, just as you had placed it last night. The ghosting of mascara under your eyes left proof of your makeup, proof of the tears you had shed on the walk home. 

All of these years later, and there she was. Somehow just as perfect and illustrious as you had remembered her to be. Nine years on and she remained unchanged, unyielding despite her newfound fame. 

You had changed a lot in those nine years. And truth be told, you thought often of the footballer, though you tried impossibly hard not to. After all, it had been you who had left. It had been your own choice to sever everything the two of you had. 

You had your reasons, sure, but it had still been you. The choice for you to make decisions in your relationship with Alexia had been revoked in that instance, and you forced yourself to try and forget all that you had lost. 

To try and forget the feeling of being held in her arms. To forget the way she curled around you as you slept, or crawled into your lap to take a nap after a long day of training. To forget how much you two laughed together, how exceedingly happy she had made you. 

You had lost all of that, and there was nothing that changed that fact. 

It was ostensibly clear why you had moved to Barcelona five years ago, even if you vehemently denied that the move was because of the Catalan you once called home. But her dream had been yours as well, and even if you were later, you still had to come. 

You found yourself in the stands of her games often, tucked in the back with a hat pulled over your head, avoiding her gaze and that of her family as well. You probably shouldn’t have been there, but you had turned into quite the masochist in the wake of losing her. 

She looked free on the field, exactly as you remembered her. Focused, ardent, driven, mirthful, intelligent, protective. 

Everything you had loved and lost. 

It’s not that there hadn’t been opportunities to see her again, especially when you had first moved and you both were young. But you never took them, knowing that it wasn’t your right. Alexia was happy, and you would never interrupt her peace for your own yearning. 

After last night though…you weren’t sure if the word you would describe her as was peaceful. It was possible you were reading too much into things, but there was an air of longing present in the brunette that confused you more than you expected. 

You wondered if she would call you, but you had no way of knowing. 

It needed to be that way. This needed to be her choice, her decision. You had been the one to take it away, and you gave it back to her almost a decade later. 

There was hope in your body, a nascent festering that took root no matter how hard you attempted to stop it in its tracks. But at the end of the day, you would gladly give back to her the right to choose in favor of everything you dreamed and desired. 

You would make peace with whatever decision that was, no matter the cost to your own happiness. 

—

“You–I’m sorry, you what?” Jenni blurted out as she glimpsed over at Mariona, who found herself just as confused and taken aback by what the brunette had just described. 

Alexia leaned back in her chair as she let out a forced breath. Her participation in this lunch was more compulsory than anything else after an entire practice of her “acting weird,” according to the striker. 

Mariona had been dragged along for a second opinion, though the midfielder had found herself growing more and more curious as Jenni’s pestering turned into real answers from the brunette. The raven-haired woman, while annoying at times, had been friends with Alexia for long enough to know when she needed a bit of a push to talk. 

For Alexia to admit that the reason she was bothered was because she had a long lost childhood lover was not exactly what Jenni was expecting. But the striker was nothing if not able to work with what she was given. 

“Let me get this straight,” the older woman began as she leaned forward against the table. “You met when you guys were like five, grew up together, started dating when you were teenagers, then were supposed to move here together, but she broke things off suddenly right before you left and you haven’t seen her since?” 

“That is correct,” Alexia conceded warily, well aware of how slightly ridiculous it seemed as a story. 

“And all of these years, you haven’t stopped thinking about her? A decade later and you’re still hung up on her?” Jenni asked incredulously, her voice nearly an octave higher than it usually was. She seemed to be out of her mind at the thought, and the brunette slunk down further into her chair, feeling overly barren. 

“You hook up with women like there is a prize for who gets the highest body count,” Alexia shot back, trying to come off as more annoyed than exposed. 

Mariona looked miffed at the vulgarity of the statement while Jenni shrugged, acquiescence in her expression. 

“Low blow Alexia,” the midfielder noted briefly, but the striker waved her off easily. 

“The woman isn’t entirely wrong, but more importantly she’s deflecting. Okay, so you’re still in love with the woman. And it just so happens that she’s randomly at the Spotify event they sent you to, and she’s still in love with you as well?” 

“Well not quite but…” Alexia started to disagree before she trailed off, her friends eyeing her with unconvinced expressions. 

“Yes, fine, sure,” she amended crossly. 

“She just happened to be at the same event? What does she do for work?” Mariona raised her eyebrow, suspicious of a coincidence that large. Alexia paused for a moment as she struggled to think of an answer. All she was drawing was a big blank, and the realization that maybe she should have been more suspicious about this whole thing. 

“I…I have no idea. I didn’t ask! She was just right in front of me, and I panicked, I didn’t know what to do!” Alexia said restlessly, the amount of fidgeting in her seat a clear indication of her nervousness. 

“Wow…she made the great Alexia Putellas panic? I’ve seen you send away more girls than a persnickety Playboy photographer.” 

“Jennifer!”

“Sorry, sorry! Anywho, you panicked, and then what happened?” Jenni amended, a saccharine smile plastered on her face. The raven-haired woman was absolutely devouring this, fighting valiantly not to smile like the cheshire cat. 

“And then we went on a walk and talked for a few minutes, she gave me her number and told me to call her, and she left,” Alexia finished lamely, sinking back into her seat. She surveyed her two friends, who only looked at her with interested expressions. 

“Okay…and what are you going to do?” Mariona inquired once she realized that Alexia wasn’t going to say anything more. 

“I don’t know what to do! My family thinks that I shouldn’t call her, that she has hurt me too much. That maybe she doesn’t deserve to be in my life anymore. What do you guys think I should do?” Alexia. 

“Listen, it seems to be a weird coincidence to me personally. All of the sudden you start to get famous and she just happens to pop up? That is a little weird to me. It sounds like this person hurt you deeply Ale, and it has stuck with you. Are you sure you want to rehash everything?” Mariona pressed, her words strict and condemning.

“I’m not sure if I do. I’ve spent the last decade thinking of her, and then suddenly she was there and I just…I didn’t know what to do with myself. I never imagined her being in my life again, and there she was! I spent my whole childhood loving her. I never saw myself with anyone else,” Alexia admitted quietly as she wrung her hands together for a moment before setting them down in her lap, unable to make her own mind up. 

The vast majority of Alexia’s teammates had never heard of you at all. Jenni was a little too old, Mariona a little too young. Those who had known of you had forgotten, easily deterred by Alexia telling them you had broken up, unrealizing of how much it meant for the midfielder to lose you. 

Mariona had begun to speak again, but the striker had tuned the two of them out, thinking quietly to herself for once. 

As much as she teased, Jenni watched her friend with a keen, knowing eye. There had to be a damn good reason for Alexia to turn away all of those girls. It wasn’t just their looks, some of them were lovely and intelligent and hilarious, and still the star midfielder had absolutely no interest in them whatsoever. 

Almost as if she was waiting for something else. 

Someone else. 

All these years there had been something missing in her, as though she looked for someone who never came through the door. Jenni had never known what was wrong enough to ask, but now she was beginning to piece together the importance of you to Alexia. Where everyone else saw reasons to criticize and judge, the striker was stuck on Alexia’s words. 

How the desire and longing seemed unable to be contained and reasoned with, despite all of the evidence to the contrary. 

“What do you want?” Jenni cut both of them off suddenly, eliciting a frustrated noise from Mariona and a surprised look from the brunette. 

“I don’t know what I want!” Alexia huffed out with frustration, but the raven-haired didn’t accept that quite so easily. There were too many hands in the pot here. Alexia had always known what she wanted to do, she was simply being deterred. 

“No, you do. You’re convoluted with everyone else’s opinions, but I think you know exactly what you want. What is it that you want Alexia?” Jenni’s eyes never wavered from Alexias, as if daring her to look away. 

She knew that the Catalan wouldn’t, and she was right. 

Alexia stared right at her friend, knowing exactly what choice she needed to make for herself. Not for anyone else, but for herself. 

At the very least, she needed to know what had happened to lose you the first time.

—

Alexia told herself she would call you in a few days, giving herself some time to cool off and think things through. 

She couldn’t even make it through a few hours before she was digging up the card you had given her and typing the number into her phone. The phone rang once, twice, three times before you picked up, and despite herself the Catalan let out a sigh of relief that you had picked up at all. 

“Hello?” You said dutifully as you held your ear to the phone, unaware of who was on the end of the line. There was silence for a long moment, long enough that you questioned if anyone was even there, before sound finally came through.

“Hi,” Alexia choked out, failing to keep her voice as calm and unbothered as she had told herself she would be. 

“Hi Alexia,” you replied, fighting to seem as unphased as possible. You were shocked she had called you, and your heart beat so rapidly in your chest it felt as though it was fluttering. 

“I know it’s sudden…but can you talk tonight?” The footballer blurted out after a few seconds. Your heart constricted with panic, but you swallowed it down and forced yourself to remain agreeable and steady. 

“Absolutely. What time and where should I meet you?” You questioned as you took a deep, bracing breath. You listened as Alexia rattled off an address and the two of you agreed to meet in an hour before she hung up. 

This might be your last chance to tell her the truth. Would it be worth it though? Was the possibility of creating an ache in her chest worth revealing what had really occurred? 

You knew her, and you knew that her guilt would be immense even if the situation was completely out of her control. You made the choice for her, knowing that it was the right one. But you were unsure if she would see it that way. Perhaps she would only see the hurt you had caused her unnecessarily, and that would be the end of it. Maybe that should just be the end of it, allowing her some answers while allowing her to move forward with her life. 

It had been nearly a decade. You had been without her nearly as long as you had been with her, and a piece of you knew that the ache would never disappear. You would always yearn for her, even if she decided to move on. 

But that was a right she had earned, and you had lost. 

It had been your own fault after all, that turned you two into this unsure, bumbling mess of emotions and challenges and strife. You would have done anything to change that if you could have. 

It was your fault but not your doing, at the end of the day. 

You arrived at the beach where Alexia told you to meet her a little early, which allowed you to sit down at a bench and look out at the ocean waves that poured in and out. You granted yourself that small moment of grace on the nearly empty beach as you slipped your sandals off and felt the lingering warmth of the sand under your feet as the sun slid behind the ocean. 

You didn’t notice Alexia’s approach until she was in front of you, and though you offered her the seat next to you silently, she didn’t take it. 

It should have been this that informed you that it would go downhill from there, but you clung to the hope that maybe this would be a productive conversation. You still didn’t know what to say exactly, but you knew you were not going to be dishonest. 

Alexia’s eyes examined you critically, as if she didn’t believe that it was really you. 

“How did you end up at the event the other day in the first place?” She inquired after a moment, and you can’t help but furrow your brows in confusion, lost as to why this was the first question she asked. Lost as to where all of this hostility came from, when you had yet to say a single thing. 

You had expected her to become angered as the conversation went on, but she already seemed cross and you had yet to say a word. 

“I work for Morgan Stanley doing investment consulting and management specifically with Spotify. I’ve become close with the people at the company as I work with them most days, and they invited me to the event. There were investors and important stakeholders that I was able to meet in person. I’ve come to the same event every year for the last three years,” you disclosed to the brunette, but the skepticism and hostility in her eyes never wavered despite your clarity. 

“Did you see me before we ran into each other?” She interrogated, and you settled into your seat uneasily. This felt less like a conversation and more like she was drilling you, waiting for you to slip up and say the wrong thing. 

“At the event, or in general?” You replied, wanting nothing but honesty in your responses. You could give her that, even if the air between you two was charged with more tension than you expected. 

“Both.” Alexia crossed her arms, everything in her posture defensive and frustrated. 

“At the event, no. I didn’t know until I was standing right in front of you,” you clarified, tucking a piece of hair behind your ear to avoid fidgeting nervously. “In general, yes I had seen you. Only from afar though, at your games over the years. I never would have approached you.” 

I never would have approached you. 

Alexia felt every defense in her mind light up at that statement. When had you decided you were so utterly done with having her in your life? All the Catalan could think of was her mother and sister warning her that this was going to be a mistake. All she could think of was Mariona who talked about how strange the coincidence was that the two of you had run into her, as though it was so suspicious. 

You had left and hurt her. 

It had been your fault, that is what all the evidence seemed to tell her. 

Something pulled at the brunette’s mind though, something that begged her not to be so bellicose. Something that screamed at her that there was more to the story, and that handling everything this way was a horrible idea. 

Fear seemed to rule her though, rearing an ugly head that the midfielder was not proud of. 

“How many years,” she beseeched, fighting the wave of tears she could feel stinging at the back of her eyes. Her voice was low, wavering in a way that betrayed her emotions more than she cared to admit. You had let out a low sigh as you hung your head. 

“Five years. I’ve been in Barcelona for five years, and I’ve been coming to your games on and off for five years” you finally confessed as you shook your head. You looked up at the Catalan, who seemed caught between devastation and outrage. 

“You moved here five years ago and didn’t even think to come and talk to me? You never thought to check on me, to try and reach out?” Alexia seethed, burying her hurt behind a mask of fury. More than anything, the footballer felt like her whole chest had caved in. 

“No I didn’t. I had broken up with you Alexia, that was the choice I made. I wasn’t going to come barging back in four years later and demand that you take me back,” You tried gallantly to remain calm, even in the face of Alexia’s vexation. The brunette hated your answer, throwing her hands up in acute frustration. 

“You never even bothered to ask! You might have taken away my choice once, but you’ve spent five more years taking that choice away. You are a coward,” Alexia accused, pointing a finger at you even as everything in her screamed not to. She would regret what she said in the light of day, but all she felt right now was wounded. There was an intense urge to protect what little pride still remained inside her, and apparently in order to accomplish that she needed to lash out. 

You met her toe for toe though, not giving her the anger she wanted exactly but rather a sense of indignation. 

“I am a coward Alexia, you’re right. I wanted you to live your life, to move on, and I made the choice I thought was best for everyone at the time, including you. Don’t stand here and act like I made the choice without consideration for your feelings, because I have,” you fought, because even if you were at fault, you had tried so hard not to be selfish. If the Catalan got a single thing out of this conversation, you wanted it to be that. 

“No you haven’t, you’ve been selfish for the last decade! I lost my father, my community, and then you all in the span of one month. You disappeared, just like that. You were like a ghost, and I was on my own, and right when I needed you, you weren’t there!” She practically yelled, and it looked almost like her entire body vibrated with resentment. 

The footballer took a deep breath as she both tried and failed to remain calm. But every time she had more than a second to think, anger and vitriol seemed to flow out of her. 

“I hate myself for how much I needed you all these years, how much I longed for you. I can’t believe I didn’t see what was going on right in front of me. And now you’re back here…for what? A celebrity status? To be a WAG? I don’t have time for that, and I don’t want you anymore if you see me as such a transactional person. I don’t even recognize you anymore,” Alexia explained with an air of indignance. 

