#i love this laptop but that is the one glaring flaw with it

[risingsunresistance]

so tempted to leave my laptop on overnight to afk that 7hr quest where the guy counts down from 5000 but i think my laptop would actually catch on fire having minecraft idle for ~8 hours and also being plugged in for that long

[taechaos]

Blackmail

pairing: bully!Jungkook x nerdy!fem!Reader

genre: drabble, smut, college au

synopsis: Jimin offers you information on Jungkook, but your friendship is misconstrued by Jungkook who ends it singlehandedly with one video of you professing your love to him between moans.

warnings: dubcon, fingering, degredation, mild squirting, manipulation

word count: 2.8k

a/n: jealous kook doesn't realize he's jealous. this part is a bit extreme, so beware ><

One doesn't come across someone like Jungkook every day. It's fate that you met him in your first year of college, extending to your second where he grows closer to you; fair, it's clear that he only intends to use you for his academic success, but you've deluded yourself into thinking you're in love with each other. Growing up, you only had your dysfunctional family to teach you about how to love, how to think. As long as Jungkook needs you, he will love you, and you’re willing to do anything to be with him, only him. You need him to live.

Birds sing in the background as you lay on your stomach on the grass of the yard across the campus. It’s sunny and breezy, the perfect spring day as you work on Jungkook’s research paper due next month. You compiled multiple credible sources in a separate file to create an outline for his essay the moment he forwarded the assignment to you. You want him to praise you, pet your hair, kiss your cheek for starting so early so he can turn it in before anyone else. He would be proud, flashing you his pearly whites and adoring eyes. The reward motivates you to work harder and you’re relentlessly skimming through articles while counting down the minutes of Jungkook's lecture. He'll be outside with his friends in 7 minutes.

With a bad childhood, you don’t care to befriend many people. You only have a few friends to keep you company and you’re socially awkward outside of that group. You’re content, so you steer clear of boys who try to sabotage your relationship with Jungkook. Jimin, however, doesn’t get the memo.

Typing away on your laptop, a shadow looms over you to give you a break from the sunlight. You glance up and stop swinging your legs absentmindedly when you recognize the shadow; it’s a boy with frames and a tight collar adorning his neck.

Park Jimin is a typical nerd whereas you’re more of a closeted nerd. When you’re in love, you usually put more effort into your appearance to impress the one on your mind, but that doesn’t work with Jungkook. It’s always other men giving you their attention through second glances, and that includes Jimin.

“What do you want?” you rudely greet. Jimin is ruthless with his attempts at pursuing you; he’s the perfect gentleman, and often volunteers to do group tasks with you. He is never mean to anyone, and has a squeaky clean reputation, but his only flaw is that he can’t take a hint. You don't bother being friendly to him because you don't want friends.

"I want to know why you look so happy," he bends over to curiously glance at your screen, "while doing homework?"

You slam the monitor closed to stop his ogling. "You wouldn't get it. And stop watching me," you sternly say.

"What's your secret?" he grins and sits down on the grass next to you with crossed legs. His upper body serves as a shade and you stop squinting.

"There is no secret, I was just in a good mood until you came along." You're not upset, but you don't want to lead Jimin on and he won't leave unless you blow him off.

"Thinking of Jungkook?" he teases with a mischievous smile.

"Are you stalking me?"

"No, you're just too obvious," he chuckles, but the sound is strained. You don't notice his melancholy as he continues, "You were doing his homework again?"

You shift on your propped elbows a little uncomfortably. Jimin doesn't need to know what you do in your free time. "Yes," you answer anyway.

"You know he has daddy issues?"

Your eyes round as your discomfort dissipates instantly; he's piqued your interest. "Really?"

"Yeah, he has a tough exterior but he's actually a real softie."

An involuntary smile carves on your face before it falters as you ask, "How do you know this?"

"We went to high school together. I can tell you some stories if you want," he boasts when he realizes he has your attention. The context makes his heart sink, but when he imagines your lovesick grin is directed at him, it fills him with joy.

"Tell me, tell me! Please."

"Weeell," he draws with a lopsided grin, "don't tell him I told you this, but he used to hate girls. I don't know if he still does, but back then he couldn't even stand talking to a girl."

"Why?" your eyes are wide with interest as you whisper.

He shrugs, "No idea, but he hit a girl once when she wouldn't stop clinging onto him. Not like drop-kick her," he laughs, "he just shoved her on the ground. Be careful with him, okay? He can be very aggres-"

"You guys forming a nerd club now?"

You gasp when you hear Jungkook's voice. When you look up at him, he's almost glaring as his eyes flicker from you to Jimin. You're gleeful at his approach, because he never comes to you unless it's about a new assignment. It flutters your heart to see him without any papers in his hand.

You don't take his subtle insult to heart as you immediately respond, "No, we were just talking. H-Hi."

"Pull down your skirt, you look like a whore. I can see your panties all the way from the gates," he seethes in distaste. You instantly sit up with a blush and tug your skirt down to your knees. He looks back at Jimin who's glaring at him under his lashes, "The fuck's your deal?"

"Nothing," Jimin grits. Although he hates Jungkook's guts, he's too smart to fight a lost cause. He has his own set of muscles, but it isn't enough. It's best to accept defeat now.

"Did you start on the paper?" Jungkook asks you.

"Yes, I-"

"Good," he cuts you off and crouches to peck your lips by pulling the back of your neck. You're stunned when he pulls away and nonchalantly walks off to his friends.

Jimin follows him with his eyes and mutters under his breath, "douche."

Your heart is racing and you clamp a hand over your chest as a lovestruck smile spreads across your face. You know this is your end of the bargain, but it never fails to shrivel you up in delight.

"Are you two dating?" he mumbles as he pulls on the grass with a pout.

"Something like that," you exhale as you caress your lips.

It’s become routine to link up with Jimin where he reminisces his high school memories and you don’t doubt a single word he says unless it sheds a bad light on Jungkook. You’ve learned so much about him in the past few days, and you’re eager to know more. He likes energy drinks to this day, he was athletic in school and often got into fights. He began interacting with girls when he entered college, as Jimin says, “only for a quick fuck.”

Though it hurts Jimin that you only talk to him for information on Jungkook, he can’t bring himself to care when you hang onto every word he says with a glint in your eyes like you’re doing now.

You're sitting in the bustling cafeteria across from Jimin, sipping on a homemade strawberry lemonade from your thermos, and you don't notice Jungkook glancing at your table every now and then. It is the first time he doesn't feel your heavy gaze on him. Jimin does notice however, because he is facing him every time he receives a threatening ferile look.

"He could become a lawyer with how much he blackmailed the teachers to give him a good grade," Jimin tells you as he glances back and forth between you and Jungkook. "He's quite dangerous, you know. He's manipulative, a liar and has no empathy-"

"He's clever," you counter defensively, "he knows how to get around the system."

He makes a disgruntled noise from the back of his throat with a grimace. "I don't think the judge would listen to that."

You laugh at his comparison of the conversation to a court hearing. Jimin can be funny sometimes, and you have to admit that he's not that bad of a friend either. You've come to enjoy his company without the topic of Jungkook the past few days, but talking about him is always appreciated.

"Are you the judge then?" you cheekily ask.

"I might as well be, since I'm not biased like a certain someone," he teases with a grin.

"A lawyer has to see the bright side of things, but if I was the prosecutor, I wouldn't tell you that your lecture is in five minutes."

His smile falters as his eyes widen; you remember his schedule? He ran late for a lecture yesterday, but he’s in disbelief that you reminded him today. "Th-Thanks," he breathes as he packs up his belongings before giving you a curt, shy nod. His heart pounds when he walks away, and he resists the urge to look back at you.

It's a good idea, because that's when Jungkook settles down on his former seat.

"I'm thinking you might be forgetting who you belong to," he starts as he gets comfortable on the stiff chair. You instantly smile at his appearance.

"No, I'm very well aware of it." Your tone is high-pitched in excitement.

"It wasn't a question."

"Oh..."

“You talk more than you work,” he observes with a quirk of his brow. “One would think another nerd would be a better influence on you.”

“I work at night,” you defend worriedly, “I promise I’m not slacking off. Can I get a kiss please?”

You’re so adorable when you’re needy. He hides a smirk with a bite of his lip; he thrives from your loyalty to him, but he knows Jimin is a threat to it. He wants you to stop talking to that freak, and he justifies it as a concern for his grades. “I’ll kiss you when you’re not procrastinating. Do you think you deserve even a pat on the head?”

“I do! I’m halfway done with the research paper, please Jungkook,” you beg pathetically, “I-I’ll show it to you, I have it with me right now.” You start unzipping the case of your laptop until he holds up a hand for you to stop.

“You’re going to read it to me, but not here.”

When he stands up, so do you in a haste. He leaves the cafeteria with you hot on his tail, almost jogging when his strides are much bigger compared to yours. You resemble a clueless lamb following a lion, desperate to hold his claws with your hooves. You don’t know where he’s leading you as you walk down the halls until you stop in front of a door. You’re about to freak out when he swings open the door, but you realize the lecture room is empty.

“You want me to read here?” you inquire meekly. It’s a little intimidating to do it in complete silence, because you have a tendency to stutter when reading out loud and you don’t want to embarrass yourself in front of Jungkook where no one can talk over you. 

“Yup.” He snatches your laptop case from your hand with the handle, and roughly opens it before placing the device on the front row wooden desk. It’s a large hall, and the desks stretch out to the half of the room. You’re feeling stage fright for no particular reason; it feels like reverse claustrophobia. “Open the document and give me your phone.”

You don’t question him and hand in your phone before going through your files on the laptop. Jungkook is looking through your contacts and grins when he finds himself saved as: the love of my life ♡. Jimin is saved by his name, and he finds his WhatsApp through his information below. Once he opens your empty chat with him, he switches to your camera and pushes your back so you’re bent over the desk. You sharply inhale and ask, “Kook?” 

“Don’t get distracted now,” he lightly scolds and starts pulling down your pants. You stopped wearing skirts after the incident a week ago to appease him. You stammer with your back arched, and your ass is on full display for him. It’s humiliating. “Start reading.”

“H-Humans are- Jungkook?” you warily look back at Jungkook when he slides the slit of your panties to the side.

“Are you slacking off?” he condescends. 

You bite your lip anxiously and continue reading, “Humans are social animals that n-need social interaction,” Jungkook spits in his hand, “the extent of our social relationships is the most important predictor of h-happiness.” You squeal when you feel wet fingers graze your folds, but you know better than to stop and ask what he’s doing.

“Continue,” he coaxes softly as he brushes his fingertips over your pussy lips. 

“Um, o-one of the main reasons our brains have developed the way they have is so that we can be social,” you speak between shaky breaths. Your cheeks are tinted crimson with embarrassment from his touches; why is he pleasuring you when he specifically told you, you didn’t deserve any? “Being happy a-all of the time is neither possible nor desirable.”

“Is it now?” He slips a finger in your cunt and you involuntarily let out a cry as you push your body forward. You don’t notice him holding up your phone behind you while slowly sliding his finger in and out of you. His saliva is mixing with your arousal as you answer in a gasp, “Yes.”

“Tell me why.”

“B-Because negative feelings are natural. When it comes to negative feelings, the most important thing to remember is to learn,” you pause to exhale with quivering lips, “to control certain potentially harmful thoughts.” You whine his name when another finger is added to your heat. You’re moving your hips back and forth until he slaps your wet folds as a warning. “Sorry,” you peep and continue in a breath, “Happiness all of the time entails epistemic irrationality.”

It’s difficult to keep your eyes open when you just want to indulge in his thrusts, but you’re encouraged to stop reading when he doesn’t comment on your moans. His pace is quickening and you chase his fingers with your hips, cum dripping down his wrist as you mewl.  

“You enjoying yourself, whore?”

You nod and whimper, “So much.” You’re clutching the edge of the desk as he fingers you with fervor.

“And you're my girl?” 

“Yes, all yours, I love you so much,” you pant, not stopping for a moment to question his words. He has a full view of your sopping wet cunt on the camera, and he lightly blows on you, making you shiver. He’s recording you confess your love for him while getting fingered.

“Only me?” he presses.

“Only you, Jungkook, I love you more than anything,” you slur as you start to feel a knot in your stomach.

“Then pee.”

“Wh-What?”

“Touch your clit and pee.” He removes his fingers from your clenching hole and takes a step back. “Prove your love to me.”

You mourn the loss of his hand while staring wide-eyed at the floor. You’re contemplating his demand as your hand slowly reaches down to your clit. Is he asking you to squirt? Your breathing is shallow as you near your climax, and you still don’t know if you’ll go through with his requirement.

It drips out in tiny drops as you come undone, moaning as clear liquid spills out of you for only a few seconds. 

“Good girl, my good little girl,” Jungkook whispers as he intently watches you humiliate yourself in the name of love. You’re twitching and trembling in shame when he stops recording you and sends it to Jimin without a second’s waste. “Are you okay, baby?”

You hum with a pout as you collect yourself by standing up straight, a sway in your posture. 

“Give me your panties, you’ve made a mess on the floor,” he chastises as he holds out a hand. You slip and step out of them before giving it to him. In return, he passes your phone before feigning a gasp, “Shit, I think I sent Jimin a video of you when I was trying to forward it to my phone.”

Your mouth falls open as heat consumes your entire being. “H-Huh?” Tears brim in your eyes almost instantly; your heart is pounding from anxiety.

“How will you ever look at him now,” he empathizes with a fake frown. “He must think of you as such a slut now.”

“Let me delete it,” you panic as you open your phone. “Wh-Where is it?”

He motions you to give him the phone and opens WhatsApp after. “He’s already seen it.” There are two blue ticks under the message.

“No, no, no,” you pull your hair in agony with a whimper. You quickly put your pants back on and cry as you do so.

“I guess that’s the end of your friendship,” he raises his eyebrows to himself without a hint of sympathy.

“What do I do?!” you wail and fling your hands in stress.

“Avoid him. I’ll make sure he won’t leak it.”

He steps forward to lean in your face intimidatingly. “And don’t talk to him ever again.”

You don’t exactly have a choice now, do you? 

[fireheartfaery]

the distance we can’t comprehend

this is obviously always and forever, dedicated and discussed and developed by with and for dear Cassiopeia Nesta Aurora because she’s perfection and I love her! @danikafendyrr

once again I wrote this in the tumblr app it is most definitely not edited. please forgive me and all the glaring mistakes thank you I love you <3

I’ll put it on ao3 soon and reblog with the link. I don’t have my laptop with me so it’s difficult to do so right now okay enjoyyyyyy

[Image has alt text]

Fenrys phone buzzes on the nightstand. Incessantly. A call then. He squints as the lazy afternoon sun pierces through the large windows and engulfs the bed he’s currently lounging on.

The faint sound of the shower can be heard somewhere to his right but the phone is louder. Almost falling off the wood in its insistence on being heard.

“Alright, alright.” He grumbles grabbing it without bothering to check the screen. “Fenrys, what’s up.”

“Fen, oh my angels!” The smooth excited voice of Hunt Athalar rings through his ear. “You would not believe the afternoon I’ve had! I’m on my way home now but oh my hell Fen, I swear Micah is going to be the death of me! Can you believe what he did today—“

“Hunt,” Fenrys smiles softly, overwhelmed by the sheer love he has for his dramatic boyfriend. He’s worse so really he can’t afford to call it a flaw. “There’s something you should know before coming—“

“Micah made me deal with the godsdamn Postal Services! FEN!” Hunt continues, caught up in his raving in the heat of his hatred for the post. And hell does that hatred run deep. He doesn’t even hear Fenrys. It makes him want to laugh.

“He tried to make me go down there but I refused!” There’s some shuffling on the other end as if a hand is trying spring free while still holding a phone and probably a million other things. Neither of them have ever been the definition of “pack light”. “But I point blank refused. I said he had to go down there and deal with it himself if he wanted a face to face confrontation.”

The shower goes off. The sun still warms his brown skin.

“Ugh I can’t wait to show you the look on his face when he came back from that stupid place.” The cackling on the other end gives him enough of a clue. This conversation is going to involve too much wine and a night of belly-aching laughter. “Anyway before I spoil the show do we need anything at home?”

“Uh babe, I really think—“

“Eggs right?” Hunt mutters to himself, “And maybe more wine? I’ll get the white you like. We can sit by the fire. Apparently it’s going to be freezing.”

“We need some fresh bread please.” Fenrys manages to get out, keeping his giggles in. If Hunt didn’t have his head on the right way every morning he’d walk backwards like it was the most normal thing in the world. “And I really need to—“

“Oh shit the train is coming,” The distant roaring alerts him well enough. “I’m gonna loser signal my love. See you in a few.”

The call cuts.

Fenrys is left to a lazy room and the sound of shuffling coming from the bathroom beyond.

“Well,” He sighs, smile unable to leave his face. “Guess he’s going to be in for a surprise.”

A door opens, steam curling around the air, across the hinges, amongst bronze fingers.

“Well,” He sighs, looks at the figure standing across the room. “You are certainly a lovely afternoon delicacy.”

Drops of water sit on a wide chest, unwilling to leave. He gets it. Gods and damnation he gets it. Arms corded with veins and muscle he could spend hours tracing, are wrapping a fluffy white towel around large hips.

“The shower is amazing.” Rowan Whitethorn grins at him.

Fenrys is almost speechless, smile and teeth and joy rendering him incapable of human. This is the very definition of “wildly beautiful.” He tangles his fingers in snow white hair, forever fascinated by the delicateness. For someone so large, the hair makes everything look that much more….. just more.

“Hunt got it installed. He said there are few joys in life. A good shower after a long day is one of them.” He’s off the bed, walking slowly towards his guest. Wants to capture every minute detail. “I think he’s dramatic but it works in my favour so I can’t complain.”

“You’re staring at me like you want to eat me, again.”

“I do want to eat you. Hell I want to devour you.”

“You want to shower.” Rowan gently wraps fingers around his shoulders. Moves him into the bathroom.

“I want to take your last name.”

“After Hunt agrees to take it too.”

Fenrys disappears into the shower. And takes the quickest one of his life. Anything to be in that presence again.

As he’s stepping out of the shower he hears the front door open. Shuffling from within the room, in the kitchen too.

“Fen?” Hunt calls, shoving paper bags onto the counter. The crinkle is loud in the echo of the house. “Is that you, angel?”

“I got the white and the red—“ He can picture his boyfriend, head in the fridge, stacking wine bottles in the rack, unaware of the world around him. “I was only going to get the white but they had the really dry one you like and I didn’t particularly want to feel like I was swallowing wood drift tonight, so I got the red for me. Do you think it’d be strange to be two different kinds of dru—“

Speech ceases to exist. Fenrys is leaning on the arch that opens into the kitchen and watching with rapt attention as his boyfriend finally realises what’s going on. He can see Hunt struggling to remember language. Knows five and he can’t find sentences in any of them. Mumbles the alphabet in his sleep and can’t piece letters together to form words.

Rowan stands at the island, a gentle smile on his face. Patience lining every glorious muscle on his back.

“Fen–“ Hunt chokes out.

“Hi,” Beautiful deadly grin. “He-“ And a cursory point is waved to the side, where he still leans against the arch. “-should have told you before you came home.”

“I did try!”

“Fenrys,” Hunt is strangling on his own vocal cords.

“I know baby,” He laughs, moves into the kitchen, stands at his boyfriend’s side. “I tried to tell you on the phone but you were being sort of passionate about the whole postal service thing. I figured it’d be a nice surprise anyway.”

“You’re home.” Voice cracking. Tears are pooling in dark swirling eyes. “You’re here.”

And just like that Rowan is across the counter cradling Hunt in his arms, face gently held between warm fingers. “I’m home, my love.”

Something deep within Fenrys heart clicks back into place. A puzzle piece missing for far too long finally found in the dark dreaded abyss underneath the wardrobe. A single star finally learning what it means to light up the night sky.

Later, so much later, when the kisses have spilled over more than the wine and hands have held and held and held and tears have soaked into skin and time has melted straight through the floor, they collapse into the bed that fits three in the room that fits three in the apartment that fits three.

And the little board, hung on the fridge door, now reads: “Days without him: 0”

[yandere-daydreams]

Title: Pendent.

Written for a very lovely, very patient anonymous commissioner.

Pairing: Yandere!Bokuto/Reader (Haikyuu!!).

Word Count: 3.0k.

TW: F. Reader, Toxic Relationships, Possessive/Protective Mindsets, Co-Dependency, Non-Consensual Touching, Threats of Violence, Slight Victim Blaming.

[Part One] / [Part Three]

Unfortunately, Bokuto wasn’t very good at his keeping promises.

He tried to, for your sake. He wanted to be a good boyfriend, but he wasn’t perfect, he had his flaws. He was sure you had yours, too, even if they were difficult to find from his perspective – straddling the seat in front of yours, his head on your desk, your fingers idly combing through his hair as you worked on something, an essay or a worksheet or another boring, complicated assignment he didn’t have a chance of helping you with, despite being a year ahead of you. If it was anyone else, he might’ve whined, pouted, gotten distracted and forgot why he bothered to visit you in the first place, but he restrained himself to toying with your sleeve, to listening to the soft, mumbled curses you let out whenever you stumbled onto something you didn’t understand. He liked watching you work. He liked watching you, in general. He liked you.

He was sure he’d like you even more, if you let him take you somewhere a little more private.

Bokuto opened his mouth, ready to buy for your attention, but he was interrupted by a group of boys jeering near the ground of the classroom, girls whispering in the furthest corner, your classmates, your peers, your friends that were forced to a distance by your gentle excuses and Bokuto’s poor reputation, outside of the sport’s sector. He’d promised he wouldn’t be jealous, swore up and down he wouldn’t act like some brooding, possessive jerk, but he could still be annoyed, he was still your boyfriend. He wasn’t jealous, he was just irritated. He wasn’t pestering you because he wanted to get you alone, no, he just wanted to let you focus. He just didn’t want anyone else distracting you, not while he was there.

“(Y/n),” He drawled, earning a hum in response. It was what he expected, your dedication was one of the many things he loved about you, but part of him hated how focused you could be. How hard it was to get your attention, despite your constant reassurance. “Can’t you do this in the courtyard? I’m dyin’, over here.”

“I just need a few more minutes.” That was what you’d said five minutes ago, and five minutes before that, and every five minutes since the first time he thought to ask. “If you’re bored, you could always…. I don’t know, try going to your own class?”

The jab was playful, but Bokuto still sulked, sitting up just enough to lean into your hand, letting you cup his cheek as finally, finally, your eyes shifted from the paper in front of you to him, an exasperated smile already tugging at the corners of your lips. “But then I wouldn’t be with you.” This time, he let himself be shameless about it, pressing a fleeting kiss into the heel of your palm as you flushed, averting your eyes with an unimpressed scoff. “This is your free hour, you can do anything you want! C’mon, there’s this really nice spot by the—”

This time, he was cut off entirely, but not by background noise or distant laughter or something as easily dismissed. No, it was worse than that, more unignorable – your name, shouted across the room from a boy with messy black hair, his smile a little too eager and his voice a little too grating as he called for you again, intent on getting your attention, one way or another. You didn’t seem to mind, popular enough to be used to this kind of thing, but Bokuto’s glare was reflexive, ingrained, as instinctual as he way he barred his teeth as he turned towards—

You caught him by the arm before he could stand up, before he could do anything messy and drastic, your smile never waver. That was why you were the better half. between the two of you. You were just too much of an angel to ever stand back and let someone get what they deserve. “He’s just a friend,” You explained, the clarification unnecessary, but still appreciated. “It’s not every day my boyfriend takes time out of his busy schedule to babysit me. He’s probably just trying to get under my skin.”

It was a conflicting feeling. His heart skipped a beat at the implication, at that soft, casual reminder that you were his and he was yours, but he still didn’t like the idea of someone teasing you, the idea of someone thinking they were good enough to get away with it. He scowled, but you didn’t give him the chance to complain, your fingers already digging into his bicep, urging him to listen. “Please?” You tried, your tone caught somewhere between hopeful and questioning. A queit, optimistic urging you already knew Bokuto couldn’t resist “I’ll make it up to you, but please, let it go.”

He wanted to keep his promise. He really, really wanted to be a good boyfriend.

If this meant he could be a little better, he was willing to give it a shot.

“I’ll try.”

~

He was telling the truth. He was going to try. He wanted to try.

He was just having a little trouble. It was hard to teach an old dog new tricks, even if Bokuto was desperate to learn. He just needed a little help, and luckily, Bokuto knew just who to go to when he needed help.

“It’s not like I’m tryin’ to hurt her feelings.” It was already late, the sun low in the sky and practice long-since over, but Bokuto’s pace was unhurried as he walked at Akaashi’s side, unrushed, too preoccupied with his own thoughts to care about getting home quickly. Unfortunately, Akaashi was too used to him to complain, only nodding along as Bokuto went on. “I just don’t want anyone else to hurt her feelings, either. If I back off, I gotta take that risk.”

Akaashi was quiet, for a moment, his eyes on the sidewalk. He’d known you longer than Bokuto, technically, been there for you longer than your boyfriend had, and Bokuto would’ve been lying if he said he didn’t feel a pang of resentment because of that. But, Akaashi wasn’t a threat, Akaashi wouldn’t hurt you. If Bokuto couldn’t put a little faith in him, he couldn’t put faith in anyone, and Bokuto wasn’t ready to admit that to himself, just yet. “(Y/n)’s smart,” He started, hesitantly. “If you give her room to breathe, she’ll take care of herself. She likes doing these kinds of things on her own.”

Bokuto knew that. You were shy, despite everything, too much of a sweetheart to ever burden anyone else. Somehow, the reminder did little to ease his nerves. “I can’t do that.” It just wasn’t an option. Akaashi might’ve known you longer, but Bokuto knew you better. It just wouldn’t be the same if he let something come between the two of you. It wouldn’t be good for your relationship, it wouldn’t be good for you. It wouldn’t be good for Bokuto, either, but this wasn’t about him. Or, he’d really like to convince himself it wasn’t, at least. “I mean, it took her months just to talk to me, and you should’ve seen had badly she was tremblin' when she confessed. She’s shy, like that. Poor thing couldn’t make it on her own, not without people like us.”

