#i just needed to get this off my chest im sorry

[rebelssvy]

i hate you, tenya ✧.* part two

tenya x reader ⋆·˚ ༘ *

⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

summary: kinda enemies to lovers, hate sex, love sex, lowk toxic sex, fingering, oral sex. after you two make out at the party, the news spreads to the school. tenya starts avoiding you, you go to him dorm….

i did my big one with this

after the party the other night, you went to school and were bombarded by rumors.

everyone was talking about you and him… it didn’t bother you that much. it bothered you more that every time he saw you, he turned the other way.

so after school was over, the first thing you did was go to him dorm.

the door was barley open before you started talking, “are you avoiding me tenya?” you spat out. words lingering with poison.

“no im not avoiding you.” he answered simply. lying through his teeth.

you rolled your eyebrows obviously. shrugging and waving off his words, before barging your way into his room.

you shut the door behind yourself, puffed your chest.

“why the fuck are you avoiding me? what the fuck did i do?” you asked him throwing your hands in the air.

he was hard to read right now. his emotions seemed contained.

he hesitated before starting “everyone is talking about us. and i don’t like being talked about like that.” he stated. holding his position to you.

“what do you mean! everything they are saying is demeaning to me! not you.” you yelled at him. frustrated at his response.

he groaned while grabbing the bridge of his nose. “you are so impossible. fuck!” his tone was unwavering with rage.

you gasped at his words. his shift in demeanor was the answer you needed.

“i hate you so much. tenya we are done. don’t fucking call me. your shot you had with me.. you just blew it!” you shouted turning your back to him and steaming off to the door.

just as you went to grab the door nob, he stopped you. he held onto wrist. pulling you back so you wouldn’t leave. silence filled the space between you.

“let go….” you said turning to face him again. he dropped his grip on you.

you forced your eyes up to his.

“i’m sorry. y/n im sorry.” he repeated. he looked guilty. sorrow on his face.

“i don’t get it. i thought you liked me tenya. you just let them talk about me all day.” you said to him. bringing your hand up to shove him. you tried pushing him back but he was too big. he didn’t budge.

“..let me make it up to you.” he said smiling softly. it was deceiving.

“what do you mean?” you asked him, hesitating.

“do you trust me?” he asked you. you wondered to yourself if you did.

time after time again he saved your life. even after all the arguments you trusted him the most of all your peers.

“yes.” you answered.

before you could ask him more questions, he grabbed your waist. leaning down he kissed your lips.

“let me make you feel good.” he mumbled against your lips. you gasped at his words. he took the opportunity to slide his tongue into your mouth.

you shook your head ‘yes’ while not breaking contact with him to give him an answer.

he moved your body below him. making you lay on his bed. he stood above you, admiring you.

“i fucking hate y-“

“you can keep saying that but you keep coming back..” he cut you off with his words. forcing you down flat on your back.

your eyes never left him as he planted hot wet kisses to your body. starting at your chest and lowering himself with each kiss. eventually he sat beneath you. breathing on your clothed core.

“it’s gonna be hard for you to hate me after this.” he said before laying opened mouthed kisses on your core. he groaned before sitting up and taking your pants and underwear off of you.

“is this okay baby?” he asked softly before slipping them all the way off you. you mumbled your ‘please’ and ‘thank you’s.

as soon as he got a sight at your naked pussy he couldn’t help himself anymore. diving in he pushed his head into your intimate area.

licking at your folds with force. he groaned into you, it was strained and raspy. he looked up at you. only breaking eye contact to look at your pussy.

“your so fucking wet.” he cooed.

his tongue worked wonders on you. your back arching up off the surface you laid on. his hands found other parts of your body. one settling on your tummy and the other forcing up the fabric of your shirt.

he clawed at your bra, pulling it down to reveal your prepped nipple. he toyed with it, taking it into his fingers.

just like that, you moaned. tenyas ears picked up at the noise. he was already hard, now he couldn’t get enough. he was going insane. he needed to hear more.

he pulled the hand that stayed on your tummy up off you and slowly made its way to your pussy. rimming your hole he stuck one finger into your core slowly. he curled his finger into your gummy walls. getting a feel for you.

then he pumped it in and out. you moaned again.

fuck.

he stuck another in you. now you had to of his fingers inside you and him sucking on your clit. you felt hot. on the verge of an orgasm. your legs started to shake from the sensation.

just as you were about to cum he stopped. he got up and looked down at you. the feeling of vulnerability crept up on you.

“why did you stop?” you asked him. sprawled out on his bed.

he didn’t respond. he silently took in you. he’s dreamt of seeing you like this. pussy out in the open beneath you.

you sat up in an attempt to cover yourself up. on the edge of his bed you were now face to face with his tented bulge.

he didn’t say anything before he took off his shirt. you took in the sight of him. his body was a temple.

“i need more.” he said before his hands found your body again. he took your shirt off over your body. then he clawed at your bra. finally clicking it off. you were left naked.

his mouth dropped into an O shape.

“you can have me. all of me. if it’s what you want….” you whispered just loud enough for him to hear. letting yourself fall flat on your back again.

he tripped over himself taking off his pants. pulling them off at a fast pace. you giggled with him. helping him tug at his clothing.

finally he was left in just his boxers. the fun environment was now one of tension. his gaze centered in on you again. mindlessly he grabbed at his girth that was still in caged in his boxers.

you mumbled a pity full “please..” before he stripped himself naked. you gasped at the sight of him. he was bigger then you thought. not small in any way.

he pumped himself acouple times before he moved to touch you. he touched you everywhere. moving his body over you the weight shifted on the bed. holding himself up above you, so none of his weight rested on you.

he tipped his head down and kissed you. you grabbed at his back before your hands lowered thenselfs. taking in your own clit you ran cirlces into your pussy. needy at any touch. your legs were spread inbetween him.

“fuck your needy huh?” he stopped his kissing to tease you.

“fuck you tenya.” you spat at him. you would be lying if you said you were happy with him. you weren’t. but you would also be lying if you said that you didn’t crave this moment since you met him.

frowning at your words he batted your hand away from your pussy. “cmon doll you don’t mean that right?” cooing at you. he shoved to fingers into your gummy walls again. quickening his pace again.

you grabbed his face, hands finding your jaw you kissed him hard. moaning into his mouth. pulling away he studied your face sternly.

he watched as your mouth dropped, your brows farrowed. your eyes burned with passion.

he took his fingers out of you and watched your frown on your face.

“can i?” he asked again, now pumping himself. coating his cock in your juices from his fingers.

you nodded at him.

“i need words baby.” he said softly smiling at you.

“tenya please, please, fuck me.” you begged him. practically moaning out his name.

he growled at you. before he shook his head back to focus on your naked core again. he watched himself enter you slowly. sticking his tip into you. he gasped at the feeling. he needed more. pushing himself into you, almost all the way in before he heard you let out a soft breath. it was really quiet. it couldn’t been missed.

he brought his face back to you. “are you okay?” panic laced in his tone.

you shook your head yes. “your just really big, tenya.” ego filled his chest. his head going light. he felt your nails scratch his back. your back arching into him.

“i’m gonna move okay?” he proceeded again, slowly moving in and out of you. your nailed clawed harder into his back.

once you got stretched around him, you rocked your body into him. telling him in mumbles to ‘go faster’. it drove him crazy. so crazy that he flipped you over on your stomach.

you squealed at his actions. he forced you on all fours. you attempted to ground yourself but it was too late. he pushed himself into you again.

this time he pounded you from behind, your ass in the air. you grabbed at anything you could. finding the fabric in your hands. your face shoved into his pillows.

you were at his mercy. you listened to him grunt behind you, his balls slapping against your pussy. wet noises filled the room. his hands gripped your ass pulling you back on him, over and over.

“tenya-!” you moaned out, practically screaming his name.

“fuck you like that?” he said as he pounded you from behind. you clenched around him. his words did all too much to you.

“oh fuckkk. i felt that.” he paused, “you still hate me baby?” groaning as he fucked you. he pushed your back further, arching yourself deeper.

you couldn’t respond. your drool pooled under you, onto his pillows.

he noticed you started pulling his cock in deeper, your muscles starting to shudder. a slight lunged with every pound.