Though you had tried to remain calm, something finally snapped inside of you at that. You simply couldn’t allow for the brunette to say such things about you, and finally you allowed yourself the candor you’d held in all these years. 

“Oh for God's sake Alexia, really? I haven’t come here to be your WAG, or for your fucking money! I’m in investment banking for Christ's sake, I am fine financially! I don’t like football, but I spent my childhood going to games because you loved it and I loved you! You think it didn’t kill me to let you leave like that?” 

“You were my forever. We were young but you were the love of my life, and even now I can’t find myself ever connecting with anyone the way I did with you. I know I am older now, but I still have the same heart as I did when I was eighteen. You loved that person, and I’m not saying you need to love me anymore, but do not stand here and act like I have changed into someone unrecognizable when I have not!” You articulated, unwilling to allow yourself to be trodden over with disrespect. 

You were not the same person as you were at eighteen, but you were also not the person Alexia had made you out to be. 

The fight seemed to drain out of your body in an instance. Any hope that had been clung to was lost entirely as you decided just to be honest. You knew the brunette didn’t want anything to do with you, and in that moment you made peace with that. 

You would give her the truth, and nothing else but the truth. When you looked up at the Catalan, there were tears shining in your eyes. 

“I was sick, Alexia. I found out two days before I broke up with you that I had breast cancer, and I needed to stay in Madrid for treatment. You had just lost your father, you were moving to a whole new area of the country. You didn’t need to be worried about your sick girlfriend, trying to travel back and forth to Madrid, to have even more on your plate,” you revealed slowly as you aggressively wiped away the tears that flowed down your cheeks. 

Oh. 

Oh. 

“So yes, I made a decision for you. In all honesty, it was a decision I would happily make again and again if it came down to it. I wanted to preserve what little peace and happiness you had left before the move. I ached for you afterward, but I knew that this was the right choice. I wanted you to live your dreams, with or without me. And by the time I finished treatment and came to Barcelona, I felt that it was too late. I had broken us, it was my fault entirely that we had broken up, and I didn’t feel like I had the right to come to you and explain.”

“So no, I haven't approached you for the last five years. I come to your games and I see you play with joy and happiness, and I see you with your family, and I want to leave you with that. So don’t look at me and call me a coward or a gold digger or whatever the hell you think I am, because at the end of the day I tried to make the best choices for you and me, and I can’t take them back anymore,” you released, and suddenly you felt much older than your twenty-seven years. You head hung, and you shrugged before you spoke again, your tone bitter and defeated. 

“If you’re so intent to see all of the reasons I fucked up, fine. If you need to tell yourself that I am a selfish whore to sleep at night, fine. But I sincerely hope that when you go to sleep at night you at least remember for a second that the decisions I made were for you, not because of you. Maybe it was the wrong choice to control that for you, but I can’t go back and change it now. So please, just leave me alone if this is all you want from me. I don’t have anything more to give you, not anymore,” You stated with exhaustion, spinning around to walk away. You disappeared into the night before the brunette even had a chance to say anything, left far too shell shocked to even begin to process your words. 

You were gone without a glance backward, and Alexia sunk down onto the bench you had once occupied as remorse purged every other feeling in her body.

[syluslnd]

Hooray!! Your request are open again 🎉🎉 I absolutely adore your works. It's a chef kiss 😩🤌

Anyway, my request is Sylus bought a cabin in the woods to surprise reader. Just for two things, first reader really needs a break because she's been working way too much. And two, Sylus wants to "make love" with her and to hear her scream.

(Go crazy on how you want to write it. Thank you! I hope you understand what I mean right 😉😉)

⁺‧₊˚ ཐི⋆♱⋆ཋྀ ˚₊‧⁺ ⁺‧₊˚ ཐི⋆♱⋆ཋྀ ˚₊‧⁺ ⁺‧₊˚ ཐི⋆♱⋆ཋྀ ˚₊‧⁺ ⁺‧₊˚ ཐི⋆♱⋆ཋྀ ˚₊‧⁺

The drive through the woods had been long but the moment you arrived, you understood why Sylus had kept this place a secret.

The house was beautiful-elegant yet secluded, nestled deep in the forest where no one else could reach. Tall windows framed the landscape, letting in the golden glow of the evening sun. Everything was silent except for the faint rustling of trees, the scent of pine and fresh air filling your lungs.

"Sylus this is... incredible" you murmured, stepping through the grand entrance. The floors gleamed under the soft lighting and everything about the interior screamed luxurious, carefully curated and undeniably intentional.

Sylus shut the door behind you, his presence unmistakable even before he spoke. "I knew you'd like it" he said, his voice smooth as he stepped closer. "A private getaway,just for us."

There was something in his tone— something knowing.

You didn't catch onto it at first, too mesmerized by the sheer elegance of the space. But then, your eyes caught something unexpected. Rose petals.

Scattered along the pristine floor, creating a path deeper into the house.

Your breath hitched slightly.

Sylus smirked, clearly noticing your reaction.

"Go on sweetie" he murmured, nudging you forward.

"Follow them."

Your heart pounded as you slowly walked down the petal-covered path, leading you toward what you now realized was a bedroom.

And that's when it clicked.

This wasn't just a getaway.

It was his plan all along.

The bedroom was breathtaking-grand, with a massive bed draped in silk sheets. But what truly made you pause were the other details— a blindfold resting on the pillows, delicate ropes placed neatly on the bedside table and a selection of items you couldn't even process all at once.

Your entire body flushed with heat.

"You planned this" you accused softly, your voice barely above a whisper.

Sylus finally stepped in behind you, his hands settling on your waist, his breath warm against your ear. "Of course I did" he said, his voice dripping with satisfaction.

"Did you really think I brought you all the way out here just for the scenery?"

You swallowed, heat curling in your stomach as he slowly turned you around to face him.

His crimson eyes held that unmistakable glint-the one that told you there was no escaping whatever he had in store.

"You're being quiet" Sylus teased, tilting his head as he studied your flustered expression. "Shy all of a sudden?"

You opened your mouth to protest but Sylus simply took control before you could even attempt to regain composure.

He took your chin between his fingers, tilting your face up to meet his intense gaze. "No need to act innocent now” he murmured.

"You know exactly what this is."

His other hand trailed down your arm, his fingertips brushing over your skin in a way that made you shiver.

"Sylus..." you started, your voice breathy, unsure whether you were trying to object or encourage him.

His smirk deepened. "That's not a no" he mused.

Before you could speak again, he lifted you effortlessly, carrying you toward the bed like you weighed nothing. Your heart pounded as he placed you down onto the silk sheets, his figure towering over you.

His hands moved with purpose-tracing down your arms, reaching for the soft ropes he had so meticulously prepared on the table next to the bed. "I think" he mused, his voice laced with amusement,

"that it's about time I show you just how much fun we're going to have in this little hideaway."

Your breath hitched as he reached for the blindfold, his touch slow and deliberate.

"Be good for me” he murmured, voice dark with promise.

And then, just like that, control slipped from your hands entirely.

The silk of the blindfold pressed against your skin, shrouding your world in darkness. Your breath came slow and uneven, heart hammering in anticipation as Sylus secured it in place.

Then—a click.

Something cold slipped around your wrist.

Metal.

You flinched slightly at the sensation, instinctively tugging but your movement was met with resistance.

Handcuffs.

A soft, breathy giggle escaped you—a nervous reaction you hadn't meant to let out.

Sylus chuckled darkly in response. "That was a cute sound” he mused. "Are you nervous already?"

You swallowed hard, unsure whether to answer. Not that it mattered. He already knew.

Your other wrist met the same fate—a second click, binding you completely. The cold bite of metal against your skin was a stark contrast to the heat pooling in your stomach.

Sylus took his time adjusting the cuffs, making sure they were snug but not painful.

Purposeful. Precise. He wanted you to feel every ounce of control he had over you.

"You trust me, don't you?" he murmured.

His tone was dangerous-not in a way that suggested harm, but in a way that warned you. You belonged to him now, and he was going to remind you of that in ways you couldn't yet fathom.

You nodded slowly.

His fingers trailed down your arm, the barest whisper of touch, leaving goosebumps in their wake. "Good” he praised, his voice smooth as silk. "Then don't fight me."

Your breath caught as the mattress dipped he was leaning over you now, his presence all-consuming.

Then-something else.

Something soft but sturdy brushed against your thigh. Fabric?

The sound of something unrolling reached your ears before you felt it.

Silk restraints.

A sharp inhale escaped you as he secured one to your ankle. His fingers grazed your skin, lingering longer than necessary, teasing, making sure you felt every moment of your surrender.

He took his time. Meticulous. Unhurried. In control.

"You're awfully quiet now" Sylus murmured, his voice filled with dark amusement.

"Where's that little attitude of yours?"

Your lips parted but before you could say a word, he did something unexpected.

A soft, cool sensation trailed across your collarbone, lower, lower

ice

you don’t know where he got it from,if it was his evol or if he had those specifically chilled and ready for you there,like it was his plan all along

everything perfectly calculated for you

A shiver wracked through your body as Sylus dragged the melting cube along your skin, tracing slow patterns, watching your every reaction. The contrast of cold against heat made you gasp, your back arching involuntarily.

He hummed in approval.

"You're too sensitive" he teased, his voice dripping with satisfaction. "I like that."

He let the ice melt a bit against your skin before pressing his lips to your collarbone , replacing the sting of cold with the warmth of his mouth.

You sucked in a sharp breath, bound, blindfolded and completely at his mercy only intensified everything

Sylus chuckled softly, fingers trailing dangerously close to where he knew you wanted his touch the most-but deliberately avoiding it.

"You're mine" he murmured, his voice dark with possession. "and I think it's about time you start understanding what that truly means."

And with that, the real torment began.

he placed the ice on your stomach

the ice was melting, sending thin rivulets of cold water down your skin, yet Sylus took his time. Dragging. Teasing. Lingering.

"You're shaking”he murmured, amusement thick in his voice. "Too cold? Or is this little girl just too sensitive?"

You didn't answer but your breath hitched as he traced the ice lower, skimming along your ribs. The contrast of frigid cold against your overheated skin made your entire body tense but you couldn’t move-not with his silk restraints keeping you exactly where he wanted you.

Sylus hummed in satisfaction. "So reactive” he mused. "You weren't this quiet earlier."

Your lips parted but before you could protest, he did something cruel.

The ice cube-nearly gone now-dragged over the softest part of your stomach,near your bellybutton making you jerk against the restraints.

A sharp inhale escaped you and Sylus laughed.

"Look at you" he mocked, shifting to brush his lips against your ear, his voice nothing but a dark whisper. "So helpless. So at my mercy."

Your pulse thundered beneath your skin.

Then, he did it again—a deliberate, icy stroke into your bellybutton, followed by the sudden, searing warmth of his tongue as he chased away the cold.

You whimpered, the combination almost unbearable.

"Poor thing" Sylus crooned, his voice dripping with fake sympathy. "Did that feel too good?"

You turned your head away, refusing to answer but that only made his smirk sharpen.

"Oh?" He chuckled, pressing a teasing kiss to the edge of your jaw. "You're trying to be defiant now? How adorable."

You felt his fingers skim along your side near your ribs, featherlight, teasing you without ever giving you what you truly craved.

"Don't pout” he murmured. "You should've known what would happen the moment you let me tie you up, sweetheart."

His hand drifted lower, fingertips just barely grazing the inside of your thigh before pulling away. You shivered-from the loss, from the anticipation, from the overwhelming awareness that he was in complete control.

"You want more, don't you?" Sylus whispered. "I can hear it in your breathing."

You swallowed hard, heart pounding in your ears.

His hand returned, this time squeezing your thigh firmly, his nails grazing your skin.

"Beg” he ordered, voice smooth but commanding. "Or l'll leave you here like this, desperate and untouched."

Your breath hitched—the threat wasn't empty.

Sylus never bluffed.

You knew that if you refused, he'd make good on his word and leave you aching, craving, unsatisfied.

'Please” you whispered, barely audible.

Sylus tilted his head. "That was pathetic" he drawled. "You can do better than that."

You clenched your jaw, heat rushing to your face.

Sylus smirked, leaning in until his lips brushed against your ear. "Beg. Properly."

Your stomach twisted in both humiliation and desire. He was enjoying this— stretching the moment, testing you, making you surrender inch by inch.

"Please, Sylus" you finally said, voice unsteady.

His fingers dug into your thigh, just enough to make you gasp.

"Good girl" he murmured, satisfaction lacing his tone. "Now let's see how much more you can take."

And with that, the ice drifted even lower.

Sylus held the last sliver of melting ice between his fingers, tilting his head as he watched you. Bound, blindfolded, completely at his mercy-just the way he liked you.

You shivered, not just from the cold but from the sheer anticipation.

"You're trembling” he mused, his tone dripping with satisfaction. "Are you scared?

Or just that sensitive?"

You bit your lip, refusing to answer.

Sylus chuckled darkly. "Still trying to act defiant? That's cute."

You gasped as he suddenly pressed the ice against your pussy, the shock of cold making you jerk against the restraints.

"Careful" he warned, his grip tightening around your leg, keeping you still. "Unless you want me to punish you for squirming."

The ice dragged upward, inch by torturous inch. Too slow. Too deliberate.

Too much.

Your breath hitched as he reached your clit, lingering there just to watch you squirm.

Sylus hummed in amusement. "You're shaking so much” he teased. "and I haven't even started."

He traced slow, agonizing circles with the ice, making sure the chill seeped into your skin, making you hyperaware of every movement.

Then-he pressed his lips directly on your clit,leaving slow warm kisses

The sudden warmth of his mouth contrasted sharply with the lingering cold, making you gasp.

Sylus chuckled against your pussy, his breath sending shivers down your spine.

"Poor thing" he mocked, nipping at your thigh. "I bet you don't even know whether to pull away or beg for more."

You whimpered, your body betraying you.

His free hand traced lazily over your other thigh, nails grazing just enough to make your breath catch.

"You're so responsive” he mused, almost to himself. "Every little touch, every little tease and you're already falling apart."

He pressed the last remnant of ice directly against your clit all while leaving slimy deliberate kisses on your inner thigh

Your whole body tensed, a choked gasp slipping past your lips.

Sylus smirked, watching you struggle. "You want me to stop?" he asked, a mockery of concern in his voice. "Or do you want more?"

You hesitated—a mistake.

Sylus clicked his tongue. "Ah. I see."

Before you could react, he pressed the ice even deeper this time,no longer harassing your clit but now sending shockwaves of cold to the inside of your warm vagina

The melting water dripped, sending chills through your already overstimulated nerves.

