#i like big friend groups because they all treated me like their dog and it was great

[cowardlycowboys]

My girlfriend and I would love to have you as our diapered puppy house pet

wrong blog my dear friend

[limethefirst]

Guard Dogs

pairings: Deadpool x reader x Wolverine

warnings: drinking, violence, swearing, creepy guy in a bar, crude humor

summary: you never have to worry when you go out, your guard dogs are always there to protect you

a/n: can be perceived as romantic or platonic, it’s not specified! Also I want to thank everyone who’s been supporting my stories and all the kind words I’ve received!

Going out alone wasn’t something you liked to do, but unfortunately there were a lot of instances in which you had to. The world itself wasn’t a safe place, both Wade and Logan knew that, in fact it was one of the few things they could always agree on.

Today was no different, do your usual chores, relax, eat, work, but there was something else you wanted to do, a little treat for all your hard work, “Let’s go drinking tonight!”

Wade and Logan looked up from whatever they were doing. You had bursted into their apartment without a notice.

It was normal for all three of you to hang out, but it was unusual for you guys to all go to a bar together. Logan was the heaviest drinker of the group, he knew where to go, Wade would go with his friends mostly, and you didn’t treat yourself to this as much.

“Alright,” Logan mumbled, his eyes on whatever stories the local news channel had on, controller in one hand his head in the other.

“Woah the big bad wolf wants to be seen out with us?!” Wade exclaimed, referring to Logan, “Sign me up!” Logan rolled his eyes at the comment his ‘friend’ made, not in the mood to argue with him.

“Okay I’ll be back at 7,” You told the men, closing the door heading back to your own apartment.

“I need to go put on my good toupee!” Wade claps his hands together, heading towards his bathroom, grabbing the staplers on his way.

Logan’s eyes still glued to the television yells over to him, “They’re all ugly don’t worry.” Wade flips him off, closing the door.

Getting ready was something that made time fly by, because before anyone knew it 7 was already here. The three musketeers were ready for their adventure.

Logan led the way, knowing the best places in the city despite being here for the shortest amount of time. Wade was on your right fixing his “hair system” as he made some snarky remarks at Logan.

You walked close to Wade unaware of what was going on.

The bar was nice, it had some stools, a few benches and normal tables for bigger groups. Logan sat himself on the stools by the bartender knowing he’d get liquor much faster this way. Wade sat a seat away from Logan leaving you space in the middle of the two, which you didn’t mind at all.

“Give me another drink,” Logan called to the bar keep.

“There you go just fucking up that liver again,” Wade smirked at him, just trying to get under his skin.

“Shut the fuck up before I rip off that toupee and shove it right up your-”

Before Logan could finish Wade quickly put his finger up to his mouth, “Woah there peanut, I don’t do pegging on the first date,”

“If this wasn’t a public bar I’d cut that oversized head of yours off,”

You laughed as Logan and Wades bickering continued. Suddenly you noticed as the music seemed to turn off, normally you wouldn’t mind but tonight a nice song would’ve been good so you quietly excuse yourself from the situation.

You found yourself walking over to the jukebox; your eyes examining the song selections before picking ‘Million Dollar Man’ by Lana Del Rey (Ldr mentioned).

Having put on your song you found yourself walking back to the stool seat before a man walked in front of you.

“What’s a pretty lady like you doing by herself?” His tone was slurred, obviously from drinking too much. He wasn’t tall and he looked like he’d just woken up.

You gave a quiet sigh, “Oh I’m not alone,” You gave him a slight smile hoping he’d get the memo.

The man looked around and smiled creepily at you, “I don’t see anyone” He slowly took some more steps closer to you.

“How ‘bout now Bub,” Logan’s voice boomed from behind you, you felt his hand on your shoulder.

The creep gave an annoyed eye roll. Logan was taller than the man by a lot, and was definitely more intimidating.

“We were just talking, why don’t you leave us alone?” He began to mock Logan, this only riled him up some more.

“I’ll give you three seconds to walk away before I get serious,” Logan’s eyes were trained on the man, his arms were now crossed over his chest, visibly annoyed.

The man let out a dry chuckle, “Yeah okay what are you gonna do buddy?”

“We’re gonna fuck you in the ass,” Wade said as he showed up behind the man and grabbed his head, smashing it into the bar. Logan then brought the man back up just to knee him in the stomach before throwing him on the ground.

Everyone else started to get up after seeing the commotion, obviously itching for a fight, but you didn’t waste anytime for that grabbing both men and running out of the bar.

“Jesus Wade did you have to say that?” You asked him, wondering why he thought ass play was a threat.

“Do not use my name in vein,” he responded, clearly unbothered by his remark.

Logan gruffed at the evening you guys had, visibly tired from all that went on.

“We need to stop going out together,” you said looking at the street light.

“Let’s watch a movie at my place next time!” Wade offered, a cheery expression on his face.

“Yea whatever but you better not pick a fucking porno again,” Logan glared at him remembering the last time Wade picked a movie for the three of you to watch.

“I think it makes for good team bonding!”

[sweetteainthesummerx]

THE LOVE LASTS SO LONG (blurb 2)

the wedding bells ring!!

series masterlist

★・・・・★・・・・ ★・・・・★

dior.n.goodjohn posted

dior.n.goodjohn still in shock that the baddest baddie is off the market 😫 congrats to my best friend, partner in crime and the most talented woman on earth

tagged: aubreyyang, alexandrasaintmleux, oliviarodrigo, lilymhe, leahsavajeffries

liked by aubreyyang, olliebearman and 78,112 others

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aubreyyang I LOVE YOU I cant wait to have u as my maid of honour

oliviarodrigo stop the last photo turned out so good!!

olliebearman who's that baddie in the first slide wow

-- dior.n.goodjohn ur so luck that she walks you like a dog

-- user1 BYEEE she clocked him w that one

aubreybearmanxx THE CONTENT WE ARE ABOUT TO RECEIVE

user2 her having the girls but also Ollies little sister in her bridal party is everythingg

dinobeganovic_ posted

dinobeganovic_ letting the man have one more wild night (we knocked Oscar into the ocean) before being tied down forever (we confiscated his phone because he kept trying to text Aubrey)

liked by charles_leclerc, arthurleclerc and 56,384 others

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aubreyyang my mans devoted what can I say 😘

-- olliebearman love you babe

-- landonorris can't believe their letting kids get married

-- olliebearman ur like 5 years older than me

-- landonorris I said what I said

-- aubreyfanpage22 they went public and now they have no shame 😨

oscarpiastri anything for my brothers big night

-- user3 girl the f1 friend group is another level

user4 OH THEYRE ALL SO FINEEE

lilymhe posted

lilymhe big day for my best girl

Aubrey, the first time I met you, you were 17 and out of your first relationship. It pained me to see someone who held so much love in their heart to be hurt. Now, 6 year later you've found the man of your dreams who treats you like a queen. I'm the proudest big sister 🤍

tagged: aubreyyang, alexandrasaintmleux, oliviarodrigo, dior.n.goodjohn, leahsavajeffries

liked by i.am.charliebushnell, dallasliu and 83,002 others

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user4 im crying sm they're perfect for each other the haters can shut up

morganfreeman my little girl is all grown

-- aubreyyang MORGAN THANK YOU FOR COMING

aubreyyang lily ilysm words cant describe how grateful I am for your wisdom and company its helped my relationship so much

alexalbon our daughters so old

-- user5 this is so wholesome

--pastryboii33 ever since Oscar made that joke the grid has become an interconnected weave of familial ties

aubreyyang & olliebearman posted

aubreyyang & olliebearman mr. and mrs. bearman

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user6 OH THEYRE SO BEAUTIFUL

aubreyyangfan1 the real ones know the soft launching days

user7 aren't they kinda young

-- olliebearmancontectts they're 24 and 26 so no not really

lewishamilton congrats!

terribearman welcome to the family!

-- aubreyyang ty mama bearman xx

user8 just watched their wedding video AND I SOBBED

aubreyyang posted

aubreyyang got married to the loml, anyways how was your weekend?

tagged: olliebearman

liked by walkerscobell, lilymhe and 99,923 others

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user9 ABSOLUTE ICON

f1tracks00 the sheer amount of fame at this wedding

-- user10 who was there

-- f1tracks the whole grid, aubreys current and past costars (Morgan freeman, Michelle Yeoh, dallas liu, Mckenna grace, the whole Percy jackson cast) and like hella celebrities

charles_leclerc shoutout to LEC for catering the dessert

-- alexandrasaintmleux babe not the smalls promotion rn

alexandrasaintmelux the most beautiful bride

olliebearman posted

olliebearman my beautiful bride

tagged: aubreyyang

liked by scuderiaferrari, oscarpiastri and 92,105 others

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scuderiaferrari congrats to the prince and princess of Ferrari!

-- user11 wow she is so ethereal

-- olliebearman ikr

-- user11 BYE WHAT R U DOING HERE

aubreyyang my handsome groom

ollieyangg92 the way ollie was crying when she was walking down the aisle

-- user12 AND THEIR VOWS LOVE REALLY EXISTS

★・・・・★・・・・ ★・・・・★

Taglist: @callsignwidow @iloveyou3000morgan @honethatty12 @taygrls @destinyg237 @ilivbullyingjeongin @eiaaasamantha @1uvsptnik @yla-aira @ririyulife

© sweetteainthesummerx.tumblr. all rights reserved. unauthorized copying, translation, or claiming of my writing or any works as your own is strictly prohibited.

[lovelynicho]

&team as - romantic tropes

Pairing: &team x gn!reader

Genre: fluff

Warnings: reader is bisexual in Jo's

Note: english is not my first language, I apologise for any mistakes

Masterlist

K

Enemies to lovers

Since you started art college you were sure of only one thing. You hated him. You hated that he was always praised for his dancing, and you weren't even noticed. You hated the smug smile on his face whenever he was called the best in your year. And you were sure the feeling was mutual. Because why else would he purposefully embarass you infront of others. Why else would he go straight to you whenever he did better than you in anything. You were sure you hated him. You are not too sure anymore tho. That smug smile of his starts to seem more and more pretty each day you look at him. The way he dances makes your lips part a little and the air stuck in your lungs. And the moments he would use to embarass you fade into flirting with each other in a teasing way. And now you're confused why you feel butterflies in your stomach every time you see him.

Fuma

Love at first sight

He was on his way to practice from a coffee shop. Four coffee to go in his hands for him and three of his group mates. He just took a look at his phone to see the time but when he looked back he saw a cute dog looking up at him with big eyes. He couldn't help but smile at the pet. And then he heard a voice, it was you calling for your pet. "I'm sorry, he just loves the smell of coffee" you said as you gave him a small smile. He just stared at you, his lips barely parted in amusement. You were beautiful. The way your lips curled up at both ends, the way your eyes shined when you looked at your dog and the way you said a quiet "bye" after you put the leash on your dog to walk him away. "Have a nice day" he said to you, a little louder than needed, after you already turned around. "You too" you gave him a last smile and walked away. And he just stood there for a good minute, trying to process what just happened. And he's still hoping to see you again, and maybe ask you out.

Nicholas

Fake dating

Why did you get into a fake relationship in the first place? Well, your ex was a real freak, he kept stalking you even after you broke up with him. You needed someone to scare him away. And what did Nicholas win from that? Mostly free food every time you hang out at your place, and a reason to leave his house. But after a while it all just started to feel too real. All your friends knew him as your boyfriend and all his friends knew you as his partner, and they treated you as such. And you started to feel like you want it to be real. Every time he got too close you felt butterflies in your stomach. So you decided that it was time for you to break up this fake relationship. He came over for a 'date', and you two were just eating together when you mentioned that you should end this lie. "Why would you want to do that?" he asked, he even seemed a little offended. "I mean, my ex is not bothering me anymore and you were just here for the free food anyways, it's not a big deal for you" you said, avoiding eye contact. Then you felt a hand under your chin, he made you look at him. "You really think I only did this for the free food?"

EJ

Soulmates

All of his friends already found their soulmates. It was annoying, seeing all the couples being so happy and so in love and so.....perfect. He wanted that too. He started to look for his soulmate, looking at everyone he randomly met. A little creepy? Maybe, but he was desperate. But you can imagine the happiness he felt when he found you. It was your first work day at a cafe as a barista. When he entered he looked around but then he just looked down at his phone. When he got infront of you, at first he didn't look up just started to tell you his order. "Hi, I would like to have a-" and that's when he saw you. He looked straight into your eyes and you looked up at his. They were sparkling, just like how he thought it would be when he found his soulmate. "Hi.... When does your shift end? We could talk"

Yuma

Coworkers to lovers

You worked in the same office. Your desks were next to each other's. At first you didn't talk much, only about work. But at a company party you had a really good talk after a few cups of champagne. Since then, you became more comfortable with each other. When you had a long day he passed you little doodles on sticky notes. You helped him whenever he needed help and he did the same to you. You started to hang out together with other colleagues, and he always, every single time, drove you home. And sometimes you just sat in the car for another hour talking about everything and nothing. One day, you had a particularly long day, you felt tired from looking at the monitor for such long hours. You heard a whisper from your right and you saw Yuma holding out his hand, a pink little paper in it. You already smiled. He smiled at you too. You always thought his smile looked beautiful, especially when he smiled with his eyes. You took the sticky note from his hand and looked at it. This time it wasn't a doodle, but a question written with his beautiful handwriting. "Date tonight?" You looked at him to see him wink at you. You gave him a nod while smiling brightly.

Jo

Childhood friends to lovers

You've known each other since day one. He was always there for you. When your biggest problem was to get good grades, when you were first asked out, through your sexuality crisis and when you came out as bisexual. He was there for you. And he's still there and you can't decide if him being your friend is enough. Once you were at his place, watching a movie you've seen a hundred times. You felt yourself getting tired, so you dropped your head on Jo's shoulder. This was a common habit of yours but now something was different. You felt your face blushing when he wrapped his arm around you. He looked down at you making eye contact. His ears got red like a tomato and he looked away. You wondered if he was feeling a similar confusion to yours. He was. He couldn't stop thinking about how your lips would feel against his, but he was too shy to ask for a kiss.

Harua

Grumpy x sunshine

People always say you have no feelings. You seem so cold, even when you're with your friends. They didn't even expect you getting close to Harua. He's such a smiley guy, a literal sunshine. Wherever he goes he brights up the room, always putting a smile on everyone's face. But you actually got along pretty well. Mostly because you liked the same series. So one day you two were at your place watching another part of the series you both enjoy so much. When the episode ends Harua started to imitate one of the characters and you just couldn't stop your lips from forming a bright smile on your face, a smile you barely show to anyone. And when Harua saw that beautiful smile of yours he was mesmerised. From that moment he decided, he wants to know you like no one else does, he wants to be the one who makes you smile like no one else does.

Taki

Best friend's brother

Your friend always complained about how annoying and loud he is. You were supposed to think that too but honestly, you always thought he was kinda cute. The way he playfully joked with your best friend and with you too whenever you came over. Once when you were at your friend's house, they went out to buy some snacks for the both of you. While they were gone Taki came into their room where you were scrolling on your phone. "What, you got dumped?" he asked playfully. "Very funny" you answered nonchalantly. "They just went out for some snacks". "And they didn't even ask me if I want anything" he said, playing the offended sibling too hard. "Why would they" you laughed. Then you were just looking at each other. When he realised that he might be staring for a little too long he cleared his throat and started to go out of the room, but he stopped in the door and looked back at you. "If you were on a date with me, I wouldn't leave you alone for a minute" and with that he left the room, leaving you alone with your thoughts.

Maki

Secret relationship

Let's face the truth, it's hard to be an idol. The diet, the intense practices are already hard but idols can't even date without the fans getting mad at them. Maybe if it's a secret. You guys are in the beginning of your relationship, you've been together for barely more than one month. It's hard hiding everything from his managers and even his members, but it's not impossible. One day you visited them on a shooting. It's not uncommon, you know the members for a long time and with some of your other friends you often visit them. You were on your way back to the shooting from the bathroom and you saw Maki running towards you with a giant smile on his face. He kissed you without a word. After a minute you broke apart. "I hate not being able to kiss you whenever I want to" he whispered. "Yeah, me too" you answered in a sad tone. It is hard to hide a relationship, but not impossible if you love each other enough.

[echoe-back-from-the-void]

SCREAM - 1996

Part two is in the works!!

Looking down at the offending bloodied blade I grinned sharply.

“Oh, if you wanted to kill me you shouldn’t have missed.” I turn my puppy dog eyes to the man in the ghost face. I grip the blade and pull it out with a soft whine. Lifting my shirt to see the entry wound, “next time don’t miss, baby boy.” I say teasingly, my words obviously have an effect as he stands still with heavy breathing. Clearly startled.

I reach across the counter nearest to me and grab a rag before packing the entry. The killer flinches back at how brutally I’m treating my own body.

“If you came here to kill me because I’m part of her friend group then you clearly have me mistaken.” I look up at him again. “I’m just a punching bag, mr killer.”

When he still gives no reaction I turn away from him and half limp to the living room where I try the phone. “Damn.” I Mutter when I hear the dead line. In response a blade is placed under my throat making me hiss. “Put that thing down I was just trying to order a damn pizza.” Then quieter I mumble, “I get munchies when I patch myself up. And if I don’t eat I’ll just pass out and bleed to death.”

With a sigh I let myself fall to the dusty couch and bend over the side to grab the ever present med kit that I had stashed there. “Are you just gonna stand there and watch or are you going to get me a warm bowl of water?” I order the male, I can tell he’s male from whatever deodorant he’s using. That and his shoes are too big to be female, same with his hands. He’s shocked enough to actually do as I said and returns with a bowl of water. I dip my finger in it and sigh at the warmth.

I shake my head, gotta stay awake. Reaching over I turn on the tv and switch it to the channel playing horror movies. The killer beside me instantly becomes entranced making me bark a laugh. “Horror fan too, my good sir?” I joke and he shakes his head yes. This whole time he hasn’t spoken and maybe it’s the adrenaline or the blood loss but I teasingly say, “cat got your tongue, baby boy?”

“No.” A distorted voice responds.

“Voice modulators in the suit, nice.” I say as I turn my attention back to the open med kit. I struggle to thread the needle but eventually get it. All while the ghost faced killer sits on an opposite arm chair with divided attention between the movie and me. By the credits I have stitched the wound closed. I’m wrapping it in gauze when he finally stands up.

He’s almost nervous like he doesn’t know what to do. He’s holding that bloody knife again and pointing at me. “Don’t tell anyone.”

I throw my head back in a laugh, “who would I tell, baby boy.” At this point I’ve called him that couple times and while most of the jocks at our school would feel threatened. This man seems to almost preen at the words like they’re a compliment.

It’s a week later and I’m visited again. I don’t ask how he got in I just lean against the wall with a soft smile. “Back again, Baby boy?” I realize my mistake when I see his gait. “Not baby boy. So there’s two of you, smart.” I say with a shrug turning to walk back into my living room.

I hear the floorboard behind me creak under pressure and I lean hard left barely avoiding a knife stab. I grab the males arm and lift it up while turning. Pulling his arm to his back and pushing him against the wall with force. I hiss at the pull in my abdomen and press him into the wall harder. “Don’t get pissy or your going to rip my stitches.”

I Take the blade out of his hand and while I’ve taken a visible weapon away I don’t doubt he has more hidden on his person. “I don’t trust you so I’m going to pat you down.” I move one hand around and over his shoulders and then down his back and around his waist. I find another knife and a concealed cellphone that I stuff back in his pocket. The hard part was checking his legs because I couldn’t reach down and still hold his arm up.

So I do something mildly stupid and let his arm go to crouch by his legs. I give another hiss at the stretch but check him thoroughly. When the pat down is done I use the wall to try and get back up but I feel something tear and curse under my breath.

When I’m standing again I let my head rest against the wall with a sigh as sweat is already coating my brow. The second killer had backed away to watch me. I put my hand on the wall and continue to limp my way to the living room. Halfway there I take my bloody shirt off and throw it in the opening of the laundry room.

Being shirtless exposes my thin but muscular frame covered in patchy white scars. I’m really thankful I was wearing my sports bra too or I’d be more concerned taking my shirt off around the serial killer. “Getting undressed for me already sweetheart.” He flirts through the Modulator.

“In your dreams, brat.” I lower myself into the couch with a Hmpf. I reach my hand underneath and blindly search for the medkit like last time. This time I’m thankful I also stashed a bottle of scotch. I take a Long sip of the amber liquor before I even bother to look at the damage.

Two stitches had ripped and began to needlessly bleed. The second ghost face killer comes closer to the couch with interest. Kneeling beside me his dips an ungloved hand in the blood puddling my chest and slips his fingers under his mask. A little bit of the blood catches on the white face and I can just barely make out his chin.

I roll my eyes at his behavior and grab the alcohol to pour over the wound. When the skin is well and numb I smile and take the broken stitches out before restitching them. When I’m done I let my head fall back into the cushions with a sigh.

“You didn’t go to the hospital?”

I quirk a lazy grin. “No, they wouldn’t have helped me anyway. Because I don’t have money to pay them.” I say the words slowly to make my point. “Can I please order a Pizza this time?” My response is silence that I then try to fill. “I already told your partner, I get the munchies when I’m hurt. If I don’t eat I will fall asleep.”