“gonna cum baby? cum around my cock..?” he toyed with you again. demeaning to you he slapped the fat of your ass. his hand moved down to grab at your clit. when he found it he circled harshly into it.

“tenya! i’m gonna… g-gonna cum…” you moaned, breathy and horse.

your orgasm it you like a truck, your body lunged forward. shaking, your brain shutting off. your body went numb.

“fuckkk” he moaned out. he couldn’t keep himself in you any more. he pulled out and jerked himself off on your ass. his cum spluttering on your body.

you both found yourself lying on his bed in silence. gasping for air. breaking the silence he said, “i’m sorry.” before getting up and wiping your ass clean with a napkin.

“it’s okay tenya, it was just in the moment.” you said turning yourself to lay on your back.

“no im sorry about not sticking up for you. i like you more than you know. and im just sorry.” he finished. looking at you for a response, before he said. “let me take you out, please?” he begged.

you giggled at his expression,

“okay tenya you can take me out… but it doesn’t mean im going to stop hating you.”

·:*¨༺ ♱✮♱ ༻¨*:··:*¨༺ ♱✮♱ ༻¨*:··:*¨༺ ♱✮♱ ༻¨*:·

i love him. i love this a lot. omg yay!

ੈ✩‧₊˚

taglist:

@biashellandflyashell @cupkiki @loverofdeepspace @themultifandomgirl @letmeoutofthebasementplease @thepanslutforfictionalmen @cioccolatas @ayayyayayayfrogs

[ineedpaigebuckets]

unspoken truths

pt. 2

warnings: angst

an: it's awful i know. someone please help like literally how the fuck do you write. i have such good ideas but they just can not be executed right. anyways i prob actually won't write any more because i literally just cant stand to read this shit.

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

paige pov

i knew azzi and i wouldn't get along just because of her boyfriend alone, but then at practice one day it kinda hit. out on court chemistry was unmatched, she'd always find me, id always find her, when we played together we played fucking amazing. i started to become more and more drawn in by her, i started to realize she didn't really have a lotta friends since moving. i figured, maybe i'd give her a chance.

the second her beautiful ass walks into the party hand in hand with jake my plan almost flies out the window. my face tightens but i try not to think of it. i head to the kitchen to get some food and see one of our teammates, kk.

"hey k!" i grin as i walk up to her. slumping against the counter. the second i speak i see azzi walk in, she looks sad, it makes my heart squeeze for her.

"az!" i try to give her a polite smile as i hold my hand out for her to dab me up but she just kinda loosely holds on to it for a second, something's wrong and i can tell. my gaze darts between kk and azzi, i know i shouldn't, but i need to make sure azzi is okay.

"hey, did something h-" before i can even finish my sentance my fuckass girlfriend is on my arm and azzis hopeful expression drops. her big sweet eyes fall into annoyance quickly as she walks out to f the kitchen back over to jake.

emma, my girlfriend has done nothing but make me mad the last month or two and she knew it. i drag her right past azzi and her boyfriend out to the porch and look at her, my eyes drifting to azzi on the other side of the door. "emma, babe i'm sorry we can't keep doing this." i give her a knowing look and she slumps down, she knew it, we didn't love eachother we just had some sort of unspoken agreement i guess.

"i know." i hear her say kinda softly but that fire in her eyes is still there. "don't come running back to me when it doesn't workout with that bitch." she seethe and it takes me back, her hands meet my shoulders pushing me back a little while she stomps inside, right past azzi.

i sigh and walk back in kinda lingering in azzis space just a little.

"fuckin dyke broke up again" i hesr jake turn to azzi and joke, i'm about to fucking punch this sucker but azzi gets to him first.

azzi pov

"jake what the fuck, this is what i keep fucking talking about." i seethe my voice loud and hard. "don't fucking talk about my teammate like that." without another word i walk upstairs curling up in one of the empty beds just sitting on my phone.

the door cracks open and there she is, paige bueckers and all her beauty. but then she starts to talk and i realize i'm

mistaken, again.

"azzi, what the fuck was that. you just embarrassed the shit outta me i can take care of myself i don't need no transfer butting in and fighting off people like a child. i can protect myself." the second she starts to yell i feel tears fill my eyes, id had such an awful day already i couldn't deal with her shit right now. i try not to make it noticeable but her eyes soften in a way i've never seen before.

"i'm so sorry." she breathlessly whispers as i stand up walking towards her, i lean past her to open the door signaling her to leave but she kicks the door shut and pulls me into her chest, her hand in my hair and her other on my waist. i waste no time comfortably holding my arms around her torso. no words said just calm. "break up with him." paige whispers and im taken aback my head pulled out of her neck as i look up to her with big eyes, her eyes sweet and sincere, and only because it comes out of her mouth i think it over.

"i- i will." i say, both of her hands not rest on my waist, somewhere they really shouldn't be. "but- we- let's go downstairs." i stutter out clearly a little flustered.

she nods which makes me let out a sigh of relief but her head tilts down her hand meets my chin as she kisses my cheek softly. as she pulls away i see the soft gentle hope in her eyes and, why not return the favor. i bring my lips up to her cheek but paige's head must have turned, her lips brush mine and i jerk back.

"shit- i'm sorry." i muster out quickly my fingers tracing over my lips, i'm disbelief but within seconds her lips are on mine.

i feel her soft wet lips against mine making a soft breathless moan leave my lips. they seem to absentmindedly part as paige's tongue slips into my mouth. her hands pull my waist as close to her as they can as mine pull her face into mine. within seconds there's a fire through my body, her kiss felt like no one else. i wasn't scared of her going too far, i wasn't uncomfortable with the way she was holding me, i felt safe and calm. and above all else i was fucking drenched through my leggings. "fuck." i mumble against her lips as her hand finds the back of my head gently pushing me against the wall but making sure my head doesn't hit it hard at all. the soft gesture so kind and sweet. my thoughts are interrupted when her knee pushes between my legs and i let out a gasp under her, leaning my head against the wall. "m not gay." i whisper as a kinda last resort to not let myself fall into her trap but her knee leaves my core, but she's wearing shorts there's a small glisten on the top of it and i curse myself.

"way to ruin the fucking moment." she grits out.

my hand flies out to her shirt and i yank her lips back to mine. i don't care how "straight" i think i am i want her fucking tongue in my mouth, and of course she obliges. but only seconds later there's loud voices outside bringing us both back to our senses. we silently pull away and look at eachother and i scramble out the door with her on my heels. the second we get downstairs some other bitch is in my boyfriends lap and i walk over to him. im gonna take paige's request.

"you wanna date this homophobic asshole go for it. cuz he's not with me anymore." i yell at the girl, and i go to say another thing but before i can he stands up. my eyes widen and im nervous but paige comes up behind me pushing him, hard, back onto the couch his head hits the wall and paige let's put a grunt. my eyes widen and fill with terror i grab paige's shirt and tug her outside.

"i can take care of my fucking self." repeating her words from earlier. i let her shirt go with a scoff and walk down the block back to my house leaving her there. and bam we're back to square one.

[hellaverse-critical-confessions]

im so thankful i found this account because i NEED to get this off my chest. it irritates me to my core and i dont think anyone else feels the same way.

STELLA'S DIALOGUE IS SO FORCED AND I HATE IT. i understand she hates her ex-husband for cheating and thats fine, but the way she talks about him and her tone when she does it feels so incredibly forced and it agitates me. i've known this since the first episode of season 2 and i'm pretty shocked nobody else has noticed this.

helluva boss WANTS you to hate stella, but they do it in a way where its being shoved down your throat in a "hey, look at this! isn't she SUCH a horrible person for hating stolas??? isn't she SOOOOO evil?!" kind of way. its fine if you make a character people aren't supposed to like, but if you do it in a way where people can tell its forced it doesnt work.

i believe stella has potential, and i think she'd be a great villain-like character if it weren't for the fact that when they make her talk about stolas, it sounds forced. it's literally nothing but mocking, hating, and making fun of him and it makes me want to bash my head into a brick wall. YES she is allowed to have hatred for him, but i don't want to hear it every fucking time she talks about him. it's repetitive, unnecessary, and pretty annoying if i'm being honest.

tl;dr: stella's dialogue whenever she talks about stolas feels incredibly forced and it's always pissed me off since she started doing it at the beginning of season 2.

sorry for the long rant, but this is something that has bothered me for a while and the new episode just fueled that hatred further.