You jerked, instinctively trying to close your legs-but Sylus's iron grip stopped you.

"Ah, ah” he murmured, spreading you wider instead. "No running now, sweetheart."

You whimpered, your body betraying you again.

Sylus leaned in, lips grazing your ear. "You should know by now” he murmured, voice dark with amusement. "I don't stop until I'm satisfied."

[nameless-jamie]

AAAAA I ABSOLUTELY LOVED NICE GUY! I'M OBSESSED WITH JEALOUS JAMIE!!! Can you write one where PA's old client (or some new footballer whatever you prefer) tries to steal her and he and Jamie have it out on the pitch during a match? I'd love if the team teased him after since "he's not a jealous type" and PA tells him she wouldn't leave him to calm him? Thanksssss!

Red Card Part 2

Masterlist

Jamie Tartt x fem! PA reader

TW: cursing, suggestive scenes, angry Jamie

A/N: Hi, I'm so glad you liked A Nice Guy. You're idea fits so well with a ff I posted yesterday called Red Cards, about an angry Y/N, so I basically was obsessed with the idea of making this part two (They both finally realize they are in love with each other) It doesn't really fit with the OG Ted Lasso timeline but idc. I wrote this all through the night (in my timezone lol) hope you like it!!!!

Y/N had worked with a few big names before Jamie Tartt.

She’d been in this business long enough to handle all kinds of footballers—prima donnas, workaholics, egomaniacs. Some had been a nightmare to deal with. Some had been decent, if a little demanding. And then there was Jamie, who was all of the above and yet still her favorite.

He could be a pain in the ass, sure—stubborn, dramatic, ridiculously high-maintenance—but he was also loyal, hilarious in the most unintentional ways, and, despite all his posturing, genuinely cared about the people close to him.

So yeah, she’d had other clients before him. But there was no one like Jamie.

And she sure as hell wasn’t planning on working for anyone else ever again.

Apparently, Declan Rice, a former client of hers hadn’t gotten that memo.

They’d worked together briefly during his last season at West Ham, before he transferred to Arsenal. He’d been an alright client—organized, professional, a little too flirty at times but never crossed the line. It had been strictly business.

She hadn’t thought much about him since.

Until now.

She spotted him during warm-ups at Arsenal’s home stadium, the Emirates, standing near the center circle with his teammates, rolling his shoulders and stretching before the match. He looked the same as he had when she’d worked for him—tall, confident, the picture of professionalism with his neatly styled hair and focused expression. But when his eyes landed on her, something sharp flickered in them, and he abandoned his warm-up, striding over toward the Richmond dugout where she stood with Ted, Roy, and Beard.

Jamie was further down the touchline, stretching with the rest of the Richmond squad, blissfully unaware.

Declan stopped beside her, giving her a slow once-over, an easy smirk curling his lips. “Hi Y/N, you still working for Tartt, then?”

Y/N crossed her arms, instantly on guard. “That a problem, Declan?”

He hummed. “Not a problem. Just surprised.” He gestured toward the Richmond crest on her jacket. “Thought someone like you would’ve moved on to bigger things by now.”

Ted let out a low whistle, rocking back on his heels. “Oof. Boy’s got a death wish.”

Beard just grunted while Roy muttered something profane under his breath that sounded like 'Fucking idiot'.

Y/N narrowed her eyes. “I’m exactly where I want to be.”

Declan didn’t seem fazed by her sharp tone. If anything, his smirk deepened. “Fair enough. But if you ever do wanna make a change and maybe work for a good player…” He winked. “You know where to find me.”

That was when Jamie’s head snapped up.

He hadn’t been paying much attention before, too focused on his own pre-game rituals, but the moment Declan winked, Jamie’s entire body went rigid. His gaze flickered between them, jaw tightening, his usually relaxed expression darkening into something unreadable.

Roy smirked. “Havin’ fun over there, Tartt?”

Jamie scowled. “Piss off, Roy.”

Ted just chuckled a little uneasy.

Jamie shot Declan a glare but said nothing, turning abruptly and jogging onto the pitch.

Y/N sighed, rubbing her temples. “This is gonna be a long match.”

From the very first whistle, Jamie was not himself.

Jamie tried to be professional.

He really, really did.

Normally, he played with fluid confidence, always a step ahead, making quick, clever passes and effortlessly weaving through defenders. But tonight? He was aggressive.

Every movement was sharp, every tackle a fraction too hard, every sprint laced with frustration. And the reason why was obvious.

Declan was everywhere.

Shoving him during corners. Smirking when he won possession. Blocking his runs just enough to be irritating but not enough to get penalized. And worst of all—glancing toward the sidelines where Y/N stood every chance he fucking got, as if reminding Jamie exactly who had his attention before the game started.

Jamie gritted his teeth, jaw aching from how hard he was clenching it. Fine. If Declan wanted to play dirty, Jamie wouldn’t hold back.

He slammed into him harder than necessary while fighting for the ball, sending Declan stumbling.

The ref blew his whistle immediately.

“Tartt, easy!” the ref warned.

Jamie didn’t respond. He just glared at Declan, stepping in close enough that their shoulders brushed.

Declan smirked, voice low. “Touchy, mate.”

Jamie glared at Declan. “Stay the fuck away from her.”

Declan smirked. “Didn’t know you owned her, mate.”

Jamie shoved him.

The ref immediately pulled out a yellow card.

Roy was already shouting from the sidelines. “Fucking hell, Jamie!”

Ted sighed. “Yeah, saw that one coming.”

Y/N closed her eyes, exhaling slowly. “Oh, for fuck’s sake.”

Jamie knew he had to keep his cool. One more reckless move, and he’d be off. But then—Declan took it too far.

It happened in the 78th minute.

Richmond was down 2-1. They had a free kick just outside the box, a perfect opportunity to equalize. Jamie stepped up to take it, rolling his shoulders, focusing. He needed to block everything else out.

“Dunno what she sees in you, mate. Could give her a better offer, yeah?" Declan tried to rile Jamie up.

Jamie was good at ignoring his antics... at first.

And then—just as he was about to position himself—Declan leaned in, voice just loud enough for Jamie to hear:

"You know, she was the best assistant I ever had. Kept me real satisfied.”

Jamie’s blood froze.

Declan smirked. “Might have to steal her back. Think I’d enjoy breaking her in all over again.”

Jamie snapped.

There was no thought. No hesitation. Just pure, burning rage.

He swung his leg—not at the ball, but at Declan’s ankle.

Declan went crashing down, clutching his leg, rolling like he’d been shot.

The whistle shrieked.

The ref stormed over, fury in his eyes.

“TARTT—OFF!”

The red card flashed in the air.

The Richmond fans groaned in unison.

Jamie barely registered it, still seeing red. His breathing was ragged, chest heaving, his entire body wound so tight it felt like he might explode.

Declan, still on the ground, looked up at him with a satisfied smirk, while another Arsenal player pushed Jamie towards the exit saying “Real mature, mate.”.

Jamie didn’t even care, he didn’t even argue. Just shot Declan a venomous glare as he stomped off.

The moment Jamie reached the sidelines, Roy exploded.

“WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT?!”

Ted sighed. “Well, that’s unfortunate.”

Beard just shook his head.

Y/N stood there, arms crossed. “Seriously, Jamie?”

Jamie exhaled sharply. “He was chatin’ shit.”

Y/N’s eyes narrowed. “And that was worth getting sent off for?”

Jamie scowled. “Maybe.”

Her expression softened slightly. “What did he even say?”

Jamie hesitated. His fingers twitched at his sides. “Nothin’.”

She knew that wasn’t true. But she also knew Jamie, knew that whatever Declan had said had gotten under his skin badly.

Y/N exhaled. “We were losing. We needed you.”

Jamie hesitated. “Yeah, but—”

“No buts,” she shot back. “You let him get in your head.”

Jamie scowled. “Did not.”

Y/N just looked at him.

Later, when the match was over and the team was back in the locker room, the teasing began.

Richmond still managed to equalize in the final minutes, saving the match.

But Jamie’s red card? That was all the team wanted to talk about.

“Not jealous, huh Jamie?” Sam grinned.

“Proper alpha male moment,” Isaac added.

Colin smirked. “Never seen you so territorial, mate.”

Jamie groaned. “Piss off.”

Ted just patted his shoulder. “Jealousy’s a hell of a drug, son.”

Jamie grumbled under his breath before heading toward the physio room, where Y/N was waiting.

She turned when he entered, arms crossed. “You know you’re an idiot, right?”

Jamie sighed, rubbing his face. “Yeah, yeah.”

Y/N softened. “Why’d you let him get to you?”

Jamie hesitated. “…Dunno.”

She stepped closer, placing a hand on his arm. “Jamie.”

He exhaled. “Just—don’t like the idea of someone takin’ you away, yeah?”

Y/N blinked.

Then—softly, with a teasing smile she said. “You do realize I’m not a football transfer, right?”

Jamie rolled his eyes. “Obviously.”

She smirked. “So you don’t own me?”

Jamie groaned. “Fucking hell.”

Y/N laughed. “Fuck, you really are an idiot.”

Jamie leaned in, his lips brushing her ear. “Yeah, but I’m your idiot boss, so watch out.”

She flushed. “Shut up.”

He smirked. “Make me.”

She rolled her eyes. “You wish... Still not jealous, though?”

Jamie groaned again, dragging a hand down his face. “Well, now I hate you.”

She grinned. “No, you don’t.”

Jamie just pulled her closer into a tight hug.

Maybe he was the jealous type.

And maybe—just maybe—he didn’t mind, because he loves her...

[nightbeforethend]

how would each member of xdinary heroes react when you pick them up from a bar/restaurant and their drunk asf.

I imagine hanjun being quiet and reserved about pda sober but a drop of alcohol in him he becomes a koala, clinging to you and just giggling away

☆*･ﾟdrunk // xdinary heroes ﾟ･*☆

a/n: thank you for this request! I truly had way too much fun working on it and I hope you enjoy anon!

warning(s): drinking/drunk behaviors

want to request something? check this out

(`·.¸¸.·´`·.¸¸.-> gunil <-.¸¸.·´`·.¸¸.·´)

*ೃ༄ absolutely shocked by the baddie he managed to pull by being a dork and having a funny laugh all the time but especially when he’s drunk

*ೃ༄ knows you’re coming to meet him and the guys at a restaurant after you leave another outing but he’s still stunned into silence when you walk in

*ೃ༄ granted he’s drunk out of his mind but still

*ೃ༄ the type to say some shit like “that’s mine right there” with a cocky smile on his face when he sees you walk into the restaurant like his red cheeks and ears aren’t giving away that he’s flustered and absolutely blasted

*ೃ༄ realizes once you don’t take the seat next to him that you’re there to pick him up now instead of hanging out

*ೃ༄ insists he’s fine just to convince you to stay when he knows damn well that he’s a drink and a half away from yacking all over the table

*ೃ༄ a bit stubborn just because he likes you babying him more than he’s willing to admit when he’s sober but it doesn’t take too much convincing to get him out of his seat and to your car

*ೃ༄ (silently a bit upset that jungsu and o.de carry him there for you like he doesn’t go to the gym almsot everyday. truly expects you to give him a piggy back ride like he doesn’t have one of the craziest sleeper builds known to man, god bless)

*ೃ༄ 9/10 experience overall

*ೃ༄ a pretty easy experience regardless of him yapping just to yap the entire way home

*ೃ༄ 7.5/10 depending on whether or not you having to stop the car a couple times so he could indeed yack on the side of the rode would get on your nerves or not

(`·.¸¸.·´`·.¸¸.-> jungsu <-.¸¸.·´`·.¸¸.·´)

*ೃ༄ I truly don’t think that he’d be that bad

*ೃ༄ like at all

*ೃ༄ maybe a giggly drunk, red as hell from drinking entirely too much but he doesn’t give difficult drunk energy

*ೃ༄ except for the stubbornness that could come with it

*ೃ༄ my first thought is that one picture of jeonghan from seventeen having to get on his knees and beg dino to get in the taxi so they could get his drunk ass home

*ೃ༄ literally this

*ೃ༄ like he’s perfectly fine with leaving with you and he doesn’t even have a problem leaving the guys and following you to your car but the moment you go to open the passenger door for him his mouth falls open in shock because how dare you open the door for him when he can do it himself??

*ೃ༄ it’s enough to make him refuse to get in the car which is crazy because up until this point he’d been acting so normal that you thought the guys might’ve been joking about how much he had to drink

*ೃ༄ the easy solution should’ve been you closing the door and him opening it himself but of course it’s not that easy

*ೃ༄ you close the door? He opens it again. You try to guide him inside? Now he’s a statue. You threaten to leave him there? Suddenly, he’s a lawyer with a five-minute argument on why that would be a human rights violation

*ೃ༄ has the most crazy pout you’ve ever seen on his face when you finally get him in the car because he thinks you’re “manhandling” him (you barely even touched him, he just low key doesn’t even know how his own legs got him outside at this point, better yet how you got him in the car)

*ೃ༄ actually sits in silence for a solid three minutes after you start driving, only to suddenly hit you with a quiet “I could’ve driven” followed by the nastiest side eye you’ve ever seen from him

*ೃ༄ absolutely will not let go of your hand on the way home though because he’s not about to lose out on a little physical affection even in the midst of his little drunk attitude

*ೃ༄ 6/10 experience because why the hell do you have to fight him from the time you picked him up to the time you got him in bed??

*ೃ༄ quickly becomes a 8.2/10 the next morning because he makes you breakfast and coffee the next morning despite his hangover simply because he feels bad

(`·.¸¸.·´`·.¸¸.-> gaon/jiseok <-.¸¸.·´`·.¸¸.·´)

*ೃ༄ huge believer in him being such a normal drunk human being. Like he’s still mostly sweet and harmless, but suddenly his fight-or-flight kicks in at the worst possible times

*ೃ༄ because when you show up to take him home, he does NOT recognize you

*ೃ༄ like at all

*ೃ༄ he’s squinting, tilting his head, looking you up and down like you’re some stranger trying to seduce him away from his very real, very loving partner (who is literally you even though he won’t believe you or anyone else trying to convince him of the fact)

*ೃ༄ keeps repeating “sorry, I’m in a relationship” in the nicest way possible because he doesn’t wanna hurt anyone’s feelings but the fact that someone that could be your doppelgänger is trying to take him home is freaking him out so bad

*ೃ༄ you think he’s joking until he’s literally running away from you every time you physically try to get him to leave

*ೃ༄ why he thinks his loyalty is being tested is beyond you but having to chase this grown man through a crowded bar has you about ready to tell security that he’s causing a scene just to have someone else easily drag him outside

*ೃ༄ "Jiseok, get in the car!"