“What’s your favorite scary movie?” The man asks through distortion.

“My bloody valentine, next?”

“Why.”

“Um duh, because it was good. I liked the idea of people dying on Valentine’s Day it was a little ironic ya know with the whole death do us part vow.”

The ghost face killer gives a breathy chuckle and begins to run his fingers through my hair. It’s not that bad and I kinda sink into his hand. “Your really not scared, are you?”

“I’m really hungry if that helps?” I tease through a yawn.

Soon I’m falling asleep with a killer stroking my hair. I wake up ten or twenty minutes later to the smell of warm pizza and when I open my eyes there’s a pizza box on my living room table.

I slowly position myself to kneel next to the low table and I open the still warm box of pizza. Cheese pizza <3

Hungrily I dig in to fill my appetite and sway side to side happy.

“Look at that.” A Voice says to my left. I turn and see the same killer as before. His new defining marker being the tinge of red at the bottom of the mask from where he tasted my blood.

“Don’t tease me, brat, I was hungry, I haven’t eaten since…well shoot.” I blink rapidly at the realization. Was it really that long.

“Shoot, What?” Another modulated voice asks. I turn my head with a perky smile. “Baby boy!” Excitedly I wave him over. “Pizza!” I hold up a slice for him and I can tell he rolled his eyes at me. “Don’t roll your eyes at me.” I snuff turning back to my pizza. The second man chuckles.

“She really isn’t scared at all?”

“What? Do you seriously want me whining and crying like some dumb girl in a horror movie?” I lift my lip in a snarl. “Hate when they do that, it does nothing for the movie.” I mumble around a mouthful of pizza.

A silent conversation goes on behind me and then both killers move to opposite ends of the couch and sit down putting their feet on the table in synch. “Cute.” I tease again. “You should really get a slice, boys, before I eat the whole damn thing.”

The one on the left moves to get a slice and I notice it’s the same one with red on the mask. That lets me assume the other is the first one I met.

I reach across the table and there are two electronics barely in arms length. The phone and the remote. I feel brave for some reason and pick up the phone, two bodies tensing behind me. Visibly, so both can see me, I take the batteries out. I then reach for the remote with a giggle. “You boys are way too tense, cops couldn’t catch ya even if I pointed you out, dumb hicks they are. And like hell I’d do that,” I lean back against the couch to see them both. “That lady you guys killed a couple years back had it coming, so did those kids.”

“And what did they deserve, sweetheart.” The one on my left that I had been calling brat said.

“Well you gutted them but I would’ve cut out their tongues and broke their fingers. Casey was a cheater, cheated on my tests and on her boyfriend. Dunno how he’s doing but she was sleeping with the dumb jock while datin Macher.” I dip my lips into a frown. “He didn’t deserve a bad girlfriend, I think he’s dating Tatum, I don’t like her either. She was involved in a hit and run that was never investigated. Suspicious!” I say the last part in a high pitched voice.

The one on the right speaks up this time. “What did miss Prescott deserve?”

My grin dips before realigning. “Bitch had more kids than she had marriages, I know that. But if that’s true then why does little ol Sydney have no siblings in the house.” I pause and the one on the left is the first to catch on.

“You don’t mean?”

“What—that she killed them? No, Miss Prescott had a set of twin girls. I’m Sydney Prescott’s twin, I don’t look it do I?” I reveal to them and both seem startled at the information. “I got put up for adoption and was adopted by my lovely parents.” I stretch the word lovely and rub a scar over my shoulder. They pick up on the message and leave it at that.

“Not that my twins a Saint either. She has a porn blog about herself. All that talk about virginity and not giving it up but she’s got a blog selling her body. Her boyfriend, Loomis, the shit I could tell you about him. Okay so like her mom, my mom. Totally slept with his dad and fucked up the entire marriage. I mean, what a Home-wrecker. If I were Loomis…”

A hand is placed under my chin and my head is turned toward a smiling face. Billy-fucking-Loomis. “You’d do what, Sweetheart?”

“Mother-fucker!” I curse sharply in shock. “No fucking way, I mean it only makes sense. She would’ve been your first kill, then…” I can’t stop the sharp open mouthed smile. “Sydney’s so fucked!” I give a disbelieving laugh. I turn to the other killer with a smile. “If he’s Billy,” I get up and put my knee on the couch to steady myself and take off the other killers mask. “Stu Macher, you son of a gun.” I put my hands on both sides of his face and give him a quick kiss. I turn to Loomis to do the same. Before pulling away I bite his lip drawing blood making him pull back with a hiss.

“What was that for sweetheart?” Billy asks.

“Payback, you had my blood,” I then lick his blood off my lip.

“No hard feelings about the stab?” Stu asks.

“None,” I turn to him with a teasing smile, “you were so cute when you were confused.” I let my eyes drift back to Billy. “He couldn’t kill me so you were sent to finish the job but I’m clearly not dead.” There’s a question somewhere in there and Billy nods running a finger through my hair.

“You’re interesting.”

A month passed and both boys had continued to visit, my stab wound was still aching and I couldn’t move much. I was really thankful I had graduated early because I could not imagine how I would’ve gotten around school with a stab wound. Billy or Stu would drop off after school to see me. Eventually becoming affectionate, I was a little confused at first and asked about their girlfriends. When I did, both boys looked at each other over my head before saying in synch that they dumped them.

I guessed as much when stu couldn’t keep his arms from around me during a scary movie marathon. Billy would give short kisses to my hair while keeping an arm over my shoulders. It was strange at first but I shrugged it off and soaked in the affection with a bleeding heart.

We have been dating for three months and It was hot. My ac had broke again, so I was lounging in my sports bra and free flowing pajama shorts. We were watching a horror movie, Stu had his face buried in my lap facing the movie while I leaned against Billy. Stu moved and rolled to face my stomach and began to bury his nose in my bandages with a sigh.

“Your blood smells so good.” He whined clenching my hips. He began to leave love bites and hickeys along the available skin.

Billy began to take control of my lips and make out. He pressed a hand lightly to my throat when he let up and he too began to mark me up.

I rolled my head back with a sigh, “couldn’t we have finished the movie first?”

“You already know how it ends,” Billy murmured against my skin. Stu chuckled as well, sending vibrations of his voice against my stomach.

“You both suck,” I whined after missing my favorite part.

“And bite,” Stu added with a sharp bite to the skin over my ribs. I held his hair tightly in my fist at the pain he caused. I could feel a drop of blood then running down my stomach which he hungrily licked up. Billy did the same with my collarbone and I hissed.

“Like vampires.” I said sarcastically.

Billy pulled away to smile, my blood staining his teeth. “We were watching Dracula.” He says smartly.

“Then allow me to return the favor?”

Stu nods quickly and sits up in front of me to expose his throat with excitement. I side eye Billy for reference and as much as I can tell, he didn’t hate the idea.

I start by leaving kisses up Stu’s neck until I find where I want to bite and I suck on the spot first giving it a purplish bruise. I lick the spot again and bite down, metallic liquid drips into my mouth. I leave his neck with a few soft kisses to the reddened area. When I pull away his eyes are misty and drunken.

I let my hands softly trace his face and speak softly. “Are you okay, Baby boy?”

“So good.” He whispered back. He leans forward and begins to make out with me, he holds a thumb over my throat and cuts off my air slightly to make me pant. To get back at him I let my cold hands explore under his jumper, nails scratching his skin as I hold his waist.

“Sharing is caring, sweetheart.” Billy says as he tries to get our attention.

“Never watched Care Bears.” Stu jokes under his breath and continues to kiss me. He straddles me and rolls his hips against me for friction. I let one of my hands move from his waist to grip his thigh making him groan through a hiss.

Billy decided to watch while he waits his turn as patiently as a psychotic boyfriend could. It was not very long. Not long at all. He shoves stu away and pushes me down to cover me with his body. “It’s my turn.” He says but both me and Stu can hear the whine he tried to hide.

I reach up to let my hand run though his hair before pulling his neck back. Leaning up I begin to mark his skin like I had done with Stu only more aggressively. Nipping at his Adam apple as I went. “Are you happy, brat?” I question against his throat and he puts pressure on my wound in response.

“Don’t Call me that.” He demands.

I bite again at his throat with an open mouth while one hand moves down from his hair to dig my nails sharply into his shoulder. “Don’t be a brat then.” I say back with a smirk.

“Guys!” Stu whines wanting our attention.

Billy sighs and gets off of me letting Stu again shower my face in kisses. His stubble makes me giggle “Your so pretty.” Stu says in amazement as he hears me.

“No, your pretty, baby boy.” I nip at his ear and his face gains a reddish drunken hue. A combination of the compliments, teasing and calling him Baby boy make him go misty eyed.

More months pass and the end of their school year is fast approaching. “We should finish what we started.” Billy says out of the blue over breakfast. After another bad beating from my parents, Billy and Stu helped move all my belongings to Billy’s cabin. From there we all kinda started living together.

“What do you mean?” I ask.

“I want to finish what I started. It’s not over yet.”

I hold my spoon pointing it at him, “let me guess, the principal, Tatum. Your not really gonna leave Sydney alive, are you?”

“We could frame her dad. Not that hard.” Stu adds.

“That would be a hit, local father now suspected for the murder of his wife four years prior and the killing of 5 teenagers and the Highschool principle. More tonight at 6.” I add sarcastically making us all share matching grins. With a nod we all disperse from the half eaten breakfast. “I’ll gather the dirt,” I say over my shoulder on the way to our room to change. Before I leave I kiss Stu’s shoulder in passing as he sharpens the blades. I also give a quick Kiss to Billy’s jaw as he holds my coat out to me, it’s actually his, but semantics.

“Be safe.” Stu yells.

“Come home before dark.” Billy adds.

I stand over the principle with a sneer. “Sick bastard, Little Kids, really?” I pull back my leg and kick his nose, hearing it snap brings but little satisfaction.

The boys take care of the body by literally hanging him up by the flag pole. School is canceled and we plot how to get Tatum away from Sidney.

While both boys had finally agreed that Sidney must die, they still wanted her to be the last possible victim.

Tatum is easily killed at a party and it is covered up by police to look like drugs. The reason it was so easy is because it was a ghost face party, literally everyone dressed in the dime store costumes to mock or commemorate the killer.

Slowly I had been releasing dirt on those that were killed, enough dirty secrets and bad decisions that people began to praise the killers.

“We’re like Batman!” Stu said throwing his fist into the air.

“That means your Robin,” Billy teases Stu with a light shove.

“What does that make bunny,” Stu says calling my nickname for me.

“Cat woman?” I ask aloud. Stu agrees and buried his head in my neck, shaking with excitement as he left pecks on my throat.

“Our girl is so smart, and pretty.” Stu gushes before chuckling. Sometimes he got into moods where he couldn’t sit still and would be twitchy when he did move. Usually it was from being over excited. I did like always and began to run my hands through his hair while humming soothingly. He sank into me while pushing me to lay down on the couch. Soon I was laid down with his head barely below where my bust ended while he tried to calm down. “You always treat me so well.” He said full of affection as he rubbed his face into my stomach.

“Where’s my kisses and cuddles?” Billy jokes with little heat to it. I lift my upper body as much as I can and he slides under me. My head resting on his thigh as he leaned against the arm rest. I teasingly bite his thigh through the jeans.

“Is my brat satisfied?” I say and he gives a groan.

“The buttons you push…” he exhales.

Soon it’s time for the final kill. Because I’m the smart one of the three of us; I decided that taunting her was not the best option. It would’ve only felt good for a moment and the more we taunt the more likely she could learn who was the killer. Bad idea.

So while Billy called her, Stu chased her through the house much like what was done with the other murders. But this time I was also there for backup in case my twin got too brave. I had already switched the bullets on the gun in the house so it would be useless. All the knives were thrown into the dryer where she couldn’t find them.

Unfortunately there was a complication as gale was also there at the time. I heard Gales scream and ran to the scene where she was. Quickly I dispatched her by stabbing her through the back of her neck.

Stu was wrestling Sydney on the ground and when he saw my display he gave an audible groan, “that was soo hot Bunny.” He said breathily.

“Focus!” I said back and Sydney looked between us back and forth with confusion.

“Right!” Stu said through the modulator and banged her head against the floor making her black out. Jumping into action we posed the bodies to make a more clear murder. I had stabbed gale a few more times before he fully passed to really sell it.

Sydney was posed in her room, scantily dressed and tied to the headboard with her blood on the walls spelling slut. Her computer was also pulled open to show off her porn site. “Like mother like daughter,” was written on a note I left behind.

The three of us planted the evidence and left before the cops ever arrived. And when they did they found Mr Prescott passed out drunk with a bottle of scotch close to him and covered in blood.

“Billy you should’ve seen it! She fucking stabbed that bitch like it was nothing! I almost came just from seeing it! So so hot!” Stu gushed as he held me in his lap. In between sentences he’d give me feverish kisses and touch me lovingly like something divine.

“Oh I saw, saw everything our sweetheart did. Damn hottest thing I’ve ever seen.” Billy said tightening his grip on the steering wheel while speaking huskily. He leaned over to squeeze a hand on my thigh and stroke the inside of it.

“Cmon, it’s not over until it’s on the news. Don’t celebrate yet.” I admonish them both. Then taking the conversation a complete 180 I say, “So what college are we going to?”

A sequel following the Scooby doo movies here

[hotgrrrlgross]

YES !! YES !!!!!! AHAHAAAA YESSSS !!!!

my personal headcannons for the loveliest of lovely little guys <3333

extra info + flags!!

randy: (pan and agender)

-fibromyalgia for sure, trauma does shit things

-probably needs a cane or something similar to aleviate pain (doesn't think he's ill enough to need one, absolutely is)

-if he gets high please treat him like a fish in an aquarium, probably would hate the lack of control

-flushes really easily, and constantly clammy

-if you put a blanket on his head he'll fall asleep

-narcolepsy

-loves the feeling of a nice, heafty, soft quilt and a hot cocoa on a cold afternoon...

oliver: (trans, gay and demiromantic!)

-has a stuffed animal collection 100%

-probably picks up a million different projects only to put them down, a new hyperfixation every week kinda guy

-him being a stoner is basically cannon but, in specifics he seems like a bong or joint guy to me, would let u smoke the first hit (bc he's nice)

-rollerskate date :]

-glasses to at least semi help his shit 'eye' (optical sensor) and lack of depth perception (they can only do so much though)

karen: (nonbinary, lesbian)

-doesn't particularly care about gender as a concept

-has a bunch of tassles and cords in her house she has braided

-can't keep a plant alive to save her life, has mourned at least 20 house plants, has a fake one (somehow dies too)

-mitski.

-the biggest sweet tooth out of the group

-will lock herself away for hours and hours, sometimes an entire day or two, just creating. only to come out of a hole haggard and exhuasted with her New Horse Drawing.

-hEDS, uses a walker to get around!

Norm: (questioning/bi ?)

-writer (how the hell else wouldn't he go absolutely bonkers all alone, other than having a goal and spite i guess)

-uses coffee to live, but definitely enjoys tea in his free time

-probably learned archery at some point

-whittles little sculptures to pass the time (made karen a little wooden horse sculpture once)

-randomly schedules cook outs/junctions when he's feeling lonely and isolated

-he would absolutely take the will graham route and end up with 20 fucking stray dogs out of a deep empathy and then wake up one day and realize the mess he got himself into.

-grilldad. (duh)

phonegingi: (genderfluid, polyamorous, pan)

-gender? yes.

-sexuality? yes.

-will consume your clothes if you are not careful with your gingi Care instructions. (taking little nibbles is okay as a treat)

-if weed is consumed it basically acts as a horrifically strong catnip, and it will get the zoomies and make it everyone's problem

-purrs

-pays really good attention to detail stuff, and its brain is basically a filing cabinet. but big events are basically a blur

-gets SUPER !! fluffy during the winter and there's an awful period where it's shedding and it's...super patchy and silly lookin

-me and the bitches i pulled by being HORRIFYING and lovely,,,,

bigfoot: (aroace. i don't take criticism.)

-banana,,,

-genuinely pretty attentive and smart

-becomes a painter because he is INSPIRED ! by his friend karen

-absolutely splendid lad

-i wanna live in a world where one of his passions is making and wearing silly hats, please, PLEASE

-karen showed him mitski,,,god help him he's sad now

-knitting,,,he knit giant banana,,,,

[1d1195]

Zipper

Hi hi, sorry for the short break there. I've been working on this the last three days and it flowed out quite quickly to 9.5K words.

Warnings: Harry doesn't like her (or does he), there's a damsel in distress scene implying SA nothing happens nor described but could be triggering, "enemies" trope, Harry wears a lot of suits and is angry a lot.

Disclaimer: Everything I know about lawyers comes from TV shows.

Harry was a smart guy, but he truly hadn’t a clue as to why he was so mad at the prospect of liking her.

So, he pretended he didn’t. “You and Harry are together an awful lot,” his friend Niall said to her with a smirk once. They were in clear earshot of Harry, and nothing made Harry crankier than knowing his friends saw how mean he was toward her. It was the topic of many conversations over video games and while working out at the gym.

“Enough, Niall,” he muttered. “It’s not by choice.”

“Don’t know why he’s all grumpy about you all the time, princess,” Niall said quietly to her when his back was turned. “He talks about you more than any girl I’ve ever seen him with.”

“He just doesn’t like me much,” she explained.

“Oh, princess. I think it’s quite the opposite.”

Harry hated her. She could never figure out why. She and Gemma were on the same soccer team growing up, so she’s known Harry for forever. Because she and Harry were of the same caliber in school (and the same age), they were always in each other’s classes. Always in group projects together.

It made her wildly popular in school to know the one and only Harry Styles so closely—and she did. She knew he wouldn’t drink tea past four in the afternoon. He liked chocolate candy better than fruity candy. Any time he saw a dog while they were on their way to study together, he would dig a bag of little treats out of his backpack to give away. When his left eye got droopy it meant they had to take a break and she would always recommend some hot chocolate or lemonade (depending on the season) at the coffee shop near the town library.

However, their conversations never delved too deeply. She knew his birthday but not his favorite color—she suspected it was blue or maybe orange because most of his pens were blue and his highlighters were almost always orange. Of course, she knew Gemma and Anne, but she didn’t know what their relationship with Harry was like. Because of school, she knew most of his political opinions—and big shocker, they were roughly the same as hers—but she didn’t know his favorite music or if he liked to sleep with a fan on or not. When he was sick, she didn’t know if he liked sleep or soup. If it was his last day on earth, she doesn’t know how he would spend it. They weren’t things that she necessarily needed to know to define their friendship, but somehow, in her eyes, they were.

Other than school mandated projects, she was convinced Harry wouldn’t give her the time of day. “Can we jus’ get this over with?” Was Harry’s mantra around her during their school days.

She wished they could be friends.

She didn’t want to be that girl, but it was impossible not to be. Harry was beautiful and he was nice—just not very nice to her. She didn’t fault him for it, she wasn’t his cup of tea and that was fine. The way other girls sighed and ahh-ed over him made her jealous. She couldn’t do that. Harry was Gemma’s brother and her peer and that was it.

Needless to say, their lives were clearly going to be attached for the rest of their lives. They were like a coat zipper. They met when they were young and as they slid the zipper to the top more pieces of their life meshed. At first it was soccer with Gemma, then it was school in general, projects and friend groups, and now it was university.

Of course, they were going to get degrees in history and law.

Of course, they would have classes together.

Of course, Harry would be at every party she was invited to.

She knocked on the door to the party her friends were invited to, and she waited as the door opened. “God you’re everywhere,” he muttered taking a swig of the drink in his hand. He opened the door wider to allow her and her friends in and walked away without mingling a moment longer. She sighed and stepped through the threshold while her friends filed in behind her.

“You know Harry?” One of her friends gasped.

“Yeah,” she shrugged. “Grew up together,” she said heading for the kitchen to get a drink. There was a barrage of questioning. The interrogation of how well she knew him, if he was single—he was, as far as she knew—and so on. “He doesn’t like me much,” she shrugged.

“Shut up,” her friend said. “He likes everyone.”

“I’m not sure what to tell you. I’m not everyone.”

They were kind enough to let the conversation drop. But their eyes darted back forth between the two of them whenever they were remotely in the same realm as one another. Harry was never outrightly mean to her. He never made fun of her and never talked ill of her. They talked about school projects and assignments and classes and that was it.

Harry’s friends all really liked her. Of course, they liked her. There wasn’t anything to dislike about her. She was brilliant, incredibly kind, and naturally nurturing. It made Harry nauseous most of the time. He hated she could be so kind all the time—even when he was a dick to her. It made it all the harder for him to not like her.

*

It was halfway through the semester when her phone vibrated with a message from Harry. She could feel the confusion wrinkling her face as she brought the phone closer to her face as if it was a trick. Harry never texted her. If there was a school project that needed doing, he was highly professional and would only email her. The only reason she had his number was because Gemma gave it to her when her phone was broken, and she was her ride to their soccer tournaments.

Could you read my essay?

Surely this was a trick. She couldn’t help but ask. Really?

Yeah. The response was immediate. Obviously, nothing special. She could practically feel his annoyance through his text bubble.

Sure.

Thanks. Conclusion needs work, I know.