You said it, Anon

[monkishes]

Friendly Fire | 02

genre: jungkookxreader, jiminxreader, college!au, best friend!au

summary: You and Jungkook had been friends for quite some time, and it seemed like everyone around you could sense the spark between you. They noticed the playful banter and affectionate gazes he directed your way. However, you were completely oblivious to it all, thinking that your relationship with Jungkook was purely platonic. Little did you know, things were about to get complicated. Enter Jimin, who developed a crush on you. This unexpected turn of events stirred up some jealousy in Jungkook. What will happen next?

word count: 6518

warnings: lots of jealousy, jk is oblivious to his feelings but very flirtatious, can’t keep his hands to himself, exams😖, oc has a fear of failing, strict parents

authors notes: okay this took me foreverrrrr and i really need to start writing the other fics but im just so excited for this one.. hope y’all enjoyyyyyy. this was unedited and kind of rushed so ignore any errors, i hate skl so much its taking up most of my time sorry guys

series masterlist / previous / next

Jungkook drummed his fingers against the steering wheel as he watched you disappear into your apartment. He let out a long sigh, shifting in his seat. Something about the whole night had left him feeling off. It wasn't that he liked you—he didn't. You were just Y/N, his friend. But still, the thought of you getting all flustered around Jimin, of Jimin flirting with you, had irritated him more than he'd expected.

He turned the key in the ignition, the quiet hum of the engine filling the car as he pulled away from your building and headed toward his place. His mind kept drifting back to the way Jimin had teased him, how he'd made it seem like Jungkook had some claim over you. That wasn't it. He didn't care if you dated someone, it wasn't his business. But someone like Jimin? One of his closest friends? That was a different story.

Jungkook wasn't protective over you in the romantic sense, but there was a boundary there, unspoken but important. He didn't want his friends getting involved with you. It wasn't jealousy—it was more like... discomfort. He would never get involved with any of your friends. He knew Jimin could be flirty, and the last thing Jungkook wanted was for things to get messy between you and his circle.

As he drove through the quiet streets, the city lights flickering past, he tried to shake off the feeling. You'd probably think he was being ridiculous if you knew how much he'd overthought the whole thing. But you were his friend—he just wanted to make sure you weren't getting mixed up in something that would hurt you later.

By the time he pulled up in front of his apartment, the tension in his chest had eased slightly. He parked, leaned back in his seat for a moment, and stared out at the dimly lit street. His phone buzzed in the center console, and he picked it up, glancing at the screen.

Jimin.

Jungkook rolled his eyes but smirked a little, knowing exactly what the call was going to be about. He hit answer and put the phone on speaker as he stepped out of the car.

"Hey, man," Jimin's voice came through, casual but with that familiar teasing edge. "Did you drop off our girl safely?"

Jungkook kicked the door shut and walked toward his building, shaking his head. "She's not our girl. And yeah, I did."

There was a pause, then a laugh from Jimin's side. "Come on, don't tell me you're still pissed about earlier. I was just messing around."

Jungkook sighed as he unlocked his apartment door and stepped inside, flicking on the lights. "I'm not pissed. Just—" He hesitated, running a hand through his hair. "I don't want you messing with her."

"Messing with her?" Jimin repeated, sounding amused. "Dude, I wasn't even serious. Y/N's cool, but I know you're protective of her."

"I'm not protective," Jungkook said quickly, dropping his keys onto the kitchen counter. "It's just... she's my friend. I don't want her getting involved with any of you guys and then having things go south."

Jimin chuckled, clearly not taking it as seriously as Jungkook. "Man, you're making it sound like I'm planning to date her or something. I was just having a little fun."

Jungkook frowned, leaning against the counter. "Yeah, well, I don't want her to get the wrong idea. She doesn't know you like I do. You flirt with everyone, and she might take it seriously."

There was a beat of silence before Jimin responded, his tone a bit more thoughtful now. "So what, you're saying she's off-limits?"

Jungkook let out a frustrated breath, trying to find the right words. "I'm not saying she's off-limits, I'm just saying... she's not like other girls you flirt with. She's—she's Y/N, okay? She's not into that kind of stuff."

"You sound like you're her big brother or something," Jimin teased, though his tone was more serious now. "Look, I get it. You're looking out for her. But, Jungkook, if you don't have feelings for her, why do you care so much if she ends up liking one of us?"

Jungkook froze for a second, caught off guard by the question. He hadn't really thought about it that way before. It wasn't like he had feelings for you, but the idea of you dating one of his friends—especially Jimin—just didn't sit right with him.

"I don't care if she dates someone," Jungkook said finally, his voice a bit tighter than he intended. "I just don't want her to get hurt."

Jimin was quiet for a moment, then sighed. "Okay, okay, I get it. I'll back off. I didn't realize you were this serious about it."

Jungkook relaxed a little, relieved that Jimin was taking him seriously now. "Thanks, man. I just don't want things to get weird."

"Fair enough," Jimin agreed. "But you might want to figure out why you care so much, 'cause from where I'm sitting, it's looking a little sus."

Jungkook scoffed, rolling his eyes even though Jimin couldn't see him. "There's nothing sus about it. I just don't want things to get complicated."

"Whatever you say, bro," Jimin replied, clearly not convinced but willing to let it go for now. "Anyway, I'll catch you later. Try not to overthink it too much, alright?"

"Yeah, yeah," Jungkook muttered, ending the call and tossing his phone onto the couch.

As he sat down, the conversation played over in his mind. He wasn't overthinking it—he was just being a good friend. Looking out for you. That's all it was.

Jungkook stretched out on his bed, tossing his phone back and forth between his hands, his mind finally starting to quiet down.

His phone buzzed, and he saw your name pop up on the screen. Smiling, he answered, putting it on speaker as he lay back on his pillows.

"Hey," he greeted, his voice casual.

"Hey, Jeon," you replied, sounding a little tired but upbeat. "You home?"

"Yeah, just got back a bit ago. You?"

"Yup, finally in bed," you said with a sigh. "You think Professor Kim is really gonna hit us with that pop quiz tomorrow? I saw him smiling way too much in class today. Suspicious."

Jungkook chuckled, shaking his head. "He's definitely planning something. That guy enjoys watching us struggle."

You groaned dramatically. "Ugh, I'm so not prepared for that. I barely understood anything from last week's lecture."

"Did you even take notes?" Jungkook teased, knowing full well you tended to zone out in class.

"I did! Sort of...," you trailed off, and he could practically see you rolling your eyes. "I'll just copy yours tomorrow. You've got me, right?"

Jungkook laughed softly, the familiar ease of your conversations calming him down. "Yeah, yeah. I've got you. You always say that and then somehow ace the test anyway."

"Not without your help," you mumbled, and Jungkook could hear you settling deeper into your blankets, your voice getting softer.

"Anyways, you're coming to watch me play tomorrow right?" he perks up, trying to lighten the mood.

"There's no way I'd miss it."

He laughs, suddenly feeling giddy at the prospect of you coming to watch him. "Good, if you didn't come I would be sooo mad at you."

You giggle softly at that idea, Jungkook never gets mad, at least not at you. "Yeah, okay Kook." you teased, but your voice was trailing off, your exhaustion suddenly taking over.

Jungkook notices this, a soft smile playing on his face. "Alright, go to sleep. You're gonna need energy for that test tomorrow."

"Ugh, don't remind me," you mumbled, already half asleep. "Night, Jungkook."

"Night," he replied, waiting until he heard the soft click of the call ending before tossing his phone onto the bed beside him.

The next day, you and Jungkook found yourselves sitting in your usual spots near the back of the classroom, waiting for Professor Kim to start class. The room was buzzing with chatter, students exchanging notes and nervously talking about the possibility of a quiz. You were slouched over your notebook, flipping through pages, trying to cram in last-minute review, while Jungkook sat beside you, far too relaxed for your liking.

"You think we're actually getting that quiz?" you whispered, glancing over at him.