*ೃ༄ "I told you I’m in a relationship you freak” is his only response at this point and he means that shit

*ೃ༄ something finally clicks in his brain and makes him call you for some kind of help since his equally drunk friends weren’t helping and he’s beyond flabbergasted when he hears your phone start to ring in your purse

*ೃ༄ cue the slowest realization in human history

*ೃ༄ you can literally see the cogs in his brain starting back up

*ೃ༄ “Ohhh... that’s why you’re so pretty...”

*ೃ༄ absolutely devastated by his own actions immediately after

ೃ༄ like the 180 he pulls when he finally gets into the car and pouts the whole way home actually needs to be studied

*ೃ༄ 5/10 experience overall, only because of the chase

*ೃ༄ 7.5/10 if you found it funny

*ೃ༄ 9/10 if you got it on video to use against him later

(`·.¸¸.·´`·.¸¸.-> o.de/seungmin <-.¸¸.·´`·.¸¸.·´)

*ೃ༄ down atrociously bad for you in a very visual way while he’s sober just to act like the shyest, most love struck teenager that’s ever existed the moment he gets a drop of alcohol in him

*ೃ༄ like on a normal bases he’s not afraid to leave kisses all over your face as he’s calling you the love of his life in fifty different ways whether people are around or not

*ೃ༄ but the moment you approach him at the bar he’s avoiding eye contact like he barely knows you

*ೃ༄ crazy work for someone who called you himself three separate times to ask you to pick him up because he wanted to, in his own words, “cuddle you until you both became a single being like you’re two crystal gems in Steven Universe” but alas

*ೃ༄ he truly can’t bring himself to even hold your hand for longer than a few seconds at a time when you try to pull him out of the building and to your car

*ೃ༄ he’s redder than you’ve ever seen him because for some reason the alcohol has made him hyper aware to being perceived by others; especially the friends he’s been smooching you in front of way too much now for him to be this embarrassed

*ೃ༄ can stumble his way to your car on his own and literally doesn’t say a word until you’re both inside and he feels like you’re alone

*ೃ༄ literally sighs like he’s been holding in the world’s biggest secret as you pull away from the bar, immediately trying to bury his face in your neckline you stop at a light

*ೃ༄ “I didn’t think I’d ever be able to finally touch you… so many people around… do you think they noticed we’re a thing?

*ೃ༄ “you mean the friends you’ve kissed me on the mouth in front of on several occasions?? I think they know”

*ೃ༄ clings onto you like a koala bear the whole rest of the way home like he’s making up for the few minutes that he wasn’t all over you

*ೃ༄ 9.5/10 experience simply because witnessing what he’d be like if he ever cared about being perceived is extremely cute

*ೃ༄ half a point off because the energy he brings to the table while being uncharacteristically shy is a bit alarming

(`·.¸¸.·´`·.¸¸.-> junhan/hyeongjun <-.¸¸.·´`·.¸¸.·´)

*ೃ༄ The liquid courage that would run through this man after a night out needs to be studied

*ೃ༄ He gives the same drunk energy as me I fear (can drink like 5 cocktails, 6 shots, and two beers and there’s no personality difference outside of being extremely affectionate)

*ೃ༄ Like he’s fine, everything’s fine, he’s drunk as hell but he’s not a runner or an intoxicated mess so he’s truly just chilling when he suddenly remembers he has a partner that he NEEDS to be touching right now or he might die

*ೃ༄ and while he doesn’t look as fucked up as he is on the outside, he’s cancelling the uber he got to take him home and calling you to ask you to join them

*ೃ༄ you think he’s joking until gunil calls you to tell you that he’s indeed planted himself on the ground outside the club, sitting criss cross applesauce, waiting for you to get there

*ೃ༄ like he’s not even making a fuss or saying anything crazy

*ೃ༄ he just refuses to leave until he gets a kiss from you (you literally live together but alcohol will fuck up his logic and reasoning every time)

*ೃ༄ when you show up to pick him up he’s literally all over you before you can even speak

*ೃ༄ I’m talking arms wrapped around you so tight you can barely breathe, kissing every inch of your face he can reach, lifting you off your feet just so he can spin you around type of touchy

*ೃ༄ not only does it spook the guys (who have never EVER seen him be this touchy with anyone) but also you, who had gotten used to never EVER doing more than holding hands in public

*ೃ༄ very willing to get in the car and go home after he’s gotten what he wanted

*ೃ༄ 8.8/10 experience only because you now have to deal with his homies making kissing noises at the two of you whenever they see you

(`·.¸¸.·´`·.¸¸.-> jooyeon <-.¸¸.·´`·.¸¸.·´)

*ೃ༄ I fear he’s a runner

*ೃ༄ like the type to disappear, reappear while talking, reappear across the bar, and then by time you get to him he’s gone again

*ೃ༄ although he can’t sit still to save his life he’s surprisingly quiet

*ೃ༄ so you’re not shocked at all when you show up to the bar and spot Jooyeon alone on the patio with whatever pretty drink the bartender suggested and none of the other guys in sight

*ೃ༄ spots you coming and his eyes light up like he didn’t just see you right before he left earlier to go to the bar

*ೃ༄ not a drunk man of many words (surprisingly, considering that he’s one of the biggest sober yappers you know)

*ೃ༄ “took you long enough to get here” headass

*ೃ༄ literally chugs the rest of his drink, throws his arms around you, and you’re now stuck with him clinging onto you for the rest of the night

*ೃ༄ the yapping might go away temporarily but I fear the clinginess is forever

*ೃ༄ the actual pickup itself isn’t the hard part whatsoever once you get him to situate himself in one place

*ೃ༄ it’s after the car ride you’re concerned about, and rightfully so

*ೃ༄ 5.5/10 experience ONLY BECAUSE although I don’t see him being an insane drunk, he’d fall asleep the moment he heard the hum of the engine but now you have over a hundred pounds of dead weight to get upstairs to your apartment once you get home

[postcardsfromheapside]

So I finished my DA2 replay, and I had wondered if I would feel differently after taking my time with it, and with the perspective of Veilguard. And yes, in small ways I do, but about the series and about Anders, I don't. That is to say: I think Veilguard is a fucking fantastic capper to the series (I mean, pray there is more, "hope for the best, expect the worst" as the Mel Brooks song goes), and Anders is relatably angry, even if the "betrayal" is frustrating and heart-breaking.

Also, there's just too much Dragon Age just the same way there's too much Tolkien, it's just that I can relisten to Tolkien via audiobook while I work and don't have time to constantly replay Dragon Age to absorb every little detail that my broken brain forgets (and I'm pretty good with lore) and I wish parts of this fandom were more curious than scathing about things they've obviously forgotten. Or skipped through, according to some of them, because I guess the context of dialogue and a cut scene isn't necessary for some of them to weigh in on things.

Word vomit of notes below the break:

First of all.

Can these two just fuck already. Watching Cassandra go from throwing him around to absolutely ENTHRALLED by Varric's complete bullshit is just going to make it so much better when I hit the "Guilty Pleasures" quest again in DA:I. This woman is SEDUCED by his story-telling, and you *cannot* convince me he wasn't gagging on his power trip.

Second.

I never played Mark of the Assassin before, and had completely forgotten Felicia Day was in DA2, and laughed like hell. I really enjoyed it. I haven't really used a stealth option in a game since leaving Skyrim for other stuff (do we ever really leave Skyrim?) and it was really fun, but I think the wyvern at the end of the DLC was actually the best fight in the entire game, even more than Corypheus. It hinted at the dragon battles to come in Veilguard. Also, I loved how Anders' dialogue got more relaxed outside of Kirkwall, like shedding the city let him loosen up. The back and forth with Hawke about his fantasy for being rescued was completely unhinged - after I accused Hawke of being feral and lacking social graces, I've decided the two of them match each other's freak and they're fine.

Third.

All the people who were losing their minds about the line "A crow never abandons a contract" and acting like the devs forgot Zevran.

He literally addresses it in the game. I keep having these moments where shit that people bitched about regarding Veilguard is addressed right *there.*

"The crows do like saying that, but I am living proof it's a lie."

No one actually forgot, but I'm sure the Dellamorte's wish to the Maker a motherfucker could.

When people complain the writing in Veilguard is too modern, I'm going to remember Hawke complaining exactly like this. She sounds like I do when I'm side-eyeing my friends in the year of our Maker 2025.

Fourth.

I had planned on romancing Blackwall this DA:I run, finally, because I'm a little obsessed with this Warden throughline from Anders to Blackwall to Davrin. From a cage, to hope/redemption, to a more meaningful path of positive change and impact.

They both haunt Veilguard's narrative and dialogue.

And then of course:

hrm.

Fifth.

I do hope we get another DA. Or supplementary material. Because I want to know what the fuck is going on with this story I had forgotten the details of, especially with the decision regarding the Nadas Dirthalen.

These two fucking idiots. I can't believe in different lives I've schtupped them both. (I can absolutely believe it)

Sixth.

The worst part of Meredith is she sounds like conservative family members of mine. 'Better to punish the innocent than risk even one guilty person go free', rather than the opposite. To them it sounds so reasonable. To us, it's abhorrent to punish everyone else for other people's crimes.

I couldn't bring myself to feel betrayed by Anders, even though I tried to play my Hawke as I think she would have felt: betrayed by the secret-keeping, if nothing else. The shock and hurt at the innocent lives. But it's hard not to feel an understanding when I sit here in a political situation with - maybe not less fraught, but at least less fantastical - implications and certainly still feel like violence is inevitable and we are way past the point of compromise and words.

Anyway.

This dwarf.

[dreamsy990]

heres my designs for all the important gods (I FORGOT HEPHAESTUS SORRY) in epic

thoughts/explanations behind the designs + sketches under the cut

general notes: my biggest headcanon for the gods designs is that they can be just about anything because they (within some limits) choose how they appear. so a god can look like just about anything, but its almost always mostly human. the only real rules to that i think are that 1) their design should usually try to incorporate their main symbols/domain in some way (in some way allows for a lot of range though, so athena for example is very much a bird creature since shes very associated with owls, but aphrodite has just some roses and shells in her hair, and 2) things like scars and such cant be hidden. this rule mostly only matters for athena. i realize i incorporated gold into almost all of their designs but that wasnt intentional lol. anyways let meee talk about the specific gods now. also for fun, no god has normal eyes. theyre either shadowed out entirely, weird shapes, or have no pupils. or all three! i think weird eyes is what distinguishes a god in my designs. i havent done this in my circe or calypso designs but since theyre not quite gods but adjacent i might give them similarly weird eye shapes but also pupils. idk we'll see!

aeolus: so my aeolus design is originally from a sketch i did in class. i was trying to draw telemachus with long hair based on a friends fic and then i was like "oh this looks like how i imagine aeolus would" and the next thing i drew is pretty much Just this final design. i drew aeolus very loosely, he has a clear shape but he should never be fully defined if that makes sense? so when coloring it i decided fuck it he looks like a weird mass of clouds now. its fun! i might change that but idk. also its subtly trans colors because i believe in transmasc aeolus supremacy. i imagine him moving around very freely and seeming to appear and disappear out of nowhere

apollo: so i think apollo is actually the oldest design here? which is to say that i drew apollo ONCE in my sketchbook at the start of my epic hyperfixation and got really into this specific design. i sort of wanted to color him similarly to uh, if you know ginjaninja their design for their oc kynthia? but i ended up going with more just white and gold to keep it simple. i LOVE tiny color palettes lol. the original outfit i believeee was inspired by gigi's hermes actually? but i havent looked at that design in a while so its probably changed. he has a halo that originally looked more like the sun but ive simplified it a bit. why? its cool. also i mightve stolen that from somebody else but i literally CANNOT remember. anyways one fact about this design is that the first time i drew it i labelled it WHORE. you can see i did that in the sketch here too. in his honor.

hermes: little freak guy!! theres honestly not THAT much to say here about hermes. i drew him with a little messenger bag once and i cant NOT draw him with it now i think its cute. i draw odysseus, ctimene, and telemachus all with a gaptooth, and i've never drawn anticlea but i've had the conscious thought that id give it to her too, so fuck it! hermes gets it. it comes from him. the family gaptooth is from him i hope youre happy hermes erfgfrefgfr. color scheme wise i wanted to keep it mostly simple again, i always pictured hermes with silver/white hair for some reason idk why but thats here! and he has rainbow. because is it even hermes without rainbow. i might darken this palette a bit but i am pretty happy with him.

athena: so my athena design ive drawn a ton and shes changed a lot over time. i didnt originally want her to look tooooo birdlike? and then i committed to owlthena because its just FUN man. anyways her silhouette is meant to look very closed off, her "cloak" covers most of her body, just generally shes supposed to seem sort of unapproachable. (note: hes not here but i do this with odysseus too! both because i wanted a similar kind of closed off look for him, and that i wanted him and athena to have visual parallels). her cloak is actually just her wings though! i doodled them unfolded so you can see her without them, as well as without her helmet. her helmet covers one of her eyes with a shadow (again to make her look like shes sort of hiding something), which was a design choice i made BEFORE we found out she lost an eye to zeus, so! coincidentally its good for hiding that scar :]. i doodled her with long black hair ONE WHOLE TIME and its stuck in my mind since so i have to keep that design element forever now. sorry official brunette athena youre not real to me. her color scheme was a STRUGGLE for me though. i knew i wanted to fit blue in there somewhere, but i wasnt really sure how? i eventually caved and made her mostly black and silver with a bit of blue in there. the blue and black gives more magpie energy to her than owl, but i dont know, i like it. i might mess with it more, but yeah! athena! shes really fun to draw lol. i imagine shed be animated in a very constrained sort of way most of the time like her design sort of implies. she doesnt really make big gestures or unnecessary movements she would be sort of uncanny in how still she is most of the time i think.

aries: ive had an aries design for a while so i was basically just finalizing it here. he was supposed to look both very similar to athena and very opposite of her. so they have nearly identical outfits, they both have a helmet shadowing their eyes (but it shadows both of aries' here), theyve both got a lot of animal features (although aries is less visible here, he's a bit dog inspired. you can see his tail eheh), etc. the main difference is that aries is meant to look a lot less, for lack of a better word restrained? his scarf (because its really more of a scarf than a cloak like athena has) only covers part of his face and absolutely none of his body, so it think it gives him a look more like hes ready to fight at any second than athena. i also wanted him to look very scarred/like his armor is scratched up. he and athena are both war gods, but aries is much more likely to throw himself into things and get hurt, while athena plans things in such a way where shes almost never actually hit. brute force vs strategy and whatnot. i sort of wish id made his scars golden too, to look a bit more like athena though. originally the black was red, but it looked really bad, which SUCKS because i wanted the red to contrast with athenas blue. but he just has red eyes here.