The conclusion may have needed work, but it was a pretty good essay otherwise. A few grammatical errors and a rewording of a paragraph or two and his essay was finished. She didn’t question why Harry asked her. Surely, he had plenty of friends that would be willing to read it over.

His seeking her out was quite the surprise to her, but to Harry it made the most sense. At some point in time, maybe in year ten, he realized that he was probably stuck with her for a good long while. There was no denying she was smart—in fact, Harry thought she was brilliant. Probably smarter than him on any given day. And again, that agonizing kindness made him sick. He knew she would read his essay because she was so nice. If Harry acted the way he did to anyone else but her, they wouldn’t give him the time of day.

But he also didn’t trust anyone else in the world to read his work and know what it needed like she did.

She took all the essay reading to mean it was okay to ask him for school favors as well.

Do you have notes from the history lecture yesterday? I wasn’t feeling well.

I’ll email them to you.

Thank you.

Harry took good notes. She wouldn’t have asked anyone but Harry because she knew they took notes the same way. Of course, they did. If anything, his notes were neater because he typed just as fast as their professor spoke while she preferred to handwrite so she would remember better.

Do you know what our professor meant by this?

She sent him back a picture of her own notes with a marking around the part that Harry was referring to. This was my interpretation, but I emailed him to double check, I’ll let you know what he says.

Thanks.

Harry looked at her notes on his phone again and admired her handwriting. He doesn’t know how she was able to write so much so quickly during their lectures. He saw her shake her hand out every time their professor paused to answer a question or catch a breath. She had pretty handwriting.

*

The parties they attended together (not on purpose, just by happenstance) were when Harry was at his meanest. He would roll his eyes at her if she was part of a drinking game. Harry’s eyes shot daggers whenever any guy tried speaking with her, always there to remind her of some project they had to do, and he didn’t want to be stuck doing it himself. None of it clicked to her that he was jealous.

Of course, he was. She was the prettiest and nicest girl he knew, and he was mad.

Harry was a smart guy, but he truly hadn’t a clue as to why he was so mad at the prospect of liking her.

So, he pretended he didn’t. “You and Harry are together an awful lot,” his friend Niall said to her with a smirk once. They were in clear earshot of Harry, and nothing made Harry crankier than knowing his friends saw how mean he was toward her. It was the topic of many conversations over video games and while working out at the gym.

“Enough, Niall,” he muttered. “It’s not by choice.”

That stung, made her face warm in embarrassment, but it was partly true. They were practically stuck together. Zipped together by some life force. “Don’t know why he’s all grumpy about you all the time, princess,” Niall said quietly to her when his back was turned. “He talks about you more than any girl I’ve ever seen him with.”

She shrugged it off. It would make sense, he talked about her so much. Other than her roommate she probably saw Harry more than her own family. “He just doesn’t like me much,” she explained.

“Oh, princess. I think it’s quite the opposite.”

*

Gem suggested I ask if we could carpool home. Save her a trip.

Yeah, of course.

Thanks.

“Do you like her?” Niall asked Harry. “Like, she’s really nice and pretty. Obviously, she’s very smart so—"

He cleared his throat to hide the gasp that nearly left his lips. “What?” He asked, slipping his phone back into his pocket. They were at the library whispering to each other while studying for finals. He could see her in the back corner, headphones in her ears and answering his message almost as soon as he sent it. He was certain she would ace all her exams, no problem at all.

“Your friend from home,” he tilted his head to the girl in the corner. “Do you like her?” He repeated.

Harry shook his head. “No.”

Niall quirked an eyebrow at him. “S’weird...you’re kind of perfect for each other.”

“Shut up,” he grumbled. He wanted no part of it. Sure, she was nice and sweet, and in the right light Harry couldn’t help but be overwhelmed by how pretty she was. But he didn’t want to be with someone he’d known his whole life. He wanted someone he didn’t know—someone that didn’t know his every thought. He wanted to discover a new relationship where he would find someone that didn’t know everything there was to know about him.

Regardless, if he knew all too well that she would be perfect for him.

*A few years later*

“This will be your office,” the sweet secretary informed her. She wasn’t a young secretary, but she wasn’t old either. Somewhere in the middle—she reminded her of her mom and that eased her worry of her new job fresh out of school. “I heard you know your office neighbor here. He gave you a glowing recommendation saying “the bosses would be fools to not hire you” I believe was how he phrased it. They’re all very excited to have you on board.”

She blinked, setting her box down of trinkets she collected ready to have her first big job. A list of clients sat on her desk. She was ready to get started—eager even. Excited and nervous all at once. The box of trinkets would make her office homier and she started setting out the calendar and picture frames as she shook her head at the woman helping her get the lay of the land. “That can’t be right, my professors did my recommendations...I can’t imagine my professors saying that about me,” she chuckled nervously. “I think they liked me and all but—”

“No, no!” She interrupted with a giggle. “Pardon me, one of your references, Harry; Harry Styles,” she smirked.

Blinking in surprise, she felt her lips part in a breathless gasp. She had asked Harry as a parting gift of sorts if he’d be willing to be a reference for her on her job applications. “I don’t think anyone really knows my work ethic the way you do,” she admitted. “I understand if you don’t want to, I’d be willing to be a reference for you as well either—”

“Sure,” he shrugged. “No problem. That’s probably a good idea. Thank you.”

“Harry works here?” She asked, completely dumbfounded. She shouldn’t have been. She should have known of all the gin joints. Her heart pounded and the air in the room felt thin. When she had sent her applications and resumes out to every firm in the area, she didn’t dream that she would still be side by side with Harry. There were easily fifty or so firms in the city. There was no way the length of their lives on this zipper extended to work post-graduation.

“I thought that was why you applied here. Harry made it seem like you both—”

“Hi,” speak of the devil. She wanted to know the end of that sentence. The idea that Harry made it seem like anything was between them—friendship, collegiate respect, anything—seemed paradoxical.

But here he was in all his brilliant and handsome glory.

Harry looked effortlessly beautiful and nearly seductive standing in her office doorway. He was wearing a suit, but it looked like it was nearly painted on him—hugging each of his defined arms and seemed to stretch perfectly over his long legs. Throughout their schooling and university, she wondered when he had time to hit the gym because he didn’t go while she walked on the treadmill and read her textbooks—the one time the zipper of life skipped over their meeting. But it was obvious he had found time. Again, she wasn’t immune to his good looks and persona. She had seen him be nice and lovely to everyone he knew time and time again.

Just not her.

His hair was styled just so, and she could practically see the sweet secretary swooning at the sight of him. “Welcome,” he said. He looked like a kid to her. As if his mom told him to say hi and wish her a happy birthday or something even though he didn’t want to. He smiled weakly at her. It felt forced.

“Hi,” she answered, still in shock.

He nodded at her and left without another word. “He’s dreamy,” she said with an all too familiar sigh. “I don’t know how anyone gets any work done around here.”

She shook her head. “I can’t believe he works here.”

“I completely assumed he told you about the position...His friend is one of the senior partners,” she shrugged. “Louis?” She said. “I think Louis’ younger sister knows of you both or something.” She tilted her head at the woman. “I know everything,” she shrugged.

“You sure do,” she smirked. “Uh...no, I didn’t know Harry worked here.”

“I think it was Harry’s plan along with Louis or whatever—since they were young. They hang out a lot here.”

“Hmm,” she hummed. “I didn’t know that.”

“I didn’t mean to say Harry’s the reason you got the job—your qualifications are outstanding and—”

“No, no, you’re fine,” she promised. “I know what you meant.”

Poor Harry.

For the most part though, the two rarely interacted. They would run into each other in the break room or near the copier in the storage room. On one occasion Harry asked her to read over his outline for a case to make sure he hit all the major components of what he needed to do. Every so often Harry would bring her tea and not say anything at all to her. She found it odd and thanked him even though he never spoke to her.

She was oddly comforted by the fact he was just one room over.

*

There was a gentle knock on her door before it opened. “Some of us are getting Chinese food and I noticed you’ve been holed up all day—are you okay?” Harry appeared speaking the longest sentence that wasn’t about schoolwork or a case in their entire life. And he even asked about her well-being.

She wasn’t okay. She had a headache, something fierce. It started at the bridge of her nose, gripped the back of her eyes, and was reaching for the back of her head. “Yeah,” she murmured not looking up from her papers on her desk. Her voice sounded weak and scratchy. How long had it been since she looked up? Her neck felt cramped as she raised her head slowly to look at Harry. She wished she had a glass of water.

“Kitten...y’don’t look so good,” he said quietly.

“M’okay...M’jus not feeling so well,” she shrugged. “But I have to get this done,” she told him. “I think I skipped lunch,” if she could fathom the idea of using any part of her brain for something other than this case, she would have noted how Harry so sweetly called her kitten.

He sighed, almost annoyed and she briefly wondered what she did wrong now. He disappeared for a moment. Within an instant he came back with water, pills, and a protein bar. “I’ll get some Chinese for you too.”

“Thank you,” she mumbled glancing briefly at how pretty he looked in his suit and how kind it was of him to bring her medicine. “I’ll Venmo—”

“Shh,” he said and turned off the overhead light of her office as he left. Leaving her in darkness except for the desk lamp to her left. “Try a nap on the couch,” he said. “I’ll wake you when the food is here.”

*

“Kitten,” he said softly. He gently shook her, and she tried to remember if Harry had ever touched her in their entire lives. The smell of greasy, salty food woke her up the rest of the way. Harry seemed to know her Chinese food order. She searched her memories if they ever ordered Chinese together and how he remembered.

“How’d you know what to get?” She asked stupidly. She could blame the headache or the lack of sleep if he said something mean about it.

He didn’t. “Your friends ordered at a party junior year,” he shrugged. “Remembered what you liked.”

“Oh.” He waited until she was upright and eating—staring at her like one of their science experiments from school. “Do you want some—”

“No, just making sure you actually eat.”

She felt her face warm, and she shook her head. “Uh. Thanks, that’s not necessary.”

“Well clearly it is if y’forget t’eat lunch and make yourself sick.” Again, her face heated up, but she said nothing because he was right. “What are you working on, anyway?” He asked. “That you’re skipping lunch and everything.”

“Uh...I just want to make a good impression and make sure I’m doing everything I can.”

“I’ve never known you to not give a hundred and twenty percent, love. If anyone has a question about your qualifications, you can send them to me.”

“How come you get to act like a partner?” She asked. “M’not jealous or anything—I’m just wondering why—”

“Louis always said I was brilliant or whatever,” he said casually with a shrug. He wasn’t bragging. He was just stating a fact. It was true too. Harry was brilliant. “I always told him it was because I worked with you, but he didn’t believe me. So, when he saw m’name as a reference on your application, I told him he would understand it was your brilliance that helped me be so successful and if he didn’t hire you, it would be a terrible mistake in his career because you would go be perfect and wonderful somewhere else. He’s seen your work, trust me, kitten. He knows how hard you’re working and you’re making an unbelievable impression. You don’t need to skip lunch t’prove your worth.”

This by far was the kindest thing Harry ever said of her—maybe anyone had ever said of her. She was speechless. Maybe it was the sleep still on her brain. Or the pain in her head that caused Harry to turn off the lights, so it was dark and quiet in her office. Or maybe it was because Harry finally said something sweet about her. But she finally worked up the courage to ask a question that had bothered her for their entire lives. “How come you don’t like me?” Her voice was so quiet it pained Harry.

He shook his head. “I like you,” he said with an eye roll. She wondered if it was no longer hard for him to lie like that. Countless people must have asked him over the years. Certainly, by now he perfected the tone and emotion needed to get people off the subject.

“Not really,” she said with sigh. When they were younger it definitely upset her more that Harry disliked her so much. When people asked she would feel a sting come behind her eyes because it would have made all the sense in the world for Harry to be her best friend. Now, it was just a matter of fact. NaCl was salt, flowers bloomed in spring, and Harry didn’t like her. “It’s fine...” but her voice cracked just a hair like it used to when she was asked about why Harry didn’t like her at all. “I just...I don’t know. We would have been really good friends if you did...that’s all,” she gave a small shrug eating another bite of her food.

“You want to be friends?” He questioned, surprised. Even though he was a dick to her she wanted to be friends. She seemed to be a glutton for punishment.

“Well,” she cleared her throat pushing her orange chicken through her fried rice as a distraction. “I guess we’re kind of old to be asking that,” she said quietly. “We just spent a lot of time together growing up. I think it would have made sense,” she explained. It felt like she was arguing another case, it was far more awkward though and while she would have liked to win, she didn’t know if it was worth it. “It’s fine...you don’t have to be my friend. Thank you for the food.”

“Kitten, I,” he sighed and ran his hand over his face pinching his lower lip between his fingers. She could tell from the tone in his voice he was exasperated by her. She should have just eaten faster and let him leave without the third degree. “We can be friends.”

She blinked at her food and then turned to look at him. “We can?”

He tilted his head at her and rolled his eyes. “Would it make you happy?” He asked.

She was lucky her brain wasn’t fully functioning due to the lack of food. That was a weird question for him to ask. Harry never once cared if she was happy or not the entire time that she knew him. “Yes.”

“Then we can be friends.”

*

Despite their newly found friendship, she tried not to overwhelm Harry. They made small talk when they ran into each other at the office. About once a week Harry would text her asking if she would like to carpool to work and she politely declined because again, she didn’t want to bother him.

“Hey, I’m going to meet a client at Starbucks, do you want any coffee when I get—oh,” she said softly. For the entire time she’d known Harry, she had never seen one hair out of place. Not one shirt collar unpressed. A shoelace never untied.

Right now, Harry’s hair was clearly the result of running his hand through it several times over, his eyes rimmed red, and his papers on his desk distributed haphazardly on the floor. “Go away,” he grumbled looking at the ground.

“Harry, are you alright?” She asked quickly closing the door behind her.

“Fine,” he spit. “Just leave.”

“Uh, no,” she swallowed the nervousness down. She thought about how nice he was when she wasn’t feeling well. She wanted to return the favor if she could. Whatever his outburst was about, she wanted to help. “You don’t look okay. What’s wrong? Can I help—”

“No,” he said firmly.

“Harry, seriously.”

“M’mum was in a car accident, Gem called,” he snapped. He had his head hung low as he pressed his hands to the back of his head. “I have a disposition in an hour and Mum’s in surgery. Okay. Are you happy?”

She blinked. No, she wasn’t happy. But she knew why he snapped. That answered her question about what his relationship with his mom was like. “Harry, I’m so sorry.”

“Whatever,” he sniffed.

“Harry...you...you should go to the hospital.”

God she was infuriating; this friendship thing was a stupid idea. She was too nice and sweet. “Did you not—”

“Harry, it’s your mom,” she reminded him. He looked up at her, again the startling contrast of his usual put together self and this...broken man made her weak. She wanted to pluck every piece of pain from his body and put it somewhere that would never find him again.

“I know!” he nearly shouted. “I can’t leave though,” he said softer than his shout. It was agonizing, she knew it was breaking him.

“I can do your disposition Harry. You have to go to the hospital.”

“You don’t know the case.”

“Give me the highlights.”

He looked up finally, right in her eyes and stared at her. “You would really do this?” He asked. She nodded. “What about your client?”

“I’ll reschedule. This is more important.”

“I can’t lose this one.”

“I’ll do my level best,” she promised. “Trust me.” He did. Implicitly. All the school projects, every presentation, any time Harry forgot something he knew she wouldn’t. She was always there to make everything they did better. “Just go and don’t worry about this.”

Harry sucked his lip into his mouth as she put the phone to her ear and quickly told the other end of the line she had to reschedule because of a family emergency—but she left out that it wasn’t her family. They could do dinner this evening if she’d like on short notice or coffee tomorrow. It was done with ease and grace. The client at the other end didn’t seem to mind in the slightest. “I don’t think I can do this,” Harry admitted; he wasn’t sure he would tell anyone else that except the girl he had known for his whole life. In Harry’s eyes, no one knew him better—even if she didn’t know it. “This client is very particular, and he’s mean and—”

“I can handle mean,” she said firmly. Harry wasn’t in the headspace to realize she could handle mean because of him. “Harry, you’re going to the hospital. You won’t do a good job if your mind is on your mom and you’re worrying the whole time. Then you’ll be worried you’re ruining the disposition so just let me help.”

He nodded solemnly. She was right, of course. She waited for him to make his decision. His knee bouncing the whole time as she picked the papers off his floor, and she organized them into neat little piles on his desk. “Okay.”

“Okay,” she said and pulled her phone from her purse. “Hit me,” she said holding the phone out to him ready to record.

*

Harry arrived at the hospital. Gemma was in tears but in such shock as she gazed at her arriving brother. “Are you really here?” She asked hugging him tight. He nodded, squeezing her hard.

“How’s Mum?” He asked ignoring her obvious question that he would never willingly leave work—especially if he had an important meeting.

“She’s okay,” she said, eyes red and teary. She nodded firmly. “It was really scary because they wouldn’t say until I got here. Surgery is needed but not life or death,” she explained. “She’ll be ready to see us in a few moments.”

Harry sighed with relief and sat in the waiting room chair. “Christ,” he muttered.

“I thought you had a disposition?” Harry quickly explained the situation and that the sweet girl was taking care of it. “You work with her?” Gemma asked. Harry nodded.

“Yeah, why?”

She shook her head. “I can’t believe you’re...paired again. It’s just fate, y’know?” She mumbled. “S’nice you have her to look after you. To have someone you know and trust nearby,” she told her younger brother. “I love her,” she said with a shrug. “Even if you don’t.”

Harry ignored her. He was focused on his mom. He was relieved she was okay. But he wanted to see her.

His phone vibrated with a text from her. She promised an update as soon as the disposition was finished.

All done. Went well. I left notes on your desk. Let me know if you need anything. Wish your mom and Gem well. Don’t worry about anything else here.

Thank you, kitten.

:)

“Kitten, hmm?”

“Yeah.”

Harry locked his phone. When they went to the room where his mother lay looking banged up but alive, he nearly cried. “Hi Mum,” he sniffed.

“Well, aren’t you a sight for sore eyes,” she smirked easily. Nearly unaffected by the wires and tubes. “How’d you get out of work?” Gemma was delighted to tell the tale of the sweet girl. “Oh, I love her,” Anne grinned tiredly. “Why didn’t you ever bring her home, Harry?” She wondered. Harry started to answer but the arrival of a get-well basket on behalf of that sweet girl made its way through the threshold halting all of Harry’s thoughts of an excuse.

Because he really didn’t know why he never brought her home.

*

At the company party Harry eyed her from across the way. They were definitely friendlier, but Harry was hedging his bets. First and foremost, he was still hesitant to be in love with her. She was perfect and if he thought for two seconds longer, he would realize his stupid idea that he shouldn’t be in love with someone he’s known his whole life wasn’t his issue. Perhaps his issue was that she was perfect, and Harry was not. It seemed cruel for fate to tempt him like that. But maybe there was a reason she was so heavily involved in every aspect of his life.

Harry also wasn’t blind to the implications of dating a coworker.

But most importantly to him, she was so good at everything he couldn’t imagine being a subpar boyfriend when she deserved the very best. Harry didn’t even know how to be a boyfriend. Because of all the schoolwork he focused on he rarely dated anyone longer than a few dates or the occasional hookup.

And he had seen her in action as a girlfriend. Their junior year of university she dated a guy that she obviously adored for nearly a year and a half. She was naturally perfect. Went to every basketball game he was in, brought him soup when he wasn’t feeling well, and looked over his work for him before he turned it in. He was exactly what Harry imagined her boyfriend would be like. Attractive, hardworking, and very sweet to her. They met at the gym while she was studying for her ethics class on the treadmill (he only knew this because he told the story at a party, they both attended and Harry was intently listening).

The only problem Harry had with him—besides the fact he was dating the girl he spent so much time with—was he was not ambitious, and he never planned any of their dates. Harry hated him. She deserved flowers and coffee dates. Ice skating and movies. Once while she was on the phone with her sister when Harry was arriving at one of their study sessions, he knew she wanted a carriage ride around the park at Christmas. It wasn’t hard to figure out, so he was glad when he found out she broke up with him. Even if Harry didn’t like her, he knew she deserved more than that.

“Harry!” It was the client he had to skip out on for his mum the other day. “How’s your mum?” He asked.

“She’s fine, thank you. I’m sorry for the short notice of me not being there,” he said seriously.

“I was mad as hell when she told me you left. I think I screamed at her,” he admitted. Harry didn’t like that at all. The way his blood boiled at the idea of anyone yelling at her made him want to punch his client. Harry never thought himself a violent person, but here he was angry on behalf of a girl he only barely liked. It made him even madder that she didn’t mention anything at all about getting yelled at either. “But she was incredible! You can leave me with her anytime—she was brilliant and poised. I don’t think anyone suspected anything she had to say.”

“Yes, she’s very good,” Harry murmured around a sip of his drink. He was right, too. No one ever suspected the sweet girl to know anything. She was all eyes and beauty. She was softspoken, but her words carried weight. It would be entirely unfair for her to be exceedingly intelligent too. But she was. Harry hated the way people underestimated her, especially when they were paired together. It was like they thought he was only paired with her because she was pretty.

“She’s easy on the eyes too,” he winked at Harry. Harry gripped his drink tighter as he envisioned shattering the glass over top of his head.

