#i love when guys visit each others hometowns it’s so inch resting

[starscelly]

sobbing at these quotes from saad’s new article on delly and otter’s relationship

(very much recommend an athletic subscription if ur able to even just for saad’s articles. even just for THIS article)

[wooyunhwa]

𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒂 𝒄𝒂𝒕 | 𝑪𝑺

Genre: smut

Pairing: Choi San x fem reader

Word Count: 3.5k

Warnings: pet play, use of toys, light choking, general smutty things

Synopsis: While visiting at a bar out of town, you fall for the local heartbreaker. Little did you know he was keeping a secret…

“Who is he? He’s so hot,” you whispered to your friend, who was sitting next to you at the bar table. 

A group of your close friends from high school had invited you to a bar in their college town, about 3 hours away from you. You had split off with your friend group, all of them heading north to the large college while you stayed in your hometown, taking community college classes to save money. This was the first time you had visited them, and they invited you to the school’s local bar of choice. It was bustling that night, wrought with drunk groups of college kids. 

You weren’t there looking for guys, in fact, you didn’t even have them on your mind. You expected to come, have a nice night chatting with your friends, and crash at one of their apartments for the night. But your heart had different plans. 

You had noticed a group of boys sitting at one of the bar tables, sipping drinks and looking around at some of the girls. One immediately caught your eye. 

He was absolutely the most gorgeous man – no, human – you had ever seen. His jawline was sharp, eyes piercing, skin smooth, his face drawn together by soft, supple lips. He wore a serious, intimidating expression, one that seemed to affect the air around him, but every so often his friend would crack a joke and you’d watch his lips turn up into an intoxicating smile. You had been staring at him for what seemed like seconds, but it had actually been more like 5 whole minutes, according to your best friend snapping her fingers in front of your face. “Hey, Y/N, stop spacing out!” She had said. “What are you looking at?”

“Who is he? He’s so hot,” you whispered, hoping he couldn’t hear you, but the bar was so loud you could have been screaming and he wouldn’t have heard. You gestured in his direction, and although he was in a group, she immediately knew who you were talking about. 

“That’s Choi San,” she replied, but the expression on her face worried you. “Don’t bother with him.”

“Huh? Why?”

“Practically every girl in this bar is in love with him. At school too. But he turns them all down, every last one. I wouldn’t get too attached to the idea.” She took a sip of her drink. Clearly something about him bothered her a lot – probably that he’d turned her down. Your friend group around you was chatting with each other, but as they heard you two talk about San, they chimed in, each with a story of how he’d turned them down too.

“He doesn’t even have a girlfriend,” your friend continued, “he’s just really picky I guess.”

You couldn’t imagine this guy, this visual god of a man, not taking advantage of his looks. You had barely been watching him for 5 minutes and yet he exuded charm. It was obvious why every girl in this bar had shot their shot with him. What wasn’t so obvious was why he would turn them all down.

 You were still looking in his direction, your chin resting on your hand, just watching. 

“Seriously, Y/N, don’t bother.”

For the rest of the night, you took every opportunity to steal a glance in his direction. A few times, his eyes seemed to catch yours, but he always looked away gracefully, never acknowledging your gaze. Eventually, you gave up, doing your best to focus on having a fun night with your friends instead. But no matter how hard you tried, you couldn’t get him, or his intoxicating smile, out of your head. 

“Hey, I’m gonna go to the bathroom,” you said, pulling away from your seat. You made your way down the hallway towards the bathroom doors, when you felt a sudden presence in front of you.

It was him. San.

You had always scared a bit easily, and you jumped back at his sudden appearance, stumbling back on the wall. Where did he come from? Were you not looking where you were going? “Oh my God, I’m sorry, I wasn’t looki-” 

His hand came up to the wall behind you, trapping you against it with his body. “I saw you looking at me,” he said. His face was dead serious, his eye contact felt like it was boring holes through your skull. 

His voice was even nicer than you had imagined in your head. Deep, smooth like honey. His words seemed to drip off his tongue with ease, and you melted slightly against the wall as he spoke.

“O-oh, ha,” you laughed nervously. You had no idea he had seen you looking. “I’m sorry, I’m just from out of town…” you explained. 

His head tilted to the side, pressing his lips together in thought. “I thought I hadn’t seen you here before.” 

You glanced around nervously, hoping no one could see you two, but the hallway seemed empty. “ Yeah, I’m sorry for staring, I thought-” 

He pushed away from you suddenly, releasing you from the wall. He ran a hand through his hair, and you had a moment to take him in from up close. He was even more gorgeous at an arms’ distance, if that was even possible.

You resisted the urge to ask for his number, remembering what your friend had said about not even bothering. You weren’t a fan of rejection. Besides, you still couldn’t make sense of what had just happened. Why did he pin you? Was he annoyed to catch you staring? Before you could finish your train of thought, he turned on his heels and walked back towards his table. 

When you got back to your table from the bathroom, you contemplated telling your friends what had happened, but you decided against it. You did your best to avoid looking over in San’s direction for the rest of the night, but it was even harder than before. His aura was so mysterious, and you still didn’t have any answers. Out of the corner of your eye, you watched the members of his table get up one by one, leaving the bar. 

Good, you thought. Maybe you could finally get him out of your head if he left. 

But instead of heading to the door, he made his way slowly in the direction of your table, immediately catching the attention of all of your friends. They fell silent as he approached your seat. 

San walked behind your chair, placing his hands on your shoulders from behind and leaning in close to your ear. “Meet me outside,” he said in a low voice, swiftly leaving before you had a chance to react.

Your eyes widened. All your friend’s gazes turned to you in an instant, jaws dropped. 

“Did he just ask you to meet him outside? Y/N, what the fuck did you do?” your best friend asked, stunned. Blood pooled to your cheeks in embarrassment as you felt their jealousy. 

“Nothing, I think? I didn’t do anything.” 

“Do you want one of us to come with?” another friend of yours chimed in, probably hoping to get her share of alone time with San. 

“No, I’ll be fine. I’ll text you guys if I need anything.” 

With that, you gathered your things and hesitantly made your way through the same door he left out of. He was standing to the side of the building, leaning against the wall, fiddling with his phone in his hand. 

You were able to get a good look at his profile now. His jawline was so sharp it could practically cut you, and his profile looked like a work of art. He resembled a model standing there, his well-proportioned body almost didn’t look like it belonged in your realm of reality. Every time you saw him, you fell for him slightly more. 

He noticed you approaching him from the corner of his eye, and his lips twitched up into a smirk. “You came.”

“What do you want?” you asked. Your question came out bluntly, but it was genuine. You couldn’t figure out what his intentions were. 

“I want you to come home with me.” He took a step towards you, closing the gap between your bodies. His hand came up under your chin, tracing his fingers along your jaw. “I want to fuck you until you can’t walk,” he continued.

You nearly choked at his forwardness. Was he fucking with you? Was this a prank? Maybe his friends put him up to this. 

He took one step even closer. Your bodies were nearly touching, maybe an inch of space separating you. He leaned into your ear. “Would you like that?” 

You would. You would really like that. But there was something about this that didn’t add up. According to your friends, he rejected every girl’s advances. Why you? Why now? 

You decided to just come out and ask. The worst that could happen was he reveals he was just fucking with you. You’d rather just get it over with. “Why me?” You dropped your gaze, preparing for rejection. 

He laced his fingers in your hair. His sudden intimate touch made you shiver. “I can’t put my finger on it, but the minute I saw you, I knew I had to have you.” Your heart began to beat faster, and your ego soared a little. You weren’t the type to boast about being hit on, but you couldn’t help but to be flattered. What was it about you that made him single you out? “So, what’s your answer?” he said after a moment. 

You fidgeted with the sleeve of your jacket. Obviously, you wanted to say yes, but would that come off as being too easy? Then again, he was the most gorgeous person you’d ever laid eyes on, and you may never get a chance like this again. Screw it, you thought. You came out to have a good time, and it was standing right in front of you. 

“Okay,” you said, shyly meeting his eyes. You couldn’t help but feel intimidated as he focused his gaze on you, sharp and sultry, but it sucked you in simultaneously like a gravitational pull. His lips pulled up into another smile, softer this time, but there was something that made you nervous about the look on his face. What kind of night was awaiting you?

You texted your friends that you wouldn’t be coming back to their place tonight, and you could feel their seething jealousy through the phone screen. You weren’t sure what had gotten into you, but you felt a sort of egotistical high from getting the guy they all wanted.

When you got to his place, he didn’t waste any time starting in on you. Fumbling in the dark, he pushed his lips against yours, guiding you through the dark apartment with his hands at your waist as he kissed you. He tasted like heaven, and you reveled at the idea that you were probably one of the few girls to ever experience the sweet taste of his lips. For a guy who apparently didn’t do this very much, he sure was a good kisser. One of the best you’d ever had, actually. 

He guided you to what you assumed was his room, and pulled back for a second to fumble for a light switch. You expected the overhead light to flood the room, or maybe a lamp, but instead were met with a twinkling of soft fairy lights lining the walls. As your eyes adjusted in the soft light, you took in the surroundings. His room was unexpectedly… cute. A complete 180 from the intimidating aura that had radiated from him since your encounter with him in the bar. 

He sat down on the edge of his bed, beckoning you over. His bed looked so soft and plush, you wanted to collapse in it. He had other plans for you. “Down on your knees for me, princess,” he said, and you obeyed without protest. A bit kinky to start out with, and certainly forward, but you could go with it. He pet your head softly as you kneeled before him in your submissive position. “You’re gonna make such a pretty kitty.”

A pretty… what? 

He leaned over the bed to pull something out of his nightstand, and you felt your body tense up in anticipation. What was he about to do? Handcuffs? Restraints? You could handle a little BDSM. For him, you were willing to put up with any weird thing he threw at you, so long as you could stare at his handsome face as he did it.  

He sat back up on the bed, admiring your position beneath him. Stars seemed to sparkle in his eyes as they took in the view. One hand caressed your jaw, the other bringing his newly grabbed item up to your head. 

Cat… ears? 

He held a pair of white fuzzy ears on a thin headband against your hair, complete with small ribbons at the base of each ear. “Ah, yes… I think these ones are perfect,” he mused, tilting his head at the sight, as if trying to decide if they suited you. 

These ones? Did he have more than one pair? 

He slipped them gently onto your head, and his face immediately went flush, flashing the biggest smile you had seen from him yet. His smile was still so intoxicating to you. “You look so pretty,” he complimented, stroking the cat ears between his thumb and index finder. “My pretty kitty.”

Whatever you were expecting from him, it wasn’t this.

“A pretty stray like you needs a collar…” he hummed, reaching behind his back and pulling out an intricate ribbon collar, complete with a bow and a bell around the neck. He stood up, stepping around behind you and kneeling down to fasten it around your neck. He leaned into your ear from behind, warm breath tickling your ear. “My pet.” 

You hadn’t ever considered yourself into this kind of thing, but hearing him call you his pet gave you chills. He gave a nudge on your shoulder signaling for you to turn around and face him. Still kneeling, you shuffled on your knees until your face was level with the crotch of his pants, which he was now pulling down slowly. The anticipation was torturous, as you had found yourself fantasizing about his dick all night. 

The reality did not let you down. Now, normally you’d never think to call someone’s dick beautiful, but you’d make an exception for his. It was nearly as beautiful as his face, in its own way, as strange as that sounded in your head. It was perfectly proportionate, with just the right amount of curvature, and you found yourself once again wondering how this guy was even real. As it sprang out of his pants, you wrapped your hand around it, feeling its warm, perfect form against your palm. Not to be a total weirdo, but you kind of wanted to worship this man’s dick. So you did, by wrapping your lips around the tip and gently lapping at it with your tongue. 

“Good girl,” he breathed pleasantly, bringing a hand up to scratch underneath your chin. He was really getting into it, and, not gonna lie, you were too. You’d gladly be his pet any day of the week. 

The way he sang his moans gave you a roaring high, and you reciprocated with moaning against his dick. He mostly let you take the charge, softly singing you praises with the pretty noises he made. Every so often he would buck his hips into your mouth instinctually one hand still cupped under your chin, the other slowly stroking the top of your head. 

After several minutes, he pulled himself from your mouth. Although you could have worshipped him for hours on your knees like that, your mind was buzzing in anticipation of how his pretty dick would feel inside of you. 

He hooked a finger through the tight vice of the collar around your throat and pulled you up from your knees. The pressure around your neck felt incredible, and you wondered for a moment why you’d never considered a collar like this before. San guided you back gently and pushed you onto the soft bed with a hungry force, stripping your clothes off as he climbed on top of you. 

He took several moments to take in the view of your body. Any insecurities you had previously had melted away as his gaze washed over you. His hands worshipped your skin like you had his beautiful dick. “You’re so soft…” he cooed, eyes glazed with desire, his large hands lost in exploring your curves. 

“San…” you moaned, snapping him back to reality. “I can’t take it anymore, please…” Your hand came up to guide his dick between your legs. 

A deep groan rolled up through his throat. The sound of you begging was nearly too much for him to handle, but he resisted, still poised at your entrance. You could feel his dick rubbing lightly against you, the sensations you had craved all night rocking through your body like waves. But he stayed still, torturously. 

“God, you’re pretty,” he marveled, tracing a finger along where the collar cinched around your throat. “But there’s something my pretty kitty is still missing." 

He flipped you from your back to your stomach and guided your face up to the pillows. His bed was so soft and plush, adorned in thick furry blankets. The softness felt incredible against your bare skin. Every nerve on your body felt heightened as your arousal compounded. You wanted him fucking you - now. You wanted to feel his pretty, pretty dick stretching you out. You wanted-

Your thoughts were cut short by a cold, wet sensation pushing against your ass. It was jarring, and you jolted your hips up, alert. The cold sensation against you was followed by the feeling of fur brushing against your skin.

Your suspicions of what was happening were confirmed when San spoke, his voice even more lustful than before. "Oh princess,” he breathed, the pet name dripping off his tongue in that deep voice you loved. He pushed the cold, slippery head of the plug slowly inside of your ass, the sensation completely overwhelming you. “This tail looks so perfect on you.”

You whined into the pillow, soft moans escaping you as you took the plug fully inside you. San’s hands caressed your hips from behind, finally positioning his tip at the entrance of your pussy. The built up anticipation was excruciating. The night thus far had made you wetter than you even knew you could get. You were practically dripping for him. He finally pushed the tip in, entering you effortlessly. 

Pleasure immediately washed over you. “God, fuck…” you moaned into the pillow, unable to control the noises. You’d never felt so full before. The cold tail plug in your ass and his dick stretching you out had your eyes rolling back in your head. As he began to rock inside of you, he moved one of his hands to your neck, hooking his fingers into the collar. It choked you slightly, in a way you never knew you needed, and you let out a cry of pleasure. 

“Such a good kitty,” he said lustfully. His praises felt so good in your ear.

As if those sensations weren’t enough - his dick sliding in and out, the cold plug, the light choking of his hand in your collar - you felt his hand move from supporting your hips to underneath you.

His fingers circled your clit, and you felt complete bliss consume you. It took only a few seconds of his fingers on you to push you over the edge. You had never felt an orgasm like that in your life - long, intense, shaking. You could have sworn you ascended to heaven and back in that moment.

As if he was just waiting for your release to give in, he pulled out from you with labored breaths and released his warm cum onto your lower back.

You collapsed onto your stomach on the soft bed, which was now a bit damp with sweat and God knows what else, completely blissed out. The plush blankets welcomed you in like clouds.

“You look like an angel,” San breathed, collapsing at your side, once again giving your head gentle pets.

“No, you." 

He laughed at your unexpected reply. His laugh was as intoxicating as his smile, and it reminded you of how much you were falling for him. "Let’s get you cleaned up, okay?”

When he came back with a damp washcloth to clean you off with, your eyelids were heavy. He removed the plug from you gently, making sure it wasn’t hurting you, and pressed the warm cloth to your back to clean you off, rubbing in soothing circles against your skin. God, he was sweet… so gentle, so loving.

He removed the ears and placed them back on his nightstand. 

“One thing, princess.”

“Mm,” you moaned softly, too tired to form words.

“I’d like to leave the collar on.”

You nodded, giving into the darkness behind your eyelids. The last thing you remember before drifting to sleep was him scooping you up and tucking you in under the soft blankets, humming softly.

His pretty pet. 

[catlynhoss05]

Home Sweet Home Ch. 1: The Start of Something New

Pairing: OC!baureader x Emily Prentiss x Criminal Minds

~Series starts in season 4~ (check out Remi’s work shoes link on HSH masterlist)

Chapter Summary: Remi is new to the BAU and to Hotch’s team. She has MAJOR hots for one SSA Emily Prentiss and her the same. Remi’s first case with the team takes them to her hometown of Nashville, Tennessee.

     Remi has been working with the BAU for about a month and a half now. She never expected to feel so at home with her job and with the team. She hasn’t talked much about her family life back home in Nashville and made sure that her file was kept confidential from the team, besides BAU Section Chief Erin Strauss and Unit Chief Aaron Hotchner. She wanted to make sure that the team liked her for who she is and not for what she was to the rest of the world.

     Since growing up on a 1200-acre farm, Remi’s used to waking up pretty early in the morning to do the usual morning chores that are required to do on such a large farm. However, since she had moved to Quantico, Virginia and had went from living on a farm to living in the city, her ‘normal’ routine had to be changed some. She still got up at a quarter to 4 a.m., went on a 2-mile run with her 2 year old German Shepard, Louisa, and then took a quick shower when she got home. Even though it was only 4:20 a.m. and she didn’t have to be at work until 9 a.m., she made herself some of her famous cheesy scrambled eggs and made sure that she filled up Louisa’s food and water bowls. After Remi had finished eating her breakfast, she cuddled with Louisa for awhile before having to finish getting ready for work. Remi pulled on her shoes, grabbed her jacket and gear for work, said goodbye to Louisa, grabbed her skateboard and went out the door to go to work.

     Remi had gotten to work about a half an hour before any of the others would start coming into the office. She was sitting at her desk that was behind Spencer’s desk that also faced Hotch’s office. She was busy texting her twin brother, Harris, and wasn’t aware that Derek and Spencer had come in. Derek had peeked over her shoulder to see what was making his coworker smile so much. “Who’s ‘Harris T-Bro B11′?” He asked, scaring Remi. “Geez, Morgan. You scared me. And, nosey much?” She asked. “I just asked you a question and I didn’t mean to scare.” He chuckled. “It’s okay..... And, if you must know, Harris is my older twin brother and he keeps a-asking me ab-about....” Remi trailed off when she saw one SSA Emily Prentiss with JJ and Rossi coming through the glass doors and into the office.

     The whole team, including Strauss, knew about how Emily and Remi felt about each other, but both of them were clueless about that. Emily, JJ and Rossi had walked by Remi and Derek and made their way to their desks, or office, before going into the break room for some much needed coffee. While Emily was making her coffee first, JJ and Rossi came up next to her with shit-eating grins on their faces while starring at Emily. “What? Why are you guys looking at me like that for?” She asked, trying to act clueless. “You know exactly why we’re looking at you like this. Remi was hardcore checking you out as we walked by her and Morgan and you know it. When are you gong to make your move and finally ask her out?” JJ asked and Rossi agreed by nodding his head. “She was not checking me out and I think you two are going crazy.” Emily smiled and sat down at the break room table with her coffee.

     However, currently in the bullpen, Derek was trying to get Remi’s attention by waving his hand in front of her face. “I’m sorry. What did you say?” She asked, carding her hand through her hair. "I didn't say anything. You were talking and then stopped because a certain BAU agent had walked by." Derek leaned over and nudged her shoulder while smiling like a dork. He laughed when she shoved him back. "Shove it, Morgan. But by the looks of it, we may have a case." She stated, referring to Hotch coming out of his office. "Everyone meet in the conference room. We got a case." Hotch announced so everyone could hear him. Derek and Remi walked into the conference room together, followed by JJ, Emily and Rossi. Remi had accidentally dropped her pen and when she bent over to pick it up, Emily and JJ were right behind her and Emily was checking out her ass. "Nice Calvin Klein waistband you have there, Remi. Don't you think so, Emily?" JJ asked, making both Emily and Remi blush a deep red.

     Remi had stood up quickly and fixed her shirt to cover up the waist band to her underwear. "Geez, JJ." She huffed as she went to her usual spot between Rossi and Morgan and waited for Penelope to start the briefing. "Okay, my lovely crime fighters. Our case is located and taking all of you, and myself, to Remi's hometown of Nashville, Tennessee." Penelope stated. "Wait? Are you sure?" Remi asked, earning a nod from Penelope. "Yeah. Is that an issue?" Rossi asked, sounding concerned. Remi pinched the bridged of her nose and sighed before answering. “No, it’s not an issue. It's just...... All of my brothers are home for a few weeks to help our parents with the farm because the farm is really busy this time of year. And, they had called me last night to ask when I'll be coming home to visit for a little bit." She explained.

     “How many brothers do you have and how big of a farm does your parents have?” Spencer asked. “Way to many. Why, you want a few?” She joked, earning a rare chuckle from Hotch. “And it’s a 1200-acre farm. Usually only a few of my brothers that live close to them work on the farm regularly. But it’s kind of busy right now with the animals. Anyway, we have a case to focus on.” “She’s right. Go on, Garcia.” Hotch said, matter-of-factly. “A group of misfit teenagers found the body of 9 year old, Trisha Walters, in a ditch beside the highway close to downtown Nashville.” Penelope explained as she showed the team the slide show of crime scene photos of the little girl. “However, there were two other 9 year old little girls, Alexis O’Conner and Georgia McConnell, were also found in the same ditch but, they were all about a half a mile away from each other.”

     “Looks like they were all bound around the ankles to keep them where ever the unsub had kept them.” Derek pointed out. “And they were also face down when they were found, but it looks to me like they were all killed differently though. What would be the unsub’s motive to take and kill these little girls?” Remi asked. “Well, there is a big ‘UH OH’, as I like to say. After the first girl was taken, the other two little girls were taken exactly 48 hours in between each girl. However, it seems like the bad guy had disposed of their little innocent bodies at the same time each night, but 48 hours after each dump. The other big ‘UH OH’ is that the third little girl was found around 5 a.m. this morning, BUT, we have a fourth victim on our hands.” Penelope said in a very sad tone.

     “Who’s the fourth victim?” JJ asked. “9 year old, Joyce McKnight. She was taken this morning around 7:15 a.m. when she was walking by herself to school that was only about 10 blocks away from her house. And, get this. All four little girls went to the same school.” Penelope sighed sadly. “What’s his angle here? What does he want from these little girls? I mean, he’s gotta at least have either lost his 9 year old little girl or lost someone who was close to him when he was either at that age or that someone who was close to him was 9 years old and female.” Remi suggested. Everyone was silent and thinking about what Remi had said. “She’s got a very good point and the crime scene photos from each crime scene points to some, but not much, abuse, but yet held captive. Fed some, but not much. But, they all look like they were tortured more than anything.” Emily explained her views of the case.

   “Wheels up in 20.” Hotch spoke up, dismissing the team. Everyone, including Penelope, gathered there stuff up and made their ways out of the conference room. Penelope went to her bat cave to grab her stuff while everyone else went to their desks to grab what they needed as well as their gear. Strauss had made sure that the team was given strict orders to three weeks off with pay, of course, after they finished up the current case. She also said that she will fly Will, Henry and Jack to Nashville on the jet once they are all settled and done with the case. So, the whole team, including Penelope, have packed enough clothes and essentials for the next few weeks they’re going to spend in Nashville.

     Penelope had locked up her bat cave after she had grabbed her stuff that she needed for the case and for the next few weeks. She made her way into the bullpen where the rest of the team was and walked up to where Remi’s desk. “So...” Penelope spoke up, scaring Remi a little bit. “So.... what?” Remi questioned the bright and colorful tech genius. “Do you think we’ll be able to meet your family?” Penelope asked. “Ooh yeah, could we meet them?” JJ asked, speaking up from where she was standing at her desk. “Maybe. Having all of my brothers, and myself, under one roof is quite chaotic. Hell, my brothers ARE chaotic when it’s just them under one roof.” Remi chuckled, grabbing her go-bag and stood up as she grabbed her back pack as well.

     Hotch and Rossi both had come out of their offices with their bags in their hands as they headed to the elevator to go to the jet. The rest of the team had followed close behind the two older agents and everyone piled into the elevator. Remi was in the back of the elevator and was standing in between Emily, who had JJ to her right, and Penelope who was standing to Remi’s left. Remi stood at height of 5′7″, just an inch shorter than Emily was. While JJ was smiling like a goofball and wiggling her eyebrows at Emily, Penelope was doing the same to Remi. “So, Remi. You never did say how many brothers you have. Or that you have a twin brother.” Emily spoke up, just as the elevator doors had opened on their designated floor.

     “Yes, I have a twin brother. His name is Harris and he’s four minutes and fifteen seconds older than I am.” She paused as the team exited the elevator. “I am also the only girl and the youngest of twelve.” Remi explained. Everyone, except for Hotch and Rossi, were all looking at Remi with shocked expressions and mouths agape. Remi looked around at the team that all stopped in front of her. “What? Honestly, I’m the youngest of twelve. I have a total of eleven older brothers..... Now, let’s discuss this subject on the jet.” Remi said, trying and getting the agents to get a move on. They took two separate vehicles so it would be easier for everyone instead of everyone driving separately to the tarmac.

     Once everyone had gotten onto the jet, Hotch and Rossi were sitting in the two single seats that were facing each other, and could also swivel. Derek and Spencer sat on the couch while JJ, Emily, Penelope and Remi sat at the four seater with the table. Emily had a window seat with JJ sitting to her left while Remi had the other window seat facing her with Penelope sitting to her right. The plane ride from Quantico to Nashville is about an hour and a half and the team had talked a little more about the case while waiting for the jet to take off. Once the pilots were ready and it was time to start getting a move on and to finally take off. After taking off and everyone had agreed to relax for the plane ride to Nashville, everyone was doing their own things quietly. “So, Remi. What was it like growing up with 11 older brothers?” JJ asked curiously, gaining the teams attention because everyone was curious to know.

     “Very chaotic and hectic... And WAY to much testosterone. Just imagine 11 Derek Morgan’s, and that will give you my brothers.” Remi described, causing everyone, including Derek, to erupt in fits of laughter. “Okay, okay. I gotta know and probably everyone else wants to know as well. What are your brothers names?” Penelope wondered. “Well, there’s the identical triplets; Benjamin, Oliver and Nolan who are 42, Ryker who’s 41 and then Sawyer who’s 40. Then it’s the identical twins; Asher and Elijah and they’re 38. Then Wyatt is 37, Colten is 36, Dallas is 35 and then it’s Harris and myself and we’re 34.” Remi explained.

     The whole team was quiet, especially Spencer who was usually the one to be spitting out facts that no one even knew about or would even think of. Remi looked around at everyone as they all stared at her like she had just insulted them or something. “What? Did I say something wrong?” She asked. “No, you didn’t. So there’s identical triplets, identical twins AND fraternal twins? Triplets and TWO sets of twins?” Emily asked dumbfounded. “Yes ma’am.” Remi smirked. “Oh wow. And you all are really close in age as well?” Rossi asked. “That’s right.” She chuckled. “Is Remi short for something or is it just Remi?” Emily asked, leaning forward and resting her arms on the table and her chin in one of her hands.

     “Remi is actually short for Remington. As in I was thought to be a boy when my mama was pregnant with Harris and I. The doctors, I guess, thought I was a boy as well, but surprise. I’m a girl. So, I’m technically named after my papaw Remington Montgomery, but I obviously have a different middle name then he does.” She chuckled, earning a smile from Emily. JJ and Penelope had shared a look with each other after they noticed how both Emily sitting while talking to Remi. JJ could see from where she was sitting, and ever since Remi had joined, was absolutely, head over heels, falling in love with Emily from the moment that the two had met. It was actually quite obvious to the whole team; including Strauss. However, the two agents were COMPLETELY oblivious about the other ones feelings.

     When the jet had landed in Nashville, the team made their way off of the jet and into the airport so Hotch could rent out 2 vehicles for the team for the next few weeks. After getting the rental cars, everyone piled into them and made their way to the hotel that they’re supposed to be staying at. The team was sitting on the couches and chairs as they waited -for what seemed liked forever- for Hotch as he talked to the receptionist. JJ and Emily sat together on one of the loveseats in the lobby while Penelope and Remi sat on the other loveseat across the way from them. Remi had her feet up on the coffee table that was in between the loveseats while she was checking Emily out. And, of course, her actions didn’t go unnoticed by the infamous Penelope Garcia. Before Penelope could say anything, Hotch came back over to where the team was at and he didn’t look very pleased.

     “They have no more rooms left for us to stay in.” He sighed, earning a few groans from the team. “So where are we going to stay then?” Reid asked. “We can stay at my parents place. Even though my brothers are home, there’s still plenty of room for all of us and even for Jack, Henry and Will when they come.” Remi suggested. “Are you sure they won’t mind us staying there and working from there as well?” Hotch asked. “No, they won’t mind at all. Honestly, they’ve been begging to meet you guys.” She chuckled. “Well, let’s go then.” Hotch smirked.

[hookedonapirate]

We Own the Night

Summary: It’s a shame she’s so bloody beautiful in her low cut, curve-hugging red dress and black high heels, her green eyes glinting with mischief and her golden hair cascading over her shoulders as she leans into him. It’s a shame how sexy she is while she flirts with him and how adorable she is when she giggles and whispers in his ear, almost marking him with her red lipstick as her hand gently caresses his bicep, the warm breath against his skin making his heart race. In ordinary circumstances, they’d be engaging in more enjoyable activities, but unfortunately, he has to arrest her. 

A/N: Wow, I can't believe I wrote the first part of this story in September! I'm sorry it took so long to update. Thank you @onceuponaprincessworld​ for letting me share ideas with her and for constantly being a cheerleader. This part has not been beta'd, only self-edited so feel free to let me know if I overlooked any mistakes. Hope you enjoy!

Also Available on: AO3 l FF.N

Rated: Explicit for crude language and multiple mentions of prostitution.

Read: Part One

Part Two/Two

“I hope you don’t mind, I invited someone to join us.”

 Liam cuts Killian a sideways glance, his brows climbing to his forehead as they make their way up the walkway of the bistro. “No, not at all, but when we talked over the phone, I thought it was just going to be us brothers celebrating over rum and wings at our favorite pub.”

 “Well, make no mistake,” Killian says, clapping his hand on Liam's shoulder, “we will be celebrating and there will be rum, but I thought we could splurge and come here where we can get an actual drink. There is someone who I would very much like for you to meet, and I think the top shelf rum is better suited for the occasion instead of the cheap stuff. But don’t worry, I’m paying,” Killian assures him, in case the cost is what he's worried about.

 Liam waves off his words as they reach the entrance and wait outside. “Nonsense, little brother. We’re here to celebrate your victory, so I think I can foot the bill.” 

 Before Killian can demur, he turns his head to see a gorgeous blonde in a radiant blue dress as she makes her toward them, her high heels clicking against the sidewalk and long loose hair bouncing around her shoulders in golden silk waves that he itches to run his fingers through. His gaze travels down her form, appreciating every curve and every inch of exposed porcelain skin, before returning to her face.

 “So, who is this person joining us?” Liam asks curiously before he turns his head to see what Killian is gaping so shamelessly at. Or rather who. “Oh.”

 Killian can hear the smirk in his brother's tone, but he's too fixated on those beautiful emerald orbs glinting in the soft outdoor lighting, and that great big smile which shows off her pearly white teeth, and can't seem to tear his eyes away from her to catch the expression on Liam's face. 

 “Hi, babe,” she says, kissing Killian’s cheek in greeting.

 Placing his hand on the small of her back, a low groan bubbles in his throat when he can feel her smooth, silken skin under his palm and realizes her dress is backless. “Hi, love,” he murmurs in her ear and lifts her hand with his free one, brushing his lips over her knuckles. “You look stunning.” He places a soft kiss to her delicate, supple skin as he takes in the sweet, lovely scent of her perfume. 

 “Thank you.” She giggles when his prickly scruff tickles her skin, and her laughter warms his heart. “You’re not so bad yourself.”

 A big grin takes over his face. “Thank you, love.” He releases her hand so he can wrap his arm around her hourglass figure and pull her against him. As he eyes her luscious lips and darts his tongue to lick his own, he has to refrain from kissing her senseless while they're in his brother’s presence. 

 Right. His brother's here.

 Reminding himself he's not alone with his lovely Swan, he turns his head to Liam, who is standing there awkwardly with his arms crossed, waiting for them to finish groping each other, or so Killian assumes. “Liam, I would like you to meet Emma. Emma. this is my brother, Liam.”

 It’s funny because Killian has never introduced him to her before; he hasn’t so much as shown his brother a picture of Emma because, based on his own experience, photographs don’t do her a bit of justice. And yet Liam’s eyes widen with recognition and he’s standing there staring at her for longer than what is appropriate and necessary.

 Killian clears his throat to gain his brother’s attention as he tilts his head toward her.

 It doesn’t take Liam long to understand what Killian is trying to tell him. He quickly amends his behavior and shoots out his hand, offering it to her. “Apologies, lass. Where are my manners? It’s very nice to meet you.”

 She doesn't seem to take offense as she shakes his hand. “Likewise.”

 Liam is still gawking and scrunching his eyebrows at her, and Killian’s afraid he’s making her uncomfortable, even though she doesn't appear to be. 

 When Liam doesn't release her hand in a timely manner, Killian gives him a nudge in the ribs. Is he seriously checking out his brother’s girlfriend?

“Ow, what in the bloody hell did you jab me in the ribs for?” Liam grumbles as he lets go of Emma’s hand to rub his ribs.

 “I was gently persuading you not to ogle my girlfriend,” he teases, though his tone is void of any humor and is loaded with sarcasm.

 “I wasn’t ogling your girlfriend, Killian. It’s just…” Liam scratches his head and seems to scrutinize every detail of her face.

 She arches a brow, waiting for him to explain himself. “Just what?”

 “Have we met before?” he finally asks her.

 Emma purses her lips and pinches her brows together in assessment for a moment, then she shakes her head. “I don’t believe so. I’m not from around here.”

 Liam lifts his hand, rubbing his chin in contemplation. “Hm, you look very familiar but I don’t know where I’ve seen you before.”

 “Maybe from a picture?” Emma guesses, looking at Killian for answers.

 “No, that’s not it. Killian never showed me a picture of you.”

 “Aye, photographs don’t do you justice, love,” Killian says, winking at his lovely girlfriend.

 A pretty, pink blush paints her cheeks and she smiles at him. She leans into him, wrapping an arm around his back as he snakes his arm around her shoulders and kisses her temple.

 Liam narrows his eyes at Killian. “Come to think of it, you haven’t even told me about her. Why is that, little brother?”

 Emma glances at Killian, equally curious about the question. “Yeah, why is that?”

 “First of all, it’s younger brother,” Killian corrects Liam before his eyes move to Emma, “and secondly, I didn’t mention you because I wanted it to be a surprise.” Killian balls his fingers into a fist and points his thumb in Liam’s direction. “Do you know how long this ponce has been nagging me about finding a proper girlfriend after the last one ripped my heart out?” He shivers at the mention of his ex. He’d told Emma about her, and the gory details, but didn’t wish to bring it up again, especially tonight because it's supposed to be a celebratory one.

 Liam frowns. “Oi, I haven’t nagged you about it, I gently persuaded you to get over her,” he says, mocking Killian’s earlier words.

 Killian rolls his eyes. “Uh-huh. Gently persuaded my arse.”

 Emma laughs and shakes her head at the two bickering brothers and loops her arm through Killian’s. The three of them head inside where the hostess seats them at a booth and passes out menus. Killian slides in next to Emma, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and caresses the warm, bare skin at his fingertips as they get comfortable in the booth. Emma molds into him and rests her hand on his knee underneath the table. 

 When their waitress arrives to take their drink orders, the guys order Bicardi Superior and Emma orders a Rum and Coke.

 “A lass who enjoys her liquor, I like her already,” Liam teases Emma, “even though you're ruining your rum by adding soda to it. I’ll let it slide, though.” 

 Killian leans over to kiss her cheek. “I happen to like her too.”

 The waitress returns with their drinks and leaves when they’re not ready to order their food yet. 

 While they’re browsing the menus and chatting about what to eat for dinner, Liam keeps staring at Emma every now and then, as if he knows her. “I swear I’ve seen you before, I just can't figure out where,” he says before taking a sip of his rum.

 Killian sighs, and Emma shrugs. 

 “Sorry, I’m not sure. I’d remember a face like yours.”

 Liam grins. “Oh, really?”

 “Yeah, I mean even though you bear a slight resemblance to Killian, you have one of those unique faces. I, on the other hand, have a familiar face.”

 “I tend to disagree, love. While you do have a friendly face, your beauty is far from common.” 

 Emma blushes crimson and moves her hand to his thigh, squeezing him gently as she leans in to whisper in his ear. “You’re asking for it, aren't you?”