He glanced toward Akaashi, serving for a small smile, a confident nod, a sign of affirmation, but Akaashi wasn’t next to him, anymore. Glancing over his shoulder, Bokuto found Akaashi behind him, his neutral expression suddenly scrunched, concerned, worried. That was enough to make Bokuto stop, too, his heart tightening in his chest as he turned. “She… She’s just shy, right?” His voice came out uneven, uneasy. He trusted you, obviously. He knew you. He was just willing to admit Akaashi knew you differently. He might’ve known… different parts, things you were too timid to ever show your boyfriend. “I mean, I get that she’s popular, but… She’s gotta be shy, man. That’s why she needs me.”

It took Akaashi a second to respond – a long, painful, agonizing second. It was worse than any injury he’d ever gotten, any sprain or bruise or dislocation. It was pure, unadulterated agony, it was torture, and…

And, it was nothing compared to the way his heart broke, when Akaashi finally opened his mouth.

“There’s something you should know.”

~

Bokuto was trying. Bokuto was trying so, so, so hard.

He just didn’t know you were going to make it this difficult for him to improve.

Your parents weren’t home. They never seemed to be, not when you asked Bokuto to come over, and not when he showed up on your doorstep, less than an hour after his talk with Akaashi, his face pale and his hands shaking at his sides. Most days, it was a lucky coincidence, just another factor that proved you needed somebody like him to come along and support you, take care of you, love you. Tonight, though, it seemed like a godsend.

He didn’t bother knocking, just scrambling for the spare key you kept under the mat. In the back of his mind, he made a note to badger you about finding a better hiding spot, but that wasn’t important. If anything, your careless behavior served as an advantage, a reinforcement, another reason he was right and Akaashi wasn’t. You needed him. Both of you needed each other.

Your room was on the second floor. If you’d heard Bokuto let himself in, you didn’t bother coming to investigate, letting him drag himself up your staircase and down the hall without any unwanted attention, even if he did find himself lingering in your open doorway when he finally reached it, abruptly unable to make a sound as he took you in. You were beautiful, obviously, you always were, your uniform swapped out for an oversized hoodie, your legs folded and a laptop open on your bed, but he only got a minute to admire you before his shoulder knocked against the doorframe, drawing your attention. It was painful, having to watch you flinch back, your eyes going wide and your lips parting, but you didn’t sound afraid as you leaned towards him, moving to the edge of your bed. “Baby?” You started, startled, but not scared. Never scared. Not of your boyfriend, not of Bokuto. “I didn’t know you were coming over. Everything alright?”

He didn’t answer. His voice would’ve cracked if he tried, and it was easier to force himself to trudge forward, to trip over his own feet as he approached you, barely making it to the edge of the bed before collapsing into your arms, letting you catch him with an airy gasp. He didn’t bother trying to resist the urge to wrap his arms around your waist, to bury his face in the crook of your neck, to bring you closer and keep you closer, despite the feelings of your hands on his shoulders, feebly trying to nudge him away as your heart raced, the sound just a little too loud, just a little too telling. He tried to ignore it. He wanted to ignore it. He wasn’t sure what he’d do if he had to deal with that, too, on top of everything else.

“C’mon, big guy,” You tried, letting out a small, nervous laugh. “It won’t get better if you don’t talk about it. What’s wrong?”

Looking back, he should’ve been more gentle about it. He should’ve thought of a better way to ask. At the moment, though, it was all he could do to open his mouth and let the words fall out. “Do you love me?”

There was a pause, a hesitation. Suddenly, the sympathy in your voice felt false, too unfaltering to really be believable. “What’re you talking about, Kotaro?”

“Akaashi told me.” You shrunk underneath him, curling into yourself, but Bokuto didn’t let you go, he couldn’t let you go. There was still a chance that Akaashi could’ve been lying, that Bokuto was going to lose his best friend rather than his girlfriend. He’d still be distraught, obviously, but it wouldn’t destroy him, not like this would. Not like this was going to, by the time he was done. “But, he didn’t tell me everything, right? Like, I know my team put you up to it, asking me out and all, but that can’t be the only reason you’re still with me. I’m not in a rut anymore, right? If you didn’t really love me, you wouldn’t still be—” He cut himself off, inhaling sharply. “You love me, you have to love me. If you didn’t, you wouldn’t be doing this. You gotta love me, at least a little.”

“I don’t want to say this, Bokuto.” His surname. Something twisted in his chest, and for a second, he wondered if it’d be less painful to rip out his own heart and do the work for you. “You’re a really nice guy. You shouldn’t have to hear this from me, if you’re going to hear it from anyone.”

He could’ve laughed. He might’ve, but the noise came out cracked, jarringly stilted, too unintelligible to be recognized. Again, you moved to pull away, to shrug him off completely, but Bokuto didn’t let you. He didn’t want to. “It’s not---”

“It’s over.” You weren’t breaking up with him. You couldn’t be breaking up with him, but it sounded like you were, like you could’ve been trying to. Like you were about to do something shortsighted and cruel, and he wasn’t sure how to stop you. “Your friends noticed you couldn’t play, and they asked me to cheer you up. That’s all it was,” You explained, your tone now light, casual, borderline uncaring. Like you didn’t have a reason to be half as torn up as he was. “I wanted to help. I was going to let you down gently, but then you just got so… intense, I wasn’t sure how to get out.”

“Intense?” He pulled back willingly, if only to make his confusion obvious. “What do you mean, princess?”

A pang of discomfort flashed across your expression. Thankfully, you were kind enough not to correct him. “It’s just… You get so overbearing, sometimes. It was starting to get suffocating.” You sighed, letting yourself close your eyes. Bokuto might’ve winced, if he wasn’t already so spent. “I felt like I couldn’t breathe without having to see you take it out on someone else. It’s better, this way. We’re just not compatible.”

“You love me.” He might’ve been whispering. He might’ve been screaming. Bokuto couldn’t tell – blood was rushing past his ears, clouding his thoughts, making it impossible to hear on anything else. “You love me, just like I love you. You couldn’t have went through with this, if you didn’t. You can’t—” You winced, and Bokuto realized he was digging his nails into your sides, that he was holding you a little too tightly and you probably didn’t like that. Then again, he wasn’t sure what you liked, anymore. He couldn’t be sure you’d ever even liked him. “You need me. We need each other. You can’t just pretend you don’t because of some shitty deal.”

In your defense, you didn’t yell, you didn’t lose your temper. You just shook your head, dropping your gaze to the sheets. “Go home, Bokuto. This is better for both of us. You’ll see that, when you calm down.”

“No, no.” He wanted to kiss you. He wanted to, he needed to show you that the two of you were meant for each other, but you looked so serious, he was forced to shove the feeling down, to stave it off for another few minutes. You weren’t acting like yourself, right now. You thought you didn’t love him. “It’s fine, babe, we’ll talk it out. You just need some time to—”

You didn’t bother to soften the blow, this time. “There’s nothing to talk about. Go home.”

“No.” He was grabbing at your arms before he had a chance to hold himself back, taking you be the shoulders, trying to stop you from doing something reckless. That’s what this was — reckless. You weren’t thinking. You couldn’t be thinking, not if you were about to say something so heartless. “I just need to show you I’m—”

There was a blur of movement, a sharp crack. By the time Bokuto realized what happened, his head was turned to the side, his cheek burning where you palm collided with his skin. Reflexively, he let go of you, moving to nurse his bruised ego, and you didn’t waist time, standing and retreating to the opposite corner of your small bedroom. “Get out.” You were trying to growl. You were trying to intimidate him, you were trying to care your boyfriend. That hurt more than the slap ever could, honestly. “Get out now, before I call the fucking cops.”

It might’ve been the shock. You caught him off-guard, at his lowest, when his resolve was just thin enough to snap, and when you glared, when you looked at him like he would ever hurt you, he’d be lying if he said a part of him didn’t break, shattering and giving away like a thin layer of ice trying to hold something twice its weight. For whatever reason, he didn’t argue, he didn’t even look at you, keeping his eyes on the ground as he pushed himself to his feet. You were being irrational. You didn’t want him to stay, to comfort you, to help you be reasonable.

If he didn’t know better, he might’ve said you didn’t want him at all, anymore.

At least he made it outside before he collapsed, buckling under his own weight as soon as your front door shut behind him. In an instant, his vision blurred, the tightness in his chest turning into a throbbing ache, but he couldn’t seem to care. He couldn’t think. He didn’t want to, not if it meant admitting everything that’d just happened was real.

It was all Bokuto could do to fish his phone out of his pocket, scrolling through his contacts blindly until he found what he was looking for. He wasn’t even sure who he planned on calling, not until his phone was already ringing, a familiar, reliable voice immediately picking up, on the other end.

“Akaashi?” His voice cracked, and distantly, he realized he was starting to cry.

“Do you have a minute? I just… I gotta tell you about something.”

[smallstoriesiwrite]

Second choice part 2

when the reader is use to Tenya putting them second all the time will the reader forgive him? or will she move on? better yet will she return home with long term childhood friends?

Tenya x Fem!reader

A/N: thank you so much for so much likes on my last story. yes I am adding the Marley warriors into this because a bitch adores them. this might be 4 or 5 part series. of who you choose to stay with ( im guessing Tenyas but im a hoe who loves to fuck shit up sooo you will see!!!)

NEWAYS love yo selfs and drink water <3

part one

[ 3 weeks passed by]

“Okay remember we have a 3 day weekend starting tomorrow Friday. If your going home tell me and I’ll check you out and please contact me if you have any questions. Stay safe. Class dismissed” Aizawa says

My classmates all burst into talk that bothers me completely.

God why are they so loud. I need to get out before I tell them to shut up.

Good thing I’m going Home to my family for this weekend.

I missed my parents and siblings.

Sighing I walked to Shoji

“Hey Sho ready to go?”

Shoji has been the only person talking to after the outburst that happen. He was the only one that understood the situation and was probably the only reason at times I was laughing.

“Hey y/n. Yeah I’m ready let’s head out” Shoji says while putting his hand in the lower of my back

I felt the eyes of my remaining classmates look at me and Shoji.

I looked back at them with a cold glare and said

“Got a fucking starring problem?”

“N-no” the class said in sync

I rolled my eyes and continued walking off.

“So you going home for the 3 day weekend Y/n?” Shoji said while walking toward his dorm

“Yeah I want to be home with my family and my siblings. Some down time you know?” I say

“That’s good! Not going to lie I do miss being out this school.” Shoji says while grabbing his keys to unlock his door

I see Tenya, Deku and Shoto walk by to Tenyas dorm that happens to be right next of Shojis dorm.

“Wait why don’t you come to my house this weekend!” I say

“What?! No no y/n that’s your time to be with your family I don’t want to intrude” Shoji says frantically and waving his arms.

“Sho you have meet my family before they would love you to come over” I say grabbing his keys and unlocking the door “And besides your the only person right now that doesn’t see me as a emotional shit down person. You and my family and outside school friends happen to be the only silver lining I have just now.”

Opening the door I motion Shoji in and walked in myself and shutting the door.

I put the keys on his desk and walked toward his bed and through myself on top of it

“What do you mean by your silver lining y/n? And please shut your eyes for a moment I’m changing” Shoji said

Grabbing his nearest blanket I threw the blanket over me

“Well Sho by silver lining I mean that you are kinda my sun in the middle of the hurricane. You didn’t judge me when I did my outburst. You went to go check on me hours after the incident because you knew I needed to cool down before lashing out. Hell you sit at lunch with me when your friends say not to. And you have been there for me for so much even before I dated Iida and during as well. So yes you are part of my silver lining as much as my family and friends that don’t come here to UA.” I say

I feel movement on the bed and arms wrap around me.

This took me by shock and I pull the blanket down to see Shoji almost in tears.

“SHO WHATS WRONG?! DID I UPSET-“ I say frantically pushing back a bit to cup his face

“I’m fine y/n. I’m just shocked that you would even consider me such a close friend to you.” Shoji says in his wobbly voice

“Sho. I know I don’t say it much but I do genially care about you. Like you mean the world to me. Hell my family considers you family.” I say while sitting in front of him

He smiles and attacks me with another hug

“SHOJIIIIII!!!!!” I wine out

We both turn into fits of giggles and he pulled me up

“Okay let me start packing so we can head out tonight.” Sho said walking to get his to go bag ready

I pulled my laptop out my backpack and FaceTimed my Mom to tell her Shoji is coming for the weekend

Tenya POV

It’s been 3 weeks and I can’t find the courage or strength to talk to y/n.

Have I really put her second ?!

I didn’t mean to shes everything to me.

God why am I not fighting for this!

In class I saw y/n wasn’t paying attention in class more in her little world. She does that a lot when she’s not in the mood to learn.

After Professor Aizawa dismissed us I saw Shoji and y/n walk out together. I stared because the fact Shoji had his hand on her lower back. I didn’t notice it at first until Shoto said

“Does Shoji have his hand on her lower back?!”

Our group of friends heard and turned to see y/n and Shoji walking out.

We stared for too long because the fact y/n gave us a deadly glare and walked away.

Sighing I picked up my book bag and left to my room with Midorya and Shoto.

While walking to my dorm midorya spoke up

“Hey have you tried talking to her. I know you miss her and you want to fix it.”

Sighing I respond

“No i haven’t. But I want to talk to her when she’s comfortable and not in a situation where she has to shut down and let herself be emotionally unavailable and let her thought and actions go by what her body feels at the time.”

“So a clear mind in a way. Like in the comfort of her own environment.” Shoto says

“EXACTLY!” I say

Walking to my room I see Y/n leaning on the wall and talking to Shoji.

Calmly and smoothly.

In the process of opening my door I see y/n smile a bit and I thought the world stop for just a moment.

Seeing we walk into his room so gracefully.

“Hey Iida are you there” I hear Shoto say

“AH yes yes Im here. Sorry!” I say opening the door to let the boys in

Settling down I hear Midorya say

“Iida you are still head over heels for her. Why did you ever put her second.”

Sighing sadly I sat on the floor with my head in my hands

“I don’t know. I love her. Everything she does and how she can be such a punk to everyone. But as soon as it comes to her family she softens up. The way she interacts with animals. Or when her favorite characters from her favorite anime come on the television. As well the way she is so honest with everyone and not caring what anyone says. To the way she dresses. To the way she plays the ukulele guitar and so much instruments and the way she sings so softly but with power in rock songs.”

Tears started to form in my eyes

“I didn’t notice she was hurting until 3 weeks ago. She finally broke. And as a boyfriend I should have never let her believe she wasn’t lovable. She’s so lovable. She has flaws like me. But every of her flaw is so beautiful in my eyes.”

Softly crying I hear Shoto say

“Win her back.”

Looking up i say

“How. How do I win back someone that doesn’t believe in second chances. That’s her biggest pet peeve. She has only given second chances to certain people. And even then it’s rare.”

“Show her that your worth one more chance.” Shoto says

“Your brother Iida might know a way. He’s dating y/n sister after all?” Midorya spoke up

“Yeah they have been dating for more than 4 years now. She’s been though thick and thin with him. I didn’t even know out siblings where dating till y/n sister Athena picked up y/n for a doctors appointment and I saw her. But definitely I will call my brother now!”

I say rushing to my laptop

Ringing my brother I waited for him to answer

“Hello?”

“Brother hi!”

“Hey Tenya what’s up?”

“Well I was hoping you can help me with something if you are not busy?”

“Shoot what’s up?”

“Well you know how me and y/n are not together anymore because of me not giving her time and putting her second-“

“So your finally admitting that you where putting her second when she came first. In love and time” Tensie said scolding me

Looking down with tears forming

“Yes I’d finally have to admit that I was putting her second.”

Looking up with tears rolling down I choked out

“Please I want her back”

Tensie sighed and explain the plan

[time skip to y/n house]

Y/n POV

Arriving home with Shoji I see my family waiting for us at the door.

Smiling I slung my bag over my shoulder and closed the taxi door.

Playing

I grab Shoji arm and raced to my front door

My Parents greeted us and told us to head to dinner with them

While eating dinner with retome and conversing i hear my mom say

“Y/n sweety just wanted to tell you that the Iida family will be spending the 3 day weekend with us. As well with Zeke and his friends are coming in to see you.”

I stared at my mom

“WHAT?!”

“Are you not happy?” Dad said

“I am for Zeke and the crew haven’t seen them in roughly a year. But why the Iida family.” I say mumbling the last part

“Well you so forget Tensie is my boyfriend and Kyo best friend?” Athena spoke up

“I’m fine with him coming I could care less but why the whole damn family like. It was supposed to be us family plus Shoji and Zeke and the crew.” I argued back

“They are friends as much as Zeke and the rest of your friends from Marley. They are going all to be here till Sunday afternoon understand? The house is big enough do you to ignore The Iidas if you want. Shoji will be by your side and us as well. Plus the moral support of your 7 other friends coming in to visit you.” My father States

I sighed and agreed and finish dinner and head to bed.

Dropping off Shoji at his guest bedroom that isn’t too far from my room he spoke up

“You will be fine y/n I understand you don’t want Iida around. But his brother happens to be in love with your sister and best friends with your brother. I’ll be here for you and your other friends I can’t die to meet. You have told me so much about the 7 that basically helped you train and become your friends as well.”

Sighing I leaned to the wall

“I know it’s just bad enough I see him at school and he doesn’t even try to reach out.”

Groaning i looked at Shoji

“I need to move on.”

Shoji looked shocked but didn’t say nothing

Chuckling I looked down and spoke

“Thank god Zeke and the gang are coming. I needed a break from my crazy life and they just happen to be peace but enough chaos. Your gonna love them Sho.”

Standings straight I continue

“Well Sho I atta go to bed. Tomorrow everyone arrives. I need sleep I’ll see you in the morning sweet dreams Sho. “

Shoji smiled and pats my head

“Sweet dreams as well y/n”

Smiling i walked to my room and closed my door when I heard my messages go off.

I pick it up and see from Zeke.

Zeke👑: Hey shorty we are on the train to you as we speak. Get there tomorrow around 8am I expect your famous banana pancakes.

Y/n✨: bold of you to assume I’ll be up at that time

Zeke👑: im going to tell Reiner you are mean to me 😢

Y/n✨: what is he gonna do about it?

Zeke👑: please make us food someone decided to blow most of our food money for tomorrow on blankets - Rei

Y/n✨: let me guess pieck ?

Zeke👑: yep. - Rei

Zeke👑: please? -Rei

Y/n✨: 😑fine just because you said please😫

Zeke👑: thank you see you tomorrow. Get some sleep - Rei

Y/n✨: yall too sleep well see you tomorrow

putting my phone to charge on my desk I see a picture of the gang from a year ago when I went to go visit them. smiling I looked at the picture and though "it wouldn't be so bad to move back with them."

( link to this photo. this art is not mine at all https://pin.it/7LfNDiJ )

[solarwonux]

Minghao x f!reader drabble

w.c: 2.8k

warnings: angst, slight mention of not eating, minghao be an asshole sometimes

note: I’ve had this one collecting dust in the docs so I decided to upload it today, it was meant to be part of a bigger fic but I decided to not continue though who knows it might be referenced later on in a different fic. Enjoy and let me know your thoughts.xx

Also I’m changing my schedule around a little. So instead of me posting Mon, Weds, Fri, I will be posting Mon, Thurs, Fri. You can find more info on Navi

drabble game || masterlist

There were sides of Minghao  that unfortunately weren’t reserved for you, except for one. The one you hated the most and the one you wished you could stray as far away from. The side that received you with a frown and a bitter cold glare. The side that spoke to you in short sentences, a sour tone that would weave its way through his voice like vines whenever he spoke to you. It sent shivers down your spine and not the good kind. It was the side that you couldn’t break through to get to the side that was reserved for the people he loved and cared about most in the world. And you weren’t one of those people.

Maybe this was the way the universe decided to punish you. A punishment you wholeheartedly thought you didn’t deserve because you were tied at your feet with no way out. When you had been matched with Minghao  by the System it was either you marry or die. And of course, selfishly you choose to live. You knew he resented you for it, but in the year and a half that you two were officially married, you had secretly seen the warmth that oozed out of his pores. You saw the wide smile that would light up the room whenever darkness poured in. His laugh sounded like a sweet melody that you would never get tired of listening and just his presence made you feel like home.

Minghao was a gift, the purest form of art, a being so powerful you swore he would restore the peace in the world. He could resent you, hate you all he wanted, look at you with an overwhelming amount of venom in his eyes. And you’d let him, you could never let yourself regret your final decision because he deserved to live.

Sighing deeply, you pushed yourself off the elevator walls watching as the hallway to your apartment came into view. This was the part you hated most about your day. It wasn’t the part where you woke up alone, it wasn’t the part where you had to go to work and it wasn’t the hour and a half walk home. It was the short walk from the elevator to your apartment. It never failed to stretch out miles as your heart caught itself in your throat because behind that closed door you weren’t sure what you’d encounter.

Sometimes it would be a quiet Minghao , sitting on the floor in front of the coffee table with his headphones on. His studio set up scattered all over, a notebook and his unlocked phone next to him. Sometimes it was him quietly sitting at the coffee table eating take out, sometimes it was him on his phone arguing with his mother as he shot piercing glares at you, probably wishing you weren’t alive. And other times it was a dark and cold apartment, nothing out of place. The silence creeping underneath the floorboards, reigning, occupying its throne in between the walls as it desperately tried to push the two of you out.

For some reason that was the apartment you always found yourself hoping for whenever you stopped in front of your door. Your hand gripping the doorknob tightly every night that it had started getting loose.

This was a routine by now. You’d put the key in the key lock, turn it until you heard it unlock. Then you’d close your eyes, slowly count ten Mississippi’s, proceed to give yourself a pep talk and then finally biting the bullet and opening the door. Anxiety rushed through you quickly when you saw what was waiting for you behind the door, Minghao  on the couch typing quickly on his phone, while the TV beamed with life in front of him. Lighting up the dark living room with undertones of blue.

“I’m home.” You spoke, a shake in your voice making you wish you were stronger. The door clicked behind you, signaling there would be no way out until tomorrow morning so you might as well bite your tongue and deal with anything you’d encounter tonight.

“Welcome, I ordered food but wasn’t sure if you wanted any.” He shrugged, locking his phone and setting it by his side. He crossed his arms in front of him and turned his attention to the TV.

“It’s fine I’m not hungry anyway.” You took off your shoes by Minghao’s worn out ones. The hunger swirled inside of you, but you pushed it aside, telling yourself that you’d find something to eat once he was asleep in the guest bedroom that by now had become his room. “Mhm, you are eating right?” He said a hint of concern in the back of his throat, but that could’ve been your mind playing games on you. Though the question had caught you off guard and you weren’t sure how to answer without lying because in truth for a while now your appetite had severely gone down.

“I am, had a big lunch with one of my coworkers.” Minghao  nodded at your answer, finally turning to face you, furrowing his eyebrows. You tried to ignore his gaze, relax your body as much as you could and placed your bag down on one of the highchairs in front of the kitchen island. “My family’s coming over tomorrow, my mom wants to cook dinner…you don’t have to be here if you don’t want to.” He blurted out the last part, hollowing out the part of your heart that was reserved for him. You loved Minghao ’s family as much as you loved him, but unlike him they had been very welcoming of you. Embraced you with open arms and you found comfort knowing that at least a part of him loved you.

“I’ll be there.” You whispered, shrugging off your coat and placing it on the back of the chair. “I have a day off tomorrow so I can clean up around here before they come over…I mean if that’s fine with you and all, I don’t want to make things uncomfortable.”

“Do whatever you want.” He spat out leaning back on the couch. His tone returning to the one you were used to hearing and you knew you had overstayed your welcome in the living room. “Right, I’m going to bed then.” You nodded walking past him and straight to your room, closing the door behind you quickly and resting your back against it. You breathed out a sad sigh of relief feeling the tears build up behind your eyelids, the hunger gnawing its way through your stomach ripping it to shreds. As well as your need for some sort of comfort, as you came to your first realization of the night. Just like it washed over you every single night and for once you wished you didn’t feel so alone, when the person that was supposed to love you stood on the other side not caring.

Oddly there was a side of you that loved Minghao  and maybe it was the side that kept holding onto the hope you first felt when you were given the news. Or maybe it was the image of him that you created in your head from all the fragments of light he let out whenever he thought you weren’t looking. But you loved him, that was something you were confident in because you saw him for who he was, flaws and all when the two of you weren’t alone.

“Fuck.” You pushed yourself off your door throwing yourself on your unmade made and grabbing the turtle stuffed animal you slept with every night. It brought you a small sense of comfort and any comfort you could get you would grab and indulge in it blissfully. It was small and useless in the long run.

You buried your head into the head of the stuffed animal, finally letting the dam loose and the sobs came in full throttle. Thankfully the TV in the living room was loud enough to muffle your sounds. It wouldn’t matter if he could hear you anyway because you knew he wouldn’t be running into your room like a knight in shining armor and save you from yourself. He just didn’t care and that was the second realization you would have every night. Each time you did, it sent a jab through your body, cracking the little wall that kept the small sliver of light you held onto dearly. Each night though you felt it flicker slowly losing its innocent glow. Sometimes you’d wonder when the light would finally die out, when the numbness would finally overtake your body and you could go on with life without feeling like you were worthless. Without feeling anything.

“Can I come in?” You sat up on your bed at lightning speed. Minghao ’s soft voice sounding from the other side of your door. A knock following in between syllables. Your breathing sped up and you brought your hands up to your cheeks slapping your tears away, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of him seeing you in this state. “U-Um yeah.” You spoke moving to rest against the headboard of your bed, grabbing your laptop on your bedside table and opening it to make it seem like you were doing something other than crying.