“Ha, yeah.”

“Well thank you. I’m glad your mum is okay. I’ll keep you posted about the next meetings,” he said.

Harry nodded. “Have a drink on my tab, please,” he said gratefully.

Harry was suddenly at her side. “You didn’t tell me he yelled at you,” he said interrupting whatever conversation she was in currently.

“Uh, sorry,” she said softly clearing her throat to the gathering that eyed Harry like they’d never seen a man before. It was clear the interruption didn’t bother them solely because Harry was the one interrupting and it gave them an excuse to ogle him up close. She was lucky she spent so much time with him growing up. She could ogle at her own leisure. “Excuse me,” she grabbed Harry by the forearm, and he swore it felt like fire where she touched him. He wracked his brain for a memory if she ever touched him before this moment. “Come again?”

“My client. He told me he yelled at you. You didn’t tell me that.”

“Uh...you were kind of busy Harry. I’m used to getting yelled at, it wasn’t a big deal to—”

“Who yells at you?” He asked quickly. “Why would they yell at you?” Harry felt his blood boiling and he didn’t really know why. He wanted to put her in his office and monitor every interaction she had with anyone else in the world. She should never be yelled at—he would be sure of it going forward.

“Well clients mostly, my sister, you, this woman yelled at me one time at the grocery store—”

“I’ve never yelled at you.”

“Yes, you have,” she shrugged. “It’s not a big deal. We work in a business of yelling, Harry.”

He wanted to throw his glass across the room now. “I’m sorry I yelled at you.”

“Seriously?” She asked.

“Seriously, what?”

“It’s really okay, Harry. I’ve been yelled at before.”

“But you shouldn’t be,” he was exasperated again. It was a quick switch to get to this breaking point of her complete non-understanding of why he was mad. But she didn’t really know why he was mad, and it was unfair of Harry to be so agitated by her when he didn’t even know why he was mad.

“Harry,” she said gently and put a hand on his forearm and gave him a squeeze. She gazed at him with those beautiful, lovely eyes and Harry could feel himself melting at the sweet expression on her face. “It’s okay,” she promised. He tore his arm from her and stalked off angrily sipping his drink before he did something like tell her she loved him.

So much for friends. She thought to herself.

*

Harry never really avoided her at firm parties. But he seemed like he was at this one. She hadn’t seen him in a while, and it oddly made her uncomfortable to not knowing where he was. She supposed since she had been with him for nearly 20 years of her life, when he wasn’t around, she knew. It didn’t make the party any less fun nor did it deter her from chatting with potential and current clients.

“Hello there,” a man said while she waited for her drink at the bar. She could tell he had too much to drink. It was another member of their team. Someone she saw on a very rare occasion. His client load was substantial and kept him busy and away from the office most days.

“Hi,” she said politely. He was a tall man. And with the alcohol coursing his bloodstream he knew very little of personal space.

“You’re very pretty,” he slurred. Her face felt hot at his assessment, and she wished she wasn’t by herself.

“Thank you,” she said gently and walked toward a group of the women she was chatting with before she headed to the bar to get another drink.

“I’ve seen you around,” he said following her another step. “You’re very smart.”

“Try to be—I have to get back to my friends,” she said gesturing to the women nearby. He frowned but she could feel his gaze on her back as she hurried back over. Fortunately, he was gone when she glanced back.

*

At the end of the party, she told her friends she was going to use the restroom before she left and not to worry. She would see them on Monday. What she hadn’t accounted for was the stupid drunk man to be in the darkly lit hallway leading to the bathrooms when she exited. “Hello, again.”

Shit.

“Hi,” she said gently. She sounded a lot braver than she was. There was no one in sight at all.

“I wanted to tell you how pretty you were earlier.”

“You did.”

“Well, I wanted to tell you again.”

“Thank you,” she said and stepped forward to brush past him. He grabbed her arm. She felt her fight or flight kick in and she desperately wanted to fly. “Excuse me, I’m leaving. I’m expected home soon—”

“Can’t you come home with me?” He asked with a sick smirk on his face.

She shook her head. “Let go of me,” she said firmly.

“Come on, I can make it worth your while,” he pulled her arm hard making the space between them almost disappear. She didn’t like how small she felt. She hated that about her job. She was constantly made to feel small because she was a woman. His height didn’t help. Neither did the alcohol.

But right now, it was a hundred times worse, and it made her stomach churn. She wanted to throw up and for a moment she thought maybe that would help her escape. “No thank you,” she said pulling harder on her arm that would surely have a bruise when she looked later.

“Well how about right here?” His smile was evil and vile. She really wanted to throw up now. Why didn’t she just go home with her friends?

With as much force as she could muster, she stomped on his inner foot, and he gasped and released her arm in shock. “Fuck!” He shouted. She hurried down the hall, tears filling her vision but somehow, he was right behind her, grabbing her arm again and pushing her against the wall causing her to yelp. “You’re going to regret that,” he snarled in her ear.

Before she had time to cry or vomit (or both) his presence was gone, and she fell to the floor at the lack of pressure against her body. She scrambled to her feet and turned to see Harry towering over the man he had clearly thrown to the ground. The panic flooding her body subsided immensely. Her heart rate was still elevated on behalf of Harry but seeing him made her feel so much safer.

 “She said no,” Harry said with so much anger in his voice she was terrified. He dared one glance back at her to see her back on her feet. His eyes were furious. She had seen him argue in mock trials and even been to some of his real court dates. Harry may have disliked her for a long part of their lives, but she had never seen hatred like this.

She would have hated to be the man on the receiving end of his look. “She’s a taunting little bitch. I’ve heard the way you talk about her,” he snapped at Harry. “Leave us alone.”

“I’ve known her my whole life. She knows I don’t talk about her,” Harry said knowingly. His voice was so deep, and the intensity of his words left her woozy; she couldn’t imagine someone protecting her—least of all Harry. And his words were true of course. As much as he disliked her, no one ever had a bad thing to say about her at the hands of Harry. “I will not be leaving her alone.”

She nearly sighed with relief at his statement. He turned quickly, grabbed her hand, and pushed her in front of him as he guided them out of the hallway and out of the restaurant. There were people milling about, but it was late, and it wasn’t crowded by any means. If Harry wasn’t there, she doesn’t want to think about what would have happened. He ushered them a few paces away from the restaurant up the sidewalk.

“Are you alright?” He asked suddenly, he turned her to face him as they stood under the streetlight outside. She was shaking like she was cold, and Harry wanted to reach out and warm her. The last five minutes were catching up to her violently. “Kitten?” He almost snapped, desperate for some indication that she was okay. “Are you okay?”

She nodded then shook her head. “I-I’m fine,” she said and sniffled wiping her sleeve across her nose. “I just want to go home,” she said with an awkward laugh and then the tears started to blur her vision.

“Kitten, I’m not going to leave you alone until I see you lock your door and you’re home safely. So it’s okay to not be okay, just tell me,” again, he sounded exasperated with her.

“Yeah, no I’m okay...” she whimpered biting her lip trying to erase the thoughts from her head of the last few moments. Harry was there and she was okay. “No...no...” she shook her head as the tears steadily fell. She gasped out a strangled cry and Harry pulled her to him immediately. She was overwhelmed by a lot of things but also that he felt so safe and sturdy as he held her. His arms around her protectively, he cupped his hand on the back of her head and one arm around her waist. The sobs left her freely then.

“S’okay,” he said so gently it hurt more than anything that happened to her. Harry being so nice to her nearly wounded her. The safety of his embrace left her breathless. His thumb rubbing over her hair made her weak. “You’re safe, kitten,” he promised. “I got you.”

*

Harry held her hand the entire cab ride home. She sniffled and each time she did, Harry squeezed her hand reassuringly. The cab stopped outside her apartment building, and she reached for her purse for money. “Stop,” Harry said putting her hand to her side and paying the driver. Harry followed behind her while they made it up the stairs to her second-floor place. Every so often she glanced back to see if Harry was still there. “M’not going anywhere, kitten,” he promised.

She nodded, unlocked her door and pushed inside. “Can I get—”

“Just go sit down, love,” he shook his head at her. “I’ll be right in,” he said making his way for the kitchen. His voice was gentle. Like when she wasn’t feeling well, and he made her nap and eat.

She followed his direction. She felt a little out of place in her own apartment and she twiddled her fingers together as she waited in silence for Harry to come to her living room. He was there shortly, a glass of water for her. She reached out for it, but Harry noticed how her hand was still shaking. “Here,” he said bringing the cup to her lips. He gently cradled the back of her head with his other hand. She felt like a child as Harry helped her drink, but he didn’t pay any mind to the situation at all—he just didn’t want her to spill and make a mess that she would have to worry about right now. “Can I get you anything else?” He wondered. His voice was so deep and gentle in comparison to the hatred he spewed before in every word he spoke.

She shook her head, more tears filling her eyes. “Thank you,” she said gratefully.

He shook his head back at her. “Don’t,” he sighed. “I would never let anything happen to you, kitten,” he promised. Her heart fluttered, despite everything. It was by far one of the sweetest things Harry ever said to her. “I’m glad you’re home safe now. I can leave if you want—"

She was quick to protest. Too quick. “No! Please don’t,” the words rushed out of her mouth before she could stop them. She turned to look at the empty dark apartment as a distraction from her cheeks turning into two red tomatoes. She cleared her throat regaining her composure as she looked back at Harry. She was lucky the tears filled her vision again at the frustration and sadness of her evening overwhelming her again.

“I won’t go until you want me to, kitten,” Harry answered pressing his hand to her face. He brushed his thumb gently over her cheek bone and caught the stray tear that spilled over. His voice was so quiet and soft. It was so different than every interaction he ever had with her.

“Really?” She whispered breathlessly.

“No, baby,” he promised. “I won’t.”

She didn’t think and wrapped herself up in his embrace. It worked so naturally of course. His arms wrapped around her, and he tugged her carefully, so he was snuggled into the corner of her sofa with her cuddled into him. She sighed with relief as tears flowed onto his shirt and coat. She sniveled miserably. “I’ll have to get this dry cleaned for you,” she managed to mumble between her tears.

“Would you please just shut up?” The exasperation was thick in his tone. It kind of made her smile.

“Okay,” she whispered sniveling still.

After a few moments her cries subsided, and Harry let his fingers dance up and down her arm as he held her close to him. He tried not to think about how perfectly she fit in the empty spaces of his body. “Harry?” She asked quietly.

“Hmm?”

“Thank you,” she said again.

He sighed, a bit irritated that she was thanking him for being a decent human being and protecting her. But he knew she was uncomfortable and upset. “You’re welcome, kitten,” he said softly. “Go to sleep.”

*

“I can’t do that, Harry. His client base is too substantial.”

“Let him leave with them, then,” Harry snapped. He was pacing Louis’ office. Adamant something be done.

“Harry, stop,” Louis rubbed his hand over his face. “We can get her a restraining order if she wants, and we can put him on a different floor so he never—”

“You need to fire him,” Harry said. “Or she and I will take all our clients and leave instead,” he promised.

He stared at his friend. “Harry.”

“Louis, you fire him, or you’ll have to represent me when I kill him.”

There was a knock outside Louis’ door before the pretty girl entered, making the anger in Harry’s heart dissipate immensely. “Oh, hi Harry,” she murmured and looked at her feet nervously. “You wanted to see me, Mr. Tomlinson?” She asked softly.

Harry gazed at her so adoringly, he couldn’t stop himself. His blood was on fire the moment he saw her struggling. He never thought about murdering someone seriously in his whole life. Yet there he was—ready to kill someone on behalf of the sweet girl. “Call me Louis, love. Please.”

She nodded. “Louis, then. Am...I in trouble?” She asked curiously.

Harry sighed in exasperation and ran his hand over his face in disbelief. She stared at Harry curiously as he made his assessment. “You’re an idiot,” he said to her.

She looked at her feet, feeling her face warm at his insult. “Harold,” Louis snapped. “No love, you’re not in trouble. I wanted to make sure you were alright.”

“Oh.”

There was a bit of silence. “Well, are you alright?” He repeated. Harry wanted to shake her a bit. She was beyond infuriatingly annoying sometimes.

“I’m okay,” she said softly. “Uh...Harry protected me.”

“Yes, he’s decent every once in a while.”

She smirked. “He is.”

“Can I do anything for you to ensure you feel safe while you’re working?”

“Oh, um...no—”

“You can fire him,” Harry repeated.

“Harry, that’s not necessary,” she shook her head, her face feeling flushed.

His right eye twitched and he looked out Louis’ window; stuffed his hands in his pockets as he muttered to himself. “I don’t want you to feel like you’re not safe while you’re here,” Louis said knowingly.

Harry wasn’t watching her, but she looked right at him as she answered Louis. “I feel safe,” she said softly.

Louis smirked and shook his head at Harry who still wasn’t paying any attention. Talk about an idiot in this scenario. “I’m very sorry that happened to you. He will be reprimanded beyond belief, you have my word. We’ll be moving his office to a different floor as well,” he promised.

“Louis, you weren’t there,” Harry reminded him. “You didn’t watch her cry while she fell asleep—”

“Harry!” She gasped at the admission and her face felt warm. That was not something she wanted her boss to know. It painted the wrong picture—even if she slept so well in the comfort of Harry’s arms. Louis didn’t pay any attention to their night spent together, though. He was keeping his eyes on Harry.

“I wanted to kill him,” Harry repeated. She gulped at the idea of Harry doing something so violent for her. Something that would get him thrown in jail for a long while.

“I understand that,” Louis said simply. “Love, I’m very sorry,” he returned his attention to the poor girl who looked wildly uncomfortable. “If there is something I can do for you, don’t hesitate to ask. I know you have Harry in the office next to you, but if he’s not around, I’d be happy to assist you with anything,” he said kindly.

“Thank you, I appreciate it,” she said courteously.

“Harold,” Louis said narrowing his eyes at him.

“Whatever,” he grumbled and stalked out of the office.

“I’m...sorry about him,” she said nervously.

“Don’t worry love, I’ve known Harry for a long while. He means well. He’s just thick headed sometimes,” he shrugged. “I’m serious though, if you need something or want something, let me know.”

“I will, thank you.”

Shaking her head, she exited his office and headed back to her own. She grabbed a cup of coffee from the breakroom as she passed it and tried to think about the to-do list she had for the day. Mentally, she added a dry-cleaner stop for Harry’s suit she cried all over as well. It wasn’t much, but it was the least she could do as a thank you for all he did. As she paced the last few steps toward her office, she tried to convince herself the last few moments in Louis’ office were real. Harry was angry at Louis (and maybe her, what else was new?) for something beyond his control. She wondered why he was so adamant but found it sweet in Harry’s own way.

She closed her office door behind her and tilted her head at Harry sitting on the couch. As she entered, he stood up and gazed at her without speaking. It looked like he was looking through her. She bit the inside of her lip as she held the coffee with both of her hands to keep her tingling fingers warm at the idea that Harry was waiting for her. “Can I help you?” She asked.

“I’m going to be a shitty boyfriend.”

She blinked in complete confusion. It was by far the last thing she ever expected Harry to say. “I’m sorry?”

“I get all wrapped up in m’own stuff and I forget dates even though they’re in m’calendar and reminders and everything. It’ll infuriate you. I’ll make up for it with grand sweeping gestures that will maybe make it better, but they might just make y’madder that I can’t remember the little things.”

“Harry, what—”

“M’so in love with you and I’ve been ignoring it since we were kids. The six months I worked here without you were the longest months ’ve gone without seeing you and I didn’t even want t’see you, but I don’t want to go that long without seeing you ever again. I barely want t’go an hour without seeing you and even when I do I think about you the whole time,” he started to pace across her office back and forth as if was retracing his steps to remember all the things he was saying. Like they were written on the carpet.

“Can you just—”

“I’ll be better than that tool y’dated in third year,” she wondered where that came from because she didn’t even know he knew she was dating someone. “I’ll give you everything y’want or need whenever you ask. I’ll plan dates, I’ll take y’anywhere you want t’go, I’ll walk on hot coals for you, if you ask. I love you so goddamn much, love. I want to murder someone for you, and I wouldn’t bat an eyelash; ’ve never felt this way ‘bout anyone before. You’re infuriatingly sweet and y’never know when t’shut up or what’s good for you. It’s probably going t’get y’killed one day and I don’t know how someone s’sweet could be a corporate lawyer. You’re unbelievably challenging in so many ways and y’always remind me that I don’t know everything even though I think I do. Mum and Gemma want me t’bring you t'Sunday dinners.”

She shook her head trying to process all of this it didn’t help that he was jumping from topic to topic. Harry had given speeches in college before. She listened to many of his own closing arguments and of course read countless persuasive essays. This wasn’t anything like any of that. This was wild and out of sorts. She wondered what was flowing in his head and why it was spewing out like this, why it was happening now. “Harry, what are you—”

“You asked me t’be friends because you thought we’d be good friends since we spent all that time together. Quite frankly you’re m’best friend. Even though I was miserable towards you all the time. I don’t know why I did that t’you and s’jus’ another reason you should tell me t’take a hike. No one knows me as well as you do. Sleeping with you on your couch made m’neck so sore I can’t turn it to the left, but it was the best sleep of m’life and I want t’do it over and over again if I can hold you.”

That made her face flood with heat so quickly she was sure she looked bright red. “Harry, honestly, I’m—”

“I will never hurt you and I will never let anyone hurt you while m’around.” This time she didn’t interrupt him she could feel her face soften at his words and she felt like she was going to cry if he talked any longer. “I don’t think I know anyone half s’beautiful as you, kitten, inside or out,” he said softly. Everything else he said felt like a sprint. A rush of words he had been dying to get out for who knows how long. “Please, be my girlfriend,” he said finally, slowly at last.

They stared at each other silently for several moments.

“Yes,” she whispered.

“Thank you.”

[tqmies]

REEL | Lee Jeno

Description. The annual camping trip that your friend group held every year was rapidly approaching. Jeno, dateless, enlists your help in catching him a date. If only it were that simple, but unfortunately, nothing is ever that simple.

Pairings. Lee Jeno x Female Reader (Slight Sungchan x Reader) 

Genre. Romance, Smut, Comedy

Warnings. Curses, Sexual jokes, Drinking, Unprotected Sex (Always wrap it before you tap it!) , Oral (F. and M. Receiving), Semi-public, Creampie.

Word count. 10K

Note: MINORS DNI! It makes me uncomfortable. Also this is my first time posting smut on this blog :) Please let me know how you all feel about it. PLEASE leave feedback I’m really nervous about this one hehe. Ok ok, enjoy!!

“IT’S ALL JUST A SOCIAL CONSTRUCT.” Were the first words that floated through the air.

“I agree, but the rest of us have already completed that right of passage.”

“Haechan goes through them like Pokemon cards.”

You walk into the scene, bewildered by what the boys are discussing. “Please don’t tell me you’re talking about virginity.” You gag.

“Pftt, virginity? Like Jeno can even get a girlfriend.” Jaemin responds, jabbing his finger towards the aforementioned boy. 

So that’s what this was about? This was always a popular topic of conversation with you guys. What could you say, he was an easy target.

Your friend, Lee Jeno, has had yet to have his first girlfriend. Now this isn’t a big deal, but seeing as he was friends with boys who have had at least nine girlfriends before, it definitely made him stand out. 

“Look I just don’t get why it’s a big deal.” Jeno reconciles. 

“You don’t get a lot of things. Like girlfriends.” Haechan says causing Mark to snicker. 

“Leave him alone.” You say, “Not everyone want’s to date half our town like you did.”

“Oh she got your ass!” Jaemin giggles.

“Shut up, you dated the other half.”

This throws Chenle into a fit of laughter, “You gonna let her talk to you like that? Personally if it was me-”

“Your girlfriend treats your dog better than you.” You warn. 

Chenle stops in his tracks as his jaw drops, he scoffs as he pretends to be hurt by your comment. 

“Damn, you’re out for blood today.” The group laughs again. 

“Oh no, she always gets like this when it comes to her little Jeno-weno.” Haechan teases, using a nickname that you hadn't called Jeno since you were kids.

You push him away as you scrunch your nose, “You guy’s are so annoying.”

“Yeah, yeah, you love us.” 

The boys delve into another conversation as you continue to think about the previous one.

I mean, you had wondered about it for a long time. Why didn’t Jeno have a girlfriend? He surely had the looks, not to mention how sweet the boy was. Though, you just chalked it up to him not being interested. He did just brush off every girl who tried to make advances. Maybe he wasn’t looking for anything.

You knew he pulled, he had his secret little hook-ups now and then, but he never was one to commit. The boys liked to deduce that it was the girls who just didn’t want to date Jeno, but you digress. 

Your attention is drawn back to the conversation when Jaemin mentions something about the camping trip that was approaching. It was a little trip you guys had planned every year, and for the past two it had been a success. Though, Jaemin being Jaemin, wanted to switch things up a bit.

“A couple’s camping trip?!” Mark had asked in disbelief. 

“Yeah think about it! Everyone comes in a pair, we share tents, and play games, and maybe even get some action.” Jaemin responds, wiggling his brows at the suggestive comment. 

“Gross, I’m not interested in hearing Haechan and his ‘girl of the week’ doing it in some tent.” You add on, because let’s be honest, his girls were rarely ever quiet. He was rarely ever quiet. 