 “And what exactly am I asking for, darling?” he murmurs quietly so Liam can’t hear.

 “As if you don't know.”

 The clearing of Liam’s throat indicates they weren’t quiet enough or maybe they’re sitting too close and practically pawing each other on the other side of the table. Or maybe they both share that look—a look that says they’re going to rip each other’s clothes off and fuck each other’s brains out once they’re alone in her cozy hotel room. 

 When Killian returned to his hometown to visit his brother, he’d invited her to stay with him at Liam’s but she didn’t wish to invade Liam’s space, especially since she hadn’t met yet. So Killian paid for a hotel room for the night in hopes she would come around after getting to know Liam a bit and be comfortable enough to stay at his place. But with the way Liam is creepily staring at her, Killian doubts she will warm up to him anytime soon.

 “Alright, get a room, you two,” Liam grumbles and returns his eyes to the menu in his hands.

 “We have one,” Killian says to his brother, “and believe me, we’re dying to use it.” He winks at Emma, and sees her blushing and smiling from ear to ear. She is bloody adorable when she blushes.

 “You got a room for the night?” Liam asks Emma curiously. “You could’ve stayed at my place. If my knucklehead of a brother told me about you, you wouldn't have had to pay for a hotel.”

 “That’s okay. I’m used to staying in hotels for work.”

 Liam sets down the menu and curls his hand around his tumbler. “Say that again?” he asks before draining his drink.

 “I’m used to staying in hotels. I get around a lot for my job.”

 Liam spits out the expensive rum, spraying it over the table.

 “What in the blazes, Liam?!” Killian yells at him as he looks at Emma to make sure the rum didn’t get on her.

 She quickly reaches for some napkins and wipes off the table. Luckily the rum only splattered the table and menus.

 “Sorry, lass,” Liam says while grabbing some napkins and frantically trying to clean up his mess. 

 Killian notices a change in his brother’s behavior. He seems nervous about something, but he's not sure why.

 “Are you two ready to order? I’m ready,” Liam says frantically and turns his head, seeking the waitress before Killian and Emma can reply. He raises his hand to summon her over.

 “I guess we’re ready,” Emma says with a laugh and glances at her menu once more before handing it to Killian.

 The waitress takes their orders and menus before leaving the table.

 “So, do you want to explain to me what your problem is, brother?” Killian asks in irritation as he glares daggers at him.

 “Nothing, I… I’m sorry, the rum just went down the wrong pipe is all.”

 “I’m not talking about that specifically. You’ve been acting strange all night,” Killian chastises.

 “It’s nothing. I’m fine really.” His eyes move to Emma. “I just realized where I know you from. I saw your picture online. While you were working.”

 “Oh god,” Emma groans, “I look terrible in that photo. I had pulled an all-nighter right before that picture was taken.

 “I disagree, love, you looked beautiful. You always do.” Killian grins at her, remembering that photo very well. He and Emma had busted an organized crime ring that trafficked women into the local sex trade, and it was plastered all over the news. The photograph of them making several arrests had been taken for a local newspaper, but he’s not sure how Liam had seen it since he doesn’t even live in Washington.

 Liam’s face pales as he glares at Emma with disdain. 

 Killian scowls at him. He will have a little chit chat with his brother later on about displaying proper manners around his girlfriend. 

 “So, tell me, Emma, how do you like your profession?” Liam asks, his expressions steely as he observes her pointedly.

 “Oh, well, it's very challenging at times, but at the end of the day, it’s very rewarding knowing I’m making a big difference on the streets. The day that photo was taken, I single-handedly took on fifty guys at the brothel. I was so exhausted if you can even imagine.” She sighs as though experiencing that same exhaustion she had felt that day. There was so much paperwork from all the arrests they had made.

 “You were brilliant, love,” he compliments, leaning in to kiss her cheek. He was so proud of her that day. But for some reason, he can feel the burn of Liam’s stare which feels nothing like pride. He tilts his head to see him glowering conspicuously at him, appearing to be both mystified and disappointed. And Killian doesn’t understand why. 

 “So you're okay with her occupation?”

 What in the bloody hell? Here, Killian thought his brother would be happy he found someone as amazing as Emma, especially since Liam had been encouraging him to get back in the saddle after Milah broke his heart.

 “Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?” he asks, irritated by his brother’s crude behavior. “I'd be a hypocrite if I weren't okay with it, don't you think?”

 He can feel his lovely Swan stiffen at the topic, her jaw tight as she glares at Liam. ���Excuse me, but even if he weren’t okay with it, no one's going to tell me what I can or cannot do for a living. Believe me, my brother has been trying since I was nine,” she says bitterly before sipping her rum and coke through a straw.

 Liam’s eyes pop out of his skull, shock washing over his features, and if Killian’s not mistaken, a hint of pity. But he has no bloody clue why. “Nine?! Wow, that's young.”

 “Well, obviously it was only a dream of mine at the time. I wanted to follow in my adoptive mother's footsteps.” 

 “Your mother was one too?” Liam asks, completely appalled. “No wonder you took to this lifestyle.”

 “Oh yeah, and thanks to her talking some sense into my brother, he came around to the idea, and now I work for him.”

 Liam claps his palm on the top of his curly-haired head. “You work for him?!”

 Emma furrows her brows at him from across the table, not sure why what's so shocking about growing up around people who were in the police force, but thankfully she doesn’t take offense, and seems okay about being hammered with so many questions. Killian supposes it’s because she was nervous about meeting Liam and was worried about whether he would like her. Killian had been quick to assure her he would absolutely love her, but now he’s thinking maybe he didn’t know his brother as well as he thought he did. 

 “Yeah, but believe me, he shows me no nepotism; he rides me hard all day, every day. In fact, he's down my throat more than anyone else,” she says, rolling her eyes at David’s constant need to dictate and tell her how to perform her job.

 Killian can actually hear his brother gasp as he slaps his hands over his cheeks. “Oh my God, your own brother?!” he blurts out, loud enough to gain the attention of other diners. “That's bloody appalling!”

 Emma wrinkles her nose and narrows her eyes at Liam’s response. He seems to take everything she says way out of proportion. “Look I know it's a dangerous job, but I'm just as qualified as any man in my field.”

 Killian agrees with a nod and strokes her back as he regards her with genuine pride. “Aye, she's a feisty lass. She has no problem taking on a heavy load.”

 “Lass, I didn't say you weren't qualified, I mean you're very… attractive—”

 “Wait, you think I got this job because of my looks?!” she demands, cutting him off. She’s clearly pissed. For good reason.

 Liam shrugs, not seeing what the big deal is. “Well, yeah. I mean I assume you get work based on your body, not your brains.” 

 Emma audibly gasps, her eyes popping out of her skull. “Excuse me?!”

 Liam raises his hands in defense and speaks casually, as though it's a typical Tuesday and he's not being a misogynistic tosser to the woman his brother loves and adores. “Well don't get me wrong, lass, I'm sure you give fantastic beejers too. Any man would be happy to have you.”

 "What the bloody fuck did you just say?!" Killian demands hoarsely. He's completely aghast, and he can see the rage spiraling through his girlfriend, he can feel her anger as she taps his shoulder, urging him to move. He feels his own anger bubbling up inside of him. He clenches his jaw as he glares at Liam, letting him know he’s not happy. Why the fuck is Liam speaking to her like she’s a prostitute? What's worse is he doesn't even appear to be apologetic.

 “Can you let me out, please?” she asks Killian in a cold, rigid tone.

 In other circumstances, he would’ve attempted to defend Liam despite his childish behavior, he would've begged Emma to say, but what his scoundrel of a brother had said was not okay—not even close. Killian slides out of the booth and steps aside so Emma can leave. Once she slides out of the booth and stands up, she goes over to the other side of the table and smacks Liam hard in the face. 

 It’s not until he feels the sting of her slap when he appears to be apologetic. As he lifts his hand to soothe his cheek, she picks up his drink and throws it at him. 

 “Oh whoops, it looks like I ruined your rum by adding a big sexist pig to it!” The bite of her tone and sting of her slap (based on how loud it sounded) are much stronger and bitter than the cheap rum at the pub. She bolts away from the table as Liam wipes off the cocktail from his face with a napkin and sighs.

 Apparently they've gained an audience because all the female customers and servers are glaring daggers at Liam, all of them ready to kick his arse. And despite being a cop, Killian wouldn't bother to stop them. Not after the way Liam spoke to his Swan.

 “What the fuck is your problem?!” Killian barks out, but doesn’t stick around long enough to hear the answer, and instead follows Emma out the door. “Emma, wait,” he calls after her as she heads to her car. “Please…” His voice is cracked with worry. He hates that she’s so upset and hurt. Even worse, he hates that his brother is the culprit.

 She stops and turns around, and his heart clenches when he sees tears sliding down her cheeks. He just wants to hold her in his arms and make everything better. His jaw twitches as he lifts a hand to wipe the tears from her face. “I will kick his bloody arse for talking to you that way. I am so sorry, baby. He’s not normally like that.”

 “It’s not your fault, Killian. I just don’t understand how he’s your brother,” she says, pointing at the building in the direction he’s probably still sitting in the booth. “He’s nothing like you.”

 Killian cups her cheeks in hands and speaks softly. “Please, just let me talk some sense into him.”

 “You can do whatever you want.” Her voice cracks as she wipes at her glistening eyes. “I’m going back to the hotel.”

 Killian nods and raises his hand to swipe some stray locks of hair behind her shoulder before wrapping his arms around her. “Can I come by later?”

 Relaxing in his hold, she rests her forehead against his, allowing a small smile to tilt the corners of her mouth. “You better.”

 “Of course I will,” he reassures, kissing her forehead before lowering his gaze to hers. “I love you,” he whispers.

 “I love you, too.” Fisting her hands around the collar of his shirt, she brings her lips to his. 

 His arms tighten around her, both hands resting on her back, pulling her flush against him as his tongue parts her lips and they lose themselves in each other. His heartbeat quickens as he thinks back to their first kiss when he was posing as a john and she a prostitute. The kiss was intense, fierce. Full of heat and raw lust. But this one is so much different. It’s passionate, slow, tender. Full of love. He combs a hand through her hair and takes his time, enjoying the hint of alcohol and soda coating her mouth. The combination is sweet and smooth against the heat of her breath, and he savors every second of her. 

 Though Emma had said she didn’t date colleagues, they both had chemistry neither of them could deny. They plotted strategies together, and how they would bring down the biggest crime ring the county had ever seen. They had met for coffees and lunches for a few months before he finally gathered the courage to ask her out on a real date. She was so relieved and said she was tired of them dancing around their feelings for each other. They went out to dinner and talked for four hours, and then he brought her home and they talked all night, just curled up in her bed holding each other and talking. That was one of the best nights of his life, and every time he’s with her gets better and better.

 When she pulls away, he does his best to keep her there for a few more precious seconds. He knows she’s ready to get away from his brother as far and fast as she possibly can. As her mouth closes, he bites down gently and drags his teeth over her perfectly pink bottom lip. A soft moan escapes her mouth, and he smiles and slowly releases her from his hold as he licks his lips.

 He walks Emma to her yellow bug and kisses her one more time before she gets in her car and drives away. Now that she’s gone, he can focus on the matter at hand—figuring out what crawled up his brother’s arse and died. Anger surges through him and he clenches his fists as he marches back inside the bistro. His heart is racing again, but for different reasons. He’s not a violent person but he feels his brother deserves a good ass-kicking. That is if he hasn't received one already from the other patrons who witnessed such an atrocity. He finds their waitress and tells her to box up his and Emma’s food and he pays for their drinks and dinner entrees, but not Liam’s. Then he storms into the dining area and is shocked to find Liam in one piece. He's working on his third glass of rum, not including the one Emma threw in his face, his hair and clothes still damp with soda and alcohol.

 Killian slides into the booth across from him and gives him a deadly stare. “So, you wanna tell me why in the bloody hell you’re being a fucking wanker?”

 Liam sets down his drink and sighs slowly and deeply before lifting his eyes to Killian and crossing his arms on the table. “Why don’t you tell me why you felt the need to pay a hooker to be your girlfriend? So I wouldn’t harp on you anymore, is that it?”

 Um, what?! Killian's temper spikes again, and he has to refrain from throwing his drink in Liam’s face. Or throwing a punch. Emma was far too kind to him. “Excuse me, what the fuck did you just say?”

 Liam reaches into his pocket and pulls out his phone. “You heard me.”

 “Emma is not a hooker,” Killian snarls. He’s vibrating with rage as he stands from the booth with clenched fists.

 “Oh, really?” Liam pulls up something on his phone and shows it to him. “Then how do you explain this, brother?”

 Killian grabs the phone from his hand and has to rip his angry glare from his brother to study the photo. 

  Oh.

 Liam had snapped a photo of Killian’s computer as it displayed Emma’s picture and fake ad from the Cinderella Escorts website. The website solely designed to lure men who were looking to buy sex. Confusion washes over Killian’s face. Was his brother looking to pay for a prostitute? Please tell me I don’t have to arrest my own brother. On second thought, with the way Liam behaved to Emma, he'd be happy to throw him behind bars for a night or two. “How did you find this website?” he demands through gritted teeth as he lifts his eyes from the phone to look at Liam. The man he thought was honorable. But there’s nothing honorable about buying sex. 

 “I should ask you that. That is your computer, Killian. It was in your browser history. I just found it and snapped the photo.”

 “Why were you snooping around on my computer?” he asks angrily, although he should be relieved this was just a huge misunderstanding. But he’s kind of bummed he doesn’t get to arrest him.

 “I wasn’t snooping,” Liam claims as he snatches his phone back and tucks it into his pocket. “You had left for work and I was bored so I got on your computer and found it by accident.” Liam looks him in the eye, his features softening. “Look, Killian, I know it must be lonely being away from home all the time, but a hooker?” he asks, his nose scrunched up in disgust. “I thought you were better than that.”

 Killian’s jaw clenches as he stares hard at his brother, then slaps him upside the head. “Emma is not a prostitute. She’s a cop, you prat.”

 Liam’s face pales, his mouth falling open. “She’s a what?”

 “You heard me. She’s not a prostitute, she'd been going undercover posing as one.” 

 Killian sees the transformation in Liam’s expression. He sees him processing and putting all the pieces together. He sees Liam going through his conversation with Emma in his head, and it’s now clicking with him that she was referring to arresting johns for buying sex, not sleeping with them. She was referring to her job as a cop, not a prostitute. 

 Killian sighs and reclaims his seat in the booth. “We wanted to tell you we met while going undercover. She was posing as a prostitute and I was posing as a john, so when I met her at the hotel and pretended to pay her, we tried to arrest each other.”

 Liam stares vacantly across the diner in pure and utter shame. “Wow, that’s hilarious,” he says, but there’s no amusement in his tone, his face pale with humiliation. “That would’ve been a great story to tell.”

 “I know, that’s why we wanted to tell you, but then you started asking her ridiculous questions. That night we decided to team up. We worked together to take down the biggest  organized crime ring in King County, and that is why I invited her to celebrate with us.” She and Killian had celebrated in Seattle with all the officers involved in the operation, and of course, the man pulling all the strings, Emma’s brother (he was amused upon learning how they met, but far from it when he found out they were dating. He slowly came around to the idea though). Being a thousand miles away, Liam wasn’t able to attend at the time, so Killian and Emma had planned to have a small celebration of their own where she would finally get to meet his brother. And Killian had been ecstatic at the idea of introducing his brother to the woman he’s been doting on for months. But of course, Liam ruined that when he spoke to Emma the way he did. 

 “Think about it, Liam, I’m responsible for taking down a huge sex operation, saving hundreds of women from human trafficking and getting them into programs so they can live a better life, so why on bloody earth would I be paying one to date me?” 

 “In my defense, you never told me what kind of operation you were involved in. You just said you took down a big crime ring, you didn’t mention what crime.”

 “Does it matter? I’m still a cop, an honorable one at that. And so is Emma. We both work for her brother, who is the Sheriff of King County.”

 “Oh, boy.” Liam scratches his head and suddenly goes into panic mode, realization finally sinking in. “I accused her of getting work because of her body, not her brains.” His eyes snap to Killian’s. “I thought her brother was a pimp?!”

 “Aye.”

 He buries his face in his hands, mumbling into his palms. “Bloody fucking hell, I am so sorry.”

 “No need to apologize to me, I’m not the one you thought was a hooker.”

 He lifts his head and nods. “Right. I need to apologize to her. Did she leave?”

 “She went back to her hotel room.”

 “Take me there, please?”

 Killian shakes his head. “Liam, I don’t think she wants to speak to you right now.”

 “Please, I need to explain myself to her. She needs to know this was a big misunderstanding.” 

 Killian shoots him a warning glare. “Okay, I will, but you better be prepared to do some serious groveling.”

 Liam nods furiously. “I will.” He reaches into his pocket and pulls out his wallet. “I’ll pay for your meals and have them boxed up.”

 “I already paid for mine and Emma’s.”

 “Okay. How much was it?” he asks, digging out his card.

 “Liam, it’s fine.”

 “How much?” he repeats. 

 Killian sighs in defeat and tells him the amount. He supposes Liam deserves to pay since he’s the reason Emma stormed away.

 ~*~

 Emma is beyond fucking furious at the audacity of Killian’s brother! He accused her of becoming a police officer because she gives good blowjobs! Emma had worked hard to get where she is. And she didn’t gain the respect of her fellow officers because her brother is King County Sheriff either. No in fact, at first they treated her like his kid sister. It took time and dedication to gain the same respect and trust they had for David. So to have someone accuse her of becoming a cop based on the way she looks or the outrageous idea that she performs sexual favors is a crock of shit! And here she was so excited to meet the reputable brother Killian always goes on about. She had no idea he was a chauvinist pig!

 Emma’s blood sizzles under her skin as she unzips her dress and pulls it off. She can’t believe the things he'd said! And to think she had bought this perfectly nice dress to wear tonight, one that was, of course, approved by Ruby.

 Oh well, she’ll just have to wear it again when she goes out with Killian. He doesn't think she’s just a piece of ass. He loves her for her mind and for who she is as a person, and she loves him for that. She still can’t believe he’s related to that fucking douchebag.

 She changes into her pjs and grabs her phone to text Killian and invite him over. After that parting kiss, she needs him, and after that terrible dinner with his jackass brother, she needs to feel her boyfriend’s warm arms wrapped around her. Emma places her hand on her stomach when it growls mercilessly. Thanks to Liam, she didn’t eat, and now she’s starving. She wonders what the restaurant downstairs has. She grabs the menu and plops down on the bed to scan it over. She had ordered ravioli at the Bistro, and that's not an option at the restaurant downstairs, but she could really go for a burger right now.

 She picks up her phone to ask Killian if he ate yet. She’s hoping he didn't stay and have dinner with his brother, because that would feel much like betrayal. She begins typing out the text but is interrupted when there’s a knock on the door. Raising a brow, she stands from the bed and strides over to the door. It must be Killian. Just in case it’s not, she peers through the peephole, but she doesn't see anyone on the other side. Her instincts as a cop tell her to grab her gun, but she can’t help it. She’s encountered many creeps while posing as a hooker, and her vigilant attitude was kicked into high gear when there was a knock on her hotel door while she’s staying in an unfamiliar city, and no one appears to be at the door. Emma grabs the gun from her bag and returns to the door, keeping the weapon at her side just in case. 

 She cautiously cracks it open, and can’t believe her eyes. 

 Kneeling on the floor in front of her is Killian’s sorry excuse of a brother holding a bouquet of buttercups, his face etched with shame and apology. Oh, and there's a sign on his forehead that says I’m a donkey in black marker. In other circumstances, Emma would’ve laughed, but the sight of him fills her with rage and she slams the door in his face. She marches away when she hears him yelling through the door.

 “Emma, wait! I can explain! You’re really gonna laugh when I tell you this. Maybe not right away but someday.”

 She scoffs and replaces the gun in her bag before making her way to the bathroom where she’ll be able to tune him out.

 “I didn’t know you were a cop, I thought you were a prostitute.”

 She stops in her tracks and waits for him to continue.  

 He pauses for a beat and speaks in a quieter voice, his words laced with apology. “I was using Killian’s computer the night you met him and saw your photo on a website on Cinderella Escorts.” 

 She contemplates opening the door to hear more of what he has to say. She did post her picture on a fake escort website after all.

 “Emma, I cannot tell you how sorry I am.”

 Emma turns around and slowly walks over to the door, hauling it open and placing her hand on her hip as the other one lingers on the doorknob. Her face remains steely though as she looks down at him. “A pig is more accurate,” she remarks, referring to the sign on his forehead. 

 “You’re absolutely right, lass.” He pulls out a black marker from his pocket, removes the sign and scribbles out the word donkey and writes pig above it before replacing it on his forehead. 

 She allows a small laugh to escape her throat, which ignites a hopeful glint in his eyes as he looks up at her again. And damn, she really wishes he didn’t have the same sea-blue eyes Killian does. Because then she might find it easier to slam the door in his face again. “Get up. You’re making a fool out of yourself.”

 “I've already done that and then some,” he says solemnly.

 “You’re not wrong about that,” Emma remarks in a sassy tone.

 Liam gulps and pushes himself up off the floor. “I’m not actually like that—I don’t view women that way, I really don’t.”

 “So you only view me like a piece of ass?” Emma says with a nod. “Good to know.”

 “No, lass, you see I was just looking out for my brother because I thought he had paid you to be his date since all I do is harp on him about not dating.” 

 “Really?” she says sarcastically. “Why would Killian pay someone to be his girlfriend? He can get any woman he wants.”

 Liam’s lips twitch into a small smile. “Aye, and that’s what I told him… after you left… before I knew you were a cop.” 

 Emma sighs and purses her lips as she leans against the doorframe. She doesn't know if she should accept his apology or not. She supposes he has a valid reason for acting the way he did. She would be concerned too if she thought someone close to her, say her brother, had paid a prostitute. Emma certainly wouldn't stand for that, but she doesn't have to worry about that, considering he's the one who started the Women’s Justice Program and is leading the initiative to reduce prostitution and human trafficking in the county. Plus he’s happily married and constantly reminds Emma of how much in love with Mary Margaret he is. He’s the last man who would seek out the company of a prostitute. Well, he and Killian of course. A thought suddenly occurs to her, and she scowls at Liam, fighting off the urge to slap him again. “Wait, you thought my brother was my pimp?!”

 “Aye.” He hangs his head in shame. “Look, I don’t expect you to forgive my behavior, but I want you to know I am truly sorry.” Liam bends over and, with his free hand, he picks up two bags he had brought with him. “I brought your dinner and ordered you dessert. Killian told me you like Tiramisu.” He hands her the bag from the bistro and Emma accepts it, peering inside. She does love Tiramisu. And she’s completely famished, so she’s not about to turn down free food. Though it wasn’t exactly free; she paid the price when she was accused of being a hooker. Liam holds up the other bag. “I also got you a bottle of Bacardi Superior and a two-liter of Coca Cola.”

 Her lips tilt into a small smile. “Thanks.”

 He shakes his head, looking down in shame. “Please don’t thank me, Emma. I really don't deserve it.” 

 The expression on his face almost makes her heart hurt. Almost. She steps back inside and opens the door wider to let him in. She goes over and places the bag on the table as he does the same and hands her the bouquet he’s still holding. 

 “I’m guessing you don’t have a vase to put these in?”

 Emma brings the flowers to her nose and inhales their fresh scent. “No, I don’t even have a vase at home.”

 “That’s okay. If you like I can keep these at my place and you can stay there for the remainder of your week here in town. I’ll make you and Killian breakfast every morning, I'll even escort you to wherever you need to go.” As soon as those words leave his mouth, his eyes squeeze shut, his features twisting with regret. He claps his hand over his forehead, where he's still wearing that ridiculous sign, which wrinkles under his palm. “Sorry, poor choice of words,” he sighs, opening his eyes again and dropping his hand. 

 Emma folds her lips in to keep from laughing. In all honesty, though, she can see the sincere apology in his eyes. She reaches over and pulls the sign off his forehead with her free hand, crumpling it up into a ball and throws it in a nearby trash can. 

 “What do you say, lass, can you give this pig a second chance? Can we start over?”

 Emma mulls it over for a moment. She supposes giving him a second chance wouldn’t hurt. She sighs and points a warning finger at him. “Okay, but that’s all you get—one shot to redeem yourself, got it?

 “That’s all I need,” he says, a grin lighting up his face as he sticks out his hand. “I’m Liam.”

 Emma dons a smile and switches the bouquet to her other arm so she can shake his hand. “Hi, Liam, I'm Emm. It's nice to meet you.”

 “Likewise. I can’t wait to get to know the woman my brother is madly in love with.” He raises her hand and plants a chaste kiss on the back of it before encasing her hand with his other one.

 Emma smirks, blush warming her cheeks. Now this is how a lady should be treated.

 As if on cue, there’s a knock on the door, she opens it to let Killian in after she sees him through the peephole and greets him with a sweet kiss on the lips. He's carrying a bag of what she assumes is his and Liam's dinner after he informs her they didn’t eat at the restaurant. Instead, Killian drove his brother to her hotel hoping she would be willing to hear him out.

 Killian curls his free hand around her hip and turns his head to look at Liam. “I just wanted to make sure my girlfriend didn’t murder you,” he chuckles.

 “What if I did? Would you arrest me?” Emma challenges, placing her free hand on his warm chest.

 The corner of his mouth tips into a smirk as he looks at her. “No, I’d help you bury the body.”

 “Oi,” Lima frowns at him. “I said I was sorry.”

 “I know,” Emma smiles sheepishly. 

 She invites them to stay for a movie, and after the three of them nuke their dinners in the microwave, she and Killian eat in the king-size bed, leaning against the headboard as Liam sits in the chair. After the movie is over, she decides to sleep there for the night, and Killian stays with her. Liam does make good on his promise though and makes her and Killian breakfast every day she’s in town.

 When she gets to know Liam more, she finds out he's not so bad after all. In fact, she’s able to look back at that night and laugh hysterically.

 ~*~

  One year later...

 “That, ladies and gents, is how my brother met the woman of his dreams.” Liam glances over at the happy newlyweds, pointing his champagne flute in Emma’s direction, “and how I thought this lovely cop was a prostitute.”

 The crowd laughs softly as the best man takes his seat.

 Killian leans over to speak into the mic in Liam's hand, “And how the best man lived to tell our story.”

 David, who is sitting next to Liam, rips the microphone from his hand, scowling at him as he adds, “And how he thought I was a pimp.”

 Another roar of laughter fills the banquet hall, this time louder and more prolonged; even David's wife, Mary Margaret who's heard the story a dozen times, is cackling hysterically. David, however, is still unamused.

 Emma is usually able to laugh about, but not on her wedding day, even though she knew it was coming. She blushes deeply, burying her face in her hands as Killian leans over and wraps his arm around his bride, kissing her temple. She’s going to kill her brother and brother-in-law once she and her husband return from their honeymoon.

 “It may have not been the best of beginnings but I wouldn’t trade meeting you for anything,” Killian whispers in her ear, instantly calming her. 

 She lifts her head, smiling at him as she rests her forehead against his. “Me neither.” She takes the ends of his undone bowtie in her hands and pulls him to her, capturing his lips and wrapping her arms around the back of his neck, eliciting an eruption of cheers and whistles from the guests and wedding party. 

 When they break the kiss, she tips her champagne flute toward her husband. “Here’s to our happy beginning.”

 Killian clinks his glass against hers. “To our happy beginning.”

  They drink to that, looking forward to their future together as husband and wife.

A/N: This was inspired by a post on Tumblr about an undercover cop posing as a john. He arrested someone for prostitution who turned out to be another undercover cop. Legend has it they got married a year later. When I heard about this post, I just had to write it for cs. Thanks for reading!

[wongpuppy]

DESTINED, wong hendery

➵ Rating fluff + slight angst 

➵ Pairing tour-guide!Hendery x tourist!Y/N

➵ Word count 2.5k words [ one-shot ]

➵ Summary not all those who wander are lost, but sometimes you were glad you were

Two Years Ago

You mutter a curse under your breath looking around the different foreign signs and stores, trying to grasp at anything that looked remotely familiar or in English. 

But alas, the more you wandered into the untranslatable street you were on in Seoul, the more lost you got. 

Reaching your backpack, you’re about to grab a bottle of water before something -- or well, someone bumps into you. And when your curse is joined by a much deeper, masculine voice in unison, the both of your eyes meet instantly. Once they do, you could feel something deep in your chest inflate, bloom, your skin tingling everywhere.

He looked like he had to have come out of a Disney movie, features soft and dreamy. A small side smile grows on his face and makes your cheeks flare up, your eyes zeroing in on the attractiveness of the simple action. The second you feel the heat across your face, you quickly look away with a short, hesitant giggle. 

“Do you know English? Please say yes, I’m so lost.” 

Instantly, the guy’s eyes squint slightly as he smiles wide and amused, chuckling silently under his breath. “I think the whole universe set this up, you know? I’m a tour guide. No such thing as being lost now that you met me.”

“This place has the best Bulgogi, Samgyeopsal, and Japchae in all of Seoul.” 

Hendery does this every so often while he walks you to the restaurant you were supposed to meet your friends at, pointing out different sites he liked as the two of you passed through the streets. You were keen on typing into your notes every shopping center, park, or restaurant he’d suggest, only because of how enthusiastic Hendery was as he talked about them. 

He’d tell you about intimate or extravagant memories he’s had at those places, face set in a permanent smile the entire time. He seemed to be on a high exploring and reminiscing about good times he’s had, it made you feel blanketed in nothing but pure, unadulterated happiness.

“Hendery, are you from Seoul? Or, well, anywhere in Korea?” You ask with a shy smile as he turns to you with a raised brow, irresistibly bright laughter following after. 

“No, love,” Hendery grins at you with that smile that makes you feel warmth spread throughout your body in the brisk February air. “I’m from Macau. I’ve just lived in Seoul for half my life so I know it pretty well, it’s one of my favorite cities in the world.” 

“You’re so passionate about what you do, it makes me want to go to all these places I’ve never been to.” 

You watch him beam at you from your words, catching how strangers crossing the two of you would stare a little longer at him. It was almost refreshing to hear the way Hendery’s voice raised a pitch or two whenever he talked about being close with some owners of local restaurants or family-owned boutiques. 

“I love exploring and finding new places or things, I’m a tour guide in Macau, too. One day I’ll show you around the places I grew up.” The both of you make eye contact and you feel a rush of adrenaline cruise through you when his chocolate iris’ meet yours, a lopsided and intoxicating smile on Hendery’s face making the second you saw it feel like hours. He chuckles breathlessly, cheeks red and eyes twinkling. 

“If I can brighten up someone’s day just by showing them through some of my favorite places, I don’t mind not doing anything else for the rest of my life.”

The two of you go back and forth like old friends, catching each other up on important current and childhood moments. You learned about his three older sisters and about the way his sentences would sometimes end abruptly when he sees someone needing any form of help, apologizing to you before going over to offer any form of aid. 

The constant grin on his face is infectious, the tops of your cheeks starting to sting as the two of you weave through the streets of Downtown Seoul. The sun is just starting to peek through the clouds, and it’s as if the previously cold, gloomy atmosphere of the densely packed city brightens. 

But even as the cold, dry air picked up some warmth, your cheeks stayed a permanent pink the whole time. 

“Y/N,” Hendery comes a little closer to your right as the crosswalk gets heavier foot traffic, and when you look up at his face, the same rosy pink is painted across his face. “How long did you say you were saying in Seoul?” 

“Only two more days, I really want to stay longer, though.” You hope you don’t sound as sad as you feel, wishing you could extend your stay long before bumping into the handsome tour guide. Seoul felt like home to you, the mere week spent in the city awakening something deep in you that you’ve never felt before. 

“We should exchange numbers then! I mean, only if you want to! I could tell you more places to see-” 

“Y/N? Y/N, over here!” You turn your head with both annoyance and curiosity at the voice shouting your name over a crowd, only to see your best friend Annie leaning out of a Jeep window waving at you in the middle of traffic. “Come on, the lights going to turn green any moment!” 

You gulp, turning back to Hendery with a sadness that solidifies and sinks to the bottom of your stomach. He looks at you with that godforsaken grin, tinged with a badly covered up hint of sadness that fades when you reach out to hold his hand. He quickly wraps both hands around yours, enveloping it with warmth and promise, before reaching up to gingerly kiss the skin of your knuckles. 

“Until the next time, soulmate.” 

You quickly learn it’s hard to keep track of time with Wong Hendery’s touches. 

It all happens so fast, everything that comes after those few ending words. Annie yells your name again and instinctively, you lean forward to plant a short and sweet kiss on the startled boys cheek. Grinning one last time, you squeeze Hendery’s warm hands before letting go and sprinting towards the Jeep, mind empty with only the image of Hendery and his twinkling brown eyes there. 

“Who was that? Did you get his number?” Annie asks as you scoot into the car, greeting all of your friends in it with a larger than life grin. You shake your head at her, smile still wide on your face. 

“If it’s meant to be, it’ll find a way.” 

Current Day

Rolling your lips into your mouth, you cross your arms when you stand in front of the random park you accidentally strolled into. You were definitely lost, but at least now you knew you were in Yeouido Hangang Park.

Chuckling under your breath, you walk over to a bench and sit down with a loud sigh from walking so much; closing your eyes behind massive black sunglasses to fully relax against the wooden pew. Seoul in April was definitely your favorite time of the year from the short week you’ve been here, the sun shining brightly and the breeze-- airy and the perfect counterbalance. 

But even as the heat felt good against your skin, the memory of a cold day in February two years ago has never been able to leave your mind. 

A gentle, masculine voice ends all thought in your mind, asking if the seat next to you on the bench was taken in Korean. You quickly open your eyes, shaking your head and uttering no in not-so-confident Korean. 

After the last time you were in Seoul, you chose to give learning Korean a go, deciding that one day you would definitely live here and wanting to know the language. 

You’re about to scoot over more on the bench until you look up at the man and your eyes instantly go wide behind the dark shades.

“Hendery?”

The second those same, sparkly brown eyes meet yours, you instantly take off your sunglasses and bask in the widest, most exultant smile you’ve ever seen. He looks like he’d just won the lottery, a cocktail of disbelief and elation clear on his face. 

“The universe is definitely rooting for us.” Hendery bites down on his bottom lip with a wide grin, sitting close beside you to take you in for a warm hug. It takes you a moment to realize what’s happening, forgetting how comforting it was to be around him and never having been hugged by him at all. His arms felt secure and firm, your skin feeling cold the instant Hendery pulls away beaming. “You aren’t lost this time, though, I’m guessing?”

You chuckle shyly, reluctantly pulling away from the comfort of his chest and unable to stop the broadening of your smile when you take in his features. “I’m one hundred percent lost but just been walking a while so I needed to sit and relax.” 

“You didn’t look lost at all, I thought you were just a regular person chilling at the park.” He doesn’t take his eyes off of you as he speaks, laugh matching yours in pitch and brightness. “And when did you start learning Korean?”

“Learned from someone that being lost doesn’t have to be a bad thing.” Your cheeks are flushed, looking away from Hendery’s piercing brown eyes completely bashful, with the nervous giggle to prove it. “I know I’m terrible at it, I started learning right after the last time I visited but I’m pretty slow at it.” 

He’s quiet for a handful of seconds and when you hesitantly look over, you catch the way Hendery looks at you as if in awe before a shy grin replaces his previously slack jaw. “Please tell me you don’t have to be anywhere soon.” He inches closer to you on the bench, leaning over to tuck a stray strand of hair off your face. “My favorite place in Seoul’s a fifteen minute walk.” 

Hendery hasn’t changed in the two years you haven’t talked, conversation flowing as if you’ve known each other for years. He asks you questions about your hometown and about what the last two years brought you, if you preferred tea over coffee. It makes you feel special, answering questions you’ve never been asked before, how Hendery nods and beams after every sentence that comes from you. 

You almost forget Hendery’s supposed to be taking you to his favorite place, far too caught up in the presence of the boy beside you to notice the wash of falling bubblegum pink petals in front of you. 

You have to do a double take once you first see the cherry blossoms, looking at Hendery in complete disbelief before looking back at the falling petals with tears almost rising to the tops of your eyes. Cherry blossoms were your favorite flowers and you’ve never seen them in person before, not even knowing they bloomed in Korea. 

After a few moments of watching the flowers fall from the dark brown branches, the both of you utter how ‘cherry blossoms are your favorite flower’ before blushing feverishly and giggling as you walked through the handful of people that crossed the same path. 

Hendery’s explaining to you how his grandmother used to take him to a cherry blossom field when he was younger before he gets a call and groans, uttering a quick sorry before pulling out his phone. He turns to you with an apologetic frown, “I’m really sorry but I really have to take this.”

You quickly give him a reassuring smile, not minding in the slightest. You look back at the cherry blossom trees when Hendery talks in quick and lucid Cantonese into his phone. Even if you didn’t understand the language, it was always nice to listen to, the sentences flowing in an almost poetic manner. 