“I brought you chicken as I couldn’t finish it all.” He walked in, a styrofoam container in his left hand. His aura took over the air in your room and you felt as if you were suffocating. You watched as he slowly took in your room and your face heating up as you remembered the untidy state of your room. His eyes lingering on the wall of polaroid’s behind your even messier desk.

The girl in those pictures, the one whose smile reached her eyes and laughed still lingered in the small cracks on the walls of your room was someone that was unknown to you now. On days when you couldn’t bring yourself to get out of bed you looked at her as a sign of motivation. Telling yourself that that person was still within you and that she would come back you just had to fight through whatever you were going through. At the end of the day she always came back.

“Oh, I’m not hungry.” You closed your laptop and set it aside, the forgotten google tab opened waiting to be used. “I can have it for lunch tomorrow though.” You brought your knees up to your chest and wrapped your arms around them. To avoid his curious gaze, you looked out the window, the moonlight shining down at the skyline. You wondered if they were at peace unlike you.

“Why do you cry every night?” Minghao  blurted out. He had placed the container on your desk and sat down on the foot of your bed. His back turned to you. The question had caught you off guard as you searched through the files in your brain in order to come up with an excuse. Yet, you came out unsuccessful and decided to just finally confess to him. You had nothing left to lose. “I wasn’t supposed to fall in love with you?” You choked out biting your lip to keep the sob that threatened to spill locked away in the back of your throat.

“You can’t love…you barely know me.” He turned to face you and for the first time in a long time you couldn’t read the emotion that was playing against his features.

“Maybe I don’t love the person I’m faced with everyday, but I do love the person I see whenever you let your guard down around your friends and family.”

“But aren’t you tired of all of this? He raised an eyebrow, lifting his palm up and signaling all around the room as if the extra gesture would help prove his point.

“Exhausted.” You breathed out your shoulders falling as you felt yourself fall apart little by little in front of him. “Then why not hate me?” Minghao  brought his legs up to your bed and crossed them underneath him. This was the longest the two of you had spoken or been in each other’s presence and although it was suffocating there was a small ring of light that lingered between the two of you.

“Because as much as I want to sometimes, I can’t bring myself to hate someone that’s hurting inside as well.”

The deafening silence that the two of you had grown accustomed to entangling itself in the warmth that was lingering above the two of you now. Somehow bringing the two of you a sense of comfort in the midst of this confusing situation you found yourselves in. Although you could feel like you could breathe again, the question that still kept you up at night stayed put in the back of your throat waiting to finally be let out into the world. For months you had pushed it back, deciding you already knew the answer to it. But as you sat in front of Minghao , his soft eyes dancing between your puffy ones you weren’t sure anymore. So, you put your preconceived notions aside as well as your pride and opened your mouth, letting the question run out to freedom. Your heart raced as you anticipated his answer.

“Why do you hate me so much?”

“I don’t hate you, truthfully I don’t think I could ever hate you.”

“Then why can’t you love me back?” You whispered, shutting your eyes. Your hold on your legs getting tighter.

“Because I can’t bring myself to do so no matter how hard I want to sometimes, especially when I listen to you cry every night. I wish…I want to set everything aside and hold you. I want to make you feel less alone…but I can’t.” Minghao  let out a frustrated sign running his hands through his hair and tugging at his roots in desperation. The sight made your heart wrench. You wanted to reach over and hug him, give him the comfort you craved.

“W-Why?”

“I feel guilty.” He nodded resting his forearms against his knees, finally breaking his eye contact with you. Searching your room rapidly for another point of focus and finally settling on the humidifier on your bedside table. “I feel guilty because before I met you, I had chosen to live, not knowing that I would be the reason why your light would start to fade as the days went by.”

Without a second thought you let go of your legs, maneuvering yourself around your bed and wrapped your arms around him tightly. Finally breaking the barrier that silently lingered between the two of you.

You buried your face into his neck letting your tears run freely for the second time that night. Though this time instead of feeling the loneliness you had felt earlier, you felt a sense of relief wash over you.

Minghao  felt himself hesitate for a moment feeling overwhelmed as he felt your touch for the first time, not knowing he missed it. A thought he couldn’t explain because how was he missing something he had never had the pleasure of feeling. But he pushed it aside and hugged you back, letting the tears he had kept in for far too long out in the open. He wasn’t happy but he felt like he could be happy if this was what it felt like to finally have you in his arms. He held you tightly, gripping onto you and burying his nose in your hair taking in your scent, one he decided right then and there he would never grow tired of. The two of you basking in each other’s arms, your hearts racing against one another and it overwhelmed the two of you greatly.

“I know we have a lot of things to get through but I’m willing to start over if you are.” You whispered, removing your arms from his body and sitting back on your knees. You wiped your tears with the back of your hand, letting out a small laugh and shook your head in disbelief before holding your hand out for him to shake.

Minghao  smiled widely, chuckling before taking your hand in his. The feeling was enough to send shivers up his spine. The good kind.

For the first time that night he had a realization. A secret that he would carry out to his grave, unless you prodded it out of him and with how things were going, he was sure that you would succeed at it too. But for now, he would keep it to himself and enjoy the way your touch felt against his skin and the way your smile was enough to have his heart beating out of time.

“I’m Minghao, your husband.”

[starsuh]

do re mi | myg

featuring. min yoongi x reader | 3.2k

summary. while teaching you how to play piano, min yoongi realizes that his dumbass might have feelings for you after all.

genre. fluff | f2l | roommate!au | mutual pining

warnings. a quarter-life crisis and a soft make-out scene at the end

Amongst Min Yoongi's many talents, his sixth sense of knowing when something was bothering you was the one that most oft caught you off guard. Whether it was the intensity in which you slammed a door shut, or the way in which you didn't choose to annoy the fuck out him like you did every other day of the week; he would notice each time. It was only clockwork that he tentatively wrapped his arm around your shoulders when you had collapsed against the couch with perceptible chagrin.

"What's up?" he asked, a simple question that often entailed a more than complicated answer. Peering down at your tightened features, he awkwardly patted your shoulder as if to make known that silence would be just as valid of a reply.

You ran your hands through your face. "I don't know,” you said. If you did, you would've told him, just as you told him everything. Though the pair of you had began as merely two people who happened to be roommates because there were no other affordable options, spending months watching Netflix with another person tends to lead to friendship — even best-friendship, though neither of you had established such a title. It was the kind of friendship that needn't clarification, rather it was just another unequivocal fact amongst many.

After kicking off your shoes (Yoongi would scold you for that in a less emotionally-turbulent time), you pulled your knees up to your chest and wrapped your arms around them in a ball-like manner. "It's really fucking lame but I’m just realizing some things,” he nodded, prompting you to continue. "I'm scared of the future, I think. I mean, everyone is, but when our prof was talking about internships and shit earlier I kind of freaked out then decided that hiding in the bathroom was the best option.”

In his gaze was a reassurance so intent that you had to look away lest you become ensnared in it. He oft had that effect, increasingly so throughout the past few weeks. "What about it?"

Your eyes fluttered closed as you took a deep breath. “I think I know what I want to do, but then I see other people, people like you, who are so passionate about their place on Earth that to not do that thing would be a fate worse than death. Like, I love the path that I’m on but there’s always a voice that’s telling me I’m gonna fuck something up and regret everything.” You played with the loose threads of your top, pulling at the offending stitching. You laughed. “This is so stupid. I guess I’m just realizing that I might not be cut out for it.”

His sudden silence filled the room so heavily that you began to wonder if you shouldn’t have said anything at all. Gears turned behind the messy black mop atop his head that hung over his eyes; a face similar to the one he makes when contemplating a new track he had produced, seeking for each of its flaws and corresponding solutions.

It was so sudden when he reached down to grab your hand that you almost jumped. An inch away from falling onto his chest with the sudden upwards tug, you steeled yourself. "I'll show you something," he said to which you replied with a questioning stare. "It'll just be a sec, c'mon."

You allowed him to drag you to his bedroom, though not without glaring at the back of his head and whining. "Your room smells like Cheetos and day-old boxers."

He rolled his eyes. "I cleaned it this morning, so shut up."

He pushed the door closed with his hip, never once letting go of your hand until he unceremoniously shoved you towards the left end of the keyboard bench. You wiped the accumulated hand sweat against the rough fabric of your jeans, both thankful yet forlorn that he had let go. His was a comfort rarely given and you craved his affection the way one did with a cat that ignored those around it.

He reached down to plug the extension into the socket. "Can I play you something?"

You blinked, unsure if the nervous tone laced in the question was figment or reality. “What?”

He gave you a blank stare though it didn’t distract you from the way his hands fidgeted in his lap. “I said, can I play you something? Something I wrote?”

Impatient, he didn’t give you a second glance or a moment to reply before his hands flew across the board, pulling melodies out of the nooks and crannies of its black and white keys. Through every note, he told you of emotion, of love, of heartbreak and melancholy. You don't think you had ever understood what music was until then. It was more than his expertise, though he was quite the expert; it was the way his eyes closed at certain shrills and the way his shoulders hunched at others, the way he slammed harder into the keys and at other parts softer. He played like a poet. A writer. And you refused to be someone who didn't appreciate it for what it was: a story told to you.

The slight smirk gracing his soft features told you that he found amusing the way your mouth gaped open in shock. You’d only ever heard the distant echoes of his sound from behind closed doors as you walked past.

Yoongi had never played for you before, was even shocked that he was able to now, knowing that your mere presence in close proximity provided quite the distraction.

When he stopped, the air almost rang in its silence, as if you had forgotten what the world sounded like without his music in it. The hush blanket laid across the room felt bare and vulnerable. You understood now more than ever why he locked himself within the confines of his space in all hours of the day. If you could live in his symphonies, you would.

"Wow.” Because what else could be said? "That was... Yoongi, you're amazing."

His smirk remained, though as more of a mask to hide softer feelings behind. "Must've been if you're complimenting me for once.”

"Because you already have a ginormous ego."

He began playing once more. This time, a slow and deceptively simple melody. The chords were arrows tightly strung that flew through the air in wisps of smoke. To you, its warmth was paralleled to the feeling of his own beside you, his arm occasionally brushing yours as he reached to play a few lower keys.

"I think you're taking it too seriously," he said. "The future, I mean."

Your brows furrowed. "I kind of have to, dude."

He rolled his eyes but kept playing, occasionally glancing at you as he did so. "What I mean is," he pressed softly against the keys in the left end of the piano, their tenor notes filling your ears. "You need to calm down. Like this," the already soft melody slowed. "You know what you want, don't you? Why are you hesitating?"

You stilled, the feeling of being both caught and scolded grounding you in time. Your eyes focused on his hands to avoid the feeling of his analyzing gaze on the side of your face. “There are things I want to accomplish but there’s also things I want to have,” you groaned in exasperation. “I don’t know if I should choose the former or the latter but they’re so entangled that I can’t even tell which is which anymore.”

"Some things are only difficult if you think they're difficult." He looked down at the keys. "Like playing the piano, everyone knows that learning it is hard but something like this-" he played three chords in succession. "-sounds simple, right?" He continued to play those same chords until they blended together in a single melodious breeze. "But when I was a kid, learning piano was the bane of my twelve year old existence. I hated it so much because my impatient ass wanted to be good without trying. So, in true dumbass fashion, I quit taking lessons after two weeks."

You tilted your head towards him. “How did you learn then?"

“Well, I realized I was being a huge pussy and went back." Shaking his head before the glaze of the memory could wash over, he nodded towards you. Grabbing your hand, he placed them over the keys. “Can I teach you a chord?”

Your heart spiked in one fell swoop. “What? And embarrass myself in front of the music god himself?"

He laughed and it lit up his eyes brighter than the screen of his laptop that he had forgotten to shut off, still on the League of Legends home screen. “I told you, it's only hard if you think it is."

Too flustered to argue, you could only watch as he directed your fingers towards the correct keys until three were stretched towards their respective positions. C Major. You wondered if he could hear the rapid pace of your heart through the vibrations on your skin from where his larger hand rested atop your own. You could only pray to any god who would listen that he didn’t.

Among the numerous feelings that bubbled beneath your chest, the sudden pinch of ice that struck your nerves as he lifted his palm away from yours was one that you were the most unsure of. Filing that thought away for later, you focused on the most important task at hand: avoiding looking like an idiot in front of Min Yoongi.

Before you could retreat, your hands pressed down.

A sudden burst of sound filled the silence that you hadn't realized had grown so deafening. Your eyes widened as if you hadn't expected the chord to occur despite Yoongi's administrations, like trying to guess a passcode and getting it correct in a miraculous feat of luck. The now fading sound was not like anything you were expecting, though you knew even monkeys could do what you had just done. It was an actual piece of the puzzle that was music rather than the CD case or paper bag that had come with it.

Likened to an excited pup, you looked towards him for praise or assurance that you had done it right only to catch his already grinning countenance at your widened eyes.

For the next half hour he taught you two other basic chords, never failing to correct you in such a patient manner that your heart rose and fell with each glance and soft appraisal.

"But sometimes," he grinned. "Sometimes you need to stop thinking."

Your brows furrowed, though you didn’t need more than a few seconds to understand his cryptic wording before you yelped, almost flying off your seat at the abrupt disruption of the peace.

He began smashing his hands against the piano, creating the worst orchestra your ears had ever had the pleasure to hear. Overcoming the shock, both of yours laughs bubbled out, drowned by the keyboard speakers. Without a second thought, you joined, key smashing against the lower end. Together, you created an ear-grating masterpiece of cacophonous noise and piercing melody, yet it was still one of the most beautiful things you’d ever heard.

Yoongi began cheering your name like the greatest hypeman in existence as you gave the most effortful performance of your life, hands pressing against the first keys you saw to the last. You didn't know what you were doing but it didn't matter, not when he was smiling with his gums on full display as you went with your gut for the first time in years. Yoongi, the boy whose hands crafted magic, whose words changed you, whose music moved you. Yoongi, who looked at you and saw past your forced pretensions and society-enforced perceptions.

You laughed until your lungs ached for air, having not even realized that your whole body leant against his as you tried to catch your breath.

"Oh my god, I think my ears are broken," you covered them, finally dragging your hands away from the keys.

His grin widened. “You're a quick learner."

“Is this the part where I say that it's because you're a good teacher?"

“Only if you're polite, which we know you aren't." He hadn't stopped smiling and you had never felt prouder of any accomplishment in your entire life. “Was I able to distract you?"

You laughed, bringing your hands back to your lap to fiddle with them. He's seen you wear the same ramen-stained hoodie three days in a row with hair just as ratty yet you had never more felt exposed. “I’d say yes but I think I’ve exceeded my Yoongi compliment limit for the day."

"And here I was thinking that that compliment limit was zero."

"Hey," you playfully knocked against his shoulder. "I always say your breakfast is good."

He knocked against you back, his eyes turnt to half-moons. "That's because you want to brainwash me into cooking for you everyday with half-assed compliments."

"Or maybe," you lightly leaned against his hoodie-covered shoulder. "It's because I like eating breakfast with you."

He paused, and a grin that could only be described as shy graced his features. He tapped against the keyboard but didn't press hard enough to allow a sound to be let out.

"I trust you," he said in the silence. "That you can follow your heart. Even if that sounds corny as fuck, I really believe it."

You smiled, something you've been doing more and more often with him around. "I'll try," you said, watching as he contemplated his next words with a bite of his bottom lip. Giving him time, you glanced back at the piano. "Is it really that simple?" You pressed on a key.

He finally looked up. "I think so," he played the key beside the one you had just pressed, the side of it touching yours. "Even if it doesn't sound right to other people, who's to say that random key smashing isn't music? When you think you're supposed to play a certain way, that's when you hesitate. Even when you fuck up a piece," he pressed another key. "Regretting it doesn't stop the echo."

He began to play another soft melody, leaving you just as entranced as you were the first time he did.

“I’m a hypocrite, though,” he closed his eyes, lightly scoffing. “Giving you advice that I can’t even take.”

Your voice came out in a whisper. “Why?”

“Because...” He took a deep breath, hands leaving the keyboard as he fully turned to you. “I like you," he said it like it were a fact you should've already known. “I... I like you. A lot. I can't remember when you stopped being my annoying roommate who'd hog the fridge space and became the annoying roommate who I couldn't stop writing songs about. Before I could even realize and stop myself, today’s me kept looking forward to tomorrow’s you. I’d be a hypocrite to tell you to stop hesitating about the things in your life while I spent every second of every day wondering whether I should tell you my feelings and ruin our friendship.”

For if there was anything Yoongi knew more than most was that love was fucking stupid. It caused people to be irrational, selfless, and weak-hearted, yet why did he want to forget the stupidity that came with it whenever you walked into the kitchen for breakfast, hair messy and shirt tousled?

Love was fucking stupid. But maybe he could be an idiot if it meant that you'd be stupid for him too.

“I know you don't feel the same way but I just needed to tell-" you kissed him before he could finish what was sure to be a sentence so ridiculous that even the most astute of linguists would be left baffled. He was Min Yoongi. The boy who spent all day locked in his room making music and playing games with his friends. The roommate who'd wake up early just to cook you breakfast. The friend who knew you better than you knew yourself. The man who you'd found yourself falling for with every gummy smile. Yoongi. It had always been Yoongi.

And he was kissing you back.

His lips were as warm as the hands that carefully wrapped around your hips, gently pulling you closer to him. He kissed the way he played, soft and thoughtful.

Pulling away, he whispered your name slowly, prolonging each letter as if to savor them. Never before had your name ever felt so wonderful a one. His forehead pressed against yours, eyes flickering between yours in disbelief. The hand around your waist tightened as if in fear that at any moment you might say that you hadn't meant to give him what had to be the best moment of his life -- that you had actually accidentally fallen on him and he had simply been mistaken.

"You're an idiot," you laughed. "I've liked you since the first time you've cooked me breakfast if the heart eyes I gave you each time weren't already a dead giveaway."

He shuffled in his seat. "You have low standards then," he said. "Or are in desperate search for a house-husband."

You smiled, your nose brushing against his. "Maybe, a bit of both."

He leaned away from you, eyes lit up in a euphoria that didn't hinder from his nervous cadence. "Actually, that song I played for you? Earlier?” You’d never seen him blush before. “I, maybe, composed it thinking of you.”

"A personal chef, jester, and composer? I think I'm winning."

His nose crinkled. "You know you can still back out, right?"

"You're acting as if I'd even want to."

"Stupid songs like that... I suck at love yet I still want to give you everything," he whispered, voice hoarse. "But my everything will still only amount to that."

"If that's your everything,” your hands interlocked with his. “Then your everything is more than enough."

"I like you," he murmured the confession between your lips as if it were clandestine, the urge to say it a million times more bubbling up from his chest. Though stronger than his urge to say it was his urge to hear you say it back.

Your lips met his completely. Perfectly. "I like you, too."

Pulling away once more you couldn't help but laugh at the reddened color of his cheeks and ears. Cutting away at the awkward and still unsure tension, he inched backwards with a startlingly loud clap of his hands. "Now that that's settled, can we go back to making out? This corny shit is so awkward."

"I can't believe I like you," you groaned but kissed him back anyway.

While there was nothing in your life that you could be sure of, you knew that the man whose smile could light up the entire city of Seoul would be there for you for every step, and you wouldn’t have had it any other way.

[ateezbabygirl]

Ateez Mafia Reaction: To their S/O being bratty

PARK SEONGHWA

Even though you were quite the obedient girlfriend and Seonghwa was in charge usually. Although you never questioned it but not every time you agreed to his actions. The first time you decided to stomp your foot and throw a tantrum like a child was when your boyfriend refused to take you out for shopping. Even though you had been looking forward to spending the day with him and you had made it known to him as to how excited you were, you were disappointed that Seonghwa hadn’t warned you beforehand about the change of plans. And the in the moment your lips formed a pout in the most childish way, crossing your arms as you whined at him.

But it was also first time you saw your boyfriend’s personality switch outside the bedroom. He always acted like a gentleman towards you and treated you like a doll. Seonghwa’s face switched in a millisecond as he pulled you close, his grip was firm on your forearm.

“You really don’t want to play this game with me princess?”

You were surely intimidated by his gaze as your body turned hotter every minute. But you still turned your head away from his, only earning a dark chuckle from him.

“If you’re going to act like a little brat, I’ll treat you like one.”

KIM HONGJOONG

As much as you loved Hongjoong with all his flaws, one thing you hated with passion was how he always prioritized his work over you. And that was all you could think about in that very moment as you laid on your boyfriend’s bed, bored out of your mind while he was typing away on his laptop. You purposely sighed loudly just so you could get his attention but instead you hear his frustrated sigh which sparks a streak of annoyance within you.

Dramatically you took a pillow and threw at him causing him to pause his typing and turn around. The more he stared at you, you fought your instinct to cower away and crossed your arms as you glared back at him. But his change of expression baffled you.

You watched closely as he stood up and walked over to you while loosening his tie. His smirk made you weak in your bones but you stood your ground. In the blink of an eye he quickly pinned you to the bed. You mind blacked out as soon as his lips collide with yours. You were so far away that you didn’t realise that he had tied you hands to the bedpost. Hongjoong got off and took a seat next to you.

“If I have to stop, you won’t be able to able to walk for the next week.”

“Is that a promise ?”

“Bet.”

JEONG YUNHO

As you sat in an expensive restaurant with your boyfriend Yunho for your monthly date, you couldn’t help but gawk at him. He always looked mouth watering good in his fancy suits. Even though you had been giving him hints all through the night, he simply ignored them which made you slightly annoyed. You wanted nothing more than to just ride him into oblivion, but your boyfriend was persistent on going on this date. So you had decided to act up, something that Yunho enjoyed only in the bedroom walls. He wanted to keep his other side behind the closed doors only, but you desperately wanted him to snap. Initially you had been extra quiet but he was too occupied with the thought of the date to realise you scheming eyes. As the waiter brought out your food, you took a few bites and whined loudly at Yunho as to how much you disliked the food. He had stopped chewing his food and looked at you. But you didn’t let it deter you as you gave him puppy eyes.

“Don’t act like this doll. I know how much you love this restaurant.”

“But Yunho...”

Sadly, Yunho had caught onto you plan and he all but refused to give into you tonight. He knew what you wanted and he was definitely going to give it to you but not before he tamed your bratty attitude .

“You better fill that mouth with food before I give you something else to shut you up with.”

KANG YEOSANG

If there was one thing that Yeosang hated the most was if somebody disturbed him when he was doing a task. And that’s exactly what your inner brat was telling you to do. You especially loved when Yeosang put you into place. So you decided to walk into his office without knocking while wearing the shortest dress you could find. Even though he had told you not to walk around wearing that dress, you paid no mind to that. And Yeosang’s expression was worth the trouble.

“Behave.”

Yeosang got a grip and asked you politely to wait outside his office while he finished his meeting, and surprisingly you went along with it. But you should’ve known better, because as soon as the meeting ended and his men walked out accidentally giving you a look over, Yeosang’s demeanor shifted. But you refused to look him in the eyes and walked in nudging him a little too hard as you walked by. After all your plan had worked and Yeosang was exactly where you wanted him to be. But the more his eyes bore into you the more difficult it’d become to ignore him. As you turned around he was glaring at you.

“Where do you think you’re going about dressed like that ?”

“Haven’t you figured out already what happens to brats who don’t listen to simple rules?”

CHOI SAN

San loves playing game, especially whenever he would get a new game, he would devote his free time to play the game instead of spending it with you. That’s what he had been doing for the past few weeks and you’ve had enough. You wanted his attention and you would do anything to get it.

It was dark inside the house and all you could see was the dull light that emitted in the lounge room from the computer screen and the sound of rapid tapping of the keyboard and clicking of the computer mouse fueled your frustrations. As you walked towards him, you tapped his shoulder, but instead of turning around, he just raised his hand pointing one finger indicating for you to wait. You tapped his shoulder again only to receive a warning.

“If you interrupt me one more time, see what happens.”

And that’s exactly what you did , but unfortunately for you San paid you no intention. So you turned you attention the gaming console. You marched towards it and plugged it right off the socket. San sat emotionlessly, not even turning his head to look at you. his head not even turning to look at you.

“Come here.”

The look on his face made your heartbeat pick up pace. But you stood your ground, your eyebrows furrowed as you folded your arms dramatically with a triumphant look.

“You’re in trouble now.”

His words sent a chill down your spine. The look of triumph on your face vanished within no time and your throat became parched.

“You’re so desperate for it, aren’t you brat?”

“Don’t worry darling, Daddy is going to give it you so good that you’re going to be begging for me to stop.”

SONG MINGI

Mingi was diligent boyfriend. He did everything he could for you two to have a relationship. And without asking, everything was given to you on a silver platter. But lately Mingi has been paying more attention to his work than you. Although he’d said he’d make it up to you, it had been weeks. Just like today, he had to leave in the middle of the date because of some ‘work’. He had asked you to stay back to finish the food and came back in time to pick you up. But you were upset to the point that all your past frustration made your mood go even more downhill.

So here you were, sitting next to him with your arms crossed with an incoming headache. Mingi was too busy on the phone until he finally noticed that you hadn’t spoken even once since he came back nor did you look at him. He went to grab your hand but you shook him off instantly. You turned your head to look out of the car window waiting for his apology. But it never and instead the car started moving. So you turned your head to glare at him, not saying a word.

“Don’t give me that look.”

He suddenly placed a hand on you thigh as a warning, but you weren’t going to back down. Not today. You’ve had enough. You removed his hand from your thigh no matter how much you loved it.

“Don’t make me take you home and punish you, babygirl.”

You whined loudly unable to stop it as the smirk on Mingi’s face grew. He took a look at you and shook his head. All of a sudden, he moved in closer to your ear, his hand on your thigh now moving up to the hem of your dress.