“Why? You jealous? You know, all you have to do is ask.” He says, leaning closer to you as you put your palm to his face. Jeno looks at you two warily.

“In your dreams.” You state, removing your hand in disgust as he licks it. Punching him in the shoulder as you yell at how gross he is.

“She has a point though,” Renjun speaks up. “I’m not interested in having my tent next to Jaemin and that chick.”

“That chick has a name!” The aforementioned replies, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Not like we would know, you keep her locked up.” Chenle interjects.

“Rightfully so! She’d run for the hills if she knew you guys.”

“Yeah like you’re any better.”

This starts another little spurt of endless bickering as you roll your eyes.

“I just think it’s be weird, you know? To introduce like six new people to our group at once?” Mark comments, you and Renjun nodding your heads in agreement.

“Also it’s gonna be hard to find someone who’s down to go camping in the middle of the woods with a bunch of strangers.” You reason.

“Awe, scared you’re not going to find anyone?” Haechan smirks, the facial expression seeming to be permanently etched across his face.

“I’m more worried about Jeno over there.” You snicker, noticing the boy had been quiet.

“You too?” He groans, throwing his head back in defeat.

You just laugh, sure you’d always defend him. But you were definitely not above poking fun at Jeno every now and then.

After finishing your lunch and bidding the boys goodbye, you’re walking away when you hear your voice being called.

You turn to see Jeno following behind you as he makes it to your side. “Come to walk me to class?”

“Yes..” He starts. “and no.”

“Uh oh, what do you want?”

“Why do you assume I want something?”

“You always do,” You shrug. “That’s just how you are Lee.”

He frowns, “I need a favor.”

“No I won’t be your camp date.”

“Damn! Why not?” He pleads, he was so sure you’d agree. And he wasn’t too far off.

Sure, you’d love nothing more than to be cooped up in a tent with your hot friend, but that’d be crossing too many boundaries. So as nice as it sounded, you had to refuse.

“It’d be too weird.”

“How?”

“Cause we’re friends.”

“Geez, I’m not asking you to sleep with me. I’m just asking to share a tent and maybe like, I don’t know, sit by me? We sleep in the same room all the time.”

“And you just assume I don’t have someone I plan on bringing?” You ask, sporting a smirk.

“You do?”

Of course you don’t. Truth be told, you were so busy that you hadn’t dipped your foot in the dating waters for months. The only boys you ever even talked to were the ones in your friend group.

Though, you were nothing short of options. Surely you could pull some random boy along with you, just for the trip. One Instagram post and your direct messages would be flooded. 

“That’s for me to know, and for you to find out.” 

He just scoffs at your response before looking away, “What about Yoo Jimin?”

“What?”

“I should ask her to be my camp date.”

“There’s no way in hell! Yoo Jimin only goes for older guys. Like graduated guys.” You explain, opening the door to enter your classes building. 

“What? Really?”

“Yes, you’re telling me you really didn’t know that?” 

“No.. I mean, I just thought maybe she wasn’t interested in any guys here.”

“Geez Jeno, you really know nothing about girls.” 

“All you guys do is make fun of me! What about actually helping me?!” He explains, stomping his feet like a child. 

“Yeah, nothing could help you out there.” You sigh.

“Please help me! I’m begging!” 

“What?!” You raise a brow. 

“Help me get a date!”

“Why should I spend my precious time helping you?” You tease, knowing you didn't have much else to do. 

“Please?!” He begs, and you, with your horrible inability to resist, give in.

You tell him to meet you at his place after your last class of the day. Having no idea what was in store for you. And just like you said, you were at his place right on time.

Flopping onto his bed, you scroll through your phone as Jeno stares at you from his desk chair.

“What?” You say, placing your phone down as you raise a brow.

“I thought you were gonna help!” He whines, turning around in his swivel chair. 

“I am helping!” You defend. “I’m…I’m scoping Instagram for potential dates!”

“You’re a horrible liar.”

“Whatever,” You sign, turning your phone towards him.“Look, shes really pretty. She goes to our university too. Why don’t you try and message her.” 

Jeno looks very caught off guard, “That’s Yiren.” 

“Ok? She seems cool, she likes to travel, and she’s pretty!” You say, scrounging her profile intently.

“Looks aren’t everything.”

“Did you not hear everything I said before that?” You groan. “At least try.”

He nods, picking up his own phone and typing in her username. Going quiet for a couple minutes, he finally puts his phone down. “Okay, I messaged her.”

You squeal, “Now we wait!” 

He just smiles, “Wanna order some food?”

“I thought you’d never ask! I’ll pick a movie?” 

And so, after picking the scariest movie you could find, (And the heaviest blankets), you settle into the couch with your takeout box.

You two are engrossed in the film, when Jeno’s phone loudly dings.

Shuffling to sit up, you smile, “Is that her?”

The smile fades from your face as you read the message.

@_WangYerin: Ew...

You look dejectedly at Jeno.

“Yeah no, this is not gonna work.” He opens his mouth to speak again.

You interrupt him. “There’s plenty of fish in the sea. I’m sure we can find you one girl in time.”

-

“Jeno.”

“Yeah?”

“What the hell are you wearing?”

He looks down to his outfit, raising his brows in confusion. “What do you mean?”

“Jeno, I don’t even know where to begin..” You pause, your eyes drawing over his clothing.

He was donned head to toe in fishing gear. Loose cargo shorts and a floral printed shirt. Completed with the floppy hat and reel. He looked like a tourist.

This was truly ridiculous. He was standing in your living room, dressed like he was in some swamp marsh in Florida. (Even then, he’d still be overdressed.) 

“There’s plenty of fish in the sea.” He references, wiggling his brows at you. Gesturing to his outfit, “Chicks dig this right?”

“What?!” You exclaim, your face donned with confusion. Is that what he thought girls liked? It took everything in you not to burst out laughing.

“I’m starting to think..” He trails, “That’s not what you meant.”

“You’re hopeless.” You announce, resting your palm against your chin. 

How were you going to fix this? Not to mention that you only had about two weeks to do it. “Ignoring the poor choice of outfit, let’s talk about something else.”

He just nods as you scrounge your brain, “So as you know, you don’t have the best reputation preceding woman..”

“What do you mean? I love woman!” He proclaims, as if he couldn’t believe what you were getting at.

You sigh, “If only they loved you.”

He scoffs before rolling his sleeves up, “Look at these bad boys. The ladies can’t resist.”

You swear your eyes could roll of your head. “Be real Jeno, it takes more than some muscles to get a girlfriend.”

“Damn.” Is all he says as he pulls his sleeves down. Trying to ignore your judging eyes.

“I’m starting to think this is damn near impossible.” You speak.

“You’ve barely even helped yet!” 

“And I’m already failing!”

Looking around your apartment, you feel as if a light bulb went off in your head. “We’re not going to get anything done in here. We need to be outside, scouting you some girls!” 

And with that, you grab his wrist and drag him out through the front door. Pointing at the keys in his pocket, “You drive, its the gentlemanly thing to do.”

“Yeah okay,” He scoffs, “You’re just lazy.”

He unlocks his car and you pile in, relieved to be in the passengers seat for once. “I could get used to this.” You speak, reclining your seat.

“Oh I didn’t know they could go back that far.” He says, genuine amazement donning his face. You cringe at his words.

“Are you kidding?” You laugh. “Don’t let Haechan hear you say that.”

“He already knows I get no action. I’m sure he won’t be surprised.” He grumbles.

“Okay, here’s another tip.” You announce, sitting up. “You need to have more confidence.”

“Well, I wouldn’t say I don’t.” 

“No I know, but girls love men who seem sure of themselves, you know? They don’t want someone who’s muddling around proclaiming they have no game.”

He takes you in your words but shakes his head, “I don’t know..”

“C’mon Jeno,” You say, turning to meet his eyes. “You’re young, you’re hot, you work out! And you’re super sweet. Not to mention you’re like crazy smart,” 

You continue on rambling as you fail to notice Jeno’s growing smirk. He was going to relish in every compliment that fell from your tongue. And surely tease you about it later.

You only stopped when you notice how quiet he got. 

“Hello? Earth to Jeno?” 

“I’m here,” He responds with a smile.

“You’re so annoying.” You roll your eyes.

“Where to?” He speaks, ignoring your comment. 

“The park! The one by campus. There’s always tons of people just hanging out there.” You proclaim. 

You always took note of the various groups that were there at all times of day. Studying or having a picnic, but you were sure you were going to run into at least one group of girls. And if they had any sense, they would eat Jeno up. 

As the sun starts to set on your day though, you realize they were definitely not eating Jeno up. In fact, every time Jeno approached a girl, they seemed to dodge it the other way. Half-assed excuses donning their lips, and that was if they were nice. Some of the girls just blatantly ignored him and continued on their way. 

Yet, Jeno didn’t let up. He didn’t even seem the slightest bit discouraged. 

Even as he got shot down by another girl. One claiming she ‘Wasn’t in the mood to get her heart broken.’ 

Though you digress, you knew that girl, she was in your Econ class. And if her on and off relationship with Choi Yeonjun was any indicator, she was just trying to save face. Or at least that’s what you told Jeno as you walked back to his car.

You knew what the girls thought about Jeno, likely that he was just trying to pick himself up a weekly girlfriend. They probably didn’t want anything to do with him. He had gained himself a reputation. 

Many girls pegged him to be a heart breaker, seeing as he rejected any girl who asked him out. But that was nothing personal, he just didn’t want to be a in relationship then. He didn’t mean anything by it, and he certainly didn’t want to hurt the girls. 

But not everyone is as understanding.

“Okay new plan,” You speak. “Neighboring university area!” 

“Huh?”

“Dude, everyone here like runs when they see you. Lets go somewhere where no one knows you!”

“Okay but if they don’t know me.. how will I get them to come camping with me?!”

He makes a valid point. 

You lean your head back into his seat and groan. Beating your brain, you decide to take a breather. “Lets go eat lunch, there we can converge a plan.”

“Why did you say that last part so weird?” He laughs. “Mad scientist vibes.”

“Shut up.” You retaliate, punching him in the arm. “Just for that, I get to pick where we eat.”

-

Shoving the roll into your mouth, you bask in the glorious taste. “This is so good.” 

“Slow down there, you might choke.”

“Okay mom.”

He laughs at your comment and stares at the menu, trying to get his order ready by the time the waiter comes by. 

“Jeno?” You hear, causing you to look up from the basket of bread you were admiring.

You’re met with a girl, probably around your age, smiling widely at Jeno.

“Sumin? Is that you?” He asks, returning a smile. 

You look between the two of them confusedly. You were sure she didn’t go to your university. How did Jeno know her? 

“Uh, This is Sumin. We met a couple years ago at camp.” He explains. Then going to introduce you to Sumin as his friend, to which you nod at, offering her a smile.

You suddenly reminded about when Jeno’s parents used to send him off to camp every summer back in high school. Rendering you to spend your summers full of Jaemin. You’re not sure why Jeno went anyways. Something about keeping him out of trouble. Though if there were girls as beautiful as Sumin there, you’re sure he got into more trouble. 

As you let them talk, you notice Sumin seems to be leaning into Jeno a lot. That’s like a surefire sign of attraction. 

Then a light bulb pops into your head. “Sumin, you two met at camp? You must like the outdoors and such then?” You interrupt.

“Oh yes!,” She smiles. “I loved sleeping under the stars, and kayaking! Oh, and the random games they used to make us play!” 

‘Well,” You start, looking at Jeno. Hoping he knew where you were going with this. “We’re actually going camping with a couple of friends soon.”

“Oh, really?” She says nodding.

You look to Jenos face, hoping to gauge a reaction. He doesn’t look uncomfortable or anything, so now was your chance.

“We actually are looking for a couple more people. You should join us!” 

The statement hangs in the air as she thinks, “Oh I don’t know, I can’t intrude!”

“No no, you wont be intruding! You can even share a tent with Jeno.” And you turn towards him, silently hoping he’d encourage her.

It seems he gets the hint. “Yeah, I don’t mind. It’ll be like old times.”

You smile. “Give her your number so she can ask about the details!”

Thank goodness you were here to help. He really did suck at this.

The two bid each other goodbye soon after, Sumin promising to text him later. You just grin widely at his success. “We found you a girl! And its only been a week!” 

He just stays quiet. “Hooray for us.” 

“Whats wrong?” You ask, finding his quietness odd. 

“I don’t know, Sumin’s nice.”

“But..?”

“No but’s, shes nice.” And with that the waiter arrives. Leaving that to be pushed to the back of your mind as you focus on what you’re going to order.

The plan was a success. That much was sure. Especially when you went and showed all your friends pictures of Sumin. You spilling how she looked more stunning in real life, and how Jeno would be bringing the prettiest girl to the event.

To which prompted Haechan to object, “Whatever, wait till you see my date.”

“Who are you bringing?” Mark perks up, genuinely curious. 

Haechan gestures towards you, throwing his arm over you shoulder. To which you aggressively shake off. “Nice try, find someone else.” 

“Why? It’s not like you have anyone to bring.” 

You stay quiet, smirking.

“You found someone?!” Haechan presses on. “Who is he?”

It’s a surprise, is what you say. 

They roll their eyes at you, not believing your words for one second, even as you press on that its true.

Though you know truthfully, you have yet to find anyone. You were so wrapped up in your determination to get Jeno a date that you had forgotten to get your own. In fact, today had been weird that you hadn't been with Jeno the whole day. You liked spending time with him. But now the focus was on you.

You had time though, so it’s not like you were worried.

Jeno doesn’t know why, but hes dying to know who you’re bringing. He’s also relieved to see that you’re not falling into Haechan’s advances. But whoever you’re bringing could be undoubtedly worse, so he tries not to get his hopes up.

“Oh also, Jaemin mentioned to me that we need to go shopping for supplies soon.” Mark states, looking down to put his fork back into the salad he was eating.

“I’m down, just let me know when.” You nod, shopping with the boys was always fun anyways. Even if it meant spending two and a half hours in a Bass Pro Shop.

“Yeah well make sure you ask your date if he has any particular request for food.” Renjun speaks, taking his attention off his food for a second. 

“I’ll do you one better, I’ll bring my date.”

Okay, maybe you shouldn't have said that. But what was with the boys and insinuating you didn’t have a date?

You were going to make them eat their words.

“Great, can’t wait to meet him.” Haechan smirks.

-

And just like you thought, it had come back to bite you.

Instead of having a week left, you now have to obtain a boy by this weekend. (And somehow drag him to a camping store with you.) 

So, out of defenses, you hesitantly asked your co-worker Sungchan.

You two were friends, having grown accustomed to long shifts together and defending each other from the occasional shitty costumer. Plus, you’d much rather take him then some random guy you caught on Tinder or Instagram.

“Camping? Is it like a weekend thing or?”

You nod, hoping he’ll agree.

“You want me to spend two of my precious days off, in the middle of the woods? With a bunch of strangers, bugs, and canned food?” 

Your shoulders deflate, pursing your mouth into a thin line. “Yes?”

“I’m down.”

“What? Really?”

“Yeah, sounds like an adventure.” He shrugs. 

You clap excitedly, “My precious Sungchan, you also have to come to Bass Pro Shop with me.”

He groans, “Whatever, I already agreed.”

And he makes good on his promise, picking you up from your place and coming to the store. 

Jaemins the only one there at the designated time, saying something about the others being on the way. So you just make small talk as the rest gradually arrive. Jaemins quick to fall into conversation with the other, which is a good sign.

Jeno and Haechan arrive together, the latter making a commotion of your date.

“So this is the one?” Haechan says, not-so-subtly scanning over Sungchan’s body.

“Quit checking him out!” You whine. Noting how Haechan was trying to feel up on Sungchans arms. Looking like he was about to snatch him for himself.

You weren’t dumb, you know Sungchan’s good looking, he’s never been shy about saying it either. And you can tell the boys were astounded he even showed, not to mention how undeniably attractive he was.

But you don’t expect him to get along with everyone so well. Thirty minutes in and he was already on Mark and Jaemin’s good side. The two aren’t particularly difficult to please, but you were surprised to see that he had won over Renjun and Chenle.

The rest of the boys got along with him fine, minus Jeno.

He was acting really weird about the whole thing. The least friendly to Sungchan, and just overall had a short fuse with him. He had probably sensed something off about him, which you found to be weird.

So in the middle of the fishing rod aisle,(You guys didn’t even need one), You pulled him aside from the rest of the group. Wanting to get down to the root of the problem, because you weren't the only one who had noticed. Jisung had even remarked how Jeno seemed to be in a bad mood, but he was talking to everyone else just fine, so it seemed Sungchan was the problem.

“Is everything ok?” You ask, eyes full of worry. “You’ve been shooting Sungchan dirty looks the whole time.”

He stays quiet, pretending to be interested in some product on the aisle end cap. “I don’t know what you mean.” 

“Don’t act stupid Jeno.” You warn, “What’s wrong?”

“Just not a fan of him.” He shrugs, turning to walk back towards the group. 

You just shake it off, it wasn’t you problem. Jeno was your friend yes, but if he was going to act indifferent about this, then so be it. You had your own things to worry about. 

Going back to Sungchan’s side, you tap his shoulder. He was listening to Mark ramble on about a fishing line, you once again point out how you don’t need any type of fishing gear. Mark just ignores you and starts shoving reels in Renjun’s face, much to the latter’s displeasure. 

“Your friends are cool.” Sungchan speaks, “They seem to like me.”

“Told you they were fun!” You tease, glad he was making a good first impression. If things kept going good, maybe you could invite Sungchan around more often. He did always mention that he’d like more friends. 

Jeno’s face sours as he watches from afar. You leaning into Sungchan, had you always been so touchy? He shakes his head and turns away.

About thirty minutes later, you’re all ready to head to checkout. Thankful you had another set of arms to help carry the cooler and sleeping bags you were buying. 

Placing the stuff down, you laugh. “This much for two days?”

“Haechan’s sleeping bag caught on fire last time, remember?” Chenle comments. You do remember, it was not pretty. 

Sungchan looks confused and you explain, recalling that Haechan was laying too close to the fire long after everyone else had gone to bed. Remembering that it wasn’t just him in the sleeping bag as well.. 

Haechan stops you from recanting the whole thing, saying how he’d beat you up if you boyfriend wasn’t right there. You scoff at the accusation and Sungchan laughs. But everyone catches on to how you two don’t outright deny it.

You weren’t thinking too much, not even noticing how neither of you had said no. Sungchan was cool, and sure you had thought of him that way before, but he was definitely not your boyfriend right now. You didn’t shy away from the prospect though, and it seemed like he didn’t either. 

Jeno’s brows furrow, you two were a thing? He thought you guys were just friends, he turns away, not wanting to look at you two any longer. He didn’t know why, but he felt somewhat possessive of you. And he definitely did not like Sungchan. 

You all walk out of the store, proud of your successful trip when Renjun suggests you all go out to dinner. You nervously smile, “Sungchan and I were actually planning to watch a movie at my place.” 

“Nice,” Haechan smiles, “Let’s meet at yours then!” 

You groan, and the others just teasingly smile at you, knowing that was not what you had meant. “As long as someones buying snacks cause I don’t have shit.”

“On it!” Jaemin responds, already in his car. 

That’s how you find yourselves all back at your place, an improper movie night to commence after Jisung and Chenle stop fighting over what movie to watch.

Heading to the kitchen for some chips, you’re met with only Jeno in there. Digging through a bag of Jolly Ranchers for his favorite. 

“I ate all the cherry ones.” You say, poking at his shoulders, knowing he loved those as much as you did.

He smiles, not responding. Until he pulls out one, a cherry one. You perk up at that, you thought you had eaten all of them ages ago.

“Oh, for me? Thanks.” Sarcasm donning your voice, but still going to reach for it anyways.

He snatches it back, “Go ask Sungchan for one.” Jealousy seemingly apparent in his voice, confusing you.

“You suck.” You state bluntly, until he unwraps the candy and places it in front of your mouth. 

“Want it?” He asks, gesturing it more towards you, eyebrows raised.

You narrow your eyes, “..Yes.”

“Open wide then.” 

You scrunch your nose, he wanted to feed it to you? ‘No thanks.” Is all you say before walking away.

But then you feel a hand clasp around your wrist, turning you back. Jeno stares at you blankly, then repeating. “I said open.”

Curiously, you open your mouth slightly. Just enough to get the candy. Jeno brings the cherry flavored candy to your lips. He smirks, grabbing your chin, he holds you in place. “Wider,” He commands, and you follow. 

He slips the candy in, along with two of his fingers, and you close your lips around them. He stares at you, and you look down at the floor. You had never seen this side of Jeno before, the Jeno you knew always carefree and smiling, far different from the one in front of you. You were a bit scared but you’d be lying if you said you weren’t a bit turned on.

With newly acquired confidence, you shove his fingers farther into your mouth. His eyes widen and you gag, the candy hitting the back of your throat. But you progress, slowly sliding your mouth off his fingers, releasing them with a pop.

Swirling the rest of the candy in your mouth, you smile. “Mm yummy.”

Though your hearts beating like crazy, shivering at the close proximity between you and Jeno. He walks forward, backing you into the counter. You two just stare at each other, and you swear he’s about to lean in. Until the sound of approaching footsteps is heard.