Hendery, however, looks slightly downcasted as he ends the call, a small smile slowly growing on his face as he lightly tugs on your elbow to get your attention. “Sorry about that, I forgot that I’m supposed to be somewhere in five minutes. Today’s my eldest sisters birthday and it’s the first time she’s holding a party.” 

You chuckle lightly, taking in his shy smile and handsome features, never wanting to look away. “Don’t apologize, Hendery! You should go soon then.”

“Yeah, I should.” He mutters, eyes scanning yours before gulping thickly and  inching closer towards you and kissing you, hands cupping your jaw as pretty pink petals falling around the both of you. 

Your arms circle around him, wanting him impossibly closer, as his lips press and move against yours. There’s a tangible magic that rushes through your veins, pumping nothing but adrenaline and endorphins. Hendery kisses you with nothing but certainty, hands cradling your face with nothing but promise. 

You’re the first to pull away, knowing that if you didn’t, you might never at all. You catch him pout when you do, the look of Hendery’s bottom lip jutting out too cute not to kiss. You peck the perked out lip, holding his hands that were still on your face with a bittersweet smile. 

You realize the both of you hadn’t exchanged numbers again, but Hendery needed to leave and you wouldn’t be the one to stop him. 

“You need to be somewhere, mister international tour guide.”

Hendery chuckles lowly, a smile making its way onto his face when his eyes do some laps around your face. He lets go of your face but holds your hands for a moment or two before kissing them and letting go. 

“I’ll see you around, soulmate.” 

A Year Later

“Y/N, we’re definitely lost, how are you not freaking out?” Annie grumbles, trudging beside you alongside the Zhujiang River. You shrug in response, keeping your gaze focused on the pink and bright orange hues of the sky right after the sun fell through the horizon. 

The past year was dedicated to traveling to new countries you’ve never been before, already visiting cities like Singapore, Bangkok, Hong Kong, and now, Macau. 

“Freaking out won’t help, that’s why.” You stick your tongue out at Annie when she rolls her eyes. “Plus look at how pretty the sky is! This is the prettiest sunset I’ve seen yet.” 

You skip over to the railing overlooking the river, smiling almost lovingly at the departing sun, taking in the way the pink of the sky quickly turns into a pastel purple. 

Out of all the places you’ve been, Macau was the quickest to fall in love with. 

Of course, there was a very big bias to come along, but after arriving at night and being surrounded by completely lit up streets in every color -- you felt like you were in a dream. The weather was just right, just as he’d recommended it would be, and after only being in Macau Island for half a day, you’ve eaten some of the best food you’ve had in your life.

Everything almost screamed Wong Hendery. 

“Y/N?”

[let-me-love-you-loki]

Waking Up in Vegas--Ch. 24

Chapter 24: Teenage Dreams

Mera, Evening, 8:45 PM

           I had been to catering six times by the time the show was half over. Nerves of being so close to my past had pushed me to the sugar in a horrible way. A stack of plastic plates sat on the counter against the wall, dusted with crumbs from cookies, brownies, and the remnants of mashed potatoes and chicken. I’d filled up my drink twice as often, most of the time with soda or lemonade.

           If I made it out of this night without gaining fifteen pounds, I’d be lucky.

           A few superstars came through the trainer’s door, mostly for some stretching and Kinesiotape. Around the start of the second hour, Mustafa Ali was brought back for some pain in his knee. He was stretched out on my table, leg propped up on rolled towels, ice strapped against the inside of his knee. After a little rest and ice, I planned on checking it out again before deciding whether he needed to see a local orthopedic.

           “You okay, Mera?” Ali asked as I adjusted the towels to elevate his knee a little higher.

           “Shouldn’t I be asking you that?” I gave him a faint smile, trying not to jostle him too much.

           “I know we don’t know each other that well,” he continued, tucking a hand behind his head. “But you’ve seemed off every time I’ve seen you today.”

           “I’m that transparent, huh?”

           He shrugged, smiled genuinely. “I’m just good at reading people.”

           I nodded, glancing back over my shoulder. The door was closed, a rule around here for medical privacy. With a sigh, I just started blurting things out. “I grew up around here… just a few miles away in a town called Buffalo. Seth and I have known each other since we were kids.”

           Suddenly, I felt a churning gut-punch of shame. “The only reason I’m here… that I’m a trainer at all… is because of Seth. He went on the indie circuit, and I studied on the road as we traveled. We were together for a while until…” A deep sigh. “Well, you know what happened. The whole world knows some of it, but there was so much more. So many more. We broke up and I haven’t been back here since.”

           Ali listened intently. A look of sympathy crossed his face. “It can’t be easy being back here. Or working with him every day.”

           I shrugged. “It is a good job. And I get to travel. As long as he doesn’t get hurt, I don’t have to deal with him.”

           The room descended into silence. I picked up the laptop that kept the superstar’s medical records and entered in some notes about Ali’s injury. I’d given him a couple over the counter pain relievers, and he’d been in a grueling match. By the time I turned around, he was passed out on the trainer’s table.

 Dean, Evening, 8:52 PM

           There was too much going on. The script had been rewritten an hour before the show went on air and it had taken too fucking long to get my stuff straightened out. I was stressed out about the match they’d planned and a promo that made absolutely no sense. Even worse, I was being thrown in with Seth tonight in the main event for the tag titles because it was his hometown. His family had been visiting backstage and they were going to be ringside for the match.

           The worst part, though, was that I hadn’t been able to see Mera since we got to the arena. She’d gone straight into the trainer’s room and gotten bombarded with a series of guys and girls who needed to get worked out before they could get in the ring. I’d heard through the grapevine that she’d been in catering a few times—I worried even more having seen her over the years turn to food when she started to get intensely stressed.

           Desperation settled in. I needed to see her, to wrap her in my arms and hold her tight, to tell her that I loved her, that my world revolved around her. There was a deep, all-consuming, overwhelming desire to see her, to touch her, to breathe in the scent of her. It was as if I hadn’t seen her for weeks—not hours.

           The trainer’s door was shut—someone else had gotten to her first. I ached in a way that I never had before. My guts twisted. My heart turned to stone and fell into my shoes.

           God, I missed her. It felt like I was missing a fucking limb.

           When the door opened and Mera slipped into the hallway, it was as if I’d been struck by lightning. Every single inch of my body lit up with recognition—that beast in my chest snarled and struggled at the end of some invisible chain. There was no containing it.

           I nearly jumped across the space between us. She yelped when I snatched her up into my arms, lifting her straight off her feet. I buried my face into the curve of her neck, nuzzled into the scent that was perfectly home. That was all it took—the world slowed, the noise faded into nothingness. It was just Mera and me, her safe against my chest, setting me as a shield against the rest of the world.

           “Dean? What’s wrong?” she whispered, her fingertips soothing against the back of my neck.

           “Missed you,” I mumbled in return.

 Seth, Evening, 9:00 PM

           It was strange to sleep in my own bed the night before Raw. Being home was nice since I got to check in on Black and Brave and see my buddies. My mom and step-dad had been backstage with me until they were taken out to the arena to their seats. They’d be ringside for the Tag Title match Dean and I had later.

           My mom had asked about Mera. The way she’d done it made me think she knew about her and Dean. I didn’t know how she could have found out, and I didn’t like how she’d asked me about it as if it bothered me.

           Why would it bother me? It wasn’t like I had an opinion. I never thought about it anymore.

           It wasn’t like being back home made me think about building igloos out of ice in the winter or riding bikes by the railroad tracks. It didn’t remind me of putting on shows in my mom’s front yard with Mera behind the camera and figuring out first aid when I’d gotten banged up. I didn’t really care about how there was a picture of Mera and me at our junior prom still hanging in my mom’s house. Or that the walls in the living room of my house were still painted her favorite color.

           We’d broken up years ago. Why would it matter to me?

 Mera, Evening, 9:03 PM

           Dean and I sat on a pair of road crates just outside the trainer’s room. Ali was still resting, ice on his knee. He was awake, but the time off his leg would be good for him. As long as I didn’t go too far, he would be fine.

           He leaned back so that his shoulders were against the wall, hands dangling between his knees. He watched at me with those cornflower eyes of his, a small smile on his face. It was the look he’d had that first morning in the hotel in Vegas—the one that made him look so young and soft around the edges.

           I felt myself go warm under his gaze, remembering the first time that he ever looked at me. It was when Seth and I first showed up at FCW. Dean was one of the first people we met. He’d been young and scruffy, just off his time in the indies. I remembered how he’d walked in like he was going to have to fight everyone in the room. He’d been all ripped jeans, white tees, and canvas jackets.

           There’d always been something adorable about Dean Ambrose, even when he was beat up, banged up, bloodied, and bruised. He had a light in his blue eyes and a smile on his face that had made my heart melt. Maybe, deep down, I’d fallen for him all the way back then.

           “Do you remember the night when they put us on that crappy van to go from Tampa to some backwoods place for a house show and the van broke down?”

           He laughed, brightness washing over his features. I wanted to close my eyes and lose myself in the sound. “Yeah,” he said with a deep sort of husk in his voice. “It was supposed to be just some two-hour drive to a bullshit gym show. None of us had anything—except you. You had that backpack and that little…” He waved his fingers in the general direction of his forehead.

           “It was a reading light, thank you.”

           He grinned wider. “Yeah, that fucking thing. The rest of us were useless while you were up with the driver holding that damn light so he could fix it to get us home.”

           “I remember you trying to act like you knew what the fuck was going on.”

           Dean reached out and wrapped my fingers in his. His face suddenly went serious. “You’re magnetic, you know that, Mera? There’s just this… sense about you that I couldn’t ever ignore. Even when you weren’t mine to want, I just liked being near you.” A small smile turned the corner of his mouth. “And maybe I was trying to impress you.”

 Seth, Evening, 9:08 PM

           I turned the corner into the hallway where the trainer’s rooms were set up. Somehow, I wasn’t surprised to see Dean and Mera sitting together just outside the door. They were holding hands and talking. I hated how it made me feel something when I saw them together.

           It reminded me of sitting on the steps in my basement bedroom, looking at the low-quality videos of the shows I used to put on in the front yard. Mera was always the one who ran the video camera. She was amazing at it. I remembered her, covered in splotches of paint as we decorated the cinderblock walls of my bedroom.

           I ignored the turn in my stomach, the memories that came unbidden when I saw her with someone else.

           We’d broken up ages ago. It shouldn’t bother me.

           But it did.

________________________________________________________________

Tag List

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[talkfastromance4]

Boy Loves Me (a.i)

Based off the song ‘Boy Loves Me’ by Ivory Layne. Just a cute little something. It’s fluffy and short and sweet. 

Masterlist

You and Ashton have been friends for only a short while. You’d seen him perform at his show and then later that same night at a local club. What were the chances you’d see a member of one of your favorite bands in the club you frequent? Your friends were egging you on to go up and talk to him but you didn’t want to be seen as just another fan wanting a photo or a signature.

So. You skipped up to the bar and asked the bartender with the cool blue streaked hair and lip ring what the tall guy in the shimmery gray shirt was drinking. After you discovered it was a rum and coke you put in the order and wrote a little note on the white squared napkin.

“Can you give this to him, too, please?” you shout over the loud music. The bartender flashes a smile placing the glass on top of the napkin then exits from behind the bar.

You tap your fingernails on the bar top, stirring your own rum and coke with the other hand, boot covered foot tapping with the beat of the song. The bartender returns with a smile and nod that he apparently appreciated the gesture. With a small sigh you suck up a large part of your drink and turn around to head back to your friends.

As soon as you turn you nearly spill your drink all over yourself, the amber liquid sloshing over the rim of the glass while you collide with a tall body. Thinking it would be some creep trying to pick a move, you mutter an automatic reply of ‘it’s okay’ trying to side step away.

“Hold on,” an all too familiar Australian voice says. His voice is as smooth as the drink in your hand.

You look up, up, up into Ashton’s hazel eyes that are now multi-colored because of the flashing lights. He flashes you a dazzling smile and all you can manage is a small squeak. Was this really happening?

“Thank you for the drink,” he lifts his glass up in gratitude, “and for the note about the show.”

“Y-you’re welcome,” you finally stuttered out.

That’s how your friendship started, over a shared drink and a night of talking that later ended up in the form of texting because he asked for your number. Since he would only be in your hometown for such a short period of time you became like online friends.

You were in constant contact through text messages and phone calls. Memes were shared (some you even made of him yourself but he got a kick out of), dog photos were exchanged, and different landmarks and landscapes from the places he’s performing in was part of the structure of your friendship.

“What’re your plans for the day?” he asks absentmindedly one day when he had a free block before soundcheck.

“Going to see a movie.”

“What one?”

“Dumbo,” you smile.

“Really?” he giggles. “Who with?”

“Me, myself and I.”

“No, are you really?”

“Yes really,” you laugh, “why is that so funny?”

“It’s not funny just . . . I’ve never known anyone to go to the movies by themselves,” he explains.

“I’ve done it before,” you shrug, “it’s nice. I don’t have to wait for anyone while they get snacks and I can leave when I want. You should try it sometime, Irwin.”

“I’ll get right on that, missy,” he laughs.

“I’m pulling up to the theater, I’ll talk to you later. Bye!”

You hang up before he can say his goodbye but you left him thinking. Since the first day he’d met you he knew you were independent, you’d bought him a drink for goodness’ sake. But knowing that you go to the movies on your own, frequently, made him feel some type of way that he didn’t have a word for. It also made him a little sad because he’d wish he could go with you.

He was in the middle of sending you a text fake yelling about how rude it is to say goodbye and hang up without the other person saying goodbye as well, when Calum appears telling him they’re going to get lunch. He sends the text and you don’t leave his mind for the rest of the day, and well, throughout the whole concert.

*****

Ashton was throwing a little soirée at his Los Angeles home and after begging you relentlessly the week beforehand, you’d agreed to fly out for a visit. You’d used your vacation time and have never been to California so you were excited to not only be in the state but to see Ashton as well.

The party was already in full swing by the time you’d arrived, Ashton was looking for you constantly until he finally found you in the kitchen pouring yourself a drink from the jungle juice bowl. He admires you from the doorway for a moment, your hair is longer and of course, you showed up on your own.

Throughout the night Ashton has been seeing you in a different way. He didn’t realize how much he loved your smile, or the way your eyes widened when you talked excitedly about a book you just read. He didn’t realize how much he liked to make you smile or laugh. He didn’t realize that your independence is what made him fall for you in the first place.

“You’ve been acting weird all night, what’s up Irwin?” you shove his shoulder playfully. You’re both sitting on the edge of the pool with your feet kicking lazily in the water.

“Just remembering how we met, you were dancing to the music by yourself,” he smiles slightly at the memory. He touches his beer bottle to his lips.

“Why are you thinking about that?” you make a face but remember that night for a totally different reason. That was the night you met a person who would soon become one of the most important in your life.

“You’re just a very independent woman is all,” he shrugs. “You dance to your own beat, you go to the movies by yourself. . .”

“That makes me sound kind of like a loser,” you giggle.

“That’s not how I meant it, you dork,” he shoves your shoulder this time causing you to snicker.

“I know,” you sigh. “I’ve had a lot of practice being independent. I’m tough cause I’ve had to thicken my skin a lot and I may be tiny but I’m as strong as the waves on the sand.”

“Oh believe me, I know that,” he chuckles then stares at you, his eyes scanning over your face. “You don’t deserve any of the bullshit those other guys have put you through.”

“Yeah, took me awhile, but I finally know my worth,” you nod. You watch the small waves lapping in the pool from your feet kicking the water, you’re deep in thought. “It would just be nice when a boy loves me, you know? I’m totally fine doing all this on my own, but I don’t know.”

“What if you didn’t have to do it on your own?” Ashton asks softly.

His question pulls you from your reverie of staring at the illuminated blue water, you turn to stare into his eyes.

“What?”

“What if I went to the movies with you? And instead of going to parties by yourself I’ll be with you,” he confesses.

Your throat turns dry processing his words. Is he implying that he does those things as friends or as more than friends? Does he want to be more than friends? Do you want to be more than friends?

“I can see your cogs working away,” he taps your forehead lightly with a finger, “what I’m trying to say is . . . I want to be more than friends. I want to do all these things with you, I want to hold your hand, kiss your cheek.”

He runs the backs of his fingers over your cheek, his adam’s apple bobs up and down as he inches closer and closer. His fingers curl your hair around your ear.

“I want to do this . . .” he leans in even more with his nose bumping yours giving you a moment  to push him away. When he sees your eyes flutter shut he closes the small distance between you capturing your bottom lip between his.

You melt into each other instantly, your own fingers finding home at the nape of his neck as you kiss each other slowly. You’re exploring something new but it feels so right, so perfect with his mouth on yours and his tongue slipping into your mouth. Needing to breathe becomes an issue but when you stop kissing your foreheads knock together.

Both of you let out a big sigh then laugh nervously. His thumb runs over your bottom lip, you scratch the skin on his neck (and his tattoo) adoringly.

“So what exactly are you saying, Irwin?” you tease.

“I’m saying I love you, woman,” he chuckles pecking your lips.

“Good, cause I love you, too,” you smile.

Yeah, you love it when a boy loves you and Ashton is by far the best one to love.

[holycalum]

vice (c.h.)

summary- (y/n) is pretty much bound to marry someone from her home town, and she meets calum after a surprise visit from said future husband. part 1/4(? maybe who knows)

part 2  part 3 part 4 

word count- 2k+

authors note- ok HI this may very well FLOP because i haven’t written in a while but posting this will force me to continue. so yeah slow burn good girl/bad boy cal ya feel? i’m just fueling my fav tropes ok pls enjoy. also yes there’s not much cal in this part but we’re gonna get there don’t worry

“-and i miss you,” david’s voice rang through my ear, i clutched my phone tighter. you weren’t supposed to physically hurt at the sound of your future spouse missing you, but i did.

“i miss you too!” i chirped, but my words came with a pang of guilt that hit me right in the chest, i really didn’t.

i pressed my lips into a tight line as i listened to him, “but, it’s almost winter break and we can see each other at home. and before we know it we’ll be graduated and we don’t have to be apart ever again.” it was like a brick had been dropped in my stomach.

“yeah...you’re right.” i half heartedly agreed, and threw a sideways glance at my roommates who were in the midst of getting ready for a party. “i gotta go, talk to you later.” i hung up the phone and practically threw it out of my hands

before david could respond with anything that would make me throw up in my mouth.

“you’re really gonna marry him?” samantha piped up, applying lipstick as she spoke. her eyebrows were cocked up in pitiful manner.

i sighed before answering, “that’s the plan,” i smoothed down my skirt in the mirror, “it would be pure chance for me to fall in love with someone before the school year ends...” my other roommate britt tilted her head, with wide eyes. “and it’d take a fuckin’ miracle for it to be someone my parents would like,”

“your taste is far different than whatever david is.” britt stated, it was true. although i’d been practically committed to david since birth, he wasn’t what i wanted in the slightest. we had dated almost all of high school, and even with him being the only boy i’d be romantically involved with, his type never excited me. i never liked him. sure, in high school the typical bad boys caught my eye, but it was freshman year of college, when david and i were freshly broken up (the only reason being we were going to be in two separate states) that my eye for the darker side of things took flight. ashton irwin was the one who awoken my desire for boys that my parents would despise. to my dismay, he was two years my senior, and freshman me stood no chance at catching his attention. but, until he graduated, i was smitten with the boy who wore leather jackets.

“david’s a little too plain,” i scrunched my nose up at the thought of him, i didn’t hate him, i just didn’t like him like that. but our parents were friends and we would be married, like some teenagers in the 1800s. “he’s exactly like his father.”

“yeah,” samantha scoffed, “a dentist, you’re gonna marry a dentist, and live a boring life, and give him children at the age of twenty two. that’s fucked.” it almost sounded fake, my situation, things like that shouldn’t happen in real life; but unfortunately i was living it. your parents weren’t supposed to strongly enforce your marriage with their friends son to continue their social standing.

i squeezed my eyes shut, “please don’t remind me, i have this last year of freedom before i’m stuck in the same life everyone in my hometown lives.” in all honesty i wasn’t as butt hurt as i sounded, i had excepted my fate sophomore year when the sparkle in my parents eye appeared while david and i attended our first homecoming together. maybe i could find something in the life i was being forced into, it was unlikely i could change it anyways, it just was what it was. “i don’t know if wanna go anymore guys...” i trailed off, eyes flicking to my bed, it seemed so inviting, offering to swaddle me in its warmth instead of going out in the cruel world, serving as a hiding spot.

“you have to go!” britt exclaimed, bouncing towards me. her blonde hair seemed to move with her as she fluttered around me. “it’ll be fun, come on!” she persuaded me with a bat of her eyelashes and soon she was pulling me towards the door. we swung it open only to be met with the last person i expected to see,

“david.” i choked, eyes wide, not bothering to try and cover up my reaction. he held his arms out, a wide smile on his face.

“(y/n)!” he pulled me in for a hug, and i stiffly returned it, eyes never closing. i pulled away, opening and closing my mouth.

“what...” i struggled to find words, “what are you doing here?”

he grinned, “i came to surprise you!” the brick that was previously in my stomach was nothing compared to the cement that was filling me up now. i felt heavy, but i smiled.

“well, we’re about to head out, you can tag along.” samantha suggested, and i nodded weakly, not saying anything more before walking out the door.

we walked in the doors of the party, the booming music embracing us, and i immediately looked for the closest alcohol to throw down my throat. after getting a few shots down, i took a deep breath and deciding i could survive the night. i would figure out what the hell to do with him in the morning.

“jesus, (y/n).” david judged, as a fourth shot was swallowed. “wanna slow down?”

“not really,” i mumbled, knowing that fighting him would only result in a fight, and i wasn’t interested. it was good practice for staying quiet for the rest of my life anyways. the alcohol wasn’t taking its effect fast enough, and his presence was already overwhelming me.

“let’s go dance,” he whispered in my ear, and i shivered at his breath on my neck, it wasn’t the least bit enticing. all it made me want to do was walk in the opposite direction, but his hand tugged at my arm, and i was walking to the living room anyways. his hands found my waist, and i tried to keep the vomit from inching up my throat, it was bitter and burning. this wasn’t how you were supposed to feel about your future husband. as he danced me, it felt like a dark cloud hung over my head, weighing me down, almost pushing me through the floor. all i could do was force myself to look calm, never faltering from that. i decided it was easier in high school, i didn’t have much freedom, but this release made it so much harder to be tied down again.

“are you even listening to me?” david’s voice cut through my thoughts, and i jumped at it.

“sorry, spaced out.” i mumbled, turning to face him. he rolled his eyes. my vision trailed far behind my eyes.

“always in fuckin space,” he muttered, and my mouth dropped open, “i’m trying to talk to you.”

“now?” i spat, gesturing to the bodies crowding us, “it’s a bit loud for that don’t you think?” i turned on my heel to walk away, i needed to clear my head before i completely blew up in his face, and fucked everything up.

“where the fuck do you think you’re going?” he gripped my wrist hard,

“bathroom.” i said, shaking his hand from mine, and stomping out of the crowd. the dark cloud followed me up the stairs to an empty hallway. the unfamiliar hall was much more inviting than he was. the moment my head hit the wall was when the alcohol that was sloshing in my stomach made my head spin. the dark cloud over my head pushed further onto my brain, edging me to a complete breakdown, but i couldn’t let it win. i rolled my forehead on the wall a few times, trying to calm myself down, but i only looked stupid.

“you good?” a foreign voice asked tentatively, i snapped my head around, met with a dark haired boy.

i sighed, “no, but yeah.” i answered, shrugging and smoothing my hair back.

“so, no?” he tried to confirm, his movements gentle and uncertain.

“right,” i said, leaning the back of my head against the wall again, looking at him “not great, but getting there.”

“why?” he questioned, scrunching his eyebrows. he leaned a leather jacket clad arm against the wall next to me. his golden skin stuck out, littered with dark tattoos.

“why?” i repeated,

“why aren’t you ok, but getting there?” he clarified, shaking his head.

“no,” i cut in, “why do you care, who are you?”

he shrugged, “you’re in my wednesday morning lecture.”

“that doesn’t explain why you care,”

“just curious,” he defended, throwing his hands up, “just, the parties boring, didn’t expect to see someone lulling against the wall up here, figured it might be interesting.”

i yawned, “yeah, i guess that’s fair.” i felt particularly open, thanks to alcohol, “i got a surprise visit from my future husband and i’m mad about it, we’re fighting.”

“you’re engaged?” he cocked an eyebrow up at me,

“god no,” i squeezed my eyes shut, “eventually, unfortunately, to him-yeah.”

“this is all over the place,” he mumbled, trying to wrap his head around my situation.

“it’s a long story,” i slurred, looking up at him through hooded eyelids. “m’ (y/n) by the way, might be important or whatever.”

“i’m calum-“ he was cut off buy a stomping behind us, i lazily turned to look but immediately turned back around when i saw david bounding towards us.

“we’re leaving,” david demanded, and i huffed before sticking a finger gun in my mouth at calum. i expected to get a laugh from him, but calum’s expression was cold.

“why?” i shot, looking at david instead of calum’s concerned face. i felt calum move closer to me, “we’ve been here barely an hour,”

“you took too long,” david grumbled, “let’s go.”

“whatever,” i gave in, and i turned back to calum, “night calum, i’ll see you wednesday morning.” i have calum a solute and let david pull me, he let me stumble on my own behind him. i lingered my gaze on calum, and he was leaning there, seemingly stumped by the exchange.

david didn’t stay long, to my luck. after the party he acted as if nothing had happened, just like any other conflict we had. by wednesday morning, the conversation with calum was at the back of my mind, until he approached me after class.

“hey,” i heard from behind me, i whipped around, almost falling due to the weight of my backpack. i was steadied by calum, who caught my shoulder. he looked softer today, wearing sweatpants and a shirt instead of a leather jacket, but his presence was still fairly intimidating, even more so now that i was sober.

“hey,” i huffed, “thanks.” he shot me a smile, “what’s up?” i glanced in my next direction, signaling him to walk with me.

“i just,” he glanced around, “i don’t know, are you like...ok?” he was awkward with his words, trying to piece them together correctly.

“yeah?” i questioned, racking my brain to try and remember what he could’ve meant. “oh, the party? that episode?”

he let out a breath, “yeah, that i guess?”

“listen, it was nothing.” i tried to assure him, but he stopped in his tracks.

“it didn’t really seem like it, that guy was kinda rough, i didn’t...like it.” he seemed so unsure of what he was saying, as if he’d never spoken english before.

“i don’t like him either,” i mumbled, “but it’s a long story, trust me.” calum’s eyebrows stayed furrowed, but the rest of his face remained blank.

“do you wanna like...” he finally spoke again, scratching the back of his neck, “talk about it? i don’t know.”

“do you?” i asked, not knowing why he was so interested in me all of a sudden.

he sighed, “you had a mental breakdown in a random hallway, maybe you need someone to talk to.” he shrugged, “and what are the chances i walked in on it?” he cracked a wicked smile, “maybe i’m destined to save you.”

a/n- i’m actually nervous for this cus if it flops i put work into this for NOTHING!!! but (((: lets be positive ok if u have feedback pls send thanks love u xx

[mint-yooxgi]

Always Watching - Yandere!Kyungsoo X Reader

Yandere AU - Part of the Yandere!EXO X Reader Series

Genre: Mature, Horror, Angst, Smut (Masturbation, Voyerism)

Pairing: Kyungsoo X Reader

Words: 8,180

Warnings: This is a Yandere story, it will contain themes such as stalking, violence, obsession, possessive natures, and just general overall creepiness and swearing. You have been warned.

A/n: This is my take on this AU. I do not believe Kyungsoo, nor any of the members, past or present, of EXO would act like this. This is just my interpretation of the song and this archetype. As always, feedback is always appreciated! I hope you enjoy!

“Hurry up (Y/n), I want to go to one more store before the mall closes,” your best friend, Stephanie, says to you over her shoulder as she speed walks ahead of you.

“Okay, okay, geez,” you say, catching up to her and matching her pace. “Slow down will you, we still have an hour left.”

“I know, but I want to make sure I have time to look around and finish shopping!” She replies.

You smile and roll your eyes at her as the two of you enter the final store. She immediately runs off to a certain section of the store and you lose sight of her. You know the only reason she wants to go to this store is because her boyfriend works here, and she can visit him while he works.

The two of you spent all day together, walking around the mall and spending quality friend time together. You figure the least you can do is let her visit her boyfriend for a few minutes before you go look for her.

You fiddle with the bracelet you always keep around your wrist as you look at the various displays before you, showcasing the different shoes on sale. A specific shoe catches your eye and you reach out to grab it to check the price. Once you see the sale tag your eyes light up.

Still holding the display shoe in your hand, you begin to make your way down the aisle to find someone to grab your size. Before you can walk more than three steps, you feel yourself collide with something firm and lose your balance. You squeeze your eyes shut and brace for the impact with the floor.

Except, it doesn’t come.

Instead, you feel a firm grip around your wrist as well as a strong arm wrapped around your waist.

You slowly open your eyes to be met with dark irises filled with concern, a face inches apart from your own. Neither you, nor the mystery man move. The two of you stare at each other in silence for a minute until you awkwardly clear your throat.

This seems to snap him out of whatever trance he’s in, because the next moment he’s helping you to stand normally again. His hand slowly releases your wrist and he brings his arms to rest at his sides as he avoids your gaze.

“Um, sorry about bumping into you,” you say sheepishly, a blush rising up your neck. “And thanks, for, you know, catching me before I fell.”

He immediately looks up into your eyes when you thank him, a small smile gracing his lips, “It was no problem, I was the one who bumped into you, so I should be the one apologizing. Are you okay?”

You blink at him, not expecting him to ask if you’re alright, considering most people you bump into scoff and walk away from you as if you’ve greatly offended their great ancestors.

“Uh, yeah. Thanks again…” you trail off, not knowing what to say next.

“Kyungsoo,” he replies.

“Sorry, what?”

“My name,” he continues. “It’s Kyungsoo.”

“Oh, well, Kyungsoo, I should probably get going before my friend starts to wonder where I've gone,” you say, giving him a polite smile before turning around to walk away. You take two steps forwards before stopping to say over your shoulder, “My name’s (Y/n), by the way.”

As you walk back down the way you came, you could have sworn you heard something that resembled an ‘I know’ come from behind you. You shrug it off as you see Stephanie waiting for you just outside the front of the store.

“There you are,” she says as you walk up to her. “I thought you would have bought something with how long you were taking inside the store.”

“Says the one whose only reason to go in in the first place was so she could visit her boyfriend,” you tease back, nudging her in the side with your elbow. “But if you must know, I bumped into someone, that’s why I was taking so long.”

“Was he cute?” She immediately turns all her attention to you, raising an eyebrow.

“Steph!” You exclaim in disbelief.

“What? It’s an honest question,” she defends, shrugging her shoulders.

“Well, if you must know,” you say, exiting the mall with her in tow. “He wasn’t that bad looking. He had really nice eyes, like the colour of dark chocolate.”

“Sounds to me like someone’s fallen in love at first sight!” She teases, wiggling her eyebrows at you.

“Shut up, it wasn’t like that,” you roll your eyes at her.

You two continue to bicker back and forth as you place your bags into her car and get in on the passenger side. You quickly put your seatbelt on as Steph starts the car and drives out of the parking lot, blissfully unaware of the pair of eyes that follow your every movement as you exit the mall, and now, the parking lot, watching as the car you’re in gets further and further away.

He looks down at the object held in his hand and smiles. Your bracelet. He makes his way towards his parked car, the smile never leaving his face as he clutches the bracelet tightly in his hand. He unlocks his car, sliding into the drivers seat and looks at himself in his rearview mirror.

Dark chocolate eyes stare back at him as he recalls his encounter with you. The way his name sounds coming from your lips almost made him shiver in pleasure. How long he’s waited to actually meet you in person, he doesn’t know. All he does know, is that this won't be the last time you two see each other, he’ll make sure of it. After all, you did say he has nice eyes.

The next day, you have plans to go out with Stephanie, her boyfriend, and one of his friends whom you don't know. You feel like staying home, but since you know someone else is going to be there, you don’t want them to feel like a third wheel considering you know what it’s like when tagging along with Steph and her boyfriend.

The two of you are going to meet the boys for a movie and then get dinner afterwards. You're hoping that whoever this guy is, he’s nice and not an arrogant prick.

You arrive with Steph at the movie theatre and immediately she spots her boyfriend standing with someone else. She runs up to him and jumps on his back as you follow quickly behind.

“I missed you!” Steph exclaims while pressing a kiss to the side of her boyfriend’s cheek.

“Ugh, save the PDA for when I'm not around,” you complain, scoffing at how affectionate they’re being. “Besides, you saw each other yesterday.”

“You’re just jealous you can’t do this with someone yourself,” Chanyeol says, pulling Steph into his side.

“Surprisingly, I'm not,” you say, rolling your eyes at him.

“I’d have to agree with (Y/n) on this one,” a voice says from beside you. “I’d much rather not watch the two of you smother each other right in front of me.”

It’s at this moment that you actually look at the fourth person standing with your little group. You're shocked to see it’s actually someone you know.

“Kyungsoo,” your voice sounds more surprised than anything, barely coming out as a whisper, yet he still manages to hear you.

“I'm surprised to see you again,” he says, turning to smile at you. “Even more surprised you remembered the guy who bumped into you’s name.”

“Wait, so he was the guy you were telling me you bumped into? Damn, (Y/n), you weren't kidding about-“ Steph starts to say before you cut her off, a slight blush rising up your cheeks as you realize what she’s about to say.

“Okay, movie time!” You cheer, successfully getting her to shut up with a slight glare her way. She chuckles and sends you a wink.

The four of you make your way over to the ticket booth, paying and walking into the theatre. You decide to sit at the very back since no one else is currently in the theatre. You take a seat between Steph and Kyungsoo, with Chanyeol on the opposite side of Steph. After a while, they both stand up.

“We’re going to go get food, do you guys want anything?” Steph asks, turning to face you and Kyungsoo who are still seated.

“You know my usual,” you say, digging around in your bag to pull out your money, but before you can even open your wallet you see Kyungsoo pass her some money.

“Could you get me some popcorn, and use this to also pay for whatever she wants,” he says while his eyes flick to your form.

“You don't have to do that,” you tell him. “I can pay for myself.”

“I don’t mind,” he says as Steph takes the money and walks back out of the theatre, Chanyeol in tow. “Besides, think of it as an extra apology for almost knocking you over yesterday.”

“Oh, that’s really sweet of you,” you say, blushing. “Unnecessary, but sweet.”

“It’s the least I could do for a pretty lady,” he smiles back at you which makes you blush even harder and avert your eyes from his.

“So, how did you meet Chanyeol?” You ask, changing the subject to avoid becoming even more red.

“Been friends since high school,” He says, a small smirk tugging at his lips as he reminisces of the past. “Always has been a bit of an ass, but that’s Chanyeol for you.”

“So I'm not the only one who thinks that, oh thank god,” you say, placing a hand over your chest in a teasingly relieved manner.

“What about you? How did you meet Steph?” He asks, already knowing the answer. He knows everything about you. Well, almost everything.

“We’ve been friends ever since we were little. We grew up on the same street until her family moved in the seventh grade. They moved back in her final year of high school and we haven't been separated since,” you explain, a small smile on your face as you remember the day you found out she was moving back to your hometown.

“That’s nice,” he says.

“Yeah, I’m glad she’s my friend. I don’t know what I’d do without her,” you say truthfully. “So, tell me about yourself.”

“Well, I love animals, specifically birds. I’m currently going into my third year of computer technologies and coding, working towards getting my masters afterwards. I enjoy taking walks at night, since it allows me to think while everything is calm and dark out. I enjoy listening to music, and I sing a little,” he informs you, watching your reactions carefully as he tells you things he knows you like.

Your face lights up in excitement, “same here! I mean, not the computer stuff, but I love birds and music, and thats exactly why I love taking night walks, too. It’s almost like we’re the same person.”

He laughs. If only you knew.

You’re about to say something else, but before you can, Steph and Chanyeol are back with the snacks. They pass the two of you your stuff and you quietly thank them, reminding yourself to thank Kyungsoo again for paying for your things.

The movie starts and all your focus is diverted to the screen. The entire time, Kyungsoo steals small glances at you beside him. His heart feels as if it’s about to burst out of his chest. This is only the second time he’s been this close to you, well, that you know of. His heart is racing in his chest, and he feels like you can hear it beating from where you’re sitting. He does his best to appear calm on the outside, and so far, it’s working. After all, he has had over a year to practice.

Once the movie ends, the four of you all head out for dinner. Over dinner, you are able to talk more with Kyungsoo and learn more about him, as he does with you. You're starting to really take a liking to him, he’s kind, funny, and attractive to top it all off. You can only hope he feels the same about you.