Jungkook smirked, leaning back in his chair with his arms crossed. "Oh, it's not just a quiz," he said, his voice low so only you could hear. "It's a full-on test. I saw him carrying in a stack of papers when I came in."

You groaned, dropping your head dramatically onto your notebook. "I'm so screwed."

Jungkook chuckled, nudging your arm with his elbow. "You should've studied with me."

"Don't even," you muttered, lifting your head just as Professor Kim walked in, shuffling the dreaded stack of test papers in his hands. Your stomach dropped.

"Good morning, class," Professor Kim announced with a suspiciously cheerful tone. "I hope you're all ready for today's test."

You glanced at Jungkook, who gave you a smug look, as if to say I told you so. You shot him a glare in return.

As Professor Kim passed out the tests, Jungkook leaned over slightly. "Just stay calm, Y/N. You'll be fine."

"I'll be calm when this is over," you whispered back, staring at the paper in front of you like it was a death sentence.

The room soon fell silent, except for the occasional shuffling of papers and the soft scratching of pens. You took a deep breath, flipping through the pages of the test, immediately feeling the pressure mount. The first few questions were doable, but by the time you hit the midpoint, it was like the words on the page were written in a foreign language.

You glanced over at Jungkook. He was scribbling away confidently, barely pausing as he moved through the questions with ease. Of course, he looked completely unbothered, like this was just another walk in the park. You could even see the faintest smirk playing on his lips.

Your eyes narrowed, and he must have felt your gaze because he glanced over at you, raising an eyebrow. When he saw the look of panic on your face, his smirk widened, and he gave a subtle shake of his head, clearly amused by your struggle.

You mouthed, "Help me!" exaggerating your expression for effect.

Jungkook chuckled softly, shaking his head again. He leaned slightly closer and whispered under his breath, "Just focus."

You rolled your eyes, going back to your test. But focusing was the last thing you could do. Every time you got stuck on a question, you'd glance over at Jungkook again, and every time, he was still breezing through the test, like he was taking a casual quiz and not a full-blown assessment. It was infuriating.

After a few minutes of watching you squirm, Jungkook finally tilted his paper just slightly, making sure only you could see the edge of it. It wasn't enough to give away the answers, but it was enough to show you the format, which was a tiny bit helpful.

You caught on immediately, shooting him a grateful look. He just winked at you, clearly enjoying the situation way too much.

The rest of the test dragged on painfully, and by the time you reached the last page, your brain felt like mush. Meanwhile, Jungkook had already finished and was lounging back in his chair, stretching lazily as if the test had been no big deal. He shot you another amused glance, raising an eyebrow as if to say, See? Easy.

You were dying to toss something at him.

Finally, Professor Kim called time, and you let out a long breath as you handed in your test. Jungkook was waiting for you at the door, his hands shoved into his pockets, an infuriating grin on his face.

"So," he said casually as you walked out of the classroom together, "how was it?"

You shot him a look. "You're enjoying this way too much."

He chuckled, nudging your shoulder lightly. "Hey, you're the one who didn't study."

"I was going to, but you didn't exactly offer to help," you shot back, still frustrated by how easy it had been for him.

"I told you to stay calm," he said with a playful grin, clearly unfazed by your annoyance.

You groaned again, but even you couldn't stay mad at him for long. It was classic Jungkook—breezing through everything with a smile on his face while you struggled just to keep up. And despite yourself, you couldn't help but laugh a little as the two of you walked down the hallway together.

"Next time, you're helping me study," you declared, glancing up at him.

"Deal," he said, his grin widening. "But only if you promise to take better notes."

You laughed, shaking your head. "I'm starting to think you enjoy watching me suffer."

"Maybe just a little," he teased, his eyes glinting with amusement.

As you and Jungkook made your way down the hall, the usual buzz of campus life surrounded you. Students were rushing between classes, chatting in groups, or buried in their phones, but you were still thinking about the test you'd just barely survived.

Jungkook, of course, was in a good mood, walking beside you with that annoyingly smug look on his face. Just as you were about to tease him about how much he was enjoying your misery, a familiar voice called out.

"Yo, Jungkook! Y/N!" Taehyung appeared, striding toward the two of you, his usual carefree grin plastered on his face. Jimin was right behind him, looking effortlessly cool as always.

"Hey," Jungkook greeted them, stopping in his tracks as they reached you. "What's up?"

Taehyung grinned, leaning against the lockers. "Just heading to class, but I saw you two and figured we'd say hi."

Jimin's eyes landed on you, his gaze lingering for a second longer than usual. He smiled warmly. "Hey, Y/N," he said, his voice smooth. "Heard you had a test, how'd it go?

You sighed dramatically, already feeling the weight of your grade pulling you down. "Oh, it was awful. I know I failed."

Jimin chuckled, stepping a little closer. "Really? I can't imagine you struggling with anything. You probably did better than you think."

You blinked, caught off guard by his words. Jimin was always friendly, but today there was a slight edge to it, something more than the usual casual banter. His eyes flicked to Jungkook briefly before landing back on you.

"I doubt it," you laughed, feeling a little flustered by the compliment. "But thanks for the confidence boost."

Jimin smirked, his eyes still locked on you. "Anytime."

Just then, Taehyung clapped Jungkook on the shoulder. "We're heading to the art building. Where are you guys off to?"

"I'm going to bio," you said, glancing at your phone to check the time. "It's across campus, though."

"I can walk you—" Jungkook starts, your gaze shifting towards him, but he immediately gets interrupted by Jimin's voice.

Jimin perked up, a slight glint of interest in his eyes. "Really? I'm heading that way too. I can walk with you, if you want."

You smiled, appreciating the offer. "Yeah, that'd be nice."

Before you could say anything else, Jungkook, who had been watching the whole exchange, nodded. "Alright, then. You guys go ahead," he said, his tone relaxed. "I'll catch you later, Y/N."

His easygoing attitude surprised you, but you figured he was just in a good mood after breezing through the test. He turned to Taehyung, and the two of them started walking in the opposite direction.

"Bye, Jungkook!" you called, waving after him. He shot you a quick wave without looking back, too busy joking around with Taehyung.

Jimin gave you a nod, gesturing for you to lead the way. "Shall we?"

You began walking at a comfortable pace, a comfortable silence settling down amongst the both of you. Or at least, you didn't mind the silence.

You could feel him glancing towards your face every so often, and when you turned to look, he just smiled innocently, turning his gaze straight ahead.

The silence started to grow awkward, until Jimin cleared his throat, as if preparing to bring up something he'd been thinking about for a while. "So.." he began, "Do you like Jungkook?"

Laughing at the absurdity of that idea, you meet his eyes once more, "What?" you said, your voice still laced with laughter. "No way, Jungkook's just a friend. Why would you ask that?"

Jimin smiled but didn't meet your eyes this time, running a hand through his hair, making him seem both casual but also nervous. "I don't know," he shrugged, he voice growing quieter. "It seems like he has a little crush on you. The way he looks at you, how he's always around you.."

You blinked, the idea catching you completely off guard. "No, me and him are just friends. He's like that with everyone." you replied, shaking your head firmly.

Jimin gave you a knowing smile, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "Is he, though?" his tone was playful, but you suddenly grew irritated. You were sick of people assuming that someone had a crush on the other, or you were dating, when it was clearly not the case.

"He's like a brother to me, Jimin."

He chuckled, his gaze finally locking onto yours, his smile widening as he tilted his head. "A brother, huh?" he questions, never taking his eyes off you.

You scoff, rolling your eyes as you pick up the pace, leaving Jimin a little further behind.

He immediately picks up his pace too, catching back up to you. "Hey, relax, I'll drop it." his hand rests on your shoulder as his playful tone from earlier drops, his voice now laced with sincerity. "I was just joking, Y/N. I didn't mean to offend you."

"I know. I'm not offended." you mumble, trying to appear as unbothered as you can, your hands reaching to fumble with the straps of your bag.

"Okay," his hand drops from your shoulder, resting at his side once again. "Besides, even if Jungkook has a crush, it's not like you don't have other options." He finishes, quite obviously referring to himself.