“But you would like that, now wouldn’t you ?”

JUNG WOOYOUNG

Your relationship with Wooyoung was full of passion. Red hot passion. That’s how you made each other feel and it seemed that the fire wasn’t going to die down anytime soon. So you always liked to try him when you were in public. It’s so fun seeing him get all worked up over you. That’s why you decided to wear the shortest dress you could find for your date tonight. Wooyoung kept on turning his head to look at you. Gone were the nicknames as Wooyoung didn’t look amused at all by your antics. You kept on rolling your eyes at him and making sarcastic comments when he was talking to you.

Unfortunately Wooyoung wasn’t having it today, all he wanted was to have a sophisticated dinner with his girl but it seemed as if you had different plans tonight. Thus, it didn’t take much for Wooyoung to snap considering he always likes to tease you but today his vigilance ran short. You weren’t surprised when you felt his hand rest on top of your exposed thigh giving it a tight squeeze and leaned over to whisper in your ear.

“You’re going to be in so much trouble when we get home.”

“You can’t tease me like that and expect not to get punished.”

CHOI JONGHO

Jongho was a sweetheart to you and everyone knew it. But sometimes you took advantage of it, to have your way in everything. But lately you had been getting on his nerves for no reason. Although Jongho tried his best not to snap at you, he was reaching his limit. You would create a scene every morning when he had to leave for work, even when he was working you would blast his phone with texts and calls and Jongho being the sweetheart he is would always answer. So when you started to talk back to him in front of everyone in the gang meeting, he would snap. Jongho would ignore you for the rest of the meeting.

Only inside the four walls of your home would he show his true emotions. As soon the door closed, he’d grab your chin in his hand and force you to look up at him. His piercing gaze held you captive, no matter how you act, his gaze always made you submit. Jongho maintained the eye contact as he backed up you against a wall. He’d ghost his lips over yours while not exactly kissing you. You knew he wasn’t a fan of attitude at all, so he’d made up his mind to discipline you because it seemed like you needed to be taught manners.

“Wanna run that mouth again babygirl ?”

“Because if you want to beg, you better start begging.”

[onlyfreds]

Unravelling Love’s Mystery | F.W.

Title: Unravelling Love’s Mystery

Requested: Yes/No

Summary: Fred and Y/N had bad blood between them ever since their first year at College. But when they are partnered up for a project, what could go wrong?

A/N: This is my first time writing an enemies to lovers so, I hope I was able to give it justice.

In my opinion, love is the greatest mystery of all, probably even the mystery that no one can come to solve. It will always be a mystery on how two people fall in love, how two people come to have this mutual understanding and affection.

Love brings many emotions to a person: heartbreak, anger, a sense of longing, but those people who have found their one true love, they feel joy, peace, a sense of satisfaction.

And love can come to the most unlikely pair, who would have thought that two childhood best friends end up together? Who would have thought that your soulmate happened to be your grumpy boss?

In my case, I ended up with the most unlikely contestant, my sworn enemy, Fred Weasley.

The Psychology of Love, that was our lecture topic for today. Don’t get me wrong, it is quite an interesting topic. But there was one person in the whole universe who could make the tables turn, and that was an arrogant, stubborn, and increasingly annoying classmate of mine named Fred Weasley.

“Okay class.” Professor McGonagall started the lecture as the latecomers settled into the remaining seats, “As you may have figured out from your essay that is – in fact - due today, our lecture is about the Psychology of Love.”

She looked at all of us with a stern but gentle look, “Now, which one of you can tell me who developed the triangular theory of love?”

My hand, along with Fred’s, promptly shot up in the air. McGonagall looked at us, a bit bored, if you ask me, as it was always the two of us.

“Mr. Weasley.” She called.

Fred stood up, throwing me a smug smile from across the hall.

“American Psychologist, Robert Sternberg is the one who developed the triangular theory of love.” He answered, sitting back down when he finished.

I rolled my eyes at him, crossing my arms over my chest, wanting so badly to smack him at the back of the head with my textbook to wipe that smug smirk of his face.

“Very good Mr. Weasley! Now, who can state all the three components of love that can be found in Robert Sternberg’s theory?” Our Professor asked.

Fred’s hand and mine both shot up to the air again, we exchanged a challenging look. It was another race, another competition to prove who’s better, who’s the best. Because only one can be at the top.

“Ms. L/N.” McGonagall called.

Fred wore a defeated look as I stood up from my seat, “The three components of love is: intimacy – which is defined as the closeness between people in personal relationships -, passion – which is a strong liking or desire -, and lastly, commitment – or being dedicated to the relationship, in my opinion, it is the most important component. Because intimacy and passion won’t prevail if there is no commitment in the relationship.”

She smiled, “That’s a perfect answer Y/N! Very well explained!” She praised.

I sat back down as McGonagall started to discuss, not being able to help the proud smile on my lips.

“Any more questions?” Professor McGonagall asks as she ends her presentation. Silence spreading through the lecture hall.

“Okay then, now before I dismiss you, I’ll briefly discuss your project. You are to make your own theory about love and you will do it in pairs. And I already decided your partners for you. I will read them aloud right now. There will be no complaining and no switching of partners.”

She then pulled up a file on her laptop and started reading out loud the names of the partners. That was until she read the last pair of names.

“Fred Weasley and Y/N L/N.”

“What?!” I whispered, turning to my best friend, Hermione, who was sitting next to me.

“Did I hear correctly? Out of every single person in this lecture hall, I’m partnered up with Fred?”

She nodded, “Yes, you heard correctly.”

I groaned, sinking back into my seat, “This is officially the worst project ever.”

Ginny chuckled, patting me comfortingly on the shoulder, “Well, as much as I feel sorry for you Y/N. It’s not like you have a choice.”

Even if Ginny is Fred’s younger sister, she was nothing like her brother. To be honest, I was friends with all the Weasleys, except Fred. It’s actually hard to believe that he came from the same family.

I glanced over to the side and saw that Fred wore the same look of horror on his face as he ranted to his buddies.

I stood up, shouldering my backpack as I marched down the steps towards McGonagall’s desk, vaguely aware that Fred was hot on my heels.

“Professor.” I said, “You can’t do this to us.”

She raised a brow at us, “Do what?”

“Partner Y/N and I up together for the project.” Fred answered.

“Why is that?” She asked, even though she already knew the answer.

I sighed, fiddling with the strap of my bag, “Professor, you know how Fred and I feel towards each other.” I said, glancing at Fred.

He ran a hand through his hair, “I hate to agree with her Professor, but she’s right.”

McGonagall pursed her lips, “Well, you two will just have to work with it. Like I said, no switching partners. And may I remind you Mr. Weasley and Ms. L/N, that this project contributes to 60% of your final grade. So, it’s either you give both of your best or you both fail.” She said, before walking out of the door, leaving both Fred and I alone in the now deserted lecture hall.

Fred groaned as he leaned against the desk, “What are we going to do now.”

I rolled my eyes, crossing my arms over my chest, “Well, it’s not like we can do anything about it. Unless you want to fail, of course.” I said, before walking out of the hall, in search of Hermione and Ginny.

--

“No matter what you do.” Hermione said, looking up from her project with Ron, “You can’t avoid it. So, go and get this whole thing over with. Unless you want to fail.”

It’s been a week since McGonagall gave the project, and Hermione was right.

I groaned, taking my stuff as I walked towards the door of our dorm, “Well, failing is never an option.” I said, as I headed towards the library, where Fred and I agreed to rendezvous.

“So, what should we do?” I asked, sitting down in the seat across him.

He shrugged, not bothering to look up from whatever he was writing, “Well, in case you weren’t listening, we are supposed to make a theory about love.”

I took out my textbook and my laptop, placing it in front of me, “Obviously I know that. What I’m asking is what is our theory?”

He shrugged again, “I don’t know.”

“What do you mean, you don’t know?” I asked.

He sighed, finally looking up from his work, “I thought you were smart.” He said sarcastically, “You can’t even understand something as simple as ‘I don’t know.’”

It took all of my willpower to bite back a retort, “Look Weasley, I am trying so hard to be nice to you. I don’t want to be here and neither do you. So, will you please stop being so arrogant and stubborn so we could get over with this?”

Fred scoffed, “Me? Being arrogant and stubborn? I’m sorry, but I’m trying my best to make this work because I don’t want to fail just because of a self-centered, ignorant little minx like you.”

“Me?” I said, “So, all of a sudden, it’s my fault? I don’t want to fail either Weasley. And I didn’t ask to be paired up with you. You think you’re so good and you’re so much better than anyone else! When in reality, there’s always someone better than you!” I spat as I abruptly stood up from my chair.

Fred followed suit, towering over me due to the difference in height, “Oh yeah? And who might that be? You?”

He scoffed, “Of course it’s you! It’s always you! You think you’re such a genius! You act so tough and strong but in reality, you’re a coward, you’re a failure. You think that you’re so perfect, that you’re so flawless. But let me tell you, you have flaws. Everyone has flaws.”

“So, you think you’re so perfect then.” I said, glaring up at him, feeling a rush of emotion crash down on me, all at the same time.

“At least I know that I could fail and I work hard to avoid that. You on the other hand, don’t. That’s the difference between the two of us.” He said, not backing down.

That was when it felt like the whole world was crashing down on my shoulders, that’s when I became overwhelmed, the stress, the emotions, the built-up anger caught up with me. The thick tension in the atmosphere around us started suffocating me.

I collapsed back into the chair I was sitting on earlier, burying my head in my hands, as I slowly broke down into tears.

I heard the chair next to me move as it scrapped against the metal floor.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” I heard Fred’s voice ask, as he gently rubbed my back. I couldn’t come to believe that he was concerned for my well-being.

“Why do you care?” I asked in between tears.

“Because, no matter how much I despise you, my mum always told me that the worst thing a man can do to a girl is make her cry.” He said softly.

I looked up at him, a few tears still dripping down my cheeks, “Are you really concerned? Or you’re just looking for another reason to torment me?”

He smiled at me for the first time as I saw genuine concern in his eyes, “I’m really concerned.” He said, pulling me gently into a hug as I rested my head on his chest.

“So, why are you really crying?” He asked.

I took a deep breath, “I mean, I know I’m not perfect. Nobody is, but my biggest fear has always been failing. I’m an only child and when my parents found out that I’m academically gifted, it made me their greatest treasure, it made me their pride and joy. I’ve always been insecure about that, whether if I’m already good enough or not. And hearing somebody voice out those insecurities, felt a million times worst. That’s the reason why I’m always trying to one up you. Because, if I fail, I would go from my parents’ pride and joy to being the disappointment of the family in a split second. And it’s just so stressful. And with our little argument, I just got so overwhelmed by my emotions that I had to let it all out.” I explained.

At the back of my mind, I was aware of Fred’s demeanor changing in a snap. From the person I despised whom I was screaming at minutes ago, to the person who was now bringing me comfort. He handled me so gently in my fragile state, as if I was made of glass, that it would have been hard to recognize him as my sworn enemy.

To anybody who would pass by, they would’ve been so confused at the sight. Me with my head on Fred’s chest, as he comfortingly rubbed my back while his other hand gently ran through my hair as he apologized over and over again.

I just wanted to stay in our small bubble. I wouldn’t admit it out loud but, I like this side of Fred better, the quiet, caring, gentle side of him.

“We’re not so different after all.” He said, breaking the silence that lingered between the two of us.

“What do you mean?” I asked, slightly confused.

Fred started to explain, “The pressure that’s being put down on us. Well, you’ve met Bill, Charlie and Percy, right? Bill’s prefect and head boy and he’s got amazing grades. Charlie has a very successful business. And Percy is basically the epitome of the perfect student. So, this puts a lot of pressure on me. That, in order to make Mum and Dad happy, then I have to be just like them. That’s why I’m always trying to compete with you. So, we’re not that different after all.” He finished with a reassuring smile.

I looked up at him, offering a small smile, “You’re right. Why don’t we call a truce for now? And when the project’s finish and being friends doesn’t work out for us, then we can go back to our old ways.” I said, offering my hand.

He took it and gave it a small shake, “Deal. And don’t you hate agreeing with me?”

I shook my head, “No. Because: one, I like this side of you better. And two, you do have a point.”

“Falling for me already L/N?” He teased.

I laughed, shaking my head, “In your dreams Weasley.”

We then started to work, sharing our ideas and concepts and working it out together.

We decided to call it a day when it was around 1 in the morning.

“So, we’ll rendezvous same place tomorrow?” I asked.

He nodded, “Sure.” Then he started fidgeting with the strap of his bag.

“Is there anything wrong?” I asked, seeing his nervousness.

He gave a shy smile, “Well, it’s just that your dorm is 6 blocks from here. And I just don’t want you to walk out there alone. So, if you want, you can stay at my dorm for the night, I’ll even sleep on the couch. But, if you’re not comfortable with that, then I could always walk you home.”

I chuckled, “Should I be suspicious if you have any hidden agenda on taking me back to your dorm?” I joked.

Fred laughed, raising his hand in mock surrender, “I have no such intentions. I’m only worrying about your safety. Like I said, I’ll sleep on the couch.”

I smiled, “Okay then. I’ll just send a quick text to Hermione so she wouldn’t worry about my whereabouts.”

I took out my phone, searching for Hermione in my contacts and sending a text to her.

>Hey ‘Mione. I’m not coming home tonight. I’ll be staying the night at Fred’s place.

I received her reply immediately.

>Woah, woah, I thought you despised him and his whole existence? What made you want to stay the night at his place?

<We called a truce, see how being friends works out for the both of us. Turns out we’re similar in a lot of ways.

>Yeah, and that includes staying the night at his dorm?

<Hermione, I’m ready to give him the benefit of the doubt. He deserves a chance. Besides, he swore that he has no hidden agenda and he’ll be sleeping on the couch.

I blushed as I read her reply, secretly hoping that Fred didn’t notice.

>Okay, I’m not saying that you’re making a reckless decision. But, at least the two of you are putting your differences aside. Who knows? You two might end up together.

>Hermione!

<What? I’m just saying ;)

“So,” Fred said, standing by my side a bit awkwardly, “What did she say?”

I licked my lips, “She’s fine with it.”

He grinned, “Okay then, let’s get going then.”

When we arrived at his dorm, it was more organized than I expected it to be.

“Your roommate is George, right?” I asked, placing my bag on a nearby chair.

He nodded, “Yeah. But he’s at Angelina’s dorm, so we basically have the place to ourselves.”

He headed to his room, coming out with a sweater and a pair of shorts in his grasp, then handing them to me.

“The bathroom is down the hall to the left.” He said as I gave him a grateful smile.

After I had changed, Fred had already set up his makeshift bed on the couch.

I bit my lip as I pulled my hair back into a messy bun, I felt like this was too much. I know that Fred was trying to make a good impression on our new-found friendship, but I didn’t want to abuse his kindness.

“Fred, I appreciate that you’re trying to make a kind gesture, but I’ll take the couch.” I said, gently.

He shook his head, a small smile on his lips, “No, it’s fine. I insist.”

I placed my hand on top of his, “You’re already letting me stay here for the night. So, I’m not kicking you out of your own bed. Let me be the one who’s doing something for you other than glare and bicker.” I joked.

He laughed, “Okay, fine. But just because that I have a feeling that if we go on, we’ll never meet the end.”

After turning the lights off, we then took the break we both can agree we deserve.

--

I woke up at 5 am, surprisingly, the couch was extremely comfortable and I haven’t felt this rested ever since my first year of College.

I stretched for a bit, for the first time in my life, I felt lazy. Turning onto my side, giving myself five more minutes of peace and tranquility before I had to get up. I took a deep breath, inhaling the lingering scent of Fred from the sweater I was wearing, which just added to the calm atmosphere in my little bubble of relaxation.

Five minutes transitioned into an hour, that’s when I knew that I really had to get up.

I slowly walked to Fred’s room, opening the door a bit to take a peek inside.

The ginger was still fast asleep, his hair sticking up in all directions while his soft snores bounced of the walls of the room.

I leaned against the door frame, vaguely aware of the small smile that had seem to grow on my lips. I had to admit, he looked kind of cute.

I headed to the kitchen, deciding to cook some breakfast for the two of us.

“Smells good.” Fred said as he emerged from his room an hour later, just as I had finished cooking.

He sat at the table as I slid his plate of pancakes in front of him.

He raised a brow, “Should I be suspicious if you have any hidden agenda in making me pancakes?” He asked, quoting my words from the previous night.

I laughed, sitting down on the seat across him, “Not at all. Just think of it as a token of my appreciation.”

He then took a bite as I watched him closely in anticipation.

“It’s better than anything I’ve ever had before.” He said with a small grin.

I breathed out a breath that I hadn’t realized that I was holding in, “Thank goodness.” I said.

“You know,” Fred said a few moments later, “For someone who I’ve been on bad terms with ever since our first year of College, you’re an amazing cook.”

I chuckled, “It’s kind of funny isn’t it? We’re in our last year of College and we’ve done nothing but spend the last three years bickering and all that stuff.”

The door of Fred’s dorm suddenly flew open as George stepped in.

“Hey Freddie, I’m home! Woah.” He was suddenly taken aback at the sight of Fred and I sitting at the dining table.

“Do my eyes deceive me?” He said, “Because I am seeing the two of you in the same room and there’s no tension in the air.”

I smiled, “Yeah, we decided to call a truce to work on the project and we would see how being friends works out for the both of us.”

“You’ve got to try her pancakes mate.” Fred piped in, “There’re the best you’ve ever tasted.”

George took the fork that his brother offered him, “Merlin! I never knew you were a cook Y/N.”

I chuckled, “It’s just something I work on in my free time.”

“Looks like being friends would work out in more than one way for the both of you.” He said with a small wink.

After breakfast, Fred walked me back to my dorm, because we both knew how much of a worry-wart Hermione can get.

“So, I’ll be seeing you in the library later?” He asked.

“You bet.” I said, before entering my dorm.

Hermione and Ginny were waiting for me inside, to my surprise, they didn’t bombard me with questions.

“So, how was giving Fred the benefit of the doubt?” Hermione asked, taking a sip of her coffee.

I shrugged, plopping my bag down on the couch, “It was pretty good.”

Ginny placed her chin on her hand while her elbow rested on the table, “A little birdy told me that you cooked breakfast for Fred.”

I playfully rolled my eyes, “Let me guess, the birdy was named George. And yes, I did make breakfast for Fred and I. It was just a token of my appreciation.”

“Yeah, right.” Hermione muttered under her breath with a small smile.

“I heard that Hermione.” I said, causing the two of them to burst out into laughter.

--

We only had a week left to complete the project.

Fred and I were sitting in the library, laptops running, there was almost no more space on the table with the number of books that were opened on top of it.

As I was drafting out the key points in our theory, when Fred tapped me on the shoulder, handing me a cup of coffee.

“Thanks.” I said, taking the cup from him and taking a small sip, “How much is it?”

“It’s on me.” He said, “You already paid for the printing of the project, the least I could do was get you some coffee.”

We sat in silence for a few more minutes, the sound of the typing on the keyboard being the only noises that could be heard.

“So, what happens to us after this project?” Fred suddenly asked.

I stopped typing, looking up at him, “Well, it looks like being friends seem to be working out for us.”

Fred chuckled, running a hand through his hair, “Yeah, I actually kind of like it when you’re smiling and you’re not shooting me glares and stuff.”

“Ditto.” I said, “Ever since I’ve discovered your soft and sweet side, I don’t want that to change.”

“But is being friends enough for us? What if one of us wants more?” He asked.

I looked at him, slightly confused, “What do you me-“ but my sentence was suddenly cut short, when he crashed his lips to mine.

I placed my hand at the back of his neck, pulling me closer to him as he rested his hands on my waist.

He then lifted me up and set me down on a free space on the table, kissing me as if there was not tomorrow.

We pulled apart, foreheads pressed together, both of us blushing like mad.

“That’s what I mean.” He whispered, “Because I love you. More than a friend, more than my enemy. I want you and nobody else but you. So, will you be mine?”

I giggled, pulling him in for another kiss before answering, “I’d love nothing more than to be yours.”

--

“Unravelling Love’s Mystery.” Professor McGonagall read the title of our theory as Fred and I stood in front of her.

Class has already been dismissed, the three of us being the only ones left in the room.

“Your theory was very interesting.” She complimented, “Especially since you two found it fit to insert your own love story in it.”

Fred and I smiled, “Well Professor, we thought that it went with the central theme of the theory.”

McGonagall offered us a smile, “The two of you have the most outstanding project in the class. I have graded it with full marks.” She said.

I felt Fred interlock our hands together, “Thank you Professor.” We both said.

Then Fred placed an arm around my waist, placing a kiss on my temple, “As much as we would love to stay and chat Professor, we have to go so we don’t miss our date at the movies.”

Our professor laughed, “Go on ahead, don’t let me stop you. I have been working at this institution for years, but the two of you are the cutest couple I have ever seen.”

𝚃𝚊𝚐𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚝:

@lumosandnoxwriting​ ​ @wand3ringr0s3​ ​ @famdomhideout​ ​ @nova-darling @gaycatlord-stuff​ ​​  @pandaxnienke​ ​​ @escapingrealitybyreading​ (If you are crossed out, that means I can’t tag you)

[downfordiluc]

Kaeya x F Reader One Shot. [Modern AU].

Warning // Explicit Language. No Smut, only fluff.

Synopsis: a night filled with alcohol, dancing and feelings. 

If you rubbed your eyes one more time, you feared they may disappear inside of your skull. The display on your laptop was beginning to sear your retinas, as you watched the clock tick over to 11:30 pm. You should have left work hours ago. Having a hardass for a boss had wasn't something really had any benefits to it, other than the sizeable paycheck you took home after a long week's work; often going ten or twenty hours over your actually scheduled nine to five days.

Being able to finally click save and close the torture machine in front of you was something that you spent every working moment impatiently waiting for, and the satisfaction you got from knowing you could finally go and slump into your bedsheets was something that never really lost its novelty. And yet, tonight wasn't going to be one of those nights.

"Wanna go cause some trouble?"

You looked up blearily at the voice, seeing a tall, tan figure leaning against your doorway, one hand on his hip, and the other in his pocket. The smirk on his lips was one that you couldn't get enough of, but you'd never admit it. You'd never give him the satisfaction of admitting it.

"It's almost midnight, Kaeya." you remarked, as you shrugged your leather jacket onto your shoulders. Despite the protest in your tone, you had basically already succumbed to his plans before even hearing them, as you collected your belongings that were spread over your desk. "And so the night is only young, [Y/N], whaddya say?". This man knew he was born with a silver tongue, and had the power to persuade even the most stubborn to follow his every command. You knew this, and yet you fell victim every damn time.

"Where are we going?", you practically had a white flag waving above your head, as you walked through the door he held open, and yet you weren't fooled - Kaeya was no gentleman. He was a sweet talker, and he played the field like it was second nature to him. Life was like a game of chess, except he was always 5 moves ahead, taking piece after piece off of the board. Women were the pawns.

"Diluc's club, he pissed me off yesterday, and if my memory serves, you're not best pleased with him either.", he looked as though his plan had fallen into place, and yet it had one fatal flaw. "So your plan for revenge, is to financially provide for him by drinking in his club?". You felt as though you had his king in check - winning the game of chess - and might actually get to go home for the night. Yet that stupid smirk returned, and you instantly dropped the glimmer of hope you had grasped onto. "Money is simply an object to him, you know this. But just imagine the look on his face if he saw us both having the time of our goddamn lives, huh?". You hated to admit it, but to see that exact face you were now picturing was an opportunity you would not pass up, even if you hadn't slept for a week.

The night was bitter, biting at your cheeks as you walked down the cobblestoned alleys. No matter how much you pulled at your thin jacket for warmth, it simply wasn't the right choice of attire for the middle of February. "I know a way to warm you up." the man to your right quipped, and you instinctually glared up at him, seeing a saccharine sweet smile upon his face. You rolled your eyes and looked away from him, refusing to step into the trap that was his syrupy gaze. You knew better.

"Vodka".

You heard him chuckle at your blunt response. A soft, breathy laugh that could melt ice, and the heat that rose to your cheeks was welcoming, considering the harsh winds that felt like icicles piercing your skin. He really did have a way to make women putty in his hands, and you had never been more glad you considered yourself above that, considering you were about to get absolutely shit-faced together.

One shot turned to two, and two turned to three, as you bottomed the foul liquid, and slammed each glass onto the table with a loud clink. You hadn't done this in a while, and it had been even longer since you had done it with another person. Drinking alone was usually your style, which now you realised was actually quite sad.

"Slow down, darlin', they'll run out if you aren't careful.", he had absolutely no right to be using words like that, and even less right to witness the colour that lit your cheeks alight. Suddenly, staring at the marble bar seemed a lot more interesting.

"Mind your own business, Alberich. You said you wanted to have fun, this is how I have fun.". You knew full well the worse was yet to come. They say everyone has a second personality when they're drunk, and yours enjoyed partying like the world was going to end tomorrow. You noticed he was nursing his whiskey, and frowned at him, tilting your head to the side and resting it on your fist.

"Didn't take you to be a lightweight." you smiled devilishly into your words, watching his eyes widen slightly in surprise, you could practically see him recoil as though you had smacked him in the face. "Someone's gotta be able to walk to take you home.". The laugh you let out in response was a hearty, full one. Something you hadn't done in a while. You pushed at his shoulder, mocking him further. "Let go, have fun! Worst case scenario, we sleep on the floor. I never took you to be the boring one, Kaeya."

Enough was enough, he raised his glass and allowed the burning liquid to slip down his throat. He pulled a face before his glass made the same clink that your shots had been making for the past hour. "It's on, darlin."

"Two more shots over here, dear brother." You had almost forgotten why you came tonight, as you saw the redhead's brows almost touch, frowning as he had no choice but to stop ignoring the two of you, which he had been trying to do since you strutted into his club.