You and Jeno separate, you going back to your mission for chips and him to pour a glass of water. Trying to steady your nerves and not give away to the person what the two of you were doing.

Sungchan pokes his head into the area, “Hey we decided on a movie, I left you a spot next to me.”

You grin, “Okay, let’s go.”

Watching you leave the area with your hand around Sungchan’s bicep, Jeno wants to puke.

In fact, his urge to vomit only gets stronger as he continues to watch you cuddle up to the other boy all night. After the little display earlier, you still had the nerve to hang onto Sungchan? 

The movies a devastatingly long one, some of the boys filtering out before its even ended. Mark mutters something about how its getting late, wanting to leave before he passes out on your tiny love seat.

And just like that, only four of you remain. Jaemin’s strewn out on the floor, fast asleep, as is Sungchan on the arm of your sofa. You and Jeno are the only one’s still awake, though you’re unable to move as Sungchan constantly stirs in his sleep. 

The last thing you want to do is wake him, but his phone does just that. Vibrating in his pocket, he lazily opens his eyes. Seeing the time as well, he shoots up, “Shit, I have to go.” He says, eyes widening as he heads towards the front of your place, grabbing his jacket and searching for his shoes. 

He bids you goodbye and you make him promise to text you when he gets home safely, to which he agrees with a smile. “Have a good night.” He says, kissing your forehead before heading out the door. 

You grin at the kiss, watching as he makes his way out. 

Jaemin’s snoring knocks you out of your trance, closing the door behind you.

Jeno appears in the hall, “I can drag him home.” He suggests.

Shaking your head, you look over at him. He did seem rather comfortable on your floor. “He seems fine. I’ll get him a blanket.” 

Jeno nods and fishes for his keys on your counter. “It’s late, I’ll head out.”

“Jaemin’s staying, why don’t you just stay too?” You ask. It was a completely normal thing for the boys to stay over, they were all welcomed to any time. You know the others left just from desire to sleep comfortably in their own beds.

Jeno and Jaemin were no strangers to staying the night either, the three of you hung out often late into the night. You don’t know why Jeno was in a hurry to leave anyways, he would normally just agree to crash on your couch.

“I don’t know..” He trails. 

“Why not?” You sputter, confused as your patience for his attitude began to grow thin. “You’ve been acting weird all day! What’s got you all hot and bothered?!” 

“You really wanna know?” He asks, condescendingly. Like you should know what you did wrong. 

“Do I? Yes I would like to know what has had you being an asshole all day!”

He just laughs at that, only causing you to get more annoyed. Contemplating if to tell the truth or not, he watches you grow more impatient. 

“I just don’t like Sungchan.”

“Well no shit,” You throw your hands up. “You already told me!”

He shrugs in defeat, like it was no big deal he had been so rude to him.

“I just wanna know why!” You speak again.

“I could tell you.” He says, inching closer. “But I could show you a lot better.”

“What?” You’re cut off by Jeno pulling you into a kiss. Completely surprised by the turn of events, but you welcome it. His hands finding their way into your hair.

You pull away, “Jeno, what are we doing?” And you meant it. What was this sudden behavior? Would this ruin your friendship? Could you two be normal after this? Was he even going to go all the way?

“Tell me to stop.” He whispers indifferently. “Tell me you don’t want this.” 

“Jaemin’s in the living room.” You caution, scared to wake him, though you ignore Jenos statement. “But I want this.”

“Then we better take this to your room.” 

And the moment you nod in agreement, he pulls you away to your bedroom. You two stumbling as he attempts to kiss you on the way there. He closes the door behind you, pushing you against it as he meets your mouth again.

It’s messy and uncoordinated, his sheer desire for you taking over. Teeth clashing and tongues strewn. He pulls back from the kiss and begins fervently attacking your neck.

“Please Jeno,” You whine, aching for him to continue. “Need you.”

“To what?” He teases, lifting up from your neck.

You want to scream. Of course he was going to make you say it, this was Jeno you were talking to. And he truly wanted nothing more than to hear the words slip past your mouth.

“Touch me.” You beg, wishing he would cut it out with the teasing.

“Where?” He continues. Moving his hands down your body, “Here?”

You shake your head, “N-No.”

You grab his hand bravely and place it on the front of your pants. He begins rubbing you through your jeans, the fabric roughly brushing up against you.

“I wanna hear you say it.” He smiles, “That you want me to touch you. And not Sungchan.”

You roll your eyes, he was still on about this? Sungchan was the last thing on your mind right now, the first being your aching wetness and Jeno’s stubbornness to relieve it. 

“W-want,” You stutter as he begins to unzip your pants, “Want you to touch me.”

“Mhmm,” He nods. “Because you’re mine.”

You whimper at the contact of his hands rubbing you through your panties. Attempting to suppress a moan from falling past your lips. His possessiveness was such a turn on to you, and you didn’t even know why.

“So wet,” He comments, “Just from a little kissing. Are you sure I’m the one who’s never been in a relationship?”

Annoyed, you turn away blushing, “Shut up.”

Jeno just chuckles as you press against his shoulders, signaling for him to stop. “Wait, don’t wanna do it against the wall. Want to be on the bed.”

“So demanding.” 

And with that, he moves you to lay down on your bed. He beings kissing you again, tugging at the hem of your shirt and you raise your hands to let him remove it off you. Although you had taken note that Jeno was still fully clothed. 

“Not fair, you should take off your shirt.” You pout, and he rushes to take it off, revealing his chiseled body to you. You gawk at him in his shirtless glory, upset you hadn’t thought to see it sooner, well at least you were seeing it now.

“Close your mouth, you’ll catch flies.” He teases again, going to kiss you before you can spout some smart remark.

He recedes back, lowering himself down to be met with your dripping cunt. He slides your panties down, slowly pulling them off your ankles with his teeth. You prop yourself up on your elbows to see, and you had to admit, its hot.

Jeno nibbles on your thigh, eliciting a yelp from you before he starts rubbing his thumb over your folds. “All for me.” He smirks proudly. 

Sticking his tongue out, he licks a thin stripe on your clit, you letting out a loud string of moans. “Jeno- Please.” 

He moves to stick a finger in, you clenching harshly around it. 

“So tight.” He hisses, adding another finger in. Causing you to wail out in pleasure. It felt so good, you hadn’t been touched in a while. 

He continues like this, whispering praises into your ear as he seems indifferent, “You’re doing so well, sucking my fingers into this pretty cunt.”

You’re feeling the coil in your stomach, embarrassingly close to cumming at the brutal pace of his fingers inside you, when he slips them out. 

“Want you to cum on my tongue.” He explains before you can even protest.

Nodding, you’re met with his mouth back on your clit, his tongue harshly lapping against you. You unconsciously reach for his hair, pulling strongly on it, causing him to let out a moan against your heat. 

“Pull harder.” He demands, and you oblige. One hand in his hair and the other gripping your sheets. Your hips start to lift off the bed in pleasure, as he holds you down by your legs, your shaking form struggling to stay still. 

“Jeno, Please, please I’m so close,” You plead as he continues to eat you out like a starved man. 

“Do it baby, cum for me.” He assures, and you moan at his words. The affect he had on you was insane. You had never been so shaken up over getting head before.  

You reach your climax shortly after, a wave of white washing over you as you let out a final string of moans. Jeno’s movements barely even faltering as you finish on his face. 

He pulls away, moving to stand up and goes to wash his face in your connected bathroom. You’re a bit put off by his sudden change in mood, but you calm your breathing and start searching for your bottoms on the floor, as well as your shirt.

Jeno emerges from the bathroom and you silently hand him his shirt, when you notice he’s sporting a complete boner. 

“You look like you could use some help.” You announce, smirking. 

He shakes his head though, “I can take care of this at home.”

Huh? What was he talking about? 

“Let me return the favor.” You state, “I’m eager to please.” 

But he remains the same, “It’s fine.”

And he walks past you, opening the door out of your room. Leaving you more than just a little confused. Was he regretting what happened? Why wouldn’t he accept your offer to touch him? What kind of guy turns down head? 

You avoid eye contact. “Oh.. Ok. Have a safe trip home.”

You want the earth to crack open and swallow you whole. He nods and makes his way past a sleeping Jaemin and out your front door. 

Not wanting to be alone, you sit on the other couch opposite of your friend. 

That’s when he sits up. “You two are so gross.”

“You were awake?” You ask, mouth agape. 

“You guys woke me! Maybe try and keep it down next time!” He scolds, until he notices the look on your face. “Is something wrong? Did you not want to do it?”

You wave your hands, “No! No, I did. It’s just that when I offered to do something for him, he rejected me. I don’t know- I feel gross.”

He shakes his head, “Jeno’s like that, he doesn’t know how to express his feelings, I’m sorry he made you feel that way.”

You just nod, “Please don’t tell anyone about this.” And he agrees, swearing to not say a word, and you couldn’t have been more grateful. 

-

You ignore Jeno for the next couple of days, purposefully. Whether it was to save yourself from embarrassment, or from your feelings? You didn’t know.

You wish you hadn’t acted so carelessly, to let yourself get carried away in his bliss, knowing you could never have him in the way you wanted.

You were also unsure of how Jeno would react to being around you after that. You didn’t even know if you would be confident in your actions around him. Would you be able to look him in the eye? Or even worse, what if he had told your friends? What if Jaemin had, despite his swearing to secrecy? 

Haechan would be a nightmare.

But you push those thoughts to the back of your mind as Sungchan calls for your attention. You two were at your place, packing for the trip. Water bottles and his awful trail mix bars being shoved in your backpacks.

You were leaving today, you breathe in. A weekend you were looking forward to how now left you unsure. But if worse came to worse, Sungchan would be there.

Over the past couple of days, you had done a lot of thinking. Not just about you and Jeno, but about the other boys as well. 

You realized that you and Sungchan were nothing beyond a clingy pair of friends, and that’s all you felt for him, a sense of friendship. Whatever uncertainty you had was gone. You knew he didn’t make you feel the way Jeno did. And it wasn’t just because of the interaction either.

You had feelings for Jeno, that was certain. 

You assume you’ve had them for a while too, it wasn’t until you sat down and acknowledged that you would consider a relationship with him, did you realize. 

But it was all too much, too fast. 

Engaging in those activities with him, knowing he likely only saw you as a friend? Too much to bear. So you knew you had to keep your distance from him as far as possible. You knew these feelings were likely to pass too, you just had to wait it out. 

Because if there was something else you realized, it was that he didn’t feel the same. And why would he? You weren’t anything like the girls he’s gone for. You weren’t anything like Sumin. Not to mention his reluctance to let you touch him, (which was the root of your embarrassment), after he had eaten you out. You understood he just wanted to have a little fun with you, nothing more. 

Plus, if his past record of no girlfriends meant anything, it was that he couldn’t be bothered to be tied down. So you weren’t going to begin to feed into the delusional idea that he could be your boyfriend, it would only just end up hurting you that much more.

Sungchan pulls you from your thoughts as he announces its time to leave, and you smile. He helps you pack your things into the car and you two shake with enthusiasm during the entire thirty minute ride. Though you’re not looking forward to hiking the rest of the way to the campsite; A necessary evil.

Sungchan doesn’t complain too much though, smiling as he reads off the printed map for directions. You didn’t get much service out here, and you weren’t going to take any chances getting lost. 

It didn’t help that you two were late, noting that all your friends had arrived by the time you reached the sites with your tents and backpacks in tow. 

You see Jaemin and his girl sitting on logs, whispering something into each others ear as they giggle. Her legs resting over his lap. 

To their right is Renjun and Chenle arguing over something random, with their respective dates behind them, both looking extremely confused.

Mark is setting up a tent with his date, Jisung and his date helping them hold the poles steadily. Mark stumbling as he trips over one of the mounts.

Haechan emerges from his tent upon the others announcing your arrival, saying something about his date being passed out in their tent. 

Jeno and Sumin are no where to be found, and you try not to ask about it. 

Though, Jaemin approaches you the minute Sungchan leaves your side. “They went exploring. Whatever that means.” He speaks, and you don’t even have to ask him who he’s talking about. 

You just nod and ask him for a drink. “You’ve been here for five minutes!” He recoils, like he can’t believe you asked him that. 

“Well its unfair of you to expect me to tolerate Haechan for an entire weekend without a drink.” You tease, the aforementioned male coming to whine.

Sungchan returns with two drinks in hand, you thanking him as he passes you one. He then places his hand on the small of your back, the boys in front of you not missing a beat. 

“Woah, did you two hook up or something?” Haechan speaks, never one to censor himself.

“None of your business.” You mumble, though you know the two of you hadn't.

“Oo, don’t let Jeno see!” Jisung warns as he passes by.

“Jeno?” Sungchan perks up, “What about him?”

Haechan and Jaemin just look at the each other, “Nothing.”

And with that, the boys leave you and Sungchan. 

The two of you deciding to go sit on logs of your own before you have set up your own tent. The silences of the trees swaying overtaking you.

“So,” He starts. “You wanna sleep with me this weekend?”

You almost spit out your drink. “What?”

“We don’t have to!” He retracts. “I just figured.. maybe you’d want to?”

“Sung, we’re friends and we work together. Won’t this make things weird?”

“It doesn’t have to happen again if you don’t want it to. Just thought I’d put it out there.” He shrugs, like it was all so simple. “You’re hot, I’m hot. We’re both single. Both sexually frustrated. So why not?”

You look to the ground, “I don’t know..”

“Actually, I’m sorry I asked, I don’t want you to feel pressured.”

You didn’t feel pressured though, and Sungchan was somewhat right. You did invite him out here with a inkling of hope that maybe you could bed him. Who wouldn’t want to anyways? You hadn't had sex in a while, and your attractive friend was ready and willing. So what if you had feelings for Jeno? They would pass. You should have a little fun. Fuck it. 

“Okay,” You speak. “I’d like that.”

He smiles, “Perfect.”

You’re about to respond when you hear the crunching of leaves behind you, Jeno and Sumin emerging from the bushes, hand in hand. 

Were the two together? You feel your smile falter a bit before you look away, Jeno didn’t owe you anything. And you knew the type of guy he was, who was to say he was going to even commit to Sumin? 

“There you two are!” Renjun says walking towards them. “Thought you’d gotten ravaged by a bear!”

“Oh, Jeno ravaged something..” Haechan comments, suggestively. 

Jeno shakes his head at the insinuation, Sumin eyes flickering over to you. “Hey! You made it!” 

“Yes!” You say, moving to hug her. Then you notice her eyes landing on Sungchan, and she starts practically eye-fucking him proudly. And he looks somewhat into it? You see that Jeno notices too, as he wavers his attention. 

“This is Sungchan.” You say, as she moves to introduce herself to him. 

“I’m Sumin! Jeno’s friend.” 

The air grows heavy as she says that, Jeno looking dejected and everyone else looking confused. So they weren’t together then?

You just shrug, going to bother Mark and his date, who still can’t get the tent up. “Need help?”

Mark’s date looks at you in relief, “Please! Mark told his other friend that we could do it.. but we’re having a hard time..”

“I got you,” You speak, noticing something off. “He’s doing it wrong.”

Mark sighs, “Damn,” He looks down. “You had to call me out in front of my date. I’m gonna go tell Sungchan about the time you threw up in Renjun’s mouth.”

“Don’t you dare!” You say, moving to chase after Mark as he begins running in the opposite direction, tent long forgotten. “You’re lying!” 

“No I’m not! Haechan was there too!” 

“I was where?” Haechan yells, wondering what all the commotion is.

You and Mark stop, hands on your knees as you pant out. Tired from chasing the boy around in circles, you try and catch your breath. 

“Don’t,” Pant. “Listen,” Pant. “To him.”

“Remember that night we played spin the bottle?” Mark begins, still breathless.

The others begin to gather around, drawn to the scene by Haechans loud voice. “Yeah I do.” He starts. “When you and I kissed?”

“You what?!” Jaemin exclaims, “Wait, why was I not invited?”

“Haechan and I did not kiss!” Mark laughs, and you giggle, knowing full well that he was lying to save face.

Haechan shrugs, “Whatever you say.”

“The point is that Renjun got thrown up on.” 

Renjun cringes, “I don’t like to think about that.”

“Wait by who?” Jeno asks, not amused.

“By her!” Mark says, wagging his finger at you. “Damn near threw up in Renjun’s mouth, she pulled away just in time.”

“You kissed Renjun?” Jeno asks, surprise evident on his face. 

You ignore him, what was the big deal anyways? It was spin the bottle, you were all drunk, and it landed on you and Renjun. Who cares?

“Mark that happened months ago!” You protest, “I didn’t know my limits.”

“It should’ve been me!” Haechan whines, faking a wound to his chest.

“You wanted to get thrown up on? Or to kiss Renjun?” Mark asks, and it was definitely a necessary question but Haechan just flips him off as he walks away.

The others just laugh and you turn to walk away but are stopped by Jeno pulling you aside. He drags you a few steps into the trees, far enough from everyone else that you two could have a private conversation. 

“Who all have you kissed?” He asks. 

“Huh?” 

“Answer the question.”

“No, I don’t want to.” You state, confused on his attitude. “You’ve got some nerve to come over here and ask me that, considering how bitchy you’ve been.”

“Me? You’re the one who’s acting childish and ignoring me.”

“So what?” You spout. “And why do you care who I’ve kissed anyways?”

“I don’t.” He says, “I guess I just thought I was the first one of us to kiss you.”

“Oh,” You say, fire rising in your chest. “So that makes me worth less to you? Knowing I’ve kissed Mark, Renjun, and Jaemin before I kissed you?”

“No it doesn’t.” He replies. “But it does make me jealous.”

You scoff, “Jealous? You have no right, especially not after you left me all confused the other day! You made me feel like I did something wrong.”

“What are you talking about?” 

“You just walked out. Was I that disgusting that you didn’t want me to touch you? You made me feel like shit when you left like that. I don’t deserve to feel that way.” 

“Woah woah,” He stops you. “Back it up, disgusting? You’ve got it all wrong.”

“Well what was I supposed to think?”

He’s silent for a moment as he tries to think of what to say. “That’s not why I walked out. The truth is, I didn’t want you to feel pressured, and I felt like I was pushing boundaries and-”

“I said I wanted it, I wanted nothing more than to touch you after that and you just blew me off.” You state. “It’s like you pulled me in to just push me away.”

“I’m so sorry,” He apologies, “I had no idea you felt that way.”

“Jeno,” You start, here goes nothing. “I have to be transparent with you, okay?”

“Okay..” He trails.

You couldn’t do this anymore, you couldn’t pretend. 

“Please don’t lead me on anymore. I have feelings for you, and it hurts for you to act like this with me.” Your chest weighs heavy and you await his response.

“You have feelings for me?”

“Don’t make me say it again.” You mumble, unable to make eye contact with the male beside you. You had thought it was completely obvious.

“I do too.”

You look up at him, “What?”

“Why do you think I asked for your help in the first place?”

“Because you needed a date?” You ask, confused.

He smiles, “My plan was never to get another date. I was hoping maybe at the end, I could just ask you. But then we ran into Sumin, and you found Sungchan and it all happened so fast, I just lost hope.” 

“I’m jealous knowing that our other friends have kissed you before, because I always imagined I’d be the first. In a world where I wasn’t too much of a pussy to ask you out.” Jeno continues, crunching sticks beneath his feet. “Instead I thought this stupid idea could get me somewhere. I was an idiot to think you wouldn’t have a date in the palm of your hand awaiting your call.”

You stay silent as he gathers his thoughts. He leans against a tree, “I’ve never had a girlfriend because I’ve been waiting for you, all the guys know and that’s why the tease me.”

Your head is spinning, that was why? He didn’t date other girls because of you? This couldn’t be true, how had you not seen it all this time?

“Well, more like waiting for me to grow the balls to ask you out. ‘Cause the time never felt right. But now, seeing you with Sungchan, seeing the way he looks at you. It felt like if I didn’t do something now, I’d lose you. But I acted even worse, and I made you think I didn’t like you in the process. I’m sorry, I’ve acted like a total jerk, but I won’t you let you go another minute thinking I don’t want you.”

You’re speechless at his confession, everything made sense now. Why he was so reluctant with Sumin. Why he really didn’t like Sungchan. It all fell together.

“Jeno,” You smile. “Just kiss me.” 

And he does, but it’s different this time. It’s slow and passionate, like a kiss is supposed to be. It’s not messy and needy like before, no it’s the opposite.

But it felt right, it felt better. 

“Tell me honestly,” He says as he pulls away, going to stroke your hair. “Am I a better kisser than Jaemin?”

Mood ruined.

You hit his chest, “Are you serious? You finish kissing the life out of me and then you ask me that? Romance is dead.” 

He laughs, but you can tell he’s still awaiting your response. “In all fairness, I can’t really say. That night was embarrassing. I took his shirt off and then we cringed and vowed to never speak of it again.” 

“So you’re not in love with Renjun, Mark, or Jaemin?” He asks, for clarification. 

“No, I swear.” You tease. “You’re the only idiot I’m dumb enough to like. But who’s to say that you’re not in love with Sumin?” 

“Sumin? How much do you want to bet that her and Sungchan are hooking up right now.” Jeno asks, and you had completely forgot about Sungchan.