After dinner, the four of you decide to go for a walk through the park. Steph and Chanyeol walk a couple paces ahead of the two of you, allowing you all more privacy between your two groups.

“It’s a beautiful night out,” you comment, looking up at the stars and watching how they twinkle in the sky. The moon reflects off your eyes as you look towards Kyungsoo whose breath hitches in his throat at how stunning you look under the night sky. He resists the urge to kiss you.

“Yes, it is,” he says. “But not as beautiful as you.”

You smile shyly back at him and avoid his gaze while muttering a small thanks under your breath. “You’re not so bad yourself,” you say, still not meeting his eyes.

His heart beat quickens when he hears you say those words. He can’t believe what he’s just heard. You find him attractive. He swears he’s never been happier in his life then in this moment right now.

“Then, do you think I could get your number?” He asks, looking at you with hope in his eyes, as well as something else you can’t quite recognize.

“Sure! Give me your phone so I can put my number in,” you say, smiling at him as he digs through his pocket and pulls out his phone, handing it over to you.

You put in your number and send yourself a quick message so that you can save his into your phone. You hand his phone back to him and he smiles at you.

“You know, despite not wanting to go out today, I’m glad I did,” you say, continuing on your walk through the park. “I had a really good time.”

“Well, I, for one, am glad you came,” he says. “I had a great time getting to know you better, and not just knowing you as the girl I almost knocked over at the mall.”

You both chuckle at his statement, allowing a comfortable silence to settle over the two of you. You're both pulled out of your silence when you hear Steph call out for you on the path ahead. Her and Chanyeol walk back up to the two of you.

“We should get going now, it’s getting really late,” she says, giving you a look that you know all to well.

“Alright, I'll see you guys later then,” you say, giving her a goodbye hug. “Be safe.”

“Yeah, yeah, we will,” she replies, grabbing Chanyeol’s hand in her own. “Text me when you get home, okay?”

“I will, don't worry,” you say, waving the two of them off as they walk further and further down the path away from you and Kyungsoo.

“I should probably get going too, it is getting late,” you say, turning back around to face Kyungsoo who seems to have zoned out. He blinks a few times before looking back at you.

“Let me walk you home, then,” he offers.

“No, that’s okay, I wouldn’t want to be a bother,” you say. “My apartment is only a few blocks away from here anyways, it’s not that far.”

“Are you sure? I don't mind,” he reassures you but you shake your head no.

“I’m okay,” you say, watching his expression drop slightly. “Thank you though.”

With that, the two of you bid each other a good night and head your separate ways. The night air nips at your skin, making you pull your sweater tighter against your body. You walk a few blocks before you feel a creeping presence behind you. You glance over your shoulder, but there’s no one there. You sigh, it’s probably just you being paranoid about walking at this time of night. A shiver runs down your spine, and this time, it’s not because of the cold. You're certain you can feel a pair of eyes watching you, making you pick up your pace to make it back to the safety of your apartment quicker.

You make it to the lobby of your apartment building and step into the warm room. You breathe a small sigh of relief as you watch the elevator doors close, no longer feeling as if someone is watching you. It’s probably nothing to worry about anyways.

Exiting the elevator, you make your way to the front door of your apartment, unlock it and step inside. You close the door behind you and a goofy smile makes its way onto your face. You're happy with the way today went, and how natural it felt talking with Kyungsoo. You can’t wait until the next time you get to spend time with him.

You kick off your shoes and stretch your arms above your head, a few pops sounding from your back as it cracks. You make your way towards your bedroom to get ready for bed, as it is late in the evening. You change into some comfy pyjama’s and brush your teeth, crawling into bed shortly afterwards. You don't realize how tired you are until you finally lie down, allowing your heavy eyelids to close and drifting off to sleep.

You wake the next morning to see you have a new message from Kyungsoo.

Kyungsoo: Good morning, I hope you have a wonderful day!

You: Thanks! You too! :)

You smile at your phone in your hand and get out of bed. You make your way to the bathroom to start getting ready for the day, but you can’t help but to feel uneasy. Almost as if someone is watching you again.

You shake your head to clear your thoughts. You’re probably just imagining things, no one is watching you. You're safe inside your apartment, no one can get in but you.

Once you're done getting ready for the day, you decide to run some errands you’ve been putting off for a while. You go out, making sure to lock the door behind you.

Over the course of the next few weeks, you and Kyungsoo text back and forth, talking about anything and everything. Even though you’ve known each other for such a short period of time, you can't help but to feel a sense of comfort whenever you're in his presence.

You even run into him at the supermarket one day, happy to see a familiar face while grocery shopping. He offers to keep you company while the two of you shop, and you readily agree, glad you can spend time together. He even carriers your bags out for you.

Despite having Kyungsoo’s friendly face to greet you every now and then, you still can’t shake the feeling of being watched. It’s getting so bad that your sleep is starting to be affected, and you could swear you see shadows moving through your apartment when no one is there.

You haven’t told anyone else about this though, you thought they would just tell you that you're being paranoid and not to worry about it. You thought about telling Steph one time, but you know how she can be. She’d immediately freak out and get the cops involved, and you’re not even sure if this feeling is just that, a feeling. However, one day after coming home from work, you know that your feeling is no longer just a feeling. It’s very real.

You come home from work, tired from the long day you’ve had, wanting nothing more than to take a hot bath and then curl up on your couch and watch a movie. It’s so slight, you almost miss it in your groggy state, but your hair brush is turned the opposite direction it was this morning. You think it’s strange and just shrug it off as your arm hitting it while you were leaving in your rush this morning.

You move towards your underwear drawer to pick out a fresh set to change into after your shower, knowing exactly what pair you are going to slip on. You open your drawer, digging through it to find your red lace undies which you know you've washed recently.

Except, they aren't there.

You're eyebrows furrow in confusion as you think of where they might be, even though you specifically remember putting them back in your drawer. You turn around and observe your room, thinking about where they could be. It’s then that you actually fully take in your surroundings.

Clothes thrown on your desk chair are shifted slightly and are more wrinkled, as if someone picked them up, only to try and place them how they were before. Your closet door is slightly open, even though you know you closed it before leaving this morning. You inhale deeply, catching the slight scent of your favourite perfume, which you only use on special occasions, and you know you haven’t used recently.

Your eyes widen in fear.

Somebody was in your apartment.

Your hairbrush wasn’t turned because of your arm hitting it on your way out, and your panties have been stolen by whoever was in your apartment earlier that day.

Shock, disgust, and fear all run through your mind at the same time, you can’t even think straight. You do the only thing you can think of to do in this moment. You call Kyungsoo.

He answers on the second ring, “Hey, (Y/n,),-“

“Someone was in my house,” you cut him off before he gets a chance to finish, your voice sounding small and weak. “Kyungsoo, someone broke into my house.”

“What? (Y/n), are you okay?” He asks worriedly.

“I-I don’t know,” you choke out. “Can you come over? I know it’s late, but I need you right now. I don’t know who else I can trust with this.”

His heart soars at your words. You’re asking him to comfort you. Not anyone else. Him. “I’ll be right over,” he assures you.

“Thanks,” you reply. “And Kyungsoo…” He hums in response. “Please hurry.”

After that, you hang up and curl into a small ball on the floor. Tears run down your face as your whole body shakes in fear. Someone was in your house. They went through your things, stole from you. Who knows how many times this has happened without you noticing. You shiver at the thought of some stranger watching you sleep.

About half an hour passes with you curled up on your floor before you hear a soft knock on your door. You don’t move. You hear your door open and soft footsteps making their way towards where you are. You jump slightly when you feel strong arms wrap around your frame. Your breathing picks up and you start to shake in fright until you hear his voice.

“Shh, it’s alright now, you’re safe,” he coos. “I’m here now, you're safe.”

With his reassuring words, and his arms wrapped securely around you, you start to calm down a little bit. Your breathing finally returns to normal as Kyungsoo continues to rock you back and forth in his lap while stroking your hair.

“Thank you,” you say once you are able to find your voice.

“It’s no problem, really,” he replies, continuing to hold you to his chest. He hopes you can’t hear how fast his heart is racing due to being so close to you and actually holding you in his arms, something he’s only dreamed of doing. “Now tell me, what happened?”

“Someone broke into my house,” you repeat, barely believing your own words.

“Are you sure?” He asks.

“Yes,” you go on to explain all the little details you’ve noticed since arriving back home for the night. He mentally curses himself for being so careless in his actions, thinking you wouldn’t notice anything out of the ordinary, just like all the other times he’s been in your apartment without you knowing. “Whoever is was even stole…” you trail off.

“Stole what?” He pries, acting concerned when in reality, he knows exactly what you’re referring to.

“My, uh…” you hesitate once more, a pink hue dusting your cheeks as you finally tell him what’s been stolen. “A pair of my underwear, and now that I think about it, the matching bra, too.”

Your bright red lace set with the little black bow on the front of both the bra and panties. His favourite. He’s only ever imagined you wearing them for him. He took the bra a few months ago and finally decided he’d complete the set, but he wasn’t anticipating this. You aren’t supposed to notice.

“Who would do something like that?” He feigns surprise at your statement, immediately acting disgusted. “That’s despicable.”

“I knew someone was following me, I just knew it. I never acted on it because I thought I was being paranoid, but this just confirms it,” you say, finally pulling yourself away from Kyungsoo. He frowns slightly at your movement, which goes unnoticed by you.

“What do you mean?” He asks.

“For the past few months I’ve always had this feeling of eyes following my every movement, like someone has been watching me. It gets really bad. So bad, it sometimes keeps me up at night because I feel like someone’s there in my room with me. I’ve kept it to myself this entire time because I didn’t know who I could trust enough to tell, but with all that’s happening, I’m glad I can feel comfortable enough to tell you,”  you say while pacing your room and finally turning to look into his eyes. You see something flash in them for a brief moment, but it’s so brief you think you imagine it.

“Well, I’m glad you told me now,” he says, trying to think of his next move carefully. This might be his only chance to get closer to you, and he doesn’t want to blow it. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

You think for a moment, staring intensely at your wall as you try to come up with a way that protects you best. After a few more seconds, you think of something.

“Cameras,” you say.

Kyungsoo almost chokes on his breath, “pardon me?”

“Cameras,” you repeat. “You said you’re in your third year of computer technologies and coding, right? Well, you must know something about cameras, and what better way to catch this stalker than on video? If I went to the police with no evidence, they’d brush me off as paranoid with nothing to worry about since there’s no sign of forced entry, and I can’t prove my clothes have been stolen, since they’re both such small, insignificant things. However, if we were to put up cameras around my house to monitor what goes on when I’m not here, we can catch this creep and get him arrested.”

Silence falls between the two of you after you state your brilliant idea. He stares at you in shock before a plan starts forming in his mind. Cameras. What better way to watch you at home than with cameras? He only wishes he thought of this himself sooner, then none of this would have happened.

“Okay,” he agrees in a quiet voice, doing his best to hide the grin that wants to spread across his face. “I’ll help you.”

“Really?” You ask, eyes wide.

“Yes,” he answers.

“Okay, perfect,” you say, nodding your head slightly. “Then let’s install them tomorrow. As soon as possible.”

“Okay,” he replies, standing up from his spot on your floor where he hasn’t moved from since you left his embrace. He goes to leave until he feels your hand around his wrist, preventing him from moving any further.

“Will you please stay with me?” You ask, not being able to look in his eyes, which are widened slightly in surprise. You’re asking him to stay? “Just for tonight. I don’t want to be alone right now.”

He smiles back at you reassuringly, “of course I’ll stay with you.”

You return his smile, grateful that you wont be left alone for the night.

“I’m just going to grab a shower, and then we can watch a movie, how does that sound?” You ask, releasing your grip on his wrist.

“Alright, sounds good to me,” he says.

He gives you one last smile before turning and exiting your room to let you get ready. As he walks to your living room, his one hand holds the spot on his wrist where yours was just minutes ago. His wrist feels like it’s burning, burning from your touch. God, he can only imagine what your hand would feel like wrapped around his- No, he shouldn’t be thinking of this right now. Not when you’re just down the hall, pouring your trust into him being with you for the night.

He sits on your couch and patiently waits for you to finish your nightly routine. He takes a deep breath, inhaling your scent that’s made it’s way through your apartment, making everything smell uniquely of you.

About fifteen minutes later, you appear in the entranceway to your living room with slightly damp hair, dressed in an oversized shirt and sleep shorts. His breathing stops momentarily and he can’t help but stare. He swears you’ve never looked more beautiful.

You clear your throat awkwardly and make your way over to where he’s sitting on the couch. You sit beside him and turn on Netflix, deciding on what movie the two of you should watch.

About halfway through the movie, your head starts to droop and you find it harder and harder to keep yourself awake. Eventually, you cannot fight your drowsiness anymore, and you manage to fall asleep, resting your head unconsciously on Kyungsoo’s shoulder.

As soon as he feels a weight on his shoulder, he turns to see you have fallen asleep against him. He smiles to himself and brushes a few strands of hair out of your face. He reaches across you to grab your remote and turn off the tv. He then gently reaches around and lifts you from the couch into his arms. He carries you bridal style to your room, placing you softly under your covers. He tucks you in and turns to leave before he is stopped once again by you grabbing his wrist.

“Please, don’t go,” you whisper, slightly tugging on his arm as an indication you want him to stay with you.

“I’m not going anywhere, I promise,” he says with a soft smile. “I’ll be on the couch if you need me, okay?”

“No, please,” you say, a blush spreading across your cheeks as you sit up in bed. “Stay with me, here, tonight. If you’re okay with that though, I don’t want to make you feel uncomfortable, I just don’t want to be alone.”

He nods his head in understanding, “okay.”

You scoot over in your bed and open up your covers so that Kyungsoo can crawl in beside you. At first, it’s a little awkward between the two of you, him not wanting to overstep his boundaries, but when you scoot closer and bury your head in his chest, his natural response is to wrap his arms around you.

You breathe a sigh of relief, relaxing a bit when you feel his arms around your waist. Knowing he’s with you, you fall asleep quickly, burying yourself into his warm embrace.

He swears his heart has stopped. You’re in his arms, in bed, with your head buried in his chest. He feels as if he’s about to burst from happiness, he never wants this night to end. He’s only ever imagined what it would be like sleeping in the same bed as you, and now that it’s actually happening, he doesn’t know what to do. After a few more hours of watching you sleep in his arms, fatigue takes over and he manages to fall asleep.

The next morning, the two of you wake up with you still tangled in his embrace. You quickly get up, slightly embarrassed at the position you find yourself in. You get ready for the day and walk out to your kitchen to find that Kyungsoo has made breakfast for the both of you. You thank him and begin to eat. Once done, you both head out to get those surveillance cameras you mentioned the night before, and head back to your apartment to set them up.

“Alright, that should be the last one,” he says, making his way to where your laptop is sitting on your counter, waiting to connect to the cameras.

“And with that special software thingy you installed, no one will be able to hack into the feed, right? Only I can turn them on or off?” You ask, wanting to make sure this is actually going to work.

“Yep, only you can control the cameras,” he assures you, typing away at your keyboard.

“I can’t thank you enough for this, Kyungsoo,” you say sincerely, him briefly glancing up to look at you from over the screen.

“Go on a date with me,” he states, staring at the screen instead of looking at you.

You nearly spit out the water you’re drinking, “what?”

“Let me cook you dinner. My place, 7 o’clock, this Friday, okay?” He says, looking up from the screen and into your eyes.

It takes you a moment to fully register his request, but when you do, a smile makes its way onto your face.

“Okay,” You agree shyly.

“Great!” He says. “Also, I’ve finished setting up the cameras, just push the button I showed you on your phone to activate them when you go out and everything will get recorded to your laptop so you’ll be able to see if someone breaks in.”

He stands up and makes his way towards your front door. You follow him, thanking him along the way with a relieved expression on your face.

“It’s no problem, really,” he tells you. “I’ll see you Friday.”

With that, you say your final goodbyes. You close your front door after him, making sure it’s locked before you walk back over to your laptop to see your new surveillance system.

There’s a camera in every room, except your bathroom. You figure you don’t need one in there, plus you wanted one room without a camera just incase the system does get hacked by whoever is stalking you. Each camera is placed specifically to show the entire room from wherever it is located, out of sight from anyone who doesn’t know where it is.

You sigh and make your way towards you bedroom. The events of last night are still with you, making you feel drained of energy. You figure a small nap would do you good.

You crawl into bed and lay there for a bit, thinking about Kyungsoo, and your date on Friday. You have a few days before it, so you start to think about what you’ll wear.

You really like him, he’s smart, funny, cute, and he’s got the warmest eyes you’ve ever seen. You don’t want to mess this up, after all, you aren’t getting any younger, as your parents keep reminding you.

While thinking about what to wear, you decide to go shopping the next day.

Wednesday comes and you are unexpectedly called into work. Luckily, you’re able to put the cameras to good use when you leave. They seem to be working smoothly so far, you’ve seen nothing out of the ordinary.

By the time your shift ends, it’s already late into the evening. You’re far too tired to go back out shopping, and besides, all the good stores are closed by now.

The next day rolls around and you allow yourself to sleep in, however, you awake with an uneasy feeling of someone watching you again. You shake it off as just being paranoid about the new cameras, and not being used to them yet. What you don’t know, is that your feelings are right, someone is watching you through the cameras. Someone who you know.

You spend the day out shopping, deciding to treat yourself and just have a ‘you’ day. You admittedly spend more than you would have liked to, but you reassure yourself that it’s worth it. You get home, feeling pretty relaxed for once. You place all your bags onto your bed and begin to unpack, unaware of the camera recording your every move.

Deciding to take a shower before bed, you grab the last bag that still needs to be unpacked and take it with you into the bathroom. You shut the door behind you.

Meanwhile, Kyungsoo sits at his desk in his closet adjacent to the bedroom, watching his monitors. He created this little setup the minute he got back to his house from installing the cameras in yours. A monitor for each camera in your apartment, that way he can keep an eye on you at all times.

He can’t believe he didn’t think of this before, using his computer skills to watch you. It’s his new favourite thing to do when you’re home, and now he doesn’t need to worry about getting caught.

He begins to wonder what is in the bag you took in the bathroom with you, and why you’re taking so long. He hears the music you put on while showing stop, and the door open. He is not expecting what he sees next, you coming out in a matching black lace lingerie set, damp hair cascading down your shoulders. You look so breathtaking, like a Goddess, that he can’t help the blood rushing south, causing him to harden in his pants.

He watches, mesmerized as you make your way towards your bedroom door, making sure it’s closed before making your way to your full length mirror in the corner of your room. He watches you run your fingers through your hair, wanting nothing more than to be able to do that himself. You bite your lip, almost as if you’re contemplating on whether or not you actually want to go through with whatever it is you’re thinking of doing. After a few moments, you decide ‘fuck it’ and go for it.

Your hips start to sway in beat to a song only you can hear as your hands trace over the curves of your body. How badly he wishes he could replace your hands with his own.

He stares, transfixed, as you tease yourself with small touches, ghosting over your skin, but never touching where you want to most. He finds himself rubbing his ever-growing bulge in time with the movement of your hips.

You slowly make you way onto your bed, crawling up to the headboard from the foot, giving him the perfect view of your ass in the black lace. He bites his lip to stop himself from moaning as he watches you take off your bra and spread yourself out on your bed.

He unbuttons his jeans and frees his cock from the restraints of his briefs in no time at all. He watches as you squeeze and tug at your nipples, wanting nothing more than to suck on them and make you feel good. He wants his hands to roam all over your body, mapping it out, and finding out everything you like, making you shake in ecstasy.

He strokes his cock slowly as you slide your panties off and spread your legs. He swears he can see your juices dripping from your gorgeous cunt, begging for him to taste. What he wouldn’t give to make you come, over and over again just from his mouth alone. He’d show you just how much he cares for you in every way possible, making sure you wouldn’t be able to walk the next day.

He watches as you spread your juices over your lips, rubbing your clit a few times before inserting two fingers into your dripping pussy. He lets out a moan at the sight, stroking his cock in time with the thrusts of your fingers.

In the back of his mind, he knows this is wrong. That he shouldn’t be doing this. But after he hears the first moan escape your lips, all logic flies out the window.

It’s the most beautiful sound he’s ever heard, the only thing more beautiful than that would be if you- His thoughts are interrupted as he hears you moan again, but this time it’s what you moan that has him almost coming prematurely.

His name. You moaned his name.

“Kyungsoo,” he hears you whimper again, and he can tell you’re getting close by the way your thrusts are speeding up, how your other hand is now rubbing your clit in furious circles. With a final cry of his name, you’re coming.

Watching you come undone pushes him over the edge, making him come with a low groan of your name. His chest rises and falls rapidly, trying to catch his breath while forcing his eyes to stay open so he doesn’t miss a single move you make.

You make your way towards your bathroom to clean yourself up, disappearing off screen for a few minutes. Kyungsoo takes this time to clean himself up as well, coming back just in time to watch you crawl into bed and fall asleep. He knows that he can’t wait much longer to be with you. Thank God tomorrow is Friday.

You wake up the next morning feeling refreshed for once. You get ready for the day and decide you aren’t going to do anything until you have to leave for Kyungsoo’s in the evening. You spend the entire day watching Netflix until around 4:30 when you decide to start getting ready.

You take a quick shower to freshen up, blowdrying your hair and styling it in soft waves, adding a minimal amount of makeup before you deem yourself ready to get dressed. You move to your closet where you pull out the blue sundress you bought the day before just for this occasion. You slip it on and pair it with some sandals that match nicely. You check your reflection one last time before grabbing your purse and heading out the door for the evening.

To say you are nervous would be an understatement. You really like Kyungsoo and you don’t want to mess things up with him, and even if this doesn’t work out, you don’t want to lose him as your friend. The whole bus ride over, you fiddle with the hem of your dress, and imagine all the possible scenarios tonight can end in, you hope it ends in a good one.

You arrive at his apartment exactly at seven, knocking softly on the door before it opens to reveal a smiling Kyungsoo behind it. You smile back at him as he steps aside to allow you entrance into his home.

“You look beautiful,” he complements you as you step past him.

“Thank you,” you say, turning to get a good look at him. He’s wearing a simple button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up, as well as a pair of jeans. “You don’t look too bad yourself.”

He blushes slightly at this, mumbling out a small thanks as he leads you to the dining room where the two of you will be eating this evening. He pulls out your chair for you, allowing you to sit down. He pours you both a glass of wine, allowing you to sample it.

“I’ll be right back, I’m just going to grab the appetizers,” he tells you, hurrying off into the kitchen. You nod your head in a response.

He comes back a minute later with the food, placing it on the table between the two of you. He sits across from you and the two of you start chatting in-between bites of food.

He can’t believe this is really happening, that you’re actually in his apartment, on a date, no less, and eating a meal he’s prepared specially for you. Tonight is his only chance for things to go well, everything has to be perfect, or else he may never get another chance to be with you, and he does not like that thought one bit.

After the appetizers, you excuse yourself to the bathroom. He tells you it’s the first door on the left. You make your way down the hall and see the door he’s talking about, but before you take a step inside, you see the door to what appears to be his bedroom slightly ajar. Curiosity gets the better of you and you gently push the door open and step inside.

Nothing out of the ordinary, that you can see so far. A bookshelf in the corner, a dresser, bed, mirror, everything neat and tidy. You’re about to exit his room when his closet door catches your eye. It’s slightly ajar, but there seems to be a faint glow emanating from inside. You make your way over to the door slowly, and push it open.

What you see inside causes a chill to run down your spine and a gasp to escape your lips. Monitors line the back wall of the walk-in closet, but what’s on the monitors is what causes you to freeze in horror.

The rooms of your apartment stare back at you, along with what appears to be candid photo’s of you as screensaver’s, photo’s you weren’t aware of anyone taking. Your eyes dart around inside the closet, noting three distinct things. Your missing bra, your missing panties, and your bracelet you thought you lost over a month ago. There are also other small items of yours placed on a small portion of the desk, almost as if they were imitating a shrine of sorts.

Your hand comes up to your mouth which is frozen in a silent scream. A few tears escape your eyes as you feel arms wrap around you from behind and a head rest on your shoulder.

“I knew I should have locked my room, but I wasn’t expecting you to go snooping through my house,” he chuckles, as if he’s amused at the whole situation.

You can only choke on a muffled sob.

“Shh, don’t cry,” he coos, rocking you back and forth. “Now that I finally have you, everything’s going to be just fine.”

“What do you mean?” You manage to get out despite your fear.

“I’ve been watching you for a long, long time now, (Y/n). Just waiting for the perfect opportunity to make you mine. You don’t know how crazy you make me, ever since the first time I saw you, I knew I had to have you,” he starts to trail kisses down your neck and you sob harder. “You’re so beautiful.”

“So, you’re the one who’s been watching me this whole time?” You say, managing to calm yourself down a little bit despite your fear.

He hums in response, “and it’s been a real pleasure.”

Your eyes widen as you realize what he’s insinuating. “No, you couldn’t have. You wouldn’t have!” You say, trying to convince yourself more than anything.

“Oh, but I did,” you feel him smirk against your skin and you shiver in disgust.

“That was private!” You try defending yourself, wiggling out of his grasp and turning to face him. He doesn’t look very pleased that you’ve left his arms.

“It wasn’t very private when you were moaning my name, now, was it?” He smirks again, closing his eyes as he remembers how your voice called out for him.

“I trusted you, you monster!” You scream, tears streaming down your face.

You feel betrayed, foolish even. To think that ten minutes ago, you trusted the man standing before you, a man whom you thought was caring and sweet. A man who you thought would never be capable of something like this.

At your words his eyes shoot open, a hard expression taking over his features.

“Oh, (Y/n), there’s no need for that, you and I both know that’s not true. Now let’s not ruin a perfectly good dinner, shall we?” He motions towards the door, waiting for you to move, but when you don’t, he lets out a sigh.

“I’m not going anywhere with you. I’m leaving, I never want to see you again, you need help!” You say, trying to rush past him, anxious to leave his apartment and get to a police station and let them know what’s going on.

Before you can walk more than two steps, he has you pinned to the wall.

“You’re naive to think I’m going to let you go that easily. Now that I have you, you’re not leaving my side, ever. After all, even if you do manage to leave, I’m always watching.”

[hellomissmabel]

Nothing under 7 inches (4)

MASTERLIST

Pairing: Baker!Bucky x reader

Warnings: After a lot of angst in part 3, there is a tiny bit of fluff and hope in part 4. So don’t despair just yet, but don’t get your hopes up too much either.

Word count: 2k

Summary: Bucky is a baker in Y/N’s hometown and with her mother’s birthday right around the corner, he’s excited to see her again. Y/N however doesn’t plan on staying for too long and aims to return to the city life, a dirty little secret getting in the way of her love life.

A/N: My prompt was “cottage”. This fic is written for @soldatbarnes her writing challenge. If you want on the tag list, please send me an ask! I can’t keep track of all the comments.

Series masterlist can be found here

After dinner you rushed up to your room to switch shoes, trading in your comfy sneakers for high heels. Whilst searching your luggage for the heels you took out earlier, you realise you must’ve left them downstairs in the living room before heading towards Bucky. So you take two steps at a time and hurry downstairs again, finding your brother Wade perched on the couch, his feet up on the table and your high heels in his lap as he plays one of his old video games while he waits for the guests to arrive.

“Looking for these, baby sis?,” he chuckles as he holds up your heels. “How high are these anyway? Won’t you break your ankles or something when you fall on your face?”

Shoving his shoulder and taking back your heels, you sit cross-legged next to him on the couch after kicking off your sneakers, dirty from the muddy road to the cottage. “They’re only seven inches and they were a gift from a… euhm… a friend. They’ve got this rule… nothing under seven inches. Most of my heels are like ten or something…”

Wade rolls his eyes at the word ‘friend’ and sticks his tongue out at you. “Friend? My dick! This shit is expensive, Y/N. It’s got red soles, sis. No way one of your friends could ever afford Louboutins.”

He hands you the second controls and invites you to play with him, giving you a nice way out to avoid the topic any further. But as soon as he beats you for the third time in a row, he notices your mind isn’t really focused on the present and shuts off the television.

“Alright, baby sis, tell me, why do you suddenly have a huge stick up your ass? The girl that I grew up knowing would never risk her life wearing these monsters.”

You gaze at your big brother with big doe eyes, that innocent pitch to your tone worked wonders for you back when you were kids. “They’re for work. And it’s true, a friend gave them to me.”

But Wade doesn’t fall for your act and crosses his arms over his chest, sticking his tongue out at you. “Nah, you can’t fool me, Y/N. Unless you won the jackpot with the lottery or you have some filthy rich guy on the side.”

Wetting your lips as to delay your answer, Wade realises he’s right. “Holy shit, Y/N. It’s true, isn’t it?,” he laughs in surprise. “My baby sis is now a sugar baby.”

You’re too embarrassed to say anything and avert your eyes, looking like a prissy little kid that didn’t get the Christmas present they wanted. “Don’t look like you’ve just eaten a lemon, Y/N,” Wade reason with you, the joke ever present in his voice. “When life hands you lemons…”

“You squeeze ‘em,” you finish the sentence first, a small smile breaking your sour expression.

“That’s right! You squeeze ‘em!” Wade claps his hands and wraps an arm around your shoulder, holding you against him. “Now, tell me, how did you manage to squeeze that sugar daddy of yours, hm? I promise I won’t judge. I’m the last person in this house to judge.”

You’ve always felt like you could trust your brother with anything and everything. Your mother would never understand what you were going through, all of her empathy poured into her fictional characters. Your father on the other hand was a good listener, but rarely around. Peggy was always busy with her extracurricular activities, so that left your big brother Wade to cheer you up when you were feeling down. He was your confidant, and still is.

So you confide in him about Tony, about Sharon and how she introduced you to Steve, and finally about your conversation with Bucky. Wade sometimes makes a little, funny comment to lighten the mood but never interrupts you, not even when you start to cry again.

“I thought you guys broke up after high school?,” he eventually whispers softly into your hair. “Or did I miss something?”

“We didn’t really break up, Wade…,” you stutter in between the tears. “We said goodbye and broke up, but we never really broke with each other. And I think that this time, we did.”

“Oh, Y/N,” Wade shushes, his usual sarcastic tongue tied by the overwhelming pain you must be feeling. “You clearly don’t know, do you?”

Batting your eyelashes, heavy with droplets, you free your blurry vision and gaze at your brother, a question on the tip of your tongue. “Don’t know what?”

“The problem is not that Bucky doesn’t want to move to a big city or that you don’t want to stay in a small one. The problem is that you think there’s no way you can work it out. But Y/N, there’s always a solution, even if you don’t see it. Like… I didn’t believe I could give such good advice, but clearly I can.”

“Fuck you, Wade,” you chuckle quietly. “I love you, but fuck you.”

A hearty laugh rumbles through his chest and shakes up your nerves. “I deserve that. I wasn’t there for you. But I’m here for you now and I’m going to help you in any way I can. Starting with Buck.”

Wade scoops you up in his arms and once he’s on his feet, throws you over his shoulder, your protesting cries resonating through the entire house. Luckily the rest of the family is serving drinks on the terrace out back, so they don’t hear the profanities you direct towards your older brother.

“Bucky is finishing up on mom’s cake at the cottage. I’m carrying you there personally.” When you keep screaming at the top of your lungs, he halts in the middle of the hallway and slaps your ass. “Y/N, I’m doing you a favour.” And with those final words, he takes you back to the cottage, eventually shutting you up.

Bucky has just added the finishing touches to the decorations to your mom’s raspberry chocolate birthday cake, like Wade predicted, when he heard some kind of argument going on outside. Peering out of his window, he sees Wade hoisting you up in the air by means of teasing you before setting you back down.

“What’s going on?,” he queries as he dusts off his hands on his apron as you eye your brother with an angry gaze.

Wade just straightens his back and answers straight to the point. “Y/N loves you. You love Y/N. I’m taking the cake back to mom while you get dead honest with each other.”

Your brother points to you first, his eyes telling you he means serious business. “You’re gonna tell him everything. And then you’re going to find a solution that fits you both.” Then he directs his finger to Bucky. “And you,” he begins with a sigh. “You’re gonna listen and shut up until she tells you to talk. You’re not gonna argue, you’re just gonna listen. And then you’re going to kiss and make up.”

Wade’s statement leaves no room for interpretation and with one nod of his head in your direction, he leaves you in the lion’s den. Bucky is nailed to the ground in astonishment, not intimidated by your brother but by his words and he knows Wade’s only doing this with the best of intentions.

So after a short while, Bucky proposes something new. “How about we bake a cake together?”

With ardent eyes you scan him, searching for signs of mockery or malicious intent. But Bucky is just Bucky, in all his innocence and his boyishness. He doesn’t want to make you feel even worse than you already do, he only wants to bake a cake with you to clear the air and just talk.

“O-Okay,” you stutter after you’ve assessed the potential heartbreak that could come from this situation. Yet Bucky means no harm, and with a soft smile playing on his lips he gathers all the ingredients he has left in his kitchen.

Taking out some milk and honey, Bucky’s hip subtly bumps into yours as you both reach for the spatula. “Sorry!,” you whispers in a hushes tone as Bucky takes a few steps back, careful not to break the proverbial glass cage surrounding you, distancing you from him.

“What are we making?,” you ask gingerly while Bucky starts to add eggs to the mixture.

“White chocolate honeycomb mud cake,” Bucky smiles as his eyes light up like a Christmas tree. I still have a lot of chocolate left and your dad brought me a jar of honey last week from your aunt’s bee hives. But since I don’t really eat honey…”

Humming while you pour the honey bit by bit, your fingertips caresses Bucky’s hand while he stirs the batter of the cake. “I love honey, it’s so sweet. I could finish that jar all by myself in just one day.”

“You’ve always had a big sweet tooth, Y/N. I recall a time when I had added too much sweetener to the carrot cake I’d made for the town fair. Because everybody wanted to be polite, they finished their piece but they never came back for a second one. So I had made all this cake and people only ate one fourth of it. But then you walked by and decided you wanted to taste for yourself if it was as horribly sweet as people said it was.”

“And I ended up eating half of what was left because I loved it so much,” you laugh happily in remembrance. “Fall came early that year and Peggy had decided to pay us a visit. Wade had just left for Los Angeles and she noticed how much I was hurting, so she dragged me to the town fair. She made me try everything, from the disgusting vegan cookies that wannabe cheerleader Maria made to that old lady’s chicken broth. But then I tried your carrot cake and just knew that this was the best thing I’d ever eat in my entire life.”

“You still remember that day? It was long before Sharon introduced us.”

In all the giddiness that the memory inspires in you, the filter keeping your thoughts at bay slowly dissipates while you’re reminiscing. “Of course I still remember that day,” you confirm with a hearty chuckle, “I couldn’t keep my eyes off the handsome brunet near the willow tree with his carrot cake and his adorable puppy dog eyes.”

It’s as if Bucky’s heart is being ripped from his chest. All this time, you’ve been dancing around each other, both afraid to make a move. But not anymore, even though your words still resonate harshly in his heart, he has to kiss you. He has to make sure he kisses you now or all will be lost. He’s still got a shot, he knows it and wants to seize it before your self-destructive and overly protective nature bombards the entire thing.

He drops the spatula and takes the spoon of honey from you, cupping your face in his hands and pressing his lips to yours in adamant desire. Yet Bucky doesn’t kiss you with lust or passion, rather with moderation and above all, adoration. And the moment your lips lock, he starts to overflow your system, pushing just the right buttons to make you yield.

Nonetheless, the kiss is different from before in various ways. A kiss from teenage Bucky is cautious and clumsy yet feverish and keen for your touch. But a kiss from adult Bucky is confident and calm yet soft and sweet. His eyes bore into yours with a loving intensity when your lips part. “I love you,” are the only three words he leaves hovering over you like the sword of Damocles. “And I know you love me, too.”

“Wade is right, we have to talk. So let me tell you what’s going to happen,” he continues after another longing kiss. “We’re going to put this cake in the oven and then we’re going to kiss some more and make up.”