"And two for me!" You giggled into your words, as he gave you a look that you had never seen on his face. "I like your style, [Y/N]". His voice was lower than usual, probably from the assault on his throat the whiskey had enacted, but you had to admit, it sounded good that way. Too good, judging by the butterflies kicking up a fuss in your stomach. You decided to simply drown them in alcohol, as Diluc slid the drinks across to you without even muttering a word.

You must have had seven or eight shots of vodka by now, and at this point, Kaeya wasn't far behind, his jacket and tie discarded over the back of his stool, as well as two buttons on his shirt being undone. A deep v of tan skin practically begging you to stare. You had similarly discarded your jacket behind you, the alcohol flooding through your veins being what you attributed your rising body temperature to. You didn't even seem to care that all you had on was a lowcut, white tank top, which definitely left a lot less to the imagination than intended. Hopefully, the lighting was low enough that he didn't notice the lace of your bra creating lines under the thin fabric.

"Ahh, I love this song."

You didn't even seem in control of the words leaving your mouth, as a low, smooth beat filled the air around you. This song was one that you would definitely dance to in private, or if you weren't absolutely wasted. Before you even fully acknowledged what you were doing, you had climbed onto the surface in front of you and were gyrating your hips in a way that you wouldn't be caught dead doing sober. Vodka really lowered your inhibitions, a fact which was clearly evident to Kaeya, who couldn't help but stare as your hands worked their way down your body, slowly moving along to the music. He wasn't the only one staring. Pretty much the whole club was watching you let loose on the bar, ogling your figure and looking you up and down like meat on a stick. Diluc, however, could not have looked less impressed if he tried.

"[Y/N], get down from there. Everyone is staring.", Kaeya seemed almost possessive, as he extended his arm to you, trying to convince you to come down, and yet, you hadn't felt this free in a while. "You come up here! Dance with me, darlin'.". He seemed flushed at you using his words against him, but his stance didn't falter, as he kept insisting you come down from the bar. For a change, him and Diluc actually agreed on something.

"You're going to fall, [Y/N]."

"Then catch me, Prince Charming."

Your words were slurred, and it was clearly evident that you were inebriated beyond any point of logic, so Kaeya decided to take things into his own hands. He grabbed at your wrist and lightly pulled, expecting you to get the message, and finally come down. Definitely not expecting you to topple like a domino.

As your brain stopped feeling like it had just been scrambled, you noticed Kaeya's face only inches away from yours, before acknowledging that your body was pressed against his own. You'd actually fallen, holy shit, you were wasted. And yet, he had caught you. Prince Charming had really saved you - how ironic. His strong, defined muscles against your body were significantly more welcoming than the floor, that was for sure. If you weren't already completely certain that you had had more than enough to drink, you were once you caught yourself speaking.

"How about we take this somewhere more private, handsome?". You would be kicking yourself for those words once your blood stopped being what felt like 99% alcohol, and yet right now, you were biting your lip, looking up at him, barely noticing the flush under his tanned skin.

"How about we take you home?" was his response, as he tried to put you onto the floor, your legs buckling, as you sink to his knees. He sighed in defeat, tucking both of your jackets over his shoulder, and pulling you back up to cradle in his arms, using the warmth of his blazer as a pillow as you rested onto his shoulder. Maybe you were the lightweight, after all.

During the walk home, you hardly noticed the cold, between how hot the alcohol had you, and the warmth of his body heat pressed against yours. You barely acknowledged the journey ending until you felt the familiar softness of your bed under your warm body. Instinctively, you curled up onto your side, hugging a pillow, and kicking your shoes off of the side of the sheets.

"Goodnight, [Y/N]. I had fun with you tonight." Despite your vision being blurry, you could tell he was leaned against the wall the exact same way he had been hours ago at work, and you reached for his arm, tugging on his sleeve.

"Stay with me, Kaeya. Please.", you could feel yourself slowly sobering up, as your thoughts became less cloudy and your feelings becoming more lucid, and all you wanted was for him to stay by your side. Nothing sexual about it, you just wanted to feel his body heat radiating against yours as you slipped into slumber. You felt as though you could see the wanting in his eyes also, but his words begged to differ.

"I'll be on the couch." his reply left you feeling downcast, however, this was short-lived as you felt his lips lightly kiss you on the forehead, leaving the spot they had been tingling and prickling with heat. You were comforted knowing he would be there in any capacity, and that was the thought that nursed you to sleep pretending the pillow in your arms was the man who had caught you not long ago.  You knew that you had caught feelings for him in turn. Maybe he wasn't so bad, after all? Maybe he could be your knight in shining armor. The one to keep you company on what would be a lonely night drinking, and the one to hold you tight as your head pounded into the early hours of the morning. Anything would be good, as long as he was there.

[shera-dnd]

Cupid’s Kiss

Took me way longer than expected curse the whims of my mental health but the winner of this month’s 3k fic poll is finally here!

In which Carmen and Julia have a lovely totally not date in Paris while in search for two thieves who are certainly also not having a date

if you’d like a chance to get your fic ideas written by me, or just want to support me, you can feel free to donate to my ko-fi (rules over here)

and here is the ao3 link if you’d rather read it over there

also this fic was brought to you thanks to the help of @cantdrawshaw

NOW ON WITH THE FIC

Carmen Sandiego was the best at her job. She had bested trained assassins and killer robots, evaded the world’s most advanced detective agency, and destroyed the largest criminal organization. All in her early twenties.

Yet there was one task she was not prepared to face. One that escaped her skills, both martial and technical. One that she had failed to plan around. One that existed entirely beyond the range of her skills. A foe that she could not beat.

“Come on, Carm,” Zack called, “it can’t be that hard. If even Ivy could score with the girls, you can do it too.”

“Even Ivy?!” His sister replied, furious, “I’ve been with more girls than you, jackass.”

“Guys, guys!” Carmen interrupted, “you’re not helping.”

Mentioning her interest in spending more time with Julia Argent had been the biggest mistake she had made in weeks. This was supposed to be a peaceful day at their old home base, but now here she was.

Her friends were trying so hard to help her and she couldn’t even be mad at how poorly they were doing, because she knew she wouldn’t fare much better were the roles reversed.

“Sorry,” the siblings replied in unison.

“I appreciate the support,” she assured them, “but I’m not trying to ‘score’ with anyone. I just wanna get to know Jules a little better.”

“So this is not a date?” Ivy asked.

“No!” She replied, a little too quickly, “me and Jules aren’t like that. She’s more of a… professional acquaintance. A coworker.”

“Carm,” Zack replied, “we’re coworkers and you’ve never had a bouquet of roses delivered to my door.”

“It was just a thank you for handling all those precious artifacts for me,” she explained, “she’s a hard worker, she deserved it.”

“Sure,” Ivy nodded, unconvinced, “is that why you take time to chat over coffee with her every other caper?”

“Not every moment of our lives has to be a chase, you know?” she countered.

“Or why you keep finding excuses to dance with her?”

“It’s the easiest way to speak privately at those parties without garnering unwanted attention,” she recited as if from a textbook.

“Or why-”

“Cease this!” Shadowsan’s stern voice commanded and the siblings fell silent, “VILE has trained her to never cave under interrogation. You’ll have a better chance extracting information from a rock.”

Carmen smirked at them, proud to have her skills of deflection recognized.

“Do not be so full of yourself,” he added, making Carmen flinch just a bit, “I have taught those lessons for years and I know how to see through them.”

“I don’t know what you mean,” she deflected, looking away.

He walked up to her and placed a hand on her shoulder with uncharacteristic gentleness.

“I have seen the happiness Miss Argent brings you,” he said, “and I wish you the best of luck should you wish to pursue it.”

That meant a lot to Carmen. More than she could really express in words. But after she had been so thoroughly embarrassed by her friends, all she could really say was,

“Not you too.”

She looked up at the smirking siblings and braced herself...

“Hey, Red,” Player’s voice called, just in the nick of time.

“Player!” She jumped to attention and grabbed the laptop from their desk.

“Woah!” he exclaimed, “everything okay, Red?”

Zack and Ivy snickered as they sat by each side of her, so they could see Player.

“I think Carm would rather you sent her on a crazy chase instead of sitting here talking about her crush on Jules,” Ivy teased.

“Well it looks like you might get to do both,” Player replied, to Carmen’s dismay, “look who our cameras just found walking around Paris.”

The screen cut to a video feed of one of ACME’s hidden cameras over the streets of Paris. None of the people on camera seemed particularly conspicuous… until a particular pair walked on screen. Even without their costumes Carmen could always recognize them.

“Tigress and Paper Star,” she noted, “those two can’t be up to any good.”

“Looks like we’ll be going to Paris, eh Carm?” Ivy commented as she playfully nudged her side.

“City of love,” Zack added as he joined the nudging.

Carmen groaned. This was gonna be a rough mission.

Chase had grown a lot over the past few months. His deductive reasoning had vastly improved, his mood was far more amenable, and he actually stopped to listen to Julia nowadays. What hadn’t really improved with time was his overall clumsiness. 

“Miss Argent, I’ll be fine,” his insistence was interrupted by a powerful sneeze, “This is nothing.”

“Agent Devineaux, please,” she pleaded, “you’re in no state to continue this investigation.”

Devineaux had landed himself into his fair share of rivers over the months he had worked for ACME, and it seemed that so many cold baths had finally caught up to his health. Not that he would ever admit to that.

“Nonsense,” he claimed, “I’ll be back in perfect shape by the time we land in Paris.”

The sneeze that followed said otherwise.

“Chase, please,” she asked again, “rest. I can handle this.”

“I refuse to send my partner on a mission by herself.”

“As sweet as your concern is,” she countered, “I doubt I’ll be by myself for long.”

“Ah yes, I’m sure La Femme Rouge will make for good company,” he agreed and she was glad he did, but it sounded like there was more to his words. “Were you anyone else I’d worry this was all a ploy to have some private time with Miss Sandiego.”

She shot him an unamused glare.

“Apologies,” he said almost immediately.

“Accepted,” she sighed, “but I do not appreciate any insinuations as to the nature of me and Miss Sandiego’s relationship. We’re good friends, nothing more.”

“Of course,” he nodded, but Julia could tell he had more to say.

Truly his detective skills have improved considerably as of late. It had become harder and harder for Julia to pass her excitement for those missions as simple passion for her work. Not when she had abandoned that work as soon as it conflicted with her passion for… something else.

Chase was her friend and she knew he’d understand her feelings for Carmen. She was also sure he’d do his best to keep it a secret until she was confident enough to bring these things to light. She trusted him and she didn’t fear anything of the sorts.

What she did fear was Chase trying to wingman for her. Just the thought was enough to fill her with dread. Enough dread to keep her mouth shut about her feelings in the vicinity of Agent Devineaux. Even if it felt bad to hide this from her friend.

Thankfully the Chief chose that exact moment to call her to give her updated information on their targets. 

Now she could just shut off all these awkward feelings and focus on her work.

The Louvre had been an obvious target. The world’s most famous museum, home to thousands of priceless works of art, including the Mona Lisa itself. It was so obvious in fact that VILE had never bothered to consider it.

But VILE was gone now and its escaped students no longer had any faculty to dissuade them from this target.

That’s why Carmen now walked its halls, diligently searching for any security flaws that could be exploited and any sign of the two master thieves on the loose.

She still took time to appreciate the art of course. This was the most famous museum in the world for a reason and she wasn’t gonna let this unique opportunity escape her, even with the evil duo to watch for.

Carmen had her attention split in every possible direction, her mind juggling its many tasks as she wandered hall after hall. Until, that is, she found something that pulled her focus into one singular point.

A shorter woman in a nice fitted suit, standing before one of the statues.

“Jules,” she greeted as she walked up behind her.

“Miss Sandiego,” Julia smiled as she greeted her, utterly unsurprised. She must have been expecting her, “it’s nice to see you here.”

“It’s nice seeing you too,” she replied, “and we went over this before, Carmen is just fine.”

“Carmen,” she said, in a way that warmed Carmen’s heart, “I take it you’ve been enjoying your time in Paris.”

“Hard to go sightseeing while I’ve got work to do, but I’m making do,” she shrugged, “how about you? What caught your attention today?”

Julia turned back to the statue she had been appreciating until then, “Psyche Revived by Cupid's Kiss.”

Carmen smirked, it was her time to shine.

“Sculpted by Antonio Canova, commissioned by welsh art-collector John Campbell in 1787,” she recited from memory, “its prime version was acquired by the Louvre in 1824 after the death of its previous owner, Joachim Murat.”

“Very impressive,” Julia praised, “I wish my students put half as much time as you do into their research.”

“I’m just good at memorizing trivia,” Carmen shrugged, trying to hide her pride at earning that praise, “I’m sure you know so much more than me on the subject.”

Boy was Carmen right about that. That seemed to have been the cue to send Julia into a long lecture about the neoclassical and romantic periods, as well as an analysis of the sculpture’s mythological origins and the many interpretations of the myth.

Many people would probably find this amount of information unspeakably tedious. But for Carmen, who was always hungry to learn about the world around her (and could never get tired of Jules speaking so enthusiastically,) it was exciting and endearing.

Carmen had realized then that she wanted nothing more than to spend her every waking hour listening to Julia talk on and on about anything she wanted, as long as it was passionate like this. Maybe someday soon.

Right now they had the whole rest of the Louvre to scout.

“Alright, alright, victory is yours,” Carmen playfully interrupted, “I guess you really are the biggest history nerd here.”

“Oh I’m sorry, it seems I got a bit carried away,” Julia cringed in shame. Damn it Sandiego! “I didn’t mean to bore you.”

“You couldn’t bore me if you tried,” Carmen assured her as she placed a hand on her arm, “I mean it. It’s nice hearing you talk.”

“Unfortunately I no longer teach,” she replied, “otherwise I would have given you an open invitation to any of my classes.”

“Well, how about you show me around the place?” she suggested, “we can call this a private lesson.”

At that Julia smiled again, “then I hope your memory is as good as you say it is, Carmen Sandiego, because I’ll be quizzing you at the end of the tour.”

They both laughed as Julia led them along to the next art piece in what was clearly a meticulously planned tour of the museum. Jules kept her teacher face on for all of her little lectures, but as they walked from room to room it felt so simple and casual.

For once Carmen felt like there was no rush and that she could just enjoy her time with someone she cared about. Maybe that was the moment. Her chance to make something out of this and let Julia know how she felt.

“Hey, Jules,” she called, walking a little closer to her.

“Yes?” Julia turned to look at her, she seemed surprised by the sudden closeness, but did not move away from her.

Carmen decided to take that as a good sign.

“This has been really nice, you know?” she tried, her usual confidence failing her, “just spending time with you like this.”

“I guess it was,” she replied with- Wait, was that a blush? No, that had to be wishful thinking.

“Yeah,” she agreed, awkwardly scratching the back of her neck, “and I just feel like-”

It was then that she was rudely reminded of what she was here to do.

“-you have got to be kidding me!”

“What?” Julia jumped a little in surprise.

“5 o’clock, behind you,” Carmen instructed.

She turned to look and there they were. Tall, blonde and scheming, and short, monochromatic and homicidal. The two thieves they were here to catch. Two thieves that had also noticed them.

They both smirked at them for a moment, before Paper Star whispered something into Tigress’s ear and they both bolted in separate directions.

“I go for Tigress, you go for Paper Star,” Carmen ordered as she bolted after her target.

Tigress was the fastest of the two, and the one most likely to pull dirty tricks on them. Unfortunately for her, Carmen was well-versed in all of those tricks, and of course had all her equipment on her. It’s amazing how much she could hide in just a red hoodie.

Soon Tigress had led the both of them out of the main building, ready to make a run for it and disappear into the city. Her mistake though, was going somewhere Carmen could use her grappling hook without worrying about damaging priceless works of art.

She swung after her, quickly closing the distance and knocking her down with a kick to the stomach. Tigress groaned as she forced herself back up, but instead of running again or getting ready to fight Carmen, she simply shouted.

“Come on!”

“Done running around?” Carmen taunted.

“Yeah yeah whatever,” she replied. Well that was unusual, “did you girlfriend catch Paper Star already?”

“What!?” She nearly jumped in surprise, “She’s not- we’re not- that doesn’t matter! You’re going to jail, for good this time.”

“For what?” she replied.

“Trying to steal from the Louvre!”

“Ah yes, because that’s the only reason we’d be enjoying some time together in the city of love,” she mocked and rolled her eyes.

Was she implying what she thought she was implying?

“Aww, babe,” a voice above them called. Paper Star leaned out of a nearby window and openly teased her partner in crime.

Babe?

“She caught you already?” she continued

Tigress groaned again, “not my fault you got easy mode.”

Paper Star jumped down and casually hooked her arms around Tigress’s neck.

“Well I’ve won,” she declared, “now where’s my prize?”

The last thing Carmen expected was for the two of them to kiss right there in front of her, and yet that was exactly what they did.

“I did not need to see that!” She complained.

“You were the one who interrupted our date!” Tigress complained back.

“Do you seriously want me to believe that you two were just spending the evening together in the Louvre as a date?”

“Was that not what you and your little agent were doing too?” Paper Star teased.

Carmen’s reflex was to say no, but… was that what they were doing? They had been walking around, sightseeing, talking and laughing and enjoying each other’s company and- oh god Carmen almost confessed to her back there. 

This was her chance to have a proper date with Jules and it got ruined right at the finish line because of a mission that didn’t even exist in the first place!

She would have time to figure all of this out later, right now she had a job to do and two smug assholes to put in their place. Thankfully she already knew just how to do that.

“You’re right, it was very rude of me to interrupt your romantic evening,” Carmen raised her hands in surrender and backed away, “how about you two get back to what you were doing and I can arrest you both tomorrow?”

“What?” Tigress challenged, “no romantic chase over the rooftops of Paris?”

“I’m sure your girlfriend would love that,” Paper Star added.

“Actually I think Julia would rather just have you behind bars,” she shrugged.

Right on cue the ACME’s blue sleep gas finally reached the both of them, making them both drop on the spot. It was kinda cute how they were put to sleep still holding each other. Carmen almost felt bad for arresting them. Almost.

She pulled her grappling hook again and launched herself through the open window above, landing right next to a very proud Julia Argent.

“Two for one,” Carmen praised, “at this rate, pretty soon you won’t be needing my help anymore.”

“I appreciate the compliment, but I had my partner down there to keep them in place,” Julia replied playfully. Carmen’s heart skipped a beat at the word ‘partner’, even though she knew she meant it as coworkers.

“Always happy to play distraction for you, Jules,” she played along.

Taking another step forward, Carmen felt her sense of balance completely leave her as she accidentally inhaled some sleep gas fumes. 

She tumbled forward, but before she hit the ground she felt Julia’s arms holding her up. It took her a second to shake away the effects of the gas, and another second to process the position they were in. How Julia was holding her like she had just dipped her in a dance.

For a moment they froze, staring into each other’s eyes as they held onto each other, until finally Julia helped her up again.

“I’m so sorry about that,” Julia apologized as she tried to fix up Carmen’s scuffed clothes.

“It’s fine,” Carmen assured her, “I should’ve been more careful around the sleep gas.”

Still Julia fussed over her, readjusting Carmen’s hoodie as she muttered a few more apologies. It took her a moment to notice just how close they were both standing now. The realization made her jump back a bit on reflex, but still she remained considerably close to Carmen.

She took a moment to collect herself before finally asking, “so uh- you had something you wanted to tell me?”

Carmen sighed in relief. Good to know those two hadn’t completely destroyed her chances.

“I just wanted to say that I really enjoyed our time together today,” she admitted, “before we got interrupted that is.”

Julia gave her a genuine smile that made her heart stop, “I enjoyed our time too. It’s nice to be able to talk about these things outside of work.”

“Yeah,” she agreed, feeling her confidence return bit by bit, “wanna do that again sometime? Maybe over some coffee.”

Jules seemed surprised at first as she caught on to what Carmen meant, but that expression was quickly replaced by a playful smile.

“Carmen Sandiego,” she called, “are you asking me out on a date?”

“Nothing escapes ACME’s best detective,” she joked, “I guess I am.”

“Then I’ll have to ask you to wait a little for my answer,” she asked.

Carmen opened her mouth to say that she was more than fine with waiting however long she needed, but she was frozen mid motion when Julia’s lips met her own. A quick, sweet little peck. 

“I want to finish our first before we plan the second.”

[moldisgoodforyou]

lost time (chapter eight)

MASTERLIST

pairing: rafe cameron x oc

warning: cursing

wordcount: 4.2k it’s been a while buckle up 

gif from @poguemackin​

_

Rafe showed up to class on Monday with more nerves than he ever had, unsure of what Sophie’s reaction would be. After having a long heart-to-heart with James and Colin (though he would never call it that), he had come to terms that maybe, just maybe, he liked Sophie Flint more than a friend. He was determined to try, telling himself he would be patient when she would try to argue like always and that he would give it a chance. For once. 

Sophie didn’t seem to get the memo. 

She barely greeted him, only offering a half-smile when she sat next to him - unusually late, only there one minute until class was meant to start. “Running late today?” Rafe elbowed her with a grin.

“Guess so.” She shrugged, head down as she started scrawling into her notebook while their professor started teaching.

He frowned, caught off guard by her cold demeanor, given that they were cuddled together in a bed just under 48 hours ago. “Just teasing, Soph.”

She nodded, keeping her eyes down. “I know.” 

The rest of the class continued like that, Rafe resisting every single urge in his body to tear off a piece of paper and slide her a note. (She’d probably find it annoying, and it wasn’t middle school, anyways.) At the end of class, she didn’t even bother to pack her bag, just gathered her things into her arms and hurriedly left before he even had a second to say goodbye. As promised, he met James to walk to their next class together, looking completely lost. 

“How’d it go?” James asked Rafe with a grin, reaching out to knuckle his fist against Rafe’s hair. 

Rafe ducked out from under him and shoved his arm away, scowling. “Not good. She barely even looked at me, let alone talked to me.” 

“Oh.” James frowned. “Maybe she was just tired? It is kind of early.” 

“Nah, she at least smiles at me. Or have some smart comeback and she didn’t even try today.” Rafe rubbed the back of his neck, thinking about how she avoided him. 

“Huh. Text her and see if she’s okay.” James urged. 

“She probably wouldn’t like that.” Rafe hesitated, but took out his phone anyways. “I don’t want her to think I’m annoying.” 

“Then wait and text her later today. It’ll be fine, dude, don’t stress about it.” 

“I’m not stressed!” Rafe argued. 

James rolled his eyes and grabbed Rafe’s wrist, not letting go when Rafe objected and shoved up his sleeve. He inspected the peeling leather on Rafe’s watch band and dropped his arm, shaking his head. “You scratch up the leather on this when you’re stressed out. And those are new marks.” 

Rafe yanked his sleeve back down over the watch. “I didn’t think you picked up on that.” 

“Well Colin pointed it out first, but now I notice whenever you do it.” James shrugged. “It’s Sophie. She’ll come around.” 

“How are you so sure about this?” 

James shrugged again. “Like we said yesterday. You two are like, magnetic or some shit. There’s no way it won’t work out.” 

_ 

“He didn’t say a single thing to me all class!” Sophie exclaimed the second she walked through the door, huffing as the door slammed shut behind her. 

Both Allie and Julia lifted their heads from their work at their desks, completely unfazed by her loud entrance. She had recapped the events of the night (that she could remember, at least) yesterday morning over brunch, several mimosas, and they both had to talk her down from marching over to the Delt house right that second and asking for answers from Rafe. 

“Not one thing?” Julia asked, skeptical. 

Sophie flopped down dramatically onto the beanbag in the corner. “Well, okay, maybe a few things, but that was it. It’s like he didn’t even try.” 

Allie raised her eyebrows and shut her laptop. “What exactly did he say, Soph?” 

“He asked if I was running late, because, you know, I showed up later -” 

“So you wouldn’t have to talk to him.” Julia pointed out. 

“Only because he didn’t text me at all!” Sophie cried out, shooting a pointed glare her way. “And then he said he was just teasing and that was it.” 

“Did you give him room to respond?” Allie asked gently, trying to get her to see through her flawed logic. 

Sophie huffed, crossing her arms. “Probably.” 

“Oh, probably, that’s a solid answer.” Julia rolled her eyes. “Look, do you want something with him or not?” 

“I…” Sophie faltered, thinking. “I mean, maybe, but not if he can’t even text me after we slept together.” 

“Well how big is he?” Julia grinned. 

Allie reached across the desk, swatting her arm. “Jules!”

“What?!” 

Sophie groaned, covering her face as a blush bloomed on her cheeks. “I don’t even know, guys, I told you I can’t remember anything after we got back to his house. I just remember trying to kiss him and then I woke up in his t-shirt.” She gasped. “Oh my god.” 

“What’s wrong?” Julia frowned. 

“What if I was that bad? Oh god, what if I was genuinely so terrible that he literally never wants to talk to me again? I can’t really walk when I’m drunk, so I’m probably not even good at fucking -” 

“Stop, stop!” Allie laughed, throwing a pencil at her from across the room. “I don’t want to hear the details. Are you even sure you hooked up?” 

“Yeah, why else would I be wearing his shirt?” Sophie reasoned. Her phone chimed and she froze, holding it up. “It’s Rafe. Should I open it?” 

“Yes, stupid, open the text!” Julia exclaimed, scooting her chair closer to see the phone. 

“Be nice!” Sophie scowled, unlocking her phone - and her jaw dropped. “Oh no.” 

“You are so dramatic.” Allie giggled, walking over to see. “What’d he say?” 

“Um...I might have made a mistake.” Sophie groaned, turning her phone to show two texts from Rafe yesterday, and one that had just been sent. 

Rafe, 8:30am Sunday: Everything okay? You didn’t need to leave

Rafe, 4pm Sunday: Hope you’re feeling alright today

Rafe, 10:15 Monday: Are you okay? 