“Oh no! Sungchan!” 

“What?”

“Sungchan expected to come out here and get laid.” You pause, nervous of Jeno’s reaction. 

But he seems understanding. “I had the same agreement with Sumin.”

Before you can respond, his eyes widen. “But you’re not going to anymore right?”

“No!” Rolling your eyes you look away. Though you smirk as you tug on his belt loop. “But do you plan on letting me get your pants off tonight?”

“Wow, you’re horny.” 

“Shut up!” You pout, “Come on, lets go out there and hope that our dates decided they like each other more than us.” 

Jeno nods his head and follows suit, the two of you returning from the trees to find some of the boys building a fire. 

“It’s not even dark.” You quirk an eyebrow.

“No but Chenle has an app that says sunset is in an hour.” Jaemin responds. Poor boy never knows what’s going on. “Anyways, where are yall’s dates? I thought you were with them.”

“No?” Jeno questions, furrowing his eye brows. 

“Oh, well they disappeared like twenty minutes ago.” 

You and Jeno look at each other, mentally celebrating. You’re glad that Sungchan had found some way to get laid this weekend, maybe not in the way he expected but, a win is a win. “You two look suspicious, whats going on? Please try and keep it down if you two decide to get freaky again.”

Jeno looks shocked at that, “You know?”

“I was there, and you two weren’t exactly quiet.” Jaemin deadpans, nose scrunching as he recalls the nights events. “You were all ‘Mmm yes so tight.’ I wanted to die.”

Oh god, he had heard all that? Why didn’t Jeno look embarrassed? You wanted to melt.

“Well,” Jeno says, pulling you closer to him by your waist. “There’s more where that came from, maybe try and wear earplugs.”

Your face grows hot as Jaemin starts complaining, “So what, are you two together now or?”

And a glint of hope appears in your eyes, “I’d like to be your girlfriend, you know. Your first.” You tease.

Jeno grins, “And I’d love to be your boyfriend.”

Jaemin gags at the scene, “Quit being gross and come help me start this fire.”

Your now-boyfriend Jeno moves to help Jaemin, Haechan approaching the three of you. “Woo! I heard from back there! Congrats Jeno!”

Chuckling, Jeno looks over at you, proud to know that you were officially his.

Though Renjun approaches the scene, “What about the others? Sungchan and whats-her-name?” 

“Sumin.” You correct. “I don’t even know, they ran off apparently.”

“Wait, just to clarify.” Jeno speaks up. “We’re kicking them out of our tents right?”

“Duh.”

-

The night comes shortly after. All of you, including your former dates, gathered around the campfire. And you’re glad to see Sungchan looks smitten with Sumin, you shooting him a thumbs up as he sees Jeno’s hand on your thigh.

He knew the entire time, he wasn’t stupid, he was just waiting for the two of you to realize. 

Seems like you were the only one who didn’t know of Jeno’s feelings for you.

The boys steadily trickle out, retreating to the comfort of their tents. Tired and red eye looking, but as you hear noises out of Haechan’s tent, you know they’re doing anything but sleeping.

You and Jeno bid the others goodnight, him helping you up and into the tent he so graciously put up himself. 

You giggle as he attempts to slip into his sleeping bag, “You don’t actually plan on sleeping do you?”

He looks at you like a deer caught in the headlights. “What do you mean?”

“I mean,” You say, grinning slyly. “You still haven’t let me see what’s under the belt, baby.”

To be honest, you were really turned on by Jeno right now. Especially now, upon finding out he sleeps shirtless, you needed him so bad. Your mind couldn’t even think straight with him like this.

You’re cut from your daze at a loud moan that rips through the air, presumably coming from another tent. “Freaks.” You scoff, acting like you’re different.

A smile happens upon Jeno’s face. “I bet we can be louder.”

Grinning back, you feel yourself getting wetter. “Challenge accepted.”

He starts kissing up on your neck, making your arousal leak out even more. You’re set in his lap, grinding against him, and you can feel him hard under you.

You had to get those sweats off. 

You were a little shaky undoing his pants, his cock pretty in the light. Long and with a bulging vein on the underside. You moan at the sight of it, not wanting to wait to get it inside you. 

And there’s not a single regret donning your tongue as you lap up Jeno’s thick cock. Precum was gathered at the base, pink and glistening. And it looked so good, too good even. 

He moans out in ecstasy, truly not caring who heard. He thought this was the hottest thing ever, he had dreamed of this for so long, and now he was allowing himself to have it. To revel in you and you pretty eyes that looked up at him as you gag around him. All of it was nearly enough to finish him.

“No no, stop. Don’t wanna cum yet.” He pleads, but you barely let up. His hands resting on your head, unconsciously pushing it down. Until he gains strength to pull you off, bringing you up to meet his mouth.  Jeno had waited too long for this for him to cum without being inside you first. 

He pulls you into a messy kiss, tongues clashing and saliva dripping out. He fondles your breasts through your shirt, then moves to pull at the hem.

“Off.” He begs, and you oblige. His mouth immediately lands on your nipple, latching his hand onto the other, twisting and sucking fervently. 

“S-So good.” You let out, loving the way he was treating you. But you were impatient, and you had enough of the teasing.

“Need you in me Jeno..” You whine, pouting as he ignores you. He stays how he is for a few more seconds until he releases you from his mouth. 

He quickly goes to remove his bottoms fully, as well as yours. And you felt your wetness pooling by the second. “I can’t wait anymore, need to fuck you.”

And you’re glad, as you watch him line up his pretty cock with your entrance, you were sure you could finish from the sight alone. 

“Fuck..” He moans out, throwing his head back in pleasure as he slips into you. Wet and warm, he never wants to leave. He bottoms out, tip hitting your cervix as he asks for permission to move and you nod your head, desperate. 

You loved the way he stretched you out, unable to hide the string of moans that left your mouth. He felt so good inside you as his tip kissed your g-spot with every thrust. 

He rubs his thumb on your clit as you moan even louder. “Yes! Don’t stop! Mm.”

“It’s always been you.” He chokes out. “Always wanted you under me like this.” And you can’t deny the heat that it sends straight to your core, causing you to clench around him. “Better than I could have imagined.”

He doesn’t let up, desire taking over him as he bullies his cock into your cunt at a brutal pace. He was truly unlike anyone you had ever been with before. 

He rubs his thumb on your clit as he thrusts into you, bringing you the most pleasure you’re sure you’ve felt in your life. 

He silences your moans with a kiss, swallowing them into his mouth. Your arms clawing at his back, which was sure to leave marks. He slows his thrusts and you can tell hes getting close. 

“It’s okay, I’m close too. Cum, cum inside.” 

His eyes widen as he hears your words, this was a dream come true. 

“I-” He sputters, shaking his head.

“I’m on the pill.” You interrupt. “Please Jeno, please, need your cum in me.”

You moan out that you’re close and he’s right behind you, spilling out his seed into you as you orgasm. Your climax coming on strongly, and you can feel your legs trembling. He bites his lip, grunting as he finishes as well, filling you to the brim. 

You and Jeno just heavily breathe, him laying on top you slightly before getting up to remove himself. If it were up to you though, you’d keep him in you all night. Though, Jeno was a man of good hygiene, first and foremost. 

You let out a wince as he slides out of you, the empty feeling settling over you. 

He grabs a water bottle and pours it into one of the towels in your tent, and you smile, thankful he was going to clean you up. He wipes around your sensitive areas and slips your bottoms on, you still out of breath. You get both of your clothes on and sorted, ready to sleep now.

You’re sharing a moment of silence when your tent starts shaking rapidly, the shadow of two people appearing as you realize its your friends messing with you.

“Could you two be any louder ?!”

“You’re disgusting!”

“Tent’s have thin walls, you know?!”

You just bury your face into Jeno’s chest, laughing at the commotion.

“Leave my girl and I alone!” Jeno shouts out playfully, caressing your head.

My girl?

You could get used to that. 

[luci-luck]

Earth “ponies” go first! MASSIVE autism dump comin’ atcha live

TW: ableism , grief , parental death (just in case the tags failed)

This is more so for me but I still wanted to share 🫶

Sandstone (Pinkie):

- b i g puppy energy

- Built for work but prefers to play

- Has crystal pony genes but depression makes them subdued. Can only go full crystal mode in a moment of pure and raw jubilation.

- after constantly being told who she’s supposed to be, they rejected the idea of labels entirely

- no labels for gender or sexuality means loving Pinkie does not impact your sexuality score!

- (intersex is not about gender but biological sex. That being said many intersex people use intergender as their gender as it relates to their experience as an intersex person.)

- deals with internalized ableism due to conservative fillyhood environment. Feels bad when they need to ask for help/support. Got herself an unofficial certificate in psychology so he can be his own therapist (it doesn’t work out)

- Parents would totally support the pony version of Autism Speaks just saying. Pinkie’s dad thinks neurodivergency is curable with hard work and the right attitude whilst her mom mourns the loss of her son after the diagnosis.

- ADHD makes xeir rejection sensitivity off the charts

- Internal battery runs on the company of others so can’t ever live alone.

- Had problems with food insecurity

- Relies on sugar as a steady supply of dopamine

- Can have moments of poor motor control. Clumsy

- Eyesight is bad but doesn’t wear glasses. Afraid that ponies will start thinking he is smart and they will expect even more from him. (In human world she wears contacts)

- Feels embarrassed being high support needs and just wants to be treated like everybody else. Hates when xer parents call her “special”

- Also hates being infantilized but is not confident in their decision making

- Xe is a sensory seeker unlike the rest of their family who are all sensory avoiders. Sisters compromise and try to meet his needs. Pinkie in turn tries to be mindful of their touch aversion but finds it hard sometimes. “Everypony’s just so scoop-able!”

- Trained Gummy to “stay”. Is very proud of his emotional support gator

Applejack:

- Is incredibly strong for her size

- feels like she has to constantly prove herself worthy of taking over the farm. Has gotten into arguments with Big Mac about overexerting herself

- Is a hinny (donkey mom and stallion dad) (ofc hinnies are supposed to have tails more like horse but I love the lion tail on AJ so 💁‍♀️) (I said mule in ALT text because most people don’t know what a hinny is)

- Because of this, she is more calm under pressure and thinks more logically

- has major depression from grief and ptsd (duh)

- Isn’t used to being in a stress free environment so she creates the stress

- Likes running the apple stand but certain families trigger her

- Obsessed with anything from the past generation. A time when her parents were young and happy

- Can be a bit insensitive to other’s problems and wants them to “put on their big girl pants” like she had to.

- Feels like she has to fill in the roles her parents used to do. Especially so Applebloom and Granny don’t have to stress over as many things.

- Was in the process of cutting her mane when she remembered that AB liked to braid it so she stopped half way.

- Is the mom of the friend group. Makes sure everyone’s needs are met before tending to her own. (Which is bad btw)

- Has problems with insomnia but getting better.

- Struggles with OCD and will repeat unnecessary tasks if she believes it will help protect her family

- Has an emotional support dog named Winona who also reminds AJ to take breaks 🐕‍🦺

- Sees no point in getting her chronic pain checked out. Will hopefully change her mind in the future. Wears leg braces to ease the soreness.

- Got diagnosed later on. Grief masked her autistic traits.

- Also has a hard time asking for help but has gotten better after she found out that Applebloom has been internalizing that mindset. She must lead by example

- Stick around long enough and she’ll happily invite you over with a hot cup of cider 🍺

- (Other people tend to fall in love while getting to know someone. Demiromantics however need to get to know the person first and then develop romantic feelings later)

- Thought she wasn’t capable of developing crushes until she got to know Coloratura.

[precambrian-sea-pancake]

Gonna infodump about my D&D character

(Sadly forced to keep things confidential because my party members follow me on tumblr…you know who you are 👁️👁️)

I’ve only had Gawain for a short time but OH MY GOODNESS I FUCKING ADORE THIS SILLY GUY!!

Also kinda shocked that the moodboard I made for him got that many notes. That’s a first…

Also please enjoy the drawing @hootbon made for me. I will never shut up about their art.

So…for what CAN post publicly…

Gawain is your token Lawful Good Paladin TM. Bonus points for being a protector aasimar I guess. (Though I might multiclass into a bard depending on how things go. It would fit him well. They’re my favorite spell caster.)

His personality is gonna be SO fun to play. Before I explain that, I should mention that he’s actually the youngest of the group at 24. The second youngest is the Kobold (Maran) who’s 37. So he’s a lot more naive and still understanding himself and the world around him. People often dismiss him due to that unfortunately. But, you know, imagine a dumb collage age boy and you get somewhat of an idea.

He’s a very sweet and compassionate guy, extremely extroverted and fun loving…maybe a bit flirty at times. Definitely cracks witty comments and one liners in battles ranging from something clever to “suck my dick” or something dumb like that. That doesn’t mean he can’t be serious, he absolutely knows when he should. Ironically he’s the most “normal” of the group, often being the straight man. Overall heart of gold and just wants to help people.

He has a bit of a rebellious and impulsiveness to him. As clever as he is, he’s mostly driven by his emotions. It’s always a “do what feels right in the moment” rather than logic. In general he’s just very emotional and struggles with hyper empathy. This also causes him to question a lot of the authority around him.

I’d also say he has that Disney Princess syndrome. Gawain is convinced that he has some grand destiny and is meant for more. He’s always wanted to explore and learn more about the world, meet new people and cultures, live a life of glory and adventure. Maybe he’s in over his head or maybe he’s not…we’ll see.

However, another big reason for doing all this is that he wants to understand who he is…more accurately WHAT he is. He was born to humans, raised by humans, and grew up in a mostly all human kingdom. So he grew up thinking he was one despite some strong differences between him and the others. Aasimar are VERY rare, and more like myths to most people, and others don’t even know they exist. So people either assumed he was blessed or cursed, some treated him like the messiah, and others thought he was a freak and dangerous. So yeah, he never felt like he belonged and wants to learn about himself.

Somewhere in his life he ended up becoming a squire and completed his training just before the start of the campaign…

And that’s all the backstory information I can post because my friends will see this.

I guess I can do a bit of trivia:

It’s still D&D lore, but the world itself is homebrew. Humans are actually not the majority race, far from it. Most humans live in a large archipelago with various human nations. I remember the DM said the estimated population of humans was 20,000 to 30,000. The two mainland continents are one dominated by dwarves and the other by elves, along with other races being far more common on the mainland. Not really about my character but I LOVE that detail. It’s somewhat relevant I guess since I said Gawain grew up in a human society.

The god he venerates most is Ilmatar.

His eyes reflect his emotions and power. When using any of his abilities or when under intense emotions (both positive and negative), his eyes will turn a solid gold color.

Prior to his training, he was a courier. His parents ran his town’s postal service and that’s one of the things that got him into the idea of adventuring.

He’s more of a cat person than a dog person. He likes both, but I feel like he’d go for the cat.

The first weapon he ever used was a bow rather than a sword. The specific sword he uses is an arming sword.

He is a wonderful singer, his voice is almost ethereal in when he sings (little aasimar headcanon of mine).

His favorite study is anthropology, but also really likes history and geography. He’s always collecting little souvenirs and trinkets from everywhere he visits.

He keeps a diary and loves to write stories and sketch things. A lot of story inspiration comes from his dreams, which are often very vivid…and he remembers them super well.

Neither of his parents have blonde hair, nor is it a recessive trait they had. It’s actually part of his aasimar traits.

He talks in his sleep because I think it’s funny.

If this wasn’t a medieval fantasy world, he’d definitely use Gen Z slang. Maybe even tell someone “L + Ratio” or “Skill issue” after besting them in battle. In that same hypothetical reality, his favorite band would be Starset and The Score.

He takes good care of his appearance and health, so he does enjoy certain beauty products. A spa day is his ideal day off.

He hates salmon. He thinks it tastes bad and prefers catfish. I don’t know why I even thought of that fact but it’s there.

[grison-in-space]

I know we're past this point, but I'm beyond exhausted with ARA mentality making its way into the public consciousness. Flaco being championed as a symbol of freedom, Dodo promoting anthropomorphism, celebrities backing PETA, fucking TIKTOK. I work with sled dogs and I don't know how many people per week accuse us of abuse because dogs should be free and not "chained up" and why do we "make" the dogs work. No matter what you say, they just twist your words and take your frustration as admission. Sorry for the rant, but it's getting beyond annoying! How do we combat the misinformation when they take your information and say that you can't read an animals mind, even when the animal's behavior suggest its content?

Yeah, I know what you're talking about. I'm right there with you! It frustrates me, too, especially because animal communication and signaling was a huge part of my doctoral work, so I have spent a lot of time thinking about how animals can encode and unpack information from signals and cues* to communicate and share information with one another.

What I will usually do if I run into someone like this is treat the comment that "you can't read an animal's mind" as pertaining to both of us. I sure can't read an animal's mind, and neither can you, friend! So how can animals communicate with us about what they want? How can we use evidence from the animal'l own behavior to indicate its preferences?

Well, when we give animals choices, what do they do? Matilda doesn't love harnesses for their own sake, but she knows that she doesn't come with me for the day if the harness isn't out. When she sees the harness, she approaches me and stares intently; if I don't pick it up and put it on her, she will sometimes move in front of my and block my path to the outside. Or take my mice. When we open the top of the cage for a behavior session for the mice in my lab (a noninvasive "game" that asks them to choose between one side or another in exchange for little squirts of watered down Ensure), it's common to see mice pop out of the cage and start racing around the rim, trying to climb onto a hand. Animals learn cues from us about what is going to happen next, and they behave accordingly. If they aren't enjoying a task, you can usually tell!

Okay, that's for small, easily understood time units. What about the big questions? Would a dog rather run free than run in harness with a human handler? Well, it's certainly hard to get an informed consent from an animal, because again, no language to communicate risks TO THEM. But you can also go, okay, what does freedom actually look like for free roaming wild animals? There's... an awful lot of bad deaths out there, it turns out.

Like, a lot.

Hey. You're a human who presumably prefers to live in society. If I told you that I had the offer of a lifetime for you, where you'd be released from all debts and obligations to human society and in exchange you could go live on a naked island by yourself in a hut with a bucket to drop waste in and no running water, and just enough food to keep you alive until you learned how to successfully forage for yourself, would you do it? Or would you keep your debts and your job in exchange for being able to rely on a society to prevent your neighbors from deciding to murder you for rations, construct safe and hygienic ways to handle drinking water and waste, and devise predictable and palatable things to eat? Would you like to be released into the world without a social group or any connections, or would you rather stay in a society even though you're not able to make any possible decision that might flicker into your head?

If they tell me "yeah I'd love that actually," ask why they're not doing it right now. Like, I'm assuming you work tourism in some capacity, Nonny; why are they shelling money out for this dogsled ride if their dream is to be free of Society? Living in a big collective group always entails some loss of freedoms (e.g. I cannot play big brass music at full volume at 10pm unless I want my housemates to riot), but the potential gains (increased comfort, lowered costs, rewarding long term relationships) outweighs those costs.

Which is why when my dogs do get out, they usually stay in earshot and return when they're bored with brief exploration or they hear our alarmed contact calls. If the great outdoors was that much better, do you really think so many domestic animals would come right back?

*Technically speaking, you can extract information from both signals and cues, but a signal is intended to transmit information to a receiver and a cue is a physiological byproduct of an individual's state. Think of it as the difference between a human making eye contact with you and then glaring versus seeing a human having a whole-ass meltdown directed at no one in particular on a park bench. This is a meaningful difference for animals, too: I did quite a bit of work on eavesdropping in the animal world, where messages intended for one kind of receiver can be detected, accessed, and unpacked by another, much less desirable party — like a competitor or a predator.

[cheecats]

To soothe you from your Riverstar's Home trauma, how about you ramble about oneripple?

YOU'RE SO KIND FOR LETTING ME GO OFF ABOUT THIS TY TY 💞💞💞 I'm terrible at structuring logical/coherent rambles, so I'll just dump some thoughts I have (obv these exclude Riverstar's Home and are roughly how I'd like to play with their dynamic [give them to me NOW erins!!])

LONG POST UNDER CUT!

Obviously this is way before the mountain cats arrive. BIG FAN of the idea that River Ripple and his small circle at the time were the ones to help One Eye and baby Star Flower get back on their feet after the two lost the rest of their family to the sickness we see again in TBS (I imagine One Eye had already treated them with the Blazing Star, but the two were still so terribly weak and unwell after that.) The group find the two living inside a rotting hollow and approach them. One Eye is, naturally, EXTREMELY aggressive and reclusive at first — distressed from sickness, grief, and fear of losing his tiny daughter, for he hasn't been strong enough to feed them much. The other cats are nervous around him, unwilling to approach the tom for his sheer size and ferocity, even if he is weakened. But not River Ripple. He understands why he is acting this way, that his aggression is a defense mechanism to mask his fear, and ultimately wishes to convey to One Eye that he is not going to do anything to them without his explicit permission first: and he sticks to that promise! Every day he sits outside the makeshift shelter with food, asking permission to come inside, leaving prey, water and herbs at the entrance if One Eye is asleep or simply says no. He never challenges it, and simply obliges and wishes him and Star Flower well. It is through this gradual process that One Eye begins to somewhat relax around River Ripple, allowing ONLY him to come inside, communicating his and Star Flower's needs and whatnot (Vulnerability moment!!)