You laughed again, the annoyance fading away ever so slightly. "I'll keep that in mind, Jimin. But for now I'm happy with being just friends."

He smirked, his eyes twinkling with mischief, "Fair enough. But if you ever change your mind, you know where to find me."

Bio dragged on at a painfully slow pace. The steady tick of the clock became your only focus, each second pulling your attention away from the jumble of textbooks and papers spread across your desk. The classroom was unusually quiet today, so every sound created was amplified; the tapping and clicking of pens, the rustling of sheets of papers, the occasional murmur of whispered conversations.

Your leg bounced restlessly beneath the table, anxiety suddenly overcoming you. Not only were you struggling in chemistry, you were struggling in biology too. Your eyes wandered to the people in the class, who got on with their tasks with ease. Even with a textbook open in front of you, you were confused.

You sighed inwardly, frustration settling in. There's no one else to blame but yourself, of course. After all the times you zoned out in class, and never payed attention, how could you even expect to understand the basics? The realisation hit you like a wave, a reminder that when you go home, you'd have no choice but to study.

Eventually, the hour passed after a long time of blankly staring at the ticking clock. You immediately grabbed a hold of your belongings, stuffing them into your bag and throwing it over your shoulder before exiting the room. You let out a sigh, a yawn escaping your body. Right now, all you wanted to do was take a nap. Luckily for you, it was the end of the day, you could finally leave.

You suddenly felt nauseous, a sickening feeling bubbling within your stomach as you remembered how much you struggled in not one but two classes. The image of your parents disappointment haunted you as you stormed into your locker, yanking it open and tossing your books inside with more force than necessary. You slammed it shut, your frustration rising.

As you did so, Jungkook appeared out of nowhere to the right of your locker, his eyes fixated on you with scrunched up brows.

You sighed again, glancing once towards his face and again towards the exit. Your legs dragged you towards the huge doors, but Jungkook was quick to follow behind you.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" he walks up in front of you, gesturing towards his clothing. You noticed his attire from the morning was discarded, and instead replaced with the jersey he wore during his basketball games.

"Fuck, Kook, I completely forgot." you groaned, gripping your temples in frustration.

"Damn, Y/N. I reminded you everyday for the past week." His tone was serious, but you could catch the hint of a joke laced within his voice as he playfully shook his head.

It didn't take him long to notice your unusual state. Jungkook leaned forward, softly grabbing onto your shoulder with one hand while the other reached up to your cheek, gently rubbing his thumb across. "Whats wrong? You okay?" he asks, concern laced across his features.

"Nothing, I'm just tired." you admitted, although it wasn't the whole truth, it was still something.

His eyes look over your face, studying you. His hands now firmly rested on your shoulders. "You're a bad liar, Y/N. What happened? And tell me the truth."

"It's dumb."

"It's about that test, isn't it?"

You blinked in surprise. How did he know? You nodded.

"I'm sure you didn't do that bad," he reassured, squeezing your shoulders gently. "You're smart, Y/N. Cheer up." he playfully patted your cheeks, causing you to stifle a laugh, a smile forming on your face.

"Do you wanna go home?" he asked, his voice softening, a slight frown tugging at the corner of his lips.

"Well yes, but I wanna watch you play more." you say as his hands tuck a stray strand of hair behind your ear. You noticed his expression brighten just a little at your words.

He grinned, moving to the side and ruffling your hair, messing it up again before then slinging an arm over your shoulder. "Come on then, we don't have much time," he says. "I'll win for you, don't worry."

You round the corner and make your way onto the court, where people are already seated and the teams are coming out of their rooms.

"JK, we're on, hurry up!" a voice calls, presumably another one of his members, he lets go of you and tells you to take a seat before running off into the court, but you don't miss how he looks towards you whenever he can, sending a smile your way, as if to make sure you were okay.

The game was intense from the start. The gym echoed with the sounds of sneakers squeaking against polished floors, the thud of the basketball hitting the court, and the excited cheers from the crowd. You sat in the bleachers, your bag shoved under your seat, feeling oddly at ease despite the earlier stress.

You found yourself sitting next to a girl who had been at the game last week, her face vaguely familiar. She wore a jersey that wasn't quite Jungkook's team colors, but she cheered loudly every time the ball changed hands.

"Hey, didn't I see you here last time?" she asked, leaning over slightly to talk. Her voice was warm, friendly, like someone who just knew how to make conversations less awkward.

"Yeah, probably," you said with a small smile, glancing at her. "I try to come to most of Jungkook's games."

"Ah, you're here for JK?" Her eyebrows raised, and there was a playful lilt to her voice. "Friend, girlfriend, or just a fan?"

"Friend," you clarified, though the heat rising to your cheeks betrayed the simplicity of that label.

She laughed, a soft chuckle that wasn't mocking but understanding. "Got it. I'm Soojin, by the way. I come to watch my cousin—he's on the other team, but don't tell anyone." She mimed zipping her lips.

You laughed a little at that. "I'm Y/N. Nice to meet you."

As the game went on, you and Soojin fell into a comfortable rhythm of conversation, punctuated by bursts of cheering and groaning whenever something exciting happened on the court. She was quick-witted and easy to talk to, and for the first time all day, you felt yourself genuinely relaxing.

"Okay, but Jungkook's insane, right?" Soojin said during a timeout, gesturing toward the court where Jungkook was wiping his face with a towel. "The way he just—" she mimicked a crossover dribble and a jump shot, "makes it look so effortless. Honestly, I'd trip over my own feet trying to do half of that."

You laughed, nodding. "Yeah, he's pretty crazy. He's been like that since we met, though. He's good at everything... it's honestly annoying sometimes."

Soojin raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "You guys must be close, huh? That's cute. So, what's it like having Jeon Jungkook as your personal hype man?"

You rolled your eyes, but you couldn't stop the small smile from forming. "It's chaotic, to say the least. He's super competitive, even outside of basketball. One time, we had this dumb bet over who could eat more tteokbokki, and—"

"Wait, let me guess," Soojin interrupted, grinning. "He demolished you, didn't he?"

You shook your head, laughing. "Nope. He thought he could out-eat me, but I totally won. He ended up lying on the floor groaning about how he was 'never eating again.'"

Soojin laughed so hard she nearly spilled her drink. "That's amazing. He doesn't seem like the type to lose, especially at something like that."

"Oh, trust me," you said, leaning in conspiratorially. "He's not. He demanded a rematch a week later. Still lost, though."

The two of you dissolved into laughter, the tension of your earlier frustration completely forgotten. You were so caught up in the moment that you almost didn't notice when the crowd suddenly erupted into cheers.

The score was neck-and-neck, and every pass, dribble, and shot was met with thunderous applause or groans of disappointment. You found yourself leaning forward, completely absorbed in the game despite your earlier indifference.

With less than a minute left on the clock, Jungkook's team had the ball. The crowd was on its feet, chanting and clapping as he darted past defenders with effortless precision. You held your breath as he leapt for a three-pointer just as the buzzer sounded.

The ball arced beautifully through the air before sinking through the net with a satisfying swish. The gym erupted into cheers, the sound deafening as Jungkook's teammates swarmed him in celebration. He raised his arms in victory, then turned toward the stands, his eyes locking onto yours. He didn't just smile this time—he winked.

"Oh my god," Soojin said, clutching her chest dramatically. "That was smooth. I'm swooning, and it wasn't even aimed at me. Are you sure you're just friends? Because the way he keeps looking at you..."

You shook your head, laughing but feeling that familiar warmth creep up your neck again. "He's so extra sometimes."

"Extra? Girl, that was a whole movie moment," Soojin countered. "You should be flattered."

At that moment, Jungkook jogged over to the sidelines, drenched in sweat but beaming with pride. He waved at you as he approached, clearly pleased with himself.

"Well? What'd you think?" he asked, leaning on the railing in front of the bleachers.

"You were decent," you said, trying to sound unimpressed.

"Decent?" he repeated, his eyes narrowing in mock offense. "That was a game-winning three-pointer. You should be bowing down right now."

"Don't push your luck, Kook," you teased, though your grin gave you away.

"You did okay," Soojin chimed in, smirking. "But I think Y/N's still more impressed by the tteokbokki story."