Tagging: @avengerofyourheart @a-little-hell-to-raise @marvelingatthewonder @mrshopkirk @hardcorehippos @knittingknerdy @winterboobaer @italwaysendsinafightt @viollettes @hymnofthevalkyrie @feelmyroarrrr @justareader @austinamelio @volklana @howlingbarnes @themcuhasruinedme @theoneandonlysaucymo @caplansteverogers @amrita31199 @emilyevanston @minervaem @howlingbarnes @buchananbarnestrash @youandb @you-and-bucky @fvckingsteverogers @thatawkwardtinyperson @barnes-heaven @that-sokovian-bastard @abovethesmokestacks @marvelrevival @marvel-fanfiction @justanotherbuckydevotee @barnes-heaven @heartmade-writingbucky @buckyywiththegoodhair @captnbarnesrogers @its-not-a-phase-hux @melconnor2007 @ivvitm1109 @toofuckinfabulous @ailynalonso15 @hollycornish @delicatecapnerd @camigt1999 @learisa @curlyexpat @palaiasaurus64 @fanndas-snow-goddess @crisssivonne @yourenotrogers @tomhollandzs @beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep @aletheladyinred @bhuckys @xbergiex @reniescarlett @promarvelfangirl @capbuckybuchanan @lovemarvelousfics @yknott81 @rrwilson66 @pegasusdragontiger @salty-holographic-stickers @sammyissassy @sebstanchrisevanchickforever19 @kudosia @bellejeunefillesansmerci @lumelgy @mizzzpink @southernbellestatues @daringtodreamawake @neurotic-narwhal @cokamarie24 @blue1928 @movingonto-betterthings @breezy1415 @isnt-the-blog-youre-looking-for @jesspfly @weenie-butt @debzybrazy @fuckingchaotic  @always-an-evans-addict @petersunderroos  @thegreentgirl @nedthegay @eve1978 @yourtropegirl @4theluvofall @lostinthoughtsandfeelings @pineapplebooboo @curvybihufflepuff @thefridgeismybestie @supernatural508 @supernaturaldean67 @ssweet-empowerment @cant-decide-at-this-moment

Series tag list: @buckyappreciationsociety @alexaduke @incoherentsmiles @iamthemaskhewears @booksb4boys69

Strikethrough means Tumblr wouldn’t let me tag you!

[allmyloveavery]

wherever you are ~ c.b. II

A/N: here’s part 2 to wherever you are because I couldn’t bring myself to leave it the way part 1 ended and also because i promised Jen I’d write a part 2. I had writers blog for this request I’ve been working on so i decided to just continue this one to distract myself.This is a long one guys so buckle up. ps, i was listening to 5sos so the italics are lyrics from some random songs that played as i wrote that i thought fitted the storyline.

[PART 1]

requested: Yes by @jonahjunkie

summary: this part picks up where part 1 ended and continues the story of you and Corbyn missing each other and wanting to apologize and call each other or just see each other one more time.

It had been a year since you left L.A. to go back home after you and Corbyn broke up.You were in the middle of lunch with some friends when one of them tapped you on the shoulder.“Why are you moping around like this, Y/N? You’re awfully quiet today, do you feel alright?”  you sighed leaning your elbows on the table and cupping your cheeks with your hands. “I just miss L.A. I guess.”  You looked down at the food you had been moving around with your fork for about 30 minutes now without taking an actual bite.

One of your other friends leans over to your side of the table. Her face was only a few inches away from yours and she pointed a finger at you. “Listen up Y/N, we all love you a lot and we want you to be happy, we really do, but if you keep being sad like this you’re never gonna forget about him and move on.” You tried to interrupt her speech about letting go as she dramatically quoted the chorus of Elsa’s ‘let it go’ but she wouldn’t have it. “No buts, girl! We’re gonna have a girls night tonight at my place and you have nothing to say about it.” You opened your mouth to complain and tell her today was no good but she cut you off in the middle of the sentence shaking her head. “I won’t take no for an answer. I’m picking you up at 7 so you better be ready.” You leaned back in the chair and sighed before eventually saying: “fine. But what do you even want to do Liv?” Liv smirked at you and cracked her knuckles. “You’ll see.”

Back in L.A Corbyn was in the studio working on the brand new album with the rest of the boys, but just like you, he was feeling a little off today. “Bro are you alright?” Jonah said as he walked up to Corbyn. “Yeah, I’m fine.” Jonah pats him on his shoulder. “I know it’s been hard for you ever since she left and that today marks a year. Hang in there buddy, it gets better.” Corbyn gave him a weak smile and thanked him but Jonah still saw the pain in his eyes as he saw the boy smile. They looked dull, now that the usual sparkle had been long gone for months.

“I can’t remember the last time I saw your face I feel so lonely when I’m in a crowded space You left with me without direction” 

Later that day Corbyn was lying in bed listening to music. He still had the bulletin board with the pictures of you two up, even though everyone told him to take it down to ease the pain. But he couldn’t bring himself to take it down and let go of those memories. The boy sighed as he went through his photo album on his phone, swiping through all of your selfies together and sneaky pictures he had taken of you on your dates. “I miss you. I miss you so damn much” he whispered as he put down his phone. As he paced around the room he bit his lip debating on whether or not he should just book a flight to come visit you and apologize for everything that had happened and tell you that he wanted you to come back home, to him.  

He paced around his room for a solid 20 minutes weighing out the pros and cons of booking a flight and apologizing to you. “Maybe I should just call her, that’s way easier. But maybe she won’t even pick up, maybe she even has a new number? Ugh I don’t know what to do.” After a long debate with himself about the decision he ended up looking for flights all night wishing he could just close his eyes and be wherever you were.

“I’m coming because I need to find you Is anybody there who can rescue somebody like me? ‘Cause I’m just waiting for somebody like you Somebody like you Without you I’m a lost boy

Without you I’m a lost boy Come find me, I’m a lost boy 'Cause without you I’m a lost boy”

Somewhere in your hometown Liv was desperately trying to make you forget about being sad over L.A. and Corbyn. She’d gotten all of your favorite snacks and movies and she was trying to cheer you up with karaoke and some good ol’ fashioned gossiping, but nothing seemed to work. “What do I have to do to cheer you up, Y/N” She got up from the sofa and started pacing in front of you. “It’s been driving me insane seeing you this sad, I don’t like it. You deserve to feel happy and move on and I just don’t know how to give you that happiness.” You bit your lip and looked up at her. “I’m sorry Liv, I don’t want to feel like this either. Even though he broke my heart I still love him and I miss him even though I shouldn’t in order to move on.”

Later that night you were tossing and turning in bed, not being able to fall asleep. The memory of Corbyn and the void in your heart were keeping you up.

“I can’t remember the last time I heard your voice I’m sat in silence living in a world of noise 'Cause you were perfection”

It was 4 am and Liv had been asleep for hours, but you still couldn’t get yourself to fall asleep. You’d been staring at the ceiling for god knows how long and you couldn’t stop thinking about Corbyn. “I just want to hug him one more time and feel his arms tightly wrapped around me” you thought to yourself. “Maybe I should call him? Ugh what’s the use he’s probably asleep, besides he can have any girl he wants he’s probably moved on already.” You sigh deeply as you sit up straight and put your face in your hands. “I just want him to know I still care about him. I need to know if it’s too late to bring us back to life.”

Somewhere in L.A. Corbyn was also up tossing and turning in bed, not being able to fall asleep and stop thinking about you.

“When I close my eyes and try to sleep I fall apart, I find it hard to breathe You’re the reason, the only reason Even though my dizzy head is numb I swear my heart is never giving up You’re the reason, the only reason When I close my eyes and try to sleep I fall apart, I find it hard to breathe You’re the reason, the only reason Even though my dizzy head is numb I swear my heart is never giving up You’re the reason, the only reason”

That weekend Corbyn packed his bags and went to the airport. “I’m coming to find you” he whispered to himself as he boarded the plane to your hometown. Usually, he would be asleep all flight long, especially such a long one but he was too nervous to sleep or even eat. He tried watching a movie but he couldn’t stay focused for longer than 2 minutes. As time slowly passed, he thought about what he should say to you, where he could even find you and if he should get you flowers. Once the plane landed and he got his suitcase, the first stop was the flower shop, to get you a bouquet. After he picked out a bouquet he thought you’d like he walked outside to find a cab. He breathed in the fresh air as he closed his eyes for a second. It wouldn’t be long until he could finally see you again. It felt like an eternity and he felt like he was starting to forget what you looked and sounded like. The blue-eyed boy crossed the street to go find a cab and once he found one he told them to drive him to your hometown.

Corbyn stepped out of the cab thanking the driver for the ride and closing the door. He swallowed hard as he found himself in your street. He didn’t want the cab to drop him off right in front of your house because he didn’t want you to see him in case he backed out.  He grabbed his phone to look at the time and took a deep breath to calm himself down. “I can do this.” He opened up his contacts and right as he was about to dial your number, he received a call. He couldn’t believe his eyes as he stared at the caller id. His heart was racing and he was trembling, too nervous to pick up. He took a deep breath and quickly picked up before the call ended.

“Y/N?” it was silent on the other side of the line for a while but eventually he heard the voice he had missed for so long. “Hi, Corbyn.” He had been dying to hear you say his name again even if it was just once. “I made a huge mistake letting you go, Y/N. I’m in your street and if you’d have me I would like to apologize fo-“ he was cut off by you. “Wait, did you just say you’re in my street?” The blue-eyed boy furrowed his brows confused as to why you cut him off. “Well yeah, I wanted to apologize in person.” It stayed silent once again on the other side and the boy started to get nervous again. “Shit” is all he eventually heard you say. “What’s wrong? Are you not home? Because I can take a cab and come find you or just check into a hotel and wait until you’re home.” He heard you mumble something before you cleared your throat. “Uhm…small problem… I’m in L.A.” Corbyns eyes widened and he scratched his head in confusion. “What do you mean you’re in L.A?” the boy sat down on the sidewalk trying to wrap his head around what was happening. “I guess we both had the same idea. I came here to talk to you about what happened and to tell you that in all this time I couldn’t stop thinking about you because I still…love you” He could barely hear the last part but you had said it just loud enough for his heart to stop for a second. “You came back for me.” you could hear he was smiling saying that. “And you came back for me.”

[lalalemon101]

Make You Mine - Kim Namjoon

“I’m glad you’re enjoying it there, Y/N.” Jimin smiled through the screen after listening to me rave about unlimited sweets I had access to now that I was in college.

Seeing him smile made my heart twinge. “I miss you, Jimin.” I said softly, coming down from my ice cream and brownie high. I couldn’t help the tear that slipped out and quickly wiped it away, hoping he didn’t notice.

“I miss you too, Y/N.” he said softly, “But hey, I’ll be there to visit in November. Don’t forget me when you’re making all of your new friends.”

I scoffed, “Yeah, because I’m such a social butterfly.”

Jimin lightly chuckled. “You can’t blame me for being worried! When I met you, you used to tremble so hard  at the mere thought of socializing I thought there was an earthquake. Now you’re so much better.”

I playfully stuck my tongue out in response to hide how worried I still was about having to socialize. Jimin was right. I was much better at dealing with social anxiety now, but it still wasn’t easy by any means. I just clam up and jumble my words, making myself look like an awkward idiot. Knowing that this was my reaction just made my anxiety worse.

At that moment my phone buzzed with a text from my parents letting me know that they would be stopping by in 10 minutes for their last farewell after moving me in.

“Call you back, Chim. Gotta say bye to my parents!” I hung up and quickly got up from where I was resting in the shade of a large oak tree.

“Well with how loudly you gawked about the cafeteria I’m sure you’ll find someone who agrees with you.” I heard a deep voice comment as I brushed off my shorts.

I turned to see a tall, lean boy dressed in a simple black and white baseball tee and tan pants run one hand through his light brown hair and hold a book in his other. Even behind his glasses I could see his slightly annoyed expression.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know we had to use our inside voices outside.” I snapped back.

He rolled his eyes as he walked past me and towards the dorms. “Well when you’re trying to read Plato’s Republic you don’t particularly appreciate some frivolous yapping about ice cream.”

I huffed one last time in annoyance before moving on to go meet my parents. They were parked right on the curb, my mom taking in the buzz of the campus and my dad reading different placards with information about the history of the college.

“Mom! Dad!” I jogged over to them and found myself engulfed in a group hug.

Finally my parents pulled away. “Make sure you stay healthy and study.”

“Yes, yes of course.” I smiled as she continued on with a list of things I needed to remember.

“Don’t worry, she’s a college student now. She’s got this.” my dad interrupted.

“Thanks, dad.” I smiled appreciatively. “I love you both and I’ll miss you. Have a safe flight home.”

With one last hug, they climbed back into the car and drove off, my mother waving goodbye to me until the car rounded the corner. And there I was back to square one. Happy, sad, excited, anxious, and most definitely looking forward to college life.

--------

College life was hell. At least so far it was. Everyday I dragged myself out of bed at 8 am to make small talk with a group of ten other freshmen whose names I kept forgetting. By the end of orientation week I was exhausted by all the repetitive conversations. Now, chatting with Matt about his small hometown of 5,000 people, I wanted nothing more than to go back to my room, throw on an oversized shirt and crawl into bed. When I thought I couldn’t take it any more, I felt someone tap my shoulder.

“Hey, sorry for keeping you waiting. The rest of the guys just got here and are waiting over by the steps.” Book boy stood in black skinny and a green and blue plaid shirt, with a much friendlier smile than the last time I saw him.

“Oh, do you have somewhere to go?” Matt asked.

Before I could respond, book boy was talking. “Yeah, sorry man. She’s my date for tonight.”

I cocked an eyebrow at him, but played along just to get out of this conversation about farming. “Yeah, I promised him yesterday. I’ll see you around!”

With that I gave Matt a last wave before walking behind book boy out of sight.  

“Thanks for getting me out of there,” I paused as I couldn’t recall his name, or if he had even told me.

“Namjoon,” he said, “And you’re?”

“Namjoon. I’m Y/N.” I continued “But couldn’t you think of something more creative than a date? It’s not like anyone actually came with a date to this dessert reception.”

He kept looking forward as he spoke. “I know, but I do need to bring a girl to get into the frat party tonight.”

I stopped in my tracks as he kept going. “Ha, funny. Why would I go as your date?”

He finally paused and turned to look at me. “Well since I did you a favor by getting you out, I thought you’d be a decent enough person to do me one and get me into something.”

“If I had known there were strings attached, I would’ve just gotten out myself.” I crossed my arms as he walked closer.

“In that case, why don’t you just walk back in and talk yourself out?” he gave me a smug grin as my glare faltered. “How about this, you come with me, give me half an hour and we’re out?”

I weighed the prospects of going back in for small talk for who knows how long or getting at least some alcohol for a mere 30 minutes of interaction. “Fine, half an hour.”

The walk over to the frat house didn’t seem so bad. I learned that Namjoon was a business major with a minor in philosophy. He loved Kant and was in the midst of answering my questions about Kant’s categorical imperative when we finally arrived at the house. The windows were dark although we could hear and feel the dull thud of the bass as we walked up the steps.

“Namjoon!” a boy with a bright smile got up from his seat on the porch and grabbed him in a hug.

“Hey Hobi,” Namjoon replied, “I see you’ve got a heads up.”

I looked down to see nine black lines drawn onto his forearm.

“First party of the year, I’m just warming up!” he gave Namjoon one last pat on the back before looking over to me. “And who might you be, babygirl?”

I felt my cheeks heat up as I stammered in confusion, “Excuse me?”

“Hoseok, tone it down. You’re scaring the poor girl.” Another boy slowly spoke from the bench Hoseok had just been sitting in. His mint green hair was fluffed to perfection and he was dressed in an all black ensemble. “Forgive him, he’s had quite a bit of vodka.”

“Oh yes I have,” Hoseok nodded enthusiastically, his orange bang swaying along with him. “You guys have to try the mango one, it’s great.”

Namjoon nodded as he took my hand and gently led me into the house. “I’ll make sure we try some, Hobi.”

Everything was dimly lit by the light of two disco balls and the DJs laptop. Girls dressed in tight crop tops and shorts were grinding against guys who held them close with a hand on their waist. Before I could feel like I was drowning in sweat and testosterone, Namjoon led us around the line for drinks to the side where another boy stood, his brown hair flopping as he vigorously shook whatever was in his tumbler.

“Taehyung!” Namjoon shouted over the roaring music. “Two shots of mango vodka!”

“Namjoon!” the boy immediately put down his concoction to come over. “You sure you don’t want to try my new drink? I named it Picnic Delight!”

Namjoon shook his head. “I don’t trust your shit man, just get us two mangos.”

Taehyung pouted, “Come on, please. I promise-”

“I’ll try some.” I interjected. I just wanted alcohol and I wanted it fast. The party was too much and hopefully it would ease my nerves.

Taehyung flashed me a boxy smile before pouring me a shot of Picnic Delight and Namjoon one of mango vodka. Before handing them to us, he gave us each a black line on our arm in sharpie. I took the shot, but couldn’t help from coughing and gagging as the rancid taste of lemony pickle juice made its way down my throat.

Namjoon immediately placed his arms around my back to gently pat it as I coughed. “Tae, what did you put in there?”

“Pickle juice, a squeeze of lemon, and Everclear!” he smiled as I finally regained my composure. “Did you like it?”

“Pickle juice and lemon? What kind of picnic are you going on?” I asked in slight disgust.

He shrugged. “Pickles are my favorite food and you always drink lemonade on a picnic. So I thought that if I just-”

Namjoon seemed more concerned about the alcohol itself as he interrupted. “Everclear? Taehyung, how much of that was Everclear?”

Taehyung stopped to think before shrugging again. “I don’t really remember but I don’t think it was too much.”

Namjoon seemed a bit angry as he shook his head. “Cup of water, now.”

He handed me the cup as Taehyung gave me an apologetic look and walked us away from the bar. “Make sure you drink all of that and stick by my side.”

I could feel the alcohol kicking in, my whole body felt warmer and I felt myself reflexively smiling. But I was in no way going to let Namjoon think I was a lightweight. “Don’t worry about me, I’m a big girl.”

A while later I had snuck my way back to Taehyung for another shot and found myself on the dance floor, expertly weaving myself through the crowd to avoid any unwanted grinding and hands as I enjoyed myself. While trying to escape one guy with particularly bad B.O., I felt a pair of hands grab my waist and pull me back against a body as I tried to walk away.

“Hey there, cutie.” I felt his breath in my ear as he leaned down to whisper. “I’ve been watching you for a while. You’re playing hard to get, aren’t you?”

I tried to push myself away from him, but the Everclear had definitely kicked in, as I felt like my arms and legs were made of putty. No matter how hard I pushed and struggled, he had me easily pressed up against his chest.

“Shtap, lemme go.” I protested again. I felt one hand snake around my waist as the other inched down to get under my shirt when I heard a familiar voice.

“Let her go, she said stop.” I looked up to see Namjoon, pushing the guy’s shoulder back to keep him from running his hands along my body.

“Joonie!” I squealed in delight. “Help meh. Pleash tell this crust to fuck off.”

Namjoon took another step forward and with that the other pushed me away towards Namjoon. “Take her, she’s too much of a prude for me anyway.”

“Asshat!” I called out as he walked away.

Namjoon sighed as he led me out the door and onto the porch. I stumbled a bit before we made it to the stairs and the next thing I knew I was on his back, arms circled around his neck for dear life.

“Scary, Joonie.” I nuzzled my face into his neck. “Too high, Imma fall.”

“Joonie?” he laughed, “Don’t worry about it, I got you. But where did you wander off to?”

His laugh made me feel better, so I wiggled a bit as I answered “Danshing.”

I felt him tighten his hold on me as I moved. “No one took advantage of you, right?”

I shook my head and laid my cheek against his shoulders as I looked up at the sky. “You shaved me from him.”

He seemed to stiffen a bit at the mention of the encounter. “I’m so sorry about that. I should have paid better attention.”

“Iz okay, Joonie. Tenks for getting me out.” I babbled. “You’re no lunger shassy book boy.”

“Sassy book boy?” he asked with a hint of amusement.

I nodded. “You want me quiet when you read.”

He laughed. “To be quite honest, I was more jealous than annoyed because I thought you were skyping your boyfriend.”

“Dumb Joonie. Chim my bff.” I pouted.

“Good.” Namjoon grinned. “Then that means I can make you mine."

---

I woke up with my head pounding to the sound of the click of a keyboard.

“Finally you’re up.” I looked over to see Namjoon across the room sitting at his desk.

“Fuck,” I shot up out of bed, much to my chagrin as a wave of nausea hit me. At this, he ran over, tripping a bit over his chair and charger. Soon one hand was on my back and a trash can in front of me. I shook my head as the feeling went subsided. “Why are you here?”

“I’m assuming you don’t remember since Taehyung gave you two shots of Everclear. Frat party last night, remember?” Namjoon was now seated on the edge of the bed and adjusting his glasses.

I looked around the room and once taking in the blue comforter and posters of hip hop on the walls, I realized I wasn’t in my room. I groaned as I tried to get out of bed. Namjoon helped steady me but I pushed him away and leaned against the bed.

“Thanks for getting me back, but I think I’ll be on my way now.” I shoved my sneakers back on and groggily made my way to the door. I spun around as I remembered that I forgot to ask. “I didn’t do anything regrettable last night, did I?”

He walked over slowly, hands in the pockets of his navy sweats. He shrugged. “Define regrettable.”

He must have pitied me after seeing the look of panic on my face. “No, you didn’t.”

I let out a sigh of relief as I then checked for my phone.

“Here,” he handed it to me from his desk.

“Thanks, um see you around,” I gave him a small wave and let myself out. Thankfully the walk was a short one just across the quad, and at 9 am on a Saturday morning there were few others out to see me.

---

That party had been my first and last. Since class started up on Tuesday, I had engrossed myself in my studies. With the plethora of science and math classes I was taking, it seemed like all I did was go to class, study the intricacies of the cell and molecule for exams, eat, and sleep. It was two weeks later when I finally ran into Namjoon again.

“What room did you reserve for us again?” I asked Jungkook as we made our way into the library.

After noticing that we shared most of our classes, we would sit at the same table at the library when we saw each other and eventually began to talk and hang out.

“513,” Jungkook checked his phone. “It should be this one.”

We had stopped in front of a room where someone was furiously writing on the whiteboard walls.

“Are you sure?” I asked. After I checked his phone and the number on the door, I steeled myself to kindly kick the stranger out of the room.

I pushed the door open and was surprised to see Namjoon turn around.

“Y/N?” He was wearing his glasses again, this time in a mustard yellow sweater and black pants. “Oh, sorry am I in your room?”

“You know him?” Jungkook spoke up from behind me.

I let myself into the room so that Jungkook wasn’t squished behind the door. “Yeah, I met him during orientation.”

“Who are you?” Namjoon looked at Jungkook, one brow arched.

“This is Jungkook, we’re both chem majors.” I said, noticing how Namjoon seemed a bit peeved now.

Namjoon’s expression flickered for a second and suddenly he was sporting a smirk. “I don’t want to be a bother, but do you mind if we all studied together in the room? I’d like to catch up with you and get to know your new friend.”

“I don’t know, we have an exam next week.” I said apprehensively.

Jungkook seemed to have a sudden outburst of extroversion as he nodded. “Yeah, that doesn’t sound so bad. If you’re friends with Y/N we’ll probably get along too.”

“Oh we’re not-”

“Thanks, man.” Namjoon interrupted me, a grin on his face. “Same goes to you.”

To my surprise, studying went smoothly. Namjoon kept scribbling against the wall as Jungkook and I studied the topics that we were expecting on next week’s exam. After about three hours, I noticed that it was nearing six and I was hungry.

As if he had read my mind, Namjoon spoke up. “You guys want to take a break and head to the cafeteria?”

I nodded and so did Jungkook. On the way there, Namjoon asked us about how Jungkook and I met.

“And I remember when you would bring me back candy every time you went for a break but would be too shy to say anything so you’d just scoot it across the table.” I grinned.

Jungkook scoffed. “Hey, at least I didn’t ‘scoot’ my favor onto your notes.”

“Hey, I didn’t mean for the coffee to spill!” I laughed.

Namjoon coughed and I reminded myself that I should be more considerate of him in this conversation.

Jungkook must have felt bad too. “So how did you and Y/N meet?”

“She was loudly proclaiming her love for the dessert bar in the cafeteria two feet away from me while I was trying to read.” Namjoon smirked.

I narrowed my eyes as I stuck my tongue out at him. “I’m not going to apologize for your inability to appreciate sugar and our access to it.”

“There’s a fine line between appreciation and addiction.” Namjoon countered.

“I will have you know, I limit my sugar intake to 3 snacks a day.”

As we neared the cafeteria I heard a voice shout for Namjoon and we paused to see a group of boys make their way over.

“Hey guys,” Namjoon waved them over. Jungkook looked at me for guidance, but I was too preoccupied with trying to remember why I felt like I had met them before.

“Y/N!” a boy with tousled brown hair engulfed me in a hug.

“Taehyung,” Namjoon warned, “careful. You’re suffocating her.”

“Ah sorry.” Taehyung let me out of his grasp and I took a step back closer to Jungkook.

“I’m sorry, have we met?” I asked in confusion.

The one with fluffy mint hair answered. “A while ago, but I’m assuming that you had quite a bit of whatever Tae made that night if you can’t remember. I’m Yoongi.”

“I’mSeokjin, but just call me Jin, you actually haven’t met me before.” A tall boy in the back with black hair spoke up.

“And I’m-”, the boy with orange hair started speaking but then I had a quick flashback.

“Babygirl!” I spoke a bit too loudly.

His cheeks flushed and he scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. “Is that really the only thing you remember?”

“Unfortunately, yes.” I grimaced slightly.

“Sorry about that, sometimes I’m a little forward when I’ve had a bit to drink. Also, my name’s Hoseok.” He apologized sheepishly. He seemed like a nice guy and his apology seemed sincere so I just gave him a smile.

“No worries, we all do.” I turned to see Jungkook awkwardly playing with the sleeves of his white hoodie. “And this is Jungkook, he’s a friend of mine.”

The boys all gave Jungkook a warm smile and he seemed less apprehensive.

“Guys, can we please head in now?” Jin asked “I’m starving.”

Dinner was filled with the boys recalling the ridiculous shit they had gotten into in their time here. Jin was a senior while Yoongi and Hoseok were both juniors. Taehyung was a sophomore and the three of us were freshmen.

“And remember that time Hobi ran onto the field with the cheerleaders because he thought their choreo to Tinashe was too sloppy?” Taehyung laughed.

Hoseok scoffed. “Was I wrong? No. They were going for sexy but it just looked awkward.”

“Well it got a whole lot less sexy when security came and chased you around the field for ten minutes.” Yoongi added.

“Tiffany was just mad that her minions were doing worse than me.” Hoseok pouted.

“You guys are so embarrassing.” Jin laughed. “Now, what have you three gotten into so far.”

I shrugged. “Not much, Jungkook and I keep things pretty tame.”

“Yeah, the naughtiest thing Y/N has done is consume an obscene amount of sugar.” Namjoon quipped.

Before I could bicker back, Hoseok was tsking us. “You kids haven’t lived yet. How about you join us for our weekend trip to the beach?”

“Isn’t it a bit cold for the beach?” it was already mid-September and most of us were already pulling out our thicker sweaters.

“There’s plenty to do on the beach other than swim.” Jin said. “Especially if you’re with us.”

“When would it be?” Jungkook asked.

“In two weeks.” Yoongi replied.

Jungkook turned to me. “It is after our test. It sounds like it’d be fun.”

I was on the border, but Jungkook seemed to really enjoy their company and so far, I had too. “Alright, I guess a break would be nice.”

“Great!” Hoseok clapped his hands. “And Namjoon?”

I saw him quickly turn his glance from me and Jungkook to Hoseok. “Yeah, sounds good. I’ll be there too.”

“Awesome, get ready for a weekend of debauchery!” Hoseok announced.

-----

The weeks seemed to fly by. With our test coming up, Jungkook and I spent more of our time in the library and Namjoon came to study his philosophy and economics along with us when he saw us. By the time Friday rolled around and we were done with all of our exams and essays, I was ready to sleep until classes on Monday. I was reminded of our trip though as my phone buzzed from our group chat with the boys.

Heading out in 2 hrs! -Hobi

I groaned as I got to my room and fell onto my bed. Just a short nap and I would get up to pack a bag for the weekend. I woke up to banging on my door and a dozen missed calls.

“Y/N?” I heard Jungkook shout through the door. “Y/N, open up! We’re leaving in 10!”

I shot up out of bed. Fuck. I ran over to the door to let him in before I grabbed a small duffel bag and started stuffing my things into it.

“Why am I like this?” I ran around the room tossing in my toothbrush, toiletries, charger, clothes, and whatever else I thought I needed.

“You know, it’s hard to believe you’re top of the class when I see you like this.” Jungkook murmured.

“Hey!” I tossed a shirt at him as I zipped up my bag and shoved on my shoes. “Ok, I’m ready. Let’s go.”

We ran out the doors to see Jin at the steering wheel, Yoongi in the passenger’s seat and the others piled in the back. I clambered in and found myself squished in the back between Jungkook and Namjoon.

“Alright kids, all buckled in?” Jin asked. There was a resounding yes in the car before Jin pulled away from the curb.

I glanced down at my phone to see it on 5% battery. Namjoon noticed as he dug around in his backpack for a minute before handing me a portable charger.

“And what conditions does this come with?” I asked, a bit suspicious.

He smiled at my remark. “Instead of using your phone, talk to me on the way there.”

“Fine. Not unreasonable.” I plugged my phone in and then put it in my bag.

“So how did you meet them?” I asked Namjoon.

“We all went to the same high school and our parents are all pretty close so we’re family friends.” Namjoon explained. “We’re also all business majors so we share classes and notes.”

I cocked my head at his last statement. “But you don’t seem to study with them as often as you used to since you join us. You’ve also seem to study for your philosophy classes a lot more than you do for your business ones.”

Namjoon seemed a bit caught off guard. He gave me a shy smile. “You noticed?”

“As much of a science geek as I seem, I do quite enjoy philosophy so I’ll read over your counterpoints to Locke and Socrates. In fact, against your counter arguments to Locke’s social contract I think that you should attack his arguments on the fact that his social contract justifies the suppression of minorities since a majority vote system in a government is the only necessary requirement for a government to take away rights.” I realized that I had started to ramble and stopped myself, heat rushing to my cheeks.

Namjoon seemed surprised and then broke out in a wide grin. “That’s amazing. I’ll have to look more into that, thanks.”

I shrugged, trying to downplay how much of a dork I seemed. “Anyway, you never did say why you study philosophy more.”

He sighed and glanced out the window. “To be honest, business isn’t really my passion. I love philosophy, but my parents want me to take over the company once my dad retires and I feel an obligation to them. They are the ones funding my education and my life for the past 18 years. The least I could do is listen to them so that I can support them comfortable in the future.”

I slightly frowned. “Why don’t you talk to them? I’m sure they care about your happiness.”

He shook his head. “They do, and that’s part of the problem. I know that they’d support me if I wanted to major in philosophy, but I know that to give them the most comfortable life would be going into business and following in my father’s footsteps.”

“So because majoring in business does the most good, that’s what you’re going to do?”

“Yeah, both in the utilitarian framework and according to Kant’s categorical imperative, majoring in business is the right choice. If I majored in philosophy, I’m not thinking about my parents and my motivation would be my own happiness at their expense.” Namjoon smiled, but there was no happiness in it.

I frowned. “Not everything has to be that black and white. If duty and happiness were so cut and dry there wouldn’t be a need for compromise.”

“Namjoon! Y/N!” Taehyung shouted, “we’re going to go into the gas station store for snacks and drinks while Jin fills the tank.”

I realized that the car had been parked for a few minutes already and everyone else had already gotten out, including Jungkook, who must have squeezed his way past. We got out, following Taehyung into the store, perusing the shelves.

“You like these, right?” Namjoon held up a bag of dark chocolate covered pretzels.

I nodded. “How’d you know?”

“I remember you rambling about how much you missed the ones at home when you were calling your friend.” He said casually as he picked out a bag of chips.

“Wow, stalker much?” I joked, playfully bumping his shoulder. “But yeah, thanks.”

I picked out a bottle of water and bottle of coke, remembering that Namjoon always bought one from the cafe upstairs while studying.

We piled back into the car for the remaining hour of the ride, but this time instead of talking, Namjoon handed me an earbud.

“I don’t know if you’ll like any of it, but if you don’t you can always go back on your phone.”

I took it and put it in my ear, surprised to hear rap and hip hop. I handed him his coke and he gave me a grateful smile as we began munching on pretzels. I woke up later, to Namjoon gently nudging me.

“Y/N, we’re here now.”

“Shit, sorry for falling asleep on you. Just push me onto Jungkook next time.” I stuttered as I got up.

He laughed as I fumbled with my seatbelt. “No worries, it was kind of cute.”

I blushed harder as I finally got it undone.

“I never knew someone could look so dead while they slept.” He quipped.

“Hey!” I tossed the empty pretzel bag at him as he laughed and we climbed out of the car.

“Took you kids long enough,” Jin joked.

I looked around to see the pier in front of us, a stretch of sand and choppy waves and a slightly cloudy sky. There were other people around our age milling around, some playing in the sand and others taking part in the games and rides on the pier.

“Last one to the end of the pier has to go on the rollercoaster!” Taehyung shouted before darting off. In a flash the rest of the boys were running as well, and I felt a hand tugging me forward.

“C’mon, the whole point of these is to watch Hoseok scream on the ride!” Namjoon shouted as I ran with him.

We were all out of breath when we finally reached the end of the pier. Taehyung had apparently gotten there first and was chatting with an elderly man fishing while Jungkook was pouting that he came in two seconds behind. Yoongi was recovering on the bench and Jin was passing around a bottle of sunscreen. Finally, there was Hoseok, who was staring in awe and fear at the looming ride he had to get on in the next ten minutes.

We were all clustered at the bottom of the ride and laughing as Hoseok screamed at the top of his lungs and screeched during the loops. When he finally got off, his face had a slightly green tinge and he was shaking. Yoongi sighed as he offered Hoseok a bottle of water and gently rubbed Hoseok’s back.

“While Hobi takes a breather why don’t the rest of us split up and grab some dinner. We can meet back on the beach in 10 minutes.” Jin proposed. “Yoongi, Jungkook can help you and Hoseok set up the area.”

We all agreed and split up, Taehyung following Jin and leaving Namjoon and me to go find a stand. I looked around to see a hotdog stand, a sandwich shop, and a store with seafood.

“So, what do you suggest we get?” I asked as we walked towards the food.

Namjoon looked them over before finally coming to a decision. “I think everyone will like if we get a variety of seafood. I remember seeing another sandwich shop down at the other end where Taehyung and Jin headed, so we should avoid that one.”

“Alright, sounds good.” We settled on a large mixed seafood platter and an order of fish and chips.

As we walked back, Namjoon stopped us to grab a large caramel apple. “How could I forget your sweet tooth?”

I smiled in return and we shared our thoughts on the best toppings for caramel apples until we got back to the blanket. Jin and Taehyung had arrived before us and had a spread of sandwiches laid out. After we added our seafood and dessert, we all dug in. Once again the boys recounted stories of their mishaps and adventures.

“I remember when cooking our annual barbeque was something we used to make incoming frat brothers do before Taehyung set half the backyard on fire.” Jin reminisced.

Taehyung whined. “Jin, I promise I was paying attention to the hot dogs. One of them just slipped through and I was trying to get it out!”

“That’s fine, but couldn’t you at least blow the flames out before you tossed it onto our pile of fireworks?” Yoongi jabbed.

“You what?” I asked in disbelief.

Hoseok nodded his head solemnly. “It was a dark day. Well, not literally. Actually, it was quite bright, but half of backyard was charred and we’re just glad that the only thing that was seriously harmed was the back door.”

“I can still hear Jin and Hoseok screaming while Taehyung tried to put it out with the beers we had laying around.” Yoongi added, a glimmer in his eye that countered the look of annoyance he had.

I burst out into laughter imagining the chaos that the barbeque must have been. From the corner of my eye, I thought I had seen Namjoon looking over at me, but when I turned, he was taking a sip of his coke and grinning at Taehyung, who sat pouting with his arms crossed.

Once we finished dinner, it was around 8 pm and decided to head in for the night. We arrived at a beautiful beach house. Jin parked the car and we unloaded our bags. Jungkook helped carry mine up the stairs and into the house. I marveled at the beauty of the house. There was a grand staircase that lead to a second floor where I assumed the bedrooms were.

“So there are four bedrooms and seven of us, so these slips of paper are numbered. Whichever one you grab is the room you’re in.” Jin held up the slips in his hand, all folded so that the number written inside was hidden.

One by one we drew a slip. Hoseok and Yoongi shared the room on the first floor, Taehyung and Jungkook shared one on the second, and Jin and Namjoon were in another bedroom on the second floor as well. I had gotten the master bedroom all to myself, much to the boys’ chagrin.

“Aww, I wanted to stay in it this time.” Taehyung pouted.

“You can’t complain, I’m stuck with Namjoon. Have you heard him snore?” Jin groaned.

“It can’t be that bad,” I laughed.

Jin turned to me, eyes wide. “Y/N, please switch with me.”

I laughed again, “No way, I’m not giving this room up that easily.”

Jin grimaced before he had an idea. “How about we play a game?”

“What game?” I asked cautiously.

“Jenga. Whoever loses has to take Namjoon.”  

“And if I win?” I asked.

“I’ll cook you dinner and snacks everyday for a month and deliver them to you.”

“Deal.”

I held my breathe as a slowly pushed my chosen piece. We had been playing for 20 minutes already and Jin was surprisingly good at this game. Just as I removed the piece, I let out my breathe in relief, but it was too soon as the tower tumbled down a second later.

“Yes!” Jin cheered, jumping up and waving his arms.