aphrodite: very little thought behind this one because my first sketch of her was like two days ago and very inspired by gigis. i sort of wanted her to look doll-like and have a cupids bow lip, but otherwise i got NOTHING girl. shes got pearls and shells in her hair to allude to her connection with the sea though. also roses because i wanted to put in one more symbol and that was a nice way to get a bit more red in there.

hera: im the least happy with this design, almost entirely because of the coloring. i sketched it being more purple, but then i realized that 1) peacocks are a lot more green and 2) IM STEALING FROM JUNE AGAIN!!! THATS HOW JUNE DREW THEIR OC IN A MIRACULOUS AU GODDAMNIT. so the colors are traditional peacock and im NOT happy with them at all. the design is also still basically stolen from june once again i am SO sorry their work is just so integrated into my mind that its a part of me now i do it without thinking. very little notes here otherwise unfortunately,,,,

zeus: weirdly enough i think this is my favorite design? which is WILD because i basically thought of it on the spot like two or three days ago for a shitpost based on a silly manwhore au-adjacent fic i read. the design over all is inspired by neal's? but honestly i think ive done my own thing with it a bit. i didnt really want to do clouds in his hair because id associated that with aeolus in my head, but then i thought of it fading into a dark grey like stormclouds, and having his scarf like lightning? and then he appeared fully formed in front of me. bro is BARELY dressed dude put a shirt on. also his eyebrows are cloud shaped like ursaluna. i fucking hate this dude but im happy with this design

poseidon: OKAY SO POSEIDON IS THE MOST OUT THERE DESIGN HERE I THINK. hes definitely the most inhuman looking one despite us having literally a bird right there, but that was somewhat intentional? and also somewhat because i had a very clear vision of him and needed to make it real exactly as i first thought sorry. anyways, for some characterization, i think with my idea of the gods choosing their appearances and poseidon being a lot more monstrous, you could say he CHOOSES to look unnerving. side note, this is very personal to me but i really like the idea of athena looking more like poseidon than any of her other family. i dont know WHY i just got really attached to that idea. so they have the same hair and somewhat similar faces i think. the resemblance isnt major but it is THERE for sure.

and thaaaats all the gods! i hope you like them :] im going to go review for a test i have tomorrow now

[rik0shii]

https://www.tumblr.com/rik0shii/774931160699682816/gdragon-with-a-bubblyreader-whos-always-so?source=share

could you make T.O.P version of this fic?? cause it's so cute!!!!

Stage Partners in Crime

Pairing: T.O.P x Reader

Genre: Fluff, Humor, Slow Burn

At the YG Family Concert, T.O.P surprised everyone by matching your chaotic energy, playfully copying your antics on stage. Fans quickly took notice, turning your interactions into viral edits. Later, on a variety show, Seunghyun teased that this was just the beginning.

hii tysm for requesting!! i hope you like this! reposts and comments are appreciated!

The YG Family Concert was always an unforgettable experience, bringing together some of the biggest artists in the company for a night of performances, collaborations, and spontaneous fun. Every year, fans expected iconic moments—but this time, they weren’t just focused on the performances. Instead, their attention was glued to something entirely unexpected: the chaotic energy between you and T.O.P.

You had always been known for your bubbly, energetic personality, constantly bouncing around backstage and hyping up the crowd with your endless enthusiasm. Meanwhile, Seunghyun carried a reputation for being calm and composed, exuding effortless coolness in every situation.

At least, that’s how he appeared to most people.

Those who truly knew him—his friends, his members—understood that beneath the polished, almost mysterious persona, Seunghyun could be downright ridiculous when he was around the right people. And tonight, for whatever reason, it seemed like you had unknowingly unlocked that version of him.

The first hint of mischief came early in the night.

During the opening introductions, each artist stepped forward one by one to greet the audience. You, of course, couldn’t resist making a spectacle of it. When it was your turn, you threw out your arms dramatically, taking an exaggerated bow as if you were accepting an award, your voice dripping with theatrical flair.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you… Y/N! The most incredible performer you will ever witness in your lifetime!”

The audience burst into laughter, but the biggest reaction came when Seunghyun—standing right next to you—wordlessly copied your pose, bowing in the exact same ridiculous fashion with an unreadable expression.

The crowd went wild.

You whipped your head toward him, eyes wide in amusement. “Seunghyun, what was that?!”

Straightening up, he adjusted his mic, completely deadpan. “I thought we were being theatrical.”

That was the moment you knew—you had found a partner in crime for the night.

At first, it seemed like that was just a one-time thing. But as the night continued, you realized Seunghyun was going to keep messing with you every chance he got.

During one of the collaborative performances, you were standing at the side of the stage, dancing along to BIGBANG’s song like the enthusiastic hype person you were. You didn’t think much of it—until, out of the corner of your eye, you noticed Seunghyun had moved beside you.

And he was mirroring every single move you made.

At first, it was subtle. You threw in an exaggerated two-step—he did the exact same thing, completely straight-faced. You raised your arms dramatically—he followed suit, not even cracking a smile.

Then you decided to test him.

You spun dramatically. He spun dramatically.

You threw in a completely unnecessary body roll. He did the same—except he somehow made it look even funnier.

At this point, the cameras had caught onto your antics, and the audience was losing it. Even some of the other artists on stage were laughing mid-performance.

Then you took it too far.

You attempted a half-baked moonwalk—your feet stumbling slightly—and Seunghyun did the exact same terrible moonwalk right beside you.

That was it. The crowd exploded in laughter. You could barely breathe as you bent over, gripping Seunghyun’s arm for support. Meanwhile, he casually took a sip of water, completely unbothered, as if he hadn’t just made thousands of people cry-laugh.

“You’re the worst,” you managed between gasps of laughter.

He shrugged. “I’m just good at following choreography.”

By the next morning, the internet was in chaos.

• Clips of your synchronized ridiculousness had already gone viral, with multiple fan edits labeling you two as “Seunghyun’s secret second job: Y/N’s backup dancer.”

• Screenshots of Seunghyun copying your bow had become a meme, with captions like “When your friend is just as dramatic as you.”

• A trending hashtag started gaining traction: #YNxTOPDynamicDuo

But the teasing didn’t stop there.

A few days later, you appeared on a popular variety show, where the hosts wasted no time bringing up the concert.

“Y/N, let’s talk about your… interesting dynamic with T.O.P during YG Family,” one of them said with a smirk. “That was unexpected.”

You laughed, already knowing where this was going. “Tell me about it! I thought I was just being my usual weird self, and then suddenly, Seunghyun joined in. I had no idea he was that competitive!”

The hosts chuckled. “Do you think you bring out a different side of him?”

“I don’t know if it’s that,” you said thoughtfully, tilting your head. “But I do know that if I start something, he will always take it to another level.”

Right on cue, the screen lit up with a pre-recorded message from Seunghyun.

He was sitting in what looked like his living room, his signature blank expression in place. “I have no idea what Y/N is talking about.”

The studio erupted in laughter.

Then, after a long pause, the corners of his mouth twitched upward into a barely-there smirk.

“…They should prepare for next time. I have an entire routine planned.”

The hosts and guests lost it, and you could only shake your head, laughing.

“I have to watch my back now,” you joked.

But deep down, you already knew—this wasn’t the last time you and Seunghyun would turn a performance into a full-fledged comedy show.

[kittynugg]

i wrote some more stangst. forgst, if you will

prev stangst

words: 1,737 (see what i did there.)

p.s: reblogs are appreciated, and do not tag as ship. all interactions are platonic. also this one is gonna be a lot worse than the last one i speedran it im so so sorry i'll probably revisit this later

Ford glanced down to the dimensional translator on his wrist. Gifted to him by a group of refugees before he escaped the nightmare realm, it was.. Something. He was still figuring out half of the features, but he’d deduced that it worked as a translator, watch (counting the days since it happened was fun. Thirty-two days), and a wallet holding a currency called “credits”. Luckily for him, all the places he’d been to seemed to take them.

The entire multiverse had a universal currency except for Home. He’d be damned.

In front of him stood a large, futuristic building with a holographic sign that read, “HUMAN HOTEL”. With smaller text saying, “The authentic Earth experience!” Ford doubted that. Regardless, it was the first hotel he’d seen that didn’t look.. bad. But with all good things came caveats. Because the hotel was not bad, he could not afford it.

Did he want food, or shelter?

He looked up at the sky, stars and distant dimensions twinkling above him in a display that was beautiful for the first few days he’d spent in this hellscape, and sighed. It wasn’t beautiful anymore. He missed when it was beautiful.

It’d been a while since he’d slept. Running on empty like this was a horrible idea.

Food for that day had been taken care of– he ate at a restaurant just down the street (well, he’d heard people call them “systems”, but he stuck to calling them streets for familiarity). But if he spent money on a hotel he wouldn’t eat later. But if he spent money on food he’d have to either stay awake even longer than he already had or find somewhere else to sleep. Somewhere he’d be much more vulnerable than a hotel room.

..Maybe he just wanted to sleep in a bed. Fine. Fine! He’d admit! It’d been a while!

Look at him. He had an education and he was trying to decide between sleeping or eating. It just felt like “bad or worse”! This was.. Frankly, this was bullshit. What did he do to deserve this!? 

…

He didn’t get it. 

A deep breath was taken, and he steeled himself. With every problem came a solution. And he was going to find it. 

Ideas already ran through his mind– what if he.. Tried to charm the receptionist?

He walked up to the receptionist with a completely blank expression. “I like your face hole!” chirped Ford in a too-loud voice, and the receptionist screamed and clocked him in the head with a tape dispenser.

Right, he was terrible with people. 

Perhaps he could break in.

Ford cackled maniacally as he pushed down the plunger of a comically-large detonator, and the wall blew up in a spray of debris. About five seconds later the police showed up and he had a different place to stay the night– wherever they took criminals in the multiverse.

No, and why was that fantasy so cartoonish?

As he denied several more plans, he decided that nothing would work. Then he’d just.. Go a little longer without sleep, that was fine. That was great, even! So great that he didn’t want to look at that sign anymore, or the building!

Two.. people? Walked past him, and a snippet of their conversation registered in his mind. “Yeah, so, I’m just gonna say it. I was totally lying.” “Ooh, you are just a bitch!”

Curiosity about whatever drama they were in aside, maybe lying wasn’t a bad idea.. Yes! That was it! But what lie to tell? His eyes darted around.

There was no sign of a real human in the area, he noted as he side-eyed an m-shaped person walking past. Hopefully he never found what dimension that was from. No humans in a place made to be human like. That was exploitable. 

Like second nature (he assumed it was all the liars in his family) he spun what he could only hope was a believable story, took a breath, put on his “social interaction” face, and walked up to the entrance. He fixed his coat and smoothed out his hair.

“You gotta look like you belong,” he remembered him saying in high school. The day he shoplifted beer from a gas station. “Nobody’ll give you shit if you ARE the shit, y’see?”

Maybe he could do something good for once instead of ruining Ford’s life. Again. 

Ford pushed the door open with that idle smile he trained himself to keep on around people, looking around the room. It looked.. Just like a hotel back on Earth, he noted in spite of the striking appearance it had outside, adjusting his translator until the person at the desk made sense.

“Khoor, zho- pbzr gb gur- human hotel! How can I help you?” They leaned against the counter, a nametag pinned to their shirt reading.. Symbols he didn’t care to translate at the moment. 

In spite of his exhaustion, he greeted them with a small wave. “Hello! I was sent from Earth to judge the validity of this establishment’s claims.” He did air-quotes with his fingers (nobody seemed to mind that he had six) as he recited, “‘The authentic Earth experience’-- we have laws against false advertising.”

The receptionist blinked all four eyes at him, then narrowed them with concern. “Oh.. I see.” They nodded, a three-fingered hand raising to scratch at their chin. 

“It seems to me like the lobby is very authentic, but I’ll need to perform a thorough examination.” He made a show of looking around, appraising the interior decoration. Then his eyes darted to the room keys hanging on the wall behind the desk. Which rooms weren’t booked.. A random one was picked and he said, “room 104 is already reserved for me,” and then prayed.

Ford kicked the door to room 104 open with a thud, spinning the key on his finger with a triumphant laugh. Then he cleared his throat and politely closed the door behind him because he wasn’t an animal and there were other people here and he should be considerate. 

The key was lazily abandoned on the bedside table, and Ford faceplanted into the pillow. He didn’t even take off his shoes. That was how tired he was. Now that he’d hoodwinked his way into shelter, he could afford to eat something tomorrow. Perfect! And all it took was..

He sighed.

His advice. He couldn’t believe he’d listen to him after everything. No, he couldn’t believe that it worked! He couldn’t believe he stooped to his level, and was rewarded for it with a warm hotel room! For doing nothing! 

..It was a damn comfortable bed, though. 

“So what if I’m no better than him?” He asked himself. “Maybe.. Maybe he was onto something. Just because he had a vision doesn’t mean he’s in the right.”

Rolling onto his back, he stared at the ceiling.

“What am I if not a conman just like him and Dad..?” He dragged a hand down his face. It couldn’t have been a coincidence that the restaurant he’d eaten at earlier was called “Tom’s Existential Bites”, why would he eat at– and the slogan, “Food so good you’ll wonder what the point is if we’re all gonna die in the end”!? 

Shaking his head, he continued his little soliloquy. “What would he say about it? ..He’d probably encourage it.” A chuckle escaped him despite himself. He mumbled in his impression of Stan, “stealing’s fun, too, you should try it. Can’t afford to BUY anything.”

Scoffing, he silently questioned what prompted Stan to say that. “You’re the one who did this, if I were Home I’d be doing perfectly fine.”

“You’re not, though,” he felt deranged for responding to himself like this. But.. Stan’s voice was irritatingly soothing in a way. The first human beside his mother who made him feel human and the last human voice he’d ever hear beside his own. “And you’d still have to deal with–”

“Him.” This was devolving fast, that interruption came too naturally. He was too used to acting out non-player characters in Dungeons, Dungeons and More Dungeons. Oh, fuck.

Ahem, ‘Stan’ replied, “yeah. Him. Never told me who ‘him’ is, by the way.” 

Familiarity was a thing humans clung to for dear life. That’s all this was. The desire for familiarity. This was his humanity shining through in a place where humans didn’t exist.

“I.. couldn’t tell you. But he’s hurt me.” A hand reflexively brushed underneath his right eye. “..Severely.”

“I’ll kill him. I swear, Ford. You know I’d do that for you, right?” 

He bit his lip, unsure if the statement was true. He wasn’t sure of anything. “Right. He’s much stronger than you think, though, he would just..” His chest tightened, and he hated it. This shouldn’t affect him. 