Jungkook frowned, his ears turning slightly pink. "You told her about that?"

"Of course," you said, laughing. "It's one of my best Jungkook stories."

He groaned, covering his face with his hands. "Great. Now she thinks I'm a loser."

"Not at all," Soojin said, winking at you. "It's kind of endearing, actually."

Jungkook peeked through his fingers, narrowing his eyes suspiciously at the two of you. "Y/N, let's go before you embarrass me further."

You laughed, grabbing your bag and standing up. "Fine, fine. See you around, Soojin."

"Definitely," she said, giving you a knowing smile. "Oh, and Jungkook?"

"Yeah?" he said, pausing mid-step.

"Good game," she said, grinning. "But maybe work on that tteokbokki endurance."

Jungkook groaned again, dragging you toward the exit as you burst into laughter.

The cool evening air hit your face as you both left the gym, a refreshing contrast to the warmth of the crowded court. Jungkook still looked a little flustered, though he tried to play it cool, brushing a hand through his damp hair.

"I can't believe you told her about the tteokbokki thing," he muttered, shaking his head.

You smirked, bumping his arm lightly. "Oh, come on, it's a great story. Besides, you challenged me. What did you expect? For me to lose gracefully?"

"Gracefully? I expected you to lose, period," he quipped, shooting you a playful glare. "But apparently, you're hiding a black hole for a stomach. It's unfair."

He grumbled, but the corner of his mouth twitched upward in a reluctant smile. "Anyway, who was she? You seemed pretty chummy with her for someone you just met."

"Her name's Soojin. She's here to watch her cousin—apparently, he's on the other team. She's nice, though. Funny, too."

Jungkook shot you a look, his brows furrowing. "Wait, hold on. You were sitting next to someone rooting for the other team? And you didn't fight her?"

You snorted. "What am I supposed to do? Start a bleacher brawl? She wasn't obnoxious or anything. Plus, she said you're good. So, technically, she's on your side."

"She said that?" Jungkook perked up, his chest puffing out a little. "Well, I mean, she's not wrong."

You rolled your eyes. "Don't let it go to your head, Jeon."

The two of you strolled toward the bike racks, where Jungkook had locked up his old, slightly scuffed-up mountain bike. He grabbed his bag, slinging it over his shoulder, then paused, looking at you thoughtfully.

"You sure you're okay?" he asked, his voice gentler now. "You seemed a little off earlier. Was it the test?"

The concern in his eyes made your stomach flip, and you hesitated for a moment before shrugging. "Yeah, the test sucked, and so did bio. I'll survive, though. No big deal."

Jungkook frowned, clearly not buying it. "Y/N, if it's stressing you out, let's do something about it. I'm serious."

You raised an eyebrow, smirking. "What, you're going to tutor me? You don't even know the difference between mitosis and meiosis."

"Hey," he protested, feigning offense. "I could learn! For you, anyway." He tilted his head, studying your face. "But right now, I'm thinking food might help more than biology. You eaten yet?"

Your stomach growled in response, betraying you instantly. Jungkook's grin widened.

"Thought so," he said. "Come on, let's go get something."

"Now? Aren't you supposed to celebrate with your team or something?"

"Celebrate what? Another win? Boring," he said, waving it off. "Besides, I'd rather hang out with you. Let's go."

Before you could argue, he unlocked his bike and gestured for you to hop onto the back. "I'll give you a ride."

"You're kidding," you said, eyeing the bike skeptically.

"Do I look like I'm kidding? Come on, I've done this a million times."

Reluctantly, you climbed onto the back, holding onto his shoulders for balance. "If I fall and break something, I'm suing you."

Jungkook laughed, his voice full of mischief. "Relax. I'm a pro."

Minutes later, you found yourself seated at a small street food stand, the warm glow of hanging lights illuminating the bustling night market. The smell of grilled meat, savory pancakes, and spicy tteokbokki filled the air, making your mouth water.

Jungkook ordered for both of you, insisting he knew the best dishes. When the food arrived, he slid a steaming plate of tteokbokki toward you with a smirk. "Round two?"

You burst out laughing. "You're kidding."

"Dead serious," he said, picking up a piece with his chopsticks and holding it out to you. "Unless you're scared?"

"You wish," you shot back, leaning in to take the bite. The spicy-sweet sauce burst across your taste buds, and you couldn't help the satisfied hum that escaped. "Okay, this is really good."

"Told you," Jungkook said, grabbing a bite for himself. "But don't get too comfortable. I'm winning this time."

The two of you dug in, the conversation flowing as easily as the food disappeared. Jungkook was in his element, cracking jokes and teasing you relentlessly, but there was a warmth beneath his playful banter that made your heart flutter.

At one point, he leaned in closer, his dark eyes catching yours in the soft light. "You know, I like this. Just... hanging out. No stress, no tests. Just us."

You felt your cheeks heat up, but you managed a teasing grin. "Are you getting sentimental on me, Jeon?"

"Maybe," he admitted, his smile turning softer. "What can I say? You bring it out of me."

For a moment, the world around you seemed to fade, the noise of the market dimming as you held his gaze. Then Jungkook broke the spell with a sudden grin. "But I'm still beating you at this tteokbokki challenge. Watch."

"Dream on," you said, laughing as you picked up another piece. The night stretched on, the stress of the day forgotten as you and Jungkook filled it with laughter, teasing, and just a hint of something more.

As the night wore on, the little food stall grew quieter, but your laughter with Jungkook only got louder. He was in rare form, his wit sharp, his expressions dramatic. Every time he popped another piece of tteokbokki into his mouth, he acted like it was some Herculean feat, groaning as though the spice might defeat him.

"You're such a baby," you teased, shaking your head. "It's not that spicy."

"Oh, says the queen of spice tolerance," he shot back, his voice muffled as he reached for his drink. "Not all of us are walking fire-breathing dragons."

"Dragons are cool," you said with a shrug. "Take it as a compliment."

He leaned forward, resting his chin on his hand, his dark eyes sparkling with amusement. "You know, Y/N, you've got a weird way of flirting."

Your chopsticks froze mid-air, and you nearly choked on your own saliva. "Flirting?" you sputtered, your voice jumping an octave. "Who said I was flirting?"

"Not me," he said smoothly, a teasing smirk playing on his lips. "But if you were, it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world."

You stared at him, trying to gauge if he was being serious or just messing with you. His expression gave nothing away, though the slight tilt of his head and the way his gaze lingered on your face made your heart race.

"Well, don't hold your breath," you shot back, trying to sound unaffected. "You're not that special."

"Ouch," he said, clutching his chest dramatically. "Here I am, taking you out, feeding you, carrying this entire night with my charm, and this is the thanks I get?"

"Carrying the night?" You snorted. "You're delusional. If anything, I'm the one entertaining you."

He grinned, leaning back in his chair as if to concede. "Fine, we'll call it even. But seriously," his tone softened, his playful demeanor giving way to something more sincere. "I'm glad we did this. You seemed so stressed earlier, and it's nice to see you smiling again."

You felt a pang of warmth at his words, his genuine concern breaking through the teasing façade. "Thanks, Kook. I needed this," you admitted, surprising even yourself with how honest you sounded.

"Well, you've got me," he said, shrugging like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Whenever you need to forget about the world—or just eat your weight in tteokbokki—I'm your guy."

You smiled, unable to help the way your heart seemed to flip at his words. "Careful, Jeon. You keep saying sweet things like that, and people might think you're trying to charm me."

"Trying?" He raised an eyebrow, leaning forward again with a wicked grin. "Y/N, I don't need to try."

The heat in your cheeks betrayed you, but you refused to let him see you flustered. "Wow, your confidence is unmatched. Maybe you should focus less on flirting and more on finishing your plate," you said, gesturing to the food in front of him.

He laughed, grabbing his chopsticks again. "Fine, but don't think you're off the hook. I'm keeping track of how much you've eaten. We're still in competition mode."

"Oh, please. I already won," you retorted, taking another bite to prove your point.

The banter carried on, light and easy, as the plates slowly emptied. By the time the last piece of tteokbokki was gone, you both leaned back in your chairs, letting out identical groans of satisfaction.