The other boys bid me good luck as they all headed to bed. Namjoon stood there like a puppy who had just wet the carpet, a guilty look on his face.

I sighed. “Come on, this isn’t your fault. It’s mine.”

We were now in the master bedroom and as I was digging through my suitcase for pajamas I came upon the realization that I had tossed them at Jungkook before zipping up my bag.

“Fuck,” I muttered.

“You alright?” Namjoon asked.

“I just forgot my pajamas.” I sighed.

He walked over to his bag and dug for a moment before pulling out a large black shirt. “Here, just wear this.”

“Are you sure?” I asked. Honestly, I was oddly excited to wear his shirt. It looked so soft and I was hoping that it would have a hint of his musky cologne and pages of the books he surrounded himself with.

He shrugged and rubbed the back of his neck. “I’d actually like if you did.”

“Oh,” I blushed and fiddled with the sleeves of my sweater. “Thanks.”

I took the shirt and a pair of underwear and took a shower. I thought I heard him gasp when I walked out and I saw him standing, mouth slightly agape until he suddenly shook his head and headed in for his shower. By the time he was out I had settled into bed with a book, reveling in how soft his shirt was and how it smelled like him. He came out in a pair of loose black sweats and a white shirt, brown hair tousled as he dried it with a towel.

“Um, if it makes you more comfortable I can go sleep on the couch downstairs.” He said as he came out.

“Oh, well I think the bed is big enough for both of us and I don’t want half of your body hanging off the couch because you don’t fit.” I said, trying to hide how quickly my heart was beating.

He smiled as he made his way to the bed and got in beside me. We turned off the lights as we got under the covers to sleep.

“Thanks for talking to me during orientation. I don’t think I’d have been here and had so much fun if you hadn’t.” I said quietly. I was laid on my side facing away from him.

“As much shit as I gave you for the first time I met you, I’m glad that you annoyed me under the tree,” he replied.

I felt my heart skip a beat and my cheeks heat up as he said that. With a smile I fell asleep, looking forward to the next day.

When I woke up, I snuggled closer to the warmth in front of me. It took a few seconds to realize that blankets aren’t typically this warm and they certainly don’t pull you in closer when you snuggle into them. I slowly opened my eyes to see that I had tucked myself into Namjoon’s chest and he had wrapped his arm around my waist. I shifted to avoid any awkwardness when he woke up, but he pulled me in even closer.

“Mmm, stop moving.” Namjoon mumbled, his voice husky with sleep.

“Namjoon,” I whimpered as he started to nuzzle his face into the crook of my neck.

“Shh baby,” he mumbled again, this time shifting his legs to draw me in closer. I felt something hard rub against my thigh and that’s when I let out an involuntary squeal.

His eyes fluttered open as he muttered out a, “You alright, baby?”

I looked up at him, cheeks an embarrassingly dark shade of pink. “Um, you, well-”

Before I could form a complete sentence his eyes doubled in size as he realized what had happened and he let me go. “Shit, I am so sorry. Are you alright?”

I hid my smile as he began stammering out a string of apologies and are you oks? I was about to assure him that it was fine when we were interrupted.

“Namjoon! Y/N!” Just then Hoseok burst through the door. “We need you. Jungkook just broke his arm!”

----

“It’s nothing serious, but he will need to wear  cast for about a month,” the doctor informed us as we sat in the waiting room.

“Okay, and anything else he needs to do or anything to avoid?” Namjoon asked the doctor.

The doctor shook his head. “Nothing serious, just take it easy and check back in at your school’s hospital in a month for removal.”

Jin was pacing the corridor anxiously while Taehyung sat guiltily staring at the ground. Yoongi was seated with Hoseok, keeping him calm enough to not express his worry in screams. We thanked the doctor and rushed over to Jungkook as he came out to see us.

“What do you think you were doing climbing a tree at 9 am?” I scolded.

Jungkook gave a nervous laugh. “I wanted to see if I can find a coconut.”

“That wasn’t even a coconut tree!” I sighed, massaging my temples.

Taehyung spoke up, “It was my fault. I thought there were and I wanted one so bad I asked Jungkook to see if he could get one for me as a dare.”

“It’s alright Tae, it’s not your fault.” Jungkook reassured. “If anything, at least now I can say I’ve done something fun and wild in college.”

Jin sighed at the statement. “Alright kids, let’s get everyone home and let Jungkook get some rest.”

By the time we got back to the house, Jungkook’s pain meds were kicking in and he headed straight for bed. Taehyung was moping around the house and although we all reassured him that it wasn’t his fault and that Kook would be fine, he still had the same sad puppy eyes.

--

By the time dinner rolled around, Jin was cooking up a feast and Yoongi and Hoseok had returned with a copious amount of alcohol.

“What’s all of this for?” I asked, coming down to see what seemed to be a setup for a party.

“Since it’s our last night here and we can’t really leave since Jungkook just broke his arm and most of us are underage, we thought we’d bring the party here.” Jin explained.

“Ooh, food and drinks?” Jungkook came into the room, hair messy from sleep. Taehyung followed behind him and seemed to be in a much better mood now that he saw that Jungkook really was fine.

“You should be fine drinking, I checked the meds, but just be sure not to drink more than two drinks. Hear me kids?” Yoongi told Jungkook. He nodded in understanding and happily made his way to the table.

Jin laid down the last dish just as Namjoon came down the stairs. “Perfect, everyone’s here and the food is ready. Let’s get started.”

An hour later we were all on varying levels of tipsy. Tae and Jungkook were laughing together on the couch, while Yoongi was lounging next to them. Jin was snapping the occasional polaroid of them and Hoseok had pulled me into singing and dancing along to his karaoke playlist.

Namjoon chuckled as I tripped and fell on my ass. I pouted as I got up. “That’s not very nice, Joonie.”

“Joonie?” Jin asked from his spot on a bean bag.

I nodded. “Joonie. Doesn’t it sound cute?”

“Sounds like a couple’s nickname.” Jin commented.

“Oh yeah, I thought I saw you wearing his shirt this morning,” Hoseok added. “Are you guys a thing?”

I giggled. “No, Joonie was just letting me borrow his shirt. We’re just friends.”

“Yeah, just friends.” Namjoon agreed.

Hearing him say that made me feel sad for some reason, but I didn’t want him to know that so I put on my biggest smile. These past two weeks I had a suspicion that I might have feelings for him as I started to look forward to our study sessions and our weekend here I thought that we might have been headed somewhere too. But hearing him agree that we were friends confirmed my suspicions as I felt my heart drop. At that moment, my phone rang and I looked to see that it was a facetime from Jimin.

“Chim! I missed you!” I greeted loudly. “Say hi to my friends!”

The boys all shouted their hellos as I giggled and introduced him to the boys. Before I could get to him, Namjoon was suddenly standing up.

“Hey guys, I think I’m going to turn in early tonight.” With that he left the room, leaving me confused. I hung up the facetime with Jimin, promising to call back later. Son we heard the dull sound of the shower turning on.

I frowned. “Did I upset him?”

“Don’t worry about it, he’s just tired.” Jin assured me.

I was skeptical, but I didn’t want to push it any further, so I returned to singing loudly with Hoseok. It was about two hours later when we all decided to head to bed. Hoseok had walked me up the stairs and I was just about to open the door to the room when it opened and Yoongi stepped out.

“Hi, Yoongs!” I yawned. “Why were you in there?”

He gave me a soft smile “Yoongs?”

I nodded as I stifled another yawn.

He chuckled as he patted my head. “I like it, don’t forget to drink some water before you sleep.”

“I won’t, thank you Yoongs!” I shouted behind him as he made his way to his room.

When I got in, I saw Namjoon in bed reading a book. I waved to him before hopping into the shower to quickly clean myself up. I was back in bed in his shirt when I suddenly felt the courage to talk to Namjoon.

“Joonie?” I asked.

He looked over, putting his book down. “Y/N?”

As he looked at me with such a serious expression I was reminded once again that he thought of me as just a friend. “I’m glad that you’re my friend.”

He seemed taken aback for a moment and it took him a second to reply. “I’m glad you’re my friend too.”

“Joonie, I want to be a good friend. Why are you sad? Can I make you happy?” I could tell from the way his smile lacked dimples that the smile he gave me wasn’t sincere.

His eyes softened and he seemed a bit panicked.

“It’s ok, you can tell me the truth.” I coaxed.

“Oh, uh well. I guess you could say girl problems,” he said shyly.

“Is she being mean to you?” I felt suddenly protective.

He chuckled as I put on my best serious face. “No nothing like that, she just doesn’t like me the way I like her.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.” I frowned. “You know what? She’s missing out. Any girl would be lucky to have you!”

He smiled again, this time he seemed even more sad. “Thanks, Y/N. I just wish she thought the same.”

“Hmf, if she can’t appreciate you that just means I’ll have to make up for it. Joonie, even though you were a bit of an ass when we met, you are one of the sweetest, nicest, and smartest guys I know.”

I felt myself getting a bit sleepy and as I continued to list off the reasons why she was missing out, I nodded off. I woke up the next morning to someone gently nudging me.

“Y/N? Y/N? Come on, we’re heading back home now.” Namjoon softly prodded me awake.

I grumbled as I dragged myself out of bed and got ready. Thankfully I hadn’t had as much to drink last night so I was just weary and not hungover. Soon enough we were all in the car and on our way back home.

---

For a few days after, Namjoon seemed a bit distant but things were back to normal. With Thanksgiving break coming up, the entire campus seemed to be in crunch mode, studying for exams and finishing up papers. This weekend I would be finished with all of my exams and Jimin would be visiting before we flew back home together.

Soon enough, a car pulled up to the curb and Jimin hopped out, bag in hand.

“Jimin!” I squealed, running into his arms for a hug. “I’ve missed you so much!”

“Y/N, it’s been so long. I’ve missed you too,” Jimin smiled as he let me down from the hug.

“Y/N?” I turned to see Namjoon.

“Namjoon! This is Jimin, he’s here to visit for the next few days before we fly home together!” I introduced them to each other. I was so excited that Jimin was finally here.

“Nice to meet you man, I’ve heard a lot about you,” Jimin smiled to Namjoon.

I coughed, trying to distract Namjoon from the fact that Jimin was hinting at how much I talked about him. “It’s cold out, let’s go inside. See you later, Joon!”

---

We were huddled at the frat house, where I was introducing Jimin to the rest of the boys. Namjoon was missing though since he had to finish a portfolio assignment for one of his business classes. I was a bit disappointed that he wasn’t there, but I put on my best smile for Jimin and the boys, hoping that in the remaining few days before break I would see him.

Jimin and I stayed up late into the night, catching up. I spilled how I felt about Namjoon and the fact that apparently he was into another girl. Jimin listened like a good friend and encouraged me to confess before break. If it went south, then at least I would have a few days to recover. I decided that he was right. I knew that it was a long shot, but I couldn’t hide my feelings anymore and at least it I confessed I could move on.

Come Wednesday, Namjoon still had been absent. The rest of the boys had already left for home and Jimin and I would be leaving in a few hours. I was just walking up the stairs to my dorm hall when I spotted Namjoon. Before I could shout to give him a last goodbye and confess to him before break, I noticed that he was with another girl. She was holding his hand and shyly gave him a kiss on the cheek before saying goodbye. So that’s who he must have been with.

I felt a hot flash of jealousy and anger. Who was she and why was he with her? Had he been lying about his portfolio project to hide what they had? I gritted my teeth and blinked back a few hot tears as I made my way up. I looked down at my feet, hoping that he wouldn’t notice me.

“Y/N?” I heard him call out.

As much as it pained me to do so, I remembered how he had ignored me for the past few days and walked into the building without a word. On the elevator ride up to my room, my jealousy and anger turned to sadness. I felt tears rolling down my cheeks and when I opened the door to my room, Jimin’s face fell.

“Oh, Y/N. Was it -”

I nodded as I furiously wiped my tears away. “I wanna go home.”

---

I spent the break with my family and Jimin. I distracted myself from Namjoon as best as I could and by the time I was returning to campus I had a new resolve. Until I was fully moved on, I would minimize interaction with him or the boys. The next month passed by in a whirl. With the semester coming to a close, I had enough work to keep me busy and have enough excuses to keep the boys from questioning why I was absent. It was a week before I was going home when I finally ran into one of them.

“Y/N!” Taehyung came running up to me. “It’s been forever! We’re having one last get together before winter break. You’re coming, right?”

I tried to think of an excuse, and Tae must have sensed it.

“Come on, please? If you come I promised Jin will make those triple chocolate brownies that you love.” Tae gave me his best puppy eyes. “We’ve missed you so much and we won’t be seeing each other for at least another month if you don’t come.”

I gave in. “Alright, I’ll be there.”

Taehyung cheered and grabbed me in a hug. “I’m so excited! I can’t wait to let the others know!”

With that he was running off to his next class. I sighed as I trudged the rest of my way to class, my mind solely on the fact that I would finally have to face the music.

----

Walking up the stairs to the house, my boots felt like they were made of lead.

“Don’t worry, Y/N. Everything will be fine, they’ve missed you so much.” Jungkook reassured me. Of all the boys, he had been the only one I really stayed in touch with.

The door opened to a festive scene of all the boys wearing tacky Christmas sweaters. Jin’s had a cat in a santa hat with the words MEOWY CHRISTMAS in bold red font. Yoongi was one with an obnoxiously ugly Christmas tree that matched Hoseok’s 3D reindeer coming out of the front of his sweater. Jungkook had matched with Taehyung, who wore a sweater with an elf’s body. Jungkook’s had Santa’s body knitted onto it. They greeted me enthusiastically with arm hugs. Yoongi even muttering that I if I disappeared again he would drag me out of my hole. Finally I saw Namjoon. His sweater had tacky pom pom ornaments sticking out from it and he seemed a bit anxious to see me. I forced my best smile as I gave him a hug. Before we had to engage in awkward small talk, Jin came back in with the food.

“Eat up!”

Dinner was almost normal. The boys shared their stories and we all laughed and enjoyed each other’s company. Occasionally I would meet Namjoon’s eyes and we would look away for a few seconds of silence. After dinner, we all cleaned up and I had just finished wiping down the tables and was grabbing a glass of water when I heard Yoongi come in and ask me a question.

“What’s going on?” He was leaning against the counter opposite from me, arms crossed. “Are you and Namjoon fighting?”

I shook my head. “No, not at all. What makes you think that?”

He cocked an eyebrow at me. “So you’re saying everything between you two is alright.”

I took another sip of water before I answered. “Yeah, of course. I’ve just been busy.”

He sighed, “When are you going to tell him you like him?”

I choked on my water. “What?”

Yoongi rolled his eyes. “We’re not dumb, Y/N. We all know that you like him. What’s going on between you two though?”

I contemplated denying it, but one look and I knew that would be hopeless. I gave in. “I was going to tell him before Thanksgiving break, but I saw him with another girl. All that time he said he was working on a portfolio project, he must have just been hiding what they had. I just wanted to let myself move on before being around him so much.”

“Other girl?”

I nodded. “Yeah, she kissed him on the cheek and they were holding hands.”

Yoongi groaned as he massaged his temples. “Give me a second.”

He came back with a timid looking Namjoon behind him. “You two talk this out or I’m not letting you leave the kitchen.”

With that he pushed Namjoon forward and shut the door. I went over to open it, but true to his word, he was holding it closed.

“Min Yoongi, I need to leave for my flight in half an hour!” I yelled through the door.

“Well then you better get talking!” he responded.

I sighed as I turned back to Namjoon. I shut my eyes for a good two seconds before I opened them again and said what I needed to say.

“IlikeyouandIknowyouhaveagirlfriendsoyoudon’tneedtohideitanymoreandIsupportyoujustgivemetimetomoveon.”

Namjoon stared at me in shock. “What?”

I groaned as I repeated myself. “I was going to tell you I liked you before break but I saw you and your girlfriend. I’m sorry for ignoring you, I just wanted to move on before we hung out so much again.”

Namjoon stood there, mouth slightly gaping.

“Hello?” I waved my hand in his face. “I get that rejection sucks but your utter silence is a lot worse than no.”

He shook his head as he collected himself. I prepared myself for the let down.

“You like me?” Was all that came out of his mouth.

I felt my cheeks heat up and I swallowed hard. I could hear my heart pounding in my ears. This was getting worse every second. “Yes, now could you please just tell me no so I can move on?”

“No,” he took a step forward and pulled me into a tight hug.

“Is this hug supposed to make rejection feel better, because if anything, I feel worse.” I mumbled, trying to avoid a pom pom from getting into my mouth.

“No, I can’t tell you no because I like you.” He finally let me go and took a step back.

“You what?” Now it was my turn to be baffled.

He played with the sleeves of his sweater for a second before looking me in the eyes. “I’ve liked you for a while. I was going to tell you the second night at the beach, but when you said we were just friends I chickened out.”

“But then who was that girl you were with?”

Namjoon looked even more sheepish at this question. “One of my seniors set me up on a blind date because he noticed that I was a bit down. She was nice and all but she wasn’t you.”

I was shocked. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.

“I’ve never met someone like you before. Someone who’s passionate about what she does, just enjoys thinking, and makes me feel comfortable the way I am.” Namjoon was looking right at me now. “You’re incredible. I thought about what you said. About happiness and morality. The time I said I was working on my portfolio, I was actually talking with my parents and the advisors here. I’m going to be double majoring now and I’ll decide what career I want in the future when I graduate. It’s not totally following my passion since I’m also fulfilling some aspects of duty, but now I feel so much better about it. You’ve helped me realize that not everything is black and white and that’s alright. You’re the most incredible person I’ve met and since meeting you, I’ve been happier than ever before.”

“Namjoon,” I felt myself tearing up again, but not because of hurt, but from happiness. I took the two steps forward and wrapped my arms around him.

I felt him wrap his arms around me and tuck his chin on top of my head.

“I’ve wanted to do this for so long, but would you want to be my girlfriend?”

I moved my head from the crook of his neck to look up at him. “Of course. Thank you for accepting me for who I am. You make me happy.”

“Can I kiss you?” he whispered.

In response I closed my eyes and gently pressed my lips to his. I pulled back to see him grinning down at me like an idiot.

“What?” I asked, a smile on my face.

“I know you don’t remember since you were drunk, but I told you that night of the frat party that I wanted to make you mine. I’m just glad it happened.”

“You’re telling me that if Tae hadn’t given me two shots of Everclear we could have saved ourselves from this past month and a half of agony?” I question.

Namjoon pouted as he took a second to think. “Now that you mention it-”

“Kim Taehyung!” we both shouted as we barged past Yoongi into the living room.

“What? What now?” Tae shot up from his place on the couch. “I promised I didn’t mean to empty out the soda into the Christmas tree. I thought it was water!”

“You what?” Jin shrieked.

I looked to Namjoon and we both burst out laughing. Our suffering seemed inconsequential to the wrath Taehyung would get from Jin for trying to kill the tree.

[beardedwatermelonjerome]

Nerd Field Trip

"Come on, man. Are you really not gonna let me come?" Kazuichi pleaded.

"Of course I'm not allowing you to accompany us. Even after being reminded multiple times, you still did not get permission from either the school or a guardian. Besides," Tanaka grinned," wouldn't you rather accompany the princess if she recovered from her ailment early?"

Kazuichi sprinted toward the school before Tanaka could say another word.

"Let's hope he doesn't bother her too much. Are you two ready?" Tanaka turned toward Naegi and Fujisaki who were fighting each other with stick while making light-saber noises.

Naegi made a sharp thrust and then a horizontal slash. Unfortunately for him, Dark Fujisaki was too quick and dodged both attacks with a speed dash and appeared behind Dwayne 'The Egg' Makoto. Fujisaki's eyes narrowed as 'The Egg' froze in shock.

"Nothing personal, kid," Fujisaki said as the tapped Naegi on the neck. Naegi then fell to the ground, dead.

"Done?" Tanaka knelt down and held out a hand to Naegi.

"Done," Naegi said as he accepted Tanaka's hand.

The three piled into a car and a driver drove them to a train that was rented out by The Academy.

“I can’t believe they rented out a train for us,” Fujisaki said.

“Ha, do not underestimate the connections of an overlord,” Tanaka chuckled.

The ride seemed to last a long time. At some point, Naegi and Fujisaki pulled out their Game Girl™ Advances™™ and swapped Pokemon. Tanaka stared out the window in silence for the remainder of the trip. When the train arrived at the station, Tanaka seemed a little too excited. He stood up a little before the train stopped and almost fell over when it did.

“Uh, *ahem* we have arrived,” Tanaka spat nervously.

After they exited, a suited man greeted them and drove them to their destination, a carnival located on the edge of Tanaka’s hometown. To begin their trip, they headed to a concession stand for lunch. Naegi ordered a biker dog, Fujisaki got a funnel cake, and Tanaka chose a fried KitKat™©™.

“Tanaka, are you sure you don’t want more than that?” Naegi asked before taking a bite of his over sized corn dog.

Tanaka finished his treat and replied, “An overlord doesn’t require much nourishment, besides this is the first dish I dined upon in this establishment.”

“Hey Naegi, I’ll give you a bite of my funnel cake if you give me a bite of your corn puppy,” Fujisaki offered.

“Deal!” Naegi agreed without a second thought while Fujisaki held out a piece of funnel cake.

Naegi delighted in the taste of the powdered dessert. Then he held out his big, thick corn dog to Fujisaki’s face, who took a bite as Naegi almost died. Naegi stayed silent for the rest of the party’s lunch break.

“If you two don’t mind, I think we should start with some games,” Tanaka stated.

“Yeah!” the other two cried in unison.

Tanaka led the two down a route he seemed to know very well. He stopped in front of a shooting game named ‘Crossbow Shoot’.

“Ah, Tanaka, it’s you.You know the rules, my good man,” said the man behind the booth. He had smooth, slicked back, blonde hair and wild carnival attire.

“Of course,” Tanaka took the crossbow and placed the spare bolts in a line on the table. He made a quick pose reminiscent of some kind of vampire or werewolf hunter and pointed the crossbow with an aura of blood lust.

“Scorching Flame: Burst ☆ Shot!” Tanaka shouted as he fired the first bolt straight into the middle of the first target. Tanaka slid his hand across the table as he grabbed the next shot. It whipped to the side and he spun the bolt between his fingers before bringing it back and placing it firmly on the bow. He fired the next shot and pierced the second target in the center.Then, he grabbed the last two bolts and rapid fired at the last two targets, hitting them dead in the center.

“I figured you would at least be a little rusty,” sulked the man behind the counter.

“A true overlord never loses his touch, Sam,” smiled Tanaka triumphantly.

“Hehe, I’ll let you guys play for free if ya’ll want, any friend of Tanaka’s is a friend of mine. Just keep in mind I can’t give ya’ll prizes,” Sam said as he brought out another crossbow and bolts.

“Ah, it’s ,uh, heavier than it looks,” Naegi said as he almost dropped the crossbow.

Naegi was terrible with the crossbow and his first shot nearly hit Sam. His next few shots hit the target but nowhere near the middle. Fujisaki’s shots were a lot more precise even managing to land one next to the center.

“Hehe, you two aren’t so bad yourselves. A few weeks of training under Tanaka and you guys could be pros,” Sam said as he patted Tanaka on the shoulder.

“I hadn’t even thought of teaching my disciples to shoot. Perhaps I can persuade the school to arrange something,” Tanaka ejaculated while he turned to one side.

“Hey, can we play that one next?” Fujisaki pointed to a stand nearby.

Tanaka said his goodbyes and the group walked to the stand.

“Wait, are you sure you want to g-”

“Ah, Tanaka, it’s you. I can’t believe you came all this way to see me~,” a woman with long, wavy brown hair and an eloquent, black dress interrupted Tanaka.

“Amelia, you should never try sneaking up on an overlord. Had I not sensed your presence earlier you would have been diagnosed with dead,” Tanaka warned Amelia with one hand grasping the bandages on his arm.

“Come on, you know you can’t just ignore me if you visit,” Amelia flicked the tip of Tanaka’s hair, “Did you come to play?”

“Of course, a round for each of us,” Tanaka said as he paid Amelia.

She lead them to the stand with a neon light that said ‘Ring Toss’.

“What a cursed game,” Tanaka said after all three of his rings missed the target.

“If you have no skill it ends up being a game of luck,” Amelia said as she tossed three rings at the same time and landed all three perfectly.

“Naegi, you can do this!” Fujisaki cheered as Naegi stepped forward.

“Of course,” Naegi said as he spread out his legs in the best disc thrower pose he could.

Naegi threw all three discs with the power of a Norse God. However, he didn’t make a single shot. Naegi fell, defeated, and groveled on the ground with Tanaka. Fujisaki was up next. They steeled themselves for victory. They knew there was no way the entire group with lose to one game. The first shot flew through the air, hitting the tip of the target. The second shot bounced off the target. As if some kind of God of mercy decided to intervene the third ring actually managed to land around the stick. Naegi and Tanaka lifted Fujisaki up in victory. The three were ecstatic in their ability to score a single time. Fujisaki claimed a lion key chain as their prize and the three continued on.

“Perhaps, we should move on to the next event. I’d like to introduce you two to a few friends of mine,” Tanaka said as he opened a nearby tent.

“Are you sure we can be in here?” Naegi asked worryingly.

“Of course, they would never keep Shooting Star Mikhail from his tamer,” Tanaka said while looking around suspiciously.

The three stood before a large cage with a blanket over it. Tanaka removed the blanket with a dramatic tug. Underneath, lie a big ol’ bear. The bear looked up but did not move an inch.

“A-are you sure this is okay?” Naegi asked as Tanaka unlocked the cage.

“Worrying will inhibit your abilities. Sometimes you must charge head first into what life has to offer,” Tanaka opened the cage and Mikhail ran out.

The bear skidded to a halt a few feet after and then rushed toward Tanaka. Tanaka stood his ground and looked Mikhail directly in the eyes. Mikhail tackled Tanaka and while looming over him, Mikhail sniffed his face. Tanaka clapped twice and Mikhail let him up and ran around the group in a circle. Tanaka stopped Mikhail and pet him to calm him down.

“Mikhail seems to be excited to see us. Perhaps, I should visit more often,” Tanaka said.

“I-I can pet him, right?” Fujisaki asked as they approached the bear.

“Of course, he’s trained to be around people,” Tanaka said as he lead Mikhail toward Fujisaki and Naegi.

Fujisaki held out one hand then Mikhail snorted and rubbed his face against Fujisaki’s. Fujisaki’s cheeks flushed while they returned Mikhail’s affection with pets and pats.

“It looks like he likes you. Naegi, would you like a turn?” Tanaka asked as Naegi stepped back.

“Nah, I’m good,” Naegi said as a giant, anime bead of sweat went down his face. Tanaka guided the bear back to his cage and returned the cage’s cover.

“Next we will visit Mettus. I’m sure he has sensed my presence by now,” Tanaka said as he led the group to another tent.

After they entered the tent, they stood before a desk and a black, office chair facing the opposite direction. The chair rapidly spun around and a man leapt over the group. He spread his arms in the air and spun at the same time. Before landing on the other side of the group, he held out one hand and pushed it against the ground causing him to do one last flip.

Mettus the Mysterious, at your service. Tanaka, I’m glad to see my brightest pupil doing his best. If I may ask, who have you brought to accompany our reunion,” Mettus said as he bowed.

“These are mu closest underclassmen, Naegi and Fujisaki,” Tanaka said as he patted them on the backs.

“I presume you two would also like to learn from me?” Mettus offed while rubbing his hands together causing sparks to fly.

“I’m no-”

“I’m love to!!!” Fujisaki interrupted Naegi and pushed aside his lame, not wanting magic butt.

“Haha, that passion for the dark arts reminds me of Tanaka when he was younger. Please accept this chalk I have imported every year from a secret friend of mine,” Mettus handed both Naegi and Fujisaki a stick of brightly glowing, white chalk.

“Are you sure they’re ready for such high level arts?” Tanaka stammered.

“That’s not for me to decide. They’re your student’s, after all,” Mettus said as he patted Tanaka on the shoulder.

“Ah, that’s right,” Mettus snapped, “Tanaka, I’d like for you to check on Zenon. He has been a bit sluggish recently.”

Tanaka headed deeper into the tent and Fujisaki and Naegi followed behind. They stood before another cage, much smaller than the last and with no cover. Tanaka reached inside and retrieved a bunny from underneath a log. He checked over Zenon closely, however he seemed troubled. He then stuck his head into the cage and sniffed a couple times. He placed the bunny back into the cage and grabbed one of Zenon’s pieces of food. Tanaka put the food in his mouth and chewed slowly. Naegi gagged and Fujisaki looked on in awe.

“I believe they have changed the ingredients in this feed. I will need to do some more tests. Naegi, Fujisaki, I trust you two will be fine on your own for a little bit,” Tanaka led both of them out of the tent and returned to his work.

Naegi and Fujisaki walked back to the games area. The two settled on a ball throw game where you knock down bottles. Fujisaki went first. They managed to hit two out of three of the stacks and chose a small stuffed giraffe as their prize. Naegi could feel it, it was his true time to shine. He threw down 5000 US Yen (the official currency of Amerijapan) and retrieved his first ball. He took a pose that was taught to him by Leon and threw the ball. The ball absolutely obliterated the first group of bottles.Then that one intense song from Naruto started playing in the background. Naegi struck another pose, ready to show off his skills. He threw the second ball and it grazed passed the bottles. Naegi was defeated, again. Fujisaki patted Naegi on the back and Naegi smiled. He grabbed the next ball and threw it with all his strength. The ball straight up wrecked the next group of bottles and then ricochet off the back of the tent and then decimated another group of bottles.

“You did it, Naegi! What are you going to pick?” Fujisaki asked.

“You can have my prize. I have enou- *ahem* I’m not interested in stuffed animals,” Naegi lied.

“Okay, I want that one!” Fujisaki pointed at a large Patamon plushie and after retrieving it they put it on their head.

The two decided to head back to Tanaka. Upon returning, they found Tanaka rubbing Zenon against his face.

“Ah, my companions, Zenon has made a full recovery thanks to some special feed I had. Of course, I will need to do a follow up but for now he’s fine,” Tanaka explained.

The group held a bunny cuddle session before they headed out again.

“Ah, it’s getting late, should we end by riding some rides?” Naegi asked as he pulled Tanaka’s sleeve.

“Of course,” Tanaka replied as he led them onward to a huge roller coaster.

“Our time is limited so you two should ride while I handle our belongings,” Tanaka said as he began collecting their stuff.

Naegi and Fujisaki boarded the roller coaster and had a great time. It was so great, it is indescribable with words and can only be expressed with this picture: [DLC Only CG]

“Wow, Naegi, that was a great ride, wasn’t it?” Fujisaki said as they exited.

“Yeah, it was. It was so good that I would have paid money just to see us on that ride,” Naegi plugged shamelessly.

Upon regrouping, the squad decided Tanaka should ride something. Tanaka chose to to ride the teacups and Naegi volunteered to watch the stuff this time. As Tanaka and Fujisaki were boarding, Naegi took the opportunity to squeeze the Patamon plush.

“So soft,” he said quietly so no one could hear him.

Tanaka and Fujisaki were enjoying their time for the most part however, halfway through, Tanaka’s face changed color and his demeanor changed slightly.

“Tanaka, are you okay?” Fujisaki asked as they joined Naegi.

“Apologies, this device seems to have cursed me with nausea,” Tanaka said as he regained his loose grip on reality.

The carnival was becoming increasingly filled with people so the three decided to leave.

[artificialqueens]

Never Too Old Chapter 2 (Biadore) - China

AN: I know I didn’t get much notes but it doesn’t matter. But I do appreciate that some already like my story, so thank you. A little note though, I made some of the situations up, so some really did happen and some didn’t. I do like to stay true to the actual events of these queens’ lives but like I said, some aren’t real. But i hope you guys enjoy the next chapter :)

TW: light depression and breaking down

November 29, 2016, 4:20 PM

The three friends decided to have coffee in a small café just around the corner from Roy’s apartment. Roy and Shane talking inside the café while Danny is sitting outside finishing his cigarette. Shane decided to call Dan to join them, he arrived moments later and sat with them. Danny gave him a wave and Roy just smiled at him. They have been together in the same season but Roy isn’t comfortable having people outside their circle join them. But he can see that Shane was really into him and that Dan was showing the same feelings, so he decided to be nice. Plus Dan wasn’t mean, he was a really kind guy who was over six feet tall with a weird taste in drag.

It was already winter there but it hasn’t snowed much, yet it was cold enough for Danny and he enjoyed it. He took a long drag from his cigarette and puffed out slowly. He looked inside the café and all he could get a good look at was Roy; since Dan and Shane were all over each other and Roy obviously backed away from that, Danny got to see him more. Danny smiled to himself, he thinks this small crush on Roy isn’t gonna last but hopefully it doesn’t make things awkward for the both of them. Danny is well aware on what happened to Roy and Jason and he feels bad about it. He kept apologizing to Roy and even cried in front of him. Danny could remember that night, they were at a club and Roy went up to him and said Jason broke up with him. Roy wasn’t crying, he wasn’t angry or happy; his face looked very neutral but that made Danny worry because he didn’t want to ruin Roy’s relationship.

Danny took another drag of his cigarette and killed it on the ashtray, thinking of what happened during those days were already too heavy on him. He unlocked his phone and checked the calendar. He finally smiled at himself, knowing his plan for the holiday will be the best idea he’s had in awhile. Part of him is going for this because he wants to have a vacation and the other part is for Roy, so he’s hoping that Roy would agree.

Inside the café, Roy was listening to Dan’s stories on his journey to different countries doing charity and all. Roy can really see how smitten Shane was with the tall man. Roy couldn’t really tell if he could trust this relationship since Shane has been with tons of men. His attention over Dan didn’t last long, he leaned his chin on his hand and looked outside, his eyes finding Danny immediately. Danny was sitting outside, his breath can be seen wafting in the cold breeze. His body snugged up in his jacket, his tussled hair kept under a thick bonnet and his nice long legs in skinny jeans. Danny was beautiful to Roy; the way he showed emotions, the way his voice sounds when he laughs and makes silly noises. Sometimes Roy tries to remember the feeling of being 27 years old again, he knows that if he was that age again in the present he would have done much more and make the most out of his youth.

But this is Roy, 41 years old, very seasoned and slowly becoming weak. Despite of this he loves being with Danny and Shane because they would always make him feel young again.

He looked at where Danny was sitting again, but Danny left the seat. Roy’s head gently popped up and he started looking for the younger man. He couldn’t find Danny in the store and outside, he had half the mind to stand up and check outside to see if he left. Roy is worried Danny had another break down and ran for it. But before he could look back at Shane he felt a cold arm wrap around his neck, Danny’s face was inches away from Roy’s. Roy felt his mouth run dry, seeing his green eyes lazily looking at him and his thick lips curling perfectly to a smile. Danny gave a small chuckle and sat next to Roy, Shane subtly giving the two a look.

“I went to the bathroom. Don’t get your panties in a knot, Roy.” Danny said, giving him a teasing look. Roy just chuckled and looked at his cup of tea.

“Don’t get too cocky, Chola. I just thought you ran off again or something.” Roy answered back, he drank the rest of the tea, his eyes still on Danny.

Danny gave a smile, he thought to himself that it was about time. He sat straight and leaned towards Roy and Shane. “Okay, so we have no idea what to do for the whole month, right? Since Roy has his break, plus you and me,” He pointed at himself and Shane, “We don’t have anything to do till January.”

Shane untangled his hands from Dan and leaned towards Danny as well. “Okay so what do you suggest we do?”

Danny gave a big smile at his friends and got his phone out of his pocket. “I was thinking we do a road trip!” He couldn’t contain himself when he finally said it.

Roy looked at Shane and gave an approving nod. “I like that. Sounds fun. But to where?”

“I was thinking we drive to Azusa.” He raised his hand to his friends before they could argue. “I know you guys might think we can go on plane. But where’s the fun in that? I did my research after lunch and it takes around 41 hours to get there. There’s a route I chose going there too and there’s so much to see if we took it. We can squeeze the whole trip within the month. If we arrive to my place before like, Christmas, then we can stay at my house till New Years and just drive back after. What do you think?”

“I’m okay with this actually. I think this is really fun, and adventurous.” Shane smiled. He looked at Dan and back at Danny. “Can Dan go with?”

“Of course he can!” Danny said. He looked at Roy who was quiet for a bit. “What about you, Roy? You like this idea?”

“Actually, I do. I haven’t been on a road trip in years. I think this is the best way I can spend my break. Plus are we gonna take the route passing Pennsylvania? Cause Aaron and Willam are there for the holidays as well, we can meet up with them?” Danny gave him a nod while drinking the rest of Shane’s coffee.

“That’s great! I mean, I would love to see them.” Shane said. Danny and him were nodding at each other. “You okay with going, Dan?”

Dan wrapped his arm around Shane and smiled at everyone. “Yeah I would love to go. If anything I can help with lodging and gas money. But whose car are we taking?”