Alas, the thought of what Bill did to him– the thought of that happening to Stan– made his eyes sting with tears. “The shit he did to me.. I can only hope he’s not back Home right now, playing the same games with you.” He blinked, and a single tear rolled down his right eye.

“Don’t–” he took in a shaky breath. “Don’t cry. You’re better than this.” He pathetically cupped his own cheek to wipe away the tear, half-pretending it was Stan. “I’m not gonna fall for his shit, okay? Worry about yourself right now, get some rest.”

Ford’s brows furrowed, and he shook his head. “I wanted to,” he muttered, “but I don’t think I can.” He ran a hand down his face. “This must be how I made you feel. Trapped, afraid..”

“Hey, don’t be like that, you..” he trailed off, shaking his head. This was pointless. The quicker he rested up, the quicker he could get back to his mission, the quicker he could defeat Bill and live. The quicker he could fucking live.

He rolled over, not without a final plea under his breath. “..Please, Stanley.” A beat of silence passed. “Just please be okay.”

Stan was resourceful. That was how he survived after he got him kicked out. Stan would be fine.

He had to be.

“Love you, bro,” he said in Stan’s voice to himself. Why would Stan love him after everything?

He didn’t know, but he replied, “I love you too, Stanley.” The next words escaped him almost on instinct as he shut his eyes and already found himself drifting off. “..I’m sorry for everything.”

[daeniradraconis]

The Game We Play - C5.

Hey Lovelies, Sorry for the delay! To be honest, I lost a bit of motivation with this story for a while. So, I stepped back, took some time to think, and came back to it with fresh ideas—and I think it worked! :) I hope you’ll love it as much as I do! For more fun: masterlist❤️

---

William Nylander stood in front of his mirror, adjusting the collar of his shirt for the fifteenth time. His hair was styled, his cologne was on, and yet, he still felt like a mess.

“Dude, relax,” Auston Matthews called from the couch, bouncing baby Elias on his lap. The infant let out a delighted squeal, smacking Auston’s beard with his tiny hands. “It’s just Odette. You see her almost every day.”

“That’s different,” William muttered, turning to the side to check his profile. Did this shirt make him look like he was trying too hard? Was his hair too perfect? He tousled it, then immediately regretted it and tried to smooth it back down. “This is a date.”

Auston snorted. “You’re acting like you’re about to propose, man.” He lifted Elias into the air like a tiny airplane, making the baby squeal with laughter. “Your dad’s being dramatic, isn’t he, buddy?”

Elias tilted his blond head to the side, his chubby cheeks puffing up as a toothless grin spread across his face. “Dada!” he babbled, barely able to form the word, but to William, it was perfect. His heart melted every time his son said it. Every. Single. Time.

“Yeah, Eli, you’re a genius!” Auston declared, grinning wildly. At 6'3", packed with muscle, he looked absolutely ridiculous holding such a tiny human whose entire head was roughly the size of his palm. William just smiled, watching his friend completely in awe of his son.

Then Elias spotted the dogs. His blue eyes lit up as he pointed excitedly at Banksy and Pablo. “Matty! Wau-wau!”

Auston and William exchanged an amused glance. This kid was growing up way too fast. Just a few weeks ago, he’d barely mumbled anything, and now he had an entire vocabulary—well, three words, but still. "Dada," "wau-wau," and "Matty."

Auston, of course, was absolutely thrilled that Elias had learned his name before Odette’s. He never shut up about it. Every time he saw the Leafs’ photographer, he’d casually remind her.

“Hey, did I mention Elias knows my name?”

“Yes, Auston.”

“Before yours?”

“Yes, Auston.”

“Just checking.”

Naturally, Odette was salty about it and had taken to calling Elias a traitor at every opportunity.

But right now, Auston was basking in his victory, holding Elias up like Simba in The Lion King. “That’s right, kid. You know who the coolest uncle is.”

Elias giggled, clearly enjoying the moment, before spitting out a little drool in response.

William smirked. “Pretty sure that means he thinks you’re full of crap.”

“Eli, how could you betray me like this?”Auston gasped dramatically.

The baby just smiled at him, utterly unbothered.

William sighed, turning back to the hallway mirror and rubbing his temples. “What if I screw this up?”

“Mess what up?” Auston raised a brow. “She already likes you. She basically raised this kid with you.” He gestured to Elias, who had now decided Auston’s hoodie strings were the most fascinating thing in the world. “She’s seen you at your worst, man. That time you fell asleep holding a Elias’s bottle upside down and soaked yourself? She didn’t even laugh that hard.”

“She definitely laughed,” William grumbled, grabbing a lint roller and running it over his pants.

“Okay, yeah, she did.” Auston smirked. “But that’s because she likes you. Just don’t be weird and it’ll be fine.”

William groaned. “I am weird.”

“Oh, 100%.” Auston nodded solemnly. “But, like, in a hot Swedish guy way. So it works for you.”

William tossed the keys from the top of the hallway cabinet toward Auston. Auston dodged without breaking a smile, while Elias clapped his hands, loving the show.

There was a knock at the door, and William immediately straightened, eyes wide in panic. “That’s her!”

Auston whistled. “No backing out now, Willy Styles.”

William shot him a glare before taking a deep breath and walking over to the door. He hesitated, then glanced back. “I look okay, right?”

Auston gave him a slow, exaggerated once-over. “You look… exactly like a guy who is way too nervous about a date with the woman who already adores him.”

Elias let out a tiny babble that somehow sounded like agreement.

William rolled his eyes and opened the door. There stood Odette, effortlessly stunning in a black shirt that draped off her shoulders, paired with perfectly fitted jeans and high-heeled boots that added just the right amount of edge. Her winter coat hung loosely in her hands, and her golden curls framed her face in soft, wild waves, catching the light as she moved. She had that kind of natural elegance—the kind that didn’t need effort, just presence. A warm, knowing smile played on her lips, and with the way she carried herself, confident and carefree, it was impossible not to look twice.

“Hey,” she greeted. “Ready to go?”

William opened his mouth to say something smooth, something charming. Instead, what came out was: “I—uh—yeah. Hi. Shoes. Yes. Going.”

Auston choked on a laugh behind him. Odette’s lips twitched in amusement, but she reached out, gently touching his arm. “Take your time, Willy.”

William took a deep breath, nodded, and grabbed his shoes, slipping them on as quickly as possible before stepping out. As he did, he heard Auston behind him, whispering dramatically to Elias: “Your dad is soooo whipped.”

Elias giggled in agreement.

William groaned, again. This was going to be a long night.

—

The restaurant was warm, candlelit, and intimate—the kind of place that invited long conversations and lingering looks. Odette found herself sinking into the atmosphere, the low hum of conversation and clinking glasses wrapping around her like a cozy blanket. Across from her, William had settled into his seat, one arm draped lazily over the back of his chair, his fingers idly tracing the stem of his wine glass.

“You know,” he said, swirling the deep red liquid. “I still can’t believe I’m someone’s dad.”

Odette arched a brow, tilting her head. “Does it feel real yet?”

William exhaled a soft laugh, shaking his head. “Some days, yeah. Like when I’m up at three in the morning, rocking him back to sleep, or when he calls me ‘Dada’ and my heart just—” He pressed a hand dramatically to his chest, eyes flickering with warmth. “Instant emotional damage. Every time.”

Odette chuckled, resting her chin in her palm. “You’re a good dad, Will.”

His gaze locked onto hers for a beat, something unreadable flashing across his face before he cleared his throat and smirked. “What about you? Tell me something I don’t know.”

She hesitated, then took a sip of her drink. “I love to dance.”

William’s brows shot up, intrigue sparking in his expression. “No way.”

“I’m terrible at it, though,” she admitted with a sheepish laugh. “Like, truly awful.”

His lips twitched. “I don’t believe you.”

“Oh, you should.” She pointed a warning finger at him. “I have zero rhythm. None. I look like one of those inflatable tube men outside of car dealerships.”

William let out a loud laugh, shaking his head. “Okay, now I have to see this.”

Odette groaned. “Why did I tell you that?”

“Because deep down, you want me to see it,” he teased, leaning forward, his smirk widening. “You’re just hoping I’ll be too charmed to laugh.”

“Oh, you will laugh.”

“Damn right I will.” He raised his glass to her. “But I promise to be impressed, too.”

She rolled her eyes but clinked her glass against his anyway, their fingers brushing for just a second.

Then, feeling bolder, she admitted, “I, uh… never learned how to skate.”

William blinked, his face a mix of confusion and mock betrayal. “I’m sorry, what? But you’re Canadian. Every single one of you knows how to skate!”

Odette winced, swirling her drink in her hand. “Yeah… Well, my parents were always too busy, and they just… didn’t care about stuff like that. You know, most kids learn that stuff from their parents. We never really did any family things.” She hesitated, then exhaled softly. “Or, well… much of anything when it came to me.”

The teasing smirk vanished from William’s face, replaced by something softer—something that made her stomach flutter. He reached for her hand, his fingers warm as they wrapped gently around hers. The simple touch unraveled something in her, and she found herself gripping him back, just slightly.

“Odette…” His voice was quiet, but heavy with meaning.

She swallowed, forcing a small shrug, attempting to make light of it. “It’s not a big deal. I got used to it. Learned how to take care of myself.”

William didn’t look convinced. His baby-blue eyes locked onto hers, seeing right through the mask she was trying to put up. He shook his head, his thumb brushing idly over the back of her hand.

“Nah,” he murmured, leaning in just a little. “That’s a big deal.” His voice was low but firm, like he needed her to hear it—really hear it. “You deserved better.”

Her breath caught in her throat. For a moment, she couldn’t look away from him. The way he was looking at her, like she was something precious, something worth fighting for—it was a kind of warmth she wasn’t sure she’d ever felt before.

Desperate to lighten the moment before her heart burst, she forced a smile. “Well… at least I can cook. Had to teach myself, but I got pretty good at it.”

William’s grin returned instantly, easy and familiar, like he knew she needed the subject change. “That’s true! Elias thinks your pancakes are the best on planet Earth. HHe literally spits out mine and will only eat them if you make them.”

Odette laughed, finally exhaling the breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. “The boy has taste, that’s all I can say. But maybe one day, I’ll make something more complicated for you guys.”

William’s grip on her hand tightened slightly. “Careful,” he warned, his smirk tilting in that way that made her stomach flip. “I might show up at your door with a fork and dangerously high expectations.”

She shook her head, laughing as she ran her fingers softly over his palm, tracing absentminded circles. “Noted. No pressure or anything.”

“Oh, no pressure at all.” He leaned back, still holding her hand, his voice dropping to something lower, softer. “Just my entire happiness on the line.”

Odette rolled her eyes and threw her napkin at him, but her fingers lingered against his just a little longer than necessary.

—

Toronto’s night air had that perfect kind of crispness—the kind that made you instinctively tuck yourself closer to the person beside you. Not that Odette minded. Not when William had his strong arm wrapped around her shoulders, radiating warmth like a living, breathing heater. The streets were quiet, lined with twinkling lights that made everything feel a little softer, a little dreamier. Tonight just felt... easy.

It had been a long time since a conversation had flowed like this—effortless, like flipping through the pages of a favorite book. They’d talked about everything: childhood memories, family, the weird little quirks that made them who they were.

Odette glanced up at him, grinning. “It’s funny. I feel like I’ve known you forever.”

William smirked down at her. “That’s probably because I have an incredibly familiar face.”

She snorted, nudging him with her shoulder. “Oh, definitely. Has nothing to do with the fact that we just spent hours talking like we’ve been best friends for a decade.”

“Well, I’m glad you’re catching on.” His smirk softened as he gave her shoulder a squeeze. “It’s nice, though, isn’t it?”

She hummed in agreement, leaning into him. “Yeah… it really is.”

Somewhere along the way, the conversation wandered toward the future. William talked about hockey, about how badly he wanted to win the Stanley Cup—not just for himself, but for the Leafs, for the city. But more than that, he wanted balance. He wanted to be there for Elias, to be the kind of dad his son could always count on. He wanted a family. Stability.

“I want a family too,” Odette said, a wistful smile playing on her lips. “And kids—lots of them.”

William arched a brow, his lips twitching. “Lots?”

“Yeah, a lot,” she said matter-of-factly. “Like a whole pack. You know, like the Weasley family.”

William chuckled, a low, warm sound that sent something fizzy through her chest. “You really have a serious Harry Potter addiction.” His lips curled into a smirk. “But I love that.”

She blinked up at him, feigning offense. “What, the kids or my Harry Potter addiction?”

He grinned. “Both.”

Odette laughed, shaking her head. “Figures.”

She barely had a second to recover before he added, “But the idea of you with a whole bunch of little troublemakers running around? Yeah… that does things to me. And I’m pretty sure it’s illegal to feel this way after a first date.”

Odette rolled her eyes, but the way he was looking at her—like he actually liked picturing it—sent warmth blooming in her cheeks.

“Please,” she scoffed, grinning up at him. “We’ve been dancing around this for months. If anything, you’re way behind on feeling things.”

William’s smirk deepened. “Oh, am I?”

She tilted her head playfully. “Mhm. You better catch up, Nylander.”

He let out another chuckle, gaze dropping to her lips for just a second before he murmured, “Oh, trust me. I’m working on it.”

As they turned around the next corner, William suddenly stopped in his tracks, a spark of excitement lighting up his features. “I have an idea.”

Odette raised a brow. “Oh?”

He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he took her hand—without hesitation, without second-guessing—and gently tugged her toward the alley next to them. “Come on, trust me.”

And just like that, she let him lead the way.

They walked for a few minutes, weaving through quiet streets until they reached a large park Odette didn’t recognize. She had only been living in the city for a few months, and William had years of advantage when it came to finding hidden gems. But when she looked ahead, she felt her breath catch.

Under the soft glow of streetlights, an open skating rink stretched out before them, the ice smooth and glistening. A handful of people skated effortlessly under the stars, laughter echoing through the crisp night air. The whole scene looked like something out of a snow globe.

Odette turned to him, a sharp suspicion in her eyes. “William Andrew Michael Junior Nylander Altelius, did you just trick me into learning how to skate?”

His grin was wide and completely unapologetic. “Maybe.”

She narrowed her eyes at him, but the mischievous warmth in his expression made it impossible to stay mad. Instead, she sighed and shook her head. “Look at you. I admit I can’t skate, and now you’re just having way too much fun with that, huh? You little rascal.”

“You’re about to become a real Canadian, darling.” He wiggled his eyebrows, teasing. “Seriously, you should be happy. You’re getting lessons from hockey royalty. Not everyone gets that opportunity.”

She groaned, already knowing she was defeated. “Okay, let’s do this. But if I fall, you’re coming down with me.”

“Deal.” He smirked, crouching to lace up his skates, his movements fluid and confident. When he straightened, he extended a hand to her, his blue eyes sparkling with playful encouragement.