"I think I've reached my limit," you said, patting your stomach dramatically. "I might actually regret this tomorrow."

"Regret?" Jungkook scoffed, reaching for his drink. "This is the opposite of regret. This is living." He took a sip, eyeing you with a teasing grin. "Admit it—you're impressed by my ability to pick the perfect late-night spot."

You gave him a look, smirking. "Impressed? Not quite. But I'll give you points for good taste."

"Wow, tough crowd," he said, shaking his head with mock disappointment. "Fine, next time, you pick the place. But don't forget, you owe me now."

"I owe you?" you asked, raising an eyebrow. "For what, exactly?"

"For saving you from your stress-induced meltdown," he replied with a grin. "And for treating you to this gourmet feast."

You rolled your eyes but couldn't stop the smile creeping onto your face. "Fine. I guess I do owe you. But don't let it go to your head, Jeon."

"It's already there," he said, tapping the side of his head.

The two of you stood, Jungkook grabbing the tray of empty plates to return to the stall owner. As he turned back to you, his hoodie sleeves pushed up to reveal his forearms, he cocked his head slightly.

"You good to walk home, or do you need me to carry you?" he teased, but his voice held a hint of genuine concern.

"I can manage," you replied, brushing off his offer.

"Sure about that?" he asked, stepping closer with a playful grin. "You look like you're one wrong step away from rolling down the street."

You smacked his arm lightly, laughing. "Don't push your luck."

The two of you started down the street, the cool breeze brushing against your skin. The city had quieted down, leaving only the faint hum of streetlights and the occasional distant chatter of other late-night diners.

"You're not in a rush to get back, are you?" Jungkook asked casually, glancing over at you.

You shook your head. "Not really. Why?"

He hesitated for a second, then shrugged. "Figured you might want to hang out a little longer. My place isn't far from here."

Your heart skipped at the casual invitation, though he said it as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "Your place?"

"Yeah," he said, his tone light but his gaze steady. "It's nothing fancy, but I've got snacks, a comfy couch, and a killer view from the balcony. You can unwind for a bit before heading home."

You hesitated, glancing up at him. There was no pressure in his expression, just a quiet sincerity that made it impossible to say no.

"Okay," you said finally, smiling. "Lead the way, Jeon."

His grin widened, and he reached out, giving your hand a quick tug to follow him. "Prepare to be amazed. Or, you know, mildly impressed."

taglist: @blackswan446 @tesfayera @rrosiitas (comment/msg to be added)

[igneouswyvern]

I wouldn't normally be making a post like this but I'm having major withdrawals after having completed Nier Automata and I need to process it somehow so here I am

MAJOR spoilers for all three chapters of Nier Automata under the cut, seriously if you have any slight intention of playing the game do not read

Some of the game's major themes are loss and hopelessness, but the thing I find most interesting is the game's emphasis on partnership, usually just with two people but it occasionally features more than that.

The first time we see this partnership in action is with Adam and Eve right in the very first chapter. And it makes sense. Their namesakes are literally from the story involving the Christian god creating Eve for Adam, the two becoming "one flesh," and essentially being linked up for life. And in the game it is no different. Adam imparts his knowledge onto Eve, and he also "plays with" him. They're shown as two sides of the same coin from the second time you fight them. They're linked. They're inseparable. Imagine what were to happen if something did cause them to be separated? Well, when 2B kills Adam, Eve flies into a blind rage. He can't think. He can't see straight. All he can think to do is to destroy the entire world. And realistically, from his perspective, it makes sense. Adam was his world. Adam was the reason he went on, the driving force to keep him going. Without Adam, who was he? What would he do with himself? His only options were to kill himself, or to kill everyone else. Revenge is a reason to keep going. So he chose revenge.

And at first this seems absurd and childish, but we see this immediately mirrored in the third chapter with 2B and 9S. 2B's death unfortunately comes right after 9S learns that the humans are extinct and everything he's been fighting for is a lie. But it's okay, because as long as he's fighting side-by-side with 2B everything will be okay, won't it? And then he witnesses 2B die, and his entire world is shattered. His response is understandable, really. He has nothing left to live for. He could kill himself, or he could kill everyone else. Revenge gave him a reason to keep going. So he made his goal to destroy every last machine that did this to 2B, and then kill A2, the android who ultimately dealt the final blow to her. It doesn't matter what her reasons were. It only matters that she's dead. And what will 9S do once he accomplishes this goal? Who knows. He certainly doesn't care. And then, at the very end of the final chapter, A2 reveals the truth to 9S. She reveals that 9S was always destined to learn the secret about YoRHa. And she reveals that the only reason he was paired up with 2B was because 2B was destined to kill him once he got too close to the information. They weren't joined by some red string of fate wishing them good fortune. But they weren't joined by accident either. They were joined so that one could kill the other. They were doomed from the start. How foolish of 9S to get so attached.

We don't learn much about A2 in the game proper (unless I missed side lore, which is entirely possible). But it's pretty clear from the hints we picked up that she too had a friend in YoRHa who died. This is presumably why she left YoRHa--why keep fighting for them anyway? Her friend is dead and there's nothing left. A2 too chooses the path of revenge, but somewhere along the way she keeps her sanity, separating her from Eve and 9S. Yet her ways are seemingly aimless. The best explanation she can provide for her intentions to 042 is to kill every last machine lifeform, yet she doesn't really have a plan for accomplishing this at all. Throughout her quest, she wanders aimlessly, going to the desert because of a goliath signal 042 detected, then going to the Resistance Camp because she damaged her fuel part, then going to Pascal's village for the part, and finally wandering into the tower because 042 told her it had been opened. What is she really living for anyway? I doubt she can really say for sure herself.

Speaking of the Pods, these two are also connected. They begin connected by 2B and 9S's connection, but once 2B dies, they shouldn't have any reason to be connected anymore. And yet they still are, sharing data routinely and coming to conclusions. And thus, they continue to be bound, this time by 9S and A2, although it is imperative that they do not come into contact with one another in this instance, because A2 and 9S are highly hostile to one another. And through all the AI nonsense, Pods 042 and 153 do form a bond unrelated to their androids. It makes you wonder what might happen if one were to die.

The theme continues with Devola and Popola. Designed to be twin androids, their sisterly connection is unmatched. They would not be able to keep going without the other. They were ostracized, hated, and attacked, but it doesn't matter, because they had each other. In the end, they both die for the sake of letting 9S enter the tower. 153 points out that one could have survived, but they stayed together and both perished. 9S shuts her down, because he knows exactly why they wished to stay together. Perhaps he wishes he too had died with 2B.

Pascal is one of the few characters to not feature a pair. His duty is rather to the entire village. He imparts knowledge to the children and teaches them how to be peaceful, how to survive. He would risk everything to save even one member of the village. So imagine his despair when the battle is over and he finds that every last one of the children killed themselves out of fear, fear that he taught them. They were his reason to keep on living, and they're dead because of him. He immediately recognizes that he can't live with this reality. He asks A2 to either kill him or delete his memories, because he just can't go on.

While barely relevant to the plot at all, both 2B and 9S's operators show a desire to form a partnership. 2B's operator asks a fellow operator out, and is devastated when she is rejected. 9S's operator expresses a strong desire to start a family. Both missed out on this opportunity.

The commander doesn't come in a pair, but she too is linked up with other individuals. When all of YoRHa is going down, she rejects the chance to escape. What is the purpose of going on when everything you've ever worked for is crashing down around you? Without her soldiers at YoRHa, she has nothing left to live for. She goes down with the ship.

The theme goes even deeper when you look at the side quests. Rescuing the machine's younger sister. Protecting the mother machine's son. Helping a resistance member recover her memories about a deceased loved one. Confirming another resistance member's loved one is dead. Following the wandering couple and helping them survive together. The android who repaired a fallen YoRHa member and pretended he was his own son, because he needed to take care of another person to have a reason to go on. The pair of YoRHa betrayers, one becoming enraged when the other dies, and the captain coming to avenge them both.

The boss of the amusement park, doing anything she can to get the attention of the male machine lifeform, desperate to form a partnership, destroying herself to please him.

The machines in the forest rallying themselves to protect, and then to get revenge for, their king.