“I inquired at this car rental place and they have a Camry available so we can take that.” Danny said.

“Wow, you really did your research. Very impressive Danny.” Roy said. “So we’ll just leave the itinerary to you? I can be the one to pay for the rent for the car and others.” Danny smiled at Roy. Roy felt a tingling sensation in his chest and couldn’t help but smile back at Danny.

Shane started checking his phone. “I can help Danny with the itinerary. I might know some places we can stay in. But I need to know the states were passing through.”

“I’ll give you the details on that when we head back to Roy’s apartment.” Danny said.

“Okay, well it’s almost dinner time, so let’s all discuss this further over dinner?” Roy said reaching for his back pocket to get his wallet. Shane and Dan did the same and gave Roy their share of the coffee. Danny reached the pocket of his jacket and handed his money to Roy, since Danny’s knows that Roy is better with handling with the bill than anyone else.

The four decided to walk back to Roy’s apartment, Dan and Shane holding hands and whispering to each other while Roy and Danny walking silently behind them. Danny said a few words to Roy about the planned road trip, he can tell Danny was excited. Roy knows he is, he knows Danny that way, he would be spending the holidays with friends and also with his mother.

Roy knows Bonnie is a very kind and hospitable person, so she wouldn’t mind if Roy and Shane come to visit as well. Bonnie lives alone with her boyfriend, Jerry, having Danny around is always a good thing for her. Danny already called her up about their plans to drive there. At first she was hesitant since it’s a 41 hour drive to their hometown but Danny assured her that they were going to be safe and that it was for Roy. Bonnie knows her son, head to toe, and Danny knows he can’t hide anything from her. She knows what feelings her son has towards Roy and for her it was okay, just as long he doesn’t do anything extreme and end up getting very hurt. She knows how much Danny has been through, from American Idol to Drag Race to All Stars 2. Sometimes she feels like Danny is overkilling everything and he always ends up getting hurt. Danny knows that the last thing his mom wants is that he gets hurt by a guy he’s been crushing on.

They all arrived at Roy’s apartment, he agreed to let Dan spend the night with them so he doesn’t have to travel late just to get home, just as long as they don’t have sex in his apartment. Roy settles down while Shane and Dan head to his empty room to get extra mattresses, since they agreed they’ll camp on the floor of Roy’s bedroom while Danny and Roy share the bed together. Shane decides to be very subtle about it but couldn’t resist on letting out a tease or two. Danny just laughs at him and tries to shrug it off, since he knows that he actually wants to sleep next to Roy. Roy on the other hand, tries to play it cool but the feeling of sleeping with him again, got him on his toes. They have slept together a couple of times but since Roy is confused already with what he feels for Danny, things might be a bit different, but he wants to think of it in a good way. It’s something new for Roy and he doesn’t mind finding out where it leads to.  

The four discusses the road trip over dinner, Danny decided to take the route going west to Azusa. Roy and Danny agreed to be the ones driving and Shane would be in charge of where to sleep and what to do when they arrive on their stopovers. Dan tells them he’ll help out in any way, so Shane just asked him to help pay for any of the expenses.

Danny is more than willing to take the route passing Pennsylvania, because Justin messaged him and saying he’ll be with Aaron and Willam for the holidays. Danny told everyone the route to Azusa and showed it on a map on his phone. From New York, they will pass by Pennsylvania and spend a few nights there with their friends and then travel to Indiana, since Shane and Dan suggested they should spend around three nights there. Danny was a bit shocked on how fast Shane was with planning, but he couldn’t argue at least they would have something nice to do on their travel.

Danny and Shane were the most enthusiastic among the four about the planned trip, Roy and Dan were the ones fixing up the dinner table while the two argue on ideas. Dan insists that he does the dishes and Roy reluctantly agrees and tells him thank you. Roy realizes that this has been the liveliest night he has ever had in his apartment. Usually when Danny and Shane come to visit, they’re barely spending an early night here. They would be out in a bar, where Shane would pick up men and Danny would force Roy to drink with him and Danny would end up getting drunk first. This is the kind of moment where Roy would honestly feel at home. He loved seeing everyone smiling and laughing or actually talking to each other and not be so sucked up in social media. It was these kinds of moments where Roy loves being with other people around, where he didn’t mind that noisy people are in his home and where he doesn’t want to be alone.

———————————————————————————————————-

November 30, 2016, 8:45 AM

Danny has always been doubting himself. He didn’t knew how he reached to top 3 on RuPaul’s Drag Race. But it was a wakeup call for him, it was telling himself that he can do it and that he can achieve things. He’s been to American Idol twice and never reached to anything close to the finish line. But with Drag Race he never felt so fulfilled.

Danny has never forgotten that question asked to him through Timothy during the reunion. “I kinda have a feeling that you have a crush on Bianca del Rio when she’s out of drag. Do you?” Every time he remembers how he answered it he usually smiles in embarrassment and covers his face. But he did feel bad for lying in television, because he did have feelings for Roy. It was a small crush at first but after being together with Roy and Shane as top 3, Danny saw a side of Roy that just got him really deep into Roy and not Bianca del Rio anymore. To Danny, Roy is so different from what he first thought of. He was still mean, but he is a very sweet person. When Danny was doubting himself, Roy always give the extra push he needed to get back up. Roy was always there for him and Danny felt like he had a special place for Roy in his heart. He knows he doesn’t want to take Roy or Bianca out of his life.

Danny woke up in Roy’s bed. He rubbed his eyes and felt something soft on his cheek. He looked up to see Roy sleeping and that got Danny blushing. He didn’t want to move because he knows if Roy woke up they wouldn’t be in that position anymore. Danny enjoyed it, the warmth from Roy’s body and the sound of his slow and even breaths. He wished Roy was having good dreams. He kept looking up at Roy’s face and started examining every inch of it. The 5 o'clock shadow, the smooth tan skin, and his lips. The lips he’s been wanting to taste for a while, Danny had innocence in his eyes, eager to examine Roy’s features even more. He wanted to kiss Roy then and there but he knows things will change if he does. Danny swore he counted the times he’s imagined kissing Roy in that very moment.

He heard Shane make a small grunt from the floor, Danny closed his eyes again and pretended that he was sleeping. He didn’t want Shane catching him staring at Roy. Shane sat up and looked at the two in bed, Dan woke up as well started mumbling something to the blonde.

“Well, isn’t that sweet.” Shane said softly. He grabbed his phone and took a picture. Danny heard the shutter sounds from Shane’s phone and he wanted to smile, maybe ask for the photo when everyone is awake. Dan gently shoved Shane and giggled.

“You should have placed that on silent, they might wake up.” Dan whispered to him. Shane went back to Dan and gave a small kiss on his lips.

“Well, they’re still sleeping.” He said. He got himself up from the floor and gestured Dan to go with him. “C’mon, let’s give them their moment.”

He heard Shane and Dan leave the bedroom so he decided to loosen up again, but Roy shifted his position and wrapped his arm around Danny. Danny almost panicked when he felt Roy’s chest gently pressing on his face. He decided to gently sniff Roy, he smelled like Calvin Klein mixed with perfume he can’t describe, Danny felt like he was in heaven. Roy had a small physique but he was soft. He found his hands resting on Roy’s waist and he wanted to go lower.

Danny kept smiling to himself and repeating how much he was loving this, but his smile slightly faded when he came into a realization.

“Fuck am I that into him? This might not end well if I do something stupid.” He thought to himself, with worry in his eyes.

Roy silently woke up. He was too groggy to picture everything but he knew he couldn’t move. He looked down and saw Danny being nuzzled under his body. Roy blushed when he felt Danny’s hand on his waist and feeling his breathing on his chest. Roy didn’t know what to do, he was torn between staying in that position and wait for Danny to wake up or being the one to wake up and move. He wasn’t sure if he liked it, but his body seems to. His hands started moving on his own, grazing through Danny’s back slowly. There was this sensation running through Roy’s head and body, he hasn’t really felt this way with Jason when they would cuddle in bed. It felt right for him, but Roy always chooses mind over heart and he knows that this isn’t right for him to feel this way for Danny. He was starting to remember what Willam told him about Danny during the break up with Jason, now things are messy in his head. But Roy knows he likes it, he just has no idea what he really feels for Danny.

Danny felt Roy’s hands on his back, it was an exciting feeling for him. Like he was being tickled but not that strong. Danny has slept in Roy’s bed before but there wasn’t much contact between them. The only time he did cuddle up to Roy was the first few nights he left All Stars 2.

The happy feelings he had faded when the thoughts of All Stars 2 were flooding his head, he opened his eyes and felt a blank expression fall on his face. The heavy feeling on his chest came back, every haunting memory just flashed before him right then and there. His breathing went heavy, he placed his hands on Roy’s chest and started to clench onto it. Roy’s eyes shot open, he immediately held Danny closer.

“Hey?” He said softly, rubbing his hand on Danny’s back. He got no response from Danny, but after a few seconds Danny started to grip Roy’s shirt harder and pulled it towards his face. Roy felt his shirt moisten, he gently grabbed Danny’s face to meet his, the green eyes already filled with tears. Roy tried to wipe away the tears from his face and whisper to Danny that things will be okay and that he shouldn’t think about the past too much. Danny just kept shaking his head and cried even more.

“I-I can’t…” Danny mumbled. His breathing got heavier and he held Roy closer to him. “I… I don’t know what to do with all these memories, Roy.”

Roy didn’t exactly know what to say, because in his head he’s already said the same thing to Danny ever since this started. But he felt like if he said the same thing it would feel like he’s imposing something to Danny and he knows Danny doesn’t need that right now.

“I’m sorry.” Danny sobbed. He cried harder, holding on to Roy’s body tight. “I’m such a burden to you.”

“Danny.” Roy interrupted. Danny was still crying hard, Roy pressed his lips on Danny’s head, “You’re not a burden to me, Danny.” He said softly through his hair. “I know it’s really hard. To just forget everything, and I know I’ve already said the things I needed to say about this.” He made Danny looked at him, Danny’s eyes already red from the crying. Roy simply smiled at him and pushed his messy bed hair away. Roy pressed another kiss on his forehead. “But let’s just look at this way okay? That it’s almost the end of the year and we are gonna spend the whole holiday together and with your mom. Let’s look forward to this, okay? I’ll be with you the whole time.”

“But this trip was supposed to be for you Roy. Not for me. For you.” Danny cried in his thoughts, he wanted to say it to Roy but his throat went dry and he couldn’t seem to say anything. He hugged Roy again, feeling Roy’s lips on his forehead, still burned to his skin. Danny couldn’t fight the doubts in his head, or the feeling that he wasn’t strong enough to be there for Roy even if Roy was always there for him.

Danny is having a hard time with all these breakdowns, he wanted it to stop but he can’t help that these feelings keep returning. It was one of the worst moments for Danny after he left, since it was the first time a drag queen tapped out from a competition. Danny had his reasons, everyone knew that and they showed so much love for him after. But to Danny it was a deep wound for him, he had so much mixed feelings about it.

He was glad he left and at the same time he wished he could have stayed. But as much as his determination and passion was there, he just felt so empty. No matter how many times he got convinced by Justin, Michelle Visage and even RuPaul to stay, he just couldn’t. It was that feeling where you feel empty yet you also feel the heaviness in your chest. Danny was feeling that the whole time when he got home.

After he went home to his mother, he said he needed to take a flight to New York and he immediately went to see Roy and stayed with him for a week. There were a lot of things going through his head and he couldn’t even think of what he can do on a daily basis. Right after Season 6 of Drag Race, he knew what he was doing and he knew that he didn’t have to please anyone at that point. He got to finally work on his music and make his drag style in his own liking that no one had to disapprove it.

It was around September when he came to Roy, it was even weeks before his birthday. Danny never felt so vulnerable at that time. It wasn’t the first time he was that hurt on reality television, getting eliminated in American Idol twice and all the criticisms he received during Drag Race Season 6. But nothing made him feel more destroyed in All Stars 2.

When he was with Roy, he just kept crying and locking himself up in Roy’s extra bedroom. Roy has never seen Danny like that, just floating in air and he couldn’t figure out what to do for Danny. Roy always had the right thing to say when Danny asked for advice, but at that point, he didn’t know what to say to him. He was quiet most of the time, said a few motivational words to Danny, but he still ended up having quiet moments with Danny. They would just sit next to each other on the sofa until Danny stopped crying or Danny would cuddle up to Roy while he was working.

Roy knew from that day, he had to be there for Danny, it didn’t matter to him that he gave more for him. What really mattered to Roy was that the one person that meant so much to him was okay and that Roy wouldn’t end up regretting that he wasn’t there for Danny. Roy didn’t want to be alone, if he was being selfish. But he didn’t want Danny to lose himself as well and Roy couldn’t take that.

Roy started blinking fast, returning from his memory. Danny was still clinging on to him, silently crying on his chest. He scooched up a bit to make him sit up on the bed, so he can hold Danny properly. Danny sat up and tried to stop crying. He held one hand on his mouth and the other on his chest, he tried so hard to not cry but the tears kept falling. Roy sat up and held his hand tight, he tried to wipe the tears away and fix Danny’s messy hair.

Shane barged in the room, his eyes were wide and he immediately ran to Danny and hugged him from behind. Danny started sobbing, he fell back on Shane and just kept crying. This was a painful thing to see for Roy. He glanced at the doorway seeing Dan gesturing he’ll close the door and mouthed that he’ll make breakfast. Roy got out of bed head towards Dan and gave him a few instructions on how to use some of the kitchen appliances. Dan gave a thumbs up and Roy gently closed the door. He turned his back to see Shane rocking Danny slowly and softly singing to him. Danny’s expression started to calm down, he opened his eyes to see Roy and lazily gestured him that he wanted a hug. Shane also reached his arms out for the older man, smiling at him. Roy gave a lazy smile and joined them, Danny immediately grabbed Roy and hugged him tight, Shane giving the bigger hug to fit both of them.

Roy honestly felt like Shane was the best person to help Danny out with his problems. Because Shane knew exactly what to do to cheer him up, he has a lot of encouraging words and he does all these things to make Danny smile. Sometimes Roy would tell himself that he should have done this or said that and Shane would be the one to say it before he does. But he doesn’t realize that asides from Danny’s mom, Roy was the first person Danny ran to. He could have chosen Shane or Justin or even Jay. But he chose Roy. Sometimes Danny doesn’t understand why he went to Roy first since he knows he does have feelings for Roy. At the back of his mind he knew that he needed Roy.

“Thanks guys.” Danny said softly, still hugging Roy and Shane. “Sorry again for this. I keep doing it.”

Roy pulled away so he can face Danny properly. Shane gave a big kiss on Danny’s cheek, making Danny smile. “Don’t be sorry about this, Danny. You need people you love to be around you.” Shane said.

When Shane said that Danny and Roy immediately looked at each other. Danny felt a bit of panic that he looked at Roy, he immediately looked at Shane after.

“Hey, we still have this road trip to do.” Shane added, smiling at both of his friends. “I promise this will be the best holiday ever!” He said with his high pitched voice and hugged Danny after.

“Well Dan already is making breakfast right now. So let’s eat and make the final plans and get our shit ready if you wanna start traveling by tomorrow.” Roy said, reaching for the box of tissues he had on his bed counter and handed it to Danny.

“Yeah, we gotta pack up and all.” Danny added, grabbing the tissue and started wiping his eyes. His face was already red from all the crying. But he still managed to give a big smile to his two friends. Roy has always agreed to himself that he feels happier every time he sees Danny smile.

“Alright then, I’m gonna help Dan out first. Then after we get everything ready.” Shane said standing up from the bed. “You and Danny get the car later. Is that alright with you?”

“Yeah, Danny and I will be the ones to get it. Just get your itinerary ready and your boy toy.” Roy replied.

“You’re a cunt.” Shane said flatly. “But alright I’ll call you guys when breakfast is ready then.” Shane leaned in to give Danny a kiss on the cheek again. “Love you, you’re stronger than you think okay?” He gave a smile and left the room. Danny looked down on his fingers and tried to hold back tears. Roy wanted to say something to him, but these were the moments where he didn’t know what to say. Sometimes even making a small gesture for a friend was hard for him to do. He stood up from the bed, decided to head out to the kitchen and get a glass of water for Danny.

“Hey I’m gonna get you water okay? I’ll be back.” Roy said about to head to the door.

“Roy, wait.” Danny immediately said. He got up from the bed and hugged Roy. His head buried on the nook of Roy’s neck, he hugged him tight and gave out a big sigh. “Thank you.”

Roy hugged him back and smiled. “Hey, it’s okay. I’ll always be here for you.”

“I really needed you and I’m glad that you were there.”

“I’m glad I was too.”

“I mean since the start. When all of this happened. I don’t know what I’d do if you were gone. I can’t deal with that.”

Roy’s smile faded, he knows how hard it was for Danny but he didn’t know how deep it’s has become.

Before he could say anything, Danny pulled away from the hug, he looked at Roy in the eyes and placed his hand on his cheek. “Please don’t go, Roy.” His eyes became teary again. Danny gave Roy a soft kiss on his cheek and hugged him again. Danny’s heart was racing, he hasn’t kissed Roy like that ever, usually just for fun or a thank you kiss. The kiss he gave Roy was so much more than a simple one, but he felt like he needed to do that.

Despite the events that has happened that morning, Danny felt his heart warming up and all he can think about was kissing Roy again. He wasn’t sure anymore where his feelings for the older man has gone but he knows it’s more than before.

Roy’s heart was also beating fast. The feeling of Danny’s lips on his skin felt more and more desirable to him. Even if Danny was a big mess moments ago, but he couldn’t help but want more. His mind was focused on the kiss, he wants him to do it again but he also is fighting that thought. He pulled away slowly from Danny and guided him to the bed. Danny laid down and smiled at him.

“I’ll go get you that water okay? Then we can get this day started so we can get ready for the trip.” Roy said softly, brushing the long brown hair away from Danny’s face.

Danny gave him a small nod and watched Roy leave the room. When the door closed, he laid on his back and covered his face with his hand. He remembers all the stuff he needed to do on that day. He grabbed his phone on the bed counter and checked the time. He needed to squeeze all the tasks to do for the rest of the morning and afternoon. A part of him is excited for the trip and a part of him was excited as well to be with Roy. He told himself to try to be strong with his feelings about the past but he was also scared with his feelings for Roy. At that point he knew it wasn’t a crush anymore, his heart is slowly falling for Roy and he knows this is might be the best and worst thing that could happen to him.

[blueangel1780]

The Sweetest Christmas Present (One Shot)

Tom Hiddleston x Reader

FLUFF

A/N- this is my first writing here so I do welcome feedback. I realize it’s a bit lengthy for a one shot but figured if I am gonna put my stuff out for the world it needs to be good(haha). Story idea credit goes to @painfullythickimagines  from her “one fact imagine” post which gave me a great idea to run with so THANK YOU! If you want more imagines into a full story shoot me the idea & I can see what I can work with! –Britt =)

          The first Christmas together is usually one of 2 ways when couples are together. Its unbearably awkward & uncomfortable with lots of broken expectations or its completely and totally divine with lots of affections & implications of how the future will look with the person. This weekend was not going to be one for someone who was faint of heart & luckily enough for (y/n) you had a very good feeling that it was going to be as smooth as expected. You used your money from the small acting roles over the last year from different projects to support your favorite thing & arranged to go to the children’s hospital in your hometown to pass out presents & cheer up the kids as a surprise for them & their parents. Little did they know you had managed to talk your boyfriend into going along as well since it was carving time out of his work schedule as well.

    You always had a crush on Tom since hearing him sing in one of his earlier films & knew then that if the opportunity had ever presented itself you were going to take it to date him. You had gone to a theatre show he was in when you first met. He was coming from the back of the building where you waited after the show to congratulate him & stood off to the side while waiting for him to sign autographs; take pictures; be with his fans; which was something you still had not gotten used to, but enjoyed it none the less. You had stayed back from the crowd a good bit when a fan noticed you and squealed alerting the rest of the crowd as well. Smiling & blushing some as you are spotted, you looked up to see Tom staring at you with a modest but pleasant looking grin. It was now he who waited in a long line of people to talk with you, which didn’t seem to bother him one bit as he watched in amusement as you signed and took pictures with fans who couldn’t believe their luck.

 Finally, once the crowd had subsided Tom made his way to you with a wide grin on his face. You looked up bashful & he still had a good head above you in your 4 inch heels. “Hi there..” you say quietly while looking down, somewhat embarrassed by the disturbance you caused but now  worth it since the tables had turned and it took the edge off from introducing yourself as a fan. He chuckled some as he knew you was avoiding his gaze as he reached for you hand lifting it to his lips for a gentle squeeze and a light kiss. “Nice to finally meet you (y/n), been a long time coming that I have wanted to introduce myself.” You smile and blush harder hearing that he wanted to meet you as well. “Well here we are then.” you say softly, finally meeting his gaze and take an instant sharp breath of air as you look in his eyes seeing his gentle intent and curiosity showing just the slightest bit. Awkwardly you clear you throat as you slowly move your hand from his as you realize it’s still being held, though removing it was the last thing you wanted to have happen. His hands were much bigger compared to yours, slight callouses from his recent acting production, but still warm and inviting to hold.

  “Busy?” he asked, snapping you away from your stare at his hand and a stuttering response was the only thing able to be pushed out. “W-well.. I, no but I..” staring as a deer in the headlights as you struggle to give some sort of coherent answer back. A blush forms as you hear him let out a soft chuckle to your response. “Well, there is a great little spot a few blocks up if you want to get some dinner, I’m famished.” He responds back to you which makes your own stomach start to cramp a little from hunger so you nod & he asks you to step inside as he grabs his things up so you can leave. Suddenly you realize that you are going alone to dinner with a long-time crush that you have been internally “prepping” for to happen & you fight the internal “school girl” squeal building up. You blush some knowing he isn’t close by to see & your face lights up with a smile.

“Well now… isn’t that the most gorgeous sight in this whole world?” you hear and look up quickly and see a beaming smile that matches yours on his face which instantly makes your heart skip at least a couple beats.

  You had never really been to New York on a personal stay but found that it really was the most interesting yet terrifying place if you weren’t someone at least vaguely familiar with the city and how to navigate it. There was so much going on even with it being late, which considering where she was from in South Carolina, was like being at a massive party all the time. The walk was worth the possibilities of getting lost or mugged since she was in the best of company.

  Smiling as the memories flood your brain from a year ago as you stared at him getting everything prepared for tomorrow to visit the hospital and almost had those wonderful “happy tears” trying to come out. You had never really seen someone who was as excited to help others as it was with him. He was so generous and you already knew about his charitable side with all the different ventures he went on with other companies to help the third world countries to be able to live better lives so it shouldn’t have surprised you when you mentioned it to him & his sudden response was asking when & what to do to help you.

   A few months back you had called to schedule the visit for just you & so when you called back to let them know you were going to be coming along with a few others they were shocked but also curious to see who you were bringing with you. Keeping it a surprise until the day you were going to arrive since Tom was going in the infamous “Loki” costume for a least a little bit while you were there would surely give people a chance to talk & the kids a chance to be a hero was enough to brighten your holidays.

 It was like watching a kid in a candy store as he helped wrap and sort them by age and by request, with Tom making sure each name was on every present accordingly. His intent on making sure everything was perfect seemed to almost exhaust you, but it was fuel on his fire since he was in his “zone”. You get to the hospital the next morning, nervous from excitement. Nine a.m. was just after breakfast and just before majority of the kids had their therapy sessions. You two along with his assistant, a PR & your best friend stroll in to find the HR manager, children’s department director and 3 burly nurses to carry the overload of presents waiting in the back of the U-Haul truck you rented to make sure everyone was included.

   When everyone was gathered in the children’s department “play center” which was basically a large room with toys; art supplies and canvases; small play structures; pretty much everything to help relieve the kids of their ailments for a while, you glance at the at least 12 oversized garbage bags full of love that would at least give the kids extra happiness through the tough times of the holidays. Being a cancer survivor yourself as a small child you knew it took everything in the parents to just be there, let alone the numerous costs of everything from lodging to food and other home based finances that these illnesses took from these families so you had no hesitations to giving back when you were able in person.

 Everyone had listened to the director speak and as he introduced you, the kids eyes wide with wonder as you tell them that you know they are in a tough situation since you had been in this same hospital, most of them the same age you were when you “kicked cancer in its butt” and felt they needed something awesome to remind them of how strong they really are. As your small speech was nearing where you were introducing Tom your voice caught a small lump as you see him standing at the door waiting on the signal to come in. It takes a few brief seconds to compose yourself as you smile at them & tell the kids “Today you are all my superheroes and to be the best hero there always has to be a villain” and as you point back to the door you watch everyone turn to see Tom & his wonderfully wide but “evil” smile as he strolled in to applause and some boos from the kids which makes you chuckle yourself.

  Once the kids had been able to play and “fight” with the bad guy he went to change just as you started to pass out presents. When he came back in a long sleeve ivory sweater, khaki’s and those irreplaceable brown boots he can’t ever leave behind; you stop and take a minute to admire him. Like a man with his own children you notice as he sits down on their level to hand them their gifts and hugs/pictures if requested, making sure you are passing out the additional presents for the parents of food/gas/coffee gift cards to get through the holidays at least while trying to hold back your own happy tears as you are both thanked beyond belief to be so generous.

    As the end of your time come to a close at the hospital you meet with the director who can’t stop thanking you for everything & talk about being able to plan another visit for fun. It’s close to one when you get back to your home and as he heads to the kitchen to unpack the take out you got on the way back from such an eventful day you can’t help but think of how he is the best thing that has happened to you. He sees your smile as he turns around to finish plating everything up & smiles back as sweetly. You walk to him wrapping your arms at his waist & quietly tell him “Thank you for being the sweetest Christmas present I could have asked for.”

[reciprocityfic]

fires, chapter two

Title: Fires Fandom: The Walking Dead Pairing: Rick x Michonne Rating: T Summary: "Because sometimes fires burn to make way for something new…something beautiful.“  The evolution of Rick and Michonne’s relationship throughout the course of season seven.

Author’s Note: I'm so sorry this took so long :/ I truly thought I would have this up just a few days after the last chapter, but my inspiration and motivation is so up and down because depression! and also I tend to always end up writing way more than I intended to.

That being said, this won't be the final part of this story. I still have (at least) one more chunk to tell. I was actually going to add a couple more sections to this chapter, but it was getting way too long and I wanted to get something up for you guys asap. I'm going to try my best to have the last part up before 7x15 airs, and then I might do some sort of epilogue afterwards, depending on people's interest and my inspiration/writing stamina.

As always, love and thanks to you all, xoxo.

chapter one on tumblr, ao3 or ff.net.

chapter two on ao3 or ff.net.

CHAPTER TWO: INCANDESCENCE

Their lives falls into some strange pattern of domesticity as they prepare for war.

Everyone wakes up in the morning, eats breakfast and then kisses each of their loved ones goodbye, before heading off to complete whatever task assigned to them.  They work diligently into the hours of the early evening and then call it a day, heading home to spend the remainder of the night with their families and friends.

In their house, some combination of her, Rick, and Carl make dinner, and then they sit around the table with Judith and eat, discussing all they had accomplished today and their plans for tomorrow.  Sometimes they talk strategy, but they try not to.  They silently vow to keep their family time free of those kinds of topics. They can’t keep it as pure as her and Rick’s bedroom, but they work to keep it as pure as they can.

The minutes tick by. Judith coos and babbles and they all laugh at her, Carl tells her what’s happening in his latest comic book, Rick nudges her foot with his under the table, or reaches out and finds her hand once they move into the living room after they’ve cleared the table.  Carl makes a disgusted sound in the back of his throat at any sign of PDA, which Judith adorably attempts to imitate as they laugh again, and a deep blush never fails to color Rick’s cheeks even though he knows Carl’s repulsion is all in good fun.  She squeezes the fingers that are laced with hers.  He turns his head towards her, the corners of his mouth turning up into a mischievous grin, and she has to look away as a wave of heat begins to roll over her own skin.

The day dwindles to a close. They each take turns tucking Judith into bed, and then Carl retires to his room for the night.  Her and Rick settle into the kitchen and do the dishes before heading up the stairs

There are exceptions to the routine, of course.  There are the occasional overnight runs, and Negan comes to visit every couple of weeks, and they put on calm, resigned masks to hide the fact that they’re all scrambling around in the background, ensuring none of their battle plans are discovered or even suspected.

But more often than not, their days follow that same, strange pattern, and the monotony of it is comforting, in a way.  Familiar in the way it brings back the taste of a way of life long abandoned and forgotten. In fact, the days could classify as normal – normal in the old way – if their jobs didn’t constantly revolve around preparation for a war against a sadistic man wielding a barbed wire-covered bat and his legion of disciples.

On one of these ordinary evenings, she and Rick stand at the sink in the kitchen, as they always do. The only sounds are the swishing of her hands in warm, soapy water, the clank of him placing dry dishes onto the counter, and the faint sound of crickets filtering in through an open window.

They don’t talk much, which is hardly unusual.  Words aren’t always needed between them.  Sometimes the calm of being together, the sound of one moving and breathing around the other, is enough.

But there’s something off about him tonight.  There’s the slightest edge to the silence that even she might not pick up on, if she were the tiniest bit more tired or distracted.  But she’s not, and she notices.

It’s not an angry off.  Not a worried or upset one.  It’s just…

Off.

“What’s going on in that head of yours?” she asks, bumping his hip with hers gently.  

He hums, hesitates, before pressing his lips together and tossing a half-smile in her direction.

“Nothing.”

She rolls her eyes playfully as she hands him a freshly-scrubbed fork.

“Well, I know that’s not true.”

“Oh yeah?” he questions as he dries the utensil, shifting and bumping back into her.  “How?”

“Your eyes are all squinty,” she informs him.

He chuckles softly, but the sound gets louder when he glances over and sees her face, her eyes narrowed at him and her lips pursed in an attempt to mimic his expression.

“So that’s what I look like when I’m thinking, huh?”

“Mmhmm.”

He laughs again, but goes back to wiping off dishes without another word.  She frowns, and sighs.  She wishes he would tell her, but she won’t push him.  He never fails to respect her independence and give her the space she needs, and she can do nothing but extend the same courtesy to him. So she puts her hands back in the water that’s gained the slightest chill, now, and drops the subject.  If it’s important he’ll tell her in his own time. She knows that.

They fall back into their comfortable silence, and finish the dishes shortly after that.  He places the plates and pots and utensils into the dish drainer on the counter so they can finish the last of their drying overnight, and she drains the sink, wiping her hands and then the area around the sink with a dishtowel as the water swirls and gurgles away.  She’s about to grab the baby monitor so they can head upstairs when his voice stops her.

“Michonne?”

She turns, and finds him still in his spot by the dishes, that pensive look still on his face.  She puts the monitor down and walks back across the room, stopping mere inches from him.  A faint frown rests on his lips now, and the corners of her mouth turn down too at the sight, in a form of solidarity.

“What is it?”

He reaches his arm out and places his hand on her shoulder before letting it trail down her arm. His fingertips are pruned and slightly cold from their time spent covered in water, and goosebumps raise on her skin.

“We never would’ve met before, would we?”

The frown on her face grows. His question throws her, gives her an uncomfortable feeling as it rattles around in her brain.  It’s something she’s never really considered, other than the passing thought of how lucky she was to have found him.  She never qualified if she meant lucky in this world or lucky in the last one, too.  It didn’t matter.  She was just lucky to have found him at all.

She tilts her head slightly, a trait she’s picked up from him.

“What do you mean?” she asks.

He shrugs, dropping his eyes to the floor and grabbing her hand, twining their fingers together.

“I don’t know.  It’s just…we never would’ve met before.  If it weren’t for everything that happened, we would’ve never known each other.”

He’s still staring down, so she peers at the top of his head curiously, wondering what could’ve made him think of this.  His thumb rubs nervously against the back of her hand.

“No,” she confirms. “Probably not.”

And as the words leave her mouth, her stomach drops.  The weight of that realization hits her as she admits the truth of his words out loud. It almost knocks her off her feet.

“We lived very different lives,” she says flatly, as if her brain must offer up some sort of explanation as it processes this new information.  “It’s unlikely that they ever would’ve…intersected in any way.”

A loaded silence settles over them.  She imagines a life without him, and an unpleasant shiver runs through her.

“And even they did, you never would’ve looked at me twice.”

He lifts his head, a wry smirk playing on his lips.  She scoffs and lets go of his hand, taking a step back.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Come on now,” he implores, leaning and wrapping his arm around her waist.  He pulls her back into him and she doesn’t resist, even as she glares at him.

“I doubt that I was exactly your type.  A scrawny, white, small town sheriff’s deputy with a stupid southern accent who’s never been out of the state of Georgia?”  He laughs, and shakes his head.  “Nah.  Not for a refined city girl like you.  An artistic, well-traveled, big-time lawyer.  Even if we somehow had ended up in the same room, you wouldn’t have even noticed me.”

She meets his gaze. His eyes are light, because he’s mostly teasing her, and she knows this.  But she doesn’t miss the small glint of sadness that shines in them too.  He believes his words.  And she wishes she could do something to take that away, wishes she could tell him that he’s wrong.  But she can’t, because he isn’t.

“Your accent isn’t stupid,” she mumbles, and now she feels stupid, but it’s the only honest thing she can think of to say that doesn’t taste bitter on her lips.

She brings her hands up to his chest and begins to fiddle with the top button on his shirt.  A pang of hurt thumps in her heart.

“And you don’t have much room to talk,” she declares, tearing her eyes away from his.  She stares straight ahead instead, watches his Adam’s apple bob up and down as he swallows.

“I mean, you married your high school sweetheart, babe.  I didn’t date anyone in high school because I thought it would never work out and they would just end up being a distraction. And you.  You fit the popular country boy stereotype to a tee.  You were a police officer.  You went around protecting the streets, were probably everyone’s hometown hero.”

She smiles softly as she envisions it, him riding around in his patrol car dressed in his deputy uniform, Carl’s hat on his head.  Chaperoning his son’s field trips.  Mowing the lawn, and putting up Christmas lights.  Waving to the neighbors as he walked out to get the paper every morning.

She wishes she could see it, for real.  That she could get a glimpse of him in his old life, even if it was just for a second.

“You had everything,” she murmurs as she continues.  “The kind, sweet wife.  The perfect little boy.  I just don’t fit the part.  I don’t exactly look like your typical, small-town girl next door.”

She pauses, feeling the slight pressure of tears begin to build behind her eyes, but she blinks and pushes it away.  Her fingers still play with the buttons on his shirt.  Her stomach churns.

“No.  You’re wrong.”

She tilts her head up to find him staring down at her.  A smirk still plays on his lips, but it’s changed from the cynical one he’d worn earlier. It’s sweeter.  It gives off a certain fondness.

“I would’ve noticed you. Trust me, I would’ve noticed you.  And I would’ve remembered you, too.”

His words are candid and sincere and she does trust him.  She believes him, despite all her skepticism.  She can’t help but smile, and she feels the tears come again, but she swallows them as he pulls her into a hug, wrapping himself around her, swaying their bodies back and forth.  He drops a kiss onto her forehead, and she reciprocates by pressing her lips against his chest, right over his heart.

“Some of the people were talking today while we were taking inventory of the weapons,” he begins, his voice rumbling against her cheek.  “Tobin and Tara, and a few people that are over from Hilltop.  And someone asked what we would give up to have this all never happen.  To go back to the way things were, to our lives before everything.”

“We never would’ve met,” she whispers, echoing his previous statement, and she feels him nod.

“I don’t have to wonder what I’d give up.  I know what I’d have to give up.  I’d have to give up you.  And I just…I don’t know, Michonne.”

He releases her and takes a step back, shrugging and looking at her with an expression that’s almost embarrassed.

“I know that I should want it back,” he begins with a sigh.  “I should want to prevent the pain that we’ve all suffered.  I should want it back for everyone we’ve lost.  For all of friends that we’ve seen die.  I should want it for Lori, and for Carl.  So he could have some sort of childhood.  I should want it for Judith, too, although…I don’t really know if I’d have her either.  I don’t know what would’ve happened with Lori and Shane.”

She can detect the subtle ache in his voice when he mentions the names of his dead wife and best friend, and she goes to stand next to him, snaking her arm behind him to rub circles over his back, and rests her head on his shoulder.  She wishes she could soothe that hurt for him.  Find some way to banish that uncertainty lingering in the back of his mind when he thinks of Lori and Shane.  Figure out how to stop him from always having to wonder.

“I should want it for you, too,” he starts again, and the shame in his tone is profound.  She snuggles further into his side as he runs a hand over his face.

“Fuck, I feel like an awful, selfish person.  I should want it for you.  I should want it for Andre and Mike.  So you’d never have to go through the pain of losing them.  So your baby could be alive, having the life he deserved.  But, shit, I just don’t know.”

She inhales sharply when he mentions the names of her son and old boyfriend.  She thinks of them, takes a moment to love them and mourn them, and then ponders Rick’s question some more.  What would she give?