Something inside her softened. Maybe this wasn’t such a bad idea after all.

—

Odette wobbled, taking one tentative step onto the ice. Her legs felt like jelly beneath her, but she forced herself to stand tall, gripping William’s hand tightly. She could feel his steady presence beside her, but his mischievous grin was enough to make her nervous.

“You’re not going to let me fall, right?” she asked, her voice a mix of teasing and genuine uncertainty.

William’s grin stretched wider. “If you fall, I’ll make sure it’s a graceful landing.”

“Graceful?” She shot him a look, skeptical but amused, her grip tightening around his hand as she took another unsteady step. “I have zero grace. I told you, I can’t even dance!”

He smirked, a glint of mischief in his eyes. “That’s a different story. This is survival mode.”

“Oh, I’m sure,” she replied, sarcasm dripping from her words as she wobbled again. “If ‘survival mode’ for you means embarrassing me in public.”

William dramatically pouted, playing up the act. “Hey, I’m just here to help. Think of it as... a character-building experience.”

“Uh-huh. And I’m building character by clinging to you for dear life.”

They both burst out laughing, the sound mingling with the gentle glide of skates on ice around them. William pulled her closer, his arm sliding around her waist to keep her steady.

“You’re doing fine,” he said, voice soft. “You just gotta trust your balance.”

“I don’t trust my balance,” she muttered, narrowing her eyes as she took another step, this time a little more confidently. “I trust you more than I trust my own body right now.”

“Smart choice,” William teased, his eyes sparkling as he caught her gaze.

With a playful huff, Odette finally found her rhythm, skating a few shaky circles around him, then stopping short and nearly colliding with him. She leaned forward into him, her face dangerously close to his chest. “See?” she muttered into his jacket, laughing awkwardly. “I knew this was a terrible idea.”

He chuckled, warm breath brushing her hair. “You’re doing great, actually.”

She pulled back slightly to look up at him, her brow furrowed. “Really?”

He nodded, his hands still on her waist, steadying her. “Better than me when I first learned. You’re a natural.”

“Oh, stop it.” She swatted at his chest. “You’re just saying that because you’re trying to make me feel better.”

William’s expression softened as he lowered his voice. “No, I mean it. You’re already skating, and you haven’t fallen on your face yet. I’m impressed.”

“Well, I’m not going to thank you for that.” She stuck her tongue out playfully. “If I do fall, I’m going to hold you personally responsible.”

“Fair enough,” he grinned, and before she could react, he suddenly tugged her forward, sliding them both into a slow spin.

Odette yelped as she struggled to keep her balance. “William! What the hell—”

“You’re doing great!” he teased, his arms securely wrapped around her as they turned in a wide arc. “Just relax, and let me lead.”

“I can’t believe you’re making me do this,” she groaned, trying not to laugh.

He grinned, glancing down at her with a gleam in his eye. “I swear, you’re making this way harder than it needs to be. Just give in.”

“Give in? To what? I’m just trying not to end up flat on my face,” she quipped, leaning back to him.

He laughed, pulling her even closer. “I thought you said you wanted to learn. Can’t get all stubborn now.”

“Nope, this was your idea,” she countered, a mischievous grin tugging at her lips. “I’m just going along with it. And if you keep pushing me to be a pro after five minutes of skating, I’m definitely going to take you down with me.”

He smirked, his eyes sparkling with playful intent. “I’m just trying to—”

Before he could finish, his foot caught on the ice, and he tilted toward her with a shout of surprise. In a desperate attempt to stay upright, he wrapped his arms around her, and they both stumbled. They crashed onto the ice, landing in a tangled heap of laughter.

For a moment, neither could breathe from laughing so hard. Odette was sprawled on top of him, her face flushed with embarrassment, but she couldn’t stop giggling. William’s hand brushed against her cheek as he caught his breath, his blue eyes warm with affection.

“Well... that wasn’t the plan,” William said, his voice still filled with amusement.

“You’re killing me, Mr.Hockey Royalty,” she gasped between laughs, awkwardly straddling him.

He reached up, brushing a strand of hair from her face, his fingers lingering just a moment longer than necessary. With a breathless chuckle, he shifted, pushing himself up onto his elbows before sitting up fully, bringing her with him. “You’re the one who distracted me,” he teased, but his tone softened, holding an unspoken sincerity.

“I’m pretty sure you were trying to distract me,” she teased back, her breath quickening.

His gaze dropped to her lips for just a moment before he grinned and pulled her closer. “Maybe I was.”

Odette’s heart skipped a beat, her breath hitching. Then, before either of them could second-guess it, William’s lips were on hers—soft, warm, and entirely right.

For a long moment, the world seemed to disappear, the only thing that mattered being the connection between them. His hands gently cupped her face, and she melted into him, their laughter from moments ago turning into a quiet, deep kiss, full of unspoken promise.

When they finally pulled back, breathless, Odette smirked, her fingers still lingering on his face. “Well, that wasn’t terrible,” she said, her lips still tingling from the kiss.

William smiled softly, brushing his thumb across her cheek. “I’d say it was a pretty good way to end your first skating lesson.”

She rolled her eyes playfully, but her heart was racing. “You’re an idiot.”

“An idiot who just kissed you on the ice,” he shot back, with a knowing grin.

She narrowed her eyes, but the warmth in her chest melted away any potential protest. “Yeah, yeah. Just don’t expect me to fall for you again.”

“Noted,” he said, voice low and teasing, before pulling her into another quick, lingering kiss. 

—

Odette and William stepped into the entrance of the apartment building, their laughter still echoing between them, a warm, easy rhythm that came from the evening they'd just shared. The world around them felt a little quieter, a little softer as they walked toward Odette’s door. Their steps slowed, the space between them shifting into something more intimate.

“I told you, Woll needs something different in a girl,” Odette teased, nudging him gently with her elbow, her laughter still bubbling.

William smiled, but his brows furrowed in confusion. “Odette, Anna was perfect for him.”

She shook her head, her blonde curls bouncing around her face. There was a lightness in her expression, but a firm conviction in the way she spoke. “Woll’s a sweet guy, but he’s like a golden retriever—too nice for this world. He needs a black cat girlfriend. Anna? She was another golden retriever. Too much of the same.”

William paused, trying to process what she was saying, but all he could focus on was the way she was looking at him—soft and playful, but with something deeper beneath the surface. She had him completely under her spell.

“A black cat girlfriend?” His voice was a little lower now, genuinely curious but also distracted by her.

Odette grinned at him, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “Oh, Willy, you are so out of touch with social media trends. It’s cute.” She raised an eyebrow, her smile widening. “I’ll show you sometime.”

William chuckled softly, his gaze locked onto hers. “You can show me tomorrow,” he murmured, his voice dipping lower, laced with something deeper.

His hands found their way to her neck, fingers tracing lightly over her skin, sending a shiver down her spine. “Right now, I’m more interested in… other things.”

Without waiting for a response, he leaned in, and their lips met in a kiss that deepened instantly. It was as if the rest of the world fell away. The air between them grew thicker, warmer, the chemistry between them undeniable. They moved together, bodies pressing closer, hearts racing in sync.

The door to Odette’s apartment clicked shut behind them, but neither of them noticed. They were too caught up in each other to care about anything else.

Odette’s back hit the wall beside her door, and William pressed against her, hands roaming over her body with a quiet urgency. Her breath hitched, but she didn’t pull away—she pulled him closer. They kissed harder now, the heat between them intensifying. They were both desperate for more—more of each other, more of this.

William’s lips moved to her jaw, his breath warm against her skin. Odette let out a soft gasp, fingers threading through his hair, pulling him back to her lips. They were tangled up in each other, their hearts beating fast, as if they couldn’t get close enough.

But just as the moment started to spiral out of control, a soft, deliberate cough broke through the air.

Startled, they pulled apart, both of them breathless, eyes wide in shock.

And there, sitting comfortably on Odette’s couch like he belonged there, was Quinn Hughes. He casually scratched behind Luc’s ears, completely unfazed by the tension crackling in the air.

He glanced between them, taking in their flushed faces and breathless expressions before breaking into an amused grin.

Quinn leaned back, stretching out like he had all the time in the world. “Don’t stop on my account.”

[andypantsx3]

HIIIII andy!!! just a genuine question.. if you were to be pressured to update your fanfiction, or getting harassed just because the readers expected u to update it... would u delete ur entire account dedicated to that fic and delete the fic itself too? 😭☹️ (I hope this isn't weird, i just wanted to ask an author bcs this happened to my fav fic today)

I am so sorry you lost your fave fic, omg that is so genuinely devastating!! That is like losing a friend for real :'(

This is a tough one. Obviously there is no right or wrong answer, or any way to know what you would do in the same situation until you're in it. I really think it's up to the author to determine their level of comfort and act accordingly to keep themselves mentally well and safe, and to consistently reassess that as things change!

Personally, I know all too well what it is like to get harassed online and have contemplated nuking my account at times too. I have had friends who have had to abandon blogs for similar reasons as well. But for me, the positives and the friendships and fun little connections I have made on here have always far, far outweighed the negatives.

Plus I also have insane deadlines at my IRL job so it makes me laugh when someone gets shirty with me to update my fics like, buddy you lead this work project then and I will go write you your little chapter lol. So at least, people asking me for updates (even rudely) has never really bothered me too much.

I guess all of this to say, never say never, but I can't envision doing that personally! But I def recommend you download all your fave fics if they're on AO3 and store them somewhere if you can. Because you never know what is gonna change!!

I hope your fave author finds their way back someday and you get to read that fic again!! Sending you (and your author!) all of my good vibes rn.

[onlymiasu]

Nagi And Bachira fighting over you

ummm hi this is my first fanfic of blue lock about bachira and nagi fighting over y/n hope you enjoy!!

“Y/n! Let’s hang out! We can practice those passes we worked on!” Bachira grinned.

“Oh, sure! That sounds fun—”

Before she could finish her sentence, a hand gently grabbed her arm.

“No, she’s busy,” Nagi interrupted, tugging her toward the couch where his phone and controller were already set up.

“H-Hey! Wait a second!” Kayden blinked, confused as Nagi guided her away without a word.

“Oi, Nagi! What the heck?! I asked her first!” Bachira shouted, trying to pull her back.

“She’s playing with me,” Nagi replied lazily, his blank expression unchanging as he handed Y/n the spare controller.

Y/n frowned, sitting reluctantly beside Nagi. “Wait, what’s going on here?

“I just wanted to hang out with you!” Bachira pouted.

“Too late,” Nagi said bluntly, starting the game.

“Sei! You can’t just steal me away like that!” Y/n scolded, crossing her arms.

“Yeah, Sei! That’s cheating!” Bachira added, glaring.

“Cheating’s easier than arguing,” Nagi muttered with a shrug, his focus glued to the screen.

“Unbelievable…” Y/n sighed. She turned to Bachira with an apologetic look. “Sorry, Meguru! I’ll hang out with you later, okay?”

Bachira frowned but nodded reluctantly. “Fine… but next time, I’m calling dibs first!” He sulked his way out of the lounge.

Once they were alone, Y/n turned to Nagi, annoyed. “Seiii… Don’t’cha feel a little bad for Bachira?”

“No.” Nagi replied immediately, not looking up from the screen.

Y/n looked at him blankly. “What? How could you not feel the slightest remorse for him?”

“He should’ve known I was gonna play video games with you,” Nagi said as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“How was he supposed to know that….”

“Dunno,” Nagi said with a shrug, his fingers tapping lazily on his phone. “Too much of a hassle to think about.”

Y/n sighed in exasperation, crossing her arms. “Sei, I know you want to hang out with me, but it’s not good to be selfish!” She poked his cheek.

Nagi froze for a second at her touch but quickly recovered. “I just want you close to me,” he said casually, his tone as blank as ever.

“H-Huh?” Y/n stared at him, her cheeks flushing slightly. “Sei, are you jealous?”

“Mm,” Nagi hummed nonchalantly, his expression unreadable.

Y/n opened her mouth to say something but stopped when Nagi continued playing as if nothing had happened.

“Oi, don’t ignore me after saying something like that!” she scolded, shaking his shoulder.

“Shh. You’re gonna make me lose,” Nagi muttered, his focus entirely on the game.

Y/n sighed, slumping back into her seat. “You’re unbelievable…”

“Mm,” Nagi mumbled again, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.

Y/n couldn’t help but smile a little, her heart fluttering at his unexpected honesty. Maybe this lazy genius wasn’t so bad after all.

[a-lonely-tatertot]

A very goofy idea i had based off a bit from the early episodes where dakota grabbed william while running they said he waved like a flag in the air for @anxious-mess19 for the @jrwi-art-exchange :D

[catastrxblues]

EVERMORE by taylor swift (feat. bon iver) — “and i was catching my breath, floors of a cabin creaking under my step. and i couldn’t be sure, i had a feeling so peculiar, this pain wouldn’t be forevermore.”

my #swiftiegiftexchange2024 for @lovesickallovermybed!!!! 🫶🏽🫶🏽

[marshmallowloves]

@rosepetalmoon to answer your question of "Bruce x Sierra & Raymond x Rose double date when" now. now is when.

like I said before I think they would find each other insufferable kdjfg

(also I didn't really. know what you'd wear here asdfg so I just put you in a cute little cardigan thing, I hope I got your sona (mostly) right--)

[stormyoceans]

I'm sorry cause I have no idea if you already talked about it or if you'd even like to but I'm so in love obsessed with your 100 shows for js and I'm just back from watching titanic so please tell me there's a titanic au anywhere in there cause palakdjufcyhfudjsnapsifhvuvhsk I need it. Jimmy as the rich heir that has to board a ship so he may inherit his father's millions and marry a stranger. who feels trapped and hopeless and sea (I mean come in the NAME ALONE -) who's on the ship by sheer dumb luck with maybe 2 pennies to his name and charcoal on his fingertips and shows Jimmy what it means to be alive and 2 days into the journey the ship fucking sinks. IM INSANE ABOUT IT

(maybe mostly as an excuse to put sea into the white shirt and suspenders look this time around but shhhhhh no one has to know)