Julia snorted. “Way to leave him on read, Soph.” 

“Jules.” Allie chided, frowning. 

“This is bad, isn’t it.” Sophie bit her lip, embarrassed. 

“It doesn’t look great.” Allie admitted. “But hey! He still checked in on you just now! You can make up for ignoring him.” 

“It wasn’t on purpose!” Sophie defended, already typing back a message. 

“Wait, don’t look too eager.” Julia tried grabbing at the phone and Allie swatted her hands away.

“Don’t listen to her, you’ve been playing hard to get for two and a half years. Eager is fine.”

Sophie paused, glancing between the two of her friends, then sent the text. “Al, if I regret this, I’m blaming you.”

Allie rolled her eyes. “I’d expect nothing less.”

After a moment’s pause with bated breath, her phone chimed again and she grinned, turning the phone away to hide the screen. “Okay, okay, you two can go back to studying.” 

Julia laughed, moving away with Allie. “Don’t forget to be nice for once.” 

“Yeah, yeah.” Sophie stuck out her tongue at Julia, but smiled anyways.

Sophie: yeah I’m good, just tired. sorry I didn’t see your other two texts

Rafe: I was beginning to think you were ignoring me haha

Sophie: no of course not 

Rafe: Good

Rafe: Do you want to come study at the house tomorrow night? We can be in the formal room it just seems silly to go all the way to the library when we live so close 

Sophie: what do we have to study for? 

Rafe: Tomorrow’s Tuesday, did you forget about our running study date lol 

Sophie: date huh 

Rafe: You know what I mean

Sophie: yes I’d love to come over, I’ll see you at the same time 

Once Rafe got Sophie’s final reply, he liked the message then let out a sigh of relief. He hadn’t paid attention to a single thing in his economics lecture, focusing more on texting Sophie and her responses. As their professor dismissed the class, Rafe shut his laptop with a grin, turning to Colin. “Can I -”

“Yes, you can have my notes.” Colin rolled his eyes, walking out with Rafe. “You texting Sophie the whole time?” 

“Yeah, she replies slow - wait, how’d you know?” 

Colin laughed. “You were grinning like an idiot at your computer during the whole lecture, and you hate this class.” 

“Oh.” Rafe tried his best to fight the smile on his face, then shrugged. “We have a date tomorrow.” 

“Really, you actually asked her out? Good on you, man,” Colin said.

“Well.” Rafe hedged, rubbing his neck. “Not exactly. She’s just coming over for when we usually study for our class together.”

Colin groaned and shoved Rafe’s arm. “That’s not a date, idiot. Do better.” 

“I gotta take it slow!” Rafe protested.

“You’ve had your time taking it slow. Make a real move for once.” Colin said, shaking his head. 

_ 

Sophie showed up to the Delt house dressed a little nicer than usual, just enough so Rafe would notice, in a sweater and a skirt. She was more nervous than ever, fidgeting with the ends of her hair as she waited on the front porch. Rafe hustled down the stairs the second he got her text, greeting her at the door with a huge grin. “Soph, hey!” He glanced over her appearance, immediately regretting his t-shirt and sweatpants attire. 

His grin put her at ease and she relaxed, following him into the house. “Got a hot date after this or something?” He teased, leading her to the formal room where a few other boys were out studying.

“And what if I do?” She challenged, taking a seat opposite him at a table.

He raised his eyebrows, trying his best to not show any sign of disappointment. “Do you?” 

She blushed a little but kept his gaze. “I - no. I had a presentation for class.” She lied, embarrassed she had even tried so hard.

“You look good.” Rafe paused. “Really good.”

Sophie bit back a smile, shaking her head a little. “Thank you. Um, we should study, I don’t want to keep you busy for too long.” She slid out her notebook, showing him a few pages of meticulous notes for their debate topic. 

His notes, albeit messy, rivaled hers. “You actually prepared.” She said, impressed as she flipped through the pages.

He frowned a little. “I’ve been prepared every time. I’m not gonna let you down, Soph.” The words held more meaning than just talking about the group project and she did her best to ignore it, nodding as she skimmed over his notebook.

She paused, finger on a small note scribbled in the margin. “You wrote down my coffee order?” 

Rafe blushed, embarrassed, and snagged back the notebook. “Well yeah, I had to remember it somehow.” 

“That’s sweet.” 

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. Less about us, more about the ethics of time travel.” He flipped to a fresh page, ready to take down more notes. The two kept up easy conversation for a while, not noticing the time passing as they worked. When Sophie realized she’d been there for over an hour and the conversation was still surprisingly dry, given what had transpired on Saturday, she reached across the table and snapped Rafe’s book shut. 

“Look, we should just talk about it.” 

“It?” Rafe repeated, raising his eyebrows cluelessly. 

“You know.” Sophie hinted, then huffed when he just looked more confused. “You’re gonna make me say it? Fine. Okay, since we slept together, you haven’t - what the fuck are you smiling for!” She scowled, crossing her arms. 

He was grinning ear-to-ear but leaned back in his chair, clearly amused. “Sorry, sorry go on.” 

“This isn’t funny, Cameron.” 

“That’s Mr. Cameron to you.” He teased. 

She ignored him, rolling her eyes. “Since we slept together you haven’t said a single thing about it. And whatever, I know I was drunk, but if I was really that bad -"

Rafe couldn’t keep the act up anymore and started cracking up, hardly able to keep eye contact. He doubled over, almost wheezing as he laughed.

“It’s not funny!” Sophie hissed, embarrassed as his loud laughter drew attention from boys walking by. 

He swiped his hand across his eyes, shaking his head as he let out a few more chuckles. “Soph, we didn’t sleep together. Not like that.” 

Sophie frowned and it was her turn to be confused. “Wait, what?” 

“You called me when you were drunk, I picked you up and you wanted to come back here, then you asked for clothes to change into to sleep.” A small blush crept up his neck and he looked a little shy. “Then, um, you asked me to come cuddle but I accidentally fell asleep when you did. And I woke up and you were gone.” 

She sat back in her chair, reeling as she processed this new information. “I didn’t sleep with you.”

“Not in anything other than the literal sense, no.” 

“Oh.” 

“See? Nothing to worry about. You were drunk, I wouldn’t have - you know. I just wanted you safe.”

At those words, she remembered him saying them that night. “And you practically saved my life.” 

Rafe paused. “Huh? I mean, you almost stepped out into traffic. But wait, you were hammered, how do you remember that?”

She rolled her eyes. “I remember practically everything even when I’m drinking, what do you mean?” 

“Practically everything…” he repeated, slowly. She could practically see the wheels turning in his head at her confession. His jaw dropped. “So you lied! About our first kiss!” 

“I...yeah.” Trapped in her lie, Sophie winced. “I don’t know why. I’m sorry, I just didn’t want you to think I go around letting just anyone kiss me when I’m drunk.” 

Rafe laughed, shaking his head. “You kissed me, Sophie Flint. Not the other way around.”

She scowled at the name. “Oh, not the full name now, you’re making it sound like I’m in trouble.”

He hesitated, glancing down at his notes before looking back up at her. “Why’d you lie?” 

“I was nervous.” She admitted, biting her lip. “Maybe I thought you’d think less of me or something, I don’t know.”

He softened, reaching out across the table to take her hand. She let him, brain fogging over as he rubbed gentle circles on the back of her hand with his thumb. “I’d never think that, Soph.”

She took a moment too long to reply, distracted by his touch. “Okay. Good.” 

“Should we finish?” He asked, not letting go of her hand.

She was the first to let go, reluctantly pulling her hand back to her book. “Yeah. Um.” Sophie blushed, flipping through a few pages randomly to give her a moment to think. “Page 54, yeah?” 

_

The second Rafe waved goodbye to Sophie and let the door shut behind her, James and Colin practically ambushed him in the foyer. They had been ‘studying’ in the corner of the formal room, not-so-subtly giving Rafe multiple winks and thumbs up from behind Sophie’s back as they tried eavesdropping on their entire conversation. James clapped Rafe on the shoulder, grinning. “Ask her out yet?” 

“No.” Rafe responded, still confused from their conversation. They had gotten nowhere, yet they had also gotten...somewhere? “I held her hand.” 

“For two seconds.” Colin rolled his eyes. 

“Still something!” James interjected, ever-positive. “But dude, if you want something, you actually have to make a move. Like…” He pretended to lean in with puckered lips and Rafe shoved his head away, rolling his eyes.

“I know, dude. I gotta take it slow.” 

“You keep saying that.” Colin pointed out. “When are you actually going to do something about it?”

Rafe scowled. “Get off my back.” 

_

She couldn’t do it. She really couldn’t. 

Every single bone in her body wanted to just give in, be nice to Rafe, see if they could be a thing. But that would require letting someone in, being vulnerable, and Rafe Cameron of all people was not who she could do that with. (At least that’s what she told herself.) She could feel herself falling for him, and that freaked her out. 

Their study dates had gone from once a week at the library to twice a week at the Delt house. Never at Theta, she wasn’t prepared for the rumors that would fly and hearing girls speculate about a possible relationship. The reality check for her came when Julia called her out for waking up early for class just so she could put on a little extra makeup or make sure her hair wasn’t just thrown in its usual ponytail. “If you like him, just say something.” Allie had encouraged her, trying to give her the push she needed.

Sophie resisted, as usual. “There’s nothing between us.” 

They really only needed thirty minutes, max, to knock out their prep for their debate class, but Sophie found herself stretching out the time to an hour and a half, sometimes two. Rafe never seemed to mind, eager to keep discussing the merits of their side of the debate and to just see that spark in her eyes for a little bit longer as she spoke about something she was passionate about. 

Today had to be different. She set a timer on her watch the second she stepped through the doors at Delt, following Rafe through to their usual study spot. Sophie told herself she was only allowed to stay the thirty minutes, nothing more, and keep the conversation strictly to work. Maybe even be a little mean, if she had to, to push him away again. (It always worked before.) 

“How was your day?” He greeted her with his signature grin and she visibly winced, already feeling herself cave. She sat across from him and glanced at her watch. Twenty-nine minutes. God. She could do that. 

“Fine.” She replied shortly, not reciprocating. 

He nodded, unaware, and tapped his foot nervously under the table. “That’s good. So I was thinking, if you wanted to, maybe, after studying -"

“I can’t.” She cut him off. “I can’t stay long, I’m busy. Let’s just get this done.” 

“Oh - oh. Okay. Sorry.” He apologized needlessly, rubbing the back of his neck.

“It’s whatever.” Sophie dismissed. “So I was thinking we focus our argument on these three main points…”

He tuned her out and just skimmed over the notebook she slid over to him, eyes tracing over the words but not truly reading any of them. Rejected. Huh. He didn’t even get the chance to get the words out, ask her to go get ice cream after. Maybe that would have been a stupid move anyways, considering it was the last week of October in Ohio and only forty degrees outside. Next time he’d think of a better plan, next time he’d -

“Rafe.” Sophie’s annoyed voice snapped him out of his reverie.

He jerked his head up. “Huh?”

She rolled her eyes. “God, were you even listening? Pay attention.”

He resisted a frown, halfway paying attention now as she spoke. Did he do something wrong? He thought they were getting along, flirty even. Maybe he misread the signs. “What’s up with you today?” He asked, more concerned than irritated. 

“Nothing.” 

“Are you sure? Because your attitude seems like something.” He couldn’t resist pressing her buttons, just once. 

“I don’t have an attitude. Just trying to get this stupid homework done.” She snapped back.

He raised his hands in defense, a little taken aback. “Whoa, chill. We can get it done, you don’t have to be rude.” 

Sophie softened, just a little, and glanced at her watch again. 23 minutes. Maybe she didn’t have to entirely be an asshole. “Right.”

Rafe held her gaze for a moment, as if trying to read the thoughts running through her mind. “Okay. So I was thinking…” They kept a somewhat civil conversation, strictly related to their class, though Rafe could tell something felt off. She didn’t have the usual teasing lilt in her tone and he was too nervous to even try his typical flirting - his hand grazing against hers, or a sly comment here and there. 

After a few minutes of reading together from a new article on Rafe’s laptop, he spoke up. “Hey, Soph -” he started with a hint of a frown. 

“Sophie.” She corrected, keeping her eyes trained on the computer. 

Rafe’s face fell flat and he pressed his lips together into a thin line, nodding once. “Never mind then.” 

“What is it?” 

“I said never mind.” He repeated, shaking his head. 

The rest of the time was fairly quiet as they scribbled out notes for their arguments, sharing a relevant piece of information every few minutes. 

“Why’d you choose architecture?” Rafe asked after a few moments of silence, both of them reading over their textbooks.

“Study, Rafe.” Sophie reprimanded him with a bored tone, keeping her eyes on her book ‘til she finished the page. He glanced over her expression, trying to decide if she was serious or not, then went back to his book. 

“I thought it was cool. I like seeing the way things work, how buildings are crafted. Everything has a purpose.” She spoke after a moment. 

He smiled. “That’s cool. I can tell you like it.”

“You hardly know me,” Sophie pointed out. 

(Not true. He could read her like a book after all these years, knowing exactly when she was about to snap. She could do the same.)

 He frowned, feeling her putting up a wall, her typical defense mechanism when she didn’t want to admit the truth. “I think I do.” He argued, keeping her gaze. She rolled her eyes and broke eye contact first, dropping her eyes back to her book. 

He sighed, quietly, and returned to pretending to read. 

Sophie broke the silence this time. “Why are you studying film?”

He looked up, a little surprised she was taking interest. “Uh…” he trailed off, trying to think of how best to phrase it. “Movies were always my escape. If my dad was busy with work, y’know, like usual, he’d just throw on a movie for me and my sisters.” He smiled, thinking back. “I’m pretty sure I have Hercules memorized by heart now.” 

“That’s cool. My favorite Disney movie was Robin Hood.” Sophie mused, scribbling a couple notes in the margins of her book. She tried her best to keep an impassive composure, although she wanted nothing more inside than to spend hours just talking about his interests and seeing the way he beamed when she was interested too. 

“I never really liked him. Didn’t he steal from people?” 

“Not really, he stole from the tax collector and gave the money to the poor people.” She pointed out. 

“Oh.” Rafe paused, not sure if he wanted to continue the argument. “System’s in place for a reason, right?” 

Sophie wrinkled her nose, annoyance creeping into her tone. There was something about his indifference that made her just want to reach across the table and shake some sense into him. “Not when the government is creating an illegitimate tax system.” 

He shrugged. “Dunno. Guess I never watched that closely.” 

“Well I’m right, anyways.” She declared, lifting her chin a little in a challenge. 

“It doesn’t matter anyways, Flint, it’s a cartoon.” Rafe replied, slightly exasperated. There it was - back to last names. For some reason, it made Sophie madder than ever. She hated the way it rolled off his tongue so easily, like he knew her by nothing else. 

“It does matter, Cameron, it’s the principle of the thing.” She turned up her nose haughtily toward him, crossing her arms. She knew she was doing exactly what she shouldn’t do, chipping away at their already rocky relationship built on a foundation of uneven stone. “But I’m not surprised you wouldn’t care.” 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” He retorted, mimicking her pose from across the table. 

“It means you’re a dick. Always relying on daddy’s money.” Sophie stood her ground, jaw set. The way she said it, it was too sure, too carefully crafted to hit just where it’d hurt. Casual, almost, as if it meant nothing to say that. Like she’d been waiting to use that line for ages. 

That stung more than he expected, even though he’d heard it before - just not from her lips. He shot his response back quickly, too quickly, and regretted the words the second they left his mouth. “At least I don’t have to work two jobs just to pay for college.” 

Her face turned to stone as she felt the heat creeping up her neck, threatening to expose her embarrassment. Sophie gathered her things quickly, carelessly shoving them into her backpack, then paused before leaving to look him straight in the eye. “That’s fucking low, Rafe, even for you.” She said quietly. The words hung in the air between them as she turned sharply on her heel and strode calmly away, trying to beat the tears on the verge of spilling over her cheeks. 

Her watch vibrated on her wrist just as she stepped outside, hot tears welling up in her eyes. Thirty minutes. Timed perfectly.

taglist: @obx-saltlife​ @dontjinx-it @butgilinsky @oopsiedoopsie23 @taiter-tots @annedub​ @alexandracheers

[redhoodieone]

Hate You More

A new fic that I was inspired to write! There will be a Part 2 since this is going to get VERY smutty. Enjoy!

WARNINGS: Language. Mentions a little smut.

I’m a princess. Well, a “bit” of a princess. But that’s not exactly my fault. I’m an only child. My mom and dad always wanted one kid and once they had me they were happy...until they divorced when I was eight-years-old and my dad left somewhere far away. Ever since then, it was always just me and mom, which was never a bad thing.

We were close and got along just fine. Every weekend was our Nicholas Sparks movie marathons on the couch, eating a shit ton of strawberry ice cream straight from the carton, and painting each other’s nails and having her braid my hair and tell me stories of when I was little.

Everything was perfect with just me and my mom...until she married him.

Bruce Wayne.

I never thought my mom would ever want to remarry but Bruce somehow stole her heart and made her fall in love with him.

I didn’t want to blame her for being so stupid for marrying him. I mean, Bruce did treat my mom right. I just hated him so much for convincing my mom to move us into his mansion.

So far away from my first home.

But I know he really loves her, despite being known as a billionaire playboy, womanizing, man whore. After three years into their marriage, I noticed he really cared about me and treated me like his daughter; certainly overprotective and reminding me if I ever needed anything to always go to him.

He even helped me get into GCU. With his help, I’m now into my second year. He’s really proud that I’m a responsible, twenty-one year old college student, and that makes me feel good.

But it hasn’t always been perfect with Bruce. Not only did I get a stepdad, but I got THREE asshole stepbrothers: Dick, Jason, and Tim. They’re the boys Bruce adopted.

Dick wasn’t exactly an asshole. He’s twenty-five years old and he’s always in and out of the mansion. He’s a party animal and I rarely see him unless he’s home for Sunday dinners and for Alfred to do his laundry.

Tim is tolerable. He’s always kind to me, but he’s also a shy and awkward fourteen-year-old. He’s seriously a nerd and he’s becoming an addict to coffee and always being on his computer. But he doesn’t bother me at all.

Not like Jason Fucking Todd.

He’s twenty-one years old and is a complete lazy ass who mooches on everyone.

I honestly hated him the second I met Jason. The second my mom and I moved into the mansion, I had set down backpack on the kitchen counter so I could remove my sweater and throw away the empty bag of fried fast food I had for lunch. The moment I turned around, Jason had jumped up to sit on the kitchen counter and had the nerve to pick up my backpack and throw it to the floor.

“Oops! Your shit was in my spot.”

I had my fucking cell phone, laptop, and picture frames of my family in there.

And that’s how it all started. Jason made it very clear he hates me and I refuse to back down and be nice to him. I mean, the fucking asshole has zero respect for me anyways. All he does is drink, eat all the food, and bring bar sluts home to fuck loudly in his bedroom which is right NEXT DOOR TO MINE!!!

All night and early in the mornings. All I can hear is Jason’s headboard slamming repeatedly against the wall and his bimbos screaming, “Oh God! Right there, Jay! Oh my God, HARDER!”

Seeing him afterwards is worse though. I could be walking to the bathroom or the kitchen and he’d just happen to come by to use the bathroom too, or get a drink of water...only using a sheet that’s wrapped around his waist!

He’d fucking smirk at me and I would try so hard to not look down at his big bulge and thick hard on.

Jason is my stepbrother...only my stepbrother, I constantly remind myself.

But Jason is also an asshole. He may look sexy and taste delicious but his one unattractive flaw is his behavior.

And I’m not one to sit back and let assholes walk all over me. I do get back at Jason quite a bit; enough to piss him off.

Today is one of the days I decide to have a big appetite. After my shower, I run downstairs only wearing my comfy pajama short shorts and a black tank top. I remember Dick is at his own apartment and Alfred is away in London on “holiday” as he calls it. Entering the kitchen, I see Mom making breakfast for us: pancakes, bacon, and sausage.

Bruce is sitting at the kitchen table, drinking his coffee and reading on his cellphone. Tim is drinking a cup of coffee (maybe 5th refill?) and eating pancakes and some sausage.

“Good morning,” I say to all of them.

“Good morning sweetie,” Mom replies with such a warm motherly smile.

Bruce grins at me. “Good morning, Y/N.”

All Tim does is nod his head to me and continues to eat.

“I’m starving,” I say and already fill my plate with two pancakes and some bacon and sausage as well.

I take a seat next to Tim and dig in. Ace, Bruce’s dog moves closer to my feet and looks up at me for some food. Fucking puppy dog eyes...I sneak a few pieces of bacon to him.

Mom eventually sits down with hers and Bruce’s plate. He smiles lovingly at her and the two kiss.

It’s a calming morning. Everyone’s eating and just enjoying the silence...until the asshole comes into the kitchen.

Jason literally has no shame. He comes in only wearing his black boxers and has very cute bed head. Stop it, Y/N. He’s completely shirtless. Not even acknowledging he’s in the kitchen, Jason quickly makes a plate for himself which he only puts three pancakes and like two handful sizes of bacon.

I silently growl and tighten my hand around my fork as I’m stuck looking at his bare, muscular upper body. His arms look strong. He’s just...all muscle. All man.

But then I remember he’s a fucking asshole and I hate him.

As if he can feel my eyes on him, Jason quickly glances at me and smirks. He actually fucking flexes his muscles for me.

I immediately look down because I just know my cheeks are red like tomatoes. God, does he have to be so attractive???

“Good morning, princess,” Jason taunts me, after greeting everyone else, obviously. He sits directly in front of me with that shit eating grin. “Did you sleep well last night?”

I glare at him. Fuck him. “Yeah, I did. You know very well that I can’t sleep peacefully unless you bring a whore home and fuck her until she’s blue in the face, Jason. I mean, when it’s so quiet at night, I just can’t fall asleep! It’s impossible! It’s like I HAVE to hear you fuck just to go to sleep!” I say sarcastically.

“So, you do listen to me when I fuck my girls, huh? Is your sex life nonexistent that you have to get yourself off on others who actually get off?” Jason jokes and shoves a piece of bacon in his mouth. “That’s pretty pathetic, even for you, Y/N. At least Tiny Tim here watches internet porn. Maybe you should start getting yourself off with that instead of listening to me fuck.”

“Jason...” Bruce warns. “Don’t even start this morning.”

“Start what? I’m not even doing anything,” Jason says. He raises an eyebrow at me and keeps that fucking smirk on his face.

“Leave Y/N alone, Jason,” Tim butts in.

“Quiet Timbers. Let the princess tell me off. I love it when she gets all red and pissed off.”

My mom glances at me with a serious look, too. Why is she giving me that look when I didn’t even do anything?!

“Aw, there’s sausage?! I didn’t know there was sausage up there!” Jason whines. His eyes dart from my plate over to my mom and Bruce.

“I actually served the last few pieces to Bruce. I’m sorry, Jason,” my mom apologizes. She frowns and looks down at hers and Bruce’s empty plates.

“That’s all right. I see there’s still five uneaten sausages on Y/N’s plate,” Jason says and smirks at me. He looks down at my plate and back up at me. “You’re not going to eat them, are you princess? Because if not, I want them.”

He’s fucking teasing me. Jason is mocking me with those green eyes and that fucking smile that wets every girl’s panties. It’s like he actually believes he’s going to get away with this. He really thinks he’s going to get what he wants. Jason slowly reaches a hand towards my plate to get my sausages.

I want to burst his cocky bubble in front of everyone.

“Actually...I’m going to give them to the dog. And by dog, I mean Ace,” I say, quickly grabbing all the sausages in my hand and feed them to Ace under the table. “You see, I don’t feed dirty dogs like you. Ace is a clean, loyal, and sweet dog. You on the other hand are a dirty, disgusting, slut who fucks anything with a hole.”

My sudden outburst startles everyone at the table. I see everyone’s wide eyes and open mouths hanging in shock at me.

Jason chuckles lowly. His eyes are full of anger and hatred for me. “What did you just say to me?” he asks.

“You heard me,” I reply with the same tone. “Unless you lost your hearing due to all the screaming from the banshee skank you brought home last night from only God knows where.”

“You know, you’re starting to sound like a jealous bitch. For someone who has claimed to hate me and not want anything to do with me on multiple occasions, you seem to be really obsessed about my sex life,”

“Oh please, don’t flatter yourself,”

“Y/N stop,” my mom says.

“You think I’m flattering myself?! I’m not the one who always checks myself out! You know, I always see you staring at me right?! If anything, you’re flattered by me!” Jason snaps.

“ENOUGH!!!” Bruce shouts.

We’re all silent but Jason and I continue to stare each other down.

“I’ve had enough of the two of you fighting! It’s old and it’s seriously ridiculous. It needs to end now. Your mother and I are going to leave for Spain tonight, and I don’t want to hear anything bad about the two of you while we’re gone. Now, apologize to each other,” Bruce says.

“Apologize to the princess? For what?! She’s a fucking bitch, who’s always bitching, and she’s basically the biggest bitch who ever bitched!” Jason yells. “She should apologize to me!”

“If I’m a fucking bitch then that makes you the biggest asshole here! You’re literally the most disgusting, disrespectful, lazy ass guy I have ever met! You have NO respect for anyone who lives here! Why should I fucking apologize to you?! All you do is drink, eat all the food, and bring random whores to our house and force us all to listen to you have sex!” I yell back.

“Our house? You think this is your house, too? I hate to burst your “bitching bubble” sweetheart, but this isn’t your house! You’re extra baggage that had to be dragged here! Your mom was wanted here; not you. As far as I’m concerned, you’re not even family!” Jason yells louder than before.

My bottom lip trembles uncontrollably. I feel tears running down my cheeks. I need to get out of here before I completely break down in front of Jason.

“You’re such a fucking asshole, Jason!” I choke out.