Although she was too young to remember, once she began to recover, Star Flower was always excited when River Ripple visited, coming up to him, chasing his tail, and telling him all about her big adventures (all just made up ones, but River Ripple would always listen and ask her questions about them!) One Eye initially doesn't take well to Star Flower going up to the near-stranger, pulling her back or growling at River Ripple to back off. But over time, he sees that the risk is minimal, and the two never leave his sight while interacting. Besides, it stops Star Flower pestering him to entertain her for just a bit (also I just find this funny because adult Star Flower can barely recall this and River Ripple is just looking at her like omg you've gotten so tall now!!! I remember when you used to tell me how you beat up monsters and dogs 🤭💙!!)

SO LIKE skipping the recovery period, and now One Eye and Star Flower are more present outside … One Eye falls first. He initially is bothered by this, still grieving the loss of his mate and their other kits moons ago. But the feeling is nonetheless there. It's complicated, because at first he had every intention of claiming the area for himself and pushing River Ripple & his friends out… but as much as he tried to resent River Ripple's philosophy, there was just something so…. soothing yet powerful in the way he carried himself. He realises he actually enjoys his company, which is also weird for him! One Eye has lived among opportunistic cats his entire life, learning that being aggressive and domineering is the only way to make it, and that the passive and meek were destined to be crushed. But River Ripple is a curious example to him. He is gentle and patient, but completely capable of establishing boundaries and shutting down veins of discussion that belittle or threaten him. He would call out One Eye's bullshit every single time, but in a way that didn't escalate the situation. His heart was soft and his identity was strong in that. Kindness without weakness??? In MY Warrior Cats??? Impossible??? (Erins: yes it's impossible. 🗿)

Anyway, montage of One Eye giving terrible rizz and making a complete fool of himself 90% of the time — getting frustrated and defensive while everyone else is like🧍‍♂️. River Ripple is confused at first, but slowly begins to catch on. He finds it both amusing and sweet… and yeah! He realises he does feel the same way! He always found One Eyes protectiveness of Star Flower warming, found his intelligence to be engaging, and he genuinely believes there is good in the tom's heart (me shaking my head slowly.)

First date? Swimming lesson! One Eye is terrible! He's half drowned, scrabbling onto River Ripple every .2 seconds, and hates how pathetic it makes him look. But River Ripple is patient, assuring him that they can always try again some other time, and that it took him a while to get used to it too <:)

^ I feel like it's important to emphasize that One Eye genuinely feels like he can relax around River Ripple. That this cat doesn't have any ulterior motivation to trick him or take from him. Nor' does River Ripple ever belittle his failures or negative traits. They simply exist, are acknowledged, and pass like water.

But of course there is difficulty in how these two's ideologies clash. Everyone's beliefs are different, but theirs almost completely counter. River Ripple's philosophy is peaceful. To live and let live, and be custodians of the land. One Eye's on the other hand is to conquer. To take, to fight for what you need, and to claim the land. While there is room to accommodate each other, they are both two strong individuals with strong identities. Neither is going to abandon their philosophy, and when they clash so strongly, it can make it impossible for them to see eye to eye on issues. Long term, that would be hard. I believe that is why they'd go their separate ways. It doesn't work out. But that is okay. For that period of time, there was coexistence, there was connection, and there was love.

TL:DR. Very brief romance! A spark of passion that burns then fizzles out when One Eye leaves to be on his own (with Star Flower) once again. River Ripple, of course, says One Eye can return any time if he needs anything. Even for a short visit. He never does. For everywhere the tom goes, there is destruction and disruption, and River Ripple's home is like an oasis to be left untouched in One Eye's head.

Even as One Eye's reputation worsens, they still feel for each other. River Ripple especially. He knows what One Eye is capable of, what he has done, and how downright hideous he can be. But it's hard not to miss the memory of him. (Cue the mountain cats like PLEASE stop talking about this asshole in flowery prose he is trying to kill us!!)

BONUS: Not really relevant here, but their presence in the narratives respectively as the punisher/destroyer vs the voice of reason… ooogh, sun that burns, moon that soothes e.t.c but that deity kind of vibe would be more relevant once they're spirits in the Dark Forest & Starclan!

I could go on forever but that's the meat of it. Ty ty i hope everyone enjoyed and its not terribly incoherent ✌️

[thatneoncrisis]

Why does every 20-something year old on the planet think they’re going to stand up for marginalised groups by being a dick on the internet to strangers they assumed to be something they’re not. All those authors you dislike, turns out they were just people, and some of them trans themselves too! What a shock! Maybe you could have gone about this a better way, but I suppose the option to be a cunt is a good one too. You’ve definitely improved the TLT fandom in a measurable way with this move. Which transfems are more important to you? The ones who like the fics you don’t, or the ones who like the fics you do? What about the ones that are writing the fics you don’t like?

Could have raised the issue in so many other ways, decided the way you were going to go was to be as incendiary as possible and now you’re surprised when its hurt people who are part of the same group you claim to be sticking up for? Maybe next time you’ve got a problem, you raise it more constructively, if you’re actually this invested in raising the point in a way that improves the situation for those you’re championing. As a multi-chapter satire fic would imply. Might have to do less damage control after that way at least.

alright. i mean again ive spent the last year writing content that i want to see, and i was only very recently made aware that some of the fics read as playing into transmisogyny are written by trans women, i understand that those authors are also just people who have no obligation to like what ive done or agree with it. im not surprised about whats happening stop saying im surprised or never expected this

but im trans. i have friends who are across the spectrum transfem or otherwise. i constantly see them raising this issue to be met with the "dont read and touch grass" excuse, because the idea something can be made for someones own comfort is met with other people outside of that bubble being really hurt by it. which is what is happening now. i resent the idea that a particular member of a marginalized group cannot make harmful content in relation to said group. i made it because i was fucking angry. i made it because it was easier and compiling every single instance of someone treating gideon like a fucking slobbering dog brainless piece of meat who cant function in the proximity of femme pussy. no group is more important than the other, but both deserve to talk about it. i wrote a story being big mad and now im getting feedback, that is literally all i wanted

i am officially sick of this "i expected more from you" ass tone, as if i didnt give this extensive thought and execute it anyway, for the large swaths of trans and fans of color who DO agree with me and DO have a problem with is. stop pretending like i am completely and utterly fucking incapable of recognizing the nuance of the situation, that i made something that was harsh because i was tired of seeing the same shit uncritically produced and read by people. i will never be able to stop anyone from writing what they want, so i wrote what i wanted, and ultimately im on the fence about its execution. i have just enough right to be upset as you do, and im sorry im not 30 years old and keeping my mouth shut, because lets not pretend there was any world where i could form a post articulate enough to keep people from interpreting it as "big dick bad and i hate fun" that maybe gets thirty notes

[dhmis-autism]

what’s the biggest mischaracterisation of each character that you feel like you ‘suffer’ from the most? obviously no disrespect to ppl who do characterise them in certain ways! :] this is just out of curiosity…your thoughts are so intriguing:]

I am so sorry I am about to get so unbelievably bitchy and prissy and fussy. I have thought SO much about this question and I have also SEEN so many interpretations of my boys that I completely disagreed with.  Like you said though, clearly, no disrespect to people who characterize them this way! I know I am a very picky, persnickety bitch.

Anyways. Best boy up first.

 Duck mischaracterizations that I hate:

- him being super effeminate and given like an hourglass figure and human woman legs. like what.

- him being feminine being like, his whole personality. I loathe when people just start writing him like a super twinky, aave spitting gay. It’s really fucking weird can you all be normal about him wearing a dress ONE time please. LIKE HES JUST A NORMAL GUY. OK. GOD

- written as a bitchy or abusive mother/parental figure ( specifically towards YG. why.)

- him being super loud and just constantly spouting verbal/physical abuse at the other two (girl he is much quieter than you remember and he insults them like. twice. in 6 episodes. get real.)

- I hate hate hate when people act like RG is his whole world and have him ignore YG/act like he doesnt exist

- him being written as deliberately manipulating the other two, sometimes even like. physically self-harming in order to do so?? like oh my god. he would NOT fucking do that.

- him being written as totally HATING yellow guy and just constantly acting like hes a burden (I’ll actually kill over this one. how dare you. biting)

- weird thing I’ve noticed where people will make him refer to himself as 'the smart/intelligent one' of the group (something he's never done) but then like. the narrative/author will legitimately treat him like he IS very smart. like. no he is not.

- having him take YGs batteries out of sheer malice / ( ABLEISM(??)) and like. hate.  and somehow forgetting how hard he was freaking out that his friend was different earlier in the episode???????

- him being in a nuclear family situation with red with YG as their "son" . like 1. he is NOT a good dad and would not be a good one. 2. he SAID how he feels about that boy if you cant accept dad dog duo as a dad dog duo you do not deserve them

- writing him as CONSTANTLY ANGRY/PISSED OFF oh it makes me wanna shake people by the shoulders and SCREAM like!! Rewatch the show!! Baker Terry did not give us that bizarre and soft and joyous performance for you to write him like Squidward in a yaoi!!!! I’ll KILL YOU!!!!!!! HE IS AN UPBEAT PESSIMIST!!! A CHEERY DEFEATIST!!!!! I’LL GNAW YOUR BONES TO DUST!!!!

- when people make him skinny. How dare you. How DARE YOU. HOW DARE Y

- when people make him taller than YG. I would be less upset if “the smallest one” wasn’t literally something he was called IN THE SHOW

YG mischaracterizations I hate:

-Him being portrayed as GENUINELY stupid. Yes I know the crew call him that, yes I know other characters call him that, I think it’s obvious they’re exaggerating a bit.

-Him being the only one of the three that’s written as incredibly childish (imo, all three of them are a bit childish- but if you write just YG that way, I roll my eyes)

-Him being incredibly passive and soft and nice and conflict avoidant and a huge big pushover crybaby who never fights back or says anything mean.

-When people make it out like he’s really bad at art/draws like a child- really ticks me off because we are EXPLICITLY SHOWN IN EPISODE 1 OF THE WEBSERIES THAT HE’S GOOD AT ART

-I actually hate when people discount a lot of his talents, ppl acting like he wouldn’t be good at music or art when we KNOW HE IS!!!! WE KNOW HE IS!! WHAteever

-Him being socially inept/inadequate ! He is imo the most socially adept out of the 3 of them and the one most likely to thrive among a new friend group

-When people act like. YG with fresh batteries and YG without them are two separate people/have separate personalities??? They are literally the same dude (my good friend Am has a great post on this actually. Here. Read.learn.)

RG mischaracterizations I hate:

-The idea that he is nice. LOL I’m almost joking, but not really. Verbally, he’s very barby and I WISH more people would remember that genuinely.

-When he’s written as the ONLY voice of reason/ smartest guy in the room. He is not. God help him he is so fucking stupid and goofy and canonically loves Smash Mouth and thinks MAGIC is real.

-Super Hyper Sexy Man with vacuum-sealed abs and a COMPLETELY new personality

I have nothing else for him I don’t think of him often.

[marshmallowprotection]

Saeran's overstimulated. He's never been to a crowded amusement park before and Saeyoung's letting him rest and recuperate. But, look at Saeyoung with that tall strawberry parfait! I know he's gonna share with Saeran because strawberries are his favorite treat. I know that's the reason why he picked it out. He could get any treat in the park to eat and he chooses the one his brother wants so he can take one bite and then give Saeran the rest.

I don't think I've seen Saeyoung in that green jacket in forever, either. It's my favorite one for him, though.

Yoosung, who is going to eat all of those corn dogs you got? I know your tummy won't be able to handle that many corn dogs.

I am not surprised he picked a simple vanilla swirl. He wouldn't love a lot of variety in his treats. He is a simple man and he doesn't need the works on his ice cream. Sprinkles and vanilla? Perfect. But, it's nice to see a big heart-laced grin on Zen's face, too.

"You mean to tell me they've coated this strawberry in a simple glaze of sugar? Interesting. I'm intrigued. Who came up with the idea in the first place? Who knew sugar would harden just enough to create this sugary coating? It has a fine layer which suggests to me that this is a trade secret, known only to the theme park and its chefs."

JAEHEE TAKING A PHOTO OF THE GROUP, NOT JUST ZEN, BUT HERSELF AS WELL AS SHE MAKES IT CLEAR TO HER HEART SHE'S A MEMBER OF THE RFA AS WELL, NOT JUST THERE DUE TO HER PROXIMITY TO JUMIN. THESE ARE HER FRIENDS. SHE'S HAVING FUN.

JIHYUN CAME HOME WITH THE MILK. HE'S FINALLY INCLUDED IN THE PHOTOS AGAIN! I was afraid the last one might be a one off encounter. LOOK AT HIM! LOOK AT HIM! OH MY GOD, IT'S SO NICE TO SEE HIM. But, wait a minute, enhance on the camera screen! At first glance, I thought it was a photo of the twins because of the red glare and white glare on opposing sides, but as I stare at it, It looks more like a window with tall hedges.

Last but not least, the MC is here!

[writeyouin]

Stanley Ipkiss X Reader – Me, Myself, And I

Description: After Stanley uses the Mask to rescue you, he becomes infatuated with you. The problem is that both he and The Mask wish to date you, so Stanley is forced to compete with himself.  

A/N – This is a gift for a user who was very nice on A03 and liked my previous Mask fanfic.

Warnings – None.

Rating – T

You sat on a bench, waiting in Edge City Park for Stanley to arrive for your first date there.

The park was the place you loved most in Edge City. It was one of the few beautiful areas, free of the stench of pollution, the noise of the cars, and the masses of people. Usually, you were glad to be there, but waiting alone there in the evening didn’t feel entirely safe and you felt on edge as you wished for Stanley to hurry up so you wouldn’t have to be alone for long. Granted, Stanley wasn’t big or tough, but he was decent and you felt safe around him.

Besides, he’d met you in the park on more than one occasion. While he worked in the city, you were his dogwalker, taking Milo out for a long daytime strut, as well as several other dogs that travelled in your pack. Yet, though Milo was supposed to be working diligently during those hours, his boss would often send him on the coffee run, treating him more like an errand boy than a skilled accountant. So, to get back at his boss, Stanley would often take the scenic route through the park, occasionally running into you, Milo, and whatever other dogs you had on a day.

After months of dancing around your crushes on one another, Stanley had finally gotten up the nerve to ask you out, and you had suggested something casual in the park. Yet, while you loved Stanley’s company, you were cursing his tardiness as the last traces of light left you stranded in the dark, waiting for his arrival.

Each rustle of the leaves made you nervous. Yet, when there was nobody there, you chided yourself for being so afraid to stay out at night. You tried to relax, wondering what was keeping Stanley so long when you saw movement in the corner of your eye.

Your head snapped in that direction and you immediately stood up as a group of thugs headed your way, hooting and hollering at one another. There were six of them, four men and two women, all with mohawks and angry makeup. Fortunately, their attention was on one another and not you so you started walking brusquely away from them, hoping they wouldn’t pay you any heed.

“HEY!” One shouted.

You ignored the guy, hoping that he was yelling at his friends or perhaps someone else… anyone that wasn’t you.

He yelled after you again, and you hurried away faster, hoping to see any normal civilian that you could latch onto, finding safety in numbers.

The group ran up to you, getting in your face, laughing and jeering as they mocked you, asking what a sweet little thing like yourself was doing in their park. You were terrified, not only by the gang, but by the fact that they had made your safe place scary; even if you somehow got out of this unscathed, you knew that the small park would never feel the same as it once did, and you would mourn that loss deeply.

While you were being harassed by the gang, Stanley had been on his way to meet you, red and sweaty because he was late. When he saw you in the distance surrounded by the gang, he hid behind a tree. It was not the move of a coward, but rather of someone desperately trying to formulate a plan to save the person of their dreams.

Stanley peeked out from behind the tree. There were six of them; even with you, those odds were hardly fair, especially when he could see metal chains sticking out of their back pockets, and some knuckle dusters on one of the women.

Upon spotting a snake with green gems for eyes on the back of the punk gang’s jackets, Stanley recognised them as the Emerald Vipers. They often hung around the alleyways near his apartment; to see them this far out likely meant they were expanding their territory, and that was never a good thing.

Well, if these Vipers wanted to see something Emerald, Stanley would provide. He reached into his jacket pocket where his mask hung waiting for him. He hadn’t intended to bring it out with him, but its hold on him was growing stronger every day, and he couldn’t resist it.

After donning the mask, Stanley’s body became a whirlwind and when he stopped moving, he was in armour and holding a hobby horse between his legs.

“A vicious attack by dragons.” He narrated dramatically. “A lone knight to battle them. His noble steed, Patsy. And true love’s kiss to be won. So romantic,” He gushed, clapping his hands to his cheeks in an overexaggerated blush.

He grabbed the hobby horse’s reins “Away Patsy, away!”

With that, The Mask ran to your rescue, a trail of fire igniting the grass as he ran speedily in your direction.

“Stop, you hoodlums!” He ordered, placing himself between you and the gang. “You shall not attack one’s true love, for I shall vanquish-”

You screamed as one of the thugs hit The Mask across the face with a thick metal chain. He fell to the ground and little birds circled his head, though two of the tiny bluebirds left their post to try and pull him up by the shoulder plates.

The Mask shook his head, drew himself to full height, and then looked bemusedly at the thug, “Just like your mama used to hit.”

“What?!”

Before any more questions could be asked, The Mask grabbed his hobby horse, wielding it like a golf club.

“Four!” He cried out as he used it to knock the thug into the air and way off into the distance.

“What the-”

The other gang members were on edge now, and ready for a fight with whatever weird manner of being was in front of them. But the Mask dodged every hit, kick, and punch, except for those which would have hit you had he not absorbed the damage for you. It didn’t matter how many hits he took’; they didn’t seem to affect him. It was like he was made out of rubber since he always seemed to bounce back with a quip or a pun.

After five of the thugs were taken down in various ways, each arguably more hilarious or strange than the last, there was only one left. She tried to run away, but The Mask donned the apparel of a French artist. He painted an exact replica of the park on his easel, including the fleeing Emerald Snake. Then, when it looked like the Snake was almost free, The Mask added a black hole into the painting, and so it was that the final assailant fell into a rabbit hole, and it didn’t look like she would emerge any time soon.

Although you thought the Mask was done and were about to thank him for his heroic rescue, he wore one final costume, becoming a cleaner and sweeping up the downed gang members on a comically large dustpan and brush, before dropping them next to the bin.

“Keep the trash outta the park,” He said with a mocking shake of his head.

“Uh, excuse me,” You said quietly, uncertain of how to get the hyperactive character's attention.

He turned to you with a sly smile, his outfit switching to that of a forlorn poet in slim bay breeches and a white satin poet blouse.

“Oh, my sweetest love, one need not ever fear the dangers this cruel world might bring, for with the rising and setting of the sun, I have vowed to be thine protector in green. What sayest you to this, so that our hearts may meet in gentle kiss?”

“I um-” In truth, you weren’t sure what to say to such an overdramatic character, and since you didn’t know him, he made you more than a little nervous.

“Thank you for saving me,” You said after a minute. “I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t come when you did.”

“But of course. I would have travelled treacherous fjord, swam the deepest ocean, crossed the harshest desert if only to rescue you,” He took a step closer to you with each declaration until he was almost pressed against you.

“With that said,” He grabbed hold of you, dipping you down suddenly, “What say we do like the French and make out?”

“Wha-”

The Mask kissed you, cutting off your annoyed protest. You squirmed against him, kneeing his groin and making him drop you as he squeaked in response, the attack not hurting as much as it would have if he were only Stanley. You scrambled away and took off running. Granted, you would have to explain to Stanley why you had stood him up the next day, but you were sure he would understand once he heard your side of the story.

“W- Wow,” Stanley pretended to be dumbfounded as you explained the events of the previous night over coffee in the small café at the end of your street.

“I know right, it was so weird,” You said, caressing your cup for warmth.  

“So… After this Mask guy rescued you, you didn’t fall for him, or find him cute or anything?”

“What?” You laughed. “Are you mad?”

Stanley shrugged apologetically, a goofy grin playing at his lips, “Oh, you know, masked vigilante, a daring rescue, and he sounds like something of a charmer to boot. I wouldn’t blame you if you had some kind of attraction to him.”

You shook your head smiling, “Call me crazy, but that being straightforward just isn’t my type.”

“Not your type huh, then what uh- What is your type?”

“Hmm… Well, I like someone shy, sweet, he has to like animals, a little goofy… Someone who might just be sitting right in front of me.”

Stanley swallowed nervously. Okay, it was time for the first kiss. He knew that. You were giving him all the signs. The problem was that he’d already had his first kiss with you. Or rather, The Mask had, and while he wanted to kiss you, he was nervous that if he did, you would find that you secretly preferred The Mask.

“Stanley? Are you okay? You’re looking a little pale.”

“Uh, yeah, yeah…” Stanley stood up abruptly. “I- I’ll be right back.”

He strode quickly into the bathroom, his head a mess of thoughts, some his, but some which definitely belonged to someone else… someone green with envy. He hadn’t lied when he said he would be back soon, but when both he and The Mask wanted your attention, he wasn’t sure which version of him would be back.

Stanley was used to competing with other men for women’s attention, but he never thought that he would have to compete with himself.

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