Perhaps what really makes both androids and machines human is their need for connection. They can't go on without connection. They will do anything they can to find one other person that they can rely and codepend on. One person that they can protect at all costs. One person they can focus on to strive to keep going. If they have that, they can do anything. But take that away...and what's left is despair and hopelessness. The world can be bleak and desolate and utterly hopeless, but as long as you've got your Person, there's always a reason to keep going. But on the other hand, the world can be beautiful and full of life, but if you don't have a Person, you don't have anything.

This game deals with a lot of themes, but I think the social aspect of the characters in the story is what hit me the hardest.

This got...long...if a single human being has read this, thanks for coming to my TED talk I guess

[fernsnailz]

sorry these kinds of comments have been really pissing me off recently lol

[vamp-bites]

The problem with being from a tiny little sheltered country is that you will use a phrase in a fic with a specific intention and then realise its most commonly used in reference to a big chain retailer. And not the cool dramatic thing you meant. And then it will haunt you. For months. Maybe even years. Maybe even forever . I need the world to know that when i said “target-red” i did not mean the store okay i meant an actual target a bullseye maybe even a matador’s muleta okay i meant A TARGET

[vroomvroomwee]

Someone send me strength not to blow up in a colleagues face who keeps nagging me TO GET A FUCKING BOYFIEND FUCK OFFF IM AROACE IVE TOLD HER TWENTY FUCKING TIMES IM NOT INTERESTED IN THE SLIGHTEST BIT BUT SHE KEEPS GOING I SWEAR TO FUCKING GOD

Apparently not wanting to be in a relationship is making me immature and inexperienced. APPARENTLY I'm fucking stupid if I'm not attracted to men AND THATS NOT THE WORST PART. I could have handled this easier if I WASNT ALSO NONBINARY! The idea of a relationship isn't so revolting as much AS THE FACT THIS GIRL KEEPS REMINDING ME EVERYONE VIEWS ME AS A FEMALE FUCK FUCK FUCK IVE BEEN SO GROSSED OUT WITH MYSELF FOR DAYS AND MY DYSPHORIA IS SKYROCKETING

[natsmagi]

honestly the more i hear about engstars and its TLs the more i absolutely dread the inevitable release of poltergeist and what may ensue from it, bc if if the translators themselves are already invalidating arashis identity then i Really Truly do not want to see how theyll translate natsume and tsumugis microaggressions/transphobia towards her. esp since ive noticed a rise in people being comfortably transphobic towards her, and i REALLY do not wish to see natsume and tsumugi being stupid fucking morons be used as evidence to discredit her

and i think this is all the more reason why its VERY IMPORTANT for engstars to DIRECTLY ACKNOWLEDGE arashi and her gender. bc sometimes characters are STUPID and RUDE and APATHETIC. enstars is a story with NUANCED and FLAWED CHARACTERS, and when a character is being a fucking asshole youre meant to PROVE THEM WRONG. but they dont even acknowledge arashi as a girl themselves. so, if you do use engstars, please keep pressuring them bc omfg this is so bad and i can only see it getting worse

[lucyshypemaster]

you will NEVER see anyone writing paragraphs after paragraphs hating on keefe like they do with sophie.

[charlieism]

little man would NOT STAY STILL

[plan-3-tmars]

Is this what Happiness is?

- hey so I haven't seen an interpretation of the bar scenes in Half that I fully agree with, so I wanted to throw my own two cents out there into the void and pray that it makes sense !!!

so, in the bar scenes in Half we see what I interpret as a hangout with old friends (or, hangout with old friend + his wife.) These scenes used to be the biggest piece of evidence for the cheater theory, but now that that's been debunked by the man himself, I have a new way of looking at them

~ before I go any further, I just wanted to say that I'll be calling the brown-haired woman whiskey for simplicity's sake

In this scene, Kazui turns to look at Whiskey, saying the lyrics:

"laughing together, side by side, this distance in our relationship is misleading me, is this what happiness is?"

With my guess (cuz that's really what it is there's no evidence for it) that Whiskey is the Bartender's wife i think this scene is Kazui being conflicted with what he's been told is true, that marrying Hinako is "true love", versus what he feels is true, that marrying Hinako has brought distance into their relationship.

He looks at Whiskey, a woman happily married, and wonders why his relationship with Hinako isn't like that.

~ shout out to @prisoner-000 for the following screenshot

in this post he points out that Hinako and Kazui's rings are silver in Cat, not gold like they were in Half, yet Bartender's ring colour stays the same.

For the sake of this writing I'm going to go with the first meaning they put out, that Bartender's ring is gold because his marriage is genuine.

But wait!! I hear you ask. This is Half and Kazui's ring is still gold in Half!! EXACTLY MY FRIEND!!

Kazui's ring IS still gold in Half because at the time of these scenes he's still fooling himself that this relationship is good, that he will eventually garner real romantic feelings for Hianko.

"laughing together, side by side, this distance in our relationship is misleading me, is this what happiness is?"

Remember this lyric that plays during the Whiskey -> Hinako scene. You know what other scene in Half this lyric reminds me of?

laughing together, side by side,

this distance in our relationship is misleading me,

is this what happiness is?

He's beginning to doubt if what he believes is true, he's beginning to believe the feelings telling him something's wrong (and remember, the scene right after this one is when he confesses (?) his secret to Hinako) ARE infact true, and that maybe the logic he's been following for so long has a couple holes in it.

I think these scenes are meant to show Kazui gradually realising that his relationship with Hinako will not work out. It just won't, no matter how hard he tries.

He's able to laugh together and talk with Whiskey because she's his friend, yet he can't do the same with his own wife? Even though, according to his gold ring, their relationship is supposed to be real and true and genuine?

[pass3ra]

cressida's storyline was genuinely shameful tbhhh it's like they started rewriting it in the first half of the season then completely forgot about the changes they'd made to make it fit the book plot and it just ends up making everyone else look bad😐 every character in the second half got a "penelope did nothing wrong" lobotomy so we ended up with eloise completely ignoring cressida being sold off to an horrible man (when she made every effort to support her in the first half of the season) and for some reason resenting her for pretending to be lady whistledown? Then they somehow frame her ignoring colin's offensively bad pleas as it being her turning away from redemption when all she's trying to do is escape being trapped in the country with her likely abusive aunt... and it ends with her meeting her horrible fate and it still being framed as tragic only to immediately juxtapose it with the bridgerton family winning the idgaf war while gleefully seeing off francesca and her future dead husband. The bridgertons were the villains of the season frfr

[brekkie-e]

Okay I'm vibing with Taash's personality so far. The laid back vibes are nice. Feels like a less abrasive Sera type of "good times and vibes" character. But I gotta say I feel like they represent the way this game's narrative premise is so faulty. Rook is explaining to them they need help fighting "evil god monsters" (ok we are really trying to make this easily digestible damn) and Taash's response is "wuh? That's messed up. Someones gotta do something."

Like... we really. We really did inquisition. Built that power house team to fight a Tevinter Magister. Not a god or anything. A magister. We had ten years to plan for the Solas fight. And are last minutely pulling in randos so removed from the situation their response to it is "Wuh????"

I just. I vaguely feel like Leliana, Josie, Cass, and Cullen are all being disrespected rn. Forget the companions. Like the advisors would never have just retired and dipped out of the fight like this.

[fyodior]

.

[thisbicc]

Can we just talk about the sad reality of being an adult and not having any friends...

I'm planning a big life event and I want to cry. I've never been with making or keeping friends because my anxiety makes me think they only talk to me to be polite or to shut me up...it even hits on here/Tiktok/insta when I msg someone. I've only ever had 2 friends and those bridges were burned through drugs and cheating.

I'm not posting this to get attention or act like a 'pick me' but I have no other place to vent.

The only people I have to invite to this function is my mom who I have a weird relationship with and am trying to put distance between us but since we work together it's hard.

I told my fiance he's welcome to invite his hockey team but he isn't very close with them as most are 8-10 yrs younger and he doesn't hang out with them outside of hockey..plus I used to be friends-ish with one or the guys girlfriends and it ended weird (which I still have anxiety about).

I'm 33 with no social life...it's not like I'm making friends anytime soon sadly.