I DO NOT HAVE A TITANIC AU IN MY 100 JIMMYSEA SERIES LIST (YET) BUT MAYBE I ACTUALLY NEED TO COME UP WITH AN IDEA FOR IT BECAUSE YOU DO MAKE SOME VERY COMPELLING ARGUMENTS

i've also really been wanting to have a story featuring sea as a painter, so this could fit quite nicely!!!! my only concern about this is that i don't want to just replicate the exact same plot as the movie, i want to try to put a different spin on it, which in this particular case probably means changing the ending because i simply cannot do tragedies IM SORRY OKAY I REALLY AM BUT WE ONLY DO HAPPY ENDINGS IN THIS HOUSE

and i might have an idea for this, but im afraid it's possibly way too overdramatic and kinda soap oper-y, so im gonna need you to be brutally honest and tell me what you think about it

the premise is pretty much the same: it's around the 1920s, and as an only son, jimmy is supposed to inherit the family’s land and marry well, so his father arranges a marriage between him and the daughter of a wealthy english man for trade purposes or something like that. after the wedding the pairing is supposed to live in thailand, so the families agree to travel together to england before the ceremony to.. idk experience both cultures? let the daughter see her country one last time and say goodbye to it? let's say both. on the ship board jimmy, both of his parents with a couple of servants, the woman he's supposed to marry, her brother, and her father

neither jimmy or his future wife are particularly happy about the arrangement, but jimmy is willing to do it because of his sense of duty. it's not like he believes in love, anyway. enter sea, a broke artist who decides to try his luck in england after winning a ticket for the ship. the story does follow the movie from here on out, although i can't see jimmy and sea meeting in the way rose and jack do, just because im imagining a different dynamic between them (as in, i think that they would dislike each other at first and that they would bicker a lot because of their different worldviews, but that's what keeps pulling them in)

ANYWAY. the point is: they meet, they eventually fall in love (it's a long journey from thailand to england, so let's say the sinking doesn't happen after only two days), the brother of the woman jimmy is supposed to marry realizes that there's something between them and tries to frame sea for theft, the ship hits.. SOMETHING (is there a place where there could be icebergs in that route idk), the ship sinks, jimmy comes out of it convinced that sea is dead so he goes on with the marriage, mostly out of guilt because jimmy's father also died

EXCEPT!!!!!!! some years later, after jimmy and her wife finally have a daughter, as a present for the newborn one of their friends hires one of thailand most famous artists to paint a portrait of the family, AND GUESS WHO THAT IS!!!!!!!!! that's right, it's sea!!!!!! he actually survived and did try to find jimmy after recovering, but jimmy was already married by then and the wife's brother saw him and convinced him to let jimmy go for jimmy's own good

so now it's a big mess because jimmy resents sea (first because he thinks sea didn't try to find him, then because sea made the choice for him), and sea resents jimmy (for marrying anyway even if it was all fake), and they're both pretending they have moved on when it's very much not true. and in my head there's also a whole thing about the wife's brother inheriting the family's fortune and splurging it all, so he's actually living on his sister and jimmy's money, which is why he needs them to be together (but his sister is also maybe in love with her handmaid)

ALL THIS TO SAY THAT THE STORY ENDS WITH JIMMYSEA + JIMMY'S WIFE AND HER HANDMAIDEN TOGETHER AND THE FOUR OF THEM BECOMING A BIG FAMILY AND RAISING THE CHILD WHILE THE BROTHER ROTS IN JAIL OKAY BYE

[yesyourstalker]

Neta: ok everything is set up. Just a couple interviews. Warabi!

Warabie: hmmmmmm

Neta: warabie

Warabie: hmmm what?

Neta: I need you to manage for a little until Mahi comes in. I forgot they had orientation today and they had no time to reschedule everyone. (Clap clap) [Signing] Seth, I know you have four clients scheduled today for piercing. Help warabie when you're able to.

Seth: cool

Warabie: hmmm My stomach still hurts from the tattoo and it's still healing.

Neta: *sigh* then sit down or lean across the counter. I don't know what you want me to do. You shouldn't have gotten that if you can't handle the pain yet.

Seth: I told you it wasn't good to do it all in one sitting, I could have scheduled you for another session. But I have to say you did take it like a champ

Neta: I have no time to argue with you I have interviews I have to get to. If someone asks for an interview to send them to the back of the office.........

___________________ interview one_______________

Neta: so what would be your greatest strength?

Naomi [inkling]: uhhhhh...ummm.... I ....I'm regsijtfh

Neta:....I'm sorry can you repeat that.....

Naomi: uh.....I'm.........................hm

Neta: take your time I'm in no rush.......... It says here on your resume that you're an artist you intern at inkpin publishing you worked on several mangas. That's pretty impressive want to tell me about that?

Naomi: uh....uhhhhh..........I'm sorry......[ Leaves]

Neta: oh.... wait! Uh...ok...*sigh* She left her phone. She'll be back maybe she calms down.. we can get somewhere.

_________________Interview two__________________

Neta: where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Vinny [betta fish] definitely not in prison again hahaha! Uhh ohh shit ummm.... Being serious in 5 years? Maybe a manager or an assistant manager of this store.

Neta: really? Ok.... You used to work in a kitchen

Vinny: it was more like a cafeteria but yeah I used to prepare the food I actually made the menus for the week. See I used to tell the corrections offic-uhhhh- I mean my head manager what they needed to order for the week so I can get my team to learn the recipes and to make them meals.

Neta: so you like cooking?

Vinny: not necessarily. I kind of got into it because I just wanted to belong and be a part of something and I didn't want to join a gang..so.....uh.....

Neta: uh huh

Vinny: I just really like that kind of busy work environment. It keeps me on my toes and keeps me preoccupied. I really work well in high stake environments and I like being involved with people who also enjoy that environment. I also really like music and I used to be in a punk band back in the day it was called D.I. DIE.... Kind of sounds like DIY like do it yourself-You get it.

Neta: That's interesting... What did you play?

Vinny: drums, I used to play drums. It was really good at it never played in a while. I hope Betty didn't sell my set after I got locked up

Neta: ok ........ All right. Here's the thing this interview was pretty decent..... Once the background check is complete. Expect a phone call.... Next week around Tuesday okay?

Vinny: really?

Neta: yep... We just need to do the background check and you're set

Vinny: ..... Right, my background check...uhhhhh about that

Neta: listen man... I don't judge. What you've done in the past I probably did worse. You came here, you applied for a job you passed the interview. It's very obvious that you want to turn over a new leaf. I'm willing to help you with that... Just expect the phone call and an email and will be....SET AHH

Vinny: THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!! HAHAHA

Neta: ah ha ok ok you can put me down now....hehe cod you're strong....

Vinny: I also took up weightlifting when I was inside.

_______________ interview three__________________

anemone:...........................

Neta:.................................... So.... What would you consider to be your greatest strengths

anemone:...ehhhh ...... I don't know...... My honesty I'm very honest person

Neta: ok ...... That's good.... Resume seems fine.... You said that you play guitar and you're in a band. Tell me about that

anemone: ugh..... I'm in a band and I play guitar That's it.

Neta:...................*sigh* shit he's one of those.......ok. in a group setting, how well do you work with-

anemone: okay let me just lay it straight to you. I'm available Monday through Thursday. I do not work Fridays. I'm available in the mid shift and closing shifts. I don't do mornings I never have and never will. You have my resume and my phone number you can call me on weekdays around 12 to 5 . After that I'm not picking up see Tuesday. Bye.

Neta:................................ .*sigh*........ We need more closers anyway.

__________________ interview four________________

Neta: what would you consider your biggest achievement

Fugue [puffer fish] My great is achievement? I would say I was one of the few to be picked to play at the scuba dome during the rainbow night symphony orchestra. I was one of the youngest only 15 at the time.

Neta: Yes That's very impressive. I actually read that in the paper you used to Seiche high of the arts. I'm trying to get my daughter into that school next year.

Fugue: yes that was me. Played the tuba It's a wonderful school. I'm sure she'd love it.

Neta: That's very impressive. So why do you want to work here?

Fugue: well I'm trying to save up to go to college I'm trying to get into Brackish University they have a really good music program.

Neta: Brackish!! get out of here! My fiance goes Brackish!

Fugue: oh I'm well aware, ikkan right? That's very impressive, he must have a good reputation. They don't really take back many people once they drop out. If it's too much to ask, what instrument did he play for his audition? I'm assuming it was a bass an upright one right?

Neta: you'd think that but he actually did play the bassoon. He's actually the only one in his marching band in high school to play the bassoon

Fugue: He must have been very skilled. You don't see that many bassoons in band.

Neta: yeah.. he's very talented and hard-working. Most of it was self-taught you know outside of school and everything

Fugue: yeah.... Are you self- taught?

Neta: yeah.. I taught myself... I used to watch music videos and I used to copy their- oh Man we're out of time. I'm sorry we trailed off. I didn't even get to finish the interview

Fugue: oh I'm sorry so do I reschedule or

Neta: nah... you have the job kid. You seem like a really good kid and you have a lot of head of you. I'll send you an email and call you Tuesday okay?

Fugue: thank you sir.

Neta: aw what fine young man. We need more kids like that in this world.

_______________________________________________

Neta: it seems to be everyone... I still need to do the baristas but I have to wait for AHhhhhhh.....uhhh Stefan, you're here..... Great.... You could have said something

Stefan [betta]: sorry.... I didn't mean to startle you.....so...... Let's talk I'm thrilled to be a part of this store expansion

Neta: right.... First, how are you doing? How's business?

Stefan: business is great. I finally have my coffee in Mako March. I never thought I'd seen my brand...................in a discount chain store...............umm

Neta: I mean hey! If it makes you feel better It's the most expensive one in there.

Stefan: well of course it is. It's the best quality coffee out there. It should be the most expensive........ Anyway, did you hire me a barista for the shop

Neta: yes.....well I do have a candidate for that store. They are my last interview. They should be here in........ Maybe 30 minutes ......

Stefan: um...

Neta:..........so............. How's your father?

Stefan: he passed finally

Neta: oh.... I'm sorry to hear that.

Stefan: don't be. Its what we all wanted.

Neta: Was it peaceful?

Stefan: it was. he went in his sleep.... We were all prepared for it to happen so we had everything ready.

Neta: yeah that's how my mom passed. My aunt told me she just closed her eyes, dozed off and just never woke up

Stefan: and that's all we can ask for, no pain no suffering just go, when you're ready, you're ready...... I buried him with his prize possession

Neta: let me guess a coffee machine-

Stefan: A stove top espresso and coffee maker

Neta: of course

Stefan: it was his first ever coffee maker and used to make My mother and I coffee with that every day till the day he died. He cherished it like it was a child, Unlike how he cherished me.

Neta: oh...ok that's uh

Toguni: excuse me. I'm here for the interview for the barista job

Stefan: he's early..... Very Punctual

Neta: Right you must be ehhhhhhhh.......... Toguni!! You're the one I sent the email to!

Stefan: hello you must be my apprentice

Toguni: oh uh...wow your...

Stefan: Stefan the reinventor of coffee. Yes I know. Nice to meet you. sit down please I insist make yourself come through right next to me.

Toguni: Yes sir

Neta: well thank you for showing up today the interview will be short and simple I just want to get to know you and you're just going to answer some questions-

Stefan: Tell me what's your relationship with coffee?

Neta: Stefan

Toguni: un-

Stefan: what is your favorite type of coffee?

Toguni: I love coffee

Stefan: what is your opinion on cold brew

Toguni: hu-

Stefan: if I give you three cups dark roast, medium roast and light roast, how fast could you tell them apart? And if abel can you tell me what brand of coffee I give you?

Toguni: iiiiiii

Neta: Stefan, you're making him nervous

Stefan: what is an Americano?. Huh what is that? That's a genuine question. What is an Americano like what is that? What does that even mean? Neta you know history? What is that?

Neta: the Americano is named after a location during the mammalian period it was the first to be destroyed during world war-

Stefan: I don't need to hear one of your history lectures!!!!

Neta: your the one who asked

Stefan: what is the difference between a cortado and a flat white

Toguni: oh! I can actually answer this-

Stefan: quiet! be quiet, shut your mouth and I've had enough.......................

Toguni: ..........

Stefan:........................ I like you.... You don't sound like you're from here. Where are you from?..... Don't answer that.... I like you. I really do

Tagami: * gasp* really so I'm hired

Stefan: no. Not yet. You need to make me a single cup of coffee. Your choice.

Neta: We have a coffee maker in the break room but it only uses K-Cups

Stefan: no, he's not making that type of coffee. That's what you call coffee is an insult and abomination and you need to be ashamed of yourself for even suggesting that we use that coffee machine!!... *Sigh*.... here's my house address. You shall show up to my house at 7:00 a.m. I have all the materials needed. You make me one cup of coffee and if I like it........ You're hired.

Toguni:.........uh.................yes sir you said 7?

Stefan: Great! Be there at 7:00. I'll see you then. I see a lot of potential in you. Good bye....

Toguni: ......... .. ......

Neta: I'm .....so sorry. He's a fucking weirdo I don't know why I agreed to work with him. Listen you don't have to do any of that if you don't want to... I can

Toguni: I can't believe I'm going to his house. I'm going to Stefan's you make him a cup of coffee. I thought this was just going to be like a crappy part-time job

Neta: hurtful

Toguni: I have to. I have to go home. I have to practice I have to .. Make coffee....bye thank you for the interview!

_______________________________________________

Neta:* inhale* * exhale*.......

anemone: that guy was a fucking weirdo

Neta: ...... yeah he is ....... Why are you still here?

anemone: I just wanted to see all the other freaks I have to work with....... And they're definitely freaks *huff*

Neta: well, you're going to have to tolerate them.... Hey, maybe after a couple days you might actually like some..... Maybe you can let go of this mean facade you have on and actually make friends.

anemone: I have friends

Neta: ehhhh I don't believe you ... Trust me this whole 'thing' that you have going on, that's how I wasted my teenage years. Trust me.

anemone: *humpf*

Neta: *sigh* I still have that Naomi girls phone wonder if she's-

Naomi: I'm back! I'm sorry I panicked....uhhhhh I uh i.........

Neta:...........

anemone: heh...

Naomi [faces away. Eyes closed] .....*sigh* One of my greatest strengths. I like to show up early and on time I don't like being late. I know that I didn't show it today, but I am actually very reliable............ I don't really have a uh......uh...... Life..... outside of work so I am available whenever you need me. Just call me at any time and I will show up.

Neta: what did you choose this job?

Naomi: Truth is that.. My therapist wants me to go outside and interact with people... .... and suggest getting a part-time job...... to further improve my social skills....... I decided on rockshock because I like music. ........ and I like the alternative community and that it caters to.... People in the alternative community, though they look scary. They are actually very welcoming and patient and I feel like that would be a good environment to start my journey in to social interaction

Neta: well I must say you were right on that......... You forgot your cell phone on the table...... I'll call you next week for orientation okay?

Naomi: ok .....*huff* ok. ..... I'll be going. Thank you... he's so nice.

Neta: It's no problem.

anemone: I gave give her a week

Neta: shut up

anemone belongs to @fish-at-fish-fish-resort

And Toguni belongs to @conkreetmonkey

And neta belongs to...oh me he belongs to me nvm