I quickly jump out of my seat and run up the stairs. After I slam my bedroom door, I throw myself down onto my bed and cry. I can even hear Bruce screaming his head off and tearing Jason a new one.

——————————————————————————

I wake up to an empty stomach. Rolling over onto my back, I rub my eyes and yawn. It’s dark in my bedroom; indicating it’s already nighttime. I reach for my cellphone on my nightstand and see it’s already eight o’clock.

I must have been really exhausted to have slept the day away. Those days usually happen after I cry a lot and feel like shit.

Mom and Bruce are probably already gone. Their Spain trip is only for the weekend. I’m seriously glad about that since I don’t know how I’m going to get through the weekend with Jason still around.

Maybe if I’m lucky he’s already at the bar and picking up skanks. That means I have time to eat and a few hours of silence for myself.

I decide to go downstairs and I instantly notice all the lights are off except for the kitchen light. Slowly stepping into the kitchen, I see it’s empty and that there’s a big box of pizza and two drinks; a bottle of beer and a glass of orange juice with the bottle of Vodka next to it.

Raising an eyebrow in question, I look around to see who did this. Noticing the back sliding door is open, I walk over slowly to peek out.

Jason.

On the phone and sitting at the patio table.

He doesn’t see me but I can hear him clearly.

“Do you think she’ll really like it?”

[musings-from-mars]

part 4 por favor? Maybe Ruby starts noticing the "tension" between Cinder and Blake and starts setting them up?

Freelance Love Triangle AU - Part 4

They arrived at the outdoor gallery, and Ruby was already zipping around here and there, thinking out loud about angles and framing, all while gushing about the art on display, choosing her favorites. “This is so cool!” She said to Blake and Cinder.

“It’s a lovely installation,” Cinder agreed, the corner of her mouth turned up. “Don’t you think so, Blake?”

It was a pretty magnificent showcase. Crude marble pillars of varying heights and widths stood in a seemingly random arrangement, each with art pieces hung on the sides. The pieces of 3D art stood in spaces between pillars. While there were two equally tall pillars that served as the “entrance” to the exhibition, it was open air and seemingly boundless, as the pillars became fewer and farther between the further from the center you moved.

At the very center of the gallery was a massive metal sculpture of what looked like a suit of armor, but it was matte black, and the plates of armor were spaced out from one another so it was easy to see right through the gaps. It stood on a concrete cube labeled “SOAPBOX” with “various artists” engraved underneath. The artists were making a point, and Blake’s mind raced trying to decipher what it might be.

But then Ruby started talking to Cinder, and that broke Blake’s focus immediately.

“The suit is faceless, and the armor having such obvious gaps indicates that the suit is vulnerable,” Cinder explained to Ruby as she looked up at the sculpture, which Ruby craning her neck to do the same. “Yet it stands on a soapbox, elevated and arrogant, despite the flaws in its defenses. I think it makes a point about the illusions of authority and strength of those in power, and the general populace’s compliance despite the obvious flaws that everyone can see if they look close enough.”

“Woah, that’s so cool…” Ruby murmured with wonder.

Blake didn’t want to feel as annoyed as she did, because Cinder’s take on it was pretty much exactly how Blake viewed the piece, but dammit, she wanted to impress Ruby too! She tried to come up with something original to say, but she didn’t want to sound desperate. Cinder was too smooth and eloquent.

“I imagine it took a long time to fashion the metal and assemble it, probably took several weeks, even for a team of artists,” Cinder pondered.

“If you were to get into contact with the artists, you might know for sure,” Blake remarked, not intending to sound so combative, but it was said. “There’s more to this than what the viewer can interpret. Anyone can come around here and write an article about what they think it all means in a day, but we’re putting together something bigger. We need testimonies from the artists, opinions of other creatives…”

Cinder had turned from the sculpture and was glaring at her, arms crossed over her chest. “Well, isn’t that why you’re here? You’re the networking specialist, after all.”

“It’s your project too, you know,” Blake said, stepping closer to her, then sort of regretting doing that now that she was close enough to smell her perfume. “I’m not doing all the interviews while you sit back and write down your opinions. You’ve got to pull your weight.”

“I’ve pulled plenty of weight. I haven’t even shown you the drafts I have yet,” Cinder countered, and for some reason thought it appropriate to smile at Blake. She looked down her nose a bit at her, making Blake resent Cinder’s slight height advantage. “After all, isn’t it only fair that I handle the majority of the writing, you acquire the testimonies, and Ruby handles the accompanying media? Let’s all do what we’re good at here, huh?”

Blake hated it when she made a good point. She wanted to counter-argue but she knew that would be counterproductive. “So I’m going have to handle all of the interviews? That will take up so much of my work time, you really will be on the hook for pretty much all of the writing.”

“Like I said, it’s what we’re good at,” Cinder repeated and shrugged. She leaned her weight on one leg in that sexy way that kind of pissed Blake off. “You think so, Ruby?”

Ruby had been silent the whole time, pressing her lips together as she stood by during the intense exchange. When she heard her name spoken, she snapped out of it a bit and blinked. “Oh, yeah, I think that’s a good idea. Uhm, Robyn wanted us to allocate, right?”

“Right,” Cinder agreed and nodded. “That was easy, we’ve already allocated. Wonderful job, team.”

If Blake gritted her teeth any harder she’d have to book a dentist appointment. Thankfully, Cinder took that moment to turn away from her and walk over to one of the gallery’s pillars, swaying her hips like an annoying exotic bird.

I hate you I hate you I haaaaate you—

“Ruby, I think if you got one of these pillars in the foreground with the sculpture in the background, that could maybe be a candidate for cover,” Cinder said.

Ruby hurried over to look at what she meant, leaving Blake standing next to Soapbox, shoulders slumped forward and her face burning hot.

Was getting cover worth it? Was getting to work with Ruby worth how insufferable and annoying aloof Cinder was? Blake was seriously considering it, but then she watched as Ruby giggled at something Cinder said, and she knew then that she had to stick with this, for whatever other reasons, but mostly to make sure Ruby and Cinder didn’t become a thing.