And she feels the first hints of guilt begin to come together inside her, too.

He slings an arm around her shoulders, and brings his head down to rest on top of hers.

“I really love you, Michonne.”

Her heart skips a beat, as it always does when he tells her that.  She extricates herself from his embrace, and then comes to stand in front of him.

“I love you, too.  So much.”

The corners of his lips twitch up involuntarily, and warmth floods her veins, traversing every inch of her body.  She knows she’ll never tire of seeing any hint of his beautiful smile, especially when she’s the one to put it there.

“You’re not an awful person,” she assures him.  “And you’re not selfish.  I don’t know, either.  It’s a little hard to admit, and if someone had asked me a year ago if I’d ever answer that question with a word other than ‘anything’, I wouldn’t have believed them in the slightest.  But I never expected…you.”

She takes his hand again, closes her eyes as he squeezes.

“I never expected Carl and Judith.  I never expected any of our family, but I definitely never expected you.”

“It’s a hard question. A lot to think about,” he says.

She nods as she looks up at him.

“It is.  Feelings are hard.  Love is hard.  What you though were the simplest things get complicated.”

He hums in agreement. They stand there for a moment, playing with each other’s fingers.

“You want to go to bed?” he asks, breaking the silence.  She smiles, and lifts herself on her toes to kiss him.

“I do,” she answers, and he smiles back at her, placing one more kiss on her lips.  They separate, and she grabs the baby monitor and he turns off the lights, and they both head upstairs.

After bedtime rituals are performed, they settle onto their meager pallet, which has become more comforting and warm than they’d ever imagined was possible in these past weeks. They lay on their sides and face each other, and talk about nothing, about silly and frivolous things, their conversation interspersed with soft giggles and lazy kisses.  They continue this way until his blinks become progressively longer and heavier, and she lets out a series of yawns so big her eyes water. He reaches over and turns off the lamp, kisses her once more, and then closes his eyes, falling asleep in record time. Gentle breaths and light snores fill their room.

She resists the urge to close her eyes for a moment, though.  Ever since their reconciliation in the prison cell, she’s had a habit of watching him sleep.  She tries her best to stay awake a few minutes longer than him every night, just to catch a sight of it.  There’s something about seeing him so peaceful.  He takes on so much, bears the weight of everyone’s expectations, hopes, and lives.  And seeing it melt away as slumber overtakes him calms her, gives her one more happy moment before she shuts her eyes.

She lifts one of her hands and places it on his face, trailing her thumb over his cheekbone. She inhales slowly and lets herself drown in how right this feels.  It’s like nothing she’s ever experienced before. Being with him – loving him – is so easy.  It’s as natural as breathing.  This is where she belongs.  In this house, with him and his children, living in this home they’ve built despite every odd being stacked against them.  She belongs next to him.  With him, always, in every aspect, loving him with all that she is.  She’s never been so sure of anything in her life.

What would you give to go back to before?

“Rick?”

She doesn’t really expect him to open his eyes, as he seems so lost in his slumber, but he does.  His face is just illuminated enough by the faint light of the full moon shining in through the window, so she can see his eyes open and looking at her.  Barely open, his eyelids still heavy and begging to close again, but open all the same.

“Yeah, gorgeous?”

She laughs at his pet name. She learned very quickly, when they started all of this, that he had a hopelessly romantic side to him, underneath all his jagged cynicism, that only shone through in his most unguarded moments. Thus, all those moments belonged to her. She fell for this new facet of him just as hard as she had fallen for all the rest of him.

Precious.  To see him like this was an absolutely precious thing to behold.  

He was so precious to her.

She loved him so much. More than she could fathom.  More than she’d ever dreamed she could love someone else.

She’d always considered herself lucky to find him, lucky to be able to call him hers, but that crushing feeling of belonging and adoration and rightness had enveloped them so completely, from that first brush of his lips against hers, that it made her pause.

She’d thought it luck. But maybe it was more than that.  She’d hardly believed in that sort of thing in her previous life, but everything was different now.

Maybe it was more than luck.

“I think we maybe would’ve met before,” she says tenderly.  He stills under her hand, and then she sees the flash of his teeth in the moonlight as a slow smile spreads over his face.  He wraps an arm around her waist and pulls her flush against him, burying his face in her neck and placing a kiss on her jaw.  In a matter of seconds, it seems, she feels his steady breaths start back up against her skin.

She runs her fingers through his curls, and closes her eyes.

*             *             *

She’s on a run with Rosita, technically looking for ammo, but as always, keeping their eyes peeled for anything that might be of use to the community.  They see a supermarket and park their car, not expecting much but checking it out anyways.

The place is clear of walkers and pretty much everything else, as is the case with most grocery stores at this point.  The grab a buggy and find a few stray items: five cans of soup, a pack of diapers that are miraculously Judith’s size, some bottles of shampoo and seven bars of soap. Rosita pauses to grab a handful of bottles of ibuprofen and a box of band-aids as Michonne rounds the corner of the aisle.

Her face lights up at what she sees sitting on the ground, in plain sight, almost as someone had placed them there just for her to find.

Rosita looks up when she hear Michonne walking back to her and the buggy, and she almost laughs at the four bottles of wine she’s cradling in her arms.

“Where’d you find that?”

“Just around the corner,” she informs her and she gingerly places the bottles in the metal cart. “They were just sitting there like they were waiting for me to find them.”

“Who would leave them behind like that?” Rosita asks, genuine confusion in her voice. “Honestly, if it weren’t for all the other people we’re looking out for, alcohol would be the main thing I’d scavenge for.”

Michonne smiles and shrugs her shoulders.

“I don’t know, but I’m certainly not complaining.  They’re all mine now.”

Rosita lifts an eyebrow.

“All yours?”

Michonne hesitates, biting her bottom lip.  Officially, they were supposed to share everything they found with the community, but people swiped things they found for themselves every once in a while. And she knew once Alexandria got wind that there was wine in the pantry, the alcohol would be gone in a matter of minutes.

“I’ll split them with you,” she concedes, as an idea pops into her head.  “But you owe me a favor,” she quickly tacks on.

Rosita eyes her suspiciously.

“Do you have an idea what this favor might entail?”

“Take the kids tonight,” Michonne exhales quickly.  “I’ll tell Carl to bring over his Xbox so he and Tara can play.  And I’ll send over Judith’s pack-and-play and a few toys. She’s easily entertained.  It’ll be a breeze.”

She sees Rosita hesitate, so she continues.

“You know, you’re actually really good with Judith.  I know you don’t have that much practice with her, but she’s an easy baby, I swear. Plus, Carl will be there if you need him.”

Michonne holds back a deep sigh as she’s once again met with silence.  Her expression softens when she sees the trepidation on Rosita’s face.

“I think you pretend sometimes you don’t enjoy your time with her, but I think deep down, you do. You just don’t want to be around her too much.  And I’m not faulting you for that.  I totally get it.  I did the same thing when I first found everyone back at the prison.  I’ve heard you mention your nephew before.  And I know that being around babies can bring up some…memories that hurt.  Trust me, I’ve been there.  But also trust me when I say that being around babies again can be the best thing to start and heal those wounds.  It can be cathartic, in a way.  Take it from someone who knows.”

Rosita looks at her with wide eyes as Michonne takes a deep breath.  She’s only told Rick and Carl about Andre, but lately there had been a general assumption among their closest family that she’d probably been a mother. It doesn’t bother her, exactly; like she told Carl all that time ago, it wasn’t really a secret.  She’s still getting used to actually acknowledging it in front of everyone, though.

Rosita still hesitates, and Michonne closes her eyes and steels herself for disappointment.  But then Rosita’s voice rings through the air and pleasantly surprises her.

“Okay.”

Michonne can’t hide the smile that lights up her face.

“Okay.  Great.  Thank you.”

Rosita nods, and they make one more quick trip around the store before they’re satisfied that they’ve grabbed everything.

“So,” Rosita starts, her voice full of implication as they walk to the front of the store.  “What are you doing tonight?  Got a hot date?”

Rosita turns towards Michonne and wiggles her eyebrows.  Michonne laughs, and spots a pack on M&Ms on the floor next to a pop machine.  As Rosita shits her focus back in front of her, Michonne grabs the candy and stuffs it in her back pocket.  That was one thing she wasn’t sharing.

She chuckles again as she thinks of Rosita’s question.

“Yeah, Rosita,” she answers, still unable to wipe the smile off her face.  “Yeah, I think I might.”

*             *             *

She hears Rick walk into the house forty-five minutes after she returns from her run, closing the door behind him rather loudly, letting out a deep sigh.  She hears him kick his boots off in the foyer, and her stomach twists in anticipation as his footsteps approach, another smile spreading across her face.

His lips quirk up as he enters the kitchen and finds her leaning against the counter, arms crossed in front of her.

“Thought I’d beat you home.”

She shrugs.

“Run went well.”

An immediate look of satisfaction takes over his face.  She can’t help but grin at his reaction.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah,” she confirms, nodding her head.  “No herds or complications or strangers, or anything like that.  Found a pretty good amount of bullets.  A handful of guns, too.  And then we stopped in a supermarket, and found some food.  A few first aid things.  Not very much, but at least it’s something.”

“Something is always good,” he assures her.  

She smiles again as she looks at him, her heart filling with love and her belly tightening as she thinks of the evening they’ll have.  He tilts his head and peers at her curiously, his eyes narrowing into slits.

“What’re you up to? Standing here all by yourself, looking at me like that?”

“I was waiting for you. I missed you.”

She can see his cheeks begin to flush even from her spot across the kitchen, and she shakes her head slightly, almost laughing at his bashfulness.  It’s still odd to her at times, seeing that timid side of him, when she’s spent so much time with bold and powerful version of himself that he wears for everyone outside of the walls of their home.  He can be so confident so often, even coming across as cocky at times. At yet here he is, standing in their kitchen, blushing like a middle school boy who just talked to his crush for the first time.  All because she told him she’d missed him.

Her heart beats with so much affection for him that it’s nearly painful.

“Come here,” she commands softly, opening her arms.  He walks across the kitchen in a few large strides, leaning into her, pinning her body against the counter with hers.  They wrap their arms around each other, and he drops his head onto her shoulder.  She rests her face against his curls, slightly damp with sweat from hours spent working in the sun.

They stay like that for a few moments, enjoying the feel of being in each other’s arms after spending the day apart.  Before long, though, she tugs on his hair gently.  He lifts his head up, and she waits for his eyes to lock with hers before speaking.

“Hi,” she whispers.

“Hi,” he says back, the tips of his fingers beginning to trace imaginary patterns along her back.

She stands up on her tiptoes and presses her lips to his, sucking the bottom one into her mouth before pulling away from him.

“I missed you, too,” he tells her, tightening his hold on her as he leans down to kiss her again, more deeply this time.  His tongue slips into her mouth and strokes hers, and when they separate both of their chests are heaving slightly.

He bites his bottom lip and shakes his head, laughing under his breath, the way he always does when he’d rather keep going but doesn’t want to risk either of the kids finding them making out in some dim corner of the house.  But after a moment, he pauses, and glances around.  She can practically see the wheels turning in his head.

“It’s awful quiet in here,” he remarks finally.  “Where are our kids?”

Her breath hitches at the use of the word our. He’d taken to addressing Carl and Judith with it a few weeks ago.  It started one morning while he was scouring through his dresser for a clean t-shirt as she put her headband on, the two of them mindlessly talking about the day ahead of them.

“Oh,” he began, as he pulled out a dark gray t-shirt he found tucked away in the corner of the bottom drawer.  “Our kids keep asking about that bean casserole thing you made a few weeks back, with the crackers.  Well, Carl keeps asking about it, and he just goads Judy to nod along and clap her hands.  I can make it if you don’t have the time, or don’t feel like or anything. Just write down the instruction, and whatever ingredients we don’t have, and I’ll stop by the pantry and try to scrounge them up.”

She vaguely heard what he said, but she couldn’t really process it because she was caught up on the first two words that slipped from his mouth.

Our kids.

She turned towards him and froze, styling her hair all but forgotten as she clutched her headband in her fist.  The only part of her that seemed to be moving was her heart.  It was pounding so violently that she was convinced he could probably hear it.

He looked at her when he didn’t receive any sort of answer or acknowledgement from her, his eyebrows knit together.  But his eyes widened when he saw her stiff body, the unreadable expression on her face.

“Mich, what’s wrong?”

She stayed still for another long moment, before forcing herself to take a deep breath.  She dropped her gaze to the floor, extending her arm to place the piece of cloth still clutched in her grasp on top of his dresser. She hoped he’d miss the way her hand shook as she reached out.  But she knew he wouldn’t.

“Michonne,” he murmured. She heard the floorboards squeak as he took a step towards her.

“You said our,” she managed to choke out, and she hated the way her voice broke as she finished her sentence, and hated the pressure of tears she could feel building behind her eyes.

It’d been that way for a while, if she were being honest.  It’d been that way with Carl ever since she found the two of them after the prison.  She’d started out as his best friend, and she still was, but it became something deeper than that.  Something more.  She hadn’t realized it right away, not until she stood on the porch with him on the night that turned her life upside-down in the best way.

It should be someone who loved her, someone who’s family, and I…I’d do it for you.

They’d always loved each other, and they’d always been family.  But somehow, stating it plainly like that – having it out there in the open.

Something shifted.

With Judith, the feeling came over her more gradually.  Once she’d allowed herself to engage herself with the baby girl, to swallow her pain and open her heart, she’d fallen in love with her just as quickly as the rest of the group had, and quickly became a trusted member in Judith’s babysitter rotation.  Her role hadn’t been any different than Carol’s, or Maggie’s, or Beth’s, or Tyreese’s. Not at first.  

But then there had been moments, small ones, that didn’t even register until she looked back on them. Like when she was the first one to join Rick and Carl to fawn over a relocated Judith after Terminus, or when Rick had kissed the baby’s forehead and placed her in Michonne’s arms as he marched off to Grady, trusting her enough to leave both of his children in her care.

Then, of course, when they settled in Alexandria, as everyone broke off into groups to move into their own homes, she had stayed with Rick and his children.  It hadn’t even needed to be discussed or decided. She simply stayed.  And it was good and it was right and no one questioned it.

And now, Michonne was just the collectively-assumed second guardian of Judith Grimes.  When something concerning Judith came up and Rick wasn’t around, all questions went to her.  The baby girl’s parentage was universally known, even thought it had never explicitly stated.

Until that morning.

Our kids.

He didn’t respond to her stammered observation immediately, instead giving her a moment for her head to clear and breathing to steady.  But after a minute, he approached her, placing his hand on the small of her back, leading her back to their blankets and settling her on the floor next to him. He reached out and grabbed both of her hands.

“Yeah.  I said our.”

“Why?” she whispered, and he laughed quietly, shrugging his shoulders.

“Because it’s true. Because they are ours.  They’re yours.  I mean, you love them like they are.  I can tell that every time you’re with them.  And you take care of them like they’re yours.”

He laughed again, and shifted closer to her, dropping her hands to wrap his arm around her shoulders and pull her into his side.

“Carl adores you.  I hope you know that.  I know boys aren’t always the best at expressing their emotions, especially teenage boys.  And especially ones who have me as their father.  But he loves you with his entire heart.  And Judith can’t really sit me down and tell me she loves you, but she lights up whenever you walk into the room.  And you’re always making us all jealous with the way she’s constantly reaching for you over everyone else.”

They both chuckled together at that, and he squeezed her shoulder before exhaling slowly.

“Michonne,” he cooed, and he reached over with his free hand and grasped her chin, turning her face towards him.  He gazed into her dark eyes, his thumb passing over the tip of her chin again and again.

“You’re the only mom Judith’s ever gonna know.  Of course we’ll tell her about Lori.  We’re gonna make sure Judith knows as much about her as she can.  We’ll let her know how much Lori loved her, and how we’ll always remember her and love her.  But…Lori is Judith’s mother.  None of us will ever forget that.  But you’re Judith’s mom.”

He closed his eyes suddenly, and bit his bottom lip before continuing.

“At least, I want you to be.  If that’s something you want, too.”

She felt tears begin to build behind her eyes, and he moved his hand to wipe one that managed to escape with his fingers before cupping her cheek.

“If it’s too much right now, that’s okay,” he assures her seriously.  “I’d understand if you wanted to avoid that after everything you lost. And if it’s something you don’t think you’ll ever want, we can…try to figure something out.”

And her heart, which had already been on the brink of bursting, swelled three more sizes.  Because he meant every word he said.  He wanted Carl and Judith to be both of theirs so badly, but refused to forget about her Andre, about her loss and her pain.  He refused to force her into something she wasn’t ready for, or anything she didn’t want at all.

But he didn’t have to worry, and she reached up and grabbed his face between both of her hands, pulling him down and planting a kiss on his lips before resting her forehead against his.

“I want that,” she told him, and more tears fell down her cheeks when she saw the wide smile that immediately broke out on his face.  “I want that with you.  I want Carl and Judith to be ours.”

“Our kids,” he declared softly.  

She smiled back at him, and repeated his words.

“Our kids.”

And even though it had been a few weeks since they’d made that decision together, she’s still not quite used to hearing it, is still knocked breathless by the immense joy that floods her at the thought of Carl and Judith belonging to both of them.  She takes a moment to revel in that, and to hold him to her a little tighter, before answering his question.

“They’re spending the night at Tara and Rosita’s.”

He looks at her questioningly, but the corners of his mouth already begin to turn up.

“Oh yeah?”

She hums, and then points in the direction of the refrigerator.  He turns his head, and she can tell when he spots the bottles of wine, because a grin stretches his lips over his teeth.

“Where’d you find that?”

“Sitting in the middle of the floor of a supermarket, like it was waiting for me,” she tells him, chuckling lightly.  “I agreed to split them with Rosita if she and Tara babysat.”

“Not passing them around?”

She scoffs.

“Hell no.  I earned those fair and square.”

“Yeah, sounds like it was real hard work, Miss ‘It was Sitting on the Floor like it was Waiting for Me.’”

She slaps him on the chest lightly, and then rolls her eyes when he purses his lips into a pout.

“You better shut your mouth,” she warns him, “and don’t you tell anyone about it.  If we don’t follow the rules, no one will.  It’s our secret.”

“I wouldn’t dare,” he promises her, and then an impish glint creeps into his eyes.

“So, what are you planning on doing with all that wine?”

“I have a date.”

“With who?” he inquires, his fingers slipping just under the hem of her shirt.

“Tobin,” she deadpans immediately, and he scowls, pushing away from her.  She laughs, and then reaches out and grabs his arm to pull him back to her.  He’s able to feign his anger for just a moment before he concedes, bringing his arms around to embrace her once again.  A frown still rests on his lips, though, and she smirks as she brings her hands up and pushes at the corners of his mouth with her forefingers.

“You’re such a baby,” she teases, and then takes one of her fingers and taps the bridge of his nose. “I have a date with you, silly.”

He takes one of her hands from his face and brings her pointed finger to his lips, biting it softly before pressing a kiss to it, and then places the hand into her lap.

“What do you have planned?”

“It’s a dinner date. Wining and dining.  Can’t go wrong with a classic.”

“And what’s for dinner?”

She hesitates slightly, looking towards the fridge.

“Um.  I think there’s still some leftover quiche from yesterday.”

“You’re giving me leftovers on our romantic dinner date?”

“Shut up,” she grumbles, slapping him again.  “Besides, that’s not even the most important part.  The wine is what really matters here. That’s the most important part.”

“That does sound good. I haven’t had a drink since we stole that beer from The Saviors, and it was way longer before that.”

His hands slip underneath the bottom of her shirt again, reaching up further this time, and he ghosts his fingers over her spine.  Goosebumps rise over her skin, and she smirks.

“I was wrong.  The wine isn’t the most important part,” she tells him abruptly, tugging him closer and reaching up to lace her fingers into the hair at the nape of his neck.  He closes his eyes and groans just slightly. Her stomach flips.

She brings her face to his, kissing his temple and then speaking into his skin.

“The most important part is that the kids are gone, and we have the whole house to ourselves all night.  No crying babies, no teenage, wandering eyes, no distractions.  Just you and me.”

She kisses down his cheek and to his jaw, and he pulls her closer, his hands already starting to lift up the back of her shirt instead of hiding under it.

“Just you and me?” he asks.

“Mmhmm.”

“And the kids are already gone for the night?”

“Yep,” she confirms. “Already took their stuff over and everything.”

He pulls her tank top over her head, tossing it over his shoulder as his eyes immediately go to her chest.  She laughs, and he snaps his head up quickly to stare at her, that impish glint back in his eyes, multiplied tenfold.

“Well, then,” he begins, lunging forward and pressing his face into her neck, kissing and licking at her soft skin, until she tilts her head back to give him more room to work with. “I think we should get started on that most important part right away.”

She giggles again, grabbing and lifting his face so he’s looking at her.  She leans in and sucks at his bottom lip before pulling back and pushing his disheveled hair back from his forehead.

“Me too,” she tells him, her voice low.

He beams, and crashes his mouth against hers.

*             *             *

They end up cuddled up together on their couch, a few half-plates of quiche and whatever other random food items they found tucked away in the cupboards sitting on the coffee table in front of them.  The pack of stale M&Ms rests on the arm of the couch, just a handful of the candies left at the bottom of the package.  The two bottles of wine, now empty, sit on the floor just in front of the couch.

She’s clad in his boxers and his button-up, with just the middle few buttons latched together.  Her hair is loose and splayed out over his chest as she lies against him.  He, meanwhile, is as naked as the day he was born under her, running his fingers absentmindedly over her thighs and dipping below the fabric of his stolen pair of underwear every so often.  The clothes they aren’t using are discarded haphazardly in a path from the kitchen to the living room.

The house is dim, the only sources of light being the small lantern they left burning in the kitchen and the one on the table.  She gazes up at him, and watches the way the yellowish light dances and cast shadows over his skin.  Smiling slightly, she brings one of her hands up to gently trace the planes of his face with her fingertips.

He’s beautiful. Undeniably so.  She hadn’t noticed it at first, when they’d met back at the prison, but once she’d realized it, she was almost dumbfounded at how she hadn’t seen it before.  Everything about his face is set just so, from his expressive bright blue eyes, to the perfect slope of his nose, the fullness of his pink lips, and the strong line of his jaw.

She hadn’t noticed it at first, but she makes up for that now.  Sometimes when she gazes at him, the pure beauty of him knocks the breath out of her.

She thinks back to their conversation the other day, and how he said she wouldn’t have registered his existence in a room full of people back in the old world.  She’d solemnly agreed with him; he wasn’t remotely close to any type she might’ve had before.  But now, as she takes this time to admire him, she think that even then, if she had just taken a moment to really look at him, she wouldn’t have been able to stop looking at him.

He stirs under her touch after a few moments, his nose twitching and a slight hum coming from deep inside his throat.  He’d been half asleep, dozing as they’d both been doing on and off for the past hour.

“What are you up to?” he mumbles, a moment before opening his eyes.

“Just watching you,” she whispers.

He smiles, tilting his chin up to press a kiss to her palm as it ghosts over his mouth.

“Like what you see?”

“I do.  In fact, I love it,” she amends, lifting herself from his body slightly so she hovers over him. “I love you.  I love this – being here with you like this.  I…I love it.  With all my heart.”

She can’t help but smile again, because she’s so happy.  She’s warm and safe and fed and tipsy and so in love with the man beneath her.

She settles back down onto him, nuzzling her face into the crook of his neck.  She can’t help but think of their road trip some weeks back. It had been the closest they’d probably ever come to going on some romantic vacation together.  And she’d adored every second of it.

“I wish it could always be this way,” she breathes, as if she’s admitting some deep, selfish secret that she’s ashamed of.  “I want it to always be this way.”

“It will be,” he says, bringing his arms up and wrapping them tightly around the small of her back. “As soon as we win this thing, it will be.”

He tugs on her head gently, tilting her face up so they can gaze into each other’s eyes.  The blue of his irises is so deep, even in the scant light. They’re like the ocean, and she feels like she could get lost in them.  Like she could drown in them.

“I’m going to spend the rest of my life making you happy,” he vows.

Her eyes well up, and it’s all she can do to lean in and give him a deep kiss.  She feels the truth of his words echo in every cell of her body.  It’s overpowering, the way her chest constricts with her unending affection for him.

Once they separate, she lays her head down next to his on the pillow he’s resting on.  Their cheeks touch, and the rough hair of his beard rubs against her skin.

After a few moments of silence, he speaks.

“I’ve always wanted to have sex with you on this couch.  Ever since that first night.”

She laughs once, and reaches out to grab the pack on M&Ms.  She sits up, straddling his waist, and then shakes a couple of candies in her palm and pops them in her mouth.  Then she takes one and presses it against his closed lips until he opens up and accepts her offering.

“What took you so long?” she asks.

“I didn’t exactly have the opportunity,” he says around the chocolate in his mouth.  “What, with two kids and Daryl roaming around our house.”

“True,” she concedes with a smirk, and eats two more pieces before feeding him the last one.  She crumples up the wrapper and deposits it on one of their empty plates on the table.  She leans back, and lays her hands flat on his chest.

“Well, you got your wish.”

A devilish grin spreads across his face, and he reaches up and takes her hands.

“Yeah, I guess I did. It took me awhile, but I got there.”

She chuckles, and then settles back down onto him.  His fingers go back to stroking her legs.

“You know, I would’ve had sex with you on this couch that night. You’re the one who had to go and remind me that someone could’ve walked in on us.”

She snorts.

“Yeah, sure.  There’s no way in hell you would’ve let our first time be on the couch.  You’re too romantic.  You would’ve spread rose petals all over the bed if I’d given you the time.”

“You think I’m romantic?”

“Hopelessly so.”

“Huh.”

She lifts her head, her eyebrows pulled together.

“What?  You don’t believe me?”

“No, I do.  It’s just…” he hesitates, letting out a long sigh. “Lori never thought I was romantic.”

“No?”

“Nah,” he chuckles, glancing at her bashfully.  “I tried sometimes.  It just never came across, I guess.”

“What’d you do?” she probes.

“I don’t know.”  He takes a moment to think, pushing a loud breath out between his lips.  “Well…okay. So, when I was gonna propose, I was trying to figure out where to do it.  I could’ve taken her to some fancy restaurant in Atlanta or something, but I felt like everybody did that, you know?  I thought it should be different.  Special. So I decided to do it where we had our first kiss.  Which was, admittedly, not a glamorous place.  It was under the bleachers at the football field.  We kissed during a Friday night game on a dare.  So not your traditional romantic spot.  But, I don’t know.  I thought it would be cute.”

He pauses, and bites his lip.  A look comes over his face that seems regretful.

“Lori didn’t think so,” he continues.  “She reacted okay when I actually proposed, but later on I found out she wasn’t such a big fan.  I should’ve just taken her to a fancy restaurant.”

He laughs once, and turns his head to look at her.  Again, his expression conveys just the slightest hint of guilt, and she frowns, bringing up her hand to rest on his cheek.

“That sounds romantic to me,” she tells him fervently.  “Of course, no one’s ever proposed to me, so I don’t have anything to compare it to. But it still seems pretty romantic.”

“No one’s ever proposed to you?” he asks, his tone rising with curiosity.

“Nope.”

“Why’d you and Mike never get married?” he wonders, taking hold of her hand.  He brings it to his mouth and kisses her fingers before placing it back on his cheek.

“We talked about it a few times, but we just never thought it was necessary,” she explains. “Neither of us had this strong desire to do it.  I mean, we were together, and we loved each other.  We were committed.  Going through a ceremony and getting a piece of paper to confirm it wasn’t going to do anything to strengthen or weaken that bond.”

“You don’t have to,” he agrees.  “I thought you did.  Growing up where I did, in a small town like that, I definitely thought you did.  I know that you don’t now.  That you still love each other just the same, with or without it.”

“Yeah.”

She rubs her hand down his face before bringing it down and curling herself into him.  She can feel her eyelids getting heavy.

“I’m tired,” she admits, after a few minutes of just breathing each other in.

“Want to go to bed?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay.  Head upstairs.  I’ll put the plates in the sink and then be up.”

“No,” she shakes her head. “Let’s just stay down here.  We’ll get the plates in the morning. Everything feels so perfect.  I don’t want to move.”

All of a sudden, the room gets even dimmer than it was.

“The light in the kitchen must’ve burned out.”

“See?” she says, the corner of her mouth turning up.  “It’s a sign. We’re supposed to stay right where we are.”

He laughs lightly.

“Yeah.  Okay.”

Still, he reaches over to extinguish the lantern sitting on the table, and then darkness overtakes them. He rolls back into her and they maneuver together so they are both laying on their sides, facing each other, her tucked between the edge of the couch and his body.  He feels around for her face, and places a kiss to her lips, and then one on her forehead, before settling his head down into the pillow.

“Goodnight, love,” he whispers.  “Thank you. For all of this.”

She presses a kiss to his chest.

“Goodnight, Rick.”

She closes her eyes and relaxes into him, letting exhaustion from her long day and the incredible peace she feels whenever she’s in his arms overtake her.  Just as she’s on the brink of sleep, she hears his voice.

“Mich?”

“Yeah?” she mutters drowsily.

“Marry me.”

Just like that.  He says it just like that.

She’d never fantasized outright about getting engaged, not to Rick or to Mike.  But somewhere inside her, she supposes she had subconscious expectations.  Not about where or when it would happen, or what her ring would look like, or what the man in front of her would say leading up to it.  They were more rooted in what she would feel, and she couldn’t even say that those expectations were good.  They didn’t concern the love that might fill her heart, or excitement to start this new chapter of her life that might overtake her.  They were closer to fear.  To the apprehension that would stir deep in her gut at the thought of making such a strong and final commitment, at the prospect of giving herself over to someone else so completely.

And in the half second before she fully registers his words, she finds herself expecting all those reservations to bubble to the surface and spill over into her brain.

But they don’t.

Rather, she finds the peace is still there.  If anything, it grows at the thought of spending the rest of her life with him, at being tied so closely to him until the day she died.  At the thought of being his, and him being hers, clearly, for everyone to see.

“Yeah?” she whispers breathlessly.

“Yeah,” he answers, and his voice is so soft and gentle that she almost cries on the spot.

But instead, she swallows them back, with surprising ease.  And a resounding, unequivocal joy begins to grow in her heart and pump through her veins.

She discovers that the decision she though would be the hardest, most daunting one she’d ever have to make, is turning out to be the easiest.  Her answer is clear.  Obvious. She loves this man so much, so fiercely, that she can really only answer one way.  Her heart won’t allow her to even entertain the other option.

She is in love with him. That truth rings more strongly than it ever has before inside her as a slow grin forms on her face.  And her answer is easy.

“Okay.”

It’s as simple as that. And she remembers what he’s taught her: sometimes the most important things are best said in the plainest of terms.

His lips press against the top of her head.  And she can hear the smile in his voice when he speaks.

“Okay.”

*             *             *

She wakes up with a pounding headache.

She groans and rolls her neck in vain, because she knows the pain isn’t from an odd sleeping position or a kink in her spine.  It’s the fucking wine, and she could roll her eyes at herself if she’d been willing to open them and face the harsh light of day.

Thoroughly hungover from two shared bottles of wine.  She’d become such a lightweight.

She feels Rick shift under her, and she hesitantly drags open her eyelids, lifting her head and resting her chin on his chest to peer up at him.  She finds him gazing back at her, a small smirk on her face.

“Hey, sleepyhead.”

His eyes are groggy, but he seems slightly more aware than she is.  He’s been awake for a while.

“When did you wake up?” she asks him.

“I dunno.  About half an hour ago, maybe.”

“Why didn’t you get up?”

“You were layin’ on top of me,” he explains, his accent more pronounced than usual, as it always is after he just wakes up.  “You looked comfortable.  Didn’t want to wake ya.  Plus, I figured you were gonna need your sleep.”

She does roll her eyes this time, making a show of it, and he laughs lightly when he sees the look on her face.  But she can’t feign her annoyance for long, because it’s so sweet, the way he’s always thinking of her.

She stretches slightly, placing a chaste kiss to his lips and then to his cheek.

“Do you have a headache too?”

“A little,” he says with a shrug.  “Nothing too bad.”

She hums, and then lays her head back down on his chest, listening to the whooshing of air moving through his lungs, letting her mind drift back to the night before.  Warmth fills her as memories flit through her brain in rapid succession, replaying their evening like a movie.

When she reaches the end of the night, and recalls the moments right before they’d both fallen asleep, her stomach drops.

She’d agreed to marry him.

Her stomach twists, and her insides churn like the ocean during a hurricane, but it isn’t regret that weighs on her and pulls her down from her blissful mood; it’s uncertainty.

Had he intended to ask her, or did the question just kind of slip out of his mouth when he wasn’t thinking? They’d both been slightly drunk, and exhausted, and that wasn’t really ideal circumstances for making a life-altering decision like this.

Were they engaged?

She squeezes her eyes shut briefly, and then slowly maneuvers her head so that she can look at his face, nervous butterflies swarming within her.

She finds his eyes focused on her, but a timid glint shines in them, and she automatically knows the same questions she has are running through his mind.

And yet, neither of them seem to be able to be able to voice them.

She feels awkward in his presence, for the first time she can remember.  Even in those earliest days of their relationship – those days full of mistrust and muted animosity – she’d never felt awkward with him.  The emotion unnerves her, and she clears her throat, sitting up.  She feels cold now that her body isn’t pressed against his, and the cool morning air sends a shiver through her.

“I’m going to go look for some ibuprofen,” she tells him.  “I think there might be a bottle hiding in the bathroom somewhere.”

“Yeah,” he mumbles, nodding slowly.  “I’ll clean up.”

“Okay.”

Their gazes linger on each other for a moment longer, before she throws him a tight smile and gets up. She’s halfway to the stairs when she hears his voice calling her name.

“Michonne?”

She freezes, the anxiety that had abated a bit as she put more space between them coming back full force. She takes a moment to collect herself, inhaling and exhaling deeply before turning on her heel.

She finds him standing in the living room, holding his worn jeans in his hand, an indiscernible look on his face.  He takes a moment to pull his pants up and over his hips before taking a deep breath, shaking his head slightly and rolling his shoulders before starting towards her purposefully.

He stops mere inches from her, but keeps his eyes trained on the ground.  She watches his back rise and fall as he once again breathes heavily, and then he reaches out and laces his fingers with hers.

“What I said last night,” he starts quietly.  “When I...when I asked you to marry me.”

His voice breaks, and her pulse doubles in time as he voices those words, and she feels his fingers tighten infinitesimally around hers.

A quiet beat passes between them, and she waits for him to continue.  She can barely breathe.

“I meant it,” he blurts out suddenly, finally, and when he lifts his eyes to meet hers, what she sees nearly stops her heart altogether.

The lines of his face are set so sincerely, so severely, but in the most beautiful way. His eyes are full of unshed tears, and he looks so vulnerable, more vulnerable than she’s ever seen him.  It’s as if his entire life hinges on her next words.

Her own eyes begin to water, so many emotions stirring inside her.  But she finds that the most powerful one is that peace.  The same peace she felt laying in his arms last night settles over her like a quilt. Any hint of discomfort or tension she was feeling is expelled completely and nearly instantaneously, and she steps into him.

“I meant it,” he repeats ardently, and she feels his breath wash over her face as she wraps her arms around the back of his neck and pulls his forehead down to rest against hers.

“I meant it, too,” she murmurs to him, and she’s unable to stop an unabashed grin from overtaking her face.  She feels him inhale sharply, and he pulls back from her.  He studies her expression, and then beams as the devotion and love he sees in her eyes begins to seep into his heart.  His tears spill over and begin to run down his face, and she feels dampness on her own cheeks as his smile somehow seems to grow, and a light laugh escapes his throat.

They reach for each other simultaneously, their lips crashing together in the sweetest kiss she’s ever tasted, their mouths opening and his tongue stroking hers with near desperation.  Their chests heave as they break apart, and he wraps his arms around her immediately, crushing her against him and lifting her off the ground.  She curls her fingers into his hair and pulls him as close to her as she can manage.  She never wants to let him go.

“So,” he drawls, his voice so light it’s almost buoyant.  “You’re gonna marry me.”

“Yeah, sheriff,” she tells him, the tenor in her voice matching his in its joy and levity.  She rests her cheek against his head.  “I’m gonna marry you.”

They both laugh, and he pulls back to press his lips against hers again, before adjusting their positions so he can trail incessant, hungry kisses up her jaw and along her cheekbone.

“I love you so much,” he whispers into her skin.  “I’ll love you until the day I die.  I’ll love you forever.”

Her heart clenches, and she closes her eyes, focusing on the feel of his lips and skin, of his body pressing into hers.

“I love you, too,” she murmurs back, craning her neck so she can place her own kisses over his face.  “Forever.”

She loves him so much. More than she ever thought she could love anyone again.  She loves him with more love than she even knew existed in this world.

She’ll love him everyday, every moment for the rest of forever.