Was that shitty of her? Maybe. But the thought of that happening made her blood boil.

~~~

“How about I take you both for a drink?”

The offer felt like it came out of nowhere. The three of them were waiting on a bench not far from the gallery. Night had fallen, and while they had gotten plenty of photos and Blake had gotten the chance to take some notes about the various artists, it wasn’t that late. Blake was about to hail a rideshare because she just wasn’t in the mood to walk all the way home, but (while she kind of hated that she did), Blake considered Cinder’s offer.

“That sounds like fun, sure!” Ruby said. She sat between Blake and Cinder, tapping away at her laptop as she backed up the photos of the day. Even as time went on, she hadn’t lost any energy, which Blake was impressed by. She certainly couldn’t say the same for herself she was fresh out of college.

“Lovely,” Cinder said with a smile.

Well, if Ruby was going with Cinder, Blake was definitely going, too. “Sure. I could use a drink. But I’m not staying out late, nor should any of us. We’ve got more work to do tomorrow.”

Cinder nodded knowingly. “Just a little excursion. We’ll save the proper night out for Friday.” Blake couldn’t tell if she was joking or not. “I know I nice little bar near here. It’s the quaint type, for hipsters like us.”

Blake chuckled a bit at that. “Great, I love craft beer,” she said sarcastically.

“I’ve never had anything other than hard seltzer,” Ruby admitted with a shy chuckle. “Do they have that?”

“I’m sure they do, hun,” Cinder assured her with a smile that made the hairs on the back of Blake’s neck stand up.

Ruby rubbed the back of her neck bashfully as she shut her laptop, having finished saving her images. “Not to be a stereotypical gay or anything.”

Blake snorted a laugh, then blushed at the fact she’d snorted. “What, do gays like hard seltzer?”

“I guess?” Ruby shrugged, still blushing.

“I’m more of a red wine lesbian myself, we all have our tastes,” Cinder told her, her voice dripping with a flirtatious lull, as if she were already a glass deep.

Blake chewed on the inside of her mouth. She figured “whatever sounds good at the time bisexual” wouldn’t sound as sexy as red wine lesbian. Then again, she’d never had a hard seltzer. “I’ll get whatever you get, Ruby. I’m curious.”

Ruby giggled, her cheeks rosy and dimpled when she grinned. “Oh no, now I really hope you like it or else I’ll seem like I have bad taste.”

Blake smiled and shook her head. “Don’t worry, hun, I think I’ll like it just fine.” She felt proud of herself for slipping a “hun” in there like Cinder had. The combination of Ruby blushing and Cinder shooting her a glare of recognition was a satisfying confidence boost.

Ruby tapped her feet on the concrete a few times, like she was letting out a sudden excess of energy, and she hopped off the bench. “We should go! The night’s not getting any younger, right?”

Cinder stood with her, her hands tucked in her jacket pockets. “We should. I’ll lead the way.”

Blake sighed as she followed, the group beginning to follow Cinder’s lead away from the park. She hoped she’d seen the end of Cinder’s funny business, but she knew that was a hope in futility. She had to be planning something, right?

The best Blake could think to do was be there to see what it was.

[saiilorstars]

Dare To Forget Me

Ch. 33: Secret Detectives

Previous chapters // Montserrat's masterlist

Fandom: SVU // Pairing:  Rafael Barba x OFC

Warnings: Due to the nature of the series’ plots, I do have to rate this as ‘mature’ for constant mentions of rape.

Taglist: @ocfairygodmother​ @anotherunreadblog​ @maaaaarveeeeel​​ @stareyedplanet​ @perfectlystiles​ @averyhotchner​ [If you’d like to be added to this specific OC’s stories/edits, send me a message!]

~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ` 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~

Chapter Summary: Montserrat does the opposite of what Calhoun begs her to do. She and Damian are on the same page when it comes to Gael's trial.

"Hey, where's your brother?" Montserrat startled Kara just as the woman was about to put on lipstick. Instead of going on her lips, like a normal person would do, it went over her cheek.

"Montse!" the blonde huffed and threw Montserrat a glare for her imprudence, not that the detective noticed.

"What?"

Kara gestured at her red-stained face. "I have a lunch date with Sonny!"

"Oh please," the detective snorted and looked away. "He's in too deep to notice any flaws in you."

"While that is both lovely and stress-relieving, I still like looking nice," Kara got up from her vanity desk's chair and went in search for a makeup removal wipe around the room.

"Okay but seriously, have you got any news on Damian? He texted me this morning saying that he might have found a clue of where that missing security feed video went but he hasn't texted me anything else."

"So why would he text me?" huffed Kara again. She'd found her makeup removal wipes and had returned to the vanity desk. She leaned close to the mirror in order to strategically remove only the lipstick smudge and not her entire makeup.

"Because I'm desperate and hopeful, what else?"

Kara mockingly glared through the mirror.

"So?" the detective went on like nothing. "Did he happen to text you?"

"No," sighed Kara. "And if he does, I will call you straightaway. I promise."

"Thanks," Montserrat said and moved to leave only to stop by the doorway to look back. "And why are you putting on so much make up anyways? You're going to be stuffing your face with food."

"Get out!" Kara pointed, making Montserrat laughed. She could hear Montserrat's laughter even as the woman left, but Kara secretly decided she would much rather have this version of her best friend than the totally depressed version she had not too long ago. She wasn't sure what it was that changed - since Gael was still on trial - but Kara was thankful that something did change.

~ 0 ~

The last thing Rafael expected to see in his office in the middle of the day was Montserrat comfortably sitting at his desk, in his chair. "What...are you doing…?" he closed the door behind him, not that it would matter since Carmen had the day off. He'd be in trials all day today.

"I own your office now," Montserrat waved him off as most of her focus was on her laptop in front of her.

"No, I'm pretty sure you don't," Rafael countered as he walked up to his desk, but even him putting his briefcase down with a loud thud wasn't enough to startle Montserrat out of his chair.

"I seem to recall that yesterday you said I owned you so-" she looked up with a big smile on her face, a sarcastic one at that, "-I own the office now too. So could you please…" she made a gesture for him to actually leave the office.

"I did not say you owned me, I said..." Rafael cleared his throat when he remembered the moment he uttered similar words to the ones Montserrat was saying. It involved a lot of kissing in which he might have lost some of his lucidity. "I said: 'You might have me wrapped around your finger.' Emphasis on the 'might'."

Montserrat still smirked at him, quite proudly too. "It's amazing what I can get you to say when these-" she tapped her finger over her lips, "-are at work."

Rafael didn't know whether to laugh or snap. He'd been in more puzzled states this week alone than he had been over any case he ever handled. But he liked it. A lot. "Get out of my chair," he instructed, though smiling now, "And stop being so sarcastic. I have a short lunch break today."

"I know, those cases Olivia has me reading to catch up are terrible," Montserrat leaned back on his chair. "I'm swamped in files and when I'm not doing that I'm tailing after Damian and going to my brother's trials. So, you want to try again and tell me to get up from this comfortable chair?"

Rafael rolled his eyes. "No, I guess not."

Montserrat smugly smiled at him. "I wouldn't have been able to get away with this-" she rubbed her hands over the chair's arm-rest, "-if I wasn't kissing you every so often now, huh?" Not too long ago he was snapping at her to stop sitting over his desk.

Rafael decided to skip her moment of high ego. His break was truly short. "You're extra smug today - is there a new development in your brother's trial?" he moved around the desk and tapped the top of her laptop.

"Sort of," she straightened up in the chair. "Damian said this morning that he may have gotten a clue of where the missing security camera video went, but he hasn't updated me. I want to go down there and find it myself already. It's agonizing waiting."

"You do that and you ruin your brother. Is that what you want?"

"...no."

"Then what do you think you should do?"

"...wait," Montserrat answered in a low mutter.

"There you go. Now get out of my chair."

Montserrat rolled her eyes but this time she listened and stood up. "Is there something I should know about that chair, or…?"

"Yes, it's my chair. And...it's my chair," he said dead serious, thinking it was a fairly good reason.

She shut her laptop down and switched spots with him so he could finally take his seat. "While I'm here, I just have to ask something really quick. And I wouldn't ask because...I know this-" she gestured between herself and him, "-is brand new. Like 3 days new, but…"

"You could get on with it before lunch is over, you know."

Her expression went flat. "I have to make sure we're on the same page, okay? Kara's noticed I'm a bit more…" her left hand went in circles while she came up with the right word, "...happier?"

Rafael's expression immediately turned into a smug smile. "Really?"

"Shut up," Montserrat pointed at him. She didn't want that smug look to stay on his face forever, because she was sure he could do that.

"I didn't say anything-"

"-but your face says it all. But being really serious here, I didn't tell her anything."

"Montserrat, I never told you to keep it a secret-"

"-I know, I know," She folded her arms over her chest and leaned against the desk. "I would just like to know...where exactly we stand."

"You mean telling people or not?"

"Aha."

"That depends solely on you," Rafael rose from his chair, giving her a small smile. He was fairly amused by her sudden nervousness. "I have no problem letting anyone know to stay away from you- I mean that we're together."

Montserrat shot him a look. But even if she wanted to pretend to be annoyed at the comment, she couldn't because she felt the same way towards him. She didn't want anyone else going near him.

But then again…

"Well," she pushed herself away from the desk and stepped closer to him, "I kind of like this right now. No one really knows except for Sonny but he's an easy one to keep quiet."

"You mean because you'll scare him to death?"

"Yes," she grinned then leaned on him with her hands on his chest. "I really like how you think."

"Really? Because that's not what you used to say," he curled his hands over hers. "In fact, it was just one of the many things you used to hate about me. Like my attitude…"

"Still hate that, actually."

"And my voice…"

"Only just getting past it, really."

"And my mouth…"

"Still hate that," Montserrat wiggled one of her hands from his to tap one finger over his lips. "I really hate it, to be honest."

"Oh, you still do?" Rafael gingerly pulled her finger off his lips and wrapped his hand over hers entirely. Now he could truly relish in her warmth and her softness — these 3 days, though casual so far, had made him feel the best he'd ever been in such a long time.

"I still do," Montserrat tried pulling her hand from his but he had a tight grip on it.

"I guess I still have some work to do, then," Rafael brought her hand to his lips for a soft kiss.

"Work hard then," Montserrat chuckled. She watched as he wrapped one arm around her waist while his other hand freely went up and down her side. She actually hated that he had this effect on her when he wasn't really doing anything except touching her. What irritated her more was that she had yet to find something that gave him the same feeling. Yes, he did clearly enjoy their time together these past days but Montserrat felt like there could be more feelings than what he expressed.

In layman's terms, she felt like she needed to figure out what made him tick. That way, she could drive him crazy...like he drove her crazy.

Just as they shared one kiss, Montserrat's cellphone started buzzing in her pocket. "Sorry," she pulled the phone out and saw it was a text. "Gael's case. Damian thinks he might have found the place where the video's hidden. I have to run."

"Uh, is it...is it just going to be you and him?" Rafael really hoped that question didn't sound as awkward as he thought it did. He fully blamed Sonny for putting that idea into his head, but then he remembered what he saw in the courthouse 3 days ago and…

Sonny may have been right.

And he may have been jealous.

Montserrat still didn't have a clue about it, so she just nodded and casually answered the question with a 'yeah'. "Casey's meeting us afterwards."

"Ah."

Montserrat stuffed her laptop into her bag then noticed his unusual quietness. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Rafael went to take his seat again, but even that movement was unusually shifty.

Montserrat's eyebrows wrinkled together. She put her laptop down on the desk and looked at him again. "Are we...good?"

"Of course we are," he smiled softly at her. It was convincing straight away.

"O...kay," she nodded slowly. "So then, we've agreed to keep things...quiet?"

"Do you want to?"

"...kind of? I mean, I don't want to keep it a secret forever it's just...you know that whole blissful bubble thing that most people look down upon?"

"Sort of?"

"I really like the bubble," Montserrat tucked a curl behind her ear, pursing her lips together. "It's just nice and...free? Does that make sense?"

Rafael nodded, close to chuckling. "It does, surprisingly. I agree. At least for the time being, it might be better if we just keep things between us."

"Exactly," Montserrat strung her bag's strap over her shoulder. "Well, you know, except for Sonny but...we might just kill him to keep the secret."

"Exactly," Rafael pointed at her, making her laugh.

"You're supposed to warn me that this is the wrong place to say something like that and especially not to say it in front of you, a D.A?"

"Right," Rafael looked away as he pretended to remember that rule he himself told her a long time ago. But in the end, he shook his head. "I might be giving you some special treatments."

"As you should," Montserrat pointed. She moved to his side, leaning down only to press a kiss to his lips. "I'll see you later?"

"Please," he said, making it sound like a beg more than a response. That was a novelty for him too.

Montserrat smiled at him. "I'll call you later, then." She looked at him for a few seconds before surprising him with a second kiss.

Her hand curled on the back of his neck as she finished the kiss. Now Rafael didn't quite like surprises, but he definitely liked her surprises. He realized that very quickly.

"I really have to go," Montserrat said as soon as she pulled away and forced her hands away from him. If they touched him again, she wouldn't be able to leave anytime soon. "See you."

Rafael watched her leave in a hasty pace and despite having this idiot smile on his face, once he remembered who she was going to meet up with...it faltered. "Goddammit," he muttered.

~ 0 ~

Damian had explained to Montserrat very quickly what he'd found. And what he thought he had found, was pretty damn convincing. It had Montserrat pacing back and forth in her apartment's living room.

"You think it's in that storage room?" Montserrat asked for the third time since Damian had finished telling her the story.

"I think so," Damian nodded fast. "I was rewatching the security feed from that day and I noticed there was a janitor that I hadn't really...noticed before." He scrunched his face after realizing that was a terrible way to describe it. "See, I know everyone who works with me, from the top to bottom. I've never seen that janitor before."

"You think he doesn't really work there?"

"I think he wasn't even a janitor," Damian clarified where his thoughts were going. "Because he only appears in the day before the building fell apart. He doesn't even appear the day Gael made the last evaluation, even when he turns in the paperwork. He's just not there."

"I gotta find that guy," scowled Montserrat.

"Yes but let's focus on the main thing right now."

"You're right," Montserrat stopped pacing and sat on the edge of the coffee table, an act that would always have Kara on her back. "If we find that video and show them the one you found with that janitor who's not really a janitor...we can end this trial."

"Exactly," nodded Damian. "I'll just go head back after lunch and do that."

"But we can't let that person know you're onto them. You'll need someone else to look for it."

"It's fine. He's not there anymore. He was literally only there for one day, maybe two days max."

"Just because he's not there doesn't mean he doesn't have eyes or ears on us," Montserrat wagged a finger. "I can go in. Hardly ever seen me before in that place."

"Oh no, you can't do that. You heard what Calhoun said. If Geraghty finds out you were anywhere near there, she'll make it look like you planted the evidence."

"But I can't just stay away! I need to be there when we get that video."

"How's about a compromise, then?" Damian leaned forwards on the couch. "I'm the one who has to go in, but you can wait outside. And I mean some place where you won't get caught by a camera because we really can't mess this up for Gael. Not when we're this close."

Montserrat exhaled and nodded her head. He had the right mindset. She couldn't ruin this for her brother, especially when it just because she wanted to go in. It didn't matter who went in as long as someone came out with the damn video. "Okay, it sounds good. But I have to say I don't like the idea of you going in alone."

Damian smiled at her. "Worried about me?"

"Always," she said. "You're family and we always watch our back. Sme malí, ale mocní," she offered him another smile.

"I have no idea what you just said but it sounded good," Damian pointed at her.

"We are small but mighty," Montserrat translated the Slovakian phrase. "We're a small family but we are strong as hell."

"Okay, so how do you want to play this?"

Montserrat thought about it long and hard. She didn't want to risk losing Gael his case but she wanted someone she could fully trust to go in with Damian in case he got hurt. "I got it," she declared and rose from the table with a newfound grin on her face. "You can go in, but I'll be sending in my own help."

Damian looked at her wearily. He knew her idea face all too well, but sometimes they didn't end like she planned. "Who'd you have in mind?"

~ 0 ~

"Just go in, go directly to that room and then get out," Montserrat walked between Damian and a friend of hers. Said friend may have been from 1PP but she wasn't a detective yet, so…

Fair game?

Montserrat preferred not to think about it.

"Okay and while I do that I'm guessing your friend…" Damian looked over Montserrat's head to the slightly taller woman — an olive-skinned woman with shoulder length black hair, "...keeps a look out for me?"

"Yes," Montserrat nodded and glanced at the friend in question. "Andra's been training and she's an officer now, so…"

"You want me to keep him safe, got it," the woman nodded her head. She didn't understand much of what was going on but she did want to help Montserrat. "Officer Andra Moressy," she then told Damian. "Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too," Damian said, feeling more than reasonably awkward.

Montserrat stopped a few blocks before they reached Damian's job. "Okay, this is as far as I can go." She turned to the two. "You guys good? I'll be out here and if anything goes wrong just call me and I'll go, no matter what."

Damian put a hand over her shoulder, giving her one of those smiles telling her everything would be fine. "We got it, Montse. You didn't need to bring another friend, though. I can do this on my own."

"I just feel a lot better if someone else was with you," Montserrat smiled back, though not as strong as his was. She looked at Andra and sighed. "Sorry for springing this on you, I just couldn't think of anyone else that could go in without problems."

Andra waved a hand, indicating it was just fine. "Always good to have some practice, right? But can I ask...who exactly are we supposed to be looking out for?"

"Um…" Montserrat slowly slid her hands into her coat's pocket. "Some guy who pretended to be a janitor. He helped frame my brother and even though Damian says he hasn't shown up...I don't want to take chances. But if you see him, shoot for a leg because I was that bastard alive so I can ask — demand answers."

Andra wouldn't even point out how fast Montserrat's face had hardened. She got it. This was personal. "Okay." She looked at Damian with the same question he had. "You ready?"

"Oh yeah," he nodded. "Let's go."

Andra nodded again and started the way. Damian only lingered behind to give Montserrat a hug and remind her to stay away.

Now Montserrat knew this could be hours of waiting and the worst part was that she couldn't even call Damian to know how things were going. She'd busied herself at a small coffee shop, though she hadn't even drank what she ordered. At around five, late five, Montserrat got a text from Rafael. He was asking if she was alright.

She remembered she'd promised to stop by again later or call him. She picked up her phone to call, but then after thinking about it she put her phone back down. She couldn't involve him in this, not when it had the potential to harm his career and job altogether. It was exactly what he'd warned her months ago when he reasoned with her that they couldn't be together. She didn't want to prove him right.

After a few minutes of thinking again, she grabbed her phone off the table and responded with a quick text.

I'm so sorry, something came up.

Montserrat felt terrible lying but if she told him the truth he could try and stop her. But she definitely wasn't into the idea of lying so early in a relationship. I mean, every relationship has a little white lies but they definitely shouldn't have a big lie like this one. She sighed inwardly.

Two hours passed and Montserrat still didn't have a word from Damian. In that span of 2 hours, she did receive a couple more texts. One was from Rafael again asking if she was okay, to which Montserrat answered yet another short response 'yup' and moved on.

She might pay for that one later.

The second text was from Casey, asking where the hell she was because Calhoun was driving her crazy.

And the third text was from Olivia, requesting Montserrat read up on the latest case that had apparently turned into a staged night raid.

Out of those three, Montserrat felt like she could at least respond to Casey because that was the one that would get her into the least amount of trouble. And if it did get her into trouble, at least Casey would know what to do.

And in doing that, Casey came storming into the coffee shop 30 minutes later. "Montserrat Irene Novak, I cannot believe you are doing this!"

Montserrat straightened in her chair and, maturely, pouted. "Well, I didn't tell you so you could come and scold me."

"Someone has to!" Casey plopped down into the empty chair across her. She lowered her voice for the next time she spoke up. "Do you realize that you can lose your job by doing this? Not to mention lose your brother's case all together?"

"I'm being careful," Montserrat said quietly.

"Careful!?" Casey's eyes were wide with incredulity. "You're putting yourself in the wolf's den! If someone from Geraghty's team finds out that you arranged this, Montserrat I don't even know what the hell is going to happen to you."

"I don't care," Montserrat said bluntly and before Casey could scold her again, she explained, "I don't mean that as in 'I'm careless and I'm doing what I want' thing. I mean that as in someone framed my brother for a double murder and I can't let that go. Not when I have the means to prove that he's innocent and that he's been framed."

Casey sighed. "Montse, this is beyond dangerous. And do you even have proof of what you're saying?"

"It's the only logical reason for all of this," Montserrat made a gesture. "Gael is not careless in his job. He says he checked everything in final evaluation and I believe him. He would never let anyone get hurt us because he chose not to do his usual routine. Someone had to have framed him for this."

"But why? Why would someone do that?"

"I don't know," shrugged Montserrat. "But if we find the guy who did it, we can sure as hell ask them."

For a long moment, Casey stared at her cousin. Like Damian, she recognized Montserrat's idea face and feared the results. This wasn't an ordinary idea, nor an ordinary situation. It was a huge risk she was taking.

"Alright, fine," Casey sighed. "I guess we can wait here."

"Casey, you don't have to. I know it's putting my job on the line, you don't need to risk yours."

"But I do. Because my cousin is an idiot," Casey smiled so casually while Montserrat rolled her eyes. "So, might as well order a coffee. How long have you been here?"

"I'm going for nearly 3 hours now."

"Long wait," Casey understood then picked up a menu. Like Montserrat, she ended up ordering a vanilla latte. "So, how's life?"

Montserrat couldn't help but laugh. "Seriously?"

"Well, it's a long wait! I don't want to spend it in awkward silence."

Montserrat had to laugh one more time.

"Seriously. You do seem a bit chipper than usual, especially since your brother's facing trial for murder."

Montserrat no longer laughed but there was a secretive smile that Casey recognized fairly fast. "I'm good."

"You're hiding something," Casey pointed a wagging finger at her cousin. "What is it?"

"Something good, don't worry about it."

"Now I'm worrying. What are you hiding, Montse?"

"I said-" Montserrat leaned forwards on the table, "-don't worry about it. You'll know later in the future."

Casey narrowed her eyes on her cousin. But, before she could respond, Montserrat gasped at something behind her.

"Damian!" she practically scrambled to get out of her seat.

Damian and Andra had come rushing in, like they'd been running all the way there.

"Thought I might find you in here," Damian pointed at the chalkboard sign announcing Vanilla Lattes were half off. "You love those things."

Montserrat rolled her eyes and moved onto better things. "Did you get it!?"

"I found it! I found the missing video!"

"Seriously!?" Montserrat's entire face lit up like a series of fireworks. That was the best thing she'd heard as of late, with the exception of one other thing but that was for her and Rafael to know.

"Yeah. It was hidden through the old files that needed to be archived which - honestly - was a pretty good hiding spot considering no one wants that job!"

"So you've got it!?"

"Aha!"

Montserrat laughed in utter joy. She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tight. "The charges are going to be dropped!"

"Yup!"

"That's great," Casey got up from her chair, smiling like they were but she seemed more level headed than the pair. "So we should get that evidence logged in for trial tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Montserrat pulled away with a newfound scowl on her face.

"It's past five and by the time they actually get the charges dropped, it'll be way too late for tonight."

That put a real dampener in Montserrat's mood. She drew away from Damian and turned to her cousin. "But we need to get those charges dropped now."

"I get it, Montse, but we can't really…" Casey trailed off once she began to see Montserrat's impatient face. Even if she did spend 5 minutes lecturing about the rules and process, Montserrat wouldn't be listening to her at all. "Oh fine, let's go."

And just like that, the smile and beam was back on Montserrat's face. "That's more like it!"

Together, they sought out Calhoun to loop her in but as soon as she heard the news, she had a good go at Montserrat for her 'wrecklessness'. Montserrat couldn't say that she listened, nor that she cared. Of course it was Calhoun who put some sense into all of them as she started going off with the actual process to get the charges dropped. However, Calhoun was a fool if she believed Montserrat would leave her alone. Between the night before and the next morning, she had all of them working to put the evidence together so that first come tomorrow Gael would be a free man. If Calhoun had to say it…

"You are the most irritating woman I have ever met," she spat as she walked alongside Montserrat down a hallway. "And don't forget I've handled your squad's petty cases. And Rafael Barba altogether."

"Yeah, it's not the first time I hear that," Montserrat had her biggest smile that morning. "And I've learned to live with it."

Calhoun came to a stop outside an office door then turned to face the slightly smaller detective. She was used to handling all of the SVU detectives but it turned out Montserrat had enough to be the entire squad. "Can you keep yourself calm while I go in there—" Calhoun pointed at the closed doors behind her, "—and do my thing? Is that possible?"

Montserrat rolled her eyes. She might have been bouncing on her feet but she could definitely sit still for a few minutes while the two lawyers spoke with the judge on the trial. "Yes, of course. Just tell me that it's finally going to be over now."

"Yes, I showed Geraghty the last of the evidence and we've gotten the judge to listen to us before the trial is supposed to go on. So just, stay here and don't do anything."

Montserrat barely resisted the urge to roll her eyes again. Calhoun was speaking to her as if she were a child. Instead of responding to that, Montserrat only gestured for Calhoun to go inside already. As Montserrat waited, she saw her family, along with Damian and Kara, coming towards her.

"Hey, where's Calhoun?" Casey immediately started looking around for the woman.

"She's already inside," Montserrat pointed to the shut office doors behind her.

"Do I need to…?" Gael's pointed finger at the doors was shakey, as expected.

"No," she smiled at him. "You just stay out here and wait for Calhoun to give you the good news."

"I still cannot believe you disobeyed Miss Calhoun's instructions," their father still had the same scolding look on his face as he had when Montserrat first told him the previous day.

"It's done, Dad," Montserrat waved him off.

"And if we hand't done it, then we wouldn't be here right now," Damian added.

"Dad's still right, you guys risked yourselves too much," Gael shook his head, but soon Casey was shushing them.

Geraghty was coming up to them, looking none too pleased. "Morning." Even her greeting was sour.

"Geraghty," Casey flatout smirked at the woman. She kept her word that she would enjoy the moment Geraghty was forced to drop the charges.

Geraghty ignored her and the others as she walked into the office.

"She seems lovely," Kara remarked in a low mutter.

"She's a bitch," Casey turned to the group with no sense of regret of her vocabulary.

The meeting between the two lawyers and the judge lasted only fifteen minutes and when the lawyers emerged, the group could clearly see who won and who lost.

"You're free of all charges, Gael," Calhoun declared with a wide, proud smile. For a moment, it matched Casey's face.

Gael erupted into laughter, along with the others. They hugged and hugged until they heard Geraghty's scoff.

"Oh just admit, you lost," Casey told the woman. "I did tell you that this case wasn't going to last."

"That's great and all, but I do want to remind you people that someone made that building crumble. People still died."

"Yeah and we'll let Homicide take that over," Montserrat reassured but she definitely was beginning to see why Casey didn't appreciate the woman. "But you have to admit that you had the wrong guy. You put my brother through hell — his daughters too."

"What do you want from me? An apology?" scoffed Geraghty. "I was just doing my job."

"No, you were doing my job which I will happily take back now," Casey waved a goodbye. "I actually catch put the right person on trial."

Geraghty rolled her eyes.

"I hope you do," Gael spoke up for the first time. Geraghty still laid harsh eyes on the man but he didn't care. "Because that guy — whoever they are — planned this. They wanted to hurt people and threw me under the bus. You need to catch them."

"Like your sister said—" Geraghty made a lazy gesture at Montserrat, "—I'll let Homicide take over." She strode off without saying another word.

"Seriously, she seems lovely," Kara turned to Montserrat with a flat face. She was so glad that she didn't have to work anywhere near these types of people.

"I don't care, I just know that I'm finally free of any charges," Gael smiled so widely it could crack his face in two. "Miss Calhoun, I am very thankful for what you did."

"Yeah, now I can't really hate you," Montserrat dramatically sighed, making Calhoun roll her eyes.

"I'll remember that next time when we meet," Calhoun pointed.

Montserrat couldn't help but smile. "Thank you," she said, genuinely meaning to thank the woman for everything she'd done for them.

It was a strange sight for Calhoun but she gave a nod of her head and went on her way.

"Okay, now we can celebrate right?" Damian's expression was slowly turning into a smile.

"Yes, absolutely yes!" Gael nodded.

"I know a place," Kara raised a finger in the air. "If you guys are interested…"

"Please, lead the way," Gael gestured for her, making the others laugh with him.

Kara suggested they mainly go to a bar since drinking is all they wanted to do. Sure, they might have a meal here or there, but they mainly wanted those celebratory drinks.

However, Montserrat couldn't exactly celebrate all the way. She was into her third drink when she saw a couple at the counter sitting together. And suddenly she remembered she'd practically blown off Rafael's texts from the previous night. In all her excitement, she'd completely forgotten anything and everything that didn't have to do with her brother.

I am a terrible, terrible person, she lowered her drink to the table.

"What's up with you?" Kara was the one to notice how incredibly pale Montserrat had become all of a sudden. "You're white as a sheet."

"I just...I just remembered I…" Montserrat bit her lower lip and thought how to best word her problem without giving it away. She'd never really kept a relationship away from her best friend, and right now she really wanted to tell Kara.

"Montse?" Kara asked again. She looked over to her brother, Gael and Thomas. They'd gone up to the counter for a quicker service. Casey had left for the restroom. "Should we call it a night already?"

"No, no, absolutely not," Montserrat shook her head.

"Then what's wrong?" Kara's smile was encouraging but when she saw how much Montserrat was struggling, it began to fade. "Are you okay?"

"I'm...seeing someone," as Montserrat had said those words, she realized what it meant.

Kara, for her part, blinked for the first second or so. "Come again?"

"I'm...I just...started a relationship and I've already messed up," Montserrat pushed her glass away, as if that was the root of her problem. "Seriously, a 3 day thing and I've already blown him off."

Kara was trying to understand the fact at some point her best friend had initiated a relationship and she completely missed it! She put a hand on Montserrat's arm and forced the ginger to look at her. "You're going to have to explain this cos I'm not understanding it."

At this point, Montserrat figured she might as well say it. If Rafael was to be mad at her, it should be grand. Ignoring the logic of her reasoning, Montserrat rambled, "Three days ago Rafael and I pretty much said 'let's go for it's and he texted me yesterday 2 times asking me if I was going to stop by his office because I told him I would stop by and of course, since I was busy waiting for Damian to get the missing videos, I responded with a very short message saying something came up. And then he texted me again later in the night and I completely forgot to answer and now he hasn't texted me at all. Or called." Montserrat drew in a deep breath after everything was out. "How much trouble do you think that'll be?"

Kara shook her head. She was still trying to catch up. "Wait a minute!"

"Kara, please file all this under 'freak about later' and just help me right now. I'm nervous!"

"Just go, you idiot," Kara made a 'shoo' motion with her hand. "Don't think about any text or any calls. You messed up now you go and see him. Like face to face."

"I'm a little afraid…"

"I'd be too if that's who I chose to be with-"

"Hey!"

"You know I'm kidding," Kara waved her off. "But seriously, we'll talk later. You need to go."

"You think Gael's going to be upset if I leave?"

"Umm…"

Montserrat followed Kara's gaze back to the counter where she saw her brother happily drinking with Damian and their father. It almost looked like they forgot they were even there. "Okay, that's my cue."

"Good luck," Kara held two thumbs up. "You'll need it. How is he when he gets mad? Like properly mad."

"I don't know," Montserrat stopped to really think about the question. Sure, she'd seen Rafael get upset over a case or even with her but...a proper anger? That one was still unknown to her.

"How do you not know? You've pissed him off countless times - frankly, I'm surprised how this even worked in the end."

Montserrat rolled her eyes at the sarcasm. "Thanks, Kara. You're such a great help."

Kara smiled. "You bet I am."

Montserrat grabbed her things and left before it became even more late.

~0~

When Rafael heard the light knock on the office door, he expected it to be Carmen, or at least Olivia with some new turnout on their latest case. But, when he looked up from his papers, he found Montserrat nervously standing under the doorway.

"You're mad and you have every right to be," she stepped inside.

Rafael put down the glass of scotch he'd been nursing while undergoing the terrible load of work at the coffee table. "I'm not mad," he clarified.

"Yeah, you are," Montserrat walked over and plopped down next to him on the couch. "I mean, you should be…totally blew you off yesterday."

"I'm not mad," Rafael insisted, now even smiling a bit out of amusement. "I'm annoyed, yes, but I'm not mad."

Montserrat searched his face for any indication of the opposite, but that damn smile didn't appear angry in the least. "... you're not?" he shook his head. "But...you didn't text anymore, nor call."

"Look Montserrat, I'm not the type of person to blow up someone's phone because they didn't answer my calls or texts. I will probably never be that guy, actually."

"Still, regardless, I'm very sorry. Something did come up-"

"-I know. Your brother's charges have been dropped."

Montserrat blinked in genuine surprise. "What? How did you know?" She hadn't even told anyone from SVU yet.

Rafael loved her reaction. It was hard not to laugh. "I got a call from Calhoun earlier in the day saying I owed her big time. Apparently, you are - and these are her words, not mine - truly the most annoying woman she has ever met. Congratulations, I didn't think it was possible to irritate that woman more than I do."

Montserrat playfully rolled her eyes, though there was a hint of relief that things weren't as bad as she thought they'd been.

"I'm really happy your brother is free, though. Although I'm wondering how it was that he got free…" Rafael tilted his head at her, eyes carefully reading her shifty movements. "Calhoun mentioned you found the video…"

"Um, well, technically Damian found it. I waited outside."

Skipping over the fact she'd spent her entire day with Damian, Rafael wondered to what extent Montserrat involved herself in something as serious as interference. "You were told to stay away from their job."

"I was told many things," Montserrat pressed her hands to the hemline of her dress, acting as casual as possible.

Rafael shook his head at her. "I don't think I need to point out the big risk you took, right?"

"No," she shifted on the couch to face him, "I know. But you also know that I was getting desperate. When Damian told me he had an idea of where the video was, I had to do it. If there was a chance to prove that my brother was framed, I was going to take it."

Rafael stared long and hard at her before nodding in agreement. "Yeah you were." Because if he was in her shoes, he'd probably do the same thing.

Montserrat smiled in relief. At least she wouldn't be getting the same lecture from him too. Her brother, father and Casey all drilled her earlier. "And that's why I like you," she declared with the context of her thoughts backing her up. She got up only to sit again but on his lap this time, draping one arm around his neck. For a moment, it seemed like Rafael was frozen but Montserrat soon realized he had a lingering stare on her legs.

"Oooh, I think I finally found what makes you tick," she said with a growing smirk on her face.

Once Rafael knew he'd been caught he rolled his eyes in an attempt to be casual. "Don't start."

"Oh, but I will," she grinned as she crossed her legs. "I know to wear more dresses now."

"It's not funny," he insisted but the fact he kept looking away from her made it all the more amusing.

"I'm going to jot this day down as the day I got you flustered."

Rafael exhaled and concluded this was probably how their relationship was going to work. No matter, he'd figure out a way to get her back. Right now though, he admitted that having her sit on his lap was mesmerizing. He could smell her perfume, her sweet scent drifting towards him and, no doubt, setting on his clothes and skin.

"I almost forgot, I didn't know if you liked brownies but I did stop by my favorite place for some if you want a taste," Montserrat languidly pointed at her bag sitting at the corner on the couch.

"I do have a sweet tooth, actually," Rafael's admission had her nearly laughing. "I'm being very serious here."

"You just don't look like the type," she shrugged. "You want to dig in, then?"

"Sure...after I finish this," he had leaned forwards — making her do the same in the process — and reached for his glass on the table. As he was sitting back, Montserrat surprised him with a kiss on the cheek.

At his expression, she chuckled. "What's that face for?"

Rafael awkwardly cleared his throat. "What face?"

"The one you've been making each time I do something to you. Are you — are you not okay with me…?" she moved to get up but Rafael quickly pulled her back. "Okay, that's a 'no' so…" Montserrat tilted her head and studied him for a minute before realizing something. "When's the last time you've dated?"

"Are you saying I'm inexperienced?"

"Oh no I don't doubt that you are experienced. I'm just asking if it's been a while since you've last dated. And if the answer is 'yes' then I am more than prepared to remind you of the goodness that comes with dating." She leaned her body closer to his with the smuggest yet sweetest smile on her face. Rafael didn't think that was possible. "So, has it been a while?"

"...maybe." Now Rafael had to fight the urge not to roll his eyes at her growing smirk. She made it real hard not to want to bicker with her, but — if he was being honest — he preferred this way. If she wasn't who she was, the way she was, things would be so incredibly boring.

And Montserrat was far from being 'boring'.

"I'm not so shocked," Montserrat swiftly took the glass in his hand. She ignored his expression while she drank it down. He'd only been holding it so she might as well finish it for him.

"My profession doesn't exactly give the best time for dating. I've had a few dates here and there but nothing serious. I think my last serious relationship was back in college with Yelina."

Montserrat scrunched her face at the mention of that woman. "Nope, please don't talk about her with me. I don't like her." She put the now-empty glass on the table then looked back at him with an expression that left no room to even consider if she was joking or not.

"I should really tell you that she talked to me afterwards, explaining that she didn't mean any trouble…" but Rafael trailed off as Montserrat shook her head.

"I'm sorry, I just don't like her. And it's not even because of what happened but...it's because of what she did to you before, with Alex's trial. I don't like anyone — I won't like anyone — who tries to hurt you. That's final."

The smile that spread across Rafael's face was automatic. It'd been a long time since someone cared that much for him. He touched her face, feeling her soft, warm skin. He let his fingers wander down to the back of her neck to bring her in for a kiss. Montserrat quickly wrapped her other arm around his neck and gladly pressed her chest to his while they kissed. A couple seconds later, her muffled laughter filled the air as she'd felt Rafael's hand press over one of her legs and seemed to slowly be making its way up.

"So much for being subtle," she said after pulling away. They both needed to catch some air. Rafael wouldn't apologize for that one, not when she was smiling like that. "So, you want to start on those brownies?"

"Sure," he agreed and reached for the forgotten bag. He handed it to her and watched her eagerly pull it open to find those brownies she loved so much. "You know, maybe we can go out to dinner this week."

Montserrat paused just as she'd found the brownies. "Dinner? Like…a date? Our first date?"

"Yeah," Rafael nodded. "I hadn't asked because I knew it wouldn't be right while your brother was going through a trial but since he's good now...let me take you out for dinner. Maybe this weekend?"

Montserrat beamed. "Yes, of course! I would love to have dinner with you."

"Perfect," he matched her smile with his own.

"Just one more thing. I may have told Kara about us — sorry!"

"Wait, what—"

She pulled him back for another kiss.

[bungou-stray-dingus]

Omg honey I thought about it.Chuuya teaching his girlfriend self-defense so she could protect herself when he isn’t around.Like he always scared when she is going out so he taught her 🥺❣️

OH MAN

THIS GON BE A BLAST CAUSE I CAN SEE IT IN MY HEAD

THANK YOU FOR ANOTHER FANTASTIC REQUEST, LOVELY ❤️❤️❤️❤️

(Listening to Enya - Caribbean Blue because holy moly is it calming)

Sure, you didn’t have an ability, and he couldn’t really help the fact that you didn’t have one, but he also wouldn’t let you just go out without any combat skills. You were a precious jewel, and if he couldn’t always be around to protect you, the least he could do is teach you to protect yourself so he knew that you were safe.

It’s not that you were weak, it’s just that you weren’t as strong as he’d like you to be. He knew what kind of people lurked the streets of Yokohama, he worried constantly that they’d hurt you just for being with him. The Port Mafia didn’t have many fans, and most of them would rather strike against closely related friends, family, and lovers than to go full force at the members of the Port.

The First Week of Training

He thought this would be easier, but seeing you stand in front of him with that little smile on your face looking as cute as ever, how was he supposed to even pretend to swing at you. He could have someone else from the mafia train you, but he’d be on edge the entire time, and probably end up kicking someone’s ass for touching you, even if he asked them to.

“Okay, I want you to hit me.” He said, and you bit your lip as you walked closer to him and lightly smacked his arm.

“Like that?” You asked, your smile growing wider. The smack could have been an ultra downy feather pillow being brushed against his arm, that’s how weak it was. He couldn’t tell you that though, you looked so proud of the hit that he just smiled and nodded.

“Exactly!” He cheered, but inwardly he was dying. This would be a lot harder than he thought.

“You know, it’s hard for me to actually want to hit you when you’re not fighting back.” You said, throwing weak punches at him.

“You give me no reason to fight back. You need to hit harder.” You pouted at his words and he sighed. He’d have to get you riled up, as much as he hated doing so. “You’re weak.” He mumbled, turning away. He heard your tiny growl from behind him and braced himself for the hit.

You punched his arm, harder this time, and he knew that the hit would most likely bruise. He turned to face you, and couldn’t help but laugh at the little pout that formed on your lips.

“Better, that one actually hurt a little bit.” He said and your sad/angry face turned to worry.

“I’m sorry Chu.” You quickly said and he laughed louder, wrapping his arms around your waist and kissing your forehead.

“Don’t apologize, baby. I want it to hurt, it means you’re getting stronger..” He said in between the kisses. He heard your sigh of relief and you loosened up in his hold. It would take a lot of work, but it would be worth it in the end.

Second Week of Training

You were starting to get the hang of basic hits, where critical spots are. You had sent him into a fit of laughter one of the days he was training you when you brought up an a technique that should have been obvious.

“Is it a cheap shot to kick someone between the legs?” You asked and he really tried to hold in his laughter, he did.

“If it’s a real enemy and you’re able to, baby, you kick as hard as you can.” He answered once his laughing died down a little.

He felt so proud of you when he walked in the bedroom one afternoon and you were watching self defense videos, standing in the middle of the floor trying to mimic the moves on the laptop screen. He asked if you’d like to practice the moves on him and he was feeling more confident in your skills when you were able to actually push him away and swing full force at his face. He dodged the hit, but praised you and the new moves you had learned.

“Maybe you can practice on one of the members of the Port?” He offered as the two of you sat on the couch after a full evening of practice.

“Are you sure I’m strong enough for that?” He would have to tell them to take it easy on you, but he knew you would fight harder if you weren’t up against him.

“I know you are, and I’ll be right there the entire time, don’t worry.” He reassured you. He would most likely have you up against Tachihara or Gin (without her knives). It would be easier for you to start out fighting them.

Third Week of Training

You shuffled awkwardly next to him as you stood in the empty warehouse by the port. Gin and Tachihara were there, and he could feel you tense up. “Hey, they’re not going to hurt you. You’re just practicing.” He squeezed your hand in his to try to calm you.

“Who’s going first Chuuya?” Tachihara asked, he was too pumped up for this and it made you anxious and Chuuya picked up on it immediately.

“I’ll have her go up against Gin first.” He said, and Tachihara grumbled under his breath something unintelligible.

He was happy that he picked Gin first though. She moved in slow motion, not only letting you practice the moves that Chuuya had taught you, but also showing you new moves that she thought you should know. She taught you to move swiftly, adding in that it would be extra safe if you carried a blade on you at all time while shooting a glare over at Chuuya. He would have to take that into consideration.

By the time Gin was done with her lesson you were moving more quickly, mirroring her moves almost to a T. He watched in amazement as you moved quickly around Gin, dodging her strikes then throwing them right back at her.

Tachihara was a different story though, he didn’t teach you anything. He wanted the thrill of a fight, and Chuuya was worried the entire time that he would actually hurt you. You moved around Tachihara at almost lighting speed though, and at one point you kicked his legs out from under him and had him pinned down on the floor, one arm raised as if you were about to punch him square in the face. Chuuya would have been cheering for you if it weren’t for the smug look that Tachihara threw Chuuya’s way when you were basically straddling him to keep him pinned down.

“Alright and thats done!” Chuuya shouted, walking over to where you were, grabbing your hand to pull you up off of Tachihara.

“I think she did a great job.” Tachihara said, too smugly. “We’ll have to do that again.”

“Next time I’ll tell her to actually punch you.” Chuuya snapped back.

Once the two of you got back home he had to explain to you that the moves were great, but he didn’t like seeing you like that with someone else, even if it was a fighting technique.

Fourth Week of Training

You started training with Gin a lot more, especially after Chuuya agreed to let you have a blade of your own. She was shaping you to be an assassin just like her, and even though that’s not what Chuuya had planned, he wasn’t put off by the idea of you being more well off than if he had stuck to fist fighting.

His heart stopped when Gin had first snuck up behind you and held the knife to your neck, but then she taught you the same move and he started clapping when you got it down in the first try.

Sometimes Akutagawa would come to the warehouse to watch you train with his sister, standing on the sidelines with Chuuya. He was the only one who would criticize you, but as soon as you fixed your movements he would mumble an off handed compliment about how you’re getting better, but you still need more practice. Even though it got under Chuuya’s skin, it was nice to have someone there who could actually pick out the flaws in your moves instead of just praising you for everything you did right, like he did.

Some days when Chuuya would come home from work you’d practice your stealth attacks, coming out from seemingly nowhere and placing your blade against his throat. Before his mind could even register the shock you would pull the blade away and move in front of him, pressing a swift kiss to his lips.

He liked having you “practice” the move you did on Tachihara. Not because he liked when you had him pinned down on the floor, your hips grinding against his, your hands keeping his pinned above his head. Definitely not for that reason. >_>

~~~~~~~~~

It took only two months total for you to be practically Black Lizard level good, you had even learned how to use a gun, although you did a lot better with a knife. Although he still wasn’t completely comfortable with you leaving the house without him, he knew that you would be able to hold your own, at least against a couple thugs. He still feared what would happen if you came up against an ability user, but that was a thought for another day.